Gender, Mentoring Experiences, and Salary Attainment among Graduates of an Historically Black University.

Science.gov (United States)

Dreher, George F.; Chargois, Josephine A.

1998-01-01

Survey responses from 170 of 685 African-American graduates of historically Black colleges revealed no gender-based pay differences. Those who had White male mentors had some pay advantages over those without mentors. (SK)

Historical Y. pestis Genomes Reveal the European Black Death as the Source of Ancient and Modern Plague Pandemics.

Science.gov (United States)

Spyrou, Maria A; Tukhbatova, Rezeda I; Feldman, Michal; Drath, Joanna; Kacki, Sacha; Beltrán de Heredia, Julia; Arnold, Susanne; Sitdikov, Airat G; Castex, Dominique; Wahl, Joachim; Gazimzyanov, Ilgizar R; Nurgaliev, Danis K; Herbig, Alexander; Bos, Kirsten I; Krause, Johannes

2016-06-08

Ancient DNA analysis has revealed an involvement of the bacterial pathogen Yersinia pestis in several historical pandemics, including the second plague pandemic (Europe, mid-14(th) century Black Death until the mid-18(th) century AD). Here we present reconstructed Y. pestis genomes from plague victims of the Black Death and two subsequent historical outbreaks spanning Europe and its vicinity, namely Barcelona, Spain (1300-1420 cal AD), Bolgar City, Russia (1362-1400 AD), and Ellwangen, Germany (1485-1627 cal AD). Our results provide support for (1) a single entry of Y. pestis in Europe during the Black Death, (2) a wave of plague that traveled toward Asia to later become the source population for contemporary worldwide epidemics, and (3) the presence of an historical European plague focus involved in post-Black Death outbreaks that is now likely extinct. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Is It a Different World? Providing a Holistic Understanding of the Experiences and Perceptions of Non-Black Students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Science.gov (United States)

Arroyo, Andrew T.; Palmer, Robert T.; Maramba, Dina C.

2016-01-01

This qualitative study contributes an original holistic understanding of the perceptions and experiences of non-Black students (e.g., Asian American, Latino, and White) as they matriculate into historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), persist to graduation, and reflect on their experiences as graduates at HBCUs. Findings from this…

Low Graduation Rates among Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Student Athletes

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, Alvin D.

2017-01-01

A review of literature reveals that there is a dearth of research examining the low graduation rates among student-athletes at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU's). By comparison, there has been numerous studies that have examined the African American student-athlete attending predominately White institutions (PWI's). The…

The Historically Black College as Social Contract, Social Capital, and Social Equalizer.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, M. Christopher, II; Davis, James Earl

2001-01-01

Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) enjoy a unique social contract in the national history, acting as social agencies for society by providing equal educational opportunity and attainment for all students. This social contract brokered between the nation and African Americans is realized through social capital or distribution and…

The Male Initiative on Leadership and Excellence (MILE) and Its Impact on Retention and Persistence of Black Men at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)

Science.gov (United States)

Palmer, Robert T.; Maramba, Dina C.; Dancy, T. Elon

2013-01-01

A strong body of research has documented the supportive environments of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and their impact on facilitating student success. Notwithstanding the consistency of these findings, recent reports and empirical research have highlighted the problems that HBCUs are experiencing with Black male enrollment,…

Black Women in the Academy: The Secrets to Success and Achievement.

Science.gov (United States)

Gregory, Sheila T.

This book presents selected historical data focusing on three aspects in the lives of Black women: resilience of Black women and their families; strengths of the Black church and community; and formidable gains made by Black women in the workforce. The status and achievements of Black women professors and scholars in the academy are reviewed, with…

Business in Social Work Education: A Historically Black University's Social Work Entrepreneurship Project

Science.gov (United States)

Archibald, Paul; Muhammad, Omar; Estreet, Anthony

2016-01-01

The destabilization of the current economy has sparked increased interest in entrepreneurship, especially for underrepresented minority social work students. The entrepreneurial thinking of these social work students entering social work programs at historically Black colleges and universities needs to be fostered in a learning environment. This…

The Relationship between Fundraising Practice and Job Satisfaction at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Science.gov (United States)

Tindall, Natalie T. J.; Waters, Richard D.

2010-01-01

Fundraising, as studied from a communications/public relations perspective, is an understudied function. This research examines fundraising at public and private historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), specifically exploring how these fundraisers incorporate various fundraising strategies into their communication outreach programs…

Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Improving Operations through an Enterprise Resource Planning System

Science.gov (United States)

Hardee, Teresa

2012-01-01

There are a variety of challenges facing colleges and universities today. With shrinking public funding, many colleges and universities must rethink their operations to ensure that they are operating efficiently. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have an even more daunting task in a downturned economy because they are often…

Black layers on historical architecture.

Science.gov (United States)

Toniolo, Lucia; Zerbi, Carlotta M; Bugini, Roberto

2009-03-01

The external surface of any building in urban polluted environment is unavoidably destined to be covered with layers that assume a grey to black colour and are generally called 'black crusts'. These, according to standard protocols and glossary, are deteriorated surface layers of stone material; they can have variable thickness, are hard and fragile and can detach spontaneously from the substrate, which, in general, is quite decayed. Plain visual examination may lead to consider 'black crusts' all similar, whilst only a careful diagnostic investigation can distinguish 'black crusts' and the consequences of their formation on stone substrates. In this paper, various black layers on marble are studied and compared and the morphological and compositional characteristics discussed according to the related mechanisms of formation. Differences between old (hundred years) and recent crusts (30 years) are investigated and pointed out. Samples of black crusts collected from the Milan Cathedral façade (Candoglia Marble) have been studied and compared with the careful and synergic employ of traditional techniques: optical (transmission and reflected VIS light) and electron microscopy, X-ray spectrometry and micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Visual examination of loose fragments does not allow to point out outstanding differences amongst the various samples; black layers have similar main mineral components, gypsum and airborne particles, with different spatial distribution. The microscopic studies allowed to point out the porosity differences, the gypsum crystallisation habit, different amount of embedded particles, level and progress of marble decay. The observations lead to define three main types of black crusts: black crust deriving from marble sulphation, compact deposit and encrustation due to exogenic materials deposition. Black crusts show evidence of sulphation in progress, without a clear continuity solution between crust and marble; the lack of

75 FR 9747 - Promoting Excellence, Innovation, and Sustainability at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-03

... Part V The President Executive Order 13532--Promoting Excellence, Innovation, and Sustainability..., Innovation, and Sustainability at Historically Black Colleges and Universities By the authority vested in me... the Secretary shall appoint a senior official to report directly to the department or agency head with...

The Soul of Leadership: African American Students' Experiences in Historically Black and Predominantly White Organizations

Science.gov (United States)

Hotchkins, Bryan K.

2013-01-01

This study addresses African American students' leadership experiences at predominantly White institutions. Findings indicated participants utilized servant leadership in historically Black organizations and transformational leadership in predominantly White organizations. The differences displayed showed that participants' leadership perceptions…

Review of black-tailed prairie dog reintroduction strategies and site selection: Arizona reintroduction

Science.gov (United States)

Sarah L. Hale; John L. Koprowski; Holly Hicks

2013-01-01

The black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) was once widely distributed throughout the western United States; however, anthropogenic influences have reduced the species’ numbers to 2 percent of historical populations. Black-tailed prairie dogs are described as a keystone species in the grassland ecosystem, and provide many unique services, including burrows for...

Understanding Richard Wright's "Black Boy": A Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents.

Science.gov (United States)

Felgar, Robert

In "Black Boy," Richard Wright triumphs over an ugly, racist world by fashioning an inspiring, powerful, beautiful, and fictionalized autobiography. To help students understand and appreciate his story in the cultural, political, racial, social, and literary contexts of its time, this casebook provides primary historical documents,…

Black Holes: A Selected Bibliography.

Science.gov (United States)

Fraknoi, Andrew

1991-01-01

Offers a selected bibliography pertaining to black holes with the following categories: introductory books; introductory articles; somewhat more advanced articles; readings about Einstein's general theory of relativity; books on the death of stars; articles on the death of stars; specific articles about Supernova 1987A; relevant science fiction…

Racial Microaggressions among Asian American and Latino/a Students at a Historically Black University

Science.gov (United States)

Palmer, Robert T.; Maramba, Dina C.

2015-01-01

Research illustrates that the enrollments of Asian American and Latino/a students are increasing at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Nevertheless, research on how these students experience the institutional climates of HBCUs is nonexistent; hence, we sought to explore the college-choice process and perceptions of campus…

The Crisis in Black and Black.

Science.gov (United States)

Hutchinson, Earl Ofari

These essays explore why the historic conflict between blacks and whites in the United States has become a crisis that divides many African Americans. The changing racial dynamic is not marked by conflicts. between the black middle class and the poor, black men and women, the black intellectual elite and rappers, black politicians and the urban…

Scholarly Productivity of Social Work Faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Are h-Index Scores a Suitable Measure?

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall, Isiah, Jr.; Smith, Belinda Davis; Green, Makeba T.; Anderson, Brian; Harry, Sonja V.; Byrd, Yolanda M.; Pratt-Harris, Natasha C.; Bolden, Errol S.; Hill, Solomon

2016-01-01

Faculty scholarship at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) has in the past served as a blueprint for the Black masses. Even today, HBCU faculty scholarship continues to be an informative source to communicate accurate information regarding marginalized groups. This study examines h-index scores of 65 faculty members at five…

Fewer Resources, More Debt: Loan Debt Burdens Students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Science.gov (United States)

Saunders, Katherine M.; Williams, Krystal L.; Smith, Cheryl L.

2016-01-01

Student loans have become an increasingly important way for students and their families to pay for college, but for students at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), student loan debt is a substantial burden. Students who attend these institutions--many of whom are low-income and first-generation--must borrow at higher rates and,…

Exploring the Impact of Historically Black Colleges in Promoting the Development of Undergraduates' Self-Concept.

Science.gov (United States)

Berger, Joseph B.; Milem, Jeffrey F.

2000-01-01

Study explores how institutional context affects the development of self-concept in a sample of 273 African American college students. Findings suggest that students attending church affiliated historically Black colleges develop significantly higher self-ratings in three domains of self-concept-psychosocial wellness, academic, and achievement…

Refinement in black chrome for use as a solar selective coating

Science.gov (United States)

Mcdonald, G. E.

1974-01-01

Black chrome is significant as a solar selective coating because the current extensive use of black chrome in the electroplating industry as a durable decorative finish makes black chrome widely available on a commercial scale and potentially low in cost as a solar selective coating. Black-chrome deposits were modified by underplating with dull nickel or by being plated on rough surfaces. Both of these procedures increased the visible absorptance. There was no change in the infrared reflectance for the dull-nickel - black-chrome combination from that reported for the bright-nickel - black-chrome combination. However, the bright-nickel - black-chrome coating plated on rough surfaces indicated a slight decrease in infrared reflectance. As integrated over the solar spectrum for air mass 2, the reflectance of the dull-nickel - black-chrome coating was 0.077, of the bright-nickel - black-chrome coating plated on a 0.75-micron (30-microinch) surface was 0.070, of the bright-nickel - black-chrome coating plated on a 2.5 micron (100-microinch) surface was 0.064. The corresponding values for the bright-nickel - black-chrome coating on a 0.0125-micron (0.5-microinch) surface, two samples of black nickel, and two samples of Nextrel black paint were 0.132, 0.123, 0.133, and 0.033, respectively.

Exploring Perspectives of Transitional Leadership Styles at Historically Black Colleges and Universities: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Mosley, Melvin L.

2017-01-01

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) continue to strive for academic relevance in spite of the national problem of the misalignment of mission and values among their institutional leadership. The national problem was important to both the HBCU institutions and the entire academic community to establish global relevancy. The…

3 CFR 8404 - Proclamation 8404 of August 30, 2009. National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

..., to the growth of local communities, and to our Nation's overall economy. This week, we celebrate the... new, innovative, and ambitious strategies to help the next generation of Americans successfully complete college and prepare themselves for the global economy. During National Historically Black Colleges...

32 CFR 22.325 - Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and other minority institutions (MIs).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and other minority institutions (MIs). 22.325 Section 22.325 National Defense Department of Defense OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE DoD GRANT AND AGREEMENT REGULATIONS DoD GRANTS AND AGREEMENTS-AWARD AND ADMINISTRATION Competition § 22.325...

Making Bricks without Straw: The Kresge HBCU Initiative and Fundraising at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Science.gov (United States)

Leak, Halima N.

2018-01-01

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have a history of "doing more with less" and this is often reflected in their effectiveness in securing financial resources from private donors. The purpose of this study is to probe and explore how the Kresge Foundation's HBCU Initiative strengthened HBCU fundraising capacity from…

Selectivity of Black Death mortality with respect to preexisting health

OpenAIRE

DeWitte, Sharon N.; Wood, James W.

2008-01-01

Was the mortality associated with the deadliest known epidemic in human history, the Black Death of 1347–1351, selective with respect to preexisting health conditions (“frailty”)? Many researchers have assumed that the Black Death was so virulent, and the European population so immunologically naïve, that the epidemic killed indiscriminately, irrespective of age, sex, or frailty. If this were true, Black Death cemeteries would provide unbiased cross-sections of demographic and epidemiological...

Historical analysis of Newfoundland dog fur colour genetics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Bondeson

2015-06-01

Full Text Available This article makes use of digitized historic newspapers to analyze Newfoundland dog fur colour genetics, and fur colour variations over time. The results indicate that contrary to the accepted view, the ‘Solid’ gene was introduced into the British population of Newfoundland dogs in the 1840s. Prior to that time, the dogs were white and black (Landseer or white and brown, and thus spotted/spotted homozygotes. Due to ‘Solid’ being dominant over ‘spotted’, and selective breeding, today the majority of Newfoundland dogs are solid black. Whereas small white marks on the chest and/or paw appears to be a random event, the historical data supports the existence of an ‘Irish spotted’ fur colour pattern, with white head blaze, breast, paws and tail tip, in spotted/spotted homozygotes.

Selected correlates of white nursing students' attitudes toward black American patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan, B S

1983-01-01

Multivariate analyses were used to examine the relationships between white nursing students' attitudes toward black American patients and variables selected within a theoretical framework of prejudice which included socialization factors and personality-based factors. The variables selected were: authoritarianism and self-esteem (personality-based factors), parents' attitudes toward black Americans, peer attitudes toward black Americans, interracial contact and socioeconomic status (socialization factors). The study also examined the differences in the relationship among white nursing students enrolled in baccalaureate degree, associate degree and diploma nursing programs. Data were collected from 201 senior nursing students enrolled in the three types of nursing programs in Rhode Island during the late fall and winter of 1979-1980. Although baccalaureate degree, associate degree and diploma students were similar in terms of peer attitudes toward black Americans, fathers' attitudes toward black Americans, self-esteem and attitudes toward black American patients, they were significantly different in terms of age, socioeconomic status, mothers' attitudes toward black Americans, interracial contact and authoritarianism. The major findings of this study indicate that the socialization explanation of prejudice is more significant than the personality-based explanation. The variables socioeconomic status, interracial contact and peer attitudes toward black Americans (all socialization variables) accounted for 22.0% of the total variance in attitudes toward black American patients for the total sample of nursing students. However, this relationship was not generalizable across the three different types of nursing programs.

Unfinished Business: The Uneven Past and Uncertain Future of One Historically Black University's Archives--A Personal Reflection

Science.gov (United States)

Pevar, Susan Gunn

2011-01-01

This article presents a perspective on how the restructuring of a historically black university's library and resulting closure of its special collections and archives puts important records pertaining to African American history in jeopardy. This article traces the recent history of special collections and archives at the Lincoln University…

Postbaccalaureate Salaries of Psychology Majors from a Historically Black University: How Much Does a Master's Degree Add?

Science.gov (United States)

Sibulkin, Amy E.; Butler, J. S.

2016-01-01

A sample of predominantly African American psychology major baccalaureates from a historically Black university self-reported job types, salaries, and master's degree completion. For this pre-2009 recession sample, we found that (a) the rates of employment were quite high; (b) most jobs were related to health, mental health, social work, and…

Dynamics of a Successful Planned Giving Program Utilizing Shared Leadership at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)

Science.gov (United States)

Baldwin, Robin Lynn Brunty

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the dynamics of a successful planned giving program utilizing shared leadership at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). This information will assist the leadership in determining if and how a successful planned giving program can be established for HBCUs. It is possible for planned gifts…

“Nothing Better or Worse than Being Black, Gay, and in the Band”: A Qualitative Examination of Gay Undergraduates Participating in Historically Black College or University Marching Bands

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, Bruce Allen

2013-01-01

This collective case study examined the experiences of four African American gay band students attending historically Black colleges or universities (HCBUs) in the southern United States. This study explored influences that shaped the participants' identities as they negotiated numerous complex sociocultural discourses pervasive and challenging to…

Population-level resource selection by sympatric brown and American black bears in Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Belant, Jerrold L.; Griffith, Brad; Zhang, Yingte; Follmann, Erich H.; Adams, Layne G.

2010-01-01

Distribution theory predicts that for two species living in sympatry, the subordinate species would be constrained from using the most suitable resources (e.g., habitat), resulting in its use of less suitable habitat and spatial segregation between species. We used negative binomial generalized linear mixed models with fixed effects to estimate seasonal population-level resource selection at two spatial resolutions for female brown bears (Ursus arctos) and female American black bears (U. americanus) in southcentral Alaska during May–September 2000. Black bears selected areas occupied by brown bears during spring which may be related to spatially restricted (i.e., restricted to low elevations) but dispersed or patchy availability of food. In contrast, black bears avoided areas occupied by brown bears during summer. Brown bears selected areas near salmon streams during summer, presumably to access spawning salmon. Use of areas with high berry production by black bears during summer appeared in response to avoidance of areas containing brown bears. Berries likely provided black bears a less nutritious, but adequate food source. We suggest that during summer, black bears were displaced by brown bears, which supports distribution theory in that black bears appeared to be partially constrained from areas containing salmon, resulting in their use of areas containing less nutritious forage. Spatial segregation of brown and American black bears apparently occurs when high-quality resources are spatially restricted and alternate resources are available to the subordinate species. This and previous work suggest that individual interactions between species can result in seasonal population-level responses.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities Radioactive Waste Management Research Program: Summary of activities, 1985-1986

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-01-01

This report summarizes the 1985 to 1986 activities of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Radioactive Waste Management Research Program sponsored by the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management of the US Department of Energy (DOE). The first set of three awards was made in September,1984. In September, 1985, two of these projects were renewed and a new proposal was funded. The program has been enthusiastically received by the community of HBCUs and the program sponsor

Performance Pay Preferences of College of Education Faculty and Administrators at One Historically Black University: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Corey Lee

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the attitudes and perceptions College of Education faculty and administrators have about performance pay at a Historically Black University (HBCU). A secondary purpose of the study was to determine the performance pay plan and specific measures of faculty productivity preferred by College of Education…

Racial and Athletic Identity of African American Football Players at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Predominantly White Institutions

Science.gov (United States)

Steinfeldt, Jesse A.; Reed, Courtney; Steinfeldt, M. Clint

2010-01-01

This study examined racial and athletic identity among African American football players at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and predominantly White institutions (PWIs). Negotiating the dualism of racial and athletic identities can be problematic because both roles are subject to prejudice and discrimination, particularly for…

Self-Esteem, Locus of Control, and First-Time NCLEX-RN Passage of BSN Students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Science.gov (United States)

Chavis, Pamella Ivey

Relationships between self-esteem, locus of control (LOC), and first-time passage of National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN®) were examined at baccalaureate nursing programs at two historically black colleges and universities. Shortages continue to exceed demands for RNs prepared at the baccalaureate level. Inconsistent pass rates on the NCLEX-RN for graduates of historically black colleges and universities impede the supply of RNs. Surveys and archival data were used to examine characteristics of the sample and explore relationships among variables. All participants (N = 90) reported high self-esteem and internal LOC. Models suggested that all those with high self-esteem and internal LOC would pass the NCLEX-RN; only 85 percent passed the first time. Statistical analysis revealed a lack of statistical significance between self-esteem, LOC, and first-time passage. Variables not included in the study may have affected first-time passage.

Determination of pigments in colour layers on walls of some selected historical buildings using optical and scanning electron microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skapin, A. Sever; Ropret, P.; Bukovec, P.

2007-01-01

For successful restoration of painted walls and painted coloured finishing coats it is necessary to determine the composition of the original colour layers. Identification of the pigments used in The Cistercian Abbey of Sticna and The Manor of Novo Celje was carried out using optical and scanning electron microscopy. Selected samples of wall paintings were inspected by the combined application of an optical microscope and a low-vacuum Scanning Electron Microscope to determine their colour and structural features and to identify the position of individual pigment grains. Energy dispersive spectroscopy was used to determine the elemental distribution on selected surfaces and elemental composition of individual pigments. It was found that the most abundantly used pigments were iron oxide red, cinnabar, green earth, umber, calcium carbonate white, ultramarine, yellow ochre and carbon black. These identifications have allowed us to compare the use of various pigments in buildings from different historical periods

Model Selection in Historical Research Using Approximate Bayesian Computation

Science.gov (United States)

Rubio-Campillo, Xavier

2016-01-01

Formal Models and History Computational models are increasingly being used to study historical dynamics. This new trend, which could be named Model-Based History, makes use of recently published datasets and innovative quantitative methods to improve our understanding of past societies based on their written sources. The extensive use of formal models allows historians to re-evaluate hypotheses formulated decades ago and still subject to debate due to the lack of an adequate quantitative framework. The initiative has the potential to transform the discipline if it solves the challenges posed by the study of historical dynamics. These difficulties are based on the complexities of modelling social interaction, and the methodological issues raised by the evaluation of formal models against data with low sample size, high variance and strong fragmentation. Case Study This work examines an alternate approach to this evaluation based on a Bayesian-inspired model selection method. The validity of the classical Lanchester’s laws of combat is examined against a dataset comprising over a thousand battles spanning 300 years. Four variations of the basic equations are discussed, including the three most common formulations (linear, squared, and logarithmic) and a new variant introducing fatigue. Approximate Bayesian Computation is then used to infer both parameter values and model selection via Bayes Factors. Impact Results indicate decisive evidence favouring the new fatigue model. The interpretation of both parameter estimations and model selection provides new insights into the factors guiding the evolution of warfare. At a methodological level, the case study shows how model selection methods can be used to guide historical research through the comparison between existing hypotheses and empirical evidence. PMID:26730953

A Delineation of Asian American and Latino/a Students' Experiences with Faculty at a Historically Black College and University

Science.gov (United States)

Palmer, Robert T.; Maramba, Dina C.

2015-01-01

Research has shown that the enrollment of Asian American and Latino/a students are increasing at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Nevertheless, research on how these students experience the institutional climate of HBCUs is nonexistent. Hence, this study sought to explore the college choice process and perceptions of campus…

Layered Black Phosphorus as a Selective Vapor Sensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Mayorga-Martinez, Carmen C; Sofer, Zdeněk; Pumera, Martin

2015-11-23

Black phosphorus is a layered material that is sensitive to the surrounding atmosphere. This is generally considered as a disadvantage, especially when compared to more stable layered compounds, such as graphite or MoS2. This sensitivity is now turned into an advantage. A vapor sensor that is based on layered black phosphorus and uses electrochemical impedance spectroscopy as the detection method is presented; the device selectively detects methanol vapor. The impedance phase measured at a constant frequency is used as a distinctive parameter for the selective quantification of methanol, and increases with the methanol concentration. The low detection limit of 28 ppm is well below the approved exposure limit of 200 ppm. The results are highly reproducible, and the vapor sensor is shown to be very selective in the presence of other vapors and to have long-term stability. © 2015 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.

Reimagining the Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Environment: Exposing Race Secrets and the Binding Chains of Respectability and Othermothering

Science.gov (United States)

Njoku, Nadrea; Butler, Malika; Beatty, Cameron C.

2017-01-01

This article investigates how the intersections of gender, race, policy, and student differences at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) can impact student experience. Such an environment can displace and penalize those who do not adhere to the uniformity of heteronormative gender roles or respectability politics. Using…

Substance use problems reported by historically Black college students: combined marijuana and alcohol use versus alcohol alone.

Science.gov (United States)

Rhodes, Warren A; Peters, Ronald J; Perrino, Carrol S; Bryant, Sharronne

2008-06-01

Using secondary data analysis,this study compares alcohol and other drug (AOD) problems experienced by African-American students attending a historically Black university who use alcohol only versus those who use alcohol plus marijuana. Results indicate that students who used marijuana plus alcohol experienced more AOD problems than their counterparts who used alcohol only. The current findings are similar to previous research with a majority White college student population.

Institutional Retention Strategies at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Their Effects on Cohort Default Rates: 1987-1995. Monograph Series.

Science.gov (United States)

Galloway, Fred J.; Swail, Watson Scott

This study analyzed institutional factors that significantly affect cohort default rates at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and assessed the potential for reducing these rates. It has been hypothesized that the HBCUs most successful in lowering student cohort default rates are those that have also succeeded in increasing…

Selections from 2016: Primordial Black Holes as Dark Matter

Science.gov (United States)

Kohler, Susanna

2016-12-01

Editors note:In these last two weeks of 2016, well be looking at a few selections that we havent yet discussed on AAS Nova from among the most-downloaded paperspublished in AAS journals this year. The usual posting schedule will resume after the AAS winter meeting.LIGO Gravitational Wave Detection, Primordial Black Holes, and the Near-IR Cosmic Infrared Background AnisotropiesPublished May2016Main takeaway:A study by Alexander Kashlinsky (NASA Goddard SFC) proposes that the cold dark matter that makes up the majority of the universes matter may be made of black holes. These black holes, Kashlinsky suggests, are primordial: they collapsed directly from dense regions of the universe soon after the Big Bang.Why its interesting:This model would simultaneously explain several observations. In particular, we see similarities in patterns between the cosmic infrared and X-ray backgrounds. This would make sense if accretion onto primordial black holes in halos produced the X-ray background in the same regions where the first stars also formed, producing the infrared background.What this means for current events:In Kashlinskys model, primordial black holes would occasionally form binary pairs and eventually spiral in and merge. The release of energy from such an event would then be observable by gravitational-wave detectors. Could the gravitational-wave signal that LIGO detected last year have been two primordial black holes merging? More observations will be needed to find out.CitationA. Kashlinsky 2016 ApJL 823 L25. doi:10.3847/2041-8205/823/2/L25

An Analysis of Stereotype Threat in African American Engineering Students at Predominantly White, Ethnically Diverse, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Science.gov (United States)

Sparks, David M.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this research was to distinguish the similarities and differences in coping strategies of African American engineering students by analyzing their perceptions of stereotype threat at three academic institution types, Predominantly White Institutions (PWI), ethnically diverse, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).…

Selection, Language Heritage, and the Earnings Trajectories of Black Immigrants in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Hamilton, Tod G.

2014-01-01

Research suggests that immigrants from the English-speaking Caribbean surpass the earnings of U.S.-born blacks approximately one decade after arriving in the United States. Using data from the 1980–2000 U.S. censuses and the 2005–2007 American Community Surveys on U.S.-born black and non-Hispanic white men as well as black immigrant men from all the major sending regions of the world, I evaluate whether selective migration and language heritage of immigrants’ birth countries account for the documented earnings crossover. I validate the earnings pattern of black immigrants documented in previous studies, but I also find that the earnings of most arrival cohorts of immigrants from the English-speaking Caribbean, after residing in the United States for more than 20 years, are projected to converge with or slightly overtake those of U.S.-born black internal migrants. The findings also show three arrival cohorts of black immigrants from English-speaking African countries are projected to surpass the earnings of U.S.-born black internal migrants. No arrival cohort of black immigrants is projected to surpass the earnings of U.S.-born non-Hispanic whites. Birth-region analysis shows that black immigrants from English-speaking countries experience more rapid earnings growth than immigrants from non-English-speaking countries. The arrival-cohort and birth-region variation in earnings documented in this study suggest that selective migration and language heritage of black immigrants’ birth countries are important determinants of their initial earnings and earnings trajectories in the United States. PMID:24854004

Systematic study of terahertz time-domain spectra of historically informed black inks.

Science.gov (United States)

Bardon, Tiphaine; May, Robert K; Taday, Philip F; Strlič, Matija

2013-09-07

The potential of terahertz-time domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) as a diagnostic tool for studies of inks in historical documents is investigated in this paper. Transmission mode THz-TDS was performed on historically informed model writing and drawing inks. Carbon black, bistre and sepia inks show featureless spectra between 5 and 75 cm(-1) (0.15-2.25 THz); however, their analysis still provided useful information on the interaction of terahertz radiation with amorphous materials. On the other hand, THz-TDS can be used to distinguish different iron gall inks with respect to the amount of iron(II) sulfate contained, as sharp spectral features are observed for inks containing different ratios of iron(II) sulfate to tannic or gallic acid. Additionally, copper sulfate was found to modify the structure of iron(II) precipitate. Furthermore, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) applied to THz-TDS spectra, highlights changes in iron gall inks during thermal degradation, during which a decrease in the sharp spectral bands associated with iron(II) sulfate is observed. ATR-FTIR spectroscopy combined with THz-TDS of dynamically heated ink samples indicate that this phenomenon is due to dehydration of iron(II) sulfate heptahydrate. While this research demonstrates the potential of THz-TDS to improve monitoring of the chemical state of historical documents, the outcomes go beyond the heritage field, as it also helps to develop the theoretical knowledge on interactions between terahertz radiation and matter, particularly in studies of long-range symmetry (polymorphism) in complex molecular structures and the role played by the surrounding matrix, and also indicates the potential of THz-TDS for the optimization of contrast in terahertz imaging.

100y DASCH Search for historical outbursts of Black Hole Low Mass X-ray Binaries

Science.gov (United States)

Grindlay, Jonathan E.; Miller, George; Gomez, Sebastian

2018-01-01

Black Hole Low mass X-ray binaries (BH-LMXBs) are all transients, although several (e.g. GRS1915+109 and GX339-4) are quasi-persistent. All of the now 22 dynamically confirmed BH-LMXBs were discovered by their luminous outbursts, reaching Lx ~10^37 ergs/s, with outburst durations of typically ~1-3 months. These systems then (with few exceptions) return to a deep quiescent state, with Lx reduced by factors ~10^5-6 and hard X-ray spectra. The X-ray outbursts are accompanied by optical outbursts (if not absorbed by Galactic extinction) with ~6-9 magnitude increases and similar lightcurve shapes and durations as the X-ray (discovery) outburst. Prior to this work, only 3 BH-LMXBs have had historical (before the X-ray discovery) outbursts found in the archival data: A0620-00, the first BH-LMXB to be so identified, V404 Cyg (discoverd as "Nova Cyg" in 1938 and regarded as a classical nova), and V4641-Sgr which was given its variable star name when first noted in 1975. We report on the historical outbursts now discovered from the DASCH (Digital Access to a Sky Century @ Harvard) data from scanning and digitizing the now ~210,000 glass plates in the northern Galactic Hemisphere. This was one of the primary motivations for the DASCH project: to use the detection (or lack threof) of historic outbursts to measure or constrain the Duty Cycle of the accreting black holes in these systems. This, in turn, allows the total population of BH-LMXBs to be estimated and compared with that for the very similar systems containing neutron stars as the accretor (NS-LMXBs). Whereas the ratio of BHs/NSs from stellar evolution and IMFs is expected to be <<1, the DASCH results on half the sky point to an excess of BH-LMXBs. This must constrain the formation process for these systems, of importance for understanding both BH formation and compact binary evolution.

Owning the Journey: Using Collaborative Revisions of Little Red Riding Hood in Teaching Introduction to Literature at a Historically Black University

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, Pauline

2012-01-01

Design and implementation of a collaborative course project, using Little Red Riding Hood (LRRH) to teach and discuss the concepts of orality, cultural legacy, archetypes, adaptation/appropriation, and social criticism in an Introduction to Literature course at Historically Black Alabama State University in Montgomery, Alabama. The student groups…

Alumni Giving: A Case Study of the Factors That Influence Philanthropic Behavior of Alumni Donors of Historically Black Colleges and Universities

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Roy-Rasheed, Lupita D.

2012-01-01

This research project was a study of the philanthropic behavior of local alumni donors at two historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the South Central Region. Specifically, the research explored HBCUs' local alumni donors' experiences, perceptions, triggers, and motivations and how these factors influence alumni giving. This…

Bayesian selective response-adaptive design using the historical control.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Mi-Ok; Harun, Nusrat; Liu, Chunyan; Khoury, Jane C; Broderick, Joseph P

2018-06-13

High quality historical control data, if incorporated, may reduce sample size, trial cost, and duration. A too optimistic use of the data, however, may result in bias under prior-data conflict. Motivated by well-publicized two-arm comparative trials in stroke, we propose a Bayesian design that both adaptively incorporates historical control data and selectively adapt the treatment allocation ratios within an ongoing trial responsively to the relative treatment effects. The proposed design differs from existing designs that borrow from historical controls. As opposed to reducing the number of subjects assigned to the control arm blindly, this design does so adaptively to the relative treatment effects only if evaluation of cumulated current trial data combined with the historical control suggests the superiority of the intervention arm. We used the effective historical sample size approach to quantify borrowed information on the control arm and modified the treatment allocation rules of the doubly adaptive biased coin design to incorporate the quantity. The modified allocation rules were then implemented under the Bayesian framework with commensurate priors addressing prior-data conflict. Trials were also more frequently concluded earlier in line with the underlying truth, reducing trial cost, and duration and yielded parameter estimates with smaller standard errors. © 2018 The Authors. Statistics in Medicine Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The transformation of everyday historical memory of the peasants of Central Black Earth region in the post-reform period

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrei A. Linchenko

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the metamorphosis of the everyday historical memory of the peasants of the Central Black Earth region. The common approach, linking the historical memory of the peasantry with historical knowledge about the kings, generals, historical figures exclusively is overcome on the basis of the constructive methodology for studying the historical memory. The transformation of daily historical memory of the post-reform peasants is described in the context of changing traditional notions of peasant about labor, life and leisure. The changes of traditional norms, values and objectives of economic, legal and family memory of the Russian peasantry are shown on the materials of different archival sources, the data of the Counties' statistics. It is shown that the traditional experience of the agricultural practices of the peasantry ceases to act as an important reference point of economic activity and forms another shape of economical memory that goes beyond land redistribution and traditional land inheritance. The conclusion is that the transformation of the public authorities of the peasantry in the post-reform period was associated with the overcoming of the traditional office, stereotipic behaviour of the officials. It has been shown that a significant enhancement of critical attitude to the traditions of the past is observed in the sphere of family relations.

Selection of den sites by black bears in the southern Appalachians

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Reynolds-Hogland, M. J.; Mitchell, M.S.; Powell, R.A.; Brown, D.C.

2007-01-01

We evaluated selection of den sites by American black bears (Ursus americanus) in the Pisgah Bear Sanctuary, western North Carolina, by comparing characteristics of dens at 53 den sites with availability of habitat characteristics in annual home ranges of bears and in the study area. We also tested whether den-site selection differed by sex, age, and reproductive status of bears. In addition, we evaluated whether the den component of an existing habitat model for black bears predicted where bears would select den sites. We found bears selected den sites far from gravel roads, on steep slopes, and at high elevations relative to what was available in both annual home ranges and in the study area. Den-site selection did not differ by sex or age, but it differed by reproductive status. Adult females with cubs preferred to den in areas that were relatively far from gravel roads, but adult females without cubs did not. The habitat model overestimated the value of areas near gravel roads, underestimated the value of moderately steep areas, and did not include elevation as a predictor variable. Our results highlight the importance of evaluating den selection in terms of both use and availability of den characteristics. ?? 2007 American Society of Mammalogists.

Journalism and Mass Communication Students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Predominantly White Institutions: Saying Goodbye to the Digital Divide

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Crawford, Jerry, II

2013-01-01

The digital divide has been described as the distance or gap in access to information based on race, ethnicity, income, education and geographical location. This study examined how freshmen and first-semester journalism and mass communications students at five Historically Black Colleges and Universities [HBCUs] have been able to bridge the…

Second-Class, Cash Strapped, Antiquated Institutions: Unbalanced Media Depictions of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the "Chronicle of Higher Education"

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Waymer, Damion; Street, Joshua

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine "The Chronicle of Higher Education", a leading site for higher education news and politics, and its representation of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Design/methodology/approach: Frames are strong discursive tools that can help social actors achieve the following:…

Selective Migration among Southern Blacks: A Reinterpretation of Lee (1951).

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Wolff, JosePh L.

1979-01-01

Explanations of differences in IQs of Northern and Southern Blacks focus on selective migration (hereditarians) or environmental causes such as education, discrimination and cultural deprivation. In this paper the environmentalist position is questioned and certain neglected features of Lee's data are construed as providing strong evidence for…

A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study of the Experiences of Female African American Undergraduate Engineering Students at a Predominantly White and an Historically Black Institution

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Frillman, Sharron Ann

2011-01-01

This phenomenological study examined the experiences of twelve female African Americans enrolled as fulltime undergraduate engineering students at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, an historically Black university, and seven female African Americans enrolled as undergraduate engineering students at Purdue University in…

Postbreeding resource selection by adult black-footed ferrets in the Conata Basin, South Dakota

Science.gov (United States)

Eads, D.A.; Millspaugh, J.J.; Biggins, D.E.; Livieri, T.M.; Jachowski, D.S.

2011-01-01

We investigated postbreeding resource selection by adult black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes) on a 452-ha black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colony in the Conata Basin of South Dakota during 20072008. We used resource selection functions (RSFs) to evaluate relationships between numbers of ferret locations and numbers of prairie dog burrow openings (total or active), distances to colony edges, and connectivity of patches of burrow openings. In both years ferrets selected areas near edges of the prairie dog colony where active burrow openings were abundant. In the interior of the colony ferrets selected areas with low abundance of active burrow openings. At times, prairie dog productivity (i.e., pup abundance) might be greatest at colony edges often characterized by grasses; ferrets are likely to select areas where refuge and vulnerable prey are abundant. Ferrets could have used interior areas with few active burrow openings as corridors between edge areas with many active burrow openings. Also, in areas with few active burrow openings ferrets spend more time aboveground during movements and, thus, are likely to be more easily detected. These results complement previous studies demonstrating importance of refuge and prey in fine-scale resource selection by ferrets and provide insight into factors that might influence edge effects on ferret space use. Conservation and restoration of colonies with areas with high densities of burrow openings and prairie dogs, and corridors between such areas, are needed for continued recovery of the black-footed ferret. RSFs could complement coarse-scale habitat evaluations by providing finer-scale assessments of habitat for the black-footed ferret. ?? 2011 American Society of Mammalogists.

Historical analysis of Newfoundland dog fur colour genetics

OpenAIRE

Bondeson, J.

2015-01-01

This article makes use of digitized historic newspapers to analyze Newfoundland dog fur colour genetics, and fur colour variations over time. The results indicate that contrary to the accepted view, the ‘Solid’ gene was introduced into the British population of Newfoundland dogs in the 1840s. Prior to that time, the dogs were white and black (Landseer) or white and brown, and thus spotted/spotted homozygotes. Due to ‘Solid’ being dominant over ‘spotted’, and selective breeding, today the majo...

Historical record of black carbon in urban soils and its environmental implications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He Yue; Zhang Ganlin

2009-01-01

Energy use in urbanization has fundamentally changed the pattern and fluxes of carbon cycling, which has global and local environmental impacts. Here we have investigated organic carbon (OC) and black carbon (BC) in six soil profiles from two contrast zones in an ancient city (Nanjing) in China. BC in soils was widely variable, from 0.22 to 32.19 g kg -1 . Its average concentration in an ancient residential area (Zone 1) was, 0.91 g kg -1 , whereas in Zone 2, an industrial and commercial area, the figure was 8.62 g kg -1 . The ratio of BC/OC ranged from 0.06 to 1.29 in soil profiles, with an average of 0.29. The vertical distribution of BC in soil is suggested to reflect the history of BC formation from burning of biomass and/or fossil fuel. BC in the surface layer of soils was mainly from traffic emission (especially from diesel vehicles). In contrast, in cultural layers BC was formed from historical coal use. The contents of BC and the ratio of BC/OC may reflect different human activities and pollution sources in the contrasting urban zones. In addition, the significant correlation of heavy metals (Cu, Pb, and Zn) with BC contents in some culture layers suggests the sorption of the metals by BC or their coexistence resulted from the coal-involved smelting. - Soil black carbon can reflect the pollution history of a city during urbanization.

The Piney Woods School: An Exploration of the Historically Black Boarding School Experience in Shaping Student Achievement, Cultural Esteem, and Collegiate Integration

Science.gov (United States)

Alexander-Snow, Mia

2011-01-01

This qualitative case study explores the cultural impact the Piney Woods School, a historically Black independent boarding school, had on the social and academic experiences of four of its graduates in attendance at two traditionally White universities. The article discusses the collegiate experiences of four students: Samantha, Ira, Tony, and…

College Readiness: The Evaluation of Students Participating in the Historically Black College and University Program in Pre-Calculus and the Calculus Sequence

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Angela Renee

2011-01-01

This investigative research focuses on the level of readiness of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) students entering Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in the college Calculus sequence. Calculus is a fundamental course for STEM courses. The level of readiness of the students for Calculus can very well play a…

Cultural Diversity and Best Practices in the Teaching and Learning of Statistics: A Faculty Perspective from A Historically Black College/University (HBCU)

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Whaley, Arthur L.

2017-01-01

The literature on the teaching and learning of statistics tend not to address issues of cultural diversity. Twenty-nine students enrolled in a statistics course at a historically Black college/university (HBCU) were the focus of this pilot study. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), the study tested models of the effects of writing…

Black Musicians Leading the Way.

Science.gov (United States)

Music Educators Journal, 1982

1982-01-01

Describes the careers and musical achievements of Blacks who were forerunners in jazz, blues, gospel, music, spirituals, band music, classical music, ragtime, and opera. The list was compiled to provide teachers with historical background information for "Black History Month." (AM)

Educating the next generation of explorers at an historically Black University

Science.gov (United States)

Chaudhury, S.; Rodriguez, W. J.

2003-04-01

This paper describes the development of an innovative undergraduate research training model based at an Historically Black University in the USA that involves students with majors in diverse scientific disciplines in authentic Earth Systems Science research. Educating those who will be the next generation of explorers of earth and space poses several challenges at smaller academic institutions that might lack dedicated resources for this area of study. Over a 5-year span, Norfolk State University has been developing a program that has afforded the opportunity for students majoring in biology, chemistry, mathematics, computer science, physics, engineering and science education to work collaboratively in teams on research projects that emphasize the use of scientific visualization in studying the environment. Recently, a hands-on component has been added through partnerships with local K-12 school teachers in data collection and reporting for the GLOBE Program (GLobal Observations to Benefit the Environment). The successes and challenges of this program along with some innovative uses of technology to promote inquiry learning will be presented in this paper.

Dissecting historical changes of selective pressures in the evolution of human pigmentation

OpenAIRE

Huang, Xin; Wang, Sijia; Jin, Li; He, Yungang

2018-01-01

Human pigmentation is a highly diverse trait among populations, and has drawn particular attention from both academic and non-academic investigators for thousands of years. To explain the diversity of human pigmentation, researchers have proposed that human pigmentation is adapted for ultraviolet radiation and driven by natural selection. Although studies have detected signals of natural selection in several human pigmentation genes, none have quantitatively investigated the historical select...

Old/Past/Ancient/Historic Frontiers in Black Hole Astrophysics

Science.gov (United States)

Trimble, Virginia

Basic questions about black holes, some of which are fairly old, include (1) What is a black hole? (2) Do black holes exist? And the answer to this depends a good deal on the answer to (1), (3) Where, when, why, and how have they formed? and (4) What are they good for? Here I attempt some elaboration of the questions and partial answers, noting that general relativity is required to described some of the phenomena, while dear old Isaac Newton is OK for others.

An Intersectional Social Capital Analysis of the Influence of Historically Black Sororities on African American Women's College Experiences at a Predominantly White Institution

Science.gov (United States)

Greyerbiehl, Lindsay; Mitchell, Donald, Jr.

2014-01-01

Research exploring the college experiences of African American women at predominantly White institutions (PWI) continues to be a necessity as African American women graduate at lower rates than their racial/ethnic peers. This qualitative study explored the influence historically Black sororities had on the college experiences of African American…

Conference on energy research at historically black universities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1980-01-01

A conference was convened to present and discuss significant research and development in Historically Black Institutions (current and past); areas that show potential for inter-institutional collaboration and the sharing of facilities; existing capabilities to sustain funded research activities and future potential for expansion and enhancement; and appropriate arrangements for maximum interaction with industry and government agencies. Papers were presented at small group meetings in various energy research areas, and abstracts of the projects or programs are presented. The Solar Energy small group provided contributions in the areas of photovoltaics, biomass, solar thermal, and wind. Research reported on by the Fossil Fuel small group comprises efforts in the areas of fluidized bed combustion of coal, coal liquefaction, and oil shale pyrolysis. Five research programs reported on by the Conservation Research small group involve a summer workshop for high school students on energy conservation; use of industrial waste heat for a greenhouse; solar energy and energy conservation research and demonstration; energy efficiency and management; and a conservation program targeted at developing a model for educating low income families. The Environment Impact groups (2) presented contributions on physical and chemical impacts and biological monitors and impacts. The Policy Research group presented four papers on a careful analysis of the Equity issues; one on a model for examining the economic issue in looking at the interaction between energy technology and the state of the economy; and a second paper examined the institutional constraints on environmental oriented energy policy. Six additional abstracts by invited participants are presented. (MCW)

Black-hole ringdown search in TAMA300: matched filtering and event selections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsunesada, Yoshiki; Kanda, Nobuyuki; Nakano, Hiroyuki; Tatsumi, Daisuke

2005-01-01

Detecting gravitational ringdown waves provides a probe for direct observation of astrophysical black holes. The masses and angular momenta of black holes can be determined from the waveforms by using the black-hole perturbation theory. In this paper we present data analysis methods to search for black-hole ringdowns of fundamental quasi-normal modes with interferometric gravitational wave detectors, and report an application to the TAMA300 data. Our method is based upon matched filtering by which we calculate cross-correlations between detector outputs and reference waveforms. In a search for gravitational signals, fake reductions and event identifications are of most importance. We developed two methods to reject spurious triggers in filter outputs in the time domain and examined their reduction powers. It is shown that by using the methods presented here the number of fake triggers can be reduced by an order with a false dismissal probability of 5%. We also discuss the possibility of using the higher order quasi-normal modes for event selection

Protection of Historical Wood against Microbial Degradation—Selection and Application of Microbiocides

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Koziróg

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to select effective and safe microbiocides for the disinfection and protection of historical wooden surfaces at the former Auschwitz II-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp. We tested seven active compounds against bacteria and moulds, of which didecyldimethylammonium chloride and N-(3-aminopropyl-N-dodecylpropane-1,3-diamine were effective even at 0.02%–2%. Subsequently, eight microbiocides containing the selected active ingredients were chosen and applied three times on the surface of wood samples colonized by bacteria and moulds. ABM-1 and ABM-2—6% solution; Rocima 101—8%; Preventol R 80—12%; Acticide 706 LV—15% and Boramon—30% were the most effective disinfectants. Under laboratory conditions, ABM-1, Boramon and Rocima 101 ensured antimicrobial protection of new wood samples for six months. In situ, 30% Boramon and 8% Rocima 101 applied by spraying effectively protected the historical wood from bacterial and mould growth for 12 and 3 months, respectively. Colour and luminance of the new wood were not altered after exposure to the biocides. Boramon and Rocima 101, applied by the spraying method, caused no significant change in the colour of the historical wood. Results from this study were used to develop a procedure for the protection of wood in historical buildings against biodeterioration.

