Multi-cellular natural killer (NK) cell clusters enhance NK cell activation through localizing IL-2 within the cluster

1154Ysciescopu

MicroRNA-150 regulates the cytotoxicity of natural killers by targeting perforin-1

Background: Perforin-1 (Prf1) is the predominant cytolytic protein secreted by natural killer (NK) cells. For a rapid immune response, resting NK cells contain high Prf1 mRNA concentrations while exhibiting minimal cytotoxicity caused by a blockage of Prf1 protein synthesis, implying that an unknown posttranscriptional regulatory mechanism exists. Objective: We sought to determine whether microRNA-150 (miR-150) posttranscriptionally regulates Prf1 translation in both mouse and human NK cells at rest and at various time points after activation. Methods: Mouse NK cells with a targeted deletion of miR-150 (miR-150(-/-) NK cells), primary human NK cells, and NK92 MI cells were used to investigate the role of miR-150 in NK cells. NK cell cytotoxicity assays and Western blotting proved that activated miR-150(-/-) NK cells expressed upregulated Prf1, augmenting NK cell cytotoxicity. When immunodeficient mice were injected with miR-150(-/-) NK cells, there was a significant reduction in tumor growth and metastasis of B16F10 melanoma. Results: We report that miR-150 binds to 39 untranslated regions of mouse and human Prf1, posttranscriptionally downregulating its expression. Mouse wild-type NK cells displayed downregulated miR-150 expression in response to IL-15, which led to corresponding repression and induction of Prf1 during rest and after IL-15 activation, respectively. Conclusion: Our results indicate that miR-150 is a common posttranscriptional regulator for Prf1 in mouse and human NK cells that represses NK cell lytic activity. Thus the therapeutic control of miR-150 in NK cells could enhance NK cell-based immunotherapy against cancer, providing a better clinical outcome.X112523Ysciescopu

Infrared and Radio Observations of a Small Group of Protostellar Objects in the Molecular Core, L1251-C

We present a multi-wavelength observational study of a low-mass star-forming region, L1251-C, with observational results at wavelengths from the near-infrared to the millimeter. Spitzer Space Telescope observations confirmed that IRAS 22343+7501 is a small group of protostellar objects. The extended emission in the east-west direction with its intensity peak at the center of L1251A has been detected at 350 and 850 mu m with the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory and James Clerk Maxwell telescopes, tracing dense envelope material around L1251A. The single-dish data from the Korean VLBI Network and TRAO telescopes show inconsistencies between the intensity peaks of several molecular emission lines and that of the continuum emission, suggesting complex distributions of molecular abundances around L1251A. The Submillimeter Array interferometer data, however, show intensity peaks of CO 2-1 and (CO)-C-13 2-1 located at the position of IRS 1, which is both the brightest source in the Infrared Array Camera image and the weakest source in the 1.3 mm dust-continuum map. IRS 1 is the strongest candidate for the driving source of the newly detected compact CO 2-1 outflow. Over the entire region (14' x 14') of L125l-C, 3 Class I and 16 Class II sources have been detected, including three young stellar objects (YSOs) in L1251A. A comparison between the average projected distance among the 19 YSOs in L1251-C and that among the 3 YSOs in L1251A suggests that L1251-C is an example of low-mass cluster Formation where protostellar objects form in a small group.Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) - Ministry of Education of the Korean government NRF-2012R1A1A2044689BK21 plus program through the National Research Foundation (NRF) - Ministry of Education of KoreaKorea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) grant - Korea government (MEST)National Science Foundation 0708158NASA NNX13AE54G, 1224608, 1230782, 1407Astronom

Infrared and Radio observations of a small group of protostellar objects in the molecular core, L1251-C

We present a multi-wavelength observational study of a low-mass star-forming region, L1251-C, with observational results at wavelengths from the near-infrared to the millimeter. Spitzer Space Telescope observations confirmed that IRAS 22343+7501 is a small group of protostellar objects. The extended emission to east-west direction with its intensity peak at the center of L1251A has been detected at 350 and 850 micron with the CSO and JCMT telescopes, tracing dense envelope materials around L1251A. The single-dish data from the KVN and TRAO telescopes show inconsistencies between the intensity peaks of several molecular line emission and that of the continuum emission, suggesting complex distributions of molecular abundances around L1251A. The SMA interferometer data, however, show intensity peaks of CO 2-1 and 13CO 2-1 located at the position of IRS 1, which is both the brightest source in IRAC image and the weakest source in the 1.3 mm dust continuum map. IRS 1 is the strongest candidate for the driving source of the newly detected compact CO 2-1 outflow. Over the whole region (14' by 14') of L125l-C, 3 Class I and 16 Class II sources have been detected, including three YSOs in L1251A. A comparison with the average projected distance among 19 YSOs in L1251-C and that among 3 YSOs in L1251A suggests L1251-C is an example of low-mass cluster formation, where protostellar objects are forming in a small group.Comment: 53 pages, 19 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ

Mid-JJ CO Line Observations of Protostellar Outflows in the Orion Molecular Clouds

