88 research outputs found
Proof of Rounding by Quenched Disorder of First Order Transitions in Low-Dimensional Quantum Systems
We prove that for quantum lattice systems in d<=2 dimensions the addition of
quenched disorder rounds any first order phase transition in the corresponding
conjugate order parameter, both at positive temperatures and at T=0. For
systems with continuous symmetry the statement extends up to d<=4 dimensions.
This establishes for quantum systems the existence of the Imry-Ma phenomenon
which for classical systems was proven by Aizenman and Wehr. The extension of
the proof to quantum systems is achieved by carrying out the analysis at the
level of thermodynamic quantities rather than equilibrium states.Comment: This article presents the detailed derivation of results which were
announced in Phys. Rev. Lett. 103 (2009) 197201 (arXiv:0907.2419). v3
incorporates many corrections and improvements resulting from referee
comment
Time Evolution of Spin Waves
A rigorous derivation of macroscopic spin-wave equations is demonstrated. We
introduce a macroscopic mean-field limit and derive the so-called
Landau-Lifshitz equations for spin waves. We first discuss the ferromagnetic
Heisenberg model at T=0 and finally extend our analysis to general spin
hamiltonians for the same class of ferromagnetic ground states.Comment: 4 pages, to appear in PR
The School Health Index as an Impetus for Change
BACKGROUND: The increase in childhood obesity and prevalence of chronic disease risk factors demonstrate the importance of creating healthy school environments. As part of the Border Health Strategic Initiative, the School Health Index was implemented in public schools in two counties along the Arizona, United States-Sonora, Mexico border. Developed in 2000 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the School Health Index offers a guide to assist schools in evaluating and improving opportunities for physical activity and good nutrition for their students. CONTEXT: Between 2000 and 2003, a total of 13 schools from five school districts in two counties participated in the School Health Index project despite academic pressures and limited resources. METHODS: The Border Health Strategic Initiative supported the hiring and training of an external coordinator in each county who was not part of the school system but who was an employee in an established community-based organization. The coordinators worked with the schools to implement the School Health Index, to develop action plans, and to monitor progress toward these goals. CONSEQUENCES: The School Health Index process and school team participation varied from school to school. Individual plans were different but all focused on reducing in-school access to unhealthy foods, identified as high-fat and/or of low nutritional value. Ideas for acting on this focus ranged from changing the content of school lunches to discontinuing the use of nonnutritious foods as classroom rewards. All plans included recommendations that could be implemented immediately as well as those that would require planning and perhaps the formation and assistance of a subcommittee (e.g., for developing or adopting a district-wide health curriculum). INTERPRETATION: After working with the School Health Index, most schools made at least one immediate change in their school environments. The external coordinator was essential to keeping the School Health Index results and action plans on the agendas of school administrators, especially during periods of staff turnover. Staff turnover, lack of time, and limited resources resulted in few schools achieving longer-term policy changes
The School Health Index as an Impetus for Change
Background
The increase in childhood obesity and prevalence of
chronic disease risk factors demonstrate the importance of
creating healthy school environments. As part of the
Border Health Strategic Initiative, the School Health
Index was implemented in public schools in two counties
along the Arizona, United States-Sonora, Mexico border.
Developed in 2000 by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, the School Health Index offers a guide to
assist schools in evaluating and improving opportunities
for physical activity and good nutrition for their students.
Context
Between 2000 and 2003, a total of 13 schools from five
school districts in two counties participated in the School
Health Index project despite academic pressures and limited resources.
Methods
The Border Health Strategic Initiative supported the
hiring and training of an external coordinator in each
county who was not part of the school system but who was
an employee in an established community-based organization. The coordinators worked with the schools to implement the School Health Index, to develop action plans, and
to monitor progress toward these goals.
Consequences
The School Health Index process and school team participation varied from school to school. Individual plans
were different but all focused on reducing in-school access
to unhealthy foods, identified as high-fat and/or of low
nutritional value. Ideas for acting on this focus ranged
from changing the content of school lunches to discontinuing the use of nonnutritious foods as classroom rewards.
All plans included recommendations that could be implemented immediately as well as those that would require
planning and perhaps the formation and assistance of a
subcommittee (e.g., for developing or adopting a districtwide health curriculum).
