Geometric clusters in the overlap of the Ising model.

We study the percolation properties of geometrical clusters defined in the overlap space of two statistically independent replicas of a square-lattice Ising model that are simulated at the same temperature. In particular, we consider two distinct types of clusters in the overlap, which we dub soft- and hard-constraint clusters, and which are subsets of the regions of constant spin overlap. By means of Monte Carlo simulations and a finite-size scaling analysis we estimate the transition temperature as well as the set of critical exponents characterizing the percolation transitions undergone by these two cluster types. The results suggest that both soft- and hard-constraint clusters percolate at the critical temperature of the Ising model and their critical behavior is governed by the correlation-length exponent ν=1 found by Onsager. At the same time, they exhibit nonstandard and distinct sets of exponents for the average cluster size and percolation strength.

Resampling schemes in population annealing: Numerical and theoretical results.

The population annealing algorithm is a population-based equilibrium version of simulated annealing. It can sample thermodynamic systems with rough free-energy landscapes more efficiently than standard Markov chain Monte Carlo alone. A number of parameters can be fine-tuned to improve the performance of the population annealing algorithm. While there is some numerical and theoretical work on most of these parameters, there appears to be a gap in the literature concerning the role of resampling in population annealing which this work attempts to close. The two-dimensional Ising model is used as a benchmarking system for this study. At first various resampling methods are implemented and numerically compared. In a second part the exact solution of the Ising model is utilized to create an artificial population annealing setting with effectively infinite Monte Carlo updates at each temperature. This limit is first performed on finite population sizes and subsequently extended to infinite populations. This allows us to look at resampling isolated from other parameters. Many results are expected to generalize to other systems.

Weighted averages in population annealing: Analysis and general framework.

Population annealing is a powerful sequential Monte Carlo algorithm designed to study the equilibrium behavior of general systems in statistical physics through massive parallelism. In addition to the remarkable scaling capabilities of the method, it allows for measurements to be enhanced by weighted averaging [J. Machta, Phys. Rev. E 82, 026704 (2010)1539-375510.1103/PhysRevE.82.026704], admitting to reduce both systematic and statistical errors based on independently repeated simulations. We give a self-contained introduction to population annealing with weighted averaging, generalize the method to a wide range of observables such as the specific heat and magnetic susceptibility and rigorously prove that the resulting estimators for finite systems are asymptotically unbiased for essentially arbitrary target distributions. Numerical results based on more than 10^{7} independent population annealing runs of the two-dimensional Ising ferromagnet and the Edwards-Anderson Ising spin glass are presented in depth. In the latter case, we also discuss efficient ways of measuring spin overlaps in population annealing simulations.

Universality in the two-dimensional dilute Baxter-Wu model.

We study the question of universality in the two-dimensional spin-1 Baxter-Wu model in the presence of a crystal field Δ. We employ extensive numerical simulations of two types, providing us with complementary results: Wang-Landau sampling at fixed values of Δ and a parallelized variant of the multicanonical approach performed at constant temperature T. A detailed finite-size scaling analysis in the regime of second-order phase transitions in the (Δ,T) phase diagram indicates that the transition belongs to the universality class of the four-state Potts model. Previous controversies with respect to the nature of the transition are discussed and attributed to the presence of strong finite-size effects, especially as one approaches the pentacritical point of the model.

Understanding population annealing Monte Carlo simulations.

Population annealing is a recent addition to the arsenal of the practitioner in computer simulations in statistical physics and it proves to deal well with systems with complex free-energy landscapes. Above all else, it promises to deliver unrivaled parallel scaling qualities, being suitable for parallel machines of the biggest caliber. Here we study population annealing using as the main example the two-dimensional Ising model, which allows for particularly clean comparisons due to the available exact results and the wealth of published simulational studies employing other approaches. We analyze in depth the accuracy and precision of the method, highlighting its relation to older techniques such as simulated annealing and thermodynamic integration. We introduce intrinsic approaches for the analysis of statistical and systematic errors and provide a detailed picture of the dependence of such errors on the simulation parameters. The results are benchmarked against canonical and parallel tempering simulations.

