First Dark Matter Results from the XENON100 Experiment

The XENON100 experiment, in operation at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso in Italy, is designed to search for dark matter WIMPs scattering off 62 kg of liquid xenon in an ultra-low background dual-phase time projection chamber. In this letter, we present first dark matter results from the analysis of 11.17 live days of non-blind data, acquired in October and November 2009. In the selected fiducial target of 40 kg, and within the pre-defined signal region, we observe no events and hence exclude spin-independent WIMP-nucleon elastic scattering cross-sections above 3.4 x 10^-44 cm^2 for 55 GeV/c^2 WIMPs at 90% confidence level. Below 20 GeV/c^2, this result constrains the interpretation of the CoGeNT and DAMA signals as being due to spin-independent, elastic, light mass WIMP interactions.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures. Matches published versio

Dark Matter Results from 100 Live Days of XENON100 Data

We present results from the direct search for dark matter with the XENON100 detector, installed underground at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso of INFN, Italy. XENON100 is a two-phase time projection chamber with a 62 kg liquid xenon target. Interaction vertex reconstruction in three dimensions with millimeter precision allows to select only the innermost 48 kg as ultra-low background fiducial target. In 100.9 live days of data, acquired between January and June 2010, no evidence for dark matter is found. Three candidate events were observed in a pre-defined signal region with an expected background of 1.8 +/- 0.6 events. This leads to the most stringent limit on dark matter interactions today, excluding spin-independent elastic WIMP-nucleon scattering cross-sections above 7.0x10^-45 cm^2 for a WIMP mass of 50 GeV/c^2 at 90% confidence level.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures; matches accepted versio

Implications on Inelastic Dark Matter from 100 Live Days of XENON100 Data

The XENON100 experiment has recently completed a dark matter run with 100.9 live-days of data, taken from January to June 2010. Events in a 48kg fiducial volume in the energy range between 8.4 and 44.6 keVnr have been analyzed. A total of three events have been found in the predefined signal region, compatible with the background prediction of (1.8 \pm 0.6) events. Based on this analysis we present limits on the WIMP-nucleon cross section for inelastic dark matter. With the present data we are able to rule out the explanation for the observed DAMA/LIBRA modulation as being due to inelastic dark matter scattering off iodine at a 90% confidence level.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figure

Evolution of pulmonary hypertension in interstitial lung disease: a journey through past, present, and future

Interstitial lung diseases (ILD) are a spectrum of disorders often complicated by pulmonary hypertension (PH) in its course. The pathophysiologic mechanism of WHO group 3 PH is different to other forms of PH. The advent of PH is a harbinger for adverse events like mortality and morbidity, implying that the PH component of disease expedites deteriorated clinical outcomes. In fact, WHO group 3 PH due to ILD has the worse prognosis among all groups of PH. Hence, early detection of PH by a comprehensive screening method is paramount. Given considerable overlap in clinical manifestations between ILD and PH, early detection of PH is often elusive. Despite, the treatment of PH due to ILD has been frustrating until recently. Clinical trials utilizing PAH-specific pulmonary vasodilators have been ongoing for years without desired results. Eventually, the INCREASE study (2018) demonstrated beneficial effect of inhaled Treprostinil to treat PH in ILD. In view of this pioneering development, a paradigm shift in clinical approach to this disease phenotype is happening. There is a renewed vigor to develop a well validated screening tool for early detection and management. Currently inhaled Treprostinil is the only FDA approved therapy to treat this phenotype, but emergence of a therapy has opened a plethora of research toward new drug developments. Regardless of all these recent developments, the overall outlook still remains grim in this condition. This review article dwells on the current state of knowledge of pre-capillary PH due to ILD, especially its diagnosis and management, the recent progresses, and future evolutions in this field

Material screening and selection for XENON100

Results of the extensive radioactivity screening campaign to identify materials for the construction of XENON100 are reported. This Dark Matter search experiment is operated underground at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS), Italy. Several ultra sensitive High Purity Germanium detectors (HPGe) have been used for gamma ray spectrometry. Mass spectrometry has been applied for a few low mass plastic samples. Detailed tables with the radioactive contaminations of all screened samples are presented, together with the implications for XENON100.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figur

Quantitative Analysis of Immune Infiltrates in Primary Melanoma.