An Investigation of How Black STEM Faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities Approach the National Science Foundation Merit Review Process

Science.gov (United States)

Rankins, Falcon

This qualitative inquiry explored the ways in which US-born, Black faculty member participants in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) interact with the National Science Foundation (NSF). Eight Black HBCU STEM faculty members with a range of involvement in NSF-related activities were individually interviewed. Topics of discussion with participants included their prior experiences with NSF, their understanding of the merit review process, and their understanding of their personal and institutional relationships with NSF and the STEM community. Two broad findings emerged from the conversations. The first was that issues of communities and social identity were important to the participants' work as research scientists. Participants prioritized advancing people and communities over advancing the knowledge of ambiguous, disembodied scientific disciplines, and some participants were motivated by interests in social justice. However, participants maintained strong identities as scientists and the discussions provided no evidence that other social factors influenced their application of the scientific method. The second major finding dealt with the role participants perceived their institutions playing in their involvement with NSF. All participants described challenges associated with pursuing research in HBCU environments and, in some cases, the institutional challenges served as the motivation for participants' projects, with varying consequences. The participants' discussions about their institutions also raised important questions about how well-aligned participants' visions are with the visions of their institutional leadership, regarding how research should be incorporated into the HBCU mission. Finally, this study developed and refined a theoretical framework for explaining the underrepresentation of HBCUs in NSF funding streams. In developing this framework, a brief history of

Food selection among Atlantic Coast seaducks in relation to historic food habits

Science.gov (United States)

Perry, M.C.; Osenton, P.C.; Wells-Berlin, A. M.; Kidwell, D.M.

2005-01-01

Food selection among Atlantic Coast seaducks during 1999-2005 was determined from hunter-killed ducks and compared to data from historic food habits file (1885-1985) for major migrational and wintering areas in the Atlantic Flyway. Food selection was determined by analyses of the gullet (esophagus and proventriculus) and gizzard of 860 ducks and summarized by aggregate percent for each species. When sample size was adequate comparisons were made among age and sex groupings and also among local sites in major habitat areas. Common eiders in Maine and the Canadian Maritimes fed predominantly (53%) on the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis). Scoters in Massachusetts, Maine, and the Canadian Maritimes fed predominantly on the blue mussel (46%), Atlantic jackknife clam (Ensis directus; 19%), and Atlantic surf clam (Spisula solidissima; 15%), whereas scoters in the Chesapeake Bay fed predominantly on hooked mussel (Ischadium recurvum; 42%), the stout razor clam (Tagelus plebeius; 22%), and dwarf surf clam (Mulinia lateralis; 15%). The amethyst gem clam (Gemma gemma) was the predominant food (45%) of long-tailed ducks in Chesapeake Bay. Buffleheads and common goldeneyes fed on a mixed diet of mollusks and soft bodied invertebrates (amphipods, isopods and polychaetes). No major differences were noticed between the sexes in regard to food selection in any of the wintering areas. Comparisons to historic food habits in all areas failed to detect major differences. However, several invertebrate species recorded in historic samples were not found in current samples and two invasive species (Atlantic Rangia, Rangia cuneata and green crab, Carcinas maenas) were recorded in modem samples, but not in historic samples. Benthic sampling in areas where seaducks were collected showed a close correlation between consumption and availability. Each seaduck species appears to fill a unique niche in regard to feeding ecology, although there is much overlap of prey species selected. Understanding

Black, queer, and looking for a job: an exploratory study of career decision making among self-identified sexual minorities at an urban historically black college/university.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Latashia N

2014-01-01

This thematically analyzed study seeks to explore the career decision perceptions of sexual minority college students at an urban historically black college/university (HBCU). This qualitative focus group study delved into how sexual minorities feel their visible variables of race, gender expression, and degree of disclosure influence their career thought process. Theories relative to the study included Krumboltz's social learning theory of career decision-making, gender role theory, racial socialization, Cass's homosexual identity model, and impression management. Though participants initially proclaimed they did not allow their sexual minority identity to affect their career decisions, their overall responses indicated otherwise.

Radiative properties of optical board embedded with optical black holes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiu, J.; Liu, L.H.; Hsu, P.-F.

2011-01-01

Unique radiative properties, such as wavelength-selective transmission or absorption, have been intensively studied. Historically, geometries for wavelength-selective of light absorption were developed based on metallic periodical structures, which were only applied in the case of TM wave incidence due to the excitation of surface plasmons. In this paper, we develop an alternative approach to selective wavelength of light absorption (both TE and TM waves), based on an optical board periodical embedded with optical black holes. Numerical work was carried out to study such structure's radiative properties within the wavelength range of 1-100 μm. The electromagnetic wave transmission through such a structure is predicted by solving Maxwell's equations using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. Spectral absorptance varies with the period of optical black holes. When the incidence wavelength is much larger than the inner core radius, most of the light energy will be transmitted through the inner core. Otherwise, the energy will be mainly absorbed. Numerical results of the radiative properties of the optical board with different incidence wavelengths are also obtained. The effect of the oblique incidence wave is investigated. This study helps us gain a better understanding of the radiative properties of an optical board embedded with optical black holes and develop an alternative approach to selective light absorption.

A new mechanism for selective adsorption of rubber on carbon black surface caused by nano-confinement in SBR/NBR solution

Science.gov (United States)

Kawazoe, Masayuki

A novel mechanism of selective adsorption of rubber molecules onto carbon black surface in a binary immiscible rubber blend solution has been proposed in this dissertation. The phenomenon leads to uneven distribution of carbon black to the specific polymer in the blend and the obtained electrically conductive composite showed drastic reduction of percolation threshold concentration (PTC). The mechanism and the feature of conductive network formation have much potential concerning both fundamental understanding and industrial application to improve conductive polymer composites. In chapter I, carbon black filled conductive polymer composites are briefly reviewed. Then, in chapter II, a mechanism of rubber molecular confinement into carbon black aggregate structure is introduced to explain the selective adsorption of a specific rubber onto carbon black surface in an immiscible rubber solution blend (styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) and acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) with toluene or chloroform). Next, in chapters III and IV, polymers with various radius of gyration (Rg) and carbon blacks with various aggregate structure are examined to verify the selective adsorption mechanism. Finally, in chapter V, the novel mechanism was applied to create unique meso-/micro-unit conductive network in carbon black dispersed SBR/NBR composites.

"It's Like Power to Move": Black Students' Psychosocial Experiences in Black Studies Courses at a Predominantly White Institution

Science.gov (United States)

Chapman-Hilliard, Collette; Beasley, Samuel T.

2018-01-01

This study examined Black students' experiences in culture-centered courses that focused on the historical and contemporary experiences of Blacks in America and across the African diaspora. Using a qualitative approach, the authors investigated the perceptions of how Black Studies courses shaped the psychosocial experiences and identity…

Vascular trauma: selected historical reflections from the

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rich Norman M

2011-04-01

Full Text Available 【Abstract】In the spirit of international exchanges of knowledge with colleagues from all over the world, who are interested in the care and treatment of vascular trauma, we offer selected historical reflections from the western world on vascular trauma. Whereas there are a number of key individuals and a variety of events that are important to us in our writing, we know essentially nothing about what is written by other cultures and, particularly, the Chinese. It is well recognized around the world that Chinese surgeons are among the first to be highly successful in re-plantation of severed extremities, repairing both injured arteries and veins. Also, we recognize that there are contributions in other parts of the world, which are not well known to us collectively. Contributions from the Arabic speaking part of the world come to mind because there is periodic brief reference. We offer our perspective hoping that there will be one or more Chinese surgeons who will offer us the benefit of sharing their perspective on important historical contributions to the managing of vascular trauma outside of the western world, and, particularly, the English speaking literature. Once again, we encourage our colleagues in the Arabic speaking world to provide us with their perspective of the development and management of vascular trauma. Key words: Vascular system injuries; History; Western world; International educational exchange

The Media: Views and Perceptions of Black Families.

Science.gov (United States)

Gill, Walter Arthur

This essay explores cultural differences in pictorial perception, cites historical developments and relationships of the media and the black family, and provides a basis for using educational media to effect positive self-concepts within the black family. The interpretation of representations of blacks in films, television, radio, recordings,…

GC/MS in the study of deterioration process of historical monuments: characterization of the black crust formed in the Cathedral of Seville

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reyes, J.; Hermosin, B.; Saiz J, C.

2006-01-01

Here, we present an interesting application of Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) technique which permitted to differentiate successfully between natural and anthropogenic compounds present in the black crust formed in the Cathedral of Seville. This building, considered as one of the most important historic and cultural European monuments suffers from intense blackening of its outside walls and sculptures due to the interaction with the urban environment. Fragment of black crusts were removed from the Cathedral walls and extraction process with organic solvents was carried out. The aliphatic, aromatic and polar fractions were separated and analyzed using GC/MS. A complex organic composition of the black crusts indicated the accumulative character of the deposition process of atmospheric particles as a function of the time. The presence of high molecular weight n-alkanes, n-fatty acids and natural molecular markers identified during the study were indicative of current biogenic contributions. It was also found an important group of petrogenic molecular markers related with diesel soot emissions from motor engines. The diesel soot and molecular markers were entrapped within the black crust mineral matrix and contribute to the observed blackening of the Seville Cathedral. (Author)

The Media As Opiate: Blacks in the Performing Arts.

Science.gov (United States)

Staples, Robert

1986-01-01

It is ironic that the barometer of progress for Blacks has been their success in the performing arts. The film industry has historically shaped and reflected racist attitudes toward Blacks, while the popular music industry still segregates and exploits Black artists. (Author/GC)

Black on Yellow: Afro-Americans View Chinese-Americans, 1850-1935

Science.gov (United States)

Shankman, Arnold

1978-01-01

Using data collected from black newspapers, an explanation is sought for the unfavorable stereotypes blacks have held about Chinese Americans. Economic competition, cultural and religious differences, and blacks' belief that the Chinese were prejudiced against them are some of the historical factors mentioned which influenced black attitudes…

Ritual Black Drink consumption at Cahokia

Science.gov (United States)

Crown, Patricia L.; Emerson, Thomas E.; Gu, Jiyan; Hurst, W. Jeffrey; Pauketat, Timothy R.; Ward, Timothy

2012-01-01

Chemical analyses of organic residues in fragments of pottery from the large site of Cahokia and surrounding smaller sites in Illinois reveal theobromine, caffeine, and ursolic acid, biomarkers for species of Ilex (holly) used to prepare the ritually important Black Drink. As recorded during the historic period, men consumed Black Drink in portions of the American Southeast for ritual purification. This first demonstrated discovery of biomarkers for Ilex occurs in beaker vessels dating between A.D. 1050 and 1250 from Cahokia, located far north of the known range of the holly species used to prepare Black Drink during historic times. The association of Ilex and beaker vessels indicates a sustained ritual consumption of a caffeine-laced drink made from the leaves of plants grown in the southern United States. PMID:22869743

Super-Girl: Strength and Sadness in Black Girlhood

Science.gov (United States)

Nunn, Nia Michelle

2018-01-01

This paper complicates notions of Black girlhood by examining the dual experiences of gendered racism that result in both strength and sadness in Black girls' educational experiences. I highlight the need for a curriculum of liberation to combat historical and current social conditions negatively impacting school-aged Black girls, such as harsh…

Gayl Jones’s Corregidora and Song For Anninho: Historical Revision, Female Diaspora, and Music

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María Rocío Cobo Piñero

2014-12-01

Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/2175-8026.2014n67p37 In this article I analyze how black music may be used to (reinterpret the legacy of slavery in Gayl Jones’s literary works Corregidora (1975 and Song for Anninho (1981. I argue that female Classic Blues from the 1920s functions as a testimony of resistance and as a means to recount the stories featured in these two texts. The U.S. black author uses the cadences, themes, and tropes of the blues in order to decode female versions of the black diaspora in the Americas. In addition, by setting her literary work in Brazil, Jones establishes an inter-American dialogue and imagines polyphonic and syncretic spaces where the blues is the model for historical revision. Inscribing my study within the theoretical frame of black feminist cultural studies, I emphasize the importance of the first person enunciative voice in female blues, as well as in the texts selected.

Black lung: the social production of disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, B E

1981-01-01

The black lung movement that erupted in West Virginia in 1968 was not simply a struggle for recognition of an occupational disease; it grew into a bitter controversy over who would control the definition of that disease. This article examines the historical background and medical politics of that controversy, arguing that black lung was socially produced and defined on several different levels. As a medical construct, the changing definitions of this disease can be traced to major shifts in the political economy of the coal industry. As an occupational disease, the history of black lung is internally related to the history of the workplace in which it is produced. As the object of a mass movement, black lung acquired a political definition that grew out of the collective experience of miners and their families. The definition of disease with which black lung activists challenged the medical establishment has historical roots and justification; their experience suggests that other health advocates may need to redefine the diseases they hope to eradicate.

Putting Barack Obama's Candidacy in Historical Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, Ibram

2008-01-01

Senator Barack Obama's historic candidacy for president of the United States has generated an intense and thoughtful national discussion within Black America. His campaign has brought several issues to the fore. Recently, the author spoke with five of the most preeminent Black scholars in the nation to search out some of their thoughts on five key…

Selective coating for solar panels. [using black chrome and black nickel

Science.gov (United States)

Mcdonald, G. E. (Inventor)

1977-01-01

The energy absorbing properties of solar heating panels are improved by depositing a black chrome coating of controlled thickness on a specially prepared surface of a metal substrate. The surface is prepared by depositing a dull nickel on the substrate, and the black chrome is plated on this low emittance surface to a thickness between 0.5 micron and 2.5 microns.

Mapping Violence, Naming Life: A History of Anti-Black Oppression in the Higher Education System

Science.gov (United States)

Mustaffa, Jalil Bishop

2017-01-01

The article will provide a historical overview of anti-Black violence in the higher education system across three time periods: Colonial Era, Post-Civil War, and the mid-to-late twentieth century. Mapping violence demands a focus on how higher education historically has practiced anti-Black oppression coupled with how Black people have practiced…

Nest site selection in native and exotic trees by Black-chinned Hummingbirds

Science.gov (United States)

Deborah M. Finch; Jeffrey Kelly

2002-01-01

We studied nest site selection and nesting success in Black-chinned Hummingbirds (Archilochus alexandri) along the middle Rio Grande, New Mexico. The study was conducted in association with an exotic woody plant removal program to determine whether the removal of exotic plants would affect wildlife populations and nesting success, either positively or negatively. Point...

Black+Brown: Institutions of Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute, UNCF, 2014

2014-01-01

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) represent a small percentage of all institutions in the U.S. but educate a large portion of all black and Latino students, many of whom are low-income and first-generation college attendees. Given the population growth of these students overall, both HSIs…

Historical plant cost and annual production expenses for selected electric plants, 1982

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-01-01

This publication is a composite of the two prior publications, Hydroelectric Plant Construction Cost and Annual Production Expenses and Thermal-Electric Plant Construction Cost and Annual Production Expenses. Beginning in 1979, Thermal-Electric Plant Construction Cost and Annual Production Expenses contained information on both steam-electric and gas-turbine electric plant construction cost and annual production expenses. The summarized historical plant cost described under Historical Plant Cost in this report is the net cumulative-to-date actual outlays or expenditures for land, structures, and equipment to the utility. Historical plant cost is the initial investment in plant (cumulative to the date of initial commercial operation) plus the costs of all additions to the plant, less the value of retirements. Thus, historical plant cost includes expenditures made over several years, as modifications are made to the plant. Power Production Expenses is the reporting year's plant operation and maintenance expenses, including fuel expenses. These expenses do not include annual fixed charges on plant cost (capital costs) such as interest on debt, depreciation or amortization expenses, and taxes. Consequently, total production expenses and the derived unit costs are not the total cost of producing electric power at the various plants. This publication contains data on installed generating capacity, net generation, net capability, historical plant cost, production expenses, fuel consumption, physical and operating plant characteristics, and other relevant statistical information for selected plants

The Western Film: Holywood Myths and One Black Reality.

Science.gov (United States)

Gill, Waliyy

1986-01-01

Discusses the portrayal of Blacks in American Western films since the first Western was made in 1903. Also describes the changing social and historical context of the film industry as related to Blacks. (GC)

Black Feminism: What Women of Color Went Through in Toni Morrison’s Selected Novels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ayda Rahmani

2015-05-01

Full Text Available This article examines two of Toni Morrison’s novels, The Bluest Eye and Beloved in the lights of black feminism, racism, realism and naturalism. It is an attempt to reflect the powerlessness, inhumanity, and pains that women of color went through.  By using a feminist racist and naturalist filter,  a descriptive-analytical method of study and by analyzing the situations, the characters and themes, the status of women of color  in Literature based on Morrison’s selected  novels are revealed and represented. Morrison very well describes how different women characters react and respond differently to the injustice and the inhumanity imposed on them through for example the contrasting nature of Sethe in Beloved and Pauline in The Bluest Eye. She depicts the bravery and courage in Sethe , the self-absorbedness in Pauline and the passiveness in Pecola all of which raise powerful questions regarding black-women’s self-identity, self-concept, and  struggles to achieve freedom as a living being if not a human being: a path which will deepen our understanding of  women issues in general. The researcher believes that a womanish and racist study of the selected novels would contribute to broaden our views of humanity. The researcher selected women of color because she thinks the sorrows of black women, and the pains and toils they went through have always been deeper than those of the white ones.

British Dance: Black Routes

OpenAIRE

Adair, C.; Burt, Ramsay, 1953-

2016-01-01

British Dance: Black Routes re-examines the distinctive contributions made to British dance by dancers who are Black. Covering the period 1946 to the present, it presents a radical re-reading of dancers and their companies, placing their achievements within a broader historical, cultural and artistic context. The result of a two year research project, British Dance and the African Diaspora, led by editors Christy Adair and Ramsay Burt, the collection looks at artists working with contempor...

A Link to the Future: A Pilot Study Look at How Historically Black Colleges and Universities with Journalism and Mass Communications Units Use the Internet in Recruiting

Science.gov (United States)

Crawford, Jerry, II

2012-01-01

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have had the ability to recruit African-American students since the 1860s by stressing a sense of inclusion and family through their mission statements and community outreach. There was little to no competition for African-American students from predominantly white institutions until integration…

The Black Teacher Shortage: A Literature Review of Historical and Contemporary Trends

Science.gov (United States)

Madkins, Tia C.

2011-01-01

Desegregation marked the beginning of a long period of loss of Black teachers within the profession. First, Black teachers were not hired in desegregated schools, and then as other professional opportunities opened up in society, fewer Blacks entered the teacher pipeline. The purpose of this literature review is to synthesize research relevant to…

The Precarious Question of Black Cultural Centers Versus Multicultural Centers.

Science.gov (United States)

Princes, Carolyn D. W.

This paper discusses the role of black cultural centers on university campuses, focusing on whether black cultural centers or multicultural centers best meet the needs of an increasingly diverse student body and society. It examines the historical role of black cultural centers as vehicles to promote educational opportunity, student retention, and…

Black, White, and Biracial Students' Engagement at Differing Institutional Types

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Jessica C.; BrckaLorenz, Allison

2017-01-01

Within this study, the authors are interested in engagement practices for Black students, White students, and the mixed-race college student population at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and non-HBCUs. The authors asked the following research questions: How does engagement compare for Black, White, and biracial students with…

Not yet human: implicit knowledge, historical dehumanization, and contemporary consequences.

Science.gov (United States)

Goff, Phillip Atiba; Eberhardt, Jennifer L; Williams, Melissa J; Jackson, Matthew Christian

2008-02-01

Historical representations explicitly depicting Blacks as apelike have largely disappeared in the United States, yet a mental association between Blacks and apes remains. Here, the authors demonstrate that U.S. citizens implicitly associate Blacks and apes. In a series of laboratory studies, the authors reveal how this association influences study participants' basic cognitive processes and significantly alters their judgments in criminal justice contexts. Specifically, this Black-ape association alters visual perception and attention, and it increases endorsement of violence against Black suspects. In an archival study of actual criminal cases, the authors show that news articles written about Blacks who are convicted of capital crimes are more likely to contain ape-relevant language than news articles written about White convicts. Moreover, those who are implicitly portrayed as more apelike in these articles are more likely to be executed by the state than those who are not. The authors argue that examining the subtle persistence of specific historical representations such as these may not only enhance contemporary research on dehumanization, stereotyping, and implicit processes but also highlight common forms of discrimination that previously have gone unrecognized. (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved

Statistical analysis of the influence of wheat black point kernels on selected indicators of wheat flour quality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Petrov Verica D.

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The influence of wheat black point kernels on selected indicators of wheat flour quality - farinograph and extensograph indicators, amylolytic activity, wet gluten and flour ash content, were examined in this study. The examinations were conducted on samples of wheat harvested in the years 2007 and 2008 from the area of Central Banat in four treatments-control (without black point flour and with 2, 4 and 10% of black point flour which was added as a replacement for a part of the control sample. Statistically significant differences between treatments were observed on the dough stability, falling number and extensibility. The samples with 10% of black point flour had the lowest dough stability and the highest amylolytic activity and extensibility. There was a trend of the increasing 15 min drop and water absorption with the increased share of black point flour. Extensograph area, resistance and ratio resistance to extensibility decreased with the addition of black point flour, but not properly. Mahalanobis distance indicates that the addition of 10% black point flour had the greatest influence on the observed quality indicators, thus proving that black point contributes to the technological quality of wheat, i.e .flour.

Black Swan Tropical Cyclones

Science.gov (United States)

Emanuel, K.; Lin, N.

2012-12-01

Virtually all assessments of tropical cyclone risk are based on historical records, which are limited to a few hundred years at most. Yet stronger TCs may occur in the future and at places that have not been affected historically. Such events lie outside the realm of historically based expectations and may have extreme impacts. Their occurrences are also often made explainable after the fact (e.g., Hurricane Katrina). We nickname such potential future TCs, characterized by rarity, extreme impact, and retrospective predictability, "black swans" (Nassim Nicholas Taleb, 2007). As, by definition, black swan TCs have yet to happen, statistical methods that solely rely on historical track data cannot predict their occurrence. Global climate models lack the capability to predict intense storms, even with a resolution as high as 14 km (Emanuel et al. 2010). Also, most dynamic downscaling methods (e.g., Bender et al. 2010) are still limited in horizontal resolution and are too expensive to implement to generate enough events to include rare ones. In this study, we apply a simpler statistical/deterministic hurricane model (Emanuel et al. 2006) to simulate large numbers of synthetic storms under a given (observed or projected) climate condition. The method has been shown to generate realistic extremes in various basins (Emanuel et al. 2008 and 2010). We also apply a hydrodynamic model (ADCIRC; Luettich et al. 1992) to simulate the storm surges generated by these storms. We then search for black swan TCs, in terms of the joint wind and surge damage potential, in the generated large databases. Heavy rainfall is another important TC hazard and will be considered in a future study. We focus on three areas: Tampa Bay in the U.S., the Persian Gulf, and Darwin in Australia. Tampa Bay is highly vulnerable to storm surge as it is surrounded by shallow water and low-lying lands, much of which may be inundated by a storm tide of 6 m. High surges are generated by storms with a broad

Aerial Photography and Imagery, Ortho-Corrected, Historic 1958 black and white aerial photography for Wicomico County, Maryland. Imagery was scanned from historic hard copy images and georeferenced to current imagery. This data is available via map service., Published in 2010, 1:12000 (1in=1000ft) scale, Eastern Shore Regional GIS Cooperative.

Data.gov (United States)

NSGIC Regional | GIS Inventory — Aerial Photography and Imagery, Ortho-Corrected dataset current as of 2010. Historic 1958 black and white aerial photography for Wicomico County, Maryland. Imagery...

Selected Differences in the Life Chances of Black and White in the United States. Research Group One, Report No. 17.

Science.gov (United States)

Ehrlich, Howard J.

Tabular data presented in this report comprise: total and black population of the U.S. for every census period from 1790 to 1970, the 50 cities with the largest black population for 1970, an index of residential segregation for 1960, selected views of age and sex, life and death, the educational profile of white and black in 1970, family income…

Reduced disease in black abalone following mass mortality: Phage therapy and natural selection

Science.gov (United States)

VanBlaricom, Glenn R.

2014-01-01

Black abalone, Haliotis cracherodii, populations along the NE Pacific ocean have declined due to the rickettsial disease withering syndrome (WS). Natural recovery on San Nicolas Island (SNI) of Southern California suggested the development of resistance in island populations. Experimental challenges in one treatment demonstrated that progeny of disease-selected black abalone from SNI survived better than did those from naïve black abalone from Carmel Point in mainland coastal central California. Unexpectedly, the presence of a newly observed bacteriophage infecting the WS rickettsia (WS-RLO) had strong effects on the survival of infected abalone. Specifically, presence of phage-infected RLO (RLOv) reduced the host response to infection, RLO infection loads, and associated mortality. These data suggest that the black abalone: WS-RLO relationship is evolving through dual host mechanisms of resistance to RLO infection in the digestive gland via tolerance to infection in the primary target tissue (the post-esophagus) coupled with reduced pathogenicity of the WS-RLO by phage infection, which effectively reduces the infection load in the primary target tissue by half. Sea surface temperature patterns off southern California, associated with a recent hiatus in global-scale ocean warming, do not appear to be a sufficient explanation for survival patterns in SNI black abalone. These data highlight the potential for natural recovery of abalone populations over time and that further understanding of mechanisms governing host–parasite relationships will better enable us to manage declining populations.

Reduced disease in black abalone following mass mortality: Phage therapy and natural selection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carolyn S Friedman

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Black abalone, Haliotis cracherodii, populations along the NE Pacific ocean have declined due to the rickettsial disease withering syndrome (WS. Natural recovery on San Nicolas Island (SNI off Southern California suggested the development of resistance in island populations. Experimental challenges in one treatment demonstrated that progeny of disease-selected black abalone from SNI survived better than did those from naïve black abalone from Carmel Point (CP in mainland coastal central California. Unexpectedly, the presence of a newly observed bacteriophage infecting the WS rickettsia (WS-RLO had strong effects on the survival of infected abalone. Specifically, presence of phage-infected RLO (RLOv reduced the host response to infection, RLO infection loads, and associated mortality. These data suggest that the black abalone: WS-RLO relationship is evolving through dual host mechanisms of resistance to RLO infection in the digestive gland via tolerance to infection in the primary target tissue (the post-esophagus coupled with reduced pathogenicity of the WS-RLO by phage infection, which effectively reduces the infection load in the primary target tissue by half. Sea surface temperature patterns off southern California, associated with a recent hiatus in global-scale ocean warming, do not appear to be a sufficient explanation for survival patterns in SNI black abalone. These data highlight the potential for natural recovery of abalone populations over time and that further understanding of mechanisms governing host-parasite relationships will better enable us to manage declining populations.

Reduced disease in black abalone following mass mortality: phage therapy and natural selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Friedman, Carolyn S; Wight, Nathan; Crosson, Lisa M; Vanblaricom, Glenn R; Lafferty, Kevin D

2014-01-01

Black abalone, Haliotis cracherodii, populations along the NE Pacific ocean have declined due to the rickettsial disease withering syndrome (WS). Natural recovery on San Nicolas Island (SNI) of Southern California suggested the development of resistance in island populations. Experimental challenges in one treatment demonstrated that progeny of disease-selected black abalone from SNI survived better than did those from naïve black abalone from Carmel Point in mainland coastal central California. Unexpectedly, the presence of a newly observed bacteriophage infecting the WS rickettsia (WS-RLO) had strong effects on the survival of infected abalone. Specifically, presence of phage-infected RLO (RLOv) reduced the host response to infection, RLO infection loads, and associated mortality. These data suggest that the black abalone: WS-RLO relationship is evolving through dual host mechanisms of resistance to RLO infection in the digestive gland via tolerance to infection in the primary target tissue (the post-esophagus) coupled with reduced pathogenicity of the WS-RLO by phage infection, which effectively reduces the infection load in the primary target tissue by half. Sea surface temperature patterns off southern California, associated with a recent hiatus in global-scale ocean warming, do not appear to be a sufficient explanation for survival patterns in SNI black abalone. These data highlight the potential for natural recovery of abalone populations over time and that further understanding of mechanisms governing host-parasite relationships will better enable us to manage declining populations.

Efficient Use of Historical Data for Genomic Selection: A Case Study of Stem Rust Resistance in Wheat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Rutkoski

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Genomic selection (GS is a methodology that can improve crop breeding efficiency. To implement GS, a training population (TP with phenotypic and genotypic data is required to train a statistical model used to predict genotyped selection candidates (SCs. A key factor impacting prediction accuracy is the relationship between the TP and the SCs. This study used empirical data for quantitative adult plant resistance to stem rust of wheat ( L. to investigate the utility of a historical TP (TP compared with a population-specific TP (TP, the potential for TP optimization, and the utility of TP data when close relative data is available for training. We found that, depending on the population size, a TP was 1.5 to 4.4 times more accurate than a TP, and TP optimization based on the mean of the generalized coefficient of determination or prediction error variance enabled the selection of subsets that led to significantly higher accuracy than randomly selected subsets. Retaining historical data when data on close relatives were available lead to a 11.9% increase in accuracy, at best, and a 12% decrease in accuracy, at worst, depending on the heritability. We conclude that historical data could be used successfully to initiate a GS program, especially if the dataset is very large and of high heritability. Training population optimization would be useful for the identification of TP subsets to phenotype additional traits. However, after model updating, discarding historical data may be warranted. More studies are needed to determine if these observations represent general trends.

Assessment of the DOE/NREL Historically Black College and University Photovoltaic Research Associates Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Posey-Eddy, F.; McConnell, R. D.

2002-08-01

This report details the DOE/NREL Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Photovoltaic Research Associates Program, a small but remarkable program that directly affected dozens of minority undergraduate students in ways that changed many of their lives. The progress and accomplishments of undergraduates within the nine participating universities were monitored and assessed through their presentations at an annual NREL-sponsored HBCU conference. Although the funding was small, typically $400,000 per year, the money made a significant impact. The best students sometimes went on to the nation's top graduate schools (e.g., MIT) or important management positions in large companies. Other students had opportunities to learn how renewable energy could positively affect their lives and their neighbors' lives. A few were lucky enough to install photovoltaic lighting and water-pumping systems in Africa, and to see and feel firsthand the technical and emotional benefits of this technology for families and villages. Two of the schools, Texas Southern University and Central State University, were particularly successful in leveraging their DOE/NREL funding to obtain additional funding for expanded programs.

Latina and Black Women's Perceptions of the Dietetics Major and Profession

Science.gov (United States)

Whelan, Megan

Racial and ethnic groups remain underrepresented in undergraduate health profession education programs and careers, such as nutrition and dietetics (Sullivan, 2004). Overwhelmingly, 82 percent of dietitians are White, three percent are Latino/Latina, and less than three percent are Black (Commission on Dietetic Registration, 2016). While the calls to increase recruitment of underrepresented minorities are plentiful and federal dollars are allotted to the effort, a critical lens is necessary to investigate the complexity of factors that impact the decision to pursue a career within dietetics. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate how Latina and Black women enrolled in an undergraduate Health Career Opportunity Program (HCOP) narrated and reflected upon the dietetics profession. Through the lens of Critical Race Theory and situated learning, I sought to understand the sociocultural and historical underpinnings that hinder or promote career selection. Data collection methods included participant observation, interviews, artifacts, and reflexive journaling. Data were analyzed using inductive coding techniques. My findings revealed the ways in which Latina and Black women believed dietitians must match the socially constructed role model for body image, physical fitness, and healthy eating to be effective in practice. Using a critical media analysis to confront the stereotypical images of dietitians, the women used cliche messages as a selected discourse to mask perceptions of barriers to the dietetics field. Finally, the women believed a dietitian's professional role was to give diet advice which presented a barrier to the profession. Based on my findings I support early introduction to nutrition science as a means to empower individuals to support their health and the health of their community. Recruitment efforts must explicitly address the culture of dietetics which has embraced the stereotypical image. Collectively, the dietetics field must

Touchdowns and Honor Societies: Expanding the Focus of Black Male Excellence

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, Jerome E.; Adeyemo, Adeoye O.

2012-01-01

The athletic/academic paradox for black males is historically rooted in rank-and-file notions of black people primarily as workers rather than thinkers. Policymakers, educators, and administrators should think more deeply about how societal perceptions of black males as "natural" athletes, rather than intelligent students adversely influences how…

A Review of Our Roots: Blacks in Gerontology

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Candace S.; Baker, Tamara A.; Mingo, Chivon A.; Harden, J. Taylor; Whitfield, Keith; Aiken-Morgan, Adrienne T.; Phillips, Karon L.; Washington, Tiffany

2014-01-01

The historical underpinnings in the field of gerontology rest on the contributions of scholars across a myriad of racial and ethnic backgrounds. With the increasing diversity of the adult population, there is a need to increase the number of researchers who study older adults from diverse racial and ethnic populations in general and Black elderly people in particular. Furthermore, it is important to document the participation of Black older adults in our earliest and continuing research efforts. Understanding the historical context and the foundational influence of Black scholars in this field is critical. To realize its humble beginnings, one must become aware of the contributions by Black scholars who have a vested interest in the aging process. With universal similarities and unique differences among older adults, there is a need to acknowledge the past and current scholarship of those who study the aging processes of Blacks while marveling over the future possibilities. The purpose of this review is to elucidate the legacy and current contributions, philosophies, and research of Black scholars in the field of gerontology. In addition, exploration of the theoretical and conceptual frameworks used to establish national and organizational initiatives is reviewed. The impetus in initiating and continuing this work requires a “knowledge of our roots” while moving into the future. It is important to learn the history and significance of Black scholars in gerontology, the contributions of older Blacks, and appreciate the resiliency and marveled life course of this unique population. PMID:24022695

[Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT): our experience in African blacks].

Science.gov (United States)

Seck, S M; Agboton, G; Dieng, M; Ndiaye Sow, M N; Diakhate, M; Gueye, N N; Seck, C M; Lam, A

2015-03-01

The purpose of our study was to evaluate in the short and medium term, intraocular pressure results after selective laser trabeculoplasty in black patients with chronic open angle glaucoma or isolated ocular hypertension. We conducted a retrospective study with a mean 12.5-month follow-up in black patients who underwent SLT. Inclusion criteria were: an open iridocorneal angle greater than or equal to Schaeffer grade 3, data recorded and available on trabecular pigmentation, data on SLT parameters available, and intraocular pressure by Goldmann applanation tonometry recorded.A positive result was defined as a post-laser IntraOcular Pressure (IOP) less than 21 mmHg after 1-month follow-up. The main motivation was the reduction of number of eye drops used. Performed first was a treatment of the inferior 180° (3:00-9:00), possibly supplemented by a second session at 15 days or 1 month if a pressure decrease was noted after the first session. IOP results were evaluated prior to SLT, immediately following SLT and then depending on the drop in pressure. Statistical analysis was performed using the EPI.info 7 software. A total of 69 eyes of 40 patients treated with SLT were identified. The mean IOP prior to SLT was 18.3 mmHg ± 4. Our results showed 90% of patients who positively responded to the treatment (10% failure) with a mean IOP decrease of 2.3 ± 1 mmHg, that is 13%, by the second week. The mean pressure decrease continued to 4.78 ± 1 mmHg for patients (30%) in the group treated for 360°, that is 27% in the same period of time. SLT permitted discontinuation of a prostaglandin in 60% (42 cases). Eyes on triple-drug therapy went from 23 before SLT to 5 following SLT (a 26% decline), eyes on two medications went from 32 to 16 (24% decline). In result association tests, only pigmentation of the angle and visual field stage had a statistically significant probability. In our experience, SLT is indicated in black patients to potentiate less effective treatments, to

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions Environmental Technology Consortium annual report draft, 1995--1996

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-07-01

The HBCU/MI ET Consortium was established in January 1990, through a memorandum of Understanding (MOU) among its member institutions. This group of research-oriented Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions (HBCUs/MIs) agreed to work together to initiate or revise educational programs, develop research partnerships with public and private sector organizations, and promote technology development and transfer to address the nation`s critical environmental problems. While the Consortium`s Research, Education and Technology Transfer (RETT) Plan is the cornerstone of its overall program efforts, the initial programmatic activities of the Consortium focused on environmental education at all levels with the objective of addressing the underrepresentation of minorities in the environmental professions. This 1996 Annual Report provides an update on the activities of the Consortium with a focus on environmental curriculum development for the Technical Qualifications Program (TQP) and Education for Sustainability.

Isolation, Characterization, and Selection of Molds Associated to Fermented Black Table Olives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simona L. Bavaro

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Table olives are one of the most important fermented food in the Mediterranean countries. Apart from lactic acid bacteria and yeasts that mainly conduct the olive fermentation, molds can develop on the brine surface, and can have either deleterious or useful effects on this process. From the food safety point of view, occurring molds could also produce mycotoxins, so, it is important to monitor and control them. In this respect, identification of molds associated to two Italian and two Greek fermented black table olives cultivars, was carried out. Sixty strains were isolated and molecularly identified as Penicillium crustosum (21, P. roqueforti (29, P. paneum (1, P. expansum (6, P. polonicum (2, P. commune (1. A group of 20 selected isolates was subjected to technological (beta-glucosidase, cellulolytic, ligninolytic, pectolytic, and xylanolytic activities; proteolytic enzymes and safety (biogenic amines and secondary metabolites, including mycotoxins characterization. Combining both technological (presence of desired and absence of undesired enzymatic activities and safety aspects (no or low production of biogenic amines and regulated mycotoxins, it was possible to select six strains with biotechnological interest. These are putative candidates for future studies as autochthonous co-starters with yeasts and lactic acid bacteria for black table olive production.

Historical Dialectics of Black Nationalist Movements in America.

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, James E.

1977-01-01

The development of Africa-oriented social movements is divided into five periods: (1) the genesis of the return-to-Africa movement, 1790-1840; (2) the quest for nationality, 1845-1861; (3) the roots of Pan-Africanism, 1870-1915; (4) the Garvey movement, 1916-1930; and (5) the recent Black liberation movement, inspired by Malcolm X and operating in…

Black Artists' Music Videos: Three Successful Strategies

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson-Lewis, Sonja; Chennault, Shirley A.

1986-01-01

Identifies three successful self-presentational patterns used by black artists to penetrate the music television market. Discusses the historical relationship between minorities and the mass media. (MS)

Suburban Black Lives Matter

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis-McCoy, R. L'Heureux

2018-01-01

This article explores the range of experiences and meanings of Black life in suburban space. Drawing from educational, historical, and sociological literatures, I argue that an underconsideration of suburban space has left many portraits of educational inequality incomplete. The article outlines the emergence of American suburbs and the formation…

Black germanium selective absorber surfaces. Final technical report, September 1, 1978-June 30, 1979

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Messier, R.; Vedam, K.; Krishnaswamy, S.V.

1979-12-01

Semiconductor films with an appropriate band gap (approx. 0.5 to 1.25 ev) have a high absorption coefficient in the solar spectrum region and high transmission in the IR thermal-emission region and thus make nearly ideal selective absorbers. However, due to their high refractive index, semiconductor films have high reflectance above their absorption edge which limits their total absorption. A coating which would retain the advantages of the semiconductor's selectivity and also reduce the reflectance from the present values of 30 to 50% to a level of less than 2% would be a significant advancement in the state of the art. This study describes work on the preparation and characterization of structurally anisotropic black Ge films by rf-sputtering and postdeposition etching. It has been shown that by controlling the sputtering preparation conditions of noncrystalline Ge films the surface microstructure can be drastically altered by simply etching in 30% H/sub 2/O/sub 2/. The total reflectance of the resulting surface was reduced from about 45% to less than 1%. Furthermore, the films appear black over a wide range of angles of incidence ( up to 45% from the normal). This flat black appearance is shown to be due to a dense array of aligned, needle-like protrusions which have an extremely high aspect ratio and both a cross-sectional area and a separation between the needles on th order of the wavelength of solar radiation. Black Ge films were obtained with a solar absorptance, ..cap alpha../sub S/, of greater than 0.99 in the best cases. Variation of ..cap alpha../sub S/ and epsilon/sub IR/ (IR emittance) with the thickness of the film and other preparation conditions is described. Further, the various microstructures are classified and understood on the basis of a structure zone model.

A Brief History of Black Holes

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Crothers S. J.

2006-04-01

Full Text Available Neither the layman nor the specialist, in general, have any knowledge of the historical circumstances underlying the genesis of the idea of the Black Hole. Essentially, almost all and sundry simply take for granted the unsubstantiated allegations of some ostentatious minority of the relativists. Unfortunately, that minority has been rather careless with the truth and is quite averse to having its claims corrected, notwithstanding the documentary evidence on the historical record. Furthermore, not a few of that vainglorious and disingenuous coterie, particularly amongst those of some notoriety, attempt to dismiss the testimony of the literature with contempt, and even deliberate falsehoods, claiming that history is of no importance. The historical record clearly demonstrates that the Black Hole has been conjured up by combination of confusion, superstition and ineptitude, and is sustained by widespread suppression of facts, both physical and theoretical. The following essay provides a brief but accurate account of events, verifiable by reference to the original papers, by which the scandalous manipulation of both scientific and public opinion is revealed

Black Males and Television: New Images Versus Old Stereotypes.

Science.gov (United States)

Douglas, Robert L.

1987-01-01

This paper focuses on historic portrayal of black males in service and support roles in the media and their relation to social reality. Both television and films use glamorous sophisticated trappings seemingly to enhance the image of black males, but the personalities of the characters they play remain stereotypic. (VM)

Pilot Design and Implementation of an Innovative Mental Health and Wellness Clinic at a Historically Black College/University.

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Jessica R; Pollio, David E; Hong, Barry A; Valencia, Celeste; Sorrell, Michael; North, Carol S

2018-05-01

A pilot mental health and wellness clinic was developed and implemented on the campus of Paul Quinn College, a small Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in Dallas, TX, to address mental health disparities in an African-American student population. Additionally, a series of student engagement activities was developed and implemented to address stigma and enhance linkage to the clinic. The student engagement activities were well attended. In all, 14 students requested a total of 97 appointments during the spring 2016 semester, but attended only 41 appointments. Students sought treatment of a variety of psychiatric disorders, most commonly major depressive disorder and adjustment disorder. A model based on this program could conceivably be extended to serve students more broadly in other HBCUs as well as in community colleges.

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions Environmental Technology and Waste Management Consortium annual report, 1990--1991

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1991-12-31

The HBCU/MI Environmental Technology and Waste Management Consortium was established in January 1990, through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) among the member institutions. This group of research-oriented Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI) agreed to work together to initiate research, technology development and education programs to address the nation`s critical environmental problems. As a group the HBCU/MI Consortium is uniquely positioned to reach women and the minority populations of African Americans, Hispanics and American Indians. As part of their initial work, they developed the Research, Education, and Technology Transfer (RETT) Plan to actualize the Consortium`s guiding principles. In addition to developing a comprehensive research agenda, four major programs were begun to meet these goals. This report summarizes the 1990--1991 progress.

Selecting Eco-Friendly Thermal Systems for the “Vittoriale Degli Italiani” Historic Museum Building

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Davide Astiaso Garcia

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Thermal systems installed in museums should guarantee the maintenance of the optimal hygrothermal parameters ranges for the conservation of their collection materials. Considering the preservation of historic buildings, according to their historical and landscaping constraints, not all the thermal system typologies could be installed in these buildings’ typologies. Therefore, the main aim of this paper is to present some indications for the choice of the best thermal system solutions for a considered historic museum building, called Vittoriale degli Italiani, in the north of Italy, taking into account their installation feasibility and their related environmental impacts. The methodology includes a monitoring of the current hygrothermal parameters as well as the assessment of design heat and cooling loads related to the maintenance of the optimal hygrothermal parameters ranges for the conservation of collection materials. In addition, a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA of each selected system typology is considered for highlighting the most eco-friendly solution among the suitable ones. The obtained results highlights the feasible thermal system solutions able to maintain the hygrothermal parameters between the optimal ranges with a lower environmental impact in the Vittoriale degli Italiani historic museum building.

Socioeconomic Factors Affecting Local Support for Black Bear Recovery Strategies(AED)

Science.gov (United States)

There is global interest in recovering locally extirpated carnivore species. Successful efforts to recover Louisiana black bear in Louisiana have prompted interest in recovery throughout the species’ historical range. We evaluated support for three potential black bear recovery s...

Selection of Universities by Students in Journalism and Mass Communication Courses: Do Criteria Differ between Caucasian and Minority Students?

Science.gov (United States)

Biswas, Masudul; Perkins, Lyle; Izard, Ralph

2012-01-01

This study measures the significance of factors used by minority students in their selection of universities/colleges. This web survey was conducted mainly on 778 students enrolled in journalism/mass communication courses representing five historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and twelve other universities. Differences were found…

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions Environmental Technology Consortium annual report 1994--1995

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-07-01

The HBCU/MI ET Consortium was established in January 1990, through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) among its member institutions. This group of research oriented Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions (HBCU/MIs) agreed to work together to initiate or revise education programs, develop research partnerships with public and private sector organizations, and promote technology development to address the nation`s critical environmental contamination problems. The Consortium`s Research, Education and Technology Transfer (RETT) Plan became the working agenda. The Consortium is a resource for collaboration among the member institutions and with federal an state agencies, national and federal laboratories, industries, (including small businesses), majority universities, and two and four-year technical colleges. As a group of 17 institutions geographically located in the southern US, the Consortium is well positioned to reach a diverse group of women and minority populations of African Americans, Hispanics and American Indians. This Report provides a status update on activities and achievements in environmental curriculum development, outreach at the K--12 level, undergraduate and graduate education, research and development, and technology transfer.

External Labor Markets and the Distribution of Black Scientists and Engineers in Academia.

Science.gov (United States)

Kulis, Stephen; Shaw, Heather; Chong, Yinong

2000-01-01

Analyzes data from the 1989 Survey of Doctorate Recipients to evaluate racial segmentation of the academic labor market along geographic and disciplinary lines. Finds that black faculty in the sciences and engineering are found disproportionately in southern, historically black institutions; areas with sizable black populations; and, independent…

Obesity among Black Adolescent Girls: Genetic, Psychosocial, and Cultural Influences

Science.gov (United States)

Alleyne, Sylvan I.; LaPoint, Velma

2004-01-01

This article focuses on the causes, consequences, and prevention of obesity among a subgroup of the American population, Black adolescent girls. Using an ecological perspective on obesity among Black adolescent girls, including feminist-womanist perspectives and historical and medical sociological perspectives, the authors discuss genetic,…

Leadership, Governance, and Sustainability of Black Colleges and Universities

Science.gov (United States)

Ezzell, Jack L., Jr.; Schexnider, Alvin J.

