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Silo-cave is a unique human habitation form on the Loess Plateau in northern China, which consists of an excavated 6–7 m deep pit as the courtyard and cave dwellings in the surrounding four walls. This architecture has had a history of more than 7000 years, and yet such “living fossils for the history of dwellings” are now facing great crises and challenges during rapid social and economic development. In this paper, remote sensing and GIS techniques are used to comprehensively and systematically investigate the spatial distributions and morphological characteristics of silo-caves at both the macro and micro scales. The research shows that silo-cave villages are mainly distributed in economically underdeveloped areas, such as West Henan (Yuxi), South Shanxi (Jinnan), Central Shaanxi (Guanzhong), and East Gansu (Longdong). The morphological evolution patterns of typical silo-cave villages are identified, including: (1) retaining the periphery and rebuilding the inner parts of the villages, (2) retaining the inner parts and expanding the periphery of the villages, and (3) rebuilding the inner parts and expanding the periphery of the villages. These patterns are demonstrated to be influenced by many factors, including landforms, traffic conditions, economic development, population growth, and administrative division adjustment. Sustainable development of these traditional silo-cave villages relies on administrative policy and planning, people’s awareness of cultural heritage protection, culture inheritance, industrial transformation, and public services.

This article presents the findings of the study which sought to assess e-discovery readiness at the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) in Botswana and make recommendations to improve the e-discovery process. The assessment adopted the Document Labs’ (Doculabs) Discovery Maturity Curve to examine: the e-discovery process; policies, procedures, and guidelines of e-discovery; and information organisation. Both qualitative and quantitative data collection tools were used. Semi-structured interviews with the records manager and IT manager were carried out to gain an insight into the state of e-discovery at the MTC and to allow the participants to describe the phenomena. With regard to quantitative data, the respondents were selected from 56 staff members in the IT, records management and administrative division, as they deal with the management of records. Data was analysed thematically and presented according to the objectives of the study. The study established that MTC was not e-discovery ready as the components that determine success in e-discovery such as undefined e-discovery processes, lack of policies, procedures as well as guidelines that promote successful e-discovery and the lack of a data map were not there. It is recommended that to be successful in e-discovery, MTC needs to develop and implement policies, procedures and guidelines for e-discovery; e-records retention policy; and a data map.

A largely unexplored application of “Big Data” in urban contexts is using human mobility data to study temporal heterogeneity in intercity travel networks. Hence, this paper explores China’s intercity travel patterns and their dynamics, with a comparison between weekdays and holidays, to contribute to our understanding of these phenomena. Using passenger travel data inferred from Tencent Location Big Data during weekdays (April 11–15, 2016) and National Golden Week (October 1–7, 2016), we compare the spatial patterns of Chinese intercity travel on weekdays and during Golden Week. The results show that the average daily intercity travel during Golden Week is significantly higher than that during weekdays, but the travel distance and degree of network clustering are significantly lower. This indicates temporal heterogeneity in mapping the intercity travel network. On weekdays, the three major cities of Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou take prominent core positions, while cities that are tourism destinations or transportation hubs are more attractive during Golden Week. The reasons behind these findings can be explained by geographical proximity, administrative division (proximity of cultural and policy systems), travel distance, and travel purposes.

The deficiency of water resources in the Don River Basin is demonstrated along with the administrative division of the basin territory and the population of the Russian Federation as of January 1, 2018. The present-day state of the key participants of the water-management system is analyzed. Data are given to characterize the increase in the availability of central water supply to housing stock in the constituent entities of the federation in basin territory in 2001–2018 and a decrease in the mean daily water consumption by 30–50%. In 2000–2018, the share of water samples with poor sanitary-chemical and microbiological characteristics in water bodies of the first category decreased in all regions except for Rostov oblast and the Republic of Kalmykia. The rural population in the Don Basin receive high-quality water at a far lower level than the urban population. The coefficient of water rotation in the industry all over the Don Basin increased from 64.2 to 85.3% in the period from 1990 to 2018. Since the early 1990s, the area of irrigated lands in the basin started rapidly decreasing. In 2000, only half of the lands requiring irrigation received it; in 2016, the proportion decreased to one quarter.

This work presents the results of research on the identification of types of Polish agriculture. Polish gminas (the third-order administrative division of the country sometimes referred to as “communes” or “municipalities”, until 2016 – according to Local Administrative Units – LAU level 2) have been divided into three types, characterised by low, medium or high levels of agricultural development, with 10 sub-types. A multi-stage typological procedure was used, employing two classification methods: k-mean cluster analysis and the random forest method. Twelve diagnostic attributes were used that comprehensively characterise Polish agriculture. The results show the diversity of this sector of the economy, which should be taken into account when planning its future development.

The authors study the spatial orientation factor in the development trajectory of administrative regions in the context of sectoral administrative division (for example, Minsk, Republic of Belarus). Due to the lack of a methodology in the Western architectural tradition for studying the factor of cardinal points in the formation of unique characteristics of administrative regions, the authors turn to ancient and modern scientific sources containing such information, including the functional topological model. The analysis showed that in the case of Minsk, urban functions show signs of sectoral differentiation depending on the factor of cardinal points at the level of district names, with the placement of industries, sleeping areas, higher education institutions, research institutes.

Green residential buildings (GRBs) are an important part of the concept of green building. Although green buildings are well studied for geographic distribution and influencing factors, GRBs have not been fully explored or widely noted by parties involved in the building sectors. In this paper, we study the geographic distribution and influencing factors of 2134 GRBs that met the Green Building Evaluation Standard and obtained a green building logo in 2008–2016 in China. First, we analyze the geographic distribution and spatial correlation of GRBs with different star ratings at the provincial and municipal levels by natural break-point method and Moran’s index. Second, we study the aggregation degree of medium- and high-star GRBs in each province by development concentration index and define 42 leading cities with more favorable levels of GRB development. Third, we analyze the correlation between the GRBs’ number and 18 influencing factors covering the social economy and real estate market in the 42 leading cities. According to the analysis, this paper shows that (1) there are differences in the geographical distribution characteristics of different star green buildings in China. (2) The differences in geographical distribution and the spatial correlation of GRBs are more obvious in the study of municipal administrative division levels. (3) The local commercial residential building prices and the local residents’ economic and social statuses, education levels, and living standards are significantly positively correlated with the grade of GRBs.

