The role of time preferences in contract breach:Evidence from Chinese poultry farmers participating in contract farming

Farmers’contract breach behavior is cited as one of the major stumbling blocks in the sustainable expansion of contract farming in many developing countries.This paper examines farmers’contract breach decisions from the perspective of time preferences.The empirical analysis is based on a household survey and economic field experiments of poultry households participating in contract farming conducted in Jiangsu Province,China.A discounted utility model and a maximum likelihood technique are applied to estimate farmers’time preferences and the effect of time preferences on contract breach in the production and sales phases are explored with a bivariate probit model.The results show that,on average,the poultry farmers in the sample are generally present biased and impatient regarding future utility.The regression results show that farmers with a higher preference for the present and a higher discount rate are more likely to breach contracts,and time preferences play a greater role in the production phase than in the sales phase.When considering heterogeneity,specific investments and transaction costs promote contract stability only for farmers with a low degree of impatience.Moreover,compared with large-scale farmers,small-scale farmers’contract breach decisions are more significantly affected by their time preferences.These results have implications for contract stability policies and other issues that are impacted by the linking of behavioral preferences to agricultural decisions.

Influence of Building Information Modelling (BIM) on Engineering Contract Management in Nairobi, Kenya

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a technology and a process that has brought changes in the construction’s traditional procurement system. Kenya lacks contractual guidelines on implementation of BIM;this makes the adoption of BIM slow and difficult. Previous research has identified a gap in contractual relationships, roles and resulting risks. The objectives of this study were to investigate BIM adoption in Nairobi and to investigate the influence of BIM on Engineering Contract Management (ECM) in Nairobi Kenya. The survey research was a descriptive study with 175 responsive questionnaires. Respondents comprised of Civil Engineers, Construction Project Managers, Architects, Quantity Surveyors, Contractors and Facility Managers. Data was collected through self-administered questionnaire and in-depth interview. Descriptive analytics, correlation and Exploratory factor analysis methods were used to analyse quantitative data. Qualitative data was analysed thematically. It emerged that adoption level was at 56.6% and shallow understanding of BIM capabilities remains to be a barrier to its adoption and implementation. It also emerged that BIM improves ECM;when time, cost, quality, collaboration and return on investment improve, ECM becomes easier. Latent factors found in BIM and ECM relationship were Legal Implications, awareness and knowledge, efficiency, versatility, mandate and leadership, and competitiveness. Further, the study found out that BIM influence on ECM demands for establishment of standards, guidelines, policy, legal framework, and regulations, which can be achieved by amending the public procurement act which dictates the operation of all the other standard forms of contract. Further research should be conducted to measure whether the understanding of BIM had positively improved.

Reform of Rural Planting Structure in China since the Reform and Opening-up and Its Main Problems

Based on the oral interview of six different types of rural families in Houdian Village,Longkou City,Shandong Province,combined with the adjustment of rural reform policies,this paper analyzed reasons for the reform of rural planting structure in China since the reform and opening-up and elaborated the general outline of the reform of the planting structure.From the changes in farmers' attitudes,it explored the achievements and shortcomings of rural reform in the past 40 years.It discussed problems such as shortage of labor resources and vacancy of family education of teenagers in the current sustainable development of rural areas.Finally,it came up with some recommendations for the development of rural areas.

论足球合同违约体育制裁及CAS裁判法理

足球合同违约不仅导致赔偿,还可能引发体育制裁。将此类由体育制裁引发的争议提交至国际体育仲裁院(Court of Arbitration for Sport,CAS),须将足球主管机构作为被诉方。在审查此类案件中,仲裁庭首先确认合同违约是否发生在保护期内;对违约球员、违约俱乐部和诱导球员违约俱乐部施加的体育制裁不同,仲裁庭的审查要件和裁判标准也存在区别。在处理此类案件的过程中,CAS尊重足球主管机构在体育制裁方面的裁量权,同时确保这一裁量权的行使正当及在合理范围之内。

Parallel computation of seismic analysis of high arch dam

Parallel computation programs are developed for three-dimensional meso-mechanics analysis of fully-graded dam concrete and seismic response analysis of high arch dams （ADs）, based on the Parallel Finite Element Program Generator （PFEPG）. The computational algorithms of the numerical simulation of the meso-structure of concrete specimens were studied. Taking into account damage evolution, static preload, strain rate effect, and the heterogeneity of the meso-structure of dam concrete, the fracture processes of damage evolution and configuration of the cracks can be directly simulated. In the seismic response analysis of ADs, all the following factors are involved, such as the nonlinear contact due to the opening and slipping of the contraction joints, energy dispersion of the far-field foundation, dynamic interactions of the dam-foundation- reservoir system, and the combining effects of seismic action with all static loads. The correctness, reliability and efficiency of the two parallel computational programs are verified with practical illustrations.

