Complex Langevin Dynamics for chiral Random Matrix Theory

We apply complex Langevin dynamics to chiral random matrix theory at nonzero chemical potential. At large quark mass the simulations agree with the analytical results while incorrect convergence is found for small quark masses. The region of quark masses for which the complex Langevin dynamics converges incorrectly is identified as the region where the fermion determinant frequently traces out a path surrounding the origin of the complex plane during the Langevin flow. This links the incorrect convergence to an ambiguity in the Langevin force due to the presence of the logarithm of the fermion determinant in the action.Comment: 23 pages, 10 figure

Full simulation of chiral Random Matrix Theory at non-zero chemical potential by Complex Langevin

It is demonstrated that the complex Langevin method can simulate chiral random matrix theory at non-zero chemical potential. The successful match with the analytic prediction for the chiral condensate is established through a shift of matrix integration variables and choosing a polar representation for the new matrix elements before complexification. Furthermore, we test the proposal to work with a Langevin-time dependent quark mass and find that it allows us to control the fluctuations of the phase of the fermion determinant throughout the Langevin trajectory.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figure

Bailouts in a common market: a strategic approach

Governments in the EU grant Rescue and Restructure Subsidies to bail out ailing firms. In an international asymmetric Cournot duopoly we study effects of such subsidies on market structure and welfare. We adopt a common market setting, where consumers from the two countries form one market. We show that the subsidy is positive also when it fails to prevent the exit. The reason is a strategic effect, which forces the more efficient firm to make additional cost-reducing effort. When the exit is prevented, allocative and productive efficiencies are lower and the only gaining player is the rescued firm

BRCA1-regulated RRM2 expression protects glioblastoma cells from endogenous replication stress and promotes tumorigenicity

Oncogene-evoked replication stress (RS) fuels genomic instability in diverse cancer types. Here we report that BRCA1, traditionally regarded a tumour suppressor, plays an unexpected tumour-promoting role in glioblastoma (GBM), safeguarding a protective response to supraphysiological RS levels. Higher BRCA1 positivity is associated with shorter survival of glioma patients and the abrogation of BRCA1 function in GBM enhances RS, DNA damage (DD) accumulation and impairs tumour growth. Mechanistically, we identify a novel role of BRCA1 as a transcriptional co-activator of RRM2 (catalytic subunit of ribonucleotide reductase), whereby BRCA1-mediated RRM2 expression protects GBM cells from endogenous RS, DD and apoptosis. Notably, we show that treatment with a RRM2 inhibitor triapine reproduces the BRCA1-depletion GBM-repressive phenotypes and sensitizes GBM cells to PARP inhibition. We propose that GBM cells are addicted to the RS-protective role of the BRCA1-RRM2 axis, targeting of which may represent a novel paradigm for therapeutic intervention in GBM

Understanding the interplay between social and spatial behaviour

According to personality psychology, personality traits determine many aspects of human behaviour. However, validating this insight in large groups has been challenging so far, due to the scarcity of multi-channel data. Here, we focus on the relationship between mobility and social behaviour by analysing trajectories and mobile phone interactions of ∼1000 individuals from two high-resolution longitudinal datasets. We identify a connection between the way in which individuals explore new resources and exploit known assets in the social and spatial spheres. We show that different individuals balance the exploration-exploitation trade-off in different ways and we explain part of the variability in the data by the big five personality traits. We point out that, in both realms, extraversion correlates with the attitude towards exploration and routine diversity, while neuroticism and openness account for the tendency to evolve routine over long time-scales. We find no evidence for the existence of classes of individuals across the spatio-social domains. Our results bridge the fields of human geography, sociology and personality psychology and can help improve current models of mobility and tie formation