844 research outputs found
Dynamics of First Order Transitions with Gravity Duals
A first order phase transition usually proceeds by nucleating bubbles of the
new phase which then rapidly expand. In confining gauge theories with a gravity
dual, the deconfined phase is often described by a black hole. If one starts in
this phase and lowers the temperature, the usual description of how the phase
transition proceeds violates the area theorem. We study the dynamics of this
phase transition using the insights from the dual gravitational description,
and resolve this apparent contradiction.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figure. v2: minor clarifications, reference adde
Flavor from M5-branes
We study various aspects of the defect conformal field theory that arises
when placing a single M5-brane probe in AdS_4 x S^7. We derive the full set of
fluctuation modes and dimensions of the corresponding dual operators. We argue
that the latter does not depend on the presence of a non-trivial magnetic flux
on the M5-brane world-volume. Finally we give a mass to the hypermultiplet
living on the defect, and compute the resulting mesonic spectrum.Comment: 19 page
The modulation of motor contagion by intrapersonal sensorimotor experience
Sensorimotor experiences can modify the internal models for action. These modifications can govern the discrepancies between predicted and actual sensory consequences, such as distinguishing self- and other-generated actions. This distinction may also contribute toward the inhibition of movement interference, which is strongly associated with the coupling of observed and executed actions. Therefore, movement interference could be mediated by the sensorimotor experiences underlying the self-other distinction. The present study examined the impact of sensorimotor experiences on involuntary movement interference (motor contagion). Participants were required to complete a motor contagion paradigm in which they executed horizontal arm movements while observing congruent (horizontal) or incongruent (vertical) arm movements of a model. This task was completed before and after a training protocol in which participants executed the same horizontal arm movements in the absence of the model stimuli. Different groups of participants trained with or without vision of their moving limb. Analysis of participants who were predisposed to motor contagion (involuntary movement interference during the observation of incongruent movements) revealed that the no vision group continued to demonstrate contagion at post-training, although the vision group did not. We propose that the vision group were able to integrate the visual afferent information with an internal model for action, which effectively refines the ability to match self-produced afferent and efferent sources of information during response-execution. This enhanced matching allows for a better distinction between self and other, which in turn, mediates the inhibition of motor contagion
Three-Point Functions in N=4 SYM Theory at One-Loop
We analyze the one-loop correction to the three-point function coefficient of
scalar primary operators in N=4 SYM theory. By applying constraints from the
superconformal symmetry, we demonstrate that the type of Feynman diagrams that
contribute depends on the choice of renormalization scheme. In the planar
limit, explicit expressions for the correction are interpreted in terms of the
hamiltonians of the associated integrable closed and open spin chains. This
suggests that at least at one-loop, the planar conformal field theory is
integrable with the anomalous dimensions and OPE coefficients both obtainable
from integrable spin chain calculations. We also connect the planar results
with similar structures found in closed string field theory.Comment: 34 pages, 9 figures, harvmac; references adde
A World-Volume Perspective on the Recombination of Intersecting Branes
We study brane recombination for supersymmetric configurations of
intersecting branes in terms of the world-volume field theory. This field
theory contains an impurity, corresponding to the degrees of freedom localized
at the intersection. The Higgs branch, on which the impurity fields condense,
consists of vacua for which the intersection is deformed into a smooth
calibrated manifold. We show this explicitly using a superspace formalism for
which the calibration equations arise naturally from F- and D-flatness.Comment: References adde
Intersecting Flavor Branes
We consider an instance of the AdS/CFT duality where the bulk theory contains
an open string tachyon, and study the instability from the viewpoint of the
boundary field theory. We focus on the specific example of the AdS_5 X S^5
background with two probe D7 branes intersecting at general angles. For generic
angles supersymmetry is completely broken and there is an open string tachyon
between the branes. The field theory action for this system is obtained by
coupling to N =4 super Yang-Mills two N =2 hyper multiplets in the fundamental
representation of the SU(N) gauge group, but with different choices of
embedding of the two N=2 subalgebras into N=4. On the field theory side we find
a one-loop Coleman-Weinberg instability in the effective potential for the
fundamental scalars. We identify a mesonic operator as the dual of the open
string tachyon. By AdS/CFT, we predict the tachyon mass for small 't Hooft
coupling (large bulk curvature) and confirm that it violates the AdS stability
bound.Comment: 36 page
BMN Operators for N=1 Superconformal Yang-Mills Theories and Associated String Backgrounds
We study a class of near-BPS operators for a complex 2-parameter family of
