Effects of Enclosure on Grassland Ecological and Economic Benefits in Northern China

Grasslands in northern China serve the country as both an ecological barrier and a livestock production base.There,installing enclosures has been becoming the major grassland restoration measure adopted by many local governments.However,the effects of restoration on both ecological and production benefits of grassland remain unclear for implemented grassland restoration policies.Therefore,a representative rangeland in northern China,the Maodeng pasture in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region was selected as the study area,and remote sensing monitoring analyses were carried out to quantify the ecological benefits and economic benefits from 2015 to 2021.The results showed that:1) in terms of ecological benefits,the grassland area with a grassland coverage rate of more than 60% accounts for 32.3% of the regional area,and 86.4% of its grassland grew significantly better than the same period in2015,showing a significant improvement in grassland growth.Using the average amount of carbon per unit area as the ecological benefit evaluation index,it increased by 27.1% to 32.48Tg C/yr from 2015 to 2021.2) In terms of economic benefits,both theoretical grass production and livestock carrying capacity increased from 2015 to 2021.Compared to 2015,the theoretical grass production in 2021 increased by 24.8% to 71 900 t.The livestock carrying capacity reached 52 100 sheep units in 2021,nearly 11 000 sheep units more than that in 2015.During the study period,multiple economic indicators(on a per capita basis of permanent residents) for the pastoral area of Xilinhot City to which the Maodeng pasture belongs,have grown steadily.Per capita total income rose from 29 630 yuan(RMB) in2015 to 62 859 yuan(RMB) in 2021.Relying on grassland resources to develop the pastoral ecology also broadens the potential economic development space.Overall,the establishment of the reserve and the experiment of implanting an enclosure policy have had a significant and positive impact on Maodeng pasture’s development from both an ecological and economic perspective.With the support of scientific evidence,enclosure policy can be extended to more than 110 000 km~2 of grasslands in northern China with similar precipitation and temperature conditions,enhancing the productive and ecological potential of grasslands.The above research results will contribute to the scientific formulation of grassland pasture quality improvement plans in northern China.

Why people should run after positive affective experiences instead of health benefits

Over time,physical activity(PA)has shifted from being a necessity to being an alternative.As a result,levels of PA have sharply decreased.1 Today,we are facing a worldwide pandemic of physical inactivity,with one death every 6 s attributed to insufficient PA.2 To counteract this trend,a tremendous effort is being made to promote regular PA across the lifespan,mainly through the dissemination of knowledge about the health benefits of accumulating sufficient PA.

Integrated assessment of yield,nitrogen use efficiency and ecosystem economic benefits of use of controlled-release and common urea in ratoon rice production

Controlled-release urea(CRU)is commonly used to improve the crop yield and nitrogen use efficiency(NUE).However,few studies have investigated the effects of CRU in the ratoon rice system.Ratoon rice is the practice of obtaining a second harvest from tillers originating from the stubble of the previously harvested main crop.In this study,a 2-year field experiment using a randomized complete block design was conducted to determine the effects of CRU on the yield,NUE,and economic benefits of ratoon rice,including the main crop,to provide a theoretical basis for fertilization of ratoon rice.The experiment included four treatments:(i)no N fertilizer(CK);(ii)traditional practice with 5 applications of urea applied at different crop growth stages by surface broadcasting(FFP);(iii)one-time basal application of CRU(BF1);and(iv)one-time basal application of CRU combined with common urea(BF2).The BF1 and BF2 treatments significantly increased the main crop yield by 17.47 and 15.99%in 2019,and by 17.91 and 16.44%in 2020,respectively,compared with FFP treatment.The BF2 treatment achieved similar yield of the ratoon crop to the FFP treatment,whereas the BF1 treatment significantly increased the yield of the ratoon crop by 14.81%in 2019 and 12.21%in 2020 compared with the FFP treatment.The BF1 and BF2 treatments significantly improved the 2-year apparent N recovery efficiency,agronomic NUE,and partial factor productivity of applied N by 11.47-16.66,27.31-44.49,and 9.23-15.60%,respectively,compared with FFP treatment.The BF1 and BF2 treatments reduced the chalky rice rate and chalkiness of main and ratoon crops relative to the FFP treatment.Furthermore,emergy analysis showed that the production efficiency of the BF treatments was higher than that of the FFP treatment.The BF treatments reduced labor input due to reduced fertilization times and improved the economic benefits of ratoon rice.Compared with the FFP treatment,the BF1 and BF2 treatments increased the net income by 14.21-16.87 and 23.76-25.96%,respectively.Overall,the one-time blending use of CRU and common urea should be encouraged to achieve high yield,high nitrogen use efficiency,and good quality of ratoon rice,which has low labor input and low apparent N loss.

