INTRODUCTION The effects of stretch-induced damage, such as loss of force and appearance of localized sarcomere damage, are often explained by the popping sarcomere hypothesis [1]. This hypothesis contends that sarcomeres operating on the descending limb of the force-length relationship (FLR) are unstable. During a stretch, they are thought to undergo rapid lengthening until filament overlap is...

Geodesics on the infinite dimensional symmetric space H of Kähler metrics in a fixed Kähler class on a projective Kähler manifold X are solutions of a homogeneous complex Monge-Ampère equation in X×A, where A ⊂ C is an annulus. They are analogues of 1PS (one-parameter subgroups) on symmetric spaces GC/G. Donaldson, Arezzo-Tian and Phong-Sturm raised the question whether Monge-Ampère geodesics c...

In this article, we study the geodesic problem in a generalized metric space, in which the distance function satisfies a relaxed triangle inequality d(x, y) ≤ σ(d(x, z) +d(z, y)) for some constant σ ≥ 1, rather than the usual triangle inequality. Such a space is called a nearmetric space. We show that many well-known results in metric spaces (e.g. Ascoli-Arzelà theorem) still hold in nearmetric...

The computation of the index of the Hessian of the action functional in semi-Riemannian geometry at geodesics with two variable endpoints is reduced to the case of a fixed final endpoint. Using this observation, we give an elementary proof of the Morse Index Theorem for Riemannian geodesics with two variable endpoints, in the spirit of the original Morse’s proof. This approach reduces substanti...

BACKGROUND India's Smoke-Free Law (SFL) was implemented in 2004 and reinforced on 2nd October 2008. This research attempts to understand the knowledge and opinion of hospitality venue (HV) managers about second-hand smoke (SHS) and SFL as well as self-reported compliance with SFL in two Indian states. METHODS A survey was conducted among 804 randomly sampled HVs from project STEPS (Strengthen...

In this paper we analyze left invariant geodesic problems on matrix Lie groups from both the continuous and discrete viewpoint; the discrete approach approximates the continuous description. We show how the dynamic systems characterizing the extremals also arise from a generalization of the geodesic problem posed as an optimal control problem. We investigate conserved quantities and invariant m...

We prove that any real doubly periodic geodesic on an n dimensional ellipsoid with distinct semiaxes and caustic parameters is uniquely associated to a real hyperelliptic tangential cover and that the following density property holds: given a real closed geodesic on the ellipsoid Q = {X2 1/a1 + · · ·+X2 n+1/an+1 = 1} with caustic parameters cj, j = 1, . . . , n − 1, for any ǫ > 0 there exist (a...

JLhe most recent stage in the analysis of St. Anselm's Ontologi cal Argument is the modal-logical stage : if one wants to get clear as to what is wrong (or right) with it, one should phrase it in S5.1 I have misgivings about this maneuver, if it is claimed in the name of historical exegesis. While I think that the connnections between the Ontological Argument and modal logic are insightful and ...

We show that the index of a lightlike geodesic in a conformally standard stationary spacetime (M0 × R, g) is equal to the index of its spatial projection as a geodesic of a Finsler metric F on M0 associated to (M0×R, g). Moreover we obtain the Morse relations of lightlike geodesics connecting a point p to a curve γ(s) = (q0, s) by using Morse theory on the Finsler manifold (M0, F ). To this end...

An animal’s behaviour is a response to its environment and physiological condition, and as such, gives vital clues as to its well-being, which is highly relevant in conservation issues. Behaviour can generally be typified by body motion and body posture, parameters that are both measurable using animal-attached accelerometers. Interpretation of acceleration data, however, can be complex, as the...