43 research outputs found
Biaxial strain tuned upconversion photoluminescence of monolayer WS2
Abstract Monolayer tungsten disulfide (1L-WS2) is a direct bandgap atomic-layered semiconductor material with strain tunable optical and optoelectronic properties among the monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (1L-TMDs). Here, we demonstrate biaxial strain tuned upconversion photoluminescence (UPL) from exfoliated 1L-WS2 flakes transferred on a flexible polycarbonate cruciform substrate. When the biaxial strain applied to 1L-WS2 increases from 0 to 0.51%, it is observed that the UPL peak position is redshifted by up to 60 nm/% strain, while the UPL intensity exhibits exponential growth with the upconversion energy difference varying from − 303 to − 120 meV. The measured power dependence of UPL from 1L-WS2 under biaxial strain reveals the one photon involved multiphonon-mediated upconversion mechanism. The demonstrated results provide new opportunities in advancing TMD-based optical upconversion devices for future flexible photonics and optoelectronics
Transversus Abdominis Plane Block with or without Intravenous Diclofenac Sodium as a Component of Multimodal Postoperative Analgesia Following Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Randomised Clinical Study
Introduction: Multimodal analgesia is the recommended
approach for treating post-operative pain after laparoscopic
cholecystectomy. The Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP) block
is a recently introduced technique showing promising results. To
control visceral and somatic pain adequately and to avoid use of
opioids intra-operative diclofenac sodium, combined with TAP
block as part of a multimodal approach, may be beneficial.
Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of TAP block with or without intraoperative diclofenac sodium aqueous injection for controlling
post-operative pain following laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Materials and Methods: A randomised, double-blinded
study was conducted from February 2022 to October 2022
at Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal,
India. Forty American Society of Anaesthesiology (ASA)
physical status-I and II patients aged 20-50 years scheduled
for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy were divided into
two groups of 20 patients each. Group A patients received
bilateral Ultrasonography (USG) guided TAP block using 20 mL
of 0.125% Bupivacaine on each side of the abdomen at the
end of surgery. Group B patients received intravenous injection
of diclofenac sodium aqueous 75 mg intravenous, intraoperatively, along with bilateral USG guided TAP block using
0.125% Bupivacaine. The primary outcome was the duration
of post-operative analgesia (measured by the first request for
rescue analgesia after the end of the operation at a VAS score
of 4). Secondary outcomes included the total post-operative
analgesic requirement (diclofenac sodium), pain score (VAS)
over 24 hours in the post-operative period, and the incidence
of complications such as nausea, vomiting, hypotension, and
bradycardia. Patient Satisfaction Score (PSS) was recorded
for each patient before discharge. Statistical analysis was
performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences(SPSS)
version 24.0 software. Continuous variables were expressed as
mean and standard deviation, and categorical variables were
expressed as percentages. Independent t-tests and chi-square
tests were used for between-group comparisons, with a p-value
≤0.05 considered statistically significant.
Results: Amongst total 40 patients included, divided into group
A(mean age: 32.95±8.74 years, 6 males and 14 females) and
group B(31.90±9.16 years, 5 males and 15 females) with 20
patients each, the demographic characteristics such as age,
gender, height, and weight were similar in both groups. The
duration of post-operative analgesia was longer in Group B
(16.32±1.29 hours) than in Group A (7.85±1.04 hours). The
total post-operative analgesic requirement was lower in Group
B (32.95±20.9 mg) compared to Group A (58.33±17.14 mg).
Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores were lower in Group B than
in Group A. PSS was significantly higher in Group B patients
(8.14±1.06) than in Group A patients (6.16±1.38).
