The ability of queens and males of most ant species to disperse by flight has fundamentally contributed to the group’s evolutionary and ecological success and is a determining factor to take into account for biogeogr...The ability of queens and males of most ant species to disperse by flight has fundamentally contributed to the group’s evolutionary and ecological success and is a determining factor to take into account for biogeographic studies(Wagner and Liebherr 1992;Peeters and Ito 2001;Helms 2018).展开更多
Two widespread bird species in Sri Lanka’s dry zone,Pycnonotus cafer(Red-vented Bulbul,RVBB)and Pycnonotus luteolus(White-browed Bulbul,WBBB),were studied to understand their foraging dynamics and ecology.The researc...Two widespread bird species in Sri Lanka’s dry zone,Pycnonotus cafer(Red-vented Bulbul,RVBB)and Pycnonotus luteolus(White-browed Bulbul,WBBB),were studied to understand their foraging dynamics and ecology.The research was conducted from October 2022 to February 2023 in Mihintale Sanctuary(80.30′11.24″E,8.21′04.63″N)and the Faculty of Applied Sciences,Rajarata University of Sri Lanka(80.502206″E,8.353090″N).Data were obtained through focal sampling,opportunistic observations,and mist netting.Both species predominantly foraged on twigs,using gleaning as the dominant food-handling technique.RVBB foraged mostly at the canopy level,while WBBB foraged primarily at the sub-canopy level.Fruits constituted the major food type for both species.RVBB and WBBB utilized 10 and 7 plant species,respectively,with Grewia helicterifolia being the primary foraging plant.Minimal foraging was observed on Croton sp.(RVBB)and Hugonia mistax(WBBB).The correlation between nutritional components and the consumption of both species revealed a preference for foods with lower protein,higher fat,and ash content.There was no linear correlation between gape width and fruit size(r=-0.21,P=0.69)for both species.The standardized dietary niche breadth indicated both species are specialists,with a high pairwise dietary niche overlap(0.9854).These findings highlight the niche-specific foraging adaptations of RVBB and WBBB within Mihintale,emphasizing their distinct strategies in utilizing plant species,fruit sizes,and foraging heights.Understanding such ecological dynamics is essential for habitat conservation efforts and ensuring the availability of key foraging resources for these species in the dry zone.展开更多
Objective This study explored the job choice preferences of Center for Disease Prevention and Control(CDC)workers to provide CDC management information and recommendations for optimizing employee retention and motivat...Objective This study explored the job choice preferences of Center for Disease Prevention and Control(CDC)workers to provide CDC management information and recommendations for optimizing employee retention and motivation policies.Methods A discrete choice experiment was conducted in nine provinces across China.Seven key attributes were identified to analyze the job preferences of CDC workers.Mixed logit models,latent class models,and policy simulation tools were used.Results A valid sample of 5,944 cases was included in the analysis.All seven attributes significantly influenced the job choices of CDC workers.Heterogeneity analyses identified two main groups based on different levels of preference for attribute utility.Income-prioritizers were concerned with income and opportunities for career development,whereas bianzhi-prioritizers were concerned with bianzhi and welfare benefits.The policy simulation analysis revealed that income-prioritizers had a relatively higher sensitivity to multiple job preference incentives.Conclusion Income and bianzhi were the two key attributes influencing the job choices and retention preferences of CDC workers.Heterogeneity in job preferences was also identified.Based on the preference characteristics of different subgroups,policy content should be skewed to differentiate the importance of incentives.展开更多
In order to study the preferred skin color for printing images,two CMYK images from ISO 400 and one from iStock,including five skin color images of East Asian females was selected in this study.The images were adjuste...In order to study the preferred skin color for printing images,two CMYK images from ISO 400 and one from iStock,including five skin color images of East Asian females was selected in this study.The images were adjusted with the CMYK printing ink volume variation of the single,double and triple channels in the given 280%total ink limit conditions.A larger number of color vision normal observers were organized to carry out the color preference evaluation experiment,and the selected preferred skin colors were analyzed.The distribution range of the chromaticity values for skin color images were obtained and the results indicated that there are three regions for printing skin color preferences,and the observers have a memory preference for brighter,fairer skin colors in young female and a reddish skin colors in girl,which can provide the guidance for color adjustment of printed skin color images.展开更多
By using the Chinese stock market data from 2018 to 2024,the weak association between structural trends stocks and market index under investors’preference effect in trading cause the market is lack of liquidity and m...By using the Chinese stock market data from 2018 to 2024,the weak association between structural trends stocks and market index under investors’preference effect in trading cause the market is lack of liquidity and more likely to be dominated by structural trends,as in this market,the willingness to engage in passive trading exceeds that for active trading and investors’preference easy to reverse toward market volatility.The lack of incremental capital in the market often leads to sector-specific rallies rather than broad-based increases,which is one of the key reasons why the Chinese stock market has struggled to achieve overall growth over the long-term period.展开更多
Plant roots interact with diverse fungi that are essential for maintaining the productivity and sustainability of pasture ecosystems,but how these root-associated fungi(RAF)differ between forage species and how they r...Plant roots interact with diverse fungi that are essential for maintaining the productivity and sustainability of pasture ecosystems,but how these root-associated fungi(RAF)differ between forage species and how they respond to nutrient enrichment and fungicide application are not well understood.Here,we constructed an 11-year experiment involving fungicide application(with or without)nested within four levels of experimental nitrogen(N)addition treatments in an alpine pasture,and the RAF communities,root traits,tissue nutrients,and shoot biomass of two dominant forage species(Carex capillifolia and Elymus nutans)were analyzed.The RAF community composition showed striking differences between the plant species and was strongly affected by both N addition level and fungicide applications.Fungicide,but not N application,dramatically reduced the RAF richness of all functional guilds in both plant species,and fungicide also simplified the co-occurrence network of the RAF for C.capillifolia.The RAF community correlated strongly with root traits,whereas their relationships became weakened or even vanished at the level of the individual plant species.The importance of RAF to plant nutrients and productivity varied between plant species,with significant contributions in C.capillifolia but not in E.nutans.This is the first report elucidating the long-term effect of fungicides on RAF in alpine pastures,and our findings emphasize the host-specific responses of RAF community structure and function to anthropogenic disturbances.展开更多
