677 research outputs found

    Applying chiral perturbation to twisted mass Lattice QCD

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    We have explored twisted mass LQCD (tmLQCD) analytically using chiral perturbation theory, including discretization effects up to O(a^2), and working at next-to-leading (NLO) order in the chiral expansion. In particular we have studied the vacuum structure, and calculated the dependence of pion masses and decay constants on the quark mass, twisting angle and lattice spacing. We give explicit examples for quantities that both are and are not automatically improved at maximal twisting.Comment: 3 pages, 1 figure. Talk given at Lattice2004(spectrum), Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, June 21 - 26, 2004. v2: Minor typos fixed, slight page format adjustment for generating 3 page postscript at the arXiv. v3: Change to meta-data field only. No change to actual pape

    Monitoring training loads, stress, immune-endocrine responses and performance in tennis players

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    The study aim was to investigate the effect of a periodised pre-season training plan on internal training load and subsequent stress tolerance, immune-endocrine responses and physical performance in tennis players. Well-trained young tennis players (n = 10) were monitored across the pre-season period, which was divided into 4 weeks of progressive overloading training and a 1-week tapering period. Weekly measures of internal training load, training monotony and stress tolerance (sources and symptoms of stress) were taken, along with salivary testosterone, cortisol and immunoglobulin A. One repetition maximum strength, running endurance, jump height and agility were assessed before and after training. The periodised training plan led to significant weekly changes in training loads (i.e. increasing in weeks 3 and 4, decreasing in week 5) and posttraining improvements in strength, endurance and agility (P \u3c 0.05). Cortisol concentration and the symptoms of stress also increased in weeks 3 and/or 4, before returning to baseline in week 5 (P \u3c 0.05). Conversely, the testosterone to cortisol ratio decreased in weeks 3 and 4, before returning to baseline in week 5 (P \u3c 0.05). In conclusion, the training plan evoked adaptive changes in stress tolerance and hormonal responses, which may have mediated the improvements in physical performance

    Monitoring training loads in professional basketball players engaged in a periodized training programme

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    The aims of this study were to investigate the dynamics of external (eTL) and internal (iTL) training loads during seasonal periods and examine the effect of a periodized training programme on physical performance in professional basketball players. Repeated measures for 9 players (28±6 yr; 199±8 cm; 101±12 kg) were collected from 45 training sessions, over a 6-wk pre-season phase and a 5-wk in-season phase. Physical tests were conducted at baseline (T1), week 4 (T2) and week 9 (T3). Differences in means are presented as % ± Confident Limits (CL). A very likely difference was observed during in-season compared to pre-season for the eTL variables measured by GPS: mechanical load (13.5±8.8) and peak acceleration (11.0±11.2) respectively. Regarding iTL responses, a very large decrement in TRIMP (most likely difference, -20.6±3.8) and in session-RPE training load (very likely difference, -14.2±9.0) was detected from pre-season to in-season. Physical performance improved from T1 to T3 for: Yo-Yo Intermittent-Recovery Test 1, 62.2±34.3, ES>1.2; Countermovement Jump, 8.8±6.1, ES>0.6; and Squat Jump, 14.8±10.2, ES>0.8. Heart rate (HR; % HRpeak) exercise responses during a submaximal running test decreased from T1 to T3 (3.2±4.3, ES1.2). These results provide valuable information to coaches about training loads and physical performance across different seasonal periods. The data demonstrate that both eTL and iTL measures should be monitored in association with physical tests to provide a comprehensive understanding of the training process

    Effect of a congested match schedule on immune-endocrine responses, technical performance, and session-RPE in elite youth soccer players

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    This study investigated the effects of a congested match schedule (7 matches played in 7 days) on steroid hormone concentrations, mucosal immunity, session rating of perceived exertion (S-RPE) and technical performance in 16 elite youth soccer players (14.8 ± 0.4 yr; 170.6 ± 9.4 cm; 64.9 ± 7 kg). No change was observed for salivary cortisol concentration across multiple matches (p=0.33; Effect size [ES]=0.13-0.48). In contrast, there was a decrease in salivary testosterone and IgA concentrations (SIgA) from the 1st compared to the last time-point (p=0.01 and 0.001, ES=0.42 and 0.67, respectively). The SIgA concentration varied across time points (p 0.05). A higher number of tackles and interceptions were observed during the 4th match vs. 1st and 7th matches (p<0.001; ES=2.25 and 1.90, respectively). The present data demonstrate that accumulated fatigue related to participation in a congested match schedule might induce a decrease in testosterone concentration in youth players’ and negatively affect their mucosal immunity and capacity to perform certain technical actions

