Firm performance and corporate governance variables - United Kingdom

Mestrado em FinançasA temática do corporate governance remonta ao século XVIII. Apesar disso, só depois da crise financeira da década de 2000 que afectaram todo o sistema e das graves falências empresariais, o tema voltou à ribalta. Este estudo revisita de forma abrangente a evolução das várias teorias da empresa à luz do desenvolvimento do corporate governance como ciência fundamental para promover e desenvolver a performance no meio empresarial. Para tal, foi analisado o efeito que as variáveis de corporate governance têm na performance das empresas do Reino Unido no período de 2005-2012. Foram considerados cinco mecanismos de controlo empresarial: controlo efectuado aos directores, controlo através da estrutura accionista, controlo interno efectuado pelos "Committees", atribuição do cargo de CEO e Chairman a pessoas distintas e controlo através de remuneração baseada na performance. A estrutura accionista, aliada à atribuição do cargo de CEO e Chairman a pessoas distintas e o controlo através da remuneração baseada na performance, revelaram-se os mecanismos mais significativos na resolução da equação performance governance. Finalmente, e baseado na revisão de literatura e nos resultados obtidos, é possível afirmar que o corporate governance é um processo dinâmico no qual todos os intervenientes devem ser tidos em conta na prossecução do objectivo comum desenvolver um modelo de governance que seja sustentável e benéfico para a sociedade.The theme of corporate governance dates back to the eighteenth century. Nevertheless, only after the financial crisis in 2000's decade that affected the entire system and the devastating corporate failures, the subject returned to the spotlight. This study revisits in a comprehensive way the evolution of the different theories of the firm in light of the development of corporate governance, as a fundamental science to promote and develop the corporate performance. To this purpose, we examined the effect that corporate governance variables have on the performance of companies in the UK for the period 2005-2012. We considered five mechanisms of corporate control: Board of directors, equity ownership structure, internal control performed by the Board Committees, separation of CEO and Chairman roles, and control through the variable remuneration. Board ownership, together with the separation of CEO and Chairman roles and control through the performance variable remuneration, proved to be the most significant mechanisms in the resolution of the equation performance - governance. Finally, and based on the literature review and the results obtained, it can be stated that corporate governance is a dynamic process in which the different stakeholders should be taken into account in order to achieve a common goal - develop a governance model that is sustainable and beneficial to society

The treatment of acute bronchiolitis: past, present and future

Lower respiratory tract infections are a common cause of hospitalisation in infants. It is estimated that infants younger than 12 months with bronchiolitis account for 18% of all paediatric admission [1], representing a great burden to industrialised healthcare systems each winter. Bronchiolitis is defined as the first respiratory tract infection in infants younger than 12 months. Clinically, it can be manifested by cough, tachypnoea, apnoea, increased respiratory effort, fever, nasal congestion and rhinorrhoea. On chest auscultation, the key feature is diffuse bilateral inspiratory crackles. The most common virus detected in children with bronchiolitis is respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Fostering entrepreneurship intentions: the role of entrepreneurship education

To foster economic development, entrepreneurship is a crucial pillar. Young people and especially students are potential entrepreneurs, whereas education is crucial to promote capabilities and to pursue intentions. In this research we study the importance and effect of the personal characteristics of students, the inherent psychological factors, and the influence of education and training to promote entrepreneurial intentions. From our sample of 1750 students, we conclude about the importance of entrepreneurial education to promote entrepreneurial spirit and develop entrepreneurial intentions. Our results highlight the importance of proposing entrepreneurship education, especially to younger girls in regular education but also to older boys in vocational education. In this sense, this research closes a gap in literature by demonstrating that entrepreneurial education is an important aspect to promote entrepreneurial intentions, despite some inherent adverse psychological conditions on these younger students for entrepreneurship development.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Mortality in relation to smoking: the British Doctors Study

The British doctors study: the first strong statistical proof of association between smoking and many diseases

Os Desvalores do Negócio Jurídico

O presente estudo incide na exploração do conceito geral da ineficácia dos negócios jurídicos em Portugal. Para o efeito, serão abordados os requisitos ou pressupostos para que um determinado negócio jurídico seja considerado eficaz, passando posteriormente para a análise da ineficácia stricto senso. Para completar e também de modo a contextualizar melhor esta dogmática se fará uma breve alusão aos preceitos de invalidade e inexistência dos negócios jurídicos

Where do we stand with asthma phenotypes derived from data-driven methods? A systematic review

Asthma phenotypes can be refined using methods without a priori assumptions (data-driven). We aimed to describe asthma phenotypes derived with data-driven methods, using variables easily measurable in a clinical setting, and to summarize their consistency.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A violência nas praxes académicas: contributos para o desenvolvimento de um programa especial de proximidade

