bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Elevated Serum Free Light Chains Are Associated With Event-Free and Overall Survival in Two Independent Cohorts of Patients With Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Maurer Matthew J. , Micallef Ivana N.M. , Cerhan James R. , Katzmann Jerry A. , Link Brian K. , Colgan Joseph P. , Habermann Thomas M. , Inwards David J. , Markovic Svetomir N. , Ansell Stephen M. , Porrata Luis F. , Johnston Patrick B. , Nowakowski Grzegorz S. , Thompson Carrie A. , Gupta Mamta , Syrbu Sergei I. , Kurtin Paul J. , Macon William R. , Nikcevich Daniel A. , Witzig Thomas E.
Published: March 2011

Purpose

The serum free light chain (FLC) assay quantitates free kappa (κ) and free lambda (λ) immunoglobulin light chains. This assay has prognostic value in plasma cell proliferative disorders. There are limited data on serum FLC in B-cell malignancies.

Patients and Methods

The association of pretreatment FLC with event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) was evaluated in 76 patients from the North Central Cancer Treatment Group trial N0489 (NCT00301821) and 219 patients from the University of Iowa/Mayo Clinic Specialized Program of Research Excellence Molecular Epidemiology Resource (MER). Published reference ranges were used to define an elevated FLC or an abnormal κ:λ FLC ratio.

Results

Elevated FLC or abnormal κ:λ FLC ratio was present in 32% and 14% of patients, respectively. Patients with elevated FLC had an inferior OS and EFS in both cohorts compared with patients with normal FLC (N0489: EFS hazard ratio [HR], 3.06; OS HR, 3.16; both P < .02; MER: EFS HR, 2.42; OS HR, 3.40; both P < .001; combined EFS HR, 2.57; OS HR, 3.74; both P < .001). All associations remained significant for EFS and OS after adjusting for the International Prognostic Index (IPI). Abnormal κ:λ FLC ratio was modestly associated with outcome in the combined group (EFS HR, 1.61; OS HR, 1.67; both P = .07), but not in patients without corresponding elevated κ or λ. Elevated FLC was the strongest predictor of outcome in multivariable models with the IPI components.

Conclusion

Increased serum FLC is an independent, adverse prognostic factor for EFS and OS in DLBCL and warrants further evaluation as a biomarker in DLBCL.
Lymphatic Mapping and Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Patients With Melanoma: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Valsecchi Matias E. , Silbermins Damian , de Rosa Nicole , Wong Sandra L. , Lyman Gary H.
Published: March 2011

Purpose

To perform a meta-analysis of all published studies of sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy for staging patients with melanoma.

Methods

Published literature in all languages between 1990 and 2009 was critically appraised. Primary outcomes evaluated included the proportion successfully mapped (PSM) and test performance including false-negative rate (FNR), post-test probability negative (PTPN), and positive predictive value in the same nodal basin recurrence.

Results

A total of 71 studies including 25,240 patients met full eligibility criteria. The average PSM was 98.1% (95% CI, 97.3% to 98.6%) and increased with the year of publication, female sex, ulceration, age, and the quality score of the studies. The FNR ranged from 0.0% to 34.0%, averaging 12.5% overall (95% CI, 11% to 14.2%). FNR increased with the length of follow-up (P = .002) but decreased with greater PSM (P = .001). PTPN averaged 3.4% (95% CI, 3.0% to 3.8%), which also increased in studies with longer follow-up, younger age, female sex, deeper Breslow thickness, and with tumor ulceration while decreasing with greater PSM (P < .001). Approximately 20% of the patients with a positive SLN had additional lymph nodes in the complete lymph node dissection and 7.5% of the patients with positive SLN developed recurrence in the same nodal basin which was greater in studies that also reported higher FNR (P = .01).

Conclusion

The estimated risk of nodal recurrence after a negative SLN biopsy was ≤ 5% supporting the use of this technology for staging patients with melanoma.
Dissecting Therapeutic Resistance to RAF Inhibition in Melanoma by Tumor Genomic Profiling
Authors: Wagle Nikhil , Emery Caroline , Berger Michael F. , Davis Matthew J. , Sawyer Allison , Pochanard Panisa , Kehoe Sarah M. , Johannessen Cory M. , MacConaill Laura E. , Hahn William C. , Meyerson Matthew , Garraway Levi A.
Published: March 2011

A detailed understanding of the mechanisms by which tumors acquire resistance to targeted anticancer agents should speed the development of treatment strategies with lasting clinical efficacy. RAF inhibition in BRAF-mutant melanoma exemplifies the promise and challenge of many targeted drugs; although response rates are high, resistance invariably develops. Here, we articulate overarching principles of resistance to kinase inhibitors, as well as a translational approach to characterize resistance in the clinical setting through tumor mutation profiling. As a proof of principle, we performed targeted, massively parallel sequencing of 138 cancer genes in a tumor obtained from a patient with melanoma who developed resistance to PLX4032 after an initial dramatic response. The resulting profile identified an activating mutation at codon 121 in the downstream kinase MEK1 that was absent in the corresponding pretreatment tumor. The MEK1C121Smutation was shown to increase kinase activity and confer robust resistance to both RAF and MEK inhibition in vitro. Thus, MEK1C121Sor functionally similar mutations are predicted to confer resistance to combined MEK/RAF inhibition. These results provide an instructive framework for assessing mechanisms of acquired resistance to kinase inhibition and illustrate the use of emerging technologies in a manner that may accelerate personalized cancer medicine.
Tarsal decancellation in the residual resistant arthrogrypotic clubfoot
Authors: Iskandar Hany N , Bishay Sherif NG , Sharaf-El-Deen Hatem Abdel-Rahman , El-Sayed Mohsen Mohammad
Published: March 2011

