First results on the search for chameleons with the KWISP detector at CAST

We report on a first measurement with a sensitive opto-mechanical force sensor designed for the direct detection of coupling of real chameleons to matter. These dark energy candidates could be produced in the Sun and stream unimpeded to Earth. The KWISP detector installed on the CAST axion search experiment at CERN looks for tiny displacements of a thin membrane caused by the mechanical effect of solar chameleons. The displacements are detected by a Michelson interferometer with a homodyne readout scheme. The sensor benefits from the focusing action of the ABRIXAS X-ray telescope installed at CAST, which increases the chameleon flux on the membrane. A mechanical chopper placed between the telescope output and the detector modulates the incoming chameleon stream. We present the results of the solar chameleon measurements taken at CAST in July 2017, setting an upper bound on the force acting on the membrane of 80pN at 95% confidence level. The detector is sensitive for direct coupling to matter 104 = ßm = 108, where the coupling to photons is locally bound to ß¿ = 1011

Search for Dark Matter Axions with CAST-CAPP

The CAST-CAPP axion haloscope, operating at CERN inside the CAST dipole magnet, has searched for axions in the 19.74 $\mu$eV to 22.47 $\mu$eV mass range. The detection concept follows the Sikivie haloscope principle, where Dark Matter axions convert into photons within a resonator immersed in a magnetic field. The CAST-CAPP resonator is an array of four individual rectangular cavities inserted in a strong dipole magnet, phase-matched to maximize the detection sensitivity. Here we report on the data acquired for 4124 h from 2019 to 2021. Each cavity is equipped with a fast frequency tuning mechanism of 10 MHz/min between 4.774 GHz and 5.434 GHz. In the present work, we exclude axion-photon couplings for virialized galactic axions down to $g_{a{\gamma}{\gamma}} = 8 \times {10^{-14}}$ $GeV^{-1}$ at the 90% confidence level. The here implemented phase-matching technique also allows for future large-scale upgrades.Comment: 24 pages, 5 figures, Published version available with Open Access at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-33913-

First results of the CAST-RADES haloscope search for axions at 34.67 µeV

We present results of the Relic Axion Dark-Matter Exploratory Setup (RADES), a detector which is part of the CERN Axion Solar Telescope (CAST), searching for axion dark matter in the 34.67 µeV mass range. A radio frequency cavity consisting of 5 sub-cavities coupled by inductive irises took physics data inside the CAST dipole magnet for the first time using this filter-like haloscope geometry. An exclusion limit with a 95% credibility level on the axion-photon coupling constant of ga¿ ¿ 4 × 10-13 GeV-1 over a mass range of 34.6738 µeV < ma< 34.6771 µeV is set. This constitutes a significant improvement over the current strongest limit set by CAST at this mass and is at the same time one of the most sensitive direct searches for an axion dark matter candidate above the mass of 25 µeV. The results also demonstrate the feasibility of exploring a wider mass range around the value probed by CAST-RADES in this work using similar coherent resonant cavities. © 2021, The Author(s)

Expression of Linear and Novel Circular Forms of an INK4/ARF-Associated Non-Coding RNA Correlates with Atherosclerosis Risk

Human genome-wide association studies have linked single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on chromosome 9p21.3 near the INK4/ARF (CDKN2a/b) locus with susceptibility to atherosclerotic vascular disease (ASVD). Although this locus encodes three well-characterized tumor suppressors, p16INK4a, p15INK4b, and ARF, the SNPs most strongly associated with ASVD are ∼120 kb from the nearest coding gene within a long non-coding RNA (ncRNA) known as ANRIL (CDKN2BAS). While individuals homozygous for the atherosclerotic risk allele show decreased expression of ANRIL and the coding INK4/ARF transcripts, the mechanism by which such distant genetic variants influence INK4/ARF expression is unknown. Here, using rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) and analysis of next-generation RNA sequencing datasets, we determined the structure and abundance of multiple ANRIL species. Each of these species was present at very low copy numbers in primary and cultured cells; however, only the expression of ANRIL isoforms containing exons proximal to the INK4/ARF locus correlated with the ASVD risk alleles. Surprisingly, RACE also identified transcripts containing non-colinear ANRIL exonic sequences, whose expression also correlated with genotype and INK4/ARF expression. These non-polyadenylated RNAs resisted RNAse R digestion and could be PCR amplified using outward-facing primers, suggesting they represent circular RNA structures that could arise from by-products of mRNA splicing. Next-generation DNA sequencing and splice prediction algorithms identified polymorphisms within the ASVD risk interval that may regulate ANRIL splicing and circular ANRIL (cANRIL) production. These results identify novel circular RNA products emanating from the ANRIL locus and suggest causal variants at 9p21.3 regulate INK4/ARF expression and ASVD risk by modulating ANRIL expression and/or structure

