Multivalued SK-contractions with respect to b-generalized pseudodistances

A new class of multivalued non-self-mappings, called SK-contractions with respect to b-generalized pseudodistances, is introduced and used to investigate the existence of best proximity points by using an appropriate geometric property. Some new fixed point results in b-metric spaces are also obtained. Examples are given to support the usability of our main result

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Correction to: Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

MoS₂-ZnO Nanocomposite Mediated Immunosensor for Non-Invasive Electrochemical Detection of IL8 Oral Tumor Biomarker

In order to support biomolecule attachment, an effective electrochemical transducer matrix for biosensing devices needs to have many specialized properties, including quick electron transfer, stability, high surface area, biocompatibility, and the presence of particular functional groups. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, gel electrophoresis, mass spectrometry, fluorescence spectroscopy, and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy are common techniques used to assess biomarkers. Even though these techniques provide precise and trustworthy results, they cannot replace clinical applications because of factors such as detection time, sample amount, sensitivity, equipment expense, and the need for highly skilled individuals. For the very sensitive and targeted electrochemical detection of the salivary oral cancer biomarker IL8, we have created a flower-structured molybdenum disulfide-decorated zinc oxide composite on GCE (interleu-kin-8). This immunosensor shows very fast detection; the limit of detection (LOD) for interleukin-8 (IL8) detection in a 0.1 M phosphate buffer solution (PBS) was discovered to be 11.6 fM, while the MoS2/ZnO nanocomposite modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) demonstrated a high catalytic current linearly from 500 pg to 4500 pg mL−1 interleukin-8 (IL8). Therefore, the proposed biosensor exhibits excellent stability, high accuracy sensitivity, repeatability, and reproducibility and shows the acceptable fabrication of the electrochemical biosensors to detect the ACh in real sample analysis

Evaluation of the ability of a 2D ionisation chamber array and an EPID to detect systematic delivery errors in IMRT plans

Two clinical intensity modulated radiotherapy plans were selected. Eleven plan variations were created with systematic errors introduced: Multi-Leaf Collimator (MLC) positional errors with all leaf pairs shifted in the same or the opposite direction, and collimator rotation offsets. Plans were measured using an Electronic Portal Imaging Device (EPID) and an ionisation chamber array. The plans were evaluated using gamma analysis with different criteria. The gamma pass rates remained around 95% or higher for most cases with MLC positional errors of 1 mm and 2 mm with 3%/3mm criteria. The ability of both devices to detect delivery errors was similar