243 research outputs found
A numerical study of Penrose-like inequalities in a family of axially symmetric initial data
Our current picture of black hole gravitational collapse relies on two
assumptions: i) the resulting singularity is hidden behind an event horizon --
weak cosmic censorship conjecture -- and ii) spacetime eventually settles down
to a stationarity state. In this setting, it follows that the minimal area
containing an apparent horizon is bound by the square of the total ADM mass
(Penrose inequality conjecture). Following Dain et al. 2002, we construct
numerically a family of axisymmetric initial data with one or several
marginally trapped surfaces. Penrose and related geometric inequalities are
discused for these data. As a by-product, it is shown how Penrose inequality
can be used as a diagnosis for an apparent horizon finder numerical routine.Comment: Contribution to the "Encuentros Relativistas Espanoles - Spanish
Relativity Meeting ERE07" Proceedings, Tenerife, Spain (September 2007
The Goldberg-Sachs theorem in linearized gravity
The Goldberg-Sachs theorem has been very useful in constructing algebraically
special exact solutions of Einstein vacuum equation. Most of the physical
meaningful vacuum exact solutions are algebraically special. We show that the
Goldberg-Sachs theorem is not true in linearized gravity. This is a remarkable
result, which gives light on the understanding of the physical meaning of the
linearized solutions.Comment: 6 pages, no figures, LaTeX 2
Conformally flat black hole initial data, with one cylindrical end
We give a complete analytical proof of existence and uniqueness of
extreme-like black hole initial data for Einstein equations, which possess a
cilindrical end, analogous to extreme Kerr, extreme Reissner Nordstrom, and
extreme Bowen-York's initial data. This extends and refines a previous result
\cite{dain-gabach09} to a general case of conformally flat, maximal initial
data with angular momentum, linear momentum and matter.Comment: Minor changes and formula (21) revised according to the published
version in Class. Quantum Grav. (2010). Results unchange
Initial data for fluid bodies in general relativity
We show that there exist asymptotically flat almost-smooth initial data for
Einstein-perfect fluid's equation that represent an isolated liquid-type body.
By liquid-type body we mean that the fluid energy density has compact support
and takes a strictly positive constant value at its boundary. By almost-smooth
we mean that all initial data fields are smooth everywhere on the initial
hypersurface except at the body boundary, where tangential derivatives of any
order are continuous at that boundary.
PACS: 04.20.Ex, 04.40.Nr, 02.30.JrComment: 38 pages, LaTeX 2e, no figures. Accepted for publication in Phys.
Rev.
Excess Body Weight and Gait Influence Energy Cost of Walking in Older Adults
Purpose: To study how excess body weight influences the energy cost of walking (Cw) and determine if overweight and obese older adults self-select stride frequency to minimize Cw.
Methods: Using body mass index (BMI) men and women between the ages of 65–80 yr were separated into normal weight (NW, BMI ≤ 24.9 kg m−2, n = 13) and overweight-obese groups (OWOB, BMI ≥25.0 kg m−2, n = 13). Subjects walked at 0.83 m s−1 on an instrumented treadmill that recorded gait parameters, and completed three, six-minute walking trials; at preferred stride frequency (PSF), at +10% PSF, and at −10% PSF. Cw was determined by indirect calorimetry. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to compare groups, and associations were tested with Pearson correlations, α = 0.05.
Results: OWOB had 62% greater absolute Cw (301 ± 108 vs. 186 ± 104 J m−1, P \u3c 0.001) and 20% greater relative Cwkg (3.48 ± 0.95 vs. 2.91 ± 0.94 J kg−1 m−1, P = 0.046) than NW. Although PSF was not different between OWOB and NW (P = 0.626), Cw was 8% greater in OWOB at +10% PSF (P \u3c 0.001). At PSF OWOB spent less time in single-limb support (33.1 ± 1.5 vs. 34.9 ± 1.6 %GC, P = 0.021) and more time in double-limb support (17.5 ± 1.6 vs. 15.4 ± 1.4 %GC, P = 0.026) than NW. In OWOB, at PSF, Cw was correlated to impulse (r = −0.57, P = 0.027) and stride frequency (r = 0.51, P = 0.046).
