Recent studies have shown strong temporal correlations between past climate changes and societal crises. However, the specific causal mechanisms underlying this relation have not been addressed. We explored quantitative responses of 14 fine-grained agro-ecological, socioeconomic, and demographic variables to climate fluctuations from A.D. 1500-1800 in Europe. Results show that cooling from A.D. 1560-1660 caused successive agro-ecological, socioeconomic, and demographic catastrophes, leading to the General Crisis of the Seventeenth Century. We identified a set of causal linkages between climate change and human crisis. Using temperature data and climate-driven economic variables, we simulated the alternation of defined "golden" and "dark" ages in Europe and the Northern Hemisphere during the past millennium. Our findings indicate that climate change was the ultimate cause, and climate-driven economic downturn was the direct cause, of large-scale human crises in preindustrial Europe and the Northern Hemisphere.climate-driven economy | Granger Causality Analysis | grain price D ebate about the relation between climate and human crisis has lasted over a century. With recent advances in paleotemperature reconstruction, scholars note that massive social disturbance, societal collapse, and population collapse often coincided with great climate change in America, the Middle East, China, and many other countries in preindustrial times (1-5). Although most of these scientists believe that climate change could cause human catastrophe, their arguments are backed simply by qualitative scrutiny of narrow historic examples. More recent breakthroughs came from research adopting quantitative approaches to all known cases of social crisis. These studies show that, in recent history, climate change was responsible for the outbreak of war, dynastic transition, and population decline in China, Europe, and around the world because of climate-induced
Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to report research on the extent and quality of intellectual capital (IC) disclosure of Chinese (mainland) companies that have dual listed A and H shares. Design/methodology/approach -A comprehensive IC disclosure index was constructed in the study to code, using content analysis methods, the annual reports of 49 dual-listed companies in mainland China. Findings -Consistent with previous research, the current level of IC disclosure by mainland Chinese companies is not high. Most of the reported IC attributes are expressed in discursive rather than numerical or monetary terms. However, the average number of items disclosed is high enough to suggest that there is a clear awareness of the significance of IC disclosure. While the disclosure quality is not considered strong, it does suggest that the companies have a modest commitment in communicating their IC information to an external audience.Research limitations/implications -The research only examines the dual listed companies covering a one-year period from the 2006 annual reports. Practical implications -IC disclosure in China is an important part of the movement to greater transparency. Increased appreciation of the levels of IC disclosure may encourage greater debate over IC disclosure in that country. Originality/value -This paper reviews one of the few research studies of IC disclosure in mainland China. The research also incorporates a quality index of the disclosure.
Thermoresponsive micellization of poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PEG110-b-PNIPAM44) in water is studied by static light scattering and dynamic light scattering. The critical aggregation temperature of PEG110-b-PNIPAM44 is a little higher than homopolymer PNIPAM, and it depends on the block copolymer concentration, which increases from 33.7 to 38.4°C when the copolymer concentration decreases from 2.0 to 0.20 mg/mL. Above the critical aggregation temperature, thermoresponsive micellization occurs, and the resultant spherical micelles consist of a PNIPAM core and a PEG shell. The block copolymer concentration exerts a strong influence on the size and structure of the resultant micelles. Micellization of PEG110-b-PNIPAM44 at higher copolymer concentration favors formation of narrowly distributed, small, and dense micelles, while large, loose micelles or micellar clusters form at lower block copolymer concentration.
PurposeThis paper aims to construct a comprehensive theoretical framework for interpreting voluntary IC disclosure practices by organizations.Design/methodology/approachFour most‐commonly used theories in the area, namely agency theory, stakeholder theory, signalling theory, and legitimacy theory, were integrated in terms of the interrelated concepts relating to voluntary IC disclosure.FindingsThe constructed theoretical framework includes three concepts: to reduce information asymmetry; to discharge accountability to various stakeholders; and to signal organizational legitimacy and excellence (or superior quality) to society, which are seen as motivations for organizations to disclose their IC on a voluntary basis.Research limitations/implicationsThe framework ignores some other theoretical perspectives which are also relevant to voluntary IC disclosure; the framework is not justified by any empirical evidence.Originality/valueThis research is the first attempt to construct a comprehensive theoretical framework for the voluntary disclosure of IC; the constructed framework can be employed as a theoretical foundation for future empirical studies in relation to voluntary IC disclosure.
Polymeric nanoparticles with glucose-responsiveness under physiological conditions are of great interests in developing drug delivery system for the treatment of diabetes. Herein, glucose-responsive complex micelles were prepared by self-assembly of a phenylboronic acid-contained block copolymer PEG-b-P(AA-co-APBA) and a glycopolymer P(AA-co-AGA) based on the covalent complexation between phenylboronic acid and glycosyl. The formation of the complex micelles with a P(AA-co-APBA)/P(AA-co-AGA) core and a PEG shell was confirmed by HNMR analysis. The glucose-responsiveness of the complex micelles was investigated by monitoring the light scattering intensity and the fluorescence (ARS) of the micelle solutions. The complex micelles displayed an enhanced glucose-responsiveness compared to the simple PEG-b-P(AA-co-APBA) micelles and the sensitivity of the complex micelles to glucose increased with the decrease of the amount of P(AA-co-AGA) in the compositions. The cytotoxicity of the polymers and the complex micelles was also evaluated by MTT assay. This kind of complex micelles may be an excellent candidate for insulin delivery and may find application in the treatment of diabetes.
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