Child Maltreatment and Adult Sexual Assault Victimization: Genetic and Environmental Associations

Despite the pervasiveness of adult sexual assault (ASA), evidence-based knowledge on the risk factors for sexual victimization is insufficient. Here, we investigated the etiology of ASA in a population-based Finnish twin sample. Specifically, we estimated the extent of the genetic and environmental influences on the risk of ASA, and we examined its phenotypic and genetic associations with five types of child maltreatment (CM). We found large unique environmental, but also small genetic influences on the risk of ASA, motivating further research on situational and behavioral conditions potentially exploited by sexually motivated perpetrators. The prevalence of ASA was highest among victims of severe child sexual abuse. However, when accounting for the co-occurrence of multiple types of CM, emotional abuse was the strongest predictor of ASA. We further examined, and could not entirely rule out, the possibility of common genetic and environmental pathways underlying CM and ASA. Lastly, we focused on sex differences. Emotional and physical abuse were the strongest predictors of ASA in women and men, respectively, and genetic influences on the risk of ASA were larger in women than men. However, such higher heritability did not reflect sex-limited genetic effects, but, rather, women’s systematic exposure to environmental risk of ASA

Hydrophobization of marble pore surfaces using a total immersion treatment method - Influence of co-solvents and temperature on fluorosurfactant vesicle behavior

International audienceA functionalization method for hydrophobization of porous marble networks has been optimized by controlling the vesicle behavior of fluorosurfactants via tuning the solvent polarity and reaction temperature. Total immersion treatments have been used to diffuse and react the investigated fluorosurfactant (Capstone FS-63) deep inside the porous network, which was confirmed through combined mechanical grinding and capillary absorption measurements, showing an increase in effective functionalization depth from mu m to mm scale. This was accomplished by exchanging water with less polar co-solvents such as ethylene glycol or ethanol in the fluorosurfactant solution combined with elevated reaction temperatures, driving the vesicle-surfactant equilibrium towards free surfactants, which have been investigated by dynamic light scattering measurements. Quantitative particle size distributions and diffusion values for the different mixtures as a function of temperature can be correlated to the increased functionalization efficiency. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Hydrophobization of marble pore surfaces using a total immersion treatment method - Product selection and optimization of concentration and treatment time

International audienceSix products containing either fluorosurfactants or fluorinated polymers have been evaluated for hydrophobization of marble stones by a total immersion method. Successful hydrophobization was verified by water contact angle and capillary absorption measurements before and after intentional UV degradation of the outmost modified layer. Optimization of treatment time and solution concentration concluded that for the best performing product, Capstone FS-63, a 24h immersion in a 10 vol% aqueous solution was required to obtain marble stones fully protected toward water absorption. The presented surface modifications could significantly increase the product lifespan of a variety of marble products