419 research outputs found

    Non-Uniqueness of Quantized Yang-Mills Theories

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    We consider quantized Yang-Mills theories in the framework of causal perturbation theory which goes back to Epstein and Glaser. In this approach gauge invariance is expressed by a simple commutator relation for the S-matrix. The most general coupling which is gauge invariant in first order contains a two-parametric ambiguity in the ghost sector - a divergence- and a coboundary-coupling may be added. We prove (not completely) that the higher orders with these two additional couplings are gauge invariant, too. Moreover we show that the ambiguities of the n-point distributions restricted to the physical subspace are only a sum of divergences (in the sense of vector analysis). It turns out that the theory without divergence- and coboundary-coupling is the most simple one in a quite technical sense. The proofs for the n-point distributions containing coboundary-couplings are given up to third or fourth order only, whereas the statements about the divergence-coupling are proven in all orders.Comment: 22 pages. The paper is written in TEX. The necessary macros are include

    Endogenous Retroviruses Walk a Fine Line between Priming and Silencing

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    Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) in mammals are closely related to infectious retroviruses and utilize host tRNAs as a primer for reverse transcription and replication, a hallmark of long terminal repeat (LTR) retroelements. Their dependency on tRNA makes these elements vulnerable to targeting by small RNAs derived from the 3'-end of mature tRNAs (3'-tRFs), which are highly expressed during epigenetic reprogramming and potentially protect many tissues in eukaryotes. Here, we review some key functions of ERV reprogramming during mouse and human development and discuss how small RNA-mediated silencing maintains genome stability when ERVs are temporarily released from heterochromatin repression. In particular, we take a closer look at the tRNA primer binding sites (PBS) of two highly active ERV families in mice and their sequence variation that is shaped by the conflict of successful tRNA priming for replication versus evasion of silencing by 3'-tRFs

    Heterozygous, Polyploid, Giant Bacterium, Achromatium, Possesses an Identical Functional Inventory Worldwide across Drastically Different Ecosystems

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    Achromatium is large, hyperpolyploid and the only known heterozygous bacterium. Single cells contain approximately 300 different chromosomes with allelic diversity far exceeding that typically harbored by single bacteria genera. Surveying all publicly available sediment sequence archives, we show that Achromatium is common worldwide, spanning temperature, salinity, pH, and depth ranges normally resulting in bacterial speciation. Although saline and freshwater Achromatium spp. appear phylogenetically separated, the genus Achromatium contains a globally identical, complete functional inventory regardless of habitat. Achromatium spp. cells from differing ecosystems (e.g., from freshwater to saline) are, unexpectedly, equally functionally equipped but differ in gene expression patterns by transcribing only relevant genes. We suggest that environmental adaptation occurs by increasing the copy number of relevant genes across the cell’s hundreds of chromosomes, without losing irrelevant ones, thus maintaining the ability to survive in any ecosystem type. The functional versatility of Achromatium and its genomic features reveal alternative genetic and evolutionary mechanisms, expanding our understanding of the role and evolution of polyploidy in bacteria while challenging the bacterial species concept and drivers of bacterial speciation

    Massive gravity as a quantum gauge theory

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    We present a new point of view on the quantization of the massive gravitational field, namely we use exclusively the quantum framework of the second quantization. The Hilbert space of the many-gravitons system is a Fock space F+(Hgraviton){\cal F}^{+}({\sf H}_{\rm graviton}) where the one-particle Hilbert space Hgraviton{\sf H}_{graviton} carries the direct sum of two unitary irreducible representations of the Poincar\'e group corresponding to two particles of mass m>0m > 0 and spins 2 and 0, respectively. This Hilbert space is canonically isomorphic to a space of the type Ker(Q)/Im(Q)Ker(Q)/Im(Q) where QQ is a gauge charge defined in an extension of the Hilbert space Hgraviton{\cal H}_{\rm graviton} generated by the gravitational field hμνh_{\mu\nu} and some ghosts fields uμ,u~μu_{\mu}, \tilde{u}_{\mu} (which are vector Fermi fields) and vμv_{\mu} (which are vector field Bose fields.) Then we study the self interaction of massive gravity in the causal framework. We obtain a solution which goes smoothly to the zero-mass solution of linear quantum gravity up to a term depending on the bosonic ghost field. This solution depends on two real constants as it should be; these constants are related to the gravitational constant and the cosmological constant. In the second order of the perturbation theory we do not need a Higgs field, in sharp contrast to Yang-Mills theory.Comment: 35 pages, no figur

    Учет и контроль расчетов с дебиторами и кредиторами в ООО «Вектор»

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    Рассмотрены теоретические аспекты учета и контроля расчетов с дебиторами и кредиторами организации, основные определения, цели, задачи. Представлена краткая характеристика о предприятии ООО "Вектор", его видах деятельности, организационной структуре. Представлен подробный анализ предприятия ООО "Вектор" выявлены все слабые и сильные стороны. Представлены результаты проведенного исследования, а именно: предложения по совершенствованию учета и контроля расчетов с дебиторами и кредиторами.The theoretical aspects of accounting and control of settlements with debtors and creditors of the organization, the main definitions, goals, objectives are presented. A brief description of the enterprise “Vector”, its types of activities, organizational structure is presented. A detailed analysis of the enterprise “Vector” is presented. All weak and strong parties. The results of the study are presented, namely: proposals for improving the accounting and control of settlements with debtors and creditors

