The effect of political connections on firms' auditor choice decisions and audit opinions: evidence from Egypt

Purpose – This paper aims to examine how different types of corporate political connections (PCs) affect auditor choice decisions (and, therefore, audit quality) and audit opinions following the 2013 Egyptian uprising. Design/methodology/approach – This paper utilizes a unique hand-collected dataset on the type of PCs of Egyptian listed companies from 2014 to 2019. Several analyses are employed to test the hypotheses, including logit regression, probit regression and generalized linear mixed models (GLMM). A number of additional analyses are conducted to ensure the robustness of the results, including the instrumental variables (IVs) probit models and propensity score matching (PSM). Findings – The results show that firms’ choice of auditor and audit opinion is heavily influenced by firms’ PCs. Companies with PCs through boards of directors and major shareholders hire Big 4 audit firms to enhance corporate legitimacy; however, government-linked companies usually retain non-Big 4 audit firms to avoid increased transparency and to conceal improper activities, including tunneling and rent-seeking. Further, the results indicate that companies with PCs through boards of directors or major shareholders are more likely to receive favorable audit opinions, whereas government-owned businesses are less likely to receive such opinions. Research limitations/implications – This study provides additional evidence to policymakers that binding regulations and guidelines are necessary to oversee politically connected firms (PCFs) and to enhance governance and investor protection. Originality/value – This study provides the first empirical evidence on how corporate PCs influence the choice of auditors and the opinions of audit firms in Egypt. This paper also sheds light on the impact of different types of corporate PCs on the choice of auditors and audit opinions

Oscillation and nonoscillation of third order functional differential equations

A qualitative approach is usually concerned with the behavior of solutions of a given differential equation and usually does not seek specific explicit solutions;This dissertation is the analysis of oscillation of third order linear homogeneous functional differential equations, and oscillation and nonoscillation of third order nonlinear nonhomogeneous functional differential equations. This is done mainly in Chapters II and III. Chapter IV deals with the analysis of solutions of neutral differential equations of third order and even order. In Chapter V we study the asymptotic nature of nth order delay differential equations;Oscillatory solution is the solution which has infinitely many zeros; otherwise, it is called nonoscillatory solution;The functional differential equations under consideration are:(UNFORMATTED TABLE OR EQUATION FOLLOWS) (b(ay[superscript]\u27)[superscript]\u27)[superscript]\u27 + (q[subscript]1y)[superscript]\u27 + q[subscript]2y[superscript]\u27 = 0, &(b(ay[superscript]\u27)[superscript]\u27)[superscript]\u27 + q[subscript]1y + q[subscript]2y(t - [tau]) = 0, &(b(ay[superscript]\u27)[superscript]\u27)[superscript]\u27 + qF(y(g(t))) = f(t), &(y(t) + p(t)y(t - [tau]))[superscript]\u27\u27\u27 + f(t, y(t), y(t - [sigma])) = 0, &(y(t) + p(t)y(t - [tau]))[superscript](n) + f(t, y(t), y(t - [sigma])) = 0, and &y[superscript](n) + p(t)f(t, y[tau], y[subscript]sp[sigma][subscript]1\u27,..., y[subscript]sp[sigma][subscript]n[subscript]1(n-1)) = F(t). (TABLE/EQUATION ENDS);The first and the second equations are considered in Chapter II, where we find sufficient conditions for oscillation. We study the third equation in Chapter III and conditions have been found to ensure the required criteria. In Chapter IV, we study the oscillation behavior of the fourth and the fifth equations. Finally, the last equation has been studied in Chapter V from the point of view of asymptotic nature of its nonoscillatory solutions

Value of “large FOV” calcium score as a screening method for detection of extracardiac incidental findings

AbstractPurposeThe purpose of this study was to emphasize the value of calcium scoring (Ca score) using a large field of view (“large FOV”) as a screening method for detection of extracardiac incidental findings.Materials and methods64-Multislice CT angiography using a “large FOV” in the preliminary calcium score followed by the post-contrast routine “small FOV” examination was performed for 382 consecutive patients between January 2011 and December 2012.Results375 Patients (203 men and 172 women) with age range between 40 and 80years (mean, 60years), were studied, using a “large FOV” technique. Among whole incidental extracardiac findings, “significant” extracardiac abnormalities (emergent and intermediate findings) were detected in 24.8% of cases, among which 13.6% would have been missed if only using a “small FOV” technique.ConclusionResults showed that using Ca score with a “large FOV” is favorable for better, accurate and more frequent detection of extracardiac incidental findings. With usage of low dose technique, the difference in dose between “small FOV” and “large FOV” techniques is justified for detection of supplementary “significant” extra-cardiac findings including serious findings such as lung cancer or metastatic deposits

