A Systematic Review on Clinical Safety and Efficacy of Vancomycin Loading Dose in Critically Ill Patients

Background: The clinical significance of utilizing a vancomycin loading dose in critically ill patients remains unclear. Objective: The main aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the clinical safety and efficacy of the vancomycin loading dose in critically ill patients. Methods: We performed a systematic review using PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, the Web of Science, MEDLINE, Scopus, Google Scholar, the Saudi Digital Library and other databases were searched. Studies that reported clinical outcomes among patients receiving the vancomycin LD were considered eligible. Data for this study were collected using PubMed, the Web of Science, MEDLINE, Scopus, Google Scholar and the Saudi Digital Library using the following terms: “vancomycin”, “safety”, “efficacy” and “loading dose” combined with the Boolean operator “AND” or “OR”. Results: A total of 17 articles, including 2 RCTs, 11 retrospective cohorts and 4 other studies, met the inclusion/exclusion criteria out of a total 1189 studies. Patients had different clinical characteristics representing a heterogenous group, including patients in critical condition, with renal impairment, sepsis, MRSA infection and hospitalized patients for hemodialysis or in the emergency department. Conclusions: The study shows that the target therapeutic level is achieved more easily among patients receiving a weight-based LD as compared to patients received the usual dose without an increased risk of new-onset adverse drug reactions

Spectral features of Ho3+ -doped boro-phosphate glass-ceramics: Role of Ag nanoparticles sensitization

The development of the metallic nanoparticles-sensitised and lanthanides-doped multi-functional luminescent glass-ceramics (GCs) for advanced applications remains challenging. In this perception, the role of varying silver nanoparticle (Ag NP) concentration on the structures, microstructures and optical properties of some new class of zinc-sulfo-boro-phosphate GCs activated with holmium ions (Ho3+) was analysed using different mechanisms. These GCs were prepared by the standard melt-quenching and thoroughly characterised using various analytic means. The XRD patterns of the as-quenched samples confirmed their GC nature. The Judd–Ofelt (J–O) intensity parameters and radiative properties plus the CIE colour coordinates for these GCs were evaluated using the measured photoluminescence (PL) spectral data. The absorption spectra of the GCs revealed 13 peaks associated to the Ho3+ transitions and the absorption edge data were used to calculate the optical band gap and Urbach energy. The PL spectra of the titled GCs revealed an intense green and red emission peak distinctive of the electronic transitions in Ho3+. Despite the strong mediation of the Ag NPs LSPR on the PL emission of Ho3+, the structural alterations in the GCs network played a dominant role towards the PL peak intensity quenching. The density, Raman, FTIR and impedance spectral analyses exhibited the formation of more bridging oxygen and significant reduction of the nonbridging oxygen in the GC matrix due to the addition of Ag NPs, leading to the Ho3+ clustering. An interrelationship between the structural and optical attributes in these GCs was ascertained for the first time. The proposed GC compositions are established to be beneficial for the advancement of the novel luminescent materials for various photonic and optoelectronic applications

Ag nanoparticles localised surface plasmon field regulated spectral characteristics of Ho3+-doped phosphate-based glass-ceramic

The holmium ion (Ho3+)- activated phosphate-based glass-ceramics with silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) inclusion were prepared using the standard melt-quenching. The samples were characterised to evaluate the effects of different Ag NPs contents on their structure, microstructure and optical properties. The XRD pattern of the as-quenched samples revealed their glass-ceramic nature. The FTIR and Raman analyses showed the modification of the glass-ceramics network structure due to the embedment of Ag NPs. The TEM and HRTEM images together with the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) absorption bands of the glass-ceramics confirmed the existence of Ag NPs inside the host matrix. The complex impedance analyses of the glass-ceramics suggested the glassy phase dominance in the host network. The photoluminescence (PL) peak intensities were significantly enhanced due to the influence of Ag NPs enabled LSPR effects. The PL decay curve analysis of the glass-ceramics indicated the effect of Ag NPs mediated amplified local electric field and energy transfer from the Ag NPs to Ho3+, a mechanism responsible for the optical traits improvement. The achieved branching ratio and stimulated emission cross-section of the optimum glass-ceramic for the three PL peaks were 73.88% and 46.68 × 10−21 cm2 (green); 83.97% and 41.12 × 10−21 cm2 (red); and 71.40% and 36.95 × 10−21 cm2 (IR). Based on the obtained findings, a structural-optical correlation was established

A new host with customized intense lasing action: Ag nanoparticles and Ho3+ interplay

