Intellectual Capital Disclosure in Knowledge Rich Firms: The Impact of Market and Corporate Governance Factors

YesIntellectual capital disclosure (ICD) in corporate annual reports has received growing European attention. To date, few studies have undertaken systematic analysis of the factors influencing the decision to disclose Intellectual Capital (IC) related information in annual reports. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the level of hidden value (market-to-book ratio), share price volatility, listing age, board composition, ownership structure, audit committee size and directors’ shareholding, in addition to other firm specific factors influence ICD in 100 UK listed knowledge-rich firms. The dependent variable is measured by a 183 item index score, supported by word count and percentage of IC word count metrics to assess the extent, volume and focus of ICD respectively. Results of the analysis based on the three measures indicate significant association with hidden value, using market-to-book ratio as a proxy, and listing age. We further find firm size, share price volatility, director shareholding, audit committee size, and ownership concentration to be associated with ICD in a manner consistent with theoretical expectations. The implications of these findings, hitherto largely untested, are explored from a number of theoretical perspectives

Intellectual Capital Disclosures in Corporate Annual Reports: A European Comparison

YesThe extent of intellectual capital (IC) disclosures in corporate annual reports has received increasing attention in recent years. This paper is an exploratory study that considers the efficacy of various IC disclosure measures. It draws on annual reports of leading firms within the financial services sector in nine Western European countries. Content analysis was employed to produce measures based on disclosure indexes and word count to assess the variety, volume and focus of IC in annual reports. Disclosure scores were computed using three forms of presentation - any form, numerical form (reflecting more ‘objective’ disclosure), and all forms. Generally, we found that the form of disclosure index did not significantly affect IC sample rankings and were broadly in line with the IC word count rankings. However, very different rankings emerged when using the focus measure (IC word count as a percentage of total word count in Annual Report). We argue that this measure of relative importance is an important measure, particularly because firm size is typically positively associated with disclosure. Variation in the form of IC (human, structural, relational) is also explored. The paper then reports the findings of a time series analysis of the IC disclosure practices within a UK bank over a 10-year period. Significant variation in IC disclosure was found, with a strong movement in IC content from human capital to relational capital. These findings are discussed

Mapping Human Immunity and the Education of Waldeyer\u27s Ring

The development and deployment of single-cell genomic technologies have driven a resolution revolution in our understanding of the immune system, providing unprecedented insight into the diversity of immune cells present throughout the body and their function in health and disease. Waldeyer\u27s ring is the collective name for the lymphoid tissue aggregations of the upper aerodigestive tract, comprising the palatine, pharyngeal (adenoids), lingual, and tubal tonsils. These tonsils are the first immune sentinels encountered by ingested and inhaled antigens and are responsible for mounting the first wave of adaptive immune response. An effective mucosal immune response is critical to neutralizing infection in the upper airway and preventing systemic spread, and dysfunctional immune responses can result in ear, nose, and throat pathologies. This review uses Waldeyer\u27s ring to demonstrate how single-cell technologies are being applied to advance our understanding of the immune system and highlight directions for future research

Studies on energy transformation in the freshwater snail Pila globosa 1. Influence of feeding rate

The effects of eleven chosen feeding levels ranging from 0 to 198 mg damp dry (plant) Ceratophyllumlg live snail /day on the absorption, conversion and metabolism of the snail Pi/a globosa (of 1•9 g body weight) have been studied. Absorption rates increased from 3•0 to 21•0 mg dry food /g live snail/day in snails fed 3-4-28'8 mg dry food/ g live snail/day. In these snails, absorption efficiency decreased from 87•5 to 73•0 %

Targeted action to increase inclusion at the Wellcome Sanger Institute

\ua9 2024, Ahmed et al.The Sanger Excellence Fellowship has been established to increase the representation of researchers with Black-heritage backgrounds at a leading research centre in the UK