    Sugars dominate the seagrass rhizosphere

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    Seagrasses are among the most efficient sinks of carbon dioxide on Earth. While carbon sequestration in terrestrial plants is linked to the microorganisms living in their soils, the interactions of seagrasses with their rhizospheres are poorly understood. Here, we show that the seagrass, Posidonia oceanica excretes sugars, mainly sucrose, into its rhizosphere. These sugars accumulate to mu M concentrations-nearly 80 times higher than previously observed in marine environments. This finding is unexpected as sugars are readily consumed by microorganisms. Our experiments indicated that under low oxygen conditions, phenolic compounds from P. oceanica inhibited microbial consumption of sucrose. Analyses of the rhizosphere community revealed that many microbes had the genes for degrading sucrose but these were only expressed by a few taxa that also expressed genes for degrading phenolics. Given that we observed high sucrose concentrations underneath three other species of marine plants, we predict that the presence of plant-produced phenolics under low oxygen conditions allows the accumulation of labile molecules across aquatic rhizospheres. Seagrass meadows are important carbon sinks. Here, the authors show that organic carbon in the form of simple sugars can accumulate at high concentrations in seagrass rhizospheres because plant phenolic compounds inhibit their consumption by microorganisms

    Diverse tick-borne microorganisms identified in free-living ungulates in Slovakia

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    Background: Free-living ungulates are hosts of ixodid ticks and reservoirs of tick-borne microorganisms in central Europe and many regions around the world. Tissue samples and engorged ticks were obtained from roe deer, red deer, fallow deer, mouflon, and wild boar hunted in deciduous forests of south-western Slovakia. DNA isolated from these samples was screened for the presence of tick-borne microorganisms by PCR-based methods. Results: Ticks were found to infest all examined ungulate species. The principal infesting tick was Ixodes ricinus, identified on 90.4% of wildlife, and included all developmental stages. Larvae and nymphs of Haemaphysalis concinna were feeding on 9.6% of wildlife. Two specimens of Dermacentor reticulatus were also identified. Ungulates were positive for A. phagocytophilum and Theileria spp. Anaplasma phagocytophilum was found to infect 96.1% of cervids, 88.9% of mouflon, and 28.2% of wild boar, whereas Theileria spp. was detected only in cervids (94.6%). Importantly, a high rate of cervids (89%) showed mixed infections with both these microorganisms. In addition to A. phagocytophilum and Theileria spp., Rickettsia helvetica, R. monacensis, unidentified Rickettsia sp., Coxiella burnetii, "Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis", Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.) and Babesia venatorum were identified in engorged I. ricinus. Furthermore, A. phagocytophilum, Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. were detected in engorged H. concinna. Analysis of 16S rRNA and groEL gene sequences revealed the presence of five and two A. phagocytophilum variants, respectively, among which sequences identified in wild boar showed identity to the sequence of the causative agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA). Phylogenetic analysis of Theileria 18S rRNA gene sequences amplified from cervids and engorged I. ricinus ticks segregated jointly with sequences of T. capreoli isolates into a moderately supported monophyletic clade. Conclusions: The findings indicate that free-living ungulates are reservoirs for A. phagocytophilum and Theileria spp. and engorged ixodid ticks attached to ungulates are good sentinels for the presence of agents of public and veterinary concern. Further analyses of the A. phagocytophilum genetic variants and Theileria species and their associations with vector ticks and free-living ungulates are required.Fil: Kazimírová, Mária. Slovak Academy of Sciences. Institute of Zoology; EslovaquiaFil: Hamšíková, Zuzana. Slovak Academy of Sciences. Institute of Zoology; EslovaquiaFil: Spitalská, Eva. Slovak Academy of Sciences. Institute of Virology. Biomedical Research Center,; EslovaquiaFil: Minichová, Lenka. Slovak Academy of Sciences. Institute of Virology. Biomedical Research Center,; EslovaquiaFil: Mahríková, Lenka. Slovak Academy of Sciences. Institute of Zoology; EslovaquiaFil: Caban, Radoslav. Široká ; EslovaquiaFil: Sprong, Hein. National Institute for Public Health and Environment.Laboratory for Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology; Países BajosFil: Fonville, Manoj. National Institute for Public Health and Environment.Laboratory for Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology; Países BajosFil: Schnittger, Leonhard. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Patobiología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Kocianová, Elena. Slovak Academy of Sciences. Institute of Virology. Biomedical Research Center,; Eslovaqui

    Secondary education reform in Lesotho and Zimbabwe and the needs of rural girls: Pronouncements, policy and practice

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    Analysis of the educational needs of rural girls in Lesotho and Zimbabwe suggests a number of shortcomings in the current form of secondary education, and ways in which it might be modified so as to serve this sizeable group of students better. Several of the shortcomings, notably in relation to curricular irrelevance and excessive focus on examinations, have long been recognised, including by politicians. Yet political pronouncements are seldom translated into policy, and even where policy is formulated, reforms are seldom implemented in schools. This paper makes use of interviews with educational decision-makers in the two southern African countries and a range of documentary sources to explore why, despite the considerable differences between the two contexts, much needed educational reforms have been implemented in neither
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