The lasing potency of the doped rare earth ions (REIs) in the metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) incorporated various host materials (amorphous, crystalline or mixed phases) was shown to be governed mainly by their surrounding structures. In our opinion, by interplaying the REIs (operate as activator) and MNPs (act as sensitiser) contents in the host matrix an enhanced lasing action may be achieved. To validate this outlook, two series of holmium ions (Ho3+) activated zinc-sulfo-boro-phosphate glass-ceramic (GC) with different concentration of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesised following the celebrated melt-quenching strategy under the controlled user-defined heating and cooling conditions. In the first GC series the AgNPs were created from the AgCl via thermal annealing assisted redox reaction and in the second series pure AgNPs were directly included. These two series revealed different localised surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect due to dissimilar mean size of the NPs. As-quenched samples were thoroughly characterized to determine the influence of the activator and sensitizer on their structural and optical attributes. The XRD results of these samples revealed their GC nature and the TEM images showed the existence of the AgNPs within the host network where the LSPR bands of the AgNPs reaffirmed such disclosure. The GC containing 0.8 mol% of AgNPs (mean diameter of 20 nm) exhibited the optimum photoluminescence (PL) intensity enhancement and most intense LSPR band. The achieved AgNPs size dependent improvement in the green and red PL intensity of the Ho3+ clearly validated the intrinsic structural-optical correlation in the studied GCs which was attributed to the synergy of Ho3+ and AgNPs. For the first time we demonstrated that by carefully manipulating the REIs and MNPs contents the lasing potential of these new types of GC hosts can be enhanced. The present knowledge may be beneficial for the development of the efficient photonic devices based on Ho3+-doped boro-phosphate GCs sensitized by morphology tuned AgNPs

Intense red and green luminescence from holmium activated zinc-sulfo-boro-phosphate glass: Judd-Ofelt evaluation

Rare-earth ions doped oxide glasses became prospective for high quality and inexpensive solid state laser development. To fulfill this need, zinc-sulfo-boro-phosphate glasses doped with holmium ions (Ho3+) were synthesized via melt-quenching method. Prepared glasses were characterized using diverse techniques to determine the influence of varied Ho3+ contents on their optical absorption and photoluminescence (PL) emission properties. The main purpose of this paper was to determine the structural and optical correlation in Ho3+ activated phosphate-based glass host involving the red and green lasing potency of holmium. Raman, XPS and FTIR spectra were recorded to analyze the structural properties of the synthesized glasses. Furthermore, Judd-Ofelt (J-O) intensity (Ωλ with λ = 2, 4 and 6) and radiative parameters were calculated. Absorption spectra of the studied glasses disclosed thirteen characteristic peaks associated to the transitions from the lowest electronic energy level (5I8) to various excited levels in Ho3+. The PL spectra of the proposed glasses revealed 3 significant peaks allocated to the 5F4 → 5I8, 5F5 → 5I8 and 5F4 → 5I7 transitions in Ho3+. Revelation of negative bonding parameter values implied the existence of ionic bond between the ligand and Ho3+ in the prepared glass host. Values of Ω2, Ω4 and Ω6 were observed in the range of (5.11–22.62)×10−20 cm2, (9.54–13.79)×10−20 cm2 and (3.71–6.78)×10−20 cm2, respectively. Lower Ω2 value signified the higher symmetry around Ho3+, whereas higher Ω4 and Ω6 values indicated the stronger rigidity of the glass network. The achieved large stimulated emission cross-section for the red and green spectral transitions from Ho3+ ((29.47–46.01)×10−21 cm2 for 5F4 → 5I8, (31.47–39.74)×10−21 cm2 for 5F5 → 5I8 and (13.34–31.63)×10−21 cm2 for 5F4 → 5I7) clearly displayed the lasing effectiveness of the proposed glasses

Strontium-Cobaltite-Based Perovskite (SrCoO₃) for Solar-Driven Interfacial Evaporation Systems for Clean Water Generation

Solar-driven evaporation technology is often used in areas with limited access to clean water, as it provides a low-cost and sustainable method of water purification. Avoiding salt accumulation is still a substantial challenge for continuous desalination. Here, an efficient solar-driven water harvester that consists of strontium-cobaltite-based perovskite (SrCoO3) anchored on nickel foam (SrCoO3@NF) is reported. Synced waterways and thermal insulation are provided by a superhydrophilic polyurethane substrate combined with a photothermal layer. The structural photothermal properties of SrCoO3 perovskite have been extensively investigated through state-of-the-art experimental investigations. Multiple incident rays are induced inside the diffuse surface, permitting wideband solar absorption (91%) and heat localization (42.01 °C @ 1 sun). Under 1 kW m−2 solar intensity, the integrated SrCoO3@NF solar evaporator has an outstanding evaporation rate (1.45 kg/m2 h) and solar-to-vapor conversion efficiency (86.45% excluding heat losses). In addition, long-term evaporation measurements demonstrate small variance under sea water, illustrating the system’s working capacity for salt rejection (1.3 g NaCl/210 min), which is excellent for an efficient solar-driven evaporation application compared to other carbon-based solar evaporators. According to the findings of this research, this system offers significant potential for producing fresh water devoid of salt accumulation for use in industrial applications

