Green innovation and political embeddedness in China's heavily polluted industry: role of environmental disclosure, gender diversity, and enterprise growth.

Innovation in green technology is an efficient approach to reducing carbon emissions and achieving energy conservation, which is essential for fostering sustainable and green economic development. Even though the development of eco-friendly technologies is accelerating, the grasp of how political ties affect firms' adoption of green technologies remains hazy. This paper examines the effect of a firm's total political embeddedness (government ownership and political connections) along with the influencing mechanisms by employing a panel fixed effect regression approach on a dataset of Chinese A-share enterprises operating in pollution-intensive industries spanning 2012 to 2021. The findings offer conclusive evidence that political embeddedness encourages the enterprises' development of green technologies and boosts their output of innovation. In addition, mechanism analysis reveals that companies' political embedding influences their green innovation behavior through environmental disclosure. Moreover, board gender diversity and company growth rate are found to reinforce the impact of political embeddedness on green innovation. Besides expanding the current research on green innovation and corporate political involvement, the findings also provide important policy recommendations for the sustainable development of companies in emerging markets.

Female CEO succession and corporate social disclosure in China: unveiling the significance of ownership status and firm performance.

This study intends to examine the effect of CEO succession with gender change from male to female (i.e., female CEO succession) on corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting. Based on insights from upper echelons theory, it is proposed that female CEO successors are more likely than male CEO successors to improve the firm's CSR reporting level due to variations in their traits, values, and preferences regarding green issues, especially CSR. The study also explores the influence of the firm's ownership status (i.e., SOEs vs. non-SOEs) and performance (high-performance firms vs. low-performance firms) on the relationship between female CEO succession and CSR reporting. Using data from Chinese publicly traded firms from 2010 to 2020, this study employs the logistic regression technique to examine the proposed relationship between female CEO succession and CSR reporting and presents robust evidence that female CEO succession has a positive effect on firm CSR reporting, and that this effect is more prevalent in non-SOEs and high-performance firms than in SOEs and low-performance firms, respectively. The study adds fresh insights to the extant literature on CSR and corporate leadership and offers useful policy recommendations for corporate decision-makers and policymakers while considering women's involvement in succession plans for top leadership positions like CEO to tackle the strategic management of CSR disclosure in China.

Assessing the Effect of Board Gender Diversity on CSR Reporting Through Moderating Role of Political Connections in Chinese Listed Firms.

This study departs from existing work on board gender diversity (BGD) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting by analyzing and explaining the mechanism by which gender-diverse boards in politically embedded firms (PEFs) affect firms' CSR reporting choices in a unique institutional setting of Chinese listed firms from 2010 to 2018. The following main results are obtained. First, having female directors and executives with political connections (PCs) on corporate boards improves the CSR reporting of firms. Firms with PCs have a greater possibility to issue CSR reports than their non-connected counterparts. Second, firms that have both gender diversity and PCs on their boards of directors are more likely to engage in CSR reporting. There is an indication that the presence of PCs on boards can strengthen the effect of female directors on firms' CSR reporting. Third, the presence of female directors on corporate boards has a stronger relationship with CSR reporting in PEFs than in non-PEFs. The study concludes that both BGD and PCs on corporate boards positively influence the diffusion of CSR-related practices in the Chinese business environment.

