bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Verse Drama in England, 1900–2015
Authors: Morra Irene
Published: November 2017

Verse Drama in England, 1900-2015 provides a critical and historical exploration of a tradition of modern dramatic creativity that has received very little scholarly attention. Exploring the emergence of a distinctly modern verse drama at the turn of the century and its development into the twenty-first, it counters common assumptions that the form is a marginal, fundamentally outdated curiosity. Through an examination of the extensive and diverse engagement of literary and theatrical writers, directors and musicians, Irene Morra identifies in modern verse drama a consistent and often prominent attempt to expand upon, revitalize, and redefine the contemporary English stage.

Dramatists discussed include Stephen Phillips, Gordon Bottomley, John Masefield, James Elroy Flecker, T. S. Eliot, W. H. Auden, Ronald Duncan, Christopher Fry, John Arden, Anne Ridler, Tony Harrison, Steven Berkoff, Caryl Churchill, and Mike Bartlett. The book explores the negotiation of these dramatists with the changing position of verse drama in relation to constructions of national and communal audience, aesthetic challenge, and dramatic heritage. Key to the study is the self-conscious positioning of many of these dramatists in relation to an assumed mainstream tradition – and the various critical responses that that positioning has provoked. The study advocates for a scholarly revaluation of what must be identified as an influential and overlooked tradition of aesthetic challenge and creativity.
Broadway Swings
Authors: Eyer J. Austin , Smith Lyndy Franklin
Published: November 2017

In this textbook for performers, the position of a Swing—an Understudy for the Ensemble—on Broadway is examined from every angle, showing just how vital Swings are to the success of any musical theatre production.

Authors J. Austin Eyer and Lyndy Franklin Smith draw on their own experiences as performers, and gather first-hand stories from other Swings about the glories and hardships of their industry. The book features interviews with over 100 Broadway pros—Swing veterans, Stage Managers, Casting Directors, Choreographers, and Directors—including Rob Ashford, Susan Stroman, Jerry Mitchell, Larry Fuller, Tony Stevens, Beverley Randolph, and Frank DiLella.

Broadway Swings is the ideal guide for anyone considering a career in this most unique of positions, or anyone curious about what really goes on, behind-the- scenes, in a long-running show.
Gao Xingjian’s Post-Exile Plays
Authors: Mazzilli Mary
Published: November 2017

Awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2000, Gao Xingjian is the first Chinese writer to be so lauded for his prose and plays. Since relocating to France in 1987, in a voluntary exile from China, he has assembled a body of dramatic work that has best been understood neither as expressly Chinese nor French, but as transnational.

In this comprehensive study of his post-exile plays, Mary Mazzilli explores Gao’s plays as examples of postdramatic transnationalism: a transnational artistic and theatrical trend that is fluid, flexible and full of variety of styles and influences. As such this innovative interdisciplinary investigation offers fresh insights on contemporary theatre.

Whereas other publications have considered Gao’s work as a cultural and artistic phenomenon, Gao Xingjian’s Post-Exile Plays: Transnationalism and Postdramatic Theatre is the first study to relate his plays to postdramatic theatre and to provide close textual and dramatic analysis that will help readers to better understand his complex work, and also to see it in the context of the work of contemporary playwrights such as Martin Crimp, Peter Handke, and Elfriede Jelinek.

Among the plays discussed are: The Other Shore, written just before he left China in 1987; Between Life and Death (1991) - compared in detail to Martin Crimp’s Attempts on her life; Dialogue and Rebuttal (1992), and its relationship to Beckett’s Happy Days; Nocturnal Wanderer (1993), Weekend Quartet (1995), and the latest plays Snow in August (1997), Death Collector (2000) and Ballade Nocturne (2010).
On the origin of the mesospheric quasi-stationary planetary waves
in the unusual Arctic winter 2015/16
Authors: Matthias Vivien , Ern Manfred
Published: November 2017

Abstract. The mid winter 2015/16 was characterized by an unusually strong polar night jet (PNJ) and by extraordinarily large stationary planetary wave (SPW) amplitudes in the subtropical mesosphere. The aim of this study is to find the origin of these mesospheric SPWs in mid winter 2015/16. The time period studied here is split into two time periods. The first period runs from late December 2015 until early January 2016 and the second period from early January until mid January 2016. While the SPW 1 dominates in the subtropical mesosphere in Period I, it is the SPW 2 that dominates in Period II. There are three possibilities how SPWs can occur in the mesosphere: 1) they propagate upward from the stratosphere, 2) they are in situ generated by longitudinally variable gravity wave (GW) drag, or 3) they are in situ generated by barotropic and/or baroclinic instabilities. Using global satellite observations from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) and from the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) the origin of the mesospheric SPWs is investigated for both time periods. We found that due to the strong PNJ the SPWs were not able to propagate upward into the mesosphere northward of 50°N but were deflected upward and equatorward into the subtropical mesosphere. We show that the SPWs observed in the subtropical mesosphere are the same SPWs as in the mid-latitudinal stratosphere. At the same time we found evidence that the mesospheric SPWs in polar latitudes were in situ generated by longitudinally variable GW drag and that there is a mixture of in situ generation by longitudinally variable GW drag and by instabilities in mid latitudes. Our results based on observations show that every three mechanisms, upward propagating SPW and in situ generated SPWs by longitudinally variable GW drag and instabilities can act at the same time which confirms earlier model studies. Additionally, a possible contribution or impact of the unusually strong SPWs in the subtropical mesosphere to the disruption of the QBO in the same winter is discussed.
Physicochemical analysis of individual atmospheric fine particles
based on effective surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Sun Zhenli , Duan Fengkui , He Kebin , Li Hui , Yang Shuo , Yang Liu , Ma Tao
Published: November 2017

