Recovery Time Research Articles

Pd-anchored VSe2 for glucose sensing: Prediction from first principle simulations

Accurate detection of glucose molecule is clinically important for treatment of diabetes. The sensor should efficiently detect the glucose molecule with suitable response time. The conductivity of the sensor material thus plays a vital role in fast and precise sensing. Layered vanadium di-selenide (VSe2) is a transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) with metallic characteristics. The current study is to portray a theoretical exhaustive investigation about enhancement in effectual detection of glucose using VSe2 decorated with transition metals (TM) such as Ag and Pd. We have performed extensive DFT simulations to relate adsorption energy of glucose with pristine and decorated VSe2. Introduction of TM to pristine VSe2 was found to increase the adsorption energy of glucose which increases the sensitivity of metal- anchored VSe2. Comprehensive partial density of states (PDOS) and total density of states (TDOS) analysis has been carried out to analyse orbital interaction and qualitative charge transfer which has also been measured using Bader charge analysis. In addition to that, permanency of the best decorated system has been verified through molecular dynamics calculation and modality of recurrent serviceability has been determined by means of recovery time estimation. This is crucial since as on today, most of the available glucose detectors are meant for single usage. Our theoretically derived findings clearly point to the prediction that TM-decorated layered VSe2 can be an efficient glucose sensor, if practically developed in forthcoming times. The obtained results will thus potentially be beneficial for experimentalists for scheming and evolving VSe2-based glucose sensors.

Multiple-Yolk-Shell NiO Microspheres for Selective Detection of m-Xylene.

m-Xylene is a volatile organic compound that is extensively used in various industrial processes. It is toxic, posing significant risks to human health and the environment. Therefore, developing gas sensors with high sensitivity and selectivity for m-xylene detection is critical. In this work, we demonstrated the synthesis of NiO-yolk double-shell (NiO-YDS) and NiO-yolk triple-shell (NiO-YTS) derived from NiO/Ni-BTC and NiO/Ni-PTA composites, respectively, using the microwave-assisted solvothermal method from Ni-BTC-derived NiO spheres. The NiO/Ni-BTC composite has trimesic acid (H3BTC) as an organic linker, while NiO/Ni-PTA has p-terephthalic acid (PTA). We investigated the sensing properties of these materials for 2-butanone, 2-nonanone, 3-methyl-1-butanol, acetone, benzene, ethanol, methanol, and m-xylene. These composites exhibited excellent sensitivity and selectivity for detecting m-xylene under dry conditions. Specifically, the NiO-YTS sensor showed a sensitivity of 217.5% to m-xylene, while the NiO-YDS sensor demonstrated a sensitivity of 179.8% at 350 °C in dry air. We emphasize the NiO-YTS composite due to its superior sensitivity and selectivity in detecting m-xylene compared with the NiO-YDS composite. The NiO-YTS sensor exhibited stable and reproducible sensing performance for 100 ppm of m-xylene under optimum working conditions, with a theoretical detection limit of 5.43 ppb and relatively fast response time (89 s) and recovery time (191 s). This work describes an easy method for synthesizing NiO-YDS and NiO-YTS derived from NiO/Ni-BTC and NiO/Ni-PTA composites. It demonstrates that these composites represent a new class of materials that can potentially enhance the sensitivity and selectivity of m-xylene gas sensors.

Evaluation of the da Vinci single-port system in colorectal cancer surgery: a scoping review.

