ТРИ ТЕОРЕТИКА БИОГРАФИИ: ВИНОКУР, ЛОТМАН, ДУБИН

The article compares theoretical works written at different times by three Russian scholars and focusing on the problem of biography as experience and text: Biography and Culture by Grigory Vinokur, "Literary Biography in Historical and Cultural Context" by Yuri Lotman and "Biography, Reputation, Questionnaire" by Boris Dubin. Biography, that is, the narrative textualization of an one’s life, presupposes a three-phase process: first, one lives his or her life in a special way, then society evaluates, “reads” this life as a coherent plot, and finally later (or modern) historians tell this life in a narrative form. Grigory Vinokur, later a well-known linguist, in 1927 published a small monograph Biography and Culture, where the problem indicated in the title is posed not in philological, but in philosophical terms, based on the recent phenomenological philosophy (Vinokur refers to Edmund Husserl and especially to Gustav Shpet, with whom he worked closely in those years). From an objective description of events, the author transfers attention to the personal experience lived out by the hero. Yuri Lotman in his article "Literary Biography in a Historical and Cultural Context" (1986) studies not the phenomenological, but the cultural and semiotic aspect of biography - the conditions under which someone's life, and especially creative life in literature, can become a subject of public attention and a story in which a writer becomes a "writer with a biography." Boris Dubin's article "Biography, Reputation, Questionnaire" (1995) notes the possibility of non-biographical forms of cultural integration of individual life experience: questionnaires (cf. Lotman's "track record") and reputation (generalized image of a given person). In such forms, one’s life is interpreted from the outside, from the point of view of administrative authorities or public opinion, and cannot unfold into a narrative. Dubin singles out some objective social factors that allow people to oppose themselves to the dominant social structures: unofficial, dissident communities, various types of ludic behavior that deny accepted norms in the very act of playing with them. The comparison of the three authors tends to show a continuity of ideas, and at the same time a methodological difference in their approaches, due to the disciplinary affiliation of the three scholars (respectively philosophical phenomenology, semiotics of culture, sociology of culture).В статье сопоставлены теоретические работы, созданные в разное время тремя русскими учеными и посвященные проблеме биографии как опыта и текста: «Биография и культура» Григория Винокура, «Литературная биография в историко-культурном контексте» Юрия Лотмана и «Биография, репутация, анкета» Бориса Дубина. Биография, то есть нарративная текстуализация жизни индивида, предполагает трехфазный процесс: сначала человек сам каким-то особым способом проживает свою жизнь, затем общество оценивает, «прочитывает» его жизнь как связный сюжет, и наконец позднейшие (или современные) историки излагают ту же жизнь в повествовательной форме. Григорий Винокур, впоследствии известный лингвист, в 1927 году опубликовал небольшую монографию «Биография и культура», где указанная в заглавии проблема поставлена не в филологическом, а в философском плане, с опорой на новейшую феноменологическую философию (Винокур ссылается на Эдмунда Гуссерля и особенно на Густава Шпета, с которым он близко сотрудничал в те годы). С объективного описания событий автор переносит внимание на личный опыт, переживаемый героем. Юрий Лотман в статье «Литературная биография в историко-культурном контексте» (1986) изучает не феноменологический, а культурно-семиотический аспект биографии – условия, при которых чья-то индивидуальная жизнь, и прежде всего творческая жизнь в литературе, может стать предметом общественного внимания и рассказа, при которых литератор становится «писателем с биографией». Статья Бориса Дубина «Биография, репутация, анкета» (1995) отмечает возможность других – не-биографических – форм культурной интеграции индивидуального жизненного опыта: анкеты (ср. «послужной список» у Лотмана) и репутации (обобщенного образа данного лица; ср. «образ» биографируемого лица по Винокуру). В таких формах жизнь человека осмысливается извне, с точки зрения административных инстанций или же общественного мнения, и не может развернуться в повествование. Дубин выделяет некоторые объективно-социальные факторы, позволяющие людям противопоставлять себя господствующим общественным структурам: неофициальные, диссидентские общности, в рамках которых утверждают себя их члены, различные виды игрового поведения, отрицающего принятые нормы в самом акте их обыгрывания. Сопоставление трех теоретиков призвано показать преемственность идей, а вместе с тем методологическое различие подходов, обусловленное дисциплинарной принадлежностью трех ученых (в данном случае это соответственно философская феноменология, семиотика культуры, социология культуры)