2010-01-01

A topic of continuing interest in American higher education and society is the future of historically black colleges and universities, commonly referred to as HBCUs. The nation's public and private black institutions of higher education have proved their mettle, and yet they face persistent challenges to survive. A huge part of the challenge black…

Was skin cancer a selective force for black pigmentation in early hominin evolution?

Science.gov (United States)

Greaves, Mel

2014-01-01

Melanin provides a crucial filter for solar UV radiation and its genetically determined variation influences both skin pigmentation and risk of cancer. Genetic evidence suggests that the acquisition of a highly stable melanocortin 1 receptor allele promoting black pigmentation arose around the time of savannah colonization by hominins at some 1–2 Ma. The adaptive significance of dark skin is generally believed to be protection from UV damage but the pathologies that might have had a deleterious impact on survival and/or reproductive fitness, though much debated, are uncertain. Here, I suggest that data on age-associated cancer incidence and lethality in albinos living at low latitudes in both Africa and Central America support the contention that skin cancer could have provided a potent selective force for the emergence of black skin in early hominins. PMID:24573849

Reading Achievement and In-Grade Retention Rate Differentials for Mexican-American and Black Students in Selected States of the Southwest.

Science.gov (United States)

Casavantes, Edward Joseph

Two sets of data from the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights' Mexican American Education Study were selected for analysis in the areas of (1) comparative reading achievement rates of Mexican Americans and black students; and (2) differential in-grade retention rates of Anglo, Mexican American, and black students. Two separate issues were examined.…

Resource selection models are useful in predicting fine-scale distributions of black-footed ferrets in prairie dog colonies

Science.gov (United States)

Eads, David A.; Jachowski, David S.; Biggins, Dean E.; Livieri, Travis M.; Matchett, Marc R.; Millspaugh, Joshua J.

2012-01-01

Wildlife-habitat relationships are often conceptualized as resource selection functions (RSFs)—models increasingly used to estimate species distributions and prioritize habitat conservation. We evaluated the predictive capabilities of 2 black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) RSFs developed on a 452-ha colony of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) in the Conata Basin, South Dakota. We used the RSFs to project the relative probability of occurrence of ferrets throughout an adjacent 227-ha colony. We evaluated performance of the RSFs using ferret space use data collected via postbreeding spotlight surveys June–October 2005–2006. In home ranges and core areas, ferrets selected the predicted "very high" and "high" occurrence categories of both RSFs. Count metrics also suggested selection of these categories; for each model in each year, approximately 81% of ferret locations occurred in areas of very high or high predicted occurrence. These results suggest usefulness of the RSFs in estimating the distribution of ferrets throughout a black-tailed prairie dog colony. The RSFs provide a fine-scale habitat assessment for ferrets that can be used to prioritize releases of ferrets and habitat restoration for prairie dogs and ferrets. A method to quickly inventory the distribution of prairie dog burrow openings would greatly facilitate application of the RSFs.

Coming to UCT: Black Students, Transformation and Discourses of Race

Science.gov (United States)

Kessi, Shose; Cornell, Josephine

2015-01-01

Since the dismantling of apartheid in South Africa, increasing numbers of black students have been enrolling at historically whites-only universities. This situation has been paralleled by a resurgence of racialising discourses that represent black students as lacking in competencies, lowering academic standards and undeserving of their places at…

Resource selection for foraging by female Merriam's wild turkeys with poults in the southern Black Hills, South Dakota

Science.gov (United States)

Chad P. Lehman; Mark A. Rumble; Lester D. Flake; Daniel J. Thompson

2011-01-01

Knowledge of Merriam's wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo merriami) resource selection in the context of landscape attributes is an important asset for managing resources on multiple-use public lands. We investigated resource selection for foraging by Merriam's wild turkey broods in the southern Black Hills, South Dakota. We collected macro- and microhabitat...

Black Students in Protest: A Study of the Origins of the Black Student Movement. The Arnold and Caroline Rose Monograph Series in Sociology.

Science.gov (United States)

Orum, Anthony M.

The present study is a sociological rather than an historical treatment of the role of black college students in the civil rights movement. We will determine the characteristic motivation of the typical black student protestor as well as the social and economic conditions that provoked him to protest. The data for our analysis will consist…

Bird specimens track 135 years of atmospheric black carbon and environmental policy

Science.gov (United States)

DuBay, Shane G.; Fuldner, Carl C.

2017-10-01

Atmospheric black carbon has long been recognized as a public health and environmental concern. More recently, black carbon has been identified as a major, ongoing contributor to anthropogenic climate change, thus making historical emission inventories of black carbon an essential tool for assessing past climate sensitivity and modeling future climate scenarios. Current estimates of black carbon emissions for the early industrial era have high uncertainty, however, because direct environmental sampling is sparse before the mid-1950s. Using photometric reflectance data of >1,300 bird specimens drawn from natural history collections, we track relative ambient concentrations of atmospheric black carbon between 1880 and 2015 within the US Manufacturing Belt, a region historically reliant on coal and dense with industry. Our data show that black carbon levels within the region peaked during the first decade of the 20th century. Following this peak, black carbon levels were positively correlated with coal consumption through midcentury, after which they decoupled, with black carbon concentrations declining as consumption continued to rise. The precipitous drop in atmospheric black carbon at midcentury reflects policies promoting burning efficiency and fuel transitions rather than regulating emissions alone. Our findings suggest that current emission inventories based on predictive modeling underestimate levels of atmospheric black carbon for the early industrial era, suggesting that the contribution of black carbon to past climate forcing may also be underestimated. These findings build toward a spatially dynamic emission inventory of black carbon based on direct environmental sampling.

Organisational justice rules as determinants of black and white employees' fairness perceptions of personnel selection techniques

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Angela de Jong

2000-06-01

Full Text Available The diversity of the South African population may lead to opinions that test fairness is not a pure empirical problem, but requires certain subjective value judgements. The aim of this study was to identify applicants' underlying reasons for evaluating a selection technique as being fair/unfair. These fairness perceptions were analysed by means of the organisational justice theory. The total sample consisted of 328 mature university students (M = 30,6 all of whom had work experience. The analyses comprised two sets of comparisons. The first set involved Black (uninformed and White (uninformed groups. The second comparison involved informed versus uninformed black students. Exposure to the subjects Strategic Personnel Management and/or undergraduate Industrial Psycohology, in which the nature and value of various selection techniques are studied, constituted the variable'being informed'. It was hypothesised that the Black (uninformed and the White (uninformed groups would perceive the value of the 11 justice rules for the total fairness perception across the ten selection techniques differently. Substantial support was found for this hypothesis. The same hypothesis was investigated for the Black (informed and the Black (uninformed groups, but no significant differences were found to support the latter hypothesis. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of South African selection practices. Opsomming Die diversiteit van die Suid-Afrikaanse bevolking mag daartoe lei dat persepsies van die billikheid van verskillende personeelkeuringtegnieke op n verskeidenheid van subjektiewe waarde-oordele gegrond word. Dit is die doel van hierdie ondersoek om die onderliggende redes waarvolgens kandidate keuringtegnieke as billik/onbillik evalueer, te identifiseer. Die kandidate se billikheidpersepsies van tien keuringtegnieke is aan die hand van die organisatoriese billikheidteorie ontleed. Die steekproef het bestaan uit 328 volwasse

UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopter (UH-60M Black Hawk)

Science.gov (United States)

2016-12-01

Selected Acquisition Report (SAR) RCS: DD-A&T(Q&A)823-341 UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopter (UH-60M Black Hawk ) As of FY 2017 President’s Budget Defense...Acquisition Management Information Retrieval (DAMIR) March 21, 2016 18:25:45 UNCLASSIFIED UH-60M Black Hawk December 2015 SAR March 21, 2016 18...Operational Requirements Document OSD - Office of the Secretary of Defense O&S - Operating and Support PAUC - Program Acquisition Unit Cost UH-60M Black Hawk

Know Your Role: Black College Students, Racial Identity, and Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Dafina-Lazarus

2015-01-01

This article is a report of a critical constructivist study of racial identity and performance among 13 Black, traditional-age students enrolled at three different colleges, two historically Black and one predominantly White. The study's approach understood identity to be socially constructed and reliant upon community affirmation and validation.…

Winter diet and food selection of the Black-necked Crane Grus nigricollis in Dashanbao, Yunnan, China

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Hao Yan Dong

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The Black-necked Crane Grus nigricollis is a globally vulnerable species whose food is the factor determining its long-term survival. Understanding dietary habits, food preferences, and related factors will facilitate the development of effective conservation plans for the protection of this vulnerable species. For this purpose, we used video recordings and sampling of food availability to examine the dietary composition and temporal variation in food selection of Black-necked Cranes wintering in the Dashanbao National Nature Reserve, China. The Black-necked Crane’s diet consists primarily of domestic food crops such as grains (74% and potatoes (8%, in addition to invertebrates (14%. A much smaller proportion of the diet was comprised of turnips and wild herbaceous plants and tubers. There was monthly variation in food selection, partially related to food availability. Grains were most available in November and decreased through the winter, whereas invertebrates were more available in November and February than in December and January. Grain consumption was lowest in November but higher from December through February. Invertebrate consumption was highest in November and February. The cranes preferred to eat grains throughout winter months, while they mainly selected invertebrates in November and February. We suggested invertebrate populations sharply declined in December and January due to the low temperature. In addition, grain consumption was negatively associated with invertebrate availability. In November, when invertebrates were most abundant, and despite a concomitant peak in grain abundance, we suggested cranes exhibited a preference for invertebrates over grains. We recommend that the protection administration provide appropriate supplemental foods for cranes during freezing weather.

Black Womanhood and Feminist Standpoints.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Brenda J.

1998-01-01

Discusses challenges and consequences of being a member of two historically oppressed groups in the United States--Blacks and females. Relies on feminist standpoint theory--a distinctive element of contemporary feminist thought about how knowledge is constructed. Focuses on academe as a discursive site for constructing identity. (PA)

Experiences of Black MSM at an HBCU Regarding Stigma and HIV Risk Behavior

Science.gov (United States)

Jeter, Natasha Harden

2016-01-01

Black men who have sex with men (MSM) on Historically Black College/University (HBCU) campuses face a unique set of challenges. In addition to being disproportionately affected by HIV, Black MSM are impacted by risk behavior, stigma, and environmental policies and practices that adversely influence their experiences. The purpose of this study was…

Using Focus Groups to Explore the Stressful Life Events of Black College Men

Science.gov (United States)

Watkins, Daphne C.; Green, B. Lee; Goodson, Patricia; Guidry, Jeffrey Joseph; Stanley, Christine A.

2007-01-01

Black students who attend predominately White institutions (PWI) face many obstacles. This study identified the stressful life events of Black college men via focus group discussions and examined how these events impact their mental health and health behaviors. Forty-six participants from a PWI and a historically Black college/university (HBCU)…

Historical sources of black carbon identified by PAHs and δ13C in Sanjiang Plain of Northeastern China

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Chuanyu; Liu, Hanxiang; Cong, Jinxin; Han, Dongxue; Zhao, Winston; Lin, Qianxin; Wang, Guoping

2018-05-01

Black carbon (BC), the byproduct of incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and biomass can be stored in soil for a long time and potentially archive changes in natural and human activities. Increasing amounts of BC has been produced from human activities during the past 150 years and has influenced global climate change and carbon cycle. Identifying historical BC sources is important in knowing how historical human activities influenced BC and BC transportation processes in the atmosphere. In this study, PAH components and δ13C-BC in peatland in the Sanjiang Plain were used for identifying and verifying regional BC sources during the last 150 years. Results showed that environment-unfriendly industry developed at the end of the 1950s produced a great amount of BC and contributed the most BC in this period. In other periods, however, BC in the Sanjiang Plain was mainly produced from incomplete biomass burning before the 1990s; particularly, slash-and-burn of pastures and forests during regional reclamation periods between the 1960s and 1980s produced a huge amount of biomass burning BC, which then deposited into the surrounding ecosystems. With the regional reclamation decreasing and environment-friendly industry developing, the proportion of BC emitted and deposited from transportation sources increased and transportation source became an important BC source in the Sanjiang Plain after the 1990s.

Teaching Celia in the Age of Black Lives Matter

OpenAIRE

Brandon R. Byrd

2016-01-01

The emergence of Black Lives Matter has introduced a language of black liberation to a new generation of students. In doing so, it has provided an opportunity for historical study. Teacher-scholars can and should take advantage of the renewed interest in systemic threats to black life in the United States when teaching about past victims of state-sanctioned violence including Celia, an enslaved teenager executed for killing her master after years of sexual abuse. In doing so, they can not onl...

Selection of black poplars for water use efficiency

OpenAIRE

Orlović Saša S.; Pajević Slobodanka P.; Krstić Borivoj Đ.

2002-01-01

Photosynthesis, transpiration, water use efficiency (WUE) and biomass production have been investigated in nine black poplar clones (section Aigeiros) in three field experiments. Eastern cottonwood clones (Populus deltoides) had the highest net photosynthesis and water use efficiency. European black poplar clones had the highest transpiration intensity. Correlation analysis showed that net photosynthesis was in a high positive correlation with biomass. Medium negative correlations existed bet...

Restoration of Black Oak (Quercus velutina) Sand Barrens via Three Different Habitat Management Approaches

Science.gov (United States)

Kriska, David John

Disturbance regimes, i.e. frequent fires, historically maintained oak barrens until European settlement patterns, and eventually, Smoky the Bear and the fire suppression campaign of the U.S. Forest Service snuffed out the periodic flames. In the absence of a disturbance regime, ground layer floral composition at many historical oak sand barrens will change predominantly because of a buildup of leaf litter and shading of the soils. Termed mesophication, this process of ecological succession will drive Black Oak Sand Barrens to an alternate steady state. A survey conducted on Singer Lake Bog in Green, Ohio, demonstrated that succession shifted the community to red maple-black cherry woodlands more typical of a dry southern forest. In an attempt to revive disturbance, three restoration techniques were applied at ten degraded northeast Ohio oak barrens to contrast their effectiveness in restoring black oak sand barren flora. The three restoration treatments were select canopy tree reduction favoring 5% to 30% tree canopy cover, forest floor leaf litter removal, and prescribed fire. Vegetation responses to manipulations were monitored prior to and following treatment applications, and were compared against both baseline data from before-treatment surveys and paired control sites adjacent treated areas. Imposing disturbance successfully increased species diversity and abundance above that found across Singer Lake Bog compared to sampling made prior to and adjacent to treated areas. Select canopy tree removal exhibited the largest floral responses from targeted barrens species, i.e. graminoids. A forest floor invertebrate family (Carabidea: Coleoptera) was measured for species richness and abundance pre and post treatment, where a noticeable shift occurred away from woodland obligate ground beetles toward open grassland species. Replicating oak barren structure, prior to replicating disturbance processes, is the first step in the ecological restoration of these systems.

The influence of paint dispersion parameters on the spectral selectivity of black-pigmented coatings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gunde, M.K.; Orel, Z.C. [National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana (Slovenia); Hutchins, M.G. [Oxford Brookes University, Oxford (United Kingdom). School of Engineering

2003-10-31

The optical properties of variously prepared black-pigmented solar absorbing paints were calculated in terms of their effective absorption and scattering abilities. The phenomenological two-parameter Kubelka-Munk effective medium theory was applied. Paints with the same composition were prepared for different degrees of pigment dispersion and characterized by the average size of pigment agglomerates present in the pigment/vehicle system. Prepared paints were applied to aluminium foil in two ways, by coil coating and by spraying. The size of coarse pigment particles and the paint application technique influence the spectral selectivity and thus determine the final performance of spectrally selective surfaces. (author)

Teaching Celia in the Age of Black Lives Matter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brandon R. Byrd

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The emergence of Black Lives Matter has introduced a language of black liberation to a new generation of students. In doing so, it has provided an opportunity for historical study. Teacher-scholars can and should take advantage of the renewed interest in systemic threats to black life in the United States when teaching about past victims of state-sanctioned violence including Celia, an enslaved teenager executed for killing her master after years of sexual abuse. In doing so, they can not only draw useful connections between the past and present but also lay the foundations for a more meaningful study of black radicalism and black resistance in the United States.

"Losing an Arm": Schooling as a Site of Black Suffering

Science.gov (United States)

Dumas, Michael J.

2014-01-01

Drawing on data from a historical-ethnographic study of the cultural politics of school desegregation in Seattle, USA, the author explores suffering as a recurring theme in the narratives of four black leaders, educators and activists involved in the struggle for black educational opportunity in that city during the post-Civil Rights Era. As these…

Multiple geographic origins of commensalism and complex dispersal history of Black Rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Aplin, Ken P; Suzuki, Hitoshi; Chinen, Alejandro A; Chesser, R Terry; Ten Have, José; Donnellan, Stephen C; Austin, Jeremy; Frost, Angela; Gonzalez, Jean Paul; Herbreteau, Vincent; Catzeflis, Francois; Soubrier, Julien; Fang, Yin-Ping; Robins, Judith; Matisoo-Smith, Elizabeth; Bastos, Amanda D S; Maryanto, Ibnu; Sinaga, Martua H; Denys, Christiane; Van Den Bussche, Ronald A; Conroy, Chris; Rowe, Kevin; Cooper, Alan

2011-01-01

The Black Rat (Rattus rattus) spread out of Asia to become one of the world's worst agricultural and urban pests, and a reservoir or vector of numerous zoonotic diseases, including the devastating plague. Despite the global scale and inestimable cost of their impacts on both human livelihoods and natural ecosystems, little is known of the global genetic diversity of Black Rats, the timing and directions of their historical dispersals, and the risks associated with contemporary movements. We surveyed mitochondrial DNA of Black Rats collected across their global range as a first step towards obtaining an historical genetic perspective on this socioeconomically important group of rodents. We found a strong phylogeographic pattern with well-differentiated lineages of Black Rats native to South Asia, the Himalayan region, southern Indochina, and northern Indochina to East Asia, and a diversification that probably commenced in the early Middle Pleistocene. We also identified two other currently recognised species of Rattus as potential derivatives of a paraphyletic R. rattus. Three of the four phylogenetic lineage units within R. rattus show clear genetic signatures of major population expansion in prehistoric times, and the distribution of particular haplogroups mirrors archaeologically and historically documented patterns of human dispersal and trade. Commensalism clearly arose multiple times in R. rattus and in widely separated geographic regions, and this may account for apparent regionalism in their associated pathogens. Our findings represent an important step towards deeper understanding the complex and influential relationship that has developed between Black Rats and humans, and invite a thorough re-examination of host-pathogen associations among Black Rats.

Statistical methods and applications from a historical perspective selected issues

CERN Document Server

Mignani, Stefania

2014-01-01

The book showcases a selection of peer-reviewed papers, the preliminary versions of which were presented at a conference held 11-13 June 2011 in Bologna and organized jointly by the Italian Statistical Society (SIS), the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) and the Bank of Italy. The theme of the conference was "Statistics in the 150 years of the Unification of Italy." The celebration of the anniversary of Italian unification provided the opportunity to examine and discuss the methodological aspects and applications from a historical perspective and both from a national and international point of view. The critical discussion on the issues of the past has made it possible to focus on recent advances, considering the studies of socio-economic and demographic changes in European countries.

Historic and Cultural Roots of Apartheid.

Science.gov (United States)

Chonco, Seshi

1987-01-01

Reviews the historical and cultural roots of the South African system of apartheid. Covers early Dutch settlement, the Anglo-Boer War, the Native Land Act of 1913, and the rise of the National Party. Concludes with a discussion of the different perspectives held by black and white South Africans on the "progress" made in recent years.…

Why Not Academia?--The Streamlined Career Choice Process of Black African Women Engineers: A Grounded Theory Study

Science.gov (United States)

Mlambo, Yeukai Angela

2017-01-01

Black African women are grossly underrepresented as academic staff in engineering programs at South African universities. The problem is exacerbated at historically White institutions (HWI) where Black women are simply absent as engineering research and teaching staff. The absence of Black African women in the academy occurs despite Black African…

Selected problems of protecting and managing historical ruins in Poland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Fortuna-Marek

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Historical ruins have long been the object of interest for the research –workers of various disciplines as well as the conservators of historical monuments. The main problem is the form of protection. The standard of protecting ruins in the so-called permanent ruin form was elaborated two centuries ago, however, it is still the subject of numerous discussions, conferences, scientific-research works. The main source of doubts as to the permanent ruin is its incompleteness,(deficiency illegibility and the highly restricted possibilities of making any use of it, whereas the contemporary protection of monuments assumes their accessibility and the widest possible use for contemporary functions. That is why the main issue in contemporary maintenance of historical ruins is to ensure them a proper management system. The problem of protecting historical ruins has universal character. In Poland it concerns the resources of about 200 historical ruins, first and foremost of the mediaeval castles. That is why the Polish conservator circles have intensified the works aiming at the solution of the problem through the organization of programs, projects and conferences. A highly estimated result of those efforts is a programmatic document entitled “The Protection Charter of Historical Ruins”. It comprises a set of rules that determine the form of maintenance of historical ruins. However, the issues of management, development and use of the historical ruins still await a solution.

The angry black woman: the impact of pejorative stereotypes on psychotherapy with black women.

Science.gov (United States)

Ashley, Wendy

2014-01-01

In the aftermath of slavery and the resulting social, economic, and political effects, Black women have become the victims of negative stereotyping in mainstream American culture. Such stereotypes include the myth of the angry Black woman that characterizes these women as aggressive, ill tempered, illogical, overbearing, hostile, and ignorant without provocation. Symptoms presented by Black women during mental health treatment may reinforce this myth. However, many of the negative characteristics of the angry Black woman developed in response to external stressors and historical factors. Black women also have a unique experience with and expressions of anger that shape the presenting symptoms interpreted by the mental health clinician. This myth and corresponding negative stereotypes significantly affect Black women intrapsychically, interpersonally, and are likely to influence the efficacy of mental health treatment. Understanding and treatment of Black women in a mental health context should be influenced by the cultural norms and sociopolitical dynamics affecting these clients. Successful mental health treatment requires cultural competence and clinicians who are well prepared to navigate the inherent complexities of culture with clients. Awareness of the angry Black woman mythology, including its genesis, manifestations, and the unique experiences of Black women, may raise the standards of cultural competence for clinicians and provide more successful treatment outcomes in working with this population. A case example illustrates the assiduity essential to practicing in a culturally competent manner. A client is presented from a traditional psychotherapeutic perspective and then viewed through a lens that integrates psychotherapeutic practice with conscious awareness of the mythology and stereotypes impacting Black women. Implications for culturally relevant practice are discussed.

Exploring the Perceptions of HBCU Student Affairs Practitioners toward the Racial Diversification of Black Colleges

Science.gov (United States)

Palmer, Robert T.; Arroyo, Andrew T.; Maramba, Dina C.

2018-01-01

While research has shown that the racial diversity of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) is increasing, literature suggests that some stakeholders at HBCUs feel the diversification of Black colleges could change their culture, which some see as vital for promoting the success of Black students. Given this, the following study…

The Attitudes of Blacks Toward Stories in Selected Basal Readers Which Contain Negro Characters: Teaching Black Experience Through Literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Dantzler, Dolores J.

The purposes of the study were to determine the extent to which basal readers contain stories pertaining to blacks; to find out if the racial implications stated in basal texts are those that blacks want; to locate the black heroes in basal readers and evaluate whether or not these are the preferred heroes of the population of blacks sampled in…

How to understand, evaluate and influence efficient progress in South Africa’s land reform process: A typology from historical lessons from selected sub-Saharan African countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nhlanhla C. Mbatha

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Background: With reports of widespread failures in South Africa’s land reform programmes, the levels of policy uncertainty in the political rhetoric that influences land reform have been increasing. Since 1994 policy targets to transfer land to black farmers have not been met. Of the 2005 target to transfer about 25 million ha of commercial farmland to black farmers by 2014, less than 5 million ha. have been transferred for commercial use. Some studies report failure rates in resettlement projects of up to 90%. To account for the failures, revisions of policies and amendments to legislations have been proposed within a political environment that is becoming increasingly intolerant to slow progress in land transfers and to resettlement failures. Aim: Against this environment, this paper presents a typology for understanding and evaluating important elements of the land reform project in order to influence progress in the process. Setting: The study adopts a historical review of land reform processes in post-colonial Kenya and Zimbabwe in order to identify potential challenges and key lessons for South Africa. Methods: Hence, using institutional and historical analytical lenses in exploring different narratives, the paper reviews reported failures and successes in land reform policy cases from the selected countries. From an institutional framework, prevalent social institutions and key lessons from Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa, a typology for evaluating important elements of the land reform process in South Africa is developed and discussed. Additionally, a review of global data collected on average sizes of farms in different regions of the world is provided as evidence to support propositions of what would constitute efficient farmland size ranges for small to medium commercial farms in South Africa. Results and conclusion: A proposition is made on how to use the typology to guide policy and research interventions to reduce failures

Measuring selection for genes that promote long life in a historical human population.

Science.gov (United States)

Moorad, Jacob A; Walling, Craig A

2017-11-01

The unusually long lifespans of humans and the persistence of post-reproductive lifespans in women represent evolutionary puzzles because natural selection cannot directly favour continued living in post-menopausal women or elderly men. Suggested sources of indirect selection require genetic correlations between fitness and survival or reproduction at younger ages, reproduction in the opposite sex, or late-life contributions to offspring or grandoffspring fitness. Here we apply quantitative genetic analyses to data from a historical human population to explicitly test these evolutionary genetic hypotheses. Total genetic selection increased the male post-50 lifespans by 0.138 years per generation; 94% of this arose from indirect selection acting to favour early-life fitness in both sexes. These results argue strongly against life-history models of ageing that depend on trade-offs between reproduction and late-life survival. No source of indirect selection for female post-50 lifespan was detected, deepening the mystery of why female post-reproductive survival persists. This result is probably due to recent changes in the genetic architecture of female lifespan, and it highlights the need for similar quantitative genetic analyses of human populations at other points along demographic transitions.

Harriet Powers: Portrait of a Black Quilter.

Science.gov (United States)

Frye, Gladys-Marie

1987-01-01

Discusses the following aspects of the life and art of Harriet Powers (born 1837), a Black quilter from Georgia: (1) subject matter of quilts; (2) African continuity; (3) provenance of quilts; (4) Powers' personal history; and (5) historical context of quilts. (BJV)

Site selection and resource depletion in black-tailed godwits Limosa l. limosa eating rice during northward migration

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lourenco, Pedro M.; Mandema, Freek S.; Hooijmeijer, Jos C.E.W.; Granadeiro, Jose P.; Piersma, Theunis; Bearhop, Stuart

P>1. During migratory stopovers, animals are under strong time stress and need to maximize intake rates. We examine how foragers react to resource depletion by studying the foraging ecology and foraging site selection of black-tailed godwits Limosa l. limosa staging in rice fields during their

Einstein's enigma or black holes in my bubble bath

CERN Document Server

Vishveshwara, C V

2006-01-01

A funny rendition of the story of gravitation theory from the early historic origins to the developments in astrophysics, focusing on Albert Einstein''s theory of general relativity and black-hole physics.

Estimates of tsunami damage for Russian coast of the Black Sea

Science.gov (United States)

Zaytsev, Andrey; Yalciner, Ahmet; Pelinovsky, Efim

2010-05-01

The historic database of tsunamis in the Black Sea contains 20 - 30 events with different level of validity, and at least six events occurred in 20th century. Numerical modeling of the last historic events is performed in the framework of shallow-water theory with use of code NAMI-DANCE. The computed tide-gauge records in Russian coastal locations are in good agreement with instrumental data for the 1939 and 1966 tsunamis. The tsunami of the landslide origin occurred in Sochi in 1970 is modeled in the framework of the two-layer model realized in TUNAMI. Also, some hypothetic tsunamis generated in the open part of the Black Sea are computed and the distribution of the tsunami height along the Russian and Turkish coast ais found. In particular, the tsunami amplification near Sochi is highest to compare with other coastal locations on the Russian coast of Black Sea.

Colorism within the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)

Science.gov (United States)

Gasman, Marybeth; Abiola, Ufuoma

2016-01-01

Complexion privilege and color bias have long acted in concert with racism to foster intraracial forms of stratification among African Americans such as the tendency for educational levels and other measureable outcomes (e.g., income) to correspond with skin tone. In this article, we examine the salience of color prejudice at Historically Black…

The Relationship between Identity-Related Constructs and Positive Mental Health in Black College Students

Science.gov (United States)

Mushonga, Dawnsha R.

2017-01-01

This cross-sectional, exploratory study examined positive mental health (PMH) in 156 Black college students, ages 18-25, attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). In addition, identity-related constructs such as spirituality, self-esteem, social support, life satisfaction, racial…

Wetland selection by breeding and foraging black terns in the Prairie Pothole Region of the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Steen, Valerie A.; Powell, Abby N.

2012-01-01

We examined wetland selection by the Black Tern (Chlidonias niger), a species that breeds primarily in the prairie pothole region, has experienced population declines, and is difficult to manage because of low site fidelity. To characterize its selection of wetlands in this region, we surveyed 589 wetlands throughout North and South Dakota. We documented breeding at 5% and foraging at 17% of wetlands. We created predictive habitat models with a machine-learning algorithm, Random Forests, to explore the relative role of local wetland characteristics and those of the surrounding landscape and to evaluate which characteristics were important to predicting breeding versus foraging. We also examined area-dependent wetland selection while addressing the passive sampling bias by replacing occurrence of terns in the models with an index of density. Local wetland variables were more important than landscape variables in predictions of occurrence of breeding and foraging. Wetland size was more important to prediction of foraging than of breeding locations, while floating matted vegetation was more important to prediction of breeding than of foraging locations. The amount of seasonal wetland in the landscape was the only landscape variable important to prediction of both foraging and breeding. Models based on a density index indicated that wetland selection by foraging terns may be more area dependent than that by breeding terns. Our study provides some of the first evidence for differential breeding and foraging wetland selection by Black Terns and for a more limited role of landscape effects and area sensitivity than has been previously shown.

An HBCU-Based Educational Approach for Black College Student Success: Toward a Framework with Implications for All Institutions

Science.gov (United States)

Arroyo, Andrew T.; Gasman, Marybeth

2014-01-01

This conceptual study builds an institution-focused, non-Eurocentric, theoretical framework of black college student success. Specifically, the study synthesizes the relevant empirical research on the contributions historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have made for black student success, leading to an original model that all…

Forging a Black identity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barry Chevannes

1992-07-01

Full Text Available [First paragraph] The Rastafarians: sounds of cultural dissonance [revised and updated editionj. LEONARD E. BARRETT, SR. Boston: Beacon Press, 1988. xviii + 302 pp. (Paper US$ 11.95 Rasta and resistance: from Marcus Garvey to Walter Rodney. HORACE CAMPBELL. Trenton NJ: Africa World Press, 1987. xiii + 236 pp. (Cloth US$32.95, Paper US$ 10.95 Garvey's children: the legacy of Marcus Garvey. TONY SEWELL. London: Macmillan Caribbean, 1990. 128 pp. (Paper £ 17.95 The central theme linking these three titles is the evolution of a black identity among English-speaking Caribbean peoples, in particular Jamaicans. Consequently all three authors cover the two most important historical phenomena in Caribbean black nationalism, namely Garveyism and Rastafari, one focusing on the former and the other two focusing on the latter.

Hydrogeology and sources of water to select springs in Black Canyon, south of Hoover Dam, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada and Arizona

Science.gov (United States)

Moran, Michael J.; Wilson, Jon W.; Beard, L. Sue

2015-11-03

Springs in Black Canyon of the Colorado River, directly south of Hoover Dam in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada and Arizona, are important hydrologic features that support a unique riparian ecosystem including habitat for endangered species. Rapid population growth in areas near and surrounding Black Canyon has caused concern among resource managers that such growth could affect the discharge from these springs. The U.S. Geological Survey studied the springs in Black Canyon between January 2008, and May 2014. The purposes of this study were to provide a baseline of discharge and hydrochemical data from selected springs in Black Canyon and to better understand the sources of water to the springs.

Cross-Cultural Peer Mentoring: One Approach to Enhancing White Faculty Adjustment at Black Colleges

Science.gov (United States)

Louis, Dave A.

2015-01-01

White faculty members at Black colleges in the United States face numerous social obstacles. Exploring the experiences of White faculty members at four historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and their adjustment to a minority status assists the comprehension of issues surrounding this subgroup. Utilizing a phenomenological approach,…

Selection bias in dynamically measured supermassive black hole samples: scaling relations and correlations between residuals in semi-analytic galaxy formation models

Science.gov (United States)

Barausse, Enrico; Shankar, Francesco; Bernardi, Mariangela; Dubois, Yohan; Sheth, Ravi K.

2017-07-01

Recent work has confirmed that the scaling relations between the masses of supermassive black holes and host-galaxy properties such as stellar masses and velocity dispersions may be biased high. Much of this may be caused by the requirement that the black hole sphere of influence must be resolved for the black hole mass to be reliably estimated. We revisit this issue with a comprehensive galaxy evolution semi-analytic model. Once tuned to reproduce the (mean) correlation of black hole mass with velocity dispersion, the model cannot account for the correlation with stellar mass. This is independent of the model's parameters, thus suggesting an internal inconsistency in the data. The predicted distributions, especially at the low-mass end, are also much broader than observed. However, if selection effects are included, the model's predictions tend to align with the observations. We also demonstrate that the correlations between the residuals of the scaling relations are more effective than the relations themselves at constraining models for the feedback of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). In fact, we find that our model, while in apparent broad agreement with the scaling relations when accounting for selection biases, yields very weak correlations between their residuals at fixed stellar mass, in stark contrast with observations. This problem persists when changing the AGN feedback strength, and is also present in the hydrodynamic cosmological simulation Horizon-AGN, which includes state-of-the-art treatments of AGN feedback. This suggests that current AGN feedback models are too weak or simply not capturing the effect of the black hole on the stellar velocity dispersion.

Segregation or "Thinking Black"?: Community Activism and the Development Of Black-Focused Schools in Toronto and London, 1968-2008

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Lauri

2013-01-01

Background/Context: On January 29, 2008 the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) approved a city-wide Africentric elementary school under their Alternative School policy, sparking a contentious debate. Calls for Black-focused schools also arose in 2008 in London in response to the disengagement of African Caribbean youth. The historical record…

Black Lives Matter: A Call to Action for Counseling Psychology Leaders.

Science.gov (United States)

Crowell, Candice; Mosley, Della; Falconer, Jameca; Faloughi, Reuben; Singh, Anneliese; Stevens-Watkins, Danelle; Cokley, Kevin

2017-08-01

Police brutality and widespread systemic racism represent historical and current sources of trauma in Black communities. Both the Black Lives Matter movement and counseling psychology propose to confront these realities at multiple levels. Black Lives Matter seeks to increase awareness about systemic racism and promote resilience among Black people. Counseling psychology states values of multiculturalism, social justice, and advocacy. Executive leadership in counseling psychology may seek to promote racial justice, yet struggle with how to participate in Black Lives Matter movements and address racial discrimination within larger systems spontaneously and consistently. However, counseling psychology trainees and professionals are actively involved in the Black Lives Matter movement, leading the way forward. Through the framework of spontaneity in social movements, this manuscript highlights what counseling psychologists are currently contributing to Black Lives Matter and makes recommendations that build on the opportunity counseling psychologists have for further involvement in the movement.

Historical Dictionaries and Historical Dictionary Research: Papers

African Journals Online (AJOL)

rbr

Resensies / Reviews. 309 ... and Historical Dictionary Research: Papers from the International ... "Cambridge, Trinity College Library MS 0.5.4: A Fifteenth-century ... There are among others ten types of manuscript collections that need attention, ..... The collection is rounded off by a selective index, supplementing the Table.

Repackaging SRS Black Box TRU Waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swale, D. J.; Stone, K.A.; Milner, T. N.

2006-01-01

Historically, large items of TRU Waste, which were too large to be packaged in drums for disposal have been packaged in various sizes of custom made plywood boxes at the Savannah River Site (SRS), for many years. These boxes were subsequently packaged into large steel ''Black Boxes'' for storage at SRS, pending availability of Characterization and Certification capability, to facilitate disposal of larger items of TRU Waste. There are approximately 107 Black Boxes in inventory at SRS, each measuring some 18' x 12' x 7', and weighing up to 45,000 lbs. These Black Boxes have been stored since the early 1980s. The project to repackage this waste into Standard Large Boxes (SLBs), Standard Waste Boxes (SWB) and Ten Drum Overpacks (TDOP), for subsequent characterization and WIPP disposal, commenced in FY04. To date, 10 Black Boxes have been repackaged, resulting in 40 SLB-2's, and 37 B25 overpack boxes, these B25's will be overpacked in SLB-2's prior to shipping to WIPP. This paper will describe experience to date from this project

Biochemical biomarker responses to pollution in selected sentinel organisms across the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea

KAUST Repository

Tsangaris, Catherine; Moschino, Vanessa; Strogyloudi, Evangelia; Coatu, Valentina; Ramšak, Andreja; Abu Alhaija, Rana; Carvalho, Susana; Felline, Serena; Kosyan, Alisa; Lazarou, Yiota; Hatzianestis, Ioannis; Oros, Andra; Tiganus, Daniela

2015-01-01

Pollution effects were assessed by means of biochemical biomarkers (catalase, glutathione S-transferase and acetylcholinesterase activities, and metallothioneins content) in five species at selected coastal sites across the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea. The mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis, a well-established sentinel species, was investigated in the Adriatic Sea, Aegean Sea, and Black Sea. The mussel Brachidontes pharaonis and the striped red mullet Mullus surmuletus were used in the Levantine Sea where M. galloprovincialis is not present. The white seabream Diplodus sargus sargus and the gastropod Rapana venosa were additionally sampled in the Adriatic and the Black Sea, respectively. Mussels showed catalase, glutathione S-transferase, and acetylcholinesterase responses to pollution in most geographical areas while the response of metallothioneins was restricted to a few sites. R. venosa showed marked responses of catalase and metallothioneins whereas both fish species did not generally exhibit variations in biomarker values among sites. The approach based on the reference deviation concept using the “Integrated Biological Responses version 2” index was useful for the interpretation of overall biomarker responses.

Biochemical biomarker responses to pollution in selected sentinel organisms across the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea

KAUST Repository

Tsangaris, Catherine

2015-09-23

Pollution effects were assessed by means of biochemical biomarkers (catalase, glutathione S-transferase and acetylcholinesterase activities, and metallothioneins content) in five species at selected coastal sites across the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea. The mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis, a well-established sentinel species, was investigated in the Adriatic Sea, Aegean Sea, and Black Sea. The mussel Brachidontes pharaonis and the striped red mullet Mullus surmuletus were used in the Levantine Sea where M. galloprovincialis is not present. The white seabream Diplodus sargus sargus and the gastropod Rapana venosa were additionally sampled in the Adriatic and the Black Sea, respectively. Mussels showed catalase, glutathione S-transferase, and acetylcholinesterase responses to pollution in most geographical areas while the response of metallothioneins was restricted to a few sites. R. venosa showed marked responses of catalase and metallothioneins whereas both fish species did not generally exhibit variations in biomarker values among sites. The approach based on the reference deviation concept using the “Integrated Biological Responses version 2” index was useful for the interpretation of overall biomarker responses.

Biochemical biomarker responses to pollution in selected sentinel organisms across the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsangaris, Catherine; Moschino, Vanessa; Strogyloudi, Evangelia; Coatu, Valentina; Ramšak, Andreja; Alhaija, Rana Abu; Carvalho, Susana; Felline, Serena; Kosyan, Alisa; Lazarou, Yiota; Hatzianestis, Ioannis; Oros, Andra; Tiganus, Daniela

2016-01-01

Pollution effects were assessed by means of biochemical biomarkers (catalase, glutathione S-transferase and acetylcholinesterase activities, and metallothioneins content) in five species at selected coastal sites across the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea. The mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis, a well-established sentinel species, was investigated in the Adriatic Sea, Aegean Sea, and Black Sea. The mussel Brachidontes pharaonis and the striped red mullet Mullus surmuletus were used in the Levantine Sea where M. galloprovincialis is not present. The white seabream Diplodus sargus sargus and the gastropod Rapana venosa were additionally sampled in the Adriatic and the Black Sea, respectively. Mussels showed catalase, glutathione S-transferase, and acetylcholinesterase responses to pollution in most geographical areas while the response of metallothioneins was restricted to a few sites. R. venosa showed marked responses of catalase and metallothioneins whereas both fish species did not generally exhibit variations in biomarker values among sites. The approach based on the reference deviation concept using the "Integrated Biological Responses version 2" index was useful for the interpretation of overall biomarker responses.

The Black Swan and the owl of Minerva: Nassim Nicholas Taleb and the historians

OpenAIRE

Bennett, Bruce S.

2014-01-01

In The Black Swan, Nassim Nicholas Taleb considers the importance in human affairs of "Black Swan" events of low probability but high impact. In the process he argues, in a confrontational manner, that historians' causal narratives are mainly invalid on a number of grounds but especially because the unpredictability of Black Swan (or other) events implies that subsequent narratives connecting events are merely "good-sounding stories". This article analyses Taleb's arguments against historical...

Black Americans, Africa and History: A Reassessment of the Pan-African and Identity Paradigms.

Science.gov (United States)

Adeleke, Tunde

1998-01-01

Examines the paradigm of Pan-Africanism and the identity construct in the historic and cultural contexts of blacks outside of Africa, critiquing theories on the African identity construct. Suggests that black American identity is too complex for this simplification and must be considered within the context of world acculturation. Contains 34…

Relationships, Being-ness, and Voice: Exploring Multiple Dimensions of Humanizing Work with Black Girls

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Erica; McArthur, Sherell A.; Russell-Owens, LaToya

2016-01-01

This work argues for an approach to research and education practices that considers the historically deficit-based research practices and views on Black girls and develops humanizing research methods that consider the multiple oppressions that act as barriers for this group. Research must acknowledge the precarious position of Black girls in order…

From "brute" to "thug:" the demonization and criminalization of unarmed Black male victims in America.

Science.gov (United States)

Smiley, CalvinJohn; Fakunle, David

The synonymy of Blackness with criminality is not a new phenomenon in America. Documented historical accounts have shown how myths, stereotypes, and racist ideologies led to discriminatory policies and court rulings that fueled racial violence in a post-Reconstruction era and has culminated in the exponential increase of Black male incarceration today. Misconceptions and prejudices manufactured and disseminated through various channels such as the media included references to a " brute " image of Black males. In the 21 st century, this negative imagery of Black males has frequently utilized the negative connotation of the terminology " thug ." In recent years, law enforcement agencies have unreasonably used deadly force on Black males allegedly considered to be "suspects" or "persons of interest." The exploitation of these often-targeted victims' criminal records, physical appearances, or misperceived attributes has been used to justify their unlawful deaths. Despite the connection between disproportionate criminality and Black masculinity, little research has been done on how unarmed Black male victims, particularly but not exclusively at the hands of law enforcement, have been posthumously criminalized. This paper investigates the historical criminalization of Black males and its connection to contemporary unarmed victims of law enforcement. Action research methodology in the data collection process is utilized to interpret how Black male victims are portrayed by traditional mass media, particularly through the use of language, in ways that marginalize and de-victimize these individuals. This study also aims to elucidate a contemporary understanding of race relations, racism, and the plight of the Black male in a 21-century "post-racial" America.

Ball Milling Treatment of Black Dross for Selective Dissolution of Alumina in Sodium Hydroxide Leaching

OpenAIRE

Thi Thuy Nhi Nguyen; Man Seung Lee; Thi Hong Nguyen

2018-01-01

A process consisting of ball milling followed by NaOH leaching was developed to selectively dissolve alumina from black dross. From the ball milling treatment, it was found that milling speed greatly affected the leaching behavior of silica and the oxides of Ca, Fe, Mg, and Ti present in dross. The leaching behavior of the mechanically activated dross was investigated by varying NaOH concentration, leaching temperature and time, and pulp density. In most of the leaching conditions, only alumi...

A Uniformly Selected Sample of Low-mass Black Holes in Seyfert 1 Galaxies. II. The SDSS DR7 Sample

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, He-Yang; Yuan, Weimin; Dong, Xiao-Bo; Zhou, Hongyan; Liu, Wen-Juan

2018-04-01

A new sample of 204 low-mass black holes (LMBHs) in active galactic nuclei (AGNs) is presented with black hole masses in the range of (1–20) × 105 M ⊙. The AGNs are selected through a systematic search among galaxies in the Seventh Data Release (DR7) of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), and careful analyses of their optical spectra and precise measurement of spectral parameters. Combining them with our previous sample selected from SDSS DR4 makes it the largest LMBH sample so far, totaling over 500 objects. Some of the statistical properties of the combined LMBH AGN sample are briefly discussed in the context of exploring the low-mass end of the AGN population. Their X-ray luminosities follow the extension of the previously known correlation with the [O III] luminosity. The effective optical-to-X-ray spectral indices α OX, albeit with a large scatter, are broadly consistent with the extension of the relation with the near-UV luminosity L 2500 Å. Interestingly, a correlation of α OX with black hole mass is also found, with α OX being statistically flatter (stronger X-ray relative to optical) for lower black hole masses. Only 26 objects, mostly radio loud, were detected in radio at 20 cm in the FIRST survey, giving a radio-loud fraction of 4%. The host galaxies of LMBHs have stellar masses in the range of 108.8–1012.4 M ⊙ and optical colors typical of Sbc spirals. They are dominated by young stellar populations that seem to have undergone continuous star formation history.

Understanding sex partner selection from the perspective of inner-city black adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Andrinopoulos, Katherine; Kerrigan, Deanna; Ellen, Jonathan M

2006-09-01

Black adolescents in inner-city settings are at increased risk for HIV and other STDs. Sex partner characteristics, as well as individual behavior, influence individuals' STD risk, yet little is known about the process of sex partner selection for adolescents in this setting. Semistructured in-depth interviews were conducted during the summer and fall of 2002 with 50 inner-city black adolescents (26 females and 24 males) who had been purposively recruited from an STD clinic. Content analysis was used to study interview texts. Young women desire a monogamous romantic partner, rather than a casual sex partner; however, to fulfill their desire for emotional intimacy, they often accept a relationship with a nonmonogamous partner. Young men seek both physical and emotional benefits from being in a relationship; having a partner helps them to feel wanted, and they gain social status among their peers when they have multiple partners. For men, these benefits may help compensate for an inability to obtain jobs that would improve their financial and, as a result, social status. Both women and men assess partners' STD risk on the basis of appearance. HIV and other STD prevention initiatives must go beyond the scope of traditional messages aimed at behavior change and address the need for social support and socioeconomic opportunities among at-risk, inner-city adolescents.

