Technical efficiency of cocoa farms at varying elevation levels in Davao City, Philippines: implications to sustainable upland farming systems

Elevation is one of many components that influence agriculture, and this in turn affects the level of both inputs and outputs of farmers. This article focuses on the productivity and technical efficiency of 100 cocoa farms using cross-sectional data from areas ranging from 190 to 1021 m above sea level which were classified as low, medium, and high elevation in Davao City, considered as the chocolate capital of the Philippines. Using stochastic frontier analysis, the results showed that the cost of inputs per ha and the number of cocoa trees per ha significantly increase yield. Farms at high elevations were less technically efficient, as this entails lower temperatures and increased rainfall, and cocoa farming in those areas and conditions can be more challenging, especially with changes in farming practices, terrain, and distance to markets. Other significant variables were age of cocoa farms, married farmers, and age of the farmers. Older farms may be more developed, farmers who are married benefit from their spouses being able to readily contribute as farm labor, and lastly, older farmers' inefficiency may likely stem from nonadaptation of newer farming practices. With an average technical efficiency of 0.61, 0.63, and 0.26 in low, medium, and high elevation areas, respectively, farmers therefore have an incentive to improve farm practices and consider topographical variations found in high elevation areas. Recommendations for the improvement of technical efficiency of cocoa farms are better connectivity to markets, enhancing farm practices, and continuation and improvement of government programs on cocoa with an added emphasis on research. For farmers in high elevation areas, mitigating solutions such as sustainable agriculture practices and ecolabelling are key to improving efficiency and minimizing the potential negative impact on upland farming systems. Moreover, such adaptation measures may also contribute to sustainability of cocoa farming in high elevation areas.

Can whole steps of grain production be outsourced? Empirical analysis based on the three provinces of Jiangsu,Jilin,and Sichuan in China

Certain outsourcing services for agricultural management in China,such as pest control in grain production,have experienced prolonged sluggishness,contrasting with the relatively high level of outsourcing services observed in harvesting,land preparation,and sowing.This study examines the feasibility of implementing whole-step outsourcing in grain production by conducting a case study of rice and maize production in Jiangsu,Jilin,and Sichuan provinces in China.The provision of outsourcing services hinges on two essential conditions:technological advancements fostering specialized production and economies of scale,coupled with a market size sufficient to realize the aforementioned potential economies of scale.The results showed that outsourcing pest control or harvesting services had varying economies of scale.The outsourcing services in pest control were less common than in harvesting services,and their marginal growth space of the economies of scale with technological change was also smaller.Determined by the operational characteristics of pest control itself,the market scale of its professional services is small.Therefore,achieving the whole-step outsourcing of grain production necessitates not only technological innovation but also effective policy interventions to overcome the constraints of market scale.Such interventions include(1)optimizing crop layouts between planning regions and reducing land fragmentation and(2)supplying timely and effective inter-regional agricultural information for service providers aided by information technology.

Construction of a nomogram model to predict technical difficulty in performing laparoscopic sphincter-preserving radical resection for rectal cancer

BACKGROUND Colorectal surgeons are well aware that performing surgery for rectal cancer becomes more challenging in obese patients with narrow and deep pelvic cavities.Therefore,it is essential for colorectal surgeons to have a comprehensive understanding of pelvic structure prior to surgery and anticipate potential surgical difficulties.AIM To evaluate predictive parameters for technical challenges encountered during laparoscopic radical sphincter-preserving surgery for rectal cancer.METHODS We retrospectively gathered data from 162 consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic radical sphincterpreserving surgery for rectal cancer.Three-dimensional reconstruction of pelvic bone and soft tissue parameters was conducted using computed tomography(CT)scans.Operative difficulty was categorized as either high or low,and multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to identify predictors of operative difficulty,ultimately creating a nomogram.RESULTS Out of 162 patients,21(13.0%)were classified in the high surgical difficulty group,while 141(87.0%)were in the low surgical difficulty group.Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the surgical approach using laparoscopic intersphincteric dissection,intraoperative preventive ostomy,and the sacrococcygeal distance were independent risk factors for highly difficult laparoscopic radical sphincter-sparing surgery for rectal cancer(P<0.05).Conversely,the anterior-posterior diameter of pelvic inlet/sacrococcygeal distance was identified as a protective factor(P<0.05).A nomogram was subsequently constructed,demonstrating good predictive accuracy(C-index=0.834).CONCLUSION The surgical approach,intraoperative preventive ostomy,the sacrococcygeal distance,and the anterior-posterior diameter of pelvic inlet/sacrococcygeal distance could help to predict the difficulty of laparoscopic radical sphincter-preserving surgery.

