bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Sugammadex, neostigmine and postoperative pulmonary complications: an international randomised feasibility and pilot trial
Authors: Leslie Kate , Chan Matthew T. V. , Darvall Jai N. , De Silva Anurika P. , Braat Sabine , Devlin Nancy J. , Peyton Philip J. , Radnor Jade , Lam Carmen K. M. , Sidiropoulos Sofia , Story David A. 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
Background
Sugammadex reduces residual neuromuscular blockade after anaesthesia, potentially preventing postoperative pulmonary complications. However, definitive evidence is lacking. We therefore conducted a feasibility and pilot trial for a large randomised controlled trial of sugammadex, neostigmine, and postoperative pulmonary complications.

Methods
Patients aged ≥40 years having elective or expedited abdominal or intrathoracic surgery were recruited in Australia and Hong Kong. Perioperative care was at the discretion of clinicians, except for the use of rocuronium and/or vecuronium for neuromuscular blockade and the randomised intervention (sugammadex or neostigmine) for reversal. Feasibility measurements included recruitment, crossover, acceptability, completeness, and workload. Trial coordinator feedback was systematically sought. Patient-reported quality of life was measured using the EQ-5D-5L score. The primary pilot outcome was the incidence of new pulmonary complications up to hospital discharge (or postoperative day 7 if still in hospital).

Results
Among 150 eligible patients, 120 consented to participate (recruitment rate 80%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 73 to 86%). The randomised intervention was administered without crossover to 115 of 117 patients who received reversal (98%, 95% CI 94 to 100%). The protocol was acceptable or highly acceptable to the anaesthetist in 108 of 116 cases (93%, 95% CI 87 to 97%; missing = 4). Four patients of the 120 patients were lost to follow-up at 3 months (3.3%, 95% CI 0.9 to 8.3%). Case report forms were complete at 3 months for all remaining patients. The median time to complete trial processes was 3.5 h (range 2.5–4.5 h). Trial coordinators reported no barriers to trial processes. Patients were aged 64 (standard deviation 11) years, 70 (58%) were male and 50 (42%) were female, and planned surgeries were thoracic (23 [19%]), upper abdominal (41 [34%]), and lower abdominal (56 [47%]). The primary outcome was observed in 5 (8.5%) of the 59 sugammadex patients and 5 (8.2%) of the 61 neostigmine patients (odds ratio 1.02, 95% CI 0.28 to 3.67).

Conclusions
A large international randomised controlled trial of sugammadex, neostigmine and postoperative pulmonary complications in adult patients having abdominal and intrathoracic surgery, including collection of cost-effectiveness evidence for Health Technology Appraisal, is feasible.

Trial registration
Prospectively registered at the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12620001313921) on December 7, 2020. www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=380645&isReview=true.
On the factors of Bitcoin’s value at risk
Authors: Kwon Ji Ho 
Published: November 2021

AbstractThis study investigates the factors of Bitcoin’s tail risk, quantified by Value at Risk (VaR). Extending the conditional autoregressive VaR model proposed by Engle and Manganelli (2004), I examine 30 potential drivers of Bitcoin’s 5% and 1% VaR. For the 5% VaR, quantity variables, such as Bitcoin trading volume and monetary policy rate, were positively significant, but these effects were attenuated when new samples were added. The 5% VaR responds positively to the Internet search index and negatively to the fluctuation of returns on commodity variables and the Chinese stock market index. For the 1% VaR, variables related to the macroeconomy play a key role. The consumer sentiment index exerts a strong positive effect on the 1% VaR. I also find that the 1% VaR has positive relationships with the US economic policy uncertainty index and the fluctuation of returns on the corporate bond index.
Amphiregulin as a novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarker of hepatocellular carcinoma before and after locoregional treatment
Authors: Isaac Amira , Mohamed Sherif Mounir , Ahmed Osama Ashraf , Hassan Ahmed Gamal Mohamed , Rasmy Hany Samir 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
Background
Hepatocellular carcinoma is a highly prevalent tumor worldwide. Amphiregulin is a ligand of the epidermal growth factor receptor. Its elevation is linked to different inflammatory and neoplastic conditions. Therefore, amphiregulin may represent a potential diagnostic target in HCC, which has sparked interest as a potential predictor of diagnosis and progression of HCC. The current work was set out to evaluate amphiregulin as a possible diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for HCC on top of cirrhosis. Thirty adult patients with liver cirrhosis and HCC (HCC group) were randomly selected as candidates for locoregional therapies, either radiofrequency ablation or transarterial chemoembolization. A separate group of thirty liver cirrhosis patients served as controls (cirrhosis group). All patients underwent standard laboratory tests and abdominal ultrasounds. Alpha-fetoprotein and amphiregulin were measured twice at baseline and 1 month after the intervention.

