253 research outputs found
Interfacial adsorption phenomena of the three-dimensional three-state Potts model
We study the interfacial adsorption phenomena of the three-state
ferromagnetic Potts model on the simple cubic lattice by the Monte Carlo
method. Finite-size scaling analyses of the net-adsorption yield the evidence
of the phase transition being of first-order and .Comment: 14 page
Critical behavior of the pure and random-bond two-dimensional triangular Ising ferromagnet
We investigate the effects of quenched bond randomness on the critical
properties of the two-dimensional ferromagnetic Ising model embedded in a
triangular lattice. The system is studied in both the pure and disordered
versions by the same efficient two-stage Wang-Landau method. In the first part
of our study we present the finite-size scaling behavior of the pure model, for
which we calculate the critical amplitude of the specific heat's logarithmic
expansion. For the disordered system, the numerical data and the relevant
detailed finite-size scaling analysis along the lines of the two well-known
scenarios - logarithmic corrections versus weak universality - strongly support
the field-theoretically predicted scenario of logarithmic corrections. A
particular interest is paid to the sample-to-sample fluctuations of the random
model and their scaling behavior that are used as a successful alternative
approach to criticality.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures, slightly revised version as accepted for
publication in Phys. Rev.
Lifting of Multiphase Degeneracy by Quantum Fluctuations
We study the effect of quantum fluctuations on the multiphase point of the
Heisenberg model with first- and second-neighbor competing interactions and
strong uniaxial spin anisotropy . By studying the structure of perturbation
theory we show that the multiphase degeneracy which exists for
(i.e., for the ANNNI model) is lifted and that the effect of quantum
fluctuations is to stabilize a sequence of phases of wavelength 4,6,8,...~.
This sequence is probably an infinite one. We also show that quantum
fluctuations can mediate an infinite sequence of layering transitions through
which an interface can unbind from a wall.Comment: 55 pages ReVTeX (encoded with uufiles) + 17 uuencoded figure
Infinitesimal incommensurate stripe phase in an axial next-nearest-neighbor Ising model in two dimensions
An axial next-nearest-neighbor Ising (ANNNI) model is studied by using the
non-equilibrium relaxation method. We find that the incommensurate stripe phase
between the ordered phase and the paramagnetic phase is negligibly narrow or
may vanish in the thermodynamic limit. The phase transition is the second-order
transition if approached from the ordered phase, and it is of the
Kosterlitz-Thouless type if approached from the paramagnetic phase. Both
transition temperatures coincide with each other within the numerical errors.
The incommensurate phase which has been observed previously is a paramagnetic
phase with a very long correlation length (typically ). We could
resolve this phase by treating very large systems (),
which is first made possible by employing the present method.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures. To appear in Phys.Rev.
Thermal phase diagrams of columnar liquid crystals
In order to understand the possible sequence of transitions from the
disordered columnar phase to the helical phase in hexa(hexylthio)triphenylene
(HHTT), we study a three-dimensional planar model with octupolar interactions
inscribed on a triangular lattice of columns. We obtain thermal phase diagrams
using a mean-field approximation and Monte Carlo simulations. These two
approaches give similar results, namely, in the quasi one-dimensional regime,
as the temperature is lowered, the columns order with a linear polarization,
whereas helical phases develop at lower temperatures. The helicity patterns of
the helical phases are determined by the exact nature of the frustration in the
system, itself related to the octupolar nature of the molecules.Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures, ReVTe
Learnings from Regional Market Dynamics of Originator and Biosimilar Infliximab and Etanercept in Germany.
