Gas-Phase Ion/Ion Reactions to Enable Radical-Directed Dissociation of Fatty Acid Ions: Application to Localization of Methyl Branching.

Methyl branching on the carbon chains of fatty acids and fatty esters is among the structural variations encountered with fatty acids and fatty esters. Branching in fatty acid/ester chains is particularly prominent in bacterial species and, for example, in vernix caseosa and sebum. The distinction of branched chains from isomeric straight-chain species and the localization of branching can be challenging to determine by mass spectrometry (MS). Condensed-phase derivatization strategies, often used in conjunction with separations, are most commonly used to address the identification and characterization of branched fatty acids. In this work, a gas-phase ion/ion strategy is presented that obviates condensed-phase derivatization and introduces a radical site into fatty acid ions to facilitate radical-directed dissociation (RDD). The gas-phase approach is also directly amenable to fatty acid anions generated via collision-induced dissociation from lipid classes that contain fatty esters. Specifically, divalent magnesium complexes bound to two terpyridine ligands that each incorporate a ((2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidine-1-yl)oxy) (TEMPO) moiety are used to charge-invert fatty acid anions. Following the facile loss of one of the ligands and the TEMPO group of the remaining ligand, a radical site is introduced into the complex. Subsequent collision-induced dissociation (CID) of the complex exhibits preferred cleavages that localize the site(s) of branching. The approach is illustrated with iso-, anteiso-, and isoprenoid branched-chain fatty acids and an intact glycerophospholipid and is applied to a mixture of branched- and straight-chain fatty acids derived from Bacillus subtilis.

Soluble PD-L1 reprograms blood monocytes to prevent cerebral edema and facilitate recovery after ischemic stroke.

Acute cerebral ischemia triggers a profound inflammatory response. While macrophages polarized to an M2-like phenotype clear debris and facilitate tissue repair, aberrant or prolonged macrophage activation is counterproductive to recovery. The inhibitory immune checkpoint Programmed Cell Death Protein 1 (PD-1) is upregulated on macrophage precursors (monocytes) in the blood after acute cerebrovascular injury. To investigate the therapeutic potential of PD-1 activation, we immunophenotyped circulating monocytes from patients and found that PD-1 expression was upregulated in the acute period after stroke. Murine studies using a temporary middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion (MCAO) model showed that intraperitoneal administration of soluble Programmed Death Ligand-1 (sPD-L1) significantly decreased brain edema and improved overall survival. Mice receiving sPD-L1 also had higher performance scores short-term, and more closely resembled sham animals on assessments of long-term functional recovery. These clinical and radiographic benefits were abrogated in global and myeloid-specific PD-1 knockout animals, confirming PD-1+ monocytes as the therapeutic target of sPD-L1. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed that treatment skewed monocyte maturation to a non-classical Ly6Clo, CD43hi, PD-L1+ phenotype. These data support peripheral activation of PD-1 on inflammatory monocytes as a therapeutic strategy to treat neuroinflammation after acute ischemic stroke.

Heterogeneous Communication Network Architecture for the Management of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations: Multi-Aggregator Management in Microgrids with High Photovoltaic Variability Based on Multiple Solar Radiation Sensors.

Electric power systems with a high penetration of photovoltaic generation and a relevant fleet of electric vehicles face significant stability challenges, particularly in mountainous areas where the variability of photovoltaic resources is pronounced. This study presents a novel methodology to strategically place electric vehicle aggregators along a feeder. This approach considers electrical variables and the dynamics of cloud movements within the study area. This innovative methodology reduces the substation's power load demand and significantly improves the end user's voltage levels. The improvements in voltage regulation and reduced demand on the substation provide clear benefits, including increased system resilience, better integration of renewable energy sources, and enhanced overall efficiency of the electric grid. These advantages are particularly critical in regions with high levels of photovoltaic generation and are important in promoting sustainable electric vehicle charging infrastructure. When analyzing different load scenarios for the IEEE European Low Voltage Test Feeder system, the consideration of distributed aggregators based on cloud movements decreased the power required at the substation by 21.25%, and the voltage drop in loads was reduced from 6.9% to 4.29%. This research underscores the critical need to consider both the variability and geographical distribution of PV resources in the planning and operation of electrical systems with extensive PV generation.

