Can ultrastrong coupling change ground state chemical reactions?

Recent advancements on the fabrication of organic micro- and nanostructures have permitted the strong collective light-matter coupling regime to be reached with molecular materials. Pioneering works in this direction have shown the effects of this regime in the excited state reactivity of molecular systems and at the same time has opened up the question of whether it is possible to introduce any modifications in the electronic ground energy landscape which could affect chemical thermodynamics and/or kinetics. In this work, we use a model system of many molecules coupled to a surface-plasmon field to gain insight on the key parameters which govern the modifications of the ground-state Potential Energy Surface (PES). Our findings confirm that the energetic changes per molecule are determined by single-molecule-light couplings which are essentially local, in contrast with those of the electronically excited states, for which energetic corrections are of a collective nature. Still, we reveal some intriguing quantum-coherent effects associated with pathways of concerted reactions, where two or more molecules undergo reactions simultaneously, and which can be of relevance in low-barrier reactions. Finally, we also explore modifications to nonadiabatic dynamics and conclude that, for this particular model, the presence of a large number of dark states yields negligible changes. Our study reveals new possibilities as well as limitations for the emerging field of polariton chemistry

Unpolarized light in quantum optics

We present a new derivation of the unpolarized quantum states of light, whose general form was first derived by Prakash and Chandra [Phys. Rev. A 4, 796 (1971)]. Our derivation makes use of some basic group theory, is straightforward, and offers some new insights.Comment: 3 pages, REVTeX, presented at ICQO'200

Siw 2D planar array with four cross slots radiator and tuning vias

A Substrate Integrated Waveguide (SIW) planar array is presented using a right handed circularly polarized (RHCP) element with four crossed tilted radiating slots. In addition, a pair of metallic tuning vias is included to really improve the reflection of longest slots. A corporate feeding network over SIW has been designed for distributing the input signal to 128 radiating elements, divided into 8 progressive wave linear arrays of 16 elements each. The designed planar array has been manufactured and measured to verify the antenna performance. 25.5 dB gain, 2.33 dB axial ratio, as well as 85% radiation efficiency values have been experimentally achieved at 17 GHz. A 3% usable bandwidth (16.75{17.25 GHz) is obtained due to the typical frequency main beam tilt dispersion in the elevation plane of the progressive wave arrays

La risa: niveles y factores demográficos, en el contexto de la COVID-19: Laughter: demographic levels and factors, in the context of COVID-19

