The structural relationship between stock market returns and macroeconomic variables in international equity markets

This study is concerned with investigating the structural relationship between stock markets and economic variables in different countries. In investigating the relationships, the following six questions are posed:- Are stock markets in the United States, the United Kingdom, West Germany, France, Norway, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and South Africa related to each other and do they influence each other? Does the level of any relationship change over time? Are variables representing economic activity in each country related to similar variables in the other countries? Does the level of any economic relationship change over time? Are the comovements of both equity markets and economic indicators consistent? and Are stock markets examined in this study influenced by similar common underlying factors? The empirical results suggest positive answers to these questions. The main findings from the study suggest that equity returns are related and although some markets have a higher degree of similarity, the covariance between international equity returns remain stable over the short period but tend to change in the long run. It is also found that economic variables of different countries are related in a consistent way to the equity markets. Finally it is shown that stock prices in each country are systematically affected by similar economic factors

Behaviour of stock returns in the KLSE: A test of the random walk hypothesis

A sample of 224 companies listed in the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange was taken for the period 1991-96. The serial correlations tests of varying lags and the runs tests were employed to test for the random walk theory. The bulk of the results tilts towards the rejection of non-randomness, lending weight to the argument that the stock market has no memory, and casting doubt upon the usefulness of technical analysis

Heart Rate Variability Recording System Using Photoplethysmography Sensor

Heart rate variability (HRV) is a physiological measurement that can help to monitor and diagnose chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, depression, and psychological stress. HRV measurement is commonly extracted from the electrocardiography (ECG). However, ECG has bulky wires where it needs at least three surface electrodes to be placed on the skin. This may cause distraction during the recording and need longer time to setup. Therefore, photoplethysmography (PPG), a simple optical technique, was suggested to obtain heart rate. This study proposes to investigate the effectiveness of PPG recording and derivation of HRV for feature analysis. The PPG signal was preprocessed to remove all the noise and to extract the HRV. HRV features were collected using time-domain analysis (TA), frequency-domain analysis (FA) and nonlinear time-frequency analysis (TFA). Five out of 22 HRV features, which are HR, RMSSD, LF/HF, LFnu, and HFnu, showed high correlation (rho > 0.6 and prho < 0.05) in comparison to standard 5-min excerpt while producing significant difference (p-value < 0.05) during the stressing condition across all interval HRV excerpts. This simple yet accurate PPG recording system perhaps might useful to assess the HRV signal in a short time, and further can be used for the ANS assessment

Commodity murabahah deposits in Islamic banking: an easy way out

Akta Perkhidmatan Kewangan Islam 2013 (IFSA) membezakan secara jelas antara akaun deposit dan akaun pelaburan Islam berdasarkan kontrak Syariah yang digunakan. Produk yang berasaskan prinsip Syariah dengan ciri-ciri yang tidak dijamin prinsipal diklasifikasikan sebagai akaun pelaburan, manakala produk yang dijamin prinsipal adalah akaun deposit. Memandangkan penandaan ini, makalah ini bertujuan untuk menonjolkan reaksi institusi kewangan Islam (IFI) dari segi penawaran produk untuk membuat penyelarasan dengan peraturan baru ini. Metodologi penyelidikan yang digunakan adalah pendekatan kualitatif di mana penulis memperoleh data dan maklumat dari artikel, jurnal, penerbitan penyelidikan dan dokumen bertulis lain. Kajian empirikal menunjukkan bahawa IFI telah berpindah dari produk kontrak Shariah berasaskan pelaburan kepada produk deposit berasaskan komoditi murabahah atau tawarruq. Komoditi murabahah telah menjadi satu bentuk teknik perbankan Islam yang sangat biasa di Malaysia, yang kebanyakannya digunakan dalam penyediaan kemudahan pembiayaan seperti pembiayaan peribadi, pengguna dan perdagangan serta produk deposit, sebagai tambahan kepada penstrukturan sukuk dan untuk tujuan pengurusan kecairan. Walau bagaimanapun, rasional perdagangan komoditi pendasar yang berlaku dan kewujudan unsur wakalah yang membawa kepada tatacara yang jelas dalam urus niaga tersebut telah menyebabkan kebimbangan mengenai tindak balas industri terhadap keperluan IFSA

Dietary Patterns, Metabolomic Profile, and Nutritype Signatures Associated with Type 2 Diabetes in Women with Postgestational Diabetes Mellitus: MyNutritype Study Protocol

