Agricultural Investment Project Decisions Based on an Interactive Preference Disaggregation Model Considering Inconsistency

Agricultural investment project selection is a complex multi-criteria decision-making problem,as agricultural projects are easily influenced by various risk factors,and the evaluation information provided by decisionmakers usually involves uncertainty and inconsistency.Existing literature primarily employed direct preference elicitation methods to address such issues,necessitating a great cognitive effort on the part of decision-makers during evaluation,specifically,determining the weights of criteria.In this study,we propose an indirect preference elicitation method,known as a preference disaggregation method,to learn decision-maker preference models fromdecision examples.To enhance evaluation ease,decision-makers merely need to compare pairs of alternatives with which they are familiar,also known as reference alternatives.Probabilistic linguistic preference relations are employed to account for the presence of incomplete and uncertain information in such pairwise comparisons.To address the inconsistency among a group of decision-makers,we develop a pair of 0-1mixed integer programming models that consider both the semantics of linguistic terms and the belief degrees of decision-makers.Finally,we conduct a case study and comparative analysis.Results reveal the effectiveness of the proposed model in solving agricultural investment project selection problems with uncertain and inconsistent decision information.

User Preference Aware Hierarchical Edge-User Cooperative Caching Strategy

The emergence of various new services has posed a huge challenge to the existing network architecture.To improve the network delay and backhaul pressure,caching popular contents at the edge of network has been considered as a feasible scheme.However,how to efficiently utilize the limited caching resources to cache diverse contents has been confirmed as a tough problem in the past decade.In this paper,considering the time-varying user requests and the heterogeneous content sizes,a user preference aware hierarchical cooperative caching strategy in edge-user caching architecture is proposed.We divide the caching strategy into three phases,that is,the content placement,the content delivery and the content update.In the content placement phase,a cooperative content placement algorithm for local content popularity is designed to cache contents proactively.In the content delivery phase,a cooperative delivery algorithm is proposed to deliver the cached contents.In the content update phase,a content update algorithm is proposed according to the popularity of the contents.Finally,the proposed caching strategy is validated using the MovieLens dataset,and the results reveal that the proposed strategy improves the delay performance by at least 35.3%compared with the other three benchmark strategies.

Deep Learning Social Network Access Control Model Based on User Preferences

A deep learning access controlmodel based on user preferences is proposed to address the issue of personal privacy leakage in social networks.Firstly,socialusers andsocialdata entities are extractedfromthe social networkandused to construct homogeneous and heterogeneous graphs.Secondly,a graph neural networkmodel is designed based on user daily social behavior and daily social data to simulate the dissemination and changes of user social preferences and user personal preferences in the social network.Then,high-order neighbor nodes,hidden neighbor nodes,displayed neighbor nodes,and social data nodes are used to update user nodes to expand the depth and breadth of user preferences.Finally,a multi-layer attention network is used to classify user nodes in the homogeneous graph into two classes:allow access and deny access.The fine-grained access control problem in social networks is transformed into a node classification problem in a graph neural network.The model is validated using a dataset and compared with other methods without losing generality.The model improved accuracy by 2.18%compared to the baseline method GraphSAGE,and improved F1 score by 1.45%compared to the baseline method,verifying the effectiveness of the model.

