bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Knots in physics
Authors: Cho Y. M. , Oh Seung Hun , Zhang Pengming
Published: March 2018

After Dirac introduced the monopole, topological objects have played increasingly important roles in physics. In this review we discuss the role of the knot, the most sophisticated topological object in physics, and related topological objects in various areas in physics. In particular, we discuss how the knots appear in Maxwell’s theory, Skyrme theory, and multicomponent condensed matter physics.
Stability of self-accelerating Universe in modified gravity with dynamical torsion: The case of small background torsion
Authors: Nikiforova Vasilisa
Published: March 2018

We consider the model of modified gravity with dynamical torsion. This model was found to have promising stability properties about various backgrounds. The model admits a self-accelerating solution. We have shown previously that if the parameters are adjusted in such a way that the torsion is much greater than the effective cosmological constant, the self-accelerating solution is unstable: there are exponentially growing modes. Here, we study the scalar perturbations in the case when the torsion is of the order of the effective cosmological constant. We find that there are no exponential instabilities.
Application of the Feynman-tree theorem together with BCFW recursion relations
Authors: Maniatis M.
Published: March 2018

Recently, it has been shown that on-shell scattering amplitudes can be constructed by the Feynman-tree theorem combined with the BCFW recursion relations. Since the BCFW relations are restricted to tree diagrams, the preceding application of the Feynman-tree theorem is essential. In this way, amplitudes can be constructed by on-shell and gauge-invariant tree amplitudes. Here, we want to apply this method to the electron–photon vertex correction. We present all the single, double, and triple phase-space tensor integrals explicitly and show that the sum of amplitudes coincides with the result of the conventional calculation of a virtual loop correction.
Geological and geotechnical considerations, associated with some sections of the M25 construction
Authors: Newman R. L.
Published: March 2018

Introduction

A joint meeting of the Engineering Group and the Institution of Highway Engineers was held at Burlington House on Tuesday, 10 January 1984. The topic of the meeting inspired practising engineers, academics and researchers alike, and this was reflected in an extremely well attended meeting. The audience listened to a number of speakers who have been actively involved with construction of particular sections of the M25 and who related their experiences in dealing with various ground engineering problems. There is currently no project so prestigious nor so intently observed in the UK as the M25, and this fact together with the fascination of ground engineering meant that the meeting was destined to be of great interest.

The Chairman of the Engineering Group of the Geological Society, Dr A. B. Hawkins, introduced the meeting and related some facts about the M25. The 120 miles of 3–4 lane dual carriageway will constitute the largest orbital road in the world. The most heavily trafficked sections, for instance between the A30 and M4 in the southwest sector, are expected to accommodate between 70 000 and 80 000 vehicles during a 16-h day in 1987. The M25 will provide a much needed fast and problem-free route to cross London and its connections to 18 major radial link roads will greatly improve communications to and from central London. It is anticipated that it will generate traffic and that its excellent communications will encourage development of a new network of industry.

Figure 1 shows the present
UBC-Nepal Expedition: imposed oscillatory shear stress does not further attenuate flow-mediated dilation during acute and sustained hypoxia
Authors: Tremblay Joshua C. , Howe Connor A. , Ainslie Philip N. , Pyke Kyra E.
Published: March 2018

Experimentally induced oscillatory shear stress (OSS) and hypoxia reduce endothelial function in humans. Acute and sustained hypoxia may cause increases in resting OSS; however, whether this influences endothelial susceptibility to further increases in OSS is unknown. Healthy lowlanders ( n = 15, 30 ± 6 yr; means ± SD) participated in three OSS interventions: two interventions at sea level [normoxia and after 20 min of normobaric hypoxia (acute hypoxia, 11% O2)] and one intervention 5–7 days after a 9-day ascent to 5,050 m (sustained hypoxia). OSS was provoked in the brachial artery using a 30-min distal cuff inflation (75 mmHg). Endothelial function was assessed before and after each intervention by reactive hyperemia flow-mediated dilation (FMD). Shear stress magnitude and patterns were obtained via Duplex ultrasound. Baseline retrograde shear stress and OSS were greater in acute hypoxia versus normoxia ( P < 0.001), and OSS was elevated in sustained hypoxia versus normoxia ( P = 0.011). The intervention further augmented OSS during each condition. Preintervention FMD was decreased by 29 ± 48% in acute hypoxia and by 25 ± 31% in sustained hypoxia compared with normoxia ( P = 0.001 and 0.026); these changes correlated with changes in baseline mean and antegrade shear stress. After the intervention, FMD decreased during normoxia (−41 ± 26%, P < 0.001) and was unaltered during acute or sustained hypoxia. Therefore, a 30-min exposure to OSS reduced FMD during normoxia, a condition with an unchallenged, healthy endothelium; however, imposed OSS did not appear to worsen endothelial function during acute or sustained hypoxia. Exposure to an altered magnitude and pattern of shear stress at baseline in hypoxia may contribute to the insensitivity to further acute augmentation of OSS.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY We investigated whether the endothelium remains sensitive to experimental increases in oscillatory shear stress in acute (11% O2) and sustained (2 wk at 5,050 m) hypoxia. Hypoxia altered baseline shear stress and decreased endothelial function (flow-mediated dilation); however, exposure to experimentally induced oscillatory shear stress only impaired flow-mediated dilation in normoxia.
Celecoxib restores angiogenic factor expression at the maternal-fetal interface in the BPH/5 mouse model of preeclampsia
Authors: Reijnders Dorien , Liu Chin-Chi , Xu Xinjing , Zhao Anna M. , Olson Kelsey N. , Butler Scott D. , Douglas Nataki C. , Sones Jenny L.
Published: March 2018

