Investigation of the H₂O sensing mechanism of DC operated chemiresistors based on graphene oxide and thermally reduced graphene oxide

Graphene oxide (GO) is a promising material for H 2O vapour sensing. However, the H 2O sensing mechanisms are still under investigation especially in the case of thermally reduced GO. To this purpose, planar devices were fabricated by spin-coating graphene oxide on glass substrates. Ultra high response to H 2O was recorded but poor repeatability and stability over time were also noted. Three different degrees of thermal reduction were applied to improve material stability. An inverse change of resistance was observed for reduced graphene oxide compared to pure graphene oxide upon interaction with H 2O. The sensing mechanisms that govern GO and reduced GO behavior were studied based on DC measurements. In the case of GO, strong ionic conductivity was proposed whereas in the case of reduced GO mixed electronic/ionic with the leading mechanism affected by H 2O percentage in air, degree of material reduction, and sensor working temperature. Finally, it was found that by promoting one sensing mechanism over the other, improved operating humidity range of the sensor can be achieved. </p

The Application of PCR and STR DNA Profiling for the Identification of Haematoxylin Eosin Histological Slides in a Case of Sample Mix-Up Involving Synonymous Patients

A good laboratory practice ensures that biopsy material is correctly identified and associated with a given patient. Nevertheless, there are cases where the proof of origin of a tissue sample may be questioned. In this case study we have identified the source of cervical cancer glass slide sections stained with H/E, (hematoxylin eosin), after the request of a patient of Northern Greek origin who suspected sample mix-up when she coincidentally found out that a synonymous patient was examined for cervical cancer at the same time period in the same hospital in Greece. The patient was prepared to legally challenge the administrators of the downstream chemotherapeutic regimen. A combination of organic gradient clean up and silica membrane method was used for DNA isolation. Powerplex-16® system (Promega U.S.A) was used to generate complete DNA profiles from histological slides and the reference blood sample collected from the patient. Histochemical slides often yield inadequate STR profiles for successful DNA typing. Complete profiling in this case could be attributed to the adequate removal of stain and fixatives inhibitors and the isolation of good quality DNA for PCR or STR, protocols. Matching of histochemical slide DNA with patient blood DNA prevented legal action

EACVI/HFA Cardiac Oncology Toxicity Registry in breast cancer patients: rationale, study design, and methodology (EACVI/HFA COT Registry)-EURObservational Research Program of the European Society of Cardiology.

The goal of adjuvant anti-cancer therapies is cure with limited or no side effects, in particular long-term side effects with negative impact on quality of life. In the palliative setting disease control, quality of life and overall survival are important end points. Partly due to improvements in treatment, the population of cancer survivors is large and growing. However, anti-cancer drug-related cardiotoxicity (ADRC) is the leading cause of treatment-associated mortality in cancer survivors. It is one of the most common post-treatment problems among 5- to 10-year survivors of adult cancer. This is particularly true for breast cancer, the most common cancer in women. The EACVI/HFA COT registry is designed for comprehensive data collection and evaluation of the current European practice in terms of diagnosis and management of ADRC in breast cancer patients. The COT registry will be carried out in two continuing phases, the pilot study phase involving 13 countries followed by the long-term registry in which all the 56 ESC countries will be invited to participate. With the COT registry, several critical information will be obtained: on predisposing factors for the development of ADRC, the rate of subclinical LV dysfunction and its transition to overt heart failure, the clinical impact and outcome of ADRC

Predisposing factors for admission to intensive care units of patients with COVID-19 infection-Results of the German nationwide inpatient sample

