Hepatitis B Virus Core Promoter Double Mutations (A1762T, G1764A) Are Associated with Lower Levels of Serum Dihydrolipoyl Dehydrogenase

Published by S. Karger AG, BaselObjectives: The aim of this study was to identify serum proteins with differential concentrations between hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients and HBsAg asymptomatic carriers among individuals infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) with basal core promoter (BCP) double mutations (A1762T, G1764A). Methods: iTRAQ and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry were used to identify differentially expressed protein, and an ELISA test was used for the validation test. Results: The total number of proteins identified was 1,125, of which 239 showed statistically significant differences in their expression. The relative concentrations of serum dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase (DLD), which showed the most significant correlation with liver diseases and infection, were significantly lower in HCC patients than asymptomatic HBsAg carriers and individuals negative for HBsAg. However, only the difference between HCC patients with BCP double mutations and HBsAg-negative individuals could be confirmed by ELISA. Meanwhile, we found that the concentrations of serum DLD in those infected with HBV with BCP double mutations were significantly lower than in individuals with the wild-type BCP. However, the difference in the concentrations of serum DLD between individuals with wild-type BCP and those negative for HBsAg was not significant. Conclusions: HBV with BCP double mutations are associated with lower concentrations of serum DLD

Spatio-Temporal Characteristics of Global Warming in the Tibetan Plateau during the Last 50 Years Based on a Generalised Temperature Zone - Elevation Model

Temperature is one of the primary factors influencing the climate and ecosystem, and examining its change and fluctuation could elucidate the formation of novel climate patterns and trends. In this study, we constructed a generalised temperature zone elevation model (GTEM) to assess the trends of climate change and temporal-spatial differences in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) using the annual and monthly mean temperatures from 1961-2010 at 144 meteorological stations in and near the TP. The results showed the following: (1) The TP has undergone robust warming over the study period, and the warming rate was 0.318°C/decade. The warming has accelerated during recent decades, especially in the last 20 years, and the warming has been most significant in the winter months, followed by the spring, autumn and summer seasons. (2) Spatially, the zones that became significantly smaller were the temperature zones of -6°C and -4°C, and these have decreased 499.44 and 454.26 thousand sq km from 1961 to 2010 at average rates of 25.1% and 11.7%, respectively, over every 5-year interval. These quickly shrinking zones were located in the northwestern and central TP. (3) The elevation dependency of climate warming existed in the TP during 1961-2010, but this tendency has gradually been weakening due to more rapid warming at lower elevations than in the middle and upper elevations of the TP during 1991-2010. The higher regions and some low altitude valleys of the TP were the most significantly warming regions under the same categorizing criteria. Experimental evidence shows that the GTEM is an effective method to analyse climate changes in high altitude mountainous regions

Measurements of the branching fraction and polarization in B+->rho K-+(*0) decays

We present the results of a study of the charmless vector-vector decay B+->rho K-+(*0), based on 253 fb(-1) of data collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e(+)e(-) collider. We obtain the branching fraction B(B+->rho K-+(*0))=[8.9 +/- 1.7(stat)+/- 1.2(syst)]x10(-6). We also perform a helicity analysis of the rho and K-* vector mesons, and obtain the longitudinal polarization fraction f(L)(B+->rho K-+(*0))=0.43 +/- 0.11(stat)(-0.02)(+0.05)(syst)

Determination of the number of J/ψ events with J/ψ → inclusive decays

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Higher-order multipole amplitude measurement in ψ ′→γχ c2

Using 106×106 ψ ′ events collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII storage ring, the higher-order multipole amplitudes in the radiative transition ψ ′→γχ c2→γπ +π -/γK +K - are measured. A fit to the χ c2 production and decay angular distributions yields M2=0.046±0. 010±0.013 and E3=0.015±0.008±0.018, where the first errors are statistical and the second systematic. Here M2 denotes the normalized magnetic quadrupole amplitude and E3 the normalized electric octupole amplitude. This measurement shows evidence for the existence of the M2 signal with 4.4σ statistical significance and is consistent with the charm quark having no anomalous magnetic moment. © 2011 American Physical Society.published_or_final_versio

Evidence for direct CP violation in B-0 -> K+pi(-) decays

We report evidence for direct CP violation in the decay B-0-->K(+)pi(-) with 253 fb(-1) of data collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB e(+)e(-) collider. Using 275x10(6) B(B) over bar pairs we observe a B-->K(+/-)pi(-/+) signal with 2140+/-53 events. The measured CP violating asymmetry is A(CP)(K(+)pi(-))=-0.101+/-0.025(stat)+/-0.005(syst), corresponding to a significance of 3.9sigma including systematics. We also search for CP violation in the decays B+-->K(+)pi(0) and B+-->pi(+)pi(0). The measured CP violating asymmetries are A(CP)(K(+)pi(0))=0.04+/-0.05(stat)+/-0.02(syst) and A(CP)(pi(+)pi(0))=-0.02+/-0.10(stat)+/-0.01(syst), corresponding to the intervals -0.05< A(CP)(K(+)pi(0))<0.13 and -0.18< A(CP)(pi(+)pi(0))<0.14 at 90% confidence level

Measurement of polarization and triple-product correlations in B -> phi K-* decays

