The population growth and demand for high living standard not only increase food demand but also cause more loss of the limited cultivated land resources. Cultivated land loss caused by disasters and the implementatio...The population growth and demand for high living standard not only increase food demand but also cause more loss of the limited cultivated land resources. Cultivated land loss caused by disasters and the implementation of the ＂Conversion of Cropland to Forest or Grassland＂ project make this situation even worse in China. Thus, there is a problem to be solved imminently that to what extent the cultivated land can guarantee food security of China. Based on time-series data on food production and cultivated land area from 1989 to 2003 and other research results, this paper constructs quality index of cultivated land according to different land quality. Regression models are adopted to predicate changes of main factors from 2004 to 2030, which have great effect on cultivated land area or grain productivity, and verify accuracy with coc^cient of determination （R2）. Nine results were got according to three scenarios of decreasing rate of population growth rate and three cases of urban and rural built-up area per capita. There results show that China＇s food supply can only be maintained at a low to middle level of 370-410kg per capita, that is, China has enough land productivity to meet primary demand of food independently. However, it cannot reach the safe target of 500kg per capita if there is no breakthrough in breeding or no remarkable improvement of irrigation works, when the grain self-sufficiency maintains no less than 80%. To breed productive crops and to improve land productivity by mefiorating low quality cultivated land are appropriate measures to shrink the gap between food demand and supply. The results may offer helpful information for the formulation of policies on population growth, land use, protection of cultivated land.展开更多
The lifeworld is, according to Husserl, the horizon of all our experiences, in the sense that it is the background environment of human being＇s competences, practices, and attitudes. The lifewofld is the intersubject...The lifeworld is, according to Husserl, the horizon of all our experiences, in the sense that it is the background environment of human being＇s competences, practices, and attitudes. The lifewofld is the intersubjective, pre-given in the ontie sense, and immediately perceived world of everyday life. Although Husserl has distinguished the lifeworld from the objective world that natural science describes with mathematical methods, we cannot divide the world on the practical level into the perceived world of ordinary life and the scientific world. The characteristic of human beings is that they live in the environment which they have enormously changed. Modem science has accelerated this tendency： the contemporary world is constructed so deeply scientifically and technologically. Accordingly, as Ulrich Beck pointed out, the risk of the technologically constructed world is often invisible/unperceivable. The disaster at Fukushima nuclear power plants is a terrible testament of this kind of risk. In order for a land to become the lifeworld of meaningful human interactions, the land should be first of all safe and livable for all of us. The risk calculation made by Tokyo Electric Power Company was shown to be sloppy and deceptive. The contemporary techno-science should be democratically governed and watched by all kinds of stakeholders, and never be left it to the specialists of science. For re-establishing the livable and sustainable lifeworld, safety, resilience, and vulnerability should be the fundamental values. And, the autonomy of the local residents, including the most vulnerable people, through the democratization of the techno-science must be the fundamental value to establish and protect such a safe environment.展开更多
While the threat of war has decreased, there have appeared intricate security issues that affect all aspects of human life, breaking through various defenses and threatening the well being of all actors in the contemp...While the threat of war has decreased, there have appeared intricate security issues that affect all aspects of human life, breaking through various defenses and threatening the well being of all actors in the contemporary world, including nations, groups and individuals. This risky situation calls for a new security concept, one that transcends traditional state centrism, national supremacy and coercion. The new security concept, which should assimilate the general theory of grand strategy,focuses on a vision that spans time and space, valuing humankind as it exists as one of the dynamic factors of nature and society. The essentials of the new security concept are to recognize balanced development as the substance of security and to govern national strength and the application of means and tactics. It aims at realizing comprehensive security across various social fields within states, to achieve mutual security among national, international and individual actors, as well as harmony between man and nature, continuous security leading to lasting and universal peace in the future.展开更多
The energetic sector is necessary for productive activity in the world, because energy is one of the most essential economic resources. The energy, at a social-historic level, always has been relevant for the developm...The energetic sector is necessary for productive activity in the world, because energy is one of the most essential economic resources. The energy, at a social-historic level, always has been relevant for the development of any society, and as a country advanced in this field, there is an important increase of their energetic needs, in such a way that all energy supplies are considered as a national security strategy for many countries. This element, the natural resources of their own, their existence and good management are and will be the key for the coming years and decades to achieve the national security in the energetic field, economic development, and environment. This last argument has a great importance for the issues that are generated by an environmental crisis and the greenhouse effect in the world, due to the consumption of energy from oil and coal. All these justify the relevance of performing an analysis of the problems between the energy development and the environment, and both issues are presented in this paper from the economic history point of view.展开更多
Objective: To investigate the knowledge level related to compliance in patients with epilepsy. Methods: Eighty-seven patients with epilepsy were tested in the city of Xi’an with a knowledge questionnaire containing 2...Objective: To investigate the knowledge level related to compliance in patients with epilepsy. Methods: Eighty-seven patients with epilepsy were tested in the city of Xi’an with a knowledge questionnaire containing 21 questions related to compliance. Results: Over 39.5% of patients did not know that epilepsy is the result of abnormal firing of neurons, while 29.9% were uncertain or did not realize that epilepsy attacks can bring up accidents such as traffic accidents, drowning and trauma. A total of 36.6% of responders thought that the best therapy for epilepsy could be found in Traditional Chinese Medicine. As many as 36.8% of tested patients were uncertain or did not know that frequent epilepsy attacks can affect their intelligence. Up to 36% were unaware of the possible consequence of sudden withdrawal of anti-epileptic drugs (AED). Among responders, 39.1% did not know the right treatment method of epilepsy. That AED can control seizure attacks were doubted in 57.5% of epileptic patients. Furthermore, 32.2% did not know whether the disease could be cured. Conclusion: In this group of epileptic patients, generally they do not have enough indispensable knowledge to cope with epilepsy. They urgently need for proper health education besides effective AED to control seizure attacks and improve their quality of life.展开更多
Imprecise or delayed care can reflect many factors, including straightforward difficulties in physician judgment and false negative tests. However, the movement toward decreasing physician work hours also leads to del...Imprecise or delayed care can reflect many factors, including straightforward difficulties in physician judgment and false negative tests. However, the movement toward decreasing physician work hours also leads to delays in care caused by inadequate staffing or inadequate communication between staffing, which must be addressed if quality of care is to remain high. The demonstration of delays in the management of anastomotic leaks over weekends or in association with false positive radiologic studies exemplifies this challenge.展开更多
Most of the Zambian population, the poor people in affluent society, are enmeshed in the net of poverty. The Zambian government seems to have failed in its contractual obligation to respect and sustain its social cont...Most of the Zambian population, the poor people in affluent society, are enmeshed in the net of poverty. The Zambian government seems to have failed in its contractual obligation to respect and sustain its social contract with the people. There is a seemingly total collapse of social security, increased unemployment rate and consequently decreased living conditions among the youth. This study sets out to investigate the correlation between unemployment and living conditions in Kaunda Square Stage II by analyzing the impact of unemployment and suggests strategic solutions to mitigate the levels of unemployment. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the impact on the living conditions caused by unemployment in Zambia specifically in Kaunda Square Stage II and adopt strategic solutions that will mitigate creation of jobs to improve the living conditions. The study underscores that unemployment is a universal phenomenon, not necessarily a peculiar characteristic of any segment of the society. Reducing poverty, preventing excessive inequality, and generating adequate employment are the three most important goals of a macroeconomic strategy that seeks to improve the living standards of the population. Inequality and employment are each a complex phenomenon and difficult to capture with a single measurement, particularly in a low-income economy undergoing change. It is in this context that the study intends to investigate the correlation between unemployment and living conditions in Kaunda Square Stage II and to provide strategic solutions that may improve living conditions in Kaunda Square Stage II. The study concludes that high unemployment in Kaunda Square Stage II increases poverty which subsequently affects living conditions. Therefore, when, unemployment rates increase the opportunities for earning income decreases which instigate individuals to be poor. The paper closes with reflections on how good strategic solutions can be used to underwrite more employment reduction strategies.展开更多