Carbon monoxide contributes to the constipating effects of granisetron in rat colon

AIM To investigate the mechanisms underlying the potential contribution of the heme oxygenase/carbon monoxide(HO/CO) pathway in the constipating effects of granisetron. METHODS For in vivo studies, gastrointestinal motility was evaluated in male rats acutely treated with granisetron [25, 50, 75 μg/kg/subcutaneous(sc)], zinc protoporphyrin IX [Zn PPIX, 50 μg/kg/intraperitoneal(ip)] and hemin(50 μmol/L/kg/ip), alone or in combination. For in vitro studies, the contractile neurogenic response to electrical field stimulation(EFS, 3, 5, 10 Hz, 14 V, 1 ms, pulse trains lasting 10 s), as well as the contractile myogenic response to acetylcholine(ACh, 0.1-100 μmol/L) were evaluated on colon specimens incubated with granisetron(3 μmol/L, 15 min), Zn PPIX(10 μmol/L, 60 min) or CO-releasing molecule-3(CORM-3, 100, 200, 400 μmol/L) alone or in combination. These experiments were performed under co-treatment withor without atropine(3 μmol/L, a muscarinic receptor antagonist) or NG-nitro-L-Arginine(L-NNA, 100 μmol/L, a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor).RESULTS Administration of granisetron(50, 75 μg/kg) in vivo significantly increased the time to first defecation(P = 0.045 vs vehicle-treated rats), clearly suggesting a constipating effect of this drug. Although administration of Zn PPIX or hemin alone had no effect on this gastrointestinal motility parameter, Zn PPIX co-administered with granisetron abolished the granisetron-induced constipation. On the other hand, co-administration of hemin and granisetron did not modify the increased constipation observed under granisetron alone. When administered in vitro, granisetron alone(3 μmol/L) did not significantly modify the colon's contractile response to either EFS or ACh. Incubation with Zn PPIX alone(10 μmol/L) significantly reduced the colon's contractile response to EFS(P = 0.016) but had no effect on contractile response to ACh. Co-administration of Zn PPIX and atropine(3 μmol/L) abolished the Zn PPIX-mediated decrease in contractile response to EFS. Conversely, incubation with CORM-3(400 μmol/L) alone increased both the contractile response to EFS at 10 Hz(10 Hz: 71.02 ± 19.16 vs 116.25 ± 53.70, P = 0.01) and the contractile response to ACh(100 μmol/L)(P = 0.012). Co-administration of atropine abolished the CORM-3-mediated effects on the EFS-mediated response. When granisetron was co-incubated in vitro with ZnP PIX, the ZnP PIX-mediated decrease in colon contractile response to EFS was lost. On the other hand, co-incubation of granisetron and CORM-3(400 μmol/L) further increased the colon's contractile response to EFS(at 5 Hz: P = 0.007; at 10 Hz: P = 0.001) and to ACh(ACh 10 μmol/L: P = 0.001; ACh 100 μmol/L: P = 0.001) elicited by CORM-3 alone. L-NNA co-administered with granisetron and CORM-3 abolished the potentiating effect of CORM-3 on granisetron on both the EFSinduced and ACh-induced contractile response.CONCLUSION Taken together, findings from in vivo and in vitro studies suggest that the HO/CO pathway is involved in the constipating effects of granisetron.

Empirical Study on Influence of Brand Crisis of Agricultural Products on Network Cluster Behavior of Consumers

From the perspective of psychological contract,this paper discusses mechanism of consumers' network cluster behavior in the context of brand crisis. On the basis of Simmel's conflict theory,it presented new findings of network cluster behavior. It is concluded that brand crisis exerts significant influence on breach of psychological contract. Particularly,functional brand crisis more easily leads to breach of transactional psychological contract,while value brand crisis more easily leads to breach of relational psychological contract. Breach of transactional psychological contract more easily leads to realistic network cluster behavior,while breach of relational psychological contract does not necessarily lead to non-realistic network cluster behavior.