Solutions of the Ginsparg-Wilson Relation

We analyze general solutions of the Ginsparg-Wilson relation for lattice Dirac operators and formulate a necessary condition for such operators to have non-zero index in the topologically nontrivial background gauge fields.Comment: 6 pages, latex, no figures, set T to 1 in eqs. (10)--(13

Translation selectively destroys non-functional transcription complexes

Transcription elongation stalls at lesions in the DNA template(1). For the DNA lesion to be repaired, the stalled transcription elongation complex (EC) has to be removed from the damaged site(2). Here we show that translation, which is coupled to transcription in bacteria, actively dislodges stalled ECs from the damaged DNA template. By contrast, paused, but otherwise elongation-competent, ECs are not dislodged by the ribosome. Instead, they are helped back into processive elongation. We also show that the ribosome slows down when approaching paused, but not stalled, ECs. Our results indicate that coupled ribosomes functionally and kinetically discriminate between paused ECs and stalled ECs, ensuring the selective destruction of only the latter. This functional discrimination is controlled by the RNA polymerase\u27s catalytic domain, the Trigger Loop. We show that the transcription-coupled DNA repair helicase UvrD, proposed to cause backtracking of stalled ECs(3), does not interfere with ribosome-mediated dislodging. By contrast, the transcription-coupled DNA repair translocase Mfd(4) acts synergistically with translation, and dislodges stalled ECs that were not destroyed by the ribosome. We also show that a coupled ribosome efficiently destroys misincorporated ECs that can cause conflicts with replication(5). We propose that coupling to translation is an ancient and one of the main mechanisms of clearing non-functional ECs from the genome

Controlled interplay between trigger loop and Gre factor in the RNA polymerase active centre

The highly processive transcription by multi-subunit RNA polymerases (RNAP) can be interrupted by misincorporation or backtracking events that may stall transcription or lead to erroneous transcripts. Backtracked/misincorporated complexes can be resolved via hydrolysis of the transcript. Here, we show that, in response to misincorporation and/or backtracking, the catalytic domain of RNAP active centre, the trigger loop (TL), is substituted by transcription factor Gre. This substitution turns off the intrinsic TL-dependent hydrolytic activity of RNAP active centre, and exchanges it to a far more efficient Gre-dependent mechanism of RNA hydrolysis. Replacement of the TL by Gre factor occurs only in backtracked/misincorporated complexes, and not in correctly elongating complexes. This controlled switching of RNAP activities allows the processivity of elongation to be unaffected by the hydrolytic activity of Gre, while ensuring efficient proofreading of transcription and resolution of backtracked complexes

Разработка механизма формирования показателей качества продукции на предприятиях машиностроительного комплекса

В статті показана можливість прогнозування якості продукції на основі сучасних математичних методів. Стверджено, що підвищення якості продукції можливе лише за рахунок впровадження інтегрованих систем менеджменту. Запропоновано алгоритм формування показників якості продукції машинобудування.The article shows the way of product quality prediction based on modern mathematical methods. It states that product quality improvement can only be possible after the integrated management system implementation. It offers machine building production quality indexes forming algorithm.В статье показана возможность прогнозирования качества продукции на основании современных математических методов. Утверждается, что повышение качества продукции возможно лишь за счет внедрения интегрированных систем менеджмента. Предложен алгоритм формирования показателей качества машиностроительной продукции

Investigation of the Domain Wall Fermion Approach to Chiral Gauge Theories on the Lattice

We investigate a recent proposal to construct chiral gauge theories on the lattice using domain wall fermions. We restrict ourselves to the finite volume case, in which two domain walls are present, with modes of opposite chirality on each of them. We couple the chiral fermions on only one of the domain walls to a gauge field. In order to preserve gauge invariance, we have to add a scalar field, which gives rise to additional light mirror fermion and scalar modes. We argue that in an anomaly free model these extra modes would decouple if our model possesses a so-called strong coupling symmetric phase. However, our numerical results indicate that such a phase most probably does not exist. ---- Note: 9 Postscript figures are appended as uuencoded compressed tar file.Comment: 27p. Latex; UCSD/PTH 93-28, Wash. U. HEP/93-6

Evolving MRSA : high-level β-lactam resistance in Staphylococcus aureus is associated with RNA Polymerase alterations and fine tuning of gene expression