Abstract. Fine particle associated with haze pollution threatens the health of more than 400 million people in China. It is therefore of great importance to thoroughly investigate and understand its composition. To determine the physicochemical properties in atmospheric fine particles at the micrometer level, we described a sensitive and feasible surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) method using Ag foil as a substrate. This novel method enhanced the Raman signal intensities up to 10,000 a.u. for ν(NO3−) in fine particles with an enhancement factor of at least 56. The SERS effect of Ag foil was further studied experimentally and theoretically and found to have an enhancement factor of the order of ~ 104. Size-fractionated real particle samples with aerodynamic diameters of 0.4–2.5 µm were successfully collected on a heavy haze day, allowing ready observation of morphology and identification of chemical components, such as soot, nitrates, and sulfates. These results suggest that the Ag foil based SERS technique can be effectively used to determine the microscopic characteristics of individual fine particles, which will help to understand haze formation mechanisms and formulate governance policies.
High-intensity, long-duration, continuous AE activity events associated with Alfvénic fluctuations in 2003
Authors: Prestes Alan , Klausner Virginia , Ojeda-González Arian
Published: November 2017

Abstract. The interaction between a fast-speed and a low-speed stream causes large-amplitude Alfvénic fluctuations; consequently, the intermittency and the brief intervals of southward magnetic field associated with Alfvén waves may cause high levels of AE activity, the so-called high-intensity, long-duration, continuous AE activity (HILDCAA). In this article, the 4 h windowed Pearson cross-correlation (4WPCC) between the solar wind velocity and the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) components is performed in order to confirm that the less strict HILDCAA (HILDCAAs*) events include a larger number of Alfvén waves than the HILDCAA events, once HILDCAAs disregard part of the phenomenon. Actually, a HILDCAA event is entirely contained within a HILDCAA* event. However, the opposite is not necessarily true. This article provides a new insight, since the increase of Alfvén waves results in an increase of auroral electrojet activity; consequently, it can cause HILDCAAs* events. Another important aspect of this article is that the superposed epoch analysis (SEA) results reaffirm that the HILDCAAs* are associated with high-speed solar streams (HSSs), and also the HILDCAAs* present the same physical characteristics of the traditional HILDCAA events.
Lifestyle dependent occurrence of airborne fungi
Authors: Pickersgill Daniel A. , Wehking Jörn , Paulsen Hauke , Thines Eckhard , Pöschl Ulrich , Fröhlich-Nowoisky Janine , Després Viviane R.
Published: November 2017

Abstract. Fungi play important roles in the environment, agriculture, and human health. Most fungal species spread by wind-driven dispersal of spores, determining their occurrence and distribution in different environments. The dynamics of airborne fungi and their dependence on lifestyle and environmental conditions, however, are not well characterized. Here, we categorize the fungi detected in coarse and fine aerosol samples from continental boundary layer air using a lifestyle classification scheme that differentiates whether the fungi are (A) primarily associated to herbaceous or woody plants and (B), whether they are saprophytic, plant pathogenic, or surface inhabitants. Herbaceous fungi exhibit stronger seasonal variations and correlations with meteorological factors. We find two distinct clusters when viewing the distribution of the fungi between the coarse and fine size fractions. Pathogenic and surface-inhabiting herbaceous fungi are shifted towards the coarse size fraction, adapted to impaction on plant surfaces, while saprophytic fungi are shifted towards the fine fraction or are evenly distributed, adapted more to sedimentation and longer atmospheric residence times. Wood fungi display sporadic occurrences, seen for most saprophytes, or year-round occurrences with seasonal to polycyclic peaks seen amongst pathogens. In comparison to herbaceous fungi they show weaker correlations with meteorological factors. They display more even coarse-fine distributions, which may be an adaptation to the calm conditions beneath the forest canopy. The differences reflect lifestyle-dependent sporulation strategies which may facilitate and improve the assessment and forecasting of the abundance and spread of pathogenic fungi and related issues such as crop protection in view of land-use and climate change.
On Quadruplet Interactions for Ocean Surface Waves
Authors: Susilo Adhi , Perrie Will , Toulany Bash
Published: November 2017

