Comment on "Ising Spin Glasses in a Magnetic Field"

In ref. cond-mat/9811419 Houdayer and Martin analyze the T=0 3d EA spin glass with a magnetic field $B$. By using a new, powerful method, they determine an effective critical field $B_c$ as a function of the lattice size $L$. They use their results to deduce that the model is behaving like in the droplet approach and not like the mean-field theory. We show here, by using some unpublished data, that this very interesting method and numerical results are completely compatible with the behavior implied by the Replica Symmetry Breaking theory.Comment: One page comment about ref. cond-mat/9811419, including two eps figure

On the Use of Optimized Monte Carlo Methods for Studying Spin Glasses

We start from recently published numerical data by Hatano and Gubernatis cond-mat/0008115 to discuss properties of convergence to equilibrium of optimized Monte Carlo methods (bivariate multi canonical and parallel tempering). We show that these data are not thermalized, and they lead to an erroneous physical picture. We shed some light on why the bivariate multi canonical Monte Carlo method can fail.Comment: 6 pages, 5 eps figures include

Replica Symmetry Breaking in Short-Range Spin Glasses: Theoretical Foundations and Numerical Evidences

We discuss replica symmetry breaking (RSB) in spin glasses. We update work in this area, from both the analytical and numerical points of view. We give particular attention to the difficulties stressed by Newman and Stein concerning the problem of constructing pure states in spin glass systems. We mainly discuss what happens in finite-dimensional, realistic spin glasses. Together with a detailed review of some of the most important features, facts, data, and phenomena, we present some new theoretical ideas and numerical results. We discuss among others the basic idea of the RSB theory, correlation functions, interfaces, overlaps, pure states, random field, and the dynamical approach. We present new numerical results for the behaviors of coupled replicas and about the numerical verification of sum rules, and we review some of the available numerical results that we consider of larger importance (for example, the determination of the phase transition point, the correlation functions, the window overlaps, and the dynamical behavior of the system).Comment: 48 pages, 21 figures. v2: the published versio

Comment on "Evidence for the Droplet/Scaling Picture of Spin Glasses"

In a recent letter Moore et al. claim to exhibit evidence for a non-mean-field behavior of the $3d$ Ising spin glass. We show that their claim is insubstantial, and by analyzing in detail the behavior of the Migdal-Kadanoff approximation (MKA) as compared to the behavior of the Edwards-Anderson (EA) spin glass we find further evidence of a mean-field like behavior of the $3d$ spin glass.Comment: 1 page comment including one postscript figur

The mean field infinite range p=3 spin glass: equilibrium landscape and correlation time scales

We investigate numerically the dynamical behavior of the mean field 3-spin spin glass model: we study equilibrium dynamics, and compute equilibrium time scales as a function of the system size V. We find that for increasing volumes the time scales $\tau$ increase like $\ln \tau \propto V$. We also present an accurate study of the equilibrium static properties of the system.Comment: 6 pages, 9 figure

4D Spin Glasses in Magnetic Field Have a Mean Field like Phase

By using numerical simulations we show that the 4D $J=\pm 1$ Edwards Anderson spin glass in magnetic field undergoes a mean field like phase transition. We use a dynamical approach: we simulate large lattices (of volume $V$) and work out the behavior of the system in limit where both $t$ and $V$ go to infinity, but where the limit $V \to \infty$ is taken first. By showing that the dynamic overlap $q$ converges to a value smaller than the static one we exhibit replica symmetry breaking. The critical exponents are compatible with the ones obtained by mean field computations.Comment: Physrev format, 5 ps figures include

Laser and microwave spectroscopy of even-parity Rydberg states of neutral ytterbium and Multichannel Quantum Defect Theory analysis

New measurements of high-lying even parity $6sns\, {}^1 \! S_0$ and $6snd\,{}^{3,1}\!D_2$ levels of neutral $^{174}$Yb are presented in this paper. Spectroscopy is performed by a two-step laser excitation from the ground state $4f^{14}6s^2 \, {}^1 \! S_0$, and the Rydberg levels are detected by using the field ionization method. Additional two-photon microwave spectroscopy is used to improve the relative energy accuracy where possible. The spectroscopic measurements are complemented by a multichannel quantum defect theory (MQDT) analysis for the J=0 and the two-coupled J=2 even parity series. We compare our results with the previous analysis of Aymar {\it{et al}} \cite{Aymar_1980} and analyze the observed differences. From the new MQDT models, a revised value for the first ionization limit $I_{6s}=50443.07041(25)$ cm$^{-1}$ is proposed.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figure

Brucellosis in Cameroon: Seroprevalence and risk factors in beef-type cattle

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Paving the Way for a Green Transition in the Design of Sensors and Biosensors for the Detection of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

The efficient and selective detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) provides key information for various purposes ranging from the toxicological analysis of indoor/outdoor environments to the diagnosis of diseases or to the investigation of biological processes. In the last decade, different sensors and biosensors providing reliable, rapid, and economic responses in the detection of VOCs have been successfully conceived and applied in numerous practical cases; however, the global necessity of a sustainable development, has driven the design of devices for the detection of VOCs to greener methods. In this review, the most recent and innovative VOC sensors and biosensors with sustainable features are presented. The sensors are grouped into three of the main industrial sectors of daily life, including environmental analysis, highly important for toxicity issues, food packaging tools, especially aimed at avoiding the spoilage of meat and fish, and the diagnosis of diseases, crucial for the early detection of relevant pathological conditions such as cancer and diabetes. The research outcomes presented in the review underly the necessity of preparing sensors with higher efficiency, lower detection limits, improved selectivity, and enhanced sustainable characteristics to fully address the sustainable manufacturing of VOC sensors and biosensors

Overlap Among States at Different Temperatures in the SK Model

We discuss the issue of temperature chaos in the Sherrington--Kirkpatrick spin glass mean field model. We numerically compute probability distributions of the overlap among (equilibrium) configurations at two different values of the temperature, both in the spin glass phase. The situation on our medium size systems is clearly non-chaotic, but a weak form of chaos could be emerging on very large lattices.Comment: 4 pages in aps format including 8 ps figures. Small change