Social Distance with Tourists in U.S. Counties with the Highest Historical Numbers of Reported COVID-19 Cases

With destinations steadily ‘opening back up for business' (while COVID-19 cases are still high in many areas), there is an increasing need to consider residents. Integrating the cognitive appraisal theory and the affect theory of exchange, this work tests a structural model examining the degree to which residents' perceptions of COVID-19 precautionary measures explain emotions directed toward visitors, and ultimately their willingness to engage in shared behaviors with tourists. Data were collected from 530 residents in 25 U.S. counties with the highest percentages of historical COVID-19 cases per population. A total of 10 of the 12 tested hypotheses were significant, contributing to 60% and 85% of the variance explained in contending and accommodating emotions, and 53% and 50% of the variance explained in engaging in less intimate–distal and more intimate–proximal behaviors with tourists. The implications highlight the complementary use of the two frameworks in explaining residents' preference for engagement in less intimate–distal interactions with tourists.

Volatility Spillovers between Commodity and Financial Markets

The paper analyzes price volatility spillovers between commodity and financial markets order to investigate the interconnectedness and market integration and their potential in port-risk diversification. The paper analyzes gold and silver prices, oil prices, and the exchange of the Euro and British pound using the Diebold-Yilmaz spillover index methodology for-frequency weekly data from 1988 to 2020. The total spillovers between commodities and exchange rates were found to be 25.7% and the volatility spillover index during the analyzed period mostly ranged between 25% and 50% with extremes during the global financial crisis and during COVID-19 pandemic. This indicates a strong integration of commodity and financial markets, especially in crisis periods. Also, the results of the work suggest that silver price movements are affected by spillovers from other markets and therefore silver can be used to diversify risks. contribution of the paper to the existing literature is as follows: Firstly, the analysis of transmis-processes showed significant volatility spillovers between commodity markets and exchange indicating the existence of integration between different markets. Furthermore, a long period time is analyzed and the dynamic analysis shows intensified volatility spillovers in global crises periods. Secondly, the results of the analysis can help professional forecasters in forecasting and financial analysts to provide a comprehensive investment analysis. Managers and investors can thus design optimal protection instruments against unwanted movements in the financial and commod-markets. Investors benefit from portfolio diversification, and the information content obtained volatility spillover analysis can be used to assess potential determinants of future risk-adjusted returns, which would help them make investment decisions.

From the Bretton Woods system to the global non-system: The trials and tribulations of slow learning

In this paper we analyse why an understanding of the global ‘non-system', in which we now live, took so long to arrive after the Bretton Woods system collapsed in 1971. We first describe how knowledge of how an inflation-targeting regime would operate—what we call ‘Taylor-rule macroeconomics'—was only gradually created during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. We then describe how, subsequent to this, an awareness emerged, also gradually, of how the international non-system might work, depending, as it does, on Taylor-rule macroeconomics being already in place. We then discuss the Great Moderation, making clear that a well-functioning global non-system would require not just inflation targeting and floating exchange rates in each country, but also adequate fiscal discipline, and a satisfactory form of financial regulation. We describe how a well-functioning version of this global non-system would actually fit together. We then discuss how this non-system has responded to two enormous challenges of the last 15 years, namely the Global Financial Crisis and the Covid pandemic. This discussion of what has happened in the recent past provides the background to a discussion, in the companion paper by Subacchi and Vines in this issue of the Oxford Review of Economic Policy, of the challenges that the global non-system will face in the future. © The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press.

