The DEAP-3600 detector searches for the scintillation signal from dark matter particles scattering on a 3.3 tonne liquid argon target. The largest background comes from
39
Ar
beta decays and is ...suppressed using pulse-shape discrimination (PSD). We use two types of PSD estimator: the prompt-fraction, which considers the fraction of the scintillation signal in a narrow and a wide time window around the event peak, and the log-likelihood-ratio, which compares the observed photon arrival times to a signal and a background model. We furthermore use two algorithms to determine the number of photons detected at a given time: (1) simply dividing the charge of each PMT pulse by the mean single-photoelectron charge, and (2) a likelihood analysis that considers the probability to detect a certain number of photons at a given time, based on a model for the scintillation pulse shape and for afterpulsing in the light detectors. The prompt-fraction performs approximately as well as the log-likelihood-ratio PSD algorithm if the photon detection times are not biased by detector effects. We explain this result using a model for the information carried by scintillation photons as a function of the time when they are detected.
The breast is a rare site for metastases from lung cancers. Their occurrence in patients with adenocarcinoma which has the EGFR mutation is exceptional. In this context, it is sometimes difficult to ...differentiate a second primary breast cancer from a breast metastasis.
We report the cases of two patients who developed breast metastases from lung adenocarcinoma that was TTF1 positive with a deletion of exon 19 of the EGFR gene. A non-smoking woman of Asian origin, presented with a solitary breast metastasis 29 months after being established on first-line chemotherapy. The second case was a Caucasian patient who was an active smoker presented with tumor progression with multiple metastases including involvement of both breasts 10 months after the start of treatment with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor. In both, tumor cells from the breast showed positive immunostaining for TTF1 and genotyping detected the presence of the deletion of exon 19 of the EGFR gene.
In patients with lung adenocarcinoma and EGFR mutation, immunohistochemical examination, including TTF1 and genotyping of synchronous breast tumour, is needed to confirm its metastatic nature and to guide treatment.
Abstract The full data set of the NEMO-3 experiment has been used to measure the half-life of the two-neutrino double beta decay of $$^{100}$$ 100 Mo to the ground state of $$^{100}$$ 100 Ru, ...$$T_{1/2} = \left 6.81 \pm 0.01\,\left( \text{ stat }\right) ^{+0.38}_{-0.40}\,\left( \text{ syst }\right) \right \times 10^{18}$$ T1/2=6.81±0.01stat-0.40+0.38syst×1018 year. The two-electron energy sum, single electron energy spectra and distribution of the angle between the electrons are presented with an unprecedented statistics of $$5\times 10^5$$ 5×105 events and a signal-to-background ratio of $$\sim $$ ∼ 80. Clear evidence for the Single State Dominance model is found for this nuclear transition. Limits on Majoron emitting neutrinoless double beta decay modes with spectral indices of $$\mathrm{n}=2,3,7$$ n=2,3,7 , as well as constraints on Lorentz invariance violation and on the bosonic neutrino contribution to the two-neutrino double beta decay mode are obtained.
The NEMO-3 results for the double-
β
decay of
150
Nd to the 0
1
+
and 2
1
+
excited states of
150
Sm are reported. The data recorded during 5.25 year with 36.6 g of the isotope
150
Nd are used in the ...analysis. The signal of the
2
ν
β
β
transition to the 0
1
+
excited state is detected with a statistical significance exceeding 5
σ
. The half-life is measured to be
T
1
/
2
2
ν
β
β
(
0
1
+
)
=
1
.
11
-
0.14
+
0.19
stat
-
0.15
+
0.17
syst
×
10
20
year, which is the most precise value that has been measured to date. 90% confidence-level limits are set for the other decay modes. For the
2
ν
β
β
decay to the 2
1
+
level the limit is
T
1
/
2
2
ν
β
β
(
2
1
+
)
>
2.42
×
10
20
year
. The limits on the
0
ν
β
β
decay to the 0
1
+
and 2
1
+
levels of
150
Sm are significantly improved to
T
1
/
2
0
ν
β
β
(
0
1
+
)
>
1.36
×
10
22
year
and
T
1
/
2
0
ν
β
β
(
2
1
+
)
>
1.26
×
10
22
year
.
The full data set of the NEMO-3 experiment has been used to measure the half-life of the two-neutrino double beta decay of Formula omittedMo to the ground state of Formula omittedRu, Formula omitted ...year. The two-electron energy sum, single electron energy spectra and distribution of the angle between the electrons are presented with an unprecedented statistics of Formula omitted events and a signal-to-background ratio of Formula omitted 80. Clear evidence for the Single State Dominance model is found for this nuclear transition. Limits on Majoron emitting neutrinoless double beta decay modes with spectral indices of Formula omitted, as well as constraints on Lorentz invariance violation and on the bosonic neutrino contribution to the two-neutrino double beta decay mode are obtained.
