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Self-care and self-management are essential for well-being, especially in advancing age or chronic illness. To assess these complex behaviors, validated questionnaires are needed. The Appraisal of Self-Care Agency Scale-Revised (ASAS-R) is a self-report questionnaire to evaluate the actions people take to manage their health. This manuscript reports the psychometric properties of the German ASAS-R translation. After standardized translation, convergent validity was assessed with the Patient Activation Measure (PAM) controlling for sociodemographic and health factors. Internal consistency, descriptive statistics, and principal component analysis (PCA) are reported. We analyzed data of 215 community-dwelling German adults aged 51.6 ± 14.7 years with at least one chronic illness. Similar to the original ASAS-R, PCA revealed three factors, although item allocation differed. The ASAS-R showed good internal consistency overall and for each factor, although ceiling effects were present for some items. Convergent validity was good, and the ASAS-R was as a predictor for the PAM irrespective of other variables. As self-care is highly complex, we conclude that factor structure should be assessed for each dataset. Overall, the German ASAS-R is a valid instrument to measure self-care and self-management of chronic diseases that may enhance research on this fundamental health behavior in German-speaking countries.

Improved MOVPE (metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy) growth conditions for the different Ga2O3 phases are reported. The influence of the substrate material, the growth conditions and the variation of precursors on the phase formation was investigated. Trimethylgallium (TMG) and N2O were used as common precursors for gallium and oxygen, respectively. In addition, water was supplied for the growth of κ-Ga2O3. The influence of additional triethylboron (TEB) and dimethylhydrazin (DMHy) on the formation of the α-phase is discussed. Growth conditions could be determined, where α-, β-, γ- and κ-Ga2O3 is epitaxially deposited. The κ-phase was epitaxially grown on c-, a- and r-plane Al2O3, (1 1 1) MgO, (1 1 1) MgAl2O4 and on a (0 0 0 1) Al2O3/(0 0 0 1) GaN heterostructure. Successful MOVPE growth of γ-Ga2O3 with defect spinel structure has been achieved on (0 0 0 1) Al2O3, (1 1 1) and (1 0 0) MgAl2O4, (1 0 0) MgO as well as on (0 0 0 1) Al2O3/(0 0 0 1) GaN. Boron addition stabilizes the MOVPE growth of the α-phase on c-, a- and r-plane Al2O3. The various Ga2O3 phases were identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The epitaxial relationships between the Ga2O3 phases and the different substrates were determined. Optical transmission spectra measured in the spectral range from 200 to 2000 nm show a well-defined absorption edge at about 4.9 eV for layers of β-, γ- and κ-Ga2O3 and 5.3 eV for layers of α-Ga2O3 grown on c-plane sapphire.

Nonadherence to medication is a common issue that goes along with increased morbidity and mortality and immense health care costs. To improve medication adherence and outcome in ill people, their reasons of not taking their prescribed medication must be known. Here a dataset is presented based on the longitudinal observational NeuroGerAd study in adults with neurological disorders (N = 910). The dataset contains demographic background variables as well as measures of adherence, medication changes after hospital discharge, comprehensive geriatric assessments, personality, patient-physician relationship, and health-related quality of life. As such, the dataset offers unique opportunities to enable a plethora of analyses on personal, social, and institutional factors influencing medication adherence.

Hopes and expectations often differ from current experiences. This so-called Calman gap influences quality of life (QoL). We investigated this gap in 77 elderly patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD), 25 patients with epilepsy, and 39 age-matched healthy older adults using a novel QoL questionnaire, where current and desired states were marked on a visual analogue scale. We studied the relationships between (1) epidemiological factors, (2) current and desired QoL, as well as the difference between the latter two. Current QoL was determined by depression, education level, living situation, and condition (PD, epilepsy, control). In contrast, desired QoL was essentially determined by the presence of a disease (condition), education level, and age, but not by depression. In particular, the presence of PD, lower education level, and higher age was correlated with lower expectations. In patients with PD, the gap between the current and desired QoL was largest for pain and physical functions. Accordingly, the significant effects of depression were observed only for mean current QoL, but not for desired QoL. Therefore, depression mainly influences current but not desired QoL in patients with PD. Depressed patients with PD had significantly worse QoL than PD patients without depression, although they both had almost the same desired QoL and hence, depressed PD patients had a larger Calman gap between current and desired QoL.

