Divertículo de Meckel complicado. Experiencia de 15 años en un hospital interzonal / Complicated Meckel's diverticulum. Fifteen years of experiencein an interzonal hospital in the Province of Buenos Aires

Introducción: el divertículo de Meckel es la anomalía congénita más frecuente del tracto gastrointestinal. Puede presentarse con hemorragia, obstrucción intestinal o diverticulitis, complicaciones que disminuyen con la edad, por lo que en el adulto el diagnóstico suele ser incidental. El tratamiento de las complicaciones es quirúrgico, mediante diverticulectomía o resección segmentaria del intestino delgado, dependiendo de sus características morfológicas. Objetivo: analizar nuestra experiencia en el manejo del divertículo de Meckel complicado en un período de 15 años. Diseño: estudio descriptivo, observacional, transversal, retrospectivo. Material y métodos: se revisaron las historias clínicas de los pacientes operados por divertículo de Meckel complicado en el Servicio de Cirugía General del Hospital San Roque durante el periodo 2007-2022. Se registraron datos demográficos, presentación clínica, diagnóstico preoperatorio, tratamiento quirúrgico, complicaciones postoperatorias y hallazgos histopatológicos. Resultados: se incluyeron 25 pacientes, 21 (84%) hombres, 3 menores de 18 años. La presentación clínica fue un síndrome de fosa iliaca derecha en el 80% de los casos, obstrucción intestinal en el 16% y hemorragia en el 4%. En solo 2 casos se realizó el diagnóstico preoperatorio, confirmado mediante tomografía computada. Se realizó diverticulectomía en el 68% de los pacientes y resección segmentaria el 32%. El abordaje fue laparotómico en el 64%, principalmente en el periodo inicial y laparoscópico en el 36%. Hubo una complicación IIIb de Clavien-Dindo en un paciente pediátrico tratado con drenaje percutáneo. En un solo paciente (4%), que se presentó con hemorragia digestiva masiva, se encontró epitelio de tipo gástrico y páncreas ectópico en el divertículo. Conclusiones: En nuestra experiencia el divertículo de Meckel complicado se presentó predominantemente en hombres. La complicación más frecuente en el adulto fue la diverticulitis. El diagnóstico preoperatorio fue infrecuente y realizado por tomografía computada. La diverticulectomía es suficiente en la mayoría de los casos. Actualmente, la laparoscopia es una herramienta segura, rentable y eficiente que permite el diagnóstico y tratamiento oportunos de esta entidad. (AU)

Introduction: Meckel's diverticulum is the most common congenital malformation of the gastrointestinal tract. It can present with bleeding, intesti-nal obstruction or diverticulitis, complications that decrease with age, so in adults the diagnosis is usually incidental. Treatment of complications is surgical, through diverticulectomy or segmental resection of the small intestine, depending on its morphological characteristics. Objective: to analyze our experience in the management of complicated Meckel's diverticulum over a period of 15 years. Design: descriptive, observational, cross-sectional, retrospective study. Materials and methods: the medical records of patients operated on for complicated Meckel's diverticulum in the General Surgery Service of the San Roque Hospital during the period 2007-2022 were reviewed. Demo-graphic data, clinical presentation, preoperative diagnosis, surgical treatment, postoperative complications, and histopathological findings were recorded. Results: twenty-five patients were included, 21 (84%) men, 3 under 18 years of age. The clinical presentation was a right iliac fossa syndrome in 80% of cases, intestinal obstruction in 16% and hemorrhage in 4%. In only 2 cases was the preoperative diagnosis made, confirmed by computed tomography. Diverticulectomy was performed in 68% of patients and segmental resection in 32%. The approach was by laparotomy in 64%, mainly in the initial period, and by laparoscopy in 36%. There was a Clavien-Dindo IIIb complication in a pediatric patient treated with percutaneous drain-age. In only one patient (4%), who presented with massive gastrointestinal bleeding, gastric-type epithelium and ectopic pancreas were found in the diverticulum. Conclusions: In our experience, complicated Meckel's diverticulum occurred predominantly in men. The most frequent complication in adults was diverticulitis. Preoperative diagnosis was infrequent and was made by computed tomography. Diverticulectomy is sufficient in most cases. Currently, laparoscopy is a safe, profitable and efficient tool that allows for the timely diagnosis and treatment of this entity. (AU)

¿Plastrón o tumor apendicular? / Plastron appendicitis or appendiceal tumor?

