NuSTAR Tests of Sterile-Neutrino Dark Matter: New Galactic Bulge Observations and Combined Impact

We analyze two dedicated NuSTAR observations with exposure ${\sim}190$ ks located ${\sim}10^\circ$ from the Galactic plane, one above and the other below, to search for x-ray lines from the radiative decay of sterile-neutrino dark matter. These fields were chosen to minimize astrophysical x-ray backgrounds while remaining near the densest region of the dark matter halo. We find no evidence of anomalous x-ray lines in the energy range 5--20 keV, corresponding to sterile neutrino masses 10--40 keV. Interpreted in the context of sterile neutrinos produced via neutrino mixing, these observations provide the leading constraints in the mass range 10--12 keV, improving upon previous constraints in this range by a factor ${\sim}2$. We also compare our results to Monte Carlo simulations, showing that the fluctuations in our derived limit are not dominated by systematic effects. An updated model of the instrumental background, which is currently under development, will improve NuSTAR's sensitivity to anomalous x-ray lines, particularly for energies 3--5 keV.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figures. Text updated to match published version in PRD. Conclusions unchange

Endometrial carcinoma; can biomarkers aid in the prediction of aggressive disease? A study with focus on preoperative tumour markers

Background: Although endometrial cancer in general has a good prognosis, 15-20% recurs. Surgery is the main treatment with lymph node sampling increasingly advocated as compulsory for adequate staging. In metastatic disease, there is limited effect from systemic therapies including chemotherapy or antihormonal treatment. No other targeted therapies are yet available in a routine clinical setting. To improve and individualise therapy for this patient group, improved tools for identification of highrisk patients, to tailor surgery in particular, and identification of targetable molecular alterations for development of more effective systemic therapies, are urgently needed. Several biomarkers including hormone receptor status, TP53 and Stathmin expression have been found to be of prognostic importance in retrospective studies. The PI3Kinase signalling pathway is over-expressed in aggressive endometrial carcinomas and PI3kinase inhibitors are entering clinical trials for treatment of metastatic disease. Main objectives: The main objective was to evaluate if biomarkers, particularly examined in a preoperative setting, could identify aggressive endometrial carcinomas, especially those with lymph node metastasis. An additional aim was to evaluate immunohistochemical markers potentially applicable as markers for response to antihormonal therapy and PI3Kinase-inhibitors. Also, we wanted to study changes in treatment strategy in relation to survival for endometrial carcinoma patients during a 30-year period in a population based setting. Materials and methods: To evaluate potential biomarkers related to PI3Kinase signalling, a population based cohort was investigated for immunohistochemical expression of AKT, Phospho-AKT and Stathmin in hysterectomy specimens. These markers were also related to level of PI3Kinase signalling based on mRNA expression score in a prospective series of 76 patients (Paper I). The prospective international multicenter study MoMaTEC; Molecular Markers in Treatment of Endometrial Cancer, recruited clinical data, tissue and blood samples from 1192 endometrial cancer patients treated at 10 different centres during 2001-2010. Preoperative curettage specimens and blood samples have been investigated for expression of a panel of potential biomarkers; Stathmin, Estrogen Receptor (ER), Progesterone Receptor (PR), TP53 and GDF-15 (Paper II, III and IV). Changes in clinicopathological features and treatment were related to survival in a population based cohort of endometrial cancer patients from Hordaland County, Norway over the last 30 years (Paper V). Results: Stathmin overexpression in hysterectomy specimens was strongly correlated with characteristics for aggressive disease and poor survival. PI3Kinase signalling activation was significantly associated with overexpression of Stathmin. Neither AKT nor phospho-AKT expression showed any significant correlations with clinicopathological factors nor PI3Kinase signalling levels (Paper I). Overexpression of Stathmin validated to be correlated with aggressive disease in the large prospective multicentre setting (Paper II). Stathmin staining in curettage specimens was an independent predictor of lymph node metastases and overexpression of Stathmin estimated in curettage and hysterectomy specimens were both independent predictors of poor survival. High preoperative plasma GDF-15 level was significantly associated with aggressive disease. Adjusting for age and histological risk factors detected in preoperative biopsies, plasma GDF-15 independently predicted risk of lymph node metastasis. GDF-15 level also independently predicted poor prognosis (Paper III). Pathologic expression of ER, PR and TP53 in preoperative curettage specimen correlated significantly with high age at diagnosis, high FIGO stage, nonendometrioid histology, high grade, metastatic nodes and poor prognosis in a large prospective multicenter setting. Double negative ER-PR independently predicted lymph node metastasis and poor survival. Even for the most favourable group of lymph node negative endometrioid tumours, ER-PR negative status influenced survival independent of tumour grade (Paper IV). The number of endometrial cancer patients from Hordaland County increased significantly from 1981 through 2010 (Paper V), with a simultaneous increase in body mass index and decrease in disease stage at diagnosis. Routinely performed pelvic lymph node sampling increased, adjuvant radiotherapy was reduced and survival increased significantly during the same period. Conclusions: Stathmin immunohistochemical staining is superior to AKT and phospho-AKT staining in detecting PI3Kinase signalling activation and endometrial carcinomas with poor outcome (Paper I). Stathmin staining has been validated to identify endometrial carcinomas with aggressive clinic-pathological features in a large multicenter setting. Immunohistochemical staining for Stathmin in preoperative biopsies (curettage) independently predicts lymph node metastasis and poor survival (Paper II). Plasma GDF-15 has been documented as elevated in two independent patient cohorts of endometrial cancer patients compared to controls. High preoperative GDF-15 plasma level was significantly correlated with aggressive subtypes and a significant and independent predictor for lymph node metastasis and poor survival (Paper III). Double negative hormone receptor status (ER and PR negative) in preoperative endometrial cancer curettage has been validated to identify patients with poor prognosis in a prospective multicenter setting. ER-PR status independently predicts lymph node metastasis (Paper IV). During the 30-year period 1981 through 2010, a reduction in adjuvant radiotherapy and increase in routine pelvic lymphadenectomy and curative surgery with advanced disease, are associated with improved disease-specific- and overall survival in a population-based study of endometrial carcinoma patients with steadily increasing body mass index (Paper V)

