Collisions at infinity in hyperbolic manifolds

For a complete, finite volume real hyperbolic n-manifold M, we investigate the map between homology of the cusps of M and the homology of $M$. Our main result provides a proof of a result required in a recent paper of Frigerio, Lafont, and Sisto

Peaks in the Hartle-Hawking Wave Function from Sums over Topologies

Recent developments in ``Einstein Dehn filling'' allow the construction of infinitely many Einstein manifolds that have different topologies but are geometrically close to each other. Using these results, we show that for many spatial topologies, the Hartle-Hawking wave function for a spacetime with a negative cosmological constant develops sharp peaks at certain calculable geometries. The peaks we find are all centered on spatial metrics of constant negative curvature, suggesting a new mechanism for obtaining local homogeneity in quantum cosmology.Comment: 16 pages,LaTeX, no figures; v2: some changes coming from revision of a math reference: wave function peaks sharp but not infinite; v3: added paragraph in intro on interpretation of wave functio

‘Ethnic group’, the state and the politics of representation

The assertion, even if only by implication, that ‘ethnic group’ categories represent ‘real’ tangible entities, indeed identities, is commonplace not only in the realms of political and policy discourse but also amongst contemporary social scientists. This paper, following Brubaker (2002), questions this position in a number of key respects: of these three issues will dominate the discussion that follows. First, there is an interrogation of the proposition that those to whom the categories/labels refer constitute sociologically meaningful ‘groups’ as distinct from (mere) human collectivities. Secondly, there is the question of how these categories emerge, i.e. exactly what series of events, negotiations and contestations lie behind their construction and social acceptance. Thirdly, and as a corollary to the latter point, we explore the process of reification that leads to these categories being seen to represent ‘real things in the world’ (ibid.)

Towards an understanding of nucleon spin structure: from hard to soft scales

The workshop "The Helicity Structure of the Nucleon" (BNL June 5, 2006) was organized as part of the 2006 RHIC & AGS Users' Meeting to review the status of the spin problem and future directions. The presentations can be found at http://www.phenix.bnl.gov/WWW/publish/caidala/UsersHelicityWorkshop2006/ . Recent data suggests small polarized glue and strangeness in the proton. Here we present a personal summary of the main results and presentations. What is new and exciting in the data, and what might this tell us about the structure of the proton ?Comment: 20 pages, to appear in Int. J. Mod. Phys.

Can the polarization of the strange quarks in the proton be positive ?

Recently, the HERMES Collaboration at DESY, using a leading order QCD analysis of their data on semi-inclusive deep inelastic production of charged hadrons, reported a marginally positive polarization for the strange quarks in the proton. We argue that a non-negative polarization is almost impossible.Comment: 6 pages, latex, minor changes in the discussion after Eq. (9

Peripheral separability and cusps of arithmetic hyperbolic orbifolds

For X = R, C, or H it is well known that cusp cross-sections of finite volume X-hyperbolic (n+1)-orbifolds are flat n-orbifolds or almost flat orbifolds modelled on the (2n+1)-dimensional Heisenberg group N_{2n+1} or the (4n+3)-dimensional quaternionic Heisenberg group N_{4n+3}(H). We give a necessary and sufficient condition for such manifolds to be diffeomorphic to a cusp cross-section of an arithmetic X-hyperbolic (n+1)-orbifold. A principal tool in the proof of this classification theorem is a subgroup separability result which may be of independent interest.Comment: Published by Algebraic and Geometric Topology at http://www.maths.warwick.ac.uk/agt/AGTVol4/agt-4-32.abs.htm

Evolution Kernels of Twist-3 Light-Ray Operators in Polarized Deep Inelastic Scattering

The twist three contributions to the $Q^2$-evolution of the spin-dependent structure function $g_2(x)$ are considered in the non-local operator product approach. Starting from the perturbative expansion of the T-product of two electromagnetic currents, we introduce the nonlocal light-cone expansion proved by Anikin and Zavialov and determine the physical relevant set of light-ray operators of twist three. Using the equations of motion we show the equivalence of these operators to the Shuryak-Vainshtein operators plus the mass operator, and we determine their evolution kernels using the light-cone gauge with the Leibbrandt-Mandelstam prescription. The result of Balitsky and Braun for the twist three evolution kernel (nonsinglet case) is confirmed.Comment: 7 pages, LaTeX, Talk given at the workshop "QCD and QED in Higher Order", Rheinsberg, April 21-26, 199

Mutation analysis of HIF prolyl hydroxylases (PHD/EGLN) in individuals with features of phaeochromocytoma and renal cell carcinoma susceptibility

Germline mutations in the von Hippel–Lindau disease (VHL) and succinate dehydrogenase subunit B (SDHB) genes can cause inherited phaeochromocytoma and/or renal cell carcinoma(RCC). Dysregulation of the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) transcription factors has been linked to VHL and SDHB-related RCC; both HIF dysregulation and disordered function of a prolyl hydroxylase domain isoform 3 (PHD3/EGLN3)-related pathway of neuronal apoptosis have been linked to the development of phaeochromocytoma. The 2-oxoglutarate-dependent prolyl hydroxylase enzymes PHD1 (EGLN2), PHD2 (EGLN1) and PHD3 (EGLN3) have a key role in regulating the stability of HIF-a subunits (and hence expression of the HIF-a transcription factors). A germline PHD2 mutation has been reported in association with congenital erythrocytosis and recurrent extra-adrenal phaeochromocytoma. We undertook mutation analysis of PHD1, PHD2 and PHD3 in two cohorts of patients with features of inherited phaeochromocytoma (nZ82) and inherited RCC (nZ64) and no evidence of germline mutations in known susceptibility genes. No confirmed pathogenic mutations were detected suggesting that mutations in these genes are not a frequent cause of inherited phaeochromocytoma or RCC

Geometric Finiteness, Holography and Quasinormal Modes for the Warped AdS_3 Black Hole

We show that there exists a precise kinematical notion of holography for the Euclidean warped $AdS_3$ black hole. This follows from the fact that the Euclidean warped $AdS_3$ black hole spacetime is a geometrically finite hyperbolic manifold. For such manifolds a theorem of Sullivan provides a one-to-one correspondence between the hyperbolic structure in the bulk and the conformal structure of its boundary. Using this theorem we obtain the holographic quasinormal modes for the warped $AdS_3$ black hole.Comment: Latex file, 7 pages. Journal versio