A tale of two anomies: some observations on the contribution of (sociological) criminological theory to explaining hate crime motivation

This paper argues that hate crime is simply an inherent and normal component of contemporary society. Regardless of a concerted intervention – legislative, situational and social crime prevention – against this significant social problem in the USA and Europe in recent years, there remains a ubiquitous, albeit often latent, continued existence of hate motivation throughout society which remains at a considerable and increasing risk of actualisation as individuals come into contact with other likeminded individuals. This is particularly an issue in the information age which has greatly enhanced the spatial proximity of these hate-minded people to each other. It is shown that an established body of sociologically informed criminological theory – in particular that founded on the European and US anomie traditions – can be adapted to explain and understand the existence and persistence of hate motivation at all levels of the social world. This provides the basis for an extensive educative - and thus preventive - programme to tackle pervasive cultures of hate

Interferometric Studies of the extreme binary, ϵ\epsilon Aurigae: Pre-eclipse Observations

We report new and archival K-band interferometric uniform disk diameters obtained with the Palomar Testbed Interferometer for the eclipsing binary star $\epsilon$ Aurigae, in advance of the start of its eclipse in 2009. The observations were inteded to test whether low amplitude variations in the system are connected with the F supergiant star (primary), or with the intersystem material connecting the star with the enormous dark disk (secondary) inferred to cause the eclipses. Cepheid-like radial pulsations of the F star are not detected, nor do we find evidence for proposed 6% per decade shrinkage of the F star. The measured 2.27 +/- 0.11 milli-arcsecond K band diameter is consistent with a 300 times solar radius F supergiant star at the Hipparcos distance of 625 pc. These results provide an improved context for observations during the 2009-2011 eclipse.Comment: Accepted for Ap.J. Letters, Oct. 200

Optically-isotropic responses induced by discrete rotational symmetry of nanoparticle clusters

Fostered by the recent progress of the fields of plasmonics and metamaterials, the seminal topic of light scattering by clusters of nanoparticles is attracting enormous renewed interest gaining more attention than ever before. Related studies have not only found various new applications in different branches of physics and chemistry, but also spread rapidly into other fields such as biology and medicine. Despite the significant achievements, there still exists unsolved but vitally important challenges of how to obtain robust polarisation-invariant responses of different types of scattering systems. In this paper, we demonstrate polarisation-independent responses of any scattering system with a rotational symmetry with respect to an axis parallel to the propagation direction of the incident wave. We demonstrate that the optical responses such as extinction, scattering, and absorption, can be made independent of the polarisation of the incident wave for all wavelengths. Such polarisation-independent responses are proven to be a robust and generic feature that is purely due to the rotational symmetry of the whole structure. We anticipate our finding will play a significant role in various applications involving light scattering such as sensing, nanoantennas, optical switches, and photovoltaic devices.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure

Seasonal changes in microbial dissolved organic sulfur transformations in coastal waters

The marine trace gas dimethylsulfide (DMS) is the single most important biogenic source of atmospheric sulfur, accounting for up to 80% of global biogenic sulfur emissions. Approximately 300 million tons of DMS are produced annually, but the majority is degraded by microbes in seawater. The DMS precursor dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) and oxidation product dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO) are also important organic sulfur reservoirs. However, the marine sinks of dissolved DMSO remain unknown. We used a novel combination of stable and radiotracers to determine seasonal changes in multiple dissolved organic sulfur transformation rates to ascertain whether microbial uptake of dissolved DMSO was a significant loss pathway. Surface concentrations of DMS ranged from 0.5 to 17.0 nM with biological consumption rates between 2.4 and 40.8 nM·d−1. DMS produced from the reduction of DMSO was not a significant process. Surface concentrations of total DMSO ranged from 2.3 to 102 nM with biological consumption of dissolved DMSO between 2.9 and 111 nM·d−1. Comparisons between 14C2-DMSO assimilation and dissimilation rates suggest that the majority of dissolved DMSO was respired (>94%). Radiotracer microbial consumption rates suggest that dissimilation of dissolved DMSO to CO2 can be a significant loss pathway in coastal waters, illustrating the significance of bacteria in controlling organic sulfur seawater concentrations