BK virus-induced nephritis and cystitis after matched unrelated donor stem cell transplantation: A case report.

Currently, there is no standard therapy for a BK virus infection of the urogenital tract in immunocompromised, stem cell transplanted patients, so that early diagnosis and introduction of supportive measures have the highest response rates to date.

Computational hardness of spin-glass problems with tile-planted solutions.

We investigate the computational hardness of spin-glass instances on a square lattice, generated via a recently introduced tunable and scalable approach for planting solutions. The method relies on partitioning the problem graph into edge-disjoint subgraphs and planting frustrated, elementary subproblems that share a common local ground state, which guarantees that the ground state of the entire problem is known a priori. Using population annealing Monte Carlo, we compare the typical hardness of problem classes over a large region of the multidimensional tuning parameter space. Our results show that the problems have a wide range of tunable hardness. Moreover, we observe multiple transitions in the hardness phase space, which we further corroborate using simulated annealing and simulated quantum annealing. By investigating thermodynamic properties of these planted systems, we demonstrate that the harder samples undergo magnetic ordering transitions which are also ultimately responsible for the observed hardness transitions on changing the sample composition.

Ruxolitinib for Therapy of Graft-versus-Host Disease.

OBJECTIVE: Steroid-resistant graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) is a major challenge after allogeneic stem cell transplantation and associated with significant morbidity and mortality. There is no therapeutic standard defined beyond calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) and steroids. Furthermore, some patients may have contraindications against CNI or high-dose steroids. Efficacy of ruxolitinib against GvHD has been described recently. METHODS: Ruxolitinib was used for treatment of acute or chronic GvHD in eight patients. The patients either needed intensification of therapy or had contraindications against use of CNI or high-dose steroids. RESULTS: Supplementation of therapy in acute GvHD with severe diarrhea with ruxolitinib was unsuccessful. All these patients died from acute GvHD. Introduction of ruxolitinib into therapy and relapse prophylaxis in other patients was successful in 4/4 cases (CR=3, PR=1). Indications for ruxolitinib were contraindications against CNI due to aHUS in two cases and the need for steroid sparing in two other cases. None of these patients suffered from diarrhea at the initiation of ruxolitinib. CONCLUSION: Ruxolitinib was effective for therapy of acute and chronic GvHD in higher lines in patients without severe diarrhea. Ruxolitinib could replace successfully CNI and high-dose steroids. Further investigations are necessary to define the position of ruxolitinib in GvHD-therapy.

Accelerating Molecular Dynamics Simulations with Population Annealing.

Population annealing is a powerful tool for large-scale Monte Carlo simulations. We adapt this method to molecular dynamics simulations and demonstrate its excellent accelerating effect by simulating the folding of a short peptide commonly used to gauge the performance of algorithms. The method is compared to the well established parallel tempering approach and is found to yield similar performance for the same computational resources. In contrast to other methods, however, population annealing scales to a nearly arbitrary number of parallel processors, and it is thus a unique tool that enables molecular dynamics to tap into the massively parallel computing power available in supercomputers that is so much needed for a range of difficult computational problems.

Is BK Virus-Associated Cystitis a Generalized Epithelial Disease?

BK polyomavirus-associated haemorrhagic cystitis (BKHC) is a complication after allogeneic stem cell transplantation, which can occur in 5-60% of the cases. BK viruria alone can also occur in up to 100%. BKHC can lead to severe morbidity in stem cell-transplanted patients, but data about this disease is limited. Consequently, we conducted a prospective unicentric non-interventional trial on BKHC as well as BK viruria after first adult allogeneic stem cell transplantation with a follow-up time of 1 year after inpatient treatment. Between November 2013 and December 2015, we were able to include 40 adult patients with a mean age of 52.8 years. Twenty-seven (67.5%) of these patients were male and 13 (32.5%) were female. Acute myeloid leukaemia was the most frequent underlying disease (n = 15; 37.5%). Only 1 patient developed BKHC during inpatient treatment (n = 1; 2.5%), but BK viruria was frequent (n = 11; 27.5%) during inpatient treatment as well as in the follow-up time (n = 14; 35%). Interestingly, BK viruria was significantly associated with mucositis (p = 0.038) and number of transfused platelet concentrates (p = 0.001). This unexpected association will be discussed and needs further investigation.

