Immunoadsorption of agonistic autoantibodies against α1-adrenergic receptors in patients with mild to moderate dementia

Dementia has been shown to be associated with agonistic autoantibodies. The deleterious action of autoantibodies on the {alpha}1-adrenergic receptor for brain vasculature has been demonstrated in animal studies. In the current study, 169 patients with dementia were screened for the presence of agonistic autoantibodies. 47% of patients suffering from mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease and/or vascular dementia carried these autoantibodies. Eight patients positive for autoantibodies underwent immunoadsorption. Patients treated on four consecutive days were subsequently negative for autoantibodies and displayed stabilization of cognitive and mental condition during 12-18 months' follow-up. In patients treated for 2-3 days, autoantibodies were reduced by only 78%. They suffered a rebound of autoantibodies during follow-up, benefited from immunoadsorption too, but their mental parameters worsened. We provide first data on the clinical relevance of agonistic autoantibodies in dementia and show that immunoadsorption is safe and efficient in removing autoantibodies with overall benefits for patients

Phonon Properties of Knbo3 and Ktao3 from First-Principles Calculations

The frequencies of transverse-optical $\Gamma$ phonons in KNbO$_3$ and KTaO$_3$ are calculated in the frozen-phonon scheme making use of the full-potential linearized muffin-tin orbital method. The calculated frequencies in the cubic phase of KNbO$_3$ and in the tetragonal ferroelectric phase are in good agreement with experimental data. For KTaO$_3$, the effect of lattice volume was found to be substantial on the frequency of the soft mode, but rather small on the relative displacement patterns of atoms in all three modes of the $T_{1u}$ symmetry. The TO frequencies in KTaO$_3$ are found to be of the order of, but somehow higher than, the corresponding frequencies in cubic KNbO$_3$.Comment: 8 pages + 1 LaTeX figure, Revtex 3.0, SISSA-CM-94-00

Efficacy of five ‘sporicidal’ surface disinfectants against Clostridioides difficile spores in suspension tests and 4-field tests

Background: A sporicidal surface disinfection is recommended both for the outbreak and the endemic setting but a comparative evaluation on the efficacy of ‘sporicidal’ surface disinfectants using suspension tests and 4-field tests has not been performed. Aim: To determine the efficacy of five ‘sporicidal’ surface disinfectants (three ready-to-use wipes (A, B, E), two concentrates (C, D) based on peroxides or aldehydes against C. difficile spores. Methods: The efficacy was determined under clean conditions using a suspension test and the 4-field test. Each test was performed in duplicate in two separate laboratories. Wipes were wrung to collect the solution for the suspension tests. Results: Product A (peracetic acid; 5 min), product C (peracetic acid; 2% solution in 15 min or 1% solution in 30 min) and product D (peracetic acid; only 2% solution in 15 min) were effective with at least a 4 log10-reduction of C. difficile spores in suspension and on surfaces. Product B (hydrogen peroxide) was not effective in suspension (0.9 log10 after 15 min; 3.2 log10 after 1 h) and on surfaces (2.8 log10 after 15 and 60 min). Product E based on glutaraldehyde, (ethylendioxy)dimethanol and DDAC demonstrated 0.9 log10 after 4 h in suspension and 4.5 log10 after 4 h on surfaces. Conclusions: Not all surface disinfectants with a sporicidal claim were effective against C. difficile spores in standardized suspension tests and in the 4-field test. In clinical practice preference should be given to products that reliably pass the efficacy criteria of both types of tests.Peer Reviewe

The vibrational spectrum of CaCO3 aragonite: A combined experimental and quantum-mechanical investigation

The vibrational properties of CaCO3 aragonite have been investigated both theoretically, by using a quantum mechanical approach (all electron Gaussian type basis set and B3LYP HF-DFT hybrid functional, as implemented in the CRYSTAL code) and experimentally, by collecting polarized infrared (IR) reflectance and Raman spectra. The combined use of theory and experiment permits on the one hand to analyze the many subtle features of the measured spectra, on the other hand to evidentiate limits and deficiencies of both approaches. The full set of TO and LO IR active modes, their intensities, the dielectric tensor (in its static and high frequency components), and the optical indices have been determined, as well as the Raman frequencies. Tools such as isotopic substitution and graphical animation of the modes are available, that complement the analysis of the spectrum

Advanced RF Reflective Metal Mesh for High Frequency Deployable Reflector Antennas

Microwave Earth Observation instruments such as radiometers, SAR, altimeters and atmospheric radars are more and more required to combine a large RF radiating aperture and a high frequency operation, typically up to Ka-band. The large deployable reflector antenna (LDRA) is an excellent solution to meet this combined requirement because it is lightweight and low loss. Furthermore, it exhibits a high packing ratio and can be deployed once in orbit. The LDRA comprises several elements among which the RF reflective metal mesh, as part of the reflector RF surface, is considered as a key element. Indeed, the electrical, mechanical, thermo-mechanical, and thermo-optical properties of the mesh have a direct impact on the performance of the microwave instruments. Metal mesh material is, in general warp knitted, textile fabric to achieve good elastic properties while having a high density of wire required by the RF reflectivity at Ka-band. Several types of warp knitted mesh have been manufactured and characterized from both RF and mechanical point of view. The paper gives an overview of the typical mesh requirement needed for Ka-band applications. Then the paper details the different challenges to produce a high frequency RF reflective mesh and to characterize it. It also gives a brief description of the mesh patterns that have been produced and characterized. Finally, the RF and mechanical characterization measurement results of the best performing meshes are presented