Evidence of kaon nuclear and Coulomb potential effects on soft K+ production from nuclei

The ratio of forward K+ production on copper, silver and gold targets to that on carbon has been measured at proton beam energies between 1.5 and 2.3 GeV as a function of the kaon momentum p_K using the ANKE spectrometer at COSY-Juelich. The strong suppression in the ratios observed for p_K<200-250 MeV/c can be ascribed to a combination of Coulomb and nuclear repulsion in the K+A system. This opens a new way to investigate the interaction of K+-mesons in the nuclear medium. Our data are consistent with a K+A nuclear potential of V_K~20 MeV at low kaon momenta and normal nuclear density. Given the sensitivity of the data to the kaon potential, the current experimental precision might allow one to determine V_K to better than 3 MeV.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures; changed conten

The Near-Threshold Production of Phi Mesons in pp Collisions

The pp->pp phi reaction has been studied at the Cooler Synchrotron COSY-Juelich, using the internal beam and ANKE facility. Total cross sections have been determined at three excess energies epsilon near the production threshold. The differential cross section closest to threshold at epsilon=18.5 MeV exhibits a clear S-wave dominance as well as a noticeable effect due to the proton-proton final state interaction. Taken together with data for pp omega-production, a significant enhancement of the phi/omega ratio of a factor 8 is found compared to predictions based on the Okubo-Zweig-Iizuka rule.Comment: 4 Pages, 3 Figures, 1 Table, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

a0+(980)-resonance production in pp->dK+Kbar0 reactions close to threshold

The reaction pp->d K+ Kbar0 has been investigated at an excess energy of Q=46 MeV above the (K+ Kbar0) threshold with ANKE at COSY-Juelich. From the detected coincident dK+ pairs about 1000 events with a missing Kbar0 were identified, corresponding to a total cross section of sigma(pp->d K+ Kbar0)=(38 +/- 2(stat) +/- 14(syst)) nb. Invariant-mass and angular distributions have been jointly analyzed and reveal s-wave dominance between the two kaons, accompanied by a p-wave between the deuteron and the kaon system. This is interpreted in terms of a0+(980)-resonance production.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures; accepted by Phys. Rev. Let

Proton--induced deuteron breakup at GeV energies with forward emission of a fast proton pair

A study of the deuteron breakup reaction $pd \to (pp)n$ with forward emission of a fast proton pair with small excitation energy $E_{pp}<$ 3 MeV has been performed at the ANKE spectrometer at COSY--J\"ulich. An exclusive measurement was carried out at six proton--beam energies $T_p=$~0.6,~0.7,~0.8,~0.95,~1.35, and 1.9 GeV by reconstructing the momenta of the two protons. The differential cross section of the breakup reaction, averaged up to $8^{\circ}$ over the cm polar angle of the total momentum of the $pp$ pairs, has been obtained. Since the kinematics of this process is quite similar to that of backward elastic $pd \to dp$ scattering, the results are compared to calculations based on a theoretical model previously applied to the $pd \to dp$ process.Comment: 17 pages including 6 figures and 1 table v2: minor changes; v3: minor change of author list; v4: changes in accordance with referee remark

Forward K+ production in subthreshold pA collisions at 1.0 GeV

K+ meson production in pA (A = C, Cu, Au) collisions has been studied using the ANKE spectrometer at an internal target position of the COSY-Juelich accelerator. The complete momentum spectrum of kaons emitted at forward angles, theta < 12 degrees, has been measured for a beam energy of T(p)=1.0 GeV, far below the free NN threshold of 1.58 GeV. The spectrum does not follow a thermal distribution at low kaon momenta and the larger momenta reflect a high degree of collectivity in the target nucleus.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

TNFR1 inhibition with a nanobody protects against EAE development in mice

TNF has as detrimental role in multiple sclerosis (MS), however, anti-TNF medication is not working. Selective TNF/TNFR1 inhibition whilst sparing TNFR2 signaling reduces the pro-inflammatory effects of TNF but preserves the important neuroprotective signals via TNFR2. We previously reported the generation of a Nanobody-based selective inhibitor of human TNFR1, TROS that will be tested in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). We specifically antagonized TNF/TNFR1 signaling using TROS in a murine model of MS, namely MOG(35-55)-induced EAE. Because TROS does not cross-react with mouse TNFR1, we generated mice expressing human TNFR1 in a mouse TNFR1-knockout background (hTNFR1 Tg), and we determined biodistribution of Tc-99m-TROS and effectiveness of TROS in EAE in those mice. Biodistribution analysis demonstrated that intraperitoneally injected TROS is retained more in organs of hTNFR1 Tg mice compared to wild type mice. TROS was also detected in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of hTNFR1 Tg mice. Prophylactic TROS administration significantly delayed disease onset and ameliorated its symptoms. Moreover, treatment initiated early after disease onset prevented further disease development. TROS reduced spinal cord inflammation and neuroinflammation, and preserved myelin and neurons. Collectively, our data illustrate that TNFR1 is a promising therapeutic target in MS

a0+(980)-resonance production in the reaction pp -> dpi+eta close to the K(bar(K)) threshold

The reaction pp -> dpi+eta has been measured at a beam energy of T=2.65 GeV (p=3.46 GeV/c) using the ANKE spectrometer at COSY-Juelich. The missing mass distribution of the detected dpi+ pairs exhibits a peak around the eta mass on top of a strong background of multi-pion pp -> dpi+(n(pi)) events. The differential cross section d^4(sigma)/d(Omega_d)d(Omega_pi+)d(p_d)d(p_pi+) for the reaction pp -> dpi+eta has been determined model independently for two regions of phase space. Employing a dynamical model for the a0+ production allows one then to deduce a total cross section of sigma(pp -> da0+ -> dpi+eta)=(1.1 +/- 0.3_(stat) +/- 0.7_(syst)) microbarn for the production of pi+eta via the scalar a0+(980) resonance and sigma(pp -> dpi+eta) = (3.5 +/- 0.3_(stat) +/- 1.0_(syst)) microbarn for the non-resonant production. Using the same model as for the interpretation of recent results from ANKE for the reaction pp -> dK+(bar(K0)), the ratio of the total cross sections is sigma(pp -> d(K+(bar(K0)))_(L=0))/sigma(pp -> da0+ -> dpi+eta) = 0.029 +/- 0.008_(stat) +/- 0.009_(syst), which is in agreement with branching ratios in the literature.Comment: 5 pages, 8 figures, 1 tabl

Ein Echtzeit-Datenerfassungs- und Verarbeitungssystem zur Automatisierung des Analytikbetriebs einer Wiederaufarbeitungsversuchsanlage von HTR-Brennelementen

A real-time data acquisition and processing system for the analytical laboratory of an experimental HTR spent fuel reprocessing facility is presented. The on-line open-loop system combines in-line and off-line analytical measurement procedures including data acquisition and evaluation as well as analytical laboratory organisation under the control of a computer-supported laboratory automation system.In-line measurements are performed for.density, volume and temperature in processtanks and registration of samples for offline measurements. Off-line computer-coupled experiments are potentiometric titration, gas chromatography and x-ray fluorescence analysis. Organisational sections like sample registration, magazining, distribution and identification, multiple data assignment and especially calibrations of analytical devices are performed by the data processing system