By formulating the six dimensional (0,2) superconformal field theory X[j] on a Riemann surface decorated with certain codimension two defects, a multitude of four dimensional N=2 supersymmetric field theories can be constructed. In this dissertation, various aspects of this construction are investigated in detail for j=A,D,E. This includes, in particular, an exposition of the various partial descriptions of the codimension two defects that become available under dimensional reductions and the relationships between them. Also investigated is a particular observable of this class of four dimensional theories, namely the partition function on the four sphere and its relationship to correlation functions in a class of two dimensional non-rational conformal field theories called Toda theories. It is pointed out that the scale factor that captures the Euler anomaly of the four dimensional theory has an interpretation in the two dimensional language, thereby adding one of the basic observables of the 4d theory to the 4d/2d dictionary. / text

Neste trabalho, estudamos as dualidades entre modelos de spin em redes bidimensionais a partir de uma abordagem tensorial. Nessa abordagem, componentes de tensores são associadas aos vértices e arestas da rede de forma que a função de partição Z é construída a partir da contração dos índices dessas componentes e é, portanto, um escalar por mudanças de base da álgebra de grupo C[G] utilizada para a definição dos tensores. A partir daí, e observando que a forma das componentes fixam o modelo estudado, obtemos um modelo diferente para cada mudança de base proposta. Esses diferentes modelos possuirão, no entanto, a mesma função de partição, já que esta é um invariante sob tais transformações. De fato, haverá uma infinidade de modelos todos duais entre si. Neste ponto, fixamos nossa atenção nos modelos com spin Zn, nos quais estão incluídos o modelo de Ising, o modelo de Potts e o modelo de Ashkin-Teller-Potts. Explorando uma transformação de base específica, fomos capazes de rederivar a dualidade de Kramers e Wanniers para o modelo de Ising. Usando argumentos análogos, mostramos também que os modelos de Potts com n = 3 e 4 são autoduais e que não existe autodualidade para este modelo com n _ 5. O modelo de Ashkin-Teller-Potts foi mostrado ser autodual para todo n 2 N. / In this work, we study the dualities between spin models in two-dimensional lattices from a tensorial approach. In this approach, we associate tensor components to the vertices and links so that the partition function Z is constructed by a contraction of the indices of the tensor components thereby making Z a scalar under change of basis of the group algebra C[G] used to de_ne the tensors. Having obtained this, and noting that the values of the components _x the studied model, we obtain a di_erent model for each basis transformation proposed. These di_erent models, however, have the same partition function since Z is invariant under these transformations. In fact we can obtain several models all dual to each other in this manner. We then focus on Zn spin models, which include the Ising model, the Potts model and Ashkin- Teller-Potts model. Exploring a speci_c basis transformation, we are able to rederive Kramers and Wanniers\' duality for the Ising model. With analogous arguments, we also show that Potts models with n = 3 and n = 4 are self-dual whereas this property is lost for n _ 5. The Ashkin-Teller-Potts model is shown to be self-dual for all n 2 N.

In the present thesis, we offer an introduction to type IIB string compactifications on $\mathbb{T}^{d}/\Gamma$ toroidal orbifolds. We first describe the technical method to construct these spaces and reduce the string background on it. We will have (non)-geometrical fluxes arising from these spaces which decorate with discrete deformations our four $\mathcal{N}=1$ dimensional supergravity theory. Solving its equations of motion, we find several families of supersymmetric AdS vacua with fixed moduli, which can be related through a set of  $SL(2,\mathbb{Z})$ symmetries.

