bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Anomalous noise spikes beating from a fine-splitting mode of surface-emitting laser with imperfect true-roundness aspect
Authors: Huang Kun-You , Weng Jui-Hung , Wang Jiaxing , Chang-Hasnain Constance J. , Lin Gong-Ru 
Published: September 2024

High-frequency discrete and distinct mode-beating noise (MBN) spectra are an anomalous phenomenon observed in the related intensity noise spectrum from the vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL), which reveals strong correlation with fine-splitting transverse modes caused by non-circular emission aspect of the VCSEL with imperfect true-roundness. Such a phenomenon is demonstrated for the first time, which seriously degrades the transmission performance of high-speed and broad-band encoding data carried by the multi-mode (MM) VCSEL biased under a large DC bias. In this work, the 4-ary quadrature-amplitude modulation (4-QAM) orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) and the non-return-to-zero on–off keying (NRZ-OOK) transmissions with the direct modulation of different 850-nm MM VCSELs, as suffered from the MBN-induced notches of the signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) spectra, are characterized under their high-level lasing conditions with multi-mode numbers. The significant SNR degradation on the receiving and decoding performances caused by the cross-correlation between MBN and data spectra is also examined by tuning the lensed fiber along the transverse (X/Y)-axis of the VCSEL (perpendicular to the surface normal) when collimating the output beam, which finds the disorderly shifted MBN spectra, as attributed to the collection of light emitted from the overlapped gain region of different transverse modes. In contrast, the MBN reveals invariant spectral features while the lensed fiber is either back-and-forth tuning along the vertical (Z)-axis (parallel with the surface normal) or tilting its angles from the surface normal under the same horizontal position and distance concerning the MM VCSEL. Such MM VCSEL exhibits several MBN spikes to decay the SNRs of NRZ-OOK and QAM OFDM data encoded around 21 and 34 GHz. For other MM VCSELs with reducing numbers of their transverse lasing modes and deforming roundness of their circular emitting aspects, the corresponding MBN spectral peaks can also be respectively observed at 14/17/24 GHz and 4.5/10.5/13 GHz to degrade the SNRs of the encoded data at such frequencies. Even though pre-emphasized encoding technology is employed, such an MBN effect is strongly correlated with the asymmetric circular aspect of the VCSEL with a degraded roundness ratio, which still affects the data modulation performance of the MM VCSEL for data center communication.
Current out of pocket care costs among HIV and hypertension co-morbid patients in urban and peri-urban Uganda
Authors: Cameron Drew B. , Morrell Lillian C. , Kagoya Faith , Kiggundu John Baptist , Hutchinson Brian , Twine Robert , Schwartz Jeremy I. , Muddu Martin , Mutungi Gerald , Kayima James , Katahoire Anne R. , Longenecker Chris T. , Nugent Rachel , Loya David Contreras , Semitala Fred C. 
Published: September 2024

Background
Despite improvements to the cascade of HIV care in East Africa, access to care for non-communicable disease co-morbidities like hypertension (HTN) remains a persistent problem. The integration of care for these conditions presents an opportunity to achieve efficiencies in delivery as well as decrease overall costs for patients. This study aims to build evidence on the burden of current out-of-pocket costs of care among HIV-HTN co-morbid patients.

Methods
We administered a pre-tested, cross-sectional, out-of-pocket cost survey to 94 co-morbid patients receiving HIV care from 10 clinics in the Wakiso and Kampala districts of Uganda from June to November 2021. The survey assessed socio-demographic characteristics, direct medical costs (e.g., medications, consultations), indirect costs (e.g., transport, food, caregiving), and economic costs (i.e., foregone income) associated with seeking HIV and HTN care, as well as possible predictors of monthly care costs. Patients were sampled both during a government-imposed nation-wide full COVID-19 lockdown (n = 30) and after it was partially lifted (n = 64).

Results
Median HIV care costs constitute between 2.7 and 4.0% of median monthly household income, while HTN care costs are between 7.1 to 7.9%. For just under half of our sample, the median monthly cost of HTN care is more than 10% of household income, and more than a quarter of patients report borrowing money or selling assets to cover costs. We observe uniformly lower reported costs of care for both conditions under full COVID-19 lockdown, suggesting that access to care was limited. The main predictors of monthly HIV and HTN care costs varied by disease and costing perspective.