Pregnancy Preferences in Females of Reproductive Age with Sickle Cell Disease at Laquintinie Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Introduction: Females with sickle cell disease (SCD), despite having a delayed pubertal development, are subject to many worries relating to their abilities to conceive, their capacity to maintain a maternofetal-risk-free pregnancy till term and give birth to healthy children without sickle cell disease. Knowing that unplanned pregnancies are more likely to increase maternofetal morbidity and mortality, we sought out to explore the pregnancy preferences in female patients with sickle cell disease to promote healthy conception and childbirth in this vulnerable population. Methodology: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving female patients of child-bearing age with sickle cell disease followed at Laquintinie Hospital Douala or who were members of a local sickle cell association. Pregnancy preferences were determined using the Desire to Avoid Pregnancy (DAP) scale. Factors associated with pregnancy preferences were determined using multivariable linear regression model. Threshold for significance was set at p Results: Seventy-seven patients were included with a mean age of 24.71 ± 5.53 years. Forty patients (51.95%) had one sexual partner and thirteen women (32.5%) used contraceptive methods. Most patients (46.0%) responded “Strongly Agree” or “Agree” to the statement “it would be a good thing for me if I became pregnant in the next 3 months”. The mean DAP score was 1.63 ± 0.91 [1.28 ± 0.82 in those who had a sexual partner and 1.99 ± 0.86 in those who had no sexual partner]. Factors that were positively associated with DAP score were students (b = 0.32, 95% CI [0.21, 0.95], p = 0.003), monthly income ≥ 100,000 FCFA (b = 0.24, 95% CI [0.07, 0.81], p = 0.022), and not having a sexual partner (b = 0.26, 95% CI [0.11, 0.85], p = 0.012). Conclusion: Most female patients with SCD have a low desire to avoid pregnancy. This is especially true for patients who are not students, have a partner and have a low monthly income.

Species’ geographical range, environmental range and traits lead to specimen collection preference of dominant plant species of grasslands in Northern China

Many different factors,such as species traits,socio-economic factors,geographical and environmental factors,can lead to specimen collection preference.This study aims to determine whether grassland specimen collection in China is preferred by species traits(i.e.,plant height,flowering and fruiting period),environmental range(i.e.,the temperature and precipitation range)and geographical range(i.e.,distribution range and altitudinal range).Ordinary least squares models and phylogenetic generalized linear mixed models were used to analyze the relationships between specimen number and the explanatory variables.Random Forest models were then used to find the most parsimonious multivariate model.The results showed that interannual variation in specimen number between 1900 and 2020 was considerable.Specimen number of these species in southeast China was notably lower than that in northwest China.Environmental range and geographical range of species had significant positive correlations with specimen number.In addition,there were relatively weak but significant associations between specimen number and species trait(i.e.,plant height and flowering and fruiting period).Random Forest models indicated that distribution range was the most important variable,followed by flowering and fruiting period,and altitudinal range.These findings suggest that future floristic surveys should pay more attention to species with small geographical range,narrow environmental range,short plant height,and short flowering and fruiting period.The correction of specimen collection preference will also make the results of species distribution model,species evolution and other works based on specimen data more accurate.

Surgeon preferences in the treatment of thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis

BACKGROUND Primary thumb carpometacarpal(CMC)osteoarthritis is one of the most common conditions encountered by hand surgeons.Of the vast number of operations that have been proposed,none have demonstrated results significantly superior to trapeziectomy alone.AIM The purpose of our study was to determine why surgeons opt for their technique in treating CMC arthritis.METHODS A cross-sectional survey of active members of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand was conducted to evaluate the reasons behind their preferred technique in the treatment of isolated thumb CMC arthritis.Surgeons were contacted by email once and provided with a link to a de-identified survey consisting of 5 treatment questions and 5 demographic questions.RESULTS Of 950 responses were received.40.5%of surgeons preferred trapeziectomy+ligament reconstruction tendon interposition(LRTI),followed by trapeziectomy+suspensionplasty(28.2%),suture button suspension(5.9%),trapeziectomy alone(4.6%),prosthetic arthroplasty(3.2%),arthrodesis(1.1%),and other(6.6%).Proponents of trapeziectomy+LRTI cited familiarity(73.2%),exposure during fellowship(48.8%)and less proximal migration(60%)to be the main reasons affecting their decision.Surgeons who preferred trapeziectomy+suspensionplasty most reported simplicity(74.9%),fewer complications(45.3%),less proximal migration(43.8%),and avoidance of autogenous tissue harvest(42.7%).Advocates of suture button suspension cited avoidance of autogenous tissue harvest(80.4%),shorter immobilization(76.8%),and quicker recovery(73.2%)with their technique.Advocates of trapeziectomy alone cited simplicity(97.7%),fewer complications(86.4%),and avoidance of autogenous tissue harvest(59.1%).In their comments,45%of surgeons choosing trapeziectomy alone cited evidence as an additional rationale.Advocates of prosthetic arthroplasty cited improved pinch strength(83.3%)and improved range of motion(63.3%),while those preferring arthrodesis cited better pinch strength(90%)and frequently in their comments,durability.Of the surgeons who preferred a technique other than LRTI,41.8%reported they had tried LRTI in the past,citing complexity of the procedure,flexor carpi radialis harvest,and longer operative time as reasons for moving on.CONCLUSION Our study provides an update on current treatment trends and offers new insight into the reasons behind surgeons'decision making in the management of thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis.Despite strong Level 1 evidence supporting the use of trapeziectomy alone,our findings demonstrate that most surgeons continue to supplement trapeziectomy with other techniques such as LRTI or suspensionplasty.Several factors including familiarity,personal experience(Level 4 evidence),and comfort may be more influential than Level 1 evidence in determining the techniques in a surgeon's armamentarium.Further prospective studies are needed to determine the optimal technique for surgical management of Eaton stages II-IV CMC arthritis and how these studies will affect surgeons’choice.

