Higgs bundles for N=1 gauge theories

We consider two constructions of 4d N = 1 gauge theories in M-theory. The first is purely geometric and involves compactifying M-theory on singular manifolds of G2-holonomy. The geometries studied are ALE-fibered over a compact base M3. This fibration admits a description in terms of a Higgs bundle with three-dimensional base M3 which arises as the BPS equations of M-theory reduced adiabatically along the ALE fibers. The gauge theory sector of these compactifications originates from M2-branes wrapped on vanishing cycles of the ALE fibration with interactions set by Euclidean M2-branes wrapped on associative submanifolds traced out by the vanishing cycles. The first part of this thesis develops the physics of these models and introduces a colored supersymmetric quantum mechanics organizing and quantifying non-perturbative effects due to M2-brane instantons. In this framework we study the local models of twisted connected sum G2-manifolds and describe their possible chiral deformations. The second construction considered in this thesis utilizes M5-branes wrapped on Rie- mann surfaces embedded in local Calabi-Yau threefolds. We focus on the subset of such configurations derived from 4d N = 2 theories of class S breaking to N = 1. Their BPS equations construct Higgs bundles differing from the standard class S Higgs bundle by an additional Higgs field. The associated N = 1 curve collects the spectral data of both Higgs fields and different curves describe distinct vacua of the same gauge theory. The second part of this thesis studies the construction of such Higgs bundles and derives the confinement properties of each vacuum from the associated N = 1 curve. This allows for the study of confinement in non-Lagrangian N = 1 theories which is illustrated by constructing an infinite class of non-Lagrangian N = 1 theories that contain confining vacua

Untersuchungen zum Einfluss intronischer miRNAs auf Expression und Funktion ihrer Host-Gene an den Beispielen miR-641/AKT2 und miR-744/MAP2K4 in malignen Gliomen

Genes that regulate essential cellular functions, such as apoptosis or proliferation, must be subject to tight transcriptional control. MiRNAs located in introns of these genes could fulfill important regulatory functions by directly or indirectly controlling the expression of their host genes. The present work dealt with the question of whether intronically localized miRNAs can exert a regulatory influence on their host genes and whether these control mechanisms are impaired or even inactivated in tumors. This was investigated in two known tumorigenic kinases, AKT2 and MAP2K4, and the intronically located miRNA-641 and miRNA-744 by real-time PCR, RNA interference experiments, protein analysis, immunohistochemistry, reporter gene assays, established long-term cell cultures, primary cell lines from glioblastoma tissue and glioblastoma biopsies. It could be shown that both kinases -indeed- are inhibited by their intronic miRNAs via indirect negative feedback: miR-641 inhibits phosphorylation via the targets PIK3R3, MAPKAP1 and NFAT5 and thus the activity of its tumor host gene AKT2; miRNA-744 inhibits the activity of the SMAD and MAPK signaling pathway by targeting TGFB1. We further found that both miRNAs are strongly repressed in glioblastomas as compared to normal brain tissue. In contrast, the miRNA target genes PIK3R3, NFAT5 and TGFB1 were induced in tumor tissue. The present doctoral thesis was thus able to demonstrate an important principle of expressional control: intronic miRNAs can regulate their host genes via complex functional networks. The disruption of these negative feedback mechanisms can significantly influence intracellular signalling promote tumour progression. These results may contribute to the development of miRNA-based future therapeutic strategies

On the Holographic Dual of a Topological Symmetry Operator

We study the holographic dual of a topological symmetry operator in the context of the AdS/CFT correspondence. Symmetry operators arise from topological field theories localized on a subspace of the boundary CFT spacetime. We use bottom up considerations to construct the topological sector associated with their bulk counterparts. In particular, by exploiting the structure of entanglement wedge reconstruction we argue that the bulk counterpart has a non-topological worldvolume action, i.e., it describes a dynamical object. As a consequence, we find that there are no global $p$-form symmetries for $p \geq 0$ in asymptotically AdS spacetimes, which includes the case of non-invertible symmetries. Provided one has a suitable notion of subregion-subregion duality, our argument for the absence of bulk global symmetries applies to more general spacetimes. These considerations also motivate us to consider for general QFTs (holographic or not) the notion of lower-form symmetries, namely, $(-m)$-form symmetries for $m \geq 2$.Comment: 29 pages, 10 figure

MicroRNAs as Clinical Biomarkers and Therapeutic Tools in Perioperative Medicine

Over the past decade, evolutionarily conserved, noncoding small RNAs-so-called microRNAs (miRNAs)-have emerged as important regulators of virtually all cellular processes. miRNAs influence gene expression by binding to the 3'-untranslated region of protein-coding RNA, leading to its degradation and translational repression. In medicine, miRNAs have been revealed as novel, highly promising biomarkers and as attractive tools and targets for novel therapeutic approaches. miRNAs are currently entering the field of perioperative medicine, and they may open up new perspectives in anesthesia, critical care, and pain medicine. In this review, we provide an overview of the biology of miRNAs and their potential role in human disease. We highlight current paradigms of miRNA-mediated effects in perioperative medicine and provide a survey of miRNA biomarkers in the field known so far. Finally, we provide a perspective on miRNA-based therapeutic opportunities and perspectives. (Anesth Analg 2018;126: 670-81

