Verification of theoretical predictions of an oscillating behavior of the fine-structure constant alpha with cosmic time requires high precision Delta alpha/alpha measurements at individual redshifts, while in earlier studies the mean Delta alpha/alpha values averaged over wide redshift intervals were usually reported. This requirement can be met via the single ion differential alpha measurement (SIDAM) procedure proposed in Levshakov et al. (2005). We apply the SIDAM to the FeII lines associated with the damped Ly-alpha system observed at z=1.15 in the spectrum of HE0515-4414. The weighted mean calculated on base of carefully selected 34 FeII pairs 1608,X (X = 2344, 2374, and 2586 A) is = (-0.07+/-0.84) 10^-6 (1sigma C.L.). The precision of this estimate improves by a factor 2 the previous one reported for the same system by Quast et al. (2004). The obtained result represents an absolute improvement with respect to what has been done in the measurements of Delta alpha/alpha.

Aims. Verification the theoretical prediction of oscillation of the fine-structure constant α (≡e2/ c) over cosmic time requires high precision ∆α/α measurements at individual redshifts. In earlier studies the mean ∆α/α values averaged over wide redshift intervals were usually reported. This requirement can be met using the single ion differential α measurement (SIDAM) procedure. We apply SIDAM to the Fe ii lines associated with the damped Lyα system observed at zabs = 1.15 in the spectrum of HE 0515–4414. Methods. The spectrum was obtained by means of the UV-Visual Echelle Spectrograph (UVES) at the ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT). Results. The weighted mean 〈∆α/α〉 calculated using carefully selected 34 Fe ii pairs {λ1608, X} (X = 2344, 2374, and 2586 Å) is 〈∆α/α〉 = (−0.07 ± 0.84) × 10−6 (1σ C.L.). The precision of this estimate improves by a factor of 2 the previous one reported for the same system. The obtained result represents an absolute improvement with respect to what has been done in the measurements of ∆α/α .

ABSTRACT Chlamydiae are obligately intracellular pathogens which cause infections associated with a broad range of diseases in both livestock and humans. In addition, a large proportion of animals may become persistently infected asymptomatic carriers and serve as reservoirs for other animals which also shed these potential zoonotic pathogens. Reducing the chlamydial load of animals is therefore of major importance, and since large-scale antibiotic treatment is neither desired nor feasible, alternative means of prevention are needed. Here we performed a study comparing the efficacy of a probiotic strain of Enterococcus faecium on the reduction of both the rate of natural infection and the shedding of chlamydiae in swine. The presence of Chlamydiaceae was detected by species-specific PCR of fecal samples of sows taken at three times prior to the birth of piglets. Piglets delivered from chlamydia-positive sows in either the control or the probiotic group were also examined for the frequency of chlamydiae at various ages. Eighty-five percent of the piglets from the control group were found to be chlamydia positive, whereas chlamydiae were found in only 60% of piglets from the probiotic group, results confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization and immunohistology, which showed higher rates of infection in the control group. In addition to the reduced frequency of chlamydia-positive piglets in the probiotic group, the time of appearance of positive samples was delayed. To our knowledge, these data show for the first time that a probiotic strain of E. faecium can reduce the rate of carryover infections of piglets by obligate intracellular pathogens.

Verification of theoretical predictions of an oscillating behavior of the fine-structure constant, alpha, with cosmic time requires high precision measurements at individual redshifts, while in earlier studies the mean Delta alpha/alpha values averaged over wide redshift intervals were usually reported. This requirement can be met via the Single Ion Differential alpha Measurement (SIDAM) procedure. We apply SIDAM to the FeII lines associated with the damped Ly-alpha system observed at z=1.15 in the spectrum of HE0515-4414. The weighted mean calculated on base of carefully selected 34 FeII pairs is =(-0.07+/-0.84)10^-6. The precision of this estimate represents the absolute improvement with respect to what has been done in the measurements of Delta alpha/alpha.

Verification of theoretical predictions of an oscillating behavior of the fine-structure constant α (≡ e/h̄c) with cosmic time requires high precision ∆α/α measurements at individual redshifts, while in earlier studies the mean ∆α/α values averaged over wide redshift intervals were usually reported. This requirement can be met via the single ion differential α measurement (SIDAM) procedure proposed in Levshakov et al. (2005). We apply the SIDAM to the Fe ii lines associated with the damped Lyα system observed at zabs = 1.15 in the spectrum of HE 0515–4414. The weighted mean 〈∆α/α〉 calculated on base of carefully selected 34 Fe ii pairs {λ1608, X} (X = 2344, 2374, and 2586 Å) is 〈∆α/α〉 = (−0.07 ± 0.84) × 10 (1σ C.L.). The precision of this estimate improves by a factor 2 the previous one reported for the same system by Quast et al. (2004). The obtained result represents an absolute improvement with respect to what has been done in the measurements of ∆α/α .

Ropp 120 (restrictedly overexpressed proliferation-associated protein) is a cytoplasmic protein of 120 kDa that is significantly overexpressed in mitotic cells. Protein sequencing of the immunoaffinity purified 120-kDa protein showed it to be an as yet unknown protein. DNA sequencing revealed a cDNA sequence of 3419 bases, which includes the complete coding region of ropp120 of 2943 bases (981 amino acids). Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence showed that ropp 120 contains four WD repeats and a well-conserved consensus sequence of serine proteases. The gene encoding ropp120 (HGMW-approved gene symbol C2orf2) was assigned to chromosome 2p21-p22 by means of radiation hybrid and fluorescence in situ hybridization mapping.