Issue/problem At the time of arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic to Portugal, the Public Health Department of Lisbon and Tagus Valley Regional Health Administration was confronted with its obsolete information system, which could not provide the information that Public Health Authorities needed to bring the pandemic under control. In order to tackle this issue, our goal was to aggregate all the relevant epidemiological data for the region in an accessible and user-friendly dashboard. Methods Starting from March 2020 we created a dashboard, which compiled and analyzed COVID-19 data, such as: confirmed and active cases, deaths, hospitalizations (including ICU beds), high/low risk contacts, mandatory confinements, tests, and clusters. This dashboard had anonymized data and was updated daily as well as constantly upgraded by taking into consideration new incoming data and feedback provided by users, serving its purpose as an advisory tool for policy. Results The dashboard was available to Local, Regional, and National Public Health Authorities and made possible to monitor trends and predict epidemiological changes that, prior to its existence, were dispersed in several datasets. Most importantly, it allowed for a better allocation of human resources for contact tracing and case management activities, to easily identify basic social needs for the most vulnerable citizens. It also provided for policy measures adjusted to the smallest administrative division in Portugal, the parish, that ultimately allowed for a better epidemiological control in Lisbon Metropolitan Area in 2020. Lessons The regional dashboard is far from perfect, but it highlights the constant need for robust information and epidemiological surveillance systems, serving both National, Regional and Local Public Health Authorities. It appeared out of necessity during a pandemic and it proved once more the importance of data analytics for guiding public health action based on evidence. Key messages Data analytics can serve both as an advisory tool for policy as well as to guide public health interventions. The COVID-19 Dashboard for the Lisbon Region aggregates relevant epidemiological data that helped Public Health authorities better understand and control the Pandemic in the region.

New Urban Districts (NUDs) are the important spatial carriers to promote urban expansion or transformation. Since the 1990s, they have been playing a more and more crucial role in China’s urbanization. For NUDs in the strict sense we found that: 96% to the east of Hu Line; 56% within the municipal districts; 64% within 36 km from their every city center and below the area of 423 km2. The regional distribution follows significant spatial difference as “Eastern Region (50%) - Central Region (42%) - Western Region (8%)”, and the provinces with the largest number of NUDs are Guangdong, Henan, Zhejiang, Liaoning, and Ji-angsu. Furthermore, their interesting constructed process highlights the typical characteristics of spatial production and spatial dialectic. This paper uses the theory of the production of space, and discovers that the growth of NUDs is a rapid ternary dialectical process of spatial production: “representations of space” is guided by the top-down governmental power; “spatial practice” is reflected in the hierarchical and regional difference of spatial elements, such as the type, pattern, distance and area of NUD; “spaces of representation” embodies the tension between governmental power and urban development rights, as well as the coun-termeasure mechanism. The extensibility of spatiotemporal sequences ensures the unity and continuity of spatial (re)production of NUDs. However, this is also facing a series of challenges like the management coordination of administrative division and the increasing unbalanced or inadequate development. Thus, critically rethinking the evolution of NUD is the key basis for achieving sustainable urban renewal and regional orderly development in the new era.

The average economic growth rate of Pasaman Regency before the administrative division (1993-2002) was 5.8%, then after the division increased slightly to an average of 5.9%. This figure is far lower than the rate of growth of the New Autonomous Region of West Pasaman Regency (6.4 %). After the division, agricultural and mining sectors became more dominant in the economy of Pasaman making up 54.6% but the contribution of the manufacturing sector declined sharply from 10.3% to 4.6% as most of the existing Pasaman processing industry became part of West Pasaman. The comparative advantages of Pasaman Regency are mainly in the sectors: agriculture, forestry and freshwater fisheries. The district’s economic growth is mainly influenced by factors originating from outside the region as indicated by the relatively high regional-share component of 159%. While regional division has benefited West Pasaman, it has provided no significant benefit for the parent region which can still be categorized as underdeveloped. An analysis of the Klassen Typology Matrix indicates that policies and programs that are relevant for the development of disadvantaged areas should be directed at providing employment through the use of labor-intensive technologies. This development should focus on agriculture, forestry and freshwater fisheries producing products with a significantly extensive market.

The purpose of the analysis is an attempt to assess the income disparity of farmers compared to other socio-professional groups in light of the latest available data and an assessment on how administrative division impacts income disparity size. The analysis was performed using data gathered by the Household Budget Survey from 2017, availing for that purpose the statistics of disposable income per household and converting it to a per capita figure. Among socio-professional groups, the following households were distinguished: farmers, entrepreneurs, employees, pensioners and other earners earning income from other sources. The results of the analysis have given evidence of existing income disparity of farmer households with respect to other households. By comparing households of farmers and entrepreneurs, the greatest disparities can be observed in average disposable income to the detriment of farmers and employee incomes are located between these types of households. The highest income levels of farmers in comparison with entrepreneurs, employees or households in general, for that matter, are recorded in the Podlaskie, Lubelskie and Lubuskie voivodships. This observation suggests the significant development of the agricultural sector or slow overall economic development, which generates low revenue for individuals making their living as employees or entrepreneurs. Higher disposable income level households of entrepreneurs and employees tend to be characteristic of territories with significant urban areas, i.e. the Mazowieckie voivodship or Małopolska region. In these areas, income levels earned from work or entrepreneurship are substantially higher than those acquired from farming.

Albanian agriculture and especially the albanian farmer are experiencing a difficult situation with the ability to compete in the market. Albanian agriculture is a very important sector of the economy but with little contribution in the economic growth, due to a misorientation in the market of the albanian production. This study aims to adress some concerns and to open a discussion linked to the urban food strategy as an instrument that would help to rivitalize lokal economy . This instrument can be usefull to the new administrative units, creating benefits for stakeholders .This paper is based on the wide literature and on the experience of the more developed countires also referring to primary data.

Estimates of Chagas disease (CD) seroprevalence in the Americas vary greatly. We lack an accurate representation of the state of the disease in this region for various reasons including intranational variability in prevalence and a lack of standardized diagnostic approaches. The goal of this review is to generate an estimate of CD burden in the Americas, by performing a systematic review of recent prevalence papers published after major vector control initiatives. Community-based CD screening programs that focus on a third- to fourth-level administrative division basis are more representative of the prevalence of CD in a particular region of a country. We evaluate T. cruzi seroprevalence at a subnational level in the Americas with information published from 2004 to 2018 and discuss the context behind the heavy variation in CD prevalence. We also suggest a solution for standardization of data reporting for future publications.