Computational Foretelling and Experimental Implementation of the Performance of Polyacrylic Acid and Polyacrylamide Polymers as Eco-Friendly Corrosion Inhibitors for Copper in Nitric Acid

Copper is primarily used in many industrial processes, but like many other metals, it suffers from corrosion damage. Polymers are not only one of the effective corrosion inhibitors but also are environmentally friendly agents in doing so. Hence, in this paper, the efficacy of two polyelectrolyte polymers, namely poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and polyacrylamide (PAM), as corrosion inhibitors for copper in molar nitric acid medium was explored. Chemical, electrochemical, and microscopic tools were employed in this investigation. The weight-loss study revealed that the computed inhibition efficiencies (% IEs) of both PAA and PAM increased with their concentrations but diminished with increasing HNO3 concentration and temperature. The results revealed that, at similar concentrations, the values of % IEs of PAM are slightly higher than those recorded for PAA, where these values at 298 K reached 88% and 84% in the presence of a 250 mg/L of PAM and PAA, respectively. The prominent IE% values for the tested polymers are due to their strong adsorption on the Cu surface and follow the Langmuir adsorption isoform. Thermodynamic and kinetic parameters were also calculated and discussed. The kinetics of corrosion inhibition by PAA and PAM showed a negative first-order process. The results showed also that the used polymers played as mixed-kind inhibitors with anodic priority. The mechanisms of copper corrosion in nitric acid medium and its inhibition by the tested polymers were discussed. DFT calculations and molecular dynamic (MD) modelling were used to investigate the effect of PAA and PAM molecular configuration on their anti-corrosion behavior. The results indicated that the experimental and computational study are highly consistent

The effect of Nd2O3 content on the properties and structure of Nd3+ doped TeO2–MgO–Na2O- glass

Understanding the influence of rare-earth ions (REIs) in tellurite glass is crucial for the development of efficient solid state laser. In this work, tellurite glasses containing Nd2O3 (0–2.0 mol%) were prepared via melt-quenching method to unveil the effect of different Nd3+composition in the environment of tellurite glass. The prepared glasses were characterized using several techniques to determine their physical, thermal, structural, optical properties and the lasing performance. XRD analysis confirmed the amorphous nature of the proposed glasses. Raman analysis shows that the glass with high content of Nd3+ experienced changes in network structure. Seven well-defined absorption bands from UV–Vis absorption spectra shows the transition from the ground state (4I3/2) to several excited states of Nd3+. The negative bonding parameter proved the ionic character possessed by Nd3+and ligands. The Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters (Ω2, Ω4, Ω6) and radiative properties were determined by Judd-Ofelt theory. The photoluminescence spectra (PL) revealed the lasing potency of the prepared glass in the infrared region at 0.87 μm, 1.06 μm, and 1.30 μm due to efficient emissions from 4F3/2 → 4I9/2, 4F3/2 → 4I11/2, and 4F3/2 → 4I13/2 transition respectively. The glass containing 0.5 mol% of Nd2O3 exhibited high stimulated emission cross-section (3.63 × 10−20 cm2), high quantum efficiency (57.47%), longer decay lifetime (177.61 μs), high optical gain (11.20 × 10−24 cm2) and low saturation intensity Is (2.91 × 108 W/m2) for 4F3/2 → 4I11/2 transition, revealing its suitability for 1.06 μm solid-state laser

SARS-CoV-2 vaccination modelling for safe surgery to save lives: data from an international prospective cohort study

Background: Preoperative SARS-CoV-2 vaccination could support safer elective surgery. Vaccine numbers are limited so this study aimed to inform their prioritization by modelling. Methods: The primary outcome was the number needed to vaccinate (NNV) to prevent one COVID-19-related death in 1 year. NNVs were based on postoperative SARS-CoV-2 rates and mortality in an international cohort study (surgical patients), and community SARS-CoV-2 incidence and case fatality data (general population). NNV estimates were stratified by age (18-49, 50-69, 70 or more years) and type of surgery. Best- and worst-case scenarios were used to describe uncertainty. Results: NNVs were more favourable in surgical patients than the general population. The most favourable NNVs were in patients aged 70 years or more needing cancer surgery (351; best case 196, worst case 816) or non-cancer surgery (733; best case 407, worst case 1664). Both exceeded the NNV in the general population (1840; best case 1196, worst case 3066). NNVs for surgical patients remained favourable at a range of SARS-CoV-2 incidence rates in sensitivity analysis modelling. Globally, prioritizing preoperative vaccination of patients needing elective surgery ahead of the general population could prevent an additional 58 687 (best case 115 007, worst case 20 177) COVID-19-related deaths in 1 year. Conclusion: As global roll out of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination proceeds, patients needing elective surgery should be prioritized ahead of the general population