Disruption of the Non-Canonical WNT Pathway in Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Disruptions of beta-catenin and the canonical Wnt pathway are well documented in cancer. However, little is known of the non-canonical branch of the Wnt pathway. In this study, we investigate the transcript level patterns of genes in the Wnt pathway in squamous cell lung cancer using reverse-transcriptase (RT)-PCR. It was found that over half of the samples examined exhibited dysregulated gene expression of multiple components of the non-canonical branch of the WNT pathway. In the cases where beta catenin (CTNNB1) was not over-expressed, we identified strong relationships of expression between wingless-type MMTV integration site family member 5A (WNT5A)/frizzled homolog 2 (FZD2), frizzled homolog 3 (FZD3)/dishevelled 2 (DVL2), and low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 (LRP5)/secreted frizzled-related protein 4 (SFRP4). This is one of the first studies to demonstrate expression of genes in the non-canonical pathway in normal lung tissue and its disruption in lung squamous cell carcinoma. These findings suggest that the non-canonical pathway may have a more prominent role in lung cancer than previously reported

A peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-δ agonist provides neuroprotection in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine model of Parkinson's disease

Copyright © 2013 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Detection of flooded urban areas in high resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar images using double scattering

Flooding is a particular hazard in urban areas worldwide due to the increased risks to life and property in these regions. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) sensors are often used to image flooding because of their all-weather day-night capability, and now possess sufficient resolution to image urban flooding. The flood extents extracted from the images may be used for flood relief management and improved urban flood inundation modelling. A difficulty with using SAR for urban flood detection is that, due to its side-looking nature, substantial areas of urban ground surface may not be visible to the SAR due to radar layover and shadow caused by buildings and taller vegetation. This paper investigates whether urban flooding can be detected in layover regions (where flooding may not normally be apparent) using double scattering between the (possibly flooded) ground surface and the walls of adjacent buildings. The method estimates double scattering strengths using a SAR image in conjunction with a high resolution LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) height map of the urban area. A SAR simulator is applied to the LiDAR data to generate maps of layover and shadow, and estimate the positions of double scattering curves in the SAR image. Observations of double scattering strengths were compared to the predictions from an electromagnetic scattering model, for both the case of a single image containing flooding, and a change detection case in which the flooded image was compared to an un-flooded image of the same area acquired with the same radar parameters. The method proved successful in detecting double scattering due to flooding in the single-image case, for which flooded double scattering curves were detected with 100% classification accuracy (albeit using a small sample set) and un-flooded curves with 91% classification accuracy. The same measures of success were achieved using change detection between flooded and un-flooded images. Depending on the particular flooding situation, the method could lead to improved detection of flooding in urban areas

The effect of near-surface plastic deformation on the hot corrosion and high temperature corrosion-fatigue response of a nickel-based superalloy

Surface treatments such as shot peening to inhibit fatigue crack initiation are essential processes when designing gas turbine components for aerospace applications. It is therefore crucial to understand the effects of shot peening in representative service environments. Here, the influence of surface treatment on the high temperature corrosion fatigue response of a polycrystalline nickel-based superalloy is considered, an area that has not previously been explored. Two shot peening conditions; 110H 7A 200% and 330H 7A 200%, along with a polished surface were chosen. Specimens were salted and exposed to SO2 gas during fatigue testing at 700 °C. A range of novel techniques including SEM, EBSD and axial chromatism profilometry were used to analyse the near surface cold work and surface condition before and after testing. EBSD local misorientation maps, paired with an increase in corrosion-fatigue life, suggest that a greater depth of cold work produced by the smaller shot size (110H), is providing a significant benefit in terms of hot corrosion and corrosion-fatigue performance. This paper concludes that the presence of a substantial layer of cold work is required to account for any metal loss due to the effects of hot corrosion. It is also evident that cold work hinders fatigue crack initiation and delays the onset of pit to crack transition

Microscopic View on Short-Range Wetting at the Free Surface of the Binary Metallic Liquid Gallium-Bismuth: An X-ray Reflectivity and Square Gradient Theory Study

