Spin and a Running Radius in RS1

We develop a renormalization group formalism for the compactified Randall-Sundrum scenario wherein the extra-dimensional radius serves as the scaling parameter. Couplings on the hidden brane scale as we move within local effective field theories with varying size of the warped extra dimension. We consider this RG approach applied to U(1) gauge theories and gravity. We use this method to derive a low energy effective theory.Comment: 18 pages, minor changes, references adde

Mass and Gauge Invariance IV (Holography for the Karch-Randall Model)

We argue that the Karch-Randall compactification is holographically dual to a 4-d conformal field theory coupled to gravity on Anti de Sitter space. Using this interpretation we recover the mass spectrum of the model. In particular, we find no massless spin-2 states. By giving a purely 4-d interpretation to the compactification we make clear that it represents the first example of a local 4-d field theory in which general covariance does not imply the existence of a massless graviton. We also discuss some variations of the Karch-Randall model discussed in the literature, and we examine whether its properties are generic to all conformal field theory.Comment: 26 pages, uses package latexsym. Note added in proo

First results from a multiplexed and massive instrument with sub-electron noise Skipper-CCDs

We present a new instrument composed of a large number of sub-electron noise Skipper-CCDs operated with a two stage analog multiplexed readout scheme suitable for scaling to thousands of channels. New, thick, $1.35$ Mpix sensors, from a new foundry, are glued into a Multi-Chip Module (MCM) printed circuit board on a ceramic substrate which has 16 sensors each. The instrument, that can hold up-to 16 MCMs, a total of 256 Skipper-CCD sensors (called a Super-Module with $\approx 130$ grams of active mass and $346$ Mpix), is part of the R$\&$D effort of the OSCURA experiment which will have $\approx 94$ super-modules. Experimental results with $10$ MCMs and $160$ Skipper-CCDs sensors are presented in this paper. This is already the largest ever build instrument with single electron sensitivity CCDs using nondestructive readout, both, in terms of active mass and number of channels.Comment: Corrected minor typo

Brane-World and Holography

We consider the brane-world in the holographic point of view. Bearing the realistic models in mind, the bulk massless scalar field is introduced. First of all, we find the constraint on the coupling of the scalar fields with the matter(not holographic CFT) on the brane. We show that the traceless part of the energy-momentum tensor of holographic CFT is a part of the bulk Weyl tensor. The trace part which comes from the trace-anomaly is corresponding to the $\rho^2$-term appeared in the generalized FRW equation in the brane-world.Comment: 4 pages, minor change

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-β activation restores the high glucose-induced impairment of insulin signaling in endothelial cells

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: PPARβ enhances insulin sensitivity in adipocytes and skeletal muscle cells, but its effects on insulin signalling in endothelial cells are not known. We analysed the effects of the PPARβ/δ (PPARβ) agonists, GW0742 and L165041, on impaired insulin signalling induced by high glucose in HUVECs and aortic and mesenteric arteries from diabetic rats. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Insulin-stimulated NO production, Akt-Ser(473) and eNOS-Ser(1177) phosphorylation, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production were studied in HUVECs incubated in low- or high-glucose medium. Insulin-stimulated relaxations and protein phosphorylation in vessels from streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats were also analysed. KEY RESULTS: HUVECs incubated in high-glucose medium showed a significant reduction in insulin-stimulated production of NO. High glucose also reduced insulin-induced Akt-Ser(473) and eNOS-Ser(1177) phosphorylation, increased IRS-1-Ser(636) and ERK1/2-Thr(183)-Tyr(185) phosphorylation and increased ROS production. The co-incubation with the PPARβ agonists GW0742 or L165041 prevented all these effects induced by high glucose. In turn, the effects induced by the agonists were suppressed when HUVEC were also incubated with the PPARβ antagonist GSK0660, the pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK)4 inhibitor dichloroacetate or after knockdown of both PPARβ and PDK4 with siRNA. The ERK1/2 inhibitor PD98059, ROS scavenger catalase, inhibitor of complex II thenoyltrifluoroacetone or uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation, carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, also prevented glucose-induced insulin resistance. In STZ diabetic rats, oral GW0742 also improved insulin signalling and the impaired NO-mediated vascular relaxation. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: PPARβ activation in vitro and in vivo restores the endothelial function, preserving the insulin-Akt-eNOS pathway impaired by high glucose, at least in part, through PDK4 activation