Oviposition Site Preference and Its Effects on Subsequent Development of Variegated Grasshopper (Zonocerus variegatus L.) under Laboratory Conditions

Female grasshoppers can affect the fitness of their offspring through their selection of oviposition site. Knowledge of soil type on oviposition, and its effects on subsequent development can provide guidelines for habitat manipulations that reduce the harmful effects of these pests on farmers fields. The influence of soil types on the oviposition site preference of variegated grasshopper (Zonocerus variegatus L.) reared some cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) varieties, was investigated in a cage trial carried out at the Bio factory laboratory, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Njala University, Sierra Leone during 2022/2023. The treatments comprised three soil types (Sandy, Loamy and Clay), each with three replications laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in wooden cages. Data were collected on the following development parameters including, Net reproductive growth ratio (R0), Generation time (Tc), Intrinsic rate of increase (rm), Finite rate of increase (), Doubling time (Dt), and overall survivorship. Findings revealed that, Z. variegatus L. preferred sandy soil in which, on average, most eggs were deposited (338, 6.62 4.40), followed by loamy soil, 286 (5.53 3.96), and then, clayey soil, 200 (3.91 3.85);though, the differences were not significant. This study established that Z. variegatus deposited more eggs in sandy soil > loamy soil > clayey soil, respectively;and subsequent survivorship of the immature unto mature adult insect, revealed a similar order. This indicates that the sandy soil is the most preferred substrate for oviposition and subsequent development into adult insects.

Priority approach based on quadratic programming model to fuzzy preference relation

We investigate the decision-making problem with a finite set of alternatives,in which the decision information takes the form of a fuzzy preference relation. We develop asimple and practical approach to obtaining the priority vector of a fuzzy preference relation. Theprominent characteristic of the developed approach is that the priority vector can generally beobtained by a simple formula, which is derived from a quadratic programming model. We utilize theconsistency ratio to check the consistency of fuzzy preference relation. If the fuzzy preferencerelation is of unacceptable consistency, then we can return it to the decision maker to reconsiderstructuring a new fuzzy preference relation until the fuzzy preference relation with acceptableconsistency is obtained. We finally illustrate the priority approach by two numerical examples. Thenumerical results show that the developed approach is straightforward, effective, and can easily beperformed on a computer.

Personalized web pages ranking algorithm based on user preferences

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.

Preference-based multiobjective artificial bee colony algorithm for optimization of superheated steam temperature control

In order to incorporate the decision maker＇s preference into multiobjective optimization a preference-based multiobjective artificial bee colony algorithm PMABCA is proposed.In the proposed algorithm a novel reference point based preference expression method is addressed.The fitness assignment function is defined based on the nondominated rank and the newly defined preference distance.An archive set is introduced for saving the nondominated solutions and an improved crowding-distance operator is addressed to remove the extra solutions in the archive.The experimental results of two benchmark test functions show that a preferred set of solutions and some other non-preference solutions are achieved simultaneously.The simulation results of the proportional-integral-derivative PID parameter optimization for superheated steam temperature verify that the PMABCA is efficient in aiding to making a reasonable decision.

