Contemporaneous ADR Pricing: Intraday Dynamics during Overlapping Trading Hours

We contribute to the literature by identifying and accurately measuring the drivers of American depositary receipt (ADR) returns contemporaneously across various global time zones. We consider ADRs as two inherently distinct asset classes – stocks and currencies – bundled into one. Throughout, we use a relatively refined, focused, and synchronized minute-by-minute data set on ADRs and all other variables. ADRs from all countries with regular trading hours that overlap with those of the US are considered individually and in clusters. We analyze the interplay of several factors that influence ADRs pricing patterns. Further, we investigate whether such patterns vary by currency, ADR, industry, and emerging/developed market classifications. Our findings indicate that synchronized returns on underlying shares comprise 68.5–74% of the explained returns in ADRs. The remaining 31.5–26% of returns are generated by movements in currency rates. These results are robust across the several models and estimation methods employed. Our findings also show persistent small price discrepancies between ADRs and dollar-adjusted underlying shares on a minute-by-minute basis, implying possible arbitrage opportunities. However, we conclude that trading and ADR conversion costs render such opportunities unattractive

Antibiotic resistant pattern of methicillin resistant and sensitive Staphylococcus aureus isolated from patients durining 2009-2010, Ahvaz, Iran.

Abstract Background & aim: Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most important nosocomial infecting agents resistant to commonly used antibiotics. Nowadays, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) is considered one of the main causes of nosocomial infections. The aim of this study was to identify the antibiotic resistance pattern of methicicllin- resistant and susceptible strains in Ahwaz, Iran. Methods: In the present cross - sectional study, a number of 255 clinically suspected cases of Staphylococcus aureus were collected during a 19 month period. The bacteria were investigated using standard biochemical tests such as catalase, mannitol fermentation, coagulase and Dnase. Sensitive strains were confirmed by disk diffusion method compared to commonly used antibiotics. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistical tests. Results: of 255 suspected cases, 180 were confirmed as S.aureus, a total of 59 strains of S. aureus (2/37 percent) were resistant to methicillin. Resistance to S. aureus strains resistant to methicillin included: chloramphenicol (3.38%), rifampin (45.76%), norfloxacin (89.83%), gentamicin (89.83%), ciprofloxacin, (91.52%), azithromycin, (88.13%), cotrimoxazole (86.44%) and all isolates strains were sensitive to vancomycin and nitrofurantoin. A total of 10 different patterns of antibiotic resistance in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains were identified. Conclusion: Expression of new resistance factor in nosocomial infection is one of the major challenges in treating these infections. This study showed a high prevalence of resistance against some class of antibiotics in MRSA isolated from Imam Khomeini and Golestan hospital of Ahwaz, Iran. Key words: Nosocomial infection, Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Antibiotic Resistant Patter

East Asian Financial Contagion under DCC-Garch

We consider the definition and measurement of contagion by analysing the 1997 East Asian financial crisis in the equity markets of eight countries using dynamic conditional correlation (DCC). Taking Thailand and Hong Kong as alternative sources of contagion, a total of fourteen source-target pairs is analyzed. We define contagion as the statistical break in the computed DCCs as measured by the shifts in their means and medians. In the DCC process, the parameters of each pair of source-target country contagion are allowed to vary and be dictated by the data. Contagion is tested using DCC means and medians difference tests. Our findings indicate the presence of contagion in the equity markets across all the fourteen pairs of source-target countries that are considered

Measures of organizational effectiveness: private and public sector performance

This study provides a platform for the comparison of measures of internal structures and processes associated with organizational effectiveness in the private and public sectors. The study is based on a sample of 11,352 cases from 28 private and 41 public sector organizations. Nine measures associated with organizational effectiveness are identified and then empirically derived for each sector. These measures are then compared across the two sectors. Following the application of rigorous statistical procedures, the authors conclude that the effectiveness measures applied in both the private and public sectors are significantly different. The ramifications of these results are discussed.Organizational design Organizational effectiveness measurement Quality management Operations and logistic management Structural equation models Survey research/design

Molecular characterization of non-polio enteroviruses isolated from children with acute flaccid paralysis in IRAN, 2015�2018

In addition to polioviruses, non-polio enteroviruses (NPEVs) are frequently isolated from patients with acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) worldwide. In polio-free countries, there have been expectations that with disappearing wild poliovirus from the community, the rate of AFP would decrease, but the increasing number of AFP cases proved this notion to be wrong. There are speculations that NPEVs might be the cause of increasing AFP rate. The aim of this study was to investigate frequency, genetic diversity, circulation patterns of NPEVs isolated from AFP cases in Iran from 2015 to 2018. Fifty-three NPEVs were isolated from stool specimens of AFP cases during four years of AFP surveillance. Nested PCR and VP1 sequencing revealed 20 NPEV types in which Echovirus 3 (13.2), Echovirus 6 (13.2), Echovirus 7 (7.5), Echovirus 13 (7.5) and Echovirus 21 (7.5) were the most frequent. Coxsackie B viruses were isolated for the first time in AFP cases in Iran. The phylogenetic analysis of Echovirus 3 and Echovirus 6 revealed that Iranian echovirus strains belonged to the same cluster, indicating these viruses have been circulating in Iran for a long time. Compared to global Echovirus 3 and Echovirus 6 references, Echovirus 3 and Echovirus 6 strains detected in this study were closely related to Indian and Malaysia strains, respectively. The results of this study demonstrated a wide variety of NPEV types in Iranian patients, some of which had not been reported in previous studies. Moreover, this study highlights the need for NPEV surveillance in AFP cases. © 2020, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature

In search of momentum profits: are they illusory?

We test whether a Genetic Algorithm (GA) can find profitable investment strategies based on prior stock returns and earnings surprises. We add to the argument whether momentum investing profits are a statistical illusion. The performance of the optimized momentum portfolios is evaluated before and after trading costs, during different time periods, over two market states, and after adjusting for risk. The GA optimization improves the annual returns of the momentum strategies by 2% to 6%. After considering transaction costs, both price and earnings momentum portfolios do not appear to generate abnormal returns. Positive risk-adjusted returns net of trading costs are documented solely in the 'up' markets for a portfolio long in prior winners only.investment strategies, genetic algorithm,