Dual-readout, Particle Identification, and 4th

The 4th detector is rich in particle identification measurements from the dual-readout calorimeters, the cluster-timing tracking chamber, the muon spectrometer, and combinations of these systems. In all, a total of 13 measurements contribute to the identification of all partons of the standard model.Comment: 3 pages, 6 figures, TIPP09 Conferenc

Evaluation of Reduced-Graphene-Oxide Aligned with WO3-Nanorods as Support for Pt Nanoparticles during Oxygen Electroreduction in Acid Medium

Hybrid supports composed of chemically-reduced graphene-oxide-aligned with tungsten oxide nanowires are considered here as active carriers for dispersed platinum with an ultimate goal of producing improved catalysts for electroreduction of oxygen in acid medium. Here WO3 nanostructures are expected to be attached mainly to the edges of graphene thus making the hybrid structure not only highly porous but also capable of preventing graphene stacking and creating numerous sites for the deposition of Pt nanoparticles. Comparison has been made to the analogous systems utilizing neither reduced graphene oxide nor tungsten oxide component. By over-coating the reduced-graphene-oxide support with WO3 nanorods, the electrocatalytic activity of the system toward the reduction of oxygen in acid medium has been enhanced even at the low Pt loading of 30 microg cm-2. The RRDE data are consistent with decreased formation of hydrogen peroxide in the presence of WO3. Among important issues are such features of the oxide as porosity, large population of hydroxyl groups, high Broensted acidity, as well as fast electron transfers coupled to unimpeded proton displacements. The conclusions are supported with mechanistic and kinetic studies involving double-potential-step chronocoulometry as an alternative diagnostic tool to rotating ring-disk voltammetry.Comment: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1805.0315

Distinct α subunit variations of the hypothalamic GABAA receptor triplets (αβγ) are linked to hibernating state in hamsters

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The structural arrangement of the γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptor (GABA_AR) is known to be crucial for the maintenance of cerebral-dependent homeostatic mechanisms during the promotion of highly adaptive neurophysiological events of the permissive hibernating rodent, i.e the Syrian golden hamster. In this study, <it>in vitro </it>quantitative autoradiography and <it>in situ </it>hybridization were assessed in major hypothalamic nuclei. Reverse Transcription Reaction-Polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests were performed for specific GABA_AR receptor subunit gene primers synthases of non-hibernating (NHIB) and hibernating (HIB) hamsters. Attempts were made to identify the type of αβγ subunit combinations operating during the switching ON/OFF of neuronal activities in some hypothalamic nuclei of hibernators.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Both autoradiography and molecular analysis supplied distinct expression patterns of all α subunits considered as shown by a strong (p < 0.01) prevalence of α₁ratio (over total α subunits considered in the present study) in the medial preoptic area (MPOA) and arcuate nucleus (Arc) of NHIBs with respect to HIBs. At the same time α₂subunit levels proved to be typical of periventricular nucleus (Pe) and Arc of HIB, while strong α₄expression levels were detected during awakening state in the key circadian hypothalamic station, i.e. the suprachiasmatic nucleus (Sch; 60%). Regarding the other two subunits (β and γ), elevated β₃and γ₃mRNAs levels mostly characterized MPOA of HIBs, while prevalently elevated expression concentrations of the same subunits were also typical of Sch, even though this time during the awakening state. In the case of Arc, notably elevated levels were obtained for β₃and γ₂during hibernating conditions.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We conclude that different αβγ subunits are operating as major elements either at the onset of torpor or during induction of the arousal state in the Syrian golden hamster. The identification of a brain regional distribution pattern of distinct GABA_AR subunit combinations may prove to be very useful for highlighting GABAergic mechanisms functioning at least during the different physiological states of hibernators and this may have interesting therapeutic bearings on neurological sleeping disorders.</p

Immunohistochemical analysis of axillary skin biopsies for the detection of adrenergic innervation of sweat glands in normal subjects and Parkinson’s disease patients

Beside the typical motor symptoms Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized, with varying severity, by autonomic dysfunction. Several studies have shed light on the anatomical and molecular changes that underlie the peripheral neuronal degeneration associated with PD and other Lewy body (LB) diseases (LBDs). By using skin biopsies from LBDs patients it was possible to detect misfolded phospho-α-synuclein (p-syn) deposits within dermal nerve fibers and correlate them with a reduced density of small nerve fibers. (1, 2). The skin biopsy approach is an inexpensive and minimally invasive technique. To date, there is not a standardized procedure for sampling site, tissue processing and nerve fibre assessment, so the goal of a diagnostic instrument for an early diagnosis of (LBDs) still remains a challenge. We have carried out a retrospective study setting up a novel protocol based on 10 µm thick serial sections from FFPE axillary skin biopsies. This choice take advantage from the presence of apocrine glands in the axillary region, as they receive a dense sympathetic adrenergic innervation, exploitable for a clear nervous fibers tracking. The biopsies were taken from 14 individuals who had been, in the first instance, diagnosed with various traits of motor and neurological dysfunction and two control subjects. Serial tissue sections were analysed by IHC (DAB chromogen) and by immunofluorescent labelling, using anti-p-α-synuclein (S129), anti- α -synuclein, anti-PGP9.5 and anti-tyrosine hydroxylase antibodies. This particular setting has proven useful to well highlight the adrenergic fibers surrounding the apocrine sweat glands and to visualize the fibers α -synuclein deposition. Our results enabled us to support the first diagnosis in various cases with probable PD but gave a negative p-Syn-S129 immunoreactivity results for samples from vascular Parkinson, multiple system atrophy, essential tremor and frontotemporal dementia. Our methodological setting is able to detect the adrenergic innervation of sweat apocrine glands and both the presence of Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites in axillary skin biopsies

IL-25 dampens the growth of human germinal center-derived B-cell non Hodgkin Lymphoma by curtailing neoangiogenesis

Interleukin (IL)-25, a member of the IL-17 cytokine superfamily, is produced by immune and non-immune cells and exerts type 2 pro-inflammatory effects in vitro and in vivo. The IL-25 receptor(R) is composed of the IL-17RA/IL-17RB subunits. Previous work showed that germinal centre (GC)-derived B-cell non Hodgkin lymphomas (B-NHL) expressed IL-17AR, formed by IL-17RA and IL-17RC subunits, and IL-17A/IL-17AR axis promoted B-NHL growth by stimulating neoangiogenesis. Here, we have investigated expression and function of IL-25/IL-25R axis in lymph nodes from human GC-derived B-NHL, i.e. Follicular Lymphoma (FL,10 cases), Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma (6 cases) and Burkitt Lymphoma (3 cases). Tumor cells expressed IL-25R and IL-25 that was detected also in non-malignant cells by flow cytometry. Immunohistochemical studies confirmed expression of IL-25R and IL-25 in FL cells, and highlighted IL-25 expression in bystander elements of the FL microenvironment. IL-25 i) up-regulated phosphorylation of NFkBp65, STAT-1 and JNK in B-NHL cells; ii) inhibited in vitro proliferation of the latter cells; iii) exerted anti-tumor activity in two in vivo B-NHL models by dampening expression of pro-angiogenic molecules as VEGF-C, CXCL6 and ANGPT3. In conclusion, IL-25, that is intrinsically pro-angiogenic, inhibits B-NHL growth by reprogramming the angiogenic phenotype of B-NHL cells