bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
When Life Itself is War: On the Urbanization of Military and Security Doctrine
Authors: GRAHAM STEPHEN
Published: February 2011

It is now well established that both the ‘war on terror’ and its offshoots have been conspicuously marked by overwhelmingly urban discourses, materialities and practices. Deliberately transdisciplinary, synthetical and polemical in scope, this article seeks to demonstrate that new ideologies of permanent and boundless war are radically intensifying the militarization of urban life in the contemporary period. The article delineates the ways in which contemporary processes of militarization — which surround what I label the ‘new military urbanism’— raise fundamental questions for critical urban scholarship because of the ways in which they work to normalize the permanent targeting of everyday urban sites, circulations and populations. Focusing primarily on US security and military doctrine, culture and technology, this article explores the new military urbanism's five interrelated foundations in detail, namely: the urbanization of military and security doctrine; the links between militarized control technologies and digitized urban life; the cultural performances of militarized media consumption; the emerging urban political economies of the ‘security’ industries; and the new state spaces of violence. Following the elaboration of each of these themes, the article concludes by identifying ways forward for critical urban research in exposing and confronting the normalization of the new military urbanism.

Il est désormais établi que la ‘guerre contre le terrorisme’ et ses ramifications ont été visiblement marquées par une vague de pratiques, de productions matérielles et de discours urbains. D’une portée délibérément transdisciplinaire, synthétique et polémique, cet article montre que les nouvelles idéologies de guerre permanente sans frontières renforcent profondément la militarisation de la vie urbaine contemporaine. Les processus de militarisation contemporains (entourant ce qui est baptisé ici ‘le nouvel urbanisme militaire’) soulèvent des questions fondamentales pour la recherche urbaine critique, du fait qu’ils contribuent à normaliser la prise pour cible des populations, flux et sites urbains ordinaires. S’attachant surtout à la doctrine, la culture et la technologie militaires et sécuritaires américaines, une analyse détaille les cinq fondements en interrelation de ce nouvel urbanisme militaire: l’urbanisation de la doctrine militaro‐sécuritaire; les liens entre technologies de contrôle militarisées et vie urbaine numérisée; les spectacles culturels consommés via les médias militarisés; les économies politiques urbaines naissantes des ‘industries de la sécurité’; les nouveaux espaces de violence nationaux. Une fois ces différents thèmes développés, la conclusion vient proposer des axes d’études urbaines critiques à travers l’exposé et la remise en cause de la normalisation propre au nouvel urbanisme militaire.
Understanding the Elusive Black Box of Dynamic Capabilities
Authors: Pavlou Paul A. , El Sawy Omar A.
Published: February 2011

A major challenge for managers in turbulent environments is to make sound decisions quickly. Dynamic capabilities have been proposed as a means for addressing turbulent environments by helping managers extend, modify, and reconfigure existing operational capabilities into new ones that better match the environment. However, because dynamic capabilities have been viewed as an elusive black box, it is difficult for managers to make sound decisions in turbulent environments if they cannot effectively measure dynamic capabilities. Therefore, we first seek to propose a measurable model of dynamic capabilities by conceptualizing, operationalizing, and measuring dynamic capabilities. Specifically, drawing upon the dynamic capabilities literature, we identify a set of capabilities—sensing the environment, learning, coordinating, and integrating—that help reconfigure existing operational capabilities into new ones that better match the environment. Second, we propose a structural model where dynamic capabilities influence performance by reconfiguring existing operational capabilities in the context of new product development (NPD). Data from 180 NPD units support both the measurable model of dynamic capabilities and also the structural model by which dynamic capabilities influence performance in NPD by reconfiguring operational capabilities, particularly in higher levels of environmental turbulence. The study's implications for managerial decision making in turbulent environments by capturing the elusive black box of dynamic capabilities are discussed.
Interorganizational System Characteristics and Supply Chain Integration: An Empirical Assessment*
Authors: Saeed Khawaja A. , Malhotra Manoj K. , Grover Varun
Published: February 2011

Some firms have gained significant benefits by effectively deploying interorganizational systems (IOS) to tightly couple operations with their supply chain partners. In contrast, other firms with IOS deployments have struggled to achieve this level of success. So it is not clear how such systems can be configured to promote idiosyncratic interorganizational processes that integrate the supply chains and facilitate successful outcomes. To shed further light on this issue, we draw from multiple theoretical perspectives to develop a comprehensive and unique conceptualization of IOS characteristics that goes beyond the limited treatment it has received in extant literature. Furthermore, we empirically examine the IOS configuration choices made by firms with different supply chain integration (SCI) profiles. Our results support the notion that successful firms sequence the configuration of IOS characteristics toward effectively developing and supporting their supply chain process capabilities. In particular, we found that firms at the lower end of SCI configure IOS features to support supplier evaluation and automatic alerts. As organizations move to the upper end of the SCI spectrum, greater attention is paid to features associated with systems integration, planning, and forecasting. Recommendations to managers and academics stemming from our study are provided, along with avenues for future research.
A Dynamic Collaboration Capability as a Source of Competitive Advantage
Authors: Allred Chad R. , Fawcett Stanley E. , Wallin Cynthia , Magnan Gregory M.
Published: February 2011