Introduction: The pandemic does not stop, neither does the studies on it; This pandemic produces pain, sadness, despair and deaths, the numbers of which are incalculable. Faced with this difficult and painful situation, laughter raises its flag of hope. Objective: The study aims to describe the levels and demographic factors of laughter, in the context of COVID-19. Methods: The study corresponds to a quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional approach. The data were obtained through a virtual survey, whose participants were 101, from the three regions. Results: Of the 101 participants, 87 (between 20 and 60 years old) are located in the high level and 14 in the medium level. Similarly, 14 (among single, married, divorced and cohabitants) in the medium level and 87 in the high level. Of the three regions (coast, mountains and jungle), 14 in the medium level and 87 in the high level. On the other hand, 6 men and 8 women are in the medium level, in the high 28 and 59, respectively. In the factor: religion, 14 (among Catholics, Adventists, Evangelicals and others) in the medium level, 87 in the high. According to the factor: educational level (primary, secondary and higher), 14 and 87 are located in the low and high level, respectively. In the family and friends circle, laughter is always experienced: 58.4% and 66.3%, respectively; for respondents it is easier to laugh, always, 54.5% and 66.3%, in the family environment and with friends, respectively. They declared that laughter prevents diseases, strengthens health, prevents covid-19, strengthens the immune system and limits the production of the hormone cortisol (responsible for stress), always 70.3%, 31.7%, 81.2; 31.7%, 71.3% and 83.2%, respectively. Conclusion: In the context of COVID-19, the most significant levels of laughter found in the study are two: medium and high; the most weighted demographic factors are: age, sex, religion, and employment status.Introducción: La pandemia no se detiene, los estudios sobre la misma tampoco; esta pandemia produce dolor, tristeza, desesperación y muertes, cuyos números son incalculables. Ante esta situación difícil y dolorosa, la risa levanta su bandera de esperanza. Objetivo: El estudio tiene el objetivo de describir los niveles y los factores demográficos de la risa, en el contexto la COVID-19. Métodos: El estudio corresponde a un enfoque cuantitativo, de tipo descriptivo, de corte transversal. Los datos sobre los niveles de la risa se obtuvieron mediante una encuesta virtual, cuyos participantes fueron 101, de edades entre 20 y 60 años, quienes participaron voluntariamente, procedentes de las tres regiones del Perú: costa, sierra y selva. Los datos sobre la experiencia de la risa, con misma encuesta, con el tipo Likert: nunca, a veces y siempre. Resultados: De los 101 participantes, 87 (entre 20 y 60 años) presentan una risa en el nivel alto y 14 en el nivel medio. 14 participantes (entre solteros, casados, divorciados y convivientes) revelan una risa en el nivel medio y 87 en el nivel alto. De las tres regiones (costa, sierra y selva), 14 participantes se ubican en el nivel medio y 87 en el nivel alto. Por otro lado, 6 hombres y 8 mujeres practican una risa ubicada en el nivel medio, en el alto 28 y 59, respectivamente. En el factor: religión, 14 (entre católicos, adventistas, evangélicos y otros) revelan una sonrisa en el nivel medio, 87 en el alto. Según el factor: nivel de estudios (primario, secundario y superior), 14 y 87 ubican su risa en el nivel bajo y alto, respectivamente. En el círculo familiar y de los amigos, se experimenta siempre la risa: 58.4% y 66.3%, respectivamente; para los encuestados es más fácil reír, siempre, 54.5% y 66.3%, en el entorno familiar y de los amigos, respectivamente. Declararon que la risa previene las enfermedades, fortalece la salud, evita el covid-19, fortalece el sistema inmunológico y limita la producción de la hormona cortisol (responsable del estrés), siempre 70.3%, 31.7%, 81.2; 31.7%, 71.3% y 83.2%, respectivamente. Conclusión: En el contexto de la COVID-19, los niveles más significativos de la risa encontrados en el estudio son dos: medio y alto; los factores demográficos más ponderados son: edad, sexo, religión y estado laboral

Abasy Atlas: a comprehensive inventory of systems, global network properties and systems-level elements across bacteria

Ibarra-Arellano MA, Campos-Gonzalez AI, Trevino-Quintanilla LG, Tauch A, Freyre-Gonzalez JA. Abasy Atlas: a comprehensive inventory of systems, global network properties and systems-level elements across bacteria. DATABASE-THE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL DATABASES AND CURATION. 2016;2016: baw089.The availability of databases electronically encoding curated regulatory networks and of high-throughput technologies and methods to discover regulatory interactions provides an invaluable source of data to understand the principles underpinning the organization and evolution of these networks responsible for cellular regulation. Nevertheless, data on these sources never goes beyond the regulon level despite the fact that regulatory networks are complex hierarchical-modular structures still challenging our understanding. This brings the necessity for an inventory of systems across a large range of organisms, a key step to rendering feasible comparative systems biology approaches. In this work, we take the first step towards a global understanding of the regulatory networks organization by making a cartography of the functional architectures of diverse bacteria. Abasy (Across-bacteria systems) Atlas provides a comprehensive inventory of annotated functional systems, global network properties and systems-level elements (global regulators, modular genes shaping functional systems, basal machinery genes and intermodular genes) predicted by the natural decomposition approach for reconstructed and meta-curated regulatory networks across a large range of bacteria, including pathogenically and biotechnologically relevant organisms. The meta-curation of regulatory datasets provides the most complete and reliable set of regulatory interactions currently available, which can even be projected into subsets by considering the force or weight of evidence supporting them or the systems that they belong to. Besides, Abasy Atlas provides data enabling large-scale comparative systems biology studies aimed at understanding the common principles and particular lifestyle adaptions of systems across bacteria. Abasy Atlas contains systems and system-level elements for 50 regulatory networks comprising 78 649 regulatory interactions covering 42 bacteria in nine taxa, containing 3708 regulons and 1776 systems. All this brings together a large corpus of data that will surely inspire studies to generate hypothesis regarding the principles governing the evolution and organization of systems and the functional architectures controlling them

