Enhanced NO Gas Sensing in Nanocrystalline MoS via Swift Heavy Ion Irradiation: An Experimental and DFT Study.

Nanostructured transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) like MoS hold promise for gas sensing applications due to their exceptional properties. However, limitations exist in maximizing sensor performance, such as limited active sites for gas interaction and sluggish response/recovery times. This study explores swift heavy ion (SHI) irradiation as a strategy to address these challenges in MoS-based NO gas sensors.

A DFT study of superior adsorbate-surface bonding at Pt-WSe vertically aligned heterostructures upon NO, SO, CO, and H interactions.

This study investigates the potential of platinum (Pt) decorated single-layer WSe (Pt-WSe) monolayers as high-performance gas sensors for NO, CO, SO, and H using first-principles calculations. We quantify the impact of Pt placement (basal plane vs. vertical edge) on WSe's electronic properties, focusing on changes in bandgap (ΔE).

Two-dimensional MXenes: recent emerging applications.

MXenes, are a rapidly growing family of two-dimensional materials exhibiting outstanding electronic, optical, mechanical, and thermal properties with versatile transition metal and surface chemistries. A wide range of transition metals and surface termination groups facilitate the properties of MXenes to be easily tuneable. Due to the physically strong and environmentally stable nature of MXenes, they have already had a strong presence in different fields, for instance energy storage, electrocatalysis, water purification, and chemical sensing.

A cross-sectional study of SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among asymptomatic healthcare workers in a tertiary healthcare centre: Assessing the impact of PPE guidelines.

Purpose: The present study estimates the seroprevalence of SARS-COV-2 among asymptomatic HCWs and assess the impact of various categories of PPE.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of asymptomatic HCW using different levels of PPE as per their risk profile was undertaken between 18th and 24th September 2020. Participant demographics and other relevant details including the levels of PPE used were recorded using a customized questionnaire.

An infrequent etiology of Infective Endocarditis.

Abiotrophia. defectiva is an infrequent but an important cause of infectious endocarditis (IE). IE caused by A.

Visualization of band offsets at few-layer MoS/Ge heterojunction.

The visualization of band alignment for designing heterostructures between transition metal dichalcogenides and germanium plays a vital role in a deeper understanding of carrier dynamics at the heterointerface. Here, to study the band alignment across the MoS/Ge heterojunction, we have deposited a wafer-scale highly crystalline few atomic layers MoSfilm via a highly controllable and scalable sputtering technique coupled with a post sulfurization process in a sulfur-rich environment. The Raman and XRD spectra of as-fabricated MoS/Ge heterojunction expose the presence of highly crystalline few atomic layer MoSon top of Ge substrate.

Group B in Indian pregnant women: Its prevalence and risk factors.

Purpose: To study the prevalence of group B streptococci (GBS) in Indian pregnant women and associated risk factors.

Methods: Four hundred and fifty pregnant women attending antenatal outpatient/inpatient department between 35-38 weeks of gestation were enrolled in the study. All enrolled subjects were assessed by a predefined proforma for their demographics, socio-economic characteristics, education, toilet habits, obstetric history and clinical outcome.

Prevalence and Antibiogram of Urinary Tract Infections in Renal Transplant Recipients at a Tertiary Care Hospital in North India.

Introduction: Although, urinary tract infections (UTI) remain the most common cause of mortality and morbidity in renal allograft recipients, there is scarce data from India on the etiology and antibiogram of UTI post kidney transplantation. Therefore, the current study was undertaken to evaluate the prevalence, etiology and the antibiogram of pathogens causing UTI in this cohort.

Methods: Renal allograft recipients enrolled during the study period were screened for UTI by standard microscopy and routine culture on the day of admission and subsequently every 3rd day post-surgery till discharge.

A rare aetiology of spinal epidural abscess.

Spinal epidural abscess (SEA) due to Streptococcus pneumoniae is a rare entity, but it is associated with high mortality. Here, we describe a rare case of pneumococcal SEA in an immunocompetent adult who presented with fever, lower back pain and paresis. Central nervous system examination revealed a decreased power in bilateral lower limbs.

Performance of three commercial assays for colistin susceptibility in clinical isolates and Mcr-1 carrying reference strain.

