Using a virtual environment to assess cognition in the elderly

Early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is essential if treatments are to be administered at an earlier point in time before neurons degenerate to a stage beyond repair. In order for early detection to occur tools used to detect the disorder must be sensitive to the earliest of cognitive impairments. Virtual reality technology offers opportunities to provide products which attempt to mimic daily life situations, as much as is possible, within the computational environment. This may be useful for the detection of cognitive difficulties. We develop a virtual simulation designed to assess visuospatial memory in order to investigate cognitive function in a group of healthy elderly participants and those with a mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Participants were required to guide themselves along a virtual path to reach a virtual destination which they were required to remember. The preliminary results indicate that this virtual simulation has the potential to be used for detection of early AD since significant correlations of scores on the virtual environment with existing neuropsychological tests were found. Furthermore, the test discriminated between healthy elderly participants and those with a MCI.     

Effect of catalyst type on the kinetics of the photoelectrochemical disinfection of water inoculated with E. coli

The rates of the photoelectrochemical disinfection of Escherichia coli at TiO₂ electrodes were measured as a function of concentration and applied potential. Two different TiO₂ photoelectrodes were used: a thermally treated titanium plate and a porous film prepared by a sol–gel hydrolysis technique. The kinetics of the disinfection process were found to depend upon the nature of the electrode material. For the thermal film they were first order, and half order for the sol–gel film. It was also found that the catalytic activity per unit surface area of catalyst is many orders of magnitude greater than that observed using TiO₂ slurries; this was attributed to the reduced rate of electron-hole recombination afforded by the application of a small potential bias (1 V vs Ag/AgCl), and hence the exploitation of the electric field enhancement (EFE) effect.     

Accumulation of eicosapentaenoic acid in plasma phospholipids of subjects fed canola oil

The metabolism of α-linolenic acid from canola oil was studied in eight normolipidemic men. The 42-day study was divided into three periods: a 6-day pre-experimental and two 18-day experimental. Approximately 75% of the dietary fat (28% of total energy) was provided by a mixture of fats during the pre-experimental period and either canola oil (CO) or sunflower oil (SO) during the experimental periods. The CO and SO diets were fed in a cross-over design. The ratios of linoleic to linolenic acid were 2.6∶1 and 73.9∶1 in the CO and SO diets, respectively. Dietary fat source had an effect on plasma phospholipid fatty acids: 18∶1n−9, 18∶3n−3 and 20∶5n−3 were higher (p<0.05), and 18∶2n−6 was lower in the phosphatidylcholine fraction; 18∶1n−9 was higher and 20∶4n−6 lower in the phosphatidyl-ethanolamine fraction; and 18∶1n−9 and 20∶5n−3 were higher and 20∶4n−6 and 22∶6n−3 were lower in the alkenylacyl-ethanolamine phospholipid fraction on the CO diet as compared to the SO diet. Consumption of the canola oil diet resulted in higher n−3 fatty acid levels and lower n−6 fatty acid levels in plasma phospholipids than consumption of the sunflower oil diet.     

Thermogravimetric Analysis and Defect Models of the Oxygen Nonstoichiometry in La2–xSrxCuO4–y

The oxygen nonstoichiometry, y, of La_{2– x} Sr _x CuO_{4– y} (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) was determined as a function of temperature (800–1050°C) and oxygen partial pressure (10^–4 to 1 atm) by a thermogravimetric technique. The results were interpreted in terms of a number of defect models. It was found that a model based on the defect reaction 4Cu^×_Cu+ 2 V ^¨_o+ O_2(g)= 4Cu^._Cu+ 2O^×_o described the results well when the x and y dependences of the partial molar enthalpy of oxygen in the solid were considered. The large defect concentrations observed in this system lead to defect interactions, possibly ordering on the oxygen sublattice.     

Aggregation of larvae of the house cricket,Acheta domesticus (L.), by propionic acid present in the excreta

Acetic, propionic, butyric, isobutyric, valeric, and isovaleric acids have been identified in extracts of the excreta of the house cricket,Acheta domesticus (L.), by gas-liquid chromatography. Solutions of propionic acid applied to filter paper aggregated 1- to 2-week-old larvae, while solutions of acetic, butyric, valeric, and isovaleric acids were without effect.     