Organizational Data Breach:Building Conscious Care Behavior in Incident Response

Organizational and end user data breaches are highly implicated by the role of information security conscious care behavior in respective incident responses.This research study draws upon the literature in the areas of information security,incident response,theory of planned behaviour,and protection motivation theory to expand and empirically validate a modified framework of information security conscious care behaviour formation.The applicability of the theoretical framework is shown through a case study labelled as a cyber-attack of unprecedented scale and sophistication in Singapore’s history to-date,the 2018 SingHealth data breach.The single in-depth case study observed information security awareness,policy,experience,attitude,subjective norms,perceived behavioral control,threat appraisal and self-efficacy as emerging prominently in the framework’s applicability in incident handling.The data analysis did not support threat severity relationship with conscious care behaviour.The findings from the above-mentioned observations are presented as possible key drivers in the shaping information security conscious care behaviour in real-world cyber incident management.

Development Model and Characteristics of Rural Land Joint Stock-cooperative System

We introduce and analyze operating mechanism of three major rural land joint-stock cooperative systems in China,including community type(Nanhai model),collective leasing type(Ningxia Pingluo model) and joint operating type(Zhejiang Jiande model).Current rural land joint-stock cooperative system has following characteristics.Firstly,adhere to the collective ownership and household contract responsibility system in rural areas.Secondly,safeguard farmers' land contractual rights and interests.Thirdly,implement large-scale agricultural production and operation.Fourthly,carry out normative operation of farmers' cooperatives.On the basis of these,we point out such problems as backward technology and short of funds in development of rural land joint-stock cooperative system.Finally,we conclude that the development of rural land joint-stock cooperative system should fully draw lessons from foreign advanced experience,actively try new model like securitization of rural land,to explore a road suitable for current national conditions.

新城区·新理念·新模式·新技术——北京城市副中心0701街区住房项目“A+EPC”实践

2016年中央做出规划建设北京城市副中心重要指示,副中心正在成为北京未来最具发展潜力的新城市区域。0701街区项目作为城市副中心示范工程,以小街廓、密路网、开放街区的理念,探索城市运营与基层社会治理的新路径。A2和F标段探索由责任建筑师牵头负责实施“A+EPC”的新模式,创新实践工业化、数字化、绿色化新技术。

On the Contract System of Responsibility Linked to Production——A New Form of Cooperative Economy in China’s Socialist Agriculture

surveys the evolution of the contract system of 'responsibility linked to production' in the cooperative economy of China’s socialist agricultural sector and makes a critical analysis of the old model in which labor was deployed in a concentrated way and remuneration paid according to workpoints. He thereby brings to light two specific characteristics of China’s agriculture—the scattered and independent nature of the labor and the unified control and coordination over the process of production by the combination of households—and the two requirements resulting from these. The author holds that the key to the economic nature of the 'contract system of responsibility linked to production' lies in two unique, often puzzling, economic phenomena in the cooperative economy under the system of collective ownership: 1. labor is carried out independently and in a decentralized manner; and 2. remuneration is not based on workpoints but is directly obtained by individuals according to the product. In the process of analyzing these two phenomena, the author differentiates the modes of labor and the relations of production, and clarifies the process of production of the rural contract system’s combination of centralization and decentralization, and the essence of the two-tiered policy. He also formulates the category of 'standard output' to describe a characteristic of the mode of distribution in the rural contract system, that is, the calculation of remuneration according to a standard output. The paper also discusses the rural economy and its development after the institution of the contract system of 'responsibility linked to production' but due to limited space this will be published in a later article.