Un plastrón apendicular es una masa apendicular palpable que contiene el apéndice inflamado, vísceras adyacentes y el omento mayor, asociado a o no a la presencia de pus. El manejo del plastrón apendicular abscedado es controvertido. Cuando hay signos de sepsis asociados, la indicación es una intervención quirúrgica de urgencia, de lo contrario puede optarse por un tratamiento conservador. La utilización de drenaje percutáneo tiene una alta tasa de efectividad, aunque la tasa de neoplasias no detectadas presenta un porcentaje no despreciable, especialmente en los pacientes mayores de 40 años. El objetivo de esta presentación es comunicar una paciente de 65 años con diagnóstico presuntivo de plastrón apendicular abscedado quien luego del fracaso de los drenajes percutáneos fue sometida a una laparotomía exploratoria y hemicolectomía derecha. El diagnóstico histopatológico fue de adenocarcinoma mucinoso del apéndice. (AU)

A palpable inflammatory appendiceal mass may contain the inflamed appendix, adjacent viscera, and the greater omentum, associated or not with the presence of pus. The management of an inflammatory appendiceal mass is controversial. When there are associated signs of sepsis, the indication is emergency surgery, otherwise, you can opt for a conservative treatment. The use of percutaneous drainage has a high rate of effectiveness, although the rate of undetected neoplasia is not negligible, especially in patients older than 40 years. We present the case of a 65-year-old female patient with a presumptive diagnosis of an appendiceal mass with abscess, who underwent exploratory laparotomy and right hemicolectomy after percutaneous drainage failure. The histopathological diagnosis was mucinous adenocarcinoma of the appendix. (AU)

Is ranitidine necessary as premedication for regimens containing paclitaxel? A non-inferiority study.

BACKGROUND: Histamine type-2-receptor antagonist drugs (H2-antagonists) have been used as standard treatment to prevent hypersensitivity reactions (HRs) in paclitaxel-containing regimens, however, their use has been strongly questioned. Ranitidine has been the most widely used H2-antagonist. Therefore, especially after its withdrawal from the market, the objective of this study is to determine the impact of its elimination from premedication on HR incidence. METHODS: A cohort, multicenter, observational, prospective, and non-inferiority study, including paclitaxel-naïve cancer patients, designed to determine the incidence of HRs of any grade associated with paclitaxel administration and analyze non-inferiority against the incidence estimated in the literature (20%), with 5% as the maximum difference (Δ). Patients with a solid neoplasm of any type/stage, who initiated treatment with paclitaxel without H2-antagonists in the premedication regimen were enrolled. RESULTS: A total of 441 patients were included, of whom 50 presented 54 HRs of any grade. The cumulative incidence was 11.3% (95%CI 8.5-14.7), thus fulfilling the hypothesis of non-inferiority. Of the overall HRs detected, 15 were grade ≥ 3 with a cumulative incidence of 3.4% (95%CI 1.9-5.5). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that the elimination of ranitidine from paclitaxel premedication schedules is non-inferior in the development of HRs of any grade compared to the administration of H2-antagonists.

Salivary Glucose Detection with Laser Induced Graphene/AgNPs Non-Enzymatic Sensor.

The tailoring of novel nanomaterials for sensitive glucose detection through a non-enzymatic mechanism is currently under intensive research. Here, we present a laser-induced graphene (LIG) electrode decorated with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) as a catalytic element for the direct electrooxidation of glucose. The AgNPs were synthesized through cyclic voltammetry using LIG as a template, resulting in a porous tridimensional assembly with anchored nanostructures. The characterization corroborated the formation of LIG/AgNPs composite with distinctive peaks attributed to Ag2O and AgO interaction with glucose. The proposed non-enzymatic sensors were successfully applied for non-enzymatic amperometric detection, exhibiting a linear range from 1 to 10 mM in the first peak (+0.7 V) and a narrow range from 1 to 2 mM with higher sensitivity of 52.2 mA/mM and improved LOD of 45 µM in the second peak (+0.55 V). The applicability of the LIG/AgNPs sensor was evaluated with spiked artificial saliva in a PoC format using a smartphone potentiostat, showing an average recovery rate of 91%. The analysis was performed in a portable, mobile, and low-cost fashion using a simulated non-invasive sample, with promising results in clinical ranges.

