Data taking has been started at the first stage of the SPASCHARM experiment on systematic study of the spin effects in strong interactions. The current setup configuration is described, and the detector characteristics attained during the beam data taking in the runs of 2018–2022 are listed.

AbstractThe target asymmetry T, recoil asymmetry P, and beam-target double polarization observable H were determined in exclusive $$\pi ^0$$ π 0 and $$\eta $$ η photoproduction off quasi-free protons and, for the first time, off quasi-free neutrons. The experiment was performed at the electron stretcher accelerator ELSA in Bonn, Germany, with the Crystal Barrel/TAPS detector setup, using a linearly polarized photon beam and a transversely polarized deuterated butanol target. Effects from the Fermi motion of the nucleons within deuterium were removed by a full kinematic reconstruction of the final state invariant mass. A comparison of the data obtained on the proton and on the neutron provides new insight into the isospin structure of the electromagnetic excitation of the nucleon. Earlier measurements of polarization observables in the $$\gamma p \rightarrow \pi ^0 p$$ γ p → π 0 p and $$\gamma p \rightarrow \eta p$$ γ p → η p reactions are confirmed. The data obtained on the neutron are of particular relevance for clarifying the origin of the narrow structure in the $$\eta n$$ η n system at $$W = 1.68\ \textrm{GeV}$$ W = 1.68 GeV . A comparison with recent partial wave analyses favors the interpretation of this structure as arising from interference of the $$S_{11}(1535)$$ S 11 ( 1535 ) and $$S_{11}(1650)$$ S 11 ( 1650 ) resonances within the $$S_{11}$$ S 11 -partial wave.

The target asymmetry T, recoil asymmetry P, and beam-target double polarization observable H were determined in exclusive π0 and η photoproduction off quasi-free protons and, for the first time, off quasi-free neutrons. The experiment was performed at the electron stretcher accelerator ELSA in Bonn, Germany, with the Crystal Barrel/TAPS detector setup, using a linearly polarized photon beam and a transversely polarized deuterated butanol target. Effects from the Fermi motion of the nucleons within deuterium were removed by a full kinematic reconstruction of the final state invariant mass. A comparison of the data obtained on the proton and on the neutron provides new insight into the isospin structure of the electromagnetic excitation of the nucleon. Earlier measurements of polarization observables in the γp→π0p and γp→ηp reactions are confirmed. The data obtained on the neutron are of particular relevance for clarifying the origin of the narrow structure in the ηn system at W=1.68GeV. A comparison with recent partial wave analyses favors the interpretation of this structure as arising from interference of the S11(1535) and S11(1650) resonances within the S11-partial wave.

The SPASCHARM experiment is aimed at a systematic study of the nucleon spin structure and the spin dependence of the strong interaction of antimatter and matter with matter at energies up to 45 GeV. As part of the first stage of the experiment, the study of the spin properties of hadrons will take place in a beam of negatively charged hadrons on existing beamline 14 at the operating SPASCHARM setup at the U70 facility. At the second stage, the production of polarized beams of protons and antiprotons is envisaged in beamline 24A of the U-70 accelerator facility. A polarized antiproton beam will certainly become a unique beam in the world. It is planned to measure single-spin asymmetries in dozens of reactions, both on hydrogen and on various nuclei. At the SPASCHARM facility, it is also possible to measure the transverse polarization of hyperons and elements of the spin density matrix of vector mesons. The spin structure of the nucleon will be investigated in the study of quarkonium production to determine the contribution of gluons to the proton spin. The presence of two types of polarized beams and eight types of nonpolarized beams (π ± , K ± , p , p̅ , d , C ), in combination with a polarized target, expands the range of studies of polarization phenomena and enhances the uniqueness of the project.

The Compton double-polarization observable Sigma(2z) has been measured for the first time in the Delta(1232) resonance region using a circularly polarized photon beam incident on a longitudinally polarized proton target at the Mainz Microtron. This paper reports these results, together with the model-dependent extraction of four proton spin polarizabilities from fits to additional asymmetry data using either a dispersion relation calculation or a baryon chiral perturbation theory calculations with the weighted average of these two fits resulting -2.87 0.52, gamma(E1E1) = 2.70 0.43, gamma(E1M2) = in gamma(E1M2) = -0.85 +/- 0.72, and gamma(M1E2) = 2.04 +/- 0.43, in units of 10(-4) fm(4).