Objective Although dietary preferences influence chronic diseases,few studies have linked dietary preferences to mortality risk,particularly in large cohorts.To investigate the relationship between dietary preferences...Objective Although dietary preferences influence chronic diseases,few studies have linked dietary preferences to mortality risk,particularly in large cohorts.To investigate the relationship between dietary preferences and mortality risk(all-cause,cancer,and cardiovascular disease[CVD])in a large adult cohort.Methods A cohort of 1,160,312 adults(mean age 62.48±9.55)from the Shenzhen Healthcare Big Data Cohort(SHBDC)was analyzed.Hazard ratios(HRs)for mortality were estimated using the Cox proportional hazards model.Results The study identified 12,308 all-cause deaths,of which 3,865(31.4%)were cancer-related and 3,576(29.1%)were attributed to CVD.Compared with a mixed diet of meat and vegetables,a mainly meat-based diet(hazard ratio[HR]=1.13;95%confidence interval[CI]:1.02,1.27)associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality,while mainly vegetarian(HR=0.87;95%CI:0.78,0.97)was linked to a reduced risk.Furthermore,there was a stronger correlation between mortality risk and dietary preference in the>65 age range.Conclusion A meat-based diet was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality,whereas a mainly vegetarian diet was linked to a reduced risk.展开更多
Objective:To investigate the preference characteristics and relative importance of each core factor in the teaching program for undergraduate nursing students during clinical practice,and to provide empirical support ...Objective:To investigate the preference characteristics and relative importance of each core factor in the teaching program for undergraduate nursing students during clinical practice,and to provide empirical support for the creation of a student-centered,formalized clinical teaching system that meets the actual needs of nursing students.Methods:The quantitative research method of discrete choice experiment was adopted,and the questionnaire was designed based on the random utility theory.Through a systematic literature review,semi-structured interviews,and two rounds of Delphi expert consultations,six core attributes of the instructor,namely educational qualifications,teaching methods,frequency of individualized guidance,operational practice opportunities,feedback timeliness,and instructor title,and their corresponding levels were determined.The study period was from January 2024 to January 2025,and 158 undergraduate nursing students who chose to intern at Deyang People’s Hospital were selected as the research subjects.A survey tool with 12 choice sets was created using Ngene software,and then statistical analysis was performed on the obtained data using the conditional Logit model to measure the impact of each attribute on the choice behavior of nursing students.Results:The results showed that the conditional Logit model fitted well(likelihood ratio chi-square=85.32,p<0.001).The analysis results indicated that the most important teaching attributes for undergraduate nursing students were,in order:the academic qualifications of the teaching instructor(master vs.Junior college,β=0.42,p<0.01),individualized guidance frequency(daily vs.Weekly,β=0.38,p<0.01),operational practice opportunities(more vs.less,β=0.31,p<0.05),and the timeliness of feedback(timely versus delayed,β=0.29,p<0.05).The influence of the title of the instructor was not statistically significant(p>0.05).Conclusion:Undergraduate nursing students show a clear and systematic preference structure for clinical teaching,with a high expectation of frequent personalized guidance from highly educated teachers,as well as sufficient operational opportunities and timely teaching feedback.展开更多
AIM:To identify current trends in anaesthesia technique for cataract surgery and make this information available to ophthalmologists.METHODS:An electronic survey was created and distributed to members of online ophtha...AIM:To identify current trends in anaesthesia technique for cataract surgery and make this information available to ophthalmologists.METHODS:An electronic survey was created and distributed to members of online ophthalmology forums;results were subsequently analysed in spreadsheet software.RESULTS:In total there were 71 completed surveys.The most preferred anaesthesia technique in cataract cases was topical anaesthesia with intracameral injection(n=34,47.9%),and the least preferred techniques were retrobulbar(n=1,1.4%) and peribulbar blocks(n=1,1.4%).The most commonly preferred local anaesthetic was lidocaine 2%(n=41,57.7%).CONCLUSION:Topical anaesthesia techniques with lidocaine 2% appear to be the most preferred method of anaesthesia in cataract surgery in our survey.Compared with previous literature our survey shows that topical anaesthesia is being increasingly used in cataract surgery,especially in conjunction with intracameral injection.The predominant reasons for this seem to be patient comfort and ease of technique.展开更多
In this work, we make an investigation on the preferences of orientations between amino acids using the orientation defined based on the local geometry of the amino acids concerned. It is found that there are common p...In this work, we make an investigation on the preferences of orientations between amino acids using the orientation defined based on the local geometry of the amino acids concerned. It is found that there are common preferences of orientations （70°, 30°, 140°） and （110°, 340°, 100°） for various pairs of amino acids. Different side chains may strengthen or weaken the common preferences, which is related to the effect of packing. Some amino acids having specific local flexibility may possess some preferences of orientations besides the common ones, such as （10°, 280°, 210°）. Another analysis on the pairs of the amino acids with different secondary-structure preferences shows that the directional interaction may affect the distribution of orientation more effectively than the packing or local flexibility. All these results provide us some insight of the organization of amino acids in protein, and their relation with some related interactions.展开更多
As a physical model, the cellular automata （CA） model is widely used in many areas, such as stair evacuation. However, existing CA models do not consider evacuees＇ walk preferences nor psychological status, and the...As a physical model, the cellular automata （CA） model is widely used in many areas, such as stair evacuation. However, existing CA models do not consider evacuees＇ walk preferences nor psychological status, and the structure of the basic model is unapplicable for the stair structure. This paper is to improve the stair evacuation simulation by addressing these issues, and a new cellular automata model is established. Several evacuees＇ walk preference and how evacuee＇s psychology influences their behaviors are introduced into this model. Evacuees＇ speeds will be influenced by these features. To validate this simulation, two fire drills held in two high-rise buildings are video-recorded. It is found that the simulation results are similar to the fire drill results. The structure of this model is simple, and it is easy to further develop and utilize in different buildings with various kinds of occupants.展开更多