Drug budget and prescription control measures are implemented regionally in Germany, meaning that the uptake of pharmaceuticals, including biosimilars, can vary by region. We examine regional market dynamics of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) inhibitor originators and biosimilars in Germany and studied the influence of biosimilar policies on these dynamics. This study is based on: (1) a literature review in which German biosimilar policies are identified, (2) the analysis of dispensing data (2010-2018) for the class of TNFα inhibitors, and (3) ten semi-structured interviews investigating prescribers' and insurers' views on factors potentially influencing biosimilar uptake. The analysis of biosimilar market shares of infliximab and etanercept revealed wide variations across the 17 German Regional Associations of Statutory Health Insurance Accredited Physicians (PA regions). Quantitative analyses indicated that biosimilar market shares for infliximab and etanercept were significantly lower in former East Germany when compared to former West Germany regions. Through qualitative interview analyses, this study showed that the use of infliximab and etanercept biosimilars across Germany is primarily influenced by (1) the regional-level implementation of biosimilar quotas and the presence of monitoring/sanctioning mechanisms to ensure adherence to these quotas, (2) the different insurer-manufacturer discount contracts, and (3) gainsharing arrangements established at the insurer-prescriber level
Incommensurate structures studied by a modified Density Matrix Renormalization Group Method
A modified density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) method is introduced
and applied to classical two-dimensional models: the anisotropic triangular
nearest- neighbor Ising (ATNNI) model and the anisotropic triangular
next-nearest-neighbor Ising (ANNNI) model. Phase diagrams of both models have
complex structures and exhibit incommensurate phases. It was found that the
incommensurate phase completely separates the disordered phase from one of the
commensurate phases, i. e. the non-existence of the Lifshitz point in phase
diagrams of both models was confirmed.Comment: 14 pages, 14 figures included in text, LaTeX2e, submitted to PRB,
presented at MECO'24 1999 (Wittenberg, Germany
Complete wetting in the three-dimensional transverse Ising model
We consider a three-dimensional Ising model in a transverse magnetic field,
and a bulk field . An interface is introduced by an appropriate choice
of boundary conditions. At the point spin configurations
corresponding to different positions of the interface are degenerate. By
studying the phase diagram near this multiphase point using quantum-mechanical
perturbation theory we show that that quantum fluctuations, controlled by ,
split the multiphase degeneracy giving rise to an infinite sequence of layering
transitions.Comment: 16 pages (revtex) including 8 figs; to appear in J. Stat. Phy
A new picture of the Lifshitz critical behavior
New field theoretic renormalization group methods are developed to describe
in a unified fashion the critical exponents of an m-fold Lifshitz point at the
two-loop order in the anisotropic (m not equal to d) and isotropic (m=d close
to 8) situations. The general theory is illustrated for the N-vector phi^4
model describing a d-dimensional system. A new regularization and
renormalization procedure is presented for both types of Lifshitz behavior. The
anisotropic cases are formulated with two independent renormalization group
transformations. The description of the isotropic behavior requires only one
type of renormalization group transformation. We point out the conceptual
advantages implicit in this picture and show how this framework is related to
other previous renormalization group treatments for the Lifshitz problem. The
Feynman diagrams of arbitrary loop-order can be performed analytically provided
these integrals are considered to be homogeneous functions of the external
momenta scales. The anisotropic universality class (N,d,m) reduces easily to
the Ising-like (N,d) when m=0. We show that the isotropic universality class
(N,m) when m is close to 8 cannot be obtained from the anisotropic one in the
limit d --> m near 8. The exponents for the uniaxial case d=3, N=m=1 are in
good agreement with recent Monte Carlo simulations for the ANNNI model.Comment: 48 pages, no figures, two typos fixe
Comparison of drug prescribing before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-national European study
Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on health care, with disruption to routine clinical care. Our aim was to describe changes in prescription drugs dispensing in the primary and outpatient sectors during the first year of the pandemic across Europe. Methods: We used routine administrative data on dispensed medicines in eight European countries (five whole countries, three represented by one region each) from January 2017 to March 2021 to compare the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic with the preceding 3 years. Results: In the 10 therapeutic subgroups with the highest dispensed volumes across all countries/regions the relative changes between the COVID-19 period and the year before were mostly of a magnitude similar to changes between previous periods. However, for drugs for obstructive airway diseases the changes in the COVID-19 period were stronger in several countries/regions. In all countries/regions a decrease in dispensed DDDs of antibiotics for systemic use (from −39.4% in Romagna to −14.2% in Scotland) and nasal preparations (from −34.4% in Lithuania to −5.7% in Sweden) was observed. We observed a stockpiling effect in the total market in March 2020 in six countries/regions. In Czechia the observed increase was not significant and in Slovenia volumes increased only after the end of the first lockdown. We found an increase in average therapeutic quantity per pack dispensed, which, however, exceeded 5% only in Slovenia, Germany, and Czechia. Conclusions: The findings from this first European cross-national comparison show a substantial decrease in dispensed volumes of antibiotics for systemic use in all countries/regions. The results also indicate that the provision of medicines for common chronic conditions was mostly resilient to challenges faced during the pandemic. However, there were notable differences between the countries/regions for some therapeutic areas
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