Results
Baseline serum amphiregulin was significantly higher in the HCC group than in the cirrhosis group (23.2 ± 11.5 vs. 11.1 ± 7.1), with a p value < 0.001. Patients with multiple and larger focal lesions had greater levels of amphiregulin, with p values of 0.015 and 0.002, respectively. At 1 month following locoregional treatment, the amphiregulin level considerably declined compared with its baseline levels (from 23.2 ± 11.5 to 19.4 ± 10.9), with a p value of 0.012, while AFP showed an insignificant reduction. At follow-up, the level of serum amphiregulin was statistically significantly greater in recurrence cases than in remission cases (30.8 ± 14.1 vs. 17.2 ± 8.8), with a p value of 0.008, and the same was observed for AFP level.
At a cutoff ≥ 17 pg/mL, amphiregulin was a valuable marker in HCC detection with a sensitivity and specificity of 63.3% and 86.7%, respectively, while it has 60% sensitivity and 96% specificity in detecting possible tumor recurrence at a cutoff ≥ 29.7 pg/ml.

Conclusions
Amphiregulin may be a good diagnostic marker for HCC and a prognostic marker after locoregional therapies because its follow-up levels are useful in predicting possible tumor recurrence.
Influence of Coulomb potential on photoelectron momentum distributions in few-cycle linearly polarized laser field
Authors: Sun Y. , Chen J. H. , Wang Z. , Zhang J. , Liu X. S. 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
We investigate the influence of the Coulomb potential on the photoelectron momentum distributions of H atoms in few-cycle linearly polarized laser field by numerically solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation and using the semi-classical method. We demonstrate that the electrons ionized from the different time windows will contribute to different interference types and regions in the photoelectron momentum distributions. The typical trajectories of the photoelectrons are used to illustrate the effect of the Coulomb potential on the interference stripes. We mainly investigate the photoelectron momentum distribution contributed by the electron wave packets, which are emitted within the nonadjacent falling edges of the electric field. In this case, a discontinuous region near the center of the photoelectron momentum distribution can be clearly observed, which exhibits a strong dependence on the Coulomb potential. We also observe a shift in the photoelectron momentum distributions in each quarter cycle. We quantitatively illustrate that the shift is induced by the Coulomb correction along the axis of polarization. Our results may provide a reference for further analytical research about the shift of the photoelectron momentum distributions in few-cycle strong laser field.
Association of Impaired Fasting Glucose With Cardiovascular Disease in the Absence of Risk Factor
Authors: Zuo Yingting , Han Xinsheng , Tian Xue , Chen Shuohua , Wu Shouling , Wang Anxin 
Published: November 2021

Abstract

Background
The association between impaired fasting glucose and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in participants without atherosclerotic CVD (ASCVD) risk factors based on current definitions is unclear. The study aimed to examine the association of fasting glucose levels with CVD and its subtypes in persons without ASCVD risk factors.

Methods
This study included 38 297 participants [men 62.1%; mean age 47.9 (12.9) years] who were free of a history of CVD and absent of ASCVD risk factors and had a fasting plasma glucose (FPG) level between 70 to 125 mg/dL at baseline from Kailuan Study during 2006 and 2007. Participants were followed until new-onset CVD event, death, or December 31, 2017. Cox proportional hazards models were performed to evaluate the associations.

Results
During a median follow-up of 11.0 years (interquartile range 10.7-11.2 years), we observed 1217 incident CVD events. Compared with participants with FPG 70 to 99 mg/dL, the multivariable adjusted hazard ratios for CVD among participants with FPG 100 to 109 mg/dL and 110 to 125 mg/dL were 1.18 (95% CI 1.02-1.38) and 1.27 (95% CI 1.03-1.55), respectively. Multivariable-adjusted spline regression model showed a J-shaped association between FPG and the risk of CVD.

