No erasing gender gap

So here we are, several years into the new millennium, and just asexperts predicted, life is very different. People are not onlyspending gads of time talking on cell phones, they're checking theire-mail and transmitting digital photos on them and no doubt soon willbe watching movies on the tiny screens. Under newly announced medicalguidelines, we're not supposed to expose cuts and wounds to the airand are free to pick at scabs. Perhaps most remarkably, people areactually going to Sox games.

For all those dramatic changes, though, we shouldn't get carriedaway by thoughts of a brave new world. Lo these decades after theadvent of feminism, the genders are still divided in …

Tilt, twist, and coiling in (beta)-barrel membrane proteins: Relation to infrared dichroism

ABSTRACT The x-ray coordinates of beta-barrel transmembrane proteins from the porins superfamily and relatives are used to calculate the mean tilt of the beta-strands and their mean local twist and coiling angles. The 13 proteins examined correspond to beta-barrels with 8 to 22 strands, and shear numbers ranging from 8 to 24. The results are compared with predictions from the model of Murzin, Lesk, and Chothia for symmetrical regular barrels. Good agreement is found for the mean strand tilt, but the twist angles are smaller than those for open beta-sheets and beta-barrels with shorter strands. The model is reparameterised to account for the reduced twist characteristic of long-stranded …

Division II West Georgia stuns FIU 57-54

Jeremy Smith scored six of his eight points in a 1:12 span late in the game to help Division II West Georgia stun Florida International 57-54 on Tuesday night.

Smith's scoring streak started after Freddy Asprilla put Florida International (3-2) ahead 48-46 on a layup with 2:54 remaining.

West Georgia (2-3) then took over the lead 49-48 as Smith made a three-point play. Smith then hit a free throw, and drove the court for a …

Street talk links Jacoby to FCB deal

In the rumor-laden world of New York advertising, the word onthe street last week was that investment bankers wanted to backRobert Jacoby in a move to take control of Chicago-based Foote, Cone& Belding Communications.

Jacoby, who has been sitting on about $100 million since thesale of his ad agency last August to Saatchi & Saatchi Co., yesterdaydenied in a phone interview any interest in Chicago-based FCB or thathe has discussed such a plan with anyone.

But Wall Street analysts did not dismiss the possibility of sucha turn of events.

"It wouldn't surprise me," said Charles Crane, an analyst withPrudential-Bache. "Jacoby has it in his mind that he's a …

Sources: Ag Secretary to Run for Senate

OMAHA, Neb. - Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns intends to resign as early as next week to clear the way for a Senate campaign in 2008, Republican officials said Wednesday, giving the party a welcome dose of good political news.

The officials said Johanns' plan is to step down as agriculture secretary to seek the seat held by retiring Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel.

"Secretary Johanns understands that this is a decision he needs to make in the immediate future, and he intends to do so," spokeswoman Terri Teuber said by e-mail. She wouldn't say whether he planned to run or not.

Johanns was heavily recruited to run by senior Republicans, struggling with a difficult …

Woman to appeal decision against Muslim marriage contract

A woman plans to challenge Ohio's first court ruling involving a traditional Muslim marriage agreement in a case that could set a precedent about how such religious contracts are handled in the state.

The ruling says Mohammed Zawahiri does not have to pay his former wife, Raghad Alwattar, the $25,000 (euro17,300) he promised as part of a Muslim pre-marriage agreement _ called a mahr _ because the payment is part of a religious pact, not a legal contract. Alwattar plans to appeal, her lawyer said.

The decision was a departure from rulings in other U.S. states, which have enforced such contracts, similar to dowries, by citing precedents set by civil rulings …

Another CPS Student Killed

Albert Vaughn Jr. could throw a punch. In the boxing ring, the 18-year-old was unbeatable and "known for knocking people out," according to relatives.

But he didn't stand a chance Saturday night.

Vaughn Jr. died early Sunday, a few hours after he was struck in the head with a baseball bat during a melee one block from his Englewood home. While police continued investigating the fight and Vaughn's role, family and friends maintained the Julian High School student was acting as a peacemaker. Vaughn's murder brings homicides of Chicago Public School students so far this school year to 23. Today, extra security and crisis counselors will be at Julian -- the same school that …