The resource‐based view of the firm argues the essence of decision making is to determine how firm and supply chain resources can be configured to achieve inimitable advantage and superior performance. However, combining resources found among diverse members of a supply chain requires higher levels of coordination than exist at most companies. Manifest cross‐functional and interorganizational conflict impedes the relational advantages of collaboration. This research employs a multimethod—survey and interview—approach to evaluate collaboration's influence on operational and firm performance. Our findings show that collaboration, as a dynamic capability, mediates the conflict resulting from functional orientations, and improves performance. Specific structural enablers to enhance an organization's collaborative capability are identified and described, providing insight into how firms can exploit interfirm resources for competitive advantage.
Pretty in pink: The early development of gender‐stereotyped colour preferences
Authors: LoBue Vanessa , DeLoache Judy S.
Published: February 2011

Parents commonly dress their baby girls in pink and their baby boys in blue. Although there is research showing that children prefer the colour blue to other colours (regardless of gender), there is no evidence that girls actually have a special preference for the colour pink. This is the focus of the current investigation. In a large cross‐sectional study, children aged 7 months to 5 years were offered eight pairs of objects and asked to choose one. In every pair, one of the objects was always pink. By the age of 2, girls chose pink objects more often than boys did, and by the age of 2.5, they had a significant preference for the colour pink over other colours. At the same time, boys showed an increasing avoidance of pink. These results thus reveal that sex differences in young children's preference for the colour pink involves both an increasing attraction to pink by young girls and a growing avoidance of pink by boys.
Undrained Load Capacity of Torpedo Anchors Embedded in Cohesive Soils
Authors: de Sousa José Renato M. , de Aguiar Cristiano S. , Ellwanger Gilberto B. , Porto Elisabeth C. , Foppa Diego , de Medeiros Cipriano José
Published: February 2011

This paper presents a numerical based study on the undrained load capacity of a typical torpedo anchor embedded in a purely cohesive isotropic soil using a three-dimensional nonlinear finite element model. In this model, the soil is simulated with solid elements capable of representing its nonlinear physical behavior and the large deformations involved. The torpedo anchor is also modeled with solid elements, and its geometry is represented in detail. Moreover, the anchor-soil interaction is addressed with contact finite elements that allow relative sliding with friction between the surfaces in contact. A number of analyses are conducted in order to understand the response of this type of anchor when different soil undrained shear strengths, load directions, and number and width of flukes are considered. The results obtained indicate two different failure mechanisms: The first one involves significant plastic deformation before collapse and, consequently, mobilizes a great amount of soil; the second is associated with the development of a limited shear zone near the edge of the anchor and mobilizes a small amount of soil. The total contact area of the anchor seems to be an important parameter in the determination of its load capacity, and, consequently, the increase in the undrained shear strength and the number of flukes and/or their width significantly increases the load capacity of the anchor.
Dynamics of Flow in a Mechanical Heart Valve: The Role of Leaflet Inertia and Leaflet Compliance
Authors: Gkanis Vasileios , Housiadas Christos
Published: February 2011

In this work, we examine the dynamics of fluid flow in a mechanical heart valve when the solid inertia and leaflet compliance are important. The fluid is incompressible and Newtonian, and the leaflet is an incompressible neo-Hookean material. In the case of an inertialess leaflet, we find that the maximum valve opening angle and the time that the valve remains closed increase as the shear modulus of the leaflet decreases. More importantly, the regurgitant volume decreases with decreasing shear modulus. When we examined the forces exerted on the leaflet, we found that the downward motion of the leaflet is initiated by a vertical force exerted on its right side and, later on, by a vertical force exerted on the top side of the leaflet. In the case of solid inertia, we find that the maximum valve opening angle and the regurgitant volume are larger than in the case of an inertialess leaflet. These results highlight the importance of solid compliance in the dynamics of blood flow in a mechanical heart valve. More importantly, they indicate that mechanical heart valves with compliant leaflets may have smaller regurgitant volumes and smaller shear stresses than the ones with rigid leaflets.
Is a wind turbine a point source? (L)
Authors: Makarewicz Rufin
Published: February 2011

Measurements show that practically all noise of wind turbine noise is produced by turbine blades, sometimes a few tens of meters long, despite that the model of a point source located at the hub height is commonly used. The plane of rotating blades is the critical location of the receiver because the distances to the blades are the shortest. It is shown that such location requires certain condition to be met. The model is valid far away from the wind turbine as well.
Language specificity in the perception of voiceless sibilant fricatives in Japanese and English: Implications for cross-language differences in speech-sound development
Authors: Li Fangfang , Munson Benjamin , Edwards Jan , Yoneyama Kiyoko , Hall Kathleen
Published: February 2011

Both English and Japanese have two voiceless sibilant fricatives, an anterior fricative /s/ contrasting with a more posterior fricative /∫/. When children acquire sibilant fricatives, English children typically substitute [s] for /∫/, whereas Japanese children typically substitute [∫] for /s/. This study examined English- and Japanese-speaking adults’ perception of children’s productions of voiceless sibilant fricatives to investigate whether the apparent asymmetry in the acquisition of voiceless sibilant fricatives reported previously in the two languages was due in part to how adults perceive children’s speech. The results of this study show that adult speakers of English and Japanese weighed acoustic parameters differently when identifying fricatives produced by children and that these differences explain, in part, the apparent cross-language asymmetry in fricative acquisition. This study shows that generalizations about universal and language-specific patterns in speech-sound development cannot be determined without considering all sources of variation including speech perception.
The performance of different synthesis signals in acoustic models of cochlear implants
Authors: Strydom Trudie , Hanekom Johan J.
Published: February 2011

