Cephalopod-omics: Emerging Fields and Technologies in Cephalopod Biology.

Few animal groups can claim the level of wonder that cephalopods instill in the minds of researchers and the general public. Much of cephalopod biology, however, remains unexplored: the largest invertebrate brain, difficult husbandry conditions, and complex (meta-)genomes, among many other things, have hindered progress in addressing key questions. However, recent technological advancements in sequencing, imaging, and genetic manipulation have opened new avenues for exploring the biology of these extraordinary animals. The cephalopod molecular biology community is thus experiencing a large influx of researchers, emerging from different fields, accelerating the pace of research in this clade. In the first post-pandemic event at the Cephalopod International Advisory Council (CIAC) conference in April 2022, over 40 participants from all over the world met and discussed key challenges and perspectives for current cephalopod molecular biology and evolution. Our particular focus was on the fields of comparative and regulatory genomics, gene manipulation, single-cell transcriptomics, metagenomics, and microbial interactions. This article is a result of this joint effort, summarizing the latest insights from these emerging fields, their bottlenecks, and potential solutions. The article highlights the interdisciplinary nature of the cephalopod-omics community and provides an emphasis on continuous consolidation of efforts and collaboration in this rapidly evolving field.

Straightforward N-Acyl Homoserine Lactone Discovery and Annotation by LC-MS/MS-based Molecular Networking.

N-Acyl-l-homoserine lactones (AHLs) are a large family of signaling molecules in "quorum sensing" communication. This mechanism is present in a number of bacterial physiological phenomena, including pathogenic phenomena. In this study, we described a simple and accessible way to detect, annotate, and quantify these compounds from bacterial culture media. Analytical standards and ethyl acetate bacterial extracts containing AHLs were analyzed by an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography system coupled to a mass spectrometer using a nontargeted FullMS data-dependent MS2 method. The results were processed in MZmine2 and then analyzed by a Feature-Based Molecular Networking (FBMN) workflow in the Global Natural Products Social Networking (GNPS) platform for the discovery and annotation of known and unknown AHLs. Our group analyzed 31 AHL standards and included the MS2 spectra in the spectral library of the GNPS platform. We also provide the 31 standard AHL spectrum list for inclusion in molecular networking analyses. FBMN analysis annotated 30 out of 31 standards correctly. Then, as an example, a set of five bacterial extracts was prepared for AHL annotation. Following the method described in this Article, 5 known and 11 unknown AHLs were properly annotated using the FBMN-based molecular network approach. This study offers the possibility for the automatic annotation of known AHLs and the search for nonreferenced AHLs in bacterial extracts in a somewhat straightforward approach even without acquiring analytical standards. The method also provides relative quantification information.

Empleo del ecocardiograma transtorácico en salas de emergencias / Use of the transthoracic echocardiography in emergency rooms

RESUMEN Introducción: la ecocardiografía ha significado una de las más espectaculares revoluciones en el campo de las ciencias médicas de los últimos cien años. Objetivo: describir algunas indicaciones del ecocardiograma transtorácico en enfermos críticos así como de los cambios terapéuticos inducidos por su resultado. Métodos: se realizó un estudio descriptivo y transversal, entre el 1 de noviembre de 2018 hasta el 31 de enero de 2020 en los servicios de emergencia del Hospital Docente Clínico-Quirúrgico Joaquín Albarrán, en la provincia de La Habana, Cuba. El universo de estudio estuvo constituido por los pacientes (89 en total) que arribaron al servicio de emergencia con inestabilidad hemodinámica en el período señalado; a todos se les realizó un ecocardiograma transtorácico. Resultados: se realizaron 106 ecocardiogramas transtorácicos, y la mayor parte de los pacientes presentaron enfermedades clínicas. En el 100 % de los pacientes fue posible adquirir imágenes útiles para el diagnóstico. En promedio, fueron utilizadas 1,9±1 ventanas acústicas por pacientes; después de la realización del ecocardiograma se realizaron 44 modificaciones terapéuticas (41,5 %). Los cambios más importantes estuvieron relacionados con el aporte de fluidos y el uso de dobutamina. Conclusiones: el ecocardiograma transtorácico, en el contexto de la emergencia, puede ofrecer información clave que conlleve a cambios importantes en la terapéutica.

ABSTRACT Introduction: echocardiography has meant one of the most spectacular revolutions in the field of medical sciences in the last hundred years. Objective: to describe some indications of the transthoracic echocardiography in critically ill patients as well as the therapeutic changes induced by its result. Methods: a descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out between November 1, 2018 and January 31, 2020 in the emergency services at "Joaquín Albarrán" Clinical and Surgical Teaching Hospital, Havana province, Cuba. The study universe consisted of patients (89 in total) who arrived at the emergency service with hemodynamic instability in the indicated period; all underwent a transthoracic echocardiography. Results: 106 transthoracic echocardiograms were performed, and most of the patients had clinical diseases. It was possible to acquire useful images for the diagnosis in 100% of the patients. On average, 1.9 ± 1 acoustic windows were used per patient; 44 therapeutic modifications were made (41.5%) after performing the echocardiogram. The most important changes were related to fluid intake and the use of dobutamine. Conclusions: the transthoracic echocardiography, in the emergency context, can offer key information that leads to important changes in therapy.