The density of states approach to the sign problem

1 + 11 pages, 6 figures. Invited talk presented by B. Lucini at the conference "XIIIth Quark Confinement and the Hadron Spectrum", Maynooth University, Ireland, 1-6 August 2018Approaches to the sign problem based on the density of states have been recently revived by the introduction of the LLR algorithm, which allows us to compute the density of states itself with exponential error reduction. In this work, after a review of the generalities of the method, we show recent results for the Bose gas in four dimensions, focussing on the identification of possible systematic errors and on methods of controlling the bias they can introduce in the calculation

Density of state method for complex action systems

While importance sampling Monte Carlo algorithms have proved to be a crucial tool for numerical studies in modern physics, they fail when we consider complex action systems. The density of states approach provides a way to simulate such systems and reduce the sign problem that afflicts them to a 1-dimensional oscillatory integral. In this work, we shall review the density of states approach as well as the Linear Logarithmic Relaxation algorithm and present some recent development concerning the control of systematics in this algorithm. The results of a benchmark study on the relativistic Bose gas shall be presented as well

Efficient computations of continuous action densities of states for lattice models

Abstract The Logarithmic Linear Relaxation (LLR) algorithm is an efficient method for computing densities of states for systems with a continuous spectrum. A key feature of this method is exponential error reduction, which allows us to evaluate the density of states of a system over hundreds of thousands of orders of magnitude with a fixed level of relative accuracy. As a consequence of exponential error reduction, the LLR method provides a robust alternative to traditional Monte Carlo calculations in cases in which states suppressed by the Boltzmann weight play nevertheless a relevant role, e.g., as transition regions between dominant configuration sets. After reviewing the algorithm, we will show an application in U(1) Lattice Gauge Theory that has enabled us to obtain the most accurate estimate of the critical coupling with modest computational resources, defeating exponential tunneling times between metastable vacua. As a further showcase, we will then present an application of the LLR method to the decorrelation of the topological charge in SU(3) Lattice Gauge Theory near the continuum limit. Finally, we will review in general applications of the LLR algorithm to systems affected by a strong sign problem and discuss the case of the Bose gas at finite chemical potential.</jats:p

Optimized intermolecular potential for nitriles based on Anisotropic United Atoms model

An extension of the Anisotropic United Atoms intermolecular potential model is proposed for nitriles. The electrostatic part of the intermolecular potential is calculated using atomic charges obtained by a simple Mulliken population analysis. The repulsion-dispersion interaction parameters for methyl and methylene groups are taken from transferable AUA4 literature parameters [Ungerer et al., J. Chem. Phys., 2000, 112, 5499]. Non-bonding Lennard-Jones intermolecular potential parameters are regressed for the carbon and nitrogen atoms of the nitrile group (–C≡N) from experimental vapor-liquid equilibrium data of acetonitrile. Gibbs Ensemble Monte Carlo simulations and experimental data agreement is very good for acetonitrile, and better than previous molecular potential proposed by Hloucha et al. [J. Chem. Phys., 2000, 113, 5401]. The transferability of the resulting potential is then successfully tested, without any further readjustment, to predict vapor-liquid phase equilibrium of propionitrile and n-butyronitrile

Clinical Manifestations and Case Management of Ebola Haemorrhagic Fever caused by a newly identified virus strain, Bundibugyo, Uganda, 2007-2008

A confirmed Ebola haemorrhagic fever (EHF) outbreak in Bundibugyo, Uganda, November 2007-February 2008, was caused by a putative new species (Bundibugyo ebolavirus). It included 93 putative cases, 56 laboratory-confirmed cases, and 37 deaths (CFR = 25%). Study objectives are to describe clinical manifestations and case management for 26 hospitalised laboratory-confirmed EHF patients. Clinical findings are congruous with previously reported EHF infections. The most frequently experienced symptoms were non-bloody diarrhoea (81%), severe headache (81%), and asthenia (77%). Seven patients reported or were observed with haemorrhagic symptoms, six of whom died. Ebola care remains difficult due to the resource-poor setting of outbreaks and the infection-control procedures required. However, quality data collection is essential to evaluate case definitions and therapeutic interventions, and needs improvement in future epidemics. Organizations usually involved in EHF case management have a particular responsibility in this respect