Synthesis (carrier) signals in acoustic models embody assumptions about perception of auditory electric stimulation. This study compared speech intelligibility of consonants and vowels processed through a set of nine acoustic models that used Spectral Peak (SPEAK) and Advanced Combination Encoder (ACE)-like speech processing, using synthesis signals which were representative of signals used previously in acoustic models as well as two new ones. Performance of the synthesis signals was determined in terms of correspondence with cochlear implant (CI) listener results for 12 attributes of phoneme perception (consonant and vowel recognition; F1, F2, and duration information transmission for vowels; voicing, manner, place of articulation, affrication, burst, nasality, and amplitude envelope information transmission for consonants) using four measures of performance. Modulated synthesis signals produced the best correspondence with CI consonant intelligibility, while sinusoids, narrow noise bands, and varying noise bands produced the best correspondence with CI vowel intelligibility. The signals that performed best overall (in terms of correspondence with both vowel and consonant attributes) were modulated and unmodulated noise bands of varying bandwidth that corresponded to a linearly varying excitation width of 0.4 mm at the apical to 8 mm at the basal channels.
Vocal tract resonances in singing: Strategies used by sopranos, altos, tenors, and baritones
Authors: Henrich Nathalie , Smith John , Wolfe Joe
Published: February 2011

The first two vocal tract resonances (R1 and R2) of 22 classically trained sopranos, altos, tenors, and baritones were measured while they sang four different vowels over their normal pitch range. The resonances of the tract and the harmonics of the voice were measured simultaneously by injecting a broadband acoustic current into the tract at their mouth. Sopranos were found to tune R1 close to the fundamental frequency f0 (R1:f0 tuning) over at least part of their upper range for all vowels studied, particularly when f0 was around or above the value of R1 for speech. Additionally, most sopranos employed R2:2f0 tuning over some of their range, often simultaneously with R1:f0 tuning. Altos used R1:f0 tuning for vowels having lower values of R1 in speech, but can switch to R1:2f0 tuning in the lower part of their range. Tenors and baritones generally used R1:2f0 and R1:3f0 tunings over part of their range and employed a number of different tunings to higher harmonics at lower pitch. These results indicate that singers can repeatedly tune their resonances with precision, and that there can be considerable differences in the resonance strategies used by individual singers, particularly for voices in the lower ranges.
A method for estimating the orientation of a directional sound source from source directivity and multi-microphone recordings: Principles and application
Authors: Guarato Francesco , Jakobsen Lasse , Vanderelst Dieter , Surlykke Annemarie , Hallam John
Published: February 2011

Taking into account directivity of real sound sources makes it possible to try solving an interesting and biologically relevant problem: estimating the orientation in three-dimensional space of a directional sound source. The source, of known directivity, produces a broadband signal (in the ultrasonic range, in this application) that is recorded by microphones whose position with respect to source is known. An analytical method to process the recorded signals and estimate source orientation is developed in this paper. Experiments testing method performance in estimating source orientation were performed both in a laboratory environment with a Polaroid transducer as source and in a flight room with a Myotis daubentonii bat. In the first case, results showed the estimation method to be accurate and pointed out its limitations. The latter case is significant as an example biological application of the method for extracting behavioral features from bats; results are compared with alternative calculations based on microphone root-mean-square (rms)-pressure values.
Suppression of an acoustic mode by an elastic mode of a liquid-filled spherical shell resonator
Authors: Lonzaga Joel B. , Raymond Jason L. , Mobley Joel , Gaitan D. Felipe
Published: February 2011

The purpose of this paper is to report on the suppression of an approximately radial (radially symmetric) acoustic mode by an elastic mode of a water-filled, spherical shell resonator. The resonator, which has a 1-in. wall thickness and a 9.5-in. outer diameter, was externally driven by a small transducer bolted to the external wall. Experiments showed that for the range of drive frequencies (19.7–20.6 kHz) and sound speeds in water (1520–1570 m/s) considered in this paper, a nonradial (radially nonsymmetric) mode was also excited, in addition to the radial mode. Furthermore, as the sound speed in the liquid was changed, the resonance frequency of the nonradial mode crossed with that of the radial one and the amplitude of the latter was greatly reduced near the crossing point. The crossing of the eigenfrequency curves of these two modes was also predicted theoretically. Further calculations demonstrated that while the radial mode is an acoustic one associated with the interior fluid, the nonradial mode is an elastic one associated with the shell. Thus, the suppression of the radial acoustic mode is apparently caused by the overlapping with the nonradial elastic mode near the crossing point.
Equivalent loads for two-dimensional distributed anisotropic piezoelectric transducers with arbitrary shapes attached to thin plate structures
Authors: Deraemaeker Arnaud , Tondreau Gilles , Bourgeois Frédéric
Published: February 2011