In recent years, the state has attached great importance to industrial management and the development of the sports industry, and has continuously promulgated and implemented industrial management and sports industry development policies and planning documents. Sports industry management is a sunrise industry and a new industry in the 21st century. As an important part of industry management, it is inseparable from the development of the sports industry. At the same time, as the basic administrative division of our country, the county is in a key position as a link between the past and the next. The purpose of this article is to study the path optimization development of sports industry management development under the background of artificial intelligence era. This research comprehensively adopts the method of literature data, expert interview method, questionnaire survey method and decision analysis method. Combined with the national and provincial and municipal sports industry and industrial management development plans, as well as the current artificial intelligence technology, a macroscopic construction of the sports industry management development path is carried out from the theoretical level. Under the original management development of the sports industry, the use of artificial intelligence technology has increased the overall development rate by 20%.

Background: Russia, then part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (the USSR), introduced compulsory cancer registration in 1953, but a clear overall contemporary description of the cancer surveillance system in Russia is not available. Methods: We summarized historical landmarks and the development of the standards of classification and coding of neoplasms in Russia and described current population-based cancer registries' (PBCR) procedures and practices. Results: Cancer registration is organized according to the administrative division of the Russian Federation. More than 600,000 cases are registered annually. All medical facilities, without exception, are required to notify the PBCR about newly diagnosed cases, and each regional PBCR is responsible for registering all cancers diagnosed in citizens residing in the region. The data collection can be described as passive and exhaustive. Hematological malignancies, brain, and CNS tumors are often not referred to cancer hospitals in some regions, explaining the problems in registering these cancers. Conclusion: Russia's cancer registration system is population-based, and practices seem to be generally internationally comparable. However, coding practices and national guidelines are still outdated and not up to the most recent international recommendations. Further analyses are needed to assess the comparability, validity, completeness, and timeliness of Russia's PBCRs data. publishedVersion

To transition to a sustainable society, every local government needs to properly recognize, measure, and publish the current situation in their administrative division. This study conducted eco-efficiency assessment of activities carried out at the local level around the world based on the economic value and environmental load indicators in one year (2015). The assessment’s target areas were the administrative divisions of 42 countries that were mainly OECD members. The economic value was the Gross Regional Product (GRP), and the environmental load was calculated based on LIME3, an endpoint-type and global-scale Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) method that can calculate the assessment results in monetary units (the “eco-index USD”). The indicator for eco-efficiency (dimensionless) was quantitatively defined by dividing the monetary units of the eco-index USD by the GRP in each area. The assessment results show that the average eco-efficiency value in all areas of the 42 countries was 30.2. Of these countries, the major cities (administrative division unit) with the top-three values include Paris (213.1), London (154.3), and Dublin (141.8). The results for each division were visualized on graphs and maps in order to understand their positions from environmental and economic perspectives. No such assessment has ever been conducted at the local level and under the same conditions globally. This study provides insights that contributes to the establishment of a standard methodology for local governments’ environmental accounting.

With the continuous urbanization of China, more and more attention has been paid to the balanced development of different regions at all levels, which demands that the government clarify spatial interdependencies before making plan. Previous studies focused more on information or physical space, and few studied the interaction between them. From a new perspective, this paper involves mobile phone data and transportation data in discovering interdependencies between different regions in the context of information space and physical space. First, we establish two networks composed of 81 counties in Guizhou province. Next, both the physical connection and the information connection between these counties are clarified by measuring the call flow and traffic flow in each network. The 81 counties are then divided into several communities according to the complex network theory. The results break through the administrative division and truly reflect the hierarchy and spatial structure of the urban network system of Guizhou province. The correlation between traffic and information connection is also presented, and we confirm that the attenuation with distance of information flow is significantly smaller than the traffic flow. As an attempt to analyze the interdependencies between different regions with big data, the general framework of our research can be extended to a larger scope if the data are available.

Based on data from the China Industry Business Performance Database from 1998 to 2007 and the time of establishment of the administrative examination and approval center in each administrative division in China, this study attempts to empirically determine the effects of the reform of the administrative examination and approval system on the efficiency of resource allocation from the perspectives of the degree of enterprise-level productivity dispersion. The empirical results showed that the reform of the administrative examination and approval system significantly reduced the degree of productivity dispersion among enterprises in an industry, in addition to enhancing the efficiency of resource allocation in the industry. A further analysis of heterogeneity revealed that the reform of the administrative examination and approval system yielded greater enhancements of the efficiency of resource allocation in industries with lower entry and exit rates.

Based on the value concept of administrative division system reform, this paper analyzes the basic contents of administrative division system reform. The administrative division system is a local administrative system and an important part of a country's political system. The value of reforming the administrative division system is concentrated in maintaining socialist democracy and safeguarding citizens' rights. Therefore, in order to meet the requirements of the guiding ideology of the scientific concept of development, the system reform and construction in Chinese administrative division should be reformed and innovated in terms of ideas, strategic priorities and contents. Value concept, as a power of ideas, defines the direction and space of action for the government in the reform of the administrative system. As an important policy tool for regulating the distribution of powers and responsibilities of governments at all levels, administrative divisions must be guided by correct values. In short, in the reform of administrative divisions, we must coordinate economic and social development, coordinate regional development, coordinate the harmonious development of man and nature, and coordinate urban and rural development, follow the spirit of the scientific development concept, embody public opinion, and promote democracy.

In 2000, to efficiently implement land-use policies, the Taiwanese government amended the Agricultural Development Act by easing restrictions on agricultural land purchases. As a result of increasing land development and investment needs, agricultural land prices have surged. This study aims to examine whether agricultural land prices in Pingtung County are affected by land control policy measures, the pressure of agricultural land conversion and the degree of urbanization. A multilevel analysis approach was used to analyze land price differences in townships in Pingtung County. The estimation results derived from the null model indicated significant differences between the mean land price in each administrative division. Specifically, the ratio of agricultural land prices affected by differences in Level 2 township-related factors was 21.8%, while the ratio of those affected by differences in Level 1 land-related factors was 78.2%. An empirical intercepts-and-slopes-as-outcomes regression model demonstrated that Level 2 township-related factors, such as the pressure of agricultural land conversion and the degree of urbanization, had cross-level, direct and positive impacts on agricultural land prices, while Level 1 land-related factors, such as lot size control measures on farmhouse construction and land-use zoning, had positive and significant impacts on agricultural land prices.

