Orbital Ordering and Spin-Ladder Formation in La2RuO5

The semiconductor-semiconductor transition of La2RuO5 is studied by means of augmented spherical wave (ASW) electronic structure calculations as based on density functional theory and the local density approximation. This transition has lately been reported to lead to orbital ordering and a quenching of the local spin magnetic moment. Our results hint towards an orbital ordering scenario which, markedly different from the previously proposed scheme, preserves the local S = 1 moment at the Ru sites in the low-temperature phase. The unusual magnetic behaviour is interpreted by the formation of spin-ladders, which result from the structural changes occurring at the transition and are characterized by antiferromagnetic coupling along the rungs.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, for more information see http://www.physik.uni-augsburg.de/~eyert

Clinical relevance of soluble c-erbB-2 for patients with metastatic breast cancer predicting the response to second-line hormone or chemotherapy

Concentrations of soluble c-erbB-2 were determined in the sera of 64 patients with distant metastasis from advanced breast cancer receiving second-line hormone or chemotherapy in comparison to 35 breast cancer patients without detectable recurrent disease and 17 healthy blood donors. The sera of non-metastatic breast cancer patients contained s-erbB-2 concentrations similar to those of healthy blood donors. Patients with distant metastasis from advanced breast cancer had significantly higher values of s-erbB-2 in comparison to patients with non-disseminated disease (mean: 59.6 vs. 11.6 U/ml; p = 0.022). A significant correlation was observed between s-erbB-2 serum levels and serum LDH concentrations (p < 0.001), levels of alkaline phosphatase (p < 0.001), and the presence of hepatic metastasis (p = 0.001). Time to tumor progression was significantly shorter in patients with s-erbB-2 levels above 40 U/ml (mean: 23.4 vs. 56.7 months; p = 0.002). Furthermore, breast cancer patients with hepatic metastasis and those with elevated s-erbB-2 serum levels above 40 U/ml had limited response to hormone or chemotherapy. Non-responders had significantly higher s-erbB-2 levels (mean: 270.3, range: 42-500 U/ml;) compared with the responder group (mean: 23.1, range: 0-149 U/ml; p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis indicated that elevated s-erbB-2 serum levels above 40 U/ml independently predicted an unfavorable response to second-line hormone or chemotherapy in patients with advanced metastatic breast cancer. Copyright (C) 2002 S. KargerAG, Basel

One Size Does Not Fit All: Meeting the Health Care Needs of Diverse Populations

Proposes a framework for meeting patients' cultural and linguistic needs: policies and procedures that support cultural competence, data collection, population-tailored services, and internal and external collaborations. Includes a self-assessment tool

Mallard (Anas Platyrynchos) and Ring-Neck Pheasant (Phasianus Colchicus) Nesting Success at the Oak Lake Field Station, South Dakota, 2006

Nesting success of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) and ring-neck pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) is widely studied. However no previous studies focusing on this have been conducted at Oak Lake. A baseline assessment was needed to assess causes of nest mortality and to determine overall success. It was anticipated that mammalian predators would be a major cause of nest failure and that overall nesting success would be low. Non-random searches with a hockey stick and a circular drag line method were conducted from May 15, 2006 to June 26, 2006. Nests were determined to be successful in ≥ one egg hatched. Eggs were said to have hatched if detached shell membranes were found with shell fragments. Vegetation visual obstruction was assessed using a Robel pole at each nest. Five nests were monitored, three mallard and two ring-neck pheasant. Mammalian predators predated two mallard nests and one pheasant nest. Controlled burning destroyed one mallard nest. One pheasant nest was abandoned. None of the five nests were successful. There was no significant difference with 95 % confidence between mallard and ring-neck pheasant nest site selection in terms of vegetative visual obstruction (p = 0.053)

Supercurrent through grain boundaries in the presence of strong correlations

Strong correlations are known to severely reduce the mobility of charge carriers near half-filling and thus have an important influence on the current carrying properties of grain boundaries in the high-$T_c$ cuprates. In this work we present an extension of the Gutzwiller projection approach to treat electronic correlations below as well as above half-filling consistently. We apply this method to investigate the critical current through grain boundaries with a wide range of misalignment angles for electron- and hole-doped systems. For the latter excellent agreement with experimental data is found. We further provide a detailed comparison to an analogous weak-coupling evaluation.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

The role of Sox9 in mouse mammary gland development and maintenance of mammary stem and luminal progenitor cells.

BackgroundIdentification and characterization of molecular controls that regulate mammary stem and progenitor cell homeostasis are critical to our understanding of normal mammary gland development and its pathology.ResultsWe demonstrate that conditional knockout of Sox9 in the mouse mammary gland results in impaired postnatal development. In short-term lineage tracing in the postnatal mouse mammary gland using Sox9-CreER driven reporters, Sox9 marked primarily the luminal progenitors and bipotent stem/progenitor cells within the basal mammary epithelial compartment. In contrast, long-term lineage tracing studies demonstrate that Sox9+ precursors gave rise to both luminal and myoepithelial cell lineages. Finally, fate mapping of Sox9 deleted cells demonstrates that Sox9 is essential for luminal, but not myoepithelial, lineage commitment and proliferation.ConclusionsThese studies identify Sox9 as a key regulator of mammary gland development and stem/progenitor maintenance

Methods of determination of vibration sources of the engine-flywheel design

В статье рассмотрены основные конструктивные и производственные погрешности, а также методы определения источников вибрации конструкции двигателя-маховика системы ориентации и стабилизации космического аппарата с использованием современных средств измерения. Применение описанных методов позволит улучшить вибрационные характеристики двигателей-маховиков на этапе отработки опытного образца.The main constructive and production errors, methods of determination vibration sources of the spacecraftorientation and stabilization system design engine-flywheel using modern measuring tools are considered in thearticle. Application of the described methods will improve engines-flywheels vibration characteristics at the stage ofprototype testing