Biological Applications of Organic Electrochemical Transistors: Electrochemical Biosensors and Electrophysiology Recording

Organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) are recently developed high-efficient transducers not only for electrochemical biosensor but also for cell electrophysiological recording due to the separation of gate electrode from the transistor device. The efficient integration of OECTs with electrochemical gate electrode makes the as-prepared sensors with improved performance, such as sensitivity, limit of detection, and selectivity. We herein reviewed the recent progress of OECTs-based biosensors and cell electrophysiology recording, mainly focusing on the principle and chemical design of gate electrode and the channel. First, the configuration, work principle, semiconductor of OECT are briefly introduced. Then different kinds of sensing modes are reviewed, especially for the biosensing and electrophysiological recording. Finally, the challenges and opportunities of this research field are discussed

Sexuality in Postmenopausal Women with Genital Prolapse

Background: One of the most common complaints among menopausal women concerns changes in sexual function. This is attributed to various factors, including anatomical defects in the genital tract, with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) being one of the most prevalent problems affecting women during this stage of their lives. Additionally, symptoms resulting from gonadal hypofunction can also contribute to the development of sexual dysfunction during menopause. This research aimed to explore the way in which postmenopausal patients with POP experienced their sexuality in our setting. Methods: To achieve the proposed objective, we conducted a descriptive, crosssectional study involving a total of 133 postmenopausal women with POP. Results: The results of our series are consistent with the scarce literature available in our setting and suggest a high rate of sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal patients with POP. Conclusions: We can conclude that POP is associated with the presence of female sexual dysfunctio

Analysis of cesarean delivery in the province of Jaén

tocúrgica más frecuentemente realizada a nivel mundial. Las tasas de parto por cesárea en nuestro país han aumentado de forma sostenida y progresiva en los últimos años, por múltiples razones. Sin embargo, este mayor intervencionismo no ha venido acompañado de una mejora en los resultados maternos y perinatales. Por ello es esencial valorar con sentido crítico nuestra labor asistencial con arreglo a criterios de idoneidad (adecuación), seguridad clínica y efectividad y siempre bajo el testigo de las pruebas científicas actualmente disponibles. El objetivo de nuestro proyecto es establecer la proporción de cesáreas que se practican en los hospitales de nuestra provincia sin una clara indicación clínica. La metodología empleada para dicho propósito fue la realización de un estudio observacional descriptivo retrospectivo en el que se estudió una muestra representativa de la población gestante de nuestra provincia, obtenida mediante muestreo aleatorio y estratificado por hospital y tipo de cesárea (urgente o programada), con afijación proporcional. La variable estudiada en cada uno de los 630 casos analizados fue dicotómica y registrada en términos SI/NO "cumple criterios de adecuada indicación". Dicha variable fue evaluada tanto en las cesáreas electivas como en las urgentes. Para evaluar la adecuación de cada uno de los casos se comparó la indicación emitida por el facultativo responsable con los criterios aceptados por la Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Resultados: algo menos del 2% de cesáreas las electivas y del 20% de las urgentes no reunían criterios de adecuación. Conclusiones: aunque existe una tasa razonable de cesáreas en nuestro medio y una adecuada selección de las gestantes candidatas a parto programado por cesárea, buena parte de las cesáreas realizadas durante el proceso de parto no se ajustan a criterios de una correcta indicación clínica.Cesarean section is one of the oldest known surgical procedures. And the most frequently performed obstetric intervention worldwide. Rates of surgical delivery in our country have increased stead and progressively in recent years, due to many reasons. However, this increased interventionism has not been accompanied by proportional improvement in maternal and perinatal outcomes. For this reason, it is essential to evaluate our activity according to critically criteria of suitability (adequacy), clinical safety and effectiveness, acording to scientific evidence currently available. The objective of our project is to stablish the proportion of cesareans that are practiced in hospitals in our province without a clear clinical indication. Methodology employed for this purpose was the performance of a retrospective descriptive observational study in which a representative sample of pregnant population from our province was observed after random sampling and stratified selection in base of hospital and type of caesarean (urgent or programmed), with proportional allocation. The variable studied in each of the 630 cases analyzed was dichotomous and recorded in terms of meets or not criteria for adequate indication". This variable was evaluated in both elective and urgent cesarean sections. To assess the adequacy of each one of cases, the indication was issued by the responsible physician and compared with the criteria accepted by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Results: less than 2% of elective cesarean sections and 20% of urgent ones did not meet adequacy criteria. Conclusions: although there is a reasonable rate of cesarean sections in our community and an adequate selection of pregnant women who are candidates for delivery by caesarean section, a good part of the cesarean sections performed during the labor process do not meet the criteria of a correct clinical indication