Investing in Diversity in London Schools: Leadership Preparation for Black and Global Majority Educators

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Lauri; Campbell-Stephens, Rosemary

2010-01-01

This article traces the historical roots, describes the philosophy and curriculum, and analyzes the approach to leadership in Investing in Diversity, a 1-year Black-led leadership development course in the London schools. An exploratory qualitative case study approach was used to collect historical and empirical data about the program over a…

'Black Athena' and Africa's contribution to global cultural history

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Binsbergen, van W.M.J.

1996-01-01

Martin Bernal's 'Black Athena' has evoked three kinds of reaction: scholarly evaluation of the historical evidence for Bernal's claims, both of Ancient Europe's indebtedness to West Asia and Northeast Africa, and of the construction in recent centuries of the Greek miracle as a Eurocentric,

Discovery of Selective Nanobodies against α-elapitoxin Dpp2c from Black Mamba through Phage Display Screening

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Milbo, Christina; Laustsen, Andreas Hougaard; Lohse, Brian

Feared for its highly neurotoxic venom and rapid attack technique, the Black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) is Africa’s largest venomous snake. The clinical manifestations of a bitefrom D. polylepis include flaccid paralysis leading to respiratory failure and death due to postsynaptic blockade of ......-neurotoxins. Here, we report the discovery of selective nanobodies targeting α-elapitoxin Dpp2c from D. polylepis through phage display screening....

Race, Ethnicity and Participation in the Arts: Patterns of Participation by Black, Hispanic and White Americans in Selected Activities from the 1982 and 1985 Surveys of Public Participation in the Arts.

Science.gov (United States)

DiMaggio, Paul; Ostrower, Francie

This report utilizes data from the 1982 and 1985 Surveys of Public Participation in the Arts to describe differences in patterns of participation in selected arts related activities by Black, Hispanic, and White respondents. Arts participation by Whites is greatest for all selected activities, except for Black attendance at jazz music activities.…

Research, Ideology, and the Brown Decision: Counter-Narratives to the Historical and Contemporary Representation of Black Schooling

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, Jerome

2008-01-01

Background/Context: Most narratives of Brown v. Board of Education primarily focus on integrated schooling as the ultimate objective in Black people's quest for quality schooling. Rather than uniformly assuming integration as Black people's ideological model, the push by Black people for quality schooling instead should be viewed within the…

The Effect of College Selection Factors on Persistence: An Examination of Black and Latino Males in the Community College

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, J. Luke; Harris, Frank, III

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to understand the relationship (if any) between college selection factors and persistence for Black and Latino males in the community college. Using data derived from the Educational Longitudinal Study, backwards stepwise logistic regression models were developed for both groups. Findings are contextualized in light…

Partnership Opportunities In Earth System Science Education Between Historically Black and Historically White Universities: Elizabeth City State University and the University of New Hampshire

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, J. E.; Hayden, L. B.; Wake, C. P.; Varner, R. K.; Graham, K.; Rock, B. N.; Hale, S.; Hurtt, G. C.; Porter, W.; Blackmon, R.; Bryce, J. G.; Branch, B. D.; Johnson, J. E.

2009-12-01

Federal efforts to promote the participation of underrepresented students in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines (STEM) in higher education have been in effect over several decades. The Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act of 1980 aimed to create equal opportunity in the STEM disciplines by promoting and broadening the participation of underrepresented talent in science and engineering. Since that time, federal agencies such as the National Science Foundation, NOAA and NASA, scientific organizations such as the American Geophysical Union, and other organizations such as the Educational Testing Service have created programs, diversity plans and cutting edge reports designed to further explicate the need to broaden the participation of underrepresented student talent in these disciplines. Despite increases in the degrees awarded to underrepresented students in the STEM disciplines, enhancing diversity in these disciplines continues to remain a significant challenge. This paper describes a strategic approach to this challenge via the development of a collaborative partnership model between two universities: the historically black Elizabeth City State University (ESCU) and the historically white University of New Hampshire (UNH). The alliance, built on a mutually-agreed upon set of partnership principles, strives to enhance opportunities for underrepresented students to pursue careers in STEM disciplines, specifically those in Earth system science and remote sensing. In examining the partnership, six promising practices that help advance its success come to the forefront. These practices include institutional commitment and faculty engagement, mutual respect and shared time commitment, identifying engaged leadership, engaging critical change agents, initiating difficult dialogues, and preparing for growth and evolution. Outcomes of the partnership to date include the successful submission and funding of four collaborative

Historical and projected carbon balance of mature black spruce ecosystems across north america: The role of carbon-nitrogen interactions

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Clein, Joy S.; McGuire, A.D.; Zhang, X.; Kicklighter, D.W.; Melillo, J.M.; Wofsy, S.C.; Jarvis, P.G.; Massheder, J.M.

2002-01-01

simulated NEP (R2 = 0.36, 0.20 for coupled and uncoupled simulations, respectively) was similar to the correlations at the northern site. To evaluate the role of N dynamics in C balance of black spruce ecosystems across North America, we simulated historical and projected C dynamics from 1900 to 2100 with a global-based climatology at 0.5?? resolution (latitude ?? longitude) with both the coupled and uncoupled parameterizations of TEM. From analyses at the northern site, several consistent patterns emerge. There was greater inter-annual variability in net primary production (NPP) simulated by the uncoupled parameterization as compared to the coupled parameterization, which led to substantial differences in inter-annual variability in NEP between the parameterizations. The divergence between NPP and heterotrophic respiration was greater in the uncoupled simulation, resulting in more C sequestration during the projected period. These responses were the result of fundamentally different responses of the coupled and uncoupled parameterizations to changes in CO2 and climate. Across North American black spruce ecosystems, the range of simulated decadal changes in C storage was substantially greater for the uncoupled parameterization than for the coupled parameterization. Analysis of the spatial variability in decadal responses of C dynamics revealed that C fluxes simulated by the coupled and uncoupled parameterizations have different sensitivities to climate and that the climate sensitivities of the fluxes change over the temporal scope of the simulations. The results of this study suggest that uncertainties can be reduced through (1) factorial studies focused on elucidating the role of C and N interactions in the response of mature black spruce ecosystems to manipulations of atmospheric CO2 and climate, (2) establishment of a network of continuous, long-term measurements of C dynamics across the range of mature black spruce ecosystems in North America, and (3) ancillary

Liberation Through Education: Teaching #BlackLivesMatter in Africana Studies

OpenAIRE

Danielle M. Wallace

2016-01-01

This paper is based on teaching about #BlackLivesMatter in Africana Studies in two seminar courses during the Spring of 2015 and 2016, respectively. Guided by a pedagogy grounded in the belief that education can be a tool of social justice, arguments are made for how to frame discussions of #BlackLivesMatter in regard to the socio-historical circumstances that inform and shape the modern day movement. In addition, suggestions are made for including a discussion of the tradition of activism wi...

Black-chinned hummingbird nest-site selection and nest survival in response to fuel reduction in a southwestern riparian forest

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D. Max Smith; Deborah M. Finch; David L. Hawksworth

2009-01-01

Despite widespread efforts to avert wildfire by reducing the density of flammable vegetation, little is known about the effects of this practice on the reproductive biology of forest birds. We examined nest-site selection and nest survival of the Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri) in New Mexico riparian forests treated or not for fuel...

Efficient degradation of tannic acid by black Aspergillus species

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Diepeningen, van A.D.; Debets, A.J.M.; Varga, J.; Gaag, van der M.; Swart, K.; Hoekstra, R.F.

2004-01-01

A set of aspergillus strains from culture collections and wild-type black aspergilli isolated on non-selective media were used to validate the use of media with 20 % tannic acid for exclusive and complete selection of the black aspergilli. The 20% tannic acid medium proved useful for both

Efficient degradation of tannic acid by black Aspergillus species

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Diepeningen, Anne D; Debets, Alfons J M; Varga, Janos; van der Gaag, Marijn; Swart, Klaas; Hoekstra, Rolf F

A set of aspergillus strains from culture collections and wild-type black aspergilli isolated on non-selective media were used to validate the use of media with 20% tannic acid for exclusive and complete selection of the black aspergilli. The 20% tannic acid medium proved useful for both

Popular Music: An Untapped Resource for Teaching Contemporary Black History.

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Cooper, B. Lee

1979-01-01

This essay suggests two innovative instructional approaches for using popular Black music as a model for historical study in the classroom: (1) biographies of popular music artists; and (2) lyrical demonstration of social themes. A list of lyric and album resources is provided. (Author/EB)

Racial Battle Fatigue and the "Mis"Education of Black Men: Racial Microaggressions, Societal Problems, and Environmental Stress

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, William A.; Hung, Man; Franklin, Jeremy D.

2011-01-01

Black men's lives are racialized contradictions, They are told that contemporary educational and professional institutions--particularly historically White institutions (HWls)--are places where, through hard work, they can achieve the so-called American dream. However, for far too many Black men, HWIs represent racial climates that are replete…

Prissy’s Quittin’ Time: The Black Camp Aesthetics of Kara Walker

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephens Brian

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Through a close reading of Walker’s first silhouette instalment-the audaciously titled Gone, An Historical Romance of a Civil War as it Occurred Between the Dusky Thighs of One Young Negress and Her Heart (1994-this article examines how Walker utilises black camp to undermine both white supremacist and restrictive black uplift discourse. To be sure, the article is not an attempt to conflate these two, for the former is powerfully worse than the latter. However, it is necessary to explore how both discourses reinforce essentialist articulations of blackness and also to examine how black camp is a provocative analytic for their simultaneous disruption. Camp is usually understood as a queer-derived cultural practice that inflates identity to expose the constructed nature of gender. However, this article shows that black articulations of camp inflate identity to demonstrate the fiction of race as well.

Black smokers and the Tree of Life

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Linich, Michael

The molecular biology revolution has turned the classification of life on its head. Is Whittaker's five-kingdom scheme for the classification of living things no longer relevant to life science education? Coupled with this is the discovery that most microscopic life cannot yet be brought into culture. One of the key organisms making this knowledge possible is Methanococcus jannishi a microorganism found in black smokers. This workshop presents the development of the Universal Tree of Life in a historical context and then links together major concepts in the New South Wales senior science programs of Earth and Environmental Science and Biology by examining the biological and geological aspects of changes to black smokers over geological time.

A Historical Account of Physical Education in the Cape Colony and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A sport-historical investigation was undertaken based on literature in dissertations, academic and non-academic journals and general publications. ... In Black schools, Drill and later PE was introduced mainly for the purposes of discipline and social control, as well as the commonly known idea of medical and health ...

The Origin of Black Smock and White Collar

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Hesapcioglu, Muhsin; Meseci Giorgetti, Filiz

2009-01-01

Although there are many empirical studies on the functions of school uniform, studies which focus on the origins of school uniform are neglected. Purpose of this study is to reveal historical origins of black smock and white collar. To achieve this purpose, a qualitative research method was adopted. As a result of the research, it was determined…

"Less than a Vapor": Positioning Black lesbian women in history teacher education.

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Woodson, Ashley N

2017-10-02

In this article, I discuss the possibilities and implications of centering Black lesbian identities and relationships in history teacher education through a case study with one straight Black woman preservice history teacher named Danitra. Danitra's understanding and navigation of historical research on Black lesbians are discussed in relation to core themes of lesbian historiography and emancipatory historiography. Though the literature on this group is limited, I argue that critical considerations of Black lesbians' interests and experiences help educators to conceive of and teach about history, citizenship, justice, and sexuality in more liberatory ways. I conclude by offering recommendations to history teachers and teacher educators who hope to draw on lesbian and emancipatory historiographies to challenge discourses of invisibility in history teacher education classrooms.

Masculine ideology, norms, and HIV prevention among young Black men

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Naomi M.; Applewhite, Sheldon

2014-01-01

This study examines the relationship between masculine ideology, adherence to norms, and HIV prevention among young Black heterosexual and gay men on the campus of a historically Black college/university. The data from four focus groups and nine individual interviews (N = 35) were aggregated and two recurring themes emerged: sexual communication, and mate availability. Additional themes related to HIV prevention were stigma, protection, and testing. The importance of investigating masculinity with young men is highlighted and implications for professionals working with college students to prevent the transmission of HIV are included. PMID:25525415

Masculine ideology, norms, and HIV prevention among young Black men.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Naomi M; Applewhite, Sheldon

2013-01-01

This study examines the relationship between masculine ideology, adherence to norms, and HIV prevention among young Black heterosexual and gay men on the campus of a historically Black college/university. The data from four focus groups and nine individual interviews (N = 35) were aggregated and two recurring themes emerged: sexual communication, and mate availability. Additional themes related to HIV prevention were stigma, protection, and testing. The importance of investigating masculinity with young men is highlighted and implications for professionals working with college students to prevent the transmission of HIV are included.

Black brant from Alaska staging and wintering in Japan

Science.gov (United States)

Derksen, Dirk V.; Bollinger, K.S.; Ward, David H.; Sedinger, J.S.; Miyabayashi, Y.

1996-01-01

Black brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) nest in colonies in arctic Canada, Alaska, and Russia (Derksen and Ward 1993, Sedinger et al. 1993). Virtually the entire population stages in fall at Izembek Lagoon near the tip of the Alaska Peninsula (Bellrose 1976) before southward migration (Dau 1992) to winter habitats in British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, California, and Baja California (Subcommittee on Black Brant 1992). A small number of black brant winter in Japan, Korea, and China (Owen 1980). In Japan 3,000–5,000 brant of unknown origin stop over in fall, and a declining population (in the northern islands (Brazil 1991, Miyabayashi et al. 1994). Here, we report sightings of brant in Japan that were marked in Alaska and propose a migration route based on historical and recent observations and weather patterns.

"To Kill a Mockingbird": An Historical Perspective. Learning Page Lesson Plan.

Science.gov (United States)

Prody, Kathleen; Whearty, Nicolet

Students gain from a sense of the living history that surrounds Harper Lee's novel, "To Kill a Mockingbird." Through studying primary source materials from American Memory and other online sources, students of all backgrounds may better grasp how historical events and human forces have shaped relationships between black and white and…

Ninth Annual "Brown" Lecture in Education Research: Black Educators as Educational Advocates in the Decades before "Brown v. Board of Education"

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Vanessa Siddle

2013-01-01

This research sought to extend the historical record of advocacy for Black education by exploring the role of Black educators in the decades before the "Brown v. Board of Education" decision. It addressed (a) the ways the educators were involved in advocating for Black schools and (b) the relationship of the activities to the more…

BOOK REVIEW: Black Holes, Cosmology and Extra Dimensions Black Holes, Cosmology and Extra Dimensions

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Frolov, Valeri P.

2013-10-01

The book Black holes, Cosmology and Extra Dimensions written by Kirill A Bronnikov and Sergey G Rubin has been published recently by World Scientific Publishing Company. The authors are well known experts in gravity and cosmology. The book is a monograph, a considerable part of which is based on the original work of the authors. Their original point of view on some of the problems makes the book quite interesting, covering a variety of important topics of the modern theory of gravity, astrophysics and cosmology. It consists of 11 chapters which are organized in three parts. The book starts with an introduction, where the authors briefly discuss the main ideas of General Relativity, giving some historical remarks on its development and application to cosmology, and mentioning some more recent subjects such as brane worlds, f(R)-theories and gravity in higher dimensions. Part I of the book is called 'Gravity'. Chapters two and three are devoted to the Einstein equations and their spherical symmetric black hole solutions. This material is quite standard and can be found in practically any book on General Relativity. A brief summary of the Kerr metric and black hole thermodynamics are given in chapter four. The main part of this chapter is devoted to spherically symmetric black holes in non-Einstein gravity (with scalar and phantom fields), black holes with regular interior, and black holes in brane worlds. Chapters five and six are mainly dedicated to wormholes and the problem of their stability. Part II (Cosmology) starts with discussion of the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker and de Sitter solutions of the Einstein equations and their properties. It follows by describing a `big picture' of the modern cosmology (inflation, post-inflationary reheating, the radiation-dominated and matter-dominated states, and modern stage of the (secondary) inflation). The authors explain how the inflation models allow one to solve many of the long-standing problems of cosmology, such as

Is Black Hole Growth a Universal Process? Exploring Selection Effects in Measurements of AGN Accretion Rates and Host Galaxies.

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Jones, Mackenzie

2018-01-01

At the center of essentially every massive galaxy is a monstrous black hole producing luminous radiation driven by the accretion of gas. By observing these active galactic nuclei (AGN) we may trace the growth of black holes across cosmic time. However, our knowledge of the full underlying AGN population is hindered by complex observational biases. My research aims to untangle these biases by using a novel approach to simulate the impact of selection effects on multiwavelength observations.The most statistically powerful studies of AGN to date come from optical spectroscopic surveys, with some reporting a complex relationship between AGN accretion rates and host galaxy characteristics. However, the optical waveband can be strongly influenced by selection effects and dilution from host galaxy star formation. I have shown that accounting for selection effects, the Eddington ratio distribution for optically-selected AGN is consistent with a broad power-law, as seen in the X-rays (Jones et al. 2016). This suggests that a universal Eddington ratio distribution may be enough to describe the full multiwavelength AGN population.Building on these results, I have expanded a semi-numerical galaxy formation simulation to include this straightforward prescription for AGN accretion and explicitly model selection effects. I have found that a simple model for AGN accretion can broadly reproduce the host galaxies and halos of X-ray AGN, and that different AGN selection techniques yield samples with very different host galaxy properties (Jones et al. 2017). Finally, I will discuss the capabilities of this simulation to build synthetic multiwavelength SEDs in order to explore what AGN populations would be detected with the next generation of observatories. This research is supported by a NASA Jenkins Graduate Fellowship under grant no. NNX15AU32H.

Along Freedom Road. Hyde County, North Carolina and the Fate of Black Schools in the South.

Science.gov (United States)

Cecelski, David S.

The 1968-69 school boycott in Hyde County (North Carolina) was one of the most sustained and successful protests of the civil rights movement. For a year, the county's black citizens refused to send their children to school in protest of a desegregation plan that required closing two historically black schools in their remote coastal community.…

Offal dumping sites influence the relative abundance and roosting site selection of Black Kites (Milvus migrans govinda) in urban landscape: a study from Kolkata metropolis, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Mazumdar, Subhendu; Ghose, Dipankar; Saha, Goutam Kumar

2017-12-14

Although Black Kites (Milvus migrans govinda) serve as major scavenging raptor in most of the urban areas, scientific studies on this important ecosystem service provider are almost non-existent in Indian context. The present study was carried out in a metropolis in eastern India to find out the factors influencing relative abundance and roosting site selection of Black Kites. Separate generalized linear models (GLMs) were performed considering encounter rate and roosting Black Kite abundance as response variables. The study conclusively indicated that encounter rates of Black Kites were significantly influenced by the presence of garbage dumps in its vicinity. Numbers of Black Kites were also higher in the roosting sites situated closer to garbage dumps and open spaces. In addition, expected counts of Black Kites significantly increased in roosting sites situated away from buildings and water bodies. However, built-up area and tree cover around the roosting sites had no influence on the abundance of Black Kites therein. With rapid urbanization and changing offal disposal patterns, our findings would be useful to ensure continued availability of food and roosting sites of Black Kites in urban areas.

Hydrologic modeling of flood conveyance and impacts of historic overbank sedimentation on West Fork Black's Fork, Uinta Mountains, northeastern Utah, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Carson, Eric C.

2006-05-01

This study assesses historic overbank alluvial sedimentation along a low-gradient reach of West Fork Black's Fork in the northern Uinta Mountains, Utah. In this previously glaciated setting, an alluvial floodplain that is approximately 400 m wide by 1500 m long has been modified by the combined effects of valley morphometry and the recent history of clear-cut logging during the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. To quantify the effects on sedimentation and flow conveyance, three natural streambank exposures were sampled and analyzed for nuclear bomb fallout 137Cs. The distribution of 137Cs within the three profiles suggests that a remnant outwash terrace exerts a first-order control over the deposition of overbank alluvium. Upstream from a constriction in the floodplain caused by the terrace remnant, as much as 40 cm of overbank alluvium has been deposited since the beginning of clear-cut logging. Immediately downstream of that constriction, no evidence exists for any overbank sedimentation during that same period. Vibracore samples and Oakfield soil probe sampling throughout the study reach quantified the geographic extent and thicknesses of the historic alluvial package. Flood conveyance through the study area was modeled using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers HEC-RAS modeling program. Model simulations were run for modern conditions (using surveyed topography) and for prehistoric conditions (using the modern topography less the historic alluvial package determined by 137Cs analyses). Model results indicate that the floodplain constriction caused a significant impediment to flood conveyance at even modest discharges during prehistoric conditions. This promoted ponding of floodwaters upstream of the constriction and deposition of alluvium. This has increased bank heights upstream of the constriction, to the point that under modern conditions 1- to 5-year recurrence interval floods are largely confined within the channel. These results confirm the validity of this

Boundary Spanners and Advocacy Leaders: Black Educators and Race Equality Work in Toronto and London, 1968-1995

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Lauri

2016-01-01

This comparative study examines the historical development of race equality efforts during the 1970s and 1980s in two global cities--Toronto and London--and the role of African Canadian and Black British educators in longstanding school-community partnerships. I characterize the leadership stance of Black educators as boundary spanners and…

Disease limits populations: plague and black-tailed prairie dogs

Science.gov (United States)

Cully, Jack F.; Johnson, T.; Collinge, S.K.; Ray, C.

2010-01-01

Plague is an exotic vector-borne disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis that causes mortality rates approaching 100% in black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus). We mapped the perimeter of the active portions of black-tailed prairie dog colonies annually between 1999 and 2005 at four prairie dog colony complexes in areas with a history of plague, as well as at two complexes that were located outside the distribution of plague at the time of mapping and had therefore never been affected by the disease. We hypothesized that the presence of plague would significantly reduce overall black-tailed prairie dog colony area, reduce the sizes of colonies on these landscapes, and increase nearest-neighbor distances between colonies. Within the region historically affected by plague, individual colonies were smaller, nearest-neighbor distances were greater, and the proportion of potential habitat occupied by active prairie dog colonies was smaller than at plague-free sites. Populations that endured plague were composed of fewer large colonies (>100 ha) than populations that were historically plague free. We suggest that these differences among sites in colony size and isolation may slow recolonization after extirpation. At the same time, greater intercolony distances may also reduce intercolony transmission of pathogens. Reduced transmission among smaller and more distant colonies may ultimately enhance long-term prairie dog population persistence in areas where plague is present.

Analyzing and Interpreting Historical Sources

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kipping, Matthias; Wadhwani, Dan; Bucheli, Marcelo

2014-01-01

This chapter outlines a methodology for the interpretation of historical sources, helping to realize their full potential for the study of organization, while overcoming their challenges in terms of distortions created by time, changes in context, and selective production or preservation. Drawing....... The chapter contributes to the creation of a language for describing the use of historical sources in management research....

MARTIN HEIDEGGER’S BLACK NOTEBOOKS AND POLITICAL ECONOMY OF CONTEMPORARY PHILOSOPHICAL CRITIQUE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. O. Karpenko

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the study is to determine the key strategies of philosophical criticism of Heidegger’s Black Notebooks, whose achievement is realized in the following tasks: 1 to identify the body of texts that represent the discourse of philosophical criticism of Heidegger notes; 2 to reveal the typological features of the different strategies of interpreting Black Notebooks; 3 to reconstruct a thematic horizon of Heidegger studies, opened up by discussion on published notes. The methodology combines elements of discourse analysis with traditional methods of historical and philosophical criticism. Scientific novelty is expressed in the following: 1 philosophical discourse of the Notebooks’ reception includes texts of narrowly specialized character (Gatherings collection of articles, as well as reflections of key philosophers (A. Badiou, J.-L. Nancy 2 basic strategies in philosophical critique of Black Notebooks convey the overall structure of the discourse of interpretation of Heidegger’s legacy, distributed between apologetics and ideological criticism; 3 Black Notebooks have exacerbated the problem of architectonics of Gesammtausgabe and formed the textual basis for the study of "silence" period in philosophical life of Heidegger. Conclusions. The discourse of philosophical critique of Heidegger’s notes proves evidence for ideological charge of philosophizing and justifies socially oriented approaches of historical and philosophical studies examining philosophizing as a special cultural practice, not as a form of sublime creativity.

Black to Black

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Langkjær, Michael Alexander

2012-01-01

Pop musicians performing in black stage costume take advantage of cultural traditions relating to matters black. Stylistically, black is a paradoxical color: although a symbol of melancholy, pessimism, and renunciation, black also expresses minimalist modernity and signifies exclusivity (as is hi...

Black Populations and Identity Issues in Latin America

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Wade

2008-02-01

Full Text Available In this article, I explore the basis for black identity in Latin America. I begin with a general consideration of the position of black populations in the framework of Latin American nationalism, taking into account the transnational dimensions of this position and then analyzing in theoretical terms the tension between particularism and universalism in ideologies of nationalism and racism. In the second part of the article, I examine some concrete historical cases of Afrodescendent mobilization and/or opening towards racial diversity in order to evaluate these as bases for a Latin American black identity in general (the racial war in Cuba in 1912, the Frente Negra Brasileira of the 1930s, the Creoles in the Sandinista regime in Nicaragua, the official multiculturalism of various Latin American countries in the 1990s, and the image of “Africa” as the basis for Afrodescendant identification.

Socioeconomic Factors Affecting Local Support for Black Bear Recovery Strategies

Science.gov (United States)

Morzillo, Anita T.; Mertig, Angela G.; Hollister, Jeffrey W.; Garner, Nathan; Liu, Jianguo

2010-06-01

There is global interest in recovering locally extirpated carnivore species. Successful efforts to recover Louisiana black bear in Louisiana have prompted interest in recovery throughout the species’ historical range. We evaluated support for three potential black bear recovery strategies prior to public release of a black bear conservation and management plan for eastern Texas, United States. Data were collected from 1,006 residents living in proximity to potential recovery locations, particularly Big Thicket National Preserve. In addition to traditional logistic regression analysis, we used conditional probability analysis to statistically and visually evaluate probabilities of public support for potential black bear recovery strategies based on socioeconomic characteristics. Allowing black bears to repopulate the region on their own (i.e., without active reintroduction) was the recovery strategy with the greatest probability of acceptance. Recovery strategy acceptance was influenced by many socioeconomic factors. Older and long-time local residents were most likely to want to exclude black bears from the area. Concern about the problems that black bears may cause was the only variable significantly related to support or non-support across all strategies. Lack of personal knowledge about black bears was the most frequent reason for uncertainty about preferred strategy. In order to reduce local uncertainty about possible recovery strategies, we suggest that wildlife managers focus outreach efforts on providing local residents with general information about black bears, as well as information pertinent to minimizing the potential for human-black bear conflict.

Senior Level Administrators and HBCUs: The Role of Support for Black Women’s Success in STEM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amanda Washington Lockett

2018-04-01

Full Text Available While it is important for college and university senior administrators to embrace the traditional roles of their administrative positions, senior administrators’ interactions with students also shape institutional culture, students’ engagement, and ultimately play a role in students’ motivation to succeed. This engagement is especially evident in the Historically Black College and University (HBCU context as senior administrators’ engagement with students can directly or indirectly affect how students perceive themselves and their ability to succeed. This article aims to illuminate the role that HBCU senior level administrators play in students’ motivation toward success. We also highlight the notion that senior level administrators’ role in organizational culture ultimately led historically-disempowered Black women students toward success in even the most historically inaccessible pathways in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM fields. The study used semi-structured interviews with 71 Black women STEM students across 10 HBCUs and asked questions to better understand how events in their lives and on their campuses shaped their choice to pursue and persist through a STEM degree program. The study found that the women were highly motivated by their HBCUs’ family-like community of support. Integral to this article, this support was not confined to professors and peers, but extended to senior administrators. We conclude that Black women STEM students’ perception of their ability to succeed and their motivation is influenced by the institutions’ senior administration.

Einstein's Enigma of black holes in my bubble bath

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vishveshwara, C.

2006-01-01

Einstein's Enigma or Black Holes in My Bubble Bath is a humorous and informal rendition of the story of gravitation theory from the early historic origins to the latest developments in astrophysics, focusing on Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity and black-hole physics. Through engaging conversations and napkin-scribbled diagrams come tumbling the rudiments of relativity, spacetime and much of modern physics, narrated with high didactic and literary talent, and each embedded in casual lessons given by a worldly astrophysicist to his friend. Join the intellectual fun and exalt in the frothy ideas while vicariously taking relaxing baths in this magical bathtub. (orig.)

Connectivity among subpopulations of Louisiana black bears as estimated by a step selection function

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Joseph D.; Jared S. Laufenberg,; Maria Davidson,; Jennifer L. Murrow,

2015-01-01

Habitat fragmentation is a fundamental cause of population decline and increased risk of extinction for many wildlife species; animals with large home ranges and small population sizes are particularly sensitive. The Louisiana black bear (Ursus americanus luteolus) exists only in small, isolated subpopulations as a result of land clearing for agriculture, but the relative potential for inter-subpopulation movement by Louisiana black bears has not been quantified, nor have characteristics of effective travel routes between habitat fragments been identified. We placed and monitored global positioning system (GPS) radio collars on 8 female and 23 male bears located in 4 subpopulations in Louisiana, which included a reintroduced subpopulation located between 2 of the remnant subpopulations. We compared characteristics of sequential radiolocations of bears (i.e., steps) with steps that were possible but not chosen by the bears to develop step selection function models based on conditional logistic regression. The probability of a step being selected by a bear increased as the distance to natural land cover and agriculture at the end of the step decreased and as distance from roads at the end of a step increased. To characterize connectivity among subpopulations, we used the step selection models to create 4,000 hypothetical correlated random walks for each subpopulation representing potential dispersal events to estimate the proportion that intersected adjacent subpopulations (hereafter referred to as successful dispersals). Based on the models, movement paths for males intersected all adjacent subpopulations but paths for females intersected only the most proximate subpopulations. Cross-validation and genetic and independent observation data supported our findings. Our models also revealed that successful dispersals were facilitated by a reintroduced population located between 2 distant subpopulations. Successful dispersals for males were dependent on natural land

Manga comic influences snack selection in Black and Hispanic New York City youth.

Science.gov (United States)

Leung, May May; Tripicchio, Gina; Agaronov, Alen; Hou, Ningqi

2014-01-01

To determine whether a single exposure to a Manga comic (Japanese comic art) with multiple messages promoting fruit intake influenced snack selection in minority urban youth. Fifty-seven youth (mean age 10.8 y; 54% female; 74% black/African American) attending after-school programs in Brooklyn, NY participated in a pilot study in which they were randomly assigned to receive the comic or a non-health-related newsletter. After reading their media, participants were offered a snack and could choose from among healthy/unhealthy options. Secondary outcomes included knowledge, self-efficacy, and outcome expectations related to fruit intake and media transportation. Data were analyzed using regression and paired t test. Comic group participants were significantly more likely to choose a healthy snack, compared to the Attention-control group (odds ratio = 3.6, 95% confidence interval: 1.1-12.1, P = .04). The Comic group reported increases in self-efficacy (P = .04) and greater transportation (immersion into media) (P = .006). Results suggest Manga comics may be a useful format to promote healthy snack selection in urban minority youth. Copyright © 2014 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From “brute” to “thug:” the demonization and criminalization of unarmed Black male victims in America

Science.gov (United States)

Smiley, CalvinJohn; Fakunle, David

2016-01-01

The synonymy of Blackness with criminality is not a new phenomenon in America. Documented historical accounts have shown how myths, stereotypes, and racist ideologies led to discriminatory policies and court rulings that fueled racial violence in a post-Reconstruction era and has culminated in the exponential increase of Black male incarceration today. Misconceptions and prejudices manufactured and disseminated through various channels such as the media included references to a “brute” image of Black males. In the 21st century, this negative imagery of Black males has frequently utilized the negative connotation of the terminology “thug.” In recent years, law enforcement agencies have unreasonably used deadly force on Black males allegedly considered to be “suspects” or “persons of interest.” The exploitation of these often-targeted victims' criminal records, physical appearances, or misperceived attributes has been used to justify their unlawful deaths. Despite the connection between disproportionate criminality and Black masculinity, little research has been done on how unarmed Black male victims, particularly but not exclusively at the hands of law enforcement, have been posthumously criminalized. This paper investigates the historical criminalization of Black males and its connection to contemporary unarmed victims of law enforcement. Action research methodology in the data collection process is utilized to interpret how Black male victims are portrayed by traditional mass media, particularly through the use of language, in ways that marginalize and de-victimize these individuals. This study also aims to elucidate a contemporary understanding of race relations, racism, and the plight of the Black male in a 21-century “post-racial” America. PMID:27594778

Processing and characterization of a carbon black-filled electrically conductive Nylon-12 nanocomposite produced by selective laser sintering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Athreya, Siddharth Ram; Kalaitzidou, Kyriaki; Das, Suman

2010-01-01

Selective laser sintering (SLS), a layered manufacturing technique was explored to process an electrically conductive polymer nanocomposite made of Nylon-12 reinforced with 4 wt% of carbon black. SLS process parameters were optimized in order to maximize the flexural modulus. The porosity and morphology were studied using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The crystalline state was characterized using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The electrical conductivity was determined using the four probe technique. Results indicate that carbon black-filled Nylon-12 nanocomposites can be successfully made by SLS. Maximum flexural modulus values of 1750 MPa and 1450 MPa were achieved for the neat polymer and the nanocomposite, respectively. A reduction in the flexural modulus of the nanocomposite is likely due to the formation of a segregated structure in the nanocomposite and a weak polymer-filler interface. The optimized neat polymer and the nanocomposites had average densities of around 97% and 96% relative to full density, respectively. The electrical conductivity of the nanocomposite was approximately 1 x 10 -4 S/cm, which is five orders of magnitude higher than that of the neat polymer processed by SLS, and indicates that the onset of percolation behavior occurs below the 4 wt% loading of carbon black.

Recovering from "Yo Mama Is so Stupid": (En)gendering a Critical Paradigm on Black Feminist Theory and Pedagogy

Science.gov (United States)

Brock, Rochelle

2011-01-01

This article offers an analysis of the dozens using Black feminist theory. The dozens are a ritualized verbal game of insults that historically have used sexual offenses against Black women as the vehicle for insults. Rather than simply viewing the dozens as a cultural phenomenon, the article draws a connection between its occurrence in West…

REGIONAL COOPERATION IN THE BLACK SEA BASIN

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Anastasiia GAVUIK

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Topicality. The Black Sea region is situated in a very important geopolitical manner. Consequently, a large-scale regional collaboration becomes possible within the Black Sea zone and countries get appropriate conditions to launch their activity in this context. Aim: The body of the article is going to analyze the BSEC as one of the most successful regional organizations in the Black Sea area. The paper aims to provide an overview of the regional players’ activity in the framework of the BSEC which are involved in sustaining and strengthening of this organization and also in continuing the reform process in it, developing in the same time relations of cooperation with the EU and other regional initiatives. Methods. This article embraces a row of different scientific methods of data analysis, predictive analytics, historical and statistical overview, descriptive method, case study etc. Results. The countries from the Black Sea basin are the most vulnerable to potential risks and shocks due to the instability of the region. This requires the interstate cooperation in the Black Sea area with no tradition in this field several decades ago. In the same time, countries like Turkey, Romania or Russia aspire to play the role of the regional leader, which can cause regional rivalries. With the help of the regional cooperation and the BSEC in particular, regional countries could learn how to work together for the common benefit. The creation of stable markets, interconnected and transparent regional organizations and initiatives would largely contribute to the security and stability of the Black Sea region.

Training the Next Generation: Developing Health Education Skills in Undergraduate Public Health Students at a Historically Black College and University

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Krista Mincey

2017-10-01

Full Text Available With the looming workforce crisis, undergraduate public health students could be an important link in filling this demand. As public health continues to face challenges in the future, it is important that the future workforce is not only diverse but also trained in a manner that exposes them to real-world experiences that give them an opportunity to apply coursework to solve problems. This article outlines how a health program planning course was taught at a Historically Black College and University using assignments that promote active learning. Students were assessed on their ability to plan and implement a health activity based on a developed metric. Student and instructor reflections were collected from final assessments of the health programs by both groups. All elements of the course are discussed from course design, structure, assignments, and outcomes along with student and instructor reflections and lessons learned. Results suggest that including assignments focused on active learning are beneficial to helping students learn course material. As public health continues to change, more work needs to focus on teaching pedagogies that better prepare students to address future public health issues.

The Challenges and Success of Implementing Climate Studies Lessons for Pre-Professional Teachers at a Small Historically Black College to Engage Student Teaching of Science Pedagogy and Content Skill Based Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Arnold, J.; Wider-Lewis, F.; Miller-Jenkins, A.

2017-12-01

This poster is a description of the challenges and success of implementing climate studies lessons for pre-service teachers to engage student teaching pedagogy and content skill based learning. Edward Waters College is a historical black college with an elementary education teacher program focused on urban elementary school teaching and learning. Pre-Service Elementary Educator Students often have difficulty with science and mathematics content and pedagogy. This poster will highlight the barriers and successes of using climate studies lessons to develop and enhance pre-service teachers' knowledge of elementary science principles particularly related to climate studies, physical and earth space science.

Stereotypes of Black American Women Related to Sexuality and Motherhood

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenthal, Lisa; Lobel, Marci

2016-01-01

Intersectionality theorists and researchers suggest the importance of examining unique stereotypes associated with intersecting group identities. We focus on the unique stereotypes of Black women in the United States related to sexuality and motherhood. In an online experimental study, 435 undergraduates from a Northeastern U.S. university were randomly assigned to one of the four conditions in which they viewed a photograph and read a description of a target young woman. The target’s race (Black vs. White) and pregnancy status (pregnant vs. no pregnancy information) were varied. A Black female target (pregnant or not) was perceived more negatively on items related to historically rooted societal stereotypes about sexual activity, sexual risk, motherhood status, and socioeconomic status than was a White female target, but there were no differences on items unrelated to societal stereotypes. A Black target described as pregnant was also perceived as more likely to be a single mother and to need public assistance than was a White target described as pregnant. Current findings, along with evidence that societal stereotypes have damaging effects, underscore the importance of diversifying images of Black women and increasing awareness of how stereotypes affect perceptions of Black women. Findings also highlight the value of research employing intersectionality to understand stereotypes. PMID:27821904

Stereotypes of Black American Women Related to Sexuality and Motherhood.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenthal, Lisa; Lobel, Marci

2016-09-01

Intersectionality theorists and researchers suggest the importance of examining unique stereotypes associated with intersecting group identities. We focus on the unique stereotypes of Black women in the United States related to sexuality and motherhood. In an online experimental study, 435 undergraduates from a Northeastern U.S. university were randomly assigned to one of the four conditions in which they viewed a photograph and read a description of a target young woman. The target's race (Black vs. White) and pregnancy status (pregnant vs. no pregnancy information) were varied. A Black female target (pregnant or not) was perceived more negatively on items related to historically rooted societal stereotypes about sexual activity, sexual risk, motherhood status, and socioeconomic status than was a White female target, but there were no differences on items unrelated to societal stereotypes. A Black target described as pregnant was also perceived as more likely to be a single mother and to need public assistance than was a White target described as pregnant. Current findings, along with evidence that societal stereotypes have damaging effects, underscore the importance of diversifying images of Black women and increasing awareness of how stereotypes affect perceptions of Black women. Findings also highlight the value of research employing intersectionality to understand stereotypes.

“How It’s Done”: The Role of Mentoring and Advice in Preparing the Next Generation of Historically Black College and University Presidents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Felecia Commodore

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The college and university presidency is one of the most coveted positions in academe. Due to the projected retirements of current Historically Black College and University (HBCU presidents, the researchers interviewed 21 current presidents, institutional board members, and presidential search firm personnel to explore what current HBCU leadership identifies as important mentoring/mentee practices, mentoring/mentee opportunities, and professional advice for HBCU presidential aspirants to consider. The findings, based on the coding and analysis of semi-structured qualitative interviews, revealed that self-awareness, focusing on the essential aspects of the job and not merely the perks, openness to being mentored and willingness to shadow a successful leader, experience in serving in various administrative capacities, participating in professional leadership development activities, earning of a terminal degree, displaying humility, understanding academic politics, and learning how to present oneself as an executive is important in the preparation of a leader of an HBCU.

Short Historical Fiction To Get Children Reading.

Science.gov (United States)

Sullivan, Kathleen

1997-01-01

Provides an annotated bibliography of short historical fiction and picture books for readers in grades K-8. Includes a list of selected Caldecott and Newbery winners with historical themes or backgrounds and a list of activity books featuring Spanish exploration in Mexico, Roman art and fashion, medieval Europe, and cowboys. (PEN)

Stable and Selective Humidity Sensing Using Stacked Black Phosphorus Flakes.

Science.gov (United States)

Yasaei, Poya; Behranginia, Amirhossein; Foroozan, Tara; Asadi, Mohammad; Kim, Kibum; Khalili-Araghi, Fatemeh; Salehi-Khojin, Amin

2015-10-27

Black phosphorus (BP) atomic layers are known to undergo chemical degradation in humid air. Yet in more robust configurations such as films, composites, and embedded structures, BP can potentially be utilized in a large number of practical applications. In this study, we explored the sensing characteristics of BP films and observed an ultrasensitive and selective response toward humid air with a trace-level detection capability and a very minor drift over time. Our experiments show that the drain current of the BP sensor increases by ∼4 orders of magnitude as the relative humidity (RH) varies from 10% to 85%, which ranks it among the highest ever reported values for humidity detection. The mechanistic studies indicate that the operation principle of the BP film sensors is based on the modulation in the leakage ionic current caused by autoionization of water molecules and ionic solvation of the phosphorus oxoacids produced on moist BP surfaces. Our stability tests reveal that the response of the BP film sensors remains nearly unchanged after prolonged exposures (up to 3 months) to ambient conditions. This study opens up the route for utilizing BP stacked films in many potential applications such as energy generation/storage systems, electrocatalysis, and chemical/biosensing.

Trayvon Martin: Racial Profiling, Black Male Stigma, and Social Work Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Teasley, Martell Lee; Schiele, Jerome H; Adams, Charles; Okilwa, Nathern S

2018-01-01

To address a critical gap in the social work literature, this article examines the deleterious effects of racial profiling as it pertains to police targeting of male African Americans. The authors use the Trayvon Martin court case to exemplify how racial profiling and black male stigma help perpetuate social inequality and injustice for black men. A racism-centered perspective is examined historically and contemporarily as a theoretical approach to understanding the role that race plays in social injustice through racial profiling. Implications for social work research design and practice aimed at increasing the social work knowledge base on racial profiling are discussed. The authors call for attention and advocacy by major social work organizations in the reduction of black male stigma and racial profiling. © 2017 National Association of Social Workers.

76 FR 36150 - Notice of Inventory Completion: Florida Department of State/Division of Historical Resources...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-21

....A. Pound Human Identification Laboratory and Dr. John Krigbaum, University of Florida, Department of... described as a multi-component black earth midden deposit on a relict Everglades tree island, associated... to the Florida Department of State/Division of Historical Resources for identification pending...

An Historical Overview of the Political Status of Blacks in England, since 1945.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindsey, Lydia

1989-01-01

Argues that the present status of Blacks in England has been shaped by the changing nature of the Empire and Commonwealth, the declining British economy, and political underrepresentation, and that it reflects immigration restrictions and the British polity's refusal to acknowledge the effect of adverse racial, colonial, and political factors. (AF)

Young, Gifted, and Black: Promoting High Achievement among African-American Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Perry, Theresa; Steele, Claude; Hilliard, Asa G., III

In three linked but separate essays, this book explores how African-American students experience school in a society that has historically devalued their intellectual abilities. It calls for a new understanding of the unique obstacles black students face in American schools and points to a variety of educational practices that can mitigate those…

Gene selection using hybrid binary black hole algorithm and modified binary particle swarm optimization.

Science.gov (United States)

Pashaei, Elnaz; Pashaei, Elham; Aydin, Nizamettin

2018-04-14

In cancer classification, gene selection is an important data preprocessing technique, but it is a difficult task due to the large search space. Accordingly, the objective of this study is to develop a hybrid meta-heuristic Binary Black Hole Algorithm (BBHA) and Binary Particle Swarm Optimization (BPSO) (4-2) model that emphasizes gene selection. In this model, the BBHA is embedded in the BPSO (4-2) algorithm to make the BPSO (4-2) more effective and to facilitate the exploration and exploitation of the BPSO (4-2) algorithm to further improve the performance. This model has been associated with Random Forest Recursive Feature Elimination (RF-RFE) pre-filtering technique. The classifiers which are evaluated in the proposed framework are Sparse Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (SPLSDA); k-nearest neighbor and Naive Bayes. The performance of the proposed method was evaluated on two benchmark and three clinical microarrays. The experimental results and statistical analysis confirm the better performance of the BPSO (4-2)-BBHA compared with the BBHA, the BPSO (4-2) and several state-of-the-art methods in terms of avoiding local minima, convergence rate, accuracy and number of selected genes. The results also show that the BPSO (4-2)-BBHA model can successfully identify known biologically and statistically significant genes from the clinical datasets. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Teaching Speech Communication in a Black College: Does Technology Make a Difference?

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Nwadike, Fellina O.; Ekeanyanwu, Nnamdi T.

2011-01-01

Teaching a speech communication course in typical HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities) comes with many issues, because the application of technology in some minority institutions differs. The levels of acceptability as well as affordability are also core issues that affect application. Using technology in the classroom means many…

To Address Suffering That the Majority Can't See: Lessons from Black Women's Leadership in the Workplace

Science.gov (United States)

Dillard, Cynthia B.

2016-01-01

This chapter explores how both historically and in contemporary times of escalating violence against our bodies, minds, and spirits worldwide, Black women lead, love, and live within contexts of suffering.

Crossing Boundaries: Exploring Black Middle and Upper Class Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Teaching and Learning in High Poverty Urban Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Andrea D.

2012-01-01

The intent of this study was to explore the perceptions of Black middle and upper class preservice teachers as they relate to teaching and learning in high poverty urban schools. Participants included 11 senior early childhood education preservice teachers at a historically Black college in the southeast region of the United States. The study was…

Gendered racism and the sexual and reproductive health of Black and Latina Women.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenthal, Lisa; Lobel, Marci

2018-02-15

To understand health disparities, it is important to use an intersectional framework that examines unique experiences of oppression faced by particular groups due to their intersecting identities and social positions linked to societal structures. We focus on Black and Latina women and their experiences with 'gendered racism' - unique forms of oppression due to the intersection of race/ethnicity and gender - to foster understanding of disparities between Black and Latina versus White women in sexual and reproductive health outcomes in the U.S. Specifically, we focus on stereotype-related gendered racism (ongoing discrimination and stereotype threat based on historically-rooted stereotypes about Black and Latina women's sexuality and motherhood) and birth control-related mistrust (ongoing mistrust of the government and medical system related to birth control due to historical and current abuses). We analyzed data from two survey studies with adult women in New York (Study 1: paper-and-pencil community data collection, N = 135, M age  = 43.35) and across the U.S. (Study 2: online data collection, N = 343, M age  = 29.49) who were currently pregnant or had at least one child and identified as Black, Latina, or White. Black and Latina women reported greater frequency of and concern over stereotype-related gendered racism (F(3,131) = 17.90, p stereotype-related gendered racism was positively associated with pregnancy-specific stress (ß = .40, p gendered racism may play an important role in existing racial/ethnic disparities in women's sexual and reproductive health outcomes, and interventions addressing gendered racism at multiple levels are needed to promote health equity.

