M2-M5 blackfold funnels

We analyze the basic M2-M5 intersection in the supergravity regime using the blackfold approach. This approach allows us to recover the 1/4-BPS self-dual string soliton solution of Howe, Lambert and West as a three-funnel solution of an effective fivebrane worldvolume theory in a new regime, the regime of a large number of M2 and M5 branes. In addition, it allows us to discuss finite temperature effects for non-extremal self-dual string soliton solutions and wormhole solutions interpolating between stacks of M5 and anti-M5 branes. The purpose of this paper is to exhibit these solutions and their basic properties.Comment: 19 pages, 5 figures, harvmac; typo corrected in equation (3.19

Deformed Quantum Cohomology and (0,2) Mirror Symmetry

We compute instanton corrections to correlators in the genus-zero topological subsector of a (0,2) supersymmetric gauged linear sigma model with target space P1xP1, whose left-moving fermions couple to a deformation of the tangent bundle. We then deduce the theory's chiral ring from these correlators, which reduces in the limit of zero deformation to the (2,2) ring. Finally, we compare our results with the computations carried out by Adams et al.[ABS04] and Katz and Sharpe[KS06]. We find immediate agreement with the latter and an interesting puzzle in completely matching the chiral ring of the former.Comment: AMSLatex, 30 pages, one eps figure. V4: typos corrected, final version appearing in JHE

The Overall Coefficient of the Two-loop Superstring Amplitude Using Pure Spinors

Using the results recently obtained for computing integrals over (non-minimal) pure spinor superspace, we compute the coefficient of the massless two-loop four-point amplitude from first principles. Contrasting with the mathematical difficulties in the RNS formalism where unknown normalizations of chiral determinant formulae force the two-loop coefficient to be determined only indirectly through factorization, the computation in the pure spinor formalism can be smoothly carried out.Comment: 29 pages, harvmac TeX. v2: add reference

N=8 Superspace Constraints for Three-dimensional Gauge Theories

We present a systematic analysis of the N=8 superspace constraints in three space-time dimensions. The general coupling between vector and scalar supermultiplets is encoded in an SO(8) tensor W_{AB} which is a function of the matter fields and subject to a set of algebraic and super-differential relations. We show how the conformal BLG model as well as three-dimensional super Yang-Mills theory provide solutions to these constraints and can both be formulated in this universal framework.Comment: 34 + 10 pages; added references, minor correction

Higher derivative type II string effective actions, automorphic forms and E11

By dimensionally reducing the ten-dimensional higher derivative type IIA string theory effective action we place constraints on the automorphic forms that appear in the effective action in lower dimensions. We propose a number of properties of such automorphic forms and consider the prospects that E11 can play a role in the formulation of the higher derivative string theory effective action.Comment: 34 page

Gauge and Supersymmetric Invariance of a Boundary Bagger-Lambert-Gustavsson Theory

In this paper we will discuss the effect of a having a boundary on the supersymmetric invariance and gauge invariance of the Bagger-Lambert-Gustavsson (BLG) Theory. We will show that even though the supersymmetry and gauge invariance of the original BLG theory is broken due to the presence of a boundary, it restored by the addition of suitable boundary terms. In fact, to achieve the gauge invariance of this theory, we will have to introduce new boundary degrees of freedom. The boundary theory obeyed by these new boundary degrees of freedom will be shown to be a generalization of the gauged Wess-Zumino-Witten model, with the generators of the Lie algebra replaced by the generators of the Lie 3-algebra. The gauge and supersymmetry variations of the boundary theory will exactly cancel the boundary terms generated by the gauge and supersymmetric variations of the bulk theory.Comment: 15 pages, 0 figures, accepted for publication in JHE