INTRODUCTION

Conservatism is well recognised after Ponseti's method in the treatment of congenital clubfoot; however, this is not applicable to the complex and resistant arthrogrypotic type which challenges the orthopaedic surgeon. In such a type, soft tissue releases as fasciotomies, tenotomies, and capsulotomies, as well as osteotomies are insufficient, and joint fusions are not suitable in early childhood before skeletal maturity.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Twelve children (15 feet) with residual resistant arthrogrypotic clubfeet between 2-4 years of age were analysed clinically and radiographically. All of the cases received previous conservative Ponseti's method of treatment in their first year of life followed by soft tissue releases (plantar fasciotomy, posteromedial tenotomies, capsulotomies, and abductor hallucis release) before treatment by decancellation of the cuboid, the calcaneus, and the talus to correct the complex adduction, supination, varus, and equinus deformities. Pre-operative measurements of certain foot angles were compared with their corresponding postoperative values.

RESULTS

A grading scheme for evaluation of the results using a point scoring system was suggested to evaluate accurately both clinical and radiographic results after a follow-up period of an average of 3.3 years. Six feet (40%) had excellent, six (40%) good, three (20%) fair, and no poor (0%) outcome. There was no major complication. There was significant improvement in the result (P > 0.035).

CONCLUSIONS

Tarsal decancellation is particularly applicable to residual resistant clubfoot such as the arthrogrypotic type at an early age. It shortens the period of disability, improves the range of foot motion, and does not interfere with the foot bone growth.
New insight on a possible mechanism of progestogens in terms of breast cancer risk
Authors: Neubauer Hans , Chen Rong , Schneck Helen , Knorrp Thomas , Templin Markus F. , Fehm Tanja , Cahill Michael A. , Seeger Harald , Yu Qi , Mueck Alfred O.
Published: March 2011

Objectives: Progestogens influence mammary gland development and probably breast cancer tumorigenesis by regulating a broad spectrum of physiological processes. We investigated receptor membrane-initiated actions of progestogens in MCF-7 breast cancer cells overexpressing progesterone receptor membrane component 1 (PGRMC1).

Design: MCF-7 cells were stably transfected with PGRMC1 expression plasmid (MCF-7/PGRMC1-3HA) and overexpression of PGRMC1 was verified by immune fluorescent analysis and Western blot. To test the effects of progestogens on cell proliferation, MCF-7 and MCF-7/PGRMC1-3HA cells were stimulated with a membrane-impermeable progesterone: BSA-fluorescein-isothiocyanate conjugate (P4-BSA-FITC), unconjugated progesterone (P4), medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), norethisterone (NET) and drospirenone (DRSP). Furthermore, reverse phase protein technology was applied to identify modified downstream signaling.

Results: Progesterone did not elicit any proliferative effect on MCF-7/PGRMC1-3HA cells. By contrast, P4-BSA-FITC, DRSP, MPA and NET significantly triggered proliferation of MCF-7/PGRMC1-3HA cells, the effect being more pronounced for NET. Almost no effect of progestogens on proliferation was observed in MCF-7 cells. In MCF-7/PGRMC1-3HA cells, expression of Erk1/2 was significantly reduced by 40% compared to MCF-7 cells.

Conclusions: Our data indicate that PGRMC1 mediates a progestogen-dependent proliferative signal in MCF-7 cells. Of significant interest is that progesterone and synthetic progestins that are used for hormone therapy are different in their proliferative effects on MCF-7 and MCF-7/PGRMC1-3HA cells. Progesterone appears to act neutrally, whereas MPA, NET and DRSP trigger proliferation and thus might increase breast cancer risk. The data presented are very important in terms of the positive results of progestogens and breast cancer risk in clinical studies so far.
Solid-Organ Transplantation in Childhood: Transitioning to Adult Health Care
Authors: LaRosa Christopher , Glah Caryle , Baluarte H. Jorge , Meyers Kevin E. C.
Published: March 2011

Pediatric solid-organ transplantation is an increasingly successful treatment for solid-organ failure. With dramatic improvements in patient survival rates over the last several decades, there has been a corresponding emergence of complications attributable to pretransplant factors, transplantation itself, and the management of transplantation with effective immunosuppression. The predominant solid-organ transplantation sequelae are medical and psychosocial. These sequelae have a substantial effect on transition to adult care; as such, hurdles to successful transition of care arise from the patients, their families, and pediatric and adult health care providers. Crucial to successful transitioning is the ongoing development of a sense of autonomy and responsibility for one's own care. In this article we address the barriers to transitioning that occur with long-term survival in pediatric solid-organ transplantation. Although a particular transitioning model is not promoted, practical tools and strategies that contribute to successful transitioning of pediatric patients who have received a transplant are suggested.
Self-directed Versus Traditional Classroom Training for Neonatal Resuscitation
Authors: Weiner Gary M. , Menghini Karin , Zaichkin Jeanette , Caid Ann E. , Jacoby Carrie J. , Simon Wendy M.
Published: March 2011

OBJECTIVE:

Neonatal Resuscitation Program instructors spend most of their classroom time giving lectures and demonstrating basic skills. We hypothesized that a self-directed education program could shift acquisition of these skills outside the classroom, shorten the duration of the class, and allow instructors to use their time to facilitate low-fidelity simulation and debriefing.