Conclusion: TAP block, along with intra-operative intravenous
diclofenac sodium aqueous, as part of a multimodal regimen,
provides superior post-operative analgesia compared to
TAP block alone. It is also associated with improved patient
satisfaction
Silver nanoflowers for single-particle SERS with 10 pM sensitivity
Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has received considerable attention as a noninvasive optical sensing technique with ultrahigh sensitivity. While numerous types of metallic particles have been actively investigated as SERS substrates, the development of new SERS agents with high sensitivity and their reliable characterization are still required. Here we report the preparation and characterization of flower-shaped silver (Ag) nanoparticles that exhibit high-sensitivity single-particle SERS performance. Ag nanoflowers (NFs) with bud sizes in the range 220-620 nm were synthesized by the wet synthesis method. The densely packed nanoscale petals with thicknesses in the range 9-22 nm exhibit a large number of hot spots that significantly enhance their plasmonic activity. A single Ag NF particle (530-620 nm) can detect as little as 10(-11) M 4-mercaptobenzoic acid, and thus provides a sensitivity three orders of SERS magnitude greater than that of a spherical Ag nanoparticle. The analytical enhancement factors for single Ag NF particles were found to be as high as 8.0 x 10(9), providing unprecedented high SERS detectivity at the single particle level. Here we present an unambiguous and systematic assessment of the SERS performances of the Ag NFs and demonstrate that they provide highly sensitive sensing platforms by single SERS particle. © 2017 IOP Publishing Ltd Printed in the UK1341sciescopu
Near-field exciton imaging of chemically treated MoS2 monolayers
The exciton-dominated light emission of two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors is determined largely by the doping state and the formation of defects. Extensive studies have shown that chemical treatment critically modifies the doping state and defect state of chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-grown or exfoliated monolayer MoS2 (1L-MoS2), suggesting a promising possibility for engineering the optoelectronic properties of 2D semiconductors. However, chemical treatment inevitably modifies both the doping state and defect states, and their independent roles in the exciton emission of 1L-MoS2 have been difficult to study, significantly limiting the practical and reliable uses of chemical treatment to improve the optical properties of 1L-TMDs. Herein, we used near-field imaging and spectroscopy to investigate the effects of chemical treatment on the exciton emission of 1L-MoS2. CVD-grown 1L-MoS2 was treated with bis(trifluoromethane)-sulfonimide (TFSI) or 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ), and nanoscale maps of neutral exciton and trion emission before and after chemical treatment were obtained with 80 nm spatial resolution. A comparison of the local spatial and spectral compositions of neutral excitons and trions suggested that the p-doping effect of TFSI was especially strong around local defects, whereas electron depletion by TCNQ was spatially uniform. The specific reaction of TFSI to defect locations observed in our study provides the clue for the reason that TFSI is notably effective at improving the light emission of 1L-MoS2
© The Royal Society of Chemistry 20181
Efficacy of Erector Spinae Plane Block in Modified Radical Mastectomy for Postoperative Analgesia: A Randomised Controlled Study
Introduction: The Erector Spinae Plane Block (ESPB) is a
recently introduced Ultrasound (US)-guided interfascial plane
block commonly used for treating thoracic neuropathic pain.
Although ESPB has been used for pain control after Modified
Radical Mastectomy (MRM), which is a frequently performed
operation nowadays, its efficacy compared to other methods of
pain control is yet to be established.
Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of ESPB in controlling acute
postoperative pain after MRM surgery.
Materials and Methods: A total of 64 adult females aged between
18-60 years, with American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA)
physical status I and II, scheduled to undergo elective MRM,
were enrolled in the present randomised, double-blinded,
controlled study conducted at Department of Anaesthesiology
and Critical Care, Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College, Kolkata,
West Bengal, India over a period of nine months (from March
2021 to November 2021). They were randomly assigned to
two groups, with 32 patients in each group. Group A (n=32)
received general anaesthesia only, while Group B (n=32)
received US-guided ESPB in addition to general anaesthesia.
Postoperative Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores, total intra
and postoperative analgesic requirements for the first 24 hours,
and duration of postoperative analgesia were recorded for each
patient. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistical
Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24.0 software.
Mean and Standard Deviation (SD) were used to express data
for numerical variables, while count and percentages were used
for categorical variables.
Results: Demographic characteristics (age, weight), ASA status,
and mean duration of surgery were similar between the groups.
The duration of postoperative analgesia was significantly
(p<0.05) prolonged in Group B patients (584.1±89.1 minutes)
compared to Group A patients (78.0±53.1 minutes). Intra and
postoperative analgesic requirements were significantly lower
in Group B (fentanyl 87.0±16.8 mcg, tramadol 68.3±35.9
mg) compared to Group A patients (fentanyl 94.5±26.7 mcg,
tramadol 158.3±32.3 mg). The postoperative VAS score was
more favourable in Group B than in Group A (1.1±0.4 vs. 4.1±0.8
at rest).
Conclusion: The US-guided ESPB is a simple and easy
procedure that provides prolonged duration of postoperative
analgesia with reduced overall analgesic requirement in the
postoperative period after MRM surgery. Therefore, it can be
concluded that ESPB is an effective method for controlling
acute postoperative pain after MRM surgery
The fabrication and characterization of ZnO/NiCO2O4 nanowires synthesized by a hydrothermal method
The main functional part of the supercapacitors and nanogenerators made up of various types of nanostructured materials. The contemporary devices have been manufactured employing different kinds of nanomaterials based on nanoflake and nanowire structures. These hierarchical materials show high efficiency on engineering electrodes for supercapacitors as well as piezoelectric for nanogenerators. Here, we have successfully synthesized NiCo2O4 nanowires on ZnO nanoflakes by applying two-step hydrothermal method which is absent similar analogous to date. The microscopic analysis has shown the uniform growth of NiCo2O4 nanowires on ZnO nanoflakes. This fabricated material might be used in above mentioned purposes in the future