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U-Folds From Geodesics in Moduli Space: We exploit the presence of moduli fields in the ${\rm AdS}_3\times { S}^3\times CY_2$, where $CY_2=T^4$ or $K3$, solution to Type IIB superstring theory, to construct a U-fold solution with geometry ${\rm AdS}_2\times S^1\times {\rm S}^3\times CY_2$. This is achieved by giving a non-trivial dependence of the moduli fields in ${\rm SO}(4,n)/{\rm SO}(4)\times {\rm SO}(n)$ ($n=4$ for $CY_2=T^4$ and $n=20$ for $CY_2=K3$ ), on the coordinate $\eta$ of a compact direction $S^1$ along the boundary of ${\rm AdS}_3$, so that these scalars, as functions of $\eta$, describe a geodesic on the corresponding moduli space. The back-reaction of these evolving scalars on spacetime amounts to a splitting of ${\rm AdS}_3$ into ${\rm AdS}_2\times S^1$ with a non-trivial monodromy along $S^1$ defined by the geodesic. Choosing the monodromy matrix in ${\rm SO}(4,n;\,\mathbb{Z})$, this supergravity solution is conjectured to be a consistent superstring background. We generalize this construction starting from an ungauged theory in $D=2d$, $d$ odd, describing scalar fields non-minimally coupled to $(d-1)$-forms and featuring solutions with topology ${\rm AdS}_d\times S^d$, and moduli scalar fields. We show, in this general setting, that giving the moduli fields a geodesic dependence on the $\eta $ coordinate of an $S^1$ at the boundary of ${\rm AdS}_d$ is sufficient to split this space into ${\rm AdS}_{d-1}\times S^1$, with a monodromy along $S^1$ defined by the starting and ending points of the geodesic. This mechanism seems to be at work in the known J-fold solutions in $D=10$ Type IIB theory and hints towards the existence of similar solutions in the Type IIB theory compactified on $CY_2$. We argue that the holographic dual theory on these backgrounds is a 1+0 CFT on an interface in the 1+1 theory at the boundary of the original ${\rm AdS}_3$.

tt* Geometry and Closed String Tachyon Potential: We propose a closed string tachyon action including kinetic and potential terms for non-supersymmetric orbifolds. The action is given in terms of solutions to $tt^*$ equations which captures the geometry of vacua of the corresponding N=2 worldsheet theory. In certain cases the solutions are well studied. In case of tachyons of ${\bf C}/Z_n$, solutions to affine toda equations determine the action. We study the particular case of ${\bf C}/Z_3\to {\bf C}$ in detail and find that the Tachyon action is determined in terms of a solution to Painleve III equation.

Generating higher-derivative couplings in N=2 supergravity: Using a recently developed off-shell formulation for general 4D N=2 supergravity-matter systems, we propose a construction to generate higher derivative couplings. We address here mainly the interactions of tensor and vector multiplets, but the construction is quite general. For a certain subclass of terms, the action is naturally written as an integral over 3/4 of the Grassmann coordinates of superspace.

Worldline approach to vector and antisymmetric tensor fields: The N=2 spinning particle action describes the propagation of antisymmetric tensor fields, including vector fields as a special case. In this paper we study the path integral quantization on a one-dimensional torus of the N=2 spinning particle coupled to spacetime gravity. The action has a local N=2 worldline supersymmetry with a gauged U(1) symmetry that includes a Chern-Simons coupling. Its quantization on the torus produces the one-loop effective action for a single antisymmetric tensor. We use this worldline representation to calculate the first few Seeley-DeWitt coefficients for antisymmetric tensor fields of arbitrary rank in arbitrary dimensions. As side results we obtain the correct trace anomaly of a spin 1 particle in four dimensions as well as exact duality relations between differential form gauge fields. This approach yields a drastic simplification over standard heat-kernel methods. It contains on top of the usual proper time a new modular parameter implementing the reduction to a single tensor field. Worldline methods are generically simpler and more efficient in perturbative computations then standard QFT Feynman rules. This is particularly evident when the coupling to gravity is considered.

Subleading corrections to the $S^3$ free energy of necklace quiver theories dual to massive IIA: We investigate the $S^3$ free energy of $\mathcal N=3$ Chern-Simons-matter quiver gauge theories with gauge group $U(N)^r~(r\geq2)$ where the sum of Chern-Simons levels does not vanish, beyond the leading order in the large-$N$ expansion. We take two different approaches to explore the sub-leading structures of the free energy. First we evaluate the matrix integral for the partition function in the 't~Hooft limit using a saddle point approximation. Second we use an ideal Fermi-gas model to compute the same partition function, but in the limit of fixed Chern-Simons levels. The resulting expressions for the free energy $F=-\log Z$ are consistent with each other at the leading and first sub-leading order. The Fermi-gas approach also hints at a universal $\frac{1}{6}\log N$ correction to the free energy. Since the quiver gauge theories we consider are dual to massive Type IIA theory, we expect our results to match sub-leading corrections to the holographic dual free energy, which have not yet been fully investigated.

Where is the large radius limit?: By properly accounting for the invariance of a Calabi-Yau sigma-model under shifts of the $B$-field by integral amounts (analagous to the $\theta$-angle in QCD), we show that the moduli spaces of such sigma-models can often be enlarged to include ``large radius limit'' points. In the simplest cases, there are holomorphic coordinates on the enlarged moduli space which vanish at the limit point, and which appear as multipliers in front of instanton contributions to Yukawa couplings. (Those instanton contributions are therefore suppressed at the limit point.) In more complicated cases, the instanton contributions are still suppressed but the enlarged space is singular at the limit point. This singularity may have interesting effects on the effective four-dimensional theory, when the Calabi-Yau is used to compactify the heterotic string.

S-duality and the N=2 Lens Space Index: We discuss some of the analytic properties of lens space indices for 4d N=2 theories of class S. The S-duality properties of these theories highly constrain the lens space indices, and imply in particular that they are naturally acted upon by a set of commuting difference operators corresponding to surface defects. We explicitly identify the difference operators to be a matrix-valued generalization of the elliptic Ruijsenaars-Schneider model. In a special limit these difference operators can be expressed naturally in terms of Cherednik operators appearing in the double affine Hecke algebras, with the eigenfunctions given by non-symmetric Macdonald polynomials.

Thermal Lie Superalgebras: We derive a general formulation for thermal Lie superalgebras motivated by thermofield dynamics formalism (TFD). Particularly, we construct the thermal Poincar\'e superalgebras. The operators in TFD are defined through the doubling of the degrees of freedom of the system and it can be related to Hopf algebras. In this way we explore the notion of quantum group associated with these superalgebras and we show the non-commutativity in this thermal scenario. Furthermore, the thermal M-superalgebra is also derived from TFD prescription.

A covariant variational approach to Yang-Mills Theory: We investigate the low-order Green's functions of SU(N) Yang-Mills theory in Landau gauge, using a covariant variational principle based on the effective action formalism. Employing an approximation to the Faddeev-Popov determinant established previously in the Hamiltonian approach in Coulomb gauge leads to a closed set of integral equations for the ghost and gluon propagator. We carry out the renormalization and the infrared analysis of this system of equations. Finally, we solve the renormalized system numerically and compare with lattice results and other functional approaches.

Gauged Wess-Zumino terms and Equivariant Cohomology: We summarize some results obtained on the problem of gauging the Wess--Zumino term of a d-dimensional bosonic sigma-model. We show that gauged WZ-like terms are in one-to-one correspondence with equivariant cocycles of the target space. By the same token, the obstructions to gauging a WZ term can be understood in terms of the equivariant cohomology of the target space and this allows us to use topological tools to derive some a priori vanishing theorems guaranteeing the absence of obstructions for a large class of target spaces and symmetry groups in the physically interesting dimensions d<=4. (This is an expository summary of the results of hep-th/9407149.)

Holomorphic Chern-Simons theory and affine Gaudin models: We relate two formalisms recently proposed for describing classical integrable field theories. The first is based on the action of four-dimensional holomorphic Chern-Simons theory introduced and studied by Costello, Witten and Yamazaki. The second makes use of classical generalised Gaudin models associated with untwisted affine Kac-Moody algebras.

Non-compact nonlinear sigma models: The target space of a nonlinear sigma model is usually required to be positive definite to avoid ghosts. We introduce a unique class of nonlinear sigma models where the target space metric has a Lorentzian signature, thus the associated group being non-compact. We show that the would-be ghost associated with the negative direction is fully projected out by 2 second-class constraints, and there exist stable solutions in this class of models. This result also has important implications for Lorentz--invariant massive gravity: There exist stable nontrivial vacua in massive gravity that are free from any linear vDVZ--discontinuity and a $\Lambda_2$ decoupling limit can be defined on these vacua.

sl^(2)_{-1/2}: A Case Study: The construction of the non-logarithmic conformal field theory based on sl^(2)_{-1/2} is revisited. Without resorting to free-field methods, the determination of the spectrum and fusion rules is streamlined and the beta gamma ghost system is carefully derived as the extended algebra generated by the unique finite-order simple current. A brief discussion of modular invariance is given and the Verlinde formula is explicitly verified.

On Horizons and Plane Waves: We investigate the possibility of having an event horizon within several classes of metrics that asymptote to the maximally supersymmetric IIB plane wave. We show that the presence of a null Killing vector (not necessarily covariantly constant) implies an effective separation of the Einstein equations into a standard and a wave component. This feature may be used to generate new supergravity solutions asymptotic to the maximally supersymmetric IIB plane wave, starting from standard seed solutions such as branes or intersecting branes in flat space. We find that in many cases it is possible to preserve the extremal horizon of the seed solution. On the other hand, non-extremal deformations of the plane wave solution result in naked singularities. More generally, we prove a no-go theorem against the existence of horizons for backgrounds with a null Killing vector and which contain at most null matter fields. Further attempts at turning on a nonzero Hawking temperature by introducing additional matter have proven unsuccessful. This suggests that one must remove the null Killing vector in order to obtain a horizon. We provide a perturbative argument indicating that this is in fact possible.

Vortices of $SO(2)$ gauged Skyrmions in $2+1$ dimensions: Vortices the $SO(2)$ gauged planar Skyrme model, with a) only Maxwell, b) only Chern-Simons, and c) both Maxwell and Chern-Simons dynamics are studied systematically. In cases a) and b), where both models feature a single parameter $\lambda$ (the coupling of the potential term), the dependence of the energy on $\lambda$ is analysed. It is shown that the plots of the energy $vs.$ $\lambda$ feature discontinuities and branches. In case c), the emphasis is on the evolution of the topological charge, taking non-integer values. Throughout, the properties studied are contrasted with those of the corresponding Abelian Higgs models.

Holography in a quantum spacetime: We propose a formulation of the holographic principle, suitable for a background independent quantum theory of cosmology. It is stated as a relationship between the flow of quantum information and the causal structure of a quantum spacetime. Screens are defined as sets of events at which the observables of a holographic cosmological theory may be measured, and such that information may flow across them in two directions. A discrete background independent holographic theory may be formulated in terms of information flowing in a causal network of such screens. Geometry is introduced by defining the area of a screen to be a measure of its capacity as a channel of quantum information from its null past to its null future. We call this a ``weak'' form of the holographic principle, as no use is made of a bulk theory.

Non supersymmetric strong coupling background from the large N quantum mechanics of two matrices coupled via a Yang-Mills interaction: We derive the planar large N non-supersymmetric background of the quantum mechanical hamiltonian of two hermitean matrices coupled via a Yang-Mills interaction, in terms of the density of eigenvalues of one of the matrices. This background satisfies an implicit non linear integral equation, with a perturbative small coupling expansion and a solvable large coupling solution, which is obtained. The energy of system and the expectation value of several correlators are obtained in this strong coupling limit. They are free of infrared divergences.

The Quantum-Corrected Fermion Mode Function during Inflation: My project computed the one loop fermion self-energy for massless Dirac + Einstein in the presence of a locally de Sitter background. I employed dimensional regularization and obtain a fully renormalized result by absorbing all divergences with Bogliubov, Parasiuk, Hepp and Zimmermann (BPHZ) counterterms. An interesting technical aspect of my computation was the need for a noninvariant counterterm, owing to the breaking of de Sitter invariance by our gauge condition. I also solved the effective Dirac equation for massless fermions during inflation in the simplest gauge, including all one loop corrections from quantum gravity. At late times the result for a spatial plane wave behaves as if the classical solution were subjected to a time-dependent field strength renormalization of Z_2(t) = 1 - 17(4 pi) *G H^2 *ln(a) + O(G^2). I showed that this also follows from making the Hartree approximation, although the numerical coefficients differ.

Doubled Hilbert space in double-scaled SYK: We consider matter correlators in the double-scaled SYK (DSSYK) model. It turns out that matter correlators have a simple expression in terms of the doubled Hilbert space $\mathcal{H}\otimes\mathcal{H}$, where $\mathcal{H}$ is the Fock space of $q$-deformed oscillator (also known as the chord Hilbert space). In this formalism, we find that the operator which counts the intersection of chords should be conjugated by certain ``entangler'' and ``disentangler''. We explicitly demonstrate this structure for the two- and four-point functions of matter operators in DSSYK.

Embedding LFHQCD in Worldsheet String Theory: Light-front holographic quantum chromodynamics (LFHQCD) has been proposed as an approximation to QCD which is non-perturbative and at the same time analytically tractable. It can be derived from the holographic light-cone Hamiltonian and effectively corresponds to a one-dimensional superconformal quantum theory. It is proposed in this paper to extend the underlying quantum group to N = 2 SCFT. This provides an avenue for bottom-up string theory model-building which is firmly grounded in phenomenology. Moreover, the peculiar properties of the model carry over to provide novel solutions to string theory problems, including supersymmetry without predicting superpartners as well as the breaking of the conformal symmetry and the introduction of a low-energy scale such that the massive Virasoro modes correspond to hadronic states reminiscent of what was once envisioned in the Veneziano model.

Self-consistent renormalization as an efficient realization of main ideas of the Bogoliubov-Parasiuk R-operation: By self-consistent renormalization (SCR) it is meant that all formal relations between UV-divergent Feynman amplitudes are automatically retained as well as between their regular values obtained in the framework of the SCR. The SCR is efficiently applicable on equal grounds both to renormalizable and nonrenormalizable theories. SCR furnishes new means for the constructive treatment of new subjects: i) UV-divergence problems associated with symmetries, Ward identities, and quantum anomalies; ii) new relations between finite bare and finite physical parameters of quantum field theories. The aim of this paper is to describe main ideas and properties of the SCR and clearly to describe three mutually complementary algorithms of the SCR that are presented in the form maximally suited for practical applications.

Extended Supersymmetries and 2+1 Dimensional Supersymmetric Chern Simons Theories: We study N=2 supersymmetric Chern-Simons Higgs models in $(2+1)$-dimensions. As we will demonstrate, an extended supersymmetric quantum mechanics algebras underlies the fermionic zero modes quantum system and the zero modes corresponding to bosonic fluctuations. These two algebras, in turn, combine to give an N=4 extended 1-dimensional supersymmetric algebra with central charge

Special geometry and perturbative analysis of $N=2$ heterotic vacua: The requirement of target-space duality and the use of nonrenormalization theorems lead to strong constraints on the perturbative prepotential that encodes the low-energy effective action of $N=2$ heterotic superstring vacua. The analysis is done in the context of special geometry, which governs the couplings of the vector multiplets. The presentation is kept at an introductory level.

Localization and the interface between quantum mechanics, quantum field theory and quantum gravity: We show that there are significant conceptual differences between QM and QFT which make it difficult to view the latter as just a relativistic extension of the principles of QM. At the root of this is a fundamental distinction between Born-localization in QM (which in the relativistic context changes its name to Newton-Wigner localization) and modular localization which is the localization underlying QFT, after one liberates it from its standard presentation in terms of field coordinates. The first comes with a probability notion and projection operators, whereas the latter describes causal propagation in QFT and leads to thermal aspects of locally reduced finite energy states. The Born-Newton-Wigner localization in QFT is only applicable asymptotically and the covariant correlation between asymptotic in and out localization projectors is the basis of the existence of an invariant scattering matrix. Taking these significant differences serious has not only repercussions for the philosophy of science, but also leads to a new structural properties as a consequence of vacuum polarization: the area law for localization entropy near the the causal localization horizon and a more realistic cutoff independent setting for the cosmological vacuum energy density which is compatible with local covariance. The article presents some observations about the interface between QFT in CST and QG.

