Vitality Index Research Articles

Evaluating the associations between intelligence quotient and multi-tissue proteome from the brain, CSF and plasma.

Intelligence quotient is a vital index to evaluate the ability of an individual to think rationally, learn from experience and deal with the environment effectively. However, limited efforts have been paid to explore the potential associations of intelligence quotient traits with the tissue proteins from the brain, CSF and plasma. The information of protein quantitative trait loci was collected from a recently released genome-wide association study conducted on quantification data of proteins from the tissues including the brain, CSF and plasma. Using the individual-level genotypic data from the UK Biobank cohort, we calculated the polygenic risk scores for each protein based on the protein quantitative trait locus data sets above. Then, Pearson correlation analysis was applied to evaluate the relationships between intelligence quotient traits (including 120 330 subjects for 'fluid intelligence score' and 38 949 subjects for 'maximum digits remembered correctly') and polygenic risk scores of each protein in the brain (17 protein polygenic risk scores), CSF (116 protein polygenic risk scores) and plasma (59 protein polygenic risk scores). The Bonferroni corrected P-value threshold was P < 1.30 × 10-4 (0.05/384). Finally, Mendelian randomization analysis was conducted to test the causal relationships between 'fluid intelligence score' and pre-specific proteins from correlation analysis results. Pearson correlation analysis identified significant association signals between the protein of macrophage-stimulating protein and fluid intelligence in brain and CSF tissues (P brain = 1.21 × 10-8, P CSF = 1.10 × 10-7), as well as between B-cell lymphoma 6 protein and fluid intelligence in CSF (P CSF = 1.23 × 10-4). Other proteins showed close-to-significant associations with the trait of 'fluid intelligence score', such as plasma protease C1 inhibitor (P CSF = 4.19 × 10-4, P plasma = 6.97 × 10-4), and with the trait of 'maximum digits remembered correctly', such as tenascin (P plasma = 3.42 × 10-4). Additionally, Mendelian randomization analysis results suggested that macrophage-stimulating protein (Mendelian randomization-Egger: β = 0.54, P = 1.64 × 10-61 in the brain; β = 0.09, P = 1.60 × 10-12 in CSF) had causal effects on fluid intelligence score. We observed functional relevance of specific tissue proteins to intelligence quotient and identified several candidate proteins, such as macrophage-stimulating protein. This study provided a novel insight to the relationship between tissue proteins and intelligence quotient traits.

Understanding the optimal strategy of carbon labelled product advertising delivery: A dynamic differential equation analysis

In the rapidly evolving landscape of sustainable marketing, the advertising of carbon labelled products represents a critical intersection of environmental awareness and marketing strategy. Existing studies have mainly discussed optimization strategies for content and forms of advertising. Less attention has been paid to optimization strategies related to the quantity of advertising delivery. Setting an advertiser's optimal advertising intensity is a problem that has puzzled researchers for a long time. To this end, we investigate the optimal strategy for advertising delivery based on a differential equation analysis of advertising dynamics to maximize market size for advertisers with regard to carbon labelled products. We first show that the vitality index can reflect the carryover effect of advertisers, and that there exists an optimal advertising intensity to maximize market size if competition is not taken into account. We then find that current and global solutions of optimal strategies are consistent, from which we can determine the sustainability of an advertiser's carbon labelled product market by calculating the equilibrium vitality index. Moreover, we provide numerical experiments that illustrate the quantitative relationship that exists between greenness and the proportion of green consumers jointly determining the feasibility of the optimal strategy and the sustainability of advertisers in management practices. This research not only charts a course for optimal advertising strategy but also equips managers with data-driven tools to navigate the complexities of eco-conscious marketing.