Silk Fibroin-g-Polyaniline Platform for the Design of Biocompatible-Electroactive Substrate.

The structural modification of biopolymers is a current strategy to develop materials with biomedical applications. Silk fibroin is a natural fiber derived from a protein produced by the silkworm (Bombyx mori) with biocompatible characteristics and excellent mechanical properties. This research reports the structural modification of silk fibroin by incorporating polyaniline chain grafts through a one-pot process (esterification reaction/oxidative polymerization). The structural characterization was achieved by 1H-NMR and FT-IR. The morphology was studied by scanning electron microscopy and complemented with thermogravimetric analysis to understand the effect of the thermal stability at each step of the modification. Different fibroin silk (Fib): polyaniline (PAni) mass ratios were evaluated. From this evaluation, it was found that a Fib to PAni ratio of at least 1 to 0.5 is required to produce electroactive polyaniline, as observed by UV-vis and CV. Notably, all the fibroin-g-PAni systems present low cytotoxicity, making them promising systems for developing biocompatible electrochemical sensors.

Brush-like Polyaniline with Optical and Electroactive Properties at Neutral pH and High Temperature.

In this research, a brush-like polyaniline (poly(2-acrylamide-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonate)-g-polyaniline)-b-poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (BL PAni) was developed as a strategy to overcome the limited processability and dedoping above pH 4 of conventional polyaniline (PAni). For the BL PAni synthesis, RAFT polymerization (homopolymer), RAFT-mediated surfactant-free emulsion polymerization (block copolymer), and interfacial oxidative polymerization were applied to graft the PAni chains. NMR and FT-IR spectroscopies were performed to confirm the structural elucidation of the reaction pathways, while the thermal properties were analyzed by TGA and DSC. Notably, the BL PAni presents absorption throughout the visible region and up to the near-infrared, showing dedoping resistance at up to 80 °C and at a neutral pH. The absorption range of the BL PAni, block copolymer, and homopolymer were studied by UV-Vis spectroscopy in solid-state and dispersion/solution, highlighting BL PAni and poly(anilinium 2-acrylamide-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonate)-b-poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (PAAMP-b-PVK) due to the π-stacking between the anilinium and carbazole groups. The cyclic voltammetry confirmed the persistence of electroactivity at a pH near 7.

Autoimmune Haemolytic Anaemia Due to Cold Antibodies in a Renal Cancer Patient.

Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (AIHA) is an acquired disorder in which antibodies are produced against self-erythrocyte antigens. We distinguish those produced by cold antibodies (IgM), which may be associated with lymphoproliferative syndromes, infectious diseases, other autoimmune phenomena, as well as drugs or solid tumours. We report a case of AIHA due to cold antibodies as a paraneoplastic syndrome (PNS) in a patient with metastatic renal carcinoma. A 67-year-old man with newly diagnosed stage IV renal carcinoma with hepatic, bone, and lymph node involvement was consulted for abdominal pain. Laboratory tests showed grade 4 anaemia (4.5 g/dL), with positive direct Coombs' test C3bC3d and agglutinated red blood cells in the blood smear. AIHA by cold antibodies was labelled as PNS in the context of the patient; therefore, blood transfusion as well as treatment of the underlying disease with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (sunitinib) were initiated, with subsequent clinical and analytical improvement. AIHA due to cold antibodies is a well-known PNS in lymphoproliferative disorders, although association with solid tumours, such as Kaposi's sarcoma and non-small-cell lung cancer have also been described in a small percentage. However, there are few reported cases of AIHA due to cold antibodies associated with renal carcinoma. Management with corticosteroids and immunosuppressors is effective in the majority of cases, but treatment of the underlying disease is critical.

