Mother Operators and their Descendants

A mechanism deriving new well-posed evolutionary equations from given ones is inspected. It turns out that there is one particular spatial operator from which many of the standard evolutionary problems of mathematical physics can be generated by this abstract mechanism using suitable projections. The complexity of the dynamics of the phenomena considered can be described in terms of suitable material laws. The idea is illustrated with a number of concrete examples.Comment: This is a revised version of the earlier posted pre-print. The corrections concern predominantly Corollary 1.7 and Theorem 1.9 and their consequence

Widely tunable, efficient 2 μm laser in monocrystalline Tm3+:SrF2.

We report on the growth, spectroscopy, and laser operation of monocrystalline Tm3+:SrF2. Spectroscopic investigations confirmed the presence of broad absorption and emission bands caused by inequivalent doped sites, introduced by charge compensation effects which also caused the clusterization of doping ions in the lattice. We obtained continuous-wave laser emission at about 2 ?m, with efficiencies comparable with other Tm-doped crystals. We also achieved an uninterrupted tuning range of 180 nm between 1.8 and 2 ?m. This characterization indicates that SrF2 enhances the cooperative mechanisms between Tm ions, helping to obtain remarkable laser performances at low doping concentrations

Rückzug und Dialog: die Aktivierung universitärer Zwischenräume

Oft erweisen sich Universitäten als Nicht-Orte im doppelten Sinne: als defizitäre Räume ohne architektonische Qualitäten und als Orte, die anstelle von Wissensschöpfung nur Lehr-Routine unterstützen. - Unser Modell zur gegenseitigen Befruchtung von "Raum" und "Wissensarbeit" beruht auf den Parametern "Dialog" und "Rückzug". Für seine Umsetzung bieten sich in bestehenden Universitäten vor allem die "unnützen" Zwischenräume an. Hier können bauliche Implantate und Interventionen für eine nachhaltige Wissensentwicklung realisiert werden. Als konkrete Umsetzungen dieser Dialog- bzw. Rückzugszwischenräume wird eine Plattform vorgestellt, die in den Übergangszonen der Universität Leipzig eingerichtet wurde, sowie Garagen-Labore, wie sie als verborgene Inkubatoren am MIT erfolgreich waren. 13.01.2012 | Kathrin Franke, Bertram Haude (Leipzig) & Jörg Rainer Noennig (Dresden

Redetermination of terbium scandate, revealing a defect-type perovskite derivative

The crystal structure of terbium(III) scandate(III), with ideal formula TbScO3, has been reported previously on the basis of powder diffraction data [Liferovich & Mitchell (2004 ▶). J. Solid State Chem. 177, 2188–2197]. The current data were obtained from single crystals grown by the Czochralski method and show an improvement in the precision of the geometric parameters. Moreover, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry studies resulted in a nonstoichiometric composition of the title compound. Site-occupancy refinements based on diffraction data support the idea of a Tb deficiency on the A site (inducing O defects on the O2 position). The crystallochemical formula of the investigated sample thus may be written as A(□0.04Tb0.96)BScO2.94. In the title compound, Tb occupies the eightfold-coordinated sites (site symmetry m) and Sc the centres of corner-sharing [ScO6] octa­hedra (site symmetry ). The mean bond lengths and site distortions fit well into the data of the remaining lanthanoid scandates in the series from DyScO3 to NdScO3. A linear structural evolution with the size of the lanthanoid from DyScO3 to NdScO3 can be predicted

