Solution-processable, niobium-doped titanium oxide nanorods for application in low-voltage, large-area electronic devices

We report for the first time the one-step synthesis of solution-processable, highly crystalline, niobium-doped titanium dioxide (Nb-TiO2) nanorods in the anatase phase by the hydrolytic condensation of Ti(OiPr)4 and niobium(V) ethoxide using oleic acid as a structure-directing and stabilising agent. These novel surface-stabilised nanorods can be easily dispersed in common solvents at relatively high concentration (∼10%) and deposited as uniform, thin and transparent films on planar substrates for the fabrication of electronic devices. The small size of the nanoparticles synthesized represents an important advance in achieving high-k dielectric thin films smooth enough to be suitable for OFET applications and the plastic electronics filed in general. Preliminary investigations show that the dielectric constant, k, of niobium-doped (7.1 wt%) titanium dioxide (Nb-TiO2) nanorods at frequencies in the region of 100 kHz–1 MHz, are more a third greater (k > 8) than that (k = 6) determined for the corresponding undoped titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanorods. The current–voltage (J–V) behaviour of these devices reveal that niobium-doping improves, by reducing, the leakage current of these devices, thereby preventing hard dielectric breakdown of devices incorporating these new nanorods

Association Between Rhesus and ABO Blood Group Types and Their Impact on Clinical Outcomes in Critically Ill Patients with COVID-19: A Multi-Center Investigation

Khalid Al Sulaiman,1– 5 Ohoud Aljuhani,6 Ghazwa B Korayem,7 Mashael AlFaifi,8 Abdullah F Alharthi,9 Asma Alshehri,1,10 Mashael S Alaboud,11 Ibtesam Saeed Alzahrani,2 Batoul Abdullah Alenazi,2 Fai Farhan Alanazi,2 Hessah Alrashidi,2 Sara Mohammad Alotaibi,2 Khuld Aloufi,1,3 Rawan M Alotaibi,2 Mai Alalawi,11 Ali Faris Altebainawi,12,13 Mohammad Y Alshami,14 Abeer A Alenazi,10 Ghaida A Abalkhail,2 Renad Bin Naheet,1 Rawan Mohammed Abu Alnasr,15 Mohammed Alrashed,1– 3 Faisal E Al Mutairi,1 Khalid J Albarqi,2 Rawan S Alshammari,13 Norah M Abunayyan,13 Wadha J Aldhmadi,13 Ramesh Vishwakarma16 1Pharmaceutical Care Department, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2College of Pharmacy, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3King Abdullah International Medical Research Center-King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Ministry of National Guard – Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 4Saudi Critical Care Pharmacy Research (SCAPE) Platform, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 5Saudi Society for Multidisciplinary Research Development and Education (SCAPE Society), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 6Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 7Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 8Pharmaceutical Care Department, King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 9Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Shaqra University, Al-Dawadmi Campus, Al-D, Al-Dawadmi, 11961 Saudi Arabia; 10Pharmaceutical Care Department, Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 11Pharmaceutical Care Department, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 12Pharmaceutical Care Services, King Salman Specialist Hospital, Hail Health Cluster, Hail, Saudi Arabia; 13Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, University of Hail, Hail, Saudi Arabia; 14Pharmaceutical Care Services, King Abdulaziz Hospital, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia; 15Pharmaceutical Care Department, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 16Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UKCorrespondence: Khalid Al Sulaiman, King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC) - Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA), King Abdullah International Medical Research Center/King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, PO Box 22490, Riyadh, 11426, Saudi Arabia, Email [email protected] Abdullah F Alharthi, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Shaqra University, Al-Dawadmi Campus, Al-Dawadmi, 11961, Saudi Arabia, Email [email protected]: There is increasing evidence suggesting that ABO blood type may play a role in the immunopathogenesis of COVID-19 infection. In addition to ABO blood type, the Rhesus (Rh) factor has also been implicated in various disease processes. Therefore, our study aimed to assess the association between both ABO and Rh blood types in critically ill patients with COVID-19 and their clinical outcomes.Methods: A multicenter retrospective cohort study conducted in Saudi Arabia between March 1, 2020, and July 31, 2021, involving adult COVID-19 patients admitted to Intensive Care Units, aimed to explore potential associations between rhesus blood group types (Positive versus Negative) and clinical outcomes. The primary endpoint assessed was the hospital length of stay (LOS). Other endpoints were considered secondary.Results: After propensity score matching (3:1 ratio), 212 patients were included in the final analysis. The hospital length of stay was longer in a negative Rh blood group compared with patients in the Rh-positive group (beta coefficient 0.26 (0.02, 0.51), p = 0.03). However, neither 30-day mortality (HR 0.28; 95% CI 0.47, 1.25, p = 0.28) nor in-hospital mortality (HR 0.74; 95% CI 0.48, 1.14, p = 0.17) reached statistical significance. Additionally, among the different ABO types, the A+ blood group exhibited a higher proportion of thrombosis/infarction and in-hospital mortality (28.1% and 31.2%, respectively).Conclusion: This study highlights the potential impact of blood group type on the prognosis of critically ill patients with COVID-19. It has been observed that patients with a negative Rh blood group type tend to have a longer hospital stay, while their mortality rates and complications during ICU stay are similar to the patients with a Rh-positive group.Keywords: rhesus blood group, Blood group, ABO, length of stay, intensive care units, Critically ill, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, acute kidney injury, mortality, MV duratio

The impact of surgical delay on resectability of colorectal cancer: An international prospective cohort study

Aim The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has provided a unique opportunity to explore the impact of surgical delays on cancer resectability. This study aimed to compare resectability for colorectal cancer patients undergoing delayed versus non-delayed surgery. Methods This was an international prospective cohort study of consecutive colorectal cancer patients with a decision for curative surgery (January-April 2020). Surgical delay was defined as an operation taking place more than 4 weeks after treatment decision, in a patient who did not receive neoadjuvant therapy. A subgroup analysis explored the effects of delay in elective patients only. The impact of longer delays was explored in a sensitivity analysis. The primary outcome was complete resection, defined as curative resection with an R0 margin. Results Overall, 5453 patients from 304 hospitals in 47 countries were included, of whom 6.6% (358/5453) did not receive their planned operation. Of the 4304 operated patients without neoadjuvant therapy, 40.5% (1744/4304) were delayed beyond 4 weeks. Delayed patients were more likely to be older, men, more comorbid, have higher body mass index and have rectal cancer and early stage disease. Delayed patients had higher unadjusted rates of complete resection (93.7% vs. 91.9%, P = 0.032) and lower rates of emergency surgery (4.5% vs. 22.5%, P < 0.001). After adjustment, delay was not associated with a lower rate of complete resection (OR 1.18, 95% CI 0.90-1.55, P = 0.224), which was consistent in elective patients only (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.69-1.27, P = 0.672). Longer delays were not associated with poorer outcomes. Conclusion One in 15 colorectal cancer patients did not receive their planned operation during the first wave of COVID-19. Surgical delay did not appear to compromise resectability, raising the hypothesis that any reduction in long-term survival attributable to delays is likely to be due to micro-metastatic disease