39 research outputs found
The Singularity Problem for Space-Times with Torsion
The problem of a rigorous theory of singularities in space-times with torsion
is addressed. We define geodesics as curves whose tangent vector moves by
parallel transport. This is different from what other authors have done,
because their definition of geodesics only involves the Christoffel connection,
though studying theories with torsion. We propose a preliminary definition of
singularities which is based on timelike or null geodesic incompleteness, even
though for theories with torsion the paths of particles are not geodesics. The
study of the geodesic equation for cosmological models with torsion shows that
the definition has a physical relevance. It can also be motivated, as done in
the literature, remarking that the causal structure of a space-time with
torsion does not get changed with respect to general relativity. We then prove
how to extend Hawking's singularity theorem without causality assumptions to
the space-time of the ECSK theory. This is achieved studying the generalized
Raychaudhuri equation in the ECSK theory, the conditions for the existence of
conjugate points and properties of maximal timelike geodesics. Hawking's
theorem can be generalized, provided the torsion tensor obeys some conditions.
Thus our result can also be interpreted as a no-singularity theorem if these
additional conditions are not satisfied. In other words, it turns out that the
occurrence of singularities in closed cosmological models based on the ECSK
theory is less generic than in general relativity. Our work is to be compared
with previous papers in the literature. There are some relevant differences,
because we rely on a different definition of geodesics, we keep the field
equations of the ECSK theory in their original form rather than casting them in
a form similar to general relativity with a modified energy momentum tensor,Comment: 17 pages, plain-tex, published in Nuovo Cimento B, volume 105, pages
75-90, year 199
Novel Sulfated Polysaccharides Disrupt Cathelicidins, Inhibit RAGE and Reduce Cutaneous Inflammation in a Mouse Model of Rosacea
Rosacea is a common disfiguring skin disease of primarily Caucasians characterized by central erythema of the face, with telangiectatic blood vessels, papules and pustules, and can produce skin thickening, especially on the nose of men, creating rhinophyma. Rosacea can also produce dry, itchy eyes with irritation of the lids, keratitis and corneal scarring. The cause of rosacea has been proposed as over-production of the cationic cathelicidin peptide LL-37.We tested a new class of non-anticoagulant sulfated anionic polysaccharides, semi-synthetic glycosaminoglycan ethers (SAGEs) on key elements of the pathogenic pathway leading to rosacea. SAGEs were anti-inflammatory at ng/ml, including inhibition of polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) proteases, P-selectin, and interaction of the receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) with four representative ligands. SAGEs bound LL-37 and inhibited interleukin-8 production induced by LL-37 in cultured human keratinocytes. When mixed with LL-37 before injection, SAGEs prevented the erythema and PMN infiltration produced by direct intradermal injection of LL-37 into mouse skin. Topical application of a 1% (w/w) SAGE emollient to overlying injected skin also reduced erythema and PMN infiltration from intradermal LL-37.Anionic polysaccharides, exemplified by SAGEs, offer potential as novel mechanism-based therapies for rosacea and by extension other LL-37-mediated and RAGE-ligand driven skin diseases
Demographic, clinical and antibody characteristics of patients with digital ulcers in systemic sclerosis: data from the DUO Registry
OBJECTIVES: The Digital Ulcers Outcome (DUO) Registry was designed to describe the clinical and antibody characteristics, disease course and outcomes of patients with digital ulcers associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc).
METHODS: The DUO Registry is a European, prospective, multicentre, observational, registry of SSc patients with ongoing digital ulcer disease, irrespective of treatment regimen. Data collected included demographics, SSc duration, SSc subset, internal organ manifestations, autoantibodies, previous and ongoing interventions and complications related to digital ulcers.
RESULTS: Up to 19 November 2010 a total of 2439 patients had enrolled into the registry. Most were classified as either limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc; 52.2%) or diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc; 36.9%). Digital ulcers developed earlier in patients with dcSSc compared with lcSSc. Almost all patients (95.7%) tested positive for antinuclear antibodies, 45.2% for anti-scleroderma-70 and 43.6% for anticentromere antibodies (ACA). The first digital ulcer in the anti-scleroderma-70-positive patient cohort occurred approximately 5 years earlier than the ACA-positive patient group.
CONCLUSIONS: This study provides data from a large cohort of SSc patients with a history of digital ulcers. The early occurrence and high frequency of digital ulcer complications are especially seen in patients with dcSSc and/or anti-scleroderma-70 antibodies
On the b-completion of certain quotient-spaces
We study the b-completion of the three Friedmann models of the Universe, having as models
for 3-space the sphere, the Euclidean space or the hyperbolic space. We show that in the first case
there is just one singularity, having the full completion as only neighborhood. In the other two cases
there is one essential singularity, which is the limit of all past causal geodesics; again, it has a single
neighborhood. This extends results by Bosshard [On the b-boundary of the closed Friendmann
Model, Commun. Math. Phys. 46 (1976) 263-2681 and Johnson [The bundle boundary in some
special cases, J. Math. Phys. 18 (5) (1977) 898-9021 on the closed Friedmann model