bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The benefits of betahistine or vestibular rehabilitation (Tetrax biofeedback) on the quality of life and fall risk in patients with Ménière's disease
Authors: Liu J L , Liu J G , Chen X B , Liu Y H 
Published: December 2020

AbstractObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the benefits of betahistine or vestibular rehabilitation (Tetrax biofeedback) on the quality of life and fall risk in patients with Ménière's disease.MethodsSixty-six patients with Ménière's disease were randomly divided into three groups: betahistine, Tetrax and control groups. Patients’ Dizziness Handicap Index and Tetrax fall index scores were obtained before and after treatment.ResultsPatients in the betahistine and Tetrax groups showed significant improvements in Dizziness Handicap Index and fall index scores after treatment versus before treatment (p < 0.05). The improvements in the Tetrax group were significantly greater than those in the betahistine group (p < 0.05).ConclusionsBetahistine and vestibular rehabilitation (Tetrax biofeedback) improve the quality of life and reduce the risk of falling in patients with Ménière's disease. Vestibular rehabilitation (Tetrax biofeedback) is an effective management method for Ménière's disease.
Cosmopolitan Capitalists and Colonial Rule. The business structure and corporate culture of the Swiss merchant house Volkart Bros., 1850s–1960s
Authors: DEJUNG CHRISTOF 
Published: December 2020

AbstractThis article examines the history of the Swiss merchant house Volkart Bros., which was one of the most important exporters of Indian raw cotton and one of the biggest trading firms in South Asia during the colonial period. The study allows for a fresh look at Indian economic history by putting forth two main arguments. First, it charts the history of a continental European firm that was active in South Asia to offer a better understanding of the economic entanglements of the subcontinent with the wider world, which often had a reach beyond the empire. This ties in with recent research initiatives that aim to examine the history of imperialism from a transnational perspective. Second, the history of a private company helps in developing a micro-perspective on the often ambiguous relation between the business goals of individual enterprises and colonial rule. The article argues that this may be evidence of the fact that capitalism and imperialism were two different, although sometimes converging, spatial structures, each with a distinct logic of its own. What is more, the positive interactions between European and Indian businessmen, fostered by a cosmopolitan attitude among business elites, point to the fact that even in the age of empire, the class background of actors could be more important for the establishing of cooperative ventures than the colour of their skin or their geographical origin. It is argued that this offers the possibility of examining the history of world trade in terms of global social history.
Open-mindedness as a Corrective Virtue
Authors: Alsharif Hassan , Symons John 
Published: December 2020

AbstractThis paper argues that open-mindedness is a corrective virtue. It serves as a corrective to the epistemic vice of confirmation bias. Specifically, open-mindedness is the epistemically virtuous disposition to resist the negative effects of confirmation bias on our ability to reason well and to evaluate evidence and arguments. As part of the defense and presentation of our account, we explore four discussions of open-mindedness in the recent literature. All four approaches have strengths and shed light on aspects of the virtue of open-mindedness. Each mentions various symptoms of confirmation bias and some explore aspects of the corrective role of open-mindedness. However, ours is the first to explicitly identify open-mindedness as a corrective virtue to the specific epistemic vice of confirmation bias. We show how the corrective account also permits a response to the concern that open-mindedness might not actually count as a virtue.
Links between language and executive functions in Swedish preschool children: A pilot study
Authors: Tonér Signe , Nilsson Gerholm Tove 
Published: December 2020

AbstractLanguage skills and executive functions (EF) undergo rapid development during preschool years and are foundational for a wide range of life outcomes but little is known of the connections between language and EF in Swedish, typically developing children. The current pilot study included 47 mono- and multilingual children aged 4–6 and aimed at describing the relationship between language and EF and investigating potential associations to age, sex, bi-/multilingualism, socioeconomic status (SES), and aspects of preschool attendance. Measures of language and EF correlated with one another to a large extent, but also showed some differentiation, suggesting a specific link between morphosyntactic ability and inhibition. Age was a significant predictor of most but not all measures. No significant effects of sex were found, with the exception for a female advantage in nonverbal communicative behavior, assessed by a novel rating paradigm. SES did not predict language or EF, and bi- and/or multilingual children did not differ from monolingual Swedish children on language or EF measures. Findings are discussed in relation to the connection between language and EF as well as to the needs of development of reliable language, EF, and communication measures for use in the Swedish context.
Why Impossible Options Are Better: Consequentializing Dilemmas
Authors: Talbot Brian 
Published: December 2020