Kleider(bau)kunst : die Grundlegung einer Ästhetik der Oberfläche in der Mode bei Gottfried Semper (1803 – 1879)

Seine Ansätze zu einer Ästhetik der Oberfläche entwickelte Semper – gleichzeitig wie Marx seine Theorie des Fetischcharakters der Ware – angesichts der unabsehbaren Auslagen der Kunstindustrie, in denen sich das fortschrittsgläubige Bürgertum des technischen Zeitalters auf den nationalen und internationalen Gewerbeausstellungen feierte und aus denen es seine vitalsten Energien schöpfte. Semper verfasste seine epochemachende Schrift „Wissenschaft, Industrie und Kunst“ als Reaktion auf die Londoner Weltausstellung von 1851, wo Joseph Paxtons berühmter Crystal Palace der neuen Warenherrlichkeit nicht nur reichlich Raum zur Ausbreitung bot, sondern die neuen Materialien Eisen und Glas auch gleich selbst eindrücklich zur Schau stellte. Die Schrift nimmt frühere Überlegungen zur Bemalung antiker Tempel und Statuen auf und mündet später in Sempers Hauptwerk „Der Stil in den technischen und tektonischen Künsten“ (1860–1863). Das Prinzip, unter das Semper seine »praktische Ästhetik« (so lautet der Untertitel des Werks) stellt, ist jenes der Bekleidung. Damit wären wir bei der im Titel angekündigten Mode angelangt. Am Leitfaden der Mode möchte ich im Folgenden die Anfänge einer modernen Ästhetik der Oberfläche bei Semper exemplarisch für die deutschsprachige Kunsttheorie verfolgen. […] Ihre Produktivität ist nicht nur in der von industriell-technischen Entwicklungen inspirierten ›praktischen‹ Ästhetik zu beobachten, für die Semper ein Beispiel ist. Sie schlägt sich ebenso in der von den schönen Künsten und der Kunstphilosophie herkommenden ›idealistischen‹ Ästhetik nieder, wie sie etwa Friedrich Theodor Vischer (1807–1887) vertritt. Hier scheint die Mode ihre für die Reflexion über Kunst innovative Funktion gerade ihrer Randständigkeit, ihrem provokativen Außenseitertum im Verhältnis zum ästhetischen Kanon zu verdanken. Dieser Umstand verbindet sie mit der Karikatur und dem Hässlichen

Searches for sterile neutrinos and axionlike particles from the Galactic halo with eROSITA

Dark matter might be made of "warm" particles, such as sterile neutrinos in the keV mass range, which can decay into photons through mixing and are consequently detectable by X-ray telescopes. Axionlike particles (ALPs) are detectable by X-ray telescopes too when coupled to standard model particles and decay into photons in the keV range. Both particles could explain the unidentified 3.5 keV line and, interestingly, XENON1T observed an excess of electron recoil events most prominent at 2-3 keV. One explanation could be an ALPs origin, which is not yet excluded by X-ray constraints in an anomaly-free symmetry model in which the photon production is suppressed. We study the diffuse emission coming from the Galactic halo, and calculate the sensitivity of all-sky X-ray survey performed by eROSITA to identify a sterile neutrino or ALP dark matter. We estimate bounds on the mixing angle of the sterile neutrinos and coupling strength of the ALPs. After four years of data-taking by eROSITA, we expect to set stringent constraints, and in particular, we expect to firmly probe mixing angle $\sin^2(2\theta)$ up to nearly two orders magnitude below the best-fit value for explaining the unidentified 3.5 keV line. Moreover, with eROSITA, we will be able to probe the ALP parameter space of couplings to photons and electrons, and potentially confirm an ALP origin of the XENON1T excess.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures; Comments welcome; Matches version accepted for publication in PR