Opening Up Opportunities in 2023

"The ongoing journey to standardization on more aspects of submission and data exchange will continue to have an impact," he notes. lan Crone, business unit director Europe-fme Life Sciences, which provides business and technology services, points out that the web-based human variations electronic application form (eAF) for centrally authorized products (CAPs) has been available for use since 4 Nov. 2022 on the European Medicines Agency's (EMA's) new product lifecycle management (PLM) portal. Renato Rjavec, Amplexor Life Sciences "Many biopharmaceutical functions have spent the last decade modernizing their base technologies, most often in a cloud/software as a service environment platform that brings foundational benefit to individual functions," states Steve Gens managing partner. Internal productivity and external regulatory requirements are both driving this data connectivity within industry, he adds, which "requires a clear cross functional digitization strategy and focus on cross-functional data governance, master data management, and ensuring all data from these various authoritative systems [are] at the same high level. " "Many biopharmaceutical functions have spent the last decade modernizing their base technologies, most often in a cloud/ software as a service environment platform that brings foundational benefit to individual functions." -

Medical intensivist directed VV ECMO cannulation for the facilitation of tracheostomy in a patient with severe tracheal stenosis: A case report

Objectives: We present a case report of medical intensivist driven ECMO program using ECMO as a pre-procedural tool to maintain oxygenation in a patient with critical tracheal stenosis during tracheostomy placement. Method(s): VV ECMO is primarily used to support patients when mechanical ventilation is unable to provide adequate gas exchange. Alternatively, it has been used pre-procedurally when intubation is required in anticipation of a difficult airway. Described here is the first intensivist preformed awake VV ECMO cannulation to facilitate tracheostomy in a patient with severe tracheal stenosis. Result(s): The patient is a 41-year-old female with the relevant background of COVID19 pneumonia status post tracheostomy and subsequently decannulated after prolonged intubation and ICU stay. As a result, the patient developed symptomatic tracheal stenosis and presented two years after her ICU stay for scheduled bronchoscopy and balloon dilation. However, the patient developed worsening stridor and shortness of breath requiring heliox and BPAP. After multidisciplinary discussion between the critical care team ENT teams, the decision was made to cannulate for VV ECMO as a pre-procedural maneuver to allow for oxygenation during open tracheostomy in the OR. Dexmedetomidine and local anesthesia were used for the procedure with the patient sitting at 30 degrees on non-invasive ventilation and heliox. The patient was cannulated with a 21F right internal jugular return cannula and 25F right common femoral drainage cannula by medical intensivists in the intensive care unit using ultrasound guidance. The patient went for operative tracheostomy the next day and was subsequently decannulated from ECMO the following day without complication. She was discharged home on trach collar. Conclusion(s): Intensivist performed ECMO cannulation has been shown to be safe and effective. We anticipate the indications and use will continue to expand. This case is an example that intensivist driven preprocedural ECMO is a viable extension of that practice.

COVID-19 and the internet: Lessons learned

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the 'real' world and substantially impacted the virtual world and thus the Internet ecosystem. It has caused a significant exogenous shock that offers a wealth of natural experiments and produced new data about broadband, clouds, and the Internet in times of crisis. In this chapter, we characterise and evaluate the evolving impact of the global COVID-19 crisis on traffic patterns and loads and the impact of those on Internet performance from multiple perspectives. While we place a particular focus on deriving insights into how we can better respond to crises and better plan for the post-COVID-19 'new normal', we analyse the impact on and the responses by different actors of the Internet ecosystem across different jurisdictions. With a focus on the USA and Europe, we examine the responses of both public and private actors, with the latter including content and cloud providers, content delivery networks, and Internet service providers (ISPs). This chapter makes two contributions: first, we derive lessons learned for a future post-COVID-19 world to inform non-networking spheres and policy-making;second, the insights gained assist the networking community in better planning for the future. © 2023 the authors.

