Distant Events Research Articles

Can granulysin provide prognostic value in primary breast cancer?

BackgroundGranulysin (GNLY) is a cytolytic and proinflammatory molecule which also acts as an immune alarmin. The multifunctional nature of this molecule has made it challenging to define its full potential as a biomarker in breast cancer. AimTo evaluate the prognostic value of intratumoral GNLY in primary breast cancer patients and its association with established clinicopathological parameters. Patients and methodsThe study included 69 node-negative breast cancer patients with known clinicopathological parameters, all of whom had not received any prior hormonal or chemotherapeutic systemic therapy that would interfere with the course of disease. The median follow-up period was 144 months. Steroid hormone receptor status was determined by ligand-binding assay and HER2 status by chromogenic in situ hybridisation (CISH). Intratumoral GNLY mRNA levels were determined by RT-qPCR. Prognostic performance was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC), Cox proportional hazards regression and Kaplan-Meier analysis. Classification of patients into GNLYlow and GNLYhigh subgroups was performed by the use of the outcome-oriented cut-off point categorisation approach. ResultsThere was a significant difference between GNLY values of patients without any recurrences and those with local or distant recurrences (Mann-Whitney test, p = 0.05 and p = 0.02, respectively). None of the tested parameters showed prognostic significance for local and distant recurrences when combined. When distant metastases and local recurrences were separated as events, the best prognostic performance was observed for GNLY as compared with any clinicopathological parameter (AUC=0.24 and p = 0.04 for local events; AUC=0.71 and p = 0.03 for distant events). Local recurrence incidence was 0% for the GNLYhigh subgroup and 19% for the GNLYlow subgroup; however distant recurrence incidence was 24% for the GNLYhigh subgroup but only 3% for the GNLYlow subgroup (Kaplan–Meier analysis). A significant positive correlation was found between intratumoral ER and GNLY levels, and a significant negative correlation between tumour grade and GNLY levels. ConclusionHigh levels of granulysin prognosticate low risk of local recurrence but a high risk of distant metastasis in primary, untreated, breast cancer patients.

NATURE, GOD AND THE CRUSADERS – REAL, SYMBOLIC AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WEAPONS DURING THE FIRST CRUSADE BASED (ON THE ANONYMOUS SOURCE “DEEDS OF THE FRANCS”)

The issue of the history of the Crusades has been researched for many years. During the twentieth century the foundation of further research was laid by K. Setton and S. Runciman. Undoubtedly, subsequent generations expanded the range of studies of the Crusades. J. Riley-Smith, C. Hillenbrand, Ch. Tyerman, J. Phillips, D. Nicolle, M. Barber and many other scholars have detailed some aspects of the Crusades. It should be noted that from the end of the XX - beginning of the XXI century. more and more attention began to be paid to the role of women in the history of the Crusades, the lower social classes, the vision of the movement from the point of view of Muslims, the role of natural, including climatic, factors, and so on. It is generally accepted in scientific world that the First Crusade was the most successful, and created the preconditions of the Franks presence in Outremer. But it should be noted that researches over the past few decades have shed light on one of the most important reasons for the success of the First Crusade – the political situation in the region among the Muslims. Many works of researchers are devoted to the events of 1095–1099, which continue to reveal new aspects of the course of those distant events. The Gesta is one of the most important sources available to us, covering the events of the First Crusade. Despite the fact that the issue of authorship remains controversial, the reliability of the source is high. The probable participant (or the author who recorded the events from an eyewitness) describes in detail not only the course of military and political events, but also records natural signs, miraculous visions, the appearance of saints and Jesus himself in the spirit of his time. Saints take an active part in the course of hostilities, help the Crusaders find relics, inspire them to perform feats. Nature, dreams, visions, relics appear as participants of the campaign, who influenced and could change the course of those events. What exactly does the author consider appropriate to record, what significance does he attach to these phenomena, how does he interpret them? The Gesta invites us to look at natural and symbolic phenomena from a different perspective and gives us an opportunity to understand the people from those far ages much better.

