Precise study of the Z/γ* boson transverse momentum distribution in pp collisions using a novel technique

Using 7.3 fb⁻¹ of pp collisions collected by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron, we measure the distribution of the variable φ(η)*, which probes the same physical effects as the Z/γ* boson transverse momentum, but is less susceptible to the effects of experimental resolution and efficiency. A QCD prediction is found to describe the general features of the φ(η)* distribution, but is unable to describe its detailed shape or dependence on boson rapidity. A prediction that includes a broadening of transverse momentum for small values of the parton momentum fraction is strongly disfavored.

Evaluation of Thin Dielectric-Glue Wafer-Bonding for Three Dimensional Integrated Circuit-Applications

The critical adhesion energy of benzocyclobutene (BCB)-bonded wafers is quantitatively investigated with focus on BCB thickness, material stack and thermal cycling. The critical adhesion energy depends linearly on BCB thickness, increasing from 19 J/m2 to 31 J/m2 as the BCB thickness increases from 0.4 μm to 2.6 μm, when bonding silicon wafers coated with plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposited (PECVD) silicon dioxide (SiO2). In thermal cycling performed with 350 and 400 oC peak temperatures, the significant increase in critical adhesion energy at the interface between BCB and PECVD SiO2 during the first thermal cycle is attributed to relaxation of residual stress in the PECVD SiO2 layer. On the other hand, the critical adhesion energy at the interface between BCB and PECVD silicon nitride (SiNx) decreases due to the increase of residual stress in the PECVD SiNx layer during the first thermal cycle.

MicroRNA dysregulation in colorectal cancer: a clinical perspective

Recent researches have shed light on the biological importance of microRNAs (miRNAs) in colorectal cancer (CRC) genesis, progression and response to treatments. The potential utility of miRNAs in the preclinical stage have been explored and investigated. In this review, we explored the literature and reviewed the cutting edge progress in the discovery of noninvasive plasma and faecal miRNAs for CRC early diagnosis, as well as their measurability and predictability. We also discussed the utility of miRNAs as novel prognostic and predictive markers, and their association with CRC clinical phenotypes including recurrence, metastasis and therapeutic outcomes. Finally, we summarised miRNA-related single-nucleotide polymorphisms and their potential influence on sporadic CRC susceptibility and therapeutic response. In conclusion, the use of miRNAs as biomarker for CRC is still in its infancy and need further characterisation and evaluation.

Cigarette smoke induces oxidative stress and apoptosis in normal term fetal membranes

Cigarette smoking and bacterial infections are two major risk factors associated with preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (pPROM). We hypothesized that exposure of fetal membranes to cigarette smoke extracts might induce oxidative stress (OS) and fetal membrane apoptosis, culminating in an alternate pathway to that commonly activated by infection. To test this, we characterized the production of prostanoids and biomarkers of apoptosis in normal term human fetal membrane explant cultures. Fetal membrane explants collected at term (from cesarean deliveries, not in labor) were stimulated with cigarette smoke extract (CSE) for 24 h. Two classes of prostanoids, F2-Isoprostane (F2-IsoP), a marker of OS and PGF2α, a classical uterotonin, were measured by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Western blot analyses of tissue lysates were performed to quantify the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl2 and actin (as a control). Fetal membrane apoptosis was detected by immunohistochemistry for active caspase 3 and confirmed by TUNEL staining for nuclear fragmentation. CSE exposure resulted in significantly more F2-IsoP production from fetal membranes (242.8 ± 79.3 pg/ml/mg of total membrane protein) compared to unstimulated controls (131.5 ± 53.1 pg/ml/mg; p < 0.0001). By contrast, PGF2α was not different in CSE vs. controls (1083 ± 527 vs. 1136 ± 835 pg/ml/mg of protein; p = 0.80). CSE-exposed tissues demonstrated a dose-dependent decrease in Bcl2 expression and increases in active caspase 3 and nuclear fragmentation in both amnion and chorion cells compared to controls. In summary, fetal membranes exposed to CSE manifest evidence of OS and apoptosis. The differential pattern of prostanoid production observed in this study supports the hypothesis that an alternate non-inflammatory pathway mediated by OS and apoptosis in pPROM may promote proteolysis resulting in membrane weakening and rupture.

