The Role of Corporate Governance Principles on Improving Market Performance

Purpose: The study aims to clarify the role of corporate governance principles on improving market performance at Jordanian industrial sector by measuring the governance principles through board of directors members size (BSIZE), number of independent members (BCOMP), existence of an audit committee (AUDCOM), and ratio of institutional ownership (InstitOwn) while the market performance represented in dependent variable has been measured through modern indicators in evaluating market performance; such as market value added (MVA), economic value added (EVA) and return on assets (ROA), which considered one of the traditional indicators in evaluating market performance.   Theoretical Framework: Due to the great role played by corporate governance on stabilizing financial markets, increasing the competitiveness of public shareholding companies by enhancing transparency, improving the financial performance of companies, and achieving a balance of interests between the company's management, shareholders, employees, creditors, and other related parties, which means reducing capital cost and the possibility of obtaining less expensive sources to finance company's future projects.   Design/Methodology/Approach: The study sample consisted of (70) industrial companies that formulate (79%) of study population, during the study period of year 2022   Findings: The study results showed a statistically significant relationship between the market value added ratio of institutional ownership and return on assets, and nonexistence of statistically significant relationship between the institutional ownership ratio and economic value added. On the other hand, study showed no statistically significant relationship between the financial performance of industrial companies’ measures and the independent factors of board of directors’ size, number of independent members, and the presence of auditing committee.   Research, Practical & Social Implications: The study relied on multiple regression analysis models to identify most important variables that govern companies’ performance

Microbiological analysis, antimicrobial activity, and heavy-metals content of Jordanian Ma'in hot-springs water

Ma'in hot springs are known as sites of balneotherapy. However, little is known about their microbiology and chemistry. In this study, we aim at evaluating the antimicrobial activity of Ma'in hot-springs water (MHSW), studying its microbiology, and determining its physicochemical properties including the heavy metals content. Therefore, water samples were collected from Ma'in hot springs and tested for antimicrobial activity using agar diffusion method. Water was then cultivated on nutrient agar to isolate and identify the dominant bacteria by chemical and molecular methods. The identified strains were tested by cross streak method to evaluate their antimicrobial activity against different clinical and standard strains. Finally, water samples were chemically analyzed and the heavy-metals content was assessed. Results revealed that MHSW was not active against any of the clinical isolates. Nevertheless, MHSW was found to be active against five standard bacterial strains, namely, Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12228 (inhibition zone: 20 mm), Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 (inhibition zone: 19 mm), Micrococcus luteus ATCC 9341 (inhibition zone: 15.3 mm), and Bacillus cereus ATCC 11778 (inhibition zone: 12.3 mm). After cultivation of MHSW, five bacterial isolates were obtained and identified based on 16S rRNA gene analysis as new strains of Anoxybacillus flavithermus (identity percentage ranges between 96–99%). Physicochemical analysis revealed that the in situ temperature was 59 °C, pH was 7.8, salinity was 1.6 ppt, and dissolved oxygen was 3.8 mg l−1. In respect to heavy-metals content in MHSW, the following metals were present in the order: Cr (0.571 ppm) > Mn(0.169 ppm) > Fe (0.124 ppm) > Zn (0.095) > Cu(0.070 ppm) > Ni(0.058 ppm) > Cd (0.023 ppm) > Pb (0 ppm). Cd, Cr, Ni and Mn were found to be higher than permissible levels set by international organizations and countries. This study highlights new chemical and microbiological data about Ma'in hot springs. Keywords: Ma'in hot springs, Antimicrobial activity, Heavy metals, Water microbiology, Thermophilic bacteria, Balneotherap

Mapping the supportive care needs and quality of life of adult survivors of childhood cancer at a comprehensive cancer center in the Middle East

Assessing unmet needs is crucial to achieving quality care and patient satisfaction. Between September and December 2021, we assessed unmet supportive care needs in a consecutive sample of adult survivors of childhood cancer at KHCC (King Hussien Cancer Center). Two hundred and ninety-seven adult survivors of childhood cancer completed the study questionnaire. The average needs score across all domains was 24.80 (SD = 19.65), with the financial domain scoring the highest 30.39 (SD = 31.95) and sexuality scoring the lowest 7.67 (SD = 19.67). Using a multivariate linear regression model, female gender was independently associated with significantly high scores in all need domains (p \u3c 0.001), except for sexuality. Monthly income, comorbidities, socioeconomic challenges, time since diagnosis, and age at diagnosis have emerged as predictors of needs in many domains. Mean quality of life (QoL) was significantly and inversely associated with the mean score in multiple domains: psychological (p \u3c 0.001), sexuality (p = 0.038), financial (p \u3c 0.001), and overall needs (p = 0.004). Following a content analysis of qualitative data, educational difficulties, and work-related challenges were identified as other unmet needs. Cancer experiences during childhood significantly influence supportive care needs in adulthood. There is a need for more tailored studies assessing different populations of cancer survivors and avoiding the one-size-fits-all survivorship care

Pancreatic surgery outcomes: multicentre prospective snapshot study in 67 countries

Background: Pancreatic surgery remains associated with high morbidity rates. Although postoperative mortality appears to have improved with specialization, the outcomes reported in the literature reflect the activity of highly specialized centres. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes following pancreatic surgery worldwide.Methods: This was an international, prospective, multicentre, cross-sectional snapshot study of consecutive patients undergoing pancreatic operations worldwide in a 3-month interval in 2021. The primary outcome was postoperative mortality within 90 days of surgery. Multivariable logistic regression was used to explore relationships with Human Development Index (HDI) and other parameters.Results: A total of 4223 patients from 67 countries were analysed. A complication of any severity was detected in 68.7 percent of patients (2901 of 4223). Major complication rates (Clavien-Dindo grade at least IIIa) were 24, 18, and 27 percent, and mortality rates were 10, 5, and 5 per cent in low-to-middle-, high-, and very high-HDI countries respectively. The 90-day postoperative mortality rate was 5.4 per cent (229 of 4223) overall, but was significantly higher in the low-to-middle-HDI group (adjusted OR 2.88, 95 per cent c.i. 1.80 to 4.48). The overall failure-to-rescue rate was 21 percent; however, it was 41 per cent in low-to-middle-compared with 19 per cent in very high-HDI countries.Conclusion: Excess mortality in low-to-middle-HDI countries could be attributable to failure to rescue of patients from severe complications. The authors call for a collaborative response from international and regional associations of pancreatic surgeons to address management related to death from postoperative complications to tackle the global disparities in the outcomes of pancreatic surgery (NCT04652271; ISRCTN95140761)