Four-month incidence of suicidal thoughts and behaviors among healthcare workers after the first wave of the Spain COVID-19 pandemic

Healthcare workers (HCW) are at high risk for suicide, yet little is known about the onset of suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB) in this important segment of the population in conjunction with the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a multicenter, prospective cohort study of Spanish HCW active during the COVID-9 pandemic. A total of n = 4809 HCW participated at baseline (May-September 2020; i.e., just after the first wave of the pandemic) and at a four-month follow-up assessment (October-December 2020) using web-based surveys. Logistic regression assessed the individual- and population-level associations of separate proximal (pandemic) risk factors with four-month STB incidence (i.e., 30-day STB among HCW negative for 30-day STB at baseline), each time adjusting for distal (pre-pandemic) factors. STB incidence was estimated at 4.2% (SE = 0.5; n = 1 suicide attempt). Adjusted for distal factors, proximal risk factors most strongly associated with STB incidence were various sources of interpersonal stress (scaled 0-4; odds ratio [OR] range = 1.23-1.57) followed by personal health-related stress and stress related to the health of loved ones (scaled 0-4; OR range 1.30-1.32), and the perceived lack of healthcare center preparedness (scaled 0-4; OR = 1.34). Population-attributable risk proportions for these proximal risk factors were in the range 45.3-57.6%. Other significant risk factors were financial stressors (OR range 1.26-1.81), isolation/quarantine due to COVID-19 (OR = 1.53) and having changed to a specific COVID-19 related work location (OR = 1.72). Among other interventions, our findings call for healthcare systems to implement adequate conflict communication and resolution strategies and to improve family-work balance embedded in organizational justice strategies.This work was supported by grants from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)/Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación/FEDER, Spain (Jordi Alonso, grant number COV20/00711); ISCIII-FEDER, Spain (Jordi Alonso, grant number PI17/00521); ISCIII-FSE, Spain: Sara Borrell and Miguel Servet grants (Philippe Mortier, grant number CD18/00049 and CP21/00078); Generalitat de Catalunya, Spain (2017SGR452); and PERIS, Departament de Salut, Spain (Itxaso Alayo; SLT017/20/000009). Additional partial funding was received from the Gerencia Regional de Salud de Castilla y León (SACYL), Spain (José María Pelayo Terán, grant number GRS COVID 32/A/20).S

Bipolar multiplex families have an increased burden of common risk variants for psychiatric disorders

Multiplex families with a high prevalence of a psychiatric disorder are often examined to identify rare genetic variants with large effect sizes. In the present study, we analysed whether the risk for bipolar disorder (BD) in BD multiplex families is influenced by common genetic variants. Furthermore, we investigated whether this risk is conferred mainly by BD-specific risk variants or by variants also associated with the susceptibility to schizophrenia or major depression. In total, 395 individuals from 33 Andalusian BD multiplex families (166 BD, 78 major depressive disorder, 151 unaffected) as well as 438 subjects from an independent, BD case/control cohort (161 unrelated BD, 277 unrelated controls) were analysed. Polygenic risk scores (PRS) for BD, schizophrenia (SCZ), and major depression were calculated and compared between the cohorts. Both the familial BD cases and unaffected family members had higher PRS for all three psychiatric disorders than the independent controls, with BD and SCZ being significant after correction for multiple testing, suggesting a high baseline risk for several psychiatric disorders in the families. Moreover, familial BD cases showed significantly higher BD PRS than unaffected family members and unrelated BD cases. A plausible hypothesis is that, in multiplex families with a general increase in risk for psychiatric disease, BD development is attributable to a high burden of common variants that confer a specific risk for BD. The present analyses demonstrated that common genetic risk variants for psychiatric disorders are likely to contribute to the high incidence of affective psychiatric disorders in the multiplex families. However, the PRS explained only part of the observed phenotypic variance, and rare variants might have also contributed to disease development