Abstract. Nonlinear wave-wave interactions among ocean surface waves are dominated by quadruplet wave-wave interactions. Computing the nonlinear 4-wave interactions with the Boltzmann integral requires finding the loci of interactions for the quadruplets or solving the delta functions. This is an important part of the computation, but so far it is done by an iteration method that consumes computational time and may not converge after doing several iterations. In this paper, an explicit methodology to find the loci of the quadruplet interactions is presented. This research target is to develop a better method to compute the loci. To illustrate the method, there are 4 cases that will be discussed in this paper. Results show that the new method gives better results than the previous methods that have been applied. Moreover, without iterations the presented method requires less computational loops and some variables, for example the distance between loci, denoted ds, can be determined without any looping. Therefore, the new method leads to better and faster computations than the previous iteration method.
Fast sensitivity analysis methods for computationally expensive models with multidimensional
output
Authors: Ryan Edmund , Wild Oliver , O'Connor Fiona , Voulgarakis Apostolos , Lee Lindsay
Published: November 2017

Abstract. Global sensitivity analysis (GSA) is a critical approach in identifying which inputs or parameters of a model most affect model output. This determines which inputs to include when performing model calibration or uncertainty analysis. GSA allows quantification of the sensitivity index (SI) of a particular input – the percentage of the total variability in the output attributed to the changes in that input – by averaging over the other inputs rather than fixing them at specific values. Traditional methods of computing the SIs (e.g. Sobol) involve running a model thousands of times, but this may not be feasible for computationally expensive earth system models. GSA methods that use a statistical emulator in place of the expensive model are popular as they require far fewer model runs. Here, we perform an eight-input GSA on two computationally expensive atmospheric chemistry transport models using emulators that were trained with 80 runs of the models. We consider two methods to further reduce the computational cost of GSA: (1) a dimension reduction approach and (2) an emulator-free approach. When the output of a model is multi-dimensional, it is common practice to build a separate emulator for each dimension of the output space. Here, we use principal component analysis (PCA) to reduce the output dimension and build an emulator for each of the transformed outputs. We consider the global distribution of the annual column mean lifetime of atmospheric methane, which requires ~ 2000 emulators without PCA, but only 5–40 emulators with PCA. As an alternative, we apply an emulator-free method using a generalised additive model (GAM) to estimate the SIs using only the training runs. Compared to the emulator-only method, the hybrid PCA-emulator and GAM methods are 6 and 30 times quicker, respectively, at computing the SIs for the ~ 2000 methane lifetime outputs. The SIs computed using the two computationally faster methods are almost identical to those computed using the standard emulator-only method.
“Las mujeres despiertas”: el papel del género en el control de un terreno comunal en los Andes peruanos
Authors: Escobar López Daniel
Published: November 2017

El presente texto tiene como objetivo explorar el papel de las relaciones de género en el control y uso de un terreno comunal en una comunidad campesina de los Andes peruanos. El contexto general es el turismo y el más reciente proceso de privatización de tierras que, si bien empezó años atrás, se vio acelerado recientemente por el proyecto de construcción de un aeropuerto internacional en las cercanías de la comunidad. Veremos cómo el surgimiento de un atractivo turístico (El Mirador) y la consecuente formación de una asociación artesanal han afectado las relaciones de género locales y la participación política de las mujeres.
Urban Development and its Implications on Wetland Ecosystem Services in Ndop, Cameroon
Authors: Kometa Sunday Shende , Kimengsi Jude Ndzifon , Petiangma Dereck M.
Published: November 2017

Wetlands provide a diversity of ecosystem services (provisioning, regulatory, supporting and cultural services) which are essential for the human society. This is particularly necessary in cases where large urban agglomerations exist. These services are increasingly coming under pressure as a result of rapid and uncontrolled urban development which remains phenomenal in the developing world. Cameroon can boast of a number of wetland environments particularly, the Waza Logone flood plain, the wetlands of the Bakassi Peninsula, Lake Barombi Mbo and the Ndop Plains. The wetland ecosystems of the Ndop Plains have increasingly come under pressure as a result of urban development which is mirrored in population growth, housing and other infrastructural developments. While significant research works have been undertaken on aspects related to wetlands, agriculture and climate variability in the Ndop plains, there is insufficiency scientific information on the implications of urban development on wetland ecosystem services. Using questionnaire (where we systematically sample 140 households) and Landsat images which were complemented by field observations, relevant data were generated. With the aid of SPSS (version 21), the correlation between wetland ecosystem services and urban development at 0.05 level of significance was analysed. Our results reveal a significant negative relationship (r = -0.551 and -0.682) between urban development and the state of wetlands and their ecosystem services. This was further buttressed by geospatial data which revealed that the Ndop urban space increased from 3.7km2 in 1999 to 11.7km2 in 2017. In this regard, we suggest that the coordination of the urban development process through land use planning and zoning is imperative in the face of unabated urban development. We equally suggest the need to implement wetland management policies in line with the Ramsar convention’s paradigm on the “wise use” of wetlands.
Site factors and stand conditions associated with Persian oak decline in Zagros mountain forests
Authors: Hosseini Ahmad , Hosseini Seyed M. , Linares Juan C.
Published: November 2017

