Predicting the conformations of peptides and proteins in early evolution. A review article submitted to Biology Direct

Considering that short, mainly heterochiral, polypeptides with a high glycine content are expected to have played a prominent role in evolution at the earliest stage of life before nucleic acids were available, we review recent knowledge about polypeptide three-dimensional structure to predict the types of conformations they would have adopted. The possible existence of such structures at this time leads to a consideration of their functional significance, and the consequences for the course of evolution

Renewal-anomalous-heterogeneous files

Renewal-anomalous-heterogeneous files are solved. A simple file is made of Brownian hard spheres that diffuse stochastically in an effective 1D channel. Generally, Brownian files are heterogeneous: the spheres' diffusion coefficients are distributed and the initial spheres' density is non-uniform. In renewal-anomalous files, the distribution of waiting times for individual jumps is exponential as in Brownian files, yet obeys: {\psi}_{\alpha} (t)~t^(-1-{\alpha}), 0<{\alpha}<1. The file is renewal as all the particles attempt to jump at the same time. It is shown that the mean square displacement (MSD) in a renewal-anomalous-heterogeneous file, , obeys, ~[_{nrml}]^{\alpha}, where _{nrml} is the MSD in the corresponding Brownian file. This scaling is an outcome of an exact relation (derived here) connecting probability density functions of Brownian files and renewal-anomalous files. It is also shown that non-renewal-anomalous files are slower than the corresponding renewal ones.Comment: Accepted for publication (August, 2010

Dielectron widths of the S-, D-vector bottomonium states

The dielectron widths of $\Upsilon(nS) (n=1,...,7)$ and vector decay constants are calculated using the Relativistic String Hamiltonian with a universal interaction. For $\Upsilon(nS) (n=1,2,3)$ the dielectron widths and their ratios are obtained in full agreement with the latest CLEO data. For $\Upsilon(10580)$ and $\Upsilon(11020)$ a good agreement with experiment is reached only if the 4S--3D mixing (with a mixing angle $\theta=27^\circ\pm 4^\circ$) and 6S--5D mixing (with $\theta=40^\circ\pm 5^\circ$) are taken into account. The possibility to observe higher "mixed $D$-wave" resonances, $\tilde\Upsilon(n {}^3D_1)$ with $n=3,4,5$ is discussed. In particular, $\tilde\Upsilon(\approx 11120)$, originating from the pure $5 {}^3D_1$ state, can acquire a rather large dielectron width, $\sim 130$ eV, so that this resonance may become manifest in the $e^+e^-$ experiments. On the contrary, the widths of pure $D$-wave states are very small, $\Gamma_{ee}(n{}^3 D_1) \leq 2$ eV.Comment: 13 pages, no figure

High-Latitude HI in the Low Surface Brightness Galaxy UGC7321

From the analysis of sensitive HI 21-cm line observations, we find evidence for vertically extended HI emission (|z|<~2.4 kpc) in the edge-on, low surface brightness spiral galaxy UGC7321. Three-dimensional modelling suggests that the HI disk of UGC7321 is both warped and flared, but that neither effect can fully reproduce the spatial distribution and kinematics of the highest z-height gas. We are able to model the high-latitude emission as an additional HI component in the form of a ``thick disk'' or ``halo'' with a FWHM~3.3 kpc. We find tentative evidence that the vertically extended gas declines in rotational velocity as a function of z, although we are unable to completely rule out models with constant V(z). In spite of the low star formation rate of UGC7321, energy from supernovae may be sufficient to sustain this high-latitude gas. However, alternative origins for this material, such as slow, sustained infall, cannot yet be excluded.Comment: to appear in the August 20 Astrophysical Journal; 17 pages; version with full resolution figures available at http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/~lmatthew

Regional marketing for organic retailers: Status quo and capabilities

The market for organic food is still growing. The entrance of conventional supermarkets as well as discounters into the market and the increase of organic supermarkets are responsible for the organic boom in Germany and more price competition. These developments raise the question of new competitive strategies for small and medium sized organic retailers. The combination of organic and regional marketing might provide an opportunity to render small organic shops more successful again. The following paper discusses the opportunities for regional organic marketing strategies. First, this contribution gives an impression of the current situation and problems in the organic food branch, before continuing with theoretical research concerned with regional marketing. In the conclusion, the authors will underline different aspects with the aid of empirical results

The Multiple Origin of Blue Straggler Stars: Theory vs. Observations

In this chapter we review the various suggested channels for the formation and evolution of blue straggler stars (BSSs) in different environments and their observational predictions. These include mass transfer during binary stellar evolution - case A/B/C and D (wind Roche-lobe overflow) mass transfer, stellar collisions during single and binary encounters in dense stellar cluster, and coupled dynamical and stellar evolution of triple systems. We also explore the importance of the BSS and binary dynamics in stellar clusters. We review the various observed properties of BSSs in different environments (halo and bulge BSSs, BSSs in globular clusters and BSSs in old open clusters), and compare the current observations with the theoretical predictions for BSS formation. We try to constrain the likely progenitors and processes that play a role in the formation of BSSs and their evolution. We find that multiple channels of BSS formation are likely to take part in producing the observed BSSs, and we point out the strengths and weaknesses of each the formation channel in respect to the observational constraints. Finally we point out directions to further explore the origin of BSS, and highlight eclipsing binary BSSs as important observational tool.Comment: Chapter 11, in Ecology of Blue Straggler Stars, H.M.J. Boffin, G. Carraro & G. Beccari (Eds), Astrophysics and Space Science Library, Springe

Baryon states with hidden charm in the extended local hidden gauge approach

The s-wave interaction of $\bar{D} \Lambda_c, \bar{D} \Sigma_c, \bar{D} \Lambda_c, \bar{D}{}^* \Sigma_c$ and $\bar{D}\Sigma^*_c, \bar{D}{}^*\Sigma^*_c$, is studied within a unitary coupled channels scheme with the extended local hidden gauge approach. In addition to the Weinberg-Tomozawa term, several additional diagrams via the pion-exchange are also taken into account as box potentials. Furthermore, in order to implement the full coupled channels calculation, some of the box potentials which mix the vector-baryon and pseudoscalar-baryon sectors are extended to construct the effective transition potentials. As a result, we have observed six possible states in several angular momenta. Four of them correspond to two pairs of admixture states, two of $\bar{D}\Sigma_c$ - $\bar{D}{}^*\Sigma_c$ with $J^P = 1/2^-$, and two of $\bar{D}\Sigma^*_c$ - $\bar{D}{}^*\Sigma^*_c$ with $J^P = 3/2^-$. Moreover, we find a $\bar{D}{}^* \Sigma_c$ resonance which couples to the $\bar{D}\Lambda_c$ channel and one spin degenerated bound state of $\bar{D}{}^*\Sigma^*_c$ with $J^P = 1/2^-, 5/2^-$.Comment: 24 pages, 6 figure