271 research outputs found
Parallel-propagated frame along null geodesics in higher-dimensional black hole spacetimes
In [arXiv:0803.3259] the equations describing the parallel transport of
orthonormal frames along timelike (spacelike) geodesics in a spacetime
admitting a non-degenerate principal conformal Killing-Yano 2-form h were
solved. The construction employed is based on studying the Darboux subspaces of
the 2-form F obtained as a projection of h along the geodesic trajectory. In
this paper we demonstrate that, although slightly modified, a similar
construction is possible also in the case of null geodesics. In particular, we
explicitly construct the parallel-transported frames along null geodesics in
D=4,5,6 Kerr-NUT-(A)dS spacetimes. We further discuss the parallel transport
along principal null directions in these spacetimes. Such directions coincide
with the eigenvectors of the principal conformal Killing-Yano tensor. Finally,
we show how to obtain a parallel-transported frame along null geodesics in the
background of the 4D Plebanski-Demianski metric which admits only a conformal
generalization of the Killing-Yano tensor.Comment: 17 pages, no figure
Commuting symmetry operators of the Dirac equation, Killing-Yano and Schouten-Nijenhuis brackets
In this paper we derive the most general first-order symmetry operator
commuting with the Dirac operator in all dimensions and signatures. Such an
operator splits into Clifford even and Clifford odd parts which are given in
terms of odd Killing-Yano and even closed conformal Killing-Yano inhomogeneous
forms respectively. We study commutators of these symmetry operators and give
necessary and sufficient conditions under which they remain of the first-order.
In this specific setting we can introduce a Killing-Yano bracket, a bilinear
operation acting on odd Killing-Yano and even closed conformal Killing-Yano
forms, and demonstrate that it is closely related to the Schouten-Nijenhuis
bracket. An important non-trivial example of vanishing Killing-Yano brackets is
given by Dirac symmetry operators generated from the principal conformal
Killing-Yano tensor [hep-th/0612029]. We show that among these operators one
can find a complete subset of mutually commuting operators. These operators
underlie separability of the Dirac equation in Kerr-NUT-(A)dS spacetimes in all
dimensions [arXiv:0711.0078].Comment: 37 pages, no figure
Do Killing-Yano tensors form a Lie Algebra?
Killing-Yano tensors are natural generalizations of Killing vectors. We
investigate whether Killing-Yano tensors form a graded Lie algebra with respect
to the Schouten-Nijenhuis bracket. We find that this proposition does not hold
in general, but that it does hold for constant curvature spacetimes. We also
show that Minkowski and (anti)-deSitter spacetimes have the maximal number of
Killing-Yano tensors of each rank and that the algebras of these tensors under
the SN bracket are relatively simple extensions of the Poincare and (A)dS
symmetry algebras.Comment: 17 page
3-quasi-Sasakian manifolds
In the present paper we carry on a systematic study of 3-quasi-Sasakian
manifolds. In particular we prove that the three Reeb vector fields generate an
involutive distribution determining a canonical totally geodesic and Riemannian
foliation. Locally, the leaves of this foliation turn out to be Lie groups:
either the orthogonal group or an abelian one. We show that 3-quasi-Sasakian
manifolds have a well-defined rank, obtaining a rank-based classification.
Furthermore, we prove a splitting theorem for these manifolds assuming the
integrability of one of the almost product structures. Finally, we show that
the vertical distribution is a minimum of the corrected energy.Comment: 17 pages, minor modifications, references update
Conformal Yano-Killing tensor for the Kerr metric and conserved quantities
Properties of (skew-symmetric) conformal Yano--Killing tensors are reviewed.
Explicit forms of three symmetric conformal Killing tensors in Kerr spacetime
are obtained from the Yano--Killing tensor. The relation between spin-2 fields
and solutions to the Maxwell equations is used in the construction of a new
conserved quantity which is quadratic in terms of the Weyl tensor. The formula
obtained is similar to the functional obtained from the Bel--Robinson tensor
and is examined in Kerr spacetime. A new interpretation of the conserved
quantity obtained is proposed.Comment: 29 page
Killing-Yano Tensors, Rank-2 Killing Tensors, and Conserved Quantities in Higher Dimensions
From the metric and one Killing-Yano tensor of rank D-2 in any D-dimensional
spacetime with such a principal Killing-Yano tensor, we show how to generate
k=[(D+1)/2] Killing-Yano tensors, of rank D-2j for all j=0,...,k-1, and k
rank-2 Killing tensors, giving k constants of geodesic motion that are in
involution. For the example of the Kerr-NUT-AdS spacetime (hep-th/0604125) with
its principal Killing-Yano tensor (gr-qc/0610144), these constants and the
constants from the k Killing vectors give D independent constants in
involution, making the geodesic motion completely integrable (hep-th/0611083).
The constants of motion are also related to the constants recently obtained in
the separation of the Hamilton-Jacobi and Klein-Gordon equations
(hep-th/0611245).Comment: 7 page
Hidden Symmetries and Black Holes
The paper contains a brief review of recent results on hidden symmetries in
higher dimensional black hole spacetimes. We show how the existence of a
principal CKY tensor (that is a closed conformal Killing-Yano 2-form) allows
one to generate a `tower' of Killing-Yano and Killing tensors responsible for
hidden symmetries. These symmetries imply complete integrability of geodesic
equations and the complete separation of variables in the Hamilton-Jacobi,
Klein-Gordon, Dirac and gravitational perturbation equations in the general
Kerr-NUT-(A)dS metrics. Equations of the parallel transport of frames along
geodesics in these spacetimes are also integrable.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures. To appear in the proceedings of the NEB-13
conferenc
A gallotannin-rich fraction from Caesalpinia spinosa (Molina) Kuntze displays cytotoxic activity and raises sensitivity to doxorubicin in a leukemia cell line
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Enhancement of tumor cell sensitivity may help facilitate a reduction in drug dosage using conventional chemotherapies. Consequently, it is worthwhile to search for adjuvants with the potential of increasing chemotherapeutic drug effectiveness and improving patient quality of life. Natural products are a very good source of such adjuvants.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The biological activity of a fraction enriched in hydrolysable polyphenols (P2Et) obtained from <it>Caesalpinia spinosa </it>was evaluated using the hematopoietic cell line K562. This fraction was tested alone or in combination with the conventional chemotherapeutic drugs doxorubicin, vincristine, etoposide, camptothecin and taxol. The parameters evaluated were mitochondrial depolarization, caspase 3 activation, chromatin condensation and clonogenic activity.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found that the P2Et fraction induced mitochondrial depolarization, activated caspase 3, induced chromatin condensation and decreased the clonogenic capacity of the K562 cell line. When the P2Et fraction was used in combination with chemotherapeutic drugs at sub-lethal concentrations, a fourfold reduction in doxorubicin inhibitory concentration 50 (IC<sub>50</sub>) was seen in the K562 cell line. This finding suggested that P2Et fraction activity is specific for the molecular target of doxorubicin.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results suggest that a natural fraction extracted from <it>Caesalpinia spinosa </it>in combination with conventional chemotherapy in combination with natural products on leukemia cells may increase therapeutic effectiveness in relation to leukemia.</p
A Target-Based High Throughput Screen Yields Trypanosoma brucei Hexokinase Small Molecule Inhibitors with Antiparasitic Activity
African sleeping sickness is a disease found in sub-Saharan Africa that is caused by the single-celled parasite Trypanosoma brucei. The drugs used widely now to treat infections are 50 years old and notable for their toxicity, emphasizing the need for development of new therapeutics. In the search for potential drug targets, researchers typically focus on enzymes or proteins that are essential to the survival of the infectious agent while being distinct enough from the host to avoid accidental targeting of the host enzyme. This work describes our research on one such trypanosome enzyme, hexokinase, which is a protein that the parasite requires to make energy. Here we describe the results of our search for inhibitors of the parasite enzyme. By screening 220,223 compounds for anti-hexokinase activity, we have identified new inhibitors of the parasite enzyme. Some of these are toxic to trypanosomes while having no effect on mammalian cells, suggesting that they may hold promise for the development of new anti-parasitic compounds
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