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Background: Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is still a public health problem in Latin America and in the Southern Cone countries, where Triatoma infestans is the main vector. We evaluated the relationships among the density of green vegetation around rural houses, sociodemographic characteristics, and domestic (re)infestation with T. infestans while accounting for their spatial dependence in the municipality of Pampa del Indio between 2007 and 2016. Methods: The study comprised sociodemographic and ecological variables from 734 rural houses with no missing data. Green vegetation density surrounding houses was estimated by the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). We used a hierarchical Bayesian logistic regression composed of fixed effects and spatial random effects to estimate domestic infestation risk and quantile regressions to evaluate the association between surrounding NDVI and selected sociodemographic variables. Results: Qom ethnicity and the number of poultry were negatively associated with surrounding NDVI, whereas overcrowding was positively associated with surrounding NDVI. Hierarchical Bayesian models identified that domestic infestation was positively associated with surrounding NDVI, suitable walls for triatomines, and overcrowding over both intervention periods. Preintervention domestic infestation also was positively associated with Qom ethnicity. Models with spatial random effects performed better than models without spatial effects. The former identified geographic areas with a domestic infestation risk not accounted for by fixed-effect variables. Conclusions: Domestic infestation with T. infestans was associated with the density of green vegetation surrounding rural houses and social vulnerability over a decade of sustained vector control interventions. High density of green vegetation surrounding rural houses was associated with households with more vulnerable social conditions. Evaluation of domestic infestation risk should simultaneously consider social, landscape and spatial effects to control for their mutual dependency. Hierarchical Bayesian models provided a proficient methodology to identify areas for targeted triatomine and disease surveillance and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal comfort studies in India are very much at an emerging stage. According to Indian codes, in the summer, the comfortable temperature range for residential buildings is 23–26 °C. The recommended Indian residential comfort range does not consider the impact of India's enormous cultural and geographical heterogeneity. Additionally, there seems to be very little effort to conduct a thermal comfort field survey in India's rural regions. In recent years, houses in rural India have been converted from kutcha (mud houses) to pucca (concrete houses). This work is aimed at proposing an adaptive thermal comfort model for the premonsoon season in the rural area of Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India. The model was achieved using a field study survey conducted in 80 rural area houses in the months of June and July. Regression analysis, the Griffiths method, and the Fanger method have been adopted to analyze thermal comfort. Based on the regression analysis, the comfort band (voting −1 to +1) is established in the range of 28.39 °C to 32.31 °C, with 30.30 °C as the neutral temperature. The study has been carried out to assess the influence of gender, age, controls, and fan usage on thermal comfort perception in rural households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The decreasing residual efficacy of insecticides is an important factor when making decisions on insecticide choice for national malaria control programmes. The major challenge to using chemicals for vector control is the selection for the development of insecticide resistance. Since insecticide resistance has been recorded for most of the existing insecticides used for indoor residual spraying, namely, DDT, pyrethroids, organophosphates and carbamates, and new chemicals are necessary for the continued success of indoor residual spraying. The aim of this study was to assess the residual efficacy of Actellic 300CS, SumiShield™ 50WG and Fludora®Fusion by spraying on different wall surfaces. Methods: One hundred and sixty-eight houses with different wall surface types (mud, cement, painted cement, and tin) which represented the rural house wall surface types in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa were used to evaluate the residual efficacy of Actellic 300CS, SumiShield 50WG and Fludora®Fusion with DDT as the positive control. All houses were sprayed by experienced spray operators from the Malaria Control Programme. Efficacy of these insecticides were evaluated by contact bioassays against Anopheles arabiensis, a vector species. The residual efficacy of the insecticide formulations was evaluated against a susceptible insectary-reared population of An. arabiensis using WHO cone bioassays. Results: Effectiveness of the three insecticides was observed up to 12 months post-spray. When assessing the achievement of 100% mortality over time, SumiShield performed significantly better than DDT on mud (OR 2.28, 95% CI 1.72–3.04) and painted cement wall types (OR 3.52, 95% CI 2.36–5.26). On cement wall types, Actellic was found to be less effective than DDT (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.37–0.82) while Fludora®Fusion was less effective on tin wall types (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.47–0.95). When compared to the combined efficacy of DDT on mud surfaces, SumiShield applied to each of the mud, cement and painted cement wall types and DDT applied to the cement wall types was found to be significantly more effective. These insecticides usually resulted in 100% mortality for up to 12 months with a delayed mortality period of 96–144 h, depending on the insecticide evaluated and the surface type sprayed. Conclusion: Field evaluation of these insecticides have shown that Actellic, SumiShield and Fludora®Fusion are suitable replacements for DDT. Each of these insecticides can be used for malaria vector control, requiring just one spray round. These insecticides can be used in rotation or as mosaic spraying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing concerns over family separations draw renewed attention to temporary work migration and the factors shaping it. We leverage the randomized timing in a Chinese re-housing initiative, the Poverty Alleviation Resettlement (PAR) program, to shed light on the impact of rural living conditions on temporary labor migration. Applying a difference-in-differences framework to three waves of panel data (2016, 2017, 2019), we estimate impacts of re-housing on labor out-migration. Results reveal that improved housing decreased the propensity to send out migrant workers, particularly for young parents and households with dependents, with important implications for the rural left-behind. • China's Poverty Alleviation Resettlement is used in a quasi-experimental design. • Improved rural housing decreases the propensity to send out migrant workers. • Young parents and households with dependents drive the impact. • Migration rates in households with children drop by 10-20pp. • Improving rural living conditions may mitigate issue of "left-behind" children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Triatoma garciabesi and T. guasayana are considered secondary vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi and frequently invade rural houses in central Argentina. Wing and head structures determine the ability of triatomines to disperse. Environmental changes exert selective pressures on populations of both species, promoting changes in these structures that could have consequences for flight dispersal. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between a gradient of anthropization and phenotypic plasticity in flight-related traits. Methods: The research was carried out in Cruz del Eje and Ischilín departments (Córdoba, Argentina) and included 423 individuals of the two species of triatomines. To measure the degree of anthropization, a thematic map was constructed using supervised classification, from which seven landscapes were selected, and nine landscape metrics were extracted and used in a hierarchical analysis. To determine the flight capacity and the invasion of dwellings at different levels of anthropization for both species, entomological indices were calculated. Digital images of the body, head and wings were used to measure linear and geometric morphometric variables related to flight dispersion. One-way ANOVA and canonical variate analysis (CVA) were used to analyze differences in size and shape between levels of anthropization. Procrustes variance of shape was calculated to analyze differences in phenotypic variation in heads and wings. Results: Hierarchical analysis was used to classify the landscapes into three levels of anthropization: high, intermediate and low. The dispersal index for both species yielded similar results across the anthropization gradient. However, in less anthropized landscapes, the density index was higher for T. garciabesi. Additionally, in highly anthropized landscapes, females and males of both species exhibited reduced numbers. Regarding phenotypic changes, the size of body, head and wings of T. garciabesi captured in the most anthropized landscapes was greater than for those captured in less anthropized landscapes. No differences in body size were observed in T. guasayana collected in the different landscapes. However, males from highly anthropized landscapes had smaller heads and wings than those captured in less anthropized landscapes. Both wing and head shapes varied between less and more anthropogenic environments in both species. Conclusions: Results of the study indicate that the flight-dispersal characteristics of T. garciabesi and T. guasayana changed in response to varying degrees of anthropization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Northern New Mexico was uniquely vulnerable to the COVID‐19 pandemic and its fallout. Its Hispanic majority, aging population, and decreased access to healthcare put many of the communities in this area of the United States at risk. Taos County was particularly at increased risk of impact from COVID‐19. The county was also more vulnerable to the economic consequences of a pandemic due to reliance on tourism; this meant major impacts for individual households. As unemployment and poverty increased—and pandemic relief program rollouts floundered—the consequences meant precarity for many families. One of the most visible impacts of the pandemic was the inability to access affordable housing. This paper, based on 58 in‐depth interviews and 5 months of participant observation, explores experiences of homelessness and housing insecurity among an already vulnerable population during the pandemic, illustrating the ways in which many people struggled. Importantly, this paper explores differences in patterns of housing insecurity among rural White and rural Hispanic participants during the COVID‐19 pandemic. In addition, this paper advocates the importance of looking at nuanced patterns of dealing with housing precarity in the rural setting as the ways in which different populations cope impact the forms of help that are needed when housing becomes a problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evictions are commonplace in the United States, and their negative consequences are broad and severe. However, research on evictions to date has focused primarily on urban areas, and thus has not addressed the impact evictions have on rural renters. This paper offers the first comprehensive analysis of evictions in rural communities, where the number of renters has been increasing in recent decades. We use Eviction Lab's national eviction database to study the approximately 220,000 evictions filed in rural counties each year. While the majority of rural evictions affect families with a white head of household (57 percent in 2010), eviction filing rates are four times higher among rural Black renters than among rural white renters. Eviction filing rates are highest in heavily Black counties in the rural southeast. While eviction filings are somewhat lower in rural majority‐Hispanic counties, these communities experience low‐quality informal housing and overcrowding. Eviction rates are also higher in rural counties with higher rent burdens and where more households include children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underprivileged people in many parts of Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America use earthen dwellings because of environmental and economic advantages. However, such non-engineered structures often encounter unacceptable risks from various natural calamities such as earthquakes, floods, etc. The 3rd January 2017 moderate earthquake in Tripura (NE India) is prime evidence of severe damage to earthen houses in rural Tripura. The present research focuses on enhancing the seismic strength of traditional earthen houses through mechanical stabilization with locally available low-cost sustainable natural fibers (i.e., jute and straw) and stabilizing materials (i.e., clay and lime), respectively. Primarily, the shear and flexural strength of both stabilized and unstabilized model rammed earthen wallettes are investigated experimentally. Thereafter, a 3D finite element (FE) numerical model is developed to verify the sanctity of the experimental findings. The study reveals that fiber-reinforced earthen wallettes, especially jute fiber-reinforced wallettes, exhibited significant improvement in shear and flexural strength including ductility behaviour whereas, clay and lime-stabilized wallettes offered improvement in strength exhibiting brittle failure. Finally, the seismic response of a prototype fiber-reinforced rammed earth wall is evaluated through 3D FE-based numerical modelling considering the input motion of the 2017 Tripura earthquake which also indicated significant improvement compared to the unimproved one. However, from the viewpoint of sustainability, it is concluded that carbon emissions of approx. 38% may be reduced in the case of natural fibers such as jute and straw compared to synthetic stabilizing agents (i.e., lime). Hence, the study promotes the use of low-cost sustainable fibers with a lower carbon footprint and minimum energy consumption in earthen houses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How does the riskiness of an ageing population change with house price dynamics of rural areas? Why do rural house prices increase faster than cities despite their ageing populations? Life cycle theory predicts working age households have higher demand for housing than retirement households. An issue that has seen much less attention in the literature is that rural house prices have been increasing despite their populations age rapidly. To answer these issues, our paper introduces an empirical cointegration-based framework designed to be flexible for empirical settings. Our cointegration framework reveals crucial information about rural housing and ageing which has not been found previously: the short-term deviation of house prices from cointegration restrictions is a strong predictor of future rural house prices and migration rate from 1 to 4 year ahead. This is not the case for urban areas nor where cointegration restrictions are being ignored. Rural house prices, not urban ones, are the key to understand this cointegration restriction. Our framework is pertinent to most ageing societies with available housing and demographic data. When a government formulates macroprudential policies internalizing these cointegration restrictions and supporting rural developments, migration into rural areas and population increases are possible. Our evidence highlights the importance of cointegration-based long-run ageing risks for rural housing markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Older adults living in subsidized senior housing tend to be at risk for poor psychological well-being related to their advanced age and low income. This study aims to explore multilevel factors affecting perceived quality of life (QoL) among non-urban subsidized senior housing residents and to compare these factors between rural and suburban communities. Community/residential-level data were collected from the interviews with residential service coordinators (RSC) of five subsidized senior housing communities in the New England region: two rural and three suburban communities. Individual- and interpersonal-level data came from the survey with 82 residents. A mixed-methods approach was utilized. We used thematic content analyses for the interview data and multivariate ordered logit regression for the survey data. Our results showed that rural residence was positively associated with QoL (OR = 4.913, p<.01) even after controlling for all the individual-, interpersonal-, and community/residential-level factors. From RSCs' perspectives, four main themes emerged, which could potentially contribute to better QoL among senior housing residents: access to services, social spaces for residents, inequitable connections to community resources, and social engagements among senior housing residents and with RSCs. Our findings contribute to the development of strategies to improve QoL among older adults living in rural/non-metropolitan subsidized senior housing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fiber internet expansion represents a path to improved economic vitality for Americans, but it is unclear who benefits from it and by how much. We examine the effects of subsidized fiber internet expansion on home prices and homebuyer demographics using data from Wisconsin and an IV approach to correct for fiber network endogeneity. We find fiber internet increases urban and rural housing values by 1.83% ($3,462) and decreases the likelihood a homebuyer is white by 2.88%, but in urban areas only. Fiber internet therefore does not appear to drive minority homebuyers away but may contribute to the urban‐rural racial divide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local cuisine is one of the foundations for how Serbian rural communities are presented to tourists. The desire for regional cuisine has recently increased, which has created opportunities for the promotion of regional and, most importantly, traditional production. The changing behaviours of travellers, who are becoming more conscious of the value of authenticity and quality when travelling, offer opportunities for rural areas to thrive while also creating a new horizon for tourism centered on the discovery of traditional cuisine and rural communities. This kind of travel can be compared to slow travel, which was developed in conjunction with the Slow Food movement. The Slow Food movement is a political and cultural movement with the goal of opposing the industrialisation of food production, promoting locally made, high-quality, sustainable food, and making a significant contribution to rural areas. Three guiding principles – good, clean, and fair – define what food should be and form the foundation of this movement. The major objective of this paper is to present the driving elements that have the biggest impact on tourists’ enthusiasm to visit rural tourist houses in Serbia. The research also seeks to determine how much the respondents’ desire to return to Serbia’s rural tourist households is influenced by motivating factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This preliminary survey of house dust mites was carried out in two districts in Northern Kerala i.e., Malappuram and Kozhikkode. The study was conducted from December 2021 to November 2022. Collection of dust samples was done from a total of 160 houses, which were randomly selected 40 rural houses and 40 urban houses from each of the districts. A total of 6382 mites were collected from 147 houses. The most abundant species obtained from all the collected sites was the Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Trouessart) (67.69%) followed by the species Blomia tropicalis Bronswijk, Cock & Oshima (27.5%). Other species obtained were Sturnophagoides sp., Cheyletus eruditus (Schrank), Cheyletus malaccensis Oudemans, Glycycometus sp., Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank), Chortoglyphus arcuatus (Troupeau), Suidasia sp. The mean number of mites present in Malappuram and Kozhikode districts showed a statistically significant difference. Also, the mean number of mites present between urban houses and rural houses differed significantly. A statistical test (Fischer's exact test) was performed to analyze the influence of weather parameters, viz., temperature and relative humidity on the presence of mites in the surveyed houses revealed that the mite population is dependent on relative humidity and independent of temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The amount of separately collected bio-waste, its composition and selected properties are subject to seasonal variations. • Food waste is the main component of bio-waste from each tested site. • Substantial part of contaminants (e.g. plastics, glass) was found in the waste stream. • Waste collected in containers in multi-family housing area the most contaminated. • Heavy metals content of tested samples varied, both in terms of location and season. The progress of civilisation contributes, among other things, to an increase in the mass of waste produced in households. A significant part of it is bio-waste (about 31% in Poland). It is generally agreed that bio-waste is a suitable substrate for valorisation through fermentation with biogas production. Designing new and optimising existing facilities, however, requires precise data on the composition of bio-waste and its properties, which is challenging due to seasonal variability, place of origin (single- or multi-family housing, urban or rural) and collection method. This paper presents the method adopted for conducting the study and the results of an annual, monthly analysis of the morphological composition and selected properties of bio-waste from source-segregated households from 4 rural municipalities and 4 cities, from neighbourhoods with single-family and multi-family housing in Poland. In household bio-waste, the proportion of food waste content ranges from 36.7 to 47.6% (annual average values). The proportion of edible food waste in relation to the total weight of food waste is 5 to 7 times lower. The yearly percentage of garden waste varied from 35.8 to 52.8%. A considerable amount of impurities (such as plastics, glass, and stones) is present in the bio-waste stream. The waste collected in containers in urban areas with multi-family houses is the most polluted (16.6%). The proportion of pollutants in bio-waste collected in bags (rural areas and cities with single-family housing) does not exceed 10%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Occupant behavior is among the main causes for the mismatch between simulated and in-use energy performance of buildings. One of the strategies considered capable of reducing user's behavior induced energy consumption, while increasing indoor environmental quality is the application of Building Automation and Control Systems (BACS). In this study, three building user's profiles have been considered depending on their energy consumption. The energy savings due to BACS class increase have been calculated, and a cost–benefit analysis (CBA) has been performed to evaluate the feasibility of different scenarios. Additional co-benefits perceived by the individuals have been accounted for in the form of willingness-to-pay (WTP). The methodology is applied to two case studies: a nearly zero-energy building (NZEB) rural single-family house and a recently renovated dwelling in an apartment block. The results show that the main reductions are achieved by the users' behavior alone, and the adoption of BACS is economically feasible only when an incentive program is in place, and the WTP is repeated as a recurrent co-benefit over the years. In particular, relying only on energy reduction due to higher BACS class introduction is not economically desirable. The greatest savings are achieved by the behavioral change of the user when coupled with BACS, supporting their potential role in improving user's energy literacy. Finally, incentive schemes are necessary to reduce the investment costs of such projects, being these the most influential variables in the feasibility of BACS applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work analyzes an inventory of the touristic resources of the province of Burgos (Spain) and identifies with it the municipalities with the greatest touristic attraction, thus identifying the target points that facilitate the planning of the fieldwork process to obtain the opinion of tourists. To provide an analytical approach, this study adopts a quantitative technique by constructing a weighted synthetic index following a hierarchical process. The results show that the province of Burgos stands out for its high natural or landscape heritage, with access through minor roads and with a high offer of hotels and rural houses as well as restaurants and cafeterias. Fairs declared of interest, access by rail and the offer of hostels, apartments and campsites offer fewer outstanding values. The work proposes the