Towards Deconstruction of the Type D (2,0) Theory

We propose a four-dimensional supersymmetric theory that deconstructs, in a particular limit, the six-dimensional $(2,0)$ theory of type $D_k$. This 4d theory is defined by a necklace quiver with alternating gauge nodes $\mathrm{O}(2k)$ and $\mathrm{Sp}(k)$. We test this proposal by comparing the 6d half-BPS index to the Higgs branch Hilbert series of the 4d theory. In the process, we overcome several technical difficulties, such as Hilbert series calculations for non-complete intersections, and the choice of $\mathrm{O}$ versus $\mathrm{SO}$ gauge groups. Consistently, the result matches the Coulomb branch formula for the mirror theory upon reduction to 3d

5-dim Superconformal Index with Enhanced En Global Symmetry

The five-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=1$ supersymmetric gauge theory with Sp(N) gauge group and SO(2N_f) flavor symmetry describes the physics on N D4-branes with $N_f$ D8-branes on top of a single O8 orientifold plane in Type I' theory. This theory is known to be superconformal at the strong coupling limit with the enhanced global symmetry $E_{N_f+1}$ for $N_f\le 7$. In this work we calculate the superconformal index on $S^1\times S^4$ for the Sp(1) gauge theory by the localization method and confirm such enhancement of the global symmetry at the superconformal limit for $N_f\le 5$ to a few leading orders in the chemical potential. Both perturbative and (anti)instanton contributions are present in this calculation. For $N_f=6,7$ cases some issues related the pole structure of the instanton calculation could not be resolved and here we could provide only some suggestive answer for the leading contributions to the index. For the Sp(N) case, similar issues related to the pole structure appear.Comment: 70 pages, references added, published versio

COVID-19 - uusi haaste myös urheilijoille

COVID-19 on ollut toistaiseksi harvinainen sairaus nuorten urheilijoiden ikäryhmässä ja oireet ovat yleensä lievät. Se kannattaa kuitenkin diagnosoida, sillä tauti voi heikentää pitkään urheilijan suorituskykyä. COVID-19 -infektio voi myös levitä urheilutapahtumien yhteydessä.</p

Mapping 6D N = 1 supergravities to F-theory

We develop a systematic framework for realizing general anomaly-free chiral 6D supergravity theories in F-theory. We focus on 6D (1, 0) models with one tensor multiplet whose gauge group is a product of simple factors (modulo a finite abelian group) with matter in arbitrary representations. Such theories can be decomposed into blocks associated with the simple factors in the gauge group; each block depends only on the group factor and the matter charged under it. All 6D chiral supergravity models can be constructed by gluing such blocks together in accordance with constraints from anomalies. Associating a geometric structure to each block gives a dictionary for translating a supergravity model into a set of topological data for an F-theory construction. We construct the dictionary of F-theory divisors explicitly for some simple gauge group factors and associated matter representations. Using these building blocks we analyze a variety of models. We identify some 6D supergravity models which do not map to integral F-theory divisors, possibly indicating quantum inconsistency of these 6D theories.Comment: 37 pages, no figures; v2: references added, minor typos corrected; v3: minor corrections to DOF counting in section

On The Stability Of Non-Supersymmetric AdS Vacua

We consider two infinite families of Non-Supersymmetric $AdS_4$ vacua, called Type 2) and Type 3) vacua, that arise in massive IIA supergravity with flux. We show that both families are perturbatively stable. We then examine non-perturbative decays of these vacua to other supersymmetric and non-supersymmetric $AdS_4$ vacua mediated by instantons in the thin wall approximation. We find that many decays are ruled out since the tension of the interpolating domain wall is too big compared to the energy difference in AdS units. In fact, within our approximations no decays of Type 2) vacua are allowed, although some decays are only marginally forbidden. This can be understood in terms of a "pairing symmetry" in the landscape which relate Type 2) vacua with supersymmetric ones of the same energy.Comment: 50 pages, Minor changes in section 2.2.

