PURPOSE: As shareholder-elected monitors, independent non-executive directors (INEDs) should ensure that managers do not retain earnings to promote their own interests. The relationship between board independence and dividend distributions was hence investigated for selected companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). The country offers a well-developed corporate governance framework to listed companies DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Data on the considered companies' dividend payout ratios (DPRs), board independence and six control variables were obtained from Bloomberg for the period 2007-2021. The significance of the observed trends in these variables was considered by conducting analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Fisher's least significant difference (LSD) tests. The hypothesised relationship was assessed using a mixed-model regression FINDINGS/RESULTS: The results are in line with prior research showing that dividends are often omitted or reduced during and after crisis periods, that is, the global financial crisis (2008/2009) and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic (2020/2021). A negative but statistically insignificant relationship was reported between DPR and board independence PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Although board independence was not significantly related to dividend distributions for the sampled companies, INEDs still perform an important monitoring role. Shareholders are thus encouraged to play a more active role in the election of these directors ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This study extends and refines previous research in South Africa and reveals new insights regarding board independence and dividend distributions during three King regimes and distribution-related regulatory changes

ABSTRACT Objectives To compare the surgical outcomes of men with bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) due to benign prostatic obstruction (BPO) to those with detrusor underactivity (DU) or acontractile detrusor (DA). Materials and Methods This retrospective, IRB approved study included men who underwent BPO surgery for refractory LUTS or urinary retention. Patients were grouped based on videourodynamic (VUDS) findings: 1) men with BOO, 2) men with DU and 3) men with DA. The primary outcome measure was the Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGII). Secondary outcome measures included uroflow (Qmax), post-void residual volume (PVR) and the need for clean intermittent catheterization (CIC). Results One hundred and nineteen patients were evaluated: 1) 34 with BOO, 2) 62 with DU and 3) 23 with DA. Subjective success rate (PGII) was highest in the BOO group (97%) and those with DU (98%), while DA patients had a PGII success of 26%, (p<0.0001). After surgery, patients with BOO had the lowest PVR (68.5mL). Fifty-six patients (47%) performed CIC pre-operatively (47% of BOO, 32% of DU and 87% of DA patients). None of the patients in the BOO and DU groups required CIC post operatively compared to16/23 (69%) of patients in the DA group (p<0.0001). Conclusions BPO surgery is a viable treatment option in men with presumed BOO and DU while DA is a poor prognostic sign in men who do not void spontaneously pre-operatively.

The objective of this report is to provide information on Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex infections in animals and in humans. Included is information on the susceptibility of different species as well as information on etiology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, prevention and control of this disease. The term One Health has been adopted to describe the unified human medical and veterinary interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary collaborative approach to zoonoses and will be critical for future endeavors in the control of the global TB epidemic. This unified paradigm is ideally suited for control of bovine TB and many other international public health and clinical health issues. Sharing resources and increasing interaction between public health and veterinary medical scientists can raise awareness of ‘shared risk' of bovine TB between humans and animals and, in resource-limited situations, can maximize use of existing infrastructure and reduce unnecessary duplication of effort in disease control programs.

El objetivo de este artículo es proporcionar información sobre las infecciones por el Complejo Mycobacterium tuberculosis en animales y en humanos. Se incluye información sobre la susceptibilidad de diferentes especies, así como sobre la etiología, epidemiología, patogenia, diagnóstico, prevención y control de esta enfermedad. La expresión UNA SALUD ha sido adoptada para describir el enfoque unificado de la medicina humana y la veterinaria, de colaboración interdisciplinaria/multidisciplinaria en las zoonosis, que puede resultar fundamental para el control de la endemia mundial de tuberculosis. Este paradigma unificado es especialmente relevante para el control de la tuberculosis bovina. Compartir recursos y lograr una mayor interacción entre la investigación en salud pública y en medicina veterinaria puede elevar la conciencia de “riesgo compartido” de la tuberculosis bovina en humanos y animales y, en situaciones de recursos limitados, puede maximizar el uso de la infraestructura existente y reducir la duplicación innecesaria de esfuerzos en los programas de control de la infección y enfermedad.