Preeclampsia (PE), a hypertensive disease of pregnancy, is a leading cause of fetal and maternal morbidity/mortality. Early angiogenic and inflammatory disturbances within the placenta are thought to underlie the development of the maternal PE syndrome and poor pregnancy outcomes. However, the exact etiology remains largely unknown. Here, we use the BPH/5 mouse model of PE to elucidate the way in which inflammation early in pregnancy contributes to abnormal expression of angiogenic factors at the maternal-fetal interface. We have previously described improvement in maternal hypertension and fetal growth restriction in this model after treatment with the anti-inflammatory cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox2) specific inhibitor celecoxib. To further characterize the mechanisms by which celecoxib improves poor pregnancy outcomes in BPH/5 mice, we determined expression of angiogenic factors and complement pathway components after celecoxib. In BPH/5 implantation sites there was increased hypoxia inducible factor-1α ( Hif1α), heme oxygenase-1 ( Ho-1), and stem cell factor ( Scf) mRNA concomitant with elevated prostaglandin synthase 2 ( Ptgs2), encoding Cox2, and elevated VEGF protein. Angiopoietin 1 ( Ang1), tunica interna endothelial cell kinase-2 receptor ( Tie2), complement factor 3 ( C3), and complement factor B ( CfB) were increased in midgestation BPH/5 placentae. Whereas BPH/5 expression levels of VEGF, Ang1, and Tie2 normalized after celecoxib, placental C3 and CfB mRNA remained unchanged. However, celecoxib did reduce the pregnancy-specific circulating soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) rise in BPH/5 mice at midgestation. These data show that elevated Cox2 during implantation contributes to placental angiogenic factor imbalances in the BPH/5 mouse model of PE.
Peli1 Modulates the Subcellular Localization and Activity of Mdmx
Authors: Li Dawei , Tavana Omid , Sun Shao-Cong , Gu Wei
Published: March 2018

Mdm2 and Mdmx, both major repressors of p53 in human cancers, are predominantly localized to the nucleus and cytoplasm, respectively. The mechanism by which subcellular localization of Mdmx is regulated remains unclear. In this study, we identify the E3 ligase Peli1 as a major binding partner and regulator of Mdmx in human cells. Peli1 bound Mdmx in vitro and in vivo and promoted high levels of ubiquitination of Mdmx. Peli1-mediated ubiquitination was degradation-independent, promoting cytoplasmic localization of Mdmx, which in turn resulted in p53 activation. Consistent with this, knockdown or knockout Peli1 in human cancer cells induced nuclear localization of Mdmx and suppressed p53 activity. Myc-induced tumorigenesis was accelerated in Peli1-null mice and associated with downregulation of p53 function. Clinical samples of human cutaneous melanoma had decreased Peli1 expression, which was associated with poor overall survival. Together, these results demonstrate that Peli1 acts as a critical factor for the Mdmx–p53 axis by modulating the subcellular localization and activity of Mdmx, thus revealing a novel mechanism of Mdmx deregulation in human cancers.

Significance: Peli1-mediated regulation of Mdmx, a major inhibitor of p53, provides critical insight into activation of p53 function in human cancers. Cancer Res; 78(11); 2897–910. ©2018 AACR.
Goldilocks Dosing of TKIs: A Dose that Is Just Right Leads to Optimal Outcomes
Authors: Rini Brian I.
Published: March 2018

Higher concentrations of TKIs, such as pazopanib, are associated with improved outcomes in advanced RCC. A phase III trial failed to show disease-free survival benefit to pazopanib in the adjuvant setting, but improved DFS was seen in patients with higher Ctrough levels, supporting adequate drug exposure for optimal clinical outcome. Clin Cancer Res; 24(13); 2979–80. ©2018 AACR.

See related article by Sternberg et al., p. 3005
Accelerating the Pace of Cancer Prevention- Right Now
Authors: Colditz Graham A. , Emmons Karen M.
Published: March 2018

As a nation, we underinvest in prevention and fail to implement strategies that ensure all population groups equitably share in the return on investment in prevention research and the benefits of prevention effectiveness. There is significant evidence indicating that by applying knowledge that we already have to reduce tobacco, inactivity, and obesity (known modifiable causes of cancer), we can prevent more than 50% of cancers. Vaccination against HPV, aspirin and selective estrogen receptor modulators, and screening programs further reduce risk. Evidence-based prevention strategies are inconsistently implemented across the United States. Substantial variation across States indicates that there is much room for improvement in implementation of prevention. Implementation science applies innovative approaches to identifying, understanding, and developing strategies for overcoming barriers to the adoption, adaptation, integration, scale-up, and sustainability of evidence-based interventions, tools, policies, and guidelines that will prevent cancer through application of evidence-based interventions. When we get implementation of prevention programs right and at scale, we achieve substantial population benefits. Although many efforts are underway to maximize our knowledge about the causes and treatments of cancer, we can achieve reductions in the cancer burden right now by doing what we already know. The time to start is now. Cancer Prev Res; 11(4); 171–84. ©2018 AACR.
O politicamente correto e a topologia da exclusão
Authors: Ramos Silvana De Souza
Published: March 2018