    Validade e reprodutibilidade de receptores para o GPS em relação à distância percorrida Validez y reproducibilidad de receptores GPS en relación de la distancia recorrida

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    ResumenObjetivoEl presente estudio evaluó la validez y reproducibilidad de dos modelos de receptores para el Global Positioning System (GPS). La validez fue evaluada comparando la distancia registrada por los receptores con la distancia conocida de estos trayectos.MétodoSeis jóvenes tenistas (177,6±6,2cm; 76,6±3,2kg) recorrieron tres trayectos: 1) 100m en la pista de atletismo (número de “disparos” = 120); 2) 400m en la pista de atletismo (número de “disparos” = 60) y 3) 100m con cambios de dirección (número de “disparos” = 120), utilizando los equipos Garmin© Forerunner 405 y Polar© RS800.ResultadosEn los trayectos sin cambios de dirección (100 y 400m), a través de la ANOVA two way (distancia y velocidad) no se detectaron diferencias entre la distancia conocida y las distancias registradas por los receptores analizados (p>0,05). En el trayecto de 100m con cambios de dirección, se observaron diferencias entre la distancia conocida y las registradas tanto por el Polar© RS800 como por el Garmin© Forerunner 405 (p<0,05). También se verificó la diferencia en las distancias registradas por el Polar® RS800 y por el Garmin© Forerunner 405 para el trayecto realizado con cambios de dirección (p<0,05).ConclusiónA través de los datos, se puede afirmar que los receptores para GPS evaluados presentaron un nivel aceptable de precisión para distancias recorridas sin cambios de dirección, sin embargo, la precisión de estos equipos en trayectos con cambios de dirección fue limitada.AbstractObjectiveThe present study evaluated the reproducibility and validity of two models of receivers for the Global Positioning System (GPS). Validity was assessed by comparing the distance recorded by the GPS receivers with the known distance.MethodSix young players (177.6±6.2cm; 76.6±3.2kg) performed three routes with different characteristics: 1) 100m in the athletics track (number of “sprints” = 120); 2) 400m in the athletics track (number of “sprints” = 60) and 3) 100m with changes of direction (number of “sprints” = 120), using equipment Garmin© Forerunner 405 and Polar© RS800.ResultsRegarding linear routes (100 and 400m), no differences were detected using ANOVA two-way (distance and speed) between the known distance and distance recorded by GPS receivers analyzed (p>0.05). Regarding non-linear route of, significant differences were observed between the known distance and recorded distance by the GPS receivers (p<0.05). There was also a significant difference between the distance recorded by Polar© RS800 and Garmin© Forerunner 405 for the non-linear route (p<0.05). Analysis of the limits of agreement reinforces the limitation of equipment in relation to accuracy for the non-linear route.ConclusionThese data suggest that the GPS receivers evaluated showed acceptable level of accuracy for linear routes, however, the accuracy of such devices on non-linear routes was limited

    Exotic Heavy Fermion State in the Filled Skutterudite PrFe4_4P12_{12} Uncovered by the de Haas-van Alphen Effect

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    We report the de Haas-van Alphen (dHvA) experiment on the filled skutterudite PrFe4_4P12_{12} exhibiting apparent Kondo-like behaviors in the transport and thermal properties. We have found enormously enhanced cyclotron effective mass mc=81m0m^{\rm \ast}_{\rm c}=81 m_{\rm 0} in the high field phase (HFP), which indicates that PrFe4_4P12_{12} is the first Pr-compound in which really heavy mass has been unambiguously confirmed. Also in the low field non-magnetic ordered phase (LOP), we observed the dHvA branch with mc=10m0m^{\rm \ast}_{\rm c}=10 m_{0} that is quite heavy taking into account its small Fermi surface volume (0.15% of the Brillouin zone size). The insensitivity of mass in LOP against the magnetic field suggests that the quadrupolar interaction plays a main role both in the mass renormalization and the LOP formation.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, Phys. Rev. B (01 October 2002) in pres