Determinants of Foreign exchange exposure during the COVID-19 crisis: A Multi-country evidence

The research question of which firm-level factors make firms more vulnerable to exchange rate fluctuations during periods of crisis has rarely been explored by prior literature. Using a large sample of 1577 firms from 9 developed and 11 emerging countries, this study presents a comprehensive analysis of how firm-level factors affect firms' foreign exchange exposure before and during the COVID-19 crisis. The results provide evidence of a substantial increase in firms' linear exposure during the COVID-19 period. The cross-sectional analysis reveals that the effects of firm-level variables on exposure are more pronounced during crisis periods and are different from non-crisis periods. Firms that have effective asset utilization or large operating profit margins remain less exposed during times of stress. Contrary to hedging theory, firms that have high incentives to hedge such as firms with high financial leverage become highly exposed to currency fluctuations during crisis periods. The interaction analysis provides further evidence that firms with high leverage can limit their foreign exchange exposure during periods of crisis if they have high asset turnover or high operating profits. The results offer important practical implications to firms for risk management during periods of crisis.

A study of optimal portfolio selection using quadratic programming modelling: Evidence from Indian pharmaceutical industry during COVID-19 times

Purpose: The present study aims to test the Quadratic Programming model for Optimal Portfolio selection empirically. Need for the Study: All the investors who buy financial products are motivated to obtain higher profits or, in other words, to maximise their returns. However, the high returns are often accompanied by higher risks, and avoiding such risks has become the primary concern for all investors. There is a great need for such a model to maximise profits and minimise risk, which can help design an investment portfolio with minimum risk and maximum return. The Quadratic Programming model is one such model which can be applied for selected shares to build an optimised portfolio. Methodology: This study optimises the stock samples using a two-level screening of correlation coefficient and coefficient of variation. The monthly closing prices of the NSE-listed Indian pharmaceutical stocks from December 2019 to January 2022 have been used as sample data. The Lagrange Multiplier method is used to apply the model to achieve the optimal portfolio solution. Based on the market reality, the transaction costs have also been considered. The Quadratic programming model is further optimised to achieve the optimal portfolio for the select stocks. Findings: The traditional portfolio theory and the modified quadratic model gives similar and consistent results. In other words, the modified quadratic model asserts the accuracy of the conventional portfolio model. The portfolio constructed in the present study gives a return much higher than the return of the benchmark portfolio of Nifty Fifty, indicating the usefulness of applying the Quadratic Programming model. Practical Implications: The construction of an optimal portfolio using the traditional or modified Quadratic model can help investors make rational investment decisions for better returns with lower risks. © 2023 by Chetna and Dhiraj Sharma.

Blood derivative therapy

There are three main components manufactured from whole blood: red blood cells (RBCs), plasma, and platelets. Plasma contains a multitude of different proteins, peptides, and biologic substances. Approximately 53 million liters of plasma was collected in the United States in 2019. Following collection, plasma is frozen and manufactured into plasma-derived medicinal products (PDMPs). During the manufacture process, several thousand plasma units are pooled for Cohn fractionation, which is based upon cold ethanol precipitation of proteins. The PDMPs are further prepared using ion exchange or affinity chromatography and additional steps to inactivate and remove infectious diseases such as viruses. Almost 20 different therapeutic plasma proteins are purified from plasma via these multi-step manufacturing processes. Interestingly, the demand for pharmaceutical plasma products, particularly intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) products, has been increasing. The manufacture and therapeutic role of blood derivatives particularly immunoglobulin therapy, Rh immunoglobulin (RhIG), COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) and hyperimmune globulins, albumin, clotting factors, fibrin sealants, and platelet rich plasma will be described.Copyright © 2022 AME Publishing Company. All Rights Reserved.

