Efficient Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalyst by Incorporation of Nickel into Nanoscale Dicobalt Boride

Recently, transition metal borides attracted increased attention as electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction. Here, we show how the incorporation of nickel into nanoscale dicobalt boride results in an improvement of the activity and stability of the catalyst in alkaline electrolytes. The borides are obtained by a one‐step solution synthesis, calcined, and characterized by X‐ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. For (Co₁₋ₓNiₓ)₂B (x=0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5), (Co₀.₉Ni₀.₁)₂B shows the best performance with an overpotential of η=371 mV at 10 mA cm⁻² in 1 M KOH. Normalization to the electrochemical surface area shows a clear dependence on the activity with rising nickel content. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals that the catalyst is modified under reaction conditions and indicates that CoOOH and Ni(OH)₂ are formed as active surface species. Flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (F‐AAS) measurements show that no cobalt is dissolved during the electrochemical investigations, but the nickel concentration is increased on the surface of the catalyst as follows from XPS measurements after the electrochemical investigation

Model curriculum of the German society for Rheumatology for advanced training in the discipline internal medicine and rheumatology. English version

With the implementation of the revision of the model training regulations for German physicians (Musterweiterbildungsverordnung, MWBO) in 2018, the area of each field in internal medicine was redefined and a restructuring of the training period for specialists in internal medicine and rheumatology took place [2]. The minimum training time requires 72 months, divided into two parts of 36 months each, which include both the common contents of the training as a specialist in internal medicine (“basic training”) as well as the specific contents of the specialist training in internal medicine and rheumatology. The basic training period in “internal medicine” requires acquisition of at least two specialist competences which do not belong to the specializing field. This training consists of 24 months and is complemented by 6 months of training in both an emergency department and an intensive care unit. The specialized training period in internal medicine and rheumatology also extends over 36 months, of which at least 24 months are completed in inpatient rheumatologic care as defined by the MWBO [2]. Exemptions from this regulation were introduced by individual State Medical Chambers (Landesärztekammern) to allow for a longer period of specialized training in outpatient rheumatologic care. Based on the MWBO of 2018, a model curriculum was developed by the Commission for Education and Training of the German Society of Rheumatology (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Rheumatologie, DGRh) on behalf of the board of the DGRh with regard to core competences in specialized training in internal medicine and rheumatology. This model curriculum focuses on advanced training competences which should be acquired within the 36 months of specialized training in internal medicine and rheumatology and does not include competences relevant to the general part of internal medicine training (basic training). In this review article, the model curriculum of the DGRh for specialized training in internal medicine and rheumatology is presented

Rheumatologische Weiterbildungsstellen in Deutschland

Hintergrund In den nächsten Jahren gehen viele Haus- bzw. Fachärzt:innen in den Ruhestand. Wie in anderen Disziplinen stellt sich in der Rheumatologie die Frage, ob ausreichend Weiterbildungsstellen zur Verfügung stehen, um das Versorgungsangebot bedarfsgerecht aufrechterhalten bzw. ausweiten zu können. Daher hat die Deutsche Gesellschaft für Rheumatologie (DGRh) ihre Kommission Fort- und Weiterbildung beauftragt, die aktuell zur Verfügung stehenden Weiterbildungsmöglichkeiten in Deutschland zu überprüfen. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist die Erfassung der Weiterbildungskapazität zur Fachärztin bzw. zum Facharzt für Innere Medizin und Rheumatologie. Methodik Im Rahmen dieser Studie erfolgte die Erhebung der Weiterbildungsbefugten, deren Tätigkeitsort und die Dauer von deren Weiterbildungsbefugnis über die Homepages der 17 Landesärztekammern. Basierend auf diesen Daten erfolgte dann eine deutschlandweite Umfrage zu den Weiterbildungsstellen. Ergebnisse Die Weiterbildung zum/zur Facharzt/Fachärztin für Rheumatologie erfolgte in Deutschland im Jahr 2021 an 229 Weiterbildungsorten. Dabei standen von 187 Weiterbildungsorten nähere Daten für eine Analyse zur Verfügung (81,7 %). Die Weiterbildungsorte verteilten sich dabei auf Kliniken (52,4 %) und Niederlassungen (47,6 %), wobei der Großteil (81,8 %) der insgesamt 478,4 Weiterbildungsstellen (Klinik: 391,4 und Niederlassung: 87) im Krankenhausbereich lag. Insgesamt waren zum Erhebungszeitpunkt 17,2 % aller Weiterbildungsstellen (Klinik: 11,4 % und Niederlassung: 43,1 %) nicht besetzt. Diskussion Die Studie zeigt, dass die meisten Weiterbildungsstellen in klinischen Einrichtungen vorhanden sind. Demgegenüber gibt es im niedergelassenen Bereich vergleichsweise wenige Weiterbildungsstellen, die zudem zur Hälfte nicht besetzt sind. Für eine optimale Nutzung bereits bestehender Weiterbildungskapazitäten müssen sektorübergreifende Weiterbildungskonzepte entwickelt und v. a. muss auch eine eigenständige Vergütung des Weiterbildungsaufwandes etabliert werden. In diesem Kontext muss eine gute rheumatologische Versorgung in ganz Deutschland dauerhaft gewährleistet sein, um den betroffenen ca. 2 Mio. Patienten mit entzündlich rheumatischen Erkrankung gerecht werden zu können