O artigo pretende explorar a hipótese de que o desconforto com relação à linguagem politicamente correta é resultado de uma incompreensão do sentido democrático da liberdade de expressão. Partindo de alguns lugarescomuns, buscamos mostrar que até agora prevalece a polêmica e não a discussão sobre o assunto, pois os atores que se sentem atingidos pela linguagem preconceituosa não podem frequentar a esfera pública de debate e, se nela conseguem adentrar, não a ocupam sob as mesmas condições dos que lá já estavam. Há assim uma topologia da exclusão que precisa ser considerada e, mais que isso, transformada, para que se estabeleça um verdadeiro debate sobre essa questão.
A força na incerteza: experimentos de reflexão crítica e de criação poética
Authors: Sampaio Claudia Dias
Published: March 2018

Resenha do livro Sobre poesia: outras vozesOrg. Celia Pedrosa e Ida Alves7 Letras, 2016.
Hilda Hilst lê Beckett
Authors: Kempinska Olga
Published: March 2018

O artigo investiga a importância capital da prosa de Samuel Beckett no processo da elaboração da poética das “ficções” de Hilda Hilst. Tomando como seu ponto de partida os traços intertextuais de Molloy em Fluxo-floema, o trabalho debruça-se sobre a interiorização do palco da comunicação e enfatiza os elementos dramáticos da dicção poética hilstiana, insistindo no dilaceramento da subjetividade sob o efeito da violência inerente à coincidência da palavra e da emoção.
Jabuticaba literária: Parnasianismo brasileiro, crítica literária e “arte pela arte”
Authors: Santiago Emmanuel
Published: March 2018

Os modernistas de 1922 estabeleceram uma série de lugares-comuns sobre a poesia parnasiana brasileira que até hoje orientam grande parte de nossa crítica literária, instaurando uma perspectiva desfavorável. Dentre esses lugares-comuns, está a ideia de uma subordinação estrita do parnasianismo brasileiro à doutrina da “arte pela arte”, concebida num contexto sociocultural muito diverso do que existia no Brasil da época. Portanto, é necessário investigar a maneira como nossa poesia parnasiana elaborou o esteticismo de seu modelo francês, adequando-o às circunstâncias específicas da qual ela fazia parte.
O sentido político do realismo de Machado de Assis na crítica literária dos anos 1970: os ensaios de Carlos Nelson Coutinho
Authors: Ferreira Gabriela Manduca
Published: March 2018

O presente estudo observa as interpretações do realismo machadiano construídas pela crítica literária durante os anos 1970. Mais especificamente, o artigo analisa os ensaios sobre literatura de Carlos Nelson Coutinho, a fim de investigar o sentido político dos estudos sobre o realismo machadiano no período da ditadura civil-militar brasileira.
Destempero e insipidez
Authors: Prado Antonio Arnoni
Published: March 2018

O ensaio enfoca a presença crítica de Humberto de Campos no panorama da cultura brasileira do período, detendo-se em particular sobre o descompasso entre a visada generalizante e a ausência de contextualização propriamente literária acerca das obras e dos autores estudados.
Thirty-Day Readmissions After Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation in the United States
Authors: Agrawal Sahil , Garg Lohit , Shah Mahek , Agarwal Manyoo , Patel Brijesh , Singh Amitoj , Garg Aakash , Jorde Ulrich P. , Kapur Navin K.
Published: March 2018

Background:

Early readmissions contribute significantly to heart failure–related morbidity and negatively affect quality of life. Data on left ventricular assist device (LVAD)–related 30-day readmissions are scarce and limited to small studies.

Methods and Results:

Patients undergoing LVAD implantation between January 2013 and November 2014 who survived the index hospitalization were identified in the Nationwide Readmissions Database. We analyzed the incidence, predictors, causes, and costs of 30-day readmissions. Of 2510 LVAD recipients, 788 (31%) were readmitted within 30 days. Length of index hospitalization ≥31 days (hazard ratio [HR], 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07–1.50) and female sex (HR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.01–1.42) were associated with a higher risk of 30-day readmission, whereas private insurance (HR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.70–0.99), pre-LVAD use of short-term mechanical circulatory support (HR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.29–0.98), and discharge to a short-term hospital facility (HR, 0.41; CI, 0.21–0.78) were associated with a lower risk. Cardiac causes accounted for 23.8% of readmissions: heart failure (13.4%) and arrhythmias (8.1%). Noncardiovascular causes accounted for 76.2% of readmissions: infection (30.2%), bleeding (17.6%), and device-related causes (8.2%). Mean length of stay for readmission was 10.7 days (median, 6 days), and average hospital cost per readmission was $34 948±2457.