We present measurements of decay amplitudes and triple-product correlations in B ->phi K-* decays based on 253 fb(-1) of data recorded at the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB e(+)e(-) storage ring. The decay amplitudes for the three different helicity states are determined from the angular distributions of final-state particles. The longitudinal polarization amplitudes are found to be 0.45 +/- 0.05 +/- 0.02 for B-0->phi K-*0 and 0.52 +/- 0.08 +/- 0.03 for B+->phi K*+ decays. CP- and T-odd CP-violating triple-product asymmetries are measured to be consistent with zero

Two-photon widths of the χ c0,2 states and helicity analysis for χ c2→γγ

Based on a data sample of 106×106 ψ ′ events collected with the BESIII detector, the decays ψ ′→γχ c0,2, χ c0,2→γγ are studied to determine the two-photon widths of the χ c0,2 states. The two-photon decay branching fractions are determined to be B(χ c0→γγ)=(2. 24±0.19±0.12±0.08)×10 -4 and B(χ c2→γγ)=(3.21±0.18±0. 17±0.13)×10 -4. From these, the two-photon widths are determined to be Γ γγ(χ c0)=(2. 33±0.20±0.13±0.17)keV, Γ γγ(χ c2)=(0.63±0.04±0. 04±0.04)keV, and R=Γ γγ(χ c2)/ Γ γγ(χ c0)=0.271±0. 029±0.013±0.027, where the uncertainties are statistical, systematic, and those from the PDG B(ψ ′→γχ c0,2) and Γ(χ c0,2) errors, respectively. The ratio of the two-photon widths for helicity λ=0 and helicity λ=2 components in the decay χ c2→γγ is measured for the first time to be f 0/2=Γγγλ= 0(χ c2)/Γγγλ=2(χ c2)=0. 00±0.02±0.02. © 2012 American Physical Society.published_or_final_versio

Detoxification Center-Based Sampling Missed a Subgroup of Higher Risk Drug Users, a Case from Guangdong, China

BACKGROUND: Injection drug use remains among the most important HIV transmission risk in China. Representativeness of drug users sampled from detoxification centers is questionable. A respondent driven sampling survey was conducted to compare the results with those from the detoxification center in the same city. METHODS: In 2008, two independent surveys were conducted in Dongguan, China, one for community-based drug users using respondent driven sampling and the other for drug users in a compulsory detoxification center as routine sentinel surveillance. Demographic and behavioral information were collected using the same structured questionnaire. Intravenous blood samples were collected to measure antibodies to HIV-1, and syphilis. RESULTS: Compared to those 400 drug users recruited from the detoxification center, the 303 community-based drug users had higher HIV prevalence (14.7% versus 4.0%, P = 0.04), lower syphilis prevalence (4.7% versus 10.8%, P = 0.07), higher proportion of injection drug use (83.9% versus 60.2%, P = 0.01) and syringe sharing (47.8% versus 36.3%, P = 0.10), more likely to be separated (12.4% versus 3.8%, P = 0.01) and being migrants from Guangxi province (31.4% versus 18.0%, P = 0.09), more engaging in commercial sex (64.4% versus 52.5%, P = 0.04). HIV prevalence and rate of syringe sharing were consistently higher among drug users from Guangxi. CONCLUSIONS: Detoxification center-based sampling missed a subgroup with higher HIV prevalence and higher rate of injection drug use. While detoxification center-based sampled can be used to monitor the trend of HIV prevalence and risk behaviors over time, periodic community-based sampling is still necessary to avoid possible systematic error in detoxification center-based samples

Bilateral downregulation of Nav1.8 in dorsal root ganglia of rats with bone cancer pain induced by inoculation with Walker 256 breast tumor cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Rapid and effective treatment of cancer-induced bone pain remains a clinical challenge and patients with bone metastasis are more likely to experience severe pain. The voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.8 plays a critical role in many aspects of nociceptor function. Therefore, we characterized a rat model of cancer pain and investigated the potential role of Nav1.8.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Adult female Wistar rats were used for the study. Cancer pain was induced by inoculation of Walker 256 breast carcinosarcoma cells into the tibia. After surgery, mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia and ambulation scores were evaluated to identify pain-related behavior. We used real-time RT-PCR to determine Nav1.8 mRNA expression in bilateral L4/L5 dorsal root ganglia (DRG) at 16-19 days after surgery. Western blotting and immunofluorescence were used to compare the expression and distribution of Nav1.8 in L4/L5 DRG between tumor-bearing and sham rats. Antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) against Nav1.8 were administered intrathecally at 14-16 days after surgery to knock down Nav1.8 protein expression and changes in pain-related behavior were observed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Tumor-bearing rats exhibited mechanical hyperalgesia and ambulatory-evoked pain from day 7 after inoculation of Walker 256 cells. In the advanced stage of cancer pain (days 16-19 after surgery), normalized Nav1.8 mRNA levels assessed by real-time RT-PCR were significantly lower in ipsilateral L4/L5 DRG of tumor-bearing rats compared with the sham group. Western-blot showed that the total expression of Nav1.8 protein significantly decreased bilaterally in DRG of tumor-bearing rats. Furthermore, as revealed by immunofluorescence, only the expression of Nav1.8 protein in small neurons down regulated significantly in bilateral DRG of cancer pain rats. After administration of antisense ODNs against Nav1.8, Nav1.8 protein expression decreased significantly and tumor-bearing rats showed alleviated mechanical hyperalgesia and ambulatory-evoked pain.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These findings suggest that Nav1.8 plays a role in the development and maintenance of bone cancer pain.</p