Global Stability of Discrete Population Models with Time Delays and Fluctuating Environment

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Integrin αvβ5 is a primary receptor for adenovirus in CAR-negative cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Viruses bind to specific cellular receptors in order to infect their hosts. The specific receptors a virus uses are important factors in determining host range, cellular tropism, and pathogenesis. For adenovirus, the existing model of entry requires two receptor interactions. First, the viral fiber protein binds Coxsackie and Adenovirus Receptor (CAR), its primary cellular receptor, which docks the virus to the cell surface. Next, viral penton base engages cellular integrins, coreceptors thought to be required exclusively for internalization and not contributing to binding. However, a number of studies reporting data which conflicts with this simple model have been published. These observations have led us to question the proposed two-step model for adenovirus infection.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In this study we report that cells which express little to no CAR can be efficiently transduced by adenovirus. Using competition experiments between whole virus and soluble viral fiber protein or integrin blocking peptides, we show virus binding is not dependent on fiber binding to cells but rather on penton base binding cellular integrins. Further, we find that binding to low CAR expressing cells is inhibited specifically by a blocking antibody to integrin αvβ5, demonstrating that in these cells integrin αvβ5 and not CAR is required for adenovirus attachment. The binding mediated by integrin αvβ5 is extremely high affinity, in the picomolar range.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our data further challenges the model of adenovirus infection in which binding to primary receptor CAR is required in order for subsequent interactions between adenovirus and integrins to initiate viral entry. In low CAR cells, binding occurs through integrin αvβ5, a receptor previously thought to be used exclusively in internalization. We show for the first time that integrin αvβ5 can be used as an alternate binding receptor.</p

Complex chloroplast RNA metabolism: just debugging the genetic programme?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The gene expression system of chloroplasts is far more complex than that of their cyanobacterial progenitor. This gain in complexity affects in particular RNA metabolism, specifically the transcription and maturation of RNA. Mature chloroplast RNA is generated by a plethora of nuclear-encoded proteins acquired or recruited during plant evolution, comprising additional RNA polymerases and sigma factors, and sequence-specific RNA maturation factors promoting RNA splicing, editing, end formation and translatability. Despite years of intensive research, we still lack a comprehensive explanation for this complexity.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We inspected the available literature and genome databases for information on components of RNA metabolism in land plant chloroplasts. In particular, new inventions of chloroplast-specific mechanisms and the expansion of some gene/protein families detected in land plants lead us to suggest that the primary function of the additional nuclear-encoded components found in chloroplasts is the transgenomic suppression of point mutations, fixation of which occurred due to an enhanced genetic drift exhibited by chloroplast genomes. We further speculate that a fast evolution of transgenomic suppressors occurred after the water-to-land transition of plants.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our inspections indicate that several chloroplast-specific mechanisms evolved in land plants to remedy point mutations that occurred after the water-to-land transition. Thus, the complexity of chloroplast gene expression evolved to guarantee the functionality of chloroplast genetic information and may not, with some exceptions, be involved in regulatory functions.</p

Observation of D+→KS0a0(980)+D^{+}\to K_{S}^{0}a_{0}(980)^{+} in the amplitude analysis of D+→KS0π+ηD^{+} \to K_{S}^{0}\pi^+\eta

We perform for the first time an amplitude analysis of the decay $D^{+}\to K_{S}^{0}\pi^+\eta$ and report the observation of the decay $D^{+}\to K_{S}^{0}a_{0}(980)^{+}$ using 2.93 fb$^{-1}$ of $e^+e^-$ collision data taken at a center-of-mass energy of 3.773 GeV with the BESIII detector. As the only W-annihilation free decay among $D$ to $a_{0}(980)$-pseudoscalar, $D^{+}\to K_{S}^{0}a_{0}(980)^{+}$ is the ideal decay to extract the contributions of the external and internal $W$-emission amplitudes involving $a_{0}(980)$ and study the final-state interactions. The absolute branching fraction of $D^{+}\to K_{S}^{0}\pi^+\eta$ is measured to be $(1.27\pm0.04_{\rm stat.}\pm0.03_{\rm syst.})\%$. The product branching fractions of $D^{+}\to K_{S}^{0}a_{0}(980)^{+}$ with $a_{0}(980)^{+}\to \pi^+\eta$ and $D^{+}\to \pi^+ K_0^*(1430)^0$ with $K_0^*(1430)^0\to K_{S}^{0}\eta$ are measured to be $(1.33\pm0.05_{\rm stat.}\pm0.04_{\rm syst.})\%$ and $(0.14\pm0.03_{\rm stat.}\pm0.01_{\rm syst.})\%$, respectively

Observation of the semileptonic decays D0→KS0π−π0e+νeD^0\rightarrow K_S^0\pi^-\pi^0 e^+ \nu_e and D+→KS0π+π−e+νeD^+\rightarrow K_S^0\pi^+\pi^- e^+ \nu_e

By analyzing $e^+e^-$ annihilation data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.93 $\rm fb^{-1}$ collected at a center-of-mass energy of 3.773 GeV with the \text{BESIII} detector, the first observation of the semileptonic decays $D^0\rightarrow K_S^0\pi^-\pi^0 e^+ \nu_e$ and $D^+\rightarrow K_S^0\pi^+\pi^- e^+ \nu_e$ is reported. With a dominant hadronic contribution from $K_1(1270)$, the branching fractions are measured to be $\mathcal{B}(D^0\rightarrow {K}_1(1270)^-(\to K^0_S\pi^-\pi^0)e^+\nu_e)=(1.69^{+0.53}_{-0.46}\pm0.15)\times10^{-4}$ and $\mathcal{B}(D^+\to \bar{K}_1(1270)^0(\to K^0_S\pi^+\pi^-)e^+\nu_e)=(1.47^{+0.45}_{-0.40}\pm0.20)\times10^{-4}$ with statistical significance of 5.4$\sigma$ and 5.6$\sigma$, respectively. When combined with measurements of the $K_1(1270)\to K^+\pi^-\pi$ decays, the absolute branching fractions are determined to be $\mathcal{B}(D^0\to K_1(1270)^-e^+\nu_e)=(1.05^{+0.33}_{-0.28}\pm0.12\pm0.12)\times10^{-3}$ and $\mathcal{B}(D^+\to \bar{K}_1(1270)^0e^+\nu_e)=(1.29^{+0.40}_{-0.35}\pm0.18\pm0.15)\times10^{-3}$. The first and second uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively, and the third uncertainties originate from the assumed branching fractions of the $K_1(1270)\to K\pi\pi$ decays.Comment: 19page