Colorectal cancer screening:The value of early detection and modern challenges

The screening of colorectal cancer(CRC)is pivotal for both the prevention and treatment of this disease,significantly improving early-stage tumor detection rates.This advancement not only boosts survival rates and quality of life for patients but also reduces the costs associated with treatment.However,the adoption of CRC screening methods faces numerous challenges,including the technical limitations of both noninvasive and invasive methods in terms of sensitivity and specificity.Moreover,socioeconomic factors such as regional disparities,economic conditions,and varying levels of awareness affect screening uptake.The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic further intensified these challenges,leading to reduced screening participation and increased waiting periods.Additionally,the growing prevalence of early-onset CRC necessitates innovative screening approaches.In response,research into new methodologies,including artificial intelligence-based systems,aims to improve the precision and accessibility of screening.Proactive measures by governments and health organizations to enhance CRC screening efforts are underway,including increased advocacy,improved service delivery,and international cooperation.The role of technological innovation and global health collaboration in advancing CRC screening is undeniable.Technologies such as artificial intelligence and gene sequencing are set to revolutionize CRC screening,making a significant impact on the fight against this disease.Given the rise in early-onset CRC,it is crucial for screening strategies to continually evolve,ensuring their effectiveness and applicability.

Potential evaluation of saline aquifers for the geological storage of carbon dioxide: A case study of saline aquifers in the Qian-5 member in northeastern Ordos Basin

The well-developed coal electricity generation and coal chemical industries have led to huge carbon dioxide(CO_(2))emissions in the northeastern Ordos Basin.The geological storage of CO_(2) in saline aquifers is an effective backup way to achieve carbon neutrality.In this case,the potential of saline aquifers for CO_(2) storage serves as a critical basis for subsequent geological storage project.This study calculated the technical control capacities of CO_(2) of the saline aquifers in the fifth member of the Shiqianfeng Formation(the Qian-5 member)based on the statistical analysis of the logging and the drilling and core data from more than 200 wells in the northeastern Ordos Basin,as well as the sedimentary facies,formation lithology,and saline aquifer development patterns of the Qian-5 member.The results show that(1)the reservoirs of saline aquifers in the Qian-5 member,which comprise distributary channel sand bodies of deltaic plains,feature low porosities and permeabilities;(2)The study area hosts three NNE-directed saline aquifer zones,where saline aquifers generally have a single-layer thickness of 3‒8 m and a cumulative thickness of 8‒24 m;(3)The saline aquifers of the Qian-5 member have a total technical control capacity of CO_(2) of 119.25×10^(6) t.With the largest scale and the highest technical control capacity(accounting for 61%of the total technical control capacity),the Jinjie-Yulin saline aquifer zone is an important prospect area for the geological storage of CO_(2) in the saline aquifers of the Qian-5 member in the study area.

Analysis of the Impact of Technical Trade Barriers on the Export of Toys-Based on Analysis of Zhejiang,China

Technical barriers to trade,as a non-tariff barrier,have an increasing impact on the international market.As a major province in toy exports,Zhejiang Province’s toy export trade is therefore greatly hindered.This article aims to explore the impact of technical trade barriers on toy exports in Zhejiang Province and analyze countermeasures.Through literature review and some empirical analysis,it is found that technical trade barriers have greatly promoted the development of Zhejiang’s toy industry;however,they have also subjected it to impacts and pressures such as cost and technology.In response to the impact of technical trade barriers on toy exports,this article proposes corresponding countermeasures to avoid such barriers:firstly,establish a quality management system that complies with export product regulations to ensure that the products produced can meet international requirements and standards;secondly,reduce dependence on overseas markets;then enhance one’s own technology,and strengthen product innovation,in order to enhance the international competitiveness of the product and oneself;in addition,we should also explore diversified markets and expand the sales channels and coverage of our products.

