Increasing frailty is associated with higher prevalence and reduced recognition of delirium in older hospitalised inpatients: results of a multi-centre study

Purpose: Delirium is a neuropsychiatric disorder delineated by an acute change in cognition, attention, and consciousness. It is common, particularly in older adults, but poorly recognised. Frailty is the accumulation of deficits conferring an increased risk of adverse outcomes. We set out to determine how severity of frailty, as measured using the CFS, affected delirium rates, and recognition in hospitalised older people in the United Kingdom. Methods: Adults over 65 years were included in an observational multi-centre audit across UK hospitals, two prospective rounds, and one retrospective note review. Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), delirium status, and 30-day outcomes were recorded. Results: The overall prevalence of delirium was 16.3% (483). Patients with delirium were more frail than patients without delirium (median CFS 6 vs 4). The risk of delirium was greater with increasing frailty [OR 2.9 (1.8–4.6) in CFS 4 vs 1–3; OR 12.4 (6.2–24.5) in CFS 8 vs 1–3]. Higher CFS was associated with reduced recognition of delirium (OR of 0.7 (0.3–1.9) in CFS 4 compared to 0.2 (0.1–0.7) in CFS 8). These risks were both independent of age and dementia. Conclusion: We have demonstrated an incremental increase in risk of delirium with increasing frailty. This has important clinical implications, suggesting that frailty may provide a more nuanced measure of vulnerability to delirium and poor outcomes. However, the most frail patients are least likely to have their delirium diagnosed and there is a significant lack of research into the underlying pathophysiology of both of these common geriatric syndromes

A Low-voltage Droplet Microgripper for Micro-object Manipulation

We present a low-voltage microgripper utilizing a liquid droplet to pick up and release micro-objects. Lifting force is generated by a liquid bridge formed between the gripper surface and an object. Electrowetting was used to dynamically change the capillary lifting forces and enable easy object release. The driving voltage was applied to a pair of coplanar interdigitated electrodes, eliminating the need for an electrode on top of the droplet and thus significantly facilitating object manipulation. A barium strontium titanate insulation layer was used to lower the driving voltage. Experiments indicated that the lifting forces can be as high as 213 µN at a driving voltage of 28 V. Experiments also demonstrated a low-voltage, low power consumption soft microgripper by picking up and releasing micro glass beads

Soft Microgripping Using Ionic Liquid Droplet for High Temperature and Vacuum Applications

Aqueous droplet-based micro-gripper has been used for micro-assembly. However they cannot be used for high temperature and vacuum applications. Ionic liquids, organic salts that have a lower melting point temperature, appear suitable for droplet-based micro-gripping application in high temperature and vacuum environments because of their nonvolatility and thermal stability. In this paper, we demonstrated the use of ionic liquid as the operating liquid for micro-gripping applications in high temperatures (up to 110 °C) and vacuum (up to 24 inch Hg) environments. Electrowetting was utilized to dynamically change the contact angle of a 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BmimPF6) liquid bridge to control the capillary lifting forces. The lifting force generated by the liquid bridge was experimentally characterized. The range of capillary lifting forces can be adjusted by changing the liquid bridge height and droplet volume to pick up and release objects with different weights. The dynamic response of the BmimPF6 liquid bridge was also characterized

Electrowetting of Room Temperature Ionic Liquids (RTILs) for Capillary Force Manipulation

The feasibility of using room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) as the electrowetting liquid for capillary force microgrippers was studied. The non-volatility and thermal stability of ionic liquids make them suitable for droplet based microgripping application in high temperature and vacuum environments. Electrowetting on co-planar electrodes was utilized to dynamically change the contact angle of a 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BmimPF6 ) liquid bridge to control the capillary lifting forces. The lifting force generated by the liquid bridge was experimentally characterized. The maximum capillary force was 146μN. The dynamic response of the BmimPF6 liquid bridge was also characterized

When Film Came to Madras

This article argues for the necessity of rethinking the beginnings of cinema in South India through a broader historical consideration of the specific entertainment contexts, which both preceded and were eventually transformed by the introduction of film. The first film exhibitors introduced film to Madras as a kind of European entertainment using the same local venues as the European variety circuit. Their shows conformed to a variety format and they frequently mixed films with other kinds of live performances. In addition to situating early touring cinema shows within the local, European entertainment circuits of Madras city, the second strand of my argument is that we need to rethink the mobility of early cinema in India. Rather than fixating on any discrete point of origin, I suggest that our attention needs to turn to how early cinema worked as a portable technology that traveled along various transnational networks through India. Thus, in our effort to ground early cinema as part of local history in Madras, we must also reconcile this with a better understanding of its spatial movement throughout South Asia and beyond