Impact of Financial Crisis 2008 on Financial Institutions

Insurance sector is mainly affected by financial crisis due to failure of other sectors such as banks where insurance companies has put their guarantee on different securities and its investments in other sectors faced huge losses. AIG suffered from a liquidity crisis when its credit ratings were downgraded below "AA" levels in September 2008. AIG affected due collateral demand of $100 billion by counter parties on forward contract and currency swapping. The company’s liquidity position become too weak to get support from Government in form of bailout package to pay out its debt obligation and meet the collateral demands by counter party. In 2008 leverage position of company reach its high that was due increased debt (borrowing from Government) and losses from operations and investments depleted the equity amount. Same case with the Lincoln national corporation and Hart Ford financial services in 2008 the due losses from operations and other investments the equity amount decrease too much, so too get bailout package from US Government. These both companies have retuned back the bailout amount to treasury department but AIG has still$50 billion outstanding. In 2010-11 the performance of companies is good to some extent and debt to equity ratio of above all companies is decreased and unrealized losses are now recovered. Keywords: Financial Crisis, Debt-to-Equity, Federal Reserve Bank, Insurance Sector

Impact of Financial Crisis 2008 on Financial Institutions

Insurance sector is mainly affected by financial crisis due to failure of other sectors such as banks where insurance companies has put their guarantee on different securities and its investments in other sectors faced huge losses. AIG suffered from a liquidity crisis when its credit ratings were downgraded below "AA" levels in September 2008. AIG affected due collateral demand of $100 billion by counter parties on forward contract and currency swapping. The company’s liquidity position become too weak to get support from Government in form of bailout package to pay out its debt obligation and meet the collateral demands by counter party. In 2008 leverage position of company reach its high that was due increased debt (borrowing from Government) and losses from operations and investments depleted the equity amount. Same case with the Lincoln national corporation and Hart Ford financial services in 2008 the due losses from operations and other investments the equity amount decrease too much, so too get bailout package from US Government. These both companies have retuned back the bailout amount to treasury department but AIG has still$50 billion outstanding. In 2010-11 the performance of companies is good to some extent and debt to equity ratio of above all companies is decreased and unrealized losses are now recovered. Keywords: Financial Crisis, Debt-to-Equity, Federal Reserve Bank, Insurance Sector

Infants-feeding practices and their relationship with socio-economic and health conditions in Lahore, Pakistan

Background: Pakistan, has high infant mortality rate. Among every 1000 live births 0.76% becomes the victim of death due to malnutrition and fatal infections. Therefore, feeding modes and practices may serve as important factors for assessment of an infant's growth and nutritional status. This study was designed to assess the exclusive breast feeding rate, frequency of diseases during breast feeding, status of breast feeding along with weaning, level of education, occupation and socio-economic status of parents.Methods: In the descriptive and cross-sectional study, a total of one hundred (100) infants were included. The sampling technique was non-probability convenience sampling. This study was conducted at vaccination centers and children clinics in different hospitals in city of Lahore -Pakistan.Results: The results showed that 67% of the mothers exclusively breastfed their babies. 64% of the mothers had knowledge of exclusive breast feeding. The practice of breast feeding was found as 81% while artificial feeding was practiced among 19% of the mothers. Majority of the mothers started weaning their babies at the age 4 (31%) and 6 months (32%) whereas 28% mothers started after 6 months. 54% of mothers continued breastfeeding along with weaning. 72% of the mothers were aware of the importance of colostrum.Conclusion: Maternal education and women's employment have been found major determinants for breastfeeding. The result indicates that in Pakistan, mothers receive counseling on breast feeding which is quite satisfactory and feeding practices of infants are found as better in Pakistan

Immunomodulatory, antiglycation and anti-ulcerative properties of Ruellia squarrosa Fenzl Acanthaceae

Purpose: To evaluate the immunomodulatory, antiglycation and anti-ulcerative properties of Ruellia squarrosa Fenzl. Acanthaceae.Methods: Aerial parts and roots of Ruellia squarrosa were collected and extracted by maceration using dichloromethane and methanol as solvents. Luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence assay was used to evaluate immunomodulatory activity while antiglycation assay was performed by fluorescence method with rutin as standard. Anti-ulcerative activity was evaluated by enzymatic methods, namely, urease inhibition and carbonic anhydrase inhibition assays.Results: Dichloromethane extract showed immunomodulatory activity with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 39.48 ± 8.06 % using ibuprofen as standard and antiglycation effect (IC50 = 382.21 ± 3.43) using rutin as standard. The methanol extract of the aerial parts of the plant showed urease inhibition activity (IC50 = 130.2 ± 0.57) using thiourea as standard. The methanol extract of the aerial parts of the plant also showed carbonic anhydrase inhibition activity (IC50 = 1656.7 ± 0.08) using acetazolamide as standard.Conclusion: It was concluded from the present study that aerial and root extracts of the Ruellia squarrosa have significant immunomodulatory, antiglycation and anti-ulcerative properties.Keywords: Ruellia squarrosa, Immunomodulatory, Antiglycation, Anti-ulcerative activity, Carbonic anhydrase inhibition, Ureas

Impact of COVID-19 on Elective Surgical Lists in Otorhinolaryngology: An Overview

