On the Fundamental Polymer Chemistry of Inverse Vulcanization for Statistical and Segmented Copolymers from Elemental Sulfur

In this concept review, the fundamental and polymerization chemistry of inverse vulcanization for the preparation of statistical and segmented sulfur copolymers, which have been actively developed and advanced in various applications over the past decade is discussed. This concept review delves into a discussion of step-growth polymerization constructs to describe the inverse vulcanization process and discuss prepolymer approaches for the synthesis of segmented sulfur polyurethanes. Furthermore, this concept review discusses the advantages of inverse vulcanization in conjunction with dynamic covalent polymerization and post-polymerization modifications to prepare segmented block copolymers with enhanced thermomechanical and flame retardant properties of these materials.     

西藏区域经济系统的灰色关联分析

区域经济的发展受许多不同因素的影响，本结合西藏社会经济发展的特点，选取了总产值指标、第一产业指标、第二产业指标和第三产业指标等四大类指标体系，采用灰色关联分析法对西藏的区域经济系统进行了简要的分析评价，以研究西藏区域经济的发展状况，从社会经济的角度探讨西藏经济发展落后的原因，以期能为西藏经济发展政策提供参考依据。     

Hollow latex particles as submicrometer reactors for polymerization in confined geometries

A method was developed for free‐radical polymerization in the confines of a hollow latex particle. Hollow particles were prepared via the dynamic swelling method from polystyrene seed and divinylbenzene and had hollows of 500–1000 nm. So that these hollow poly(divinylbenzene) particles could function as submicrometer reactors, the particles were filled with a monomer (N‐isopropylacrylamide) via the dispersion of the dried particles in the molten monomer. The monomer that was not contained in the hollows was removed by washing and gentle abrasion. Free‐radical polymerization was then initiated by γ radiolysis in the solid state. Transmission electron microscopy showed that poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) formed in the hollow interior of the particles, which functioned as submicrometer reactors. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 5706–5713, 2004     

Simplifying equations in Arabic algebra

Historians have always seen jabr (restoration) and muqābala (confrontation) as technical terms for specific operations in Arabic algebra. This assumption clashes with the fact that the words were used in a variety of contexts. By examining the different uses of jabr, muqābala, ikmāl (completion), and radd (returning) in the worked-out problems of several medieval mathematics texts, we show that they are really nontechnical words used to name the immediate goals of particular steps. We also find that the phrase al-jabr wa'l-muqābala was first used within the solutions of problems to mean al-jabr and/or al-muqābala, and from there it became the name of the art of algebra.     

Monopole charge quantization or why electromagnetism is a U(1)-gauge theory

We obtain Dirac’s classic monopole charge quantization from the point of view of geometric quantization and demonstrate how this leads to the conclusion that the electromagnetic field is a U(1)-gauge field.     

A Hilbert Space Approach to Bounded Analytic Interpolation

We generalize several results on bounded analytic interpolation of Fitzgerald and Horn, which work by majorization by positive definite kernels, to the cases of several complex variables and operator-valued interpolation. Using a lemma of Kolmogorov, we complement a simplification due to Szafraniec in the proofs of the theorems. Received: November 21, 2006. Accepted: August 03, 2007.     

Monstrous Branes

 We study D-branes in the bosonic closed string theory whose automorphism group is the Bimonster group (the wreath product of the Monster simple group with ℤ₂). We give a complete classification of D-branes preserving the chiral subalgebra of Monster invariants and show that they transform in a representation of the Bimonster. Our results apply more generally to self-dual conformal field theories which admit the action of a compact Lie group on both the left- and right-moving sectors. Received: 20 February 2002 / Accepted: 17 August 2002 Published online: 19 December 2002 Communicated by R.H. Dijkgraaf     

Microcomputers and the Preparation of Secondary Science Teachers: An Eight Year Follow-Up

Science teacher educators from 205 colleges/universities completed a questionnaire concerning the nature and extent of microcomputer offerings in their secondary science teacher preparation programs. These data are reported and compared to a similar sample surveyed in 1984. Seventy-seven percent of reporting institutions now require either a microcomputer course or completion of a microcomputer competency within their secondary science certification program. The most common applications in these courses are simulations, word processing, databases, and spreadsheet use. Chi-square analysis revealed that more institutions in 1992 were requiring a microcomputer course than in 1984. However, only 23.4% of the institutions offered a microcomputer course designed solely for secondary science majors, and 10.6% of the institutions offered such a course taught by a science teacher educator. Preservice science teachers were also more likely in 1992 than in 1984 to be using microcomputers in instruction during supervised field experiences in secondary schools. Finally, college/university science teacher educators perceived that microcomputer use in secondary science classrooms has increased during the past five years.