Production of extracellular carbohydrases by mushrooms

Seven different mushrooms, in submerged culture, are capable of utilizing various polysaccharides, i.e., xylan, mannan, cellulose, dextran, inulin, added in the medium as sole source of carbon. But chitin was found to be not utilized by any of them. Xylan is commonly utilized by all the mushrooms tested. Inducible and constitutive types of hydrolytic enzymes for those polysaccharides have been identified in the fermented broth of the mushrooms. Xylanase was found to be a constitutive enzyme for most of the strains exceipt for <i>Panaeolus papilionaceus</i> (Bull. ex Fr.) Fr. for which it is inducible.

Statins: Can we advocate them for primary prevention of heart disease?

The discovery of cholesterol-lowering agents, namely HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors or statins, ushered in a series of large cholesterol reduction trials. The first of these studies was the Scandinavian Simvastatin Survival Study (4S) in which hypercholesterolemic men with CHD who were treated with simvastatin had a reduction in major coronary events of 44% and a reduction in total mortality of 30%. Many more secondary prevention trials followed to establish unequivocally the benefit of cholesterol reduction. Strategies that aim to improve primary prevention are important for managing the overall burden of disease. Recently therefore, the role of statin in primary prevention is being debated. The JUPITER trial and more recently the Cholesterol Treatment Trialists collaborators, proved that incidences of first major cardiovascular events in apparently healthy individuals were reduced by statins. Statins have also been discussed to be having certain pleiotropic effects on other diseases like diabetes, cancer and osteoporosis. However, issues of cost effectiveness and adverse effects like myositis, and transaminitis still loom large. The medical community needs to debate and evolve a possible consensus on the path breaking subject.

Age at diagnosis predicts local recurrence in women treated with breast-conserving surgery and postoperative radiation therapy for ductal carcinoma in situ: a population-based outcomes analysis

PURPOSE

The main goal of treating ductal carcinoma in situ (dcis) is to prevent the development of invasive breast cancer. Most women are treated with breast-conserving surgery (bcs) and radiotherapy. Age at diagnosis may be a risk factor for recurrence, leading to concerns that additional treatment may be necessary for younger women. We report a population-based study of women with dcis treated with bcs and radiotherapy and an evaluation of the effect of age on local recurrence (lr).

METHODS

All women diagnosed with dcis in Ontario from 1994 to 2003 were identified. Treatments and outcomes were collected through administrative databases and validated by chart review. Women treated with bcs and radiotherapy were included. Survival analyses were performed to evaluate the effect of age on outcomes.

RESULTS

We identified 5752 cases of dcis; 1607 women received bcs and radiotherapy. The median follow-up was 10.0 years. The 10-year cumulative lr rate was 27% for women younger than 45 years, 14% for women 45-50 years, and 11% for women more than 50 years of age (p < 0.0001). The 10-year cumulative invasive lr rate was 22% for women younger than 45 years, 10% for women 45-50 years, and 7% for women more than 50 years of age (p < 0.0001). On multivariate analyses, young age (<45 years) was significantly associated with lr and invasive lr [hazard ratio (hr) for lr: 2.6; 95% confidence interval (ci): 1.9 to 3.7; p < 0.0001; hr for invasive lr: 3.0; 95% ci: 2.0 to 4.4; p < 0.0001]. An age of 45-50 years was also significantly associated with invasive lr (hr: 1.6; 95% ci: 1.0 to 2.4; p = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

Age at diagnosis is a strong predictor of lr in women with dcis after treatment with bcs and radiotherapy.

Numerical simulation of turbulent flow mixing inside a square chimney structure of a research reactor

Numerical simulation was performed to study the turbulent mixing behavior of two opposing flows inside a square chimney structure of a research reactor. The chimney design facilitates drawing pool water in the downward direction and thereby suppresses the upward flow of radioactive water jet to limit the radiation field at the reactor pool top. Analyses were carried out considering a mass flow rate of 750 kg/s for the upward flowing hot water from the core, which corresponds to Reynolds number of 3 × 106. Mass flow ratios of the downward flow and the upward flow were 0.0, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.15. The effects of mass flow ratio, chimney height on the velocity and temperature distribution inside three-dimensional chimney structure was evaluated using CFD code PHOENICS. The effect of temperature difference between the opposing flows on velocity was also analysed. It is observed that increase in downward flow causes the jet height to decrease due to the opposing momentum of downward flow against the upward jet. The effects of chimney height and temperature difference on the jet height are found to be marginal because of dominating inertial force over buoyancy force for the study.