Green buildings should be sustainable, efficient, economical, and to improve the quality of life of users and nearby residents. Unfortunately, some architecture features fostered by energy and environmental certificat...Green buildings should be sustainable, efficient, economical, and to improve the quality of life of users and nearby residents. Unfortunately, some architecture features fostered by energy and environmental certifications do not comply with fire prevention codes. Several factors can influence a building＇s energy efficiency and fire safety, such as bigger or smaller glass areas, building material thermal inertia, and the use of sustainable solutions such as green roofs. In this work, a methodology for integrating energy efficiency and fire prevention in green buildings is presented. A case study comparing a full glass skin and a building with 40% window size is considered. Also, the methodology permits modifications for obtaining a safe and energy efficient building.展开更多
The present article examines the livelihood benefits associated with agrobiodiversity in Veracruz, Mexico. Citrus-based agriculture is the principal economic activity in the agricultural sector of the state of Veracru...The present article examines the livelihood benefits associated with agrobiodiversity in Veracruz, Mexico. Citrus-based agriculture is the principal economic activity in the agricultural sector of the state of Veracruz. It is practiced in mono-crop plantations by the majority of farmers, who are rendered vulnerable to price depreciation resulting from simultaneous harvest and over-supply of a single commodity. Some farmers have associated multiple crops in citrus farms （agroforestry techniques） as a strategy to improve their livelihoods. Farmers who increased agrobiodiversity in their farms have significantly improved their livelihoods compared to mono-crop plantation owners. The research shows that increased agro-biodiversity can be a strategy to improve the livelihoods of citrus producers in the state of Veracruz, with significant economic benefits depending on the crop combination： maize-citrus is the least economically profitable combination （providing 21% in terms of internal rate of return）, while pineapple-citrus, banana-citrus and vanilla-citrus give higher returns （41%, 44% and 221% respectively）. The citrus-vanilla crop combination also has the highest benefit-cost ratio, relative to citrus monocrop （1.91） as well as the highest net present value （MX$579,635.73）. The choice of crop ultimately depends on the farmer＇s priorities. The associated benefits can be classified in three ways which correspond to the tripartite goal of sustainable development： （i） ecological sustainability （through increased ecosystem resilience）, （ii） economic stability （through diversified, less risk-prone sources of income）, and （iii） social well-being （through lower）.展开更多
基金Under the auspices of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 40671007), Innovation Project of Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS
文摘The population growth and demand for high living standard not only increase food demand but also cause more loss of the limited cultivated land resources. Cultivated land loss caused by disasters and the implementation of the ＂Conversion of Cropland to Forest or Grassland＂ project make this situation even worse in China. Thus, there is a problem to be solved imminently that to what extent the cultivated land can guarantee food security of China. Based on time-series data on food production and cultivated land area from 1989 to 2003 and other research results, this paper constructs quality index of cultivated land according to different land quality. Regression models are adopted to predicate changes of main factors from 2004 to 2030, which have great effect on cultivated land area or grain productivity, and verify accuracy with coc^cient of determination （R2）. Nine results were got according to three scenarios of decreasing rate of population growth rate and three cases of urban and rural built-up area per capita. There results show that China＇s food supply can only be maintained at a low to middle level of 370-410kg per capita, that is, China has enough land productivity to meet primary demand of food independently. However, it cannot reach the safe target of 500kg per capita if there is no breakthrough in breeding or no remarkable improvement of irrigation works, when the grain self-sufficiency maintains no less than 80%. To breed productive crops and to improve land productivity by mefiorating low quality cultivated land are appropriate measures to shrink the gap between food demand and supply. The results may offer helpful information for the formulation of policies on population growth, land use, protection of cultivated land.