The Compton double-polarization observable Σ_2z has been measured for the first time in the Δ(1232) resonance region using a circularly polarized photon beam incident on a longitudinally polarized target at the Mainz Microtron. This paper reports these results, together with the model-dependent extraction of four proton spin polarizabilities from fits to additional asymmetry data using dispersion relation and chiral perturbation theory calculations, with the former resulting in: γ_E1E1 = -3.18 ± 0.52, γ_M1M1 = 2.98 ± 0.43, γ_E1M2 = -0.44 ± 0.67 and γ_M1E2 = 1.58 ± 0.43, in units of 10^-4 fm^4.

The data available from the A2 Collaboration at MAMI were analyzed to select the $gamma pto pi^0eta p$ reaction on an event-by-event basis, which allows for partial-wave analyses of three-body final states to obtain more reliable results, compared to fits to measured distributions. These data provide the worldu0027s best statistical accuracy in the energy range from threshold to $E_{gamma}=1.45$ GeV, allowing a finer energy binning in the measurement of all observables needed for understanding the reaction dynamics. The results obtained for the measured observables are compared to existing models, and the impact from the new data is checked by the fit with the revised Mainz model.

Background: Photoproduction of mesons off quasifree nucleons bound in the deuteron allows us to study the electromagnetic excitation spectrum of the neutron and the isospin structure of the excitation of nucleon resonances. The database for such reactions is much more sparse than for free proton targets. Purpose: Study experimentally single pi(0) photoproduction off quasifree nucleons from the deuteron. Investigate nuclear effects by a comparison of the results for free protons and quasifree protons. Use the quasifree neutron data (corrected for nuclear effects) to test the predictions of reaction models and partial wave analysis (PWA) for gamma n -> n pi(0) derived from the analysis of the other isospin channels. Methods: High statistics angular distributions and total cross sections for the photoproduction of pi(0) mesons off the deuteron with coincident detection of recoil nucleons have been measured for the first time. The experiment was performed at the tagged photon beam of the Mainz Microtron (MAMI) accelerator for photon energies between 0.45 and 1.4 GeV, using an almost 4 pi electromagnetic calorimeter composed of the Crystal Ball and TAPS detectors. A complete kinematic reconstruction of the final state removed the effects of Fermi motion. Results: Significant effects from final-state interactions (FSI) were observed for participant protons in comparison to free proton targets (between 30% and almost 40%). The data in coincidence with recoil neutrons were corrected for such effects under the assumption that they are identical for participant protons and neutrons. Reaction model predictions and PWA for gamma n -> n pi(0), based on fits to data for the other isospin channels, disagreed between themselves and no model provided a good description of the new data. Conclusions: The results demonstrate clearly the importance of a measurement of the fully neutral final state for the isospin decomposition of the cross section. Model refits, for example from the Bonn-Gatchina analysis, show that the new and the previous data for the other three isospin channels can be simultaneously described when the contributions of several partial waves are modified. The results are also relevant for the suppression of the higher resonance bumps in total photoabsorption on nuclei, which are not well understood.

The double-polarization observable E and the helicity-dependent cross sections σ1/2 and σ3/2 have been measured for the first time for single π0 photoproduction from protons and neutrons bound in the deuteron at the electron accelerator facility MAMI in Mainz, Germany. The experiment used a circularly polarized photon beam and a longitudinally polarized deuterated butanol target. The reaction products, recoil nucleons and decay photons from the π0 meson were detected with the Crystal Ball and TAPS electromagnetic calorimeters. Effects from nuclear Fermi motion were removed by a kinematic reconstruction of the π0N final state. A comparison to data measured with a free proton target showed that the absolute scale of the cross sections is significantly modified by nuclear final-state interaction (FSI) effects. However, there is no significant effect on the asymmetry E since the σ1/2 and σ3/2 components appear to be influenced in a similar way. Thus, the best approximation of the two helicity-dependent cross sections for the free neutron is obtained by combining the asymmetry E measured with quasi-free neutrons and the unpolarized cross section corrected for FSI effects under the assumption that the FSI effects are similar for neutrons and protons.