Comment on the Point of View "Ecological Validity, External Validity and Mundane Realism in Hearing Science".

Comment on the Point of View "Ecological Validity, External Validity and Mundane Realism in Hearing Science".

Factors associated with enrolment in clinical trials among women with early-stage breast cancer

BackgroundClinical trials allow development of innovative treatments and ameliorate the quality of clinical care in oncology. Data show that only a minority of patients are enrolled in clinical trials. We assessed enrolment in clinical trials and its correlates among women with early breast cancer.MethodsWe included 9516 patients with stage I-III breast cancer from the multicenter, prospective CANTO study (NCT01993498), followed-up until year 4 (Y4) post-diagnosis. We assessed factors associated with enrolment using multivariable logistic regression. In exploratory, propensity score matched analyses, we used multiple linear regression to evaluate the relationship of enrolment in clinical trials with the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality Of Life (QoL) questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) Summary Score and described clinical outcomes (distant disease event, invasive disease event, and death by any cause) according to enrolment.ResultsOverall, 1716 patients (18%) were enrolled in a clinical trial until Y4 post-diagnosis of breast cancer. Socioeconomic factors were not associated with enrolment. Centres of intermediate volume were most likely to enrol patients in clinical trials [versus low volume, odds ratio 1.45 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.08-1.95), P = 0.0124]. Among 2118 propensity score matched patients, enrolment was associated with better QoL at Y4 (adjusted mean difference versus not enrolled 1.37, 95% CI 0.03-2.71, P = 0.0458), and clinical outcomes (enrolled versus not enrolled, distant disease event 7.3% versus 10.1%, P = 0.0206; invasive disease event 8.2% versus 10.5%, P = 0.0732; death by any cause 2.8% versus 3.7%, P = 0.2707).ConclusionsIn this large study, one in five patients enrolled on a clinical trial until Y4 after diagnosis of early breast cancer. Geographical and centre-related factors were significantly associated with enrolment in clinical trials. Inclusion in clinical trials seemed associated with improved QoL and clinical outcomes. Access to innovation for early-stage breast cancer patients should be encouraged and facilitated by overcoming organizational and geographical barriers to recruitment.

28-gene classifier model for prediction of local recurrence and distant metastasis risk in HER-2 positive operable breast cancer.

e13018 Background: Accurate prediction of postoperative recurrence risk is very important for the formulation of appropriate treatment for breast cancer patients. However, traditional clinicopathological indicators cannot accurately assess the recurrence risk of patients. We aimed to build a novel gene-clinical variable model, which included 28 genetic profiles and clinical variable information, to assess the risk of recurrence in a more individualized and accurate manner. Methods: We retrospectively included a cohort of operable HER-2 positive breast cancer patients treated in Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from 2010 to 2016. The genetic and clinical data were used to train and validate the 28-gene classifier model in predicting local recurrence and distant metastasis risk. Results: A total of 260 HER-2 positive breast cancer patients were Included in the study. All patients received standard adjuvant chemotherapy and routine targeted therapy after mastectomy. All patients were followed up for a median of 60.4 months for disease recurrence. Among them, 21 patients had distant metastasis events and 18 patients had local recurrence events. We used the 28 gene-clinical variable model to classify 260 patients into high- and low-risk groups. Kaplan-Meyer survival curves were used to compare the prognostic difference of DFS into high- and low- risk groups. Conclusions: 28 gene-clinical variable model may be a reliable toll to predict local recurrence and distant metastasis risk in HER-2 positive operable breast cancer.

Characterization of Distant and Moderate Earthquakes with Inexpensive MEMS Sensors: Application to the Mw 6.3, 29th December 2020, Petrinja Event.

