Carpenter apprentices: Comparison of career transitions for men and women.

As women are encouraged to enter nontraditional occupations, it is important to identify factors that may promote a successful transition. Data from carpenter apprentices and instructors were analyzed to compare men and women. In some aspects, based on performance and satisfaction with the apprentice program, the union, and carpentry work, the transition into carpentry is as successful for women as for men. Women give themselves a higher probability of completing the program than do men. Problem areas are evident, however. Women are employed in construction less than men, and their male co-workers have negative attitudes toward affirmative action. In terms of factors associated with success, differences between men and women emphasized co-worker acceptance, fairness in job assignments, age, and realistic expectations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sensitivity to status-based rejection: Implications for African American students' college experience.

The authors proposed a process model whereby experiences of rejection based on membership in a devalued group can lead people to anxiously expect, readily perceive, and intensely react to status-based rejection. To test the model, the authors focused on race-based rejection sensitivity (RS-race) among African Americans. Following the development and validation of the RS-Race Questionnaire (Studies 1 and 2), the authors tested the utility of the model for understanding African American students' experiences at a predominantly White university (Study 3). Students high in RS-race experienced greater discomfort during the college transition, less trust in the university, and relative declines in grades over a 2- to 3-year period. Positive race-related experiences, however, increased feelings of belonging at the institution among students high in RS-race. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Neuromyelitis optica does not impact periventricular venous density versus healthy controls: a 7.0 Tesla MRI clinical study

Objective

To quantify the periventricular venous density in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disease (NMOSD) in comparison to that in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and healthy control subjects.

Materials and methods

Sixteen patients with NMOSD, 16 patients with MS and 16 healthy control subjects underwent 7.0-Tesla (7T) MRI. The imaging protocol included T₂*-weighted (T₂*w) fast low angle-shot (FLASH) and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequences. The periventricular venous area (PVA) was manually determined by a blinded investigator in order to estimate the periventricular venous density in a region of interest-based approach.

Results

No significant differences in periventricular venous density indicated by PVA were detectable in NMOSD versus healthy controls (p = 0.226). In contrast, PVA was significantly reduced in MS patients compared to healthy controls (p = 0.013).

Conclusion

Unlike patients with MS, those suffering from NMOSD did not show reduced venous visibility. This finding may underscore primary and secondary pathophysiological differences between these two distinct diseases of the central nervous system.

     

Comprehensive characterization of two different Nicotiana tabacum cell lines leads to doubled GFP and HA protein production by media optimization

For over two decades, plant cell cultures have been a promising research platform to express recombinant and therapeutic proteins such as hormones, growth factors, full-size antibodies and antigens. Chosen as a good host for manufacturing recombinant proteins, the Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Bright Yellow 2 (BY-2) cell line has been studied in shake flasks by offline analysis of only a few growth parameters. The objective of this study is to comprehensively characterize the growth of a transgenic BY-2 cell line and to investigate the expression profile of the model protein GFP. Based on the correlations between nutrient consumption, cell growth and product formation, the intention is to improve the standard MS-medium. Hereby, multiple growth parameters were analyzed offline and online by using a respiration activity monitoring system (RAMOS). A reproducibly observed shift of the oxygen transfer rate (OTR) could be identified to indicate ammonium depletion in the medium. Concurrent with this ammonium depletion, the total protein concentration began to decrease. After the MS-medium was improved, the GFP concentration nearly doubled. When this improved ammonium enriched medium was applied to another transgenic tobacco cell line similar improvements to the amount of the glycoprotein influenza hemagglutinin (HA) produced by Nicotiana tabacum NT-1 cells could be achieved. Ultimately, this combined offline and online analysis can be successfully used for further cell line characterization and media optimization to improve growth and boost target product formation.     

The synthesis, spectroscopic and electrochemical properties, and application of new dyeing photoinitiator systems for acrylate monomers polymerization

New symmetrical bicationic polymethine dyes were synthesized and their spectroscopic and electrochemical properties were described. The bichromophoric dyes (benzothiazole, benzoxazole, indolinium derivatives) were investigated as sensitizers in the free radical photopolymerization initiated by their borate salts. The obtained kinetic results shown that bicationic polymethine dyes as the organoborate salts are much efficient photoinitiating systems of acrylate monomers polymerization than monocationic parent dyes. The rate of polymerization depends on ΔG_ET of electron transfer from borate anion to the excited singlet state of bicationic polymethine dye. The relationship between the rate of polymerization and the free energy of electron transfer process shows the dependence predicted by the classical theory of electron transfer.     

Potential of shortening pressing time or reducing pressing temperature for plywood resinated with PF resin modified using alcohols and esters

The study was an analysis of the potential to shorten pressing time or reduce pressing temperature for plywood resinated with alcohol- and ester-modified PF resin. Birch and pine plywoods were produced using such modified resin at a temperature range of 135 to 115?°C, at a constant pressing time (4 min) and at pressing times ranging from 240 to 150 s at a constant pressing temperature (135?°C). Tests showed that the application of PF resin modified with polyols and esters makes it possible, under standard pressing conditions, i.e. 135?°C and pressing time of 4 min, to produce plywood with improved properties in comparison to respective control plywoods. Moreover, it was shown that the used modifiers enhance resin reactivity, facilitating an adequate course of resin curing, resulting in the manufacture of plywoods with good properties even at a pressing temperature reduced by 20?°C or pressing time shortened to 150 s.