Quasilinear hyperbolic Fuchsian systems and AVTD behavior in T2-symmetric vacuum spacetimes

We set up the singular initial value problem for quasilinear hyperbolic Fuchsian systems of first order and establish an existence and uniqueness theory for this problem with smooth data and smooth coefficients (and with even lower regularity). We apply this theory in order to show the existence of smooth (generally not analytic) T2-symmetric solutions to the vacuum Einstein equations, which exhibit AVTD (asymptotically velocity term dominated) behavior in the neighborhood of their singularities and are polarized or half-polarized.Comment: 78 page

Ricci flows, wormholes and critical phenomena

We study the evolution of wormhole geometries under Ricci flow using numerical methods. Depending on values of initial data parameters, wormhole throats either pinch off or evolve to a monotonically growing state. The transition between these two behaviors exhibits a from of critical phenomena reminiscent of that observed in gravitational collapse. Similar results are obtained for initial data that describe space bubbles attached to asymptotically flat regions. Our numerical methods are applicable to "matter-coupled" Ricci flows derived from conformal invariance in string theory.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures. References added and minor changes to match version accepted by CQG as a fast track communicatio

Singularity Formation in 2+1 Wave Maps

We present numerical evidence that singularities form in finite time during the evolution of 2+1 wave maps from spherically equivariant initial data of sufficient energy.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Ricci flow for homogeneous compact models of the universe

Using quaternions, we give a concise derivation of the Ricci tensor for homogeneous spaces with topology of the 3-dimensional sphere. We derive explicit and numerical solutions for the Ricci flow PDE and discuss their properties. In the collapse (or expansion) of these models, the interplay of the various components of the Ricci tensor are studied. We dedicate this paper to honor the work of Josh Goldberg.Comment: 18 pages, 2 figure

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

Formal matched asymptotics for degenerate Ricci flow neckpinches

Gu and Zhu have shown that Type-II Ricci flow singularities develop from nongeneric rotationally symmetric Riemannian metrics on $S^m$, for all $m\geq 3$. In this paper, we describe and provide plausibility arguments for a detailed asymptotic profile and rate of curvature blow-up that we predict such solutions exhibit

A New Limit on the Antiproton Lifetime

Measurements of the cosmic ray pbar/p ratio are compared to predictions from an inhomogeneous disk-diffusion model of pbar production and propagation within the Galaxy, combined with a calculation of the modulation of the interstellar cosmic ray spectra as the particles propagate through the heliosphere to the Earth. The predictions agree with the observed pbar/p spectrum. Adding a finite pbar lifetime to the model, we obtain the limit tau_pbar > 0.8 Myr (90 % C.L.).Comment: 13 pages, 3 encapsulated Postscript figures, uses AASTeX; accepted by Astrophysical Journal; minor change

Anisotropic 'hairs' in string cosmology

In this letter we investigate whether the isotropy problem is naturally solved in inflationary cosmologies inspired by string theory, so called pre-big-bang cosmologies. We find that, in contrast to what happens in the more common 'potential inflation' models, initial anisotropies do not decay during pre-big-bang inflation.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur

The role of oxidative stress in chemical carcinogenesis.

Oxidative stress results when the balance between the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) overrides the antioxidant capability of the target cell; oxidative damage from the interaction of reactive oxygen with critical cellular macromolecules may occur. ROS may interact with and modify cellular protein, lipid, and DNA, which results in altered target cell function. The accumulation of oxidative damage has been implicated in both acute and chronic cell injury including possible participation in the formation of cancer. Acute oxidative injury may produce selective cell death and a compensatory increase in cell proliferation. This stimulus may result in the formation of newly initiated preneoplastic cells and/or enhance the selective clonal expansion of latent initiated preneoplastic cells. Similarly, sublethal acute oxidative injury may produce unrepaired DNA damage and result in the formation of new mutations and, potentially, new initiated cells. In contrast, sustained chronic oxidative injury may lead to a nonlethal modification of normal cellular growth control mechanisms. Cellular oxidative stress can modify intercellular communication, protein kinase activity, membrane structure and function, and gene expression, and result in modulation of cell growth. We examined the role of oxidative stress as a possible mechanism by which nongenotoxic carcinogens may function. In studies with the selective mouse liver carcinogen dieldrin, a species-specific and dose-dependent decrease in liver antioxidant concentrations with a concomitant increase in ROS formation and oxidative damage was seen. This increase in oxidative stress correlated with an increase in hepatocyte DNA synthesis. Antioxidant supplementation prevented the dieldrin-induced cellular changes. Our findings suggest that the effect of nongenotoxic carcinogens (if they function through oxidative mechanisms) may be amplified in rodents but not in primates because of rodents' greater sensitivity to ROS. These results and findings reported by others support a potential role for oxidative-induced injury in the cancer process specifically during the promotion stage