C2H N=1-0 and N2H+ J=1-0 observations of Planck Galactic cold clumps

A survey of C2H N=1-0 and N2H+ J=1-0 toward Planck Galactic cold clumps (PGCCs) was performed using the Purple Mountain Observatory's 13.7 m telescope. C2H and N2H+ were chosen to study the chemical evolutionary states of PGCCs. Among 121 observed molecular cores associated with PGCCs, 71 and 58 are detected with C2H N=1-0 and N2H+ J=1-0, respectively. The detected lines of most sources can be fitted with a single component with compatible Vlsr and line widths, which confirms that these PGCC cores are very cold (with gas temperatures 9-21 K) and quiescent while still dominanted by turbulence. The ratio between the column densities of C2H and N2H+ (N(C2H)/N(N2H+)) is found to be a good tracer for the evolutionary states of PGCC cores. Gas-grain chemical model can reproduce the decreasing trend of N(C2H)/N(N2H+) as a function of time. The cores with the lowest abundances of N2H+ (X[N2H+] < 10^{-10}) are the youngest, and have nearly constant abundances of C2H. In evolved cores with X[N2H+] ~ 1E-9, abundances of C2H drop quickly as the exhaustion of carbon atoms. Although these PGCC cores are in different evolutionary states, they are all quite young ( N(N2H+). Mapping observations are carried out toward 20 PGCC cores. The PGCC cores in Cepheus have lower N(C2H)/N(N2H+) and larger line widths compared with those in Taurus. This implies that PGCC cores in Taurus are less chemically evolved than those in Cepheus.Comment: 23 pages, 6 figures, 5 table

Evasion of HSR in the charmless decays of excited PP-wave charmonia

We investigate the charmless decays of excited $P$-wave charmonia $\chi_{c1}^\prime \to VV$ and $\chi_{c2}^\prime \to VP$ via intermediate charmed meson loops, where $V$ and $P$ denote the light vector and pseudoscalar mesons, respectively. Within the model parameters, the charmed meson loop contributions are evaluated by using the effective Lagrangian approach. For $\chi_{c1}^\prime \to VV$, the partial widths of the $\rho\rho$, $\omega\omega$, and $K^*{\bar K}^*$ channels can reach to the order of MeV, while the partial width of the $\phi\phi$ channel is very small and in the order of keV. For $\chi_{c2}^\prime \to V P$, the partial widths of $\chi_{c2}^{\prime} \to K^\ast \bar{K}+c.c$ turns out to be sizeable, while the partial widths of $\chi_{c2}^{\prime} \to \rho^+\pi^- +c.c$ is found to be much smaller than the $K^\ast \bar{K}+c.c$ channel. Our calculations may be examined by the future BESIII experiments.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures, to appear in Eur. Phys. J.

Application of RetCamⅡ in the screening of neonatal fundus disease

AIM: To investigate the safe and reliable examination method for neonatal fundus screening.<p>METHODS: Fundus information of 2 836 neonates performed by RetCamⅡ in our hospital from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012 were retrospectively analyzed, including 1 625 cases(57.30%)of premature infants which were first examined 1-4 weeks after birth and 1 211 cases(42.70%)of term infants which were first examined within 4 weeks after birth.<p>RESULTS: Totally 454 cases of abnormalfundus were found, including 207 cases(12.74%)of retinopathy of prematurity(ROP), ROPⅠ in 118 cases(57%), ROPⅡ in 58 cases(28.02%), ROPⅢ in 23 cases(11.11%), ROPⅣ in 8 cases(3.86%), no case of ROPV. A total of 247(20.40%)term infants had abnormal fundus, of which 68 cases(27.53%)were developmental or hereditary disease, retinoblastoma in 1 case(0.40%), retinal hemorrhage in 102 cases(41.30%), retinal exudative changes in 68 cases(27.53%), optic atrophy in 5 cases(2.02%)and optic disc edema in 3 cases(1.21%).<p>CONCLUSION: Neonatal fundus diseases were so various and harmful that early screening should be attended to. Premature infants and term infants with high risk are treated as focus group of fundus screening and RetCamII examination is safe and effective