Dynamic spatial models are being increasingly used to explore urban changes and evaluate the social and environmental consequences of urban growth. However, inadequate representation of spatial complexity, regional differentiation, and growth management policies can result in urban models with a high overall prediction accuracy but low pixel-matching precision. Correspondingly, improving urban growth prediction accuracy and reliability has become an important area of research in geographic information science and applied urban studies. This work focuses on exploring the potential impacts of zoning on urban growth simulations. Although the coding of land-use types into distinct zones is an important growth management strategy, it has not been adequately addressed in urban modeling practices. In this study, we developed a number of zoning schemes and examined their impacts on urban growth predictions using a cellular automaton-based dynamic spatial model. Using the city of Jinan, a fast-growing large metropolis in China, as the study site, five zoning scenarios were designed: no zoning (S0), zoning based on land-use type (S1), zoning based on urbanized suitability (S2), zoning based on administrative division (S3), and zoning based on development planning subdivision (S4). Under these scenarios, growth was simulated and the respective prediction accuracies and projected patterns were evaluated against observed urban patterns derived from remote sensing. It was found that zoning can affect prediction accuracy and projected urbanized patterns, with the zoning scenarios taking spatial differentiation of planning policies into account (i.e., S2–4) generating better predictions of newly urbanized pixels, better representing urban clustered development, and boosting the level of spatial matching relative to zoning by land-use type (S1). The novelty of this work lies in its design of specific zoning scenarios based on spatial differentiation and growth management policies and in its insight into the impacts of various zoning scenarios on urban growth simulation. These findings indicate opportunities for the more accurate projection of urban pattern growth through the use of dynamic models with appropriately designed zoning scenarios. \ud Keywords：urban growth simulation; zoning scenarios; cellular automaton models; spatial matching; prediction accuracy

The historical changes in animal distribution in the European territory of Russia have always attracted the interest of specialists. Therefore, the data contained in the Economic Notes to the General Land Survey of the Russian Empire at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries is of great importance. This article presents the results of the analysis of data on the mammalian fauna of the southern provinces of European Russia sampled from the Economic Notes. The sample covers 15 governorates (guberniya), 102 uezds (a secondary level administrative division), and 1150 land holdings (dachas). There were 2395 references made to mammals, including 22 presumptive name references comprising 25 species, 11 families, and 5 orders. Based on the available data on historical changes in the ecological condition within this territory, a comparison with the current situation was made for those species that are the most significant and common in the study area.

The paper analyzes one of the broadest methodological problems in the development of the diverse social and sociological studies on various subjects of the Ukrainian society in the extrapolation of the territorial and geographical distribution of Ukraine – the criteria for its regionalization. The article provides major research difinitions and approaches concerning political and administrative division of regions. In the context of domestic conditions for regional differentiation, various research approaches on this issue and regionalization criteria are considered. The aim of the work is to justify the optimal approach and criterion of Ukraine regionalization in the social tension study context. The analysis of numerous scientific approaches suggests the optimal one to be a political and administrative division of regions within the study of social tension.

An assessment of the agronomic potential of arable lands in the forest-steppe zone of Russia (by the example of separate soil-agronomic districts) on the basis of the soil-agroclimatic index developed under the supervision of I.I. Karmanov is considered. The agricultural areas (64) separated on the territory of Russia and characterizing soil-agroclimatic conditions for cultivation of major and accompanying crops are differentiated into soil-agronomic districts (SADs) with due account for the administrative division of the country. A large diversity of agroclimatic and agronomical conditions creates the prerequisites for the inclusion of administrative regions into different SADs. The SADs concept implies a detailed analysis of information on the soil properties, geomorphic conditions, and farming conditions. The agronomic potential for major crops in the key SADs in the forest-steppe zone of the East European Plain (Voronezh and Penza oblasts) is high, though it is 25–30% lower than that in the North Caucasus (for winter wheat, sugar beet, sunflower, and spring barley) and in Kaliningrad oblast (for oats). In Western Siberia (Tyumen, Omsk, and Novosibirsk oblasts) and Eastern Siberia (Krasnoyarsk region and Irkutsk oblast), the agronomic potential of spring crops (wheat, barley, and oats) is only utilized by 35–45% in comparison with their European analogues. In the Far East with its monsoon climate and soil conditions (meadow podbels, brown forest soils), the crops characteristic of the European forest-steppe (soybean, rice, sugar beet) and the Trans-Ural forest-steppe (spring wheat) are cultivated. Their biological potential is utilized by only 50–60% in comparison with the European analogues. The materials of this study give us information on the degree of correspondence between the soilagroclimatic potential of the territory and the biological potential of cultivated crops. This is important in the context of improving the natural-agricultural zoning of Russia and its information support.

Passive surveillance is based on spontaneous reporting to veterinary authorities of disease suspicions by farmers and other stakeholders in animal production. Stakeholders are considered “actors” in sociology of organisations research. In veterinary public health, passive surveillance is considered to be the most effective method to detect disease outbreaks and to generate epidemiological information for decision-making on surveillance and control strategies. Nevertheless, under-reporting of cases is an inherent problem, reducing the ability of the system to rapidly detect infected animals. Previous studies have shown, for example, that passive surveillance for bovine brucellosis in France, through compulsory reporting of all bovine abortions, has limited sensitivity, with variability in reporting rates despite similar cattle farming profiles. Based on this observation and on sociological literature in health surveillance, we hypothesised that oversight organisational factors in different areas influence health actor contributions to passive surveillance. Therefore, to improve the efficiency of surveillance systems, we need to understand the organisational levers (supporting factors) and organisational drags (hindering factors) on the production and dissemination of health information. We conducted semi-structured interviews with the surveillance actors in two administrative geographic divisions in France (Departments A and B) with similar cattle farming profiles but contrasting abortion reporting rates (low and high, respectively). We assumed that these rates were related to health actor organisation in each administrative division. We mapped actor relationships and looked for behavioural recurrences and differences between the two departments. This analysis led to two socio-economic models explaining the configurations observed: pro-curative in Department A, and pro-preventive in Department B. These models showed a link between the level of competition endured by veterinarians on the sale of veterinary medicinal products and the overall contribution of the actors to health surveillance. The pro-preventive model had a higher contribution to surveillance than the pro-curative model. Importantly, the nature of the information produced in this configuration of actors corresponded to the needs of surveillance, providing collective and early information that circulated more readily between actors. We highlighted three characteristics that help to identify the configuration of a system of actors: 1) the pressure of competition exerted on veterinarian activities; 2) the dominant business model and form of organisation of veterinary clinics; and 3) the frequency of interactions between the main surveillance actors outside of crises. The first two characteristics affect the local contribution to data reporting for surveillance, and the third affects network responsiveness in a health crisis.