Omicron driven ECMO in a vaccinated critically ill patient

Objectives: Reporting a case of a COVID-19 vaccinated patient admitted to our intensive care unit with severe acute respiratory failure due to SARSCoV2 - Omicron variant, rapidly deteriorating requiring intubation, prone ventilation, and ECMO support. Method(s): A 62 years old Caucasian male was admitted in ICU for rapidly deranging respiratory failure and fever which occurred over the previous 24h. The patient received two doses of SARS-CoV2 vaccine (Oxford, AstraZeneca), the last one over five months before onset of symptoms. The patient was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with tachypnea, low peripheral saturation (80%), elevated serum creatinine (2.4 mg/dl), and mild obesity (BMI 34,6). Pressure support ventilation trial (2 hours) failed carryng out to orotracheal intubation and protective ventilation. Worsening of respiratory exchanges (5 th day from the admission) required a rescue prone ventilation cycle, in the meantime an indication was given to the placement of veno-venous ECMO. The cannulation site was femoro-femoral and the configuration used was Vivc25- Va21, according to the current ELSO nomenclature;ECMO flow was progressively increased until a peripheral saturation of 95% was obtained. Result(s): The patient passed out after 2 month of extracorporeal support with no sign of recovery of pulmonary and renal function. Conclusion(s): Unlike evidences showing a lower symptomatic engagement of the Omicron variant SARSCoV2 positive patients, we have witnessed a rapid and massive pulmonary involvement. The short time that passed from the onset of symptoms and the rapid decay of respiratory function required rapid escalation of the intensity of care up to extracorporeal support. The patient showed previous pathologies that can lead to suspicion of a loss of immune coverage given by the vaccine, in addition to the long time elapsed since the last dose. (Figure Presented).

Conditional dependence structure and risk spillovers between Bitcoin and fiat currencies

This paper investigates the extreme dependence and risk spillovers between Bitcoin and the currencies of the BRICS and G7 economies. We find time-varying dependence between Bitcoin and all currencies. Moreover, when analysing risk spillovers from Bitcoin to currencies, we find that Bitcoin exercises significant power over most currencies, with the South African rand and Brazilian real holding both the highest downside and upside risk before and during the COVID-19 pandemic period, respectively. When considering risk spillovers from currencies towards Bitcoin, the Japanese yen exhibits the highest downside spillovers. Importantly, we find asymmetric spillovers between extreme upward and downward movements. • We study dependencies between Bitcoin and the currencies of the BRICS and G7 economies. • We find time-varying dependence between Bitcoin and all of the fiat currencies. • Bitcoin exercises significant power over most of the considered currencies. • We find asymmetric spillovers between extreme upward and downward movements. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Emerging Markets Review is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Sharing culture in a tech world: Grandparent-grandchild cultural exchanges over video chat

Grandparents who were separated from their infant grandchildren during COVID-19 sought other ways to connect, including video chat. Video chat supports learning, and its features (e.g., contingent responsiveness) may allow for cultural exchange. However, technological problems may disrupt these exchanges. In a seminaturalistic, longitudinal study, 47 families submitted up to three video chats and surveys. Families were predominantly White/Caucasian, highly educated, and lived between 1 and 2,700 miles apart. Multilevel models were used to predict the proportion of the sessions devoted to exchanging culture (e.g., holidays, parenting advice) and managing tech problems. Culture exchange did not change as a function of infant age, video chat experience, or when encountering tech problems. Although only marginally statistically significant, culture exchange increased as distance increased. Tech problems changed as a function of tech talk. Qualitative analysis revealed that cultural transmission occurred via a culture of care and sharing of information across video chat, that families adapted their behaviors to the new technology, and that technology disruptions rarely interfered with the flow of information. These findings demonstrate the ability to share culture when physically separated and in the presence of tech disruptions. Further, this study supports previous work on the emerging culture of video chat. Families adapted to being separated, and grandparents and infants successfully communicated through a new modality. Because video chat supports family relationships, equitable access to high-speed internet should be a priority to enable more families to use it. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) Impact Statement This study demonstrates that video chat allowed for familial culture exchanges to be maintained through a separation during COVID-19. Examining what and how cultural exchanges took place suggests that supports for using video chat, including access to high-speed internet, are necessary for families separated by other circumstances. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Multivariate Conway-Maxwell-Poisson Distribution: Sarmanov Method and Doubly Intractable Bayesian Inference

