550 research outputs found
Natural inflation with and without modulations in type IIB string theory
We propose a mechanism for the natural inflation with and without modulation
in the framework of type IIB string theory on toroidal orientifold or orbifold.
We explicitly construct the stabilization potential of complex structure,
dilaton and K\"ahler moduli, where one of the imaginary component of complex
structure moduli becomes light which is identified as the inflaton. The
inflaton potential is generated by the gaugino-condensation term which receives
the one-loop threshold corrections determined by the field value of complex
structure moduli and the axion decay constant of inflaton is enhanced by the
inverse of one-loop factor. We also find the threshold corrections can also
induce the modulations to the original scalar potential for the natural
inflation. Depending on these modulations, we can predict several sizes of
tensor-to-scalar ratio as well as the other cosmological observables reported
by WMAP, Planck and/or BICEP2 collaborations.Comment: 18 pages, 4 figures, Typos corrected, references and comments adde
Realistic three-generation models from SO(32) heterotic string theory
We search for realistic supersymmetric standard-like models from SO(32)
heterotic string theory on factorizable tori with multiple magnetic fluxes.
Three chiral ganerations of quarks and leptons are derived from the adjoint and
vector representations of SO(12) gauge groups embedded in SO(32) adjoint
representation. Massless spectra of our models also include Higgs fields, which
have desired Yukawa couplings to quarks and leptons at the tree-level.Comment: 29 pages, Typos corrected, references added, and Sec. 3.3 is adde
Gauge coupling unification in SO(32) heterotic string theory with magnetic fluxes
We study heterotic string theory on torus with magnetic fluxes.
Non-vanishing fluxes can lead to non-universal gauge kinetic functions for
which is the important features of
heterotic string theory in contrast to the theory. It is found
that the experimental values of gauge couplings are realized with
values of moduli fields based on the realistic models with the gauge symmetry and three chiral generations of quarks and
leptons without chiral exotics.Comment: 20 pages, 9 figure
Interest in Infectious Diseases specialty among Japanese medical students amidst the COVID-19 pandemic: A web-based, cross-sectional study
IntroductionThe emergence of the novel coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) has led to huge disruptions in the medical field and society. The significance of training and education for experts has been increasingly acknowledged in Japan, where the number of infectious disease (ID) specialists is reportedly insufficient. In this paper, we report the results of a web-based survey that was conducted to reveal the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced medical students' awareness of ID specialists and future career choices. MethodThis cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in March 2021 and targeted 717 medical students belonging to Medical School of Okayama University, Japan. The questionnaire consisted of four questions meant to assess students' knowledge and future intentions of becoming ID specialists. ResultsWe obtained 328 eligible questionnaires (response rate: 45.7%). Of 227 (69.2%) students who were aware of ID specialists, 99 (43.6%) answered that they came to know about them only after the pandemic, 12 (3.7%) answered that their interest in being an ID specialist arose during the pandemic, while 36 (11.0%) responded that they would rather not become ID specialists. At the time of the survey, 5 students (1.5%) were aiming to become ID specialists. ConclusionWe observed a very low rate of interest to be an ID specialist among medical students. The experience of the pandemic does not seem to have influenced Japanese medical students to choose ID as a specialty for their careers. Continuous efforts to increase the number of ID specialists are necessary in Japan as a countermeasure against the coming pandemic
Hepatic encephalopathy due to extrahepatic portosystemic shunt
Clinicians should recognize extrahepatic portosystemic shunt as a cause of refractory or intermittent hepatic encephalopathy. Treatment strategies should be individualized according to patients' anatomic and hemodynamic status
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