Deriving and Verifying a Community Vitality Index through a Machine Learning Model Based on House Price Data

Recognizing the complexity and limitations of the approach to produce a traditional Multi-dimensional Community Index (MD-CVI) as well as high cost and time-intensive, the study explores another approach that establishes a machine-learning model to derive a community index by leveraging contemporary house prices. This method has several significant advantages over traditional methods, providing a more efficient and reliable way to assess community well-being. The model produces a dynamic Community Vitality Index (CVI) that quickly captures changes within a community and enhances the MD-CVI’s sophistication by selecting and combining any geographic regions generated by clustering algorithms, employing machine learning model and house sold price reduces human errors from questionnaires, and potentially improves accuracy. The study also exemplified and verified the model via house data from Minnesota, Texas, and Connecticut, spanning the last five years. Subsequently, comparing the house-price-based CVI with traditional MD-CVIs reveals a consistent alignment in their community index rankings. The conclusion is that the house-price-based CVI, as second research, is a viable proxy and a benchmark for a traditional MD-CVI, indicating an innovative approach for the stakeholders, including the government, education institutions, health and welfare organizations, etc. in assessing community well-being and making informed policy decisions regarding the flow of public funding of community-based projects. This research has the potential to significantly impact policy decisions, ensuring that public funding is directed to the communities that need it most.

The Effects of Mother Tree Size and Flowering Period on Salt Tolerance of &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Tamarix Austromongolica&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; Seeds in the Yellow River Delta

&amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Tamarix austromongolic&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt;a is a two-season flowering plant with a spring and summer flowering period and both flowering periods produce viable seeds, with flowering extending from mid-May to October and seed maturation from mid-June to October. In order to reveal the germination pattern of &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;T. austromongolica&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; seeds in the Yellow River Delta region, this study investigated the salt tolerance of seeds of different age mother trees during the spring and summer flowering periods in the region. Spring and summer flowering seeds of different ground diameter mother trees in the &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;T. austromongolica&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; forest in the region were collected and subjected to seed germination experiments under different concentrations of NaCl solution. The results showed that the diameter grade of the mother tree had a significant impact on seed germination, but had no significant effect on early seedling growth (except for the root length of offspring seedlings during the summer flowering period). As the diameter level of the mother tree increases, the germination rate, germination index, and vitality index of seeds during the spring flowering period first increase and then decrease, with the highest values observed at a ground diameter of 10.0-19.9cm. However, the above indicators of summer flowering seeds gradually decreased with the diameter increasing. There were significant differences in salt tolerance of seeds during different flowering periods. The germination rate and germination index of spring flowering seeds significantly decreased between 11‰ and 15‰, but the effect of salt concentration on summer flowering seed germination was not significant. For the early growth of seedlings, as the salt concentration increased, the root length and seedling height of seed offspring seedlings during spring and summer flowering periods decreased after being higher than 5‰. Compared with spring flowering seeds, summer flowering seeds had higher germination ability and seedling weight under salt stress. Therefore, the salt tolerance of the seeds of &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;T. austromongolica&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; was determined by the size of the mother tree and the flowering period, which is an important strategy for its adaptation to the Yellow River Delta region.

Prognostic value of anthropometric- and biochemistry-based nutrition status indices on blood chemistry panel levels during cancer treatment

Body weight, body mass index (BMI), Nutrition Risk Screening 2002 (NRS2002), and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) are among vital nutrition status indices employed during cancer treatment. These have also been associated with levels of blood chemistry panels (BCPs), which are touted as significant indicators of disease prognosis. However, it remains unclear which nutrition status index better predicts future trends in specific BCPs. Using the records of 407 cancer patients, we retrospectively examined the potential of nutritional status indices at baseline for predicting changes in specific BCPs over a 6-week period. Generally, both serum biochemical parameters and nutrition status indices fluctuated over the study period among study participants. PNI was often linearly associated with blood cell counts (white blood cells [WBCs] and hemoglobin) compared with anthropometric-based nutrition status indices. Increase in body weight was protective against having abnormal lymphocyte levels at 6 weeks (odds ratio [OR]: 0.960–0.974; CI: 0.935–0.997; P < 0.05), while increase in baseline PNI was associated with 0.865–0.941 and 0.675–0.915 odds of having future abnormal WBC and lymphocyte levels, respectively. Increases in PNI were also protective against having future abnormal albumin levels (OR: 0.734–0.886) and 8.5–12.5% decreases in the odds of having an abnormal C-reactive protein level in subsequent visits. Changes in NRS2002 tended to be associated with the odds of having future abnormal blood glucose levels. In conclusion, the serum biochemistry–derived nutrition status index, PNI, is a more consistent measure as an early indicator to track the trends of future changes in the BCPs of cancer patients. This implies that PNI could be targeted as an early-warning measure with relevant preventive interventions for patients at risk of malnutrition.

