Rethinking the Disclosure Paradigm in a World of Complexity

In a prior article, Professor Schwarcz examined the factors that differentiate Enron\u27s questionable use of off-balance sheet special purpose entities, (SPEs) from the trillions of dollars of legitimate securitization and other structured-finance transactions that use SPEs. The presence of meaningful differences, Professor Schwarcz argued, may inform regulatory schemes by providing a basis to distinguish which such transactions should be allowed or restricted. In that connection, Professor Schwarcz encountered the dilemma that some structured transactions are so complex that disclosure to investors of the company originating the transaction is necessarily imperfect - either oversimplifying the transaction, or providing detail and sophistication beyond the level of even most institutional investors and securities analysts. In this article, Professor Schwarcz focuses on solutions to this dilemma, arguing that complexity forces a rethinking of the long-held disclosure paradigm of securities law

On diameter perfect constant-weight ternary codes

From cosets of binary Hamming codes we construct diameter perfect constant-weight ternary codes with weight $n-1$ (where $n$ is the code length) and distances 3 and 5. The class of distance 5 codes has parameters unknown before. Keywords: constant-weight codes, ternary codes, perfect codes, diameter perfect codes, perfect matchings, Preparata codesComment: 15 pages, 2 figures; presented at 2004 Com2MaC Conference on Association Schemes, Codes and Designs; submitted to Discrete Mathematic

Review of Differences : Rereading Beauvoir and Irigaray

Book review. Reviewed work: Differences: Rereading Beauvoir and Irigaray / Emily Anne Parker and Anne van Leeuwen (editors). - New York : Oxford University Press, 2018 (ISBN: 9780190275600).Non peer reviewe

Adverse effects of treatment for rectal cancer : sexual function, hormones, and bone health

Thanks to improved outcomes from multimodal rectal cancer (RC) treatment, long-term survival is increasing; thus, focus on the long-term adverse effects of treatment is required. This thesis aimed to increase knowledge regarding adverse effects to enable well-informed treatment decisions and accurate management of the side effects. Studies I–IV were part of a multicentre, prospective cohort study including 142 females with RC stage I–III from 2008 to 2013. Clinical data and blood samples for hormone and bone biomarker analysis were collected at baseline, after (chemo)radiotherapy (C)RT, and at one year. Questionnaires on sexual function (Female Sexual Function Index; FSFI) and psychological well-being were completed at baseline and one- and two-year follow-up, and on bowel function at two years. Female androgens are produced in the ovaries, adrenals and by peripheral conversion. Study I explored the impact of preoperative RT on ovarian androgen production and the association between androgens and sexual desire. Testosterone (T), free T, androstenedione (A-4), and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) were assessed and compared between non-oophorectomized females treated with RT and surgery (RT+) vs surgery alone (RT-) (N=125). Radiotherapy was associated with a decrease in the androgens predominantly produced in the ovaries (T and free T). Changes in serum levels of all measured androgens were associated with sexual desire. Rectal cancer treatment negatively affects sexual function, with data being more robust for males than females. Study II aimed to assess sexual function and its association with RT in females. The FSFI scores were assessed in all women who completed the questionnaire at least once during the two years follow-up (N=139). Total and domain scores were compared within and between the treatment groups (RT+ vs RT-), and the associations between RT and change in FSFI scores were explored in multivariable models. Radiotherapy was associated with a decline in FSFI total score and the domain scores of arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and pain. A secondary aim was to assess ovarian reserve. Anti-Müllerian hormone was measured in premenopausal females (N=9) and became undetectable after RT. Data indicate that androgens are important for female sexual function. The role of endogenous androgen levels in sexual function was not previously investigated in females with RC. Study III explored the association between endogenous levels of the four androgens specified above and FSFI scores among sexually active females (N=99). Increasing levels of T and A-4 were associated with increased FSFI total score, and at least any of T, free T, and A-4 were associated with the FSFI domains of sexual arousal, lubrication, orgasm, or pain. Pelvic insufficiency fractures are a complication of RT for RC. Serum bone biomarkers reflecting the bone remodelling process have been suggested as useful in assessing bone health. Study IV assessed four bone biomarkers in 134 participants, explored their changes after RC treatment, and if the changes were associated with RT. The prevalence of bone damage was evaluated in a subgroup with magnetic resonance imaging (N=41). Two bone formation markers increased significantly in the RT group between baseline and one year. In the multivariable analysis, RT was associated with an increased level of one of these markers. Bone damage was present in 16 of 38 females who had RT in the subgroup. Study V investigated if patients were given information regarding sexual side effects. Two surveys were directed at physicians and RC patients, respectively; the numbers participating were 186 and 253. Among physicians, approximately half reported that they addressed sexual side effects before treatment, with more than half of the patients and more males than females. Almost half of the patients recalled getting information before treatment. High age, poor physical status among patients, and short clinical experience among physicians decreased the odds of information being provided. In conclusion, the results indicate that RT negatively affects sexual function, androgens, and bone health and show room for improvement in the pre-treatment information about and follow-up of sexual side effects with patients

Determination of the Blowing Agent Distribution in Rigid Polyurethane Foam

The amount and distribution of blowing agent in rigid polyurethane foam were determined by several methods, which are described and compared. A method for solvent extraction with subsequent gas chromatographic analysis was developed and found to be advantageous for CFC-blown foam along with a combustion method (the Schoniger method), where the chloride ions formed were determined by titration. The solvent extraction method was successfully applied to blowing agents in CFC-free foams as well. Three methods involving heating and weight-loss determination were evaluated. They are easy to use, but corrections for thermal decomposition of the polymer are needed. About half of the total amount of CFC-11 in the investigated polyurethane foams from district heating pipes was found to be dissolved in the polymer matrix

