H3+, the ideal probe for in situ measurement of the Galactic cosmic rays.

The reason why [Formula: see text] is an ideal probe for in situ measurement of cosmic ray energy density in the Galaxy is discussed. The variation of measured values of cosmic ray ionization rate ζ of H2 since the theoretical prediction by Spitzer & Tomasko (Spitzer & Tomasko 1968 Astrophys. J. 152, 971-986) is reviewed. How the measurements by [Formula: see text] established ζ as of the order of 10-17 s-1 for dense clouds, 10-16 s-1 for diffuse clouds in the Galactic disc, and 10-14 s-1 for warm and diffuse gas in the Galactic centre is discussed. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Advances in hydrogen molecular ions: H3+, H5+ and beyond'.

Interaction between Macrophages and Fibroblasts during Wound Healing of Burn Injuries in Rats.

Analysis of the structural changes and cell-to-cell interactions occurring during wound healing of burn injuries is essential to elucidate the morphological characteristics of the reconstitution of tissue architecture. However, conventional approaches do not provide sufficient information with respect to cell-to-cell interactions during wound healing. The aim of this study was to evaluate the interaction between bone marrow-derived cells and resident stromal cells throughout the wound healing of burn injuries, using immunohistochemistry and focused ion beam/scanning electron microscope tomography. We induced third-degree burn injuries on the backs of Wistar rats with a heated cylindrical aluminum block (2.0 cm in diameter). At 7 and 14 days after the burn injuries, the burned skin was immunostained with anti-Iba1 and anti-HSP47 antibodies for visualization of bone marrow-derived cells/macrophages and resident stromal cells/fibroblasts, respectively. Normal skin tissue was used as a control. Double-staining immunohistochemistry revealed frequent contacts between macrophages and fibroblasts and a higher contact ratio in the 3 normal skin compared with burned skin, particularly in the areas of granuloma. Three-dimensional ultrastructural analysis with focused ion beam/scanning electron microscope tomography revealed that macrophages and fibroblasts were located closer together in the normal skin than in the burned skin, confirming the analysis by light microscopic observations and ultrastructural analysis from single sections. These results highlight the importance of contact between macrophages and fibroblasts in the maintenance of skin tissue structure and during wound healing.

High-resolution near-infrared spectroscopy of CH2(+) and its deuterated isotopologues.

Aiming to provide approximate rotational constants for millimeter wave spectroscopists to identify the corresponding species in space, we have recorded the near-infrared spectra of the methylene cation CH2(+) and its deuterated isotopologues, CD2(+) and CHD+, using a high resolution and high sensitivity spectrometer. Detection of CH2(+) in space will shed light on interstellar chemistry as it is the intermediate between the abundant CH+ and yet to be observed CH3(+), which is important in the formation of larger organic molecules. CH2(+) and its deuterated isotopologues are also of special interest for theoretical studies because of their unique intramolecular dynamics, i.e., the Renner­Teller interaction and quasi-linearity. This paper will discuss several new bands of CH2(+), the Ã(0,5[11],0)0 ← X̃(0,0[0],0)1 and Ã(0,4[11],0)2 ← X̃(0,0[0],0)1 bands of CD2(+), which have been identified and analyzed, and the candidate lines for the Ã(0,4[10],0)1 ← X̃(0,0[1],0)0 band of CHD+, in comparison with the theoretical predictions by Bunker and colleagues.

Ortho-para mixing hyperfine interaction in the H2O+ ion and nuclear spin equilibration.