The farther from town the lower the blood pressure: report from rural Yunnan province

BACKGROUND

Hypertension (HTN) is a major cause of death in Chinese farmers. Remoteness from population centers may independently affect HTN prevalence and severity.

METHODS

We used random cluster sampling to select 27 villages in Yunnan province, China. Within each village, we randomly selected 50-80 men and women between the ages of 50 and 70 years. A total of 1,177 participants underwent interviews and blood pressure (BP) measurement. We evaluated the relationship between BP and distance of the participants' village from the town and county centers with and without adjustment for covariates.

RESULTS

There was a significant (P < 0.001) inverse relationship between BP and distance from populations centers. For every 10 km from the town center, the mean systolic BP (SBP) in the village decreased by 1.2 mm Hg and the mean diastolic by 0.5 mm Hg. After adjustment for age, gender, ethnicity, body mass index, smoking, and drinking, we found that SBP decreased by 1.8 mm Hg (P = 0.03) and diastolic BP by 1.0 mm Hg (P = 0.02) for every 10 km distance from the town center.

CONCLUSIONS

HTN prevalence and severity are significantly linked to distance from population centers in rural Chinese farmers. The farther a farmer's village is from larger population centers, the greater is the probability that his/her BP will be normal. This relationship is independent of age, gender, ethnicity, body mass index, smoking, and alcohol use. Strategies in addressing HTN in rural regions should take account of this geographic dependence on distance from population centers.

Search for single vectorlike quarks in pp ̄ collisions at √s=1.96 TeV

We present a search for hypothetical vectorlike quarks in pp ̅ collisions at √s=1.96  TeV. The data were collected by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 5.4  fb(-1). We select events with a final state composed of a W or Z boson and a jet consistent with a heavy object decay. We observe no significant excess in comparison to the background prediction and set limits on production cross sections for vectorlike quarks decaying to W+jet and Z+jet. These are the most stringent limits to date for electroweak single vectorlike quark production at hadron colliders.

Clinical characteristics and molecular analysis of 21 Chinese children with congenital agammaglobulinemia

Congenital agammaglobulinemia is a humoral primary immunodeficiency and affected patients have extremely low levels of peripheral B cells and profound deficiency of all immunoglobulin isotypes. Mutations of the Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) gene are responsible for most of the congenital agammaglobulinemia. In this study, the phenotypes of congenital agammaglobulinemia were investigated in 21 male children from 21 unrelated Chinese families. Sixteen different mutations of BTK gene were identified in 18 patients, and three patients did not have BTK gene mutations. Nine mutations had been reported previously including one gross deletion (c.722_2041del), one missense mutation (c.1764G>T), three non-sense mutations (c.194C>A, c.895C>T and c.1821G>A) and four invariant splice-site mutations (c.971+2T>C, c.1481+2T>A, c.1482-2A>G, c.1699-2A>G). Seven novel mutations were identified (c.373_441del, c. 504delG, c.537delC, c.851delA, c.1637G>A, c.1879T>C and c. 1482_1882 del). Ten of the eighteen mutations of BTK gene were located in the TK domain, four in the PH domain, three in the SH3 domain and one spanned the TH, SH3, SH2 and TK domain. Candidate genes of autosomal-recessive agammaglobulinemia, including IGHM, CD79a, CD79b and IGLL1, were screened in three patients without mutations in the BTK gene. A compound heterozygosity mutation in the IGHM gene (c.1956G>A, c.175_176insC) was identified in one patient. The results of our study further support that molecular genetic testing represents an important tool for early confirmed diagnosis of congenital agammaglobulinemia and may allow accurate carrier detection and prenatal diagnosis.

Changes of pituitary and penile structure in male adult rats following castration and high-fat diet

AIM

To investigate the influence of low androgen levels and high-fat diet on the structure of pituitary and penis in male rats.

METHODS

Ten-week-old adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 2 groups, one fed a high-fat diet the other fed a normal diet; each group consisted of 3 subgroups: controls, castrated rats (with low androgen), and castrated rats given undecanoate replenishment. After 11 weeks, the structure of pituitary and penis were observed under light microscopy. Immunohistochemistry was used to assess the expression of FSH in pituitary and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in corpora cavernosa penis.

RESULTS

The structures of pituitary and penis in castrated rats were injured, and were more damaged in castration together with high-fat diet. Immunohistochemistry showed FSH expression in castrated rats pituitary while castrated rats on a high-fat diet had less positive staining than those on a normal diet. Vascular structure of corpora cavernosa penis, showed a strongly positive COX-2 expression in high-fat diet rats.