The Dalitz decays eta -> e^+e^-g and omega -> pi^0 e^+e^- have been measured in the g p -> eta p and g p -> omega p reactions, respectively, with the A2 tagged-photon facility at the Mainz Microtron, MAMI. The value obtained for the slope parameter of the electromagnetic transition form factor of eta, Lambda^{-2}_eta=(1.97+/-0.11_tot) GeV^{-2}, is in good agreement with previous measurements of the eta -> e^+e^-g and eta -> mu^+mu^-g decays. The uncertainty obtained in the value of Lambda^{-2}_eta is lower than in previous results based on the eta -> e^+e^-g decay. The value obtained for the omega slope parameter, Lambda^{-2}_omega_pi^0 = (1.99+/-0.21_tot) GeV^{-2}, is somewhat lower than previous measurements based on omega -> pi^0 mu^+mu^-, but the results for the omega transition form factor are in better agreement with theoretical calculations, compared to earlier experiments.

Precise helicity-dependent cross sections and the double-polarization observable E were measured for η photoproduction from quasifree protons and neutrons bound in the deuteron. The η → 2γ and η → 3π0 → 6γ decay modes were used to optimize the statistical quality of the data and to estimate systematic uncertainties. The measurement used the A2 detector setup at the tagged photon beam of the electron accelerator MAMI in Mainz. A longitudinally polarized deuterated butanol target was used in combination with a circularly polarized photon beam from bremsstrahlung of a longitudinally polarized electron beam. The reaction products were detected with the electromagnetic calorimeters Crystal Ball and TAPS, which covered 98% of the full solid angle. The results show that the narrow structure observed earlier in the unpolarized excitation function of η photoproduction off the neutron appears only in reactions with antiparallel photon and nucleon spin (σ1/2). It is absent for reactions with parallel spin orientation (σ3/2) and thus very probably related to partial waves with total spin 1/2. The behavior of the angular distributions of the helicity-dependent cross sections was analyzed by fitting them with Legendre polynomials. The results are in good agreement with a model from the Bonn-Gatchina group, which uses an interference of P11 and S11 partial waves to explain the narrow structure.

An experimental study of the $etau0027to pi^0pi^0eta to 6gamma$ decay has been conducted with the best up-to-date statistical accuracy, by measuring $etau0027$ mesons produced in the $gamma p to etau0027 p$ reaction with the A2 tagged-photon facilities at the Mainz Microtron, MAMI. The results obtained for the standard parametrization of the $etau0027to pi^0pi^0eta$ matrix element are consistent with the most recent results for $etau0027topipieta$ decays, but have smaller uncertainties. The available statistics and experimental resolution allowed, for the first time, an observation of a structure below the $pi^+pi^-$ mass threshold, the magnitude and sign of which, checked within the framework of the nonrelativistic effective-field theory, demonstrated good agreement with the cusp that was predicted based on the $pipi$ scattering length combination, $a_0-a_2$, extracted from $K to 3pi$ decays.

A new experiment SPASCHARM for systematic study of polarization phenomena in inclusive and exclusive hadronic reactions is currently under commissioning at IHEP. The universal experimental setup will detect dozens of various resonances and stable particles produced in collisions of unpolarized beams with the polarized target, and at the next stage, using polarized beams. At the first stage with polarized target, the final states composed of light quarks (u, d, s) will be reconstructed. Hyperon polarization and spin density matrix elements of the vector mesons will be measured along with the single-spin asymmetries. The 2π-acceptance in azimuth, which is extremely useful for reduction of systematic errors in measurements of spin observables, will be implemented in the experiment. The solid angle acceptance of the setup, Δθ≈250 mrad vertically and 350 mrad horizontally in the beam fragmentation region, covers a wide range of kinematic variables pT and xF. This provides the opportunity for separating dependences on these two variables which is usually not possible in the setups with a small solid angle acceptance. Unlike some previous polarization experiments, the SPASCHARM will be able to simultaneously accumulate and record data on the both, charged and neutral particle production.

