The Impact of Different Drying Methods on the Metabolomic and Lipidomic Profiles of Arthrospira platensis.

Drying is an inseparable part of industrial microalgae production. In this work, the impacts of eight different drying methods on the metabolome and lipidome of Arthrospira platensis were investigated. The studied drying methods were freeze drying (FD), sun drying (SD), air drying at 40 and 75 °C (AD' and AD″), infrared drying at 40 and 75 °C (IRD' and IRD″), and vacuum drying at 40 and 75 °C (VD' and VD″). Results gathered by reversed-phase liquid chromatography separation coupled with high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization (RP-LC-ESI-Orbitrap HRMS/MS) analysis allowed researchers to identify a total of 316 metabolites (including lipids) in aqueous and ethanolic extracts. The compounds identified in ethanolic extracts were mainly lipids, such as neutral and polar lipids, chlorophylls and carotenoids, while the compounds identified in the aqueous extracts were mainly amino acids and dipeptides. Among the identified compounds, products of enzymatic and chemical degradation, such as pyropheophytins, monoacylglycerols and lysophosphatidylcholines were also identified and their amounts depended on the drying method. The results showed that except for FD method, recognized as a control, the most protective method was AD'. Contrary to this, VD' and VD″, under the conditions used, promoted the most intense degradation of valuable metabolites.

Predictors of good functional outcome in ischaemic stroke patients without delayed neurological improvement after mechanical thrombectomy.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to identify predictors of 90-day good functional outcome (GFO) in patients with acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) who were treated with mechanical thrombectomy but did not achieve a delayed neurological improvement (DNI). CLINICAL RATIONALE FOR THE STUDY: In-hospital neurological improvement in patients with AIS is consistently associated with long- -term GFO. Patients who experience neither early nor delayed neurological improvement can still achieve long-term GFO, but predictors of such an outcome have not been studied. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This single-centre retrospective study involved 307 patients with anterior circulation AIS treated with mechanical thrombectomy. Multiple clinical, biochemical, radiological, and treatment-related variables were collected and analysed. DNI on day 7 was defined as at least a 10-point reduction in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score or NIHSS score < 2. GFO on day 90 was defined as a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score ≤ 2. We compared the characteristics of patients with and without DNI, with special attention paid to patients who achieved 90-GFO despite a lack of DNI. Multivariate analyses were then performed to establish independent predictors of 90-day GFO among patients without DNI. RESULTS: DNI occurred in 150 out of 307 patients (48.7%) and significantly increased the odds for 90-day GFO (odds ratio [OR]: 13.99; p < 0.001). Among patients without DNI, 41.4% achieved 90-day GFO. Younger age (OR: 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.93-0.99; p = 0.008), lower baseline NIHSS score (OR: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.73-0.89; p < 0.001), treatment with intravenous thrombolysis (OR: 3.06; 95% CI: 1.25-7.49; p = 0.014), lack of an undetermined aetiology (OR: 0.40; 95% CI: 0.16-0.998; p = 0.050), lack of pneumonia (OR: 0.08; 95% CI: 0.02-0.31; p < 0.001), and higher haemoglobin concentration on admission (OR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.04-1.69; p = 0.024) were identified as predictors of 90-day GFO in this subgroup. CONCLUSION: Almost half of patients with AIS in anterior circulation treated with mechanical thrombectomy experience DNI, which is a good predictor of 90-day GFO. Furthermore, 40% of patients without DNI achieve 90-day GFO which can be independently predicted by younger age, lower baseline NIHSS score, treatment with intravenous thrombolysis, higher haemoglobin concentration on admission, lack of undetermined ischaemic stroke aetiology, and lack of pneumonia.

Factors determining the fluctuation of fluoride concentrations in PM10 aerosols in the urbanized coastal area of the Baltic Sea (Gdynia, Poland).

Fluoride concentrations were determined in PM10 samples collected in the urbanized coastal area of the Baltic Sea (Gdynia) in the period between 1 August 2008 and 8 January 2010. F(-) concentrations remained within the range of 0.4-36.6 ng · m(-3). The economic transformations which have taken place in Poland increasing ecological awareness have had an excellent effect on the levels of fluoride pollution in the air of the studied region. In our measurements, fluoride concentrations increased in wintertime, when air temperature dropped, at low wind speeds (<1 m · s(-1)) and with low dispersion of pollutants originating from local sources (traffic, industry, domestic heating). At times when wind speed grew to >10 m · s(-1), fluorides were related to marine aerosols or else brought from distant sources. Apart from wind speed and air temperature, other significant meteorological parameters which determined the variability of F(-) turned out to be air humidity and precipitation volume. Aerosols were washed out effectively, even with small precipitation (h = 4 mm), and if a dry period lasted for several days, their concentrations grew rapidly to over 30.0 ng · m(-3).