When a voltage is applied across the electrodes of a flat piezoelectric transducer attached to a thin plate structure, the transducer acts as equivalent loads applied to the host plate structure. In this paper, analytical expressions of these equivalent loads are derived for the general case of an orthotropic piezoelectric actuator using Hamilton’s principle and two different mathematical approaches leading to the same results: Green’s theorem and derivation using the theory of distributions. The equivalent loads are a function of the material properties as well as the normal to the contour of the transducer. Examples of applications to simple geometric shapes (triangle, rectangle, and circle) are given.
Effect of bandpass filtering on melodic contour identification by cochlear implant users
Authors: Galvin John J. , Fu Qian-Jie
Published: February 2011

Melodic contour identification was measured in cochlear implant (CI) and normal-hearing (NH) subjects for piano samples processed by four bandpass filters: low (310–620 Hz), middle (620–2480 Hz), high (2480–4960 Hz), and full (310–4960 Hz). NH performance was near-perfect for all filter ranges and much higher than CI performance. The best mean CI performance was with the middle frequency range; performance was much better for some CI subjects with the middle rather than the full filter. These results suggest that acoustic filtering may reduce potential mismatches between fundamental frequencies and harmonic components thereby improving CI users’ melodic pitch perception.
The perception of intonation questions and statements in Cantonese
Authors: Ma Joan K.-Y. , Ciocca Valter , Whitehill Tara L.
Published: February 2011

In tone languages there are potential conflicts in the perception of lexical tone and intonation, as both depend mainly on the differences in fundamental frequency (F0) patterns. The present study investigated the acoustic cues associated with the perception of sentences as questions or statements in Cantonese, as a function of the lexical tone in sentence final position. Cantonese listeners performed intonation identification tasks involving complete sentences, isolated final syllables, and sentences without the final syllable (carriers). Sensitivity (d′ scores) were similar for complete sentences and final syllables but were significantly lower for carriers. Sensitivity was also affected by tone identity. These findings show that the perception of questions and statements relies primarily on the F0 characteristics of the final syllables (local F0 cues). A measure of response bias (c) provided evidence for a general bias toward the perception of statements. Logistic regression analyses showed that utterances were accurately classified as questions or statements by using average F0 and F0 interval. Average F0 of carriers (global F0 cue) was also found to be a reliable secondary cue. These findings suggest that the use of F0 cues for the perception of intonation question in tonal languages is likely to be language-specific.
Target enhancement and noise cancellation in the identification of a rudimentary sound source in noise
Authors: Lutfi Robert A. , Liu Ching-Ju
Published: February 2011

Perturbation analysis was used to determine the relative contribution of target enhancement and noise cancellation in the identification of rudimentary sound source in noise. In a two-interval, forced-choice procedure, listeners identified the impact sound produced by the larger of two stretched membranes as target. The noise on each presentation was the impact sound of a variable-sized plate. For four of five listeners, the relative weights on the noise were positive indicating enhancement, and for the remaining listeners, they were negative indicating cancellation. The results underscore the difficulty with evaluating models of masking solely in terms of measures of performance accuracy.
The S
3
–
Ion Is Stable in Geological Fluids at Elevated Temperatures and Pressures
Authors: Pokrovski Gleb S. , Dubrovinsky Leonid S.
Published: February 2011

Instead of sulfide or sulfate, the trisulfur ion S
3
–
is stable at high temperatures.
Functional Extinctions of Bird Pollinators Cause Plant Declines
Authors: Sekercioglu Cagan H.
Published: February 2011

Researchers have documented how the loss of pollinating birds affects a plant that depends on them.
Making Sense of the Data
Authors: Donnelly Peter
Published: February 2011

We are at the tipping point for what will be an avalanche of high-quality human genomes.
Pertussis Serodiagnosis in Belgium from 1990 to 2009
Authors: Vincent Muriel , Rodeghiero Caroline , Eylenbosch Romain , Mans Yvan , Swalus-Steenhouwer Jeannine , Piérard Denis , Huygen Kris , Vanhoof Raymond
Published: February 2011

Diagnosis of pertussis by culture and PCR is most sensitive when performed on nasopharyngeal specimens collected <2 weeks and <3 weeks, respectively, after the onset of clinical disease. Conversely, serological testing allows the diagnosis of patients (mostly adults) with less typical whooping cough symptoms, for whom clinical samples are often collected at later time points. Here, we report on a 20-year serodiagnostic survey of pertussis in Belgium from 1990 to 2009. In total, 13,163 patients were analyzed forBordetella pertussis-specific antibodies by agglutination, complement fixation, immunofluorescence, and ELISA. The number of positive pertussis cases detected by serodiagnosis ranged between 50 and 150 annually. The mean age of positive cases increased from 9.9 years in 1990 to 33.9 years in 2009. Whereas from 1990 to 2003, children and young adolescents made up the majority of cases, from 2004 onwards, cases were detected in all age groups and the distribution became bimodal, with a first peak at the age of 10 to 20 years and a second at the age of 35 to 50 years. In contrast, patients diagnosed since 2001 by PCR and/or culture were mostly children younger than 1 year of age. Despite extensive childhood vaccination campaigns, whooping cough is still present in Belgium. Our findings confirm the potential role of adults in the continued transmission of pertussis and strongly warrant booster or cocoon vaccinations in older age groups.
Development of a Multiplex Bead-Based Assay for Detection of Hepatitis C Virus
Authors: Fonseca Bruna P. F. , Marques Christiane F. S. , Nascimento Lílian D. , Mello Marcelle B. , Silva Leila B. R. , Rubim Nara M. , Foti Leonardo , Silva Edimilson D. , Ferreira Antonio G. P. , Krieger Marco A.
Published: February 2011