Progress of Polyaniline Glucose Sensors for Diabetes Mellitus Management Utilizing Enzymatic and Non-Enzymatic Detection.

Glucose measurement is a fundamental tool in the daily care of Diabetes Mellitus (DM) patients and healthcare professionals. While there is an established market for glucose sensors, the rising number of DM cases has promoted intensive research to provide accurate systems for glucose monitoring. Polyaniline (PAni) is a conductive polymer with a linear conjugated backbone with sequences of single C-C and double C=C bonds. This unique structure produces attractive features for the design of sensing systems such as conductivity, biocompatibility, environmental stability, tunable electrochemical properties, and antibacterial activity. PAni-based glucose sensors (PBGS) were actively developed in past years, using either enzymatic or non-enzymatic principles. In these devices, PAni played roles as a conductive material for electron transfer, biocompatible matrix for enzymatic immobilization, or sensitive layer for detection. In this review, we covered the development of PBGS from 2015 to the present, and it is not even exhaustive; it provides an overview of advances and achievements for enzymatic and non-enzymatic PBGB PBGS for self-monitoring and continuous blood glucose monitoring. Additionally, the limitations of PBGB PBGS to advance into robust and stable technology and the challenges associated with their implementation are presented and discussed.

Gold(III) Porphyrin Was Used as an Electron Acceptor for Efficient Organic Solar Cells.

The widespread use of nonfullerene-based electron-accepting materials has triggered a rapid increase in the performance of organic photovoltaic devices. However, the number of efficient acceptor compounds available is rather limited, which hinders the discovery of new, high-performing donor:acceptor combinations. Here, we present a new, efficient electron-accepting compound based on a hitherto unexplored family of well-known molecules: gold porphyrins. The electronic properties of our electron-accepting gold porphyrin, named VC10, were studied by UV-Vis spectroscopy and by cyclic voltammetry (CV) , revealing two intense optical absorption bands at 500-600 and 700-920 nm and an optical bandgap of 1.39 eV. Blending VC10 with PTB7-Th, a donor polymer, which gives rise to an absorption band at 550-780 nm complementary to that of VC10, enables the fabrication of organic solar cells (OSCs) featuring a power conversion efficiency of 9.24% and an energy loss of 0.52 eV. Hence, this work establishes a new approach in the search for efficient acceptor molecules for solar cells and new guidelines for future photovoltaic material design.

Simultaneous Detection of Dihydroxybenzene Isomers Using Electrochemically Reduced Graphene Oxide-Carboxylated Carbon Nanotubes/Gold Nanoparticles Nanocomposite.

An electrochemical sensor based on electrochemically reduced graphene oxide (ErGO), carboxylated carbon nanotubes (cMWCNT), and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) (GCE/ErGO-cMWCNT/AuNPs) was developed for the simultaneous detection of dihidroxybenzen isomers (DHB) hydroquinone (HQ), catechol (CC), and resorcinol (RS) using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The fabrication and optimization of the system were evaluated with Raman Spectroscopy, SEM, cyclic voltammetry, and DPV. Under optimized conditions, the GCE/ErGO-cMWCNT/AuNPs sensor exhibited a linear concentration range of 1.2-170 µM for HQ and CC, and 2.4-400 µM for RS with a detection limit of 0.39 µM, 0.54 µM, and 0.61 µM, respectively. When evaluated in tap water and skin-lightening cream, DHB multianalyte detection showed an average recovery rate of 107.11% and 102.56%, respectively. The performance was attributed to the synergistic effects of the 3D network formed by the strong π-π stacking interaction between ErGO and cMWCNT, combined with the active catalytic sites of AuNPs. Additionally, the cMWCNT provided improved electrocatalytic properties associated with the carboxyl groups that facilitate the adsorption of the DHB and the greater amount of active edge planes. The proposed GCE/ErGO-cMWCNT/AuNPs sensor showed a great potential for the simultaneous, precise, and easy-to-handle detection of DHB in complex samples with high sensitivity.

Understanding the Driving Mechanisms of Enhanced Luminescence Emission of Oligo(styryl)benzenes and Tri(styryl)-s-triazine.

