No abstract

How do firms choose performance peer groups used in chief executive officer (CEO) relative performance evaluation contracts? We find that while firms, for the most part, choose performance peers to better identify their CEOs' impact on firm performance, they also tend to select underperforming peers. Dynamically, we find that peers that are added and retained every year are weaker than ones that were not chosen. These findings suggest managers may have some influence on the choice of performance peers. Finally, using a quasi-natural experiment, we find that enhanced disclosure did not affect the tendency of firms to select underperforming peers.

Plant-based proteins, in particular pulse proteins, have grown in popularity worldwide. Germination, or sprouting, is an effective method to release peptides and other dietary compounds. However, the combination of germination and gastrointestinal digestion in enhancing the release of dietary compounds with potential health-beneficial biological activity has yet to be entirely elucidated. The present study illustrates the impact of germination and gastrointestinal digestion on the release of dietary compounds with antioxidant activity from chickpeas (Cicer arietinum L.). Germination up to 3 days (D0 to D3) increased the peptide content by denaturing chickpea storage proteins and increased the degree of hydrolysis (DH) in the gastric phase. The antioxidant activity was measured at three different dosages (10, 50, and 100 μg/mL) and compared between D0 and D3 on human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells (HT-29). A significant increase in antioxidant activity was observed in the D3 germinated samples in all three tested dosages. Further analysis identified 10 peptides and 7 phytochemicals differentially expressed between the D0 and D3 germinated samples. Among the differentially expressed compounds, 3 phytochemicals (2′,4′-dihydroxy-3,4-dimethoxychalcone, isoliquiritigenin 4-methyl ether, and 3-methoxy-4,2′,5′-trihydroxychalcone) and 1 peptide (His-Ala-Lys) were identified only in the D3 samples, indicating their potential contribution towards the observed antioxidant activity.

The purpose of this study was to examine the cost-effectiveness of four disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) used to treat multiple sclerosis (MS): glatiramer acetate (GA; Copaxone), interferon beta-1a (IFNβ-1a) intramuscular (IM) injection (Avonex), IFNβ-1a subcutaneous (SC) injection (Rebif), and interferon beta-1b (IFNβ-1b) SC injection (Betaseron). Cost-effectiveness analyses are useful in countering the financial uncertainties and treatment efficacy concerns faced by people with MS. We conducted simulation analyses of the principal findings of a 2009 study by Goldberg et al. (Goldberg LD, Edwards NC, Fincher C, et al: Comparing the cost-effectiveness of disease-modifying drugs for the first-line treatment of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis. J Manag Care Pharm. 2009;15:543-555) to frame the researchers' findings from the perspectives of cost-conscious and cost-neutral MS patients. We found that for the cost-conscious consumer, the ranking of most (1) to least (4) preferred DMDs was 1) IFNβ -1a IM (Avonex), 2) GA (Copaxone), 3) IFNβ-1a SC (Rebif), and 4) IFNβ-1b SC (Beta-seron). For the cost-neutral consumer who places priority on effectiveness over costs, the ranking was 1) IFNβ-1a SC (Rebif), 2) IFNβ-1b SC (Betaseron), 3) GA (Copaxone), and 4) IFNβ-1a IM (Avonex). Future studies could examine cost-effectiveness over extended periods of time (eg, 15-20 years) and more closely examine the cost-effectiveness of natalizumab (Tysabri) relative to the four primary DMDs.

No abstract