bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
User Experience Monitoring: Über die Notwendigkeit geschäftskritische Online-Prozesse permanent zu überwachen
Authors: Hartmann Juliane
Published: December 2011

Das Konzept der User Experience erfreut sich in Forschung und Praxis anhaltend großer Beliebtheit und ist in Online-Prozessen zu einem zentralen Baustein für den langfristigen Erfolg eines Webangebots geworden. User Experience Monitoring ermöglicht es – anders als es durch etablierte Tools oder bekannte Messinstrumente geschieht – die User Experience eines Online-Prozesses permanent zu überwachen. So wird es möglich, Veränderungen im Nutzungsverhalten genau nachzuvollziehen und den Erfolg von Website-Optimierungsmaßnahmen direkt zu kontrollieren. Geschäftskritische Prozesse (z.B. Buchungs-, Kauf- oder Registrierungsprozesse) können so um ein Vielfaches schneller und effizienter als bisher möglich visualisiert, analysiert und optimiert werden.
Musikhören und Arbeiten im Einklang
Authors: Chien Wei-Chi , Hassenzahl Marc , Mehnert Kurt
Published: December 2011

Musik macht vieles leichter. Auch während geistiger Arbeit am Schreibtisch schätzen viele Menschen Musik, als ein Mittel zur Motivation und gegen das Gefühl des Alleinseins. Wenn die Musik allerdings zu viel Aufmerksamkeit bindet, kann dies die Konzentration stören. Der vorliegende Beitrag beschreibt die Gestaltung eines Konzepts, das den Einklang von Musikhören und geistiger Arbeit unterstützt, indem es die Bindung von Aufmerksamkeit durch die Musik steuerbar macht und es so erlaubt, Musik an die kognitiven Anforderungen der Arbeitsaufgabe anzupassen. Im Vordergrund des Gestaltungsprozesses standen das zu erzeugende Erlebnis und die damit verbundenen Bedürfnisse der Nutzer. Die Interaktion und die formale Gestaltung wurden aus diesem Erlebnis abgeleitet.
High prevalence of hirsutism and menstrual disorders in obese adolescent girls and adolescent girls with type 1 diabetes mellitus despite different hormonal profiles
Authors: Samara-Boustani Dinane , Colmenares Ana , Elie Caroline , Dabbas Myriam , Beltrand Jacques , Caron Virgile , Ricour Claude , Jacquin Paul , Tubiana-Rufi Nadia , Levy-Marchal Claire , Delcroix Christine , Martin Delphine , Benadjaoud Lila , Jacqz Aigrain Evelyne , Trivin Christine , Laborde Kathleen , Thibaud Elisabeth , Robert Jean-Jacques , Polak Michel
Published: December 2011

Objectives

To compare the pubertal development, the hormonal profiles and the prevalence of hirsutism and menstrual disorders in obese adolescent girls and adolescent girls with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM).

Methods

Data were collected from 96 obese adolescent girls and 78 adolescent girls with T1DM at Tanner stage IV or V, whose ages ranged between 11.9 and 17.9 years.

Results

High prevalence of hirsutism and menstrual disorder was found in the obese adolescent girls (36.5 and 42% respectively) and the adolescent girls with T1DM (21 and 44% respectively). The obese girls were significantly younger at pubarche, thelarche and menarche than the girls with T1DM. Hirsutism in the obese girls and those with T1DM was associated with hyperandrogenaemia and a raised free androgen index (FAI). When the cause of the raised FAI was investigated in both the groups of girls with hirsutism, the raised FAI in the obese girls was due to low serum sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels. In contrast, the raised FAI of the girls with T1DM and hirsutism was due to hyperandrogenaemia. Menstrual disorders in the T1DM girls were associated also with hyperandrogenaemia unlike obese girls.

Conclusions

Hirsutism and menstrual disorders are common in obese adolescent girls and adolescent girls with T1DM. Although hyperandrogenaemia is present in both groups of girls, the androgenic profiles of the two groups differ. The hyperandrogenaemia in the obese girls is primarily due to their decreased serum SHBG levels, whereas the hyperandrogenaemia in the girls with T1DM is due to their increased androgen production.
Caracterização de artefatos elastoméricos obtidos por revulcanização de resíduo industrial de SBR (copolímero de butadieno e estireno)
Authors: Weber Tatiana , Zanchet Aline , Crespo Janaina S. , Oliveira Márcia G. , Suarez João C. M. , Nunes Regina C. R.
Published: December 2011

