204 research outputs found
Critical Behavior of Frustrated Josephson Junction Arrays with Bond Disorder
The scaling behavior of the current-voltage () characteristics of a
two-dimensional proximity-coupled Josephson junction array (JJA) with quenched
bond disorder was investigated for frustrations , 1/3, 2/5, and 1/2. For
all these frustrations including 1/5 and 2/5 where a strongly first-order phase
transition is expected in the absence of disorder, the characteristics
exhibited a good scaling behavior. The critical exponent indicates that
bond disorder may drive the phase transitions of frustrated JJA's to be
continuous but not into the Ising universality class, contrary to what was
observed in Monte Carlo simulations. The dynamic critical exponent for
JJA's was found to be only 0.60 - 0.77.Comment: RevTeX4, 4 pages, 4 figures, the manuscript is replaced with the
published versio
Aharonov-Bohm cages in two-dimensional structures
We present an extreme localization mechanism induced by a magnetic field for
tight-binding electrons in two-dimensional structures. This spectacular
phenomenon is investigated for a large class of tilings (periodic,
quasiperiodic, or random). We are led to introduce the Aharonov-Bohm cages
defined as the set of sites eventually visited by a wavepacket that can, for
particular values of the magnetic flux, be bounded. We finally discuss the
quantum dynamics which exhibits an original pulsating behaviour.Comment: 4 pages Latex, 3 eps figures, 1 ps figur
Domain Walls and Phase Transitions in the Frustrated Two-Dimensional XY Model
We study and compare the critical properties of the two-dimensional (2D) XY
model in a transverse magnetic field with magnetic filling factors f=1/3 and
f=2/5. In addition to the spin waves, the low energy excitations of the system
consist of various domain walls between degenerate ground states. The lowest
energy domain wall has a similar structure for both f=1/3 and f=2/5 and its
properties dictate the nature of the phase transition. For f=2/5 these lowest
energy walls have a negative energy for binding to each other, giving rise to a
branching domain-wall structure and leading to a first order phase transition.
For f=1/3 this binding energy is positive, resulting in a linear critical
interface. In order to make a comparison to recent experiments, we investigate
the effect of small quenched bond disorder for f=2/5. A finite-size scaling
analysis of extensive Monte Carlo simulations strongly suggests that the
critical exponents of the phase transition for f=1/3, and for f=2/5 with
disorder, fall into the universality class of the two-dimensional Ising model.Comment: 5 pages, 3 eps figures, REVTEX, revised version with new figure
Structural Relaxation, Self Diffusion and Kinetic Heterogeneity in the Two Dimensional Lattice Coulomb Gas
We present Monte Carlo simulation results on the equilibrium relaxation
dynamics in the two dimensional lattice Coulomb gas, where finite fraction
of the lattice sites are occupied by positive charges. In the case of high
order rational values of close to the irrational number
( is the golden mean), we find that the system
exhibits, for wide range of temperatures above the first-order transition, a
glassy behavior resembling the primary relaxation of supercooled liquids.
Single particle diffusion and structural relaxation show that there exists a
breakdown of proportionality between the time scale of diffusion and that of
structural relaxation analogous to the violation of the Stokes-Einstein
relation in supercooled liquids. Suitably defined dynamic cooperativity is
calculated to exhibit the characteristic nature of dynamic heterogeneity
present in the system.Comment: 12 pages, 20 figure
Spatiotemporal Stochastic Resonance in Fully Frustrated Josephson Ladders
We consider a Josephson-junction ladder in an external magnetic field with
half flux quantum per plaquette. When driven by external currents, periodic in
time and staggered in space, such a fully frustrated system is found to display
spatiotemporal stochastic resonance under the influence of thermal noise. Such
resonance behavior is investigated both numerically and analytically, which
reveals significant effects of anisotropy and yields rich physics.Comment: 8 pages in two columns, 8 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.
Superconducting states and depinning transitions of Josephson ladders
We present analytical and numerical studies of pinned superconducting states
of open-ended Josephson ladder arrays, neglecting inductances but taking edge
effects into account. Treating the edge effects perturbatively, we find
analytical approximations for three of these superconducting states -- the
no-vortex, fully-frustrated and single-vortex states -- as functions of the dc
bias current and the frustration . Bifurcation theory is used to derive
formulas for the depinning currents and critical frustrations at which the
superconducting states disappear or lose dynamical stability as and are
varied. These results are combined to yield a zero-temperature stability
diagram of the system with respect to and . To highlight the effects of
the edges, we compare this dynamical stability diagram to the thermodynamic
phase diagram for the infinite system where edges have been neglected. We
briefly indicate how to extend our methods to include self-inductances.Comment: RevTeX, 22 pages, 17 figures included; Errata added, 1 page, 1
corrected figur
Spatiotemporal dynamics of discrete sine-Gordon lattices with sinusoidal couplings
The spatiotemporal dynamics of a damped sine-Gordon chain with sinusoidal
nearest-neighbor couplings driven by a constant uniform force are discussed.
The velocity characteristics of the chain versus the external force is shown.
