The KATRIN Pre-Spectrometer at reduced Filter Energy

The KArlsruhe TRItium Neutrino experiment, KATRIN, will determine the mass of the electron neutrino with a sensitivity of 0.2 eV (90% C.L.) via a measurement of the beta-spectrum of gaseous tritium near its endpoint of E_0 =18.57 keV. An ultra-low background of about b = 10 mHz is among the requirements to reach this sensitivity. In the KATRIN main beam-line two spectrometers of MAC-E filter type are used in a tandem configuration. This setup, however, produces a Penning trap which could lead to increased background. We have performed test measurements showing that the filter energy of the pre-spectrometer can be reduced by several keV in order to diminish this trap. These measurements were analyzed with the help of a complex computer simulation, modeling multiple electron reflections both from the detector and the photoelectric electron source used in our test setup.Comment: 22 pages, 12 figure

A pulsed, mono-energetic and angular-selective UV photo-electron source for the commissioning of the KATRIN experiment

The KATRIN experiment aims to determine the neutrino mass scale with a sensitivity of 200 meV/c^2 (90% C.L.) by a precision measurement of the shape of the tritium $\beta$-spectrum in the endpoint region. The energy analysis of the decay electrons is achieved by a MAC-E filter spectrometer. To determine the transmission properties of the KATRIN main spectrometer, a mono-energetic and angular-selective electron source has been developed. In preparation for the second commissioning phase of the main spectrometer, a measurement phase was carried out at the KATRIN monitor spectrometer where the device was operated in a MAC-E filter setup for testing. The results of these measurements are compared with simulations using the particle-tracking software "Kassiopeia", which was developed in the KATRIN collaboration over recent years.Comment: 19 pages, 16 figures, submitted to European Physical Journal

Group 10 metal dithiolene bis(isonitrile) complexes: synthesis, structures, properties and reactivity

The reaction of [(Ph2C2S2)2M] (M = Ni2+, Pd2+, Pt2+) with 2 equiv of RN≡C (R = Me (a), Bn (b), Cy (c), tBu (d), 1-Ad (e), Ph (f)) yields [(Ph2C2S2)M(C≡NR)2] (M = Ni2+, 4a–f; M = Pd2+, 5a–f; M = Pt2+, 6a–f), which are air-stable and amenable to chromatographic purification. All members have been characterized crystallographically. Structurally, progressively greater planarity tends to be manifested as M varies from Ni to Pt, and a modest decrease in the C≡N bond length of coordinated C≡NR appears in moving from Ni toward Pt. Vibrational spectroscopy (CH2Cl2 solution) reveals νC≡N frequencies for [(Ph2C2S2)M(C≡NR)2] that are substantially higher than those for free C≡NR and increase as M ranges from Ni to Pt. This trend is interpreted as arising from an increasingly positive charge at M that stabilizes the linear, charge-separated resonance form of the ligand over the bent form with lowered C–N bond order. UV–vis spectra reveal lowest energy transitions that are assigned as HOMO (dithiolene π) → LUMO (M–L σ*) excitations. One-electron oxidations of [(Ph2C2S2)M(C≡NR)2] are observed at ∼+0.5 V due to Ph2C2S22– → Ph2C2S–S• + e–. Chemical oxidation of [(Ph2C2S2)Pt(C≡NtBu)2] with [(Br-p-C6H4)3N][SbCl6] yields [(Ph2C2S–S•)Pt(C≡NtBu)2]+, identified spectroscopically, but in the crystalline state [[(Ph2C2S–S•)Pt(C≡NtBu)2]2]2+ prevails, which forms via axial Pt···S interactions and pyramidalization at the metal. Complete substitution of MeNC from [(Ph2C2S2)Ni(C≡NMe)2] by 2,6-Me2py under forcing conditions yields [(2,6-Me2py)Ni(μ2-η1,η1-S′,η1-S″-S2C2Ph2)]2 (8), which features a folded Ni2S2 core. In most cases, isocyanide substitution from [(Ph2C2S2)M(C≡NMe)2] with monodentate ligands (L = phosphine, CN–, carbene) leads to [(Ph2C2S2)M(L)(C≡NMe)]n (n = 0, 1−), wherein νC≡N varies according to the relative σ-donating power of L (9–21). The use of 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene (IPr) provides [(Ph2C2S2)M(IPr)(C≡NMe)] for M = Ni (18), Pd (19), but for Pt, attack by IPr at the isocyanide carbon occurs to yield the unusual η1,κC-ketenimine complex [(Ph2C2S2)Pt(C(NMe)(IPr))(C≡NMe)] (20)

