bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Characterization of an anti‐listerial enterocin from wheat silage based Enterococcus faecium
Authors: Bal Emel Banu Buyukunal , Isevi Taner , Bal Mehmet Ali 
Published: December 2011

AbstractTwo Enterococcus faecium and one E. faecalis strains isolated and identified from wheat silage were characterized based on plasmid content, hemolytic activity, antibiotic resistance patterns, bacteriocin production potential, and presence of enterocin structural genes (entA, entB, entP, entL50B). Among the isolates, only the E. faecium U7 strain exhibited bacteriocin activity against Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 7644, and vancomycin resistant Enterococcus spp. (VRE). A combination of three structural genes (entA, entB, and entP) was detected in E. faecium U7. A relationship between the presence of enterocin structural genes, and bacteriocin activity was detected in E. faecium U7; therefore partially purified enterocin (PPE) was further investigated from the isolate. Several bands of different molecular weights were expressed from PPE extracts following tricine SDS‐PAGE analysis. However, the only band showing bacteriocin activity was in an approximate 4‐kDa region. PPE treatment with proteinase K, lysozyme, and α ‐amylase caused complete loss of bacteriocin activity. PPE heat treatment at various temperatures resulted in a notable reduction in bacteriocin expression. Enterocin U7 was relatively heat stable, and presumably exhibits a glucoprotein nature with distinct inhibitory properties. Specific bacterial inhibitory activity of enterocin U7, and the producer strain absence of β ‐hemolysis and vancomycin susceptibility features deserves further investigation to evaluate its potential application in silage inoculation and food preservation. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Modelling the effect of environmental factors on the hyphal growth of the basidiomycete Physisporinus vitreus
Authors: Fuhr M. J. , Stührk C. , Schubert M. , Schwarze F. W. M. R. , Herrmann H. J. 
Published: December 2011

AbstractThe present work investigated the effects of environmental factors on the growth of fungal colonies of the white‐rot basidiomycetes Physisporinus vitreus using a lattice‐free discrete modeling approach called the fungal growth model (FGM), in which hyphae and nutrients are considered as discrete structures. A discrete modeling approach enables the underlying mechanistic rule concerning the basic architecture and dynamics of fungal networks to be studied on the scale of a single colony. By comparing simulations of the FGM with laboratory experiments of fungal colonies growing on malt extract agar we show that the combined effects of water activity, temperature and pH on the radial growth rate of fungal mycelia on the macroscopic scale may be explained by a power law for the costs of hyphal maintenance and expansion on the microscopic scale. Information about the response of the fungal mycelium at the micro‐ scopic level to environmental conditions is essential for simulating its behavior in complex structure substrates such as wood, where the effect of the fungus on the wood (i.e. the degradation of the cell wall) changes the local environmental condition (e.g. the permeability of the substrate and therefore the water activity in a colonized wood cell lumen). Using a combination of diffusion and moisture processes with the FGM may increase our understanding of the colonization strategy of P. vitreus and help to optimize its growth behavior for biotechnological applications such as bioincising. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Monitoring site occupancy for American mink in its native range
Authors: Schooley Robert L. , Cotner Lisa A. , Ahlers Adam A. , Heske Edward J. , Levengood Jeffrey M. 
Published: December 2011

AbstractAmerican mink (Neovison vison) are secretive, semi‐aquatic carnivores that often require noninvasive methods based on field signs such as tracks and scat for determining their spatial distribution. Most previous assessments of survey methods for American mink have been conducted in the United Kingdom where mink are an invasive species. We evaluated survey techniques for American mink in riparian habitat in its native range in the midwestern United States. We used occupancy modeling to compare detection rates between walking surveys and mink raft surveys, and we evaluated the potential for environmental covariates and observer bias to influence detectability from walking surveys. Per‐survey detection probabilities were greater for walking surveys (0.72) than for mink rafts (0.39). Walking surveys also were cheaper and easier to conduct in small streams prone to flooding when compared to mink raft surveys. However, detection probabilities from walking surveys were affected by observer bias, recent rainfall, substrate, and date. We recommend walking surveys for determining the distribution of American mink in riparian habitat in the Midwest if occupancy modeling is applied to adjust for environmental and observer effects on detectability. We used such an approach to demonstrate occupancy dynamics of mink were related to variable water depths, which has implications for how this carnivore might be influenced by climate change. Mink rafts standardize the substrate for recording mink tracks and reduce the likelihood of observer effects. For studies using many volunteers, we recommend mink rafts for determining site occupancy by American mink. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.
Landscape‐level correlates of mallard duckling survival: Implications for conservation programs
Authors: Bloom Pauline M. , Clark Robert G. , Howerter David W. , Armstrong Llwellyn M. 
Published: December 2011