Considering that the assumption of time consistency does not adequately reveal the mechanisms of exit decisions of venture capital(VC),this study proposes two kinds of time-inconsistent preferences(i.e.,time-flow inco...Considering that the assumption of time consistency does not adequately reveal the mechanisms of exit decisions of venture capital(VC),this study proposes two kinds of time-inconsistent preferences(i.e.,time-flow inconsistency and time-point incon-sistency)to advance research in this field.Time-flow inconsistency is in line with the previous time inconsistency literature,while time-point inconsistency is rooted in the VC fund’s finite lifespan.Based on the assumption about the strategies guiding future behaviors,we consider four types of venture capitalists:time-consistent,time-point-inconsistent,naïve,and sophisticated venture capitalists,of which the latter three are time-inconsistent.We derive and compare the exit thresholds of these four types of venture capitalists.The main results include:(1)time-inconsistent preferences acceler-ate the exits of venture capitalists;(2)the closer the VC funds expiry dates are,t`he more likely time-inconsistent venture capitalists are to accelerate their exits;and(3)future selves caused by time-flow inconsistency weaken the effect of time-point inconsist-ency.Our study provides a behavioral explanation for the empirical fact of young VCs’grandstanding.展开更多
Farmers’contract breach behavior is cited as one of the major stumbling blocks in the sustainable expansion of contract farming in many developing countries.This paper examines farmers’contract breach decisions from...Farmers’contract breach behavior is cited as one of the major stumbling blocks in the sustainable expansion of contract farming in many developing countries.This paper examines farmers’contract breach decisions from the perspective of time preferences.The empirical analysis is based on a household survey and economic field experiments of poultry households participating in contract farming conducted in Jiangsu Province,China.A discounted utility model and a maximum likelihood technique are applied to estimate farmers’time preferences and the effect of time preferences on contract breach in the production and sales phases are explored with a bivariate probit model.The results show that,on average,the poultry farmers in the sample are generally present biased and impatient regarding future utility.The regression results show that farmers with a higher preference for the present and a higher discount rate are more likely to breach contracts,and time preferences play a greater role in the production phase than in the sales phase.When considering heterogeneity,specific investments and transaction costs promote contract stability only for farmers with a low degree of impatience.Moreover,compared with large-scale farmers,small-scale farmers’contract breach decisions are more significantly affected by their time preferences.These results have implications for contract stability policies and other issues that are impacted by the linking of behavioral preferences to agricultural decisions.展开更多
Climate change which is mainly caused by carbon emissions is a global problem affecting the economic development and well-being of human society.Low-carbon agriculture is of particular significance in slowing down glo...Climate change which is mainly caused by carbon emissions is a global problem affecting the economic development and well-being of human society.Low-carbon agriculture is of particular significance in slowing down global warming and reaching the goal of“carbon peak and carbon neutrality”.Therefore,taking straw incorporation as an example,this paper aims to investigate the impact of risk preferences on farmers’low-carbon agricultural technology(LCAT)adoption.Based on a two-phase micro-survey data of 1038 rice farmers in Jiangsu,Jiangxi,and Hunan provinces,this paper uses experimental economics methods to measure farmers’risk aversion and loss aversion to obtain the real risk preferences information of the farmers.We also explore the data to examine the actual LCAT adoption behavior of farmers.The results revealed that both risk aversion and loss aversion significantly inhibit farmers’LCAT adoption:more risk-averse or more loss-averse farmers are less likely to adopt LCAT.It is further found that crop insurance,farm scale and governmental regulations can alleviate the negative impact of risk aversion and loss aversion on farmers’LCAT adoption.Therefore,we propose that local governments need to promote low-carbon agricultural development by propagating the benefits of LCAT,extending crop insurance,promoting appropriate scale operations,and strengthening governmental regulations to promote farmers’LCAT adoption.展开更多
The aim of this study explored the importance of colour application on clothing and investigated whether there is a preference of colour on clothing among children under hospital environment. A modified colour associa...The aim of this study explored the importance of colour application on clothing and investigated whether there is a preference of colour on clothing among children under hospital environment. A modified colour associated test based on the Luster Color Test was used to carry out the survey. Fifty child patients aged four to sixteen were asked to look at two specially designed colour cards and to name their preferences and associations on each of the colour.展开更多
In order to rank searching results according to the user preferences,a new personalized web pages ranking algorithm called PWPR（personalized web page ranking）with the idea of adjusting the ranking scores of web page...In order to rank searching results according to the user preferences,a new personalized web pages ranking algorithm called PWPR（personalized web page ranking）with the idea of adjusting the ranking scores of web pages in accordance with user preferences is proposed.PWPR assigns the initial weights based on user interests and creates the virtual links and hubs according to user interests.By measuring user click streams,PWPR incrementally reflects users’ favors for the personalized ranking.To improve the accuracy of ranking, PWPR also takes collaborative filtering into consideration when the query with similar is submitted by users who have similar user interests. Detailed simulation results and comparison with other algorithms prove that the proposed PWPR can adaptively provide personalized ranking and truly relevant information to user preferences.展开更多