Aim of study: Drought and stand structure are major and interconnected drivers of forest dynamics. Water shortage and tree-to-tree competition may interact under the current climate change scenario, increasing tree mortality. In this study, we aimed to investigate climate trends, site and stand structure effects on tree mortality, with the main hypothesis that drought-induced mortality is higher as competition increases.Area of study: Persian oak forests from Zagros Range, western Iran.Material and Methods: We split the study area into 20 topographical units (TUs), based on aspect, slope and elevation. In each TU, three 0.1 ha plots were established to quantify site and stand characteristics, namely the diameter of all trees and shrubs, stand density and basal area, canopy dieback and mortality. In addition, soil profiles were analyzed to obtain physical and chemical soil properties. Six transects 100 m length were established per TU to measure tree-to-tree competition for alive and dead trees.Main Results: The highest mortality rates and crown dieback were found at higher elevations and southern and western aspects. Our findings confirm increasing rates of tree mortality in stands with higher tree density and shallow soils. As regard links between climate change and forest decline, our results suggest that changing forest structure may have a significant impact on dust emission.Research highlights: Despite severe dry years occurred recently the study area, they are not significantly different than those recorded in the past. Stand structure appears as a modulating factor of climate change effects, linked to competition-related tree vulnerability to drought.
Neurological complications associated with chronic Behçet’s disease: Case report and review
Authors: Dookhan Andrew , Sinha Abhinav
Published: November 2017

Behçet’s disease is a multi-systemic vasculitis causing inflammation to blood vessels throughout the body. It is characterized most commonly by recurrent oral and genital ulcers but also susceptible to ocular, neurologic, vascular, articular, and gastrointestinal symptoms as well. Although etiology of this disease is still unclear and diagnosis is clinically based, there is a consistent association with the human leukocyte antigen complex, particularly HLA-B51.This case report used the patient’s chronic disease course along with various imaging studies to conclude the correlation of severe complications that may present later in life of these types of patients.There was positive neurological involvement indicated with an acute infarct in parts of the brain hemispheres exclusively to the temporal and parietal lobes. Central nervous system involvement was more common in this patient, which manifested with noticeable unilateral weakness along with slurred speech.Although neurologic complications within Behçet’s disease are indeed rare, it is one of the most dangerous manifestations to present in regard of an acute cerebrovascular accident (CVA). This review focused on the neurocognitive complications of chronic Behçet’s disease and how these patients should be closely monitored to help prevent the neurological complications that may present.
Can the Planck Length Be Found Independent of Big G?
Authors: Haug Espen Gaarder
Published: November 2017

In this paper we show how it is possible to measure the Planck length through a series of different methods. One of these measurements is totally independent of big G, but moving from the theoretical realm to the empirical realm would require particle accelerators far more powerful than the ones that we have today. However, a Cavendish-style experiment can also be performed to find the Planck length with no knowledge of the value of big G. Furthermore, the Cavendish style set-up gives half of the relative measurement error in the Planck length compared to the measurement error in big G.
On Elliptic Operator Theory
Authors: Salih Abdalla Abdalla,
Published: November 2017

The theory talks about partial differentiation equations. For the this reason, elliptic operators take the portion of differential operators in general Laplace operators. The operators have clear definitions through the rule that the coefficients of the highest order derivatives are positives. The above aspects imply that crucial properties, which are the main symbols, are fixed. On the other hand, they can be equivalent, meaning that they have no real characteristic directions. To expound on the above, elliptic operators are representatives of the potential theory. The reason behind this is that they often appear in the field of electrostatics and continuum mechanics. Elliptic regularity shows that their solutions tend to be smooth functions, which means that it applies if the coefficients are smooth operators. Additionally, firm state resolutions to hyperbolic and parabolic equations apply in general to solve elliptic equations. Partial differentiation equations are important mathematical formulas that apply in solving mathematical problems. The theory plays a critical role in explaining functioning of the elliptic operator as many find it a mathematical phenomenon in how efficient it is in solving problems in mathematics. The article talks about theorems and lemmas in the elliptic operator.
Investigation of markers of allergic sensitization and viral infections in children with allergy and asthma
Authors: Dubakienė Rūta , Rubinaitė Vilija , Petronytė Malvina , Dalgėdienė Indrė , Rudzevičienė Odilija , Dubakaitė Dalia , Rudalevičienė Palmira , Žvirblienė Aurelija
Published: November 2017

Background. Allergic diseases are the most prevalent chronic diseases in the developed countries. It is believed that early allergic sensitization and respiratory viral infections play an important role in the development of allergic diseases and asthma.
Methods. The current study investigated the correlation between asthma, allergy, and various markers – allergen-specific IgE, IgG4 and IgA, ECP, IgM, and IgG antibodies against respiratory viruses hRSV and hPIV1-4 – in blood serum samples from 80 children (mean age 5.2 years) recruited from the Lithuanian birth cohort. Children were divided into three groups according to their diagnosis: asthma (n = 25), allergy without asthma (n = 14), and control group (n = 41).
Results. Based on retrospective data, airway infections and bronchitis by the age of two years were associated with asthma in later childhood. The presence of IgM and IgG antibodies against hRSV and hPIV1–4 at the age of five years were not associated with asthma and allergy: a high rate of persistent or past respiratory viral infections was revealed in all three groups. Among allergic children, increased levels of allergen-specific IgE and d1-specific IgG4 were determined.
Conclusion. The current study provides new insights into the relationships between allergic sensitization and respiratory virus infections in children.
Severity of hyperoxia as a risk factor in patients undergoing on-pump cardiac surgery
Authors: Jakutis Gabrielius , Norkienė Ieva , Ringaitienė Donata , Jovaiša Tomas
Published: November 2017

