Dijet azimuthal decorrelations in pp collisions at √s=7 TeV.

Measurements of dijet azimuthal decorrelations in pp collisions at √s=7 TeV using the CMS detector at the CERN LHC are presented. The analysis is based on an inclusive dijet event sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.9 pb⁻¹.

Measurement of the B(+) production cross section in pp collisions at sqrt[s]=7 TeV.

Measurements of the total and differential cross sections dσ/dp(T)(B) and dσ/dy(B) for B(+) mesons produced in pp collisions at sqrt[s]=7  TeV are presented. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 5.8  pb(-1) collected by the CMS experiment operating at the LHC.

Let-7 microRNA and HMGA2 levels of expression are not inversely linked in adipocytic tumors: analysis of 56 lipomas and liposarcomas with molecular cytogenetic data.

The aim of our study was first to assess the role of HMGA2 expression in the pathogenesis of adipocytic tumors (AT) and, second, to seek a potential correlation between overexpression of HMGA2 and let-7 expression inhibition by analyzing a series of 56 benign and malignant AT with molecular cytogenetic data. We measured the levels of expression of HMGA2 mRNA and of eight members of the let-7 microRNA family using quantitative RT-PCR and expression of HMGA2 protein using immunohistochemistry. HMGA2 was highly overexpressed in 100% of well-differentiated/dedifferentiated liposarcomas (WDLPS/DDLPS), all with HMGA2 amplification, and 100% of lipomas with HMGA2 rearrangement.

Measurement of the isolated prompt photon production cross section in pp collisions at √s=7 TeV.

The differential cross section for the inclusive production of isolated prompt photons has been measured as a function of the photon transverse energy E(T)(γ) in pp collisions at √s=7  TeV using data recorded by the CMS detector at the LHC. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 2.9  pb(-1).

Search for stopped Gluinos in pp collisions at square root s=7 TeV.

The results of the first search for long-lived gluinos produced in 7 TeV pp collisions at the CERN Large Hadron Collider are presented. The search looks for evidence of long-lived particles that stop in the CMS detector and decay in the quiescent periods between beam crossings. In a dataset with a peak instantaneous luminosity of 1×10(32) cm-2 s-1, an integrated luminosity of 10 pb-1, and a search interval corresponding to 62 hours of LHC operation, no significant excess above background was observed.

Search for quark compositeness with the dijet centrality ratio in pp collisions at √s=7 TeV.

A search for quark compositeness in the form of quark contact interactions, based on hadronic jet pairs (dijets) produced in proton-proton collisions at √s=7 TeV, is described. The data sample of the study corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 2.9 pb(-1) collected with the CMS detector at the LHC.

Search for dijet resonances in 7 TeV pp collisions at CMS.

A search for narrow resonances in the dijet mass spectrum is performed using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.9 pb⁻¹ collected by the CMS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. Upper limits at the 95% confidence level are presented on the product of the resonance cross section, branching fraction into dijets, and acceptance, separately for decays into quark-quark, quark-gluon, or gluon-gluon pairs.

Transverse-momentum and pseudorapidity distributions of charged hadrons in pp collisions at square root of s = 7 TeV.

Charged-hadron transverse-momentum and pseudorapidity distributions in proton-proton collisions at square root of s = 7  TeV are measured with the inner tracking system of the CMS detector at the LHC. The charged-hadron yield is obtained by counting the number of reconstructed hits, hit pairs, and fully reconstructed charged-particle tracks. The combination of the three methods gives a charged-particle multiplicity per unit of pseudorapidity dN(ch)/dη|(|η|<0.

Clinical and biological significance of CDK4 amplification in well-differentiated and dedifferentiated liposarcomas.

Purpose: The MDM2 and HMGA2 genes are consistently amplified in well-differentiated/dedifferentiated liposarcomas (WDLPS/DDLPS) whereas CDK4 is frequently but not always amplified in these tumors. Our goal was to determine whether the absence of CDK4 amplification was (a) correlated to a specific clinico-histopathologic profile; and (b) compensated by another genomic anomaly involving the CCND1/CDK4/P16INK4a/RB1/E2F pathway.

Experimental Design: We compared the clinical characteristics of a series of 143 WDLPS/DDLPS with amplification of both MDM2 and CDK4 (MDM2+/CDK4+) to a series of 45 WDLPS/DDLPS with MDM2 amplification and no CDK4 amplification (MDM2+/CDK4-).

Complex t(5;8) involving the CSPG2 and PTK2B genes in a case of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans without the COL1A1-PDGFB fusion.

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a rare, dermal neoplasm of intermediate malignancy. It is made of spindle-shaped tumor cells in a storiform pattern positive for CD34. Cytogenetically, DFSP cells are characterized by either supernumerary ring chromosomes composed of sequences derived from chromosomes 17 and 22 or more rarely of translocations t(17;22).

HMGA2 is the partner of MDM2 in well-differentiated and dedifferentiated liposarcomas whereas CDK4 belongs to a distinct inconsistent amplicon.

Data concerning the fine structure of the 12q13-15 amplicon which contains MDM2 and CDK4 in well-differentiated and dedifferentiated liposarcomas (WDLPS/DDLPS) are scarce. We investigated a series of 38 WDLPS/DDLPS using fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis with 17 probes encompassing the 12q13-15 region. In addition, using quantitative RT-PCR we studied the expression of MDM2, CDK4, DDIT3 (CHOP/GADD153), DYRK2, HMGA2, TSPAN31 and YEATS4 (GAS41) in 11 cases.

[From cytogenetics to cytogenomics of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans family of tumors].

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DP) is a rare, slow growing dermal neoplasm of intermediate malignancy. It is made of spindle-shaped tumor cells in a storiform pattern often positive for CD34. The preferred treatment for DP is a surgical wide excision with pathologically sane margins of 3 cm.