Conclusions:

Early readmissions are frequent after LVAD implantation even in contemporary times. Preimplant identification of high-risk patients, and a protocol-driven follow-up using a multidisciplinary approach will be needed to reduce readmissions and improve outcomes.
Single‐Molecule Counting of High‐Sensitivity Troponin I in Patients Referred for Diagnostic Angiography: Results From the CASABLANCA (Catheter Sampled Blood Archive in Cardiovascular Diseases) Study
Authors: McCarthy Cian P. , Ibrahim Nasrien E. , Lyass Asya , Li Yiwei , Gaggin Hanna K. , Simon Mandy L. , Mukai Renata , Gandhi Parul , Kelly Noreen , Motiwala Shweta R. , van Kimmenade Roland R. J. , Massaro Joseph M. , D'Agostino Ralph B. , Januzzi James L.
Published: March 2018

Background

The meaning of high‐sensitivity troponin I (hsTnI) concentrations in patients without acute myocardial infarction (
MI
) requires clarity. We hypothesized that among patients referred for diagnostic coronary angiography without acute
MI
, hsTnI concentrations would correlate with prevalent coronary artery disease (
CAD
) and predict incident cardiovascular events and mortality.

Methods and Results

We measured hsTnI using a single‐molecule counting assay (99th percentile, 6 ng/L) in samples from 991 patients obtained at the time of angiography. Concentrations of hsTnI were assessed relative to the severity of
CAD
and prognosis during mean follow‐up of 3.7 years. Median hsTnI concentration was 4.19 ng/L; 38% of patients had hsTnI concentrations ≥99th percentile. Across increasing hsTnI quartiles, patients had higher prevalence of angiographic
CAD
; in multivariate models, hsTnI ≥99th percentile independently predicted obstructive
CAD
(odds ratio: 2.57;
P
<0.001) and incident
MI
(hazard ratio [
HR
]: 2.68;
P
<0.001), cardiovascular death (
HR:
2.29;
P
=0.001), and all‐cause death (
HR:
1.84;
P
=0.004). In those with >70% coronary stenosis, hsTnI ≥99th percentile independently predicted incident
MI
(
HR:
1.87;
P
=0.01), cardiovascular mortality (
HR:
2.74;
P
=0.001), and the composite end point of
MI
and all‐cause death (
HR:
2.06;
P
<0.001). In participants with coronary stenosis <70%, hsTnI ≥99th percentile even more strongly predicted incident
MI
(
HR
: 8.41;
P
<0.001), cardiovascular mortality (
HR
: 3.60;
P
=0.03), and the composite end point of
MI
and all‐cause death (
HR:
3.62;
P
<0.001).

Conclusions

In a large prospective cohort of patients who were free of prevalent
MI
and undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography, hsTnI concentrations were associated with higher prevalence of
CAD
and predicted incident
MI
, cardiovascular death, and all‐cause death.

Clinical Trial Registration

URL
:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier:
NCT
00842868.
Projected Temperature-Related Years of Life Lost From Stroke Due To Global Warming in a Temperate Climate City, Asia
Authors: Li Guoxing , Guo Qun , Liu Yang , Li Yixue , Pan Xiaochuan
Published: March 2018

Background and Purpose—

Global warming has attracted worldwide attention. Numerous studies have indicated that stroke is associated with temperature; however, few studies are available on the projections of the burden of stroke attributable to future climate change. We aimed to investigate the future trends of stroke years of life lost (YLL) associated with global warming.

Methods—

We collected death records to examine YLL in Tianjin, China, from 2006 to 2011. We fitted a standard time-series Poisson regression model after controlling for trends, day of the week, relative humidity, and air pollution. We estimated temperature–YLL associations with a distributed lag nonlinear model. These models were then applied to the local climate projections to estimate temperature-related YLL in the 2050s and 2070s. We projected temperature-related YLL from stroke in Tianjin under 19 global-scale climate models and 3 different greenhouse gas emission scenarios.

Results—

The results showed a slight decrease in YLL with percent decreases of 0.85%, 0.97%, and 1.02% in the 2050s and 0.94%, 1.02%, and 0.91% in the 2070s for the 3 scenarios, respectively. The increases in heat-related annual YLL and the decreases in cold-related YLL under the high emission scenario were the strongest. The monthly analysis showed that the most significant increase occurred in the summer months, particularly in August, with percent changes >150% in the 2050s and up to 300% in the 2070s.

Conclusions—

Future changes in climate are likely to lead to an increase in heat-related YLL, and this increase will not be offset by adaptation under both medium emission and high emission scenarios. Health protections from hot weather will become increasingly necessary, and measures to reduce cold effects will also remain important.
Another potential cost of tail autotomy: tail loss may result in high ectoparasite loads in Sceloporus lizards
Authors: Argaez Víctor , Solano-Zavaleta Israel , Zúñiga-Vega J. Jaime
Published: March 2018

Tail autotomy is a common phenomenon in lizards that increases the chances of immediate survival during a predation event or agonistic encounter. However, despite short-term benefits, tail regeneration may also impose costs. Several studies have demonstrated that tail loss compromises other vital functions such as lipid storage, reproduction, and the immune system. Several lizard species are hosts of mites and ticks. Here we evaluated in three lizard species from the genus Sceloporus, whether individuals that have lost their tails and invested energy in tail regeneration are more susceptible to ectoparasites. Using a multimodel inference framework, we examined if tail loss and regeneration, as well as sex, body condition, and season (dry or rainy) predict ectoparasite load. Our results indicate that investing energy and resources in tail regeneration compromises defence against ectoparasites. These costs differed between sexes and among species. Overall, ectoparasite load increases during the rainy season and is on average higher in males. In S. grammicus, during the rainy season, males with regenerated tails and in poor body condition had more ectoparasites than males with intact tails in good body condition. In S. megalepidurus, we observed the same effect during the rainy season but in females rather than males. In S. torquatus, we found no effect of tail loss on ectoparasite load. We discuss the possibility that differences observed among species reflect differences in both species-specific physiological trade-offs and local environmental conditions.
Das pactum ut minus solvatur und die maior pars im klassischen Recht
Authors: Finkenauer Thomas
Published: March 2018

The pactum ut minus solvatur and the maior pars in classical law. 