Generalized Symmetries, Gravity, and the Swampland

Generalized global symmetries are a common feature of many quantum field theories decoupled from gravity. By contrast, in quantum gravity / the Swampland program, it is widely expected that all global symmetries are either gauged or broken, and this breaking is in turn related to the expected completeness of the spectrum of charged states in quantum gravity. We investigate the fate of such symmetries in the context of 7D and 5D vacua realized by compact Calabi-Yau spaces with localized singularities in M-theory. We explicitly show how gravitational backgrounds support additional dynamical degrees of freedom which trivialize (i.e.,"break") the higher symmetries of the local geometric models. Local compatability conditions across these different sectors lead to gluing conditions for gauging higher-form and (in the 5D case) higher-group symmetries. This also leads to a preferred global structure of the gauge group and higher-form gauge symmetries. In cases based on a genus-one fibered Calabi-Yau space, we also get an F-theory model in one higher dimension with corresponding constraints on the global form of the gauge group.Comment: 62 pages + appendices + ref

The Branes Behind Generalized Symmetry Operators

The modern approach to $m$-form global symmetries in a $d$-dimensional quantum field theory (QFT) entails specifying dimension $d-m-1$ topological generalized symmetry operators which non-trivially link with $m$-dimensional defect operators. In QFTs engineered via string constructions on a non-compact geometry $X$, these defects descend from branes wrapped on non-compact cycles which extend from a localized source / singularity to the boundary $\partial X$. The generalized symmetry operators which link with these defects arise from magnetic dual branes wrapped on cycles in $\partial X$. This provides a systematic way to read off various properties of such topological operators, including their worldvolume topological field theories, and the resulting fusion rules. We illustrate these general features in the context of 6D superconformal field theories, where we use the F-theory realization of these theories to read off the worldvolume theory on the generalized symmetry operators. Defects of dimension 3 which are charged under a suitable 3-form symmetry detect a non-invertible fusion rule for these operators. We also sketch how similar considerations hold for related systems.Comment: v2: 21 pages + references, 1 figure; typos corrected, clarifications added, references adde

Characteristics for verifying 5G applications in production

5G offers the manufacturing industry a wireless, fast and secure transmission technology with high range, low latency and the ability to connect a large number of devices. Existing transmission technologies are reaching their limits due to the increasing number of networked devices and high demands on reliability, data volume, security and latency. 5G fulfills these requirements and also combines the potential and use cases of previous transmission technologies so that unwanted isolated solutions can be merged. Use cases of transmission technologies that previously required a multitude of solutions can now be realized with a single technology. However, the general literature often refers to 5G use cases that can also be realized over cables in particular. In this paper, a literature review presents the current state of research on the various 5G application scenarios in production . Furthermore, concrete characteristics of 5G use cases are identified and assigned to the identified application scenarios. The goal is to verify the identified 5G use cases and to work out their 5G relevance in order to be able to concretely differentiate them from already existing Industrie 4.0 applications

Smart Products for Smart Production – A Use Case Overview

Industry 4.0 is driven by Cyber-Physical Systems and Smart Products. Smart Products provide a value to both its users and its manufacturers in terms of a closer connection to the customer and his data as well as the provided smart services. However, many companies, especially SMEs, struggle with the transformation of their existing product portfolio into smart products. In order to facilitate this process, this paper presents a set of smart product use-cases from a manufacturer’s perspective. These use-cases can guide the definition of a smart product and be used during its architecture development and realization. Initially the paper gives an introduction in the field of smart products. After that the research results, based on case-study research, are presented. This includes the methodological approach, the case-study data collection and analysis. Finally, a set of use-cases, their definitions and components are presented and highlighted from the perspective of a smart product manufacturer

Toward Responsible Use Of Digital Technologies In Manufacturing Companies Through Regulation

Digital technologies have gained significant importance in the course of the 4th Industrial Revolution and these technologies are widely implemented, nowadays. However, it is necessary to bear in mind that an ill-considered use can quickly have a negative impact on the environment in which the technology is used. For more responsible and sustainable use, the regulation of digital technologies is therefore necessary today. Since the government is taking a very slow response, as the example of the AI Act shows, companies need to take action themselves today. In this context, one of the central questions for companies is: "Which digital technologies are relevant for manufacturing companies in terms of regulation? This paper conducted a quantitative Delphi study to answer this question. The results of the Delphi study are presented and evaluated within the framework of a data analysis. In addition, it will be discussed how to proceed with the results so that manufacturing companies can benefit from them. Furthermore, the paper contributes to the development of an AI platform in the German research project PAIRS by investigating the compliance relevance of artificial intelligence applications