Most clinical MRSA (methicillin-resistant S. aureus) isolates exhibit low-level β-lactam resistance (oxacillin MIC 2–4 μg/ml) due to the acquisition of a novel penicillin binding protein (PBP2A), encoded by mecA. However, strains can evolve high-level resistance (oxacillin MIC ≥256 μg/ml) by an unknown mechanism. Here we have developed a robust system to explore the basis of the evolution of high-level resistance by inserting mecA into the chromosome of the methicillin-sensitive S. aureus SH1000. Low-level mecA-dependent oxacillin resistance was associated with increased expression of anaerobic respiratory and fermentative genes. High-level resistant derivatives had acquired mutations in either rpoB (RNA polymerase subunit β) or rpoC (RNA polymerase subunit β’) and these mutations were shown to be responsible for the observed resistance phenotype. Analysis of rpoB and rpoC mutants revealed decreased growth rates in the absence of antibiotic, and alterations to, transcription elongation. The rpoB and rpoC mutations resulted in decreased expression to parental levels, of anaerobic respiratory and fermentative genes and specific upregulation of 11 genes including mecA. There was however no direct correlation between resistance and the amount of PBP2A. A mutational analysis of the differentially expressed genes revealed that a member of the S. aureus Type VII secretion system is required for high level resistance. Interestingly, the genomes of two of the high level resistant evolved strains also contained missense mutations in this same locus. Finally, the set of genetically matched strains revealed that high level antibiotic resistance does not incur a significant fitness cost during pathogenesis. Our analysis demonstrates the complex interplay between antibiotic resistance mechanisms and core cell physiology, providing new insight into how such important resistance properties evolve

Phosphorylation decelerates conformational dynamics in bacterial translation elongation factors

Bacterial protein synthesis is intricately connected to metabolic rate. One of the ways in which bacteria respond to environmental stress is through posttranslational modifications of translation factors. Translation elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) is methylated and phosphorylated in response to nutrient starvation upon entering stationary phase, and its phosphorylation is a crucial step in the pathway toward sporulation. We analyze how phosphorylation leads to inactivation of Escherichia coli EF-Tu. We provide structural and biophysical evidence that phosphorylation of EF-Tu at T382 acts as an efficient switch that turns off protein synthesis by decoupling nucleotide binding from the EF-Tu conformational cycle. Direct modifications of the EF-Tu switch I region or modifications in other regions stabilizing the β-hairpin state of switch I result in an effective allosteric trap that restricts the normal dynamics of EF-Tu and enables the evasion of the control exerted by nucleotides on G proteins. These results highlight stabilization of a phosphorylation-induced conformational trap as an essential mechanism for phosphoregulation of bacterial translation and metabolism. We propose that this mechanism may lead to the multisite phosphorylation state observed during dormancy and stationary phase

БИОХИМИЧЕСКАЯ КОНВЕРСИЯ ПРИРОДНЫХ ЛИПИДОВ. ОБЗОР

The aspects of biochemical transformation of natural lipids of vegetable, fish, and animal origin are considered on the model of biotechnical aspects of triglyceride transformation into products of various purpose. The indicators of biological efficacy of fats are presented regarding the systematization by groups of polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids. Some features of simulation of natural processes of hydrolytic fat degradation into energy-intensive products are discussed. At the same time, aspects of fat intake and their biochemical transformation in food systems by human enzymes, and biochemical transformation of lipids in vitro in the presence of commercial enzyme preparations were studied. The aspects of free fatty acid transformation into esters are considered for justifying their use.Рассмотрены вопросы биохимической трансформации природных липидов растительного, рыбного и животного происхождения по примеру биотехнических аспектов превращения триглицеридов в продукты разнообразного назначения. Представлены показатели биологической эффективности жиров и масел, с точки зрения систематизации по группам полиненасыщенных, мононенасыщенных и насыщенных жирных кислот. Обсуждены некоторые особенности моделирования естественных процессов гидролитического распада жиров и масел в энергоемкие продукты. При этом изучены аспекты потребления жиров и  их биохимическая трансформация в пищеварительных системах под действием собственных ферментов человека и биохимическая конверсия липидов in vitro в присутствии коммерческих ферментных препаратов. Рассмотрены вопросы преобразования (конверсии) свободных жирных кислот в эфиры, для целесообразности обоснования их применения