Background: Quality in health care has traditionally been determined based on clinical or health outcomes. However, these factors may not be the only aspects of health care that are important to patients. Within rehab...Background: Quality in health care has traditionally been determined based on clinical or health outcomes. However, these factors may not be the only aspects of health care that are important to patients. Within rehabilitation factors related to the process of care, the way in which rehabilitation services are delivered, may also be important to patients when defining quality of care. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the preferences of older people receiving post-acute outpatient rehabilitation or residential intermediate (transition) care for alternative configurations of rehabilitation programs. Methods: A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was designed to elicit the preferences of older people for the design and delivery of post-acute rehabilitation programs. The participants were older adults (≥65 years) receiving post-acute outpatient rehabilitation or residential intermediate (transition) care in South Australia. Each participant was presented with a series of choice questions involving two hypothetical programs, the characteristics of which varied in every choice. Participants were then asked to select their preferred program. Results: Despite marked differences in case-mix and dependency levels, the preferences of the two groups were very similar, focusing on relationships and communication with health care professionals. Both groups demonstrated very strong preferences for the use of an electronic medical record and for receiving information about their treatment and progress via a meeting with a specialist physician and nurse. The outpatient rehabilitation group also exhibited a strong preference for a shared decision making model in relation to their future care needs. Conclusions: The findings highlight the commonality of preferences of older patients receiving post-acute services for the optimal configuration of rehabilitation services. Issues prioritised were service integration and access to senior medical and nursing staff. The study demonstrates the practicality and validity of DCEs to determine older people’s preferences in defining quality of care.展开更多
Over the last decade, the popularity of Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) as a mode of travel has been increasing at a steady pace. This trend <span style="font-family:Verdana;">highlights the im...Over the last decade, the popularity of Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) as a mode of travel has been increasing at a steady pace. This trend <span style="font-family:Verdana;">highlights the importance of identifying the determinants that influence transportati</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">on users to adopt TNCs as a preferred mode choice and the impacts of su</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">ch preferences on their travel patterns and transportation network o</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">peration. This paper reports on a recent study undertaken in Birmingham, AL aiming at understanding and documenting the factors that influence transportation users to select TNCs (such as Uber/Lyft) for completing typical day trips. In </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">doing so, a travel diary questionnaire survey was developed in accordance with</span> <span style="font-family:Verdana;">the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Manual on Transportation Engineering Studies using the Qualtrics Research Core platform. The que</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">stionnair</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">e was used to survey over 450 transportation users in the Birmingham Metro area. The survey participants provided detailed trip information for a </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">typical 24-hr day along with demographic data and travel preference informatio</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">n. The survey responses provide high-resolution micro-level indicators </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">of travel preferences and behaviors in a TNC-served area, which is a much-needed </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">type of information for researchers and transportation planning agencies.</span>展开更多
Objective: To assess preferences for participation in shared decision making in a representative sample of psychiatric outpatients with affective disorders and to understand how clinical and socio-demographic variable...Objective: To assess preferences for participation in shared decision making in a representative sample of psychiatric outpatients with affective disorders and to understand how clinical and socio-demographic variables influence patients’ preferences for participation. Method: A cross-sectional survey of 172 consecutive psychiatric outpatients with affective disorders attending at Community Mental Health Care setting was carried out. Patients expressed preferences on each of 3 aspects of decision making (seeking information, discussing options, making the final decision). The “CGI Severity and Improvement Scales” and the “Beck Depression Inventory” scale were used for severity assessment. Additionally the “Drug Attitude Inventory”, the “Beliefs about Medicine Questionnaire” and the “Leeds Attitude toward Concordance Scale” were applied to all participants. Effects of variables considered on preferences were assessed using proportional odds regression models. Results: We registered a high response rate of 85%. Nearly all patients (91%) preferred to leave final decisions to their treating psychiatrists and 87% preferred to rely on psychiatrists for medical knowledge rather than seeking their own information. In contrast, 81% of patients preferred to be offered options and to be asked their opinion by their doctors. Gender, age, educational level, number of psychotropics used and belief about psychiatric medication overuse were significant predictors in decision making dimensions considered. Conclusion: Shared decision making approach of patients with affective disorder must take into consideration a more doctor-directed approach preferred by the patients in which the desire to be offered options is not automatically linked with the willingness of taking decisions or getting more knowledge.展开更多
An exploratory study of the traditional homestead forest of two different religious groups (Hindu and Muslim) in one selected floodplain area of Bangladesh was conducted over a period of six months from January to Jun...An exploratory study of the traditional homestead forest of two different religious groups (Hindu and Muslim) in one selected floodplain area of Bangladesh was conducted over a period of six months from January to June 2002. The species' (both tree and shrub) preferences, similarities, use and sources of planting materials, spacing and location of species in the homesteads of both Hindu and Muslim communities were studied. It was found thatMangifera indica as tree species andOcimum sanctum as shrub species were the best preferred species of the Hindu community.Artocarpus heterophyllus as tree species andLawsonia inermis as shrub species were found best preferred by the Muslim community. Floristic similarities between the two groups were found 86.57% in tree species and 78.48% in shrub species. Both seed and seedlings of tree and shrub species as planting materials were used by the highest percentage of both the religious communities. For tree species, homegarden was reported to be the highest source (39%) and for shrub species, nature was the highest source (40%), which was found in the Hindu community. Key words Species preferences - Species similarity - Planting materials - Hindu - Muslim - Homestead forests - Floodplain area - Bangladesh CLC number S72 Document code A Biography: Md. Danesh Miah (1971): male, Assistant Professor in the Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, University of Chittagong, Chittagong 4331, Bangladesh.Responsible editor: Chai Ruihai展开更多
基金funded by the“Departments of Excellence”program of the Italian Ministry for University and Research(MIUR,2018-2022 and MUR,2023-2027).