Transplanckian Censorship and the Local Swampland Distance Conjecture: The swampland distance conjecture (SDC) addresses the ability of effective field theory to describe distant points in moduli space. It is natural to ask whether there is a local version of the SDC: is it possible to construct local excitations in an EFT that sample extreme regions of moduli space? In many cases such excitations exhibit horizons or instabilities, suggesting that there are bounds on the size and structure of field excitations that can be achieved in EFT. Static bubbles in ordinary Kaluza-Klein theory provide a simple class of examples: the KK radius goes to zero on a smooth surface, locally probing an infinite distance point, and the bubbles are classically unstable against radial perturbations. However, it is also possible to stabilize KK bubbles at the classical level by adding flux. We study the impact of imposing the Weak Gravity Conjecture (WGC) on these solutions, finding that a rapid pair production instability arises in the presence of charged matter with $q/m\gtrsim 1$. We also analyze 4d electrically charged dilatonic black holes. Small curvature at the horizon imposes a bound $\log(M_{BH})\gtrsim |\Delta\phi|$, independent of the WGC, and the bound can be strengthened if the particle satisfying the WGC is sufficiently light. We conjecture that quantum gravity in asymptotically flat space requires a general bound on large localized moduli space excursions of the form $ |\Delta\phi|\lesssim |\log(R\Lambda)|$, where $R$ is the size of the minimal region enclosing the excitation and $\Lambda^{-1}$ is the short-distance cutoff on local EFT. The bound is qualitatively saturated by the dilatonic black holes and Kaluza-Klein monopoles.

D branes in background fluxes and Nielsen-Olesen instabilities: In quantum field theory, charged particles with spin $\geq 1$ may become tachyonic in the present of magnetic fluxes above some critical field, signaling an instability of the vacuum. The phenomenon is generic, in particular, similar instabilities are known to exist in open and closed string theory, where a spinning string state can become tachyonic above a critical field. In compactifications involving RR fluxes $F_{p+2}$, the quantum states which could become tachyonic by the same Nielsen-Olesen mechanism are Dp branes. By constructing an appropriate background with RR magnetic flux that takes into account back-reaction, we identify the possible tachyonic Dp brane states and compute the formula for the energy spectrum in a sector. More generally, we argue that in any background RR magnetic flux, there are high spin Dp quantum states which become very light at critical fields.

Supersymmetric Ward Identities and NMHV Amplitudes involving Gluinos: We show how Supersymmetric Ward identities can be used to obtain amplitudes involving gluinos or adjoint scalars from purely gluonic amplitudes. We obtain results for all one-loop six-point NMHV amplitudes in $\NeqFour$ Super Yang-Mills theory which involve two gluinos or two scalar particles. More general cases are also discussed.

Toeplitz Quantization of Kähler Manifolds and $gl(N)$ $N\to\infty$: For general compact K\"ahler manifolds it is shown that both Toeplitz quantization and geometric quantization lead to a well-defined (by operator norm estimates) classical limit. This generalizes earlier results of the authors and Klimek and Lesniewski obtained for the torus and higher genus Riemann surfaces, respectively. We thereby arrive at an approximation of the Poisson algebra by a sequence of finite-dimensional matrix algebras $gl(N)$, $N\to\infty$.

Condensates near the Argyres-Douglas point in SU(2) gauge theory with broken N=2 supersymmetry: The behaviour of the chiral condensates in the SU(2) gauge theory with broken N=2 supersymmetry is reviewed. The calculation of monopole, dyon, and charge condensates is described. It is shown that the monopole and charge condensates vanish at the Argyres-Douglas point where the monopole and charge vacua collide. This phenomenon is interpreted as a deconfinement of electric and magnetic charges at the Argyres-Douglas point.

Vacua of N=10 three dimensional gauged supergravity: We study scalar potentials and the corresponding vacua of N=10 three dimensional gauged supergravity. The theory contains 32 scalar fields parametrizing the exceptional coset space $\frac{E_{6(-14)}}{SO(10)\times U(1)}$. The admissible gauge groups considered in this work involve both compact and non-compact gauge groups which are maximal subgroups of $SO(10)\times U(1)$ and $E_{6(-14)}$, respectively. These gauge groups are given by $SO(p)\times SO(10-p)\times U(1)$ for $p=6,...10$, $SO(5)\times SO(5)$, $SU(4,2)\times SU(2)$, $G_{2(-14)}\times SU(2,1)$ and $F_{4(-20)}$. We find many AdS$_3$ critical points with various unbroken gauge symmetries. The relevant background isometries associated to the maximally supersymmetric critical points at which all scalars vanish are also given. These correspond to the superconformal symmetries of the dual conformal field theories in two dimensions.

Fractional Skyrmion molecules in a $\mathbb{C}P^{N-1}$ model: We study fractional Skyrmions in a $\mathbb{C}P^2$ baby Skyrme model with a generalization of the easy-plane potential. By numerical methods, we find stable, metastable, and unstable solutions taking the shapes of molecules. Various solutions possess discrete symmetries, and the origin of those symmetries are traced back to congruencies of the fields in homogeneous coordinates on $\mathbb{C}P^2$.

Baryon Mass and Phase Transitions in Large N Gauge Theory: We calculate the baryon mass in N=4 large $N$ gauge theory by means of AdS/CFT correspondence and show that it is a truly bound state, at least in some situations. We find that a phase transition occurs at a critical temperature. Furthermore, we find there are bound states of W-bosons in the Higgs phase, where the gauge group is broken to SU(N_1)xSU(N_2).

Effective Average Actions and Nonperturbative Evolution Equations: The effective average actions for gauge theories and the associated nonperturbative evolution equations which govern their renormalization group flow are reviewed and various applications are described. As an example of a topological field theory, Chern-Simons theory is discussed in detail.

Weyl-Dirac zero-mode for calorons: We give the analytic result for the fermion zero-mode of the SU(2) calorons with non-trivial holonomy. It is shown that the zero-mode is supported on ONLY ONE of the constituent monopoles. We discuss some of its implications.

Spinning Toroidal Brane Cosmology; A Classical and Quantum Survey: We construct a cosmological model based on a free particle model which is constrained on an embedded toroidal brane, with a general rotation around a specific axis in the bulk space. Some related issues such as the rotation axis of the brane, the presence of gravitomagnetic background and its relation to the general angular velocity of the brane, and its quantum mechanics and related issues such as minimal length and minimal momentum of the quantum model in the $\mathbb{T}^3$ brane are studied. Also, some cosmological features such as the constraint which is imposed upon the toroidal universe by the isotropy and homogeneity conditions, the corresponding Hubble law, and accelerating expansion for the spinning toroidal model without considering a cosmological constant are also studied.

Closed Superstring Amplitudes, Single-Valued Multiple Zeta Values and Deligne Associator: We revisit the tree-level closed superstring amplitude and identify its alpha'-expansion as series with single-valued multiple zeta values as coefficients. The latter represent a subclass of multiple zeta values originating from single-valued multiple polylogarithms at unity. Moreover, the alpha'-expansion of the closed superstring amplitude can be cast into the same algebraic form as the open superstring amplitude: the closed superstring amplitude essentially is the single-valued version of the open superstring amplitude. This fact points into a deeper connection between gauge and gravity amplitudes than what is implied by Kawai-Lewellen-Tye relations. Furthermore, we argue, that the Deligne associator carries the relevant information on the closed superstring amplitude. In particular, we give an explicit representation of the Deligne associator in terms of Gamma functions modulo squares of commutators of the underlying Lie algebra. This form of the associator can be interpreted as the four-point closed superstring amplitude.

CFT4 as SO(4,2)-invariant TFT2: We show that correlators of local operators in four dimensional free scalar field theory can be expressed in terms of amplitudes in a two dimensional topological field theory (TFT2). We describe the state space of the TFT2, which has $SO(4,2)$ as a global symmetry, and includes both positive and negative energy representations. Invariant amplitudes in the TFT2 correspond to surfaces interpolating from multiple circles to the vacuum. They are constructed from SO(4,2) invariant linear maps from the tensor product of the state spaces to complex numbers. When appropriate states labeled by 4D-spacetime coordinates are inserted at the circles, the TFT2 amplitudes become correlators of the four-dimensional CFT4. The TFT2 structure includes an associative algebra, related to crossing in the 4D-CFT, with a non-degenerate pairing related to the CFT inner product in the CFT4. In the free-field case, the TFT2/CFT4 correspondence can largely be understood as realization of free quantum field theory as a categorified form of classical invariant theory for appropriate SO(4,2) representations. We discuss the prospects of going beyond free fields in this framework.

Heterotic String Conformal Field Theory And A-D-E Singularities: We analyze the behavior of the heterotic string near an A-D-E singularity without small instantons. This problem is governed by a strongly coupled worldsheet conformal field theory, which, by a combination of O(alpha') corrections and worldsheet instantons, smooths out the singularities present in the classical geometry.

Two Loop Locally Anisotropic Corrections for Nonlinear Sigma Model: The article gives explicit calculation and interpretation of the additional locally anisotropic effects. Double role of the resulted gauge like fields discussed.

Manifestly Supersymmetric Effective Lagrangians on BPS Solitons: A systematic method to obtain the effective Lagrangian on the BPS background in supersymmetric gauge theories is worked out, taking domain walls and vortices as concrete examples. The Lagrangian in terms of the superfields for four preserved SUSY is expanded in powers of the slow-movement parameter lambda. The expansion gives the superfield form of the BPS equations at {O}(lambda^0), and all the fluctuation fields at {O}(lambda^1). The density of the Kaehler potential for the effective Lagrangian follows as an automatic consequence of the lambda expansion with manifest (four preserved) SUSY.

A comment on discrete Kalb-Ramond field on orientifold and rank reduction: We show that the rank reduction of the gauge group on orientifolds in presence of non vanishing discrete Kalb-Ramond field can be explained by the presence of an induced field strength in a non trivial bundle on the branes. This field strength is also necessary for the tadpole cancellation and the number of branes is left unchanged by the presence of the discrete Kalb-Ramond background.

Solving 3+1 QCD on the Transverse Lattice Using 1+1 Conformal Field Theory: A new transverse lattice model of $3+1$ Yang-Mills theory is constructed by introducing Wess-Zumino terms into the 2-D unitary non-linear sigma model action for link fields on a 2-D lattice. The Wess-Zumino terms permit one to solve the basic non-linear sigma model dynamics of each link, for discrete values of the bare QCD coupling constant, by applying the representation theory of non-Abelian current (Kac-Moody) algebras. This construction eliminates the need to approximate the non-linear sigma model dynamics of each link with a linear sigma model theory, as in previous transverse lattice formulations. The non-perturbative behavior of the non-linear sigma model is preserved by this construction. While the new model is in principle solvable by a combination of conformal field theory, discrete light-cone, and lattice gauge theory techniques, it is more realistically suited for study with a Tamm-Dancoff truncation of excited states. In this context, it may serve as a useful framework for the study of non-perturbative phenomena in QCD via analytic techniques.

N=2 Supergravity Lagrangians with Vector-Tensor Multiplets: We discuss the coupling of vector-tensor multiplets to N=2 supergravity.

DILATON-DRIVEN INFLATION IN STRING COSMOLOGY: I present an outline for cosmological evolution in the framework of string theory with emphasis on a phase of dilaton-driven kinetic inflation. It is shown that a typical background of stochastic gravitational radiation is generated, with strength that may allow its detection in future gravity wave experiments.

Gravity duals of supersymmetric gauge theories on three-manifolds: We study gravity duals to a broad class of N=2 supersymmetric gauge theories defined on a general class of three-manifold geometries. The gravity backgrounds are based on Euclidean self-dual solutions to four-dimensional gauged supergravity. As well as constructing new examples, we prove in general that for solutions defined on the four-ball the gravitational free energy depends only on the supersymmetric Killing vector, finding a simple closed formula when the solution has U(1) x U(1) symmetry. Our result agrees with the large N limit of the free energy of the dual gauge theory, computed using localization. This constitutes an exact check of the gauge/gravity correspondence for a very broad class of gauge theories with a large N limit, defined on a general class of background three-manifold geometries.

The Power of Perturbation Theory: We study quantum mechanical systems with a discrete spectrum. We show that the asymptotic series associated to certain paths of steepest-descent (Lefschetz thimbles) are Borel resummable to the full result. Using a geometrical approach based on the Picard-Lefschetz theory we characterize the conditions under which perturbative expansions lead to exact results. Even when such conditions are not met, we explain how to define a different perturbative expansion that reproduces the full answer without the need of transseries, i.e. non-perturbative effects, such as real (or complex) instantons. Applications to several quantum mechanical systems are presented.

Ultraviolet Finiteness of the averaged Hamiltonian on the noncommutative Minkowski space: It is shown that the Hamiltonian approach for a $\phi^3$-interaction on the 4-dimensional noncommutative Minkowski space leads to an ultraviolet finite $S$-matrix if the noncommutativity is averaged at each vertex.

Super-Poincare Invariant Superstring Field Theory: Using the topological techniques developed in an earlier paper with Vafa, a field theory action is constructed for any open string with critical N=2 worldsheet superconformal invariance. Instead of the Chern-Simons-like action found by Witten, this action resembles that of a Wess-Zumino-Witten model. For the N=2 string which describes (2,2) self-dual Yang-Mills, the string field generalizes the scalar field of Yang. As was shown in recent papers, an N=2 string can also be used to describe the Green-Schwarz superstring in a Calabi-Yau background. In this case, one needs three types of string fields which generalize the real superfield of the super-Yang-Mills prepotential, and the chiral and anti-chiral superfields of the Calabi-Yau scalar multiplet. The resulting field theory action for the open superstring in a Calabi-Yau background has the advantages over the standard RNS action that it is manifestly SO(3,1) super-Poincar\'e invariant and does not require contact terms to remove tree-level divergences.

Supersymmetric Wilson Loops, Superstring-Like Observables, and the Natural Coupling of Superstrings to Supersymmetric Gauge Theories: We obtain an explicit expression for the supersymmetric Wilson loop in terms of chiral superfields and supercurrents in superspace. The result turns out to be different from what one would expect from the simple replacement of Lie algebra valued connection in the exponent with the corresponding super-Lie algebraic one. Genralizing the super particle coupling represented by the supersymmetric Wilson loop, we show that there exists a unique dimensionless coupling of the superstring to abelian supersymmetric gauge theories that respects all the known symmetries. The coupling is expressed in terms of chiral currents in superspace. The natural superstring coupling gives rise to a new observable that is "stringy" in nature and has no analogue in non-supersymmetric gauge theories.

Branes and Electric-Magnetic Duality in Supersymmetric QCD: We study the Type IIA limit of the M theory fivebrane configuration corresponding to N=1 supersymmetric QCD with massless quarks. We identify the effective gauge coupling constant that fits with Novikov-Shifman-Veinshtein-Zakharov exact beta function. We find two different Type IIA limits that correspond to the electric and magnetic descriptions of SQCD, as observed in the massive case by Schmaltz and Sundrum. The analysis is extended to the case of symplectic and orthogonal gauge groups. In any of the cases considered in this paper, the electric and magnetic configurations are smoothly interpolated via $M$ theory. This is in sharp contrast with the proposed derivation of N=1 duality within the weakly coupled Type IIA string theory where a singularity is inevitable unless one turns on a parameter that takes the theory away from an interesting point.

General relativity limit of Horava-Lifshitz gravity with a scalar field in gradient expansion: We present a fully nonlinear study of long wavelength cosmological perturbations within the framework of the projectable Horava-Lifshitz gravity, coupled to a single scalar field. Adopting the gradient expansion technique, we explicitly integrate the dynamical equations up to any order of the expansion, then restrict the integration constants by imposing the momentum constraint. While the gradient expansion relies on the long wavelength approximation, amplitudes of perturbations do not have to be small. When the $\lambda\to 1$ limit is taken, the obtained nonlinear solutions exhibit a continuous behavior at any order of the gradient expansion, recovering general relativity in the presence of a scalar field and the "dark matter as an integration constant". This is in sharp contrast to the results in the literature based on the "standard" (and naive) perturbative approach where in the same limit, the perturbative expansion of the action breaks down and the scalar graviton mode appears to be strongly coupled. We carry out a detailed analysis on the source of these apparent pathologies and determine that they originate from an improper application of the perturbative approximation in the momentum constraint. We also show that there is a new branch of solutions, valid in the regime where $|\lambda-1|$ is smaller than the order of perturbations. In the limit $\lambda\to1$, this new branch allows the theory to be continuously connected to general relativity (plus "dark matter").

Partition Sums and Entropy Bounds in Weakly Coupled CFT: We use the partition functions on S^1 x S^n of various conformal field theories in four and six dimensions in the limit of vanishing coupling to study the high temperature thermodynamics. Certain modular properties exhibited by the partition functions help to determine the finite volume corrections, which play a role in the discussion of entropy bounds.

From Free-Fermionic Constructions to Orbifolds and Back: We systematically develop the explicit map between string vacua constructed in the Free Fermionic Formulation and their $\mathbb{Z}_2^N$ toroidal orbifold counterparts. We illustrate the map in various example classes of models, including cases relevant for string phenomenology, as well as in theories where space-time supersymmetry is broken by the stringy Scherk-Schwarz mechanism.

Evolution of scalar field resonances in a braneworld: In this work, we investigate numerical evolution of massive Kaluza-Klein (KK) modes of a scalar field in a thick brane. We derive the Klein-Gordon equation in five dimensional spacetime, and obtain the evolution equation and the Schr\"odinger-like equation. With the resonances of the scalar KK modes as the initial data, the scalar field is evolved with the maximally dissipative boundary condition. The results show that there are scalar KK resonant particles with long life on the brane, which indicates that these resonances might be viewed as one of the candidates for dark matter.

