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Background: About 50 million people worldwide suffered from dementia in 2018—two-thirds of those with Alzheimer's disease (AD). By 2050, this number is expected to rise to 152 million—which is slightly larger than the country of Russia. About 90% of these people are over the age of 65, but early-onset dementia can occur at younger ages. Early detection is imperative to expedient treatment, which can improve outcomes over the span of diagnosis. Objectives: To conduct a meta-analysis of similar studies along with a systematic literature review to hasten the development of clinical practice guidelines to assist clinicians in the diagnosis of AD. We analyzed data points in each article published over the last 10 years to meet this objective: cost, efficiency, accuracy, acceptability (by physician and patient), patient satisfaction, and barriers to adoption. Methods: Four research databases were queried (PubMed, CINAHL Ultimate, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect). The review was conducted in accordance with a published protocol, the Kruse Protocol, and reported in accordance with PRISMA (2020). Results: Ten interventions were identified to help diagnose AD among older patients, and some involved a combination of methods (such as MRI and PET). The average sample size was 320.32 (SD = 437.51). These 10 interventions were identified as accurate, non-invasive, non-stressful, inexpensive, convenient, and rapid. Only one intervention was identified as statistically ineffective, and this same intervention was used effectively in other studies. The barriers identified were cost, training, expense of travel, and required physical presence of patient. The weighted average sensitivity was 85.16%, specificity was 88.53, and the weighted average effect size was 0.7339 (medium). Conclusion: Innovation can accurately diagnose AD, but not all methods are successful. Providers must ensure they have the proper training and familiarity with these interventions to ensure accuracy in diagnosis. While the physical presence of the patient is often required, many interventions are non-invasive, non-stressful, and relatively inexpensive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resource Efficient Agricultural Production Canada (REAP-Canada), a non-profit organization dedicated to an ecological approach to the production of food, fibre and fuel from farms, suggests how the application of full […]

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatumL.) is a promising bioenergy crop for temperate regions. Overwintering has been used to improve biomass quality, resulting in a more efficient combustion, partially due to a reduction in minerals concentration. This study examines the effects of soil composition on overwintered switchgrass composition. Samples were collected in the spring from 58 environments in Southern Quebec to determine possible relationships between soil composition and biomass quality. Principal component analysis and stepwise regressions were used to identify relationships between soil and biomass compositions. Soil parameters monitored explained 74% of the variation in biomass silicon (Si) concentration, 45% of the variation in ash, and 32% of the variation in magnesium (Mg). Soil composition had limited effects on the concentration of other elements in switchgrass biomass. Switchgrass biomass quality is influenced by soil composition and appears well suited to biomass combustion when overwintered and harvested in the spring. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Unprecedented opportunities for biofuel development are occurring as a result of rising fossil fuel prices, the need to reduce greenhouse gases, and growing energy security concerns. An estimated 250 million hectares (ha) of farmland could be utilized globally to develop a bioenergy industry if efficient and economical perennial biomass crops and bioenergy conversion systems are employed. In temperate zones, C 4 or warm-season grass research and development efforts have found switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) and Miscanthus capable of producing biomass yields of 10 to 20 oven dried tonnes (ODT)/ha/yr, while in tropical areas Erianthus and napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) are producing 25 to 35 ODT/ha/yr. The potential to annually produce 100 barrels of oil energy equivalent/ha with a 25:1 energy output to input ratio appears achievable with high-yielding, N-fixing warm-season grasses grown on marginal lands in the tropics. Commercialization of densified herbaceous plant species has been slow because of the relatively high alkali and chlorine contents of the feedstocks, which leads to clinker formation and the fouling of boilers. This challenge can be overcome by improving biomass quality through advances in plant breeding and cultural management to reduce the chlorine, alkali, and silica content and through the use of new combustion technologies. Warm-season grasses can be readily densified provided suitable grinding and densification equipment and pressure are utilized. The major advantages of producing densified warm-season grasses for BIOHEAT include: it is the most efficient strategy to use marginal farmlands in most temperate and tropical climates to collect solar radiation; it has an excellent energy balance; the feedstocks can be used conveniently in a variety of energy applications; and it is relatively environmentally friendly. Densified warm-season grass biofuels are poised to become a major global fuel source because they can meet some heating requirements at less cost than all other alternatives available today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]