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Aim Methods Results Conclusion There is no universally accepted treatment consensus for haemorrhoids, and thus, management has been individualized all over the world. This study was conducted to assess a global view of how surgeons manage haemorrhoids.The research panel of the International Society of University Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ISUCRS) developed a voluntary, anonymous questionnaire evaluating surgeons' experience, volume and treatment approaches to haemorrhoids. The 44 multiple‐choice questionnaire was available for one month via the ISUCRS email database and the social media platforms Viber and WhatsApp.The survey was completed by 1005 surgeons from 103 countries; 931 (92.6%) were in active practice, 819 (81.5%) were between 30 and 60 years of age, and 822 (81.8%) were male. Detailed patient history (92.9%), perineal inspection (91.2%), and digital rectal examination (91.1%) were the most common assessment methods. For internal haemorrhoids, 924 (91.9%) of participants graded them I–IV, with the degree of haemorrhoids being the most important factor considered to determine the treatment approach (76.3%). The most common nonprocedural/conservative treatment consisted of increased daily fibre intake (86.9%), increased water intake (82.7%), and normalization of bowel habits/toilet training (74.4%). Conservative treatment was the first‐line treatment for symptomatic first (92.5%), second (72.4%) and third (47.3%) degree haemorrhoids; however, surgery was the first‐line treatment for symptomatic fourth degree haemorrhoids (77.6%). Rubber band ligation was the second‐line treatment in first (50.7%) and second (47.2%) degree haemorrhoids, whereas surgery was the second‐line treatment in third (82.9%) and fourth (16.7%) degree symptomatic haemorrhoids. Rubber band ligation was performed in the office by 645(64.2%) of the participants. The most common surgical procedure performed for haemorrhoids was an excisional haemorrhoidectomy for both internal (87.1%) and external (89.7%) haemorrhoids – with 716 (71.2%) of participants removing 1, 2 or 3 sectors as necessary.Although there is no global haemorrhoidal treatment consensus, there are many practice similarities among the different cultures, resources, volume and experience of surgeons around the world. With additional studies, a consensus statement could potentially be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Folate and vitamin B12 deficiencies in pregnant women are associated with increased risk for adverse maternal and infant health outcomes, including neural tube defects (NTDs). Methods: A population‐based cross‐sectional survey was conducted in two rural areas in Ambala District, Haryana, India in 2017 to assess baseline folate and vitamin B12 status among women of reproductive age (WRA) and predict the prevalence of NTDs. We calculated the prevalence of folate and vitamin B12 deficiency and insufficiency by demographic characteristics among 775 non‐pregnant, non‐lactating WRA (18–49 years). Using red blood cell (RBC) folate distributions and an established Bayesian model, we predicted NTD prevalence. All analyses were conducted using SAS‐callable SUDAAN Version 11.0.4 to account for complex survey design. Results: Among WRA, 10.1% (95% CI: 7.9, 12.7) and 9.3% (95% CI: 7.4, 11.6) had serum (<7 nmol/L) and RBC folate (<305 nmol/L) deficiency, respectively. The prevalence of RBC folate insufficiency (<748 nmol/L) was 78.3% (95% CI: 75.0, 81.3) and the predicted NTD prevalence was 21.0 (95% uncertainly interval: 16.9, 25.9) per 10,000 live births. Prevalences of vitamin B12 deficiency (<200 pg/mL) and marginal deficiency (≥200 pg/mL and ≤300 pg/mL) were 57.7% (95% CI: 53.9, 61.4) and 23.5% (95% CI: 20.4, 26.9), respectively. Conclusions: The magnitude of folate insufficiency and vitamin B12 deficiency in this Northern Indian population is a substantial public health concern. The findings from the survey help establish the baseline against which results from future post‐fortification surveys can be compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Astroblastoma is an uncommon circumscribed glial tumor mostly involving the cerebral hemisphere. The characteristic molecular alteration is meningioma (disrupted in balanced translocation) 1 (MN1) rearrangement. No definite World Health Organization grade has been assigned as both low‐ and high‐grade tumors are known to occur. Tumors in the spine are extremely rare; to date only three cases have been reported in the literature. A vigilant microscopy and ancillary testing aid in diagnosis when the tumors present in unusual locations, as in our case. The prompt differentiation of this tumor from its mimickers is a mandate as modalities of management are different and not clearly established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green hydrogen synthesis has attracted researchers due to energy resource applications. Non‐renewable energy sources have been found to be incapable of meeting energy demands. Therefore, the need of the hour is to introduce an alternative to produce an efficient amount of H2. This review has summarized and investigated hetero‐catalysts and their hydrogen production potential under different light illuminations. Here, the syntheses of various nanoparticles (NPs) and composite semiconductors have been reviewed, and insights into the enhanced ability of noble‐free metal electrocatalysts have been provided. Specific nanomaterials, such as nickel, ruthenium, silver, boron‐doped SnO2, AgVO3, cobalt‐ferrite, and cobalt, dominate in synthesizing durable electrocatalysts. These exhibit Schottky junctions and enhance catalytic behaviour for hydrogen production. Finally, the challenges of the nanoparticle's structural and conductive properties and critical solutions are discussed. This review discusses mechanistic insights, interactions, and kinetics that involve a higher H2 synthesis rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined the impact of dielectric barrier discharge cold plasma treatment on the physicochemical characteristics of taro peel starch (TPS) and its films. This work reports for the first time on using native and modified TPS in the casting procedure to develop packaging films. The results showed that, as plasma exposure voltage and treatment time prolonged, the pH, 955 cm−1/1022 cm−1, % crystallinity, and turbidity of TPS significantly decreased, while amylose content, solubility, and 1047 cm−1/1022 cm−1 of TPS increased considerably. Despite this, modified TPS‐based films have comparatively smooth and homogeneous surfaces. Moreover, the modified starch‐based film exhibited the lowest water vapor permeability, elongation at break, and solubility, while highest opacity and tensile strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Clinical Message: Foreign body ingestion is common in pediatric age group however can be found in any age group with intellectual disability and neurodevelopmental delay. There is usually a delay in presentation and interventions following foreign body ingestion in patients with neurodevelopmental delay, leading to increased morbidity, mortality, and complications owing to inability of such patients giving relevant history. Most ingested foreign bodies naturally pass through the digestive tract without untoward effects. Only a few patients may require surgical interventions. Principle of management should be to reduce anxiety among patients and their visitors. Speedy recovery is enhanced so that they can return to their familiar environment soon. Foreign body ingestion is common in pediatric populations and may be found in any age group with intellectual disability and neurodevelopmental delay. As the patient cannot give a clear and relevant history, there is usually a delay in presentation and interventions following foreign body ingestion in patients with neurodevelopmental delay, leading to increased morbidity, mortality, and complications. Most foreign bodies pass through the digestive system without any complications, and very few require surgical intervention. The goal should be to reduce anxiety among patients and their visitors and to enhance speedy recovery so that they can return to their familiar environment soon. Here we report a case of Acute intestinal obstruction secondary to ingestion of the head portion of a doll which was managed with emergency laparotomy with enterotomy and removal of foreign body in a 16 years female with Autism Spectrum Disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starch is a crucial part of the human dietary regimen. Still, its restricted water solubility, low viscosity, and weak heat stability are unfavorable physicochemical characteristics that restrict its use in food applications. So, in the 21st century, green and novel technologies such as cold plasma technology (CPT) and plasma‐activated water (PAW) have been employed for starch modification to improve the starch's physicochemical, digestibility, functional, structural, and