Conclusions
Patient out of pocket costs of care for HIV and HTN were substantial, but significantly lower during the 2021 full COVID-19 lockdown in Uganda. New strategies such as service integration need to be explored to reduce these costs.
Evaluating the efficacy of multi-incision and tube-dragging therapy combined with laser closure for high horseshoe-shaped anal fistula: Protocol of a prospective, randomized, controlled trial
Authors: Yang Min , Mei Zubing , Wang Qingming , Han Ye , Zheng De 
Published: September 2024

Introduction
High horseshoe-shaped anal fistula (HHAF) is a complicated and challenging condition that presents considerable obstacles in treatment. We are presently investigating a novel surgical technique involving a combination of multi-incision and tube-dragging therapy, and laser closure (MITD-LaC) for the management of HHAF. Due to the current scarcity of rigorous evidence evaluating this approach, it is essential to perform a well-designed randomized controlled trial to compare the effectiveness of this new method with incision and thread-drawing therapy.

Methods and analysis
This trial is a prospective, randomized, controlled and interventional study. After preliminary screening of qualified outpatients, a total of 64 adult patients will be enrolled in the trial and randomly allocated to either the MITD-LaC group or the control group (n = 32 per group). These patients will receive either MITD-LaC or incision and thread-drawing therapy. The design aims to allow for a robust comparison between the two treatment modalities. The primary endpoint is the wound healing time, while secondary endpoints include postoperative anal pain at 1, 3, and 5 days (measured with visual analogue scale), fecal incontinence score within 30 days after operation (measured with Cleveland Clinic Florida incontinence score), and the occurrence of postoperative complications within 1 month after surgery, and quality of life up to six months postoperatively (evaluated by The Quality of Life in patients with Anal Fistula Questionnaire Score).

Discussion
This study represents the first randomized controlled trial evaluating the short-term outcomes of MITD-LaC, thereby aiming to contribute high-quality evidence to guide clinical practice. Moreover, this trial incorporates comprehensive outcome measures assessing both subjective and objective dimensions. Because of this multidimensional assessment, MITD-LaC offers a promising potential for broader application in the treatment of HHAF. Consequently, obtaining more definitive and authoritative evidence through scientifically rigorous clinical trials is of utmost importance in further validating this treatment approach.

Ethics and dissemination
We have submitted the clinical study protocol to the Ethics Committee, and it has been approved under ethical approval number 2021-1036-111-01. The results of the trial will be disseminated through peer-reviewed academic journals and presentations at professional conferences.

Registration number
ChiCTR2100053556.
A SONAR report on Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir-associated rebound COVID-19: Using new databases for evaluating new diseases
Authors: Bennett Charles L. , Magagnoli Joseph , Gundabolu Krishna , Georgantopoulos Peter , Lebby Akida , Watson Gretchen , Knopf Kevin , Martin Linda , Carson Kenneth R. , Hrushesky William J. , Nabhan Chadi , Zyszkowski Edward , Smith Edward B. , Gale Robert Peter , Rosen Steven T. 
Published: September 2024

Introduction
In May 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention disseminated an alert advising that “a few” persons with Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (NM/R)-associated rebound of COVID-19 infection had been identified. Three case reports appearing as pre-print postings described the first cases. Analyses in March 2023 by NM/R’s manufacturer and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported no association between NM/R and COVID-19 rebound in a large phase 3 randomized clinical trial. Our study evaluated if social media databases or electronically disseminated new articles might provide insights related to the putative new toxicity, NM/R-associated COVID-19 rebound.

Methods
Information on NM/R-associated COVID-19 rebound cases was abstracted from preprint postings of non-peer-reviewed manuscripts, social media websites, electronically disseminated print and television media reports, a new FDA adverse event database for drugs that received Emergency Use Approval, and news articles in scientific journals.