Effects of rotation and boundaries on chiral symmetry breaking of relativistic fermions: In order to avoid unphysical causality-violating effects any rigidly rotating system must be bounded in directions transverse to the axis of rotation. We demonstrate that this requirement implies substantial dependence of properties of relativistically rotating system on the boundary conditions. We consider a system of interacting fermions described by the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model in a space bounded by cylindrical surface of finite radius. In order to confine the fermions inside the cylinder we impose "chiral" MIT boundary conditions on its surface. These boundary conditions are parameterized by a continuous chiral angle \Theta. We find that at any value of \Theta the chiral restoration temperature T_c decreases as a quadratic function of the angular frequency \Omega. However, the position and the slope of the critical curve T_c = T_c(\Omega) in the phase diagram depends noticeably on the value of the chiral angle.

Holographic glueballs from the circle reduction of Romans supergravity: We reconsider a one-parameter class of known solutions of the circle compactification of Romans six-dimensional half-maximal supergravity. The gauge-theory duals of these solutions are confining four-dimensional field theories. Their UV completions consist of the compactification on a circle of a higher-dimensional field theory that is flowing between two fixed points in five dimensions. We systematically study the bosonic fluctuations of the supergravity theory, corresponding to the bosonic glueballs of the dual field theory. We perform numerically the calculation of the spectrum of excitations of all the bosonic fields, several of which had been disregarded in earlier work on the subject. We discuss the results as a function of the one parameter characterising the class of background solutions, hence further extending known results. We show how certain towers of states are independent of the background, and compare these states to existing lattice literature on four-dimensional Yang-Mills (pure) gauge theories, confirming the existence of close similarities. For the aforementioned analysis, we construct gauge-invariant combinations of the fields appearing in the reduction to five dimensions of the supergravity theory, and hence focus on the 32 physical bosonic degrees of freedom. We show explicitly how to implement gauge-fixing of the supergravity theory. The results of such technical work could be used to analyse the spectra of other theories proposed in the context of top-down holography. For example, it could be applied to holographic realisations of composite-Higgs and light-dilaton scenarios.

SYK Model, Chaos and Conserved Charge: We study the SYK model with complex fermions, in the presence of an all-to-all $q$-body interaction, with a non-vanishing chemical potential. We find that, in the large $q$ limit, this model can be solved exactly and the corresponding Lyapunov exponent can be obtained semi-analytically. The resulting Lyapunov exponent is a sensitive function of the chemical potential $\mu$. Even when the coupling $J$, which corresponds to the disorder averaged values of the all to all fermion interaction, is large, values of $\mu$ which are exponentially small compared to $J$ lead to suppression of the Lyapunov exponent.

Effective Dilaton Potential in Linearized Gravity: Considering the linearized gravity with matter fields, the effective potential of the ``conformal dilaton'' in the string frame is generated semiclassically by one-loop contribution of heavy matter fields. This in turn generates a nontrivial potential for the physical dilaton in the Einstein frame with the trace of the graviton in the Einstein frame gauged away. The remaining manifest local spacetime symmetry is only the volume preserving diffeomorphism symmetry. The consistency of this procedure is examined and the possibility of spontaneous diffeomorphism symmetry breaking is suggested.

QCD on a Tree: A model is proposed which can be regarded as a mean field approximation for pure lattice QCD and chiral field. It always possesses a phase transition between a strong coupling phase (where it reduces to a one-plaquette integral) and a non-trivial weak coupling one. For the U(N) gauge group, it is equivalent to some multi-matrix model. This analogy allows for determining possible large N critical regimes thus generalizing the Gross-Witten phase transition in the one-plaquetee model.

Moduli stabilization with open and closed string fluxes: We study the stabilization of all closed string moduli in the T^6/Z_2 orientifold, using constant internal magnetic fields and 3-form fluxes that preserve N=1 supersymmetry in four dimensions. We first analyze the stabilization of Kahler class and complex structure moduli by turning on magnetic fluxes on different sets of D9 branes that wrap the internal space T^6/Z_2. We present explicit consistent string constructions, satisfying in particular tadpole cancellation, where the radii can take arbitrarily large values by tuning the winding numbers appropriately. We then show that the dilaton-axion modulus can also be fixed by turning on closed string constant 3-form fluxes, consistently with the supersymmetry preserved by the magnetic fields, providing at the same time perturbative values for the string coupling. Finally, several models are presented combining open string magnetic fields that fix part of Kahler class and complex structure moduli, with closed string 3-form fluxes that stabilize the remaining ones together with the dilaton.

Supersymmetry and Dualities: Duality transformations with respect to rotational isometries relate supersymmetric with non-supersymmetric backgrounds in string theory. We find that non-local world-sheet effects have to be taken into account in order to restore supersymmetry at the string level. The underlying superconformal algebra remains the same, but in this case T-duality relates local with non-local realizations of the algebra in terms of parafermions. This is another example where stringy effects resolve paradoxes of the effective field theory. (Contribution to the proceedings of the Trieste conference on S-Duality and Mirror Symmetry; to appear in Nucl Phys B Proc Suppl)

O(3) Sigma model with Hopf term on Fuzzy Sphere: We formulate the $O(3) \s-$ model on fuzzy sphere and construct the Hopf term. We show that the field can be expanded in terms of the ladder operators of Holstein-Primakoff realisation of SU(2) algebra and the corresponding basis set can be classified into different topological sectors by the magnetic quantum numbers. We obtain topological charge $Q$ and show that $-2j\le Q \le2j$. We also construct BPS solitons. Using the covariantly conserved current, we construct the Hopf term and show that its value is $Q^2$ as in the commutative case. We also point out the interesting relation of physical space to deformed SU(2) algebra.

Renormalization Group Flows from Holography--Supersymmetry and a c-Theorem: We obtain first order equations that determine a supersymmetric kink solution in five-dimensional N=8 gauged supergravity. The kink interpolates between an exterior anti-de Sitter region with maximal supersymmetry and an interior anti-de Sitter region with one quarter of the maximal supersymmetry. One eighth of supersymmetry is preserved by the kink as a whole. We interpret it as describing the renormalization group flow in N=4 super-Yang-Mills theory broken to an N=1 theory by the addition of a mass term for one of the three adjoint chiral superfields. A detailed correspondence is obtained between fields of bulk supergravity in the interior anti-de Sitter region and composite operators of the infrared field theory. We also point out that the truncation used to find the reduced symmetry critical point can be extended to obtain a new N=4 gauged supergravity theory holographically dual to a sector of N=2 gauge theories based on quiver diagrams. We consider more general kink geometries and construct a c-function that is positive and monotonic if a weak energy condition holds in the bulk gravity theory. For even-dimensional boundaries, the c-function coincides with the trace anomaly coefficients of the holographically related field theory in limits where conformal invariance is recovered.

Massive charged BTZ black holes in asymptotically (a)dS spacetimes: Motivated by recent developments of BTZ black holes and interesting results of massive gravity, we investigate massive BTZ black holes in the presence of Maxwell and Born-Infeld (BI) electrodynamics. We study geometrical properties such as type of singularity and asymptotical behavior as well as thermodynamic structure of the solutions through canonical ensemble. We show that despite the existence of massive term, obtained solutions are asymptotically (a)dS and have a curvature singularity at the origin. Then, we regard varying cosmological constant and examine the Van der Waals like behavior of the solutions in extended phase space. In addition, we employ geometrical thermodynamic approaches and show that using Weinhold, Ruppeiner and Quevedo metrics leads to existence of ensemble dependency while HPEM metric yields consistent picture. For neutral solutions, it will be shown that generalization to massive gravity leads to the presence of non-zero temperature and heat capacity for vanishing horizon radius. Such behavior is not observed for linearly charged solutions while generalization to nonlinearly one recovers this property.

Supersymmetry in the AdS/CFT Correspondence: We study how local symmetry transformations of (p, q) anti de Sitter supergravities in three dimensions act on fields on the two-dimensional boundary. The boundary transformation laws are shown to be the same as those of two-dimensional (p, q) conformal supergravities for p, q \leq 2. Weyl and super Weyl transformations are generated from three-dimensional general coordinate and super transformations.

F-theory models with 3 to 8 U(1) factors on K3 surfaces: In this study, we construct four-dimensional F-theory models with 3 to 8 U(1) factors on products of K3 surfaces. We provide explicit Weierstrass equations of elliptic K3 surfaces with Mordell-Weil ranks of 3 to 8. We utilize the method of quadratic base change to glue pairs of rational elliptic surfaces together to yield the aforementioned types of K3 surfaces. The moduli of elliptic K3 surfaces constructed in the study include Kummer surfaces of specific complex structures. We show that the tadpole cancels in F-theory compactifications with flux when these Kummer surfaces are paired with appropriately selected attractive K3 surfaces. We determine the matter spectra on F-theory on the pairs.

Charge Algebra in Al(A)dS$_n$ Spacetimes: The gravitational charge algebra of generic asymptotically locally (A)dS spacetimes is derived in $n$ dimensions. The analysis is performed in the Starobinsky/Fefferman-Graham gauge, without assuming any further boundary condition than the minimal falloffs for conformal compactification. In particular, the boundary structure is allowed to fluctuate and plays the role of source yielding some symplectic flux at the boundary. Using the holographic renormalization procedure, the divergences are removed from the symplectic structure, which leads to finite expressions. The charges associated with boundary diffeomorphisms are generically non-vanishing, non-integrable and not conserved, while those associated with boundary Weyl rescalings are non-vanishing only in odd dimensions due to the presence of Weyl anomalies in the dual theory. The charge algebra exhibits a field-dependent $2$-cocycle in odd dimensions. When the general framework is restricted to three-dimensional asymptotically AdS spacetimes with Dirichlet boundary conditions, the $2$-cocycle reduces to the Brown-Henneaux central extension. The analysis is also specified to leaky boundary conditions in asymptotically locally (A)dS spacetimes that lead to the $\Lambda$-BMS asymptotic symmetry group. In the flat limit, the latter contracts into the BMS group in $n$ dimensions.

Discrete Gravity: We assume that the points in volumes smaller than an elementary volume (which may have a Planck size) are indistinguishable in any physical experiment. This naturally leads to a picture of a discrete space with a finite number of degrees of freedom per elementary volume. In such discrete spaces, each elementary cell is completely characterized by displacement operators connecting a cell to the neighboring cells and by the spin connection. We define the torsion and curvature of the discrete spaces and show that in the limiting case of vanishing elementary volume the standard results for the continuous curved differentiable manifolds are completely reproduced.

Canonical structure of Yang-Mills theory: I consider the problem of defining canonical coordinates and momenta in pure Yang-Mills theory, under the condition that Gauss' law is identically satisifed. This involves among other things particular boundary conditions for certain dependent variables. These boundary conditions are not postulated a priori, but arise as consistency conditions related to the equations of motion. It is shown that the theory indeed has a canonical structure, provided one uses a special gauge condition, which is a natural generalisation to Yang-Mills theory of the Coulomb gauge condition in electrodynamics. The canonical variables and Hamiltonian are explicitly constructed. Quantisation of the theory is briefly discussed.

Interpolations between Jordanian twists, the Poincaré-Weyl algebra and dispersion relations: We consider a two parameter family of Drinfeld twists generated from a simple Jordanian twist further twisted by 1-cochains. Twists from this family interpolate between two simple Jordanian twists. Relations between them are constructed and discussed. It is proved that there exists a one parameter family of twists identical to a simple Jordanian twist. The twisted coalgebra, star product and coordinate realizations of the $\kappa$-Minkowski noncommutative space time are presented. Real forms of Jordanian deformations are also discussed. The method of similarity transformations is applied to the Poincar\'e-Weyl Hopf algebra and two types of one parameter families of dispersion relations are constructed. Mathematically equivalent deformations, that are related to nonlinear changes of symmetry generators and linked with similarity maps, may lead to differences in the description of physical phenomena.

Islands for Reflected Entropy: Recent work has demonstrated the need to include contributions from entanglement islands when computing the entanglement entropy in QFT states coupled to regions of semiclassical gravity. We propose a new formula for the reflected entropy that includes additional contributions from such islands. We derive this formula from the gravitational path integral by finding additional saddles that include generalized replica wormholes. We also demonstrate that our covariant formula satisfies all the inequalities required of the reflected entropy. We use this formula in various examples that demonstrate its relevance in illustrating the structure of multipartite entanglement that are invisible to the entropies.

Scale anomalies in non-relativistic field theories in 2+1 dimensions: {}From the one-loop effective potential for a gas of non-relativistic bosons in two spatial dimensions interacting via a delta-function potential at zero-temperature and finite chemical potential, the anomaly of the energy-momentum tensor follows directly. It is also similarly derived when the bosons have an additional Chern-Simons interaction. In the special case of anyons, the scale anomaly vanishes to one-loop order in the effective potential and also to second order in the statistical angle.

Multichannel Conformal Blocks for Polygon Wilson Loops: We introduce the notion of Multichannel Conformal Blocks relevant for the Operator Product Expansion for Null Polygon Wilson loops with more than six edges. As an application of these, we decompose the one loop heptagon Wilson loop and predict the value of its two loop OPE discontinuities. At the functional level, the OPE discontinuities are roughly half of the full result. Using symbols they suffice to predict the full two loop result. We also present several new predictions for the heptagon result at any loop order.

BRST cohomology for 2D gravity: The BRST cohomology group in the space of local functionals of the fields for the two-dimensional conformally invariant gravity is calculated. All classical local actions (ghost number equal to zero) and all candidate anomalies are given and discussed for our model.

Weighted Graph Theory Representation of Quantum Information Inspired by Lie Algebras: Borrowing ideas from the relation between simply laced Lie algebras and Dynkin diagrams, a weighted graph theory representation of quantum information is addressed. In this way, the density matrix of a quantum state can be interpreted as a signless Laplacian matrix of an associated graph. Using similarities with root systems of simply laced Lie algebras, one-qubit theory is analyzed in some details and is found to be linked to a non-oriented weighted graph having two vertices. Moreover, this one-qubit theory is generalized to n-qubits. In this representation, quantum gates correspond to graph weight operations preserving the probability condition. A speculation from string theory, via D-brane quivers, is also given.

Magnetic discrete gauge field in the confining vacua and the supersymmetric index: It has recently been argued that the confining vacua of Yang-Mills theory in the far infrared can have topological degrees of freedom given by magnetic $\mathbb{Z}_q$ gauge field, both in the non-supersymmetric case and in the N=1 supersymmetric case. In this short note we give another piece of evidence by computing and matching the supersymmetric index of the pure super Yang-Mills theory both in the ultraviolet and in the infrared.

Global topological k-defects: We consider global topological defects in symmetry breaking models with a non-canonical kinetic term. Apart from a mass parameter entering the potential, one additional dimensional parameter arises in such models -- a ``kinetic'' mass. The properties of defects in these models are quite different from ``standard'' global domain walls, vortices and monopoles, if their kinetic mass scale is smaller than their symmetry breaking scale. In particular, depending on the concrete form of the kinetic term, the typical size of such a defect can be either much larger or much smaller than the size of a standard defect with the same potential term. The characteristic mass of a non-standard defect, which might have been formed during a phase transition in the early universe, depends on both the temperature of a phase transition and the kinetic mass.

(2+1)-Gravity Solutions with Spinning Particles: We derive, in 2+1 dimensions, classical solutions for metric and motion of two or more spinning particles, in the conformal Coulomb gauge introduced previously. The solutions are exact in the $N$-body static case, and are perturbative in the particles' velocities in the dynamic two-body case. A natural boundary for the existence of our gauge choice is provided by some ``CTC horizons'' encircling the particles, within which closed timelike curves occur.

Generalization of a result of Matsuo and Cherednik to the Calogero-Sutherland- Moser integrable models with exchange terms: A few years ago, Matsuo and Cherednik proved that from some solutions of the Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov (KZ) equations, which first appeared in conformal field theory, one can obtain wave functions for the Calogero integrable system. In the present communication, it is shown that from some solutions of generalized KZ equations, one can construct wave functions, characterized by any given permutational symmetry, for some Calogero-Sutherland-Moser integrable models with exchange terms. Such models include the spin generalizations of the original Calogero and Sutherland ones, as well as that with $\delta$-function interaction.

Resummation of QED radiative corrections in a strong constant crossed field: By considering radiative corrections of up to 3rd-loop order, Ritus and Narozhny conjectured that the proper expansion parameter for QED in a strong constant crossed field is $g=\alpha\chi^{2/3}$, where the dynamical quantum parameter $\chi=e\sqrt{-(Fp)^2}/m^3$ combines the particle momentum $p$ with the external field strength tensor $F$. Here we present and discuss the first non-perturbative result in this context, the resummed bubble-type polarization corrections to the electron self-energy in a constant crossed field. Our analysis confirms the relevance of the scaling parameter $g$ to the enhancement of bubble-type radiative corrections. This parameter actually represents the characteristic value of the ratio of the 1-loop polarization bubble to the photon virtuality. After an all-order resummation we identify and discuss two contributions to the self-energy with different formation regions and asymptotic behavior for $g\gg1$. Whereas the breakdown of perturbation theory occurs already for $g\gtrsim1$, the leading-order result remains dominant until the asymptotic regime $g\gg 1$ is reached. However, the latter is specific to processes like elastic scattering or photon emission and does not have to remain true for general higher-order QED processes.

Supersymmetric Quantum Mechanics and Path Integrals: Supersymmetry plays a main role in all current thinking about superstring theory. Indeed, many remarkable properties of string theory have been explained using supersymmetry as a tool. In this dissertation, we review the basic formulation of supersymmetric quantum mechanics starting with introducing the concepts of supercharges and superalgebra. We show that, if there is a supersymmetric state, it is the zero-energy ground state. If such a state exists, the supersymmetry is unbroken otherwise it is broken. So far, there has been no unbroken supersymmetry observed in nature, and if nature is described by supersymmetry, it must be broken. In fact, supersymmetry may be broken spontaneously at any order of perturbation theory, or dynamically due to non-perturbative effects. The goal of this dissertation is to study the methods of supersymmetry breaking. For this purpose, special attention is given to discuss the normalization of the ground state of the supersymmetric harmonic oscillator. Then we explain that perturbation theory gives us incorrect results for both the ground state wave function as well as the energy spectrum and it fails to give an explanation to the supersymmetry breaking. Later in the dissertation, a review of the uses of instantons in quantum mechanics is given. In particular, instantons are used to compute the tunneling effects within the path integral approach to quantum mechanics. As a result, we give evidence that the instantons, which are a non-perturbative effect in quantum mechanics and can not be seen in perturbation theory, leads to calculate the corrections to the ground state energy and provides a possible explanation for the supersymmetry breaking.

Classical double copy and higher-spin fields: Kerr-Schild double copy is shown to extend naturally to all free symmetric gauge fields propagating on $(A)dS$ in any dimension. Similarly to the standard lower-spin case, the higher-spin multicopy comes along with the zeroth, single, and double copies. The mass-like term of the Fronsdal spin $s$ field equations fixed by gauge symmetry and the mass of the zeroth copy both appear to be remarkably fine-tuned to fit the multicopy pattern forming a spectrum organized by higher-spin symmetry. On the black hole side this curious observation fills up the list of miraculous properties of the Kerr solution.

Magnetic and Electric Dipole Constraints on Extra Dimensions and Magnetic Fluxes: The propagation of charged particles and gauge fields in a compact extra dimension contributes to $g-2$ of the charged particles. In addition, a magnetic flux threading this extra dimension generates an electric dipole moment for these particles. We present constraints on the compactification size and on the possible magnetic flux imposed by the comparison of data and theory of the magnetic moment of the muon and from limits on the electric dipole moments of the muon, neutron and electron.

Gravity is controlled by cosmological constant: We discuss a Randall-Sundrum-type two D-braneworld model in which D-branes possess different values of the tensions from those of the charges, and derive an effective gravitational equation on the branes. As a consequence, the Einstein-Maxwell theory is realized together with the non-zero cosmological constant. Here an interesting point is that the effective gravitational constant is proportional to the cosmological constant. If the distance between two D-branes is appropriately tuned, the cosmological constant can have a consistent value with the current observations. From this result we see that, in our model, the presence of the cosmological constant is naturally explained by the presence of the effective gravitational coupling of the Maxwell field on the D-brane.

A Weyl-$\mathrm{Z}_2$ semimetal from holography: We present effective field theories for the weakly coupled Weyl-$\mathrm{Z}_2$ semimetal, as well as the holographic realization for the strongly coupled case. In both cases, the anomalous systems have both the chiral anomaly and the $\mathrm{Z}_2$ anomaly and possess topological quantum phase transitions from the Weyl-$\mathrm{Z}_2$ semimetal phases to partly or fully topological trivial phases. We find that the topological phase transition is characterized by the anomalous transport parameters, i.e. the anomalous Hall conductivity and the $\mathrm{Z}_2$ anomalous Hall conductivity. These two parameters are nonzero at the Weyl-$\mathrm{Z}_2$ semimetal phase and vanish at the topologically trivial phases. In the holographic case, the different behavior between the two anomalous transport coefficients is discussed. Our work reveals the novel phase structure of strongly interacting Weyl-$\mathrm{Z}_2$ semimetal with two pairs of nodes.

Dimensionality as a Perturbation Parameter in the Generalized Hydrogen Atom: A recent suggestion has been made that the hydrogen bound state spectrum should not depend on the number of spatial dimensions. It is pointed out here that the uncertainty principle implies that such differences must exist and that a perturbation expansion in the dimensionality parameter yields a precise quantitative confirmation of the effect.

N=4 Supersymmetric Landau Models: We present the first example of super Landau model with both N=4 worldline supersymmetry and non-trivial target space supersymmetry ISU(2|2). The model also reveals a hidden second N=4 supersymmetry which, together with the manifest one, close on a worldline SU(2|2). We start from an off-shell action in bi-harmonic N=4, d=1 superspace and come to the component action with four bosonic and four fermionic fields. Its bosonic core is the action of generalized U(1) Landau model on R^4 considered some time ago by Elvang and Polchinski. At each Landau level N>0 the wave functions are shown to form "atypical" (2N + 2N)-dimensional multiplets of the worldline supergroup SU(2|2). Some states have negative norms, but this trouble can be evaded by redefining the inner product, like in other super Landau models. We promote the action to the most general form compatible with off-shell N=4 worldline supersymmetry and find the corresponding background U(1) gauge field to be generic self-dual on R^4 and the target superspace metric to remain flat.

The $O(N)$ Model in $4<d<6$: Instantons and Complex CFTs: We revisit the scalar $O(N)$ model in the dimension range $4<d<6$ and study the effects caused by its metastability. As shown in previous work, this model formally possesses a fixed point where, perturbatively in the $1/N$ expansion, the operator scaling dimensions are real and above the unitarity bound. Here, we further show that these scaling dimensions do acquire small imaginary parts due to the instanton effects. In $d$ dimensions and for large $N$, we find that they are of order $e^{-N f(d)}$, where, remarkably, the function $f(d)$ equals the sphere free energy of a conformal scalar in $d-2$ dimensions. The non-perturbatively small imaginary parts also appear in other observables, such as the sphere free energy and two and three-point function coefficients, and we present some of their calculations. Therefore, at sufficiently large $N$, the $O(N)$ models in $4<d<6$ may be thought of as complex CFTs. When $N$ is large enough for the imaginary parts to be numerically negligible, the five-dimensional $O(N)$ models may be studied using the techniques of numerical bootstrap.

Gauge/gravity correspondence in accelerating universe: We discuss time-dependent backgrounds of type IIB supergravity realizing gravitation duals of gauge theories formulated in de Sitter space-time as a tool of embedding de Sitter in a supergravity. We show that only the gravitational duals to non-conformal gauge theories are sensitive to a specific value of a Hubble parameter. We consider two nontrivial solutions of this type: a gravity dual to six-dimensional (1,1) little string theory, and to a four-dimensional cascading SU(N+M)xSU(N) supersymmetric gauge theory (related to fractional D3-branes on a singular conifold according to Klebanov et al), in accelerating universe. In both cases we argue that the IR singularity of the geometry is regulated by the expansion of the gauge theory background space-time.

Magnetic field in holographic superconductor with dark matter sector: Based on the analytical technique the effect of the static magnetic field on the s-wave holographic superconductor with dark matter sector of U(1)-gauge field type coupled to the Maxwell field has been examined. In the probe limit, we obtained the mean value of the condensation operator. The nature of the condensate in an external magnetic field as well as the behaviour of the critical field close to the transition temperature has been revealed. The obtained upturn of the critical field curves as a function of temperature, both in four and five spacetime dimensions, is a fingerprint of the strong coupling approach.

A Comment on Duality Transformations and (Discrete) Gauge Symmetries in Four-Dimensional Strings: We discuss the relationship between target space modular invariance and discrete gauge symmetries in four-dimensional orbifold-like strings. First we derive the modular transformation properties of various string vertex operators of the massless string fields. Then we find that for supersymmetric compactifications the action of the duality elements, leaving invariant the multicritical points, corresponds to a combination of finite K\"ahler and gauge transformations. However, those finite gauge transformations are not elements of a remnant discrete gauge symmetry. We suggest that, at least in the case of Gepner models corresponding to tensor products of identical minimal models, the duality element leaving invariant the multicritical point corresponds to the ${\bf Z}_{k+2}$ symmetry of any of the minimal $N=2$ models appearing in the tensor product.

Decoherence delays false vacuum decay: We show that gravitational interactions between massless thermal modes and a nucleating Coleman-de Luccia bubble may lead to efficient decoherence and strongly suppress metastable vacuum decay for bubbles that are small compared to the Hubble radius. The vacuum decay rate including gravity and thermal photon interactions has the exponential scaling $\Gamma\sim\Gamma_{CDL}^{2}$, where $\Gamma_{CDL}$ is the Coleman-de Luccia decay rate neglecting photon interactions. For the lowest metastable initial state an efficient quantum Zeno effect occurs due to thermal radiation of temperatures as low as the de Sitter temperature. This strong decoherence effect is a consequence of gravitational interactions with light external mode. We argue that efficient decoherence does not occur for the case of Hawking-Moss decay. This observation is consistent with requirements set by Poincare recurrence in de Sitter space.

Multi-fractional instantons in $SU(N)$ Yang-Mills theory on the twisted $\mathbb T^4$: We construct analytical self-dual Yang-Mills fractional instanton solutions on a four-torus $\mathbb{T}^4$ with 't Hooft twisted boundary conditions. These instantons possess topological charge $Q=\frac{r}{N}$, where $1\leq r< N$. To implement the twist, we employ $SU(N)$ transition functions that satisfy periodicity conditions up to center elements and are embedded into $SU(k)\times SU(\ell)\times U(1)\subset SU(N)$, where $\ell+k=N$. The self-duality requirement imposes a condition, $k L_1L_2=r\ell L_3L_4$, on the lengths of the periods of $\mathbb{T}^4$ and yields solutions with abelian field strengths. However, by introducing a detuning parameter $\Delta\equiv (r\ell L_3L_4-k L_1 L_2)/\sqrt{L_1 L_2L_3L_4}$, we generate self-dual nonabelian solutions on a general $\mathbb{T}^4$ as an expansion in powers of $\Delta$. We explore the moduli spaces associated with these solutions and find that they exhibit intricate structures. Solutions with topological charges greater than $\frac{1}{N}$ and $k\neq r $ possess non-compact moduli spaces, along which the $O(\Delta)$ gauge-invariant densities exhibit runaway behavior. On the other hand, solutions with $Q=\frac{r}{N}$ and $k=r$ have compact moduli spaces, whose coordinates correspond to the allowed holonomies in the $SU(r)$ color space. These solutions can be represented as a sum over $r$ lumps centered around the $r$ distinct holonomies, thus resembling a liquid of instantons. In addition, we show that each lump supports $2$ adjoint fermion zero modes.

Braneworld Effective Field Theories--Holography, Consistency and Conformal Effects: Braneworld theories are often described as low-energy effective field theories (EFTs) featuring an infinitely thin 3-brane and 4D fields exactly localized on it. We investigate whether an exactly localized braneworld can arise as a limit of a theory of 5D fields. Using a holographic formalism we argue that such limit does not exist in the presence of gravity, therefore implying a discontinuity in the space of EFTs. We then present specific models involving exactly localized fields in which inconsistencies appear, which are solved when fields are taken as quasilocalized. Part of our arguments rely on conjectures from the "swampland" program. Our investigation motivates braneworld EFTs built from 5D fields, i.e. quasilocalized braneworlds. Observable effects from quasilocalization are significant for warped braneworlds such as Randall-Sundrum II (RSII), and are reminiscent of a conformal hidden sector. Focusing on the gauge-gravity sector we show that manifestations of the quasilocalized warped braneworld include i) an anomalous running of SM gauge couplings ii) a conformal contribution to SM gauge boson scattering induced by 5D gravity. Constraining these effects puts an upper bound on the 5D EFT cutoff, implying that the warped braneworld hypothesis could---at least in principle---be tested completely.

Four point function of $\mathcal{N}=4$ stress-tensor multiplet at strong coupling: In this short note we use the flat space limit and the relation between the 4-pt correlation function of the bottom and top components of the stress tensor multiplet to constraint its stringy corrections at strong coupling in the planar limit. Then we use this four point function to compute corrections to the anomalous dimension of double trace operators of the Lagrangian density and to compute energy-energy correlators at strong coupling.

From Noncommutative Sphere to Nonrelativistic Spin: Reparametrization invariant dynamics on a sphere, being parameterized by angular momentum coordinates, represents an example of noncommutative theory. It can be quantized according to Berezin-Marinov prescription, replacing the coordinates by Pauli matrices. Following the scheme, we present two semiclassical models for description of spin without use of Grassman variables. The first model implies Pauli equation upon the canonical quantization. The second model produces nonrelativistic limit of the Dirac equation implying correct value for the electron spin magnetic moment.

Nonlocality, Self-Adjointness and Theta-Vacuum in Quantum Field Theory in Spaces with Nontrivial Topology: We consider an analogue of the Aharonov-Bohm effect in quantum field theory: the fermionic vacuum attains nontrivial quantum numbers in the background of a magnetic vortex even in the case when the spatial region of nonvanishing external field strength is excluded. The dependence of the vacuum quantum numbers on the value of the vortex flux and the choice of the condition on the boundary of the excluded region is determined.

Generalized non-minimal couplings in Randall-Sundrum scenarios: The Geometrical Localization mechanism in Randall-sundrum (RS) scenarios is extended by considering the coupling between a quadratic mass term and geometrical tensors. Since the quadratic term is symmetric, tensors with two symmetric indices have to be taken into account. These are the Ricci and the Einstein tensors. For the Ricci tensor it is shown that a localized zero mode exists while that is not possible for the Einstein tensor. It is already known that the Ricci scalar generates a localized solution but the metrics do not. Therefore, it can be conclude that divergenceless tensors do not localize the zero mode of gauge fields. The result is valid for any warp factor recovering the RS metrics at the boundaries, and therefore is valid for RS I and II models. We also compute resonances for all couplings. These are calculated using the transfer matrix method. The cases studied consider the standard RS with delta-like branes, and branes generated by kinks and domain-wall as well. The parameters are changed to control the thickness of the smooth brane. We find that, for all cases considered, geometrical coupling does not generate resonances. This enforces similar results for the coupling with the Ricci scalar and points to the existence of some unidentified fundamental structure of these couplings.

Non-Abelian Berry Phase, Instantons and N=(0,4) Supersymmetry: In supersymmetric quantum mechanics, the non-Abelian Berry phase is known to obey certain differential equations. Here we study N=(0,4) systems and show that the non-Abelian Berry connection over R^{4n} satisfies a generalization of the self-dual Yang-Mills equations. Upon dimensional reduction, these become the tt* equations. We further study the Berry connection in N=(4,4) theories and show that the curvature is covariantly constant.

Evolving center-vortex loops: We consider coarse-graining applied to nonselfintersecting planar center-vortex loops as they emerge in the confining phase of an SU(2) Yang-Mills theory. Well-established properties of planar curve-shrinking predict that a suitably defined, geometric effective action exhibits (mean-field) critical behavior when the conformal limit of circular points is reached. This suggests the existence of an asymptotic mass gap. We demonstrate that the initially sharp mean center-of-mass position in a given ensemble of curves develops a variance under the flow as is the case for a position eigenstate in free-particle quantum mechanics under unitary time evolution. A possible application of these concepts is an approach to high-$T_c$ superconductivity based (a) on the nonlocal nature of the electron (1-fold selfintersecting center-vortex loop) and (b) on planar curve-shrinking flow representing the decrease in thermal noise in a cooling cuprate.

2D quantum gravity at three loops: a counterterm investigation: We analyse the divergences of the three-loop partition function at fixed area in 2D quantum gravity. Considering the Liouville action in the Kahler formalism, we extract the coefficient of the leading divergence in $\sim A\Lambda^2 (\ln A\Lambda^2)^2$. This coefficient is non-vanishing. We discuss the counterterms one can and must add and compute their precise contribution to the partition function. This allows us to conclude that every local and non-local divergence in the partition function can be balanced by local counterterms, with the only exception of the maximally non-local divergence $(\ln A\Lambda^2)^3$. Yet, this latter is computed and does cancel between the different three-loop diagrams. Thus, requiring locality of the counterterms is enough to renormalize the partition function. Finally, the structure of the new counterterms strongly suggests that they can be understood as a renormalization of the measure action.

Yang-Mills theory from the worldsheet: We give a new description of classical Yang-Mills theory by coupling a two-dimensional chiral CFT (which gives the tree-level S-matrix of Yang-Mills theory at genus zero) to a background non-abelian gauge field. The resulting model is solvable, and when the gravitational degrees of freedom are decoupled the non-linear Yang-Mills equations are imposed as an exact worldsheet anomaly cancellation condition. When gravitational modes are reinstated, we find gauge anomalies analogous to those appearing in heterotic string theory.

Non-Abelian Stokes Theorem for Wilson Loops Associated with General Gauge Groups: A formula constituting the non-Abelian Stokes theorem for general semi-simple compact gauge groups is presented. The formula involves a path integral over a group space and is applicable to Wilson loop variables irrespective of the topology of loops. Some simple expressions analogous to the 't Hooft tensor of a magnetic monopole are given for the 2-form of interest. A special property in the case of the fundamental representation of the group SU(N) is pointed out.

