Exploring the sputtering conditions in ZnO thin film for triboelectric nanogenerator electrode

The new field of applications for triboelectric materials is based on the combination of high physical durability and charge properties of ZnO semi-conductor thin films, which have been explored in this work. ZnO films are successfully deposited by the RF magnetron sputtering method in the wurtzite phase. A post-heat-treatment process of the as-deposited films is carried out in an oxygen atmosphere at 973 K. According to the X-ray diffraction patterns, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) images, the average particle size of the ZnO films increases gradually with the heat-treatment process. The semilogarithmic current-voltage and frequency-dependent capacitance measurements of thin films under various bias voltages are done to understand the charge transfer resistance, conductivity and capacitance properties which directly affect the figure of merit (FOMm) of the triboelectric layer material performance. The charge density and triboelectric charge density values in present study for heat-treated thin films are 11 and 121 mC/m(2), respectively. These findings might be used as a good candidate for further triboelectric device energy research areas in the near future

Hubungan pengetahuan dan kepuasan dokter keluarga terhadap kapitasi dengan kepuasan pasien peserta wajib Askes terhadap pelayanan dokter keluarga kajian di Kota Bengkulu dan Kabupaten Rejang Lebong Propinsi Bengkulu

Giriş: Atopik dermatit (AD) patogenezinde yer alan birçok faktörden birisi de allerjenlere duyarlılıktır. Besin allerjenlerinin önemli rolü olduğu bilinse de inhalan allerjenlerin de etken olduğuna dair kanıtlar artmaktadır. Çalışmada İstanbul'da yaşayan AD'li çocukların klinik özellikleri ve allerjik parametreleri ile birlikte allerjen duyarlılıklarının araştırılması amaçlandı.Gereç ve Yöntem: Çalışmaya Ocak 2010-Aralık 2013 tarihleri arasında İstanbul Üniversitesi İstanbul Tıp Fakültesi Çocuk Alerji ve İmmünoloji Bilim Dalı polikliniğinden AD tanısıyla takip edilen 2-18 yaş arası toplam 826 hasta alındı. Hastaların yaş, cinsiyet, ailede atopi öyküsü, ek allerjik hastalık varlığı, serum total IgE düzeyleri, tam kan sayımında eozinofil yüzdeleri ve allerji deri testi sonuçları kayıt edildi.Bulgular: Çalışmaya alınan ve yaşları 2-18 arası değişen hastaların 340'ı kız (%41.2), 486'sı erkekti (%58.8); yaş ortalaması 6.48 ±3.50 yıl idi. Hastaların %80'i atopik, %20'si non-atopikti. Ig E düzeyi>100kU/l olan hastalarda allerjen duyarlılığı daha fazla idi (p<0.001). Yaş arttıkça allerjen duyarlılığı da artmakta idi (p<0.001). Atopik dermatite eşlik eden allerjik solunum yolu hastalıklarının (astım ve/veya allerjik rinit) allerjen duyarlılığını etkilemediği görüldü (p:0.07). En sık tespit edilen allerjenler sırası ile ev tozu akarları, tatlı ilkbahar otu ve domuz ayrığı otu olarak saptandı.Sonuç: İstanbul'da yaşayan AD'li çocukların %80'inin atopik bünyeli ve ev tozu akarlarının da en önemli allerjen olduğu saptanmıştır. Uygun cilt bakımı ve klasik tedavi yaklaşımlarına rağmen kontrol altına alınamayan hastalarda çevresel faktörler arasında ev tozu allerjisi araştırılmalı ve gerekli önlemler alınmalıdır.Objective: One of the many factors that involved with the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD) is sensitivity to allergens. Food allergy is a known etiological factor and evidence connecting sensitivity to inhalant allergens with atopic dermatitis also keeps increasing. Our study aimed to investigate allergen hypersensitivity together with clinical features and allergic parameters of children with atopic dermatitis who live in İstanbul.Materials and Methods: A total of 826 children aged 2-18 years who had been followed-up with an AD diagnosis at the İstanbul University Medical School's Allergy and Immunology Department between January 2010 and December 2013 were included in our study. Age, gender, atopy history in the family, serum levels of total IgE, presence of additional allergic disease, eosinophil percentage in total blood count and the results of skin prick tests were recorded for these patients.Results: Among the patients included in the study, 41.2% (n:340) were female and 58.8% (n=486) were male, and the mean age was 6.48&plusmn;3.50 years. Atopic children made up 80% and non-atopic children 20% of the patient population. Patients whose Ig E level was &gt;100 were found to be more sensitive to allergens (p&lt;0.001). As age increased, sensitivity to allergens also increased (p&lt;0.001). Accompanying respiratory allergic diseases were not found to be related with sensitivity to allergens (p=0.07). The most frequent allergens in this study were house dust mite, sweet vernal grass, and cynodon dactylon.Conclusion: We found that 80% of the children with atopic dermatitis who lived in İstanbul were atopic and the most frequent allergen we came across was house dust mite. When dealing with AD patients who are resistant to therapy, house dust mite allergy should be considered and relevant precautions may be clinically useful