A Doppler-based evaluation of peripheral lower limb arterial insufficiency in diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency, level and flow patterns of lower limb arterial insufficiency in diabetic patients on Doppler ultrasound study. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Radiology Department, Civil Hospital, Karachi, from February 2007 to September 2008. METHODOLOGY: One hundred adult diabetic patients with suspected peripheral vascular insufficiency irrespective of gender were included. Demographic data, presenting complaints, treatment history, and level of HbA1c were recorded. Doppler evaluated arterial status and ankle brachial index (ABI) were recorded on proforma. Statical analysis were done on SPSS version 12. RESULTS: The mean HbA1c was 8.4+/-1.4 gm/dl, a majority of 77% having a controlled level of <10mg/dl. Arterial insufficiency on Doppler ultrasound was documented in 62% (p=0.016) and the dorsalis paedis artery was the predominant site of stenosis (24%). Spectral broadening and biphasic flow were salient features. The mean value of resistive index in stenotic cases was 0.563+/-0.16 with a mean velocity difference of 0.37+/-0.29 m/s (p<0.001) at the site of stenosis. CONCLUSION: Peripheral vascular insufficiency was a significant finding in patients having diabetes for an average of 9.8 years, even in the presence of controlled HbA1c. The dorsalis paedis was the commonest site of involvement. The insufficiency was moderate with a biphasic flow pattern in a majority of cases. Difference in resistive index and flow velocities at and above the site of stenosis provided an important clue to the diagnosis of level of stenosis that helps in planning limb salvage management.

Neovascularity patterns in breast carcinoma: correlation of Doppler ultrasound features with sonographic tumour morphology.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the association and correlation between morphologic features of breast cancer on gray scale ultrasound, and vascularity patterns and indices on color and spectral Doppler ultrasound. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional, analytical study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Department of Radiology, Dow University of Health Sciences and Civil Hospital, Karachi, from August 2006 to June 2007. METHODOLOGY: Fifty adult female patients with histopathological proven breast cancer underwent ultrasound for evaluation of morphologic features on gray scale mode; vascularity patterns on color Doppler scan and flow indices measurement on spectral Doppler ultrasound. Regression analysis was conducted to determine correlation between the variables and associations of vascularity patterns. RESULTS: The 50 studied patients had predominantly solid tumour in 46 (92%) with depth to width ratio of > 1 in 37 (76%). The mean tumour size was 3.6 +/- 1.34 cm, with irregular margins in 41 (82%), posterior shadowing in 43 (86%) and calcifications in 27 (54%). Type 3 vascularity (multiple peripheral vessels) was the most frequent pattern (n=21, 42%) that showed a positive correlation with solid tumours (r=0.7, p < 0.001). Low resistance spectral waveform was seen in 44 (88%) cases. The average size was 3.69 cm in vascular and 3.1 cm in avascular tumours. Mean resistive index (RI) was 0.67. Mean pulsatility index (PI) was 1.1. RI was significantly high in cystic tumours (mean=0.8, p < 0.001) and significantly low in tumours measuring less than 2 cm (RI=0.18, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In this study, multiple peripheral vessels with low resistance flow was the pattern most significantly associated with all appearance of focal breast cancer. Apart from a positive correlation with solid tumours, markedly high RI in cystic tumours and markedly low RI in tumours less than 2 cm, there was no consistent correlation trend difference between Doppler findings and tumour size. Histopathology, therefore, remains the main modality to evaluate the tumour type and characteristics.

Calculous cholecystitis and hepatic cirrhosis as sonographic co-confounders for gallbladder evaluation.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the sonographic features of gallbladder in symptomatic calculous cholecystitis and cirrhosis with silent cholelithiasis. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, observational study. DURATION: From October 2003 to May 2005. SETTING: Radiology Department, Dow University of Health Sciences and Civil Hospital (DUHS/CHK), Karachi. METHODOLOGY: Two hundred adult patients of both genders were studied after dividing into two groups. Group A had clinically suspected calculous cholecystitis and group B had patients from outpatient department and medical wards with clinical diagnosis of cirrhosis, with incidentally diagnosed cholelithiasis. The sonographic features of gallbladder were determined and compared. Significance was computed for the sonographic variables including morphological features as well as demographic features by Chi-square and t-test, keeping significance at p< .001 RESULTS: Group A (with calculous cholecystitis) had 100 patients with mean age of 47 +/- 3.2 years with 71 females. Group B (cirrhosis with silent cholelithiasis) comprised of 100 patients with mean age of 38 +/-4.2 years with 58 females. Among them, 54 were hepatitis C virus(HCV) positive, 38 had positive serology for Hepatitis B virus (HBV) positive and 08 had positive serology for both. Both groups had more multiple than single calculi. The average size of the largest calculus was 1.5 cm in group A and 1.2 cm in the group B. The mean gallbladder wall thickness was greater in cirrhotic than in the other group (4.9 vs. 4.2 cm, p-value 0.7). Gallbladder wall irregularity was significantly more common in group B than in group A (57 vs. 25 mm, p=0.001). The pericholecystic fluid layer thickness was significantly greater in the cirrhotic group (18.5 +7.1 vs. 5.7 +1.8 mm, p< 0.001). Positive sonographic Murphy's sign was positive in 89% calculous cholecystitis cases and 77% of the cirrhotic group. CONCLUSION: The sonographic findings of thickened wall of the gallbladder with pericholecystic fluid and positive sonographic Murphy's sign are common in both calculous cholecystitis and in asymptomatic cholelithiasis with cirrhosis. However, in the present series, those with cholecystitis had statistically significant greater irregularity of gallbladder wall and majority of those with cirrhosis had a significantly greater thickness of wall and a pericholecystic layer in excess of 1 cm.

