9 research outputs found
A state-stewardship view on executive compensation
No full textWe take a state-stewardship view on the corporate governance model and executive compensation policies in economies with strong political involvement. In such a highly politically-oriented institutional environment, the business elites are not just professional managers but are also de facto government officials who are directly state-appointed – even in ‘private’ firms. They are expected to act as responsible ‘stewards’ of the state. Consequently, their compensation may differ from what agency theory predicts. We test this state-stewardship view on China and find that Chinese managers are remunerated not for maximizing equity value but for increasing the value of the state-owned assets. Managerial compensation depends on political connections and prestige, and on the firms’ contribution to political and macroeconomic goals and the officials’ political achievements. These effects were somewhat weakened since the governance reform of 2006, when companies became more market-oriented though state influence still prevails. In a social welfare perspective, the compensation of state-steward managers stimulates not the maximization of shareholder value but the preservation of the state’s interests
Thorium fuel cycles with externally driven systems
No full textExternally driven subcritical systems are closely associated with thorium, partially because thorium has no naturally occurring fissile isotopes. Both accelerator-driven systems (ADSs) and fusion-driven systems have been proposed. This paper highlights key literature related to the use of thorium in externally driven systems (EDSs) and builds upon this foundation to identify potential roles for EDSs in thorium fuel cycles. In fuel cycles with natural thorium feed and no enrichment, the potential roles are (1) a once-through breed-and-burn fuel cycle and (2) a fissile breeder (mainly 233U) to support a fleet of critical reactors. If enriched uranium is used in the fuel cycle in addition to thorium, EDSs may be used to burn transuranic material. These fuel cycles were evaluated in the recently completed U.S. Department of Energy Evaluation and Screening of nuclear fuel cycle options relative to the current once-through commercial nuclear fuel cycle in the United States. The evaluation was performed with respect to nine specified high-level criteria, such as waste management and resource utilization. Each of these fuel cycles presents significant potential benefits per unit energy generation compared to the present once-through uranium fuel cycle. A parametric study indicates that fusion-fission-hybrid systems perform better than ADSs in some missions due to a higher neutron source relative to the energy required to produce it. However, both potential externally driven technology choices face significant development and deployment challenges. In addition, there are significant challenges associated with the use of thorium fuel and with the transition from a uranium-based fuel cycle to a thorium-based fuel cycle
Carta de Pere Pascual al Dr. J. Ros (Oxford) concedint-li ajuda del GIFT per a desplaçar-se una setmana al CERN
Get PDFBackground
Our prior study in Han Chinese women has shown that women with a history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) are at increased risk for developing major depression (MD). Would this relationship be found in our whole data set?
Method
Three levels of CSA (non-genital, genital, and intercourse) were assessed by self-report in two groups of Han Chinese women: 6017 clinically ascertained with recurrent MD and 5983 matched controls. Diagnostic and other risk factor information was assessed at personal interview. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated by logistic regression.
Results
We confirmed earlier results by replicating prior analyses in 3,950 new recurrent MD cases. There were no significant differences between the two data sets. Any form of CSA was significantly associated with recurrent MD (OR 4.06, 95% confidence interval (CI) [3.19–5.24]). This association strengthened with increasing CSA severity: non-genital (OR 2.21, 95% CI 1.58–3.15), genital (OR 5.24, 95% CI 3.52–8.15) and intercourse (OR 10.65, 95% CI 5.56–23.71). Among the depressed women, those with CSA had an earlier age of onset, longer depressive episodes. Recurrent MD patients those with CSA had an increased risk for dysthymia (OR 1.60, 95%CI 1.11–2.27) and phobia (OR 1.41, 95%CI 1.09–1.80). Any form of CSA was significantly associated with suicidal ideation or attempt (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.20–1.89) and feelings of worthlessness or guilt (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.02–2.02). Intercourse (OR 3.47, 95%CI 1.66–8.22), use of force and threats (OR 1.95, 95%CI 1.05–3.82) and how strongly the victims were affected at the time (OR 1.39, 95%CI 1.20–1.64) were significantly associated with recurrent MD.
Conclusions
In Chinese women CSA is strongly associated with recurrent MD and this association increases with greater severity of CSA. Depressed women with CSA have some specific clinical traits. Some features of CSA were associated with greater likelihood of developing recurrent MD