文摘The ability of queens and males of most ant species to disperse by flight has fundamentally contributed to the group’s evolutionary and ecological success and is a determining factor to take into account for biogeographic studies(Wagner and Liebherr 1992;Peeters and Ito 2001;Helms 2018).
文摘Two widespread bird species in Sri Lanka’s dry zone,Pycnonotus cafer(Red-vented Bulbul,RVBB)and Pycnonotus luteolus(White-browed Bulbul,WBBB),were studied to understand their foraging dynamics and ecology.The research was conducted from October 2022 to February 2023 in Mihintale Sanctuary(80.30′11.24″E,8.21′04.63″N)and the Faculty of Applied Sciences,Rajarata University of Sri Lanka(80.502206″E,8.353090″N).Data were obtained through focal sampling,opportunistic observations,and mist netting.Both species predominantly foraged on twigs,using gleaning as the dominant food-handling technique.RVBB foraged mostly at the canopy level,while WBBB foraged primarily at the sub-canopy level.Fruits constituted the major food type for both species.RVBB and WBBB utilized 10 and 7 plant species,respectively,with Grewia helicterifolia being the primary foraging plant.Minimal foraging was observed on Croton sp.(RVBB)and Hugonia mistax(WBBB).The correlation between nutritional components and the consumption of both species revealed a preference for foods with lower protein,higher fat,and ash content.There was no linear correlation between gape width and fruit size(r=-0.21,P=0.69)for both species.The standardized dietary niche breadth indicated both species are specialists,with a high pairwise dietary niche overlap(0.9854).These findings highlight the niche-specific foraging adaptations of RVBB and WBBB within Mihintale,emphasizing their distinct strategies in utilizing plant species,fruit sizes,and foraging heights.Understanding such ecological dynamics is essential for habitat conservation efforts and ensuring the availability of key foraging resources for these species in the dry zone.
基金supported by the Major Program of the National Social Science Foundation of China(no.2022YFC3600801)the Operation of Public Health Emergency Response Mechanisms of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention(no.102393220020010000017)。
文摘Objective This study explored the job choice preferences of Center for Disease Prevention and Control(CDC)workers to provide CDC management information and recommendations for optimizing employee retention and motivation policies.Methods A discrete choice experiment was conducted in nine provinces across China.Seven key attributes were identified to analyze the job preferences of CDC workers.Mixed logit models,latent class models,and policy simulation tools were used.Results A valid sample of 5,944 cases was included in the analysis.All seven attributes significantly influenced the job choices of CDC workers.Heterogeneity analyses identified two main groups based on different levels of preference for attribute utility.Income-prioritizers were concerned with income and opportunities for career development,whereas bianzhi-prioritizers were concerned with bianzhi and welfare benefits.The policy simulation analysis revealed that income-prioritizers had a relatively higher sensitivity to multiple job preference incentives.Conclusion Income and bianzhi were the two key attributes influencing the job choices and retention preferences of CDC workers.Heterogeneity in job preferences was also identified.Based on the preference characteristics of different subgroups,policy content should be skewed to differentiate the importance of incentives.
文摘In order to study the preferred skin color for printing images,two CMYK images from ISO 400 and one from iStock,including five skin color images of East Asian females was selected in this study.The images were adjusted with the CMYK printing ink volume variation of the single,double and triple channels in the given 280%total ink limit conditions.A larger number of color vision normal observers were organized to carry out the color preference evaluation experiment,and the selected preferred skin colors were analyzed.The distribution range of the chromaticity values for skin color images were obtained and the results indicated that there are three regions for printing skin color preferences,and the observers have a memory preference for brighter,fairer skin colors in young female and a reddish skin colors in girl,which can provide the guidance for color adjustment of printed skin color images.
文摘By using the Chinese stock market data from 2018 to 2024,the weak association between structural trends stocks and market index under investors’preference effect in trading cause the market is lack of liquidity and more likely to be dominated by structural trends,as in this market,the willingness to engage in passive trading exceeds that for active trading and investors’preference easy to reverse toward market volatility.The lack of incremental capital in the market often leads to sector-specific rallies rather than broad-based increases,which is one of the key reasons why the Chinese stock market has struggled to achieve overall growth over the long-term period.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2023YFF0805602)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(U21A20186,32171579,32371592 and 32471674)the Natural Science Foundation of Gansu Province,China(23JRRA1029 and 23JRRA1034)。
文摘Plant roots interact with diverse fungi that are essential for maintaining the productivity and sustainability of pasture ecosystems,but how these root-associated fungi(RAF)differ between forage species and how they respond to nutrient enrichment and fungicide application are not well understood.Here,we constructed an 11-year experiment involving fungicide application(with or without)nested within four levels of experimental nitrogen(N)addition treatments in an alpine pasture,and the RAF communities,root traits,tissue nutrients,and shoot biomass of two dominant forage species(Carex capillifolia and Elymus nutans)were analyzed.The RAF community composition showed striking differences between the plant species and was strongly affected by both N addition level and fungicide applications.Fungicide,but not N application,dramatically reduced the RAF richness of all functional guilds in both plant species,and fungicide also simplified the co-occurrence network of the RAF for C.capillifolia.The RAF community correlated strongly with root traits,whereas their relationships became weakened or even vanished at the level of the individual plant species.The importance of RAF to plant nutrients and productivity varied between plant species,with significant contributions in C.capillifolia but not in E.nutans.This is the first report elucidating the long-term effect of fungicides on RAF in alpine pastures,and our findings emphasize the host-specific responses of RAF community structure and function to anthropogenic disturbances.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.82425052).