The ortho to para conversion of water ion, H2O(+), due to the interaction between the magnetic moments of the unpaired electron and protons has been theoretically studied to calculate the spontaneous emission lifetime between the ortho- and para-levels. The electron spin-nuclear spin interaction term, Tab(SaΔIb + SbΔIa) mixes ortho (I = 1) and para (I = 0) levels to cause the "forbidden" ortho to para |ΔI| = 1 transition. The mixing term with Tab = 72.0 MHz is 4 orders of magnitude higher for H2O(+) than for its neutral counterpart H2O where the magnetic field interacting with proton spins is by molecular rotation rather than the free electron. The resultant 10(8) increase of ortho to para conversion rate possibly makes the effect of conversion in H2O(+) measurable in laboratories and possibly explains the anomalous ortho to para ratio recently reported by Herschel heterodyne instrument for the far-infrared (HIFI) observation. Results of our calculations show that the ortho ↔ para mixings involving near-degenerate ortho and para levels are high (∼10(-3)), but they tend to occur at high energy levels, ∼300 K. Because of the rapid spontaneous emission, such high levels are not populated in diffuse clouds unless the radiative temperature of the environment is very high. The low-lying 101 (para) and 111 (ortho) levels of H2O(+) are mixed by ∼10(-4) making the spontaneous emission lifetime for the para 101 → ortho 000 transition 520 years and 5200 years depending on the F value of the hyperfine structure. Thus the ortho ↔ para conversion due to the unpaired electron is not likely to seriously affect thermalization of interstellar H2O(+) unless either the radiative temperature is very high or number density of the cloud is very low.

Hot band spectroscopy of the formyl cation, H12C16O+.

Midinfrared spectra of the formyl cation, HCO(+), were recorded by direct absorption in a glow discharge (composition CO, 50 mTorr; H2, 50 mTorr; He, 7 Torr) using a color center laser spectrometer and velocity modulation with heterodyne detection. The bands measured were 10(0)0-00(0)0, 11(1)0-01(1)0, 12(0)0-02(0)0, 12(2)0-02(2)0, 10(0)1-00(0)1, 11(1)1-01(1)1, 20(0)0-10(0)0, and 10(0)2-00(0)2. These bands were analyzed and fitted together with all other available rotationally resolved spectra to arrive at a new set of spectroscopic constants for HCO(+). The relative intensities were fit to obtain a rotational temperature, Trot = 434 ± 7 K, and vibrational temperatures for each mode, T1 = 3300 ± 240 K, T2 = 841 ± 15 K, and T3 = 3157 ± 68 K.

Chemistry, astronomy and physics of H3+.

The great developments in the chemistry, astronomy and physics of H(3)(+) since 2006, which have led to this Royal Society Theo Murphy Meeting, are reviewed.

Spectroscopy and astronomy: H3+ from the laboratory to the Galactic center.

Since the serendipitous discovery of the Fraunhofer spectrum in the Sun in 1814 which initiated spectroscopy and astrophysics, spectroscopy developed hand in hand with astronomy. I discuss my own work on the infrared spectrum of H3+ from its discovery in the laboratory in 1980, in interstellar space in 1996, to recent studies in the Galactic center as an example of astronomical spectroscopy. Its spin-off, the spectroscopy of simple molecular ions, is also briefly discussed.

Deviated VH4 immunoglobulin gene usage is found among thyroid mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphomas, similar to the usage at other sites, but is not found in thyroid diffuse large B-cell lymphomas.

It remains unclear whether or not diffuse large B-cell lymphomas of extranodal sites arise from mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphomas. We studied the clinicopathological features of MALT lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in the thyroid gland, with special reference to VH usage of immunoglobulin gene rearrangement, to clarify the relationships between these two types of lymphomas. In addition, t(11; 18) (q21; q21) translocation was examined by multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. We examined 58 patients with primary thyroid lymphoma: 31 (male seven and female 24) with MALT lymphoma and 27 (male three and female 24) with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Interestingly, the sequence of VH genes revealed that the two subtypes differed significantly in their use of the VH4 family (P < 0.05). Of the seven MALT lymphomas, three used the VH4 family and the other four used the VH3 family, whereas eight out of nine diffuse large B-cell lymphoma used the VH3 family, one used the VH1 family, and none used the VH4 family. It was also interesting that, in one diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patient with MALT lymphoma, the diffuse large B-cell lymphoma component used the VH3 family and the MALT lymphoma component used the VH4 family. These data imply that, in a subset of cases, these two subtypes do not share a common origin and that at least some diffuse large B-cell lymphomas have a de novo origin. No t(11; 18) (q21; q21) was detected in thyroid lymphomas, which are different from MALT lymphoma of the stomach, lungs, large intestine and ocular adnexa. This strongly indicated that the presence of t(11; 18) (q21; q21) in MALT lymphoma is organ-specific.

Interstellar H(3)(+).

