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Aims: Spinopelvic characteristics change after THA. Whether this change varies between approaches, is of interest for pre-op cup orientation planning. The aims of this study were to (1) Characterize changes in standing PT amongst patients with hip osteoarthritis treated with THA; (2) Test whether certain patient-related factors may predict PT change; and (3) Assess the association between surgical approach and PT change. Methods: This was a prospective, two-center, radiographic outcome study including 424 hips, consisting of anterior approach for 171 (40.3%) hips, lateral approach for 181 hips (42.7%) and posterior approach for 72 hips (17.0%). Spinopelvic characteristics were determined from lateral radiographs (before and one year after THA). Parameters of interest included: Pelvic tilt (PT), lumbar lordosis, sacral slope, pelvic incidence. PT change of more than 7 ° was considered clinically relevant. Results: Pelvic tilt increased by 2 ° from 15.1 ° (± 8.9) to 17.1 ° (± 9.7) after THA (p < 0.001). 19 hips (4.5%) experienced a relevant PT decrease, 337 (79.5%) had no clinically significant change in pelvic tilt, and 68 (16.0%) showed a moderate increase. Age, female sex and preoperative spinopelvic parameters including PT, SS and PI were predictive of PT change more than 7 °. PT increased most with lateral approach (2.9 ± 6.2) and least with anterior approach (1.1 ± 6.2, p = 0.024). Conclusion: Preoperative PT is the best predictor for PT change. PT is generally normalizing after THA and patients with low PT due to hip flexion contractures tend to increase PT after THA, few patients with high PT will decrease after THA. Anterior approach with capsulectomy was associated with the least change in PT post-THA. However, the approach-specific changes, although statistically significant, were too small to be considered during clinical practice, therefore no approach-specific prediction of PT change needs to be considered during preoperative planning for primary THA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Breath-hold T2-weighted half-Fourier acquisition single-shot turbo spin echo (HASTE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the upper abdomen with a slice thickness below 5 mm suffers from high image noise and blurring. The purpose of this prospective study was to improve image quality and accelerate imaging acquisition by using single-breath-hold T2-weighted HASTE with deep learning (DL) reconstruction (DL-HASTE) with a 3 mm slice thickness. Method: MRI of the upper abdomen with DL-HASTE was performed in 35 participants (5 healthy volunteers and 30 patients) at 3 Tesla. In a subgroup of five healthy participants, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) analysis was used after DL reconstruction to identify the smallest possible layer thickness (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 mm). DL-HASTE was acquired with a 3 mm slice thickness (DL-HASTE-3 mm) in 30 patients and compared with 5 mm DL-HASTE (DL-HASTE-5 mm) and with standard HASTE (standard-HASTE-5 mm). Image quality and motion artifacts were assessed quantitatively using Laplacian variance and semi-quantitatively by two radiologists using five-point Likert scales. Results: In the five healthy participants, DL-HASTE-3 mm was identified as the optimal slice (SNR 23.227 ± 3.901). Both DL-HASTE-3 mm and DL-HASTE-5 mm were assigned significantly higher overall image quality scores than standard-HASTE-5 mm (Laplacian variance, both p < 0.001; Likert scale, p < 0.001). Compared with DL-HASTE-5 mm (1.10 × 10−5 ± 6.93 × 10−6), DL-HASTE-3 mm (1.56 × 10−5 ± 8.69 × 10−6) provided a significantly higher SNR Laplacian variance (p < 0.001) and sharpness sub-scores for the intestinal tract, adrenal glands, and small anatomic structures (bile ducts, pancreatic ducts, and vessels; p < 0.05). Lesion detectability was rated excellent for both DL-HASTE-3 mm and DL-HASTE-5 mm (both: 5 [IQR4–5]) and was assigned higher scores than standard-HASTE-5 mm (4 [IQR4–5]; p < 0.001). DL-HASTE reduced the acquisition time by 63–69% compared with standard-HASTE-5 mm (p < 0.001). Conclusions: DL-HASTE is a robust abdominal MRI technique that improves image quality while at the same time reducing acquisition time compared with the routine clinical HASTE sequence. Using ultra-thin DL-HASTE-3 mm results in an even greater improvement with a similar SNR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with increased pelvic tilt (PT) are at risk for instability following total hip arthroplasty (THA). Identification of increased PT using anteroposterior (AP) pelvic radiographs could avoid additional spinopelvic radiographs. This study aimed to (1) describe which AP pelvic parameters most accurately estimate sagittal PT, and (2) determine thresholds for these parameters that can identify patients with increased PT. Methods: This was a retrospective, consecutive, cohort study in a tertiary referral hospital on 225 patients (age: 66 ± 12 years-old; 52% female) listed for THA. Patients underwent pre-operative standing AP pelvic radiographs to measure distance- and angular- based parameters from several anatomical landmarks. Sagittal PT was measured on a standing lateral spinopelvic radiograph and considered high when ≥ 20°. Results: No AP pelvic parameters correlated strongly with sagittal PT. Ratio between horizontal and vertical diameter of the pelvic foramen (C/D ratio) (rho − 0.341; p < 0.001); and vertical distance between trans-SIJ and trans-ASIS line (SITA) (rho 0.307; p < 0.001) correlated moderately with sagittal PT. Sacro-femoral-pubic (SFP) angle < 60° had highest sensitivity (85%), but lowest specificity (52%) to differentiate between patients with and without increased PT. If SITA > 62 mm, C/D ratio < 0.5 and SFP < 60°, specificity increased (88%), but sensitivity was low (49%). Conclusion: In the absence of computerized models, AP pelvic parameters cannot accurately predict sagittal PT. However, an SFP < 60° should alert a hip surgeon that a patient may have an increased PT, and would benefit from additional lateral spinopelvic imaging prior to THA. Level of evidence: Level II, diagnostic study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To present our technique of diagnostic CT-guided ischiofemoral space injection and report on pain response, complications, and associated imaging findings in young patients with ischiofemoral impingement (IFI). Methods: Retrospective case series of patients with a clinical diagnosis of IFI that underwent CT-guided IFS injection with local anesthetic in a prone position with the feet in maximum internal rotation between 06/2019 and 04/2021. The response was evaluated using maximum subjective pain evaluation on a 0–10 visual analog scale (VAS) during a standardized pre- and postinterventional clinical examination. Patient charts and radiographic imaging data were reviewed to report associated imaging findings and subsequent surgeries. Results: Eleven patients (13 hips, 9 females) with a median age of 31 years (interquartile range; IQR: 25–37 years) were included. Median baseline VAS was 7 points (IQR: 5–8) with a pain reduction of 5 points (IQR: 5–7 points, p = 0.001) after the injection. One patient reported transient ischial nerve paresthesia, otherwise, no complications occurred. Quadratus femoris muscle edema was present in 85% (11 of 13 hips). Excessively high femoral torsion (11/13 hips, 85%) and cam deformities (8/13 hips, 62%) were the most common osseous deformities. Eight of 13 hips (62%) underwent subsequent surgery for IFI. Conclusion: CT-guided diagnostic injection of the ischiofemoral space is safe and feasible. In young IFI patients, diagnostic IFS injections have the potential to improve the differential diagnosis of hip pain and to inform decision-making with regard to a possible benefit of joint-preserving hip surgery. Critical relevance statement: In young patients with hip pain, diagnosis of IFI can be challenging due to concomitant pathologies. Furthermore, surgical treatment in these patients is controversial. In this context, CT-guided diagnostic infiltrations of the ischiofemoral space may facilitate not only the initial diagnosis of IFI, but could also improve surgical decision-making. Key Points: CT-guided diagnostic injection of local anesthetic in the ischiofemoral space is safe. In young patients with IFI, it leads to subjective pain reduction. In young patients with concomitant osseous deformities, it may improve surgical decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Computed tomography (CT) reconstruction algorithms can improve image quality, especially deep learning reconstruction (DLR). We compared DLR, iterative reconstruction (IR), and filtered back projection (FBP) for lesion detection in neck CT. Methods: Nine patient-mimicking neck phantoms were examined with a 320-slice scanner at six doses: 0.5, 1, 1.6, 2.1, 3.1, and 5.2 mGy. Each of eight phantoms contained one circular lesion (diameter 1 cm; contrast -30 HU to the background) in the parapharyngeal space; one phantom had no lesions. Reconstruction was made using FBP, IR, and DLR. Thirteen readers were tasked with identifying and localizing lesions in 32 images with a lesion and 20 without lesions for each dose and reconstruction algorithm. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and localization ROC (LROC) analysis were performed. Results: DLR improved lesion detection with ROC area under the curve (AUC) 0.724 ± 0.023 (mean ± standard error of the mean) using DLR versus 0.696 ± 0.021 using IR (p = 0.037) and 0.671 ± 0.023 using FBP (p < 0.001). Likewise, DLR improved lesion localization, with LROC AUC 0.407 ± 0.039 versus 0.338 ± 0.041 using IR (p = 0.002) and 0.313 ± 0.044 using FBP (p < 0.001). Dose reduction to 0.5 mGy compromised lesion detection in FBP-reconstructed images compared to doses ≥ 2.1 mGy (p ≤ 0.024), while no effect was observed with DLR or IR (p ≥ 0.058). Conclusion: DLR improved the detectability of lesions in neck CT imaging. Dose reduction to 0.5 mGy maintained lesion detectability when denoising reconstruction was used. Relevance statement: Deep learning enhances lesion detection in neck CT imaging compared to iterative reconstruction and filtered back projection, offering improved diagnostic performance and potential for x-ray dose reduction. Key Points: Low-contrast lesion detectability was assessed in anatomically realistic neck CT phantoms. Deep learning reconstruction (DLR) outperformed filtered back projection and iterative reconstruction. Dose has little impact on lesion detectability against anatomical background structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiological outcomes after surgical treatment of proximal femoral fractures utilizing the Proximal Femoral Nail Antirotation (PFNA), with the main focus on complications and reoperations. The secondary aim was to compare the outcomes of patients with and without cement augmentation of the cephalomedullary nails. Materials and methods: All patients with an acute proximal femoral fracture consequently treated with a PFNA between January 2011 and Dezember 2018 were evaluated. Clinical and radiological data were assessed for intra- and postoperative complications, including treatment failure. In addition, intra- and