文摘The lifeworld is, according to Husserl, the horizon of all our experiences, in the sense that it is the background environment of human being＇s competences, practices, and attitudes. The lifewofld is the intersubjective, pre-given in the ontie sense, and immediately perceived world of everyday life. Although Husserl has distinguished the lifeworld from the objective world that natural science describes with mathematical methods, we cannot divide the world on the practical level into the perceived world of ordinary life and the scientific world. The characteristic of human beings is that they live in the environment which they have enormously changed. Modem science has accelerated this tendency： the contemporary world is constructed so deeply scientifically and technologically. Accordingly, as Ulrich Beck pointed out, the risk of the technologically constructed world is often invisible/unperceivable. The disaster at Fukushima nuclear power plants is a terrible testament of this kind of risk. In order for a land to become the lifeworld of meaningful human interactions, the land should be first of all safe and livable for all of us. The risk calculation made by Tokyo Electric Power Company was shown to be sloppy and deceptive. The contemporary techno-science should be democratically governed and watched by all kinds of stakeholders, and never be left it to the specialists of science. For re-establishing the livable and sustainable lifeworld, safety, resilience, and vulnerability should be the fundamental values. And, the autonomy of the local residents, including the most vulnerable people, through the democratization of the techno-science must be the fundamental value to establish and protect such a safe environment.
文摘While the threat of war has decreased, there have appeared intricate security issues that affect all aspects of human life, breaking through various defenses and threatening the well being of all actors in the contemporary world, including nations, groups and individuals. This risky situation calls for a new security concept, one that transcends traditional state centrism, national supremacy and coercion. The new security concept, which should assimilate the general theory of grand strategy,focuses on a vision that spans time and space, valuing humankind as it exists as one of the dynamic factors of nature and society. The essentials of the new security concept are to recognize balanced development as the substance of security and to govern national strength and the application of means and tactics. It aims at realizing comprehensive security across various social fields within states, to achieve mutual security among national, international and individual actors, as well as harmony between man and nature, continuous security leading to lasting and universal peace in the future.
文摘The energetic sector is necessary for productive activity in the world, because energy is one of the most essential economic resources. The energy, at a social-historic level, always has been relevant for the development of any society, and as a country advanced in this field, there is an important increase of their energetic needs, in such a way that all energy supplies are considered as a national security strategy for many countries. This element, the natural resources of their own, their existence and good management are and will be the key for the coming years and decades to achieve the national security in the energetic field, economic development, and environment. This last argument has a great importance for the issues that are generated by an environmental crisis and the greenhouse effect in the world, due to the consumption of energy from oil and coal. All these justify the relevance of performing an analysis of the problems between the energy development and the environment, and both issues are presented in this paper from the economic history point of view.
文摘Objective: To investigate the knowledge level related to compliance in patients with epilepsy. Methods: Eighty-seven patients with epilepsy were tested in the city of Xi’an with a knowledge questionnaire containing 21 questions related to compliance. Results: Over 39.5% of patients did not know that epilepsy is the result of abnormal firing of neurons, while 29.9% were uncertain or did not realize that epilepsy attacks can bring up accidents such as traffic accidents, drowning and trauma. A total of 36.6% of responders thought that the best therapy for epilepsy could be found in Traditional Chinese Medicine. As many as 36.8% of tested patients were uncertain or did not know that frequent epilepsy attacks can affect their intelligence. Up to 36% were unaware of the possible consequence of sudden withdrawal of anti-epileptic drugs (AED). Among responders, 39.1% did not know the right treatment method of epilepsy. That AED can control seizure attacks were doubted in 57.5% of epileptic patients. Furthermore, 32.2% did not know whether the disease could be cured. Conclusion: In this group of epileptic patients, generally they do not have enough indispensable knowledge to cope with epilepsy. They urgently need for proper health education besides effective AED to control seizure attacks and improve their quality of life.