Minimally invasive surgery for the treatment of colon and rectal cancer has gained popularity due to its association with reduced postoperative pain, shorter hospital stays, and quicker recovery. The Da Vinci Single-Port (SP) System combines single-port laparoscopy with robotic assistance. This scoping review aims to evaluate the safety and short-term postoperative outcomes of utilizing the Da Vinci SP platform in colorectal cancer surgery. A scoping review was conducted adhering to the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Data were collected from PubMed, Embase, and the Web of Science Library as of December 22, 2023. Studies were screened and selected based on predefined criteria, focusing on the application of the SP robotic system in colorectal procedures. Data extraction included demographics, surgical details, intraoperative and postoperative outcomes. A narrative summary of the results was provided due to the heterogeneity in study designs. From an initial 2312 articles, 22 studies were selected for analysis, encompassing 465 patients undergoing robotic SP colorectal surgeries. Of these, 384 (82.6%) had a cancer diagnosis. The median age was 65years, with approximately 60% being male. The median operative time was 225min, with docking times averaging 12-20min. Conversion to multi-port laparoscopy occurred in 4.2% of cases, with no conversions to open surgery. Mean intraoperative blood loss ranged from 50 to 150ml. The mean number of lymph nodes retrieved ranged from 15 to 28. A diverting ileostomy was constructed in 20.3% of patients. Median times to flatus and soft diet were 2.5 and 3days, respectively, with hospital stays ranging from 3 to 11days. Perioperative complications occurred in 15.1% of patients, including wound infections (5.1%), anastomotic leakage (3.7%), and postoperative ileus (2.8%). Negative margin status (R0 resection) was achieved in 95% of cases. The Da Vinci SP robotic platform demonstrates promising safety and effectiveness in colorectal cancer surgery. It achieves high rates of successful oncological resection, adequate lymph node retrieval, and minimal intraoperative blood loss. Postoperative outcomes indicate quicker recovery times and manageable complication rates. However, longer follow-up studies are necessary to fully assess recurrence rates and long-term survival benefits associated with this innovative surgical approach.

High-sensitivity humidity sensor based on Mach-Zehnder interferometer in seven-core fiber

A Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (MZI) based on seven-core fiber (SCF) for humidity sensing is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The MZI is formed by sandwiched a section of SCF in between two single mode fibers (SMFs), while a fiber taper and a brief multimode fiber (MMF) act as fiber couplers to excite and couple the intermodal interference in the SCF. The optical field distribution and coupling efficiency of the MZI with different SCF lengths are analysed. The theoretical results show that the MZI is sensitive to SCF lengths, and it is expected to obtain highly sensitive humidity response. Humidity sensing experiments shows a high sensitivity of 0.6603 nm/%RH over a relative humidity (RH) range of 44–83 %RH, and the maximum measurement uncertainty introduced by the long-term stability is 0.0006 %RH. Human respiration measurement exhibits the response time and recovery time of the MZI are 0.44 s and 1.24 s respectively. The temperature effect is also experimentally investigated. Such an all-fiber MZI presents advantages of simple configuration, high sensitivity and good stability, making it has potential in humidity measurement fields.

N-n type In2O3@-WO3 heterojunction nanowires: enhanced NO2 gas sensing characteristics for environmental monitoring.

Solvothermal synthesis of 1D n-In2O3@n-WO3 heterojunction nanowires (HNWs) and their NO2 gas sensing characteristics arereported. The n-In2O3@n-WO3 HNWs have been well-characterised using XRD, Raman spectroscopy, XPS, SEM and HRTEManalyses. The NO2 sensing performance of n-In2O3@n-WO3 HNWs showed superior performance compared withpristine WO3 NWs. Due to the distinctive configuration of WO3-In2O3 heterojunctions, the n-In2O3@n-WO3 HNWs demonstrated remarkable sensitivity reaching 182% in response towards 500ppb of NO2 gas at operating temperature of 200°Cwhich is nearly 3.5 times greater than the response observed with pristine WO3 (50%). Moreover, the n-In2O3@n-WO3 HNWs also exhibited fast response (8-13s)/recovery (54-62s) time characteristics. A plausible sensing mechanism has been discussed. The enhancement in sensor characteristics shows that n-In2O3@n-WO3 HNWs could serve as a promising material for high-performance NO2 gas sensors for real-time environmentalmonitoringapplications. This work could provide new understandings of the sensing mechanism of n-In2O3@n-WO3-based heterojunction nanowires, which can be applied to the design of novel n-n type MOS heterojunction materials for the application of low-temperature real-time high-performance NO2 sensors.