In this work, we evaluate the suitability of a new MEMS sensor prototype, called ASX1000 (ADEL s.r.l., Modena, Italy), for the monitoring of distant and moderate seismic events. This device is an inexpensive capacitive accelerometer with a relatively low level of instrumental noise; it can record both local and far seismic events. An experimental network built with ASX1000 MEMS, located in northern Italy, was able to record the Mw 6.3 Petrinja earthquake that occurred in December 2020; it had an epicentral distance of more than 350 km. We retrieved the strong motion parameters (PGA, pseudo-absolute velocity, and pseudo-absolute spectral acceleration) from the acceleration time histories recorded by the MEMS sensors. The obtained parameters were compared with the ones obtained by the closer high-quality seismometers, belonging to the INGV National Seismic Network. The comparison to the highest-quality sensors confirms a reasonable agreement of the inferred parameters. This work suggests that—in the near future—MEMS sensors could be adopted to integrate the existing seismic network. A denser coverage of sensors can sample more accurately the seismic wavefield, taking into account the large spatial variability of local geology and the relative differences in seismic response.

A hierarchical approach to combine histological grade and immunohistochemical factors to identify high-risk luminal breast cancers.

BackgroundThe luminal subtype accounts for ~70% of newly diagnosed breast cancer patients. Although it has a better prognosis, approximately 30% of them develop a late relapse. Identifying those patients is of interest to improve treatment decisions.MethodsA retrospective observational, single-centre study based on data from medical records of 572 non-metastatic (I–III) invasive ductal breast carcinoma patients, 448 with luminal tumours and 124 with triple-negative tumours. Kaplan–Meier, Cox regression and time-dependent Cox regression were carried out to obtain the prognosis value of risk factors.ResultsDuring a median observation of 5.5 years, 105 distant metastasis events and 105 all-cause deaths were observed. In addition to known clinicopathological factors (i.e., age, tumour size and lymph node metastasis), the high semi-quantitative expression of both hormone receptors was associated with distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) (adjusted hazard ratio (HaR): 0.524 (0.316–0.867), p = 0.012) and overall survival (OS) (adjusted HaR: 0.486 (0.286–0.827), p = 0.008). The stratified analysis made it possible to identify risk modification factors. Subsequent stratification by histological grade, Ki-67 and semi-quantitative PR expression or, mainly, the composite semi-quantitative expression of hormone receptors (cHR) enabled the identification of luminal breast cancer patients of adjuvant schema at higher risk for metastasis and death. However, initial analyses including patients of neoadjuvant therapy pointed to a path of subsequent stratification by cHR and histological grade, also enabling grouping of luminal breast cancer patients with similar prognosis for DMFS (cHR ≤ 4+ G2 or G3 versus triple-negative, adjusted HaR: 0.703 (0.415–1.189), p = 0.189) and OS (cHR ≤4+ G2 or G3 versus triple-negative, adjusted HaR: 0.662 (0.403–1.088), p = 0.104).ConclusionThe semi-quantitative expression of both cHR, Ki-67 proliferation index and histological grade can identify luminal breast cancer patients at greater risk of developing metastasis and death when combined in a hierarchical fashion, and could be useful for a better prognosis stratification in services from low- and middle-income countries.

“Ain’t I a Bastard, Well I Received My Training in Aussie”: The Life of Frank Maybank, an Australian Trade Unionist in Central Africa

This article examines the working life of Frank Maybank (1901-94), a self-described Australian trade unionist on the Central African Copperbelt. Maybank was in many ways a worker of the world, he lived and worked in several countries and did all manner of jobs. The job he held the longest was General Secretary of the whites-only mineworkers’ union on the Copperbelt, where his militancy was closely informed by his experiences in, and contacts with, the Australian labour movement. This article uses Maybank’s biography both to show the transnational connections that existed and to argue that the relative weakness of those connections allowed information about different places to be misrepresented. What this article terms “strategic misunderstandings” allowed distant events and movements to be misrepresented to suit domestic audiences and concerns in Australia and on the Copperbelt. In addition, this paper reflects on how the practice of writing transnational history and how the uneven nature of digitised sources may shape the development of this sub-field.

