Activation of CD22; a Potential Novel Marker for Ovarian Cancer

CD22 in the human genome codes for a protein of the same name, which is normally expressed only on the surface of B-lymphocytes. The primary hypothesis is that inappropriate activation of CD22 enables cell metastasis to lymph nodes and bone. The aim of this research is to determine whether CD22 is activated in cancerous ovarian cell lines, whether CD22 is expressed on the surface of these cells, and to compare the expression of CD22 expression on B-cell lines with cancerous ovarian cells to determine expression patterns and characterize normal and aberrant CD22 receptor substrate interactions on bone marrow stromal cells. This research will improve understanding of aberrant expression of CD22 on tumors, which may potentially be used for antibody-directed therapy for ovarian cancer

Loss of TET2 increases B-1 cell number and IgM production while limiting CDR3 diversity

Recent studies have demonstrated a role for Ten-Eleven Translocation-2 (TET2), an epigenetic modulator, in regulating germinal center formation and plasma cell differentiation in B-2 cells, yet the role of TET2 in regulating B-1 cells is largely unknown. Here, B-1 cell subset numbers, IgM production, and gene expression were analyzed in mice with global knockout of TET2 compared to wildtype (WT) controls. Results revealed that TET2-KO mice had elevated numbers of B-1a and B-1b cells in their primary niche, the peritoneal cavity, as well as in the bone marrow (B-1a) and spleen (B-1b). Consistent with this finding, circulating IgM, but not IgG, was elevated in TET2-KO mice compared to WT. Analysis of bulk RNASeq of sort purified peritoneal B-1a and B-1b cells revealed reduced expression of heavy and light chain immunoglobulin genes, predominantly in B-1a cells from TET2-KO mice compared to WT controls. As expected, the expression of IgM transcripts was the most abundant isotype in B-1 cells. Yet, only in B-1a cells there was a significant increase in the proportion of IgM transcripts in TET2-KO mice compared to WT. Analysis of the CDR3 of the BCR revealed an increased abundance of replicated CDR3 sequences in B-1 cells from TET2-KO mice, which was more clearly pronounced in B-1a compared to B-1b cells. V-D-J usage and circos plot analysis of V-J combinations showed enhanced usage of VH11 and VH12 pairings. Taken together, our study is the first to demonstrate that global loss of TET2 increases B-1 cell number and IgM production and reduces CDR3 diversity, which could impact many biological processes and disease states that are regulated by IgM

Social Perception Deficits, Cognitive Distortions, and Empathy Deficits in Sex Offenders: A Brief Review.

This literature review examines the differences between sex offenders and nonoffenders with regard to social perception skills, cognitive distortions, and empathy skills in order to investigate sex offenders' cognition. The literature on cognitive distortions is discussed, with reference to the confusion surrounding its definition, and the debate between cognitive distortions as offense-supportive beliefs or justifications is examined. In terms of social perception, particular reference is made to sex offenders' misinterpretations of women's social cues and the source of this deficit. The authors discuss possibilities for this deficit, including offense-supportive beliefs that are driven by underlying implicit theories or schemata held by offenders. The concept of empathy and its relation to both social perception skills and cognitive distortions is discussed, and the integration of these factors is represented in a new model

Observation of the Bs0 ⁣→D∗+D∗−B^0_s\!\to D^{*+}D^{*-} decay

International audienceThe first observation of the ${B}_s^0$→ D$^{∗+}$D$^{∗−}$ decay and the measurement of its branching ratio relative to the B$^{0}$→ D$^{∗+}$D$^{∗−}$ decay are presented. The data sample used corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 9 fb$^{−1}$ of proton-proton collisions recorded by the LHCb experiment at centre-of-mass energies of 7, 8 and 13 TeV between 2011 and 2018. The decay is observed with more than 10 standard deviations and the time-integrated ratio of branching fractions is determined to be$\frac{\mathcal{B}\left({B}_s^0\to {D}^{\ast +}{D}^{\ast -}\right)}{\mathcal{B}\left({B}^0\to {D}^{\ast +}{D}^{\ast -}\right)}=0.269\pm 0.032\pm 0.011\pm 0.008,$where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second systematic and the third due to the uncertainty of the fragmentation fraction ratio f$_{s}$/f$_{d}$. The ${B}_s^0$→ D$^{*+}$D$^{*−}$ branching fraction is calculated to be$\mathcal{B}\left({B}_s^0\to {D}^{\ast +}{D}^{\ast -}\right)=\left(2.15\pm 0.26\pm 0.09\pm 0.06\pm 0.16\right)\times {10}^{-4},$where the fourth uncertainty is due to the B$^{0}$→ D$^{*+}$D$^{*−}$ branching fraction. These results are calculated using the average ${B}_s^0$ meson lifetime in simulation. Correction factors are reported for scenarios where either a purely heavy or a purely light ${B}_s^0$ eigenstate is considered.[graphic not available: see fulltext

