Solving N=2 SYM by Reflection Symmetry of Quantum Vacua

The recently rigorously proved nonperturbative relation between u and the prepotential, underlying N=2 SYM with gauge group SU(2), implies both the reflection symmetry $\overline{u(\tau)}=u(-\bar\tau)$ and $u(\tau+1)=-u(\tau)$ which hold exactly. The relation also implies that $\tau$ is the inverse of the uniformizing coordinate u of the moduli space of quantum vacua. In this context, the above quantum symmetries are the key points to determine the structure of the moduli space. It turns out that the functions a(u) and a_D(u), which we derive from first principles, actually coincide with the solution proposed by Seiberg and Witten. We also consider some relevant generalizations.Comment: 12 pg. LaTex, Discussion of the generalization to higher rank groups added. To be published in Phys. Rev.

From BRST to light-cone description of higher spin gauge fields

In this short note we show, at the level of action principles, how the light-cone action of higher spin gauge fields can easily be obtained from the BRST formulation through the elimination of quartets. We analyze how the algebra of cohomology classes is affected by such a reduction. By applying the reduction to the Poincare generators, we give an alternative way of analyzing the physical spectrum of the Fronsdal type actions, with or without trace condition.Comment: 13 pages Latex file, Proceedings of the Workshop "Quantum Field Theory and Hamiltonian Systems'', Caciulata, Romania, 16 - 21 Oct, 2004; more references added, acknowledgments correcte

Branched Coverings and Interacting Matrix Strings in Two Dimensions

We construct the lattice gauge theory of the group G_N, the semidirect product of the permutation group S_N with U(1)^N, on an arbitrary Riemann surface. This theory describes the branched coverings of a two-dimensional target surface by strings carrying a U(1) gauge field on the world sheet. These are the non-supersymmetric Matrix Strings that arise in the unitary gauge quantization of a generalized two-dimensional Yang-Mills theory. By classifying the irreducible representations of G_N, we give the most general formulation of the lattice gauge theory of G_N, which includes arbitrary branching points on the world sheet and describes the splitting and joining of strings.Comment: LaTeX2e, 25 pages, 4 figure

Broth: Enhancing Market Opportunities and Improving Sustainability of Maine Farmed Seaweed

Seaweed is becoming popular across the world as consumers learn about the variety of seaweed-based products and their health benefits. Sugar kelp is one of Maine’s seaweed varieties that is locally grown each year. Sugar kelp and similar species contain many useful nutrients including iodine, calcium, magnesium, iron, and vitamins A, B, C, and E. Even though the health benefits of seaweed have been proven, locally-sourced seaweed has not yet become any more popular in Maine. Part one of this study identified suitable processing steps for a sugar kelp-based broth. Part two assessed how consumers’ demographics and food neophobia, as well as products’ characteristics, impacted broth acceptability. Broths were produced from fresh and frozen kelp, and several methods for flavor extraction were evaluated. An incomplete factorial design was selected for chemical and physical analyses. Fresh and frozen kelp were treated by boiling for 15 minutes or steamed for 30 minutes. The resulting broths were strained to produce clear broths. Sugar kelp was harvested on three dates in 2018 (April 20th, May 29th, and June 7th) to help understand how harvesting dates may impact broth attributes. A commercial reduced-sodium vegetable broth served as a control sample and had had the highest sodium, glutamic acid content, total solids, and viscosity. The control vegetable broth had the lowest pH and L* value for color. The broth made using fresh sugar kelp had the highest L* value. For all other chemical and physical assays, no significant differences were found between the sugar kelp broths. Fifty-six consumers evaluated three sugar kelp broths (frozen kelp boiled for 15 minutes, frozen kelp steamed for 30 minutes, and fresh kelp steamed for 30 minutes) and the vegetable broth control. The vegetable broth control scored significantly higher than all the experimental sugar kelp broths (p ≤ 0.05) for aroma, flavor, and overall acceptability on a nine-point hedonic scale. The vegetable broth scores were approximately 7.0 (like moderately), while the experimental sugar kelp broths scored between 4 (dislike slightly), and 5 (neither like nor dislike) on the hedonic scale. All broths were liked similarly for appearance and thickness. Almost 60% of panelists were female, and all but one person had previously eaten seaweed. The most frequently-sought food label information were ingredients, nutrition facts, and geographic source of the food. The Food Neophobia Scale scores for the panel ranged from 10 to 52. The scores were then sectioned into tertiles (low, medium, and high), but no significant associations were found between Food Neophobia scores and hedonic ratings for the broths. The low acceptability of the broths and the panelists’ prior experience eating seaweed might have limited effects of the test participants’ food neophobia. Future work should focus on developing greater flavor and testing soups with other ingredients since consumers do not usually consume broth alone. Shelf-life of broths should also be evaluated. Also, more information about the health benefits of seaweed and the economic impact of Maine farmed seaweed may help increase consumer interest in these healthful foods