Fearful Vassals: Urban Elite Loyalty in the Viceroyalty of Río de la Plata, 1776–1810

Fearful Vassals: Urban Elite Loyalty in the Viceroyalty of Río de la Plata, 1776–1810

Did stand opening 60 years ago predispose a European beech population to death?

Widespread increases in tree mortality have fueled the debate on the mechanisms of heat- and drought-related tree death. While much research focused on the immediate causes of tree death, the role of predisposing factors for death is not well understood. We employed tree-ring and climate sensitivity analysis of growth to study the importance of legacy effects of past disturbances for growth patterns and a recent mortality burst in a protected European beech (Fagus sylvatica) forest, comparing groups of live and recently died trees in the same stand. Live and dead trees showed a decade-long decrease in radial growth since the severe 1976 drought, which indicates that the high mortality in the last two decades is not solely caused by recent drought spells, but that trees were apparently predisposed by previous events to death decades later. An even more distant event than the 1976 drought that has imprinted on the chronologies is the severe 1947 drought in combination with extensive logging at that time. It appears that stand opening 60 and 40 years ago due to high immediate drought mortality in conjunction with heavy logging resulted in much higher inter-annual ring width variability with more extreme negative and positive pointer years in the subsequent years, and led to permanent reduction in tree health. We identified the first derivative of the ring width curve as the most reliable early-warning signal of a predisposition to drought-induced death, while inter-annual growth variability and growth resistance and resilience to drought were less suited. We suggest that the causes of recent climate warming-related dieback of beech and other temperate hardwood forests may only be fully grasped, when the imprint of past stress events on growth and vitality is understood. The physiological mechanisms causing legacy effects with long delay of death require further study.

A retrospective analysis of changes in distant and breast cancer related disease-free survival events in adjuvant breast cancer trials over time

Disease-free survival (DFS) comprises both breast cancer and non-breast cancer events. DFS has not been validated as a surrogate endpoint for overall survival (OS) in most breast cancer subtypes. We assessed changes to the type of events contributing to DFS over time. We identified adjuvant studies in breast cancer (BC) from 2000 to 2020 where the endpoint was DFS. We examined change in distant DFS events and the BC-related DFS using univariable and multivariable linear regression. Data were reported quantitatively using the Burnand criteria irrespective of statistical significance. We included 84 studies (88 cohorts), comprising 212,191 participants, 41,604 DFS events and 23,205 distant DFS events. The DFS event rate/100 participants/year has declined modestly over time (ß − 0.34, p = 0.001). Start year was negatively associated with distant DFS events (ß − 0.58, p < 0.0001); however, the effect was lost after adjusting for follow-up time (ß − 0.18, p = 0.096). The average number of BC-related events/100 participants/year also declined over time (ß − 0.28, p = 0.009). In multivariable analysis, start year and ER expression were quantitatively associated with distant DFS events and BC-related DFS events. DFS events have declined over time driven by a reduction in BC related events. As DFS events are increasingly defined by non-BC events, there will be limited surrogacy between DFS and OS.

“Love is our lord’s meaning”: Spiritual formation in Julian of Norwich and Desmond Tutu

This article journeys to a medieval century, to a remote figure, and to distant historical events that might mirror Desmond Tutu’s (1931–2021) context—possibly shed light on his spirituality. It is suggested that Desmond Tutu’s devotion and vision may invoke a unique Christian who remains influential among Anglicans/Episcopalians: Julian of Norwich (c. 1342/3–c. 1416). A child during a plague, an adult during civil strife, and a schooled theologian during her final years, Julian exhibited an embodied spiritual discipline echoing, perhaps, the “prayer and work” of Desmond Tutu. The Revelations to Julian began with the torment of crucifixion and ended with the disclosure of their purpose as “love” ( Rev. 86: 14). How Julian engaged with the God of these “shewings” might recall two “prisoners of hope” who, in their own challenging contexts, believed that ultimately “alle shalle be wele” ( Vis. 13: 61; Rev. 27: 28).