文摘Objective Although dietary preferences influence chronic diseases,few studies have linked dietary preferences to mortality risk,particularly in large cohorts.To investigate the relationship between dietary preferences and mortality risk(all-cause,cancer,and cardiovascular disease[CVD])in a large adult cohort.Methods A cohort of 1,160,312 adults(mean age 62.48±9.55)from the Shenzhen Healthcare Big Data Cohort(SHBDC)was analyzed.Hazard ratios(HRs)for mortality were estimated using the Cox proportional hazards model.Results The study identified 12,308 all-cause deaths,of which 3,865(31.4%)were cancer-related and 3,576(29.1%)were attributed to CVD.Compared with a mixed diet of meat and vegetables,a mainly meat-based diet(hazard ratio[HR]=1.13;95%confidence interval[CI]:1.02,1.27)associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality,while mainly vegetarian(HR=0.87;95%CI:0.78,0.97)was linked to a reduced risk.Furthermore,there was a stronger correlation between mortality risk and dietary preference in the>65 age range.Conclusion A meat-based diet was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality,whereas a mainly vegetarian diet was linked to a reduced risk.
基金Teaching Reform Research Project at Southwest Medical University(Project No.:JG2023jdyb034)Humanities and Social Sciences Research Project at Sichuan Vocational College of Nursing(Project No.:2022RWSY45)。
文摘Objective:To investigate the preference characteristics and relative importance of each core factor in the teaching program for undergraduate nursing students during clinical practice,and to provide empirical support for the creation of a student-centered,formalized clinical teaching system that meets the actual needs of nursing students.Methods:The quantitative research method of discrete choice experiment was adopted,and the questionnaire was designed based on the random utility theory.Through a systematic literature review,semi-structured interviews,and two rounds of Delphi expert consultations,six core attributes of the instructor,namely educational qualifications,teaching methods,frequency of individualized guidance,operational practice opportunities,feedback timeliness,and instructor title,and their corresponding levels were determined.The study period was from January 2024 to January 2025,and 158 undergraduate nursing students who chose to intern at Deyang People’s Hospital were selected as the research subjects.A survey tool with 12 choice sets was created using Ngene software,and then statistical analysis was performed on the obtained data using the conditional Logit model to measure the impact of each attribute on the choice behavior of nursing students.Results:The results showed that the conditional Logit model fitted well(likelihood ratio chi-square=85.32,p<0.001).The analysis results indicated that the most important teaching attributes for undergraduate nursing students were,in order:the academic qualifications of the teaching instructor(master vs.Junior college,β=0.42,p<0.01),individualized guidance frequency(daily vs.Weekly,β=0.38,p<0.01),operational practice opportunities(more vs.less,β=0.31,p<0.05),and the timeliness of feedback(timely versus delayed,β=0.29,p<0.05).The influence of the title of the instructor was not statistically significant(p>0.05).Conclusion:Undergraduate nursing students show a clear and systematic preference structure for clinical teaching,with a high expectation of frequent personalized guidance from highly educated teachers,as well as sufficient operational opportunities and timely teaching feedback.
文摘AIM:To identify current trends in anaesthesia technique for cataract surgery and make this information available to ophthalmologists.METHODS:An electronic survey was created and distributed to members of online ophthalmology forums;results were subsequently analysed in spreadsheet software.RESULTS:In total there were 71 completed surveys.The most preferred anaesthesia technique in cataract cases was topical anaesthesia with intracameral injection(n=34,47.9%),and the least preferred techniques were retrobulbar(n=1,1.4%) and peribulbar blocks(n=1,1.4%).The most commonly preferred local anaesthetic was lidocaine 2%(n=41,57.7%).CONCLUSION:Topical anaesthesia techniques with lidocaine 2% appear to be the most preferred method of anaesthesia in cataract surgery in our survey.Compared with previous literature our survey shows that topical anaesthesia is being increasingly used in cataract surgery,especially in conjunction with intracameral injection.The predominant reasons for this seem to be patient comfort and ease of technique.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China （Grant Nos 10204013, 90103031, 10074030, 10474041, 90403120 and 10021001）, and the Nonlinear Project （973） of the National Science Ministry, China.
文摘In this work, we make an investigation on the preferences of orientations between amino acids using the orientation defined based on the local geometry of the amino acids concerned. It is found that there are common preferences of orientations （70°, 30°, 140°） and （110°, 340°, 100°） for various pairs of amino acids. Different side chains may strengthen or weaken the common preferences, which is related to the effect of packing. Some amino acids having specific local flexibility may possess some preferences of orientations besides the common ones, such as （10°, 280°, 210°）. Another analysis on the pairs of the amino acids with different secondary-structure preferences shows that the directional interaction may affect the distribution of orientation more effectively than the packing or local flexibility. All these results provide us some insight of the organization of amino acids in protein, and their relation with some related interactions.
