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The design principles of acceptor1–acceptor2 copolymers featuring alternating diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) and thienopyrrolodione (TPD) moieties are investigated. The investigated series of polymers is obtained by varying the aromatic linker between the two acceptor motifs between thiophene, thiazole, pyridine, and benzene. High electron affinities between 3.96 and 4.42 eV, facilitated by the synergy of the acceptor motifs are determined with optical gaps between 1.37 and 2.02 eV. Grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering studies reveal a range of film morphologies after thermal annealing, including face-on, end-on and superstructure edge-on-like crystallites. Conversely, all materials form thin edge-on layers on the polymer–air interface, as demonstrated by multi-elemental near-edge X-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy. The benefit of the electron-deficient linkers thiazole and pyridine is evident: In organic field effect transistors, electron mobilities of up to 4.6 × 10−2 cm2 V−1 s−1 are obtained with outstanding on/off current ratios of 5 × 105, facilitated by the absence of detectable hole transport in these materials. Viability for all-polymer solar cells is assessed in active layer blends with the donor polymer PM6, yielding a maximum average power conversion efficiency of 4.8% and an open circuit voltage above 1 V.

The design principles of acceptor1–acceptor2 copolymers featuring alternating diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) and thienopyrrolodione (TPD) moieties are investigated. The investigated series of polymers is obtained by varying the aromatic linker between the two acceptor motifs between thiophene, thiazole, pyridine, and benzene. High electron affinities between 3.96 and 4.42 eV, facilitated by the synergy of the acceptor motifs are determined with optical gaps between 1.37 and 2.02 eV. Grazing incidence wide‐angle X‐ray scattering studies reveal a range of film morphologies after thermal annealing, including face‐on, end‐on and superstructure edge‐on‐like crystallites. Conversely, all materials form thin edge‐on layers on the polymer–air interface, as demonstrated by multi‐elemental near‐edge X‐ray absorption fine‐structure spectroscopy. The benefit of the electron‐deficient linkers thiazole and pyridine is evident: In organic field effect transistors, electron mobilities of up to 4.6 × 10−2 cm2 V−1 s−1 are obtained with outstanding on/off current ratios of 5 × 105, facilitated by the absence of detectable hole transport in these materials. Viability for all‐polymer solar cells is assessed in active layer blends with the donor polymer PM6, yielding a maximum average power conversion efficiency of 4.8% and an open circuit voltage above 1 V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims: Until recently, pegylated interferon‐alfa‐2a (PEG‐IFNa) therapy was the only treatment option for patients infected with hepatitis D virus (HDV). Treatment with PEG‐IFNa with or without tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) for 96 weeks resulted in HDV RNA suppression in 44% of patients at the end of therapy but did not prevent short‐term relapses within 24 weeks. The virological and clinical long‐term effects after prolonged PEG‐IFNa‐based treatment of hepatitis D are unknown. Methods: In the HIDIT‐II study patients (including 40% with liver cirrhosis) received 180 μg PEG‐IFNa weekly plus 300 mg TDF once daily (n = 59) or 180 μg PEG‐IFNa weekly plus placebo (n = 61) for 96 weeks. Patients were followed until week 356 (5 years after end of therapy). Results: Until the end of follow‐up, 16 (13%) patients developed liver‐related complications (PEG‐IFNa + TDF, n = 5 vs PEG‐IFNa + placebo, n = 11; p =.179). Achieving HDV suppression at week 96 was associated with decreased long‐term risk for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (p =.04) and hepatic decompensation (p =.009). Including complications irrespective of PEG‐IFNa retreatment status, the number of patients developing serious complications was similar with (3/18) and without retreatment with PEG‐IFNa (16/102, p >.999) but was associated with a higher chance of HDV‐RNA suppression (p =.024, odds ratio 3.9 [1.3–12]). Conclusions: Liver‐related clinical events were infrequent and occurred less frequently in patients with virological responses to PEG‐IFNa treatment. PEG‐IFNa treatment should be recommended to HDV‐infected patients until alternative therapies become available. Retreatment with PEG‐IFNa should be considered for patients with inadequate response to the first course of treatment. Clinical Trial registration: NCT00932971. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims: Infection with the hepatitis D virus (HDV) causes the most severe form of viral hepatitis with a high risk to develop clinical complications of liver disease. In addition, hepatitis delta has been shown to be associated with worse patient‐reported outcomes. Until recently, only pegylated interferon alfa could be used to treat hepatitis delta. Methods: Here, we investigated quality of life (QOL) as assessed by the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF‐36) in patients undergoing antiviral therapy with pegylated interferon alfa (PEG‐IFNa‐2a)‐based treatment in the HIDIT‐II trial. HIDIT‐II was a randomized prospective trial exploring PEG‐IFNa‐2a with tenofovir disoproxil (TDF) or placebo for 96 weeks in patients with compensated hepatitis delta. Surveys completed by 83 study participants before, during, and after treatments were available. Results: Overall, we observed a reduced QOL of HDV patients compared with a reference population, both in physical as well as mental scores. Interestingly, PEG‐IFNa‐2a treatment showed only minor impairment of the QOL during therapy. Moreover, HDV‐RNA clearance was not associated with relevant changes in physical or social SF‐36 scores, whereas an improvement of fibrosis during treatment was associated with increased QOL. Overall, slight improvements of the QOL scores were observed 24 weeks after the end of treatment as compared with baseline. TDF co‐treatment had no influence on QOL. Conclusions: Overall, our findings suggest that PEG‐IFNa‐2a was reasonably tolerated even over a period of 96 weeks by hepatitis D patients reporting SF‐36 questionnaires. Of note, several patients may benefit from PEG‐IFNa‐2a‐based therapies with off‐treatment improvements in quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electron transporting (n‐type) polymers are the coveted complementary counterpart to more thoroughly studied hole transporting (p‐type) semiconducting polymers. Besides intrinsic stability issues of the doped form of n‐type polymer toward ubiquitous oxidizing agents (H2O and O2), the choice of suitable n‐dopants and underlying mechanism of doping is an open research field. Using a low LUMO, n‐type unipolar acceptor1‐acceptor2 copolymer poly(DPP‐TPD) in conjunction with bulk n‐doping using Cs2CO3 these issues can be addressed. A solid‐state acid‐base interaction between polymer and basic carbonate increases the backbone electron density by deprotonation of the thiophene comonomer while forming bicarbonate, as revealed by NMR and optical spectroscopy. Comparable to N‐DMBI hydride/electron transfer, Cs2CO3 proton abstraction doping shifts the poly(DPP‐TPD) work function toward the LUMO. Thereby, the anionic doped state is resilient against O2 but is susceptible toward H2O. Based on GIWAXS, Cs2CO3 is mostly incorporated into the amorphous regions of poly(DPP‐TPD) with the help of hydrophilic side chains and has minor impact on the short‐range order of the polymer. Cs2CO3 proton abstraction doping and the acceptor1‐acceptor2 copolymer architecture creates a synergistic n‐doped system with promising properties for thermoelectric energy conversion, as evidenced by a remarkable power factor of (5.59 ± 0.39) × µW m−1 K−2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]