Intravenous contrast media: are they being administered safely in radiology departments?

A recent Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) publication is entitled Advice on The Management of Reactions to Intravenous Contrast Media. This study aims to determine whether radiology departments are adhering to the essential points, covered in the guidelines, regarding prevention, early recognition and prompt treatment of adverse reactions, and whether they are adequately equipped for the proposed contrast media reaction management protocols. A questionnaire was formulated and sent to the superintendent radiographers of 295 radiology departments in the United Kingdom of whom 233 (79%) replied. This was specifically directed at the use of intravenous contrast media in intravenous urography. In almost all departments there was provision for basic life support training, regular checking of equipment and drugs, and prompt access to emergency medical help. Certain "first line" drugs and monitoring equipment were not instantly accessible in the majority of institutions. Most departments did not adequately supervise post-injection patients and did not conform to the guidelines referring to the administration of intravenous contrast to children. Certain areas of the guidelines are being neglected by many radiology departments and there is still much to be done to improve the safety of intravenous contrast medium injection.     

Atmospheric total ozone column evaluation with a smartphone image sensor

A new method for quantifying the total ozone column (TOC) using a smartphone image sensor has been developed and validated. The TOC has been evaluated for relatively cloud free days at high air masses for solar zenith angles between 49.7° and 76.7° at a sub-tropical site. The method is based on the evaluation of the direct solar irradiances at 305 and 312 nm using the red colour pixel values of the solar disc recorded at these wavelengths by a smartphone camera. Narrow bandpass filters of 2 nm full width at half maximum at each of the two wavelengths were used in turn placed over the camera sensor to directly image the solar disc. The calibration of the pixel values of the solar disc to provide the direct solar irradiances at each of these two wavelengths allowed evaluation of the TOC calibrated to a portable sun photometer. The root mean square error (RMSE) for the smartphone-derived ozone values calibrated to corresponding values from a portable sun photometer was 4.3 Dobson Units (DU). The validation measurements for the smartphone-derived ozone values provided an average residual of 3.5% (up to a maximum of 11%) compared to the corresponding portable sun photometer values, with an RMSE of 8.4 DU during days of intermittent inclement weather conditions. The evaluation of the TOC based on a widely available device such as a smartphone has the potential to increase current citizen science initiatives valued by the general public and school-aged learners by enhancing knowledge and awareness of ozone and the resulting influences on the solar ultraviolet environment.     

Effect of Graphene Nanoplatelets Presence on the Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Polypropylene Fibers Produced by Melt Spinning

In aiming to obtain fibers with enhanced thermal and mechanical properties,graphene based textile fibers with 144 filaments were developed using an approach in ...     

Deformable Organic Nanowire Field‐Effect Transistors

Deformable electronic devices that are impervious to mechanical influence when mounted on surfaces of dynamically changing soft matters have great potential for next‐generation implantable bioelectronic devices. Here, deformable field‐effect transistors (FETs) composed of single organic nanowires (NWs) as the semiconductor are presented. The NWs are composed of fused thiophene diketopyrrolopyrrole based polymer semiconductor and high‐molecular‐weight polyethylene oxide as both the molecular binder and deformability enhancer. The obtained transistors show high field‐effect mobility >8 cm² V^?1 s^?1 with poly(vinylidenefluoride‐ co ‐trifluoroethylene) polymer dielectric and can easily be deformed by applied strains (both 100% tensile and compressive strains). The electrical reliability and mechanical durability of the NWs can be significantly enhanced by forming serpentine‐like structures of the NWs. Remarkably, the fully deformable NW FETs withstand 3D volume changes (>1700% and reverting back to original state) of a rubber balloon with constant current output, on the surface of which it is attached. The deformable transistors can robustly operate without noticeable degradation on a mechanically dynamic soft matter surface, e.g., a pulsating balloon (pulse rate: 40 min^?1 (0.67 Hz) and 40% volume expansion) that mimics a beating heart, which underscores its potential for future biomedical applications.     

