Spinor-Vector Duality in Heterotic String Orbifolds

The three generation heterotic-string models in the free fermionic formulation are among the most realistic string vacua constructed to date, which motivated their detailed investigation. The classification of free fermion heterotic string vacua has revealed a duality under the exchange of spinor and vector representations of the SO(10) GUT symmetry over the space of models. We demonstrate the existence of the spinor-vector duality using orbifold techniques, and elaborate on the relation of these vacua to free fermionic models.Comment: 20 pages. v2 minor corrections. Version to appear on JHEP. v3 misprints correcte

Motion in classical field theories and the foundations of the self-force problem

This article serves as a pedagogical introduction to the problem of motion in classical field theories. The primary focus is on self-interaction: How does an object's own field affect its motion? General laws governing the self-force and self-torque are derived using simple, non-perturbative arguments. The relevant concepts are developed gradually by considering motion in a series of increasingly complicated theories. Newtonian gravity is discussed first, then Klein-Gordon theory, electromagnetism, and finally general relativity. Linear and angular momenta as well as centers of mass are defined in each of these cases. Multipole expansions for the force and torque are then derived to all orders for arbitrarily self-interacting extended objects. These expansions are found to be structurally identical to the laws of motion satisfied by extended test bodies, except that all relevant fields are replaced by effective versions which exclude the self-fields in a particular sense. Regularization methods traditionally associated with self-interacting point particles arise as straightforward perturbative limits of these (more fundamental) results. Additionally, generic mechanisms are discussed which dynamically shift --- i.e., renormalize --- the apparent multipole moments associated with self-interacting extended bodies. Although this is primarily a synthesis of earlier work, several new results and interpretations are included as well.Comment: 68 pages, 1 figur

Why do women not use antenatal services in low and middle income countries? A metasynthesis of qualitative studies

Background: Almost 50% of women in low & middle income countries (LMIC’s) don’t receive adequate antenatal care. Women’s views can offer important insights into this problem. Qualitative studies exploring inadequate use of antenatal services have been undertaken in a range of countries, but the findings are not easily transferable. We aimed to inform the development of future antenatal care programmes through a synthesis of findings in all relevant qualitative studies. Methods and Findings: Using a pre-determined search strategy, we identified robust qualitative studies reporting on the views and experiences of women in LMIC’s who received inadequate antenatal care. We used meta-ethnographic techniques to generate themes and a line of argument synthesis. We derived policy relevant hypotheses from the findings. We included 21 papers representing the views of more than 1230 women from 15 countries. Three key themes were identified: ‘Pregnancy as socially risky and physiologically healthy’; ‘Resource use and survival in conditions of extreme poverty’and ‘Not getting it right first time’. The line of argument synthesis describes a dissonance between programme design and cultural contexts that may restrict access and discourage return visits. We hypothesize that centralized, risk-focused antenatal care programmes may be at odds with the resources, beliefs and experiences of pregnant women who underuse antenatal services. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that there may be a mis-alignment between current antenatal provision and the social and cultural context of some women in LMIC’s. Antenatal care provision that is theoretically and contextually at odds with local contextual beliefs and experiences are likely to be underused, especially when attendance generates increased personal risks of lost family resource or physical danger during travel; when the promised care is not delivered due to resource constraints; and when women experience covert or overt abuse in care settings

Experimental measurement-device-independent quantum digital signatures

The development of quantum networks will be paramount towards practical and secure telecommunications. These networks will need to sign and distribute information between many parties with information-Theoretic security, requiring both quantum digital signatures (QDS) and quantum key distribution (QKD). Here, we introduce and experimentally realise a quantum network architecture, where the nodes are fully connected using a minimum amount of physical links. The central node of the network can act either as a totally untrusted relay, connecting the end users via the recently introduced measurement-device-independent (MDI)-QKD, or as a trusted recipient directly communicating with the end users via QKD. Using this network, we perform a proof-of-principle demonstration of QDS mediated by MDI-QKD. For that, we devised an efficient protocol to distil multiple signatures from the same block of data, thus reducing the statistical fluctuations in the sample and greatly enhancing the final QDS rate in the finite-size scenario

Evaluation of the PPAR-γ agonist pioglitazone in mild asthma: a double-blind randomized controlled trial

