A pilot histomorphology and hemodynamic of vasculogenic mimicry in gallbladder carcinomas in vivo and in vitro

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Vasculogenic mimicry (VM), as a new blood supply for tumor growth and hematogenous metastases, has been recently described in highly aggressive human melanoma cells, etc. We previously reported VM in human gallbladder carcinomas and its clinical significance. In this study, we further studied histomorphology and hemodynamic of VM in gallbladder carcinomas <it>in vivo </it>and <it>in vitro</it>.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The invasive potential of human gallbladder carcinoma cell lines GBC-SD and SGC-996 were identified by Transwell membrane. The vasculogenic-like network structures and the signal intensities i.e. hemodynamic in gallbladder carcinomas stimulated via the three-dimensional matrix of GBC-SD or SGC-996 cells <it>in vitro</it>, the nude mouse xenografts of GBC-SD or SGC-996 cells <it>in vivo </it>were observed by immunohistochemistry (H&E staining and CD₃₁-PAS double staining), electron microscopy and micro-MRA with HAS-Gd-DTPA, respectively.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Highly aggressive GBC-SD or poorly aggressive SGC-996 cells preconditioned by highly aggressive GBC-SD cells could form patterned networks containing hollow matrix channels. 85.7% (6/7) of GBC-SD nude mouse xenografts existed the evidence of VM, 5.7% (17/300) channels contained red blood cells among these tumor cell-lined vasculatures. GBC-SD xenografts showed multiple high-intensity spots similar with the intensity observed at tumor marginal, a result consistent with pathological VM.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>VM existed in gallbladder carcinomas by both three-dimensional matrix of highly aggressive GBC-SD or poorly aggressive SGC-996 cells preconditioned by highly aggressive GBC-SD cells <it>in vitro </it>and GBC-SD nude mouse xenografts <it>in vivo</it>.</p

The chromatic Point Spread Function of weak lensing measurement in Chinese Space Station survey Telescope

The weak gravitational lensing is a powerful tool in modern cosmology. To accurately measure the weak lensing signal, one has to control the systematic bias to a small level. One of the most difficult problems is how to correct the smearing effect of the Point Spread Function (PSF) on the shape of the galaxies. The chromaticity of PSF for a broad-band observation can lead to new subtle effects. Since the PSF is wavelength dependent and the spectrum energy distributions between stars and galaxies are different, the effective PSF measured from the star images will be different from that smears the galaxies. Such a bias is called colour bias. We estimate it in the optical bands of the Chinese Space Station Survey Telescope from simulated PSFs, and show the dependence on the colour and redshift of the galaxies. Moreover, due to the spatial variation of spectra over the galaxy image, there exists another higher-order bias, colour gradient bias. Our results show that both colour bias and colour gradient bias are generally below $0.1$ percent in CSST. Only for small-size galaxies, one needs to be careful about the colour gradient bias in the weak lensing analysis using CSST data

Design and durability analysis of marine concrete

Marine engineering is an important way for a country to go deep blue. In the marine environment, there are many factors that affect the durability of concrete, among which the most harmful one is chloride ion erosion. In order to improve the ability to resist chloride ion permeation, this paper designs, compares and selects the appropriate water cement ratio of marine concrete, with the use of new anticorrosive technologies such as epoxy coating and silane impregnation. The design service life and the chloride ion diffusion coefficient prediction are analysed by establishing models, and this paper verifies whether the engineering design meets the service life requirement

Integrability of the Heisenberg Chains with Boundary Impurities and Their Bethe Ansatz

In this paper, we show the integrability of spin-1/2 XXZ Heisenberg chain with two arbitrary spin boundary Impurities. By using the fusion method, we generalize it to the spin-1 XXZ chain. Then the eigenvalues of Hamiltonians of these models are obtained by the means of Bethe ansatz method.Comment: 13 pages, latex, no figures, to be appeared in J.Phys.

Algebraic Bethe ansatz for the one-dimensional Hubbard model with open boundaries

The one-dimensional Hubbard model with open boundary conditions is exactly solved by means of algebraic Bethe ansatz. The eigenvalue of the transfer matrix, the energy spectrum as well as the Bethe ansatz equations are obtained.Comment: Only LaTex file; no figur

The DArk Matter Particle Explorer mission

The DArk Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE), one of the four scientific space science missions within the framework of the Strategic Pioneer Program on Space Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, is a general purpose high energy cosmic-ray and gamma-ray observatory, which was successfully launched on December 17th, 2015 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The DAMPE scientific objectives include the study of galactic cosmic rays up to $\sim 10$ TeV and hundreds of TeV for electrons/gammas and nuclei respectively, and the search for dark matter signatures in their spectra. In this paper we illustrate the layout of the DAMPE instrument, and discuss the results of beam tests and calibrations performed on ground. Finally we present the expected performance in space and give an overview of the mission key scientific goals.Comment: 45 pages, including 29 figures and 6 tables. Published in Astropart. Phy

Direct detection of a break in the teraelectronvolt cosmic-ray spectrum of electrons and positrons

