B(Ds^+ -> l^+ nu) and the Decay Constant f_(D_s^+)

I report final CLEO-c results on the purely leptonic decays of the D_s^+ -> l^+ nu, for the cases when l^+ is a mu^+ or tau^+, when it decays into pi^+ anti-nu, using 314/pb of data at 4.170 GeV. I also include preliminary results from the tau^+ -> e^+ nu anti-nu channel using 195/pb. Combining both we measure f_{D_s}= 275 +/- 10 +/- 5 MeV, and f_{D_s^+}/{f_{D^+}=1.24 +/- 0.10 =/- 0.03 .Comment: Presented at "The 2007 Europhysics Conference on High Energy Physics," Manchester, England, 19-25 July 2007, to appear in the proceedings. Three pages, 1 figur

A comparison of methods to estimate anaerobic capacity: Accumulated oxygen deficit and W' during constant and all-out work-rate profiles.

This document is the Pre-Print version of an article first published by Taylor & Francis Group in Journal of Sports Sciences, on December 2016, available online at:http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02640414.2016.1267386. The Accepted Manuscript version is under embargo. Embargo end date: 26 June 2018.This study investigated (i) whether the accumulated oxygen deficit (AOD) and curvature constant of the power-duration relationship (W') are different during constant work-rate to exhaustion (CWR) and 3-min all-out (3MT) tests and (ii) the relationship between AOD and W' during CWR and 3MT. Twenty-one male cyclists (age: 40 ± 6 years; maximal oxygen uptake [V̇O2max]: 58 ± 7 ml · kg-1 · min-1) completed preliminary tests to determine the V̇O2-power output relationship and V̇O2max. Subsequently, AOD and W' were determined as the difference between oxygen demand and oxygen uptake and work completed above critical power, respectively, in CWR and 3MT. There were no differences between tests for duration, work, or average power output (P ≥ 0.05). AOD was greater in the CWR test (4.18 ± 0.95 vs. 3.68 ± 0.98 L; P = 0.004), whereas W' was greater in 3MT (9.55 ± 4.00 vs. 11.37 ± 3.84 kJ; P = 0.010). AOD and W' were significantly correlated in both CWR (P < 0.001, r = 0.654) and 3MT (P < 0.001, r = 0.654). In conclusion, despite positive correlations between AOD and W' in CWR and 3MT, between-test differences in the magnitude of AOD and W', suggest that both measures have different underpinning mechanisms.Peer reviewe

Can clinicians and scientists explain and prevent unexplained underperformance syndrome in elite athletes: an interdisciplinary perspective and 2016 update

The coach and interdisciplinary sports science and medicine team strive to continually progress the athlete's performance year on year. In structuring training programmes, coaches and scientists plan distinct periods of progressive overload coupled with recovery for anticipated performances to be delivered on fixed dates of competition in the calendar year. Peaking at major championships is a challenge, and training capacity highly individualised, with fine margins between the training dose necessary for adaptation and that which elicits maladaptation at the elite level. As such, optimising adaptation is key to effective preparation. Notably, however, many factors (eg, health, nutrition, sleep, training experience, psychosocial factors) play an essential part in moderating the processes of adaptation to exercise and environmental stressors, for example, heat, altitude; processes which can often fail or be limited. In the UK, the term unexplained underperformance syndrome (UUPS) has been adopted, in contrast to the more commonly referenced term overtraining syndrome, to describe a significant episode of underperformance with persistent fatigue, that is, maladaptation. This construct, UUPS, reflects the complexity of the syndrome, the multifactorial aetiology, and that ‘overtraining’ or an imbalance between training load and recovery may not be the primary cause for underperformance. UUPS draws on the distinction that a decline in performance represents the universal feature. In our review, we provide a practitioner-focused perspective, proposing that causative factors can be identified and UUPS explained, through an interdisciplinary approach (ie, medicine, nutrition, physiology, psychology) to sports science and medicine delivery, monitoring, and data interpretation and analysis

Recent Results in Bottomonium

Great strides have been made in the understanding of bound states of a bottom quark $b$ and its antiquark $\bar b$ since the discovery of the first $\Upsilon$ resonances in 1977. These {\it bottomonium} bound states have a rich spectrum whose masses and transition amplitudes shed valuable light on the strong interactions. The present article reviews some recent developments in bottomonium physics. These include the discovery of the spin-singlet states $\eta_b$ and $h_b$, the first D-wave states, one or more candidates for spin-triplet $\chi_b(3P)$ excitations, and above-threshold states with strong transitions to states below threshold. Information on transitions, production, and signatures of new physics is also presented.Comment: 47 pages, 2 figures, to be submitted to Annual Review of Nuclear and Particle Scienc

A Parsec-Scale Study of the 5/15 GHz Spectral Indices of the Compact Radio Sources in M82

Observations of the starburst galaxy, M82, have been made with the VLA in its A-configuration at 15 GHz and MERLIN at 5 GHz enabling a spectral analysis of the compact radio structure on a scale of < 0.1'' (1.6 pc). Crucial to these observations was the inclusion of the Pie Town VLBA antenna, which increased the resolution of the VLA observations by a factor of ~2. A number of the weaker sources are shown to have thermal spectra and are identified as HII regions with emission measures ~10^7 cm^-6 pc. Some of the sources appear to be optically thick at 5 GHz implying even higher emission measures of ~10^8 cm^-6 pc. The number of compact radio sources in M82 whose origin has been determined is now 46, of which 30 are supernova related and the remaining 16 are HII regions. An additional 15 sources are noted, but have yet to be identified, meaning that the total number of compact sources in M82 is at least 61. Also, it is shown that the distribution of HII regions is correlated with the large-scale ionised gas distribution, but is different from the distribution of supernova remnants. In addition, the brightest HII region at (B1950) 09h 51m 42.21s +69 54' 59.2'' shows a spectral index gradient across its resolved structure which we attribute to the source becoming optically thick towards its centre.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. 15 pages, 9 figure

The variation in pressures exerted by commercially available compression garments

Commercially available compression garments (CGs) demonstrate the enhanced recovery from exercise in some, but not all studies. It is possible that in some cases the degree of compression pressure (ComP) exerted is not sufficient to produce any physiological benefit. The aim of this investigation was to identify the levels of ComP exerted by commercially available CGs. This study was composed of two parts. In part A 50 healthy, physically active individuals (n=26 male, n=24 female) were fitted with CGs according to manufacturer’s guidelines. ComP was measured in participants standing in the anatomical position with a pressure measurement device inserted between the skin and the garment. Data were compared to ‘ideal’ pressure values proposed in the literature. In part B ComP in three different brands of CG were compared in a population of 29 men who all wore a medium sized garment. A one way ANOVA indicated that there was a significant difference (P0.05) between observed and ideal pressures in the calf of the male population. No significant differences in pressure (P>0.05) were observed between CG brands at the quadriceps or calf. In conclusion a large number of individuals may not be experiencing an adequate ComP from CG, and this is true for all 3 of the major brands of CGs tested in this investigation