Sex disparities in outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve implantation- a multi-year propensity-matched nationwide study

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) has revolutionized the management of severe aortic stenosis (AS), but the impact of sex on TAVI outcomes remains unclear. In this study, we examined differences between men and women in the post-procedural outcomes of TAVI, including healthcare burden and readmission rates. The Nationwide Readmissions Database (2016–2020) was utilized to identify hospitalizations for TAVI. A propensity score matching (PSM) model was used to match males and females. Outcomes were examined using Pearson's chi-squared test. Among 320,324 hospitalizations for TAVI, 142,054 (44.3 %) procedures were performed in women. After propensity matching (N = 165,894 with 82,947 hospitalizations in each group), women had higher in-hospital mortality (2.48 % vs 2.11 %, p: 0.001), stroke (2.14 % vs 1.49 %, p < 0.001), post-procedural bleeding (2.34 % vs 1.72 %, p < 0.001), vascular complications (1.2 % vs 0.7 %, p < 0.001), pericardial complications (1.13 % vs 0.60 %, p < 0.001), acute respiratory failure (ARF) (5.10 % vs 4.63 %, p < 0.001), need for transfusion (7 % vs 5.56 %, p < 0.001), need for vasopressors (2.48 % vs 2.11 %, p < 0.001) and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) (7.53 % vs 6.85 %, p < 0.001). Meanwhile, women had modestly lower incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) (10.17 % vs 11.88 %, p < 0.001), sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) (0.96 % vs 1.06 %, p: 0.042), cardiogenic shock (1.69 % vs 2.05 %, p < 0.001) and mechanical circulatory support (MCS) requirement (0.69 % vs 0.84 %, p < 0.001). With regard to readmissions, men had higher readmission rates at 30 days (16.07 % vs 14.75 %, p < 0.001) and 90 days (23.8 % vs 21.9 %, p < 0.001). No significant difference was observed in 180-day readmission rates between men and women after TAVI. Notably, procedure-related mortality decreased for both sexes from 2016 to 2020, accompanied by faster recovery times and reduced hospitalization costs (p-trend <0.001). In conclusion, women had higher mortality and post-procedural complication rates, while men had higher readmission rates, cardiogenic shock, AKI and need for mechanical circulatory support. While procedure-related mortality and resource utilization for TAVI have improved over time from 2016 to 2020, irrespective of sex, our findings highlight that significant disparities exist in TAVI outcomes.

Clinical Practice Guideline: Recommendations for the Perioperative Management of Pancreatic and Colorectal Cancer Patients.

Colorectal and pancreatic carcinoma are the most common cancers of the gastrointestinal tract. Their surgical treatment carries a high morbidity: Complications arise in 25% to 30% of cases, often prolonging recovery times and delaying the initiation of adjuvant therapy, leading, in turn, to worse oncological outcomes. The goal of multimodal perioperative management (mPOM) is to lower the postoperative complication rate through a combination of perioperative measures. This guideline on the perioperative management of gastrointestinal tumors (POMGAT) meets all requirements for an S3 guideline as specified by the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany (Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Wissenschaftlichen Medizinischen Fachgesellschaften, AWMF). These include a systematic literature search, quality assessment of the included publications, an evaluation of the reliability of the evidence according to the GRADE approach, and a structured consensus process. Meta-analyses have shown that mPOM lowers the complication rates of both pancreatic and colorectal resections (RD 0.96 with 95% confidence interval [0.92; 0.99] and RR 0.66 [0.54; 0.80], respectively). This shortens the hospital stay after pancreatic resections by a median of 2.33 days [-2.98; -1.69] and after colorectal resections by a median of 2.59 days [-3.22; -1.97]. Adherence to the POMGAT-S3 guideline for pancreatic and colorectal cancer surgery is associated with improved recovery, which can lead to a faster return to intended oncological treatment (RIOT) and thus to better long-term outcomes. These recommendations are not restricted to gastrointestinal cancer surgery; they can also be applied to visceral surgery for benign conditions, as well as to gynecological and urological operations.

