The paper reports complementary studies of the order parameter of the newly discovered iron-based superconductor, KCa
2
Fe
4
As
4
F
2
(
T
c
= 34 K), that consists of alternating blocks of KFe
2
As
2
...(122) phase and CaFeAsF (1111) phase. We performed high-resolution intrinsic multiple Andreev reflection spectroscopy supplemented with self-field critical current measurements. Andreev spectra obtained by means of a break-junction technique reveal two distinct superconducting order parameters Δ
L
and Δ
S
. Their temperature dependencies were measured from 1.5 K to
T
c
. The shapes of Andreev reflections dips, corresponding to the two gaps are symmetrical, which is a signature of
s
-wave order parameter. Temperature dependence of the self-field critical current can also be described by two
s
-wave gaps model.
Multiband superconductivity in KCa2Fe4As4F2 Sadakov, A. V; Gippius, A. A; Daniyarkhodzhaev, A. T ...
Pisʹma v žurnal êksperimentalʹnoj i teoretičeskoj fiziki,
12/2024, Letnik:
119, Številka:
1-2
Journal Article
Objectives.
A set of immune markers reflecting different branches of multicomponent inflammatory reactions were assessed in mild cognitive impairment syndrome of the amnestic type (aMCI) in ...comparison with patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). A total of 67 patients aged 72 63; 77 years with aMCI and 91 patients aged 74 68; 79 years with AD were investigated. aMCI was diagnosed in accordance with the Petersen et al. (1999) criteria and the Dubois et al. (2014) criteria. Diagnoses of AD were made on the basis of ICD-10 and NINCDS-ADRDA criteria. The severity of dementia was determined on the basis of clinical signs using the CDR (Clinical Dementia Rating) scales and total Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores. The control group consisted of 38 subjects with age and gender comparable to those of the study groups. Immunobiochemical investigations were performed using plasma. Leukocyte elastase (LE) and α1-proteinase inhibitor (α1-PI) activities were estimated spectrophotometrically and interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured using an immunoenzyme method.
Results.
A significant decrease in LE activity was seen in the AD group (
p
< 0.0001), along with increases in the activity/ levels of acute-phase proteins (α1-PI and CRP) and IL-6 (
p
< 0.0001,
p
< 0.05, and
p
< 0.01, respectively). Clinical-biochemical correlations were found between CDR, MMSE, and LE activity (
r
= –0.38,
r
= 0.31,
p
< 0.05), i.e., the more severe the cognitive decline in the state of dementia, as reflected in the MMSE and clinical symptoms, the lower the level of LE activity. Among patients with aMCI, there were significant increases in the activity/levels of α1-PI and IL-6 (
p
< 0.0001,
p
< 0.01), while only 30% of patients showed the spectrum of inflammatory markers typical of patients with AD.
Conclusions.
The results of this comparative analysis of the spectrum of inflammatory markers in patients with aMCI and AD suggest that about a third of aMCI patients constitute a group at extremely high risk of developing AD and require follow-up with regular assessment of the state of cognitive functions and, perhaps, of preventive therapy.
In this work the influence of high concentration of antibodies to NGF on mouse's progeny has been investigated. During immunization with NGF the highest concentrations of antibodies were created in ...the first and third days of pregnancy (in different groups of animals). The dependence of abnormalities of mice postnatal development on level of antibodies to NGF at different stages of early embryogenesis has been established. Increasing of abnormalities in the formation of early behavioral acts and more clinically apparent anomalies in the somatic maturation in case of maximum of antibodies on day I of pregnancy has been showed. Immune responses to NGF during early embryogenesis of mice cause lag in the formation of behavioral acts. The latter are characterized by difficulties in sensor-motor coordination of the limbs and more clinically apparent in mice with a maximum of antibodies on day 1 of embryonic development. Infantilism in developing of contacts between progeny and mothers detected in mice with immune reactions may be a sign of serious mental dysontogenesis. The accelerated development of working memory established in mice with immune response to NGF requires further study of the development of cognitive abilities in these animals. The obtained results illustrate the important regulatory role of NGF at the early stages of development of the nervous system.
The relationship between MRI-parameters of frontal lobes and levels of autoantibodies to nerve growth factor (Aab-NGF) in the blood serum of patients with schizophrenia and their relatives was ...studied. The negative correlation between the Aab-NGF level and the total volume of frontal lobes (r= -0,59; p<0,01) was found in the group of patients. No significant correlations were found in the control groups of healthy subjects without family history of schizophrenia and relatives of patients. The authors concede that Aab-NGF may play a substantial role in the development of neuromorphological changes in schizophrenia.