AbstractDespite recent work, uncertainty remains concerning how abiotic and biotic factors affect duckling survival. Additionally, upland habitat characteristics may affect duckling survival rates but this potential relationship has largely been ignored. We evaluated several unresolved hypotheses about causes of mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) duckling survival variation, with an emphasis on assessing effects of managed and remnant natural upland habitats. During 1993–2000, 617 radio‐marked females provided information about brood habitat use and duckling survival on 27 sites in prairie Canada. We contrasted a priori and exploratory models that incorporated effects of upland, wetland, weather, female, and brood‐related variables on duckling survival rates. Survival was highest for ducklings when a greater proportion of their surrounding landscape (i.e., within a 500‐m radius buffer around the brood) was comprised of wetlands characterized by a central expanse of open water and a peripheral ring of flooded emergent vegetation. Cold and wet weather in the first week of life resulted in lower duckling survival. In a post hoc analysis, duckling survival (of older ducklings) was negatively related to increasing proportions of managed hayland. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.
Factors influencing detection of nesting crested caracaras
Authors: Dwyer James F. , Morrison Joan L. , Fraser James D. 
Published: December 2011

AbstractManagement of crested caracaras (Caracara cheriway), focuses on nests identified during surveys. If no nests are found, management can be suspended. Thus, false negatives can have substantial consequences. We surveyed 49 breeding territories to assess factors with the potential to cause false negatives in detecting nests of crested caracaras and in observing adult birds. The probability that a nest would be detected on any given visit increased by about 0.5% for each hour of observer experience up to about 70 hours (our maximum). Experience did not affect the probability of observing an adult. The probability of detecting a caracara nest or observing an adult caracara decreased by 2.0–3.5% each hour after sunrise that a visit began. If visibility during any portion of a visit was obscured by fog or rain, the probability of detecting a nest decreased by as much as 60%, and the probability of observing an adult caracara decreased by about 50%. We provide a tool managers can use to calculate the likelihood of successful surveys. We recommend that managers disregard negative results from surveys conducted under conditions that are unlikely to yield positive results, and repeat those surveys under better conditions. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.
Correlation between single‐trial visual evoked potentials and the blood oxygenation level dependent response in simultaneously recorded electroencephalography–functional magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Fuglø Dan , Pedersen Henrik , Rostrup Egill , Hansen Adam E. , Larsson Henrik B. W. 
Published: December 2011

AbstractTo compare different electroencephalography (EEG)‐based regressors and their ability to predict the simultaneously recorded blood oxygenation level dependent response during blocked visual stimulation, simultaneous EEG–functional magnetic resonance imaging in 10 healthy volunteers was performed. The performance of different single‐trial EEG regressors was compared in terms of predicting the measured blood oxygenation level dependent response. The EEG‐based regressors were the amplitude and latency of the primary positive (P1) and negative (N2) peaks of the visual evoked potential, the combined P1–N2 amplitude, and the alpha power. Apart from peak latencies, all regressors showed significant positive or negative correlation with the blood oxygenation level dependent response in visual cortex. In addition, several EEG‐based regressors were found to predict blood oxygenation level dependent variations in different occipital and extraoccipital cortical areas not explained by the boxcar regressor. The results suggest that the P1–N2 regressor is the best EEG‐based regressor to model the visual paradigm, but when looking for additional effects like habituation or attention modulation that cannot be modeled by the boxcar regressor, it is better to include regressors based on individual peaks or alpha power. Magn Reson Med, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Alternate muscle activity patterns among synergists of the quadriceps femoris including the vastus intermedius during low‐level sustained contraction in men
Authors: Akima Hiroshi , Saito Akira , Watanabe Kohei , Kouzaki Motoki 
Published: December 2011

AbstractIntroduction:We quantified the alternate muscle activity among four synergists of the quadriceps femoris (QF), including the vastus intermedius (VI), during low‐level sustained contraction.Methods:Surface electromyograms (EMGs) were recorded from the VI, vastus lateralis (VL), vastus medialis (VM), and rectus femoris (RF) in 11 healthy men during isometric knee extension at 2.5% maximum voluntary contraction for 60 min to determine alternate muscle activity among the four synergists of the QF.Results:Alternate activity was primarily found between the RF and VI, VL, or VM, and rarely found among the vasti muscles. Multiple muscle comparison revealed the duration of alternate activity in the RF/VI+VL+VM combination remained high throughout the experiment, although the frequency of that combination did not.Conclusions:These results suggested that there is a fixed muscle combination, i.e., RF and the 3 vasti muscles, to perform low‐intensity sustained contraction in the human QF. Muscle Nerve 46: 86–95, 2012
An approach to determining the thicknesses of shear bands with an echelon‐crack structure
Authors: Wang G. S. , Kong L. W. , Wei C. F. 
Published: December 2011

