Corporate hedging policy and the accuracy of analysts' forecasts : evidence from large, non-financial U.S. corporations

This paper examines the accuracy of forecasts of financial analysts in light of the hedging policies of the S&P 500 non-financial companies over the 1994-1997 period. Given that hedging reduces the volatility of cash flows, we ask whether it allows financial analysts to provide more accurate forecasts for firms that hedge than for firms that do not. Three data sources are used to construct the data set for this study: the Edgar database, Compustat and I/B/E/S. Univariate and multivariate tests are run in order to determine the effect of the usage of derivative products for hedging purposes, as well as that of the level of the usage, on analysts' forecasts accuracy. Only interest rate risk and foreign exchange risk hedging are considered, separately and together as the total hedging variable. The empirical results show that neither the involvement, nor the degree of involvement in hedging activities of a firm will result in more accurate forecasts, when considering the 1-year forecasts. Interest rate hedging and overall hedging do not impact on the accuracy of forecasts in a statistically significant way. However, surprisingly, the results show an increase in the forecast error when the company is involved in higher levels of foreign exchange hedging. The results also show evidence that the further away in time the forecast is made, the more relevant the hedging policies of a company are to the analyst

Organizational Context Factors Influencing Employee Performance Appraisal: A Research Framework

AbstractTrends in the current literature emphasize the role of the organizational context in employee performance appraisal processes (e.g. Levy & Williams, 2004; Armstrong & Ward, 2005 and Murphy & DeNisi, 2008). The current study aims to develop a comprehensive research framework in order to investigate the employee performance appraisal systems and processes based on main organizational contextual dimensions, in highlighting the relevance of customization according to a company's specific organizational context. In addition, focusing on a strategic approach on human resources management, the study offers insights on the role of organizational context in developing employee performance appraisal systems that could contribute to higher performance in overall organizational strategy implementation

Medical and bioethical dilemma in case of medical error

Department of Philosophy and Bioethics, Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, The 8th International Medical Congress for Students and Young Doctors, September 24-26, 2020Introduction. In Republic of Moldova, the medical error is encountered more often than we think. This isn’t known because every day, people are forced to keep silent about some irregularities, and this may affect both, the patient and the medical staff. Annually, the number of cases of medical errors that had been reported is unrealistically low. Even the law does not come to the aid of people affected by malpractice, error or mistake, as all these terms are covered by the term of medical error. Aim of the study. Detecting the actual prevalence of medical errors and the level of protection available to patients. Materials and methods. This descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 20 medical workers. Data was collected using a valid and reliable questionnaire, consisting of two parts: demographic information and questions about the level of protection perceived by medical workers and their role in solving medical errors that they witnessed. Results. From the analysis of the questionnaires we found that 69% of the medical workers surveyed witnessed at least one case of medical error. As a result of this error, no action was taken in 71% of cases and 23% of cases ended in a harsh reprimand. This may be a consequence of the fact that in more than half of the cases, even patients or their relatives did not notice that a violation had occurred to them, and if they did, most of them overlooked it. Even in the context of the legislation, there was not much data, with 55% saying that the state is not taking sufficient measures to prevent or cases of medical errors. Conclusions. 1. The number of medical errors exceeds expectations. 2. The population does not have sufficient medical education to detect some medical violations. 3. Preventing and combating the majority of medical violations is legally impossible. 4. Although medical workers would like to combat medical errors or mistakes, it is not only up to them, the change must occur at a social and political level

On the usage of Tartrazine (e102) in certain food products and estimation of potential daily intake

