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Using a large international sample of 24,293 observations from 3,991 unique firms in 56 countries, we examine the role of financial analysts in the relationship between voluntary corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting and firm value. We find that after controlling for firms' CSR performance ratings and other factors, voluntary CSR reporting increases firm value in countries worldwide, and analysts strengthen the positive relationship between CSR reporting and firm value. More importantly, our results show that the positive role of analysts in the relationship between CSR reporting and firm value varies with country-level institutional characteristics, such as the level of investor protection, the development of capital markets and the analyst profession, and stakeholder orientation. Furthermore, the positive role of financial analysts varies according to CSR reporting characteristics, including CSR reporting assurance, choice of assurer, CSR reporting coverage, CSR reporting quantity, and length of CSR report. We also find that financial analysts can strengthen the positive association between CSR reporting and firm value for CSR disclosures published in all types of media (standalone, annual report-based, and web-based CSR disclosures). Overall, our results present global evidence that shows the important role of financial analysts in improving the valuation implications of voluntary CSR reporting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Older adults with dementia or cognitive impairment face unique challenges to living safely and independently in subsidized housing. This scoping review summarizes previous studies to develop an understanding of the challenges faced by older populations with dementia or cognitive impairment. Three medical databases, five social science databases, and two gray literature databases were searched. Six themes emerged: tenants' demographic profile, physical challenges, mental/social/psychological challenges, behavioral challenges, inadequate services/environment, and barriers posed by policy and practice. We conclude that housing providers and practitioners should collaborate in ensuring tenants with dementia or cognitive impairment in subsidized housing are well supported, and we suggest areas for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurements of dust in the atmosphere have long been used to calibrate dust emission models. However, there is growing recognition that atmospheric dust confounds the magnitude and frequency of emission from dust sources and hides potential weaknesses in dust emission model formulation. In the satellite era, dichotomous (presence = 1 or absence = 0) observations of dust emission point sources (DPS) provide a valuable inventory of regional dust emission. We used these DPS data to develop an open and transparent framework to routinely evaluate dust emission model (development) performance using coincidence of simulated and observed dust emission (or lack of emission). To illustrate the utility of this framework, we evaluated the recently developed albedo-based dust emission model (AEM) which included the traditional entrainment threshold (u*ts) at the grain scale, fixed over space and static over time, with sediment supply infinite everywhere. For comparison with the dichotomous DPS data, we reduced the AEM simulations to its frequency of occurrence in which soil surface wind friction velocity (us*) exceeds the u*ts, P(us* > u*ts). We used a global collation of nine DPS datasets from established studies to describe the spatio-temporal variation of dust emission frequency. A total of 37,352 unique DPS locations were aggregated into 1,945 1° grid boxes to harmonise data across the studies which identified a total of 59,688 dust emissions. The DPS data alone revealed that dust emission does not usually recur at the same location, are rare (1.8 %) even in North Africa and the Middle East, indicative of extreme, large wind speed events. The AEM over-estimated the occurrence of dust emission by between 1 and 2 orders of magnitude. More diagnostically, the AEM simulations coincided with dichotomous observations ~71 % of the time but simulated dust emission ~27 % of the time when no dust emission was observed. Our analysis indicates that u*ts was typically too small, needed to vary over space and time, and at the grain-scale u*ts is incompatible with the us* scale (MODIS 500 m). During observed dust emission, us* was too small because wind speeds were too small and/or the wind speed scale (ERA5; 11 km) is incompatible with the us* scale. The absence of any limit to sediment supply caused the AEM to simulate dust emission whenever P (us* > u*ts), producing many false positives when and where wind speeds were frequently large. Dust emission model scaling needs to be reconciled and new parameterisations are required for u*ts and to restrict sediment supply varying over space and time. Whilst u*ts remains poorly constrained and unrealistic assumptions persist about sediment supply and availability, the DPS data provide a basis for the calibration of dust emission models for operational use. As dust emission models develop, these DPS data provide a consistent, reproducible, and valid framework for their routine evaluation and potential model optimisation. This work emphasises the growing recognition that dust emission models should not be evaluated against atmospheric dust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pathological neovascularization in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) can cause visual impairment in preterm infants. Current ROP treatments which are not preventative and only address late neovascular ROP, are costly and can lead to severe complications. We showed that topical 0.1% dexamethasone eye drops administered prior to peak neovessel formation prevented neovascularization in five extremely preterm infants at high risk for ROP and suppressed neovascularization by 30% in mouse oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) modeling ROP. In contrast, in OIR, topical dexamethasone treatment before any neovessel formation had limited efficacy in preventing later neovascularization, while treatment after peak neovessel formation had a non-statistically significant trend to exacerbating disease. Optimally timed topical dexamethasone suppression of neovascularization in OIR was associated with increased retinal mitochondrial gene expression and decreased inflammatory marker expression, predominantly found in immune cells. Blocking mitochondrial ATP synthetase reversed the inhibitory effect of dexamethasone on neovascularization in OIR. This study provides new insights into topical steroid effects in retinal neovascularization and into mitochondrial function in phase II ROP, and suggests a simple clinical approach to prevent severe ROP., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest and Funding Disclosure All the other authors declare that they have no competing interests.