Nonperturbative renomalization group for Einstein gravity with matter

we investigate the exact renormalization group (RG) in Einstein gravity coupled to N-component scalar field, working in the effective average action formalism and background field method. The truncated evolution equation is obtained for the Newtonian and cosmological constants. We have shown that screening or antiscreening behaviour of the gravitational coupling depends cricially on the choice of scalar-gravitational $\xi$ and the number of scalar fields.Comment: 7 pages, LaTeX, a few typos correcte

Evolving information systems: meeting the ever-changing environment

To meet the demands of organizations and their ever-changing environment, information systems are required which are able to evolve to the same extent as organizations do. Such a system has to support changes in all time-and application-dependent aspects. In this paper, requirements and a conceptual framework for evolving information systems are presented. This framework includes an architecture for such systems and a revision of the traditional notion of update. Based on this evolutionary notion of update (recording, correction and forgetting) a state transition-oriented model on three levels of abstraction (event level, recording level, correction level) is introduced. Examples are provided to illustrate the conceptual framework for evolving information systems

Quantum properties of general gauge theories with composite and external fields

The generating functionals of Green's functions with composite and external fields are considered in the framework of BV and BLT quantization methods for general gauge theories. The corresponding Ward identities are derived and the gauge dependence is investigatedComment: 24 pages, LATEX, slightly changed to clarify the essential new aspect concerning composite fields depending on external ones; added formulas showing lack of (generalized) nilpotence of operators appearing in the Ward identitie

Gauge Consistent Wilson Renormalization Group I: Abelian Case

A version of the Wilson Renormalization Group Equation consistent with gauge symmetry is presented. A perturbative renormalizability proof is established. A wilsonian derivation of the Callan-Symanzik equation is given.Comment: Latex2e, 39 pages, 3 eps figures. Revised version to appear in Int. J. Mod. Phy

Acuity, crowding, reading and fixation stability

AbstractPeople with age-related macular disease frequently experience reading difficulty that could be attributed to poor acuity, elevated crowding or unstable fixation associated with peripheral visual field dependence. We examine how the size, location, spacing and instability of retinal images affect the visibility of letters and words at different eccentricities. Fixation instability was simulated in normally sighted observers by randomly jittering single or crowded letters or words along a circular arc of fixed eccentricity. Visual performance was assessed at different levels of instability with forced choice measurements of acuity, crowding and reading speed in a rapid serial visual presentation paradigm. In the periphery: (1) acuity declined; (2) crowding increased for acuity- and eccentricity-corrected targets; and (3), the rate of reading fell with acuity-, crowding- and eccentricity-corrected targets. Acuity and crowding were unaffected by even high levels of image instability. However, reading speed decreased with image instability, even though the visibility of the component letters was unaffected. The results show that reading performance cannot be standardised across the visual field by correcting the size, spacing and eccentricity of letters or words. The results suggest that unstable fixation may contribute to reading difficulties in people with low vision and therefore that rehabilitation may benefit from fixation training

Determination of quantitative and site-specific DNA methylation of perforin by pyrosequencing

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Differential expression of perforin (<it>PRF1</it>), a gene with a pivotal role in immune surveillance, can be attributed to differential methylation of CpG sites in its promoter region. A reproducible method for quantitative and CpG site-specific determination of perforin methylation is required for molecular epidemiologic studies of chronic diseases with immune dysfunction.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>We developed a pyrosequencing based method to quantify site-specific methylation levels in 32 out of 34 CpG sites in the <it>PRF1 </it>promoter, and also compared methylation pattern in DNAs extracted from whole blood drawn into PAXgene blood DNA tubes (whole blood DNA) or DNA extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC DNA) from the same normal subjects. Sodium bisulfite treatment of DNA and touchdown PCR were highly reproducible (coefficient of variation 1.63 to 2.18%) to preserve methylation information. Application of optimized pyrosequencing protocol to whole blood DNA revealed that methylation level varied along the promoter in normal subjects with extremely high methylation (mean 86%; range 82–92%) in the distal enhancer region (CpG sites 1–10), a variable methylation (range 49%–83%) in the methylation sensitive region (CpG sites 11–17), and a progressively declining methylation level (range 12%–80%) in the proximal promoter region (CpG sites 18–32) of <it>PRF1</it>. This pattern of methylation remained the same between whole blood and PBMC DNAs, but the absolute values of methylation in 30 out of 32 CpG sites differed significantly, with higher values for all CpG sites in the whole blood DNA.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This reproducible, site-specific and quantitative method for methylation determination of <it>PRF1 </it>based on pyrosequencing without cloning is well suited for large-scale molecular epidemiologic studies of diseases with immune dysfunction. PBMC DNA may be better suited than whole blood DNA for examining methylation levels in genes associated with immune function.</p

Is Quantum Einstein Gravity Nonperturbatively Renormalizable?

We find considerable evidence supporting the conjecture that four-dimensional Quantum Einstein Gravity is ``asymptotically safe'' in Weinberg's sense. This would mean that the theory is likely to be nonperturbatively renormalizable and thus could be considered a fundamental (rather than merely effective) theory which is mathematically consistent and predictive down to arbitrarily small length scales. For a truncated version of the exact flow equation of the effective average action we establish the existence of a non-Gaussian renormalization group fixed point which is suitable for the construction of a nonperturbative infinite cutoff-limit. The truncation ansatz includes the Einstein-Hilbert action and a higher derivative term.Comment: 18 pages, latex, 3 figure