Conclusions: Excess body weight is associated with greater Cw in older adults, possibly contributing to reduced mobility in overweight and obese older persons
Existence and uniqueness of Bowen-York Trumpets
We prove the existence of initial data sets which possess an asymptotically
flat and an asymptotically cylindrical end. Such geometries are known as
trumpets in the community of numerical relativists.Comment: This corresponds to the published version in Class. Quantum Grav. 28
(2011) 24500
Descriptive Analysis of a Baseline Concussion Battery Among U.S. Service Academy Members: Results from the Concussion Assessment, Research, and Education (CARE) Consortium
Introduction
The prevalence and possible long-term consequences of concussion remain an increasing concern to the U.S. military, particularly as it pertains to maintaining a medically ready force. Baseline testing is being used both in the civilian and military domains to assess concussion injury and recovery. Accurate interpretation of these baseline assessments requires one to consider other influencing factors not related to concussion. To date, there is limited understanding, especially within the military, of what factors influence normative test performance. Given the significant physical and mental demands placed on service academy members (SAM), and their relatively high risk for concussion, it is important to describe demographics and normative profile of SAMs. Furthermore, the absence of available baseline normative data on female and non-varsity SAMs makes interpretation of post-injury assessments challenging. Understanding how individuals perform at baseline, given their unique individual characteristics (e.g., concussion history, sex, competition level), will inform post-concussion assessment and management. Thus, the primary aim of this manuscript is to characterize the SAM population and determine normative values on a concussion baseline testing battery.
Materials and Methods
All data were collected as part of the Concussion Assessment, Research and Education (CARE) Consortium. The baseline test battery included a post-concussion symptom checklist (Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT), psychological health screening inventory (Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-18) and neurocognitive evaluation (ImPACT), Balance Error Scoring System (BESS), and Standardized Assessment of Concussion (SAC). Linear regression models were used to examine differences across sexes, competition levels, and varsity contact levels while controlling for academy, freshman status, race, and previous concussion. Zero inflated negative binomial models estimated symptom scores due to the high frequency of zero scores.
Results
Significant, but small, sex effects were observed on the ImPACT visual memory task. While, females performed worse than males (p < 0.0001, pη2 = 0.01), these differences were small and not larger than the effects of the covariates. A similar pattern was observed for competition level on the SAC. There was a small, but significant difference across competition level. SAMs participating in varsity athletics did significantly worse on the SAC compared to SAMs participating in club or intramural athletics (all p’s < 0.001, η2 = 0.01). When examining symptom reporting, males were more than two times as likely to report zero symptoms on the SCAT or BSI-18. Intramural SAMs had the highest number of symptoms and severity compared to varsity SAMs (p < 0.0001, Cohen’s d < 0.2). Contact level was not associated with SCAT or BSI-18 symptoms among varsity SAMs. Notably, the significant differences across competition level on SCAT and BSI-18 were sub-clinical and had small effect sizes.
Conclusion
The current analyses provide the first baseline concussion battery normative data among SAMs. While statistically significant differences may be observed on baseline tests, the effect sizes for competition and contact levels are very small, indicating that differences are likely not clinically meaningful at baseline. Identifying baseline differences and significant covariates is important for future concussion-related analyses to inform concussion evaluations for all athlete levels
Geometric inequalities for axially symmetric black holes
A geometric inequality in General Relativity relates quantities that have
both a physical interpretation and a geometrical definition. It is well known
that the parameters that characterize the Kerr-Newman black hole satisfy
several important geometric inequalities. Remarkably enough, some of these
inequalities also hold for dynamical black holes. This kind of inequalities
play an important role in the characterization of the gravitational collapse,
they are closed related with the cosmic censorship conjecture. Axially
symmetric black holes are the natural candidates to study these inequalities
because the quasi-local angular momentum is well defined for them. We review
recent results in this subject and we also describe the main ideas behind the
proofs. Finally, a list of relevant open problem is presented.Comment: 65 pages, 5 figures. Review article, to appear in Class. Quantum
Grav. as Topical Review. Improved presentation, minor corrections, references
updat
Initial data for two Kerr-like black holes
We prove the existence of a family of initial data for the Einstein vacuum
equation which can be interpreted as the data for two Kerr-like black holes in
arbitrary location and with spin in arbitrary direction. When the mass
parameter of one of them is zero, this family reduces exactly to the Kerr
initial data. The existence proof is based on a general property of the Kerr
metric which can be used in other constructions as well. Further
generalizations are also discussed.Comment: revtex, 5 pages, no figure
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