Objective: To study how the COVID-19 is affecting the treatment and management of other ailments. Try to find a strategy to resume elective OR lists.Introduction: We overviewed the effect of COVID-19 on the elective surgical lists of otorhinolaryngology in the ENT Department of Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi.Materials and Methods: The data from Jan 2020 to July 2020 was collected. It is a descriptive study analyzing the data, 3 months before and 3 months after the imposition of lockdown in the whole of Pakistan due to a surge in COVID-19 cases. The data was collected from the operation dating register of OPD and elective operative lists of ENT OT. Data were analyzed by Microsoft excel spreadsheet version 7. Results: There was an overall 92% decrease in the elective surgical procedures done in the ENT dept. of Holy family Hospital during the COVID-19 lockdown period. The procedures done in the COVID lockdown period were mostly emergency procedures and lifesaving procedures.Conclusion: COVID-19 has badly impacted the elective surgical procedures and in turn the health of the patients presenting to ENT OPD with various diseases which were treated surgically before COVID lockdown.Recommendations: To prevent this from happening again during the 2nd wave of COVID-19, we could opt for multiple precautionary measures to avoid the spread of infection and continue the provision of our surgical services to the patients

Frequency of Anosmia and Ageusia in COVID-19 Patients

Background:With little research about the disease progress and its variants from asymptomatic individuals to patients suffering from type 2 respiratory failure, it has been a challenge to diagnose the affected individuals and control its spread. Different initial researches indicated presence of sudden anosmia and dysgeusia in asymptomatic or mild symptomatic carriers. Hence the purpose of my research was to find out the frequency of these symptoms in covid-19 positive patients.Methods:This is a retrospective study of 157 patients who were tested positive with COVID -19 between March and September 1, 2020. Because of restrictions on visits to clinics and hospitals and increased risk of exposure during the epidemic, patients were not examined. Data was collected through google forms and telephonic interviews of patients who suffered from covid 19 in the past.Results:The data was analyzed using spss version 23. According to our result ,of all the patients suffered from covid -19 58.1% patients presented with sudden onset anosmia and 53.8% presented with sudden hypogeusia without any previous history of such symptoms.Conclusion:The purpose of my research was to conclude frequency of symptoms of sudden onset anosmia and dysgeusia in COVID-19 patients in Pakistan. This will facilitate timely screening and thus isolation of affected individuals, thus decreasing the spread and lowering the curve. As proven, in addition of fever and sudden onset dry cough, isolated sudden onset anosmia(ISOA)should be considered one of the presenting complains

Impact of Global Financial Crisis 2008 on Automobile Industry

Global financial crisis has formed bad impact on automobile industry in USA, like Suziki, Hyundai and Honda from 2008-2010. The companies’ sale decreased because of market situation and slum in world economy. Now economic conditions are getting better by having good financial policies and market exposure. This research study will explain the importance of debt to equity ratio in term of risk exposure being taken by the firm in market to finance the business and also analyze the importance and effectiveness of debt to equity for automobile sector. This study is based upon the three major players of industry to signify the risk exposure in term of debt and equity during a period of financial crisis and then how they manage it while looking at international financial regulations accordingly. Suzuki overcame this situation by keeping focus on R & D, marketing and manufacturing units. It has also changed its exposure of debt to equity, in the meantime of financial crisis it is having more financing through common stock. Hyundai overcame this situation by focusing on stakeholders like customers and employees. And due to this strategy the crisis has created the low effects on the Hyundai profitability and sales.  The Honda after the recession they began to again paying keen attention on its performance and increased its sales by introducing the innovation in its different models by launching the hybrid fuel efficient models. And it also keeps on focusing common stock rather than lending from risky source. It also explained the role of Federal Reserve Bank to control financial crisis all over the world. In the end this paper will compare the market exposure of debt and equity of three companies and suggest some recommendations to be more secure in future if same crisis revert again. Keywords: Financial Crisis, Automobile Sector, Debt-to-Equity Ratio, Federal Reserve Bank. Paper Type: Research Pape

Impact of Global Financial Crisis 2008 on Automobile Industry

Global financial crisis has formedbad impact on automobile industry in USA, like Suziki, Hyundai and Honda from 2008-2010. The companies’ sale decreased because of marketsituation and slum in world economy. Now economic conditions are getting better by having good financialpolicies andmarket exposure. This research study will explain the importance of debt to equity ratio in term of risk exposure being taken by the firm in market to finance the business and also analyze the importance and effectiveness of debt to equity for automobile sector. This study is based upon the three major players of industry to signify the risk exposure in term of debt and equity during a period of financial crisis and then how they manage it while looking at international financial regulations accordingly. Suzuki overcame this situation by keeping focusonR & D, marketing and manufacturing units. It has also changed its exposure of debt to equity, in the meantimeof financial crisisit is having more financing through common stock. Hyundai overcame this situation by focusing on stakeholders like customers and employees. And due to this strategy the crisis has created the low effects on the Hyundai profitability and sales.  The Honda after the recession they began to again paying keen attention on its performance and increased its sales by introducing the innovation in its different models by launching the hybrid fuel efficient models. And it also keeps on focusing common stock rather than lending from risky source. It also explained the role of Federal Reserve Bank to control financial crisis all over the world. In the end this paper will compare the market exposure of debt and equity of three companies and suggest some recommendations to be more secure in future if same crisis revert again. Keywords: Financial Crisis, Automobile Sector, Debt-to-Equity Ratio, Federal Reserve Bank