The Application of Least-squares Method in the Group-AHP

Group-AHP plays an important role in the practical use, but there has not been a perfect method to solve it so far. This paper is intended for doing some research about the application of Least-squares in the Group-AHP. Key words: Group-AHP; Least-squares method AH

A comparative and conceptual intellectual study of environmental topic in economic and finance

We aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the past, present, and future development of environmental related topics in Economics and Finance. In this regard, Environmental Finance (EF)- and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)-related literature is collected and analysed. The paper draws chronical pictures of the topic development in these two recently developed fields by applying bibliometric methods. Then, we provide a novel systemic comparison on their main differences. Reviewing the top journal publications, we identify literature gaps for a future research agenda. In particular, on the one hand, for EF, we suggest exploring various financial innovations to generate environmental benefits research, and thus building up efficient regulatory framework for addressing major regional and/or global environmental issues. On the other hand, for ESG, we respectively provide potential research directions to conduct the cost-benefit study on the real impact of ESG disclosure and to evaluate how ESG investment strategy efficiently deliver sustainable development

Anammox bacterial abundance and diversity in different temperatures of purple paddy soils by 13C-DNA stable-isotope probing combined with high-throughput sequencing

IntroductionAnaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) plays a vital role in the global nitrogen cycle by oxidizing ammonium to nitrogen under anaerobic environments. However, the existence, abundance, and diversity of anammox bacteria between different temperatures are less studied, particularly in purple paddy soils.Methods13C-DNA stable-isotope probe combined with Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing was employed to explore soil abundance and diversity of anammox bacteria. In doing so, 40–60 cm depth soils from typical purple paddy soils in Chongqing, southwest China, were cultured under 12CO2-labeled and 13CO2-labeled at 35°C, 25°C, 15°C, and 5°C for 56 days.Results and DiscussionAnammox bacteria were not labeled at all by 13CO2 at 5°C. The highest abundance of anammox bacteria was found at 25°C (3.52 × 106~3.66 × 106 copies·g−1 dry soil), followed by 35°C and 15°C (2.01 × 106~2.37 × 106 copies·g−1 dry soil) and almost no increase at 5°C. The relative abundance of Candidatus Jettenia sp. was higher at 25°C and 15°C, while Candidatus Brocadia sp. was higher at 35°C and 5°C. Our results revealed differences in anammox bacteria at different temperatures in purple paddy soils, which could provide a better understanding of soil N cycling regulated by anammox bacteria

Intermediate predator naïveté and sex-skewed vulnerability predict the impact of an invasive higher predator

The spread of invasive species continues to reduce biodiversity across all regions and habitat types globally. However, invader impact prediction can be nebulous, and approaches often fail to integrate coupled direct and indirect invader effects. Here, we examine the ecological impacts of an invasive higher predator on lower trophic groups, further developing methodologies to more holistically quantify invader impact. We employ functional response (FR, resource use under different densities) and prey switching experiments to examine the trait- and density-mediated impacts of the invasive mosquitofish Gambusia affinis on an endemic intermediate predator Lovenula raynerae (Copepoda). Lovenula raynerae effectively consumed larval mosquitoes, but was naïve to mosquitofish cues, with attack rates and handling times of the intermediate predator unaffected by mosquitofish cue-treated water. Mosquitofish did not switch between male and female prey, consistently displaying a strong preference for female copepods. We thus demonstrate a lack of risk-reduction activity in the presence of invasive fish by L. raynerae and, in turn, high susceptibility of such intermediate trophic groups to invader impact. Further, we show that mosquitofish demonstrate sex-skewed predator selectivity towards intermediate predators of mosquito larvae, which may affect predator population demographics and, perversely, increase disease vector proliferations. We advocate the utility of FRs and prey switching combined to holistically quantify invasive species impact potential on native organisms at multiple trophic levels

Exogenous Salicylic Acid Alleviates NO₂ Damage by Maintaining Cell Stability and Physiological Metabolism in <i>Bougainvillea × buttiana</i> ‘Miss Manila’ Seedlings