A reciclagem de resíduos de borracha é de extrema importância nos dias de hoje, tanto em relação aos impactos ambientais quanto à conservação de energia. Considerando que a maioria dos trabalhos publicados atualmente se refere à reciclagem de pneus, o objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver e caracterizar formulações contendo um tipo de resíduo industrial, proveniente da fabricação de perfis automotivos, à base de copolímero de butadieno e estireno (SBR) para possível aplicação na própria empresa. As composições foram preparadas e caracterizadas pela determinação das propriedades térmicas (calorimetria diferencial de varredura), reológicas (analisador de processamento de borracha), reométricas (reômetria de disco oscilatório), mecânicas (resistência à tração e ao rasgamento), químicas (densidade de ligações cruzadas) e morfológicas (microscopia eletrônica de varredura). Os resultados obtidos para as composições foram comparados aos de uma amostra controle, de mesma composição, que foi fornecida pela empresa geradora do resíduo de SBR. Os resultados mecânicos indicaram que o processo de revulcanização proposto foi efetivo. Os valores dos parâmetros de tensão na ruptura e resistência ao rasgamento foram de 70 e 50%, respectivamente, em relação aos valores encontrados para a amostra controle, indicando a possibilidade do uso desse resíduo em artefatos de menor exigência técnica.
Institute of Medicine (IOM) Workshop
Authors: Niederhuber John
Published: December 2011

This article presents some personal thoughts regarding the summary of an IOM workshop on patient-centered cancer treatment planning.
Consistent scaling of persistence time in metapopulations
Authors: Yaari Gur , Ben-Zion Yossi , Shnerb Nadav M. , Vasseur David A.
Published: December 2011

Recent theory and experimental work in metapopulations and metacommunities demonstrates that long‐term persistence is maximized when the rate at which individuals disperse among patches within the system is intermediate; if too low, local extinctions are more frequent than recolonizations, increasing the chance of regional‐scale extinctions, and if too high, dynamics exhibit region‐wide synchrony, and local extinctions occur in near unison across the region. Although common, little is known about how the size and topology of the metapopulation (metacommunity) affect this bell‐shaped relationship between dispersal rate and regional persistence time. Using a suite of mathematical models, we examined the effects of dispersal, patch number, and topology on the regional persistence time when local populations are subject to demographic stochasticity. We found that the form of the relationship between regional persistence time and the number of patches is consistent across all models studied; however, the form of the relationship is distinctly different among low, intermediate, and high dispersal rates. Under low and intermediate dispersal rates, regional persistence times increase logarithmically and exponentially (respectively) with increasing numbers of patches, whereas under high dispersal, the form of the relationship depends on local dynamics. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the forms of these relationships, which give rise to the bell‐shaped relationship between dispersal rate and persistence time, are a product of recolonization and the region‐wide synchronization (or lack thereof) of population dynamics. Identifying such metapopulation attributes that impact extinction risk is of utmost importance for managing and conserving the earth's evermore fragmented populations.
Effects of written drug information on patient knowledge and compliance: a literature review.
Authors: Morris L A , Halperin J A
Published: December 2011

The prospect of patient-oriented prescription drug labeling has focused increased attention on the effectiveness of written information for the consumer. Studies which have evaluated the effects of written prescription drug information in a patient population are reviewed. Several studies indicate that written information can be effective in improving patient compliance with regimens for antibiotic therapy. However, for drugs used on a long-term basis, written information as a sole intervention has not been shown to be sufficient for improving patient compliance. Patient knowledge of less commonly known information, such as precautions, side effects, or special directions is frequently improved by written information. Listing a drug's side effects has not been shown to increase the reported experience of side effects; however, one study suggests that patients may be more willing to report side effects to a health professional if they are listed in the written information. The trend for recent studies has been to focus on the "milieu" in which written information is provided or to systematically vary structural features of the information in order to improve the quality of drug communications.
Analysis of interrupted time series mortality trends: an example to evaluate regionalized perinatal care.
Authors: Gillings D , Makuc D , Siegel E
Published: December 2011

Interrupted time series designs are frequently employed to evaluate program impact. Analysis strategies to determine if shifts have occurred are not well known. The case where statistical fluctuations (errors) may be assumed independent is considered, and a segmented regression methodology presented. The method discussed ia applied to the assessment of changes in local and state perinatal postneonatal mortality to identify historical trends and will be used to evaluate the impact of the North Carolina Regionalized Perinatal Care Program when seven years of post-program mortality data become available. The perinatal program region is contrasted with a control region to provide a basis for interpretation of differences noted. Relevant segmented regression models provided good fits to the data and highlighted mortality trends over the last 30 years. Considerable racial differences in these trends were identified, particularly for postneonatal mortality. Segmented regression is considered relevant for the analysis of interrupted time series designs in other applications when errors can be taken to be independent. Thus, the methodology may be regarded as a general statistical tool for evaluation purposes.
Preface to Vol.4 2011
Authors: Editor The
Published: December 2011

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/init.v4i0.5528The Initiation Vol.4 2011
The Pack Hunter (Dhole): Received Little Scientific Attention
Authors: Khatiwada Ambika Pd , Awasthi KD , Gautam Narayan Pd , Jnawali Shant Raj , Subedi Naresh , Aryal Achyut
Published: December 2011

The dholes received little scientific attention due to the lower charisma factor than other larger carnivores found in the same areas like Tiger and Snow Leopard. This is the first study of dholes that was conducted in Kanchenjunga Conservation Area (KCA), Nepal in 2010. Camera trapping, sign survey, interview and group discussion with local people were carried out to assess the presence/absence of dholes in KCA, conflict with humans and to know the history of dholes in the area. The camera trapping evidence (Three pictures of dholes caught on camera trap) confirmed the dhole presence in KCA. According to the Snow Leopard Conservation Sub-Committee (SLCC) report about 87.5% of livestock were killed by dholes only in Yamphudin. Conservation education and comprehensive carnivore conservation action plan is recommended for the conservation of dholes. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/init.v4i0.5531The Initiation Vol.4 2011 8-13
Appraising Protected Area Management Planning in Nepal
Authors: Poudel Buddi Sagar
Published: December 2011

