Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on well-being and quality of life of patients with alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency

Background Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is a genetic disorder characterized by mutations in the SERPINA1 gene, primarily affecting the lungs and liver. The COVID-19 pandemic has raised questions about the susceptibility of individuals with AATD to COVID-19 and whether patients with rare lung disease might experience increased stressrelated symptoms and mental health challenges. This study aims to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the quality of life of individuals living with AATD. Methods The study enrolled participants from the German registry for individuals with AATD. Questionnaires were sent to the 1250 participants, and a total of 358 patients were included in the analysis. The primary objective was to examine the influence of sociodemographic and disease-related factors on the occurrence of stress-related symptoms. This was accomplished through correlation and regression analyses. We also investigated the role of baseline quality of life (QoL), as measured by the St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), as a mediator of this relationship. Results Stress-related symptoms were predicted by young age, female gender, psychological disorders, and a history of exacerbations of lung disease, as determined by multiple regression analysis. QoL as measured by the SGRQ mediated the relationship between poor lung function, stress, and a decline in overall well-being. Conclusion The presented data demonstrate that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly affects the psychological well-being of patients with rare diseases, leading to increased levels of anxiety and stress. Disease-related factors can exacerbate stress manifestations, especially when compounded by sociodemographic and contextual factors. Thus, our study emphasizes the crucial role of taking these factors into account when managing individuals with AATD in pandemic situations

Vibrationally and Rotationally Inelastic Scattering of Methane from Ni(111)

This thesis presents a quantum-state-resolved molecular beam study of the non-reactive scattering of methane (CH4) from a Ni(111) surface. It is one of the first experimental investigations in which the internal quantum state distribution of a polyatomic molecule is measured after surface scattering. The quantum state populations of scattered CH4 were probed by selective rovibrational excitation using a high-power continuous-wave (cw) infrared (IR) laser in combination with a cryogenic bolometer. This technique is introduced as Bolometric detection with Infrared Laser Tagging (BILT) and its experimental realization is described in detail. Example data illustrates the capabilities and the performance of the method. Scattering experiments were conducted in a near-specular geometry at grazing incidence 65°) and exit angles (70°). The surface temperature was in all cases 673 K. Two aspects of the scattering dynamics of CH4 at Ni(111) were investigated. First, the fate of initial vibrational energy in the gas-surface encounter between CH4 and Ni(111) was studied in a state-to-state scattering experiment. Here, incident CH4 was prepared with one quantum of the anti-symmetric C-H stretch vibration (v3) and in rotational state J=1 by coherent IR pumping. The results include the first observation of vibrational energy redistribution in the direct scattering of a molecule from a surface. Specifically, a portion of the CH4 molecules, which were initially in the v3 state, were detected in the symmetric C-H stretch state (v1) after scattering. The probability for this vibrationally inelastic process is about 40% compared to the vibrationally elastic process in which CH4 remains in the initially prepared v3 state. This branching ratio is insensitive to changes in incidence kinetic energy in the range 100-370 meV. Rotational excitation is in all cases significant, where molecules that underwent v3-to-v1 conversion carry away an increased amount of rotational energy. The results are discussed in the context of previously observed mode-specific reactivity in this gas-surface system. Second, the rotational excitation of scattered CH4 in its vibrational ground state was investigated. The scattering is likewise direct and the final rotational state distributions are non-Boltzmann, revealing a propensity for scattering into low-J states. Extended analysis of the rotational-state-resolved angular distributions and the Doppler-broadened absorption profiles suggest that, at low incidence kinetic energies, rotational excitation is dominated by energy transfer from the surface, i.e. phonon annihilation. This conclusion is supported by classical scattering simulations, which recover the rotational excitation at low incidence kinetic energies. However, they strongly overestimate the efficiency of translational-to-rotational energy transfer. The highly detailed scattering data obtained in this work can serve as stringent test of multi-dimensional dynamical models of this prototypical gas-surface reaction, thereby paving the way toward a predictive understanding of heterogeneous catalysis. This work also proves that BILT detection using state-of-the-art IR light sources is sufficiently sensitive to enable state-to-state surface scattering experiments on polyatomic molecules, opening the possibility to study their dynamics at surfaces with unprecedented detail

Shaft sealing technology for centrifugal compressors and Turboexpanders: Dry Gas Seal Function, Arrangements, Types and Major Parts and Separation Seals

Short Cours

State-to-state methane-surface scattering as a probe of catalytic activity

Quantum state-resolved scattering experiments for methane molecules colliding with a catalytically active nickel surface are compared to scattering from a nickel surface passivated by a single layer of graphene. The vibrational state distribution of the scattered methane is observed to differ dramatically for the two surfaces. Quantum-mechanical inelastic scattering calculations show that these differences are related to the catalytic activity of the surface impact site. Our results demonstrate how inelastic scattering can be used to probe the reactive potential-energy surfaces of molecule-metal systems important to heterogeneous catalysis

Shaft sealing technology for centrifugal compressors and Turboexpanders: Dry Gas Seal Function, Arrangements, Types and Major Parts and Separation Seals

Short Cours

Coaxial Barrier Seal Operated As A Separation Seal In A Pipeline Compressor

Case StudyThis presentation will provide details of the first application of a coaxial Barrier Seal in a pipeline compressor

Vibrational Energy Redistribution in a Gas-Surface Encounter: State-to-State Scattering of CH4 from Ni(111)

