Local bulk operators in AdS/CFT: a boundary view of horizons and locality

We develop the representation of local bulk fields in AdS by non-local operators on the boundary, working in the semiclassical limit and using AdS_2 as our main example. In global coordinates we show that the boundary operator has support only at points which are spacelike separated from the bulk point. We construct boundary operators that represent local bulk operators inserted behind the horizon of the Poincare patch and inside the Rindler horizon of a two dimensional black hole. We show that these operators respect bulk locality and comment on the generalization of our construction to higher dimensional AdS black holes.Comment: 28 pages, 4 figures, late

Habitat use and behavior of the east Pacific green turtle, Chelonia mydas in an urbanized system

Green sea turtles, Chelonia mydas, are known to inhabit populated and often urbanized areas. To understand turtle habitat use and behavior within these unique habitats, seven juvenile green turtles were fitted with acoustic transmitters (September 2012 – August 2014), of which two transmitters included an accelerometer (AP transmitter). One individual fitted with an AP transmitter was tracked using a passive acoustic array in an urbanized river, the San Gabriel River, Long Beach, CA (33°45’ N, 118°05’ W). Three additional turtles in this river and three turtles (one with AP transmitter) in a restored estuary (33°44’ N, 118°03’ W) in southern California were actively tracked for two non-consecutive 24-h periods. Those fitted with AP transmitters indicated that turtles were less active at night (0.58 ± 0.56 m/s2 and 0.50 ± 0.63 m/s2) than during the day (0.86 ± 0.63 m/s2 and 0.78 ± 0.60 m/s2) at both sites. Activity data and corresponding movements of the actively tracked turtle fitted with the AP transmitter were used to infer resting periods for other tracked individuals. Turtles rested near bridge pilings and runoff outflows in the river to potentially shelter from tidal flow. Turtles used significantly larger daily areas in the urbanized river (0.046 ± 0.023 km2) where resources may be patchier and less abundant, compared to turtles in the estuary (0.024 ± 0.012 km2) where large, dense eelgrass beds are present. Based on the habitat use and behaviors of green sea turtles, it appears that some green sea turtles are able to make use of both highly developed and restored habitats and likely benefit from certain aspects of development

Probing black holes in non-perturbative gauge theory

We use a 0-brane to probe a ten-dimensional near-extremal black hole with N units of 0-brane charge. We work directly in the dual strongly-coupled quantum mechanics, using mean-field methods to describe the black hole background non-perturbatively. We obtain the distribution of W boson masses, and find a clear separation between light and heavy degrees of freedom. To localize the probe we introduce a resolving time and integrate out the heavy modes. After a non-trivial change of coordinates, the effective potential for the probe agrees with supergravity expectations. We compute the entropy of the probe, and find that the stretched horizon of the black hole arises dynamically in the quantum mechanics, as thermal restoration of unbroken U(N+1) gauge symmetry. Our analysis of the quantum mechanics predicts a correct relation between the horizon radius and entropy of a black hole.Comment: 30 pages, LaTeX, 8 eps figures. v2: references added. v3: more reference

Global and Local Conformation of Human IgG Antibody Variants Rationalizes Loss of Thermodynamic Stability.

Immunoglobulin G (IgG) monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are a major class of medicines, with high specificity and affinity towards targets spanning many disease areas. The antibody Fc (fragment crystallizable) region is a vital component of existing antibody therapeutics, as well as many next generation biologic medicines. Thermodynamic stability is a critical property for the development of stable and effective therapeutic proteins. Herein, a combination of ion-mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS) and hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) approaches have been used to inform on the global and local conformation and dynamics of engineered IgG Fc variants with reduced thermodynamic stability. The changes in conformation and dynamics have been correlated with their thermodynamic stability to better understand the destabilising effect of functional IgG Fc mutations and to inform engineering of future therapeutic proteins.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Wiley via http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/anie.20150722

Laying the Foundation for Policy: Measuring Local Prevalence for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Claims have been made that families with children living with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have been migrating to Alberta because of higher funding available for ASD supports compared to other provinces. The legitimacy of these claims, along with many others about the adequacy or inadequacy of funding for supporting persons living with ASD, has not been evaluated because we simply don’t know how many people in Alberta are living with ASD. Typically in Canada, ASD prevalence is reported in national figures, based on international estimates. Canadian prevalence estimates for ASD are needed. With no national surveillance system in place, national estimates are difficult to determine. In addition, such broad measurements are problematic as they may not adequately inform the service delivery needs for specific jurisdictions. A new study shows that 1,711, or 1 in 94, school age children in the Calgary region have an ASD diagnosis. As this number matches what is often reported for the national prevalence of ASD, it suggests that Alberta’s relatively higher ASD funding is not inducing in-migration of families seeking better support. The data also show that the prevalence is higher in elementary-grade children, with a diagnosis in one of every 86 children. In the senior grades, there are significantly fewer students with ASD diagnoses, specifically within the Calgary Board of Education. There is no evident reason for diagnoses to seemingly dematerialize in the older grades. These students could be dropping out or choosing home-schooling in greater numbers. Possibly there has been an increase in prevalence. These prevalence estimates help to inform the demand for special-needs services within the local school system. In addition, there is growing concern that upon graduation there is a “support cliff” resulting from a less systematized, less generous support system available for adults with neurodevelopmental disability. Families that need support for ASD face enough challenges; it is critical for policy-makers to be aware of the extent of the situation in their own jurisdiction so as to develop the right kinds of supports for these families

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cell secreted extracellular vesicles containing ceramide-1-phosphate promote pancreatic cancer stem cell motility

