Sleep actigraphic patterns and cognitive status

none9noWe performed an actigraphic assessment of sleep characteristics in healthy subjects and patients with cognitive impairment. Thirty subjects were included and classified into controls (10 subjects), mild cognitive impairment (10 patients) and mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease (10 patients). Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Participants had a 7-day actigraphic record. Sleep parameters collected were time in bed, total sleep time, sleep efficiency, sleep latency, wakefulness after sleep onset, number of awakenings, and mean motor activity. Significant differences between mild cognitive impairment and controls patients were found for sleep latency (p = 0.05); Alzheimer's disease patients had significantly worse scores for Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (p = 0.01), time in bed (p = 0.001), total sleep time (p = 0.04), sleep latency, sleep efficiency, motor activity (p = 0.0001) and wakefulness after sleep onset (p = 0.001) compared to controls. When comparing Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment, differences were significant for sleep latency (p = 0.01), wakefulness after sleep onset (p = 0.004), sleep efficiency, number of awakenings and motor activity (p = 0.0001). In addition to showing a high prevalence of sleep alterations in subjects with cognitive impairment, our data suggest that they are evident from the earliest stages of cognitive decline. Further studies are needed to assess whether early correction of sleep alterations can positively influence the evolution of cognitive impairment. The opportunity to provide clinically meaningful information with a simple assessment of sleep characteristics based on actigraphy suggests that wider use of the approach in patients with cognitive decline should be considered.openBuratti, Laura; Camilletti, Roberta; Pulcini, Alessandra; Rocchi, Chiara; Viticchi, Giovanna; Falsetti, Lorenzo; Baldinelli, Sara; Fiori, Chiara; Silvestrini, MauroBuratti, Laura; Camilletti, Roberta; Pulcini, Alessandra; Rocchi, Chiara; Viticchi, Giovanna; Falsetti, Lorenzo; Baldinelli, Sara; Fiori, Chiara; Silvestrini, Maur

Multifunctional sulfonium-based treatment for perovskite solar cells with less than 1% efficiency loss over 4,500-h operational stability tests

The stabilization of grain boundaries and surfaces of the perovskite layer is critical to extend the durability of perovskite solar cells. Here we introduced a sulfonium-based molecule, dimethylphenethylsulfonium iodide (DMPESI), for the post-deposition treatment of formamidinium lead iodide perovskite films. The treated films show improved stability upon light soaking and remains in the black α phase after two years ageing under ambient condition without encapsulation. The DMPESI-treated perovskite solar cells show less than 1% performance loss after more than 4,500 h at maximum power point tracking, yielding a theoretical T80 of over nine years under continuous 1-sun illumination. The solar cells also display less than 5% power conversion efficiency drops under various ageing conditions, including 100 thermal cycles between 25 °C and 85 °C and an 1,050-h damp heat test

A Cobalt Molecular Catalyst for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction with Remarkable Activity in Phosphate Buffered Water Solution

Herein, we show that [Cp*Co(2-ampy)I]I (2-ampy = 2-aminomethyl-pyridine) is an extremely active catalyst for HER, exhib- iting a record TOF of 109000 s-1 in phosphate buffered water solution (pH 7). The key to this remarkable activity stems from the establishment of a network of weak interactions in the second coordination sphere. As a matter of fact, both experimental and theoretical studies strongly suggest that the –NH2 functionality of 2-ampy ligand acts as an anchoring and orienting group for H2PO4- through the establishment of an in- termolecular hydrogen bonding with it that, in turn, intermolecularly donates a proton to Co–H liberating H2

Multifunctional sulfonium-based treatment for perovskite solar cells with less than 1% efficiency loss over 4,500-h operational stability tests

Stabilizing grain boundaries and surfaces of the perovskite layer is critical to extend device durability. Here we introduced an unexplored sulfonium-based molecule to post-treat formamidinium lead iodide perovskite films, which shows outstanding stability upon light soaking and remarkably remains in black-phase after 2 years ageing under ambient condition without encapsulation. The DMPESI-treated PSCs deliver a breakthrough record in operational stability of highly-efficient PSCs with less than 1% performance loss after more than 4500 h at maximum power point tracking, yielding a theoretical T80 of over 9 years under continuous 1-sun illumination. They also present less than 5% PCE drops under various ageing conditions (including thermal cycling and damp heat test)