Background: Carbon sequestration through recommended forest management practices is an ecosystem service that helps mitigate climate change and its impacts while generating carbon credits for forestland owners to sell...Background: Carbon sequestration through recommended forest management practices is an ecosystem service that helps mitigate climate change and its impacts while generating carbon credits for forestland owners to sell in cap-and-trade programs. The California’s cap-and-trade program (California’s carbon market hereafter) allows forestland owners from any part of the contiguous United States to supply carbon credits to compliance entities. In this study, we estimate South Carolina (SC) private forestland owners’willingness to accept compensations to participate in the California’s carbon market using a contingent valuation method. Results: We estimate forestland owners’mean willingness to accept as$67 per acre per year. Our results reveal higher probability of participation of forestland owners with interests in preserving forest ecosystems than those who do not. Additionally, forestland owners who trust in information about climate change from scientists or government are willing to participate more than those who do not. Conclusions: Various factors hinder landowners’ability to participate in carbon markets. Forestland owners in SC consider legislative uncertainty and long-time commitment as the main barriers to participation in California’s carbon market. From this research, average forestland tenure in SC is 27 years, which is far less than the 100-year time commitment of the California’s carbon market. Of those who agreed to participate, choosing between adopting and not adopting any of the three main forest management practices in the California’s carbon market:28% are likely to adopt improved forest management (IFM) practices, 24% are likely to adopt reforestation due to understocked forestlands, and 14% are likely to adopt avoided conversion. In another development, the concept of aggregation has dominated discussions in the California’s carbon market of late. It is an advocacy to include small-scale forestlands in the California’s carbon market. To aggregate, different forestland owners will combine their forestlands to participate. We find that 79% of SC forestland owners are willing to aggregate to participate. However, this research is unable to determine how much total forestland is available in SC for carbon market. We recommend future research in the State on forestland owners’participation in carbon market should consider evaluating forestland availability.展开更多
Forest vegetation management has evolved as a recognized component of intensive forest management practice. It involves the management of competing vegetation necessary to obtain the high yields expected in modern for...Forest vegetation management has evolved as a recognized component of intensive forest management practice. It involves the management of competing vegetation necessary to obtain the high yields expected in modern forest plantations via control of interfering plants that influence regeneration outcome, impact timber stand development, and limit native plant and wildlife diversity. It includes cultural control, fire control, mechanical control, biological control, and chemical control. The public perception of forest vegetation management, especially chemical control, is sometimes negative due to health and environmental concerns. It is an important tool in the forest management alternatives available to consulting foresters managing family forest lands (the vast majority of private forest land in the United States). We report on a study that addresses the motivations of family forest owners that implement forest vegetation management practices and the motivation of those who chose not to implement after forester recommendations to do so. For those who do implement forest vegetation management, improvement of wildlife habitat and increased timber growth was the main motivation. For those who did not, cost was the main concern. Size of forest holding plays a major role in determining who will practice intensive forestry.展开更多
China's legislation relating to islands categorizes the latter into inhabited and uninhabited ones.Between the two different types,only uninhabited islands can be acquired by those who aspire to be private island ...China's legislation relating to islands categorizes the latter into inhabited and uninhabited ones.Between the two different types,only uninhabited islands can be acquired by those who aspire to be private island owners.In an effort to promote the development and utilization of uninhabited islands in China,a succession of laws and regulations have been formulated,including the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Offshore Islands,and the Application and Approval Measures on the Development and Utilization of Uninhabited Islands,among others.As the only tropical province in China,Hainan province boasts a large number of uninhabited islands,many of which are desired by prospective island owners.In order to promote the development of uninhabited islands,the Application and Approval Measures on the Development and Utilization of Uninhabited Islands in Hainan Province had been promulgated.Based on a detailed introduction on the main contents of the Measures,it is found that the Measures has set an innovative example for its kind in terms of the real estate publicity system,the construction permit and acceptance systems,solutions to using the islands before the issue of Island Protection Law,and verification systems.Nevertheless,the actual implementation of the Measures still brings a host of challenges with it.These relate to aspects of the Measures such as supply regulation premised on regulatory equilibrium,spatial planning with"Multiple-plan Coordination",and coordination between regulations on sea areas and islands.This paper proposes to maximize efforts to refine and coordinate general planning,to innovate systems and procedures regarding the use of islands and to promote the development and utilization of uninhabited islands through protective development in line with international standards.展开更多