Commentary on “Why people should run after positive affective experiences instead of health benefits”

Maltagliati et al.1 recently highlighted the vital role of affective experiences in promoting physical activity(PA).The authors suggested that positive affective experiences,rather than health benefits,can tip the balance in favor of PA over sedentary alternatives.The authors proposed a new formal decision model between PA and sedentary alternatives and reported that when health benefits are the unique reason to action,the costs of PA(e.g.,effort)and the subjective value(SV)of sedentary alternatives(V_(sed))are the main drivers of decision-making processes.

Strategies for improving crop comprehensive benefits via a decision-making system based on machine learning in the rice‒rape,rice‒wheat and rice‒garlic rotation systems in Southwest China

Rice‒rape,rice‒wheat and rice‒garlic rotations are common cropping systems in Southwest China,and they have played a significant role in ensuring ecological and economic benefits(EB)and addressing the challenges of China’s food security in the region.However,the crop yields in these rotation systems are 1.25‒14.73%lower in this region than the national averages.Intelligent decision-making with machine learning can analyze the key factors for obtaining better benefits,but it has rarely been used to enhance the probability of obtaining such benefits from rotations in Southwest China.Thus,we used a data-intensive approach to construct an intelligent decision‒making system with machine learning to provide strategies for improving the benefits of rice-rape,rice-wheat,and rice-garlic rotations in Southwest China.The results show that raising the yield and partial fertilizer productivity(PFP)by increasing seed input under high fertilizer application provided the optimal benefits with a 10%probability in the rice-garlic system.Obtaining high yields and greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions by increasing the N application and reducing the K application provided suboptimal benefits with an 8%probability in the rice-rape system.Reducing N and P to enhance PFP and yield provided optimal benefits with the lowest probability(8%)in the rice‒wheat system.Based on the predictive analysis of a random forest model,the optimal benefits were obtained with fertilization regimes by reducing N by 25%and increasing P and K by 8 and 74%,respectively,in the rice-garlic system,reducing N and K by 54 and by 36%,respectively,and increasing P by 38%in rice-rape system,and reducing N by 4%and increasing P and K by 65 and 23%in rice-wheat system.These strategies could be further optimized by 17‒34%for different benefits,and all of these measures can improve the effectiveness of the crop rotation systems to varying degrees.Overall,these findings provide insights into optimal agricultural inputs for higher benefits through an intelligent decision-making system with machine learning analysis in the rice-rape,rice‒wheat,and rice-garlic systems.

Exploring Nutritional Compositions,Volatile Compounds,Health Benefits,Emerging Processing Technologies,and Potential Food Products of Glutinous Rice:A Review

Glutinous rice(Oryza sativa var.glutinosa)stands out as one of the most popular rice varieties globally,amidst thousands of rice cultivars.Its increasing popularity is attributed to its rich nutritional compositions and health benefits.This review aims to summarize the nutritional compositions,volatile compounds,and health benefits of glutinous rice.Further,in-depth studies are necessary to explore the utilization of glutinous rice in enhancing processing technologies and developing new food products.Glutinous rice has been shown to possess numerous health benefits,including antioxidant activity,bioactive compounds,anti-cancer properties,anti-inflammatory effects,anti-diabetic potential,and cholesterol-lowering effects.Besides its nutritional compositions,the major volatile compounds identified in glutinous rice could serve as a functional food for human consumption.Emerging processing technologies related to glutinous rice are elaborated to improve the latest developments for incorporating them into various food products.