Protonated molecular hydrogen, H(3)(+), is the simplest polyatomic molecule. It is the most abundantly produced interstellar molecule, next only to H(2), although its steady state concentration is low because of its extremely high chemical reactivity. H(3)(+) is a strong acid (proton donor) and initiates chains of ion-molecule reactions in interstellar space thus leading to formation of complex molecules. Here, I summarize the understandings on this fundamental species in interstellar space obtained from our infrared observations since its discovery in 1996 and discuss the recent observations and analyses of H(3)(+) in the Central Molecular Zone near the Galatic center that led to a revelation of a vast amount of warm and diffuse gas existing in the region.

High-resolution spectroscopy of the 2(2)Piu<--X4Sigmag- forbidden transitions of C2+.

The electronic absorption spectrum of the (0,2), (1,3), and (6,9) bands of the B4Sigmau(-)-X4Sigmag- system of C2+ was obtained using the velocity modulation technique in conjunction with heterodyne detection. The rotationally resolved spectrum shows perturbations, which are attributed to the 2(2)Piu state. The mixing between the B4Sigmau- state and the 2(2)Piu state for nearly degenerate levels generated enough intensity borrowing to observe twenty 2(2)Piu<--X4Sigmag- forbidden transitions. The parameters of a model Hamiltonian were fit to the bands and their corresponding forbidden transitions. Line position measurements, line strength factors, and expectation values for the orbital angular momentum Lambda' for the forbidden transitions are reported. Molecular parameters from the global fit of each band, including their corresponding forbidden transitions, are reported.

Near-infrared electronic spectrum of CH2+.

Four vibronic bands of the A 2B1(Piu)<--X 2A1 electronic transition of CH2+ have been observed in the near infrared from approximately 11,000-13,000 cm(-1) using a highly sensitive spectrometer based on a Ti:sapphire laser and a positive column plasma. The two states are derived from the lowest 2Piu state of the linear conformation as a result of a strong Renner-Teller effect. As expected, the rovibronic structure of the CH2+ spectrum is very similar to that of the isoelectronic BH2 radical reported by Herzberg and Johns. Results of a preliminary analysis are given in which the rotational structures of the two states are treated independently, the ground state as a near-prolate asymmetric rotor and the excited state as a linear molecule.

Detection of micrometastatic tumor cells in pN0 lymph nodes of patients with completely resected nonsmall cell lung cancer: impact on recurrence and Survival.

OBJECTIVE: To detect occult micrometastatic tumor cells in pN0 lymph nodes of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by a combination of cytokeratin and p53 immunohistochemistry staining, and to evaluate the relation between the micrometastasis in pN0 lymph nodes and the prognosis of patients with completely resected stage 1 NSCLC. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: The average 5-year survival rate for patients with completely resected stage 1 NSCLC is only about 70%; thus, about 30% of these patients have recurrent disease. This suggests that occult micrometastasis may exist at the time of surgery; the rate is clearly underestimated by current clinical staging examinations and conventional histopathologic methods. METHODS: A total of 474 hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes were removed during surgery from 49 patients with completely resected stage 1 NSCLC. The lymph nodes analyzed for micrometastasis using immunohistochemical staining with the biclonal anticytokeratin antibody, AE1/AE3. Of these 474 lymph nodes from 49 patients, 263 lymph nodes from 25 patients, whose primary tumors were positive for the p53 protein, were subjected to immunohistochemical staining with the monoclonal anti-p53 protein antibody DO-1. RESULTS: Cells positive for cytokeratin and p53 protein were found in 35 (7.4%) of 474 and 20 (7.6%) of 263 lymph nodes, respectively; 17 (34.7%) of 49 patients had cytokeratin-positive cells and 10 (40.0%) of 25 patients had p53-positive cells in their pN0 lymph nodes. By a combination of cytokeratin and p53 protein immunohistochemical staining, micrometastatic tumor cells were identified in pN0 lymph nodes in 22 (44.9%) of 49 patients. The patients with lymph node micrometastasis identified by a combination of cytokeratin and p53 protein immunohistochemical staining had a poorer prognosis than those without micrometastasis on both univariate and multivariate analyses (overall survival, P =.0003 and 0.013, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The detection of lymph nodal micrometastasis by cytokeratin and p53 protein immunohistochemical staining will be helpful to predict the recurrence and prognosis of patients with completely resected stage 1 NSCLC.