Financial contagion and globalization : evidence from South Asian countries

This study investigates the contagion and globalization between the South Asian (Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka) and five largest economies (US, UK, China, Japan and Germany) stock markets. Daily stock returns data from 1st July 1997 to 30th June 2015 consisting of total 4695 observation is analyzed. DCC GARCH is applied to calculate the conditional correlation coefficients to overcome the issue of heteroscedasticity. Null hypothesis of no globalization got rejected eleven times out of twenty while the hypothesis of no contagion got rejected six times. Further analysis of conditional correlation coefficients confirmed the impact of 9/11 attacks, Subprime mortgage crises and Europeans debt crises on the Indian market. Impact of 9/11 attacks also found on Pakistani and Sri Lankan stock exchanges, while Dhaka stock exchange remained independent of all shocks. In sum, the South Asian stock markets remained isolated from the global shocks except India. Isolation of South Asian stock markets from the global shocks is due to their lower integration with the global markets. This study provides some useful recommendations to the investors and policy makers. Results suggests that Indian stock exchange get contagion impact from the major economies, so authorities of India should have to take measure to decouple the market from the global shocks. The markets of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan are not properly integrated with global financial system, so the authorities of these countries should have to take proper steps to liberalize the markets. This paper presents the first empirical study on financial contagion and globalization of South Asian countries.peer-reviewe

Biosynthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles from Cedrela toona leaf extracts: An exploration into their antibacterial, anticancer, and antioxidant potential

This research work aims to synthesize environmentally benign and cost-effective metal nanoparticles. In this current research scenario, the leaf extract of Cedrela toona was used as a reducing agent to biosynthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The synthesis of AgNPs was confirmed by the color shift of the reaction mixture, i.e., silver nitrate and plant extract, from yellow to dark brown colloidal suspension and was established by UV-visible analysis showing a surface plasmon resonance band at 434 nm. Different experimental factors were optimized for the formation and stability of AgNPs, and the optimum conditions were found to be 1 mM AgNO3 concentration, a 1:9 ratio of extract/precursor, and an incubation temperature of 70°C for 4 h. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectra indicated the presence of phytochemicals in the leaf extract that played the role of bioreducing agents in forming AgNPs. X-ray diffraction patterns confirmed the presence of AgNPs with a mean size of 25.9 nm. The size distribution and morphology of AgNPs were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, which clearly highlighted spherical nanoparticles with a size distribution of 22–30 nm with a mean average size of 25.5 nm. Moreover, prominent antibacterial activity was found against Enterococcus faecalis (21 ± 0.5 mm), Bacillus subtilis (20 ± 0.9 mm), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (18 ± 0.3 mm), Staphylococcus aureus (16 ± 0.7 mm), Klebsiella pneumoniae (16 ± 0.3 mm), and Escherichia coli (14 ± 0.7 mm). In addition, antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH and ABTS assays. Higher antioxidant activity was reported in AgNPs compared to the plant extract in both DPPH (IC50 = 69.62 µg·ml−1) and ABTS assays (IC50 = 47.90 µg·ml−1). Furthermore, cytotoxic activity was also investigated by the MTT assay against MCF-7 cells, and IC50 was found to be 32.55 ± 0.05 µg·ml−1. The crux of this research is that AgNPs synthesized from the Cedrela toona leaf extract could be employed as antibacterial, antioxidant, and anticancer agents for the treatment of bacterial, free radical-oriented, and cancerous diseases

Socializing One Health: an innovative strategy to investigate social and behavioral risks of emerging viral threats

