RSS 1.0Bradford Scholars is the University of Bradford online research archive. Access is free to anyone interested in research being conducted at Bradford. In the repository you will find a range of materials from journal articles and conference papers to research reports and theses.
Contact the repository team via openaccess@bradford.ac.uk with any queries about Open Access or how to deposit your research papers.
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Can star analysts make superior coverage decisions in poor information environment?This study uses the quality of coverage decisions as a new metric to evaluate the performance of star and non-star analysts. We find that the coverage decisions of star analysts are better predictors of returns than those of non-star analysts. The return predictability of star analysts’ coverage decisions is stronger for informationally opaque stocks. We further exploit the staggered short selling deregulations, Google’s withdrawal, and the anti-corruption campaign as three quasi-natural experiments that create plausibly exogenous variations in the quality of information environment. These experiments show that the predictive power of star analysts’ coverage decisions strengthens (weakens) following a sharp deterioration (improvement) in firms’ information environment, consistent with the notion that star analysts possess superior ability to identify mispriced stocks. Overall, star analysts make better coverage decisions and play a superior role as information intermediaries, especially in poor information environment.
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The effect of RAN inhibition on human colorectal cancer cells (CRC)Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most widespread and fourth most fatal malignancy disease. The CRC from a primary site can spread to other tissues, forming secondary tumours. CRC can metastasise to the liver through the effect of K-Ras and Pten mutation (Mt.) (Abbas et al. 2020). This study aimed to assess the hypothesis that the Ran inhibitor mebendazole MBZ reduces cell invasion and metastasis of CRC. I have investigated MBZ effect on the CRC isogenic human cell lines with specific mutations (HCT-116 K-Ras, DLD-1 K-Ras and Pten deletion and wild type HCT-116 and DKO-3. I used qRT-PCR and western blotting to identify expression levels of various genes and signalling molecules after treatment with 0.5 mM MBZ. In addition, several assays were performed to investigate MBZ effect on biological properties of the cells such as proliferation, migration, invasion, and colony formation. MBZ downregulated Ran and induced apoptosis through inhibition of Bcl-2 expression as well as inducing caspase -3, -7, -9 and PARP cleavage. Moreover, MBZ showed an effect on immune response by down regulating C5a, IL-1ß and IL-1α analysed at mRNA level. When treated with MBZ, the migration, invasion and colony formation abilities of HCT-116 K-Ras Mt., DLD-1 K-Ras Mt. and HCT-116 Pten-/- were significantly reduced compared to a control treated cell line. This was also the case with wild type cell lines such as HCT-116 and DKO-3. Furthermore, signalling molecules such as p- Erk 1/2 and p- Akt were upregulated after MBZ treatment and exert inhibition on Akt 1/2/3 and VEGFR1/2 mRNA levels. In conclusion; MBZ which is a Ran inhibitor, has significantly reduced proliferation, colony formation, and migration in colorectal cell lines with K-Ras and Pten gene deletion compared to wild type cells in a dose-dependent manner. This work paves the way to clinical validation of MBZ as a combination therapy for reducing the invasion of CRC cells.
