Maria J. Rodriguez

Protein interaction network of alternatively spliced isoforms from brain links genetic risk factors for autism.

Increased risk for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is attributed to hundreds of genetic loci. The convergence of ASD variants have been investigated using various approaches, including protein interactions extracted from the published literature. However, these datasets are frequently incomplete, carry biases and are limited to interactions of a single splicing isoform, which may not be expressed in the disease-relevant tissue. Here we introduce a new interactome mapping approach by experimentally identifying interactions between brain-expressed alternatively spliced variants of ASD risk factors. The Autism Spliceform Interaction Network reveals that almost half of the detected interactions and about 30% of the newly identified interacting partners represent contribution from splicing variants, emphasizing the importance of isoform networks. Isoform interactions greatly contribute to establishing direct physical connections between proteins from the de novo autism CNVs. Our findings demonstrate the critical role of spliceform networks for translating genetic knowledge into a better understanding of human diseases.

Black Hole Scattering from Monodromy

We study scattering coefficients in black hole spacetimes using analytic properties of complexified wave equations. For a concrete example, we analyse the singularities of the Teukolsky equation and relate the corresponding monodromies to scattering data. These techniques, valid in full generality, provide insights into complex-analytic properties of greybody factors and quasinormal modes. This leads to new perturbative and numerical methods which are in good agreement with previous results.

Two Virasoro symmetries in stringy warped AdS3

A bstractWe study three-dimensional consistent truncations of type IIB supergravity which admit warped AdS3 solutions. These theories contain subsectors that have no bulk dynamics. We show that the symplectic form for these theories, when restricted to the non-dynamical subsectors, equals the symplectic form for pure Einstein gravity in AdS3. Consequently, for each consistent choice of boundary conditions in AdS3, we can define a consistent phase space in warped AdS3 with identical conserved charges. This way, we easily obtain a Virasoro × Virasoro asymptotic symmetry algebra in warped AdS3; two different types of Virasoro × Kač-Moody symmetries are also consistent alternatives.Next, we study the phase space of these theories when propagating modes are included. We show that, as long as one can define a conserved symplectic form without introducing instabilities, the Virasoro × Virasoro asymptotic symmetries can be extended to the entire (linearised) phase space. This implies that, at least at semi-classical level, consistent theories of gravity in warped AdS3 are described by a two-dimensional conformal field theory, as long as stability is not an issue.

New generalized nonspherical black hole solutions

We present numerical evidence for the existence of several types of static black hole solutions with a nonspherical event horizon topology in d ≥ 6 spacetime dimensions. These asymptotically flat configurations are found for a specific metric ansatz and can be viewed as higher dimensional counterparts of the d = 5 static black rings, dirings and black Saturn. Similar to that case, they are supported against collapse by conical singularities. The issue of rotating generalizations of these solutions is also considered.

Holographic Thermal Helicity

A bstractWe study the thermal helicity, defined in arXiv:1211.3850, of a conformal field theory with anomalies in the context of AdS2n+1/CFT2n. To do so, we consider large charged rotating AdS black holes in the Einstein-Maxwell-Chern-Simons theory with a negative cosmological constant using fluid/gravity expansion. We compute the anomalyinduced current and stress tensor of the dual CFT in leading order of the fluid/gravity derivative expansion and show their agreement with the field theoretical replacement rule for the thermal helicity. Such replacement rule is reflected in the bulk by new replacement rules obeyed by the Hall currents around the black hole.

Force-free electrodynamics around extreme Kerr black holes

A bstractPlasma-filled magnetospheres can extract energy from a spinning black hole and provide the power source for a variety of observed astrophysical phenomena. These magnetospheres are described by the highly nonlinear equations of force-free electrodynamics, or FFE. Typically these equations can only be solved numerically. In this paper we consider the FFE equations very near the horizon of a maximally spinning black hole, where the energy extraction takes place. Thanks to an enhanced conformal symmetry which appears in this near-horizon region, we are able to analytically obtain several infinite families of exact solutions of the full nonlinear equations.

Exact solutions for extreme black hole magnetospheres

A bstractWe present new exact solutions of Force-Free Electrodynamics (FFE) in the Near-Horizon region of an Extremal Kerr black hole (NHEK) and offer a complete classifica-tion of the subset that form highest-weight representations of the spacetime’s SL(2, ℝ)×U(1) isometry group. For a natural choice of spacetime embedding of this isometry group, the SL(2, ℝ) highest-weight conditions lead to stationary solutions with non-trivial angular de-pendence, as well as axisymmetry when the U(1)-charge vanishes. In addition, we unveil a hidden SL(2, ℂ) symmetry of the equations of FFE that stems from the action of a complex automorphism group, and enables us to generate an SL(2, ℂ) family of (generically time-dependent) solutions. We then obtain still more general solutions with less symmetry by appealing to a principle of linear superposition that holds for solutions with collinear cur-rents. This allows us to resum the highest-weight primaries and their SL(2, ℝ)-descendants.

Covariant Noether charge for higher dimensional Chern-Simons terms

A bstractWe construct a manifestly covariant differential Noether charge for theories with Chern-Simons terms in higher dimensional spacetimes. This is in contrast to Tachikawa’s extension of the standard Lee-Iyer-Wald formalism which results in a non-covariant differential Noether charge for Chern-Simons terms. On a bifurcation surface, our differential Noether charge integrates to the Wald-like entropy formula proposed by Tachikawa in [hep-th/0611141].

Electromagnetic Jets from Stars and Black Holes

We present analytic force-free solutions modeling rotating stars and black holes immersed in the magnetic field of a thin disk that terminates at an inner radius. The solutions are exact in flat spacetime and approximate in Kerr spacetime. The compact object produces a conical jet whose properties carry information about its nature. For example, the jet from a star is surrounded by a current sheet, while that of a black hole is smooth. We compute an effective resistance in each case and compare to the canonical values used in circuit models of energy extraction. These solutions illustrate all of the basic features of the Blandford-Znajek process for energy extraction and jet formation in a clean setting.

An Electrically charged doubly spinning dipole black ring

A bstractWe present a new asymptotically flat, doubly spinning black ring of D = 5 Einstein-Maxwell-dilaton theory with Kaluza-Klein dilaton coupling. Besides the mass and two angular momenta, the solution displays both electric charge and (magnetic) dipole charge. The class of solutions that are free from conical singularities is described by four parameters. We first derive the solution in six dimensions employing the inverse scattering method, thereby generalising the inverse-scattering construction by two of the current authors of Emparan’s singly spinning dipole black ring. The novel black ring itself arises upon circle Kaluza-Klein reduction. We also compute the main physical properties and asymptotic charges of our new class of solutions. Finally, we present a five-parameter generalisation of our solution.