Este trabalho se propõe ao estudo das articulações entre o saber biomédico e o saber leigo no discurso de mulheres de camadas médias urbanas da cidade do Rio de Janeiro, com idades compreendidas entre 40 e 60 anos. Toma como referência a produção sócioantropológica sobre gênero, corpo, menopausa, envelhecimento, bem como a que analisa a construção do fato científico. Atualmente é notável a crescente preeminência do discurso da biologia na determinação daquilo que seria da ordem do corpo feminino ou do masculino, o que certamente é perpassado por relações de gênero. A partir de uma perspectiva construcionista investiga o destaque conferido ao papel dos hormônios pela biomedicina, não apenas no funcionamento e na regulação do organismo da mulher, mas também no que diz respeito à forma pela qual ela irá vivenciar seu cotidiano. Além disso, busca apontar pistas na direção de problematizar a pregnância de certos dualismos como o que opõe o biológico ao social. Dualismos que revelam uma forma de organização binária hierárquica de pensamento, característica de nossa sociedade ocidental moderna. A noção de rede é um balizador importante para a compreensão mais ampla do pano de fundo do que informa as leituras vigentes acerca das ocorrências fisiológicas de mulheres e homens. Embora o campo investigado se apresente fluido e matizado, a intensidade do discurso hormonal biomédico se faz notar de modo potente nas narrativas, no que diz respeito aos corpos e às vidas das mulheres entrevistadas. / This paper is designed to study the association between the biomedical knowledge and the lay knowledge in the discourse of the average urban female between 40 and 60 years of age in the city of Rio de Janeiro. It is based on the socio-anthropological production about gender, body, menopause and aging, and the analysis of the construction of the scientific fact as well. Today, there is an increasing prevalence of the biological discourse in determining what pertains to the female and to the male body, which is certainly crossed by gender relations. From a constructionist standpoint, it surveys the significance assigned by biomedicine to the role of the hormones, not only regarding the functioning and the regulation of the female body, but also regarding how women will live their daily life. Furthermore, it looks for clues with a view to the problematization of the power of certain dualities, like the biological versus the social. These dualities expose a form of binary hierarchical organization of thought so typical of our modern western society. The notion of network is an important mark-out for a better understanding of the background of the current knowledge with respect to the male and female physiological events. Despite the fluid and diversified quality of the subject under discussion, the intensity of the biomedical hormonal discourse can be strongly perceived in the accounts regarding the body and the life of the respondent females.

Este trabalho se propõe ao estudo das articulações entre o saber biomédico e o saber leigo no discurso de mulheres de camadas médias urbanas da cidade do Rio de Janeiro, com idades compreendidas entre 40 e 60 anos. Toma como referência a produção sócioantropológica sobre gênero, corpo, menopausa, envelhecimento, bem como a que analisa a construção do fato científico. Atualmente é notável a crescente preeminência do discurso da biologia na determinação daquilo que seria da ordem do corpo feminino ou do masculino, o que certamente é perpassado por relações de gênero. A partir de uma perspectiva construcionista investiga o destaque conferido ao papel dos hormônios pela biomedicina, não apenas no funcionamento e na regulação do organismo da mulher, mas também no que diz respeito à forma pela qual ela irá vivenciar seu cotidiano. Além disso, busca apontar pistas na direção de problematizar a pregnância de certos dualismos como o que opõe o biológico ao social. Dualismos que revelam uma forma de organização binária hierárquica de pensamento, característica de nossa sociedade ocidental moderna. A noção de rede é um balizador importante para a compreensão mais ampla do pano de fundo do que informa as leituras vigentes acerca das ocorrências fisiológicas de mulheres e homens. Embora o campo investigado se apresente fluido e matizado, a intensidade do discurso hormonal biomédico se faz notar de modo potente nas narrativas, no que diz respeito aos corpos e às vidas das mulheres entrevistadas. / This paper is designed to study the association between the biomedical knowledge and the lay knowledge in the discourse of the average urban female between 40 and 60 years of age in the city of Rio de Janeiro. It is based on the socio-anthropological production about gender, body, menopause and aging, and the analysis of the construction of the scientific fact as well. Today, there is an increasing prevalence of the biological discourse in determining what pertains to the female and to the male body, which is certainly crossed by gender relations. From a constructionist standpoint, it surveys the significance assigned by biomedicine to the role of the hormones, not only regarding the functioning and the regulation of the female body, but also regarding how women will live their daily life. Furthermore, it looks for clues with a view to the problematization of the power of certain dualities, like the biological versus the social. These dualities expose a form of binary hierarchical organization of thought so typical of our modern western society. The notion of network is an important mark-out for a better understanding of the background of the current knowledge with respect to the male and female physiological events. Despite the fluid and diversified quality of the subject under discussion, the intensity of the biomedical hormonal discourse can be strongly perceived in the accounts regarding the body and the life of the respondent females.

