Rural Settlements Research Articles

«Economy of adoption»: street-level bureaucracy VS. Rural community

The case study of the “adoption economy” examines the social factors that determine the decision-making of street-level bureaucrats. Research deals with small villages, whose residents adopted children in the 2000th in order to increase the number of pupils in the underutilized local schools and thus resisted their shutdown. The authors studied cases from five different regions in Russia, where at the time of the field study underutilized local schools were closed in three rural settlements, but in the other five settlements they were “saved” with the help of the “adoption economy”. The authors relied on M. Lipsky’s concept of “street-level bureaucrats” and A. Portes’ theory of social capital. Qualitative data were collected from 88 individual semi-structured interviews, an observation diary, documents, and photographic materials. The institutional context of “bureaucratic” discretion in determining what rural schools are subject to shut down is analyzed. The results of the study showed that the social capital of rural “street-level bureaucrats” (usually teachers of rural schools), due to their (un)inclusion in close interaction with local residents, to whom they provide services, becomes an important factor in (un)making a decision to retain a underutilized school in small rural settlement. In Portes’ theory perspective street-level bureaucrats are regarded as donors for rural community as they are forced by the territorial community to share economic resources – to continue financing a small-size school despite the obvious economic inexpediency.

Specific features of collecting nicknames in the process of academic work and research activity

The article considers the applied aspects of onomastics and is related to the major issue of collecting modern nicknames which students (schoolchildren and students) may encounter as part of their academic work and research activity. Since it is fundamentally impossible to record all unofficial anthroponyms, the study focuses on the issue of the effectiveness of various material collection methods, namely questionnaires and survey forms as the main ones, conversations, observations, and sampling data from various sources as secondary techniques. In particular, the article specifies the structure of the questionnaires used by the author in tabular form. Moreover, the presented detailed survey forms for obtaining individual and collective nicknames developed by the author are based on the recommendations given in previous studies as well as the author’s own experience. The proposed questionnaires and survey forms can be used in academic work and research activity within the framework of scientific projects. The paper also identifies the advantages and disadvantages of each method. The article discusses the specific features of field work in rural settlements and under stationary data collection conditions. The objective of certifying the obtained materials is raised. It is concluded that involving students in onomastic data collection as part of their academic work and research activity can help in solving relevant scientific issues.

Моделирование системы очистки сточных вод животноводческих ферм

Among the sources of pollution of surface water bodies from agricultural activities, livestock, pig and poultry complexes can be prioritized, which are uncontrolled and diffuse sources of suspended solids, organic compounds, biogenic elements, heavy metals and pathogenic microflora, which causes biochemical pollution and has a particularly detrimental effect on the state of inland reservoirs. Wastewater from agricultural processing enterprises and household water from rural settlements with unpredictable pollutants play a significant role in pollution. The livestock sector is one of the largest consumers of water. The large number of animals in a confined space, the use of hydraulic harvesting systems when removing their waste products, leads to the formation of manure in significant quantities. Sanitary and hygienic standards in industrial premises are supported with the help of water – animals are washed with it, rooms are cleaned, and they are disinfected, food is prepared, dishes and equipment are washed, manure is washed off with water, and so on. Accordingly, as the demand for water in animal husbandry increases, the volume of wastewater discharge that contains manure into nearby water bodies increases. The effluents that are formed as a result of the activities of the livestock sector are classified as containing a large amount of harmful substances with a high concentration. Depending on the sources of pollution and the main pollutants, technical solutions should be developed to reduce the volume of wastewater and its treatment. The effectiveness of their functioning can be ensured with the help of modern information processing methods, using methods of system analysis of complex objects based on a mathematical description of the technological process. To analyze the state of the treatment system as a whole and predict the development of emergency situations, a software implementation of a wastewater treatment system for livestock farms was created.

