Electric Field Comparison between Microelectrode Recording and Deep Brain Stimulation Systems-A Simulation Study.

The success of deep brain stimulation (DBS) relies primarily on the localization of the implanted electrode. Its final position can be chosen based on the results of intraoperative microelectrode recording (MER) and stimulation tests. The optimal position often differs from the final one selected for chronic stimulation with the DBS electrode.

Gene cloning system for sulfonamide-mineralizing Microbacterium sp. strain BR1.

The wide application of sulfonamide (SA) antibiotics in human and veterinary medicine contributes to the accumulation of these antibiotics in the environment and the corresponding onset of antibiotic resistance among bacteria. Microbacterium sp. BR1 is capable of mineralizing sulfamethoxazole and other SAs via a novel mechanism.

Probing the particulate microstructure of the aerodynamic particle size distribution of dry powder inhaler combination products.

The in-vitro aerosol performance of two combination dry powder inhaler (DPI) products, Foster NEXThaler and Seretide Diskus were investigated with single particle aerosol mass spectrometry (SPAMS). The in-vitro pharmaceutical performance is markedly different for both inhalers. Foster NEXThaler generates a higher fine particle fraction (FPF <5 μm) and a much higher relative extra fine particle fraction (eFPF <2 μm).

Investigations on the Mechanism of Magnesium Stearate to Modify Aerosol Performance in Dry Powder Inhaled Formulations.

The potential of the force control agent magnesium stearate (MgSt) to enhance the aerosol performance of lactose-based dry powder inhaled (DPI) formulations was investigated in this study. The excipient-blends were investigated with analytical techniques including time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry and single particle aerosol mass spectrometry (SPAMS), and particle size, morphology, and surface properties were evaluated. Excipient-blends were manufactured either by high-shear or low-shear blending lactose carrier with different amounts of MgSt in the range from 0% to 10% (w/w).

Particle interactions of fluticasone propionate and salmeterol xinafoate detected with single particle aerosol mass spectrometry (SPAMS).

Particle co-associations between the active pharmaceutical ingredients fluticasone propionate and salmeterol xinafoate were examined in dry powder inhaled (DPI) and metered dose inhaled (MDI) combination products. Single Particle Aerosol Mass Spectrometry was used to investigate the particle interactions in Advair Diskus (500/50 mcg) and Seretide (125/25 mcg). A simple rules tree was used to identify each compound, either alone or co-associated at the level of the individual particle, using unique marker peaks in the mass spectra for the identification of each drug.

Cost assessment of different routes for phosphorus recovery from wastewater using data from pilot and production plants.

Phosphorus (P) recovery from wastewater has considerable potential to supplement limited fossil P reserves. Reliable cost data are essential for investor and policymaker decisions. In this study, investment and operational costs for nine P recovery processes were calculated from the investor's perspective, taking into account all relevant side effects on the sludge treatment or the wastewater treatment plant.

Thirst at Work Implies More Than Just Inadequate Facilities for Breaks.

Early signs of dehydration, such as headaches, are not unusual in the working population. Even slight deficiencies of water intake may have negative effects on both health and performance. However, little is known about work-related fluid intake.

Public Perception of Uncertainties Within Climate Change Science.

Climate change is a complex, multifaceted problem involving various interacting systems and actors. Therefore, the intensities, locations, and timeframes of the consequences of climate change are hard to predict and cause uncertainties. Relatively little is known about how the public perceives this scientific uncertainty and how this relates to their concern about climate change.

Biomimetic Remineralization of Carious Lesions by Self-Assembling Peptide.

Caries is the most common disease in the world. Great efforts have been undertaken for prevention and to identify a regenerative treatment solution for dental caries. Self-assembling β-sheet forming peptides have previously shown to form 3-dimensional fiber networks supporting tissue regeneration.

A UHPLC-MS/MS method for the quantification of 7α-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one to assist in diagnosis of bile acid malabsorption.

Bile acids malabsorption (BAM) is encountered in numerous gastrointestinal pathologies and is a good example of a treatable cause of watery diarrhea after ileal resection. The gold standard for diagnosing BAM is the selenium homocholic acid taurine test (SeHCAT), an expensive and complex analysis. An alternative method is the quantification of 7α-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one (C4).

Patient-Specific Electric Field Simulations and Acceleration Measurements for Objective Analysis of Intraoperative Stimulation Tests in the Thalamus.

Despite an increasing use of deep brain stimulation (DBS) the fundamental mechanisms of action remain largely unknown. Simulation of electric entities has previously been proposed for chronic DBS combined with subjective symptom evaluations, but not for intraoperative stimulation tests. The present paper introduces a method for an objective exploitation of intraoperative stimulation test data to identify the optimal implant position of the chronic DBS lead by relating the electric field (EF) simulations to the patient-specific anatomy and the clinical effects quantified by accelerometry.

Effects of antiandrogenic progestins, chlormadinone and cyproterone acetate, and the estrogen 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), and their mixtures: Transactivation with human and rainbowfish hormone receptors and transcriptional effects in zebrafish (Danio rerio) eleuthero-embryos.

Synthetic progestins act as endocrine disrupters in fish but their risk to the environment is not sufficiently known. Here, we focused on an unexplored antiandrogenic progestin, chlormadinone acetate (CMA), and the antiandrogenic progestin cyproterone acetate (CPA). The aim was to evaluate whether their in vitro interaction with human and rainbowfish (Melanotaenia fluviatilis) sex hormone receptors is similar.

Evaluation of calcium dihydroxide- and silver-coated implants in the rat tibia.