Summary Clackamas County, an administrative division in the State of Oregon on the west coast of the United States, has provided training in ethics and a decision-making framework to members of its public health advisory committee in an attempt to develop an ethical deliberation mechanism in public health. The goal of this mechanism is to ensure that a process exists for the Public Health Division to review value-laden issues relating to policies impacting the community. By providing guidance to county public health leadership upon request through an open and transparent review process, the intended outcome is a culture of ethical awareness and high ethical standards. The first deliberation of this body addressed the ethical concerns relating to the implementation of mapped “public health zones”: a project intended to more effectively communicate public health data of communities within the county in smaller geographic units and using geographic information system (GIS) technology.

Deteriorating quality of public transport is a major concern in Sri Lanka. This study focuses on how to improve public transport in Battaramulla, which is the administrative capital of Sri Lanka, located in its Western Province. This administrative division has 11,000 government workers, of whom 56 percent use buses. It has, over 250,000 residents, 37 percent of whose trips also are made by buses. This study was conducted to identify the demand and supply characteristics of the area, to analyse bus routes for service improvements and to comparatively evaluate among several sites available to locate a multimodal transport terminal. Using the results of an Origin-Destination study, it was concluded that four new bus service routes, if introduced, would improve passenger connectivity. It also inferred, through a Multi-Criteria Analysis, and considering accessibility, connectivity and costs, that the best site to locate a multimodal transport centre would be that proposed by the Urban Development Authority. Since, this study was confined only to bus passengers and bus transport facility improvement, further research may be necessary, including other parameters and transport modes, to validate its outcomes and recommendations.

Offline networks have been the subject of intense academic scrutiny for many decades, but we still know little about the nationwide spatial interaction patterns and its application for public opinion management of online social networks. With the aim of uncovering the geographic interaction characteristics of online public opinion propagation, we analyze a large dataset obtained from WeChat, the most popular social media application in China, and construct the spatial interaction network G, which contains 359 city-nodes. It is found that the communities in the network and the administrative division corresponded well with each other, and cities with high betweenness and degree also develop well in the economy. Public opinion propagation depends on the state of online interaction. The findings indicate that public opinion should be managed separately by regions divided according to the community division, and different regions should adopt different management methods according to their economic, historical and political characteristics. In our work, the possibility and opportunity is presented to study the spatial interaction patterns of online public opinion propagation with the massive behavioral data and the methods of complex network.

Insurance was widely recognized as a useful tool for risk management in regional economic growth. Lots of analysis focused on building a fixed functional relationship between insurance development and economic growth. However, the effects of this mechanism varied widely across countries. And there was a clear gap in the understanding of how this mechanism works in coastal areas, the forward position of one country. Could it be reflected by fixed function or a more complex one? The answer was crucial to realize the harmonious development, especially for China, the most important emerging economy. This study assessed China's 11 coastal cities, focusing on the dynamic linkages between insurance development and economic growth. Non-parametric local polynomial regression was used to obtain the change between insurance development and economic growth, and fit the curve relationship between insurance density per capita GDP, with the purpose of gaining the suitable function model. The result demonstrated that it was certain that insurance growth had a positive effect on the economic development of the coastal area, and the law of diminishing marginal returns held in most cases. We further classified research into three parts the Northern, Eastern and Southern coastal areas (China's administrative division), and found that, there were obvious differences in output efficiency and marginal revenue among the three regions. This relationship in the Northern and Southern area was stable, but the curve changed complicatedly in the Eastern area. So fixed function was not qualified to describe the linkage between insurance development and economic growth in China's coastal areas. Those conclusions offered several countermeasures for policy-makers and researchers. Key words: Coastal regions, insurance density, economic growth, non-parameter local polynomial model.

Small towns are understood here as settlements with municipal rights having up to 20,000 inhabitants. In Łódź Voivodeship (a unit of Poland’s administrative division) there are 28 such settlements inhabited by almost 210,000 people. The aim of the study is to analyse the potential of the heritage of national minorities in the towns of Łódź Voivodeship. The town of Brzeziny was selected for the study as national minorities played a prominent role in its land development in the past. Małe miasta rozumiane są jako ośrodki posiadające prawa miejskie i liczące do 20 tys. mieszkańców. W województwie łódzkim funkcjonuje 28 takich ośrodków, zamieszkanych przez niespełna 210 tys. osób. Celem podjętych rozważań jest analiza potencjału dziedzictwa mniejszości narodowych w małych miastach regionu łódzkiego. Jako szczegółowy przykład rozważań wybrano Brzeziny, w których w przeszłości mniejszości narodowe odgrywały niezwykle istotną rolę w rozwoju przestrzennym.

The paper analyzes crisis situations solved by The Fire Rescue Service of the South Moravian Region (FRS) in the city of Brno during 24 weeks between 7th April 2013 and 20th September 2013. The article deals briefly with all FRS actions and then focuses on fires. The open-access database of FRS is used for analysis. It is accessed from a database of the innovative web application StreetAlert, which allows users to learn about current fire brigade actions in the specified distance from the mobile phone. The data are processed in PostgreSQL and then spatial analysis is performed using the most detailed administrative division of the city – basic settlement units. As this division of urban space is used also in the most recent Czech census (2011), it is possible to use sociodemographic statistical data for comparison. The article identifies spatial regularities in the distribution of fires, describes the structure of the fires in terms of the type of event (fires of waste, fires of grass and forest, fires of buildings), discovers their possible dependence on the specific characteristics of urban space, finds potentially dangerous places (kernel density analysis), draws valid conclusions applicable to similar settlements, and shows the possible use of the data for local government. The main benefit of the research lies in revealing the spatial distribution of the examined phenomena.

