We present the results of a weakly modeled burst search for gravitational waves from mergers of nonspinning intermediate mass black holes in the total mass range 100-450 M-circle dot and with the component mass ratios between 1: and 4:1. The search was conducted on data collected by the LIGO and Virgo detectors between November of 2005 and October of 2007. No plausible signals were observed by the

Seeded free electron lasers theoretically have the intensity, tunability, and resolution required for multiphoton spectroscopy of atomic and molecular species. Using the seeded free electron laser FERMI and a novel detection scheme, we have revealed the two-photon excitation spectra of dipole-forbidden doubly excited states in helium. The spectral profiles of the lowest (-1,0)^{+1} ^{1}S^{e} and (

It has become increasingly clear that several age-associated pathologies associate with mutations in the mitochondrial genome. Experimental modeling of such events has revealed that acquisition of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage can impair respiratory function and, as a consequence, can lead to widespread decline in cellular function. This includes premature aging syndromes. By taking advantage o

This paper analyzes the causes for regulatory compliance, using traditional deterrence variables and potential moral and social variables. We use self-reported data from 459 Tanzanian artisanal fishers in Lake Victoria. The results indicate that the decision to be either a non-violator or a violator, as well as the violation rate - if the latter - are influenced by changes in deterrence variables

At normal conditions there is a substantial water gradient over the skin as it separates the water-rich inside of the body from the dry outside. This leads to a variation in the degree of hydration from the inside to the outside of skin and changes in this gradient may affect the structure and function of skin. In this study we raise the question: How do changes in the water gradient across skin a

To date, rational redesign of glycosidase active-site clefts has been mainly limited to the removal of essential functionalities rather than their introduction. The glycoside hydrolase family 26 endo-beta-1, 4-mannanase from the soil bacterium Cellulomonas fimi depolymerizes various abundant plant mannans. On the basis of differences in the structures and hydrolytic action patterns of this wild-ty

Saccharomyces cerevisiae was exposed to inhibitory concentrations of the three phenolic phenylpropanoids: coniferyl aldehyde, ferulic acid, and isoeugenol. Deoxyribonucleic acid microarray analysis was employed as one approach to generate a set of candidate genes for deletion mutant analysis to determine the potential contribution of the corresponding gene products to the resistance against toxic

The fundamental properties and processes that govern nanoparticle behavior in colloidal dispersions are critical to predict their performance in applications and also their environmental and health implications. Illite is a platy clay mineral that is present in large amounts in aquatic environments and can be used as a model natural particle for environmental risk assessment. However, the high-asp

Objective: Prior studies investigating the association between APOE alleles epsilon 2/epsilon 4 and risk of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) have been inconsistent and limited to small sample sizes, and did not account for confounding by population stratification or determine which genetic risk model was best applied. Methods: We performed a large-scale genetic association study of 2189 ICH cases an

A major bottleneck in high-throughput protein production is the validation step, which is why parallel and automated sample processing methods are highly desirable. Also, a miniaturized sample preparation format is preferred, as the reduction of reagent volumes significantly decreases the analysis cost per sample. We have developed an automated and miniaturized protein sequence verification protoc

Stomatopod crustaceans, or mantis shrimp, are renowned for their complex visual systems. Their array of 16 types of photoreceptors provides complex color reception, as well as linear and circular polarization sensitivity [1-6]. The least-understood components of their retina are the UV receptors, of which there are up to six distinct, narrowly tuned spectral types [4]. Here we show that in the sto

Age-determinations on a complex array of mafic dykes across the eastern Kaapvaal craton (Olsson et al.. 2010) are complemented herein by field evidence, dyke trend analysis, and petrological characterization of 58 dyke samples. similar to 2.95 Ga SE-trending, a similar to 2.65 Ga E- to SE-radiating, and similar to 1.90 Ga NE-trending swarms can be distinguished. Prominent Archean (similar to 2.95

Background. Human papillomavirus (HPV) types from the Beta- and Gammapapillomavirus genera are common at cutaneous sites. The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of these HPV types in oral and nasal samples.Methods. Nasal and oral samples were taken from 312 volunteers of Danish health-care staff (240 women and 72 males, with mean age of 42 years). Of these 311 oral and 304 nasal sampl

According to Williamson (In defense of objective Bayesianism, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2010), the difference between empirical subjective Bayesians and objective Bayesians is that, while both hold reasonable credence to be calibrated to evidence, the objectivist also takes such credence to be as equivocal as such calibration allows. However, Williamson's prescription for equivocation gener

To illuminate patients' experiences of being hospitalised in a hospital with a single-bed room design.

This article takes Italy’s widely-debated 2009 push-backs to Libya campaign as a point of reference to address whether bilateral agreements for technical and police cooperation provide the legal foundation for the forced return of intercepted refugees to countries of embarkation. Through a detailed analysis of both the facts and the texts of the published and unpublished bilateral accords, it conc

The innate immune system relies to a great deal on the interaction of pattern recognition receptors with pathogen- or damage-associated molecular pattern molecules. Extracellular histones belong to the latter group and their release has been described to contribute to the induction of systemic inflammatory reactions. However, little is known about their functions in the early immune response to an

Understanding the possible pH-buffering processes is of maximum importance for risk assessment and remediation feasibility studies of heavy-metal contaminated soils. This paper presents the results about the effect of the buffering capacity of a polluted soil, rich in carbonates, on the pH and on the leaching evolution of its main contaminant (lead) when a weak acid (acetic acid) or a strong one (