Neonatal oropharyngeal infection by HPV in our area.

Although infection by human papillomavirus (HPV) is mainly considered a sexually transmitted disease, newborns exposed to the virus in the perinatal period can also be infected through mechanisms that are not yet fully understood. The aim of our study was to increase our understanding of neonatal oropharyngeal infection by HPV, trying to establish its frequency, mechanisms of infection and persistence through age 2 years. We conducted a prospective, observational and descriptive study in a cohort of neonates born vaginally whose mothers carried HPV in the lower genital tract at the time of delivery. Tests for detection of HPV in amniotic fluid, venous cord blood and oropharyngeal secretions were performed in every neonate, and we conducted microbiological follow-up of infants colonized by HPV up to age 2 years. The prevalence of oropharyngeal colonization at birth was 58.24%. In the 24-month follow-up, the proportions of clearance and persistence of HPV in the oropharynx were 94.34% and 5.66%, respectively. The results of this case series suggest that neonatal oropharyngeal colonization by HPV, while frequent in the postpartum period, is usually a self-limited process, and the main mechanism of infection transvaginal intrapartum vertical transmission. Although colonization in most neonates is transient and asymptomatic, the clinical significance of persistent carriage remains unknown

Mortality after surgery in Europe: a 7 day cohort study

Background: Clinical outcomes after major surgery are poorly described at the national level. Evidence of heterogeneity between hospitals and health-care systems suggests potential to improve care for patients but this potential remains unconfirmed. The European Surgical Outcomes Study was an international study designed to assess outcomes after non-cardiac surgery in Europe.Methods: We did this 7 day cohort study between April 4 and April 11, 2011. We collected data describing consecutive patients aged 16 years and older undergoing inpatient non-cardiac surgery in 498 hospitals across 28 European nations. Patients were followed up for a maximum of 60 days. The primary endpoint was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcome measures were duration of hospital stay and admission to critical care. We used χ² and Fisher’s exact tests to compare categorical variables and the t test or the Mann-Whitney U test to compare continuous variables. Significance was set at p<0·05. We constructed multilevel logistic regression models to adjust for the differences in mortality rates between countries.Findings: We included 46 539 patients, of whom 1855 (4%) died before hospital discharge. 3599 (8%) patients were admitted to critical care after surgery with a median length of stay of 1·2 days (IQR 0·9–3·6). 1358 (73%) patients who died were not admitted to critical care at any stage after surgery. Crude mortality rates varied widely between countries (from 1·2% [95% CI 0·0–3·0] for Iceland to 21·5% [16·9–26·2] for Latvia). After adjustment for confounding variables, important differences remained between countries when compared with the UK, the country with the largest dataset (OR range from 0·44 [95% CI 0·19 1·05; p=0·06] for Finland to 6·92 [2·37–20·27; p=0·0004] for Poland).Interpretation: The mortality rate for patients undergoing inpatient non-cardiac surgery was higher than anticipated. Variations in mortality between countries suggest the need for national and international strategies to improve care for this group of patients.Funding: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine, European Society of Anaesthesiology