Nontranscriptional modulation of intracellular Ca2+ signaling by ligand stimulated thyroid hormone receptor

Thyroid hormone 3,5,3′-tri-iodothyronine (T3) binds and activates thyroid hormone receptors (TRs). Here, we present evidence for a nontranscriptional regulation of Ca2+ signaling by T3-bound TRs. Treatment of Xenopus thyroid hormone receptor beta subtype A1 (xTRβA1) expressing oocytes with T3 for 10 min increased inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3)-mediated Ca2+ wave periodicity. Coexpression of TRβA1 with retinoid X receptor did not enhance regulation. Deletion of the DNA binding domain and the nuclear localization signal of the TRβA1 eliminated transcriptional activity but did not affect the ability to regulate Ca2+ signaling. T3-bound TRβA1 regulation of Ca2+ signaling could be inhibited by ruthenium red treatment, suggesting that mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake was required for the mechanism of action. Both xTRβA1 and the homologous shortened form of rat TRα1 (rTRαΔF1) localized to the mitochondria and increased O2 consumption, whereas the full-length rat TRα1 did neither. Furthermore, only T3-bound xTRβA1 and rTRαΔF1 affected Ca2+ wave activity. We conclude that T3-bound mitochondrial targeted TRs acutely modulate IP3-mediated Ca2+ signaling by increasing mitochondrial metabolism independently of transcriptional activity

Reduced neutron spectroscopic factors when using potential geometries constrained by Hartree-Fock calculations

We carry out a systematic analysis of angular distribution measurements for selected ground-state to ground-state (d,p) and (p,d) neutron transfer reactions, including the calcium isotopes. We propose a consistent three-body model reaction methodology in which we constrain the transferred-neutron bound state and nucleon-target optical potential geometries using modern Hartree-Fock calculations. Our deduced neutron spectroscopic factors are found to be suppressed by ~30% relative to independent-particle shell-model values, from 40Ca through 49Ca. The other nuclei studied, ranging from B to Ti, show similar average suppressions with respect to large-basis shell-model expectations. Our results are consistent with deduced spectroscopic strengths for neutrons and protons from intermediate energy nucleon knockout reactions, and for protons from (e,e'p) reactions, on well-bound nuclei. PACS: 24.50.+g, 24.10.Eq, 25.40.-h, 25.45.-zComment: 13 pages, 2 figures, Submitted to Physical Review

QCD correction to gluino decay to ttˉχ~10t\bar{t}\tilde{\chi}^0_1 in the MSSM

We calculate the complete next-to-leading order QCD corrections to the three-body decay of gluino into top-pair associated with a lightest neutralino in the minimal supersymmetric standard model. We obtain that the LO and NLO QCD corrected decay widths of $\tilde{g} \to t \bar{t} \tilde{\chi}_1^0$ at the ${\rm SPS 6}$ benchmark point are $0.1490 GeV$ and 0.1069 GeV respectively, and the relative correction is -28.2%. We investigate the dependence of the QCD correction to $\tilde{g} \to t \bar{t} \tilde{\chi}_1^0$ on $\tan\beta$ and the masses of gluino, scalar top quarks and the lightest neutralino around the ${\rm SPS6}$ benchmark point, separately. We find that the NLO QCD corrections suppress the LO decay width, and the absolute relative correction can exceed 30% in some parameter space. Therefore, the QCD corrections to the three-body decay $\tilde{g} \to t\bar{t}\tilde{\chi}^0_1$ should be taken into account for the precise experimental measurement at future colliders. Moreover, we study the distributions of the top-pair invariant mass ($M_{t\bar t}$) and the missing energy ($E^{miss}$), and find that the line shapes of the LO distributions of $M_{t\bar t}$ and $E^{miss}$ are not obviously distorted by the NLO QCD corrections.Comment: 23 pages, 10 figure

Search for New Physics with Jets and Missing Transverse Momentum in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

A search for new physics is presented based on an event signature of at least three jets accompanied by large missing transverse momentum, using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36 inverse picobarns collected in proton--proton collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV with the CMS detector at the LHC. No excess of events is observed above the expected standard model backgrounds, which are all estimated from the data. Exclusion limits are presented for the constrained minimal supersymmetric extension of the standard model. Cross section limits are also presented using simplified models with new particles decaying to an undetected particle and one or two jets

Measurement of the Forward-Backward Asymmetry in the B -> K(*) mu+ mu- Decay and First Observation of the Bs -> phi mu+ mu- Decay

We reconstruct the rare decays $B^+ \to K^+\mu^+\mu^-$, $B^0 \to K^{*}(892)^0\mu^+\mu^-$, and $B^0_s \to \phi(1020)\mu^+\mu^-$ in a data sample corresponding to $4.4 {\rm fb^{-1}}$ collected in $p\bar{p}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=1.96 {\rm TeV}$ by the CDF II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. Using $121 \pm 16$ $B^+ \to K^+\mu^+\mu^-$ and $101 \pm 12$ $B^0 \to K^{*0}\mu^+\mu^-$ decays we report the branching ratios. In addition, we report the measurement of the differential branching ratio and the muon forward-backward asymmetry in the $B^+$ and $B^0$ decay modes, and the $K^{*0}$ longitudinal polarization in the $B^0$ decay mode with respect to the squared dimuon mass. These are consistent with the theoretical prediction from the standard model, and most recent determinations from other experiments and of comparable accuracy. We also report the first observation of the $B^0_s \to \phi\mu^+\mu^- decay and measure its branching ratio${\mathcal{B}}(B^0_s \to \phi\mu^+\mu^-) = [1.44 \pm 0.33 \pm 0.46] \times 10^{-6}$using$27 \pm 6$signal events. This is currently the most rare$B^0_s$ decay observed.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, 3 tables. Submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

