A model to explain angular distributions of J/ψJ/\psi and ψ(2S)\psi(2S) decays into ΛΛ‾\Lambda\overline{\Lambda} and Σ0Σ‾0\Sigma^0\overline{\Sigma}^0

BESIII data show a particular angular distribution for the decay of the $J/\psi$ and $\psi(2S)$ mesons into the hyperons $\Lambda\overline{\Lambda}$ and $\Sigma^0\overline{\Sigma}^0$. More in details the angular distribution of the decay $\psi(2S) \to \Sigma^0\overline{\Sigma}^0$ exhibits an opposite trend with respect to that of the other three channels: $J/\psi \to \Lambda\overline{\Lambda}$, $J/\psi \to \Sigma^0\overline{\Sigma}^0$ and $\psi(2S) \to \Lambda\overline{\Lambda}$. We define a model to explain the origin of this phenomenon.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures, to be published in Chinese Physics

Topotecan-vincristine-doxorubicin in stage 4 high risk neuroblastoma patients failing to achieve a complete metastatic response to rapid COJEC : a SIOPEN study

Purpose : Metastatic response to induction therapy for high-risk neuroblastoma is a prognostic factor. In the International Society of Paediatric Oncology Europe Neuroblastoma (SIOPEN) HR-NBL-1 protocol, only patients with metastatic complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) with <= three abnormal skeletal areas on iodine 123-metaiodobenzylguanidine ([I-123] mIBG) scintigraphy and no bone marrow disease proceed to high dose therapy (HDT). In this study, topotecan-vincristine-doxorubicin (TVD) was evaluated in patients failing to achieve these criteria, with the aim of improving the metastatic response rate. Materials and Methods : Patients with metastatic high-risk neuroblastoma who had not achieved the SIOPEN criteria for HDT after induction received two courses of topotecan 1.5 mg/m(2)/day for 5 days, followed by a 48-hour infusion of vincristine, 2 mg/m(2), and doxorubicin, 45 mg/m(2). Results : Sixty-three patients were eligible and evaluable. Following two courses of TVD, four (6.4%) patients had an overall CR, while 28 (44.4%) had a PR with a combined response rate of 50.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 37.9 to 63.6). Of these, 23 patients achieved a metastatic CR or a PR with <= 3 mIBG skeletal areas and no bone marrow disease (36.5%; 95% CI, 24.7 to 49.6) and were eligible to receive HDT. Toxicity was mostly haematological, affecting 106 of the 126 courses (84.1%; 95% CI, 76.5 to 90.0), and dose reduction was necessary in six patients. Stomatitis was the second most common nonhematological toxicity, occurring in 20 patients (31.7%). Conclusion : TVD was effective in improving the response rate of high-risk neuroblastoma patients after induction with COJEC enabling them to proceed to HDT. However, the long-term benefits of TVD needs to be determined in randomized clinical trials

In Vitro Evaluation of Antiviral Activities of Funicone-like Compounds Vermistatin and Penisimplicissin against Canine Coronavirus Infection

Recent studies have demonstrated that 3-O-methylfunicone (OMF), a fungal secondary metabolite from Talaromyces pinophilus belonging to the class of funicone-like compounds, has antiviral activity against canine coronaviruses (CCoV), which causes enteritis in dogs. Herein, we selected two additional funicone-like compounds named vermistatin (VER) and penisimplicissin (PS) and investigated their inhibitory activity towards CCoV infection. Thus, both compounds have been tested for their cytotoxicity and for antiviral activity against CCoV in A72 cells, a fibrosarcoma cell line suitable for investigating CCoV. Our findings showed an increase in cell viability, with an improvement of morphological features in CCoV-infected cells at the non-toxic doses of 1 μM for VER and 0.5 μM for PS. In addition, we observed that these compounds caused a strong inhibition in the expression of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a ligand-activated transcription factor which is activated during CCoV infection. Our results also showed the alkalinization of lysosomes in the presence of VER or PS, which may be involved in the observed antiviral activities

Transcriptomic and genomic analysis provides new insights in molecular and genetic processes involved in zucchini ZYMV tolerance

Cucurbita pepo is highly susceptible to Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) and the resistance found in several wild species cannot be considered as complete or broad-spectrum resistance. In this study, a source of tolerance introgressed in C. pepo (381e) from C. moschata, in True French (TF) background, was investigated 12&nbsp;days post-inoculation (DPI) at transcriptomic and genomic levels

Bugs for atopy: the Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strategy for food allergy prevention and treatment in children

Food allergy (FA) is a major health issue for children living in Western countries. At this time the only proven treatment for FA is elimination of offender antigen from the diet. It is becoming clear that the development of gut microbiota exerts a profound influence on immune system maturation and tolerance acquisition. Increasing evidence suggests that perturbations in gut microbiota composition of infants are implicated in the pathogenesis of FA. These findings have unveiled new strategies to prevent and treat FA using probiotics bacteria or bacterial substance to limit T-helper (Th)/Th2 bias, which changes during the disease course. Selected probiotics administered during infancy may have a role in the prevention and treatment of FA. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) is the most studied probiotic in this field. Administration of LGG in early life have a role in FA prevention. Preliminary evidence shows that LGG accelerates oral tolerance acquisition in cow's milk allergic infants. We are understanding the mechanisms elicited by LGG and metabolites in influencing food allergen sensitization. A deeper definition of these mechanisms is opening the way to new immunotherapeutics for children affected by FA that can efficiently limit the disease burden