Background Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) is a nuclear receptor that modulates inflammation in models of asthma. To determine whether pioglitazone improves measures of asthma control and airway inflammation, we performed a single-center randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial. Methods Sixty-eight participants with mild asthma were randomized to 12 weeks pioglitazone (30 mg for 4 weeks, then 45 mg for 8 weeks) or placebo. The primary outcome was the adjusted mean forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) at 12 weeks. The secondary outcomes were mean peak expiratory flow (PEF), scores on the Juniper Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) and Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ), fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), bronchial hyperresponsiveness (PD20), induced sputum counts, and sputum supernatant interferon gamma-inducible protein-10 (IP-10), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), and eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) levels. Study recruitment was closed early after considering the European Medicines Agency’s reports of a potential increased risk of bladder cancer with pioglitazone treatment. Fifty-five cases were included in the full analysis (FA) and 52 in the per-protocol (PP) analysis. Results There was no difference in the adjusted FEV1 at 12 weeks (-0.014 L, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.15 to 0.12, p = 0.84) or in any of the secondary outcomes in the FA. The PP analysis replicated the FA, with the exception of a lower evening PEF in the pioglitazone group (-21 L/min, 95% CI -39 to -4, p = 0.02). Conclusions We found no evidence that treatment with 12 weeks of pioglitazone improved asthma control or airway inflammation in mild asthma

Efficacy of topical cobalt chelate CTC-96 against adenovirus in a cell culture model and against adenovirus keratoconjunctivitis in a rabbit model

BACKGROUND: Adenovirus (Ad), associated with significant morbidity, has no topical treatment. A leading CTC compound (CTC-96), a Co(III )chelate, was found to have potent in vitro and in vivo antiviral efficacy against herpes viruses. In this study CTC-96 is being tested for possible anti-Adenovirus activity. METHODS: The biological anti-adenovirus activity of CTC-96 in concentrations from 5 to 250 ug/ml, was evaluated initially by viral inactivation (viral exposure to CTC-96 followed by dilution and inoculation of cells), virucidal (viral exposure to CTC-96 and inoculation of cells without dilution) and antiviral (effect of CTC-96 on previously adsorbed virus) plaque assays on HeLa (human cervical carcinoma), A549 (human lung carcinoma) and SIRC (rabbit corneal) cells. After verifying the antiviral activity, New Zealand White rabbits were infected with Ad-5 into: 1) the anterior cul-de-sac scarifying the conjunctiva (Group "C+"); 2) the anterior cul-de-sac scarifying the conjunctiva and cornea (Group "CC+"); 3) the stroma (Group "CI+"). Controls were sham-infected ("C-", "CC-", "CI-"). Other rabbits, after "CC", were treated for 21 days with: 1) placebo, 9x/day ("-"); 2) CTC-96, 50 ug/ml, 9x/day ("50/9"); CTC-96, 50 ug/ml, 6x/day ("50/6"); CTC-96, 25 ug/ml, 6x/day ("25/6"). All animals were monitored via examination and plaque assays. RESULTS: In vitro viral inactivation, virucidal and antiviral assays all demonstrated CTC-96 to be effective against Adenvirus type 5 (ad-5). The in vivo model of Ad keratoconjunctivitis most similar to human disease and producing highest viral yield was "CC". All eyes (6/6) developed acute conjunctivitis. "CI" yielded more stromal involvement (1/6) and iritis (5/6), but lower clinical scores (area × severity). Infection via "C" was inconsistent (4/6). Fifty (50) ug/ml was effective against Ad-5 at 6x, 9x dosings while 25 ug/ml (6x) was only marginally effective. CONCLUSION: CTC-96 demonstrated virucidal activity against Ad5 in tissue culture with HeLa, A549 and SIRC cell lines. Animal Model Development: 1) "CC" produced conjunctival infection with occasional keratitis similar to human disease; "CI" yielded primarily stromal involvement; 2) "C" consistently produced neither conjunctivitis nor keratitis. CTC Testing: 1) Conjunctivitis in all eyes; 2) Resolution fastest in "50/9" ("50/9". "50/6" > "25/6" > "-"); 3) Efficacy in "50/6" was not statistically different than "50/9"; 4) Conjunctival severity was lower in treatment groups then controls; 5) Little corneal or intra-ocular changes were noted