Salmonella osteomyelitis in previously healthy children

Salmonella osteomyelitis in children is an uncommon condition, typically associated with hemoglobinopathies or other underlying disorders. Only few cases have been reported in children without predisposing factors. We describe 4 cases of Salmonella osteomyelitis in otherwise healthy children. Since treatment duration is expected to be prolonged, the practice of direct inoculation of aspirates into blood culture bottles appears to be essential for diagnosis and targeted therapy. © 2015 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc

Oseltamivir pharmacokinetics and clinical experience in neonates and infants during an outbreak of H1N1 influenza A virus infection in a neonatal intensive care unit

Detailed oseltamivir pharmacokinetics have yet to be reported in neonates and infants; this group is at high risk of serious influenza-associated complications. Extrapolation of doses from older patients is complicated by rapid organ and drug-metabolizing enzyme maturation. A pharmacokinetic study has been conducted during an influenza A(H1N1) outbreak in a neonatal intensive care unit. Each included patient provided 4 samples for oseltamivir and 4 samples for its active metabolite oseltamivir carboxylate. A population pharmacokinetic model was developed with NONMEM. Allometric weight scaling and maturation functions were added a priori to scale for size and age based on literature values. Nine neonates and infants were recruited. A physiologically parameterized pharmacokinetic model predicted typical day 1 area under the curve (AUC 0-12) values of 1,966 and 2,484 μg·h/liter for neonates and infants of ≤37 weeks of postmenstrual age (PMA) and >37 weeks of PMA treated with 1 mg/kg of body weight and 2 mg/kg, respectively. The corresponding steady-state AUC 0-12 values were 3,670 and 4,559 μg·h/liter. Premature neonates treated with 1 mg/kg and term babies treated with 2 mg/kg should have average oseltamivir carboxylate concentrations in a range similar to that for adults treated with 75 mg, corresponding to >200-fold above the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50) value for influenza A(H1N1) from the start of therapy. Copyright © 2012, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved

Influenza A/H1N1/2009 outbreak in a neonatal intensive care unit

Background: Outbreaks of influenza A/H1N1/2009 in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) have been reported only rarely. Annual vaccination of all healthcare workers (HCWs) against seasonal influenza is recommended but compliance is low and exposure to infected staff as the source of nosocomial outbreaks has been described. Aim: To report an outbreak of influenza A/H1N1/2009 in a tertiary level NICU that resulted in considerable morbidity. Methods: When the first influenza case was identified, a prospective study was conducted and control measures were implemented to reduce the spread of infection throughout the NICU. Neonates who developed influenza were treated with oseltamivir, and exposed neonates were given prophylaxis with oseltamivir. Findings: Two infected infants who were immature by gestational age and birth weight developed pneumonitis requiring respiratory support, and a third full-term neonate had a mild uncomplicated illness. No significant adverse effects were noted during antiviral treatment or prophylaxis. The investigation identified infected HCWs as the likely source of the outbreak. There was a very low influenza vaccination rate of 15% among nursing staff. Conclusion: Nosocomial influenza can cause considerable morbidity, especially in high risk neonates, and is readily transmissible in the NICU setting by unvaccinated staff members who contract influenza. To prevent outbreaks, in addition to infection control measures, the implementation of HCW vaccination is very important. Oseltamivir treatment was well-tolerated even among premature infants and appeared to be effective, because neonates with influenza had complete recovery and only one of those who received prophylaxis developed the infection. © 2012 The Healthcare Infection Society