Online broker investors : demographic information, investment strategy, portfolio positions, and trading activity

It is often argued that the internet influences investor behavior. Furthermore, the recent 'bubble' in internet stocks is sometimes ascribed, at least in part, to online trading. However, little is known about how online investors actually behave. This paper contributes to fill this gap. A sample of approximately 3,000 online broker investors is studied over a 51 month period ending in April 2001. The main goal of this paper is to present various descriptive statistics on demographic information, investment strategy, portfolio positions, and trading activity. The main results of this paper can be summarized as follows. Online broker investors trade frequently. The median stock portfolio turnover is about 30 % per month. The average number of stocks in portfolios increases over time suggesting that, ceteris paribus, diversification increases. Trading activity is tilted towards technology, software, and internet stocks. About half of the investors in our sample trade warrants and half of the transactions of all investors are purchases and sales of foreign stocks. Income and age are negatively and the stock portfolio value is positively related to the number of stock transactions. Warrant traders buy and sell significantly more stocks than investors who do not trade warrants. Warrant traders and investors who describe their investment strategy as high risk have higher stock portfolio turnover values whereas the opposite is true for investors who use their online account mainly for retirement savings. The stock portfolio value is negatively related to turnover. The higher the stock portfolio value, the higher the average trading volume per stock market transaction

Predictive factors of arterial calcification severity in computed tomography angiography (CTA) lower limbs

Background: The use of multi-detector row technology has resulted in shorter acquisition time, increased volume coverage, lower dose of contrast medium, and improved spatial resolution for assessing small arterial branches. However the accuracy of the computed tomography angiography (CTA) examination may be degraded by the presence of calcified plaque. The objective of this study is to evaluate the factors that contribute to the severity of arterial calcification in CT lower limbs. Methodology: A cross sectional study that conducted in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia. CT lower limbs with calcifications from January 2010 to May 2017 were selected for this study. Patients who were amputated, CT images with metallic stent, and those with inadequate clinical information were excluded from the study. The calcium score was analyzed using the standardized calcium score software that was used for coronary arteries. Calcium score was divided into low and high using normal distribution curve. Possible clinical factors that affect arterial calcification were studied such as peripheral arterial disease symptoms, history of acute coronary symptoms, cardiovascular disease, end stage renal disease, blood cholesterol level, smoker/non-smoker, treated for diabetes/hypertension and latest systolic blood pressure. Framingham Risk Score was calculated using General cardiovascular disease Risk Prediction calculator, from official website Framingham Heart Study. Results: A total of 51 patients was included in the study (n=51) with the mean age was 67. Majority of the participants were Malay (88.2%). The numbers of male and female participants were almost equal. Multivariate analysis showed that interrelated factors that affect log arterial calcium score included age, diabetes, peripheral arterial disease and low density lipoprotein (R2 =0.589, p<0.001 to 0.015). There weresignificant moderate correlation between Framingham Score and Agatston Score. (r=0.555, p=0.001). Conclusion: Age, diabetes mellitus, peripheral arterial disease and low density lipoprotein are the potential associated factors that can be used to screen for possibility of severe lower limb arterial calcifications. High Agatston score is associated with high Framingham risk score

Natural language processing

Beginning with the basic issues of NLP, this chapter aims to chart the major research activities in this area since the last ARIST Chapter in 1996 (Haas, 1996), including: (i) natural language text processing systems - text summarization, information extraction, information retrieval, etc., including domain-specific applications; (ii) natural language interfaces; (iii) NLP in the context of www and digital libraries ; and (iv) evaluation of NLP systems

Media Usage in Post-Secondary Education and Implications for Teaching and Learning

