Normalization of bundle holomorphic contractions and applications to dynamics

We establish a Poincar\'e-Dulac theorem for sequences (G_n)_n of holomorphic contractions whose differentials d_0 G_n split regularly. The resonant relations determining the normal forms hold on the moduli of the exponential rates of contraction. Our results are actually stated in the framework of bundle maps. Such sequences of holomorphic contractions appear naturally as iterated inverse branches of endomorphisms of CP(k). In this context, our normalization result allows to precisely estimate the distortions of ellipsoids along typical orbits. As an application, we show how the Lyapunov exponents of the equilibrium measure are approximated in terms of the multipliers of the repulsive cycles.Comment: 29 pages, references added, to appear in Ann. Inst. Fourie

Are physical performance and injury risk in a professional soccer team in match-play affected over a prolonged period of fixture congestion?

In this study, the effects of a prolonged period of fixture congestion (8 successive official matches in 26-days) on physical performance and injury risk and severity in a professional soccer team were investigated. Computerised motion-analysis was used to analyse the overall distance covered and that run at light- (0.0-11.0 km•h-1); low- (11.1-14.0 km•h-1); moderate- (14.1-19.7 km•h-1) and high-intensities (≥19.8 km•h-1) for the team as a whole. Distances were measured in metres per minute. Information on match injuries was recorded prospectively. The overall distance covered varied across successive matches (p<0.001) as more distance was run in games 4 and 7 compared to 2 and 3 respectively (126.6±12.3 m•min-1 and 125.0±13.2 m•min-1 vs. 116.0±8.0 m•min-1 and 115.5±11.0 m•min-1). Distance run in light-intensity exercise also varied (p<0.001) as more distance was covered in game 4 versus 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 (75.5±3.8 m•min-1 vs. 70.6±2.4 m•min-1, 71.8±3.4 m•min-1, 69.3±2.6 m•min-1, 71.5±3.1 m•min-1, and 70.3±2.8 m•min-1) and in game 8 versus game 3 (73.1±3.8 vs. 69.3±2.6 m•min-1) respectively. When comparing match halves, there were no differences across games in overall or high-intensity distance covered and performance in these measures was similar for matches played before, during and after this period. Globally, no difference over the 8 games combined was observed between the reference team and opponents in any of the performance measures whereas the overall distance covered and that in low- (both p<0.001) and high-intensity running (p=0.040) differed in individual games. The incidence of match injury during the congested fixture period was similar to rates reported outside this period but the mean layoff duration of injuries was substantially shorter during the former (p<0.05). In summary, while the overall distance run and that covered at lower intensities varied across games, high-intensity running performance and injury risk were generally unaffected during a prolonged period of fixture congestion. These results might be linked to squad rotation and post-match recovery strategies in place at the present club

Long-lived quantum memory with nuclear atomic spins

We propose to store non-classical states of light into the macroscopic collective nuclear spin ($10^{18}$ atoms) of a $^3$He vapor, using metastability exchange collisions. These collisions, commonly used to transfer orientation from the metastable state $2^{3}S\_1$ to the ground state state of $^3$He, can also transfer quantum correlations. This gives a possible experimental scheme to map a squeezed vacuum field state onto a nuclear spin state with very long storage times (hours).Comment: 4 page

Squad management, injury and match performance in a professional soccer team over a Championship-winning season

Squad management, injury and physical, tactical and technical match performance were investigated in a professional soccer team across five consecutive league seasons (2008–2013, 190 league games) with specific focus on a championship-winning season (2010/11). For each player, match participation and time-loss injuries were recorded, the latter prospectively diagnosed by the team's physician. Defending and attacking tactical and technical performance indicators investigated included ball possession and possession in opponents' half, passes, forward passes, completed passes and forward passes, crosses and completed crosses, goal attempts and goal attempts on target, successful final third entries, free-kicks and 50/50 duels won/lost. Physical performance measures included total distance and distance covered at high-speeds (≥19.1 km/h). Results showed that during the 2010/11 season, squad utilisation was lowest potentially owing to the observed lower match injury occurrence and working days lost to injury thereby increasing player availability. In 2010/11, the team won both its highest number of points and conceded its lowest number of goals especially over the second half of this season. The team also won its highest number of games directly via a goal from a substitute and scored and conceded a goal first on the highest and lowest number of occasions, respectively. While multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) detected a significant difference in some attacking and defensive performance indicators across the five seasons, these were generally not distinguishing factors in 2010/11. Similarly, univariate ANOVAs showed a significant difference in running distances covered across seasons, but the trend was for less activity in 2010/11

