High Energy Bounds on Soft N=4 SYM Amplitudes from AdS/CFT

Using the AdS/CFT correspondence, we study the high-energy behavior of colorless dipole elastic scattering amplitudes in N=4 SYM gauge theory through the Wilson loop correlator formalism and Euclidean to Minkowskian analytic continuation. The purely elastic behavior obtained at large impact-parameter L, through duality from disconnected AdS_5 minimal surfaces beyond the Gross-Ooguri transition point, is combined with unitarity and analyticity constraints in the central region. In this way we obtain an absolute bound on the high-energy behavior of the forward scattering amplitude due to the graviton interaction between minimal surfaces in the bulk. The dominant "Pomeron" intercept is bounded by alpha less than or equal to 11/7 using the AdS/CFT constraint of a weak gravitational field in the bulk. Assuming the elastic eikonal approximation in a larger impact-parameter range gives alpha between 4/3 and 11/7. The actual intercept becomes 4/3 if one assumes the elastic eikonal approximation within its maximally allowed range L larger than exp{Y/3}, where Y is the total rapidity. Subleading AdS/CFT contributions at large impact-parameter due to the other d=10 supergravity fields are obtained. A divergence in the real part of the tachyonic KK scalar is cured by analyticity but signals the need for a theoretical completion of the AdS/CFT scheme.Comment: 25 pages, 3 eps figure

Role of carbon dioxide and ion transport in the formation of sub-embryonic fluid by the blastoderm of the Japanese quail

1. The explanted blastoderm of the Japanese quail was used to explore the role of ions and carbon dioxide in determining the rate of sub-embryonic fluid (SEF) production between 54 and 72 h of incubation. 2. Amiloride, an inhibitor of Na+/H+ exchange, at concentrations of 10-3 to 10-6 M substantially decreased the rate of SEF production when added to the albumen culture medium. N-ethylmaleimide, an inhibitor of V type H+ ATPase, also decreased this rate but only to a small extent at the highest dose applied, 10-3 M. Both inhibitors had no effect on SEF production when added to the SEF. 3. The inhibitors of cellular bicarbonate and chloride exchange, 4-acetamido-4-'isothiocyano-2, 2-'disulphonic acid (SITS) and 4,4'diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2-'disulphonic acid (DIDS), had no effect upon SEF production. 4. Ouabain, an inhibitor of Na+/K+ ATPase, decreased SEF production substantially at all concentrations added to the SEF (10-3 to 10-6 M). Three sulphonamide inhibitors of carbonic anhydrase, acetazolamide, ethoxzolamide and benzolamide, decreased SEF production when added to the SEF at concentrations of 10-3 to 10-6 M. Benzolamide was by far the most potent. Neither ouabain nor the sulphonamides altered SEF production when added to the albumen culture medium. 5. Using a cobalt precipitation method, carbonic anhydrase activity was localised to the endodermal cells of the area vasculosa. The carbonic anhydrase activity was primarily associated with the lateral plasma membranes, which together with the potent inhibitory effect of benzolamide, suggests the carbonic anhydrase of these cells is the membrane-associated form, CA IV. 6. The changes in SEF composition produced by inhibitors were consistent with the production of SEF by local osmotic gradients. 7. It is concluded that a Na+/K+ ATPase is located on the basolateral membranes of the endodermal cells of the area vasculosa , and that a sodium ion/hydrogen ion exchanger is located on their apical surfaces. Protons for this exchanger would be provided by the hydration of CO2 catalysed by the membrane-associated carbonic anhydrase. Furthermore, it is proposed that the prime function of the endodermal cells of the area vasculosa is the production of SEF

Opportunities for topical antimicrobial therapy: permeation of canine skin by fusidic acid

BACKGROUND: Staphylococcal infection of the canine epidermis and hair follicle is amongst the commonest reasons for antimicrobial prescribing in small animal veterinary practice. Topical therapy with fusidic acid (FA) is an attractive alternative to systemic therapy based on low minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs, commonly <0.03 mg/l) documented in canine pathogenic staphylococci, including strains of MRSA and MRSP (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and S. pseudintermedius). However, permeation of canine skin by FA has not been evaluated in detail. This study aimed to define the degree and extent of FA permeation in canine skin in vitro from two sites with different hair follicle density following application of a licensed ophthalmic formulation that shares the same vehicle as an FA-betamethasone combination product approved for dermal application in dogs. Topical FA application was modelled using skin held in Franz-type diffusion cells. Concentrations of FA in surface swabs, receptor fluid, and transverse skin sections of defined anatomical depth were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography and ultraviolet (HPLC-UV) analysis. RESULTS: The majority of FA was recovered by surface swabs after 24 h, as expected (mean ± SEM: 76.0 ± 17.0%). FA was detected within 424/470 (90%) groups of serial sections of transversely cryotomed skin containing follicular infundibula, but never in 48/48 (100%) groups of sections containing only deeper follicular structures, nor in receptor fluid, suggesting that FA does not permeate beyond the infundibulum. The FA concentration (mean ± SEM) in the most superficial 240 μm of skin was 2000 ± 815 μg/g. CONCLUSIONS: Topically applied FA can greatly exceed MICs for canine pathogenic staphylococci at the most common sites of infection. Topical FA therapy should now be evaluated using available formulations in vivo as an alternative to systemic therapy for canine superficial bacterial folliculitis.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