Forced vital capacity and body mass index of Xinjiang children and adolescents: an analysis based on seven successive national surveys, 1985–2014

BackgroundPulmonary function is very important for the healthy development of children and adolescents. However, fewer studies have been conducted on pulmonary function trends in children and adolescents in remote areas. The aim of this study was to estimate the forced vital capacity (FVC) trend and its relationship with body mass index (BMI) among young people in Xinjiang during 1985–2014 using data from seven successive national surveys.MethodsA total of 19,449 Xinjiang children and adolescents aged 7–18 years were extracted from the Chinese National Survey on Students’ Constitution and Health. Height, weight, and FVC were measured repeatedly in each survey. FVC comparisons between adjacent surveys by age and sex were conducted by nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis after Kolmogorov-Smirnov of normality. One-way ANOVA and least significant difference(LSD) method was used to compare differences in FVC levels of Xinjiang children and adolescents with different BMI. The relationship between BMI and FVC was investigated using a nonlinear regression model.ResultsThe FVC levels of Xinjiang children and adolescents peaked in 2000, with overall FVC levels being 8.7% higher in 2000 than in 1985. Since then, a substantial decline occurred, contrasting to 2000, with FVC levels decreasing by 27% in 2014, which was still lower than that in 1985 by 20.73%. The proportion of overnutrition boys increased from 0.2% in 1985 to 22.1% in 2014, and girls from 0.5% in 1985 to 14.5% in 2014. An inverted U-shape association between FVC and BMI values was obtained for Xinjiang children and adolescents.ConclusionsTargeted measures should be carried out in schools to control BMI levels to ensure good lung function in children and adolescents in Xinjiang. Future studies should pay more attention to other factors affecting FVC, such as dietary behaviour, physical activity, and racial differences among children and adolescents.

Effectiveness of homogenized nursing care intervention in postoperative bladder irrigation of urological system in primary hospitals-Taking the incidence of postoperative complications as an example: A retrospective study.

To explore the effect of homogenized nursing interventions for bladder irrigation after urological surgery in primary hospitals, and to further analyze the incidence of postoperative complications according to the different nursing methods. The experiment selected 110 patients with urological disorders who underwent bladder irrigation, and the subjects were admitted to the hospital from January 2020 to October 2023. The subjects were chronologically divided into a control group and an experimental group, with the admission time of the control group being between between January 2020 and October 2022. The experimental group was admitted between October 2022 and October 2023. Conventional nursing care and homogenized nursing care were used respectively, and the intervention effect of homogenized nursing care was assessed by comparing the patients' psychological state indexes, vital characteristic indexes, and the incidence of various postoperative complications under the 2 interventions. None of the indicators were statistically significant before the nursing intervention. In the comparison of nursing satisfaction and clinical comfort, the experimental group's nursing satisfaction was 94.5% and clinical comfort was 90.9%, which was significantly higher than that of the control group. In the comparison of the incidence of postoperative complications, the incidence of urinary retention in the experimental group was 1.82%, which was significantly lower than that of the control group. In addition, the total incidence of complications in the experimental group was 1.82%, which proved that the homogenized nursing intervention was effective in reducing the complications after urinary bladder irrigation. In multifactorial logistic regression analysis, after homogenized nursing intervention. The relative risks of the 4 complications were 1.836, 1.445, 1.993, and 2.138, respectively, which were significantly lower than those of conventional nursing intervention. In the ROC analysis, the AUC values of the 4 complications were 0.832, 0.731, 0.746, and 0.723, respectively. proving the superiority of homogenized care in preventing postoperative complications. Homogenized nursing intervention can effectively reduce the incidence of postoperative complications in patients with urological postoperative bladder irrigation, improve patients' symptoms and prognosis, and improve the quality of care and patients' quality of life.