SUMMARYIn this paper, the internal structure of shear band is investigated, and a model of the shear band with an echelon crack structure is developed. The model assumes the shear band to be composed of two conjugate sets of echelon cracks, such that the smaller echelon cracks are embedded in the space of the larger ones. The additional strain induced by the echelon cracks and the anisotropic development of the compliance tensor in the shear band zone are analyzed. The critical crack density at the onset of shear band is obtained by applying the bifurcation condition. Deviating from previous approaches, the new procedure evaluates the thickness of shear band based on the geometrical characteristics of echelon crack arrays and the failure probability of grain boundaries in the longitudinal direction at the onset of shear band. Parametric analysis shows that grain size, internal friction angle, dilation angle, and failure probability of grain boundaries are the dominant factors that account for the shear band thickness. The calculated results are consistent with the experimental data available in the literature. The model soundly explains that the measurements of the shear band thickness are generally scattered, ranging from 4 to 30 (or even more) times the grain size. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Spontaneous adverse event reports of Stevens–Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis: detecting associations with medications
Authors: Papay Julie , Yuen Nancy , Powell Greg , Mockenhaupt Maja , Bogenrieder Thomas 
Published: December 2011

ABSTRACTPurposeStevens–Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are medically serious skin reactions that are often drug induced. The mainstay of therapy and future prevention is to discontinue and avoid the use of the suspected inducing drug. However, many cases of SJS/TEN occur in patients who are taking multiple medications, and it is often difficult to determine which drug to stop. This analysis was conducted to identify drugs that were most associated with SJS/TEN in the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS) database and to identify medications that were likely innocent bystanders.MethodsA Multi‐item Gamma Poisson Shrinker value with an EB05 ≥2 was considered a disproportional increase in reporting frequency (at least two times higher than expected). The identified drugs with reporting frequency of SJS/TEN in the US FDA AERS database were then compared to the EuroSCAR (European case–control surveillance of severe cutaneous adverse reactions) study results as a reference to define signals. The EB05s were calculated as a cumulative relative reporting frequency from 1968 to 3Q2009.ResultsFifty drugs were identified as being associated with SJS/TEN. This included 12 “highly suspect” drugs and 36 “suspect” drugs. Meloxicam was the only drug that appeared on the “highly suspect” list from EuroSCAR that did not show a disproportional increase in relative reporting frequency (EB05 = 0.734). In addition, several drugs did not have an association with SJS/TEN (EB05 < 2).ConclusionsThere was good concordance between the reporting frequencies observed in the FDA AERS database and the published risk estimation of medications implicated in SJS/TEN. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Advanced alignment technique for precise printing over selective emitter in c‐Si solar cells
Authors: Voltan Alessandro , Galiazzo Marco , Tonini Diego , Casarin Alessandro , Cellere Giorgio , Baccini Andrea 
Published: December 2011

ABSTRACTSignificant improvements in c‐Si solar cells performance can be achieved acting on the emitter or on the contact formation side. At the moment, an efficiency gain around 0.5–0.6%abs [1] has been demonstrated for selective emitter (SE) cells, mainly caused by the improvement of the blue response of the shallow emitter. Nevertheless, in case of sub‐optimal alignment of the printed metal with the deep emitter, the shallow junction depth leads to a significantly narrower firing process window, consequently causing high contact resistance and poor shunting behavior. Moreover, after Anti Reflective Coating (ARC) the contrast between differently doped areas is poor and often prevents the screen printer vision system from correctly recognizing the pattern for metal printing alignment. Thus, we developed a new equipment, high precision selective emitter, for precise alignment over SE able to guarantee recognition of every SE pattern and consequent printing repeatability within +/‐30 µm without rejections or misalignments. In this work, results from experimental investigations and mass production are reported and discussed, including also comparison with standard alignment methods and further feasible applications. New equipment for precise alignment over SE able to guarantee recognition of every SE pattern and consequent printing repeatability within +/‐30μm without rejections or misalignments has been developed (examples of SE patterns are reported in the following pictures). Test performed at production sites confirm that an efficiency gain of 0.1% and a significant reduction of rejection can result from the increased robustness of the presented method. Finally, also a correlation between sheet resistance of heavily doped area and image contrast has been demonstrated. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Size and concentration controlled growth of porous gold nanofilm
Authors: Zhang Renyun , Hummelgård Magnus , Olin Håkan 
Published: December 2011