基金Project supported by the National Basic Research Program of China(Grant No.2012CB719705)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.91224008,91024032,and 71373139)
文摘As a physical model, the cellular automata （CA） model is widely used in many areas, such as stair evacuation. However, existing CA models do not consider evacuees＇ walk preferences nor psychological status, and the structure of the basic model is unapplicable for the stair structure. This paper is to improve the stair evacuation simulation by addressing these issues, and a new cellular automata model is established. Several evacuees＇ walk preference and how evacuee＇s psychology influences their behaviors are introduced into this model. Evacuees＇ speeds will be influenced by these features. To validate this simulation, two fire drills held in two high-rise buildings are video-recorded. It is found that the simulation results are similar to the fire drill results. The structure of this model is simple, and it is easy to further develop and utilize in different buildings with various kinds of occupants.
基金supported by the Major Program of the National Social Science Foundation of China under Grant No.17ZDA083the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No.71932002the Natural Science Foundation of Beijing Municipality under Grant No.9192001.
文摘Considering that the assumption of time consistency does not adequately reveal the mechanisms of exit decisions of venture capital(VC),this study proposes two kinds of time-inconsistent preferences(i.e.,time-flow inconsistency and time-point incon-sistency)to advance research in this field.Time-flow inconsistency is in line with the previous time inconsistency literature,while time-point inconsistency is rooted in the VC fund’s finite lifespan.Based on the assumption about the strategies guiding future behaviors,we consider four types of venture capitalists:time-consistent,time-point-inconsistent,naïve,and sophisticated venture capitalists,of which the latter three are time-inconsistent.We derive and compare the exit thresholds of these four types of venture capitalists.The main results include:(1)time-inconsistent preferences acceler-ate the exits of venture capitalists;(2)the closer the VC funds expiry dates are,t`he more likely time-inconsistent venture capitalists are to accelerate their exits;and(3)future selves caused by time-flow inconsistency weaken the effect of time-point inconsist-ency.Our study provides a behavioral explanation for the empirical fact of young VCs’grandstanding.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(72003082 and 71573130)the Project of Philosophy and Social Science Research in Colleges and Universities in Jiangsu Province of China(2020SJA1015)+1 种基金the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions,China(PAPD)the China Center for Food Security Studies,Nanjing Agricultural University,China。
文摘Farmers’contract breach behavior is cited as one of the major stumbling blocks in the sustainable expansion of contract farming in many developing countries.This paper examines farmers’contract breach decisions from the perspective of time preferences.The empirical analysis is based on a household survey and economic field experiments of poultry households participating in contract farming conducted in Jiangsu Province,China.A discounted utility model and a maximum likelihood technique are applied to estimate farmers’time preferences and the effect of time preferences on contract breach in the production and sales phases are explored with a bivariate probit model.The results show that,on average,the poultry farmers in the sample are generally present biased and impatient regarding future utility.The regression results show that farmers with a higher preference for the present and a higher discount rate are more likely to breach contracts,and time preferences play a greater role in the production phase than in the sales phase.When considering heterogeneity,specific investments and transaction costs promote contract stability only for farmers with a low degree of impatience.Moreover,compared with large-scale farmers,small-scale farmers’contract breach decisions are more significantly affected by their time preferences.These results have implications for contract stability policies and other issues that are impacted by the linking of behavioral preferences to agricultural decisions.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(72103115)the Humanities and Social Science Research General Project of the Ministry of Education of China(21XJC790008)+1 种基金the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2020T130393)the Social Science Foundation of Shaanxi Province,China(2021D028)。
文摘Climate change which is mainly caused by carbon emissions is a global problem affecting the economic development and well-being of human society.Low-carbon agriculture is of particular significance in slowing down global warming and reaching the goal of“carbon peak and carbon neutrality”.Therefore,taking straw incorporation as an example,this paper aims to investigate the impact of risk preferences on farmers’low-carbon agricultural technology(LCAT)adoption.Based on a two-phase micro-survey data of 1038 rice farmers in Jiangsu,Jiangxi,and Hunan provinces,this paper uses experimental economics methods to measure farmers’risk aversion and loss aversion to obtain the real risk preferences information of the farmers.We also explore the data to examine the actual LCAT adoption behavior of farmers.The results revealed that both risk aversion and loss aversion significantly inhibit farmers’LCAT adoption:more risk-averse or more loss-averse farmers are less likely to adopt LCAT.It is further found that crop insurance,farm scale and governmental regulations can alleviate the negative impact of risk aversion and loss aversion on farmers’LCAT adoption.Therefore,we propose that local governments need to promote low-carbon agricultural development by propagating the benefits of LCAT,extending crop insurance,promoting appropriate scale operations,and strengthening governmental regulations to promote farmers’LCAT adoption.
文摘The aim of this study explored the importance of colour application on clothing and investigated whether there is a preference of colour on clothing among children under hospital environment. A modified colour associated test based on the Luster Color Test was used to carry out the survey. Fifty child patients aged four to sixteen were asked to look at two specially designed colour cards and to name their preferences and associations on each of the colour.
