Electrochemical sensor based on PEDOT/CNTs-graphene oxide for simultaneous determination of hazardous hydroquinone, catechol, and nitrite in real water samples.

Hydroquinone (HQ), catechol (CC) and nitrite (NT) are considered aquatic environmental pollutants. They are highly toxic, harm humans' health, and damage the environment. Thus, in the present work we introduce a simple and efficient electrochemical sensor for determination of HQ, CC, and NT simultaneously in wastewater sample. The sensor is fabricated by modifying the surface of a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) by two successive thin films from poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and a mixture of carbon nanotubes-graphene oxide (CNT-GRO). Under optimized conditions the HQ, CC, and NT are successfully detected simultaneously in wastewater sample with changing their concentrations in the ranges (0.04 → 100 µM), (0.01 → 100 µM) and (0.05 → 120 µM), the detection limits are 8.5 nM, 3.8 nM and 6.1 nM, respectively. Good potential peak separations: 117 mV and 585 mV are obtained between the HQ-CC, and CC-NT. The sensor has an excellent catalytic capability toward the oxidation of HQ, CC, and NT due to good synergism between its composite components: PEDOT, GRO and CNTs. The features of the sensor are large active surface area, good electrical conductivity, perfect storage stability, good reproducibility, anti-interference capability and accepted recovery rate for HQ, CC, and NT determination in wastewater sample.

Electrochemical sensor for simultaneous determination of antiviral favipiravir drug, paracetamol and vitamin C based on host-guest inclusion complex of ß-CD/CNTs nanocomposite.

Favipiravir (FVI) is extensively used as an effective medication against several diverse infectious RNA viruses. It is widely administered as an anti-influenza drug. Combination therapy formed from FVI, paracetamol (PAR) and vitamin C (VC) is needed for treating patients diseased by RNA viruses. Thus, an efficient electrochemical sensor is developed for detecting FVI in human serum samples. The sensor is fabricated by casting a thin layer of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) over a glassy carbon (GC) electrode surface followed by electrodeposition of another layer of ß-cyclodextrin (ß-CD). Under optimized conditions, the sensor shows excellent catalytic effect for FVI, PAR and VC oxidation in the concentration ranges (0.08 µM → 80 µM), (0.08 µM → 50 µM) and (0.8 µM → 80 µM) with low detection limits of 0.011 µM, 0.042 µM and 0.21 µM, respectively. The combined effect of host-guest interaction ability of ß-CD for the drugs, and a large conductive surface area of CNTs improves the sensing performance of the electrode. The sensor exhibits stable response over 4 weeks, good reproducibility, and insignificant interference from common species present in serum samples. The reliability of using the sensor in serum samples shows good recovery of FVI, PAR and VC.

Electrochemical sensor for simultaneous determination of trifluoperazine and dopamine in human serum based on graphene oxide-carbon nanotubes/iron-nickel nanoparticles.

Trifluoperazine (TFLP) is an important psychiatric medication that balances the dopamine (DA) level in the brain for patients suffering from neurological disorder diseases. An efficient electrochemical sensor is developed for detecting TFLP in real human serum samples. The sensor is fabricated by casting the GC surface with two consecutive thin layers, namely a graphene oxide-carbon nanotubes mixture (GRO-CNT), and iron-nickel nanoparticles (Fe-Ni). The diffusion-controlled oxidation process of TFLP at the composite surface includes one electron transfer process. Under optimized conditions, the sensor in human serum shows excellent catalytic effect for simultaneous determination of TFLP and dopamine (DA) in the same concentration range (0.5 µM to 18 µM) with low detection limits of 0.13 µM and 0.32 µM respectively. The combined effect of a large conductive surface area and the excellent catalytic activity of the nanocomposite improves the sensor's performance. The sensor exhibits a stable current response over four weeks, excellent reproducibility, and insignificant interference from common species present in human serum samples. The reliability test of using the sensor in serum samples shows good recovery of TFLP.

Prehospital Combat Wound Medication Pack Administration in Iraq and Afghanistan: A Department of Defense Trauma Registry Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The United States (US) military utilizes combat wound medication packs (CWMP) to provide analgesia and wound prophylaxis in casualties who are still able to fight. We compared characteristics of combat casualties receiving CWMP to those not receiving CWMP. We also describe the proportions of casualties with injury patterns consistent with Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) guideline indications for CWMP use who received this intervention. METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of Department of a Defense Trauma Registry (DODTR) dataset of US military personnel from January 2007 to August 2016. We searched for all subjects with documented use of at least one medication from the CWMP (acetaminophen, meloxicam, moxifloxacin). RESULTS: Within our dataset, 11,665 casualties were US military Servicemembers. Overall, <1% (84) of our study population received the CWMP. The median age and mechanism of injuries were similar between CWMP nonrecipients versus recipients. Median composite injury scores were higher for nonrecipients than recipients (6 versus 4, P < .001). Proportions of casualties with injury patterns meeting TCCC guideline CWMP indications who received this intervention were low: gunshot wound, <1% (14 of 1805), tourniquet applied, <1% (11 of 1912), major amputation, <1% (5 of 803), and open fracture, <1% (10 of 2425). Based on serious injuries by body region, we had similar findings for the thorax (<1%; 3 of 1122), abdomen (<1%; 1 of 736), and extremities (<1%; 11 of 2699). CONCLUSIONS: Subjects receiving the CWMP were less severely injured compared to those who did not receive this intervention. The CWMP had very infrequent use among those casualties with injury patterns meeting indications specified in the TCCC Guidelines for use of this intervention.

