Translocality and a Duality Principle in Generally Covariant Quantum Field Theory

It is argued that the formal rules of correspondence between local observation procedures and observables do not exhaust the entire physical content of generally covariant quantum field theory. This result is obtained by expressing the distinguishing features of the local kinematical structure of quantum field theory in the generally covariant context in terms of a translocal structure which carries the totality of the nonlocal kinematical informations in a local region. This gives rise to a duality principle at the dynamical level which emphasizes the significance of the underlying translocal structure for modelling a minimal algebra around a given point. We discuss the emergence of classical properties from this point of view.Comment: 12 pages. To appear in Classical Quantum Gravit

Duality, Time-asymmetry and the Condensation of Vacuum

A variant of the divergence theory for vacuum-condensation developed in a previous communication is analyzed from the viewpoint of a 'time' asymmetric law in vacuum. This law is found to establish a substantial distinction between dynamically allowed vacuum-configurations related by signature changing duality transformations.Comment: 6 pages, latex fil

Further supporting evidence for REEP1 phenotypic and allelic heterogeneity.

Heterozygous mutations in REEP1 (MIM #609139) encoding the receptor expression-enhancing protein 1 (REEP1) are a well-recognized and relatively frequent cause of autosomal dominant hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP), SPG31.1 REEP1 localizes in the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and facilitates ER-mitochondria interactions.2 In addition to the HSP phenotype, REEP1 has been associated with an autosomal dominant spinal type of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease in 2 families.3 More recently, a patient with homozygous REEP1 mutation with a much more severe phenotype akin to spinal muscular atrophy with respiratory distress type 1 (SMARD1) was reported.4 In this report, we present a patient with a homozygous mutation in REEP1 manifesting a severe congenital distal spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) with diaphragmatic paralysis, expanding the phenotype from mild autosomal dominant HSP through to severe recessive distal SMA pattern