Exogenous substances can alleviate plant damage under adverse conditions. In order to explore whether different concentrations of salicylic acid (SA) can play a role in the resistance of Bougainvillea × buttiana ‘Miss Manila’ to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) stress and the relevant mechanisms of their effects, different concentrations of SA were applied locally under the control experiment condition of 4.0 μL·L−1 NO2, and the role of SA in alleviating injury was studied. The findings noted a significant increase in metabolic adaptations and antioxidant enzyme activities following 0.25–0.75 mM SA application (p 0.05), except 1 mM. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in particular increased by 21.88% and 59.71%, respectively. Such an increase led to effective control of the reduction in photosynthetic pigments and the photosynthetic rate and protection of the structural stability of chloroplasts and other organelles. In addition, the activity of nitrate reductase (NR) increased by 83.85%, and the content of nitrate nitrogen (NO3−-N) decreased by 29.23% in nitrogen metabolism. Concurrently, a principal component analysis (PCA) and a membership function analysis further indicated that 0.75 mM SA provided the most notable improvement in NO2 resistance among the different gradients. These findings suggest that 0.25–0.75 mM SA can relieve the stress at 4 μL·L−1 NO2 injury by effectively improving the antioxidant enzyme activity and nitrogen metabolizing enzyme activity, protecting the photosynthetic system and cell structure, but 1 mM SA had the opposite effect. In the future, the specific reasons for inhibition of SA at high concentrations and the comprehensive effects of the application of other exogenous compounds should be further studied

Study on Toughening and Temperature Sensitivity of Polyurethane Cement (PUC)

Polyurethane cement (PUC) is now commonly used in the reinforcement of old bridges, which exhibit various issues such as poor toughness, temperature-sensitive mechanical properties, and brittle failure. These problems can lead to the failure of the reinforcement effect of the PUC on old bridges in certain operating environments, leading to the collapse of such reinforced bridges. In order to alleviate these shortcomings, in this study, the toughness of PUC is improved by adding polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber, carbon fiber, and steel fiber. In addition, we study the change law of the flexural strength of PUC between &minus;40 &deg;C and +40 &deg;C. The control parameters evaluated are fiber type, fiber volume ratio, and temperature. A series of flexural tests and scanning electron microscope (SEM) test results show that the flexural strength first increases and then decreases with the increase in the volume-doping ratio of the three fibers. The optimum volume-mixing ratios of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber, carbon fiber, and steel fiber are 0.3%, 0.04% and 1%, respectively. Excessive addition of fiber will affect the operability and will adversely affect the mechanical properties. The flexural strength of both fiber-reinforced and control samples decreases with increasing temperature. Using the flexural test results, a two-factor (fiber content, temperature) BP neural network flexural strength prediction model is established. It is verified that the model is effective and accurate, and the experimental value and the predicted value are in good agreement

Research on Flexural Bearing Capacity of Reinforced Hollow Slab Beams Based on Polyurethane Composite Material Positive and Negative Pouring Method

In order to explore the construction technology of prestressed steel strand&ndash;polyurethane cement composites for strengthening hollow slab beams, two reinforced test beams (L1, L2) and one unreinforced test beam (L0) were subjected to flexural static load tests. The deflection, ductility, stiffness, strain, and bearing capacity of each test beam were used to summarize the influence of different reinforcement techniques on the flexural performance of hollow slab beams. Research shows the prestressed steel strand&ndash;polyurethane composite material was well-bonded to the hollow slab beam, which effectively inhibits the development of concrete cracks and delays the damage process of hollow slab beams, that the reinforcement effect of the test beam L1 under the reverse pouring process was remarkable, and the bending performance of the test beam L2 under the forward pouring process of the simulated real bridge was good, which was much better than that of the unreinforced beam L0. The use of tensile prestressed steel strands and forward casting of polyurethane&ndash;cement composite materials effectively improved the flexural bearing capacity of the test beams, and this reinforcement process can be further extended to engineering applications

Research on Flexural Bearing Capacity of Reinforced Hollow Slab Beams Based on Polyurethane Composite Material Positive and Negative Pouring Method