Flashover Probability of Wind Turbine Blade and Impact of Strong Electromagnetic Pulse from Lightning Strikes on Wind Turbine Safety

This paper systematically studies the flashover probability of wind turbine blade lightning arrester and the impact of strong electromagnetic pulses on the local and surrounding wind turbines during lightning strikes.The research results indicate that the flashover probability of direct lightning strikes by the wind turbine blade lightning arrester is almost negligible,and the strong electromagnetic pulse of wind turbine blade during lightning strikes has a serious impact on the electronic equipment of the machine,while the impact on the surrounding wind turbine is relatively small.At the same time,the calculation formula for the reflection of lightning current on the carbon brush between the wind turbine hub and the engine compartment during the flashing of the wind turbine blades is provided,and the calculation method for calculating the spatial gradient distribution of electromagnetic field intensity using Biot-Savart Law theorem is applied.The limitations of using wind turbine blades for lightning protection are pointed out,and a technical route for achieving wind turbine lightning safety is proposed,which can be used as a reference for wind turbine lightning protection technicians.

Analysis of Technical Intelligence of Tumor Cell Therapy Based on Patent Map

Objective To analyze the technical information in the field of tumor cell therapy in China,and to provide reference for identifying technical trends and predicting technical opportunities.Methods Based on the patent data in the field of tumor cell therapy in China,the patent map method was used to construct a scientific technical information analysis model.Then,the technical status of new drug research and development in this field was explored to identify technical opportunities.Results and Conclusion Studies have found that China’s tumor immunotherapy is in the growth stage.The technical innovation regions are mainly distributed in the east and innovative entities are enterprises.Technology hotspots are concentrated in areas such as A61P35,C12N5,and the patented technical efficacy is high.Besides,the technical research and development opportunities identified are closely related to the background in this field.To better promote the development of the industry,enterprises and research institutions should strengthen cooperation in technological innovation Meanwhile,they should pay attention to technical efficacy analysis to identify more technical opportunities,thereby effectively guiding innovation strategic decisions.

ISO Certification and Technical Efficiency in the Banking Sector:An Evidence from WAEMU’s Countries Using the DEA Method

In the view of the international organization of standardization,the introduction of ISO standards is typical of quality management systems oriented towards strengthening the efficiency of enterprises.Business banks are not excluded from this requirement.The current study aims to evaluate the effect of ISO certification on the technical performance of WAEMU banks.Using BCEAO data(2020),the DEA model and Tobit estimates show that ISO certification has no effect on the efficiency scores of the banks in the sample.It is therefore appropriate for these banks to work on improving their business climate.

A Review of Artificial Waterfalls in Gardens

When artificial waterfalls are built in gardens,leaves from trees or vegetation often fall into the water storage pool and block the pipelines,requiring regular cleaning of pipelines.This not only increases the manpower needed for maintenance but also disrupts the use of the waterfalls.Therefore,it is necessary to design a new type of artificial waterfall that is suitable for gardens.The waterfall should incorporate features that make cleaning easier,including filter plates and water funnels to prevent clogging caused by fallen leaves and debris.

A Study on the Impact of Cheerleading on the Psychological Health of Female College Students

This study investigates the effects of technical cheerleading and dance cheerleading on the psychological health of female college students by utilizing the Symptom Checklist-90(SCL-90),the Comprehensive Diagnostic Scale for Interpersonal Relationships,and the Social Adaptability Diagnostic Scale.The findings indicate the following:(1)Technical cheerleading has a highly significant impact on sensitivity in interpersonal relationships,paranoia,and psychoticism,and a significant effect on anxiety and hostility;dance cheerleading has a highly significant effect on paranoia;(2)Both technical and dance cheerleading have minimal impact on the overall score distribution of interpersonal relationships among female college students,but the dimensions of their effects differ;(3)The impact of technical cheerleading on the social adaptability of female college students is more pronounced than that of dance cheerleading.

Discussion on the Application of Technical and Tactical Skills in Mixed Martial Arts Competitions

This article mainly analyzes the application of technical and tactical skills in mixed martial arts competitions,including mixed martial arts and its competition characteristics,the main application significance of technical and tactical skills in mixed martial arts competitions,and its primary application strategies.It is hoped that this analysis can provide some guidelines for the appropriate application of mixed martial arts athletes’technical and tactical skills to improve their winning rate in mixed martial arts competitions.