CONCLUSIONS

Castration and high-fat diet could induce structural damages of pituitary and penis in male rats. Replacement with testosterone could partially restore the impaired structure. The positive expression of COX-2 implied inflammatory pathway existence on vascular structure of penis in high-fat diet and low-androgen male rats.

Effects of Bonding Process Parameters on Wafer-to-Wafer Alignment Accuracy in Benzocyclobutene (BCB) Dielectric Wafer Bonding

Wafer-level three-dimensional (3D) integration is an emerging technology to increase the performance and functionality of integrated circuits (ICs). Aligned wafer-to-wafer bonding with dielectric polymer layers (e.g., benzocyclobutene (BCB)) is a promising approach for manufacturing of 3D ICs, with minimum bonding impact on the wafer-to-wafer alignment accuracy essential. In this paper we investigate the effects of thermal and mechanical bonding parameters on the achievable post-bonding wafer-to-wafer alignment accuracy for polymer wafer bonding with 200 mm diameter wafers. Our baseline wafer bonding process with softbaked BCB (∼35% cross-linked) has been modified to use partially cured (∼ 43% crosslinked) BCB. The partially cured BCB layer does not reflow during bonding, minimizing the impact of inhomogeneities in BCB reflow under compression and/or slight shear forces at the bonding interface. As a result, the non-uniformity of the BCB layer thickness after wafer bonding is less than 0.5% of the nominal layer thickness and the wafer shift relative to each other during the wafer bonding process is less than 1 μm (average) for 200 mm diameter wafers. The critical adhesion energy of a bonded wafer pair with the partially cured BCB wafer bonding process is similar to that with soft-baked BCB.

Determination of the width of the top quark

We extract the total width of the top quark, Γ(t), from the partial decay width Γ(t → Wb) measured using the t-channel cross section for single top-quark production and from the branching fraction B(t → Wb) measured in tt events using up to 2.3  fb(-1) of integrated luminosity collected by the D0 Collaboration at the Tevatron pp Collider. The result is Γ(t) = 1.99(-0.55)(+0.69)  GeV, which translates to a top-quark lifetime of τ(t) = (3.3(-0.9)(+1.3)) × 10(-25)   s. Assuming a high mass fourth generation b' quark and unitarity of the four-generation quark-mixing matrix, we set the first upper limit on |V(tb')| < 0.63 at 95% C.L.

Detection of Pseudomonas syringae pv actinidiae in kiwifruit pollen samples

Presence of Pseudomonas syringae pv actinidiae (Psa) the causal agent of bacterial canker of kiwifruit in pollen samples collected from infected and non infected orchards in Italy and in New Zealand was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and by direct bacterial isolation Psa was isolated only from pollen samples collected in Italy including pollen collected from two uninfected orchards which the following year showed signs of infection Psa was also detected in pollen collected from male and female vines in an Italian infected orchard Pollen samples from Italy but not from New Zealand were collected with a vacuum device Psa could not be isolated from any of the 25 New Zealand pollen samples analysed This is the first report of Psa being associated with pollen There is currently no evidence that artificial pollination leads to increased infection or that pollen has been responsible for the introduction of Psa in a previously Psafree area

Prognosis and role of postmastectomy radiotherapy in patients with T1-T2 breast cancer with one to three positive axillary nodes

PURPOSE

To evaluate the prognosis and role of postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) in T1-T2 breast cancer with one to three positive axillary nodes.

METHODS

The 10-year Kaplan-Meier locoregional recurrence (LRR), distant recurrence (DR), disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared between the NO and 1-3N+ cohorts. The role of PMRT was evaluated in the 1-3N+ cohort.

RESULTS

The 10-year LRR, DR, DFS, OS rates in NO and the 1-3N+ cohorts were as follows: LRR 7.5% vs 19.4% (p = 0.011); DR 14.4% vs 23.0% (p = 0.029); DFS 71.3% vs 51.2% (p = 0.001) and OS 77.0% vs 58.7% (p = 0.001). Of the 192 1-3N+ patients not treated and treated with PMRT, the outcomes were: LRR 20.1% vs 18.4% (p = 0.047); DR 26.4% vs 21.5% (p = 0.743); DFS 40.2% vs 55.4% (p = 0.260) and OS 40.7% vs 66.0% (p = 0.344), respectively.

