We evaluate the sporting effects of the seeding system reforms in the Champions League, the major football club tournament organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). Before the 2015–2016 season, the teams were seeded in the group stage by their ratings. Starting from the 2015–2016 season, national champions of the Top-7 associations are seeded in the first pot, whereas other teams are seeded by their rating as before. Taking effect from the season 2018–2019, the team’s rating no longer includes 20% of the rating of the association that the team represents. Using the prediction model, we simulate the whole UEFA season and obtain numerical estimates for competitiveness changes in the UEFA tournaments caused by these seeding reforms. We report only marginal changes in tournament metrics that characterize ability of the tournament to select the best teams and competitive balance. Probability of changes in the UEFA national association ranking does not exceed several percent for any association.

In this paper we propose a new method of coarse-grained computer simulations of the microgel formation in course of free radical precipitation polymerization. For the first time, we simulate the precipitation polymerization process from a dilute solution of initial components to a final microgel particle with coarse grained molecular dynamics, and compare it to the experimental data. We expect that our simulation studies of PNIPA-like microgels will be able to elucidate the subject of nucleation and growth kinetics and to describe in detail the network topology and structure. Performed computer simulations help to determine the characteristic phases of the growth process and show the necessity of prolongated synthesis for the formation of stable microgel particles. We demonstrate the important role of dangling ends in microgels, which occupy as much as 50% of its molecular mass and have previously unattended influence on the swelling behavior. The verification of the model is made by the comparison of collapse curves and structure factors between simulated and experimental systems, and high quality matching is achieved. This work could help to open new horizons in studies that require the knowledge of detailed and realistic structures of the microgel networks.

Accounting for π–π interactions between conjugated polymer molecules via dynamic bonds allows their self-assembly into a lamellar morphology with π–π stacks.

Polymer microgels with a dense outer shell offer outstanding features as universal carriers for different guest molecules.

We consider the structure transitions in oblate supramicrometer nematic droplets related to reorientation of the line defect in the electric field. These transitions can be used in optical devices based on polymer dispersed liquid crystal materials with high contrast ratio. We suggest a simple method for determination of director distribution in nematic droplets of an arbitrary shape with surface interaction and in the presence of constant electric field. Point and linear defects are taken into account. This method does not require any presuppositions about symmetry of the director distribution. The elasticity continuum theory is treated with Monte Carlo annealing on a simple lattice. A special triangulation-based technique is applied for accurate representation of the droplet boundaries. The method is tested on 5CB material.