Morphology Control for Fully Printable Organic&#8211;Inorganic Bulk-heterojunction Solar Cells Based on a Ti-alkoxide and Semiconducting Polymer

The photoactive layer of a typical organic thin-film bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cell commonly uses fullerene derivatives as the electron-accepting ...

National Institute of Technology, Oyama College

New latent chemically-cross-linked gel electrolyte precursors for quasi-solid dye sensitized solar cells (QDSC) are reported. The gel electrolyte precursors consist of nano-particles and dicarboxylic acids as the latent gelators. The viscosity of the precursor is low at first and does not increase during storage at room temperature. However, when the precursor is baked at 80 degrees C, it solidifies immediately. Photo-voltaic performance is maintained after solidification.

Latent gel electrolyte precursors for quasi-solid dye sensitized solar cells.

We report a rare case of small cell carcinoma of the stomach with metastasis to the liver and invasion of the pancreas, which was associated with acute peritonitis due to perforation of the stomach. CPT-11/CDDP chemotherapy achieved a partial response. A 60-year-old man suddenly developed abdominal pain and visited the emergency room. We diagnosed acute peritonitis due to perforation of the digestive tract because CT scan showed free air in the abdominal cavity. An emergency operation was performed with an omental patch for closing the perforated hole in the stomach. Excisional biopsy was performed to the small liver nodule. Histological findings showed that the liver nodule was metastasis from small cell carcinoma. There was no finding from the thoracic CT scan, but gastroscopy revealed a giant tumor, which was diagnosed as small cell carcinoma in histology. Therefore, we diagnosed small cell carcinoma of the stomach with liver metastasis and invasion of the pancreas. After operation, one course of FP chemotherapy was performed, but the liver metastasis increased in size. Then we changed to CPT-11/CDDP chemotherapy as second-line therapy, and achieved partial remission (PR) of both the liver metastasis and gastric tumor.

[A case of small cell carcinoma of the stomach].

In places of mass gathering, rapid infection screening prior to definite diagnosis is vital during the epidemic season of a novel influenza. In order to assess the possibility of clinical application of a newly developed non-contact infection screening system, we conducted screening for influenza patients.

A novel screening method for influenza patients using a newly developed non-contact screening system.

A 65-year-old man who had received an esophagectomy 10 years earlier was admitted to our hospital for right chest pain. Preoperative examinations showed pneumopericardium, a retrosternal gastric tube, and an active gastric tube ulcer. We diagnosed gastropericardial fistula of the gastric tube ulcer. Emergency surgery included lavage and drainage of the pericardial cavity and plombage of the rectus abdominis muscle flap to the posterior space of the gastric tube. Total parental nutrition and/or enteric nutrition were provided. Due to minor leakage from the ulcer, the patient could start oral intake on the postoperative 49th day, and was discharged from the hospital on the postoperative 86th day after physical rehabilitation. He has been free from complications for more than 33 months after surgery. Here, we review the literature and discuss the etiology and treatment of choice for this rare yet lethal complication in the follow-up after esophagectomy.

A case of gastropericardial fistula of a gastric tube after esophagectomy: a case report and review.

A 74-year-old man diagnosed with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) nine years ago, was referred to our hospital because of cecal cancer. After the infusion of a high dose of gamma globulin preoperatively, iliocecal resection and splenectomy were performed. His blood platelet count did not increase much postoperatively, therefore, adjuvant chemotherapy was not performed. After one year, metastases of the liver, lung, and lymph node of the para aorta were revealed by CT. Since high-dose steroid therapy was effective temporarily, we decided to perform mFOLFOX chemotherapy. After that, his blood platelet count increased gradually to the normal range, and steroid therapy was no longer required. His blood platelet count remained in the normal range after changing the mFOLFOX chemotherapy to FOLFIRI and XELOX chemotherapy. Some studies reported the effect of chemotherapy on refractory ITP, but no one has reported the effect of chemotherapy for colon cancer refractory to ITP. We concluded that chemotherapy for colon cancer can be indicated for refractory ITP.

[A case of colon cancer with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) which achieved complete remission by chemotherapy].

