Aspects of AdS flux vacua with integer conformal dimensions

The DGKT vacua are a class of AdS$_4$ flux vacua showing full moduli stabilization, parametric control, and a parametric separation of scales. The particular masses of the moduli remarkably give rise to integer conformal dimensions in the light spectrum of the would-be holographic duals. In this note, we comment on two properties for AdS flux vacua with integer conformal dimensions. First, there are polynomial spacetime-dependent shift symmetries for the moduli. Secondly, the leading scalings of the central charge and the moduli can be directly deduced from the near-horizon geometry of stacks of orthogonally-intersecting D-brane domain walls dual to the unbounded fluxes. We illustrate this in a couple of examples of AdS$_4$ and AdS$_3$ parametric flux vacua.Comment: 16 page

Integer conformal dimensions for type IIa flux vacua

We give a concise argument that supersymmetric anti–de Sitter type IIA DeWolfe-Giryavets-Kachru-Taylor flux vacua on general Calabi-Yau’s have, interpreted holographically, integer conformal dimensions for low-lying scalar primaries in the dual conformal field theory. These integers are independent of any compactification details, such as the background fluxes or triple intersection numbers of the compact manifold. For the Kähler moduli and dilaton, there is one operator with Δ=10 and h1,1− operators with Δ=6, whereas the corresponding axions have Δ=11 and Δ=5. For the complex structure moduli, the h2,1 saxions have Δ=2, and the axions Δ=3. We give a tentative discussion of the origin of these integers and effects that would modify these results

Comments on classical AdS flux vacua with scale separation

AdS flux vacua with a parametric separation between the AdS and KK scales have been conjectured to be in the Swampland. We study flux compactifications of massive IIA supergravity with O6 planes which are claimed to allow moduli-stabilised and scale separated AdS$_3$ and AdS$_4$ vacua at arbitrary weak coupling and large volume. A recent refinement of the AdS Distance Conjecture is shown to be inconsistent with the class of AdS$_3$ vacua because the requisite discrete higher form symmetries are absent. We further perform a tree-level study of non-perturbative decays for the nonsupersymmetric versions of the AdS$_3$ solutions, and find that the vacua are stable within this approximation. Finally, we provide an initial investigation of the would-be dual CFT$_2$'s and CFT$_3$'s. We study roughly a dozen different models and find for all AdS$_4$ DGKT-type vacua that the dual operators to the lightest scalars have integer dimensions. For the putative CFT$_2$ dual theories of the AdS$_3$ vacua we find no integer dimensions for the operators.Comment: 22 pages, 1 Figur

Kination, meet Kasner: on the asymptotic cosmology of string compactifications

Abstract We study runaway, kination-dominated epochs in string cosmology. We show how the apparent classical decompactification runaway of the volume modulus, described by a kination epoch in the 4-dimensional EFT, can be uplifted to a classical Kasner solution in 10d in which the non-compact dimensions collapse towards a Big Crunch. This can also be generalised for arbitrary spacetime and compactification dimensions. We conclude with some comments on how this picture is modified by quantum effects, and the need for both dynamical and kinematical Swampland constraints

Characteristics of confirmed mpox cases among clinical suspects: A prospective single-centre study in Belgium during the 2022 outbreak

Background: The presentation of mpox clade IIb during the 2022 outbreak overlaps with a range of other diseases. Understanding the factors associated with mpox is important for clinical decision making. Methods: We described the characteristics of mpox patients who sought care at Belgian sexual health clinic. Furthermore we compared their characteristics to those of patients with a clinical suspicion of mpox but who tested negative on polymerase chain reaction. Results: Between May 23 and September 20, 2022, 155 patients were diagnosed with mpox, and 51 patients with suspected symptoms tested negative. All mpox patients self-identified as men and 148/155 (95.5%) as gay or bisexual MSM. Systemic symptoms were present in 116/155 (74.8%) patients. All but 10 patients (145/155, 93.5%) presented with skin lesions. Other manifestations were lymphadenopathy (72/155, 46.5%), proctitis (50/155, 32.3%), urethritis (12/155, 7.7%), tonsillitis (2/155, 1.3%). Complications involved bacterial skin infection (13/155, 8.4%) and penile oedema with or without paraphimosis (4/155, 2.6%). In multivariable logistic regression models, the presence of lymphadenopathy (OR 3.79 95% CI 1.44–11.49), skin lesions (OR 4.35 95% CI 1.15–17.57) and proctitis (OR 9.41 95% CI 2.72–47.07) were associated with the diagnosis of mpox. There were no associations with age, HIV status, childhood smallpox vaccination, number of sexual partners and international travel. Conclusions: The presence of proctitis, lymphadenopathies and skin lesions should increase clinical suspicion of mpox in patients with compatible symptoms