The first part of the dissertation aims to determine whether and how variances in reinsurance relationships impact insurers' financial performance during the sample period of 2002-2012. Such impact on insurers' financial performance is measured by accounting measurements of ROA and ROE and by the efficiency scores (cost, revenue, and profit) estimated using data envelopment analysis (DEA). This essay analyzes how the usage of captive reinsurance affects life insurers’ firm performance using multivariate regression model. Results show that firm performance is negatively related to captive reinsurance arrangements. The second essay analyzes the value effects of mergers and acquisitions (M&As) in the global insurance industry by conducting an event study of M&A transactions that occurred during the period of 1990-2014, including two M&A waves before the financial crisis and the M&A activities after it. Our results show that (1) M&As are value-enhancing for both acquirers and targets over the whole sample period; (2) for acquirers, within-border transactions are more likely to be value-enhancing, while for targets, both cross-border and within-border transactions are value-enhancing; and (3) for acquirers, the cross-industry M&As are more likely to be value-enhancing, while for targets both cross- and within- border M&As are value-enhancing. / Business Administration/Risk Management and Insurance

No description available.

The use of glass racks and suspended pocket nets for holding freshwater mussels collected from the Ohio River and relocated to lined-ponds was studied over 3 years. Survival of mussels in ponds was 73 % after 1 y, 44 % after 2 y, and 5 % after 3 y. The glycogen levels of mussels in ponds for ly were significantly greater than that of mussels in ponds after 2.5 y and 3 y, indicating a chronic decline in body condition in mussels. Despite the presence of a diverse and dense assemblage of algae and organic detritus in the ponds, the stomachs examined at 3 y were empty and the bodies were emaciated. In the laboratory, I determined the amount of algae cleared by the rainbow mussel, <i>Villosa iris</i> (Lea, 1829) fed different algal rations, and estimated the algae concentration needed to maintain mussels in captivity. Filtration rate in the first feeding hour was highest in ration B (1.0 mg dry wt L⁻¹) and lowest in ration C (3.4 mg dry wt L⁻¹). After 1 h, filtration rates declined in ration B but increased in rations C and A. <i>V.iris</i> likely achieved gut satiation in the first hour using maximum filtration (712.5 mL h⁻¹g⁻¹) and then decreased filtration (259 mL h⁻¹g⁻¹) thereby regulating ingestion rate during the following 2 h. I estimate, therefore, that K <i>V. iris</i> daily maintenance requirement for carbon is 8.2 mg C (1.2 x 10⁹ cells of N. oleoabundans) or ca. 2.4% of dry body weight. Assimilation efficiencies (AE) and carbon budgets also were established for the rainbow mussel, <i>Villosa iris</i> (Lea 1829), using radio-labeled cultures of <i>Neochloris oleoabundans</i> (Chantanachat and Bold 1962) at three cell concentrations. Approximately 70% of the ingested carbon was assimilated (assimilation efficiency) by V. iris fed 5 x 10⁵ cells mL⁻¹) (3.4 mg dry weight L⁻¹). At 5 x 10⁴ cells' mL⁻¹) (0.34 mg dry weight L⁻¹), AE was 47.5 %. At 5 X 10³ cells mL⁻¹) (0.034 mg dry weight L⁻¹), AE was 40%. V. iris had the greatest amount of energy available for growth, reproduction, and body condition in captivity at 3.4 mg dry weight L⁻¹). The gross composition (protein, carbohydrate (CHO), and lipid) of four algae (Bracteacoccus grandis, Neochloris oleoabundans, and Scenedesmus quadricauda, and Phaeodactylum tricomutum) was examined at four different phases of growth. The CHO content (% algal dry wt) increased with growth phase (age of the algal culture) with the exception of B. grandis. N. oleoabundans and P. tricomutum contained the greatest CHO content (33.07 ± 6.89% and 39.37 ± 3.07%, respectively) at late stationary phase. The total lipid content increased with growth phase for N. oleoabundans and P. tricomutum. Lipid content of B. grandis decreased with age, and S. quadricauda showed no difference in lipid content (% algal dry wt) between growth phase. N. oleoabundans' lipid content (31.85 ± 9.4%) was greater than all other species. Generally, there was no effect of phase on the sterol content, with the exception of the sterol content of <i>S. quadricauda</i> increased with growth phase. The mean sterol content of the four algae ranged 1.0 % ± 0.4 to 1.8 ± 1.8 of the total lipid dry wt; maximum sterol % of lipid was 5 % for <i>Scenedesmus</i> and 4.4% for <i>B. grandis</i>. There was no effect of growth phase or species on the protein content (% of algal dry wt). The protein content ranged 60.6 ± 17.1 to 70.3 ± 9.5 % of algal dry wt. / Ph. D.