Rural Settlement Optimization for Ecologically Sensitive Area Evaluations Based on Geo-Proximity and the Soil‒Water Conservation Capacity

Rural communities in ecologically sensitive areas are confronted with environmental challenges and land waste. The hollowing out of villages because of the steady loss of young people has brought these problems to the fore. Research on the remediation of rural settlements in ecologically sensitive regions is scarce. This paper focuses on Tong Yu County, a region located in the agricultural and pastoral intertwined zones of western Jilin, which is known for its ecological sensitivity. On the basis of the results of the geographical assessment of the area via hierarchical analysis (AHP method)and soil and water conservation capacity evaluation via the revised universal soil loss equation model(RUSLE) and the net primary production quantitative index model(NPP model), we propose a rural development program that divides the study area into three different zones with different development orientations, namely, potential enhancement, agglomeration development, and expansion restrictions. Moreover, we conceived a rural settlement remediation scheme using the kernel density estimation method and provided remediation strategies for rural settlements of various density levels. The rural settlement development program and the rural settlement remediation scheme led to the optimization of rural settlements. Notably, with increasing kernel density, the area of rural settlements tends to increase and then decrease. Our research helps save 5.059 km2 of land resources in the study area and offers guidance for improving the rural settlement layout in Tong Yu County.

Dynamics of Rural Settlement Patterns in the Yellow River Delta in Response to River Diversion and Avulsion Since 1855

Dynamics of Rural Settlement Patterns in the Yellow River Delta in Response to River Diversion and Avulsion Since 1855

A Public Participation GIS for Infrastructure Assessment in Rural Human Settlements

A Public Participation GIS for Infrastructure Assessment in Rural Human Settlements

Knowledge in motion: temporal dynamics of wild food plant use in the Polish-Lithuanian-Belarusian border region

BackgroundUnderstanding how Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) evolves over time is crucial for fostering social and environmental responsibility. This study aims to develop a conceptual model of plant knowledge circulation, providing insights into the temporal dynamics of LEK in the Polish-Lithuanian-Belarusian border region. It explores the key patterns and driving forces behind changes in the use of wild plants for food.MethodsField research was conducted in 60 rural settlements across Podlasie Voivodeship (Poland), Vilnius Region (Lithuania), and Hrodna Region (Belarus). This included 200 semi-structured interviews and participant observation among two local communities, Lithuanians and Poles. To assess the temporal dynamics of wild food use, we performed a cross-ethnic, cross-border analysis over time, dividing the data into three major temporal dimensions: past, continuous, and recently acquired uses.ResultsOf the 72 wild plant taxa reported by Poles or Lithuanians in the Polish-Lithuanian-Belarusian borderland, 47 were continuously used for food, 58 were utilised in the past, and 41 were recently acquired. Cross-country trends were similar, with Poland showing more past uses. Diachronic comparisons between Poles and Lithuanians in each studied country revealed no significant differences. Recently acquired taxa overlapped considerably with those used continuously and in the past. The most diversely utilised taxa showed the greatest overlaps. By observing the movement of specific plant taxa within various time dimensions, we distinguished overlapping flow variations: retention (3 taxa), decay (11), invention (8), stagnation (17), revitalisation (6), re-invention (3), and knowledge in motion (24). Shifts in the use of wild food plants were influenced by changes in environmental conditions, governmental policies, cultural practices, and economic factors.ConclusionThe findings of this study have important implications for improving methods of tracking changes in LEK and enhancing our understanding of the relationship between people and nature. Our results underscore the importance of considering knowledge circulation over time in different directions. Recognising the various stages of knowledge circulation might help in pursuing sustainable solutions that balance the needs of human communities with environmental protection.

Three facets of urban metabolism (case of Kazakhstan)

ABSTRACT The urbanisation growth causes problems related to the provision and consumption of resources, ecology, and social living conditions in cities. The purpose of the article is to study the dependence of metabolic factors and the level of urban conveniences on the urbanisation level and to justify the need to monitor these processes and improve the management of urban systems with the purpose to achieve sustainable development objectives. Three aspects of the problem of urban metabolism and sustainable development of cities are considered in the article. They are energy consumption by megacities, social aspects of metabolism and growth of megacities, problems of urban improvement. The increasing risks of negative impact of urban growth on the environment and living conditions has been proven. It is shown that the resettlement flow of village residents to cities, especially large ones, remains high despite the deterioration of the environmental situation in large cities and the lag in the urban infrastructure development from the population growth rate. The expediency to expand the context of the urban metabolism problem was noted, including the exchange of resources between urban and rural to reduce spatial inequality, and to increase the sustainability of urban and rural settlements.

