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Phase Change Materials (PCMs) are utilized to regulate temperature and store thermal energy in various industries such as infrastructure, electronics, solar power, and more. However, they face several limitations, such as leakage, poor thermal properties, incompatibility, as well as high flammability. Polyethylene (PE) is one of many polymers explored to enhance the desirable properties of PCMs, due to their versatile properties such as high strength, durability, chemical resistance, and low cost. The combination of PCMs and PE can be used to create composite materials, through micro/nano‐ encapsulation, melt‐blending, formation of composites and with proper additives. They create enhanced thermal energy storage properties and in the meantime, benefited from the mechanical properties of the PE. This review provides a concise summary of the recent developments regarding PE‐enhanced PCMs and provides insights into possible topics for further investigation. We summarised enhancement methods based on commonly adopted types of PEs, such as encapsulation, melt‐blending, hot pressing, extrusion, and 3D printing. We then elaborate on how these PE‐PCM composites are effectively utilised for heat management applications and the potential future directions in energy‐saving buildings, electronic devices, and energy storage systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To develop a multi‐step workflow for the isolation of circulating extravillous trophoblasts (cEVTs) by describing the key steps enabling a semi‐automated process, including a proprietary algorithm for fetal cell origin genetic confirmation and copy number variant (CNV) detection. Methods: Determination of the limit of detection (LoD) for submicroscopic CNV was performed by serial experiments with genomic DNA and single cells from Coriell cell line biobank with known imbalances of different sizes. A pregnancy population of 372 women was prospectively enrolled and blindly analyzed to evaluate the current workflow. Results: An LoD of 800 Kb was demonstrated with Coriell cell lines. This level of resolution was confirmed in the clinical cohort with the identification of a pathogenic CNV of 800 Kb, also detected by chromosomal microarray. The mean number of recovered cEVTs was 3.5 cells per sample with a significant reverse linear trend between gestational age and cEVT recovery rate and number of recovered cEVTs. In twin pregnanices, evaluation of zygosity, fetal sex and copy number profiling was performed in each individual cell. Conclusion: Our semi‐automated methodology for the isolation and single‐cell analysis of cEVTS supports the feasibility of a cell‐based noninvasive prenatal test for fetal genomic profiling. Key points: What's already known about this topic?Fetal circulating extravillous trophoblasts (cEVTs) have been isolated from maternal blood for both aneuploidy and copy number variant (CNV) classification.Previous reported methodologies require mostly manual low throughput workflows and identify putative fetal cells based on immunophenotype. What does this study add?We present a novel semi‐automated workflow for the isolation of circulating fetal trophoblasts and single‐cell genomic profiling of submicroscopic variants.With this methodology, the feasibility of fetal genetic confirmation of each individual cell, a limit of detection (LoD) for CNVs down to 800Kb and the assessment of zygosity, fetal sex and genomic profiling in the same cell in twin pregnancies was demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To compare the efficacy and safety of dinoprostone vaginal insert (DVI) alone versus DVI with adjunctive sweeping of membranes (ASM) for induction of labor (IOL). Methods: Single‐center, prospective, randomized controlled trial; women with singleton term pregnancies, cervical dilation ≥1 and <3 cm, intact membranes allocated to either DVI or DVI with ASM. The primary outcome was vaginal delivery within 24 h of insertion. Secondary outcomes included mean time from insertion to delivery, tachysystole, operative delivery for non‐reassuring fetal status (NRFS), tocolytics, fetal outcomes, pain information, and subject satisfaction. Results: One hundred and four received DVI (Group 1) alone and 104 DVI with ASM (Group 2). The rate of vaginal delivery within 24 h was 53% versus 56%, cesarean rate 8.7% versus 10.6% in Groups 1 and 2 respectively. Although the duration of labor was similar in both groups, about 6% of women required additional ripening with dinoprostone vaginal tablets in Group 2 compared to 11.5% in Group 1 (p‐value = 0.2). The frequency of hyperstimulation syndrome, failed induction, analgesic requirements, and fetal outcomes were comparable. The majority (83%–86%) in either cohort were satisfied with their labor experience. Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated a slightly better chance for vaginal delivery within 24 h (odds ratio [OR] 1.22 [95% confidence interval, CI 0.65–2.29]; p‐value 0.53] for DVI with ASM, although statistically insignificant. Younger maternal age and multiparity (OR 10.36 [95% CI 4.88–23.67]; p‐value <0.0001) contributed to successful IOL. Conclusion: DVI with ASM is at least as efficacious as DVI for cervical ripening with no increase in morbidity. Although DVI with ASM group less often needed additional dinoprostone tablets to complete the process of IOL (p‐value = 0.2), adjunctive sweeping has not been shown to have a significant impact on the duration of labor or mode of delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the passing of an Indian Parliament bill that re-establishes Nalanda University in India, the world's oldest school. It states that all Indian political parties gave their support to the bill for Nalanda which is a symbol of Buddhist heritage that has significant contribution to Asian cultures and renaissance. Moreover, Nalanda for more than 700 years was a center of learning on subjects including philosophy, mathematics, and science and is an icon of Asian renaissance.