This paper distils Nepal's experience on protected area management planning, with particular reference to implementation of management plan. It also reviews the status of PA management plan and legal provisions related to management plan. Management plan is the road map to guide conservation efforts and sets out the desired future of protected area. Five-year management plan of protected areas have been prepared and implemented. Although park management plans were formulated for most of the parks and reserves, there remained wide gaps during its timely and effective implementation. The aim of this paper is to answer the question "what are the issues in management planning process and implementation". Building on the strength of the past and keeping the existing weaknesses in mind, the management effectiveness should be evaluated and improved.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/init.v4i0.5538The Initiation Vol.4 2011 69-81
Protection Forest: A New Dimension for Biodiversity Conservation, Sustainable Forest Management and Livelihood Improvement
Authors: Lamsal Prakash
Published: December 2011

Protected areas have greater role in the biodiversity conservation, sustainable forest management and livelihood improvement. Government of Nepal has different provisions for the management of such areas. Centralized conservation concept has broadened to participatory and people centred approach. Landscape approach is the latest one in this field. There are various benefits of the declaration of the protected forest, and initiatives are also being taken from the Governmental sector, but along with that several negative impacts are also being witnessed. A clear strategy is needed in this regard. This paper talks about the development of the participatory approach, government initiatives and positive and negative impacts and the challenges ahead.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/init.v4i0.5543The Initiation Vol.4 2011 111-114
Dimensional Change of Elastomeric Materials after Immersion in Disinfectant Solutions for Different Times
Authors: Carvalhal Cintia Iara Oda , de Mello José Antônio Nunes , Sobrinho Lourenço Correr , Correr Américo Bertolazzo , Sinhoreti Mário Alexandre Coelho
Published: December 2011

Aim

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of immersion period in two disinfectant solutions on dimensional change of four elastomeric impression materials.

Materials and methods

Four representative materials of each class of elastomers: Xantopren (polydimethylsiloxane—PDS), Express (polyvinyl siloxane—PVS); Permlastic (polysulfide— PS) and Soft Impregum (polyether—EP) were mixed according to manufacturers’ instructions and then inserted into a metal matrix prepared according to the specification of ISO 4823. The molds were removed from the matrix after 7 minutes and immersed in disinfectant solutions (sodium hypochlorite 0.5 and 2% glutaraldehyde) for 5, 10, 20, 30 and 60 minutes (n = 7), except the control group, which was not immersed. Once removed from solutions, the test samples were washed in water for 15 seconds, dried and measured three times, using a comparative optical microscope, with accuracy of 0.0005 mm. The analysis of variance with three criteria and Tukey's test with significance level of 5% showed that differences in linear dimensions of the materials analyzed were not statistically significant (p > 0.05) after soaking in sodium hypochlorite 0.5 and 2% glutaraldehyde, for the tested periods of time.

Clinical significance

Combinations of molding material and disinfecting solution can be used in the dental clinic for infection control, without changing the dimensional molds, for immersion periods not longer than 20 minutes.

How to cite this article

Carvalhal CIO, de Mello JAN, Sobrinho LC, Correr AB, Sinhoreti MAC. Dimensional Change of Elastomeric Materials after Immersion in Disinfectant Solutions for Different Times. J Contemp Dent Pract 2011;12(4): 252-258.
Root Canal Morphology and Variations of Mandibular Premolars by Clearing Technique: An in vitro Study
Authors: Taluja Chirag , Shah Nimisha , Joshi Hardik
Published: December 2011

Background and objectives

The aim of this study was to compare internal anatomy between first and second mandibular premolars and to study different percentage variations of root canal morphology of mandibular premolars in Gujarat population based on Vertucci's classification by clearing technique.

Methodology

A total of 80 extracted intact permanent mandibular premolars (40 each mandibular first premolar and mandibular second premolar) with fully formed apices were collected. Access cavity was prepared with endo access kit, all samples were placed in 2.5% sodium hypochlorite for 48 hours, after that all samples were washed in running water for 2 hours. After washing, all samples were transferred to 5% nitric acid, for decalcification, for 72 hours, with the acid being changed every 24 hours and stirred once every 8 hours. All samples were washed in running water and dehydrated using ascending grades (70%, 80%, 90% and 100%) of isopropyl alcohol for 2 days. Finally, they were rendered transparent by immersion in methyl salicylate for 15 minutes and then India ink dye was injected into the access cavity. The anatomy of the root canal was observed and classified based on the Vertucci's classification.

Statistical analysis

Parametric Z-test was used to compare the variation between mandibular first and second premolars.

Results

In mandibular first premolar, type 1 was found in 20%, type 2 was 5%, type 3 was 5%, type 4 was 25%, type 5 was 12.5% and type 6 was 2.5% of total samples. Whereas, in mandibular second premolar, type 1 was found in 80% out of all samples, type 4 was 2.5%, type 5 was 17.5%. Type 2, type 3, type 6, type 7 and type 8 were not found in this study.