Women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus (post-GDM) have an increased risk of cardiometabolic diseases including type 2 diabetes (T2D). Current diabetes screening is based on the oral glucose tolerance test without nutritional assessments, even though unhealthy dietary patterns were found to expedite disease progression in women post-GDM. While a healthful dietary pattern reduces T2D risk, limited data support a dietary pattern tailored to the Asian population, especially in the Malaysian context. Metabolomic profiles associated with dietary patterns in this population are also lacking. The proposed study aims to investigate both components of dietary patterns and metabolomic profile, known as nutritype signatures, and their association with T2D in women post-GDM. The comparative cross-sectional study will involve a minimum of 126 Malaysian women post-GDM aged 18–49 years. Dietary patterns will be analysed using principal component analysis. Plasma and urinary metabolites will be quantified using one-dimensional proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy. The aim of the study is identifying the nutritype signatures associated with T2D. The findings will support the development of early prevention measures against T2D in women post-GDM

Obstetrics and gynaecology training in Malaysia: guide for applicants 2020

This document is a guide for those applying to enter postgraduate training in Obstetrics & Gynaecology. It contains information on the entry requirements for the specialty training programme, the selection process and what training entails. It is an extract from the New Postgraduate Curriculum for Obstetrics & Gynaecology and provides key summaries about the training structure, syllabus and assessments

Lake and Watershed Management: Issues and Challenges in Managing Lake Water Quality

Abstract -High-intensity land-use activities occur near lakes including in their watershed and increase of population density in areas neighbouring the lakes have caused overexploitation of lake water resources and discharge of large volumes of pollutants into lakes water. As a consequence led to escalating deterioration of lake water quality. Water quality conditions of lakes are significantly influence by their watershed behaviours. The lentic nature of lakes allows problems to build up and symptoms to go unnoticed for a lengthy period and commonly only appearing at a delayed and dangerous stage given that similarly a slow and often equally long period is needed to treat before positive results begin to show again. Hence, it is quite complex to comprehend types and strengths of pressures that impact water quality status, when do the changes will occur and what the status of water quality would be, not only on the presence situation but over the long term. Lake water quality and catchment relationship is an intricate issue and required the lake managers and planners to be attentive and prepared to engage in sustained actions over a long-term time frame relating to the development of lakes because progression of degradation inside a lake mostly takes place on a wider and deeper scale than is readily apparent. The comprehensive understanding on anthropogenic upheaval and hydrological linkages within lake watershed influences the dynamics of the lake water quality and is vital to the resulting livelihood including the cultural, biodiversity, and economic activities that are supported by lakes. This paper highlights the issues and challenges in managing lake water quality, variables that significantly influence lake catchment-water quality relationship, discussing the water quality parameters that must be regularly monitored, and proposing a management support tool as the expected research output to ensure lake water quality is not compromise while meeting the country&apos;s socio-economic demand

Management of menstrual disorder in adolescent girls with intellectual disabilities: a blessing or a curse?

Objective. This study aims to describe the menstrual pattern and menstrual care of girls with intellectual disabilities and to evaluate the impact of menstruation and awareness of parents/guardians on girls with intellectual disabilities. Methodology. Parents/guardians of girls aged 9–17 years with known intellectual disabilities who attended a scheduled public forum and Paediatrics and Adolescent Gynaecology Clinic (PAC) were recruited in a questionnaire-based study. Results. A total of 123 parents/guardians with a mean age of 41.83 ± 5.45 years completed the questionnaire. The mean age of girls with intellectual disabilities was 12.28 ± 2.78 years, and the mean menarcheal age was 11.12 ± 1.76 years. Only 53 (43.1%) parents/guardians were aware of availability of menstrual suppression. Parents/guardians with lower family income (OR = 0.00; 95% CI = 0.00–0.20), unable to manage menses (OR = 0.03; 95% CI = 0.00–0.61), and moderate severity of menses (OR = 0.01; 95% CI = 0.00–1.21), were associated with seeking medical help on menstrual suppression. The factors associated with parents/guardians requesting for sterilization were lower family income (OR = 0.02; 95% CI = 0.00–0.36) and concern about sexual abuse (OR = 0.25; 95% CI = 0.06–0.39). Conclusion. Menstrual pattern in girls with intellectual disabilities is similar to those without disabilities. Parents/guardians’ knowledge and awareness on menstrual suppression were still lacking