Spectrochemical approach combined with symptoms data to diagnose fibromyalgia through paper spray ionization mass spectrometry (PSI-MS) and multivariate classification.

This study performs a chemical investigation of blood plasma samples from patients with and without fibromyalgia, combined with some of the symptoms and their levels of intensity used in the diagnosis of this disease. The symptoms evaluated were: visual analogue pain scale (VAS); fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (FIQ); Hamilton anxiety rating scale (HAM); Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TAMPA); quality of life Questionnaire-physical and mental health (QL); and Pain Catastrophizing Scale (CAT). Plasma samples were analyzed by paper spray ionization mass spectrometry (PSI-MS).

A novel use of infra-red spectroscopy (NIRS and ATR-FTIR) coupled with variable selection algorithms for the identification of insect species (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) of medico-legal relevance.

Unequivocal identification of fly specimens is an essential requirement in forensic entomology. Herein, a simple, non-destructive and rapid method based on two vibrational spectroscopy techniques [Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) and attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy] coupled with variable selection techniques such as genetic algorithm-linear discriminant analysis (GA-LDA) and successive projection algorithm-linear discriminant analysis (SPA-LDA) were applied for identifying and discriminating six species of flesh flies (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) native to Neotropical regions. This novel approach is based on the unique spectral "fingerprints" of their biochemical composition.