Imaging genome abnormalities in cancer research

Increasing attention is focusing on chromosomal and genome structure in cancer research due to the fact that genomic instability plays a principal role in cancer initiation, progression and response to chemotherapeutic agents. The integrity of the genome (including structural, behavioral and functional aspects) of normal and cancer cells can be monitored with direct visualization by using a variety of cutting edge molecular cytogenetic technologies that are now available in the field of cancer research. Examples are presented in this review by grouping these methodologies into four categories visualizing different yet closely related major levels of genome structures. An integrated discussion is also presented on several ongoing projects involving the illustration of mitotic and meiotic chromatin loops; the identification of defective mitotic figures (DMF), a new type of chromosomal aberration capable of monitoring condensation defects in cancer; the establishment of a method that uses Non-Clonal Chromosomal Aberrations (NCCAs) as an index to monitor genomic instability; and the characterization of apoptosis related chromosomal fragmentations caused by drug treatments

Orientation relationships between TiB (B27), B2, and Ti₃Al phases

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Molecular cloning and transcriptional activity of a new Petunia calreticulin gene involved in pistil transmitting tract maturation, progamic phase, and double fertilization

Calreticulin (CRT) is a highly conserved and ubiquitously expressed Ca2+-binding protein in multicellular eukaryotes. As an endoplasmic reticulum-resident protein, CRT plays a key role in many cellular processes including Ca2+ storage and release, protein synthesis, and molecular chaperoning in both animals and plants. CRT has long been suggested to play a role in plant sexual reproduction. To begin to address this possibility, we cloned and characterized the full-length cDNA of a new CRT gene (PhCRT) from Petunia. The deduced amino acid sequence of PhCRT shares homology with other known plant CRTs, and phylogenetic analysis indicates that the PhCRT cDNA clone belongs to the CRT1/CRT2 subclass. Northern blot analysis and fluorescent in situ hybridization were used to assess PhCRT gene expression in different parts of the pistil before pollination, during subsequent stages of the progamic phase, and at fertilization. The highest level of PhCRT mRNA was detected in the stigma–style part of the unpollinated pistil 1 day before anthesis and during the early stage of the progamic phase, when pollen is germinated and tubes outgrow on the stigma. In the ovary, PhCRT mRNA was most abundant after pollination and reached maximum at the late stage of the progamic phase, when pollen tubes grow into the ovules and fertilization occurs. PhCRT mRNA transcripts were seen to accumulate predominantly in transmitting tract cells of maturing and receptive stigma, in germinated pollen/growing tubes, and at the micropylar region of the ovule, where the female gametophyte is located. From these results, we suggest that PhCRT gene expression is up-regulated during secretory activity of the pistil transmitting tract cells, pollen germination and outgrowth of the tubes, and then during gamete fusion and early embryogenesis

Magnetism and its microscopic origin in iron-based high-temperature superconductors

High-temperature superconductivity in the iron-based materials emerges from, or sometimes coexists with, their metallic or insulating parent compound states. This is surprising since these undoped states display dramatically different antiferromagnetic (AF) spin arrangements and N$\rm \acute{e}$el temperatures. Although there is general consensus that magnetic interactions are important for superconductivity, much is still unknown concerning the microscopic origin of the magnetic states. In this review, progress in this area is summarized, focusing on recent experimental and theoretical results and discussing their microscopic implications. It is concluded that the parent compounds are in a state that is more complex than implied by a simple Fermi surface nesting scenario, and a dual description including both itinerant and localized degrees of freedom is needed to properly describe these fascinating materials.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures, Review article, accepted for publication in Nature Physic

Sensitization, energy transfer and infra-red emission decay modulation in Yb3+-doped NaYF4 nanoparticles with visible light through a perfluoroanthraquinone chromophore

The authors thank Dr. R. Wilson for XRD measurements. H.L., Y.P., H.Y., J.H. and H.G. are funded by the China Scholarship Council (CSC) and Queen Mary University of London. H. L. also would like to thank the support from China Postdoctoral Science Foundation Funded Project (2017M611440). I.H. acknowledges funding from the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (grant MAT2016-80438-P), the EU FP7 (Marie Curie-CIG-Grant 303535). WPG would like to thank EPSRC for support (EP/K004484/1 and EP/L020114/1) and NSFC (61574095). X.C. was supported by the Centre of Excellence in Medical Engineering funded by the Wellcome Trust and EPSRC under grant number WT088641/Z/09/Z. We are grateful to the EPSRC UK NMSF at Swansea University for mass spectrometry