The Far Side of Mars: Two Distant Marsquakes Detected by InSight

Abstract For over three Earth years the Marsquake Service has been analyzing the data sent back from the Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure—the seismometer placed on the surface of Mars by NASA’s InSight lander. Although by October 2021, the Mars seismic catalog included 951 events, until recently all these events have been assessed as lying within a radius of 100° of InSight. Here we report two distant events that occurred within days of each other, located on the far side of Mars, giving us our first glimpse into Mars’ core shadow zone. The first event, recorded on 25 August 2021 (InSight sol 976), shows clear polarized arrivals that we interpret to be PP and SS phases at low frequencies and locates to Valles Marineris, 146° ± 7° from InSight. The second event, occurring on 18 September 2021 (sol 1000), has significantly more broadband energy with emergent PP and SS arrivals, and a weak phase arriving before PP that we interpret as Pdiff. Considering uncertain pick times and poorly constrained travel times for Pdiff, we estimate this event is at a distance between 107° and 147° from InSight. With magnitudes of MwMa 4.2 and 4.1, respectively, these are the largest seismic events recorded so far on Mars.

The prognostic significance of serum interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) in hormonally dependent breast cancer.

Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) is a pleiotropic immunomodulatory cytokine. Because of its contradictory and even dualistic roles in malignancies, its potential as a biomarker remains to be unraveled. To evaluate the prognostic significance of serum IFN-γ in hormonally treated breast cancer patients. The study included 72 premenopausal breast cancer patients with known clinicopathological characteristics. All patients received adjuvant hormonal therapy based on hormone receptor-positivity. The median follow-up period was 93months. IFN-γ serum protein levels were determined by quantitative ELISA. Prognostic performance was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC), Cox proportional hazards regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses. Classification of patients into IFN-γlow and IFN-γhigh subgroups was performed by the use of the outcome-oriented cut-off point categorization approach. The best prognostic performance was achieved by IFN-γ (AUC=0.24 and p=0.01 for distant events, AUC=0.29 and p=0.01 for local and distant events combined). Age and IFN-γ were prognostically significant in instances of all types of outcomes and IFN-γ was the independent prognostic parameter (Cox regression). There was a significant difference between IFN-γ values of patients without any events and those with distant metastases (Mann-Whitney test, p=0.007). IFN-γ levels correlated significantly with nodal status and tumor stage (Spearman's rank order, r=-0.283 and r=-0.238, respectively). Distant recurrence incidence was 4% for the IFN-γhigh subgroup and 33% for the IFN-γlow subgroup (Kaplan-Meier analysis). Raised serum IFN-γ levels associate independently with favorable disease outcome in hormonally dependent breast cancer.

Central Black Hole Mass in the Distant Tidal Disruption Event Candidate of Swift J2058.4+0516

Abstract In this article, the central black hole (BH) mass in the distant tidal disruption event (TDE) of Swift J2058.4+0516, the second candidate of relativistic jet birth related to a TDE, is estimated. Swift J2058.4+0516 has quite different BH masses estimated through different indirect methods in the literature. Therefore, it is necessary and interesting to determine the central BH mass in Swift J2058.4+0516 by another independent method. Here, based on the theoretical TDE model applied to describe the long-term time-dependent X-ray variabilities of Swift J2058.4+0516, the central BH mass can be well determined to be around 1.05 − 0.29 + 0.39 × 10 5 M ⊙ , after considering the suggested intrinsic beaming effects from such relativistic jets tightly related to TDEs. Moreover, Swift J2058.4+0516 is a unique object in the space of BH masses versus energy transfer efficiencies of the reported TDE candidates, providing interesting clues to detect and/or anticipate candidates of relativistic TDEs that cause the birth of relativistic jets.