Dam-break flooding is a potential hazard for reservoirs that poses a considerable threat to human lives and property in downstream areas. Assessing the dam-break flood risk of the Zipingpu Reservoir in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China, is critically important because this reservoir is located on the Longmen Shan fault, which experiences high seismic activity. In this paper, we develop an approach based on the protected object for dam-break flood risk management. First, we perform a numerical simulation of dam-break flooding in four possible dam break scenarios. Next, the flood areas are divided into 71 analysis units based on the administrative division. Based on the numerical simulation results and the socio-economic demographic data affected by a flood, the importance and risk level of each analysis unit is confirmed, and the flood risk map is established according to the classification results. Finally, multi-level flood risk management countermeasures are proposed according to the results of the unit classification shown in the map.

BackgroundPrior studies on spatial inequalities in mortality in Russia were restricted to the highest level of administrative division, ignoring variations within the regions. Using mortality data for 2239 districts, this study is the first analysis to capture the scale of the mortality divide at a more detailed level.MethodsAge-standardised death rates are calculated using aggregated deaths for 2008–2012 and population exposures from the 2010 census. Inequality indices and decomposition are applied to quantify both the total mortality disparities across the districts and the contributions of the variations between and within regions.ResultsRegional variations in mortality mask one-third (males) and one-half (females) of the inequalities observed at the district level. A comparison of the 5% of individuals residing in the districts with the highest and the lowest mortality shows a gap of 15.5 years for males and 10.3 years for females. The lowest life expectancy levels are in the shrinking areas of the Far East and Northwest of Russia. The highest life expectancy clusters are in the intercity districts of Moscow and Saint Petersburg, and in several science cities. Life expectancy in these best-practice districts is close to the national averages of Poland and Estonia, but is still substantially below the averages in Western countries.ConclusionThe large between-regional and within-regional disparities suggest that national-level mortality could be lowered if these disparities are reduced by improving health in the laggard areas. This can be achieved by introducing policies that promote health convergence both within and between the Russian regions.

Formalized knowledge representation is the foundation of Big Data computing, mining and visualization. Current knowledge representations regard information as items linked to relevant objects or concepts by tree or graph structures. However, geographic knowledge differs from general knowledge, which is more focused on temporal, spatial, and changing knowledge. Thus, discrete knowledge items are difficult to represent geographic states, evolutions, and mechanisms, e.g., the processes of a storm “{9:30-60 mm-precipitation}-{12:00-80 mm-precipitation}-…„. The underlying problem is the constructors of the logic foundation (ALC description language) of current geographic knowledge representations, which cannot provide these descriptions. To address this issue, this study designed a formalized geographic knowledge representation called GeoKG and supplemented the constructors of the ALC description language. Then, an evolution case of administrative divisions of Nanjing was represented with the GeoKG. In order to evaluate the capabilities of our formalized model, two knowledge graphs were constructed by using the GeoKG and the YAGO by using the administrative division case. Then, a set of geographic questions were defined and translated into queries. The query results have shown that GeoKG results are more accurate and complete than the YAGO’s with the enhancing state information. Additionally, the user evaluation verified these improvements, which indicates it is a promising powerful model for geographic knowledge representation.

As an important form of public transport and utilisation of urban underground space (UUS), metro has been promoted in an increasing number of large cities in China. By the end of 2019, China’s 37 cities had developed metro systems with a total length of over 5000 km. It is widely acknowledged that urban and economic factors can significantly influence transport infrastructure development and UUS utilisation. The results of this study indicate that there are statistically significant relationships between urban and economic factors and the level of metro development. The results of the regression analyses show that the variables of metro operation history and general public budget revenue are significantly and positively related to metro operation length, number of lines and number of stations of cities with metros in China. Resident population in urban areas does not appear to be a significant determinant of the level of metro development when other urban economic factors are controlled for. Administrative division (prefecture-level cities) and economic regions (Northeast Region) are significantly and negatively associated with the level of metro development in China. The findings of this study suggest that policy and institutional factors, and operation history of metro, along with urban and economic factors such as economic capabilities, regional differentiation, and administrative divisions, play important roles in influencing the development levels of metro systems in China.

The agriculture sector is the backbone of Indian economy, which contributes a major share of GDP of the country. Last few decades agriculture losses have grown due to irregularity in monsoon and change in climatic conditions over Indian sub-continent. Maharashtra state is developed and industrialized state in the country contributing highest GDP in the Indian economy. The present study assesses the effects of droughts on environmental, agricultural and socio-economic status during the year of 2011-2016 in Maharashtra state. The state occupies 50% of the drought prone area. The state is experiencing deficit rainfall once in a 5 to 6 year, and severe drought conditions once in 8 to 9 years. In Maharashtra state, the % to normal rainfall is gradually decreasing from the year 2011-2015. It shows large spatial variability in rainfall all over the Maharashtra state throughout the year confirms that Marathwada, Nashik, Amravati and Nagpur divisions received less rainfall in the year 2014 and 2015. Aurangabad division has marked as the lowest water availability in the reservoir of Maharashtra from the year 2012 - 2015. The overall agricultural yield in Kharif and Rabi season is decreased to a considerable extent in the 2014- 15, which is near about 50% deficit in pulses, oilseeds and cotton as compared to the year 2013-14. Individuals and communities of Aurangabad, Amravati and Nagpur divisions (Cotton belt) are under pressure to cope with drought and its consequences. The farmer suicide cases were reported in the year 2015 (2016 cases) as compared to the year 2011 to 2014.

This article analyzes the differences between Russian regions in the role of chain retailing in retail turnover and identifies various factors of these differences (remoteness from the European Russia, low transport availability, the nature of foreign economic relations with neighboring countries, the complexity of the social and political situation, low income, peculiarities of administrative division, and natural climatic conditions seem significant). The main characteristic features of the largest chain companies are examined, including their geographic origins. The distinguishing features of the Far East are identified, which is a lack of interest in the region from the largest retail chains together with a relatively high level of development of regional chains. In relation to foreign businesses, it is shown that their role among the leading Russian retailers is relatively insignificant and will decrease. However, foreign companies continue to be important in the development of relatively new trade formats in Russia. It is concluded that foreign retailers will not contribute to the decrease in municipal differentiation in the development of chain retailing due to the lack of interest in the neighborhood store format.

