The Isometries of Low-Energy Heterotic M-Theory

We study the effective D=4, N=1 supergravity description of five-dimensional heterotic M-theory in the presence of an M5 brane, and derive the Killing vectors and isometry group for the Kahler moduli-space metric. The group is found to be a non-semisimple maximal parabolic subgroup of Sp(4,R), containing a non-trivial SL(2,R) factor. The underlying moduli-space is then naturally realised as the group space Sp(4,R)/U(2), but equipped with a nonhomogeneous metric that is invariant only under that maximal parabolic group. This nonhomogeneous metric space can also be derived via field truncations and identifications performed on Sp(8,R)/U(4) with its standard homogeneous metric. In a companion paper we use these symmetries to derive new cosmological solutions from known ones.Comment: 11 pages, 1 table; two foonotes added, minor corrections to conten

Composites en matières premières renouvelables et leurs procédés

National audienceThe development of new bio-based composites and efficient manufacturing methods that are suitable for series processing is the purpose of the current sub-project C4 of the Excellence Cluster MERGE, sponsored by DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft). Two different types of materials are combined: bio-based thermoplastic biopolymers such as bio-polyethylene (BioPE) or bio-polyamides (BioPA) and renewable reinforcing materials such as thin wood veneer or unidirectional flax fibers. To achieve a high-efficiency in terms of mass-production, reproducibility and flexibility, it is required to overlap several steps in the realization of semi-finished and final products. The improvement of the adhesion at the interface of the components, the implementation of continuous processes in order to increase energetically the yielding and the final design, through several methods, for the future potential applications are so many perspectives to achieve. MOTS-CLÉS : polymère bio-basé thermoplastique; renforcement naturel (Lin ou placage en bois) ; Amélioration de l'adhésion à l'interface matrice/renforcement ; Procédés plastic/textile continu ; Application dans l'automobile et équipement sportifsLe développement de matériaux bio-basés et de méthodes efficaces de mise en forme, adaptable à la production en série, est le but de l'actuel sous-projet C4 du programme d'excellence MERGE financé par la DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft). Ainsi, deux types de matériaux sont combinés : Des polymères bio-ressourcés thermoplastiques tels que bio-polyéthylène (BioPE) ou bio-polyamide (BioPA) et des matériaux de renforcements renouvelables tels que le placage en bois ou des fibres de lin unidirectionnelles continues. Pour atteindre un haut rendement en termes de production en masse, de reproductibilité et de flexibilité, il est requis de suivre plusieurs étapes dans la réalisation de produits semi-finis et finis. L'amélioration de l'adhésion à l'interface des composantes, la mise en place de procédés continus afin d'augmenter leur rendement, et la mise en forme finale, par diverses méthodes, pour des futures potentiels applications sont autant d'objectifs à atteindre

Global Symmetries in the Antifield-Formalism

In this paper, two things are done. (i) First, it is shown that any global symmetry of a gauge-invariant theory can be extended to the ghosts and the antifields so as to leave invariant the solution of the master-equation (before gauge fixing). (ii) Second, it is proved that the incorporation of the rigid symmetries to the solution of the master-equation through the introduction of a constant ghost for each global symmetry can be obstructed already at the classical level whenever the theory possesses higher order conservation laws. Explicit examples are given.Comment: 12 pages, no figures, late

Dual targeting of isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase in Trypanosoma brucei is mediated through alternative trans-splicing

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases catalyze the aminoacylation of tRNAs with their cognate amino acids. They are an essential part of each translation system and in eukaryotes are therefore found in both the cytosol and mitochondria. Thus, eukaryotes either have two distinct genes encoding the cytosolic and mitochondrial isoforms of each of these enzymes or a single gene encoding dually localized products. Trypanosomes require trans-splicing of a cap containing leader sequence onto the 5′-untranslated region of every mRNA. Recently we speculated that alternative trans-splicing could lead to the expression of proteins having amino-termini of different lengths that derive from the same gene. We now demonstrate that alternative trans-splicing, creating a long and a short spliced variant, is the mechanism for dual localization of trypanosomal isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase (IleRS). The protein product of the longer spliced variant possesses an amino-terminal presequence and is found exclusively in mitochondria. In contrast, the shorter spliced variant is translated to a cytosol-specific isoform lacking the presequence. Furthermore, we show that RNA stability is one mechanism determining the differential abundance of the two spliced isoforms

tRNASec is transcribed by RNA polymerase II in Trypanosoma brucei but not in humans

Nuclear-encoded tRNAs are universally transcribed by RNA polymerase III (Pol-III) and contain intragenic promoters. Transcription of vertebrate tRNASec however requires extragenic promoters similar to Pol-III transcribed U6 snRNA. Here, we present a comparative analysis of tRNASec transcription in humans and the parasitic protozoa Trypanosoma brucei, two evolutionary highly diverged eukaryotes. RNAi-mediated ablation of Pol-II and Pol-III as well as oligo-dT induced transcription termination show that the human tRNASec is a Pol-III transcript. In T. brucei protein-coding genes are polycistronically transcribed by Pol-II and processed by trans-splicing and polyadenylation. tRNA genes are generally clustered in between polycistrons. However, the trypanosomal tRNASec genes are embedded within a polycistron. Their transcription is sensitive to α-amanitin and RNAi-mediated ablation of Pol-II, but not of Pol-III. Ectopic expression of the tRNASec outside but not inside a polycistron requires an added external promoter. These experiments demonstrate that trypanosomal tRNASec, in contrast to its human counterpart, is transcribed by Pol-II. Synteny analysis shows that in trypanosomatids the tRNASec gene can be found in two different polycistrons, suggesting that it has evolved twice independently. Moreover, intron-encoded tRNAs are present in a number of eukaryotic genomes indicating that Pol-II transcription of tRNAs may not be restricted to trypanosomatids

QCD Corrections to Spin Dependent Drell-Yan and a Global Subtraction Scheme

We present QCD corrections to the Drell-Yan process in the transversely polarized, longitudinally polarized and unpolarized cases. The analytical results are presented in a form valid for all $n$-dimensional regularization schemes. A universal mass factorization scheme is presented in which the results reduce to those of dimensional reduction. The connection between the parton distributions and fragmentation functions of dimensional reduction and those of dimensional regularization is elucidated in a simple manner. Numerical results are presented for proton-proton collisions at energies relevant to RHIC (Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider). The perturbative stability of the transverse and longitudinal asymmetries is investigated.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures in 1 postscript fil