Influencing factors and clinical significance of the metastatic lymph nodes ratio in gastric adenocarcinoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To investigate influencing factors of the metastatic lymph nodes ratio (MLR) and whether it is related to survival in patients with gastric adenocarcinoma.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We retrospectively evaluated the clinical features of 121 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma enrolled in our hospital between 2000 and 2007. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine the cutoff of the MLR, and CK20 immunohistochemical staining was used to detect micrometastasis of the lymph nodes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The areas under the ROC curve of MLR used to predict the death of 3-year and 5-year postoperative patients were 0.826 ± 0.053 and 0.896 ± 0.046. Thus MLR = 30.95% and MLR = 3.15% were designated as cutoffs. The MLR was then classified into three groups: MLR₁(MLR<3.15%); MLR₂(3.15% ≤ MLR ≤ 30.95%); and MLR₃(MLR>30.95%). We found that patients with a higher MLR demonstrated a much poorer survival period after radical operation than those patients with a lower MLR (P = 0.000). The COX model showed that MLR was an independent prognostic factor (P = 0.000). The MLR could also discriminate between subsets of patients with different 5-year survival periods within the same N stage (P < 0.05). The MLR has been shown to be 34.7% (242/697) by HE staining and 43.5% (303/697) by CK staining (P = 0.001). The clinicopathological characteristics of lymph vessel invasion and the depth of invasion could significantly affect the MLR.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>MLR is an independent prognostic factor in gastric cancer. The combined ROC curve with MLR is an effective strategy to produce a curve to predict the 3-year and 5-year survival rates.</p

Expressions and clinical significances of CD133 protein and CD133 mRNA in primary lesion of gastric adenocacinoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To study on expressions and clinical significances of CD133 protein and CD133 mRNA in primary lesion of gastric adenocarcinoma (GC).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Expressions of CD133 protein by immunostaining (99 cases) and CD133 mRNA by semi-quantitative RT-PCR (31 cases) were detected in primary lesion and in noncancerous gastric mucosa tissue (NCGT). Correlations of CD133 protein expression with clinicopathological parameters and post-operative survival were analyzed. Relations of CD133 mRNA level with Ki-67 labeling index (LI), and lymphatic metastasis were assessed too.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Brown particles indicating CD133 protein positivity occurred in some parts of tumor cells and epithelium. Expressive percentage of CD133 protein positivity was significantly higher in subgroups with >5 cm diameter (<it>P </it>= 0.041), later TNM stage (<it>P </it>= 0.044), severer lymph node metastasis (<it>P </it>= 0.017), occurrences of lymphatic invasion (<it>P </it>= 0.000) and vascular invasion (<it>P </it>= 0.000) respectively. Severer invasion depth (<it>P </it>= 0.011), lymph node metastasis occurrence (<it>P </it>= 0.043) and later TNM stage (<it>P </it>= 0.049) were the independent risk factors for CD133 protein expression. Average brightness scale value (BSV) of CD133 mRNA was significantly higher in subgroups with >5 cm diameter (<it>P </it>= 0.041), lymph node metastasis occurrence (<it>P </it>= 0.004) and in lower Ki-67 LI (<it>P </it>= 0.02). Relative analysis revealed that BSV of CD133 mRNA related positively to metastatic lymphatic nodes ratio (<it>P </it>= 0.008) and metastatic lymph node number (<it>P </it>= 0.009), but negatively to Ki-67 LI (<it>P </it>= 0.009). Survival of positive subgroup of CD 133 protein was significantly poorer (<it>P </it>= 0.047). Lymph node metastasis occurrence (<it>P </it>= 0.042), later TNM stage (<it>P </it>= 0.046) and CD 133 protein positive expression (<it>P </it>= 0.046) were respectively the independent risk factors to survival.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Higher expressive level of CD133 mRNA is associated to lower Ki-67 LI and severer lymphatic metastasis. Therefore, the expressive level of CD133 mRNA can play an appropriate role to reflect the status of lymph node metastasis and proliferation of GC. CD133 protein expression is closely related with larger tumor, later TNM stage, lymphtic metastasis and survival of GC.</p