Finite Element Modelling of Strengthened Simple Beams using FRP Techniques: A parametric Study

The main objective of this paper is to study analytically the strengthening of a simplereinforced concrete beams due to excessive uniform loads in flexure, shear and acombination of flexure and shear, using externally bonded FRP sheets technique. Acommercial finite element computer program ANSYS has been used to perform a structurallinear and non-linear analysis for several models using several schemes of FRP sheets. Aparametric study has been performed for a lot of strengthened beams. FE models studies amain parameter of different schemes of FRP sheets in flexure, shear and combinationflexure/shear. Comparing the results with a control beam model – simple reinforcedconcrete beam without strengthening – it is obvious that all strengthened beams have agreater ultimate capacity than the control beam and noticeable enhancement in memberductility. The increasing level differs as a result of the strengthening scheme. Thestrengthened beam in both flexure and shear gives a higher ultimate load capacity, delay thefailure and prevent debonding failure up to a level at which debonding occurs in bothlongitudinal and wrapped jackets CFRP sheets

Multiset proximity spaces

L

DNA Fingerprinting, Chemical Composition, Antitumor and Antimicrobial Activities of the Essential Oils and Extractives of four Annona Species from Egypt

The leaf essential oils of four members of the Annonaceae grown in Egypt (namely; Annona cherimola, A. squamosa, A. muricata and A. glabra) have been obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-MS in order to compare and contrast the volatile chemical compositions of these species.  The essential oils were screened for in-vitro cytotoxic activity against breast cancer (MCF-7), colon cancer (CACO) and liver cancer (HEPG2) cell lines and antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeuroginosa, Aspergillus flavus and Candida albicans. beta-elemene (25.02%), beta-caryophyllene (37.11%), bicycloelemene (23.58%) and and beta-gurjunene (42.49%), were the major constituents of Annona cherimola, A. squamosa, A. muricata and A. glabra, respectively. Ethanol extracts showed highly significant cytotoxic activities (low IC50) much more than results displayed by essential oils on breast (MCF-7), colon (CACO) and liver (HEPG2) carcinoma cell lines. Relative to breast carcinoma cell line (MCF-7), The IC50 values of ethanol extracts were 3.43, 3.89 and 4.34 ?g/ml for A. cherimola, A. squamosa and A. muricata ethanol extractives respectively. While colon carcinoma cell line (CACO) displayed IC50 values 2.82, 2.97, 3.58 and 3.89 ?g/ml for A. muricata, A. cherimola, A. glabra and A. squamosa, respectively. Liver carcinoma cell line (HEPG2) exhibited IC50 valus of 3.12, 3.43 and 3.73 for A. squamosa, A. muricata and A. cherimola, respectively. Three of the four leaf essential oils showed notable invitro cytotoxic activity. Essential oils of A. glabra, A. muricata and A. squamosa showed moderate cytotoxic activities with IC50 values ranging from 12.35 to 24.21?g/ml. While the essential oils of A. cherimola showed IC50 values ranging from 7.67 to 9.22?g/ml. Leaf oils and ethanol extractives showed appreciable antibmicobial activity with variable MIC ranging from 30 to 315µg/ml. These findings suggest that A. cherimola essential oil and ethanol extract have great potential as a natural medicine for cancers and microbial infections. Keywords:Annona cherimola; A. squamosa;, A. muricata ; A. glabra;   Annonaceae;   DNA, essential   oil   composition; cytotoxicity; antimicobia

DNA Fingerprinting, Chemical Composition, Antitumor and Antimicrobial Activities of the Essential Oils and Extractives of four Annona Species from Egypt