Velocity structure of the 50 pc long NGC 6334 filamentary cloud

Context. The interstellar medium is observed to be organized in filamentary structures, and in neutral (H I) and ionized (H II) bubbles. The expanding nature of these bubbles shapes the surrounding medium and possibly plays a role in the formation and evolution of the interstellar filaments. The impact of the expansion of these bubbles on the interstellar medium is not well understood. Aims. Our aim is to describe the kinematics of a filamentary molecular cloud forming high-mass stars and hosting multiple H II regions in order to study the possible environmental impact on the properties of molecular filaments. Methods. We present APEX 13CO and C18O(2–1) mapping observations of the 10 × 50 pc NGC 6334 molecular cloud complex. We investigated the gas velocity structure along and across the 50 pc long cloud and toward velocity-coherent filaments (VCFs). Results. The NGC 6334 complex is observed to have a coherent velocity structure smoothly varying by ~5 km s−1 over its 50 pc elongation parallel to the Galactic plane. We identify a sample of 75 VCFs in the C18O(2–1) position-position-velocity cube and present the properties of 47 VCFs with a length ≳1 pc (five beams). We measure a large number of velocity gradients along the VCFs. The amplitudes of these velocity gradients and the velocity dispersion measured along the crests increase with the column density of the VCFs. We derive the column density and velocity power spectra of the VCFs. These power spectra are well represented with power laws showing similar slopes for the two quantities (with a mean of about −2), although some differ by up to a factor of 2. The position velocity diagrams perpendicular to three VCFs (selected from different physical environments) show the V-shaped velocity pattern corresponding to a bent structure in velocity space with the filament at the tip of the V surrounded by an extended structure connected to it with a velocity gradient. This velocity structure is qualitatively similar to that resulting from numerical simulations of filament formation from large-scale compression from propagating shock fronts. In addition, the radial profiles perpendicular to these VCFs hint to small-scale internal impacts from neighboring H II bubbles on two of them, while the third is mostly unaffected. Conclusions. The observed opposite curvature in velocity space (V- and A-shaped) toward the VCFs points to various origins of large-scale external compressions from propagating H I bubbles. This suggests the plausible importance of multiple H I compressions, separated in space and time, in the formation and evolution of molecular clouds and their star formation history. These atomic compressions due to past and distant star formation events are complemented by the impact of H II bubbles from present time and local star formation activity.

THE EFFECT OF SOCIAL DISTANCE FROM A CONSTRUAL LEVEL THEORY PERSPECTIVE: THE ROLE OF SELF-COMPASSION

The aim of this study is to examine the role of self-compassion in construing socially distant or near events within the framework of Construal Level Theory (CLT). It is hypothesized that as self-compassion scores increase, people who make decisions for themselves will give less importance to low-level features, and those who make suggestions for another person will give less importance to high-level features. In this study, the Self-Compassion Scale, the Behavior Identification Form and the task of choosing an assignment partner was used. Participants who were randomly assigned to one of the two conditions, were asked to either choose an assignment partner themselves or suggest an assignment partner for another person. In addition, they were asked to evaluate the importance of some characteristics of the two possible partners. The participants were 187 students (107 females, 80 males; Mage= 22.37, SDage = 3.10). The mixed ANOVA indicated that the effect of social distance on construal level was in an unexpected direction. Specifically, when individuals chose an assignment partner for themselves, the importance of the high-level feature was significantly greater as compared to the importance of the low-level feature. However, there was no significant difference between attribute importance when individuals made suggestions for another person. Hence, this study did not provide support for the premises of the CLT in general. Bootstrap analyses revealed that the interaction effect of social distance and self-compassion on the importance of the low-level feature was significant. In addition, regression analysis showed the relationship between self-compassion and trait construal level. It can be argued that this study presents a preliminary finding regarding the relationship between self-compassion and construal level.

