Investigating readers’ impressions of typographic differentiation using repertory grids

Document designers combine a range of stylistic and structural typographic attributes to articulate and differentiate information for readers. This paper explores how the kind of typographic differentiation used in a document influences readers’ impressions of documents. A preliminary study indicated that three patterns of typographic differentiation (high, moderate and low) might underlie participants’ impressions of magazine design. Subsequently, a set of nine magazine layouts with controlled content was purposefully developed to systematically examine the impact of high, moderate and low patterns of typographic differentiation on participants’ impressions of documents. These documents were used in a repertory grid procedure to investigate the kind of impressions readers articulate in relation to typographic presentation and whether readers are likely to formulate similar or differing impressions from high, moderate, and low patterns of typographic differentiation. The results suggest that typographic differentiation influences a range of rhetorical and experiential judgments. For example, participants described high differentiation documents as the most attention-grabbing and easy to skim-read, while they considered moderate and low differentiation documents to require deeper reading strategies. In addition, participants assumed high differentiation documents to be much more sensationalist than moderate or low differentiation documents, which they generally perceived as authoritative and credible.

Students` impressions of the value of games for the learning of mathematics

The use of mathematical games in primary classrooms is commonplace in Australia. This paper reports on key findings from a larger investigation exploring the impact of games on mathematical learning, student attitudes, and behaviours. 222 Grade 5 and 6 children were taught multiplication and division of decimal numbers using calculator games. This paper raises questions about the students’ attitudes towards games as a vehicle for learning mathematics. One aspect reported in this paper is an apparent difference between students’ attitudes to games usage when data were
collected quantitatively compared with qualitatively.

Shiitake (lentinula edodes) production on a sterilized bagasse substrate enriched with rice bran and sugarcane molasses

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Comparison of the Accuracy of Plastic and Metal Stock Trays for Implant Impressions

Purpose: This in vitro study evaluated the dimensional accuracy of two impression techniques (tapered and splinted) with two stock trays (plastic and metal) for implant-supported prostheses. Materials and Methods: A master cast with four parallel abutment analogs and a passive framework were fabricated. Polyvinyl siloxane impression material was used for all impressions with two metal stock trays and two plastic stock trays (closed and open trays). Four groups (tapered plastic, splinted plastic, tapered metal, and splinted metal) and a control group (master cast) were tested (n = 5 for each group). After the framework was seated on each of the casts, one abutment screw was tightened, and the marginal gap between the abutment and framework on the other side was measured with a stereomicroscope. The measurements were analyzed with the Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance on ranks test followed by the Dunn method. Results: The mean values (+/- standard deviations) for the abutment/framework interface gaps were: master cast, 32 +/- 2 mu m; tapered metal, 44 +/- 10 mu m; splinted metal, 69 +/- 28 mu m; tapered plastic, 164 +/- 58 mu m; splinted plastic, 128 +/- 47 mu m. No significant difference was detected between the master cast, tapered metal, and splinted metal groups or between the tapered and splinted plastic groups. Conclusions: In this study, the rigidity of the metal stock tray ensured better results than the plastic stock tray for implant impressions with a high-viscosity impression material (putty). Statistically similar results were obtained using tapered impression copings and splinted squared impression copings. The tapered impression copings technique and splinted squared impression copings technique with a metal stock tray produced precise casts with no statistically significant difference in interface gaps compared to the master cast. INT J ORAL MAXILLOFAC IMPLANTS 2012;27:544-550.

A Strain Gauge Analysis of Microstrain Induced by Various Splinting Methods and Acrylic Resin Types for Implant Impressions

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the level of microstrain that is exerted during polymerization of acrylic resins used for splinting during implant impressions. Material and Methods: Two acrylic resins (GC Pattern Resin, Duralay II) and square transfer coping splinting methods were evaluated by means of strain gauge analysis. Two implants were embedded in a polyurethane block, and the abutments were positioned. Sixty specimens were prepared using two square transfer Copings that were rigidly connected to each other using the acrylic resins. The specimens were randomly divided into three groups of 20 each for the splinting methods: Method 1 was a one-piece method; in method 2, the splint was separated and reconnected after 17 minutes; and in method 3, the splint was separated and reconnected after 24 hours. In each group, half the specimens were splinted with GC Pattern Resin and the other half were splinted with Duralay II. Three microstrain measurements were performed by four strain gauges placed on the upper surface of the polyurethane blocks at 5 hours after resin polymerization for all groups. The data were analyzed statistically. Results: Both resin type and splinting method significantly affected microstrain. interaction terms were also significant. Method 1 in combination with Duralay II produced significantly higher microstrain (1,962.1 mu epsilon) than the other methods with this material (method 2: 241.1 mu epsilon; method 3: 181.5 mu epsilon). No significant difference was found between splinting methods in combination with GC Pattern Resin (method 1: 173.8 mu epsilon; method 2: 112.6 mu epsilon; method 3: 105.4 mu epsilon). Conclusions: Because of the high microstrain generated, Duralay II should not be used for one-piece acrylic resin splinting, and separation and reconnection are suggested. For GC Pattern Resin, variations in splinting methods did not significantly affect the microstrain created. Int J Oral Maxillofac Implants 2012;27:341-345

Evaluation of transfer impressions for osseointegrated implants at various angulations

The accuracy of impressions that transfer the relationship of the implant to the metal framework of the prosthesis continues to be a problem. This study was designed to evaluate the accuracy of the transfer process under variable conditions with regard to implant analog angulations, impression materials, and techniques. Replicas (n = 60) of a metal matrix (control) containing four implants at 90°, 80°, 75°, and 65° in relation to the horizontal surface were obtained by using three impression techniques: T1 - indirect technique with conical copings in closed trays; T2 - direct technique with square copings in open trays; and T3 - square copings splinted with autopolymerizing acrylic resin; and four elastomers: P-polysulfide; I-polyether; A-addition silicone; and Z-condensation silicone. The values of the implant analog annulations were assessed by a profilometer to the nearest 0.017°, then submitted to analysis of variance for comparisons at significance of 5% (P < .05). For implant analog at 90°, the material A associated with T2 and material Z with T3 behaved differently (P < .05) from all groups. At 80°, all materials behaved differently (P < .01) with T1. At 75°, when T1 was associated, materials P and A showed similar behavior, as well as materials I and Z; however, P and A were different from I and Z (P < .01). When T3 was associated, all experimental groups behaved differently among them (P < .01). At 65°, the materials P and Z behaved differently (P < .01) from the control group with T1, T2, and T3; the materials I and A behaved differently from the control group (P < .01) when T1 and T2, respectively, were associated. The more perpendicular the implant analog annulation is in relation to the horizontal surface, the more accurate the impression. The best materials were material I and A and the most satisfactory technique was technique 3.

The Influence of Environmental Temperature and Air Humidity on the Maintenance of Sterility of Surgical Instruments Sterilized in Different Wraps

State of Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP), Brazil

Vinylsiloxanether: a new impression material. Clinical study of implant impressions with vinylsiloxanether versus polyether materials.

The performance of three elastomeric materials for the open monophase implant impressions technique was tested under the following clinical conditions: polyether (IM) and vinylsiloxanether without (ID) and with additional simultaneous splinting of the implant impression copings with a higher shore hardness A-silicone (IDF).