Clinical and Epidemiological Characteristics of Patients Being Treated for Scabies in Spain: Opportunities for Improvement - A Multicenter Cross-Sectional CLINI-AEDV Study. / Características clínicas y epidemiológicas de pacientes diagnosticados de escabiosis en España: oportunidades de mejora. Estudio transversal multicéntrico CLINI-AEDV.

BACKGROUND: Several studies support the hypothesis that scabies is on the rise in Spain. There are also concerns about the possible development of resistance to treatment and an increase in atypical presentations. The aims of this study were to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with scabies seen by dermatologists in Spain, to identify the possible emergence of atypical forms of scabies, and to explore the frequency of treatment failures and associated risk factors. METHODS: We conducted an observational, cross-sectional, multicenter study of data collected prospectively in April and May 2023 using the CLINI-AEDVp platform created by the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV). RESULTS: Participating dermatologists from 31 hospitals in 15 of Spain's autonomous communities recorded 186 cases of active scabies (51% in women) during the study period. A diagnostic certainty level of A, B or C as per the International Alliance for the Control of Scabies Consensus Criteria was required for diagnosis. Overall, 92% of patients had typical scabies and 66% had already been treated with a scabicide for the current episode. Of the treated patients, only 36% had received and completed adequate treatment (including the simultaneous treatment of all household members) and 50% had not received clear written recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: In a high proportion of the cases of scabies studied, the patient had already received treatment. In those cases, we observed several remediable shortcomings that could explain why some of these treatments had failed. Remedying these deficiencies should lead to better control of scabies and an improved assessment of the actual effectiveness of currently available scabicides.

[Translated article] Clinical and Epidemiological Characteristics of Patients Being Treated for Scabies in Spain: Opportunities for Improvement - A Multicenter Cross-Sectional CLINI-AEDV Study.

BACKGROUND: Several studies support the hypothesis that scabies is on the rise in Spain. There are also concerns about the possible development of resistance to treatment and an increase in atypical presentations. The aims of this study were to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with scabies seen by dermatologists in Spain, to identify the possible emergence of atypical forms of scabies, and to explore the frequency of treatment failures and associated risk factors. METHODS: We conducted an observational, cross-sectional, multicenter study of data collected prospectively in April and May 2023 using the CLINI-AEDVp platform created by the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV). RESULTS: Participating dermatologists from 31 hospitals in 15 of Spain's autonomous communities recorded 186 cases of active scabies (51% in women) during the study period. A diagnostic certainty level of A, B or C as per the International Alliance for the Control of Scabies Consensus Criteria was required for diagnosis. Overall, 92% of patients had clinical features of classic scabies and 66% had already been treated with a scabicide for the current episode. Of the treated patients, only 36% had received and completed adequate treatment (including the simultaneous treatment of all household members) and 50% had not received clear written recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: In a high proportion of scabies cases, the patient has already received treatment. In those cases, we observe several remediable shortcomings that could explain why some of these treatments fail. Remedying these deficiencies should lead to better control of scabies and an improved assessment of the actual effectiveness of currently available scabicides.

Machine-Learning Classification of Bacteria Using Two-Dimensional Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

Biothreat detection has continued to gain attention. Samples suspected to fall into any of the CDC's biothreat categories require identification by processes that require specialized expertise and facilities. Recent developments in analytical instrumentation and machine learning algorithms offer rapid and accurate classification of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial species. This is achieved by analyzing the negative ions generated from bacterial cell extracts with a modified linear quadrupole ion-trap mass spectrometer fitted with two-dimensional tandem mass spectrometry capabilities (2D MS/MS). The 2D MS/MS data domain of a bacterial cell extract is recorded within five s using a five-scan average after sample preparation by a simple extraction. Bacteria were classified at the species level by their lipid profiles using the random forest, k-nearest neighbor, and multilayer perceptron machine learning models. 2D MS/MS data can also be treated as image data for use with image recognition algorithms such as convolutional neural networks. The classification accuracy of all models tested was greater than 99%. Adding to previously published work on the 2D MS/MS analysis of bacterial growth and the profiling of sporulating bacteria, this study demonstrates the utility and information-rich nature of 2D MS/MS in the identification of bacterial pathogens at the species level when coupled with machine learning.