Conclusions
We found that among individuals without diabetes or other traditional ASCVD risk factors, there is an increased risk of incident CVD with increasing abnormal FPG levels. These results highlight the importance of primordial prevention for FPG level increases along with other traditional ASCVD risk factors.
Genome-Wide Association Study and Polygenic Risk Scores of Serum DHEAS Levels in a Chilean Children Cohort
Authors: Miranda José Patricio , Lardone María Cecilia , Rodríguez Fernando , Cutler Gordon B , Santos José Luis , Corvalán Camila , Pereira Ana , Mericq Verónica 
Published: November 2021

Abstract

Context
Adrenarche reflects the developmental growth of the adrenal zona reticularis, which produces increasing adrenal androgen secretion (eg, dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEA]/dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate [DHEAS]) from approximately age 5 to 15 years.

Objective
We hypothesized that the study of the genetic determinants associated with variations in serum DHEAS during adrenarche might detect genetic variants influencing the rate or timing of this process.

Methods
Genome-wide genotyping was performed in participants of the Chilean pediatric Growth and Obesity Chilean Cohort Study (GOCS) cohort (n = 788). We evaluated the genetic determinants of DHEAS levels at the genome-wide level and in targeted genes associated with steroidogenesis. To corroborate our findings, we evaluated a polygenic risk score (PRS) for age at pubarche, based on the discovered variants, in children from the same cohort.

Results
We identified one significant variant at the genome-wide level in the full cohort, close to the GALR1 gene (P = 3.81 × 10–8). In addition, variants suggestive of association (P &lt; 1 × 10–5) were observed in PRLR, PITX1, PTPRD, NR1H4, and BCL11B. Stratifying by sex, we found variants suggestive of association in SERBP1 and CAMTA1/VAMP3 for boys and near ZNF98, TRPC6, and SULT2A1 for girls. We also found significant reductions in age at pubarche in those children with higher PRS for greater DHEAS based on these newly identified variants.

Conclusion
Our results disclose one variant associated with DHEAS concentrations at the level of genome-wide association study significance, and several variants with a suggestive association that may be involved in the genetic regulation of adrenarche.
New onset asthma during pregnancy: two case reports
Authors: Schriek Paula S. , Bendien Saar A. , Feitsma Hanneke A. , van Exsel Jeroen 
Published: November 2021

Introduction: Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory disease during pregnancy. However, reports of new onset asthma during pregnancy are lacking. We report two cases of new onset asthma during pregnancy following respiratory tract infection, subsequently one case with M. pneumoniae infection and the other case with a combined infection with respiratory syncytial virus and rhinovirus. Case presentation: Both patients presented with the clinical features of an acute asthma exacerbation during pregnancy without a medical history of asthma. During follow up the diagnosis of asthma was supported by spirometry showing significant reversibility and elevated fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO). Patients were hospitalized and received supplemental oxygen, treatment for an acute asthma exacerbation with systemic corticosteroids, high dose inhalation therapy. These therapeutic interventions subsequently led to a good outcome for the mother and newborn in both cases. Conclusions: New onset asthma should be part of the differential diagnosis in pregnant patients with respiratory symptoms, particularly in case of mycoplasma infection. Diagnosing asthma during pregnancy can be challenging. In these circumstances, additional diagnostic tests (like inflammatory biomarkers FeNO and blood eosinophils) can be helpful to support the diagnosis.
Rates of refusal of clinical autopsies among HIV-positive decedents and an overview of autopsies in Uganda
Authors: Namuju Olivie C. , Kwizera Richard , Lukande Robert , Pastick Katelyn A. , Taylor Jonee M. , Nicol Melanie R. , Boulware David R. , Meya David B. 
Published: November 2021

