The effects of parental altruism on the governance of family‐managed firms

We draw on the economic, corporate governance, and family business literatures to explain why the effects of family on family firms makes this governance form theoretically distinct from those of public and private non‐family firms. Our thesis is that parental altruism, when combined with private ownership and owner‐management, influences the ability of the firm's owner‐manager to exercise self‐control, which, in turn, can expose some family firms to conflicts rooted in the agency threats of moral hazard, hold‐up, and adverse selection. We then discuss why some other family firms are able to minimize these dark side threats and thereby attain altruism's brighter side. Finally, we discuss how altruism's influence changes over time as ownership becomes dispersed among family members and across generations. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Research on ecosystem services of water conservation and soil retention: a bibliometric analysis

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Water conservation and soil retention are two essential regulating services that are closely related, and their relationship might produce synergies...     

Toxicity of urban highway runoff in Shanghai to Zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos and luminous bacteria (Vibrio qinghaiensis.Q67)

Pollution from urban highway runoff has been identified as one of the major causes of the deterioration of receiving water quality. The purpose of this study is to assess the toxicity of urban storm water samples in Shanghai using the zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo test and the bacterial luminescence (Vibrio qinghaiensis) assay. The toxicity of highway runoff from seventeen storm events was investigated in both grab and composite samples. Zebrafish embryos were exposed to the runoff samples and development parameters including lethality, spontaneous movements in 20 s, heart beat rate, hatching rate, and abnormality of zebrafish embryos were observed after 24, 48, 72, and 96 h of exposure. Inhibition rates of luminescence intensity were also recorded. The results showed that in the zebrafish embryo toxicity tests, both grab and composite samples increased the lethality, reduced the percentage with spontaneous movements and heart beats, inhibited the hatching of embryos, and induced morphological abnormalities. In the Vibrio qinghaiensis toxicity test, all the grab samples inhibited the luminescence, while some of the composite samples promoted it, which indicated that different types of toxicants might have been affecting the species. The multivariate statistics analysis indicated that heavy metal (zinc, manganese, and copper) and PAHs might mainly contribute to the toxicity of runoff samples.     

Uptake and Engagement of Activities to Promote Native Species in Private Gardens

Environmental Management - Activities undertaken by householders in their gardens have huge potential to enhance city-wide biodiversity, but programs aimed at activating householders require an...     

浸油生物质厌氧消化产甲烷的最佳投料周期探究

厌氧消化需要保持在较高甲烷产量的前提下连续产气,本研究使用浸油生物质进行厌氧消化,在最佳厌氧消化实验条件下采用间歇式进料的方式,分别设置在产甲烷初期、最高期、下降期及末期进行投料,考察各个投料阶段对厌氧消化产甲烷的影响。结果表明:比较理想的间歇式进料周期为产甲烷下降期的第35 d,其甲烷产量比添加原料前提高了39.9%,产气总量为3 496.165 m L。     

Phytopumping for hydraulic control of an arsenic plume

Phytoremediation, the use of plants for in situ contaminant cleanup, is gaining new appreciation as an aesthetically pleasing, sustainable method that naturally makes use of solar power. Hybrid poplars are widely used because they grow rapidly and have high transpiration rates, making them advantageous for hydraulic control of groundwater. However, the tendency for trees and other vegetation to uptake metals may be a disadvantage in some settings due to potential redistribution of metals from groundwater to the ground surface. Therefore, a pilot test in the upper midwestern United States was implemented to evaluate the applicability of poplars to groundwater withdrawal and metals transport. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Influence of humic acid on the sorption of uranium(IV) to kaolin

Safety assessments for radioactive waste disposal require estimations of the migration of radionuclides in soils. The influence of humic acid (HA) on the sorption of uranium in its +4 oxidation state to kaolin has been examined from pH 4 to 8, with HA concentrations of 15–200 ppm. In the absence of HA, 20–40% of the U(IV) was in solution, with more sorption occurring at higher pH. The presence of HA solubilised up to 90% of the uranium with higher solubilities at higher HA concentrations and higher pH values. Uranium sorption was mapped against HA sorption, and it was found that there was a lower level of U(IV) sorption than can be accounted for by just measuring HA sorption. However, this effect got less marked as the pH rose. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the fraction of surface-bound HA is the controlling parameter for modelling in these systems.     

The permeability of dredged material-bentonite backfills

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Extensive attention has been paid to the treatment and disposal of dredged material, and there is a need to clarify the feasibility of recycling...     

Microplastic pollution in freshwater systems in Southeast Asia: contamination levels,sources, and ecological impacts

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Plastics are synthetic polymers known for their outstanding durability and versatility, and have replaced traditional materials in many applications....