bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Remediation of mercury-contaminated soils and sediments using biochar: a critical review
Authors: Yang Qian , Wang Yongjie , Zhong Huan 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe transformation of mercury (Hg) into the more toxic and bioaccumulative form methylmercury (MeHg) in soils and sediments can lead to the biomagnification of MeHg through the food chain, which poses ecological and health risks. In the last decade, biochar application, an in situ remediation technique, has been shown to be effective in mitigating the risks from Hg in soils and sediments. However, uncertainties associated with biochar use and its underlying mechanisms remain. Here, we summarize recent studies on the effects and advantages of biochar amendment related to Hg biogeochemistry and its bioavailability in soils and sediments and systematically analyze the progress made in understanding the underlying mechanisms responsible for reductions in Hg bioaccumulation. The existing literature indicates (1) that biochar application decreases the mobility of inorganic Hg in soils and sediments and (2) that biochar can reduce the bioavailability of MeHg and its accumulation in crops but has a complex effect on net MeHg production. In this review, two main mechanisms, a direct mechanism (e.g., Hg-biochar binding) and an indirect mechanism (e.g., biochar-impacted sulfur cycling and thus Hg-soil binding), that explain the reduction in Hg bioavailability by biochar amendment based on the interactions among biochar, soil and Hg under redox conditions are highlighted. Furthermore, the existing problems with the use of biochar to treat Hg-contaminated soils and sediments, such as the appropriate dose and the long-term effectiveness of biochar, are discussed. Further research involving laboratory tests and field applications is necessary to obtain a mechanistic understanding of the role of biochar in reducing Hg bioavailability in diverse soil types under varying redox conditions and to develop completely green and sustainable biochar-based functional materials for mitigating Hg-related health risks.
The meaning of absence: the primate tree that did not make it into Darwin'sThe Descent of Man
Authors: Sommer Marianne 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThis paper engages with a specific image: Darwin's tree of the primates. Although this diagram was sketched in ink on paper in 1868, it did not make it into the publication ofThe Descent of Man(1871). This may seem all the more in need of an explanation because, as Adrian Desmond and James Moore have shown, Darwin strongly relied on the notion of familial genealogy in the development of his theory of organismic evolution, or rather descent. However, Darwin expressed scepticism towards visualizations of phylogenies in correspondence with Ernst Haeckel and in fact also inDescent, considering such representations at once too speculative and too concrete. An abstraction such as a tree diagram left little room to ponder possibilities or demarcate hypotheses from evidence. I thus bring Darwin's primate tree into communication with his view on primate and human phylogeny as formulated inDescent, including his rejection of polygenism. I argue that considering the tree's inherent teleology, as well as its power to suggest species status of human populations and to reify ‘racial’ hierarchies, the absence of the diagram inThe Descent of Manmay be a significant statement.
The probable and the nonarbitrary: evidential foundations for a finding of guilt
Authors: Levanon Liat 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe paper explores the use of statistical data and statistical assumptions as evidence in criminal trials. It is suggested that a finding of guilt includes not only its main factual proposition but also additional propositions that support and affirm it. Specifically, it includes not only the proposition that the defendant committed the offence but also the additional affirming proposition that it is this defendant rather than any other potential defendant who committed the offence (the ‘D rather than A’ proposition). Some statistical generalisations provide reasons in defence of the main proposition but not in defence of the affirming proposition, which then remains random or arbitrary. Yet since criminal convictions include a moral judgement, they cannot be justified where some of their propositions are arbitrary. Accordingly, such statistical generalisations cannot justify a criminal conviction.
Altered neural activities during response inhibition in adults with addiction: a voxel-wise meta-analysis
Authors: Qiu Zeguo , Wang Junjing 
Published: February 2021

AbstractBackgroundPrevious literature has extensively investigated the brain activity during response inhibition in adults with addiction. Inconsistent results including both hyper- and hypo-activities in the fronto-parietal network (FPN) and the ventral attention network (VAN) have been found in adults with addictions, compared with healthy controls (HCs).MethodsVoxel-wise meta-analyses of abnormal task-evoked regional activity were conducted for adults with substance dependence (SD) and behavioral addiction during response inhibition tasks to solve previous inconsistencies. Twenty-three functional magnetic resonance imaging studies including 479 substance users, 38 individuals with behavioral addiction and 494 HCs were identified.ResultsCompared with HCs, all addictions showed hypo-activities in regions within FPN (inferior frontal gyrus and supramarginal gyrus) and VAN (inferior frontal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, temporal pole and insula), and hyper-activities in the cerebellum during response inhibition. SD subgroup showed almost the same activity patterns, with an additional hypoactivation of the precentral gyrus, compared with HCs. Stronger activation of the cerebellum was associated with longer addiction duration for adults with SD. We could not conduct meta-analytic investigations into the behavioral addiction subgroup due to the small number of datasets.ConclusionThis meta-analysis revealed altered activation of FPN, VAN and the cerebellum in adults with addiction during response inhibition tasks using non-addiction-related stimuli. Although FPN and VAN showed lower activity, the cerebellum exhibited stronger activity. These results may help to understand the neural pathology of response inhibition in addiction.
Size matters: locality of residence and media use in later life
Authors: Rosenberg Dennis , Nimrod Galit 
Published: February 2021

AbstractVarious factors determine the use of media in later life. Nevertheless, spatial inequalities among older media users have been accorded little attention in academic research. This study aimed to explore differences in variety (number) and intensity (duration) of both traditional and new media use among older adults residing in various types of localities. Data were obtained from the second wave of the ACT (Ageing + Communication + Technology) cross-national survey, comprising 7,927 internet users aged 60 and over from seven countries. The statistical analyses used in the study were chi-square and analysis of variance tests, and linear regression as a multivariate technique. The results indicated that spatial differences concern variety of media use to a greater extent than its intensity, especially with regard to use of traditional media via new devices. Overall, residents of large cities exhibited greater variety and intensity of media use than did their counterparts from smaller localities, especially rural ones. These findings supported the social stratification hypothesis – according to which individuals from more-privileged social backgrounds have better media literacy, use media to a greater extent and benefit from its use more than people from disadvantaged groups. The findings should be considered by practitioners and policy makers.
Energy-Efficient Bipedal Walking: From Single-Mass Model to Three-Mass Model
Authors: Ding Jiatao , Zhou Jiangchen , Guo Zhao , Xiao Xiaohui 
Published: February 2021

SUMMARYThe work aims to realize energy-efficient bipedal walking by employing the three-mass inverted pendulum model (3MIPM) and compare its energy performance with linear inverted pendulum model (LIPM). To do this, a general optimal index on center of mass (CoM) acceleration is first derived for energetic cost evaluation. After defining the equivalent zero moment point (ZMP) motion, an unconstrained optimization approach for CoM generation is extended for 3MIPM, which can track different ZMP references and address the height variation as well. To make use of the allowable ZMP movement, a constrained optimization method is also employed, contributing to lower energetic cost. Simulation and hardware experiments on a humanoid robot demonstrate that the 3MIPM could achieve higher energy efficiency.
Sex Work and Stigma Management in China and Hong Kong: The Role of State Policy and NGO Advocacy
Authors: Choi Susanne Y.P. , Lai Ruby Y.S. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThis paper examines the impacts of state policies and NGO advocacy on female sex workers’ identity and how they manage stigma. Comparing three groups of sex workers – those born and working in mainland China, those born and working in Hong Kong, and those born in mainland China who later migrated to Hong Kong and entered the sex industry – this paper suggests that differences in state policies on prostitution and the different degrees of visibility of NGOs campaigning for sex workers’ rights are related to three strategies used by sex workers to construct a positive self-image to counteract the stigma they face: gendered obligation fulfilment, professional work and responsible citizenship. The paper illustrates that stigmatized-identity management involves complex relationships among individual interpretation, selection and mobilization of gender, work and citizenship scripts, which are contingent on structural features of the environment and may change during migration and relocation.