Improved measurement of the decays η′→π+π−π+(0)π−(0)\eta' \to \pi^{+}\pi^{-}\pi^{+(0)}\pi^{-(0)} and search for the rare decay η′→4π0\eta' \to 4\pi^{0}

Using a sample of 10 billion $J/{\psi}$ events collected with the BESIII detector, the decays $\eta' \to \pi^{+}\pi^{-}\pi^{+}\pi^{-}$, $\eta' \to \pi^{+}\pi^{-}\pi^{0}\pi^{0}$ and $\eta' \to 4 \pi^{0}$ are studied via the process $J/{\psi}\to\gamma\eta'$. The branching fractions of $\eta' \to \pi^{+}\pi^{-}\pi^{+}\pi^{-}$ and $\eta' \to \pi^{+}\pi^{-}\pi^{0}$ $\pi^{0}$ are measured to be $( 8.56 \pm 0.25({\rm stat.}) \pm 0.23({\rm syst.}) ) \times {10^{ - 5}}$ and $(2.12 \pm 0.12({\rm stat.}) \pm 0.10({\rm syst.})) \times {10^{ - 4}}$, respectively, which are consistent with previous measurements but with improved precision. No significant $\eta' \to 4 \pi^{0}$ signal is observed, and the upper limit on the branching fraction of this decay is determined to be less than $1.24 \times {10^{-5}}$ at the $90\%$ confidence level. In addition, an amplitude analysis of $\eta' \to \pi^{+}\pi^{-}\pi^{+}\pi^{-}$ is performed to extract the doubly virtual isovector form factor $\alpha$ for the first time. The measured value of $\alpha=1.22 \pm 0.33({\rm stat.}) \pm 0.04({\rm syst.})$, is in agreement with the prediction of the VMD model

Search for a scalar partner of the X(3872)X(3872) via ψ(3770)\psi(3770) decays into γηη′\gamma\eta\eta' and γπ+π−J/ψ\gamma\pi^{+}\pi^{-}J/\psi

Using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.93 fb$^{-1}$ collected at a center-of-mass energy of 3.773~GeV with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider, we search for a scalar partner of the $X(3872)$, denoted as $X(3700)$, via $\psi(3770)\to \gamma\eta\eta'$ and $\gamma\pi^{+}\pi^{-}J/\psi$ processes. No significant signals are observed and the upper limits of the product branching fractions ${\cal B}(\psi(3770)\to\gamma X(3700))\cdot {\cal B}(X(3700)\to \eta\eta')$ and ${\cal B}(\psi(3770)\to\gamma X(3700))\cdot {\cal B}(X(3700)\to\pi^{+}\pi^{-}J/\psi)$ are determined at the 90\% confidence level, for the narrow $X(3700)$ with a mass ranging from 3710 to 3740 MeV/$c^2$, which are from 0.8 to 1.8 $(\times 10^{-5})$ and 0.9 to 3.4 $(\times 10^{-5})$, respectively

Measurement of branching fractions of Λc+\Lambda_{c}^{+} decays to Σ+K+K−\Sigma^{+} K^{+} K^{-}, Σ+ϕ\Sigma^{+}\phi and Σ+K+π−(π0)\Sigma^{+} K^{+} \pi^{-}(\pi^{0})

Based on 4.5 fb$^{-1}$ data taken at seven center-of-mass energies ranging from 4.600 to 4.699 GeV with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider, we measure the branching fractions of $\Lambda_{c}^{+}\rightarrow\Sigma^{+}+hadrons$ relative to $\Lambda_{c}^{+}\rightarrow \Sigma^+ \pi^+ \pi^-$. Combining with the world average branching fraction of $\Lambda_{c}^{+}\rightarrow \Sigma^+ \pi^+ \pi^-$, their branching fractions are measured to be $(0.377\pm0.042\pm0.018\pm0.021)\%$ for $\Lambda_{c}^{+}\rightarrow\Sigma^{+} K^{+} K^{-}$, $(0.200\pm0.023\pm0.010\pm0.011)\%$ for $\Lambda_{c}^{+}\rightarrow\Sigma^{+} K^{+} \pi^{-}$, $(0.414\pm0.080\pm0.029\pm0.023)\%$ for $\Lambda_{c}^{+}\rightarrow\Sigma^{+}\phi$ and $(0.197\pm0.036\pm0.008\pm0.011)\%$ for $\Lambda_{c}^{+}\rightarrow\Sigma^{+}K^{+} K^{-}$(non-$\phi$). In all the above results, the first uncertainties are statistical, the second are systematic and the third are from external input of the branching fraction of $\Lambda_{c}^{+}\rightarrow \Sigma^+ \pi^+ \pi^-$. Since no signal for $\Lambda_{c}^{+}\rightarrow\Sigma^{+} K^{+} \pi^{-}\pi^{0}$ is observed, the upper limit of its branching fraction is determined to be 0.11\% at the 90$\%$ confidence level