The high mortality rate associated with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is in part due to lack of effective therapy for this highly chemoresistant tumor. Cancer stem cells, a subset of cancer cells responsible for tumor initiation and metastasis, are not targeted by conventional cytotoxic agents, which renders the identification of factors that facilitate cancer stem cell activation useful in defining targetable mechanisms. We determined that bioactive sphingolipid induced migration of pancreatic cancer stem cells (PCSC) and signaling was specific to ceramide-1-phosphate (C1P). Furthermore, PDAC cells were identified as a rich source of C1P. Importantly, PDAC cells express the C1P converting enzyme ceramide kinase (CerK), secrete C1P-containing extracellular vesicles that mediate PCSC migration, and when co-injected with PCSC reduce animal survival in a PDAC peritoneal dissemination model. Our findings suggest that PDAC secrete C1P-containing extracellular vesicles as a means of recruiting PCSC to sustain tumor growth therefore making C1P release a mechanism that could facilitate tumor progression

PP-Wave Light-Cone Free String Field Theory at Finite Temperature

In this paper, a real-time formulation of light-cone pp-wave string field theory at finite temperature is presented. This is achieved by developing the thermo field dynamics (TFD) formalism in a second quantized string scenario. The equilibrirum thermodynamic quantities for a pp-wave ideal string gas are derived directly from expectation values on the second quantized string thermal vacuum. Also, we derive the real-time thermal pp-wave closed string propagator. In the flat space limit it is shown that this propagator can be written in terms of Theta functions, exactly as the zero temperature one. At the end, we show how supestrings interactions can be introduced, making this approach suitable to study the BMN dictionary at finite temperature.Comment: 27 pages, revtex

Aspiration therapy for the treatment of obesity: 4-year results of a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

BackgroundThe AspireAssist is the first Food and Drug Administration-approved endoluminal device indicated for treatment of class II and III obesity.ObjectivesWe earlier reported 1-year results of the PATHWAY study. Here, we report 4-year outcomes.SettingUnited States-based, 10-center, randomized controlled trial involving 171 participants with the treatment arm receiving Aspiration Therapy (AT) plus Lifestyle Therapy and the control arm receiving Lifestyle Therapy (2:1 randomization).MethodsAT participants were permitted to continue in the study for an additional year up to a maximum of 5 years providing they maintained at least 10% total weight loss (TWL) from baseline at each year end. For AT participants who continued the study, 5 medical monitoring visits were provided at weeks 60, 68, 76, 90, and 104 and thereafter once every 13 weeks up to week 260. Exclusion criteria were a history of eating disorder or evidence of eating disorder on a validated questionnaire. Follow-up weight, quality of life, and co-morbidities were compared with the baseline levels. In addition, rates of serious adverse event, persistent fistula, withdrawal, and A-tube replacement were reported. All analyses were performed using a per-protocol analysis.ResultsOf the 82 AT participants who completed 1 year, 58 continued to this phase of the trial. Mean baseline body mass index of these 58 patients was 41.6 ± 4.5 kg/m2. At the end of first year (at the beginning of the follow-up study), these 58 patients had a body mass index of 34.1 ± 5.4 kg/m2 and had achieved an 18.3 ± 8.0% TWL. On a per protocol basis, patients experienced 14.2%, 15.3%, 16.6%, and 18.7% TWL at 1, 2, 3, and 4 years, respectively (P < .01 for all). Forty of 58 patients (69%) achieved at least 10% TWL at 4 years or at time of study withdrawal. Improvements in quality of life scores and select cardiometabolic parameters were also maintained through 4 years. There were 2 serious adverse events reported in the second through fourth years, both of which resolved with removal or replacement of the A tube. Two persistent fistulas required surgical repair, representing approximately 2% of all tube removals. There were no clinically significant metabolic or electrolytes disorders observed, nor any evidence for development of any eating disorders.ConclusionsThe results of this midterm study have shown that AT is a safe, effective, and durable weight loss alternative for people with class II and III obesity and who are willing to commit to using the therapy and adhere to adjustments in eating behavior

AdS_3/LCFT_2 - Correlators in Cosmological Topologically Massive Gravity

For cosmological topologically massive gravity at the chiral point we calculate momentum space 2- and 3-point correlators of operators in the postulated dual CFT on the cylinder. These operators are sourced by the bulk and boundary gravitons. Our correlators are fully consistent with the proposal that cosmological topologically massive gravity at the chiral point is dual to a logarithmic CFT. In the process we give a complete classification of normalizable and non-normalizeable left, right and logarithmic solutions to the linearized equations of motion in global AdS_3.Comment: 39 pages + appendices, 1 eps figure, v2: minor changes in text in 4.1.2, corrected typo in (2.31

Pyocin S5 import into Pseudomonas aeruginosa reveals a generic mode of bacteriocin transport

Pyocin S5 (PyoS5) is a potent protein bacteriocin that eradicates the human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa in animal infection models, but its import mechanism is poorly understood. Here, using crystallography, biophysical and biochemical analyses, and live-cell imaging, we define the entry process of PyoS5 and reveal links to the transport mechanisms of other bacteriocins. In addition to its C-terminal pore-forming domain, elongated PyoS5 comprises two novel tandemly repeated kinked 3-helix bundle domains that structure-based alignments identify as key import domains in other pyocins. The central domain binds the lipid-bound common polysaccharide antigen, allowing the pyocin to accumulate on the cell surface. The N-terminal domain binds the ferric pyochelin transporter FptA while its associated disordered region binds the inner membrane protein TonB1, which together drive import of the bacteriocin across the outer membrane. Finally, we identify the minimal requirements for sensitizing Escherichia coli toward PyoS5, as well as other pyocins, and suggest that a generic pathway likely underpins the import of all TonB-dependent bacteriocins across the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria