Renormalizability and Quantum Stability of the Phase Transition in Rigid String Coupled to Kalb-Ramond Fields II

Recently we have shown that a phase transition occurs in the leading approximation of the large N limit in rigid strings coupled to long range Kalb-Ramond interactions. The disordered phase is essentially the Nambu-Goto-Polyakov string theory while the ordered phase is a new theory. In this part II letter we study the first sub-leading quantum corrections we started in I. We derive the renormalized mass gap equation and obtain the renormalized critical line of the interacting theory. Our main and final result is that the phase transition does indeed survive quantum fluctuations.Comment: PHYZZX, 11 pages, 2 Postscript figure, to be published in Nucl.Phys.

Quantum Stability of the Phase Transition in Rigid QED

Rigid QED is a renormalizable generalization of Feynman's space-time action characterized by the addition of the curvature of the world line (rigidity). We have recently shown that a phase transition occurs in the leading approximation of the large N limit. The disordered phase essentially coincides with ordinary QED, while the ordered phase is a new theory. We have further shown that both phases of the quantum theory are free of ghosts and tachyons. In this letter, we study the first sub-leading quantum corrections leading to the renormalized mass gap equation. Our main result is that the phase transition does indeed survive these quantum fluctuations.Comment: PHYZZX, 9 pages, 3 Postscript figures, to be published in Nucl. Phys.

Dimensionless Coupling of Superstrings to Supersymmetric Gauge Theories and Scale Invariant Superstring Actions

We construct new superstring actions which are distinguished from standard superstrings by being space-time scale invariant. Like standard superstrings, they are also reparametrization invariant, space-time supersymmetric, and invariant under local scale transformations of the world sheet. We discuss scenarios in which these actions could play a significant role, in particular one which involves their coupling to supersymmetric gauge theories.Comment: 9 pages, LaTe

Cytotoxic chemotherapy: Still the mainstay of clinical practice for all subtypes metastatic breast cancer

Cytotoxic chemotherapy remains central to the treatment of all subtypes of metastatic breast cancer (MBC). We review evidence-based chemotherapy options for women with MBC after an anthracycline and a taxane including re-challenge with anthracycline or taxane, capecitabine, eribulin and ixabepilone as a single agent or combination with capecitabine (not approved in the EU); and the vinca alkaloid vinflunine as single agent or combined with either capecitabine/gemcitabine (also not approved EU or USA). Etirinotecan pegol, comprising irinotecan bound to polyethylene glycol by a biodegradable linker, is a new cytotoxic agent for patients with MBC that has achieved encouraging response rates in phase II studies; it has been further evaluated in the phase III BEACON trial. New cytotoxics should address novel targets or modes of delivery, achieve meaningful improvements in outcomes and seek to identify predictive biomarker(s)

Streptococcus Intermedius Brain and Diverticular Abscesses After Dental Manipulation: A Case Report.

A brain abscess is defined as a focal intracerebral infection consisting of an encapsulated collection of pus, which can be a life-threatening complication of infections, trauma, or surgery. While immunocompromised patients can have a wide array of causative organisms, bacterial species represent the most common etiology in immunocompetent individuals. The incidence of brain abscesses ranges from 0.4 to 0.9 per 100,000, with a high predisposition among immunocompromised patients and in those with disruption of the blood-brain barrier. The most common causative organisms found were Streptococcus species, particularly S. viridians and S. pneumonia, Enterococcus, and Staphylococcus species, mainly S. aurieus and S. epidermidis. Microorganism can invade the brain through different mechanisms, either directly by contiguous spread and odontogenic infections, which usually cause a single brain abscess, or indirectly through hematogenous spread which can cause multiple brain abscesses. Both surgical and conservative dental procedures contribute to hematogenous spreading of oral microorganisms. Although most of those organisms are eliminated shortly after they gain access to the bloodstream, some can persist and contribute to the pathogenesis of abscesses in the appropriate environment. Odontogenic origins are rarely implicated in the formation of brain abscesses, and oral foci comprise approximately 5% of identified cases. We report a case of brain and diverticular abscesses due to S. intermidius occurring two months after dental extraction. This case highlights the fact that even usual dental workup can result in the development of bacteremia and disseminated abscesses including but not restricted to the brain. Consequently, in addition to identifying the possible source of bacteremia with an extensive history and physical exam, the diagnosis of Streptococcus milleri organisms should prompt the physicians to screen for sites of possible metastatic infection spread

Large-scale lateral saturated soil hydraulic conductivity as a metric for the connectivity of subsurface flow paths at hillslope scale

Lateral saturated soil hydraulic conductivity, Ks,l, is the soil property governing subsurface water transfer in hillslopes, and the key parameter in many numerical models simulating hydrological processes at the hillslope and catchment scales. Likewise, the hydrological connectivity of the lateral flow paths plays a significant role in determining the rate of the subsurface flow at various spatial scales. This study investigates the relationship between Ks,l and hydrological connectivity at the hillslope spatial scale. Ks,l was determined by the subsurface flow rates intercepted by drains and water table depths observed in a well network. The hydrological connectivity was evaluated by the synchronicity among water table peaks, and between these and the peaks of the drained flow. Rainfall and soil moisture were used to investigate the influence of the transient hydrological soil condition on connectivity and Ks,l. As the synchronicity of the water table response between wells increased, the lag times between the peaks of water levels and those of the drained subsurface flow decreased. Moreover, the most synchronic water table rises determined the highest drainage rates. The relationships between Ks,l and water table depths were highly non-linear, with a sharp increase in the values for water table levels close to the soil surface. Estimated Ks,l values for the full saturated soil were in the order of thousands of mm h−1, suggesting the activation of macropores in the root zone. The Ks,l values determined at the peak of the drainage events were correlated with the indicators of synchronicity. The sum of cumulative rainfall and antecedent soil moisture was correlated with the connectivity indicators and Ks,l. We suggest that, for simulating realistic processes at the hillslope scale, the hydrological connectivity could be implicitly considered in hydrological modelling through an evaluation of Ks,l at the same spatial scale