An effective way to improve polymer solar cell efficiency is to use a tandem structure, as a broader part of the spectrum of solar radiation is used and the thermalization loss of photon energy is minimized. In the past, the lack of high-performance low-bandgap polymers was the major limiting factor for achieving high-performance tandem solar cell. Here we report the development of a high-performance low bandgap polymer (bandgap <1.4 eV), poly[2,7-(5,5-bis-(3,7-dimethyloctyl)-5H-dithieno[3,2-b:2',3'-d]pyran)-alt-4,7-(5,6-difluoro-2,1,3-benzothia diazole)] with a bandgap of 1.38 eV, high mobility, deep highest occupied molecular orbital. As a result, a single-junction device shows high external quantum efficiency of >60% and spectral response that extends to 900 nm, with a power conversion efficiency of 7.9%. The polymer enables a solution processed tandem solar cell with certified 10.6% power conversion efficiency under standard reporting conditions (25 °C, 1,000 Wm(-2), IEC 60904-3 global), which is the first certified polymer solar cell efficiency over 10%.

A polymer tandem solar cell with 10.6% power conversion efficiency.

An incisional surgical site infection (I-SSI) is a frequently observed complication following colorectal surgery. Intraoperative wound management is one of the most important factors that determine the incidence of postoperative I-SSI. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of the methods used for intraoperative wound management on the incidence of I-SSI following elective surgery for colorectal cancer.

Risk factors for incisional surgical site infections in elective surgery for colorectal cancer: focus on intraoperative meticulous wound management.

An 85-year-old woman with no history of abdominal surgery complained of abdominal pain and vomiting and was referred to us with a diagnosis of intestinal obstruction a few days later. Upon admission to our facility, she presented with marked abdominal swelling and prominent kyphosis. Because of the kyphosis, most of the dilated bowel was compressing her thoracic cavity. No obvious strangulation or free air was observed via abdominal computed tomography imaging. We attempted decompression using a nasogastric tube, but the symptoms persisted. Surgery was performed 2 days after admission. The origin of the obstruction was a compression of the ileocecal region by the costal arch. The bowel was discolored, and thus surgically excised. There were no major postsurgical complications other than a mild wound infection. Until now, there have been no reports of advanced kyphosis inducing ileus, but there are concerns of an increase in similar cases as society continues to age.

A case of intestinal obstruction caused by prominent kyphosis resulting in compression of the intestine by the costal arch.

Bronchial artery aneurysms (BAA) are a rarely noted. Asymptomatic cases of BAA are very rare. Most patients are correctly diagnosed only after BAA ruptures. The conventional treatment includes aneurysm resection through thoracotomy or transcatheter arterial embolization. In the present report, we describe a case of an asymptomatic BAA treated using video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery and careful evaluation of the vessels by three-dimensional computed tomography.

Bronchial artery aneurysm treated with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery.

Mucins have been associated with survival in various cancer patients, but there have been no studies of mucins in small bowel carcinoma (SBC). In this study, we investigated the relationships between mucin expression and clinicopathologic factors in 60 SBC cases, in which expression profiles of MUC1, MUC2, MUC3, MUC4, MUC5AC, MUC6 and MUC16 in cancer and normal tissues were examined by immunohistochemistry. MUC1, MUC5AC and MUC16 expression was increased in SBC lesions compared to the normal epithelium, and expression of these mucins was related to clinicopathologic factors, as follows: MUC1 [tumor location (p = 0.019), depth (p = 0.017) and curability (p = 0.007)], MUC5AC [tumor location (p = 0.063) and lymph node metastasis (p = 0.059)], and MUC16 [venous invasion (p = 0.016) and curability (p = 0.016)]. Analysis of 58 cases with survival data revealed five factors associated with a poor prognosis: poorly-differentiated or neuroendocrine histological type (p<0.001), lymph node metastasis (p<0.001), lymphatic invasion (p = 0.026), venous invasion (p<0.001) and curative resection (p<0.001), in addition to expression of MUC1 (p = 0.042), MUC5AC (p = 0.007) and MUC16 (p<0.001). In subsequent multivariate analysis with curability as the covariate, lymph node metastasis, venous invasion, and MUC5AC and/or MUC16 expression were significantly related to the prognosis. Multivariate analysis in curative cases (n = 45) showed that SBC with MUC5AC and/or MUC16 expression had a significantly independent high hazard risk after adjusting for the effects of venous invasion (hazard ratio: 5.6, 95% confidence interval: 1.8-17). In conclusion, the study shows that a MUC5AC-positive and/or MUC16-positive status is useful as a predictor of a poor outcome in patients with SBC.