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major burden to public health worldwide, affecting approximately 3% of the human population. Although HCV detection is currently based on reliable tests, the field of medical diagnostics has a growing need for inexpensive, accurate, and quick high-throughput assays. By using the recombinant HCV antigens NS3, NS4, NS5, and Combined, we describe a new bead-based multiplex test capable of detecting HCV infection in human serum samples. The first analysis, made in a singleplex format, showed that each antigen coupled to an individual bead set presented high-level responses for anti-HCV-positive reference serum pools and lower-level responses for the HCV-negative pools. Our next approach was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of each antigen by testing 93 HCV-positive and 93 HCV-negative sera. When assayed in the singleplex format, the NS3, NS4, and NS5 antigens presented lower sensitivity values (50.5%, 51.6%, and 55.9%, respectively) than did the Combined antigen, which presented a sensitivity of 93.5%. All antigens presented 100% specificity. These antigens were then multiplexed in a 4-plex assay, which resulted in increased sensitivity and specificity values, performing with 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity. The positive and negative predictive values for the 4-plex assay were 100%. Although preliminary, this 4-plex assay showed robust results that, aligned with its small-sample-volume requirements and also its cost- and time-effectiveness, make it a reasonable alternative to tests currently used for HCV screening of potentially infected individuals.
Comparison of Real-Time Multiplex Human Papillomavirus (HPV) PCR Assays with the Linear Array HPV Genotyping PCR Assay and Influence of DNA Extraction Method on HPV Detection
Authors: Roberts Christine C. , Swoyer Ryan , Bryan Janine T. , Taddeo Frank J.
Published: February 2011

Real-time human papillomavirus (HPV) type-specific multiplex PCR assays were developed to detect HPV DNA in specimens collected for the efficacy determination of the quadrivalent HPV (type 6, 11, 16, and 18) L1 virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine (Gardasil). We evaluated the concordance between type-specific multiplex HPV PCR and the widely used, commercially available Roche Linear Array genotyping PCR assay. Female genital swab specimens were tested for the presence of L1, E6, and E7 sequences of HPV type 6 (HPV6), HPV11, HPV16, HPV18, HPV31, HPV45, HPV52, and HPV58 and E6 and E7 sequences of HPV33, HPV35, HPV39, HPV51, HPV56, and HPV59 in type- and gene-specific real-time multiplex PCR assays. Specimens were also tested for the presence of L1 sequences using two versions of the Roche Linear Array genotyping assay. Measures of concordance of a modified version of the Linear Array and the standard Linear Array PCR assay were evaluated. With specimen DNA extraction using the Qiagen Spin blood kit held as the constant, multiplex PCR assays detect more HPV-positive specimens for the 14 HPV types common to both than either version of the Linear Array HPV genotyping assay. Type-specific agreements between the assays were good, at least 0.838, but were often driven by negative agreement in HPV types with low prevalence, as evidenced by reduced proportions of positive agreement. Overall HPV status agreements ranged from 0.615 for multiplex PCR and standard Linear Array to 0.881 for multiplex PCR and modified Linear Array. An alternate DNA extraction technique, that used by the Qiagen MinElute kit, impacted subsequent HPV detection in both the multiplex PCR and Linear Array assays.
Characterization of a New Disease Syndrome Associated with Porcine Circovirus Type 2 in Previously Vaccinated Herds
Authors: Cino-Ozuna Ada G. , Henry Steven , Hesse Richard , Nietfeld Jerome C. , Bai Jianfa , Scott H. Morgan , Rowland Raymond R. R.
Published: February 2011

Porcine circovirus-associated disease (PCVAD) encompasses a group of wasting syndromes linked to porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2). This paper describes a new PCV2 disease syndrome, called acute pulmonary edema (APE), which, unlike other PCVAD syndromes, has a peracute onset and is associated with herds vaccinated for PCV2.
Treponema-Specific Tests for Serodiagnosis of Syphilis: Comparative Evaluation of Seven Assays
Authors: Binnicker M. J. , Jespersen D. J. , Rollins L. O.
Published: February 2011