<i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> is a zoonotic protozoan that can infect any warm-blooded mammal. <i>T. gondii</i> infects about one-third of the human population on the planet. Infection with the para...<i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> is a zoonotic protozoan that can infect any warm-blooded mammal. <i>T. gondii</i> infects about one-third of the human population on the planet. Infection with the parasite in human causes toxoplasmosis that may pose a high risk in immunocompromised individuals under certain clinical conditions. Cats are the ultimate hosts of <i>T. gondii</i> where oocysts are formed through mating of male and female gametes. Infected cats can expel <i>T. gondii</i> oocysts in their feces, and thereby capable of pass on a disease to humans and other animals through consumption of foods, vegetables and water that are polluted with cat feces. The study was conducted to detect the presence of anti-<i>T. gondii</i> IgM and IgG antibodies in the blood of individuals with or without cat contact to determine if there is any relationship between cat contacts and <i>T. gondii</i> infection in humans. To address this, we enrolled subjects who contacted with the cat as target group and individuals with no cat contact as control group. Following register of different demographic data (including age, sex, education, foods habit, income status, etc.), whole blood from each enrolled subject of both the target group and control group was collected for serum preparation. <i>T. gondii</i> infected subjects were detected by Toxo Rapid test kit through identifying anti-<i>T. gondii</i> IgM and IgG antibodies in their serum. We found that only three out of twenty subjects who were in contact with cat showed positive IgG response while IgM antibody response was absent for all subjects. When compared with the data from control group, we did not find any significant association (p = 0.33) of cat contact with the transmission <i>of T. gondii</i> into human. However, with this small number of study subjects, we cannot conclusively say that there is no impact of cat contact on the transmission of <i>T. gondii</i> into human. Whether any association exists or not can be ascertained with a large number of subjects from different areas of Bangladesh in a future study in the population.展开更多
There are progressive architects, engineers, contractors and owners that adopt some of the newest technologies for financial benefits. The moving force to integrate BIM （building information modeling） tools may come...There are progressive architects, engineers, contractors and owners that adopt some of the newest technologies for financial benefits. The moving force to integrate BIM （building information modeling） tools may come from owners demanding a BIM deliverable to approve the work on these projects. Ifa contractor can produce this deliverable, then obtaining the project could be done in a more convincing way. Contractors are confronted with problems in selecting proper construction methods and applying their knowledge about specific and well-defined technologies to a project. Their decision-making process and better project outcomes can be improved through a database-oriented library of construction methods and therefore, a consistent methodology to classify construction methods is needed. This goal can be achieved by introducing rigorous construction method descriptors. The technology solution and the trending need of owners to pay software companies to develop software that really works for them and contractors are empirically proved in this paper through a technology ontology and BIM-enabled estimating procedure. An exploratory case study is presented. This way, owners can efficiently demand deliverables that can be utilized by them downstream, allowing contractors and subcontracting trades to work efficiently and to assure the daily flow of operations.展开更多
The AFO （activating private forest owners to increase forest fuel supply） project was set up to discover the best tools for activating an important fraction of the 12 million PFOs （private forest owners） in Europe...The AFO （activating private forest owners to increase forest fuel supply） project was set up to discover the best tools for activating an important fraction of the 12 million PFOs （private forest owners） in Europe to supply wood fuel, especially to small and medium-sized heating plants. It aimed to increase the utilization of Europe＇s vast forest fuel reserves. This was expected to benefit both the economy of the forest owners and rural areas and increase the use of renewable energy sources. The project was carried out between 2009 and 2012. The project operated in selected target regions that have a high proportion of private forest ownership （France, Slovenia, Latvia and the UK）. It started by analyzing the potential wood fuel supply and use in relation to current regional markets. After assessing through inquiries the potential wood fuel supply and demand and the parties involved, the next step was to initiate and support the formation of wood fuel supply clusters and organize supply chains. This was followed by the dissemination of best practice examples from Austria and Finland--countries with the most expertise and long traditions of forest fuel production. In the last phase of the project, results and approved activation methods were disseminated to all 27 EU （European Union） countries.展开更多
8 June 2023,Milan–The show owners of ITMA ASIA+CITME have extended their collaboration to organise the combined textile machinery exhibition in a second Asian location.The combined exhibition has been held biennially...8 June 2023,Milan–The show owners of ITMA ASIA+CITME have extended their collaboration to organise the combined textile machinery exhibition in a second Asian location.The combined exhibition has been held biennially in Shanghai since 2008.展开更多
