Gravito-thermo-electrodynamic extraction of energy from Kerr black holes

The ``force-free" magnetosphere of a Kerr black-hole in the axisymmetric steady-state possesses two integral functions of the stream-function $\Psi$; the field-line angular-velocity (FLAV) $\Omega_{\rm F} (\Psi)$, and the current-function $I(\Psi)$. For the zero-angular-momentum-observer's FLAV, i.e., $\Omega_{F {\omega}}\equiv\Omega_{\rm F}-\omega$, the iso-rotation law breaks down; $\Omega_{\rm F {\omega}}$ vanishes at the null-surface $\cal{S}_{\rm N}$ with $\omega=\Omega_{\rm F}$, where $\omega$ is the frame-dragging angular-velocity, and this gives rise to a subsequent breakdown of the force-free and freezing-in conditions at $\cal{S}_{\rm N}$, and the particle-velocity and the electric-current must vanish at $\cal{S}_{\rm N}$. These impose strong constraints on a possible gap to be constructed at $\cal{S}_{\rm N}$ between the force-free domains, $\cal{D}_{\rm out}$ and $\cal{D}_{\rm in}$. Current circuits, $\cal{C}_{\rm out}$ and $\cal{C}_{\rm in}$, must be closed in each domain, with EMFs $\cal{E}_{\rm out}$ and $\cal{E}_{\rm in}$, respectively, oppositely directed at the inductive membrane $\cal{S}_{\rm N}$ and with resistances $I_{\rm (out)}$ and $I_{\rm (in)}$ at the resistive membranes $\cal{S}_{{\rm ff}\infty}$ and $\cal{S}_{{\rm ffH}}$. The particles pair-produced in $\cal{G}_{\rm N}$ must be ``zero-angular-momentum-particles", which will be dense enough to pin down the poloidal field-lines ${\bf B}_p$ threading $\cal{G}_{\rm N}$, to ensure magnetisation of $\cal{G}_{\rm N}$. The zero-angular-momentum-state of $\cal{G}_{\rm N}$ makes it possible in $\cal{D}_{\rm in}$ that the outgoing-flux $I_{\rm (in)}$ of {\em positive}-angular-momentum from the hole is equivalent to the ingoing-flux $I^{\rm (in)}$ of {\em negative}-angular-momentum from $\cal{G}_{\rm N}$, i.e., $I_{\rm (in)}(\Psi)=-I^{\rm (in)}(\Psi)$. A twin-pulsar model is proposed

Electromagnetic extraction of energy from Kerr black holes

We elucidate the `right' process for energy extraction from Kerr black holes through `FFDE' magnetospheres, free from causality violation. It is shown that the magnetosphere of a Kerr black hole possesses the double-structure, consisting of the inner and outer magnetospheres with the pair-creation gap between them and with respective unipolar batteries at the inner and outer surfaces of the gap.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, TD70 Conference, Lebedev Physical Institut

TONS504-PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY INDUCES CYTOTOXIC EFFECTS IN EMT6 CELLS

In the present study, TONS504 (C51H58N8O5I2; molecular weight, 1,116.9), a novel cationic hydrophilic photosensitizer, was synthesized from protoporphyrin IX dimethyl ester through a five‑step process according to a patented method for use in photodynamic therapy (PDT). The subcellular localization of TONS504 and the cytotoxic effects of TONS504‑mediated PDT in the mouse mammary tumor EMT6 cell line were investigated. TONS504 was localized primarily in the lysosomes and partially in the mitochondria. The cytotoxic effects of TONS504‑mediated PDT in the mouse mammary tumor EMT6 cell line were investigated using a WST8 assay and an Oxidative Stress kit. The cell viability values following treatment with 10 µg/ml TONS504 at light energies of 0, 1, 5 and 10 J/cm2 were 92.5, 101.8, 27.7 and 1.8%, respectively. The percentages of reactive oxygen species (ROS)(+) cells following the same treatment were 8.6, 8.5, 29.2 and 70.1%, respectively, whereas the percentages of apoptotic cells were 7.1, 5.6, 24.8 and 48.7%, respectively. The percentages of ROS(+) and apoptotic cells in the group subjected to TONS504‑mediated PDT increased in a manner dependent on the TONS504 concentration and light energy. Further studies are required to evaluate the in vivo pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution and photodynamic effects of TONS504

