Next-to-leading order QCD predictions for the hadronic WHWH+jet production

We calculate the next-to-leading order(NLO) QCD corrections to the $WH^0$ production in association with a jet at hadron colliders. We study the impacts of the complete NLO QCD radiative corrections to the integrated cross sections, the scale dependence of the cross sections, and the differential cross sections ($\frac{d \sigma}{d\cos\theta}$, $\frac{d \sigma}{dp_T}$) of the final $W$-, Higgs-boson and jet. We find that the corrections significantly modify the physical observables, and reduce the scale uncertainty of the LO cross section. Our results show that by applying the inclusive scheme with $p_{T,j}^{cut}=20 GeV$ and taking $m_H=120 GeV$, $\mu=\mu_0\equiv\frac{1}{2}(m_W+m_H)$, the K-factor is 1.15 for the process $p\bar p \to W^{\pm}H^0j+X$ at the Tevatron, while the K-factors for the processes $pp \to W^-H^0j+X$ and $pp \to W^+H^0j+X$ at the LHC are 1.12 and 1.08 respectively. We conclude that to understand the hadronic associated $WH^0$ production, it is necessary to study the NLO QCD corrections to $WH^0j$ production process which is part of the inclusive $WH^0$ production.Comment: 26 pages, 27 figures, accepted by Phys. Rev.

Next-to-leading order QCD predictions for Z0H0+jetZ^0 H^0 + {\rm jet} production at LHC

We calculate the complete next-to-leading order (NLO) QCD corrections to the $Z^0H^0$ production in association with a jet at the LHC. We study the impacts of the NLO QCD radiative corrections to the integrated and differential cross sections and the dependence of the cross section on the factorization/renormalization scale. We present the transverse momentum distributions of the final $Z^0$-, Higgs-boson and leading-jet. We find that the NLO QCD corrections significantly modify the physical observables, and obviously reduce the scale uncertainty of the LO cross section. The QCD K-factors can be 1.183 and 1.180 at the $\sqrt{s}=14 TeV$ and $\sqrt{s}=7 TeV$ LHC respectively, when we adopt the inclusive event selection scheme with $p_{T,j}^{cut}=50 GeV$, $m_H=120 GeV$ and $\mu=\mu_r=\mu_f=\mu_0 \equiv 1/2(m_Z+m_H)$. Furthermore, we make the comparison between the two scale choices, $\mu=\mu_0$ and $\mu=\mu_1=1/2(E_{T}^{Z}+E_{T}^{H}+ \sum_{j}E_{T}^{jet})$, and find the scale choice $\mu=\mu_1$ seems to be more appropriate than the fixed scale $\mu=\mu_0$.Comment: 18 pages, 7 figure

On the nature of the fourth generation neutrino and its implications

We consider the neutrino sector of a Standard Model with four generations. While the three light neutrinos can obtain their masses from a variety of mechanisms with or without new neutral fermions, fourth-generation neutrinos need at least one new relatively light right-handed neutrino. If lepton number is not conserved this neutrino must have a Majorana mass term whose size depends on the underlying mechanism for lepton number violation. Majorana masses for the fourth generation neutrinos induce relative large two-loop contributions to the light neutrino masses which could be even larger than the cosmological bounds. This sets strong limits on the mass parameters and mixings of the fourth generation neutrinos.Comment: To be published. Few typos corrected, references update

Dioxin Toxicity In Vivo Results from an Increase in the Dioxin-Independent Transcriptional Activity of the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor

The Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Ahr) is the nuclear receptor mediating the toxicity of dioxins -widespread and persistent pollutants whose toxic effects include tumor promotion, teratogenesis, wasting syndrome and chloracne. Elimination of Ahr in mice eliminates dioxin toxicity but also produces adverse effects, some seemingly unrelated to dioxin. Thus the relationship between the toxic and dioxin-independent functions of Ahr is not clear, which hampers understanding and treatment of dioxin toxicity. Here we develop a Drosophila model to show that dioxin actually increases the in vivo dioxin-independent activity of Ahr. This hyperactivation resembles the effects caused by an increase in the amount of its dimerisation partner Ahr nuclear translocator (Arnt) and entails an increased transcriptional potency of Ahr, in addition to the previously described effect on nuclear translocation. Thus the two apparently different functions of Ahr, dioxin-mediated and dioxin-independent, are in fact two different levels (hyperactivated and basal, respectively) of a single function

Access to Interdental Brushing in Periodontal Healthy Young Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Purpose: Interdental diameter space is largely undefined in adults, which compromises the decision support for daily interdental cleaning during routine practice in individual oral prophylaxis. This study assesses the distribution of diameter access of interdental spaces in an 18- to 25-year-old adult population free of periodontal disease. Methods: In March-April 2015, a cross-sectional study using random sampling was performed at the University Lyon 1, France. The interproximal dental spaces of 99 individuals were examined using a colorimetric calibrated probe associated with the corresponding calibrated interdental brush (IDB). Results: Of the 2,408 out of 2,608 sites, the overall accessibility prevalence of any interdental brushing was 92.3%. In total, 80.6% of the sites required interdental brushes with smaller diameters (0.6–0.7 mm). In anterior sites, the diameter of the interdental brushes used was smaller (55.8% of IDB with 0.6 mm) than the diameter of the interdental brushes used in posterior sites (26.1% of IDB with 0.6 mm) (p < 0.01). The adjusted ORs indicate a significant association with the location of the sites (approximately doubling the risk of bleeding, i.e., OR = 1.9, in posterior sites). Conclusions: Most interdental sites can be cleaned using interdental brushes. Even in healthy people, interdental hygiene requirements are very high. Strengthening the oral hygiene capacity by specifically using interdental brushes can have an effect on the health of the entire population. Screening of the accessibility of the interdental space should be a component of a routine examination for all patients.The study was financially supported by Curaden International AG, Kriens, Switzerlan