PHILOSOPHICAL CONSIDERATIONS ON BRAIN DEATH AND THE CONCEPT OF THE ORGANISM AS A WHOLE

Since intensive care medicine enables us to maintain blood circulation and respiration artificially for some time, the usual criteria for death, such as cardiac arrest and cessation of respiration, are not applicable in all cases. Thus, the irreversible breakdown of the brain functions have come to be accepted as the most prominent factor for the occurrence of death. This criterion is linked primarily to the disintegration of the organism as a whole. Yet the controversy surrounding the moment when a man can be declared dead has not yet been resolved. The decisive weak point in this controversial discussion seems to be that the notion of the "organism as a whole" is inadequately defined. The aim of this work is to fill this void. We developed four general criteria of life: integration, coordination, dynamics, and immanency. Moreover, four additional characteristics are necessary for a living being (organism as a whole): completion, indivisibility, autofinality, and identity. If one of these four characteristics is missing we can only speak of derivative life but not of a living being. In a brain dead body one finds a number of signs of life. These signs of life, however, are not signs of an organism as a whole but signs of a physiological combination of organs whose parts — directed from the outside - are dependent on each other. The brain dead body lacks the four criteria of a living being. Thus it is no longer a living person but purely derivated biological life

N=2 SYM RG Scale as Modulus for WDVV Equations

We derive a new set of WDVV equations for N=2 SYM in which the renormalization scale $\Lambda$ is identified with the distinguished modulus which naturally arises in topological field theories.Comment: 6 pages, LaTe

Il part-time dei dipendenti di enti locali tra contenimento della spesa pubblica ed efficienza dell'attività amministrativa

Il saggio tratta la nuova disciplina del part-time dei dipendenti degli enti locali con i relativi dubbi di costituzionalità

On Type II strings in exact superconformal non-constant RR backgrounds

An explicitly exact superconformal description is provided to some classes of Type II string theories in non constant RR backgrounds. This is done by applying the manifest (2,2) approach of Berkovits and Maldacena to Type II strings and by studying the condition of exact conformal invariance of certain supersymmetric backgrounds. We find a new set of exact type IIA strings with non constant RR 2-form and 4-form curvatures and for type IIB with non constant 3-form curvature.Comment: 15 pages; typos and a reference adde

A Representation of Symmetry Generators for the Type IIB Superstring on a Plane Wave in the U(4) Formalism

We calculate the symmetry currents for the type IIB superstring on a maximally supersymmetric plane wave background using the N=(2,2) superconformally covariant U(4) formulation developed by Berkovits, Maldacena and Maoz. An explicit realization of the U(4) generators together with 16 fermionic generators is obtained in terms of the N=(2,2) worldsheet fields. Because the action is no longer quadratic, we use a light-cone version to display the currents in terms of the covariant worldsheet variables.Comment: 9 pages, harvmac, Corrected some typographical errors, Added reference

Matrix string states in pure 2d Yang Mills theories

We quantize pure 2d Yang-Mills theory on a torus in the gauge where the field strength is diagonal. Because of the topological obstructions to a global smooth diagonalization, we find string-like states in the spectrum similar to the ones introduced by various authors in Matrix string theory. We write explicitly the partition function, which generalizes the one already known in the literature, and we discuss the role of these states in preserving modular invariance. Some speculations are presented about the interpretation of 2d Yang-Mills theory as a Matrix string theory.Comment: Latex file of 38 pages plus 6 eps figures. A note and few references added, figures improve