Portfolio Return Characteristics of Different Industries

Over the last decade we have witnessed the rise and fall of theso-called new economy stocks. One central question is to what extentthese new firms differ from traditional firms. Empirical evidencesuggests that stock returns are not normally distributed. In thisarticle we investigate whether this also holds for portfolios ofstocks from a growth industry. Furthermore, we will compare this typeof portfolios with portfolios of stocks from a more traditionalindustry. Usually, only value weighted and equally weighted portfoliosare used to describe and compare portfolio return characteristics.Instead, in our analysis, we use a novel approach in which we use aninfinite number of portfolios that together represent the set of allfeasible portfolio opportunities.performance evaluation;portfolio management;investments;stock markets;sector index

Interactive Multidimensional Programming; Models for Locational Decision

The paper is devoted to an extension of traditional location theory in two directions. First, the usual assumption of a single cost function will be abandoned by introducing multiple objectives. This gives rise to a multidimensional programming framework for the traditional location models. The paper provides a solution algorithm for the latter problem. Next, the assumption of a uniform space will be tackled by taking account of discrete candidate-locations. This problem can be solved by means of an adjusted multiciteria analysis. The solution algorithms for both extensions are based on an interactive strategy, so that the decision-maker may identify the most favourable location in a finite number of steps

Facial train-of-four monitoring as an evaluation of neuromuscular blockade in a patient with ICU-acquired weakness

Neuromuscular blocking agents are used in the ICU for various reasons, such as during status asthmaticus and patient-ventilator dyssynchrony. We report a 76-year-old man with adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus treated with laparoscopic transthoracic oesophagectomy, which was complicated by a fistula between the gastric reconstruction and the right main bronchus. He developed extensive ICU-acquired weakness and was treated with differential lung ventilation followed by continuous rocuronium infusion. Evaluation of neuromuscular blockade by train-of-four (TOF) stimulation showed a discrepancy in facial and ulnar TOF monitoring. The different number of neuromuscular junctions at each muscle group could be an explanation for this. Therefore, it is suggested to use facial TOF monitoring in ICU patients instead of ulnar TOF monitoring to differentiate between an intoxication of neuromuscular blockade and ICU-acquired weakness

Portfolio Return Characteristics of Different Industries

Over the last decade we have witnessed the rise and fall of the so-called new economy stocks. One central question is to what extent these new firms differ from traditional firms. Empirical evidence suggests that stock returns are not normally distributed. In this article we investigate whether this also holds for portfolios of stocks from a growth industry. Furthermore, we will compare this type of portfolios with portfolios of stocks from a more traditional industry. Usually, only value weighted and equally weighted portfolios are used to describe and compare portfolio return characteristics. Instead, in our analysis, we use a novel approach in which we use an infinite number of portfolios that together represent the set of all feasible portfolio opportunities