    The Role of Subclass Switching in the Pathogenesis of Endemic Pemphigus Foliaceus

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    Endemic pemphigus foliaceus, like the sporadic form seen in the developed world, is mediated by IgG antibodies to desmoglein-1. We studied an endemic focus in Limao Verde, Brazil, where disease prevalence is 3.4%. We previously detected IgG antibodies to desmoglein-1 in 97% of patients, but also in 55% of normal subjects in the endemic focus, with progressively lower levels in normal subjects in surrounding areas. An environmental trigger is hypothesized to explain these and other findings. In this study we sought to determine if patients and enzyme-linked-immunosorbent-assay-positive normal subjects in Limao Verde differ in IgG subclass response to desmoglein-1. We developed a sensitive and specific subclass enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using recombinant desmoglein-1 and standardized the assay to enable comparability between the four subclasses. We found that normal subjects have an IgG1 and IgG4 response, whereas patients have similar levels of IgG1 but a mean 19.3-fold higher IgG4 response. Patients in remission have a weak IgG4 response, and a 74.3-fold higher IgG4 response is associated with active disease. Finally, in five patients in whom we had blood samples from both before and after the onset of clinical disease, a mean 103.08-fold rise in IgG4 was associated with onset of clinical disease, but only a mean 3.45-fold rise in IgG1. These results suggest that the early antibody response in normal subjects living in the endemic area and in patients before the onset of clinical disease is mainly IgG1. Acquisition of an IgG4 response is a key step in the development of clinical disease

    Anomalous heavy-fermion and ordered states in the filled skutterudite PrFe4P12

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    Specific heat and magnetization measurements have been performed on high-quality single crystals of filled-skutterudite PrFe_4P_{12} in order to study the high-field heavy-fermion state (HFS) and low-field ordered state (ODS). From a broad hump observed in C/T vs T in HFS for magnetic fields applied along the direction, the Kondo temperature of ~ 9 K and the existence of ferromagnetic Pr-Pr interactions are deduced. The {141}-Pr nuclear Schottky contribution, which works as a highly-sensitive on-site probe for the Pr magnetic moment, sets an upper bound for the ordered moment as ~ 0.03 \mu_B/Pr-ion. This fact strongly indicates that the primary order parameter in the ODS is nonmagnetic and most probably of quadrupolar origin, combined with other experimental facts. Significantly suppressed heavy-fermion behavior in the ODS suggests a possibility that the quadrupolar degrees of freedom is essential for the heavy quasiparticle band formation in the HFS. Possible crystalline-electric-field level schemes estimated from the anisotropy in the magnetization are consistent with this conjecture.Comment: 7 pages and 7 figures. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

    Two-Loop O(αsGFmt2){\cal O}(\alpha_sG_Fm_t^2) Corrections to the Fermionic Decay Rates of the Standard-Model Higgs Boson

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    Low- and intermediate mass Higgs bosons decay preferably into fermion pairs. The one-loop electroweak corrections to the respective decay rates are dominated by a flavour-independent term of O(GFmt2){\cal O}(G_Fm_t^2). We calculate the two-loop gluon correction to this term. It turns out that this correction screens the leading high-mtm_t behaviour of the one-loop result by roughly 10\%. We also present the two-loop QCD correction to the contribution induced by a pair of fourth-generation quarks with arbitrary masses. As expected, the inclusion of the QCD correction considerably reduces the renormalization-scheme dependence of the prediction.Comment: 14 pages, latex, figures 2-5 appended, DESY 94-08

    Measurement of the Xi-p Scattering Cross Sections at Low Energy

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    In this paper we report cross-section measurements for Ξp\Xi^-p elastic and inelastic scatterings at low energy using a scintillating fiber active target. Upper limit on the total cross-section for the elastic scattering was found to be 24 mb at 90% confidence level, and the total cross section for the ΞpΛΛ\Xi^-p\to\Lambda\Lambda reaction was found to be 4.32.7+6.34.3^{+6.3}_{-2.7} mb. We compare the results with currently competing theoretical estimates.Comment: 9 page
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