Background. Hyperoxia has long been perceived as a desirable or at least an inevitable part of cardiopulmonary bypass. Recent evidence suggest that it might have multiple detrimental effects on patient homeostasis. The aim of the study was to identify the determinants of supra-physiological values of partial oxygen pressure during on-pump cardiac surgery and to assess the impact of hyperoxia on clinical outcomes.
Materials and methods. Retrospective data analysis of the institutional research database was performed to evaluate the effects of hyperoxia in patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass, 246 patients were included in the final analysis. Patients were divided in three groups: mild hyperoxia (MHO, PaO2 100–199 mmHg), moderate hyperoxia (MdHO, PaO2 200–299 mmHg), and severe hyperoxia (SHO, PaO2 >300 mmHg). Postoperative complications and outcomes were defined according to standardised criteria of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
Results. The extent of hyperoxia was more immense in patients with a lower body mass index (p = 0.001) and of female sex (p = 0.005). A significant link between severe hyperoxia and a higher incidence of infectious complications (p – 0.044), an increased length of hospital stay (p – 0.044) and extended duration of mechanical ventilation (p < 0.001) was confirmed.
Conclusions. Severe hyperoxia is associated with an increased incidence of postoperative infectious complications, prolonged mechanical ventilation, and increased hospital stay.
Recurrent pericarditis: a case report and literature review
Authors: Katinaitė Justina , Petrauskienė Birutė
Published: November 2017

Background. Recurrence affects about 30% (20% to 50%) of patients within 18 months after the initial episode of acute pericarditis resulting in subsequent rehospitalizations. Bearing in mind high treatment costs of patients admitted to hospital with acute and recurrent pericarditis, there is a need to optimize the treatment of both of these conditions.
Materials and methods. We present a case of recurrent pericarditis. The first episode of pericarditis was diagnosed in 2006. Three months later the patient was hospitalized due to clinical symptoms suggesting recurrence of a past condition. Ten years after the initial episode of acute pericarditis the patient was hospitalized for the treatment of recurrent pericarditis. The search for etiology of the disease was unsuccessful, the patient received treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; empiric antimicrobial therapy was also administered.
Results and conclusions. Acute pericarditis is the most common disease of the pericardium encountered in clinical practice. Colchicine has been demonstrated as a first-line drug to be added to conventional anti-inflammatory therapies in patients with a first episode of pericarditis or its recurrences in order to improve the response to therapy and reduce recurrences. Despite a large amount of new data, there are still several issues that require additional research and clarification, including the search for new individualized therapies, the best duration of treatment for patients with pericardial diseases, and optimization of patient follow-up in order to collect data on long-term outcomes that would allow shortening the duration of in-patient treatment and reduction of recurrences.
Clinical aspects and antenatal diagnosis of invasive placenta: a review of ten-years’ experience of a multi-profile hospital in Lithuania
Authors: Volochovič Jelena , Ramašauskaitė Diana , Šimkevičiūtė Ramunė
Published: November 2017

Background. Invasive placenta is a rare obstetrical pathology that is life-threatening to mother and child. It is important to diagnose this pathology as early as possible and to plan further optimal care of patients in order to minimize life-threatening complications. The aim of this study was to analyze the frequency of cases of invasive placenta, the peculiarities of their clinical manifestation in women who gave birth from 2006 to 2015, to evaluate diagnostic and treatment options of this pathology, and to review their changes when the level of services provided by the institution changes.
Materials and methods. A retrospective study was performed of the ten-year period of 2006 to 2015. The study consisted of examining the data of medical records of a group of 14 women.
Results. The incidence of invasive placenta at the secondary level hospital was 1/2170 births, 1:934 births at the tertiary level. There were only three patients (21.4%) diagnosed with invasive placenta during pregnancy at Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos Obstetrics and Gynaecology Centre. Before the surgery, pre-occlusive balloons were ushered into the internal iliac artery and inflated to reduce bleeding after the newborn delivery. The amount of blood loss in the whole group ranged from 1000 to 6500 ml (avg. 3130.7 ml). Radical treatment was given to eleven patients.
Conclusion. Invasive placenta is a life-threatening condition. Tertiary-level hospitals have a greater capacity for antenatal diagnostics. Timely diagnosis of placental invasion and evaluation of the level of the myometrium damage before delivery is instrumental in planning patient care and preparing for delivery and operation.
Hybrid transanal and total mesorectal excision after transanal endoscopic microsurgery for unfavourable early rectal cancer: a report of two cases
Authors: Samalavičius Narimantas E. , Dulskas Audrius , Petrulis Kęstutis , Kilius Alfredas , Tikuišis Renatas , Lunevičius Raimundas
Published: November 2017