Monolayer Penta-BeAs2: A Promising 2D Materials for Toxic Gas Sensor with High Selectivity.

The discovery of novel materials with high gas sensing selectivity is a key driver of gas sensor technology. Based on the recently reported two-dimensional (2D) pentagonal BeP2, we introduce penta-BeAs2 as a new member of the pentagonal family of materials for toxic gas sensors based on density functional theory (DFT). For electronic applications, a band structure calculation showed that penta-BeAs2 has indirect band gaps of 0.38 and 0.79 eV, using GGA-PBE or HSE functionals. Stability analysis confirmed that penta-BeAs2 is dynamically, mechanically, and thermally stable. The adsorption of toxic gases (CO, NO, and NO2) and nontoxic gases (H2, N2, H2O, and CO2) on the penta-BeAs2 monolayer was studied. The contrasting adsorption behavior observed between toxic and nontoxic gases on penta-BeAs2 (physisorption vs chemisorption) underscores its high selectivity for toxic gas-sensing applications. Adsorption energies for toxic gases fall within a moderate range (0.4-0.8 eV), indicating good reversibility and short recovery times at room temperature. Additionally, the quantum transport properties of penta-BeAs2 were studied using the nonequilibrium Green's function (NEGF) approach, confirming strong sensitivity and selectivity toward toxic gases.

In-flight pixel degradation of the Sentinel 5 Precursor TROPOMI-SWIR HgCdTe detector

Abstract The TROPOMI-SWIR HgCdTe detector on the Sentinel-5 Precursor mission has been performing in-orbit measurements of molecular absorption in Earth's atmosphere since its launch in October 2017. In its polar orbit the detector is continuously exposed to potentially harmful energetic particles. Calibration measurements taken during the eclipse are used to inspect the performance of this detector. This paper explores the in-orbit degradation of the HgCdTe detector.&amp;#xD;After five years, the detector is still performing within specifications, even though pixels are continuously hit by cosmic radiation. The bulk of the impacts have no lasting effects, and most of the damaged pixels (95%) appear to recover on the order of a few days to several months, attributed to a slow spontaneous recovery of defects in the HgCdTe detector material. This is observed at the operational temperature of 140 K. The distribution of the observed recovery times has a mean around nine days with a significant tail towards several months. Pixels that have degraded have a significant probability to degrade again. The location of faulty pixels follows a Poissonian distribution across the detector. No new clusters have appeared, revealing that impacts are dominated by relatively low energetic protons and electrons. Due to the observed spontaneous recovery of pixels, the fraction of pixels meeting all quality requirements in the nominal operations phase has always been over 98.7%. &amp;#xD;The observed performance of the TROPOMI-SWIR detector in-flight impacts selection criteria of HgCdTe detectors for future space instrumentation.

Determinants of recovery time from severe acute malnutrition among cholera-exposed and unexposed children in Ethiopia: a prospective cohort study.

There is a vicious interplay between severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and diarrheal diseases including cholera. The lack of sufficient evidence on the time to recovery and its determinants among children with cholera prompted this investigation. The study aimed to evaluate the time to recovery and determinants among children with severe acute malnutrition, comparing cholera-exposed and unexposed children. A prospective cohort study was carried out from September 10, 2022, to February 21, 2023, among 224 children below 15 years. The study was conducted at cholera treatment centers and nearby communities in the Bale and Guji Zones of Oromia Regional state in Ethiopia. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain information and anthropometric measurements were conducted weekly. After checking all assumptions, a multivariable Cox Proportional Hazards model was used to identify independent determinants of time to recovery using an adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Statistical significance was declared at p < 0.05. Nearly 80% of participants recovered from SAM with a recovery rate of 40/1000 person-week observation and a median time to recovery of 21 days [Inter Quartile Range14-28]. The recovery time from SAM for cholera-exposed children was delayed by 54% [ARR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.30-0.69] compared to unexposed children. Similarly, the recovery time from SAM for food-insecured families was delayed by 39% [ARR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.38-0.96] compared to food-secured families. Moreover, children with more than three meal frequencies per day had 1.61 times [ARR: 1.61, 95% CI: 1.04-2.50] higher probability of fast recovery from SAM, compared to children with less than three meals. Children from families with good attitudes toward nutrition had more than two times [ARR: 2.23, 95% CI: 1.45-3.41] higher probability of faster recovery from SAM than families with poor attitudes. The study revealed that cholera exposure is one of the main determinants of prolonged recovery time for children with SAM. Food insecurity, meal frequency, and the attitude of parents toward children's dietary habits were determinants for the recovery of children from SAM. The findings imply the need for designing interventions to enhance child feeding during cholera illness, focusing on key determinants.

