Equatorial circular motion in Kerr spacetime

We analyze the properties of circular orbits of test particles on the equatorial plane of a rotating central mass whose gravitational field is described by the Kerr spacetime. For rotating black holes and naked singularities we explore all the spatial regions where circular orbits can exist and analyze the behavior of the energy and the angular momentum of the corresponding test particles. In particular, we find all the radii at which a test particle can have zero angular momentum due to the repulsive gravity effects generated by naked singularities. We classify all the stability zones of circular orbits. It is shown that the geometric structure of the stability zones of black holes is completely different from that of naked singularities.Comment: 48 pages, 40 figures, 3 Tables. To be published PRD. This work follows the paper Phys. Rev. D Vol.83, No.2 with DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.83.024021 (arXiv:1012.5411v1 [astro-ph.HE]) and paper arXiv:1103.1807v3 to be published in PR

Perfect fluid tori orbiting Kehagias-Sfetsos naked singularities

We construct perfect fluid tori in the field of the Kehagias-Sfetsos (K-S) naked singularity representing spherically symmetric vacuum solution of the modified Ho\v{r}ava quantum gravity that is characterized by a dimensionless parameter $\omega M^2$, combining the gravitational mass parameter $M$ of the spacetime with the Ho\v{r}ava parameter $\omega$ reflecting the role of the quantum corrections. In dependence on the value of $\omega M^2$, the K-S naked singularities demonstrate a variety of qualitatively different behavior of their circular geodesics that is fully reflected in the properties of the toroidal structures. In all of the K-S naked singularity spacetimes the tori are located above an "antigravity" sphere where matter can stay in stable equilibrium position, that is relevant for the stability of the orbiting fluid toroidal accretion structures.Comment: 44 pages, 27 figures multi panel

Circular motion of neutral test particles in Reissner-Nordstr\"om spacetime

We investigate the motion of neutral test particles in the gravitational field of a mass $M$ with charge $Q$ described by the Reissner-Nordstr\"om (RN) spacetime. We focus on the study of circular stable and unstable orbits around configurations describing either black holes or naked singularities. We show that at the classical radius, defined as $Q^2/M$, there exist orbits with zero angular momentum due to the presence of repulsive gravity. The analysis of the stability of circular orbits indicates that black holes are characterized by a continuous region of stability. In the case of naked singularities, the region of stability can split into two non-connected regions inside which test particles move along stable circular orbits.Comment: 23 pages, 22 figures. To be published Phys. Rev.

Clinical predictive factors of pathologic complete response in locally advanced rectal cancer

Background: Predictive factors of pathologic complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) are still not identified. The purpose of this study was to define them. Materials and Methods: Data from consecutive LARC patients treated between January 2008 and June 2014 at our Institution were included in the analysis. All patients were treated with a long course of nCRT. Demographics, initial diagnosis and tumor extension details, as well as treatment modalities characteristics were included in the univariate and logistic regression analysis. Results: In total 99 patients received nCRT, of whom 23 patients (23.2%) achieved pCR. Patients with and without pCR were similar in term of age, sex, comobidities, BMI and tumor characteristics. Multivariate logistic regression indicated that pre-treatment tumor size <= 5 cm was a significant predictor for pCR (p = 0.035), whereas clinical N stage only showed a positive trend (p = 0.084). Conclusions: Tumor size at diagnosis could be used to predict pCR, and thus to individualize therapy in LARC patients management. Validation in other studies is needed