Completion total mesorectal excision (TME) is a rare but complex procedure after transanal endoscopic microsurgery for early rectal cancer with unfavourable final histology.
Two cases are reported when completion TME was performed after upfront transanal partial mesorectal dissection. Intact non-perforated TME specimens with negative and adequate distal and circumferential margins were created. The quality of both total mesorectal excisions was complete and distal margins were sufficient.
We believe that our technique might be a way of approaching completion TME after TEM, especially in cases of low rectal cancer.
O princípio da democracia econômica e social e a Constituição brasileira de 1988
Authors: Pompeu Gina Marcilio , Pontes Rosa Oliveira de
Published: November 2017

O presente estudo analisa o princípio da democracia econômica, social e cultural, constante da Constituição da República de Portugal de 1976 e avalia a sua aplicação à Constituição da República do Brasil de 1988, especialmente, quanto ao capítulo da Ordem Econômica que está fundada na valorização do trabalho humano e na livre iniciativa e tem por fim assegurar a todos existência digna, conforme os ditames da justiça social. Aborda os princípios gerais da atividade econômica, a forma de atuação do Estado, além dos fundamentos e objetivos constantes no texto constitucional, com vistas a perquirir se a constituição econômica brasileira contribui para a democracia econômica e social do País, no âmbito da perspectiva da garantia de participação livre e igualitária de todos os agentes econômicos no ambiente de mercado. Observa a existência de benefícios sociais implementados à população, na defesa do princípio da dignidade humana. A metodologia de abordagem é analítica, empírica e crítica, com esteio em documentos, estatísticas e material doutrinário e bibliográfico.
DETECTION OF SELECTION SIGNATURES BASED ON THE INTEGRATED HAPLOTYPE SCORE IN CHINESE JINNAN CATTLE
Authors: Zhang Yuan Qing , He Dong Chang , Cheng Jing , Xu Fang , Li Bo , Jin Guang , Zhang Xi Zhong
Published: November 2017

Jinnan cattle, one of the five major breeds of Chinese yellow cattle, are the traditional draft and beef breed in southern Shanxi province, China. Our study aimed to search genes that will allow the selection of important economic traits through selection signature detection, which can help in discovering the action mechanism of positive selection in the variety breeding process of Jinnan cattle.
WEAK LEVELS OF SOCIAL CAPITAL AS ONE OF THE CAUSES OF THE FALL OF MEXICAN CACAO PRODUCTION
Authors: Hes Tomáš , Sulaiman Haiyan , Mintah Samuel , Arrieta José Samuel Banda , Bc Billy José Ramírez Esquivel , Saldaña Tomás Martínez , Hernandez Jaime Antonio Ruiz
Published: November 2017

AIM/BACKGROUNDOne of the major motives for dramatic decrease of cacao production is the impact of Moniliophthora roreri, a pathogenous fungus. The problem of Mexican cacao production however could be more complex than just a challenge related to chemical or biological elimination of the fungus. It is a problem of a social and demographic nature, related to cultural practices, age of producers, abandonment of the traditional production manners, which could be understood as a function of dynamics of social capital in the Mexican countryside. The study hence attempts to find a link between social capital and productivity of the producers in a cacao producing region in Central Tabasco, with the goal to illuminate possible strategies for revival of declining traditional sector of production.

METHODS Data collection took place in February 2016 in municipality C-16 Gral. Emiliano Zapata, Cardenas, in Central Tabasco in South-eastern Mexico, where 101 semi-structured questionnaires with a combination of 50 principal questions entailing 230 subquestions which however include aksi monthly calendars.We compare the production of chosen variables products with four chosen Social Capital indicators, searching for a relationship using Mincer’s regression model through cross sections of data analysis with fixed effects within Ordinary Least Square (OLS) method.

RESULTSThe result point at rather a surprising result of a negligent importance of social capital and productivity of the cacao plantation. The hypothesis on a significant relationship between social capital associated with a producer and rentability of annual production of cacao per hectare cannot be confirmed. In other words, producers that show low level of social connectivity not necessarily have to show lower productivity per hectar, while the productivity is rather dependent on other factors.

CONCLUSION The cacao belongs to most important agricultural crops worldwide, in recent decades facing increasing demand as well as falling production capacity. The dramatically fall of production of cacao in Mexican agriculture, where it was first domesticated, is becoming a serious concern for diversity of local production, as local producers are substituting cacao plantations with more rentable crops thus giving away a rich genetic as well as agricultural legacy that could under adequate conditions provide a source of income for large region while maintaining the natural diversity. The paper comes to the conclusion that it is collective action and social capital led production set of practices that is crucial for the re-installment and prosperity of the plantations, rather than a single motive such as the recent invasion of Moniliophthora roreri fungus.
NITROGEN USE EFFICIENCY AND YIELD IN RESPONSE GRAFT BELL PEPPER CULTIVARS
Authors: Garcia-Bañuelos Mónica Liliana , Sanchez Esteban , Gardea-Béjar Alfonso Antero , Muñoz-Marquez Ezequiel , Soto-Parra Juan Manuel , Ojeda-Barrios Damaris Leopoldina
Published: November 2017