In this article, a multivariate count distribution with Conway-Maxwell (COM)-Poisson marginals is proposed. To do this, we develop a modification of the Sarmanov method for constructing multivariate distributions. Our multivariate COM-Poisson (MultCOMP) model has desirable features such as (i) it admits a flexible covariance matrix allowing for both negative and positive nondiagonal entries;(ii) it overcomes the limitation of the existing bivariate COM-Poisson distributions in the literature that do not have COM-Poisson marginals;(iii) it allows for the analysis of multivariate counts and is not just limited to bivariate counts. Inferential challenges are presented by the likelihood specification as it depends on a number of intractable normalizing constants involving the model parameters. These obstacles motivate us to propose Bayesian inferential approaches where the resulting doubly intractable posterior is handled with via the noisy exchange algorithm or the Grouped Independence Metropolis–Hastings algorithm. Numerical experiments based on simulations are presented to illustrate the proposed Bayesian approach. We demonstrate the potential of the MultCOMP model through a real data application on the numbers of goals scored by the home and away teams in the English Premier League from 2018 to 2021. Here, our interest is to assess the effect of a lack of crowds during the COVID-19 pandemic on the well-known home team advantage. A MultCOMP model fit shows that there is evidence of a decreased number of goals scored by the home team, not accompanied by a reduced score from the opponent. Hence, our analysis suggests a smaller home team advantage in the absence of crowds, which agrees with the opinion of several football experts. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.

Economic policy uncertainty and international tourist arrivals: a disaggregated analysis of the Croatian Adriatic coast

This is the first study to examine the differential impact of Croatian and European economic policy uncertainty indices while controlling for the real effective exchange rate and industrial production on international tourist arrivals for the seven coastal counties of Croatia and the country as a whole. The Toda-Yamamoto long-run causality modeling approach with a Fourier approximation is employed to capture structural shifts. This approach is particularly useful in light of the disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism sector. The results show unidirectional causality from both Croatian and European economic policy uncertainty indices to international tourist arrivals with the impact of the economic policy uncertainty indices negative and statistically significant across the respective coastal counties. Moreover, the findings show that European economic policy uncertainty exhibits a greater adverse impact on international tourist arrivals relative to Croatian economic policy uncertainty.

Relationship among economic crisis, stock market crashes and accounting scandals

Purpose: This work investigates the relationships between stock exchange crashes and accounting scandals.Design/methodology: We analyze the main accounting scandals and stock exchange crashes that occurred between 1980 and 2020. Findings: First of all, it was verified that a stock market crash occurred in the years in which most of the accounting scandals took place (or within the next three years). This evidence is consistent with much of the previous literature. Second, an average of 5.4 years has been estimated as the period of time that elapses between the time a company starts engaging in accounting deception and the moment when it is discovered and the scandal breaks out. Third, it has been found that accounting deception is more likely to occur in years with stock market crashes and in the years immediately following. The literature review revealed no evidence supporting the two latter hypotheses.Research limitations/implications: This exploratory work has several limitations. First of all, only scandals that have been reported on websites in Spanish and English have been analyzed. Therefore, the sample may be biased, giving more weight to companies from Anglo-Saxon and Spanish-speaking countries. Second, the sample was made up of a small number of companies (53), which are those that have met the search criteria used.Practical implications: The findings of this work are relevant today, since a major stock exchange crash has occurred as a result of the coronavirus. Therefore, if the pattern of the most recent decades is repeated, it would be expected that more accounting scandals will come to light in the coming years.Social implications: The conclusions obtained are of great relevance for the different users of the financial information from companies, and also for auditors, consultants and supervisory bodies, since due to the stock exchange crash triggered by COVID-19, they will need to exercise extreme caution in the coming years in relation to financial information.Originality/value: The work provides evidence on the relationship between stock market crashes and accounting scandals, which is a highly relevant topic. The literature review revealed no study using the same methodology or a similar sample of companies.