An Innovative Approach: The Usage of N-Acetylcysteine in the Therapy of Pneumonia in Neonatal Calves

NAC has mucolytic, antioxidant, and antimicrobial effects in living organisms. However, the therapeutic effects of NAC on clinical recovery among neonatal calves with respiratory diseases have not yet been studied. Our study represents the first investigation of the effects of NAC in neonatal calves with pneumonia. The objective of this work was to observe the effects of NAC in the treatment of neonatal pneumonia, including its ability to reduce the clinical score, shorten the duration of the treatment, and improve the overall health condition of neonatal calves. For this study, calves were divided into two groups: a treatment group that received NAC and amoxicillin with clavulanic acid, and a control group that received amoxicillin with clavulanic acid (antimicrobial only). The findings of this study indicate that NAC treatment significantly shortened the time to resolution (p &lt; 0.001), compared to the results in the group without NAC treatment. Generally, NAC-supplemented therapy reduced the recovery time by more than 27 h (or slightly more than one day), compared to that in the antimicrobial-only group. Our study presents the first reported usage of NAC in therapy for respiratory disorders.

Chemiresistive room temperature H2S sensor based on CunO nanoflowers fabricated by laser ablation

Hierarchical CunO nanoflowers were synthesized through the laser ablation of a CuO target in NaOH solutions for room-temperature (27 ℃) H2S detection. Notably, the pH value of NaOH solutions influenced both the micro-morphologies and compositions of the CunO products, as evidenced by XRD, XPS, SEM and TEM. In high pH solutions, the specific surface area of the CunO products increased, their thickness decreased, and the Cu2O content diminished, resulting in enhanced sensitivity, selectivity and stability of the CunO products’ response to H2S. Notably, the pH14# sample synthesized using an NaOH solution with a pH value of 14 featured pure CuO nanoflowers comprising slightly curled nanosheets with a thickness of approximately 10 nm. This sensor demonstrated excellent H2S sensing performance at room temperature, exhibiting a response value of 1.17 for 10 ppb H2S, along with high selectivity and good long-term stability. However, after exposure to H2S, the resistance of the sensor did not recover to its baseline in air at room temperature. Thermogravimetry results revealed that a temperature of 300 °C was effective for recovery of the sensor. Consequently, the operation temperature of the pH14# sensor was controlled using a micro-hotplate. In the pulse heating mode, the sensor’s response to 100 ppb H2S was 1.5, with a response time of 135 s and a recovery time of 137 s.

Research trends and hotspots of post-stroke upper limb dysfunction: a bibliometric and visualization analysis.

