Empirical Evidence of Co-Movement between the Canadian CDS, Stock Market And TSX 60 Volatility Index: A Wavelet Approach

Purpose- The prime objective of this study was to find the co-movement between the Canadian credit default swaps market, the Stock market and volatility index (TSX 60 Index) Design/ Methodology- To achieve this purpose, daily data containing 2870 observations starting from the 1st of January 2009 to the 30th of December 2019 were analyzed. This study employed the wavelet approach to present results in short-term, medium-term, long-term, and very long time. Findings- The findings of this study showed a negative correlation between the CDS market, stock market, and the TSX 60 index in the short-term as well as in the long-term term, while in medium-term and very long-term period correlation is strongly positive. The wavelet co-movement results in the short-term and long-term were negative, while this relationship in the medium-term and very long-term period was strongly positive. Practical Implications- This research provides simultaneous valuable information for investment decisions in the short, medium, and long term time horizons, as well as for the policymakers in the Canadian credit default swaps market, stock market, and the volatility index (TSX 60 Index)

Effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker initiation on organ support-free days in patients hospitalized with COVID-19

IMPORTANCE Overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) may contribute to poor clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Objective To determine whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) initiation improves outcomes in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In an ongoing, adaptive platform randomized clinical trial, 721 critically ill and 58 non–critically ill hospitalized adults were randomized to receive an RAS inhibitor or control between March 16, 2021, and February 25, 2022, at 69 sites in 7 countries (final follow-up on June 1, 2022). INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized to receive open-label initiation of an ACE inhibitor (n = 257), ARB (n = 248), ARB in combination with DMX-200 (a chemokine receptor-2 inhibitor; n = 10), or no RAS inhibitor (control; n = 264) for up to 10 days. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was organ support–free days, a composite of hospital survival and days alive without cardiovascular or respiratory organ support through 21 days. The primary analysis was a bayesian cumulative logistic model. Odds ratios (ORs) greater than 1 represent improved outcomes. RESULTS On February 25, 2022, enrollment was discontinued due to safety concerns. Among 679 critically ill patients with available primary outcome data, the median age was 56 years and 239 participants (35.2%) were women. Median (IQR) organ support–free days among critically ill patients was 10 (–1 to 16) in the ACE inhibitor group (n = 231), 8 (–1 to 17) in the ARB group (n = 217), and 12 (0 to 17) in the control group (n = 231) (median adjusted odds ratios of 0.77 [95% bayesian credible interval, 0.58-1.06] for improvement for ACE inhibitor and 0.76 [95% credible interval, 0.56-1.05] for ARB compared with control). The posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitors and ARBs worsened organ support–free days compared with control were 94.9% and 95.4%, respectively. Hospital survival occurred in 166 of 231 critically ill participants (71.9%) in the ACE inhibitor group, 152 of 217 (70.0%) in the ARB group, and 182 of 231 (78.8%) in the control group (posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitor and ARB worsened hospital survival compared with control were 95.3% and 98.1%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this trial, among critically ill adults with COVID-19, initiation of an ACE inhibitor or ARB did not improve, and likely worsened, clinical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT0273570

Investigating the factor of safety for the design of columns using properties of steel rebar'smanufactured in Pakistan

This paper includes the behaviour of RC column, using the steel strength data employed by Rafi et al. (2014). Eccentric short columns are studied for this purpose, both tension and compression controlled sections, are analysed considering the current design practice of Pakistan. Three cross sections were analysed using different steel percentages against load-moment interaction and the strength analyses. Concrete strength is also varied in this analysis. The load moment interaction diagrams were observed in major and minor axes and strength analysis is made for compression controlled and tension controlled sections. In this analysis it is observed that a section designed as a tension controlled is giving brittle failure at certain limit which should be avoided. Considering this scenario, several random cross sections are analysed, strength reduction factors for eccentric and pure axial columns are computed. Conclusions are made on behalf of this analysis for different types of column design

Investigating the factor of safety for the design of columns using properties of steel rebar’s manufactured in Pakistan

This paper includes the behaviour of RC column, using the steel strength data employed by Rafi et al. (2014). Eccentric short columns are studied for this purpose, both tension and compression controlled sections, are analysed considering the current design practice of Pakistan. Three cross sections were analysed using different steel percentages against load-moment interaction and the strength analyses. Concrete strength is also varied in this analysis. The load moment interaction diagrams were observed in major and minor axes and strength analysis is made for compression controlled and tension controlled sections. In this analysis it is observed that a section designed as a tension controlled is giving brittle failure at certain limit which should be avoided. Considering this scenario, several random cross sections are analysed, strength reduction factors for eccentric and pure axial columns are computed. Conclusions are made on behalf of this analysis for different types of column design

Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Trends in Pakistan: Activity Survey from Pakistan Bone Marrow Transplant Group

Pakistan is the fifth most populous country with a population of 225 million and has health expenditure accounting for only 2.8 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). Accordingly, there are a limited number of haematology-oncology and transplant centers in the country. The Pakistan Blood and Marrow Transplant (PBMT) group was established in 2020, and this report is the first activity survey from January 2021 to December 2022 focusing on the trends of matched-related donor, haploidentical, and autologous transplants in a developing country. A total of 12 transplant centers contributed data on the modified PBMT survey form retrospectively and 806 haematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCTs) were carried out during the study duration. Allogeneic HSCT constituted 595 (73.8%) of all the transplants; this is in stark contrast to Western data, where autologous HSCT accounts for the majority of transplants. ß-thalassemia major and aplastic anemia were the commonest indications for allogeneic HSCT, in contrast to Western data, where acute leukemia is the leading transplant indication. Autologous transplants were more frequently performed for Hodgkin’s lymphoma as compared to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and multiple myeloma. The use of peripheral and bone marrow stem cells was comparable. A myeloablative conditioning regimen was routinely used in patients with acute leukemia. This report provides an insight of HSCT trends in Pakistan which are different from those of Western centers contributing to transplant data from South Asia

Effect of Antiplatelet Therapy on Survival and Organ Support–Free Days in Critically Ill Patients With COVID-19

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