Measurement of the t-channel single top quark production cross section in pp collisions at √s=7 TeV

Electroweak production of the top quark is measured for the first time in pp collisions at √=7  TeV, using a data set collected with the CMS detector at the LHC and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36  pb⁻¹. With an event selection optimized for t-channel production, two complementary analyses are performed. The first one exploits the special angular properties of the signal, together with background estimates from the data. The second approach uses a multivariate analysis technique to probe the compatibility with signal topology expected from electroweak top-quark production. The combined measurement of the cross section is 83.6±29.8(stat+syst)±3.3(lumi)  pb, consistent with the standard model expectation.

Metastatic endometrial stromal sarcoma of the lung: importance of immunohistochemical staining, clinical history and imaging studies

Proper evaluation of lung nodules is a difficult issue for clinical management of patients. Discriminating metastatic endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS) from other primary spindle cell neoplasms of the lung using histological analysis can be challenging. This is particularly true when an adequate clinical history is lacking, because ESS metastasis can be delayed by a couple of decades. To emphasize the importance of the correlation of pathological findings with clinical history and imaging studies, we investigated 11 cases of ESS (seven low grade and four high grade) metastatic to the lung. All cases presented with one to multiple unilateral or bilateral lung nodules that were detected by chest computed tomography. Primary ESS was diagnosed from hysterectomy specimens except for one by endometrial biopsy, 0.5 to 23 years prior to metastasis. Immunohistochemical studies showed that all ESS cases were moderately to strongly positive for Bcl-2 and CD10 with >50% of tumor cells stained, except for one high grade ESS that was negative for CD10. Eight (72.7%) and seven (63.6) of the 11 cases showed positive estrogen and progesterone receptors, respectively, with a majority of positive cases showing diffuse and moderate to strong staining. Strong but patchy staining for CD34 was detected in one (9.1%) case with smooth muscle differentiation. CK7 and TTF-1 were negative in all cases. Two (18.2%) cases exhibited patchy and strong positivity for caldesmon. Two (18.2%) low grade ESS cases showed moderate to strong AE1/AE3 positivity in >50% of tumor cells, one of which also showed moderate CK19 and Cam 5.2 staining in >30% of tumor cells. One should be cautious when assessing spindle cell neoplasms of the lung in women with a history of hysterectomy. Correlation of clinical history and imaging studies with histological and immunohistochemical findings is essential to diagnosis of metastatic ESS to the lung.

Photoinduced phase transitions by time-resolved far-infrared spectroscopy in V2O3

Using time-resolved far-infrared spectroscopy, we observe multiple routes for photoinduced phase transitions in V(2)O(3). This includes (i) a photothermal antiferromagnetic to paramagnetic transition and (ii) an incipient strain-generated paramagnetic metal to paramagnetic insulator transition, which manifests as coherent oscillations in the far-infrared conductivity. The ∼100 ps conductivity oscillation results from coherent acoustic phonon modulation of the bandwidth W. Our results indicate that poor metals are particularly amenable to coherent strain control of their electronic properties.

Molecular level dynamics of genetic oscillator--the effect of protein-protein interaction

Uncovering how interactions of a set of molecular components influence the system's dynamic behavior is important for understanding intracellular processes and elucidating design principles, but unfortunately, there are limited efforts for studying this issue. Here, we study the effect of distinct post-translational dynamics controlled by protein dimerization on oscillations in the repressilator. For this, we propose three biologically motivated model scenarios of the repressilator with monomer or dimer being the active form of repressor, and with protein-protein interactions. It is found that the dimer dissociation constant can tune oscillatory regions, frequency and amplitude. Introducing a modified linear noise approximation to evaluate fluctuations of amplitude and period in the oscillatory systems, we show that different dimerization leads to a different effect on period and amplitude in reducing noise. The manipulation of the circuit's biochemical properties provides a practical strategy for designing a robust and tunable oscillator.

Indications of suppression of excited Υ states in Pb-Pb collisions at √(s(NN))=2.76 TeV

A comparison of the relative yields of Υ resonances in the μ(+)μ(-) decay channel in Pb-Pb and pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of 2.76 TeV is performed with data collected with the CMS detector at the LHC. Using muons of transverse momentum above 4  GeV/c and pseudorapidity below 2.4, the double ratio of the Υ(2S) and Υ(3S) excited states to the Υ(1S) ground state in Pb-Pb and pp collisions, [Υ(2S+3S)/Υ(1S)](Pb-Pb)/[Υ(2S+3S)/Υ(1S)](pp), is found to be 0.31(-0.15)(+0.19)(stat)±0.03(syst). The probability to obtain the measured value, or lower, if the true double ratio is unity, is calculated to be less than 1%.

In vitro myometrial contractility reflects indication for caesarean section

OBJECTIVE

To assess the extent to which in vitro measurements of myometrial contractility reflect the clinical indication for caesarean section.

DESIGN

A prospective, observational hypothesis-generating study.

SETTING

Women were recruited from Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust and experiments were performed in the Physiology Department at the University of Liverpool.

POPULATION

Myometrial samples were taken from women undergoing a caesarean section during labour (n = 50) or from women having a repeat nonlabouring caesarean section (n = 70).

METHODS

The demographic characteristics of the women and indications for current and previous caesarean sections were recorded. The force, frequency and duration of spontaneous contractions of myometrial strips, and changes in the intracellular calcium concentration of the strips, were measured. Kruskall-Wallis and post hoc tests were used to assess the significance of differences between groups.

