bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The prevalence of different HPV types in Turkish women with a normal Pap smear
Authors: Demir Esra Tamburaci , Ceyhan Mehmet , Simsek Mehmet , Gunduz Tonguc , Arlier Sefa , Aytac Rusen , Aycan Ahmet Emre , Gurbuz Venhar 
Published: June 2012

AbstractThe age‐specific human papillomavirus (HPV) seroprevalence and HPV type distribution in women with normal cervical cytology were studied. Cervical smear samples obtained using liquid‐based smears from 582 clinically healthy women aged between 15 and 68 years from five centers from four different regions of Turkey, were studied between February 2010 and January 2011. Overall, 530 of the women with normal cytology were included and the samples were analyzed for the presence of HPV by AmpliTaq. Positive samples were typed further for 37 different HPV genotypes by a line blot assay. HPV was positive in 17.9% of the women. HPV prevalence was highest in the age group of 25–29 years (31.8%), and decreased with increasing age. HPV 16 was the most common type (3.6%) followed by type 6 (2.6%) and type 45 (2.2%). Types 11 and 18 were rare (0.6% and 0.4%, respectively). Among the risk factors, number of sexual partners and parity were positively correlated with HPV positivity. In the present study, a large number of sex partners and high parity increased the risk for HPV infection. The age‐specific distribution of HPV in women with normal Pap smears did not show a U‐shaped curve in contrast to European countries and the USA. J. Med. Virol. 84: 1242–1247, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Prevalence, risk factors, and molecular epidemiology of hepatitis B and hepatitis delta virus in pregnant women and in patients in Mauritania
Authors: Mansour Wael , Malick F‐ Zahra Fall , Sidiya Ahmad , Ishagh Elkhalil , Chekaraou Mariama Abdou , Veillon Pascal , Ducancelle Alexandra , Brichler Ségolène , Le Gal Frédéric , Lo Baidy , Gordien Emmanuel , Lunel‐Fabiani Françoise 
Published: June 2012

AbstractNo recent data are available on hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis Delta virus (HDV) prevalence in Mauritania. One thousand twenty pregnant women and 946 patients visiting for routine checkups were screened for HBV and HDV infection. Demographic, epidemiological, ethnic, clinical, and biological data were recorded. HBV and HDV genotypes were determined by sequencing and phylogenetic analyses. In the pregnant women and patients cohorts, respectively, the prevalence of HBsAg (10.7% and 18.3%) and anti‐HBcAb (66.3% and 76.5%) indicated high HBV endemicity. In pregnant women, exposure to HBV was significantly associated in multivariate analysis with education level, ethnicity, blood transfusion, and occupation. HDV antibodies (HDVAb) were found in 14.7% of pregnant women. In patients, HBsAg was found less frequently in females than in males. Again in multivariate analysis, exposure to HBV was significantly correlated with gender (males), and HDVAb positivity with age and gender. The HBV DNA viral load was >3 log IU/ml in only 10.1% of pregnant women and in 17.3% of patients. HDV‐RNA was detectable in 21 (67.7%) of the 31 patients positive for HDVAb, and in 11 of the 16 pregnant women positive for HDVAb (68.8%). The most frequent HBV genotypes were: HBV/D, 53%; HBV/E, 35%; and HBV/A, 12%. Sub‐genotyping revealed HBV/D1,/D7, and the recently described/D8. HDV genotypes were: HDV‐1, 90.3% and HDV‐5, 9.7%. This study confirms the high prevalence of HBV and HDV infections in Mauritania and demonstrates the high genetic diversity of HBV in this country. J. Med. Virol. 84: 1186–1198, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Biodegradation of plastified starch obtained by corotation twin‐screw extrusion
Authors: Bajer Krzysztof , Richert Agnieszka , Bajer Dagmara , Korol Jerzy 
Published: June 2012

