Fluctuations of an Atomic Ledge Bordering a Crystalline Facet

When a high symmetry facet joins the rounded part of a crystal, the step line density vanishes as sqrt(r) with r denoting the distance from the facet edge. This means that the ledge bordering the facet has a lot of space to meander as caused by thermal activation. We investigate the statistical properties of the border ledge fluctuations. In the scaling regime they turn out to be non-Gaussian and related to the edge statistics of GUE multi-matrix models.Comment: Version with major revisions -- RevTeX, 4 pages, 2 figure

Non-universal equilibrium crystal shape results from sticky steps

The anisotropic surface free energy, Andreev surface free energy, and equilibrium crystal shape (ECS) z=z(x,y) are calculated numerically using a transfer matrix approach with the density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) method. The adopted surface model is a restricted solid-on-solid (RSOS) model with "sticky" steps, i.e., steps with a point-contact type attraction between them (p-RSOS model). By analyzing the results, we obtain a first-order shape transition on the ECS profile around the (111) facet; and on the curved surface near the (001) facet edge, we obtain shape exponents having values different from those of the universal Gruber-Mullins-Pokrovsky-Talapov (GMPT) class. In order to elucidate the origin of the non-universal shape exponents, we calculate the slope dependence of the mean step height of "step droplets" (bound states of steps) using the Monte Carlo method, where p=(dz/dx, dz/dy)$, and represents the thermal averag |p| dependence of , we derive a |p|-expanded expression for the non-universal surface free energy f_{eff}(p), which contains quadratic terms with respect to |p|. The first-order shape transition and the non-universal shape exponents obtained by the DMRG calculations are reproduced thermodynamically from the non-universal surface free energy f_{eff}(p).Comment: 31 pages, 21 figure

Quality assurance in the HIV/AIDS laboratory network of China

Background In 2009, there were 8273 local screening laboratories, 254 confirmatory laboratories, 35 provincial confirmatory central laboratories and 1 National AIDS Reference Laboratory (NARL) in China. These laboratories were located in Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) facilities, hospitals, blood donation clinics, maternal and child health (MCH) hospitals and border health quarantine health-care facilities

Natural equilibrium states for multimodal maps

This paper is devoted to the study of the thermodynamic formalism for a class of real multimodal maps. This class contains, but it is larger than, Collet-Eckmann. For a map in this class, we prove existence and uniqueness of equilibrium states for the geometric potentials $-t \log|Df|$, for the largest possible interval of parameters $t$. We also study the regularity and convexity properties of the pressure function, completely characterising the first order phase transitions. Results concerning the existence of absolutely continuous invariant measures with respect to the Lebesgue measure are also obtained

Spontaneous preterm labor is associated with an increase in the proinflammatory signal transducer TLR4 receptor on maternal blood monocytes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Localized inflammation and increased expression of TLR4 receptors within the uterus has been implicated in the pathogenesis of preterm labor. It remains unclear whether intrauterine inflammatory responses activate the maternal peripheral circulatory system. Therefore we determined whether increased TLR4 expression is present in the peripheral maternal white blood cells of women with spontaneous preterm labor.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This is a cross-sectional study of 41 preterm labor cases and 41 non-preterm controls. For each case and control sample, RNA was purified from white blood cells and TLR4 mRNA pool size was evaluated by quantitative PCR. Protein expression levels were determined by flow cytometry. Statistical evaluation using multiple linear regressions was used to determine any significant differences between the cases and controls. The purpose was to determine association prevalence of TLR4 levels and preterm labor.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Adjusted mean TLR4 mRNA levels of 0.788 ± 0.037 (standard error) for preterm labor and 0.348 ± 0.038 for the corresponding pregnant control women were statistically significantly different <it>(P </it>= 0.002). Using the lower 95% confidence interval of the mean expression level in PTL subjects (0.7) as a cutoff value for elevated TLR4 mRNA levels, 25/41 (60.9%) of PTL patients expressed elevated TLR4 mRNA as compared to 0/41 (0%) in control subjects. The TLR4 receptor levels in the granulocyte fraction of white blood cells from preterm labor and pregnant controls were similar. However, TLR4⁺/CD14⁺monocytes were 2.3 times more frequent (70% vs. 30%) and TLR4 also had a 2.6-fold higher density (750 vs. 280 molecules per cell) in preterm labor women compared with pregnant controls. There was no difference in the levels of TLR4 in patients at term.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Patients with preterm labor exhibited elevated levels of CD14⁺maternal blood monocytes each bearing enhanced expression of TLR4, indicating that the peripheral circulatory system is activated in patients with preterm labor. Elevated leukocyte TLR4 levels may be a useful biomarker associated with preterm labor.</p

The interplay of microscopic and mesoscopic structure in complex networks

Not all nodes in a network are created equal. Differences and similarities exist at both individual node and group levels. Disentangling single node from group properties is crucial for network modeling and structural inference. Based on unbiased generative probabilistic exponential random graph models and employing distributive message passing techniques, we present an efficient algorithm that allows one to separate the contributions of individual nodes and groups of nodes to the network structure. This leads to improved detection accuracy of latent class structure in real world data sets compared to models that focus on group structure alone. Furthermore, the inclusion of hitherto neglected group specific effects in models used to assess the statistical significance of small subgraph (motif) distributions in networks may be sufficient to explain most of the observed statistics. We show the predictive power of such generative models in forecasting putative gene-disease associations in the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) database. The approach is suitable for both directed and undirected uni-partite as well as for bipartite networks

Large deviation principle for Benedicks-Carleson quadratic maps

Since the pioneering works of Jakobson and Benedicks & Carleson and others, it has been known that a positive measure set of quadratic maps admit invariant probability measures absolutely continuous with respect to Lebesgue. These measures allow one to statistically predict the asymptotic fate of Lebesgue almost every initial condition. Estimating fluctuations of empirical distributions before they settle to equilibrium requires a fairly good control over large parts of the phase space. We use the sub-exponential slow recurrence condition of Benedicks & Carleson to build induced Markov maps of arbitrarily small scale and associated towers, to which the absolutely continuous measures can be lifted. These various lifts together enable us to obtain a control of recurrence that is sufficient to establish a level 2 large deviation principle, for the absolutely continuous measures. This result encompasses dynamics far from equilibrium, and thus significantly extends presently known local large deviations results for quadratic maps.Comment: 23 pages, no figure, former title: Full large deviation principle for Benedicks-Carleson quadratic map

25th-order high-temperature expansion results for three-dimensional Ising-like systems on the simple cubic lattice

25th-order high-temperature series are computed for a general nearest-neighbor three-dimensional Ising model with arbitrary potential on the simple cubic lattice. In particular, we consider three improved potentials characterized by suppressed leading scaling corrections. Critical exponents are extracted from high-temperature series specialized to improved potentials, obtaining $\gamma=1.2373(2)$, $\nu=0.63012(16)$, $\alpha=0.1096(5)$, $\eta=0.03639(15)$, $\beta=0.32653(10)$, $\delta=4.7893(8)$. Moreover, biased analyses of the 25th-order series of the standard Ising model provide the estimate $\Delta=0.52(3)$ for the exponent associated with the leading scaling corrections. By the same technique, we study the small-magnetization expansion of the Helmholtz free energy. The results are then applied to the construction of parametric representations of the critical equation of state, using a systematic approach based on a global stationarity condition. Accurate estimates of several universal amplitude ratios are also presented.Comment: 40 pages, 15 figure