Marc Aurel established the institution of a creditors’ meeting, the purpose of which was to find a composition agreement between all creditors and the debtor’s heir. Such a debt cut required a majority decision of those creditors present at the meeting. Without discretion, the praetor had to follow this majority decision. His decretum and thus the quota agreed upon were binding even for dissenting creditors and those not present at the meeting.
English Schools with a Religious Ethos: For a Re-Interpretation of Religious Autonomy
Authors: Hunter-Henin Myriam
Published: March 2018

Rooted in a principle of non-interference in matters of religious beliefs, supported by an ideology of parental school choice, faith state schools in England have enjoyed a large discretion to promote their religious ethos. Recent judicial and legislative interventions into the affairs of religious schools may be criticized as they betray these philosophical roots, without offering an alternative coherent justificatory model for law and religion relationships. By seeking to remove the allegedly socially or racially divisive edge of religious autonomy, these interventions have provoked an unwarranted and inconsistent mingling of the secular and the religious. Moreover, they have imposed a form of state governance which has reinforced religious authorities to the detriment of the autonomy of local stakeholders, parents and schools. It is claimed that a more deliberative and contextual re-interpretation of the principle of religious autonomy in English law would lead to less confrontational and more acceptable outcomes.
Understanding the Revisability Thesis
Authors: Teixeira Célia
Published: March 2018

W. V. Quine famously claimed that no statement is immune to revision. This thesis has had a profound impact on twentieth century philosophy, and it still occupies centre stage in many contemporary debates. However, despite its importance it is not clear how it should be interpreted. The author shows that the thesis is in fact ambiguous between three substantially different theses. She illustrates the importance of clarifying it by assessing its use in the debate against the existence of a priori knowledge. She shows how the three different readings of the thesis can be used to generate three substantially different and philosophically significant arguments against the a priori. The author further challenges each one of these arguments against the a priori.
Bilingualism and Musicality in Samuel Beckett’s Textes pour rien / Texts for Nothing
Authors: Brown Llewellyn
Published: March 2018

Beckett’s bilingual work brings to light a non-negotiable dimension inherent in language. The two versions of the ‘same’ literary work prove to be substantially different as regards the effect produced. Their musicality involves the impact of language on the subject, and is apparent in the specific qualities inherent in French and English. While the French reveals ‘weaker’ rhythms, and more fluid and allusive language, the English reinforces the substance of words. The two languages are thus not equivalent but maintain their radical difference in relation to each other.
Book Statistics
Authors: Kovač Miha , Phillips Angus , van der Weel Adriaan , Wischenbart Rüdiger
Published: March 2018

This paper describes the usefulness of reliable book statistics for publishers, booksellers, educators, and policymakers and outlines the main reasons why there are few such statistics. In its second part, the paper proposes indicators that would measure the role of books and book industries both in contemporary societies and in recent history, and argues for a wider debate around book statistics and the role of books and reading in society.
Revision of the Agrilus quadripunctatus species-group (Coleoptera: Buprestidae: Agrilini) with description of four new species
Authors: JENDEK EDUARD
Published: March 2018

The newly defined Agrilus quadripunctatus species-group comprising nine species from Indo-Malay and Australasian regions is revised. A key to species is provided and complemented with illustrations of habitus. The following four new species are described: Agrilus calabai sp. nov.; A. jaechi sp. nov.; A. luzonicola sp. nov.; A. salakot sp. nov.
A taxonomic review of the genus Astrodendrum (Echinodermata, Ophiuroidea, Euryalida, Gorgonocephalidae) with description of a new species from Japan
Authors: OKANISHI MASANORI , FUJITA TOSHIHIKO
Published: March 2018

A revision of the genus Astrodendrum Döderlein (Ophiuroidea, Euryalida, Gorgonocephalidae) is based on 14 specimens, including the holotypes of Astrodendrum galapagense A. H. Clark and Astroconus capense Mortensen and a syntype of Gorgonocephalus sagaminus Döderlein. A new species Astrodendrum spinulosum is described from the Pacific coast of Japan. It is distinguished from its congeners in having conical external ossicles on aboral side of the disc; bulges on lateral edges of proximal arms; 1 terminal projection on each arm spine of proximal portion of the arm; 2 or 3 secondary teeth on each hook-shaped arm spine of distal portion of the arm. A taxonomic key to all six species of the genus Astrodendrum is provided.
Taxonomic status of Paraguay’s only endemic bird, the Chaco Nothura Nothura chacoensis (Aves: Tinamidae)
Authors: HAYES FLOYD E. , RODRÍGUEZ OSCAR , THALMAN ERIKA R. , CASTELLANOS EMILY A. , STERLING JOHN
Published: March 2018