Combustion-derived substances in deep basins of Puget Sound: Historical inputs from fossil fuel and biomass combustion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuo, Li-Jung; Louchouarn, Patrick; Herbert, Bruce E.; Brandenberger, Jill M.; Wade, Terry L.; Crecelius, Eric

2011-01-01

Reconstructions of 250 years historical inputs of two distinct types of black carbon (soot/graphitic black carbon (GBC) and char-BC) were conducted on sediment cores from two basins of the Puget Sound, WA. Signatures of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were also used to support the historical reconstructions of BC to this system. Down-core maxima in GBC and combustion-derived PAHs occurred in the 1940s in the cores from the Puget Sound Main Basin, whereas in Hood Canal such peak was observed in the 1970s, showing basin-specific differences in inputs of combustion byproducts. This system showed relatively higher inputs from softwood combustion than the northeastern U.S. The historical variations in char-BC concentrations were consistent with shifts in climate indices, suggesting an influence of climate oscillations on wildfire events. Environmental loading of combustion byproducts thus appears as a complex function of urbanization, fuel usage, combustion technology, environmental policies, and climate conditions. - Research highlights: → We reconstructed the historical inputs of GBC and char-BC in Puget Sound, WA, USA. → Temporal trend of GBC was linked to human activities (urbanization, fuel usage). → Temporal trend of char-BC was more likely driven by regional climate oscillations. → Historical trends of combustion byproducts show the geographical heterogeneities. - Temporal trend of GBC was directly linked to human activities, while the input of char-BC in Puget Sound was more likely driven by regional climate oscillations.

Defence against Black Hole and Selective Forwarding Attacks for Medical WSNs in the IoT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Avijit Mathur

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Wireless sensor networks (WSNs are being used to facilitate monitoring of patients in hospital and home environments. These systems consist of a variety of different components/sensors and many processes like clustering, routing, security, and self-organization. Routing is necessary for medical-based WSNs because it allows remote data delivery and it facilitates network scalability in large hospitals. However, routing entails several problems, mainly due to the open nature of wireless networks, and these need to be addressed. This paper looks at two of the problems that arise due to wireless routing between the nodes and access points of a medical WSN (for IoT use: black hole and selective forwarding (SF attacks. A solution to the former can readily be provided through the use of cryptographic hashes, while the latter makes use of a neighbourhood watch and threshold-based analysis to detect and correct SF attacks. The scheme proposed here is capable of detecting a selective forwarding attack with over 96% accuracy and successfully identifying the malicious node with 83% accuracy.

Defence against Black Hole and Selective Forwarding Attacks for Medical WSNs in the IoT.

Science.gov (United States)

Mathur, Avijit; Newe, Thomas; Rao, Muzaffar

2016-01-19

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are being used to facilitate monitoring of patients in hospital and home environments. These systems consist of a variety of different components/sensors and many processes like clustering, routing, security, and self-organization. Routing is necessary for medical-based WSNs because it allows remote data delivery and it facilitates network scalability in large hospitals. However, routing entails several problems, mainly due to the open nature of wireless networks, and these need to be addressed. This paper looks at two of the problems that arise due to wireless routing between the nodes and access points of a medical WSN (for IoT use): black hole and selective forwarding (SF) attacks. A solution to the former can readily be provided through the use of cryptographic hashes, while the latter makes use of a neighbourhood watch and threshold-based analysis to detect and correct SF attacks. The scheme proposed here is capable of detecting a selective forwarding attack with over 96% accuracy and successfully identifying the malicious node with 83% accuracy.

Stationary black holes as holographs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Racz, Istvan [Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-01 (Japan); MTA KFKI, Reszecske- es Magfizikai Kutatointezet, H-1121 Budapest, Konkoly Thege Miklos ut 29-33 (Hungary)

2007-11-21

Smooth spacetimes possessing a (global) one-parameter group of isometries and an associated Killing horizon in Einstein's theory of gravity are investigated. No assumption concerning the asymptotic structure is made; thereby, the selected spacetimes may be considered as generic distorted stationary black holes. First, spacetimes of arbitrary dimension, n {>=} 3, with matter satisfying the dominant energy condition and allowing a non-zero cosmological constant are investigated. In this part, complete characterization of the topology of the event horizon of 'distorted' black holes is given. It is shown that the topology of the event horizon of 'distorted' black holes is allowed to possess a much larger variety than that of the isolated black hole configurations. In the second part, four-dimensional (non-degenerate) electrovac distorted black hole spacetimes are considered. It is shown that the spacetime geometry and the electromagnetic field are uniquely determined in the black hole region once the geometry of the bifurcation surface and one of the electromagnetic potentials are specified there. Conditions guaranteeing the same type of determinacy, in a neighbourhood of the event horizon, on the domain of outer communication side are also investigated. In particular, they are shown to be satisfied in the analytic case.

Predictors of Grades for Black Americans in a Non-Calculus, Preprofessional Physics Sequence.

Science.gov (United States)

Vincent, Harold A.; And Others

Variables to predict grades in a noncalculus, preprofessional college physics course at Xavier University of Louisiana, a historically-black institution, were identified using linear regression. The two-semester, noncalculus physics course emphasizes the application of physics in the health professions. The study population consisted of 123…

Ni-Nanocluster Modified Black TiO2 with Dual Active Sites for Selective Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Billo, Tadesse; Fu, Fang-Yu; Raghunath, Putikam; Shown, Indrajit; Chen, Wei-Fu; Lien, Hsiang-Ting; Shen, Tzu-Hsien; Lee, Jyh-Fu; Chan, Ting-Shan; Huang, Kuo-You; Wu, Chih-I; Lin, M C; Hwang, Jih-Shang; Lee, Chih-Hao; Chen, Li-Chyong; Chen, Kuei-Hsien

2018-01-01

One of the key challenges in artificial photosynthesis is to design a photocatalyst that can bind and activate the CO 2 molecule with the smallest possible activation energy and produce selective hydrocarbon products. In this contribution, a combined experimental and computational study on Ni-nanocluster loaded black TiO 2 (Ni/TiO 2[Vo] ) with built-in dual active sites for selective photocatalytic CO 2 conversion is reported. The findings reveal that the synergistic effects of deliberately induced Ni nanoclusters and oxygen vacancies provide (1) energetically stable CO 2 binding sites with the lowest activation energy (0.08 eV), (2) highly reactive sites, (3) a fast electron transfer pathway, and (4) enhanced light harvesting by lowering the bandgap. The Ni/TiO 2[Vo] photocatalyst has demonstrated highly selective and enhanced photocatalytic activity of more than 18 times higher solar fuel production than the commercial TiO 2 (P-25). An insight into the mechanisms of interfacial charge transfer and product formation is explored. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

White on black: can white parents teach black adoptive children how to understand and cope with racism?

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Darron T; Juarez, Brenda G; Jacobson, Cardell K

2011-01-01

In this article, the authors examine White parents’ endeavors toward the racial enculturation and inculcation of their transracially adopted Black children. Drawing on in-depth interviews, the authors identify and analyze themes across the specific race socialization strategies and practices White adoptive parents used to help their adopted Black children to develop a positive racial identity and learn how to effectively cope with issues of race and racism. The central aim of this article is to examine how these lessons about race help to connect family members to U.S. society’s existing racial hierarchy and how these associations position individuals to help perpetuate or challenge the deeply embedded and historical structures of White supremacy. The authors use the notion of White racial framing to move outside of the traditional arguments for or against transracial adoption to instead explore how a close analysis of the adoptive parents’ racial instructions may serve as a learning tool to foster more democratic and inclusive forms of family and community.

Looking for the invisible universe - Black matter, black energy, black holes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elbaz, David

2016-01-01

As the discovery of the expansion of the universe and of black holes put the study of cosmology into question again because it now refers to invisible things such as black holes, black energy and black matter, the author proposes an other view on the universe within such a context. He first discusses these three enigmas of black matter, black energy and black holes. In a second part, he addresses, discusses and comments five illusions: the Uranian illusion (questions of the existence of an anti-world, of black matter temperature), the Mercurian illusion (quantum gravity, the string theory), the Martian illusion (a patchwork universe, the illusion of the infinite), the cosmic Maya (the John Wheeler's cup, the holographic universe), and the narcissistic illusion

Enhanced performance of VOx-based bolometer using patterned gold black absorber

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Evan M.; Panjwani, Deep; Ginn, James; Warren, Andrew; Long, Christopher; Figuieredo, Pedro; Smith, Christian; Perlstein, Joshua; Walter, Nick; Hirschmugl, Carol; Peale, Robert E.; Shelton, David J.

2015-06-01

Patterned highly absorbing gold black film has been selectively deposited on the active surfaces of a vanadium-oxide-based infrared bolometer array. Patterning by metal lift-off relies on protection of the fragile gold black with an evaporated oxide, which preserves gold black's near unity absorption. This patterned gold black also survives the dry-etch removal of the sacrificial polyimide used to fabricate the air-bridge bolometers. Infrared responsivity is substantially improved by the gold black coating without significantly increasing noise. The increase in the time constant caused by the additional mass of gold black is a modest 14%.

Science self-efficacy of African Americans enrolled in freshman level physical science courses in two historically black institutions

Science.gov (United States)

Prihoda, Belinda Ann

2011-12-01

Science education must be a priority for citizens to function and be productive in a global, technological society. African Americans receive fewer science degrees in proportion to the Caucasian population. The primary purposes of this study were to determine the difference between the pretest and posttest science self-efficacy scores of African-American nonscience majors, the difference between the pretest and posttest science self-efficacy scores of African-American science majors, the relationship between science self-efficacy and course grade, the relationship between gender and science self-efficacy score, and the relationship between science self-efficacy score and course withdrawal. This study utilized a Likert survey instrument. All participants were enrolled in freshman level courses in the physical sciences at a historically black institution: a college or university. Participants completed the pretest survey within two weeks after the 12th class day of the semester. Initially, 458 participants completed the pretest survey. The posttest was administered within two weeks before the final exam. Only 245 participants completed the posttest survey. Results indicate that there is a difference in science self-efficacy of science majors and nonscience majors. There was no significant difference between the pretest and posttest science self-efficacy scores of African-American science majors and nonscience majors. There was no significant relationship between science self-efficacy and course grade, gender and science self-efficacy score, and course withdrawal and science self-efficacy score.

Black Tourism in the United States of America

OpenAIRE

Solgaard, Emilie Olivia Dam; Kovacova, Nikola; Munk, Jakob; Chinan, Ovidiu; Krin, Riccardo

2013-01-01

This study investigates elements of black tourism, and visitor motivations. Our goal is to reach an understanding of visitor motivations, and how dark sites and their symbols may have an impact on its visitors. Through theories of semiotics, classification, and historical processes, we have reached a satisfying conclusion, but theoretical data was not our only tool to reach this conclusion. Relevant research questions, study cases and methods played a big role in our project report. We used t...

Race, Housing, and the Federal Government: Black Lives on the Margins of the American Dream

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Richard Hughes

2016-11-01

Full Text Available As historians have increasingly explored the complex historical relationship between race, class, and institutions such as the federal government in shaping contemporary American society, historical sources such as the Federal Housing Association’s Underwriting Manual (1938 provide provocative opportunities for teaching. Brief excerpts from the Manual are a small window through which to examine the underappreciated role of the U.S. federal government in creating and sustaining a racialized version of the American Dream. The result is an opportunity to equip students, as citizens, with the historical thinking skills and sources to examine the enduring historical arc of racial injustice and resistance in the United States that serves as the foundation for the Black Lives Matter movement.

2nd Historic Mortars Conference

CERN Document Server

Hughes, John; Groot, Caspar; Historic Mortars : Characterisation, Assessment and Repair

2012-01-01

This volume focuses on research and practical issues connected with mortars on historic structures. The book is divided into four sections: Characterisation of Historic Mortars, Repair Mortars and Design Issues, Experimental Research into Properties of Repair Mortars, and Assessment and Testing. The papers present the latest work of researchers in their field. The individual contributions were selected from the contributions to the 2nd Historic Mortars Conference, which took place in Prague, September, 22-24, 2010. All papers were reviewed and improved as necessary before publication. This peer review process by the editors resulted in the 34 individual contributions included in here. One extra paper reviewing and summarising State-of-the-Art knowledge covered by this publication was added as a starting and navigational point for the reader. The editors believe that having these papers in print is important and they hope that it will stimulate further research into historic mortars and related subjects. 

Plasma horizons of a charged black hole

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanni, R.S.

1977-01-01

The most promising way of detecting black holes seems to be through electromagnetic radiation emitted by nearby charged particles. The nature of this radiation depends strongly on the local electromagnetic field, which varies with the charge of the black hole. It has often been purported that a black hole with significant charge will not be observed, because, the dominance of the Coulomb interaction forces its neutralization through selective accretion. This paper shows that it is possible to balance the electric attraction of particles whose charge is opposite that of the black hole with magnetic forces and (assuming an axisymmetric, stationary solution) covariantly define the regions in which this is possible. A Kerr-Newman hole in an asymptotically uniform magnetic field and a current ring centered about a Reissner-Nordstroem hole are used as examples, because of their relevance to processes through which black holes may be observed. (Auth.)

Developing a spatial-statistical model and map of historical malaria prevalence in Botswana using a staged variable selection procedure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mabaso Musawenkosi LH

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Several malaria risk maps have been developed in recent years, many from the prevalence of infection data collated by the MARA (Mapping Malaria Risk in Africa project, and using various environmental data sets as predictors. Variable selection is a major obstacle due to analytical problems caused by over-fitting, confounding and non-independence in the data. Testing and comparing every combination of explanatory variables in a Bayesian spatial framework remains unfeasible for most researchers. The aim of this study was to develop a malaria risk map using a systematic and practicable variable selection process for spatial analysis and mapping of historical malaria risk in Botswana. Results Of 50 potential explanatory variables from eight environmental data themes, 42 were significantly associated with malaria prevalence in univariate logistic regression and were ranked by the Akaike Information Criterion. Those correlated with higher-ranking relatives of the same environmental theme, were temporarily excluded. The remaining 14 candidates were ranked by selection frequency after running automated step-wise selection procedures on 1000 bootstrap samples drawn from the data. A non-spatial multiple-variable model was developed through step-wise inclusion in order of selection frequency. Previously excluded variables were then re-evaluated for inclusion, using further step-wise bootstrap procedures, resulting in the exclusion of another variable. Finally a Bayesian geo-statistical model using Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulation was fitted to the data, resulting in a final model of three predictor variables, namely summer rainfall, mean annual temperature and altitude. Each was independently and significantly associated with malaria prevalence after allowing for spatial correlation. This model was used to predict malaria prevalence at unobserved locations, producing a smooth risk map for the whole country. Conclusion We have

The Phase Transition of Higher Dimensional Charged Black Holes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Huaifan; Zhao, Ren; Zhang, Lichun; Guo, Xiongying

2016-01-01

We have studied phase transitions of higher dimensional charge black hole with spherical symmetry. We calculated the local energy and local temperature and find that these state parameters satisfy the first law of thermodynamics. We analyze the critical behavior of black hole thermodynamic system by taking state parameters (Q,Φ) of black hole thermodynamic system, in accordance with considering the state parameters (P,V) of van der Waals system, respectively. We obtain the critical point of black hole thermodynamic system and find that the critical point is independent of the dual independent variables we selected. This result for asymptotically flat space is consistent with that for AdS spacetime and is intrinsic property of black hole thermodynamic system.

Black Skin, White Pioneer: Non-Traditional Casting in an Israeli School Pageant

Science.gov (United States)

Shem-Tov, Naphtaly

2013-01-01

The casting of a black Ethiopian Jewish girl to play a white Zionist pioneer character in an Israeli school pageant causes feelings of discomfort among the teachers, especially the vice-principal. The vice-principal uses theatrical and historical reasons to justify her opposition to the casting which can actually be perceived as new/colour-blind…

Historical Channel Adjustment and Estimates of Selected Hydraulic Values in the Lower Sabine River and Lower Brazos River Basins, Texas and Louisiana

Science.gov (United States)

Heitmuller, Franklin T.; Greene, Lauren E.

2009-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Texas Water Development Board, evaluated historical channel adjustment and estimated selected hydraulic values at U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging stations in the lower Sabine River Basin in Texas and Louisiana and lower Brazos River Basin in Texas to support geomorphic assessments of the Texas Instream Flow Program. Channel attributes including cross-section geometry, slope, and planform change were evaluated to learn how each river's morphology changed over the years in response to natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Historical and contemporary cross-sectional channel geometries at several gaging stations on each river were compared, planform changes were assessed, and hydraulic values were estimated including mean flow velocity, bed shear stress, Froude numbers, and hydraulic depth. The primary sources of historical channel morphology information were U.S. Geological Survey hard-copy discharge-measurement field notes. Additional analyses were done using computations of selected flow hydraulics, comparisons of historical and contemporary aerial photographs, comparisons of historical and contemporary ground photographs, evaluations of how frequently stage-discharge rating curves were updated, reviews of stage-discharge relations for field measurements, and considerations of bridge and reservoir construction activities. Based on historical cross sections at three gaging stations downstream from Toledo Bend Reservoir, the lower Sabine River is relatively stable, but is subject to substantial temporary scour-and-fill processes during floods. Exceptions to this characterization of relative stability include an episode of channel aggradation at the Sabine River near Bon Wier, Texas, during the 1930s, and about 2 to 3 feet of channel incision at the Sabine River near Burkeville, Texas, since the late 1950s. The Brazos River, at gaging stations downstream from Waco, Texas, has adjusted to a combination of

Habitat selection of a declining white-tailed deer herd in the central Black Hills, South Dakota and Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Deperno, Christopher Shannon

Habitat selection, survival rates, the Black Hills National Forest Habitat Capability Model (HABCAP), and the USDA Forest Service Geographic Information System (GIS) data base were evaluated for a declining white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus dacotensis) herd in the central Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming. From July 1993 through July 1996, 73 adult and yearling female and 12 adult and yearling male white-tailed deer were radiocollared and visually monitored. Habitat information was collected at 4,662 white-tailed deer locations and 1,087 random locations. Natural mortality (71%) was the primary cause of female mortality, followed by harvest (22.5%) and accidental causes (6.5%). More females died in spring (53.2%) than in fall (22.6%), winter (14.5%), or summer (9.7%). Male mortality resulted from hunting in fall (66.7%) and natural causes in spring (33.3%). Survival rates for all deer by year were 62.1% in 1993, 51.1% in 1994, 56.4% in 1995, and 53.9% in 1996 and were similar (P = 0.691) across years. During winter, white-tailed deer selected ponderosa pine- (Pinus ponderosa ) deciduous and burned pine cover types. Overstory-understory habitats selected included pine/grass-forb, pine/bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), pine/snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus), burned pine/grass-forb, and pine/shrub habitats. Structural stages selected included sapling-pole pine stands with >70% canopy cover, burned pine sapling-pole and saw-timber stands with 40% canopy cover and all sapling-pole pine structural stages; sapling-pole stands with >70% canopy cover received the greatest use. White-tailed deer primarily fed in pine saw-timber structural stage with less than 40% canopy cover. Overall, selected habitats contained lower amounts of grass/forb, shrubs, and litter than random locations. Male and female deer generally bedded in areas that were characterized by greater horizontal cover than feeding and random sites. When feeding and bedding sites were combined

76 FR 375 - Notice of Availability: Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for Fiscal Year 2010; Historically...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-04

...: Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for Fiscal Year 2010; Historically Black Colleges and Universities... Fiscal Year 2010. This NOFA is governed by the information and instructions found in HUD's Fiscal Year 2010 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) Policy Requirements and General Section that HUD issued on...

Foundations of Black Hole Accretion Disk Theory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marek A. Abramowicz

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This review covers the main aspects of black hole accretion disk theory. We begin with the view that one of the main goals of the theory is to better understand the nature of black holes themselves. In this light we discuss how accretion disks might reveal some of the unique signatures of strong gravity: the event horizon, the innermost stable circular orbit, and the ergosphere. We then review, from a first-principles perspective, the physical processes at play in accretion disks. This leads us to the four primary accretion disk models that we review: Polish doughnuts (thick disks, Shakura-Sunyaev (thin disks, slim disks, and advection-dominated accretion flows (ADAFs. After presenting the models we discuss issues of stability, oscillations, and jets. Following our review of the analytic work, we take a parallel approach in reviewing numerical studies of black hole accretion disks. We finish with a few select applications that highlight particular astrophysical applications: measurements of black hole mass and spin, black hole vs. neutron star accretion disks, black hole accretion disk spectral states, and quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs.

Foundations of Black Hole Accretion Disk Theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Abramowicz, Marek A; Fragile, P Chris

2013-01-01

This review covers the main aspects of black hole accretion disk theory. We begin with the view that one of the main goals of the theory is to better understand the nature of black holes themselves. In this light we discuss how accretion disks might reveal some of the unique signatures of strong gravity: the event horizon, the innermost stable circular orbit, and the ergosphere. We then review, from a first-principles perspective, the physical processes at play in accretion disks. This leads us to the four primary accretion disk models that we review: Polish doughnuts (thick disks), Shakura-Sunyaev (thin) disks, slim disks, and advection-dominated accretion flows (ADAFs). After presenting the models we discuss issues of stability, oscillations, and jets. Following our review of the analytic work, we take a parallel approach in reviewing numerical studies of black hole accretion disks. We finish with a few select applications that highlight particular astrophysical applications: measurements of black hole mass and spin, black hole vs. neutron star accretion disks, black hole accretion disk spectral states, and quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs).

Measuring the $W$-hair of String Black Holes

CERN Document Server

Ellis, Jonathan Richard; Nanopoulos, Dimitri V; Ellis, John

1992-01-01

We have argued previously that the infinitely many gauge symmetries of string theory provide an infinite set of conserved (gauge) quantum numbers ($W$-hair) which characterise black hole states and maintain quantum coherence. Here we study ways of measuring the $W$-hair of spherically-symmetric four-dimensional objects with event horizons, treated as effectively two-dimensional string black holes. Measurements can be done either through the s-wave scattering of light particles off the string black-hole background, or through interference experiments of Aharonov-Bohm type. In the first type of measurement, selection rules

Selective paint coatings for coloured solar absorbers: Polyurethane thickness insensitive spectrally selective (TISS) paints (Part II)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Orel, B.; Spreizer, H.; Surca Vuk, A.; Fir, M. [National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Merlini, D.; Vodlan, M. [Color d.d., Cesta komandanta Staneta 4, SI-1230 Medvode (Slovenia); Koehl, M. [Fraunhofer-Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, Heidenhofstr. 2, D-79110 Freiburg (Germany)

2007-01-23

Red, green and blue paints were prepared for use as thickness insensitive spectrally selective (TISS) paint coatings for solar facade absorbers. The paints were composed of a polyurethane resin binder in which various pigments were incorporated in such a way that they formed stable paint dispersions, satisfying stability criteria for facade coatings. A low emittance of the paints was achieved by using low-emittance aluminium flake pigments combined with iron oxide (red coloured paints). Black pigment was added to adjust solar absorptance. Blue and green paints were made by the addition of coloured aluminium flake pigment and the solar absorptance was also adjusted by the addition of black pigment. Efficiency for photo-thermal conversion of solar radiation was assessed by evaluation of the corresponding performance criteria, which enabled the selection of paints whose performance criteria values were higher than 0 (spectrally non-selective black coating). The results confirmed that blue and green paints and to minor extent red ones, combined selectivity with colour. The morphology of the paints was assessed, revealing that the colours originated from the deposition of finely dispersed colour and/or black pigment on the surface of the aluminium flakes during paint preparation. (author)

Old ages of two historical Romanian trees assessed by AMS radiocarbon dating

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Patrut, Adrian, E-mail: apatrut@gmail.com [Babes-Bolyai University, Department of Chemistry, Arany Janos 11, 400028 Cluj-Napoca (Romania); Reden, Karl F. von [Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Department of Geology and Geophysics, NOSAMS Facility, 360 Woods Hole Rd., Mailstop 8, Woods Hole, MA 02543 (United States); Lowy, Daniel A. [FlexEl, LLC, 387 Technology Drive, College Park, MD 20742 (United States); Patrut, Roxana T. [Babes-Bolyai University, Department of Biology and Geology, Gh. Bilascu 44, 400015 Cluj-Napoca (Romania); Lucian Vaida, D. [Museum of Border Regiment Nasaud, Granicerilor 19, 425200 Nasaud (Romania); Margineanu, Dragos [Babes-Bolyai University, Department of Chemistry, Arany Janos 11, 400028 Cluj-Napoca (Romania)

2013-01-15

Two large Romanian poplars are considered to be associated with significant historical events of the past. In order to verify these claims, wood samples collected from the broken trunks of the two poplars were radiocarbon dated by AMS. The oldest radiocarbon dates were found to be 275 {+-} 20 bp for the black poplar of Mocod and 316 {+-} 22 bp for the gray poplar of Rafaila. These values correspond to calibrated ages of 365 {+-} 10 and 465 {+-} 25 years, respectively. The dating results indicate old ages for the two trees, i.e., 455 years for the Mocod poplar and 560 years for the Rafaila poplar. Such age values validate historical information on the two large Romanian trees.

Divergent discourse between protests and counter-protests: #BlackLivesMatter and #AllLivesMatter.

Science.gov (United States)

Gallagher, Ryan J; Reagan, Andrew J; Danforth, Christopher M; Dodds, Peter Sheridan

2018-01-01

Since the shooting of Black teenager Michael Brown by White police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri, the protest hashtag #BlackLivesMatter has amplified critiques of extrajudicial killings of Black Americans. In response to #BlackLivesMatter, other Twitter users have adopted #AllLivesMatter, a counter-protest hashtag whose content argues that equal attention should be given to all lives regardless of race. Through a multi-level analysis of over 860,000 tweets, we study how these protests and counter-protests diverge by quantifying aspects of their discourse. We find that #AllLivesMatter facilitates opposition between #BlackLivesMatter and hashtags such as #PoliceLivesMatter and #BlueLivesMatter in such a way that historically echoes the tension between Black protesters and law enforcement. In addition, we show that a significant portion of #AllLivesMatter use stems from hijacking by #BlackLivesMatter advocates. Beyond simply injecting #AllLivesMatter with #BlackLivesMatter content, these hijackers use the hashtag to directly confront the counter-protest notion of "All lives matter." Our findings suggest that Black Lives Matter movement was able to grow, exhibit diverse conversations, and avoid derailment on social media by making discussion of counter-protest opinions a central topic of #AllLivesMatter, rather than the movement itself.

Racial segregation patterns in selective universities

OpenAIRE

Peter Arcidiacono; Esteban M. Aucejo; Andrew Hussey; Kenneth Spenner

2013-01-01

This paper examines sorting into interracial friendships at selective universities. We show significant friendship segregation, particularly for blacks. Indeed, blacks' friendships are no more diverse in college than in high school, despite the fact that the colleges that blacks attend have substantially smaller black populations. We demonstrate that the segregation patterns occur in part because affirmative action results in large differences in the academic backgrounds of students of differ...

Risky sexual behaviors among sexually active first-year students matriculating at a historically Black college: Is a positive self-image an instigator?

Science.gov (United States)

Ellis, Walter L

2016-01-01

A sample of 498 sexually active first-year students matriculating at a historically Black college in North Carolina was used to determine correlates of risky sexual behaviors. In an Ordinary Least Squares regression, the self-esteem element "I take a positive attitude toward myself" (B = 1.12, p = .05), non-condom use because of partner issues (B = .53, p = .05) and being drunk or high (B = 1.20, p = .001), oral sex (B = 1.74, p = .001), anal sex (B = .61, p = .04), and bisexuality (B = .85, p = .03) all increased the number of these behaviors. Higher scores on the condom usage scale (B = -.38, p = .002) were found to decrease the number of risky sexual behaviors. Illicit drug use was an underpinning of the surprisingly positive relationship between positive self-image and risky sexual behaviors. It was concluded that school-based social workers, mental health care professionals, and community-based prevention providers can play a critical role in the training of peer facilitators, development, and supervision of peer-driven risk-reduction programs to address the complex interplay among self-esteem, sex, and substances.

Not accounting for interindividual variability can mask habitat selection patterns: a case study on black bears.

Science.gov (United States)

Lesmerises, Rémi; St-Laurent, Martin-Hugues

2017-11-01

Habitat selection studies conducted at the population scale commonly aim to describe general patterns that could improve our understanding of the limiting factors in species-habitat relationships. Researchers often consider interindividual variation in selection patterns to control for its effects and avoid pseudoreplication by using mixed-effect models that include individuals as random factors. Here, we highlight common pitfalls and possible misinterpretations of this strategy by describing habitat selection of 21 black bears Ursus americanus. We used Bayesian mixed-effect models and compared results obtained when using random intercept (i.e., population level) versus calculating individual coefficients for each independent variable (i.e., individual level). We then related interindividual variability to individual characteristics (i.e., age, sex, reproductive status, body condition) in a multivariate analysis. The assumption of comparable behavior among individuals was verified only in 40% of the cases in our seasonal best models. Indeed, we found strong and opposite responses among sampled bears and individual coefficients were linked to individual characteristics. For some covariates, contrasted responses canceled each other out at the population level. In other cases, interindividual variability was concealed by the composition of our sample, with the majority of the bears (e.g., old individuals and bears in good physical condition) driving the population response (e.g., selection of young forest cuts). Our results stress the need to consider interindividual variability to avoid misinterpretation and uninformative results, especially for a flexible and opportunistic species. This study helps to identify some ecological drivers of interindividual variability in bear habitat selection patterns.

Tuning the dielectric properties of polystyrene/poly(vinylidene fluoride) blends by selectively localizing carbon black nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Xiaodong; Zhao, Jun; Cao, Jian-Ping; Wang, Xiaoyan; Chen, Min; Dang, Zhi-Min

2013-02-28

In this work, the dielectric properties of immiscible polystyrene (PS)/poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) blends are tuned by selectively localizing carbon black (CB) nanoparticles in different phases. The PS/PVDF blends have a wide window of cocontinuity (ca. 30-80 vol % in terms of the volume fraction of PS component (v(PS))). The selective localization of CB nanoparticles is achieved by using the masterbatch process during melt mixing. For the volume ratio PS/PVDF 1/1 and the volume fraction of CB nanoparticles (v(CB)) below but close to the percolation threshold (v(c)(CB)), the selective localization of CB nanoparticles in PVDF phase produces higher dielectric constant (ε) than that in PS phase, whereas the ε of the ternary mixtures without selective localization of fillers is in the middle. For the volume ratios PS/PVDF 1/2 and 2/1, the selective location of CB nanoparticles in different phases can be used to easily tune the system from conductive to insulating or inverse, which might have potential applications in industry. The fillers are found to be "fixed" in the masterbatch of PS or PVDF component and there is no migration of the fillers to another phase occurring during the further mixing process for the mixing time up to 30 min. Furthermore, the addition of CB nanoparticles to the polymer matrix is found to induce the brittle-ductile transition in the system and increase the compatibility between the immiscible PS and PVDF components, which should benefit the mechanical properties.

7000 years of Emiliania huxleyi viruses in the Black Sea.

Science.gov (United States)

Coolen, Marco J L

2011-07-22

A 7000-year record of Coccolithovirus and its host, the calcifying haptophyte Emiliania huxleyi, was reconstructed on the basis of genetic signatures preserved in sediments underlying the Black Sea. The data show that the same virus and host populations can persist for centuries. Major changes in virus and host populations occurred during early sapropel deposition, ~5600 years ago, and throughout the formation of the coccolith-bearing sediments of Unit I during the past 2500 years, when the Black Sea experienced dramatic changes in hydrologic and nutrient regimes. Unit I saw a reoccurrence of the same host genotype thousands of years later in the presence of a different subset of viruses. Historical plankton virus populations can thus be included in paleoecological and paleoenvironmental studies.

The Intersection of Race and Gender in School Leadership for Three Black Female Principals

Science.gov (United States)

Reed, Latish Cherie

2012-01-01

Using four assumptions of Black feminism, this qualitative study describes the practice of three African-American female principals in predominantly African-American, urban high schools. First, in general, the principals seemed to understand their experiences as part of a larger historical context. Second, given the shared racial and gender…

Youth Historians in Harlem: An After-School Blueprint for History Engagement through the Historical Process

Science.gov (United States)

Goldenberg, Barry M.

2016-01-01

This manuscript, written with the educator in mind, describes the Youth Historians in Harlem (YHH) program, a twenty-week after-school history program that engaged urban students in history by immersing them in aspects of the historical process. Throughout the program, a group of Black male high school students were apprenticed as historical…

Gammaherpesvirus carrier status of black wildebeest (Connochaetes gnou in South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J.A. Pretorius

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Malignant catarrhal fever (MCF is an economically important disease primarily of domestic cattle with a high case fatality rate. It is caused by either alcelaphine herpesvirus type 1 (AlHV-1 or ovine herpesvirus type 2 (OvHV-2. The major reservoir host of AlHV-1 is the blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus, but it is generally accepted that the black wildebeest (Connochaetes gnou is also a reservoir host. No viral studies in the black wildebeest have been reported and the carrier status of black wildebeest has not been documented. Specimens were collected from several game farms and conservation areas in central South Africa representing the geographical area historically linked to the natural habitat of the black wildebeest. Specimens were obtained from 304 black wildebeest of different ages and sex, as well as 51 black wildebeest foetuses at different stages of gestation. Virus was isolated from a black wildebeest calf. Morphological features and antigenic characteristics suggested it to be a gammaherpesvirus closely related to AlHV-1. All serum samples tested positive with a competitive inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (CI-ELISA for group-specific malignant catarrhal fever virus antibody. ASYBR Green real-time PCR assay was developed for the detection of gammaherpesviral DNA. Only 15.8 % of the animals tested positive with the real-time PCR assay whereas 90 % of the foetuses tested positive. This finding suggests that, unlike OvHV-2 infection in lambs in which the infection takes place after weaning, the virus in black wildebeest is mainly transmitted in utero or soon after birth. The results suggest that black wildebeest are latent carriers of a gammaherpesvirus similar or closely related to AlHV-1 present in blue wildebeest and that it is likely that all black wildebeest are persistently infected.

Selected Data for Wells and Test Holes Used in Structure-Contour Maps of the Inyan Kara Group, Minnekahta Limestone, Minnelusa Formation, Madison Limestone, and Deadwood Formation in the Black Hills Area, South Dakota

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Carter, Janet M

1999-01-01

This report presents selected data on wells and test holes that were used in the construction of structure-contour maps of selected formations that contain major aquifers in the Black Hills area of western South Dakota...

BOOK REVIEW: Introduction to Black Hole Physics Introduction to Black Hole Physics

Science.gov (United States)

Tanaka, Takahiro

2012-07-01

expected in the near future. Such hot topics are presented in Section 10: 'Black Holes and All That Jazz'. I would also consider the historical overview of the research on black holes given in Section 1 to be very interesting. Overall, I strongly recognised the intention of the authors not to go into too much detail; in this sense, I would say that the book has the aspect of a showcase of the frontiers of black hole physics. There are many topics which are very interesting but mathematically a little complicated; however, those subjects are appropriately treated so that the reader will not be overloaded with mathematical complexity. For example, in the discussion of black hole perturbation, only scalar field perturbation is discussed. The authors might have discussed gravitational wave perturbation, but this is much more complicated and the essential physics is mostly included in the simplest example of the scalar field. If I were one of the authors, I would consider adding more detailed explanations about several such advanced topics. However, the authors well know that such a challenge just presents a barrier to young students who are going to read this book, and really it is only an introduction to this interesting research field. This style might be the result of the long experience from the lectures over 30 years: the explanations of the subjects that the authors describe in detail are very carefully presented, avoiding logical gaps. In the preface, the authors state that they tried hard to answer students' questions as much as possible; I think that the authors' method in this respect is very successful.

Spawning of bluefin tuna in the black sea: historical evidence, environmental constraints and population plasticity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mackenzie, Brian R; Mariani, Patrizio

2012-01-01

The lucrative and highly migratory Atlantic bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus (Linnaeus 1758; Scombridae), used to be distributed widely throughout the north Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea. Its migrations have supported sustainable fisheries and impacted local cultures since antiquity...

Quantum Black Hole Model and HAWKING’S Radiation

Science.gov (United States)

Berezin, Victor

The black hole model with a self-gravitating charged spherical symmetric dust thin shell as a source is considered. The Schroedinger-type equation for such a model is derived. This equation appeared to be a finite differences equation. A theory of such an equation is developed and general solution is found and investigated in details. The discrete spectrum of the bound state energy levels is obtained. All the eigenvalues appeared to be infinitely degenerate. The ground state wave functions are evaluated explicitly. The quantum black hole states are selected and investigated. It is shown that the obtained black hole mass spectrum is compatible with the existence of Hawking’s radiation in the limit of low temperatures both for large and nearly extreme Reissner-Nordstrom black holes. The above mentioned infinite degeneracy of the mass (energy) eigenvalues may appeared helpful in resolving the well known information paradox in the black hole physics.

GC/MS in the study of deterioration process of historical monuments: characterization of the black crust formed in the Cathedral of Seville; GC/MS en el estudio del proceso de deterioro de monumentos historicos: caracterizacion de la costra negra presente en la Catedral de Sevilla

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reyes, J. [Programa de Corrosion del Golfo de Mexico. Universidad Autonoma de Campeche. Av. Agustin Melgar s/n, Campeche (Mexico); Hermosin, B.; Saiz J, C. [Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiologia de Sevilla. Avenida de la Reina Mercedes 10. Sevilla, Espana (Spain)]. e-mail: javreyes@uacam.mx

2006-07-01

Here, we present an interesting application of Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) technique which permitted to differentiate successfully between natural and anthropogenic compounds present in the black crust formed in the Cathedral of Seville. This building, considered as one of the most important historic and cultural European monuments suffers from intense blackening of its outside walls and sculptures due to the interaction with the urban environment. Fragment of black crusts were removed from the Cathedral walls and extraction process with organic solvents was carried out. The aliphatic, aromatic and polar fractions were separated and analyzed using GC/MS. A complex organic composition of the black crusts indicated the accumulative character of the deposition process of atmospheric particles as a function of the time. The presence of high molecular weight n-alkanes, n-fatty acids and natural molecular markers identified during the study were indicative of current biogenic contributions. It was also found an important group of petrogenic molecular markers related with diesel soot emissions from motor engines. The diesel soot and molecular markers were entrapped within the black crust mineral matrix and contribute to the observed blackening of the Seville Cathedral. (Author)

Selection and Characterization of Carbon Black and Surfactants for Development of Small Scale Uranium Oxicarbide Kernels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Contescu, Cristian I [ORNL

2006-01-01

This report supports the effort for development of small scale fabrication of UCO (a mixture of UO{sub 2} and UC{sub 2}) fuel kernels for the generation IV high temperature gas reactor program. In particular, it is focused on optimization of dispersion conditions of carbon black in the broths from which carbon-containing (UO{sub 2} {center_dot} H{sub 2}O + C) gel spheres are prepared by internal gelation. The broth results from mixing a hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) and urea solution with an acid-deficient uranyl nitrate (ADUN) solution. Carbon black, which is previously added to one or other of the components, must stay dispersed during gelation. The report provides a detailed description of characterization efforts and results, aimed at identification and testing carbon black and surfactant combinations that would produce stable dispersions, with carbon particle sizes below 1 {micro}m, in aqueous HMTA/urea and ADUN solutions. A battery of characterization methods was used to identify the properties affecting the water dispersability of carbon blacks, such as surface area, aggregate morphology, volatile content, and, most importantly, surface chemistry. The report introduces the basic principles for each physical or chemical method of carbon black characterization, lists the results obtained, and underlines cross-correlations between methods. Particular attention is given to a newly developed method for characterization of surface chemical groups on carbons in terms of their acid-base properties (pK{sub a} spectra) based on potentiometric titration. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to confirm the identity of surfactants, both ionic and non-ionic. In addition, background information on carbon black properties and the mechanism by which surfactants disperse carbon black in water is also provided. A list of main physical and chemical properties characterized, samples analyzed, and results obtained, as well as information on the desired trend or

"Community Psychology Is for Poor, Black People": Pedagogy and Teaching of Community Psychology in South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Carolissen, Ronelle; Rohleder, Poul; Bozalek, Vivienne; Swartz, Leslie; Leibowitz, Brenda

2010-01-01

The term "community" holds historical connotations of political, economic, and social disadvantage in South Africa. Many South African students tend to interpret the term "community" in ways that suggest that community and community psychology describe the experiences of exclusively poor, black people. Critical pedagogies that…

Old ages of two historical Romanian trees assessed by AMS radiocarbon dating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patrut, Adrian; Reden, Karl F. von; Lowy, Daniel A.; Patrut, Roxana T.; Lucian Vaida, D.; Margineanu, Dragos

2013-01-01

Two large Romanian poplars are considered to be associated with significant historical events of the past. In order to verify these claims, wood samples collected from the broken trunks of the two poplars were radiocarbon dated by AMS. The oldest radiocarbon dates were found to be 275 ± 20 bp for the black poplar of Mocod and 316 ± 22 bp for the gray poplar of Rafaila. These values correspond to calibrated ages of 365 ± 10 and 465 ± 25 years, respectively. The dating results indicate old ages for the two trees, i.e., 455 years for the Mocod poplar and 560 years for the Rafaila poplar. Such age values validate historical information on the two large Romanian trees.

Historic Buildings of the Warsaw University of Technology - Selected Issues of Renovation, Modernisation and Adaptation

Science.gov (United States)

Wagner, Anna Agata

2016-06-01

The historic buildings of the Warsaw University of Technology display not only outstanding architectural values, but are also representative of the trends in preservation, restoration, and adaptation that were prevalent at the time of their modernization. The post-war rebuilding of the WUT was more akin to modernization than reconstruction. But the freedom to shape modern architectural forms in the 1960s and '70s brought with it a lack of respect for their historic environment. A change in the approach to historic buildings and their integration with modern architecture came in the late 1970s. The most recent modernization of the WUT's historic buildings, especially after Poland's accession to the EU, resulted in many good examples of proper, harmonious integration between the `modern' and the `traditional'.

To Test or Not to Test: Barriers and Solutions to Testing African American College Students for HIV at a Historically Black College/University.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Naomi M; Peterson, Jennifer; Johnson, Malynnda

2014-01-01

Young African Americans are disproportionately affected by sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. The purpose was to identify reasons that African American college students at a historically Black college/university (HBCU) identified as barriers to HIV testing, and how these barriers can be removed. Fifty-seven heterosexual-identified undergraduate students (ages 18-25) attending an HBCU in the southeastern US participated in a mixed method study. Latent content analytic techniques were used to code the transcripts for themes and categories, and representative quotations were used in the findings. Quantitative data indicates high levels of perceived knowledge about HIV transmission, low perception of risk and concern of contracting HIV, yet continued sexual risk behavior. Qualitative data indicates three main themes used to avoid testing and three themes to encourage testing. Students were forthcoming in discussing the themes around avoidance of HIV testing (being scared to know, preferring not to know, and lack of discussion about HIV) and encouraging testing (group testing, increasing basic knowledge, and showing the reality of HIV). It is important for college healthcare professionals, researchers, and officials to identify appropriate ways to encourage HIV testing, and promote testing as part of overall health.

The Net Black Advantage in Educational Transitions: An Education Careers Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Merolla, David M.

2013-01-01

Recent studies have found a net Black advantage in educational attainment. This pattern indicates that after controlling for socioeconomic and academic characteristics, Black students are more likely to continue education than are their White counterparts. Using an educational careers approach, this study examines selection and student…

Historic Buildings of the Warsaw University of Technology - Selected Issues of Renovation, Modernisation and Adaptation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wagner Anna Agata

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The historic buildings of the Warsaw University of Technology display not only outstanding architectural values, but are also representative of the trends in preservation, restoration, and adaptation that were prevalent at the time of their modernization. The post-war rebuilding of the WUT was more akin to modernization than reconstruction. But the freedom to shape modern architectural forms in the 1960s and ’70s brought with it a lack of respect for their historic environment. A change in the approach to historic buildings and their integration with modern architecture came in the late 1970s. The most recent modernization of the WUT’s historic buildings, especially after Poland’s accession to the EU, resulted in many good examples of proper, harmonious integration between the ‘modern’ and the ‘traditional’.

Radiation transport around Kerr black holes

Science.gov (United States)

Schnittman, Jeremy David

This Thesis describes the basic framework of a relativistic ray-tracing code for analyzing accretion processes around Kerr black holes. We begin in Chapter 1 with a brief historical summary of the major advances in black hole astrophysics over the past few decades. In Chapter 2 we present a detailed description of the ray-tracing code, which can be used to calculate the transfer function between the plane of the accretion disk and the detector plane, an important tool for modeling relativistically broadened emission lines. Observations from the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer have shown the existence of high frequency quasi-periodic oscillations (HFQPOs) in a number of black hole binary systems. In Chapter 3, we employ a simple "hot spot" model to explain the position and amplitude of these HFQPO peaks. The power spectrum of the periodic X-ray light curve consists of multiple peaks located at integral combinations of the black hole coordinate frequencies, with the relative amplitude of each peak determined by the orbital inclination, eccentricity, and hot spot arc length. In Chapter 4, we introduce additional features to the model to explain the broadening of the QPO peaks as well as the damping of higher frequency harmonics in the power spectrum. The complete model is used to fit the power spectra observed in XTE J1550-564, giving confidence limits on each of the model parameters. In Chapter 5 we present a description of the structure of a relativistic alpha- disk around a Kerr black hole. Given the surface temperature of the disk, the observed spectrum is calculated using the transfer function mentioned above. The features of this modified thermal spectrum may be used to infer the physical properties of the accretion disk and the central black hole. In Chapter 6 we develop a Monte Carlo code to calculate the detailed propagation of photons from a hot spot emitter scattering through a corona surrounding the black hole. The coronal scattering has two major observable

Serosurvey for selected pathogens in free-ranging American black bears (Ursus americanus) in Maryland, USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Bronson, Ellen; Spiker, Harry; Driscoll, Cindy P

2014-10-01

American black bears (Ursus americanus) in Maryland, USA, live in forested areas in close proximity to humans and their domestic pets. From 1999 to 2011, we collected 84 serum samples from 63 black bears (18 males; 45 females) in five Maryland counties and tested them for exposure to infectious, including zoonotic, pathogens. A large portion of the bears had antibody to canine distemper virus and Toxoplasma gondii, many at high titers. Prevalences of antibodies to zoonotic agents such as rabies virus and to infectious agents of carnivores including canine adenovirus and canine parvovirus were lower. Bears also had antibodies to vector-borne pathogens common to bears and humans such as West Nile virus, Borrelia burgdorferi, Rickettsia rickettsii, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Antibodies were detected to Leptospira interrogans serovars Pomona, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Canicola, Grippotyphosa, and Bratislava. We did not detect antibodies to Brucella canis or Ehrlichia canis. Although this population of Maryland black bears demonstrated exposure to multiple pathogens of concern for humans and domesticated animals, the low levels of clinical disease in this and other free-ranging black bear populations indicate the black bear is likely a spillover host for the majority of pathogens studied. Nevertheless, bear populations living at the human-domestic-wildlife interface with increasing human and domestic animal exposure should continue to be monitored because this population likely serves as a useful sentinel of ecosystem health.

