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Background/Aims: Post-operative cognitive decline is frequent in older individuals following major surgery; however, biomarkers of this decline are less clearly defined. Methods: Sixty-eight participants over the age of 60 provided blood samples at baseline and 24 h post-surgery. Cognitive decline was measured at baseline and 52 weeks post-surgery using the Cambridge Assessment for Mental Disorder in the Elderly, section B (CAMCOG) score. Plasma levels of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and S100B were measured by ELISA. Results: Baseline NSE and the change in NSE levels between baseline and 24 h were correlated with the change in CAMCOG score between baseline and 52 weeks. Conclusion: NSE concentrations may be a useful predictor of individuals at risk of more severe long-term cognitive decline. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores a range of barriers to the implementation of retrofit programmes to domestic properties, through reporting on the process of delivering a social housing retrofit project by a registered social landlord (RSL) in Sunderland, in the North East of England. The paper first describes the policy context for RSLs in terms of the housing condition requirements and targets to reduce carbon dioxide emissions set by national government, and the subsequent shift by RSLs to retrofitting their properties to higher energy performance standards. During the project, a number of barriers were identified by the project team (which includes the authors), relating to decision-making processes, communication between partners, procurement and supply chains training and internal expertise, energy consumption monitoring and the type of low and zero carbon dioxide technologies to install. The article explores these, both as experienced and reported by the RSL, and identified by the wider project team, and considers what lessons could be learned regarding delivery of similar projects in the social housing sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]