The aim of the current study was to evaluate the performance of nitrogen (N) efficient use by ‘Fascinato’ (F), ‘Jannette’ (J), ‘Orangela’ (O), and ‘Sweet’ (S) cultivars grafted onto ‘Terrano’ (T) and ‘Robusto’ (R) rootstocks. Such evaluation was achieved by analyses of physiological and biochemical variables involved in N metabolism between grafted and ungrafted plants. Our findings point out that grafted ‘Fascinato’ cultivar (F/T) registered greatest relative leaf chlorophyll content, total chlorophyll concentration, a higher NR activity than did graft ‘Janette’ cultivar (J/T). In addition, these results reveal high significance with the interaction variety*date for these variables (relative leaf Chl, total Chl and NR activity), during the months of fruit yield of grafted bell pepper cultivars. This situation suggest than the effect of grafting under the increased of crop yield depend on the type of variety, as resulted with grafted ‘Fascinato’ cultivar.
A Midwinter Minimum in North Atlantic Storm Track Intensity in Years of a Strong Jet
Authors: Afargan H. , Kaspi Y.
Published: November 2017

This study investigates the occurrence of a midwinter suppression in synoptic eddy activity within the North Atlantic storm track. It is found that eddy kinetic energy over the Atlantic is reduced during winter relative to fall and spring, despite the stronger wintertime jet and enhanced baroclinicity. This behavior is similar to the well‐known Pacific midwinter minimum, yet the reduction over the Atlantic is smaller and persists for a shorter period. To examine the conditions favorable for this phenomenon, we present an analysis of years with stronger jet intensity versus years of weaker jets over the Atlantic and Pacific basins. When the wintertime jet is stronger, the midwinter suppression of eddy activity is more pronounced, and the jet is more equatorward. Since the climatological Atlantic jet is weaker relative to the Pacific jet, the conditions for a midwinter suppression in the Atlantic are generally less favorable, yet a midwinter suppression often occurs in years of a strong jet.
Dual Isotope Measurements Reveal Zoning of Nitrate Processing in the Summer Changjiang (Yangtze) River Plume
Authors: Yan Xiuli , Xu Min Nina , Wan Xianhui Sean , Yang Jin‐Yu Terence , Trull Thomas W. , Dai Minhan , Kao Shuh‐Ji
Published: November 2017

Riverine nitrogen input into the coastal zone has increased remarkably in recent decades. Yet its transformation and recycling within hydrodynamically active regions remains unclear. Using observations of nitrate concentration and dual isotopic composition across the Changjiang River plume within a three end‐member mixing model, we found deviations between the observed and expected values for mixing alone, revealing the nonconservative behavior of nitrate. Using cross correlations between concentrations and dual isotope deviations, we identified three nitrogen transformation zones, which correspond to separate portions of the plume. Nitrification and sedimentary denitrification occurred near the river mouth, nitrification prevailed further offshore under the plume, and finally, phytoplankton assimilation occurred in the outer surface plume (>100 km offshore), where it was fueled by nitrate that had already been strongly modified by microbial processes. Information was assembled into a conceptual model offering an overview of nitrogen transformations in a large river plume.
Global Assessment of Groundwater Sustainability Based On Storage Anomalies
Authors: Thomas Brian F. , Caineta Júlio , Nanteza Jamiat
Published: November 2017

The world's largest aquifers are a fundamental source of freshwater used for agricultural irrigation and to meet human water needs. Therefore, their stored volume of groundwater is linked with water security, which becomes more relevant during periods of drought. This work focuses on understanding large‐scale groundwater changes, where we introduce an approach to evaluate groundwater sustainability at a global scale. We employ a groundwater drought index to assess performance metrics (reliability, resilience, vulnerability, and a combined sustainability index) for the largest and most productive global aquifers. Spatiotemporal changes in total water storage are derived from remote sensing observations of gravity anomalies, from which the groundwater drought index is inferred. The results reveal a complex relationship between the indicators, while considering monthly variability in groundwater storage. Combining the drought and sustainability indexes, as presented in this work, constitutes a measure for quantifying groundwater sustainability. This framework integrates changes in groundwater resources due to human influences and climate changes, thus opening a path to assess progress toward sustainable use and water security.
CMEs' Speed, Travel Time, and Temperature: A Thermodynamic Approach
Authors: Durand‐Manterola Hector J. , Flandes Alberto , Rivera Ana Leonor , Lara Alejandro , Niembro Tatiana
Published: November 2017

Due to their important role in space weather, coronal mass ejections or CMEs have been thoroughly studied in order to forecast their speed and transit time from the Sun to the Earth. We present a thermodynamic analytical model that describes the dynamics of CMEs. The thermodynamic approach has some advantages with respect to the hydrodynamic approach. First, it deals with the energy involved, which is a scalar quantity. Second, one may calculate the work done by the different forces separately and sum all contributions to determine the changes in speed, which simplifies the problem and allows us to obtain fully rigorous results. Our model considers the drag force, which dominates the dynamics of CMEs and the solar gravitational force, which has a much smaller effect, but it is, still, relevant enough to be considered. We derive an explicit analytical expression for the speed of CMEs in terms of its most relevant parameters and obtain an analytical expression for the CME temperature. The model is tested with a CME observed at three different heliocentric distances with three different spacecraft (SOHO, ACE, and Ulysses); also, with a set of 11 CMEs observed with the SOHO, Wind, and ACE spacecraft and, finally, with two events observed with the STEREO spacecraft. In all cases, we have a consistent agreement between the theoretical and the observed speeds and transit times. Additionally, for the set of 11 events, we estimate their temperatures at their departure position from their temperatures measured near the orbit of the Earth.
Seasonal Changes in Hydrogen Escape From Mars Through Analysis of HST Observations of the Martian Exosphere Near Perihelion
Authors: Bhattacharyya D. , Clarke J. T. , Chaufray J. Y. , Mayyasi M. , Bertaux J. L. , Chaffin M. S. , Schneider N. M. , Villanueva G. L.
Published: November 2017

Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations of the Martian hydrogen exosphere in Lyman α are presented in this paper for a period when Mars passed perihelion and southern summer solstice in its orbit. The peak intensity in the exospheric Lyman α brightness was recorded after Mars went past its perihelion, slightly after southern summer solstice. The increase in brightness as Mars approached perihelion was found to not be symmetric around the peak, making it impossible to fit the H escape flux trend with a single sinusoidal curve with the peak at perihelion. While the short‐term (~30 Earth days) changes were not directly correlated with changes in the solar Lyman α flux, the long‐term (~10 Earth years) trend in the data does show some correlation with solar activity. This suggests that the short‐term changes brought about in the exosphere could be due to intrinsic changes occurring within the lower atmosphere. For example, thermospheric heating by dust can alter the cold‐trapping mechanism for water vapor resulting in it being present in large quantities at higher altitudes (60–80 km), possibly enhancing the escape flux of H. Therefore, it is important to understand the drivers of atmospheric dynamics in the Martian atmosphere, which produce the yearly enhanced seasonal changes observed at Mars around periapsis and southern summer solstice in order to accurately determine the total amount of water lost over its history.
On the Origin of Ionospheric Hiss: A Conjugate Observation
Authors: Zhima Zeren , Chen Lunjin , Xiong Ying , Cao Jinbin , Fu Huishan
Published: November 2017

We present a conjugate observation on whistler mode electromagnetic hiss from the low Earth orbit satellite Detection of Electro‐Magnetic Emissions Transmitted from Earthquake Regions (DEMETER) and the high‐altitude elliptical orbit spacecraft Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS). The conjugate observation was performed at 14:51:10 to 15:12:00 UT on 15 June 2010, when DEMETER was flying across the L shell region from ~1.39 to 2.80 at an altitude of ~660 km; meanwhile, THEMIS probes were passing through the L shell region from ~1.64 to 1.91 at altitudes from ~1.6 to 2.0 RE. The conjugated observations demonstrate similar time‐frequency structures between the ionospheric hiss (~350 to 800 Hz) captured by DEMETER and the plasmaspheric hiss (~350 to 900 Hz) recorded by THEMIS probes, including similar peak frequencies (~500 to 600 Hz), similar lower cutoff frequencies (~350 to 400 Hz), and upper cutoff frequencies (~730 to 800 Hz). The wave vector analyses show that the ionospheric hiss propagates obliquely downward to the Earth and slightly equatorward with right‐handed polarization, suggesting that its source comes from higher altitudes. Ray tracing simulations with the constraint of observations verify that the connection between ionospheric and plasmaspheric hiss is physically possible through wave propagation. This study provides direct observational evidence to support the mechanism that high‐altitude plasmaspheric hiss is responsible for the generation of low‐altitude ionospheric hiss.
Resolving the Origin of Pseudo‐Single Domain Magnetic Behavior
Authors: Roberts Andrew P. , Almeida Trevor P. , Church Nathan S. , Harrison Richard J. , Heslop David , Li Yiliang , Li Jinhua , Muxworthy Adrian R. , Williams Wyn , Zhao Xiang
Published: November 2017

The term “pseudo‐single domain” (PSD) has been used to describe the transitional state in rock magnetism that spans the particle size range between the single domain (SD) and multidomain (MD) states. The particle size range for the stable SD state in the most commonly occurring terrestrial magnetic mineral, magnetite, is so narrow (~20–75 nm) that it is widely considered that much of the paleomagnetic record of interest is carried by PSD rather than stable SD particles. The PSD concept has, thus, become the dominant explanation for the magnetization associated with a major fraction of particles that record paleomagnetic signals throughout geological time. In this paper, we argue that in contrast to the SD and MD states, the term PSD does not describe the relevant physical processes, which have been documented extensively using three‐dimensional micromagnetic modeling and by parallel research in material science and solid‐state physics. We also argue that features attributed to PSD behavior can be explained by nucleation of a single magnetic vortex immediately above the maximum stable SD transition size. With increasing particle size, multiple vortices, antivortices, and domain walls can nucleate, which produce variable cancellation of magnetic moments and a gradual transition into the MD state. Thus, while the term PSD describes a well‐known transitional state, it fails to describe adequately the physics of the relevant processes. We recommend that use of this term should be discontinued in favor of “vortex state,” which spans a range of behaviors associated with magnetic vortices.