Deep Brain Stimulation: When to Test Directional?

Background: Directional deep brain stimulation (DBS) allows for steering of the stimulation field, but extensive and time-consuming testing of all segmented contacts is necessary to identify the possible benefit of steering. It is therefore important to determine under which circumstances directional current steering is advantageous.

Methods: Fifty two Parkinson's disease patients implanted in the STN with a directional DBS system underwent a standardized monopolar programming session 5 to 9 months after implantation.

Ongoing toxin-positive diphtheria outbreaks in a federal asylum centre in Switzerland, analysis July to September 2022.

Two diphtheria outbreaks occurred in a Swiss asylum center from July to October 2022, one is still ongoing. Outbreaks mainly involved minors and included six symptomatic respiratory diphtheria cases requiring antitoxin. Phylogenomic analyses showed evidence of imported and local transmissions of toxigenic strains in respiratory and skin lesion samples.

Cataract inhibitors: Present needs and future challenges.

Cataracts result from opacification of the ocular lens and represent the leading cause of blindness worldwide. After surgical removal of the diseased lens material and implantation of an artificial intraocular lens, up to 50% of cataract patients develop a secondary lens defect called posterior capsular opacification (PCO). While vision can be restored in PCO patients by a laser-mediated capsulotomy, novel therapies involving inhibition of aldose reductase are now being developed to prevent PCO development and complications of laser capsulotomy.

Enhancing the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction Activity of Platinum Electrodes in Alkaline Media Using Nickel-Iron Clusters.

Herein, we demonstrate an easy way to improve the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity of Pt electrodes in alkaline media by introducing Ni-Fe clusters. As a result, the overpotential needed to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm in H -saturated 0.1 m KOH is reduced for the model single-crystal electrodes down to about 70 mV.

Prospects of Value-Added Chemicals and Hydrogen via Electrolysis.

Cost is a major drawback that limits the industrial-scale hydrogen production through water electrolysis. The overall cost of this technology can be decreased by coupling the electrosynthesis of value-added chemicals at the anode side with electrolytic hydrogen generation at the cathode. This Minireview provides a directory of anodic oxidation reactions that can be combined with cathodic hydrogen generation.

Advanced Bifunctional Oxygen Reduction and Evolution Electrocatalyst Derived from Surface-Mounted Metal-Organic Frameworks.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and their derivatives are considered as promising catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which are important for many energy provision technologies, such as electrolyzers, fuel cells and some types of advanced batteries. In this work, a "strain modulation" approach has been applied through the use of surface-mounted NiFe-MOFs in order to design an advanced bifunctional ORR/OER electrocatalyst. The material exhibits an excellent OER activity in alkaline media, reaching an industrially relevant current density of 200 mA cm at an overpotential of only ≈210 mV.

Revealing the nature of active sites in electrocatalysis.

Heterogeneous electrocatalysis plays a central role in the development of sustainable, carbon-neutral pathways for energy provision and the production of various chemicals. It determines the overall efficiency of electrochemical devices that involve catalysis at the electrode/electrolyte interface. In this perspective, we discuss key aspects for the identification of active centers at the surface of electrocatalysts and important factors that influence them.

Postural changes in optic nerve and optic nerve sheath diameters in postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome and spontaneous intracranial hypotension: A cohort study.

Background: Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome is a disorder of the autonomic nervous system. Approximately 30% of patients experience orthostatic headaches. Orthostatic headaches also are a hallmark symptom in spontaneous intracranial hypotension.

Psychometric validation of the German version of the EPIC-26 questionnaire for patients with localized and locally advanced prostate cancer.

Purpose: For patients with prostate cancer, validated and reliable instruments are essential for measuring patient-reported outcomes. The aim of this study was to validate the German version of the widely established Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite with 26 items (EPIC-26).

Methods: A German translation of the original questionnaire was tested in 3094 patients with localized or locally advanced (any T, any N and M0) prostate cancer with treatment intent (including radical prostatectomy, brachytherapy, active surveillance, watchful waiting).

Optimizing the Size of Platinum Nanoparticles for Enhanced Mass Activity in the Electrochemical Oxygen Reduction Reaction.

