Adaptive Response in Mice Exposed to 900 MHz Radiofrequency Fields: Primary DNA Damage

The phenomenon of adaptive response (AR) in animal and human cells exposed to ionizing radiation is well documented in scientific literature. We have examined whether such AR could be induced in mice exposed to non-ionizing radiofrequency fields (RF) used for wireless communications. Mice were pre-exposed to 900 MHz RF at 120 µW/cm2 power density for 4 hours/day for 1, 3, 5, 7 and 14 days and then subjected to an acute dose of 3 Gy γ-radiation. The primary DNA damage in the form of alkali labile base damage and single strand breaks in the DNA of peripheral blood leukocytes was determined using the alkaline comet assay. The results indicated that the extent of damage in mice which were pre-exposed to RF for 1 day and then subjected to γ-radiation was similar and not significantly different from those exposed to γ-radiation alone. However, mice which were pre-exposed to RF for 3, 5, 7 and 14 days showed progressively decreased damage and was significantly different from those exposed to γ-radiation alone. Thus, the data indicated that RF pre-exposure is capable of inducing AR and suggested that the pre-exposure for more than 4 hours for 1 day is necessary to elicit such AR

Search for CP violation in D+→ϕπ+ and D+s→K0Sπ+ decays

A search for CP violation in D + → ϕπ + decays is performed using data collected in 2011 by the LHCb experiment corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb−1 at a centre of mass energy of 7 TeV. The CP -violating asymmetry is measured to be (−0.04 ± 0.14 ± 0.14)% for candidates with K − K + mass within 20 MeV/c 2 of the ϕ meson mass. A search for a CP -violating asymmetry that varies across the ϕ mass region of the D + → K − K + π + Dalitz plot is also performed, and no evidence for CP violation is found. In addition, the CP asymmetry in the D+s→K0Sπ+ decay is measured to be (0.61 ± 0.83 ± 0.14)%

Search for new phenomena in final states with an energetic jet and large missing transverse momentum in pp collisions at √ s = 8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Results of a search for new phenomena in final states with an energetic jet and large missing transverse momentum are reported. The search uses 20.3 fb−1 of √ s = 8 TeV data collected in 2012 with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Events are required to have at least one jet with pT > 120 GeV and no leptons. Nine signal regions are considered with increasing missing transverse momentum requirements between Emiss T > 150 GeV and Emiss T > 700 GeV. Good agreement is observed between the number of events in data and Standard Model expectations. The results are translated into exclusion limits on models with either large extra spatial dimensions, pair production of weakly interacting dark matter candidates, or production of very light gravitinos in a gauge-mediated supersymmetric model. In addition, limits on the production of an invisibly decaying Higgs-like boson leading to similar topologies in the final state are presente

Genomic analysis of atypical fibroxanthoma

Atypical fibroxanthoma (AFX), is a rare type of skin cancer affecting older individuals with sun damaged skin. Since there is limited genomic information about AFX, our study seeks to improve the understanding of AFX through whole-exome and RNA sequencing of 8 matched tumor-normal samples. AFX is a highly mutated malignancy with recurrent mutations in a number of genes, including COL11A1, ERBB4, CSMD3, and FAT1. The majority of mutations identified were UV signature (C>T in dipyrimidines). We observed deletion of chromosomal segments on chr9p and chr13q, including tumor suppressor genes such as KANK1 and CDKN2A, but no gene fusions were found. Gene expression profiling revealed several biological pathways that are upregulated in AFX, including tumor associated macrophage response, GPCR signaling, and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). To further investigate the presence of EMT in AFX, we conducted a gene expression meta-analysis that incorporated RNA-seq data from dermal fibroblasts and keratinocytes. Ours is the first study to employ high throughput sequencing for molecular profiling of AFX. These data provide valuable insights to inform models of carcinogenesis and additional research towards tumor-directed therapy

Current trends in leather science

Abstract In preparing the second edition of ‘Tanning Chemistry. The Science of Leather.’, the literature was updated and the content was revised and reviewed. Here, the new findings are presented and discussed. Notable developments include the necessary rethinking of the mechanism of sulfide unhairing because of new understanding of the aqueous chemistry of sulfide species. Revision upwards of the value of the second pKa for sulfide species ionisation means that S2− cannot exist in an aqueous medium, so the unhairing species in hair burn reactions is HS−. Although the technology remains the same, this means the mechanisms of associated reactions such as immunisation must be revised. Rawstock preservation has benefitted from studies of the potential role of materials from plants which accumulate salt, but which also contribute terpene compounds. There is also further discussion on the continuing issue of chromium (VI) in the leather industry. The application to processing of new solvents, ionic liquids and deep eutectics, is the coming technology, which offers transforming options for new chemistries and products. Renewed interest in vegetable tanning and methods of wet white processing are current trends. Also, within the topic of reagent delivery is processing in a solid medium of plastic beads. Graphical abstrac

Combined measurement of differential and total cross sections in the H → γγ and the H → ZZ* → 4ℓ decay channels at s=13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A combined measurement of differential and inclusive total cross sections of Higgs boson production is performed using 36.1 fb−1 of 13 TeV proton–proton collision data produced by the LHC and recorded by the ATLAS detector in 2015 and 2016. Cross sections are obtained from measured H→γγ and H→ZZ*(→4ℓ event yields, which are combined taking into account detector efficiencies, resolution, acceptances and branching fractions. The total Higgs boson production cross section is measured to be 57.0−5.9 +6.0 (stat.) −3.3 +4.0 (syst.) pb, in agreement with the Standard Model prediction. Differential cross-section measurements are presented for the Higgs boson transverse momentum distribution, Higgs boson rapidity, number of jets produced together with the Higgs boson, and the transverse momentum of the leading jet. The results from the two decay channels are found to be compatible, and their combination agrees with the Standard Model predictions

Measurement of VH, H → b b ¯ production as a function of the vector-boson transverse momentum in 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

Cross-sections of associated production of a Higgs boson decaying into bottom-quark pairs and an electroweak gauge boson, W or Z, decaying into leptons are measured as a function of the gauge boson transverse momentum. The measurements are performed in kinematic fiducial volumes defined in the `simplified template cross-section' framework. The results are obtained using 79.8 fb-1 of proton-proton collisions recorded by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. All measurements are found to be in agreement with the Standard Model predictions, and limits are set on the parameters of an effective Lagrangian sensitive to modifications of the Higgs boson couplings to the electroweak gauge bosons