5,260 research outputs found
The Coupled Cluster Method in Hamiltonian Lattice Field Theory: SU(2) Glueballs
The glueball spectrum within the Hamiltonian formulation of lattice gauge
theory (without fermions) is calculated for the gauge group SU(2) and for two
spatial dimensions.
The Hilbert space of gauge-invariant functions of the gauge field is
generated by its parallel-transporters on closed paths along the links of the
spatial lattice. The coupled cluster method is used to determine the spectrum
of the Kogut-Susskind Hamiltonian in a truncated basis. The quality of the
description is studied by computing results from various truncations, lattice
regularisations and with an improved Hamiltonian.
We find consistency for the mass ratio predictions within a scaling region
where we obtain good agreement with standard lattice Monte Carlo results.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figure
Seroprevalence of Hepatitis E among Boston Area Travelers, 2009-2010
We determined the prevalence of IgG antibodies to hepatitis E virus (anti-HEV IgG) among travelers
attending Boston-area travel health clinics from 2009 to 2010. Pre-travel samples were available for 1,356 travelers,
with paired pre- and post-travel samples for 450 (33%). Eighty of 1,356 (6%) pre-travel samples were positive
for anti-HEV IgG. Compared with participants who had never lived in nor traveled to a highly endemic
country, the pre-travel prevalence odds ratio (POR) of anti-HEV IgG among participants born in or with a history
of previous travel to a highly endemic country was increased (POR = 4.8, 95% CI = 2.3–10.3 and POR = 2.6,
95% CI = 1.4–5.0, respectively). Among participants with previous travel to a highly endemic country, anti-HEV
IgG was associated with age > 40 years (POR = 3.7, 95% CI = 1.3–10.2) and travel history to ≥ 3 highly endemic
countries (POR = 2.7, 95% CI = 1.2–5.9). Two participants may have contracted HEV infection during their
2009–2010 trip
Series Expansions for the Massive Schwinger Model in Hamiltonian lattice theory
It is shown that detailed and accurate information about the mass spectrum of
the massive Schwinger model can be obtained using the technique of
strong-coupling series expansions. Extended strong-coupling series for the
energy eigenvalues are calculated, and extrapolated to the continuum limit by
means of integrated differential approximants, which are matched onto a
weak-coupling expansion. The numerical estimates are compared with exact
results, and with finite-lattice results calculated for an equivalent lattice
spin model with long-range interactions. Both the heavy fermion and the light
fermion limits of the model are explored in some detail.Comment: RevTeX, 10 figures, add one more referenc
Self-reported illness among Boston-area international travelers: A prospective study
This is the Accepted Manuscript version and was published in final edited form as: Travel Med Infect Dis. 2016 ; 14(6): 604–613. doi:10.1016/j.tmaid.2016.09.009.BACKGROUND: The Boston Area Travel Medicine Network surveyed travelers on travel-related health problems.
METHODS: Travelers were recruited 2009-2011 during pre-travel consultation at three clinics. The investigation included pre-travel data, weekly during-travel diaries, and a post-travel questionnaire. We analyzed demographics, trip characteristics, health problems experienced, and assessed the relationship between influenza vaccination, influenza prevention advice, and respiratory symptoms.
RESULTS:Of 987 enrolled travelers, 628 (64%) completed all surveys, of which 400 (64%) reported health problems during and/or after travel; median trip duration was 12 days. Diarrhea affected the most people during travel (172) while runny/stuffy nose affected the most people after travel (95). Of those with health problems during travel, 25% stopped or altered plans; 1% were hospitalized. After travel, 21% stopped planned activities, 23% sought physician or other health advice; one traveler was hospitalized. Travelers who received influenza vaccination and influenza prevention advice had lower rates of respiratory symptoms than those that received influenza prevention advice alone (18% vs 28%, P = 0.03).
CONCLUSIONS:A large proportion of Boston-area travelers reported health problems despite pre-travel consultation, resulting in inconveniences. The combination of influenza prevention advice and influenza immunization was associated with fewer respiratory symptoms than those who received influenza prevention advice alone
Travelers’ diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms among Boston-area international travelers
INTRODUCTION: Travelers' diarrhea (TD) and non-TD gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are common among international travelers. In a study of short-term travelers from Switzerland to developing countries, the most common symptom experienced was severe diarrhea (8.5%) followed by vomiting or abdominal cramps (4%).1 GI illnesses were the most frequently reported diagnoses (34%) among ill-returned travelers to GeoSentinel clinics.2 Of those returning to U.S. GeoSentinel clinics, acute diarrhea (30%) was the most common diagnosis.3 In one cohort of U.S. travelers, 46% reported diarrhea.4 GI illnesses can last from 2 days to weeks or longer,5 disrupting plans during travel or after returning home. Eighty percent of those who experienced diarrhea during travel treated themselves with medication and 6% sought medical care.
METHODS: The Boston Area Travel Medicine Network (BATMN) is a research collaboration of travel clinics in the greater Boston area representing urban-, suburban-, academic-, and university-affiliated facilities. A convenience sample of travelers ≥ 18 years of age attending three BATMN clinics between 2009 and 2011 for pre-travel consultations completed pre-travel surveys, at least one survey weekly during travel, and a post-travel survey 2–4 weeks after return. Travelers were asked to complete a survey at the end of each week of their trip. Institutional review board approvals were obtained at all sites and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and participants provided written informed consent. Information collected included demographic and trip characteristics, vaccines and medications recommended/prescribed before travel, medications taken during travel, dietary practices during travel (consumption of tap water, ice in drinks, unpasteurized dairy products, and salads), symptoms experienced, and impact of illness during and after travel. Vaccinations, prescriptions, and travel health advice given during the pre-travel consultation were recorded by a clinician, and the remainder of the surveys were completed by the traveler. Data were entered into a password-protected database (CS Pro, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC).