Quasi-Exact Solvability in Local Field Theory. First Steps: The quantum mechanical concept of quasi-exact solvability is based on the idea of partial algebraizability of spectral problem. This concept is not directly extendable to the systems with infinite number of degrees of freedom. For such systems a new concept based on the partial Bethe Ansatz solvability is proposed. In present paper we demonstrate the constructivity of this concept and formulate a simple method for building quasi-exactly solvable field theoretical models on a one-dimensional lattice. The method automatically leads to local models described by hermitian hamiltonians.

Flux Parameter Spaces in Type II Vacua: We study the flux parameter spaces for semi-realistic supersymmetric Pati-Salam models in the AdS vacua on Type IIA orientifold and realistic supersymmetric Pati-Salam models in the Minkowski vacua on Type IIB orientifold. Because the fluxes can be very large, we show explicitly that there indeed exists a huge number of semi-realistic Type IIA and realistic Type IIB flux models. In the Type IIA flux models, in the very large flux limit, the theory can become weakly coupled and the AdS vacua can approach to the Minkowski vacua. In a series of realistic Type IIB flux models, at the string scale, the gauge symmetry can be broken down to the Standard Model (SM) gauge symmetry, the gauge coupling unification can be achieved naturally, all the extra chiral exotic particles can be decoupled, and the observed SM fermion masses and mixings can be obtained as well. In particular, the real parts of the dilaton, K\"ahler moduli, and the unified gauge coupling are independent of the very large fluxes. The very large fluxes only affect the real and/or imaginary parts of the complex structure moduli, and/or the imaginary parts of the dilaton and K\"ahler moduli. However, these semi-realistic Type IIA and realistic Type IIB flux models can not be populated in the string landscape.

A Novel Symmetry in Sigma Models: A class of non-linear sigma models possessing a new symmetry is identified. The same symmetry is also present in Chern-Simons theories. This hints at a possible topological origin for this class of sigma models. The non-linear sigma models obtained by non-Abelian duality are a particular case in this class.

Semiclassical Description of Relativistic Spin without use of Grassmann variables and the Dirac equation: We propose a relativistic particle model without Grassmann variables which, being canonically quantized, leads to the Dirac equation. Both $\Gamma$\,-matrices and the relativistic spin tensor are produced through the canonical quantization of the classical variables which parametrize the properly constructed relativistic spin surface. Although there is no mass-shell constraint in our model, our particle's speed cannot exceed the speed of light. The classical dynamics of the model is in correspondence with the dynamics of mean values of the corresponding operators in the Dirac theory. In particular, the position variable experiences {\it Zitterbewegung} in noninteracting theory. The classical equations for the spin tensor are the same as those of the Barut-Zanghi model of a spinning particle.

The double scaled limit of Super--Symmetric SYK models: We compute the exact density of states and 2-point function of the $\mathcal{N} =2$ super-symmetric SYK model in the large $N$ double-scaled limit, by using combinatorial tools that relate the moments of the distribution to sums over oriented chord diagrams. In particular we show how SUSY is realized on the (highly degenerate) Hilbert space of chords. We further calculate analytically the number of ground states of the model in each charge sector at finite $N$, and compare it to the results from the double-scaled limit. Our results reduce to the super-Schwarzian action in the low energy short interaction length limit. They imply that the conformal ansatz of the 2-point function is inconsistent due to the large number of ground states, and we show how to add this contribution. We also discuss the relation of the model to $SL_q(2|1)$. For completeness we present an overview of the $\mathcal{N}=1$ super-symmetric SYK model in the large $N$ double-scaled limit.

Fivebrane instantons and higher derivative couplings in type I theory: We express the infinite sum of D-fivebrane instanton corrections to ${\cal R}^2$ couplings in ${\cal N}=4$ type I string vacua, in terms of an elliptic index counting 1/2-BPS excitations in the effective $Sp(N)$ brane theory. We compute the index explicitly in the infrared, where the effective theory is argued to flow to an orbifold CFT. The form of the instanton sum agrees completely with the predicted formula from a dual one-loop computation in type IIA theory on $K3\times T^2$. The proposed CFT provides a proper description of the whole spectrum of masses, charges and multiplicities for 1/2- and 1/4- BPS states, associated to bound states of D5-branes and KK momenta. These results are applied to show how fivebrane instanton sums, entering higher derivative couplings which are sensitive to 1/4-BPS contributions, also match the perturbative results in the dual type IIA theory.

Higher Spin Theories in AdS_3 and a Gravitational Exclusion Principle: We consider theories of three dimensional quantum gravity in Anti-de Sitter space which possess massless higher-spin gauge symmetry. The perturbative spectrum of the theory includes higher spin excitations which can be organized into vacuum representations of the W_N algebra; these are higher spin versions of the boundary gravitons. We describe a fundamental bound which relates the value of the cosmological constant to the amount of gauge symmetry present. In the dual CFT language, this is the statement that modular invariance implies that the theory can not be quantized unless the central charge is sufficiently large, i.e. if c is greater than or equal to N-1. This bound relies on the assumption that all of the perturbative excitations exist as full states in the quantum theory, and can be circumvented if the theory possesses a linearization instability. The W_N minimal models -- recently conjectured to be dual to certain higher spin AdS theories by Gaberdiel and Gopakumar - provide an example of this phenomenon. This result can be regarded as an example of a "gravitational exclusion principle" in Anti-de Sitter space, where a non-perturbative quantum gravity mechanism involving black holes places a limit on the number of light degrees of freedom present.

Dual BRST symmetry for QED: We show the existence of a co(dual)-BRST symmetry for the usual BRST invariant Lagrangian density of an Abelian gauge theory in two dimensions of space-time where a U(1) gauge field is coupled to the Noether conserved current (constructed by the Dirac fields). Under this new symmetry, it is the gauge-fixing term that remains invariant and the symmetry transformations on the Dirac fields are analogous to the chiral transformations. This interacting theory is shown to provide a tractable field theoretical model for the Hodge theory. The Hodge dual operation is shown to correspond to a discrete symmetry in the theory and the extended BRST algebra for the generators of the underlying symmetries turns out to be reminiscent of the algebra obeyed by the de Rham cohomology operators of differential geometry.

Modular Invariance, Finiteness, and Misaligned Supersymmetry: New Constraints on the Numbers of Physical String States: We investigate the generic distribution of bosonic and fermionic states at all mass levels in non-supersymmetric string theories, and find that a hidden ``misaligned supersymmetry'' must always appear in the string spectrum. We show that this misaligned supersymmetry is ultimately responsible for the finiteness of string amplitudes in the absence of full spacetime supersymmetry, and therefore the existence of misaligned supersymmetry provides a natural constraint on the degree to which spacetime supersymmetry can be broken in string theory without destroying the finiteness of string amplitudes. Misaligned supersymmetry also explains how the requirements of modular invariance and absence of physical tachyons generically affect the distribution of states throughout the string spectrum, and implicitly furnishes a two-variable generalization of some well-known results in the theory of modular functions.

Scaling Properties of the Ising Model in a Field: The dilute A_3 model is a solvable IRF (interaction-round-a-face) model with three local states and adjacency conditions encoded by the Dynkin diagram of the Lie algebra A_3. It can be regarded as a solvable version of a critical Ising model in a magnetic field. One therefore expects the scaling limit to be governed by Zamolodchikov's integrable perturbation of the c=1/2 conformal field theory. We perform a detailed numerical investigation of the solutions of the Bethe ansatz equation for the off-critical model. Our results agree perfectly with the predicted values for the lowest masses of the stable particles and support the assumptions on the nature of the Bethe ansatz solutions which enter crucially in a recent thermodynamic Bethe ansatz calculation of the factorized scattering matrix.

Chiral Fermions and the Standard Model from the Matrix Model Compactified on a Torus: It is shown that the IIB matrix model compactified on a six-dimensional torus with a nontrivial topology can provide chiral fermions and matter content close to the standard model on our four-dimensional spacetime. In particular, generation number three is given by the Dirac index on the torus.

All the supersymmetric solutions of N=1,d=5 ungauged supergravity: We classify the supersymmetric solutions of ungauged N=1 d=5 SUGRA coupled to vector multiplets and hypermultiplets. All the solutions can be seen as deformations of solutions with frozen hyperscalars. We show explicitly how the 5-dimensional Reissner-Nordstrom black hole is deformed when hyperscalars are living on SO(4,1)/SO(4) are turned on, reducing its supersymmetry from 1/2 to 1/8. We also describe in the timelike and null cases the solutions that have one extra isometry and can be reduced to N=2,d=4 solutions. Our formulae allows the uplifting of certain N=2,d=4 black holes to N=1,d=5 black holes on KK monopoles or to pp-waves propagating along black strings.

Self-duality of Born-Infeld action and Dirichlet 3-brane of type IIB superstring theory: D-brane actions depend on a world-volume abelian vector field and are described by Born-Infeld-type actions. We consider the vector field duality transformations of these actions. Like the usual 2d scalar duality rotations of isometric string coordinates imply target space T-duality, this vector duality is intimately connected with SL(2,Z)-symmetry of type IIB superstring theory. We find that in parallel with generalised 4-dimensional Born-Infeld action, the action of 3-brane of type IIB theory is SL(2,Z) self-dual. This indicates that 3-brane should play a special role in type IIB theory and also suggests a possibility of its 12-dimensional reformulation.

Hilbert space of Quantum Field Theory in de Sitter spacetime: We study the decomposition of the Hilbert space of quantum field theory in $(d+1)$ dimensional de Sitter spacetime into Unitary Irreducible Representations (UIRs) of its isometry group \SO$(1,d+1)$. Firstly, we consider multi-particle states in free theories starting from the tensor product of single-particle UIRs. Secondly, we study conformal multiplets of a bulk Conformal Field Theory with symmetry group \SO$(2,d+1)$. Our main tools are the Harish-Chandra characters and the numerical diagonalization of the (truncated) quadratic Casimir of \SO$(1,d+1)$. We introduce a continuous density that encodes the spectrum of irreducible representations contained in a reducible one of $\SO(1,d+1)$. Our results are complete for $d=1$ and $d=2$. In higher dimensions, we rederive and extend several results previously known in the literature. Our work provides the foundation for future nonperturbative bootstrap studies of Quantum Field Theory in de Sitter spacetime.

Implications of Target Space Duality: Based on the assumption that the target space duality ($T\to 1/T$) is preserved even nonperturbatively, the properties of static string vacua are studied. A discussion of the effective four-dimensional supergravity action based on target-space modular symmetry $SL(2,{\bf Z})$ is presented. The nonperturbative superpotential removes the vacuum degeneracy with respect to the compactification modulus ($T$) generically breaks supersymmetry with negative cosmological constant. Charged matter fields get negative $(mass)^2$ signalling an additional instability of string vacuum and the blowing up of orbifold singularities. In addition for a class of modularly invariant potentials topologically stable stringy domain walls of nontrivial compaction modulus field configuration are found. They are supersymmetric solutions, thus saturating the Bogomolnyi bound. Their physical implications are discussed.

Ghost story. II. The midpoint ghost vertex: We construct the ghost number 9 three strings vertex for OSFT in the natural normal ordering. We find two versions, one with a ghost insertion at z=i and a twist-conjugate one with insertion at z=-i. For this reason we call them midpoint vertices. We show that the relevant Neumann matrices commute among themselves and with the matrix $G$ representing the operator K1. We analyze the spectrum of the latter and find that beside a continuous spectrum there is a (so far ignored) discrete one. We are able to write spectral formulas for all the Neumann matrices involved and clarify the important role of the integration contour over the continuous spectrum. We then pass to examine the (ghost) wedge states. We compute the discrete and continuous eigenvalues of the corresponding Neumann matrices and show that they satisfy the appropriate recursion relations. Using these results we show that the formulas for our vertices correctly define the star product in that, starting from the data of two ghost number 0 wedge states, they allow us to reconstruct a ghost number 3 state which is the expected wedge state with the ghost insertion at the midpoint, according to the star recursion relation.

Partial spontaneous breaking of two-dimensional supersymmetry: We construct low-energy Goldstone superfield actions describing various patterns of the partial spontaneous breakdown of two-dimensional N=(1,1), N=(2,0) and N=(2,2) supersymmetries, with the main focus on the last case. These nonlinear actions admit a representation in the superspace of the unbroken supersymmetry as well as in a superspace of the full supersymmetry. The natural setup for implementing the partial breaking in a self-consistent way is provided by the appropriate central extensions of D=2 supersymmetries, with the central charges generating shift symmetries on the Goldstone superfields. The Goldstone superfield actions can be interpreted as manifestly world-sheet supersymmetric actions in the static gauge of some superstrings and D1-branes in D=3 and D=4 Minkowski spaces. As an essentially new example, we elaborate on the action representing the 1/4 partial breaking pattern N=(2,2) -> N=(1,0).

Gauge hierarchy from a topological viewpoint?: In this work we explore an alternative to the central point of the Randall-Sundrum brane world scenario, namely, the particular nonfactorizable metric, in order to solve the hierarchy problem. From a topological viewpoint, we show that the exponential factor, crucial in the Randall-Sundrum model, appears in our approach, only due to the brane existence instead of a special metric background. Our results are based in a topological gravity theory via a non-standard interaction between scalar and non-abelian degrees of freedom and in calculations about localized modes of matter fields on the brane. We point out that we obtain the same results of the Randall-Sundrum model using only one 3-brane, since a specific choice of a background metric is no longer required.

Gravitational Couplings on D-brane Revisited: Gravitational couplings in bulk space-time include those terms which are fixed by scattering amplitude of strings and ambiguous terms that are coming from the field redefinitions. These field redefinitions can be fixed in the bulk by ghost-free condition. In this paper we have revised the effective gravitational couplings on D-branes by including the field redefinitions. We find the gravitational effective action up to $\alpha'^2$-order.

Central charges of wrapped M5-brane backgrounds: We study the central charges of the supersymmetry algebra of branes in backgrounds corresponding to wrapped M5-branes. In the case of M5-branes wrapping a holomorphic 2-cycle in two complex-dimensional space, we find this allows for a supersymmetric M5-brane probe which is related to the M2-brane probe which describes the BPS spectra of the corresponding N=2 worldvolume gauge theory. For the case of M5-branes wrapping a holomorphic 2-cycle in three complex-dimensional space, we find that the central charges allow for a supersymmetric M5-brane probe wrapping a Cayley calibrated 4-cycle, which has an intersecting BPS domain wall interpretation in the corresponding N=1 MQCD gauge theory. The domain wall is constructed explicitly as an M5-brane wrapping an associative 3-cycle. The tension is found to be the integral of a calibrating form. These wrapped M5-brane backgrounds provide a clear and interesting geometrical realisation of structure groups of M-theory vacua with fluxes.

Neutrix Calculus and Finite Quantum Field Theory: In general, quantum field theories (QFT) require regularizations and infinite renormalizations due to ultraviolet divergences in their loop calculations. Furthermore, perturbation series in theories like QED are not convergent series, but are asymptotic series. We apply neutrix calculus, developed in connection with asymptotic series and divergent integrals, to QFT,obtaining finite renormalizations. While none of the physically measurable results in renormalizable QFT is changed, quantum gravity is rendered more manageable in the neutrix framework.

Representation of a gauge field via intrinsic "BRST" operator: We show that there exists a representation of a matrix valued gauge field via intrinsic "BRST" operator assigned to matrix valued generators of a gauge algebra. In this way, we reproduce the standard formulation of the ordinary Yang - Mills theory. In the case of a generating quasigroup/groupoid, we give a natural counterpart to the Yang - Mills action. The latter counterpart does also apply as to the most general case of an involution for matrix-valued gauge generators.

Fermions Tunneling and Quantum Corrections for Quintessencial Kerr-Newman-AdS Black Hole: This paper is devoted to study charged fermion particles tunneling through the horizon of Kerr-Newman-AdS black hole surrounded by quintessence by using Hamilton-Jacobi ansatz. In our analysis, we investigate Hawking temperature as well as quantum corrected Hawking temperature on account of generalized uncertainty principle. Moreover, we discuss the effects of correction parameter $\beta$ on the corrected Hawking temperature $T_{e-H}$, graphically. We conclude that the temperature $T_{e-H}$ vanishes when $\beta=100$, whereas for $\beta<100$ and $\beta>100$, the temperature turns out to be positive and negative, respectively. We observe that the graphs of $T_{e-H}$ w.r.t. quintessence parameter $\alpha$ exhibit behavior only for the particular ranges, i.e., $0<\alpha<1/6$, charge $0<Q\leq1$ and rotation parameter $0<a\leq1$. For smaller and larger values of negative $\Lambda$, as horizon increases, the temperature decreases and increases, respectively.

