bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Radiation dose in cardiac CT for preoperative diagnosis of children with congenital heart disease
Authors: Shahid Samreen , Ahmad Mehtab , Abqari Shaad , Shah Mudasir Ashraf , Masood Syed Yusuf 
Published: September 2024

Abstract
Background
One of the most common congenital conditions detected globally, congenital heart diseases, and CT techniques provide a high-quality and thorough presentation of heart anatomy, thoracic vasculature, and extracardiac structures, and hence, it is becoming a more popular non-invasive diagnostic imaging method for congenital heart disease. The drawbacks with CT imaging are the radiation exposure from repeated scans is also rising, especially in young patients. The present study is aimed to evaluate the radiation dose in gated and non-gated cardiac CT for preoperative diagnosis of pediatric patients with congenital heart diseases.

Results
A total of 111 pediatric patients with mean age of 7.47 years were prospectively included in the study. The mean value of “Effective dose (E)” for gated CT at $$100\;{\text{kV}}_{{\text{p}}}$$

100

kV
p

was found to be $$4.71\;{\text{mSv}}$$

4.71

mSv

which is higher than mean “E” of $$3.95\;{\text{mSv}}$$

3.95

mSv

observed for gated CT at $$80\;{\text{kV}}_{{\text{p}}}$$

80

kV
p

. The average value of “E” for non-gated technique was observed less than that of gated technique at both $$100\;{\text{kV}}_{{\text{p}}}$$

100

kV
p

and $$80\;{\text{kV}}_{{\text{p}}}$$

80

kV
p

. The multiple regression analysis shows that “E” is significantly dependent on $${\text{DLP}}\left( {{\text{mGy}}\;{\text{cm}}} \right)$$

DLP

mGy

cm

for both gated and non-gated techniques at 95% level of significance $$\left( {p < 0.05} \right)$$

p
<
0.05

. The Student’s t-test verifies that the mean value of “E” for both the techniques at $$100\;{\text{kV}}_{{\text{p}}}$$

100

kV
p

and $$80\;{\text{kV}}_{{\text{p}}}$$

80

kV
p

are significantly different at 95% level of significance $$\left( {p < 0.05} \right)$$

p
<
0.05

.

Conclusions
The effective dose received by pediatric patients is much higher when using ECG-gated acquisition with an average value of $$4.71\;{\text{mSv}}$$

4.71

mSv

and $$3.95\;{\text{mSv}}$$

3.95

mSv

at $$100\;{\text{kV}}_{{\text{p}}}$$

100

kV
p

, and at $$80\;{\text{kV}}_{{\text{p}}}$$

80

kV
p

respectively. Because low-voltage X-rays are more sensitive to high atomic number iodinated contrast media, the mean “E” for non-gated cardiac CT imaging at $$80\;{\text{kV}}_{{\text{p}}}$$

80

kV
p

is $$2.26\;{\text{mSv}}$$

2.26

mSv

, and results in significant reduction of effective dose.
Contemporary management of traumatic cardiac arrest and peri-arrest states: a narrative review
Authors: Carenzo Luca , Calgaro Giulio , Rehn Marius , Perkins Zane , Qasim Zaffer A. , Gamberini Lorenzo , ter Avest Ewoud 
Published: September 2024

AbstractTrauma is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide across all age groups, with traumatic cardiac arrest (TCA) presenting a significant economic and societal burden due to the loss of productive life years. Despite TCA’s high mortality rate, recent evidence indicates that survival with good and moderate neurological recovery is possible. Successful resuscitation in TCA depends on the immediate and simultaneous treatment of reversible causes according to pre-established algorithms. The HOTT protocol, addressing hypovolaemia, oxygenation (hypoxia), tension pneumothorax, and cardiac tamponade, forms the foundation of TCA management. Advanced interventions, such as resuscitative thoracotomy and resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA), further enhance treatment. Contemporary approaches also consider metabolic factors (e.g. hyperkalaemia, calcium imbalances) and hemostatic resuscitation. This narrative review explores the advanced management of TCA and peri-arrest states, discussing the epidemiology and pathophysiology of peri-arrest and TCA. It integrates classic TCA management strategies with the latest evidence and practical applications.
Learning the Minimal Representation of a Continuous State-Space Markov Decision Process from Transition Data
Authors: Bennouna Amine , Pachamanova Dessislava , Perakis Georgia , Skali Lami Omar 
Published: September 2024