Protein profiling for phylogenetic relationship in snakehead species

Protein banding pattern of eight snakeheads – Channa species viz., Channa striatus, Channa marulius, Channa punctatus, Channa diplogramme, Channa bleheri, Channa gachua, Channa stewartii and Channa aurantimaculata collected from different regions of India were used to study the phylogenetic relationship among them. The banding pattern from muscle protein indicated a unique profile for each species and the electrophoregrams showed similarities among the species studied. In the SDS-PAGE, a maximum of 12 protein bands were obtained for C. gachua followed by 11 for C. diplogramme and 10 for C. marulius whereas less number of bands were recorded for the remaining species. Molecular weight of the protein bands varied from 16 kDa - 232 kDa. UPGMA (Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean) dendrogram revealed that the phylogenetic relationship was very close among C. aurantimaculata and C. bleheri and also between C. gachua and C. stewarti

Involvement of Families as Owners of Cultural Heritage Improving Religious Tourism in Banda Aceh: Perspective of Maslahah Theory

The increase in the tourism sector, particularly religious and cultural tourism to Indonesia, especially Aceh, can contribute to the increasing number of visits. This study aims to discuss families’ involvement in managing cultural heritage in Banda Aceh. The research method is phenomenological qualitative research, analyzed using maslahah theory. Data collection techniques used are interviews, observation, and document analysis. The results indicate that some cultural heritages in Banda Aceh have economic, historical, and religious value. One of the preferred tourist destinations is the Tomb of Sheikh Abdurrauf, which is visited by many domestic and foreign tourists. Apart from that, the involvement of families or heirs as managers of cultural heritage will provide maslahah value, or benefits, for the heirs, country, tourists, and the public in general. Among others, the benefits for the heirs are both economically and responsibly as an inheritance from their ancestors. For the country, the cultural sites will be maintained and remain sustainable, thus bringing in foreign exchange. Meanwhile, for the tourists and the public, the benefit will meet their tourism, spiritual and economic needs. Another addition is that the site is historical evidence of the great scholar who played a role in the spread of Islam in the archipelago and the Southeast Asian peninsula. Therefore, the preservation of cultural heritage involving the heirs is paramount in the context of maslahah. 

In vitro antibacterial activity of tissue extracts from four channids against enteric pathogens

In vitro antibacterial activity of tissue extracts from four channids against enteric pathogens. International Journal of Agricultural Technology 9(6):1437-1445. Abstract The aim of this study was to identify the presence of antimicrobial activity in tissues of selected Channa species. Atotal of 20 solvent fractions from the tissue were obtained by solid-phase extraction and the fractions were assayed for antimicrobial activity. The screening of antimicrobial activity for all the fractions were tested against five enteric pathogens including Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella vulgaris, Shigella dysenteriae, Shigella boydii. The activity was measured in terms of zone of inhibition in mm. The tissue that showed efficient antibacterial activity was subjected to SDS-PAGE to find out the molecular weights. Efficient antibacterial activity was observed from the methanol extract of all the Channa species. A maximum zone of inhibition was observed in Channa striatus against Shigelladysenteriae. It is therefore suggested that Channa striatus can be a potential source of an antimicrobial protein for specific human pathogens

The Value of Social Capital for the Success of SPAC IPOs

This paper explores the role of social capital in contributing to the success of a new breed of organizations known as ‘blank check companies’ or special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) that are set up solely to target and acquire listed companies as a fast-track route to gain listing status in the stock market. The paper is a case study of Pershing Square Holdings Ltd., St. Peter Port, UK (PSH), which launched SPAC IPOs (Initial Public Offerings), Pershing Square Tontine Holdings Ltd., New York, NY, USA (PSTH), which succeeded in raising the largest capital from influential investors in 2020. Social capital theory is employed to provide theoretical structure for the analysis. Using annual reports, publicly available information on the internet, as well as social media platforms related to the company and its strategy, the authors critically analyse and highlight how the Tontine’s founder and his team utilized their structural, relational, and cognitive social capital to attract investors and gained recognition as the most successful SPAC IPO in the market in 2020. The authors found the ability to structure a SPAC IPO that departs from a typical SPAC, and the choice of timing to enter the SPAC market resulted in an over subscription and higher market valuation ratings of its IPO, as well as allowed the sponsor to be selective of its investors. This is the first study to address the significance of social capital at the individual and organizational level in creating value for SPAC IPOs. Potential investors can gain understanding and insights on the mechanics of SPAC IPOs and the importance of the founder’s social capital in ensuring successful investment. Successful SPAC IPOs will create interest in the marketplace and enhance the value of investment for investors and helped private companies to get listed faster