Copolymerization of styrene with vinyl monomers substituted by nitrile and sulfonyl groups

Two trisubstituted vinyl monomers, 2-phenylsulfonyl (crotonitrile) and 2-phenylsulfonyl (cinnamonitrile) were synthesized and characterized by proton NMR, IR, ¹³C-NMR, and mass spectroscopy. Both monomers were copolymerized with styrene by free-radical initiation. The copolymerization parameters of both systems were determined, and the mutual reactivity of the monomers of the two systems is discussed. The new copolymers were characterized by proton NMR and IR spectroscopy, melting range, T_g, and intrinsic viscosity. The influence of the chemical structures of the two comonomers on these two latter properties of the copolymers is discussed.     

Sex differences in self-reported influence among union officers.

Explored differences between self-reported influence and its correlates in 148 adult male and 111 adult female elected union committee officers in Israel. Results show that females rated their influence lower than did males. An examination of the differences in patterns of associations shows that sex proportion and serving as chairperson were significant predictors of influence only for females. It is suggested that females' perception of their influence was more responsive to the evaluation of their fellow workers, while that of males was more responsive to the committee's influence on management. (29 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

School readiness and later achievement: Replication and extension using a nationwide Canadian survey.

In this article we replicate and extend findings from Duncan et al. (2007). The 1st study used Canada-wide data on 1,521 children from the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY) to examine the influence of kindergarten literacy and math skills, mother-reported attention, and mother-reported socioemotional behaviors on 3rd-grade math and reading outcomes. Similar to Duncan et al., (a) math skills were the strongest predictor of later achievement, (b) literacy and attention skills predicted later achievement, and (c) socioemotional behaviors did not significantly predict later school achievement. As part of extending the findings, we incorporated a multiple imputation approach to handle missing predictor variable data. Results paralleled those from the original study in that kindergarten math skills and Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test—Revised scores continued to predict later achievement. However, we also found that kindergarten socioemotional behaviors, specifically hyperactivity/impulsivity, prosocial behavior, and anxiety/depression, were significant predictors of 3rd-grade math and reading. In the 2nd study, we used data from the NLSCY and the Montreal Longitudinal-Experimental Preschool Study (MLEPS), which was included in Duncan et al., to extend previous findings by examining the influence of kindergarten achievement, attention, and socioemotional behaviors on 3rd-grade socioemotional outcomes. Both NLSCY and MLEPS findings indicated that kindergarten math significantly predicted socioemotional behaviors. There were also a number of significant relationships between early and later socioemotional behaviors. Findings support the importance of socioemotional behaviors both as predictors of later school success and as indicators of school success. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Curing of styrene‐free unsaturated polyester alkyd: synthesis,characterization and simulation

Experimental and simulation studies of the crosslinking process of styrene‐free unsaturated polyester (UP) alkyd chains are presented. The thermal and mechanical properties of the crosslinked UP alkyd are studied as a function of the peroxide concentration. The characterized and simulated thermoset matrix properties are compared. Simulation of the crosslinking reaction is used to improve the understanding of the process and to define the species involved in it. The main experimental characterization tools used were differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical analysis. The main simulation tools used were a Monte Carlo procedure for the crosslinking process and a density functional theory‐based quantum code for the scission process. Good agreement between the experimental and simulation results was achieved. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Media Violence and Children's ADHD‐Related Behaviors: A Genetic Susceptibility Perspective

This study examined the relationship between media violence exposure and Attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)‐related behaviors. Using survey (parent‐reported) and genetic data of 1,612 Dutch children (aged 5 to 9 years), we examined genetic disposition as a possible cause of individual differences in children's use of and susceptibility to media violence. The gene variant of interest was the 5‐HTTLPR polymorphism, which has been associated with ADHD‐related behaviors in previous research. Results showed that the “long” variant of the gene polymorphism was related to greater violent media use, which in turn was related to more ADHD‐related behaviors. The 5‐HTTLPR genotype did not moderate the effect of media violence on ADHD‐related behaviors. This study provides insight into the role of genetic factors in media effects.     