We present an x-ray reflectivity study of wetting at the free surface of the binary liquid metal gallium-bismuth (Ga-Bi) in the region where the bulk phase separates into Bi-rich and Ga-rich liquid phases. The measurements reveal the evolution of the microscopic structure of wetting films of the Bi-rich, low-surface-tension phase along different paths in the bulk phase diagram. A balance between the surface potential preferring the Bi-rich phase and the gravitational potential which favors the Ga-rich phase at the surface pins the interface of the two demixed liquid metallic phases close to the free surface. This enables us to resolve it on an Angstrom level and to apply a mean-field, square gradient model extended by thermally activated capillary waves as dominant thermal fluctuations. The sole free parameter of the gradient model, i.e. the so-called influence parameter, $\kappa$, is determined from our measurements. Relying on a calculation of the liquid/liquid interfacial tension that makes it possible to distinguish between intrinsic and capillary wave contributions to the interfacial structure we estimate that fluctuations affect the observed short-range, complete wetting phenomena only marginally. A critical wetting transition that should be sensitive to thermal fluctuations seems to be absent in this binary metallic alloy.Comment: RevTex4, twocolumn, 15 pages, 10 figure

'Education, education, education' : legal, moral and clinical

This article brings together Professor Donald Nicolson's intellectual interest in professional legal ethics and his long-standing involvement with law clinics both as an advisor at the University of Cape Town and Director of the University of Bristol Law Clinic and the University of Strathclyde Law Clinic. In this article he looks at how legal education may help start this process of character development, arguing that the best means is through student involvement in voluntary law clinics. And here he builds upon his recent article which argues for voluntary, community service oriented law clinics over those which emphasise the education of students

Excitatory effect of ATP on rat area postrema neurons

ATP-induced inward currents and increases in the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca]in) were investigated in neurons acutely dissociated from rat area postrema using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings and fura-2 microfluorometry, respectively. The ATP-induced current (IATP) and [Ca]in increases were mimicked by 2-methylthio-ATP and ATP-γS, and were inhibited by P2X receptor (P2XR) antagonists. The current–voltage relationship of the IATP exhibited a strong inward rectification, and the amplitude of the IATP was concentration-dependent. The IATP was markedly reduced in the absence of external Na+, and the addition of Ca2+ to Na+-free saline increased the IATP. ATP did not increase [Ca]in in the absence of external Ca2+, and Ca2+ channel antagonists partially inhibited the ATP-induced [Ca]in increase, indicating that ATP increases [Ca]in by Ca2+ influx through both P2XR channels and voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels. There was a negative interaction between P2XR- and nicotinic ACh receptor (nAChR)-channels, which depended on the amplitude and direction of current flow through either channel. Current occlusion was observed at Vhs between −70 and −10 mV when the IATP and ACh-induced current (IACh) were inward, but no occlusion was observed when these currents were outward at a Vh of +40 mV. The IATP was not inhibited by co-application of ACh when the IACh was markedly decreased either by removal of permeant cations, by setting Vh close to the equilibrium potential of IACh, or by the addition of d-tubocurarine or serotonin. These results suggest that the inhibitory interaction is attributable to inward current flow of cations through the activated P2XR- and nAChR-channels

Improved W boson mass measurement with the D0 detector

We have measured the W boson mass using the D0 detector and a data sample of 82 pb^-1 from the Tevatron collider. This measurement used W -> e nu decays, where the electron is close to a boundary of a central electromagnetic calorimeter module. Such 'edge' electrons have not been used in any previous D0 analysis, and represent a 14% increase in the W boson sample size. For these electrons, new response and resolution parameters are determined, and revised backgrounds and underlying event energy flow measurements are made. When the current measurement is combined with previous D0 W boson mass measurements, we obtain M_W = 80.483 +/- 0.084 GeV. The 8% improvement from the previous D0 measurement is primarily due to the improved determination of the response parameters for non-edge electrons using the sample of Z bosons with non-edge and edge electrons.Comment: submitted to Phys. Rev. D; 20 pages, 18 figures, 9 table

Evidence of Color Coherence Effects in W+jets Events from ppbar Collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.8 TeV

We report the results of a study of color coherence effects in ppbar collisions based on data collected by the D0 detector during the 1994-1995 run of the Fermilab Tevatron Collider, at a center of mass energy sqrt(s) = 1.8 TeV. Initial-to-final state color interference effects are studied by examining particle distribution patterns in events with a W boson and at least one jet. The data are compared to Monte Carlo simulations with different color coherence implementations and to an analytic modified-leading-logarithm perturbative calculation based on the local parton-hadron duality hypothesis.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures. Submitted to Physics Letters

Search for Heavy Neutral and Charged Leptons in e+ e- Annihilation at LEP

A search for exotic unstable neutral and charged heavy leptons as well as for stable charged heavy leptons is performed with the L3 detector at LEP. Sequential, vector and mirror natures of heavy leptons are considered. No evidence for their existence is found and lower limits on their masses are set