Exploring the Factors Associated with Online Financial and Performance Disclosure in Nonprofits

Informed by theories of technological innovation, this paper develops and empirically tests a web disclosure adoption model. In order to test the model, a questionnaire was administered to a sample of 775 organizations in an eight-county regional area in the Northeastern United States. Results reveal that Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and organizational characteristics are related to web disclosure adoption. Specifically, there is more disclosure of performance information online when the CEO believes that the web is useful for promoting transparency and accountability when the organization views the web as a communication or strategic tool, when more employees have technical expertise, and when the board of directors is more supportive of web technology. We found more web disclosure of financial information when the organization possesses the technological readiness for web disclosure. This paper contributes to research by identifying the main factors that facilitate web disclosure adoption in nonprofit contexts

Mutations in components of complement influence the outcome of Factor I-associated atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome

Genetic studies have shown that mutations of complement inhibitors such as membrane cofactor protein, Factors H, I, or B and C3 predispose patients to atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS). Factor I is a circulating serine protease that inhibits complement by degrading C3b and up to now only a few mutations in the CFI gene have been characterized. In a large cohort of 202 patients with aHUS, we identified 23 patients carrying exonic mutations in CFI. Their overall clinical outcome was unfavorable, as half died or developed end-stage renal disease after their first syndrome episode. Eight patients with CFI mutations carried at least one additional known genetic risk factor for aHUS, such as a mutation in MCP, CFH, C3 or CFB; a compound heterozygous second mutation in CFI; or mutations in both the MCP and CFH genes. Five patients exhibited homozygous deletion of the Factor H-related protein 1 (CFHR-1) gene. Ten patients with aHUS had one mutation in their CFI gene (Factor I-aHUS), resulting in a quantitative or functional Factor I deficiency. Patients with a complete deletion of the CFHR-1 gene had a significantly higher risk of a bad prognosis compared with those with one Factor I mutation as their unique vulnerability feature. Our results emphasize the necessity of genetic screening for all susceptibility factors in patients with aHUS

Metformin Decreases Glucose Oxidation and Increases the Dependency of Prostate Cancer Cells on Reductive Glutamine Metabolism

Metformin inhibits cancer cell proliferation, and epidemiology studies suggest an association with increased survival in patients with cancer taking metformin; however, the mechanism by which metformin improves cancer outcomes remains controversial. To explore how metformin might directly affect cancer cells, we analyzed how metformin altered the metabolism of prostate cancer cells and tumors. We found that metformin decreased glucose oxidation and increased dependency on reductive glutamine metabolism in both cancer cell lines and in a mouse model of prostate cancer. Inhibition of glutamine anaplerosis in the presence of metformin further attenuated proliferation, whereas increasing glutamine metabolism rescued the proliferative defect induced by metformin. These data suggest that interfering with glutamine may synergize with metformin to improve outcomes in patients with prostate cancer.German Science Foundation (Grant FE1185)National Institutes of Health (U.S.)Glenn Foundation for Medical ResearchNational Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant 5-P50-090381-09)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant 5-P30-CA14051-39)Burroughs Wellcome FundSmith Family FoundationDamon Runyon Cancer Research FoundationNational Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant 1R01DK075850-01)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant 1R01CA160458-01A1

Associations between depressive symptoms and disease progression in older patients with chronic kidney disease: results of the EQUAL study