AbstractThe potato starch has been subjected to plastification with glycerol using twin‐screw extruder in different conditions. The structure of obtained samples has been determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance methods. The average molecular weights by chromatographic method and solubility in water have also been determined. Next, the susceptibility of all samples to activity of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes has been checked. It has been stated that increasing rotation speed of extruder screws causes the degradation of starch slightly, influencing the later bio‐decomposition. The actinomycetes are the most effective in this process. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers
Modification of lignin and its application as char agent in intumescent flame‐retardant poly(lactic acid)
Authors: Zhang Rui , Xiao Xifu , Tai Qilong , Huang Hua , Hu Yuan 
Published: June 2012

AbstractUrea‐modified lignin was prepared according to the Mannich reaction and well characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, elemental ananlyses, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and urea‐modified lignin were added into poly(lactic acid) (PLA) as a novel intumescent flame‐retardant (IFR) system to improve flame retardancy of PLA. The flammability of IFR–PLA composites was studied using limiting oxygen index, UL‐94 vertical burning method and cone calorimeter test, and their thermal stability was evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis. The results showed that the urea‐modified lignin combined with APP exhibited much better flame retardancy and thermal stability than that of the combination of virgin lignin and APP. The improvement may be attributed to the better char morphology with more phosphoric char evidenced by SEM and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers
In situ fourier‐transform infrared spectra analysis of hydrogen bond in polypropylene/chlorinated polypropylene/polyaniline composite
Authors: Yang Lin , Zhang Zhiye , Wang Xinlong , Chen Jinyao , Li Huilin 
Published: June 2012

AbstractThe previous studies suggest that hydrogen bond between chlorinated polypropylene (CPP) and polyaniline (PANI) plays a prominent role in the decision of polypropylene/CPP/PANI composites' electric property. In situ Fourier‐transform infrared spectra were employed to detect and identify the relationship between the hydrogen bond and the temperature. Two kinds of hydrogen bond were carefully studied in the nitrogen–hydrogen bond (NH) stretching, sulfur–oxygen double bond (SO) stretching, and carbon–chlorine bond (CCl) stretching regions, using an iterative least‐squares computer program to obtain the best fit of spectra. The ratio of absorptivity coefficients and the mole fraction of the “free” and two kinds of H‐bonded NH were calculated. There exists an apparent turning point in the curves of the relationship between the fraction of two kinds of H‐bonded NH and temperature. This phenomenon also exists in the SO stretching region, and the turning point is at about 60°C. The mole fraction of H‐bonded CCl decreases, and that of “free” CCl increases with increasing temperature. The enthalpy gap between the H‐bonded NH…OS and the H‐bonded NH…ClC dissociation was also obtained as 23.2 KJ/mol. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers
Cellular polypropylene‐based piezoelectric films
Authors: Qaiss Abouelkacem , Saidi Hassan , Fassi‐Fehri Omar , Bousmina Mosto 
Published: June 2012

AbstractCellular polypropylene‐calcium carbonate based piezoelectric films were obtained using biaxial stretching and gas‐mediated inflation followed by a corona discharge treatment using home‐made devices. The obtained results revealed a cellular structure that develops at the interface between the solid particles and the polymer matrix and the final piezoelectric coefficient was found to depend both on the gas pressure profile and on time. The inflation step gives better results when the gas pressure is increased in stepwise manner allowing the gas to adequately intrude the cavities and maintain the required pressure. The overall results are discussed in terms of processing conditions and in terms of the developed microstructure. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers
Rheological behavior of cycloolefin copolymer/graphite composites
Authors: Kasgoz Alper , Akın Dinçer , Durmus Ali 
Published: June 2012

AbstractIn this study, morphological and rheological properties of cycloolefin copolymer (COC)/graphite composites prepared in a twin screw extruder by using various amounts of graphite (G) and expanded graphite (EG) were investigated in detail. Rheological behaviors of the samples were measured in a dynamic oscillatory rheometer in the melt state. Rheology data were analyzed in different ways in order to quantify the microstructural features which indicate the solid‐state physical properties of the composite materials. In the linear viscoelastic region, increasing of storage modulus (G′) with the filler amount and the van Gurp‐Palmen plots were used to determine the percolation threshold which is the critical filler amount for the physical network formation by the G sheets. Percolation threshold values were found to be about 21.5 phr and 3.8 phr for the G‐ and EG‐loaded samples, respectively. Microstructures of the samples which include quite higher amount of filler than the percolation were observed in a scanning electron microscopy. It was found that the sheets of pristine G maintained their original stack form while the EG was successfully dispersed in the COC phase and formed three dimensional house‐of‐card structures without a compatibilizer. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers
Experimental analyses of the poly(vinyl chloride) foams' mechanical anisotropic behavior
Authors: Tita Volnei , Caliri Mauricio Francisco , Angélico Ricardo Afonso , Canto Rodrigo Bresciani 
Published: June 2012

