Astrophysical properties of binary star clusters in the Small Magellanic Cloud

To study the evolution of binary star clusters we have imaged 7 systems in the Small Magellanic Cloud with SOAR 4-m telescope using B and V filters. The sample contains pairs with well-separated components (d < 30 pc) as well as systems that apparently merged, as evidenced by their unusual structures. By employing isochrone fittings to their CMDs we have determined reddening, age and metallicity and by fitting King models to their radial stellar density profile we have estimated core radius. Disturbances of the density profile are interpreted as an evidence of interaction. Circunstances as distances between components and their age difference are addressed in terms of the timescales involved to access the physical connection of the system. In two cases the age difference is above 50 Myr, which suggests chance alignment, capture or sequential star formation.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure. To appear in online version of Proc. IAU Symp. 266 (Star clusters), eds. R. de Grijs and J. Lepin

Convex Trace Functions on Quantum Channels and the Additivity Conjecture

We study a natural generalization of the additivity problem in quantum information theory: given a pair of quantum channels, then what is the set of convex trace functions that attain their maximum on unentangled inputs, if they are applied to the corresponding output state? We prove several results on the structure of the set of those convex functions that are "additive" in this more general sense. In particular, we show that all operator convex functions are additive for the Werner-Holevo channel in 3x3 dimensions, which contains the well-known additivity results for this channel as special cases.Comment: 9 pages, 1 figure. Published versio

Effects of winglet on transonic flutter characteristics of a cantilevered twin-engine-transport wing model

A transonic model and a low-speed model were flutter tested in the Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel at Mach numbers up to 0.90. Transonic flutter boundaries were measured for 10 different model configurations, which included variations in wing fuel, nacelle pylon stiffness, and wingtip configuration. The winglet effects were evaluated by testing the transonic model, having a specific wing fuel and nacelle pylon stiffness, with each of three wingtips, a nonimal tip, a winglet, and a nominal tip ballasted to simulate the winglet mass. The addition of the winglet substantially reduced the flutter speed of the wing at transonic Mach numbers. The winglet effect was configuration-dependent and was primarily due to winglet aerodynamics rather than mass. Flutter analyses using modified strip-theory aerodynamics (experimentally weighted) correlated reasonably well with test results. The four transonic flutter mechanisms predicted by analysis were obtained experimentally. The analysis satisfactorily predicted the mass-density-ratio effects on subsonic flutter obtained using the low-speed model. Additional analyses were made to determine the flutter sensitivity to several parameters at transonic speeds

The standardisation and use of performance tests of intelligence under Indian conditions, including illiterates

We have. In the first chapter of this work, started with the desirability and necessity of having Intelligence tests, particularly in those countries which are yet undeveloped. We have then discussed the problems of Intelligence testing in India in the context of the country*s social and cultural conditions. We have indicated our general standpoint in regard to these problems and have defined the scope of the present work in general terme.We have, in the second chapter, while discussing the general nature of Intelligence, considered it helpful to give an historical background to the current theories about Intelligence. We have traced the development of the converging notions about Intelligence up to 1927, the date of appearance of Spearman's work "Abilities of Man" and the enunciation of his hypothesis of Intelligence in terms of "g". We have discussed Spearman's "g", indicated our viewpoint and summarised what we consider to be a helpful and useful guide for those who would construct tests of Intelligence. Finally we have discussed Performance tests in general, and indicated the general principles of our Battery of Tests.In the third chapter we have given a detailed description of the tests constituting our Battery, and in the case of tests devised by ourselves specially for this Battery, have explained the way we have devised these teats. A copy of instructions for ad¬ ministering the Battery and the method of scoring the Battery have been given.The fourth chapter contains details of the sample on which the standardisation is based. In this connection the difficulties of testing in the countryside in India have "been pointed out and the way to meet them indicated.The fifth chapter contains the description of the factorial analysis we carried out on the Battery of tests together with the Stanford-Binet scale (Revised 193? - Scale L)„ Thurstonefs Centroid Method with orthogonal axes was used. It has been found that the Battery gives the evaluation of at least two factors - one of a general nature, most probably of the nature of "g" and the other a Memory factor. Indicationsof a third factor of the nature of WKM are also found, but it is not statistically significant in our analysis. This and other factors, particularly in connection with our Picture test, may also be present in the Battery. It was not possible to indicate or demonstrate these conclusively in view of the limited nature of our data suitable for analysis.The sixth chapter contains details of standardisa¬ tion of the Battery under three separate heads, (a) For Literates with non-weighted raw scores; (b) For Illiterates with non-weighted raw scores, and (c) For Literates with weighted scores to give the best prediction for the general factor found in the analysis in Chapter V.The Reliability and Validity of the Battery is discussed in the seventh chapter, which also contains a comparison of the performance of the Literate and the Illiterate groups on the Battery. The fundament¬ al problem of test performance under different environ¬ mental conditions has been briefly discussed and the author*s own view has been given, which is that al¬ though environmental conditions do influence, at times markedly (as in the ease of our groups) the performance of the subjects, so that it is not safe to compare whole groups among themselves on the basis of such tests, it nevertheless stands that within a group the test performance of an individual is a correct guide to the relative position in intelligence of the individual within his group. This is markedly borne out by two evidences in our investigation. We found that although the means of the two groups were different, the dispersions, i.e. the standard deviations were practically the same, so that there were equally all varieties of comparative performance in each group. Also, the I.Qs. of the Illiterate group as determined by our Battery are remarkably in agreement with the general opinion of the intelligence of individual boys as held by those who know them intimately. Environ¬ ment and heredity both, it would thus appear, have a share, but within the same environment, heredity is predominant in determining individual traits.Lastly, we have given the results of sociological, educational and clinical value, in the case of both the Literate and the Illiterate groups, as obtained by the use of our Battery of Performance tests.In conclusion we have to point out that the Battery may be used with advantage in the case of Literates to give an evaluation of the general intelligence of boys between the ages of 11 to 16 years, and also to predict an ability, mostly of a practical nature which is in contrast with the verbal intelligence as measured by most verbal tests of intelligence. This should be helpful in guidance work in schools and elsewhere.The Battery may be used with confidence to assess also the intelligence of illiterate boys between the ages of 11 to 16 years with the help of norms we have provided. In the case of Illiterates, the present investigation opens up a number of points, two of the more important of which, as they appear to us, are the investigation of the growth curve for Intelligence from 15 years up to, say, SO years, and the discovery, if possible, of tests (understood in the most general terms) which would reduce the gulf between their performance and those of the Literates

