A new limit of the AdS(5) x S-5 sigma model

Using the pure spinor formalism, a quantizable sigma model has been constructed for the superstring in an AdS(5) X S-5 background with manifest PSU(2,2 vertical bar 4) invariance. The PSU(2,2 vertical bar 4) metric g(AB) has both vector components gab and spinor components g, 3, and in the limit where the spinor components g, 3 are taken to infinity, the AdS5 X S5 sigma model reduces to the worldsheet action in a flat background. In this paper, we instead consider the limit where the vector components g(ab) are taken to infinity. In this limit, the AdS5 X S5 sigma model simplifies to a topological A-model constructed from fermionic N=2 superfields whose bosonic components transform like twistor variables. Just as d=3 Chern-Simons theory can be described by the open string sector of a topological A-model, the open string sector of this topological A-model describes d=4 N=4 super-Yang-Mills. These results might be useful for constructing a worldsheet proof of the Maldacena conjecture analogous to the Gopakumar-Vafa-Ooguri worldsheet proof of Chern-Simons/conifold duality.

Perturbative super-Yang-Mills from the topological AdS 5 × S 5 sigma model

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Compact setup for reflection holography with Bi12TiO 20 crystals

A novel optical setup for imaging through reflection holography with Bi12TiO20 (BTO) sillenite photorefractive crystals is proposed. Aiming a compact, robust and simple optical setup the lensless Denisiuk arrangement was chosen, using a He-Ne red laser as light source. In this setup the holographic medium is placed between the light source and the object. The beam impinging the crystal front face is the reference one, while the light scattered by the surface is the object beam in a holographic recording by diffusion. In order to allow the readout of the diffracted wave only and to keep the setup simplicity a polarizing beam splitter cube (PBS) was positioned at the BTO input. The reference beam is s-polarized (polarization direction perpendicular to the table top) and the crystal. 〈001〉-axis is rotated by an angle γ with respect to the input polarization in order to make the transmitted object beam and the diffracted beam to have orthogonal polarizations. While the transmitted wave is reflected by the PBS at a right angle, the diffracted wave carrying the holographic reconstruction of the object passes through the PBS, being collected by a positive lens in order to form the holographic image at a CCD camera. The holographic recording with the grating vector is parallel to the 〈100〉-axis. An expression for the diffracted wave intensity as a function of γ was derived, and this relation was experimentally investigated. © 2008 American Institute of Physics.

Medium effects in the pion-pole mechanism [gamma gamma ->pi(0)->nu(R)(nu)over-bar(L)(nu(L)(nu)over-bar(R))] of neutron star cooling

Nuclear medium effects in the neutrino cooling of neutron stars through the reaction channel γγ→π0 →ν Rν̄L(νLν̄R) are incorporated. Throughout the paper we discuss different possibilities of right-handed neutrinos, massive left-handed neutrinos, and standard massless left-handed neutrinos (reaction is then allowed only with medium modified vertices). It is demonstrated that multiparticle effects suppress the rate of this reaction channel in the dense hadron matter by 6-7 orders of magnitude that does not allow to decrease existing experimental upper limit on the corresponding π0νν̄ coupling. Other possibilities of the manifestation of the given reaction channel in different physical situations, e.g., in the quark color superconducting cores of the most massive neutron stars, are also discussed. We demonstrate that in the color-flavor-locked superconducting phase for temperatures T≲ 0.1-10 MeV (depending on the effective pion mass and the decay width) the process is feasibly the most efficient neutrino cooling process, although the absolute value of the reaction rate is rather small.

In vitro production of bovine embryos using Sigma antioxidant supplement®, α-tocopherol and L-ascorbic acid

