Electrical rejuvenation of chronically implanted macroelectrodes in nonhuman primates.

Electrodes chronically implanted in the brain undergo complex changes over time that can lower the signal to noise ratio (SNR) of recorded signals and reduce the amount of energy delivered to the tissue during therapeutic stimulation, both of which are relevant for the development of robust, closed-loop control systems. Several factors have been identified that link changes in the electrode-tissue interface (ETI) to increased impedance and degraded performance in micro- and macro-electrodes. Previous studies have demonstrated that brief pulses applied every few days can restore SNR to near baseline levels during microelectrode recordings in rodents, a process referred to as electrical rejuvenation.

Health-related quality of life in men with oligometastatic prostate cancer following metastases-directed stereotactic body radiotherapy: Real-world data from the E-RADIatE OligoCare cohort.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of metastases-directed stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in men with oligometastatic prostate cancer (PCa) using real-world data from the OligoCare cohort.

Materials And Methods: OligoCare is a pragmatic, observational cohort designed to assess the impact of metastases-directed SBRT on patients with oligometastatic disease (OMD). We report an interim analyses of the secondary endpoint HRQoL, assessed using the EORTC QLQ-C30, within six months of metastases-directed SBRT for oligometastatic disease in men with PCa among the first 1600 registered patients.

Safety of CDK4/6 inhibitors and concomitant radiation therapy in patients affected by metastatic breast cancer.

Purpose: Cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) currently represent the standard of care for the initial treatment of patients with metastatic hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HR+/HER2-) breast cancer. The aim of our study is to evaluate the safety of the use of concomitant radiation therapy (RT) in a consecutive series of HR+/HER2- patients treated in two academic institutions with CDK4/6i in the metastatic setting.

Methods And Materials: From September 2017 to February 2020, we retrospectively collected and analysed data on a sequential series of patients treated with CDK4/6i, receiving RT or not, at two European institutions.

Impedance Analysis of Electrochemical Systems.

Interpretation of impedance spectroscopy data requires both a description of the chemistry and physics that govern the system and an assessment of the error structure of the measurement. The approach presented here includes use of graphical methods to guide model development, use of a measurement model analysis to assess the presence of stochastic and bias errors, and a systematic development of interpretation models in terms of the proposed reaction mechanism and physical description. Application to corrosion, batteries, and biological systems is discussed, and emerging trends in interpretation and implementation of impedance spectroscopy are presented.

Economic and social impacts of COVID-19 and public health measures: results from an anonymous online survey in Thailand, Malaysia, the UK, Italy and Slovenia.

Objectives: To understand the impact of COVID-19 and public health measures on different social groups, we conducted a mixed-methods study in five countries ('SEBCOV-social, ethical and behavioural aspects of COVID-19'). Here, we report the results of the online survey.

Study Design And Statistical Analysis: Overall, 5058 respondents from Thailand, Malaysia, the UK, Italy and Slovenia completed the self-administered survey between May and June 2020.

How health care professionals confront and solve ethical dilemmas - a tale of two countries: Slovenia and Croatia.

Aim: To assess the differences in the way how Slovenian and Croatian health care professionals (HCPs) confront ethical dilemmas and perceive the role of hospital ethics committees (HECs).

Methods: This cross-sectional, survey-based study involved HCPs from three Slovenian and five Croatian university medical centers (UMC). The final sample sizes were 308 (244 or 79.

Impedance Response of a Thin Film on an Electrode: Deciphering the Influence of the Double Layer Capacitance.

The different contributions of the interfacial capacitance are identified in the case of passive materials or thin protective coatings deposited on the electrode surface. The method is based on a graphical analysis of the EIS results to determine both the passive-film capacitance in the high-frequency domain and the double-layer capacitance in the low-frequency domain. The proposed analysis is shown to be independent of the physicochemical origins of the frequency dispersion of the interfacial capacitances which results, from an analysis point of view of the experimental results, in the use of a constant-phase element However, for a correct evaluation of the thin-film properties such as its thickness, the high-frequency data must be corrected for the double-layer contribution.

A fatal wound complication following sequential anti-angiogenesis, immune checkpoint inhibition and ultra-hypofractionated radiotherapy.

Purpose: Multimodality treatments combining radiotherapy, immune therapy and/or targeted therapy are under heavy investigation. Promising data from clinical trials are emerging, nevertheless unexpected interactions and adverse events should not be overlooked.

Case Presentation: Here we present a case study of a patient with metastatic colon adenocarcinoma treated sequentially with a chemotherapy/targeted therapy combination, immune checkpoint inhibitors and ultra-hypofractionated radiotherapy.

Challenges in Combining Immunotherapy with Radiotherapy in Recurrent/Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer.

Immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) has recently become a standard part of the treatment of recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (R/M HNSCC), although the response rates are low. Numerous preclinical and clinical studies have now illuminated several mechanisms by which radiotherapy (RT) enhances the effect of ICI. From RT-induced immunogenic cancer cell death to its effect on the tumor microenvironment and vasculature, the involved mechanisms are diverse and intertwined.

Telemedicine in Radiation Oncology Post-COVID-19 Pandemic: There Is No Turning Back.

Purpose: We aimed to assess patients' and physicians' perspectives on wider implementation of telemedicine in radiation oncology practice, disrupted by the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Methods: Quantitative questionnaires were prepared and distributed between May 27 and June 11, 2020. A 29-question survey targeting patients with cancer was distributed electronically via cancer support organizations.

The first nationwide study on facing and solving ethical dilemmas among healthcare professionals in Slovenia.

Background: Healthcare professionals (HCPs), patients and families are often faced with ethical dilemmas. The role of healthcare ethics committees (HECs) is to offer support in these situations.