METHODS:

Novice providers were randomly allocated to self-directed education or a traditional class. Self-directed participants received a textbook, instructional video, and portable equipment kit and attended a 90-minute simulation session with an instructor. The traditional class included 6 hours of lectures and instructor-directed skill stations. Outcome measures included resuscitation skill (megacode assessment score), content knowledge, participant satisfaction, and self-confidence.

RESULTS:

Forty-six subjects completed the study. There was no significant difference between the study groups in either the megacode assessment score (23.8 [traditional] vs 24.5 [self-directed]; P = .46) or fraction that passed the “megacode” (final skills assessment) (56% [traditional] vs 65% [self-directed]; P = .76). There were no significant differences in content knowledge, course satisfaction, or postcourse self-confidence. Content knowledge, years of experience, and self-confidence did not predict resuscitation skill.

CONCLUSIONS:

Self-directed education improves the educational efficiency of the neonatal resuscitation course by shifting the acquisition of cognitive and basic procedural skills outside of the classroom, which allows the instructor to add low-fidelity simulation and debriefing while significantly decreasing the duration of the course.
Oxygen Bar Effectiveness: A Randomized Quantitative Study
Authors: Walsh Christopher , Thimmesch Amanda R , D'Achiardi Andrea , Pierce Janet D
Published: March 2011

Annually, thousands of individuals purchase oxygen (O2) by the minute or use an O2 device for recreation. Manufacturers state the benefits as a decrease in stress and increase in relaxation and energy. The purpose was to determine if increased O2 administered via O2 bars had an effect on energy, relaxation, and stress levels. This study was a quantitative experimental design and subjects were randomized in two groups. All subjects completed a Likert scale questionnaire that measured their energy, relaxation and stress levels. Baseline O2 saturation and heart rate were obtained using a pulse oximeter. Group 1 (n=15) received O2 via nasal cannula for the first 10 minutes and then again completed the questionnaire. During the following 10 minutes, the O2 bar remained on without O2 being administered to the subject. Afterwards, the same questionnaire was administered to the participants. Group 2 (n=15) followed the same protocol as above, except the experimental protocol was reversed. Using a repeated measures analyses of variance there were no significant differences between and within groups at each time period for all variables. The use of O2 bars was found not to have an effect on subjects energy, relaxation or stress levels.
The Impact of International Politics on Commercial Flows in the Age of Globalization
Authors: Costalli Stefano
Published: March 2011

The debate between realists and liberals in the field of International Relations concerning the causes and effects of economic interdependence among states has led to a remarkable branch of empirical literature. However, hardly any research has studied those dynamics in the period following the Cold War, which is so often defined “the age of globalization.” This article is based on a quantitative analysis of the influence of international politics on commercial flows in the post-bipolar period and it performs such analysis on two sets of data. The first one includes all countries of the system for which data is available and the second one focuses on the countries that previous similar studies have identified as great powers. The results show that the contemporary international system is marked by a high degree of complexity and by the simultaneous action of different and even contrasting logics. Liberal variables such as democracy and economic international institutions exert a remarkable influence on international trade, especially at the global level, but international security and even power politics issues are still relevant, particularly for the great powers in their reciprocal relationships.
Dialogue and its Conditions: The Construction of European Citizenship
Authors: Hodgson Naomi
Published: March 2011

The Council of Europe's White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue provides an example of the way in which dialogue has become part of the current mode of governance in Europe. Throughout current policy, the terms ‘dialogue’ and ‘voice’ inform the introduction of practices and tools that constitute the citizen, or active learning citizen. Notions of voice and dialogue operate through educational and social practices today that are constitutive of a particular mode of subjectivation that renders the individual – through their freedom to speak, to participate and to be critical – governable. Current policy frames citizenship as a learning problem. In order to facilitate the development of competences for lifelong learning and active citizenship such policy seeks to establish ‘a common language’. The concern with seeking a common language in respect of education and of citizenship is taken up in the discussion in this article, which places the White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue into the context of current related European policy, and indicates how dialogue operates in the current mode of governmental subjectivation. Drawing on the work of Michel Foucault and Stanley Cavell, this article draws attention to the governance of dialogue itself – the inculcation of the individual in to a language of culture, citizenship and democracy that is depoliticised and which, it is argued, denies disagreement and conflict as central aspects of political life.
Uneven Equity and Italian Interculturalism(s)
Authors: Mincu Monica E. , Allasia Maurizio , Pia Francesca
Published: March 2011