Results
Thirty-five persons experienced presumed or documented NM/R-associated COVID-19 rebound, based on information described in preprint services (n = 27), Twitter postings and related news articles (n = 7), and news articles without related Twitter reports (n = 1). These reports included information on dates of initial COVID-19 illness and rebound onset, COVID-19 testing, vaccine status, presentation, and outcome. A new FDA safety database identified 12,500 possible cases of this toxicity, but the quality of these data was poor. Preprint postings preceded peer-reviewed publications describing the same cases by four months. Social media websites including Instagram, Reddit, YouTube, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Health Alert Network, CDC Twitter, and Facebook did not provide clinically meaningful information on individual cases.

Conclusion
Preprint services and Twitter facilitated identification of the largest case series of NM/R-associated COVID-19 rebound. The cases were reported in non-peer-reviewed media several weeks prior to the first peer-reviewed electronically disseminated publication of one person with this diagnosis.
Worldwide Prevalence and Description of Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome According to the Results of the Rome Foundation Global Epidemiology Study
Authors: Izagirre Arantzazu , Sarasqueta Cristina , Flores-Arriaga Joel , Aso María C. , Pérez Pérez María , Tack Jan , Huang I-Hsuan , Sperber Ami D. , Palsson Olafur S. , Bangdiwala Shrikant I. , D'Amato Mauro , Lanas Ángel , Lobo Beatriz , Alonso-Cotoner Carmen , Santos Javier , Bujanda Luis 
Published: September 2024

INTRODUCTION:
Cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) is a disorder of gut-brain interaction of unknown origin. The aim of this study was to evaluate the global prevalence of this disorder and its associated factors.

METHODS:
Data were collected from nationwide Internet surveys in 26 countries, with subjects evenly distributed by age, sex, and country. The survey included the Rome IV questionnaire and an extensive supplemental questionnaire to evaluate additional factors.

RESULTS:
A total of 54,127 participants completed the questionnaire (51% male, mean age 44.3 years). The pooled prevalence of CVS was 0.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.3%–0.4%; n = 187), highest in Brazil (1%, 95% CI 0.6–1.5), and lowest in Japan and Germany (with no subject who fulfilled the criteria for CVS). The mean age of participants with CVS was 36.7 years (SD 13.5), and it was more common in women (56.7% vs 43.5%). Factors independently associated with this syndrome were female sex (odds ratio [OR] 1.52, 95% CI 1.13–2.03), young age (OR 2.57, 95% CI 1.34–4.94, for people between the ages of 18 and 39 years, compared with those older than 65 years), depression (OR 3.14, 95% CI 2.05–4.82, P < 0.001), and anxiety (OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.15–2.78, P < 0.001). Individuals with CVS had impaired quality of life (QoL) (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement and Information System 10-item score: physical QoL mean, 12.9 vs 15.5, P < 0.001; mental QoL mean 12.3 vs 14.4, P < 0.001) compared with others.

DISCUSSION:
CVS is a relatively common disorder that has a negative impact on QoL. It is important to raise awareness on this syndrome to avoid underdiagnosis and improve clinical practice.
Health State Utility is Substantially Reduced With an Increasing Burden of Patient-Reported Symptoms in Eosinophilic Esophagitis
Authors: Cotton Cary C. , Biswas Mousumi , Dellon Evan S. 
Published: September 2024

INTRODUCTION:
We aimed to estimate health state utility in eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) by histologic activity and assess association with disease parameters.

METHODS:
In this cross-sectional study, we measured health state utility by time trade-off and assessed symptoms with the EoE Symptom Activity Index.

RESULTS:
In 51 adults with EoE, the mean utility was 0.91 (95% CI 0.86, 0.95). Utility was numerically worse in patients with dilation or a smaller stricture diameter. With each ten-point improvement in EoE Symptom Activity Index, utility increased by 0.03 (95% CI 0.01, 0.05).