In order to explore the construction technology of prestressed steel strand–polyurethane cement composites for strengthening hollow slab beams, two reinforced test beams (L1, L2) and one unreinforced test beam (L0) were subjected to flexural static load tests. The deflection, ductility, stiffness, strain, and bearing capacity of each test beam were used to summarize the influence of different reinforcement techniques on the flexural performance of hollow slab beams. Research shows the prestressed steel strand–polyurethane composite material was well-bonded to the hollow slab beam, which effectively inhibits the development of concrete cracks and delays the damage process of hollow slab beams, that the reinforcement effect of the test beam L1 under the reverse pouring process was remarkable, and the bending performance of the test beam L2 under the forward pouring process of the simulated real bridge was good, which was much better than that of the unreinforced beam L0. The use of tensile prestressed steel strands and forward casting of polyurethane–cement composite materials effectively improved the flexural bearing capacity of the test beams, and this reinforcement process can be further extended to engineering applications

Association between weight-adjusted waist index and testosterone deficiency in adult American men: findings from the national health and nutrition examination survey 2013–2016

Abstract Background Testosterone deficiency (TD) and obesity are globally recognized health concerns, with a bidirectional causal relationship between them. And a newly discovered obesity indicator, the Weight-Adjusted-Waist Index (WWI), has been proposed, demonstrating superior adiposity identification capability compared to traditional body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) indicators. Therefore, we present the inaugural investigation into the associations of WWI with total testosterone levels and the risk of TD. Methods Data restricted to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2013 and 2016 were analyzed. Only males aged > 20 years who completed body measures and underwent serum sex hormone testing were potentially eligible for analysis. Weighted multivariable linear regression and logistic regression analyses were employed to investigate the relationships between WWI and total testosterone levels, and the risk of TD, respectively. Smooth curve fittings and weighted generalized additive model (GAM) regression were conducted to examine the linear relationship among them. Additionally, subgroup analyses with interaction tests were performed to assess the stability of the results. Results Finally, a total of 4099 participants with complete data on testosterone and WWI were included in the formal analysis. The mean age of study participants was 46.74 ± 0.35 years with a TD prevalence of 25.54%. After adjusting all potential confounders, the continuous WWI displayed a negative linear relationship with total testosterone levels (β=-61.41, 95%CI: -72.53, -50.29, P  0.05). Conclusions This investigation firstly unveiled a negative linear association between WWI and total testosterone levels, coupled with a positive linear relationship with the prevalence of TD in U.S. male adults aged 20 years and older. Further studies are needed to validate the potential utility of WWI for the early identification and timely intervention of TD

Prognostic significance of snail expression in hilar cholangiocarcinoma

Many patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HC) have a poor prognosis. Snail, a transcription factor and E-cadherin repressor, is a novel prognostic factor in many cancers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between snail and E-cadherin protein expression and the prognostic significance of snail expression in HC. We examined the protein expression of snail and E-cadherin in HC tissues from 47 patients (22 males and 25 females, mean age 61.2 years) using immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. Proliferation rate was also evaluated in the same cases by the MIB1 index. High, low and negative snail protein expression was recorded in 18 (38%), 17 (36%), and 12 (26%) cases, respectively, and 40.4% (19/47) cases showed reduced E-cadherin protein expression in HC samples. No significant correlation was found between snail and E-cadherin protein expression levels (P = 0.056). No significant correlation was found between snail protein expression levels and gender, age, tumor grade, vascular or perineural invasion, nodal metastasis and invasion, or proliferative index. Cancer samples with positive snail protein expression were associated with poor survival compared with the negative expresser groups. Kaplan-Meier curves comparing different snail protein expression levels to survival showed highly significant separation (P < 0.0001, log-rank test). With multivariate analysis, only snail protein expression among all parameters was found to influence survival (P = 0.0003). We suggest that snail expression levels can predict poor survival regardless of pathological features and tumor proliferation. Immunohistochemical detection of snail protein expression levels in routine sections may provide the first biological prognostic marker