Infections with Carbapenem-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria are a Serious Problem Among Critically Ill Children: A Single-Centre Retrospective Study

Children in paediatric intensive care units (PICUs) are vulnerable to infections because invasive devices are frequently used during their admission. We aimed to determine the prevalence, associated factors, and prognosis of infections in our PICU. This retrospective study evaluated culture results from 477 paediatric patients who were treated in the PICU between January 2014 and March 2019. Ninety patients (18.9%) had bacterial infections, with gram-negative bacteria being the predominant infectious agents. Culture-positive patients were younger than culture-negative patients, and age was related to mortality and various clinical factors. Culture-positive bacterial infections in the PICU were associated with increased use of invasive mechanical ventilation (odds ratio(OR); 2.254), red blood cell (RBC) transfusions (OR:2.624), and inotropic drugs (OR:2.262). Carbapenem resistance was found in approximately one-third of gram-negative bacteria, and was most common in tracheal aspirate specimens and cases involving Klebsiella spp. Total parenteral nutrition was a significant risk factor (OR:5.870). Positive blood culture results were associated with poorer patient survival than other culture results. These findings indicate that infections, especially those involving carbapenem-resistant bacteria, are an important issue when treating critically ill children

Can Nebulised Colistin Therapy Improve Outcomes in Critically Ill Children with Multi-Drug Resistant Gram-Negative Bacterial Pneumonia?

In the past decade, multidrug-resistant (MDR) gram-negative bacteria have become a major problem, especially for patients in intensive care units. Recently, colistin became the last resort therapy for MDR gram-negative bacteria infections. However, nebulised colistin use was limited to adult patients. Thus, we investigated the efficacy and safety of nebulised colistin treatment against MDR microorganisms in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Data of all patients admitted for various critical illnesses (January 2016 to January 2019) were reviewed. Differences between groups (with and without a history of nebulised colistin) were compared. Of 330 patients, 23 (6.97%) used nebulised colistin. Significant relationships were found between nebulised colistin usage and several prognostic factors (inotropic drug use (p = 0.009), non-invasive mechanical ventilation (p &#8804; 0.001), duration in PICU (p &#8804; 0.001), and C-reactive protein level (p = 0.003)). The most common microorganism in tracheal aspirate and sputum cultures was Pseudomonas aeruginosa (13 patients). The most common underlying diagnosis was cystic fibrosis, noted in 6 patients. No serious nephrotoxicity and neurotoxicity occurred. This study showed that colistin can be safely used directly in the airway of critically ill children. However, nebulised colistin use did not have a positive effect on mortality and prognosis

Mortality Risk Factors Among Critically Ill Children With Acute COVID-19 in PICUs: A Multicenter Study From Turkish Pediatric Critical COVID-19 and MIS-C Study Group