The diagnosis of syphilis is challenging and often relies on serologic tests to detect treponemal or nontreponemal antibodies. Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Association of Public Health Laboratories proposed an update to the syphilis serology testing algorithm, in which serum samples are first tested using a treponema-specific test and positive samples are analyzed with a nontreponemal assay. The goal of this study was to compare the performance of seven treponemal assays (BioPlex 2200 syphilis IgG [Bio-Rad, Hercules, CA], fluorescent treponemal antibody [FTA] assay [Zeus Scientific, Raritan, NJ],
Treponema pallidum
particle agglutination [TP-PA; Fujirebio Diagnostics, Malvern, PA], Trep-Sure enzyme immunoassay [EIA; Phoenix Biotech, Oakville, Ontario, Canada], Trep-Chek EIA [Phoenix Biotech], Trep-ID EIA [Phoenix Biotech], and Treponema ViraBlot IgG [Viramed Biotech AG, Planegg, Germany]) using serum samples (
n
= 303) submitted to our reference laboratory. In addition to testing with these 7 assays, all samples were tested by a rapid plasma reagin (RPR) assay and a treponemal IgM Western blot assay (Viramed ViraBlot). Compared to the FTA assay as the gold standard, the evaluated treponemal tests demonstrated comparable levels of performance, with percent agreement ranging from 95.4% (95% confidence interval, 92.3 to 97.3) for the Trep-Sure EIA to 98.4% (96.1 to 99.4) for the Trep-ID EIA. Compared to a “consensus of the test panel” (defined as at least 4 of 7 treponemal tests being in agreement), the percent agreement ranged from 95.7% (92.7 to 97.5) for Trep-Sure to 99.3% (97.5 to 99.9) for Trep-ID. These data may assist clinical laboratories that are considering implementing a treponemal test for screening or confirmatory purposes.
Unique Spectrum of Activity of Prosimian TRIM5α against Exogenous and Endogenous Retroviruses
Authors: Rahm Nadia , Yap Melvyn , Snoeck Joke , Zoete Vincent , Muñoz Miguel , Radespiel Ute , Zimmermann Elke , Michielin Olivier , Stoye Jonathan P. , Ciuffi Angela , Telenti Amalio
Published: February 2011

Lentiviruses, the genus of retrovirus that includes HIV-1, rarely endogenize. Some lemurs uniquely possess an endogenous lentivirus called PSIV (“prosimian immunodeficiency virus”). Thus, lemurs provide the opportunity to study the activity of host defense factors, such as TRIM5α, in the setting of germ line invasion. We characterized the activities of TRIM5α proteins from two distant lemurs against exogenous retroviruses and a chimeric PSIV. TRIM5α from gray mouse lemur, which carries PSIV in its genome, exhibited the narrowest restriction activity. One allelic variant of gray mouse lemur TRIM5α restricted only N-tropic murine leukemia virus (N-MLV), while a second variant restricted N-MLV and, uniquely, B-tropic MLV (B-MLV); both variants poorly blocked PSIV. In contrast, TRIM5α from ring-tailed lemur, which does not contain PSIV in its genome, revealed one of the broadest antiviral activities reported to date against lentiviruses, including PSIV. Investigation into the antiviral specificity of ring-tailed lemur TRIM5α demonstrated a major contribution of a 32-amino-acid expansion in variable region 2 (v2) of the B30.2/SPRY domain to the breadth of restriction. Data on lemur TRIM5α and the prediction of ancestral simian sequences hint at an evolutionary scenario where antiretroviral specificity is prominently defined by the lineage-specific expansion of the variable loops of B30.2/SPRY.
QUANTUM AMPLITUDES IN BLACK-HOLE EVAPORATION: COMPLEX APPROACH AND SPIN-0 AMPLITUDE
Authors: FARLEY A. N. St. J. , D'EATH P. D.
Published: February 2011

This paper is concerned with the quantum-mechanical decay of a Schwarzschild-like black hole, formed by gravitational collapse, into almost-flat space–time and weak radiation at a very late time. We evaluate quantum amplitudes (not just probabilities) for transitions from initial to final states. This quantum description shows that no information is lost in collapse to a black hole. Boundary data for the gravitational field and (in this paper) a scalar field are posed on an initial space-like hypersurface ΣIand a final surface ΣF. These asymptotically flat three-surfaces are separated by a Lorentzian proper-time interval T (typically very large), as measured at spatial infinity. The boundary-value problem is made well-posed, both classically and quantum-mechanically, by a rotation of T into the lower-half complex plane: T → |T| exp (- iθ), with 0 < θ ≤ π/2. This corresponds to Feynman's +iϵ prescription. We consider the classical boundary-value problem and calculate the second-variation classical Lorentzian action [Formula: see text] as a functional of the boundary data. Following Feynman, the Lorentzian quantum amplitude is recovered in the limit θ → 0+from the well-defined complex-T amplitude. Dirac's canonical approach to the quantisation of constrained systems shows that, for locally supersymmetric theories of gravity, the amplitude is exactly semi-classical, namely [Formula: see text] for weak perturbations, apart from delta functionals of the supersymmetry constraints. We treat such quantum amplitudes for weak scalar-field configurations on ΣF, taking (for simplicity) the weak final gravitational field to be spherically symmetric. The treatment involves adiabatic solutions to the scalar wave equation. This considerably extends work reported in previous papers, by giving explicit expressions for the real and imaginary parts of such quantum amplitudes.
3D seismic geomorphology and sedimentology of the Chalk Group, southern Danish North Sea
Authors: Back Stefan , Van Gent Heijn , Reuning Lars , Grötsch Jürgen , Niederau Jan , Kukla Peter
Published: February 2011