基于三阶段数据包络分析模型的苏浙沪皖经济圈医院运行效率研究

目的分析2019年苏浙沪皖经济圈内27个城市医院运行效率,为优化苏浙沪皖卫生资源配置和规划提供参考。方法选取苏浙沪皖27个城市医院指标数据,运用三阶段数据包络分析(data envelopment analysis,DEA)模型法,在控制环境变量和剔除随机效应后效率分析。结果苏浙沪皖经济圈医院综合技术效率、纯技术效率和规模效率均值分别为0.941、0.948和0.992。结论苏浙沪皖经济圈内医院运行效率有所差异,环境变量对医院运行效率影响较大,对外部的资源配置存在敏感性不同的差异,应统筹区域医疗资源,提高医院运行效率。

Research on stock trend prediction method based on optimized random forest

As a complex hot problem in the financial field,stock trend forecasting uses a large amount of data and many related indicators;hence it is difficult to obtain sustainable and effective results only by relying on empirical analysis.Researchers in the field of machine learning have proved that random forest can form better judgements on this kind of problem,and it has an auxiliary role in the prediction of stock trend.This study uses historical trading data of four listed companies in the USA stock market,and the purpose of this study is to improve the performance of random forest model in medium-and long-term stock trend prediction.This study applies the exponential smoothing method to process the initial data,calculates the relevant technical indicators as the characteristics to be selected,and proposes the D-RF-RS method to optimize random forest.As the random forest is an ensemble learning model and is closely related to decision tree,D-RF-RS method uses a decision tree to screen the importance of features,and obtains the effective strong feature set of the model as input.Then,the parameter combination of the model is optimized through random parameter search.The experimental results show that the average accuracy of random forest is increased by 0.17 after the above process optimization,which is 0.18 higher than the average accuracy of light gradient boosting machine model.Combined with the performance of the ROC curve and Precision–Recall curve,the stability of the model is also guaranteed,which further demonstrates the advantages of random forest in medium-and long-term trend prediction of the stock market.

Toward Data-Driven Digital Therapeutics Analytics:Literature Review and Research Directions

With the advent of digital therapeutics(DTx),the development of software as a medical device(SaMD)for mobile and wearable devices has gained significant attention in recent years.Existing DTx evaluations,such as randomized clinical trials,mostly focus on verifying the effectiveness of DTx products.To acquire a deeper understanding of DTx engagement and behavioral adherence,beyond efficacy,a large amount of contextual and interaction data from mobile and wearable devices during field deployment would be required for analysis.In this work,the overall flow of the data-driven DTx analytics is reviewed to help researchers and practitioners to explore DTx datasets,to investigate contextual patterns associated with DTx usage,and to establish the(causal)relationship between DTx engagement and behavioral adherence.This review of the key components of datadriven analytics provides novel research directions in the analysis of mobile sensor and interaction datasets,which helps to iteratively improve the receptivity of existing DTx.

上海市公共卫生监督技术服务机构消毒产品检验能力现况调查

目的 掌握本市公共卫生监督技术服务机构消毒产品检验能力现状,为完善对该类机构的指导与管理提供科学依据。方法 2021年8—11月,采用信息查询、问卷和现场调查的方法对上海市公共卫生监督技术服务机构中具备消毒产品领域资质的检验检测机构进行调查,描述和分析机构基本情况、专业技术人员、业务能力和业务开展等。结果 调查机构34家,其中企业制机构18家(52.9%)、事业制机构16家(47.1%)。企业制机构和事业制机构在从业人数、实验室面积和专业技术人员的分布上均存在明显差异(P <0.05)。72.2%的企业制机构为小微企业[5.6%微型企业(<10人),66.6%小型企业(10~<100人)],事业制机构从业人数均在100人以上;83.3%的企业制机构实验室面积为2 000 m2以下,87.5%的事业制机构为2 000 m2以上;企业制机构的专业技术人员年龄结构更年轻,学历相对较低,毕业于卫生相关专业的较少,无职称人员占比较高。消毒产品检验能力较为全面的机构占5.9%,各机构检验能力数(以方法计)7~344项,85.3%的机构检验能力数少于30项,只有5.9%的机构能力数达到100项以上。55.9%的机构消毒产品检验领域年业务额为0,41.2%的机构该领域占年总业务额不超过5.0%,2020年较2019年报告量呈明显增加。结论 本市第三方机构在消毒产品检验能力储备、人员能力等方面有待进一步提升,应加强技术能力储备、优化技术人才培养、拓展消毒产品业务领域。建议相关部门加强对机构的指导和引导,进一步加强质量控制机构管理协调职能,推动公共卫生监督技术服务机构健康发展。