Mutual ornamentation, sexual selection, and social dominance in the black swan

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kraaijeveld, K; Gregurke, J; Hall, C; Komdeur, J; Mulder, RA

We investigated the adaptive significance of a sexually monomorphic ornament in the black swan Cygnus atratus. Both sexes grow curled feathers on their wings (range 7-22 curled feathers per wing), which are displayed prominently in a range of social interactions. The number of curled feathers

Proteolytic activity of selected moulds in the first fermentation of black-seeded soysauce

Science.gov (United States)

Yulifianti, R.; Ginting, E.

2018-01-01

Black-seeded soybean is preferred as normally it has higher protein content and would give black colour to the soyfiltrate for making soysauce. Mould is usually used in the first fermentation of soysauce making to prepare koji with high soluble protein as a media for the subsequent bacteria fermentation in brine solution. Black-seeded soybean of Detam 1 variety was used as the soysauce ingredient. The trial was a randomized complete design with four replicates. The treatments were (1) Rhizopus oligosporus starter (in flour form) with two day-fermentation, (2) similar R. oligosporus starter with three-day fermentation, (3) Aspergillus sojae (pure culture) with three-day fermentation and (4) A. sojae in flour form with three-day fermentation. The black-seeded soybean had 100-grain weight of 11.7 g, high protein content of 42.5% dw and fat content of 14.9% dw. Koji prepared using R. oligosporus starter with two-day fermentation had the lowest protein content (48.9% dw). Both starters of A. sojae culture and flour gave the highest soluble protein content of koji (41.0-41.5% dw), followed by R. oligosporus starter with 3 day-fermentation (35.2% dw). Whilst the lowest value was noted in koji prepared using R. oligosporus starter with two day-fermentation (30.8% dw). This suggests that both A. sojae starters had similar proteolitic activity and higher than that of R. oligosporus starter. In terms of practical application and maintenance of the mould viability by soysauce processors, the use of A. sojae flour starter with three-day fermentation is suggested.

Utilisation of maternity services by black women in rural and urban ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

An epidemiological survey was undertaken to evaluate the utilisation of maternal services for black women in the. Orange Free State. Two hundred and forty clusters were selected from the rural (fanns) and urban (local authorities) black population and eight households were interviewed in each cluster. Information was ...

Utilisation of maternity services by black women in rural and urban ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

An epidemiological survey was undertaken to evaluate the utilisation of maternal services for black women in the Orange Free State. Two hundred and forty clusters were selected from the rural (farms) and urban (local authorities) black population and eight households were interviewed in each cluster. Information was ...

Perceptions of Financial Aid: Black Students at a Predominantly White Institution

Science.gov (United States)

Tichavakunda, Antar A.

2017-01-01

This study provides qualitative context for statistics concerning Black college students and financial aid. Using the financial nexus model as a framework, this research draws upon interviews with 29 Black juniors and seniors at a selective, -private, and predominantly White university. The data suggest that students -generally exhibited high…

Identification and synthetic modeling of factors affecting American black duck populations

Science.gov (United States)

Conroy, Michael J.; Miller, Mark W.; Hines, James E.

2002-01-01

We reviewed the literature on factors potentially affecting the population status of American black ducks (Anas rupribes). Our review suggests that there is some support for the influence of 4 major, continental-scope factors in limiting or regulating black duck populations: 1) loss in the quantity or quality of breeding habitats; 2) loss in the quantity or quality of wintering habitats; 3) harvest, and 4) interactions (competition, hybridization) with mallards (Anas platyrhychos) during the breeding and/or wintering periods. These factors were used as the basis of an annual life cycle model in which reproduction rates and survival rates were modeled as functions of the above factors, with parameters of the model describing the strength of these relationships. Variation in the model parameter values allows for consideration of scientific uncertainty as to the degree each of these factors may be contributing to declines in black duck populations, and thus allows for the investigation of the possible effects of management (e.g., habitat improvement, harvest reductions) under different assumptions. We then used available, historical data on black duck populations (abundance, annual reproduction rates, and survival rates) and possible driving factors (trends in breeding and wintering habitats, harvest rates, and abundance of mallards) to estimate model parameters. Our estimated reproduction submodel included parameters describing negative density feedback of black ducks, positive influence of breeding habitat, and negative influence of mallard densities; our survival submodel included terms for positive influence of winter habitat on reproduction rates, and negative influences of black duck density (i.e., compensation to harvest mortality). Individual models within each group (reproduction, survival) involved various combinations of these factors, and each was given an information theoretic weight for use in subsequent prediction. The reproduction model with highest

Black Silicon Solar Cells with Black Ribbons

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Davidsen, Rasmus Schmidt; Tang, Peter Torben; Mizushima, Io

2016-01-01

We present the combination of mask-less reactive ion etch (RIE) texturing and blackened interconnecting ribbons as a method for obtaining all-black solar panels, while using conventional, front-contacted solar cells. Black silicon made by mask-less reactive ion etching has total, average...... in the range 15.7-16.3%. The KOH-textured reference cell had an efficiency of 17.9%. The combination of black Si and black interconnecting ribbons may result in aesthetic, all-black panels based on conventional, front-contacted silicon solar cells....... reflectance below 0.5% across a 156x156 mm2 silicon (Si) wafer. Black interconnecting ribbons were realized by oxidizing copper resulting in reflectance below 3% in the visible wavelength range. Screen-printed Si solar cells were realized on 156x156 mm2 black Si substrates with resulting efficiencies...

Inventory of coastal protected areas and historical heritage sites (North Bulgarian coast)

Science.gov (United States)

Palazov, Atanas; Stancheva, Margarita; Stanchev, Hristo; Krastev, Anton; Peev, Preslav

2015-04-01

Coastal protected areas and historical heritage sites in Bulgaria are established by national policy instruments/laws and EU Directives to protect a wide range of natural and cultural resources along the coast. Within the framework of HERAS Project (Submarine Archaeological Heritage of the Western Black Sea Shelf), financed by European Union under the CBC Program Romania-Bulgaria, we made an inventory and identification of protected areas, nature reserves, monuments, parks and onshore historical sites along the North Bulgarian coast (NUTS III level). The adjacent coastline is 96 km long between cape Sivriburun to the border of Romania on the north and cape Ekrene on the south. Coastal zone here is mostly undeveloped and low urbanized compared to other coastal regions in Bulgaria. It comprises of large sand beaches, vast sand dunes, up to 70 m spectacular high limestone cliffs, coastal fresh-water lakes, wetlands etc. This coastal section includes also one of the most important wetlands and it is migration corridor for many protected birds in Bulgaria, that host one of the rarest ecosystem types with national and international conservational value. Added to ecosystem values, the region is also an archeologically important area, where numerous underwater and coastal archaeological sites from different periods have been discovered - Prehistory, Antiquity (ancient Greek, Hellenistic, Roman), Mediaeval (Early Byzantium, Bulgarian). Research was made within 2100 m zone from the coastline (in accordance with zones defined by the Black Sea Coastal Development Act) for territories with protected status in the framework of many national laws and EU Directives. The total area of this strip zone is 182, 6 km2 and around 67% is under protection. There are 11 unique NATURA 2000 protected areas (6 Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and 5 Sites of Communities Importance (SCI), 2 nature reserves and 1 Nature Park. Some of them are also onshore historical sites. In Bulgaria such sites

This Bridge Called My Leadership: An Essay on Black Women as Bridge Leaders in Education

Science.gov (United States)

Horsford, Sonya Douglass

2012-01-01

The purpose of this essay is to contextualize the existing research literature on leadership for diversity, equity, and social justice in education with "bridge leadership" as historically practiced by Black women leaders in the USA. Its primary aim is to demonstrate how the intersection of race and gender as experienced by the Black…

Historical Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) Distributions from Coastal Alabama, Gulf of Mexico from 1940-01-01 to 1966-10-21 (NCEI Accession 0162477)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Historic black and white aerial photographs of coastal Alabama (Mobile Bay and adjacent waters) from 1940, 1955, and 1966 were digitized and georeferenced using Blue...

Performance of Ceriporiopsis sp. in the Treatment of Black Liquor Wastewater

OpenAIRE

Sari, Ajeng Arum

2016-01-01

High amounts of black liquor wastewater are generated from bioethanol production by using oil palm empty fruit bunches. It contains an alkaline solution (NaOH), so it is quite toxic for aquatic ecosystems if discharged directly into waters. Black liquor has been treated by coagulation method, and it still needs additional treatment. This study aimed to determine degradation of black liquor wastewater by selected white-rot fungi (WRF). Five different strains of WRF have been tested for their a...

D Visualization of a Timber Frame Historic Building: Partite Usage and its Impact on the Structural System

Science.gov (United States)

Günay, S.

2017-08-01

Throughout their lifetime, historic buildings might be altered for different kind of usage for different purposes. If this new function or new usage requires utilization of the building in separate units, this separation might affect the historic building's functionality and structure and as a result its overall condition. Yorguc Pasa Mansion conservation project was prepared as a part of the Middle East Technical University (METU) Master's Program in Documentation and Conservation of Historic Monuments and Sites for the historic Yorguc Pasa Mansion. The mansion is a 19th century Ottoman Period timber frame building in Amasya, a Black Sea Region city in Turkey that has traces from different civilizations such as Hittites, Greeks, Romans and Ottomans. This paper aims to discuss the affects of the partite usage on structural conditions of timber frame buildings with the case study of Amasya Yorguc Pasa Mansion through the 3D visualized structural systems.

Status of underrepresented minority and female faculty at medical schools located within Historically Black Colleges and in Puerto Rico

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emily M. Mader

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Background and objectives: To assess the impact of medical school location in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU and Puerto Rico (PR on the proportion of underrepresented minorities in medicine (URMM and women hired in faculty and leadership positions at academic medical institutions. Method: AAMC 2013 faculty roster data for allopathic medical schools were used to compare the racial/ethnic and gender composition of faculty and chair positions at medical schools located within HBCU and PR to that of other medical schools in the United States. Data were compared using independent sample t-tests. Results: Women were more highly represented in HBCU faculty (mean HBCU 43.5% vs. non-HBCU 36.5%, p=0.024 and chair (mean HBCU 30.1% vs. non-HBCU 15.6%, p=0.005 positions and in PR chair positions (mean PR 38.23% vs. non-PR 15.38%, p=0.016 compared with other allopathic institutions. HBCU were associated with increased African American representation in faculty (mean HBCU 59.5% vs. non-HBCU 2.6%, p=0.011 and chair (mean HBCU 73.1% vs. non-HBCU 2.2%, p≤0.001 positions. PR designation was associated with increased faculty (mean PR 75.40% vs. non-PR 3.72%, p≤0.001 and chair (mean PR 75.00% vs. non-PR 3.54%, p≤0.001 positions filled by Latinos/Hispanics. Conclusions: Women and African Americans are better represented in faculty and leadership positions at HBCU, and women and Latino/Hispanics at PR medical schools, than they are at allopathic peer institutions.

Survival advantage in black versus white men with CKD: effect of estimated GFR and case mix.

Science.gov (United States)

Kovesdy, Csaba P; Quarles, L Darryl; Lott, Evan H; Lu, Jun Ling; Ma, Jennie Z; Molnar, Miklos Z; Kalantar-Zadeh, Kamyar

2013-08-01

Black dialysis patients have significantly lower mortality compared with white patients, in contradistinction to the higher mortality seen in blacks in the general population. It is unclear whether a similar paradox exists in patients with non-dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease (CKD), and if it does, what its underlying reasons are. Historical cohort. 518,406 white and 52,402 black male US veterans with non-dialysis-dependent CKD stages 3-5. Black race. We examined overall and CKD stage-specific all-cause mortality using parametric survival models. The effect of sociodemographic characteristics, comorbid conditions, and laboratory characteristics on the observed differences was explored in multivariable models. During a median follow-up of 4.7 years, 172,093 patients died (mortality rate, 71.0 [95% CI, 70.6-71.3] per 1,000 patient-years). Black race was associated with significantly lower crude mortality (HR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.94-0.97; P case-mix and laboratory characteristics occurring during the course of kidney disease. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the National Kidney Foundation, Inc.

Contemporary Seicento: On the Dark Background of the Italian Historical Novel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Davide Messina

2015-11-01

Full Text Available While the historical novel is a product of European Romanticism, the first Italian historical novel expresses the critical awareness of its origin against the dark background of the Seicento. For the historical and political imagination of the Italian Romanticism, the Seicento represents the Middle Age of modernity, namely the obscurity of the contemporary. From the dark background of the Seicento the Italian historical novel draws stories that reflect on the obscurity of its own time. In particular, my essay examines a selection of contemporary texts that show the continued and critical presence of the Seicento in the Italian historical novel.

Validation of inverse seasonal peak mortality in medieval plagues, including the Black Death, in comparison to modern Yersinia pestis-variant diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Welford, Mark R; Bossak, Brian H

2009-12-22

Recent studies have noted myriad qualitative and quantitative inconsistencies between the medieval Black Death (and subsequent "plagues") and modern empirical Y. pestis plague data, most of which is derived from the Indian and Chinese plague outbreaks of A.D. 1900+/-15 years. Previous works have noted apparent differences in seasonal mortality peaks during Black Death outbreaks versus peaks of bubonic and pneumonic plagues attributed to Y. pestis infection, but have not provided spatiotemporal statistical support. Our objective here was to validate individual observations of this seasonal discrepancy in peak mortality between historical epidemics and modern empirical data. We compiled and aggregated multiple daily, weekly and monthly datasets of both Y. pestis plague epidemics and suspected Black Death epidemics to compare seasonal differences in mortality peaks at a monthly resolution. Statistical and time series analyses of the epidemic data indicate that a seasonal inversion in peak mortality does exist between known Y. pestis plague and suspected Black Death epidemics. We provide possible explanations for this seasonal inversion. These results add further evidence of inconsistency between historical plagues, including the Black Death, and our current understanding of Y. pestis-variant disease. We expect that the line of inquiry into the disputed cause of the greatest recorded epidemic will continue to intensify. Given the rapid pace of environmental change in the modern world, it is crucial that we understand past lethal outbreaks as fully as possible in order to prepare for future deadly pandemics.

A Determination of Eligibility to the National Register of Historic Places for Select Historic Properties Along the Souris River in North Dakota

Science.gov (United States)

1989-08-01

Company Historic District," 1985. "Historic Resources of Hardin, Montana," :984. "Silver Bow Brewery Malt House," 1982. "Silver Bow County Poor Farm...34i QQL-- Q ..i FEATURE TYPE CULTURAL MATERIAL ’iii Site Type -0,- Cm Scatter , , Bone 0 Chimney %.Z Ceramics tA Context .Q, Depression 1 Charcoal i...Sec , QQQ i, QQ . Q, ,LTL, L- Twp R ,.. , Sec ,., QQO 1- QQ’ L- Q’ ’ FEATURE TYPE CULTURAL MATERIAL &. Site Type m, Cm Scatter ,.Z, Bone Chimney

Management of high blood pressure in Blacks: an update of the International Society on Hypertension in Blacks consensus statement.

Science.gov (United States)

Flack, John M; Sica, Domenic A; Bakris, George; Brown, Angela L; Ferdinand, Keith C; Grimm, Richard H; Hall, W Dallas; Jones, Wendell E; Kountz, David S; Lea, Janice P; Nasser, Samar; Nesbitt, Shawna D; Saunders, Elijah; Scisney-Matlock, Margaret; Jamerson, Kenneth A

2010-11-01

Since the first International Society on Hypertension in Blacks consensus statement on the "Management of High Blood Pressure in African American" in 2003, data from additional clinical trials have become available. We reviewed hypertension and cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment guidelines, pharmacological hypertension clinical end point trials, and blood pressure-lowering trials in blacks. Selected trials without significant black representation were considered. In this update, blacks with hypertension are divided into 2 risk strata, primary prevention, where elevated blood pressure without target organ damage, preclinical cardiovascular disease, or overt cardiovascular disease for whom blood pressure consistently secondary prevention, where elevated blood pressure with target organ damage, preclinical cardiovascular disease, and/or a history of cardiovascular disease, for whom blood pressure consistently blood pressure is ≤10 mm Hg above target levels, monotherapy with a diuretic or calcium channel blocker is preferred. When blood pressure is >15/10 mm Hg above target, 2-drug therapy is recommended, with either a calcium channel blocker plus a renin-angiotensin system blocker or, alternatively, in edematous and/or volume-overload states, with a thiazide diuretic plus a renin-angiotensin system blocker. Effective multidrug therapeutic combinations through 4 drugs are described. Comprehensive lifestyle modifications should be initiated in blacks when blood pressure is ≥115/75 mm Hg. The updated International Society on Hypertension in Blacks consensus statement on hypertension management in blacks lowers the minimum target blood pressure level for the lowest-risk blacks, emphasizes effective multidrug regimens, and de-emphasizes monotherapy.

Black holes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feast, M.W.

1981-01-01

This article deals with two questions, namely whether it is possible for black holes to exist, and if the answer is yes, whether we have found any yet. In deciding whether black holes can exist or not the central role in the shaping of our universe played by the forse of gravity is discussed, and in deciding whether we are likely to find black holes in the universe the author looks at the way stars evolve, as well as white dwarfs and neutron stars. He also discusses the problem how to detect a black hole, possible black holes, a southern black hole, massive black holes, as well as why black holes are studied

Retention of black and white participants in the selenium and vitamin E cancer prevention trial (SWOG-coordinated intergroup study S0000).

Science.gov (United States)

Arnold, Kathryn B; Hermos, John A; Anderson, Karen B; Minasian, Lori; Tangen, Catherine M; Probstfield, Jeffrey F; Cook, Elise D

2014-12-01

Disproportionally low retention of minority populations can adversely affect the generalizability of clinical research trials. We determine the overall retention rates for White and Black participants from the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT) and explore participant and site characteristics associated with retention failure (study disengagement) for these groups. A secondary analysis of 28,118 White (age ≥55), and 4,322 Black (age ≥ 50) SELECT participants used multivariate Cox regression to estimate overall retention rates and to calculate HRs and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Blacks had higher age-adjusted risk of disengagement than Whites (HR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.77-2.08). Among Black participants, those ages 50 to 54 were at three times the risk of disengagement than those ≥65 years of age (HR, 3.61; 95% CI, 2.41-5.41). Blacks age ≥65 had 1.6 times the risk of disengagement than Whites age ≥65 (HR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.38-1.87). By 6 years after randomization, 84% of Whites and 69% of Blacks remained engaged in the study. Current smoking status was an independent risk factor for study disengagement for both White and Black participants. For both groups, sites whose staffs missed SELECT training sessions or who received SELECT Retention and Adherence grants were associated with increased and decreased disengagement risks, respectively. SELECT retention was disproportionately lower for Blacks than for Whites. The observed difference in retention rates for Blacks and Whites and factors identified by race for study disengagement in SELECT may inform retention efforts for future long-term, cancer prevention trials. ©2014 American Association for Cancer Research.

Selecting the minimum prediction base of historical data to perform 5-year predictions of the cancer burden: The GoF-optimal method.

Science.gov (United States)

Valls, Joan; Castellà, Gerard; Dyba, Tadeusz; Clèries, Ramon

2015-06-01

Predicting the future burden of cancer is a key issue for health services planning, where a method for selecting the predictive model and the prediction base is a challenge. A method, named here Goodness-of-Fit optimal (GoF-optimal), is presented to determine the minimum prediction base of historical data to perform 5-year predictions of the number of new cancer cases or deaths. An empirical ex-post evaluation exercise for cancer mortality data in Spain and cancer incidence in Finland using simple linear and log-linear Poisson models was performed. Prediction bases were considered within the time periods 1951-2006 in Spain and 1975-2007 in Finland, and then predictions were made for 37 and 33 single years in these periods, respectively. The performance of three fixed different prediction bases (last 5, 10, and 20 years of historical data) was compared to that of the prediction base determined by the GoF-optimal method. The coverage (COV) of the 95% prediction interval and the discrepancy ratio (DR) were calculated to assess the success of the prediction. The results showed that (i) models using the prediction base selected through GoF-optimal method reached the highest COV and the lowest DR and (ii) the best alternative strategy to GoF-optimal was the one using the base of prediction of 5-years. The GoF-optimal approach can be used as a selection criterion in order to find an adequate base of prediction. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Impact of Religious Faith and Internalized Homonegativity on Resiliency for Black Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Emerging Adults

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Ja'Nina J.; Longmire-Avital, Buffie

2013-01-01

Religious faith has been instrumental in fostering positive mental health outcomes for historically disenfranchised populations, such as Black Americans. However, the religious institutional devaluing of same-sex behavior and identity fuels internalized homonegativity (i.e., negative thoughts regarding one's same-sex sexual behavior) for…

Multi-scale habitat use of male ruffed grouse in the Black Hills National Forest

Science.gov (United States)

Cassandra L. Mehls; Kent C. Jensen; Mark A. Rumble; Michael C. Wimberly

2014-01-01

Ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) are native upland game birds and a management indicator species (MIS) for aspen (Populus tremuloides) in the Black Hills National Forest (Black Hills). Our objective was to assess resource selection of male ruffed grouse to identify the most appropriate scale to manage for aspen and ruffed grouse in the Black Hills. During spring 2007...

Black silicon with black bus-bar strings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Davidsen, Rasmus Schmidt; Tang, Peter Torben; Mizushima, Io

2016-01-01

We present the combination of black silicon texturing and blackened bus-bar strings as a potential method for obtaining all-black solar panels, while using conventional, front-contacted solar cells. Black silicon was realized by mask-less reactive ion etching resulting in total, average reflectance...... below 0.5% across a 156x156 mm2 silicon wafer. Black bus-bars were realized by oxidized copper resulting in reflectance below 3% in the entire visible wavelength range. The combination of these two technologies may result in aesthetic, all-black panels based on conventional, front-contacted solar cells...

Processing black mulberry into jam: Effects on antioxidant potential and in vitro bioaccessibility

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tomas, Merve; Toydemir, Gamze; Boyacioglu, Dilek; Hall, R.D.; Beekwilder, M.J.; Capanoglu, Esra

2017-01-01

Black mulberries (Morus nigra) were processed into jam on an industrialized scale, including the major steps of: selection of frozen black mulberries, adding glucose-fructose syrup and water, cooking, adding citric acid and apple pectin, removing seeds, and pasteurization. Qualitative and

PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF BUILDING MATERIALS OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiří Witzany

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The article presents partial results of laboratory research into physical and mechanical characteristics of materials most commonly used as walling units in masonry structures of historic and heritage buildings. Core boreholes and specimens for the laboratory research of selected characteristics were sampled from accessible places of historic buildings, which had not been restored or reconstructed. The results of the research brought new knowledge about the unreliability (variance of the properties of historical, mainly natural building materials, and, at the same time, pointed out the need for further research and extension of knowledge necessary for the assessment of residual physical and mechanical characteristics of historic masonry structures.

Educating Our Own: The Historical Legacy of HBCUs and Their Relevance for Educating a New Generation of Leaders

Science.gov (United States)

Albritton, Travis J.

2012-01-01

Providing a brief history of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs)--including how and why they were founded, funding sources and needs over time, and an examination of mission statements--the author considers the relevance of HBCUs in the current twenty-first century context. He makes an argument that the educational opportunities…

Theological training in the black Reformed Churches in South Africa (RCSA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hulisani Ramantswana

2015-03-01

Full Text Available This article presents a historic analysis of theological training in the black Reformed Churches in South Africa (RCSA − Southland Synod (Coloured, Synod Midlands (black and Synod Soutpansberg (black − and highlights the major trends with regard to theological training. Four phases are identified: (1 1910–1951, informal training of evangelists and ministers on a local basis; (2 1952–1960, the beginning of formal training of ministers and evangelists; (3 1961–1989, training under the 1961 Theological Training Policy for the black RCSA; and (4 1990 to today, theological training in the black RCSA in the context of the new South Africa. Teologiese opleiding in die swart Gereformeerde Kerke in Suid-Afrika (GKSA. Die artikel bied ’n historiese ontleding van teologiese opleiding in die swart Gereformeerde Kerke in Suid-Afrika − Suidland Sinode (Kleurling, Middellande Sinode (swart en Soutpansberg Sinode (swart − en beklemtoon die belangrikste tendense met betrekking tot teologiese opleiding. Vier fases word in die artikel geïdentifiseer: (1 1910–1951, informele opleiding van evangeliste en leraars op ’n plaaslike basis; (2 1952–1960, die begin van die formele opleiding van predikante en evangeliste; (3 1961–1989, opleiding onder die 1961 Teologiese Opleidingsbeleid in die swart GKSA; en (4 1990 tot vandag, teologiese opleiding in die swart GKSA in die konteks van die nuwe Suid-Afrika.

Patterns in Nuclear and Mitochondrial DNA Reveal Historical and Recent Isolation in the Black-Tailed Godwit (

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Trimbos, K.B.; Doorenweerd, C.; Kraaijeveld, K.; Musters, C.J.M.; Groen, N.M.; de Knijff, P.; Piersma, T.; de Snoo, G.R.

2014-01-01

On the basis of morphological differences, three subspecies of Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) have been recognized (L. l. limosa, L. l. islandica and L. l. melanuroides). In previous studies mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence data showed minimal genetic divergence between the three subspecies

Bacteria Associated to Plants Naturally Selected in a Historical PCB Polluted Soil Show Potential to Sustain Natural Attenuation.

Science.gov (United States)

Vergani, Lorenzo; Mapelli, Francesca; Marasco, Ramona; Crotti, Elena; Fusi, Marco; Di Guardo, Antonio; Armiraglio, Stefano; Daffonchio, Daniele; Borin, Sara

2017-01-01

The exploitation of the association between plants and microorganisms is a promising approach able to boost natural attenuation processes for soil clean-up in vast polluted areas characterized by mixed chemical contamination. We aimed to explore the selection of root-associated bacterial communities driven by different plant species spontaneously established in abandoned agricultural soils within a historical polluted site in north Italy. The site is highly contaminated by chlorinated persistent organic pollutants, mainly constituted by polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), together with heavy metals and metalloids, in variable concentrations and uneven distribution. The overall structure of the non-vegetated and root-associated soil fractions bacterial communities was described by high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, and a collection of 165 rhizobacterial isolates able to use biphenyl as unique carbon source was assayed for plant growth promotion (PGP) traits and bioremediation potential. The results showed that the recruitment of specific bacterial communities in the root-associated soil fractions was driven by both soil fractions and plant species, explaining 21 and 18% of the total bacterial microbiome variation, respectively. PCR-based detection in the soil metagenome of bacterial bphA gene, encoding for the biphenyl dioxygenase α subunit, indicated that the soil in the site possesses metabolic traits linked to PCB degradation. Biphenyl-utilizing bacteria isolated from the rhizosphere of the three different plant species showed low phylogenetic diversity and well represented functional traits, in terms of PGP and bioremediation potential. On average, 72% of the strains harbored the bphA gene and/or displayed catechol 2,3-dioxygenase activity, involved in aromatic ring cleavage. PGP traits, including 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid deaminase activity potentially associated to plant stress tolerance induction, were widely distributed among the isolates

Bacteria Associated to Plants Naturally Selected in a Historical PCB Polluted Soil Show Potential to Sustain Natural Attenuation

KAUST Repository

Vergani, Lorenzo

2017-07-25

The exploitation of the association between plants and microorganisms is a promising approach able to boost natural attenuation processes for soil clean-up in vast polluted areas characterized by mixed chemical contamination. We aimed to explore the selection of root-associated bacterial communities driven by different plant species spontaneously established in abandoned agricultural soils within a historical polluted site in north Italy. The site is highly contaminated by chlorinated persistent organic pollutants, mainly constituted by polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), together with heavy metals and metalloids, in variable concentrations and uneven distribution. The overall structure of the non-vegetated and root-associated soil fractions bacterial communities was described by high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, and a collection of 165 rhizobacterial isolates able to use biphenyl as unique carbon source was assayed for plant growth promotion (PGP) traits and bioremediation potential. The results showed that the recruitment of specific bacterial communities in the root-associated soil fractions was driven by both soil fractions and plant species, explaining 21 and 18% of the total bacterial microbiome variation, respectively. PCR-based detection in the soil metagenome of bacterial bphA gene, encoding for the biphenyl dioxygenase α subunit, indicated that the soil in the site possesses metabolic traits linked to PCB degradation. Biphenyl-utilizing bacteria isolated from the rhizosphere of the three different plant species showed low phylogenetic diversity and well represented functional traits, in terms of PGP and bioremediation potential. On average, 72% of the strains harbored the bphA gene and/or displayed catechol 2,3-dioxygenase activity, involved in aromatic ring cleavage. PGP traits, including 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid deaminase activity potentially associated to plant stress tolerance induction, were widely distributed among the isolates

Bacteria Associated to Plants Naturally Selected in a Historical PCB Polluted Soil Show Potential to Sustain Natural Attenuation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lorenzo Vergani

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The exploitation of the association between plants and microorganisms is a promising approach able to boost natural attenuation processes for soil clean-up in vast polluted areas characterized by mixed chemical contamination. We aimed to explore the selection of root-associated bacterial communities driven by different plant species spontaneously established in abandoned agricultural soils within a historical polluted site in north Italy. The site is highly contaminated by chlorinated persistent organic pollutants, mainly constituted by polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs, together with heavy metals and metalloids, in variable concentrations and uneven distribution. The overall structure of the non-vegetated and root-associated soil fractions bacterial communities was described by high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, and a collection of 165 rhizobacterial isolates able to use biphenyl as unique carbon source was assayed for plant growth promotion (PGP traits and bioremediation potential. The results showed that the recruitment of specific bacterial communities in the root-associated soil fractions was driven by both soil fractions and plant species, explaining 21 and 18% of the total bacterial microbiome variation, respectively. PCR-based detection in the soil metagenome of bacterial bphA gene, encoding for the biphenyl dioxygenase α subunit, indicated that the soil in the site possesses metabolic traits linked to PCB degradation. Biphenyl-utilizing bacteria isolated from the rhizosphere of the three different plant species showed low phylogenetic diversity and well represented functional traits, in terms of PGP and bioremediation potential. On average, 72% of the strains harbored the bphA gene and/or displayed catechol 2,3-dioxygenase activity, involved in aromatic ring cleavage. PGP traits, including 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid deaminase activity potentially associated to plant stress tolerance induction, were widely distributed

The physical drivers of historical and 21st century global precipitation changes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thorpe, Livia; Andrews, Timothy

2014-01-01

Historical and 21st century global precipitation changes are investigated using data from the fifth Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) Atmosphere-Ocean-General-Circulation-Models (AOGCMs) and a simple energy-balance model. In the simple model, precipitation change in response to a given top-of-atmosphere radiative forcing is calculated as the sum of a response to the surface warming and a direct ‘adjustment’ response to the atmospheric radiative forcing. This simple model allows the adjustment in global mean precipitation to atmospheric radiative forcing from different forcing agents to be examined separately and emulates the AOGCMs well. During the historical period the AOGCMs simulate little global precipitation change despite an increase in global temperature—at the end of the historical period, global multi-model mean precipitation has increased by about 0.03 mm day −1 , while the global multi-model mean surface temperature has warmed by about 1 K, both relative to the pre-industrial control means. This is because there is a large direct effect from CO 2 and black carbon atmospheric forcing that opposes the increase in precipitation from surface warming. In the 21st century scenarios, the opposing effect from black carbon declines and the increase in global precipitation due to surface warming dominates. The cause of the spread between models in the global precipitation projections (which can be up to 0.25 mm day −1 ) is examined and found to come mainly from uncertainty in the climate sensitivity. The spatial distribution of precipitation change is found to be dominated by the response to surface warming. It is concluded that AOGCM global precipitation projections are in line with expectations based on our understanding of how the energy and water cycles are physically linked. (letters)

Habitat selection of black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti) in Tibet: implications for species conservation.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiang, Zuo-Fu; Huo, Sheng; Xiao, Wen

2011-04-01

As anthropogenic habitat changes are often considered a threat to natural ecosystems and wildlife, a sound understanding of the effects of habitat alteration on endangered species is crucial when designing management strategies or performing conservation activities. Black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti) are categorized as endangered on the IUCN Red List and are endemic to the trans-Himalayas in China. At present, there are only 15 groups and 2,500 individuals remaining in the wild, and they are facing intense habitat degradation with selective logging for house building and firewood. Habitat deterioration through wood extraction is occurring at Xiaochangdu, Tibet, where one stable group of R. bieti lives in a marginal habitat in the northernmost part of the species' distribution. To understand the species' response to selective logging in an extremely marginal habitat, data on habitat preference and diet composition of a group of R. bieti were collected at Xiaochangdu from 2003 to 2005. The monkeys used different habitats nonrandomly during the year. The selection index for secondary conifer forest (SC), where selective logging has occurred, was the highest of all habitat types (>1), suggesting that the groups strongly preferred SC. The monkeys fed more on buds/leaves, more on flowers/fruit/seeds, and less on lichen in SC than in primary conifer forest (PC). Dietary diversity was significantly higher in SC than in PC. These results indicate that over the short term, low-intensity disturbances may result in increased foliage diversity that enable groups of R. bieti to survive in this marginal habitat. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Black rings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Emparan, Roberto; Reall, Harvey S

2006-01-01

A black ring is a five-dimensional black hole with an event horizon of topology S 1 x S 2 . We provide an introduction to the description of black rings in general relativity and string theory. Novel aspects of the presentation include a new approach to constructing black ring coordinates and a critical review of black ring microscopics. (topical review)

A Parallel Restoration for Black Start of Microgrids Considering Characteristics of Distributed Generations

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Jing Wang

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The black start capability is vital for microgrids, which can potentially improve the reliability of the power grid. This paper proposes a black start strategy for microgrids based on a parallel restoration strategy. Considering the characteristics of distributed generations (DGs, an evaluation model, which is used to assess the black start capability of DGs, is established by adopting the variation coefficient method. Thus, the DGs with good black start capability, which are selected by a diversity sequence method, are restored first in parallel under the constraints of DGs and network. During the selection process of recovery paths, line weight and node importance degree are proposed under the consideration of the node topological importance and the load importance as well as the backbone network restoration time. Therefore, the whole optimization of the reconstructed network is realized. Finally, the simulation results verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the strategy.

Recombinant F1-V fusion protein protects black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes) against virulent Yersinia pestis infection

Science.gov (United States)

Rocke, Tonie E.; Mencher, J.; Smith, Susan; Friedlander, A.M.; Andrews, G.P.; Baeten, L.A.

2004-01-01

Black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes) are highly susceptible to sylvatic plague, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, and this disease has severely hampered efforts to restore ferrets to their historic range. A study was conducted to assess the efficacy of vaccination of black-footed ferrets against plague using a recombinant protein vaccine, designated F1-V, developed by personnel at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases. Seven postreproductive black-footed ferrets were immunized with the vaccine, followed by two booster immunizations on days 23 and 154; three control black-footed ferrets received a placebo. After the second immunization, antibody titers to both F1 and V antigen were found to be significantly higher in vaccinates than controls. On challenge with 7,800 colony-forming units of virulent plague by s.c. injection, the three control animals died within 3 days, but six of seven vaccinates survived with no ill effects. The seventh vaccinate died on day 8. These results indicate that black-footed ferrets can be immunized against plague induced by the s.c. route, similar to fleabite injection.

"Black Like Me": Reframing Blackness for Decolonial Politics

Science.gov (United States)

Dei, George J. Sefa

2018-01-01

From a particular vantage point, as an African-born scholar with a politics to affirm my Black subjectivity and Indigeneity in a diasporic context, my article engages a (re)theorization of Blackness for decolonial politics. Building on existing works of how Black scholars, themselves, have theorized Blackness, and recognizing the fluid,…

Racial Segregation Patterns in Selective Universities. CEP Discussion Paper No. 1219

Science.gov (United States)

Arcidiacono, Peter; Aucejo, Esteban; Hussey, Andrew; Spenner, Kenneth

2013-01-01

This paper examines sorting into interracial friendships at selective universities. We show significant friendship segregation, particularly for blacks. Indeed, black friendships are no more diverse in college than in high school despite the colleges blacks attend having substantially smaller black populations. We show that part of the reason for…

An examination of black/white differences in the rate of age-related mortality increase

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Andrew Fenelon

2013-09-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND The rate of mortality increase with age among adults is typically used as a measure of the rate of functional decline associated with aging or senescence. While black and white populations differ in the level of mortality, mortality also rises less rapidly with age for blacks than for whites, leading to the well-known black/white mortality "crossover". OBJECTIVE This paper investigates black/white differences in the rate of mortality increase with age for major causes of death in order to examine the factors responsible for the black/white crossover. METHODS The analysis considers two explanations for the crossover: selective survival and age misreporting. Mortality is modeled using a Gompertz model for 11 causes of death from ages 50-84 among blacks and whites by sex. RESULTS Mortality increases more rapidly with age for whites than for blacks for nearly all causes of death considered. The all-cause mortality rate of mortality increase is nearly two percentage points higher for whites. The analysis finds evidence for both selective survival and age misreporting, although age misreporting is a more prominent explanation among women. CONCLUSIONS The black/white mortality crossover reflects large differences in the rate of age-related mortality increase. Instead of reflecting the impact of specific causes of death, this pattern exists across many disparate disease conditions, indicating the need for a broad explanation.

Erythrocyte seditnentation rate in elderly blacks

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Abstract This study inv~tigated the erythrocyte sedimen- tation rate (ESR) in an elderly population with the objective of establishing reference ranges and the diagnostic value of the ESR. Elderly blacks were randomly selected frOIn conununities in the. Orange Free State. ESR determinations were done according to the ...

The stony road we tread: The challenges and contributions of Black Liberation Theology in post-apartheid South Africa

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Mothoagae, Itumeleng Daniel

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The Great Trek of 1838 brought about a belief in the supremacy of the Dutch descendants in South Africa. Their 1948 election victory authenticated for them their interpretation of theology and their historical experiences of Gods involvement in their lives. Black Theology challenged the perception of Afrikaner supremacy and their theological hegemony, although Mosala argued against the blindness of black theologians in their criticism of white theology because they were actually using the same tools of analysis that whites had traditionally used to justify their case (Mosala and Tlhagale 1986:175196. Mosala . This article discusses a paper presented at a conference in Cairo by Takatso Mofokeng on the issue of land, and further outlines the challenges and contributions of Black Theology today.

Black Alcoholism.

Science.gov (United States)

Watts, Thomas D.; Wright, Roosevelt

1988-01-01

Examines some aspects of the problem of alcoholism among Blacks, asserting that Black alcoholism can best be considered in an ecological, environmental, sociocultural, and public health context. Notes need for further research on alcoholism among Blacks and for action to reduce the problem of Black alcoholism. (NB)

Validation of inverse seasonal peak mortality in medieval plagues, including the Black Death, in comparison to modern Yersinia pestis-variant diseases.

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Mark R Welford

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Recent studies have noted myriad qualitative and quantitative inconsistencies between the medieval Black Death (and subsequent "plagues" and modern empirical Y. pestis plague data, most of which is derived from the Indian and Chinese plague outbreaks of A.D. 1900+/-15 years. Previous works have noted apparent differences in seasonal mortality peaks during Black Death outbreaks versus peaks of bubonic and pneumonic plagues attributed to Y. pestis infection, but have not provided spatiotemporal statistical support. Our objective here was to validate individual observations of this seasonal discrepancy in peak mortality between historical epidemics and modern empirical data. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We compiled and aggregated multiple daily, weekly and monthly datasets of both Y. pestis plague epidemics and suspected Black Death epidemics to compare seasonal differences in mortality peaks at a monthly resolution. Statistical and time series analyses of the epidemic data indicate that a seasonal inversion in peak mortality does exist between known Y. pestis plague and suspected Black Death epidemics. We provide possible explanations for this seasonal inversion. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These results add further evidence of inconsistency between historical plagues, including the Black Death, and our current understanding of Y. pestis-variant disease. We expect that the line of inquiry into the disputed cause of the greatest recorded epidemic will continue to intensify. Given the rapid pace of environmental change in the modern world, it is crucial that we understand past lethal outbreaks as fully as possible in order to prepare for future deadly pandemics.

A demographic comparison of two black bear populations in the Interior Highlands of Arkansas

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Joseph D.; Smith, Kimberly G.

1994-01-01

The Ozark and Ouachita mountain regions of western Arkansas, collectively known as the Interior Highlands, historically supported large numbers of black bears (Ursus americanus). Indiscriminate killing of bears by early settlers and subsequent habitat reductions due to extensive logging and changes in land use resulted in their decline (Smith et al. 1991). By the late 1940's, bears had been extirpated from both regions (Holder 1951).

Selection based on the size of the black tie of the great tit may be reversed in urban habitats.

Science.gov (United States)

Senar, Juan Carlos; Conroy, Michael J; Quesada, Javier; Mateos-Gonzalez, Fernando

2014-07-01

A standard approach to model how selection shapes phenotypic traits is the analysis of capture-recapture data relating trait variation to survival. Divergent selection, however, has never been analyzed by the capture-recapture approach. Most reported examples of differences between urban and nonurban animals reflect behavioral plasticity rather than divergent selection. The aim of this paper was to use a capture-recapture approach to test the hypothesis that divergent selection can also drive local adaptation in urban habitats. We focused on the size of the black breast stripe (i.e., tie width) of the great tit (Parus major), a sexual ornament used in mate choice. Urban great tits display smaller tie sizes than forest birds. Because tie size is mostly genetically determined, it could potentially respond to selection. We analyzed capture/recapture data of male great tits in Barcelona city (N = 171) and in a nearby (7 km) forest (N = 324) from 1992 to 2008 using MARK. When modelling recapture rate, we found it to be strongly influenced by tie width, so that both for urban and forest habitats, birds with smaller ties were more trap-shy and more cautious than their larger tied counterparts. When modelling survival, we found that survival prospects in forest great tits increased the larger their tie width (i.e., directional positive selection), but the reverse was found for urban birds, with individuals displaying smaller ties showing higher survival (i.e., directional negative selection). As melanin-based tie size seems to be related to personality, and both are heritable, results may be explained by cautious personalities being favored in urban environments. More importantly, our results show that divergent selection can be an important mechanism in local adaptation to urban habitats and that capture-recapture is a powerful tool to test it.

Time and Quest of Identity of the African-American Character: George Schuyler's Black No More

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Hayder Naji Shanbooj Alolaiwi

2017-04-01

Full Text Available This paper attempts to examine the theme of “passing,” viewed as a metaphor of race that marks a step forward from the painful reality of the Middle Passage to “passing,” as both physical reality and metaphor, and to find out the underlying causes of the passing character in George Schyler's Black No More in the light of social and historical dimensions. The study investigates the aspects of “passing”  manifested by the African-American who is often viewed as an “appendage” to the rest of society, blacks have struggled to attain the success, equality, and overall collective consciousness of the American society, while simultaneously creating and maintaining and identity of their own. Blacks have been and continue to be socially, economically, educationally, and politically disenfranchised and therefore cannot completely find unity within an American system that continuously seeks to reaffirm their inferiority.

The Relationship between History and Ethics in Ian McEwan’s Black Dogs

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Maryam Sedaghat

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The relationship between history and ethics may seem irrelevant at first; however, these two have been related during the long history of war, violence and mass killing. The need of history to ethics is for saving itself from all the violence and terror. Emmanuel Levinas as a philosopher has tried to define ethics in a way that suits the terrible historical condition of humanity in the twentieth century. In his view, ethics is the infinite responsibility towards other human beings. He defines ‘being’ in relation to the ‘other’ who may be a complete stranger. In this definition a person bears complete responsibility toward the other and should answer the other’s call for help. In Ian McEwan's novel Black Dogs the protagonist is exposed to historical legacies of violence, and develops an ethical consciousness until the end of the novel. Responsibility seems to be a good answer to historical mass killing and violence that is dominant in the world.

100 years of selection of sugar beet at the Ivanivska research-selection station.

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А. С. Лейбович

2009-10-01

Full Text Available In given article the historical way of development of selection of sugar beet at the Ivanivska research-selection station is opened. For 100 years of selection work at station by scientific employees are created and introduced into manufacture over 20 grades of sugar beet.

Variation at the DRD4 locus is associated with wariness and local site selection in urban black swans.

Science.gov (United States)

van Dongen, Wouter F D; Robinson, Randall W; Weston, Michael A; Mulder, Raoul A; Guay, Patrick-Jean

2015-12-11

Interactions between wildlife and humans are increasing. Urban animals are often less wary of humans than their non-urban counterparts, which could be explained by habituation, adaptation or local site selection. Under local site selection, individuals that are less tolerant of humans are less likely to settle in urban areas. However, there is little evidence for such temperament-based site selection, and even less is known about its underlying genetic basis. We tested whether site selection in urban and non-urban habitats by black swans (Cygnus atratus) was associated with polymorphisms in two genes linked to fear in animals, the dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) and serotonin transporter (SERT) genes. Wariness in swans was highly repeatable between disturbance events (repeatability = 0.61) and non-urban swans initiated escape from humans earlier than urban swans. We found no inter-individual variation in the SERT gene, but identified five DRD4 genotypes and an association between DRD4 genotype and wariness. Individuals possessing the most common DRD4 genotype were less wary than individuals possessing rarer genotypes. As predicted by the local site selection hypothesis, genotypes associated with wary behaviour were over three times more frequent at the non-urban site. This resulted in moderate population differentiation at DRD4 (FST = 0.080), despite the sites being separated by only 30 km, a short distance for this highly-mobile species. Low population differentiation at neutrally-selected microsatellite loci and the likely occasional migration of swans between the populations reduces the likelihood of local site adaptations. Our results suggest that wariness in swans is partly genetically-determined and that wary swans settle in less-disturbed areas. More generally, our findings suggest that site-specific management strategies may be necessary that consider the temperament of local animals.

submitter Study of Backgrounds to Black Hole Events in the ATLAS Detector

CERN Document Server

Han, Sang Hee

large extra dimension model with black hole mass MBH = sˆ, where sˆ is the parton-parton Centre of Momentum System (CMS) energy squared. In the large extra dimension model, quantum gravity can become strong at a TeV energy scale in the bulk space-time, and could lead to microscopic black holes being produced and observed by the LHC experiments. Once black holes are produced in the collider, they will decay to the SM particles by Hawking evaporation. Under this scenario, an analysis was carried out to determine the significance of black hole signals above some SM backgrounds in the ATLAS detector. Five event selection criteria were app...