Are aerobic fitness and repeated sprint ability linked to fatigue in professional soccer match-play? A pilot study

This investigation examined the association between aerobic fitness and repeated sprint ability and match-related fatigue in 9 professional outfield soccer players. Aerobic fitness using maximal aerobic speed (MAS) was determined via a continuous progressive incremental running test conducted on a motorised treadmill. A repeated sprint ability test (6 successive 6 s sprints separated by 20 s passive recovery) was performed on a non-motorised treadmill to determine mean and best sprint times and a percentage decrement score (%PD). A total of 114 observations of physical performance derived using computerised time motion analyses were collected from 33 matches. Correlations between fitness test and match-play measures were examined for 1) accumulated fatigue: percentage difference between halves for total distance covered per minute, distance run at high-intensities (HIR, actions for 1s duration, >19.1 km/h) per minute, mean recovery time between high-intensity runs, and percentage difference between the distance covered in HIR in the first 5- and 15-minute periods versus the final 5- and 15-minute periods respectively in normal time; and for 2) transient fatigue: percentage difference between the distance covered in HIR in a peak 5-minute period and the subsequent 5-minute period and for the latter compared to the mean for all other 5-minute periods. No significant relationships were observed between MAS and fatigue scores (magnitude of associations: trivial to large). For mean and best sprint times and %PD, the only reported significant correlation (r=0.77, magnitude of association: very large, p<0.05) was between %PD and the % difference across halves for mean recovery time between high-intensity runs (magnitude of other associations: small to large). Criterion measures from tests of aerobic fitness and repeated sprint ability might not accurately depict a player’s capacity to resist fatigue during professional soccer competition

BMI-for-age graphs with severe obesity percentile curves: Tools for plotting cross-sectional and longitudinal youth BMI data

Abstract Background Severe obesity is an important and distinct weight status classification that is associated with disease risk and is increasing in prevalence among youth. The ability to graphically present population weight status data, ranging from underweight through severe obesity class 3, is novel and applicable to epidemiologic research, intervention studies, case reports, and clinical care. Methods The aim was to create body mass index (BMI) graphing tools to generate sex-specific BMI-for-age graphs that include severe obesity percentile curves. We used the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention youth reference data sets and weight status criteria to generate the percentile curves. The statistical software environments SAS and R were used to create two different graphing options. Results This article provides graphing tools for creating sex-specific BMI-for-age graphs for males and females ages 2 to <20 years. The novel aspects of these graphing tools are an expanded BMI range to accommodate BMI values ˃35 kg/m2, inclusion of percentile curves for severe obesity classes 2 and 3, the ability to plot individual data for thousands of children and adolescents on a single graph, and the ability to generate cross-sectional and longitudinal graphs. Conclusions These new BMI graphing tools will enable investigators, public health professionals, and clinicians to view and present youth weight status data in novel and meaningful ways

Off-plane motion of an oblate capsule in a simple shear flow

This paper was presented at the 4th Micro and Nano Flows Conference (MNF2014), which was held at University College, London, UK. The conference was organised by Brunel University and supported by the Italian Union of Thermofluiddynamics, IPEM, the Process Intensification Network, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, the Heat Transfer Society, HEXAG - the Heat Exchange Action Group, and the Energy Institute, ASME Press, LCN London Centre for Nanotechnology, UCL University College London, UCL Engineering, the International NanoScience Community, www.nanopaprika.eu.We investigate the mechanical equilibrium state of an oblate capsule when its revolution axis is initially off the shear plane. We consider an oblate capsule with an aspect ratio of 0.5 and a strain-hardening membrane. The three-dimensional fluid-structure interaction problem is solved numerically by coupling a finite element method with a boundary integral method. The capsule converges towards the same mechanical equilibrium state whatever the initial orientation. This equilibrium depends on the capillary number Ca, which compares the viscous to the elastic forces and on the viscosity ratio between the internal and external fluids. For = 1, the tumbling and swinging motions, observed when the revolution axis is initially in the shear plane, are mechanically stable until Ca 1; when Ca is further increased, the capsule assumes the rolling motion that is observed when its revolution axis is initially aligned with the vorticity axis. When is increased, the tumbling-to-swinging transition appears for higher Ca and the swinging-to-rolling transition for lower Ca. For 5, the swinging regime completely disappears: depending on Ca, it is then either the tumbling or the rolling motion that is the mechanical equilibrium state