Strongly Coupled CFT in FRW Universe from AdS/CFT Correspondence

We develop a formalism to calculate the effective action of the strongly coupled conformal field theory (CFT) in curved spacetime. The effective action of the CFT is obtained from AdS/CFT correspondence. The anti de-Sitter (AdS) spacetime has various slicing which give various curved spacetime on its boundary. We show the de Sitter spacetime and the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) universe can be embedded in the AdS spacetime and derive the scalar two-point function of the conformal fields in those spacetime. In curved spacetime, the two-point function depends on the vacuum state of the CFT. A method to specify the vacuum state in AdS/CFT calculations is shown. Because the classical action in AdS spacetime diverges near the boundary, we need the counter terms to regulate the result. The simple derivation of the counter terms using the Hamilton-Jacobi equation is also presented in the appendix.Comment: 23 pages, no figure, version to appear in JHE

Birth of the Brane World

Birth of the brane world is studied using the Hamiltonian approach. It is shown that an inflating brane world can be created from nothing. The wave function of the universe obtained from the Wheeler de-Witt equation and the time-dependent Schr$\ddot{o}$dinger equation for quantized scalar fields on the brane are the same as in the conventional 4-dimensional quantum cosmology if the bulk is exactly the Anti-de Sitter spacetime. The effect of the massive objects in the bulk is also discussed. This analysis tells us the presence of the extra dimension imprints a nontrivial effect on the quantum cosmology of the brane world. This fact is important for the analysis of the quantum fluctuations in the inflationary scenario of the brane world.Comment: 14 pages, no figure, to appear in Phys. Lett.

Braneworld Kaluza-Klein Corrections in a Nutshell

Evaluating Kaluza-Klein (KK) corrections is indispensable to test the braneworld scenario. In this paper, we propose a novel symmetry approach to a 4-dimensional effective action with KK corrections for the Randall-Sundrum two-brane system. The result can be used to assess the validity of the low energy approximation. Also, our result provides the basis for predicting CMB spectrum with KK corrections and the study of the transition from black strings to black holes.Comment: 4 page

Pollution by estrogens in river and estuarine waters around Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and their effects on the estuarine Java-medaka, Oryzias javanicus.

Estrogens (17 B-estradiol and estrone) concentrations in river and estuarine waters around Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay while estrogenic potential of the waters were ascertained by three in vitro bioassays, namely E-screen, Ishikawa cell-alkaline phosphatase and yeast estrogen screen. Moreover, hepatic vitellogenin, a precursor of yolk protein that is specific to females, were examined in male and female Java-medaka collected in the same area. 17B-estradiol and estrone concentrations were less than 6.1 ng/L and 127 ng/L, respectively. The highest 17B-estradiol equivalent activity, 284 ng/L, was detected by in vitro assay in Sungai Kuyoh, which was adjacent to a sewage plant. 17B-estradiol and estrone concentrations were not equal to their estrogenic potentials determined by in vitro assay implying the presence of other estrogenic chemicals in these waters. Hepatic vitellogenin concentrations of both male and female java-medaka were the same to laboratory-cultured individuals. Although relatively high estrogen concentrations were detected in some waters of Malaysia, these were not high enough to induce hepatic vitellogenin in male fishes. Further research, however, is necessary to cover more number of sampling sites

Expression of retinoic acid receptor genes in keratinizing front of skin

AbstractWe found, by an in situ hybridization method with riboprobes synthesized from human cDNA of the retinoic acid receptor (RAR), that the RAR genes (predominantly γ-subtype) are intensively expressed in the epidermis of normal and psoriasic human skins, and also in keratinizing fronts of 4-day-old mouse skins, nail matrices and hair follicles. Thus, target cells of retinoic acid in the skins are concluded to be keratinocytes, which is quite consistent with the fact that retinoic acid regulates keratinization of epidermis in vivo and also modulates expression of the keratin gene in vitro