AbstractTo consequentialize a deontological moral theory is to give a theory which issues the same moral verdicts, but explains those verdicts in terms of maximizing or satisficing value. There are many motivations for consequentializing: to reconcile plausible ideas behind deontology with plausible ideas behind consequentialism, to help us better understand deontological theories, or to extend deontological theories beyond what intuitions alone tell us. It has proven difficult to consequentialize theories that allow for moral dilemmas or that deny that “ought” implies “can.” This article argues that the problem is best solved by allowing impossible actions as inputs into consequentializations. It shows that all other approaches that have been advocated are inadequate. It also argues that progress in consequentialization, and in formal ethics more generally, requires thinking about more than just wrongness and permissibility; we should think about contrary-to-duty obligations and degrees of wrongness as well.
Elevated tau and β-amyloid in the serum of fibromyalgia patients
Authors: Thi Nguy Bich-Hanh , Liu Wen-Te , Chang Yu-Tai , Lin Chih-Peng , Kang Jiunn-Horng 
Published: December 2020

AbstractObjectiveFibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic widespread pain syndrome. Although its mechanism remains relatively unknown, accelerated neurodegeneration in the brain has been reported in patients with FM. Sleep disturbance can increase the risk of neurocognitive disorders, which are associated with tau and beta-amyloid (Aβ) protein accumulation. We hypothesize neurodegeneration in patients with FM may be associated with sleep disturbance.MethodsIn this case-control study, we analyzed serum tau and Aβ levels and their association with symptom profiles for patients with FM, by recruiting 22 patients with FM and 22 age-matched healthy participants. The visual analog scale, Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, pressure pain threshold test, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Beck Depression Inventory-II, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and serum tau and beta-amyloid-42 (Aβ-42) levels were recorded. The Mann–Whitney test was conducted to compare questionnaire and protein level results between the groups. Pearson correlation test was conducted to investigate the correlation of questionnaire scores with tau and Aβ-42 levels in patients with FM. The significance level was set at P < .05.ResultsSerum tau and Aβ-42 levels were significantly higher in patients with FM than in controls. A positive correlation between serum tau levels and PSQI scores was observed in patients with FM (r = 0.476, P = .025). We found that only sleep disturbance in patients with FM was significantly associated with higher serum tau levels among all symptom scores.ConclusionsWe suggest sleep disturbance may play a vital role in the pathomechanism of accelerated neurodegeneration in FM.
The prevalence rates and sequelae of delirium at age older than 90 years
Authors: Gehrke Samuel , Bode Leonie , Seiler Annina , Ernst Jutta , von Känel Roland , Boettger Soenke 
Published: December 2020

AbstractObjectiveAlthough age and pre-existent dementia are robust risk factors for developing delirium, evidence for patients older than 90 years is lacking. Therefore, this study assesses the delirium prevalence rates and sequelae in this age group.MethodBased on a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-5, Delirium Observation screening scale (DOS), and Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist (ICDSC) construct, in this prospective cohort study, the prevalence rates and sequelae of delirium were determined in 428 patients older than 90 years by simple logistic regressions and corresponding odds ratios (ORs).ResultsThe overall prevalence delirium rate was 45.2%, with a wide range depending upon specialty: intermediate and intensive care services (83.1%), plastic surgery and palliative care (75%), neurology (72%), internal medicine (69%) vs. dermatology (26.5%), and angiology (14.5%). Delirium occurred irrespective of age and gender; however, pre-existent dementia was the strongest delirium predictor (OR 36.05). Delirious patients were less commonly admitted from home (OR 0.47) than from assisted living (OR 2.24), indicating functional impairment. These patients were more severely ill, as indicated by emergency (OR 3.25) vs. elective admission (OR 0.3), requirement for intensive care management (OR 2.12) and ventilation (OR 5.56–8.33). At discharge, one-third did not return home (OR 0.22) and almost half were transferred to assisted living (OR 2.63), or deceased (OR 47.76).Significance of resultsAt age older than 90 years, the prevalence and sequelae of delirium are substantial. In particular, functional impairment and pre-existent dementia predicted delirium and subsequently, the loss of independence and death were imminent.
A compact UWB antenna with triple band notch reconfigurability
Authors: Li Lei , Nan Jingchang , Liu Jing , Tao Chengjian 
Published: December 2020