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Overcoming wound healing complications following radiotherapy in human breast dermal fibroblasts, through the influence of preadipocytes from the stromal vascular fractionRadiotherapy has major therapeutic benefits for cancer patients, but ionizing radiation causes damage of surrounding healthy tissues with poor wound healing a common side effect. Therefore, further oncoplastic, reconstructive surgery is challenging and often problematic. Current research models use normal human dermal fibroblasts irradiated in vitro to mimic radiation damage, but this is not comparable to ionising radiation and only measures acute changes. Since radiotherapy may induce epigenetic changes leading to alterations in dermal fibroblast phenotype, the first aim of this study was to compare fibroblasts cultured from irradiated skin with non-irradiated skin. As mesenchymal stem cells isolated from adipose tissue may offer beneficial effects in the regenerative capacity of irradiated tissue, the second part of this study was to compare those cultured from non-irradiated and irradiated breast tissue. Histological changes in the structural organisation of breast tissue in situ from donors exposed to radiotherapy was compared to untreated breast. Primary cultures of dermal fibroblasts from irradiated and non-irradiated breast skin were established and comparisons quantitated in proliferation (CyQuant), metabolism (Alamar Blue), migration (scratch-wound assay), collagen production (Sircol), levels of proteases and protease inhibitors (human protease/protease inhibitor array) and gene expression of COL1A1, COL3A1, MMP1, MMP2, TIMP1 and PPAR-γ mRNA (qPCR). Cells from the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) were cultured and characterised by immunocytochemistry and compared to human preadipocytes sourced commercially. The secretion of FGF, adiponectin and VEGF by the preadipocyte and the SVF mesenchymal cells was compared and the ability of their secretome to modulate dermal fibroblast proliferation, metabolism and migration was evaluated. Radiotherapy caused extensive disorganisation of the reticular dermis and flattening of the epidermal-dermal junction. Dermal fibroblasts cultured from irradiated skin had a pronounced spindle shaped morphology with longer thinner projections and took approximately twice as long to explant and grow. They had a lower proliferative and higher basal metabolic rate and did not respond to FGF-2. While they secreted similar amounts of total collagen they demonstrated distinct differences in proteolytic enzyme and protease inhibitor expression. This is the first report to culture cells from the SVF of irradiated breast tissue. The cells expressed the preadipocyte markers CD10, CD73 and CD105 and no CD45 (negative marker). SVF cells cultured displayed a typical ASC fibroblastoid morphology. Analysis of the secretome identified the presence of FGF, adiponectin and VEGF, while functional analysis demonstrated a stimulatory effect on normal dermal fibroblast migration, although irradiated dermal fibroblasts were unresponsive. Radiotherapy induces long term, detrimental changes in breast skin. This is the first quantitative characterisation of dermal fibroblasts and mesenchymal cells from the SVF, subjected to ionising radiation in situ. Changes in their phenotype that alter their function will impact on wound healing. Further characterisation of these cells may explain their dysfunctional behaviour, and lead to therapies to reverse or reduce this deleterious side-effect and significantly improve treatments facilitating wound healing following radiation injury.
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Three Essays on the Role of Corporate Governance in Firms' Spending on R&D and Controlling Earnings-Management Practices: The Role of Independent Directors’ Tenure and Network in Controlling Earnings-Management Practices; The Impact of Board Diversity on the Corporate Propensity to R&D Spending; The Association between Directors’ Multiple-Board Sittings, Tenure, Financial Expertise, and R&D SpendingThis thesis comprises three research essays. The study documents empirical evidence around the research themes by analysing a sample of the UK’s listed non-financial firms from 2005 to 2018. It applied panel data analysis (fixed or random effects) techniques and the potential endogeneity issue is controlled by using the two-step system, GMM. Earnings-management research holds that manipulating a firm's real activities is more damaging to its long-term growth and value than accruals manipulation. Therefore, by building on agency theory and emphasising board monitoring, first essay investigates the role of independent directors’ tenure and connection to several boards in controlling real earnings management (REM). This study finds that independent directors elected to board before appointment of current CEO are negatively associated with the level of REM. Furthermore, this research provides evidence that REM is higher in those firms whose INDs are connected to several boards at a time. Though economically insignificant in most of the models, this research also shows that the association between INDs’ tenure and REM varies with the phases of their tenure. Directors in the early stage of their tenure are observed as being less effective in controlling REM. However, as INDs’ tenure grows, they employ better oversight over management's conduct, thereby reducing REM. Contrary to this, the extended tenure of INDs is associated with higher REM. These results collectively suggest that the board monitoring role protects the stakes of shareholders/stakeholders by constraining REM; when INDs are free from the influence of CEO, they are not over-committed due to their presence on several boards, and they have moderate board tenure which is neither too short nor too long. Furthermore, drawing on collective contributions and group performance perspectives, second essay explores the role of board diversity in the firm’s R&D investment decisions. Additionally, building on a fault-line argument about a team's demographic attributes, the current research decomposes the impact of demographic and cognitive diversity on R&D spending. The research observes a positive relationship between board diversity and the level of R&D spending. Moreover, this research documents that cognitive diversity is positively associated with R&D investment. However, demographic diversity has an insignificant relationship with firms’ spending on R&D projects. Further, this study confirms that demographic diversity negatively moderates the relationship between cognitive diversity and R&D investment. These results suggest that the board's attributes as a group carry the significance to influence the decisions having strategic importance. The findings on the sub-dimensions of board diversity imply that board functional/cognitive diversity is more relevant to corporate decisions and outcomes than is demographic diversity. Based on the monitoring perspective (agency theory) and resource provision view (resource dependency theory), third essay investigates the role of independent directors’ specific attributes in the corporate propensity to R&D investment. The study documents a positive association between INDs’ moderate (median) tenure and the firm’s spending on R&D projects, but early and extended tenure is observed as being insignificant. INDs with a presence on three or fewer boards are observed to promote R&D investment. However, INDs sitting on more than three boards negatively affect the firm’s propensity to invest in R&D initiatives. Financially expert INDs are negatively associated with corporate R&D investments, suggesting that such directors may resist funding these projects beyond optimal risk level because of their expertise. These results suggest that INDs’ monitoring and advising competence improves as they spend time on the firm’s board, but that extended tenure is counterproductive as it impairs INDs’ impartiality. Furthermore, INDs’ capital (resources) accruing from connection to multiple boards is only beneficial for the firm’s strategic decisions if their monitoring role is not compromised because of their over-commitment (busyness).