Involvement of phosphodiesterase-cGMP-PKG pathway in intracellular Ca2+ oscillations in pituitary GH3 cells

AbstractThe present study investigates the potential role of the Ca2+-calmodulin-dependent type I phosphodiesterase (PDE)-cGMP-protein kinase G (PKG) pathway in spontaneous [Ca2+]i oscillations in GH3 cells using fura-2 single cell videoimaging. Vinpocetine (2.5–50 μM), a selective inhibitor of type I PDE, induced a concentration-dependent inhibition of spontaneous [Ca2+]i oscillations in these pituitary cells, and at the same time produced an increase of the intracellular cGMP content. The cell permeable cGMP analog N2,2′-O-dibutyryl-cGMP (dB-cGMP) (1 mM) caused a progressive reduction of the frequency and the amplitude of spontaneous [Ca2+]i oscillations when added to the medium. KT5823 (400 nM), a selective inhibitor of cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG), produced an increase of baseline [Ca2+]i and the disappearance of spontaneous [Ca2+]i oscillations. When KT5823 was added before vinpocetine, the PKG inhibitor counteracted the [Ca2+]i lowering effect of the cGMP catabolism inhibitor. Finally, the removal of extracellular Ca2+ or the blockade of L-type voltage-sensitive calcium channels (VSCC) by nimodipine produced a decrease of cytosolic cGMP levels. Collectively, the results of the present study suggest that spontaneous [Ca2+]i oscillations in GH3 cells may be regulated by the activity of type I PDE-cGMP-PKG pathway

A Cylindrical GEM Inner Tracker for the BESIII experiment at IHEP

The Beijing Electron Spectrometer III (BESIII) is a multipurpose detector that collects data provided by the collision in the Beijing Electron Positron Collider II (BEPCII), hosted at the Institute of High Energy Physics of Beijing. Since the beginning of its operation, BESIII has collected the world largest sample of J/{\psi} and {\psi}(2s). Due to the increase of the luminosity up to its nominal value of 10^33 cm-2 s-1 and aging effect, the MDC decreases its efficiency in the first layers up to 35% with respect to the value in 2014. Since BESIII has to take data up to 2022 with the chance to continue up to 2027, the Italian collaboration proposed to replace the inner part of the MDC with three independent layers of Cylindrical triple-GEM (CGEM). The CGEM-IT project will deploy several new features and innovation with respect the other current GEM based detector: the {\mu}TPC and analog readout, with time and charge measurements will allow to reach the 130 {\mu}m spatial resolution in 1 T magnetic field requested by the BESIII collaboration. In this proceeding, an update of the status of the project will be presented, with a particular focus on the results with planar and cylindrical prototypes with test beams data. These results are beyond the state of the art for GEM technology in magnetic field

Translational control in the stress adaptive response of cancer cells: a novel role for the heat shock protein TRAP1

TNF receptor-associated protein 1 (TRAP1), the main mitochondrial member of the heat shock protein (HSP) 90 family, is induced in most tumor types and is involved in the regulation of proteostasis in the mitochondria of tumor cells through the control of folding and stability of selective proteins, such as Cyclophilin D and Sorcin. Notably, we have recently demonstrated that TRAP1 also interacts with the regulatory protein particle TBP7 in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), where it is involved in a further extra-mitochondrial quality control of nuclear-encoded mitochondrial proteins through the regulation of their ubiquitination/degradation. Here we show that TRAP1 is involved in the translational control of cancer cells through an attenuation of global protein synthesis, as evidenced by an inverse correlation between TRAP1 expression and ubiquitination/degradation of nascent stress-protective client proteins. This study demonstrates for the first time that TRAP1 is associated with ribosomes and with several translation factors in colon carcinoma cells and, remarkably, is found co-upregulated with some components of the translational apparatus (eIF4A, eIF4E, eEF1A and eEF1G) in human colorectal cancers, with potential new opportunities for therapeutic intervention in humans. Moreover, TRAP1 regulates the rate of protein synthesis through the eIF2α pathway either under basal conditions or under stress, favoring the activation of GCN2 and PERK kinases, with consequent phosphorylation of eIF2α and attenuation of cap-dependent translation. This enhances the synthesis of selective stress-responsive proteins, such as the transcription factor ATF4 and its downstream effectors BiP/Grp78, and the cystine antiporter system xCT, thereby providing protection against ER stress, oxidative damage and nutrient deprivation. Accordingly, TRAP1 silencing sensitizes cells to apoptosis induced by novel antitumoral drugs that inhibit cap-dependent translation, such as ribavirin or 4EGI-1, and reduces the ability of cells to migrate through the pores of transwell filters. These new findings target the TRAP1 network in the development of novel anti-cancer strategies