Study on the Price Design and Contract Stability of "Company + Farmer" Model with Time Preference under Double Moral Hazards

The double moral hazard of ＂company ＋ farmer＂ and the time preference cost of company and farmer was analyzed. According to static game model, it re-vealed that the reason for low compliance rate of ＂company ＋ farmer＂ model was the existence of market risk, namely, the fluctuation of market price, and the stable market price in contracts was actualy a kind of interval, instead of a specific value. Furthermore, the effect of default penalty, market transaction cost and time prefer-ence cost on the stability of contract was studied. The results showed that default penalty, market transaction cost and time preference cost had positive influence on the price interval range of a contract.

A Survey of English Accent Preference among International Students

Since"it is impossible to speak English without an accent"(Wardhaugh 1998: 43), English accent has been attached first importance to both native and non-native speakers. This study aims to explore teenagers' understanding and attitudes toward differing English accents by investigating 19 international high school students' preferences toward five English audio samples(the same materials with different accents) in Chingmai International School, Thailand. On the basis of five audio samples and respondents' self-reported answers, the results show that British English, instead of"powerful"American English, emerges as the preferred accent. The results also indicate that the need to understand both accented and non-accented English is required for EFLs. Finally, teaching implications concerning pronunciation teaching in EFL classrooms are also put forward.

PFC中窗口个性服务(Window Preference Service)的应用

窗口个性服务在高级程序开发中应用较为普遍。用户常常希望应用系统能保存上次使用时窗口的状态 (窗口大小、窗口位置、工具条大小、工具条位置等 ) ,而在下一次使用时能恢复上一次的窗口状态 ,以适应不同的桌面大小及个人爱好。本文介绍如何利用 Power Builder基类库 (Power-Builder Foundation Class L ibrary) ,实现窗口个性服务 (Win-dow Preference Service)

Potato farmers’ preference for agricultural insurance in China: An investigation using the choice experimental method

Potato insurance plays an important role in transferring agricultural risks to promote the potato staple strategy. Understanding farmers’ real preferences for potato insurance attributes is important to improve the potato insurance. In this study, a choice experiment was designed with attributes such as peril, minimum compensation ratio for production loss, types of crops covered by insurance, annual premium per mu after subsidy, and complexity of claims procedures. We constructed a mixed logit model based on a questionnaire survey of 362 potato farmers’ choices of insurance attributes from 24 villages in Dingxi City of Gansu Province using random sampling. The results show that:(1) farmers prefer agricultural insurance with widely perils including output price drop and input cost risk;(2) farmers who have suffered plant disease and insect and pest damage are willing to pay a high premium for the insurance with a high compensation ratio and several types of crops covered;full-time farmers and large-scale farmers preferred insurance products with low complexity of claims procedures. Therefore, new potato insurance design could be considered specifically for different farmer groups such as those who had previous disaster experiences, and large-or small-scale farm operations.

Improve access to the EU market by identifying French consumer preference for fresh fruit from China

Most previous studies have investigated country-of-origin effect for agricultural products from the economically developed country, but few have focused on the impact of country-of-origin on agricultural products from economically developing countries. Using a national online survey in France, we determine French consumers＇ perceptions and preferences for fresh fruit from China. Results of ordered logit models show that fresh fruit from China was perceived as low quality and unsafe. Respondents who care about country-of-origin were less likely to purchase fresh fruit from China, while those who care about brand were more likely to buy Chinese fresh fruit. Risk perception and quality perception both had a significant impact on the purchase of Chinese fresh fruit. Results of latent class models obtained with key consumer demographics show that heterogeneous preferences exist among different consumer groups. The results provide critical information to both China and other economically developing countries in their efforts to improve market penetration in economically developed countries.

