The purpose of this document is to describe the upgrade of the CRESST dark matter search at LNGS. The proposed strategy will allow to explore a region of the parameter space for spin-independent ...WIMP-nucleon elastic scattering corresponding to WIMP masses below 10GeV/c\(^\text{2}\), that has not been covered by other experiments. These results can be achieved only with outstanding detector performances in terms of threshold and background. This proposal shows how CRESST can match these performance requirements, adding a unique piece of information to the dark matter puzzle. The results of this program will fix a new state-of-the-art in the low mass WIMP exploration, opening new perspectives of understanding the dark matter scenario.
Complement (C) inactivation by ammonia, ethylenediamine and methylamine in mouse serum was studied in relation to a possible adjuvant effect of the substances in a cell-mediated immune response. The ...amines caused a dose-dependent depletion of both alternative pathway (AP) and overall C activity in vitro and showed also pronounced adjuvant effects in the delayed type hypersensitivity response of mice to SRBC. A significant correlation between momentary inhibition of AP activity and adjuvanticity was observed (r = 0.9995; P approximately 0.02), suggesting a causative relationship between these two phenomena. Both effects seem to be a direct function of the number of amino-groups per molecule. Since, on the other hand, lysosomotropic activity of amines is known to decrease with the number of amino-residues, our findings exclude an important role of direct phagocyte inhibition in the immuno-adjuvanticity of these compounds. A longer persistence and improved presentation of antigen as indirect result of local C-depletion could account for the immunological adjuvant effects of amines.
The CRESST-II cryogenic dark matter search aims for the detection of WIMPs via elastic scattering off nuclei in CaWO\(_4\) crystals. We present results from a low-threshold analysis of a single ...upgraded detector module. This module efficiently vetoes low energy backgrounds induced by \(\alpha\)-decays on inner surfaces of the detector. With an exposure of \unit29.35{kg live days} collected in 2013 we set a limit on spin-independent WIMP-nucleon scattering which probes a new region of parameter space for WIMP masses below \unit3{GeV/c\(^2\)}, previously not covered in direct detection searches. A possible excess over background discussed for the previous CRESST-II phase 1 (from 2009 to 2011) is not confirmed.
In a recent paper, a linkage between immunological adjuvant activity in mice and in vitro anticomplementary (alternative pathway assay) effects was described for different polyanions. This connection ...was found only if mouse serum was used as a complement (C) source. In order to investigate the possible role of C in adjuvant activity, the differential effects of polyanions on mouse C were studied in detail. For this study, substances with different activity were selected, namely dextran sulphate with strong C-regulatory and immunoadjuvant activities, and heparin, which was weakly anticomplementary and devoid of adjuvant effect. In general, studies of mouse C are complicated by the unavailability of isolation procedures for the C-components involved. This difficulty was circumvented by making use of C5-deficient serum and of the haemolytic activity of mouse membrane attack complexes formed in the fluid phase. With yeast cells as alternative pathway activators it was shown that the effect of heparin on this pathway was restricted to activation of the terminal route. In contrast, dextran sulphate also caused a functional decay of a yeast-bound alternative pathway C5-convertase and interfered with the haemolytic activity of fluid-phase membrane attack complexes as well. Further studies will be needed to decide whether these specific effects of dextran sulphate are related to the immunological adjuvant activity of the substance in mice.
Soft x-ray absorption experiments on the transition metal L2,3 edge of multiferroic MnWO4 and antiferromagnetic CoWO4 are presented. The observed linear polarization dependence, analyzed by ...full-multiplet calculations, is used to determine the ground state wave function of the magnetic Mn2+ and Co2+ ions. The impact of the local structure and the spin-orbit coupling on the orbital moment is discussed in terms of the single-ion anisotropy. It is shown that the orbital moment in CoWO4 is responsible for the collinear antiferromagnetism, while the small size of spin-orbit coupling effects make spiral magnetic order in MnWO4 possible, enabling the material to be multiferroic.
Interference with hemolytic complement activity by polyanionic substances was studied in relation to the ability of these compounds to act as an adjuvant for a dead listeria vaccine. Heparin appeared ...a poor inhibitor of the mouse alternative pathway not only in contrast to its effects on the mouse classical and the human classical and alternative pathways, but also when compared to two polyanions with known adjuvant activity: dextran sulfate and suramin. For the three polyanions mentioned a correlation between adjuvant activity and mouse alternative pathway inhibition was observed. These findings suggest a possible causal relationship between interference with alternative complement pathway activation and adjuvant activity.
Atmospheric and solar neutrinos scattering coherently off target nuclei will
be an important background source for the next generation of direct dark matter
searches. In this work we focus on calcium ...tungstate as target material. For
comparison with existing works we calculate the neutrino floor indicating which
sensitivities can be reached before the neutrino background appears. In
addition, we investigate the sensitivities of future direct dark matter
searches using CRESST-II like detectors. Extending previous works we take into
account achievable energy resolutions and thresholds as well as beta and gamma
backgrounds for this investigation. We show that an exploration of WIMP-nucleon
cross sections below the neutrino floor is possible for exposures of
$\gtrsim10$ kg-years or higher. In the third part we show that a first
detection of coherent neutrino nucleus scattering of atmospheric and solar
neutrinos using the same detectors and the backgrounds is feasible for
exposures of $\gtrsim50$ kg-years.
To study the efficacy of intravenous immunoglobulin in symptomatic infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) we enrolled 35 patients with CD4 lymphocyte counts below 300/microliter in a ...randomized three-arm study. In addition to standard HIV treatment (e.g., zidovudine, aerosolized pentamidine), 13 patients were treated with 7.5 g and 11 with 40 g of a 7 S intravenous IgG preparation every 4 weeks over a period of 1 year. A control group of 11 patients remained on standard treatment. Clinical and laboratory parameters, including lymphocyte proliferation and in vitro immunoglobulin synthesis were evaluated prior to intravenous IgG administration. HIV-specific immunological abnormalities such as increased B-cell activation and B-cell immaturity were observed in all three study groups at the beginning of the study. Mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation was diminished. These disturbances were not influenced by intravenous IgG treatment. Further laboratory data and the course of the HIV infection (fever, antibiotic treatment, hospitalization, Candida and herpes simplex or cytomegalovirus infection) remained unchanged. Thus, our data with an observation period of 12 months do not support the use of intravenous IgG treatment in adult symptomatic HIV-infected patients with CD4 counts lower than 300/microliter.
A new type of activation of the terminal route of complement is described. It occurs in precipitates of mouse serum prepared with a critical amount of polyethylene glycol. The activation proceeds in ...the presence of 10 mM EDTA and in the absence of C1q and functional C2, C3, C4 and factor B, which suggests that it is classical and alternative pathway-independent. The activation is demonstrated by the generation of both thermo-labile haemolytic and thermo-stable chemotactic activity. For both activities C5 seems to be essential. The haemolytic activity does not show species restriction towards sheep erythrocytes, which suggests a similarity with C56-initiated (reactive) but not with (S)C5-9-mediated (deviated) haemolysis. The identity of the haemolytic complex and the chemoattractant and the possible use of the new activation for the functional analysis of the mouse terminal complement route will be the subject of further study.