Cueing on distant conditions before migrating does not prevent false starts: a case study with African elephants.

Migratory animals often use environmental cues to time their seasonal migrations. Local conditions may, however, differ from distant ones, and current conditions may poorly predict future conditions. This may be particularly true for early wet season conditions in tropical systems, as storms and associated rainfall events are generally not predictable at the scale of weeks or days and are heterogeneously distributed even at the scale of a few kilometres. How migratory animals cope with such challenges, and the consequences they may have, remain poorly known. We used time-to-event models based on GPS data from 19 African elephant herds from Hwange National Park (Zimbabwe) to study the effect of local and distant rainfall events on the elephants' decision to initiate their wet season migration. Elephants relied more on distant rainfall events occurring along the future migration route than on local events when initiating their migration. Such ability to use distant cues does not, however, ensure an immediate migration success. In over 30% of the cases, the elephants came back to their dry season range, sometimes after having travelled > 80% of the expected migration distance. This happened particularly when there was little additional rain falling during the migration. All elephants successfully migrated later in the season. Our study improves the understanding of the migratory ecology of elephants. More broadly, it raises questions about the reliability of rainfall as a migratory cue in tropical systems, and shed light on one of its potential consequences, the poorly quantified phenomenon of migration false starts.

Distributed acoustic sensing as a tool for subsurface mapping and seismic event monitoring: a proof of concept

Abstract. We use PoroTomo experimental data to compare the performance of distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) and geophone observations in retrieving data to execute standard subsurface mapping and seismic monitoring activities. The PoroTomo experiment consists of two “seismic systems”: (a) a 8.6 km long optical fibre cable deployed across the Brady geothermal field and covering an area of 1.5 × 0.5 km with 100 m long segments and (b) a co-located array of 238 geophones with an average spacing of 60 m. The PoroTomo experiment recorded continuous seismic data between 10 and 25 March 2016. During this period, a Ml 4.3 regional event occurred in the southeast, about 150 km away from the geothermal field, together with several microseismic local events related to the geothermal activity. The seismic waves generated from such seismic events have been used as input data in this study to tackle similarities and differences between DAS and geophone recordings of such wavefronts. To assess the quality of data for subsurface mapping tasks, we measure the propagation of the P wave generated by the regional event across the geothermal field in both seismic systems in term of relative time delays, for a number of configurations and segments. Additionally, we analyse and compare the amplitude and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the P wave in the two systems at high resolution. For testing the potential of DAS data in seismic event locations, we first perform an analysis of the geophone data to retrieve a reference location of a microseismic event, based on expert opinion. Then, we a adopt different workflow for the automatic location of the same microseismic event using DAS data. To assess the quality of the data for tasks related to monitoring distant events, we retrieve both the propagation direction and apparent velocity of the wave field generated by the Ml 4.3 regional event, using a standard plane-wave-fitting approach applied to DAS data. Our results indicate that (1) at a local scale, the seismic P-wave propagation (i.e. time delays) and their characteristics (i.e. SNR and amplitude) along a single cable segment are robustly consistent with recordings from co-located geophones (delay times δt∼0.3 over 400 m for both seismic systems); (2) the DAS and nodal arrays are in mutual agreement when it comes to site amplifications, but it is not immediately clear which geological features are responsible for these amplifications. DAS could therefore hold potential for detailed mapping of shallow subsurface heterogeneities, but with the currently available information of the Brady Hot Springs subsurface geology, this potential cannot be quantitatively verified; (3) the interpretation of seismic wave propagation across multiple separated segments is less clear due to the heavy contamination of scattering sources and local velocity heterogeneities; nonetheless, results from the plane-wave-fitting approach still indicate the possibility for a consistent detection and location of the distant event; (4) automatic monitoring of microseismicity can be performed with DAS recordings with results comparable to manual analysis of geophone recordings in the case of events within or close to the DAS system (i.e. maximum horizontal error on event location around 70 m for both geophone and DAS data); and (5) DAS data preconditioning (e.g. temporal subsampling and channel stacking) and dedicated processing techniques are strictly necessary for making seismic monitoring procedures feasible and trustable.