The Influence of Selected Companion Crops on Diamond Black Moth (Plutella Xylostella): Development and Investation on Cabbage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raini, R.K

2002-01-01

Diamond black moth (DBM) Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) is the most serious pest of brassica in Kenya. Resistance to chemicals has been reported from various parts of the country. This research investigated brassica and non-brassica crops potential in 'push-pull' strategy toward developing an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program for DBM in Kenya. The study focused on evaluating the potential influence of selected crops on DBM oviposition, development and infestation on cabbage. Results indicate that DBM preferred to oviposition on brassica crops. No significant differences were observed on DBM development on host plants that supported full development. Minimum development was recorded on non-brassica crop Cleome gynandra, L. In field trials, the mustard, cloeme and coriander intercrops recorded significantly low infestation compared to other intercrops and demonstrated qulities which could be utilized in the development of IPM-option for the DBM

History, Historical and Historicity in Heidegger

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José Manuel CHILLÓN

2017-12-01

Full Text Available In order to the “Historie” is possible as “Geschichte”, that is, so that the events are more than mere collections of past vestiges, it is necessary that the historical (geschichtlich of history is understood as enshrined in the historicity, in Geschichtlichkeit. In § 6 of the Introduction to ‘Being and Time’ Heidegger understands that the historicity refers to the temporality of Dasein, to its finitude. Thiking of the historicity requires, as its main task, overcoming history as history of entities, in terms of history of forgotten being. And, of course, to think the being, the happening of being and Dasein which, as such event, is being, is occurring , it is historicizing .

Obesity Status and Body Satisfaction: Are There Differences between African American College Females at Black and White Universities?

Science.gov (United States)

James, Delores C. S.; Bonds, Jennifer R.

2006-01-01

The goals of this project were to 1) assess obesity status and body satisfaction among African American college students, and 2) to compare differences in these variables between students at a predominantly white university (PWU) and a historically black college and university (HBCU). Four hundred and two undergraduate females completed a…

Earth building materials in pre-historic domestic architectures on the south of Portugal

OpenAIRE

Bruno, Patrícia; Faria, Paulina

2008-01-01

HERITAGE 2008 - World Heritage and Sustainable Development. Barcelos: Green Lines Institute for Sustainable Development, Vol. 2, p. 571-579 Pre-historic architectures reveal a profound knowledge of building materials and their selection and application. Depending on each geographical context or functional needs, pre-historic man developed and applied different building techniques. Archaeological vestiges from several pre-historic settlements of southwest Iberia has shown that s...

Unpacking Pat Parker: Intersections and Revolutions in "Movement in Black".

Science.gov (United States)

Washburn, Amy

2015-01-01

This article explores Pat Parker's poem "Movement in Black." It examines the ways in which she emblematizes intersectionality and simultaneity as forms of revolution in struggles of self and society. It begins with a theoretical and historical apparatus to contextualize Parker as an artist and activist. Then it offers a literary analysis of the poem, focusing on themes of time and space, marginalization and movement, difference and power, visibility and invisibility, and history and memory. It argues that Parker uses autobiographical writing to fuse personal and political sites of resistance.

"Why Is This the Only Place in Portland I See Black People?": Teaching Young Children about Redlining

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Katharine

2012-01-01

As in many historically black neighborhoods in the United States, the gentrification of northeast Portland rests on an older history of economic injustice perpetrated by banks, realtors, governments, and white property owners. Redlining was one piece of an elaborate puzzle denying people of color access to housing and to wealth. The term refers to…

Ethnic differences in blood lipids and dietary intake between UK children of black African, black Caribbean, South Asian, and white European origin: the Child Heart and Health Study in England (CHASE).

Science.gov (United States)

Donin, Angela S; Nightingale, Claire M; Owen, Christopher G; Rudnicka, Alicja R; McNamara, Mary C; Prynne, Celia J; Stephen, Alison M; Cook, Derek G; Whincup, Peter H

2010-10-01

Ischemic heart disease (IHD) rates are lower in UK black Africans and black Caribbeans and higher in South Asians when compared with white Europeans. Ethnic differences in lipid concentrations may play a part in these differences. The objective was to investigate blood lipid and dietary patterns in UK children from different ethnic groups. This was a cross-sectional study in 2026 UK children (including 285 black Africans, 188 black Caribbeans, 534 South Asians, and 512 white Europeans) attending primary schools in London, Birmingham, and Leicester. We measured fasting blood lipid concentrations and collected 24-h dietary recalls. In comparison with white Europeans, black African children had lower total cholesterol (-0.14 mmol/L; 95% CI: -0.25, -0.04 mmol/L), LDL-cholesterol (-0.10 mmol/L; 95% CI: -0.20, -0.01 mmol/L), and triglyceride concentrations (proportional difference: -0.11 mmol/L; 95% CI: -0.16, -0.06 mmol/L); HDL-cholesterol concentrations were similar. Lower saturated fat intakes (-1.4%; 95% CI: -1.9%, -0.9%) explained the differences between total and LDL cholesterol. Black Caribbean children had total, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and triglyceride concentrations similar to those for white Europeans, with slightly lower saturated fat intakes. South Asian children had total and LDL-cholesterol concentrations similar to those for white Europeans, lower HDL-cholesterol concentrations (-0.7 mmol/L; 95% CI: -0.11, -0.03 mmol/L), and elevated triglyceride concentrations (proportional difference: 0.14 mmol/L; 95% CI: 0.09, 0.20 mmol/L); higher polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat intakes did not explain these lipid differences. Only black African children had a blood lipid profile and associated dietary pattern likely to protect against future IHD. The loss of historically lower LDL-cholesterol concentrations among UK black Caribbeans and South Asians may have important adverse consequences for future IHD risk in these groups.

Low-cost near-infrared imaging device for inspection of historical manuscripts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohd Ashhar Khalid

2004-01-01

Near-infrared (NIR) or sometimes called black light is a waveform beyond visible light and it is not detectable by human eyes. However electronic sensors such as the type used in digital cameras are able to detect signals in the infrared band. To avoid distortion in the pictures obtained near-infrared is blocked by optical filters inserted in digital cameras. By carrying out minor modification allowing near-infrared signal to be imaged while blocking the visible signal, the camera is turned into a low-cost NIR imaging instrument. NIR imaging can be a useful tool in historical manuscript study or restoration. A few applications have been successfully demonstrated in laboratory experiment using the instrument available in MINT. However, due to unavailability of historical items, easily available texts and paintings are used in the demonstrations. This paper reports achievements of early work on the application of digital camera in the detection of damaged prints or writings. (Author)

Black holes

OpenAIRE

Brügmann, B.; Ghez, A. M.; Greiner, J.

2001-01-01

Recent progress in black hole research is illustrated by three examples. We discuss the observational challenges that were met to show that a supermassive black hole exists at the center of our galaxy. Stellar-size black holes have been studied in x-ray binaries and microquasars. Finally, numerical simulations have become possible for the merger of black hole binaries.

The phase structure of higher-dimensional black rings and black holes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Emparan, Roberto; Harmark, Troels; Niarchos, Vasilis; Obers, Niels A.; RodrIguez, Maria J.

2007-01-01

We construct an approximate solution for an asymptotically flat, neutral, thin rotating black ring in any dimension D ≥ 5 by matching the near-horizon solution for a bent boosted black string, to a linearized gravity solution away from the horizon. The rotating black ring solution has a regular horizon of topology S 1 x S D-3 and incorporates the balancing condition of the ring as a zero-tension condition. For D = 5 our method reproduces the thin ring limit of the exact black ring solution. For D ≥ 6 we show that the black ring has a higher entropy than the Myers-Perry black hole in the ultra-spinning regime. By exploiting the correspondence between ultra-spinning black holes and black membranes on a two-torus, we take steps towards qualitatively completing the phase diagram of rotating blackfolds with a single angular momentum. We are led to propose a connection between MP black holes and black rings, and between MP black holes and black Saturns, through merger transitions involving two kinds of 'pinched' black holes. More generally, the analogy suggests an infinite number of pinched black holes of spherical topology leading to a complicated pattern of connections and mergers between phases

Black hole based tests of general relativity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yagi, Kent; Stein, Leo C

2016-01-01

General relativity has passed all solar system experiments and neutron star based tests, such as binary pulsar observations, with flying colors. A more exotic arena for testing general relativity is in systems that contain one or more black holes. Black holes are the most compact objects in the Universe, providing probes of the strongest-possible gravitational fields. We are motivated to study strong-field gravity since many theories give large deviations from general relativity only at large field strengths, while recovering the weak-field behavior. In this article, we review how one can probe general relativity and various alternative theories of gravity by using electromagnetic waves from a black hole with an accretion disk, and gravitational waves from black hole binaries. We first review model-independent ways of testing gravity with electromagnetic/gravitational waves from a black hole system. We then focus on selected examples of theories that extend general relativity in rather simple ways. Some important characteristics of general relativity include (but are not limited to) (i) only tensor gravitational degrees of freedom, (ii) the graviton is massless, (iii) no quadratic or higher curvatures in the action, and (iv) the theory is four-dimensional. Altering a characteristic leads to a different extension of general relativity: (i) scalar–tensor theories, (ii) massive gravity theories, (iii) quadratic gravity, and (iv) theories with large extra dimensions. Within each theory, we describe black hole solutions, their properties, and current and projected constraints on each theory using black hole based tests of gravity. We close this review by listing some of the open problems in model-independent tests and within each specific theory. (paper)

On the Charter Question: Black Marxism and Black Nationalism

Science.gov (United States)

Stern, Mark; Hussain, Khuram

2015-01-01

This article brings two black intellectual traditions to bear on the question of charter schools: black Marxism and black nationalism. The authors examine the theoretical and rhetorical devices used to talk about charters schools by focusing on how notions of "black liberation" are deployed by the charter movement, and to what end. The…

"Be Real Black for Me": Imagining BlackCrit in Education

Science.gov (United States)

Dumas, Michael J.; ross, kihana miraya

2016-01-01

The authors put forward a theorization of a Black Critical Theory, or what might be called BlackCrit, within, and in response to, Critical Race Theory, and then outline ways that BlackCrit in education helps us to more incisively analyze how the specificity of (anti)blackness matters in explaining how Black bodies become marginalized, disregarded,…

Decision Support System for Evaluation of Gunnison River Flow Regimes With Respect To Resources of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Science.gov (United States)

Auble, Gregor T.; Wondzell, Mark; Talbert, Colin

2009-01-01

This report describes and documents a decision support system for the Gunnison River in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. It is a macro-embedded EXCEL program that calculates and displays indicators representing valued characteristics or processes in the Black Canyon based on daily flows of the Gunnison River. The program is designed to easily accept input from downloaded stream gage records or output from the RIVERWARE reservoir operations model being used for the upstream Aspinall Unit. The decision support system is structured to compare as many as eight alternative flow regimes, where each alternative is represented by a daily sequence of at least 20 calendar years of streamflow. Indicators include selected flow statistics, riparian plant community distribution, clearing of box elder by inundation and scour, several measures of sediment mobilization, trout fry habitat, and federal reserved water rights. Calculation of variables representing National Park Service federal reserved water rights requires additional secondary input files pertaining to forecast and actual basin inflows and storage levels in Blue Mesa reservoir. Example input files representing a range of situations including historical, reconstructed natural, and simulated alternative reservoir operations are provided with the software.

Black hole astrophysics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blandford, R.D.; Thorne, K.S.

1979-01-01

Following an introductory section, the subject is discussed under the headings: on the character of research in black hole astrophysics; isolated holes produced by collapse of normal stars; black holes in binary systems; black holes in globular clusters; black holes in quasars and active galactic nuclei; primordial black holes; concluding remarks on the present state of research in black hole astrophysics. (U.K.)

Black hole microstates in AdS{sub 4} from supersymmetric localization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Benini, Francesco [Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London,South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom); International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA),via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste (Italy); Hristov, Kiril [Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences,Tsarigradsko Chaussee 72, 1784 Sofia (Bulgaria); Zaffaroni, Alberto [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Milano-Bicocca,piazza della Scienza 3, I-20126 Milano (Italy); INFN, sezione di Milano-Bicocca,piazza della Scienza 3, I-20126 Milano (Italy)

2016-05-10

This paper addresses a long standing problem, the counting of the microstates of supersymmetric asymptotically AdS black holes in terms of a holographically dual field theory. We focus on a class of asymptotically AdS{sub 4} static black holes preserving two real supercharges which are dual to a topologically twisted deformation of the ABJM theory. We evaluate in the large N limit the topologically twisted index of the ABJM theory and we show that it correctly reproduces the entropy of the AdS{sub 4} black holes. An extremization of the index with respect to a set of chemical potentials is required. We interpret it as the selection of the exact R-symmetry of the superconformal quantum mechanics describing the horizon of the black hole.

Black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus, Richardson. Thematic bibliography

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. Hrytsynyak

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Purpose. Creating a thematic bibliographic list of publications in Ukrainian and Russian, dedicated to the ecology, biology, selection and cultivation of such Far East fish fauna species as black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus Richardson in conditions of fish farms of Ukraine and neighboring countries, as well as the possibility of it introduction into water bodies for bioameliorative purpose. Methodology. The complete and selective methods were applied in the process of the systematic search. The bibliographic core has been formed with the literature from the fund of the scientific library of the Institute of Fisheries NAAS. Findings. There was composed a thematic list of publications with a total quantity of 67 sources, containing characteristics of black carp as representative of cyprinids, which is very important species from the point of view of aquaculture. This bibliography covers the time period from 1949 till 2011.The literary sources were arranged in alphabetical order by author or title, and described according to DSTU 7.1:2006 «System of standards on information, librarianship and publishing. Bibliographic entry. Bibliographic description. General requirements and rules», as well as in accordance with the requirements of APA style — international standard of references. Practical value. The list may be useful for scientists, practitioners, students, whose area of interests covers the questions of breeding and study of the biological features of black carp.

Interracial and Intraracial Patterns of Mate Selection among America's Diverse Black Populations

Science.gov (United States)

Batson, Christie D.; Qian, Zhenchao; Lichter, Daniel T.

2006-01-01

Despite recent immigration from Africa and the Caribbean, Blacks in America are still viewed as a monolith in many previous studies. In this paper, we use newly released 2000 census data to estimate log-linear models that highlight patterns of interracial and intraracial marriage and cohabitation among African Americans, West Indians, Africans,…

Stakeholder conceptualisation of multi-level HIV and AIDS determinants in a Black epicentre.

Science.gov (United States)

Brawner, Bridgette M; Reason, Janaiya L; Hanlon, Kelsey; Guthrie, Barbara; Schensul, Jean J

2017-09-01

HIV has reached epidemic proportions among African Americans in the USA but certain urban contexts appear to experience a disproportionate disease burden. Geographic information systems mapping in Philadelphia indicates increased HIV incidence and prevalence in predominantly Black census tracts, with major differences across adjacent communities. What factors shape these geographic HIV disparities among Black Philadelphians? This descriptive study was designed to refine and validate a conceptual model developed to better understand multi-level determinants of HIV-related risk among Black Philadelphians. We used an expanded ecological approach to elicit reflective perceptions from administrators, direct service providers and community members about individual, social and structural factors that interact to protect against or increase the risk for acquiring HIV within their community. Gender equity, social capital and positive cultural mores (e.g., monogamy, abstinence) were seen as the main protective factors. Historical negative contributory influences of racial residential segregation, poverty and incarceration were among the most salient risk factors. This study was a critical next step toward initiating theory-based, multi-level community-based HIV prevention initiatives.

Patterning of oxide-hardened gold black by photolithography and metal lift-off

Science.gov (United States)

Panjwani, Deep; Yesiltas, Mehmet; Nath, Janardan; Maukonen, D. E.; Rezadad, Imen; Smith, Evan M.; Peale, R. E.; Hirschmugl, Carol; Sedlmair, Julia; Wehlitz, Ralf; Unger, Miriam; Boreman, Glenn

2014-01-01

A method to pattern infrared-absorbing gold black by conventional photolithography and lift-off is described. A photo-resist pattern is developed on a substrate by standard photolithography. Gold black is deposited over the whole by thermal evaporation in an inert gas at ˜1 Torr. SiO2 is then deposited as a protection layer by electron beam evaporation. Lift-off proceeds by dissolving the photoresist in acetone. The resulting sub-millimeter size gold black patterns that remain on the substrate retain high infrared absorption out to ˜5 μm wavelength and exhibit good mechanical stability. This technique allows selective application of gold black coatings to the pixels of thermal infrared imaging array detectors.

A fuzzy compromise programming approach for the Black-Litterman portfolio selection model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohsen Gharakhani

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we examine advanced optimization approach for portfolio problem introduced by Black and Litterman to consider the shortcomings of Markowitz standard Mean-Variance optimization. Black and Litterman propose a new approach to estimate asset return. They present a way to incorporate the investor’s views into asset pricing process. Since the investor’s view about future asset return is always subjective and imprecise, we can represent it by using fuzzy numbers and the resulting model is multi-objective linear programming. Therefore, the proposed model is analyzed through fuzzy compromise programming approach using appropriate membership function. For this purpose, we introduce the fuzzy ideal solution concept based on investor preference and indifference relationships using canonical representation of proposed fuzzy numbers by means of their correspondingα-cuts. A real world numerical example is presented in which MSCI (Morgan Stanley Capital International Index is chosen as the target index. The results are reported for a portfolio consisting of the six national indices. The performance of the proposed models is compared using several financial criteria.

A review on Black-Scholes model in pricing warrants in Bursa Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Gunawan, Nur Izzaty Ilmiah Indra; Ibrahim, Siti Nur Iqmal; Rahim, Norhuda Abdul

2017-01-01

This paper studies the accuracy of the Black-Scholes (BS) model and the dilution-adjusted Black-Scholes (DABS) model to pricing some warrants traded in the Malaysian market. Mean Absolute Error (MAE) and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) are used to compare the two models. Results show that the DABS model is more accurate than the BS model for the selected data.

Contemporary Black Theatre.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Pearl

The distinguishable black theatre in America, mirroring a distinguishable black experience, is an artistic product which demands audience involvement. Both the Afro-American oral tradition and the art of gesture are integral aspects of black theatre. In addition, the tragedy found black theatre is not tragedy in the classic sense, as blacks feel…

Entropy and Selection: Life as an Adaptation for Universe Replication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael E. Price

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Natural selection is the strongest known antientropic process in the universe when operating at the biological level and may also operate at the cosmological level. Consideration of how biological natural selection creates adaptations may illuminate the consequences and significance of cosmological natural selection. An organismal trait is more likely to constitute an adaptation if characterized by more improbable complex order, and such order is the hallmark of biological selection. If the same is true of traits created by selection in general, then the more improbably ordered something is (i.e., the lower its entropy, the more likely it is to be a biological or cosmological adaptation. By this logic, intelligent life (as the least-entropic known entity is more likely than black holes or anything else to be an adaptation designed by cosmological natural selection. This view contrasts with Smolin’s suggestion that black holes are an adaptation designed by cosmological natural selection and that life is the by-product of selection for black holes. Selection may be the main or only ultimate antientropic process in the universe/multiverse; that is, much or all observed order may ultimately be the product or by-product of biological and cosmological selection.

Evaluation of the efficacy of tradizional recovery interventions in historical buildings. A new selection methodology

Science.gov (United States)

Cardinale, Tiziana; Colapietro, Domenico

2013-04-01

construction characters, both these tufa and stone block, present in Puglia and Basilicata regions. You are assessed consequently energy and static vulnerability of the pre-consolidation state and identified qualitatively and verified quantitatively traditional recovery solutions, exportable on constructive units morphologically similar present in other environments. Specific simulations experimental energy, based on traditional techniques of passive cooling systems have been activated in particular environments, in the Basilicata Region, in particular in the Sassi of Matera, just for the purposes of exploitation and the adaptation plant engineering and technology for a living comfort and environmental "sustainable". The non-linear dynamic analysis, carried out in the historical centers of Trani and Molfetta in Puglia, have finally shown that a combination of traditional interventions, based on their own solutions of the rules of the local art, they are able to ensure improvements in terms of static vulnerability of 31.65 % in the state ex-post if compared to techniques of modern recovery and strong invasiveness, for which there is a value of 3.70 %. It's interventions selected qualitatively in order to ensure reversibility, reduced invasiveness and the integrity of the construction, respecting its structural design and the transformations that took place in the course of history.

Caged black holes: Black holes in compactified spacetimes. I. Theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kol, Barak; Sorkin, Evgeny; Piran, Tsvi

2004-01-01

In backgrounds with compact dimensions there may exist several phases of black objects including a black hole and a black string. The phase transition between them raises questions and touches on fundamental issues such as topology change, uniqueness, and cosmic censorship. No analytic solution is known for the black hole, and moreover one can expect approximate solutions only for very small black holes, while phase transition physics happens when the black hole is large. Hence we turn to numerical solutions. Here some theoretical background to the numerical analysis is given, while the results will appear in a subsequent paper. The goals for a numerical analysis are set. The scalar charge and tension along the compact dimension are defined and used as improved order parameters which put both the black hole and the black string at finite values on the phase diagram. The predictions for small black holes are presented. The differential and the integrated forms of the first law are derived, and the latter (Smarr's formula) can be used to estimate the 'overall numerical error'. Field asymptotics and expressions for physical quantities in terms of the numerical values are supplied. The techniques include the 'method of equivalent charges', free energy, dimensional reduction, and analytic perturbation for small black holes

Primary black holes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Novikov, I.; Polnarev, A.

1981-01-01

Proves are searched for of the formation of the so-called primary black holes at the very origin of the universe. The black holes would weigh less than 10 13 kg. The formation of a primary black hole is conditional on strong fluctuations of the gravitational field corresponding roughly to a half of the fluctuation maximally permissible by the general relativity theory. Only big fluctuations of the gravitational field can overcome the forces of the hot gas pressure and compress the originally expanding matter into a black hole. Low-mass black holes have a temperature exceeding that of the black holes formed from stars. A quantum process of particle formation, the so-called evaporation takes place in the strong gravitational field of a black hole. The lower the mass of the black hole, the shorter the evaporation time. The analyses of processes taking place during the evaporation of low-mass primary black holes show that only a very small proportion of the total mass of the matter in the universe could turn into primary black holes. (M.D.)

Black Undergraduate Women and Their Sense of Belonging in STEM at Predominantly White Institutions

Science.gov (United States)

Dortch, Deniece; Patel, Chirag

2017-01-01

Because little work exists on the sense of belonging focusing on just Black undergraduate women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), especially at highly selective predominantly white institutions (PWIs), this study takes a phenomenological approach to understand the lived experiences of Black undergraduate women in STEM by…

77 FR 70423 - Black Bear Hydro Partners, LLC and Black Bear Development Holdings, LLC and Black Bear SO, LLC...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-26

... Bear Hydro Partners, LLC and Black Bear Development Holdings, LLC and Black Bear SO, LLC; Notice of..., 2012, Black Bear Hydro Partners, LLC, sole licensee (transferor) and Black Bear Development Holdings, LLC and Black Bear SO, LLC (transferees) filed an application for the partial the transfer of licenses...

Historical and Future Black Carbon Deposition on the Three Ice Caps: Ice Core Measurements and Model Simulations from 1850 to 2100

Science.gov (United States)

Bauer, Susanne E.; Bausch, Alexandra; Nazarenko, Larissa; Tsigaridis, Kostas; Xu, Baiqing; Edwards. Ross; Bisiaux, Marion; McConnell, Joe

2013-01-01

Ice core measurements in conjunction with climate model simulations are of tremendous value when examining anthropogenic and natural aerosol loads and their role in past and future climates. Refractory black carbon (BC) records from the Arctic, the Antarctic, and the Himalayas are analyzed using three transient climate simulations performed with the Goddard Institute for Space Studies ModelE. Simulations differ in aerosol schemes (bulk aerosols vs. aerosol microphysics) and ocean couplings (fully coupled vs. prescribed ocean). Regional analyses for past (1850-2005) and future (2005-2100) carbonaceous aerosol simulations focus on the Antarctic, Greenland, and the Himalayas. Measurements from locations in the Antarctic show clean conditions with no detectable trend over the past 150 years. Historical atmospheric deposition of BC and sulfur in Greenland shows strong trends and is primarily influenced by emissions from early twentieth century agricultural and domestic practices. Models fail to reproduce observations of a sharp eightfold BC increase in Greenland at the beginning of the twentieth century that could be due to the only threefold increase in the North American emission inventory. BC deposition in Greenland is about 10 times greater than in Antarctica and 10 times less than in Tibet. The Himalayas show the most complicated transport patterns, due to the complex terrain and dynamical regimes of this region. Projections of future climate based on the four CMIP5 Representative Concentration Pathways indicate further dramatic advances of pollution to the Tibetan Plateau along with decreasing BC deposition fluxes in Greenland and the Antarctic.

Phase transition for black holes with scalar hair and topological black holes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Myung, Yun Soo

2008-01-01

We study phase transitions between black holes with scalar hair and topological black holes in asymptotically anti-de Sitter spacetimes. As the ground state solutions, we introduce the non-rotating BTZ black hole in three dimensions and topological black hole with hyperbolic horizon in four dimensions. For the temperature matching only, we show that the phase transition between black hole with scalar hair (Martinez-Troncoso-Zanelli black hole) and topological black hole is second-order by using differences between two free energies. However, we do not identify what order of the phase transition between scalar and non-rotating BTZ black holes occurs in three dimensions, although there exists a possible decay of scalar black hole to non-rotating BTZ black hole

From binary black hole simulation to triple black hole simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bai Shan; Cao Zhoujian; Han, Wen-Biao; Lin, Chun-Yu; Yo, Hwei-Jang; Yu, Jui-Ping

2011-01-01

Black hole systems are among the most promising sources for a gravitational wave detection project. Now, China is planning to construct a space-based laser interferometric detector as a follow-on mission of LISA in the near future. Aiming to provide some theoretical support to this detection project on the numerical relativity side, we focus on black hole systems simulation in this work. Considering the globular galaxy, multiple black hole systems also likely to exist in our universe and play a role as a source for the gravitational wave detector we are considering. We will give a progress report in this paper on our black hole system simulation. More specifically, we will present triple black hole simulation together with binary black hole simulation. On triple black hole simulations, one novel perturbational method is proposed.

Advantages of using microbial technology over traditional chemical technology in removal of black crusts from stone surfaces of historical monuments.

Science.gov (United States)

Cappitelli, Francesca; Toniolo, Lucia; Sansonetti, Antonio; Gulotta, Davide; Ranalli, Giancarlo; Zanardini, Elisabetta; Sorlini, Claudia

2007-09-01

This study compares two cleaning methods, one involving an ammonium carbonate-EDTA mixture and the other involving the sulfate-reducing bacterium Desulfovibrio vulgaris subsp. vulgaris ATCC 29579, for the removal of black crust (containing gypsum) on marble of the Milan Cathedral (Italy). In contrast to the chemical cleaning method, the biological procedure resulted in more homogeneous removal of the surface deposits and preserved the patina noble under the black crust. Whereas both of the treatments converted gypsum to calcite, allowing consolidation, the chemical treatment also formed undesirable sodium sulfate.

Advantages of Using Microbial Technology over Traditional Chemical Technology in Removal of Black Crusts from Stone Surfaces of Historical Monuments▿

Science.gov (United States)

Cappitelli, Francesca; Toniolo, Lucia; Sansonetti, Antonio; Gulotta, Davide; Ranalli, Giancarlo; Zanardini, Elisabetta; Sorlini, Claudia

2007-01-01

This study compares two cleaning methods, one involving an ammonium carbonate-EDTA mixture and the other involving the sulfate-reducing bacterium Desulfovibrio vulgaris subsp. vulgaris ATCC 29579, for the removal of black crust (containing gypsum) on marble of the Milan Cathedral (Italy). In contrast to the chemical cleaning method, the biological procedure resulted in more homogeneous removal of the surface deposits and preserved the patina noble under the black crust. Whereas both of the treatments converted gypsum to calcite, allowing consolidation, the chemical treatment also formed undesirable sodium sulfate. PMID:17601804

Improvement of west Sumatra black rice cultivar through mutation induction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benny Warman; Sobrizal; Irfan Suliansyah; Etti Swasti; Auzar Syarif

2015-01-01

Black rice cultivar is a local rice cultivar originating from East Pasaman, West Sumatera which has black endosperm, long growth duration and high plant height. The research was conducted from March 2012 until March 2013 with the objective of improvement the genetic of this black rice cultivar, especially related to the growth duration through mutation breeding. To get the optimum dose, the seeds of this cultivar were irradiated by gamma ray with doses of 0, 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 Gy, respectively at Center of the Application of Isotopes and Radiation, National Nuclear Energy Agency (PAIR - BATAN), Jakarta. Base don the data of percentage of germination, plant height and root length in the seedling stage, and the percentage of grain sterility in M1 plants, it was obtained that the dose of 200-300 Gy is an effective dose in generating genetic diversity. It was agree with result of variability observations in M2 population derived from 200 Gy irradiated seeds, in which the extensive genetic diversities were observed in the variable of plant height, number of productive tillers and growth duration. From the selection in M2 population it was obtained 81 early maturing plants, with mutant frequency of 0.08 %. These selected early maturing mutants are very useful as initial plant materials in developing black rice leading mutant variety(s) in the future. (author)

The association between trust in health care providers and medication adherence among Black women with hypertension

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Willie M. Abel

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Black women have the highest prevalence of hypertension in the world. Reasons for this disparity are poorly understood. The historical legacy of medical maltreatment of Blacks in the U.S. provides some insight into distrust in the medical profession, refusal of treatment, and poor adherence to treatment regimens.Methods: Black women (N=80 who were prescribed antihypertensive medications were recruited from urban communities in North Carolina. Study participants completed the Trust in Physician and Hill-Bone Compliance to High Blood Pressure Therapy questionnaires. An exact discrete-event model was used to examine the relationship between trust and medication adherence.Results: Mean age of study participants was 48 ± 9.2 years. The majority of participants (67% were actively employed and 30% had incomes at or below the federal poverty level. Increasing levels of trust in the health care provider was independently associated with greater medication adherence (PTrend=0.015.Conclusions: Black women with hypertension who trusted their health care providers were more likely to be adherent with their prescribed antihypertensive medications than those who did not trust their health care providers. Findings suggest that trusting relationships between Black women and health care providers are important to decreasing disparate rates of hypertension.

Surface geometry of 5D black holes and black rings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frolov, Valeri P.; Goswami, Rituparno

2007-01-01

We discuss geometrical properties of the horizon surface of five-dimensional rotating black holes and black rings. Geometrical invariants characterizing these 3D geometries are calculated. We obtain a global embedding of the 5D rotating black horizon surface into a flat space. We also describe the Kaluza-Klein reduction of the black ring solution (along the direction of its rotation) which, though it is nakedly singular, relates this solution to the 4D metric of a static black hole distorted by the presence of external scalar (dilaton) and vector ('electromagnetic') fields. The properties of the reduced black hole horizon and its embedding in E 3 are briefly discussed

Experimental infection of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 in black-headed gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus).

Science.gov (United States)

Ramis, Antonio; van Amerongen, Geert; van de Bildt, Marco; Leijten, Loneke; Vanderstichel, Raphael; Osterhaus, Albert; Kuiken, Thijs

2014-08-19

Historically, highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIV) rarely resulted in infection or clinical disease in wild birds. However, since 2002, disease and mortality from natural HPAIV H5N1 infection have been observed in wild birds including gulls. We performed an experimental HPAIV H5N1 infection of black-headed gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) to determine their susceptibility to infection and disease from this virus, pattern of viral shedding, clinical signs, pathological changes and viral tissue distribution. We inoculated sixteen black-headed gulls with 1 × 10(4) median tissue culture infectious dose HPAIV H5N1 (A/turkey/Turkey/1/2005) intratracheally and intraesophageally. Birds were monitored daily until 12 days post inoculation (dpi). Oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs were collected daily to detect viral shedding. Necropsies from birds were performed at 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 12 dpi. Sampling from selected tissues was done for histopathology, immunohistochemical detection of viral antigen, PCR, and viral isolation. Our study shows that all inoculated birds were productively infected, developed systemic disease, and had a high morbidity and mortality rate. Virus was detected mainly in the respiratory tract on the first days after inoculation, and then concentrated more in pancreas and central nervous system from 4 dpi onwards. Birds shed infectious virus until 7 dpi from the pharynx and 6 dpi from the cloaca. We conclude that black-headed gulls are highly susceptible to disease with a high mortality rate and are thus more likely to act as sentinel species for the presence of the virus than as long-distance carriers of the virus to new geographical areas.

Black Holes

OpenAIRE

Townsend, P. K.

1997-01-01

This paper is concerned with several not-quantum aspects of black holes, with emphasis on theoretical and mathematical issues related to numerical modeling of black hole space-times. Part of the material has a review character, but some new results or proposals are also presented. We review the experimental evidence for existence of black holes. We propose a definition of black hole region for any theory governed by a symmetric hyperbolic system of equations. Our definition reproduces the usu...

Black silicon solar cells with black bus-bar strings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Davidsen, Rasmus Schmidt; Tang, Peter Torben; Mizushima, Io

2016-01-01

We present the combination of black silicon texturing and blackened bus-bar strings as a potential method for obtaining all-black solar panels, while using conventional, front-contacted solar cells. Black silicon was realized by maskless reactive ion etching resulting in total, average reflectance...... below 0.5% across a 156x156 mm2 silicon wafer. Four different methods to obtain blackened bus-bar strings were compared with respect to reflectance, and two of these methods (i.e., oxidized copper and etched solder) were used to fabricate functional allblack solar 9-cell panels. The black bus-bars (e.......g., by oxidized copper) have a reflectance below 3% in the entire visible wavelength range. The combination of black silicon cells and blackened bus-bars results in aesthetic, all-black panels based on conventional, front-contacted solar cells without compromising efficiency....

Course Descriptions in Environmental Studies Part One: Historical Courses.

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, Donald; And Others

1984-01-01

Presents descriptions (syllabi, outlines, goals) of selected environmental studies courses which approach the discipline from an historical and humanistic perspective. Areas explored in the courses include human ecology, American environmental history, environmental politics, and others. (JN)

The vanishing Black Indian: Revisiting craniometry and historic collections.

Science.gov (United States)

Geller, Pamela L; Stojanowksi, Christopher M

2017-02-01

This article uses craniometric allocation as a platform for discussing the legacy of Samuel G. Morton's collection of crania, the process of racialization, and the value of contextualized biohistoric research perspectives in biological anthropology. Standard craniometric measurements were recorded for seven Seminoles in the Samuel G. Morton Crania Collection and 10 European soldiers from the Fort St. Marks Military Cemetery; all individuals were men and died in Florida during the 19th century. Fordisc 3.1 was used to assess craniometric affinity with respect to three samples: the Forensic Data Bank, Howells data set, and an archival sample that best fits the target populations collected from 19th century Florida. Discriminant function analyses were used to evaluate how allocations change across the three comparative databases, which roughly reflect a temporal sequence. Most Seminoles allocated as Native American, while most soldiers allocated as Euro-American. Allocation of Seminole crania, however, was unstable across analysis runs with more individuals identifying as African Americans when compared to the Howells and Forensic Data Bank. To the contrary, most of the soldiers produced consistent allocations across analyses. Repeatability for the St. Marks sample was lower when using the archival sample database, contrary to expectations. For the Seminole crania, Cohen's κ indicates significantly lower repeatability. A possible Black Seminole individual was identified in the Morton Collection. Recent articles discussing the merits and weaknesses of comparative craniometry focus on methodological issues. In our biohistoric approach, we use the patterning of craniometric allocations across databases as a platform for discussing social race and its development during the 19th century, a process known as racialization. Here we propose that differences in repeatability for the Seminoles and Euro-American soldiers reflect this process and transformation of racialized

Natural and anthropogenic impacts on historical heritage along the north Bulgarian Black Sea coast

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Peev, Preslav; Palazov, Atanas; Stancheva, Margarita; Stanchev, Hristo; Krastev, Anton; Shtirkov, Ilko

2014-05-01

Bulgaria is rich in the remains of past human settlements and activity. For example, along northern part of the Bulgarian coast, numerous underwater and coastal archaeological sites from different periods have been discovered - Prehistory, Antiquity (ancient Greek, Hellenistic, Roman), Mediaeval (Early Byzantium, Bulgarian). The most significant of them are: Durankulak archaeological complex with the largest Prehistoric necropolis in the world, Prehistoric necropolis at the area of Lake Shablenska Tuzla, Antique settlements Caron Limen and Bizone, archeological reserve Yalata, Antique and Medieval castle at Cape Kaliakra etc. As, this north part of Bulgarian coast has a huge archaeological potential there is a ground for thinking that the remains of other periods as well as a brand new, previously unknown sites can be discovered in the near future. This does not exclude the probability of being randomly found individual objects that largely can be prevented from archaeological contexts. Therefore it is important that these archeological sites are protected properly and preserved for future generations. In Bulgaria such sites and monuments are legally protected under the Law of cultural heritage and managed by the Ministry of culture and local authorities. However, today most objects and sites, as part of common European historical and cultural heritage are posed to a variety of potential impacts and treats, both natural and human-induced. This study discusses the implications of natural factors, (such as climate change, extreme waves, erosion and shoreline changes) and human contributions (coastal infrastructures, tourism and insufficient management by decision-makers) to coastal and underwater cultural heritage along the north portion of Bulgarian coast. Major natural processes that seriously affect on coastal and maritime heritage environment are direct physical impact by global climate changes, sea level rise and caused increase of waves and storms, acceleration

Adaptive Re-Use Principles in Historic Hotel Buildings in Melaka And George Town

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Ab Wahab Lilawati

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Adaptive re-use of historic buildings is a process of changing the original function of the historic buildings to another function that can optimise the use of existing historic buildings. The selection of appropriate new function is an important factor in determining the success of adaptive re-use of historic buildings. However, adaptive re-use work done on historic buildings on the World Heritage Site is not an easy task due to rules and principles outlined by local and international charters that must be abide by. This research is conducted to gather the true picture of applied adaptive re-use principles that has been done on heritage hotels available in Melaka and George Town World Heritage Sites. This research is started with an inventory that led to the discovery of 35 hotels which applied the principle of adaptive re-use of historic buildings. Based on this finding, 4 historic hotels from adaptive re-use applications have been selected as the case studies. Results of the case studies carried out show that the level of conservation of heritage hotel is moderate and measures of control should be taken to ensure the privileges of heritage hotel. As a result of this research, a number of suggestions are made to ensure that adaptive re-use work done in the future will be conducted as optimum as possible according to the adaptive re-use and conservation principles.

Black Teenage Pregnancy in South Africa: Some Considerations.

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Cunningham, Peter W.; Boult, Brenda E.

1996-01-01

Asserts black teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases in South Africa are at threatening levels. Outlines selected consequences based on the assertion that teenage pregnancy is multi-causational. Hypothesizes teenage pregnancy needs reexamination in terms of the pheronomal climate's impact on prepuberial girls; and nature's way of…

Institutional factors that affect black South African students' perceptions of early childhood teacher education

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M G Steyn

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Black students account for over 72% of enrolments in higher education, but only a small percentage of them choose Early Childhood Education (ECE as a field of study and complete the qualification. The purpose of this study was to examine, from the perspective of black ECE students, why so few of them enrol in this particular programme at a historically white university. Through a qualitative, case study approach the reasons for the low enrolment and completion rates were investigated. Participants mentioned that recruitment for this programme, particularly in rural areas should be improved. They also pointed out the higher prestige of other career options, the linguistic challenges they face, the cost of university education and early teacher education in particular, as well as access to transport and resources as barriers to recruitment and retention. Their recommendations for higher enrolment rates included the use of black students to recruit in rural and in township areas, increased funding for bursaries, and more culturally sensitive pedagogies in early childhood teacher education.

Distortion of Schwarzschild-anti-de Sitter black holes to black strings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tomimatsu, Akira

2005-01-01

Motivated by the existence of black holes with various topologies in four-dimensional spacetimes with a negative cosmological constant, we study axisymmetric static solutions describing any large distortions of Schwarzschild-anti-de Sitter black holes parametrized by the mass m. Under the approximation such that m is much larger than the anti-de Sitter radius, it is found that a cylindrically symmetric black string is obtained as a special limit of distorted spherical black holes. Such a prolonged distortion of the event horizon connecting a Schwarzschild-anti-de Sitter black hole to a black string is allowed without violating both the usual black hole thermodynamics and the hoop conjecture for the horizon circumference

Low-mass black holes as the remnants of primordial black hole formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Greene, Jenny E

2012-01-01

Bridging the gap between the approximately ten solar mass 'stellar mass' black holes and the 'supermassive' black holes of millions to billions of solar masses are the elusive 'intermediate-mass' black holes. Their discovery is key to understanding whether supermassive black holes can grow from stellar-mass black holes or whether a more exotic process accelerated their growth soon after the Big Bang. Currently, tentative evidence suggests that the progenitors of supermassive black holes were formed as ∼10(4)-10(5) M(⊙) black holes via the direct collapse of gas. Ongoing searches for intermediate-mass black holes at galaxy centres will help shed light on this formation mechanism.

Whites excrete a water load more rapidly than blacks.

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Weder, Alan B; Gleiberman, Lillian; Sachdeva, Amit

2009-04-01

A recent report demonstrated a racial difference in response to furosemide compatible with increased ion reabsorption in the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle in blacks. Urinary dilution is another function of the loop-diuretic-sensitive Na,K,2Cl cotransporter in the thick ascending limb, and racial differences in urinary diluting capacity have not been reported previously. We assessed diluting segment (cortical thick ascending limb and distal convoluted tubule) function in black and white normotensives in 2 studies using a water-loading approach. In both studies, we found that whites excreted a water load more rapidly than blacks. In the first study, the final free water clearance rates (mean+/-SD) were 7.3+/-4.7 mL/min in whites (n=17, 7 females and 10 males) and 3.8+/-3.6 mL/min in blacks (n=14, 9 females and 5 males; Pwater clearance rates were 8.3+/-2.6 mL/min in whites (n=17, 8 females and 9 males) and 6.4+/-1.8 mL/min in blacks (n=11, 8 females and 3 males; Pwater excretion. We conclude that our observations are most consistent with a lower capacity of ion reabsorption in the renal diluting segment in blacks. Slower excretion of an acute water load may have been an advantage during natural selection of humans living in arid, hot climates.

Black Sea GIS developed in MHI

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Zhuk, E.; Khaliulin, A.; Zodiatis, G.; Nikolaidis, A.; Isaeva, E.

2016-08-01

The work aims at creating the Black Sea geoinformation system (GIS) and complementing it with a model bank. The software for data access and visualization was developed using client server architecture. A map service based on MapServer and MySQL data management system were chosen for the Black Sea GIS. Php-modules and python-scripts are used to provide data access, processing, and exchange between the client application and the server. According to the basic data types, the module structure of GIS was developed. Each type of data is matched to a module which allows selection and visualization of the data. At present, a GIS complement with a model bank (the models build in to the GIS) and users' models (programs launched on users' PCs but receiving and displaying data via GIS) is developed.

Black Holes, Cosmology and Extra Dimensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frolov, Valeri P

2013-01-01

Book review: The book Black holes, Cosmology and Extra Dimensions written by Kirill A Bronnikov and Sergey G Rubin has been published recently by World Scientific Publishing Company. The authors are well known experts in gravity and cosmology. The book is a monograph, a considerable part of which is based on the original work of the authors. Their original point of view on some of the problems makes the book quite interesting, covering a variety of important topics of the modern theory of gravity, astrophysics and cosmology. It consists of 11 chapters which are organized in three parts. The book starts with an introduction, where the authors briefly discuss the main ideas of General Relativity, giving some historical remarks on its development and application to cosmology, and mentioning some more recent subjects such as brane worlds, f (R)−theories and gravity in higher dimensions. Part I of the book is called ‘Gravity’. Chapters two and three are devoted to the Einstein equations and their spherical symmetric black hole solutions. Part II (Cosmology) starts with discussion of the Friedmann–Robertson–Walker and de Sitter solutions of the Einstein equations and their properties. Part III covers the material on extra dimensions. It describes how Einstein gravity is modified in the presence of one or more additional spatial dimensions and how these extra dimensions are compactified in the Kaluza–Klein scheme

MHC class II DQB diversity in the Japanese black bear, Ursus thibetanus japonicus

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes are one of the most important genetic systems in the vertebrate immune response. The diversity of MHC genes may directly influence the survival of individuals against infectious disease. However, there has been no investigation of MHC diversity in the Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus). Here, we analyzed 270-bp nucleotide sequences of the entire exon 2 region of the MHC DQB gene by using 188 samples from the Japanese black bear (Ursus thibetanus japonicus) from 12 local populations. Results Among 185 of 188 samples, we identified 44 MHC variants that encoded 31 different amino acid sequences (allotypes) and one putative pseudogene. The phylogenetic analysis suggests that MHC variants detected from the Japanese black bear are derived from the DQB locus. One of the 31 DQB allotypes, Urth-DQB*01, was found to be common to all local populations. Moreover, this allotype was shared between the black bear on the Asian continent and the Japanese black bear, suggesting that Urth-DQB*01 might have been maintained in the ancestral black bear population for at least 300,000 years. Our findings, from calculating the ratio of non-synonymous to synonymous substitutions, indicate that balancing selection has maintained genetic variation of peptide-binding residues at the DQB locus of the Japanese black bear. From examination of genotype frequencies among local populations, we observed a considerably lower level of observed heterozygosity than expected. Conclusions The low level of observed heterozygosity suggests that genetic drift reduced DQB diversity in the Japanese black bear due to a bottleneck event at the population or species level. The decline of DQB diversity might have been accelerated by the loss of rare variants that have been maintained by negative frequency-dependent selection. Nevertheless, DQB diversity of the black bear appears to be relatively high compared with some other endangered mammalian

MHC class II DQB diversity in the Japanese black bear, Ursus thibetanus japonicus

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Yasukochi Yoshiki

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The major histocompatibility complex (MHC genes are one of the most important genetic systems in the vertebrate immune response. The diversity of MHC genes may directly influence the survival of individuals against infectious disease. However, there has been no investigation of MHC diversity in the Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus. Here, we analyzed 270-bp nucleotide sequences of the entire exon 2 region of the MHC DQB gene by using 188 samples from the Japanese black bear (Ursus thibetanus japonicus from 12 local populations. Results Among 185 of 188 samples, we identified 44 MHC variants that encoded 31 different amino acid sequences (allotypes and one putative pseudogene. The phylogenetic analysis suggests that MHC variants detected from the Japanese black bear are derived from the DQB locus. One of the 31 DQB allotypes, Urth-DQB*01, was found to be common to all local populations. Moreover, this allotype was shared between the black bear on the Asian continent and the Japanese black bear, suggesting that Urth-DQB*01 might have been maintained in the ancestral black bear population for at least 300,000 years. Our findings, from calculating the ratio of non-synonymous to synonymous substitutions, indicate that balancing selection has maintained genetic variation of peptide-binding residues at the DQB locus of the Japanese black bear. From examination of genotype frequencies among local populations, we observed a considerably lower level of observed heterozygosity than expected. Conclusions The low level of observed heterozygosity suggests that genetic drift reduced DQB diversity in the Japanese black bear due to a bottleneck event at the population or species level. The decline of DQB diversity might have been accelerated by the loss of rare variants that have been maintained by negative frequency-dependent selection. Nevertheless, DQB diversity of the black bear appears to be relatively high compared with some other

MHC class II DQB diversity in the Japanese black bear, Ursus thibetanus japonicus.