AbstractA compact ultrawideband (UWB) antenna with reconfigurable triple band notch characteristics is proposed in this paper. The antenna consists of a coplanar waveguide-fed top-cut circular-shaped radiator with two etched C-shaped slots, a pair of split-ring resonators (SRRs) on the backside and four p-type intrinsic n-type (PIN) diodes integrated in the slots and SRRs. By controlling the current distribution in the slots and SRRs, the antenna can realize eight band notch states with independent switch ability, which allows UWB to coexist with 5G (3.3–4.4 GHz)/WiMAX (3.3–3.6 GHz), WLAN (5.15–5.825 GHz), and X-band (7.9–8.4 GHz) bands without interference. By utilizing a nested structure of C-shaped slots and SRRs on the backside, a compact size of 18 × 19.5 mm2 is achieved along with multimode triple band notch reconfigurability. The antenna covers a bandwidth of 3.1–10.6 GHz. A prototype is fabricated and tested. The simulated and experimental results are in good agreement.
Kant, cosmopolitanism and systems of constitutional justice in Europe and beyond
Authors: STONE SWEET ALEC , RYAN CLARE 
Published: December 2020

AbstractInA Cosmopolitan Legal Order: Kant, Constitutional Justice, and the ECHR, we sought to demonstrate the power of Kantian theory to explain – or at least meaningfully illuminate – (1) the defining characteristics of modern, rights-based constitutionalism; (2) the evolving law, politics and constitutional architecture of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR); and (3) the emergence of a global, cosmopolitan commons, featuring inter-judicial dialogue at its core. This article responds to contributors to the special symposium on the book. In Part I, we defend our account of a Kantian-congruent, domestic system of constitutional justice. Part II reflects on the ECHR as an instantiation of a cosmopolitan legal order, and on the European Court’s case law – particularly its enforcement of the proportionality principle. In Part III, we assess the evidence in support of a broader ‘constitutionalization’ of international human rights law.
The Presence and Widespread Distribution of Dark Sediment in Greenland Ice Sheet Supraglacial Streams Implies Substantial Impact of Microbial Communities on Sediment Deposition and Albedo
Authors: Leidman Sasha Z. , Rennermalm Åsa K. , Muthyala Rohi , Guo Qizhong , Overeem Irina 
Published: December 2020

AbstractMelting on the Greenland Ice Sheet leads to extensive supraglacial stream networks. These streams accumulate low‐albedo sediments disproportionately contribute to melting. Studies analyzing supraglacial sediment distribution and hydrodynamic properties are rare. Here, we examine a 130‐m supraglacial stream reach in southwest Greenland using drone imagery, bathymetry, and hydrology measurements from 2017. Sediment covered 24% of the channel and had a mass‐median diameter of 0.027 mm. We applied calculations of critical Shields stress to determine the minimum water depth needed to initiate sediment movement. In order for theoretical critical water depths to match observed depths, sediment grains would need to be 2.48 mm (near the grain size for cryoconite granules) indicating that microbial growth within sediment caused extensive flocculation. Without flocculation, sediment would flush out of floodplains and supraglacial streams would have significantly higher albedos. Supraglacial stream albedo might therefore be sensitive to changing stream chemistry, temperature, and meltwater supply.
The Color of Rivers
Authors: Gardner John R. , Yang Xiao , Topp Simon N. , Ross Matthew R. V. , Altenau Elizabeth H. , Pavelsky Tamlin M. 
Published: December 2020