This article proposes a brief investigation of Italian interculturalism(s) as documented by scholarship, relevant policy documents and teaching textbooks, and presents some key practical issues relating to the integration of students of immigrant origin. The authors then analyse the 2008 White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue's core concepts and their possible illumination of Italian educational discourses and practices. The authors' analysis of different versions of Italian interculturalism(s) confirms the prominence of culture as its main pillar, while the issue of equity and equality is clearly neglected. The argument here is that a balanced conception of interculturalism, which recognises the ‘second pillar’ of equity, may prove to be a clearer message for teachers and practitioners. An equity-focused interculturalism will also fully acknowledge the right to education in all its practical forms. In addition, a policy of recognition based on both culture and class dimensions would prove more coherent and efficient in strengthening processes of integration.
Neurocognitive Variability in High-Functioning Individuals: Implications for the Practice of Clinical Neuropsychology
Authors: Zakzanis Konstantine K. , Jeffay Eliyas
Published: March 2011

Knowledge of neurocognitive performance patterns of normal, healthy individuals is necessary, as clinicians may not always take into account normal intra-individual variability, demonstrated here in a sample of 20 healthy individuals with particularly high educational achievement (i.e., holding doctorate degrees). The data indicate that neurocognitive abilities are not equally distributed within a given individual. Some participants in the sample achieved some test scores at the intellectually disabled to borderline range but also some scores in the high average to superior range. The practice of deductive reasoning in clinical neuropsychology may be prone to false positive conclusions about neurocognitive functioning where base rates of neurocognitive impairments are low and pre-existing educational achievements are high.
Relative and Absolute Stability in Perceived Parenting Behaviour: A Longitudinal Study with Children and Adolescents
Authors: Carrasco M. A. , Rodríguez M. A. , del Barrio M. V. , Holgado F. P.
Published: March 2011

Patterns of relative and absolute stability in parental behaviour with children and adolescents are reported. The sample comprised 523 youth (58.7% girls). Data were collected at three time periods: T1 ( M age = 11.1 yr.), T2 ( M age = 12.2 yr.), and T3 ( M age = 13.2 yr.), each separated by one year. According to children's reports, relative consistency was moderate in both mothers and fathers, particularly as regards communication and strict control. In contrast, as children got older, parental rearing practices related to strict control and hostility decreased. There was a similarity between fathers and mothers in terms of relative and absolute stability. Relative stability was affected by the child's sex, the parenting variable, and the time period; however, the patterns of absolute stability reveal no differences by sex.
Turkish Children's Bender-Gestalt Test Performance: Differences in Public and Private School Children
Authors: Özer Serap
Published: March 2011

The present study was undertaken to provide data on the Bender-Gestalt test for children aged 5 to 11 in Turkey. Although it is well documented that sociocultural factors are important in cognitive evaluations, the effects of type of school and differing educational opportunities provided by these schools on the Bender-Gestalt test have not been previously investigated. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of age, sex, and school type on Bender-Gestalt performance. The test was individually administered to 484 children between the ages of 5 and 11 years. The children were enrolled in either public or private schools. Koppitz's Developmental Scoring System was utilized. The results indicated that older children performed with fewer errors. Girls performed with fewer errors than boys. Finally, as expected, private school children outperformed their public school peers. The results are discussed with respect to the importance of taking into account various educational factors in utilizing commonly used tests.
Florida Creativity Index Scores, Conservatism, and Openness in 268 U.S. Regions
Authors: McCann Stewart J. H.
Published: March 2011

This study assessed whether Florida's Creativity Index (2002) scores for 268 U.S. regions were related to levels of conservatism and openness in the states in which the regions were situated. State conservatism was measured as the percentage voting for Bush in 2000. State openness z scores were taken from a survey of 619,397 residents (Rentfrow, Gosling, & Potter, 2008). Creativity scores correlated negatively with conservatism ( r = -.22) and positively with openness ( r = .23). Regression showed that the two predictors accounted jointly (7%) and separately for significant variance in the Creativity Index. The findings contribute evidence for the construct validity of Florida's composite Creativity Index and some, albeit moderate to weak, support of the Rentfrow, et al. conclusion that state-aggregated openness reflects the unconventionality, tolerance, and creativity of a state.
An Examination of an Enhancing Effect of Music on Attentional Abilities in Older Persons with Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Lake Jessica I. , Goldstein Felicia C.
Published: March 2011

While the effect of listening to music on cognitive abilities is highly debated, studies reporting an enhancing effect of music in elderly populations appear to be more consistent. In this study, the effects of listening to music on attention in groups of cognitively normal older adults and those with mild cognitive impairment were considered. Participants were exposed to both a music and silence condition, and after each condition performed Digit Span and Coding tasks which require attention for maximal performance. The hypothesis that listening to music, compared to a silence condition, enhances performance was not supported for either group. Various explanations for these findings are considered.
Functional Cerebral Distance and the Effect of Emotional Music on Spatial Rotation Scores in Undergraduate Women and Men
Authors: Bertsch Sharon , Knee H. Donald , Webb Jeffrey L.
Published: March 2011

