Fabricación de estructuras bidimensionales para dispositivos electrónicos moleculares

Es necesario que la metodología utilizada para abordar el desarrollo de tecnologías en la industria electrónica sufra una revolución en los próximos años. Hasta el momento ha consistido en seleccionar materiales que posean características electrónicas adecuadas y reducir el tamaño de los dispositivos a lo largo del tiempo. Sin embargo, debido a la naturaleza y propiedades del silicio este proceso no puede continuar indefinidamente. Por consiguiente, va a ser necesario encontrar una nueva forma de actuación que nos permita seguir innovando en este campo.La electrónica molecular ha demostrado en estos últimos años que tiene el potencial necesario para convertirse en una de las principales vías de investigación a la hora de afrontar este problema. Esta se basa en el ensamblaje de componentes electrónicos moleculares utilizando las propias moléculas como bloques de construcción. Las estructuras formadas de esta manera se insertan entre dos electrodos metálicos, con el fin de que la transferencia de electrones pueda ocurrir de un lado a otro del sistema.En este trabajo se estudia un compuesto orgánico que presenta en su estructura los requisitos esenciales para ser utilizado como hilo molecular. A través de la técnica de ensamblaje molecular de Langmuir-Blodgett se pretende estudiar la capacidad de este compuesto para construir estructuras bidimensionales. Las técnicas de caracterización utilizadas nos permitirán analizar la homogeneidad de la monocapa, la capacidad de la película para formar agregados bidimensionales (2D) y la orientación de la película formada.<br /

Evaluation of integrated care services in Catalonia: population-based and service- based real-life deployment protocols

Background: Comprehensive assessment of integrated care deployment constitutes a major challenge to ensure quality, sustainability and transferability of both healthcare policies and services in the transition toward a coordinated service delivery scenario. To this end, the manuscript articulates four different protocols aiming at assessing large-scale implementation of integrated care, which are being developed within the umbrella of the regional project Nextcare (2016-2019), undertaken to foster innovation in technologically-supported services for chronic multimorbid patients in Catalonia (ES) (7.5 M inhabitants). Whereas one of the assessment protocols is designed to evaluate population-based deployment of care coordination at regional level during the period 2011-2017, the other three are service-based protocols addressing: i) Home hospitalization; ii) Prehabilitation for major surgery; and, iii) Community-based interventions for frail elderly chronic patients. All three services have demonstrated efficacy and potential for health value generation. They reflect different implementation maturity levels. While full coverage of the entire urban health district of Barcelona-Esquerra (520 k inhabitants) is the main aim of home hospitalization, demonstration of sustainability at Hospital Clinic of Barcelona constitutes the core goal of the prehabilitation service. Likewise, full coverage of integrated care services addressed to frail chronic patients is aimed at the city of Badalona (216 k inhabitants). Methods: The population-based analysis, as well as the three service-based protocols, follow observational and experimental study designs using a non-randomized intervention group (integrated care) compared with a control group (usual care) with a propensity score matching method. Evaluation of cost-effectiveness of the interventions using a Quadruple aim approach is a central outcome in all protocols. Moreover, multi-criteria decision analysis is explored as an innovative method for health delivery assessment. The following additional dimensions will also be addressed: i) Determinants of sustainability and scalability of the services; ii) Assessment of the technological support; iii) Enhanced health risk assessment; and, iv) Factors modulating service transferability. Discussion: The current study offers a unique opportunity to undertake a comprehensive assessment of integrated care fostering deployment of services at regional level. The study outcomes will contribute refining service workflows, improving health risk assessment and generating recommendations for service selection. Trials registration: NCT03130283 (date released 04/06/2018), NCT03768050 (date released 12/05/2018), NCT03767387 (date released 12/05/2018)