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We present a measurement of the ratio of the top-quark branching fractions R = B(t -> Wb)/B(t -> Wq), where q represents any quark flavor, in events with two charged leptons, imbalance in total transverse energy, and at least two jets. The measurement uses proton-antiproton collision data at center-of-mass energy 1.96 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 8.7 fb(-1) collected with the Collider Detector at Fermilab during Run II of the Tevatron. We measure R to be 0.87 +/- 0.07, and extract the magnitude of the top-bottom quark coupling to be |V-tb| 0.93 +/- 0.04, assuming three generations of quarks. Under these assumptions, a lower limit of |V-tb| > 0.85(0.87) at 95% (90%) credibility level is set.

Spectra of identified charged hadrons are measured in pPb collisions with the CMS detector at the LHC at . Charged pions, kaons, and protons in the transverse-momentum range -1.7 and laboratory rapidity are identified via their energy loss in the silicon tracker. The average increases with particle mass and the charged multiplicity of the event. The increase of the average with charged multiplicity is greater for heavier hadrons. Comparisons to Monte Carlo event generators reveal that Epos Lhc, which incorporates additional hydrodynamic evolution of the created system, is able to reproduce most of the data features, unlike Hijing and Ampt. The spectra and integrated yields are also compared to those measured in pp and PbPb collisions at various energies. The average transverse momentum and particle ratio measurements indicate that particle production at LHC energies is strongly correlated with event particle multiplicity.

Previous studies produced evidence that mecA, the determinant of beta-lactam resistance in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), may have originated in the most primitive and widespread animal commensal species-Staphylococcus sciuri. But how the mecA homologue (mecA1/pbpD) was captured from S. sciuri into the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) has remained unclear. To understand the role of S. sciuri in the assembly of SCCmec, we screened 118 methicillin-susceptible S. sciuri isolates for SCCmec central elements-ccr and mec complex (ccrAB, ccrC, mecA, mecI and mecR1)-by dot-blot hybridization. In addition, isolates were typed by PFGE and the chromosomal proximity of SCCmec elements was determined by Southern hybridization. ccr typing was performed by nucleotide sequencing. ccrwere identified in 35% of the isolates (naEuroS=aEuroS41), represented by 24 PFGE types, but ccrC was not found. None of the isolates carried mecA or its regulators, but all isolates carried mecA1/pbpD. In the majority of isolates, ccr and mecA1 were located near orfX, the SCCmec integration site. Moreover, in 31% (naEuroS=aEuroS13) of the ccrAB-carrying strains, ccrAB, mecA1 and orfX colocalized in the chromosome. The nucleotide sequence of ccrA/ccrB was highly diverse, including ccr genes closely related (80%-97%) to those found in MRSA. Our results suggest that S. sciuri was a natural recipient and a rich reservoir of ccr for the assembly of SCCmec. The chromosomal location of mecA1, near orfX, the recognition site of ccr, was probably crucial for its mobilization out of S. sciuri species into SCCmec.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent a unique sub-population of tumor cells with the ability to initiate tumor growth and sustain self-renewal. Although CSC biomarkers have been described for various tumors, only a few markers have been identified for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). In this study, we show that CD24(+) cells isolated from human NPC cell lines express stem cell genes (Sox2, Oct4, Nanog, Bmi-1, and Rex-1), and show activation of the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway. CD24(+) cells possess typical CSC characteristics that include enhanced cell proliferation, increased colony and sphere formation, maintenance of cell differentiation potential in prolonged culture, and enhanced resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. Notably, CD24(+) cells produce tumors following inoculation of as few as 500 cells in immunodeficient NOD/SCID mice. CD24(+) cells further show increased invasion ability in vitro, which correlates with enhanced expression of matrix metalloproteinase 2 and 9. In summary, our results suggest that CD24 represents a novel CSC biomarker in NPC.