This work is focused on unraveling the mechanisms responsible for the aggregation-induced enhanced emission and solid-state luminescence enhancement effects observed in star-shaped molecules based on 1,3,5-tris(styryl)benzene and tri(styryl)-s-triazine cores. To achieve this, the photophysical properties of this set of molecules were analyzed in three states: free molecules, molecular aggregates in solution, and the solid state. Different spectroscopy and microscopy experiments and DFT calculations were conducted to scrutinize the causative mechanisms of the luminescence enhancement phenomenon observed in some experimental conditions. Enhanced luminescence emission was interpreted in the context of short- and long-range excitonic coupling mechanisms and the restriction of intramolecular vibrations. Additionally, we found that the formation of π-stacking aggregates could block E/Z photoisomerization through torsional motions between phenylene rings in the excited state, and hence, enhancing the luminescence of the system.

Photophysical features and semiconducting properties of propeller-shaped oligo(styryl)benzenes.

Electronic, optical, and semiconducting properties of a series of propeller-shaped oligo(styryl)benzenes have been systematically investigated to monitor the effect of the number of styryl branches (three, four, and six) around a central benzene core. In order to clarify the relationships between their structures and properties, Density Functional Theory calculations were carried out at several levels of theory considering solvents with different polarity. Absorption and vibrational Raman spectroscopies showed that cruciform, four-branched derivatives present the most effective π-conjugation in agreement with the lowest calculated bond length alternation and bandgap. Deviations from the mirror image symmetry between absorption and fluorescence spectra were related to changes in the molecular conformation upon electronic excitation. Furthermore, in order to investigate the semiconducting behavior of oligo(styryl)benzenes, molecular structure changes and different electronic properties related to ionization processes were calculated and analyzed. Hole and electron reorganization energies were also computed to provide a first approximation on the n- or p-type character of these compounds. In some cases, electron reorganization energies comparable to common n-type semiconductors were found.

Economic Impact and Clinical Outcomes of Omalizumab Add-On Therapy for Patients with Severe Persistent Asthma: A Real-World Study.

BACKGROUND: Omalizumab is a fully humanized monoclonal antibody indicated as add-on therapy to improve asthma control in patients with severe persistent allergic asthma. AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate social, healthcare expenditure and clinical outcomes changes after incorporating omalizumab into standard treatment in the control of severe asthma. METHODS: In this multicentre retrospective study, a total of 220 patients were included from 15 respiratory medicine departments in the regions of Andalusia and Extremadura (Spain). Effectiveness was calculated as a 3-point increase in the Asthma Control Test (ACT) and a reduction in the annual number of exacerbations. The economic evaluation included both direct and indirect costs. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was calculated. Results from the year before and the year after incorporation of omalizumab were compared. RESULTS: After adding omalizumab, improvement of lung function, asthma and rhinitis according to patient perception, as well as the number of exacerbations and asthma control measured by the ACT score were observed. Globally, both healthcare resources and pharmacological costs decreased after omalizumab treatment, excluding omalizumab cost. When only direct costs were considered, the ICER was €1712 (95% CI 1487-1995) per avoided exacerbation and €3859 (95% CI 3327-4418) for every 3-point increase in the ACT score. When both direct and indirect costs were considered, the ICER was €1607 (95% CI 1385-1885) for every avoided exacerbation and €3555 (95% CI 3012-4125) for every 3-point increase. CONCLUSIONS: Omalizumab was shown to be an effective add-on therapy for patients with persistent severe asthma and allowed reducing key drivers of asthma-related costs.

Naked-Eye Detection of Glucose in Saliva with Bienzymatic Paper-Based Sensor.

