Potential enhancement of post-stroke angiogenic response by targeting the oligomeric aggregation of p53 protein

Tumor suppressor gene p53 and its aggregate have been found to be involved in many angiogenesis-related pathways. We explored the possible p53 aggregation formation mechanisms commonly occur after ischemic stroke, such as hypoxia and the presence of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The angiogenic pathways involving p53 mainly occur in nucleus or cytoplasm, with one exception that occurs in mitochondria. Considering the high mitochondrial density in brain and endothelial cells, we proposed that the cyclophilin D (CypD)-dependent vascular endothelial cell (VECs) necrosis pathway occurring in the mitochondria is one of the major factors that affects angiogenesis. Hence, targeting p53 aggregation, a key intermediate in the pathway, could be an alternative therapeutic target for post-stroke management

Characterization of an unusual bipolar helicase encoded by bacteriophage T5

Bacteriophage T5 has a 120 kb double-stranded linear DNA genome encoding most of the genes required for its own replication. This lytic bacteriophage has a burst size of ∼500 new phage particles per infected cell, demonstrating that it is able to turn each infected bacterium into a highly efficient DNA manufacturing machine. To begin to understand DNA replication in this prodigious bacteriophage, we have characterized a putative helicase encoded by gene D2. We show that bacteriophage T5 D2 protein is the first viral helicase to be described with bipolar DNA unwinding activities that require the same core catalytic residues for unwinding in either direction. However, unwinding of partially single- and double-stranded DNA test substrates in the 3′–5′ direction is more robust and can be distinguished from the 5′–3′ activity by a number of features including helicase complex stability, salt sensitivity and the length of single-stranded DNA overhang required for initiation of helicase action. The presence of D2 in an early gene cluster, the identification of a putative helix-turn-helix DNA-binding motif outside the helicase core and homology with known eukaryotic and prokaryotic replication initiators suggest an involvement for this unusual helicase in DNA replication initiation

Search for strongly interacting massive particles generating trackless jets in proton-proton collisions at s = 13 TeV

A search for dark matter in the form of strongly interacting massive particles (SIMPs) using the CMS detector at the LHC is presented. The SIMPs would be produced in pairs that manifest themselves as pairs of jets without tracks. The energy fraction of jets carried by charged particles is used as a key discriminator to suppress efficiently the large multijet background, and the remaining background is estimated directly from data. The search is performed using proton-proton collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 16.1 fb - 1 , collected with the CMS detector in 2016. No significant excess of events is observed above the expected background. For the simplified dark matter model under consideration, SIMPs with masses up to 100 GeV are excluded and further sensitivity is explored towards higher masses

Search for the pair production of light top squarks in the e(+/-)mu(-/+) final state in proton-proton collisions at root s=13 TeV

A search for the production of a pair of top squarks at the LHC is presented. This search targets a region of parameter space where the kinematics of top squark pair production and top quark pair production are very similar, because of the mass difference between the top squark and the neutralino being close to the top quark mass. The search is performed with 35.9 fb(-1) of proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of root s = 13 TeV, collected by the CMS detector in 2016, using events containing one electron-muon pair with opposite charge. The search is based on a precise estimate of the top quark pair background, and the use of the M-T2 variable, which combines the transverse mass of each lepton and the missing transverse momentum. No excess of events is found over the standard model predictions. Exclusion limits are placed at 95% confidence level on the production of top squarks up to masses of 208 GeV for models with a mass difference between the top squark and the lightest neutralino close to that of the top quark.Peer reviewe

Evidence for Top Quark Production in Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions

Peer reviewe

Search for dark matter produced in association with a Higgs boson decaying to a pair of bottom quarks in proton-proton collisions at root s=13TeV

A search for dark matter produced in association with a Higgs boson decaying to a pair of bottom quarks is performed in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV collected with the CMS detector at the LHC. The analyzed data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb(-1). The signal is characterized by a large missing transverse momentum recoiling against a bottom quark-antiquark system that has a large Lorentz boost. The number of events observed in the data is consistent with the standard model background prediction. Results are interpreted in terms of limits both on parameters of the type-2 two-Higgs doublet model extended by an additional light pseudoscalar boson a (2HDM+a) and on parameters of a baryonic Z simplified model. The 2HDM+a model is tested experimentally for the first time. For the baryonic Z model, the presented results constitute the most stringent constraints to date.Peer reviewe