Novel methods to analyze the tumor microenvironment (TME) are urgently needed to stratify melanoma patients for adjuvant immunotherapy. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) analysis, by conventional pathologic methods, is predictive but is insufficiently precise for clinical application. Quantitative multiplex immunofluorescence (qmIF) allows for evaluation of the TME using multiparameter phenotyping, tissue segmentation, and quantitative spatial analysis (qSA). Given that CD3+CD8+ cytotoxic lymphocytes (CTLs) promote antitumor immunity, whereas CD68+ macrophages impair immunity, we hypothesized that quantification and spatial analysis of macrophages and CTLs would correlate with clinical outcome. We applied qmIF to 104 primary stage II to III melanoma tumors and found that CTLs were closer in proximity to activated (CD68+HLA-DR+) macrophages than nonactivated (CD68+HLA-DR-) macrophages (P < 0.0001). CTLs were further in proximity from proliferating SOX10+ melanoma cells than nonproliferating ones (P < 0.0001). In 64 patients with known cause of death, we found that high CTL and low macrophage density in the stroma (P = 0.0038 and P = 0.0006, respectively) correlated with disease-specific survival (DSS), but the correlation was less significant for CTL and macrophage density in the tumor (P = 0.0147 and P = 0.0426, respectively). DSS correlation was strongest for stromal HLA-DR+ CTLs (P = 0.0005). CTL distance to HLA-DR- macrophages associated with poor DSS (P = 0.0016), whereas distance to Ki67- tumor cells associated inversely with DSS (P = 0.0006). A low CTL/macrophage ratio in the stroma conferred a hazard ratio (HR) of 3.719 for death from melanoma and correlated with shortened overall survival (OS) in the complete 104 patient cohort by Cox analysis (P = 0.009) and merits further development as a biomarker for clinical application

Clinical practice: Noninvasive respiratory support in newborns

The most important goal of introducing noninvasive ventilation (NIV) has been to decrease the need for intubation and, therefore, mechanical ventilation in newborns. As a result, this technique may reduce the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). In addition to nasal CPAP, improvements in sensors and flow delivery systems have resulted in the introduction of a variety of other types of NIV. For the optimal application of these novelties, a thorough physiological knowledge of mechanics of the respiratory system is necessary. In this overview, the modern insights of noninvasive respiratory therapy in newborns are discussed. These aspects include respiratory support in the delivery room; conventional and modern nCPAP; humidified, heated, and high-flow nasal cannula ventilation; and nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation. Finally, an algorithm is presented describing common practice in taking care of respiratory distress in prematurely born infants

Sociocultural and epidemiological aspects of HIV/AIDS in Mozambique

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A legacy of colonial rule coupled with a devastating 16-year civil war through 1992 left Mozambique economically impoverished just as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic swept over southern Africa in the late 1980s. The crumbling Mozambican health care system was wholly inadequate to support the need for new chronic disease services for people with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To review the unique challenges faced by Mozambique as they have attempted to stem the HIV epidemic, we undertook a systematic literature review through multiple search engines (PubMed, Google Scholar™, SSRN, AnthropologyPlus, AnthroSource) using Mozambique as a required keyword. We searched for any articles that included the required keyword as well as the terms 'HIV' and/or 'AIDS', 'prevalence', 'behaviors', 'knowledge', 'attitudes', 'perceptions', 'prevention', 'gender', drugs, alcohol, and/or 'health care infrastructure'.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>UNAIDS 2008 prevalence estimates ranked Mozambique as the 8^thmost HIV-afflicted nation globally. In 2007, measured HIV prevalence in 36 antenatal clinic sites ranged from 3% to 35%; the national estimate of was 16%. Evidence suggests that the Mozambican HIV epidemic is characterized by a preponderance of heterosexual infections, among the world's most severe health worker shortages, relatively poor knowledge of HIV/AIDS in the general population, and lagging access to HIV preventive and therapeutic services compared to counterpart nations in southern Africa. Poor education systems, high levels of poverty and gender inequality further exacerbate HIV incidence.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Recommendations to reduce HIV incidence and AIDS mortality rates in Mozambique include: health system strengthening, rural outreach to increase testing and linkage to care, education about risk reduction and drug adherence, and partnerships with traditional healers and midwives to effect a lessening of stigma.</p