Conclusion

Mandibular first premolar showed higher variation (75%) compared to mandibular second premolar (37.5%).

Clinical significance

The knowledge of variations in the root canal morphology of the mandibular premolars can enhance the level of endodontic treatment of mandibular premolars.

How to cite this article

Parekh V, Shah N, Joshi H. Root Canal Morphology and Variations of Mandibular Premolars by Clearing Technique: An in vitro Study. J Contemp Dent Pract 2011;12(4):318-321.
Creating Learning Outcomes for a TESOL Teacher Preparation Program
Authors: HENRICHSEN LYNN , TANNER MARK
Published: December 2011

This article shares the results of a multisemester effort to create learning outcomes and related assessment measures for a graduate‐level teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) teacher preparation program. It starts by explaining what learning outcomes are, why they are important, and how to create them. It then describes the authors' experience, in terms of the processes involved as well as the actual learning outcomes produced. Insights from this explanation and case study will benefit other TESOL teacher educators who face similar tasks.
Academic Proficiency (Language and Content) and the Role of Strategies
Authors: KRASHEN STEPHEN
Published: December 2011

This report continues the work of Krashen and Brown (2007), developing and evaluating a set of hypotheses for the development of academic proficiency. That article defined academic proficiency as having two components: academic language proficiency and knowledge of academic content.
The times of of London. THE Russian Press, and the programs of 1881-1882
Authors: Klier John
Published: December 2011

With the rise of the mass nediain the nineteenth century;educated Russians began to manifest a special fascinaticn with the  attitudes of foreigners towards all things Russian. (Where but in Russia would a major newspaper offer readers a regular section devoted to "What the foreign press says about Russia?") Consequently, the extremely hostile reaction of foreign journalisn to the pograns; the anti-jewish riots which broke out in Southern Russia in April 1881,  was especially painful for Russian intellectuals. Russian discanfi ture was re-enforced by the fear that these journalistic assaults  presaged fioreign diplomatic initiatives directed against the Russian state.
Government in the Soviet Countryside in the Stalinist Thirties: The Case of Belyi Raion in 1937
Authors: Manning Roberta T.
Published: December 2011

The Soviet political system of the 1930s is generally regarded as a personal dictatorship par excellence, presided over by a ruler with historically unprecedented powers to control events and shape society to suit his political ambitions and personal whims. Focusing almost exclusively upon the persona of Joseph Stalin as the prime mover in the Soviet system, mainstream Western scholarship on the thirties has tended to attribute Stalin's power to a consciously fostered personality cult and the indiscriminate use of political terror. Laws, institutions, the policymaking process, the economy, the population at large, and other political leaders, both local and national, are usually dismissed by scholars as passive tools or victims in the hands of the all-powerful Stalin. None of these factors are deemed capable of serving as independent historical forces or agencies in their own right.~ An entire epoch of Russian history has been reduced essentially to biography.
Urban Industrialization in the Provincial Towns of Late Imperial Russia
Authors: Bater James H.
Published: December 2011

Modernization in Russia was intimately associated with the process of urban-industrialization, with the penetration of capitalism into a society which had evolved under the conditions of an absolute autocracy. While the level of employment in industry certainly did not figure prominently in the economy of most Russian cities on the eve of the Great War, industrialization-- and with it rapid urban growth-nonetheless did serve as a catalyst in the general process of economic development. The process started late in Russia, of course, gathering momentum only toward the close of the nineteenth century. Many cities were metamorphosed during the years of rapid industrialization, not least of which being the Empire's capital, St. Petersburg. Here, as elsewhere in Russia, modern industrialism was not easily accommodated by the existing, largely antedeluvian, urban infrastructure. Nor were the demands of the factory, with its emphasis on regularity of habit and labour discipline, readily accommodated by workers whose prevailing socio-cultural values were more often those of the countryside than the city.
Soviet Economic Law: The Paradox of Perestroyka
Authors: Stephan Paul B.
Published: December 2011

The current Soviet leadership wishes to transform the world's largestcentrally managed economy. It hopes through the perestroyka (reconstruction) campaign to diminish the economic bureaucracy, to create markets for production inputs and consumer goods and services, and to expand the role of primary production units, including private firms. Because it also seeks to supplant the present environment of administrative fiat with a developed legal culture, the leadership has memorialized these aspirations in the form of legal mandates issued by the appropriate organs of state authority.
Perestroika, Phase III: Can the USSR Learn from the Only Successful Reform?
Authors: Bryson Phillip J.
Published: December 2011

In Phase I of Mikhail Gorbachev's tenure as chief director of Soviet economic strategy, the General Secretary seemed content to continue an approach his predecessors had referred to as plan "perfecting" (sovershenstvovanie). This approach which called merely for the development and implementation of modest improvements in the planning mechanism. It was the chosen alternative to economic reform, the approach which had been peremptorily rejected with the closing of the Kosygin reforms at the end of the 1960s.
Russian Orthodoxy and Political Culture Transformation
Authors: Warhola James W.
Published: December 2011

Russian Orthodox Christianity has served as a major if not principal taproot of Russian culture, and has done so in varying forms and to varying degrees since the formal adoption of the Eastern Orthodox rites as official religion by Prince Vladimir of the Kievan Rus' in June of 988 A.D.1 The specific role of Russian Orthodoxy in the governance of Russia has been closely investigated.2 In addition, the political role of religion, particularly Russian Orthodoxy, during the Soviet era has been the subject of close scholarly examination.3 This paper focuses on the changing role of Orthodoxy under current conditions.
The Odyssey of the Smolensk Archive: Plundered Communist Records for the Service Anti- Communism
Authors: Grimsted Patricia Kennedy
Published: December 2011

Issues of restitution that now so dramatically affect the fate of the "Smolensk Archive" were discussed in the Grimsted article , "Archival Rossica/Sovietica Abroad: Provenance or Pertinence, Bibliographic and Descriptive Needs," Cahiers du Monde Russe et Sovietique XXXIV , no. 3 (juillet-septembre 1993): 431-19, which first appeared in a Russian version , "Zarubezhnaia arkhivnaia Rossika i Sovetika: Proiskhozhdenie dokumentov ili ikh otnoshenie k istorii Rossii (SSSR), potrebnost ' v opisanii i bibliografii," Otechestvennye arkhivy, 1993, no . 1, pp . 20-53. A short report on the fate of the Smolensk Archive was presented at a conference on "Archival Rossica Abroad" in Moscow in December 1993, sponsored by the State Archival Service of Russia (Rosarkhiv) , but it was only subsequently that more of the American documentation presented here was uncovered.
Agitation, Propaganda, and the 'Stalinization' of the Soviet Press, 1922-1930
Authors: Lenoe Matthew E.
Published: December 2011

Between 1925 and 1933 the layout and tone of the Soviet central press underwent a plainly discernible change. Issues of Pravda and Izvestiia from the period of the New Economic Policy or NEP ( 1921-1927) contain journalistic genres familiar to the American reader: the wire service report written in an "objective" style, the editorial commentary, the economic analysis, the shortsatirical piece about everyday life. The shrill declamation, exhortation, and didacticism of the same newspapers in the early 1930s, on the other hand, seem alien and bizarre. Exclamation marks, commands, military metaphors, and congratulations from Party leaders to factories for surpassing their production plans fill central Soviet papers from 1933. Sometimes the press castigates readers like a parent scolding naughty children, sometimes it lectures them like a teacher,sometimes it exhorts them to action, like a platoon leader urging his troops forward. Aggressive declamation about "Bolshevik tempo," "Bolshevik competition," "Fascist depravity," and "gargantuan victories of the proletariat" blares from the pages.
Local Self-Government and Titular Regime Control in Russia’s Republics, 1991-1999
Authors: Lankina Tomila
Published: December 2011

The Gorbachev era call for "all power to the soviets" initiated a period of reform of local government in the USSR and Russia. The USSR's local soviets had served as political outreach instruments of party rule, enabling the state to penetrate society all the way down to the tiniest town and village. In the postSoviet era, despite the reform efforts, local bodies have continued to exercise social control reminiscent of their predecessors, the local soviets.
“If Hope is Sin, Then We Are All Guilty”: Romanian Students’ Reactions to the Hungarian Revolution and Soviet Intervention, 1956–1958
Authors: Granville Johanna
Published: December 2011

The events of 1956 (the Twentieth CPSU Congress, Khrushchev’s Secret Speech, and the Hungarian revolution) had a strong impact on the evolution of the Romanian communist regime, paving the way for the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Romania in 1958, the stricter policy toward the Transylvanian Hungarians, and Romania’s greater independence from the USSR in the 1960s. Students complained about their living and studying conditions long before the outbreak of the Hungarian crisis. Ethnic Hungarians from Transylvania listened closely to Budapest radio stations, and Romanian students in Budapest in the summer of 1956 were especially affected by the ferment of ideas there. For the Gheorghiu-Dej regime, the Hungarian revolution and Soviet invasion provided a useful excuse to end the destalinization process and crack the whip conclusivel —carrying out mass arrests, but also granting short-term concessions to ethnic minorities and workers. Of all segments of the Romanian population, university students were the most discontented. Drawing on archival documents, published memoirs, and recent Romanian scholarship, this paper will analyze and compare the student unrest in Bucharest, Cluj, Iaşi, and Timişoara. Due to a combination of psychological, logistical, and historical factors, students in the latter city were especially vocal and organized. On October 30 over 2,000 students from the Polytechnic Institute in Timişoara met with party offi cials, demanding changes in living and study conditions, as well as the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Romania. Another 800-1,000 students convened on October 31, calling for the release of students who were arrested the day before. Obvious discrepancies between the Romanian and Hungarian media sparked their curiosity about events in Hungary, while their cramped dorm rooms actually facilitated student meetings. In the Banat region itself, a tradition of anti-communist protest had prevailed since 1945. Although arrested en masse, these students set a vital precedent—especially for the Timişoarans who launched the Romanian Revolution thirty-three years later.
From the Head of Zeus: The Petrograd Soviet’s Rise and First Days, 27 February—2 March 1917
Authors: Melancon Michael
Published: December 2011