Gauge Threshold Corrections for Local String Models: We study gauge threshold corrections for local brane models embedded in a large compact space. A large bulk volume gives important contributions to the Konishi and super-Weyl anomalies and the effective field theory analysis implies the unification scale should be enhanced in a model-independent way from M_s to R M_s. For local D3/D3 models this result is supported by the explicit string computations. In this case the scale R M_s comes from the necessity of global cancellation of RR tadpoles sourced by the local model. We also study D3/D7 models and discuss discrepancies with the effective field theory analysis. We comment on phenomenological implications for gauge coupling unification and for the GUT scale.

Born-Infeld electrodynamics in very special relativity: In this work we discuss the properties of a modified Born-Infeld electrodynamics in the framework of very special relativity (VSR). This proposal allows us to study VSR mass effects in a gauge-invariant context of nonlinear electrodynamics. It is analyzed in detail the electrostatic solutions for two different cases, as well as the VSR dispersion relations are found to be of a \emph{massive} particle with nonlinear modifications. Afterwards, the field energy and static potential are computed, in the latter we find from the VSR contribution a novel long-range $1/L^3$ correction to the Coulomb potential, in contrast to the $1/L^5$ correction of the usual Born-Infeld theory.

Vacuum Structures of Supersymmetric Noncompact Gauge Theory: We consider models with a noncompact symmetry in the framework of $\mathcal{N}=1$ supersymmetry. Contrary to the conventional approach, the noncompact symmetry is realized linearly on all fields without constraints. The models are constructed using noncanonical K\"ahler function and gauge kinetic function, which is introduced for the local case. It is explained that the symmetry needs to be spontaneously broken for the consistency of a model. We study the vacuum structures of two models with the noncompact symmetry SU(1,1) for both global and local cases. One of them includes two fundamental representations of the group and the other includes one adjoint representation. It is shown that the former is consistent for the global case and the latter is consistent for both the global and local cases.

N=8 gaugings revisited: an exhaustive classification: In this paper we reconsider, for N=8 supergravity, the problem of gauging the most general electric subgroup. We show that admissible theories are fully characterized by a single algebraic equation to be satisfied by the embedding of the gauge group G within the electric subalgebra SL(8,\IR) of E_{7(7)}. The complete set of solutions to this equation contains 36 parameters. Modding by the action of SL(8,\IR) conjugations that yield equivalent theories all continuous parameters are eliminated except for an overall coupling constant and we obtain a discrete set of orbits. This set is in one--to--one correspondence with 36 Lie subalgebras of SL(8,\IR), corresponding to all possible real forms of the SO(8) Lie algebra plus a set of contractions thereof. By means of our analysis we establish the theorem that the N=8 gaugings constructed by Hull in the middle eighties constitute the exhaustive set of models. As a corollary we show that there exists a unique 7--dimensional abelian gauging. The corresponding abelian algebra is not contained in the maximal abelian ideal of the solvable Lie algebra generating the scalar manifold E_{7(7)}/SU(8).

O(N) Sigma Model as a Three Dimensional Conformal Field Theory: We study a three dimensional conformal field theory in terms of its partition function on arbitrary curved spaces. The large $N$ limit of the nonlinear sigma model at the non-trivial fixed point is shown to be an example of a conformal field theory, using zeta--function regularization. We compute the critical properties of this model in various spaces of constant curvature ($R^2 \times S^1$, $S^1\times S^1 \times R$, $S^2\times R$, $H^2\times R$, $S^1 \times S^1 \times S^1$ and $S^2 \times S^1$) and we argue that what distinguishes the different cases is not the Riemann curvature but the conformal class of the metric. In the case $H^2\times R$ (constant negative curvature), the $O(N)$ symmetry is spontaneously broken at the critical point. In the case $S^2\times R$ (constant positive curvature) we find that the free energy vanishes, consistent with conformal equivalence of this manifold to $R^3$, although the correlation length is finite. In the zero curvature cases, the correlation length is finite due to finite size effects. These results describe two dimensional quantum phase transitions or three dimensional classical ones.

Regularization of 2d supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory via non commutative geometry: The non commutative geometry is a possible framework to regularize Quantum Field Theory in a nonperturbative way. This idea is an extension of the lattice approximation by non commutativity that allows to preserve symmetries. The supersymmetric version is also studied and more precisely in the case of the Schwinger model on supersphere [14]. This paper is a generalization of this latter work to more general gauge groups.

Generalized Gaugino Condensation in Super Yang-Mills Theories: Discrete R-Symmetries and Vacua: One can define generalized models of gaugino condensation as theories which dynamically break a discrete R-symmetry, but do not break supersymmetry. We consider general examples consisting of gauge and matter fields, and the minimal number of gauge singlet fields to avoid flat directions in the potential. We explore which R-symmetries can arise, and their spontaneous breaking. In general, we find that the discrete symmetry is $\mathbb{Z}_{2b_0R}$ and the number of supersymmetric vacua is $b_0$, where $b_0$ is the coefficient of the one-loop beta function. Results are presented for various groups, including $SU(N_c), SO(N_c), Sp(2N_c)$, and $G_2$, for various numbers of flavors, $N_f$, by several methods. This analysis can also apply to the other exceptional groups, and thus all simple Lie groups. We also comment on model building applications where a discrete R-symmetry, broken by the singlet vevs, can account for $\mu$-type terms and allow a realistic Higgs spectrum naturally.

Relating chronology protection and unitarity through holography: We give a simple nonsupersymmetric example in which chronology protection follows from unitarity and the AdS/CFT correspondence. We consider a ball of homogeneous, rotating dust in global AdS3 whose backreaction produces a region of Goedel space inside the ball. We solve the Israel matching conditions to find the geometry outside of the dust ball and compute its quantum numbers in the dual CFT. When the radius of the dust ball exceeds a certain critical value, the spacetime will contain closed timelike curves. Our main observation is that precisely when this critical radius is exceeded, a unitarity bound in the dual CFT is violated, leading to a holographic argument for chronology protection.

Phase transition and Thermodynamical geometry of Reissner-Nordström-AdS Black Holes in Extended Phase Space: We study the thermodynamics and thermodynamic geometry of a five-dimensional Reissner-Nordstr\"om-AdS black hole in the extended phase space by treating the cosmological constant as being related to the number of colors in the boundary gauge theory and its conjugate quantity as the associated chemical potential. It is found that the contribution of the charge of the black hole to the chemical potential is always positive and the existence of charge make the chemical potential become positive more easily. We calculate the scalar curvatures of the thermodynamical Weinhold metric, Ruppeiner metric and Quevedo metric, respectively, in the fixed $N^2$ case and the fixed $q$ case. It is found that in the fixed $N^2$ case the divergence of the scalar curvature is related to the divergence of the specific heat with fixed electric potential in the Weinhold metric and Ruppeiner metric, and the divergence of the scalar curvature in the Quevedo metric corresponds to the divergence of the specific heat with fixed electric charge density. In the fixed $q$ case, however, the divergence of the scalar curvature is related to the divergence of the specific heat with fixed chemical potential in the Weinhold metric and Ruppeiner metric, while in the Quevedo metric the divergence of the scalar curvature corresponds to the divergence of the specific heat with fixed number of colors and the vanishing of the specific heat with fixed chemical potential.

Minkowski$_4$ $\times$ $S^2$ solutions of IIB supergravity: We classify $\mathcal N = 2$ Minkowski$_4$ solutions of IIB supergravity with an $SU(2)_R$ symmetry geometrically realized by an $S^2$-foliation in the remaining six dimensions. For the various cases of the classification, we reduce the supersymmetric system of equations to PDEs. These cases often accommodate systems of intersecting branes and half-maximally supersymmetric AdS$_{5,6,7}$ solutions when they exist. As an example, we analyze the AdS$_6$ case in more detail, reducing the supersymmetry equations to a single cylindrical Laplace equation. We also recover an already known linear dilaton background dual to the $(1,1)$ Little String Theory (LST) living on NS5-branes, and we find a new Minkowski$_5$ linear dilaton solution from brane intersections. Finally, we also discuss some simple Minkowski$_4$ solutions based on compact conformal Calabi-Yau manifolds.

Constructive use of holographic projections: Revisiting the old problem of existence of interacting models of QFT with new conceptual ideas and mathematical tools, one arrives at a novel view about the nature of QFT. The recent success of algebraic methods in establishing the existence of factorizing models suggests new directions for a more intrinsic constructive approach beyond Lagrangian quantization. Holographic projection as a simplifying tool for certain aspects of QFT turn out to be an indispensible part of these new attempts.

Comments on Observables for Identity-Based Marginal Solutions in Berkovits' Superstring Field Theory: We construct an analytic solution for tachyon condensation around identity-based marginal solutions in Berkovits' WZW-like open superstring field theory. Using this, which is a kind of wedge-based solution, the gauge invariant overlaps for the identity-based marginal solutions can be calculated analytically. This is a straightforward extension of a method in bosonic string field theory, which has been elaborated by the authors, to superstring. We also comment on a gauge equivalence relation between the tachyon vacuum solution and its marginally deformed one. From this viewpoint, we can find the vacuum energy of the identity-based marginal solutions to be zero, which agrees with the previous result as a consequence of $\xi$ zero mode counting.

Anomaly Cancellation and Conformality in Quiver Gauge Theories: Abelian quiver gauge theories provide nonsupersymmetric candidates for the conformality approach to physics beyond the standard model. Written as ${\cal N}=0$, $U(N)^n$ gauge theories, however, they have mixed $U(1)_p U(1)_q^2$ and $U(1)_p SU(N)_q^2$ triangle anomalies. It is shown how to construct explicitly a compensatory term $\Delta{\cal L}_{comp}$ which restores gauge invariance of ${\cal L}_{eff} = {\cal L} + \Delta {\cal L}_{comp}$ under $U(N)^n$. It can lead to a negative contribution to the U(1) $\beta$-function and hence to one-loop conformality at high energy for all dimensionless couplings.

Conformal Field Theory and the Exact Solution of the BCS Hamiltonian: We propose a connection between conformal field theory (CFT) and the exact solution and integrability of the reduced BCS model of superconductivity. The relevant CFT is given by the $SU(2)_k$-WZW model in the singular limit when the level k goes to -2. This theory has to be perturbed by an operator proportional to the inverse of the BCS coupling constant. Using the free field realization of this perturbed Wess-Zumino-Witten model, we derive the exact Richardson's wave function and the integrals of motion of the reduced BCS model in the saddle point approximation. The construction is reminiscent of the CFT approach to the Fractional Quantum Hall effect.

Boundary Ground Ring in Minimal String Theory: We obtain relations among boundary states in bosonic minimal open string theory using the boundary ground ring. We also obtain a difference equation that boundary correlators must satisfy.

D-branes in T-fold conformal field theory: We investigate boundary dynamics of orbifold conformal field theory involving T-duality twists. Such models typically appear in contexts of non-geometric string compactifications that are called monodrofolds or T-folds in recent literature. We use the framework of boundary conformal field theory to analyse the models from a microscopic world-sheet perspective. In these backgrounds there are two kinds of D-branes that are analogous to bulk and fractional branes in standard orbifold models. The bulk D-branes in T-folds allow intuitive geometrical interpretations and are consistent with the classical analysis based on the doubled torus formalism. The fractional branes, on the other hand, are `non-geometric' at any point in the moduli space and their geometric counterparts seem to be missing in the doubled torus analysis. We compute cylinder amplitudes between the bulk and fractional branes, and find that the lightest modes of the open string spectra show intriguing non-linear dependence on the moduli (location of the brane or value of the Wilson line), suggesting that the physics of T-folds, when D-branes are involved, could deviate from geometric backgrounds even at low energies. We also extend our analysis to the models with SU(2) WZW fibre at arbitrary levels.

On the uniqueness and global dynamics of AdS spacetimes: We study global aspects of complete, non-singular asymptotically locally AdS spacetimes solving the vacuum Einstein equations whose conformal infinity is an arbitrary globally stationary spacetime. It is proved that any such solution which is asymptotically stationary to the past and future is itself globally stationary. This gives certain rigidity or uniqueness results for exact AdS and related spacetimes.

Creation of Kink and Antikink Pairs Forced By Radiation: The interaction between kink and radiation in nonlinear one-dimensional real scalar field is investigated. The process of discrete vibrational mode excitation in $\phi^4$ model is considered. The role of this oscillations in creation of kink and antikink is discussed. Numerical results are presented as well as some attempts of analytical explanations. An intriguing fractal structure in parameter space dividing regions with creation and without is also presented.

A gerbe obstruction to quantization of fermions on odd dimensional manifolds with boundary: We consider the canonical quantization of fermions on an odd dimensional manifold with boundary, with respect to a family of elliptic hermitean boundary conditions for the Dirac hamiltonian. We show that there is a topological obstruction to a smooth quantization as a function of the boundary conditions. The obstruction is given in terms of a gerbe and its Dixmier-Douady class is evaluated.

The role of higher derivative bulk scalar in stabilizing a warped spacetime: The backreaction on the Randall-Sundrum warped spacetime is determined in presence of scalar field in the bulk. A general analysis shows that the stability of such a model can be achieved only if the scalar field action has non-canonical higher derivative terms. It is further shown that the gauge hierarchy problem can be resolved in such a stabilized scenario by appropriate choice of various parameters of the theory. The effective cosmological constant on the brane is shown to vanish.

On unitary subsectors of polycritical gravities: We study higher-derivative gravity theories in arbitrary space-time dimension d with a cosmological constant at their maximally critical points where the masses of all linearized perturbations vanish. These theories have been conjectured to be dual to logarithmic conformal field theories in the (d-1)-dimensional boundary of an AdS solution. We determine the structure of the linearized perturbations and their boundary fall-off behaviour. The linearized modes exhibit the expected Jordan block structure and their inner products are shown to be those of a non-unitary theory. We demonstrate the existence of consistent unitary truncations of the polycritical gravity theory at the linearized level for odd rank.

Black hole solutions in the warped DGP braneworld: We study the static, analytical solution of black holes in the warped DGP braneworld scenario. We show that the linearized field equations and matching conditions lead to solutions that are not compatible with Schwarzschild-(A)dS$_{(4)}$ solutions on the brane. This incompatibility is similar to vDVZ discontinuity in massive gravity theory. Following the standard procedure to remove this discontinuity, which firstly was proposed by Vainshtein, we keep some appropriate nonlinear terms in the field equations. This strategy has its origin in the fact that the spatial extrinsic curvature of the brane plays a crucial role in the nonlinear nature of the solutions and also in recovering the well-measured predictions of General Relativity (GR) at small scales. Using this feature, we obtained an interesting black string solution in the bulk when it is compatible with 4D GR solutions on the brane.

Asymptotic Solutions to the Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov Equation and Crystal Base: The Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov equation associated with $s\ell_2$ is considered. The transition functions between asymptotic solutions to the Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov equation are described. A connection between asymptotic solutions and the crystal base in the tensor product of modules over the quantum group $U_qs\ell_2$ is established, in particular, a correspondence between the Bethe vectors of the Gaudin model of an inhomogenious magnetic chain and the $\Bbb Q-$basis of the crystal base.

Small parameters in infrared quantum chromodynamics: We study the long-distance properties of quantum chromodynamics in an expansion in powers of the three-gluon, four-gluon, and ghost-gluon couplings, but without expanding in the quark-gluon coupling. This is motivated by two observations. First, the gauge sector is well-described by perturbation theory in the context of a phenomenological model with a massive gluon. Second, the quark-gluon coupling is significantly larger than those in the gauge sector at large distances. In order to resum the contributions of the remaining infinite set of QED-like diagrams, we further expand the theory in $1/N_c$, where $N_c$ is the number of colors. At leading order, this double expansion leads to the well-known rainbow approximation for the quark propagator. We take advantage of the systematic expansion to get a renormalization-group improvement of the rainbow resummation. A simple numerical solution of the resulting coupled set of equations reproduces the phenomenology of the spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking: for sufficiently large quark-gluon coupling constant, the constituent quark mass saturates when its valence mass approaches zero. We find very good agreement with lattice data for the scalar part of the propagator and explain why the vectorial part is poorly reproduced.

Structures of General Relativity in Dilaton-Maxwell Electrodynamics: It is shown that electro (magneto) static sector of Maxwell's electrodynamics coupled to the dilaton field in a string theory form possesses the symmetry group of the stationary General Relativity in vacuum. Performing the Ernst formalism, we develope a technique for generation of exact solutions in this modified electrodynamics on the base of the normalized Ehlers symmetry transformation. In the electrostatic case, we construct and study a general class of spherically symmetric solutions that describes a point-like sourse of the Coulomb type. It is shown that this source is characterized by asymptotical freedom of the electrostatic interaction at short distances. Also it is established that the total electrostatic energy of this source is finite and inversely proportional to the dilaton-Maxwell coupling constant.

The Yang--Mills gauge field theory in the context of a generalized BRST--formalism including translations: We discuss the algebraic renormalization of the Yang--Mills gauge field theory in the presence of translations. Due to the translations the algebra between Sorella's $\d$--operator, the exterior derivative and the BRST--operator closes. Therefore, we are able to derive an integrated parameter formula collecting in an elegant and compact way all nontrivial solutions of the descent equations.