A study on the mechanism of the impact of entrepreneurship opportunity collaboration on opportunity innovation: The mediating effect of resource patchwork

Purpose: This article explores the impact of opportunity collaboration on opportunity innovation based on the identification, acquisition, sharing and exchange of resources and elements among entrepreneurial entities through collaborative and interactive behaviors to explore the influence mechanism of entrepreneurial opportunity collaboration on the formation of innovativeness of opportunities and the mediating role of resource patchwork. Design/Methodology/Approach: The research conducted an empirical analysis on the impact of opportunity collaboration on opportunity innovation based on the data of 207 entrepreneurial enterprises from Beijing, Guangdong and Henan with a high entrepreneurial vitality index and vital data availability. Resource patchwork's mediation effect is discussed and empirically tested from the patchwork theory perspective. Findings: Entrepreneurial opportunity collaboration significantly positively affects opportunity innovation and resource patchwork plays an intermediary role between them. Conclusion: Innovation is an important attribute to distinguish the heterogeneity of entrepreneurial opportunities and is also the key to entrepreneurial success. Interaction among various entrepreneurial elements should be strengthened to achieve efficient and high-quality resource patchwork to obtain a significant "synergistic effect" and ultimately improve innovation in entrepreneurial opportunities. Practical Implications: This study not only helps to theoretically understand the impact of entrepreneurial opportunity collaboration on opportunity innovation differentiation but also has outstanding practical reference significance for the government's targeted policy measures to support innovative entrepreneurial activities and for entrepreneurs to identify or create innovative opportunities.

Using optical coherence tomography to assess luster of pearls: technique suitability and insights

Luster is one of the vital indexes in pearl grading. To find a fast, nondestructive, and low-cost grading method, optical coherence tomography (OCT) is introduced to predict the luster grade through the texture features. After background removal, flattening, and segmentation, the speckle pattern of the region of interest is described by seven kinds of feature textures, including center-symmetric auto-correlation (CSAC), fractal dimension (FD), Gabor, gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM), histogram of oriented gradients (HOG), laws texture energy (LAWS), and local binary patterns (LBP). To find the relations between speckle-derived texture features and luster grades, four Four groups of pearl samples were used in the experiment to detect texture differences based on support vector machines (SVMs) and random forest classifier (RFC)) for investigating the relations between speckle-derived texture features and luster grades. The precision, recall, F1-score, and accuracy are more significant than 0.9 in several simulations, even after dimension reduction. This demonstrates that the texture feature from OCT images can be applied to class the pearl luster based on speckle changes.

A novel framework for the spatiotemporal assessment of urban flood vulnerability

Considering the pressing Urban Flood (UF) challenges faced by developing countries, the assessment of Urban Flood Vulnerability (UFV) assumes paramount importance in comprehending the detrimental impacts of UF on urban environments, thereby facilitating effective UF management. Addressing a notable gap in previous UFV research, which predominantly focused on spatial characteristics while overlooking temporal dynamics, we introduce a novel framework for spatiotemporal UFV assessment, by presenting a multiplicative equation to elucidate the interaction between Urban Flood Susceptibility (UFS) and Vulnerable Entities (VE). Employing this framework in the Great Bay Area (GBA), by considering the composition of the UFV database, we leveraged Machine Learnings and the Urban Vitality Index for quantifying the UFS and VE, respectively. SHapley Additive exPlanations was employed to quantify the local contributions of various factors to UFV. We found (1) a discernible upward trajectory in UFV across the GBA from 2012 to 2020, coupled with an expansion in spatial scope, indicative of persistent challenges in the future, and (2) the impervious surface percentage emerges as the primary contributor to UFV, exhibiting spatial heterogeneity reflective of regional environments. We believe this study has the potential to significantly contribute to addressing UF challenges and fostering the development of sustainable cities.

Seed osmopriming with polyethylene glycol (PEG) enhances seed germination and seedling physiological traits of Coronilla varia L. under water stress.

