37 research outputs found
Kerr-Newman Black Hole Thermodynamical State Space: Blockwise Coordinates
A coordinate system that blockwise-simplifies the Kerr-Newman black hole's
thermodynamical state space Ruppeiner metric geometry is constructed, with
discussion of the limiting cases corresponding to simpler black holes. It is
deduced that one of the three conformal Killing vectors of the
Reissner-Nordstrom and Kerr cases (whose thermodynamical state space metrics
are 2 by 2 and conformally flat) survives generalization to the Kerr-Newman
case's 3 by 3 thermodynamical state space metric.Comment: 4 pages incl 2 figs. Accepted by Gen. Rel. Grav. Replaced with
Accepted version (minor corrections
Wet Granular Materials
Most studies on granular physics have focused on dry granular media, with no
liquids between the grains. However, in geology and many real world
applications (e.g., food processing, pharmaceuticals, ceramics, civil
engineering, constructions, and many industrial applications), liquid is
present between the grains. This produces inter-grain cohesion and drastically
modifies the mechanical properties of the granular media (e.g., the surface
angle can be larger than 90 degrees). Here we present a review of the
mechanical properties of wet granular media, with particular emphasis on the
effect of cohesion. We also list several open problems that might motivate
future studies in this exciting but mostly unexplored field.Comment: review article, accepted for publication in Advances in Physics;
tex-style change
Biomarkers of angiogenesis and their role in the development of VEGF inhibitors
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been confirmed as an important therapeutic target in randomised clinical trials in multiple disease settings. However, the extent to which individual patients benefit from VEGF inhibitors is unclear. If we are to optimise the use of these drugs or develop combination regimens that build on this efficacy, it is critical to identify those patients who are likely to benefit, particularly as these agents can be toxic and are expensive. To this end, biomarkers have been evaluated in tissue, in circulation and by imaging. Consistent drug-induced increases in plasma VEGF-A and blood pressure, as well as reductions in soluble VEGF-R2 and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI parameters have been reported. In some clinical trials, biomarker changes were statistically significant and associated with clinical end points, but there is considerable heterogeneity between studies that are to some extent attributable to methodological issues. On the basis of observations with these biomarkers, it is now appropriate to conduct detailed prospective studies to define a suite of predictive, pharmacodynamic and surrogate response biomarkers that identify those patients most likely to benefit from and monitor their response to this novel class of drugs