Socio-scientific quantification of the comprehensive benefits of debris flow mitigation measures for villages in western Sichuan, China

Debris flow hazards seriously threaten thesafety and sustainable development of mountainousareas. Numerous debris flow mitigation measures havebeen implemented worldwide;however, acomprehensive assessment of the specific disasterreduction effects of these measures and their economic,social and ecological benefits is yet to be performed.The western region of Sichuan Province frequentlysuffers from geohazards such as debris flow, and thegovernment has adopted many mitigation measures.This study assessed the benefits of debris flowmitigation measures and identified the key influencingfactors via a field-based study conducted in 81 villagesin western Sichuan province, China. A framework forthe evaluation of the benefits of rural debris flowmitigation measures was constructed andquantitatively evaluated using a survey. Snowballsampling was performed to recruit 81 village leadersand 468 farmers. The results showed that managementand engineering measures were the main methodsused to mitigate debris flow;ecological measures wereauxiliary. The average satisfaction scores of farmers forthese three types of measures were 4.07, 3.90, and 3.56,respectively (as measured on a five-point Likert scale).In contrast, in terms of the benefits of these mitigationmeasures, only a small proportion of villages (11.11%)obtained a high level of comprehensive benefits fromthe debris flow mitigation measures, while the majority(88.89%) received medium to low-level benefits. Toimprove this situation, we further studied and foundthat the main factors that restricted villages fromachieving high-level comprehensive benefits were theunpredictable nature of debris flows, labour forceoutflow and remoteness. Effective control measures, agood economic environment and strong governmentassistance were reported as crucial factors forimproving these comprehensive benefits. This studyprovides socio-scientific references for decisionmakingon rural debris flow mitigation measures while keeping villages at the centre of economic development.

Impact of the carbon market on investment benefits of power-grid enterprises in China: a system dynamics analysis

The power grid,as the hub connecting the power supply and consumption sides,plays an important role in achieving carbon neutrality in China.In emerging carbon markets,assessing the investment benefits of power-grid enterprises is essential.Thus,studying the impact of the carbon market on the investment and operation of powergrid enterprises is key to ensuring their efficient operation.Notably,few studies have examined the interaction between the carbon and electricity markets using system dynamics models,highlighting a research gap in this area.This study investigates the impact of the carbon market on the investment of power-grid enterprises using a novel evaluation system based on a system dynamics model that considers carbon-emissions from an established carbon-emission accounting model.First,an index system for benefit evaluation was constructed from six aspects:financing ability,economic benefit,reliability,social responsibility,user satisfaction,and carbon-emissions.A system dynamics model was then developed to reflect the causal feedback relationship between the impact of the carbon market on the investment and operation of power-grid enterprises.The simulation results of a provincial power-grid enterprise analyze comprehensive investment evaluation benefits over a 10-year period and the impact of carbon emissions on the investment and operation of power-grid enterprises.This study provides guidelines for the benign development of power-grid enterprises within the context of the carbon market.

Protective benefit of folded linear HDPE board sand fences along the Golmud-Korla Railway,China:Field observation and wind tunnel study

The Milan Gobi area of the Golmud-Korla Railway in northwest China is located in the lower dispersal area of the mountain pass and has strong winds with evident double wind direction characteristics.This study introduced a novel sand fence deployment technique,termed‘folded linear deployment',designed to position the sand fence orthogonally to the two predominant wind directions for optimal protection.This study used wind tunnel and field tests to evaluate the wind and sand flow characteristics,as well as the windproof and sandresistant performance of folded linear HDPE(Highdensity polyethylene)board sand fences.The results suggest that the airflow around the fence creates clear zoning characteristics.The deceleration area on the BSF(backwind side of the sand fence)is much larger than that on the DSF(downwind side of the sand fence).Thus,sand particles are primarily deposited on the BSF.At different wind speeds,the airflow at 2 and 5 h on the DSF is not disturbed.The WSP(wind speed profile)presents a logarithmic distribution.The airflow is disturbed at 1-20 h on the BSF,and the WSP gradually deviates from the logarithmic law.However,as the airflow moves away from the fence,the WSP gradually approaches a logarithmic distribution.Meanwhile,the WPE(windproof efficiency)and SRE(sand-resistant efficiency)of the sand fence exceed 80%.In addition,the results of wind tunnel tests are compared with those of field tests.The overall dispersion is good,and the best dispersion is found at z/H=2.00,indicating good agreement between the two test results.This study provides a scientific basis for the design of sand hazard control measures,similar to the railway project in the Gobi Gale area.