Isavuconazole-tacrolimus drug-drug interactions in HSCT patients.

OBJECTIVES: Because tacrolimus has a narrow therapeutic window and exhibits both intraindividual and interindividual variability, we attempted to establish the percentage of calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) dose reduction to prevent toxicity and ensure stem cell engraftment when using this immunosuppressant with the antifungal isavuconazole (ISA). By calculating the tacrolimus concentration/dose (C/D) ratio, we expected to demonstrate the magnitude of change in the C/D ratio from baseline after ISA administration. METHODS: We evaluated the interaction between ISA, a new triazole antifungal used in prophylaxis for invasive fungal infections, and the CNI class of immunosuppressive drugs, specifically tacrolimus, in 11 blood samples from HSCT recipients. RESULTS: The mean tacrolimus C/D ratio increased 1.44-fold from baseline 48 h after ISA administration (P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Although further investigation is needed, the results of this study suggest that a reduction of 18% in tacrolimus may be recommended.

The time elapsed between assessments of blood metabolome and live weight affects associations between the abundance of metabolites and growth rate in beef cattle.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to assess the associations between the relative abundance (RA) of blood metabolites and growth rate (i.e., live weight change, LWC) calculated using different intervals of time between live weight (LW) measurements from the metabolome assessment. METHODS: Grazing beef cattle were raised for 56 days and blood samples from each animal were taken on day 57. Live weight was continuously measured using an automatic in-paddock weighing scale. The RA of plasma metabolites were determined using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Live weight data were filtered for outliers and one LW record was selected every 1, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49 and 56 days before the metabolome assessment (LWC1 to LWC56, respectively). Live weight change was then re-calculated for each interval between LW data selected. RESULTS: Associations between LWC calculations and the RA of metabolites were greatly affected by the interval of time between LW data selected. Thus, the number of significant associations decreased from 9 for LWC1 to 5 for LWC35 whereas no significant associations were found for LWC56 (P > 0.05). There were 7 metabolites negatively associated with LWC1 including leucine, 2-hydroxybutyrate, valine, creatinine, creatine, phenylalanine and methylhistidine; however, correlations were positive for 2 lipids. The strength of the correlation coefficients decreased as the length of the interval between LW measures increased although this reduction was greater for some metabolites such as leucine compared to others such as lipids. Our findings suggest that the time frame in which a particular response variable, such as LWC, is measured and metabolomic samples are taken could largely impact associations and thus conclusions drawn. CONCLUSIONS: Depending on the variable to be explored, rapid changes in cattle metabolome may not be reflected in correlations if they are not assessed close in time. Our findings suggest that LWC should be measured for a period shorter than 28 days before the metabolome assessment as the number of significant associations decreases when LWC is measured for longer periods.

Yersinia ruckeri infection activates local skin and gill B cell responses in rainbow trout.

Teleost fish lack organized structures in mucosal tissues such as those of mammals, but instead contain dispersed B and T cells with the capacity to respond to external stimuli. Nonetheless, there is still a great lack of knowledge regarding how B cells differentiate to plasmablasts/plasma cells in these mucosal surfaces. To contribute to a further understanding of the mechanisms through which fish mucosal B cells are activated, in the current study, we have studied the B cell responses in the skin and gills of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) exposed to Yersinia ruckeri. We have first analyzed the transcription levels of genes related to B cell function in both mucosal surfaces, and in spleen and kidney for comparative purposes. In a second experiment, we have evaluated how the infection affects the presence and size of B cells in both skin and gills, as well as the presence of plasmablasts secreting total or specific IgMs. The results obtained in both experiments support the local differentiation of B cells to plasmablasts/plasma cells in the skin and gills of rainbow trout in response to Y. ruckeri. Interestingly, these plasmablasts/plasma cells were shown to secrete specific IgMs as soon as 5 days after the exposure. These findings contribute to a further understanding of how B cells in the periphery respond to immune stimulation in teleost fish.

