bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Helium roaming in excess electrons in C60F60 as dynamic quasi-Matryoshka dolls
Authors: Liu Yang , Feng Shanshan , Bu Yuxiang
Published: October 2024

Multi-guest clathrates exhibit lots of functional characteristics owing to their unique structures, which herald beautiful application prospects, but their fundamental information is still scarce. Herein, we explore a type of (helium, excess electrons/EEs)–C60F60 co-clathrates with quasi-Matryoshka-doll structures using ab initio molecular dynamics simulation and reveal the EEs-entangled He roaming dynamics in C60F60 and its effect on the characteristics of clathrates. Perfluorination ensures that C60F60 possesses an extremely electropositive interior cavity. Its unique confinement effect can stabilize He as an extremely inert entity by noticeably enlarging the 1s–2s orbital gap and can also trap 1–2 EEs in its s-type interior orbital with extremely large binding energies. Co-inclusion of He and EEs in C60F60 exhibits inter-repulsive He⋯EEs entangling dynamics featuring quasi-Matryoshka-doll structures (He@EEs@C60F60). In this structure, EEs screen the attraction of cage-shell Cδ+ to He 1s2 electrons, thus inhibiting their stabilization and orbital expansion, while He conversely decreases the stability of EEs and redshifts their transition absorption. He can roam in the cavity, but its trajectory is impacted by EEs serving as a medium, and thus, the structures exhibit anormal dynamic variation of internuclear He⋯C spin coupling JHeC, which is manipulated by the EEs-entangled He roaming dynamics. JHeC and JHeC′ present opposite distance dependences for the colinearly aligned C⋅⋅⋅He⋅⋅⊗⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅C′ (⊗, the cage center). This work provides insights into the Matryoshka-doll structured He@EEs@C60F60 with He–EEs entangling dynamics and its modulation on EEs absorption and reveals the dynamic role of EEs in manipulating He-roaming and JHeC coupling properties for promising applications.
Construction of Ag-modified ZnO/g-C3N4 heterostructure for enhanced photocatalysis performance
Authors: Liu Shanshan , Cheng Shaoli , Zheng Jiale , Liu Junhui , Huang Mingju
Published: October 2024

ZnO/g-C3N4 heterojunction modified with Ag nanoparticles (ZnO/CN/Ag) was synthesized by depositing ZnO nanorods/Ag nanoparticles onto g-C3N4 nanosheets. Under xenon lamp irradiation, 99% of Rhodamine B (RhB) was degraded by ZnO/CN/Ag-5% composite within 30 min, which was much higher than the degradation efficiency of ZnO and ZnO/CN. The synergistic effect of g-C3N4 and ZnO, along with the localized surface plasmon resonance effect of Ag NPs, contributes to the improvement of photocatalytic performance. Ag nanoparticle provides another charge transfer path from g-C3N4 to ZnO, which speeds up the separation of electron–hole pairs. Meanwhile, the catalyst had good stability and recyclability. Finite-difference time-domain method and the density functional theory were used to obtain the charge transfer process. The photodegradation process has been studied in depth.
Determination of the conduction and valence band offsets at the Co3O4/3C-SiC p-n heterojunction
Authors: Zeng Hui , Wang Weimin , Ivanov Ivan G. , Darakchieva Vanya , Sun Jianwu
Published: October 2024

The band offsets of semiconductor heterojunctions are critical parameters for the design of electronic and optoelectronic devices. In this work, we report the fabrication of a Co3O4/3C-SiC p-n heterojunction and the determination of the conduction band and valence band offsets at the Co3O4/3C-SiC heterojunction. Our results reveal that the Co3O4/3C-SiC p-n heterojunction exhibits a type-II band alignment, with a conduction band offset of 0.75 eV and a valence band offset of 0.96 eV. These experimental findings are crucial for the design and development of 3C-SiC devices for electronic and optoelectronic applications.
Non-contact rotation of a small object using a combination of ultrasound standing and traveling waves
Authors: Yamamoto E. , Hirayama T. , Koyama D.
Published: October 2024