No Evidence for Shared Representations of Task Sets in Joint Task Switching

Action Contro

Relapse rates in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in stable remission tapering or stopping antirheumatic therapy: interim results from the prospective randomised controlled RETRO study

Objective: To prospectively analyse the risk for disease relapses in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in sustained remission, either continuing, tapering or stopping disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in a prospective randomised controlled trial. Methods: Reduction of Therapy in patients with Rheumatoid arthritis in Ongoing remission is a multicentre, randomised controlled, parallel-group phase 3 trial evaluating the effects of tapering and stopping all conventional and/or biological DMARDs in patients with RA in stable remission. Patients (disease activity score 28 (DAS28)<2.6 for least 6 months) were randomised into three arms, either continuing DMARDs (arm 1), tapering DMARDs by 50% (arm 2) or stopping DMARDs after 6 months tapering (arm 3). The primary endpoint was sustained remission during 12 months. Results: In this interim analysis, the first 101 patients who completed the study were analysed. At baseline, all patients fulfilled DAS28 remission and 70% also American College of Rheumatology- European League Against Rheumatism Boolean remission. 82.2% of the patients received methotrexate, 40.6% biological DMARDs and 9.9% other DMARDs. Overall, 67 patients (66.3%) remained in remission for 12 months, whereas 34 patients (33.7%) relapsed. The incidence of relapses was related to study arms (p=0.007; arm 1: 15.8%; arm 2: 38.9%; arm 3: 51.9%). Multivariate logistic regression identified anticitrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) positivity (p=0.038) and treatment reduction (in comparison to continuation) as predictors for relapse (arm 2: p=0.012; arm 3: p=0.003). Conclusions: This randomised controlled study testing three different treatment strategies in patients with RA in sustained remission demonstrated that more than half of the patients maintain in remission after tapering or stopping conventional and biological DMARD treatment. Relapses occurred particularly in the first 6 months after treatment reduction and were associated with the presence of ACPA. Trial registration number: 2009-015740-42

Prediction of disease relapses by multibiomarker disease activity and autoantibody status in patients with rheumatoid arthritis on tapering DMARD treatment

Objective: To analyse the role of multibiomarker disease activity (MBDA) score in predicting disease relapses in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in sustained remission who tapered disease modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) therapy in RETRO, a prospective randomised controlled trial. Methods: MBDA scores (scale 1–100) were determined based on 12 inflammation markers in baseline serum samples from 94 patients of the RETRO study. MBDA scores were compared between patients relapsing or remaining in remission when tapering DMARDs. Demographic and disease-specific parameters were included in multivariate logistic regression analysis for defining predictors of relapse. Results: Moderate-to-high MBDA scores were found in 33% of patients with RA overall. Twice as many patients who relapsed (58%) had moderate/high MBDA compared with patients who remained in remission (21%). Baseline MBDA scores were significantly higher in patients with RA who were relapsing than those remaining in stable remission (N=94; p=0.0001) and those tapering/stopping (N=59; p=0.0001). Multivariate regression analysis identified MBDA scores as independent predictor for relapses in addition to anticitrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) status. Relapse rates were low (13%) in patients who were MBDA−/ACPA−, moderate in patients who were MBDA+/ACPA− (33.3%) and MBDA−ACPA+ (31.8%) and high in patients who were MBDA+/ACPA+ (76.4%). Conclusions: MBDA improved the prediction of relapses in patients with RA in stable remission undergoing DMARD tapering. If combined with ACPA testing, MBDA allowed prediction of relapse in more than 80% of the patients. Trial registration number: EudraCT 2009-015740-42

High Voltage Electrodes for Li-Ion Batteries and Efficient Water Electrolysis: An Oxymoron?

We demonstrate that key parameters for efficient electrocatalytic oxidation of water are the energetics of the redox complexes associated with their ionization and electrochemical potentials coupled to the change of metal–oxygen band hybridization. We investigate the catalytic activity of the LiCoPO4–LiCo2P3O10 tailored compound, which is a 5 V cathode material for Li-ion batteries. The reason for the weak catalytic activity of the lithiated compound toward the oxygen evolution reaction is a large energy difference between the electronic states involved in the electrochemical reaction. A highly active catalyst is obtained by tuning the relative energetic position of the electronic levels involved in the charge transfer reaction, which in turn are governed by the lithium content. A significant lowering of the overpotential from >550 mV to ∼370 mV at 10 mA cm–2 is achieved via a decrease of the ionization potential and shifting the electrochemical potential near the electronic states of the molecule, thereby facilitating water oxidation