Classically, the North Sea Chalk is interpreted as having been deposited under quiet, homogeneous pelagic conditions with local redeposition in slumps and slides. Recent observations of highly discontinuous reflection patterns on 2D and 3D seismic reflection data from the NW European Chalk Group have led to a revision of some general ideas of chalk deposition, with the suggestion that long-lived, contour-parallel bottom currents exerted a primary influence on the development of intra-chalk channels, drifts and mounds. This study proposes an alternative explanation for the formation of selected intra-chalk seismic and stratal discontinuities, interpreting these as being caused by gravity-driven processes that developed in response to intense syndepositional tectonics. Submarine mass-transport systems identified in the study area include large-scale slumps, slides, debris flows and turbidites. The last occur in sinuous channel systems flanked by large master levees, with the channel fill exhibiting well-developed secondary banks and overbanks on the outer bends of the channel thalweg. This first documentation of channelized density-flow deposits in the North Sea Chalk has important consequences for the interpretation and prediction of redeposited chalk units, emphasizing at the same time the strength of detailed 3D seismic discontinuity detection for subsurface sedimentary-systems analysis.
Origin of the Aves Ridge and Dutch–Venezuelan Antilles: interaction of the Cretaceous ‘Great Arc' and Caribbean–Colombian Oceanic Plateau?
Authors: Neill Iain , Kerr Andrew C. , Hastie Alan R. , Stanek Klaus-Peter , Millar Ian L.
Published: February 2011

In this paper we reassess the geochronology and geochemistry of three dredge hauls from the SE corner of the Aves Ridge (Caribbean Sea) originally sampled in 1968 by Duke University's R.V.
Eastward
. Two hauls consist of light rare earth element-enriched granitoids with a U–Pb zircon emplacement age of 75.9 ± 0.7 Ma. A further haul contains mostly calc-alkaline island arc basaltic andesites of uncertain age. Petrological, trace element and isotopic constraints indicate that the granitoids have an oceanic crustal source and were formed by melting of the lower arc, oceanic or oceanic plateau crust. The mafic rocks formed by partial melting of an incompatible trace element-enriched mantle wedge, which was probably composed of mantle plume material. Both the dredged rocks and data from the Dutch–Venezuelan Antilles indicate a period of west-dipping underthrusting and subduction beneath, or close to, the Caribbean–Colombian Oceanic Plateau between
c
. 88 and
c
. 59 Ma, concurrent with collision of part of the plateau with northwestern South America. Constraints from the geochemistry and geochronology of offshore southern Caribbean arc and plateau rocks suggest that in the southern Caribbean there was no pre-existing west-dipping subduction system during formation of the Caribbean–Colombian Oceanic Plateau, whereas long-lived SW-dipping subduction in the northern Greater Antilles is more probable.

Supplementary material:

Sample details, major and trace element data (file 1), cathodoluminescence images of analysed zircons (file 2) and whole-rock standards (file 3) are available at
http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18438
.
Early Permian high-K calc-alkaline volcanic rocks from NW Inner Mongolia, North China: geochemistry, origin and tectonic implications
Authors: Zhang Xiaohui , Wilde Simon A. , Zhang Hongfu , Zhai Mingguo
Published: February 2011

Knowledge of the characteristics of the extensive late Palaeozoic volcanic rocks across the northern China–Mongolia tract is essential for understanding the tectonic evolution and continental crustal growth in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. This geochronological and geochemical study documents the Early Permian mafic and felsic volcanic rocks from northwestern Inner Mongolia. The mafic rocks form two magma series with distinctive geochemical characteristics; one showing large ion lithophile element (LILE) enrichment relative to high field strength elements (HFSE) and an asthenosphere-like Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic signature, and the other featuring an elevated Nb and lithospheric isotopic signature. This result indicates that two mantle source components are involved in the magma generation: the subduction-related metasomatized asthenosphere and lithospheric mantle. The felsic rocks show strong enrichment of LILE and light REE, depletion in HFSE, and indistinguishable isotopic compositions from mafic ones. Such features are consistent with partial melts of mixed sources composed of predominant juvenile basaltic underplates and minor ancient crustal materials. These mafic and felsic rocks constitute a post-subduction high-potassium calc-alkaline magmatic suite possibly under a geodynamic regime of Palaeo-Asian Ocean slab breakoff. This regime not only provides a feasible trigger for the flipping of subduction polarity in the Solonker suture zone, but also presents a favourable venue for vertical continental crustal growth.
Tectonic escape of a crustal fragment during the closure of the Rheic Ocean: U–Pb detrital zircon data from the Late Palaeozoic Pulo do Lobo and South Portuguese zones, southern Iberia
Authors: Braid James A. , Murphy J. Brendan , Quesada Cecilio , Mortensen Jim
Published: February 2011

The Pulo do Lobo Zone, which crops out immediately north of the allochthonous South Portuguese Zone in southern Iberia, is classically interpreted as a polydeformed accretionary complex developed along the southern margin of the Gondwanan parautochthon (Ossa–Morena Zone), during the late Palaeozoic closure of the Rheic Ocean. This closure was a major event during the amalgamation of Pangaea. U–Pb laser ablation inductively coupled mass spectrometry dating of detrital zircons from late Palaeozoic Devono-Carboniferous clastic units in the South Portuguese Zone and Pulo do Lobo Zone yield contrasting age populations and attest to the exotic nature of both zones. Detrital zircons from the South Portuguese Zone display populations typical of detritus derived from either Gondwana (Ossa–Morena Zone), or peri-Gondwanan terranes. In contrast, rocks from the Pulo do Lobo Zone contain populations consistent with derivation from Baltica, Laurentia or recycled early Silurian deposits along the Laurentian margin. An example of one such deposit is the Southern Uplands terrane of the British Caledonides. Taken together, these data can be reconciled by a model involving tectonic transport of a crustal fragment that was laterally equivalent to the Southern Uplands terrane between the allochthonous South Portuguese Zone and Gondwana as a result of an early Devonian collision between an Iberian indenter with Laurussia.

