Study of High-Transverse-Momentum Higgs Boson Production in Association with a Vector Boson in the qqbb Final State with the ATLAS Detector

This Letter presents the first study of Higgs boson production in association with a vector boson (V=W or Z) in the fully hadronic qqbb final state using data recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC in proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 137  fb^{-1}. The vector bosons and Higgs bosons are each reconstructed as large-radius jets and tagged using jet substructure techniques. Dedicated tagging algorithms exploiting b-tagging properties are used to identify jets consistent with Higgs bosons decaying into bb[over ¯]. Dominant backgrounds from multijet production are determined directly from the data, and a likelihood fit to the jet mass distribution of Higgs boson candidates is used to extract the number of signal events. The VH production cross section is measured inclusively and differentially in several ranges of Higgs boson transverse momentum: 250-450, 450-650, and greater than 650 GeV. The inclusive signal yield relative to the standard model expectation is observed to be μ=1.4_{-0.9}^{+1.0} and the corresponding cross section is 3.1±1.3(stat)_{-1.4}^{+1.8}(syst)  pb.

Measurement of the Centrality Dependence of the Dijet Yield in p+Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=8.16 TeV with the ATLAS Detector

ATLAS measured the centrality dependence of the dijet yield using 165  nb^{-1} of p+Pb data collected at sqrt[s_{NN}]=8.16  TeV in 2016. The event centrality, which reflects the p+Pb impact parameter, is characterized by the total transverse energy registered in the Pb-going side of the forward calorimeter. The central-to-peripheral ratio of the scaled dijet yields, R_{CP}, is evaluated, and the results are presented as a function of variables that reflect the kinematics of the initial hard parton scattering process. The R_{CP} shows a scaling with the Bjorken x of the parton originating from the proton, x_{p}, while no such trend is observed as a function of x_{Pb}. This analysis provides unique input to understanding the role of small proton spatial configurations in p+Pb collisions by covering parton momentum fractions from the valence region down to x_{p}∼10^{-3} and x_{Pb}∼4×10^{-4}.

Combined Measurement of the Higgs Boson Mass from the H→γγ and H→ZZ^{*}→4ℓ Decay Channels with the ATLAS Detector Using sqrt[s]=7, 8, and 13 TeV pp Collision Data

A measurement of the mass of the Higgs boson combining the H→ZZ^{*}→4ℓ and H→γγ decay channels is presented. The result is based on 140  fb^{-1} of proton-proton collision data collected by the ATLAS detector during LHC run 2 at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV combined with the run 1 ATLAS mass measurement, performed at center-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV, yielding a Higgs boson mass of 125.11±0.09(stat)±0.06(syst)=125.11±0.11  GeV. This corresponds to a 0.09% precision achieved on this fundamental parameter of the Standard Model of particle physics.

Evaluation of individual and ensemble probabilistic forecasts of COVID-19 mortality in the United States

Short-term probabilistic forecasts of the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States have served as a visible and important communication channel between the scientific modeling community and both the general public and decision-makers. Forecasting models provide specific, quantitative, and evaluable predictions that inform short-term decisions such as healthcare staffing needs, school closures, and allocation of medical supplies. Starting in April 2020, the US COVID-19 Forecast Hub (https://covid19forecasthub.org/) collected, disseminated, and synthesized tens of millions of specific predictions from more than 90 different academic, industry, and independent research groups. A multimodel ensemble forecast that combined predictions from dozens of groups every week provided the most consistently accurate probabilistic forecasts of incident deaths due to COVID-19 at the state and national level from April 2020 through October 2021. The performance of 27 individual models that submitted complete forecasts of COVID-19 deaths consistently throughout this year showed high variability in forecast skill across time, geospatial units, and forecast horizons. Two-thirds of the models evaluated showed better accuracy than a naïve baseline model. Forecast accuracy degraded as models made predictions further into the future, with probabilistic error at a 20-wk horizon three to five times larger than when predicting at a 1-wk horizon. This project underscores the role that collaboration and active coordination between governmental public-health agencies, academic modeling teams, and industry partners can play in developing modern modeling capabilities to support local, state, and federal response to outbreaks.

