THE APPLICATION OF CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS TO HOUSING COOPERATIVES: ARE CO-OPS BASTIONS OF DISCRIMINATORY EXCLUSION OR SELF-SELECTING MODELS OF COMMUNITY-BASED LIVING?

Despite one of the nation\u27s broadest civil rights laws for residents of housing cooperatives, few of New York City\u27s discrimination claims in the cooperative housing market are pursued. In this article, the authors provide an overview of the cooperative housing market in New York City, including anecdotal evidence of discrimination. Next, the article discusses the legal framework of the housing cooperative before a brief analysis of city, state and federal anti-discrimination laws applicable to cooperatives. Finally, the article undertakes an analysis of cases in which antidiscrimination laws have been applied to cooperatives. The author concludes with recommendations for cooperatives and prospective applicants

Response versus Chain Length of Alkanethiol-Capped Au Nanoparticle Chemiresistive Chemical Vapor Sensors

Au nanoparticles capped with a homologous series of straight chain alkanethiols (containing 4−11 carbons in length) have been investigated as chemiresistive organic vapor sensors. The series of alkanethiols was used to elucidate the mechanisms of vapor detection by such capped nanoparticle chemiresistive films and to highlight the molecular design principles that govern enhanced detection. The thiolated Au nanoparticle chemiresistors demonstrated rapid and reversible responses to a set of test vapors (n-hexane, n-heptane, n-octane, iso-octane, cyclohexane, toluene, ethyl acetate, methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, and 1-butanol) that possessed a variety of analyte physicochemical properties. The resistance sensitivity to nonpolar and aprotic polar vapors systematically increased as the chain length of the capping reagent increased. Decreases in the nanoparticle film resistances, which produced negative values of the differential resistance response, were observed upon exposure of the sensor films to alcohol vapors. The response signals became more negative with higher alcohol vapor concentrations, producing negative values of the sensor sensitivity. Sorption data measured on Au nanoparticle chemiresistor films using a quartz crystal microbalance allowed for the measurement of the partition coefficients of test vapors in the Au nanoparticle films. This measurement assumed that analyte sorption only occurred at the organic interface and not the surface of the Au core. Such an assumption produced partition coefficient values that were independent of the length of the ligand. Furthermore, the value of the partition coefficient was used to obtain the particle-to-particle interfacial effective dielectric constant of films upon exposure to analyte vapors. The values of the dielectric constant upon exposure to alcohol vapors suggested that the observed resistance response changes observed were not significantly influenced by this dielectric change, but rather were primarily influenced by morphological changes and by changes in the interparticle spacing

Tunneling spectroscopy of the superconducting state of URu2Si2

We present measurements of the superconducting gap of URu$_2$Si$_2$ made with scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) using a superconducting tip of Al. We find tunneling conductance curves with a finite value at the Fermi level. The density of states is V shaped at low energies, and the quasiparticle peaks are located at values close to the expected superconducting gap from weak coupling BCS theory. Our results point to rather opened gap structures and gap nodes on the Fermi surface

Small entities with large impact: microcalcifications and atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability

Purpose of review Atherosclerotic plaque rupture and subsequent acute events, such as myocardial infarction and stroke, contribute to the majority of cardiovascular-related deaths. Calcification has emerged as a significant predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, challenging previously held notions that calcifications stabilize atherosclerotic plaques. In this review, we address this discrepancy through recent findings that not all calcifications are equivalent in determining plaque stability. Recent findings The risk associated with calcification is inversely associated with calcification density. As opposed to large calcifications that potentially stabilize the plaque, biomechanical modeling indicates that small microcalcifications within the plaque fibrous cap can lead to sufficient stress accumulation to cause plaque rupture. Microcalcifications appear to derive from matrix vesicles enriched in calcium-binding proteins that are released by cells within the plaque. Clinical detection of microcalcifications has been hampered by the lack of imaging resolution required for in-vivo visualization; however, recent studies have demonstrated promising new techniques to predict the presence of microcalcifications. Summary Microcalcifications play a major role in destabilizing atherosclerotic plaques. The identification of critical characteristics that lead to instability along with new imaging modalities to detect their presence in vivo may allow early identification and prevention of acute cardiovascular events