Effect of a sweeping conductive wire on electrons stored in the Penning trap between the KATRIN spectrometers

The KATRIN experiment is going to search for the mass of the electron antineutrino down to 0.2 eV/c^2. In order to reach this sensitivity the background rate has to be understood and minimised to 0.01 counts per second. One of the background sources is the unavoidable Penning trap for electrons due to the combination of the electric and magnetic fields between the pre- and the main spectrometer at KATRIN. In this article we will show that by sweeping a conducting wire periodically through such a particle trap stored particles can be removed, an ongoing discharge in the trap can be stopped, and the count rate measured with a detector looking at the trap is reduced.Comment: Final version published in EPJ A, 14 pages, 19 figures (21 files

Asthma and gender impact accumulation of T cell subtypes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The "Th2 hypothesis for asthma" asserts that an increased ratio of Th2:Th1 cytokine production plays an important pathogenic role in asthma. Although widely embraced, the hypothesis has been challenged by various empirical observations and has been described as overly simplistic. We sought to establish whether CD3+CD28-mediated and antigen-independent accumulation of type 1 and type 2 T cells differs significantly between nonasthmatic and asthmatic populations.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>An ex vivo system was used to characterize the regulation of IFN-γ-producing (type 1) and IL-13-producing (type 2) T cell accumulation in response to CD3+CD28 and IL-2 stimulation by flow cytometry.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>IL-13-producing T cells increased in greater numbers in response to antigen-independent stimulation in peripheral blood lymphocytes from female atopic asthmatic subjects compared with male asthmatics and both male and female atopic non-asthmatic subjects. IFN-γ⁺T cells increased in greater numbers in response to either antigen-independent or CD3+CD28-mediated stimulation in peripheral blood lymphocytes from atopic asthmatic subjects compared to non-asthmatic subjects, regardless of gender.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We demonstrate that T cells from asthmatics are programmed for increased accumulation of both type 2 and type 1 T cells. Gender had a profound effect on the regulation of type 2 T cells, thus providing a mechanism for the higher frequency of adult asthma in females.</p

Discovery of amivantamab (JNJ-61186372), a bispecific antibody targeting EGFR and MET

A bispecific antibody (BsAb) targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (MET) pathways represents a novel approach to overcome resistance to targeted therapies in patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer. In this study, we sequentially screened a panel of BsAbs in a combinatorial approach to select the optimal bispecific molecule. The BsAbs were derived from different EGFR and MET parental monoclonal antibodies. Initially, molecules were screened for EGFR and MET binding on tumor cell lines and lack of agonistic activity toward MET. Hits were identified and further screened based on their potential to induce untoward cell proliferation and crossphosphorylation of EGFR by MET via receptor colocalization in the absence of ligand. After the final step, we selected the EGFR and MET arms for the lead BsAb and added low fucose Fc engineering to generate amivantamab (JNJ-61186372). The crystal structure of the anti-MET Fab of amivantamab bound to MET was solved, and the interaction between the two molecules in atomic details was elucidated. Amivantamab antagonized the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-induced signaling by binding to MET Sema domain and thereby blocking HGF beta-chain-Sema engagement. The amivantamab EGFR epitope was mapped to EGFR domain III and residues K443, K465, I467, and S468. Furthermore, amivantamab showed superior antitumor activity over small molecule EGFR and MET inhibitors in the HCC827-HGF in vivo model. Based on its unique mode of action, amivantamab may provide benefit to patients with malignancies associated with aberrant EGFR and MET signaling.Transplantation and autoimmunit

Commissioning of the vacuum system of the KATRIN Main Spectrometer

The KATRIN experiment will probe the neutrino mass by measuring the beta-electron energy spectrum near the endpoint of tritium beta-decay. An integral energy analysis will be performed by an electro-static spectrometer (Main Spectrometer), an ultra-high vacuum vessel with a length of 23.2 m, a volume of 1240 m^3, and a complex inner electrode system with about 120000 individual parts. The strong magnetic field that guides the beta-electrons is provided by super-conducting solenoids at both ends of the spectrometer. Its influence on turbo-molecular pumps and vacuum gauges had to be considered. A system consisting of 6 turbo-molecular pumps and 3 km of non-evaporable getter strips has been deployed and was tested during the commissioning of the spectrometer. In this paper the configuration, the commissioning with bake-out at 300{\deg}C, and the performance of this system are presented in detail. The vacuum system has to maintain a pressure in the 10^{-11} mbar range. It is demonstrated that the performance of the system is already close to these stringent functional requirements for the KATRIN experiment, which will start at the end of 2016.Comment: submitted for publication in JINST, 39 pages, 15 figure