Due to the increasing need to provide refugia for freshwater mussels impacted by anthropogenic activities and exotic species, facilities should be identified and protocols developed for holding mussels in captivity. White Sulphur Springs National Fish Hatchery (WSSNFH), White Sulphur Springs, WV, has held freshwater mussels for nearly eight years, and has the potential to become an important refugium and propagation facility for conservation of mussels in the Ohio River Basin and elsewhere. The goal of this study was to determine the feasibility of holding adult freshwater mussels in long-term captivity at WSSNFH by evaluating survival, energy reserves, and gametogenesis of captive mussels in a recirculating pond system. I relocated three mussel species in the summer of 2001 and 10 mussel species in the summer of 2002 to a recirculating pond system (reservoir and raceway) at the hatchery. Water quality parameters of pH, alkalinity, hardness, temperature, and dissolved oxygen; and algal concentrations were measured periodically from summer 2001 to summer 2003. Annual survival rates of 10 species were estimated (August 2002 to August 2003) using the program MARK. Glycogen, protein, and lipid concentrations in mantle tissue of three captive species (Actinonaias ligamentina, Cyclonaias tuberculata, and Tritogonia verrucosa) were compared to those of wild mussels in the New River. Gametogenic activity and synchrony in A. ligamentina and C. tuberculata were compared between captive and wild mussels. Water quality parameters, with the exception of temperature, were within desirable ranges for most of the study. Temperatures of > 28° C were observed for several days during summers 2002 and 2003. Algal concentrations averaged 1903 cells ml-1 in the raceway (range: 300 to 4658 cells ml-1), which is comparable to algal concentrations reported for nearby rivers. The overall survival rate for 10 freshwater mussel species held in the raceway for one year was 77%. Villosa vanuxemensis had the highest survival rate (96%), and Lampsilis cardium had the lowest survival rate (31%). Although there were fluctuations in glycogen, protein, and lipid levels over 2 yr, there were no overall differences in energy substrates between captive and wild mussels at the end of the study. Captivity did not appear to have a negative affect on gametogenesis. Captive C. tuberculata spawned within the expected time frame between January and June, but slightly earlier than their wild counterparts in the New River. Due to the infestation of the gonads of both captive and wild A. ligamentina by digenean trematodes, little gametogenesis was observed. However, captive holding did not appear to have an effect on trematode infestation rates. From these results, I conclude that captive holding conditions in the recirculating pond system at WSSNFH were adequate for long-term holding of a wide range of mussel taxa. I recommend that WSSNFH continue to be used as an adult holding facility. Further research should be conducted to determine food and habitat preferences of freshwater mussel species in captivity so that optimal holding conditions can be provided for each species. / Master of Science

Thesis (M.S.)--State University of New York at Binghamton, Department of Biological Studies, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

Background: Business relationships between buyers and suppliers are of great importance to maintain a profitable and beneficial business environment. Every organization’s relationship characteristics vary and are influenced by various factors, including environmental conditions and competitors in the market. Also, Brexit is an event that brings uncertainty to these relationships. It is unknown how Brexit will affect the business environment and it is, therefore, necessary to investigate Brexit’s effect on buyer-supplier relationships. The research of Brexit could contribute with valuable insightsfor both companies and policymakers since it will demonstrate the way Brexit has influenced buyer-supplier relationships and companies' responses to the event.  Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships between buyers and suppliers in the EU and the British market under the effect of Brexit. The supplier-buyer relationship will be focused on EU buyers and British suppliers, which will illustrate the adaptations and changes companies in the EU are facing regarding their relationships. Further on, the relevance of this paper will be highlighted through the long-debated case of Brexit. Method: The research is a qualitative study that follows a case study frame of logic. Data has been collected through semi-structured interviews with a sample of three individuals with a purchasing background. The empirical findings were analysed through a logic of thematic analysis using the Bensaou (1999) buyer-supplier relationships portfolio model as an analysis tool. Conclusion:  The analyses have found that there is no change experienced in the current buyer-supplier relationship characteristics due to Brexit. The participants expect to have some influence on their cost in the future which then may affect their product category. Otherwise, the EU buyers have not changed their outlook on their UK suppliers because of Brexit and for the time being continue their business as usual.