Search for a New Heavy Gauge Boson Wprime with Electron + missing ET Event Signature in ppbar collisions at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV

We present a search for a new heavy charged vector boson $W^\prime$ decaying to an electron-neutrino pair in $p\bar{p}$ collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96\unit{TeV}. The data were collected with the CDF II detector and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 5.3\unit{fb}^{-1}. No significant excess above the standard model expectation is observed and we set upper limits on $\sigma\cdot{\cal B}(W^\prime\to e\nu)$. Assuming standard model couplings to fermions and the neutrino from the $W^\prime$ boson decay to be light, we exclude a $W^\prime$ boson with mass less than 1.12\unit{TeV/}c^2 at the 95\unit{%} confidence level.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures Submitted to PR

Measurements of the properties of Lambda_c(2595), Lambda_c(2625), Sigma_c(2455), and Sigma_c(2520) baryons

We report measurements of the resonance properties of Lambda_c(2595)+ and Lambda_c(2625)+ baryons in their decays to Lambda_c+ pi+ pi- as well as Sigma_c(2455)++,0 and Sigma_c(2520)++,0 baryons in their decays to Lambda_c+ pi+/- final states. These measurements are performed using data corresponding to 5.2/fb of integrated luminosity from ppbar collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.96 TeV, collected with the CDF II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron. Exploiting the largest available charmed baryon sample, we measure masses and decay widths with uncertainties comparable to the world averages for Sigma_c states, and significantly smaller uncertainties than the world averages for excited Lambda_c+ states.Comment: added one reference and one table, changed order of figures, 17 pages, 15 figure

Calcineurin Interacts with PERK and Dephosphorylates Calnexin to Relieve ER Stress in Mammals and Frogs

Background: The accumulation of misfolded proteins within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) triggers a cellular process known as the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR). One of the earliest responses is the attenuation of protein translation. Little is known about the role that Ca 2+ mobilization plays in the early UPR. Work from our group has shown that cytosolic phosphorylation of calnexin (CLNX) controls Ca 2+ uptake into the ER via the sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca 2+-ATPase (SERCA) 2b. Methodology/Principal Findings: Here, we demonstrate that calcineurin (CN), a Ca 2+ dependent phosphatase, associates with the (PKR)-like ER kinase (PERK), and promotes PERK auto-phosphorylation. This association, in turn, increases the phosphorylation level of eukaryotic initiation factor-2 a (eIF2-a) and attenuates protein translation. Data supporting these conclusions were obtained from co-immunoprecipitations, pull-down assays, in-vitro kinase assays, siRNA treatments and [ 35 S]-methionine incorporation measurements. The interaction of CN with PERK was facilitated at elevated cytosolic Ca 2+ concentrations and involved the cytosolic domain of PERK. CN levels were rapidly increased by ER stressors, which could be blocked by siRNA treatments for CN-Aa in cultured astrocytes. Downregulation of CN blocked subsequent ER-stress-induced increases in phosphorylated elF2-a. CN knockdown in Xenopus oocytes predisposed them to induction of apoptosis. We also found that CLNX was dephosphorylated by CN when Ca 2+ increased. These data were obtained from [c 32 P]-CLN

Search for three-jet resonances in pp Collisions at √s=7 TeV

This article is published Open Access at sciencedirect.com. It is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 3.0.-- et al.Results are reported from a search for the production of three-jet resonances in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy √s=7  TeV. The study uses the data sample collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC in 2011, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.0fb -1. Events with high jet multiplicity and a large scalar sum of jet transverse momenta are analyzed for the presence of resonances in the three-jet invariant mass spectrum. No evidence for a narrow resonance is found in the data, and limits are set on the cross section for gluino pair production in an R-parity-violating supersymmetry model, for gluino masses greater than 280 GeV. Assuming a branching fraction for gluino decay into three jets of 100%, gluino masses below 460 GeV are excluded at 95% confidence level. These results significantly extend the range of previous limits. © 2012 CERN.European Commission; Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy (Austria); ); Agency for Innovation by Science and Technology (Belgium); Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (Brasil); Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (Brasil); Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro; Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo; Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China; National Natural Science Foundation of China; Colciencias (Colombia); Ministry of Science, Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia; Research Promotion Foundation (Cyprus); Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (France); Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (Deutschland); Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft; General Secretariat of Research and Technology (Greece); Helsinki Institute of Physics; National Office for Research and Technology (Hungary); Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences (Iran); Science Foundation Ireland; Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (Italia); Compagnia di San Paolo (Italia); National Research Foundation of Korea; Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (México); Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (México); Secretaría de Educación Pública (México); Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí; Ministry of Science and Innovation (New Zealand); Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission; National Science Center (Poland); Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Portugal); Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (Russia); Russian Foundation for Basic Research; Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development (Serbia); Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (España); Swiss National Science Foundation.Peer Reviewe

Measurement of the t-channel single top quark production cross section in pp collisions at √s =7 TeV

Peer reviewe