The fate of vibrational energy in the collision of methane (CH4) in its antisymmetric C-H stretch vibration (ν3) with a Ni(111) surface has been studied in a state-to-state scattering experiment. Laser excitation in the incident molecular beam prepared the J 1⁄4 1 rotational state of ν3, and a bolometer in combination with selective laser excitation detected the scattered methane. The rovibrationally resolved scattering distributions reveal very efficient vibrational energy redistribution from ν3 to the symmetric C-H stretch vibration (ν1). The branching ratio ν1=ν3 is near 0.4 and insensitive to changes in incident kinetic energy in the range from 100 to 370 meV. State-resolved angular distributions and measurements of the residual Doppler linewidths prove that the scattering is direct. The observed vibrationally inelastic scattering provides direct experimental evidence for surface-induced vibrational energy redistribution

IgG seroprevalence of COVID-19 among people living with HIV or at high risk of HIV in south-west Germany: A seroprevalence study

Objectives: Seroprevalence studies of SARS-CoV-2 have shown that there is a high number of undiagnosed missing cases. Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in people living with HIV (PLWH) is lacking. Therefore, we conducted a prospective cross-sectional study to estimate the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among PLWH without known diagnosis of COVID-19 in the south-west of Germany. Methods: Serological testing for SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies based on two assays was performed in PLWH who visited the outpatient HIV centre of two hospitals from April to June 2020. Additionally, patients had to answer questionnaires about possible COVID-19-related symptoms and predefined risk factors. Moreover, we tested 50 non-HIV-infected patients receiving post- or pre-exposure (PEP/PrEP) HIV prophylaxis. Results: In all, 594 (488 male, 106 female) PLWH (median age 51 years) and 50 PEP/PrEP-users were included in the study. The estimated seroprevalence of the PLWH cohort was 1.85% (11/594), with 11 positive tested cases in the cohort. Among all patients, only five had COVID-19-related symptoms. One PCRpositive patient did not show any antibody response in repeatedly carried out tests. None of the patients was hospitalized due to COVID-19. Three PrEP users were tested positive. Three patients had been previously diagnosed with SARSCOV-2 infection before inclusion. The used questionnaire did not help to detect SARS-CoV-2 positive patients. Conclusions: Despite the limitation of being only a snapshot in time because of the ongoing pandemic, to our knowledge this is the largest study so far on seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in PLWH in Germany. Our study suggests that the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in PLWH is comparable to those previously reported for parts of the general German population and that the questionnaire used here might not be the best tool to predict COVID-19 diagnosis

Thermal properties of AlN-based atom chips

We have studied the thermal properties of atom chips consisting o high thermal conductivity Aluminum Nitride (AlN) substrates on which gold microwires are directly deposited. We have measured the heating of wires of several widths and with different thermal couplings to the copper mount holding the chip. The results are in good agreement with a theoretical model where the copper mount is treated as a heat sink and the thermal interface resistance between the wire and the substrate is vanishing. We give analytical formulas describing the different transient heating regimes and the steady state. We identify criteria to optimize the design of a chip as well as the maximal currents $I_c$ that can be fed in the wires. For a 600 $\mu$m thick-chip glued on a copper block with Epotek H77, we find $I_c=16$ A for a 3 $\mu$m high, 200 $\mu$m wide-wire

Global, regional, and national burden of chronic kidney disease, 1990–2017 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017

Background Health system planning requires careful assessment of chronic kidney disease (CKD) epidemiology, but data for morbidity and mortality of this disease are scarce or non-existent in many countries. We estimated the global, regional, and national burden of CKD, as well as the burden of cardiovascular disease and gout attributable to impaired kidney function, for the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2017. We use the term CKD to refer to the morbidity and mortality that can be directly attributed to all stages of CKD, and we use the term impaired kidney function to refer to the additional risk of CKD from cardiovascular disease and gout. Methods The main data sources we used were published literature, vital registration systems, end-stage kidney disease registries, and household surveys. Estimates of CKD burden were produced using a Cause of Death Ensemble model and a Bayesian meta-regression analytical tool, and included incidence, prevalence, years lived with disability, mortality, years of life lost, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs). A comparative risk assessment approach was used to estimate the proportion of cardiovascular diseases and gout burden attributable to impaired kidney function. Findings Globally, in 2017, 1·2 million (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 1·2 to 1·3) people died from CKD. The global all-age mortality rate from CKD increased 41·5% (95% UI 35·2 to 46·5) between 1990 and 2017, although there was no significant change in the age-standardised mortality rate (2·8%, −1·5 to 6·3). In 2017, 697·5 million (95% UI 649·2 to 752·0) cases of all-stage CKD were recorded, for a global prevalence of 9·1% (8·5 to 9·8). The global all-age prevalence of CKD increased 29·3% (95% UI 26·4 to 32·6) since 1990, whereas the age-standardised prevalence remained stable (1·2%, −1·1 to 3·5). CKD resulted in 35·8 million (95% UI 33·7 to 38·0) DALYs in 2017, with diabetic nephropathy accounting for almost a third of DALYs. Most of the burden of CKD was concentrated in the three lowest quintiles of Socio-demographic Index (SDI). In several regions, particularly Oceania, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America, the burden of CKD was much higher than expected for the level of development, whereas the disease burden in western, eastern, and central sub-Saharan Africa, east Asia, south Asia, central and eastern Europe, Australasia, and western Europe was lower than expected. 1·4 million (95% UI 1·2 to 1·6) cardiovascular disease-related deaths and 25·3 million (22·2 to 28·9) cardiovascular disease DALYs were attributable to impaired kidney function. Interpretation Kidney disease has a major effect on global health, both as a direct cause of global morbidity and mortality and as an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. CKD is largely preventable and treatable and deserves greater attention in global health policy decision making, particularly in locations with low and middle SDI