Can muon-induced backgrounds explain the DAMA data?

We present an accurate simulation of the muon-induced background in the DAMA/LIBRA experiment. Muon sampling underground has been performed using the MUSIC/MUSUN codes and subsequent interactions in the rock around the DAMA/LIBRA detector cavern and the experimental setup including shielding, have been simulated with GEANT4.9.6. In total we simulate the equivalent of 20 years of muon data. We have calculated the total muon-induced neutron flux in the DAMA/LIBRA detector cavern as Φμn = 1.0 ×10-9 cm-2s-1, which is consistent with other simulations. After selecting events which satisfy the DAMA/LIBRA signal criteria, our simulation predicts 3.49 ×10-5 cpd/kg/keV which accounts for less than 0.3% of the DAMA/LIBRA modulation amplitude. We conclude from our work that muon-induced backgrounds are unable to contribute to the observed signal modulation

Assisted reproductive technology in Europe, 2007: results generated from European registers by ESHRE

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

First Results from KamLAND: Evidence for Reactor Anti-Neutrino Disappearance

KamLAND has been used to measure the flux of $\bar{\nu}_e$'s from distant nuclear reactors. In an exposure of 162 ton$\cdot$yr (145.1 days) the ratio of the number of observed inverse $\beta$-decay events to the expected number of events without disappearance is $0.611\pm 0.085 {\rm (stat)} \pm 0.041 {\rm (syst)}$ for $\bar{\nu}_e$ energies $>$ 3.4 MeV. The deficit of events is inconsistent with the expected rate for standard $\bar{\nu}_e$ propagation at the 99.95% confidence level. In the context of two-flavor neutrino oscillations with CPT invariance, these results exclude all oscillation solutions but the `Large Mixing Angle' solution to the solar neutrino problem using reactor $\bar{\nu}_e$ sources.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure

Ribosome Display Selection of a Murine IgG1 Fab Binding Affibody Molecule Allowing Species Selective Recovery Of Monoclonal Antibodies

Affinity reagents recognizing constant parts of antibody molecules are invaluable tools in immunotechnology applications, including purification, immobilization, and detection of immunoglobulins. In this article, murine IgG1, the primary isotype of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) was used as target for selection of novel binders from a combinatorial ribosome display (RD) library of 1011 affibody molecules. Four rounds of selection using three different mouse IgG1 mAbs as alternating targets resulted in the identification of binders with broad mIgG1 recognition and dissociation constants (KD) in the low nanomolar to low micromolar range. For one of the binders, denoted Zmab25, competition in binding to full length mIgG1 by a streptococcal protein G (SPG) fragment and selective affinity capture of mouse IgG1 Fab fragments after papain cleavage of a full mAb suggest that an epitope functionally overlapping with the SPG-binding site in the CH1 domain of mouse IgG1 had been addressed. Interestingly, biosensor-based binding experiments showed that neither human IgG1 nor bovine Ig, the latter present in fetal bovine serum (FBS) was recognized by Zmab25. This selective binding profile towards murine IgG1 was successfully exploited in species selective recovery of two different mouse mAbs from complex samples containing FBS, resembling a hybridoma culture supernatant

Search for Point Sources of High Energy Neutrinos with AMANDA

This paper describes the search for astronomical sources of high-energy neutrinos using the AMANDA-B10 detector, an array of 302 photomultiplier tubes, used for the detection of Cherenkov light from upward traveling neutrino-induced muons, buried deep in ice at the South Pole. The absolute pointing accuracy and angular resolution were studied by using coincident events between the AMANDA detector and two independent telescopes on the surface, the GASP air Cherenkov telescope and the SPASE extensive air shower array. Using data collected from April to October of 1997 (130.1 days of livetime), a general survey of the northern hemisphere revealed no statistically significant excess of events from any direction. The sensitivity for a flux of muon neutrinos is based on the effective detection area for through-going muons. Averaged over the Northern sky, the effective detection area exceeds 10,000 m^2 for E_{mu} ~ 10 TeV. Neutrinos generated in the atmosphere by cosmic ray interactions were used to verify the predicted performance of the detector. For a source with a differential energy spectrum proportional to E_{nu}^{-2} and declination larger than +40 degrees, we obtain E^2(dN_{nu}/dE) <= 10^{-6}GeVcm^{-2}s^{-1} for an energy threshold of 10 GeV.Comment: 46 pages, 22 figures, 4 tables, submitted to Ap.