Clinical relevance of interictal dysphoric disorder and its impact on quality of life in drug-resistant epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the prevalence of Interictal Dysphoric Disorder (IDD) in drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) and to describe its clinical and psychopathological profile, including personality, as well as its impact on quality of life (QOL). METHOD: A retrospective cross-sectional study from an Epilepsy Unit from January 2007 to December 2017. All patients were diagnosed with DRE. Patients underwent a battery of tests (HADS, SCL-90R, PDQ-4+, QOLIE-31) and a psychiatrist assessed the presence of Axis-I disorders and IDD. Statistical procedures were carried out using R-4.0.1 software. RESULTS: A total of 282 patients were included. A statistically significant association was found between IDD and mood and anxiety disorders (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05 respectively), and between IDD and higher scores in all HADS and SCL-90-R items compared to subjects without IDD (p < 0.001). A statistically significant association was also found between IDD and obsessive-compulsive, borderline and depressive personality disorder (p < 0.05). Scores in all QOLIE-31 items except for 'medication effects' were significantly lower in subjects with IDD compared with subjects without IDD (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In DRE, IDD subjects show differences in the psychopathological profile and QOL scores compared to subjects without a diagnosis of IDD. An early diagnosis of IDD could facilitate prompt interventions which might positively impact QOL.

Short-term impact of noise, other air pollutants and meteorological factors on emergency hospital mental health admissions in the Madrid region.

BACKGROUND: A number of environmental factors, such as air pollution, noise in urbanised settings and meteorological-type variables, may give rise to important effects on human health. In recent years, many studies have confirmed the relation between various mental disorders and these factors, with a possible impact on the increase in emergency hospital admissions due to these causes. The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of a range of environmental factors on daily emergency hospital admissions due to mental disorders in the Madrid Autonomous Region (MAR), across the period 2013-2018. METHODOLOGY: Longitudinal ecological time series study analysed by Generalised Linear Models with Poisson regression, with the dependent variable being daily Emergency Hospital Mental Health Admissions (EHMHA) in the MAR, and the independent variable being mean daily concentrations of chemical pollutants, noise levels and meteorological variables. RESULTS: EHMHA were related statistically significantly in the short term with diurnal noise levels. Relative risks (RRs) for total admissions due to mental disorders and self-inflicted injuries, in the case of diurnal noise was RR: 1.008 95%CI (1.003 1.013). Admissions attributable to diurnal noise account for 5.5% of total admissions across the study period. There was no association between hospital admissions and chemical air pollution. CONCLUSION: Noise is a variable that shows a statistically significant short-term association with EHMHA across all age groups in the MAR region. The results of this study may serve as a basis for drawing up public health guidelines and plans, which regard these variables as risk factors for mental disorders, especially in the case of noise, since this fundamentally depends on anthropogenic activities in highly urbanised areas with high levels of traffic density.

Short-term effects of tropospheric ozone and other environmental factors on emergency admissions due to pregnancy complications: A time-series analysis in the Madrid Region.