Modeling UV-C irradiation chambers for mask decontamination using Zemax OpticStudio

Ultraviolet decontamination of personal protective equipment, particularly masks, is important in situations where mask reuse is practiced. To assist in the development of UV-C decontamination chambers, we have constructed ray tracing models in Zemax OpticStudio v20.1 for two distinct geometries, namely, a rectangular cabinet and a cylindrical can. These models provide irradiance distributions that can be used for comparison with experiment, as well as to predict local irradiance variation over the surface of a mask. In this paper we describe the model details, including: (1) a mask object in CAD format; (2) our assumptions for modeling surface properties; (3) the use of polygon object detectors for local irradiance analysis; and (4) experimental results that compare favorably to the simulations.

Construction and validation of UV-C decontamination cabinets for filtering facepiece respirators

We present evidence-based design principles for three different UV-C based decontamination systems for N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) within the context of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak of 2019-2020. The approaches used here were created with consideration for the needs of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and other under-resourced facilities. As such, a particular emphasis is placed on providing cost-effective solutions that can be implemented in short order using generally available components and subsystems. We discuss three optical designs for decontamination chambers, describe experiments verifying design parameters, validate the efficacy of the decontamination for two commonly used N95 FFRs (3M, #1860 and Gerson #1730), and run mechanical and filtration tests that support FFR reuse for at least five decontamination cycles.

Automated Cell Segmentation for Quantitative Phase Microscopy

Automated cell segmentation and tracking is essential for dynamic studies of cellular morphology, movement, and interactions as well as other cellular behaviors. However, accurate, automated, and easy-to-use cell segmentation remains a challenge, especially in cases of high cell densities, where discrete boundaries are not easily discernable. Here, we present a fully automated segmentation algorithm that iteratively segments cells based on the observed distribution of optical cell volumes measured by quantitative phase microscopy. By fitting these distributions to known probability density functions, we are able to converge on volumetric thresholds that enable valid segmentation cuts. Since each threshold is determined from the observed data itself, virtually no input is needed from the user. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach over time using six cell types that display a range of morphologies, and evaluate these cultures over a range of confluencies. Facile dynamic measures of cell mobility and function revealed unique cellular behaviors that relate to tissue origins, state of differentiation, and real-time signaling. These will improve our understanding of multicellular communication and organization.

Cell sex affects extracellular matrix protein expression and proliferation of smooth muscle progenitor cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells

Background

Smooth muscle progenitor cells (pSMCs) differentiated from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) hold great promise for treating diseases or degenerative conditions involving smooth muscle pathologies. However, the therapeutic potential of pSMCs derived from men and women may be very different. Cell sex can exert a profound impact on the differentiation process of stem cells into somatic cells. In spite of advances in translation of stem cell technologies, the role of cell sex and the effect of sex hormones on the differentiation towards mesenchymal lineage pSMCs remain largely unexplored.

Methods

Using a standard differentiation protocol, two human embryonic stem cell lines (one male line and one female line) and three induced pluripotent stem cell lines (one male line and two female lines) were differentiated into pSMCs. We examined differences in the differentiation of male and female hPSCs into pSMCs, and investigated the effect of 17β-estradiol (E2) on the extracellular matrix (ECM) metabolisms and cell proliferation rates of the pSMCs. Statistical analyses were performed by using Student’s t test or two-way ANOVA, p < 0.05.

Results

Male and female hPSCs had similar differentiation efficiencies and generated morphologically comparable pSMCs under a standard differentiation protocol, but the derived pSMCs showed sex differences in expression of ECM proteins, such as MMP-2 and TIMP-1, and cell proliferation rates. E2 treatment induced the expression of myogenic gene markers and suppressed ECM degradation activities through reduction of MMP activity and increased expression of TIMP-1 in female pSMCs, but not in male pSMCs.

