London or New York: where and when does the gold price originate?

We investigate the Information Shares (ISs) of the two main centres of gold trading, over a 25-year period, using nonoverlapping 4-month windows. We find that neither London nor New York is dominant in terms of price IS, that the dominant market switches from time to time and that these switches do not appear to be very clearly linkable to macroeconomic or political events

Is gold a Sometime Safe Haven or an Always Hedge for Equity Investors? A Markov-Switching CAPM Approach for US and UK Stock Indices

This paper re-examines gold's role as a tool for investors to manage their portfolio risk. We begin by assessing gold's average relationship to an investor's diversified equity portfolio by applying the basic Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) to UK and US equity indices. Next, we apply a Markov-switching CAPM to assess whether two distinct states exist between gold's relationship with the Market Portfolio. This approach allows the data to determine if two separate states exist and, if so, whether one state matches the definition of a Safe Haven from the literature. Using this new approach, we find that gold is consistently a Hedge, but that no distinct Safe Haven state exists between gold and UK or US stock markets

Are Gold Bugs Coherent?

We use wavelet models to surface the relationship between gold miners stock prices and the price of gold. We find that there is little relationship in the short run but some significant and long standing long run relationships. Gold prices appear to lead gold miner stock prices

Investigating the antecedents of perceived threats and user resistance to health information technology: a case study of a public hospital

Health information technology (HIT) can improve the quality of healthcare, but improvements are likely to be hindered if physicians and nurses resist HIT. In response, this study investigates the antecedents of the perceived threats to HIT and user resistance by examining the organisational factors, the personal traits of users, HIT-related factors, and the factors related to the interaction between physicians, nurses, and the organisation. By building on an in-depth case study of a public hospital, the study develops a conceptual model. The main findings of the study suggest that perceived dissatisfaction and loss of professional autonomy are the main perceived threats of HIT for physicians and nurses. Furthermore, five factors that influence these perceptions are identified, and they include related knowledge, management support, user involvement, system performance, and social influences. The study will ensure a better understanding of the phenomenon, as it will contribute to identifying the core reasons for resistance

Domestic macroeconomic determinants of precious metals prices in developed and emerging economies: An international analysis of the long and short run

This study examines the relationship between domestic macroeconomic factors and domestic precious metals prices across developed and emerging markets from 1979 to 2020. The statistical characteristics of the domestic variables are not found to be consistent across countries, so that these relationships cannot be modelled in one specific way. To model each metal domestically, we use various time series techniques as dictated by the combined characteristics of the domestic variables. The findings of this analysis reveal relationships that are not consistent across countries or precious metals. No consistent set of variables is found to exist that can explain either the short or the long run determinants of domestic precious metals prices, and there is no clear divide between developed or emerging markets. Any model of the determinants of a precious metal’s domestic price requires individual handling by the practitioners or academics undertaking it, rather than assuming a single set of determinants as is frequently done

Investigating the antecedents of perceived threats and user resistance to health information technology: towards a comprehensive user resistance model

Health Information Technology (HIT) has the potential to improve healthcare delivery by reducing medical errors, improving service quality, and lowering healthcare cost. Despite evident integration benefits of HIT, use of HIT by medical staff and hospitals remain low, user resistance being one of the major factors involved. The literature indicates that user resistance to HIT is predicated by their perception. However, we do not fully understand how some users’ perception is formed. In this study, we aim to investigate the organisational factors, the personal traits of the user, HIT-related factors, and the factors related to the interaction between physicians and nurses and the organisation that lead to perceived threat, risk, and dissatisfaction. The study develops a comprehensive model that builds on, and extends, existing theories of user resistance. The model will be developed by studying user resistance from a post-implementation perspective using a qualitative approach, in which qualitative data collection and analysis methods will be used. The study will lead to a better understanding of the phenomenon, as it will contribute to identifying the core reasons for resistance, which in turn will help organisations solve the root causes of the problem

Rethinking the bile acid/gut microbiome axis in cancer

Dietary factors, probiotic agents, aging and antibiotics/medicines impact on gut microbiome composition leading to disturbances in localised microbial populations. The impact can be profound and underlies a plethora of human disorders, including the focus of this review; cancer. Compromised microbiome populations can alter bile acid signalling and produce distinct pathophysiological bile acid profiles. These in turn have been associated with cancer development and progression. Exposure to high levels of bile acids, combined with localised molecular/genome instability leads to the acquisition of bile mediated neoplastic alterations, generating apoptotic resistant proliferation phenotypes. However, in recent years, several studies have emerged advocating the therapeutic benefits of bile acid signalling in suppressing molecular and phenotypic hallmarks of cancer progression. These studies suggest that in some instances, bile acids may reduce cancer phenotypic effects, thereby limiting metastatic potential. In this review, we contextualise the current state of the art to propose that the bile acid/gut microbiome axis can influence cancer progression to the extent that classical in vitro cancer hallmarks of malignancy (cell invasion, cell migration, clonogenicity, and cell adhesion) are significantly reduced. We readily acknowledge the existence of a bile acid/gut microbiome axis in cancer initiation, however, in light of recent advances, we focus exclusively on the role of bile acids as potentially beneficial molecules in suppressing cancer progression. Finally, we theorise that suppressing aggressive malignant phenotypes through bile acid/gut microbiome axis modulation could uncover new and innovative disease management strategies for managing cancers in vulnerable cohort

The Financial Economics of Gold - a survey

We review the literature on gold as an investment. We summarize a wide variety of literature. We begin with a review of how the gold markets operate, including the under researched leasing market; we proceed to examine research on physical gold demand and supply, gold mine economics and move onto analyses of gold as an investment. Additional sections provide context on gold market efficiency, the issue of gold market bubbles, gold’s relation to inflation and interest rates, and the very nascent literature on the behavioural aspects of gold

The mental wellbeing of young farmers in Ireland and the UK: driving factors, help-seeking, and support

Whilst research attention on the mental wellbeing of farmers is growing, there are few studies focused on young farmers. Our research set out to better understand the factors affecting young farmer mental wellbeing and help-seeking behaviour. We draw insights from a combined study in Ireland and the UK, supplemented by separate studies by the same author team in both places. Through the use of young farmer interviews and surveys, as well as interviews of those who support young farmers with their mental wellbeing, we identify a mixed picture of mental wellbeing and a plethora of factors affecting it. Though many of these factors have been identified in the wider literature, the impact of socialisation and time off the farm, and sexism/misogyny affecting young female farmers, were specifically identified in our study. In some cases, young farmers were considered to be better at speaking about mental wellbeing than their older counterparts, but our study indicated that some people in this demographic fail to seek assistance because of stigma, stoicism, and possible lack of confidentiality. Improving the accessibility of mental wellbeing services, as well as normalising conversations on the subject and providing support in informal social settings, were identified as key recommendations