文摘Imprecise or delayed care can reflect many factors, including straightforward difficulties in physician judgment and false negative tests. However, the movement toward decreasing physician work hours also leads to delays in care caused by inadequate staffing or inadequate communication between staffing, which must be addressed if quality of care is to remain high. The demonstration of delays in the management of anastomotic leaks over weekends or in association with false positive radiologic studies exemplifies this challenge.
文摘Most of the Zambian population, the poor people in affluent society, are enmeshed in the net of poverty. The Zambian government seems to have failed in its contractual obligation to respect and sustain its social contract with the people. There is a seemingly total collapse of social security, increased unemployment rate and consequently decreased living conditions among the youth. This study sets out to investigate the correlation between unemployment and living conditions in Kaunda Square Stage II by analyzing the impact of unemployment and suggests strategic solutions to mitigate the levels of unemployment. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the impact on the living conditions caused by unemployment in Zambia specifically in Kaunda Square Stage II and adopt strategic solutions that will mitigate creation of jobs to improve the living conditions. The study underscores that unemployment is a universal phenomenon, not necessarily a peculiar characteristic of any segment of the society. Reducing poverty, preventing excessive inequality, and generating adequate employment are the three most important goals of a macroeconomic strategy that seeks to improve the living standards of the population. Inequality and employment are each a complex phenomenon and difficult to capture with a single measurement, particularly in a low-income economy undergoing change. It is in this context that the study intends to investigate the correlation between unemployment and living conditions in Kaunda Square Stage II and to provide strategic solutions that may improve living conditions in Kaunda Square Stage II. The study concludes that high unemployment in Kaunda Square Stage II increases poverty which subsequently affects living conditions. Therefore, when, unemployment rates increase the opportunities for earning income decreases which instigate individuals to be poor. The paper closes with reflections on how good strategic solutions can be used to underwrite more employment reduction strategies.
文摘Green buildings should be sustainable, efficient, economical, and to improve the quality of life of users and nearby residents. Unfortunately, some architecture features fostered by energy and environmental certifications do not comply with fire prevention codes. Several factors can influence a building＇s energy efficiency and fire safety, such as bigger or smaller glass areas, building material thermal inertia, and the use of sustainable solutions such as green roofs. In this work, a methodology for integrating energy efficiency and fire prevention in green buildings is presented. A case study comparing a full glass skin and a building with 40% window size is considered. Also, the methodology permits modifications for obtaining a safe and energy efficient building.
文摘The present article examines the livelihood benefits associated with agrobiodiversity in Veracruz, Mexico. Citrus-based agriculture is the principal economic activity in the agricultural sector of the state of Veracruz. It is practiced in mono-crop plantations by the majority of farmers, who are rendered vulnerable to price depreciation resulting from simultaneous harvest and over-supply of a single commodity. Some farmers have associated multiple crops in citrus farms （agroforestry techniques） as a strategy to improve their livelihoods. Farmers who increased agrobiodiversity in their farms have significantly improved their livelihoods compared to mono-crop plantation owners. The research shows that increased agro-biodiversity can be a strategy to improve the livelihoods of citrus producers in the state of Veracruz, with significant economic benefits depending on the crop combination： maize-citrus is the least economically profitable combination （providing 21% in terms of internal rate of return）, while pineapple-citrus, banana-citrus and vanilla-citrus give higher returns （41%, 44% and 221% respectively）. The citrus-vanilla crop combination also has the highest benefit-cost ratio, relative to citrus monocrop （1.91） as well as the highest net present value （MX$579,635.73）. The choice of crop ultimately depends on the farmer＇s priorities. The associated benefits can be classified in three ways which correspond to the tripartite goal of sustainable development： （i） ecological sustainability （through increased ecosystem resilience）, （ii） economic stability （through diversified, less risk-prone sources of income）, and （iii） social well-being （through lower）.
