114 research outputs found
Relating the Cosmological Constant and Supersymmetry Breaking in Warped Compactifications of IIB String Theory
It has been suggested that the observed value of the cosmological constant is
related to the supersymmetry breaking scale M_{susy} through the formula Lambda
\sim M_p^4 (M_{susy}/M_p)^8. We point out that a similar relation naturally
arises in the codimension two solutions of warped space-time varying
compactifications of string theory in which non-isotropic stringy moduli induce
a small but positive cosmological constant.Comment: 7 pages, LaTeX, references added and minor changes made, (v3) map
between deSitter and global cosmic brane solutions clarified, supersymmetry
breaking discussion improved and references adde
Derivatives and Credit Contagion in Interconnected Networks
The importance of adequately modeling credit risk has once again been
highlighted in the recent financial crisis. Defaults tend to cluster around
times of economic stress due to poor macro-economic conditions, {\em but also}
by directly triggering each other through contagion. Although credit default
swaps have radically altered the dynamics of contagion for more than a decade,
models quantifying their impact on systemic risk are still missing. Here, we
examine contagion through credit default swaps in a stylized economic network
of corporates and financial institutions. We analyse such a system using a
stochastic setting, which allows us to exploit limit theorems to exactly solve
the contagion dynamics for the entire system. Our analysis shows that, by
creating additional contagion channels, CDS can actually lead to greater
instability of the entire network in times of economic stress. This is
particularly pronounced when CDS are used by banks to expand their loan books
(arguing that CDS would offload the additional risks from their balance
sheets). Thus, even with complete hedging through CDS, a significant loan book
expansion can lead to considerably enhanced probabilities for the occurrence of
very large losses and very high default rates in the system. Our approach adds
a new dimension to research on credit contagion, and could feed into a rational
underpinning of an improved regulatory framework for credit derivatives.Comment: 26 pages, 7 multi-part figure
Transverse Wave Propagation in Relativistic Two-fluid Plasmas in de Sitter Space
We investigate transverse electromagnetic waves propagating in a plasma in
the de Sitter space. Using the 3+1 formalism we derive the relativistic
two-fluid equations to take account of the effects due to the horizon and
describe the set of simultaneous linear equations for the perturbations. We use
a local approximation to investigate the one-dimensional radial propagation of
Alfv\'en and high frequency electromagnetic waves and solve the dispersion
relation for these waves numerically.Comment: 19 pages, 12 figure
Topology, Entropy and Witten Index of Dilaton Black Holes
We have found that for extreme dilaton black holes an inner boundary must be
introduced in addition to the outer boundary to give an integer value to the
Euler number. The resulting manifolds have (if one identifies imaginary time)
topology and Euler number in contrast to
the non-extreme case with . The entropy of extreme dilaton black
holes is already known to be zero. We include a review of some recent ideas due
to Hawking on the Reissner-Nordstr\"om case. By regarding all extreme black
holes as having an inner boundary, we conclude that the entropy of {\sl all}
extreme black holes, including black holes, vanishes. We discuss the
relevance of this to the vanishing of quantum corrections and the idea that the
functional integral for extreme holes gives a Witten Index. We have studied
also the topology of ``moduli space'' of multi black holes. The quantum
mechanics on black hole moduli spaces is expected to be supersymmetric despite
the fact that they are not HyperK\"ahler since the corresponding geometry has
torsion unlike the BPS monopole case. Finally, we describe the possibility of
extreme black hole fission for states with an energy gap. The energy released,
as a proportion of the initial rest mass, during the decay of an
electro-magnetic black hole is 300 times greater than that released by the
fission of an nucleus.Comment: 51 pages, 4 figures, LaTeX. Considerably extended version. New
sections include discussion of the Witten index, topology of the moduli
space, black hole sigma model, and black hole fission with huge energy
releas
Brane world corrections to Newton's law
We discuss possible variations of the effective gravitational constant with
length scale, predicted by most of alternative theories of gravity and unified
models of physical interactions. After a brief general exposition, we review in
more detail the predicted corrections to Newton's law of gravity in diverse
brane world models. We consider various configurations in 5 dimensions (flat,
de Sitter and AdS branes in Einstein and Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet theories, with