Thermodynamics of a black hole in a cavity

We present a unified thermodynamical description of the configurations consisting on self-gravitating radiation with or without a black hole. We compute the thermal fluctuations and evaluate where will they induce a transition from metastable configurations towards stable ones. We show that the probability of finding such a transition is exponentially small. This indicates that, in a sequence of quasi equilibrium configurations, the system will remain in the metastable states till it approaches very closely the critical point beyond which no metastable configuration exists. Near that point, we relate the divergence of the local temperature fluctuations to the approach of the instability of the whole system, thereby generalizing the usual fluctuations analysis in the cases where long range forces are present. When angular momentum is added to the cavity, the above picture is slightly modified. Nevertheless, at high angular momentum, the black hole loses most of its mass before it reaches the critical point at which it evaporates completely.Comment: 27 pages, latex file, contains 3 figures available on request at [email protected]

Association of Functional Gene Polymorphisms of Interleukin-1β and Transforming Growth Factor-β1 with the Progression of Liver Fibrosis in Japanese Patients with Hepatitis C Virus-Related Chronic Liver Disease

Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RN) are key cytokines in an inflammatory response, and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) promotes hepatic fibrogenesis. The association of polymorphisms in the genes for these cytokines with liver fibrosis is controversial. The aim of this study was to examine the possible association of IL-1β, IL-1RN and TGF-β1 polymorphisms with the progression of liver fibrosis in the Japanese population using cross-sectional and longitudinal study designs. We examined 183 patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related chronic liver disease (93 chronic hepatitis and 90 with cirrhosis). Some of the chronic hepatitis cases were divided into progressive fibrosis and non-progressive fibrosis. IL-1β ?31T/C, IL-1RN variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) and TGF-β1 +869 T/C polymorphisms were analyzed using a polymerase-chain reaction-based assay. In the cross-sectional study, there were no significant differences in the genotype distributions of IL-1β, IL-1RN and TGF-β1 between chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis. No significant differences were found among Child-Pugh grades in cirrhosis patients. In the longitudinal study, there were no significant differences in the genotype distributions of IL-1β, IL-1RN and TGF-β1 between progressive fibrosis and non-progressive fibrosis. No significant differences in the speed at which liver fibrosis develop were found among the genotypes of IL-1β, IL-1RN and TGF-β1. In disagreement with other studies, the functional gene polymorphisms of IL-1β, IL-1RN and TGF-β1 were not associated with the progression of liver fibrosis in Japanese patients with HCV-related chronic liver disease

A new low-field extremity magnetic resonance imaging and proposed compact MRI score: evaluation of anti-tumor necrosis factor biologics on rheumatoid arthritis

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a useful tool for evaluating disease activity and therapeutic efficacy in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, conventional whole-body MRI is inconvenient on several levels. We have therefore developed a new low-field extremity MRI (compact MRI, cMRI) and examined its clinical utility. Thirteen RA patients treated with anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) biologics were included in the study. The MRI was performed twice using a 0.21-T extremity MRI system. The MRI images were scored using our proposed cMRI scoring system, which we devised with reference to the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology Clinical Trials RA MRI score (OMERACT RAMRIS). In our cMRI scoring system, synovitis, bone edema, and bone erosion are separately graded on a scale from 0 to 3 by imaging over the whole hand, including the proximal interphalangeal joint. The total cMRI score (cMRIS) is then obtained by calculating the total bone erosion score × 1.5 + total bone edema score × 1.25 + total synovitis score. In this study, one patient showed a progression of bone destruction even under low clinical activity, as assessed by the disease activity score on 28 joints (DAS28); however, another patient’s cMRIS decreased concurrently with the decrease in DAS28, with the positive correlation observed between ΔDAS28 and ΔcMRIS (R = 0.055, P < 0.05). We conclude that cMRI and cMRIS are useful for assessing total disease activity and as a method linking MRI image evaluation to clinical evaluation