Economic Statecraft: Is There a Sub-National Dimension? Evidence from United States–China Rivalry
Authors: Evenett Simon J. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractUsing detailed information on policy interventions by US sub-national governments between 2009 and 2019, the contribution of such public bodies to Sino-US geopolitical rivalry is examined, in particular since President Trump took office in 2017. While US sub-national governments accounted for 28% of all US policy interventions that harmed Chinese commercial interests, awarding firm-specific subsidies in 88% of cases, the timing and sectoral incidence of such intervention suggests that economic statecraft considerations could only be part of the explanation for their actions. Ironically, the interventions of US sub-national governments and their weak commitment to transparency have much in common with their frequently maligned Chinese counterparts.
FREGE’S THEORY OF REAL NUMBERS: A CONSISTENT RENDERING
Authors: BOCCUNI FRANCESCA , PANZA MARCO 
Published: February 2021

AbstractFrege’s definition of the real numbers, as envisaged in the second volume of Grundgesetze der Arithmetik, is fatally flawed by the inconsistency of Frege’s ill-fated Basic Law V. We restate Frege’s definition in a consistent logical framework and investigate whether it can provide a logical foundation of real analysis. Our conclusion will deem it doubtful that such a foundation along the lines of Frege’s own indications is possible at all.
High isolation 4-element ACS-fed MIMO antenna with band notched feature for UWB communications
Authors: Ibrahim Ahmed A. , Ali Wael A. E. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractIn this paper, a compact 4-port band-notched multi-input-multi-output (MIMO) antenna with asymmetric coplanar strip (ACS) feed is presented for ultra-wide band (UWB) applications. The MIMO antenna is comprised of four semi-elliptical radiators with ACS feed for UWB applications and it is printed on inexpensive FR4 substrate of size 48 × 52 mm2 with ɛr = 4.4 and 1.6 mm height. The impedance characteristics of the suggested MIMO antenna ranges from 2.7 to 11 GHz with a band-notched behavior from 3 to 4 GHz to reduce the interception with WiMAX applications, and the isolation level over the achieved band is more than 20 dB between any two adjacent elements. Moreover, the radiation pattern of the proposed UWB antenna is almost omnidirectional with an average realized gain of 3.5 dBi over the entire achieved frequency band. The proposed ACS-fed antenna is confirmed by fabricating and measuring it's impedance and radiation characteristics. Finally, good consistency between simulation and measured outcomes is obtained confirming the validity of the MIMO antenna for real-life UWB wireless systems.
Frequency and anatomic distribution of arterial obstructions in	patients with vasculogenic erectile dysfunction not responding to intracavernous	prostaglandin
Authors: Mohan Vignes , Sangiorgi Giuseppe , Knöchel Jonas , Keo Hak-Hong , Schönhofen Jan , Schumacher Martin C. , Schönhofen Heinz , Kalka Christoph , Diehm Nicolas 
Published: February 2021

Summary: Background: The extent of arterial disease in patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) non-responsive to intracavernosal injection of Alprostadil is of importance for therapeutic options. However, published evidence, in particular angiographically validated is scarce. Here we investigated arterial lesion patterns in this specific patient cohort by selective angiography. Patients and methods: A cohort of 239 patients received a clinical and duplex-sonographic workup for ED of suspected vascular origin. Duplex ultrasound of the cavernosal arteries was performed after intracavernosal injection of 10 μg Alprostadil. Consequently, standardized workup included grading of the erectile and determination of peak systolic velocity (PSV) and end-diastolic velocity (EDV) in both cavernosal arteries. PSV-values below 30 cm/sec indicated reduced arterial flow, whereas EDV-values above 15 cm/sec indicated a venous leak of the pudendal veins. All patients with suspected arterial ED based on duplex sonography underwent contrast-enhanced computed tomography. Endovascular therapy was carried out in ED patients not responsive or with significant side effects to PDE-5-inhibitors or Alprostadil by selective angiographic depiction of erection-related arteries. Results: 54 patients with a mean age of 61.2 (±9.8) years underwent angioplasty of erectionr elated arteries. Out of these 48/54 (89%) patients presented with an erection considered insufficient for penetration (E0-E3) subsequent to intracavernous application of 10 μg Alprostadil. 14/48 (29%) patients had bilateral arterial obstructions and 34/48 (71%) had unilateral disease. Commonly affected was the internal pudendal artery (n = 31, 65%), followed closely by the common penile artery (n = 30, 64%). The least affected arteries were the dorsal penile (n = 6, 13%), hypogastric (n = 4, 8%), common iliac (n = 4, 8%), cavernosal (n = 4, 8%), and inferior gluteal (n = 1, 2%) arteries. Conclusions: Arterial obstructions amenable to endovascular revascularization are frequent in patients non-responsive to intracavernosal prostaglandin administration. Therapeutic strategies in ED patients non-responsive to conservative measures should therefore consider endovascular treatment opportunities.