Ten protostellar outflows in the Orion molecular clouds were mapped in the $^{12}$CO/$^{13}$CO ${J=6\rightarrow5}$ and $^{12}$CO ${J=7\rightarrow6}$ lines. The maps of these mid-$J$ CO lines have an angular resolution of about 10$''$ and a typical field size of about 100$''$. Physical parameters of the molecular outflows were derived, including mass transfer rates, kinetic luminosities, and outflow forces. The outflow sample was expanded by re-analyzing archival data of nearby low-luminosity protostars, to cover a wide range of bolometric luminosities. Outflow parameters derived from other transitions of CO were compared. The mid-$J$ ($J_{\rm up} \approx 6$) and low-$J$ ($J_{\rm up} \leq 3$) CO line wings trace essentially the same outflow component. By contrast, the high-$J$ (up to $J_{\rm up} \approx 50$) line-emission luminosity of CO shows little correlation with the kinetic luminosity from the ${J=6\rightarrow5}$ line, which suggests that they trace distinct components. The low/mid-$J$ CO line wings trace long-term outflow behaviors while the high-$J$ CO lines are sensitive to short-term activities. The correlations between the outflow parameters and protostellar properties are presented, which shows that the strengths of molecular outflows increase with bolometric luminosity and envelope mass.Comment: 31 pages, 16 figures, Accepted for publication in ApJ

18F-FDG PET/CT in Primary AL Hepatic Amyloidosis Associated with Multiple Myeloma

We report here on a rare case of primary AL hepatic amyloidosis associated with multiple myeloma in a 64-year-old woman. The patient was referred for evaluating her progressive jaundice and right upper quadrant pain. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) showed diffusely and markedly increased 18F-FDG uptake in the liver. Although there have been several case studies showing positive 18F-FDG uptake in pulmonary amyloidosis, to the best of our knowledge, the 18F-FDG PET/CT findings of hepatic amyloidosis or primary hepatic amyloidosis associated with multiple myeloma have not been reported previously

Volume preservation of a shattered kidney after blunt trauma by superselective renal artery embolization

PURPOSEWe examined whether superselective embolization of the renal artery could be effectively employed to preserve traumatic kidneys and assessed its clinical outcomes.METHODSBetween December 2015 and November 2019, 26 patients who had American Association for the Surgery of Trauma grade V traumatic shattered kidneys were identified. Among them, a retrospective review was conducted of 16 patients who underwent superselective renal artery embolization for shattered kidney. The mean age was 41.2 ± 15.7 years, and the mean follow-up duration was 138.2 ± 140.1 days. Patient data including procedure details and clinical outcomes were reviewed, and the preserved volume of kidney parenchyma was calculated.RESULTSBleeding control was achieved in 13 (81%) patients and kidney preservation was achieved in 11 (79%). There was no mortality, and the median intensive care unit stay was 1.5 days. The mean volume of remnant kidney was 122.3 ± 66.0 cm3 (70%) on the last follow-up computed tomography. The estimated glomerular filtration rate was not significantly changed after superselective renal artery embolization.CONCLUSIONSuperselective renal artery embolization using a microcatheter for the shattered kidney effectively controlled hemorrhage in acute stage trauma and enabled kidney preservation

Honeycomb oxide heterostructure: a new platform for Kitaev quantum spin liquid

Kitaev quantum spin liquid, massively quantum entangled states, is so scarce in nature that searching for new candidate systems remains a great challenge. Honeycomb heterostructure could be a promising route to realize and utilize such an exotic quantum phase by providing additional controllability of Hamiltonian and device compatibility, respectively. Here, we provide epitaxial honeycomb oxide thin film Na3Co2SbO6, a candidate of Kitaev quantum spin liquid proposed recently. We found a spin glass and antiferromagnetic ground states depending on Na stoichiometry, signifying not only the importance of Na vacancy control but also strong frustration in Na3Co2SbO6. Despite its classical ground state, the field-dependent magnetic susceptibility shows remarkable scaling collapse with a single critical exponent, which can be interpreted as evidence of quantum criticality. Its electronic ground state and derived spin Hamiltonian from spectroscopies are consistent with the predicted Kitaev model. Our work provides a unique route to the realization and utilization of Kitaev quantum spin liquid

Triggered Star Formation in a Double Shell near W51A

We present Heinrich Hertz Telescope CO observations of the shell structure near the active star-forming complex W51A to investigate the process of star formation triggered by the expansion of an HII region. The CO observations confirm that dense molecular material has been collected along the shell detected in Spitzer IRAC images. The CO distribution shows that the shell is blown out toward a lower density region to the northwest. Total hydrogen column density around the shell is high enough to form new stars. We find two CO condensations with the same central velocity of 59 km/s to the east and north along the edge of the IRAC shell. We identify two YSOs in early evolutionary stages (Stage 0/I) within the densest molecular condensation. From the CO kinematics, we find that the HII region is currently expanding with a velocity of 3.4 km/s, implying that the shell's expansion age is ~1 Myr. This timescale is in good agreement with numerical simulations of the expansion of the HII region (Hosokawa et al. 2006). We conclude that the star formation on the border of the shell is triggered by the expansion of the HII region.Comment: 9 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in Ap