Water stress can adversely affect seed germination and plant growth. Seed osmopriming is a pre-sowing treatment in which seeds are soaked in osmotic solutions to undergo the first stage of germination prior to radicle protrusion. Seed osmopriming enhances germination performance under stressful environmental conditions, making it an effective method to improve plant resistance and yield. This study analyzed the effect of seed osmopriming with polyethylene glycol (PEG) on seed germination and physiological parameters of Coronilla varia L. Priming treatments using 10% to 30% PEG enhanced germination percentage, germination vigor, germination index, vitality index, and seedling mass and reduced the time to reach 50% germination (T50). The PEG concentration that led to better results was 10%. The content of soluble proteins (SP), proline (Pro), soluble sugars (SS), and malondialdehyde (MDA) in Coronilla varia L. seedlings increased with the severity of water stress. In addition, under water stress, electrolyte leakage rose, and peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities intensified, while catalase (CAT) activity increased at mild-to-moderate water stress but declined with more severe deficiency. The 10% PEG priming significantly improved germination percentage, germination vigor, germination index, vitality index, and time to 50% germination (T50) under water stress. Across the water stress gradient here tested (8 to 12% PEG), seed priming enhanced SP content, Pro content, and SOD activity in Coronilla varia L. seedlings compared to the unprimed treatments. Under 10% PEG-induced water stress, primed seedlings displayed a significantly lower MDA content and electrolyte leakage than their unprimed counterparts and exhibited significantly higher CAT and POD activities. However, under 12% PEG-induced water stress, differences in electrolyte leakage, CAT activity, and POD activity between primed and unprimed treatments were not significant. These findings suggest that PEG priming enhances the osmotic regulation and antioxidant capacity of Coronilla varia seedlings, facilitating seed germination and seedling growth and alleviating drought stress damage, albeit with reduced efficacy under severe water deficiency.

Combining features selection strategy and features fusion strategy for SPAD estimation of winter wheat based on UAV multispectral imagery.

The Soil Plant Analysis Development (SPAD) is a vital index for evaluating crop nutritional status and serves as an essential parameter characterizing the reproductive growth status of winter wheat. Non-destructive and accurate monitorin3g of winter wheat SPAD plays a crucial role in guiding precise management of crop nutrition. In recent years, the spectral saturation problem occurring in the later stage of crop growth has become a major factor restricting the accuracy of SPAD estimation. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to use features selection strategy to optimize sensitive remote sensing information, combined with features fusion strategy to integrate multiple characteristic features, in order to improve the accuracy of estimating wheat SPAD. This study conducted field experiments of winter wheat with different varieties and nitrogen treatments, utilized UAV multispectral sensors to obtain canopy images of winter wheat during the heading, flowering, and late filling stages, extracted spectral features and texture features from multispectral images, and employed features selection strategy (Boruta and Recursive Feature Elimination) to prioritize sensitive remote sensing features. The features fusion strategy and the Support Vector Machine Regression algorithm are applied to construct the SPAD estimation model for winter wheat. The results showed that the spectral features of NIR band combined with other bands can fully capture the spectral differences of winter wheat SPAD during the reproductive growth stage, and texture features of the red and NIR band are more sensitive to SPAD. During the heading, flowering, and late filling stages, the stability and estimation accuracy of the SPAD model constructed using both features selection strategy and features fusion strategy are superior to models using only a single feature strategy or no strategy. The enhancement of model accuracy by this method becomes more significant, with the greatest improvement observed during the late filling stage, with R2 increasing by 0.092-0.202, root mean squared error (RMSE) decreasing by 0.076-4.916, and ratio of performance to deviation (RPD) increasing by 0.237-0.960. In conclusion, this method has excellent application potential in estimating SPAD during the later stages of crop growth, providing theoretical basis and technical support for precision nutrient management of field crops.

Combined effects of micron-sized polyvinyl chloride particles and copper on seed germination of perilla.

