Some scalar curvature warped product splitting theorems

We present several rigidity results for Riemannian manifolds $(M^n,g)$ with scalar curvature $S \ge -n(n-1)$ (or $S\ge 0$), and having compact boundary $N$ satisfying a related mean curvature inequality. The proofs make use of results on marginally outer trapped surfaces applied to appropriate initial data sets. One of the results involves an analysis of Obata's equation on manifolds with boundary. This result is relevant to recent work of Lan-Hsuan Huang and the second author concerning the rigidity of asymptotically locally hyperbolic manifolds with zero mass.Comment: 15 pages; v2: Introduction revised, other small changes; results unchanged. To appear in Proc. Amer. Math. So

Far-Ultraviolet Cooling Features of the Antlia Supernova Remnant

We present far-ultraviolet observations of the Antlia supernova remnant obtained with Far-ultraviolet IMaging Spectrograph (FIMS, also called SPEAR). The strongest lines observed are C IV 1548,1551 and C III 977. The C IV emission of this mixed-morphology supernova remnant shows a clumpy distribution, and the line intensity is nearly constant with radius. The C III 977 line, though too weak to be mapped over the whole remnant, is shown to vary radially. The line intensity peaks at about half the radius, and drops at the edge of the remnant. Both the clumpy distribution of C IV and the rise in the C IV to C III ratio towards the edge suggest that central emission is from evaporating cloudlets rather than thermal conduction in a more uniform, dense medium.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, will be published in ApJ December 1, 2007, v670n2 issue. see http://astro.snu.ac.kr/~jhshinn/ms.pd

Longitudinal spectral domain optical coherence tomography changes in eyes with intraocular lymphoma

BACKGROUND: Cases of patients with primary intraocular lymphoma (PIOL) were retrospectively analyzed to describe the longitudinal intra-retinal morphological changes in PIOL as visualized on images obtained by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). RESULTS: In a retrospective case series, Heidelberg Spectralis SD-OCT images obtained in the longitudinal evaluation of patients with biopsy-proven PIOL were analyzed and assessed. The images were graded for the presence of macular edema (ME), pigment epithelial detachment (PED), subretinal fluid (SRF), and hyperreflective signals. SD-OCT scans of five eyes from five patients were assessed. Patients showed signs of inflammation, such as ME and SRF, which were resolved with treatments in some cases. Hyperreflective signals were found in all eyes in the form of nodules or bands across the retina, with the highest frequency of appearance in the ganglion cell layer, inner plexiform layer, photoreceptor layer, and retinal pigment epithelium; such signals increased with the progression of PIOL. CONCLUSION: SD-OCT may be employed to monitor the progression of PIOL. Hyperreflective signals on OCT may correspond with increase in disease activities, along with other findings such as ME, PED, and SRF

On Classical Equivalence Between Noncritical and Einstein Gravity : The AdS/CFT Perspectives

We find that noncritical gravity, a special class of higher derivative gravity, is classically equivalent to Einstein gravity at the full nonlinear level. We obtain the viscosity-to-entropy ratio and the second order transport coefficients of the dual fluid of noncritical gravity to all orders in the coupling of higher derivative terms. We also compute the holographic entanglement entropy in the dual CFT of noncritical gravity. All these results confirm the nonlinear equivalence between noncritical gravity and Einstein gravity at the classical level.Comment: 19 pages, no figure

The UV Upturn in Elliptical Galaxies as an Age Indicator

We show that the UV flux of old stellar systems can tell us about their ages. Two independent populations synthesis groups that have had wildly different views have here worked together and generated two solutions that can be easily tested using space telescopes. Proposed tests will constrain the ages of giant Es, that are often considered the oldest populations in the universe, and thus cosmology.Comment: LaTeX and 11 eps figures Accepted for publication in Ap

Long-term effect of stereotactic body radiation therapy for primary hepatocellular carcinoma ineligible for local ablation therapy or surgical resection. Stereotactic radiotherapy for liver cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We evaluated the long-term effect of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for primary small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ineligible for local therapy or surgery.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Forty-two HCC patients with tumors ≤ 100 cc and ineligible for local ablation therapy or surgical resection were treated with SBRT: 30-39 Gy with a prescription isodose range of 70-85% (median 80%) was delivered daily in three fractions. Median tumor volume was 15.4 cc (3.0-81.8) and median follow-up duration 28.7 months (8.4-49.1).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Complete response (CR) for the in-field lesion was initially achieved in 59.6% and partial response (PR) in 26.2% of patients. Hepatic out-of-field progression occurred in 18 patients (42.9%) and distant metastasis developed in 12 (28.6%) patients. Overall in-field CR and overall CR were achieved in 59.6% and 33.3%, respectively. Overall 1-year and 3-year survival rates were 92.9% and 58.6%, respectively. In-field progression-free survival at 1 and 3 years was 72.0% and 67.5%, respectively. Patients with smaller tumor had better in-field progression-free survival and overall survival rates (<32 cc vs. ≥32 cc, <it>P </it>< 0.05). No major toxicity was encountered but one patient died with extrahepatic metastasis and radiation-induced hepatic failure.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>SBRT is a promising noninvasive-treatment for small HCC that is ineligible for local treatment or surgical resection.</p

Far-ultraviolet Observations of the North Ecliptic Pole with SPEAR

We present SPEAR/FIMS far-ultraviolet observations near the North Ecliptic Pole. This area, at b~30 degrees and with intermediate HI column, seems to be a fairly typical line of sight that is representative of general processes in the diffuse ISM. We detect a surprising number of emission lines of many elements at various ionization states representing gas phases from the warm neutral medium (WNM) to the hot ionized medium (HIM). We also detect fluorescence bands of H2, which may be due to the ubiquitous diffuse H2 previously observed in absorption.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, Accepted for publication in ApJ Letter