Limits on diffuse fluxes of high energy extraterrestrial neutrinos with the AMANDA-B10 detector

Data from the AMANDA-B10 detector taken during the austral winter of 1997 have been searched for a diffuse flux of high energy extraterrestrial muon-neutrinos, as predicted from, e.g., the sum of all active galaxies in the universe. This search yielded no excess events above those expected from the background atmospheric neutrinos, leading to upper limits on the extraterrestrial neutrino flux. For an assumed E^-2 spectrum, a 90% classical confidence level upper limit has been placed at a level E^2 Phi(E) = 8.4 x 10^-7 GeV cm^-2 s^-1 sr^-1 (for a predominant neutrino energy range 6-1000 TeV) which is the most restrictive bound placed by any neutrino detector. When specific predicted spectral forms are considered, it is found that some are excluded.Comment: Submitted to Physical Review Letter

Strategies for validation and testing of DNA methylation biomarkers

DNA methylation is a stable covalent epigenetic modification of primarily CpG dinucleotides that has recently gained considerable attention for its use as a biomarker in different clinical settings, including disease diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic response prediction. Although the advent of genome-wide DNA methylation profiling in primary disease tissue has provided a manifold resource for biomarker development, only a tiny fraction of DNA methylation-based assays have reached clinical testing. Here, we provide a critical overview of different analytical methods that are suitable for biomarker validation, including general study design considerations, which might help to streamline epigenetic marker development. Furthermore, we highlight some of the recent marker validation studies and established markers that are currently commercially available for assisting in clinical management of different cancers

Exploring nu signals in dark matter detectors

We investigate standard and non-standard solar neutrino signals in direct dark matter detection experiments. It is well known that even without new physics, scattering of solar neutrinos on nuclei or electrons is an irreducible background for direct dark matter searches, once these experiments each the ton scale. Here, we entertain the possibility that neutrino interactions are enhanced by new physics, such as new light force carriers (for instance a "dark photon") or neutrino magnetic moments. We consider models with only the three standard neutrino flavors, as well as scenarios with extra sterile neutrinos. We find that low-energy neutrino--electron and neutrino--nucleus scattering rates can be enhanced by several orders of magnitude, potentially enough to explain the event excesses observed in CoGeNT and CRESST. We also investigate temporal modulation in these neutrino signals, which can arise from geometric effects, oscillation physics, non-standard neutrino energy loss, and direction-dependent detection efficiencies. We emphasize that, in addition to providing potential explanations for existing signals, models featuring new physics in the neutrino sector can also be very relevant to future dark matter searches, where, on the one hand, they can be probed and constrained, but on the other hand, their signatures could also be confused with dark matter signals.Comment: 38 pages, 8 figures, 1 table; v3: eq 3 and nuclear recoil plots corrected, footnote added, conclusions unchange

Hereditary cataract in the Bengal cat in Poland

Background: This paper reports the significant prevalence of a presumed hereditary cataract in the Bengal cat breed in Poland. The nuclear part of the lens is affected and previous reports from Sweden and France for this type of feline cataract suggest that a recessive mode of inheritance is probably involved. Results: Presumed congenital or neonatal cataract involving the posterior nuclear part of each lens was initially diagnosed in a 12 month old male Bengal cat. As both parents and a sibling were also affected with cataract, a group of 18 related and 11 non-related cats was then subsequently examined. Eight related cats and one non- related cat were found to be similarly affected. A breed survey was then completed using an additional five centres across Poland and a further 190 related cats were examined. A total of 223 cats have been involved in this study, with 75 (33%) being affected with several types of cataract and 67 (30%) being specifically affected with the same or similar nuclear lesions. Eight cats (3.6%) presented with other cataract types and a prominence of the posterior lens suture lines was recorded in 65 cats unaffected with cataract (29%). There were no demonstrable vision problems. Neither age nor coat colour was significantly associated with the nuclear cataract, but the nuclear cataract group had a higher proportion of females than the unaffected group. Pedigree analysis has indicated probable inheritance as a recessive trait. Conclusions: These findings suggest that a presumably inherited nuclear cataract is present in the Bengal cat breed in Poland. It is considered to be either congenital or of very early onset, probably being inherited as a recessive trait. Although the lesion has no noticeable effect on vision, breeders in Poland and worldwide should be aware of the disease and clinical examination of young breeding stock prior to reproduction is advisable