Background: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the world has a large number of reported COVID-19 cases and deaths. Information on characteristics and mortality rate of pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) cases with COVID-19 remains limited. This study aims to identify the risk factors for mortality related to COVID-19 in children admitted to PICU. Methods: A retrospective multicenter cohort study was conducted between March 2020 and April 2021 at 44 PICUs in Turkey. Children who were 1 month-18-year of age with confirmed COVID-19 admitted to PICU were included in the study. Children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome and asymptomatic for COVID-19 were excluded. Results: Of 335 patients with COVID-19, the median age was 6.8 years (IQR: 1.2-14) and 180 (53.7 %) were male, 215 (64.2 %) had at least one comorbidity. Age and gender were not related to mortality. Among 335 patients, 166 (49.5%) received mechanical ventilation, 17 (5.1%) received renal replacement therapy and 44 (13.1 %) died. Children with medical complexity, congenital heart disease, immunosuppression and malignancy had significantly higher mortality. On multivariable logistic regression analysis, organ failure index [odds ratio (OR): 2.1, 95 confidence interval (CI): 1.55-2.85], and having congenital heart disease (OR: 2.65, 95 CI: 1.03-6.80), were associated with mortality. Conclusions: This study presents detailed data on clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with COVID-19 admitted to PICU in the first pandemic year in Turkey. Our study shows that having congenital heart disease is associated with mortality. In addition, the high organ failure score in follow-up predict mortality

Evaluation of Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy and Therapeutic Plasma Exchange, in Severe Sepsis or Septic Shock in Critically Ill Children

Background and objective: Severe sepsis and septic shock are life-threatening organ dysfunctions and causes of death in critically ill patients. The therapeutic goal of the management of sepsis is restoring balance to the immune system and fluid balance. Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is recommended in septic patients, and it may improve outcomes in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock. Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) is another extracorporeal procedure that can improve organ function by decreasing inflammatory and anti-fibrinolytic mediators and correcting haemostasis by replenishing anticoagulant proteins. However, research about sepsis and CRRT and TPE in children has been insufficient and incomplete. Therefore, we investigated the reliability and efficacy of extracorporeal therapies in paediatric patients with severe sepsis or septic shock. Materials and methods: We performed a multicentre retrospective study using data from all patients aged &lt;18 years who were admitted to two paediatric intensive care units. Demographic data and reason for hospitalization were recorded. In addition, vital signs, haemogram parameters, and biochemistry results were recorded at 0 h and after 24 h of CRRT. Patients were compared according to whether they underwent CRRT or TPE; mortality between the two treatment groups was also compared. Results: Between January 2014 and April 2019, 168 septic patients were enrolled in the present study. Of them, 47 (27.9%) patients underwent CRRT and 24 underwent TPE. In patients with severe sepsis, the requirement for CRRT was statistically associated with mortality (p &lt; 0.001). In contrast, the requirement for TPE was not associated with mortality (p = 0.124). Conclusion: Our findings revealed that the requirement for CRRT in patients with severe sepsis is predictive of increased mortality. CRRT and TPE can be useful techniques in critically ill children with severe sepsis. However, our results did not show a decrease of mortality with CRRT and TPE

Evaluation of Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy and Therapeutic Plasma Exchange, in Severe Sepsis or Septic Shock in Critically Ill Children

Background and objective: Severe sepsis and septic shock are life-threatening organ dysfunctions and causes of death in critically ill patients. The therapeutic goal of the management of sepsis is restoring balance to the immune system and fluid balance. Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is recommended in septic patients, and it may improve outcomes in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock. Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) is another extracorporeal procedure that can improve organ function by decreasing inflammatory and anti-fibrinolytic mediators and correcting haemostasis by replenishing anticoagulant proteins. However, research about sepsis and CRRT and TPE in children has been insufficient and incomplete. Therefore, we investigated the reliability and efficacy of extracorporeal therapies in paediatric patients with severe sepsis or septic shock. Materials and methods: We performed a multicentre retrospective study using data from all patients aged <18 years who were admitted to two paediatric intensive care units. Demographic data and reason for hospitalization were recorded. In addition, vital signs, haemogram parameters, and biochemistry results were recorded at 0 h and after 24 h of CRRT. Patients were compared according to whether they underwent CRRT or TPE; mortality between the two treatment groups was also compared. Results: Between January 2014 and April 2019, 168 septic patients were enrolled in the present study. Of them, 47 (27.9%) patients underwent CRRT and 24 underwent TPE. In patients with severe sepsis, the requirement for CRRT was statistically associated with mortality (p < 0.001). In contrast, the requirement for TPE was not associated with mortality (p = 0.124). Conclusion: Our findings revealed that the requirement for CRRT in patients with severe sepsis is predictive of increased mortality. CRRT and TPE can be useful techniques in critically ill children with severe sepsis. However, our results did not show a decrease of mortality with CRRT and TPE