All-Polymer Microcavities for the Fluorescence Radiative Rate 2 Modification of a Diketopyrrolopyrrole Derivative

Controlling the radiative rate of emitters with 6 macromolecular photonic structures promises flexible devices with 7 enhanced performances that are easy to scale up. For instance, radiative rate enhancement empowers low-threshold lasers, while rate suppression affects recombination in photovoltaic and photochemical processes. However, claims of the Purcell effect with polymer structures are controversial, as the low dielectric contrast typical of suitable polymers is commonly not enough to provide the necessary confinement. Here we show all-polymer planar microcavities with photonic band gaps tuned to the photoluminescence of a diketopyrrolopyrrole derivative, which allows a change in the fluorescence lifetime. Radiative and nonradiative rates were disentangled systematically by measuring the external quantum efficiencies and comparing the planar microcavities with a series of references designed to exclude any extrinsic effects. For the first time, this analysis shows unambiguously the dye radiative emission rate variations obtained with macromolecular dielectric mirrors. When different0 waveguides, chemical environments, and effective refractive index effects in the structure were accounted for, the change in the radiative lifetime was assigned to the Purcell effect. This was possible through the exploitation of photonic structures made of polyvinylcarbazole as a high-index material and the perfluorinated Aquivion as a low-index one, which produced the largest dielectric contrast ever obtained in planar polymer cavities. This characteristic induces the high confinement of the radiation electric field within the cavity layer, causing a record intensity enhancement and the steering the radiative rate. Current limits and requirements to achieve the full control of radiative rates with polymer planar microcavities are also addressed

Comparison between clinical significance of serum proinflammatory proteins (IL-6 and CRP) and classic tumor markers (CEA and CA 19-9) in gastric cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is a second most common cause of cancer-related death and represents an inflammation-driven malignancy. It has been suggested that interleukin 6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) play a potential role in the growth and progression of GC. The aim of the present study was to compare clinical significance of IL-6 and CRP with classic tumor markers—carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen (CA 19-9) in GC patients. The study included 92 patients with GC and 70 healthy subjects. The serum concentrations of IL-6, CEA and CA 19-9 were determined using immunoenzyme assays, whereas CRP using immunoturbidimetric method. We defined the diagnostic criteria and prognostic value for proteins tested. In GC patients, the serum concentrations of all the proteins tested were significantly higher than in healthy subjects. The IL-6, CEA and CA 19-9 levels correlated with nodal metastases, while CRP with tumor stage, gastric wall invasion, presence of nodal and distant metastases. Diagnostic sensitivity of IL-6 was higher (85%) than those of other markers (CRP 66%, CA 19-9 34%, CEA 22%) and increased in combined use with CRP or CEA (88%). The area under ROC curve for IL-6 was larger than those of CRP and classic tumor markers (CEA and CA 19-9). None of the proteins tested was independent prognostic factor for the survival of GC patients. Our findings indicate better usefulness of serum proinflammatory proteins—IL-6 and CRP than classic tumor markers—CEA and CA 19-9 in the diagnosis of GC

Self-assembly of corrole trimers in solution and at the solid-liquid interface

Contains fulltext : 75881.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)4 p

Pedometer assessed physical activity of people with metabolic syndrome in Poland

introduction. Metabolic syndrome is a contemporary disease of civilization, an effect of lack of healthy behaviour, a consequence of lifestyle devoid of physical activity, eating poor quality food rich in calories and excessive stress. Apart from a proper diet, physical activity remains an important part of metabolic syndrome management. objective. The main objective of the work was to evaluate the physical activity of an adult population of patients with metabolic syndrome. materials and method. Adults aged 35–70 fulfilling the criteria of metabolic syndrome according to International Diabetes Federation (IDF) were included. New Lifestyles NL-2000 pedometers were used to assess locomotive physical activity during an entire week. results. In the group of 100 subjects, as many as 61 people (61%) represented low or sedentary activity, while nearly one fourth of the respondents – 23 (32%) represented the negligible activity type. Average weekly physical activity of those in the study was 6,743 steps/day (in 100 individuals) and ranged from 1,781–15,169. A great diversity was found in the study group, since the highest number of steps per day was 23,347 and the lowest – 409. No significant differences in the number of steps on weekdays and at weekends were observed (mean: 6,676/day and 6,913/day, espectively). A statistically significant negative correlation (r = -0.29) was observed between age and physical activity, between the average daily number of steps in the week and Waist Hip Ratio (WHR) (r = 0.201), as well as between the average daily number of steps in the week and Body Mass Index (BMI) (r = 0.226). conclusions. The majority of people with metabolic syndrome represent a low or sedentary activity type and decrease of physical activity corresponds to increasing age, BMI and WHR. No significant differences in physical activity are observed between working days and free days (weekends)

Hiatus hernia – Late complication after gastrectomy followed by double tract reconstruction (DTR): a case report

In patients with dyspeptic symptoms who have been treated for gastric cancer, other medical conditions apart from cancer recurrence should be considered. A long small-bowel loop left after esophagogastric anastomosis, flaccid diaphragmatic crura, and several external factors such as hard physical exertion can promote the development of postoperative hiatus hernia. The authors of this paper present a rare case of hiatus hernia considered a late complication of primary surgery performed due to gastric cancer. The 63-year-old patient had undergone total gastrectomy with double tract reconstruction (DTR) six years earlier. Gastrectomy was performed with extended lymphadenectomy (>D2). Histopathologic examination of tumor specimens showed mucinous adenocarcinoma with no lymph node metastasis and no distant metastases (pathologic staging: pT2, pN0, pM0). After six years, the patient was admitted to the 2nd Department of General and Gastroenterologic Surgery with abdominal pains, malaise, weight loss and feeling of fullness after small meals. Diagnostic procedures performed showed the presence of hiatus hernia, a very rare complication after this particular surgery, with no features of cancer recurrence. The patient was underwent surgery and the hernia was successfully repaired

Fluorescence Microscopy of Corrole-Single Silver Nanowire Hybrid Nanostructures

We report on confocal microscopy imaging of hybrid nanostructures composed of silver nanowires and corroles. Both nanomaterials were separated by a 30 nm thick $SiO_2$ spacer in order to inhibit fluorescence quenching. The results show that for such a hybrid nanostructure the average enhancement of the fluorescence intensity reached 2.5. Importantly, the coupling to plasmon excitations in metallic nanowires leaves no effect on the fluorescence spectrum of the organic molecules