Using a sample of Chinese A-share listed companies from 2007 to 2018,this article explores the influence of common owners on corporate social responsibility(CSR).The results show that common owners significantly promo...Using a sample of Chinese A-share listed companies from 2007 to 2018,this article explores the influence of common owners on corporate social responsibility(CSR).The results show that common owners significantly promote CSR investment,indicating that increased CSR represents a bright side to common owners,in contrast to their anticompetitive effect.Further analysis shows that the nature of state ownership significantly weakens the positive relationship between common owners and CSR investment.Prospector firms strengthen the positive influence of common owners on CSR investment,whereas defender firms weaken the effect.Moreover,common owners benefit from increasing CSR investment,and co-owned firms benefit by easing their financial constraints when they invest or increase their investment in social responsibility.The findings enhance the outstanding of how common owners affect corporate behavior and enrich the literature on common ownership and CSR investment.展开更多
Over the past 30 years, Chinese society has undergone an enormous social transition. Along with the rise of a private economy, private business owners have emerged as a new social stratum, which attracts academic atte...Over the past 30 years, Chinese society has undergone an enormous social transition. Along with the rise of a private economy, private business owners have emerged as a new social stratum, which attracts academic attention domestically and internationally. As for the social origins of the private business owners, some of the private business owners are former cadres and current members of the Chinese Communist Party（CCP）. A question rarely pursued is what effects these ties have on political participation of＂ private business owners. The paper explores this question on the basis of data gathered in a representative survey of private enterprises in 2006. The study shows that the Chinese private business owners have diverse social origins, and their behavior in terms of political participation is also distinct in some ways. When it comes to the patterns of political participation of the private business owners, CCP members and former officials among private business owners indeed have unique characteristics in their access to political resources, but the patterns of political participation vary between these two groups. Furthermore, there are also considerable differences between members of the CCP and democratic parties in China in these respects. These findings cast doubt on the common use of CCP membership and occupational experience as cadre as interchangeable indicators for the ＂political capital＂ of business owners. A more differentiated understanding of the nature of political capital and mechanisms by which it is put to use by private entrepreneurs in China is called for.展开更多
The online social networks（OSNs） offer attractive means for social interactions and data sharing, as well as raise a number of security and privacy issues. Although current solutions propose to encrypt data before s...The online social networks（OSNs） offer attractive means for social interactions and data sharing, as well as raise a number of security and privacy issues. Although current solutions propose to encrypt data before sharing, the access control of encrypted data has become a challenging task. Moreover, multiple owners may enforce different access policy to the same data because of their different privacy concerns. A digital rights management（DRM） scheme is proposed for encrypted data in OSNs. In order to protect users＇ sensitive data, the scheme allows users outsource encrypted data to the OSNs service provider for sharing and customize the access policy of their data based on ciphertext-policy attribute-based encryption. Furthermore, the scheme presents a multiparty access control model based on identity-based broadcast encryption and ciphertext-policy attribute-based proxy re-encryption, which enables multiple owners, such as tagged users who appear in a single data, customize the access policy collaboratively, and also allows the disseminators update the access policy if their attributes satisfy the existing access policy. Security analysis and comparison indicate that the proposed scheme is secure and efficient.展开更多
基金funded by the South Carolina Natural Resources Conservation Service(SC NRCS)with grant number 2021917
文摘Background: Carbon sequestration through recommended forest management practices is an ecosystem service that helps mitigate climate change and its impacts while generating carbon credits for forestland owners to sell in cap-and-trade programs. The California’s cap-and-trade program (California’s carbon market hereafter) allows forestland owners from any part of the contiguous United States to supply carbon credits to compliance entities. In this study, we estimate South Carolina (SC) private forestland owners’willingness to accept compensations to participate in the California’s carbon market using a contingent valuation method. Results: We estimate forestland owners’mean willingness to accept as$67 per acre per year. Our results reveal higher probability of participation of forestland owners with interests in preserving forest ecosystems than those who do not. Additionally, forestland owners who trust in information about climate change from scientists or government are willing to participate more than those who do not. Conclusions: Various factors hinder landowners’ability to participate in carbon markets. Forestland owners in SC consider legislative uncertainty and long-time commitment as the main barriers to participation in California’s carbon market. From this research, average forestland tenure in SC is 27 years, which is far less than the 100-year time commitment of the California’s carbon market. Of those who agreed to participate, choosing between adopting and not adopting any of the three main forest management practices in the California’s carbon market:28% are likely to adopt improved forest management (IFM) practices, 24% are likely to adopt reforestation due to understocked forestlands, and 14% are likely to adopt avoided conversion. In another development, the concept of aggregation has dominated discussions in the California’s carbon market of late. It is an advocacy to include small-scale forestlands in the California’s carbon market. To aggregate, different forestland owners will combine their forestlands to participate. We find that 79% of SC forestland owners are willing to aggregate to participate. However, this research is unable to determine how much total forestland is available in SC for carbon market. We recommend future research in the State on forestland owners’participation in carbon market should consider evaluating forestland availability.