Supplementary material:

U–Pb data tables, concordia diagrams, methods and representative back-scattered electron images are available at
http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18441
.
Exogenous corticosterone mimics a late fasting stage in captive Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae)
Authors: Spée Marion , Marchal Lorène , Thierry Anne-Mathilde , Chastel Olivier , Enstipp Manfred , Maho Yvon Le , Beaulieu Michaël , Raclot Thierry
Published: February 2011

Fasting is part of penguin's breeding constraints. During prolonged fasting, three metabolic phases occur successively. Below a threshold in body reserves, birds enter phase III (PIII), which is characterized by hormonal and metabolic shifts. These changes are concomitant with egg abandonment in the wild and increased locomotor activity in captivity. Because corticosterone (CORT) enhances foraging activity, we investigated the variations of endogenous CORT, and the effects of exogenous CORT on the behavioral, hormonal, and metabolic responses of failed breeder Adélie penguins. Untreated and treated captive male birds were regularly weighed and sampled for blood while fasting, and locomotor activity was recorded daily. Treated birds were implanted with various doses of CORT during phase II. Untreated penguins entering PIII had increased CORT (3.5-fold) and uric acid (4-fold; reflecting protein catabolism) levels, concomitantly with a rise in locomotor activity (2-fold), while prolactin (involved in parental care in birds) levels declined by 33%. In CORT-treated birds, an inverted-U relationship was obtained between CORT levels and locomotor activity. The greatest increase in locomotor activity was observed in birds implanted with a high dose of CORT (C100), locomotor activity showing a 2.5-fold increase, 4 days after implantation to a level similar to that of birds in PIII. Moreover, uric acid levels increased three-fold in C100-birds, while prolactin levels declined by 30%. The experimentally induced rise in CORT levels mimicked metabolic, hormonal, and behavioral changes, characterizing late fasting, thus supporting a role for this hormone in the enhanced drive for refeeding occurring in long-term fasting birds.
Phosphate enhances myosin-powered actin filament velocity under acidic conditions in a motility assay
Authors: Debold Edward P. , Turner Matthew A. , Stout Jordan C. , Walcott Sam
Published: February 2011

Elevated levels of inorganic phosphate (Pi) are believed to inhibit muscular force by reversing myosin's force-generating step. These same levels of Pican also affect muscle velocity, but the molecular basis underlying these effects remains unclear. We directly examined the effect of Pi(30 mM) on skeletal muscle myosin's ability to translocate actin ( Vactin) in an in vitro motility assay. Manipulation of the pH enabled us to probe rebinding of Pito myosin's ADP-bound state, while changing the ATP concentration probed rebinding to the rigor state. Surprisingly, the addition of Pisignificantly increased Vactinat both pH 6.8 and 6.5, causing a doubling of Vactinat pH 6.5. To probe the mechanisms underlying this increase in speed, we repeated these experiments while varying the ATP concentration. At pH 7.4, the effects of Piwere highly ATP dependent, with Pislowing Vactinat low ATP (<500 μM), but with a minor increase at 2 mM ATP. The Pi-induced slowing of Vactin, evident at low ATP (pH 7.4), was minimized at pH 6.8 and completely reversed at pH 6.5. These data were accurately fit with a simple detachment-limited kinetic model of motility that incorporated a Pi-induced prolongation of the rigor state, which accounted for the slowing of Vactinat low ATP, and a Pi-induced detachment from a strongly bound post-power-stroke state, which accounted for the increase in Vactinat high ATP. These findings suggest that Pidifferentially affects myosin function: enhancing velocity, if it rebinds to the ADP-bound state, while slowing velocity, if it binds to the rigor state.
Curcumin inhibits cystogenesis by simultaneous interference of multiple signaling pathways: in vivo evidence from aPkd1-deletion model
Authors: Leonhard Wouter N. , van der Wal Annemieke , Novalic Zlata , Kunnen Steven J. , Gansevoort Ron T. , Breuning Martijn H. , de Heer Emile , Peters Dorien J. M.
Published: February 2011

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) caused by mutations in either the PKD1 or PKD2 gene is a major cause of end-stage renal failure. A number of compounds targeting specific signaling pathways were able to inhibit cystogenesis in rodent models and are currently being tested in clinical trials. However, given the complex signaling in ADPKD, an ideal therapy would likely have to comprise several pathways at once. Therefore, multitarget compounds may provide promising therapeutic interventions for the treatment of ADPKD. To test this hypothesis, we treated Pkd1-deletion mice with diferuloylmethane (curcumin), a compound without appreciable side effects and known to modulate several pathways that are also altered in ADPKD, e.g., mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and Wnt signaling. After conditional inactivation of Pkd1, mTOR signaling was indeed elevated in cystic kidneys. Interestingly, also activation of signal transducers and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) strongly correlated with cyst progression. Both pathways were effectively inhibited in vitro by curcumin. Importantly, Pkd1-deletion mice that were treated with curcumin and killed at an early stage of PKD displayed improved renal histology and reduced STAT3 activation, proliferation index, cystic index, and kidney weight/body weight ratios. In addition, renal failure was significantly postponed in mice with severe PKD. These data suggest that multitarget compounds hold promising potential for safe and effective treatment of ADPKD.