realization of around 383 observations in each of the eight target points identified. The results obtained are clear enough to motivate decision-makers to address their efforts and investments in improving and adjusting their strategies to increase the quality of offer and demand in the touristic sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are a significant public health concern in India, accounting for 15–30% of all fatalities among children younger than 5 years. Aims and Objectives: This study estimated the prevalence of ARI and its association with sociodemographic variables and housing conditions in under-five children in rural Jhansi, Bundelkhand region. Materials and Methods: This community-based cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in the selected Anganwadi Centers in Badagaon Block, Jhansi. Data for sociodemographic factors and housing conditions were collected by interviewing parents or caretakers of under-five children using a semi-structured predesigned and pretested pro forma during a house-to-house visit. The sociodemographic factors considered were the educational status of the parents, occupation of the father, religion of the child, socioeconomic class of the family, age of the child, type of family, and sex of the child. The parameters of housing conditions evaluated were overcrowding, ventilation type of chulha, and type of house. Results: The overall prevalence of ARI was found to be 48.88%. Significant sociodemographic factors for ARIs have been the educational level of the mother (χ²=18.69, P<0.001) and father (χ²=12.02, P<0.001), the working status of the fathers (χ²=17.95, P=0.001), the type of family (χ²=23.88, P<0.001), and the gender (χ²=16.57, P<0.001) of the studied children and the significant environmental housing factors associated with ARIs were overcrowding (χ²=13.61, P≤0.001), ill-ventilated houses (χ²=54.63, P<0.001), type of chulha (χ²=164.31, P≤0.001), and type of house (χ²=4.69, P=0.030). Conclusion: The prevalence of ARI as observed in this study is noteworthy. The study’s findings underscore the significance of enhancing sociodemographic indicators and housing conditions as effective measures for preventing ARI in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Forming the Modern Turkish Village: Nation Building and Modernization in Rural Turkey during the Early Republic" by Özge Sezer is a book that explores the topic of rural and village modernization in the history of the Turkish Republic. The author discusses how village culture played a significant role in the identity politics of the young Turkish state and how it was influenced by Western sociological thought and practices of internal colonization. The book also examines the Kemalist regime's efforts to create a homogenous, Turkified version of superior village culture, which was linked to violent attempts to "Turkify" the Anatolian population. The author focuses on the program of model villages and analyzes the architectural plans, legislation, and press coverage to understand how the Kemalist government used housing projects to reshape rural areas. However, the book lacks a social history perspective and does not delve into the experiences of people living in these villages or the architects involved in the projects. Overall, the book provides valuable insights into the practices and ideologies behind the Kemalist Turkification project. [Extracted from the article]

Abandoned houses have become a common feature of the local landscapes: the rising number of abandoned houses is a major challenge facing many counties in South Korea. Their presence negatively influences the neighborhood by undermining its aesthetic quality, depreciating the perception of safety in the neighborhood properties, and deepening the fiscal deficit of local financing. The detection of abandoned houses is the first step toward adequate housing management by local governments. This study aims to provide a cost-effective and prompt approach to identifying abandoned houses in rural areas. Multi-source data, that is, images and building registry data are utilized and a multi-input neural network is designed to adopt these heterogeneous datasets. Trained by the two source datasets, the proposed network achieves 86.2% accuracy in classifying abandoned houses, which is an acceptable performance level in administrative practice. The database of abandoned houses identified in this manner is expected to promote effective housing management by governments and ultimately contribute to mitigating vacancies in rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of the old rural houses in Beijing are single-layer buildings with double-sloping roofs. Under an earthquake, the gable is prone to an outward tilt, and the structure is prone to collapse as a whole. In view of the structural characteristics of the existing rural houses in Beijing, a reinforcement technology is proposed, in which the embedded steel frame reinforcement is mainly used, supplemented by a steel plate strip reinforcement. A 1/4 masonry structure model is designed for a shaking table test. A full-scale model is established in a finite element simulation analysis. The results show that the longitudinal wall is seriously damaged, and the gable has a considerable outward inclination under earthquakes. However, owing to the reinforcement effect of the steel frame, the overall collapse of the structure is avoided. The steel strip can effectively restrain the outward inclination of the gable and ensure safety of personnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the dreams for the future of young adults in Midden-Noord-Brabant and Zeeland, the Netherlands. Through 274 qualitative surveys and focus groups with 12 participants, it explores their dreams for the future, the obstacles they foresee in realising these dreams, and the influence of these obstacles on their stated life plans. The findings reveal a preference for areas outside settlements in residential dreams. Limited housing and career opportunities are identified as foreseen obstacles. These obstacles shape participants' stated life plans, which become more urban-oriented. Removing these obstacles can facilitate the realisation of rural residential dreams and promote rural areas as attractive areas to settle for new generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing the importance of managed hunting estates is a focal step in knowing whether they affect game and non-game species. Microhabitat and human presence were measured in managed and unmanaged hunting estates in the Mamora forest to identify the best predictors of the vulnerable European turtle dove (TD) occurrence (presence/absence) by means of generalized linear mixed models (GLMM). The results reveal that TD occurrence increases significantly close to paved roads and to houses of shepherds with enclosures and far away from rural agglomerations in managed hunting estates, whereas, in unmanaged hunting estates, it increases far from paved roads and close to rural agglomerations and houses of shepherds with enclosures. Furthermore, whatever the type of hunting forest estate, the TD occurrence increases with an increasing cover of trees and remoteness from cereal crops. In the Mamora forest, the effect of hunting estate type on TD occurrence is not that strong to be noticeable in the managed hunting estates (apparent positive effect on TD occurrence). However, human presence turns out to be beneficial for TD in unmanaged hunting estates. It is recommended to test the geographical generality of our results using the same analytical approach in other managed and unmanaged hunting estates for both game and non-game species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Combination of bio-sourced building materials and renewable energies for low energy building design. • Biosourced earth blocks exhibit excellent thermal propetries compared to earth blocks without plant-fiber addition. • Techno-economic feasibility assessment of standalone PV systems for a biosourced earth building. • Future constructions should take into account not just renewable energy technologies but also renewable raw materials. • Building's electricity consumption with 100% renewable energy and zero emissions was achieved. Off-grid rural electrification programs involving renewable energy provide effective ways to boost the availability of power in remote areas. Herein, the combination of local bio-based building materials with appropriate sizing of a photovoltaic (PV) system to achieve energy-efficient rural housing in developing countries is investigated. The study focused on the fabrication and laboratory testing of a building material incorporating plant fibers, followed by a feasibility analysis of an integrated stand-alone PV system. EnergyPlus software was used to assess the energy-saving potential of bio-based building envelopes, and Homer Pro software was used for techno-economic optimization. Using a case-study building, various configurations were evaluated in terms of levelized energy cost and net present cost. According to the experimental results, the inclusion of 8 wt% Alfa fibers in earth blocks led to a noteworthy enhancement in the thermal resistance and time lag of the building envelope. Specifically, the improvement ranged from 0.549 to 1.125 m2K/W and from 18.5–h to 23.2–h, respectively, compared to using earth alone. This improvement resulted in a substantial decrease in the building's annual energy consumption, with a reduction of 24.3% for heating and 26.7% for cooling. Furthermore, the techno-economic analysis revealed that the electricity provided by a PV-battery hybrid system was 100% renewable and emission-free, with an energy cost of approximately $0.218/kWh and a present net cost of $11,560.21 These findings indicated that combining available solar energy with locally produced bio-based construction materials could be a viable approach for achieving carbon neutrality and building energy-efficient ulta-low-cost rural housing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to identify the trends of the Saudi Public towards government communication platforms of the Ministry of Municipal, Rural Affairs, and Housing using the media survey curriculum, and the survey study relied on the electronic questionnaire tool as a tool to collect data from an intentional sample consists of (200) individuals from the users of Balady platform from the audience of Al-Ahsa Governorate. and the study employed the theory of trend and the government services model to achieve its goals . The study reached a number of results, the most important of which are: The Saudi Public uses government communication platforms of the Ministry of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing to a moderate degree, as the Saudi Public’s usage of government communication platforms in the ministry once a month came in the first place, and the attitudes of the Saudi Public towards the platform of Balady are highly positive, and it was revealed that the average on the cognitive side is higher than the emotional and behavioral side. It was also proved through the study that there is a strong direct relationship between the cognitive, emotional and behavioral trends of the Saudi Public in Al-Ahsa Governorate towards government communication platforms of the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing, and the standards of the government services model. The most important recommendations made by the study is: the need to publicize the importance of the Balady platform and the available electronic services by preparing promotional campaigns for such application through traditional media and social media, and urging citizens and residents to use it. It also recommended the need to improve the user interface of Baladi Platform, so that services are organized to access them easily, and its design to be attractive to users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Türkiye, as in other countries, the maldistribution of the health workforce is a serious concern. Although policymakers have developed various incentive packages, this problem has not been thoroughly addressed yet. Discrete choice experiment (DCE) is a valuable method to provide evidence-based information for these incentive packages to attract healthcare staff for rural jobs. The main aim of this study is to investigate the stated preferences of physicians and nurses when choosing a job region. Methods: A labelled DCE was conducted to assess job preferences of physicians and nurses from two hospitals one of which is urban, and the other is in a rural region in Türkiye Job attributes included wage, creche, infrastructure, workload, education opportunity, housing, and career opportunity. Mixed logit model was used to analyse the data. Results: The strongest attribute associated with job preferences was region (coefficient − 3.06, [SE 0.18]) for physicians (n = 126) and wages (coefficient 1.02, [SE 0.08]) for nurses (n = 218). According to the Willingness to Pay (WTP) calculations, while the physicians claimed 8627 TRY (1,813 $), the nurses claimed 1407 TRY (296 $) in addition to their monthly salaries to accept a rural job. Conclusion: Both financial and non-financial factors did affect the preferences of physicians and nurses. These DCE results provide information for policymakers about what characteristics might increase the motivation of physicians and nurses to work in rural areas in Türkiye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Hypertension is one of the most important risk factors for premature mortality and morbidity in Iran. The objective of the Iranian blood pressure (BP) measurement campaign was to identify individuals with raised blood pressure and providing appropriate care and increase the awareness among the public and policymakers of the importance of tackling hypertension. Methods: The campaign was conducted in two phases. The first (communication) phase started on May 17th (International Hypertension Day). The second phase started on June 8th, 2019, and lasted up to July 7th during which, blood pressures were measured. The target population was Iranians aged ≥ 30 years. Participants voluntarily referred to health houses in rural and health posts and comprehensive health centers in urban areas in the setting of the Primary Health Care network. Additionally, over 13,700 temporary stations were set up in highly visited places in urban areas. Volunteer healthcare staff interviewed the participants, measured their BP, and provided them with lifestyle advice and knowledge of the risks and consequences of high blood pressure. They referred participants to physicians in case their BP was high. Participants immediately received a text message containing the relevant advice based on their measured BP and their past history. Results: Blood pressure was measured for a total of 26,678,394 participants in the campaign. A total of 13,722,148 participants (51.4%) were female. The mean age was 46 ± 14.1 years. Among total participants, 15,012,693 adults (56.3%) with no past history of hypertension had normal BP, 7,959,288 participants had BP in the prehypertension range (29.8%), and finally, 3,706,413 participants (13.9%) had either past medical history of hypertension, used medications, or had high BP measured in the campaign. Conclusion: The campaign was feasible with the objective to increase the awareness among the public and policymakers of the importance of tackling hypertension in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking the example of recognized refugees in rural Germany, and following the housing pathways approach, the paper addresses the complex interplay of individual and family‐related residential preferences over time as well as structural factors regarding access to housing and associated settlement and integration. Results are from a long‐term empirical study that encompassed both refugees' and local actors' views. Mechanisms and practices of exclusion that prevent refugees from accessing appropriate private housing are related to the negotiation of residential preferences about where and how to live, as well as to structural aspects such as the pattern of local housing markets, accessibility of infrastructures or the unwillingness of landlords to let to refugees. The paper concludes to highlight the role of place in housing trajectories and the significance of social resources within refugees' practices and local intermediaries' strategies to overcome exclusion and provision of access to rural housing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Housing policy is a growing problem in many countries. Three online experiments were conducted to test framing effects in the context of housing policies in Germany. In experiment 1 (N = 303), urban growth was either described as 'rural exodus' or 'influx' of the rural population into urban areas. Experiment 2 (N = 300) focused on framing effects in the current expropriation debate in Germany. A reacquisition policy of