文摘Forest vegetation management has evolved as a recognized component of intensive forest management practice. It involves the management of competing vegetation necessary to obtain the high yields expected in modern forest plantations via control of interfering plants that influence regeneration outcome, impact timber stand development, and limit native plant and wildlife diversity. It includes cultural control, fire control, mechanical control, biological control, and chemical control. The public perception of forest vegetation management, especially chemical control, is sometimes negative due to health and environmental concerns. It is an important tool in the forest management alternatives available to consulting foresters managing family forest lands (the vast majority of private forest land in the United States). We report on a study that addresses the motivations of family forest owners that implement forest vegetation management practices and the motivation of those who chose not to implement after forester recommendations to do so. For those who do implement forest vegetation management, improvement of wildlife habitat and increased timber growth was the main motivation. For those who did not, cost was the main concern. Size of forest holding plays a major role in determining who will practice intensive forestry.
文摘China's legislation relating to islands categorizes the latter into inhabited and uninhabited ones.Between the two different types,only uninhabited islands can be acquired by those who aspire to be private island owners.In an effort to promote the development and utilization of uninhabited islands in China,a succession of laws and regulations have been formulated,including the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Offshore Islands,and the Application and Approval Measures on the Development and Utilization of Uninhabited Islands,among others.As the only tropical province in China,Hainan province boasts a large number of uninhabited islands,many of which are desired by prospective island owners.In order to promote the development of uninhabited islands,the Application and Approval Measures on the Development and Utilization of Uninhabited Islands in Hainan Province had been promulgated.Based on a detailed introduction on the main contents of the Measures,it is found that the Measures has set an innovative example for its kind in terms of the real estate publicity system,the construction permit and acceptance systems,solutions to using the islands before the issue of Island Protection Law,and verification systems.Nevertheless,the actual implementation of the Measures still brings a host of challenges with it.These relate to aspects of the Measures such as supply regulation premised on regulatory equilibrium,spatial planning with"Multiple-plan Coordination",and coordination between regulations on sea areas and islands.This paper proposes to maximize efforts to refine and coordinate general planning,to innovate systems and procedures regarding the use of islands and to promote the development and utilization of uninhabited islands through protective development in line with international standards.
文摘<i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> is a zoonotic protozoan that can infect any warm-blooded mammal. <i>T. gondii</i> infects about one-third of the human population on the planet. Infection with the parasite in human causes toxoplasmosis that may pose a high risk in immunocompromised individuals under certain clinical conditions. Cats are the ultimate hosts of <i>T. gondii</i> where oocysts are formed through mating of male and female gametes. Infected cats can expel <i>T. gondii</i> oocysts in their feces, and thereby capable of pass on a disease to humans and other animals through consumption of foods, vegetables and water that are polluted with cat feces. The study was conducted to detect the presence of anti-<i>T. gondii</i> IgM and IgG antibodies in the blood of individuals with or without cat contact to determine if there is any relationship between cat contacts and <i>T. gondii</i> infection in humans. To address this, we enrolled subjects who contacted with the cat as target group and individuals with no cat contact as control group. Following register of different demographic data (including age, sex, education, foods habit, income status, etc.), whole blood from each enrolled subject of both the target group and control group was collected for serum preparation. <i>T. gondii</i> infected subjects were detected by Toxo Rapid test kit through identifying anti-<i>T. gondii</i> IgM and IgG antibodies in their serum. We found that only three out of twenty subjects who were in contact with cat showed positive IgG response while IgM antibody response was absent for all subjects. When compared with the data from control group, we did not find any significant association (p = 0.33) of cat contact with the transmission <i>of T. gondii</i> into human. However, with this small number of study subjects, we cannot conclusively say that there is no impact of cat contact on the transmission of <i>T. gondii</i> into human. Whether any association exists or not can be ascertained with a large number of subjects from different areas of Bangladesh in a future study in the population.
