PurposeWe investigated the association of the macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thicknesses with disease progression in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD).MethodsWe recruited 42 patients with AD, 26 with MCI, and 66 normal elderly controls. The thicknesses of the RNFL and GCIPL were measured via spectral-domain optic coherent tomography in all participants at baseline. The patients with MCI or AD underwent clinical and neuropsychological tests at baseline and once every year thereafter for 2 years.ResultsThe Clinical Dementia Rating scale-Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB) score exhibited significant negative relationships with the average GCIPL thickness (β = -0.15, p < 0.05) and the GCIPL thickness in the superotemporal, superonasal, and inferonasal sectors. The composite memory score exhibited significant positive associations with the average GCIPL thickness and the GCIPL thickness in the superotemporal, inferonasal, and inferotemporal sectors. The temporal RNFL thickness, the average and minimum GCIPL thicknesses, and the GCIPL thickness in the inferonasal, inferior, and inferotemporal sectors at baseline were significantly reduced in MCI patients who were converted to AD compared to stable MCI patients. The change of CDR-SB from baseline to 2 years exhibited significant negative associations with the average (β = -0.150, p = 0.006) and minimum GCIPL thicknesses as well as GCIPL thickness in the superotemporal, superior, superonasal, and inferonasal sectors at baseline.ConclusionsOur data suggest that macular GCIPL thickness represents a promising biomarker for monitoring the progression of MCI and AD.

Lithium and sodium metal have recently have been proposed as alternative negative electrode materials because of their low redox potentials (−3.04 and −2.71 V vs the standard hydrogen electrode, respectively) and high theoretical capacities (3860 and 1166 mA h g −1 , respectively) which are 10 and 3 times higher, respectively, than that (372 mA h g −1 ) of a graphite anode in a typical Li ion battery. [15,16] Nevertheless, these metal anodes have fatal problems such as low Coulombic efficiencies, infinite volume changes, and unpredictable metal electrodeposition (dendritic growth), which lead to capacity decay, cycling limitations, and safety hazards caused by the repeated electrochemical dissolution and deposition of metal. [17][18][19][20][21][22][23] To address these issues, several efforts have been made to introduce additives into electrolytes, [24][25][26][27][28][29][30] carbon-based templates, [31][32][33][34][35][36] or protective coating layers. [37][38][39][40] In particular, Zheng et al. reported a sophisticated electrode design with an interconnected hollow carbon nanosphere cover layer that allows a uniform Li ion flux at the electrode level, which leads to stability over 150 cycles. [34] Zhang et al. proposed a unique channel structure to provide a pathway that guides the Li deposition/dissolution process. It effectively mitigates electrode volume changes and alleviates the dendritic growth of Li metal. [35] In addition, a glyme-based electrolyte can suppress dendritic growth while improving the Coulombic efficiency without use of an additive or additional Na metal anode processing. [41][42][43][44] These results suggest that introducing a carbon-based catalytic template and glymebased electrolyte can alleviate the major shortcomings of metal anodes. Furthermore, nanostructured design of the template structure may provide significantly more active sites for metal deposition and dissolution. This can induce a uniform Na ion flux throughout the electrode, leading to high rate capabilities and stable cycling via obstruction of dendritic metal growth at high charge/discharge rates.In this study, we designed macroporous catalytic carbon nanotemplates (MC-CNTs) composed of hierarchically interconnected carbon nanofibers with various local microstructures synthesized from microbe-derived cellulose via simple heating at temperatures from 800 to 2400 °C. Carbon-based MC-CNT monoliths 1/2 in. in diameter were used as anode materials without metal substrates and binders. MC-CNT-800 and Because of its remarkably high theoretical capacity and favorable redox voltage (−2.71 V vs the standard hydrogen electrode), Na is a promising anode material for Na ion batteries. In this study, macroporous catalytic carbon nanotemplates (MC-CNTs) based on nanoweb-structured carbon nanofibers with various carbon microstructures are prepared from microbederived cellulose via simple heating at 800 or 2400 °C. MC-CNTs prepared at 800 °C have amorphous carbon structures with numerous topological defects, and exhibit a lower voltag...

Purpose To assess the repeatability and agreement of parameters obtained with two biometers and to compare the predictability. Methods Biometry was performed on 101 eyes with cataract using the IOLMaster 700 and the Galilei G6. Three measurements were obtained per eye with each device, and repeatability was evaluated. The axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), keratometry (K), white-to-white (WTW) corneal diameter, central corneal thickness (CCT), and lens thickness (LT) were measured and postoperative predictability was compared. Results Measurements could not be obtained with the IOLMaster 700 in one eye and in seven eyes with the Galilei G6 due to dense cataract. Both the IOLMaster 700 and Galilei G6 showed good repeatability, although the IOLMaster 700 showed better repeatability than the Galilei G6. There were no statistically significant differences in AL, ACD, steepest K, WTW, and LT (P > 0.050), although flattest K, mean K, and CCT differed (P < 0.050). The proportion of eyes with an absolute prediction error within 0.5 D was 85.0% for the IOLMaster 700 and was 80.0% for the Galilei G6 based on the SRK/T formula. Conclusions Two biometers showed high repeatability and relatively good agreements. The swept-source optical biometer demonstrated better repeatability, penetration, and an overall lower prediction error.

Advanced design of nanostructured functional carbon materials for use in sustainable energy storage systems suffers from complex fabrication procedures and the use of special methods and/or expensive precursors, limiting their practical applications. In this study, nanoporous carbon nanosheets (NP-CNSs) containing numerous redox-active heteroatoms (C/O and C/N ratios of 5.5 and 34.3, respectively) were fabricated from citrus peels by simply heating the peels in the presence of potassium ions. The NP-CNSs had a 2D-like morphology with a high aspect ratio of >100, high specific surface area of 1167 m(2) g(-1), and a large amount of nanopores between 1 and 5 nm. The NP-CNSs also had an electrical conductivity of 2.6 × 10(1) s cm(-1), which is approximately 50 times higher than that of reduced graphene oxide. These unique material properties resulted in superior electrochemical performance with a high specific capacity of 140 mAh g(-1) in the cathodic potential range. In addition, symmetric full-cell devices based on the NP-CNSs showed excellent cyclic performance over 100,000 repetitive cycles.

Intercalation-based anode materials for Na-ion batteries show relatively unfavorable electrochemical performances compared with those of Li-ion batteries because of the larger and heavier Na ion, as well as its higher electrode potential. In contrast, conversion-reaction-based anode materials have great potential for use in Na-ion batteries. In this study, copper sulfide nanodisks (CuS-NDs) were fabricated by a simple low-temperature reaction and applied as the anode materials for Na-ion batteries with acid-treated single-walled carbon nanotubes (a-SWCNTs), which act as a paperlike nanohybrid. The nanohybrids had a high reversible capacity of ca. 610 mA h g–1 and high rate capabilities at current rates from 0.1 to 3 A g–1 during the conversion reaction that reversibly forms Na2S and Cu metal. In addition, their electrochemical performances were stable and were maintained over 500 repetitive cycles; this stability arises from the unique nanohybrid structure, in which CuS-NDs are bound together by the a-SWCNT network.