Real Estate Investment Trusts' (REITs) asset management strategies within global REIT portfolios

Investment in REITs has become significant in recent years due to the stability and sustainable performance of the investment. A study on the management perspective is very important but this perspective is very limited. Asset management will derive from the profit optimization of the investment. Therefore, it is important to assess asset management strategies to ensure the sustainable performance of the assets. This paper aims to assess asset management strategies among matured REIT companies in developed countries in comparison with Malaysian REIT companies from the perspective of the managers. This research employed qualitative analyses by using content analysis techniques. A total of 41 REIT companies from the United States (US), Japan, Singapore, Australia and Malaysia were assessed. The analyses focused on the similarities and differences between the strategy framework identified in the literature review and the strategies adopted by global REITs and Malaysian REITs under review. The study will enable all REIT stakeholders to become well-informed on global REIT asset management that will derive the maximum profit from the investment. The success of developed countries' REITs will provide guidelines for Malaysian REITs to adopt the best practice of strategic asset management from REITs in mature markets. Furthermore, this study is one of few papers that have discussed the issue of strategic property investment, particularly focusing on REITs

Voxel-wise analysis of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose metabolism in correlation with variations in the presentation of Alzheimer’s disease: a clinician’s guide

Diagnostic imaging can be applied in the management of Alzheimer’s disease as it provides structural and functional information to exclude possible secondary causes and offers additional information, especially in atypical cases of Alzheimer’s disease. The utility of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) can help in the noninvasive diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease by voxel-wise quantification of cerebral 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) metabolism. Methods: This prospective study was conducted among 10 subjects with Alzheimer’s disease and 10 healthy control subjects who underwent neuropsychological testing and 18F-FDG PET/CT scans. Images of the brain were postprocessed using voxel-wise analysis and segmented into 20 regions of interest. The standardized uptake value (SUV)max/SUVmean/standard deviation of SUVmean results were analyzed accordingly and correlated with the subjects’ Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) results that were adjusted for age and education level. Results: Hypometabolism at the right parietal lobe significantly correlated with increasing age and lower MoCA scores. Global hypometabolism was observed in subjects who had advanced Alzheimer’s disease but preserved primary somatosensory cortices (S1) region metabolism. Predominance of frontal lobe hypometabolism was a feature of subjects with Alzheimer’s disease having associated depressive symptoms. Conclusions: 18F-FDG PET/CT voxel-wise analysis can be used for quantitative assessment and can assist clinicians in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and other variations of the disease spectrum

Voxel-based morphometric difference in metabolic activity of 50 to 73 years old healthy adult brain: A PET/CT study

Healthy adult exhibits variants of 18F-FDG distribution of cerebral glucose metabolism associated with age. This study was conducted to investigate the hypometabolism and hypermetabolism as a function of gender in healthy adults unrelated to dementia. The subjects consisted of 21 males aged 51 to 66 (mean + SD = 57.81 + 4.792) and 15 females aged 50 to 73 (mean + SD = 62.8 + 5.906). Six data of equal gender were randomly chosen from the subjects to investigate the difference in metabolic activity. The result showed that hypometabolismwas detected at cerebrum, cerebellum, parahippocampalgyrus, superior frontal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, frontal lobe and posterior lobe that were not exclusively showing dementia-related diseases but only a sign of mild cognitive decline with increased age. In healthy elderly, hypometabolismwas also seen in the anterior regions of the brain that related to executive function and performance of attention. Preserved glucose consumptionwas seen as both hypo- and hypermetabolized in the cerebrum and cerebellum region. This finding was supported by previous studies that a normal daily function of an AD patient was preserved even with evidence of cognitive decline. Nevertheless, there were gender effect differences in metabolic activity between male and female healthy adults. Hypometabolism was significant in right cerebrum, right cerebellum and left cerebellum for male but hypermetabolic in female at left cerebrum region. On the other hand, only female subject showed a hypometabolic area in thalamus and parahippocampalgyrus due to effect of estrogen where older female aged 50 and above were in menopausal condition unless HRT were taken

Real Estate Investment Trusts’ (REITs) Asset Management Strategies Within Global REIT Portfolios

Investment in REITs has become significant in recent years due to the stability and sustainable performance of the investment. A study on the management perspective is very important but this perspective is very limited. Asset management will derive from the profit optimization of the investment. Therefore, it is important to assess asset management strategies to ensure the sustainable performance of the assets. This paper aims to assess asset management strategies among matured REIT companies in developed countries in comparison with Malaysian REIT companies from the perspective of the managers. This research employed qualitative analyses by using content analysis techniques. A total of 41 REIT companies from the United States (US), Japan, Singapore, Australia and Malaysia were assessed. The analyses focused on the similarities and differences between the strategy framework identified in the literature review and the strategies adopted by global REITs and Malaysian REITs under review. The study will enable all REIT stakeholders to become well-informed on global REIT asset management that will derive the maximum profit from the investment. The success of developed countries’ REITs will provide guidelines for Malaysian REITs to adopt the best practice of strategic asset management from REITs in mature markets. Furthermore, this study is one of few papers that have discussed the issue of strategic property investment, particularly focusing on REITs

Comparison of neck muscle electromyography activity in response to external force between static and dynamic loading

