The impact of corporate social responsibility disclosure on financial performance : evidence from the GCC Islamic banking sector.

This paper examines the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and financial performance for Islamic banks in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region over the period 2000–2014 by generating CSR-related data through disclosure analysis of the annual reports of the sampled banks. The findings of this study indicate that there is a significant positive relationship between CSR disclosure and the financial performance of Islamic banks in the GCC countries. The results also show a positive relationship between CSR disclosure and the future financial performance of GCC Islamic banks, potentially indicating that current CSR activities carried out by Islamic banks in the GCC could have a long-term impact on their financial performance. Furthermore, despite demonstrating a significant positive relationship between the composite measure of the CSR disclosure index and financial performance, the findings show no statistically significant relationship between the individual dimensions of the CSR disclosure index and the current financial performance measure except for ‘mission and vision’ and ‘products and services’. Similarly, the empirical results detect a positive significant association only between ‘mission and vision’ dimension and future financial performance of the examined banks

Idraulica postmoderna, amnesie fluviali e luoghi ritrovati: il Contratto di Fiume come strategia per il recupero di qualità urbanistica.

The main goal of this article is to point out the way to recovery the meaningful cultural and symbolic heritage related to the prolonged history of European waterscapes formation. Today water has to be considered more and more not only as a common good but also as a strategic tool in order to plan an overall and more effectual territorial governance. A challenging and, to some extent, alarming future is demanding a new hydraulic humanism in which it could be possible to foster innovative interconnections among water engineering, anthropology, historical geography, environmental psychology, sustainable recreation. In this research the Italian case will be dealt with, trying to focus on the delays and struggles which are preventing a good synergy between legislation and practical action. The Contract of River can therefore be seen as a significant opportunity to implement the most relevant paradigms of the Humanistic Geography, in which “places” are soundly embedded in social and symbolic involvement of its inhabitants

A chronological review of the Australian litigation risk environment surrounding IPO earnings forecasts

Purpose\ud \ud This paper provides a chronological review of changes in the institutional setting regulating Australian initial public offering (IPO) firms’ earnings forecasts over the period 1994 to 2012. The changing forecasting environment covers both IPO firms’ prospectus earnings forecasts and post-listing updates to those forecasts.\ud \ud Design/methodology/approach\ud \ud This historical analysis reviews the changes in corporate regulation and enforcement, Australian Securities Exchange listing requirements and the outcomes of securities class actions (SCAs) that affect IPO firms’ earnings forecasts. \ud \ud Findings\ud \ud A review of the institutional setting regulating Australian IPO firms’ earnings forecasts reveal two inter-temporal shifts in (increasing) litigation risk over the 1994 to 2012 period which have arisen from more onerous regulations, stronger regulatory enforcement and a more active SCA market. We document the corporate responses to those shifts. \ud \ud Originality/value\ud \ud This is the first study to comprehensively document research of an inter-temporal litigation risk shift on IPO firms’ earnings forecasting behaviour. It therefore provides a formative base and a useful resource for researchers, practitioners and investigators (regulators, forensic accountants, etc.) when examining the impact of the changes on IPO firms’ forecasting behaviour following regulatory change and enforcement

ERV1/ChemR23 Signaling Protects Against Atherosclerosis by Modifying Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein Uptake and Phagocytosis in Macrophages.

BACKGROUND: In addition to enhanced proinflammatory signaling, impaired resolution of vascular inflammation plays a key role in atherosclerosis. Proresolving lipid mediators formed through the 12/15 lipoxygenase pathways exert protective effects against murine atherosclerosis. n-3 Polyunsaturated fatty acids, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), serve as the substrate for the formation of lipid mediators, which transduce potent anti-inflammatory and proresolving actions through their cognate G-protein-coupled receptors. The aim of this study was to identify signaling pathways associated with EPA supplementation and lipid mediator formation that mediate atherosclerotic disease progression. METHODS: Lipidomic plasma analysis were performed after EPA supplementation in Apoe-/- mice. Erv1/Chemr23-/- xApoe-/- mice were generated for the evaluation of atherosclerosis, phagocytosis, and oxidized low-density lipoprotein uptake. Histological and mRNA analyses were done on human atherosclerotic lesions. RESULTS: Here, we show that EPA supplementation significantly attenuated atherosclerotic lesion growth induced by Western diet in Apoe-/- mice and was associated with local cardiovascular n-3 enrichment and altered lipoprotein metabolism. Our systematic plasma lipidomic analysis identified the resolvin E1 precursor 18-monohydroxy EPA as a central molecule formed during EPA supplementation. Targeted deletion of the resolvin E1 receptor Erv1/Chemr23 in 2 independent hyperlipidemic murine models was associated with proatherogenic signaling in macrophages, increased oxidized low-density lipoprotein uptake, reduced phagocytosis, and increased atherosclerotic plaque size and necrotic core formation. We also demonstrate that in macrophages the resolvin E1-mediated effects in oxidized low-density lipoprotein uptake and phagocytosis were dependent on Erv1/Chemr23. When analyzing human atherosclerotic specimens, we identified ERV1/ChemR23 expression in a population of macrophages located in the proximity of the necrotic core and demonstrated augmented ERV1/ChemR23 mRNA levels in plaques derived from statin users. CONCLUSIONS: This study identifies 18-monohydroxy EPA as a major plasma marker after EPA supplementation and demonstrates that the ERV1/ChemR23 receptor for its downstream mediator resolvin E1 transduces protective effects in atherosclerosis. ERV1/ChemR23 signaling may represent a previously unrecognized therapeutic pathway to reduce atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.This work was supported by the Swedish Research Council (grant 2014-2312), the Swedish Heart and Lung Foundation (grants 20150600 and 20150683), Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation (grant MMW 2015.0104), King Gustaf V and Queen Victoria Freemason Foundation, and the Stockholm County Council (grant 20170365). Dr Laguna-Fernandez was supported by a fellowship from the Center of Excellence for Research on Inflammation and Cardiovascular Disease (CERIC Linnaeus Program, grant 349-2007-8703) and funds from Nanna Svartz Fond, Fredrik och Ingrid Thurings Stiftelse, Stiftelsen för Gamla Tjänarinnor, and Foundation for Geriatric Diseases at Karolinska Institutet. Dr Jesmond Dalli was supported by a Sir Henry Dale Fellowship jointly funded by the Wellcome Trust and the Royal Society (grant number: 107613/Z/15/Z), funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant number: 677542), and the Barts Charity (grant number: MGU0343