postoperative radiographs were used to determine the position of the implant, and any migration, via Tip-Apex-Distance (TAD) and the caput-collum-diaphyseal angle (CCD). The accuracy of the fracture reduction was rated according to Baumgaertners criteria. Results: Two hundred sixty-four consecutive patients (mean age 78.8 ± 12.0; 73.1% female) were included. The predominant OTA/AO fracture classification was 31A1 (153 cases, 58.0%). The average duration of surgery was 63.1 ± 28.0 min and showed no significant differences between PFNA and PFNA with augmentation. The implant positioning was rated as good in 222 cases (84.1%). Two hundred sixty-three patients (99.6%) showed evidence of healing within the time frame of three months postoperatively, one case of delayed union healed after secondary dynamization. During the observational period, 18 patients (6.8%) required a total of 23 additional surgeries. Overall, a lower reoperation rate was observed following the use of the augmentation option (2/86 patients (2.3%) vs. 16/178 patients (9.0%), p = 0.04). In particular, there were no cases of cut-out or cut-through among patients who underwent augmentation as part of osteosynthesis. Conclusions: Overall reoperation rate after surgical treatment of proximal femoral fractures utilizing the Proximal Femoral Nail Antirotation (PFNA) was 6.8%, with 23 additional surgeries performed in 18 patients. The usage of the PFNA with augmentation showed equally good implant positioning, excellent healing rates and fewer postoperative complications compared to the PFNA implant alone with a similar overall duration of surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To identify preoperative degenerative features on traction MR arthrography associated with failure after arthroscopic femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) surgery. Methods: Retrospective study including 102 patients (107 hips) undergoing traction magnetic resonance arthrography (MRA) of the hip at 1.5 T and subsequent hip arthroscopic FAI surgery performed (01/2016 to 02/2020) with complete follow-up. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the International Hip Outcome Tool (iHOT-12) score. Clinical endpoint for failure was defined as an iHOT-12 of < 60 points or conversion to total hip arthroplasty. MR images were assessed by two radiologists for presence of 9 degenerative lesions including osseous, chondrolabral/ligamentum teres lesions. Uni- and multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to assess the association between MRI findings and failure of FAI surgery. Results: Of the 107 hips, 27 hips (25%) met at least one endpoint at a mean 3.7 ± 0.9 years follow-up. Osteophytic changes of femur or acetabulum (hazard ratio [HR] 2.5–5.0), acetabular cysts (HR 3.4) and extensive cartilage (HR 5.1) and labral damage (HR 5.5) > 2 h on the clockface were univariate risk factors (all p < 0.05) for failure. Three risk factors for failure were identified in multivariate analysis: Acetabular cartilage damage > 2 h on the clockface (HR 3.2, p = 0.01), central femoral osteophyte (HR 3.1, p = 0.02), and femoral cartilage damage with ligamentum teres damage (HR 3.0, p = 0.04). Conclusion: Joint damage detected by preoperative traction MRA is associated with failure 4 years following arthroscopic FAI surgery and yields promise in preoperative risk stratification. Clinical relevance statement: Evaluation of negative predictors on preoperative traction MR arthrography holds the potential to improve risk stratification based on the already present joint degeneration ahead of FAI surgery. Key Points: • Osteophytes, acetabular cysts, and extensive chondrolabral damage are risk factors for failure of FAI surgery. • Extensive acetabular cartilage damage, central femoral osteophytes, and combined femoral cartilage and ligamentum teres damage represent independent negative predictors. • Survival rates following hip arthroscopy progressively decrease with increasing prevalence of these three degenerative findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hip arthroscopy with initial access to the peripheral compartment could reduce the risk of iatrogenic injury to the labrum and cartilage; furthermore, it avoids the need for large capsulotomies with separate portals for peripheral and central (intra-articular) arthroscopy. Clinical results of the peripheral-compartment-first technique remain sparse, in contrast to those of conventional hip arthroscopy starting in the intra-articular central compartment. The purpose of this study was to assess outcome of hip arthroscopy with the peripheral-compartment-first technique, including complication rates, revision rates and patient-reported outcome scores. Materials and methods: This outcome study included 704 hips with femoroacetabular impingement. All arthroscopies were performed using the peripheral-compartment-first technique. A joint replacement registry and the institutional database were used to assess the revision and complication rates, while patient-reported outcome measures were used to assess functional outcomes and patient satisfaction. Results: In total, 704 hips (615 patients) were followed up for a mean of 6.2 years (range 1 to 9 years). The mean age of the patients was 32.1 ± 9.2 years. During the follow-up period, 26 of 704 (3.7%) hips underwent total hip arthroplasty (THA) after a mean of 1.8 ± 1.2 years, and 18 of the 704 (2.6%) hips required revision hip arthroscopy after a mean of 1.2 ± 2.1 years. 9.8% of the hips had an unsatisfactory patient-reported outcome at final follow-up. Conclusions: The results for the peripheral-compartment-first technique were promising. We recommend a well-conducted randomized controlled clinical trial to guide future therapeutic recommendations regarding the most favorable hip arthroscopy technique. Level of evidence: Level IV, therapeutic study. Trial registration: This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (U.S. National Library of Medicine; ID: NCT05310240). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aim of the present study was to evaluate midterm outcomes 5–7 years after matrix-associated autologous chondrocyte implantation (MACI) in the patellofemoral joint. Materials and methods: Twenty-six patients who had undergone MACI using the Novocart® 3D scaffold were prospectively evaluated. Clinical outcomes were determined by measuring the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) scores and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) values preoperatively and 3, 6, and 12 months, and a mean of 6 years postoperatively. At the final follow-up, the Magnetic Resonance Observation of Cartilage Repair Tissue (MOCART) score was evaluated. Results: Twenty-two patients with 23 focal cartilage defects (19 patella and four trochlea) were available for the final follow-up. The mean defect size was 4.0 ± 1.9 cm2 (range 2.4–9.4 cm2). All clinical outcome scores improved significantly until 5–7 years after MACI (SF-36 score, 61.2 ± 19.6 to 83.2 ± 11.6; P = 0.001; IKDC score, 47.5 ± 20.6 to 74.7 ± 15.5; P < 0.001; and WOMAC, 29.8 ± 15.7 to 8.2 ± 10.3; P < 0.001). The mean MOCART score was 76.0 ± 11.0 at the final follow-up. Nineteen of the 22 patients (86.4%) were satisfied with the outcomes after 5–7 years and responded that they would undergo the procedure again. Conclusion: MACI in the patellofemoral joint demonstrated good midterm clinical results with a significant reduction in pain, improvement in function, and high patient satisfaction. These clinical findings are supported by radiological evidence from MOCART scores. Level of evidence: IV–case series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we introduce a newly created sentiment index of individual investors in NZ constructed similar to the well-known sentiment index provided by the American Association of Individual Investors (AAII) in the U.S. This unique setup allows us to compare different aspects of investors' behaviour in both countries. We show that NZ market participants are less confident about the directional movement of the stock market, their expectations are more volatile and their distributions have fatter tails. By contrast, both bullish and bearish sentiment is more persistent among U.S. investors. Furthermore, our analysis of return predictability reveals that both groups of investors behave as noise traders. However, the results for NZ investors are stronger. Overall, our findings call for better financial education, particularly in the area of equity investing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we analyse the extent of cum-ex trading in European markets. We document that the abnormal trading activity around the dividend day of a stock can be attributed to cum-ex trading, in addition to existing tax clientele hypotheses. Cum-ex trading is positively associated with dividend yield, which is consistent with maximizing returns from this strategy. Based on abnormal trading volume, we estimate a substantial loss to treasuries due to illicit tax refunds of withholding tax on dividends. Our results are robust, controlling for confounding effects and investors' tax preference and heterogeneity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess the feasibility of flexion-abduction-external rotation (FABER) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the hip to visualize changes in the ischiofemoral interval and ability to provoke foveal excursion over the acetabular rim. Methods: IRB-approved retrospective single-center study. Patients underwent non-contrast 1.5-T hip MRI in the neutral and FABER position. Two readers measured the ischiofemoral interval at three levels: proximal/distal intertrochanteric distance and ischiofemoral space. Subgroup analysis was performed for hips with/without high femoral torsion, or quadratus femoris muscle edema (QFME), respectively. A receiver operating curve with calculation of the area under the curve (AUC) for the prediction of QFME was calculated. The presence of foveal excursion in both positions was assessed. Results: One hundred ten patients (121 hips, mean age 34 ± 11 years, 67 females) were evaluated. FABER-MRI led to narrowing (both p <.001) of the ischiofemoral interval which decreased more at the proximal (mean decrease by 26 ± 7 mm) than at the distal (6 ± 7 mm) intertrochanteric ridge. With high femoral torsion/ QFME, the ischiofemoral interval was significantly narrower at all three measurement locations compared to normal torsion/no QFME (p <.05). Accuracy for predicting QFME was high with an AUC of.89 (95% CI.82–.94) using a threshold of ≤ 7 mm for the proximal intertrochanteric distance. With FABER-MRI foveal excursion was more frequent in hips with QFME (63% vs 25%; p =.021). Conclusion: Hip MRI in the FABER position is feasible, visualizes narrowing of the ischiofemoral interval, and can provoke foveal excursion. Critical relevance statement: FABER MRI may be helpful in diagnosing ischiofemoral impingement and detecting concomitant hip instability by overcoming shortcomings of static MR protocols that do not allow visualization of dynamic changes in the ischiofemoral interval and thus may improve surgical decision making. Key points: • FABER MRI enables visualization of narrowing of the ischiofemoral interval proximal to the lesser trochanter. • Proximal intertrochanteric distance of ≤ 7 mm accurately predicts quadratus femoris muscle edema. • Foveal excursion was more frequent in hips with quadratus femoris muscle edema. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to investigate associations between revision-free survival and functional scores of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and moon phase on the day of surgery, as well as operations performed on a Friday 13th. Participants: The data of all patients that received TKA between 2003 and 2019 were extracted from the Tyrol arthroplasty registry. Patients that had undergone previous total or partial knee arthroplasty as well as patients that had missing pre- or post-operative WOMAC were excluded. Patients were allocated to one of the following four groups according to moon phase on the day of surgery: new, waxing, full and waning. Patients operated on a Friday 13th were also identified and compared to patients operated on any other days/dates. A total of 5923 patients met the inclusion criteria, with mean age of 69 ± 9 years, and comprising 62% women. Results: There were no significant differences in revision-free survival among the four moon phase groups (p = 0.479), and no significant differences in preoperative and postoperative total WOMAC (p = 0.260, p = 0.122), There were no significant differences in revision-free survival patients operated on Friday 13th vs. other days/dates (p = 0.440). The preoperative total WOMAC was significantly worse for patients operated on a Friday 13th (p = 0.013), which was observed in the pain (p = 0.032) and function (p = 0.010) subscales. There were no significant differences in postoperative total WOMAC at 1 year follow-up (p = 0.122). Conclusions: Neither moon phase on the day of surgery nor Friday 13th were associated with revision-free survival or clinical scores of TKA. Patients operated on a Friday 13th had significantly worse preoperative total WOMAC but similar postoperative total WOMAC at 1-year follow-up. These findings could help reassure patients that TKA renders consistent outcomes regardless of the preoperative pain or function, and in spite of bad omens or moon phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare image quality and diagnostic performance of preoperative direct hip magnetic resonance arthrography (MRA) performed with gadolinium contrast agent and saline solution. Methods: IRB-approved retrospective study of 140 age and sex-matched symptomatic patients with femoroacetabular impingement, who either underwent intra-articular injection of 15–20 mL gadopentetate dimeglumine (GBCA), 2.0 mmol/L ("GBCA-MRA" group, n = 70), or 0.9% saline solution ("Saline-MRA" group, n = 70) for preoperative hip MRA and subsequent hip arthroscopy. 1.5 T hip MRA was performed including leg traction. Two readers assessed image quality using a 5-point Likert scale (1–5, excellent-poor), labrum and femoroacetabular cartilage lesions. Arthroscopic diagnosis was used to calculate diagnostic accuracy which was compared between groups with Fisher's exact tests. Image quality was compared with the Mann–Whitney U tests. Results: Mean age was 33 years ± 9, 21% female patients. Image quality was excellent (GBCA-MRA mean range, 1.1–1.3 vs 1.1–1.2 points for Saline-MRA) and not different between groups (all p > 0.05) except for image contrast which was lower for Saline-MRA group (GBCA-MRA 1.1 ± 0.4 vs Saline-MRA 1.8 ± 0.5; p < 0.001). Accuracy was high for both groups for reader 1/reader 2 for labrum (GBCA-MRA 94%/ 96% versus Saline-MRA 96%/93%; p > 0.999/p = 0.904) and acetabular (GBCA-MRA 86%/ 83% versus Saline-MRA 89%/87%; p = 0.902/p = 0.901) and femoral cartilage lesions (GBCA-MRA 97%/ 99% versus Saline-MRA 97%/97%; both p > 0.999). Conclusion: Diagnostic accuracy and image quality of Saline-MRA and GBCA-MRA is high in assessing chondrolabral lesions underlining the potential role of non-gadolinium-based hip MRA. Key Points: • Image quality of Saline-MRA and GBCA-MRA was excellent for labrum, acetabular and femoral cartilage, ligamentum teres, and the capsule (all p > 0.18). • The overall image contrast was lower for Saline-MRA (Saline-MRA 1.8 ± 0.5 vs. GBCA-MRA 1.1 ± 0.4; p < 0.001). • Diagnostic accuracy was high for Saline-MRA and GBCA-MRA for labrum (96% vs. 94%; p > 0.999), acetabular cartilage damage (89% vs. 86%; p = 0.902), femoral cartilage damage (97% vs. 97%; p > 0.999), and extensive cartilage damage (97% vs. 93%; p = 0.904). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social aspects of miscanthus cultivation have been investigated in a limited way in the scientific literature. Adopting existing frameworks for social life‐cycle assessment enables assessments to include numerous social aspects; however, the relevance of these aspects depends on the local context. This study aims to identify the most relevant social aspects from the farmers' perspective using a previously proposed framework for the assessment of the stakeholder 'farmer'. It is based on a case study for miscanthus production in Sisak Moslavina in Croatia. The existence of abandoned lands in Croatia presents an opportunity for the cultivation of miscanthus as a potential source of biomass for the production of bio‐based materials and fuels. The study seeks to assess the feasibility of cultivating miscanthus in the region, taking into account potential challenges and opportunities, as well as farmers' willingness to adopt the crop, and to understand the reasons behind land abandonment. We conducted a survey among 44 farmers in the region and used a scoring method to identify the most relevant social aspects. The aspects most valued by the farmers were health and safety, access to water, land consolidation and rights, income and local employment, and food security. Responses to the question of whether they would adopt the crop highlight the importance of an established market, good trading conditions and profitability of cultivation. The survey also enabled an understanding of farmers' preferences with respect to the production conditions of crops. The farmers regarded the provision of subsidies as one of the main factors that render a crop attractive. Opportunities for the adoption of the miscanthus cultivation include high yields and low input requirements. Barriers include land conflicts and land availability. Despite the opportunities for miscanthus development in the region, there are important challenges to consider for successful implementation of the crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current geological epoch is characterized by anthropogenic activity that greatly impacts on natural ecosystems and their integrity. The complex networks of ecosystem services (ESs) are often ignored because the provision of natural resources, such as food and industrial crops, is mistakenly viewed as an independent process separate from ecosystems and ignoring the impacts on ecosystems. Recently, research has intensified on how to evaluate and manage ES to minimize environmental impacts, but it remains unclear how to balance anthropogenic activity and ecosystem integrity. This paper reviews the main ESs at farm level including provisioning, regulating, habitat, and cultural services. For these ESs, synergies are outlined and evaluated along with the respective practices (e.g., cover‐ and intercropping) and ES suppliers (e.g., pollinators and biocontrol agents). Further, several farm‐level ES trade‐offs are discussed along with a proposal for their evaluation. Finally, a framework for stakeholder approaches specific to farm‐level ES is put forward, along with an outlook on how existing precision agriculture technologies can be adapted for improved assessment of ES bundles. This is believed to provide a useful framework for both decision makers and stakeholders to facilitate the development of more sustainable and resilient farming systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interest in sustainability has increased significantly in the wine sector in the past few years, driven by customer interest, as well as the impact of global warming-intensified weather extremes on wine growers. For a sustainable future the wine industry must design its entire value chain in such ways that it conserves and regenerates the natural environment and at the same time promotes human rights, inclusion and equality. The current paper identified five key challenges which have to be overcome in order to reach this goal: (1) climate change impact and adaptation strategies, (2) the reduction of GHG emissions and creation of carbon sinks, (3) vineyard inputs, (4) packaging and (5) social and economic sustainability. For each of these five challenges research gaps and possible solutions are presented which enable a holistic improvement of the sustainability of the whole wine value chain from the vineyard to the consumers. Examples for this are strategies to reduce the use of pesticides in the vineyard as well as carbon insetting options in the vineyard. Additionally, it is of utmost importance that every educational institution integrates facts and vision into their teaching programs in a holistic manner. Together, these approaches form the basis for a realistic sustainability vision for the global wine industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Soft tissue sarcomas are rare malignant tumours that originate in the mesenchyme. Over 80 different entities have been identified to date. With an incidence of 4.7 and a median age of onset of 59 years, they account for about 1% of all malignant tumours in adults and 15% in children. The treatment regimen includes surgical resection, radiotherapy and, on a case-by-case basis, chemotherapy, which can achieve local control rates of about 90% for extremities and 50–80% for retroperitoneal sarcomas. In addition to external beam radiation, the use of intraoperative brachytherapy has for several decades offered the possibility of treating the exposed tumour bed directly with a single fraction of high-dose radiation, increasing its effectiveness while reducing toxicity to surrounding healthy tissue. This study investigated the rate of local recurrence in 35 individuals with soft tissue sarcomas of the extremity or retroperitoneum treated at the University Hospital for Orthopaedics Innsbruck from 2010–2016. Introduction: According to the literature only sparse data are available on the use of high-dose-rate intraoperative brachytherapy (IOHDR-BT) as a boost to external-beam irradiation (EBRT) in combination with a wide resection in patients with high-grade soft tissue sarcomas (STS). Materials and Methods: Applying a retrospective study design, we investigated all patients who between 2010 and 2016 underwent marginal resection of a high-grade STS and intraoperative radiotherapy, followed by EBRT. We included only patients with a traceable follow-up time of at least two years. Of 89 patients, 35 met our inclusion criteria and showed an average follow-up of four years. Results: We found an overall 2-year local control rate of 94.3%. The local recurrence rate for R0 resections was 6%, whereas recurrences occurred in 13% of R1 resections and in 100% of R2 resections. One affected patient received only intraoperative radiotherapy. The recurrence rate by tumour entity was 36% for LPS, 