Study of Bc+B_c^+ decays to the K+K−π+K^+K^-\pi^+ final state and evidence for the decay Bc+→χc0π+B_c^+\to\chi_{c0}\pi^+

A study of $B_c^+\to K^+K^-\pi^+$ decays is performed for the first time using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 $\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$ collected by the LHCb experiment in $pp$ collisions at centre-of-mass energies of $7$ and $8$ TeV. Evidence for the decay $B_c^+\to\chi_{c0}(\to K^+K^-)\pi^+$ is reported with a significance of 4.0 standard deviations, resulting in the measurement of $\frac{\sigma(B_c^+)}{\sigma(B^+)}\times\mathcal{B}(B_c^+\to\chi_{c0}\pi^+)$ to be $(9.8^{+3.4}_{-3.0}(\mathrm{stat})\pm 0.8(\mathrm{syst}))\times 10^{-6}$. Here $\mathcal{B}$ denotes a branching fraction while $\sigma(B_c^+)$ and $\sigma(B^+)$ are the production cross-sections for $B_c^+$ and $B^+$ mesons. An indication of $\bar b c$ weak annihilation is found for the region $m(K^-\pi^+)<1.834\mathrm{\,Ge\kern -0.1em V\!/}c^2$, with a significance of 2.4 standard deviations.Comment: All figures and tables, along with any supplementary material and additional information, are available at https://lhcbproject.web.cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/LHCbProjectPublic/LHCb-PAPER-2016-022.html, link to supplemental material inserted in the reference

Association of IL1B -511C/-31T haplotype and Helicobacter pylori vacA genotypes with gastric ulcer and chronic gastritis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The association between proinflammatory cytokine gene polymorphisms and gastric diseases related to <it>Helicobacter pylori </it>varies by population and geographic area.</p> <p>Our objective was to determine if the <it>IL-1B </it>-<it>511 T>C </it>and -<it>31 C>T </it>polymorphisms and <it>H. pylori vacA </it>genotypes are associated with risk of chronic gastritis and gastric ulcer in a Mexican population.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted endoscopic studies in 128 patients with symptoms of dyspepsia. We took two biopsies from the body, antrum, or ulcer edge from each patient, and classified our histopathological findings according to the Sydney System. <it>H. pylori </it>infection and <it>vacA </it>genotyping were accomplished via PCR from total DNA of the gastric biopsies. We confirmed the presence of anti-<it>H. pylori </it>serum IgG and IgM in 102 control subjects. In both case subjects and control subjects, the <it>IL-1B </it>-<it>511 T>C </it>polymorphism was genotyped by PCR-RFLPs and the <it>IL-1B -31 C>T </it>polymorphism was genotyped by pyrosequencing.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Sixty-two point seven (62.7%) of the 102 control subjects were <it>H. pylori-</it>seropositive. Among the case subjects, 100 were diagnosed with chronic gastritis and 28 with gastric ulcer. We found that 77% of the patients with chronic gastritis and 85.7% of the patients with gastric ulcer were <it>H. pylori-</it>positive. The predominant <it>H. pylori </it>genotype was <it>vacA s1m1 </it>(58.4%) and the most frequent subtype was <it>vacA s1</it>. The -<it>511 TC</it>, (rs16944 -511 T>C) genotype and the -<it>511C </it>allele were associated with chronic gastritis (OR = 3.1, 95% CI = 1.4-6.8 and OR = 3.0, 95% CI = 1.4-6.0, respectively). The subjects carrying -<it>31T </it>(rs1143627 -31 C>T) were found to be at a higher risk of having chronic gastritis (OR = 2.8, 95% CI = 1.3-5.8). The <it>IL-1B </it>-<it>511C/-31T </it>haplotype was associated with chronic gastritis (OR = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.2-3.8) but not with gastric ulcer.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The <it>H. pylori vacA </it>genotypes identified herein were similar to those reported for other regions of Mexico. The <it>vacA s1m1 </it>genotype was not associated with gastric ulcer. In the southern Mexican population, the <it>IL-1B -511C </it>and -<it>31T </it>alleles and the -<it>511C/-31T </it>and -<it>511T/-31T </it>haplotypes are associated with increased risk of chronic gastritis and gastric ulcer.</p

High systemic IL-6 is associated with worse prognosis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer

Characteristic cytokine patterns have been described in different cancer patients and they are related to their diagnosis, prognosis, prediction of treatment responses and survival. A panel of cytokines was evaluated in the plasma of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and healthy controls to investigate their profile and relationship with clinical characteristics and overall survival. The case-controlled cross-sectional study design recruited 77 patients with confirmed diagnosis of NSCLC (cases) and 91 healthy subjects (controls) aimed to examine peripheral pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A, TNF and IFN-gamma) by Cytometry Beads Arrays (CBA Flex) in. The cytokine IL-6 showed a statistically significant difference among groups with increased expression in the case group (p < 0.001). The correlation between the cytokines expression with patient's clinical characteristics variables revealed the cytokine IL-6 was found to be associated with gender, showing higher levels in male (p = 0.036), whereas IL-17A levels were associated with TNM stage, being higher in III-IV stages (p = 0.044). We observed worse overall survival for individuals with high levels of IL-6 when compared to those with low levels of this cytokine in 6, 12 and 24 months. Further studies of IL-6 levels in independent cohort could clarify the real role of IL-6 as an independent marker of prognostic of NSCLC.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tencnológico (CNPq) [Grant number 401775/2012-7 to ALF]; Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) [Grant number 2014/ 23414-8 to EMS]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Shrub Invasion Decreases Diversity and Alters Community Stability in Northern Chihuahuan Desert Plant Communities

BACKGROUND:Global climate change is rapidly altering species range distributions and interactions within communities. As ranges expand, invading species change interactions in communities which may reduce stability, a mechanism known to affect biodiversity. In aridland ecosystems worldwide, the range of native shrubs is expanding as they invade and replace native grassland vegetation with significant consequences for biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. METHODOLOGY:We used two long-term data sets to determine the effects of shrub encroachment by Larrea tridentata on subdominant community composition and stability in formerly native perennial grassland dominated by Bouteloua eriopoda in New Mexico, USA. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:Our results indicated that Larrea invasion decreased species richness during the last 100 years. We also found that over shorter temporal scales species-poor subdominant communities in areas invaded by Larrea were less stable (more variable in time) compared to species rich communities in grass-dominated vegetation. Compositional stability increased as cover of Bouteloua increased and decreased as cover of Larrea increased. SIGNIFICANCE:Changes in community stability due to altered interspecific interactions may be one mechanism by which biodiversity declines in grasslands following shrub invasion. As global warming increases, shrub encroachment into native grasslands worldwide will continue to alter species interactions and community stability both of which may lead to a decline in biodiversity