The global prevalence of stroke has been increasing. Motor dysfunction is observed in approximately 55 to 75% of stroke patients, with upper limb impairment affecting around 85% of them. Following upper limb dysfunction, the body's recovery time is not only slower compared to the lower limbs, but the restoration of its fine motor skills is significantly more challenging, greatly impacting the daily lives of patients. Consequently, there is an increasing urgency for study on the upper limb function in stroke. A search was conducted in the Web of Science Core Collection: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-Expanded) database for material published from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2023. We included all relevant literature reports and conducted an analysis of annual publications, countries/regions, institutions, journals, co-cited references, and keywords using the software packages CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and Bibliometrix R. Next, we succinctly outlined the research trends and hotspots in post-stroke upper limb dysfunction. This analysis comprised 1,938 articles from 1,897 institutions, 354 journals, and 53 countries or regions. A yearly rise in the production of publications was noted. The United States is the foremost nation on the issue. Northwestern University has the most amounts of papers compared to all other institutions. The journal Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair is a highly significant publication in this field, with Catherine E. Lang serving as the principal author. The majority of the most-cited references focus on subjects such as the reliability and validity of assessment instruments, RCT of therapies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. The intervention measures primarily comprise three types of high-frequency phrases that are related, as determined by keyword analysis: intelligent rehabilitation, physical factor therapy, and occupational therapy. Current areas of focus in research include randomized clinical trials, neurorehabilitation, and robot-assisted therapy. Current research has shown a growing interest in studying upper limb function assessment, occupational therapy, physical therapy, robot-assisted therapy, virtual reality, brain-computer interface, telerehabilitation, cortical reorganisation, and neural plasticity. These topics have become popular and are expected to be the focus of future research.

A-186 Patient Safety Rite in Diagnostic Services

Abstract Background Safety rites are well defined in hospitals, but still incipient in diagnostic services. They aim to identify near misses early, promote discussions and improvements with teams related to adverse incidents. This study presents the implementation of the Safety Rite in a large diagnostic service in Brazil, with its challenges and results. Methods Gemba Walk (GW), a practice of the Lean philosophy of checking operation processes, encouraging and collaborating between teams, in addition to identifying opportunities for improvement and enabling immediate decision-making. The laboratory created its own methodology called GW-MDU, which consists of a daily checklist of questions related to processes, efficiency and results. The GW begins with a visit by the leadership, or designated person, to all sectors, answering the checklist and evaluating the need for immediate actions and action plans, with registration in an application (APP). In January 2024, the Patient Quality and Safety System (SGQSP) included questions related to the WHO (World Health Organization) safety goals in the GW: 1. Did patient identification occur without complications/identification failures at all stages of the process? 2. Was there contrast extravasation? 3. Was there allergic reactions? 4. Was there an incorrect or change administration of medication or vaccine? 5. After the end of sedation(anestesia), was there a need to extend the recovery time? 6. Was there a patient fall? 7. Was there a puncture that resulted in a hematoma? 7. Was there an adverse event that required medical action? Every “No” answer to question 1 and “Yes” to questions 2 to 7, the leader must guarantee registration of the QMS, root cause analysis and action plan. After the GW, leadership conducts the Obeya Rite daily, including the Safety Rite, with analysis of the indicators and findings identified during the round.The Safety Rite methodology was tested in a Laboratory Unit where radiology and imaging diagnostic tests, hormonal tests and sample collection for clinical analysis are carried out. After the test, interviews were realized with the leaders to evaluate the application of the Rite. Improvements were implemented and later rolled out to the other Units. Results The Patient Safety Rite was implemented in 646 Laboratory Units, representing 35 brands of the laboratory group. From 12/20/23 to 02/15/24, 18,614 GW were carried out, of this total, for question 1, 82.7% answered “Yes”, 9% answered “No” and 8.3% answered No Applicable. For answers 2 to 7, 1.5% answered “Yes”, 48.2% answered “No” and 50.3% answered Not Applicable. A total of 40.264 incidents were opened in the QMS, 6.4% of which were related to Rite questions. Conclusions The rites consolidate indicators and information, allow the identification of risks and/or events proactively and help define and disseminate corrective actions and improvements in a timely manner to avoid recurrence. However, due to the high rate of “not applicable” responses, we still have challenges and opportunities in implementation, but the correctly used Safety Rite contributes to patient safety.