Neste trabalho, estudamos as dualidades entre modelos de spin em redes bidimensionais a partir de uma abordagem tensorial. Nessa abordagem, componentes de tensores são associadas aos vértices e arestas da rede de forma que a função de partição Z é construída a partir da contração dos índices dessas componentes e é, portanto, um escalar por mudanças de base da álgebra de grupo C[G] utilizada para a definição dos tensores. A partir daí, e observando que a forma das componentes fixam o modelo estudado, obtemos um modelo diferente para cada mudança de base proposta. Esses diferentes modelos possuirão, no entanto, a mesma função de partição, já que esta é um invariante sob tais transformações. De fato, haverá uma infinidade de modelos todos duais entre si. Neste ponto, fixamos nossa atenção nos modelos com spin Zn, nos quais estão incluídos o modelo de Ising, o modelo de Potts e o modelo de Ashkin-Teller-Potts. Explorando uma transformação de base específica, fomos capazes de rederivar a dualidade de Kramers e Wanniers para o modelo de Ising. Usando argumentos análogos, mostramos também que os modelos de Potts com n = 3 e 4 são autoduais e que não existe autodualidade para este modelo com n _ 5. O modelo de Ashkin-Teller-Potts foi mostrado ser autodual para todo n 2 N. / In this work, we study the dualities between spin models in two-dimensional lattices from a tensorial approach. In this approach, we associate tensor components to the vertices and links so that the partition function Z is constructed by a contraction of the indices of the tensor components thereby making Z a scalar under change of basis of the group algebra C[G] used to de_ne the tensors. Having obtained this, and noting that the values of the components _x the studied model, we obtain a di_erent model for each basis transformation proposed. These di_erent models, however, have the same partition function since Z is invariant under these transformations. In fact we can obtain several models all dual to each other in this manner. We then focus on Zn spin models, which include the Ising model, the Potts model and Ashkin- Teller-Potts model. Exploring a speci_c basis transformation, we are able to rederive Kramers and Wanniers\' duality for the Ising model. With analogous arguments, we also show that Potts models with n = 3 and n = 4 are self-dual whereas this property is lost for n _ 5. The Ashkin-Teller-Potts model is shown to be self-dual for all n 2 N.

No description available.

Motivated by the AdS/CFT correspondence, new supersymmetric solutions to Type IIB and Type IIA supergravity are presented. These solutions contain $AdS_5$ or $AdS_4$ factors and are generated using T-duality symmetries of supergravity. The technique used to generate these solutions consists of performing a series of non-Abelian and Abelian T-dualities, sometimes with coordinate shifts in-between, to Freund-Rubin type seed backgrounds. An added bonus of the gauge fixing procedure inherent in non-Abelian T-Duality is the freedom to generate backgrounds with extra free parameters, some examples of which are presented. Aspects of the dual field theories of these new solutions are analyzed using holography techniques. The supersymmetry of these new backgrounds is also discussed. In addition to supergravity backgrounds with AdS, the study of generalized Calabi-Yau manifolds in the context of flux compactifications is briefly reviewed. The particular case of the resolved cone over $Y^{p,q}$ and its admission of generalized SU(3) structure solutions is examined. Contrary to geometries with $AdS$ factors, whose field theory duals are conformal field theories, these types of geometries can be phenomenologically interesting to study, as their gauge theory duals are minimally supersymmetric and confining, thus they could someday help aid our understanding of strongly-coupled QCD (Quantum Chromodynamics).

In this thesis we study gauge/gravity duals in the 5d/6d AdS/CFT correspondence. We start with field theories defined on squashed five-spheres with SU(3) × U(1) symmetry. These five-sphere backgrounds are continuously connected to the round sphere. We find a one-parameter family of 3/4 BPS deformations and a two-parameter family of (generically) 1/4 BPS deformations. The gravity duals are constructed in Euclidean Romans F(4) gauged supergravity in six dimensions, and uplift to massive type IIA supergravity. We holographically renormalize the Romans theory, and use our general result to compute the renormalized on-shell actions for the solutions. The results agree perfectly with the large N limit of the dual gauge theory partition function, which we compute using large N matrix model techniques. In addition we compute BPS Wilson loops in these backgrounds, both in supergravity and in the large N matrix model, again finding precise agreement. We conjecture a general formula for the partition function on any five-sphere background, which for fixed gauge theory depends only on a certain supersymmetric Killing vector. We then proceed to study Euclidean Romans supergravity in six dimensions with a non-trivial Abelian R-symmetry gauge field. We show that supersymmetric solutions are in one-to-one correspondence with solutions to a set of differential constraints on an SU(2) structure. As an application of our results we (i) show that this structure reduces at a conformal boundary to the five-dimensional rigid supersymmetric geometry previously studied, (ii) find a general expression for the holographic dual of the VEV of a BPS Wilson loop, matching an exact field theory computation, (iii) construct holographic duals to squashed Sasaki-Einstein backgrounds, again matching to a field theory computation, and (iv) find new analytic solutions to the squashed five-sphere background. We also analyse the classification of gravity duals with zero B-field.

A five-course dining experience that is exploring how food can, with its multi-sensorial features, be used as a tool to spark curiosity, and be a discursive device for generating ideas and conversations about matters of concern that affect society. The experience is visually black and white, and to see things in that monochrome, symbolically means there is only one possible judgment to be made about the situation. But is the food what it seems to be? What are facts, how much to trust of what is said, and when to look beyond the surface?