This paper proposes a framework for learning the most concise Markov decision process (MDP) model of a continuous state-space dynamic system from observed transition data. This setting is encountered in numerous important applications, such as patient treatment, online advertising, recommender systems, and estimation of treatment effects in econometrics. Most existing methods in offline reinforcement learning construct functional approximations of the value or the transition and reward functions, requiring complex and often not interpretable function approximators. Our approach instead relies on partitioning the system’s observation space into regions constituting states of a finite MDP representing the system. We discuss the theoretically minimal MDP representation that preserves the values and, therefore, the optimal policy of the dynamic system—in a sense, the optimal discretization. We formally define the problem of learning such a concise representation from transition data without exploration. Learning such a representation allows for enhanced tractability and, importantly, provides interpretability. To solve this problem, we introduce an in-sample property on partitions of the observation space we name coherence, and we show that if the class of possible partitions is of finite Vapnik-Chervonenkis dimension, any coherent partition with the transition data converges to the minimal representation of the system with provable finite-sample probably approximately correct convergence guarantees. This insight motivates our minimal representation learning algorithm that constructs from transition data an MDP representation that approximates the minimal representation of the system. We illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework through numerical experiments in both deterministic and stochastic environments as well as with real data. This paper was accepted by Chung Piaw Teo, optimization. Funding: The authors are very grateful to the Health Systems Initiative at MIT Sloan for financial support for this project. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.01652 .
The Color of Hedge Fund Activism
Authors: Chu Yongqiang , Huang Bo , Zhang Chengsi 
Published: September 2024

The racial disparity in mortgage approval rates decreases by four percentage points as a result of hedge fund activism targeting banks. Target banks experience a higher turnover of mortgage officers and open new bank branches in areas with greater racial disparities in mortgage approval rates. We show that the results are driven by hedge fund activists’ efforts to increase profitability and comply with the community reinvestment act. Our results suggest that hedge funds’ incentives to maximize shareholder value do not necessarily lead to a negative impact on other stakeholders. This paper was accepted by Victoria Ivashina, finance. Funding: This work is financially supported by the Key Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China [NSFC Grant Number 72233003] and the General Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China [NSFC Grant Number 72372517]. Supplemental Material: The data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.03452 .
Reassessing the distribution of Burkholderia pseudomallei outside known endemic areas using animal serological screening combined with environmental surveys: The case of Les Saintes (Guadeloupe) and French Guiana
Authors: Gasqué Mégane , Guernier-Cambert Vanina , Manuel Gil , Aaziz Rachid , Terret Jules , Deshayes Thomas , Baudrimont Xavier , Breurec Sébastien , Rochelle-Newall Emma , Laroucau Karine 
Published: September 2024

Background
Melioidosis, an emerging infectious disease that affects both humans and animals, is caused by the soil-dwelling bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. It is endemic in South and Southeast Asia, and northern Australia, causing an estimated 165,000 human cases annually worldwide. Human cases have been reported in the French West Indies (Martinique and Guadeloupe) since the 1990s. Conversely, no human cases have been reported in French Guiana, a French territory in South America. Our study aimed to investigate whether B. pseudomallei is locally established in Guadeloupe and French Guiana using animals as a proxy.

Methodology/principal findings
Blood samples were collected from different animals from 56 farms in French Guiana (n = 670) and from two goat farms in Les Saintes (n = 31), part of the Guadeloupe archipelago and tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In Les Saintes, a serological follow-up was performed, and soil, water and goat rectal swabs were collected and analyzed by culture and PCR. The highest seroprevalence rates (39%) were observed in goats in Les Saintes, followed by horses (24%) and cattle (16%) in French Guiana. In the two goat farms, supplementary analyses detected B. pseudomallei from one goat rectal swab, and a B. pseudomallei strain was isolated from the soil.