In an effort to strengthen global capacity to prevent, detect, and control infectious diseases in animals and people, the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Emerging Pandemic Threats (EPT) PREDICT project funded development of regional, national, and local One Health capacities for early disease detection, rapid response, disease control, and risk reduction. From the outset, the EPT approach was inclusive of social science research methods designed to understand the contexts and behaviors of communities living and working at human-animal-environment interfaces considered high-risk for virus emergence. Using qualitative and quantitative approaches, PREDICT behavioral research aimed to identify and assess a range of socio-cultural behaviors that could be influential in zoonotic disease emergence, amplification, and transmission. This broad approach to behavioral risk characterization enabled us to identify and characterize human activities that could be linked to the transmission dynamics of new and emerging viruses. This paper provides a discussion of implementation of a social science approach within a zoonotic surveillance framework. We conducted in-depth ethnographic interviews and focus groups to better understand the individual- and community-level knowledge, attitudes, and practices that potentially put participants at risk for zoonotic disease transmission from the animals they live and work with, across 6 interface domains. When we asked highly-exposed individuals (ie. bushmeat hunters, wildlife or guano farmers) about the risk they perceived in their occupational activities, most did not perceive it to be risky, whether because it was normalized by years (or generations) of doing such an activity, or due to lack of information about potential risks. Integrating the social sciences allows investigations of the specific human activities that are hypothesized to drive disease emergence, amplification, and transmission, in order to better substantiate behavioral disease drivers, along with the social dimensions of infection and transmission dynamics. Understanding these dynamics is critical to achieving health security--the protection from threats to health-- which requires investments in both collective and individual health security. Involving behavioral sciences into zoonotic disease surveillance allowed us to push toward fuller community integration and engagement and toward dialogue and implementation of recommendations for disease prevention and improved health security

An Analysis of Policies Using Quasi-Experimental Design: Marijuana Legalization, Same-Sex Marriages, and Gun Policy

Marijuana use, same-sex marriage, and firearm regulations are major societal issues that significantly impact the US health system. While same-sex marriages were legalized throughout the nation by a 2015 Supreme Court ruling, policies regarding guns and marijuana still vary widely among the states. To examine these issues in-depth, this research is designed as a series of three studies utilizing the same econometrics methodology to measure the impact of state-specific policies. A quasi-experimental difference-in-difference approach is used with state-level policy differences to compare the control and treatment states to estimate the effect of each policy (marijuana legalization, same-sex marriage legalization, and firearm regulations) on the dependent variable (number of pediatric poisoning ED visits, number of STI-related ED visits, and number of mass shootings/fatalities/injuries). The first study analyzes the relationship between state marijuana laws and the frequency of pediatric poisoning cases warranting Emergency Department (ED) visits. Data for the ED visits were derived from State Emergency Department Databases (SEDD) and State Inpatient Databases (SID). Study included 16 US states: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. Of the 16 states, 13 were from SEDD, and 3 states (Arkansas, New Mexico, and Washington) were from SID. Findings suggest that medical marijuana legalization is associated with a 12.2% increase in pediatric poisoning cases, while recreational marijuana legalization results in a 19.9% increase. The second study assesses the impact of same-sex marriage legalization on sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Data were derived from the State Emergency Department Databases and State Inpatient Databases to determine the number of STI-related ED visits. Study included 16 US states: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. Of the 16 states, 13 were from SEDD, and 3 states (Arkansas, New Mexico, and Washington) were from SID. The impact of same-sex marriage legalization was examined for both the short term (immediately after legalization) and long term (one year after legalization). Findings suggest that legalization is associated with no significant change in STI-related ED visits in the short term, but a 7.4% decrease in visits in the long term. The third study examines the impact of gun policy on mass shootings, and related fatalities and injuries. For this study, data were derived from the Mass Shooting Tracker. Findings suggest that states that report mentally ill individuals to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) have a 46% decrease in mass shooting incidents. Universal background checks for gun purchases are also strongly associated with reduced harm from mass shootings, resulting in 66% fewer deaths and 46% fewer injuries

An Analysis of Policies Using Quasi-Experimental Design: Marijuana Legalization, Same-Sex Marriages, and Gun Policy

