Pomeron and Odderon Regge Trajectories from a Dynamical Holographic Model

In this work we use gauge/string dualities and a dynamical model that takes into account dynamical corrections to the metric of the anti de Sitter space due to a quadratic dilaton field and calculate the masses of even and odd spin glueball states with $P=C=+1$, and $P=C=-1$, respectively. Then we construct the corresponding Regge trajectories which are associated with the pomeron for even states with $P=C=+1$, and with the odderon for odd states with $P=C=-1$. We compare our results with those coming from experimental data as well as other models.Comment: V3: 12 pages, 8 figures, 2 tables. Results slightly modified due to the redefinition of the relation between the five dimensional mass, conformal dimension and spin. Text improved. We also comment now that the twist two operator does not work in this model. References added. This version matches the published one in PL

Holographic Description of Chiral Symmetry Breaking in a Magnetic Field in 2+1 Dimensions with an Improved Dilaton

We consider a holographic description of the chiral symmetry breaking in an external magnetic field in $(2+1)$-dimensional gauge theories from the softwall model using an improved dilaton field profile given by $\Phi(z) = - kz^2 + (k+k_1)z^2\tanh (k_{2}z^2)$. We find inverse magnetic catalysis for $BB_c$, where $B_c$ is the pseudocritical magnetic field. The transition between these two regimes is a crossover and occurs at $B=B_c$, which depends on the fermion mass and temperature. We also find spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking (the chiral condensate $\sigma \not=0$) at $T=0$ in the chiral limit ($m_q\to 0$) and chiral symmetry restoration for finite temperatures. We observe that changing the $k$ parameter of the dilaton profile only affects the overall scales of the system such as $B_c$ and $\sigma$. For instance, by increasing $k$ one sees an increase of $B_c$ and $\sigma$. This suggests that increasing the parameters $k_1$ and $k_2$ will decrease the values of $B_c$ and $\sigma$.Comment: V2: 13 pages, 10 figures. New figure added. Text improved. Typos corrected. New references added. Results unchanged. This version matches the published one in EP

Hydrostatic Pressure Effects on the Structural and Electronic Properties of Carbon Nanotubes

We study the structural and electronic properties of isolated single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) under hydrostatic pressure using a combination of theoretical techniques: Continuum elasticity models, classical molecular dynamics simulations, tight-binding electronic structure methods, and first-principles total energy calculations within the density-functional and pseudopotential frameworks. For pressures below a certain critical pressure $P_c$, the SWNTs' structure remains cylindrical and the Kohn-Sham energy gaps of semiconducting SWNTs have either positive or negative pressure coefficients depending on the value of $(n,m)$, with a distinct "family" (of the same $n-m$) behavior. The diameter and chirality dependence of the pressure coefficients can be described by a simple analytical expression. At $P_c$, molecular-dynamics simulations predict that isolated SWNTs undergo a pressure-induced symmetry-breaking transformation from a cylindrical shape to a collapsed geometry. This transition is described by a simple elastic model as arising from the competition between the bond-bending and $PV$ terms in the enthalpy. The good agreement between calculated and experimental values of $P_c$ provides a strong support to the ``collapse'' interpretation of the experimental transitions in bundles.Comment: To appear in the Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on High Pressure Semiconductor Physics (invited paper

Targeting human apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1) in phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) deficient melanoma cells for personalized therapy

Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) loss is associated with genomic instability. APE1 is a key player in DNA base excision repair (BER) and an emerging drug target in cancer. We have developed small molecule inhibitors against APE1 repair nuclease activity. In the current study we explored a synthetic lethal relationship between PTEN and APE1 in melanoma. Clinicopathological significance of PTEN mRNA and APE1 mRNA expression was investigated in 191 human melanomas. Preclinically, PTEN-deficient BRAF-mutated (UACC62, HT144, and SKMel28), PTEN-proficient BRAF-wildtype (MeWo), and doxycycline-inducible PTEN-knockout BRAF-wildtype MeWo melanoma cells were DNA repair expression profiled and investigated for synthetic lethality using a panel of four prototypical APE1 inhibitors. In human tumours, low PTEN mRNA and high APE1 mRNA was significantly associated with reduced relapse free and overall survival. Pre-clinically, compared to PTEN-proficient cells, PTEN-deficient cells displayed impaired expression of genes involved in DNA double strand break (DSB) repair. Synthetic lethality in PTEN-deficient cells was evidenced by increased sensitivity, accumulation of DSBs and induction of apoptosis following treatment with APE1 inhibitors. We conclude that PTEN deficiency is not only a promising biomarker in melanoma, but can also be targeted by a synthetic lethality strategy using inhibitors of BER, such as those targeting APE1