Micro-botanical evidence of plant food sources and stone tool functions at the Sujiacun site from the Longshan period in southeastern Shandong Province, China

During the early and middle periods of the Longshan culture (4600–4200 cal BP), early states developed around the Liangchengzhen and Yaowangcheng sites along the coastal areas of southeastern Shandong. Intensive agriculture and the specialised production of stone tools symbolised the advanced development of Longshan society. However, previous archaeological research in this area has focused mainly on the central settlements of the Longshan culture. As small and medium-sized rural settlements have not been sufficiently explored, their subsistence economy and stone tool functions remain unclear. Starch grains and phytolith assemblages in the residues on stone tool surfaces provide direct tangible evidence of the functions of these tools and offer a new perspective on the characteristics of plant resource use at archaeological sites. The Sujiacun site in Rizhao was a Longshan-period rural settlement in coastal southeastern Shandong. This study conducted starch grain and phytolith analyses of the residues on the surfaces of 17 stone tools from the Sujiacun site. Starch grains of foxtail millet (Setaria italica), broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum), rice (Oryza sativa), roots and tubers, and plants of the Hordeum genus were identified, as well as phytoliths of broomcorn millet and rice and those commonly found in grass stems and leaves. This micro-botanical data together with other archaeological evidence suggest that foxtail millet, broomcorn millet, and rice were the main plant foods and that mixed farming of millet and rice was the main subsistence economy at the Sujiacun site. Knives and sickles were mainly used for harvesting crops and sometimes for peeling, slicing, and chopping roots and tubers. The stone muller was used for grinding rather than dehusking grain, and the grinding stone was used not only for polishing stone tools but also for grinding plants. Our findings provide new insights into the methods of plant use and subsistence practices of the Longshan complex society on the east coast of China.

Traditional culture of settlements associated with the natural environment: the case of Yi minority Southwest China

ABSTRACT Traditional culture of settlement is an important medium to record the process of balance between human and nature, and it was passed down from generation to generation in different forms (e.g. sacrificial culture, social structure, belief worship). With the intensification of global multicultural integration, the integration relationship between culture and nature has become an important approach for the protection and inheritance of traditional culture. Now, the relationship between artistic creation and ecological environment has been extensively studied. The scientific consensus regarding the influence of ecological environment on artistic creation has gained widespread recognition. Nevertheless, previous research neglects the relationship of traditional culture and natural environment, as well as different spatial characteristics, which are closely related to agricultural production and living. Based on the in-depth investigation of 23 traditional settlements of Yi minority in Southwest China, this paper conducted spatial analysis based on aerial photography, satellite maps and field investigation to analyze the relationship of culture-environment-space. Our results showed that there are significant differences in settlement space (e.g. landscape pattern, landscape space, architectural form) of Yi minority distributed in different areas. Under the same cultural background, the dispersed layout appears in Liangshan with high altitude and cold climate; the mountain foot layout appears in Central Yunnan and Northwest Guizhou with flat terrain and mild climate; the centralized layout appears in Honghe with narrow valleys and hot climate. These results shows that traditional culture comes from the natural environment, and the settlement space built under the guidance of the traditional culture must be in harmony with the natural environment. Therefore, protecting the traditional culture plays an important role in the sustainable development of urban and rural settlements. In addition, our findings may serve to inheritance and protection of traditional culture in other area all over the world.

Prevalence and transmission of the most relevant zoonotic and vector-borne pathogens in the Yucatan peninsula: A review.