Pathobiological implications of mucin (MUC) expression in the outcome of small bowel cancer.

A 73-year-old man was referred to our hospital because of positive results on a fecal occult blood test. He had severe anemia, and abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed a huge 18 × 11 cm tumor in the lower gastric corpus. Pathological analysis of a biopsy sample revealed a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). We improved the nutritional and physical statuses via total parenteral and enteral nutrition. At the same time, we initiated preoperative adjuvant chemotherapy with 300 mg/day of imatinib. After 4 weeks' of treatment, CT revealed a drastic reduction in the tumor size, regarded a partial response (PR). The patient underwent partial gastrectomy, distal pancreatectomy, and partial resection of the transverse colon. His postoperative course was uneventful. The patient received postoperative treatment with imatinib for 1 year, and remained recurrence free for 10 months after surgery.

[Surgical resection of a huge gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumor after preoperative adjuvant chemotherapy].

Mucins are implicated in survival in various cancers, but there have been no report addressed on survival in appendiceal carcinoma, an uncommon disease with different clinical and pathological features from those of other colon cancers. We aimed to investigate the clinical implications of expression of mucins in appendiceal carcinoma.

A comprehensive expression analysis of mucins in appendiceal carcinoma in a multicenter study: MUC3 is a novel prognostic factor.

The concept of chronic diverticulitis, which is characterized by stenosis symptoms, has recently been proposed. However, it is not widely known in Japan. To stress the prevalence of this disease in Japan, we herein report 6 patients with chronic diverticulitis who required surgery. The present study involved both clinicopathological analyses of 6 patients and a review of case reports in Japan. The site involved in all 6 patients was the left-sided colon. Stenosis symptoms (i.e., ileus) were observed in all 6 patients. Preoperative clinical diagnoses were diverticulitis (n = 4) and suspected type 4 colon cancer (n = 2). Histopathological examination confirmed the presence of diverticulitis and fibrous thickening of the bowel wall due to chronic diverticulitis in all patients. Our review of the case reports of 32 patients with chronic diverticulitis in Japan revealed that the site most frequently involved was the left-sided colon, despite the fact that diverticulitis occurs most frequently in the right-sided colon in Japan. The present report confirmed that chronic diverticulitis is not an uncommon disease, with the same preponderance in the left-sided colon also in Japan. Therefore, we need to bear in mind the concept of chronic diverticulitis for patients with colonic obstruction.

Chronic diverticulitis of the large intestine characterized by stenosis symptoms in Japan: report of 6 cases.

The ever increasing demand for clean energy has encouraged researchers to intensively investigate environmentally friendly photovoltaic devices. Inorganic-organic hybrid perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are very promising due to their potentials of easy fabrication processes and high power conversion efficiencies (PCEs). Designing hole-transporting materials (HTMs) is one of the key factors in achieving the high PCEs of PSCs. We now report the synthesis of two types of carbazole-based polymers, namely 3,6-Cbz-EDOT and 2,7-Cbz-EDOT, by Stille polycondensation. Despite the same chemical composition, 3,6-Cbz-EDOT and 2,7-Cbz-EDOT displayed different optical and electrochemical properties due to the different connectivity mode of the carbazole unit. Therefore, their performances as hole-transporting polymeric materials in the PSCs were also different. The device based on 2,7-Cbz-EDOT showed better photovoltaic properties with the PCE of 4.47% than that based on 3,6-Cbz-EDOT. This could be due to its more suitable highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) level and higher hole mobility.

Takehito Kato

Department of Mechanical Engineering

National Institute of Technology, Oyama College

Morphology Control for Fully Printable Organic–Inorganic Bulk-heterojunction Solar Cells Based on a Ti-alkoxide and Semiconducting Polymer

Takehito Kato

.css-o250i3{font-size:18px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;line-height:21.6px;}Department of Mechanical Engineering

National Institute of Technology, Oyama College

Morphology Control for Fully Printable Organic–Inorganic Bulk-heterojunction Solar Cells Based on a Ti-alkoxide and Semiconducting Polymer

Department of Mechanical Engineering