Science.gov (United States)

Yasukochi, Yoshiki; Kurosaki, Toshifumi; Yoneda, Masaaki; Koike, Hiroko; Satta, Yoko

2012-11-29

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes are one of the most important genetic systems in the vertebrate immune response. The diversity of MHC genes may directly influence the survival of individuals against infectious disease. However, there has been no investigation of MHC diversity in the Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus). Here, we analyzed 270-bp nucleotide sequences of the entire exon 2 region of the MHC DQB gene by using 188 samples from the Japanese black bear (Ursus thibetanus japonicus) from 12 local populations. Among 185 of 188 samples, we identified 44 MHC variants that encoded 31 different amino acid sequences (allotypes) and one putative pseudogene. The phylogenetic analysis suggests that MHC variants detected from the Japanese black bear are derived from the DQB locus. One of the 31 DQB allotypes, Urth-DQB*01, was found to be common to all local populations. Moreover, this allotype was shared between the black bear on the Asian continent and the Japanese black bear, suggesting that Urth-DQB*01 might have been maintained in the ancestral black bear population for at least 300,000 years. Our findings, from calculating the ratio of non-synonymous to synonymous substitutions, indicate that balancing selection has maintained genetic variation of peptide-binding residues at the DQB locus of the Japanese black bear. From examination of genotype frequencies among local populations, we observed a considerably lower level of observed heterozygosity than expected. The low level of observed heterozygosity suggests that genetic drift reduced DQB diversity in the Japanese black bear due to a bottleneck event at the population or species level. The decline of DQB diversity might have been accelerated by the loss of rare variants that have been maintained by negative frequency-dependent selection. Nevertheless, DQB diversity of the black bear appears to be relatively high compared with some other endangered mammalian species. This result suggests that

Black Culture

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Angela Khristin Brown

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The migration of blacks in North America through slavery became united.  The population of blacks past downs a tradition of artist through art to native born citizens. The art tradition involved telling stories to each generation in black families. The black culture elevated by tradition created hope to determine their personal freedom to escape from poverty of enslavement and to establish a way of life through tradition. A way of personal freedoms was through getting a good education that lead to a better foundation and a better way of life.

Magnetized black holes and black rings in the higher dimensional dilaton gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yazadjiev, Stoytcho S.

2006-01-01

In this paper we consider magnetized black holes and black rings in the higher dimensional dilaton gravity. Our study is based on exact solutions generated by applying a Harrison transformation to known asymptotically flat black hole and black ring solutions in higher dimensional spacetimes. The explicit solutions include the magnetized version of the higher dimensional Schwarzschild-Tangherlini black holes, Myers-Perry black holes, and five-dimensional (dipole) black rings. The basic physical quantities of the magnetized objects are calculated. We also discuss some properties of the solutions and their thermodynamics. The ultrarelativistic limits of the magnetized solutions are briefly discussed and an explicit example is given for the D-dimensional magnetized Schwarzschild-Tangherlini black holes

Gendered races: implications for interracial marriage, leadership selection, and athletic participation.

Science.gov (United States)

Galinsky, Adam D; Hall, Erika V; Cuddy, Amy J C

2013-04-01

Six studies explored the overlap between racial and gender stereotypes, and the consequences of this overlap for interracial dating, leadership selection, and athletic participation. Two initial studies captured the explicit and implicit gender content of racial stereotypes: Compared with the White stereotype, the Asian stereotype was more feminine, whereas the Black stereotype was more masculine. Study 3 found that heterosexual White men had a romantic preference for Asians over Blacks and that heterosexual White women had a romantic preference for Blacks over Asians; preferences for masculinity versus femininity mediated participants' attraction to Blacks relative to Asians. The pattern of romantic preferences observed in Study 3 was replicated in Study 4, an analysis of the data on interracial marriages from the 2000 U.S. Census. Study 5 showed that Blacks were more likely and Asians less likely than Whites to be selected for a masculine leadership position. In Study 6, an analysis of college athletics showed that Blacks were more heavily represented in more masculine sports, relative to Asians. These studies demonstrate that the gender content of racial stereotypes has important real-world consequences.

The Misintegration of the Negro: A Historical Analysis of Black Male Habitus in Sport and Schooling

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Smith, Martin P.; Harrison, Louis, Jr.; Brown, Anthony L.

2017-01-01

Drawing from the lenses of critical race theory (CRT) and Pierre Bourdieu's notion of habitus, this article compares the Jackie Robinson story with the Brown versus Board of Education narrative. This juxtaposition illustrates the similarities of these narratives and how interests converged racially. By comparing these historical narratives, we…

An Indicator-based Approach to Measuring Regeneration of Historic Cities.

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Alessia Ferretti

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Historic towns and cities are a distinctive element of Italian settlement. Despite their strategic role in structuring the Italian territorial framework, over the last few years they have been troubled by widespread abandonment and decay. While a major transition from preservation to regeneration policies has taken place, it has become evident that a crucial aspect is the evaluation of achieved goals and final success. Against this background, the main purpose of this study is to highlight the need to provide a crosscutting and fully accessible set of indicators for measuring regeneration strategies for historic towns, and to develop a methodological proposal helping local authorities in assessing the effectiveness of their development strategies and supporting the possible rescheduling of interventions while raising the interest about the use of indicators. An operational tool – the Set of Indicators for historic cities – is proposed based on the analysis and the selection of indicators adopted internationally. The conceptual structuring of indicators is explored with a discussion of the selection process and the definition of a scoring framework. The casestudy analysis is also reported – indicators being applied to Toscana and Sardegna to test the extent and the validity of the proposed indicators. Conclusions are drawn concerning potential benefits and the applicability of the set of Indicators for historic towns.

New observational constraints on the growth of the first supermassive black holes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Treister, E.; Schawinski, K.; Volonteri, M.; Natarajan, P.

2013-01-01

We constrain the total accreted mass density in supermassive black holes at z > 6, inferred via the upper limit derived from the integrated X-ray emission from a sample of photometrically selected galaxy candidates. Studying galaxies obtained from the deepest Hubble Space Telescope images combined with the Chandra 4 Ms observations of the Chandra Deep Field-South, we achieve the most restrictive constraints on total black hole growth in the early universe. We estimate an accreted mass density <1000 M ☉ Mpc –3 at z ∼ 6, significantly lower than the previous predictions from some existing models of early black hole growth and earlier prior observations. These results place interesting constraints on early black hole growth and mass assembly by accretion and imply one or more of the following: (1) only a fraction of the luminous galaxies at this epoch contain active black holes; (2) most black hole growth at early epochs happens in dusty and/or less massive—as yet undetected—host galaxies; (3) there is a significant fraction of low-z interlopers in the galaxy sample; (4) early black hole growth is radiatively inefficient, heavily obscured, and/or due to black hole mergers as opposed to accretion; or (5) the bulk of the black hole growth occurs at late times. All of these possibilities have important implications for our understanding of high-redshift seed formation models.

Patterns in nuclear and mitochondrial DNA reveal historical and recent isolation in the black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Trimbos, Krijn B.; Doorenweerd, Camiel; Kraaijeveld, Ken; Musters, C.J.M.; Groen, Niko M.; Knijff, Peter de; Piersma, Theunis; de Snoo, Geert R.

2014-01-01

On the basis of morphological differences, three subspecies of Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) have been recognized (L. l. limosa, L. l. islandica and L. l. melanuroides). In previous studies mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence data showed minimal genetic divergence between the three subspecies

Patterns in Nuclear and Mitochondrial DNA Reveal Historical and Recent Isolation in the Black-Tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Trimbos, K.B.; Doorenweerd, C.; Kraaijeveld, K.; Musters, C.J.M.; Groen, N.M.; Kniff, de P.; Piersma, T.; Snoo, de G.R.

2014-01-01

On the basis of morphological differences, three subspecies of Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) have been recognized (L. l. limosa, L. l. islandica and L. l. melanuroides). In previous studies mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence data showed minimal genetic divergence between the three subspecies

Selected Black-Coal Mine Waste Dumps in the Ostrava-Karviná Region: An Analysis of Their Potential Use

Science.gov (United States)

Niemiec, Dominik; Duraj, Miloš; Cheng, Xianfeng; Marschalko, Marian; Kubáč, Jan

2017-12-01

The paper aims to analyse the options for the use of selected black-coal mine waste dump bodies in the Ostrava-Karviná Region. In the Czech Republic there are approximately 70 mine waste dumps, out of which 50 are located in the Ostrava-Karviná Coal District. The issue is highly topical, particularly in the region, because the dump bodies significantly affect the landscape character of the Ostrava-Karviná Region and pose ecological risks. In such cases, their redevelopment and land reclamation are not easy either from the environmental or economic points of view. It is clear that the redevelopment of such geological environment is difficult, and it is vital to make the right decisions as for what purposes the mine waste dumps should be used. Next, it is important to take into account all the economic and environmental aspects of the locality in question.

Black-footed ferrets and Siberian polecats as ecological surrogates and ecological equivalents

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Biggins, D.E.; Hanebury, L.R.; Miller, B.J.; Powell, R.A.

2011-01-01

Ecologically equivalent species serve similar functions in different communities, and an ecological surrogate species can be used as a substitute for an equivalent species in a community. Siberian polecats (Mustela eversmanii) and black-footed ferrets (M. nigripes) have long been considered ecological equivalents. Polecats also have been used as investigational surrogates for black-footed ferrets, yet the similarities and differences between the 2 species are poorly understood. We contrasted activity patterns of radiotagged polecats and ferrets released onto ferret habitat. Ferrets tended to be nocturnal and most active after midnight. Polecats were not highly selective for any period of the day or night. Ferrets and polecats moved most during brightly moonlit nights. The diel activity pattern of ferrets was consistent with avoidance of coyotes (Canis latrans) and diurnal birds of prey. Similarly, polecat activity was consistent with avoidance of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in their natural range. Intraguild predation (including interference competition) is inferred as a selective force influencing behaviors of these mustelines. Examination of our data suggests that black-footed ferrets and Siberian polecats might be ecological equivalents but are not perfect surrogates. Nonetheless, polecats as surrogates for black-footed ferrets have provided critical insight needed, especially related to predation, to improve the success of ferret reintroductions. ?? 2011 American Society of Mammalogists.

Building a more diverse biomedical engineering workforce: Biomedical engineering at the university of the district of Columbia, a historically black college & university.

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Thompson, Lara A; Adebayo, A Segun; Nian Zhang; Haghani, Sasan; Dowell, Kathleen; Shetty, Devdas

2016-08-01

Biomedical Engineering (BME) is a new, multidisciplinary, and rapidly growing field, however, the BME Workforce suffers from limited ethnic and gender diversity. Despite the demand and growth of this new field due to its public health importance, only 4 out of the 107 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) nationwide offers a Bachelor's of Science (B.S.) in Bio-Engineering related fields. In order to contribute to a growing BME Workforce, HBCUs need to react and offer more degree-programs relevant to BME. At the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), an HBCU and the District's only public institution for higher learning, we have recently established a new, degree program: Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering (B.S. in BME) full-board approved in Fall 2014, with program activities initiated in Fall 2015. The educational goal of this program is to enhance the quality and diversity of the BME Workforce via student professional development, new and relevant BME courses, and BME scholarly activities (e.g., guest lectures and journal club sessions), ultimately to increase the number of ethnic minorities pursuing careers and degrees in BME. Through our program activities, we are aiming to meet the nation's demand to contribute to a diverse BME workforce, directed towards solving problems in human health. A secondary, but related goal, is to increase the diversity of STEM-related fields. This paper summarizes our initial, but encouraging, BME activity-related findings. However, this study will be longitudinal (on a multiple year time period) to observe the true outcomes of our initiative.

Distribution of Primary and Specialized Metabolites in Nigella sativa Seeds, a Spice with Vast Traditional and Historical Uses

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Efraim Lev

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Black cumin (Nigella sativa L., Ranunculaceae is an annual herb commonly used in the Middle East, India and nowadays gaining worldwide acceptance. Historical and traditional uses are extensively documented in ancient texts and historical documents. Black cumin seeds and oil are commonly used as a traditional tonic and remedy for many ailments as well as in confectionery and bakery. Little is known however about the mechanisms that allow the accumulation and localization of its active components in the seed. Chemical and anatomical evidence indicates the presence of active compounds in seed coats. Seed volatiles consist largely of olefinic and oxygenated monoterpenes, mainly p-cymene, thymohydroquinone, thymoquinone, γ-terpinene and α-thujene, with lower levels of sesquiterpenes, mainly longifolene. Monoterpene composition changes during seed maturation. γ-Terpinene and α-thujene are the major monoterpenes accumulated in immature seeds, and the former is gradually replaced by p-cymene, carvacrol, thymo-hydroquinone and thymoquinone upon seed development. These compounds, as well as the indazole alkaloids nigellidine and nigellicine, are almost exclusively accumulated in the seed coat. In contrast, organic and amino acids are primarily accumulated in the inner seed tissues. Sugars and sugar alcohols, as well as the amino alkaloid dopamine and the saponin α-hederin accumulate both in the seed coats and the inner seed tissues at different ratios. Chemical analyses shed light to the ample traditional and historical uses of this plant.

Prediction of genetic gain from selection indices for disease resistance in papaya hybrids

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Marcelo Vivas

2012-12-01

Full Text Available In order to select superior hybrids for the concentration of favorable alleles for resistance to papaya black spot, powdery mildew and phoma spot, 67 hybrids were evaluated in two seasons, in 2007, in a randomized block design with two replications. Genetic gains were estimated from the selection indices of Smith & Hazel, Pesek & Baker, Williams, Mulamba & Mock, with selection intensity of 22.39%, corresponding to 15 hybrids. The index of Mulamba & Mock showed gains more suitable for the five traits assessed when it was used the criterion of economic weight tentatively assigned. Together, severity of black spot on leaves and on fruits, characteristics considered most relevant to the selection of resistant materials, expressed percentage gain of -44.15%. In addition, there were gains for other characteristics, with negative predicted selective percentage gain. The results showed that the index of Mulamba & Mock is the most efficient procedure for simultaneous selection of papaya hybrid resistant to black spot, powdery mildew and phoma spot.

Dysprosium selective potentiometric membrane sensor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zamani, Hassan Ali, E-mail: haszamani@yahoo.com [Department of Applied Chemistry, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Faridbod, Farnoush; Ganjali, Mohammad Reza [Center of Excellence in Electrochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2013-03-01

A novel Dy(III) ion-selective PVC membrane sensor was made using a new synthesized organic compound, 3,4-diamino-N Prime -((pyridin-2-yl)methylene)benzohydrazide (L) as an excellent sensing element. The electrode showed a Nernstian slope of 19.8 {+-} 0.6 mV per decade in a wide concentration range of 1.0 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -6}-1.0 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -2} mol L{sup -1}, a detection limit of 5.5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -7} mol L{sup -1}, a short conditioning time, a fast response time (< 10 s), and high selectivity towards Dy(III) ion in contrast to other cations. The proposed sensor was successfully used as an indicator electrode in the potentiometric titration of Dy(III) ions with EDTA. The membrane sensor was also applied to the F{sup -} ion indirect determination of some mouth washing solutions and to the Dy{sup 3+} determination in binary mixtures. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The novelty of this work is based on the high affinity of the ionophore toward the Dy{sup 3+} ions. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer This technique is very simple, fast and inexpensive and it is not necessary to use sophisticated equipment. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The newly developed sensor is superior to the formerly reported Dy{sup 3+} sensors in terms of selectivity.

Black hole levitron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arsiwalla, Xerxes D.; Verlinde, Erik P.

2010-01-01

We study the problem of spatially stabilizing four dimensional extremal black holes in background electric/magnetic fields. Whilst looking for stationary stable solutions describing black holes placed in external fields we find that taking a continuum limit of Denef et al.'s multicenter supersymmetric black hole solutions provides a supergravity description of such backgrounds within which a black hole can be trapped within a confined volume. This construction is realized by solving for a levitating black hole over a magnetic dipole base. We comment on how such a construction is akin to a mechanical levitron.

Black Holes

OpenAIRE

Horowitz, Gary T.; Teukolsky, Saul A.

1998-01-01

Black holes are among the most intriguing objects in modern physics. Their influence ranges from powering quasars and other active galactic nuclei, to providing key insights into quantum gravity. We review the observational evidence for black holes, and briefly discuss some of their properties. We also describe some recent developments involving cosmic censorship and the statistical origin of black hole entropy.

Polymer-carbon black composite sensors in an electronic nose for air-quality monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Ryan, M. A.; Shevade, A. V.; Zhou, H.; Homer, M. L.

2004-01-01

An electronic nose that uses an array of 32 polymer-carbon black composite sensors has been developed, trained, and tested. By selecting a variety of chemical functionalities in the polymers used to make sensors, it is possible to construct an array capable of identifying and quantifying a broad range of target compounds, such as alcohols and aromatics, and distinguishing isomers and enantiomers (mirror-image isomers). A model of the interaction between target molecules and the polymer-carbon black composite sensors is under development to aid in selecting the array members and to enable identification of compounds with responses not stored in the analysis library.

Search for black holes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cherepashchuk, Anatolii M

2003-01-01

Methods and results of searching for stellar mass black holes in binary systems and for supermassive black holes in galactic nuclei of different types are described. As of now (June 2002), a total of 100 black hole candidates are known. All the necessary conditions Einstein's General Relativity imposes on the observational properties of black holes are satisfied for candidate objects available, thus further assuring the existence of black holes in the Universe. Prospects for obtaining sufficient criteria for reliably distinguishing candidate black holes from real black holes are discussed. (reviews of topical problems)

Determination of Some Heavy Metals in Selected Beauty and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Several epidemiologic studies have investigated the potential carcinogenicity of human exposure to heavy metals from diverse sources but few or none was on African black and beauty soaps. Hence, this study examines the presence of some heavy metals in selected African black and beauty soaps commonly used in ...

Noncommutative black holes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lopez-DomInguez, J C [Instituto de Fisica de la Universidad de Guanajuato PO Box E-143, 37150 Leoen Gto. (Mexico); Obregon, O [Instituto de Fisica de la Universidad de Guanajuato PO Box E-143, 37150 Leoen Gto. (Mexico); RamIrez, C [Facultad de Ciencias FIsico Matematicas, Universidad Autonoma de Puebla, PO Box 1364, 72000 Puebla (Mexico); Sabido, M [Instituto de Fisica de la Universidad de Guanajuato PO Box E-143, 37150 Leoen Gto. (Mexico)

2007-11-15

We study noncommutative black holes, by using a diffeomorphism between the Schwarzschild black hole and the Kantowski-Sachs cosmological model, which is generalized to noncommutative minisuperspace. Through the use of the Feynman-Hibbs procedure we are able to study the thermodynamics of the black hole, in particular, we calculate Hawking's temperature and entropy for the 'noncommutative' Schwarzschild black hole.

History of Maternity and Infancy in Zemsky Period (Based on the Central Chernozem (Black Earth Region Files

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna S. Tretyak

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The paper presents a brief historical overview of the evolution of maternal and child health care in Russia. A system of Public Health Service in the Central Black Earth Region governments (territorial subdivisions of Russia, 1708-1929 is taken as an example. A retrospective of the review is limited to the last third of the XIX century. The paper discusses historical aspects of the problem, which are mainly concentrated in the first quarter of the XX century. Organizational aspects of the medical staff training, problems with the obstetric aid organization are also considered. Characteristics of the governments in their activity to fight with infant mortality are stated in the paper.

The Tuskegee Syphilis Study, 1932 to 1972: implications for HIV education and AIDS risk education programs in the black community.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, S B; Quinn, S C

1991-01-01

The Tuskegee study of untreated syphilis in the Negro male is the longest nontherapeutic experiment on human beings in medical history. The strategies used to recruit and retain participants were quite similar to those being advocated for HIV/AIDS prevention programs today. Almost 60 years after the study began, there remains a trail of distrust and suspicion that hampers HIV education efforts in Black communities. The AIDS epidemic has exposed the Tuskegee study as a historical marker for the legitimate discontent of Blacks with the public health system. The belief that AIDS is a form of genocide is rooted in a social context in which Black Americans, faced with persistent inequality, believe in conspiracy theories about Whites against Blacks. These theories range from the belief that the government promotes drug abuse in Black communities to the belief that HIV is a manmade weapon of racial warfare. An open and honest discussion of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study can facilitate the process of rebuilding trust between the Black community and public health authorities. This dialogue can contribute to the development of HIV education programs that are scientifically sound, culturally sensitive, and ethnically acceptable. Images p1500-a p1502-a p1503-a PMID:1951814

History, race, and attachment to place among elders in the rural all-black towns of Oklahoma.

Science.gov (United States)

McAuley, W J

1998-01-01

This research examines place attachment among older residents of the all-Black towns of Oklahoma. Social-historical occurrences, personal experiences associated with race, and expressed differences between social-historical groupings of older African Americans influence the level of social and autobiographical insideness among the elderly residents. The findings extend current conceptualizations of place attachment by showing that (a) place attachment is not a constant, even among long-term residents; (b) social-historical factors can play an important role in the level of place attachment; (c) race can be a salient element of place attachment; (d) experiences outside the community, such as racial discrimination, can influence the level of social and autobiographical bonding to the community; and (e) subgroup identity within minority groups can be associated with variations in community place attachment. The findings point to the value of carefully examining the issues of history and race in research focusing on older minority group members.

Satellite-Observed Black Water Events off Southwest Florida: Implications for Coral Reef Health in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brian Lapointe

2013-01-01

Full Text Available A “black water” event, as observed from satellites, occurred off southwest Florida in 2012. Satellite observations suggested that the event started in early January and ended in mid-April 2012. The black water patch formed off central west Florida and advected southward towards Florida Bay and the Florida Keys with the shelf circulation, which was confirmed by satellite-tracked surface drifter trajectories. Compared with a previous black water event in 2002, the 2012 event was weaker in terms of spatial and temporal coverage. An in situ survey indicated that the 2012 black water patch contained toxic K. brevis and had relatively low CDOM (colored dissolved organic matter and turbidity but high chlorophyll-a concentrations, while salinity was somewhat high compared with historical values. Further analysis revealed that the 2012 black water was formed by the K. brevis bloom initiated off central west Florida in late September 2011, while river runoff, Trichodesmium and possibly submarine groundwater discharge also played important roles in its formation. Black water patches can affect benthic coral reef communities by decreasing light availability at the bottom, and enhanced nutrient concentrations from black water patches support massive macroalgae growth that can overgrow coral reefs. It is thus important to continue the integrated observations where satellites provide synoptic and repeated observations of such adverse water quality events.

Two regimes of HIV/AIDS: The MMWR and the socio-political construction of HIV/AIDS as a 'black disease'.

Science.gov (United States)

Moseby, Kevin M

2017-09-01

Over the course of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, black Americans have become a central target of US public health prevention efforts. And today, HIV/AIDS is understood to disproportionately affect black Americans. This markedly contrasts with knowledge about the disease and efforts to prevent it in the first decade of the epidemic in the US, when expert and lay understandings and responses centred on white gay males. This article demonstrates that explaining these historical reversals as purely reflective of epidemiological data - or best knowledge available - is insufficient. Drawing on the concept disease regimes and utilising a discursive analysis of epidemiological results and editorial commentary published from 1981 to 1994 in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports (MMWR), this article argues for a socio-political explanation for the changing colour of HIV/AIDS. That is, it scrutinises institutional and discursive practices that within the HIV/AIDS prevention field and disease discourse constituted a 'regime of black American exclusion' (1981-1992) and a 'regime of black American inclusion (1993-present day). © 2017 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness.

Black hole critical phenomena without black holes

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

large values of Ф, black holes do form and for small values the scalar field ... on the near side of the ridge ultimately evolve to form black holes while those configu- ... The inset shows a bird's eye view looking down on the saddle point.

Black widow spider

Science.gov (United States)

... medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002858.htm Black widow spider To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. The black widow spider (Latrodectus) has a shiny black body with a ...

Information field for historical research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sviatets, Yu. A.

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The article analyzes the main information collision of historical knowledge, which consists in physical inaccessibility of events and phenomena of the past as an object of historical science for a historian as an investigator. The aim of the research is to formulate and discuss a working hypothesis about the information field of historical science. The article provides an analytical background on the main ideas and approaches in the field of modern information field theory. The author carries out the projection of the main provisions of the information field theory on historical research. It is shown that the information field is a really existing information carrier that provides its acquisition, transportation, storage and visualization, as well as provides information and knowledge recorded in various forms, realizes cultural communications. One of the manifestations of such a culture is the sign systems, which determine certain contexts. Signs are characterized by polysemy. Despite artificial origin, semiotic reality is objective. Simultaneously, signs provide intellectual activity of people. Mental signs in the historical process of use by society acquire additional meanings, generating new symbols. Polysemy shapes the problem of epistemological uncertainty of two stages – identifying the problem and solving it. Historians as researchers resort to cognitive models, which, thanks to the translational function, ensure the transfer of information from the known to the unknown. One of the explanations of polysemy is the theory of conceptual integration, according to which the structures of the original mental spaces are projected onto a new, constructed, mental space – blend. This is the result of a personʼs intellectual ability to create new meanings on the basis of the available ones. Since signs and symbols are multi-valued, they form a multiplicity of retrospective scenarios of historical research at the stage of problem formulation

OBSERVATIONAL SELECTION EFFECTS AND THE M-σ RELATION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gueltekin, Kayhan; Richstone, Douglas O.; Tremaine, Scott; Loeb, Abraham

2011-01-01

We examine the possibility that the observed relation between black hole mass and host-galaxy stellar velocity dispersion (the M-σ relation) is biased by an observational selection effect, the difficulty of detecting a black hole whose sphere of influence is smaller than the telescope resolution. In particular, we critically investigate recent claims that the M-σ relation only represents the upper limit to a broad distribution of black hole masses in galaxies of a given velocity dispersion. We find that this hypothesis can be rejected at a high confidence level, at least for the early-type galaxies with relatively high velocity dispersions (median 268 km s -1 ) that comprise most of our sample. We also describe a general procedure for incorporating observational selection effects in estimates of the properties of the M-σ relation. Applying this procedure we find results that are consistent with earlier estimates that did not account for selection effects, although with larger error bars. In particular, (1) the width of the M-σ relation is not significantly increased, (2) the slope and normalization of the M-σ relation are not significantly changed, and (3) most or all luminous early-type galaxies contain central black holes at zero redshift. Our results may not apply to late-type or small galaxies, which are not well represented in our sample.

A Dancing Black Hole

Science.gov (United States)

Shoemaker, Deirdre; Smith, Kenneth; Schnetter, Erik; Fiske, David; Laguna, Pablo; Pullin, Jorge

2002-04-01

Recently, stationary black holes have been successfully simulated for up to times of approximately 600-1000M, where M is the mass of the black hole. Considering that the expected burst of gravitational radiation from a binary black hole merger would last approximately 200-500M, black hole codes are approaching the point where simulations of mergers may be feasible. We will present two types of simulations of single black holes obtained with a code based on the Baumgarte-Shapiro-Shibata-Nakamura formulation of the Einstein evolution equations. One type of simulations addresses the stability properties of stationary black hole evolutions. The second type of simulations demonstrates the ability of our code to move a black hole through the computational domain. This is accomplished by shifting the stationary black hole solution to a coordinate system in which the location of the black hole is time dependent.

Implementing Solar PV Projects on Historic Buildings and in Historic Districts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kandt, A.; Hotchkiss, E.; Walker, A.; Buddenborg, J; Lindberg, J.

2011-09-01

Many municipalities, particularly in older communities of the United States, have a large amount of historic buildings and districts. In addition to preserving these historic assets, many municipalities have goals or legislative requirements to procure a certain amount of energy from renewable sources and to become more efficient in their energy use; often, these requirements do not exempt historic buildings. This paper details findings from a workshop held in Denver, Colorado, in June 2010 that brought together stakeholders from both the solar and historic preservation industries. Based on these findings, this paper identifies challenges and recommends solutions for developing solar photovoltaic (PV) projects on historic buildings and in historic districts in such a way as to not affect the characteristics that make a building eligible for historic status.

Interpretations: A Student Journal of Historical Writings, 1988.

Science.gov (United States)

Interpretations, 1988

1988-01-01

This booklet features a selection of student prepared essays, poetry, research papers, and reviews about various historical subjects and social studies-related areas. These collected works include: (1) "To the Mayan Ruins at Chichen-Itza, Mexico" (W. McClure); (2) "Corruption in Collegiate Athletics and How It Damages the Student Athlete's…

An Archival and Field Survey of Selected Historic Cultural Resources, Allatona Lake, Georgia.

Science.gov (United States)

1984-06-25

P. echinata white Oak Quercus alba Red oak 2. falcata Hickory Genus Carya Maple Acer rubrum L. Sweetgui Liguidambar styraciflua L. Tupelo Nyssa...sylvatica Marsh. Yellow-popular Genus Populus’L. Source: Preston, North American Trees, Rev. Ed., 1961. 10 4 40 380 380 400 42 Chart 7.311 I44* GEORGIA -e...unfortunate stereotype that exists to this day. The tenant house was similar for both black and white and apart from contemporary building practices was

Historiography of the Epidemic of “Black Death” on the Territory of Juchid Ulus (1814–2016

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T.F. Khaydarov

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Objective: to examine the main works and theories of foreign and domestic authors, which has considered the theme of “Black death” on the territory of the ulus of Jochi in 1814–2016. Research materials: at the present stage of development of historical science the way out from methodological crisis is the most pressing issue. As international experience shows, progress towards the knowledge of the past is only possible through interaction with other disciplines, such as genetics or biology. At the moment, the epidemic of “Black Death” is rightfully considered one of these research topics. This event was of great importance in the history. Raged for several hundreds of years and killed up to a third of the then population, the plague significantly changed the face of human societies, accelerated the transition to a new economic system, to the culture and philosophy of Modern times. However, until recently research on this topic mainly focused on studying either biology of the plague, or the study of reality emerged after the “Black Death”. In these circumstances, the transition to interdisciplinarity, which occurred in recent years in Western science, allowed not only more comprehensive approach to the study of this topic, but to expand the regions under study and to include among them, in the first instance, Northern Eurasia and its most important part – Juchid ulus. In general, Western historiography had not yet developed an unambiguous assessment of the “Black Death” in this region. This is partly due to lack of experience with written sources in the Tatar and Russian languages as well as due to not long period of work with archaeological sources. At the same time, domestic science has more than 200 years of experience in understanding of this problem, but it suffers from several disadvantages. Results and novelty of the research: on the basis of historiographical material, the article manages to conclude that despite a

Mutant-inducing effect of γ-ray irradiation for hybrid rice F1 derived from cross of black glutinous rice x wild rice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mao Dezhi; Tang Yilan

1998-01-01

The hybrid rice F 1 plant derived from the back crossing of glutinous rice x wild rice was irradiated with γ-ray. The result of investigation to the induced mutant showed that through the selection and backcross, a black glutinous rice strain with the short stem, cold tolerance and high yield was developed. The analysis of the ability of heredity variance showed that the selection was effective for the husk colour, black glutinous and black Indica rice, but ineffective for the white Indica rice and seed setting

Race, medicine, and health care in the United States: a historical survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Byrd, W M; Clayton, L A

2001-03-01

Racism in medicine, a problem with roots over 2,500 years old, is a historical continuum that continuously affects African-American health and the way they receive healthcare. Racism is, at least in part, responsible for the fact African Americans, since arriving as slaves, have had the worst health care, the worst health status, and the worst health outcome of any racial or ethnic group in the U.S. Many famous doctors, philosophers, and scientists of each historical era were involved in creating and perpetuating racial inferiority mythology and stereotypes. Such theories were routinely taught in U.S. medical schools in the 18th, 19th, and first half of the 20th centuries. The conceptualization of race moved from the biological to the sociological sphere with the march of science. The atmosphere created by racial inferiority theories and stereotypes, 246 years of black chattel slavery, along with biased educational processes, almost inevitably led to medical and scientific abuse, unethical experimentation, and overutilization of African-Americans as subjects for teaching and training purposes.

Black or white? Physiological implications of roost colour and choice in a microbat.

Science.gov (United States)

Doty, Anna C; Stawski, Clare; Currie, Shannon E; Geiser, Fritz

2016-08-01

Although roost choice in bats has been studied previously, little is known about how opposing roost colours affect the expression of torpor quantitatively. We quantified roost selection and thermoregulation in a captive Australian insectivorous bat, Nyctophilus gouldi (n=12) in winter when roosting in black and white coloured boxes using temperature-telemetry. We quantified how roost choice influences torpor expression when food was provided ad libitum or restricted in bats housed together in an outdoor aviary exposed to natural fluctuations of ambient temperature. Black box temperatures averaged 5.1°C (maximum 7.5°C) warmer than white boxes at their maximum daytime temperature. Bats fed ad libitum chose black boxes on most nights (92.9%) and on 100% of nights when food-restricted. All bats used torpor on all study days. However, bats fed ad libitum and roosting in black boxes used shorter torpor and spent more time normothermic/active at night than food-restricted bats and bats roosting in white boxes. Bats roosting in black boxes also rewarmed passively more often and to a higher skin temperature than those in white boxes. Our study suggests that N. gouldi fed ad libitum select warmer roosts in order to passively rewarm to a higher skin temperature and thus save energy required for active midday rewarming as well as to maintain a normothermic body temperature for longer periods at night. This study shows that colour should be considered when deploying bat boxes; black boxes are preferable for those bats that use passive rewarming, even in winter when food availability is reduced. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of black japanned furniture by XRF

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Felix, Valter de S.; Oliveira, Ana L.C. de; Freitas, Renato P., E-mail: valter.felix@ifrj.edu.br, E-mail: renato.freitas@ifrj.edu.br, E-mail: annalecastro@hotmail.com [Instituto Federal do Rio de Janeiro (LISCOMP/IFRJ-CPAR), Paracambi, RJ (Brazil). Lab. de Instrumentação e Simulação Computacional; Pereira, Marcelo O.; Carvalho, Cristiano S.; Silva, Fabricio L., E-mail: marcelocefetrj@gmail.com [Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica Celso Suckow da Fonseca (CEFET), Nova Iguaçu, RJ (Brazil)

2017-07-01

Currently, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is the most employed technique to characterize Cultural Heritage artifacts. The increasing use of this technique in this research field is due to technological developments that occurred during the last decade, which enabled the construction of easy to handle, XRF portable systems that allow fast, non-destructive and in situ analyses. One of the most common applications of XRF is the characterization of inorganic pigments in works of art, polychrome sculptures, etc. The information obtained in this type of analysis is essential for a better knowledge of the history of the work of art and for restorers and conservators who can choose better intervention methods. In this paper, a European black Japanned furniture dated between the eighteenth and the nineteenth centuries was analyzed by XRF. The analyses were carried out in situ using a portable XRF system, Tracer IV model from Bruker, which has a Rh anode. The analyses allowed concluding that the pigments in the polychrome are: lamp black, vermilion, brown ochre, Prussian blue and green earth. In addition to the polychrome in high relief, the furniture has golden regions where gold was identified mixed with lead-based historical pigments. The results obtained, besides helping to confirm the authenticity of the artifact, were also useful for restorers to choose suitable methods to intervene the work of art, which has recently undergone restoration. (author)

Analysis of black japanned furniture by XRF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Felix, Valter de S.; Oliveira, Ana L.C. de; Freitas, Renato P.

2017-01-01

Currently, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is the most employed technique to characterize Cultural Heritage artifacts. The increasing use of this technique in this research field is due to technological developments that occurred during the last decade, which enabled the construction of easy to handle, XRF portable systems that allow fast, non-destructive and in situ analyses. One of the most common applications of XRF is the characterization of inorganic pigments in works of art, polychrome sculptures, etc. The information obtained in this type of analysis is essential for a better knowledge of the history of the work of art and for restorers and conservators who can choose better intervention methods. In this paper, a European black Japanned furniture dated between the eighteenth and the nineteenth centuries was analyzed by XRF. The analyses were carried out in situ using a portable XRF system, Tracer IV model from Bruker, which has a Rh anode. The analyses allowed concluding that the pigments in the polychrome are: lamp black, vermilion, brown ochre, Prussian blue and green earth. In addition to the polychrome in high relief, the furniture has golden regions where gold was identified mixed with lead-based historical pigments. The results obtained, besides helping to confirm the authenticity of the artifact, were also useful for restorers to choose suitable methods to intervene the work of art, which has recently undergone restoration. (author)

Selection of yeasts with multifunctional features for application as starters in natural black table olive processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonatsou, S; Benítez, A; Rodríguez-Gómez, F; Panagou, E Z; Arroyo-López, F N

2015-04-01

Yeasts are unicellular eukaryotic microorganisms with a great importance in the elaboration on many foods and beverages. In the last years, researches have focused their attention to determine the favourable effects that these microorganisms could provide to table olive processing. In this context, the present study assesses, at laboratory scale, the potential technological (resistance to salt, lipase, esterase and β-glucosidase activities) and probiotic (phytase activity, survival to gastric and pancreatic digestions) features of 12 yeast strains originally isolated from Greek natural black table olive fermentations. The multivariate classification analysis carried out with all information obtained (a total of 336 quantitative input data), revealed that the most promising strains (clearly discriminated from the rest of isolates) were Pichia guilliermondii Y16 (which showed overall the highest resistance to salt and simulated digestions) and Wickerhamomyces anomalus Y18 (with the overall highest technological enzymatic activities), while the rest of strains were grouped together in two clearly differentiated clusters. Thus, this work opens the possibility for the evaluation of these two selected yeasts as multifunctional starters, alone or in combination with lactic acid bacteria, in real table olive fermentations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Astrophysical black holes

CERN Document Server

Gorini, Vittorio; Moschella, Ugo; Treves, Aldo; Colpi, Monica

2016-01-01

Based on graduate school lectures in contemporary relativity and gravitational physics, this book gives a complete and unified picture of the present status of theoretical and observational properties of astrophysical black holes. The chapters are written by internationally recognized specialists. They cover general theoretical aspects of black hole astrophysics, the theory of accretion and ejection of gas and jets, stellar-sized black holes observed in the Milky Way, the formation and evolution of supermassive black holes in galactic centers and quasars as well as their influence on the dynamics in galactic nuclei. The final chapter addresses analytical relativity of black holes supporting theoretical understanding of the coalescence of black holes as well as being of great relevance in identifying gravitational wave signals. With its introductory chapters the book is aimed at advanced graduate and post-graduate students, but it will also be useful for specialists.

Unveiling the First Black Holes With JWST:Multi-wavelength Spectral Predictions

Science.gov (United States)

Natarajan, Priyamvada; Pacucci, Fabio; Ferrara, Andrea; Agarwal, Bhaskar; Ricarte, Angelo; Zackrisson, Erik; Cappelluti, Nico

2017-04-01

Growing supermassive black holes (˜ {10}9 {M}⊙ ) that power luminous z> 6 quasars from light seeds—the remnants of the first stars—within a Gyr of the Big Bang poses a timing challenge. The formation of massive black hole seeds via direct collapse with initial masses ˜ {10}4{--}{10}5 {M}⊙ alleviates this problem. Viable direct-collapse black hole formation sites, the satellite halos of star-forming galaxies, merge and acquire stars to produce a new, transient class of high-redshift objects, obese black hole galaxies (OBGs). The accretion luminosity outshines that of the stars in OBGs. We predict the multi-wavelength energy output of OBGs and growing Pop III remnants at z = 9 for standard and slim disk accretion, as well as high and low metallicities of the associated stellar population. We derive robust selection criteria for OBGs—a pre-selection to eliminate blue sources, followed by color-color cuts ([{F}090W-{F}220W]> 0;-0.3sift out OBGs from other bright, high- and low-redshift contaminants in the infrared. OBGs with predicted {M}{AB}< 25 are unambiguously detectable by the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), on the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). For parameters explored here, growing Pop III remnants with predicted {M}{AB}< 30 will likely be undetectable by JWST. We demonstrate that JWST has the power to discriminate between initial seeding mechanisms.

Lumpy AdS5× S5 black holes and black belts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dias, Óscar J.C.; Santos, Jorge E.; Way, Benson

2015-01-01

Sufficiently small Schwarzschild black holes in global AdS 5 ×S 5 are Gregory-Laflamme unstable. We construct new families of black hole solutions that bifurcate from the onset of this instability and break the full SO(6) symmetry group of the S 5 down to SO(5). These new “lumpy" solutions are labelled by the harmonics ℓ. We find evidence that the ℓ=1 branch never dominates the microcanonical/canonical ensembles and connects through a topology-changing merger to a localised black hole solution with S 8 topology. We argue that these S 8 black holes should become the dominant phase in the microcanonical ensemble for small enough energies, and that the transition to Schwarzschild black holes is first order. Furthermore, we find two branches of solutions with ℓ=2. We expect one of these branches to connect to a solution containing two localised black holes, while the other branch connects to a black hole solution with horizon topology S 4 ×S 4 which we call a “black belt”.

Black holes in binary stars

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wijers, R.A.M.J.

1996-01-01

Introduction Distinguishing neutron stars and black holes Optical companions and dynamical masses X-ray signatures of the nature of a compact object Structure and evolution of black-hole binaries High-mass black-hole binaries Low-mass black-hole binaries Low-mass black holes Formation of black holes

Black Interpretation, Black American Literature, and Grey Audiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Washington, Earl M.

1981-01-01

Defines and illustrates language techniques used by Black authors writing to and for Blacks in the 1960s and 1970s. Suggests how language and theme barriers of such literature might be overcome in a contemporary integrated oral interpretation classroom. (PD)

#BlackBabiesMatter: Analyzing Black Religious Media in Conservative and Progressive Evangelical Communities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monique Moultrie

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This article explores how conservative and progressive black Protestants interrogate the theological theme of the sacrality of black life through digital media. The innovations of religious media in black evangelical communities remain an understudied phenomenon in African American religion, making this an apt arena for further discovery. This current intervention into the study of African American Religion examines digital activism through examples of religious media produced by blacks for black audiences. This article begins its interrogation of the sacrality of black life by juxtaposing those who contend that Black Babies Matter as pro-birth-oriented, religiously motivated activists with those religious opponents asserting Black Lives Matter who present an intersectional pro-life approach. The comparison of views relies on womanist cultural analysis as its main methodology to analyze and interpret digital media and explore its ramifications for African American Religion.

Improved Birth Weight for Black Infants: Outcomes of a Healthy Start Program

Science.gov (United States)

Zielinski, Ruth; James, Arthur; Charoth, Remitha M.; del Carmen Sweezy, Luz

2014-01-01

Objectives. We determined whether participation in Healthy Babies Healthy Start (HBHS), a maternal health program emphasizing racial equity and delivering services through case management home visitation, was associated with improved birth outcomes for Black women relative to White women. Methods. We used a matched-comparison posttest-only design in which we selected the comparison group using propensity score matching. Study data were generated through secondary analysis of Michigan state- and Kalamazoo County–level birth certificate records for 2008 to 2010. We completed statistical analyses, stratified by race, using a repeated-measures generalized linear model. Results. Despite their smoking rate being double that of their matched counterparts, Black HBHS participants delivered higher birth-weight infants than did Black nonparticipants (P = .05). White HBHS participants had significantly more prenatal care than did White nonparticipants, but they had similar birth outcomes (P = .7 for birth weight; P = .55 for gestation). Conclusions. HBHS participation is associated with increased birth weights among Black women but not among White women, suggesting differential program gains for Black women. PMID:24354844

Carbon black selection from simulated broth solution for ADU gel spheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chai, Jeong Kyung; Ho, Eom Sung; Kim, Yeon Ku; Cho, Moon Seoung

2012-01-01

The VHTR (Very High Temperature Gas Reactor) is one of the reactor concepts in the Gen IV International Collaboration. The nuclear fuel of a VHTR in the US is based on microspheres containing a mixture of UO 2 and UC 2 coated with multi carbon layers and a SiC layer. This mixture is called a 'UCO (uranium oxi carbide)' kernel. The fabrication process of this kernel was based on the sol-gel method between an ADUN and HMTA and urea, a process referred to as internal gelation. UCO kernel microspheres were first prepared at ORNL in the late 1970s. CB(Carbon Black) as a carbon source in the final UCO kernel is added during the broth solution preparation, in the processing of UCO kernel fabrication. The preparation of a good quality UCO kernel is very difficult due to the homogeneous distribution of carbon in a UCO kernel. The key requirement to obtain a good quality kernel is a uniform distribution of carbon in the ADU gel sphere forming process before the thermal treatment, i.e., during the gel formation step. The internal gelation concept was adapted in ADU gel sphere fabrication in the ORNL process of the US. Generally, UO 2 kernel microspheres are prepared by an internal gelation method (USA, India) or external gelation method (Germany, China, Japan). The UCO kernel microspheres prepared only in the US, use an internal gelation method. A material flow chart on the preparation of the microsphere kernel is simply shown in Fig. 1. The broth solution preparation, the raw material, additives, and thermal steps such as calcining and sintering processes were different to compared with the external gelation and internal gelation methods. In this study, we first carried out the matching CB selection experiments among the various kinds of CBs in a broth solution, for UCO kernel preparation using an external gelation method.

Stock portfolio selection using Dempster–Shafer evidence theory

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Gour Sundar Mitra Thakur

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Markowitz’s return–risk model for stock portfolio selection is based on the historical return data of assets. In addition to the effect of historical return, there are many other critical factors which directly or indirectly influence the stock market. We use the fuzzy Delphi method to identify the critical factors initially. Factors having lower correlation coefficients are finally considered for further consideration. The critical factors and historical data are used to apply Dempster–Shafer evidence theory to rank the stocks. Then, a portfolio selection model that prefers stocks with higher rank is proposed. Illustration is done using stocks under Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE. Simulation is done by Ant Colony Optimization. The performance of the outcome is found satisfactory when compared with recent performance of the assets. Keywords: Stock portfolio selection, Ranking, Dempster–Shafer evidence theory, Ant Colony Optimization, Fuzzy Delphi method

Hydrogen and Carbon Black Production from the Degradation of Methane by Thermal Plasma

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Leila Cottet

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Methane gas (CH4 is the main inducer of the so called greenhouse gases effect. Recent scientific research aims to minimize the accumulation of this gas in the atmosphere and to develop processes capable of producing stable materials with added value. Thermal plasma technology is a promising alternative to these applications, since it allows obtaining H2 and solid carbon from CH4, without the parallel formation of byproducts such as CO2 and NOx. In this work, CH4 was degraded by thermal plasma in order to produce hydrogen (H2 and carbon black. The degradation efficiency of CH4, selectivity for H2 production as well as the characterization of carbon black were studied. The best results were obtained in the CH4 flow rate of 5 L min-1 the degradation percentage and the selectivity for H2 production reached 98.8 % and 48.4 %, respectively. At flow rates of less than 5 L min-1 the selectivity for H2 production increases and reaches 91.9 %. The carbon black has obtained amorphous with hydrophobic characteristics and can be marketed to be used in composite material, and can also be activated chemically and/or physically and used as adsorbent material.