RESULTS: We enrolled 987 travelers; 628 (64%) completed all three parts (pre-, during, and post-travel) and were included in the study. Comparison of the 628 to the 359 who did not complete all three parts (noncompleters) revealed no differences, except that completion rates were higher for white travelers than all other racial/ethnic groups (P < 0.001) and for older travelers (median age 47 years versus 32 years in noncompleters, P < 0.001).11 Of those 628 travelers, 208 (33%) experienced TD, 45 (7%) experienced non-TD GI symptoms, 147 (23%) experienced non-GI symptoms, and 228 (36%) did not experience any symptoms during or after travel. Of the 208 with TD, 140 (67%) reported diarrhea as their only symptom, whereas 33 (16%) also experienced nausea/vomiting, 23 (11%) abdominal pain, and 27 (13%) fever (Table 1). Of the 45 who reported non-TD GI symptoms, 21 (47%) experienced nausea/vomiting, 19 (42%) experienced constipation, and 10 (22%) experienced abdominal pain during or after travel (Table 2). Almost all travelers (99%) received advice about food and water precautions and diarrhea management during pre-travel consultation
Critical and off-critical studies of the Baxter-Wu model with general toroidal boundary conditions
The operator content of the Baxter-Wu model with general toroidal boundary
conditions is calculated analytically and numerically. These calculations were
done by relating the partition function of the model with the generating
function of a site-colouring problem in a hexagonal lattice. Extending the
original Bethe-ansatz solution of the related colouring problem we are able to
calculate the eigenspectra of both models by solving the associated
Bethe-ansatz equations. We have also calculated, by exploring the conformal
invariance at the critical point, the mass ratios of the underlying massive
theory governing the Baxter-Wu model in the vicinity of its critical point.Comment: 32 pages latex, to appear in J. Phys. A: Math. Ge
Ground state parameters, finite-size scaling, and low-temperature properties of the two-dimensional S=1/2 XY model
We present high-precision quantum Monte Carlo results for the S=1/2 XY model
on a two-dimensional square lattice, in the ground state as well as at finite
temperature. The energy, the spin stiffness, the magnetization, and the
susceptibility are calculated and extrapolated to the thermodynamic limit. For
the ground state, we test a variety of finite-size scaling predictions of
effective Lagrangian theory and find good agreement and consistency between the
finite-size corrections for different quantities. The low-temperature behavior
of the susceptibility and the internal energy is also in good agreement with
theoretical predictions.Comment: 6 pages, 8 figure
A Frustrated 3-Dimensional Antiferromagnet: Stacked Layers
We study a frustrated 3D antiferromagnet of stacked layers. The
intermediate 'quantum spin liquid' phase, present in the 2D case, narrows with
increasing interlayer coupling and vanishes at a triple point. Beyond this
there is a direct first-order transition from N{\' e}el to columnar order.
Possible applications to real materials are discussed.Comment: 11 pages,7 figure
Quantum Monte Carlo study of the one-dimensional Holstein model of spinless fermions
The Holstein model of spinless fermions interacting with dispersionless
phonons in one dimension is studied by a Green's function Monte Carlo
technique. The ground state energy, first fermionic excited state, density wave
correlations, and mean lattice displacement are calculated for lattices of up
to 16 sites, for one fermion per two sites, i.e., a half-filled band. Results
are obtained for values of the fermion hopping parameter of ,
, and where is the phonon frequency. At a finite
fermion-phonon coupling there is a transition from a metallic phase to an
insulating phase in which there is charge-density-wave order. Finite size
scaling is found to hold in the metallic phase and is used to extract the
coupling dependence of the Luttinger liquid parameters, and ,
the velocity of charge excitations and the correlation exponent, respectively.
For free fermions () and for strong coupling () our
results agree well with known analytic results. For and
our results are inconsistent with the metal-insulator transition being a
Kosterlitz-Thouless transition.\\Comment: 16 pages of ReVTeX, 11 figures in uuencoded compressed tar file.
Minor changes to text. Our results are inconsistent with the metal-insulator
transition studied being a Kosterlitz-Thouless transition. The figures are
now in the correct order. To appear in Physical Review B, April 15, 199
Monte Carlo simulation of the transmission of measles: Beyond the mass action principle
We present a Monte Carlo simulation of the transmission of measles within a
population sample during its growing and equilibrium states by introducing two
different vaccination schedules of one and two doses. We study the effects of
the contact rate per unit time as well as the initial conditions on the
persistence of the disease. We found a weak effect of the initial conditions
while the disease persists when lies in the range 1/L-10/L ( being
the latent period). Further comparison with existing data, prediction of future
epidemics and other estimations of the vaccination efficiency are provided.
Finally, we compare our approach to the models using the mass action
principle in the first and another epidemic region and found the incidence
independent of the number of susceptibles after the epidemic peak while it
strongly fluctuates in its growing region. This method can be easily applied to
other human, animals and vegetable diseases and includes more complicated
parameters.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures, 1 table, Submitted to Phys.Rev.
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