Quantum correlations and least disturbing local measurements

We examine the evaluation of the minimum information loss due to an unread local measurement in mixed states of bipartite systems, for a general entropic form. Such quantity provides a measure of quantum correlations, reducing for pure states to the generalized entanglement entropy, while in the case of mixed states it vanishes just for classically correlated states with respect to the measured system, as the quantum discord. General stationary conditions are provided, together with their explicit form for general two-qubit states. Closed expressions for the minimum information loss as measured by quadratic and cubic entropies are also derived for general states of two-qubit systems. As application, we analyze the case of states with maximally mixed marginals, where a general evaluation is provided, as well as X states and the mixture of two aligned states.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figure

Determinants of maternal care in a region of South India

A cross-sectional survey was conducted during 1993 in urban and rural areas of Karnataka State, India. The survey included 3595 currently married women aged under 35, who had at least one child under five. Nine out of ten women had at least one antenatal consultation during their most recent fertile pregnancies. Most consultations were with doctors and there was minimal use of the services provided by paramedical staff of the primary health care system. Of all respondents, 38 per cent (57% urban and 29% rural) delivered in a hospital, and a majority of institutional deliveries were in private hospitals. Surgical interventions were made in more than one-third of hospital deliveries. There was a marked imbalance between antenatal and postnatal care as fewer than one-fifth of the mothers had a postnatal checkup. The educational level, economic status and religion of the mother are significant predictors of use of maternal health services. The relationship of problems during pregnancy and delivery with subsequent health-related behaviour is also examined

Accelerating the commercialization of home-grown genetically engineered crops

Transgenic crops offer the state-of-the-art, and yet simple-to-use technologies for sustainable enhancement of agricultural productivity. During the last 20 years, several research groups in India have developed capabilities in genetic engineering of crop plant species and some of them have isolated promising genes and promoters, with potential for commercialization. However, isolated growth of researchers, limited R&amp;D infrastructure and knowledge base available in the seed industry, and the regulatory processes involved in the release of transgenic cultivars pose serious challenges to accelerating the conversion of such leads into field crops. There is an urgent need to evolve efficient managerial approaches for developing and advancing genetically engineered cultivars into Indian agriculture. This article emphasizes the need to identify the most promising transgenics and genes available in the country, evaluate the related intellectual property issues and provide unstinted support to accelerate the process of their commercialization. An approach that would synergize public-public and public-private partnerships needs to be evolved. Initially, it may be driven by public sector through crop- and trait-specific consortia, comprising researchers and the seed industry. A few of such examples should be taken to the stage of clearance by GEAC for unregulated release of indigenously developed transgenic cultivars. These would then serve as role models and catalyse the formation of need-based teams and lasting partnerships, needed to usher Indian agriculture into a globally competitive phase of sustainable productivity

A Detailed Analysis of a Cygnus Loop Shock-Cloud Interaction

The XA region of the Cygnus Loop is a complex zone of radiative and nonradiative shocks interacting with interstellar clouds. We combine five far ultraviolet spectral observations from the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT), a grid of 24 IUE spectra and a high-resolution longslit Halpha spectrum to study the spatial emission line variations across the region. These spectral data are placed in context using ground-based, optical emission line images of the region and a far-UV image obtained by the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT). The presence of high-ionization ions (OVI, NV, CIV) indicates a shock velocity near 170 km/s while other diagnostics indicate v_shock=140 km/s. It is likely that a large range of shock velocities may exist at a spatial scale smaller than we are able to resolve. By comparing CIV 1550, CIII 977 and CIII] 1909, we explore resonance scattering across the region. We find that a significant column depth is present at all positions, including those not near bright optical/UV filaments. Analysis of the OVI doublet ratio suggests an average optical depth of about unity in that ion while flux measurements of [SiVIII] 1443 suggest a hot component in the region at just below 10^6K. Given the brightness of the OVI emission and the age of the interaction, we rule out the mixing layer interpretation of the UV emission. Furthermore, we formulate a picture of the XA region as the encounter of the blast wave with a finger of dense gas protruding inward from the pre-SN cavity.Comment: 21 pages, 9 figures, accepted by the Astronomical Journal, July 2001 Full resolution figures available at http://fuse.pha.jhu.edu/~danforth/xa

Entropic uncertainty relations and entanglement

We discuss the relationship between entropic uncertainty relations and entanglement. We present two methods for deriving separability criteria in terms of entropic uncertainty relations. Especially we show how any entropic uncertainty relation on one part of the system results in a separability condition on the composite system. We investigate the resulting criteria using the Tsallis entropy for two and three qubits.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, v2: small change