The inclusion rate of the synthetic food dye Tartrazine E102 in 6 products from 2 categories of food products - ”Fresh, non-alcoholic and flavored beverages - sodas,” and ”Snacks and nuts with salted crust” was studied using the photo-colorimetric method. The acquired data served to estimate the hypothetic daily intake of this additive, in relationship with the Romanians’ consumption habits. The results revealed that: inclusion rate in “Multi-fruit soda” product was 87.2-88.5% lower than the maximum residual admitted level (20 mg/liter product); daily intake level through a portion of “Multi-fruit soda” (500 ml in adults and 200 ml in children) reached 1.28-1.42% of the maximum tolerated doze in children, respectively 0.96-1.39 % of it in adults; tartrazine inclusion rate in “Cheese snack” product was 34.0-47.2% lower than the maximum residual admitted level (100 mg/kg product); calculation of the daily intake through one portion of “Cheese snack” (120 g in adults and 50 g in children) reached 1.17-1.47% of the maximum tolerated doze in children and 1.06-1.47% in adults. Despite the fact that inclusion levels and intake values have not been exceeded, the cumulative effect should be considered when multiple food products containing tartrazine are consumed, knowing this additive is one of the most incriminated factors in the onset of allergenic and irritating conditions in adults, respectively of attention deficit and hyperactivity syndrome in children

Reactive dye removal from aqueous solution by sorption on modified ash

Effluents of textile dyeing are characterized by intense colour, chemical oxygen demand, suspended solids and a variety of refractory matter, such as heavy metals and nonionic surfactants. Strong colours may reduce light penetration, thus affecting the growth of plants and having impact on invertebrate and other forms of wildlife. There are a large number of methods for dyes removal, such as membrane separation, flocculation, sonolysis, anaerobic biological treatments, oxidative destruction via UV/ozone treatment, photocatalytic degradation, which have certain efficiency but their initial and operational costs are so great. Sorption is one of the several techniques that have been successfully utilized for dyes removal. A large number of materials have been used as suitable sorbents for decolourization of industrial effluents: activated carbon (the most common but expensive adsorbent), polymeric resins, various low-cost adsorbents (agricultural and industrial by-products, peat, chitin, silica, fly ash, etc.) Our investigation presented the preliminary results of the study on modified ash, which has been tested for its use as material with sorptive properties in the recovery of dyes from waste waters. The batch equilibrium of reactive dye Brilliant Red HE-3B sorption on industrial waste, based on ash was investigated in order to explore its potential use as low cost sorbent for wastewater dye removal. The results indicated that the sorption of tested dye depended on initial dye concentration, sorbent mass, pH, temperature and contact time. The sorption of dyes increased with ash dose, dye concentration and temperature increase. Even if the sorption capacity of ash was relatively small, ash could be used for the removal of dyes from aqueous effluents

Phenolic and Total Flavonoid Contents and Physicochemical Traits of Romanian Monofloral Honeys

Since ancient times, honey has been appreciated not only for its sensorial traits, but also for the observed effects in rejuvenation and treatment against several bad health conditions, when used externally or internally, along with other beehive products, such as pollen, propolis and royal jelly. Today, it is known that such effects are generated by compounds bearing antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative features (enzymes, polyphenolic molecules). The purpose of this study was to assess the total phenolic and flavonoid contents of 28 samples of Romanian raw monofloral honey (acacia; linden; rapeseed, sunflower and mint), and to establish their correlations with several qualitative parameters. Pearson’s test revealed a strong positive correlation between total phenolic content and total flavonoids (r = 0.76) and color intensity (r = 0.72). For total flavonoid content, correlations were strongly positive with color intensity (r = 0.81), ash content (r = 0.76) and electrical conductivity (r = 0.73). The relevant levels of polyphenols and flavonoids identified in the analyzed honey types demonstrate its antioxidant potential, with essential nutritional and sanogenic features in human nutrition