Hypertension among Oral Contraceptive Users in El Paso, Texas

On the U.S.-Mexico border, residents frequently cross into Mexico to obtain medications or medical care. We previously reported relatively high prevalence of hypertension among Latina oral contraceptive users in El Paso, particularly those obtaining pills over the counter (OTC) in Mexico. Here, we examine factors associated with having hypertension among 411 OTC users and 399 clinic users. We also assess hypertension awareness and interest in using blood pressure kiosks. Women age 35 to 44 and who had BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 had higher odds of having hypertension. 59% of hypertensive women had unrecognized hypertension, and 77% of all participants would use a blood pressure kiosk; there were no significant differences between clinic and OTC users. Alternative approaches to increase access to health screenings are needed in this setting, where OTC pill use among women with unrecognized hypertension confers unique health risksPopulation Research Cente

A Simple Non-equilibrium Feedback Model for Galaxy-Scale Star Formation: Delayed Feedback and SFR Scatter

We explore a class of simple non-equilibrium star formation models within the framework of a feedback-regulated model of the ISM, applicable to kiloparsec-scale resolved star formation relations (e.g. Kennicutt-Schmidt). Combining a Toomre-Q-dependent local star formation efficiency per free-fall time with a model for delayed feedback, we are able to match the normalization and scatter of resolved star formation scaling relations. In particular, this simple model suggests that large ($\sim$dex) variations in star formation rates (SFRs) on kiloparsec scales may be due to the fact that supernova feedback is not instantaneous following star formation. The scatter in SFRs at constant gas surface density in a galaxy then depends on the properties of feedback and when we observe its star-forming regions at various points throughout their collapse/star formation "cycles". This has the following important observational consequences: (1) the scatter and normalization of the Kennicutt-Schmidt relation are relatively insensitive to the local (small-scale) star formation efficiency, (2) but gas depletion times and velocity dispersions are; (3) the scatter in and normalization of the Kennicutt-Schmidt relation is a sensitive probe of the feedback timescale and strength; (4) even in a model where $\tilde Q_{\rm gas}$ deterministically dictates star formation locally, time evolution, variation in local conditions (e.g., gas fractions and dynamical times), and variations between galaxies can destroy much of the observable correlation between SFR and $\tilde Q_{\rm gas}$ in resolved galaxy surveys. Additionally, this model exhibits large scatter in SFRs at low gas surface densities, in agreement with observations of flat outer HI disk velocity dispersion profiles.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures, accepted by MNRAS (04/25/2019

Feedback-regulated star formation in molecular clouds and galactic discs

We present a two-zone theory for feedback-regulated star formation in galactic discs, consistently connecting the galaxy-averaged star formation law with star formation proceeding in giant molecular clouds (GMCs). Our focus is on galaxies with gas surface density Sigma_g>~100 Msun pc^-2. In our theory, the galactic disc consists of Toomre-mass GMCs embedded in a volume-filling ISM. Radiation pressure on dust disperses GMCs and most supernovae explode in the volume-filling medium. A galaxy-averaged star formation law is derived by balancing the momentum input from supernova feedback with the gravitational weight of the disc gas. This star formation law is in good agreement with observations for a CO conversion factor depending continuously on Sigma_g. We argue that the galaxy-averaged star formation efficiency per free fall time, epsilon_ff^gal, is only a weak function of the efficiency with which GMCs convert their gas into stars. This is possible because the rate limiting step for star formation is the rate at which GMCs form: for large efficiency of star formation in GMCs, the Toomre Q parameter obtains a value slightly above unity so that the GMC formation rate is consistent with the galaxy-averaged star formation law. We contrast our results with other theories of turbulence-regulated star formation and discuss predictions of our model. Using a compilation of data from the literature, we show that the galaxy-averaged star formation efficiency per free fall time is non-universal and increases with increasing gas fraction, as predicted by our model. We also predict that the fraction of the disc gas mass in bound GMCs decreases for increasing values of the GMC star formation efficiency. This is qualitatively consistent with the smooth molecular gas distribution inferred in local ultra-luminous infrared galaxies and the small mass fraction in giant clumps in high-redshift galaxies.Comment: 23 pages, 10 figures. To appear in MNRA