The Web 2.0 has permeated academic life. The use of online information services in post-secondary education has led to dramatic changes in faculty teaching methods as well as in the learning and study behavior of students. At the same time, traditional information media, such as textbooks and printed handouts, still form the basic pillars of teaching and learning. This paper reports the results of a survey about media usage in teaching and learning conducted with Western University students and instructors, highlighting trends in the usage of new and traditional media in higher education by instructors and students. In addition, the survey comprises part of an international research program in which 20 universities from 10 countries are currently participating. Further, the study will hopefully become a part of the ongoing discussion of practices and policies that purport to advance the effective use of media in teaching and learning

Information Systems Skills Differences between High-Wage and Low-Wage Regions: Implications for Global Sourcing

Developing Information Systems (IS) skills for a company’s workforce has always been challenging, but global sourcing growth has caused the determination of needed IS skills to be more complex. The increased use of outsourcing to an IS service provider and from high-wage regions to low-wage regions has affected what IS skills are required globally and how to distribute the workforce to meet these needs. To understand what skills are needed in locations that seek and those that provide outsourcing, we surveyed IS service provider managers in global locations. Results from 126 reporting units provide empirical evidence that provider units in low-wage regions value technical skills more than those in high-wage regions. Despite the emphasis on commodity skills in low-wage areas, high- and low-wage providers value project management skills. Low-wage regions note global and virtual teamwork more than high-wage regions do. The mix of skills and the variation by region have implications for domestic and offshore sourcing. Service providers can vary their staffing models in global regions which has consequences for recruiting, corporate training, and curriculum

Interoperability, Trust Based Information Sharing Protocol and Security: Digital Government Key Issues

Improved interoperability between public and private organizations is of key significance to make digital government newest triumphant. Digital Government interoperability, information sharing protocol and security are measured the key issue for achieving a refined stage of digital government. Flawless interoperability is essential to share the information between diverse and merely dispersed organisations in several network environments by using computer based tools. Digital government must ensure security for its information systems, including computers and networks for providing better service to the citizens. Governments around the world are increasingly revolving to information sharing and integration for solving problems in programs and policy areas. Evils of global worry such as syndrome discovery and manage, terror campaign, immigration and border control, prohibited drug trafficking, and more demand information sharing, harmonization and cooperation amid government agencies within a country and across national borders. A number of daunting challenges survive to the progress of an efficient information sharing protocol. A secure and trusted information-sharing protocol is required to enable users to interact and share information easily and perfectly across many diverse networks and databases globally.Comment: 20 page

The specification and design of an interactive virtual environment for use in teacher training

In this paper, we examine the rationale behind the specification and design of an interactive, virtual environment, optimized for particular task-based learning activities and the dissemination of information. The software we describe represents a typical British primary school, for use in training Information and Communications Technology (ICT)co-ordinators at primary level. By documenting our ongoing evaluation of both this resource and the technologies used in its implementation, we provide a detailed description of the production process of a prototype piece of software. This highlights the importance of pedagogy, new technologies and project management, and should be of particular interest to multimedia designers and academics preparing to develop innovative learning applications

Three dimensional asset documentation using terrestrial laser scanner technology

Asset documentation is a detailed record or inventory of the properties located within a room or a building. It is important to record the assets in case of property loss happen inside the premise especially when that premise caught fire, earthquake, robbery and others. The instrument used in this study is Faro Laser Scanner Photon 120/20. The object of the study is the computer room of Photogrammetry Lab, Faculty of Geoinformation and Real Estate. The final output of this study is the 3D model of the assets available inside the building. Before 3D model can be formed, the scanned data which is in the form of point cloud generated from the laser scanner have to be registered and georeferenced in order to combine the scans. The combine scans is the representation of the whole area of work surveyed from every scan points. These processes use Faro Scene, software that comes together with the laser scanner. By introducing this method, large scale asset documentation such as for factories and schools would be very beneficial rather than conventional method. The next process is to model the point cloud using AutoCAD 2011. Every item available on the room such as desks, chairs, cubicles, computers, whiteboard, projectors and cupboard are modeled and each of these items was inserted with attributes so that we can know the information of each item