How accurately can convertibles be classified as debt or equity for tax purposes? Evidence from Australia

The New Business Tax System (Debt and Equity) Act established a set ofcriteria by which convertible securities could be classified as “debt-like” or “equity-like” for tax purposes. Using data on 256 convertible issues made in Australia between 2001 and 2012, we show that there is a strong relation between, on the one hand, a convertible’s ex ante classification determined at issuance using the tax criteria and, on the other hand, its ex post classification based on the conversion premium at maturity. We conclude that the criteria have been an efficient means of classifying convertibles. We also find an industry effect where debt-like convertibles are more likely to be associated with the resources, metals and mining firms, whilst equity-like are mainly issued by the finance sector. This finding is consistent with the solution to a finance-sequencing problem in the former case, and the impact of capital adequacy regulation in the latter

Obtaining a marketing authorisation for nitrous oxide

OBJECTIVE: To prepare a Common Technical Document for nitrous oxide (NO) in accordance to European Guidelines, for submission to the Medicine’s Authority to obtain a Marketing Authorisation (MA) and to carry out a project feasibility study. METHOD: Directives and guidelines issued by the European Commission were followed to compile a dossier for NO in the Common Technical Document (CTD) format, in preparation of an abridged application. KEY FINDINGS: The Common Technical Document gave details on the Administrative Information (Module 1), Summaries (Module 2), Quality (Module 3) and Non- Clinical Studies (Module 4) consisting of a detailed scientific bibliography. The active substance manufacturer was inspected and accepted as an approved supplier. A feasibility study which was conducted proved the project feasible. CONCLUSION: The whole manufacturing process of nitrous oxide is well controlled and batches can be produced with a constant level of quality. NO has been used for 150 years for analgesia and anesthesia and has proven safe and effective. Even though its administration is not without risks, it currently has a niche role as an inhalational analgesic and sedative.peer-reviewe

Transcatheter closure of Ventricular Septal defects in Malta : initial experience

Ventricular septal defects (VSD) consist of deficiencies of the wall separating the two ventricles. VSDs are the commonest congenital cardiac defects. Small VSDs rarely require intervention, however, larger defects cause ventricular volume overload with or without heart failure or pulmonary hypertension and may, therefore, require closure. Traditionally, closure has been an open heart surgical procedure. In recent years, various devices have been developed to close a wide variety of cardiac defects including atrial septal defects and patent arterial ducts through transcatheter interventional techniques. Recently, AGA Medical Corporation have introduced a range of Amplatzer VSD occluders which include specific devices for perimembranous (PM), muscular and post myocardial infarction (MI) VSDs. Atrial septal defect and patent foramen ovale closure has been carried out at St. Luke's Hospital in Malta for the past three years. This year, for the first time, we have closed three VSDs in three individuals; two children with large perimembranous defects and an elderly gentleman with a large post-MI VSD. This paper will discuss this technique and initial results.peer-reviewe

Early ambulation and discharge after four French femoral artery catheterisation for diagnostic coronary angiography

One of the bottlenecks experienced by cardiac catheterisation laboratories is the amount of time that patients must remain on the unit after femoral artery puncture. This remains a contentious issue and there are a few studies to guide units with regard to how early it is possible to safely ambulate and discharge patients home.peer-reviewe

Transcatheter device closure of atrial septal defect and patent foramen ovale in Malta

Significant atrial septal defects (ASD) are closed, surgically or through a transcatheter device, in order to avoid pulmonary hypertension in late life. A patent foramen ovale (PFO) may need to be closed because of transient shunt reversal resulting in transient ischaemic events or stroke. We report the Maltese experience to date in transcatheter closure of these defects. A total of 46 ASDs and 51 PFOs have been successfully closed at our unit (total 97), with very low complication rates, rates that compare very favourably with results from larger international centres.peer-reviewe