Conclusions/significance
Our animal serological data suggest the presence of B. pseudomallei in Les Saintes and French Guiana. In Les Saintes, environmental surveys confirmed the endemicity of the bacteria, which is consistent with documented human cases of melioidosis on the island. We did not conduct an environmental survey in French Guiana. Nevertheless, our serological results call for local environmental surveys and a retrospective reassessment of human infections with melioidosis-like symptoms.
Study protocol for writing to heal: A culturally based brief expressive writing intervention for Chinese immigrant breast cancer survivors
Authors: Lu Qian , Lun Di , Dawkins-Moultin Lenna , Li Yisheng , Chen Minxing , Giordano Sharon Hermes , Pennebaker James W. , Young Lucy , Wang Carol 
Published: September 2024

Background
This study uses a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to test the health benefits of expressive writing that is culturally adapted for Chinese immigrant breast cancer survivors (BCSs) and to characterize how acculturation moderates the effects of expressive writing interventions.

Methods
We will recruit Chinese immigrant BCSs (N = 240) diagnosed with stage 0-III breast cancer and within 5 years of completion of primary treatment. Recruitment will occur primarily through community-based organizations and cancer registries. Participants will be randomly assigned either to a control condition to write about neutral topics or to one of two intervention conditions, self-regulation or self-cultivation, both of which aim to promote adaptive cognitive processes but differ in how they achieve this goal. The self-regulation intervention culturally adapts a Western expressive writing paradigm and incorporates emotional disclosure, whereas the self-cultivation intervention originates from Asian cultural values without disclosing emotions. Participants in all three conditions will be asked to write in their preferred language for three 30-minute sessions. The primary outcome will be quality of life (QOL) at the 6- and 12-month follow-ups, and the secondary outcomes will be perceived stress, stress biomarkers, and medical appointments for cancer-related morbidities.

Discussion
This project will be the first large RCT to test culturally based brief interventions to improve QOL and reduce stress among Chinese immigrant BCSs. This project is expected to address two important needs of Chinese immigrant BCSs: their unmet psychological needs and the lack of culturally competent mental health care for Chinese immigrant BCSs. The immediate product of this line of research will be empirically evaluated, culturally responsive interventions ready for dissemination to Chinese immigrant BCSs across the United States.

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier
NCT04754412.
A randomized controlled study of auricular point acupressure to manage chemotherapy-induced neuropathy: Study protocol
Authors: Lukkahatai Nada , Nguyen Michael V. , Zhang Jingyu , Cho Yu-Min , Benjasirisan Chitchanok , Jia Heijingzi Monica , Campbell Claudia M. , Kawi Jennifer , Wu Hulin , Wang Hongyu , Bora Rupsikha , Thrul Johannes , Johnson Constance M. , Smith Thomas J. 
Published: September 2024

ObjectiveChemotherapy-induced neuropathy (CIN) significantly impacts cancer patients, leading to functional disability, diminished quality of life, and increased healthcare costs amid the ongoing opioid crisis. Auricular point acupressure (APA), a non-invasive and non-pharmacological alternative, has shown potential for alleviating the pain, numbness, and tingling associated with CIN. This study aims to assess the efficacy of APA for CIN symptoms and physical function and to examine the mechanisms underlying APA’s effects on CIN.MethodsThis is a three-arm randomized controlled clinical trial protocol. Patients aged 18 and older who are experiencing CIN are randomly assigned to one of the three groups: an APA group (in-person APA; mAPA), a sham control group (virtual APA; vAPA), and a wait-list usual care control group (UC). During the four-week program, participants in the mAPA receive an in-person APA treatment and training; the sham control participants (vAPA) receive a self-guided smartphone APA application with APA demonstration videos; and the UC participants will continue with the usual care and be re-randomized into one of the APA groups. The primary outcomes are changes in CIN symptoms and physical function. Secondary outcomes include evaluating pain sensory thresholds, motor and cognitive functioning, inflammatory signaling, brain connectivity, opioid use, and quality of life. The outcomes are measured at baseline, program completion (4 weeks), and at monthly follow-up for 3 months post-intervention.DiscussionThis study will provide evidence supporting the potential viability of APA as an intervention for CIN.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, IDNCT04920097registered on 3 June 2021.
Healthcare outcomes and dispositions in persons with obesity within emergency departments in Ontario, Canada: A cross-sectional analysis of the National Ambulatory Care Reporting System (NACRS), 2018–2022
Authors: Mirzadeh Parmis , Kuk Jennifer L. , Wharton Sean , Reid Reagan A. , Ardern Chris I. 
Published: September 2024