Binomial Spin Glass.

To establish a unified framework for studying both discrete and continuous coupling distributions, we introduce the binomial spin glass, a class of models where the couplings are sums of m identically distributed Bernoulli random variables. In the continuum limit m→∞, the class reduces to one with Gaussian couplings, while m=1 corresponds to the ±J spin glass. We demonstrate that for short-range Ising models on d-dimensional hypercubic lattices the ground-state entropy density for N spins is bounded from above by (sqrt[d/2m]+1/N)ln2, and further show that the actual entropies follow the scaling behavior implied by this bound. We thus uncover a fundamental noncommutativity of the thermodynamic and continuous coupling limits that leads to the presence or absence of degeneracies depending on the precise way the limits are taken. Exact calculations of defect energies reveal a crossover length scale L^{*}(m)∼L^{κ} below which the binomial spin glass is indistinguishable from the Gaussian system. Since κ=-1/(2θ), where θ is the spin-stiffness exponent, discrete couplings become irrelevant at large scales for systems with a finite-temperature spin-glass phase.

Approximate ground states of the random-field Potts model from graph cuts.

While the ground-state problem for the random-field Ising model is polynomial, and can be solved using a number of well-known algorithms for maximum flow or graph cut, the analog random-field Potts model corresponds to a multiterminal flow problem that is known to be NP-hard. Hence an efficient exact algorithm is very unlikely to exist. As we show here, it is nevertheless possible to use an embedding of binary degrees of freedom into the Potts spins in combination with graph-cut methods to solve the corresponding ground-state problem approximately in polynomial time. We benchmark this heuristic algorithm using a set of quasiexact ground states found for small systems from long parallel tempering runs. For a not-too-large number q of Potts states, the method based on graph cuts finds the same solutions in a fraction of the time. We employ the new technique to analyze the breakup length of the random-field Potts model in two dimensions.

Self-averaging in the random two-dimensional Ising ferromagnet.

We study sample-to-sample fluctuations in a critical two-dimensional Ising model with quenched random ferromagnetic couplings. Using replica calculations in the renormalization group framework we derive explicit expressions for the probability distribution function of the critical internal energy and for the specific heat fluctuations. It is shown that the disorder distribution of internal energies is Gaussian, and the typical sample-to-sample fluctuations as well as the average value scale with the system size L like ∼Llnln(L). In contrast, the specific heat is shown to be self-averaging with a distribution function that tends to a δ peak in the thermodynamic limit L→∞. While previously a lack of self-averaging was found for the free energy, we here obtain results for quantities that are directly measurable in simulations, and implications for measurements in the actual lattice system are discussed.

Role of Fourier Modes in Finite-Size Scaling above the Upper Critical Dimension.

Renormalization-group theory has stood, for over 40 years, as one of the pillars of modern physics. As such, there should be no remaining doubt regarding its validity. However, finite-size scaling, which derives from it, has long been poorly understood above the upper critical dimension d_{c} in models with free boundary conditions. In addition to its fundamental significance for scaling theories, the issue is important at a practical level because finite-size, statistical-physics systems with free boundaries and above d_{c} are experimentally relevant for long-range interactions. Here, we address the roles played by Fourier modes for such systems and show that the current phenomenological picture is not supported for all thermodynamic observables with either free or periodic boundaries. In particular, the expectation that dangerous irrelevant variables cause Gaussian-fixed-point scaling indices to be replaced by Landau mean-field exponents for all Fourier modes is incorrect. Instead, the Gaussian-fixed-point exponents have a direct physical manifestation for some modes above the upper critical dimension.

Fragmentation of fractal random structures.