DISCUSSION:
EoE is associated with reduced health state utility, with symptoms most strongly predicting valuation.
Application of artificial intelligence in ultrasound diagnostics of thyroid nodules
Authors: Troshina E. A. , Zakharova S. M. , Tsyguleva K. V. , Lozhkin I. A. , Korolev D. V. , Trukhin A. A. , Zaytsev K. S. , Soldatova T. V. , Garmash A. A. 
Published: September 2024

BACKGROUND: the use of artificial intelligence in ultrasound diagnosis of thyroid nodules is expected and quite promising. However, in order to understand this, it is necessary to see how a doctor works with its help, diagnosing diseases step by step, and how exactly this intelligence is implemented in practical healthcare. The current publication provides an overview of existing intelligent systems for supporting medical decisions in thyroidology, and describes in detail the capabilities of the Russian intelligent computer assistant for ultrasound diagnostics - a system for stratifying thyroid nodules by EU-TIRADS categories.AIM: increasing the accuracy and reducing the time of ultrasound diagnostics in the study of thyroid nodules through the use of an intelligent system for assisting the ultrasound doctor at various stages of his activity with demonstration of the actions of the “assistant”.MATERIALS AND METHODS: to understand the possibilities of ultrasound doctors using artificial intelligence in their work, the proposed solution is divided into stages, each of which demonstrates the additional capabilities that a doctor has when using intelligent computer vision methods. Various artificial neural network architectures are used as an intellectual base, which can be further trained like a human on new medical data.RESULTS: the proposed intelligent solution allows the ultrasound doctor to have a “second opinion” at his workplace, which, by processing ultrasound cine loops, allows him to solve the problems of segmentation and stratification of thyroid nodules according to EU-TIRADS categories with an accuracy of 70%, i.e. at the level of a doctor with 5 years of experience. The proposed data driven approach will improve its accuracy as new patient loops are processed.CONCLUSION: the narrative leads the reader to understand in what diagnostic processes it is useful to use artificial intelligence methods in the ultrasound diagnosis of thyroid nodules, and how natural and artificial intelligence can effectively interact within the framework of a software web application.
“Can I become a tree?”: Plant Imagination in Contemporary Indian Poetry in English
Authors: Ghosh Joyjit , Ali Sk Tarik 
Published: September 2024

Abstract
Indian poetry in English has a deep engagement with plant imagination from its beginning. The discourse of plant imaginary, however, is never monolithic here. The early poems often use trees either as symbols or semantic entities. In other words, the representation of ontological identity of a tree is largely ignored in early Indian English poems barring a few remarkable exceptions. But contemporary Indian English poetry looks beyond the anthropomorphic vision of a tree and portrays plant subjectivity and plant agency. The depiction of a symbiotic relation between the human world and the arboreal world is also at the centre of this poetry. Some poems speak of plant personhood and even human aspiration for becoming a tree. The present paper critically reads the relevant poems of poets like Toru Dutt, Keki N. Daruwalla, Arvind Krishna Mehrotra, Gieve Patel, Dilip Chitre, Temsula Ao, Sumana Roy, Paresh Tiwari, Kiriti Sengupta among others, and explores all these issues from the perspectives of Critical Plant Studies. The paper also examines how Indian poetry in English is at times implicated in didacticism when it critiques the unprecedented botanical loss in the Anthropocene.
Language, Friendship, and God: Jesuit Appropriation of Classical Legends for Evangelical Use in Late Ming China
Authors: Li Sher-shiueh 
Published: September 2024

Abstract
Western Classicism came to Ming China through various channels including re-interpretations of “Aesop and His Tongues,” “Damon and Pythias,” and “The Sword of Damocles.” This paper traces ideas in these legends to sources in the Christian Bible and its related texts, and demonstrates how Jesuits recast these stories as vehicles for evangelizing Ming-dynasty intellectuals, with an obvious, ethical comparison of them with traditional Chinese texts.
Toxicological assessment of reactive blue 19 dye aqueous solutions under UV-LED light
Authors: Kanjal Muhammad Imran , Muneer Majid , Ullah Saif , Hussain Mazhar , Abbas Sohail , Afzal Muhammad Wasim , Amrane Abdeltif , Mouni Lotfi 
Published: September 2024