Dynamics in the high- and low-velocity regimes are investigated. It is found
that in the high-velocity regime, the dynamics is dominated by rotating modes,
the velocity shows a branching bifurcation feature, while in the low-velocity
regime, the velocity exhibits step-like dynamical transitions, broken by the
destruction of strong resonances.Comment: 10 Revtex pages, 8 Eps figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.E 57(1998
Target Product Profile for a Machine Learning–Automated Retinal Imaging Analysis Software for Use in English Diabetic Eye Screening: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study
\ua9 2024 JMIR Publications Inc.. All rights reserved.Background: Diabetic eye screening (DES) represents a significant opportunity for the application of machine learning (ML) technologies, which may improve clinical and service outcomes. However, successful integration of ML into DES requires careful product development, evaluation, and implementation. Target product profiles (TPPs) summarize the requirements necessary for successful implementation so these can guide product development and evaluation. Objective: This study aims to produce a TPP for an ML-automated retinal imaging analysis software (ML-ARIAS) system for use in DES in England. Methods: This work will consist of 3 phases. Phase 1 will establish the characteristics to be addressed in the TPP. A list of candidate characteristics will be generated from the following sources: an overview of systematic reviews of diagnostic test TPPs; a systematic review of digital health TPPs; and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s Evidence Standards Framework for Digital Health Technologies. The list of characteristics will be refined and validated by a study advisory group (SAG) made up of representatives from key stakeholders in DES. This includes people with diabetes; health care professionals; health care managers and leaders; and regulators and policy makers. In phase 2, specifications for these characteristics will be drafted following a series of semistructured interviews with participants from these stakeholder groups. Data collected from these interviews will be analyzed using the shortlist of characteristics as a framework, after which specifications will be drafted to create a draft TPP. Following approval by the SAG, in phase 3, the draft will enter an internet-based Delphi consensus study with participants sought from the groups previously identified, as well as ML-ARIAS developers, to ensure feasibility. Participants will be invited to score characteristic and specification pairs on a scale from “definitely exclude” to “definitely include,” and suggest edits. The document will be iterated between rounds based on participants’ feedback. Feedback on the draft document will be sought from a group of ML-ARIAS developers before its final contents are agreed upon in an in-person consensus meeting. At this meeting, representatives from the stakeholder groups previously identified (minus ML-ARIAS developers, to avoid bias) will be presented with the Delphi results and feedback of the user group and asked to agree on the final contents by vote. Results: Phase 1 was completed in November 2023. Phase 2 is underway and expected to finish in March 2024. Phase 3 is expected to be complete in July 2024. Conclusions: The multistakeholder development of a TPP for an ML-ARIAS for use in DES in England will help developers produce tools that serve the needs of patients, health care providers, and their staff. The TPP development process will also provide methods and a template to produce similar documents in other disease areas
Recommended from our members
United Kingdom Diabetic Retinopathy Electronic Medical Record (UK DR EMR) Users Group: report 4, real-world data on the impact of deprivation on the presentation of diabetic eye disease at hospital services.
AIM: To assess the impact of deprivation on diabetic retinopathy presentation and related treatment interventions, as observed within the UK hospital eye service. METHODS: This is a multicentre, national diabetic retinopathy database study with anonymised data extraction across 22 centres from an electronic medical record system. The following were the inclusion criteria: all patients with diabetes and a recorded, structured diabetic retinopathy grade. The minimum data set included, for baseline, age and Index of Multiple Deprivation, based on residential postcode; and for all time points, visual acuity, ETDRS grading of retinopathy and maculopathy, and interventions (laser, intravitreal therapies and surgery). The main outcome measures were (1) visual acuity and binocular visual state, and (2) presence of sight-threatening complications and need for early treatment. RESULTS: 79 775 patients met the inclusion criteria. Deprivation was associated with later presentation in patients with diabetic eye disease: the OR of being sight-impaired at entry into the hospital eye service (defined as 6/18 to better than 3/60 in the better seeing eye) was 1.29 (95% CI 1.20 to 1.39) for the most deprived decile vs 0.77 (95% CI 0.70 to 0.86) for the least deprived decile; the OR for being severely sight-impaired (3/60 or worse in the better seeing eye) was 1.17 (95% CI 0.90 to 1.55) for the most deprived decile vs 0.88 (95% CI 0.61 to 1.27) for the least deprived decile (reference=fifth decile in all cases). There is also variation in sight-threatening complications at presentation and treatment undertaken: the least deprived deciles had lower chance of having a tractional retinal detachment (OR=0.48 and 0.58 for deciles 9 and 10, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.90 and 0.29 to 1.09, respectively); in terms of accessing treatment, the rate of having a vitrectomy was lowest in the most deprived cohort (OR=0.34, 95% CI 0.19 to 0.58). CONCLUSIONS: This large real-world study suggests that first presentation at a hospital eye clinic with visual loss or sight-threatening diabetic eye disease is associated with deprivation. These initial hospital visits represent the first opportunities to receive treatment and to formally engage with support services. Such patients are more likely to be sight-impaired or severely sight-impaired at presentation, and may need additional resources to engage with the hospital eye services over complex treatment schedules
The value of standards for health datasets in artificial intelligence-based applications
Artificial intelligence as a medical device is increasingly being applied to healthcare for diagnosis, risk stratification and resource allocation. However, a growing body of evidence has highlighted the risk of algorithmic bias, which may perpetuate existing health inequity. This problem arises in part because of systemic inequalities in dataset curation, unequal opportunity to participate in research and inequalities of access. This study aims to explore existing standards, frameworks and best practices for ensuring adequate data diversity in health datasets. Exploring the body of existing literature and expert views is an important step towards the development of consensus-based guidelines. The study comprises two parts: a systematic review of existing standards, frameworks and best practices for healthcare datasets; and a survey and thematic analysis of stakeholder views of bias, health equity and best practices for artificial intelligence as a medical device. We found that the need for dataset diversity was well described in literature, and experts generally favored the development of a robust set of guidelines, but there were mixed views about how these could be implemented practically. The outputs of this study will be used to inform the development of standards for transparency of data diversity in health datasets (the STANDING Together initiative)
- …