Marijuana use, same-sex marriage, and firearm regulations are major societal issues that significantly impact the US health system. While same-sex marriages were legalized throughout the nation by a 2015 Supreme Court ruling, policies regarding guns and marijuana still vary widely among the states. To examine these issues in-depth, this research is designed as a series of three studies utilizing the same econometrics methodology to measure the impact of state-specific policies. A quasi-experimental difference-in-difference approach is used with state-level policy differences to compare the control and treatment states to estimate the effect of each policy (marijuana legalization, same-sex marriage legalization, and firearm regulations) on the dependent variable (number of pediatric poisoning ED visits, number of STI-related ED visits, and number of mass shootings/fatalities/injuries). The first study analyzes the relationship between state marijuana laws and the frequency of pediatric poisoning cases warranting Emergency Department (ED) visits. Data for the ED visits were derived from State Emergency Department Databases (SEDD) and State Inpatient Databases (SID). Study included 16 US states: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. Of the 16 states, 13 were from SEDD, and 3 states (Arkansas, New Mexico, and Washington) were from SID. Findings suggest that medical marijuana legalization is associated with a 12.2% increase in pediatric poisoning cases, while recreational marijuana legalization results in a 19.9% increase. The second study assesses the impact of same-sex marriage legalization on sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Data were derived from the State Emergency Department Databases and State Inpatient Databases to determine the number of STI-related ED visits. Study included 16 US states: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. Of the 16 states, 13 were from SEDD, and 3 states (Arkansas, New Mexico, and Washington) were from SID. The impact of same-sex marriage legalization was examined for both the short term (immediately after legalization) and long term (one year after legalization). Findings suggest that legalization is associated with no significant change in STI-related ED visits in the short term, but a 7.4% decrease in visits in the long term. The third study examines the impact of gun policy on mass shootings, and related fatalities and injuries. For this study, data were derived from the Mass Shooting Tracker. Findings suggest that states that report mentally ill individuals to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) have a 46% decrease in mass shooting incidents. Universal background checks for gun purchases are also strongly associated with reduced harm from mass shootings, resulting in 66% fewer deaths and 46% fewer injuries

3G mobile communication services perspective

The transition from the 2nd Generation (2G) of mobile cellular networks to the 3rd Generation (3G) was motivated by the introduction of multimedia services. More specifically, the convergence of mobile technologies and Internet allows compelling possibilities for future applications due to the new advancement, constantly growing and personalized services in the mobile communication. There are a lot of standards supporting the 3G services and these services make the people's life convenient. Our research objective is to compare the 3G services against 3G standards which we focus on the two most popular standards i.e. WCDMA & CDMA2000. The implementation discussion of one of 3G services which we choose Location Based Services is also our research objective. In order to fulfil the research objective, we firstly choose Mobility category among the 3G services, i.e. Rich Voice, Content Connectivity and Mobility. We believe that Mobility will be the most significant services because of it's personalize nature, e.g. Multimedia Messaging Services (MMS), Customised Infotainment and Location Based Services (LBS). We then compare and analyze Multimedia Messaging Services (MMS), Customised Infotainment and Location Based Services (LBS) against the two 3G standards, i.e.WCDMA & CDMA2000 to show that these two standards are serving these three services. The implementation of Location Based Services is discussed based on the four methods Cell-ID, Observed Timer Difference of Arrival, Wireless Assisted-GPS and Hybrid Technology. Latest and advanced services are only deployed through 3G mobile communication. This study is an effort made to give a deep and detailed understanding of 3G services and implementation of Location Based Service. We think that 3G services on WCDMA network will have edge in future as that it gives the backward compatibility of GSM which deployed around 70% world wide.Validerat; 20101217 (root

Housing quality and percentage of children’s illness with cough in the last two weeks in Punjab, Pakistan.

Housing quality and percentage of children’s illness with cough in the last two weeks in Punjab, Pakistan.</p

Diagrammatic representation of poor housing quality contributing to household air pollution (HAP).

Diagrammatic representation of poor housing quality contributing to household air pollution (HAP).</p

Housing quality and percentage of children with fast, short, rapid or difficult breathing in the last two weeks in Punjab, Pakistan.

Housing quality and percentage of children with fast, short, rapid or difficult breathing in the last two weeks in Punjab, Pakistan.</p

Association between household characteristics, mother characteristics, child characteristics, region, residence, and under-five ARI symptoms.

Association between household characteristics, mother characteristics, child characteristics, region, residence, and under-five ARI symptoms.</p