PUBLIC POLICY EDUCATION FOR WETLANDS ISSUES

Environmental Economics and Policy,

Anatomy of a Duality

The nature of M-theory on K3 X I, where I is a line interval, is considered, with a view towards formulating a `matrix theory' representation of that situation. Various limits of this compactification of M-theory yield a number of well known N=1 six dimensional compactifications of the heterotic and type I string theories. Geometrical relations between these limits give rise to string/string dualities between some of these compactifications. At a special point in the moduli space of compactifications, this motivates a partial definition of the matrix theory representation of the M-theory on K3 X I as the large N limit of a certain type IA orientifold model probed by a conglomerate of N D-branes. Such a definition in terms of D-branes and orientifold planes is suggestive, but necessarily incomplete, due to the low amount of superymmetry. It is proposed - following hints from the orientifold model - that the complete matrix theory representation of the K3 X I compactified M-theory is given by the large N limit of compactification - on a suitable `dual' surface - of the `little heterotic string' N = 1 six dimensional quantum theories.Comment: 55 pages, harvmac.tex (`b' mode), epsf.tex for 3 figures, (Some references were corrected. Small adjustments to text and abstract. Physics unchanged

Nonabelian Phenomena on D-branes

A remarkable feature of D-branes is the appearance of a nonabelian gauge theory in the description of several (nearly) coincident branes. This nonabelian structure plays an important role in realizing various geometric effects with D-branes. In particular, the branes' transverse displacements are described by matrix-valued scalar fields and so noncommutative geometry naturally appears in this framework. I review the action governing this nonabelian theory, as well as various related physical phenomena such as the dielectric effect, giant gravitons and fuzzy funnels.Comment: Lecture at Leuven workshop on ``The quantum structure of spacetime and the geometrical nature of fundamental interactions'' (September 13-19, 2002); ref.'s adde

Naomi: a new modelling tool for estimating HIV epidemic indicators at the district level in sub-Saharan Africa.

INTRODUCTION: HIV planning requires granular estimates for the number of people living with HIV (PLHIV), antiretroviral treatment (ART) coverage and unmet need, and new HIV infections by district, or equivalent subnational administrative level. We developed a Bayesian small-area estimation model, called Naomi, to estimate these quantities stratified by subnational administrative units, sex, and five-year age groups. METHODS: Small-area regressions for HIV prevalence, ART coverage and HIV incidence were jointly calibrated using subnational household survey data on all three indicators, routine antenatal service delivery data on HIV prevalence and ART coverage among pregnant women, and service delivery data on the number of PLHIV receiving ART. Incidence was modelled by district-level HIV prevalence and ART coverage. Model outputs of counts and rates for each indicator were aggregated to multiple geographic and demographic stratifications of interest. The model was estimated in an empirical Bayes framework, furnishing probabilistic uncertainty ranges for all output indicators. Example results were presented using data from Malawi during 2016-2018. RESULTS: Adult HIV prevalence in September 2018 ranged from 3.2% to 17.1% across Malawi's districts and was higher in southern districts and in metropolitan areas. ART coverage was more homogenous, ranging from 75% to 82%. The largest number of PLHIV was among ages 35 to 39 for both women and men, while the most untreated PLHIV were among ages 25 to 29 for women and 30 to 34 for men. Relative uncertainty was larger for the untreated PLHIV than the number on ART or total PLHIV. Among clients receiving ART at facilities in Lilongwe city, an estimated 71% (95% CI, 61% to 79%) resided in Lilongwe city, 20% (14% to 27%) in Lilongwe district outside the metropolis, and 9% (6% to 12%) in neighbouring Dowa district. Thirty-eight percent (26% to 50%) of Lilongwe rural residents and 39% (27% to 50%) of Dowa residents received treatment at facilities in Lilongwe city. CONCLUSIONS: The Naomi model synthesizes multiple subnational data sources to furnish estimates of key indicators for HIV programme planning, resource allocation, and target setting. Further model development to meet evolving HIV policy priorities and programme need should be accompanied by continued strengthening and understanding of routine health system data

Four-dimensional String Compactifications with D-Branes, Orientifolds and Fluxes

This review article provides a pedagogical introduction into various classes of chiral string compactifications to four dimensions with D-branes and fluxes. The main concern is to provide all necessary technical tools to explicitly construct four-dimensional orientifold vacua, with the final aim to come as close as possible to the supersymmetric Standard Model. Furthermore, we outline the available methods to derive the resulting four-dimensional effective action. Finally, we summarize recent attempts to address the string vacuum problem via the statistical approach to D-brane models.Comment: 331 pages, 7 figures, review prepared for Physics Reports, please send constructive comments to: [email protected], v2: refs added, v3: final version to appear in Phys. Rep

The Bekenstein Formula and String Theory (N-brane Theory)

A review of recent progress in string theory concerning the Bekenstein formula for black hole entropy is given. Topics discussed include p-branes, D-branes and supersymmetry; the correspondence principle; the D- and M-brane approach to black hole entropy; the D-brane analogue of Hawking radiation, and information loss; D-branes as probes of black holes; and the Matrix theory approach to charged and neutral black holes. Some introductory material is included.Comment: 53 pages, LaTeX. v3: Typos fixed, minor updates, references added, brief Note Added on AdS/CF

Genomic, Pathway Network, and Immunologic Features Distinguishing Squamous Carcinomas

This integrated, multiplatform PanCancer Atlas study co-mapped and identified distinguishing molecular features of squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) from five sites associated with smokin

Pan-Cancer Analysis of lncRNA Regulation Supports Their Targeting of Cancer Genes in Each Tumor Context

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are commonly dys-regulated in tumors, but only a handful are known toplay pathophysiological roles in cancer. We inferredlncRNAs that dysregulate cancer pathways, onco-genes, and tumor suppressors (cancer genes) bymodeling their effects on the activity of transcriptionfactors, RNA-binding proteins, and microRNAs in5,185 TCGA tumors and 1,019 ENCODE assays.Our predictions included hundreds of candidateonco- and tumor-suppressor lncRNAs (cancerlncRNAs) whose somatic alterations account for thedysregulation of dozens of cancer genes and path-ways in each of 14 tumor contexts. To demonstrateproof of concept, we showed that perturbations tar-geting OIP5-AS1 (an inferred tumor suppressor) andTUG1 and WT1-AS (inferred onco-lncRNAs) dysre-gulated cancer genes and altered proliferation ofbreast and gynecologic cancer cells. Our analysis in-dicates that, although most lncRNAs are dysregu-lated in a tumor-specific manner, some, includingOIP5-AS1, TUG1, NEAT1, MEG3, and TSIX, synergis-tically dysregulate cancer pathways in multiple tumorcontexts