A questionnaire on sleep behaviour in the first years of life: preliminary results from a normative sample.

The authors developed a questionnaire in Italian for investigating sleep problems in infants and toddlers. Applying the questionnaire, they conducted an exploratory investigation into the sleep behaviour of a sample of normal children during their first three years of life in order to gather preliminary data regarding the ease of use of the instrument. The questionnaire and the results of its first application (in an Italian sample of 50 healthy children aged 10-39 months) are presented.

Antagonistic actions of ecdysone and insulins determine final size in Drosophila.

All animals coordinate growth and maturation to reach their final size and shape. In insects, insulin family molecules control growth and metabolism, whereas pulses of the steroid 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) initiate major developmental transitions. We show that 20E signaling also negatively controls animal growth rates by impeding general insulin signaling involving localization of the transcription factor dFOXO and transcription of the translation inhibitor 4E-BP.

A role for protein kinase CK2 in cell proliferation: evidence using a kinase-inactive mutant of CK2 catalytic subunit alpha.

Protein kinase CK2 is an ubiquitous and pleiotropic Ser/Thr protein kinase composed of two catalytic (alpha and/or alpha') and two regulatory (beta) subunits generally combined to form alpha(2)beta(2), alphaalpha'beta(2), or alpha'(2)beta(2) heterotetramers. To gain more insight into the role of CK2 in the control of proliferation in mammalian cells, overexpression of isolated CK2 subunits alpha, alpha', or beta was carried out in two fibroblast cell lines: NIH3T3 and CCL39. To interfere with CK2 cellular functions, cells were also transfected with a kinase-inactive mutant of CK2alpha catalytic subunit: CK2alpha-K68A.

[Antibiotic prophylaxis in the surgical treatment of inguinal hernia: need or habit?].

Background: Prophylactic antibiotics are recommended for clean-contaminated and selected contaminated surgery. In clean surgery antibiotics are suggested if the operation involves the insertion of prosthetic devices and a potential infection is expected to cause serious morbidity or mortality. Inguinal hernia repair is a clean operation, infections are rare; they can usually be cured without removing the prosthesis and recurrence is uncommon even after removal of the mesh.

Cannabinoid receptor CB1 activates the Na+/H+ exchanger NHE-1 isoform via Gi-mediated mitogen activated protein kinase signaling transduction pathways.

We previously showed that the cannabinoid receptor CB1 stably transfected in Chinese hamster ovary cells was constitutively active and could be inhibited by the inverse agonist SR 141716A. In the present study, we demonstrate that the cannabinoid agonist CP-55940 induced cytosol alkalinization of CHO-CB1 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner via activation of the Na+/H+ exchanger NHE-1 isoform. By contrast, the inverse agonist SR 141716A induced acidification of the cell cytosol, suggesting that the Na+/H+ exchanger NHE-1 was constitutively activated by the CB1 receptor.

CK2alpha-protein phosphatase 2A molecular complex: possible interaction with the MAP kinase pathway.

Despite its wide range of known substrates, the signaling function of protein kinase CK2 is still enigmatic. Mounting evidence suggests that CK2alpha, the catalytic subunit of holoenzymic CK2, may exist free of its usual regulatory partner CK2beta, raising the possibility that 'free' CK2alpha has regulation and function distinct from those of the holoenzyme. We previously reported that CK2alpha could bind to the core dimer of protein phosphatase 2A, and indirectly cause down-regulation of the PP2A substrate MEK1, possibly via activation of PP2A and/or targeting of PP2A to some element of the Ras/Raf/MEK pathway.

The p42/p44 mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade is determinant in mediating activation of the Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE1 isoform) in response to growth factors.

The ubiquitously expressed Na+/H+ exchanger NHE1 is the target of multiple signaling pathways, including those activated by tyrosine kinase receptors, G protein-coupled receptors, and integrins. The intracellular pathways leading to activation of NHE1 are poorly understood. To gain more insight into these activation pathways, we examined the role of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) as potential mediators of NHE1 activation by extracellular stimuli such as growth factors and hyperosmotic stress.

Responsiveness of mutants of NHE1 isoform of Na+/H+ antiport to osmotic stress.

Hypertonic activation of NHE1, the ubiquitous Na+/H+ exchanger, plays a central role in cell volume regulation, yet little is known about the underlying mechanism. We probed the osmotic responsiveness of full-length and truncated constructs of NHE1 transfected into cells lacking endogenous antiport activity. The hypertonic stimulation of NHE1 was preserved after heterologous transfection of the full-length NHE1 or of constructs truncated at positions 698 or 703.

Molecular structure and regulation of vertebrate Na+/H+ exchangers.

Na+/H+ exchangers (NHE), also called antiporters, are vital transmembrane transporters involved in multiple cellular functions including the regulation of intracellular pH, the control of cell volume and transepithelial ion transport. These transporters are highly regulated by a remarkably wide variety of stimuli which can modulate their expression level and activity. Five isoforms of Na+/H+ exchangers have been cloned and characterized to date; they define a new gene family of vertebrate transporters.

Activation of multiple pH-regulatory pathways in granulocytes by a phosphotyrosine phosphatase antagonist.

Activated phagocytes undergo a massive burst of metabolic acid generation, yet must be able to maintain their cytosolic pH (pHi) within physiological limits. Peroxides of vanadate (V(4+)-OOH), potent inhibitors of phosphotyrosine phosphatases, have recently been shown to produce activation of the respiratory burst in HL60 granulocytes. We therefore investigated the effects of V(4+)-OOH on pHi homoeostasis in HL60 granulocytes, using a pH-sensitive fluorescent dye.