A review:Health benefits and physicochemical characteristics of blended vegetable oils

Oil blending is the method of choice used worldwide to improve oxidative stability and nutritional value.There is no such edible oil/fat that meets all the recommendations from the health point of view.The fatty acid composition of vegetable oils decides the fate of the oil.Pure single oil is unable to provide a balanced amount of fatty acids(FAs)required/recommended on a daily intake basis.Blending oils/fats is an appropriate procedure of physically mixing multiple oils in suitable proportions which may provide functional lipids with improved antioxidant potential and desirable physical and chemical properties.This review piled up the accessible data on the blending of diverse oils/fats in the combination of binary,ternary,quaternary,or other types of oils into a single blended oil.Blending can be found very convincing towards appropriate FA profile,enhancement in physicochemical characteristics,and augmented stability for the period of storage or when used as cooking/frying processes which could ultimately serve as an effectual dietary intervention towards the health protectiveness.

Impact of Exercise on Depression in Older Adults:Potential Benefits,Risks,and Appropriate Application Strategies

As the global elderly population increases,depression within this group has become a significant public health concern.Although exercise has been recognized for its potential to improve depression in the elderly,the benefits,risks,and implementation strategies remain contentious.This review attempts to examine the impact of exercise on depression in older adults,including potential benefits,risks,and suggestions for application.Our analysis highlights the benefits of aerobic and resistance training,which can significantly alleviate depressive symptoms and enhance overall quality of life.Despite these benefits,the review acknowledges the complexity of the exercise-depression interaction in the elderly,necessitating personalized exercise regimens.Potential risks,such as muscle and joint pain,are pointed out,emphasizing the importance of tailored,supervised exercise programs.The review calls for future research to focus on identifying the most effective types of exercise and regimens for this population,considering factors such as age,gender,and existing health conditions.Lastly,it advocates for the inclusion of exercise in comprehensive treatment plans for depression in older adults,viewing it as a promising step toward achieving holistic mental health care in a growing demographic.

Strategies and Economic Benefit Analysis for Productive Landscape of Rape Flower Sea in Cold Regions

The cold regions are located in high latitudes and cold climates.The local excellent ornamental plant resources are relatively scarce.The plant species that are suitable for both ornamental and productive benefits of landscape of flower sea construction are also even fewer.Therefore,it is imperative to introduce and screen the plant resources suitable for cold regions to create the landscape of flower sea.The rape,an oilseed crop,was used as a research object in order to create a productive flower landscape with both ornamental and economic values in cold regions.Four rape flower varieties,Qingza No.5,7,9,and 11,were introduced from Qinghai Hufeng Agricultural Science and Technology Group Co.,Ltd.They were planted in the experimental practice base of Northeast Agricultural University in three batches.Development characteristics and seed yield of rape flowers on different sowing dates were studied.The fuzzy probability method was used to comprehensively evaluate the varieties.The results showed that the rape flowers grew well in Harbin City during the experimental sowing period,which could form a good landscape of flower sea and had a considerable rapeseed yield.It could be widely used in cold urban and rural areas,such as Harbin City.In view of the experimental results,the strategies of creating a productive landscape of rape flower sea were proposed and the economic benefits were analyzed.It could change the status quo of a uniform landscape of flower sea in cold regions,help the development of rural tourism,and promote local economic income.

Potential Benefits and Obstacles of the Use of Internet of Things in Saudi Universities: Empirical Study

Internet of Things (IoT) among of all the technology revolutions has been considered the next evolution of the internet. IoT has become a far more popular area in the computing world. IoT combined a huge number of things (devices) that can be connected through the internet. The purpose: this paper aims to explore the concept of the Internet of Things (IoT) generally and outline the main definitions of IoT. The paper also aims to examine and discuss the obstacles and potential benefits of IoT in Saudi universities. Methodology: the researchers reviewed the previous literature and focused on several databases to use the recent studies and research related to the IoT. Then, the researchers also used quantitative methodology to examine the factors affecting the obstacles and potential benefits of IoT. The data were collected by using a questionnaire distributed online among academic staff and a total of 150 participants completed the survey. Finding: the result of this study reveals there are twelve factors that affect the potential benefits of using IoT such as reducing human errors, increasing business income and worker’s productivity. It also shows the eighteen factors which affect obstacles the IoT use, for example sensors’ cost, data privacy, and data security. These factors have the most influence on using IoT in Saudi universities.