Molecular structure of the largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) Myf5 gene and its effect on skeletal muscle growth

Myogenic Regulatory Factors (MRFs), a family of basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors, play important roles in regulating skeletal muscle development and growth. Myf5, the primary factor of MRFs, initiates myogenesis. Its expression pattern during somitomyogenesis in some fish has been revealed. To further study its effect on fish muscle during postembryonic growth, characterization and function analysis of myf5 cDNA were carried out in largemouth bass. The 1,093 bp cDNA sequence was identified by RT-PCR and 3′RACE, then the ORF of Myf5 cDNA was cloned into the expression vector pcDNA3.1(−)/mycHisB. The recombinant plasmid pcDNA3.1(−)/mycHisB-Myf5 was injected into the dorsal muscle of tilapias. RT-PCR and histochemical results showed that the exogenous gene was transcribed and translated in vivo. Its effect on muscle growth focused on myofiber hypertrophy in white muscle 60 days post injection. This indicated that overexpression of Myf5 can promote myogenesis during the fish muscle postembryonic growth period

Impact of an Innovative Financing and Payment Model on Tuberculosis Patients’ Financial Burden: is Tuberculosis Care More Affordable for the Poor?

Background: In response to the high financial burden of health services facing tuberculosis (TB) patients in China, the China-Gates TB project, Phase II, has implemented a new financing and payment model as an important component of the overall project in three cities in eastern, central and western China. The model focuses on increasing the reimbursement rate for TB patients and reforming provider payment methods by replacing fee-for-service with a case-based payment approach. This study investigated changes in out-of-pocket (OOP) health expenditure and the financial burden on TB patients before and after the interventions, with a focus on potential differential impacts on patients from different income groups

Single Crystalline Cadmium Sulfide Nanowires with Branched Structure

In this article, we report the synthesis of branched single crystal CdS nanowires. This branched CdS nanostructure is prepared by a simple surfactant-directing method, which is of particular interest as it uses readily available reagents and provides a convenient route to high-yield single crystal nanowires but with branched shape. These branched nanowires have an average diameter of about 40 nm and length up to several micrometers. A possible mechanism has been proposed and the addition of surfactant dodecylthiol into the two mixed-solvents would play an importance effect on the structure of the product. Based on the mechanism, by controlling the synthesis conditions, such as the ratios between the surfactant, inorganic solvent, and organic solvent, other kinds of nanostructures based on CdS nanowires were also prepared. Photoluminescence (PL) measurement reveals that the branched CdS nanowires have a strong emission at about 700 nm which might be due to its special structure

Search for ψ(3770)→ charmless final states involving η or π0 mesons

We search for ψ(3770) → π+π-η, K+K-η, pp̄η, ρ0π+π-η, K+K-π+π-η, pp̄π+π-η, pp̄K+K-η and pp̄K+K- π0 using data samples of 17.3 and 6.5 pb-1 integrated luminosities recorded at the center-of-mass energies of 3.773 and 3.65 GeV, respectively, by the BES-II detector operating at the BEPC collider. We obtain cross section measurements at both energies and upper limits on ψ(3770) decay branching fractions to the final states studied. © © Springer-Verlag / Società Italiana di Fisica 2010.published_or_final_versionSpringer Open Choice, 21 Feb 201

Experimental studies of e + e -→ some charmless processes containing K S0 at √s = 3.773 and 3.65 GeV

We measure the observed cross sections for the charmless processes e + e -→K S0 K - K - K + π ++ c.c., K S0 K - π + η+c.c., K S0 K - π + π + π - η+c.c., K S0 K - K - K + π + η+c.c., K S0 K - K - K + π + π 0+c.c., K S0 K - ρ ++c.c. and K S0 K - π + ρ 0+c.c. We also extract upper limits on the branching fractions for ψ(3770) decays into these final states at 90% C.L. Analyzed data samples correspond to 17.3 pb-1 and 6.5 pb-1 integrated luminosities registered, respectively, at √s = 3.773 and 3.65 GeV, with the BES-II detector at the BEPC collider. © 2009 Springer-Verlag / Società Italiana di Fisica.published_or_final_versionSpringer Open Choice, 21 Feb 201