Summary Background Advances in HIV prevention methods offer promise to accelerate declines in incidence, but how these methods can be deployed to have the best effect on the heterogeneous landscape and drivers of the pandemic remains unclear. We postulated that use of epidemic heterogeneity to inform the allocation of resources for combination HIV prevention could enhance the impact of HIV funding across sub-Saharan Africa. Methods We developed a compartmental mathematical model of HIV transmission and disease progression by risk group to subnational resolution in 18 countries, capturing 80% of the adult HIV burden in sub-Saharan Africa. Adults aged 15–49 years were grouped by risk of HIV acquisition and transmission, and those older than 50 years were assumed to have negligible risk. For each top-level administrative division, we calibrated the model to historical data for HIV prevalence, sexual behaviours, treatment scale-up, and demographics. We then evaluated four strategies for allocation of prevention funding over a 15 year period from 2016 to 2030, which exploited epidemic differences between subnational regions to varying degrees. Findings For a $US20 billion representative expenditure over the 15 year period, scale-up of prevention along present funding channels could avert 5·3 million infections relative to no scale-up. Prioritisation of key populations could avert 3·7 million more infections than present funding channels, and additional prioritisation by within-country geography could avert 400 000 more infections. Removal of national constraints could avert a further 600 000 infections. Risk prioritisation has greater marginal impact than geographical prioritisation across multiple expenditure levels. However, targeting by both risk and geography is best for total impact and could achieve gains of up to three times more than present channels. A shift from the present pattern to the optimum pattern would rebalance resources towards more cost-effective interventions and emerging epidemics. Interpretation If domestic and international funders were to align strategically to build an aggregate funding pattern that is guided by the epidemiology of HIV, and particularly by the emerging understanding of local dynamics and epidemic drivers, more cost-effective and impactful HIV prevention investments could be achieved across sub-Saharan Africa. Funding The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The trend of large-scale development of design industry requires efficient and full use of the rich design resources in the distributed multi-disciplinary resource environment. However, the designers are susceptible to many subjective and objective impacts, like knowledge structure, computing capability, geographic position, and administrative division. These impacts make the usage of design resources unstable and inefficient. Therefore, this paper proposed a computer-assisted automatic conceptual design system (CACDS). This system assumes that the design resources in the distributed multi-disciplinary resource environment exist in the form of functional elements with the same format, so that, the geographic, administrative, and disciplinary barriers in the design process can be broken, and the design resources can be fully used. CACDS is based on a group of basic concepts and their representations, its core is a functional solution generating algorithm, which is used to automatically generate functional solutions. As the result of the conceptual design, these functional solutions are also the starting point of the following detail design phase. Finally, a lighting system for underground greenhouse is designed as an illustrative case to validate the feasibility of the proposed CACDS.

This paper examines what to some is a well-worked furrow; the processes and outcomes involved in what is typically referred to as ‘marketization’ in the higher education sector. We do this through a case study of Newton University, where we reveal a rapid proliferation of market exchanges involving the administrative division of the university with the wider world. Our account of this process of ‘market making’ is developed in two (dialectically related) moves. First, we identify a range of market exchanges that have emerged in the context of wider ideological and political changes in the governance of higher education to make it a more globally competitive producer of knowledge, and a services sector. Second, we explore the ways in which making markets involve a considerable amount of microwork, such as the deployment of a range of framings, and socio-technical tools. Taken together, these market-making processes are recalibrating and remaking the structures, social relations and subjectivities, within and beyond the university and in turn reconstituting the university and the higher education sector.

Agricultural development is determined by various factors, such as environmental, economic, demographic, or social circumstances. In order to present the level of this development as com-prehensively as possible, a multidimensional analysis should be carried out with an appropriate methodology. In this article, a taxonomic approach known as the Hellwig’s method was used to determine the level of agricultural development. The area of research was the territory of Poland, divided into voivodships, which are the main units of the administrative division of the country. The development of agriculture thus determined was correlated with activities pursued by the National Agricultural Support Centre (NASC), an institution responsible for the management of agricultural real estate owned by the State Treasury in Poland. The results showed that the NASC’s activities are related to the level of agricultural development in every voivodship. The investigated model of rural space management was shown to be a rational one, performing well in today’s market conditions. The proposed methodology could adapt to similar situations and can be used in similar research on rural areas.

In this work, we elaborate on the changes and transformations in the Israeli education system (including higher education) from Israel’s independence in 1948 to 2019. Specifically, the study places special emphasis on developments commencing in 1976 in response to the establishment of a separate administrative division for Druze and Circassian Education in the Ministry of Education, and division’s impact on the rate of youngsters who earn matriculation certificates and the number of Druze students attending higher education institutions. of the study analyzes the administrative separation of Druze education in the education system and its effect on the integration of Druze youngsters in higher education in Israel. The current study contributes to our understanding of the development of the Druze education system as a distinct unit in the Israeli Ministry of Education. The findings of this study and its conclusions will contribute to policymakers in the Ministry of Education in general, and policymakers concerning Druze education specifically, seeking to improve educational achievements and apply the insights of the current study to other minority groups to which higher education has become increasingly accessible in recent years.

Because solar and wind resources are available throughout Europe, a transition to an electricity system based on renewables could simultaneously be a transition to an autarkic one. We investigate to which extent electricity autarky on different levels is possible in Europe, from the continental, to the national, regional, and municipal levels, assuming that electricity autarky is only possible when the technical potential of renewable electricity exceeds local demand. We determine the technical potential of roof-mounted and open field photovoltaics, as well as on- and offshore wind turbines through an analysis of surface eligibility, considering land cover, settlements, elevation, and protected areas as determinants of eligibility for renewable electricity generation. In line with previous analyses we find that the technical-social potential of renewable electricity is greater than demand on the European and national levels. For subnational autarky, the situation is different: here, demand exceeds potential in several regions, an effect that is stronger the higher population density is. To reach electricity autarky below the national level, regions would need to use very large fractions or all of their non-built-up land for renewable electricity generation. Subnational autarky requires electricity generation to be in close proximity to demand and thus increases the pressure on non-built-up land especially in densely populated dense regions where pressure is already high. Our findings show that electricity autarky below the national level is often not possible in densely populated areas in Europe. Keywords: Localism, Cooperation, Land use, Potential, Administrative division, Eligibility

The competence and performance of school administration personnel is very important in achieving school success, especially the performance of individual administration, because of the high individual performance that can affect group performance which will ultimately affect the overall performance of the school organization. The purposes of this research finding is to improve the performance of the less optimal administrative division thus affecting the quality of administrative services provided. This study produced several conclusions and implications, namely there is still a lack of training in developing the infrastructure in administration, planning the development program of administrative staff by preparing training and coaching programs, and including administration in training or seminar. In general, principals must provide services professionally in the field of educational administration in the context of the implementation of the education process effectively and efficiently.