The high incidence of Diabetes Mellitus in low-income regions has promoted the development of low-cost alternatives to replace blood-based procedures. In this work, we present a bienzymatic paper-based sensor suitable for the naked-eye detection of glucose in saliva samples. The sensor was obtained by a stamping procedure and modified with chitosan to improve the colorimetric readout. The bienzymatic reaction of GOx-HRP coupled with 2,4,6-tribromo-3-hydroxy benzoic acid was applied for the detection of glucose within a range from 0 to 180 mgdL-1 in buffer and artificial saliva solutions. The visual readout was perceived by the naked eye and registered with an office scanner to evaluate the analytical performance. The results showed a limit of detection of 0.37 mgdL-1 (S/N = 3) with an R.S.D. of 1.69% and a linear range from 1 to 22.5 mgdL-1 with an R² of 0.99235. The analysis of human saliva samples was performed without pre-processing, achieving recoveries from 92 to 114%. The naked-eye detection was evaluated under two different light settings, showing average recoveries of 108.58 and 90.65% for standard and low illumination. The proposed device showed potential for easy-to-use, sensitive, low-cost, fast, and device-free detection of salivary glucose suitable for untrained personnel operation and limited facilities.

The Evaluation of a Low-Cost Colorimeter for Glucose Detection in Salivary Samples.

Given the limited access to healthcare resources, low-income settings require the development of affordable technology. Here we present the design and evaluation of a low-cost colorimeter applied to the non-invasive monitoring of Diabetes Mellitus through the detection of glucose in salival fluid. Samples were processed by the glucose oxidase-peroxidase enzymatic system and analyzed with the development equipment. A light emission diode of 532.5 nm was used as an excitation source and a RGB module was used as a receptor. A calibration curve to quantify the concentration of salivary glucose (0 to 18 mg/dL) was carried out by relating the RGB components registered with glucose concentrations, achieving a limit of detection of 0.17 mg/dL with a CV of 5% (n = 3). Salivary samples of diabetic and healthy volunteers were processed with the equipment showing an average concentration of 1.5519 ± 0.4511 mg/dL for the first and 4.0479 ± 1.6103 mg/dL for the last, allowing a discrimination between both groups. Results were validated against a UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometer with a correspondence of R² of 0.98194 between both instruments. Results suggest the potential application of the developed device to the sensitive detection of relevant analytes with a low-cost, user-friendly, low-power and portable instrumentation.

Cyclopentadithiophene organic core in small molecule organic solar cells: morphological control of carrier recombination.

Two new planar and symmetrical A-D-A (electron acceptor-electron donor-electron acceptor) small molecules based on a commercial cyclopentadithiophene derivative have been synthesized for solution processed small molecule organic solar cells. The aim was to synthesise the molecules to be energetically identical (similar HOMO-LUMO energy levels) in order to assign the differences observed to changes in the film morphology or to differences in the interfacial recombination kinetics or both. Devices were electrically characterized under one sun simulated (1.5 AM G) conditions by determining current-voltage curves, light harvesting efficiencies and external quantum efficiencies. Moreover, time-resolved photo-induced techniques such as photo-induced charge extraction and photo-induced transient photo-voltage were also performed. The results demonstrate that, despite having the same core, i.e. cyclopentadithiophene, the use of one hexyl chain instead of two in the organic molecule leads to a greater control of the molecular ordering using solvent vapour annealing techniques and also to better solar cell efficiency.

Oligomers of cyclopentadithiophene-vinylene in aromatic and quinoidal versions and redox species with intermediate forms.

A new series of π-conjugated oligomers based on the 4,4 dihexyl-4H-cyclopenta[2,1-b:3,4-b']dithiophene vinylene repeating unit has been prepared and characterized by X-ray, electrochemical, spectroscopic (UV-Vis absorption, emission and Raman) and density functional theory methods. The oligomers in their neutral, oxidized and reduced forms have been investigated. The neutral compounds show a longer mean conjugation length than oligothiophenes and oligothiophene-vinylenes and display very rich redox chemistry with the stabilization of polycationic states of which the radical cations and dications are strong NIR absorbers, the latter displaying singlet diradicaloid character. An interesting complementarity between the sequence of aromatic-quinoidal structural segments in the radical cations and dications has been described and interpreted. Two derivatives with the 4,4 dihexyl-4H-cyclopenta[2,1-b:3,4-b']dithiophene vinylene unit, disubstituted either with electron donor, bis(triaryl amino) groups, or acceptors bis(dicyano-methylene) caps enforcing a quinoidal structure in the dithiophene-vinylene bridge, have been also synthesized and characterized. The radical cation of the triarylamine compound and the radical anion of the tetracyano compound similarly display hole and electron charge localization, or confinement, in the nitrogen and dicyano surrounding parts, or class II mixed valence systems, while their dication and dianion species, conversely, are open-shell diradical (i.e., polaron pair) and closed-shell (i.e., bipolaron), respectively. The preparation of these new π-conjugated oligomers gives way to the realization of compounds with new electronic properties and unique structures potentially exploitable in organic electronics.