We analyze the fragmentation behavior of random clusters on the lattice under a process where bonds between neighboring sites are successively broken. Modeling such structures by configurations of a generalized Potts or random-cluster model allows us to discuss a wide range of systems with fractal properties including trees as well as dense clusters. We present exact results for the densities of fragmenting edges and the distribution of fragment sizes for critical clusters in two dimensions. Dynamical fragmentation with a size cutoff leads to broad distributions of fragment sizes. The resulting power laws are shown to encode characteristic fingerprints of the fragmented objects.

Immunization rates at the school entry in 2012.

BACKGROUND: The immunization rates for some diseases, including measles, were so low in Germany in recent years that endemic outbreaks occurred. A finely detailed geographic analysis of immunization rates is necessary for the identification of under-immunized areas. METHODS: We addressed this question with the aid of regional and local data from school entrance examinations, which were made available to us by the health departments of the German federal states. These data are represented both in tabular form and with the aid of a geographical information system (GIS). RESULTS: The immunization rates for tetanus, pertussis, and poliomyelitis were high throughout Germany (96.5%, 95.6%, and 95.2%, respectively). In contrast, major variation across regions was seen in immunization rates for hepatitis B (range: 53.5% to 99.1%) and measles (52.1% to 98.3%), with higher immunization rates in areas of the former East Germany. Low immunization rates were particularly evident in some areas in the states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. In some parts of Saxony (a state in the former East Germany), the official immunization recommendations differ from those of the nationwide Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO); as a result, these areas had a mean measles immunization rate of only 66.7% among children entering school. CONCLUSION: High immunization rates were found across Germany for tetanus, pertussis, and poliomyelitis, although the rates in some regions were lower than they should be. Stronger informational efforts must be undertaken to improve the public acceptance of immunization against hepatitis B and measles, so that these immunization rates can rise. For measles in particular, uniform nationwide recommendations might help increase the immunization rate.

Impact of physicians' attitude to vaccination on local vaccination coverage for pertussis and measles in Germany.

BACKGROUND: Vaccination rates of children in Germany are unsatisfying and regional endemic outbreaks have been reported. Few studies have analysed physicians' attitude towards vaccination. We investigated whether there is an association between physicians' attitude and vaccination coverage on the regional level for Germany. METHODS: In a representative cross-sectional survey, anonymized questionnaires were sent to random samples of all paediatricians (50%) and general practitioners (10%) in private practice in Germany. Attitude towards vaccination was operationalized in three scores. Measles and pertussis vaccination coverage rates were obtained from the 16 Federal States' Health Departments. Geographic methods and linear regression models were used for analysis. RESULTS: A total of 2010 paediatricians (response proportion: 64.1%) and 1712 general practitioners (response proportion 39.1%) were included in the analysis. We found an association of physicians' attitude towards vaccination and vaccination coverage rate (P < 0.0001). There is also an important association between vaccination coverage and the geographic location, with lower coverage rates especially in the States of former Western Germany (compared with our reference State Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania; pertussis: maximum -5.86% in Bavaria, P < 0.0001; measles: maximum -20.20% in Berlin, P = 0.0002). CONCLUSIONS: The regional association between vaccination coverage rates and physicians' attitude towards vaccination seems to be superposed by population-related variables. An increase of vaccination coverage requires better information and training of both, physicians and the general population.

Efficient simulation of the random-cluster model.

The simulation of spin models close to critical points of continuous phase transitions is heavily impeded by the occurrence of critical slowing down. A number of cluster algorithms, usually based on the Fortuin-Kasteleyn representation of the Potts model, and suitable generalizations for continuous-spin models have been used to increase simulation efficiency. The first algorithm making use of this representation, suggested by Sweeny in 1983, has not found widespread adoption due to problems in its implementation. However, it has been recently shown that it is indeed more efficient in reducing critical slowing down than the more well-known algorithm due to Swendsen and Wang. Here, we present an efficient implementation of Sweeny's approach for the random-cluster model using recent algorithmic advances in dynamic connectivity algorithms.