Introduction
The experience of persons with obesity (PwO) in the Canadian healthcare setting has not been widely studied. The objective of this study was to assess care in PwO in emergency departments in Ontario, Canada.

Methods
This secondary analysis made use of 2018–2022 Canadian Institute for Health Information’s National Ambulatory Care Reporting System. The sample consisted of 4547 individuals with an obesity diagnosis, and 4547 controls who were matched for sex, age, and main diagnosis. Ordinal logistic and multiple linear regression analyses were used to assess triage scores, wait times, and length of stay.

Results
PwO had 4.8 minutes longer wait time for a physician initial assessment (p<0.01), 3.56 hours longer length of stay in the emergency department (p<0.0001), and 55% greater odds (OR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.43–1.68) of having a less urgent triage score compared to controls matched for main diagnosis. When further matched for triage score, PwO experienced over three hours longer length of stay for triage level 2 (emergent, p<0.01), five hours longer for triage level 3 (urgent, p<0.01), and nearly two hours longer for triage level 4 (less urgent, p<0.05) cases.

Conclusion
PwO were rated as less urgent and experienced longer wait times and length of stay, compared to controls matched by sex, age, and main diagnosis. Additional research is needed to confirm the consistency of these findings in other provinces/territories, and to examine clinical outcomes, and the underlying reasons for differences.
Dynamic optimization of boiler for minimizing energy consumption in the intentionally transient process operation: effect of different interval number
Authors: Rohman Fakhrony Sholahudin , Wan Alwi Sharifah Rafidah , Azmi Ashraf , Er Hong An , Ahmad Termizi Siti Nor Azreen 
Published: September 2024

Abstract
Certain manufacturing or industrial processes may involve variable conditions, and intentionally transient boiler operation allows optimal adaptation to these variations. This helps maintain efficiency and reduce energy consumption during different process phases. Transient operation is inherent during the start-up and intermittent phases in reaching the pressure required for boiler operation. Optimizing these transient states can reduce energy consumption. Dynamic optimization of boilers is crucial for several reasons, especially in industrial and power generation settings. Boilers are used to produce steam or hot water for various processes, and optimizing their performance can lead to increased efficiency, reduced energy consumption, and improved overall system reliability. The dynamic optimization problems were solved using the orthogonal collocation method. Three problem optimizations were considered in this study: minimize process time (P1), minimize energy consumption without optimized final time (P2), minimize energy consumption with optimized final time (P3). The control/decision variables applied were firing rate, Q, and water feed flowrate, q
f. From the simulation results, the control trajectories of P3 were chosen to be the most effective control operation to achieve the minimum energy consumption for reaching target pressure, i.e., 10.2 MPa, with a reasonable intermittent unit time. In practice, the selection of the number of intervals is often determined through a combination of domain knowledge, computational resources, and the desired level of accuracy. Sensitivity analysis and testing with different interval sizes can help in understanding the impact of this parameter on the optimization results. A greater interval time will decrease energy consumption.
Compact and flexible EBG backed ultra-wide band antenna for on-body communications
Authors: Mol J Mary Suji , Florence S Esther , S Radha , M Abraham 
Published: September 2024