Background: Adherence to measures that have been adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic is crucial to control the spread of the coronavirus. Methods: Semi-structured telephone interviews were performed with 99 patients with Parkinson&rsquo, s disease (PD) and 21 controls to explore knowledge, attitudes, practices, and burden in order to elucidate nonadherence to preventive measures. Results: The majority of patients understood the preventive measures and felt sufficiently informed. Analysis of qualitative answers, however, showed that about 30% of patients had an insufficient level of knowledge, which was not associated with educational level, cognitive disorders, or depression. Changes in behaviour were reported by 73 patients (99% performed at least one specific preventive behavior, and 86.9% have reduced social contacts and stayed home). A closer analysis of qualitative answers showed that 27.3% of patients continued to meet relatives face-to-face almost daily. Anxiety and worries about the current situation were reported by 58.6% of patients, 31.3% complained about a decrease in their mobility since the beginning of the restrictions, mainly because of worsening of PD and because regular therapies (e.g., physiotherapy) were canceled. Conclusions: About 30% of PD patients are nonadherent to preventive measures. Use of simple dichotomous questions overestimates adherence to preventive measures in patients with PD.

Nanocrystalline graphite thin films were synthesized at atmospheric pressure by pyrolysis of toluene without a catalyst and using an aerosol assisted chemical vapor deposition method. The film thickness is controllable by the process time and pyrolysis temperature. Micro-Raman spectroscopy reveals that the films have nanocrystalline graphite structure. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirms the high purity of the carbon films, indicating that all properties measured are only due to the graphitized carbon thin film. Electronic transport properties such as temperature dependent resistance, Hall effect and magnetoresistance show the typical behavior of low-dimensional carbon based materials.

Background A decrease of small nerve fibers in skin biopsies during the course of critical illness has been demonstrated recently. However, the diagnostic use of skin biopsies in sepsis and its time course is not known. Methods Patients (n=32) with severe sepsis or septic shock were examined using skin biopsies, neurological examination, nerve conduction studies, and sympathetic skin response in the first week after onset of sepsis, 2 weeks and 4 months later and compared to gender- and age-matched healthy controls. Results Skin biopsies at the ankle and thigh revealed a significant decrease of intraepidermal nerve fiber density (IENFD) during the first week of sepsis and 2 weeks later. All patients developed critical illness polyneuropathy (CIP) according to electrophysiological criteria and 11 showed IENFD values lower than the 0.05 quantile. Four patients were biopsied after 4 months and still showed decreased IENFD. Results of nerve conduction studies and IENFD did considerably change over time. No differences for survival time between patients with IEFND lower and larger than 3.5 fibers/mm were found. Conclusions Skin biopsy is able to detect an impairment of small sensory nerve fibers early in the course of sepsis. However, it may not be suited as a prognostic parameter for survival. Trial registration German Clinical Trials Register, DRKS-ID: DRKS00000642, 12/17/2010

Following stroke, many patients suffer from chronic motor impairment and reduced somatosensation in the stroke-affected body parts. Recent experimental studies suggest that temporary functional deafferentation (TFD) of parts of the stroke-affected upper limb or of the less-affected contralateral limb might improve the sensorimotor capacity of the stroke-affected hand. The present study sought evidence of cortical reorganization and related sensory and motor improvements following pharmacologically induced TFD of the stroke-affected forearm.Examination was performed during 2 d of Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy. Thirty-six human patients were deafferented on the stroke-affected forearm by an anesthetic cream (containing lidocaine and prilocaine) on one of the 2 d, and a placebo cream was applied on the other. The order of TFD and placebo treatment was counterbalanced across patients. Somatosensory and motor performance were assessed using a Grating orienting task and a Shape-sorter-drum task, and with somatosensory-evoked magnetic fields. Evoked magnetic fields showed significant pre- to postevaluation magnitude increases in response to tactile stimulation of the thumb of the stroke-affected hand during TFD but not following placebo treatment. We also observed a rapid extension of the distance between cortical representations of the stroke-affected thumb and little finger following TFD but not following placebo treatment. Moreover, somatosensory and motor performance of the stroke-affected hand was significantly enhanced during TFD but not during placebo treatment. Thus, pharmacologically induced TFD of a stroke-affected forearm might improve the somatosensory and motor functions of the stroke-affected upper limb, accompanied by cortical plasticity.