APN弹性排班结合责任包床到人对护理质量的影响

目的:针对科内护理工作实际情况,实行APN弹性排班结合责任包干制包床到人,提高基础护理质量,切实落实患者优质基础护理水平。方法:针对我科护理工作中高风险时段护理人员不足的实际,实行APN弹性排班结合责任包干制包床到人,并与传统排班护理管理模式进行对比,比较两种模式下,护理工作满意度、护理安全事件发生率及护理工作时间变化情况。结果:实施APN弹性排班结合责任包干制包床到人后明显减少了护理工作中高风险时段的护理安全隐患,同时提高了基础护理质量及满意度。结论:实行APN弹性排班结合责任包干制可发挥护理组长在护理管理中的作用,提高了护理工作效率和质量,减少了安全隐患,提高了护理工作满意率。

基于动态刺激响应模型的异质农业Agent群任务分配策略

针对农业Agent群协同控制困难、工作效率低的问题,研究了基于改进刺激响应模型的异质农业Agent群任务分配策略。建立基于熟人网与云边协同计算系统的分层混合式Agent群体系架构;将蚁群算法的刺激响应模型应用于传统合同网算法中,通过建立自适应招标策略来限制投标Agent数量、减少系统的通信负担;在考虑农业Agent异质性的基础上建立任务分配的效能模型,通过构建时变系数与时间矩阵,建立基于直接信任度、基于推荐信任度的动态信任度函数与响应阈值设计方法,以优化农业Agent团队的整体效能;利用增量式PID算法与积分分离阈值建立刺激量动态更新函数,减少了Agent团队工作量的超调量、通信量与偏差收敛时的迭代次数。仿真结果表明,在Agent团队规模分别为40个与100个时,改进的合同网算法相比传统合同网算法的整体效能分别提高了41.1%与83.1%;在Agent团队规模为40个时,额外设置3组刺激量更新函数,基于PID算法的刺激量动态更新函数的工作量超调量相比第2组函数、第3组函数分别降低了24.5%、9.5%,在迭代次数方面,相比第1组函数、第3组函数分别降低了84.3%、84.8%;在Agent团队规模分别为20、40、100个时,改进的合同网算法的通信量相比传统合同网算法减少了49.1%、63.7%、72.4%。验证实验表明,由改进的合同网算法进行任务分配的通信量与工作量超调量较传统合同网算法分别减少了70.0%与20.2%,整体效能比传统合同网算法增加了14.1%,且改进的任务分配算法能保证参加工作的Agent群在规定的时限要求内完成对工作区域的100%覆盖。

职业体育比赛票务制度的公共秩序原则考察——以CBA辽宁飞豹篮球俱乐部“门票事件”为样本

公共秩序原则是公序良俗原则组成部分,在不同的法律领域内有不同的表现形式,对体育票务制度的发展至关重要。从对辽宁飞豹篮球俱乐部"门票事件"的个案研究中发现,打击倒卖比赛门票行为可以依据公共秩序原则解除门票买卖合同,但解除受到严格的条件限制。在不满足条件的情况下解约人应当承担违约责任,且对不同相对人的责任承当方式不尽相同。另外,公共秩序原则的一个重要内容要求在市场交易的过程中,门票的出卖人不得利用体育票务市场的支配地位实施垄断行为,其垄断行为多部门的综合管辖。最后,体育票务市场公共秩序的维护仅靠涨价打击倒卖比赛门票的行为不能起效。应当从制度设计入手,加快倒卖有价票证行为的刑事立法,同时采用市场、科技、交易等多方面的手段进行规制。

pH刺激响应性HPAN/Ge水凝胶纤维的制备与表征

制备了碱解聚丙烯腈(HPAN)与明胶(Ge)共混纺丝原液,以硫酸/饱和Na2SO4溶液为凝固浴,戊二醛为交联剂,湿法纺丝纺制了HPAN/Ge水凝胶纤维.研究了水凝胶纤维在不同pH值溶液中伸长、收缩和pH响应滞后行为.发现HPAN/Ge水凝胶纤维具有很快的响应速度,其响应时间随着明胶质量分数的增加而减少.当PAN质量分数为30%,Ge质量分数为70%时凝胶纤维的伸长和收缩响应时间最短,分别为0.59s和1.14s.HPAN/Ge水凝胶纤维的平衡溶胀伸长率随HPAN含量的增加而增加.