The scalar gluonium correlator: large-beta_0 and beyond

The investigation of the scalar gluonium correlator is interesting because it carries the quantum numbers of the vacuum and the relevant hadronic current is related to the anomalous trace of the QCD energy-momentum tensor in the chiral limit. After reviewing the purely perturbative corrections known up to next-next-to-leading order, the behaviour of the correlator is studied to all orders by means of the large-beta_0 approximation. Similar to the QCD Adler function, the large-order behaviour is governed by the leading ultraviolet renormalon pole. The structure of infrared renormalon poles, being related to the operator product expansion are also discussed, as well as a low-energy theorem for the correlator that provides a relation to the renormalisation group invariant gluon condensate, and the vacuum matrix element of the trace of the QCD energy-momentum tensor.Comment: 14 pages, references added, discussion of IR renormalon pole at u=3 extended, similar version to appear in JHE

Wilson-loop formalism for Reggeon exchange in soft high-energy scattering

We derive a nonperturbative expression for the non-vacuum, qqbar-Reggeon-exchange contribution to the meson-meson elastic scattering amplitude at high energy and low momentum transfer, in the framework of QCD. Describing the mesons in terms of colourless qqbar dipoles, the problem is reduced to the two-fermion-exchange contribution to the dipole-dipole scattering amplitudes, which is expressed as a path integral, over the trajectories of the exchanged fermions, of the expectation value of a certain Wilson loop. We also show how the resulting expression can be reconstructed from a corresponding quantity in the Euclidean theory, by means of analytic continuation. Finally, we make contact with previous work on Reggeon exchange in the gauge/gravity duality approach.Comment: A few misprints in the expressions for the relevant Wilson loops have been corrected. 55 pages, 7 figure

Locomotor adaptability in persons with unilateral transtibial amputation

Background Locomotor adaptation enables walkers to modify strategies when faced with challenging walking conditions. While a variety of neurological injuries can impair locomotor adaptability, the effect of a lower extremity amputation on adaptability is poorly understood. Objective Determine if locomotor adaptability is impaired in persons with unilateral transtibial amputation (TTA). Methods The locomotor adaptability of 10 persons with a TTA and 8 persons without an amputation was tested while walking on a split-belt treadmill with the parallel belts running at the same (tied) or different (split) speeds. In the split condition, participants walked for 15 minutes with the respective belts moving at 0.5 m/s and 1.5 m/s. Temporal spatial symmetry measures were used to evaluate reactive accommodations to the perturbation, and the adaptive/de-adaptive response. Results Persons with TTA and the reference group of persons without amputation both demonstrated highly symmetric walking at baseline. During the split adaptation and tied post-adaptation walking both groups responded with the expected reactive accommodations. Likewise, adaptive and de-adaptive responses were observed. The magnitude and rate of change in the adaptive and de-adaptive responses were similar for persons with TTA and those without an amputation. Furthermore, adaptability was no different based on belt assignment for the prosthetic limb during split adaptation walking. Conclusions Reactive changes and locomotor adaptation in response to a challenging and novel walking condition were similar in persons with TTA to those without an amputation. Results suggest persons with TTA have the capacity to modify locomotor strategies to meet the demands of most walking conditions despite challenges imposed by an amputation and use of a prosthetic limb

Atypical blood glucose response to continuous and interval exercise in a person with type 1 diabetes: a case report

BackgroundTherapy must be adapted for people with type 1 diabetes to avoid exercise-induced hypoglycemia caused by increased exercise-related glucose uptake into muscles. Therefore, to avoid hypoglycemia, the preexercise short-acting insulin dose must be reduced for safety reasons. We report a case of a man with long-lasting type 1 diabetes in whom no blood glucose decrease during different types of exercise with varying exercise intensities and modes was found, despite physiological hormone responses.Case presentationA Caucasian man diagnosed with type 1 diabetes for 24 years performed three different continuous high-intensity interval cycle ergometer exercises as part of a clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02075567). Intensities for both modes of exercises were set at 5% below and 5% above the first lactate turn point and 5% below the second lactate turn point. Short-acting insulin doses were reduced by 25%, 50%, and 75%, respectively. Measurements taken included blood glucose, blood lactate, gas exchange, heart rate, adrenaline, noradrenaline, cortisol, glucagon, and insulin-like growth factor-1. Unexpectedly, no significant blood glucose decreases were observed during all exercise sessions (start versus end, 12.97 ± 2.12 versus 12.61 ± 2.66 mmol L−1, p = 0.259). All hormones showed the expected response, dependent on the different intensities and modes of exercises.ConclusionsPeople with type 1 diabetes typically experience a decrease in blood glucose levels, particularly during low- and moderate-intensity exercises. In our patient, we clearly found no decline in blood glucose, despite a normal hormone response and no history of any insulin insensitivity. This report indicates that there might be patients for whom the recommended preexercise therapy adaptation to avoid exercise-induced hypoglycemia needs to be questioned because this could increase the risk of severe hyperglycemia and ketosis

From correlation functions to Wilson loops

We start with an n-point correlation function in a conformal gauge theory. We show that a special limit produces a polygonal Wilson loop with $n$ sides. The limit takes the $n$ points towards the vertices of a null polygonal Wilson loop such that successive distances $x^2_{i,i+1} \to 0$. This produces a fast moving particle that generates a "frame" for the Wilson loop. We explain in detail how the limit is approached, including some subtle effects from the propagation of a fast moving particle in the full interacting theory. We perform perturbative checks by doing explicit computations in N=4 super-Yang-Mills.Comment: 37 pages, 10 figures; typos corrected, references adde