Ġungla

Ġabra ta’ poeżiji u proża li tinkludi: Tliet battuti mhux kompluti ta’ Mario Azzopardi – Ittra ta’ mara ħalliema ta’ Mario Azzopardi – Imħabba sewda ta’ Ġorġ Borg – Naf tifel ta’ Ġorġ Borg – Metaforosi ta’ Alfred Degabriele – Bħan-nar tal-festi ta’ Alfred Degabriele – Temporale ta’ Victor Fenech – Foresti-Xita ta’ Victor Fenech – Qamar tal-vikingi ta’ Charles Flores – Pakkett nru. 49 ta’ Charles Flores – Il-bieb imsakkar ta’ Oliver Friggieri – Kull ħolma tqila ta’ Oliver Friggieri – Wara l-bwieb tal-ħġieġ ta’ Raymond Mahoney – Femminista ta’ Albert Marshall – Vudu ta’ Albert Marshall – Serp ta’ Daniel Massa – M 42: Saif u riġel ta’ Daniel Massa – Blanzun ta’ Achille Mizzi – Tifsir ta’ Achille Mizzi – Is-snin ta’ Frans Sammut – Stqarrija ta’ Philip Sciberras – Ġungla ta’ Philip Sciberras.peer-reviewe

Sunetti ta’ William Shakespeare

Ġabra ta’ poeżiji u proża li tinkludi: Grand Prix ta’ Carmel Azzopardi – Pizza marinara ta’ Carmel Azzopardi – Ħajku ta’ Kit Azzopardi – Ix-xemgħa qiegħda ta’ Charles Bezzina – U taħti ramel, ramel ta’ Charles Bezzina – Vażett ta’ Ġorġ Borg – Bniedem li mhux ta’ Ġorġ Borg – Il-ħajbu ta’ Antoine Cassar – Il-mistoħbija ta’ Manwel Cassar – Għasel ta’ Carmel G. Cauchi – Dgħajsa ta’ Carmel G. Cauchi – Ħitan ta’ Alfred Degabriele – Skeletru silwett...f’realtà moħbija ta’ Stefano Farrugia – Minjatura tal-enimmi ta’ Stefano Farrugia – Mnejn jgħaddi Kristu ta’ Joe Friggieri – Rebbiegħa ta’ Reno Fenech – Blogger ta’ Charles Flores – Veġeterjana ta’ Charles Flores – Mejju ta’ Joe P. Galea – Kien hemm lejla u tmien nisa ta’ Claudia Gauci – Ħobbni ta’ Sergio Grech – Mitlufin ta’ Maria Grech Ganado – Moħħi ta’ Maria Grech Ganado – Viżjoni ta’ Maria Grech Ganado – Inkontinenza ta’ Adrian Grima – Andrew jħebb in-nar ta’ Adrian Grima – It-Tlieta, 20 ta’ Lulju 2004 ta’ Alfred Massa – Fuq l-għolja tal- Verdala ta’ Jane Micallef – Imm’issa ta’ Jane Micallef – Baby blues ta’ Immanuel Mifsud – Ġo dar sawra ta’ Immanuel Mifsud – Lil Dun Karm ta’ Maurice Mifsud Bonnici – Il-fuklar ta’ Achille Mizzi – Ut videam ta’ Achille Mizzi – Karnival solitarju ta’ Patrick Sammut – Mill-baħħ etern ta’ Joe Zammit Tabona – ...fil-ħmieġ ta’ ftit blatiet... ta’ Paul P. Borg – Bħall-qasab ta’ Steve Borg – L-aħħar żjara ta’ Victor Fenech – Ħelwa.morra 18 ta’ Ann Marie Schembri – Jack & Jill ta’ Trevor Żahra – Għadbilura ta’ Russell Davis, traduzzjoni ta’ Toni Aquilina – Sunetti ta’ William Shakespeare, traduzzjoni ta’ Oliver Friggieri.peer-reviewe

