Prognostic Value of Ceramide Dynamics in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome.

A dynamic study of ceramide concentrations and their association with recurrent event risk could enhance our understanding of cardiovascular complications. To assess the prognostic value of ceramide concentrations (Cer(d18:1/16:0), Cer(d18:1/18:0), Cer(d18:1/24:1), Cer(d18:1/24:0)) and their dynamics in combination with standard clinical and laboratory parameters and therapeutic interventions in ACS patients. Among 110 ACS patients, triple blood sampling was performed for targeted lipidomic analysis using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

First Measurement of a Long-Lived π^{+}π^{-} Atom Lifetime.

The adapted DIRAC experiment at the CERN PS accelerator observed for the first time long-lived hydrogenlike π^{+}π^{-} atoms, produced by protons hitting a beryllium target. A part of these atoms crossed the gap of 96 mm between the target and a 2.1  μm thick platinum foil, in which most of them dissociated.

Observation of π^{-}K^{+} and π^{+}K^{-} Atoms.

The observation of hydrogenlike πK atoms, consisting of π^{-}K^{+} or π^{+}K^{-} mesons, is presented. The atoms are produced by 24  GeV/c protons from the CERN PS accelerator, interacting with platinum or nickel foil targets. The breakup (ionization) of πK atoms in the same targets yields characteristic πK pairs, called "atomic pairs," with small relative momenta Q in the pair center-of-mass system.