We compute the one-loop effective action of two D0-branes in the matrix model for a cosmological background, and find vanishing static potential. However, there is a non-vanishing v2 term not predicted in a supergravity calculation. This term is complex and signals an instability of the two D0-brane system, it may also indicate that the matrix model is incorrect.

We study groups of automorphisms and birational transformations of quasi-projective varieties. Two methods are combined; the first one is based on p-adic analysis, the second makes use of isoperimetric inequalities and Lang–Weil estimates. For instance, we show that, if SLn(Z) acts faithfully on a complex quasi-projective variety X by birational transformations, then dim(X)⩾n−1 and X is rational if dim(X)=n−1.

We show that the recently proposed weak gravity conjecture\cite{AMNV0601} can be extended to a class of scalar field theories. Taking gravity into account, we find an upper bound on the gravity interaction strength, expressed in terms of scalar coupling parameters. This conjecture is supported by some two-dimensional models and noncommutative field theories.

Necessary and sufficient conditions are given for the existence of solutions to the discrete Lp Minkowski problem for the critical case where 0 < p < 1.

Homological Projective duality (HP-duality) theory, introduced by Kuznetsov \cite{Kuz07HPD}, is one of the most powerful frameworks in the homological study of algebraic geometry. The main result (HP-duality theorem) of the theory gives complete descriptions of bounded derived categories of coherent sheaves of (dual) linear sections of HP-dual varieties. We show the theorem also holds for more general intersections beyond linear sections. More explicitly, for a given HP-dual pair $(X,Y)$, then analogue of HP-duality theorem holds for their intersections with another HP-dual pair $(S,T)$, provided that they intersect properly. We also prove a relative version of our main result. Taking $(S,T)$ to be dual linear subspaces (resp. subbundles), our method provides a more direct proof of the original (relative) HP-duality theorem.