Silta mill-"Antigone" ta’ Sofokle

Ġabra ta’ poeżiji u proża li tinkludi: Ħajki ta’ Josette Attard – Din l-għanja tiegħi ta’ Rena Balzan – Fl-irdum fejn jidwi ta’ Charles Bezzina – Naqa’ biss ta’ Ġorġ Borg – Gambrinu, 7.45 a.m. ta’ Norbert Bugeja – Għadam ta’ Joseph Buttigieg – Tħarisx biss fil-wiċċ ta’ John Caruana – Petra ta’ Priscilla Cassar – Mhux iżjed dan il-pajjiż tiegħi ta’ Victor Fenech – Twieqi magħluqa ta’ Maria Grech Ganado – Joseph quddiem ir-ritratt ta’ sieħbu jitfarrak ta’ Adrian Grima – Ta’ l-ilma l-fruntieri tiegħek ta’ Simone Inguanez – Għall-kaċċa tal-grejtwajt ta’ Daniel Massa – Ftit weraq mis-Slovenja ta’ Immanuel Mifsud – Dak li kien ta’ Achille Mizzi – Wassalni ta’ Anna Pullicino – Tamiet fiergħa ta’ Patrick Sammut – Fost l-isbaħ jiem ta’ Lillian Sciberras – Kelma ta’ Marcel Zammit Marmarà – Lill-Imdina żagħżugħa ta’ Joe Zammit Tabona – Sodda ta’ l-ilma ta’ Clare Azzopardi – Kurċifiss ta’ Paul P. Borg – Mera mkissra ta’ Lina Brockdorff – No(ra)vella ta’ Joe Friggieri – L-abbati ta’ Henry Holland – L-eħrex ġurnata tal-gwerra ta’ Maurice Mifsud Bonnici – Marija ta’ Lino Spiteri – Ikla ta’ Trevor Żahra – Il-mara midinba ta’ Albert Camus, traduzzjoni ta’ Toni Aquilina – Silta mill-"Antigone" ta’ Sofokle, traduzzjoni ta’ Victor Xuereb.peer-reviewe

Nikteb...

Ġabra ta’ poeżiji u proża li tinkludi: L-iben il-ħali ta’ David Agius Muscat – Kaptan ta’ Kit Azzopardi – Il-lanterna ta’ Charles Bezzina – Li kelli mmur lura ta’ Ġorġ Borg – Firda ta’ Ġorġ Borg – Garden fairy ta’ Charles Briffa – Sejf jinfidlek ruħek ta’ Charles Briffa – Waqt ta’ Joseph Buttigieg – Vjaġġ ta’ John Caruana – Ċaqlembuta ta’ Antoine Cassar – Ħaġa tqila ta’ Carmel G. Cauchi – F’tarf il-blat ta’ Leanne Ellul – Int ta’ Victor Fenech – Pippin u l-bojja ta’ Charles Flores – L-arloġġ ta’ Joe Friggieri – Il-fjur tal-ġakaranda ta’ Joe Friggieri – Fjur tal-kaktus ta’ Joel Galea – Biss is-skiet ta’ Joel Galea – Għalissa ta’ Maria Grech Ganado – Ilsna ta’ Maria Grech Ganado – Is-sried ixoqqna fin fin ta’ Adrian Grima – Ħsieb ħalliel... ta’ Patrick Sammut – Lament lil ommi ta’ Salv Sammut – Hekk kif tinħass ġol-arja x-xitwa ta’ Lillian Sciberras – F’għajnejha, il-ħarsa siekta ta’ Clare Azzopardi – Għad jagħdab l-irdum ta’ Paul P. Borg – Forsi...xi darba ta’ Charles Casha – Faxxa ngħas ta’ Sergio Grech – Il-mejda tal-mogħdija ta’ Pierre J. Mejlak – Min jaf bi Stojan Kurepa? ta’ Immanuel Mifsud – L-eħrex jum tal-gwerra ta’ Maurice Mifsud Bonnici – Il-vażett tal-bewsiet ta’ Rita Saliba – Pjanu ta’ Trevor Żahra – Il-ħalliel ta’ Guy de Maupassant, traduzzjoni ta’ Toni Aquilina – Salvu tal-pasturi ta’ Francis Ebejer, traduzzjoni ta’ Steve Borg – Sunetti ta’ William Shakespeare, traduzzjoni ta’ Oliver Friggieri – Nikteb... ta’ Nizar Qabbani, traduzzjoni ta’ Kevin Saliba.peer-reviewe