The Politics of Pluralism: Historians and Easter 2016

The Politics of Pluralism:Historians and Easter 2016* Fearghal McGarry (bio) What historian of revolutionary Ireland can claim to have remained utterly impervious to seduction during the current orgy of centennial commemoration? The study of how distant events have been remembered is suddenly both popular and profitable, offering almost irresistible attractions. … The hard questions of history (what actually happened and who thought what, why, and with what consequences) are neatly avoided. Released from tiresome delving into the distant past, historians easily mutate into columnists and pundits, accorded spurious authority because of their past credentials as scholars. —david fitzpatrick1 Historians should not be cultural critics or advisors. Their job is to write history and to critique the work of fellow historians. —nicholas canny2 In Ireland—and far beyond—the centenary of the Easter Rising in 2016 was hailed as "an extraordinary success."3 Remembering the Rising may have meant little more than a good day out for many, but broad participation from the arts-and-heritage sectors, academics, and local communities ensured a vibrant program of events that commemorated the rebellion from almost every conceivable angle. Its success was in part a result of the Irish government's innovative [End Page 25] commemorative program, but it was also driven by popular enthusiasm. Some 250,000 people observed the formal ceremony outside the General Post Office (GPO) on Easter Sunday, while a remarkable 750,000 participants attended Reflecting the Rising, Ireland's largest-ever public history festival, on the following day. Aside from its popularity, the most striking aspect of the centenary was its pluralism, which foregrounded previously overlooked perspectives such as the role of women.4 The Irish Times praised the government's program for transcending the narrow nationalism that it associated with previous anniversaries: Those men and women in the uniform of our army marching yesterday were much more than a romantic gesture to the past or nod to the dead generations—they are an assertion of sovereignty, of maturity, and success as a state despite the difficult times. Independent. Democratic. Tolerant. European. Of many faiths and none. Most importantly, a state in which our multiple identities are interwoven. … One stream, the physical-force tradition, is inextricably associated with 1916. But it is, and was, only an element, and very much a minority element, whose importance is not in this commemoration of one week in a decade of revolution being privileged.5 There was broad media consensus that the Irish state had successfully reframed the legacy of Easter 1916. The Irish Times columnist Miriam Lord noted the government's success not merely in engaging the public but also in navigating the treacherous minefield that is commemoration of republican violence: "It was truly a great day for Ireland; a great day to be Irish. … [Y]esterday's dignified and uplifting commemoration confounded the cynics. In its tone and execution it hit all the right notes."6 Similarly, press coverage of Reflecting the Rising also emphasized the festival's popularity and its pluralism: The Rising was recalled by way of readings, lectures, debates, theatre, film, dance, exhibitions, concerts, and reenactments. … Perhaps most significant of all were the spoken words which underlined our new-found ability to challenge views of history and yet accept there [End Page 26] is more than one definition of Irish freedom. … The contrast with the inevitably narrower focus of 1966 is marked. … It was clear on this anniversary the approach to the Rising was one of inclusivity with the application of what the president [Michael D. Higgins] cited as "ethical sensitivity."7 In a feature headlined "Peaceful Path to Marking 1916 Easter Rising," the New York Times identified the Necrology Wall—a new memorial at Glasnevin cemetery inscribed with the names of 488 of the rebellion's fatalities regardless of their status as rebels, Crown forces, or civilians—as epitomizing this sensitive engagement with a contested past.8 The Irish state, it seemed, had finally cracked the problem of how to remember its violent origins without alienating those (including among its own elite) who did not identify with the "physical-force" republican tradition. A new commemorative mode, identified with emollient terminology such as "shared...