2,119 research outputs found
Three-loop HTL gluon thermodynamics at intermediate coupling
We calculate the thermodynamic functions of pure-glue QCD to three-loop order
using the hard-thermal-loop perturbation theory (HTLpt) reorganization of
finite temperature quantum field theory. We show that at three-loop order
hard-thermal-loop perturbation theory is compatible with lattice results for
the pressure, energy density, and entropy down to temperatures .
Our results suggest that HTLpt provides a systematic framework that can used to
calculate static and dynamic quantities for temperatures relevant at LHC.Comment: 24 pages, 13 figs. 2nd version: improved discussion and fixing typos.
Published in JHE
Three-loop HTL QCD thermodynamics
The hard-thermal-loop perturbation theory (HTLpt) framework is used to
calculate the thermodynamic functions of a quark-gluon plasma to three-loop
order. This is the highest order accessible by finite temperature perturbation
theory applied to a non-Abelian gauge theory before the high-temperature
infrared catastrophe. All ultraviolet divergences are eliminated by
renormalization of the vacuum, the HTL mass parameters, and the strong coupling
constant. After choosing a prescription for the mass parameters, the three-loop
results for the pressure and trace anomaly are found to be in very good
agreement with recent lattice data down to , which are
temperatures accessible by current and forthcoming heavy-ion collision
experiments.Comment: 27 pages, 11 figures; corresponds with published version in JHE
Ovarian cancer symptom awareness and anticipated delayed presentation in a population sample
Background: While ovarian cancer is recognised as having identifiable early symptoms, understanding of the key determinants of symptom awareness and early presentation is limited. A population-based survey of ovarian cancer awareness and anticipated delayed presentation with symptoms was conducted as part of the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership (ICBP). Methods: Women aged over 50 years were recruited using random probability sampling (nâ=â1043). Computer-assisted telephone interviews were used to administer measures including ovarian cancer symptom recognition, anticipated time to presentation with ovarian symptoms, health beliefs (perceived risk, perceived benefits/barriers to early presentation, confidence in symptom detection, ovarian cancer worry), and demographic variables. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the contribution of independent variables to anticipated presentation (categorised asâ<â3 weeks orââ„â3 weeks). Results: The most well-recognised symptoms of ovarian cancer were post-menopausal bleeding (87.4%), and persistent pelvic (79.0%) and abdominal (85.0%) pain. Symptoms associated with eating difficulties and changes in bladder/bowel habits were recognised by less than half the sample. Lower symptom awareness was significantly associated with older age (pââ€â0.001), being single (pââ€â0.001), lower education (pââ€â0.01), and lack of personal experience of ovarian cancer (pââ€â0.01). The odds of anticipating a delay in time to presentation ofââ„â3 weeks were significantly increased in women educated to degree level (ORâ=â2.64, 95% CI 1.61 â 4.33, pââ€â0.001), women who reported more practical barriers (ORâ=â1.60, 95% CI 1.34 â 1.91, pââ€â0.001) and more emotional barriers (ORâ=â1.21, 95% CI 1.06 â 1.40, pââ€â0.01), and those less confident in symptom detection (ORâ=â0.56, 95% CI 0.42 â 0.73, pââ€â0.001), but not in those who reported lower symptom awareness (ORâ=â0.99, 95% CI 0.91 â 1.07, pâ=â0.74). Conclusions: Many symptoms of ovarian cancer are not well-recognised by women in the general population. Evidence-based interventions are needed not only to improve public awareness but also to overcome the barriers to recognising and acting on ovarian symptoms, if delays in presentation are to be minimised
Care, laboratory beagles and affective utopia
A caring approach to knowledge production has been portrayed as epistemologically radical, ethically vital and as fostering continuous responsibility between researchers and research-subjects. This article examines these arguments through focusing on the ambivalent role of care within the first large-scale experimental beagle colony, a self-professed âbeagle utopiaâ at the University of California, Davis, (1951-1986). We argue that care was at the core of the beagle colony; the lived environment was re-shaped in response to animals âspeaking backâ to researchers, and âloveâ and âkindnessâ were important considerations during staff recruitment. Ultimately, however, we show that care-relations were used to manufacture compliancy, preventing the predetermined ends of the experiment from being troubled. Rather than suggesting Davis would have been less ethically troubling, or more epistemologically radical, with âbetterâ care, however, we suggest the case troubles existing care theory and argue that greater attention needs to be paid to histories, contexts, and exclusions
Integrating modes of policy analysis and strategic management practice : requisite elements and dilemmas