an ALWP-EBMT study

Background Allogeneic stem cell transplantation is the only curative option for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) experiencing relapse. Either matched sibling donor (MSD) or unrelated donor (UD) is indicated. Methods We analyzed 1554 adults with AML transplanted from MSD (n = 961) or UD (n = 593, HLA-matched 10/10, n = 481; 9/10, n = 112). Compared to MSD, UD recipients were older (49 vs 52 years, p = 0.001), transplanted more recently (2009 vs 2006, p = 0.001), and with a longer interval to transplant (10 vs 9 months, p = 0.001). Conditioning regimen was more frequently myeloablative for patients transplanted with a MSD (61 vs 46 %, p = 0.001). Median follow-up was 28 (range 3–157) months. Results Cumulative incidence (CI) of neutrophil engraftment (p = 0.07), grades II–IV acute GVHD (p = 0.11), chronic GVHD (p = 0.9), and non-relapse mortality (NRM, p = 0.24) was not different according to the type of donor. At 2 years, CI of relapse (relapse incidence (RI)) was 57 vs 49 % (p = 0.001). Leukemia-free survival (LFS) at 2 years was 21 vs 26 % (p = 0.001), and overall survival (OS) was 26 vs 33 % (p = 0.004) for MSD vs UD, respectively. Chronic GVHD as time-dependent variable was associated with lower RI (HR 0.78, p = 0.05), higher NRM (HR 1.71, p = 0.001), and higher OS (HR 0.69, p = 0.001). According to HLA match, RI was 57 vs 50 vs 45 %, (p = 0.001) NRM was 23 vs 23 vs 29 % (p = 0.26), and LFS at 2 years was 21 vs 27 vs 25 % (p = 0.003) for MSD, 10/10, and 9/10 UD, respectively. In multivariate analysis adjusted for differences between the two groups, UD was associated with lower RI (HR 0.76, p = 0.001) and higher LFS (HR 0.83, p = 0.001) compared to MSD. Interval between diagnosis and transplant was the other factor associated with better outcomes (RI (HR 0.62, p < 0.001) and LFS (HR 0.67, p < 0.001)). Conclusions Transplantation using UD was associated with better LFS and lower RI compared to MSD for high-risk patients with AML transplanted in first relapse

A Hypomorphic Vasopressin Allele Prevents Anxiety-Related Behavior

To investigate neurobiological correlates of trait anxiety, CD1 mice were selectively bred for extremes in anxiety-related behavior, with high (HAB) and low (LAB) anxiety-related behavior mice additionally differing in behavioral tests reflecting depression-like behavior. promoter deletion to anxiety-related behavior. gene promoter explains gene expression differences in association with the observed phenotype, thus further strengthening the concept of the critical involvement of centrally released AVP in trait anxiety

A hypomorphic vasopressin allele prevents anxiety-related behavior

In this study, microarray analysis, in situ hybridization, quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry revealed decreased expression of the vasopressin gene (Avp) in the hypothalamic paraventricular (PVN) and supraoptic (SON) nuclei of adult LAB mice compared to HAB, NAB (normal anxiety-related behavior) and HABxLAB F1 intercross controls, without detecting differences in receptor expression or density. By sequencing the regions 2.5 kbp up- and downstream of the Avp gene locus, we could identify several polymorphic loci, differing between the HAB and LAB lines. In the gene promoter, a deletion of twelve bp Δ(−2180–2191) is particularly likely to contribute to the reduced Avp expression detected in LAB animals under basal conditions. Indeed, allele-specific transcription analysis of F1 animals revealed a hypomorphic LAB-specific Avp allele with a reduced transcription rate by 75% compared to the HAB-specific allele, thus explaining line-specific Avp expression profiles and phenotypic features. Accordingly, intra-PVN Avp mRNA levels were found to correlate with anxiety-related and depression-like behaviors. In addition to this correlative evidence, a significant, though moderate, genotype/phenotype association was demonstrated in 258 male mice of a freely-segregating F2 panel, suggesting a causal contribution of the Avp promoter deletion to anxiety-related behavior

Farewell, welfare state – hello, welfare regions? Chances and constraints of welfare management in the German federal system

The German welfare state is in crisis. Alarming long-term demographic trends, the still not fully digested consequences of German unification and the current economic downturn in much of the Eurozone have combined to create an urgent need for welfare reform. Yet the constitutional arrangements which govern the German political system, and well-entrenched political practice, mean that any such reform process is a daunting challenge. Thus, the welfare crisis is also a crisis of German-style co-operative federalism. Current empirical evidence makes for uncomfortable reading, and triggers debate on the nature of the German federation: have the two constitutional principles of federalism and establishing equal living conditions throughout the federation become mutually exclusive? However, as much of the welfare state is centred on the best utilisation of scarce financial resources, it is debatable to what extent alterations in the functional distribution of welfare responsibilities among the territorial levels of government can be regarded as a solution for the current problems. The article concludes that in the search for long-term sustainability of the welfare state the territorial dimension is likely to remain a secondary issue