University of Tsukuba

About: University of Tsukuba is a education organization based out in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Gene. The organization has 36352 authors who have published 79483 publications receiving 1934752 citations. The organization is also known as: Tsukuba daigaku & Tsukuba University.

Emerging roles of long non-coding RNA in cancer.

Abstract: Since comprehensive analysis of the mammalian genome revealed that the majority of genomic products are transcribed in long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), increasing attention has been paid to these transcripts. The applied next-generation sequencing technologies have provided accumulating evidence of dysregulated lncRNA in cancer. The implication of this finding can be seen in many forms and at multiple levels. With impacts ranging from integrating chromatin remodeling complexes to regulating transcription and post-transcriptional processes, aberrant expression of lncRNA may have repercussions in cell proliferation, tumor progression or metastasis. lncRNA may act as enhancers, scaffolds or decoys by physically interacting with other RNA species or proteins, resulting in a direct impact on cell signaling cascades. Even though their functional classification is well-established in the context of cancer, clearer characterization in terms of their phenotypic outputs is needed to optimize and identify suitable candidates that enable the development of new therapeutic strategies and the design of novel diagnostic approaches. The present article aims to outline different cancer-associated lncRNA according to their contribution to tumor suppression or tumor promotion based on their most current functional annotations.

Loss of Heterozygosity on 10q23.3 and Mutation of the Tumor Suppressor Gene PTEN in Benign Endometrial Cyst of the Ovary: Possible Sequence Progression from Benign Endometrial Cyst to Endometrioid Carcinoma and Clear Cell Carcinoma of the Ovary

Abstract: Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at locus 10q23.3 and mutation of the PTEN tumor suppressor gene occur frequently in both endometrial carcinoma and ovarian endometrioid carcinoma. To investigate the potential role of the PTEN gene in the carcinogenesis of ovarian endometrioid carcinoma and its related subtype, clear cell carcinoma, we examined 20 ovarian endometrioid carcinomas, 24 clear cell carcinomas, and 34 solitary endometrial cysts of the ovary for LOH at 10q23.3 and point mutations within the entire coding region of the PTEN gene. LOH was found in 8 of 19 ovarian endometrioid carcinomas (42.1%), 6 of 22 clear cell carcinomas (27.3%), and 13 of 23 solitary endometrial cysts (56.5%). In 5 endometrioid carcinomas synchronous with endometriosis, 3 cases displayed LOH events common to both the carcinoma and the endometriosis, 1 displayed an LOH event in only the carcinoma, and 1 displayed no LOH events in either lesion. In 7 clear cell carcinomas synchronous with endometriosis, 3 displayed LOH events common to both the carcinoma and the endometriosis, 1 displayed an LOH event in only the carcinoma, and 3 displayed no LOH events in either lesion. In no cases were there LOH events in the endometriosis only. Somatic mutations in the PTEN gene were identified in 4 of 20 ovarian endometrioid carcinomas (20.0%), 2 of 24 clear cell carcinomas (8.3%), and 7 of 34 solitary endometrial cysts (20.6%). These results indicate that inactivation of the PTEN tumor suppressor gene is an early event in the development of ovarian endometrioid carcinoma and clear cell carcinoma of the ovary.

Attosecond band-gap dynamics in silicon

Abstract: Electron transfer from valence to conduction band states in semiconductors is the basis of modern electronics. Here, attosecond extreme ultraviolet (XUV) spectroscopy is used to resolve this process in silicon in real time. Electrons injected into the conduction band by few-cycle laser pulses alter the silicon XUV absorption spectrum in sharp steps synchronized with the laser electric field oscillations. The observed ~450-attosecond step rise time provides an upper limit for the carrier-induced band-gap reduction and the electron-electron scattering time in the conduction band. This electronic response is separated from the subsequent band-gap modifications due to lattice motion, which occurs on a time scale of 60 ± 10 femtoseconds, characteristic of the fastest optical phonon. Quantum dynamical simulations interpret the carrier injection step as light-field–induced electron tunneling.

Observation of Associated Near-Side and Away-Side Long-Range Correlations in √sNN=5.02 TeV Proton-Lead Collisions with the ATLAS Detector

Abstract: Two-particle correlations in relative azimuthal angle (Delta phi) and pseudorapidity (Delta eta) are measured in root S-NN = 5.02 TeV p + Pb collisions using the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The measurements are performed using approximately 1 mu b(-1) of data as a function of transverse momentum (p(T)) and the transverse energy (Sigma E-T(Pb)) summed over 3.1 < eta < 4.9 in the direction of the Pb beam. The correlation function, constructed from charged particles, exhibits a long-range (2 < vertical bar Delta eta vertical bar < 5) "near-side" (Delta phi similar to 0) correlation that grows rapidly with increasing Sigma E-T(Pb). A long-range "away-side" (Delta phi similar to pi) correlation, obtained by subtracting the expected contributions from recoiling dijets and other sources estimated using events with small Sigma E-T(Pb), is found to match the near-side correlation in magnitude, shape (in Delta eta and Delta phi) and Sigma E-T(Pb) dependence. The resultant Delta phi correlation is approximately symmetric about pi/2, and is consistent with a dominant cos2 Delta phi modulation for all Sigma E-T(Pb) ranges and particle p(T).

Regional climate modeling: Progress, challenges, and prospects

Abstract: Regional climate modeling with regional climate models (RCMs) has matured over the past decade and allows for meaningful utilization in a broad spectrum of applications. In this paper, latest progresses in regional climate modeling studies are reviewed, including RCM development, applications of RCMs to dynamical downscaling for climate change assessment, seasonal climate predictions and climate process studies, and the study of regional climate predictability. Challenges and potential directions of future research in this important area are discussed, with the focus on those to which less attention has been given previously, such as the importance of ensemble simulations, further development and improvement of regional climate modeling approach, modeling extreme climate events and sub-daily variation of clouds and precipitation, model evaluation and diagnostics, applications of RCMs to climate process studies and seasonal predictions, and development of regional earth system models. It is believed that with both the demonstrated credibility of RCMs’ capability in reproducing not only monthly to seasonal mean climate and interannual variability but also the extreme climate events when driven by good quality reanalysis and the continuous improvements in the skill of global general circulation models (GCMs) in simulating large-scale atmospheric circulation, regional climate modeling will remain an important dynamicalmore » downscaling tool for providing the needed information for assessing climate change impacts and seasonal climate predictions, and a powerful tool for improving our understanding of regional climate processes. An internationally coordinated effort can be developed with different focuses by different groups to advance regional climate modeling studies. It is also recognized that since the final quality of the results from nested RCMs depends in part on the realism of the large-scale forcing provided by GCMs, the reduction of errors and improvement in physics parameterizations in both GCMs and RCMs remain a priority for climate modeling community.« less