CONCLUSION

PMRT reduces the 10-year LRR rate for such patients, but further examination is needed.

First Record of Bacterial Crown Rot of Papaya (Carica papaya) Caused by an Erwinia papayae-Like Bacterium in the Kingdom of Tonga

Symptoms resembling papaya bacterial crown rot (1,3) attributed to Erwinia papayae were first observed on 'Waimanalo' and 'Solo Sunrise' papaya on the island of Tongatapu, Kingdom of Tonga in July 2009. Spreading, dark green, water-soaked lesions formed on juvenile stem tissue and developed into a foul-smelling, wet rot that destroyed large sections of the stem. Coalescing, brown, angular, marginal, and intercostal lesions killed large areas of the lamina. Elongated lesions on petioles resulted in breakage and leaf death. Symptoms on stems typically moved toward the crown with the growing point being killed or the whole crown breaking off at a canker below. Isolations at 28°C on King's medium B (KB) yielded slow-growing, raised, white, mucoid colonies that produced a conspicuous, nondiffusable blue pigment in the medium. Two-day-old suspensions (1 × 10⁸ CFU/ml) of two cultures were injected into juvenile stem tissue, petioles, and laminae of four healthy papaya seedlings of 'Solo Sunrise' with a sterile 1-ml insulin syringe. Sterile water was used as a negative control. Typical water-soaked lesions appeared at all bacterial inoculation sites on all plants within 5 days but not on controls. Pigment-producing colonies similar to those used for inoculation were reisolated from four different stem lesions. Bacteria isolated from diseased tissues were gram negative, facultative anaerobes, oxidase negative, nonfluorescent on KB, induced a hypersensitive reaction on tobacco leaves, but could not cause soft rot on potato slices. Those characteristics, combined with blue pigment production, are consistent with the bacterium E. papayae. A partial sequence of the 16S rDNA gene of ~804 bp was amplified from four Tongan isolates (ICMP18248-18251) using primers 27f and 1492r (4). Sequences of these strains were 100% identical to each other (GenBank Nos. HQ286366-HQ286369), 99 and 98% identical to the 16SrDNA sequences of E. mallotivora strains LMG2708 (Z96084.1) and DSM4565 (AJ233414.1) respectively, and 97% identical to the 16SrDNA sequence of E. papayae strain NCPPB 4294 (AY131237.1). E. mallotivora and E. papayae cause different diseases, a leaf spot on Mallotus japonicus (2) and bacterial canker on papaya, respectively. They are closely related and in the laboratory are distinguished by only very few biochemical characteristics (1). E. papayae produces a blue pigment on KB and can utilize arabinose but not mannitol. E. mallotivora does not produce a blue pigment and can utilize mannitol but not arabinose. The four Tongan strains produced a blue pigment and could utilize mannitol and arabinose. Symptoms caused by the strains isolated from Tonga are typical of those caused by E. papayae and the strains identified share most of the characteristics of E. papayae. Because the Tongan strains were able to utilize mannitol as well as arabinose and their 16S rDNA was only 97% similar to E. papayae, these strains are referred to as an E. papayae-like bacterium. The taxonomic position of these isolates will be resolved with techniques such as Multilocus Sequence Typing analysis. To our knowledge, this is the first report of this highly destructive papaya disease in the Kingdom of Tonga and of a pathogen closely related to E. papaya in the country. References: (1) L. Gardan et al. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 54:107, 2004. (2) M. Goto. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 26:467, 1976. (3) N. H. Maktar et al. New Dis. Rep. 17:4, 2008. (4) F. Martin-Laurent et al. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 67:2354, 2001.

Search for ZH → l+ l- bb production in 4.2 fb(-1) of pp collisions at sqrt[s] =1 .96 TeV

We present a search for the standard model Higgs boson produced in association with a Z boson in 4.2 fb(-1) of pp collisions, collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron at sqrt[s] =1 .96 TeV. Selected events contain one reconstructed Z → e+ e- or Z → μ+ μ- candidate and at least two jets, including at least one b-tagged jet. In the absence of an excess over the background expected from other standard model processes, limits on the ZH cross section multiplied by the branching ratios are set. The limit at M(H) = 115  GeV is a factor of 5.9 larger than the standard model prediction.