11% for myxofibrosarcoma and 17% for undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma. Conclusion: The treatment regimen consisting of limb-preserving surgery, IORT and pre- or postoperative radiotherapy consistently shows excellent local control rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Perennial C4 grasses from the genus Miscanthus are widely regarded as leading and promising dedicated bioenergy crops due to their high biomass accumulation on marginal land with low environmental impacts and maintenance requirements over its productive life. There is an urgent socio-political and environmental need to ramp up the production of alternative, affordable and green bioenergy sources and to re-direct the net zero carbon emissions trajectory. Hence, up-scaling of Miscanthus cultivation as a source of biomass for renewable energy could play an important role to strategically address sustainable development goals for a growing bio-based economy. Certain Miscanthus sinensis genotypes are particularly interesting for their biomass productivity across a wide range of locations. As the aromatic biomass component lignin exhibits a higher energy density than cell wall polysaccharides and is generally used as an indicator for heating or calorific value, genetic engineering could be a feasible strategy to develop M. sinensis biomass with increased lignin content and thus improving the energetic value of the biomass. Results: For this purpose, transgenic M. sinensis were generated by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation for expression of ZmMYB167, a MYB transcription factor known for regulating lignin biosynthesis in C3 and C4 grasses. Four independent transgenic ZmMYB167 Miscanthus lines were obtained. Agronomic traits such as plant height, tillering and above-ground dry weight biomass of the transgenic plants were not different to that of wild-type control plants. Total lignin content of the transgenic plants was ~ 15–24% higher compared with control plants. However, the structural carbohydrates, glucan and xylan, were decreased by ~ 2–7% and ~ 8–10%, respectively, in the transgenic plants. Moreover, expression of ZmMYB167 in transgenic plants did not alter lignin composition, phenolic compounds or enzymatic saccharification efficiency yields but importantly improved total energy levels in Miscanthus biomass, equivalent to 10% higher energy yield per hectare. Conclusions: This study highlights ZmMYB167 as a suitable target for genetic lignin bioengineering interventions aimed at advancing and developing lignocellulosic biomass supply chains for sustainable production of renewable bioenergy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for food and renewable energy is increasing significantly, whereas the availability of land for agricultural use is declining. Agrivoltaic systems (AVS), which combine agricultural production with solar energy generation on the same area, are a promising opportunity with the potential to satisfy this demand while avoiding land-use conflicts. In the current study, a Consequential Life-Cycle Assessment (CLCA) was conducted to holistically assess the environmental consequences arising from a shift from single-use agriculture to AVS in Germany. The results of the study show that the environmental consequences of the installation of overhead AVS on agricultural land are positive and reduce the impacts in 15 of the 16 analysed impact categories especially for climate change, eutrophication and fossil resource use, as well as in the single score assessment, mainly due to the substitution of the marginal energy mix. It was demonstrated that, under certain conditions, AVS can contribute to the extension of renewable energy production resources without reducing food production resources. These include maintaining the agricultural yields underneath the photovoltaic (PV) modules, seeking synergies between solar energy generation and crop production and minimising the loss of good agricultural land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agroecosystems provide numerous ecosystem services (ESs) such as provisioning, regulating, habitat and cultural services. At the same time, the management of these agroecosystems can cause various negative impacts on the environment such as the generation of greenhouse gas emissions. However, the way humans manage agroecosystems often focuses only on the production of agricultural goods, which yield monetary benefits in the short term but do not include the positive and negative external effects on ESs. In order to enable a holistic assessment of the economic and environmental costs and benefits, the current study combines the production costs, the monetary value of the ESs provided and the monetization of the environmental impacts caused by the management of agroecosystems using the perennial crop miscanthus as an example. Depending on the scenario assessed, the cultivation of miscanthus leads to a net benefit of 140 to 3051 EUR ha−1 yr−1. The monetary value of the ESs provided by the miscanthus cultivation thereby considerably outweighs the internal and external costs. The approach applied allows for a holistic assessment of the benefits and costs of agroecosystems and thus enables management decisions that are not only based on the biomass yield but include the various interactions with the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Injuries on alpine ski slopes have been described in cohorts of a reasonable sample size, but constant improvements in safety gear, increased use of airborne rescue, and safety measures during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic mandate re-evaluation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate skiing and snowboarding injuries, effectiveness of airborne rescue, and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on a large sample size.Methods: Data on alpine injuries were prospectively collected from the state emergency services dispatch center in the state of Tyrol (Austria). A total of 10,143 patients were identified, with an average age of 33.5 years (SD = 20.36). The ski patrol was involved in 8,606 cases (84.9%) and some patients (n = 1,536; 15.1%) required helicopter rescue.Results: A total of 10,143 patients were identified from the dataset of the emergency dispatch center. The most frequently injured region was the knee (30.2%), and it was followed by the shoulder (12.9%), the lower leg (9.5%), and the head/skull (9.5%).Conclusion: The present findings indicate that the most frequent site of injuries on alpine slopes is the knee, and life-threatening injuries are rare. Airborne rescue is very time-effective, however clinical studies with patient follow-up should be emphasized to determine the impact of airborne rescue on patient outcome. The present findings indicate that the duration of all rescue operations has been prolonged as a result of the introduction of safety measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using data on over 18 million trades from the New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZX), this paper examines how market segmentation affects overall market quality in a market that until recently had no restrictions on trading outside the central limit order book (LOB). We find that upstairs trading results in lower transaction costs, larger trade size and lower volatility. A newly implemented minimum size requirement for trades in the upstairs market has the desired outcome and further lowers transaction costs and volatility due to reduced market segmentation. The results suggest that a functional upstairs market can have a positive impact on market quality if well-designed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two major global challenges related to agriculture are climate change and the unbalanced nitrogen cycle. For both, national and international reduction targets have been defined to catalyse policy support for more sustainable farming systems. Miscanthus cultivation in water protection areas has been proposed as a contribution to achieving these targets. However, a thorough understanding of the underlying system dynamics at various spatial levels is required before recommendations for policy development can be provided. In this study, a model framework was established to provide economic and environmental indicator results at regional and sub-regional levels. It presents a consequential Life Cycle Assessment coupled with an agro-economic supply model (Economic Farm Emission Model) that simulates crop and livestock production, and an agricultural hydrology model (DAISY) that assesses effects on the nitrogen cycle. The framework is applied to Baden-Württemberg, a federal state in southwest Germany with eight agro-ecological regions. Scenarios investigating the differences between mandatory and voluntary miscanthus cultivation were also explored. While the results show the high potential of miscanthus cultivation for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (-16% to -724%), the potential to reduce nitrate leaching (-4% to -44%) is compromised in some sub-regions and scenarios (+4% to +13%) by substantial effects on the crop rotation. Furthermore, the cultivation of miscanthus reduces gross margins in most sub regions (-0.1% to -9.6%) and decreases domestic food production (-1% to -50%). However, in regions with low livestock density and high yields, miscanthus cultivation can maintain or increase farmers' income (0.1%-5.8%) and improve environmental protection. The study shows that the heterogeneity of arable land requires a flexible promotion programme for miscanthus. Voluntary cultivation schemes were identified as most suitable to capture sub-regional differences. Policies should address the demand for miscanthus, for example, support the development of regional value chains, including farmers, water suppliers and the biobased industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study focuses on the influences of the fine particle fraction and the minimum particle size on the density, the shrinkage, the Young's modulus E, and the anisotropies of shrinkage and E. A lower minimum particle size and a higher fines content improved the particle packing, lubrication and sintering densification resulting in higher densities and E. Presumably due to a lower-density neutral zone after pressing, the anisotropic shrinkage was higher in the pressing direction, improving the density homogeneity. For the Young's modulus, the extent of the anisotropy increased mainly with a higher sintering capability (high fines content). Especially the core as a part of the neutral zone had a lower E. Exemplary density and open porosity distributions revealed that flaws formed in the core, which led to the lower E. The pressure distribution during uniaxial pressing leads to a density distribution and, finally, to a flaw density or flaw size distribution after sintering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Arthroplasty registries gained increasing importance to the re-certification of orthopaedic implants according to the European Union (EU) Medical Device Regulation (MDR) adopted in 2017. Until recently, several European countries only had regional arthroplasty registries. Whether regional registries deliver data quality comparable with national registries