Synthesis of barium hexaferrite nano-platelets for ethylene glycol ferrofluids

Recently discovered barium hexaferrite (BaFe12O19) – based nanoplatelets form a ferromagnetic-ferrofluid which exhibits interesting magnetic properties. Manufacturing the barium hexaferrite nano-platelets via hydrothermal synthesis remains of fundamental interest and allows for optimisation of structural, magnetic, and morphological properties, which impact on ferrofluid properties. This report describes a surfactant assisted manufacturing method for an ethylene glycol based ferrofluid using hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) with barium hexaferrite nano – platelets. A hexagonal nano – platelet morphology with a typical diameter up to 200 nm and thickness of a few nanometres was observed by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) with stable concentrations between 10 – 200 mg/ml, while saturation magnetisation of dry particles was measured at 32.8 Am2 /kg using a Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM). The manufactured barium hexaferrite - ethylene glycol ferrofluid exhibits improved thermal properties compared to previously used butanol based ferrofluids opening the way into new applications in the field of colloidal suspension

Similar Risk of Kidney Failure among Patients with Blinding Diseases Who Receive Ranibizumab, Aflibercept, and Bevacizumab:An Observational Health Data Sciences and Informatics Network Study

Purpose: To characterize the incidence of kidney failure associated with intravitreal anti-VEGF exposure; and compare the risk of kidney failure in patients treated with ranibizumab, aflibercept, or bevacizumab. Design: Retrospective cohort study across 12 databases in the Observational Health Data Sciences and Informatics (OHDSI) network. Subjects: Subjects aged ≥ 18 years with ≥ 3 monthly intravitreal anti-VEGF medications for a blinding disease (diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema, exudative age-related macular degeneration, or retinal vein occlusion). Methods: The standardized incidence proportions and rates of kidney failure while on treatment with anti-VEGF were calculated. For each comparison (e.g., aflibercept versus ranibizumab), patients from each group were matched 1:1 using propensity scores. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the risk of kidney failure while on treatment. A random effects meta-analysis was performed to combine each database's hazard ratio (HR) estimate into a single network-wide estimate. Main Outcome Measures: Incidence of kidney failure while on anti-VEGF treatment, and time from cohort entry to kidney failure. Results: Of the 6.1 million patients with blinding diseases, 37 189 who received ranibizumab, 39 447 aflibercept, and 163 611 bevacizumab were included; the total treatment exposure time was 161 724 person-years. The average standardized incidence proportion of kidney failure was 678 per 100 000 persons (range, 0–2389), and incidence rate 742 per 100 000 person-years (range, 0–2661). The meta-analysis HR of kidney failure comparing aflibercept with ranibizumab was 1.01 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.70–1.47; P = 0.45), ranibizumab with bevacizumab 0.95 (95% CI, 0.68–1.32; P = 0.62), and aflibercept with bevacizumab 0.95 (95% CI, 0.65–1.39; P = 0.60). Conclusions: There was no substantially different relative risk of kidney failure between those who received ranibizumab, bevacizumab, or aflibercept. Practicing ophthalmologists and nephrologists should be aware of the risk of kidney failure among patients receiving intravitreal anti-VEGF medications and that there is little empirical evidence to preferentially choose among the specific intravitreal anti-VEGF agents. Financial Disclosures: Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.</p

Does Conservative Stock Option Accounting Lead to Aggressive Cash Flow Reporting? Does Conservative Stock Option Accounting Lead to Aggressive Cash Flow Reporting?

Abstract. In this paper, we examine whether recognizing higher option-based compensation expense leads to lower quality operating cash flows when options are exercised. FAS 123(R) changes the classification of the tax benefit from employee stock options in the statement of cash flows by splitting it into two parts: one reported in the operating section and the other in the financing section. Moreover, the proportion reported in the operating section increases with the amount of compensation expense previously recognized. We show that the tax benefit differs from other items of operating cash flows because it has no reliable association with future earnings. We also show that the predictive ability of current period earnings components declines when the tax benefit is classified as an operating cash flow. Finally, we find evidence that investors overprice the tax benefit, suggesting investors do not distinguish it from other operating cash flows. Taken together, our results suggest that the revised treatment of the tax benefit under FAS 123(R) gives rise to a curious situation where more conservative reporting at the grant date increases the proportion of future tax benefits that is included in the operating section, thereby lowering the quality of future reported cash flows