N=1 superconformal Yang-Mills theories that can be obtained by a
Leigh-Strassler deformation of N=4 SYM theory. We identify these operators in
the large N and large R-charge limit and compute their exact scaling dimensions
using N=1 superspace methods. From these scaling dimensions we attempt to
reverse-engineer the light-cone worldsheet theory that describes string
propagation on the Penrose limit of the dual geometry.Comment: 47 pages, 1 figure, 1 table; v2 a few typos corrected; v3 added
acknowledgements, a reference and improved discussion in section
DLCQ String Spectrum from SYM Theory
We study non planar corrections to the spectrum of operators in the
supersymmetric Yang Mills theory which are dual to string
states in the maximally supersymmetric pp-wave background with a {\em compact}
light-cone direction. The existence of a positive definite discrete light-cone
momentum greatly simplifies the operator mixing problem. We give some examples
where the contribution of all orders in non-planar diagrams can be found
analytically. On the string theory side this corresponds to finding the
spectrum of a string state to all orders in string loop corrections.Comment: 35 pages, no figure
Understanding why replacing I3–/I– by cobalt(II)/(III) electrolytes in bis(diimine)copper(I)-based dye-sensitized solar cells improves performance
The performances of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) comprising heteroleptic bis(diimine)copper( I ) based dyes combined with either [Co(bpy) 3 ] 2+/3+ , [Co(phen) 3 ] 2+/3+ or I 3 /I redox mediators (bpy 1/4 2,2 0 - bipyridine, phen 1/4 1,10-phenanthroline) have been evaluated. The copper( I ) dyes contain the anchoring ligand ((6,6 0 -dimethyl-[2,2 0 -bipyridine]-4,4 0 -diyl)bis(4,1-phenylene))bis(phosphonic acid), 1, and an ancillary ligand (2, 3 or 4) with a 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline metal-binding domain. Ligands 2 and 3 include imidazole 2 0 -functionalities with 4-(diphenylamino)phenyl (2) or 4-(bis(4-n-butoxy) phenylamino)phenyl (3) domains; in 4, the phen unit is substituted in the 4,7-positions with holetransporting 4-(diphenylamino)phenyl groups. The photoconversion efficiency, h, of each of [Cu(1)(2)] + , [Cu(1)(3)] + and [Cu(1)(4)] + considerably improves by replacing the I 3 /I electrolyte by [Co(bpy) 3 ] 2+/3+ or [Co(phen) 3 ] 2+/3+ , and after a change of electrolyte solvent (MeCN to 3-methoxypropionitrile). Due to the faster charge transfer kinetics and more positive redox potential, the cobalt-based electrolytes are superior to the I 3 /I electrolyte in terms of open-circuit voltage (V OC ), short-circuit current (J SC ) and h; values of V OC 1/4 594 mV, J SC 1/4 9.58 mA cm 2 and h 1/4 3.69% (relative to h 1/4 7.12% for N719) are achieved for the best performing DSC which contains [Cu(1)(4)] + and [Co(bpy) 3 ] 2+/3+ . Corresponding values for [Cu(1)(4)] + and I 3 /I DSCs are 570–580 mV, 5.98–6.37 mA cm 2 and 2.43–2.62%. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) has been used to study DSCs with [Cu(1)(4)] + and the three electrolytes. EIS shows that the DSC with I 3 /I has the highest recombination resistance, whereas the [Co(phen) 3 ] 2+/3+ electrolyte gives the highest chemical capacitance and V OC and, between [Co(bpy) 3 ] 2+/3+ and [Co(phen) 3 ] 2+/3+ , the higher recombination resistance. The [Co(phen) 3 ] 2+/3+ electrolyte exhibits the highest mass transport restrictions which result in a lower J SC and DSC efficiency compared to the [Co(bpy) 3 ] 2+/3+ electrolyte
Discrete Wavelet Transform Analysis of the Electroretinogram in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Background: To evaluate the electroretinogram waveform in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) using a discrete wavelet transform (DWT) approach. Methods: A total of 55 ASD, 15 ADHD and 156 control individuals took part in this study. Full field light-adapted electroretinograms (ERGs) were recorded using a Troland protocol, accounting for pupil size, with five flash strengths ranging from -0.12 to 1.20 log photopic cd.s.m-2. A DWT analysis was performed using the Haar wavelet on the waveforms to examine the energy within the time windows of the a- and b-waves and the oscillatory potentials (OPs) which yielded six DWT coefficients related to these parameters. The central frequency bands were from 20-160 Hz relating to the a-wave, b-wave and OPs represented by the coefficients: a20, a40, b20, b40, op80, and op160, respectively. In addition, the b-wave amplitude and percentage energy contribution of the OPs (%OPs) in the total ERG broadband energy was evaluated. Results: There were significant group differences (p < 0.001) in the coefficients corresponding to energies in the b-wave (b20, b40) and OPs (op80 and op160) as well as the b-wave amplitude. Notable differences between the ADHD and control groups were found in the b20 and b40 coefficients. In contrast, the greatest differences between the ASD and control group were found in the op80 and op160 coefficients. The b-wave amplitude showed both ASD and ADHD significant group differences from the control participants, for flash strengths greater than 0.4 log photopic cd.s.m-2 (p < 0.001). Conclusion: This methodological approach may provide insights about neuronal activity in studies investigating group differences where retinal signaling may be altered through neurodevelopment or neurodegenerative conditions. However, further work will be required to determine if retinal signal analysis can offer a classification model for neurodevelopmental conditions in which there is a co-occurrence such as ASD and ADHD
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