private housing was either framed as a measure of 'expropriation' or 'repurchase'. In experiment 3 (N = 311), a vacancy taxation was either labelled to 'punish' or 'overcome' actual problems with housing shortage. A mini meta-analysis across all three studies shows that conceptual framing affects policy support in a consistent way. The data supports our hypotheses that framing has the power to influence mental representations of policy and solutions. Moreover, moderation analyses were conducted to systematically test the influence of political ideology and perceived issue relevance on framing effects. Results indicate that participants' ideological self-placement partly affects the effectiveness of linguistic framing in some contexts. Thus, the results expand existing knowledge about the effectiveness of political framing, by making visible not only the possibilities but also the boundaries of framing strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brazilian female farmers have long faced and still face devaluation, oppression and violence. But after decades of struggle for professional recognition, rights and multidimensional public policies, it is possible to observe changes. This article aims to present the process of female empowerment through the United Women's Organization(UMOS) of the Gleba XV de Novembro Settlement in Rosana, in the interior of the state of São Paulo, showing how these women have achieved success not only in obtaining income, but also in contributing to the permanence of their families on the land, and providing better living and working conditions for the entire settlement. The methodological procedures adopted consisted mainly of conducting interviews and drawing up alternative cartographies. Despite the difficulties related to the geographical situation and male chauvinism, with socio-spatial strategies such as associativism, baking, handicrafts, professional training, participation in the Food Acquisition Programme, the National School Feeding Programme, the National Rural Housing Programme -- and Bolsa Família, these women have affirmed the importance of their work, establishing less unequal gender relations in rural spaces and building inclusive and resistant spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the fire safety problems in self-build housing in China's vast rural areas have become increasingly prominent. We analyzed the interaction of causative factors and logical structure of self-build housing fire accidents (SBHFAs) to find their key causes and reduce their occurrence. Using the 24Model, 30 SBHFA investigation reports were analyzed, and 44 SBHFA causative factors and 97 causal relationship codes were obtained. The causality and centrality degree of causative factors were analyzed using the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method to obtain the causal attribute and importance of causative factors. An adversarial hierarchical topology model of causative factors was conducted using the adversarial interpretive structural modeling (AISM) method, and the causal hierarchical relationships were obtained. Using the Matrices Impacts Croises-Multiplication Appliance Classement (MICMAC) analysis, the causative factors' dependency degree and driving force were calculated. Combining and comparing the results of DEMATEL, AISM, and MICMAC analyses, we found that the adversarial hierarchical topology model of causative factors was reasonable, and key direct causative factors, key transitional causative factors, and key root causative factors were mined. Controlling the key causative factors could effectively reduce the occurrence of SBHFAs and guide the fire safety management of self-build housings in rural areas of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on 84 in-depth interviews and ten months of ethnographic fieldwork, this paper examines the impacts of gentrification and housing shortages in a rural Western U.S. community. In-migration by wealthy outsiders to the high-amenity community has driven up housing costs, privileging newcomers over longtime locals. The paper examines the impacts of social inequality on the community's most vulnerable residents, exploring the ways in which housing insecurity is reproduced and how formal and informal infrastructures fail to provide adequate housing options for low-income residents. While income is a significant factor in determining an individual or family's ability to access stable and affordable housing, symbolic resources, including social and moral capital are also found to play significant roles. The paper describes the mechanisms by which these resources come into play, illustrating how a lack of financial, social, and moral capital disadvantages residents in their struggles to procure housing. It finds that in a rural context where in-migration leads to high inequality, socially marginalized rural residents face a distinctive set of challenges and disadvantages that magnify housing instability and deepen exclusion and precariousness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aedes aegypti is a vector of several arboviruses, notably dengue virus (DENV), which causes dengue fever and is often found resting indoors. Culex spp. are largely nuisance mosquitoes but can include species that are vectors of zoonotic pathogens. Vector control is currently the main method to control dengue outbreaks. Indoor residual spraying can be part of an effective vector control strategy but requires an understanding of the resting behavior. Here we focus on the indoor-resting behavior of Ae. aegypti and Culex spp. in northeastern Thailand. Methods: Mosquitoes were collected in 240 houses in rural and urban settings from May to August 2019 at two collection times (morning/afternoon), in four room types (bedroom, bathroom, living room and kitchen) in each house and at three wall heights (< 0.75 m, 0.75–1.5 m, > 1.5 m) using a battery-driven aspirator and sticky traps. Household characteristics were ascertained. Mosquitoes were identified as Ae. aegypti, Aedes albopictus and Culex spp. Dengue virus was detected in Ae. aegypti. Association analyses between urban/rural and within-house location (wall height, room), household variables, geckos and mosquito abundance were performed. Results: A total of 2874 mosquitoes were collected using aspirators and 1830 using sticky traps. Aedes aegypti and Culex spp. accounted for 44.78% and 53.17% of the specimens, respectively. Only 2.05% were Ae. albopictus. Aedes aegypti and Culex spp. rested most abundantly at intermediate and low heights in bedrooms or bathrooms (96.6% and 85.2% for each taxon of the total, respectively). Clothes hanging at intermediate heights were associated with higher mean numbers of Ae. aegypti in rural settings (0.81 [SEM: 0.08] vs. low: 0.61 [0.08] and high: 0.32 [0.09]). Use of larval control was associated with lower numbers of Ae. aegypti (yes: 0.61 [0.08]; no: 0.70 [0.07]). All DENV-positive Ae. aegypti (1.7%, 5 of 422) were collected in the rural areas and included specimens with single, double and even triple serotype infections. Conclusions: Knowledge of the indoor resting behavior of adult mosquitoes and associated environmental factors can guide the choice of the most appropriate and effective vector control method. Our work suggests that vector control using targeted indoor residual spraying and/or potentially spatial repellents focusing on walls at heights lower than 1.5 m in bedrooms and bathrooms could be part of an integrated effective strategy for dengue vector control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Iran, annual floods pose a significant risk to villagers, particularly in the housing sector, leading to substantial damage. Recognizing the high vulnerability of rural housing to floods, it is essential to focus on physical resilience. This study aims to explore optimal strategies for enhancing the physical resilience of rural housing in flood-prone areas. The research methodology employed a descriptive-analytical approach, combining documentary studies and field surveys. Nine villages in Dargaz city, identified as the most susceptible to floods, were selected as the sample. Data analysis was conducted using two strategic planning tools, namely SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) and QSPM (Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix). A questionnaire was completed by 25 rural experts, including Dehyar and members of the village Islamic council, based on their expertise in using these