Digital Application Objectives and Benefit Analysis of BIM Technology in Large-Scale Comprehensive Development Projects

This paper discusses the digital application and benefit analysis of building information model(BIM)technology in the large-scale comprehensive development project of the Guangxi headquarters base.The project covers a total area of 92,100 square meters,with a total construction area of 379,700 square meters,including a variety of architectural forms.Through three-dimensional modeling and simulation analysis,BIM technology significantly enhances the design quality and efficiency,shortens the design cycle by about 20%,and promotes the collaboration and integration of project management,improving the management efficiency by about 25%.During the construction phase,the collision detection and four-dimensional visual management functions of BIM technology have improved construction efficiency by about 15%and saved the cost by about 10%.In addition,BIM technology has promoted green building and sustainable development,achieved the dual improvement of technical and economic indicators and social and economic benefits,set an example for enterprises in digital transformation,and opened up new market businesses.

Comprehensive Benefit Evaluation of SZ Distributed Photovoltaic Power Generation Project Based on AHP-Matter-Element Extension Model

With the introduction of the“dual carbon goals,”there has been a robust development of distributed photovoltaic power generation projects in the promotion of their construction.As part of this initiative,a comprehensive and systematic analysis has been conducted to study the overall benefits of photovoltaic power generation projects.The evaluation process encompasses economic,technical,environmental,and social aspects,providing corresponding analysis methods and data references.Furthermore,targeted countermeasures and suggestions are proposed,signifying the research’s importance for the construction and development of subsequent distributed photovoltaic power generation projects.

Subsurface irrigation with ceramic emitters improves wolfberry yield and economic benefits on the Tibetan Plateau, China

Climate warming has led to the expansion of arable land at high altitudes,but it has also increased the demand for water use efficiency(WUE).To address this issue,the development of water-saving irrigation technology has become crucial in improving water productivity and economic returns.This study aimed to assess the impacts of three irrigation methods on water productivity and economic returns in wolfberry(Lycium barbarum L.)cultivation on the Tibetan Plateau,China during a two-year field trial.Results showed that subsurface irrigation with ceramic emitters(SICE)outperformed surface drip irrigation(DI)and subsurface drip irrigation(SDI)in terms of wolfberry yield.Over the two-year period,the average yield with SICE increased by 8.0%and 2.3%compared with DI and SDI,respectively.This improvement can be attributed to the stable soil moisture and higher temperature accumulation achieved with SICE.Furthermore,SICE exhibited higher WUE,with 14.6%and 4.5%increases compared with DI and SDI,respectively.In addition to the agronomic benefits,SICE also proved advantageous in terms of economic returns.Total average annual input costs of SICE were lower than the other two methods starting from the 8th year.Moreover,the benefit-cost ratio of SICE surpassed the other methods in the 4th year and continued to widen the gap with subsequent year.These findings highlight SICE as an economically viable water-saving irrigation strategy for wolfberry cultivation on the Tibetan Plateau.Thus,this research not only provides an effective water-saving irrigation strategy for wolfberry cultivation but also offers insights into addressing irrigation-related energy challenges in other crop production systems.

Benefits Realization Management of Computer Vision in Construction:A Missed,Yet Not Lost,Opportunity

1.Introduction While the applications of computer visions are varied in construction,research has tended to focus on measuring the accuracy of object detectors such as faster region-based-convolution neural networks(Faster R-CNN)and single shot detector algorithms(SDD)[1].Limited,if any,attention has focused on determining the benefits of such technology in construction beyond the claims that it can help detect problems quickly and accurately.Reinforcing this point are the numerous review papers that have frequented the literature[2,3].