This essay explores the birth and earliest steps of the Petrograd Soviet during late February and early March 1917. It deploys a large array of evidence, new and old, to detail the events in a consecutive narrative, plus analysis that deepens our understanding of what occurred. The analysis focuses special attention on the persons and groups directly responsible for organizing the soviet, as well as on its earliest measures, such as the establishment of military security for the city, the issuing of Order No. 1, and the sharing of power with the State Duma. It clearly shows that an array of socialist leaders, who met and worked together prior to and during the February Revolution, took steps beginning no later than 24 February to summon the soviet and became the leadership group in the soviet itself, thus further challenging the traditional concept of a leaderless, spontaneous revolution. New evidence also describes how socialist soldiers associated with the soldiers’ section of the soviet composed Order No. 1, which, as is well known, democratized the Russian Army in one stroke and, less well known, formulated for the fi rst time the “to the extent that” formula that came to underlie the sharing of power between the Petrograd Soviet and the new Provisional Government several days later. Cumulatively, the new analysis and data suggest that the Petrograd Soviet, which immediately began to play a crucial role in determining Russia’s fate, refl ected the entire history of Russia’s socialist movement.
Androgen Receptor in Laryngeal Carcinoma: Could There Be an Androgen-Refractory Tumor?
Authors: Goulioumis Anastasios K. , Varakis John , Goumas Panos , Papadaki Helen
Published: December 2011

Androgen receptors (ARs) which are implicated in the pathogenesis of several malignancies can also be a possible downstream effector in laryngeal cancer. In the present study, 97 invasive squamous laryngeal carcinomas were studied by immunohistochemistry for protein expression of AR. Androgen receptors were expressed in 52.6% of tumor specimens, suggesting their implication in the pathogenesis of this tumor. Our study's aim was to investigate the hypothetical scenario of an androgen refractory laryngeal carcinoma where androgen receptors can be activated by nodal molecules in the course of an Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenomenon. In line with this we correlated AR expression with the expression of ILK, p-Akt, E-cadherin, β-catenin in our sample as well as with tumor grade and TNM stage. A reverse correlation between nuclear AR and cytoplasmic ILK expression was evidenced, indicating an interaction of those molecules in laryngeal carcinoma. Finally in our material, in those carcinomas that were expressing ARs, stronger nuclear expression of the receptor was characterized by poorer cell differentiation and correlated with the acquisition of EMT features like E-cadherin loss and β-catenin translocation raising a question whether activated ARs can drive an EMT procedure.
Ion Channels in Glioblastoma
Authors: Molenaar Remco J.
Published: December 2011

Glioblastoma is the most common primary brain tumor with the most dismal prognosis. It is characterized by extensive invasion, migration, and angiogenesis. Median survival is only 15 months due to this behavior, rendering focal surgical resection ineffective and adequate radiotherapy impossible. At this moment, several ion channels have been implicated in glioblastoma proliferation, migration, and invasion. This paper summarizes studies on potassium, sodium, chloride, and calcium channels of glioblastoma. It provides an up-to-date overview of the literature that could ultimately lead to new therapeutic targets.
Construction of a Drug Safety Assurance Information System Based on Clinical Genotyping
Authors: Springer John A. , Iannotti Nicholas V. , Sprague Jon E. , Kane Michael D.
Published: December 2011

To capitalize on the vast potential of patient genetic information to aid in assuring drug safety, a substantial effort is needed in both the training of healthcare professionals and the operational enablement of clinical environments. Our research aims to satisfy these needs through the development of a drug safety assurance information system (GeneScription) based on clinical genotyping that utilizes patient-specific genetic information to predict and prevent adverse drug responses. In this paper, we present the motivations for this work, the algorithms at the heart of GeneScription, and a discussion of our system and its uses. We also describe our efforts to validate GeneScription through its evaluation by practicing pharmacists and pharmacy professors and its repeated use in training pharmacists. The positive assessment of the GeneScription software tool by these domain experts provides strong validation of the importance, accuracy, and effectiveness of GeneScription.
Influence of different types of UV absorber/UV stabilizer combination on the photodegradation of PC/ABS blend
Authors: Rajan Vipin V. , Wäber Roy , Wieser Jürgen
Published: December 2011

The polycarbonate/poly(acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) blends, (PC/ABS), are mainly degraded by sunlight known as photodegradation when exposed to outdoor conditions. It is the ultraviolet (UV) radiation that is responsible for the degradation of the blend. To stabilize against the harmful UV radiation and to scavenge the radical species which arise from UV or thermally induced degradation of the PC or the ABS, UV absorbers, and UV stabilizers are used. In this article three different UV absorbers namely, Tinuvin 1577—hydroxyphenyl triazine type, Cyasorb 5411—benzotriazole type, Uvinul 3030—cyanoacrylate type, and two different UV stabilizers, Tinuvin 765—monomeric hindered amine type, Tinuvin 622—oligomeric hindered amine were compounded in different combinations with PC/ABS blend at 240°C using a twin screw extruder. Accelerated aging of the compounded sample was done by Atlas Suntest apparatus. The photodegradation studies were done using UV–vis, attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR‐FTIR) spectroscopy, and Yellowing index measurement. The molecular weight of the compounded sample before aging was determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). It was found that samples protected with hydroxyphenyl triazine type UV absorber and oligomeric hindered amine show the best result for decreasing the degradation products, oxidation rate, and yellowing of the PC/ABS blend. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Impact of antimony trioxide on the physico‐mechanical and flammability properties of irradiated recycled rubber powder and waste polyethylene composites
Authors: Aly Raouf O. , Hassan Medhat M. , Hasanen Jehan A. , El Sayed El Sayed F.
Published: December 2011