Normative Anthropometric and Physical-Function Scores for Costa Rican Older Adults

INTRODUCTION: The aging population is becoming significantly large in several countries due to improved health conditions and higher life expectancy. For instance, Costa Rican elderly have 17% less mortality at 90 yr. of age than elderly from high-income countries, and in Costa Rica life expectancy is higher for men than for women. In developed countries such as Spain, a large number of sedentary elderly have been found with elevated body fat percentage, which might impact their overall health and quality of life. Although the international scientific literature is extensive, the physical and functional status of Central American elderly is unknown. PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to construct normative scores for anthropometric, adiposity and upper-arm strength variables in Costa Rican adults aged 60 to 110 yr. METHODS: Participants were 5494 Costa Rican elderly randomly selected from the Costa Rican National Population Census. These participants were assessed to determine their general health status and to obtain anthropometric, adiposity and hand grip strength measures. RESULTS: Nearly 50% of males and females showed an increased risk of metabolic complications (χ2 = 91.6; p ≤ 0.001). A higher percentage of females (64.5%) had abdominal obesity compared to males (18.6%). Males (39.8%) were more pre-obese than females (37.2%) and also type II obesity was more frequent in males (3.8%) than in females (3.5%). Males had higher body weight (4.4%) than females (3.9%), less type I obesity (13.4%) than women (17.5%) and less type III obesity (1.0%) than females (1.5%). Gender specific percentile-based norms (P10th, P25th, P50th, P75th, and P90th) were derived from data collected for each 10-year age groups (60-69, 70-79, 80-89, 90-99, and ≥100). CONCLUSION: This is the first population-based study in Central America reporting normative scores for anthropometric and physical-function variables in older adults

Reproductibilidad de un cuestionario que valora la actividad física en adolescentes escolares

Introducción: Los cuestionarios de actividad física por lo general son los instrumentos más sencillos y fáciles de aplicar a grandes poblaciones, sin embargo, la capacidad de reproductibilidad varía entre las poblaciones. Objetivo: Analizar la fiabilidad de un cuestionario que valora la Actividad Física en una muestra de escolares adolescentes que viven a elevada altitud por medio de consistencia interna y test re-test. Diseño: Descriptivo-Transversal (Survey). Institución: Universidad Nacional del Altiplano, Puno, Perú. Participantes: Adolescentes escolares de 12 a 17 años. Intervenciones: Fueron seleccionados de forma sistemática 109 escolares de ambos sexos. Se valoró las medidas antropométricas de peso, estatura, estatura sentada y circunferencia del abdomen. Además se aplicó un cuestionario de actividad física con 11 preguntas (test y re-test) con un intervalo de 7 días. Principales medidas: Valoración de la capacidad de reproductibilidad por consistencia interna y estabilidad. Resultados: Los valores de alpha de Cronbach (Consistencia interna) mostraron valores de 0,73 a 0,77 para ambos sexos. El Error Técnico de Medida (ETM) fue de 0,50 a 1,61% y el coeficiente de correlación de Spearman  osciló entre 0,91 a 0,95. Conclusión: El cuestionario de actividad física muestra altos valores de confiabilidad, tanto en su consistencia interna como en la estabilidad de las medidas. Introduction: Physical activity questionnaires usually are the most simple and easy to apply to large populations, however, reproducibility capacity varies between populations. Objective: To analyze the reliability of a questionnaire to assess physical activity in a sample of school adolescents living at high altitude through internal consistency and test re-test. Design: Descriptive, transversal (Survey). Institution: Universidad Nacional del Altiplano, Puno, Peru. Participants: School Teens 12 to 17 years. Interventions: There were systematically selected 109 students of both sexes. We evaluated anthropometric measurements of weight, height, sitting height and circumference of the abdomen. In addition we applied a physical activity questionnaire with 11 questions (test and re-test) with an interval of 7 days. Main measures: capacity rating for internal consistency, reproducibility and stability. Results: Cronbach's alpha values ??(internal consistency) showed values ??from 0.73 to 0.77 for both sexes. Measuring technical error (SEM) was from 0.50 to 1.61% and the Spearman correlation coefficient ranges from 0.91 to 0.95. Conclusion: The physical activity questionnaire shows high values ??of reliability, consistency both internally and in the stability of the measures