Pyrrolo[3,2-b]pyrrole as the Central Core of the Electron Donor for Solution-Processed Organic Solar Cells.

A series of three small-molecule acceptor-donor-acceptor (A-D-A) compounds with a tetraaryl-1,4-dihydropyrrolo[3,2-b]pyrrole as the central building block were synthesized and fully characterized. These molecules present high thermal stability and suitable HOMO-LUMO energy levels making them feasible electron-donor materials in bulk heterojunction organic solar cells (BHJ-OSC). Moreover, theoretical work predicts of a lack of planarity and no π-π stacking, furthermore. The electron density of the HOMO is distributed on the pyrrole-pyrrole moiety and that of the LUMO is delocalized, in contrast, on the phenyl groups. The organic solar cells deliver an open-circuit voltage of 0.99 V. However, the overall efficiency is limited due to the low charge mobility measured for holes, 10-9  cm2 V-1 s-1 .

Recidivas y segundos tumores en el cáncer de pulmón de larga supervivencia / Disease Recurrence and Second Tumors in Long-term Survivors of Lung Cancer

Introducción y objetivos: Al mejorar la supervivencia del cáncer, la presencia de tumores múltiples en un paciente es cada vez más frecuente. El objetivo del estudio ha sido analizar la evolución a largo plazo, especialmente las posibles recidivas y segundos tumores primarios, en pacientes con cáncer de pulmón (CP) y supervivencia ≥ 3 años. Material y métodos: Estudio retrospectivo de 1.769 pacientes con CP. Se incluyen 218 (136 tratados con cirugía y 82 con otros tratamientos) con supervivencia global ≥ 3 años, de cualquier estirpe y seguidos durante un período entre 5 y 23 años. Se registró la evolución del CP y las enfermedades intercurrentes. Resultados: Un total de 65 presentaron recidiva del tumor, de los cuales el 60,9% apareció en los 3 primeros años; 26 desarrollaron segundos primarios pulmonares (84,6% después de 5 años) y 24, 2 o más segundos extrapulmonares (66,6% después de 5 años), la mayoría relacionados con el tabaco. La incidencia de segundos primarios fue superior a la incidencia esperable de cáncer en población general de similar edad y género. Conclusión: El efecto carcinogénico múltiple del tabaco persiste y se manifiesta en diversos órganos después de pasados 5 años tras el diagnóstico de CP, incluso en pacientes que han tenido una larga supervivencia. Después de 5 años, un segundo tumor es más probable que una recidiva del primero y el pulmón es el órgano con mayor probabilidad de desarrollar un segundo tumor

Introduction and objectives: As cancer survival improves, the appearance of multiple tumors in a single patient is becoming more common. The aim of this study was to analyze long-term evolution, focusing particularly on disease recurrence and second primary tumors, in patients with lung cancer (LC) and ≥ 3 years overall survival. Material and methods: Retrospective study of 1,769 patients with LC. A total of 218 (136 treated with surgery and 82 with other treatments), followed up for between 5 and 23 years were enrolled. LC progress and intercurrent diseases were recorded. Results: A total of 65 patients presented tumor relapse, of which 60.9% occurred in the first 3 years; 26 patients developed secondary primary tumors (84.6% after 5 years) and 24 developed 2 or more second extrapulmonary tumors (66.6% after 5 years), most of which were smoking-related. The incidence of second primaries was greater than the expected incidence of cancer in the general population matched for age and sex. Conclusion: The multiple carcinogenic effect of smoking persists and manifests in various organs, more than 5 years after the diagnosis of LC, even in patients with long survival. After 5 years, a second tumor is more likely than a relapse of the primary disease, and the lung is the most common site of development of a second tumor