Abstract
The paper presents an UWB antenna for on-body application with advancements in EBG backed reflector incorporating the compatibility and flexibility in structure. The ultra-wideband (UWB) frequency range supported by the designed antenna is between 2.78 GHz and 18 GHz. The antenna is designed with jeans textile substrate for the compatibility in on-body applications, which has appealing qualities such as flexibility and low dielectric properties, while the antenna radiator patch and ground plane are made of copper. The designed antenna is applicable on human body, meticulously designed EBG surface that could minimize antenna frequency detuning, with specific absorption rate (SAR). This allows for a great deal of flexibility in terms of the antenna design, allowing it to realize a high gain, enhanced bandwidth and directional radiation pattern. The antenna gain is increased by 99.8 % once EBG is applied and the SAR is decreased from 22.03 W/kg to 0.104 W/kg.
Novel irreversibility modeling of non-homogeneous charged gas flow by solving Maxwell–Boltzmann PDEs system: irreversibility analysis for multi-component plasma
Authors: Abdel Wahid Taha Z. , Alaofi Zaki Mrzog 
Published: September 2024

Abstract
A novel modeling and new irreversibility analysis of non-homogeneous charged gas flow is presented as an extension and further development of our previous article [J. Non-equilibrium. Thermodyne. 49 (2024), 1–21]. We study the non-equilibrium irreversible thermodynamics (NIT) properties of the exact solution to the dilute non-homogeneously charged gas problem with unsteady Rayleigh flow. In contrast to previous research, the charged gas is non-homogeneous under the influence of induced electromagnetic forces, the flat plate moving damping with time, and the effect of positive ions is considered, leading to significant advancements in understanding natural plasma dynamics. We are solving eight non-homogeneous partial differential equations (PDE). We used a Laplace transformation technique and small parameters methods. To the best of our knowledge, as two new scientific achievements, we introduced a new mathematical model for a mixture of charged gas to calculate the thermodynamic forces, kinetic coefficients, and fluxes variables, see Appendices. Second, we present a fantastic new technique by a flowchart to identify the equilibrium time of multi-component plasma step-by-step using the velocity distribution function (VDF). We indicate that electrons, which are faster lighter components, reach equilibrium faster than slower heavier components. A standard laboratory argon plasma model is used to apply the results.
Shaping the visually impaired perception of gender through Netflix audio description of movies and series
Authors: Haider Ahmad S. , Abu Tair Sausan , Obeidat Mohammed M. , Saed Hadeel , Sahari Yousef 
Published: September 2024

Abstract
This paper examines how different gender identities are treated in the audio description feature provided on the Netflix platform. It examines how gender is reflected in language through the use of gendered terms and pronouns and how these are determined and assigned. The paper analyses if gender is assigned based on the visual information provided or if extra resources are used to confirm the validity of the descriptions. A set of Netflix movies and series with diverse casts were thus examined to compare how gender is treated in descriptions. The analysis searches for the existence of bias and assumptions and how they affect the description and described groups. The findings revealed that basing descriptions on visuals creates confusion between gender expression, performance, and gender identity, which could lead to the misgendering of both cisgender and transgender characters. Thus, it is best not to rely on stereotypes and assumptions and to research the characters through textual and extratextual information to properly describe them. Examining the uses of gender-neutral and gender-fair language in contrast with gendered labels revealed that it can be used to avoid misgendering but is currently mainly used as a tool to enhance mystery.
Processing Chinese object-topicalization structures in simple and complex sentences
Authors: Wu Fuyun , Wang Fang , Li Jinman 
Published: September 2024

Abstract
Chinese has the basic word order of Subject-Verb-Object (SVO), yet it is also known as a topic-prominent language, where an object can be topicalized from within a relative clause as well as from a main clause. In parsing Topic-Subject-Verb (TSV) structures, will a Chinese comprehender have difficulties in recognizing the second noun phrase (NP2) as the subject and in integrating the initial topic noun with the verb? Experience/surprisal-based theories and memory-based theories make testable predications at the NP2 and critically, at the verb. Focusing on these two regions in three self-paced reading experiments, we compared reading time patterns between TSVs and canonical SVOs in simple or complex sentences. Converging evidence showed processing costs at or prior to the NP2 in TSVs compared to SVOs, but no retrieval or integration costs at the verb regardless of dependency lengths. Our results are not predicted by memory-based theories, but are consistent with the predictions of experience/surprisal-based theories, suggesting that Chinese TSV processing is guided by structural frequencies and a universal subject-reading bias, with completion of dependency between topic and the verb (or empty category) likely to be fundamentally semantic.