Gas emissions in Planck cold dust clumps---A Survey of the J=1-0 Transitions of 12^{12}CO, 13^{13}CO, and C18^{18}O

A survey toward 674 Planck cold clumps of the Early Cold Core Catalogue (ECC) in the J=1-0 transitions of $^{12}$CO, $^{13}$CO and C$^{18}$O has been carried out using the PMO 13.7 m telescope. 673 clumps were detected with the $^{12}$CO and $^{13}$CO, and 68% of the samples have C$^{18}$O emission. Additional velocity components were also identified.A close consistency of the three line peak velocities was revealed for the first time. Kinematic distances are given out for all the velocity components and half of the clumps are located within 0.5 and 1.5 kpc. Excitation temperatures range from 4 to 27 K, slightly larger than those of $T_d$. Line width analysis shows that the majority of ECC clumps are low mass clumps. Column densities N$_{H_{2}}$ span from 10$^{20}$ to 4.5$\times10^{22}$ cm$^{-2}$ with an average value of (4.4$\pm$3.6)$\times10^{21}$ cm$^{-2}$. N$_{H_{2}}$ cumulative fraction distribution deviates from the lognormal distribution, which is attributed to optical depth. The average abundance ratio of the $^{13}$CO to C$^{18}$O in these clumps is 7.0$\pm$3.8, higher than the terrestrial value. Dust and gas are well coupled in 95% of the clumps. Blue profile, red profile and line asymmetry in total was found in less than 10% of the clumps, generally indicating star formation is not developed yet. Ten clumps were mapped. Twelve velocity components and 22 cores were obtained. Their morphologies include extended diffuse, dense isolated, cometary and filament, of which the last is the majority. 20 cores are starless.Only 7 cores seem to be in gravitationally bound state. Planck cold clumps are the most quiescent among the samples of weak-red IRAS, infrared dark clouds, UC H{\sc ii} region candidates, EGOs and methanol maser sources, suggesting that Planck cold clumps have expanded the horizon of cold Astronomy.Comment: Accepted to Ap

Anthracenedione Derivatives as Anticancer Agents Isolated from Secondary Metabolites of the Mangrove Endophytic Fungi

In this article, we report anticancer activity of 14 anthracenedione derivatives separated from the secondary metabolites of the mangrove endophytic fungi Halorosellinia sp. (No. 1403) and Guignardia sp. (No. 4382). Some of them inhibited potently the growth of KB and KBv200 cells, among which compound 6 displayed strong cytotoxicity with IC50 values of 3.17 and 3.21 μM to KB and KBv200 cells, respectively. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the mechanism involved in the apoptosis induced by compound 6 is probably related to mitochondrial dysfunction. Additionally, the structure-activity relationships of these compounds are discussed

Direct Conversion of Fibroblasts to Neurons by Reprogramming PTB-Regulated MicroRNA Circuits

SummaryThe induction of pluripotency or trans-differentiation of one cell type to another can be accomplished with cell-lineage-specific transcription factors. Here, we report that repression of a single RNA binding polypyrimidine-tract-binding (PTB) protein, which occurs during normal brain development via the action of miR-124, is sufficient to induce trans-differentiation of fibroblasts into functional neurons. Besides its traditional role in regulated splicing, we show that PTB has a previously undocumented function in the regulation of microRNA functions, suppressing or enhancing microRNA targeting by competitive binding on target mRNA or altering local RNA secondary structure. A key event during neuronal induction is the relief of PTB-mediated blockage of microRNA action on multiple components of the REST complex, thereby derepressing a large array of neuronal genes, including miR-124 and multiple neuronal-specific transcription factors, in nonneuronal cells. This converts a negative feedback loop to a positive one to elicit cellular reprogramming to the neuronal lineage