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related mortality remains high in sub-Saharan Africa. Clinical autopsies can provide invaluable information to help ascertain the cause of death. We aimed to determine the rate and reasons for autopsy refusal amongst families of HIV-positive decedents in Uganda. Methods: We consented the next-of-kin for post-mortem examinations among Ugandan decedents with HIV from 2017-2020 at Kiruddu National Referral Hospital. For those who refused autopsies, reasons were recorded. Results: In this analysis, 165 decedents with HIV were included from three selected wards at Kiruddu National Referral Hospital. Autopsy was not performed in 45% of the deceased patients; the rate of autopsy refusal was 36%. The most common reasons for autopsy refusal were time constraints (30%), family satisfaction with clinical diagnosis (15%), fear of disfigurement of the remains (15%), and lack of perceived benefit (15%). By seeking consent from multiple family members and clearly explaining to them the purpose of performing the autopsy, we found a reduction in the rate of autopsy refusal among relatives of the deceased patients at this hospital compared to previous studies at the same site (36% vs. 60%). Conclusions: We found lower rates of autopsy refusal compared to previous studies at the same site. This underscores the importance of clearly explaining the purpose of autopsies as they increase active sensitization about their relevance and dispel myths related to autopsies among the general population. Good, culturally sensitive, and timely explanations to the family of the benefits of autopsy increase the rate of obtaining permission. Building capacity for performing autopsies by training more pathologists and increasing laboratory resources to decrease the turn-around-time for autopsy reports and extending these services to peripheral health facilities could improve autopsy acceptance rates.
Honesty in the Digital Age
Authors: Cohn Alain , Gesche Tobias , Maréchal Michel André 
Published: November 2021

Modern communication technologies enable efficient exchange of information but often sacrifice direct human interaction inherent in more traditional forms of communication. This raises the question of whether the lack of personal interaction induces individuals to exploit informational asymmetries. We conducted two experiments with a total of 848 subjects to examine how human versus machine interaction influences cheating for financial gain. We find that individuals cheat about three times more when they interact with a machine rather than a person, regardless of whether the machine is equipped with human features. When interacting with a human, individuals are particularly reluctant to report unlikely and therefore, suspicious outcomes, which is consistent with social image concerns. The second experiment shows that dishonest individuals prefer to interact with a machine when facing an opportunity to cheat. Our results suggest that human presence is key to mitigating dishonest behavior and that self-selection into communication channels can be used to screen for dishonest people.This paper was accepted by Axel Ockenfels, decision analysis.
POSSIBILITY OF DETERMINING ARGUMENTATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE ARTICLES: THE CASE OF LATVIAN
Authors: Lele-Rozentāle Dzintra , Laiveniece Diāna , Dubova Agnese , Egle Baiba 
Published: November 2021

Argumentation is an essential part of the research process and its linguistic representation. Argumentation, as well as the formation of appropriate wording requires that the author is familiar with different types of argumentation and the experience with their use to substantiate one's thoughts and statements in a proper scientific way. Until now, argumentation as an object of linguistic research in scientific has been widely researched, but in the context of scientific articles in Latvian, it has not been studied at all.
This paper explores the possibilities of qualitative analysis of argumentation in order to develop a methodology for determining the presence of argumentation and further linguistic research on it (for example, classification of argumentation by strategy, structure, scope or expansion, etc.).
To achieve the intended goal, 20 social science articles (published from 2016–2018) in Latvian have been selected from the fields of political science, economics and business, education, and sociology. These articles were structurally different, 8 articles strictly adhered to IMRaD format, 6 articles partially followed it (mainly the discussion section was missing) while the remaining 6 articles completely ignored the IMRaD format. The selection of articles was done to accept or reject the initial hypothesis that the proportion of argumentation is directly related to the IMRaD structure of the articles.
To determine the argumentation, the same research methods that are used in computational linguistics are applied to qualitative research and manual text zone marking is used. The study was intended to obtain and test a universal methodological approach that could be used for future linguistic research in disciplines (mainly humanities and arts) where the IMRaD structure is not used.
105° field of view non-contact handheld swept-source optical coherence tomography
Authors: Ni Shuibin , Nguyen Thanh-Tin P. , Ng Ringo , Khan Shanjida , Ostmo Susan , Jia Yali , Chiang Michael F. , Huang David , Peter Campbell J. , Jian Yifan 
Published: November 2021

We demonstrate a handheld
swept-source optical coherence tomography (OCT) system with a 400 kHz
vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) light source, a
non-contact approach, and an unprecedented single shot 105° field of
view (FOV). We also implemented a spiral scanning pattern allowing
real-time visualization with improved scanning efficiency. To the best
of our knowledge, this is the widest FOV achieved in a portable
non-contact OCT retinal imaging system to date. Improvements to the
FOV may aid the evaluation of retinal diseases such as retinopathy of
prematurity, where important vitreoretinal changes often occur in the
peripheral retina.
High-speed secure key distribution using local polarization modulation driven by optical chaos in reciprocal fiber channel
Authors: Shao Weidong , Cheng Mengfan , Deng Lei , Yang Qi , Dai Xiaoxiao , Liu Deming 
Published: November 2021