remained unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to validate the Austrian Tyrolean Hip Arthroplasty Registry (THAR) and to evaluate if this regional registry showed adequate adherence, completeness and correctness when compared with well-established national registries. Methods: A consecutive series of 1100 primary total hip arthroplasties were identified from our institution's medical database. Patients were interviewed by phone and completed questionnaires after a mean follow-up period of 8.05 years and were asked if they had had revision surgeries. The data were compared to the corresponding dataset from the THAR. Results: Adherence was 97.91% for primary total hip arthroplasty. Clinical follow-up identified 10 missing cases, resulting in adherence of 81.48% for revisions. Completeness of patient-reported outcome measurements was 78.55% before surgery and 84.45% 1 year after surgery. Correctness was 99.7% for demographic data, 99.54% for implant specifications, and 99.35% for mode of fixation. Conclusion: The data of this study showed that regional arthroplasty registries can deliver data quality comparable with well-established national registries. The main reason for unrecorded revision cases and wrongly recoded implants was human error. Further digitalization with more automatic data submission may have the potential to reduce these failure rates in the future. Overall, the THAR represents a valid data source for re-certification of medical implants according to the EU's MDR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pelvic fractures are often associated with spine injury in polytrauma patients. This study aimed to determine whether concomitant spine injury influence the surgical outcome of pelvic fracture.Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of data of patients registered in the German Pelvic Registry between January 2003 and December 2017. Clinical characteristics, surgical parameters, and outcomes were compared between patients with isolated pelvic fracture (group A) and patients with pelvic fracture plus spine injury (group B). We also compared apart patients with isolated acetabular fracture (group C) versus patients with acetabular fracture plus spine injury (group D).Results: Surgery for pelvic fracture was significantly more common in group B than in group A (38.3% vs. 36.6%; p = 0.0002), as also emergency pelvic stabilizations (9.5% vs. 6.7%; p < 0.0001). The mean time to emergency stabilization was longer in group B (137 ± 106 min vs. 113 ± 97 min; p < 0.0001), as well as the mean time until definitive stabilization of the pelvic fracture (7.3 ± 4 days vs. 5.4 ± 8.0 days; p = 0.147). The mean duration of treatment and the morbidity and mortality rates were all significantly higher in group B (p < 0.0001). Operation time was significantly shorter in group C than in group D (176 ± 81 min vs. 203 ± 119 min, p < 0.0001). Intraoperative blood loss was not significantly different between the two groups with acetabular injuries. Although preoperative acetabular fracture dislocation was slightly less common in group D, postoperative fracture dislocation was slightly more common. The distribution of Matta grades was significantly different between the two groups. Patients with isolated acetabular injuries were significantly less likely to have neurological deficit at discharge (94.5%; p < 0.0001). In-hospital complications were more common in patients with combined spine plus pelvic injuries (groups B and D) than in patients with isolated pelvic and acetabular injury (groups A and C).Conclusions: Delaying definitive surgical treatment of pelvic fractures due to spinal cord injury appears to have a negative impact on the outcome of pelvic fractures, especially on the quality of reduction of acetabular fractures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the occasion of Annemarie Schwarzenbach's 100th birthday, in 2008, the Swiss Literary Archive, which collects her literary and photographic estate, launched a virtual exhibition in the form of an interactive Flash app. For the first time, 100 of her photographs were available online. Since its initial publication in 2008, the app has undergone a fundamental update. Today, nearly all of Schwarzenbach's 3,500 travel photographs are mapped, interactively linked, and searchable through the online application. Presenting the design and function of the app, the essay homes in on the possibilities of digital archives and the methods afforded by digital humanities. It highlights the network structure of the app and the way it allows for an interactive treatment of the photographs, which, in turn, can have an effect on the different orders and readings of the archive. Taking the particularities of Schwarzenbach's archival holdings seriously, which include photographs as well as texts, the essay takes the recent donation of 40 letters as its cue to discuss the relationship between text and image, suggesting to further bring the two together in the design of future digital platforms devoted to literary-visual research. (MW; in German) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a widely recognized tool for the assessment of the potential environmental impacts associated with the life cycle of a product or service. The environmental impact category most commonly quantified in LCAs is global warming potential, a measure of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. For agricultural products such as miscanthus, the creation of an inventory can be labour‐intensive and is context‐specific. This impairs the transfer of results to comparable but not necessarily similar situations. Farmers and small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises cannot easily dedicate resources for this purpose (in particular when using marginal land) and often lack the expertise to do so. Simplified LCA models could offer a promising solution to this problem. They are simplified versions of more complex models that require only a few critical parameters to calculate representative results. This study develops such a model for the computation of GHG emissions associated with commercial miscanthus cultivation. The model focuses on rhizome‐based propagation and the indirect harvesting method (cutting to swath, swathing, baling). A parametric life cycle inventory (LCI) was established and used to identify the most influential parameters by means of a global sensitivity analysis (GSA). A simplified model for calculating GHG emissions associated with miscanthus cultivation was developed by fixing input parameters with a low relevance at their median impact values. Six of 38 parameters were identified as relevant parameters: soil carbon sequestration, harvestable yield, duration of cultivation period, quantities of nitrogen and potassium fertilizer applied, and distance between field and customer. The simplified model allows practitioners an easy assessment of the GHG emissions associated with the production and supply of miscanthus. It thus provides a wider audience facilitated access to LCA knowledge and promotes its use as a management and reporting tool in bio‐based industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim: To date, multiple different surgical techniques have been established for hallux valgus surgery, with each technique having its unique advantages and limitations. The open distal chevron osteotomy is widely accepted, but increasing patient demands have led several minimally invasive (MIS) techniques to be described in recent years. The aim of this study was to compare outcomes after minimally invasive (MIS) distal chevron osteotomy and the minimally invasive Reverdin-Isham method. Patients and Methods: We assessed clinical and radiographic outcomes after MIS chevron osteotomy in 57 feet of 49 consecutive patients with a mean follow-up of 58.9 (range=39.0-85.4) months. Outcomes after MIS Reverdin-Isham osteotomy were analyzed by means of a systematic literature review with a minimum follow-up of 6 months. Results: Radiographic outcomes were significantly better in the MIS chevron cohort for intermetatarsal angle (p<0.001), hallux valgus angle and distal metacarpal articular angle (p<0.05). Concerning clinical outcomes, both methods provided comparable improvement. Conclusion: MIS distal chevron osteotomy in mild to moderate hallux valgus deformity correction results in superior radiographic outcomes compared to the MIS Reverdin-Isham osteotomy. Sufficient correction of IMA cannot be achieved with the MIS Reverdin-Isham osteotomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulation materials decrease the final energy consumption of buildings. In Germany, fossil and mineral insulations dominate the market despite numerous life cycle assessments (LCAs) showing that bio‐based insulations can offer environmental benefits. Evaluating the results of such LCAs is, however, complex due to a lack of comparability or costs considered. The objective of this study is comparing bio‐based insulations under equal conditions to identify the most environmentally friendly and cost‐efficient material. For this purpose, a comparative LCA and life cycle costing (LCC) were conducted from "cradle to grave" for four bio‐based and two nonrenewable insulations. The bio‐based insulation materials evaluated were wood fiber, hemp fiber, flax, and miscanthus. The nonrenewable insulations were expanded polystyrene (EPS) and stone wool. Key data for the LCA of the bio‐based insulations were obtained from preceding thermal conductivity measurements under ceteris paribus conditions. Eighteen environmental impact categories were assessed, and direct costs were cumulated along the life cycle. Results show that the most environmentally friendly bio‐based insulation materials were wood fiber and miscanthus. A hotspot analysis found that, for agriculturally sourced insulations, cultivation had the largest environmental impact, and for wood fiber insulation, it was manufacturing. The use phase (including installation) constituted a cost hotspot. The environmental impacts of end‐of‐life incineration were strongly influenced by the fossil components of the materials. Overall, bio‐based insulations were more environmentally friendly than EPS and stone wool in 11 impact categories. The LCC found EPS and miscanthus insulation to be most cost‐efficient, yet market integration of the latter is still limited. It can be concluded that miscanthus biomass is an environmentally and economically promising bio‐based insulation material. Comparability of the environmental performance of the bio‐based insulations was increased by applying the same system boundary and functional unit, the same impact assessment methodology, and the preceding ceteris paribus thermal conductivity measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combination of bioethanol production and carbon capture and storage technologies (BECCS) is considered an indispensable method for the achievement of the targets set by the Paris agreement. In Croatia, a first‐of‐its‐kind biorefinery project is currently underway that aims to integrate a second‐generation ethanol plant into an existing fossil refinery. The goal is to replace the fossil fuel production by second‐generation ethanol production using miscanthus. In the ethanol fermentation, CO2 