The physicomechanical behavior and flammability properties of waste polyethylene and recycled waste rubber powder blend (WPE/RWRP/MA) filled with antimony trioxide (Sb2O3), at different contents 5, 10, 15, and 20 wt %, and irradiated with different gamma radiation doses, namely 50, 75, 100, and 150 kGy, were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and limiting oxygen index (LOI) measurements. Tensile strength, elongation at break, elastic modulus, hardness, swelling properties, and electric conductivity behaviors were also investigated. Experimental results emphasized that Sb2O3 particles retard degradation and flammability of the composite. The LOI increases from 16 to 20.9 with 20 wt % Sb2O3 specimen irradiated with 150 kGy. Improvement in thermal stability at conditions of 15 wt % Sb2O3 and a dose of 75 kGy was demonstrated by TGA.DSC measurements showed that Tm significantly increased in the presence of the filler. Mechanical characterization tests showed a significant increase in tensile strength within the range 5–10 wt % Sb2O3. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Synthesis and evaluation of hexafluoroisopropanol‐functionalized polysiloxane as a new coating material for sensors
Authors: Wei Dongwei , Wang Lishuo , Ma Jinyi , Jiang Hongmin
Published: December 2011

A new polysiloxane polymer as a coating material for surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors was synthesized. The polymer was a linear polysiloxane functionalized with hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) groups, poly{methyl [4‐(hexafluoroisopropanol) phenylethyl] siloxane}. The polymer was spin‐coated on a 200‐MHz SAW sensor for the detection of a 2,4‐dinitrotoluene vapor. A fast response time of 30 s and good reproducibility were achieved. It was found that the frequency shift decreased as the polymer concentrations decreased. The new polysiloxane coatings showed excellent properties, such as a high sensitivity, high permeability, and low glass‐transition temperature (−40.5 ± 1°C). © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Preparation and performance evaluation of tetracycline hydrochloride loaded wound dressing mats based on electrospun nanofibrous poly(lactic acid)/poly(ϵ‐caprolactone) blends
Authors: Zahedi Payam , Karami Zeinab , Rezaeian Iraj , Jafari Seyed‐Hassan , Mahdaviani Parvin , Abdolghaffari Amir Hossein , Abdollahi Mohammad
Published: December 2011

In this article, we present the drug‐release rate, water uptake, water permeability, morphology, and mechanical properties of a series of active wound dressing nanofibrous mats prepared via an electrospinning process of poly(lactic acid) (PLA), poly(ϵ‐caprolactone) (PCL), and their (50/50) blends loaded with different doses of tetracycline hydrochloride antibiotic. The performance of these active wound dressings in terms of a sustained and suitable drug‐release rate, adequate water uptake and water permeability, and antibacterial activities were compared with those of a commercial wound dressing (Comfeel Plus). The results show that the dressings made from PCL and PLA/PCL blends showed better performance compared with the commercial wound dressing sample as far as these properties were concerned. The improved performance could be explained on the basis of the nanofibrous structure of the mats and the hydrophilicity of PCL and PLA. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Multifunctional cotton fabric: Antimicrobial and durable press
Authors: Cerkez Idris , Kocer Hasan B. , Worley S. D. , Broughton R. M. , Huang T. S.
Published: December 2011

2‐Amino‐2‐methyl‐1‐propanol (AMP) was coated onto cotton fabric with 1,2,3,4‐butanetetracarboxylic acid (BTCA) as a crosslinking agent to simultaneously impart antimicrobial and durable‐press functionalities. The coatings were characterized and confirmed by attenuated total reflectance–IR and thermogravimetric analysis. The coated fabrics were rendered biocidal upon exposure to dilute household bleach, and the chlorinated swatches exhibited about 6 log reductions of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Staphylococcus aureus within 5 min of contact time. A concentration of 1.5 wt % AMP was sufficient to produce this biocidal efficacy. Increasing the BTCA content of the coating improved the wrinkle recovery angle. The coatings were very stable toward repeated laundering, and they exhibited sufficient halogen storage stabilities for industrial applications. A photolytic decomposition was observed when the coatings were exposed to UVA light. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Crack initiation of natural rubber under high temperature fatigue loading
Authors: Weng Gengsheng , Huang Guangsu , Lei Hangxin , Qu Liangliang , Zhang Peng , Nie Yijing , Wu Jingrong
Published: December 2011

