Polarizing Bubble Collisions

We predict the polarization of cosmic microwave background (CMB) photons that results from a cosmic bubble collision. The polarization is purely E-mode, symmetric around the axis pointing towards the collision bubble, and has several salient features in its radial dependence that can help distinguish it from a more conventional explanation for unusually cold or hot features in the CMB sky. The anomalous "cold spot" detected by the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) satellite is a candidate for a feature produced by such a collision, and the Planck satellite and other proposed surveys will measure the polarization on it in the near future. The detection of such a collision would provide compelling evidence for the string theory landscape.Comment: Published version. 15 pages, 8 figure

Attractor Solutions in f(T) Cosmology

In this paper, we explore the cosmological implications of interacting dark energy model in a torsion based gravity namely $f(T)$. Assuming dark energy interacts with dark matter and radiation components, we examine the stability of this model by choosing different forms of interaction terms. We consider three different forms of dark energy: cosmological constant, quintessence and phantom energy. We then obtain several attractor solutions for each dark energy model interacting with other components. This model successfully explains the coincidence problem via the interacting dark energy scenario.Comment: 10 pages, 23 figures, version accepted for publication in European Physical Journal C (2012

Notes on dark energy interacting with dark matter and unparticle in loop quantum cosmology

We investigate the behavior of dark energy interacting with dark matter and unparticle in the framework of loop quantum cosmology. In four toy models, we study the interaction between the cosmic components by choosing different coupling functions representing the interaction. We found that there are only two attractor solutions namely dark energy dominated and dark matter dominated Universe. The other two models are unstable, as they predict either a dark energy filled Universe or one completely devoid of it.Comment: 9 pages, 10 figures. v2: Minor revisions, matches published versio

On two superintegrable nonlinear oscillators in N dimensions

We consider the classical superintegrable Hamiltonian system given by $H=T+U={p^2}/{2(1+\lambda q^2)}+{{\omega}^2 q^2}/{2(1+\lambda q^2)}$, where U is known to be the "intrinsic" oscillator potential on the Darboux spaces of nonconstant curvature determined by the kinetic energy term T and parametrized by {\lambda}. We show that H is Stackel equivalent to the free Euclidean motion, a fact that directly provides a curved Fradkin tensor of constants of motion for H. Furthermore, we analyze in terms of {\lambda} the three different underlying manifolds whose geodesic motion is provided by T. As a consequence, we find that H comprises three different nonlinear physical models that, by constructing their radial effective potentials, are shown to be two different nonlinear oscillators and an infinite barrier potential. The quantization of these two oscillators and its connection with spherical confinement models is briefly discussed.Comment: 11 pages; based on the contribution to the Manolo Gadella Fest-60 years-in-pucelandia, "Recent advances in time-asymmetric quantum mechanics, quantization and related topics" hold in Valladolid (Spain), 14-16th july 201

B-mode Detection with an Extended Planck Mission

The Planck satellite has a nominal mission lifetime of 14 months allowing two complete surveys of the sky. Here we investigate the potential of an extended Planck mission of four sky surveys to constrain primordial B-mode anisotropies in the presence of dominant Galactic polarized foreground emission. An extended Planck mission is capable of powerful constraints on primordial B-modes at low multipoles, which cannot be probed by ground based or sub-orbital experiments. A tensor-scalar ratio of r=0.05 can be detected at a high significance level by an extended Planck mission and it should be possible to set a 95% upper limit on r of 0.03 if the tensor-scalar ratio is vanishingly small. Furthermore, extending the Planck mission to four sky surveys offers better control of polarized Galactic dust emission, since the 217 GHz frequency band can be used as an effective dust template in addition to the 353 GHz channel.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figure

Impact of the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak on mental health and psychiatric drug use among portuguese pharmacy professionals

The COVID-19 outbreak was considered a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020 [1]. This outbreak has raised public health problems, bringing with it several implications both on physical and psychological level, in particular for health professionals on the front line of the pandemic, for the greater risk of infection [2,3]. In this sense, it is pertinent to evaluate how the COVID-19 outbreak had implications on the mental health and in the consumption of psychotropic drugs in Portugal, and among pharmacy professionals.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Kalb-Ramond excitations in a thick-brane scenario with dilaton

We compute the full spectrum and eigenstates of the Kalb-Ramond field in a warped non-compact Randall-Sundrum -type five-dimensional spacetime in which the ordinary four-dimensional braneworld is represented by a sine-Gordon soliton. This 3-brane solution is fully consistent with both the warped gravitational field and bulk dilaton configurations. In such a background we embed a bulk antisymmetric tensor field and obtain, after reduction, an infinite tower of normalizable Kaluza-Klein massive components along with a zero-mode. The low lying mass eigenstates of the Kalb-Ramond field may be related to the axion pseudoscalar. This yields phenomenological implications on the space of parameters, particularly on the dilaton coupling constant. Both analytical and numerical results are given.Comment: 10 pages, 13 figures, and 2 tables. Final version to appear in The European Physical Journal

Multiwavelength studies of MHD waves in the solar chromosphere: An overview of recent results

The chromosphere is a thin layer of the solar atmosphere that bridges the relatively cool photosphere and the intensely heated transition region and corona. Compressible and incompressible waves propagating through the chromosphere can supply significant amounts of energy to the interface region and corona. In recent years an abundance of high-resolution observations from state-of-the-art facilities have provided new and exciting ways of disentangling the characteristics of oscillatory phenomena propagating through the dynamic chromosphere. Coupled with rapid advancements in magnetohydrodynamic wave theory, we are now in an ideal position to thoroughly investigate the role waves play in supplying energy to sustain chromospheric and coronal heating. Here, we review the recent progress made in characterising, categorising and interpreting oscillations manifesting in the solar chromosphere, with an impetus placed on their intrinsic energetics.Comment: 48 pages, 25 figures, accepted into Space Science Review

Measurement of D*+/- meson production in jets from pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

This paper reports a measurement of D*+/- meson production in jets from proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of sqrt(s) = 7 TeV at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The measurement is based on a data sample recorded with the ATLAS detector with an integrated luminosity of 0.30 pb^-1 for jets with transverse momentum between 25 and 70 GeV in the pseudorapidity range |eta| < 2.5. D*+/- mesons found in jets are fully reconstructed in the decay chain: D*+ -> D0pi+, D0 -> K-pi+, and its charge conjugate. The production rate is found to be N(D*+/-)/N(jet) = 0.025 +/- 0.001(stat.) +/- 0.004(syst.) for D*+/- mesons that carry a fraction z of the jet momentum in the range 0.3 < z < 1. Monte Carlo predictions fail to describe the data at small values of z, and this is most marked at low jet transverse momentum.Comment: 10 pages plus author list (22 pages total), 5 figures, 1 table, matches published version in Physical Review

Sarcopenia and associated factors among older adults at high risk of dementia

Abstract Background Sarcopenia and dementia share pathophysiological pathways and risk factors, including advanced age, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, smoking and diabetes. Older adults at high risk of dementia may face increased susceptibility to sarcopenia, which can also exacerbate cognitive decline. Thus, this study aims to estimate the frequency of sarcopenia and its associated factors within this vulnerable population. Methods This cross-sectional analysis includes data from a subset of older adults (65 years of age) enrolled in the MIND-Matosinhos randomized controlled trial, a community-based cognitive decline prevention program. Per the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People, probable sarcopenia is defined as low muscle strength (handgrip strength &lt;16 kg for women and &lt;27 kg for men). Sociodemographic, lifestyle and health-related data were collected via structured questionnaires. To assess factors associated with sarcopenia, odds ratios (OR) and respective confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated using logistic regression. Results A total of 157 participants (58.6% female), with a median age of 73 years (range: 65 to 85 years), were included. The overall prevalence of sarcopenia was 21.7% (n=34). After adjusting for sex, age and education, inadequate adherence to Mediterranean Diet (MD) (OR=10.90; 95% CI:1.41-84.52), current smoking status (OR=5.06; 95% CI:1.06-24.18) and poorer self-perceived health (OR=2.74; 95% CI:1.03-7.28) were positively associated with sarcopenia. No other statistically significant associations were found. Conclusions The observed sarcopenia frequency underscores the need for enhanced screening and management of this condition in community settings and among those at dementia risk. Inadequate adherence to MD, smoking and poor self-perceived health, seem to be associated with sarcopenia in older adults at high risk of dementia. Sarcopenia prevention should involve a holistic approach to promoting a healthy lifestyle. Key messages Sarcopenia was observed in 21.7% of older adults at high risk of dementia, indicating a significant burden on this vulnerable population. Inadequate adherence to the Mediterranean diet, smoking and poor self-perceived health were associated with sarcopenia. </jats:sec