Because of its useful optoelectronic properties and the relative abundance of its elements, the quaternary semiconductor Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 (CZTS) has garnered considerable interest in recent years. In this work, we dope divalent, high spin transition metal ions (M 2+ = Mn 2+ , Co 2+ , Ni 2+ ) into the tetrahedral Zn 2+ sites of wurtzite CZTS nanorods. The resulting Cu 2 M x Zn 1−x SnS 4 (CMTS) nanocrystals retain the hexagonal crystalline structure, elongated morphology, and broad visible light absorption profile of the undoped CZTS nanorods. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and infrared (IR) spectroscopy help corroborate the composition and local ion environment of the doped nanocrystals. EPR shows that, similarly to Mn x Cd 1−x Se, washing Cu 2 Mn x Zn 1−x SnS 4 nanocrystals with trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO) is an efficient way to remove excess Mn 2+ ions from the particle surface. XPS and IR of as-isolated and thiol-washed samples show that, in contrast to binary chalcogenides, Cu 2 Mn x Zn 1−x SnS 4 nanocrystals aggregate not through dichalcogenide bonds, but through excess metal ions cross-linking the sulfur-rich surfaces of neighboring particles. Our results may help in expanding the synthetic applicability of CZTS and CMTS materials beyond photovoltaics and into the fields of spintronics and magnetic data storage.
Background and Objectives: This study aimed to identify demographic and clinical factors at the time of critical care consultation associated with mortality or intensive care unit acceptance in a predominantly Afro-Caribbean population during the first wave of the COVID19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: This retrospective, single-center observational cohort study included 271 COVID19 patients who received a critical care consult between March 11 and April 30, 2020 during the first wave of the COVID19 pandemic at State University of New York Downstate Health Sciences University. Results: Of the 271 patients with critical care consults, 33% survived and 67% expired. At the bivariate level, age, blood urea nitrogen, and blood neutrophil percentage were significantly associated with mortality (mean age: survivors, 61.62 ± 1.50 vs. non-survivors, 68.98 ± 0.85, p < 0.001). There was also a significant association between neutrophil% and mortality in the univariate logistic regression model (quartile 4 vs. quartile 1: odd ratio 2.73, 95% confidence interval (1.28–5.82), p trend = 0.044). In the multivariate analyses, increasing levels of procalcitonin and C-reactive protein were significantly associated with mortality, adjusting for age, sex, and race/ethnicity (for procalcitonin quartile 4 vs. quartile 1: odds ratio 5.65, 95% confidence interval (2.14–14.9), p trend < 0.001). In contrast, higher platelet levels correlated with significantly decreased odds of mortality (quartile 4 vs. quartile 1, odds ratio 0.47, 95% CI (0.22–0.998), p trend = 0.010). Of these factors, only elevated procalcitonin levels were associated with intensive care unit acceptance. Conclusions: Procalcitonin showed the greatest magnitude of association with both death and likelihood of intensive care unit acceptance at the bivariate level. Our data suggests that procalcitonin reflects pneumonia severity during COVID-19 infection. Thus, it may help the intensivist identify those COVID19 patients who require intensive care unit level care.
Background Cardiac dysfunction is a common sequela in patients with sepsis and multi‐organ dysfunction. Echocardiography is commonly used in the investigation of circulatory failure. Aims We aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of echocardiographic parameters in patients with septic shock. Methods This study was a retrospective trial. We included patients who were admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) with septic shock. The patients' echocardiograms, clinical data and outcomes were obtained from their medical records. Associations between echocardiogram variables and mortality were assessed using logistic regression, controlled for age, sex, body mass index and the interval between the ICU admission and echocardiogram. The utility of statistically significant echocardiogram variables to predict mortality were assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results The outcomes presented that tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) was statistically significantly associated with both ICU (P = 0.02) and 90‐day (P = 0.001) mortality. From the ROC curves, TAPSE emerged a significant and moderate predictor for 90‐day (area under curve (AUC) = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.565–0.814) and in‐ICU mortality (AUC = 0.762, 95% CI = 0.652–0.871). The optimal cut‐off for TAPSE was 2.1 cm for both 90‐day mortality (sensitivity of 80% and specificity and 58%) and in‐ICU mortality (sensitivity of 69% and specificity of 77%). Conclusions TAPSE was associated with increased mortality in those with sepsis and suspicion of cardiac dysfunction. This is a hypothesis generating article that an association may be present and requires significant more work with expansion to the entire population base.
Rationale: The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes COVID-19, has led to a global health crisis unlike any our contemporaries have witnessed before. SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University was designated as one of three COVID-19-only hospitals on March 28, 2020. This retrospective, single-center observational study grants a unique perspective surrounding the experience of the critical care service at a public institution serving a predominantly Afro-Caribbean, inner city population. Methods: Between March 11 and April 30, 2020, the critical care service was consulted for a total of 271 COVID-19 patients. We queried the electronic medical record for patient visits with critical care consult notes and collected data on demographics, comorbidities, ICU acceptance, treatment strategies, and clinical outcomes. Non-COVIDrelated consults were excluded. Chi-squared tests compared categorical variables, and independent samples ttest assessed differences in continuous variables based on mortality and ICU admission status. Logistic regression models determined if various factors independently predicted the odds of mortality. We conducted retrospective analyses to identify factors associated with survival and ICU acceptance. Results: Of the 271 patients with critical care consults, 33% (n=89) survived and 67% (n=182) expired. At the bivariate level, age, BUN, and neutrophil percentage were significantly associated with mortality, with age showing the strongest correlation (age: survivors, 61.62±1.50 vs. non-survivors, 68.98±0.85, p<0.001). There was a significant association between neutrophil percentage and mortality in the univariate logistic regression model (Q4 vs. Q1, OR 2.73, 95% CI (1.28 -5.82), p trend = 0.044). In the multivariate analyses, procalcitonin exhibited a positive correlation with the odds of mortality, adjusting for age, sex, and race/ethnicity (procalcitonin: Q4 vs. Q1, OR 5.65, 95% CI (2.14 -14.9), p trend <0.001). Adjusting for the same covariates, platelets exhibited a negative correlation with the odds of mortality (Q4 vs. Q1, OR 0.47, 95% CI (0.22 -0.998), p trend = 0.010). Interestingly, of these factors, only elevated procalcitonin levels were associated with an increased likelihood of ICU acceptance. Conclusions: This retrospective, observational study during the first peak of the COVID-19 pandemic identified key factors linked to disease severity and outcomes. Of note, procalcitonin was the factor most strongly associated with both mortality and likelihood of ICU acceptance at the bivariate level. Respiratory failure is the primary cause of death in COVID-19, and our data suggests that procalcitonin is a useful marker that accurately reflects the severity of lung involvement during SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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