222 research outputs found
Homology of Distributive Lattices
We outline the theory of sets with distributive operations: multishelves and
multispindles, with examples provided by semi-lattices, lattices and skew
lattices. For every such a structure we define multi-term distributive homology
and show some of its properties. The main result is a complete formula for the
homology of a finite distributive lattice. We also indicate the answer for
unital spindles and conjecture the general formula for semi-lattices and some
skew lattices. Then we propose a generalization of a lattice as a set with a
number of idempotent operations satisfying the absorption law.Comment: 30 pages, 3 tables, 3 figure
Knot Theory: from Fox 3-colorings of links to Yang-Baxter homology and Khovanov homology
This paper is an extended account of my "Introductory Plenary talk at Knots
in Hellas 2016" conference We start from the short introduction to Knot Theory
from the historical perspective, starting from Heraclas text (the first century
AD), mentioning R.Llull (1232-1315), A.Kircher (1602-1680), Leibniz idea of
Geometria Situs (1679), and J.B.Listing (student of Gauss) work of 1847. We
spend some space on Ralph H. Fox (1913-1973) elementary introduction to diagram
colorings (1956). In the second section we describe how Fox work was
generalized to distributive colorings (racks and quandles) and eventually in
the work of Jones and Turaev to link invariants via Yang-Baxter operators, here
the importance of statistical mechanics to topology will be mentioned. Finally
we describe recent developments which started with Mikhail Khovanov work on
categorification of the Jones polynomial. By analogy to Khovanov homology we
build homology of distributive structures (including homology of Fox colorings)
and generalize it to homology of Yang-Baxter operators. We speculate, with
supporting evidence, on co-cycle invariants of knots coming from Yang-Baxter
homology. Here the work of Fenn-Rourke-Sanderson (geometric realization of
pre-cubic sets of link diagrams) and Carter-Kamada-Saito (co-cycle invariants
of links) will be discussed and expanded.
Dedicated to Lou Kauffman for his 70th birthday.Comment: 35 pages, 31 figures, for Knots in Hellas II Proceedings, Springer,
part of the series Proceedings in Mathematics & Statistics (PROMS
Cosmos 2044
The effects of microgravity and hind limb suspension on the enzyme patterns are assessed within a slow twitch muscle (soleus) and a fast twitch muscle (tibialis anterior). Studies were made on 95 soleus fibers and about 300 tibialis anterior (TA) fibers. Over 2200 individual enzyme measurements were made. Six key metabolic enzymes (hexokinase, pyruvate kinease, citrate kinase, beta-hydroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase, glucose-6-P dehydrogenase, and aspartate aminotransferase) plus glutaminase and glutamate decarboxylase, as well as glutamate, aspartate, and GABA, were measured in 11 regions of the hippocampal formation of synchronous, flight, and tail suspension rats. Major differences were observed in the normal distribution of each enzyme and amine acid, but no substantive effects of either microgravity or tail suspension on these patterns were clearly demonstrated
Quantum Mechanics of Yano tensors: Dirac equation in curved spacetime
In spacetimes admitting Yano tensors the classical theory of the spinning
particle possesses enhanced worldline supersymmetry. Quantum mechanically
generators of extra supersymmetries correspond to operators that in the
classical limit commute with the Dirac operator and generate conserved
quantities. We show that the result is preserved in the full quantum theory,
that is, Yano symmetries are not anomalous. This was known for Yano tensors of
rank two, but our main result is to show that it extends to Yano tensors of
arbitrary rank. We also describe the conformal Yano equation and show that is
invariant under Hodge duality. There is a natural relationship between Yano
tensors and supergravity theories. As the simplest possible example, we show
that when the spacetime admits a Killing spinor then this generates Yano and
conformal Yano tensors. As an application, we construct Yano tensors on
maximally symmetric spaces: they are spanned by tensor products of Killing
vectors.Comment: 1+32 pages, no figures. Accepted for publication on Classical and
Quantum Gravity. New title and abstract. Some material has been moved to the
Appendix. Concrete formulas for Yano tensors on some special holonomy
manifolds have been provided. Some corrections included, bibliography
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Topological Defects and Cosmology
Many particle physics models of matter admit solutions corresponding to
stable or long-lived topological defects. In the context of standard cosmology
it is then unavoidable that such defects will form during phase transitions in
the very early Universe. Certain types of defects lead to disastrous
consequences for cosmology, others may play a useful role, as possible seeds
for the formation of structure in the Universe, or in mediating baryon number
violating processes. In all cases, topological defects lead to a fruitful
interplay between particle physics and cosmology.Comment: 17 pages, no figures; Invited lectures at WHEPP-5, IUCAA, Pune,
India, Jan. 12 - 26 199
Novel mutations in human and mouse SCN4A implicate AMPK in myotonia and periodic paralysis