Quality assessment of raw honey issued from Eastern Romania

Romania is known among the main European honey producers, due to the variety of landforms as well as the diversity of the flora. Thirty-four honey samples of the acacia, linden and multifloral types, produced in eastern Romania and collected during 2013–2018, were physico chemically analyzed using methods provided by the national and EU standards. The results of water-insoluble solids, color and refractive index were found to be 0.023–0.131%, 0.3–76.4 mm Pfund and 1.485–1.499, respectively. The moisture content ranged between 15.20% and 20.77%, solid substances content ranged between 79.23% and 84.80% and total soluble substances content ranged between 77.83 ◦Brix and 83.26 ◦Brix. The obtained values of specific gravity were from 1.414 to 1.450 g/cm3 , pH ranged from 3.673 to 5.503 and free acidity ranged between 2.4 meq and 50 meq kg−1 . The ash content and the electrical conductivity varied between 0.030 and 0.543% and 130 and 679 µS cm−1 , respectively. Pearson0 s correlation analysis showed an intense association of the ash content with electrical conductivity (r = 0.81). Our findings reveal the qualitative level of Romanian honey and the variation in quality parameters due to factors such as geographical region, climatic conditions, botanical origin and handling or storage conditions

The Molecular Restructuring of Classical Desserts by Using Food Industry By-Products

Fruit and vegetable by-products are in general thrown away and can cause environmental problems, even though they are a valuable source of bioactive compounds, which may be used for innovative food production.The present work focused on achieving a new type of dessert, a “Sweetburger”, by restructuring its molecular components with the aid of molecular gastronomy techniques and using agro-industrial wastes (beetroot and sour cherry pulp and peels, melon pomace). The innovative dessert has been obtained and the bioactive compounds contained in the agro-industrial wastes have been characterized using the HPLC method, Folin-Ciocalteu and spectrophotometry. The total polyphenol content from sour cherries waste was significant, 508,9 mg gallic acid/100 g. The total anthocyanin content from beetroot pulp was 0,117 mg/ 100 g

Melanoma’s sentinel node biopsy: comparison between two clinical hospitals over 5 years

University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Targu Mures, Romania, University Hospital of Parma, ItalyIntroduction. Sentinel lymph node (SLN) is defined as the first lymph node localized on the direct lymphatic drainage pathway from a primary tumor. The sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is largely used in breast cancer and melanoma but it may also be useful in other epithelial skin cancers as well as in tumors located in the upper or lower gastrointestinal tract, lungs, thyroid, cervix and vulva. SLNB in melanoma is essential for an accurate staging, to estimate the risk of extension to other lymph nodes or organs and to evaluate the prognosis. Melanoma, even if it is not as common as the basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma among the skin tumors, presents an increasing incidence and a higher mortality

The clinical and evolutionary characteristics of mumps meningitis in teenagers and adults

Catedra Boli infecţioase, tropicale şi parazitologie medicală USMF „N.Testemiţanu”, Spitalul Clinic de Boli infecţioase „T.Ciorbă”Out of 40 patient with mumps meningitis admitted to the T.Ciorba Clinical Hospital of the Infectious Diseases between November 2007-February 2008 most frequently were affected the men (98%), their age being between 14-29 years old, presented by students pupils. Meningitis, as a rule, appeared at the 6-9 day. The combinated form (parotiditis +orhitis +pancreatitis + meningitis) has been revealed in 72% of cases. Meningitis symptoms have been diagnosed in 58% of cases. The lumbar punction has revealed hypertensive transparent liquor, limphocitozis and insignificant modifications of the glucose and chloride levels. Au fost examinaţi 40 de bolnavi cu oreion la care s-a dezvoltat tabloul clinic de meningită urliană, spitalizaţi în SCBI ”T. Ciorbă” pe parcursul a 4 luni (noembrie 2007 – februarie 2008). Vîrsta pacienţilor a variat între 14 – 29 ani, majoritatea fiind elevi şi studenţi din diferite colectivităţi, printre care predominau bărbaţi (98%). Meningita s-a declanşat, de regulă, la a 6-9 zi de boală. La majoritatea (72%) pacienţilor s-a stabilit forma combinată a maladiei (oreion + meningită + pancreatită +orhită). Semnele meningiene s-au depistat la doar 25 (58%) pacienţi. LCR s-a caracterizat printr-o pleiocitoză limfocitară şi modificări neesenţiale a glucozei şi hlorizilor