Air pollution has been linked to adverse neonatal outcomes, mainly in the case of prolonged exposures. This study focuses on the short-term effects on maternal health. We conducted a retrospective ecological time-series study in the Madrid Region covering the period 2013-2018. The independent variables were mean daily concentrations of tropospheric ozone (O3), particulate matter (PM10/PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), as well as noise levels. The dependent variables were daily emergency hospital admissions due to complications in pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium. Poisson generalised linear regression models were fitted to quantify the relative and attributable risks, controlling for trend, seasonality, the autoregressive nature of the series, and a number of meteorological factors. There were 318 069 emergency hospital admissions due to obstetric complications across the 2191 days of study. Of this total: 13 164 (95%CI: 9930-16 398) admissions were attributable to exposure to O3, the only pollutant to show a statistically significant (p < 0.05) association with admissions due to hypertensive disorders; and 10 575 (95%CI: 3573-17 566) admissions were attributable to daytime noise levels, while admissions due to hyperemesis gravidarum and vomiting were related to exposure to night noise. Other pollutants which also displayed statistically significant associations were: NO2 concentrations, with admissions due to vomiting and preterm labour; PM10 concentrations, with premature rupture of membranes: and PM2.5 concentrations, with total complications. Exposure to a range of air pollutants, and ozone in particular, is associated with a higher number of emergency hospital admissions due to gestational complications. Hence, surveillance of environmental effects on maternal health should be intensified, and plans and strategies to minimise these should be drawn up.

Redox Status in Retinitis Pigmentosa.

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is the most common form of inherited retinal dystrophy characterized by the progressive loss of vision. It is a rare disease. Despite being a genetic disease, its progression is influenced by oxidative damage and chemokines and cytokines released by the activated immune cells (e.g., macrophages or microglia). The role of oxidative stress is very important in the retina. Rods are the main consumers of oxygen (O2), so they are constantly exposed to oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. According to the oxidative hypothesis, after rod death in the early stages of the disease, O2 would accumulate in large quantities in the retina, producing hyperoxia and favoring the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species that would cause oxidative damage to lipids, proteins, and DNA, exacerbating the process of retinal degeneration. Evidence shows alterations in the antioxidant-oxidant state in patients and in animal models of RP. In recent years, therapeutic approaches aimed at reducing oxidative stress have emerged as useful therapies to slow down the progression of RP. We focus this review on oxidative stress and its relationship with the progression of RP.

Therapies for Delayed Cerebral Ischemia in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) is one of the most important complications of subarachnoid hemorrhage. Despite lack of prospective evidence, medical rescue interventions for DCI include hemodynamic augmentation using vasopressors or inotropes, with limited guidance on specific blood pressure and hemodynamic parameters. For DCI refractory to medical interventions, endovascular rescue therapies (ERTs), including intraarterial (IA) vasodilators and percutaneous transluminal balloon angioplasty, are the cornerstone of management. Although there are no randomized controlled trials assessing the efficacy of ERTs for DCI and their impact on subarachnoid hemorrhage outcomes, survey studies suggest that they are widely used in clinical practice with significant variability worldwide. IA vasodilators are first line ERTs, with better safety profiles and access to distal vasculature. The most commonly used IA vasodilators include calcium channel blockers, with milrinone gaining popularity in more recent publications. Balloon angioplasty achieves better vasodilation compared with IA vasodilators but is associated with higher risk of life-threatening vascular complications and is reserved for proximal severe refractory vasospasm. The existing literature on DCI rescue therapies is limited by small sample sizes, significant variability in patient populations, lack of standardized methodology, variable definitions of DCI, poorly reported outcomes, lack of long-term functional, cognitive, and patient-centered outcomes, and lack of control groups. Therefore, our current ability to interpret clinical results and make reliable recommendations regarding the use of rescue therapies is limited. This review summarizes existing literature on rescue therapies for DCI, provides practical guidance, and identifies future research needs.

Trend changes in the incidence of benign parotid tumours in the last 30 years in a Spanish population.

PURPOSE: To study the demographics and clinical characteristics of benign parotid tumours, focusing on the evolution of the incidence of Warthin tumour (WT) in recent years. METHODS: A retrospective observational study is designed of patients diagnosed with a benign parotid tumour in a single tertiary hospital centre, from 1994 to 2021. The evaluation of the relationship between the different variables, and the changes in tumour incidence, is carried out using an analysis of standardized residuals. RESULTS: The study evaluated 279 patients, and the total of benign parotid tumours was 291. The most frequent type of tumour was pleomorphic adenoma (PA) (52.7%), followed by WT (37.6%). WT was more frequent in men (79%), and PA in women (55.8%). Smoking history is significantly high in patients with WT (83%), as well as mid-age, compared to PA. CONCLUSIONS: It seems to be an increase in the proportion of WT compared to PA in recent years. These changes can be concerning tobacco use and older patients at diagnosis in our series.

