Reparative Spheroids in HPV-Associated Chronic Cervicitis

Background: Spheroid cell structures (SCS) described in cell culture are used to study cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. However, the role of the SCS in the repair process in vivo remains unexplored. The aim of the study was to examine the cellular composition of the spherical structures and their functional significance in the repair of the squamous epithelium in human papilloma virus-associated chronic cervicitis (HPV-CC). Methods and Results: The cytology and biopsy materials from 223 patients with HPV-CC were subjected to molecular testing for HPV DNA by Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (Real-Time PCR) with genotyping and chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH), as well as immunocytological and immunohistochemical analyses of p16INK4A, Ki67, SMA, Vimentin, CD34, E-cadherin, Oct4, CD44, CKW markers. In the stem cell niche zone, these spheroid structures were discovered having proliferative activity and showing signs of producing stem cells involved in the repair of the cervical mucosa in HPV-CC. Conclusion: The persistence of the HPV in the stem cell niche zone cells in the cervix determines the chronization of inflammation in this area, with the ability to perform pathological repair. The immunophenotype of the spheroid cell structures in the HPV-CC includes cells with signs of stem cells (‘stemness’) and the mesenchymal-epithelial transition

Evolution of superconductivity in LaO1-xFxBiS2 prepared by high pressure technique

Novel BiS2-based superconductors LaO1-xFxBiS2 prepared by the high pressure synthesis technique were systematically studied. It was found that the high pressure annealing strongly the lattice as compared to the LaO1-xFxBiS2 samples prepared by conventional solid state reaction at ambient pressure. Bulk superconductivity was observed within a wide F-concentration range of x = 0.2 ~ 0.7. On the basis of those results, we have established a phase diagram of LaO1-xFxBiS2.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figure

s-wave pairing in the optimally-doped LaO0.5F0.5BiS2 superconductor

We report on the magnetic and superconducting properties of LaO0.5F0.5BiS2 by means of zero- (ZF) and transverse-field (TF) muon-spin spectroscopy measurements (uSR). Contrary to previous results on iron-based superconductors, measurements in zero field demonstrate the absence of magnetically ordered phases. TF-uSR data give access to the superfluid density, which shows a marked 2D character with a dominant s-wave temperature behavior. The field dependence of the magnetic penetration depth confirms this finding and further suggests the presence of an anisotropic superconducting gap

Succession of Genetic Diversity of Botryococcus braunii (Trebouxiophyceae) in Two Japanese Reservoirs

AbstractBotryococcus braunii is a green colonial alga that produces large volumes of liquid hydrocarbon. Therefore, B. braunii is expected to be useful as an alternative fuel resource. Natural blooms of B. braunii have been recorded in several lakes and reservoirs. Elucidation of natural B. braunii blooming would provide important information for the development of an open-pond cultivation system. In this study, we periodically assessed the genetic diversity and colony density of B. braunii populations, along with several environmental parameters, in two Japanese reservoirs (provisionally called “N” and “S”) from December 2008 to December 2009. Reservoir N had low numbers of B. braunii colonies whereas Reservoir S was characterized by periodic density increases that occurred in December 2008, and in March, September, and December 2009. Population genetics analysis using specific environmental sequences (PGA-SES method) was conducted for B. braunii populations for the first time. Among the B. braunii-dominated samples of Reservoir S, high levels of genetic diversity were observed in December 2008 and March 2009, whereas the diversity levels in September and December 2009 were low. The results suggest that B. braunii periodicity can be categorized into a high genetic diversity type and a low genetic diversity type. The high genetic diversity type may be caused by simultaneous growth of many genotypes, whereas the low genetic diversity type seems to be explained by increases in the cell density of only a few adapted genotypes