Background: Silver ions (Ag+) have strong antibacterial effects, and silver-coated materials are in widespread clinical use. However, the application of silver-coated medical devices is not without concerns: its use with direct bone contact is not established, and systemic toxic side effects of released Ag+ have been described. Therefore, alternative bactericidal coatings with a more localized way of acting - e.

Taking the chance: Core self-evaluations predict relative gain in job resources following turnover.

Core self-evaluations (CSE) might account for relative gains in job resources across time, especially in situations when these individual differences affect behavior that is relevant for development of job resources. This longitudinal study tests CSE as an individual resource that predicts relative gain in job resources and job satisfaction among job beginners who change or stay with their employer. A questionnaire was filled in by 513 adolescents shortly before the end of vocational training and one year later.

Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Cyanobacterial Serine Protease Inhibitors Aeruginosin 828A and Cyanopeptolin 1020 in Human Hepatoma Cell Line Huh7 and Effects in Zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Intensive growth of cyanobacteria in freshwater promoted by eutrophication can lead to release of toxic secondary metabolites that may harm aquatic organisms and humans. The serine protease inhibitor aeruginosin 828A was isolated from a microcystin-deficient Planktothrix strain. We assessed potential molecular effects of aeruginosin 828A in comparison to another cyanobacterial serine protease inhibitor, cyanopeptolin 1020, in human hepatoma cell line Huh7, in zebrafish embryos and liver organ cultures.

Nodularin induces tumor necrosis factor-alpha and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) and leads to induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress.

Nodularin is produced by the cyanobacterium Nodularia spumigena. It is of concern due to hepatotoxicity in humans and animals. Here we investigated unexplored molecular mechanisms by transcription analysis in human liver cells, focusing on induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines, the tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and components of the activator protein-1 complex in human hepatoma cells (Huh7) exposed to non-cytotoxic (0.

A new model of implant-related osteomyelitis in the metaphysis of rat tibiae.

Background: Animal models serve as an important tool to understand peri-implant infection. Most of the models use high bacterial loads (>10(4) colony forming units, CFU) to provide high infection rates. Therefore these animals evolve rather similarly, making comparison between groups and statistical analysis possible.

Time Matters in Ecotoxicological Sampling Due to Circadian Rhythm.

As in general, technological inventions also drive the development in the field of toxicology and ecotoxicology. In the past decade, gene expression analysis has become a universally applied technology allowing many insights into toxicological pathways of environmental contaminants. Due to the novel technologies, including quantitative determination of mRNA by quantitative reverse transcription analysis (qRT-PCR), and semiquantitative methods, such as microarrays and RNA-sequencing technologies, toxicological profiles of contaminants could be identified.

Molecular Effects of Neonicotinoids in Honey Bees (Apis mellifera).

Neonicotinoids are implicated in the decline of bee populations. As agonists of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, they disturb acetylcholine receptor signaling leading to neurotoxicity. Several behavioral studies showed the link between neonicotinoid exposure and adverse effects on foraging activity and reproduction.

Mineralization of Early Stage Carious Lesions In Vitro-A Quantitative Approach.

Micro computed tomography has been combined with dedicated data analysis for the in vitro quantification of sub-surface enamel lesion mineralization. Two artificial white spot lesions, generated on a human molar crown in vitro, were examined. One lesion was treated with a self-assembling peptide intended to trigger nucleation of hydroxyapatite crystals.

Engineered Water Highways in Fuel Cells: Radiation Grafting of Gas Diffusion Layers.

A novel method to produce gas diffusion layers with patterned wettability for fuel cells is presented. The local irradiation and subsequent grafting permits full design flexibility and wettability tuning, while modifying throughout the whole material thickness. These water highways have improved operando performance due to an optimized water management inside the cells.

Novel microcalorimetric assay for antibacterial activity of implant coatings: The cases of silver-doped hydroxyapatite and calcium hydroxide.

Biomaterials with antimicrobial properties are now commonly used in different clinical specialties including orthopedics, endodontic, and traumatology. As a result, assessing the antimicrobial effect of coatings applied on implants is of critical importance. In this study, we demonstrate that isothermal microcalorimetry (IMC) can be used for monitoring bacterial growth and biofilm formation at the surface of such coatings and for determining their antimicrobial effects.

Release of antimony from contaminated soil induced by redox changes.

Soil contamination by toxic antimony (Sb) released from corroding ammunition has become an issue of public concern in various countries. Many of these soils are at least occasionally subject to waterlogging; yet mechanisms controlling Sb mobility under anaerobic conditions are still poorly understood. We investigated Sb concentration and speciation dynamics in a calcareous shooting range soil in terms of changing redox conditions using microcosm experiments.

Smartphones as multimodal communication devices to facilitate clinical knowledge processes: randomized controlled trial.

Background: Despite the widespread use and advancements of mobile technology that facilitate rich communication modes, there is little evidence demonstrating the value of smartphones for effective interclinician communication and knowledge processes.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the effects of different synchronous smartphone-based modes of communication, such as (1) speech only, (2) speech and images, and (3) speech, images, and image annotation (guided noticing) on the recall and transfer of visually and verbally represented medical knowledge.

Methods: The experiment was conducted from November 2011 to May 2012 at the University Hospital Basel (Switzerland) with 42 medical students in a master's program.

Can laptops be left inside passenger bags if motion imaging is used in X-ray security screening?

This paper describes a study where a new X-ray machine for security screening featuring motion imaging (i.e., 5 views of a bag are shown as an image sequence) was evaluated and compared to single view imaging available on conventional X-ray screening systems.