Behavioral Decision-Making of Key Stakeholders in Public-Private Partnerships:A Hybrid Method and Benefit Distribution Study

Public-private partnerships(PPPs)have been used by governments around the world to procure and construct infrastructural amenities.It relies on private sector expertise and funding to achieve this lofty objective.However,given the uncertainties of project management,transparency,accountability,and expropriation,this phenomenon has gained tremendous attention in recent years due to the important role it plays in curbing infrastructural deficits globally.Interestingly,the reasonable benefit distribution scheme in a PPP project is related to the behavior decisionmaking of the government and social capital,aswell as the performance of the project.In this paper,the government and social capital which are the key stakeholders of PPP projects were selected as the research objects.Based on the fuzzy expected value model and game theory,a hybrid method was adopted in this research taking into account the different risk preferences of both public entities and private parties under the fuzzy demand environment.To alleviate the problem of insufficient utilization of social capital in a PPP project,this paper seeks to grasp the relationship that exists between the benefit distribution of stakeholders,their behavioral decision-making,and project performance,given that they impact the performance of both public entities and private parties,as well as assist in maximizing the overall utility of the project.Furthermore,four game models were constructed in this study,while the expected value and opportunity-constrained programming model for optimal decision-making were derived using alternate perspectives of both centralized decision-making and decentralized decision-making.Afterward,the optimal behavioral decision-making of public entities and private parties in four scenarios was discussed and thereafter compared,which led to an ensuing discussion on the benefit distribution system under centralized decision-making.Lastly,based on an example case,the influence of different confidence levels,price,and fuzzy uncertainties of PPP projects on the equilibrium strategy results of both parties were discussed,giving credence to the effectiveness of the hybrid method.The results indicate that adjusting different confidence levels yields different equilibriumpoints,and therefore signposts that social capital has a fair perception of opportunities,as well as identifies reciprocal preferences.Nevertheless,we find that an increase in the cost coefficient of the government and social capital does not inhibit the effort of both parties.Our results also indicate that a reasonable benefit distribution of PPP projects can assist them in realizing optimum Pareto improvements over time.The results provide us with very useful strategies and recommendations to improve the overall performance of PPP projects in China.

Consumer Perceptions of Noni Juice Health Benefits during a 90-Day In-Home Use Test

Noni juice, made from the fruit of Morinda citrifolia, is a health-promoting food from the Pacific Islands with an extensive history of traditional use. Human clinical trials have revealed that noni juice has antioxidant, immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties. Previously, regular noni juice consumers in Europe and traditional healers in Fiji were surveyed to identify potential noni juice health benefits. But to better understand the perception of its health benefits among those with no previous experience with noni juice, an in-home study was conducted in the United States. Three hundred and nineteen adults with untreated chronic health conditions were provided with a 90-day supply of a blinded (unlabeled) commercial noni juice product (Tahitian Noni® Juice), instructed to consume 4 fluid ounces (1/2 cup) each day, and responded to a questionnaire given on days 30, 60 and 90 to evaluate product appeal and perceived effectiveness. A total of 299 people (94%) felt that their health improved in some way after drinking TNJ for 90 days. More than 80% of the subjects reported feeling better or healthier in general. Most participants also concurred with more than two dozen additional positive health perception statements, especially on days 60 and 90. More than 70% of consumers also indicated that noni juice helped them feel better than other wellness supplements they had tried in the past, including other so-called “super fruit” products. These findings seem to corroborate the results of clinical trials and previous consumer surveys regarding the potential for noni juice to provide discernable health benefits when used consistently over time. Such findings may help guide additional placebo-controlled clinical trials in which specific effects may be evaluated more rigorously.

Visual Analysis of Research Hotspots and Trends of Benefit Finding in China Based on Citespace

[Objectives]Based on the related literature of benefit finding in China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI),this paper analyzes the research status,hot spots and trends in this field.[Methods]To search for the related literature on benefit finding in China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI),and use Citespace software to visually analyze the number of papers,authors,institutions and keywords.[Results]A total of 204 related papers were obtained,and the annual number of published papers showed a gradual increasing trend.The authors of published papers were represented by Zhang Fenglan,Liu Zhunzhun and Zhang Ting,and the Nursing College of Anhui Medical University published the most papers.The research focus was on social support,coping method and other influencing factors,and qualitative research was the main research type.The key population was breast cancer,stroke patients and their caregivers,and the development trend focused on reliability and validity test and correlation analysis.[Conclusions]The field of benefit finding in China is in the initial exploration stage,and there is little cooperation and exchange between authors and institutions.In the future,academic exchanges and multidisciplinary assistance should be strengthened to promote the rapid development of this field.