In this paper we present a study on areas of habitation in St. Petersburg, Russia, which are actively used and perceived by city dwellers as coherent units. The motivation behind the study is to define generic urban areas formed by actual user experience and different from administrative division to improve urban management of the city territory. We employ mixed methods approach to account both for users’ practices in urban space, based on analysis of check-in data, and users’ perception of urban space, based on analysis of mental maps. The clustering algorithm is based on spatial and social proximity indexes and has been validated through the results of the mental mapping survey. The dataset of check-ins is retrieved from VKontakte social network, the most popular one for St. Petersburg and for Russia, and comprises 6128 venues with 763079 check-ins collected for December 2017–February 2018 time period. The mental mapping has been conducted within 39 users of different age and gender, representing different areas of the city under study. We compare the borders of the areas of habitation with the map of administrative division, consider functional load of the areas in different areas of the city, define environmental factors which form the borders, give suggestions on how knowledge on areas of habitation could inform and improve urban management practice.

Background Horticultural crops are sources of vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber, but their cultivation is not widely practiced in developing countries, like Ethiopia due to small-scale farming systems and poor pre- and post-harvest handling techniques. In Ethiopia, particularly in northern region, the production of horticultural crops usually practiced in very few pocket areas, such as at river and lakesides. Thus, the production of fruits and vegetables is just at the beginning stage and getting momentum by governmental and non-governmental organizations. To assess the production potential and post-harvest losses of fruits and vegetables, a survey research was conducted in Tigray Regional State, northern Ethiopia. From the study area, Atsbiwenberta district was selected with its four purposely selected Kebeles (Kebelle is the lowest administrative division of Ethiopia next to districts in each administrative region) (Ruwafeleg, Felegewoni, Golgolnaele and Hayelom) in which 120 respondents (30 households from each Kebele) were participated. Data were collected from both primary and secondary data and analyzed using simple descriptive statistics like frequency, mean and percentage. Results From this survey research it was found that the region has the potential to produce both temperate and subtropical fruits and vegetable crops. However, their production potential was limited by different constraints starting from cultivation to consumption. Focus group discussion reveals that farmers obtained high production of potato and apple with average yield of 300–400 and 25–130 qt/ha, respectively. Conversely, post-harvest loss was significantly affected in the study area due to lack of awareness, market access, inadequate water supply and poor post-harvest handling practices. As a result, the loss of potato and other vegetable crops was ranged from 30 to 50 and 0.25 to 5 qt/ha, respectively. Conclusions Therefore, designing further research projects is recommended on production and post-harvest handling of fruits and vegetables. In addition, all stakeholders should be designed market linkage and involvement of female farmers in production of horticultural crops.

Ordos became the new “coal capital” of China within a few decades since the country’s economic reform in 1978, as large-scale surface coal mining dramatically propelled its per capita GDP from being one of the lowest to one of the highest in China, exceeding Hong Kong in 2009. Surface coal-mining areas (SCMAs) have continued to expand in this region during recent decades, resulting in serious environmental and socioeconomic consequences. To understand these impacts and promote regional sustainability, quantifying the spatiotemporal patterns of SCMAs is urgently needed. Thus, the main objectives of this study were to quantify the spatiotemporal patterns of SCMAs in the Ordos region from 1990 to 2015, and to examine some of the major environmental and socioeconomic impacts in the study region. We extracted the SCMAs using remote-sensing data, and then quantified their spatiotemporal patterns using landscape metrics. The loss of natural habitat and several socioeconomic indicators were examined in relation to surface coal mining. Our results show that the area of SCMAs increased from 7.12 km2 to 355.95 km2, an increase of nearly 49 times from 1990 to 2015 in the Ordos region. The number of SCMAs in this region increased from 82 to 651, a nearly seven-fold increase. In particular, Zhungeer banner (an administrative division), Yijinhuoluo banner, Dongsheng District and Dalate banner in the north-eastern part of the Ordos region had higher growth rates of SCMAs. The income gap between urban and rural residents increased along with the growth in SCMAs, undermining social equity in the Ordos region. Moreover, the rapid increase in SCMAs resulted in natural habitat loss (including grasslands, forests, and deserts) across this region. Thus, we suggest that regional sustainability in Ordos needs to emphasize effective measures to curb large-scale surface coal mining in order to reduce the urban–rural income gap, and to restore degraded natural ecosystems.

The distribution of real banking outlets is based on the establishment of branches according to administrative division, which is obviously not rational in distribution. Against this phenomenon, this thesis first analyzes the major factors that affect the distribution of outlets. Then, based on complex network, it puts forward the distribution model of outlets. Finally, it analyzes the model. At the same time, the thesis takes the banking outlets of China Construction Bank of WuXi City, Jiangsu Province for example. It employs the model to distribute and integrate its banking outlets. As a result, the distribution after integrating is more rational than the previous distribution, which verifies the rationality of the model and the distribution method of banking outlets.

In China, large lakes and reservoirs usually span a few administrative areas therefore are co-managed by a multitude of government agencies at different levels. This generates a typical tragedy of the commons problem: water bodies with more administrative areas involved tend to be more polluted than those with less administrative areas. To see this, we build a simple economic model to illustrate that water quality deteriorates when the number of administrative areas increases. We proceed to empirically test this argument with a hand-collected water quality dataset that covers 267 major lakes and 710 reservoirs across China from 2010 to 2013. Our water quality measures are captured by two limited-value variables: the surface water quality (tier 1 to 6) and the trophic state (tier 1 to 5), where a large number indicates a higher pollution level. Using an ordered logit model and controlling for various economic, geographical and demographic features, we find that: when an additional county is involved in water management, the water quality are likely to deteriorates by one tier, heading towards a more polluted and more nutrient state. Our results suggest that simplifying the administrative hierarchy while add in a focal organization may help preserve clean water bodies.