Infrapatellar fat pad (IPFP) inflammation is a common pathological manifestation in knee osteoarthritis (OA). However, the significance of IPFP signal intensity alteration for clinical diagnosis and treatment of knee OA needs further research. We assessed IPFP signal intensity alteration (0–3), IPFP maximum cross-sectional area (CSA) and IPFP depth, meniscus injury, bone marrow edema, and cartilage injury from magnetic-resonance imaging (MRI) in 41 non-KOA patients (K-L grade 0 and grade I) and 68 KOA patients (K-L grade 2,3 and 4). We found that IPFP signaling was altered in all patients with KOA whose alteration was closely related to the K-L grading. We found that the IPFP signal intensity was increased in most OA patients, especially the ones in the late stage. There were significant differences in IPFP maximum CSA and IPFP depth between groups in KOA and non-KOA patients. Moreover, Spearman correlation analysis showed that IPFP signal intensity was moderately positively correlated with age, meniscal injury, cartilage injury, and bone marrow edema, and negatively correlated with height, while not correlated with visual analogue scale (VAS) scoring and body mass index (BMI). In addition, women have higher IPFP inflammation scores on MRI than men. In conclusion, IPFP signal intensity alteration is associated with joint damage in knee OA, which may have clinical significance for diagnosing and treating KOA.

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‘Geo-hazards’ is a collective term to describe hazards causing huge problems with human settlements, where the hazards are many and varied, including earthquakes, floods, windstorms, and drought, all of which are intensifying over time in large part due to climate change and population growth.  In particular, issues of availability of ‘safe’ water are major disruptive elements frequently causing widespread incidence of diarrheal diseases both during and post, geo-hazard events. In response, arguments are described which demonstrate ceramic water filters (CWFs) have credible potential to effectively remove E.-coli (and, by similar attribute characterization), are effective in the removal of cholera. Field experience in terms of removal have been demonstrated as 94.7% removal of E-coli and all users in some applications have expressed interest in continuing use of ceramic filters beyond the trial period. Arguments are put forth, for CWFs as a Point-of-Use (POU) technology by which they can be stored and rapidly disseminated given occurrence of geo-hazards, thereby providing the opportunity to respond quickly. CWFs can be effectively stored without deterioration, are inexpensive, and easy to train recipients for their post-geo-hazard occurrence.

The concept of supply network has extended supply chain across national borders towards globalization. The aim of this chapter is to provide researchers, business practitioners and university students a picture of the architecture of supply networks. By analyzing two main trends of studies in the field of supply network management, components of supply network are classified into structural and infrastructural factors. Also a comparison is made to identify the difference between supply network and traditionally factory-based manufacturing system. Based on the literature review, a conceptual framework is further proposed which describes the supply network from four essential perspectives: Role/function, Relationship/alliance, Configuration/reconfiguration, and Risk and crisis management. After presenting detailed models and decision making areas of each perspective, suggestions are given on some emerging topics.