Risk Factors of Peritoneal Recurrence and Outcome of Resected Peritoneal Recurrence After Liver Resection in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Review of 1222 Cases of Hepatectomy in a Tertiary Institution

10.1245/s10434-012-2260-3Annals of Surgical Oncology1972246-225

Treatment Outcome in Patients Receiving Assertive Community Treatment

In an observational study of severely mentally ill patients treated in assertive community treatment (ACT) teams, we investigated how treatment outcome was associated with demographic factors, clinical factors, and motivation for treatment. To determine psychosocial outcome, patients were routinely assessed using the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS). Trends over time were analyzed using a mixed model with repeated measures. The HoNOS total score was modeled as a function of treatment duration and patient-dependent covariates. Data comprised 637 assessments of 139 patients; mean duration of follow-up was 27.4 months (SD = 5.4). Substance abuse, higher age, problems with motivation, and lower educational level were associated with higher HoNOS total scores (i.e., worse outcome). To improve treatment outcome, we recommend better implementation of ACT, and also the implementation of additional programs targeting subgroups which seem to benefit less from ACT

Gauged Linear Sigma Models for toroidal orbifold resolutions

Toroidal orbifolds and their resolutions are described within the framework of (2,2) Gauged Linear Sigma Models (GLSMs). Our procedure describes two-tori as hypersurfaces in (weighted) projective spaces. The description is chosen such that the orbifold singularities correspond to the zeros of their homogeneous coordinates. The individual orbifold singularities are resolved using a GLSM guise of non-compact toric resolutions, i.e. replacing discrete orbifold actions by Abelian worldsheet gaugings. Given that we employ the same global coordinates for both the toroidal orbifold and its resolutions, our GLSM formalism confirms the gluing procedure on the level of divisors discussed by Lust et al. Using our global GLSM description we can study the moduli space of such toroidal orbifolds as a whole. In particular, changes in topology can be described as phase transitions of the underlying GLSM. Finally, we argue that certain partially resolvable GLSMs, in which a certain number of fixed points can never be resolved, might be useful for the study of mini-landscape orbifold MSSMs.Comment: 71 pages, 2 figure

Comparison of Therapeutic Effects between Pulsed and Continuous Wave 810-nm Wavelength Laser Irradiation for Traumatic Brain Injury in Mice

Background and Objective Transcranial low-level laser therapy (LLLT) using near-infrared light can efficiently penetrate through the scalp and skull and could allow non-invasive treatment for traumatic brain injury (TBI). In the present study, we compared the therapeutic effect using 810-nm wavelength laser light in continuous and pulsed wave modes in a mouse model of TBI. Study Design/Materials and Methods TBI was induced by a controlled cortical-impact device and 4-hours post-TBI 1-group received a sham treatment and 3-groups received a single exposure to transcranial LLLT, either continuous wave or pulsed at 10-Hz or 100-Hz with a 50% duty cycle. An 810-nm Ga-Al-As diode laser delivered a spot with diameter of 1-cm onto the injured head with a power density of 50-mW/cm2 for 12-minutes giving a fluence of 36-J/cm2. Neurological severity score (NSS) and body weight were measured up to 4 weeks. Mice were sacrificed at 2, 15 and 28 days post-TBI and the lesion size was histologically analyzed. The quantity of ATP production in the brain tissue was determined immediately after laser irradiation. We examined the role of LLLT on the psychological state of the mice at 1 day and 4 weeks after TBI using tail suspension test and forced swim test. Results The 810-nm laser pulsed at 10-Hz was the most effective judged by improvement in NSS and body weight although the other laser regimens were also effective. The brain lesion volume of mice treated with 10-Hz pulsed-laser irradiation was significantly lower than control group at 15-days and 4-weeks post-TBI. Moreover, we found an antidepressant effect of LLLT at 4-weeks as shown by forced swim and tail suspension tests. Conclusion The therapeutic effect of LLLT for TBI with an 810-nm laser was more effective at 10-Hz pulse frequency than at CW and 100-Hz. This finding may provide a new insight into biological mechanisms of LLLT.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (NIH grant R01AI050875)Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology (DAMD17-02-2-0006)United States. Dept. of Defense. Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (W81XWH-09-1-0514)United States. Air Force Office of Scientific Research (Military Photomedicine Program (FA9950-04-1-0079))Japan. Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and TechnologyJapan Society for the Promotion of Scienc