Epidemiology of genital tuberculosis in infertile population.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the frequency of genital tuberculosis in infertile women, its clinical presentation and association with socio-economic status and geographical latitude and to compare various modes of diagnosis and efficacy of therapy. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out in the Gynaecology and Obstetric Department (Unit Ill), Federal Government Services Hospital, Islamabad for a period of two years, from January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2003. A protocol for fertility work-up included complete history, examination, monitoring of ovulation and assessment of male factor. During laparoscopy peritoneal fluid was obtained for cytology and Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) staining in suspicious cases of chronic inflammation was carried out. Endometrial curettings were obtained for histopathology and culture in Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) medium. After confirmation of diagnosis, anti-tuberculosis therapy (ATT) was started. Surgical management was done in advanced stage disease with tubo-ovarian masses. RESULTS: Out of 7628 patients who attended the gynae out-patient department, 534 (7%) women were infertile, of which 2.43% had genital tuberculosis. Six patients had early stage disease (46.15%) and were completely cured, but three patients had successful pregnancy outcome (23%). Seven had advanced stage disease (53.85%) and required conservative surgery in addition to ATT. Among these patients, although tuberculosis was cured, yet fertility could not be achieved. All patients belonged to low socio-economic class, and 85% belonged to Northern areas of the country, who were poor and deprived of health facilities. CONCLUSION: It is essential for a gynaecologist working in developing countries to anticipate possibility of genital tuberculosis in infertile patients.

Assessment of potential indigenous plant species for the phytoremediation of arsenic-contaminated areas of Bangladesh.

Soil and water contaminated with arsenic (As) pose a major environmental and human health problem in Bangladesh. Phytoremediation, a plant-based technology, may provide an economically viable solution for remediating the As-polluted sites. The use of indigenous plants with a high tolerance and accumulation capacity for As may be a very convenient approach for phytoremediation. To assess the potential of native plant species for phytoremediation, plant and soil samples were collected from four As-contaminated (groundwater) districts in Bangladesh. The main criteria used for selecting plants for phytoremediation were high bioconcentration factors (BCFs) and translocation factors (TFs) of As. From the results of a screening of 49 plant species belonging to 29 families, only one species of fern (Dryopteris filix-mas), three herbs (Blumea lacera, Mikania cordata, and Ageratum conyzoides), and two shrubs (Clerodendrum trichotomum and Ricinus communis) were found to be suitable for phytoremediation. Arsenic bioconcentration and translocation factors > 1 suggest that these plants are As-tolerant accumulators with potential use in phytoextraction. Three floating plants (Eichhornia crassipes, Spirodela polyrhiza, and Azolla pinnata) and a common wetland weed (Monochoria vaginalis) also showed high BCF and TF values; therefore, these plants may be promising candidates for cleaningup As-contaminated surface water and wetland areas. The BCF of Oryza sativa, obtained from As-contaminated districts was > 1, which highlights possible food-chain transfer issues for As-contaminated areas in Bangladesh.