Dexmedetomidine: A Sedation Alternative in the Intensive Care Setting.

In the last 20 years, the occurrences of drug shortages have increased in frequency as well as duration before returning to the mainstream market. This has prompted intensive care unit nurses and medical staff to seek alternate medication infusion options that provide safe yet effective sedation for patients admitted to intensive care units across the country. Dexmedetomidine (PRECEDEX) emerged in 1999 after the Federal Drug Administration approved it for intensive care use but was quickly embraced by anesthesia providers as it rendered patients undergoing procedures or surgery with adequate analgesia and sedation. Dexmedetomidine (PRECEDEX) continued to maintain patients who required short-term intubation and mechanical ventilation with adequate sedation throughout the entire perioperative period. With patients remaining hemodynamically stable in the initial postoperative period, critical care nurses embraced the use of dexmedetomidine (PRECEDEX) in the intensive care unit setting. As dexmedetomidine (PRECEDEX) gained popularity, it has been used to help manage multiple disease processes such as delirium, agitation, alcoholic withdrawal, and anxiety. Dexmedetomidine (PRECEDEX) has been indicated to be a safer alternative to benzodiazepines, narcotics, or propofol (Diprivan), while providing adequate sedation and allowing patients to maintain hemodynamic stability.

Photodeposition of Au Nanoclusters for Enhanced Photocatalytic Dye Degradation over TiO2 Thin Film.

Au nanoparticle (NP) decorated heterogeneous TiO2 catalysts are known to be effective in the degradation of various organic pollutants. The photocatalytic performance of such Au-TiO2 structures remarkably depends on the size, morphology, and surface coverage of the Au NPs decorating TiO2. Here we propose an effective way of preparing a highly active Au nanocluster (NC) decorated TiO2 thin film by a novel photodeposition method. By altering the solvent type as well as the illumination time, we achieved well-controlled surface coverage of TiO2 by Au NCs, which directly influences the photocatalytic performance. Here the Au NCs coverage affects both the electron store capacity and the optical absorption of the hybrid Au-TiO2 system. At low surface coverage, 19.2-29.5%, the Au NCs seem to enhance significantly the optical adsorption of TiO2 at UV wavelengths which therefore leads to a higher photocatalytic performance.