Violence Against Drivers and Conductors in the Road Passenger Transport Sector in Maputo, Mozambique

This cross-sectional study examined the extent, nature and risk factors of workplace violence in the road passenger transport sector in Maputo, the capital city of Mozambique. A random sample of 504 participants was selected from a population of 2 618 registered bus, minibus, andtaxi drivers/conductors. The results indicated that workplace violence, psychological as well as physical, is highly prevalent among drivers/conductors, with 77% reporting ever being abusedand 64% reporting being abused during the past 12 months. Particularly vulnerable groups comprised illiterate employees, bus drivers/conductors, employees with long experience, and those holding a supervisory position. In addition, a high workload was associated with an increased likelihood of exposure to workplace violence in the road passenger transport sector. This article discusses the implications of the findings for possible interventions and further research

The Existance and Management of Local Assortment in Multinational Corporations - A case study at DeLaval

Issue of study: In decentralised companies, products that are not in the central assortment, but still sold by the subsidiaries are known as local assortment. Understanding the reasons to why local assortment exists is important for the companies to ensure compliance. To have products that comply with laws and regulations are especially vital in the agricultural industry, due to its large personal risks for farmers. In order to create understanding for this, one must study reasons for why local assortment exists on the broadest level; both externally and internally. Few earlier studies have suggested approaches on how to manage them. Through studying a wide range of management tools in order to find the most suitable ones for local assortment, this gap will be filled by this study. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to provide an understanding to why local assortment exists in multinational corporations and develop a framework consisting of key variables in managing such products. Methodology: A case study has been conducted at DeLaval. The case consists of four sub-cases where information regarding local products was collected through semi-structured interviews with DeLaval´s subsidiaries. The study has used a cross-sectional research design with identical qualitative data collection in each case. This allows for a cross sub-case analysis in order to find general patterns. The deductive research approach was applied throughout the study, which allowed for the usage of a theoretical framework when approaching the empirical study. In order to have an unbiased literature review and find the most important sources, a systematic review was used. Conclusion: The conclusion is divided into two major parts; an academic contribution and a case specific conclusion. The academic contribution consists of a framework which explains the five most important reasons to why local products exist. The most important reason is system sell, which indicates that local products are used to support sales of the central assortment. The framework also presents key variables for successfully managing local products, where different types of communication as well as a structured and simple process are extra important. The case specific conclusion points out the need of local products for the case company. Currently, there are tensions and ambiguities regarding if local product are acceptable or not. Hence, the case company should clarify, within the whole organisation, on what grounds local products are acceptable. This study suggests a global process for local product development as one of those grounds

Changing from petroleum to wood-based materials: critical review of how product sustainability characteristics can be assessed and compared

This paper reports on a literature survey on available approaches for the assessment of product sustainability, with a specific focus on assessing the replacement of non-renewable petroleum-based materials with renewable wood-based materials in absorbent hygiene products. The results are contrasted to needs in a specific material development project. A diverse number of methods exist that can help in assessing different product sustainability characteristics for parts of or whole product lifecycles. None of the assessment methods found include guidelines for how to make a case-specific interpretation of sustainability and there is a general lack of assessment parameters that can describe considerations in the comparison between the use of wood or petroleum as main raw material. One reason for this is lack of knowledge and/or consensus on how to describe and assess impacts of land and water use, e.g. on ecosystem services, different types of resource depletion and social impacts

Life Cycle Assessment of Cellulose Nanofibrils Production by Mechanical Treatment and Two Different Pretreatment Processes

Nanocellulose is a bionanomaterial with many promising applications, but high energy use in production has been described as a potential obstacle for future use. In fact, life cycle assessment studies have indicated high life cycle energy use for nanocellulose. In this study, we assess the cradle-to-gate environmental impacts of three production routes for a particular type of nanocellulose called cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) made from wood pulp. The three production routes are (1) the enzymatic production route, which includes an enzymatic pretreatment, (2) the carboxymethylation route, which includes a carboxymethylation pretreatment, and (3) one route without pretreatment, here called the no pretreatment route. The results show that CNF produced via the carboxymethylation route clearly has the highest environmental impacts due to large use of solvents made from crude oil. The enzymatic and no pretreatment routes both have lower environmental impacts, of similar magnitude. A sensitivity analysis showed that the no pretreatment route was sensitive to the electricity mix, and the carboxymethylation route to solvent recovery. When comparing the results to those of other carbon nanomaterials, it was shown that in particular CNF produced via the enzymatic and no pretreatment routes had comparatively low environmental impacts

Environmental performance of new wastewater and sludge treatment routes compared to conventional approaches

The value of life cycle assessments depends on their completeness and on how well the assessment answers the question asked. In the EU project ROUTES several case studies have been performed in order to evaluate innovative wastewater and sludge treatment scenarios against baseline scenarios, in order to understand whether the new ones perform better or worse from an environmental systems perspective and identify the hot spots in the studied systems from where the main environmental pressure originates. The performed LCA study assesses five impact categories, Global Warming Potential, Acidification Potential, Eutrophication Potential, Ozone Depletion Potential and Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential. This article discusses the relevance of the obtained results and identifies further assessments needed in order to provide a solid result. The study shows that, at present, although a limited number of impact categories are assessed, the studied energy-demanding technologies, like sequential batch biofilm granular reactor and membrane reactor, have a worse overall environmental performance compared to baseline scenarios, and points out electrical efficiency as the main area to put focus on to decrease the overall environmental impact. It also shows that the technologies aimed at sludge quality improvement exhibit a promising environmental performance, but further assessment, including LCA method development, is needed as the studied impact categories do not model the studied system in a thorough way when it comes to comparing agricultural application of sludge and other disposal options