Inclusive search for supersymmetry using razor variables in pp collisions at √s=7 TeV

An inclusive search is presented for new heavy particle pairs produced in √s=7 TeV proton-proton collisions at the LHC using 4.7±0.1 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity. The selected events are analyzed in the 2D razor space of M(R), an event-by-event indicator of the heavy particle mass scale, and R, a dimensionless variable related to the missing transverse energy. The third-generation sector is probed using the event heavy-flavor content. The search is sensitive to generic supersymmetry models with minimal assumptions about the superpartner decay chains. No excess is observed in the number of events beyond that predicted by the standard model. Exclusion limits are derived in the CMSSM framework as well as for simplified models. Within the CMSSM parameter space considered, gluino masses up to 800 GeV and squark masses up to 1.35 TeV are excluded at 95% confidence level depending on the model parameters. The direct production of pairs of top or bottom squarks is excluded for masses as high as 400 GeV.

Search for physics beyond the standard model in events with τ leptons, jets, and large transverse momentum imbalance in pp collisions at [Formula: see text]

A search for physics beyond the standard model is performed with events having one or more hadronically decaying τ leptons, highly energetic jets, and large transverse momentum imbalance. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 4.98 fb-1 of proton-proton collisions at [Formula: see text] collected with the CMS detector at the LHC in 2011. The number of observed events is consistent with predictions for standard model processes. Lower limits on the mass of the gluino in supersymmetric models are determined.

Search for supersymmetry in pp collisions at [Formula: see text] TeV in events with a single lepton, jets, and missing transverse momentum

Results are reported from a search for new physics processes in events containing a single isolated high-transverse-momentum lepton (electron or muon), energetic jets, and large missing transverse momentum. The analysis is based on a 4.98 fb-1 sample of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV, obtained with the CMS detector at the LHC. Three separate background estimation methods, each relying primarily on control samples in the data, are applied to a range of signal regions, providing complementary approaches for estimating the background yields. The observed yields are consistent with the predicted standard model backgrounds. The results are interpreted in terms of limits on the parameter space for the constrained minimal supersymmetric extension of the standard model, as well as on cross sections for simplified models, which provide a generic description of the production and decay of new particles in specific, topology based final states.

ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL

The online version of this article (doi:10.1140/epjc/s10052-013-2404-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Measurement of associated production of vector bosons and top quark-antiquark pairs in pp collisions at sqrt[s]=7 TeV

The first measurement of vector-boson production associated with a top quark-antiquark pair in proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s] = 7  TeV is presented. The results are based on a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.0  fb(-1), recorded by the CMS detector at the LHC in 2011. The measurement is performed in two independent channels through a trilepton analysis of ttZ events and a same-sign dilepton analysis of ttV (V = W or Z) events. In the trilepton channel a direct measurement of the ttZ cross section σ(ttZ) = 0.28(-0.11)(+0.14) (stat)(-0.03)(+0.06) (syst)  pb is obtained. In the dilepton channel a measurement of the ttV cross section yields σ(ttV) = 0.43(-0.15)(+0.17) (stat)(-0.07)(+0.09) (syst)  pb. These measurements have a significance, respectively, of 3.3 and 3.0 standard deviations from the background hypotheses and are compatible, within uncertainties, with the corresponding next-to-leading order predictions of 0.137(-0.016)(+0.012) and 0.306(-0.053)(+0.031)  pb.

Search for pair-produced dijet resonances in four-jet final states in pp collisions at sqrt[s] = 7 TeV

A search for the pair production of a heavy, narrow resonance decaying into two jets has been performed using events collected in sqrt[s] = 7 TeV pp collisions with the CMS detector at the LHC. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.0 fb(-1). Events are selected with at least four jets and two dijet combinations with similar dijet mass. No resonances are found in the dijet mass spectrum. The upper limit at 95% confidence level on the product of the resonance pair production cross section, the branching fractions into dijets, and the acceptance varies from 0.22 to 0.005 pb, for resonance masses between 250 and 1200 GeV. Pair-produced colorons decaying into qq are excluded for coloron masses between 250 and 740 GeV.

Role of α-crystallin B as a regulatory switch in modulating cardiomyocyte apoptosis by mitochondria or endoplasmic reticulum during cardiac hypertrophy and myocardial infarction

Cardiac hypertrophy and myocardial infarction (MI) are two major causes of heart failure with different etiologies. However, the molecular mechanisms associated with these two diseases are not yet fully understood. So, this study was designed to decipher the process of cardiomyocyte apoptosis during cardiac hypertrophy and MI in vivo. Our study revealed that mitochondrial outer membrane channel protein voltage-dependent anion channel-1 (VDAC1) was upregulated exclusively during cardiac hypertrophy, whereas 78 kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP78) was exclusively upregulated during MI, which is an important upstream regulator of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress pathway. Further downstream analysis revealed that mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis is instrumental in case of hypertrophy, whereas ER stress-induced apoptosis is predominant during MI, which was confirmed by treatment with either siRNA against VDAC1 or ER stress inhibitor tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA). Very interestingly, our data also showed that the expression and interaction of small heat-shock protein α-crystallin B (CRYAB) with VDAC1 was much more pronounced during MI compared with either hypertrophy or control. The study demonstrated for the first time that two different organelles—mitochondria and ER have predominant roles in mediating cardiomyocyte death signaling during hypertrophy and MI, respectively, and activation of CRYAB acts as a molecular switch in bypassing mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis during MI.