AbstractRivers are among the most imperiled ecosystems globally, yet we do not have broad‐scale understanding of their changing ecology because most are rarely sampled. Water color, as perceived by the human eye, is an integrative measure of water quality directly observed by satellites. We examined patterns in river color between 1984 and 2018 by building a remote sensing database of surface reflectance, RiverSR, extracted from 234,727 Landsat images covering 108,000 kilometers of rivers > 60 m wide in the contiguous USA. We found 1) broad regional patterns in river color, with 56% of observations dominantly yellow and 38% dominantly green; 2) river color has three distinct seasonal patterns that were synchronous with flow regimes; 3) one third of rivers had significant color shifts over the last 35 years. RiverSR provides the first map of river color and new insights into macrosystems ecology of rivers.
Insights From the Particle Impact Model Into the High‐Frequency Seismic Signature of Debris Flows
Authors: Zhang Zhen , Walter Fabian , McArdell Brian W. , Wenner Michaela , Chmiel Małgorzata , de Haas Tjalling , He Siming 
Published: December 2020

AbstractDebris flows induce seismic ground unrest detectable over large distances. However, recent theoretical description of debris‐flow seismograms has yet to be implemented in alarm systems. Here, we test the implications of a particle impact model for debris‐flow detection and warning using seismic data. We analyze 14 debris flows at Illgraben, Switzerland, using instantaneous weight measurements, a seismic network and video footage. A novel approach to simulate seismic wave propagation estimates both vertical and horizontal particle impact forces on the ground. Scaling between impact forces, weight, and particle sizes suggests that seismic data identify destructive debris flows with large boulders. Impact force spectra change with bed topography and increase during flow propagation of large events, but decrease for smaller events. This can be explained with the known conveyor mechanism concentrating boulders at the flow front. Our results highlight opportunities to use seismic data for debris‐flow research and warning.
The Sliding Ice Incision Model: A New Approach to Understanding Glacial Landscape Evolution
Authors: Deal Eric , Prasicek Günther 
Published: December 2020

AbstractAnalytical long‐profile models of fluvial incision are fundamental in geomorphology for building intuition about long‐term landscape evolution and interpreting the climatic and tectonic histories of landscapes. However, analogous models are missing for glaciers, despite the fact that glaciers are important and widespread agents of physical erosion. We introduce a new model of glacial erosion in terms of catchment area, ice accumulation rate, and ice surface slope in a form that is similar to the classic stream power incision model for fluvial erosion. We derive an analytical solution for coupled glacial‐fluvial networks under steady‐state climate and uplift, predict an ice surface slope–catchment area power‐law relationship, and predict the scaling of orogen relief with uplift rate. Finally, we note that this theory should enable glacial landscape evolution models that rival modern fluvial models in efficiency.
Multifunctional Products of Isoprene Oxidation in Polluted Atmosphere and Their Contribution to SOA
Authors: Xu Z. N. , Nie W. , Liu Y. L. , Sun P. , Huang D. D. , Yan C. , Krechmer J. , Ye P. L. , Xu Z. , Qi X. M. , Zhu C. J. , Li Y. Y. , Wang T. Y. , Wang L. , Huang X. , Tang R. Z. , Guo S. , Xiu G. L. , Fu Q. Y. , Worsnop D. , Chi X. G. , Ding A. J. 
Published: December 2020

AbstractIsoprene (2‐methyl‐1, 3‐butadiene) is a nonmethane volatile organic compound (VOC) with the largest global emission and high reactivity. The oxidation of isoprene is crucial to atmospheric photochemistry and contributes significantly to the global formation of secondary organic aerosol. Here, we conducted comprehensive observations in polluted megacities of Nanjing and Shanghai during summer of 2018. We identified multiple functionalized isoprene oxidation products, of which 72% and 88% of the total mole concentration were nitrogen‐containing species with the dominant compound being C5 dihydroxyl dinitrate (C5H10N2O8). We calculated the volatility using the group‐contribution method and estimated the particle‐phase concentration by equilibrium gas/particle partitioning. The results showed that the multifunctional products derived from isoprene oxidation can contribute to 2.6% of the total organic aerosol mass (0.28 ± 0.27 μg/m3), highlighting the potential importance of isoprene oxidation in polluted regions.
Oxygen Isotopic Signatures of Major Climate Modes and Implications for Detectability in Speleothems
Authors: Midhun M. , Stevenson S. , Cole J. E. 
Published: December 2020