is emitted in highly concentrated form and this can be directly compressed, injected and stored in exploited oil reservoirs. This study presents an assessment of the greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction potential of miscanthus ethanol produced in combination with CCS technology, based on data from the planning process of this biorefinery project. The GHG reduction potential is evaluated as part of a full environmental life cycle assessment. This is of particular relevance as a lignocellulosic ethanol industry is currently emerging in the European Union (EU) and LCAs of BECCS systems have, so far, often omitted environmental impacts other than GHG emissions. Overall, the ethanol to be produced in this planned biorefinery project would clearly achieve the EU's global warming potential (GWP) reduction target for biofuels. Depending on the accounting approach applied for the biological carbon storage, reduction potentials between 104% and 138% relative to the fossil comparator are likely. In addition, ethanol can reduce risks to resource availability. As such, the results generated from data based on the intended biorefinery project support the two major rationales for biofuel use. However, these reductions could come at the expense of human health and ecosystem quality impacts associated with the combustion of lignin and biogas. In order to prevent potential environmental trade‐offs, it will be imperative to monitor and manage these emissions from residue combustion, as they represent significant drivers of the overall environmental impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perennial rhizomatous grasses (PRG), such as miscanthus and switchgrass, are considered promising lignocellulosic feedstocks. Their cultivation is expected to experience a significant increase in the near future, as it offers a wide range of benefits. For instance, when PRG replace typical annual crops, positive biodiversity impacts are usually anticipated. However, to date, there is no solid, statistically strong evidence for this hypothesis. This study aims to evaluate its validity through a meta‐analysis based on an extensive systematic literature review of research comparing biodiversity attributes in PRG and common annual crops. Dynamics of species richness and abundance in response to PRG cultivation were quantitatively evaluated drawing on 220 paired comparisons from 25 studies. This includes data on five taxonomic groups—arthropods, birds, earthworms, mammals and plants—and three PRG—miscanthus, switchgrass and reed canary grass. The results indicate that biodiversity tends to be higher in PRG cultivations relative to the reference crops, but the initial hypothesis of significantly beneficial impacts could not be confirmed. Trends were specific to the individual taxonomic groups: significantly higher biodiversity was found for plants and small mammals. Positive but insignificant trends were observed for arthropods and birds, while earthworm response was neutral and insignificant. More substantial conclusions could not be drawn, which is mainly due to the low number of studies conducting biodiversity assessments in PRG cultivations that included a comparison with annual crops. In addition, a detailed analysis of the observed responses was impaired by poor reporting of the parameters influencing biodiversity in the studies reviewed, such as planting and crop density, as well as yields. For this reason, we conclude with a call for improved data reporting in biodiversity assessments of PRG cultivations and detail requirements for future biodiversity research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon neutrality in the transport sector is a key challenge for the growing bioeconomy as the share of biofuels has stagnated over the past decade. This can be attributed to basic economics and a lack of a robust market for these technologies. Consequently, more sustainable biomass supply concepts are required that reduce negative impacts on the environment and at the same time promote environmental services for sustainable agricultural cropping systems including erosion prevention, soil fertility improvement, greenhouse gas mitigation, and carbon sequestration. One promising concept is the cultivation of perennial biomass crops such as Miscanthus (Miscanthus Andersson) as biofuel feedstock. In this study, the multiple environmental services provided by Miscanthus are first explored and subsequently monetized. Then the integration of Miscanthus cultivation for biomass production into European agricultural systems is assessed. One hectare of Miscanthus provides society with environmental services to a value of 1,200 to 4,183 € a−1. These services are even more pronounced when cultivation takes place on marginal agricultural land. The integration of Miscanthus into existing agricultural practices aids both conservation and further optimization of socio‐economic welfare and landscape diversification. As these environmental services are more beneficial to the public than the Miscanthus farmers, subsidies are required to close the gap between biofuels and biodiversity that are calculated based on the provision of environmental services. Similar approaches to that developed in this study may be suitable for the implementation of other biomass cropping systems and therefore help foster the transition to a bioeconomy. Plain Language Summary: The transition to a nonfossil transport sector is one of the most difficult and at the same time crucial challenges of the growing bioeconomy. In order to provide enough sustainably sourced biomass for biofuel production, a vast range of requirements need to be fulfilled—first and foremost the use of marginal agricultural land under low‐input conditions. Only in this way is it possible to avoid land use conflicts with food crop cultivation and biodiversity conservation. However, the utilization of marginal agricultural land often entails economic disadvantages for farmers. These financial losses should be compensated for by the public sector, as long as the cropping system provides environmental services such as groundwater protection, climate regulation, moderation of extreme weather events, and habitat functions. Monetizing the environmental services using concrete examples is still uncharted scientific territory; existing promotion concepts must be assessed as underdeveloped. Key Points: Environmental services of the perennial lignocellulosic crop Miscanthus were monetized for marginal agricultural land in GermanyMonetary value of Miscanthus cultivation accounts for 1,200–4,183 € a−1, three times higher than the value of the raw material for biofuelMonetizing environmental services bridges the gap between biofuels and biodiversity by promoting the use of second generation biofuels [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize silage is the main biogas co-substrate in Germany, but its use is often questioned due to negative environmental impacts. Perennial wild plant mixtures (WPM) are increasingly considered alternatives, as these extensive systems improve soil quality and enhance agrobiodiversity. Methane yields per hectare however do not match those of maize. This study examined whether the potential advantages of replacing maize with WPM for biogas production are counteracted by lower yields and associated effects. Life cycle assessment and life cycle cost assessment were used to compare the environmental and economic performance of electricity generation from WPM in two establishment procedures, 'standard' (WPM E1) and 'under maize' (WPM E2). These metrics were benchmarked against those of maize. The production of 1 kWh electricity was chosen as functional unit. The life cycle inventory of the agricultural phase was based on multi-annual field trials in southwest Germany. Both WPM E1 and E2 had lower marine eutrophication and global warming potentials than maize. The GWP favourability was however sensitive to the assumptions made with regard to the amount and fate of carbon sequestered in the soil. WPM E1 performed less favourable than WPM E2. This was mainly due to lower yields, which could, in turn, result in potential indirect land use impacts. These impacts may outweigh the carbon sequestration benefits of WPM cultivation. Maize performed best in terms of economic costs, freshwater eutrophication, terrestrial acidification, fine particulate matter and ozone formation. We conclude that the widespread deployment of WPM systems on productive agricultural land should only take place if permanent soil carbon sequestration can be ensured. In either case, WPM cultivation could be a valid alternative for bioenergy buffers and marginal land where competitive yields of common crops cannot be guaranteed, but which could accommodate low-input cultivation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate pain, functional impairment, mental health, and daily activity in patients with end-stage hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA) during the COVID-19 lockdown. Methods: The study included 63 patients, with hip or knee OA, who had been scheduled for arthroplasty that was postponed because of COVID-19. Patients were evaluated by telephone interviews during the first week after lockdown, in the fourth week, and again at the end of the lockdown. Patients rated their pain level on the basis of a visual analog scale (VAS) and completed WOMAC, SF-12 and Tegner activity scale (TAS) questionnaires. Results: VAS and WOMAC scores increased significantly during lockdown, while physical activity significantly decreased. At the final evaluation, VAS and WOMAC showed a significant negative correlation with TAS. The SF-12 subscale scores showed a significant decrease of the physical component during the lockdown, while the mental component remained largely unchanged. Patients with knee OA showed a faster progress of pain compared to those with hip OA. 50 patients (79%) stated they wished to have arthroplasty as soon as possible. Conclusion: The COVID-19 lockdown had a significant impact on pain, joint function, physical function, and physical activity in patients with end-stage hip and knee OA. Level of evidence: II (Prospective cohort study). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess the potential of T1 mapping-based extracellular volume fraction (ECV) for the identification of higher grade clear cell renal cell carcinoma (cRCC), based on histopathology as the reference standard.Methods: For this single-center, institutional review board-approved prospective study, 27 patients (17 men, median age 62 ± 12.4 years) with pathologic diagnosis of cRCC (nucleolar International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grading) received abdominal MRI scans at 1.5 T using a modified Look-Locker inversion recovery (MOLLI) sequence between January 2017 and June 2018. Quantitative T1 values were measured at different time points (pre- and postcontrast agent administration) and quantification of the ECV was performed on MRI and histological sections (H&E staining).Results: Reduction in T1 value after contrast agent administration and MR-derived ECV were reliable predictors for differentiating higher from lower grade cRCC. Postcontrast T1diff values (T1diff = T1 difference between the native and nephrogenic phase) and MR-derived ECV were significantly higher for higher grade cRCC (ISUP grades 3-4) compared with lower grade cRCC (ISUP grades 1-2) (p < 0.001). A cutoff value of 700 ms could distinguish higher grade from lower grade tumors with 100% (95% CI 0.69-1.00) sensitivity and 82% (95% CI 0.57-0.96) specificity. There was a positive and strong correlation between MR-derived ECV and histological ECV (p < 0.01, r = 0.88). Interobserver agreement for quantitative longitudinal relaxation times in the T1 maps was excellent.Conclusions: T1 mapping with ECV measurement could represent a novel in vivo biomarker for the classification of cRCC regarding their nucleolar grade, providing incremental diagnostic value as a quantitative MR marker.Key Points: • Reduction in MRI T1 relaxation times after contrast agent administration and MR-derived extracellular volume fraction are useful parameters for grading of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (cRCC). • T1 differences between the native and the nephrogenic phase are higher for higher grade cRCC compared with lower grade cRCC and MRI-derived extracellular volume fraction (ECV) and histological ECV show a strong correlation. • T1 mapping with ECV measurement may be helpful for the noninvasive assessment of cRCC pathology, being a safe and feasible method, and it has potential to optimize individualized treatment options, e.g., in the decision of active surveillance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of susceptibility-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (SW-MRI) for the evaluation of osseous foraminal stenosis (FS) of the cervical spine compared to conventional MRI-sequences, using computed tomography (CT) as a reference standard.Materials and Methods: Twenty-one patients with suspected radiculopathy of the cervical spine were prospectively included. CT and MRI data sets were available for all patients. As standard of reference, 280 neuroforamina of the cervical spine, including 58 foraminal stenosis, were identified on sagittal CT images. T1-, T2-, and SW-MRI of the cervical spine were performed. The presence of foraminal stenosis was assessed on sagittal views in all sequences. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated and differences in detection rate and severity scoring of foraminal stenosis between the different sequences were tested. CT was used as reference standard for all analysis.Results: Fifty-six of 58 osseous foraminal stenosis could be correctly identified on SW-MR magnitude images. SW-MRI achieved a sensitivity of 96.6% and specificity of 99.5% for the identification of foraminal stenosis. In comparison, conventional T1-weighted MRI sequences achieved a sensitivity and specificity of 43.1% and 100% respectively. T2-weighted MRI sequences achieved a sensitivity and specificity of 65.5% and 99.1%, respectively. The overall detection rate was significantly (p < 0.05) higher on SW-MRI and there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in severity scoring compared to CT. T1- and T2-weighted MRI underestimated the degree of foraminal stenosis. Intermodality and interobserver agreements were highest for SW-MRI.Conclusions: SW-MRI enables the reliable detection of osseous foraminal stenosis of the cervical spine in patients with spinal radiculopathy with a higher sensitivity compared to conventional T1- and T2-MRI sequences, with CT as a reference standard.Key Points: • Susceptibility-weighted magnetic resonance imaging enables the reliable detection of osseous foraminal stenosis of the cervical spine with CT as a reference standard. • This could be relevant for younger patients in order to prevent unnecessary radiation exposure. • This may also facilitate a one-stop-shop approach and speed up diagnostic work-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Detection of metastases can have a significant impact on therapy. Nevertheless, even in gadoxetate disodium-enhanced MR scans, very small hepatic metastases may be difficult to see. Purpose: To investigate the potential of a contrast-optimised (phase-sensitive) inversion recovery MR sequence in gadoxetate disodium-enhanced scans for detection of hepatic metastases. Materials and methods: With institutional review board approval and after written informed consent, 40 patients (18 male, 22 female) with suspected or known hepatic metastases were examined on a 1.5 T MR system. A T1-weighted gradient-echo volumetric-interpolated-breath-hold (VIBE) sequence was acquired as part of the standard imaging protocol 20 minutes after administration of gadoxetate disodium. Additionally, an IR sequence was acquired with an inversion time to suppress native signal from metastases. Overall image quality and delineation of lesions were assessed on VIBE as well as on magnitude-reconstructed (MAG) and phase-sensitive IR (PSIR) sequences. Lesion-to-liver contrast (LLC) was compared between VIBE and MAG images. Results: Overall image quality was high in both VIBE and MAG IR sequences (VIBE 4.275; MAG 4.313), yet significantly lower in PSIR (4.038). Subjective delineation of lesions was higher on MAG and PSIR images compared to VIBE in all size groups with an overall statistically significant difference for VIBE vs. MAG vs. PSIR (p < .001) in the variance analysis. Mean LLC was 0.35±0.01 for VIBE sequences, and 0.73±0.01 for MAG. Conclusion: Contrast-optimised PSIR seems to improve imaging characteristics of hepatic metastases in gadoxetate disodium-enhanced scans compared to T1 gradient-echo VIBE sequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perennial biomass crops (PBC) are considered a crucial feedstock for sustainable biomass supply to the bioeconomy that compete less with food production compared to traditional crops. However, large‐scale development of PBC as a means to reach greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation targets would require not only the production on land previously not used for agriculture, but also the use of land that is currently used for agricultural production. This study aims to evaluate agricultural market impacts with biomass demand for food, feed, and PBC in four bioeconomy scenarios ("Business as usual," "Improved relevance of bioeconomy," "Extensive transformation to a bioeconomy," "Extensive transformation to a bioeconomy with diet change") to achieve a 75% GHG reduction target in the emission trading sector of the EU until 2050. We simulated bioeconomy scenarios in the energy system model TIMES‐PanEU and the agricultural sector model ESIM and conducted a sensitivity analysis considering crop yields, PBC yields, and land use options of PBC. Our results show that all bioeconomy scenarios except the one with diet change lead to increasing food prices (the average food price index increases by about 11% in the EU and 2.5%–3.0% in world markets). A combination of the transformation to a bioeconomy combined with diet change toward less animal protein in the EU is the only scenario that results in only moderately increasing food prices within the EU (+3.0%) and even falling global food prices (–6.4%). In addition, crop yield improvement and cultivation of PBC on marginal land help to reduce increases in food prices, but higher land prices are inevitable because those measures have only small effects on sparing agricultural land for PBC. For a transition to a bioeconomy that acknowledges climate mitigation targets, counter‐measures for those substantial direct and indirect impacts on agricultural markets should be taken into account. Multiple pathways of bioeconomy growth in the EU are simulated, using a coupled modeling system between ESIM and TIMES‐PanEU, and their impacts on agricultural markets are assessed. All bioeconomy scenarios show strong market impacts and direct land use change regarding the increase in total agricultural land use as well as substitution of crops and pasture by PBC. Shifts towards a diet with less animal consumption as well as crop yield improvement are options to mitigate increases in agricultural prices. However, pressures on land rents and additional land demand for food and nonfood crops are very likely to increase until 2050. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides new evidence of late trading activities in the mutual fund markets of France, Germany and the UK. We find that investors who are allowed to trade late can earn substantial returns between 18% and 35% annually. Late trading accounts for up to 0.6% of daily flow. Evidence of such illicit and abusive trading practices was uncovered in 2003 during a large scandal in the US fund industry. Our findings suggest that late trading may still persist in European markets. However, we do not find evidence of late trading in the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lignocellulosic ethanol represents a renewable alternative to petrol. Miscanthus, a perennial plant that grows on marginal land, is characterized by efficient use of resources and is considered a promising source of lignocellulosic biomass. A life cycle assessment (LCA) was performed to determine the environmental impacts of ethanol production from miscanthus grown on marginal land in Great Britain (Aberystwyth) and an average‐yield site in Germany (Stuttgart; functional unit: 1 GJ). As the conversion process has substantial influence on the overall environmental performance, the comparison examined three pretreatment options for miscanthus. Overall, results indicate lower impacts for the production in Stuttgart in comparison with the corresponding pathways in Aberystwyth across the analysed categories. Disparities between the sites were mainly attributed to differences in biomass yield. When comparing the conversion options, liquid hot water treatment resulted in the lowest impacts, followed by dilute sulphuric acid. Dilute sodium hydroxide pretreatment represented the least favourable option. Site‐dependent variation in biomass composition and degradability did not have substantial influence on the environmental performance of the analysed pathways. Additionally, implications of replacing petrol with miscanthus ethanol were examined. Ethanol derived from miscanthus resulted in lower impacts with respect to greenhouse gas emissions, fossil resource depletion, natural land transformation and ozone depletion. However, for other categories, including toxicity, eutrophication and agricultural land occupation, net scores were substantially higher than for the fossil reference. Nevertheless, the results indicate that miscanthus ethanol produced via dilute acid and liquid hot water treatment at the site in Stuttgart has the potential to comply with the requirements of the European Renewable energy directive for greenhouse gas emission reduction. For ethanol production at the marginal site, carbon sequestration needs to be considered in order to meet the requirements for greenhouse gas mitigation. Lignocellulosic ethanol represents a renewable alternative to petrol. Miscanthus, a perennial plant, is characterised by efficient resource use and is considered a promising source of lignocellulosic biomass. A LCA was performed to compare the environmental impacts of ethanol production from miscanthus grown on marginal land and an average‐yield site. In addition, three pretreatment options for miscanthus were compared. Results