The Correlation between the Value of Mortgage-Backed Securities & the Value of FTSE 100 Shares Price Index: September 2013 Prices

Using the latest information and prices for mortgage-backed securities in September 2013 this analytical piece tests the correlation between the value of these instruments and the value of the FTSE 100 share price index.The correlation between the value of mortgage-backed securities and the value of FTSE 100 shares price index

Modeling FDI Flows from the USA to Canada: Two Main International Financial Variables Affect the Long-Run Economic Growth

This paper develops a model to predict for the spillover effects of the foreign capital inflows on the long run growth under conditions of international economic exposure to foreign exchange rate fluctuations. The paper utilizes a simple open economy version of the Solow growth model with the main features of real business cycle models. In addition, the paper uses a time series model with substitution techniques to test the impact of the spillover effect of foreign capital inflows from the USA on long run growth in Canada, while controlling for exposure to foreign exchange rate fluctuations, as well as for both external and internal balances. The results support the existence of positive spillover effects from foreign direct investment on the economy. The results also show that foreign exchange rate fluctuations have weaken the impact of underlying changes in productivity on the attractiveness of the economy to overseas investors and hence moderate the overall impact of the technology spillover effect of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on long-run growth

The Balance of Payment of the KSA and Its Main Determinants Financial Economic Time Series Analysis from 1981 to 2007

This paper addresses the impact of different factors that are theoretically believed to have significant impact on the status of the balance of payment. The paper applies those theoretical concepts on the status of the balance of payment of Saudi Arabia from 1981 to 2007. The paper gives interesting implications in that regard for decision makers so they can address different implications on the status of the balance of payment of the country by incorporating endogenously different macro-variables addressed by the current paper while they take decisions regarding the improvement of the status of the balance of payment economically

Modeling A Potential GCC Single Currency

Abstract. The paper explores different views of regime choice and investigates theoretically and empirically the feasibility of a potential monetary union among the six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council-the United Arab Emirates, the State of Bahrain, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman, the State of Qatar, and the State of Kuwait. The theoretical model suggests that the optimum foreign regime needs to maximize oil revenues under the assumptions of internal and external balances. This is proved to occur at the possible maximum expected foreign-exchange rate or at the minimal level of uncertainty and volatility in foreignexchange rate markets. Calculations using a calibrated model show that the proposed monetary union is likely to yield economic benefits for the GCC countries if they adopt a foreign regime pegged to SDR

Experimental study of the effects of nitroglycerin, botulinum toxin A, and clopidogrel on bipedicled superficial inferior epigastric artery flap survival

Abstract Beneficial effects could be achieved by various agents such as nitroglycerin, botulinum toxin A (BoTA), and clopidogrel to improve skin flap ischaemia and venous congestion injuries. Eighty rats were subjected to either arterial ischaemia or venous congestion and applied to a bipedicled U-shaped superficial inferior epigastric artery (SIEA) flap with the administration of nitroglycerin, BoTA, or clopidogrel treatments. After 7 days, all rats were sacrificed for flap evaluation. Necrotic area percentage was significantly minimized in flaps treated with clopidogrel (24.49%) versus the ischemic flaps (34.78%); while nitroglycerin (19.22%) versus flaps with venous congestion (43.26%). With ischemia, light and electron microscopic assessments revealed that nitroglycerin produced degeneration of keratinocytes and disorganization of collagen fibers. At the same time, with clopidogrel administration, there was an improvement in the integrity of these structures. With venous congestion, nitroglycerin and BoTA treatments mitigated the epidermal and dermal injury; and clopidogrel caused coagulative necrosis. There was a significant increase in tissue gene expression and serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in ischemic flaps with BoTA and clopidogrel, nitroglycerin, and BoTA clopidogrel in flaps with venous congestion. With the 3 treatment agents, gene expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were up-regulated in the flaps with ischemia and venous congestion. With all treatment modalities, its serum levels were significantly increased in flaps with venous congestion and significantly decreased in ischemic flaps. Our analyses suggest that the best treatment option for ischemic flaps is clopidogrel, while for flaps with venous congestion are nitroglycerin and BoTA

Global economic burden of unmet surgical need for appendicitis

Background There is a substantial gap in provision of adequate surgical care in many low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the economic burden of unmet surgical need for the common condition of appendicitis. Methods Data on the incidence of appendicitis from 170 countries and two different approaches were used to estimate numbers of patients who do not receive surgery: as a fixed proportion of the total unmet surgical need per country (approach 1); and based on country income status (approach 2). Indirect costs with current levels of access and local quality, and those if quality were at the standards of high-income countries, were estimated. A human capital approach was applied, focusing on the economic burden resulting from premature death and absenteeism. Results Excess mortality was 4185 per 100 000 cases of appendicitis using approach 1 and 3448 per 100 000 using approach 2. The economic burden of continuing current levels of access and local quality was US $92 492 million using approach 1 and$73 141 million using approach 2. The economic burden of not providing surgical care to the standards of high-income countries was $95 004 million using approach 1 and$75 666 million using approach 2. The largest share of these costs resulted from premature death (97.7 per cent) and lack of access (97.0 per cent) in contrast to lack of quality. Conclusion For a comparatively non-complex emergency condition such as appendicitis, increasing access to care should be prioritized. Although improving quality of care should not be neglected, increasing provision of care at current standards could reduce societal costs substantially

Global economic burden of unmet surgical need for appendicitis

Background There is a substantial gap in provision of adequate surgical care in many low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the economic burden of unmet surgical need for the common condition of appendicitis. Methods Data on the incidence of appendicitis from 170 countries and two different approaches were used to estimate numbers of patients who do not receive surgery: as a fixed proportion of the total unmet surgical need per country (approach 1); and based on country income status (approach 2). Indirect costs with current levels of access and local quality, and those if quality were at the standards of high-income countries, were estimated. A human capital approach was applied, focusing on the economic burden resulting from premature death and absenteeism. Results Excess mortality was 4185 per 100 000 cases of appendicitis using approach 1 and 3448 per 100 000 using approach 2. The economic burden of continuing current levels of access and local quality was US $92 492 million using approach 1 and$73 141 million using approach 2. The economic burden of not providing surgical care to the standards of high-income countries was $95 004 million using approach 1 and$75 666 million using approach 2. The largest share of these costs resulted from premature death (97.7 per cent) and lack of access (97.0 per cent) in contrast to lack of quality. Conclusion For a comparatively non-complex emergency condition such as appendicitis, increasing access to care should be prioritized. Although improving quality of care should not be neglected, increasing provision of care at current standards could reduce societal costs substantially