The determinants of web-based investor relations activities by companies operating in emerging economies : the case of Jordan

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Gas dynamics in whole galaxies: SPH

I review the progress of SPH calculations for modelling galaxies, and resolving gas dynamics on GMC scales. SPH calculations first investigated the response of isothermal gas to a spiral potential, in the absence of self gravity and magnetic fields. Surprisingly though, even these simple calculations displayed substructure along the spiral arms. Numerical tests indicate that this substructure is still present at high resolution (100 million particles, ~10 pc), and is independent of the initial particle distribution. One interpretation of the formation of substructure is that smaller clouds can agglomerate into more massive GMCs via dissipative collisions. More recent calculations have investigated how other processes, such as the thermodynamics of the ISM, and self gravity affect this simple picture. Further research has focused on developing models with a more realistic spiral structure, either by including stars, or incorporating a tidal interaction.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, review talk for IAU 270 symposium 'Computational star formation

Geographical Segment Disclosures: Usefulness in Forecasting Turnover and Profits of U.K. Multinationals

There is a considerable quantity of evidence regarding the usefulness of segmental information on a line of business basis. However, there is very little evidence available regarding the value of geographical segment information. The objective of this study is, therefore, to investigate the usefulness of the geographical segment information currently provided by U.K. multinational companies. The uses that geographic segment information may be put to are many and varied. Accordingly, this study examines only one possible use of such information. Namely, whether it can be used to make forecasts of turnover and earnings. One year ahead forecasts of turnover and earnings were made for the years 1981 to 1983 for a sample of 109 U.K. multinational companies. These forecasts were based upon consolidated information, segmental turnover and segmental earnings data. The relative accuracy of the forecasts were then compared using four error measures which were both non-truncated and truncated at 100%. The forecasting models used were six naive consolidated models which represent all the major classes of naive models that evidence on the time series properties of earnings suggests might be useful and six segment based models. The segment models were based upon forecasts of changes in the GNP of individual countries which were then aggregated into segment forecasts with the weights based upon the size of total GNP in each country. Four of the forecasts were based upon various assumptions concerning the importance of inflation and two were based upon expost changes in GNP. Forecasts of earnings using the segmental disclosures were developed in two ways. Firstly, upon segment turnover data combined with the the average earnings to turnover margin and, secondly, upon segment earnings data. Using the models to forecast turnover it was found that the consolidated models significantly outperformed the segment turnover based models. When forecasting earnings it was found that, again, the segment turnover based models did not outperform the consolidated models. However, the segment earnings based models significantly outperformed the segment turnover based models and, in most cases they also outperformed the optimal consolidated model, especially in respect of the non-truncated error measures. Thus, the results are very different from those from prior research into the usefulness of line of business information. For line of business information it was found that segment turnover based models significantly outperformed consolidated models and that the addition of segmental earnings information provided little or no improvement. Several possible reasons for the differences between these results and those found previously for line of business information are suggested

Earnings Management to Avoid Earnings Boosts

Acknowledgements The authors are thankful to Professor Frank Hong Liu for suggestions that improved the original draft of the article. The authors also appreciate the comments by two anonymous reviewers.Peer reviewedPostprin

Effect of Different Types of Physical Activity on Activities of Daily Living in Older Adults : Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

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Goal-orientated cognitive rehabilitation for dementias associated with Parkinson's disease―A pilot randomised controlled trial

OBJECTIVE: To examine the appropriateness and feasibility of cognitive rehabilitation for people with dementias associated with Parkinson's in a pilot randomised controlled study. METHODS: This was a single-blind pilot randomised controlled trial of goal-oriented cognitive rehabilitation for dementias associated with Parkinson's. After goal setting, participants were randomised to cognitive rehabilitation (n = 10), relaxation therapy (n = 10), or treatment-as-usual (n = 9). Primary outcomes were ratings of goal attainment and satisfaction with goal attainment. Secondary outcomes included quality of life, mood, cognition, health status, everyday functioning, and carers' ratings of goal attainment and their own quality of life and stress levels. Assessments were at 2 and 6 months following randomisation. RESULTS: At 2 months, cognitive rehabilitation was superior to treatment-as-usual and relaxation therapy for the primary outcomes of self-rated goal attainment (d = 1.63 and d = 1.82, respectively) and self-rated satisfaction with goal attainment (d = 2.04 and d = 1.84). At 6 months, cognitive rehabilitation remained superior to treatment-as-usual (d = 1.36) and relaxation therapy (d = 1.77) for self-rated goal attainment. Cognitive rehabilitation was superior to treatment as usual and/or relaxation therapy in a number of secondary outcomes at 2 months (mood, self-efficacy, social domain of quality of life, carers' ratings of participants' goal attainment) and at 6 months (delayed recall, health status, quality of life, carer ratings of participants' goal attainment). Carers receiving cognitive rehabilitation reported better quality of life, health status, and lower stress than those allocated to treatment-as-usual. CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive rehabilitation is feasible and potentially effective for dementias associated with Parkinson's disease