7,012 research outputs found
Self-Averaging in the Three Dimensional Site Diluted Heisenberg Model at the critical point
We study the self-averaging properties of the three dimensional site diluted
Heisenberg model. The Harris criterion \cite{critharris} states that disorder
is irrelevant since the specific heat critical exponent of the pure model is
negative. According with some analytical approaches \cite{harris}, this implies
that the susceptibility should be self-averaging at the critical temperature
(). We have checked this theoretical prediction for a large range of
dilution (including strong dilution) at critically and we have found that the
introduction of scaling corrections is crucial in order to obtain
self-averageness in this model. Finally we have computed critical exponents and
cumulants which compare very well with those of the pure model supporting the
Universality predicted by the Harris criterion.Comment: 11 pages, 11 figures, 14 tables. New analysis (scaling corrections in
the g2=0 scenario) and new numerical simulations. Title and conclusions
chang
Contraceptive use and sexual function: a comparison of Italian female medical students and women attending family planning services
Objectives: The aims of the study were to understand how education relates to contraceptive choice and how sexual function can vary in relation to the use of a contraceptive method. Methods: We surveyed female medical students and women attending a family planning service (FPS) in Italy. Participants completed an online questionnaire which asked for information on sociodemographics, lifestyle, sexuality and contraceptive use and also included items of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Results: The questionnaire was completed by 413 women (362 students and 51 women attending the FPS) between the ages of 18 and 30 years. FSFI scores revealed a lower risk of sexual dysfunction among women in the control group who did not use oral hormonal contraception. The differences in FSFI total scores between the two study groups, when subdivided by the primary contraceptive method used, was statistically significant (p < 0.005). Women using the vaginal ring had the lowest risk of sexual dysfunction, compared with all other women, and had a positive sexual function profile. In particular, the highest FSFI domain scores were lubrication, orgasm and satisfaction, also among the control group. Expensive contraception, such as long-acting reversible contraception, was not preferred by this young population, even though such methods are more contemporary and manageable. Compared with controls, students had lower compliance with contraception and a negative attitude towards voluntary termination of pregnancy. Conclusion: Despite their scientific knowledge, Italian female medical students were found to need sexual and contraceptive assistance. A woman's sexual function responds to her awareness of her body and varies in relation to how she is guided in her contraceptive choice. Contraceptive counselling is an excellent means to improve female sexuality
Towards a fully automated computation of RG-functions for the 3- O(N) vector model: Parametrizing amplitudes
Within the framework of field-theoretical description of second-order phase
transitions via the 3-dimensional O(N) vector model, accurate predictions for
critical exponents can be obtained from (resummation of) the perturbative
series of Renormalization-Group functions, which are in turn derived
--following Parisi's approach-- from the expansions of appropriate field
correlators evaluated at zero external momenta.
Such a technique was fully exploited 30 years ago in two seminal works of
Baker, Nickel, Green and Meiron, which lead to the knowledge of the
-function up to the 6-loop level; they succeeded in obtaining a precise
numerical evaluation of all needed Feynman amplitudes in momentum space by
lowering the dimensionalities of each integration with a cleverly arranged set
of computational simplifications. In fact, extending this computation is not
straightforward, due both to the factorial proliferation of relevant diagrams
and the increasing dimensionality of their associated integrals; in any case,
this task can be reasonably carried on only in the framework of an automated
environment.
On the road towards the creation of such an environment, we here show how a
strategy closely inspired by that of Nickel and coworkers can be stated in
algorithmic form, and successfully implemented on the computer. As an
application, we plot the minimized distributions of residual integrations for
the sets of diagrams needed to obtain RG-functions to the full 7-loop level;
they represent a good evaluation of the computational effort which will be
required to improve the currently available estimates of critical exponents.Comment: 54 pages, 17 figures and 4 table
Eliminating leading corrections to scaling in the 3-dimensional O(N)-symmetric phi^4 model: N=3 and 4
We study corrections to scaling in the O(3)- and O(4)-symmetric phi^4 model
on the three-dimensional simple cubic lattice with nearest neighbour
interactions. For this purpose, we use Monte Carlo simulations in connection
with a finite size scaling method. We find that there exists a finite value of
the coupling lambda^*, for both values of N, where leading corrections to
scaling vanish. As a first application, we compute the critical exponents
nu=0.710(2) and eta=0.0380(10) for N=3 and nu=0.749(2) and eta=0.0365(10) for
N=4.Comment: 21 pages, 2 figure
Models of competitive learning: complex dynamics, intermittent conversions and oscillatory coarsening
We present two models of competitive learning, which are respectively
interfacial and cooperative learning. This learning is outcome-related, so that
spatially and temporally local environments influence the conversion of a given
site between one of two different types. We focus here on the behavior of the
models at coexistence, which yields new critical behavior and the existence of
a phase involving a novel type of coarsening which is oscillatory in nature.Comment: 23 pages, 11 figures. To appear in Phys. Rev.
Effective average action in statistical physics and quantum field theory
An exact renormalization group equation describes the dependence of the free
energy on an infrared cutoff for the quantum or thermal fluctuations. It
interpolates between the microphysical laws and the complex macroscopic
phenomena. We present a simple unified description of critical phenomena for
O(N)-symmetric scalar models in two, three or four dimensions, including
essential scaling for the Kosterlitz-Thouless transition.Comment: 34 pages,5 figures,LaTe
Quantum Dynamics of the Slow Rollover Transition in the Linear Delta Expansion
We apply the linear delta expansion to the quantum mechanical version of the
slow rollover transition which is an important feature of inflationary models
of the early universe. The method, which goes beyond the Gaussian
approximation, gives results which stay close to the exact solution for longer
than previous methods. It provides a promising basis for extension to a full
field theoretic treatment.Comment: 12 pages, including 4 figure
Critical renormalized coupling constants in the symmetric phase of the Ising models
Using a novel finite size scaling Monte Carlo method, we calculate the four,
six and eight point renormalized coupling constants defined at zero momentum in
the symmetric phase of the three dimensional Ising system. The results of the
2D Ising system that were directly measured are also reported. Our values of
the six and eight point coupling constants are significantly different from
those obtained from other methods.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figure
Profile and width of rough interfaces
In the context of Landau theory and its field theoretical refinements,
interfaces between coexisting phases are described by intrinsic profiles. These
intrinsic interface profiles, however, are neither directly accessible by
experiment nor by computer simulation as they are broadened by long-wavelength
capillary waves. In this paper we study the separation of the small scale
intrinsic structure from the large scale capillary wave fluctuations in the
Monte Carlo simulated three-dimensional Ising model. To this purpose, a
blocking procedure is applied, using the block size as a variable cutoff, and a
translationally invariant method to determine the interface position of
strongly fluctuating profiles on small length scales is introduced. While the
capillary wave picture is confirmed on large length scales and its limit of
validity is estimated, an intrinsic regime is, contrary to expectations, not
observed.Comment: 18 pages, 4 Postscript figures, LaTeX2e, formulation of sec.3.2
improved, 1 reference adde
A Monte Carlo study of leading order scaling corrections of phi^4 theory on a three dimensional lattice
We present a Monte Carlo study of the one-component model on the
cubic lattice in three dimensions. Leading order scaling corrections are
studied using the finite size scaling method. We compute the corrections to
scaling exponent with high precision. We determine the value of the
coupling at which leading order corrections to scaling vanish. Using
this result we obtain estimates for critical exponents that are more precise
than those obtained with field theoretic methods.Comment: 20 pages, two figures; numbers cited from ref. 23 corrected, few
typos correcte
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