Massive scalar fields in the early Universe

We discuss the role of gravitational excitons/radions in different cosmological scenarios. Gravitational excitons are massive moduli fields which describe conformal excitations of the internal spaces and which, due to their Planck-scale suppressed coupling to matter fields, are WIMPs. It is demonstrated that, depending on the concrete scenario, observational cosmological data set strong restrictions on the allowed masses and initial oscillation amplitudes of these particles.Comment: 6 pages, Latex2e, talk presented at the 1st International Workshop on Astronomy and Relativistic Astrophysics, 12-16 October, 2003, (IWARA2003), Olinda-PE, Brazi

Chirality of wave functions for three coalescing levels

The coalescence of three levels has particular attractive features. Even though it may be difficult to realise such event in the laboratory (three additional real parameters must be adjusted), to take up the challenge seems worthwhile. In the same way as the chiral behaviour of a usual EP can give a direction on a line, the state vectors in the vicinity of an EP3 provide an orientation in the plane. The distinction between left and right handedness depends on the distribution of the widths of the three levels in the vicinity of the point of coalescence.Comment: Manuscript has been discussed in June 2007 with the experimental group under Professor Achim Richter at the TU Darmstadt. It has been presented at the 6th International Workshop on Pseudo Hermitian Hamiltonians, London, 16-18 July 2007. An expanded version is being prepared for publication. 3 Figures, 11 page

Quasi-local contribution to the scalar self-force: Geodesic Motion

We consider a scalar charge travelling in a curved background spacetime. We calculate the quasi-local contribution to the scalar self-force experienced by such a particle following a geodesic in a general spacetime. We also show that if we assume a massless field and a vacuum background spacetime, the expression for the self-force simplifies significantly. We consider some specific cases whose gravitational analog are of immediate physical interest for the calculation of radiation reaction corrected orbits of binary black hole systems. These systems are expected to be detectable by the LISA space based gravitational wave observatory. We also investigate how alternate techniques may be employed in some specific cases and use these as a check on our own results.Comment: Final Phys. Rev. D version. 24 pages, revtex4. Minor typos correcte

Multiple Components of the Luminous Compact X-ray Source at the Edge of Holmberg II observed by ASCA and ROSAT

We report the results of the analysis of ASCA/ROSAT observations of the compact luminous X-ray source found at the edge of the nearby star-forming dwarf galaxy Holmberg II (UGC 4305).Our ASCA spectrum revealed that the X-ray emission extends to the hard band and can be best described by a power-law with a photon spectral index of 1.9. The ASCA spectrum does not fit with a multi-color disk blackbody. The joint ASCA-ROSAT spectrum suggests two components to the spectrum: the hard power-law component and a warm thermal plasma kT~0.3[keV]. An additional absorption over that of our galaxy is required. The wobble correction of the ROSAT HRI image has clearly unveiled the existence of an extended component which amounts to 27+/-5% of the total X-ray emission. These observations indicate that there are more than one component in the X-ray emission. The properties of the point-like component is indicative of an accretion onto an intermediate mass blackhole, unless a beaming is taking place. We argue that the extended component does not come from electron scattering and/or reflection by scattered optically-thick clouds of the central radiation. Possible explanations of this X-ray source include multiple supernova remnants feeding an intermediate-mass blackhole. (abridged)Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures accepted to Astronomical Journa

Temozolomide induces apoptosis and senescence in glioma cells cultured as multicellular spheroids