Static Charges in the Low-Energy Theory of the S-Duality Twist

We continue the study of the low-energy limit of N=4 super Yang-Mills theory compactified on a circle with S-duality and R-symmetry twists that preserve N=6 supersymmetry in 2+1D. We introduce external static supersymmetric quark and anti-quark sources into the theory and calculate the Witten Index of the resulting Hilbert space of ground states on a torus. Using these results we compute the action of simple Wilson loops on the Hilbert space of ground states without sources. In some cases we find disagreement between our results for the Wilson loop eigenvalues and previous conjectures about a connection with Chern-Simons theory.Comment: 73 pages, two paragraphs added, one to the introduction and one to the discussio

Dysregulated plasma lipid mediator profiles in critically ill COVID-19 patients.

Coronavirus disease (COVID)-19, as a result of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, has been the direct cause of over 2.2 million deaths worldwide. A timely coordinated host-immune response represents the leading driver for restraining SARS-CoV-2 infection. Indeed, several studies have described dysregulated immunity as the crucial determinant for critical illness and the failure of viral control. Improved understanding and management of COVID-19 could greatly reduce the mortality and morbidity caused by SARS-CoV-2. One aspect of the immune response that has to date been understudied is whether lipid mediator production is dysregulated in critically ill patients. In the present study, plasma from COVID-19 patients with either severe disease and those that were critically ill was collected and lipid mediator profiles were determined using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Results from these studies indicated that plasma concentrations of both pro-inflammatory and pro-resolving lipid mediator were reduced in critically ill patients when compared with those with severe disease. Furthermore, plasma concentrations of a select group of mediators that included the specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPM) Resolvin (Rv) D1 and RvE4 were diagnostic of disease severity. Interestingly, peripheral blood SPM concentrations were also linked with outcome in critically ill patients, where we observed reduced overall concentrations of these mediators in those patients that did not survive. Together the present findings establish a link between plasma lipid mediators and disease severity in patients with COVID-19 and indicate that plasma SPM concentrations may be linked with survival in these patients

Determination of Redshifts for Selected IVS Sources. I

From observations with the 6-m BTA telescope at SAO RAS, we have determined spectroscopic redshifts of seven optical objects whose coordinates coincide with those of radio sources from the list of IVS (International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry). When compared to radio data, the obtained spectra and redshifts provide evidence for reliable identification of four observed objects; the other three require further study. The distances to the sources derived from our measurements will make it possible to refine the current estimates for parameters of cosmological models based on proper motions of these objects, which are determined from geodetic VLBI observations.Comment: 8 pp., submitted to Astrophysic

A scalar field instability of rotating and charged black holes in (4+1)-dimensional Anti-de Sitter space-time

We study the stability of static as well as of rotating and charged black holes in (4+1)-dimensional Anti-de Sitter space-time which possess spherical horizon topology. We observe a non-linear instability related to the condensation of a charged, tachyonic scalar field and construct "hairy" black hole solutions of the full system of coupled Einstein, Maxwell and scalar field equations. We observe that the limiting solution for small horizon radius is either a hairy soliton solution or a singular solution that is not a regular extremal solution. Within the context of the gauge/gravity duality the condensation of the scalar field describes a holographic conductor/superconductor phase transition on the surface of a sphere.Comment: 16 pages including 8 figures, v2: discussion on soliton solutions extended; v3: matches version accepted for publication in JHE

Functional renormalization group with a compactly supported smooth regulator function

The functional renormalization group equation with a compactly supported smooth (CSS) regulator function is considered. It is demonstrated that in an appropriate limit the CSS regulator recovers the optimized one and it has derivatives of all orders. The more generalized form of the CSS regulator is shown to reduce to all major type of regulator functions (exponential, power-law) in appropriate limits. The CSS regulator function is tested by studying the critical behavior of the bosonized two-dimensional quantum electrodynamics in the local potential approximation and the sine-Gordon scalar theory for d<2 dimensions beyond the local potential approximation. It is shown that a similar smoothing problem in nuclear physics has already been solved by introducing the so called Salamon-Vertse potential which can be related to the CSS regulator.Comment: JHEP style, 11 pages, 2 figures, proofs corrected, accepted for publication by JHE