Thesis (M.S.)--State University of New York at Binghamton, Department of Biological Sciences, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

Welfare for captive animals in laboratory, farm, companion and zoo settings is difficult to assess and subject to interpretation. The perceived needs of animals change over time and according to budget, fashion and policy. The assessment of the value of environmental enrichment for captive animals is hampered by the lack of consistent, quantitative, objective and methodical research. Enrichment devices and other welfare improvement strategies lack long-term assessment or implementation. The concept of cognitive enrichment, or enabling captive animals to use their cognitive abilities to solve problems and meet challenges in their environment, is in the initial stages of development. Preliminary findings indicate that cognitive enrichment seems to be an effective method of improving captive animal welfare. In the research described in this thesis, several welfare measurement techniques including changes in activity budget, stereotypic behaviour and cognitive bias were compared and used to measure the effects of cognitive enrichment upon captive pigeons and dogs in order to obtain a useable cognitive enrichment paradigm that can be extrapolated to many types of captive animals. Key findings were that cognitive enrichment improved captive group-housed pigeon welfare and individually-kennelled dog welfare, indicated by significant changes in activity budget, increases in ‘optimism’, and reduction of stereotypic behaviour in subjects. Subjects used both low-tech and high-tech cognitive enrichments as intended and showed no sign of habituation. It is hoped that these findings will be used to improve captive animal welfare, and that the cognitive enrichment and cognitive bias paradigms developed will add to this field of research.

Facilities housing non-human primates are required to make provisions for their psychological wellbeing, which may include monitoring animals for signs of decreased wellbeing such as the presence of abnormal behaviors or alopecia. By analyzing archival behavioral data collected by the Behavior Management Unit at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center (YNPRC), I aimed to identify behavioral predictors of self-wounding and alopecia and to evaluate the effectiveness of current treatments in reducing abnormal behavior and alopecia in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). The behaviors of self-biting and hair plucking (conditional logistic regression, p < .05) as well as floating limb and self-oral behaviors (Mantel-Haenszel chi-square tests, p < .05) were identified as behavioral predictors of self-wounding. Fear behaviors were associated with an increased risk of developing alopecia (Mantel-Haenszel chi square, p < .05). An inverse relationship was found between alopecia and stereotypic locomotor behaviors such as pacing, with animals who displayed these behaviors being less likely to develop significant hair loss (conditional logistic regression, p < .05). Overall, the type of treatment provided (e.g., additional foraging opportunities, the provision of toys, or the provision of visual barriers) did not predict improvement in levels of abnormal behavior or alopecia (logistic regression, p > .05). The results of these analyses add to the literature on self-wounding and alopecia and will allow refinement of the quantitative behavioral monitoring system at YNPRC such that more at-risk animals can be identified and treated prior to the development of abnormal or harmful behaviors.

Research in animal personality has been increasing over the last decade, as scientists realise its importance to a variety of health outcomes. In particular, personality has been shown to have an effect on immune function, stress, infant survival, overall well-being, morbidity, and mortality. Because of this, personality can play an important role in captive management, especially as stress is often a problem for captive animals. Research has already shown that personality affects captive breeding efforts, enclosure grouping, and stress regulation in some species. Only a few studies have focused on felids, but these have shown that there are possible applications for personality in that taxon. Because most felids are endangered, and because many of them face special challenges in captivity due to their size and biology, this work aimed to increase knowledge on felids, using personality as a framework, with implications for captive management as a target. Focusing on five species, I assessed the personality of domestic cats, Scottish wildcats, clouded and snow leopards, and African lions, and the well-being of the four latter species. With the exception of the domestic cat, there has been little to no personality work in these species, and none on well-being. I then compared the data within and among these species. I found three main personality factors among the species, including dimensions I labelled Neuroticism, Dominance, and Impulsiveness, with some differences, including an Agreeableness factor in some species, and elements of Openness. As in other species, well-being was negatively related to Neuroticism in most of the study species. Taking into consideration each species’ biology, natural history, and genetics, I discuss the implications and importance of using these species’ personality and well-being assessments in both captive management and conservation efforts. The results indicate that, like in humans, a targeted, individual approach to care is the best use of personality for captive animals.