Remark on charge conjugation in the non relativistic limit

We study the non relativistic limit of the charge conjugation operation $\cal C$ in the context of the Dirac equation coupled to an electromagnetic field. The limit is well defined and, as in the relativistic case, $\cal C$, $\cal P$ (parity) and $\cal T$ (time reversal) are the generators of a matrix group isomorphic to a semidirect sum of the dihedral group of eight elements and $\Z_2$. The existence of the limit is supported by an argument based in quantum field theory. Also, and most important, the limit exists in the context of galilean relativity. Finally, if one complexifies the Lorentz group and therefore the galilean spacetime $x_\mu$, then the explicit form of the matrix for $\cal C$ allows to interpret it, in this context, as the complex conjugation of the spatial coordinates: $\vec{x} \to \vec{x}^*$. This result is natural in a fiber bundle description.Comment: 8 page

Effects of coffee with different roasting degrees on obesity and related metabolic disorders

This study aimed to assess the effect of unroasted, dark and very dark roasted coffee on obesity and metabolic disorders in obese rats. All coffee samples significantly reduced weight gain (∼17%) compared to obese control. Coffee reduced glucose levels (∼17%) upon a glucose tolerance test in all cases compared to the control, while fasting glucose only decreased (∼26%) with very dark coffee. Insulin levels and insulin resistance significantly decreased (∼77% and 65% respectively) with all coffee samples compared to the control. Unroasted and dark roasted coffee decreased triglycerides (∼21% and ∼ 11%, respectively), and unroasted coffee also reduced free fatty acids (∼43%) and adipocyte size. Coffee decreased liver steatosis (∼55%) and Caspase-3 levels (∼27%), regardless of the roasting degree. Overall, coffee plays a positive role in restraining obesity and related metabolic disorders but, depending on the metabolic pathway and relevant marker, an effect of roasting could be either found or not

Fenton-like oxidation of Orange II solutions using heterogeneous catalysts based on saponite clay

Fe-clay catalysts have been prepared and tested for Orange II oxidation with H2O2 in aqueous solution. Thereaction is carried out in a batch reactor, using different hydrogen peroxide concentrations, and in a wide range oftemperature and pH values. Twelve samples were prepared, with three different iron loads (7.5, 13.0 and 17.0 %,w/w), and using four iron salts as precursors, namely Fe(II) acetate, Fe(II) oxalate, Fe(II) acetylacetonate and Fe(III)acetylacetonate. The samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, infrared spectroscopy andadsorption of nitrogen at 77K. The catalytic results show that these solids present good catalytic properties for thedegradation and mineralization of Orange II solutions, allowing to reach, in the best conditions and after 4h ofoxidation, 99% of dye degradation with 91% of TOC (Total Organic Carbon) reduction (at 70ºC), using only ca. 90 mgof clay catalyst per litre of solution. Nevertheless, 96% of dye removal with 82% of mineralization were also reachedat 30ºC. Besides, the amount of iron released into the final solution is lower than 1 ppm, in the worst of the cases,and 0.09 ppm in the best case

Summary of session A4 at the GRG18 conference: Alternative Theories of Gravity

More than 50 abstracts were submitted to the A4 session on "Alternatives Theories of Gravity" at the GRG18 conference. About 30 of them were scheduled as oral presentations, that we summarize below. We do not intend to give a critical review, but rather pointers to the corresponding papers. The main topics were (i) brane models both from the mathematical and the phenomenological viewpoints; (ii) Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity in higher dimensions or coupled to a scalar field; (iii) modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND); (iv) scalar-tensor and f(R) theories; (v) alternative models involving Lorentz violations, noncommutative spacetimes or Chern-Simons corrections.Comment: 9 pages, no figure; the GRG18 conference was held in Sydney, Australia, 8-13 July 200

Properties of Graphene: A Theoretical Perspective

In this review, we provide an in-depth description of the physics of monolayer and bilayer graphene from a theorist's perspective. We discuss the physical properties of graphene in an external magnetic field, reflecting the chiral nature of the quasiparticles near the Dirac point with a Landau level at zero energy. We address the unique integer quantum Hall effects, the role of electron correlations, and the recent observation of the fractional quantum Hall effect in the monolayer graphene. The quantum Hall effect in bilayer graphene is fundamentally different from that of a monolayer, reflecting the unique band structure of this system. The theory of transport in the absence of an external magnetic field is discussed in detail, along with the role of disorder studied in various theoretical models. We highlight the differences and similarities between monolayer and bilayer graphene, and focus on thermodynamic properties such as the compressibility, the plasmon spectra, the weak localization correction, quantum Hall effect, and optical properties. Confinement of electrons in graphene is nontrivial due to Klein tunneling. We review various theoretical and experimental studies of quantum confined structures made from graphene. The band structure of graphene nanoribbons and the role of the sublattice symmetry, edge geometry and the size of the nanoribbon on the electronic and magnetic properties are very active areas of research, and a detailed review of these topics is presented. Also, the effects of substrate interactions, adsorbed atoms, lattice defects and doping on the band structure of finite-sized graphene systems are discussed. We also include a brief description of graphane -- gapped material obtained from graphene by attaching hydrogen atoms to each carbon atom in the lattice.Comment: 189 pages. submitted in Advances in Physic

High blood pressure in school children: prevalence and risk factors

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of high blood pressure (HBP) and associated risk factors in school children 8 to 13 years of age. METHODS: Elementary school children (n = 1,066) were examined. Associations between HBP, body mass index (BMI), gender, ethnicity, and acanthosis nigricans (AN) were investigated using a school based cross-sectional study. Blood pressure was measured and the 95(th )percentile was used to determine HBP. Comparisons between children with and without HBP were utilized. The crude and multiple logistic regression adjusted odds ratios were used as measures of association. RESULTS: Females, Hispanics, overweight children, and children with AN had an increased likelihood of HBP. Overweight children (BMI ≥ 85(th )percentile) and those with AN were at least twice as likely to present with HBP after controlling for confounding factors. CONCLUSION: Twenty one percent of school children had HBP, especially the prevalence was higher among the overweight and Hispanic group. The association identified here can be used as independent markers for increased likelihood of HBP in children

The Fourteenth Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey: First Spectroscopic Data from the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey and from the second phase of the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment

The fourth generation of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-IV) has been in operation since July 2014. This paper describes the second data release from this phase, and the fourteenth from SDSS overall (making this, Data Release Fourteen or DR14). This release makes public data taken by SDSS-IV in its first two years of operation (July 2014-2016). Like all previous SDSS releases, DR14 is cumulative, including the most recent reductions and calibrations of all data taken by SDSS since the first phase began operations in 2000. New in DR14 is the first public release of data from the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS); the first data from the second phase of the Apache Point Observatory (APO) Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE-2), including stellar parameter estimates from an innovative data driven machine learning algorithm known as "The Cannon"; and almost twice as many data cubes from the Mapping Nearby Galaxies at APO (MaNGA) survey as were in the previous release (N = 2812 in total). This paper describes the location and format of the publicly available data from SDSS-IV surveys. We provide references to the important technical papers describing how these data have been taken (both targeting and observation details) and processed for scientific use. The SDSS website (www.sdss.org) has been updated for this release, and provides links to data downloads, as well as tutorials and examples of data use. SDSS-IV is planning to continue to collect astronomical data until 2020, and will be followed by SDSS-V.Comment: SDSS-IV collaboration alphabetical author data release paper. DR14 happened on 31st July 2017. 19 pages, 5 figures. Accepted by ApJS on 28th Nov 2017 (this is the "post-print" and "post-proofs" version; minor corrections only from v1, and most of errors found in proofs corrected

Diminishing benefits of urban living for children and adolescents’ growth and development

Optimal growth and development in childhood and adolescence is crucial for lifelong health and well-being1–6. Here we used data from 2,325 population-based studies, with measurements of height and weight from 71 million participants, to report the height and body-mass index (BMI) of children and adolescents aged 5–19 years on the basis of rural and urban place of residence in 200 countries and territories from 1990 to 2020. In 1990, children and adolescents residing in cities were taller than their rural counterparts in all but a few high-income countries. By 2020, the urban height advantage became smaller in most countries, and in many high-income western countries it reversed into a small urban-based disadvantage. The exception was for boys in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa and in some countries in Oceania, south Asia and the region of central Asia, Middle East and north Africa. In these countries, successive cohorts of boys from rural places either did not gain height or possibly became shorter, and hence fell further behind their urban peers. The difference between the age-standardized mean BMI of children in urban and rural areas was <1.1 kg m–2 in the vast majority of countries. Within this small range, BMI increased slightly more in cities than in rural areas, except in south Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and some countries in central and eastern Europe. Our results show that in much of the world, the growth and developmental advantages of living in cities have diminished in the twenty-first century, whereas in much of sub-Saharan Africa they have amplified