Presence and Persistence of Ebola or Marburg Virus in Patients and Survivors: A Rapid Systematic Review

Background: The 2013-15 Ebola outbreak was unprecedented due to sustainedtransmission within urban environments and thousands of survivors. In 2014 the World Health Organization stated that there was insufficient evidence to give definitive guidance about which body fluids are infectious and when they pose a risk to humans. We report a rapid systematic review of published evidence on the presence of filoviruses in body fluids of infected people and survivors. Methods: Scientific articles were screened for information about filovirus in human body fluids. The aim was to find primary data that suggested high likelihood of actively infectious filovirus in human body fluids (viral RNA). Eligible infections were from Marburg virus (MARV or RAVV) and Zaire, Sudan, Taï Forest and Bundibugyo species of Ebola. [1] Cause of infection had to be laboratory confirmed (in practice either tissue culture or RT-PCR tests), or evidenced by compatible clinical history with subsequent positivity for filovirus antibodies or inflammatory factors. Data were extracted and summarized narratively. Results: 6831 unique articles were found, and after screening, 33 studies were eligible. For most body fluid types there were insufficient patients to draw strong conclusions, and prevalence of positivity was highly variable. Body fluids taken >16 days after onset were usually negative. In the six studies that used both assay methods RT-PCR tests for filovirus RNA gave positive results about 4 times more often than tissue culture. Conclusions: Filovirus was reported in most types of body fluid, but not in every sample from every otherwise confirmed patient. Apart from semen, most non-blood, RT-PCR positive samples are likely to be culture negative and so possibly of low infectious risk. Nevertheless, it is not apparent how relatively infectious many body fluids are during or after illness, even when culture-positive, not least because most test results come from more severe cases. Contact with blood and blood-stained body fluids remains the major risk for disease transmission because of the known high viral loads in blood

The measuring systems of the wire tension for the MEG II Drift Chamber by means of the resonant frequency technique

The ultra-low mass Cylindrical Drift Chamber designed for the MEG experiment upgrade is a challenging apparatus made of 1728 phi = 20 micron gold plated tungsten sense wires, 7680 phi = 40 micron and 2496 phi = 50 micron silver plated aluminum field wires. Because of electrostatic stability requirements all the wires have to be stretched at mechanical tensions of about 25, 19 and 29 g respectively which must be controlled at a level better than 0.5 g. This chamber is presently in acquisition, but during its construction about 100 field wires broke, because of chemical corrosion induced by the atmospheric humidity. On the basis of the experience gained with this chamber we decided to build a new one, equipped with a different type of wires less sensitive to corrosion. The choice of the new wire required a deep inspection of its characteristics and one of the main tools for doing this is a system for measuring the wire tension by means of the resonant frequency technique, which is described in this paper. The system forces the wires to oscillate by applying a sinusoidal signal at a known frequency, and then measures the variation of the capacitance between a wire and a common ground plane as a function of the external signal frequency. We present the details of the measuring system and the results obtained by scanning the mechanical tensions of two samples of MEG II CDCH wires and discuss the possible improvements of the experimental apparatus and of the measuring technique.Comment: Ten pages, twelve figures, to be submitted to Nuclear Instruments and Methods

Gas Distribution and Monitoring for the Drift Chamber of the MEG-II Experiment

The reconstruction of the positron trajectory in the MEG-II experiment searching for the $\mu^+ \to e^+ \gamma$ decay uses a cylindrical drift chamber operated with a helium-isobutane gas mixture. A stable performance of the detector in terms of its electron drift properties, avalanche multiplication, and with a gas mixture of controlled composition and purity has to be provided and continuously monitored. In this paper we describe the strategies adopted to meet the requirements imposed by the target sensitivity of MEG-II, including the construction and commissioning of a small chamber for an online monitoring of the gas quality.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, submitted to Journal of Instrumentatio