Abstract
The specific activity of the
$$\beta $$
β
decay of
$$^{39}$$
39
Ar in atmospheric argon is measured using the DEAP-3600 detector. DEAP-3600, located 2 km underground at SNOLAB, uses a total ...of (3269 ± 24) kg of liquid argon distilled from the atmosphere to search for dark matter. This detector is well-suited to measure the decay of
$$^{39}$$
39
Ar owing to its very low background levels. This is achieved in two ways: it uses low background construction materials; and it uses pulse-shape discrimination to differentiate between nuclear recoils and electron recoils. With 167 live-days of data, the measured specific activity at the time of atmospheric extraction is (0.964 ± 0.001
$$_\textrm{stat}$$
stat
± 0.024
$$_\textrm{sys}$$
sys
) Bq/kg
$$_\textrm{atmAr}$$
atmAr
, which is consistent with results from other experiments. A cross-check analysis using different event selection criteria and a different statistical method confirms the result.
The interaction of the porphyrin derivative H
TCPPSpm4, having spermine pendants in the four meso positions, with the G-quadruplex (GQ) structure formed by the DNA aptamer TGGGAG has been ...investigated by means of UV, electronic circular dichroism and PAGE studies. The results reported here demonstrate that the porphyrin derivative is capable of stabilizing or destabilizing the higher-ordered structures of parallel GQs, depending on the method used to reach their relative stoichiometry (titration vs. single addition). Noteworthily, when two equivalents of H
TCPPSpm4 were mixed directly with one equivalent of the (TGGGAG)
GQ to reach a 2 : 1 H
TCPPSpm4 : GQ ratio T
higher than 80 °C was also observed confirming the presence of higher-ordered GQ structures.
Abstract The NEMO-3 results for the double- $$\beta $$ β decay of $$^{150}$$ 150 Nd to the 0 $$^+_1$$ 1 + and 2 $$^+_1$$ 1 + excited states of $$^{150}$$ 150 Sm are reported. The data recorded during ...5.25 year with 36.6 g of the isotope $$^{150}$$ 150 Nd are used in the analysis. The signal of the $$2\nu \beta \beta $$ 2 ν β β transition to the 0 $$^+_1$$ 1 + excited state is detected with a statistical significance exceeding 5 $$\sigma $$ σ . The half-life is measured to be $$T_{1/2}^{2\nu \beta \beta }(0^+_1) = \left 1.11 ^{+0.19}_{-0.14} \,\left( \hbox {stat}\right) ^{+0.17}_{-0.15}\,\left( \hbox {syst}\right) \right \times 10^{20}$$ T 1 / 2 2 ν β β ( 0 1 + ) = 1 . 11 - 0.14 + 0.19 stat - 0.15 + 0.17 syst × 10 20 year, which is the most precise value that has been measured to date. 90% confidence-level limits are set for the other decay modes. For the $$2\nu \beta \beta $$ 2 ν β β decay to the 2 $$^+_1$$ 1 + level the limit is $$T^{2\nu \beta \beta }_{1/2}(2^+_1) > 2.42 \times 10^{20}~\hbox {year}$$ T 1 / 2 2 ν β β ( 2 1 + ) > 2.42 × 10 20 year . The limits on the $$0\nu \beta \beta $$ 0 ν β β decay to the 0 $$^+_1$$ 1 + and 2 $$^+_1$$ 1 + levels of $$^{150}$$ 150 Sm are significantly improved to $$T_{1/2}^{0\nu \beta \beta }(0^+_1) > 1.36 \times 10^{22}~\hbox {year}$$ T 1 / 2 0 ν β β ( 0 1 + ) > 1.36 × 10 22 year and $$T_{1/2}^{0\nu \beta \beta }(2^+_1) > 1.26 \times 10^{22}~\hbox {year}$$ T 1 / 2 0 ν β β ( 2 1 + ) > 1.26 × 10 22 year .
Cell fate decisions are controlled by the interplay of transcription factors and epigenetic modifiers, which together determine cellular identity. Here we elaborate on the role of miR302 in the ...regulation of cell plasticity. Overexpression of miR302 effected silencing of the TGFβ type II receptor and facilitated plasticity in a manner distinct from pluripotency, characterized by increased expression of Snail. miR302 overexpressing mesangial cells also exhibited enhanced expression of EZH2 coincident with Snail upregulation. esiRNA silencing of each component suggest that Smad3 and EZH2 are part of a complex that regulates plasticity and that miR302 regulates EZH2 and Snail independently. Subsequent manipulation of miR302 overexpressing cells demonstrated the potential of using this approach for reprogramming as evidenced by de novo expression of the tight junction components ZO-1 and E-cadherin and the formation of ZO-1 containing tight junctions. Understanding the processes through which dynamic epigenetic silencing is controlled in adults cells will allow us to address the epigenetic state of acquired disease and whether original states, regenerative in nature, can be restored with therapy.