Testing the Recycled Gabbro Hypothesis for the Origin of “Ghost Plagioclase” Melt Signatures Using 87Sr/86Sr of Individual Olivine‐Hosted Melt Inclusions From Hawai'i
Authors: Anderson O. E. , Jackson M. G. , Rose‐Koga E. F. , Marske J. P. , Peterson M. E. , Price A. A. , Byerly B. L. , Reinhard A. A. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractMelt inclusions with large, positive Sr anomalies have been described in multiple tectonic settings, and the origins of this unusual geochemical feature are debated. Three origins have been proposed, all involving plagioclase as the source of the elevated Sr: (i) direct assimilation of plagioclase‐rich lithologies, (ii) recycled lower oceanic gabbro in the mantle source, and (iii) shallow‐level diffusive interaction between present day lower oceanic crust (i.e., plagioclase‐bearing lithologies) and the percolating melt. A “ghost plagioclase” signature (i.e., a large, positive Sr anomaly without associated high Al2O3) is present in melt inclusions from Mauna Loa. We present new 87Sr/86Sr measurements of individual olivine‐hosted melt inclusions from three Hawaiian volcanoes, Mauna Loa, Loihi, and Koolau. The data set includes a Mauna Loa melt inclusion with the highest reported Sr anomaly (or highest (Sr/Ce)N, which is 7.2) for Hawai'i. All melt inclusions have 87Sr/86Sr values within the range reported previously for the lavas from each volcano. Critically, the 87Sr/86Sr of the high (Sr/Ce)N melt inclusion lies within the narrow range of 87Sr/86Sr for Mauna Loa melts that lack high (Sr/Ce)N signatures. Therefore, to explain the high (Sr/Ce)N ratio of the ghost plagioclase signature using an ancient recycled gabbro, the gabbro‐infused mantle source would have had to evolve, by chance, to have the same 87Sr/86Sr as the source of the Mauna Loa melts that lack a recycled gabbro (ghost plagioclase) signature. Alternatively, shallow‐level diffusive interactions between Mauna Loa plagioclase‐rich cumulates and a percolating mantle‐derived melt provides a simpler explanation for the presence of the high (Sr/Ce)N Mauna Loa melts.
Geologically Old but Freshly Exposed Rock Fragments Encountered by Yutu‐2 Rover
Authors: Gou Sheng , Yue Zongyu , Di Kaichang , Bugiolacchi Roberto , Wan Wenhui , Yang Meiping , Ye Lejia 
Published: February 2021

AbstractDuring the exploration traverse of the Von Kármán crater on the lunar farside, the Yutu‐2 rover, part of China's Chang'e‐4 mission, come across rock fragments with higher albedo than the surrounding surface. This study investigates their origin, emplacement, and composition based on in situ spectral analysis and geological considerations. The spectral signatures of two fragments show a clear dominance of low‐calcium pyroxenes against the high‐calcium phases characteristic of the basalts infilling the Von Kármán crater. Based on spectral considerations, this suggests an allochthonous origin for the ejecta fragments, with the most likely source attributable to the Imbrian 73‐km Finsen crater. We propose that these rock fragments might have had a convoluted history, born as ejected target materials from the Imbrian Finsen impact, possibly buried and resurfaced several times within Von Kármán by the churning mechanisms that continuously reshape the lunar surface, and finally exhumed by a secondary impact from the Copernican 3.8‐km Zhinyu crater.
