Nb-doped SrTiO3 bulk materials with high quality are fabricated using a facile process.

Thinning of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) may reflect neurodegeneration of the central nervous system, which has been reported as part of the neuropathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Specifically, AD patients have thinner RNFL as compared to age-matched normal controls. However, whether reduction of RNFL over time can predict those at higher risk to develop cognitive deterioration remains unknown. We therefore set out a prospective clinical investigation to determine both the reduction of RNFL thickness and the deterioration of cognitive function over a period of 25 months in 78 participants (mean age 72.31 ± 3.98 years, 52% men). The participants were categorized as stable participants whose cognitive status remained unchanged (n = 60) and converted participants whose cognitive status deteriorated, which was diagnosed by DSM-VI (for AD) and Petersen's definition (for mild cognitive impairment) (n = 18). Here we show for the first time that the converted participants had greater reduction of RNFL thickness than the stable participants. Specifically, the reduction in the thickness of the inferior quadrant RNFL in the converted participants was greater than that in stable participants [-11.0 ± 12.8 (mean ± standard deviation) μm versus 0.4 ± 15.7 μm, p = 0.009]. These data showed that greater reduction in the inferior quadrant of RNFL thickness might indicate a higher risk for the old adults to develop cognitive deterioration. These findings have established a system to embark on a larger scale study to further test whether changes in RNFL thickness can serve as a biomarker of AD.

Background: Postoperative delirium is one of the most common complications in the elderly surgical population. However, its long-term outcomes remain largely to be determined. Therefore a prospective cohort study was conducted to determine the association between postoperative delirium and long-term decline in activities of daily living and postoperative mortality. The hypothesis in the present study was that postoperative delirium was associated with a greater decline in activities of daily living and higher mortality within 24 to 36 months after anesthesia and surgery. Methods: The participants (at least 65 yr old) having the surgeries of (1) proximal femoral nail, (2) hip replacement, or (3) open reduction and internal fixation under general anesthesia were enrolled. The Confusion Assessment Method algorithm was administered to diagnose delirium before and on the first, second, and fourth days after the surgery. Activities of daily living were evaluated by using the Chinese version of the activities of daily living scale (range, 14 to 56 points), and preoperative cognitive function was assessed by using the Chinese Mini-Mental State Examination (range, 0 to 30 points). The follow-up assessments, including activities of daily living and mortality, were conducted between 24 and 36 months after anesthesia and surgery.

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Objective: Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale (MDAS) assesses severity of delirium. However, whether the MDAS can be used in a Chinese population is unknown. Moreover, the optimal postoperative MDAS cutoff point for describing postoperative delirium in Chinese remains largely to be determined. We therefore performed a pilot study to validate MDAS in the Chinese language and to determine the optimal postoperative MDAS cutoff point for delirium.Methods: Eighty-two patients (80 ± 6 years, 21.9% male), who had hip surgery under general anesthesia, were enrolled. The Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were administered to the patients before surgery. The CAM and MDAS were performed on the patients on the first, second and fourth postoperative days. The reliability and validity of the MDAS were determined. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine the optimal Chinese version MDAS cutoff point for the identification of delirium.Results: The Chinese version of the MDAS had satisfactory internal consistency (α = 0.910). ROC analysis obtained an average optimal MDAS cutoff point of 7.5 in describing the CAM-defined postoperative delirium, with an area under the ROC of 0.990 (95% CI 0.977–1.000, P < 0.001).Conclusions: The Chinese version of the MDAS had good reliability and validity. The patients whose postoperative Chinese version MDAS cutoff point score was 7.5 would likely have postoperative delirium. These results have established a system for a larger scale study in the future.

A continuous-effect membrane distillation (CEMD) process was developed by equipping air gap membrane distillation (AGMD)-based and strictly-parallel hollow fiber module with internal heat recovery. Its performance was indicated by flux, performance ratio and evaporation efficiency. Two kinds of CEMD modules made from different membrane fibers were tested. A face-centered central composite experimental design was conducted to investigate the influences of operating variables including cold-feed temperature, hot-feed temperature, and feed-in flow rate on the performance. Within the studied experimental range, the maximum PR of 13.8 was obtained. A theoretical model based on governing transport equations was established to predict the process performance, and the model described the experimental data fairly well. In light of the model, possible ways to further increase PR were predicted. The dilute aqueous sugar solution was successfully concentrated 12-fold to a final concentration of about 20 wt % by using CEMD process with a final PR of 8.2.

BackgroundLate-life depression patients are at a high risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, and diminished olfactory identification is an indicator in early screening for Alzheimer’s disease in the elderly. However, whether diminished olfactory identification is associated with risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease in late-life depression patients remains unclear.MethodsOne hundred and twenty-five late-life depression patients, 50 Alzheimer’s disease patients, and 60 normal controls were continuously recruited. The participants underwent a clinical evaluation, olfactory test, neuropsychological assessment, and neuroimaging assessment.ResultsThe olfactory identification impairment in late-life depression patients was milder than that in Alzheimer’s disease patients. Diminished olfactory identification was significantly correlated with worse cognitive performance (global function, memory language, executive function, and attention) and reduced grey matter volume (olfactory bulb and hippocampus) in the late-life depression patients. According to a multiple linear regression analysis, olfactory identification was significantly associated with the memory scores in late-life depression group (B=1.623, P<.001). The late-life depression with olfactory identification impairment group had worse cognitive performance (global, memory, language, and executive function) and more structural abnormalities in Alzheimer’s disease-related regions than the late-life depression without olfactory identification impairment group, and global cognitive function and logical memory in the late-life depression without olfactory identification impairment group was intact. Reduced volume observed in many areas (hippocampus, precuneus, etc.) in the Alzheimer’s disease group was also observed in late-life depression with olfactory identification impairment group but not in the late-life depression without olfactory identification impairment group.ConclusionThe patterns of cognitive impairment and structural abnormalities in late-life depression with olfactory identification impairment patients were similar to those in Alzheimer’s disease; olfactory identification may help identify late-life depression patients who are at a high risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.