The Chaco Nothura Nothura chacoensis Conover is endemic to the Chaco of western Paraguay. Originally described as a subspecies of the Spotted Nothura N. maculosa (Temminck), it has been regarded by many authorities as a distinct species based on alleged sympatry with N. maculosa. However, an earlier study revealed no differences in cytochrome b sequences between the two taxa. We reanalyzed the geographic distribution and morphological variation of N. chacoensis and N. maculosa in western Paraguay based on museum specimens. There is no locality where specimens of both taxa were collected, thus there is no evidence for sympatry. Morphologically the two taxa did not differ in any size or shape variable. Plumage characters overlapped in a few specimens. We recorded vocalizations from at least four individuals of N. chacoensis within its known range. Its typical territorial song was a very rapid, relatively monotone trill that was virtually identical with the most frequent territorial song of N. maculosa in length, number of notes, rate of notes, and emphasized frequency, and differed substantially from the songs of other species of Nothura. Based on distributional, morphological, biochemical, and especially vocalization data, we conclude that N. chacoensis should be regarded as a subspecies of N. maculosa.
NCA-LDAS Land Analysis: Development and Performance of a Multisensor, Multivariate Land Data Assimilation System for the National Climate Assessment
Authors: Kumar Sujay V. , Jasinski Michael , Mocko David M. , Rodell Matthew , Borak Jordan , Li Bailing , Beaudoing Hiroko Kato , Peters-Lidard Christa D.
Published: March 2018

This article describes one of the first successful examples of multisensor, multivariate land data assimilation, encompassing a large suite of soil moisture, snow depth, snow cover, and irrigation intensity environmental data records (EDRs) from the Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR), Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I), Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT), Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E and AMSR2), Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission, and Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission. The analysis is performed using the NASA Land Information System (LIS) as an enabling tool for the U.S. National Climate Assessment (NCA). The performance of the NCA Land Data Assimilation System (NCA-LDAS) is evaluated by comparing it to a number of hydrological reference data products. Results indicate that multivariate assimilation provides systematic improvements in simulated soil moisture and snow depth, with marginal effects on the accuracy of simulated streamflow and evapotranspiration. An important conclusion is that across all evaluated variables, assimilation of data from increasingly more modern sensors (e.g., SMOS, SMAP, AMSR2, ASCAT) produces more skillful results than assimilation of data from older sensors (e.g., SMMR, SSM/I, AMSR-E). The evaluation also indicates the high skill of NCA-LDAS when compared with other LSM products. Further, drought indicators based on NCA-LDAS output suggest a trend of longer and more severe droughts over parts of the western United States during 1979–2015, particularly in the southwestern United States, consistent with the trends from the U.S. Drought Monitor, albeit for a shorter 2000–15 time period.
The Influence of Swell on the Atmospheric Boundary Layer under Nonneutral Conditions
Authors: Zou Zhongshui , Zhao Dongliang , Zhang Jun A. , Li Shuiqing , Cheng Yinhe , Lv Haibin , Ma Xin
Published: March 2018

The anomalous phenomena induced by the prevailing swell at low wind speeds prevent a complete understanding of air–sea interaction processes. Many studies have considered this complex problem, but most have focused on near-neutral conditions. In this study, the influence of the swell on the atmospheric boundary under nonneutral conditions was addressed by extending the turbulent closure models of Makin and Kudryavtsev and the Monin–Obukhov similarity theory (MOST; Monin and Yaglom) to the existence of swell and nonneutral conditions. It was shown that wind profiles derived from these models were consistent with each other and both departed from the traditional MOST. At low wind speeds, a supergeostrophic jet appeared on the upper edge of the wave boundary layer, which was also reported in earlier studies. Under nonneutral conditions, the influence of buoyancy was significant. The slope of the wind profile increased under stable conditions and became smoother under unstable conditions. Considering the effects of buoyancy and swell, the wind stress derived from the model agreed quantitatively with the observations.
Important Factors for Tornadogenesis as Revealed by High-Resolution Ensemble Forecasts of the Tsukuba Supercell Tornado of 6 May 2012 in Japan
Authors: Yokota Sho , Niino Hiroshi , Seko Hiromu , Kunii Masaru , Yamauchi Hiroshi
Published: March 2018

To identify important factors for supercell tornadogenesis, 33-member ensemble forecasts of the supercell tornado that struck the city of Tsukuba, Japan, on 6 May 2012 were conducted using a mesoscale numerical model with a 50-m horizontal grid. Based on the ensemble forecasts, the sources of the rotation of simulated tornadoes and the relationship between tornadogenesis and mesoscale environmental processes near the tornado were analyzed. Circulation analyses of near-surface, tornadolike vortices simulated in several ensemble members showed that the rotation of the tornadoes could be frictionally generated near the surface. However, the mechanisms responsible for generating circulation were only weakly related to the strength of the tornadoes. To identify the mesoscale processes required for tornadogenesis, mesoscale atmospheric conditions and their correlations with the strength of tornadoes were examined. The results showed that two near-tornado mesoscale factors were important for tornadogenesis: strong low-level mesocyclones (LMCs) at about 1 km above ground level and humid air near the surface. Strong LMCs and large water vapor near the surface strengthened the nonlinear dynamic vertical perturbation pressure gradient force and buoyancy, respectively. These upward forces made contributions essential for tornadogenesis via tilting and stretching of vorticity near the surface.
Multivariate Self-Organizing Map Approach to Classifying Supercell Tornado Environments Using Near-Storm, Low-Level Wind and Thermodynamic Profiles
Authors: Nowotarski Christopher J. , Jones Erin A.
Published: March 2018