Vulcanized natural rubber (NR) under quiescent thermal oxidation aging and high temperature fatigue loading with small strain amplitude was investigated by the infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy measurements. IR results demonstrated the thermal oxidation degradation process of vulcanized NR at 85°C. During high temperature fatigue loading, nanoscale cracks and voids that are generated by the combined impact of thermal oxidation and cyclic loading were detected. Further investigation suggests that the nucleation effect of dissolved vapor and gas in the low molecular weight domains of the NR under fatigue loading accounts for the appearance of nanocracks. This work provides some new insight into the crack initiation mechanism of NR during high temperature fatigue loading, which has not been clearly understood. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Cannabinoid receptor 1 mediates glucocorticoid‐induced bone loss in rats by perturbing bone mineral acquisition and marrow adipogenesis
Authors: Ko Jih‐Yang , Wu Re‐Wen , Kuo Shu‐Jui , Chen Ming‐Wen , Yeh Da‐Wei , Ke Huei‐Ching , Wu Shin‐Long , Wang Feng‐Sheng
Published: December 2011

Objective

Prolonged glucocorticoid treatment increases the risk of osteopenic disorders. Bone loss and marrow fat accumulation are prominent features of glucocorticoid‐induced skeletal destruction. Cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) has been found to regulate energy expenditure and adipose tissue lipogenesis. We undertook this study to investigate whether CB1 signaling regulates glucocorticoid‐induced bone loss.

Methods

Rats were administered glucocorticoid, CB1 antisense oligonucleotide, CB1 sense oligonucleotide, or the CB1 antagonist AM251. Bone mineral density, microstructure, biomechanical strength, and signaling transduction were assessed by dual x‐ray absorptiometry, micro–computed tomography, material testing, and immunoblotting, respectively. Primary bone marrow stromal cells were isolated for assessment of ex vivo osteoblast and adipocyte differentiation.

Results

Glucocorticoid administration accelerated bone deterioration and fatty marrow formation in association with up‐regulation of CB1 expression. Genetic and pharmacologic blockade of CB1 by CB1 antisense oligonucleotide and AM251 attenuated the deleterious effects of glucocorticoid treatment on bone mineral density, trabecular microarchitecture, and mechanical properties. CB1 antagonism improved osteoblast survival, osteoblast surface, and bone mineral acquisition, but abrogated marrow adiposity. Knockdown of CB1 restored osteogenic differentiation capacity and attenuated the promoting effects of glucocorticoid on adipogenic differentiation in primary bone marrow mesenchymal cells. CB1 signaling modulated ERK, JNK, and Akt activation as well as runt‐related transcription factor 2 and peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor γ2 signaling. Adiponectin signaling was activated by CB1 regulation of bone formation and fatty marrow.

Conclusion

CB1 mediates glucocorticoid‐induced suppression of bone formation and marrow fat homeostasis. CB1 antagonism reduces adipogenic and apoptotic reactions in bone microenvironments, thereby abrogating the deleterious effects of glucocorticoid treatment on bone integrity. Modulation of CB1 signaling has therapeutic potential for preventing glucocorticoid‐induced osteopenic disorders.
Prevention of cartilage degeneration and gait asymmetry by lubricin tribosupplementation in the rat following anterior cruciate ligament transection
Authors: Jay Gregory D. , Elsaid Khaled A. , Kelly Karen A. , Anderson Scott C. , Zhang Ling , Teeple Erin , Waller Kimberly , Fleming Braden C.
Published: December 2011

Objective

To investigate whether cartilage degeneration is prevented or minimized in a rat model of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury following a single dose‐escalated intraarticular injection of lubricin derived from human synoviocytes in culture.

Methods

Unilateral ACL transection (ACLT) of the right hind limb was performed in Lewis rats (n = 56). Control animals underwent a capsulotomy alone, leaving the ACL intact (n = 11). Intraarticular injections (50 μl/injection) of phosphate buffered saline (PBS; n = 14 rats) and human synoviocyte lubricin (1,600 μg/ml; n = 14 rats) were performed on day 7 postsurgery. Animals were killed on day 70 postsurgery. Histologic specimens were immunoprobed for lubricin and sulfated glycosaminoglycans. Urinary C‐telopeptide of type II collagen (CTX‐II) levels were measured on days 35 and 70 postsurgery. Hind limb maximum applied force was determined using a variable resistor walkway to monitor quadruped gait asymmetries.

Results

Increased immunostaining for lubricin in the superficial zone and on the surface of cartilage was observed in lubricin‐treated and control animals but not in PBS‐treated or untreated animals with ACLT. On days 35 and 70 after surgery, urinary CTX‐II levels in human synoviocyte lubricin–treated animals were lower than in untreated and PBS‐treated animals (P < 0.005 and P < 0.001, respectively). Animals with ACLT treated with human synoviocyte lubricin and control animals distributed their weight equally between hind limbs compared to PBS‐treated or untreated animals (P < 0.01).

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that a single intraarticular injection of concentrated lubricin following ACLT reduces type II collagen degradation and improves weight bearing in the affected rat joint. These findings support the practice of tribosupplementation with lubricin for retarding cartilage degeneration and possibly the development of posttraumatic osteoarthritis.