We propose a secure key distribution (SKD) based on local polarization modulation driven by optical chaos in a reciprocal fiber link. A robust error-free SKD with a key generation rate of 4.3 Gbit/s over transmission of 10-km standard single-mode fiber is experimentally demonstrated. A chaotic laser system shared by legitimate users serves as an external wideband entropy source. The polarization reciprocity of the fiber channel provides fundamental safety against eavesdropping. The robustness of SKD resulted from local chaotic polarization modulation is also theoretically analyzed and then verified by practical performance. The proposed scheme is an alternative SKD strategy with high speed and strong security.
1.7  µm Tm-fiber chirped pulse amplification system with dissipative soliton seed laser
Authors: Chen Ji-Xiang , Zhan Ze-Yu , Li Can , Liu Meng , Luo Ai-Ping , Zhou Pu , Xu Wen-Cheng , Luo Zhi-Chao 
Published: November 2021

We report on a 1.7 µm Tm-fiber chirped pulse amplification (CPA) system by virtue of a broadband dissipative soliton seed laser. The seed oscillator delivers the dissipative soliton with 10 dB spectral bandwidth of 23 nm and an average power of 4 mW. The duration of the seed pulse is directly stretched to

∼

60

p
s

by a segment of 50 m normal dispersion fiber. Using a two-stage fiber amplifier, the average power of the pulse is amplified to 1.95 W with a slope efficiency of 40.3%. The amplified pulse is then compressed to 348 fs by a pair of fused silica transmission gratings. The compressed average power of 1.3 W and peak power of 155 kW are achieved. These experimental results would pave the way to achieve a high-power femtosecond laser source at 1.7 µm, which could find important applications in fields such as three-photon deep-tissue imaging and material processing.
Fiber-based source of 500  kW mid-infrared solitons
Authors: Tiliouine I. , Delahaye H. , Granger G. , Leventoux Y. , Jimenez C. E. , Couderc V. , Février S. 
Published: November 2021

Fiber-based sources delivering high-energy few-cycle pulses at high repetition rates are currently being developed in the near-infrared spectral range, thanks to the wide availability of telecommunication-grade optical fibers and components. Similar sources in the middle-wave infrared (mid-IR) spectral domain, however, are scarce, although such sources are of high interest for applications such as high-precision frequency metrology and molecular spectroscopy or as a seed source to reach further into the mid-IR via coherent nonlinear processes. Here we report on the design of a fiber-based source of 50-nJ energy 90 fs duration pulses up to 2950 nm, corresponding to 500 kW peak power. To obtain this level of peak power we exploit multi-solitonic fission and soliton self-frequency shift in large mode area fibers excited by picosecond pulses emitted at 2 µm from a megahertz repetition rate fiber laser. We leverage mature silica-based fiber technology up to 2.4 µm and restrict the use of fluoride fiber to the very last frequency-shifting stage. The level of instantaneous power and ultra-short duration achieved in this Letter pave the way to all-fiber format generation of an ultra-broadband coherent continuum in the mid-IR with profound implications for applications such as high-resolution molecular spectroscopy and imaging.
Deep-learning-based approach for strain estimation in phase-sensitive optical coherence elastography
Authors: Dong Bo , Huang Naixing , Bai Yulei , Xie Shengli 
Published: November 2021

In this Letter, a deep-learning-based approach is proposed for estimating the strain field distributions in phase-sensitive optical coherence elastography. The method first uses the simulated wrapped phase maps and corresponding phase-gradient maps to train the strain estimation convolution neural network (CNN) and then employs the trained CNN to calculate the strain fields from measured phase-difference maps. Two specimens with different deformations, one with homogeneous and the other with heterogeneous, were measured for validation. The strain field distributions of the specimens estimated by different approaches were compared. The results indicate that the proposed deep-learning-based approach features much better performance than the popular vector method, enhancing the SNR of the strain results by 21.6 dB.