225 research outputs found
Correlation functions, null polygonal Wilson loops, and local operators
We consider the ratio of the correlation function of n+1 local operators over
the correlator of the first n of these operators in planar N=4 super-Yang-Mills
theory, and consider the limit where the first n operators become pairwise null
separated. By studying the problem in twistor space, we prove that this is
equivalent to the correlator of a n-cusp null polygonal Wilson loop with the
remaining operator in general position, normalized by the expectation value of
the Wilson loop itself, as recently conjectured by Alday, Buchbinder and
Tseytlin. Twistor methods also provide a BCFW-like recursion relation for such
correlators. Finally, we study the natural extension where n operators become
pairwise null separated with k operators in general position. As an example, we
perform an analysis of the resulting correlator for k=2 and discuss some of the
difficulties associated to fixing the correlator completely in the strong
coupling regime.Comment: 34 pages, 6 figures. v2: typos corrected and references added; v3:
published versio
Twistor methods for AdS5
We consider the application of twistor theory to five-dimensional anti-de
Sitter space. The twistor space of AdS is the same as the ambitwistor space
of the four-dimensional conformal boundary; the geometry of this correspondence
is reviewed for both the bulk and boundary. A Penrose transform allows us to
describe free bulk fields, with or without mass, in terms of data on twistor
space. Explicit representatives for the bulk-to-boundary propagators of scalars
and spinors are constructed, along with twistor action functionals for the free
theories. Evaluating these twistor actions on bulk-to-boundary propagators is
shown to produce the correct two-point functions.Comment: 24 pages, 4 figures. v2: typos fixed, published versio
On correlation functions of Wilson loops, local and non-local operators
We discuss and extend recent conjectures relating partial null limits of
correlation functions of local gauge invariant operators and the expectation
value of null polygonal Wilson loops and local gauge invariant operators. We
point out that a particular partial null limit provides a strategy for the
calculation of the anomalous dimension of short twist-two operators at weak and
strong coupling.Comment: 29 pages, 8 figure
ERK2 phosphorylation of serine 77 regulates Bmf pro-apoptotic activity
B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) homology 3 (BH3)-only proteins represent a class of pro-apoptotic factors that neutralize pro-survival Bcl-2 proteins, and, in some cases, directly activate Bax. The mechanisms of control and the role of BH3-only proteins, such as Bcl-2 like protein 11 extra large and Bad are well studied. By contrast, relatively little is known about the regulation and role of Bcl-2 modifying factor (Bmf). The B-RAF oncogene is mutated in ∼8% of human tumors. We have previously shown that Bmf is upregulated at the transcript level and is required for apoptosis induced by targeting B-RAF signaling in tumor cells harboring mutant B-RAF. In this study, we show that Bmf is regulated at the post-translational level by mutant B-RAF-MEK-ERK2 signaling. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK2) directly phosphorylates Bmf on serine 74 and serine 77 residues with serine 77 being the predominant site. In addition, serine 77 phosphorylation reduces Bmf pro-apoptotic activity likely through a mechanism independent of altering Bmf localization to the mitochondria and/or interactions with dynein light chain 2 and the pro-survival proteins, B-cell lymphoma extra large, Bcl-2 and Mcl-1. These data identify a novel mode of regulation in Bmf that modulates its pro-apoptotic activity in mutant B-RAF tumor cells
Dualities for Loop Amplitudes of N=6 Chern-Simons Matter Theory
In this paper we study the one- and two-loop corrections to the four-point
amplitude of N=6 Chern-Simons matter theory. Using generalized unitarity
methods we express the one- and two-loop amplitudes in terms of dual-conformal
integrals. Explicit integration by using dimensional reduction gives vanishing
one-loop result as expected, while the two-loop result is non-vanishing and
matches with the Wilson loop computation. Furthermore, the two-loop correction
takes the same form as the one-loop correction to the four-point amplitude of
N=4 super Yang-Mills. We discuss possible higher loop extensions of this
correspondence between the two theories. As a side result, we extend the method
of dimensional reduction for three dimensions to five dimensions where dual
conformal symmetry is most manifest, demonstrating significant simplification
to the computation of integrals.Comment: 32 pages and 6 figures. v2: minus sign corrections, ref updated v3:
Published versio
Control of magnetic anisotropy by orbital hybridization in (La0.67Sr0.33MnO3)n/(SrTiO3)n superlattice
The asymmetry of chemical nature at the hetero-structural interface offers an
unique opportunity to design desirable electronic structure by controlling
charge transfer and orbital hybridization across the interface. However, the
control of hetero-interface remains a daunting task. Here, we report the
modulation of interfacial coupling of (La0.67Sr0.33MnO3)n/(SrTiO3)n
superlattices by manipulating the periodic thickness with n unit cells of
SrTiO3 and n unit cells La0.67Sr0.33MnO3. The easy axis of magnetic anisotropy
rotates from in-plane (n = 10) to out-of-plane (n = 2) orientation at 150 K.