Microplastics (MPs) and copper (Cu) pollution coexist widely in cultivation environment. In this paper, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) were used to simulate the MPs exposure environment, and the combined effects of MPs + Cu on the germination of perilla seeds were analyzed. The results showed that low concentrations of Cu promoted seed germination, while medium to high concentrations exhibited inhibition and deteriorated the morphology of germinated seeds. The germination potential, germination index and vitality index of 8mg • L-1 Cu treatment group with were 23.08%, 76.32% and 65.65%, respectively, of the control group. The addition of low concentration PVC increased the above indicators by 1.27, 1.15, and 1.35 times, respectively, while high concentration addition led to a decrease of 65.38%, 82.5%, and 66.44%, respectively. The addition of low concentration PVC reduced the amount of PVC attached to radicle. There was no significant change in germination rate. PVC treatment alone had no significant effect on germination. MPs + Cu inhibited seed germination, which was mainly reflected in the deterioration of seed morphology. Cu significantly enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and MDA content. The addition of low concentration PVC enhanced SOD activity, reduced MDA and H2O2 content. The SOD activity of the Cu2+8 + PVC10 group was 4.05 and 1.35 times higher than that of the control group and Cu treatment group at their peak, respectively. At this time, the CAT activity of the Cu2+8 + PVC5000 group increased by 2.66 and 1.42 times, and the H2O2 content was 2.02 times higher than the control. Most of the above indicators reached their peak at 24h. The activity of α-amylase was inhibited by different treatments, but β-amylase activity, starch and soluble sugar content did not change regularly. The research results can provide new ideas for evaluating the impact of MPs + Cu combined pollution on perilla and its potential ecological risk.

Morphological spatial clustering of high-density central areas and their coupling relationship with thermal environment--a case study of the wuyi road hatchback in changsha.

Intense urban development and high urban density cause the thermal environment in urban centers to deteriorate continuously, affecting the quality of the living environment. In this study, 707.49 hectares of land in the central area of Changsha were divided into 121 plots. 11 microclimate-related morphological indicators were comprehensively selected, and the K-means method was used for cluster analysis. Then, the relationship between morphological clusters and the thermal environment was explored by simulating the thermal environment of the study area with ENVI-met. First, five spatial types were found to characterize the area: high-level with high floor area ratio, low density, and low greenery; middle-level with high floor area ratio high density; medium-capacity with high density and small volume; low-level with low density and high greenery; and low floor area ratio, low density, and high greenery. Second, the building windward surface density, sky openness, building density, floor area ratio and green space rate affect the thermal environment. Third, Cluster3 had the highest average air temperature (Ta), followed by Cluster5, furthermore Clusters4, 1, and2 had relatively low Ta. The spatial vitality index and green space rate in Cluster1; the area-weighted building shape index, average building volume and sky openness in Cluster2; green space rate in Cluster3; indicators such as the floor area ratio and green space rate in Cluster4; indicators such as the impervious surface rate and green space rate in Cluster5 had greater influences on Ta. Fourthly, simply increasing the area of green space cannot maximize the cooling effect of green spaces. Instead, constructing an equalized greening network can better regulate the thermal environment. Fifthly, the results provide a scientific basis for the design and the regulation of urban centers.

Large‐scale remote sensing analysis reveals an increasing coupling of grassland vitality to atmospheric water demand

AbstractGrasslands provide important ecosystem services to society, including biodiversity, water security, erosion control, and forage production. Grasslands are also vulnerable to droughts, rendering their future vitality under climate change uncertain. Yet, the grassland response to drought is not well understood, especially for heterogeneous Central European grasslands. We here fill this gap by quantifying the spatiotemporal sensitivity of grasslands to drought using a novel remote sensing dataset from Landsat/Sentinel‐2 paired with climate re‐analysis data. Specifically, we quantified annual grassland vitality at fine spatial scale and national extent (Germany) from 1985 to 2021. We analyzed grassland sensitivity to drought by testing for statistically robust links between grassland vitality and common drought indices. We furthermore explored the spatiotemporal variability of drought sensitivity for 12 grassland habitat types given their different biotic and abiotic features. Grassland vitality maps revealed a large‐scale reduction of grassland vitality during past droughts. The unprecedented drought of 2018–2019 stood out as the largest multi‐year vitality decline since the mid‐1980s. Grassland vitality was consistently coupled to drought (R2 = .09–.22) with Vapor Pressure Deficit explaining vitality best. This suggests that high atmospheric water demand, as observed during recent compounding drought and heatwave events, has major impacts on grassland vitality in Central Europe. We found a significant increase in drought sensitivity over time with highest sensitivities detected in periods of extremely high atmospheric water demand, suggesting that drought impacts on grasslands are becoming more severe with ongoing climate change. The spatial variability of grassland drought sensitivity was linked to different habitat types, with declining sensitivity from dry and mesic to wet habitats. Our study provides the first large‐scale, long‐term, and spatially explicit evidence of increasing drought sensitivities of Central European grasslands. With rising compound droughts and heatwaves under climate change, large‐scale grassland vitality loss, as in 2018–2019, will thus become more likely in the future.