BACKGROUND Intensive care units (ICU) capacities are one of the most critical determinants in health-care management of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, we aimed to analyze the ICU-admission and case-fatality rate as well as characteristics and outcomes of patient admitted to ICU in order to identify predictors and associated conditions for worsening and case-fatality in this critical ill patient-group. METHODS We used the German nationwide inpatient sample to analyze all hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis in Germany between January and December 2020. All hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection during the year 2020 were included in the present study and were stratified according ICU-admission. RESULTS Overall, 176,137 hospitalizations of patients with COVID-19-infection (52.3% males; 53.6% aged ≥70 years) were reported in Germany during 2020. Among them, 27,053 (15.4%) were treated in ICU. COVID-19-patients treated on ICU were younger [70.0 (interquartile range (IQR) 59.0-79.0) vs. 72.0 (IQR 55.0-82.0) years, P < 0.001], more often males (66.3 vs. 48.8%, P < 0.001), had more frequently cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and cardiovascular risk-factors with increased in-hospital case-fatality (38.4 vs. 14.2%, P < 0.001). ICU-admission was independently associated with in-hospital death [OR 5.49 (95% CI 5.30-5.68), P < 0.001]. Male sex [OR 1.96 (95% CI 1.90-2.01), P < 0.001], obesity [OR 2.20 (95% CI 2.10-2.31), P < 0.001], diabetes mellitus [OR 1.48 (95% CI 1.44-1.53), P < 0.001], atrial fibrillation/flutter [OR 1.57 (95% CI 1.51-1.62), P < 0.001], and heart failure [OR 1.72 (95% CI 1.66-1.78), P < 0.001] were independently associated with ICU-admission. CONCLUSION During 2020, 15.4% of the hospitalized COVID-19-patients were treated on ICUs with high case-fatality. Male sex, CVD and cardiovascular risk-factors were independent risk-factors for ICU admission

Permanent water swelling effect in low temperature thermally reduced graphene oxide

We demonstrate permanent water trapping in reduced graphene oxide after high relative humidity exposure. For this purpose, we grew graphene oxide films via spin-coating on glass substrates followed by thermal reduction. The electrical resistance of the planar device was then measured. We observed that resistance is significantly increased after water vapor exposure and remains stable even after 250 days in ambient conditions. Various techniques were applied to desorb the water and decrease (recover) the material's resistance, but it was achieved only with low temperature thermal annealing (180 °C) under forming gas (H2/N2 mixture). The permanent effect of water absorption was also detected by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.</p

European Society of Cardiology quality indicators for the prevention and management of cancer therapy-related cardiovascular toxicity in cancer treatment.

AIMS: To develop quality indicators (QIs) for the evaluation of the prevention and management of cancer therapy-related cardiovascular toxicity. METHODS AND RESULTS: We followed the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) methodology for QI development which comprises (i) identifying the key domains of care for the prevention and management of cancer therapy-related cardiovascular toxicity in patients on cancer treatment, (ii) performing a systematic review of the literature to develop candidate QIs, and (iii) selecting of the final set of QIs using a modified Delphi process. Work was undertaken in parallel with the writing of the 2022 ESC Guidelines on Cardio-Oncology and in collaboration with the European Haematology Association, the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology and the International Cardio-Oncology Society. In total, 5 main and 9 secondary QIs were selected across five domains of care: (i) Structural framework, (ii) Baseline cardiovascular risk assessment, (iii) Cancer therapy related cardiovascular toxicity, (iv) Predictors of outcomes, and (v) Monitoring of cardiovascular complications during cancer therapy. CONCLUSION: We present the ESC Cardio-Oncology QIs with their development process and provide an overview of the scientific rationale for their selection. These indicators are aimed at quantifying and improving the adherence to guideline-recommended clinical practice and improving patient outcomes

European Society of Cardiology quality indicators for the prevention and management of cancer therapy-related cardiovascular toxicity in cancer treatment.

AIMS: To develop quality indicators (QIs) for the evaluation of the prevention and management of cancer therapy-related cardiovascular toxicity. METHODS AND RESULTS: We followed the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) methodology for QI development which comprises (i) identifying the key domains of care for the prevention and management of cancer therapy-related cardiovascular toxicity in patients on cancer treatment, (ii) performing a systematic review of the literature to develop candidate QIs, and (iii) selecting of the final set of QIs using a modified Delphi process. Work was undertaken in parallel with the writing of the 2022 ESC Guidelines on Cardio-Oncology and in collaboration with the European Haematology Association, the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology and the International Cardio-Oncology Society. In total, 5 main and 9 secondary QIs were selected across five domains of care: (i) Structural framework, (ii) Baseline cardiovascular risk assessment, (iii) Cancer therapy related cardiovascular toxicity, (iv) Predictors of outcomes, and (v) Monitoring of cardiovascular complications during cancer therapy. CONCLUSION: We present the ESC Cardio-Oncology QIs with their development process and provide an overview of the scientific rationale for their selection. These indicators are aimed at quantifying and improving the adherence to guideline-recommended clinical practice and improving patient outcomes

