A growing number of large forest industry companies have declared voluntary adoption of Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines to avoid the lack of verification in reporting and to alleviate current criticisms of corporate responsibility (CR) practices. In this study, we use quantitative multivariate analysis of CR disclosure data (GRI indicators) from 66 forest industry firms. The results from cluster analysis show that 58% of the major companies in forest-based industries are following what could be called a relatively defensive approach to CR, while companies proactive towards CR represent only a minority of the sample (18%), and one-quarter of the companies could be classified as being 'stuck-in-the-middle' in terms of CR. CR practices are found to run parallel to and beyond core business activities, number of employees, sales, and production in these three strategic groups. However, no strategic group level differences in terms of the location of headquarters or financial performance were found.

No abstract

No abstract

A thioxanthone based one-component polymerizable visible light photoinitiator with a high photopolymerization activity and very good migration stability was designed and prepared.

Asparagus cochinchinensis is a traditional Chinese medicine used for treating lung and spleen-related diseases. In this study, we compared the medicinal effects of A. cochinchinensis root and stem extracts on the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), the content of malonaldehyde (MDA) and total protein content in the brain, liver and plasma of mice. Polysaccharides and aqueous extracts of the roots significantly increased the spleen index and the SOD activity but reduced the MDA content and slowed down the aging process. In contrast, feeding with the stem extracts significantly reduced the SOD activity and increased the MDA accumulation in the brain and liver of mice, suggesting that the stem extracts may not be appropriate for treating aging-related diseases.

Sheet-like Bi2Fe4O9 nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by a rather facile hydrothermal process. Transmission electron microscopic (TEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) studies show that the particles are sheet-like, about 30 nm in the direction of thickness. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicated that the as-prepared particles were pure Bi2Fe4O9, but after storing at room temperature for half a year, γ-Fe2O3 appeared. The magnetic properties of the nanoparticles before and after storing were characterized by a vibration sample magnetometer (VSM).

No abstract

The development of adsorbents into structured and robust forms remains a challenge for emerging porous materials. In the context of porous boron nitride (BN), studies point to a tradeoff between...