The double polarization observable E and the helicity dependent cross sections σ_{1/2} and σ_{3/2} were measured for η photoproduction from quasifree protons and neutrons. The circularly polarized tagged photon beam of the A2 experiment at the Mainz MAMI accelerator was used in combination with a longitudinally polarized deuterated butanol target. The almost 4π detector setup of the Crystal Ball and TAPS is ideally suited to detect the recoil nucleons and the decay photons from η→2γ and η→3π^{0}. The results show that the narrow structure previously observed in η photoproduction from the neutron is only apparent in σ_{1/2} and hence, most likely related to a spin-1/2 amplitude. Nucleon resonances that contribute to this partial wave in η production are only N 1/2^{-} (S_{11}) and N 1/2^{+} (P_{11}). Furthermore, the extracted Legendre coefficients of the angular distributions for σ_{1/2} are in good agreement with recent reaction model predictions assuming a narrow resonance in the P_{11} wave as the origin of this structure.

The first data on target and beam-target asymmetries for the gamma p -> pi(0)eta p reaction at photon energies from 1050 up to 1450 MeV are presented. The measurements were performed using the Crystal Ball and TAPS detector setup at the Glasgow tagged photon facility of the Mainz Microtron MAMI. The general assumption that the reaction is dominated by the Delta 3/2-amplitude is confirmed. The data are in particular sensitive to small contributions from other partial waves.

The results obtained by measuring, at the U-70 accelerator in Protvino, the single-spin asymmetry A N in the reaction p + p └ → π0 + X at a beam energy of 50 GeV in the Feynman variable range of −0.6 < x F < −0.1 are presented. The asymmetry A N is close to zero at small |x F | and grows in magnitude with |x F |, reaching 6.4% in the region of |x F | > 0.25. The results of these measurements agree with data of the E704 experiment on the asymmetry of π 0 mesons at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in the region of polarized-beam fragmentation and with the results of measurements in the region of polarized-target fragmentation that were performed in Protvino by using a 40-GeV π −-meson beam and a 70-GeV proton beam.

The new frozen spin polarized target for experiments at the polarized beam of the real photon facility A2 of the MAMI accelerator is described. The A2-collaboration at the Mainz Microtron MAMI is measuring photon absorption cross section using circularly and linearly polarized photons up to the energy of 1.5 GeV. The photons are produced in the’ Bremsstrahlungs’ process. In the years 2005/2006 the Crystal Ball detector with its unique capability to cope with multi photon final states was set up in Mainz. Since 2010 the experimental apparatus has been completed by a polarized target. The horizontal dilution refrigerator of the Frozen-Spin Target has been constructed and is operated in close cooperation with the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna, Russia. The system offers the opportunity to provide longitudinally and transversely polarized protons and deuteron. In this paper the operation experience of this new Frozen-Spin Target and first results from the runs in 2010 and 2011 are presented.

ABSTRACT Introduction Standard chemotherapy is increasingly discontinued after successful “induction” in patients (pts) undergoing 1st line treatment for mCRC. MGN1703 is a synthetic DNA-based immunomodulator acting as an agonist of TLR-9 that has shown preclinical activity in mCRC. This study has been conducted to assess clinical efficacy, immunogenicity, and safety of MGN1703 as maintenance vs. placebo. Methods The IMPACT study is an international, multicenter, randomized double-blind placebo-controlled phase II/III study. Pts with mCRC showing disease control (CR, PR or SD) after 4.5 to 6 months of 1st-line standard therapy with FOLFOX/XELOX or FOLFIRI +/- bevacizumab (investigatoŕs choice) were included. Results Interim analysis of the unblinded data revealed a strong therapeutic effect compared to anticipated PFS. Therefore, patients were withheld from further randomization, according to a decision of the steering committee. In the ITT population (N = 55 pts), hazard ratio (HR) was 0.53 in favor of MGN1703 (p = 0.062). In the per-protocol population (excluding screening failures; N = 50), HR was 0.43 (p = 0.015). In the pre-defined target population (2 out of 3 factors: CEA Conclusions Maintenance therapy with MGN1703 after standard chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab, is associated with significantly improved progression-free survival compared to placebo and is accompanied by low toxicity. A confirmatory clinical study in patients with metastatic CRC is currently being planned. Disclosure M. Tschaika: Employment, stock ownership. M. Schmidt: Employment. B. Wittig: Stock ownership. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.