High oxygen reduction (ORR) activity has been for many years considered as the key to many energy applications. Herein, by combining theory and experiment we prepare Pt nanoparticles with optimal size for the efficient ORR in proton-exchange-membrane fuel cells. Optimal nanoparticle sizes are predicted near 1, 2, and 3 nm by computational screening.

Top-Down Synthesis of Nanostructured Platinum-Lanthanide Alloy Oxygen Reduction Reaction Catalysts: Pt Pr/C as an Example.

The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is of great interest for future sustainable energy conversion and storage, especially concerning fuel cell applications. The preparation of active, affordable, and scalable electrocatalysts and their application in fuel cell engines of hydrogen cars is a prominent step toward the reduction of air pollution, especially in urban areas. Alloying nanostructured Pt with lanthanides is a promising approach to enhance its catalytic ORR activity, whereby the development of a simple synthetic route turned out to be a nontrivial endeavor.

Publisher Correction: Tax havens and global environmental degradation.

An earlier version of the Supplementary Information was mistakenly uploaded when this Perspective was published, and was live until 14 August 2018, when the correct version was uploaded.

Sonography of the optic nerve sheath diameter before and after microsurgical closure of a dural CSF fistula in patients with spontaneous intracranial hypotension - a consecutive cohort study.

Objective: Spontaneous intracranial hypotension is caused by spinal cerebrospinal fluid leakage. Patients with orthostatic headaches and cerebrospinal fluid leakage show a decrease in optic nerve sheath diameter upon movement from supine to upright position. We hypothesized that the decrease in optic nerve sheath diameter upon gravitational challenge would cease after closure of the leak.

Multiple Potentials of Maximum Entropy for a NaCo[Fe(CN)] Battery Electrode Material: Does the Electrolyte Composition Control the Interface?

Development of efficient schemes of energy storage is crucial for finding a solution for the "generation versus consumption" problem. Aqueous Na-ion batteries have been already recognized as one of the promising candidates for large-scale energy-storage systems. Despite noticeable progress in this field, the actual intercalation mechanisms governing these battery cells are yet to be fully comprehended.

Chromium(II) Hexacyanoferrate-Based Thin Films as a Material for Aqueous Alkali Metal Cation Batteries.

Identification and characterization of novel battery electrode materials are key factors in transitioning the grids to renewable energy provision. Given the scale of the challenge, special attention should be paid to safety and availability of resources. This paper presents a new electrode material for aqueous batteries and supercapacitors based on highly available resources: chromium(II) hexacyanoferrate (CrHCF) thin films.

Shifting cancer care towards Multidisciplinarity: the cancer center certification program of the German cancer society.

Background: Over the last decades numerous initiatives have been set up that aim at translating the best available medical knowledge and treatment into clinical practice. The inherent complexity of the programs and discrepancies in the terminology used make it difficult to appreciate each of them distinctly and compare their specific strengths and weaknesses. To allow comparison and stimulate dialogue between different programs, we in this paper provide an overview of the German Cancer Society certification program for multidisciplinary cancer centers that was established in 2003.

Revision Rate of Misplaced Pedicle Screws of the Thoracolumbar Spine-Comparison of Three-Dimensional Fluoroscopy Navigation with Freehand Placement: A Systematic Analysis and Review of the Literature.

Background: Recent studies have shown higher accuracy rates of image-guided pedicle screw placement compared to freehand (FH) placement. However, data focusing on the impact of spinal navigation on the rate of revision surgeries caused by misplaced pedicle screws (PS) are scarce.

Objective: This study is aimed at identifying the rate of revision surgeries for misplaced PS comparing three-dimensional (3D) fluoroscopy navigation (3DFL) with FH PS placement.

Deep Brain Stimulation for Tremor: Is There a Common Structure?

Background: Subthalamic nucleus (STN) stimulation has been recognized to control resting tremor in Parkinson disease. Similarly, thalamic stimulation (ventral intermediate nucleus; VIM) has shown tremor control in Parkinson disease, essential, and intention tremors. Recently, stimulation of the posterior subthalamic area (PSA) has been associated with excellent tremor control.