Impossibility Results for Universal Composability in?Public-Key Models and with Fixed Inputs

Universal composability and concurrent general composition consider a setting where secure protocols are run concurrently with each other and with arbitrary other possibly insecure protocols. Protocols that meet the definition of universal composability are guaranteed to remain secure even when run in this strongly adversarial setting. In the case of an honest majority, or where there is a trusted setup phase of some kind (like a common reference string or the key-registration public-key infrastructure of Barak et al.?in FOCS 2004), it has been shown that any functionality can be securely computed in a universally composable way. On the negative side, it has also been shown that in the plain model where there is no trusted setup at all, there are large classes of functionalities which cannot be securely computed in a universally composable way without an honest majority. In this paper, we extend these impossibility results for universal composability. We study a number of public-key models and show for which models the impossibility results of universal composability hold and for which they do not. We also consider a setting where the inputs to the protocols running in the network are fixed before any execution begins. The majority of our results are negative and we show that the known impossibility results for universal composability in the case of no honest majority extend to many other settings.     

MYH10 Governs Adipocyte Function and Adipogenesis through Its Interaction with GLUT4

Adipogenesis is dependent on cytoskeletal remodeling that determines and maintains cellular shape and function. Cytoskeletal proteins contribute to the filament-based network responsible for controlling the shape of adipocytes and promoting the intracellular trafficking of cellular components. Currently, the understanding of these mechanisms and their effect on differentiation and adipocyte function remains incomplete. In this study, we identified the non-muscle myosin 10 (MYH10) as a novel regulator of adipogenesis and adipocyte function through its interaction with the insulin-dependent glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4). MYH10 depletion in preadipocytes resulted in impaired adipogenesis, with knockdown cells exhibiting an absence of morphological alteration and molecular signals. MYH10 was shown in a complex with GLUT4 in adipocytes, an interaction regulated by insulin induction. The missing adipogenic capacity of MYH10 knockdown cells was restored when the cells took up GLUT4 vesicles from neighbor wildtype cells in a co-culture system. This signaling cascade is regulated by the protein kinase C ζ (PKCζ), which interacts with MYH10 to modify the localization and interaction of both GLUT4 and MYH10 in adipocytes. Overall, our study establishes MYH10 as an essential regulator of GLUT4 translocation, affecting both adipogenesis and adipocyte function, highlighting its importance in future cytoskeleton-based studies in adipocytes.     

Surface‐Induced Regulation of Podosome Organization and Dynamics in Cultured Osteoclasts

Bone is continuously repaired and remodeled through the well‐coordinated activity of osteoblasts, which form new bone, and osteoclasts, which resorb it. How osteoclasts sense the properties of the bone surface remains unclear. By combining light and electron microscopy, we compared osteoclast behavior on three distinct surfaces: glass, calcite single crystals, and bone. Podosomes, the basic units of the adhesion structure, and their organization into superstructures were found to be common to cells that were attached to all three substrates, whereas the structure of the resorption organelle, the so‐called “ruffled border,” markedly differed. Moreover, the integrity, stability, and dynamic behavior of the adhesion superstructures also fundamentally differed, depending on the substrate. We conclude that osteoclasts sense the local properties of the underlying substrate and respond to these signals, both locally and globally.     

Model-free dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI analysis: differentiation between active tumor and necrotic tissue in patients with glioblastoma

Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine - Treatment response assessment in patients with high-grade gliomas (HGG) is heavily dependent on changes in lesion size on MRI....     

Location incentives and the unintentional generation of employment instability:some evidence from Israel

This paper examines the effectiveness of location incentives designed to promote industrial investments in peripheral regions as a tool for creating employment opportunities in these regions and encouraging economic growth. The findings are based on Israeli empirical experience. We show that these popular incentives, in addition to being ineffective in securing their goals, also create employment instability in these regions as an undesirable side effect: they encourage the establishment of unstable enterprises that require ongoing support and revolving door enterprises that keep opening and closing down.