thermal properties. This article provided an in‐depth evaluation of the use of cold plasma intervention in starch systems. Moreover, starch was modified due to cross‐linking, plasma etching, and depolymerization mechanisms mediated by plasma species. We may conclude that CPT and PAW are substitute methods for changing starch characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting the taste of molecules is of critical importance in the food and beverages, flavor, and pharmaceutical industries for the design and screening of new tastants. In this work, we have built deep learning models to classify sweet, bitter, and umami molecules– the three basic tastes whose sensation is mediated by G protein‐coupled receptors. An extensive dataset containing 1466 bitter, 1764 sweet, and 238 umami tastants was curated from existing literature. We analyzed the chemical characteristics of the molecules, with special focus on the presence of different functional groups. A deep neural network model based on molecular descriptors and a graph neural network model were trained for taste prediction. The class imbalance due to fewer umami molecules was tackled using special sampling techniques. Both models show comparable performance during evaluation, but the graph‐based model can learn task‐specific representations from the molecular structure without requiring handcrafted features. We further explain the deep neural network predictions using Shapley additive explanations. Finally, we demonstrated the applicability of the models by screening bitter, sweet, and umami molecules from a large food database. This study develops an in‐silico approach to classify molecules based on their taste by leveraging the recent progress in deep learning, which can serve as a powerful tool for tastant design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is most common in women of reproductive age, giving rise to androgen excess and anovulation, leading to infertility and non‐reproductive complications. We explored the ameliorating effect of naringenin in PCOS using the Sprague Dawley (SD) rat model and human granulosa cells. Letrozole‐induced PCOS rats were given either naringenin (50 mg/kg/day) alone or in combination with metformin (300 mg/kg/day), followed by the estrous cycle, hormonal analysis, and glucose sensitivity test. To evaluate the effect of naringenin on granulosa cell (hGC) steroidogenesis, we treated cells with naringenin (2.5 μM) alone or in combination with metformin (1 mM) in the presence of forskolin (10 μM). To determine the steroidogenesis of CYP‐17A1, ‐19A1, and 3βHSD2, the protein expression levels were examined. Treatment with naringenin in the PCOS animal groups increased ovulation potential and decreased cystic follicles and levels of androgens. The expression levels of CYP‐17A1, ‐19A1, and 3βHSD2, were seen restored in the ovary of PCOS SD rats' model and in the human ovarian cells in response to the naringenin. We found an increased expression level of phosphorylated‐AKT in the ovary and hGCs by naringenin. Naringenin improves ovulation and suppress androgens and cystic follicles, involving AKT activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two immiscible liquids are commonly mixed by mechanically dispersing one into the other to form emulsions. Surfactants or emulsifiers confer stability. Mechanical mixing, in practice, is an energy‐intensive shear flow that is ineffective when the ratio of the dispersed‐phase viscosity to the continuous‐phase viscosity exceeds about four. Extensional flows are not subject to this viscosity ratio limit. This superiority of extensional flow was exploited to fabricate a novel, continuous‐flow, cone‐shaped device with an extensional strain of eight to make fine soybean oil‐in‐water emulsions. A spherical insert having a wall clearance of 25 μm was an effective design factor. Starting with 'coarse' 50 wt.% oil emulsions, two stretching episodes were needed for size reduction. The temperature rise was negligible, and the results were independent of the emulsifier type employed. Increasing flow rate and stretching episodes, reducing wall clearance, enhancing emulsifier concentration, and multiple passes through the device gave progressively smaller drops; the volume‐averaged diameter became less than 2 μm, and the number‐averaged diameter reached 0.5 μm, narrowing the size distribution. The emulsions that formed had a high viscosity and were stable. The performance of a scaled‐up device was compared with other mixers. At equivalent energy density and 50 wt.% oil, drop sizes were similar for a valve homogenizer but larger for a rotor‐stator mixer. At 80 wt.% oil, the rotor stator‐mixer again required more energy for the same drop size, but emulsions prepared with the valve homogenizer broke. The findings of this study can help to design industrial‐scale energy‐efficient extensional‐flow dominant devices for the formation of food emulsions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Metal clusters with photoswitching ligands can undergo magnetic changes under light radiation, which makes them potential optical‐response magnetic‐switching materials. Herein, a photoswitchable Mn‐oxo cluster [MnII15MnIII4(L)18(OH)12(N3)6] (ClO4)2 (C6H5CN)8, (Mn19azo, HL=1‐(hydroxymethyl)‐3,5‐dimethyl‐4‐(phenyldiazenyl)‐pyrazole) has been designed and synthesized to realize the photoswitching behavior. Mn19azo shows quick trans‐to‐cis transformation upon 365 nm light irradiation in CH2Cl2 solution and solid state as confirmed by UV‐Vis spectra. After the powder sample was irradiated for 80 min, the Curie constant of Mn19azo increases by about 7%. The change of magnetic properties can be considered as the result of the change of intermolecular interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heating stage in thermoforming of amorphous and semi‐crystalline polymers was analyzed for constant heat flux conditions using an energy balance model; candidate polymers were high impact polystyrene and isotactic polypropylene. Using an analytical solution, temperature differences as large as 100°C were predicted to arise between the surface and the interior of the sheet being thermoformed for conditions chosen in this work, and these can limit the heat flux being used. A Matlab program was used to compute temperature and crystallinity profiles for crystal melting. Melting took almost as much time as required to heat the surface of the film to the crystal melting point. High thermal conductivity additives, such as calcium carbonate and graphene, can provide temperature uniformity, and the additive uniformity can be verified using thermogravimetric analysis. The ability of these additives to provide temperature uniformity and to reduce energy consumption and heating time is determined in a quantitative manner. Both additives improve heat transfer, and, at the same added volume fraction, graphene is more effective. However, calcium carbonate has a lower cost. The role of density, specific heat, thermal conductivity, and amount of the polymers and additives in influencing temperature and crystallinity profiles was explored, and methods of carrying out thermoforming in an energy efficient manner are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The peritumoral vasogenic edema (PVE) in brain tumors exhibits varied characteristics. Brain metastasis (BM) and meningioma barely have tumor cells in PVE, while glioblastoma (GB) show tumor cell infiltration in most subjects. The purpose of this study was to investigate the PVE of these three pathologies using radiomics features in FLAIR images, with the hypothesis that the tumor cells might influence textural variation. Ex vivo experimentation of radiomics analysis of T1‐weighted images of the culture medium with and without suspended tumor cells was also attempted to infer the possible influence of increasing tumor cells on radiomics features. This retrospective study involved magnetic resonance (MR) images acquired using a 3.0‐T MR machine from 83 patients with 48 GB, 21 BM, and 14 meningioma. The 93 radiomics features were extracted from each subject's PVE mask from three pathologies using T1‐dynamic contrast‐enhanced MR imaging. Statistically significant (< 0.05, independent samples T‐test) features were considered. Features maps were also computed for qualitative investigation. The same was carried out for T1‐weighted cell line images but group comparison was carried out using one‐way analysis of variance. Further, a random forest (RF)‐based machine learning model was designed to classify the PVE of GB and BM. Texture‐based variations, especially higher nonuniformity values, were observed in the PVE of GB. No significance was observed between BM and meningioma PVE. In cell line images, the culture medium had higher nonuniformity and was considerably reduced with increasing cell densities in four features. The RF model implemented with highly significant features provided improved area under the curve results. The possible infiltrative tumor cells in the PVE of the GB are likely influencing the texture values and are higher in comparison with BM PVE and may be of value in the differentiation of solitary metastasis from GB. However, the robustness of the features needs to be investigated with a larger cohort and across different scanners in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the ubiquity of the genus Citrobacter in clinical, industrial, and environmental scenarios, a large number of Citrobacter strains have not been explored at the genome‐scale level. In this study, accurate taxonomic assignment of strain AAK_AS5 isolated from activated sludge was achieved by in‐silico genomic comparison using Overall Genome‐based Relatedness Indices (ANI(OAT): 97.55%, ANIb:97.28%, and ANIm: 97.83%) that indicated its closest identity to the related strain Citrobacter portucalensis A60T. Results were consistent with a digital DNA–DNA hybridization value of 80% with C. portucalensis A60T which was greater than the species boundary value >70% for delineating closely related bacterial species. Gene mining through Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and annotation using rapid annotation subsystem technology (RAST) revealed the notable gene contents for nitrogen metabolism and other pathways associated with nitrate/nitrite ammonification (28 genes), ammonia assimilation (22 genes), and denitrification pathways (14 genes). Furthermore, the strain AAK_AS5 also exhibited a high soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD), NH4+‐N, and NO3‐‐N removal efficiency of 91.4%, 90%, and 93.6%, respectively thus validating its genetic capability for utilizing both (NH4)2SO4 and KNO3 as the nitrogen source. The study provided deeper insights into the phylogenomics and the genetic potential of Citrobacter, sp. strain AAK AS5 associated with nitrogen metabolism thus signifying the potential application of the isolate for treating nitrogen‐rich wastewaters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Newly isolated Bacillus cereus strain NK91 was characterized for extracellular chitinase production. Partially purified chitinase showed a molecular weight of 43.7 kDa in SDS–PAGE analysis. The optimum pH and temperature for the partially purified enzyme were 7.0 and 40°C, respectively. The addition of Mn2+ resulted in a 21% increase in enzyme activity as compared to the control. The Vmax and Km of the enzyme were determined as 76.9 μmol/min and 0.07 mg/mL, respectively. This enzyme exhibited stronger antifungal activity towards Fusarium oxysporum (66.7%), Rhizoctonia solani (64.6%), and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (63%), and transmission electron microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy analysis showed considerable changes in cell wall structure with the treatment of purified chitinase as compared to control. Therefore, this enzyme reveals its biocontrol potential against potent phytopathogens in agriculture that can be helpful in swapping harmful as well as expensive fungicides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is playing an important role in the classification of breast tumors. MRI can be used to obtain multiparametric (mp) information, such as structural, hemodynamic, and physiological information. Quantitative analysis of mp‐MRI data has shown potential in improving the accuracy of breast tumor classification. In general, a large set of quantitative and texture features can be generated depending upon the type of methodology used. A suitable combination of selected quantitative and texture features can further improve the accuracy of tumor classification. Machine learning (ML) classifiers based upon features derived from MRI data have shown potential in tumor classification. There is a need for further research studies on selecting an appropriate combination of features and evaluating the performance of different ML classifiers for accurate classification of breast tumors. The objective of the current study was to develop and optimize an ML framework based upon mp‐MRI features for the characterization of breast tumors (malignant vs. benign and low‐ vs. high‐grade). This study included the breast mp‐MRI data of 60 female patients with histopathology results. A total of 128 features were extracted from the mp‐MRI tumor data followed by features selection. Five ML classifiers were evaluated for tumor classification using 10‐fold crossvalidation with 10 repetitions. The support vector machine (SVM) classifier based on optimum features selected using a wrapper method with an adaptive boosting (AdaBoost) technique provided the highest sensitivity (0.96 ± 0.03), specificity (0.92 ± 0.09), and accuracy (94% ± 2.91%) in the classification of malignant versus benign tumors. This method also provided the highest sensitivity (0.94 ± 0.07), specificity (0.80 ± 0.05), and accuracy (90% ± 5.48%) in the classification of low‐ versus high‐grade tumors. These findings suggest that the SVM classifier outperformed other ML methods in the binary classification of breast tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioblastoma is a highly infiltrative neoplasm with a high propensity of recurrence. The location of recurrence usually cannot be anticipated and depends on various factors, including the surgical resection margins. Currently, radiation planning utilizes the hyperintense signal from T2‐FLAIR MRI and is delivered to a limited area defined by standardized guidelines. To this end, noninvasive early prediction and delineation of recurrence can aid in tailored targeted therapy, which may potentially delay the relapse, consequently improving overall survival. In this work, we hypothesize that radiomics‐based phenotypic quantifiers may support the detection of recurrence before it is visualized on multimodal MRI. We employ retrospective longitudinal data from 29 subjects with a varying number of time points (three to 13) that includes glioblastoma recurrence. Voxelwise textural and intensity features are computed from multimodal MRI (T1‐contrast enhanced [T1CE], FLAIR, and apparent diffusion coefficient), primarily to gain insights into longitudinal radiomic changes from preoperative MRI to recurrence and subsequently to predict the region of relapse from 143 ± 42 days before recurrence using machine learning. T1CE MRI first‐order and gray‐level co‐occurrence matrix features are crucial in detecting local recurrence, while multimodal gray‐level difference matrix and first‐order features are highly predictive of the distant relapse, with a voxelwise test accuracy of 80.1% for distant recurrence and 71.4% for local recurrence. In summary, our work exemplifies a step forward in predicting glioblastoma recurrence using radiomics‐based phenotypic changes that may potentially serve as MR‐based biomarkers for customized therapeutic intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of extensional strain and strain rate on dispersed phase size during blending of a dilute mixture of vinyl polymers, high‐density polyethylene in polystyrene, was examined; the viscosity ratio was substantially larger than four so that shearing was not expected to contribute to drop breakup. Coarse blends were formulated by employing an internal mixer, and these blends were processed through different converging dies attached to the outlet of a capillary viscometer. Variables included the die geometry and the volumetric flow rate. Average dispersed phase sizes were determined by analyzing scanning electron micrographs of sections of strands leaving the viscometer, and it was found that extensional flow was very effective in reducing the dispersed phase size. Coarse blends were also formulated by separately incorporating nanoparticles of hydrophobic fumed silica as well as hydrophilic fumed silica in the blends at a 4 wt% nanofiller level. This resulted in a significant reduction in drop size compared to the previous value; this was likely the result of lowered drop coalescence. These nanoparticle‐containing blends were also subjected to extensional flow, and this resulted in a further reduction in the average dispersed phase size. However, the final result was only slightly better than that obtained previously with the help of extensional flow alone. This suggests the use of nanoparticle incorporation along with employing extensional flow when the presence of nanoparticles provides multifunctionality to the resulting blend. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In acute‐ischemic‐stroke patients, penumbra assessment plays a significant role in treatment outcome. MR perfusion‐weighted imaging (PWI) and diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) mismatch ratio can provide penumbra assessment. Recently reported studies have shown the potential of susceptibility‐weighted imaging (SWI) in the qualitative assessment of penumbra. We hypothesize that quantitative penumbra assessment using SWI‐DWI can provide an alternative to the PWI‐DWI approach and this can also reduce the overall scan‐time. The purpose of the current study was to develop a framework for accurate quantitative assessment of penumbra using SWI‐DWI and its validation with PWI‐DWI‐based quantification. In the current study, the arterial‐spin‐labelling (ASL) technique has been used for PWI. This retrospective study included 25 acute‐ischemic‐stroke patients presenting within 24 hours of the last noted baseline condition of stroke onset. Eleven patients also had follow‐up MRI within 48 hours. MRI acquisition comprised DWI, SWI, pseudo‐continuous‐ASL (pCASL), FLAIR and non‐contrast‐angiography sequences. A framework was developed for the enhancement of prominent hypo‐intense vein signs followed by automatic segmentation of the SWI penumbra ROI. Apparent‐diffusion‐coefficient (ADC) maps and cerebral‐blood‐flow (CBF) maps were computed. The infarct core ROI from the ADC map and the ASL penumbra ROI from CBF maps were segmented semiautomatically. The infarct core volume, SWI penumbra volume (SPV) and pCASL penumbra volume were computed and used to calculate mismatch ratios MRSWIADC and MRCBFADC. The Dice coefficient between the SWI penumbra ROI and ASL penumbra ROI was 0.96 ± 0.07. MRSWIADC correlated well (r = 0.90, p < 0.05) with MRCBFADC, which validates the hypothesis of accurate penumbra assessment using the SWI‐DWI mismatch ratio. Moreover, a significant association between high SPV and the presence of vessel occlusion in the MR angiogram was observed. Follow‐up data showed salvation of penumbra tissue (location and volumes predicted by proposed framework) by treatments. Additionally, functional‐outcome analysis revealed 93.3% of patients with MRSWIADC> 1 benefitted from revascularization therapy. Overall, the proposed automated quantitative assessment of penumbra using the SWI‐DWI mismatch ratio performs equivalently to the ASL PWI‐DWI mismatch ratio. This approach provides an alternative to the perfusion sequence required for penumbra assessment, which can reduce scan time by 17% for the protocol without a perfusion sequence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isolated duodenal injury is rare as they are usually associated with other visceral injuries. Diagnosis of a duodenal injury is difficult, and its management is challenging. Hence, it is important to timely recognize such injuries for better outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI is a non‐invasive molecular imaging technique with potential applications in pre‐clinical and clinical studies. Applications of amide proton transfer‐weighted (APT‐w), glutamate‐weighted (Glu‐w) and creatine‐weighted (Cr‐w) CEST, among others, have been reported. In general, CEST data are acquired at multiple offset‐frequencies. In reported studies, different offset‐frequency step sizes and interpolation methods have been used during B0 inhomogeneity correction of data. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effects of different step sizes and interpolation methods on CEST value computation. In the current study, simulation (Glu‐w, Cr‐w and APT‐w) and experimental data from the brain were used. Experimental CEST data (Glu‐w) were acquired from human volunteers at 7 T and brain tumor patients (APT‐w) at 3 T. During B0 inhomogeneity correction, different interpolation methods (polynomial [degree‐1, 2 and 3], cubic‐Hermite, cubic‐spline and smoothing‐spline) were compared. CEST values were computed using asymmetry analysis. The effects of different step sizes and interpolation methods were evaluated using coefficient of variation (CV), normalized mean square error (nMSE) and coefficient of correlation parameters. Additionally, an optimum interpolation method for APT‐w values was selected based upon fitting accuracy, T‐test, receiver operating characteristic analysis, and its diagnostic performance in differentiating low‐grade and high‐grade tumors. CV and nMSE increase with an increase in step size irrespective of the interpolation method (except for cubic‐Hermite and cubic‐spline). The nMSE of Cr‐w and Glu‐w CEST values were least for polynomial (degree‐2 and 3). The quality of Glu‐w CEST maps became coarse with the increase in step size. There was a significant difference (P <.05) between low‐grade and high‐grade tumors using polynomial interpolation (degree‐1, 2 and 3); however, linear interpolation outperforms other methods for APT‐w data, providing the highest sensitivity and specificity. In conclusion, depending upon the saturation parameters and field strength, optimization of step size and interpolation should be carried out for different CEST metabolites/molecules. Glu‐w, Cr‐w and APT‐w CEST data should be acquired with a step size of between 0.2 and 0.3 ppm. For B0 inhomogeneity correction, polynomial (degree‐2) should be used for Glu‐w and Cr‐w CEST data at 7 T and linear interpolation should be used for APT‐w data at 3 T for a limited frequency range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Radiomics in neuroimaging has gained momentum as a noninvasive prediction tool not only to differentiate between types of brain tumors, but also to create phenotypic signatures in neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. However, there is currently little understating about the robustness and reproducibility of radiomic features in a baseline normative population. Purpose To investigate the intra‐ and interscanner reproducibility, spatial robustness, and sensitivity of radiomics on fluid attenuation inversion recovery (FLAIR) images, which are widely used in neuro‐oncology investigations. Study Type: Retrospective. Population Three separate datasets of healthy controls: 1) 87 subjects (age range 12–64 years), 2) intrascanner three timepoints, four subjects, and 3) interscanner, eight subjects at three different sites. Field Strength/Sequence: T2‐weighted FLAIR at 1.5T and 3.0T. Assessment Spatial variance across lobes, and their relation with age/gender, intra‐ and inter‐scanner reproducibility (with and without site harmonization) of radiomics. Statistical Tests: Analysis of variance (ANOVA), interclass correlation (ICC), coefficient of variation (CoV), Bland–Altman analysis. Results: Analysis of data revealed no differences between genders; however, multiple radiomic features were highly associated with age (P < 0.05). Spatial variability was also evaluated where only 29.04% gray matter and 38.7% white matter features demonstrated an ICC >0.5. Furthermore, the results demonstrated intra‐scanner reliability (ICC >0.5); however, inter‐scanner reproducibility was poor, with ICC < 0.5 for 82% gray matter and 78.5% white matter features. The inter‐scanner reliability improved (ICC < 0.5 for 39.67% gray matter and 38% white matter features) using site‐harmonization techniques. Data Conclusion: These findings suggest that, accounting for age, spatial locations in radiomics‐based analysis and use of intersite radiomics harmonization is crucial before interpreting these features for pathological inference. Level of Evidence 3. Technical Efficacy Stage 1. J. MAGN. RESON. IMAGING 2021;53:394–407. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: To evaluate the performance of multiparametric MR images in differentiation of different regions of the gross tumor area and for assessment of glioma grade.Methods: Forty-six glioma subjects (18 grade II, 11 grade III, and 17 grade IV) underwent a comprehensive MR and spectroscopic imaging procedure. Maps were generated by subtraction of T1-weighted images from contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images (ΔT1 map) and T1-weighted images from T2-weighted images (ΔT2 map). Regions of interest (ROIs) were positioned in normal-appearing white matter (NAWM), enhancing tumor, hyperintense T2, necrotic region, and immediate and distal peritumoral regions (IPR and DPR). Relative signal contrast was estimated as difference between mean intensities in ROIs and NAWM. Classification using support vector machines was applied to all image series to determine the efficacy of regional contrast measures for differentiation of low- and high-grade lesions and grade III and IV lesions.Results: ΔT1 and ΔT2 maps offered higher contrast as compared to other parametric maps in differentiating enhancing tumor and edematous regions, respectively, and provided the highest classification accuracy for differentiating low- and high-grade tumors, of 91% and 90.4%. Choline/N-acetylaspartate maps provided significant contrast for delineating IPR and DPR. For differentiating high-grade gliomas, ΔT2 and ΔT1 maps provided a mean accuracy of 90.9% and 88.2%, which was lower than that obtained using cerebral blood volume (93.7%) and choline/creatine (93.3%) maps.Conclusion: This study showed that subtraction maps provided significant contrast in differentiating several regions of the gross tumor area and are of benefit for accurate tumor grading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an adult female in whom two‐dimensional transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated encroachment of the thoracic spine on the left atrium (LA) resulting in a very small, compressed LA cavity by a prominent thoracic spine shadow. Computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest showed compression of the LA produced by localized anterior deformation of the thoracic spine which had resulted from blunt injury to her spine following a fall from a swing several years previously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To extend existing research, this study examines whether private equity (PE) and corporate governance affect firm value using empirical data on the small and medium‐sized boards of listed initial public offering companies in China. The empirical results show that PE investment can raise firm value as well as affect management behavior at the macro level. At the micro level, the greater PE firms' shareholding, the higher is firm value, which is positively influenced by the time the PE stake has been held. PE reputation and foreign PE are also positively related to firm value. Finally, corporate governance plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between PE investment and firm value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over recent years, research on the ligand‐protected silver clusters have gained significant interest owing to their unique potential applications in catalysis, organic optoelectronics, and luminescent materials. However, the synthesis of structurally precise high‐nuclearity silver nanoclusters is still challenging and become one of the prime interests of chemists. The controllable synthesis of high‐nuclearity silver nanoclusters involves the ingenious use of capping ligands or/and templating agents. Thereinto, the main role of the templating agents is to promote the order arrangement of silver ions around them to form discrete molecules. Our lab has performed comprehensive studies on the ligand‐protected silver clusters in the past eight years. This review highlights recent progress in the use of inorganic template anions, silver precursors, solvents, and the ligand types in synthesizing high‐nuclearity silver nanoclusters. Furthermore, some interesting photo‐ and electrochemical properties revealed by silver clusters including luminescent thermochromism, electrical conductivity, and electrochemical reduction of H2O2 have been also summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) provides vascular information and plays an important role in improving the diagnostic accuracy of preoperative glioma grading. Intratumoral susceptibility signal intensities (ITSS) obtained from SWI has been used in glioma grading. However, the current method for estimation of ITSS is semiquantitative, manual count-dependent, and includes hemorrhage as well as vasculature.Purpose: To develop a quantitative approach that calculates the vasculature volume within tumors by filtering out the hemorrhage from ITSS using R2 * values and connected component analysis-based segmentation algorithm; to evaluate the accuracy of the proposed ITSS vasculature volume (IVV) for differentiating various grades of glioma; and compare it with reported semiquantitative ITSS approach.Study Type: Retrospective.Subjects: Histopathologically confirmed 41 grade IV, 19 grade III, and 15 grade II glioma patients.Field Strength/Sequence: SWI (four echoes: 5.6, 11.8, 18, 24.2 msec) along with conventional MRI sequences (T2 -weighted, T1 -weighted, 3D-fluid-attenuated inversion recovery [FLAIR], and diffusion-weighted imaging [DWI]) at 3.0T.Assessment: R2 * relaxation maps were calculated from multiecho SWI. The R2 * cutoff value for hemorrhage ITSS was determined. A segmentation algorithm was designed, based on this R2 * hemorrhage combined with connected component shape analysis, to quantify the IVV from all slices containing tumor by filtering out hemorrhages. Semiquantitative ITSS scoring as well as total ITSS volume (TIV) including hemorrhages were also calculated.Statistical Tests: One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey-Kramer post-hoc tests were performed to see the difference among the three grades of the tumor (II, III, and IV) in terms of semiquantitative ITSS scoring, TIV, and IVV. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate the performance of the three methods individually in discriminating between grades of glioma.Results: One-way ANOVA showed that only the proposed IVV significantly differentiated different grades of gliomas having visible ITSS. ROC analysis showed that IVV provided the highest AUC for the discrimination of grade II vs. III (0.93), grade III vs. IV (0.98), and grade II vs. IV glioma (0.94). IVV also provided the highest sensitivity and specificity for differentiating grade II vs. III (87.44, 98.41), grade III vs. IV (97.15, 94.12), and grade II vs. IV (98.72, 92.31).Data Conclusion: The proposed quantitative method segregates hemorrhage from tumor vasculature. It scores above the existing semiquantitative method in terms of ITSS estimation and grading accuracy.Level Of Evidence: 4 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2020;51:225-233. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Glioma grading between intermediate grades (Grade II vs. III and Grade III vs. IV) as well as multiclass grades (Grade II vs. III vs. IV) is challenging and needs to be addressed.Purpose: To develop an artificial intelligence-based methodology for glioma grading using T1 perfusion parameters and volume of tumor components, and validate the efficacy of the methodology by grading on a cohort of glioma patients.Study Type: Retrospective.Population: The development set consisted of 53 glioma patients and validation consisted of 13 glioma patients.Field Strength/sequence: Conventional MRI images (2D T1 -W, dual PD-T2 -W, and 3D FLAIR) and 3D T1 perfusion MRI data obtained at 3 T.Assessment: Enhancing and nonenhancing components of glioma were segmented out and combined to form the region of interest (ROI) for glioma grading. Prominent vessels were removed from the selected ROI. Different T1 perfusion parameters from the ROI were combined with volume of tumor components to form the feature set for glioma grading. Optimization was carried out for selection of the statistic of the T1 perfusion parameters and the features to be used for glioma grading using sequential feature selection and random forest-based feature selection method. An optimized support vector machine (SVM) classifier was used for glioma grading.Statistical Tests: Mean ± SD, analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by the Tukey-Kramer test, ROC analysis.Results: Classification error for Grade II vs. III was 3.7%, for Grade III vs. IV was 5.26%, and for Grade II vs. III vs. IV was 9.43% using the proposed methodology. The mean of the values above the 90th percentile value of T1 perfusion parameters provided a maximum area under the curve (AUC) for intermediate grade differentiation. Random forest obtained optimal feature set provided better grading results than other methods using the SVM classifier.Data Conclusion: It was feasible to achieve low classification error for intermediate as well as multiclass glioma grading using an SVM classifier based on optimized features obtained from T1 perfusion MRI and volumes of tumor components.Level Of Evidence: 4 Technical Efficacy: Stage 3 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;50:1295-1306. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advanced wireless sensors, incorporating metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs), enzymatic systems, and nanocomposites, offer unparalleled solutions for monitoring analytes and human physiological signals. These cutting‐edge sensors, when used with external devices, enable real‐time monitoring of analytes and physicochemical processes within the human body, thereby enhancing the understanding of complex biological systems. This study presents advancements in sensor development, fabrication techniques, and user‐friendly protocols. The performance of these sensors is evaluated based on their selectivity, sensitivity, and detection limits. Moreover, this article explores limitations, challenges, and key strategies to enhance analyte recognition from onsite environmental and biological species, ensuring human point‐of‐care safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proton MRS (1H MRS) provides noninvasive, quantitative metabolite profiles of tissue and has been shown to aid the clinical management of several brain diseases. Although most modern clinical MR scanners support MRS capabilities, routine use is largely restricted to specialized centers with good access to MR research support. Widespread adoption has been slow for several reasons, and technical challenges toward obtaining reliable good‐quality results have been identified as a contributing factor. Considerable progress has been made by the research community to address many of these challenges, and in this paper a consensus is presented on deficiencies in widely available MRS methodology and validated improvements that are currently in routine use at several clinical research institutions. In particular, the localization error for the PRESS localization sequence was found to be unacceptably high at 3 T, and use of the semi‐adiabatic localization by adiabatic selective refocusing sequence is a recommended solution. Incorporation of simulated metabolite basis sets into analysis routines is recommended for reliably capturing the full spectral detail available from short TE acquisitions. In addition, the importance of achieving a highly homogenous static magnetic field (B0) in the acquisition region is emphasized, and the limitations of current methods and hardware are discussed. Most recommendations require only software improvements, greatly enhancing the capabilities of clinical MRS on existing hardware. Implementation of these recommendations should strengthen current clinical applications and advance progress toward developing and validating new MRS biomarkers for clinical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new YIII containing sandwich‐type heterometallic tungstophosphates: [Y{PM2W10O38(H2O)2}2]11– (M = CoII (1) and ZnII (2)) have been synthesized under mild reaction conditions. Both the molecular complexes 1 a and 2 a were synthesized by reacting Y(NO3)3⋅6H2O, M(NO3)2⋅6H2O (M = CoII and ZnII) with Wells‐Dawson type divacant K14[P2W19O69(H2O)]⋅24H2O precursor. The potassium salts of single crystalline material were collected and further used for characterization with different analytical techniques including single crystal X‐ray diffraction (SC‐XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP‐AES), 31P, 183W and 89Y nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, high‐resolution electro‐spray ionization mass spectrometry (HR‐ESI‐MS) as well as thermogravimetric analysis. Single crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis shows that both polyanions crystallize in the orthorhombic crystal system with space group Iba2. Each polyanion consists of (1,5) isomer of di‐metal substituted α‐Keggin type tungstophosphates, which sandwiched a YIII ion. We have reported two new purely inorganic YIII containing di‐metal substituted sandwich‐type tungstophosphate nanoclusters [Y{PM2W10O38(H2O)2}2]11– (M=CoII (1) and ZnII (2)) followed by one pot reaction procedure under mild reaction conditions. Both compounds were well characterized with different analytical techniques. The polyanion 1 and 2 consist of two units of (1,5) isomers of di‐metal substituted hetero Keggin [PM2W10O38(H2O)2]7– anion, sandwiched by yttrium ion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new YIII containing sandwich‐type heterometallic tungstophosphates: [Y{PM2W10O38(H2O)2}2]11– (M = CoII (1) and ZnII (2)) have been synthesized under mild reaction conditions. Both the molecular complexes 1 a and 2 a were synthesized by reacting Y(NO3)3⋅6H2O, M(NO3)2⋅6H2O (M = CoII and ZnII) with Wells‐Dawson type divacant K14[P2W19O69(H2O)]⋅24H2O precursor. The potassium salts of single crystalline material were collected and further used for characterization with different analytical techniques including single crystal X‐ray diffraction (SC‐XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP‐AES), 31P, 183W and 89Y nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, high‐resolution electro‐spray ionization mass spectrometry (HR‐ESI‐MS) as well as thermogravimetric analysis. Single crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis shows that both polyanions crystallize in the orthorhombic crystal system with space group Iba2. Each polyanion consists of (1,5) isomer of di‐metal substituted α‐Keggin type tungstophosphates, which sandwiched a YIII ion. We have reported two new purely inorganic YIII containing di‐metal substituted sandwich‐type tungstophosphate nanoclusters [Y{PM2W10O38(H2O)2}2]11– (M=CoII (1) and ZnII (2)) followed by one pot reaction procedure under mild reaction conditions. Both compounds were well characterized with different analytical techniques. The polyanion 1 and 2 consist of two units of (1,5) isomers of di‐metal substituted hetero Keggin [PM2W10O38(H2O)2]7– anion, sandwiched by yttrium ion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is used in packaging applications, but its moisture barrier properties are inferior to poly(ethylene terephthalate) and polystyrene. One objective of the study was to improve these by dispersing nanoclay in PLA. It was found that Cloisite 30B nanoclay showed the best dispersion based on both permeability and transmission electron microscopy results. Compression molded nanocomposite films were amorphous, and moisture permeability measurements revealed that, at the highest loading level of 5.3 vol % organoclay, permeability was reduced by 69% compared to neat PLA. Additionally, independent experiments demonstrated that moisture solubility in the polymer remains unchanged even as solubility in the nanocomposite increases with increasing clay content. A second objective was to explain the measured permeability reduction. A new model is proposed where both the mass flux and area for mass transfer are reduced due to a tortuous path around the impermeable barriers. It is shown that the permeability decreases by a factor of ( 1 + h 2 t φ ) 2 where h/t is the aspect ratio of the nanoplatelets, and ϕ is their volume fraction. Model predictions agree quantitatively with the measured permeability values when data are obtained as a function of filler volume fraction, temperature of measurement, and the concentration driving force. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018, 135, 46506. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Glioma grade along with patient's age and general health are used for treatment planning and prognosis.Purpose: To characterize and quantify the spontaneous blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) fluctuations in gliomas using measures based on T2*-weighted signal time-series and to distinguish between high- and low-grade gliomas.Study Type: Retrospective.Subjects: Twenty-one patients with high-grade and 13 patients with low-grade gliomas confirmed on histology were investigated.Field Strength/sequence: Dynamic T2*-weighted (multislice single-shot echo-planar-imaging) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed on a 3T system with an 8-element receive-only head coil to measure the BOLD fluctuations. In addition, a dynamic T1 -weighted (3D fast field echo) dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) perfusion scan was performed.Assessment: Three BOLD measures were determined: the temporal shift (TS), amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (ALFF), and regional homogeneity (ReHo). DCE perfusion-based cerebral blood volume (CBV) and time-to-peak (TTP) maps were concurrently evaluated for comparison.Statistical Tests: An analysis-of-variance test was first used. When the test appeared significant, post-hoc analysis was performed using analysis-of-covariance with age as covariate. Logistic regression and receiver-operator characteristic curve analysis were also performed.Results: TS was significantly advanced in high-grade gliomas compared to the contralateral cortex (P = 0.01) and low-grade gliomas (P = 0.009). In high-grade gliomas, ALFF and CBV were significantly higher than the contralateral cortex (P = 0.041 and P = 0.008, respectively) and low-grade gliomas (P = 0.036 and P = 0.01, respectively). ReHo and TTP did not show significant differences between high- and low-grade gliomas (P = 0.46 and P = 0.42, respectively). The area-under-curve was above 0.7 only for the TS, ALFF, and CBV measures.Data Conclusion: Advanced and amplified hemodynamic fluctuations manifest in high-grade gliomas, but not in low-grade gliomas, and can be assessed using BOLD measures. Preliminary results showed that quantification of spontaneous fluctuations has potential for hemodynamic characterization of gliomas and distinguishing between high- and low-grade gliomas.Level Of Evidence: 4 Technical Efficacy: Stage 5 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2018;47:1616-1625. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Clinical Message Human embryonic stem cell (hESC) therapy is the potential therapeutic option for the treatment of patients with aplastic anemia (AA). The study showed a remarkable improvement in the AA patient subsequent to hESC administration. No adverse events occurred in the patient. hESC therapy is safe and effective for AA patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past two decades, a number of studies have examined the benefits of diversifying equity investments internationally, particularly into emerging markets. In the portfolio construction process, many researchers have criticised Markowitz's Portfolio Theory because of its inherent assumptions such as symmetric and constant correlations. In this study, we use a conditional copula model to estimate the time-varying asymmetric correlations of stock markets and construct optimal portfolios by using estimated correlations. We find that optimised portfolios provide significant benefits for both Australian and the US investors. Out-of-sample results show Copula model provides results closer to the in-sample-estimated benefits of diversification. The results have important implications for portfolio managers who seek to diversify into emerging markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a unique case of pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA) in a 19-year-old male presenting with the chief complaint of seizures. On radiology, the tumor was located in the temporal lobe. It was cortically based and solid cystic in nature. Light microscopy showed pleomorphic large polygonal cells with inclusions, nuclear clustering, lipidization, and foamy cytoplasm intermingled with spindle cells arranged in sweeping pattern and focally containing cytoplasmic brownish black pigment. The pigment stained black with Fontana-Masson stain and bleached with potassium permanganate. Gomori silver stain showed reticulin fibers surrounding individual tumor cells as well as groups of cells. On immunohistochemistry, tumor cells were positive for GFAP, S-100 and focally for synaptophysin and CD34 but negative for HMB-45. CD34 revealed a specific membranous pattern around individual cells as well as groups of cells along the fibers replicating a reticulin pattern. The ultrastructural examination showed supporting melanosomes, thus confirming the melanin pigment. Sequencing for BRAF V600E showed a heterozygous mutation. To our knowledge only five cases of PXA with melanin pigment have been reported and none of which described BRAF V600E mutation analysis. This case provides further insight into the origin and pathogenesis of pigmented astrocytic tumor, additionally highlighting the characteristic CD34 staining pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systematic information on the quantitative impact of Z ygogramma bicolorata on the biology of P arthenium hysterophorus is crucial as the seeds of this weed continue to germinate from the accumulated soil seed bank throughout the year in the form of different germinating flushes, while the activity of the beetle ceases during winter as it enters diapause. Therefore, plant-herbivore interactions need to be explored to develop predictions of the overall impact of the introduced beetle on the weed. The findings revealed that defoliation by Z . bicolorata had a significant impact on the plant height, density and flower production in flushes F3, F4 and F5, but not in F1 and F2 that exhibited longer periodicity, profuse branching, a longer flowering period and maximum flower production and contributed mostly to the existing seed soil bank. Therefore, total depletion of the existing soil seed bank was not possible. Consequently, the effect of augmentative field releases of laboratory-reared beetles was explored on F1 and F2 in February for three consecutive years (2011-2013). Before initiating the trial, random soil samples were taken from the plots that were assigned to the paired treatments (i.e. with the beetle and without the beetle [insecticide-treated]) and it was found that the seed bank in those samples did not differ. The single release of Z . bicolorata adults at five per plant at the six-leaf stage significantly reduced the soil seed bank, compared to without the biocontrol agent, irrespective of the flushes at the end of the season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rising house prices in China have been of concern for investors and policymakers. Prices have risen substantially in the last decade, especially in large urban cities, and some economists have expressed concerns about the affordability of residential housing for young adults. This phenomenon becomes a major concern for policymakers, in terms of managing policies to balance the residential needs of individuals and the transition to a market economy. Theoretically, house prices ought to be linked to economic factors such as disposable income, availability of land to build and credit policy. However, it appears that traditional economic theories fail to appropriately explain house prices in China. We provide an explanation from the perspective of capital inflows into China. In terms of per capita remittances, China receives the highest inflow of foreign capital, and this may have a significant impact on risk adjusted returns in the Chinese market. To investigate this relationship, we use the vector error correction model to assess the impact of capital inflows on house prices. We find that capital inflows have a significant positive effect on house prices. The study makes important contributions to understanding the relationship between house prices and foreign remittances after controlling for other economic factors. China is a large economy. Because the impact of economic development in China has not been consistent across the country, we address the regional differences in the house price changes to capital inflows. Using regional data, we show that capital inflows have an asymmetric effect on the housing market across different provinces and cities of China. This has important implications for the development of economic policies in China that aim to provide fair access to residential housing for everyone. These findings are also relevant to investors in the housing market, whether investing for a personal residential home or as part of their diversified investment portfolio. It will also be informative to see how a reversal of capital inflows associated with tighter financing conditions in advanced countries will affect house prices in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) is the mildest form of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) and is characterized by deficits in neurocognitive performance without any clinical symptoms of HE. In the current study, we aim to evaluate and compare the neurocognitive, biochemical, and brain magnetic resonance (MR) imaging changes between patients with cirrhotic MHE and extrahepatic portal vein obstruction (EHPVO) MHE. Methods Thirty-three cirrhotic and 14 EHPVO patients were diagnosed with MHE and were included in the analysis along with 24 normal healthy volunteers. All subjects underwent MR imaging including diffusion tensor imaging and proton MR spectroscopy (1H-MRS) followed by cognitive assessments, critical flicker frequency (CFF) measurements, quantification of blood ammonia, and serum proinflammatory cytokine levels. Results We observed abnormal neurocognitive functions and CFF measurements in both cirrhotic MHE and EHPVO MHE patients as compared with controls. Significantly increased blood ammonia, serum proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α) level, mean diffusivity in multiple brain sites, 1H-MRS derived glutamate/glutamine (Glx)/creatine (Cr), and significantly decreased 1H-MRS derived myo-inositol/Cr were observed in both cirrhotic MHE and EHPVO MHE compared with those of controls. Choline/Cr level was significantly decreased in cirrhotic MHE as compared with controls and EHPVO MHE. Conclusions Cirrhotic MHE showed more severe changes on mean diffusivity in multiple brain sites and inflammation as compared with EHPVO MHE. This study confirms that there are significant difference in neurocognitive, biochemical, and MR profile between cirrhotic MHE and EHPVO MHE, which may help to understand the pathophysiologies of these two types of MHE and may contribute to improve their clinical managements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The combination of elevated temperature and humidity leads to rapid degradation of polylactic acid (PLA) because of hydrolysis. Consequently, PLA, which is a bio-derived and biodegradable polymer, is not currently used for durable applications since properties cannot always be maintained over time. In this work, the ability of polymer crystals to reduce the rate of degradation during accelerated aging tests was studied. Also examined was the influence of addition of 2 wt % graphene nanoplatelets to act as moisture transport barriers in the polymer. PLA samples were immersed in aqueous media of different pH or exposed to 100% relative humidity at 50 °C for different lengths of time to study the hydrolytic degradation behavior. In addition to monitoring the loss in mass of the samples, the values of crystallinity, melt viscosity, and mechanical properties, among others, were measured as functions of aging time using techniques such as DSC and rheometry. It was found that both crystallization and graphene addition are able to slow down the rate of degradation at short times, but significant degradation of PLA still occurs at long times. This is because PLA crystallites and graphene nanoplatelets can only reduce, but not eliminate, moisture diffusion into the polymer sample. Between the use of nanoplatelets and crystals, though, the former approach may be the better choice since enhanced crystallization tends to make PLA brittle. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 44166. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to examine whether the intensity of trade and investment linkages among the countries matter for their stock market long-run relationship. To achieve this, we classify Australia's bilateral trade and investment partners into major, medium and minor. Empirical findings of an asymmetric generalised dynamic conditional correlation generalised autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity model show that correlations are time varying and increased significantly during the global financial crisis (GFC). Results of multivariate cointegration test confirm the long-run equilibrium relationship between the stock markets of Australia and its major partners in the pre-GFC and during GFC. Based on the full-sample results, it indicates that the GFC has segmented the stock markets from the long-run equilibrium relationship. Granger non-causality test results on full sample show that Australian stock market causes only the New Zealand market while the USA, the UK, Germany, Canada, Switzerland and Italy drives the Australian market. Our results therefore suggest that the intensity of bilateral trade and investment linkages among the countries matter for their stock markets' long-term relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stillbirth is a prevalent adverse outcome of pregnancy in India despite efforts to improve care of women during pregnancy. Risk factors for stillbirths include sociodemographic factors, medical complications during pregnancy, intake of harmful drugs, and complications during delivery. The objective of the study was to examine the risk factors for stillbirth with a focus on sex selection drugs (SSDs).Methods: A population-based case-control study was undertaken in Haryana. Cases of stillbirths were identified from the Maternal Infant Death Review System portal of Haryana state for the months of August-September 2014. A consecutive birth from the same geographical area as the case was selected as the control. The sample size was 325 per group. Mothers were interviewed using a validated tool. Bivariate analyses and logistic regression were conducted to examine the association between risk factors and stillbirth. Attributable risk proportions (ARP) and population attributable risk proportions (PARP) were estimated.Results: The sociodemographic profiles of the cases and controls were similar. History of intake of SSDs [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5, 4.5] emerged as a risk factor. Other significant factors were preterm <37 weeks (OR 3.5, 95% CI 2.1, 6.0), history of previous stillbirths (OR 4.0, 95% CI 2.1, 7.8), and complications during labour (OR 3.3, 95% CI 2.1, 5.3). Estimates of the ARP and PARP for intake of SSDs were 0.60 (95% CI 0.32, 0.77) and 0.1 (95% CI -0.13, 0.28), respectively.Conclusions: SSDs could be attributed as a risk factor in a fifth of the cases of stillbirths. The number needed to harm for the use of SSDs in causing adverse effect of stillbirths was 5, suggesting thereby that for every five mothers exposed to SSDs, one would have stillbirth. Greater efforts are required to inform people about the harmful effects of SSD consumption during pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of lanthanoid-substituted polyoxometalates have been synthesized by a self-assembly process in potassium chloride solution by the reaction of dilacunary [P2W19O69(H2O)]14- with mid- and late-lanthanoid Ln(NO3)3 · nH2O salts leading to the formation of the tetrameric tungstophosphates [(Ln2PW10O38)4(W3O8)(OH)4(H2O)2]26- [Ln = Y3+ ( 1), Sm3+ ( 2), Eu3+ ( 3), Gd3+ ( 4), Tb3+ ( 5), Dy3+ ( 6), Ho3+ ( 7), Er3+ ( 8), Tm3+ ( 9), Yb3+ ( 10)]. The polyanions were isolated as potassium or mixed-alkali salts. Most of the compounds were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and various analytical techniques, such as FTIR, UV/Vis, 31P NMR and photoluminescence spectroscopy, magnetism, as well as thermogravimetric analysis. The FTIR spectra suggest that all the compounds are isomorphous. The crystal structures of these complexes consist of four A-[α-PW10O36]7- units, each incorporating two LnIII ions to create four Keggin-like anions that further assemble with three additional tungstate units to form a tetramer species with C2 symmetry. The photoluminescent properties of 3a and 6a were investigated following photoexcitation at room temperature. The magnetic properties of 3a, 4a, 5a and 6a were investigated at room temperature, the complexes exhibiting paramagnetic behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of lanthanoid-substituted polyoxometalates have been synthesized by a self-assembly process in potassium chloride solution by the reaction of dilacunary [P2W19O69(H2O)]14- with mid- and late-lanthanoid Ln(NO3)3 · nH2O salts leading to the formation of the tetrameric tungstophosphates [(Ln2PW10O38)4(W3O8)(OH)4(H2O)2]26- [Ln = Y3+ ( 1), Sm3+ ( 2), Eu3+ ( 3), Gd3+ ( 4), Tb3+ ( 5), Dy3+ ( 6), Ho3+ ( 7), Er3+ ( 8), Tm3+ ( 9), Yb3+ ( 10)]. The polyanions were isolated as potassium or mixed-alkali salts. Most of the compounds were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and various analytical techniques, such as FTIR, UV/Vis, 31P NMR and photoluminescence spectroscopy, magnetism, as well as thermogravimetric analysis. The FTIR spectra suggest that all the compounds are isomorphous. The crystal structures of these complexes consist of four A-[α-PW10O36]7- units, each incorporating two LnIII ions to create four Keggin-like anions that further assemble with three additional tungstate units to form a tetramer species with C2 symmetry. The photoluminescent properties of 3a and 6a were investigated following photoexcitation at room temperature. The magnetic properties of 3a, 4a, 5a and 6a were investigated at room temperature, the complexes exhibiting paramagnetic behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Studies of brain tumors have identified altered tissue metabolism and water diffusion in MRI normal appearing tissue regions. In this retrospective study the relationship of these imaging measures with tumor grade in gliomas was investigated. METHODS: MR spectroscopic imaging of whole brain and mean diffusivity (MD) measurements were obtained in subjects with untreated glioma and from normal control subjects. Mean metabolite values for N-acetylaspartate (NAA), total creatine (Cre), and total choline (Cho) were obtained in gray- and white-matter regions for the hemisphere contralateral to the tumor location, and MD values were obtained from contralateral normal-appearing white matter. Analyses tested for differences in mean values between subject groups while accounting for age. RESULTS: Analysis demonstrated increased NAA/Cre and MD, and decreased Cho/NAA for all tumor grades relative to control values. Differences between tumor grades were also observed for NAA, NAA/Cre, and Cho/NAA. Abnormal values of water diffusion were also observed, but with only a weak association between alterations in diffusion and tissue metabolites. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports previous observations of altered tissue metabolism and water diffusion in normal-appearing white matter while additionally finding differences of metabolite values in gray matter and an association with tumor grade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Ependymomas are relatively rare glial tumours, whose pathogenesis is not well elucidated. They are enigmatic tumours that show site-specific differences in their biological behaviour. Recent studies have hypothesized that ependymoma cancer stem cells ( CSCs) are derived from radial glia and express stem cell markers such as nestin, which is associated with a poor prognosis. CSCs reside in 'vascular niches', where endothelial cells and molecular signals like vascular endothelial growth factor ( VEGF) play an important role in their survival. Studies analysing VEGF expression in ependymomas showed that ependymal vascular proliferation is less sensitive to induction by VEGF, questioning the possible beneficial effect of anti- VEGF therapy in ependymomas. We aimed to study nestin and VEGF immunoexpression in ependymomas, correlate them with clinicopathological parameters and reveal a role for VEGF in ependymomas that extends beyond the context of tumour angiogenesis. Methods We analysed 126 cases of ependymomas of different grades and locations for nestin and VEGF immunoexpression. Endothelial cells were labelled with CD34. Vascular patterns and microvascular density was determined. Results Nestin and VEGF expression in tumour cells were more frequent in supratentorial tumours [89% (33/37) and 65% (24/37) respectively], and were associated with a significantly poor progression-free survival ( PFS). VEGF expression did not reveal any correlation with necrosis or bizarre vascular patterns. Conclusions Supratentorial location is an independent predictor of a poor PFS. Significant coexpression of nestin and VEGF suggests that latter possibly augments stem cell survival. Thus, anti- VEGF therapy may be a good option in future for nestin immunopositive ependymomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]