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Exploring the case of adopting Lean to potentially enhance the flow of patients with diabetes in Primary Healthcare Centres in Kuwait. Exploring the case of adopting Lean to potentially enhance the flow of patients with diabetes in Primary Healthcare Centres in KuwaitSimilar to other healthcare systems worldwide, Kuwait faces challenges of increased demand and cost while trying to operate with constrained resources. There are some data suggesting that Lean methodology, first used by Japanese car manufacturer Toyota, could improve system efficiency or flow by waste elimination, may be useful in addressing some of the challenges found in healthcare. Lean has so far not been used in Kuwaiti primary healthcare centres. This thesis explores the case for using Lean in Kuwait by examines issues around diabetes, as Kuwait rank the six highest in the world. In Kuwait, patients with diabetes are mainly managed in primary healthcare centres. The case for using Lean was explored across five interrelated studies which are summarised below: Study 1 involved a review of the literature which found that Lean tools have been used mostly in hospital settings without any rigorous evaluation and with little or no attention paid to primary healthcare or in developing countries. Study 2 was a systematic documentary review of the challenges facing the healthcare system of Kuwait. In Kuwait, expenditure on healthcare services is expected to double within five years. Life expectancy is increasing, while the percentage of the elderly population is growing, leading to increasing demand of services to treat non-communicable disease such as diabetes. Kuwait still sends many of its patients overseas for treatment. Currently, 10 mega projects worth approximately 2 billion Kuwaiti Dinar are being constructed in Kuwait that will result in a doubling of the bed capacity. However, the average occupancy rate between 2006 to 2015 was 63.6%, which is considered low compared to the average occupancy rate in European Union countries. Study 3 sought the views of Kuwaiti healthcare leaders about Lean and challenges facing the healthcare system of Kuwait. The key findings were: (1) Most leaders agreed that the current healthcare system in Kuwait faces difficult challenges and needs to change its management approach; (2) Lean as a management approach is considered a new concept among leaders of Kuwaiti healthcare organisations; (3) They did not have adequate knowledge regarding Lean but were willing to support any future Lean improvement initiatives. Study 4 explored the knowledge of Healthcare Workers regarding Lean within Kuwait’s primary healthcare centres through a cross-sectional survey in four primary healthcare centres. Only 11% of participants were familiar with Lean. None of the participants were involved or had an ongoing Lean initiative or project but 80% of participants were willing to be involved in future Lean initiatives. Study 5 mapped the flow of patients with type 2 diabetes in primary healthcare centres to identify potential waste and make recommendations for improvement. Patients with type 2 diabetes typically visit their General Practitioner at least every two months for a review appointment. When a blood test is required to monitor blood sugar levels, three more visits are required, involving the blood test, collection of test results by the patient and a review of the results with the general practitioner. Four potential improvements were identified: using point of care testing, the posting of laboratory results to general practitioner computer systems, the introduction of guidelines that standardise the practice for the patient’s visit and permitting the general practitioner to prescribe medication that will last four months. The process map of patients with type 2 diabetes has highlighted waste and improvement suggestions that may reduce workload, enhance patient satisfaction, avoid unnecessary visits, enhance the timeliness of laboratory testing, improve communication between and across departments and minimise the use of resources without undermining the quality of care. These suggestions, if implemented on the national level, could bring tremendous benefits but still need to be rigorously evaluated. The thesis concludes by noting that there is considerable potential in adopting Lean to improve the healthcare services in Kuwait, but further work is required to implement the changes and rigorously evaluate them.
