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Generation of Lamprey Monoclonal Antibodies (Lampribodies) Using the Phage Display System.
The variable lymphocyte receptors (VLRs) consist of leucine rich repeats (LRRs) and comprise the humoral antibodies produced by lampreys and hagfishes. The diversity of the molecules is generated by stepwise genomic rearrangements of LRR cassettes dispersed throughout the VLRB locus. Previously, target-specific monovalent VLRB antibodies were isolated from sea lamprey larvae after immunization with model antigens. Further, the cloned VLR cDNAs from activated lamprey leukocytes were transfected into human cell lines or yeast to select best binders. Here, we expand on the overall utility of the VLRB technology by introducing it into a filamentous phage display system. We first tested the efficacy of isolating phage into which known VLRB molecules were cloned after a series of dilutions. These experiments showed that targeted VLRB clones could easily be recovered even after extensive dilutions (1 to 109). We further utilized the system to isolate target-specific "lampribodies" from phage display libraries from immunized animals and observed an amplification of binders with relative high affinities by competitive binding. The lampribodies can be individually purified and ostensibly utilized for applications for which conventional monoclonal antibodies are employed
Millimeter-wave Signature of Strange Matter Stars
One of the most important questions in the study of compact objects is the
nature of pulsars, including whether they consist of neutron matter or strange
quark matter (SQM). However, few mechanisms for distinguishing between these
two possibilities have been proposed. The purpose of this paper is to show that
a strange star (one made of SQM) will have a vibratory mode with an oscillation
frequency of approximately 250 GHz (millimeter wave). This mode corresponds to
motion of the center of the expected crust of normal matter relative to the
center of the strange quark core, without distortion of either. Radiation from
currents generated in the crust at the mode frequency would be a SQM signature.
We also consider effects of stellar rotation, estimate power emission and
signal-to-noise ratio, and discuss briefly possible mechanisms for exciting the
mode.Comment: 13 pages, Latex, one figur
Search for Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay in Xe with EXO-200
We report on a search for neutrinoless double-beta decay of Xe with
EXO-200. No signal is observed for an exposure of 32.5 kg-yr, with a background
of ~1.5 x 10^{-3} /(kg yr keV) in the region of interest. This
sets a lower limit on the half-life of the neutrinoless double-beta decay
(Xe) > 1.6 x 10 yr (90% CL),
corresponding to effective Majorana masses of less than 140-380 meV, depending
on the matrix element calculation
Investigation of radioactivity-induced backgrounds in EXO-200
The search for neutrinoless double-beta decay (0{\nu}{\beta}{\beta}) requires
extremely low background and a good understanding of their sources and their
influence on the rate in the region of parameter space relevant to the
0{\nu}{\beta}{\beta} signal. We report on studies of various {\beta}- and
{\gamma}-backgrounds in the liquid- xenon-based EXO-200 0{\nu}{\beta}{\beta}
experiment. With this work we try to better understand the location and
strength of specific background sources and compare the conclusions to
radioassay results taken before and during detector construction. Finally, we
discuss the implications of these studies for EXO-200 as well as for the
next-generation, tonne-scale nEXO detector.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, 3 table
A simple radionuclide-driven single-ion source
We describe a source capable of producing single barium ions through nuclear
recoils in radioactive decay. The source is fabricated by electroplating 148Gd
onto a silicon {\alpha}-particle detector and vapor depositing a layer of BaF2
over it. 144Sm recoils from the alpha decay of 148Gd are used to dislodge Ba+
ions from the BaF2 layer and emit them in the surrounding environment. The
simultaneous detection of an {\alpha} particle in the substrate detector allows
for tagging of the nuclear decay and of the Ba+ emission. The source is simple,
durable, and can be manipulated and used in different environments. We discuss
the fabrication process, which can be easily adapted to emit most other
chemical species, and the performance of the source
A magnetically-driven piston pump for ultra-clean applications
A magnetically driven piston pump for xenon gas recirculation is presented.
The pump is designed to satisfy extreme purity and containment requirements, as
is appropriate for the recirculation of isotopically enriched xenon through the
purification system and large liquid xenon TPC of EXO-200. The pump, using
sprung polymer gaskets, is capable of pumping more than 16 standard liters per
minute (SLPM) of xenon gas with 750 torr differential pressure.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure
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