[Evolution of Infective Endocarditis Profiles in South-Central Chile: A Four-Decade Analysis of Surgical Patients]. / Cambios en el perfil epidemiológico de la Endocarditis Infecciosa con indicación quirúrgica entre 1983 y 2020.

AIM: To describe the changes observed in operated patients with infective endocarditis (IE) in the south-central region of Chile during the last four decades. METHODS: Case series study. The target population was patients diagnosed with IE and indication for valve surgery between 1983 and 2020 from a Chilean public hospital. The universe (n = 306) was divided into four groups according to the period of valve surgery. Sociodemographic and clinical variables between these groups were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis and Chi-square tests for independence. Cumulative survivals were calculated and compared using the Gehan-Breslow-Wilcoxon test. RESULTS: Age at diagnosis (p < 0.001), frequency of comorbidities (p < 0.001), clinical presentation compatible with acute kidney injury (p < 0.001), independent mitral valve involvement (p < 0.001), positivity of microbiological cultures (p < 0.012) and cumulative survival (p = 0,015) increased. The delay from symptom onset to diagnosis (p = 0.003), clinical presentation compatible with heart failure (p < 0.001), independent involvement of the aortic valve (p < 0.001), and surgical indication for large vegetation (p < 0.001) decreased. CONCLUSIONS: The IE profile of patients seen in a public hospital in the south-central region of Chile has undergone significant changes during the last four decades.

[Ten-year survival after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting compared with traditional bypass grafting]. / Cirugía de revascularización miocárdica: comparación de supervivencia a 10 años de la cirugía coronaria con y sin circulación extracorpórea mediante Propensity Score Matching.

BACKGROUND: Long-term outcomes of Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (OPCAB) as an alternative to the traditional Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) technique with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) are not well defined. AIM: To compare 10-year survival of isolated OPCAB versus CABG with CPB. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Analysis of information obtained from databases, clinical records and surgical protocols of patients treated with isolated CABG between January 2006 and November 2008 at a Regional Hospital. Of 658 isolated CABG, 192 (29.2%) were OPCAB and 466 (79.9%) CPB. Propensity Score Matching (PSM) was performed to compare both groups. After PSM, two groups of 192 cases were obtained. Mortality data was obtained from the Chilean public identification service. Ten-year survival was calculated and compared with Kaplan-Meier and log-rank methods. RESULTS: Follow-up data was obtained in all cases. No statistically significant differences were found when comparing 10-year survival between OPCAB versus CPB (78.6% and 80.2% respectively, p 0.720). There was also no statistical difference in cardiovascular death free survival (90.1% with CPB versus 89.1% OPCAB, p 0.737). Survival was comparable when analyzing subgroups with diabetes mellitus, left ventricular dysfunction or chronic kidney disease, among others. CONCLUSIONS: In our series, OPBAB has a comparable 10-year survival with CABG with CPB.

[Coronary artery bypass grafting: evolution of coronary disease characteristics and immediate surgical outcomes over a decade]. / Cirugía coronaria: evolución de las características de la enfermedad coronaria y resultados inmediatos de la cirugía de revascularización miocárdica en una década.

