631 research outputs found
Massive Dualities in Six Dimensions
We study compactifications of string theory and M-theory to six dimensions
with background fluxes. The nonzero fluxes lead to additional mass parameters.
We derive the S- and T-duality rules for the corresponding (massive)
supergravity theories. Specifically, we investigate the massive T-duality
between Type IIA superstring theory compactified on K3 with background fluxes
and Type IIB superstring theory compactified on K3. Furthermore, we generalise
to the massive case the 6D 'string-string' S-duality between M-theory on K3 x
S^1 and the Heterotic String on T^4. Whereas in the case of massive T--duality
the mass parameters are in the fundamental representation of the U-duality
group O(4,20) we find that in the case of massive S-duality they are in the
3-index antisymmetric representation. In the latter case the mass parameters
involved extend those of Kaloper and Myers. We apply our duality rules to
massive brane solutions, like the domain wall solutions corresponding to the
mass parameters and find new massive brane solutions. Finally, we discuss the
higher-dimensional interpretation of the dualities and brane solutions.Comment: 28 page
An action principle for Vasiliev's four-dimensional higher-spin gravity
We provide Vasiliev's fully nonlinear equations of motion for bosonic gauge
fields in four spacetime dimensions with an action principle. We first extend
Vasiliev's original system with differential forms in degrees higher than one.
We then derive the resulting duality-extended equations of motion from a
variational principle based on a generalized Hamiltonian sigma-model action.
The generalized Hamiltonian contains two types of interaction freedoms: One set
of functions that appears in the Q-structure of the generalized curvatures of
the odd forms in the duality-extended system; and another set depending on the
Lagrange multipliers, encoding a generalized Poisson structure, i.e. a set of
polyvector fields of ranks two or higher in target space. We find that at least
one of the two sets of interaction-freedom functions must be linear in order to
ensure gauge invariance. We discuss consistent truncations to the minimal Type
A and B models (with only even spins), spectral flows on-shell and provide
boundary conditions on fields and gauge parameters that are compatible with the
variational principle and that make the duality-extended system equivalent, on
shell, to Vasiliev's original system.Comment: 37 pages. References added, corrected typo
How higher-spin gravity surpasses the spin two barrier: no-go theorems versus yes-go examples
Aiming at non-experts, we explain the key mechanisms of higher-spin
extensions of ordinary gravity. We first overview various no-go theorems for
low-energy scattering of massless particles in flat spacetime. In doing so we
dress a dictionary between the S-matrix and the Lagrangian approaches,
exhibiting their relative advantages and weaknesses, after which we high-light
potential loop-holes for non-trivial massless dynamics. We then review positive
yes-go results for non-abelian cubic higher-derivative vertices in constantly
curved backgrounds. Finally we outline how higher-spin symmetry can be
reconciled with the equivalence principle in the presence of a cosmological
constant leading to the Fradkin--Vasiliev vertices and Vasiliev's higher-spin
gravity with its double perturbative expansion (in terms of numbers of fields
and derivatives).Comment: LaTeX, 50 pages, minor changes, many refs added; version accepted for
publication in Reviews of Modern Physic
When the "golden" standard should be the general standard:Response to a commentary on the use of Randomised Controlled Trials to examine the effectiveness of Family Group Conferencing
Recently, a critical commentary was published in the British Journal of Social Work in which the use of Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) to examine the effects of Family Group Conferencing (FGC) was questioned and alternatives were proposed to better examine the effects of FGC. According to the authors, a critical approach towards the evidence provided by RCTs is warranted given the uncontrollability of the social reality of FGC and the generally small sample sizes of FGC studies. We think many of the arguments are based on a misunderstanding of RCTs, while the problems indicated are not solved by using a weaker research design. Because we believe it is a moral imperative to support children and families with evidence-based practice, we feel the need to respond to the misunderstandings and correct them. In addition, we emphasise the necessity for conducting research that allows unbiased conclusions about the effectiveness of FGC
Coenzyme Q10 dose-escalation study in hemodialysis patients: safety, tolerability, and effect on oxidative stress.
BackgroundCoenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) supplementation improves mitochondrial coupling of respiration to oxidative phosphorylation, decreases superoxide production in endothelial cells, and may improve functional cardiac capacity in patients with congestive heart failure. There are no studies evaluating the safety, tolerability and efficacy of varying doses of CoQ10 in chronic hemodialysis patients, a population subject to increased oxidative stress.MethodsWe performed a dose escalation study to test the hypothesis that CoQ10 therapy is safe, well-tolerated, and improves biomarkers of oxidative stress in patients receiving hemodialysis therapy. Plasma concentrations of F2-isoprostanes and isofurans were measured to assess systemic oxidative stress and plasma CoQ10 concentrations were measured to determine dose, concentration and response relationships.ResultsFifteen of the 20 subjects completed the entire dose escalation sequence. Mean CoQ10 levels increased in a linear fashion from 704 ± 286 ng/mL at baseline to 4033 ± 1637 ng/mL, and plasma isofuran concentrations decreased from 141 ± 67.5 pg/mL at baseline to 72.2 ± 37.5 pg/mL at the completion of the study (P = 0.003 vs. baseline and P < 0.001 for the effect of dose escalation on isofurans). Plasma F2-isoprostane concentrations did not change during the study.ConclusionsCoQ10 supplementation at doses as high as 1800 mg per day was safe in all subjects and well-tolerated in most. Short-term daily CoQ10 supplementation decreased plasma isofuran concentrations in a dose dependent manner. CoQ10 supplementation may improve mitochondrial function and decrease oxidative stress in patients receiving hemodialysis.Trial registrationThis clinical trial was registered on clinicaltrials.gov [NCT00908297] on May 21, 2009
Assessing the discharge instructing in the emergency department : Patient perspective
Objective: The objective of the study is to assess how well the emergency department (ED) personnel succeed in instructing the patient at discharge. Methods: In November and December 2016 at Peijas Hospital ED, Finland, a structured questionnaire was conducted during a phone interview on patients the day after discharge. Results: A total of 132 patients interviewed. Ninety percent had received discharge instructions from the ED staff, most of them (75%) about medication. Almost half of the patients (45%) were satisfied with the communication at discharge, those not satisfied (47%) felt that the staff did not know enough of their background to give discharge instructions. Of the patients, 20% thought that they did not have the opportunity to ask questions during the guidance session, and 41% thought that the session was too short and restricted. Some patients (20%) felt that the instructions were ambiguous, but 63% (83/132) felt they were able to follow them well or very well. Conclusion: The pace of care in the ED is fast and duration of the stay is short. The patients must be able to take responsibility of their self-care. Failure to follow medical discharge instructions could lead to non-compliance. Attention should be paid to enhancing the quality of discharge instructing and the instructions provided by the ED personnel, as recurring visits and inquiry calls add to the ED workload.Peer reviewe
Parathyroid hormone-related protein-stanniocalcin antagonism in regulation of bicarbonate secretion and calcium precipitation in a marine fish intestine
Parathyroid hormone-related protein-stanniocalcin antagonism in regulation of bicarbonate secretion and calcium precipitation in a marine fish intestine. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 299: R150–R158, 2010. First published April 21, 2010; doi:10.1152/ajpregu.00378.2009.—Bicarbonate secretion in the intestine (duodenum) of marine fish has been suggested to play a major role in regulation of calcium availability for uptake. However, while the end process may lead to carbonate precipitation, regulation of transport of calcium and/or bicarbonate may actually
result in fine-tuning of calcium availability for transport. To test this
hypothesis, sea bream (Sparus auratus) duodenal preparations were mounted in Ussing-type chambers and the effect of parathyroid
hormone-related protein (PTHrP) and stanniocalcin 1 (STC 1) on the control of intestinal bicarbonate secretion and calcium transport was analyzed. As expected, PTHrP increased net calcium uptake, as a result of an increase of calcium uptake without changes in calcium efflux. In contrast, purified sea bream STC 1 caused a minor decrease of calcium uptake and a two- to threefold increase in calcium efflux. As a result, STC 1 was able to invert the calcium flux from net calcium uptake to net calcium loss, which is in keeping with its known
actions as a hypocalcemic factor. Furthermore, both PTHrP and STC 1 regulate intestinal bicarbonate secretion. PTHrP increased calcium uptake and simultaneously reduced the single factor that induces
calcium precipitation, bicarbonate secretion. In contrast, STC 1, while
reversing the calcium net flux to make it secretory, promoted intestinal bicarbonate secretion, both actions directed to decrease the calcium gradient across the epithelium and promote immobilization in the form of bicarbonate in the intestinal lumen. Together our results provide robust evidence to support an antagonistic action of PTHrP
and STC 1 in the fine control of movements of both calcium and bicarbonate in the intestine of seawater fish.This work was supported by Ministry of Science and Higher Education and European Social Funds through the Portuguese National Science Foundation Projects POCTI/CVT/55683/2004 and TDC/MAR/104008/2008 to J. Fuentes
The minimal conformal O(N) vector sigma model at d=3
For the minimal O(N) sigma model, which is defined to be generated by the
O(N) scalar auxiliary field alone, all n-point functions, till order 1/N
included, can be expressed by elementary functions without logarithms.
Consequently, the conformal composite fields of m auxiliary fields possess at
the same order such dimensions, which are m times the dimension of the
auxiliary field plus the order of differentiation.Comment: 15 page
Invariant Differential Operators and Characters of the AdS_4 Algebra
The aim of this paper is to apply systematically to AdS_4 some modern tools
in the representation theory of Lie algebras which are easily generalised to
the supersymmetric and quantum group settings and necessary for applications to
string theory and integrable models. Here we introduce the necessary
representations of the AdS_4 algebra and group. We give explicitly all singular
(null) vectors of the reducible AdS_4 Verma modules. These are used to obtain
the AdS_4 invariant differential operators. Using this we display a new
structure - a diagram involving four partially equivalent reducible
representations one of which contains all finite-dimensional irreps of the
AdS_4 algebra. We study in more detail the cases involving UIRs, in particular,
the Di and the Rac singletons, and the massless UIRs. In the massless case we
discover the structure of sets of 2s_0-1 conserved currents for each spin s_0
UIR, s_0=1,3/2,... All massless cases are contained in a one-parameter
subfamily of the quartet diagrams mentioned above, the parameter being the spin
s_0. Further we give the classification of the so(5,C) irreps presented in a
diagramatic way which makes easy the derivation of all character formulae. The
paper concludes with a speculation on the possible applications of the
character formulae to integrable models.Comment: 30 pages, 4 figures, TEX-harvmac with input files: amssym.def,
amssym.tex, epsf.tex; version 2 1 reference added; v3: minor corrections;
v.4: minor corrections, v.5: minor corrections to conform with version in J.
Phys. A: Math. Gen; v.6.: small correction and addition in subsections 4.1 &
4.
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