Self-organizing maps (SOMs) have been shown to be a useful tool in classifying meteorological data. This paper builds on earlier work employing SOMs to classify model analysis proximity soundings from the near-storm environments of tornadic and nontornadic supercell thunderstorms. A series of multivariate SOMs is produced wherein the input variables, height, dimensions, and number of SOM nodes are varied. SOMs including information regarding the near-storm wind profile are more effective in discriminating between tornadic and nontornadic storms than those limited to thermodynamic information. For the best-performing SOMs, probabilistic forecasts derived from matching near-storm environments to a SOM node may provide modest improvements in forecast skill relative to existing methods for probabilistic forecasts.
Cumulative childhood interpersonal trauma is associated with reduced cortical differentiation between threat and non-threat faces in posttraumatic stress disorder adults
Authors: Chu Denise A , Bryant Richard A , Gatt Justine M , Harris Anthony WF
Published: March 2018

Objective:

Posttraumatic stress disorder and childhood trauma frequently co-occur. Both are associated with abnormal neural responses to salient emotion stimuli. As childhood trauma is a risk factor for posttraumatic stress disorder, differentiating between their neurophysiological effects is necessary to elucidate the neural pathways by which childhood trauma exposure contributes to increased posttraumatic stress disorder risks.

Methods:

Face-specific N170 evoked response potentials for backward-masked (non-conscious) and conscious threat (fear, angry) and non-threat (happy) faces were measured in 77 adults (18–64 years old, 64% women, 78% right-handed) symptomatic for posttraumatic stress disorder. Differences in N170 peak amplitudes for fear-versus-happy and angry-versus-happy faces at bilateral temporo-occipital (T5, T6) sites were computed. The effect of cumulative exposure to childhood interpersonal trauma, other childhood trauma, adult trauma, depression and posttraumatic stress disorder symptom severity on the N170 response was assessed using hierarchical multiple regression analyses.

Results:

T5 N170 peak amplitudes for non-conscious fear-versus-happy faces were inversely related to cumulative childhood interpersonal trauma after accounting for socio-demographic, clinical symptom and other trauma factors. Posttraumatic stress disorder Avoidance was positively associated with N170 peak amplitudes for non-conscious fear-versus-happy faces, primarily due to reduced N170 responsivity to happy faces.

Conclusion:

Childhood interpersonal trauma exposure is associated with reduced discrimination between fear and happy faces, while avoidance symptom severity is associated with dampened responsivity to automatically processed happy faces in posttraumatic stress disorder adults. Results are discussed in terms of the likely contributions of impaired threat discrimination and deficient reward processing during neural processing of salient emotion stimuli, to increased risks of posttraumatic stress disorder onset and chronicity in childhood interpersonal trauma–exposed adults.
Taking the pulse at work: An employment relations scorecard for Australia
Authors: Wilkinson Adrian , Barry Michael , Gomez Rafael , Kaufman Bruce E
Published: March 2018

This study, and the project behind it, is an attempt 100 years on from the Webbs to comprehensively assess the health of the industrial relations/employment relations system by ‘taking the pulse’ of the employment relationship. If, as we argue, the relative health and performance of the employment relationship remains the key dependent variable of the field of employment relations today, there have been remarkably few attempts to audit and measure its critical dimensions. This study, founded on a large representative survey of workers and managers across Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada, attempts to do just that, and produces in this article, results of those survey questions for Australia. The article is novel since this kind of employment diagnostic is based on a unique nationally representative survey of employers and employees. The study is also innovative, in that it presents the results of the health of the system in the form of an employment relations scorecard and is the first such attempt to do so in industrial relations.
Constructing Informal Experiences in the Elementary General Music Classroom
Authors: Hewitt Donna
Published: March 2018

Children often spontaneously yet purposefully sing songs or create rhythms outside the formal classroom setting to reflect the ways in which they naturally engage with music. Researchers have studied these informal music learning practices to incorporate these experiences into the classroom to offer lessons that are engaging and better reflective of children’s out-of-school musical worlds. This article offers strategies for teachers to incorporate these practices into an upper elementary general music classroom through combining elements of constructivism and the research of Lucy Green on informal music learning and popular musicians. Informal music learning offers another way of thinking about music learning and providing joyful and meaningful music-making experiences in the classroom.
Economic evaluation of mechanical harvesting of lemons
Authors: Brotons-Martínez JM , Martin-Gorriz B , Torregrosa A , Porras I
Published: March 2018

Several hypotheses regarding hand and mechanical harvesting have been analysed, in order to estimate the economic possibilities for the mechanical harvesting of lemons taking into account the current availability of technology. We considered several detachment options under experimental conditions; only yellow detachment has been considered for mechanical harvesting, because the sensitivity to the impacts is lower and mechanical detachment was high (80%). Price changes throughout the season were also considered. Total harvest cost is an average of the cost of mechanical harvesting (80%) and the cost of manually harvesting remaining fruit (20%), plus the cost of handling the mechanical harvested fraction. This cost ranges between 0.031 € kg−1 and 0.058 € kg−1 for outputs between 20 t ha−1 and 60 t ha−1, respectively, which is always lower than harvesting by hand (0.065 € kg−1). A Monte Carlo approach was used to study the sensitivity of the results, and value at risk (VaR) was calculated. The analysis showed that the mechanical harvesting margin is 0.020 € kg−1 higher than the hand harvesting margin and the output dispersion is higher in March. The VaR analysis showed that at 10%, there was no risk that the hand margin is higher than the mechanical margin and at 5%, the risk is very low and only for March harvesting. Mechanical harvesting represents a good economic option compared to hand harvesting, since it can increase farmer income by between 400 € ha−1and 1200 € ha−1.
‘I realised then how “Parisian” Egypt was’: challenges and rewards of de-westernising travel journalism
Authors: Duffy Andrew
Published: March 2018