To determine a complex of immune markers reflecting various links of multicomponent inflammatory reactions in amnestic type of mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) in comparison with Alzheimer's disease ...(AD).
Sixty-seven patients with aMCI, aged 72 63; 77 years, and 91 patients with Alzheimer's disease at the age of 74 68; 79 years were examined. The aMCI was diagnosed according to the criteria of R.S. Petersen et al. (1999) and B. Dubois et al. (2014). The diagnosis of AD was established in accordance with the ICD-10 and NINCDS-ADRDA criteria. The degree of dementia severity was determined by clinical signs using the CDR (Clinical Dementia Rating) and the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) total score. The control group included 38 age- and sex-matched individuals. Immune and biochemical parameters were determined in blood plasma. The activity of LE and α1-PI was determined by spectrophotometric method. Concentrations of IL-6 and CRP were measured by enzyme immunoassay.
AD was characterized by the significant decrease in LE activity (p<0.0001) and increase in the activity/levels of α1-PI, CRP and IL-6 (p<0.001; p<0.05; p<0.01, respectively) compared to controls. CDR and MMSE scores were correlated with the LE activity (r=-0.38, r=0.31, p<0.05), i.e. cognitive decline was associated with decreased activity of LE. aMCI was characterized by the significant increase in the activity/level of α1-PI and IL-6 (p<0.0001; p<0.01). In 30% of patients with aMCI, a spectrum of inflammatory markers, typical for patients with AD, was determined.
Based on the results of comparative analysis of aMCI and AD, one can suggest that one third of patients with aMCI represents a group of ultra-high risk of AD. These patients need a dynamic follow-up with a regular assessment of the state of cognitive functions and possibly preventive therapy.
To compare clinical and immunological parameters in children with schizophrenia and to analyze the possibility of using them in the assessment of the pathological process activity.
We examined 62 ...patients, 39 boys and 23 girls, aged from 4 to 17 years, with childhood-onset schizophrenia. Mental state of the patients was assessed using a psychopathological method and with PANSS and CGI scales. The activity of leukocyte elastase (LE) and alpha(1)-proteinase inhibitor (α1-PI) was measured by spectrophotometric method. ELISA was used to determine the level of autoantibodies to neuroantigenes to S-100B and basic myelin protein.
The activation of innate immunity assessed by the activity of LE and α1-PI and adaptive immunity (levels of autoantibodies to neuroantigenes to S-100B and basic myelin protein) was identified. Significant correlations of the level of immune system activation with the severity of patient's state on СGI-S (r=0.64, p=0.000001) as well as scores on the PANSS negative symptom subscale (r=0.34, p=0.0077) were found. The results suggest the possibility of using these immunological parameters for the objectification of clinical state of children with schizophrenia.
To study the possibility of using immunological parameters for the evaluation of the activity of endogenous process in depression and quality of response to psychopharmacotherapy.
Authors examined 42 ...patients, aged 20-55 years, with the prevalence of anxiety (n = 22) or apathy (n = 20) in the clinical picture of depression. The following immunological parameters were measured in the blood of the patients: degranulation activity of leukocyte elastase (LE), functional activity of alpha-1-proteinase inhibitor (alpha-1-PI); the level of autoantibodies to neuroantigen S-100B and myelin basic protein.
The involvement of inflammatory and autoimmune responses in the pathophysiology of endogenous depression was confirmed. Depression associated with increased levels of autoantibodies to brain neuroantigens (an autoimmune component) had a more complicated structure and showed the tendency to prolonged course and resistance to the therapy. The results suggest that some immunological parameters may be used as markers of patient's clinical status and quality and completeness of psychopathological symptom reduction.
The current problem of heterogeneity of psychotic types of autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) is reviewed. The authors present results of a multidiscipline psychopathological, pathopsychological, ...neurophysiological and immunological examination of 87 patients, aged from 3 to 14 years, with psychotic types of ASD: childhood psychosis (CP) and atypical childhood psychosis (ACP). Significant differences in clinical presentations of CP and ACP that were correlated with pathopsychological, neurophysiological and immunological disorders were found. These findings support different nosological entities of these types of ASD.
