Finite Size Analysis of the One-dimensional $q = \infty$ Clock Model
We analyze the finite size scaling of the $q$-state clock model in the $q \rightarrow \infty$ limit. The behaviors of the specific heat, Binder-Landau and U4 cumulants agree with the Borgs-Koteck\'y ans\"atz for first order phase transitions. However, we find that the leading correction to the position of the extremal points of these quantities is not universal. On the other hand, the finite size corrections to the mass gap behave like for second order phase transitions. In particular, the curves corresponding to different size approximations do not cross in the vicinity of the transition points. The feature is associated to the existence of a divergent correlation length and holds for a wider class of models.

title: Absence of phase transition for antiferromagnetic Potts models via the Dobrushin uniqueness theorem
abstract: We prove that theq-state Potts antiferromagnet on a lattice of maximum coordination numberr exhibits exponential decay of correlations uniformly at all temperatures (including zero temperature) wheneverq>2r. We also prove slightly better bounds for several two-dimensional lattices: square lattice (exponential decay forq≥7), triangular lattice (q≥11), hexagonal lattice (q≥4), and Kagomé lattice (q≥6). The proofs are based on the Dobrushin uniqueness theorem.

title: Computing the couplings of Ising systems from Schwinger-Dyson equations
abstract: We study the problem of determining the couplings of Ising systems in terms of expectation values. We find that all previously known methods can be based on Schwinger-Dyson equations. Indeed, new methods can be derived with relative advantages with respect to all of them. Application for the renormalization group flow of the Ising model on a square lattice is presented.

title: Dynamic critical behavior of cluster algorithms for 2D Ashkin-Teller and Potts models
abstract: We study the dynamic critical behavior of two algorithms: the Swendsen-Wang algorithm for the two-dimensional Potts model with q=2,3,4 and a Swendsen-Wang-type algorithm for the two-dimensional symmetric Ashkin-Teller model on the self-dual curve. We find that the Li--Sokal bound on the autocorrelation time \tau_{{\rm int},{\cal E}} \geq const \times C_H is almost, but not quite sharp. The ratio \tau_{{\rm int},{\cal E}}/C_H appears to tend to infinity either as a logarithm or as a small power (0.05 \ltapprox p \ltapprox 0.12). We also show that the exponential autocorrelation time \tau_{{\rm exp},{\cal E}} is proportional to the integrated autocorrelation time \tau_{{\rm int},{\cal E}}.

title: Exact finite-size-scaling corrections to the critical two-dimensional Ising model on a torus: II. Triangular and hexagonal lattices
abstract: We compute the finite-size corrections to the free energy, internal energy and specific heat of the critical two-dimensional spin-1/2 Ising model on triangular and hexagonal lattices wrapped on a torus. We find the general form of the finite-size corrections to these quantities, as well as explicit formulae for the first coefficients of each expansion. We analyse the implications of these findings for the renormalization-group description of the model.

title: Dynamic critical behavior of a Swendsen-Wang-Type algorithm for the Ashkin-Teller model
abstract: We study the dynamic critical behavior of a Swendsen-Wang-type algorithm for the Ashkin-Teller model. We find that the Li-Sokal bound on the autocorrelation time (τint.δ≥ const xCH) holds along the self-dual curve of the symmetric Ashkin-Teller model, and is almost, but not quite sharp. The ratio τint.δ/CH appears to tend to infinity either as a logarithm or as a small power (0.05≲p≲0.12). In an appendix we discuss the problem of extracting estimates of the exponential autocorrelation time.

title: Adiabatic regularization and particle creation for spin one-half fields
abstract: The extension of the adiabatic regularization method to spin-$1/2$ fields requires a self-consistent adiabatic expansion of the field modes. We provide here the details of such expansion, which differs from the WKB ansatz that works well for scalars, to firmly establish the generalization of the adiabatic renormalization scheme to spin-$1/2$ fields. We focus on the computation of particle production in de Sitter spacetime and obtain an analytic expression of the renormalized stress-energy tensor for Dirac fermions.