Electron paramagnetic resonance line shifts and line shape changes due to spin exchange of nitroxide free radicals in liquids. 7. Singly charged surfactant nitroxide.

EPR spectra of aqueous solutions of the singly charged surfactant nitroxide 4-[N,N-dimethyl-N-(ndodecyl) ammonium]-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyl-N-oxy bromide-d16 (DCAT12) are studied as functions of the molar concentration, c = 0.1-8 mM, and the temperature from 273 to 353 K. This concentration range is below the critical micelle concentration, cmc, at which DCAT12 forms micelles. Spin-spin broadening of the EPR lines averaged over the three lines is separated into contributions due to spin exchange, , and dipolar, , interactions yielding values of the fractional broadening by spin exchange, Omega(T), that vary from near unity at 353 K to approximately 50% at 273 K. This compares with a variation from unity to approximately 77% for a neutral spin probe perdeuterated 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-oxopiperidine-1-oxyl (PDT) over the same range. Unlike PDT and the Stokes-Einstein prediction, the broadening constant by spin exchange, d/dc, is not linear with T/eta, where eta is the shear viscosity, instead following a quadratic dependence. Nevertheless, d/dc is remarkably close to a hydrodynamic prediction using the Stokes-Einstein equation modified to take the spin probe charge into account. Compared with PDT, values of d/dc are decreased and d/dc increased at all temperatures, while the values of the re-encounter rate, tau(RE)(-1), deduced from line shifts, are reduced. Interestingly, values of d/dc, Omega(T), and tau(RE)(-1) are comparable for PDT and DCAT12 when compared at the same rotational diffusion rates.

Clinically silent cerebral ischemic events after cardiac surgery: their incidence, regional vascular occurrence, and procedural dependence.

BACKGROUND: The reported frequency of stroke after coronary artery bypass grafting varies between 1.5% and 6%, approaches 10% after aortic valve replacement, and may occur in between 40 to 70% in high-risk groups. Clinically silent infarction may be far more frequent and could contribute to long-term cognitive dysfunction in patients after cardiac procedures. Using diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging we document the occurrence, vascular distribution, and procedural dependence of silent infarction after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. We also document the association of preexisting white matter lesions with new postoperative ischemic lesions. METHODS: Thirty-four patients underwent T2-weighted fluid attenuated inversion recovery and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging before and after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass for coronary artery bypass grafting, aortic valve replacement, and mitral valve repair or replacement surgery. Images were evaluated by experienced neuroradiologists for number, size, and vascular distribution of lesions. RESULTS: Mean age of participants was 67 +/- 15 years. Imaging occurred before and 6 +/- 2 days after surgery. New cerebral infarctions were evident in 6 of 34 patients (18%), were often multiple, and in 67% of patients were clinically silent. The occurrence of new infarctions by surgical procedure was as follows: aortic valve replacement (2 of 6), coronary artery bypass grafting and aortic valve replacement (3 of 8), aortic valve replacement with root replacement (1 of 1), coronary artery bypass grafting and mitral valve repair or replacement (0 of 4), mitral valve repair or replacement (0 of 2), and isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (0 of 13). New infarction occurred in 6 of 15 (40%) of all procedures involving aortic valve replacement. The severity of preexisting white matter lesions trended toward predicting the occurrence of new lesions (p = 0.055). CONCLUSIONS: Diffusion-weighted imaging reveals new cerebral infarctions in nearly 40% of patients after aortic valve replacement.