High energy cosmic ray electrons plus positrons (CREs), which lose energy quickly during their propagation, provide an ideal probe of Galactic high-energy processes and may enable the observation of phenomena such as dark-matter particle annihilation or decay. The CRE spectrum has been directly measured up to $\sim 2$ TeV in previous balloon- or space-borne experiments, and indirectly up to $\sim 5$ TeV by ground-based Cherenkov $\gamma$-ray telescope arrays. Evidence for a spectral break in the TeV energy range has been provided by indirect measurements of H.E.S.S., although the results were qualified by sizeable systematic uncertainties. Here we report a direct measurement of CREs in the energy range $25~{\rm GeV}-4.6~{\rm TeV}$ by the DArk Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE) with unprecedentedly high energy resolution and low background. The majority of the spectrum can be properly fitted by a smoothly broken power-law model rather than a single power-law model. The direct detection of a spectral break at $E \sim0.9$ TeV confirms the evidence found by H.E.S.S., clarifies the behavior of the CRE spectrum at energies above 1 TeV and sheds light on the physical origin of the sub-TeV CREs.Comment: 18 pages, 6 figures, Nature in press, doi:10.1038/nature2447

Impact of relative humidity and particles number size distribution on aerosol light extinction in the urban area of Guangzhou

In the urban area of Guangzhou, observations on aerosol light extinction effect were conducted at a monitoring site of the South China Institute of Environmental Sciences (SCIES) during April 2009, July 2009, October 2009 and January 2010. The main goal of these observations is to recognise the impact of relative humidity (RH) and particles number distribution on aerosol light extinction. PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5&lt;/sub&gt; was sampled by Model PQ200 air sampler; ions and OC/EC in PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5&lt;/sub&gt; were identified by the Dionex ion chromatography and the DRI model 2001 carbon analyser, respectively; particles number size distribution was measured by TSI 3321 APS, while total light scattering coefficient was measured by TSI 3563 Nephelometer. Chemical composition of PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5&lt;/sub&gt; was reconstructed by the model ISORROPIA II. As a result, possible major components in PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5&lt;/sub&gt; were (NH&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;)&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;SO&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;, Na&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;SO&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;, K&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;SO&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;, NH&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;NO&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;, HNO&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;, water, POM and EC. Regarding ambient RH, mass concentration of PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5&lt;/sub&gt; ranged from 26.1 to 279.1 μg m&lt;sup&gt;−3&lt;/sup&gt; and had an average of 94.8, 44.6, 95.4 and 130.8 μg m&lt;sup&gt;−3&lt;/sup&gt; in April, July, October and January, respectively. With regard to the total mass of PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5&lt;/sub&gt;, inorganic species, water, POM, EC and the Residual accounted for 34–47%, 19–31%, 14–20%, 6–8% and 8–17%, respectively. Under the assumption of "internal mixture", optical properties of PM&lt;sub&gt;0.5&amp;ndash;20&lt;/sub&gt; were estimated following the Mie Model. Optical refractive index, hygroscopic growth factor and the dry aerosol density required by the Mie Model were determined with an understanding of chemical composition of PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5&lt;/sub&gt;. With these three parameters and the validated particles number size distribution of PM&lt;sub&gt;0.5&amp;ndash;20&lt;/sub&gt;, the temporal variation trend of optical property of PM&lt;sub&gt;0.5&amp;ndash;20&lt;/sub&gt; was estimated with good accuracy. The highest average of &lt;i&gt;b&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;ep,pm0.5&amp;ndash;20&lt;/sub&gt; was 300 Mm&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt; in April while the lowest one was 78.6 Mm&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt; in July. Regarding size distribution of &lt;i&gt;b&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;ep,pm0.5&amp;ndash;20&lt;/sub&gt;, peak value was almost located in the diameter range between 0.5 and 1.0 μm. Furthermore, hygroscopic growth of optical properties of PM&lt;sub&gt;0.5&amp;ndash;20&lt;/sub&gt; largely depended on RH. As RH increased, &lt;i&gt;b&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;ep,pm0.5&amp;ndash;20&lt;/sub&gt; grew and favoured a more rapid growth when aerosol had a high content of inorganic water-soluble salts. Averagely, &lt;i&gt;f&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;bep,pm0.5&amp;ndash;20&lt;/sub&gt; enlarged 1.76 times when RH increased from 20% to 90%. With regard to the temporal variation of ambient RH, &lt;i&gt;f&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;bep,pm0.5&amp;ndash;20&lt;/sub&gt; was 1.29, 1.23, 1.14 and 1.26 on average in April, July, October and January, respectively

Long-term microdystrophin gene therapy is effective in a canine model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an incurable X-linked muscle-wasting disease caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene. Gene therapy using highly functional microdystrophin genes and recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vectors is an attractive strategy to treat DMD. Here we show that locoregional and systemic delivery of a rAAV2/8 vector expressing a canine microdystrophin (cMD1) is effective in restoring dystrophin expression and stabilizing clinical symptoms in studies performed on a total of 12 treated golden retriever muscular dystrophy (GRMD) dogs. Locoregional delivery induces high levels of microdystrophin expression in limb musculature and significant amelioration of histological and functional parameters. Systemic intravenous administration without immunosuppression results in significant and sustained levels of microdystrophin in skeletal muscles and reduces dystrophic symptoms for over 2 years. No toxicity or adverse immune consequences of vector administration are observed. These studies indicate safety and efficacy of systemic rAAV-cMD1 delivery in a large animal model of DMD, and pave the way towards clinical trials of rAAV-microdystrophin gene therapy in DMD patients