Habitat modification and land use changes impact ecological interactions and alter the relationships between humans and nature. Mexico has experienced significant landscape modifications at the local and regional scales, with negative effects on forest cover and biological biodiversity, especially in the Yucatan peninsula in southeastern Mexico. Given the close relationship between landscape modification and the transmission of zoonotic and vector-borne diseases, it is essential to develop criteria for identifying priority zoonoses in the south of the country. We reviewed 165 published studies on zoonotic and vector-borne diseases in the region (2015-2024). We identified the most frequent vectors, reservoirs, and hosts, the most prevalent infections, and the factors associated with transmission risk and the anthropogenic landscape modification in urban, rural, ecotone, and sylvatic habitats. The most relevant pathogens of zoonotic risk included Trypanosoma cruzi, arboviruses, Leishmania, Rickettsia, Leptospira, and Toxoplasma gondii. Trypanosoma cruzi was the vector-borne agent with the largest number of infected vertebrate species across habitats, while Leishmania and arboviruses were the ones that affected the greatest number of people. Dogs, cats, backyard animals, and their hematophagous ectoparasites are the most likely species maintaining the transmission cycles in human settlements, while rodents, opossums, bats, and other synanthropic animals facilitate connection and transmission cycles between forested habitats with human-modified landscapes. Pathogens displayed different prevalences between the landscapes, T. cruzi, arbovirus, and Leptospira infections were the most prevalent in urban and rural settlements, whereas Leishmania and Rickettsia had similar prevalence across habitats, likely due to the diversity and abundance of the infected vectors involved. The prevalence of T. gondii and Leptospira spp. may reflect poor hygiene conditions. Additionally, results suggest that prevalence of zoonotic and vector-borne diseases is higher in deforested areas and agricultural aggregates, and in sites with precarious health and infrastructure services. Some hosts, vectors, and transmission trends of zoonotic and vector-borne diseases in the YP are well known but others remain poorly recognized. It is imperative to reinforce practices aimed at increasing the knowledge, monitoring, prevention, and control of these diseases at the regional level. We also emphasize the need to perform studies on a larger spatio-temporal scale under the socio-ecosystem perspective, to better elucidate the interactions between pathogens, hosts, vectors, environment, and sociocultural and economic aspects in this and many other tropical regions.

Livelihood Options and Agrobiodiversity in Mountain Settlements of Manang District

Mountain ecosystems are experiencing rapid changes in natural environmental conditions and human activities including tourism and development activities. And such factors have substantial impacts on the livelihood of mountain people. Increasing road networks towards the rural settlements have increased the availability of goods and services from the nearby markets, thereby contributing to shifting away from traditional agricultural practices in the rural mountain settlements in Nepal. In this study, we sought to analyze the impact of tourism on agrobiodiversity and livelihood strategies in different villages of Manang with different level of tourist flow; low at Naar, moderate at Ngawal/Khangsar and high at Manang Nysyang. We used semi-quantitative field inventory data to compare diversity on agricultural plant species and livelihood options in these valleys. The study involved 72 households including 16 in Naar village, 26 in Ngawal/Khangsar and 30 in Upper Manang (Nysyang). We have confirmed a total of 60 species of agrobiodiversity in these mountain settlements (excluding microorganisms), with the minimum diversity at Naar Village with 28 species, and with maximum diversity in Upper Manang (51 species). The total number of species under agrobiodiversity is very poor in the mountain settlements of Manang which forms less than 1% of total agricultural species (60/6618) in Nepal. The poor agrobiodiversity in Manang is highly threatened due to various natural and anthropogenic drivers. We believe that our findings will be highly instrumental while making plans and policies for conservation of regional agrobiodiversity in context of changing climate and intensified human activities.

Homestay Operators' Experiences in Initiating and Developing Homestay Enterprises

Community homestay development is one of the strategies to culture-based accommodation, mostly in the rural and remote settlements in Nepal. Homestay tourism has been in practice for more than two decades, and it is rapidly spreading in many parts of the country. This article attempts to bring the views and experiences of community homestay operators regarding their understanding, awareness, perceived benefits, and homestay initiation and development practices from Mahabharat Hills of Bagmati Province. Ethnographic field observations and 'bhalakusari' (in-depth talk) were the dominant methods applied during the data collection process. The findings suggest that due to multiple types of perceived as well as experienced benefits from community homestay tourism, locals have enthusiastically learned and adopted homestay enterprising, in which local-level institutional facilitation and support activities have become main motivators in the processes. In such areas, gradual increase in external facilitation, exposure and capacity development endeavors, increasing tourist arrivals, and wide ranges of direct and indirect economic, socio-cultural, and environmental benefits are visible. All these factors have encouraged the locals to engage and expand community homestay development initiatives in their areas. Despite multiple positive facets of homestay tourism, there exist some challenges too. The article also suggests some policy and practice-level implications.