INTRODUCTION: Several factors intervene in the evolution of the characteristics of Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), such as demographic changes, surgical technique, and perioperative care. Our objective was to analyze the evolution of the characteristics of coronary artery disease in patients treated with CABG and its immediate results. METHODS: In an analytical study, we analyzed a cohort of patients with isolated CABG from January 2006 to December 2008 and from January 2016 to December 2018 in Hospital Clínico Regional Concepción, Chile. After the ethics committee's approval, we reviewed the database and surgical protocols. We used Chi-square and U Mann Whitney tests for statistical analysis (SPSSv25®), considering significant p < 0,05. RESULTS: We analyzed 1,400 isolated CABG, 658 from the first period and 742 from the second, with a mean age of 62.0 ± 8.7 and 64.6 ± 9.3 respectively (p < 0.001). The subgroup with ventricular dysfunction in the second period showed a significant increase in diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and severe ventricular dysfunction. The second group decreased off-pump surgery and increased the use of ≥ 2 arterial grafts (p < 0.05). The Additive EuroSCORE I increased from 3.6 ± 2.5 to 4.4 ± 2.7 (p = 0.001). High-risk subgroup: 137 (20.8%) to 236 (31.8%), p < 0.001. Mortality of 13 (1.98%) and 16 (2.2%) in the first and second group respectively, p = 0.813. CONCLUSION: There was a significant increase in the estimated surgical risk; however, mortality remained unchanged. The increase in surgical risk is consistent with the increase in mean age and prevalence of comorbidities, as well as the increase in severe ventricular dysfunction in the group ofpatients with ventricular dysfunction and recent AMI in the second period.

Accuracy and repeatability of joint sparsity multi-component estimation in MR Fingerprinting.

MR fingerprinting (MRF) is a promising method for quantitative characterization of tissues. Often, voxel-wise measurements are made, assuming a single tissue-type per voxel. Alternatively, the Sparsity Promoting Iterative Joint Non-negative least squares Multi-Component MRF method (SPIJN-MRF) facilitates tissue parameter estimation for identified components as well as partial volume segmentations. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the accuracy and repeatability of the SPIJN-MRF parameter estimations and partial volume segmentations. This was done (1) through numerical simulations based on the BrainWeb phantoms and (2) using in vivo acquired MRF data from 5 subjects that were scanned on the same week-day for 8 consecutive weeks. The partial volume segmentations of the SPIJN-MRF method were compared to those obtained by two conventional methods: SPM12 and FSL. SPIJN-MRF showed higher accuracy in simulations in comparison to FSL- and SPM12-based segmentations: Fuzzy Tanimoto Coefficients (FTC) comparing these segmentations and Brainweb references were higher than 0.95 for SPIJN-MRF in all the tissues and between 0.6 and 0.7 for SPM12 and FSL in white and gray matter and between 0.5 and 0.6 in CSF. For the in vivo MRF data, the estimated relaxation times were in line with literature and minimal variation was observed. Furthermore, the coefficient of variation (CoV) for estimated tissue volumes with SPIJN-MRF were 10.5% for the myelin water, 6.0% for the white matter, 5.6% for the gray matter, 4.6% for the CSF and 1.1% for the total brain volume. CoVs for CSF and total brain volume measured on the scanned data for SPIJN-MRF were in line with those obtained with SPM12 and FSL. The CoVs for white and gray matter volumes were distinctively higher for SPIJN-MRF than those measured with SPM12 and FSL. In conclusion, the use of SPIJN-MRF provides accurate and precise tissue relaxation parameter estimations taking into account intrinsic partial volume effects. It facilitates obtaining tissue fraction maps of prevalent tissues including myelin water which can be relevant for evaluating diseases affecting the white matter.

Metabolomic and Lipidomic Profiling of Bacillus Using Two-Dimensional Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

Lipidomic and metabolomic profiles of sporulated and vegetative Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus thuringiensis from irradiated lysates were recorded using a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer modified to perform two-dimensional tandem mass spectrometry (2D MS/MS). The 2D MS/MS data domains, acquired using a 1.2 s scan of negative ions generated by nanoelectrospray ionization of microwave irradiated spores, showed the presence of dipicolinic acid (DPA) as well as various lipids. Aside from microwave radiation to extract DPA and lipids from spores, sample preparation was minimal. Characteristic lipid and metabolic profiles were observed using 107─108 cells of the two Bacillus species. Major features of the lipid profiles observed for the vegetative states included sets of phosphatidylglycerol (PG) lipids. Product ion spectra were extracted from the 2D MS/MS data, and they provided structural information on the fatty acid components of the PG lipids. The study demonstrates the flexibility, speed, and informative power of metabolomic and lipidomic fingerprinting for identifying the presence of spore-forming biological agents using 2D MS/MS as a rapid profiling screening method.