tools. The initial exploratory studies revealed 14 strengths and opportunities as advantages, as well as 18 weaknesses and threats as constraints in achieving physical resilience of rural housing against floods. The final scores of IFE (Internal Factor Evaluation) and EFE (External Factor Evaluation) were 2.46 and 2.41, respectively. Consequently, "Defensive strategies" emerged as the primary focus for enhancing the physical resilience of rural housing, with the overall goal of reducing system weaknesses and neutralizing threats to ensure survival. Through analysis using the QSPM matrix, the strategy of "Increasing residents' knowledge and awareness of the principles of standard construction in flood-prone areas" obtained the highest score of 2.637 and was selected as the first strategy to be implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study objectives were to survey rural and urban recovery house owners/operators on their existing National Alliance for Recovery Residences-like (NARR-like) house programs/policies, and delineate rural–urban differences to raise awareness of NARR standards that align with current recovery house policies/programs and to inform new/enhance existing NARR standards. An electronic survey was developed and disseminated to 112 identified recovery houses in Kentucky. There was a 77% survey response rate. Rural recovery houses were more likely to have provisions in place for persons with disabilities, require clinical services participation, and have a stricter return-to-use policy. Work and/or school requirements in recovery houses were associated with resident stability and house expectations for community integration. Understanding differences in existing NARR-like rural versus urban recovery house policies and programs is necessary to raise state-led NARR affiliate awareness of differential recovery house training and support service needs that can best ready recovery houses for NARR certification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Appalachian Kentucky is a rural area with a high prevalence of asthma among adults. The relative contribution of environmental exposures in the etiology of adult asthma in these populations has been understudied. Objective: This manuscript describes the aims, study design, methods, and characteristics of participants for the Mountain Air Project (MAP), and focuses on associations between small area environmental exposures, including roadways and mining operations, and lifetime and current asthma in adults. Methods: A cohort of residents, aged 21 and older, in two Kentucky counties, was enrolled in a community-based, cross-sectional study. Stratified cluster sampling was used to select small geographic areas denoted as 14-digit USGS hydrologic units (HUCs). Households were enumerated within selected HUCs. Community health workers collected in-person interviews. The proximity of nearby active and inactive coal mining operations, density of oil and gas operations, and density of roadways were characterized for all HUCs. Poisson regression analyses were used to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios. Results: From 1,459 eligible households contacted, 1,190 individuals were recruited, and 972 persons completed the interviews. The prevalence of lifetime asthma was 22.8%; current asthma was 16.3%. Adjusting for covariates, roadway density was positively associated with current asthma in the second (aPR = 1.61; 95% CI 1.04–2.48) and third tertiles (aPR = 2.00; 95% CI 1.32–3.03). Increased risk of current asthma was associated with residence in public, multi-unit housing (aPR = 2.01; 95% CI 1.27–3.18) compared to a residence in a single-family home. There were no notable associations between proximity to coal mining and oil and gas operations and asthma prevalence. Conclusions: This study suggests that residents in rural areas with higher roadway density and those residing in public housing units may be at increased risk for current asthma after accounting for other known risk factors. Confirming the role of traffic-related particulates in producing high asthma risk among adults in this study contributes to the understanding of the multiple environmental exposures that influence respiratory health in the Appalachia region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What are the various ways in which local governments in China accommodate migrants through housing policies, and what are the forces that drive these variations? Through systematic coding of policy documents from 97 prefecture-level cities, this study captures the patterns of migrant housing policies using cluster analysis. We found that 18.6 per cent of the cities adopted a residual approach. Most cities adopted a rental-based approach (public and private rental, and collective rental) that could only meet migrants' short-term housing needs. Only a few cities (12.4 per cent) adopted a citizenship-oriented approach, which best fits the central government's overarching goal of facilitating migrant workers' long-term settlement in the host cities. Regression analyses examining the determinants of local migrant housing policies showed that the policy variations were not only shaped by economic and political concerns but also the salience of urban issues (problem-solving functions) and previous welfare generosity (path-dependency tendencies). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stable housing is an important determinant of health equity (Swope & Hernández, 2019). Yet, there are few studies exploring housing insecurity in rural areas. In the current study, we examined the similarities and differences in housing insecure experiences across four rural areas in the state of Maine. We used a qualitative case study approach in which each of the four areas represented a case. We conducted interviews and focus groups with key stakeholders (N = 70) to better understand how housing insecurity manifested in each area. Participants discussed a variety of housing insecure experiences in their communities. However, the types and magnitude of these challenges differed across the four areas; findings indicated that rural areas are different from urban areas and from each other. That there are differing patterns of housing insecurity across rural communities has important implications for which housing policy and social service supports are most needed in each community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural settlements are places where agricultural and livestock farming activities are carried out, have a relatively low population density, industrial and commercial activities do not develop and directly take form by human, environmental, and cultural interaction. Rural dwellings and add-ons constitute the characteristic texture of rural settlements. Rural dwellings can be defined as not only housing places, but also places where many activities are carried out and include add-ons with storage and production volumes based on the economic activity of the owner of the dwelling and the requirements of the region. These add-ons form the plan design of the residences (as closed, semi-open, and open spaces) depending on the living conditions of the region and the needs of the users. With these qualities, rural dwellings are sustainable structures that reflect the natural and human characteristics of the environment. However, in line with the economic and sociocultural developments experienced today, the influence of user behaviors and life habits is gradually decreasing in space design, and the uniform formation attracts attention. Although this situation does not pose much of a problem in terms of living dynamics in urban settlements, especially actions affecting the organization of space and not taking into account living habits cause different problems and pose a risk to the sustainability of dwellings in rural settlements. In order for the structures not to become unidentified and lose their characteristics of belonging to the place, it is necessary to pay attention to the climate, topography, and use of local materials in the new buildings, as well as to analyze all add-ons related to the actions performed by the users in the housing, especially in rural dwellings. If this factor affecting the formation is ignored, the dwelling will be 1 insufficient to respond to the needs of the user due to the living dynamics of the region where it is built, and this condition will negatively affect both spatial and sociocultural continuity. For this reason, in this