The effective theory of fluids at NLO and implications for dark energy: We present the effective theory of fluids at next-to-leading order in derivatives, including an operator that has not been considered until now. The power-counting scheme and its connection with the propagation of phonon and metric fluctuations are emphasized. In a perturbed FLRW geometry the theory presents a set of features that make it very rich for modelling the acceleration of the Universe. These include anisotropic stress, a non-adiabatic speed of sound and modifications to the standard equations of vector and tensor modes. These effects are determined by an energy scale which controls the size of the high derivative terms and ensures that no instabilities appear.

Free totally (anti)symmetric massless fermionic fields in d-dimensional anti-de Sitter space: Free massless fermionic fields of arbitrary spins $s>0$ corresponding to totally (anti)symmetric tensor-spinor representations of the $SO(d-1)$ compact subgroup and in $d$-dimensional anti-de Sitter space are investigated. We propose the free equations of motion, subsidiary conditions and corresponding gauge transformations for such fields. The equations obtained are used to derive the lowest energy values for the above-mentioned representations. A new representation for equations of motion and gauge transformations in terms of generators of anti-de Sitter group $SO(d-1,2)$ is found. It is demonstrated that in contrast to the symmetric case the gauge parameter of the antisymmetric massless field is also a massless field.

On the saturation of late-time growth of complexity in supersymmetric JT gravity: In this work we use the modified replica trick, proposed in arXiv:2205.01150, to compute the late time behaviour of complexity for JT gravity with ${\cal N} = 1$ and ${\cal N} = 2$ supersymmetries. For the ${\cal N} = 1$ theory, we compute the late time behaviour of complexity defined by the ``quenched geodesic length" and obtain the expected saturation of complexity at time $t \sim e^{S_0}$, to a constant value with time-independent variance. For the ${\cal N} = 2$ theory, we explicitly compute complexity at the disk level which yields the late-time linear growth of complexity. However, we comment on the expectation of the late-time saturation by speculating the trumpet partition function and the non-perturbative corrections to the spectral correlation, relevant for the late-time behaviour of complexity. Furthermore, we compute the matter correlation functions for both the theories.

4D Superfield Reduction of 5D Orbifold SUGRA and Heterotic M-theory: We present a detailed study of the reduction to 4D of 5D supergravity compactified on the S^1/Z_2 orbifold. For this purpose we develop and employ a recently proposed N=1 conformal superfield description of the 5D supergravity couplings to abelian vector and hypermultiplets. In particular, we obtain a unique relation of the "radion" to chiral superfields as in global 5D SUSY and we can embed the universal hypermultiplet into this formalism. In our approach, it is transparent how the superconformal structure of the effective 4D actions is inherited from the one of the original 5D supergravity. We consider both ungauged and gauged 5D supergravities. This includes compactifications in unwarped geometries, generalizations of the supersymmetric Randall-Sundrum (RS) model as well as 5D heterotic M-theory. In the unwarped case, after obtaining the effective Kaehler potentials and superpotentials, we demonstrate that the tree-level 4D potentials have flat and/or tachyonic directions. One-loop corrections to the Kaehler potential and gaugino condensation are presented as suitable tools for moduli stabilization to be discussed in subsequent work. Turning to the RS-like models, we obtain a master formula for the Kaehler potential for an arbitrary number of vector and hyper moduli, which we evaluate exactly for special cases. Finally, we formulate the superfield description of 5D heterotic M-theory and obtain its effective 4D description for the universal (h^(1,1)=1) case, in the presence of an arbitrary number of bulk 5-branes. We present, as a check of our expressions, time-dependent solutions of 4D heterotic M-theory, which uplift to 5D solutions generalizing the ones recently found in hep-th/0502077.

All consistent interactions for exterior form gauge fields: We give the complete list of all first-order consistent interaction vertices for a set of exterior form gauge fields of form degree >1, described in the free limit by the standard Maxwell-like action. A special attention is paid to the interactions that deform the gauge transformations. These are shown to be necessarily of the Noether form "conserved antisymmetric tensor" times "p-form potential" and exist only in particular spacetime dimensions. Conditions for consistency to all orders in the coupling constant are given. For illustrative purposes, the analysis is carried out explicitly for a system of forms with two different degrees p and q (1<p<q<n).

String Theory, Supersymmetry, Unification, and All That: String theory and supersymmetry are theoretical ideas that go beyond the standard model of particle physics and show promise for unifying all forces. After a brief introduction to supersymmetry, we discuss the prospects for its experimental discovery in the near future. We then show how the magic of supersymmetry allows us to solve certain quantum field theories exactly, thus leading to new insights about field theory dynamics related to electric-magnetic duality. The discussion of superstring theory starts with its perturbation expansion, which exhibits new features including ``stringy geometry.'' We then turn to more recent non-perturbative developments. Using new dualities, all known superstring theories are unified, and their strong coupling behavior is clarified. A central ingredient is the existence of extended objects called branes.

Mixmaster chaos in an AdS black hole interior: We derive gravitational backgrounds that are asymptotically Anti-de Sitter, have a regular black hole horizon and which deep in the interior exhibit mixmaster chaotic dynamics. The solutions are obtained by coupling gravity with a negative cosmological constant to three massive vector fields, within an ansatz that reduces to ordinary differential equations. At late interior times the equations are identical to those analysed in depth by Misner and by Belinskii-Khalatnikov-Lifshitz fifty years ago. We review and extend known classical and semiclassical results on the interior chaos, formulated as both a dynamical system of `Kasner eras' and as a hyperbolic billiards problem. The volume of the universe collapses doubly-exponentially over each Kasner era. A remarkable feature is the emergence of a conserved energy, and hence a `time-independent' Hamiltonian, at asymptotically late interior times. A quantisation of this Hamiltonian exhibits arithmetic chaos associated with the principal congruence subgroup $\Gamma(2)$ of the modular group. We compute a large number of eigenvalues numerically to obtain the spectral form factor. While the spectral statistics is anomalous for a chaotic system, the eigenfunctions themselves display random matrix behaviour.

The quantum vacuum in electromagnetic fields: From the Heisenberg-Euler effective action to vacuum birefringence: The focus of these lectures is on the quantum vacuum subjected to classical electromagnetic fields. To this end we explicitly derive the renowned Heisenberg-Euler effective action in constant electromagnetic fields in a rather pedagogical and easy to conceive way. As an application, we use it to study vacuum birefringence constituting one of the most promising optical signatures of quantum vacuum nonlinearity.

Level-Rank Duality in Kazama-Suzuki Models: We give a path-integral proof of level-rank duality in Kazama-Suzuki models for world-sheets of spherical topology.

2D Ising Field Theory in a Magnetic Field: The Yang-Lee Singularity: We study Ising Field Theory (the scaling limit of Ising model near the Curie critical point) in pure imaginary external magnetic field. We put particular emphasis on the detailed structure of the Yang-Lee edge singularity. While the leading singular behavior is controlled by the Yang-Lee fixed point ($=$ minimal CFT ${\cal M}_{2/5}$), the fine structure of the subleading singular terms is determined by the effective action which involves a tower of irrelevant operators. We use numerical data obtained through the "Truncated Free Fermion Space Approach" to estimate the couplings associated with two least irrelevant operators. One is the operator $T{\bar T}$, and we use the universal properties of the $T{\bar T}$ deformation to fix the contributions of higher orders in the corresponding coupling parameter $\alpha$. Another irrelevant operator we deal with is the descendant $L_{-4}{\bar L}_{-4}\phi$ of the relevant primary $\phi$ in ${\cal M}_{2/5}$. The significance of this operator is that it is the lowest dimension operator which breaks integrability of the effective theory. We also establish analytic properties of the particle mass $M$ ($=$ inverse correlation length) as the function of complex magnetic field.

Maxwell $F^N$ Characteristic Equation Algorithm Applied to Abelian Born-Infeld Action in Dp-branes: An algorithm is devised to generate characteristic identities between Maxwell fieldstrength invariants (traced over Lorentz indices and disregarding ordering) that suffer linear dependence in certain dimensionalities as they have been originally obtained using a Maple routine. These relations between invariants are then applied to simplify the Abelian Born-Infeld (ABI) effective action in arbitrary degree of fieldstrength invariants. I have explicitly displayed the simplified ABI action in 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 space-time dimensions relevant in Dp-branes.

Unitarization of infinite-range forces: graviton-graviton scattering: A method to unitarize the scattering amplitude produced by infinite-range forces is developed and applied to Born terms. In order to apply $S$-matrix techniques, based on unitarity and analyticity, we first derive an $S$-matrix free of infrared divergences. This is achieved by removing a divergent phase factor due to the interactions mediated by the massless particles in the crossed channels, a procedure that is related to previous formalisms to treat infrared divergences. We apply this method in detail by unitarizing the Born terms for graviton-graviton scattering in pure gravity and we find a scalar graviton-graviton resonance with vacuum quantum numbers ($J^{PC}=0^{++}$) that we call the \textit{graviball}. Remarkably, this resonance is located below the Planck mass but deep in the complex $s$-plane (with $s$ the usual Mandelstam variable), so that its effects along the physical real $s$ axis peak for values significantly lower than this scale. We argue that the position and width of the graviball are reduced when including extra light fields in the theory. This could lead to phenomenological consequences in scenarios of quantum gravity with a large number of such fields or, in general, with a low-energy ultraviolet completion. We also apply this formalism to two non-relativistic potentials with exact known solutions for the scattering amplitudes: Coulomb scattering and an energy-dependent potential obtained from the Coulomb one with a zero at threshold. This latter case shares the same $J=0$ partial-wave projected Born term as the graviton-graviton case, except for a global factor. We find that the relevant resonance structure of these examples is reproduced by our methods, which represents a strong indication of their robustness.

Quantum Vacuum Fluctuations in a Chromomagnetic-like Background: In this paper we study the effects associated to quantum vacuum fluctuations of vectorial perturbations of the Abelian SU(2) Yang-Mills field in a static and homogeneous chromomagnetic-like background field, at zero temperature. We use periodic and antiperiodic boundary conditions in order to calculate the Casimir energy by means of the frequency sum technique and of the regularization method based on zeta functions, analyzing its behavior in the weak and strong coupling regimes. We compare the obtained results with the similar ones found for scalar and spinor fields placed in an ordinary magnetic field background. We show that only in the weak coupling regime the non-trivial topology of the system encoded in the antiperiodic boundary conditions changes the nature of the Casimir force with respect to the periodic ones. Considering the weak coupling scenario, we show that the introduction of a third polarization state in the perturbations makes manifest the effects on the Casimir energy due to the coupling with the chromomagnetic-like background field, for both the boundary conditions. Finally, in the strong coupling regime, in which the quantum vacuum is not stable due to the Nielsen-Olesen instabilities, we evaluate the effects of a compact extra dimension on its stabilization.

Magic Fermions: Carroll and Flat Bands: The Carroll algebra is constructed as the $c\to0$ limit of the Poincare algebra and is associated to symmetries on generic null surfaces. In this paper, we begin investigations of Carrollian fermions or fermions defined on generic null surfaces. Due to the availability of two different (degenerate) metrics on Carroll spacetimes, there is the possibility of two different versions of Carroll Clifford algebras. We consider both possibilities and construct explicit representations of Carrollian gamma matrices and show how to build higher spacetime dimensional representations out of lower ones. Actions for Carroll fermions are constructed with these gamma matrices and the properties of these actions are investigated. We show that in condensed matter systems where the dispersion relation becomes trivial i.e. the energy is not dependent on momentum and bands flatten out, Carroll symmetry generically appears. We give explicit examples of this including that of twisted bi-layer graphene, where superconductivity appears at so called magic angles and connect this to Carroll fermions.

A Possible Mechanism for Production of Primordial Black Holes: Primordial Black Hole Remnants(PBHRs) can be considered as a primary source of cold dark matter. Hybrid inflation provides a possible framework for production of primordial black holes(PBHs) and these PBHs evaporate subsequently to produce PBHRs. In this paper we provide another framework for production of these PBHs. Using signature changing cosmological model and the generalized uncertainty principle as our primary inputs, first we find a geometric cosmological constant for early stage of universe evolution. This geometric cosmological constant can lead to heavy vacuum density which may be interpreted as a source of PBHs production during the inflationary phase. In the next step, since it is possible in general to have non-vanishing energy-momentum tensor for signature changing hypersurface, this non-vanishing energy-momentum tensor can be considered as a source of PBHs production. These PBHs then evaporate via the Hawking process to produce PBHRs. Finally, possible observational schemes for detecting relics of these PBHRs are discussed.

Wavelet field decomposition and UV `opaqueness': A large body of work over several decades indicates that, in the presence of gravitational interactions, there is loss of localization resolution within a fundamental ( $\sim$ Planck) length scale $\ell$. We develop a general formalism based on wavelet decomposition of fields that takes this UV `opaqueness' into account in a natural and mathematically well-defined manner. This is done by requiring fields in a local Lagrangian to be expandable in only the scaling parts of a (complete or, in a more general version, partial) wavelet Multi-Resolution Analysis. This delocalizes the interactions, now mediated through the opaque regions, inside which they are rapidly decaying. The opaque regions themselves are capable of discrete excitations of $\sim 1/\ell$ spacing. The resulting effective Feynman rules, which give UV regulated and (perturbatively) unitary physical amplitudes, resemble those of string field theory.

AdS Euclidean wormholes: We explore the construction and stability of asymptotically anti-de Sitter Euclidean wormholes in a variety of models. In simple ad hoc low-energy models, it is not hard to construct two-boundary Euclidean wormholes that dominate over disconnected solutions and which are stable (lacking negative modes) in the usual sense of Euclidean quantum gravity. Indeed, the structure of such solutions turns out to strongly resemble that of the Hawking-Page phase transition for AdS-Schwarzschild black holes, in that for boundary sources above some threshold we find both a `large' and a `small' branch of wormhole solutions with the latter being stable and dominating over the disconnected solution for large enough sources. We are also able to construct two-boundary Euclidean wormholes in a variety of string compactifications that dominate over the disconnected solutions we find and that are stable with respect to field-theoretic perturbations. However, as in classic examples investigated by Maldacena and Maoz, the wormholes in these UV-complete settings always suffer from brane-nucleation instabilities (even when sources that one might hope would stabilize such instabilities are tuned to large values). This indicates the existence of additional disconnected solutions with lower action. We discuss the significance of such results for the factorization problem of AdS/CFT.

Spin Impurities, Wilson Lines and Semiclassics: We consider line defects with large quantum numbers in conformal field theories. First, we consider spin impurities, both for a free scalar triplet and in the Wilson-Fisher $O(3)$ model. For the free scalar triplet, we find a rich phase diagram that includes a perturbative fixed point, a new nonperturbative fixed point, and runaway regimes. To obtain these results, we develop a new semiclassical approach. For the Wilson-Fisher model, we propose an alternative description, which becomes weakly coupled in the large spin limit. This allows us to chart the phase diagram and obtain numerous rigorous predictions for large spin impurities in $2+1$ dimensional magnets. Finally, we also study $1/2$-BPS Wilson lines in large representations of the gauge group in rank-1 $\mathcal{N}=2$ superconformal field theories. We contrast the results with the qualitative behavior of large spin impurities in magnets.

Asymptotic safety with Majorana fermions and new large N equivalences: Using Majorana fermions and elementary mesons we find new massless quantum field theories with weakly interacting ultraviolet fixed points. We also find new classes of large N equivalences amongst SU, SO and Sp gauge theories with different types of matter fields and Yukawa interactions. Results include a triality of asymptotically safe theories and dualities between asymptotically free matter-gauge theories with identical fixed points, phase diagrams, and scaling exponents. Implications for conformal field theory and orbifold reductions are indicated.

Vacuum polarization induced by a cylindrical boundary in the cosmic string spacetime: In this paper we investigate the Wightman function, the renormalized vacuum expectation values of the field square, and the energy-momentum tensor for a massive scalar field with general curvature coupling inside and outside of a cylindrical shell in the generalized spacetime of straight cosmic string. For the general case of Robin boundary condition, by using the generalized Abel-Plana formula, the vacuum expectation values are presented in the form of the sum of boundary-free and boundary-induced parts. The asymptotic behavior of the vacuum expectation values of the field square, energy density and stresses are investigated in various limiting cases. The generalization of the results to the exterior region is given for a general cylindrically symmetric static model of the string core with finite support.

WKB Analysis of PT-Symmetric Sturm-Liouville problems: Most studies of PT-symmetric quantum-mechanical Hamiltonians have considered the Schroedinger eigenvalue problem on an infinite domain. This paper examines the consequences of imposing the boundary conditions on a finite domain. As is the case with regular Hermitian Sturm-Liouville problems, the eigenvalues of the PT-symmetric Sturm-Liouville problem grow like $n^2$ for large $n$. However, the novelty is that a PT eigenvalue problem on a finite domain typically exhibits a sequence of critical points at which pairs of eigenvalues cease to be real and become complex conjugates of one another. For the potentials considered here this sequence of critical points is associated with a turning point on the imaginary axis in the complex plane. WKB analysis is used to calculate the asymptotic behaviors of the real eigenvalues and the locations of the critical points. The method turns out to be surprisingly accurate even at low energies.