and without induced gravity and possible incomplete graviton localization), 5D
multi-brane systems and some models in higher dimensions. A common feature of
all models considered is the existence of corrections to Newton's law at small
radii comparable with the bulk characteristic length: at such radii, gravity on
the brane becomes effectively multidimensional. Many models contain superlight
perturbation modes, which modify gravity at large scale and may be important
for astrophysics and cosmology.Comment: Brief review, 16 pages, 92 references. Some description and
references adde
T-Duality and Penrose limits of spatially homogeneous and inhomogeneous cosmologies
Penrose limits of inhomogeneous cosmologies admitting two abelian Killing
vectors and their abelian T-duals are found in general. The wave profiles of
the resulting plane waves are given for particular solutions. Abelian and
non-abelian T-duality are used as solution generating techniques. Furthermore,
it is found that unlike in the case of abelian T-duality, non-abelian T-duality
and taking the Penrose limit are not commutative procedures.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figures. Discussion on non-abelian T-duality expande
Short Distance vs. Long Distance Physics: The Classical Limit of the Minimal Length Uncertainty Relation
We continue our investigation of the phenomenological implications of the
"deformed" commutation relations [x_i,p_j]=i hbar[(1 + beta p^2) delta_{ij} +
beta' p_i p_j]. These commutation relations are motivated by the fact that they
lead to the minimal length uncertainty relation which appears in perturbative
string theory. In this paper, we consider the effects of the deformation on the
classical orbits of particles in a central force potential. Comparison with
observation places severe constraints on the value of the minimum length.Comment: 20 pages REVTEX4, 4 color eps figures, typos correcte
Hidden Voices of Black Men
Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/66982/2/10.1177_002193479402500102.pd
Selection platforms for directed evolution in synthetic biology
Life on Earth is incredibly diverse. Yet, underneath that diversity, there are a number of constants and highly
conserved processes: all life is based on DNA and RNA; the genetic code is universal; biology is limited to a
small subset of potential chemistries. A vast amount of knowledge has been accrued through describing and
characterizing enzymes, biological processes and organisms. Nevertheless, much remains to be understood
about the natural world. One of the goals in Synthetic Biology is to recapitulate biological complexity from
simple systems made from biological molecules â gaining a deeper understanding of life in the process.
Directed evolution is a powerful tool in Synthetic Biology, able to bypass gaps in knowledge and capable of
engineering even the most highly conserved biological processes. It encompasses a range of methodologies
to create variation in a population and to select individual variants with the desired function â be it a ligand,
enzyme, pathway or even whole organisms. Here, we present some of the basic frameworks that underpin
all evolution platforms and review some of the recent contributions from directed evolution to synthetic
biology, in particular methods that have been used to engineer the Central Dogma and the genetic code
Size Doesn't Matter: Towards a More Inclusive Philosophy of Biology
notes: As the primary author, OâMalley drafted the paper, and gathered and analysed data (scientific papers and talks). Conceptual analysis was conducted by both authors.publication-status: Publishedtypes: ArticlePhilosophers of biology, along with everyone else, generally perceive life to fall into two broad categories, the microbes and macrobes, and then pay most of their attention to the latter. âMacrobeâ is the word we propose for larger life forms, and we use it as part of an argument for microbial equality. We suggest that taking more notice of microbes â the dominant life form on the planet, both now and throughout evolutionary history â will transform some of the philosophy of biologyâs standard ideas on ontology, evolution, taxonomy and biodiversity. We set out a number of recent developments in microbiology â including biofilm formation, chemotaxis, quorum sensing and gene transfer â that highlight microbial capacities for cooperation and communication and break down conventional thinking that microbes are solely or primarily single-celled organisms. These insights also bring new perspectives to the levels of selection debate, as well as to discussions of the evolution and nature of multicellularity, and to neo-Darwinian understandings of evolutionary mechanisms. We show how these revisions lead to further complications for microbial classification and the philosophies of systematics and biodiversity. Incorporating microbial insights into the philosophy of biology will challenge many of its assumptions, but also give greater scope and depth to its investigations
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