A comparative study to access the impact of TAP block with wound infiltration in laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Background: The transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block and local anesthetic wound infiltration have been used to relieve pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This study investigated whether the subcostal transversus abdominis block was superior to traditional port-site infiltration of local anesthetic in reducing post-operative pain, opioid consumption, and time for recovery. Aim and Objectives: To investigated whether the subcostal transversus abdominis block is superior to traditional port-site infiltration of local anesthetic in reducing post-operative pain, opioid consumption, and time for recovery. Materials and Methods: All patients were randomly assigned to two equal groups (n=30) using computer-generated randomization. Patients in Group 1 (TAP group) received a TAP block by administration of 10 mL of 0.5% bupivacaine on each side just before completion of surgery, and patients in Group 2 (local wound infiltration [LWI] group) received 10 mL of 0.5% bupivacaine as a local infiltrate at the local site just before completion of surgery. The pain was measured using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at intervals of 30 min to 24 h after the procedure. Results: The mean VAS score was significantly lower in group 1 as compared to group 2 at 2 h and 4 h. Whereas the VAS score was not significantly different post-operative 30 min, 6 h, 12 h, and 24 h. The mean first rescue analgesia was significantly more in Group 1 than in Group 2 (P&lt;0.001). Conclusion: The TAP block patients had significant VAS scores at 2 and 4 h postoperatively compared to the LWI patients. The TAP group had a significantly longer median time to first emergency analgesia compared to the LWI group, with a higher proportion of patients requiring only one dose of emergency analgesia.

Time and Environmental Conditions for Heat Stress Recovery Based on Human Physiological Responses: Developing a Predictive Model

Breaks can protect workers exposed to high temperatures from heat stress and other health risks. However, the most suitable recovery conditions and how the body physiologically responds to them remain uncertain. The aim of this study was to provide scientific evidence of the human physiological response to step changes in environmental parameters through climate chamber experiments and to develop a predictive model. Volunteer subjects experienced 60 min of walking exercise in air temperatures of 32 and 36 °C, RH 60%, and an air velocity of 0.2 m/s to form two heat stress levels, and then moved into a resting space under designated environmental conditions, such as a standard effective temperature (SET) range of 15.6–26.0 °C. The results showed that the recovery time for physiological parameters decreased with decreasing SET, accompanied by a simultaneous increase in thermal discomfort rate. Correlation analysis suggested that recovery time was related to the physiological stress index at the beginning of the recovery phase (PSI0; r = 0.86) and the SET (r = 0.75) of the recovery environment. A predictive model of heat stress recovery time was developed based on PSI0 and SET, with a determination coefficient of 0.9. According to the model, a SET of 18.8–24.9°C was suitable for people with high heat stress requiring full recovery in 15–30 min. The research findings contribute to the regulation of health and safety in high-temperature working environments and the operation of restroom environmental conditions.

The development and characterisation of 3D-printed multi-material thermistor

This paper introduces a multi-material, low-cost, and highly sensitive thermistor concept developed for body temperature monitoring. The designed thermistor employs poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythophene):poly(4-styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) for the temperature sensing layer, silver (Ag) for the contact electrodes, and polycarbonate (PC) as the substrate. In contrast to traditional printed electronics substrates used in thermistor development, the utilisation of Material Extrusion via Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) for the manufacture of PC substrates is the distinct feature of the work. For the manufacture of multi-material thermistors two different Additive Manufacturing (AM) methods: FDM for substrates and micro dispensing for PEDOT:PSS sensing layer and Ag electrodes, were utilised. Two thermistors with varying sensing areas, namely D1 and D2, were designed and fabricated. The thermistors demonstrated a high degree of linearity and repeatability within the temperature range of 25–45°C with a viable hysteresis maximum around 3%. The measurement sensitivity of thermistors was assessed based on Temperature Coefficient of Resistance (TCR) values, which were –0.68 ±0.057% and –0.49 ±0.078% per °C for the D1 design and –0.53 ±0.078% and –0.40 ±0.069% per °C for the D2 design, during heating and cooling, respectively. Comparable average response and recovery times to the literature were also acquired, which were 31.47 ±1.02 and 54.42 ±0.70seconds for D1 and 27.38 ±0.96 and 48.45 ±1.69seconds for D2, during heating and cooling, respectively. It was evident that the sensing area had an impact on thermistor TCR as well as response and recovery times, where higher TCR and faster response and recovery times were recorded with the small sensing area. It was also observed that humidity had a significant impact on thermistor reliability, exhibiting a normalised resistance change of ∼12% and ∼9% of the initial measurement at 50 and 75% RH, respectively. When compared to PEDOT:PSS-based thermistors reported in the literature, the obtained results in this research have demonstrated that our multi-material thermistor concept is a promising candidate for the low-cost and highly sensitive multi-material thermistor that can be manufactured in a fully additive manner using AM technologies.