: ObjectiveTo characterise the clinical, biochemical and thyroid antibody profile in women with transient hyperthyroidism of hyperemesis gravidarum.: DesignProspective observational study.: SettingHospital inpatient gynaecological ward.: PopulationWomen admitted with hyperemesis gravidarum and found to have hyperthyroidism.: MethodsFifty-three women were admitted with hyperemesis gravidarum and were found to have hyperthyroidism. Each woman was examined for clinical signs of thyroid disease and underwent investigations including urea, creatinine, electrolytes, liver function test, thyroid antibody profile and serial thyroid function test until normalisation.: Main outcome measuresGestation at which thyroid function normalised, clinical and thyroid antibody profile and pregnancy outcome (birthweight, gestation at delivery and Apgar score at 5 minutes).: ResultsFull data were available for 44 women. Free T4 levels normalised by 15 weeks of gestation in the 39 women with transient hyperthyroidism while TSH remained suppressed until 19 weeks of gestation. None of these women were clinically hyperthyroid. Thyroid antibodies were not found in most of them. Median birthweight in the infants of mothers who experienced weight loss of >5% of their pre-pregnancy weight was lower compared with those of women who did not (P = 0.093). Five women were diagnosed with Graves'' disease based on clinical features and thyroid antibody profile.: ConclusionsIn transient hyperthyroidism of hyperemesis gravidarum, thyroid function normalises by the middle of the second trimester without anti-thyroid treatment. Clinically overt hyperthyroidism and thyroid antibodies are usually absent. Apart from a non-significant trend towards lower birthweights in the infants of mothers who experienced significant weight loss, pregnancy outcome was generally good. Routine assessment of thyroid function is unnecessary for women with hyperemesis gravidarum in the absence of any clinical features of hyperthyroidism. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The new element in governance is social media. Inexorably, its fertile networks of shared information shift power from authorities to citizens and amateurs, including to the 'unknown' experts in the 'dorm rooms and edges of society' who drive innovation. Tweets may bust trust and undermine authority, but can social media also be a tool for building consensus through deliberation and negotiation among interests? When it comes to governance, is crowd-sourcing any better than populism at generating collective intelligence instead of disruptive 'dumb mobs?' Can networks aid the self-administration of society, or does that take institutions with governing authority? In this section, leading Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, technologists and network theorists from Google, Microsoft and the MIT Media Lab join with political scientist Francis Fukuyama and top thinkers from Asia to address these issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses Chongqing which is the safest city in China, indeed, there are new policy kiosks who provides friendly local police presence. It states that in preventing high officials from being overly influenced by local interests, it should become as accepted practice. It says that it is in China where super-cities of the 21st century are being built. It also discusses that healthy urbanization is the key foe Chongqing to succeed and attract talent from China and from the world.

The article offers information on how to accommodate China as tensions rise between China and the U.S. over the islands dispute with Japan from an Asian perspective. It mentions that international and domestic pressure on the Japanese elite to recognize history will also relax tension in the Pacific and not only right and doable. It states that a cardinal principle of statecraft for China is non-interference in the internal affairs of others unless the affairs affect the core interest of China.

The article presents a report on the decision to delivery interval in crash caesarean section. In the event of emergency cesarean section, the recommendation is to achieve delivery within 30 minute of the decision to perform the operation. The ability to consistently perform such a complex task within 20-30 minutes requires the close co-ordination of many specialists from different disciplines. The authors established a crash cesarean section protocol within their hospital in order to facilitate the rapid and safe conduct of cesarean delivery in a dire emergency.

Comments on the difference between the first globalization at the turn of the 20th century and the second globalization at the turn of the 21st century. Reason globalization collapsed in the 20th century; Revolution in information technology; Global governance problems created by the devolution of power; Factor that contributed in the Asian financial crisis; Opinion on China's entry to the World Trade Organization.