Light Management in Organic Photovoltaics Processed in Ambient Conditions Using ZnO Nanowire and Antireflection Layer with Nanocone Array

Low carrier mobility and lifetime in semiconductor polymers are some of the main challenges facing the field of organic photovoltaics (OPV) in the quest for efficient devices with high current density. Finding novel strategies such as device structure engineering is a key pathway toward addressing this issue. In this work, the light absorption and carrier collection of OPV devices are improved by employment of ZnO nanowire (NW) arrays with an optimum NW length (50 nm) and antireflection (AR) film with nanocone structure. The optical characterization results show that ZnO NW increases the transmittance of the electron transporting layer as well as the absorption of the polymer blend. Moreover, the as‐deposited polymer blend on the ZnO NW array shows better charge transfer as compared to the planar sample. By employing PC70BM:PV2000 as a promising air‐stable active‐layer, power conversion efficiencies of 9.8% and 10.1% are achieved for NW devices without and with an AR film, indicating 22.5% and 26.2% enhancement in PCE as compared to that of planar device. Moreover, it is shown that the AR film enhances the water‐repellent ability of the OPV device.     

Nitridische und oxinitridische HPPMS‐Beschichtungen für den Einsatz in der Kunststoffverarbeitung (Teil 2)

Nitride and oxy‐nitride HPPMS coatings for the application in the plastics processing (Part 2) In the previous issue three oxy‐nitridic hard coatings on CrAl‐basis were investigated. These coatings were deposited by physical vapour deposition (PVD) as protective coatings against adhesive and abrasive wear in polymer extrusion. The coatings were developed using a variation of the oxygen content to investigate the influence of the chemical composition on the coating properties as well as composite properties between the coating and the coated tool. Following up on these findings this article will focus on the application oriented system properties of the three investigated coating systems towards the polycarbonate melt.     

Mycosynthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Exhibits Fungal Species Dependent Morphological Preference (Small 15/2023)

Filamentous fungi can synthesize a variety of nanoparticles (NPs), a process referred to as mycosynthesis that requires little energy input, do not require the use of harsh chemicals, occurs at near neutral pH, and do not produce toxic byproducts. While NP synthesis involves reactions between metal ions and exudates produced by the fungi, the chemical and biochemical parameters underlying this process remain poorly understood. Here, the role of fungal species and precursor salt on the mycosynthesis of zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs is investigated. This data demonstrates that all five fungal species tested are able to produce ZnO structures that can be morphologically classified into i) well-defined NPs, ii) coalesced/dissolving NPs, and iii) micron-sized square plates. Further, species-dependent preferences for these morphologies are observed, suggesting potential differences in the profile or concentration of the biochemical constituents in their individual exudates. This data also demonstrates that mycosynthesis of ZnO NPs is independent of the anion species, with nitrate, sulfate, and chloride showing no effect on NP production. These results enhance the understanding of factors controlling the mycosynthesis of ceramic NPs, supporting future studies that can enable control over the physical and chemical properties of NPs formed through this “green” synthesis method.     

Thought suppression produces a rebound effect with analogue post-traumatic intrusions

Attempts to suppress traumatic material may be involved in the development and maintenance of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In order to investigate this possibility, analogue post-traumatic intrusions were induced in normal participants by means of a distressing film. For comparison, a second film was used to induce intrusions about polar bears. It was hypothesized that the suppression of these intrusions would produce an immediate decrease but a delayed increase ("rebound effect") in their frequency. It was also predicted that the rebound effect would be larger for the analogue traumatic intrusions. Each film was followed by two consecutive time periods during which participants' thoughts were recorded. During the first period, the suppression group was instructed to suppress thoughts about the film whilst the control group merely recorded their thoughts. During the second period, both groups merely recorded their thoughts. The results supported the immediate decrease hypothesis for both types of intrusion. As predicted, there was a rebound effect for analogue traumatic intrusions although not for polar bear thoughts. Several methodological issues relating to the findings are highlighted. The possible implications of a rebound effect with trauma-relevant intrusions are discussed with reference to PTSD.