ABSTRACT
Vaccination is the primary public health strategy to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. Although solid tumor and hematologic patients are at higher risk of serious COVID-19-related complications, data on immune responses to COVID-19 vaccines in this patient cohort are particularly scarce. The present study, therefore, aimed at the standardized determination of anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike protein antibody titers among non-vaccinated versus vaccinated solid tumor and hematologic patients who are under clinical observation or under treatment at the University Hospital Krems. Standardized anti-SARS-CoV-2 S antibody titers of a total of 441 patients were retrospectively analyzed. Our results show that antibody titers against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein are significantly higher in solid tumor versus hematologic patients. While SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers were equal among sexes, an age-dependent decrease was observed. Of note, our studies additionally show that complete vaccination represents a valuable predictor for high anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses in solid tumor and hematologic patients. In summary, to date, this is one of the largest studies to comprehensively evaluate the impact of various COVID-19 vaccines on anti-SARS-CoV-2 S antibody production in solid tumor and hematologic patients. Our findings aim to support future vaccination strategies in these highly vulnerable patients, including vaccination booster programs and alternative protective approaches.
ABSTRACT
A newly developed polychromatic beam neutron reflectometer CANDOR (Chromatic Analysis Neutron Diffractometer Or Reflectometer) on NG-1 at the NIST Center for Neutron research (NCNR) utilizes a wavelength-sensitive neutron detector consisting of 324 analyzing highly-oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) crystals positioned sequentially in rows. Known for having a small thermal diffuse scattering cross section, HOPG crystals can lead to low signal-to-noise ratios in wavelength-sensitive detectors such as CANDOR. Even though it is possible to mathematically separate the desired signal from thermal diffuse scattering; by cooling the detector array of HOPG crystals in order to minimize the Debye Waller effect generates a better solution to this problem. In this heat transfer analysis study we show, within the instrument design constrains and thermodynamic considerations, technical feasibility and test results for the development of the New Polychromatic Beam Neutron Reflectometer CANDOR (Chromatic Analysis Neutron Diffractometer Or Reflectometer) at the NIST Center for Neutron Research.
