Comprehensive chemical characterization of the aerosol generated by a heated tobacco product by untargeted screening.

A suite of untargeted methods has been applied for the characterization of aerosol from the Tobacco Heating System 2.2 (THS2.2), a heated tobacco product developed by Philip Morris Products S.

A complex matrix characterization approach, applied to cigarette smoke, that integrates multiple analytical methods and compound identification strategies for non-targeted liquid chromatography with high-resolution mass spectrometry.

Rationale: For the characterization of the chemical composition of complex matrices such as tobacco smoke, containing more than 6000 constituents, several analytical approaches have to be combined to increase compound coverage across the chemical space. Furthermore, the identification of unknown molecules requiring the implementation of additional confirmatory tools in the absence of reference standards, such as tandem mass spectrometry spectra comparisons and in silico prediction of mass spectra, is a major bottleneck.

Methods: We applied a combination of four chromatographic/ionization techniques (reversed-phase (RP) - heated electrospray ionization (HESI) in both positive (+) and negative (-) modes, RP - atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) in positive mode, and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) - HESI positive) using a Thermo Q Exactive™ liquid chromatography/high-resolution accurate mass spectrometry (LC/HRAM-MS) platform for the analysis of 3R4F-derived smoke.

Performance Evaluation of a Nontargeted Platform Using Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry Integrating Computer-Assisted Structure Identification and Automated Semiquantification for the Comprehensive Chemical Characterization of a Complex Matrix.

Nontargeted screening methodologies are powerful approaches for comprehensive chemical characterization of complex matrixes. In order to maximize chemical space coverage, three analytical methods using two-dimensional gas chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry for nonpolar, polar, and volatile compounds have been established. The structural identification process was streamlined with an in-house developed computer-assisted structure identification platform, which facilitated the identification of novel compounds and also delivered semiquantitative concentrations for all compounds.

Impact of sample preparation upon intracellular metabolite measurements in 3D cell culture systems.

Introduction: Interest in cell culture metabolomics has increased greatly in recent years because of its many potential applications and advantages (e.g., in toxicology).

Aggregate dust particles at comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

Comets are thought to preserve almost pristine dust particles, thus providing a unique sample of the properties of the early solar nebula. The microscopic properties of this dust played a key part in particle aggregation during the formation of the Solar System. Cometary dust was previously considered to comprise irregular, fluffy agglomerates on the basis of interpretations of remote observations in the visible and infrared and the study of chondritic porous interplanetary dust particles that were thought, but not proved, to originate in comets.

Prediction Models of Retention Indices for Increased Confidence in Structural Elucidation during Complex Matrix Analysis: Application to Gas Chromatography Coupled with High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry.

Monitoring of volatile and semivolatile compounds was performed using gas chromatography (GC) coupled to high-resolution electron ionization mass spectrometry, using both headspace and liquid injection modes. A total of 560 reference compounds, including 8 odd n-alkanes, were analyzed and experimental linear retention indices (LRI) were determined. These reference compounds were randomly split into training (n = 401) and test (n = 151) sets.

Vertebral rotatory subluxation in degenerative scoliosis: facet joint tropism is related.

Study Design: A cross-sectional study.

Objective: To identify facet tropism as one of the possible risk factors leading to vertebral rotatory subluxation (VRS).

Summary Of Background Data: VRS has been considered as one of the prognostic factors for degenerative scoliosis.

The oral iron chelator deferasirox inhibits NF-κB mediated gene expression without impacting on proximal activation: implications for myelodysplasia and aplastic anaemia.

The myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of disorders characterized by ineffective haematopoiesis, bone marrow dysplasia and cytopenias. Failure of red cell production often results in transfusion dependency with subsequent iron loading requiring iron chelation in lower risk patients. Consistent with previous reports, we have observed haematopoietic improvement in a cohort of patients treated with the oral iron chelator deferasirox (DFX).

Quantitative autofluorescence and cell density maps of the human retinal pigment epithelium.

Purpose: Lipofuscin (LF) accumulation within RPE cells is considered pathogenic in AMD. To test whether LF contributes to RPE cell loss in aging and to provide a cellular basis for fundus autofluorescence (AF) we created maps of human RPE cell number and histologic AF.

Methods: Retinal pigment epithelium-Bruch's membrane flat mounts were prepared from 20 donor eyes (10 ≤ 51 and 10 > 80 years; postmortem: ≤4.

Unanticipated revision surgery in adult spinal deformity: an experience with 815 cases at one institution.

Study Design: Retrospective case series.

Objective: This study reviewed the overall prevalence and indications of revision surgical procedures for adult scoliosis in a single institution. In this largest single-institution series, revision surgery in adult scoliosis was required for a relatively low proportion of cases (7.

Is the sacro-femoral-pubic angle predictive for pelvic tilt in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients?

Study Design: This was a retrospective radiographic study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between pelvic tilt (PT) and the sacro-femoral-pubic angle (SFP angle) in AIS patients and to clarify whether the predictability of PT is affected by different curve patterns.

Summary Of Background Data: Pelvic retroversion is one of the compensatory mechanisms to maintain upright position and is also tied to health-related quality of life in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).

Catalytic regeneration of mercury sorbents.

Traditionally, mercury sorbents are disposed of in landfills, which may lead to contamination of soil and groundwater. In this work, the regeneration of activated carbon (AC) as a mercury sorbent was investigated. The decomposition of HgCl2 on the surface of pure AC was studied, as well as sorbent which has been treated with FeCl3 or NaCl.

Reaction kinetic model for a recent co-produced water treatment technology.

With the increasing demand for fossil based energy and implementation of progressively strict environmental pollution control standards, treatment of a large amount of co-produced waters (CPWs) from fossil based energy production has become increasingly important. Removal of bicarbonate with H2SO4 has been recently studied as a simple and cost-effective method to decrease the alkalinity of CPWs. The present work investigates the kinetics of the reaction between H2SO4 and NaHCO3, which could provide the base for scaling-up the CPW treatment technology.

Transverse minilaparotomy for open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

Introduction: Traditional open surgical repair for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a major procedure with a relatively high risk of perioperative morbidity. This article describes the results of minimally invasive open AAA repair through a transverse left upper quadrant minilaparotomy.

Methods: Between January 2007 and June 2010, 83 consecutive patients (77 men) underwent elective or urgent repair of a nonruptured AAA through a horizontal transperitoneal left upper quadrant minilaparotomy.

Pegfilgrastim to support CHOP-14 in elderly patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

This study investigated whether pegfilgrastim support would enable on-schedule delivery of dose-dense cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (CHOP-14) to elderly patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Thirty patients 60 years of age and older with aggressive NHL were evaluated after receiving up to six cycles of CHOP-14 supported with pegfilgrastim. The median age was 68 years (range 61 - 74).

Relapsed plasma cell leukaemia presenting with aggressive extramedullary plasmacytomas in the meninges and testis--a missed opportunity for induction CNS prophylaxis.

After initial treatment, a 54-year-old male with plasma cell leukaemia developed extramedullary relapse in the testis and meninges without evidence of bone marrow involvement. We postulate that the central nervous system (CNS) and testis may have served as sanctuary sites for the disease during initial treatment. A role for CNS prophylaxis in plasma cell leukaemia is suggested.