DWSB in heterotic flux compactifications

We address the construction of non-supersymmetric vacua in heterotic compactifications with intrinsic torsion and background fluxes. In particular, we implement the approach of domain-wall supersymmetry breaking (DWSB) previously developed in the context of type II flux compactifications. This approach is based on considering backgrounds where probe NS5-branes wrapping internal three-cycles and showing up as four-dimensional domain-walls do not develop a BPS bound, while all the other BPS bounds characterizing the N=1 supersymmetric compactifications are preserved at tree-level. Via a scalar potential analysis we provide the conditions for these backgrounds to solve the ten-dimensional equations of motion including order \alpha' corrections. We also consider backgrounds where some of the NS5-domain-walls develop a BPS bound, show their relation to no-scale SUSY-breaking vacua and construct explicit examples via elliptic fibrations. Finally, we consider backgrounds with a non-trivial gaugino condensate and discuss their relation to supersymmetric and non-supersymmetric vacua in the present context.Comment: 56 pages, 1 figur

Epidermal grafting for wound healing: a review on the harvesting systems, the ultrastructure of the graft and the mechanism of wound healing

Epidermal grafting for wound healing involves the transfer of the epidermis from a healthy location to cover a wound. The structural difference of the epidermal graft in comparison to the split-thickness skin graft and full-thickness skin graft contributes to the mechanism of effect. While skin grafting is an epidermal transfer, little is known about the precise mechanism of wound healing by epidermal graft. This paper aims to explore the evolution of the epidermal graft harvesting system over the last five decades, the structural advantages of epidermal graft for wound healing and the current hypotheses on the mechanism of wound healing by epidermal graft. Three mechanisms are proposed: keratinocyte activation, growth factor secretion and reepithelialisation from the wound edge. We evaluate and explain how these processes work and integrate to promote wound healing based on the current in vivo and in vitro evidence. We also review the ongoing clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of epidermal graft for wound healing. The epidermal graft is a promising alternative to the more invasive conventional surgical techniques as it is simple, less expensive and reduces the surgical burden for patients in need of wound coverage

Phylogenetically Driven Sequencing of Extremely Halophilic Archaea Reveals Strategies for Static and Dynamic Osmo-response

© 2014. Organisms across the tree of life use a variety of mechanisms to respond to stress-inducing fluctuations in osmotic conditions. Cellular response mechanisms and phenotypes associated with osmoadaptation also play important roles in bacterial virulence, human health, agricultural production and many other biological systems. To improve understanding of osmoadaptive strategies, we have generated 59 high-quality draft genomes for the haloarchaea (a euryarchaeal clade whose members thrive in hypersaline environments and routinely experience drastic changes in environmental salinity) and analyzed these new genomes in combination with those from 21 previously sequenced haloarchaeal isolates. We propose a generalized model for haloarchaeal management of cytoplasmic osmolarity in response to osmotic shifts, where potassium accumulation and sodium expulsion during osmotic upshock are accomplished via secondary transport using the proton gradient as an energy source, and potassium loss during downshock is via a combination of secondary transport and non-specific ion loss through mechanosensitive channels. We also propose new mechanisms for magnesium and chloride accumulation. We describe the expansion and differentiation of haloarchaeal general transcription factor families, including two novel expansions of the TATA-binding protein family, and discuss their potential for enabling rapid adaptation to environmental fluxes. We challenge a recent high-profile proposal regarding the evolutionary origins of the haloarchaea by showing that inclusion of additional genomes significantly reduces support for a proposed large-scale horizontal gene transfer into the ancestral haloarchaeon from the bacterial domain. The combination of broad (17 genera) and deep (≥5 species in four genera) sampling of a phenotypically unified clade has enabled us to uncover both highly conserved and specialized features of osmoadaptation. Finally, we demonstrate the broad utility of such datasets, for metagenomics, improvements to automated gene annotation and investigations of evolutionary processes

Enhanced stability and local structure in biologically relevant amorphous materials containing pyrophosphate

There is increasing evidence that amorphous inorganic materials play a key role in biomineralisation in many organisms, however the inherent instability of synthetic analogues in the absence of the complex in vivo matrix limits their study and clinical exploitation. To address this, we report here an approach that enhances long-term stability to >1 year of biologically relevant amorphous metal phosphates, in the absence of any complex stabilisers, by utilising pyrophosphates (P2O7 4-); species themselves ubiquitous in vivo. Ambient temperature precipitation reactions were employed to synthesise amorphous Ca2P2O7.nH2O and Sr2P2O7.nH2O (3.8 < n < 4.2) and their stability and structure were investigated. Pair distribution functions (PDF) derived from synchrotron X-ray data indicated a lack of structural order beyond ~8 A° in both phases, with this local order found to resemble crystalline analogues. Further studies, including 1H and 31P solid state NMR, suggest the unusually high stability of these purely inorganic amorphous phases is partly due to disorder in the P–O–P bond angles within the P2O7 units, which impede crystallization, and to water molecules, which are involved in H-bonds of various strengths within the structures and hamper the formation of an ordered network. In situ high temperature powder X-ray diffraction data indicated that the amorphous nature of both phases surprisingly persisted to ~450° C. Further NMR and TGA studies found that above ambient temperature some water molecules reacted with P2O7 anions, leading to the hydrolysis of some P–O–P linkages and the formation of HPO4 2- anions within the amorphous matrix. The latter anions then recombined into P2O7 ions at higher temperatures prior to crystallization. Together, these findings provide important new materials with unexplored potential for enzyme-assisted resorption and establish factors crucial to isolate further stable amorphous inorganic materials

