Epidural Catheter Bacterial Colonization and Infection in a Secondary Portuguese Hospital Setting.

Background and study goal Epidural analgesia is effective for postoperative pain control but carries risks of infection, including bacterial colonization. This study aimed to determine the incidence of epidural catheter colonization and infection in a Portuguese hospital, identify common microorganisms and antibiotic resistance profiles, and assess potential risk factors. Materials and methods We conducted a prospective observational study from November 2022 to March 2023 in a Portuguese secondary care center.

Synthesis of 1,10-Phenanthroline-2,9-bistriazoles: Evaluation as G-Quadruplex Binders and Anti-Tumor Activity.

Novel 1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-bistriazoles derivatives have been synthesized by copper-catalyzed azide/alkyne cycloaddition reactions and assessed for their ability to bind and stabilize G-quadruplex (G4) structures. Ten novel compounds were evaluated using Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) melting, circular dichroism (CD), and fluorescence spectroscopy on several G4 sequences. Biophysical characterization led to the identification of compounds 4 a, 4 b, and 5 b as good G4 ligands of KRAS G4 sequences.

Hydrazone-Functionalized -AB-Corroles: Effective Synergy in Photodynamic Therapy of Lung Cancer.

A synthetic route to -AB-corroles combining the macrocyclic core with a hydrazone moiety, based on the reactivity of azoalkenes toward dipyrromethanes, has been established with the aim of developing a new class of photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy of lung cancer. The study of the photophysical properties of the novel macrocycles allowed the identification of photosensitizers with absorption within the phototherapeutic window and high singlet oxygen quantum yield. Relevant structure-photodynamic activity correlations were established by studying the new corroles-based photodynamic therapy (PDT) in human lung cancer cell lines (A549 and H1299).