indicate lower impacts for the production at the average site, with the disparities mainly attributable to differences in biomass yield. Irrespective of the site, liquid hot water treatment has shown to be the pretreatment option with the lowest impacts overall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental issues surrounding conventional annual biogas crops have led to growing interest in alternative crops, such as miscanthus. In addition to the better environmental performance, miscanthus can be grown on marginal land where no competition with feed and food crops is anticipated. On marginal land however, biomass yields are significantly lower than on good agricultural land. This raises the question of the economic and environmental sustainability of miscanthus cultivated on marginal land for biogas production. This study assessed the environmental and economic performance of miscanthus cultivated on marginal land for biogas production by conducting a Life‐Cycle Assessment and complementary Life‐Cycle Cost analysis. The functional unit chosen was 1 GJ of electricity (GJel.). The substitution of a fossil reference was included using a system expansion approach. Electricity generated by the combustion of miscanthus‐based biogas in a combined heat and power has considerably lower impacts on the environment than the fossil reference in most of the categories assessed. In the impact category "climate change", the substitution of the marginal German electricity mix leads to a carbon mitigation potential of 256 kg CO2e/GJel.. At 45.12 €/GJel., the costs of miscanthus‐based biogas generation and utilization are considerably lower than those of maize (61.30 €/GJel.). The results of this study clearly show that it can make economic and environmental sense to cultivate miscanthus on marginal land as a substrate for biogas production. The economic sustainability is however limited by the biomass yield. By contrast, there are no clear thresholds limiting the environmental performance. The decision needs to be made on a case‐by‐case basis depending on site‐specific conditions such as local biodiversity. Environmental issues surrounding conventional annual biogas crops have led to growing interest in alternative crops, such as miscanthus. This study assessed the environmental and economic performance of miscanthus cultivated on marginal land for biogas production. The results clearly show that it can make economic and environmental sense to cultivate miscanthus on marginal land as a substrate for biogas production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) was shown to also occur in lean and underweight patients. So far, the prevalence of NAFLD in underweight individuals with and without inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is insufficiently enlightened. In this cross-sectional age, gender and disease-matched case-control study, underweight patients (BMI<18.5 kg/m2) with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), who underwent abdominal MRI at 1.5 T/3 T with fat-saturated fast-spin-echo imaging from 10/2005-07/2018 were analysed (control-to-case-ratio 1:1, n = 130). All patients were additionally investigated for duration, history of surgery, medical treatment, laboratory values, liver and spleen diameters. On MRI, liver fat was quantified by two observers based on the relative signal loss on T2-weighted fast spin-echo MR images with fat saturation compared to images without fat saturation. The prevalence of NAFLD/liver steatosis, defined as a measured intrahepatic fat content of at least 5%, was significantly higher in underweight IBD patients than in normal weight patients (87.6% versus 21.5%, p<0.001). Compared to the cases, the liver fat content of the controls was reduced by -0.19 units on average (-19%; 95%Cl: -0.20; -0.14). Similar results were obtained for the subgroup of non-IBD individuals (n = 12; -0.25 units on average (-25%); 95%Cl: -0.35; -0.14). Patients with extremely low body weight (BMI <17.5 kg/m2) showed the highest liver fat content (+0.15 units on average (+15%) compared to underweight patients with a BMI of 17.5–18.5 kg/m2 (p<0.05)). Furthermore, underweight patients showed slightly increased liver enzymes and liver diameters. There were no indications of significant differences in disease duration, type of medications or surgery between cases and controls and also, there were no significant differences between observers or field strengths (p>0.05). The prevalence of liver steatosis was higher among underweight IBD and non-IBD patients compared to normal weight controls. Also, underweight patients showed slightly increased liver enzymes and liver diameters, hinting at initial metabolic disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine the prevalence and significance of extracardiac findings (ECF) in a large set of cardiac magnetic resonance (MR) imaging examinations.Methods: The institutional review board (IRB) of the Charité approved this retrospective, single-centre study. A total of 4376 cardiac MR imaging reports of 3553 patients (age 37.4 ± 20 years, 60.8 % male) examined from 2000 to 2014 were included. Findings with a recommendation for follow-up were considered "major ECF". To analyse the association of indication, age and gender with ECF, Poisson regression and computed incidence rate ratios (IRR) were evaluated.Results: The overall prevalence of ECF was 34% (95% confidence interval [CI] 32.5-35.6%). Major ECF were present in 3.4% (95% CI 2.9-4.1%) while findings that changed patient management were found in 0.9% (95% CI 0.7-1.3%). In the cases of congenital heart disease, ECF prevalence was higher compared to myocarditis (IRR, 6.0; 95% CI 5.1-7.1%; p < 0.001), while the prevalence of major ECF was lower (IRR, 0.2; 95% CI 0.02-0.51%; p < 0.05). Older patient age was associated with more nonvascular ECF (p < 0.001). Female patients had the same probability of having an ECF as male patients (IRR, 1.04; 95% CI 0.95-1.1%; p = 0.43).Conclusion: ECF in cardiac MR imaging are present in about every third patient while relevant ECF that change patient management can be found in about one out of 100 patients. Our data suggest that it is important to involve well-trained radiologists in reading cardiac MR images, which often reveal ECF if congenital heart disease is the clinical indication.Key Points: • Extracardiac findings are present in about every third patient. • Relevant ECF changing patient management are found in one out of 100 findings. • Chance of ECF is high in patients with CHD and vascular indications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been considerable work in evaluating the efficacy of using online data for health surveillance. Often comparisons with baseline data involve various squared error and correlation metrics. While useful, these overlook a variety of other factors important to public health bodies considering the adoption of such methods. In this paper, a proposed surveillance system that incorporates models based on recent research efforts is evaluated in terms of its added value for influenza surveillance at Public Health England. The system comprises of two supervised learning approaches trained on influenza-like illness (ILI) rates provided by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and produces ILI estimates using Twitter posts or Google search queries. RCGP ILI rates for different age groups and laboratory confirmed cases by influenza type are used to evaluate the models with a particular focus on predicting the onset, overall intensity, peak activity and duration of the 2015/16 influenza season. We show that the Twitter-based models perform poorly and hypothesise that this is mostly due to the sparsity of the data available and a limited training period. Conversely, the Google-based model provides accurate estimates with timeliness of approximately one week and has the potential to complement current surveillance systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To compare the potential of a gadoxetate disodium enhanced navigator-triggered 3D T1 magnetic-resonance cholangiography (MRC) sequence with a specific inversion recovery prepulse to T2-weighted MRCP for assessment of the hepatobiliary system. Materials and methods: 30 patients (12 male, 18 female) prospectively underwent conventional navigator-triggered 3D turbo spin-echo T2-weighted MRCP and 3D T1 MRC with a specific inversion pulse to minimise signal from the liver 30 minutes after administration of gadoxetate disodium on a 1.5 T MRI system. For qualitative evaluation, biliary duct depiction was assessed segmentally following a 5-point Likert scale. Visualisation of hilar structures as well as image quality was recorded. Additionally, the extrahepatic bile ducts were assessed quantitatively by calculation of signal-to-noise ratios (SNR). Results: The advantages of T1 3D MRC include reduced affection of image quality by bowel movement and robust depiction of the relative position of the extrahepatic bile ducts in relation to the portal vein and the duodenum compared to T2 MRCP. However, overall T1 3D MRC did not significantly (p > 0.05) improve the biliary duct depiction compared to T2 MRCP in all segments: Common bile duct 4.1 vs. 4.4, right hepatic duct 3.6 vs. 4.2, left hepatic duct 3.5 vs. 4.1. Image quality did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) between both sequences (3.6 vs. 3.5). SNR measurements for the hepatobiliary system did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) between navigator-triggered T1 3D MRC and T2 MRCP. Conclusions: This preliminary study demonstrates that T1 3D MRC of a specific inversion recovery prepulse has potential to complement T2 MRCP, especially for the evaluation of liver structures close to the hilum in the diagnostic work-up of the biliary system in patients receiving gadoxetate disodium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crude rubber seed oil (CRSO) is a promising but currently underutilized biodiesel feedstock alternative, extracted by pressing the seeds of the rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis). Rubber trees are cultivated across more than 11.4 million hectares worldwide, mainly in Southeast Asia. Despite their suitability as a biodiesel feedstock source, rubber seeds are currently treated as waste in the monocultural plantation system. To date, no assessments have been performed to examine the potential impact of rubber seed-based biodiesel production on GHG emissions. This study analyses the global warming potential of rubber seed methyl ester (RSME) production in Southeast Asia. The functional unit used is 1 MJ of biodiesel. A sensitivity analysis assesses the influence of key parameters (e.g., rubber seed yield) on the GHG mitigation potential. A scenario analysis evaluates the effect of using RSME by-products for energy generation. In comparison to fossil diesel, RSME has a carbon mitigation potential of 67 g CO2.eq. MJ-1, based on allocation by mass. On the condition of compliance with international sustainability standards that call for deforestation-free value chains, the generation of RSME biodiesel on rubber tree plantations in Southeast Asia would have a total mitigation potential of around 2.8 million tonnes of CO2 eq. per year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]