Current Situation and Development Proposals of Agricultural Facilities(Planting)Application in Beijing

Facility agriculture is an essential carrier for promoting stable production and supply.In2020,the planting area of facility agriculture in Beijing(290098000 m2)accounted for 29.06%of the total planting area of crops(998078000 m2),and the output value accounted for 46.56%.In2022,Beijing Agricultural Technology Extension Station organized relevant departments to summarize and evaluate the agricultural facilities in Beijing through consultation materials,interviews,questionnaires,and field trips,combining survey data and statistical data to draw the following conclusions.Facilities play a major supporting role in stabilizing production and ensuring supply.The number of traditional greenhouses is extensive and covers a large area,so special planning and classification upgrades are urgently needed.Facilities are rich in scientific and technological resources,but the mode of production is out of date.It is of great significance to improve the comprehensive production capacity of facility agriculture and promote the healthy and stable development of facility industry in Beijing to increase the utilization rate of facility agriculture land,strengthen the support of facility science and technology,and cultivate the socialized service organization of facility.

Analysis on Technical Structure and Competitiveness of ICT Manufacturing Industries

In order to analyze the technical structure and international comparative advantage of the information and communication technology(ICT)manufacturing industry,a complete set of ICT manufacturing product categories has been constructed by matching National Economical Industry Classification(GB/T4754-2017)with Harmonized System(HS)Codes,based on the relevant definitions in International Standard Industrial Classification(ISIC).The proposed definition overcomes inherent defects such as inaccurate scopes,lagging data and rough categories,which are characterized by commonly utilized product-level based classification approaches.Within the given framework,this paper has designed the technology content related indicators from the perspective of production distribution,and divided ICT product categories into high-end,medium-end and lowend manufacturing classifications according to respective global shares.Then,we have calculated international market shares(IMS),revealed comparative advantages(RCA),and market penetration rates(MPR)of ICT manufacturing exports for major economies from 2010 to 2021.Finally,development characterizations of ICT manufacturing industries for China’s Mainland are analyzed,and several practical suggestions are provided.

Data envelopment analysis for scale elasticity measurement in the stochastic case:with an application to Indian banking

In the nonparametric data envelopment analysis literature,scale elasticity is evaluated in two alternative ways:using either the technical efficiency model or the cost efficiency model.This evaluation becomes problematic in several situations,for example(a)when input proportions change in the long run,(b)when inputs are heterogeneous,and(c)when firms face ex-ante price uncertainty in making their production decisions.To address these situations,a scale elasticity evaluation was performed using a value-based cost efficiency model.However,this alternative value-based scale elasticity evaluation is sensitive to the uncertainty and variability underlying input and output data.Therefore,in this study,we introduce a stochastic cost-efficiency model based on chance-constrained programming to develop a value-based measure of the scale elasticity of firms facing data uncertainty.An illustrative empirical application to the Indian banking industry comprising 71 banks for eight years(1998–2005)was made to compare inferences about their efficiency and scale properties.The key findings are as follows:First,both the deterministic model and our proposed stochastic model yield distinctly different results concerning the efficiency and scale elasticity scores at various tolerance levels of chance constraints.However,both models yield the same results at a tolerance level of 0.5,implying that the deterministic model is a special case of the stochastic model in that it reveals the same efficiency and returns to scale characterizations of banks.Second,the stochastic model generates higher efficiency scores for inefficient banks than its deterministic counterpart.Third,public banks exhibit higher efficiency than private and foreign banks.Finally,public and old private banks mostly exhibit either decreasing or constant returns to scale,whereas foreign and new private banks experience either increasing or decreasing returns to scale.Although the application of our proposed stochastic model is illustrative,it can be potentially applied to all firms in the information and distribution-intensive industry with high fixed costs,which have ample potential for reaping scale and scope benefits.

Prospects and Problems of Implementation of Recreation Works in Degradated Areas

This article is devoted to work aimed at normalizing the condition of degraded soils in open-pit mines as a result of anthropogenic influences through phytomass. By creating a biological cover from plants, it has been achieved to improve the composition of the soil. Plants such as Datura starmonium, Portuluca oleracea, Caspella bursa-pastoris, Chenopodium vulvaria, Chenopodium album, Plantago lanceolata, Vaccaria hispanica, Vicia angustifolia were used for the research. The effect of micronutrients on plants was studied.