Temozolomide is an alkylating cytostatic drug that finds increasing application in the treatment of melanoma, anaplastic astrocytoma and glioblastoma multiforme. The compound is a prodrug that decomposes spontaneously, independent of an enzymatic activation step. DNA methylation induces futile mismatch repair cycles and depletion of the DNA repair enzyme O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase should then initiate programmed cell death. We show drug-dependent inhibition of tumour growth in a three-dimensional cell culture model of the glioma cell lines U87MG and GaMG. Migrational behaviour of the glioblastoma cells remained unaltered. However, coincubation of tumour spheroids with primary brain aggregates showed reduced tumour cell invasion into brain tissue in the presence of temozolomide. This was not achieved by slowing cellular migration, as temozolomide-treated cells displayed no reduced motility. By transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) of apoptotic nuclei, we found that the drug was able to induce apoptosis throughout the tumour cell spheroids. Apoptosis was highest in the core region of the spheroids. Repetitive application of sublethal doses of temozolomide to multicellular spheroids resulted in the development of drug resistance in GaMG cells. We suggest that temozolomide is a strong initiator of apoptosis in glioblastoma tumour cells in a spheroid cell culture system, when cells are already in a stressful environment

Huygens' Principle for the Klein-Gordon equation in the de Sitter spacetime

In this article we prove that the Klein-Gordon equation in the de Sitter spacetime obeys the Huygens' principle only if the physical mass $m$ of the scalar field and the dimension $n\geq 2$ of the spatial variable are tied by the equation $m^2=(n^2-1)/4$. Moreover, we define the incomplete Huygens' principle, which is the Huygens' principle restricted to the vanishing second initial datum, and then reveal that the massless scalar field in the de Sitter spacetime obeys the incomplete Huygens' principle and does not obey the Huygens' principle, for the dimensions $n=1,3$, only. Thus, in the de Sitter spacetime the existence of two different scalar fields (in fact, with m=0 and $m^2=(n^2-1)/4$), which obey incomplete Huygens' principle, is equivalent to the condition $n=3$ (in fact, the spatial dimension of the physical world). For $n=3$ these two values of the mass are the endpoints of the so-called in quantum field theory the Higuchi bound. The value $m^2=(n^2-1)/4$ of the physical mass allows us also to obtain complete asymptotic expansion of the solution for the large time. Keywords: Huygens' Principle; Klein-Gordon Equation; de Sitter spacetime; Higuchi Boun

Alteration in elemental and functional composition of heated peat humic acids

The article analyzes the effect of thermal modification of different-type peat on the alteration of elemental and functional composition of peat humic acids. Based on the data of IR-spectra and readings of electron paramagnetic resonance, structural alterations are identified. It is shown that the impact of peat characteristics on humic acids is preserved after thermal modification. It is revealed that the strongest alteration of humic acid composition and properties caused by peat heating are typical to humic acid samples extracted from the peat with low decomposition degree

Математическое моделирование режимов работы двухфазного термосифона в условиях извлечения геотермальной энергии

Percutaneous treatment of thrombosed primary arteriovenous hemodialysis access fistulae.BackgroundWe reviewed the efficacy of percutaneous intervention in acute thrombotic occlusion of native arteriovenous (AV) fistulae for hemodialysis.MethodsEight-one percutaneous procedures were performed in 54 patients presenting with a clotted native dialysis fistula. There were 60 cases of a long-segment thrombosis of the fistula. In 20 cases, a small thrombus usually caused by an underlying severe stenosis was observed. A proximal arterial occlusion was seen in one case. Treatment depended on clot size and included balloon dilation (N = 20), mechanical thrombectomy with various devices (N = 58), as well as pharmacomechanical thrombolysis (N = 3).ResultsFull restoration of flow was established in 72 cases (88.9%). Early reobstruction within 14 days occurred in eight cases (11.1%). Primary patency rates after a 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month period were 74, 63, 52, and 27%, respectively. Overall fistula patency was 75% after 3 months, 65% after 6 months, 51% after 12 months, and 22% after 24 months.ConclusionsAcute thrombotic occlusion of native AV fistulae is a major complication of hemodialysis. The results of treatment are believed to be less successful than thrombosis treatment in synthetic grafts. Our results, however, indicate the efficacy of percutaneous treatment in native fistulae, and demonstrate comparable technical results and patency rates