Serum response factor:Look into the gut

Serum response factor(SRF) is a transcription factor that regulates many genes involved in cellular activities such as proliferation,migration,differentiation,angiogenesis,and apoptosis.Although it has only been known for about two decades,SRF has been studied extensively.To date,over a thousand SRF studies have been published,but it still remains a hot topic.Due to its critical role in mesoderm-derived tissues,most of the SRF studies focused on muscle structure/function,cardiovascular development/maintenance,and smooth muscle generation/repair.Recently,SRF has received more attention in the digestive field and several important discoveries have been made.This review will summarize what we have learned about SRF in the gastrointestinal tract and provide insights into possible future directions in this area.

Comparison between Auditory and Visual Simple Reaction Times

Objective: The purpose of this study was to find out whether the simple reaction time was faster for auditory or visual stimulus and the factors responsible for improving the performance of the athlete. Methodology: 14 subjects were as- signed randomly into groups consisting of 2 members. Both the members from each group performed both the visual and auditory tests. The tests were taken from the DirectRT software program from a laptop. The DirectRT software consists of Testlabvisual and Testlabsounds to test the reaction times to visual and auditory stimuli. The 2 members from each group completed both the visual and auditory reaction times, the data was taken and the mean reaction time was calculated excluding the first and last values. Results: The results show that the mean visual reaction time is around 331 milliseconds as compared to the mean auditory reaction time of around 284 milliseconds. Conclusion: This shows that the auditory reaction time is faster than the visual reaction time. And also males have faster reaction times when compared to females for both auditory as well as visual stimuli.

循环miRNAs作为骨骼肌对运动反应与适应的生物标志物的可能性

背景:运动对机体产生刺激反应和生物学适应,对骨骼肌和心肌中的mi RNAs表达水平产生影响。不同运动方式能诱导不同的生物适应,比较而言离心收缩运动相对于向心收缩运动对肌肉刺激更大、生物学效应更积极。mi RNAs是短的非编码RNA,通过调节转录后的基因表达来影响生物过程。在大多数体液中有稳定存在的循环mi RNAs,对运动类型和强度有高度敏感性和特异性。目的:综述不同运动类型对循环mi RNAs表达水平的影响,分析了循环mi RNAs作为骨骼肌对运动反应与适应的生物标志物的可能性,以期为运动训练和运动促进健康过程中的干预提供参考。方法:检索有关骨骼肌mi RNAs、循环mi RNAs、运动对mi RNAs影响的文献,以“exercise;myomi RNAs;ci-mi RNAs;HIIT;biomarker”为关键词,在Pub Med、Web of Science等数据库进行检索;以“运动、mi RNAs、myomi RNAs、ci-mi RNAs、反应、生物标志物”为关键词,在CNKI、万方、维普等数据库进行检索。对检索获得的全部文献阅读、分析、判断,最终纳入符合标准的86篇文献进行归纳总结。结果与结论:循环mi RNAs的表达水平会随着人体运动类型和运动强度的改变而升高或降低,有非常大的潜力成为运动反应和适应的生物标志物。对于各种具体的运动方式产生的循环mi RNAs表达水平的具体变化,及其在运动过程中和恢复过程中的生物学意义,还存在很大的研究空间。

The "Two Leaps" and Chinese Agricultural Modernization

The "Two Leaps" put forward by Deng xiao-ping on agriculture are expounded in the paper. The first leap is from the people's commune to family land contract operation system. The weaknesses of people's commune and innovation of family land contract operation system are analyzed. It is pointed out that the family contact operation system is the expansion and development of collective economy. The second leap is to develop appropriate scale operation and collective economy. The shortages of family contract system are analyzed. It is put forward that realizing scale operation of agriculture is the necessary demand for production development and collective economy road is the inevitable way for realizing Chinese agricultural appropriate scale operation. "Two leaps" gives clears way of agricultural modernization:consolidating the thoughts of starting from the reality, insisting the guidance of the fundamental position of agriculture and further promoting agricultural development; persistently stabilizing and perfecting rural basic operation system and timely promote rural system innovation; stimulating the thought that science and technology is the prior productiveness and developing agricultural modernization in a better and faster way.

System Analysis & Incentive Model Design for Enterprise Contract Management Responsibility System(ECMRS)

With introducting two testing indices of ECMRS,behavior modal of the contract enterprise and the state in ECMRS are in our paper,then two connive models of ECMRS are made by introducing an audit technique as a means of acquiring information Moreover,a general rule which determines optimal strategy with perfect informtion is also given.