study, the add-ons belonging to rural dwellings determined by inventory studies carried out within the scope of the master's thesis study titled "A Research on Rural Dwellings and Their Add-ons: The Case of Tongurlar Village" were analyzed in terms of function, plan characteristics, construction system, and material, and the types of add-ons affecting the dwelling organization were examined. The fact that the buildings that approach the dwelling with today's spatial perception only to meet the need for housing The fact that the buildings that approach the dwelling with today's spatial perception only to meet the need for housing alone cannot respond to the living dynamics of the settlement and do acquire add-ons over time was explained through the new dwellings located in Tongurlar Village. Moreover it has been revealed that the type projects prepared by authorized institutions for those who want to build their own housing in the rural, although it is mentioned that they are compatible with the vernacular architecture and living conditions, are produced without considering the add-ons, and it is stated that this may cause sustainability problems. In the conclusion part, solution suggestions for the problem are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid growth of China's economy and the supportive government policies and funds, the demand for and the expansion of rural housing in China are on the rise, which tightens requirements for rural housing. However, most of the present rural housing suffers from unplanned growth. The sprawl of rural housing adversely affects the quantity and quality of land resources, in particular, productive agricultural lands; therefore, it is necessary to regulate the growth of rural housing and protect farmlands through spatiotemporally continuous monitoring. Currently, the monitoring of rural housing in China is mainly conducted via in-situ inspection of the national land survey, which is restricted by unfavorable conditions (e.g., weather, outbreaks, and traffic) as well as impairing real-time and reliable control over information collected. To resolve this issue, this study proposed an intelligent model to recognize rural housing in underdeveloped areas based on deep learning and mathematical morphology (MobileNet-MM). The model was based on high-resolution remote sensing data, MobileNetV2 (a convolutional neural network architecture well performing on mobile devices), and mathematical morphology. First, the obtained data were segmented and manually screened and tagged to construct a training dataset. Second, the training dataset was used to train MobileNet-MM, with the expansion operation being used to compensate for identification errors of deep learning. Finally, the accuracy of MobileNet-MM to identify and monitor rural housing was tested, resulting in 84.5% accuracy. The comparison of the accuracies of MobileNet-MM and ResNet34 (a state-of-the-art image classification model) indicated that ResNet34 misclassified a large area of rural housing that was mainly distributed on the edge of the region as well as cropland and vegetation as rural housing, with its weak ability to recognize actual rural housing. The MobileNet-MM model predicted rural housing accurately and land boundary precisely, with the misclassified area being scattered, and its average accuracy, is 10.6% higher than that of ResNet34. The novelties of this study were two-fold: (1) a high-resolution training dataset of rural housing in underdeveloped areas was generated, which provides data support for the development of subsequent models; and (2) an intelligent model to recognize rural housing in underdeveloped areas (MobileNet-MM) based on deep learning and mathematical morphology was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using CHFS data and quantile regression method, this study empirically analyzes the impact of current homestead housing on rural household financial asset allocation in China. The main findings are as followings: The homestead housing system effectively protects the residential rights and interests of rural residents, but it is constrained by the system and fails to give full play to the investment value; Only on the premise of meeting the needs of family mobility, homestead housing can effectively play the wealth effect; In the family risk portfolio, homestead housing and risk financial asset allocation are mutually exclusive; In private lending, the impact of homestead housing on the provision of loans is more complex, but not always statistically significant; The impact of homestead housing on family financial asset allocation shows obvious heterogeneity and differentiation. Further releasing the liquidity of homestead housing, enriching the level of rural financial products and services, and encouraging rural families to appropriately participate in venture financial asset investment are the reform direction to improve the welfare level of rural families and optimize the allocation of family assets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The application influence of three typical sunrooms in rural houses were compared. • The additional sunroom has the best performance in the rural area in Southeast Shandong, China. • The order of influence of factors on the heating performance of the additional sunroom in rural houses was given. • Additional sunroom optimization suggestions based on different angles are proposed. The sunroom, a passive solar heat collecting component, is widely used in rural residential houses in Southeast Shandong Province, China. However, many forms of sunroom are applied in this area, and the impact of their application on the indoor thermal environment, energy-saving, and economy is unclear. In this paper, the influence of additional sunroom, courtyard sunroom, and additional sunroom coupling with courtyard sunroom on the indoor thermal environment are tested and studied. A comprehensive evaluation method based on the Energy Plus and dynamic investment payback period analysis is adopted to evaluate the energy-saving rate and economy. Furthermore, the optimization of the sunroom is performed, and the impact of seven key structural factors of sunroom for the indoor thermal environment, energy-saving, and economy was analyzed and evaluated. The additional sunroom has the best performance in improving the indoor thermal environment compared with the courtyard sunroom and the additional sunroom coupling with the courtyard sunroom. Compared to the typical additional sunroom existing in this area, the heating performance of the additional sunroom after comprehensive optimization is improved by 7.1%. Compared with the typical ordinary rural residential house without additional sunroom, the energy-saving rate of the additional sunroom after comprehensive optimization is 44.8 %, and the indoor temperature increases by 2.38 ℃. The conclusions will provide a theoretical basis for improving the indoor thermal environment of rural residential houses in Linyi and other areas in cold zones where solar energy resources are not abundant and the construction of rural residential houses with sunrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tapureli is an ancient settlement in Rough Cilicia connected to the Kızılgeçit Valley being located 32 km north of Erdemli in the province of Mersin. It attracts attention with its layout and size, continuity of settlement, well-preserved houses and churches. In this study, two decorated houses that we identified among the houses during our surveys in Tapureli are evaluated. There are architectural decorations in Ionic and Corinthian order at the entrances of the houses belonging to the Roman Imperial Period which are also used in the Late Antiquity. These are rare examples in Cilicia and in other regions. In this study, the architectural ornaments and layouts in these two houses are examined in detail. In this context, reconstruction suggestions are undertaken with the data obtained from the entrances of both houses and a dating proposal has been made based on architectural ornaments. The appearance of architectural ornament forms in Tapureli, indicates that architectural elements in cities were also in demand at the countryside. For this reason, the relationship of these houses with local ornament workshops and local craftsmen is discussed. In addition, the reasons for the presence and use of these decorations in the houses located in the countryside of Rough Cilicia are emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]