Conclusions

hPSC-derived pSMCs from different sexes show differential expression of ECM proteins and proliferation rates. Estrogen appears to promote maturation and ECM protein expression in female pSMCs, but not in male pSMCs. These data suggest that intrinsic cell-sex differences may influence progenitor cell biology.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13287-017-0606-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Engineering High Affinity Protein-Protein Interactions Using a High-Throughput Microcapillary Array Platform

Affinity maturation of protein-protein interactions requires iterative rounds of protein library generation and high-throughput screening to identify variants that bind with increased affinity to a target of interest. We recently developed a multipurpose protein engineering platform, termed μSCALE (Microcapillary Single Cell Analysis and Laser Extraction). This technology enables high-throughput screening of libraries of millions of cell-expressing protein variants based on their binding properties or functional activity. Here, we demonstrate the first use of the μSCALE platform for affinity maturation of a protein-protein binding interaction. In this proof-of-concept study, we engineered an extracellular domain of the Axl receptor tyrosine kinase to bind tighter to its ligand Gas6. Within 2 weeks, two iterative rounds of library generation and screening resulted in engineered Axl variants with a 50-fold decrease in kinetic dissociation rate, highlighting the use of μSCALE as a new tool for directed evolution.

High-throughput analysis and protein engineering using microcapillary arrays

We describe a multi-purpose technology platform, termed μSCALE (Microcapillary Single Cell Analysis and Laser Extraction), that enables massively parallel, quantitative biochemical and biophysical measurements on millions of protein variants expressed from yeast or bacteria. μSCALE spatially segregates single cells within a microcapillary array, enabling repeated imaging, cell growth, and protein expression. We performed high-throughput analysis of cells and their protein products using a range of fluorescent assays, including binding affinity measurements and dynamic enzymatic assays. A precise laser-based extraction method allows rapid recovery of live clones and their genetic material from microcapillaries for further study. With μSCALE, we discovered a new antibody against a clinical cancer target, evolved an orange fluorescent protein biosensor, and engineered an enzyme with reduced sensitivity to its inhibitor. These three distinct protein analysis and engineering applications, each with unique assay requirements and different host organisms, highlight the flexibility and technical capabilities of our platform.

Dynamic and social behaviors of human pluripotent stem cells

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) can self-renew or differentiate to diverse cell types, thus providing a platform for basic and clinical applications. However, pluripotent stem cell populations are heterogeneous and functional properties at the single cell level are poorly documented leading to inefficiencies in differentiation and concerns regarding reproducibility and safety. Here, we use non-invasive time-lapse imaging to continuously examine hPSC maintenance and differentiation and to predict cell viability and fate. We document dynamic behaviors and social interactions that prospectively distinguish hPSC survival, self-renewal, and differentiation. Results highlight the molecular role of E-cadherin not only for cell-cell contact but also for clonal propagation of hPSCs. Results indicate that use of continuous time-lapse imaging can distinguish cellular heterogeneity with respect to pluripotency as well as a subset of karyotypic abnormalities whose dynamic properties were monitored.

Lung Cancer Workshop XI: Tobacco-Induced Disease: Advances in Policy, Early Detection and Management

The Prevent Cancer Foundation Lung Cancer Workshop XI: Tobacco-Induced Disease: Advances in Policy, Early Detection and Management was held in New York, NY on May 16 and 17, 2014. The two goals of the Workshop were to define strategies to drive innovation in precompetitive quantitative research on the use of imaging to assess new therapies for management of early lung cancer and to discuss a process to implement a national program to provide high quality computed tomography imaging for lung cancer and other tobacco-induced disease. With the central importance of computed tomography imaging for both early detection and volumetric lung cancer assessment, strategic issues around the development of imaging and ensuring its quality are critical to ensure continued progress against this most lethal cancer.

Proliferative behavior of vaginal fibroblasts from women with pelvic organ prolapse

OBJECTIVE

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) significantly impacts quality of life of women, especially with advancing age. Cell proliferation is a critical parameter in both normal and pathophysiological processes. We sought to examine fibroblast proliferation in premenopausal women with and without POP and menopausal women with POP, and examine whether TGF-β1, a fibroblast mitogen, could stimulate proliferation in vaginal fibroblasts from these populations.