This study tested the effect of Sigma antioxidant supplement®, α-tocopherol (vitamin E) and L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in the culture medium of bovine embryos. In experiment 1, in vitro produced bovine zygotes were cultured in Human Tubal Fluid (HTF): Eagle’s Basic Medium (BME) with: Group 1 – 50 µm vitamin C; Group 2 – 200 µm vitamin E; Group 3 – 25 µm vitamin C and 100 µm vitamin E; Group 4 – 1 µl/ml Sigma antioxidant supplement®; and the Control group – HTF:BME only. In experiment 2, embryos were cultured in high or low oxygen tension with HTF:BME + Sigma antioxidant supplement® or in HTF:BME alone (Control). The data were analyzed using ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test. The results of experiment 1 showed a negative effect (P < 0.05) of vitamin E on blastocyst production in Group 2 (19.7 ± 0.1%). This effect was reduced in Group 3 by the addition of vitamin C (26.1 ± 0.2%). The use of vitamin C alone (34.9 ± 0.3%) or the Sigma antioxidant supplement® (33.3 ± 0.7%) did not increase (P > 0.05) the number of blastocysts produced compared with the control group (30.1 ± 0.5%). During experiment 2, there was no effect (P > 0.05) from the culture medium or the O2 concentrations used, indicating that the reduction of the O2 concentration did not improve blastocyst production.

Gamma Sigma Delta Reception

What a pleasure it is to be here today as we recognize outstanding scholarship. Like everyone here, I want to congratulate each of your students being recognized today for your scholastic accomplishments. I want you to know we are happy you’ve chosen to study with us in the College of Human Resources and Family Sciences, the Department of Biological Systems Engineering, and the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.

Gamma Sigma Delta Reception

“Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself.” I think of that old Chinese proverb today as we celebrate outstanding scholarship. I know our extremely talented and dedicated faculty, of whom I am especially proud, do a tremendous job of opening doors for those students who study with us in our classes in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and the College of Human Resources and Family Sciences here at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Today we also are very proud of and for each of you students being recognized for your scholastic accomplishments.

Presentation Remarks: Gamma Sigma Delta Award of Merit

I am really pleased to have this opportunity to present the 2008 Gamma Sigma Delta Award of Merit to Alan Baquet. Being here to say "Congratulations, Alan," is a special treat for me - and I do say, "Congratulations, Alan." You are very deserving of this honor.

rho(0) photoproduction in AuAu collisions at root s(NN)=62.4 GeV measured with the STAR detector

Vector mesons may be photoproduced in relativistic heavy-ion collisions when a virtual photon emitted by one nucleus scatters from the other nucleus, emerging as a vector meson. The STAR Collaboration has previously presented measurements of coherent rho(0) photoproduction at center of mass energies of 130 GeV and 200 GeV in AuAu collisions. Here, we present a measurement of the cross section at 62.4 GeV; we find that the cross section for coherent rho(0) photoproduction with nuclear breakup is 10.5 +/- 1.5 +/- 1.6mb at 62.4 GeV. The cross-section ratio between 200 GeV and 62.4 GeV is 4.4 +/- 0.6, less than is predicted by most theoretical models. It is, however, proportionally much larger than the previously observed 15% +/- 55% increase between 130 GeV and 200 GeV.

A countably compact free Abelian group of size continuum that admits a non-trivial convergent sequence

We show that it is consistent with ZFC that the free Abelian group of cardinality c admits a topological group topology that makes it countably compact with a non-trivial convergent sequence. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Probing the properties of Be star discs with spectroastrometry and NLTE radiative transfer modelling: beta CMi

While the presence of discs around classical Be stars is well established, their origin is still uncertain. To understand what processes result in the creation of these discs and how angular momentum is transported within them, their physical properties must be constrained. This requires comparing high spatial and spectral resolution data with detailed radiative transfer modelling. We present a high spectral resolution, R similar to 80 000, sub-milliarcsecond precision, spectroastrometric study of the circumstellar disc around the Be star beta CMi. The data are confronted with 3D, non-local thermodynamic equilibrium radiative transfer calculations to directly constrain the properties of the disc. Furthermore, we compare the data to disc models featuring two velocity laws: Keplerian, the prediction of the viscous disc model, and angular momentum conserving rotation. It is shown that the observations of beta CMi can only be reproduced using Keplerian rotation. The agreement between the model and the observed spectral energy distribution, polarization and spectroastrometric signature of beta CMi confirms that the discs around Be stars are well modelled as viscous decretion discs.

Almost p-compact groups

We show that if p is a selective ultrafilter, then for each cardinal alpha <= omega(1), there exists a topological group G such that G(beta) is almost p-compact (in particular, countably compact), for beta < alpha, but G(alpha) is not countably compact. If in addition, we assume Martin's Axiom, then the result above holds for every alpha < c. (C) 2012 Elsevier By. All rights reserved.