Abstract
The dye-contaminated industrial effluent causes serious health issues when it gets mixed with underground water without primary treatment. The current project was designed to treat reactive blue-19 dye aqueous solutions in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) under UV-LED light. The characterization of the photocatalyst was carried out via X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) for structure, purity, and surface study. The effect of various factors such as pH, TiO2 dose, UV-LED light exposure time, H2O2, and dye concentration, on the degradation rate and cytotoxicity reduction was evaluated and optimized through the Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The maximum degradation of dye solution and chemical oxygen demand (COD) reduction was achieved at 98.81  and 86.22 %, respectively for 50 ppm solution, using UV-LED/H2O2(3 %)/TiO2(6  g/L) hybrid process. The toxicity evaluation through the Allium cepa test demonstrated a 62.40, 65.2, and 56.97 % increase in root length (RL), root count (RC), and mitotic index (MI), respectively, following treatment with the UV-LED/H₂O₂/TiO₂ combined process for 150 min. The hemolytic and brine shrimp tests revealed a reduction in toxicity up to 92.18  and 84.08 %, respectively, after applying the same treatment. Additionally, the Ames test indicated up to 80.94 % reduction in mutagenicity for TA98 and an 84.04 % reduction for TA100 strain when dye samples were treated with UV-LED light in the presence of H₂O₂ and TiO₂ for 150 min. The findings suggested that UV-LED light in conjunction with H2O2 and TiO2 can be a useful tool for the degradation and detoxification of toxic pollutants found in textile wastewater.
Bioactive surface modification of Ti–Nb alloy by alkaline treatment in potassium hydroxide solution
Authors: Basry Nur Adila Amira , Zuhailawati Hussain , Shariff Khairul Anuar 
Published: September 2024

Abstract
The aim of this work is to compare the responsive behaviour of titanium, niobium and titanium–niobium alloy during alkaline treatment in forming alkaline titanate layer and their resultant bioactive properties. Titanium and niobium powder mixture with composition in the beta region was pressed at 550 MPa and sintered at 1,200 °C for 2 h. The alloy was soaked in potassium hydroxide aqueous solution at 60 °C for 24 h with different concentrations of 0.5 M and 5 M. The effect of post sintering-heat treatment was investigated by annealing the treated alloy at 600 °C for 2 h. X-ray diffraction analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis were used to evaluate the chemical composition and the functional group of material on the treated alloy surface respectively. Immersion in Hanks solution for 1 day resulted in traces of calcium and phosphate on alloy surfaces treated in different concentrations of alkali as well as post-heat treatment. The cell viability evaluation using MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay on the new beta-Ti alloy with potassium-based titanate layer demonstrated potassium hydroxide treatment with a 5 M concentration after post-heat treatment significantly improved cell proliferation, which is a prerequisite for bone mineral apatite deposition.
Towards a word similarity gold standard for Akkadian: creation and model optimization
Authors: Sahala Aleksi , Baragli Beatrice , Lentini Giulia , Tushingham Poppy 
Published: September 2024

Abstract
We present a word similarity gold standard for Akkadian, a language documented in ancient Mesopotamian sources from the 24th century BCE until the first century CE. The gold standard comprises 300 word pairs ranked by their paradigmatic similarity by five independently working Assyriologists. We use the gold standard to tune PMI + SVD and fastText models to improve their performance. We also present a hyper-parametrized PMI + SVD model for building count-based word embeddings, that aims to deal with the data sparsity and repetition issues encountered in Akkadian texts. Our model combines Dirichlet smoothing with context distribution smoothing, and uses context similarity weighting to down-sample distortion caused by formulaic litanies and partially or fully duplicated passages.
Prestige on Display: Markers of Economic and Social Status in Ur III Babylonia
Authors: Borrelli Noemi , Notizia Palmiro 
Published: September 2024

Abstract
The Ur III kingdom, which flourished in southern Mesopotamia at the end of the third millennium (ca. 2110–2003 BCE), produced and kept detailed administrative records from which historians can reconstruct the economic and social life of the period. Among these sources, we find household inventories of wealthy individuals, lists of temple treasures, receipts of luxury gifts, and accounts documenting allocations of prestige goods. Collectively, these documents shed light on the material culture of Babylonian society in the Early Bronze Age. Clothing, footwear, accessories, jewellery, weapons, and furniture feature among the objects most frequently associated with royals, priests, urban notables, and other elites. By combining data from these diverse textual sources and comparing them with possible parallels in glyptic iconography and the archaeological record, we will examine the elements that most clearly identify high-status individuals to determine the relationship between the economic and socio-cultural value of these objects, and reconstruct the context within which they were gifted and displayed.