Bypassing the dominant Western bias in journalism scholarship is a challenge; it raises the question of what might replace it. Similarly, to evade the Western post-imperialism orthodoxies recurrent in cultural studies scholarship into travel and tourism would require other perspectives. This study combines the two and attempts to circumvent the Western bias in scholarship on travel journalism, given that its constituent parts are – for different reasons – becoming de-centred from the West. Textual analysis of Singaporean newspaper articles in Mandarin and English shows that questions of privilege and power remain but need not be associated with narratives of post-imperialism. Instead, destinations are textually constructed to justify the writer’s decision to travel. The intention for this article is to suggest ways that dominant Western perspectives in media studies may be balanced by other viewpoints which still expose issues of power and privilege but offer a less hegemonic, more culturally neutral starting point
Molecular connectivity disruptions in males with major depressive disorder
Authors: Pillai Rajapillai LI , Zhang Mengru , Yang Jie , Mann J John , Oquendo Maria A , Parsey Ramin V , DeLorenzo Christine
Published: March 2018

In most positron emission tomography (PET) molecular brain imaging studies, regions of interest have been defined anatomically and examined in isolation. However, by defining regions based on physiology and examining relationships between them, we may derive more sensitive measures of receptor abnormalities in conditions such as major depressive disorder (MDD). Using an average of 52 normalized binding potential maps, acquired using radiotracer [11C]-WAY100635 and full arterial input analysis, we identified two molecular volumes of interest (VOIs) with contiguously high serotonin 1A receptor (5-HT1A) binding sites: the olfactory sulcus (OLFS) and a band of tissue including piriform, olfactory, and entorhinal cortex (PRF). We applied these VOIs to a separate cohort of 25 healthy control males and 16 males with MDD who received [11C]-WAY100635 imaging. Patients with MDD had significantly higher binding than controls in both VOIs, ( p < 0.01). To identify potential homeostatic disruptions in MDD, we examined molecular connectivity, i.e. the correlation between binding of raphe nucleus (RN) 5-HT1A autoreceptors and post-synaptic receptors in molecular VOIs. Molecular connectivity was significant in healthy controls ( p < 0.01), but not in patients with MDD. This disruption in molecular connectivity allowed identification of MDD cases with high sensitivity (81%) and specificity (88%).
Adult Education Through a Cosmopolitanism Lens: A Review of the Research Literature
Authors: Coryell Joellen E. , Sehin Oleksandra , Peña Cindy
Published: March 2018

This review of the literature offers an analysis of ways in which the theory and pedagogical concepts of cosmopolitanism have been employed across research in adult education contexts. Twenty-nine research articles and dissertations on cosmopolitanism and adult education, conducted in various geographical locations and adult education contexts, were selected for the analysis. The article presents how researchers define and theorize cosmopolitanism, the purposes for using cosmopolitanism tenets in the studies, and conclusions that the findings proffer about cosmopolitanism for adult learning, teaching, and continuing and professional development. The review concludes with implications for practice and future research.
Violence Against Children in Afghanistan: Community Perspectives
Authors: Cameron Cate M. , O’Leary Patrick J. , Lakhani Ali , Osborne Jodie M. , de Souza Luana , Hope Kristen , Naimi Mohammad S. , Khan Hassan , Jawad Qazi S. , Majidi Sabir
Published: March 2018

Violence against children (VAC) is a significant international problem and, in Afghanistan, is particularly complex given the country has suffered armed conflict and extreme poverty for more than 30 years. The aim of this study was to examine the level of knowledge and observation of VAC by community leaders, professional groups, and business owners in three Afghan districts. A survey of community and religious leaders; health, socio-legal, and education professionals; and business owners from Kabul, Jalalabad, and Torkham ( n = 182) was conducted. Structured interviews included qualitative and quantitative components. Questions related to knowledge and experience of VAC, and to perceptions of consequences, causes, and strategies for preventing VAC. The statistical significance of differences between participant groups and measures of association were assessed by Pearson’s chi-square test, the Mann–Whitney test, and the Kruskall–Wallis one-way ANOVA. Qualitative responses were analyzed thematically. VAC was reported to occur mostly in the home, community, and workplace. The scale of the problem varied, with religious and community leaders underreporting VAC by 30% to 40% compared with other participant groups ( p < .001). Business owners also significantly underreported VAC in the workplace, despite admitting to acts of discipline that included physical contact. There were some regional differences, with lower reporting of violence in Jalalabad compared with the two other locations ( p < .001). Causes of VAC were consistently attributed to poverty, lack of education, and the effects of war. The findings of this study indicate that VAC is a serious and complex problem in Afghanistan. Decades of armed conflict and entrenched poverty influence how violence is perceived and recognized. Consideration should be given to initiatives that build on the existing strengths within the community while raising awareness and recognition of the nature, extent, and burden of VAC in the community.