Cost of care for cancer patients in England: evidence from population-based patient-level data

background: Health systems are facing the challenge of providing care to an increasing population of patients with cancer. However, evidence on costs is limited due to the lack of large longitudinal databases. methods: We matched cost of care data to population-based, patient-level data on cancer patients in England. We conducted a retrospective cohort study including all patients age 18 and over with a diagnosis of colorectal (275 985 patients), breast (359 771), prostate (286 426) and lung cancer (283 940) in England between 2001 and 2010. Incidence costs, prevalence costs, and phase of care costs were estimated separately for patients age 18–64 and greater than or equal to65. Costs of care were compared by patients staging, before and after diagnosis, and with a comparison population without cancer. results: Incidence costs in the first year of diagnosis are noticeably higher in patients age 18–64 than age greater than or equal to65 across all examined cancers. A lower stage diagnosis is associated with larger cost savings for colorectal and breast cancer in both age groups. The additional costs of care because of the main four cancers amounts to £1.5 billion in 2010, namely 3.0% of the total cost of hospital care. conclusions: Population-based, patient-level data can be used to provide new evidence on the cost of cancer in England. Early diagnosis and cancer prevention have scope for achieving large cost savings for the health system

Human neutrophil clearance of bacterial pathogens triggers anti-microbial gamma delta T cell responses in early infection

Human blood Vc9/Vd2 T cells, monocytes and neutrophils share a responsiveness toward inflammatory chemokines and are rapidly recruited to sites of infection. Studying their interaction in vitro and relating these findings to in vivo observations in patients may therefore provide crucial insight into inflammatory events. Our present data demonstrate that Vc9/Vd2 T cells provide potent survival signals resulting in neutrophil activation and the release of the neutrophil chemoattractant CXCL8 (IL-8). In turn, Vc9/Vd2 T cells readily respond to neutrophils harboring phagocytosed bacteria, as evidenced by expression of CD69, interferon (IFN)-c and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a. This response is dependent on the ability of these bacteria to produce the microbial metabolite (E)-4-hydroxy-3-methyl-but-2-enyl pyrophosphate (HMB-PP), requires cell-cell contact of Vc9/Vd2 T cells with accessory monocytes through lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1), and results in a TNF-a dependent proliferation of Vc9/Vd2 T cells. The antibiotic fosmidomycin, which targets the HMB-PP biosynthesis pathway, not only has a direct antibacterial effect on most HMB-PP producing bacteria but also possesses rapid anti-inflammatory properties by inhibiting cd T cell responses in vitro. Patients with acute peritoneal-dialysis (PD)-associated bacterial peritonitis – characterized by an excessive influx of neutrophils and monocytes into the peritoneal cavity – show a selective activation of local Vc9/Vd2 T cells by HMB-PP producing but not by HMB-PP deficient bacterial pathogens. The cd T celldriven perpetuation of inflammatory responses during acute peritonitis is associated with elevated peritoneal levels of cd T cells and TNF-a and detrimental clinical outcomes in infections caused by HMB-PP positive microorganisms. Taken together, our findings indicate a direct link between invading pathogens, neutrophils, monocytes and microbe-responsive cd T cells in early infection and suggest novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.Martin S. Davey, Chan-Yu Lin, Gareth W. Roberts, Sinéad Heuston, Amanda C. Brown, James A. Chess, Mark A. Toleman, Cormac G.M. Gahan, Colin Hill, Tanya Parish, John D. Williams, Simon J. Davies, David W. Johnson, Nicholas Topley, Bernhard Moser and Matthias Eber

Boundary Conditions for Interacting Membranes

We investigate supersymmetric boundary conditions in both the Bagger-Lambert and the ABJM theories of interacting membranes. We find boundary conditions associated to the fivebrane, the ninebrane and the M-theory wave. For the ABJM theory we are able to understand the enhancement of supersymmetry to produce the (4,4) supersymmetry of the self-dual string. We also include supersymmetric boundary conditions on the gauge fields that cancel the classical gauge anomaly of the Chern-Simons terms.Comment: 36 pages, latex, v2 minor typos correcte