Entanglement entropy of two dimensional systems and holography

In this note a new method for computing the entanglement entropy of a CFT holographically is explored. It consists of finding a bulk background with a boundary metric that has the conical singularities needed to compute the entanglement entropy in the usual QFT definition. An explicit calculation is presented for d=2.Comment: 20 pages, 1 figure: v2 typos fixed, references and comments adde

ELT Observations of Supernovae at the Edge of the Universe

We discuss the possibility of using Supernovae as tracers of the star formation history of the Universe for the range of stellar masses $\sim 3-30$ M$_\odot$ and possibly beyond. We simulate the observations of 350 SNe, up to $z\sim 15$, made with OWL (100m) telescope.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures. To appear in "Exploring the Cosmic Frontier: Astrophysical Instruments for the 21st Century", proceedings of the conference held in Berlin, 18-21 May 200

Localized Backreacted Flavor Branes in Holographic QCD

We investigate the perturbative (in $g_s N_{D8}$) backreaction of localized D8 branes in D4-D8 systems including in particular the Sakai Sugimoto model. We write down the explicit expressions of the backreacted metric, dilaton and RR form. We find that the backreaction remains small up to a radial value of $u \ll \ell_s/(g_s N_{D8})$, and that the background functions are smooth except at the D8 sources. In this perturbative window, the original embedding remains a solution to the equations of motion. Furthermore, the fluctuations around the original embedding, describing scalar mesons, do not become tachyonic due to the backreaction in the perturbative regime. This is is due to a cancelation between the DBI and CS parts of the D8 brane action in the perturbed background.Comment: 1+48 pages (7 figures) + 15 pages, citations added & minor correction

Holographic mesons in various dimensions

We calculate the spectrum of fluctuations of a probe Dk-brane in the background of N Dp-branes, for k=p,p+2,p+4 and p< 5. The result corresponds to the mesonic spectrum of a (p+1)-dimensional super-Yang-Mills (SYM) theory coupled to `dynamical quarks', i.e., fields in the fundamental representation -- the latter are confined to a defect for k=p and p+2. We find a universal behaviour where the spectrum is discrete and the mesons are deeply bound. The mass gap and spectrum are set by the scale M ~ m_q/g_{eff}(m_q), where m_q is the mass of the fundamental fields and g_{eff}(m_q) is the effective coupling evaluated at the quark mass, i.e. g_{eff}^2(m_q)=g_{ym}^2 N m_q^{p-3}. We consider the evolution of the meson spectra into the far infrared of three-dimensional SYM, where the gravity dual lifts to M-theory. We also argue that the mass scale appearing in the meson spectra is dictated by holography.Comment: 44 pages, 2 figures; v2: typos corrected, references adde

Rolling tachyon in anti-de Sitter space-time

We study the decay of the unstable D-particle in three-dimensional anti-de Sitter space-time using worldsheet boundary conformal field theory methods. We test the open string completeness conjecture in a background for which the phase space available is only field-theoretic. This could present a serious challenge to the claim. We compute the emission of closed strings in the AdS(3) x S^3 x T^4 background from the knowledge of the exact corresponding boundary state we construct. We show that the energy stored in the brane is mainly converted into very excited long strings. The energy stored in short strings and in open string pair production is much smaller and finite for any value of the string coupling. We find no "missing energy" problem. We compare our results to those obtained for a decay in flat space-time and to a background in the presence of a linear dilaton. Some remarks on holographic aspects of the problem are made.Comment: JHEP style, 45 pages, one figure; v2: typos corrected, references added, version to appear in JHE

A family of super Schrodinger invariant Chern-Simons matter systems

We investigate non-relativistic limits of the N=3 Chern-Simons matter system in 1+2 dimensions. The relativistic theory can generate several inequivalent super Schodinger invariant theories, depending on the degrees of freedom we choose to retain in the non-relativistic limit. The maximally supersymmetric Schrodinger invariant theory is obtained by keeping all particle degrees of freedom. The other descendants, where particles and anti-particles coexist, are also Schrodinger invariant but preserve less supersymmetries. Thus, we have a family of super Schrodinger invariant field theories produced from the parent relativistic theory.Comment: 1+35 pages, references added and typos fixe

Perturbative Approach to Higher Derivative Theories with Fermions

We extend the perturbative approach developed in an earlier work to deal with Lagrangians which have arbitrary higher order time derivative terms for both bosons and fermions. This approach enables us to find an effective Lagrangian with only first time derivatives order by order in the coupling constant. As in the pure bosonic case, to the first order, the quantized Hamiltonian is bounded from below whenever the potential is. We show in the example of a single complex fermion that higher derivative interactions result in an effective mass and change of vacuum for the low energy modes. The supersymmetric noncommutative Wess-Zumino model is considered as another example. We also comment on the higher derivative terms in Witten's string field theory and the effectiveness of level truncation.Comment: Latex, 21 pages, minor modification, ref. adde