Use of indices to assess women’s health in wellness fitness

Background and Study Aim. With increasing focus on women's health and well-being, there's a pressing need for efficient tools to accurately reflect their physical condition and health status. This study aims to substantiate the use of indices as effective instruments for assessing women's health and wellness fitness. Material and Methods. This study involved 40 women, aged 43.33 ± 0.93 years, who participated in a wellness fitness program for 8 months. Sessions were held three times a week, each lasting 1 hour. A comprehensive health improvement program was utilized, incorporating dance aerobics, strength fitness, and stretching exercises. Anthropometric measurements were taken, and the Stange test was administered to calculate 12 health-related indices. The significance of differences was evaluated using the sign criterion (z) and Rosenbaum's Q index. Assessments were conducted both before the initiation and upon completion of the wellness program. Results. Significant changes were observed in several indices, including the Body Mass Index (z=2), Erisman Index (z=0), Vital Index (z=0), Skibinsky Index (z=1), Kerdo Autonomic Index (z=2), Robinson Index (z=3), Waist-to-Hip Ratio (z=11), Systolic Blood Pressure Index (z=5), Diastolic Blood Pressure Index (z=4), and Livy Index (z=0). Additionally, a reliable improvement in the left arm strength index was confirmed using Rosenbaum's Index (Q=7). Conclusions. The results validate the use of specific indices to evaluate the efficacy of wellness fitness programs. Notable improvements were observed in the Body Mass Index, Erisman Index, and Livy Index, indicative of enhanced physical condition and normalization of body mass, particularly significant among overweight and obese participants. An increase in the strength index reflects augmented hand muscle strength, while enhancements in the vital index signal boosted respiratory system functionality. Furthermore, changes in the Skibinsky Index, Robinson Index, and Kerdo Autonomic Index highlight an elevated adaptation capacity of the cardiorespiratory system. The comprehensive set of indices employed offers insights into the cardiovascular, respiratory, and musculoskeletal systems' state. Their applicability at both individual and group levels, combined with the simplicity of calculations, clarity, and informativeness, markedly improves the monitoring effectiveness of health and fitness status.

What’s the typical issues influencing operation performance of HVACs in super high-rise buildings? Field tests and optimization analysis

The HVACs in super high-rise buildings commonly consists of variable air volume (VAV) systems, multistage chilled and cooling water systems, primary-secondary chilled water system in chiller plant, and the chillers combination is much more complex, leading to the significantly higher energy consumption than that of normal buildings. This paper contains field tests and comparative studies on the operation performance of HVACs in two super high-rise buildings and summarized representative issues accounting for the high energy consumption. Field test results showed that the annual energy efficiency of the whole HVAC system, before being commissioned, was only 1.79 and 2.15 in two projects. The HVACs, typically VAV systems, chilled and cooling water systems, all suffered from over-supplying and energy wasting. Besides, the chillers commonly operated with a low partial load ratio (PLR), whose energy performance was much lower than expected. Aiming to dig out the typical issues, analyses were carried out from external, internal factors, and their interconnection. Furthermore, optimization methods were put forward with corrected vital indexes. Results showed that proper control strategies should maintain the VAV system, multistage chilled and cooling water system operating with significant distribution temperature differences, tiny distribution pressure drops, and high energy efficiency, thus achieving energy saving and ensuring space cooling effects. Besides, the control strategies, especially the number control of chillers, were influential during the whole cooling season to ensure the chillers operate with optimal PLR and thus achieve better energy performance.