The influence of listening to music on subsequent spatial rotation scores has a controversial history. The effect is unreliable, seeming to depend on several as yet unexplored factors. Using a large sample (167 women, 160 men; M age = 18.9 yr.), two related variables were investigated: participants' sex and the emotion conveyed by the music. Participants listened to 90 sec. of music that portrayed emotions of approach (happiness), or withdrawal (anger), or heard no music at all. They then performed a two-dimensional spatial rotation task. No significant difference was found in spatial rotation scores between groups exposed to music and those who were not. However, a significant interaction was found based on the sex of the participants and the emotion portrayed in the music they heard. Women's scores increased (relative to a no-music condition) only after hearing withdrawal-based music, while men's scores increased only after listening to the approach-based music. These changes were explained using the theory of Functional Cerebral Distance.
Time Course of Changes in Novice Jumpers' Countermovement Vertical Jump Performance
Authors: Feltner Michael E. , MacRae Priscilla G.
Published: March 2011

Time course of changes in jump height was examined to assess whether it was related to changes in the underlying mechanics or muscle activity. In Phase I, 11 novice female students performed 10 maximal jumps for eight consecutive days from two force plates. Jump height, impulse duration (tIMP), and mean vertical ground reaction force (VGRF) were compared using repeated-measures analysis of variance. Jump height was significantly higher (7.7%) on Days 3–8 when compared to Days 1 and 2; tIMP and VGRF were unchanged across days. In a follow-up study (Phase II), 14 novice female students performed 10 maximal jumps for five consecutive days. Electromyographic activity of five leg muscles was recorded to identify the relative onset of each muscle's activity. Using repeated-measures analysis of variance, jump height was significantly higher (4.2%) on Days 2 to 5 compared to Day 1; however, no significant changes were found across Days, for tIMP, VGRF, or the onset of muscle activity. The findings indicate that jump performance can improve rapidly in novice jumpers but the underlying muscle activation remained unchanged.
Another Look at Baseball Player Initials and Longevity
Authors: Smith Gary
Published: March 2011

Abel and Kruger (2007) reported that Major League Baseball players whose names have positive initials (such as ACE or GOD) live an average of 13 years longer than do players with negative initials (such as ASS or BAD) or players with neutral initials (such as GHR or TSW). However, this conclusion is based on a very small sample, selective initials, and a flawed statistical test. There is no statistically significant relationship between initials and longevity for Major League Baseball players when a correct test is applied to independently selected initials.
Frequency of Lucid Dreaming in a Representative German Sample
Authors: Schredl Michael , Erlacher Daniel
Published: March 2011

Lucid dreams occur when a person is aware that he is dreaming while he is dreaming. In a representative sample of German adults ( N = 919), 51% of the participants reported that they had experienced a lucid dream at least once. Lucid dream recall was significantly higher in women and negatively correlated with age. However, these effects might be explained by the frequency of dream recall, as there was a correlation of .57 between frequency of dream recall and frequency of lucid dreams. Other sociodemographic variables like education, marital status, or monthly income were not related to lucid dream frequency. Given the relatively high prevalence of lucid dreaming reported in the present study, research on lucid dreams might be pursued in the sleep laboratory to expand the knowledge about sleep, dreaming, and consciousness processes in general.
Effects on Incidental Memory of Affective Tone in Associated Past and Future Episodes: Influence of Emotional Intelligence
Authors: Toyota Hiroshi
Published: March 2011

The present study examined the effects of emotion elicited by episodes (past events or expected future events) and the relationship between individual differences in emotional intelligence and memory. Participants' emotional intelligence was assessed on the Japanese version of Emotional Skills and Competence Questionnaire. They rated the pleasantness of episodes they associated with targets, and then performed unexpected free recall tests. When the targets were associated with episodes that were past events, all participants recalled more of the targets associated with pleasant and unpleasant episodes than those associated with neutral episodes. However, when the targets were associated with episodes expected to occur in the future, only participants with higher emotional intelligence scores recalled more of the targets associated with pleasant and unpleasant episodes. The participants with lower emotional intelligence scores recalled the three target types with similar accuracy. These results were interpreted as showing that emotional intelligence is associated with the processing of targets associated with future episodes as retrieval cues.
Student Teachers' Observations of Unfavorable Teacher Behaviors Exhibited in Classrooms
Authors: Dilekmen Mücahit
Published: March 2011

The aim of this study was to identify male and female teachers' misbehaviors in classrooms and determine the variance of those misbehaviors in schools in different socioeconomic areas. The study was conducted in 24 primary schools in Erzurum province with a total of 210 classroom teachers. Data were obtained through observations made by 210 student teachers. The data collected were analysed through descriptive analyses by the researcher. 661 misbehaviors were observed and classified into six different categories, namely, physical aggression, passive (verbal) aggression, constant nervousness, trouble in managing the classroom, class failures pertaining to instruction, and other.
Correspondence of Back Pain Patients' Self-Reports of Sick Leave and Swedish National Insurance Authority Register
Authors: Linton Steven J.
Published: March 2011

While self-reports of sick absenteeism days are often practical for research, it is not clear how accurate these reports are. 192 Swedish participants recorded the number of days they had been off work for all illnesses, as well as for back pain specifically, for each month during the past 6 mo. These data were then compared to records from the National Insurance Authority in Sweden. The similarity between the data sets was very high, with the correspondence for those reporting 0 to 30 days off being 98%. For those with more than 30 days of self-reported sick leave, the correspondence was 81%, but the reason for the discrepancy may have been a lack of clarity in the question. It is concluded that self-reports correspond well with recorded data and that their use in research is justified.
Salience and Asymmetric Judgments of Physical Distance
Authors: Formanowicz Magdalena , Karylowski Jerzy J.
Published: March 2011