A comparison of pyrrolidide and picolinyl ester derivatives for the identification of fatty acids in natural samples by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

The pyrrolidide and picolinyl ester derivatives of the fatty acids in two natural lipid samples rich in unsaturated fatty acids, pig testis lipids and cod liver oil were satisfactorily resolved on capillary columns of fused silica coated with stationary phases of varying polarity. The picolinyl esters, in particular, when subjected to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry on a column containing a cross-linked methyl silicone, gave distinctive mass spectra, which could be interpreted in terms of both the numbers and positions of the double bonds.     

Structural changes of flavylium salts

A general discussion is presented of the effects of hydroxylation pattern upon the structural changes of flavylium salts and their stability at different pH levels. The discussion is based upon the results of spectrometric and polarographic investigations of flavylium salts and incorporates hitherto unpublished data for the anthocyanidin, cyanidin chloride.     

High-temperature Na2SO4 interaction with air plasma sprayed Yb2Si2O7 + Si EBC system: Topcoat behavior

The high-temperature interaction between ~2.5 mg/cm² of Na₂SO₄ and an atmospheric plasma sprayed (APS) Yb₂Si₂O₇ topcoat–Si bond coat system on SiC CMC substrates was studied for times up to 240 h at 1000°C–1316°C in a 0.1% SO₂–O₂ gaseous environment. Yb₂Si₂O₇ reacted with Na₂SO₄ to form Yb₂SiO₅ and an intergranular amorphous Na-silicate phase. Below 1200°C, the reaction was sluggish, needing days to cause morphological changes to the “splat microstructure” associated with APS coatings. The reaction was rapid at 1200°C and above, needing only a few hours for the entire topcoat to transform into a granulated microstructure consisting of Yb₂SiO₅ and Yb₂Si₂O₇ phases. Na₂SO₄ deposits infiltrated the Yb₂Si₂O₇ topcoat and transformed into an amorphous Na-silicate in less than 1 h at all exposure temperatures. Quantitative assessment of the Yb₂SiO₅ area fraction in the topcoat showed a linear decrease over time at 1316°C, attributed to reaction with the SiO₂ thermally grown oxide (TGO) formed on the Si bond coat and rapid transport through the interpenetrating amorphous Na-silicate grain boundary phase. It was predicted that nearly 2 weeks is needed for complete removal of Yb₂SiO₅ from the topcoat at 1316°C for a single applied loading of Na₂SO₄.     

Na2SO4 deposit-induced hot corrosion of SiC fibers relevant for SiC CMCs

Hi Nicalon, Hi Nicalon S, Sylramic, and Sylramic iBN SiC fibers were exposed to ~60 μg/cm² of Na₂SO₄ in a 0.1% SO₂/O₂ gaseous environment for times between 0.75 and 24 h at 1000°C. After exposure, the corrosion products were characterized using SEM, EDS, ICP-OES, TEM, and EFTEM to determine their high-temperature resistance to Na₂SO₄ and key reaction mechanisms. All SiC fiber types tested in this work exhibited little resistance to Na₂SO₄ deposit-induced attack relative to their behavior in dry O₂ environments. It was found that Hi-Nicalon displayed the least resistance to Na₂SO₄ deposit-induced attack due to excess carbon content resulting in the formation of a highly porous crystalline oxide and promotion of basic corrosion conditions. All fiber types formed a crystalline SiO₂ reaction product, either cristobalite or tridymite. Sylramic and Sylramic iBN formed a crystalline SiO₂ reaction layer containing TiO₂ needles due oxidation of TiB₂ particles. Additionally, Na₂SO₄ deposits resulted in pitting of all fiber surfaces.     

Covalent surface functionalization of nonwoven fabrics with controlled hydrophobicity,water absorption,and pH regulation properties

A modular method for functionalization of nonwoven fabrics was developed using a two-step process. In the first step, the fabrics were grafted with a linker molecule, 10-undecenoyl chloride, via esterification, followed by attachment of a functional material under UV irradiation. Perfluorodecanethiol and 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) were connected to the linker-modified fabrics using thiol-ene click chemistry. Perfluorodecanethiol modified fabrics exhibited hydrophobicity with water contact angle of about 140° while MPA-modified fabrics were able to lower the pH of a solution by about 1.6. We additionally demonstrated the possibility to connect functional polymers to the linker-modified fabrics by radical graft polymerization of acrylic acid; this produced a thin layer of the polymer on the surface of the fabric. Fabrics modified with poly(acrylic acid) exhibited increased hydrophilicity with water contact angle of 0° for both cotton and viscose-polyester fabrics, while the water absorption capability for polypropylene fabrics increased from about 50 to 1200%.