文摘There are progressive architects, engineers, contractors and owners that adopt some of the newest technologies for financial benefits. The moving force to integrate BIM （building information modeling） tools may come from owners demanding a BIM deliverable to approve the work on these projects. Ifa contractor can produce this deliverable, then obtaining the project could be done in a more convincing way. Contractors are confronted with problems in selecting proper construction methods and applying their knowledge about specific and well-defined technologies to a project. Their decision-making process and better project outcomes can be improved through a database-oriented library of construction methods and therefore, a consistent methodology to classify construction methods is needed. This goal can be achieved by introducing rigorous construction method descriptors. The technology solution and the trending need of owners to pay software companies to develop software that really works for them and contractors are empirically proved in this paper through a technology ontology and BIM-enabled estimating procedure. An exploratory case study is presented. This way, owners can efficiently demand deliverables that can be utilized by them downstream, allowing contractors and subcontracting trades to work efficiently and to assure the daily flow of operations.
文摘The AFO （activating private forest owners to increase forest fuel supply） project was set up to discover the best tools for activating an important fraction of the 12 million PFOs （private forest owners） in Europe to supply wood fuel, especially to small and medium-sized heating plants. It aimed to increase the utilization of Europe＇s vast forest fuel reserves. This was expected to benefit both the economy of the forest owners and rural areas and increase the use of renewable energy sources. The project was carried out between 2009 and 2012. The project operated in selected target regions that have a high proportion of private forest ownership （France, Slovenia, Latvia and the UK）. It started by analyzing the potential wood fuel supply and use in relation to current regional markets. After assessing through inquiries the potential wood fuel supply and demand and the parties involved, the next step was to initiate and support the formation of wood fuel supply clusters and organize supply chains. This was followed by the dissemination of best practice examples from Austria and Finland--countries with the most expertise and long traditions of forest fuel production. In the last phase of the project, results and approved activation methods were disseminated to all 27 EU （European Union） countries.
文摘8 June 2023,Milan–The show owners of ITMA ASIA+CITME have extended their collaboration to organise the combined textile machinery exhibition in a second Asian location.The combined exhibition has been held biennially in Shanghai since 2008.
文摘Using a sample of Chinese A-share listed companies from 2007 to 2018,this article explores the influence of common owners on corporate social responsibility(CSR).The results show that common owners significantly promote CSR investment,indicating that increased CSR represents a bright side to common owners,in contrast to their anticompetitive effect.Further analysis shows that the nature of state ownership significantly weakens the positive relationship between common owners and CSR investment.Prospector firms strengthen the positive influence of common owners on CSR investment,whereas defender firms weaken the effect.Moreover,common owners benefit from increasing CSR investment,and co-owned firms benefit by easing their financial constraints when they invest or increase their investment in social responsibility.The findings enhance the outstanding of how common owners affect corporate behavior and enrich the literature on common ownership and CSR investment.
文摘Over the past 30 years, Chinese society has undergone an enormous social transition. Along with the rise of a private economy, private business owners have emerged as a new social stratum, which attracts academic attention domestically and internationally. As for the social origins of the private business owners, some of the private business owners are former cadres and current members of the Chinese Communist Party（CCP）. A question rarely pursued is what effects these ties have on political participation of＂ private business owners. The paper explores this question on the basis of data gathered in a representative survey of private enterprises in 2006. The study shows that the Chinese private business owners have diverse social origins, and their behavior in terms of political participation is also distinct in some ways. When it comes to the patterns of political participation of the private business owners, CCP members and former officials among private business owners indeed have unique characteristics in their access to political resources, but the patterns of political participation vary between these two groups. Furthermore, there are also considerable differences between members of the CCP and democratic parties in China in these respects. These findings cast doubt on the common use of CCP membership and occupational experience as cadre as interchangeable indicators for the ＂political capital＂ of business owners. A more differentiated understanding of the nature of political capital and mechanisms by which it is put to use by private entrepreneurs in China is called for.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(60803157,90812001,61272519)
文摘The online social networks（OSNs） offer attractive means for social interactions and data sharing, as well as raise a number of security and privacy issues. Although current solutions propose to encrypt data before sharing, the access control of encrypted data has become a challenging task. Moreover, multiple owners may enforce different access policy to the same data because of their different privacy concerns. A digital rights management（DRM） scheme is proposed for encrypted data in OSNs. In order to protect users＇ sensitive data, the scheme allows users outsource encrypted data to the OSNs service provider for sharing and customize the access policy of their data based on ciphertext-policy attribute-based encryption. Furthermore, the scheme presents a multiparty access control model based on identity-based broadcast encryption and ciphertext-policy attribute-based proxy re-encryption, which enables multiple owners, such as tagged users who appear in a single data, customize the access policy collaboratively, and also allows the disseminators update the access policy if their attributes satisfy the existing access policy. Security analysis and comparison indicate that the proposed scheme is secure and efficient.
