Thermal Properties of Zeolite-Containing Composites

A zeolite (mordenite)–pore–phenol resin composite and a zeolite–pore–shirasu glass composite were fabricated by hot-pressing. Their thermal conductivities were measured by a laser flash method to determine the thermal conductivity of the monolithic zeolite with the proposed mixing rule. The analysis using composites is useful for a zeolite powder with no sinterability to clarify its thermal properties. At a low porosity <20%, the thermal conductivity of the composite was in excellent agreement with the calculated value for the structure with phenol resin or shirasu glass continuous phase. At a higher porosity above 40%, the measured value approached the calculated value for the structure with pore continuous phase. The thermal conductivity of the monolithic mordenite was evaluated to be 3.63 W/mK and 1.70–2.07 W/mK at room temperature for the zeolite–pore–phenol resin composite and the zeolite–pore–shirasu glass composite, respectively. The analyzed thermal conductivities of monolithic mordenite showed a minimum value of 1.23 W/mK at 400 °C and increased to 2.51 W/mK at 800 °C

FR255734, a Humanized, Fc-Silent, Anti-CD28 Antibody, Improves Psoriasis in the SCID Mouse-Psoriasis Xenograft Model

In psoriasis, CD28/B7 costimulatory molecules are well characterized. Here, using the severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mouse-psoriasis xenograft model, we report therapeutic efficacy of a humanized anti-CD28 monoclonal antibody (FR255734; Astellas Pharmaceuticals Inc., Tokyo, Japan). Transplanted psoriasis plaques on the SCID mouse were treated weekly for 4 weeks with intraperitoneal injections of FR255734 at 10, 3, and 1-mgkg−1 doses. Groups treated with doses of 10 and 3mgkg−1had significant thinning of the epidermis and reduced HLA-DR-positive lymphocytic infiltrates. The length of the rete pegs changed from 415.2±59.6 to 231.4±40.4μm (P<0.005) in the 10-mgkg−1 group, and from 323.4±69.6 to 237.5±73.6μm in the 3-mgkg−1 group (P=0.002). Positive controls treated with CTLA4-Ig and cyclosporine had significant histological improvement, whereas plaques treated with saline and isotype controls (human and mouse IgG2) remained unchanged. In vitro studies have shown that FR255734 effectively blocked T-cell proliferation and proinflammatory cytokine production. These observations warrant studies to evaluate the efficacy of FR255734 in human autoimmune diseases