AbstractNatural and social systems worldwide are impacted by climate modes such as the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), making it imperative to understand their sensitivity to climate change. Paleoclimate studies extend the observational climate baseline, and speleothem records (δ18Ospel) are a common data source. However, relationships between δ18Ospel and climate modes are uncertain; climate models provide a way to test the strength and stability of these relationships. Here, we use the isotope‐enabled Community Earth System Model's Last Millennium Ensemble combined with a forward proxy model to delineate the global expression of modal variability in “pseudo‐stalagmite” (δ18Ospel) records worldwide. The modeled δ18Ospel spatially correlates with modal signatures. However, substantial changes in modal variance only modestly affect individual δ18Ospel variance. A network of δ18Ospel records, particularly one that straddles the Pacific, significantly improves the reconstructability of ENSO variance.
Infrequent, Rapid Transport Pathways to the Summer North American Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere
Authors: Wang Xinyue , Randel William , Wu Yutian 
Published: December 2020

AbstractTransport pathways from the Northern Hemisphere surface into the North American upper troposphere‐lower stratosphere (NA UTLS) during summertime are diagnosed from Boundary Impulse Response idealized tracers implemented at the Northern Hemisphere surface. In ensemble average, air masses enter the NA UTLS region via deep convection above Central America, and then slowly mix into the higher latitudes. However, fast transport pathways with a modal age around two weeks are evident in some tracer ensembles. For these rapid transport pathways, the tracers first reach the UTLS region over the eastern Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico as a result of enhanced deep convection and vertical advection, followed by horizontal transport over the United States by a stronger than normal UTLS anticyclone circulation.
Rate‐Dependent Hysteresis of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation System and Its Asymmetric Loop
Authors: An Soon‐Il , Kim Hyo‐Jeong , Kim Soong‐Ki 
Published: December 2020

AbstractAbrupt climate changes have occurred repeatedly in the past when the Earth climate system was forced across a threshold. A hysteresis with saddle nodes is the best means to explain the abruptness of a climate system. Here, we study the dynamic hysteresis of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) with a Stommel's box model and an Earth system model subject to a freshwater flux forcing (FWF). In Stommel's box model, the area of the hysteresis loop increases with increasing FWF frequency, and thus an abrupt transition from the off‐state to the on‐state of the AMOC (opposite) occurs at lower (higher) FWF than in static hysteresis, referring a “lagged tipping.” In the Earth system model, the expansion/contraction of the hysteresis loop area as a function of FWF frequency is also observed. However, abruptness in the hysteresis is highly distinct in the off‐to‐on state than the on‐to‐off state due to asymmetric salt‐advection feedback.
Multisatellite Imaging of a Gas Well Blowout Enables Quantification of Total Methane Emissions
Authors: Cusworth Daniel H. , Duren Riley M. , Thorpe Andrew K. , Pandey Sudhanshu , Maasakkers Joannes D. , Aben Ilse , Jervis Dylan , Varon Daniel J. , Jacob Daniel J. , Randles Cynthia A. , Gautam Ritesh , Omara Mark , Schade Gunnar W. , Dennison Philip E. , Frankenberg Christian , Gordon Deborah , Lopinto Ettore , Miller Charles E. 
Published: December 2020

AbstractIncidents involving loss of control of oil/gas wells can result in large but variable emissions whose impact on the global methane budget is currently unknown. On November 1, 2019, a gas well blowout was reported in the Eagle Ford Shale. By combining satellite observations at different spatial and temporal scales, we quantified emissions 10 times during the 20‐day event. Our multisatellite synthesis captures both the short‐term dynamics and total integrated emissions of the blowout. Such detailed event characterization was previously not possible from space and difficult to do with surface measurements. We present 30‐m methane and carbon dioxide plumes from the PRISMA satellite, which let us estimate flare combustion efficiency (87%). Integrating emissions across all satellites, we estimate 4,800 ± 980 metric tons lost methane. Blowouts occur across the globe and multisatellite observations can help to determine their pervasiveness, enable corrective action, and quantify their contribution to global methane budgets.