RESULTS

Samples from women whose caesarean section was for fetal distress/acidosis (scalp pH <7.2) contracted with more force than those from women whose caesarean section was for delay in the first stage of labour (P < 0.001). For repeat, nonlabouring caesarean sections, samples from women whose first caesarean section was for fetal distress/acidosis also contracted with more force than did samples from women whose first caesarean section was for delay in the first stage of labour (P = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that the myometrium contracts with greater force in women who have a caesarean section for fetal distress.

Developments of combretastatin A-4 derivatives as anticancer agents

Tubulin protein is one of several members of a small family of globular proteins. It offers a potential target for anticancer drug design and development. Combretastatin A-4 (CA-4) is a potent anticancer and antiangiogenesis natural substance isolated from Combretum caffrum. Modifications on the CA-4 structure have led to a great number of novel CA-4 derivatives as potent tubulin inhibitors and high cytotoxic anticancer agents is becoming an interesting field, leading to a breakthrough in the treatment of cancer. In this review, the recent developments of novel CA-4 derivatives via the modifications on the A- and B-ring and the double bond as anticancer agents are discussed.

High cell density and productivity culture of Chinese hamster ovary cells in a fluidized bed bioreactor

A recombinant Chinese hamster ovary clone was cultivated in a 2L Cytopilot Mini fluidized bed bioreactor using Cytoline 1 microcarriers and a 10L B. Braun stirred tank bioreactor with Cytodex 1 microcarriers. Cytoline 1 is a macroporous polyethylene microcarrier and Cytodex 1 is a solid DEAE-dextran microcarrier. Cytoline 1 microcarriers in the fluidized bed bioreactor were gently mixed by an uplifting flow. Circulation and sparging in Cytopilot Mini were separated from the fluidized microcarrier bed. Cytopilot Mini bioreactor with Cytoline 1 microcarriers offered 2.3 times more surface area than the stirred tank bioreactor. The 2L fluidized bed bioreactor accommodated approximately half the cells in the 10L stirred tank bioreactor. Moreover, Cytopilot Mini had approximately three times more product output rate and 5.5 times higher specific productivity than the stirred tank bioreactor.

Serological survey of antibodies to influenza A viruses in a group of people without a history of influenza vaccination

A serological survey for antibodies to influenza viruses was performed in China on a group of people without a history of influenza vaccination. Using the haemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay, we found seropositivity rates for seasonal H3N2 to be significantly higher than those for seasonal H1N1. Samples positive for antibodies to the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus increased from 0.6% pre-outbreak to 4.5% (p <0.01) at 1 year post-outbreak. Interestingly, HI and neutralization tests showed that 1.4% of people in the group have antibodies recognizing H9N2 avian influenza viruses, suggesting that infection with this subtype may be more common than previously thought.

Measurement of the polarization of W bosons with large transverse momenta in W + jets events at the LHC

A first measurement of the polarization of W bosons with large transverse momenta in pp collisions is presented. The measurement is based on 36 pb⁻¹ of data recorded at √s = 7 TeV by the CMS detector at the LHC. The left-handed, right-handed, and longitudinal polarization fractions (f(L), f(R), and f₀, respectively) of W bosons with transverse momenta larger than 50 GeV are determined by using decays to both electrons and muons. The muon final state yields the most precise measurement: (f(L) - f(R))⁻ = 0.240 ± 0.036(stat) ± 0.031(syst) and f₀⁻ = 0.183 ± 0.087(stat) ± 0.123(syst) for negatively charged W bosons and (f(L) - f(R))⁺ = 0.310 ± 0.036(stat) ± 0.017(syst) and f₀⁺ = 0.171 ± 0.085(stat) ± 0.099(syst) for positively charged W bosons. This establishes, for the first time, that W bosons produced in pp collisions with large transverse momenta are predominantly left-handed, as expected in the standard model.

Icarisid II, a PDE5 inhibitor from Epimedium wanshanense, increases cellular cGMP by enhancing NOS in diabetic ED rats corpus cavernosum tissue

The aim of this study was to explore the effects and mechanisms of Icarisid II (ICA-II) on enhancing the cellular cGMP in rat corpus cavernosum tissue (RCCT). Diabetes mellitus Wistar rats were induced by streptozotocin, and diabetic ED rats were selected for the RCCT culture by apomorphine. ICA-II was extracted and purified from Icariin (ICA) by enzymatic method. The RCCT was treated with ICA-II, ICA and Sildenafil at different concentrations. cGMP and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activities were checked respectively by enzyme immunoassay. Meanwhile, nNOS, iNOS and eNOS in RCCT were checked by western blot. ICA-II evaluated the intracellular cGMP to 8.01 ± 1.02 pmol mg(-1) min(-1), which is much weaker than that from Sildenafil (12.4 ± 1.16 pmol mg(-1) min(-1)) (P < 0.05). There is no significant difference between ICA-II and ICA. With the treatment of 10 μm ICA-II for 24 and 48 h, nNOS expression was significantly increased in RCCT (P < 0.05), while the eNOS expression level was very low without any change. Notably, ICA-II increased the intracellular NOS activity significantly in vitro in RCCT. Except the PDE5 inhibitory effect, ICA-II increases the intracellular cGMP through the enhancement of nNOS expression and NOS activity in RCCT in vitro. ICA-II implies a potential compound for neurogenic erectile dysfunction by NO-cGMP pathway.