Rectangular loop-gap resonator with the light access to the sample

A modified rectangular loop-gap resonator for X-band electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies of aqueous samples, enabling the light access, is described. Changes introduced into rectangular resonator geometry, previously presented in Piasecki et al. (1998) [1], and redesigned coupling structure lead to the better thermal and mechanical stability. The modified structure makes provision for the controlled light access to the sample placed in a flat cell during an EPR experiment. The sensitivity of the resonator for aqueous samples as well as an experimentally tested microwave magnetic field homogeneity are presented. Results of simulations and experimental tests indicate that the presence of light access holes in the resonator's front side does not disturb the uniformity of microwave magnetic field distribution in the nodal plane. The optimal flat cell thickness for unsaturable and saturable aqueous samples has been calculated for this new structure. A modified rectangular geometry of the loop-gap resonator ensures a good performance for aqueous samples allowing its convenient and efficient light illumination during EPR signal recording .     

Measurements and predictions of hooded crow (Corvus corone cornix) call propagation over open field habitats

In a study of hooded crow communication over open fields an excellent correspondence is found between the attenuation spectra predicted by a "turbulence-modified ground effect plus atmospheric absorption" model, and crow call attenuation data. Sound propagation predictions and background noise measurements are used to predict an optimal frequency range for communication ("sound communication window") from an average of crow call spectra predicted for every possible combination of the sender/receiver separations 300, 600, 900, and 1200 m and heights 3,6,9 m thereby creating a matrix assumed relevant to crow interterritorial communication. These predictions indicate an optimal frequency range for sound communication between 500 Hz and 2 kHz. Since this corresponds to the frequency range in which crow calls have their main energy and crow hearing in noise is particularly sensitive, it suggests a specific adaptation to the ground effect. Sound propagation predictions, together with background noise measurements and hearing data, are used to estimate the radius of the hooded crow active space. This is found to be roughly 1 km in moderately windy conditions. It is concluded that the propagation modeling of the sort introduced here could be used for assessing the impact of human noise on animal communication.     

Experimental investigation of the plasma-wall transition

We report on measurements of the ion velocity distribution as a function of distance to a target immersed in a magnetized argon plasma. Two situations are investigated: (a) practically the whole plasma streams onto a large target, and (b) the size of the target is significantly smaller than the plasma diameter. The Mach number M=u/c_{s} decreases from M=1 at the target surface to values around 0.5 at a typical scale of lambda_{a}=30 mm and lambda_{b}=5 mm, respectively. In order to explain these small decay lengths, the measurements of case (a) are compared with a source-diffusion model and those of (b) to Hutchinson's model. In (a) good agreement between modeling and experiment is obtained assuming a low neutral gas temperature. The data in (b) also agree excellently with modeled profiles, although the large fitting parameter D=20 m;{2}/s indicates that other processes than diffusion contribute significantly to the transport.     

The significance of anti-neuronal antibodies for acute psychiatric disorders: a retrospective case–controlled study

Background

The clinical significance of anti-neuronal antibodies in patients with psychiatric disorders, but without encephalitis, remains unknown. In patients admitted to acute psychiatric inpatient care we aimed to identify clinical features distinguishing anti-neuronal antibody positive patients from matched controls.

Results

Patients who were serum-positive to N-methyl d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) (n?=?21), contactin-associated protein 2 (CASPR2) (n?=?14) and/or glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65) (n?=?9) antibodies (cases) were age and sex matched (1:2) with serum-negative patients from the same cohort (controls). The prevalence and severity of psychiatric symptoms frequently encountered in NMDAR, CASPR2 and GAD65 antibody associated disorders were compared in cases and controls. NMDAR, CASPR2 and GAD65 antibody positive patients did not differ in their clinical presentation from matched serum negative controls.

Conclusion

In this cohort, patients with and without NMDAR, CASPR2 and GAD65 antibodies admitted to acute psychiatric inpatient care had similar psychiatric phenotypes. This does not exclude their clinical relevance in subgroups of patients, and studies further investigating the clinical significance of anti-neuronal antibodies in patients with psychiatric symptomatology are needed.

     

Atmospheric chemistry of CCl2FCH2CF3 (HCFC-234fb): Kinetics and mechanism of reactions with Cl atoms and OH radicals

The atmospheric chemistry of CCl₂FCH₂CF₃ (HFCF-234fb) was examined using FT-IR/relative-rate methods. Hydroxyl radical and chlorine atom rate coefficients of k(CCl₂FCH₂CF₃+OH)= (2.9 ± 0.8) × 10⁻¹⁵ cm³ molecule^–1 s^–1 and k(CCl₂FCH₂CF₃+Cl)= (2.3 ± 0.6) × 10⁻¹⁷ cm³ molecule^–1 s^–1 were determined at 297 ± 2 K. The OH rate coefficient determined here is two times higher than the previous literature value. The atmospheric lifetime for CCl₂FCH₂CF₃ with respect to reaction with OH radicals is approximately 21 years using the OH rate coefficient determined in this work, estimated Arrhenius parameters and scaling it to the atmospheric lifetime of CH₃CCl₃. The chlorine atom initiated oxidation of CCl₂FCH₂CF₃ gives C(O)F₂ and C(O)ClF as stable secondary products. The halogenated carbon balance is close to 80% in our system. The integrated IR absorption cross-section for CCl₂FCH₂CF₃ is 1.87 × 10⁻¹⁶ cm molecule⁻¹ (600–1600 cm⁻¹) and the radiative efficiency was calculated to 0.26 W m⁻² ppb¹. A 100-year Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 1460 was determined, accounting for an estimated stratospheric lifetime of 58 years and using a lifetime-corrected radiative efficiency estimation.