CSP Deposition to the Alveolar Region of the Lung: Implications of Cigarette Design

Ventilated cigarettes were designed to reduce the levels of smoke under machine testing conditions; however, smokers alter their smoking pattern to compensate for the reduction in yields. A relative shift in incidence of lung cancer from the more central lung airways to the alveolar region has also been associated with ventilated cigarette use. Validated mathematical models indicate that particle deposition patterns in the lung depend on particle size and inhalation behavior, including inhalation volume, flow rate, and breath-hold time. This article finds that most mathematical models underpredict total cigarette smoke particulate (CSP) deposition in the lung, likely because they do not account for coagulation, hygroscopicity, and cloud dynamics, which may increase the effective particle diameter of CSP reaching the lung tissue. The models that include these processes indicate that puff volume would be unlikely to affect particle deposition in the lung, but puff time, inhalation depth, breath-hold time, and exhalation time may affect total deposition. Most compensation appears to occur through a combination of increased puff volume and puff flow, with possible increases in inhalation depth and breath-hold time. The complex interaction between the extent of cigarette ventilation, which can affect puffing/inhalation behavior, CSP concentration, and CSP size with CSP dose to the alveolar versus more central lung airways is described. Deposition efficiency in the alveoli could plausibly be increased through compensation, but it is still unclear whether compensation could sufficiently alter patterns of CSP deposition in the lung to elicit a shift in lung cancer sites.     

Insurability and Mitigation of Flood Losses in Private Households in Germany

In Germany, flood insurance is provided by private insurers as a supplement to building or contents insurance. This article presents the results of a survey of insurance companies with regard to eligibility conditions for flood insurance changes after August 2002, when a severe flood caused 1.8 billion euro of insured losses in the Elbe and the Danube catchment areas, and the general role of insurance in flood risk management in Germany. Besides insurance coverage, governmental funding and public donations played an important role in loss compensation after the August 2002 flood. Therefore, this article also analyzes flood loss compensation, risk awareness, and mitigation in insured and uninsured private households. Insured households received loss compensation earlier. They also showed slightly better risk awareness and mitigation strategies. Appropriate incentives should be combined with flood insurance in order to strengthen future private flood loss mitigation. However, there is some evidence that the surveyed insurance companies do little to encourage precautionary measures. To overcome this problem, flood hazards and mitigation strategies should be better communicated to both insurance companies and property owners.     

大股东性质与企业绩效——国有股减持的一个经验证据

以我国上市公司为样本,研究了大股东所有权性质变更对公司绩效的影响。所选样本在样本区间的实证结果表明,从总体上看,企业由政府直接控制型公司转变为非政府直接控制型公司后,仅表现出显著的盈余管理,公司盈利能力没有发生变化。进一步分析发现,其中发生了高层管理人员更换(简称“高层更换”)的公司,短期盈利能力显著提高;面临激烈市场竞争的企业,盈利能力得到了根本改善。研究结果为国有股减持和股权多元化提供了经验证据,论证了引入市场导向的大股东、健全经营者任免机制和加强市场竞争对深化企业改革的意义。     

提高执政能力与改革用人机制初探

党的十六大明确提出:"加强党的执政能力建设,提高党的领导水平和执政水平",这在马克思主义党建理论和党建历史上还是第一次,是党对自身建设规律和执政规律认识的深化.提高党的执政能力,必须以能力和实绩为本位改革用人机制,建立健全公平竞争机制,规范的考核考察机制,科学管理机制,庸者淘汰机制和责任追究机制.     

离婚过错赔偿制度实施中存在的问题及对策

离婚过错赔偿制度,是婚姻法规定的旨在保护离婚无过错方合法配偶权利的一项权利救济制度.由于我国婚姻法对夫妻配偶权的内容规定得不完备,使得作为救济措施的离婚过错赔偿制度在实施过程中出现了一些亟待解决的问题.为此,应充分实现配偶权保护精神对婚姻法的全面渗透,为该制度的存在及效力的有效发挥奠定一个坚实的法理基础,以更好地发挥其在维护婚姻家庭稳定中的作用.     

论环境行政补偿

本文概括了我国环境行政补偿制度的现状和存在的问题,探索了实行环境行政补偿制度的理论依据,对于作为环境行政补偿法理依据的公平负担说、结果责任说等进行了分析比较,进而提出了完善我国环境行政补偿法律制度的思路,对于环境行政补偿的标准、程序、立法模式进行了探讨.     

职务发明创造的专利申请权及专利权辨析

现行《专利法》对职务发明的规定有不合理之处,如第六条第一款"主要是利用本单位的物质技术条件所完成的发明创造为职务发明创造"与本条第三款"利用本单位的物质技术条件所完成的发明创造,单位与发明人或设计人订有合同,对申请专利的权利和专利权的归属作出约定的,从其约定",在法律适用方面容易产生歧义;又如将"主要是利用本单位的物质技术条件所完成的发明创造"界定为职务发明,本身就不具合理性。因此笔者建议在第三次修订专利法之时,重新界定职务发明创造的专利申请权及专利权,平衡单位与发明人或设计人之间的利益。     

试论我国合同信赖利益损害赔偿制度的完善

传统外观主义对合同信赖利益的保护存在局限,应采用大陆法模式,以缔约过失责任为中心,采取过错责任为原则和无过错责任为例外的二元归责原则,取消期待利益的赔偿限制,适用相当因果关系、可预见规则、过失相抵规则、损益相抵规则等,不断完善我国的信赖利益损害赔偿制度,保护交易安全、促进诚实信用的市场道德的形成。     

清水江流域传统林业“生态补偿”的实践与经验

黔东南清水江流域从明清时期就进行林业经营活动。几百年来,以林木为主要商品的生计活动成为苗族、侗族人民的"文化基石",这里有独特的林业经营技术和生态传统,也有传统的"生态补偿"实践与经验。新中国建立后,虽然我国林业政策迭经变化,但由于林业经营的特点所决定,地方政府为了林农的生计,发展当地的经济,一直进行"生态补偿"的探索与实践。在大力进行生态文明制度建设的今天,清水江流域地方和民间林业经营活动中自觉摸索"生态补偿"的措施和方法还有值得借鉴之处。     

蓝色经济区沿海湿地损失补偿的博弈分析

蓝色经济区沿海湿地开发与生态保育的矛盾突出,相关利益者众多。基于多层博弈模型,分析了蓝色经济区沿海湿地损失控制、补偿资金来源、补偿资金投向及湿地生态保育四个层面的问题,遵循共享共建原则,构建了湿地损失补偿机制。湿地生态补偿需要地方性立法,生态补偿资源来源于湿地开发收益,补偿方式以异地补偿为主,保育和提升蓝色经济区内其他正在增长并具有生态功能的湿地,以利于湿地生态系统的延续和过渡,实现蓝色经济区经济发展与湿地生态功能的整体动态平衡。