Transmission electron microscopy reveals enlarged tetragonal ratio > 1 with
breaking of volume conservation around the (La0.67Sr0.33MnO3)n/(SrTiO3)n
interface, and electronic charge transfer from Mn to Ti 3d orbitals across the
interface. Orbital hybridization accompanying the charge transfer results in
preferred occupancy of 3d3z2-r2 orbital at the interface, which induces a
stronger electronic hopping integral along the out-of-plane direction and
corresponding out-of-plane magnetic easy axis for n = 2. We demonstrate that
interfacial orbital hybridization in superlattices of strongly correlated
oxides may be a promising approach to tailor electronic and magnetic properties
in device applications
Scattering Amplitudes/Wilson Loop Duality In ABJM Theory
For N=6 superconformal Chern-Simons-matter theories in three dimensions, by a
direct superspace Feynman diagram approach, we compute the two-loop four-point
scattering amplitude with external chiral matter fields. We find that the
result is in perfect agreement with the two-loop result for a light-like
four-polygon Wilson loop. This is a nontrivial evidence of the scattering
amplitudes/Wilson loop duality in three dimensions. Moreover, both the IR
divergent and the finite parts of our two-loop result agree with a BDS-like
ansatz for all-loop amplitudes where the scaling function is given in terms of
the N=4 SYM one, according to the conjectured Bethe equations for ABJM.
Consequently, we are able to make a prediction for the four-loop correction to
the amplitude. We also discuss the dual conformal invariance of the two-loop
result.Comment: 1+16 pages, 2 figures, minor modifications and references adde
The Role of Zinc in the Modulation of Neuronal Proliferation and Apoptosis
Although a requirement of zinc (Zn) for normal brain development is well documented, the extent to which Zn can modulate neuronal proliferation and apoptosis is not clear. Thus, we investigated the role of Zn in the regulation of these two critical events. A low Zn availability leads to decreased cell viability in human neuroblastoma IMR-32 cells and primary cultures of rat cortical neurons. This occurs in part as a consequence of decreased cell proliferation and increased apoptotic cell death. In IMR-32 cells, Zn deficiency led to the inhibition of cell proliferation through the arrest of the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase. Zn deficiency induced apoptosis in both proliferating and quiescent neuronal cells via the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. Reductions in cellular Zn triggered a translocation of the pro-apoptotic protein Bad to the mitochondria, cytochrome c release, and caspase-3 activation. Apoptosis is the resultant of the inhibition of the prosurvival extracellular-signal-regulated kinase, the inhibition of nuclear factor-kappa B, and associated decreased expression of antiapoptotic proteins, and to a direct activation of caspase-3. A deficit of Zn during critical developmental periods can have persistent effects on brain function secondary to a deregulation of neuronal proliferation and apoptosis
Scattering in ABJ theories
We study the correspondence between scattering amplitudes and Wilson loops in
three-dimensional Chern-Simons matter theories. In particular, using N=2
superspace formalism, we compute at one loop the whole spectrum of four-point
superamplitudes for generic N>=2 supersymmetric theories and find a vanishing
result for N=6 ABJ(M) and N=8 BLG models. This restricts the possible range of
theories for which Wilson loops/scattering amplitudes duality might work. At
two loops, we present the computation of the four-point ABJ scattering
amplitude for external chiral superfields. Extending the known result for the
ABJM Wilson loop to the ABJ case we find perfect agreement. We also discuss the
dual conformal invariance of our results and the relationship between the
Feynman diagram computation and unitarity methods. While for the ABJM theory
dual conformally invariant integrals exactly reproduce the amplitude, for the
ABJ case this happens only up to a residual constant depending on the
parity-violating parameter. Finally we propose a BDS-like exponentiation for
the amplitude based on an analogy with the four-dimensional N=4 SYM case, and
discuss its strong coupling dual counterpart.Comment: 1+54 pages, 8 figure
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