AbstractAt an air/water interface, diffusion‐limited aggregation (DLA) of gold nanoparticles can form porous gold thin films. This porous film roughly consists of a network of irregular nanowires. For this air–water system, external parameters like temperature are well studied, while the influence of internal parameters, e.g., the size and concentration of the nanoparticles, have not been studied in detail. Here, we report on the growth of porous gold nanofilms for different nanoparticle sizes and concentrations to get a relationship between the morphology of the films and the internal parameters. The gold nanoparticles were synthesized by reducing HAuCl4 using sodium citrate. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterization showed a linear relation between the formed gold nanowires and the concentration of HAuCl4 if the concentration of sodium citrate is unchanged. A linear dependency was also found between the wire diameter and the gold nanoparticle concentration, and between the wire diameter and volume fraction of the nanoparticles. The electrical resistance of the films was measured, showing a linear relation between resistance and the inverse of the cross‐sectional area of the nanowires. This study shows the relation between the morphology and resistance of the grown porous films and the controllable internal parameters that will be useful in further exploration of this thin‐film growth method.
Piezoelectric power generation from zinc oxide nanowires grown on paper substrate
Authors: Soomro M. Y. , Hussain I. , Bano N. , Nur O. , Willander M. 
Published: December 2011

AbstractIn this study, we demonstrate piezoelectric power generation from zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires grown on paper substrate. Vertically aligned ZnO nanowires are deflected by an atomic force microscopy (AFM) tip in contact mode which generates an output voltage of up to 7 mV. Furthermore, the effects of different parameters mainly influencing the magnitude of the output voltage are discussed. We expect that due to its simplicity, this approach represents an important step within the development of nanoscale power generators. It offers a promising alternative powering source for the next generation of nanodevices on disposable paper. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
An adaptive kernel‐based target tracking method based on multiple features fusion
Authors: Qiu Xuena , Liu Shirong , Liu Fei 
Published: December 2011

AbstractA new adaptive kernel‐based target tracking method is proposed to improve the robustness and accuracy of target tracking in a complex background. A linear weighted combination of three kernel functions of scale‐invariant feature transform (SIFT), color, and motion features is applied to represent the probability distribution of the tracked target. Appearance and motion features are combined to enhance the target region location stability and accuracy. The size of the tracking window can be adjusted in real time according to the affine transform parameters of the corresponding SIFT couples. The weights of three kernel functions are also adaptively turned according to the scene, in order to better extract the features. Experiments demonstrate that the proposed algorithm can track the moving target successfully in different scenarios. Moreover, it can handle target pose, scale, orientation, view, and illumination changes, and its performance is better than that of the classic Camshift algorithm, SIFT‐based method, the and color SIFT‐based method. © 2011 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Dielectric properties of poly(phenylene sulfide) as a function of temperature and frequency
Authors: Hikosaka Saki , Ohki Yoshimichi 
Published: December 2011

AbstractDielectric properties of poly(phenylene sulfide) (PPS), a kind of super engineering plastic, were investigated over a wide temperature range by measuring its frequency spectra of complex permittivity and thermally stimulated polarization and depolarization currents (TSPC and TSDC). Experimental results indicate that its permittivity and dielectric loss factor remain stable and maintain low values up to around 140 °C, despite the fact that its glass transition appears at a much lower temperature of 88 °C. As for TSPC and TSDC, a very small peak associated with the glass transition appears at about 110 °C. Furthermore, a much clearer TSPC peak due to orientation of dipole moments associated with the ether linkage induced by the cross‐linking reaction appears at about 150–170 °C. The corresponding TSDC peak due to randomization of these dipoles is very small compared to the TSPC peak, since PPS was cross‐linked during the high‐temperature process in the TSPC measurement, which made rotation of the dipoles difficult. At temperatures higher than 150 °C, both the real and imaginary parts of the complex permittivity show significant increases with increase in temperature and decrease in frequency. This is attributable to the transport of the charge carriers. © 2011 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
International comparison of standard systems for impulse current measurement
Authors: Takayuki Wakimoto , Masaru Ishii , Ik‐Soo Kim 
Published: December 2011

AbstractThe impulse current test is an important test that is used for the evaluation of lightning protection equipment. The quality of the test greatly depends on the measuring system. Some countries already have their own standard measuring systems. Standard systems are under construction in Japan and Korea. According to the international standard on high‐voltage test techniques, a comparison test is needed to confirm the impulse parameters which have traceability or compatibility with the standard values. Different from intercomparison of impulse voltage measuring systems, Japan and Korea have not conducted an international comparison test for impulse current measuring systems. Now we have jointly conducted a comparison test for impulse current measurement. As a result, it was confirmed that the system of Japan is compatible with that of Korea, which is traceable to another foreign national standard.In this paper, the result of the comparison test between two countries is described. © 2011 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.