Search for pair production of third-generation leptoquarks and top squarks in pp collisions at sqrt[s] = 7 TeV

Results are presented from a search for the pair production of third-generation scalar and vector leptoquarks, as well as for top squarks in R-parity-violating supersymmetric models. In either scenario, the new, heavy particle decays into a τ lepton and a b quark. The search is based on a data sample of pp collisions at sqrt[s] = 7 TeV, which is collected by the CMS detector at the LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 4.8 fb(-1). The number of observed events is found to be in agreement with the standard model prediction, and exclusion limits on mass parameters are obtained at the 95% confidence level. Vector leptoquarks with masses below 760 GeV are excluded and, if the branching fraction of the scalar leptoquark decay to a τ lepton and a b quark is assumed to be unity, third-generation scalar leptoquarks with masses below 525 GeV are ruled out. Top squarks with masses below 453 GeV are excluded for a typical benchmark scenario, and limits on the coupling between the top squark, τ lepton, and b quark, λ(333)(') are obtained. These results are the most stringent for these scenarios to date.

Measurement of the Υ1S, Υ2S, and Υ3S polarizations in pp collisions at sqrt[s] = 7 TeV

The polarizations of the Υ(1S), Υ(2S), and Υ(3S) mesons are measured in proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s] = 7 TeV, using a data sample of Υ(nS) → μ +μ- decays collected by the CMS experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.9 fb(-1). The dimuon decay angular distributions are analyzed in three different polarization frames. The polarization parameters λ[symbol see text], λ(φ), and λ([symbol see text]φ), as well as the frame-invariant quantity λ, are presented as a function of the Υ(nS) transverse momentum between 10 and 50 GeV, in the rapidity ranges |y|<0.6 and 0.6<|y|<1.2. No evidence of large transverse or longitudinal polarizations is seen in the explored kinematic region.

Study of the mass and spin-parity of the Higgs boson candidate via its decays to Z boson pairs

A study is presented of the mass and spin-parity of the new boson recently observed at the LHC at a mass near 125 GeV. An integrated luminosity of 17.3 fb(-1), collected by the CMS experiment in proton-proton collisions at center-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV, is used. The measured mass in the ZZ channel, where both Z bosons decay to e or μ pairs, is 126.2 ± 0.6(stat) ± 0.2(syst) GeV. The angular distributions of the lepton pairs in this channel are sensitive to the spin-parity of the boson. Under the assumption of spin 0, the present data are consistent with the pure scalar hypothesis, while disfavoring the pure pseudoscalar hypothesis.

Measurement of the sum of WW and WZ production with W+dijet events in pp collisions at [Formula: see text]

A measurement of the inclusive WW+WZ diboson production cross section in proton-proton collisions is reported, based on events containing a leptonically decaying W boson and exactly two jets. The data sample, collected at [Formula: see text] with the CMS detector at the LHC, corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.0 fb-1. The measured value of the sum of the inclusive WW and WZ cross sections is σ(pp→WW+WZ)=68.9±8.7 (stat.)±9.7 (syst.)±1.5 (lum.) pb, consistent with the standard model prediction of 65.6±2.2 pb. This is the first measurement of WW+WZ production in pp collisions using this signature. No evidence for anomalous triple gauge couplings is found and upper limits are set on their magnitudes.

Measurement of the azimuthal anisotropy of neutral pions in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt[s](NN)] = 2.76 TeV

First measurements of the azimuthal anisotropy of neutral pions produced in Pb-Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy of sqrt[s(NN)] = 2.76 TeV are presented. The amplitudes of the second Fourier component (v(2)) of the π(0) azimuthal distributions are extracted using an event-plane technique. The values of v(2) are studied as a function of the neutral pion transverse momentum (p(T)) for different classes of collision centrality in the kinematic range 1.6<p(T) <8.0 GeV/c, within the pseudorapidity interval |η|<0.8. The CMS measurements of v(2) (p(T)) are similar to previously reported π(0) azimuthal anisotropy results from sqrt[s(NN)] = 200 GeV Au-Au collisions at RHIC, despite a factor of ∼ 14 increase in the center-of-mass energy. In the momentum range 2.5<p(T)<5.0 GeV/c, the neutral pion anisotropies are found to be smaller than those observed by CMS for inclusive charged particles.