Recurrence of Postoperative Stress-Induced Cardiomyopathy Resulting from Status Epilepticus.

Introduction. Classically, stress-induced cardiomyopathy (SIC), also known as takotsubo cardiomyopathy, displays the pathognomonic feature of reversible left ventricular apical ballooning without coronary artery stenosis following stressful event(s). Temporary reduction in ejection fraction (EF) resolves spontaneously. Variants of SIC exhibiting mid-ventricular regional wall motion abnormalities have been identified. Recent case series present SIC as a finding in association with sudden unexplained death in epilepsy (SUDEP). This case presents a patient who develops recurrence of nonapical cardiomyopathy secondary to status epilepticus. Case Report. Involving a postoperative, postmenopausal woman having two distinct episodes of status epilepticus (SE) preceding two incidents of SIC. Preoperative transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) confirms the patient's baseline EF of 60% prior to the second event. Postoperatively, SE occurs, and the initial electrocardiogram exhibits T-wave inversions with subsequent elevation of troponin I. Postoperative TTE shows an EF of 30% with mid-ventricular wall akinesia restoring baseline EF rapidly. Conclusion. This case identifies the need to understand SIC and its diagnostic criteria, especially when cardiac catheterization is neither indicated nor available. Sudden cardiac death should be considered as a possible complication of refractory status epilepticus. The pathophysiology in SUDEP is currently unknown; yet a correlation between SUDEP and SIC is hypothesized to exist.

Cost minimization in treatment of adult degenerative scoliosis.

OBJECT: Back pain is an increasing concern for the aging population. This study aims to evaluate if minimally invasive surgery presents cost-minimization benefits compared with open surgery in treating adult degenerative scoliosis. METHODS: Seventy-one patients with adult degenerative scoliosis received 2-stage, multilevel surgical correction through either a minimally invasive spine surgery (MIS) approach with posterior instrumentation (n = 38) or an open midline (Open) approach (n = 33). Costs were derived from hospital and rehabilitation charges. Length of stay, blood loss, and radiographic outcomes were obtained from electronic medical records. Functional outcomes were measured with Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and visual analog scale (VAS) surveys. RESULTS: Patients in both cohorts were similar in age (Age(MIS) = 65.68 yrs, Age(Open) = 63.58 yrs, p = 0.28). The mean follow-up was 18.16 months and 21.82 months for the MIS and Open cohorts, respectively (p = 0.34). MIS and Open cohorts had an average of 4.37 and 7.61 levels of fusion, respectively (p < 0.01). Total inpatient charges were lower for the MIS cohort ($269,807 vs $391,889, p < 0.01), and outpatient rehabilitation charges were similar ($41,072 vs $49,272, p = 0.48). MIS patients experienced reduced length of hospital stay (7.03 days vs 14.88 days, p < 0.01) and estimated blood loss (EBL) (EBL(MIS) = 470.26 ml, EBL(Open)= 2872.73 ml, p < 0.01). Baseline ODI scores were lower in the MIS cohort (40.03 vs 48.04, p = 0.03), and the cohorts experienced similar 1-year improvement (ΔODI(MIS) = -15.98, ΔODI(Open) = -21.96, p = 0.25). Baseline VAS scores were similar (VAS(MIS) = 6.56, VAS(Open)= 7.10, p = 0.32), but MIS patients experienced less reduction after 1 year (ΔVAS(MIS) = -3.36, ΔVAS(Open) = -4.73, p = 0.04). Preoperative sagittal vertical axis (SVA) were comparable (preoperative SVA(MIS) = 63.47 mm, preoperative SVA(Open) = 71.3 mm, p = 0.60), but MIS patients had larger postoperative SVA (postoperative SVA(MIS) = 51.17 mm, postoperative SVA(Open) = 28.17 mm, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Minimally invasive surgery demonstrated reduced costs, blood loss, and hospital stays, whereas open surgery exhibited greater improvement in VAS scores, deformity correction, and sagittal balance. Additional studies with more patients and longer follow-up will determine if MIS provides cost-minimization opportunities for treatment of adult degenerative scoliosis.