The leaf essential oils of four members of the Annonaceae grown in Egypt (namely; Annona cherimola, A. squamosa, A. muricata and A. glabra) have been obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-MS in order to compare and contrast the volatile chemical compositions of these species.  The essential oils were screened for in-vitro cytotoxic activity against breast cancer (MCF-7), colon cancer (CACO) and liver cancer (HEPG2) cell lines and antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeuroginosa, Aspergillus flavus and Candida albicans. beta-elemene (25.02%), beta-caryophyllene (37.11%), bicycloelemene (23.58%) and and beta-gurjunene (42.49%), were the major constituents of Annona cherimola, A. squamosa, A. muricata and A. glabra, respectively. Ethanol extracts showed highly significant cytotoxic activities (low IC50) much more than results displayed by essential oils on breast (MCF-7), colon (CACO) and liver (HEPG2) carcinoma cell lines. Relative to breast carcinoma cell line (MCF-7), The IC50 values of ethanol extracts were 3.43, 3.89 and 4.34 ?g/ml for A. cherimola, A. squamosa and A. muricata ethanol extractives respectively. While colon carcinoma cell line (CACO) displayed IC50 values 2.82, 2.97, 3.58 and 3.89 ?g/ml for A. muricata, A. cherimola, A. glabra and A. squamosa, respectively. Liver carcinoma cell line (HEPG2) exhibited IC50 valus of 3.12, 3.43 and 3.73 for A. squamosa, A. muricata and A. cherimola, respectively. Three of the four leaf essential oils showed notable invitro cytotoxic activity. Essential oils of A. glabra, A. muricata and A. squamosa showed moderate cytotoxic activities with IC50 values ranging from 12.35 to 24.21?g/ml. While the essential oils of A. cherimola showed IC50 values ranging from 7.67 to 9.22?g/ml. Leaf oils and ethanol extractives showed appreciable antibmicobial activity with variable MIC ranging from 30 to 315µg/ml. These findings suggest that A. cherimola essential oil and ethanol extract have great potential as a natural medicine for cancers and microbial infections. Keywords:Annona cherimola; A. squamosa;, A. muricata ; A. glabra;   Annonaceae;   DNA, essential   oil   composition; cytotoxicity; antimicobia

Optimiranje fizikalno-kemijskih parametara, djelomično pročišćavanje i karakterizacija izvanstanične alkalne lipaze iz novog soja plijesni Curvularia sp. DHE 5

Thirty isolated fungal strains were screened for lipase production using Phenol Red plates, containing tributyrin as lipidic substrate, and a novel fungus identified genetically as Curvularia sp. DHE 5 was found as the most prominent strain. Various agro-industrial substrates were evaluated as inert supports for lipase production in solid-state fermentation. The highest yield of lipase ((83.4±2.2) U/g on dry mass basis) was reported with wheat bran medium after seven days of fermentation at pH=7.0, temperature of 30 °C, 70 % moisture content, inoculum size of 1.27·107 spore/mL and 2 % olive oil as an inducer. Supplementation of the medium with 0.05 % KCl as an ion source further increased lipase production to (88.9±1.2) U/g on dry mass basis. The enzyme was partially purified through ammonium sulphate fractionation (40 %) followed by dialysis, and its optimum pH and temperature were reported at 8.0 and 50 °C, respectively, with remarkable pH and thermal stability.U radu je ispitana proizvodnja lipaze iz 30 izolata plijesni na podlozi s tributirinom pomoću fenolnog crvenila, pri čemu se najviše istaknuo izolat koji je genetički identificiran kao novi soj plijesni Curvularia sp. DHE 5. Ispitana je mogućnost korištenja različitog agroindustrijskog otpada kao inertnih podloga za proizvodnju lipaze fermentacijom na čvrstoj podlozi. Najveći prinos lipaze od (83,4±2,2) jedinica po gramu suhe tvari dobiven je u podlozi s pšeničnim mekinjama nakon sedam dana fermentacije pri pH-vrijednosti od 7,0; temperaturi od 30 °C, 70 %-tnom udjelu vlage, veličini inokuluma od 1,27·107 spora po mililitru i s dodatkom 2 %-tnog maslinovog ulja. Dodatak 0,05 % KCl kao izvora iona dodatno je potaknuo proizvodnju lipaze na 88,9±1,2 jedinica po gramu suhe tvari. Enzim je djelomično pročišćen (40 %) frakcioniranjem pomoću amonijeva sulfata i dijalizom, te se pokazao izuzetno stabilinim, s optimalnom pH-vrijednosti od 8,0 i optimalnom temperaturom od 50 °C

A NEW METHOD FOR SOLVING LINEAR PROGRAMMING PROBLEMS

ABSTRACT Anew method which does not depend on the simplex method for solving the linear programming (LP) problems is given. The proposed method is based mainly upon solving this problem algebraically using the concept of duality .The important of this method is that we are not based our work on vertex information which may have difficulties as the problem size increases. A simple example is given to clarify the developed theory of this proposed method