Observation of the B-s(0) -> X(3872)phi Decay

Using a data sample of proton-proton collisions at root s = 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb(-1) collected by the CMS experiment in 2016-2018, the B-s(0) -> X(3872)phi decay is observed. Decays into J/psi pi(+)pi(-) and K+K- are used to reconstruct, respectively, the X(3872) and phi. The ratio of the product of branching fractions B[B-s(0) -> X(3872)phi]B[X(3872) -> J/psi pi(+)pi(-)] to the product B[B-s(0) ->psi(2S)phi]B[psi(2S) -> J/psi pi(+)pi(-)] is measured to be [2.21 +/- 0.29(stat) +/- 0.17(syst)]%. The ratio B[B-s(0) -> X(3872)phi]/B[B-0 -> X(3872)K-0] is found to be consistent with one, while the ratio B[B-s(0) -> X(3872)phi]/B[B+-> X(3872)K+] is two times smaller. This suggests a difference in the production dynamics of the X(3872) in B-0 and B(0)s meson decays compared to B+. The reported observation may shed new light on the nature of the X(3872) particle.Peer reviewe

Observation of a New Excited Beauty Strange Baryon Decaying to Ξb- π+π-

The Ξb-π+π- invariant mass spectrum is investigated with an event sample of proton-proton collisions at s=13 TeV, collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC in 2016-2018 and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb-1. The ground state Ξb- is reconstructed via its decays to J/ψΞ- and J/ψΛK-. A narrow resonance, labeled Ξb(6100)-, is observed at a Ξb-π+π- invariant mass of 6100.3±0.2(stat)±0.1(syst)±0.6(Ξb-) MeV, where the last uncertainty reflects the precision of the Ξb- baryon mass. The upper limit on the Ξb(6100)- natural width is determined to be 1.9 MeV at 95% confidence level. The low Ξb(6100)- signal yield observed in data does not allow a measurement of the quantum numbers of the new state. However, following analogies with the established excited Ξc baryon states, the new Ξb(6100)- resonance and its decay sequence are consistent with the orbitally excited Ξb- baryon, with spin and parity quantum numbers JP=3/2-

Measurement of the inclusive and differential Higgs boson production cross sections in the decay mode to a pair of τ Leptons in pp collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

Measurements of the inclusive and differential fiducial cross sections of the Higgs boson are presented, using the τ lepton decay channel. The differential cross sections are measured as functions of the Higgs boson transverse momentum, jet multiplicity, and transverse momentum of the leading jet in the event, if any. The analysis is performed using proton-proton collision data collected with the CMS detector at the LHC at a center-of-mass energy of 13  TeV and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1}. These are the first differential measurements of the Higgs boson cross section in the final state of two τ leptons. In final states with a large jet multiplicity or with a Lorentz-boosted Higgs boson, these measurements constitute a significant improvement over measurements performed in other final states

Measurement of B_{s}^{0} meson production in pp and PbPb collisions at \sqrt{SNN}

The production cross sections of B_{s}^{0} mesons and charge conjugates are measured in proton-proton (pp) and PbPb collisions via the exclusive decay channel B_{s}^{0}→J/ψϕ→μ^{+}μ^{−}K^{+}K^{−} at a center-of-mass energy of 5.02 TeV per nucleon pair and within the rapidity range |y|<2.4 using the CMS detector at the LHC. The pp measurement is performed as a function of transverse momentum (p_{T}) of the B_{s}^{0} mesons in the range of 7 to 50 GeV/c and is compared to the predictions of perturbative QCD calculations. The B_{s}^{0} production yield in PbPb collisions is measured in two p_{T} intervals, 7 to 15 and 15 to 50 GeV/c, and compared to the yield in pp collisions in the same kinematic region. The nuclear modification factor (R_{AA}) is found to be 1.5±0.6(stat)±0.5(syst) for 7–15 GeV/c, and 0.87±0.30(stat)±0.17(syst) for 15–50 GeV/c, respectively. Within current uncertainties, the B_{s}^{0} results are consistent with models of strangeness enhancement, and suppression by parton energy loss, as observed for the B+ mesons