Effect of Remittance Inflows on External Debt in Developing Countries

This paper analyzes the effect of remittance inflows on external debt in developing countries, by identifying international reserves as a potential transmission channel. Using panel data over the period 1970–2017 and covering 50 low-and middle-income countries worldwide, we find a positive and significant effect of remittance inflows on the external debt-to-GDP ratio. We also find a negative and significant effect of international reserves on external debt. After controlling for international reserves, the effect of remittance inflows on external debt increases;it remains positive and significant. The results suggest that the role of international reserves as a self-insurance mechanism, and the Dutch disease effect related to remittance inflows are at play. In addition, we find negative and significant effects of economic growth and savings-investment gap on external debt. We also find positive and significant effects of the nominal exchange rate and the United States lending interest rate on external debt. We discuss the policy implications of these findings, while highlighting factors that policymakers should focus on for containing external debt in developing countries in the post-COVID-19.

An examination of virtual exchange on the intercultural competence of college students

This study examines the effect of a virtual exchange experience on the intercultural competence of college students from the United States and MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region. Archival data from the Stevens Initiative was used to test whether 70 students from the United States and 72 students from Iraq and Jordan gained intercultural competence upon completion of a virtual exchange program known as the Global Solutions Sustainability Challenge. Intercultural competence was measured using the variables of cross-cultural collaboration, ethnocentrism, problem solving, perspective taking, and empathy. Results showed a significant increase in cross-cultural collaboration and decrease in ethnocentrism for MENA students. There was a significant increase in problem solving for U.S. students. Contrary to expectations, perspective taking declined for both groups of students and there were no changes in empathy. Overall, the results show support for the effectiveness of virtual exchange on improving the intercultural competence of college students. In light of challenges to international travel due to COVID 19 and the high cost of study abroad, virtual exchange is a viable and creative alternative for developing intercultural competence. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

A psychological contract perspective to managing the employment relationship during the covid-19 pandemic in the aviation industry

Although the literature on psychological contracts is rich, researchers have so far paid limited attention to psychological contracts in times of crisis. To investigate how employees assess their psychological contracts during a crisis, we conducted 32 semistructured interviews during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe. The interviewees worked in the airline industry, which the pandemic severely affected. Our qualitative approach allowed us to gain novel insights into the mechanisms by which contracts are managed when the typical parameters of contract assessment are not possible, thereby allowing us to expand psychological contract theory. In addition to illustrating the key employer obligations that employees perceived during a crisis, we introduce two novel theoretical concepts -psychological contract credit and psychological contract inactivation - that explain how employees managed their contracts during the crisis. The practical findings of this study are of relevance to HR managers in managing future crises and addressing the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Integrating the United Nations' sustainable development goals into virtual exchange

This chapter focuses on how to integrate synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC)-based virtual exchanges into coursework in teacher preparation programs in higher education. During their 6-week virtual exchange, participants met with partner(s) to discuss their ideas about the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In addition to recording their SCMC sessions, participants also completed online worksheets to reflect on their SDG discussion. By focusing on creating activities that coincide with the United Nations' SDGs in a virtual exchange, results showed that participants raised their awareness about the SDGs and created a critically sensitive critical lens, which impacted their learning. In addition to developing content knowledge, these programs were able to internationalize the higher education curriculum through virtual exchange. Students were able to discover things about themselves, their partners, their coursework, and the SDGs with "new eyes." With the recent rush to digital transformation caused by COVID-19, synchronous virtual exchange programs appear to be even more valuable as collaborative learning models. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021. All rights reserved.

The Course of the Russian Ruble Exchange Rate During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Trends and Influencing Factors

This article analyzes the impact of the following major factors influencing the Russian ruble exchange rate: oil prices, inflation, the balance of payments flows, and volatility, which are all considered against the background of the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis reveals that all these factors continued to play a role in 2020, though the shock of the pandemic exhibited certain specific features.