High energy scattering amplitude in the linearized gravitational theory: The asymptotic behavior of the elastic scattering amplitude by the exchange of graviton between two scalar particles at high energies and fixed momentum transfers is reconsidered in the Logunov-Tavkhelidze equation in the linearized gravitational theory. The corrections to the eikonal approximation in the quasi-potential approach of relative order $1/p$ is developed with the principal contributions at high energy. The eikonal expression of scattering amplitude and the formal first correction are derived. The Yukawa potential is applied to discuss the results.

Dark energy, $α$-attractors, and large-scale structure surveys: Over the last few years, a large family of cosmological attractor models has been discovered, which can successfully match the latest inflation-related observational data. Many of these models can also describe a small cosmological constant $\Lambda$, which provides the most natural description of the present stage of the cosmological acceleration. In this paper, we study $\alpha$-attractor models with dynamical dark energy, including the cosmological constant $\Lambda$ as a free parameter. Predominantly, the models with $\Lambda > 0$ converge to the asymptotic regime with the equation of state $w=-1$. However, there are some models with $w\neq -1$, which are compatible with the current observations. In the simplest models with $\Lambda = 0$, one has the tensor to scalar ratio $r=\frac{12\alpha}{N^2}$ and the asymptotic equation of state $w=-1+\frac{2}{9\alpha}$ (which in general differs from its present value). For example, in the seven disk M-theory related model with $\alpha = 7/3$ one finds $r \sim 10^{-2}$ and the asymptotic equation of state is $w \sim -0.9$. Future observations, including large-scale structure surveys as well as B-mode detectors will test these, as well as more general models presented here. We also discuss gravitational reheating in models of quintessential inflation and argue that its investigation may be interesting from the point of view of inflationary cosmology. Such models require a much greater number of $e$-folds, and therefore predict a spectral index $n_{s}$ that can exceed the value in more conventional models by about $0.006$. This suggests a way to distinguish the conventional inflationary models from the models of quintessential inflation, even if they predict $w = -1$.

New no-go theorems for cosmic acceleration with extra dimensions: We describe new no-go theorems for producing four-dimensional accelerating universes from warped dimensional reduction. The new theorems improve upon previous results by including dynamical extra dimensions and by treating four-dimensional universes that are not precisely de Sitter. The theorems show there exists a threshold four-dimensional equation-of-state parameter w below which the number of e-foldings of expansion is bounded, and give expressions for the maximum number of allowed e-foldings. In the generic case, the bound must be satisfied if the higher-dimensional theory satisfies the strong energy condition. If the compactification manifold M is one-dimensional, or if its (intrinsic) Ricci scalar R is identically zero, then the bound must be satisfied if the higher-dimensional theory satisfies the null energy condition.

Dilaton Black Holes with Electric Charge: Static spherically symmetric solutions of the Einstein-Maxwell gravity with the dilaton field are described. The solutions correspond to black holes and are generalizations of the previously known dilaton black hole solution. In addition to mass and electric charge these solutions are labeled by a new parameter, the dilaton charge of the black hole. Different effects of the dilaton charge on the geometry of space-time of such black holes are studied. It is shown that in most cases the scalar curvature is divergent at the horizons. Another feature of the dilaton black hole is that there is a finite interval of values of electric charge for which no black hole can exist.

Breaking the sound barrier in AdS/CFT: It has been conjectured that the speed of sound in holographic models with UV fixed points has an upper bound set by the value of the quantity in conformal field theory. If true, this would set stringent constraints for the presence of strongly coupled quark matter in the cores of physical neutron stars, as the existence of two-solar-mass stars appears to demand a very stiff Equation of State. In this article, we present a family of counterexamples to the speed of sound conjecture, consisting of strongly coupled theories at finite density. The theories we consider include ${\cal N}=4$ super Yang-Mills at finite R-charge density and non-zero gaugino masses, while the holographic duals are Einstein-Maxwell theories with a minimally coupled scalar in a charged black hole geometry. We show that for a small breaking of conformal invariance, the speed of sound approaches the conformal value from above at large chemical potentials.

Scaling, self-similar solutions and shock waves for V-shaped field potentials: We investigate a (1+1)-dimensional nonlinear field theoretic model with the field potential $V(\phi)| = |\phi|.$ It can be obtained as the universal small amplitude limit in a class of models with potentials which are symmetrically V-shaped at their minima, or as a continuum limit of certain mechanical system with infinite number of degrees of freedom. The model has an interesting scaling symmetry of the 'on shell' type. We find self-similar as well as shock wave solutions of the field equation in that model.

The Kerr theorem and multiparticle Kerr-Schild solutions: We discuss and prove an extended version of the Kerr theorem which allows one to construct exact solutions of the Einstein-Maxwell field equations from a holomorphic generating function $F$ of twistor variables. The exact multiparticle Kerr-Schild solutions are obtained from generating function of the form $F=\prod_i^k F_i, $ where $F_i$ are partial generating functions for the spinning particles $ i=1...k$. Solutions have an unusual multi-sheeted structure. Twistorial structures of the i-th and j-th particles do not feel each other, forming a type of its internal space. Gravitational and electromagnetic interaction of the particles occurs via the light-like singular twistor lines. As a result, each particle turns out to be `dressed' by singular pp-strings connecting it to other particles. We argue that this solution may have a relation to quantum theory and to quantum gravity.

Clifford Structures in Noncommutative Geometry and the Extended Scalar Sector: We consider aspects of the noncommutative approach to the standard model based on the spectral action principle. We show that as a consequence of the incorporation of the Clifford structures in the formalism, the spectral action contains an extended scalar sector, with respect to the minimal Standard Model. This may have interesting phenomenological consequences. Some of these new scalar fields carry both weak isospin and colour indexes. We calculate the new terms in spectral action due to the presence of these fields. Our analysis demonstrates that the fermionic doubling in the noncommutative geometry is not just a presence of spurious degrees of freedom, but it is an interesting and peculiar property of the formalism, which leads to physically valuable conclusions. Some of the new fields do not contribute to the physical fermionic action, but they appear in the bosonic spectral action. Their contributions to the Dirac operator correspond to couplings with the spurious fermions, which are projected out.

Non-Critical Strings in Robertson-Walker Space Time: I consider a D+1 dimensional nonlinear $\sigma$ model based on a possible interpretation of the Liouville field as a physical time. The Weyl invariance of this theory gives us restrictions for the background fields and the parameters of the theory, e.g.\ for trivial background one obtains the known regions for the dimension of the space-time ($\leq$1 or $\geq$25). For a Robertson-Walker space time a special solution of these equations is discussed.

Summing all the eikonal graphs. II: A physically reasonable model is introduced in order to estimate, in a functional way, the vast number of distinct graphs which are conventionally neglected in eikonal scattering models that lead to total cross sections increasing with energy in the form of the Froissart bound.

Finite field-dependent BRST symmetry for ABJM theory in ${\cal N}=1$ superspace: In this paper we analyse the ABJM theory in ${\cal N}=1$ superspace. Firstly we study the linear and non-linear BRST transformations for the ABJM theory. Then we derive the finite field dependent version of these BRST (FFBRST) transformations. Further we show that such FFBRST transformations relate the generating functional in linear gauge to the generating functional in the non-linear gauge of ABJM theory.

Generalized Calibrations & the Characterization of M2-Brane Backgrounds: As a step towards the classification of supergravity backgrounds with flux, we study the (back-reacted) geometry created by a BPS M2-brane when it wraps a cycle in a Calabi-Yau manifold. If it is to preserve supersymmetry, the membrane background must obey certain conditions. These conditions are expressed as geometrical constraints on differential forms and as such, can be interpreted as calibrations. Knowing the complete set of calibrations is the same as satisfying all conditions needed for supersymmetry preservation. While a purely geometric background is completely specified through standard calibrations, in order to fully describe a flux background, we must also state its generalized calibrations. These can be found by probing the background with BPS branes. The logic is simple. Since a BPS probe is guaranteed to be stable, we require that its volume be given by a calibrated form. This applies equally to both charged and uncharged probes; the former are stabilized by flux whereas the latter achieve stability by minimizing their volumes. Volume-forms of charged probes correspond to generalized calibrations and those of uncharged probes, to standard calibrations. Previously geometries were probed only by uncharged branes. The calibrations that were found had then to be supplemented by additional conditions in order to guarantee supersymmetry preservation in backgrounds with flux. Once the scope is broadened to include charged branes, the 'missing conditions' (generalized calibrations) can also be recovered using the probe analysis. We use this method to classify the backgrounds of wrapped M2-branes embedded in Calabi-Yau manifolds by specifying their calibrations.

Quintessential Inflation on the Brane and the Relic Gravity Wave Background: Quintessential inflation describes a scenario in which both inflation and dark energy (quintessence) are described by the same scalar field. In conventional braneworld models of quintessential inflation gravitational particle production is used to reheat the universe. This reheating mechanism is very inefficient and results in an excessive production of gravity waves which violate nucleosynthesis constraints and invalidate the model. We describe a new method of realizing quintessential inflation on the brane in which inflation is followed by `instant preheating' (Felder, Kofman & Linde 1999). The larger reheating temperature in this model results in a smaller amplitude of relic gravity waves which is consistent with nucleosynthesis bounds. The relic gravity wave background has a `blue' spectrum at high frequencies and is a generic byproduct of successful quintessential inflation on the brane.

A Few Projects in String Theory: In these lectures I discuss various unsolved problems of string theory and their relations to quantum gravity, 3d Ising model, large N QCD, and quantum cosmology. No solutions are presented but some new and perhaps useful approaches are suggested.

All Things Retarded: Radiation-Reaction in Worldline Quantum Field Theory: We exhibit an initial-value formulation of the worldline quantum field theory (WQFT) approach to the classical two-body problem in general relativity. We show that the Schwinger-Keldysh (in-in) formalism leads to purely retarded propagators in the evaluation of observables in the WQFT. Integration technology for retarded master integrals is introduced at third post-Minkowskian (3PM) order. As an application we compute the complete radiation-reacted impulse and radiated four momentum for the scattering of two non-spinning neutron stars including tidal effects at 3PM order, as well as the leading (2PM) far-field gravitational waveform.

Open Fishchain in N=4 Supersymmetric Yang-Mills Theory: We consider a cusped Wilson line with J insertions of scalar fields in N=4 SYM and prove that in a certain limit the Feynman graphs are integrable to all loop orders. We identify the integrable system as a quantum fishchain with open boundary conditions. The existence of the boundary degrees of freedom results in the boundary reflection operator acting non-trivially on the physical space. We derive the Baxter equation for Q-functions and provide the quantisation condition for the spectrum. This allows us to find the non-perturbative spectrum numerically.

Axion Electrodynamics and the Casimir Effect: We present a concise review of selected parts of axion electrodynamics and its application to Casimir physics. We present the general formalism including the boundary conditions at a dielectric surface, derive the dispersion relation in the case where the axion parameter has a constant spatial derivative in the direction normal to the conducting plates, and calculate the Casimir energy for the simple case of scalar electrodynamics using dimensional regularization.

Mach like principle from conserved charges: We study models where the gauge coupling constants, masses and the gravitational constant are functions of some conserved charge in the universe, and furthermore a cosmological constant that depends on the total charge of the universe. We first consider the standard Dirac action, but where the mass and the electromagnetic coupling constant are a function of the charge in the universe and afterwards extend this to curved spacetime and consider gauge coupling constants, the gravitation constant and the mass as a function of the charge of the universe, which represent a sort of Mach principle for all the constants of nature. In the flat space formulation, the formalism is not manifestly Lorentz invariant, however Lorentz invariance can be restored by performing a phase transformation of the Dirac field, while in the curved space time formulation, there is the additional feature that some of the equations of motion break the general coordinate invariance also, but in a way that can be understood as a coordinate choice only, so the equations are still of the General Relativity type, but with a certain natural coordinate choice, where there is no current of the charge. We have generalized what we have done and also constructed a cosmological constant which depends on the total charge of the universe. If we were to use some only approximately conserved charge for these constructions, like say baryon number (in the context of the standard model), this will lead to corresponding violations of Lorentz symmetry in the early universe for example. The construction of charge dependent contributions can also be motivated from the structure of the "infra-red counter terms" needed to cancel infra red divergences for example in three dimensions.

Differential equations from null vectors of the Ramond algebra: We consider chiral blocks of four Ramond fields of the N=1 super Virasoro algebra where one of the fields is in the (1,2) representation. We show how the null vector in the (1,2) representation determines the chiral blocks as series expansions. We then turn to the Ising model to find an algebraic method to determine differential equations for the blocks of four spin fields. Extending these ideas to the super Virasoro case, we find a first order differential equation for blocks of four Ramond fields. We are able to find exact solutions in many cases. We compare our blocks with results known from other methods.

Higher derivative corrections to R-charged AdS_5 black holes and field redefinitions: We consider four-derivative corrections to the bosonic sector of five-dimensional N=2 gauged supergravity. Since this theory includes the N=2 graviphoton, we consider both curvature and graviphoton field-strength terms that show up at the four-derivative level. We construct, to linear order, the higher-derivative corrections to the non-rotating R-charged AdS_5 black hole and demonstrate how this solution transforms under field redefinitions.

Entanglement Wedge in Flat Holography and Entanglement Negativity: We establish a construction for the entanglement wedge in asymptotically flat bulk geometries for subsystems in dual $(1+1)$-dimensional Galilean conformal field theories in the context of flat space holography. In this connection we propose a definition for the bulk entanglement wedge cross section for bipartite states of such dual non relativistic conformal field theories. Utilizing our construction for the entanglement wedge cross section we compute the entanglement negativity for such bipartite states through the generalization of an earlier proposal, in the context of the usual $AdS/CFT$ scenario, to flat space holography. The entanglement negativity obtained from our construction exactly reproduces earlier holographic results and match with the corresponding field theory replica technique results in the large central charge limit.

q-Deformed Conformal Quantum Mechanics: We construct a q-deformed version of the conformal quantum mechanics model of de Alfaro, Fubini and Furlan for which the deformation parameter is complex and the unitary time evolution of the system is preserved. We also study differential calculus on the q-deformed quantum phase space associated with such system.

Dynamical Domain Wall and Localization: Based on the previous works (arXiv:1202.5375 and 1402.1346), we investigate the localization of the fields on the dynamical domain wall, where the four dimensional FRW universe is realized on the domain wall in the five dimensional space-time. Especially we show that the chiral spinor can localize on the domain wall, which has not been succeeded in the past works as the seminal work in arXiv:0810.3746.

Quantization of the open string on plane-wave limits of dS_n x S^n and non-commutativity outside branes: The open string on the plane-wave limit of $dS_n\times S^n $ with constant $B_2$ and dilaton background fields is canonically quantized. This entails solving the classical equations of motion for the string, computing the symplectic form, and defining from its inverse the canonical commutation relations. Canonical quantization is proved to be perfectly suited for this task, since the symplectic form is unambiguously defined and non-singular. The string position and the string momentum operators are shown to satisfy equal-time canonical commutation relations. Noticeably the string position operators define non-commutative spaces for all values of the string world-sheet parameter $\sig$, thus extending non-commutativity outside the branes on which the string endpoints may be assumed to move. The Minkowski spacetime limit is smooth and reproduces the results in the literature, in particular non-commutativity gets confined to the endpoints.

Aspects of Boundary Conditions for Nonabelian Gauge Theories: The boundary values of the time-component of the gauge potential form externally specifiable data characterizing a gauge theory. We point out some consequences such as reduced symmetries, bulk currents for manifolds with disjoint boundaries and some nuances of how the charge algebra is realized.

Triality Invariance in the N=2 Superstring: We prove the discrete triality invariance of the N=2 NSR superstring moving in a D=2+2 target space. We find that triality holds also in the Siegel-Berkovits formulation of the selfdual superstring. A supersymmetric generalization of Cayley's hyperdeterminant, based on a quartic invariant of the SL(2|1)^3 superalgebra, is presented.

Resurgence, Stokes constants, and arithmetic functions in topological string theory: The quantization of the mirror curve to a toric Calabi-Yau threefold gives rise to quantum-mechanical operators, whose fermionic spectral traces produce factorially divergent power series in the Planck constant. These asymptotic expansions can be promoted to resurgent trans-series. They show infinite towers of periodic singularities in their Borel plane and infinitely many rational Stokes constants, which are encoded in generating functions expressed in closed form in terms of $q$-series. We provide an exact solution to the resurgent structure of the first fermionic spectral trace of the local $\mathbb{P}^2$ geometry in the semiclassical limit of the spectral theory, corresponding to the strongly-coupled regime of topological string theory on the same background in the conjectural TS/ST correspondence. Our approach straightforwardly applies to the dual weakly-coupled limit of the topological string. We present and prove closed formulae for the Stokes constants as explicit arithmetic functions and for the perturbative coefficients as special values of known $L$-functions, while the duality between the two scaling regimes of strong and weak string coupling constant appears in number-theoretic form. A preliminary numerical investigation of the local $\mathbb{F}_0$ geometry unveils a more complicated resurgent structure with logarithmic sub-leading asymptotics. Finally, we obtain a new analytic prediction on the asymptotic behavior of the fermionic spectral traces in an appropriate WKB double-scaling regime, which is captured by the refined topological string in the Nekrasov-Shatashvili limit.