Clinically Isolated Syndromes Suggestive of Multiple Sclerosis: An Optical Coherence Tomography Study

Background: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a simple, high-resolution technique to quantify the thickness of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), which provides an indirect measurement of axonal damage in multiple sclerosis (MS). This study aimed to evaluate RNFL thickness in patients at presentation with clinically isolated syndromes (CIS) suggestive of MS. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study. Twenty-four patients with CIS suggestive of MS (8 optic neuritis [ON], 6 spinal cord syndromes, 5 brainstem symptoms and 5 with sensory and other syndromes) were prospectively studied. The main outcome evaluated was RNFL thickness at CIS onset. Secondary objectives were to study the relationship between RNFL thickness and MRI criteria for disease dissemination in space (DIS) as well as the presence of oligoclonal bands in the cerebrospinal fluid. Principal Findings: Thirteen patients had decreased RNFL thickness in at least one quadrant. Mean RNFL thickness was 101.67±10.72 μm in retrobulbar ON eyes and 96.93±10.54 in unaffected eyes. Three of the 6 patients with myelitis had at least one abnormal quadrant in one of the two eyes. Eight CIS patients fulfilled DIS MRI criteria. The presence of at least one quadrant of an optic nerve with a RNFL thickness at a P<5% cut-off value had a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 56% for predicting DIS MRI. Conclusions: The findings from this study show that axonal damage measured by OCT is present in any type of CIS; even in myelitis forms, not only in ON as seen up to now. OCT can detect axonal damage in very early stages of disease and seems to have high sensitivity and moderate specificity for predicting DIS MRI. Studies with prospective long-term follow-up would be needed to establish the prognostic value of baseline OCT finding

Mild Hypothermia Attenuates Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress by Protecting Respiratory Enzymes and Upregulating MnSOD in a Pig Model of Cardiac Arrest

Mild hypothermia is the only effective treatment confirmed clinically to improve neurological outcomes for comatose patients with cardiac arrest. However, the underlying mechanism is not fully elucidated. In this study, our aim was to determine the effect of mild hypothermia on mitochondrial oxidative stress in the cerebral cortex. We intravascularly induced mild hypothermia (33°C), maintained this temperature for 12 h, and actively rewarmed in the inbred Chinese Wuzhishan minipigs successfully resuscitated after 8 min of untreated ventricular fibrillation. Cerebral samples were collected at 24 and 72 h following return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). We found that mitochondrial malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl levels were significantly increased in the cerebral cortex in normothermic pigs even at 24 h after ROSC, whereas mild hypothermia attenuated this increase. Moreover, mild hypothermia attenuated the decrease in Complex I and Complex III (i.e., major sites of reactive oxygen species production) activities of the mitochondrial respiratory chain and increased antioxidant enzyme manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) activity. This increase in MnSOD activity was consistent with the upregulation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) mRNA and protein expressions, and with the increase of Nrf2 nuclear translocation in normothermic pigs at 24 and 72 h following ROSC, whereas mild hypothermia enhanced these tendencies. Thus, our findings indicate that mild hypothermia attenuates mitochondrial oxidative stress in the cerebral cortex, which may be associated with reduced impairment of mitochondrial respiratory chain enzymes, and enhancement of MnSOD activity and expression via Nrf2 activation

DNA Methyltransferase Controls Stem Cell Aging by Regulating BMI1 and EZH2 through MicroRNAs

Epigenetic regulation of gene expression is well known mechanism that regulates cellular senescence of cancer cells. Here we show that inhibition of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) with 5-azacytidine (5-AzaC) or with specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) against DNMT1 and 3b induced the cellular senescence of human umbilical cord blood-derived multipotent stem cells (hUCB-MSCs) and increased p16INK4A and p21CIP1/WAF1 expression. DNMT inhibition changed histone marks into the active forms and decreased the methylation of CpG islands in the p16INK4A and p21CIP1/WAF1 promoter regions. Enrichment of EZH2, the key factor that methylates histone H3 lysine 9 and 27 residues, was decreased on the p16INK4A and p21CIP1/WAF1 promoter regions. We found that DNMT inhibition decreased expression levels of Polycomb-group (PcG) proteins and increased expression of microRNAs (miRNAs), which target PcG proteins. Decreased CpG island methylation and increased levels of active histone marks at genomic regions encoding miRNAs were observed after 5-AzaC treatment. Taken together, DNMTs have a critical role in regulating the cellular senescence of hUCB-MSCs through controlling not only the DNA methylation status but also active/inactive histone marks at genomic regions of PcG-targeting miRNAs and p16INK4A and p21CIP1/WAF1 promoter regions

Selected Schizosaccharomyces pombe Strains Have Characteristics That Are Beneficial for Winemaking

At present, wine is generally produced using Saccharomyces yeast followed by Oenococus bacteria to complete malolactic fermentation. This method has some unsolved problems, such as the management of highly acidic musts and the production of potentially toxic products including biogenic amines and ethyl carbamate. Here we explore the potential of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe to solve these problems. We characterise an extensive worldwide collection of S. pombe strains according to classic biochemical parameters of oenological interest. We identify three genetically different S. pombe strains that appear suitable for winemaking. These strains compare favourably to standard Saccharomyces cerevisiae winemaking strains, in that they perform effective malic acid deacidification and significantly reduce levels of biogenic amines and ethyl carbamate precursors without the need for any secondary bacterial malolactic fermentation. These findings indicate that the use of certain S. pombe strains could be advantageous for winemaking in regions where malic acid is problematic, and these strains also show superior performance with respect to food safety