Comparative Study on the Digital Economy Development Based on TOPSIS Comprehensive Evaluation: A Case Study of the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River

Promoting the digital economy in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River can not only boost the development of e-commerce, energy science and technology and other industries, but also pave the theoretical way for the digital economy development in various regions, so as to further provide an important practical basis for achieving high-quality economic growth. In this paper, seven provinces in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River are taken as the research objects. Meanwhile, the development and different trends of the digital economy in each region are quantitatively analyzed and compared to propose suggestions for better development of the digital economy in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. On this basis, this paper first constructs the evaluation and measurement model of the digital economy development, and then gives the weights to the relevant indices through the analytic hierarchy process. After that, the regions in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River are scored and compared via the TOPSIS comprehensive evaluation, which identifies that the mobile phone penetration, the number of Internet broadband access ports and the telecom business income are vital indices to accelerate the digital economy development. Finally, this paper argues that governments should increase investment in digital infrastructure construction and promote the deep integration of digital technology and industry.

Can China railway express enhance the economic-trade vitality of cities? A spatial empirical evidence from China

The process of globalization has encountered obstacles, with increasing regional conflicts and unforeseen events, posing greater challenges to global cooperation. Particularly, transportation bottlenecks are hindering international economic and trade activities and exerting significant pressure on economic recovery. In response to the principles of economic development, China introduced the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) that targets to enhance economic and trade activities in the regions along the route. China Railway Express (CR Express) is an essential vehicle for the BRI, characterized by advantages such as convenience, safety, stability, and promotion of green economy. It serves as a necessary means for China to enhance economic and trade influence. This study conducts quantitative research utilizing a dataset from 287 prefecture-level Chinese cities, with a primary focus on examining the operational effects of the CR Express and deriving the following conclusions. Firstly, combining theoretical insights with practical experience, a comprehensive analytical framework was established, and an economic and trade vitality (ETV) index was constructed. The results showed that the ETV increased in over 43.9% of cities. Secondly, using a multi-temporal asymptotic spatial different-in-differences (SDID) model, we obtained that CR Express exhibited significant spatial spillover effects, making a substantial contribution to urban ETV. Thirdly, spatial heterogeneity detected that the intensity of CR Express policy effects varied across city types due to diverse patterns of economic development and consumption structures. Ultimately, mechanisms for the impact of CR Express on ETV was examined more precisely and an integrated five-sphere mechanism was proposed. The conclusions of this research enrich the vital connection between CR Express and urban ETV, providing managerial insights for both enterprises and governments seeking new development opportunities.

Extracted Eucalyptus globulus Bark Fiber as a Potential Substrate for Pinus radiata and Quillaja saponaria Germination

This study aimed to explore alternative substrates for growing forest species using eucalyptus bark. It evaluated the potential of extracted Eucalyptus globulus fiber bark as a substitute for commercial growing media such as coconut fiber, moss, peat, and compost pine. We determined the physicochemical parameters of the growing media, the germination rate, and the mean fresh and dry weights of seedlings. We used the Munoo-Liisa Vitality Index (MLVI) test to evaluate the phytotoxicity of the bark alone and when mixed with commercial substrates. Generally, the best mixture for seed growth was 75% extracted eucalyptus bark fiber and 25% commercial substrates. In particular, the 75E-25P (peat) mixture is a promising substitute for seedling growth of Pinus radiata, achieving up to 3-times higher MLVI than the control peat alone. For Quillaja saponaria, the best growth substrate was the 50E-50C (coconut fiber) mixture, which had the most significant MLVI values (127%). We added chitosan and alginate-encapsulated fulvic acid phytostimulants to improve the performance of the substrate mixtures. The fulvic acid, encapsulated or not, significantly improved MLVI values in Q. saponaria species and P. radiata in concentrations between 0.05 and 0.1% w/v. This study suggests that mixtures with higher levels of extracted fiber are suitable for growing forest species, thus promoting the application of circular economy principles in forestry.