749 research outputs found
Boundary States of c=1 and 3/2 Rational Conformal Field Theories
We study the boundary states for the rational points in the moduli spaces of
c=1 conformal and c=3/2 superconformal field theories, including the isolated
Ginsparg points. We use the orbifold and simple-current techniques to relate
the boundary states of different theories and to obtain symmetry-breaking,
non-Cardy boundary states. We show some interesting examples of fractional and
twisted branes on orbifold spaces.Comment: Latex, 46 pages, 1 figur
Surveying Standard Model Flux Vacua on
We consider the SU(2)LxSU(2)R Standard Model brane embedding in an
orientifold of T6/Z2xZ2. Within defined limits, we construct all such Standard
Model brane embeddings and determine the relative number of flux vacua for each
construction. Supersymmetry preserving brane recombination in the hidden sector
enables us to identify many solutions with high flux. We discuss in detail the
phenomenology of one model which is likely to dominate the counting of vacua.
While Kahler moduli stabilization remains to be fully understood, we define the
criteria necessary for generic constructions to have fixed moduli.Comment: 30 pages, LaTeX, v2: added reference
D-brane Spectrum and K-theory Constraints of D=4, N=1 Orientifolds
We study the spectrum of stable BPS and non-BPS D-branes in Z_2 x Z_2
orientifolds for all choices of discrete torsion between the orbifold and
orientifold generators. We compute the torsion K-theory charges in these D=4,
N=1 orientifold models directly from worldsheet conformal field theory, and
compare with the K-theory constraints obtained indirectly using D-brane probes.
The K-theory torsion charges derived here provide non-trivial constraints on
string model building. We also discuss regions of stability for non-BPS
D-branes in these examples.Comment: 40 pages, 5 table
Gauge thresholds in the presence of oblique magnetic fluxes
We compute the one-loop partition function and analyze the conditions for
tadpole cancellation in type I theories compactified on tori in the presence of
internal oblique magnetic fields. We check open - closed string channel duality
and discuss the effect of T-duality. We address the issue of the quantum
consistency of the toroidal model with stabilized moduli recently proposed by
Antoniadis and Maillard (AM). We then pass to describe the computation of
one-loop threshold corrections to the gauge couplings in models of this kind.
Finally we briefly comment on coupling unification and dilaton stabilization in
phenomenologically more viable modelsComment: 34 pages, 2 figures; references added, major changes to the
discussion of the model proposed by Antoniadis and Maillar
Expanded Strings in the Background of NS5-branes via a M2-brane, a D2-brane and D0-branes
Classical configurations of a M2-brane, a D2-brane and D0-branes are
investigated in the background of an infinite array of M5-branes or NS5-branes.
On the M2-brane, we discuss three kinds of configurations, such as a sphere, a
cylinder and a torus-like one. These are stabilized by virtue of the background
fluxes of M5-branes. The torus-like M2-brane configuration has winding and
momentum numbers of 11th direction, and in terms of the type IIA superstring
theory, this corresponds to a torus-like D2-brane with electric and magnetic
fluxes on it. We also reproduce the same configuration from a non-abelian
Born-Infeld action for D0-branes. It will be a construction of closed strings
from D0-branes. An electric flux quantization condition on the D2-brane is also
discussed in terms of D0-branes.Comment: 33 pages, 6 figures, references and footnote added, confusing
expressions and introduction are improved, version to appear in JHE
Coupling between M2-branes and Form Fields
In the context of low-energy effective theory of multiple M2-branes, we
construct the interaction terms between the world-volume fields of M2-branes
and the antisymmetric tensor fields of three- and six-forms. By utilizing the
compactification procedure, we show coincidence between the dimensionally
reduced coupling and the R-R coupling to D-branes in type II string theory. We
also discuss that a cubic term proportional to six-form field reproduces the
quartic mass-deformation term in the world-volume theory of multiple M2-branes.Comment: 18 page
Prioritising prevention strategies for patients in antiretroviral treatment programmes in resource-limited settings
Expanded access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) offers opportunities to strengthen HIV prevention in resource-limited settings. We invited 27 ART programmes from urban settings in Africa, Asia and South America to participate in a survey, with the aim to examine what preventive services had been integrated in ART programmes. Twenty-two programmes participated; eight (36%) from South Africa, two from Brazil, two from Zambia and one each from Argentina, India, Thailand, Botswana, Ivory Coast, Malawi, Morocco, Uganda and Zimbabwe and one occupational programme of a brewery company included five countries (Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Burundi). Twenty-one sites (96%) provided health education and social support, and 18 (82%) provided HIV testing and counselling. All sites encouraged disclosure of HIV infection to spouses and partners, but only 11 (50%) had a protocol for partner notification. Twenty-one sites (96%) supplied male condoms, seven (32%) female condoms and 20 (91%) provided prophylactic ART for the prevention of mother-to child transmission. Seven sites (33%) regularly screened for sexually transmitted infections (STI). Twelve sites (55%) were involved in activities aimed at women or adolescents, and 10 sites (46%) in activities aimed at serodiscordant couples. Stigma and discrimination, gender roles and funding constraints were perceived as the main obstacles to effective prevention in ART programmes. We conclude that preventive services in ART programmes in lower income countries focus on health education and the provision of social support and male condoms. Strategies that might be equally or more important in this setting, including partner notification, prompt diagnosis and treatment of STI and reduction of stigma in the community, have not been implemented widely
Tachyon Kinks on Unstable Dp-branes
In the context of tachyon effective theory coupled to Born-Infeld
electromagnetic fields, we obtain all possible singularity-free static flat
configurations of codimension one on unstable Dp-branes. Computed tension and
string charge density suggest that the obtained kinks are D(p-1) or
D(p-1)F1-branes.Comment: 22pages, LaTeX2e, 7figure
On the Connection between N=2 Minimal String and (1,n) Bosonic Minimal String
We study the scattering amplitudes in the N=2 minimal string or equivalently
in the N=4 topological string on ALE spaces. We find an interesting connection
between the tree level amplitudes of the N=2 minimal string and those of the
(1,n) minimal bosonic string. In particular we show that the four and
five-point functions of the N=2 string can be directly rewritten in terms of
those of the latter theory. This relation offers a map of physical states
between these two string theories. Finally we propose a possible matrix model
dual for the N=2 minimal string in the light of this connection.Comment: 40 pages, one figure, harvmac, minor corrections, references adde
Is There A String Theory Landscape
We examine recent claims of a large set of flux compactification solutions of
string theory. We conclude that the arguments for AdS solutions are plausible.
The analysis of meta-stable dS solutions inevitably leads to situations where
long distance effective field theory breaks down. We then examine whether these
solutions are likely to lead to a description of the real world. We conclude
that one must invoke a strong version of the anthropic principle. We explain
why it is likely that this leads to a prediction of low energy supersymmetry
breaking, but that many features of anthropically selected flux
compactifications are likely to disagree with experiment.Comment: 39 pages, Latex, ``Terminology surrounding the anthropic principle
revised to conform with accepted usage. More history of the anthropic
principle included. Various references added.
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