Understanding the behavior of neck muscles is essential to accurately simulate the human head-neck segment movement especially for low-speed motor vehicle crash situation. Some head-neck mathematical models were designed using neck muscle activation behavior in isometric contraction (static loading) as the properties of neck muscle activation. However, neck muscle activation pattern and strength capability may vary between static and dynamic loading. This study aimed to determine the differences between neck muscle activation level under static and dynamic loading. A neck strength test involving 22 human volunteers was conducted with two different tasks in extension and flexion direction with three different loads. The neck muscle activation level is determined through measuring the electromyography (EMG) responses of selected flexor and extensor muscles using surface bilateral electrode and recorded. The findings showed that neck muscle activation level was significantly greater in dynamic loading than static loading (p<0.000). These implied that more efforts from neck muscles were required to resist against dynamic loading than static loading. Nonetheless, the differences in EMG activities between these two loading conditions progressively decreased when more loads were applied. This study has established an empirical model to describe the relationship between neck muscle activation level and force output for both loading condition in flexion and extension

Morphometric Variations Between Triploid and Diploid Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822)

Several scientific methods have been described in the identification of triploid fish. However, many of these methods are not applicable for routine management purposes due to their complexity and cost. In this study, the possibility of using morphological variation as a least cost and less complex method of distinguishing triploid and diploid African catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) was examined. Triploid catfish were produced by cold shock of fertilized eggs in 5°C for 20 mins (at approximately 3 mins after fertilization). The fish were incubated, hatched and raised for 3 months. Ploidy levels of the fish were then ascertained by observing the erythrocyte shape. Triploid erythrocyte was ellipsoidal in shape while diploid was round. Morphological characterization was then carried out on 100 samples each of triploid and diploid African catfish. Although significant differences were observed in many parameters, the principal morphometric difference between triploid and diploid African catfish could not be clearly distinguished. It was therefore concluded that morphological characteristics is not ideal for discriminating triploids and diploids of African catfish. The used of erythrocyte characteristics still remains the cheapest and relatively effective method for triploid and diploid determination in African catfish

MORPHOMETRIC VARIATIONS BETWEEN TRIPLOID AND DIPLOID Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822)

Nekoliko znanstvenih metoda ranije je opisano za prepoznavanje triploidnih riba. Međutim, mnoge od tih metoda nisu primjenjive u svrhu rutinskog upravljanja radi njihove složenosti i troškova. U ovom radu istraživana je mogućnost korištenja morfoloških varijacija kao jeftine i jednostavne metode razlikovanja triploidnih i diploidnih afričkih somova Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822). Triploidski somovi su proizvedeni metodom hladnog šoka oplođenih jaja na 5°C tijekom 20 minuta (približno 3 min. nakon oplodnje). Ribe su bile inkubirane, izvaljene i uzgajane tijekom 3 mjeseca. Plodnost riba utvrđena je promatranjem oblika eritrocita. Triploidni eritrocit bio je elipsoidnog oblika dok je diploidi bio okrugli. Morfološka karakterizacija je provedena na 100 uzoraka triploidnih i na 100 uzoraka diploidnih afričkih somova. Iako su značajne razlike zabilježene u mnogim parametrima, glavna morfometrijska razlika između triploidnih i diploidnih afričkih somova nije se mogla jasno razlikovati. Stoga je zaključeno da morfološka svojstva nisu idealna za razlikovanje triploida i diploida afričkog soma. Upotreba eritrocitnih karakteristika i dalje je najjeftiniji i relativno učinkovit način za triploido i diploidno određivanje afričkih somova.Several scientific methods have been described in the identification of triploid fish. However, many of these methods are not applicable for routine management purposes due to their complexity and cost. In this study, the possibility of using morphological variation as a least cost and less complex method of distinguishing triploid and diploid African catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) was examined. Triploid catfish were produced by cold shock of fertilized eggs in 5°C for 20 mins (at approximately 3 mins after fertilization). The fish were incubated, hatched and raised for 3 months. Ploidy levels of the fish were then ascertained by observing the erythrocyte shape. Triploid erythrocyte was ellipsoidal in shape while diploid was round. Morphological characterization was then carried out on 100 samples each of triploid and diploid African catfish. Although significant differences were observed in many parameters, the principal morphometric difference between triploid and diploid African catfish could not be clearly distinguished. It was therefore concluded that morphological characteristics is not ideal for discriminating triploids and diploids of African catfish. The used of erythrocyte characteristics still remains the cheapest and relatively effective method for triploid and diploid determination in African catfish

Carbon dioxide fixation method for electrosynthesis of benzoic acid from chlorobenzene

Carbon dioxide fixation technique was developed as an alternative dechlorination method of chlorobenzenes. Electrolysis of chlorobenzene was carried out in a one-compartment cell fitted with an aluminium anode and a platinum cathode. Electrolysis in N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF) solution containing 0.1 M of tetrapropylammonium bromide (TPAB) at 0 °C, 100 ml/min of CO2 flow rate and 120 mA/cm2 of current density was found to be the optimum conditions of this electrocarboxylation, which gave 72% yield of benzoic acid from chlorobenzene. These conditions were then applied to 1,2-dichlorobenzene and 1,3-dichlorobenzene in order to convert them to their corresponding benzoic acids