There is a need to bring methods to bear on public problems that are inclusive, analytic, and quick. This paper describes the efforts of three pairs of academics working from three different though complementary theoretical foundations and intervention backgrounds (i.e., ways of working) who set out together to meet this challenge. Each of the three pairs had conducted dozens of interventions that had been regarded as successful or very successful by the client groups in dealing with complex policy and strategic problems. One approach focused on leadership issues and stakeholders, another on negotiating competitive strategic intent with attention to stakeholder responses, and the third on analysis of feedback ramifications in developing policies. This paper describes the 10 year longitudinal research project designed to address the above challenge. The important outcomes are reported: the requisite elements of a general integrated approach and the enduring puzzles and tensions that arose from seeking to design a wide-ranging multi-method approach
Chiral perturbation theory in a magnetic background - finite-temperature effects
We consider chiral perturbation theory for SU(2) at finite temperature in
a constant magnetic background . We compute the thermal mass of the pions
and the pion decay constant to leading order in chiral perturbation theory in
the presence of the magnetic field. The magnetic field gives rise to a
splitting between and as well as between
and . We also calculate the free energy and the
quark condensate to next-to-leading order in chiral perturbation theory. Both
the pion decay constants and the quark condensate are decreasing slower as a
function of temperature as compared to the case with vanishing magnetic field.
The latter result suggests that the critical temperature for the chiral
transition is larger in the presence of a constant magnetic field. The increase
of as a function of is in agreement with most model calculations but
in disagreement with recent lattice calculations.Comment: 24 pages and 9 fig
"It's making contacts" : notions of social capital and implications for widening access to medical education
Acknowledgements Our thanks to the Medical Schools Council (MSC) of the UK for funding Study A; REACH Scotland for funding Study B; and Queen Mary University of London, and to the medical school applicants and students who gave their time to be interviewed. Our thanks also to Dr Sean Zhou and Dr Sally Curtis, and Manjul Medhi, for their help with data collection for studies A and B respectively. Our thanks also to Dr Lara Varpio, Uniformed Services University of the USA, for her advice and guidance on collating data sets and her comments on the draft manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD
The sign problem across the QCD phase transition
The average phase factor of the QCD fermion determinant signals the strength
of the QCD sign problem. We compute the average phase factor as a function of
temperature and baryon chemical potential using a two-flavor NJL model. This
allows us to study the strength of the sign problem at and above the chiral
transition. It is discussed how the anomaly affects the sign problem.
Finally, we study the interplay between the sign problem and the endpoint of
the chiral transition.Comment: 9 pages and 9 fig
What do -ray bursts look like?
There have been great and rapid progresses in the field of -ray
bursts (denoted as GRBs) since BeppoSAX and other telescopes discovered their
afterglows in 1997. Here, we will first give a brief review on the
observational facts of GRBs and direct understanding from these facts, which
lead to the standard fireball model. The dynamical evolution of the fireball is
discussed, especially a generic model is proposed to describe the whole
dynamical evolution of GRB remnant from highly radiative to adiabatic, and from
ultra-relativistic to non-relativistic phase. Then, Various deviations from the
standard model are discussed to give new information about GRBs and their
environment. In order to relax the energy crisis, the beaming effects and their
possible observational evidences are also discussed in GRB's radiations.Comment: 10 pages, Latex. Invited talk at the Pacific Rim Conference on
Stellar Astrophysics, Hong Kong, China, Aug. 199
Precision SU(3) lattice thermodynamics for a large temperature range
We present the equation of state (pressure, trace anomaly, energy density and
entropy density) of the SU(3) gauge theory from lattice field theory in an
unprecedented precision and temperature range. We control both finite size and
cut-off effects. The studied temperature window (0.7...1000 T_c) stretches from
the glueball dominated system into the perturbative regime, which allows us to
discuss the range of validity of these approaches. We also determine the
preferred renormalization scale of the Hard Thermal Loop scheme and we fit the
unknown g^6 order perturbative coefficient at extreme high temperatures T>100
T_c. We furthermore quantify the nonperturbative contribution to the trace
anomaly using a simple functional form. Our high precision data allows one to
have a complete theoretical description of the equation of state from T=0 all
the way to the phase transition, through the transition region into the
perturbative regime up to the Stefan-Boltzmann limit. We will discuss this
description, too.Comment: 17 pages, 11 figures, tabulated results included. Version accepted
for publication in JHE
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