Objective: Commercially available antibiotic susceptibility tests (cAST) for colistin are reported to shows variable performance. The current controversy on the colistin susceptibility testing and scarce data from India has left the clinical laboratories in a dilemma on the appropriate and practical approach to tackle the colistin antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) issue. This study was aimed to evaluate the performance of commonly used cAST for colistin against broth microdilution (BMD) as the reference method in the clinical isolates.

Correction to: Pediatric Blood Cultures and Antibiotic Resistance: An Overview.

The article Pediatric Blood Cultures and Antibiotic Resistance: An Overview, written by Chand Wattal and Neeraj Goel, was originally published electronically on the publisher's internet portal (currently SpringerLink) on 21 December 2019 with open access.

Assessment of core capacities for antimicrobial stewardship practices in indian hospitals: Report from a multicentric initiative of global health security agenda.

Introduction: Antimicrobial-resistant HAI (Healthcare associated infection) are a global challenge due to their impact on patient outcome. Implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programmes (AMSP) is needed at institutional and national levels. Assessment of core capacities for AMSP is an important starting point to initiate nationwide AMSP.

Pediatric Blood Cultures and Antibiotic Resistance: An Overview.

Bloodstream infections (BSI) due to multidrug-resistant organisms, especially from pediatric intensive care units (PICU), are being increasingly reported across the world. Since BSI is associated with high mortality, it is essential to treat these infections early with appropriate antibiotics. Surveillance of etiology and emerging antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is considered an important step in the formulation of antibiotic policy for early treatment and judicious use of antibiotics.

Experience of Indian association of medical microbiology external quality assurance scheme centre, New Delhi: Challenges and quality assessment of clinical microbiology laboratories.

Introduction: EQAS program at New Delhi under IAMM was started in January 2014 across North and North east regions of India with 217 participants, which grew up to 540 by 2018.

Materials And Methods: In 2014, 4 analytes per year were sent for 3 exercises, i.e.

A high-performance hydrogen sensor based on a reverse-biased MoS/GaN heterojunction.

We report a MoS/GaN heterojunction-based gas sensor by depositing MoS over a GaN substrate via a highly controllable and scalable sputtering technique coupled with a post sulfurization process in a sulfur-rich environment. The microscopic and spectroscopic measurements expose the presence of highly crystalline and homogenous few atomic layer MoS on top of molecular beam epitaxially grown GaN film. Upon hydrogen exposure, the molecular adsorption tuned the barrier height at the MoS/GaN interface under the reverse biased condition, thus resulting in high sensitivity.

High-performance photodetector based on hybrid of MoS and reduced graphene oxide.

2D materials are a promising new class of materials for next generation optoelectronic devices owing to their appealing optical and electrical properties. Pristine molybdenum disulfide (MoS) is widely used in next generation photovoltaic and optoelectronic devices, but its low photo-dark current ratio prevents its use in highly efficient photo detection applications. Here, we decorated crumpled reduced graphene oxide (rGO) particles on a large-area vertically aligned MoS flake network to enhance the performance of the MoS-based photodetector by forming multiple nanoscale p-n heterojunctions.

UV-Activated MoS Based Fast and Reversible NO Sensor at Room Temperature.

Two-dimensional materials have gained considerable attention in chemical sensing owing to their naturally high surface-to-volume ratio. However, the poor response time and incomplete recovery at room temperature restrict their application in high-performance practical gas sensors. Herein, we demonstrate ultrafast detection and reversible MoS gas sensor at room temperature.

Antimicrobial prescribing patterns of surgical speciality in a tertiary care hospital in India: Role of persuasive intervention for changing antibiotic prescription behaviour.

Background: Inappropriate use of antibiotics globally has been linked to increase in antibiotic resistance.

Objectives: This interventional study assessed the impact of antibiotic prescription feedback and focus group discussions (FGD) on hospital-based prescribers before and after the FGD.

Study Design: The present study was performed at a tertiary care centre in New Delhi, wherein 45 units from surgical specialities were included for FGD.

Convergence of Minds: For Better Patient Outcome in Intensive Care Unit Infections.

Background: There is emergence of resistance to the last-line antibiotics such as carbapenems in Intensive Care Units (ICUs), leaving little effective therapeutic options. Since there are no more newer antibiotics in the armamentarium in the near future, it has become imperative that we harness the interdisciplinary knowledge for the best clinical outcome of the patient.

Aims: The aim of the conference was to utilize the synergies between the clinical microbiologists and critical care specialists for better patient care and clinical outcome.