Interpretation
After working with the School Health Index, most
schools made at least one immediate change in their school
environments. The external coordinator was essential to
keeping the School Health Index results and action plans
on the agendas of school administrators, especially during
periods of staff turnover. Staff turnover, lack of time, and
limited resources resulted in few schools achieving longer term policy changes
Multicomponent dynamical systems: SRB measures and phase transitions
We discuss a notion of phase transitions in multicomponent systems and
clarify relations between deterministic chaotic and stochastic models of this
type of systems. Connections between various definitions of SRB measures are
considered as well.Comment: 13 pages, LaTeX 2
Non-Equilibrium Statistical Physics of Currents in Queuing Networks
We consider a stable open queuing network as a steady non-equilibrium system
of interacting particles. The network is completely specified by its underlying
graphical structure, type of interaction at each node, and the Markovian
transition rates between nodes. For such systems, we ask the question ``What is
the most likely way for large currents to accumulate over time in a network
?'', where time is large compared to the system correlation time scale. We
identify two interesting regimes. In the first regime, in which the
accumulation of currents over time exceeds the expected value by a small to
moderate amount (moderate large deviation), we find that the large-deviation
distribution of currents is universal (independent of the interaction details),
and there is no long-time and averaged over time accumulation of particles
(condensation) at any nodes. In the second regime, in which the accumulation of
currents over time exceeds the expected value by a large amount (severe large
deviation), we find that the large-deviation current distribution is sensitive
to interaction details, and there is a long-time accumulation of particles
(condensation) at some nodes. The transition between the two regimes can be
described as a dynamical second order phase transition. We illustrate these
ideas using the simple, yet non-trivial, example of a single node with
feedback.Comment: 26 pages, 5 figure
Flavin-Induced Oligomerization in Escherichia coli Adaptive Response Protein AidB
The process known as “adaptive response” allows Escherichia coli to respond to small doses of DNA-methylating agents by upregulating the expression of four proteins. While the role of three of these proteins in mitigating DNA damage is well understood, the function of AidB is less clear. Although AidB is a flavoprotein, no catalytic role has been established for the bound cofactor. Here we investigate the possibility that flavin plays a structural role in the assembly of the AidB tetramer. We report the generation and biophysical characterization of deflavinated AidB and of an AidB mutant that has greatly reduced affinity for flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD). Using fluorescence quenching and analytical ultracentrifugation, we find that apo AidB has a high affinity for FAD, as indicated by an apparent dissociation constant of 402.1 ± 35.1 nM, and that binding of substoichiometric amounts of FAD triggers a transition in the AidB oligomeric state. In particular, deflavinated AidB is dimeric, whereas the addition of FAD yields a tetramer. We further investigate the dimerization and tetramerization interfaces of AidB by determining a 2.8 Å resolution crystal structure in space group P32 that contains three intact tetramers in the asymmetric unit. Taken together, our findings provide strong evidence that FAD plays a structural role in the formation of tetrameric AidB.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (grant R01-GM0272663)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (grant P30-ES002109)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (grant MCB-0543833
Genome-Wide Scan on Total Serum IgE Levels Identifies FCER1A as Novel Susceptibility Locus
High levels of serum IgE are considered markers of parasite and helminth exposure. In addition, they are associated with allergic disorders, play a key role in anti-tumoral defence, and are crucial mediators of autoimmune diseases. Total IgE is a strongly heritable trait. In a genome-wide association study (GWAS), we tested 353,569 SNPs for association with serum IgE levels in 1,530 individuals from the population-based KORA S3/F3 study. Replication was performed in four independent population-based study samples (total n = 9,769 individuals). Functional variants in the gene encoding the alpha chain of the high affinity receptor for IgE (FCER1A) on chromosome 1q23 (rs2251746 and rs2427837) were strongly associated with total IgE levels in all cohorts with P values of 1.85×10−20 and 7.08×10−19 in a combined analysis, and in a post-hoc analysis showed additional associations with allergic sensitization (P = 7.78×10−4 and P = 1.95×10−3). The “top” SNP significantly influenced the cell surface expression of FCER1A on basophils, and genome-wide expression profiles indicated an interesting novel regulatory mechanism of FCER1A expression via GATA-2. Polymorphisms within the RAD50 gene on chromosome 5q31 were consistently associated with IgE levels (P values 6.28×10−7−4.46×10−8) and increased the risk for atopic eczema and asthma. Furthermore, STAT6 was confirmed as susceptibility locus modulating IgE levels. In this first GWAS on total IgE FCER1A was identified and replicated as new susceptibility locus at which common genetic variation influences serum IgE levels. In addition, variants within the RAD50 gene might represent additional factors within cytokine gene cluster on chromosome 5q31, emphasizing the need for further investigations in this intriguing region. Our data furthermore confirm association of STAT6 variation with serum IgE levels
RhoC-GTPase is a Novel Tissue Biomarker Associated with Biologically Aggressive Carcinomas of the Breast
Background. There is a need for reliable predictors of breast cancer aggressiveness that will further refine the staging classification and help guide the implementation of novel therapies. We have identified RhoC as being nearly always overexpressed in the most aggressive form of breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer (IBC); in subsequent work we identified RhoC to be a promising marker of aggressive behavior in breast cancers less than 1 cm in diameter. We hypothesized that RhoC expression would identify aggressive, non-IBC tumors breast cancer patients at any stage with worse outcomes defined as recurrence and/or metastasis.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/44231/1/10549_2005_Article_4170.pd
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