Pediatric sedation outside the operating room integrating dexmedetomidine for MRI and CT scan procedures: A systematic review

This systematic review evaluates the efficacy and safety of dexmedetomidine as a sedative for pediatric patients undergoing MRI and CT scans outside the operating room. A comprehensive search of databases, including PubMed, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library, identified relevant studies. Data on sedation success rates, onset and recovery times, adverse events, dosing, administration, and hemodynamic stability were extracted and analyzed. The results indicate that dexmedetomidine has high sedation success rates and a favorable safety profile, effectively achieving the desired sedation level with minimal adverse events, primarily manageable hemodynamic changes. Onset and recovery times were generally acceptable for clinical practice, and the flexibility in administration routes and dosing highlighted its adaptability to various clinical needs and settings. Overall, dexmedetomidine is a reliable and safe sedative for pediatric patients undergoing MRI and CT scans, offering a balanced profile of efficacy and safety, and its use can be optimized based on clinical context, patient characteristics, and procedural requirements.

Synthesis, analysis and characterization of surfactant-assisted TiO2 nanoparticles for ammonia gas sensor applications

In our study, we focused on gas sensing, particularly ammonia detection. We synthesized and examined three types of nanoparticles: pure and conducting polymer-based TiO2 nanoparticles. The nanoparticles were prepared by an easy sol-gel approach. All of the samples were characterized using XRD, FTIR, UV-vis, FESEM, EDAX and BET. Gas sensing measurements were carried out for each sample. Among them, PEG-TiO2 stood out with remarkable gas sensing abilities, distinguishing it from other gas detection technologies. We thoroughly investigated the sensor performance, focusing close scrutiny to metrics such as response and recovery times. The greatest reduction in response time and recovery time (95 s / 123 s) was achieved at 25 ppm. These metrics provide insights into how quickly the sensor detects and recovers from the presence of the target gas. Our findings offer important insights for optimizing the sensor performance of PEG-TiO2, highlighting its remarkable gas sensing capabilities.

Low-temperature/room-temperature gas sensing application for NO2 gas by SnO2 and Ni doped SnO2 nanostructures synthesized by sol-gel method

Gas sensors are the attentive parts for the day-to-day applications in advanced manufacturing, chemical industries and advanced applications need the better performing materials. SnO2 (wide band gap-3.27eV, n-type semiconductor) and Ni-doped SnO2 are the suitable materials for gas sensing in the fields of forward-looking technology. Pure and Ni-doped SnO2 particles were synthesized by sol-gel method and started with 0.2 mol of SnCl2, added with 2 ml of acetic acid, and pH controlled by the addition of 8 mol NaOH, till pH reaches desired value and Ni is doped. Finally washed, dried, and calcined at 400° C. The prepared pure and Ni(0.02 and 0.04 mol)-doped SnO2 nanostructures were characterized by XRD, EDAX, DSC, and SEM techniques. Average crystallite size is calculated by XRD and varied from 8 to 5 nm. Morphology shows difference, while the Ni concentrations changed. Particle size is estimated by transmission electron microscope (TEM), found to be 8–12 nm and well correlated with XRD analysis. The Energy gap is calculated with the UV–Vis spectrometer, and values are 3.21, 3.60, and 3.56 eV. Finally, the application part was carried out for NO2 gas sensing at a low level of 7–19 parts per million (PPM) at 40 °C, response and recovery times are 6 and 9 min respectively for all PPMs. Sensitivity of the samples of pure and Ni doped samples have 99 to 99.9 and 80 %. Pure and 0.02 mol Ni doped samples have the good achievement for sensitivity and 0.04 mol Ni doping has increase in conductance.