PIERCE1 is critical for specification of left-right asymmetry in mice.

The specification of left-right asymmetry of the visceral organs is precisely regulated. The earliest breakage of left-right symmetry occurs as the result of leftward flow generated by asymmetric beating of nodal cilia, which eventually induces asymmetric Nodal/Lefty/Pitx2 expression on the left side of the lateral plate mesoderm. PIERCE1 has been identified as a p53 target gene involved in the DNA damage response. In this study, we found that Pierce1-null mice exhibit severe laterality defects, including situs inversus totalis and heterotaxy with randomized situs and left and right isomerisms. The spectrum of laterality defects was closely correlated with randomized expression of Nodal and its downstream genes, Lefty1/2 and Pitx2. The phenotype of Pierce1-null mice most closely resembled that of mutant mice with impaired ciliogenesis and/or ciliary motility of the node. We also found the loss of asymmetric expression of Cerl2, the earliest flow-responding gene in the node of Pierce1-null embryos. The results suggest that Pierce1-null embryos have defects in generating a symmetry breaking signal including leftward nodal flow. This is the first report implicating a role for PIERCE1 in the symmetry-breaking step of left-right asymmetry specification.1110Ysciescopu

Highly photoresponsive and wavelength-selective circularly-polarized-light detector based on metal-oxides hetero-chiral thin film

A highly efficient circularly-polarized-light detector with excellent wavelength selectivity is demonstrated with an elegant and simple microelectronics-compatible way. The circularly-polarized-light detector based on a proper combination of the geometry-controlled TiO2-SnO2 hetero-chiral thin film as an effective chiroptical filter and the Si active layer shows excellent chiroptical response with external quantum efficiency as high as 30% and high helicity selectivity of similar to 15.8% in an intended wavelength range. Furthermore, we demonstrated the ability of manipulating both bandwidth and responsivity of the detector simultaneously in whole visible wavelength range by a precise control over the geometry and materials constituting hetero-chiral thin film. The high efficiency, wavelength selectivity and compatibility with conventional microelectronics processes enabled by the proposed device can result in remarkable developments in highly integrated photonic platforms utilizing chiroptical responses.1166Ysciescopu

Structural Basis for Certain Naturally Occurring Bioflavonoids to Function as Reducing Co-Substrates of Cyclooxygenase I and II

Recent studies showed that some of the dietary bioflavonoids can strongly stimulate the catalytic activity of cyclooxygenase (COX) I and II in vitro and in vivo, presumably by facilitating enzyme re-activation. In this study, we sought to understand the structural basis of COX activation by these dietary compounds.A combination of molecular modeling studies, biochemical analysis and site-directed mutagenesis assay was used as research tools. Three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship analysis (QSAR/CoMFA) predicted that the ability of bioflavonoids to activate COX I and II depends heavily on their B-ring structure, a moiety known to be associated with strong antioxidant ability. Using the homology modeling and docking approaches, we identified the peroxidase active site of COX I and II as the binding site for bioflavonoids. Upon binding to this site, bioflavonoid can directly interact with hematin of the COX enzyme and facilitate the electron transfer from bioflavonoid to hematin. The docking results were verified by biochemical analysis, which reveals that when the cyclooxygenase activity of COXs is inhibited by covalent modification, myricetin can still stimulate the conversion of PGG(2) to PGE(2), a reaction selectively catalyzed by the peroxidase activity. Using the site-directed mutagenesis analysis, we confirmed that Q189 at the peroxidase site of COX II is essential for bioflavonoids to bind and re-activate its catalytic activity.These findings provide the structural basis for bioflavonoids to function as high-affinity reducing co-substrates of COXs through binding to the peroxidase active site, facilitating electron transfer and enzyme re-activation

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

Matched pairs of human prostate stromal cells display differential tropic effects on LNCaP prostate cancer cells

Prostate stromal cells may play binary roles in the process of prostate cancer development. As the first to be encountered by infiltrating prostate cancer cells, prostate stromal cells form the first defense line against prostate cancer progression and metastasis. However, interaction between prostate cancer and stromal cells may facilitate the formation of a tumor microenvironment favoring cancer cell growth and survival. To establish an experimental system for studying the interaction between cancer and stromal cells, we isolated three matched pairs of normal and cancer-associated human prostate stromal clones. In this report, we describe the morphologic and behavioral characteristics of these cells and their effect on LNCaP prostate cancer cells in co-culture. Unlike LNCaP prostate cancer cells, the isolated prostate stromal clones are large fibroblast-like cells with a slow proliferation rate. Growth and survival of these clones are not affected by androgens. The stromal cells display high resistance to serum starvation, while cancer-associated stromal clones have differentiated survival ability. In co-culture experiments, the stromal cells protected some LNCaP prostate cancer cells from death by serum starvation, and cancer-associated stromal clones showed more protection. This work thus established a panel of valuable human prostate stromal cell lines, which could be used in co-culture to study the interaction between prostate cancer and prostate stromal cells

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

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