Micro-Scale Analysis and Optimization of Rural Settlement Spatial Patterns: A Case Study of Huanglong Town, Dayu County

Optimizing the spatial patterns of rural settlements is crucial for rural development and revitalization. Enhancing the internal spatial configuration of these settlements necessitates a comprehensive understanding of their micro-scale spatial characteristics. This study develops evaluation indicators and methodologies to quantify rural settlement spatial patterns by analyzing their multidimensional aspects. The research utilizes Huanglong Town in Dayu County, Jiangxi Province, as a case study for exploring micro-scale spatial patterns and proposing corresponding optimization models. The research employs remote sensing image processing and GIS spatial analysis to collect data on the study area. The results indicate that rural settlements in Huanglong Town generally form clustered patterns with moderate spatial structure intensity and order. Notably, spatial heterogeneity is observed across the northern mountainous area, the central plain and low hilly region, and the southern hilly area. Based on these findings, the study categorizes rural settlements in Huanglong Town into four optimization models: stable improvement, internal potential exploitation, controlled expansion, and relocation and withdrawal. Each model is associated with differentiated optimization strategies. By integrating analyses of spatial form, structure, and order, this study reveals the intrinsic spatial characteristics of rural settlements, offering a systematic approach to guide their spatial optimization.

Agrochemical use in Farming Practices and Risk Factors for Kidney Disease among Dwellers of Rural Farming Communities in South-West Nigeria.

The outlook of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in low-and-medium-income-countries is poor. Modern farming practices in Nigeria are becoming increasingly associated with the use of herbicides and pesticides. The study aimed to evaluate agrochemical use in farming practices and risk factors for kidney disease among dwellers of rural farming communities in South-West Nigeria. This was a cross-sectional survey of adult dwellers of an agrarian rural farming community in South-West Nigeria. Participants provided information on demographics, lifestyles, knowledge, and awareness of risk factors for kidney disease, and the use of agrochemicals in farming practice. Anthropometric measurements and blood pressure values were obtained while blood and spot urine were collected for random blood glucose, serum creatinine, urinalysis, and albumin-creatinine ratio. A total of 572 rural dwellers were enrolled in the study, with a mean age of 49.9 ± 17.5 years while 39.3% were male and 88.9% engaged in active farming. The prevalence of traditional risk factors for kidney disease was hypertension (24.3%), Diabetes mellitus (2.8%), cigarette smoking (7.5%), alcohol intake (20.8%) and herbal consumption (57.1%). The use of pesticides/herbicides was reported in 69.9%, while 25.3% did not use protective gear during its use. Proteinuria, hematuria, and reduced eGFR were observed in 29.8%, 6.1%, and 33.9% of participants, respectively. This study showed a high prevalence of herbicides and pesticide use and traditional risk factors for kidney disease, in addition to the high prevalence of markers of kidney damage among the dwellers of rural farming settlements in South-West Nigeria.

Rural planning evaluation and sustainable development potential in rural communes of Rehamna province (Morocco)

The evolution of rural settlement planning has the potential to improve regional sustainability through aligning components of human settlement ecosystems. In this study, we promoted the integration of sustainability in 23 rural communes of Rehamna province (central Morocco). We assessed rural development in four areas: location and infrastructure, resource availability, economic activity, and development constraints. The communes were divided into three categories based on their occupancy levels and planning directions: Vital Planning Area (VPA), Common Planning Area (PPA), and Initial Planning Area (IPA). The rural comprehensive development potential has maximum, minimum, and average values of 0.694, 0.176 and 0.429. The proportion of rural communes in low, medium, and high levels is 13.04%, 60.86%, 26.08%, and correspondingly. Due to their obvious location advantages, high level of integration between urban and rural development, and greater economic development vitality, communes that cross the mobility axe and have proximity to water resources more than make up for the drawback of the scarcity of background resources. As a result, these communes have good development potential. The second main hub of the province of Rehamna's urban development is in the north. The spatial distribution demonstrates the tendency to progressively increase around the center, adopting it as the core. This paper proposes a framework for rural communes to facilitate strategic spatial planning, providing a novel way to maximize rural development potential. Based on these findings, the paper suggests a new spatial framework for rural development that aims to enhance the development status of rural regions by addressing their planning needs. This study presents an analytical framework for government, institutions, stakeholders, and planners to construct effective rural development strategies, focusing on the essential indicators required for rural sustainability.