Previous research has shown that distance estimates made from memory are often asymmetric. Specifically, when A is a prominent location (a landmark) and B is not, people tend to recall a longer distance from A to B than from B to A. Results of two experiments showed that asymmetric judgments of distance are not restricted to judgments made from memory but occur also for judgments made when all relevant visual cues are still present. Furthermore, results indicated that situational salience is sufficient to produce asymmetric judgments and that distinctiveness (such as in the case of architectural landmarks) is not necessary.
The Use of Knowledge of Results Based on the Stability of Performance during Acquisition of Timing Skill: A Validity Study
Authors: Ishikura Tadao
Published: March 2011

The goal was to examine the effect of changing knowledge-of-results bandwidth based on a participant's stable performance during acquisition of a timing skill. 36 university students experienced one of three conditions: (1) 100% KR condition during which information on errors was provided after each trial during practice, (2) fluctuation-of-range condition, wherein KR bandwidth was based on standard deviation of five trials, and (3) 10% KR bandwidth condition (10%), wherein the KR bandwidth was 810–990 msec. Variable error in the fluctuation-of-range condition at posttest and retention was significantly smaller than that with the 100% KR. Conditions in which range of KR was allowed to fluctuate were more effective for stabilizing performance.
The catalogue of the freshwater crayfish (Crustacea: Decapoda: Astacidae) from Romania preserved in "Grigore Antipa" National Museum of Natural History of Bucharest
Authors: Petrescu Iorgu , Petrescu Ana-Maria
Published: March 2011

The catalogue of the freshwater crayfish (Crustacea: Decapoda: Astacidae) from Romania preserved in "Grigore Antipa" National Museum of Natural History of Bucharest

The largest collection of freshwater crayfish of Romania is preserved in "Grigore Antipa" National Museum of Natural History of Bucharest. The collection consists of 426 specimens of Astacus astacus, A. leptodactylus and Austropotamobius torrentium.
Critical evaluation of the specimens of Lithobius validus Meinert - species group (Chilopoda: Lithobiidae) from the "Z. Matic" and "Şt. Negrea" collections (Romania)
Authors: Negrea Ştefan
Published: March 2011

Critical evaluation of the specimens of Lithobius validus Meinert - species group (Chilopoda: Lithobiidae) from the "Z. Matic" and "Şt. Negrea" collections (Romania)

Z. Matic's collection, preserved at the Zoological Museum of the "Babeş-Bolyai" University of Cluj-Napoca, and Şt. Negrea's collection, preserved at the "Emil Racovitza" Speleological Institute of Bucharest (the only chilopod collections existing in Romania) are containing three species of the Lithobius validus Meinert group: L. (L.) validus Meinert, 1872 (sensu Eason, 1974 a), L. (L.) moldavicus Prunesco, 1966 (sensu Negrea, in the present paper) and L. (L.) matici Prunesco, 1966. New synonymies are proposed: Lithobius punctulatus moldavicus Prunesco, 1966 = Lithobius moldavicus Negrea in this work = Lithobius validus Zapparoli, 1994 nov. syn.; Lithobius matici Prunesco, 1966 = Lithobius matici biharicus Prunesco, 1966 nov. syn. The subspecies Lithobius punctulatus moldavicus Prunesco, 1966 is elevated to the taxonomical rank of species, Lithobius moldavicus Prunesco, establishing its geographical area as it is currently known. The following species are redescribed: Lithobius validus Meinert, 1872, based on the Romanian Carpathians populations; Lithobius moldavicus Prunesco, 1966 based on the specimens of the Eastern Carpathians - including the type series, establishing a lectotypus and an allolectotypus; Lithobius matici Prunesco, 1966 based on populations from the Eastern Carpathians and the Western Carpathians.
Faunistic and ecological characterization of aquatic and semiaquatic Heteroptera (Insecta) communities in permanent swamps situated in Făgăraş Depression and Sibiu Depression (Romania)
Authors: Ilie Daniela , Ban-Calefariu Cristina
Published: March 2011

Faunistic and ecological characterization of aquatic and semiaquatic Heteroptera (Insecta) communities in permanent swamps situated in Făgăraş Depression and Sibiu Depression (Romania)

This paper assesses the biodiversity of aquatic and semiaquatic Heteroptera in permanent swamps situated in two contact depressions between Făgăraş Mountains and the Transylvania Plateau, and performs a species association and a species monthly dynamics analysis. We have identified 30 species of Heteroptera, of which 18 species are aquatic (Infraorder Nepomorpha) and 12 are semiaquatic (Infraorder Gerromorpha). The α-biodiversity analysis reveales values between 0.379-3.475 for the investigated stations, which indicate a uniform distribution of individuals on species, both within stations and in each of the two depressions. The monthly sampling, in 2004, enabled us to analyze the species dynamics.
Remarks on some European Aleocharinae, with description of a new Rhopaletes species from Croatia (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae)
Authors: Ádám László
Published: March 2011