基金The Natural Science Foundation of South-Central University for Nationalities(No.YZZ07006)
文摘In order to rank searching results according to the user preferences,a new personalized web pages ranking algorithm called PWPR（personalized web page ranking）with the idea of adjusting the ranking scores of web pages in accordance with user preferences is proposed.PWPR assigns the initial weights based on user interests and creates the virtual links and hubs according to user interests.By measuring user click streams,PWPR incrementally reflects users’ favors for the personalized ranking.To improve the accuracy of ranking, PWPR also takes collaborative filtering into consideration when the query with similar is submitted by users who have similar user interests. Detailed simulation results and comparison with other algorithms prove that the proposed PWPR can adaptively provide personalized ranking and truly relevant information to user preferences.
文摘Background: Quality in health care has traditionally been determined based on clinical or health outcomes. However, these factors may not be the only aspects of health care that are important to patients. Within rehabilitation factors related to the process of care, the way in which rehabilitation services are delivered, may also be important to patients when defining quality of care. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the preferences of older people receiving post-acute outpatient rehabilitation or residential intermediate (transition) care for alternative configurations of rehabilitation programs. Methods: A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was designed to elicit the preferences of older people for the design and delivery of post-acute rehabilitation programs. The participants were older adults (≥65 years) receiving post-acute outpatient rehabilitation or residential intermediate (transition) care in South Australia. Each participant was presented with a series of choice questions involving two hypothetical programs, the characteristics of which varied in every choice. Participants were then asked to select their preferred program. Results: Despite marked differences in case-mix and dependency levels, the preferences of the two groups were very similar, focusing on relationships and communication with health care professionals. Both groups demonstrated very strong preferences for the use of an electronic medical record and for receiving information about their treatment and progress via a meeting with a specialist physician and nurse. The outpatient rehabilitation group also exhibited a strong preference for a shared decision making model in relation to their future care needs. Conclusions: The findings highlight the commonality of preferences of older patients receiving post-acute services for the optimal configuration of rehabilitation services. Issues prioritised were service integration and access to senior medical and nursing staff. The study demonstrates the practicality and validity of DCEs to determine older people’s preferences in defining quality of care.
文摘Over the last decade, the popularity of Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) as a mode of travel has been increasing at a steady pace. This trend <span style="font-family:Verdana;">highlights the importance of identifying the determinants that influence transportati</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">on users to adopt TNCs as a preferred mode choice and the impacts of su</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">ch preferences on their travel patterns and transportation network o</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">peration. This paper reports on a recent study undertaken in Birmingham, AL aiming at understanding and documenting the factors that influence transportation users to select TNCs (such as Uber/Lyft) for completing typical day trips. In </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">doing so, a travel diary questionnaire survey was developed in accordance with</span> <span style="font-family:Verdana;">the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Manual on Transportation Engineering Studies using the Qualtrics Research Core platform. The que</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">stionnair</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">e was used to survey over 450 transportation users in the Birmingham Metro area. The survey participants provided detailed trip information for a </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">typical 24-hr day along with demographic data and travel preference informatio</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">n. The survey responses provide high-resolution micro-level indicators </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">of travel preferences and behaviors in a TNC-served area, which is a much-needed </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">type of information for researchers and transportation planning agencies.</span>
基金The Instituto de Salud Carlos III, FEDER Union Europea (Grant No. PI10/00955).
文摘Objective: To assess preferences for participation in shared decision making in a representative sample of psychiatric outpatients with affective disorders and to understand how clinical and socio-demographic variables influence patients’ preferences for participation. Method: A cross-sectional survey of 172 consecutive psychiatric outpatients with affective disorders attending at Community Mental Health Care setting was carried out. Patients expressed preferences on each of 3 aspects of decision making (seeking information, discussing options, making the final decision). The “CGI Severity and Improvement Scales” and the “Beck Depression Inventory” scale were used for severity assessment. Additionally the “Drug Attitude Inventory”, the “Beliefs about Medicine Questionnaire” and the “Leeds Attitude toward Concordance Scale” were applied to all participants. Effects of variables considered on preferences were assessed using proportional odds regression models. Results: We registered a high response rate of 85%. Nearly all patients (91%) preferred to leave final decisions to their treating psychiatrists and 87% preferred to rely on psychiatrists for medical knowledge rather than seeking their own information. In contrast, 81% of patients preferred to be offered options and to be asked their opinion by their doctors. Gender, age, educational level, number of psychotropics used and belief about psychiatric medication overuse were significant predictors in decision making dimensions considered. Conclusion: Shared decision making approach of patients with affective disorder must take into consideration a more doctor-directed approach preferred by the patients in which the desire to be offered options is not automatically linked with the willingness of taking decisions or getting more knowledge.
文摘An exploratory study of the traditional homestead forest of two different religious groups (Hindu and Muslim) in one selected floodplain area of Bangladesh was conducted over a period of six months from January to June 2002. The species' (both tree and shrub) preferences, similarities, use and sources of planting materials, spacing and location of species in the homesteads of both Hindu and Muslim communities were studied. It was found thatMangifera indica as tree species andOcimum sanctum as shrub species were the best preferred species of the Hindu community.Artocarpus heterophyllus as tree species andLawsonia inermis as shrub species were found best preferred by the Muslim community. Floristic similarities between the two groups were found 86.57% in tree species and 78.48% in shrub species. Both seed and seedlings of tree and shrub species as planting materials were used by the highest percentage of both the religious communities. For tree species, homegarden was reported to be the highest source (39%) and for shrub species, nature was the highest source (40%), which was found in the Hindu community. Key words Species preferences - Species similarity - Planting materials - Hindu - Muslim - Homestead forests - Floodplain area - Bangladesh CLC number S72 Document code A Biography: Md. Danesh Miah (1971): male, Assistant Professor in the Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, University of Chittagong, Chittagong 4331, Bangladesh.Responsible editor: Chai Ruihai