Os processos de interação social estão intimamente associados ao exercício de violência. Contudo, embora a sua manifestação nem sempre se exteriorize de uma forma excessiva, ela encontra-se presente no seio de uma comunidade. Porém, ela depende, em larga es-cala, tanto da perceção dos grupos sociais como da consciência individual, a qual, não raras vezes, é influenciada pela própria sociedade. Aquilo que se assiste nas praxes aca-démicas representa uma clara evidência dessa influência coletiva que divide a opinião pú-blica. Neste contexto, propomo-nos explorar o fenómeno da praxe nas suas diversas di-mensões, sendo que o nosso objeto de estudo será direcionado para o problema da vio-lência exercida nessas práticas. Deste modo, uma vez compreendidos os seus contornos, o debate incide sobre a necessidade do desenvolvimento de um programa especial de proximidade para os estudantes do ensino superior que incorpore, entre outras temáticas, a mediação da violência no âmbito das praxes académicas. Para o efeito, além da vasta revisão bibliográfica e documental, é de realçar o importante contributo das entrevistas levadas a cabo, que confrontam posições de responsáveis e professores universitários, especialistas na área do Direito Penal e dos Direitos Fundamentais, bem como responsá-veis policiais pela promoção de campanhas e programas de proximidade locais com estu-dantes do ensino superior. Ainda que com algumas condicionantes, as opiniões confirmam essa necessidade.The social interaction processes are intimately associated to the practice of violence. However its manifestation is not always excessive, it is always present in the midst of a community. Still it depends in a large scale as much on the perception of the social groups as on the individual conscience, which is not rarely influenced by the society. What we can see in academic praxis is a clear evidence of that collective influence which divides the public opinion in movements against and in favour. In this context we propose to explore the praxis phenomenon in its different dimensions with the object of study being narrowed down to the problem of violence practiced in those praxis. Once understood their outlines, the debate consists in the urge to build special proximity programmes to the university students which embody, among other themes, the mediation of violence in academic praxis context. For that purpose, besides the bibliographic and documental revision, we should enhance the important role of the conducted interviews that oppose responsible agents and university teacher’s positions, specialized in criminal law and fundamental rights, as well the police agents responsible for some campaign and local proximity programmes with university students. Despite having some constraints, opinions partly support this need

Effects of atopy and rhinitis on exhaled nitric oxide values - a systematic review

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Atopy and rhinitis are among the factors affecting exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) values and may contribute to difficulties in the clinical interpretation of FeNO measurements. However, data assessing their effects on FeNO values had never been summarized. This review aims to evaluate the effect of atopy and rhinitis in FeNO values in otherwise healthy individuals.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A systematic review was performed in Pubmed, Scopus and ISI Web of Knowledge. A two-step selection process was completed, and from 2357 references 19 were included. The inclusion criteria were: participants without known diseases other than rhinitis; atopy assessement by SPT or Specific IgE; and FeNO measurements according to ATS/ERS recommendations.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The 8 articles measuring FeNO in children showed higher values in both allergic rhinitis and atopic children when compared with healthy children. The 11 articles performed in adults observed higher FeNO in AR patients comparatively with either healthy or atopic individuals. However, adult healthy and atopic individuals had similar FeNO values.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>FeNO values are higher in individuals with rhinitis and/or atopy without other health problems. These effects are small, seem to be independent and should be further studied using multivariate models. The effect of atopy was observed only in children. The combined effect of atopy and rhinitis produced higher FeNO values in adults. These results support that both atopy and rhinitis should be considered when interpreting or when defining FeNO reference values.</p

Predictors of acute kidney injury associated with cardiopulmonary bypass

To study the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in the postoperative period of cardiac surgery in patients without preoperative renal insufficiency who underwent cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), and to explore the association between the incidence of AKI and predictors related to CPB. Observational, cross-sectional study. Participants were divided in two groups, those who developed AKI in the postoperative period and those who did not develop AKI. Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes - Clinical Practice Guideline for Acute Kidney Injury (KDIGO) classification was used to characterize AKI. The analysis included preoperative variables (anthropometric data, cardiovascular risk factors and blood parameters), as well as the type of surgery, intraoperative variables related to CPB, and postoperative creatinine variation. Association between variables was studied with binary logistic regression. We have included 329 patients, of which 62 (19%), developed AKI. There were statistically significant differences between the groups in age (p<0.001; OR (95%)-1.075 (1.037-1.114)), duration of CPB (p=0.011; 1.008 (1.002-1.014)), urine output during CPB (p=0.038; 0.998 (0.996-0.999)), mannitol and furosemide administration during CPB, (respectively, p=0.032; 2.293 (1.075-4.890) and p=0.013; 2.535 (1.214-5.296)). A significant number of patients developed AKI in the postoperative period of cardiac surgery and this incidence was influenced by factors related to CPB, namely: age, duration of CPB, urine output during CPB, mannitol and furosemide administration during CPB.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio