Do Indian economic activities impact ASEAN-5 stock markets?

This study examines the dynamic linkages of ASEAN-5 with India based on a multivariate framework. DCC-MGARCH model was used to assess the presence of contagion effects and herding behaviour, indicated by the dynamic conditional correlations. The var -Granger causality test was employed to capture the direction of dynamic volatility transmission at the short run. Findings showed that the dynamic correlation of ASEAN-5 stock markets with Indian economy is in par with the U.S. and Japan. The simultaneous sudden spike in Dynamic Conditional Correlation between India and ASEAN-5 and followed by immediate reversal to decreasing Dynamic Conditional Correlation in 2009 indicate a contagion effect and herding behaviour which coincided with European sovereign debt crisis. The immediate reversal back to decreasing Dynamic Conditional Correlation suggests that both countries are hardly contagious by external crisis. In the short run, there is no volatility spillover from Indian economic activities to ASEAN-5 stock markets but there is volatility spillover from stock markets of Indonesia and Singapore to Indian economic activities. Trade policies, economic crises and economic liberalisation play significant roles in shaping the structure of the dynamic volatility correlations between the studied markets. This study reveals that ASEAN-5 has become preferred markets for the diversification of stock portfolio for India in the short run

Simulation of Phase Behavior of Crude Oil using Different Equations of State (EOS)

The knowledge and understanding of the phase behavior of crude oil is essential in order to know the changes of fluid behavior with respect to changes of temperature and pressure. Phase behavior of hydrocarbon mixture can be modeled using equation of state (EOS). It offers the advantage of an improved fluid property prediction over conventional black oil model and can be used to predict behavior of the entire composition path and pressure range of the process. The purpose of this study is to investigate the modeling of crude oil phase behavior using four different EOS which are Peng-Robinson (PR), Redlich-Kwong (RK), Soave-Redlich-Kwong (SRK), and Zudkevitch-Joffe-Redlich-Kwong (Z.TRK). The phase behavior of crude oil are examined and compared among three commercial softwares which are PVTi (ECLIPSE), PVTx (TEMPEST) and PVTp (Petroleum Expert). This work investigated the equation that best simulated the experimental Pressure, Volume and Temperature (PVT) data and described the phase behavior of crude oil accurately. Adjustment on the parameters of the chosen EOS, known as tuning or regression, is made to improve the prediction of chosen EOS model to match a variety of experimental fluid data. The work focused on the comparison using different EOS cross checked using three commercial PVT simulation softwares to test for the accuracy. Statistical error analysis along are used to evaluate the accuracy and applicability of the result generated. The results indicated PR EOS is the most accurate EOS in describing the phase behavior of crude oil. It fitted good and provided good representation of PVT experimental data. The tuning of the equation further resulted in greater accuracy. An efficient way of tuning strategy has been developed in this work which emphasis on the critical importance of sequence. It is concluded that the sequence of tuning which started with critical properties followed by BIC and omega properties resulted in greater accuracy

Effect of fermented fruits on the growth performance, shedding of Enterobacteriaceae and Lactobacilli in post-weaning pigs

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of fermented fruits (FF) on the growth performance, Enterobacteriaceae and Lactobacillus counts in faeces of the post-weaning piglets. A total of twenty-four 4 weeks old LandracexLarge WhitexDuroc with initial body weight of 6 kg were used in this study. The piglets were housed individually in metabolic cage and randomly assigned to four groups with six piglets per group. The piglets were fed on basal diet without antibiotic (AF), basal diets with antibiotic (Ab), basal diet with 10% (w/w) fermented fruit (10% FF) and basal diet with 20% (w/w) fermented fruit (20% FF). Faecal samples were taken directly from the rectum of each piglet and cultured for Enterobacteriaceae and Lactobacillus counts. In the growth performance, the piglets of Ab and 10%FF had significantly higher (p0.05) were observed between AF, Ab and 10%FF. Studies showed that the use of fermented fruits (FF) could significantly (p<0.05) reduce Enterobacteriaceae population in piglets' faeces compared to the use of normal feed (AF) and antibiotic (Ab). However, the Lactobacillus population in the faeces was increased in those piglets fed with diets added with FF

Utilisation of earthworm meal in partial replacement of soybean and fish meals in diets of broilers

To study the effect of worm meal (WM) as partial replacement of soybean and fish meals in the diets, a total of 245 day-old broiler chicks were randomly assigned to five different treatment groups (0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% WM) in partial replacement of soybean and fish meals for a period of 6 weeks. The final body weight, growth rate and feed efficiency of the 10% and 15% WM groups broiler were better (P0.05) in Enterobacteriaceae count or fecal pH. These results suggest that WM could be used to replace soybean and fish meals between 10 to 15% in broiler diets

Racemization at the Asp 58 residue in alphaA-crystallin from the lens of high myopic cataract patients

Post-translational modifications in lens proteins are key causal factors in cataract. As the most abundant post-translational modification in the lens, racemization may be closely related to the pathogenesis of cataract. Racemization of αA-crystallin, a crucial structural and heat shock protein in the human lens, could significantly influence its structure and function. In previous studies, elevated racemization from l-Asp 58 to d-isoAsp58 in αA-crystallin has been found in age-related cataract (ARC) lenses compared to normal aged human lenses. However, the role of racemization in high myopic cataract (HMC), which is characterized by an early onset of nuclear cataract, remains unknown. In the current study, apparently different from ARC, significantly increased racemization from l-Asp 58 to d-Asp 58 in αA-crystallin was identified in HMC lenses. The average racemization rates for each Asp isoform were calculated in ARC and HMC group. In ARC patients, the conversion of l-Asp 58 to d-isoAsp 58, up to 31.89%, accounted for the main proportion in racemization, which was in accordance with the previous studies. However, in HMC lenses, the conversion of l-Asp 58 to d-Asp 58, as high as 35.44%, accounted for the largest proportion of racemization in αA-crystallin. The different trend in the conversion of αA-crystallin by racemization, especially the elevated level of d-Asp 58 in HMC lenses, might prompt early cataractogenesis and a possible explanation of distinct phenotypes of cataract in HMC.Xiang-jia Zhu, Ke-ke Zhang, Wen-wen He, Yu Du, Michelle Hooi, Yi L

Case Report Isolated Pulmonary Infective Endocarditis with Septic Pulmonary Embolism Complicating a Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Obstruction: Scarce and Devious Presentation

We present a case of a fifty-three-year-old male who presented with severe sepsis. He had been treated as a pneumonia patient for five months before the admission. Investigations revealed isolated pulmonary valve endocarditis and septic pulmonary embolism in addition to undiagnosed right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) obstruction. The patient underwent surgery for the relief of RVOT obstruction by substantial muscle resection of the RVOT, pulmonary artery embolectomy, pulmonary valve replacement, and reconstruction of RVOT and main pulmonary artery with two separate bovine pericardial patches. He was discharged from our hospital after 6 weeks of intravenous antibiotics. He recovered well on follow-up 16 weeks after discharge. A high-suspicion index is needed to diagnose right-side heart endocarditis. Blood cultures and transesophageal echocardiogram are the key diagnostic tools

Dietary supplementation with L-arginine and combinations of different oil sources beneficially regulates body fat deposition, lipogenic gene expression, growth performance and carcass yield in broiler chickens

Context: Broiler meat with excessive of fat and saturated fatty acids content has serious health implication for consumers. The accumulation of abdominal fats in broiler chickens constitutes a loss of dietary energy and also reduces carcass yield. Oil rich in unsaturated fatty acids and L-arginine are effective for reducing fat deposition and improve meat quality. Aims: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of supplementation of L-arginine (L-Arg) with four combinations of palm oil (PO) and sunflower oil (SO) on growth performance, carcass yield, fat deposition, lipogenic gene expression and blood lipid profile in broiler chickens. Methods: A total of 180 1-day-old chicks (Cobb 500) were randomly assigned to five dietary treatments as: T1, 6% PO (control); T2, 6% PO + 0.25% L-Arg; T3, 4% PO + 2% SO + 0.25% L-Arg; T4, 2% PO + 4% SO + 0.25% L-Arg; and T5, 6% SO + 0.25% L-Arg. Key results: Birds fed L-Arg and combinations of PO and SO had higher weight gain at starter and finisher period compared with the control. The carcass yield increased, and relative abdominal fat reduced in broiler fed with combinations of L-Arg and increased level of SO in the diet. The concentration of oleic, palmitoleic and total monounsaturated fatty acids in liver tissue decreased by addition of L-Arg in broiler diet. The palmitic and total saturated fatty acid decreased, and total unsaturated fatty acid and polyunsaturated fatty acids increased in liver tissue when PO replaced progressively by SO supplemented with L-Arg in the diet. The acetyl-CoA carboxylase , stearoyl-CoA desaturase and fatty acid synthetase gene expression tended to decrease by supplementation of L-Arg with an increased level of SO compared with control. Conclusion: Supplementation with L-Arg and combination of PO and SO at the ratio of 4 : 2 could inhibit lipogenesis and subsequent lower abdominal fat deposition and enhance growth performance and carcass yield in broiler chickens

A novel (1,4)-beta-linked glucoxylan is synthesized by members of the cellulose synthase-like F gene family in land plants

As a significant component of monocot cell walls, (1,3;1,4)-β-glucan has conclusively been shown to be synthesized by the cellulose synthase-like F6 protein. In this study, we investigated the synthetic activity of other members of the barley (Hordeum vulgare) CslF gene family using heterologous expression. As expected, the majority of the genes encode proteins that are capable of synthesizing detectable levels of (1,3;1,4)-β-glucan. However, overexpression of HvCslF3 and HvCslF10 genes resulted in the synthesis of a novel linear glucoxylan that consists of (1,4)-β-linked glucose and xylose residues. To demonstrate that this product was not an aberration of the heterologous system, the characteristic (1,4)-β-linkage between glucose and xylose was confirmed to be present in wild type barley tissues known to contain HvCslF3 and HvCslF10 transcripts. This polysaccharide linkage has also been reported in species of Ulva, a marine green alga, and has significant implications for defining the specificity of the cell wall content of many crop species. This finding supports previous observations that members of a single CSL family may not possess the same carbohydrate synthetic activity, with the CSLF family now associated with the formation of not only (1,3)- and (1,4)-β-glucosidic linkages, but also (1,4)-β-glucosidic and (1,4)-β-xylosidic linkages.Alan Little, Jelle Lahnstein, David W. Jeffery, Shi F. Khor, Julian G. Schwerdt, Neil J. Shirley, Michelle Hooi, Xiaohui Xing, Rachel A. Burton, and Vincent Bulon

The Therapeutic Evaluation of Steroids in IgA Nephropathy Global (TESTING) Study: Trial Design and Baseline Characteristics

INTRODUCTION: Despite optimal current care, up to 30% of individuals suffering from immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) will develop kidney failure requiring dialysis or kidney transplantation. The Therapeutic Evaluation of STeroids in IgA Nephropathy Global (TESTING) study was designed to assess the benefits and risks of steroids in people with IgAN. We report the trial design as well as the baseline characteristics of study participants. METHODS: It is an investigator-initiated, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial of individuals with kidney biopsy-confirmed IgAN, proteinuria ≥1 g/day, and an estimated GFR of 20-120 mL/min/1.73 m2, following at least 3 months of standard of care including maximum labelled (or tolerated) dose of renin-angiotensin system blockade. The original study design randomized participants 1:1 to oral methylprednisolone (0.6-0.8 mg/kg/day, maximum 48 mg/day) for 2 months, with subsequent weaning by 8 mg/day/month over 6-8 months, or matching placebo. The intervention was modified in 2016 (due to an excess of serious infection) to low-dose methylprednisolone (0.4 mg/kg/day, maximum 32 mg/day) for 2 months, followed by weaning by 4 mg/day/month over 6-9 months, or matching placebo. Participants recruited after 2016 also received prophylaxis against Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia during the first 12 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: The study recruitment period extended from May 2012 to November 2019. By the time the excess of serious infections was observed, 262 participants had been randomized to the original full-dose treatment algorithm, and an interim analysis was reported in 2016. Subsequently, 241 additional participants were randomized to a revised low-dose protocol, for a total of 503 participants from China (373), India (78), Canada (24), Australia (18), and Malaysia (10). The mean age of randomized participants was 38, 39% were female, mean eGFR at randomization was 62.7 mL/min/1.73 m2, and mean 24-h urine protein 2.54 g. The primary endpoint is a composite of 40% eGFR decline from baseline or kidney failure (dialysis, transplantation, or death due to kidney disease), and participants will be followed until the primary outcome has been observed in at least 160 randomized participants. Analyses will also be made across predefined subgroups. Effects on eGFR slope and albuminuria will also be assessed overall, as well as by the steroid dosing regimen. CONCLUSIONS: The TESTING study (combined full and low dose) will define the benefits of corticosteroid use on major kidney outcomes, as well as the risks of therapy, and provide data on the relative effects of different doses, in individuals with high-risk IgAN

Identification and validation of clinical predictors for the risk of neurological involvement in children with hand, foot, and mouth disease in Sarawak

Background: Human enterovirus 71 (HEV71) can cause Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) with neurological complications, which may rapidly progress to fulminant cardiorespiratory failure, and death. Early recognition of children at risk is the key to reduce acute mortality and morbidity. Methods: We examined data collected through a prospective clinical study of HFMD conducted between 2000 and 2006 that included 3 distinct outbreaks of HEV71 to identify risk factors associated with neurological involvement in children with HFMD. Results: Total duration of fever ≥ 3 days, peak temperature ≥ 38.5°C and history of lethargy were identified as independent risk factors for neurological involvement (evident by CSF pleocytosis) in the analysis of 725 children admitted during the first phase of the study. When they were validated in the second phase of the study, two or more (≥ 2) risk factors were present in 162 (65%) of 250 children with CSF pleocytosis compared with 56 (30%) of 186 children with no CSF pleocytosis (OR 4.27, 95% CI2.79–6.56, p < 0.0001). The usefulness of the three risk factors in identifying children with CSF pleocytosis on hospital admission during the second phase of the study was also tested. Peak temperature ≥ 38.5°C and history of lethargy had the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of 28%(48/174), 89%(125/140), 76%(48/63) and 50%(125/251), respectively in predicting CSF pleocytosis in children that were seen within the first 2 days of febrile illness. For those presented on the 3rd or later day of febrile illness, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of ≥ 2 risk factors predictive of CSF pleocytosis were 75%(57/ 76), 59%(27/46), 75%(57/76) and 59%(27/46), respectively. Conclusion: Three readily elicited clinical risk factors were identified to help detect children at risk of neurological involvement. These risk factors may serve as a guide to clinicians to decide the need for hospitalization and further investigation, including cerebrospinal fluid examination, and close monitoring for disease progression in children with HFMD