Neurobiology of Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder in Youth with Overweight/Obesity Versus Healthy Weight

Objective: Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) occurs across the weight spectrum, however research addressing the coexistesnce of ARFID with overweight/obesity (OV/OB) is lacking. We aimed to establish co-occurrence of OV/OB and ARFID and to characterize divergent neurobiological features of ARFID by weight. Method: Youth with full/subthreshold ARFID (12 with healthy weight [HW], 11 with OV/OB) underwent fasting brain fMRI scan while viewing food/non-food images (M age = 16.92 years, 65% female, 87% white). We compared groups on BOLD response to high-calorie foods (HCF) (vs. objects) in food cue processing regions of interest. Following fMRI scanning, we evaluated subjective hunger pre- vs. post-meal. We used a mediation model to explore the association between BMI, brain activation, and hunger. Results: Participants with ARFID and OV/OB demonstrated significant hyperactivation in response to HCF (vs. objects) in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and anterior insula compared with HW participants with ARFID. Mediation analysis yielded a significant indirect effect of group (HW vs. OV/OB) on hunger via OFC activation (effect = 18.39, SE = 11.27, 95% CI [−45.09, −3.00]), suggesting that OFC activation mediates differences in hunger between ARFID participants with HW and OV/OB. Conclusions: Compared to youth with ARFID and HW, those with OV/OB demonstrate hyperactivation of brain areas critical for the reward value of food cues. Postprandial changes in subjective hunger depend on BMI and are mediated by OFC activation to food cues. Whether these neurobiological differences contribute to selective hyperphagia in ARFID presenting with OV/OB and represent potential treatment targets is an important area for future investigation

High-energy sub-nanosecond optical pulse generation with a semiconductor laser diode for pulsed TOF laser ranging utilizing the single photon detection approach

Bulk and quantum well laser diodes with a large equivalent spot size of da/Γa ≈ 3 µm and stripe width/cavity length of 30 µm/3 mm were realized and tested. They achieved a pulse energy and pulse length of the order of ~1 nJ and ~100 ps, respectively, with a peak pulse current of 6–8 A and a current pulse width of 1 ns. The 2D characteristics of the optical output power versus wavelength and time were also analyzed with a monochromator/streak camera set-up. The far-field characteristics were studied with respect to the time-homogeneity and energy distribution. The feasibility of a laser diode with a large equivalent spot size in single photon detection based laser ranging was demonstrated to a non-cooperative target at a distance of a few tens of meters

Critical solutions in topologically gauged N=8 CFTs in three dimensions

In this paper we discuss some special (critical) background solutions that arise in topological gauged ${\mathcal N}=8$ three-dimensional CFTs with SO(N) gauge group. These solutions solve the TMG equations (containing the parameters $\mu$ and $l$) for a certain set of values of $\mu l$ obtained by varying the number of scalar fields with a VEV. Apart from Minkowski, chiral round $AdS_3$ and null-warped $AdS_3$ (or Schr\"odinger(z=2)) we identify also a more exotic solution recently found in $TMG$ by Ertl, Grumiller and Johansson. We also discuss the spectrum, symmetry breaking pattern and the supermultiplet structure in the various backgrounds and argue that some properties are due to their common origin in a conformal phase. Some of the scalar fields, including all higgsed ones, turn out to satisfy three-dimensional singleton field equations. Finally, we note that topologically gauged ${\mathcal N}=6$ ABJ(M) theories have a similar, but more restricted, set of background solutions.Comment: 34 pages, v2: minor corrections, note about a new solution added in final section, v3: two footnotes adde

Voxel-wise comparisons of cellular microstructure and diffusion-MRI in mouse hippocampus using 3D Bridging of Optically-clear histology with Neuroimaging Data (3D-BOND)

A key challenge in medical imaging is determining a precise correspondence between image properties and tissue microstructure. This comparison is hindered by disparate scales and resolutions between medical imaging and histology. We present a new technique, 3D Bridging of Optically-clear histology with Neuroimaging Data (3D-BOND), for registering medical images with 3D histology to overcome these limitations. Ex vivo 120 × 120 × 200 μm resolution diffusion-MRI (dMRI) data was acquired at 7 T from adult C57Bl/6 mouse hippocampus. Tissue was then optically cleared using CLARITY and stained with cellular markers and confocal microscopy used to produce high-resolution images of the 3D-tissue microstructure. For each sample, a dense array of hippocampal landmarks was used to drive registration between upsampled dMRI data and the corresponding confocal images. The cell population in each MRI voxel was determined within hippocampal subregions and compared to MRI-derived metrics. 3D-BOND provided robust voxel-wise, cellular correlates of dMRI data. CA1 pyramidal and dentate gyrus granular layers had significantly different mean diffusivity (p > 0.001), which was related to microstructural features. Overall, mean and radial diffusivity correlated with cell and axon density and fractional anisotropy with astrocyte density, while apparent fibre density correlated negatively with axon density. Astrocytes, axons and blood vessels correlated to tensor orientation

Computing the Spectrum of a Heterotic Flux Vacuum

We compute the massless spectra of a set of flux vacua of the heterotic string. The vacua we study include well-known non-Kahler T^2-fibrations over K3 with SU(3) structure and intrinsic torsion. Following gauged linear sigma models of these vacua into phases governed by asymmetric Landau-Ginzburg orbifolds allows us to compute the spectrum using generalizations of familiar LG-orbifold techniques. We study several four- and six-dimensional examples with N=2 spacetime supersymmetry in detail.Comment: 1+49 pages, updated to JHEP version (added appendix and minor revisions