AbstractAssessing a full set of mechanical properties is a rather complicate task in the case of foams, especially if material models must be calibrated with these results. Many issues, for example anisotropy and heterogeneity, influence the mechanical behavior. This article shows through experimental analyses how the microstructure affects different experimental setups and it also quantifies the degree of anisotropy of a poly(vinyl chloride) foam. Monotonic and cyclic experimental tests were carried out using standard compression specimens and non‐standard tensile specimens. Results are complemented and compared with the aid of a digital image correlation technique and scanning electron microscopy analyses. Mechanical properties (e.g., elastic and plastic Poisson's ratios) are evaluated for compression and tensile tests, for two different material directions (normal and in‐plane). The material is found to be transversely isotropic. Differences in the results of the mechanical properties can be as high as 100%, or even more depending on the technique used and the loading direction. Also, the experimental analyses show how the material's microstructure behavior, like the evolution of the herein identified “yield fronts” and a “spring back” phenomenon, can influence the phenomenological response and the failure mechanisms as well as the hardening curves. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers
Studying the Thermal Properties of a Cotton/Epoxy Composite Inhibitor
Authors: Shahedifar Vahideh , Tajik Hamid Reza , Rezadoust Amir Masoud 
Published: June 2012

AbstractThe inhibitory effect of double‐base solid propellants is used to control and prevent the burning degree of exposed areas, induced by longer burning time. In recent years, inhibition with cellulose derivatives including cellulose acetate and ethyl cellulose has become popular, but these monolithic systems usually suffer from the drawback of a high erosion rate and demand high thickness and low burning time. A composite inhibitor based on cotton fibers/epoxy resin containing some chlorinated flame retardants (CFR), which were added in inhibitor composition to control its burning process, is described in this article. The thermal properties of the composite inhibitor were studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermomechanical analysis (TMA), and flame retardancy. Finally, the inhibited propellant charge, statically fired at ambient temperature, was found to display a smooth and flat pressure‐time profile, confirming the successful performance of the composite inhibition system without the application of any barrier coat.
Quantifying LOPA uncertainty
Authors: Freeman Raymond “Randy” 
Published: June 2012

AbstractLayer of protection analysis (LOPA) is a semi‐quantitative risk evaluation tool. The methodology is widely used in setting safety integrity level (SIL) targets for safety instrumented systems (SIS). The methodology is often used to evaluate the adequacy of existing protective systems against corporate risk targets. The LOPA method is based on the use of conservative but representative estimates of the failure probability of protective systems. The results of these studies are presented to management for concurrence with the conclusions and for funding of recommendations. Management sometimes asks questions such as:
What is the uncertainty in the results?
How sensitive are the results to the underlying data and assumptions?
How conservative is the LOPA methodology? Should additional independent protection layers be recommended from the LOPA study to compensate for uncertainty in the results?
There is no existing method for the analysis of uncertainty in a LOPA study. This article presents a framework to answer management questions related to the LOPA uncertainty. Guidance is presented on methods to incorporate an uncertainty analysis into a LOPA or quantitative risk analysis study. © 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2012
Beryllium cluster cages endohedrally doped by hydrogen: H2@Ben (8 ≤ n ≤ 14)
Authors: Naumkin Fedor Y. , Wales David J. 
Published: June 2012