New approach to determine the priorities from interval fuzzy preference relations

An approach is proposed to solve the problem how to obtain the priorities from interval fuzzy preference relations. Firstly, another expression of interval numbers is given. Then, some basic definitions on consistency and weak transitivity of real and interval fuzzy preference relations are described. Based on these definitions, a two-phase process for determining the priorities from interval fuzzy preference relations is presented. Finally, two exam- ples are used to illustrate the use of the proposed approach.

Transmission characteristics of Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) by Bemisia tabaci MED and its effects on host preference of vector whitefly

The epidemiology of Tomato chlorosis virus(ToCV)in China is closely associated with its vector whitefly,Bemisia tabaci(Gennadius)MED.However,the transmission characteristics of ToCV by B.tabaci MED remain poorly understood.In this study,we analyzed:1)the horizontal and vertical transmission of ToCV by B.tabaci MED whiteflies;2)the acquisition of ToCV by male and female B.tabaci MED whiteflies after different feeding durations;3)the transmission efficacy of viruliferous male and female B.tabaci MED whiteflies after different inoculation access periods(IAPs);4)the retention of ToCV by viruliferous male and female B.tabaci MED whiteflies after a 48 h acquisition access period(AAP);and 5)the effects of ToCV on host choice of healthy or ToCV-infected tomato plant of viruliferous and non-viruliferous B.tabaci MED at different time points.Our results showed that:1)viruliferous males could not transfer ToCV to non-viruliferous females,and vice versa,viruliferous females could not pass on ToCV to non-viruliferous males.ToCV could not be detected in the F1 generation adults;2)ToCV could be detected within 4.0%of females or males after a 20 min AAP;3)ToCV could be detected in 33.3%of tomato plants inoculated by 10 viruliferous males or females with IAPs of 20 or 30 min;4)the maximum retention time in females was 7 and 5 days in males;and 5)non-viruliferous B.tabaci MED did not show a preference for ToCV-infected tomato plants or healthy tomato plants.However,viruliferous B.tabaci MED whiteflies did prefer to settle on healthy tomato plants over ToCV-infected tomato plants.These findings will be helpful to better understand the epidemiology of the recently emerged plant virus,ToCV,in tomato fields in China.

Prey preference of the common long-armed octopus Octopus minor(Cephalopoda: Octopodidae) on three different species of bivalves

Octopus minor is widely distributed along the northern coast of China. To date, there is little information on the prey selection process of this species. To understand this process, several experiments were carried out. Three types of bivalves, namely, Ruditapes philippinarum , Mactra chinensis , and Mytilus galloprovincialis , were used to observe the prey selection of O . minor and to analyze the potential causes of prey selection from three aspects: prey profi tability, adductor muscle tension and handling time. Under single-prey conditions, we found that the average (±SD) predation rates of O . minor on R . philippinarum , M . chinensis , and M . galloprovincialis were 1.73±0.50, 1.27±0.42, and 0.8±0.2/d, respectively. Under diff erent prey combinations, octopods actively selected one type of prey over the other(s), and the order of prey preference was R . philippinarum , followed by M . chinensis and lastly M. galloprovincialis . Furthermore, the shells of the consumed prey showed that O . minor only consumed bivalves by pulling them apart since there was no evidence of drill holes on the shells. The prey selection of O . minor was related to the prey profi tability and handling time;O . minor appeared to select preys with a higher profi tability and a shorter handling time. However, the diffi culty in opening the bivalve was not consistent with the prey preference of the octopods. These results suggest that O . minor prefers to consume R . philippinarum possibly due to a high profi tability and a short handling time that supports the optimum Foraging Theory.

Residential environmental evaluation of local cities considering regional characteristic and personal residential preference—a case study of Saga City,Japan

Questionnaire surveys and subjective evaluations on residential environment were performed in order to grasp the main factors of residential environment of small local cities. The suitable evaluation index system was established, and the regional residential environment characteristics and personal residential preference types were analyzed, so that their influence on residential environment evaluation could be grasped. The results can be applied to the residential environment planning, construction and monitoring of local cities.

Stair evacuation simulation based on cellular automata considering evacuees' walk preferences

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.