Tussocks Enduring or Shrubs Greening: Alternate Responses to Changing Fire Regimes in the Noatak River Valley, Alaska
Authors: Gaglioti B. V. , Berner L. T. , Jones B. M. , Orndahl K. M. , Williams A. P. , Andreu‐Hayles L. , D'Arrigo R. D. , Goetz S. J. , Mann D. H. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractAs the Arctic warms, tundra wildfires are expected to become more frequent and severe. Assessing how the most flammable regions of the tundra respond to burning can inform us about how the rest of the Arctic may be affected by climate change. Here we describe ecosystem responses to tundra fires in the Noatak River watershed of northwestern Alaska using shrub dendrochronology, active‐layer depth monitoring, and remotely sensed vegetation productivity. Results show that relatively productive tundra is more likely to experience fires and to burn more severely, suggesting that fuel loads currently limit tundra fire distribution in the Noatak Valley. Within three years of burning, most alder shrubs sampled had either germinated or resprouted, and vegetation productivity inside 60 burn perimeters had recovered to prefire values. Tundra fires resulted in two phases of increased primary productivity as manifested by increased landscape greening. Phase one occurred in most burned areas 3–10 years after fires, and phase two occurred 16–44 years after fire at sites where tundra fires triggered near‐surface permafrost thaw resulting in shrub proliferation. A fire‐shrub‐greening positive feedback is currently operating in the Noatak Valley and this feedback could expand northward as air temperatures, fire frequencies, and permafrost degradation increase. This feedback will not occur at all locations. In the Noatak Valley, the fire‐shrub‐greening process is relatively limited in tussock tundra communities, where low‐severity fires and shallow active layers exclude shrub proliferation. Climate warming and enhanced fire occurrence will likely shift fire‐poor landscapes into either the tussock tundra or erect‐shrub‐tundra ecological attractor states that now dominate the fire‐rich Noatak Valley.
Spatiotemporal Drivers of Hydrochemical Variability in a Tropical Glacierized Watershed in the Andes
Authors: Saberi Leila , Crystal Ng G.‐H. , Nelson Leah , Zhi Wei , Li Li , La Frenierre Jeff , Johnstone Morgan 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThere is a critical knowledge gap about how glacier retreat in remote and rapidly warming tropical montane watersheds will impact solute export, which has implications for downstream geochemical cycling and ecological function. Because tropical glacierized watersheds are often uniquely characterized by year‐round ablation, upslope vegetation migration, and significant groundwater flow, baseline understanding is needed of how spatiotemporal variables within these watersheds control outlet hydrochemistry. We implemented a recently developed reactive transport watershed model, BioRT‐Flux‐PIHM, for a sub‐humid glacierized watershed in the Ecuadorian Andes with young volcanic soils and fractured bedrock. We found a unique simulated concentration and discharge (C‐Q) pattern that was mostly chemostatic but superimposed by dilution episodes. The chemostatic background was attributed to large simulated contributions of groundwater (subsurface lateral flow) to streamflow, of which a notable fraction (37%) comprised infiltrated ice‐melt. Relatively constant concentrations were further maintained in the model because times and locations of lower mineral surface wetting and dissolution were offset by concentrating effects of greater evapotranspiration. Ice‐melt did not all infiltrate in simulations, especially during large precipitation events, when high surface runoff contributions to discharge triggered dilution episodes. In a model scenario without ice‐melt, major ion concentrations, including Na+, Ca2+, and Mg2+, became more strongly chemostatic and higher, but weathering rates decreased, attenuating export by 23%. We expect this reduction to be exacerbated by higher evapotranspiration and drier conditions with expanded vegetation. This work brings to light the importance of subsurface meltwater flow, ecohydrological variability, and interactions between melt and precipitation for controlling hydrochemical processes in tropical watersheds with rapidly retreating glaciers.