A peaking structure in the J/psi phi mass spectrum near threshold is observed in B-+/- -> J/psi phi K-+/- decays, produced in pp collisions at root s = 7 TeV collected with the CMS detector at the LHC. The data sample, selected on the basis of the dimuon decay mode of the J/psi, corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.2 fb(-1). Fitting the structure to an S-wave relativistic Breit-Wigner lineshape above a three-body phase-space nonresonant component gives a signal statistical significance exceeding five standard deviations. The fitted mass and width values are m = 4148.0 +/- 2.4 (stat.) +/- 6.3 (syst.) MeV and Gamma = 28(-11)(+15) (stat.) +/- 19 (syst.) MeV, respectively. Evidence for an additional peaking structure at higher J/psi phi mass is also reported. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Background: Jatropha curcas is being promoted as a new bioenergy crop in tropical and subtropical regions due to its high amount of seed oil and its potential capacity to grow on marginal land for biofuel production. However, the productivity of the plant is constrained by the unfavorable flowering time and inflorescence architecture, which render harvesting of seeds time-consuming and labor-intensive. These flowering-related traits have limited further widespread cultivation of Jatropha. Results: We identified a Jatropha curcas homolog of Flowering locus T (JcFT) and demonstrated its function by genetic complementation of the Arabidopsis ft mutant. The JcFT expression level was found to be remarkably correlated with leaf age. Overexpression of JcFT in Jatropha reduced flowering time and altered plant architecture by producing more branches. Grafting experiments suggested that the earlyflowering and alteration of plant architecture traits were graft-transmissible. We also showed that the FT-overexpressing transgenic Jatropha can be used as a root stock for grafting of scions derived from other Jatropha. Conclusion: We generated early flowering transgenic Jatropha plants that accumulate higher levels of the florigen FT. Not only early flowering but also plant growth was affected in JcFT overexpression lines. More seeds can be produced in a shorter time frame by shortening the flowering time in Jatropha, suggesting the possibility to increase seed yield by manipulating the flowering time.

Inteins are autoprocessing domains that cut themselves out of host proteins in a traceless manner. This process, known as protein splicing, involves multiple chemical steps that must be coordinated to ensure fidelity in the process. The committed step in splicing involves attack of a conserved Asn side-chain amide on the adjacent backbone amide, leading to an intein-succinimide product and scission of that peptide bond. This cleavage reaction is stimulated by formation of a branched intermediate in the splicing process. The mechanism by which the Asn side-chain becomes activated as a nucleophile is not understood. Here we solve the crystal structure of an intein trapped in the branched intermediate step in protein splicing. Guided by this structure, we use protein-engineering approaches to show that intein-succinimide formation is critically dependent on a backbone-to-side-chain hydrogen-bond. We propose that this interaction serves to both position the side-chain amide for attack and to activate its nitrogen as a nucleophile. Collectively, these data provide an unprecedented view of an intein poised to carry out the rate-limiting step in protein splicing, shedding light on how a nominally nonnucleophilic group, a primary amide, can become activated in a protein active site.

Tissues rely upon stem cells for homeostasis and repair. Recent studies show that the fate and multilineage potential of epithelial stem cells can change depending on whether a stem cell exists within its resident niche and responds to normal tissue homeostasis, whether it is mobilized to repair a wound, or whether it is taken from its niche and challenged to de novo tissue morphogenesis after transplantation. In this Review, we discuss how different populations of naturally lineage-restricted stem cells and committed progenitors can display remarkable plasticity and reversibility and reacquire long-term self-renewing capacities and multilineage differentiation potential during physiological and regenerative conditions. We also discuss the implications of cellular plasticity for regenerative medicine and for cancer.

Measurements of the differential cross sections for the production of exactly four jets in proton-proton collisions are presented as a function of the transverse momentum p(T) and pseudorapidity eta, together with the correlations in azimuthal angle and the p(T) balance among the jets. The data sample was collected in 2010 at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV with the CMS detector at the LHC, with an integrated luminosity of 36 pb(-1). The cross section for exactly four jets, with two hard jets of p(T) > 50 GeV each, together with two jets of p(T) > 20 GeV each, within vertical bar eta vertical bar < 4.7 is measured to be sigma = 330 +/- 5(stat.) +/- 45(syst.) nb. It is found that fixed-order matrix element calculations including parton showers describe the measured differential cross sections in some regions of phase space only, and that adding contributions from double parton scattering brings the Monte Carlo predictions closer to the data.

BackgroundExcess fibrin in blood vessels is cleared by plasmin, the key proteolytic enzyme in fibrinolysis. Neurological disorders and head trauma can result in the disruption of the neurovasculature and the entry of fibrin and other blood components into the brain, which may contribute to further neurological dysfunction. ObjectivesWhile chronic fibrin deposition is often implicated in neurological disorders, the pathological contributions attributable specifically to fibrin have been difficult to ascertain. An animal model that spontaneously acquires fibrin deposits could allow researchers to better understand the impact of fibrin in neurological disorders. MethodsBrains of plasminogen (plg)- and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA)-deficient mice were examined and characterized with regard to fibrin accumulation, vascular and neuronal health, and inflammation. Furthermore, the inflammatory response following intrahippocampal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection was compared between plg(-/-) and wild type (WT) mice. Results and ConclusionsBoth plg(-/-) and tPA(-/-) mice exhibited brain parenchymal fibrin deposits that appear to result from reduced neurovascular integrity. Markers of neuronal health and inflammation were not significantly affected by proximity to the vascular lesions. A compromised neuroinflammatory response was also observed in plg(-/-) compared to WT mice following intrahippocampal LPS injection. These results demonstrate that fibrin does not affect neuronal health in the absence of inflammation and suggest that plasmin may be necessary for a normal neuroinflammatory response in the mouse CNS.