AbstractCore‐shell structures of hydrogen‐beryllium clusters are predicted to be higher energy isomers relative to the separate H2 and Ben components, the hydrogen molecule dissociating inside the beryllium cage due to strong charge transfer. Variations of the system shape and stability with the relative orientation of the molecular core inside the metal shell and with its size are analyzed. Pathways and energy barriers for extraction of H2 and for its dissociative attachment to Ben from outside are evaluated. The effect of such endohedral doping on the electronic properties, including dipole moment, electronic excitation, ionization and electron attachment are also examined. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Molecular determinants for ligand binding at serotonin 5‐HT2A and 5‐HT2C GPCRs: Experimental affinity results analyzed by molecular modeling and ligand docking studies
Authors: Córdova‐Sintjago Tania , Sakhuja Rajeev , Kondabolu Krishnakanth , Canal Clinton E. , Booth Raymond G. 
Published: June 2012

AbstractLigands that activate the serotonin 5‐HT2C G protein‐coupled receptor (GPCR) may be therapeutic for psychoses, addiction, and other neuropsychiatric disorders. Ligands that are antagonists at the closely related 5‐HT2A GPCR also may treat neuropsychiatric disorders; in contrast, 5‐HT2A activation may cause hallucinations. 5‐HT2C‐specific agonist drug design is challenging because 5‐HT2 GPCRs share 80% transmembrane (TM) homology, same second messenger signaling, and no crystal structures are reported. To help delineate molecular determinants underlying differential binding and activation of 5‐HT2 GPCRs, 5‐HT2A, and 5‐HT2C homology models were built from the β2‐adrenergic GPCR crystal structure and equilibrated in a lipid phosphatidyl choline bilayer performing molecular dynamics simulations. Ligand docking studies at the 5‐HT2 receptor models were conducted with the (2R, 4S)‐ and (2S, 4R)‐enantiomers of the novel 5‐HT2C agonist/5‐HT2A/2B antagonist trans‐4‐phenyl‐N,N‐dimethyl‐2‐aminotetralin (PAT) and its 4′‐chlorophenyl congners. Results indicate PAT–5‐HT2 molecular interactions especially in TM domain V are important for the (2R, 4S) enantiomer, whereas, TM domain VI and VII interactions are more important for the (2S, 4R) enantiomer. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Validating pragmatic reuse tasks by leveraging existing test suites
Authors: Makady Soha , Walker Robert J. 
Published: June 2012

SUMMARYTraditional industrial practice often involves the ad hoc reuse of source code that was not designed for that reuse. Such pragmatic reuse tasks play an important role in disciplined software development. Pragmatic reuse has been seen as problematic due to a lack of systematic support, and an inability to validate that the reused code continues to operate correctly within the target system. Although recent work has successfully systematized support for pragmatic reuse tasks, the issue of validation remains unaddressed. In this paper, we present a novel approach and tool to semi‐automatically reuse and transform relevant portions of the test suite associated with pragmatically reused code, as a means to validate that the relevant constraints from the originating system continue to hold, while minimizing the burden on the developer. We conduct a formal experiment with experienced developers, to compare the application of our approach versus the use of a standard IDE (the ‘manual approach’). We find that, relative to the manual approach, our approach: reduces task completion time; improves instruction coverage by the reused test cases; and improves the correctness of the reused test cases. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Using self‐generated analogies in teaching of thermodynamics
Authors: Haglund Jesper , Jeppsson Fredrik 
Published: June 2012