Background Depressive symptoms are associated with adverse clinical outcomes in patients with end-stage kidney disease; however, few small studies have examined this association in patients with earlier phases of chronic kidney disease (CKD). We studied associations between baseline depressive symptoms and clinical outcomes in older patients with advanced CKD and examined whether these associations differed depending on sex. Methods CKD patients (>= 65 years; estimated glomerular filtration rate <= 20 mL/min/1.73 m(2)) were included from a European multicentre prospective cohort between 2012 and 2019. Depressive symptoms were measured by the five-item Mental Health Inventory (cut-off <= 70; 0-100 scale). Cox proportional hazard analysis was used to study associations between depressive symptoms and time to dialysis initiation, all-cause mortality and these outcomes combined. A joint model was used to study the association between depressive symptoms and kidney function over time. Analyses were adjusted for potential baseline confounders. Results Overall kidney function decline in 1326 patients was -0.12 mL/min/1.73 m(2)/month. A total of 515 patients showed depressive symptoms. No significant association was found between depressive symptoms and kidney function over time (P = 0.08). Unlike women, men with depressive symptoms had an increased mortality rate compared with those without symptoms [adjusted hazard ratio 1.41 (95% confidence interval 1.03-1.93)]. Depressive symptoms were not significantly associated with a higher hazard of dialysis initiation, or with the combined outcome (i.e. dialysis initiation and all-cause mortality). Conclusions There was no significant association between depressive symptoms at baseline and decline in kidney function over time in older patients with advanced CKD. Depressive symptoms at baseline were associated with a higher mortality rate in men

The impact of online financial disclosure and donations in nonprofits

Decreased public confidence and trust in the nonprofit sector has fueled increased calls for transparency. In response, federal regulators and watchdog organizations have recommended that nonprofits voluntarily disclose their financial information on their own public websites. Despite the potential benefits of enhanced public confidence and trust, improved donor decision making, and increased donations, many nonprofit organizations have not adopted the recommended disclosure practices. We investigate the disclosure practices of 3,217 nonprofits and find that voluntary web disclosure of the IRS Form 990 is strongly correlated to donations, independent of other variables such as age, size, and fundraising expenditures. Further, fundraising is also clearly related to the performance indicators shown in the 990 disclosures, particularly the program ratio of program expenditures to total expenditures. This is true on a general level and when specifically compared to other nonprofits within particular sectors. As a result, nonprofits should seriously consider voluntarily posting their Form 990 results on their websites when it reflects favorably and strive to improve their financial performance if online disclosure would reflect poorly on the organization

The daydreamer: Exploring the personality underpinnings of daydreaming styles and their implications for well-being

In the present research, we looked at how positive-constructive daydreaming, guilty-dysphoric daydreaming, and poor attentional control associate with both broad (i.e., openness to experience) and specific (i.e., introspection) personality traits. A second aim was to determine how daydreaming styles were associated with psychological well-being. Across four studies, 1181 undergraduate (studies 1, 2, and 4) and MTurk (study 3) participants completed online questionnaires. A fixed-effect meta-analysis revealed that introspection was a significant predictor of both positive and negative daydreaming styles, but not a consistent predictor of poor attentional control. Positive-constructive daydreaming was more strongly associated with personal growth, purpose in life, and positive affect; guilty-dysphoric daydreaming was associated with depressive symptoms, negative affect, and lower psychological well-being, while poor attentional control was associated with lower positive well-being. Although correlational, these results demonstrate the usefulness of examining the experience and content of recurrent daydreaming and mind-wandering styles to further understand well-being

A Mental Imagery Intervention to Increase Future Self-Continuity and Reduce Procrastination

This research examined how mental imagery practice can increase future self-continuity to reduce procrastination. A total of 193 undergraduate students were randomly assigned to a present-focused meditation or to a future self-focused mental imagery condition. Participants in both conditions were asked to listen to their respective audio recording twice per week for four consecutive weeks and to complete a pre-intervention, half-point, and post-intervention questionnaire. At the four-week mark, hierarchical regression analyses revealed that both future self-continuit

Temporal Views of Procrastination, Health, and Well-Being

This chapter focuses on the temporal discontinuities found in procrastination. We argue that procrastination is particularly self-defeating because individuals fail to consider the future self's well-being. As such, we explore why and how procrastinators disconnect from the future self and highlight the negative consequences of this disconnection for health and well-being. To further understand procrastinators' present-future self-discontinuity, this chapter also offers evidence demonstrating how vivid mental imagery can operate alongside positive affective states to foster and sustain the temporally extended self. Finally, this chapter reviews how feeling more connected to the future self can have important benefits for health and well-being