Postoperative intestinal fistula in primary advanced ovarian cancer surgery

Background: Advanced ovarian cancer (AOC) requires an aggressive surgery with large visceral resections in order to achieve an optimal or complete cytoreduction and increase the patient’s survival. However, the surgical aggressiveness in the treatment of AOC is not exempt from major complications, such as the gastrointestinal fistula (GIF), which stands out among others due to its high morbidity and mortality. Methods: We evaluated the clinicopathological features in patients with AOC and their association with GI. Data for 107 patients with AOC who underwent primary debulking surgery were analyzed retrospectively. Clinicopathological features, including demographic, surgical procedures and follow-up data, were analyzed in relation to GIF. Results: GIF was present in 11% of patients in the study, 5 (4.5%) and 7 (6.4%) of colorectal and small bowel origin, respectively. GIF was significantly associated with peritoneal cancer index (PCI) > 20, more than 2 visceral resections, and multiple digestive resections. Overall and disease-free survival were also associated with GIF. Multivariate analysis identified partial bowel obstruction and operative bleeding as independent prognostic factors for survival. The presence of GIF is positively associated with poor prognosis in patients with AOC. Conclusion: Given the importance of successful cytoreductive surgery in AOC, the assessment of the amount of tumor and the aggressiveness of the surgery to avoid the occurrence of GIF become a priority in patients with AOC

Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy plus Interval Cytoreductive Surgery with or without Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (NIHIPEC) in the Treatment of Advanced Ovarian Cancer: A Multicentric Propensity Score Study

Simple Summary Advanced ovarian cancer (Stages III-IV) continues to be one of the gynecological tumors with the highest mortality. Standard treatment consists of debulking surgery and subsequent adjuvant chemotherapy. Recently, some authors have postulated that the administration of hyperthermic chemotherapy during surgery could increase the survival of patients, especially in cases in which chemotherapy had already been administered before surgery to reduce tumor volume. Our study is important because it collects data from 11 tertiary hospitals in Spain, and the data are subjected to a statistical technique that reproduces the data that we would find in a prospective study but using retrospective data (propensity score matching). It also offers a current view of the status of ovarian cancer treatment in our country.Abstract Introduction: Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is primarily confined to the peritoneal cavity. When primary complete surgery is not possible, neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) is provided; however, the peritoneum-plasma barrier hinders the drug effect. The intraperitoneal administration of chemotherapy could eliminate residual microscopic peritoneal tumor cells and increase this effect by hyperthermia. Intraperitoneal hyperthermic chemotherapy (HIPEC) after interval cytoreductive surgery could improve outcomes in terms of disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Materials and Methods: A multicenter, retrospective observational study of advanced EOC patients who underwent interval cytoreductive surgery alone (CRSnoH) or interval cytoreductive surgery plus HIPEC (CRSH) was carried out in Spain between 07/2012 and 12/2021. A total of 515 patients were selected. Progression-free survival (PFS) and OS analyses were performed. The series of patients who underwent CRSH or CRSnoH was balanced regarding the risk factors using a statistical analysis technique called propensity score matching. Results: A total of 170 patients were included in each subgroup. The complete surgery rate was similar in both groups (79.4% vs. 84.7%). The median PFS times were 16 and 13 months in the CRSH and CRSnoH groups, respectively (Hazard ratio (HR) 0.74; 95% CI, 0.58-0.94; p = 0.031). The median OS times were 56 and 50 months in the CRSH and CRSnoH groups, respectively (HR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.64-1.20; p = 0.44). There was no increase in complications in the CRSH group. Conclusion: The addition of HIPEC after interval cytoreductive surgery is safe and increases DFS in advanced EOC patients

Internacionalización de las prácticas de laboratorio en las asignaturas del área de Electromagnetismo del grado de Ingeniería Electrónica

En esta memoria se describen los resultados del proyecto num 122, "Internacionalización de las prácticas de laboratorio en las asignaturas del área de Electromagnetismo del grado de Ingeniería Electrónica". Se han realizado más de veinte vídeos divulgativos en ingles sobre las técnicas experimentales que se estudian en las asignaturas del Área de Electromagnetismo de la Ingeniería Electrónica de Comunicaciones. Estos vídeos se han cargado en un canal de Youtube, al que se puede acceder desde la página web www.ucm.es/elec

HackRF + GNU Radio: A software-defined radio to teach communication theory

In this paper, an alternative to the traditional methodology related to signal processing-like subjects is proposed. These are subjects that require a deep mathematical and theoretical basis, but the practical goal is not often emphasized, which drives students to lose interest in the subject. Thus, a software-defined radio environment is proposed to provide a more practical view of the subject. This solution consists of an open hardware–software platform able to capture and process a wide range of frequencies. HackRF is the hardware component, while GNU Radio will provide the graphical support to this device. The tests performed with a set of 36 students have revealed that they are more satisfied with this framework than just employing a traditional equation-based environment as Matlab. Furthermore, their scores in the exams also support the suitability of the proposed platform

HackRF+GNU Radio: A software-defined radio to teach communication theory

In this paper, an alternative to the traditional methodology related to signal processing-like subjects is proposed. These are subjects that require a deep mathematical and theoretical basis, but the practical goal is not often emphasized, which drives students to lose interest in the subject. Thus, a software-defined radio environment is proposed to provide a more practical view of the subject. This solution consists of an open hardware?software platform able to capture and process a wide range of frequencies. HackRF is the hardware compo- nent, while GNU Radio will provide the graphical support to this device. The tests per- formed with a set of 36 students have revealed that they are more satisfied with this framework than just employing a traditional equation-based environment as Matlab. Furthermore, their scores in the exams also support the suitability of the proposed platform