Highly Active WC-Based Composites for the HER in Alkaline Solution: the Role of Surface Oxide Species.

The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is a crucial electrochemical process for the proposed hydrogen economy since it has the potential to provide pure hydrogen for fuel cells. Nowadays, hydrogen electroproduction is considerably expensive, so promoting the development of new non-noble catalysts for the cathode of alkaline electrolyzers appears as a suitable way to reduce the costs of this technology. In this sense, a series of tungsten-based carbide materials have been synthesized by the urea-glass route as candidates to improve the HER in alkaline media.

Titanium Oxycarbide as Platinum-Free Electrocatalyst for Ethanol Oxidation.

The compound material titanium oxycarbide (TiOC) is found to be an effective electrocatalyst for the electrochemical oxidation of ethanol to CO. The complete course of this reaction is one of the main challenges in direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs). While TiOC has previously been investigated as catalyst support material only, in this study we show that TiOC alone is able to oxidize ethanol to acetaldehyde without the need of expensive noble metal catalysts like Pt.

A laboratory-based multifunctional near ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy system for electrochemical, catalytic, and cryogenic studies.

A versatile multifunctional laboratory-based near ambient pressure x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) instrument is presented. The entire device is highly customized regarding geometry, exchangeable manipulators and sample stages for liquid- and solid-state electrochemistry, cryochemistry, and heterogeneous catalysis. It therefore delivers novel and unique access to a variety of experimental approaches toward a broad choice of functional materials and their specific surface processes.

Electroreduction of CO in a Non-aqueous Electrolyte-The Generic Role of Acetonitrile.

Transition metal carbides, especially MoC, are praised to be efficient electrocatalysts to reduce CO to valuable hydrocarbons. However, on MoC in an aqueous electrolyte, exclusively the competing hydrogen evolution reaction takes place, and this discrepancy to theory was traced back to the formation of a thin oxide layer at the electrode surface. Here, we study the CO reduction activity at MoC in a non-aqueous electrolyte to avoid such passivation and to determine products and the CO reduction reaction pathway.

True Nature of the Transition-Metal Carbide/Liquid Interface Determines Its Reactivity.

Compound materials, such as transition-metal (TM) carbides, are anticipated to be effective electrocatalysts for the carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CORR) to useful chemicals. This expectation is nurtured by density functional theory (DFT) predictions of a break of key adsorption energy scaling relations that limit CORR at parent TMs. Here, we evaluate these prospects for hexagonal MoC in aqueous electrolytes in a multimethod experiment and theory approach.

Substantially Improved Na-Ion Storage Capability by Nanostructured Organic-Inorganic Polyaniline-TiO Composite Electrodes.

Developing sodium (Na)-ion batteries is highly appealing because they offer the potential to be made from raw materials, which hold the promise to be less expensive, less toxic, and at the same time more abundant compared to state-of-the-art lithium (Li)-ion batteries. In this work, the Na-ion storage capability of nanostructured organic-inorganic polyaniline (PANI) titanium dioxide (TiO) composite electrodes is studied. Self-organized, carbon-coated, and oxygen-deficient anatase TiO -C nanotubes (NTs) are fabricated by a facile one-step anodic oxidation process followed by annealing at high temperatures in an argon-acetylene mixture.

Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria: An Underestimated Cause of Pediatric Thromboembolism.

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is a chronic disease caused by complement-mediated hemolysis. Clinical symptoms include intravascular hemolysis, nocturnal hemoglobinuria, thromboses, cytopenia, fatigue, abdominal pain, and a strong tendency toward bone marrow failure. It is a rare disease, especially in children, with high mortality rates without appropriate treatment.

Can interactive skills-based seminars with standardized patients enhance clinicians' prevention skills? Measuring the impact of a CME program.

Objective: Communication skills are crucial for high-risk behavior screening and counseling. Practicing physicians have limited opportunities to improve these skills. This paper assesses the impact of a continuing medical education (CME) program for Student Health Center clinicians that targeted communication skills, screening practices and patient satisfaction.

A randomized trial of teaching clinical skills using virtual and live standardized patients.

Background: We developed computer-based virtual patient (VP) cases to complement an interactive continuing medical education (CME) course that emphasizes skills practice using standardized patients (SP). Virtual patient simulations have the significant advantages of requiring fewer personnel and resources, being accessible at any time, and being highly standardized. Little is known about the educational effectiveness of these new resources.

Early predictors of neurodevelopmental outcome in symptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus infection.

Objective: To determine the ability of neonatal clinical, audiologic, and computed tomography (CT) findings to predict long-term neurodevelopmental outcome in children with symptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection.

Methods: Longitudinal cohort study of children (n = 41) with symptomatic congenital CMV infection evaluated at birth and followed up with serial age-appropriate neurodevelopmental testing. The performance of birth characteristics as predictors of long-term outcome were determined, and clinical and CT scoring systems were developed and correlated with intellectual outcome.

Cytomegalovirus urinary excretion and long term outcome in children with congenital cytomegalovirus infection. Congenital CMV Longitudinal Study Group.

Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most frequent cause of congenital infection, and both symptomatic and asymptomatic infants may have long term sequelae. Children with congenital CMV infection are chronically infected and excrete CMV in the urine for prolonged periods. However, the effect of prolonged viral replication on the long term outcome of these children is unknown.