Epitaxial layers of monoclinic β-Ga2O3 were successfully grown on (0001) sapphire and (11)As GaAs substrates using metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy (MOVPE). Triethylgallium (TEGa) and N2O were used as precursors for gallium and oxygen, respectively. Growth conditions could be determined, where β-Ga2O3 grows epitaxially on c -plane sapphire and (11)As GaAs substrates. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements identify a epitaxial relationship with (01) β-Ga2O3 || (0001) sapphire and (01) β-Ga2O3 || (11)As GaAs. The observed sixfold rotational in-plane symmetry results from differently oriented rotational domains of monoclinic β-Ga2O3 with twofold symmetry. Thin films deposited on substrates of other orientation show the formation of the low-temperature modification α-Ga2O3. Optical transmission spectra measured in the spectral range from 200 nm to 2000 nm show a well-distinct absorption edge at about 5 eV for layers grown on c - and a -plane sapphire. (© 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Background Axonal damage in large myelinated nerve fibres occurs in about 70% of patients with severe sepsis, known as critical illness polyneuropathy and contributes significantly to an increased short- and long-term morbidity and mortality in this population. Among other pathophysiological mechanisms, autonomic dysregulation, characterized by high concentrations of circulating catecholamines in the presence of impaired sympathetic modulation of heart and vessels have been discussed. We hypothesize that autonomic small fibre neuropathy play an important role in autonomic failure. Methods/Design Single center, non-randomized, controlled, observational study. Skin biopsies of patients with severe sepsis and/or septic shock are compared with those of age-matched controls. In order to assess impairment of small nerve fibres, skin biopsies are taken at onset of severe sepsis, and two and 16 weeks later. Intraepidermal nerve fibre densities are histologically analyzed using anti protein gene product (PGP) 9.5 immunostaining. In addition, standardized clinical examinations, as Medical Research Council (MRC) scores of muscle strength, Rankin scores, and standardized nerve conduction studies of the right median nerve, the right tibial nerve, the left fibular nerve, and both sural nerves are performed, to identify critical illness polyneuropathy and to neurophysiologically quantify the damage of large nerve fibres. Discussion The study will allow to describe the frequency of small fibre neuropathy in patients with severe sepsis up to four months after onset of severe sepsis and to evaluate its relationship to critical illness polyneuropathy. Trial registration The trial has been registered to the German Clinical Trials Register. The trial registration number is DRKS-ID: DRKS00000642.

Background and Purpose— Reduced somatosensation is a common impairment after stroke. This somatosensory deficit is known to be a reliable predictor of poor rehabilitation outcome. Several methods of physical therapy have addressed this problem, but with only moderate success. Here, we used a new neural plasticity-based approach, ie, a simple, inexpensive, pharmacologically induced temporary functional deafferentation (TFD) of the forearm to investigate whether TFD might result in beneficial effects on the somatosensory sensibility and motor capacity of the stroke-affected hand. Methods— Examination was performed over 2 consecutive days of an efficient rehabilitation program for stroke patients referred to as constraint-induced movement therapy. Patients were deafferented on one of these days but not on the other (placebo session). The order of deafferentation and nondeafferentation was counterbalanced across patients. TFD of the stroke-affected forearm was realized using an anesthetic cream. Somatosensory abilities were assessed by a Grating orienting task, and a shape-sorter drum task was used to test motor performance. Both tests were performed each day before and after the constraint-induced movement therapy training session. Results— We found significantly better outcomes for Grating orienting task and shape-sorter drum task after TFD on the forearm as compared to placebo, indicating increased somatosensory abilities and motor performance in stroke patients using the simple TFD procedure. Conclusions— The improvement was achieved during the course of one of the best established poststroke rehabilitation programs, suggesting that TFD on the more affected forearm might become an efficient additional tool in stroke rehabilitation.