AbstractUsing self‐generated analogies has been proposed as a method in a constructivist tradition for students to learn about a new subject, by use of what they previously know. We report on a group exercise on using self‐generated analogies to make sense of two thermodynamic processes, reversible adiabatic expansion and free adiabatic expansion of an ideal gas. The participants (N = 8) were physics preservice teacher students at the fourth year of the teacher education program. A main finding was that work with self‐generated analogies tended to be accompanied by the students assuming ownership for their learning, manifested in terms of actions of choice and control and the use of exploratory talk. Consequently, several self‐generated analogies were elaborated and developed to a high‐order relational structure. However, we also found that with the use of self‐generated analogies in science teaching follows the risks of developing idiosyncratic explanations of the encountered phenomena or getting stuck in overly complex comparisons.Sammanfattning: Självgenererade analogier har förts fram som en metod i en konstruktivistisk tradition för att elever och studenter ska kunna lära sig något nytt genom att relatera till vad de redan vet. Vi redogör här för en gruppövning där självgenererade analogier användes för att förstå två termodynamiska processer: reversibel adiabatisk expansion, respektive fri adiabatisk expansion av en ideal gas. Åtta (N = 8) lärarstudenter på fjärde året av utbildningen med inriktning mot fysik på gymnasiet deltog i studien. Ett viktigt resultat var att vid arbete med självgenererade analogier tenderade studenterna att ta ägandeskap för sitt lärande, vilket tog sig uttryck i handlingar såsom aktiva val, kontroll över processen och explorativ dialog. Som en följd utvecklades flera av de självgenererade analogierna till ett stort strukturellt djup. Samtidigt såg vi att vid skapande av egna analogier löper studenter risken att utveckla egna förklaringar av de studerade fenomenen som inte svarar mot dem inom vetenskapen eller snärja in sig i alltför komplexa jämförelser. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 49: 898–921, 2012
Mechanisms and implications of programmed translational frameshifting
Authors: Dinman Jonathan D. 
Published: June 2012

AbstractWhile ribosomes must maintain translational reading frame in order to translate primary genetic information into polypeptides, cis‐acting signals located in mRNAs represent higher order information content that can be used to fine‐tune gene expression. Classes of signals have been identified that direct a fraction of elongating ribosomes to shift reading frame by one base in the 5′ (−1) or 3′ (+1) direction. This is called programmed ribosomal frameshifting (PRF). Although mechanisms of PRF differ, a common feature is induction of ribosome pausing, which alters kinetic partitioning rates between in‐frame and out‐of‐frame codons at specific ‘slippery’ sequences. Many viruses use PRF to ensure synthesis of the correct ratios of virus‐encoded proteins required for proper viral particle assembly and maturation, thus identifying PRF as an attractive target for antiviral therapeutics. In contrast, recent studies indicate that PRF signals may primarily function as mRNA destabilizing elements in cellular mRNAs. These studies suggest that PRF may be used to fine‐tune gene expression through mRNA decay pathways. The possible regulation of PRF by noncoding RNAs is also discussed. WIREs RNA 2012 doi: 10.1002/wrna.1126This article is categorized under:

RNA Structure and Dynamics > Influence of RNA Structure in Biological Systems
RNA Evolution and Genomics > Computational Analyses of RNA
Translation > Translation Regulation
Conditioning and Interpretation Shifts
Authors: Romeijn Jan-Willem 
Published: June 2012

Abstract
This paper develops a probabilistic model of belief change under interpretation shifts, in the context of a problem case from dynamic epistemic logic. Van Benthem [4] has shown that a particular kind of belief change, typical for dynamic epistemic logic, cannot be modelled by standard Bayesian conditioning. I argue that the problems described by van Benthem come about because the belief change alters the semantics in which the change is supposed to be modelled: the new information induces a shift in the interpretation of the sentences. In this paper I show that interpretation shifts can be modeled in terms of updating by conditioning. The model derives from the knowledge structures developed by Fagin et al [8], and hinges on a distinction between the propositional and informational content of sentences. Finally, I show that Dempster-Shafer theory provides the appropriate probability kinematics for the model.
Diversifying the Academy: How Conservative Academics Can Thrive in Liberal Academia
Authors: Maranto Robert , Woessner Matthew 
Published: June 2012

AbstractResearchers have long recognized that higher education is dominated by professors whose politics are well to the left of the American political center. The cause and implications of this ideological imbalance have been intensely debated since the 1960s. Although critics of higher education, such as David Horowitz, argue that the political imbalance in academia is largely the result of ideological discrimination, emerging research on the views, values, and experiences of the professoriate tells a more complex story. Despite the relatively small numbers in the academy, the findings suggest that many conservative scholars can succeed in a predominantly liberal environment. Drawing on the latest research, as well as their own personal experience, the authors outline steps that conservative faculty can take to avoid needless political conflict and work happily in a profession largely dominated by the Left.