STUDY DESIGN

Vaginal wall biopsies were obtained from asymptomatic women (controls) and women with POP (cases). Fibroblasts were cultured from these tissues. Vaginal fibroblasts were treated with or without TGF-β1. Cell proliferation rate (mitotic index) was measured with time-lapse dark-field microscopy. Cell mitosis was counted with ImageJ software after analysis of time-lapse images as Quick time movies.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in mitotic index throughout different time points of observation between premenopausal controls and cases of similar ages. However, a significant difference in mitotic index was seen between premenopausal and menopausal cases (p=0.01), with the menopausal group exhibiting significantly lower mitotic indices. When treated with different doses of TGF-β1, premenopausal control fibroblast proliferation increased with 5ng/ml of TGF-β1 compared to non-treated fibroblasts (p=0.04). TGF-β1 stimulation did not affect fibroblasts from either premenopausal or menopausal cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Vaginal fibroblast proliferation decreases with age and this association does not appear to be affected by the presence of pelvic organ prolapse. TGF-β1 stimulation increased cell proliferation of premenopausal control fibroblasts. In contrast, there was no response seen in fibroblasts from premenopausal and menopausal cases.

A two-gene expression ratio predicts clinical outcome in breast cancer patients treated with tamoxifen

Tamoxifen significantly reduces tumor recurrence in certain patients with early-stage estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, but markers predictive of treatment failure have not been identified. Here, we generated gene expression profiles of hormone receptor-positive primary breast cancers in a set of 60 patients treated with adjuvant tamoxifen monotherapy. An expression signature predictive of disease-free survival was reduced to a two-gene ratio, HOXB13 versus IL17BR, which outperformed existing biomarkers. Ectopic expression of HOXB13 in MCF10A breast epithelial cells enhances motility and invasion in vitro, and its expression is increased in both preinvasive and invasive primary breast cancer. The HOXB13:IL17BR expression ratio may be useful for identifying patients appropriate for alternative therapeutic regimens in early-stage breast cancer.

Gene expression profiles of human breast cancer progression

Although distinct pathological stages of breast cancer have been described, the molecular differences among these stages are largely unknown. Here, through the combined use of laser capture microdissection and DNA microarrays, we have generated in situ gene expression profiles of the premalignant, preinvasive, and invasive stages of human breast cancer. Our data reveal extensive similarities at the transcriptome level among the distinct stages of progression and suggest that gene expression alterations conferring the potential for invasive growth are already present in the preinvasive stages. In contrast to tumor stage, different tumor grades are associated with distinct gene expression signatures. Furthermore, a subset of genes associated with high tumor grade is quantitatively correlated with the transition from preinvasive to invasive growth.

Near-IR dyes in three-color volumetric capillary cytometry: cell analysis with 633- and 785-nm laser excitation

Several fluorescent dyes that absorb in the near-infrared are described. The photostability and aggregation properties of the dyes were examined. Two of the dyes, BHMP and BHDMAP, emit at 805 nm and were useful dyes for protein labeling. A dual-laser, three-color scanning instrument was constructed. CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD8+ populations were enumerated in undiluted, whole blood based on the fluorescence of Cy5, Cy5.5 and BHMP.

Fast diffraction-limited cylindrical microlenses

We describe a technique for fabricating fast well-corrected cylindrical microlenses for applications such as collimating laser diodes and coupling light into and out of integrated optics devices. The lenses are produced by first grinding a glass preform to a desired cross-sectional shape and then heating and drawing the preform into a fiber of the desired diameter. The heating and drawing operations polish the glass surface and reduce the cross-sectional dimensions but maintain the cross-sectional shape. Diffraction-limited 220-microm focal length immersion lenses with numerical aperture >0.6 have been demonstrated.

Efficient self-pumped phase conjugation at near-infrared wavelengths using cobalt-doped BaTiO(3)

Using BaTiO(3) crystals doped with cobalt, we have measured the reflectivity of self-pumped phase-conjugate mirrors operating in the total-internal-reflection geometry as a function of wavelength in the range between 633 and 933 nm. We find that for cobalt concentrations above 25 parts in 10(6), the reflectivity is higher than 50% for all the investigated wavelengths. At a wavelength of 800 nm the reflectivity is independent of incident power over a range of 12 to 600 mW.