Remarks on some European Aleocharinae, with description of a new Rhopaletes species from Croatia (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae)

Based on an examination of type and non-type material, ten species-group names are synonymised: Atheta mediterranea G. Benick, 1941, Aloconota carpathica Jeannel et Jarrige, 1949 and Atheta carpatensis Tichomirova, 1973 with Aloconota mihoki (Bernhauer, 1913); Amischa jugorum Scheerpeltz, 1956 with Amischa analis (Gravenhorst, 1802); Amischa strupii Scheerpeltz, 1967 with Amischa bifoveolata (Mannerheim, 1830); Atheta tricholomatobia V. B. Semenov, 2002 with Atheta boehmei Linke, 1934; Atheta palatina G. Benick, 1974 and Atheta palatina G. Benick, 1975 with Atheta dilaticornis (Kraatz, 1856); Atheta degenerata G. Benick, 1974 and Atheta degenerata G. Benick, 1975 with Atheta testaceipes (Heer, 1839). A new name, Atheta velebitica nom. nov. is proposed for Atheta serotina Ádám, 2008, a junior primary homonym of Atheta serotina Blackwelder, 1944. A revised key for the Central European species of the Aloconota sulcifrons group is provided. Comments on the separation of the males of Amischa bifoveolata and A. analis are given. A key for the identification of Amischa species occurring in Hungary and its close surroundings is presented. Remarks are presented about the relationships of Alevonota Thomson, 1858 and Enalodroma Thomson, 1859. The taxonomic status of Oxypodera Bernhauer, 1915 and Mycetota Ádám, 1987 is discussed. The specific status of Pella hampei (Kraatz, 1862) is debated. Remarks are presented about the relationships of Alevonota Thomson, 1858, as well as Mycetota Ádám, 1987, Oxypodera Bernhauer, 1915 and Rhopaletes Cameron, 1939. The publication date of several Atheta species described by G. Benick is discussed. Aloconota mihoki, Amischa forcipata, A. filum and Atheta boehmei are reported from Hungary, Croatia and Romania, respectively, for the first time. A new species, Rhopaletes slavoniae sp. n. is described from Croatia.
The population of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus L., 1758) in Tulcea county (Romania)
Authors: Geacu Sorin
Published: March 2011

The population of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus L., 1758) in Tulcea county (Romania)

The presence of the Red Deer in the North-western parts of Tulcea County is an example of the natural expansion of a species spreading area. In North Dobrogea, this mammal first occurred only forty years ago. The first specimens were spotted on Cocoşul Hill (on the territory of Niculiţel area) in 1970. Peak numbers (68 individuals) were registered in the spring of 1987. The deer population (67 specimens in 2007) of this county extended along 10 km from West to East and 20 km from North to South over a total of 23,000 ha (55% of which was forest land) in the East of the Măcin Mountains and in the West of the Niculiţel Plateau.
Biotech in Medicine – The Topic of the Olten Meeting 2010
Authors: Heinzelmann Elsbeth
Published: March 2011

Since 1998, the biotechnet – the national network of competence in biotech research – has been helping partners from industry to access excellence in R&D, giving them optimal support at low cost. Its annual 'Olten Meeting' is a dynamic hub for companies and research
institutes as it highlights the latest trends in biotech. On November 24, 2010, the topical subject was biotech in medicine.
Chitin Synthase, a Fungal Glycosyltransferase that Is a Valuable Antifungal Target
Authors: Behr Jean-Bernard
Published: March 2011

During the last 30 past years, more life-threatening fungal infections have appeared due to the increasing frequency of patients with weakened immune systems. Inhibition of fungal enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of sterols is considered to be a safe and effective option for antifungal
therapy. However, the intensive use of sterol-biosynthesis inhibitors for years has resulted in resistance development. Consequently, the search for alternative therapeutics must be intensified. In this context, the biosynthesis of chitin, an essential component of the fungal cell wall that
is absent in mammalian cells, was envisioned as a safe and selective therapeutic target. We present here recent successes in the inhibition of chitin synthase, the enzyme involved in the last step of the biosynthesis of chitin.
Regioselective One-pot Protection and Protection-glycosylation of Carbohydrates
Authors: Wang Cheng-Chung , Zulueta Medel Manuel L. , Hung Shang-Cheng
Published: March 2011

Deciphering the roles and structure–activity relationships of carbohydrates in biological processes requires access to sugar molecules of confirmed structure and high purity. Chemical synthesis is one of the best ways to obtain such access. However, the synthesis of carbohydrates
has long been impeded by two major challenges – the regioselective protection of the polyol moiety of each monosaccharide building block and the stereoselective glycosylation to produce oligosaccharides of desired length. Here, we review the development of the first regioselective protection-glycosylation
and a revolutionary regioselective combinatorial one-pot protection of monosaccharides that can be used to differentiate the various hydroxy groups of monosaccharides with a vast array of orthogonal protective groups in one-pot procedures.
Glycosidases in Carbohydrate Synthesis: When Organic Chemistry Falls Short
Authors: Bojarová Pavla , Kren Vladimír
Published: March 2011

Thanks to the stability, good availability, stereoselectivity and broad substrate specificity, oligosaccharide synthesis catalyzed by glycosidases represents an elegant way to complex carbohydrate structures. Two approaches to glycosidase catalysis are presented: i) the use of structurally
modified substrates that carry various functional moieties in the molecule, and ii) the design of mutant glycosidases void of hydrolytic activity. Products of glycosidase-catalyzed synthesis are applicable in a range of are as such as immunology, therapy of Alzheimer's or Parkinson's diseases
and the synthesis of neoglycoproteins.
Oxetanes from the Ring Contraction of ?-Triflates of ?-Lactones: Oxetane Nucleosides and Oxetane Amino Acids
Authors: Jenkinson Sarah F. , Fleet George w. J.
Published: March 2011

?-Triflates of ?-lactones with potassium carbonate in methanol give efficient contraction of the ring to oxetane-1-carboxylates in which the oxygen substituent at C(3) of the oxetane is predominantly trans to the carboxylate at C(2), regardless of the stereochemistry of
the starting triflate. The limitations of the procedure are discussed and compared with analogous reactions for the preparation of THF carboxylates. The potential of the contraction in the preparation of oxetane nucleosides (such as oxetanocin) and oxetane sugar amino acids (analogues of oxetin)
as peptidomimetics with predisposition to form secondary structural motifs is illustrated.
Marine Polysaccharides and their Conversion into Functional Materials
Authors: Robitzer Mike , Quignard Françoise
Published: March 2011

Natural polysaccharides are supports for sensors, absorbents and catalysts. They are also gelling agents in the aqueous phase, due to the high level of dispersion of hydrocolloids. This article focuses on an effective method to prepare dry materials which retain the dispersion of the
polymer hydrogel, namely polysaccharide aerogels. The diverse surface functionalities like hydroxy, carboxy or amino groups of the polysaccharide aerogels are accessible to catalysts and reactants and can be easily modified to tune the functionality of the materials.
The Sign of Four
Authors: Donovan Stephen K.
Published: March 2011

Academics can design their research programs, mastermind field exercises in exotic locations, arrange their teaching schedules, and organize conferences, but may stumble when faced with the task of writing up their data and ideas for publication. In truth, academic authorship is just another exercise that needs to be planned. Here is a simple plan that might work for you.
Befriending the Stranger: Beyond the Global Politics of Fear
Authors: Dallmayr Fred
Published: March 2011

The process of globalisation and the so-called war on terror are two prominent features marking our present age. While the process of globalisation promises the prospect of moving beyond or across borders, the war on terror marks a return to fences, check-points, and dividing walls. Terror war is a global politics of fear, a politics conducted under the rigid border control between ‘us' and ‘them’. This paper examines the ominous development of fear in world politics from a number of angles. First, it explores the growing linkage of politics with terror war by tracing its roots ultimately to the friend-enemy distinction. Next, it discusses the shortcomings of the terror war syndrome, by turning to some prominent critics of this ideology. Finally, it examines possible ways pointing beyond this ideology, enlisting for this purpose a number of theologians and intellectuals, to arrive at the promising notions of ‘border-crossing’ and political-existential Grenzgänger or people who criss-cross multiple borders.
Revisiting Classical Functional Theory: Towards a Twenty-First Century Micro-Politics
Authors: Steele Brent J.
Published: March 2011

This paper returns to some themes found in David Mitrany's classical ‘functionalist’ approach to international politics, in order to reconstruct practical principles that might be applied to contemporary politics as well as debates in International Relations and international political theory. It attempts to do this through two moves — ‘restoration’ and ‘contemporary reconstruction’. In restoring some of the insights Mitrany provides us that have been somewhat obscured over time, the paper hopes to demonstrate the ‘function’ behind functionalism — that its core assumptions as an approach (if not ‘theory’) to international politics can prove to be just as instructive today as they were during the several decades of their initial development by Mitrany. Reconstruction, however, is necessitated by the observation that some of Mitrany's aspirations for functional theory — namely that it would produce ‘bonds’ that not only transcend national communities, but provide for the unraveling of the nation-state system as we know it — were a bit utopian. Thus, the paper proposes several avenues to reconstruct classical functionalism for contemporary politics. The paper then discusses three small empirical illustrations where micro-political insights can be extracted and briefly analysed: peace camps, the Regional Cooperation Council of the former Yugoslavia, and a more detailed analysis of the so-called ‘surge’ strategy in the ongoing US-Iraq conflict. It concludes with a two-pronged discussion on how micro-politics might speak to current debates in international political theory, and some mechanisms for securing functional spaces.
The Institutionalisation of International Law: On Habermas' Reformulation of the Kantian Project
Authors: Lundestad Øystein , Mikalsen Kjartan Koch
Published: March 2011

The article sets out to explore the international legal dimension in Jürgen Habermas' latest publications on philosophy of law. It is our view that Habermas deals with the examination of just relations beyond the nation-state first and foremost from a legal perspective, and that the key to a Habermasian reading of international justice is not through an application of discourse-theoretical models of communicative or moral action as such, but primarily through proper legal institutionalisation of the rule of law. In asserting this view, we will look closer at the Kantian influence in Habermas' legal construct at the international level, and show why this institutional approach is to be sharply distinguished from and preferred to any exclusively non-institutional approach to international justice.