Transport Properties of Holographic Defects

We study the charge transport properties of fields confined to a (2+1)-dimensional defect coupled to (3+1)-dimensional super-Yang-Mills at large-\nc and strong coupling, using AdS/CFT techniques applied to linear response theory. The dual system is described by \nf probe D5- or D7-branes in the gravitational background of \nc black D3-branes. Surprisingly, the transport properties of both defect CFT's are essentially identical -- even though the D7-brane construction breaks all supersymmetries. We find that the system possesses a conduction threshold given by the wave-number of the perturbation and that the charge transport arises from a quasiparticle spectrum which is consistent with an intuitive picture where the defect acquires a finite width. We also examine finite-$\lambda$ modifications arising from higher derivative interactions in the probe brane action.Comment: 54 pages, 22 figures, references added, minor changes to figures and comments, final version published in JHE

Tocilizumab in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial

Background: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of tocilizumab in adult patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 with both hypoxia and systemic inflammation. Methods: This randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial (Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy [RECOVERY]), is assessing several possible treatments in patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in the UK. Those trial participants with hypoxia (oxygen saturation &lt;92% on air or requiring oxygen therapy) and evidence of systemic inflammation (C-reactive protein ≥75 mg/L) were eligible for random assignment in a 1:1 ratio to usual standard of care alone versus usual standard of care plus tocilizumab at a dose of 400 mg–800 mg (depending on weight) given intravenously. A second dose could be given 12–24 h later if the patient's condition had not improved. The primary outcome was 28-day mortality, assessed in the intention-to-treat population. The trial is registered with ISRCTN (50189673) and ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04381936). Findings: Between April 23, 2020, and Jan 24, 2021, 4116 adults of 21 550 patients enrolled into the RECOVERY trial were included in the assessment of tocilizumab, including 3385 (82%) patients receiving systemic corticosteroids. Overall, 621 (31%) of the 2022 patients allocated tocilizumab and 729 (35%) of the 2094 patients allocated to usual care died within 28 days (rate ratio 0·85; 95% CI 0·76–0·94; p=0·0028). Consistent results were seen in all prespecified subgroups of patients, including those receiving systemic corticosteroids. Patients allocated to tocilizumab were more likely to be discharged from hospital within 28 days (57% vs 50%; rate ratio 1·22; 1·12–1·33; p&lt;0·0001). Among those not receiving invasive mechanical ventilation at baseline, patients allocated tocilizumab were less likely to reach the composite endpoint of invasive mechanical ventilation or death (35% vs 42%; risk ratio 0·84; 95% CI 0·77–0·92; p&lt;0·0001). Interpretation: In hospitalised COVID-19 patients with hypoxia and systemic inflammation, tocilizumab improved survival and other clinical outcomes. These benefits were seen regardless of the amount of respiratory support and were additional to the benefits of systemic corticosteroids. Funding: UK Research and Innovation (Medical Research Council) and National Institute of Health Research

Convalescent plasma in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised controlled, open-label, platform trial

Background: Many patients with COVID-19 have been treated with plasma containing anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma therapy in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. Methods: This randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial (Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy [RECOVERY]) is assessing several possible treatments in patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in the UK. The trial is underway at 177 NHS hospitals from across the UK. Eligible and consenting patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either usual care alone (usual care group) or usual care plus high-titre convalescent plasma (convalescent plasma group). The primary outcome was 28-day mortality, analysed on an intention-to-treat basis. The trial is registered with ISRCTN, 50189673, and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04381936. Findings: Between May 28, 2020, and Jan 15, 2021, 11558 (71%) of 16287 patients enrolled in RECOVERY were eligible to receive convalescent plasma and were assigned to either the convalescent plasma group or the usual care group. There was no significant difference in 28-day mortality between the two groups: 1399 (24%) of 5795 patients in the convalescent plasma group and 1408 (24%) of 5763 patients in the usual care group died within 28 days (rate ratio 1·00, 95% CI 0·93–1·07; p=0·95). The 28-day mortality rate ratio was similar in all prespecified subgroups of patients, including in those patients without detectable SARS-CoV-2 antibodies at randomisation. Allocation to convalescent plasma had no significant effect on the proportion of patients discharged from hospital within 28 days (3832 [66%] patients in the convalescent plasma group vs 3822 [66%] patients in the usual care group; rate ratio 0·99, 95% CI 0·94–1·03; p=0·57). Among those not on invasive mechanical ventilation at randomisation, there was no significant difference in the proportion of patients meeting the composite endpoint of progression to invasive mechanical ventilation or death (1568 [29%] of 5493 patients in the convalescent plasma group vs 1568 [29%] of 5448 patients in the usual care group; rate ratio 0·99, 95% CI 0·93–1·05; p=0·79). Interpretation: In patients hospitalised with COVID-19, high-titre convalescent plasma did not improve survival or other prespecified clinical outcomes. Funding: UK Research and Innovation (Medical Research Council) and National Institute of Health Research