No abstract

No abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this is paper is to pay a closer look at the 2008-2009 financial crisis (and its aftermath) and analyzes stock returns of nine major US oil companies as well as the oil and gas sector under daily data from January 1992 to April 2012. Design/methodology/approach – The authors adopt the arbitrage pricing theory model to examine the relationship between stock returns and their influences including oil price return, yield spreads, and US dollar index return. The authors also provide a test for structural changes in each regression model of return series to capture for multiple breaks. To examine the asymmetric effect of oil price returns on stock returns, the authors separate oil price returns series into two series: positive changes in oil price and negative changes in oil price. Findings – The authors find stock returns of oil companies as well as the oil and gas sector are positively affected by oil prices and have stronger effects in the downward direction. Interestingly, The authors find the effects of oil price movements on stock returns increase over time. The authors examine the possibility that investors wishing to hedge against a weakening USD invest in US oil companies and find that more than half of these companies benefit from a weaker USD against the JPY, while all strongly benefit from a weaker USD against major currencies. Originality/value – The authors employ daily data for two-decade period including the last global financial crisis. Due to the long-term period covered in this study, sequential Bai-Perron tests are used to detect structural breaks of stock return series. In addition, the data-dependent procedures result in good specifications throughout with white-noise processes in almost all cases.

Background Tracheal intubation carries an elevated risk of exposure to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) due to the generation of aerosols containing high concentrations of the virus. An airway box was designed to mitigate the exposure of healthcare professionals performing intubations. Aim We evaluated usability and sustainability in the routine practice of the "airway box" as a protective device during high-risk airway procedures. Materials and methods After institutional review board approval, clinicians were educated on using the device through simulation, intranet learning modules, and emailed resources. The airway box was made available in the emergency department, critical care units, perioperative area, and operating rooms. QR codes affixed to the box, emailed, and displayed in common areas provided easy access to complete a REDcap survey (Vanderbilt University Nashville, USA) eliciting providers' experience. Data was collected and analyzed between April 1 and July 31, 2020, on REDcap, and the results were analyzed. Results 687 emergent intubations took place. 232 were performed by anesthesiologists, 315 by emergency department providers, and 140 by critical care specialists. 39 surveys were completed, 29 from intubations in the operating room, three from the critical care units, five from interventional radiology suites, and two perioperatively. Providers found the device to be readily available, with a score of 4.51/5, and the majority of providers, 60%, found the device easy to use, rating it either a 4 or 5 out of 5. Providers acquired a mean Mallampati score of 1.75 and 1.40 mean laryngoscopic grade view. Conclusion Intubation boxes may effectively mitigate high-risk viral exposure during airway procedures. Survey responses show that devices were easy to use and did not significantly affect visualization of the airway. Similar to mask use, enclosure devices in clinical practice could become a vital part of medical protective equipment even after the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic if they are effectively implemented.

No abstract