Spatial Pathology of Earthquake Management in Salas Babajani County, Kermanshah, Iran

Background and objective Human settlements are formed and developed in a specific natural environment. Social, political, cultural, and economic systems that govern the societies can affect residential spaces. Therefore, the special natural and human habitats cause the formation of special spaces, which require their own management system. After the earthquake on November 12, 2017, in Salas Babajani County, Kermanshah, Iran, whose epicenter was Ezgeleh district, the presence of natural areas in the county caused the crisis management in this region to face special problems. In addition, the sectoral and centralized management structure governing the country and thus the Salas Babajani County added to the complexity of these problems and caused the residents of this region to suffer a deep crisis. The aim of the current study is a spatial pathology of earthquake management in urban and rural settlements of Salas Babajani County. Method This is a descriptive-analytical study. Data were collected using the documentary method and a researcher-made questionnaire. Participants were the residents of Salas Babajani County. Results The findings showed that the earthquake management in the County has a high compliance with the centralized and sectoral management model. In addition, it was found that the crisis management in the four stages (prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery) was in an unfavorable situation. the highest weakness was in the prevention stage and the lowest weakness was related to the preparedness stage. Conclusion Overall, the results showed that crisis management has worsened by moving away from the center towards the outskirts, especially towards the southwestern borders. In other words, by moving away from the political center of the County (Tazeh Abad district), the crisis management became very unfavorable. Also, it was found that the crisis management was greatly influenced by the spatial factors of elevation, land slope, transportation network, distribution of human settlements, and population density.

Estimación de la erosión en un área de deforestación en la cuenca amazónica del bajo río Acre

The Lower Acre River Basin is located in an area of deforestation with the implementation of pastures for beef cattle ranching in soils susceptible to erosion and equatorial climate. The existence of slaughterhouses and beef cattle in the municipality of Boca do Acre, in the state of Amazonas, is one of the problems linked to deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. Given this scenario, an estimate of soil losses was presented with the application of the Universal Equation in a geographic information system. In the methodology, a database was elaborated with vectorized information for the extraction of the areas of the types of soils and land cover, including the spatial analysis of slopes extracted from the digital elevation model. Due to the analysis of the areas by geoprocessing occurring by vectorization, the calculations of the erosion plots were obtained through tables with the parameters adopted by the scientific references. It was found that 60% of the soil loss occurs in the area of agriculture in 11% of the territory of the watershed, being predominantly in areas of rural settlements of the state of Acre. As a result of the estimate, soil loss in the Lower Acre River Basin was 386,422 t/ha/year, with a production of 46 million tons of sediment per year.

Layering Analysis of Typomorphology Dynamics in Rural Settlements Using the AHP Method

Layering Analysis of Typomorphology Dynamics in Rural Settlements Using the AHP Method

Метод оценки критериев оптимизации системы электробезопасности в инфраструктуре села

The article provides an analysis of the state of energy availability and equipment of electric installations for infrastructure facilities in rural settlements. The main type of technogenic hazards is marked – the electrical hazard that occurs in emergency modes of operation of electrical installations. The conditions for solving the safety problem and choosing the optimal variant of the electrical safety system are given. The indicators of the technical efficiency of the electrical safety system are determined, characterized by the likelihood of electrical injury to a person and the likelihood of a fire in electrical installations at facilities. The choice of the most appropriate options for the use of electrical protection equipment, providing for the joint use of automatic switches and protective shutdown devices, was made as a result of comparing the likelihood of electrical injury and fire with a normalized risk level of electrical and fire safety. A method for optimizing the electrical safety system is considered according to two particular criteria representing the average values of the probabilities of electrical injury and fire with the equivalence of their values. The task of optimizing the security system is indicated, which consists in constructing a vector criterion of optimality and converting it into a scalar criterion using the "assignment" method to obtain a normalized partial criterion. The normalized private criteria of electrical and fire safety are determined using a scalar criterion for the selection of electrical protection options for an agricultural facility. An algorithm for evaluating the effectiveness of the electrical safety system in dangerous situations of electrical injuries has been built. The description of the construction of an algorithm for modeling the state of fire safety of the system in the event of fires in electrical installations is given. A comprehensive assessment of the normalized criterion for optimizing the electrical safety system was obtained according to two normalized criteria for electrical and fire safety and the choice of optimal electrical protection options at the studied facility. Keywords: TECHNOGENIC HAZARD, ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION, ACCIDENT, ELECTRICAL INJURY, TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY, EVALUATION CRITERIA, OPTIMIZATION OF ELECTRICAL SAFETY SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL PROTECTION