A pragmatic approach to the use of inotropes for the management of acute and advanced heart failure. an expert panel consensus

Inotropes aim at increasing cardiac output by enhancing cardiac contractility. They constitute the third pharmacological pillar in the treatment of patients with decompensated heart failure, the other two being diuretics and vasodilators. Three classes of parenterally administered inotropes are currently indicated for decompensated heart failure, (i) the beta adrenergic agonists, including dopamine and dobutamine and also the catecholamines epinephrine and norepinephrine, (ii) the phosphodiesterase III inhibitor milrinone and (iii) the calcium sensitizer levosimendan. These three families of drugs share some pharmacologic traits, but differ profoundly in many of their pleiotropic effects. Identifying the patients in need of inotropic support and selecting the proper inotrope in each case remain challenging. The present consensus, derived by a panel meeting of experts from 21 countries, aims at addressing this very issue in the setting of both acute and advanced heart failure

Association Between Hemoglobin Levels and Efficacy of Intravenous Ferric Carboxymaltose in Patients With Acute Heart Failure and Iron Deficiency: An AFFIRM-AHF Subgroup Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Iron deficiency, with or without anemia, is an adverse prognostic factor in heart failure (HF). In AFFIRM-AHF (a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial comparing the effect of intravenous ferric carboxymaltose on hospitalizations and mortality in iron-deficient subjects admitted for acute heart failure), intravenous ferric carboxymaltose (FCM), although having no significant effect on the primary end point, reduced the risk of HF hospitalization (hHF) and improved quality of life versus placebo in iron-deficient patients stabilized after an acute HF (AHF) episode. These prespecified AFFIRM-AHF subanalyses explored the association between hemoglobin levels and FCM treatment effects. METHODS: AFFIRM-AHF was a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of FCM in hospitalized AHF patients with iron deficiency. Patients were stratified by baseline hemoglobin level (<12 versus ≥12 g/dL). In each subgroup, the primary composite (total hHF and cardiovascular death) and secondary (total hHF; total cardiovascular hospitalizations and cardiovascular death; time to cardiovascular death, and time to first/days lost due to hHF or cardiovascular death) outcomes were assessed with FCM versus placebo at week 52. Sensitivity analyses using the World Health Organization anemia definition (hemoglobin level <12 g/dL [women] or <13 g/dL [men]) were performed, among others. RESULTS: Of 1108 AFFIRM-AHF patients, 1107 were included in these subanalyses: 464 (FCM group, 228; placebo group, 236) had a hemoglobin level <12 g/dL, and 643 (FCM, 329; placebo, 314) had a hemoglobin level ≥12 g/dL. Patients with a hemoglobin level <12 g/dL were older (mean, 73.7 versus 69.1 years), with more frequent previous HF (75.0% versus 68.7%), serum ferritin <100 μg/L (75.4% versus 68.1%), and transferrin saturation <20% (87.9% versus 81.4%). For the primary outcome, annualized event rates per 100 patient-years with FCM versus placebo were 71.1 and 73.6 (rate ratio, 0.97 [95% CI, 0.66-1.41]), respectively, and 48.5 versus 72.9 (RR, 0.67 [95% CI, 0.48-0.93]) in the hemoglobin levels <12 and ≥12 g/dL subgroups, respectively. No significant interactions between hemoglobin subgroup and treatment effect were observed for primary (Pinteraction=0.15) or secondary outcomes. Changes from baseline in hemoglobin, serum ferritin and transferrin saturation were significantly greater with FCM versus placebo in both subgroups between weeks 6 and 52. Findings were similar using the World Health Organization definition for anemia. CONCLUSIONS: The effects of intravenous FCM on outcomes in iron-deficient patients stabilized after an AHF episode, including improvements in iron parameters over time, did not differ between patients with hemoglobin levels <12 and ≥12 g/dL. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov; Unique identifier: NCT02937454

Fabrication of a Highly Sensitive Chemical Sensor Based on ZnO Nanorod Arrays

We report a novel method for fabricating a highly sensitive chemical sensor based on a ZnO nanorod array that is epitaxially grown on a Pt-coated Si substrate, with a top–top electrode configuration. To practically test the device, its O2 and NO2 sensing properties were investigated. The gas sensing properties of this type of device suggest that the approach is promising for the fabrication of sensitive and reliable nanorod chemical sensors