First observation and branching fraction measurement of the Λb0→Ds−p {\Lambda}_b^0\to {D}_s^{-}p decay

International audienceThe first observation of the ${\Lambda}_b^0\to {D}_s^{-}p$ decay is presented using proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 6 fb$^{−1}$. Using the ${\Lambda}_b^0\to {\Lambda}_c^{+}{\pi}^{-}$ decay as the normalisation mode, the branching fraction of the ${\Lambda}_b^0\to {D}_s^{-}p$ decay is measured to be $\mathcal{B}\left({\Lambda}_b^0\to {D}_s^{-}p\right)=\left(12.6\pm 0.5\pm 0.3\pm 1.2\right)\times {10}^{-6}$, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second systematic and the third due to uncertainties in the branching fractions of the ${\Lambda}_b^0\to {\Lambda}_c^{+}{\pi}^{-}$, ${D}_s^{-}\to {K}^{-}{K}^{+}{\pi}^{-}$ and ${\Lambda}_c^{+}\to p{K}^{-}{\pi}^{+}$ decays.[graphic not available: see fulltext

Measurement of the CKM angle γγ with B±→D[K∓π±π±π∓]h± B^\pm \to D[K^\mp π^\pm π^\pm π^\mp] h^\pm decays using a binned phase-space approach

The CKM angle $\gamma$ is determined from $C\!P$-violating observables measured in ${B^\pm \to D[ K^\mp \pi^\pm\pi^\pm\pi^\mp] h^\pm}$, $(h = K,\pi)$ decays, where the measurements are performed in bins of the decay phase-space of the $D$ meson. Using proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment at centre-of-mass energies of $7, 8$ and $13\,\text{TeV}$, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of $9\,\text{fb}^{-1}$, $\gamma$ is determined to be \begin{equation*} \gamma = \left( 54.8 \: ^{+\:6.0 }_{-\:5.8} \: ^{+\:0.6}_{-\:0.6} \: ^{+\:6.7}_{-\:4.3} \right)^\circ, \end{equation*} where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second systematic and the third from the external inputs on the coherence factors and strong phases of the $D$-meson decays.The CKM angle γ is determined from CP-violating observables measured in B$^{±}$ → D[K$^{∓}$π$^{±}$π$^{±}$π$^{∓}$]h$^{±}$, (h = K, π) decays, where the measurements are performed in bins of the decay phase-space of the D meson. Using proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment at centre-of-mass energies of 7, 8 and 13 TeV, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 9 fb$^{−1}$, γ is determined to be$\gamma ={\left(54.8\begin{array}{c}+6.0\\ {}-5.8\end{array}\begin{array}{c}+0.6\\ {}-0.6\end{array}\begin{array}{c}+6.7\\ {}-4.3\end{array}\right)}^{\circ },$where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second systematic and the third from the external inputs on the coherence factors and strong phases of the D-meson decays.[graphic not available: see fulltext]The CKM angle $\gamma$ is determined from $C\!P$-violating observables measured in ${B^\pm \to D[ K^\mp \pi^\pm\pi^\pm\pi^\mp] h^\pm}$, $(h = K,\pi)$ decays, where the measurements are performed in bins of the decay phase-space of the $D$ meson. Using proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment at centre-of-mass energies of $7, 8$ and $13\,\text{TeV}$, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of $9\,\text{fb}^{-1}$, $\gamma$ is determined to be \begin{equation*} \gamma = \left( 54.8 \: ^{+\:6.0 }_{-\:5.8} \: ^{+\:0.6}_{-\:0.6} \: ^{+\:6.7}_{-\:4.3} \right)^\circ, \end{equation*} where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second systematic and the third from the external inputs on the coherence factors and strong phases of the $D$-meson decays