Mutations in the skeletal muscle channel (SCN4A), encoding the Nav1.4 voltage-gated sodium channel, are causative of a variety of muscle channelopathies, including non-dystrophic myotonias and periodic paralysis. The effects of many of these mutations on channel function have been characterized both in vitro and in vivo. However, little is known about the consequences of SCN4A mutations downstream from their impact on the electrophysiology of the Nav1.4 channel. Here we report the discovery of a novel SCN4A mutation (c.1762A>G; p.I588V) in a patient with myotonia and periodic paralysis, located within the S1 segment of the second domain of the Nav1.4 channel. Using N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea mutagenesis, we generated and characterized a mouse model (named draggen), carrying the equivalent point mutation (c.1744A>G; p.I582V) to that found in the patient with periodic paralysis and myotonia. Draggen mice have myotonia and suffer from intermittent hind-limb immobility attacks. In-depth characterization of draggen mice uncovered novel systemic metabolic abnormalities in Scn4a mouse models and provided novel insights into disease mechanisms. We discovered metabolic alterations leading to lean mice, as well as abnormal AMP-activated protein kinase activation, which were associated with the immobility attacks and may provide a novel potential therapeutic target
Beyond altruism: British football and charity, 1877-1914
Football charity matches and tournaments played a significant part in the development of the sport in Britain, overlapping the era of friendly games and the advent of competitive leagues. The football community prided itself on its contributions to charity, raising more money than any other sport before 1914, and stakeholders within the game – associations, clubs, players and patrons – gained considerable kudos for this perceived altruism. However, this paper will demonstrate that amounts donated, though welcome, were relatively minor sources of revenue for both institutions and individuals, and that the charity match became less important to clubs in a professional, and increasingly commercial, era
Embodied Emotion Modulates Neural Signature of Performance Monitoring
BACKGROUND:Recent research on the "embodiment of emotion" implies that experiencing an emotion may involve perceptual, somatovisceral, and motor feedback aspects. For example, manipulations of facial expression and posture appear to induce emotional states and influence how affective information is processed. The present study investigates whether performance monitoring, a cognitive process known to be under heavy control of the dopaminergic system, is modulated by induced facial expressions. In particular, we focused on the error-related negativity, an electrophysiological correlate of performance monitoring. METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:During a choice reaction task, participants held a Chinese chop stick either horizontally between the teeth ("smile" condition) or, in different runs, vertically ("no smile") with the upper lip. In a third control condition, no chop stick was used ("no stick"). It could be shown on a separate sample that the facial feedback procedure is feasible to induce mild changes in positive affect. In the ERP sample, the smile condition, hypothesized to lead to an increase in dopaminergic activity, was associated with a decrease of ERN amplitude relative to "no smile" and "no stick" conditions. CONCLUSION:Embodying emotions by induced facial expressions leads to a changes in the neural correlates of error detection. We suggest that this is due to the joint influence of the dopaminergic system on positive affect and performance monitoring
Submicron Structures Technology and Research
Contains reports on fifteen research projects.Joint Services Electronics Program (Contract DAALO3-86-K-0002)National Science Foundation (Grant ECS 87-09806)Semiconductor Research Corporation (Contract 87-SP-080)National Science Foundation (Grant ECS 85-03443)U.S. Air Force - Office of Scientific Research (Grant AFOSR 85-0376)National Science Foundation (Grant ECS 85-06565)U.S. Air Force - Office of Scientific Research (Grant AFOSR 85-0154)Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (Subcontract 2069209)National Aeronautics and Space Adminstration (Grant NGL22-009-683)Collaboration with KMS Fusion, Inc
Targeting of highly conserved Dengue virus sequences with anti-Dengue virus trans-splicing group I introns
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Dengue viruses (DENV) are one of the most important viral diseases in the world with approximately 100 million infections and 200,000 deaths each year. The current lack of an approved tetravalent vaccine and ineffective insecticide control measures warrant a search for alternatives to effectively combat DENV. The <it>trans</it>-splicing variant of the <it>Tetrahymena thermophila </it>group I intron catalytic RNA, or ribozyme, is a powerful tool for post-transcriptional RNA modification. The nature of the ribozyme and the predictability with which it can be directed makes it a powerful tool for modifying RNA in nearly any cell type without the need for genome-altering gene therapy techniques or dependence on native cofactors.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Several anti-DENV Group I <it>trans</it>-splicing introns (αDENV-GrpIs) were designed and tested for their ability to target DENV-2 NGC genomes <it>in situ</it>. We have successfully targeted two different uracil bases on the positive sense genomic strand within the highly conserved 5'-3' cyclization sequence (CS) region common to all serotypes of DENV with our αDENV-GrpIs. Our ribozymes have demonstrated ability to specifically <it>trans</it>-splice a new RNA sequence downstream of the targeted site <it>in vitro </it>and in transfected insect cells as analyzed by firefly luciferase and RT-PCR assays. The effectiveness of these αDENV-GrpIs to target infecting DENV genomes is also validated in transfected or transformed Aedes mosquito cell lines upon infection with unattenuated DENV-2 NGC.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Analysis shows that our αDENV-GrpIs have the ability to effectively <it>trans</it>-splice the DENV genome <it>in situ</it>. Notably, these results show that the αDENV-GrpI 9v1, designed to be active against all forms of Dengue virus, effectively targeted the DENV-2 NGC genome in a sequence specific manner. These novel αDENV-GrpI introns provide a striking alternative to other RNA based approaches for the transgenic suppression of DENV in transformed mosquito cells and tissues.</p
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