Aim: The primary objective was to study how often HCPs encounter ethical dilemmas.

Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4/6 Inhibitors Combined With Radiotherapy for Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer.

Background: The cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) represent the standard treatment for hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative metastatic breast cancer. Data about the balance between efficacy and toxicity of combined palliative radiotherapy (RT) and CDK4/6 inhibition are lacking.

Patients And Methods: We undertook a review of 46 patients with metastatic breast cancer on systemic treatment with CDK4/6i who underwent 62 metastases-directed RT.

Flow Cytometric Determination of Actin Polymerization in Peripheral Blood Leukocytes Effectively Discriminate Patients With Homozygous Mutation in ARPC1B From Asymptomatic Carriers and Normal Controls.

Actin nucleators initiate formation of actin filaments. Among them, the Arp2/3 complex has the ability to form branched actin networks. This complex is regulated by members of the Wiscott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASp) family.

Notes on the Development of the Slovenian Ethical Recommendations for Decision-Making on Treatment and Palliative Care of Patients at the End of Life in Intensive Care Medicine.

Objectives: To describe the process of development of "Slovenian Ethical Recommendations for Decision-Making on Treatment and Palliative Care of Patients at the End of Life in Intensive Care Medicine" and its final outcomes.

Data Sources: Personal experience and reflection, complemented by published data.

Study Selection: Not applicable.

End-of-life decisions in 34 Slovene Intensive Care Units: a nationwide prospective clinical study.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine how end-of-life decisions (EOLD) on limitations of life-sustaining treatment (LST) are made in three different types of intensive care units (ICUs) in Slovenia.

Methods: A national multicenter prospective study among 31 adult and three pediatric/neonatal ICUs (PICUs). The questionnaire form on EOLD was designed to assess the clinical practice.

Attitudes of Slovene paediatricians to end-of-life care.

Aims: The aims of this study were to assess the attitudes of Slovene paediatricians to aspects of end-of-life (EOL) care and compare these attitudes between paediatric intensivists, paediatric specialists and paediatric residents.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional survey, using a specifically designed 43-item anonymous questionnaire.

Results: We included 323 out of 586 Slovene paediatricians and residents, while 46.

Experiences of Slovene ICU physicians with end-of-life decision making: a nation-wide survey.

Background: Advances in intensive care medicine have enormously improved ability to successfully treat seriously ill patients. However, intensive treatment and prolongation of life is not always in the patient's best interest, and many ethical dilemmas arise in end-of-life (EOL) situations. We aimed to assess intensive care unit (ICU) physicians' experiences with EOL decision making and to compare the responses according to ICU type.

Characterization of damaged skin by impedance spectroscopy: chemical damage by dimethyl sulfoxide.

Purpose: To relate changes in the electrochemical impedance spectra to the progression and mechanism of skin damage arising from exposure to dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO).

Methods: Electrochemical impedance spectra measured before and after human cadaver skin was treated with neat DMSO or phosphate buffered saline (control) for 1 h or less were compared with electrical circuit models representing two contrasting theories describing the progression of DMSO damage. Flux of a model lipophilic compound (p-chloronitrobenzene) was also measured.

Characterization of damaged skin by impedance spectroscopy: mechanical damage.

Purpose: Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy is a convenient method that has been used to characterize skin barrier function, which affects drug delivery into and through the skin. The objective of this study was to relate changes in skin barrier function arising from mechanical damage to changes in the impedance spectra. These observations are compared in a companion paper to changes in chemically damaged skin.

On the correlation between single-frequency impedance measurements and human skin permeability to water.

The objective of this study was to quantitatively compare measurements of tritiated water permeability with impedance determined at either 100 or 1000 Hz using an LCR databridge on the same pieces of skin. A previously published expression based on a simple circuit of a parallel resistor and constant phase element (CPE) was used to relate (RPARA) measured at different frequencies to the DC resistance (RskinA) and the steady-state skin permeability of tritiated water (kp). Using this analysis, kp and (RPARA) data from three laboratories were shown to be consistent with each other, and kp and (RskinA) estimated from (RPARA) were linearly correlated.

An interfacial and bulk charge transport model for dye-sensitized solar cells based on photoanodes consisting of core-shell nanowire arrays.

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) based on ordered photoanode morphologies, such as nanotubes and nanowires, are widely gaining attention because these geometries are believed to enhance interfacial charge transfer and bulk charge transport. Unfortunately, experimental results have yet to show substantial improvement to conversion efficiency over nanoparticle-based DSSCs. A model is developed to characterize the performance of an idealized photoanode based on an ordered array of transparent conductive nanowires coated with an anatase titania shell.

Corrosion of tungsten microelectrodes used in neural recording applications.

In neuroprosthetic applications, long-term electrode viability is necessary for robust recording of the activity of neural populations used for generating communication and control signals. The corrosion of tungsten microwire electrodes used for intracortical recording applications was analyzed in a controlled bench-top study and compared to the corrosion of tungsten microwires used in an in vivo study. Two electrolytes were investigated for the bench-top electrochemical analysis: 0.

A critical analysis of single-frequency LCR databridge impedance measurements of human skin.

Testing whether the barrier of skin samples has sufficient integrity for meaningful measurements of in-vitro chemical permeability is usually required when data are generated for regulatory purposes. Recently, skin integrity has been assessed using LCR databridge measurements, which are reported as resistances determined in either series (SER) or parallel (PAR) modes at a single frequency, typically 100 or 1000Hz. Measurements made at different combinations of mode and frequency are known to differ, although the skin literature reveals confusion over the meaning of these differences and the impact on the interpretation of integrity test results.