Noncontact transportation and separation techniques using airborne ultrasound are attractive for use in industrial fields in which micrometer- to millimeter-sized objects can be levitated, rotated, and transported in the air using acoustic standing-wave and traveling-wave fields. This paper discusses a method to rotate a small object in the air without physical contact using ultrasound. The experimental system comprises a vibrating disk with four bolt-clamped Langevin-type ultrasound transducers and two semicircular reflectors. The flexural vibration of the disk generates an acoustic standing wave between them, and a small object can be levitated at the nodal position. An acoustic traveling wave was generated in the horizontal direction in an asymmetric acoustic field by inclining one of the two reflectors, which induced rotation of the object in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction. The acoustic intensity in the circumferential direction acting on the object was then calculated, and the directions of rotation predicted by the calculations corresponded with the experimental results. Higher input currents produced higher rotation speeds; the rotation speed reached a maximum value of 6.8 ± 0.9 rps at an input current of 1.1 App.
High radiation efficiency and tunable resonance planar double-turn spiral antenna for manipulation of nitrogen-vacancy centers
Authors: Gao Ang , Zhao Liye , Yan Ruqiang , Wang Yuhai
Published: October 2024

Nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond are promising quantum sensors, where microwave antennas play a crucial role in manipulating the spin states accurately. Conventional microwave antennas often struggle to balance radiation efficiency and bandwidth. To address this challenge, we design a planar double-turn spiral antenna (PDTSA), based on the ring microstrip antenna (RMA). PDTSA demonstrates an ∼4.5-fold increase in radiation efficiency compared to RMA. In addition, the PDTSA allows linear tunability of the resonance frequency up to 500 MHz by adjusting the spiral input length. This feature addresses the limitations of a narrow working frequency range, which are typically caused by the narrowband in high-radiation-efficiency antennas. The experimental results show that at an absolute input power of 1 W, the PDTSA increases the Rabi frequency from 1.72 to 8.06 MHz compared to the RMA. This enhancement accelerates quantum state manipulation and reduces phase accumulation errors. These characteristics make PDTSA suitable for applications in quantum sensing and precision measurements using NV centers.
Three-dimensional localized Rayleigh–Bénard convection in temperature-dependent viscosity fluids
Authors: Solomatov V. S.
Published: October 2024

The stability range of localized three-dimensional convective cells in Rayleigh–Bénard convection is determined across a broad range of viscosity contrasts between the boundaries of the fluid layer, for both free-slip and no-slip boundary conditions. The localized convective cell is generated by a finite-amplitude initial perturbation at subcritical Rayleigh numbers. It appears as a radially symmetric upwelling surrounded by nearly stagnant fluid, which can be characterized as an extremely weak plume. The parameter range in which three-dimensional localized upwellings are stable is slightly larger than that found for two-dimensional rolls. With free-slip boundaries, the lowest viscosity contrast at which the three-dimensional system can exhibit localization is approximately 35, about four times lower than for two-dimensional rolls. The wide range of conditions under which localization occurs in three-dimensional systems due to temperature-dependent viscosity further emphasizes its importance for the understanding of processes within the interiors of planetary bodies and for industrial applications.
QCManyBody: A flexible implementation of the many-body expansion
Authors: Burns Lori A. , Sherrill C. David , Pritchard Benjamin P.
Published: October 2024

While the many-body expansion (MBE) and counterpoise treatments are commonly used to mitigate the high scaling of accurate ab initio methods, researchers may need to piece together tools and scripts if their primary chosen software does not support targeted features. To further modular software in quantum chemistry, the arbitrary-order, multiple-model-chemistry, counterpoise-enabled MBE implementation from Psi4 has been extracted into an independent, lightweight, and open-source Python module, QCManyBody, with new schema underpinning, application programming interface, and software integrations. The package caters to direct users by facilitating single-point and geometry optimization MBE calculations backed by popular quantum chemistry codes through the QCEngine runner and by defining a schema for requesting and reporting many-body computations. It also serves developers and integrators by providing minimal, composable, and extensible interfaces. The design and flexibility of QCManyBody are demonstrated via integrations with geomeTRIC, OptKing, Psi4, QCEngine, and the QCArchive project.
Floating particles transport through the free surface vortex technique: A novel numerical study to assess the interaction among different scales of vortex structures
Authors: Li Zhixiang , Chen Huixiang , Xu Hui , Feng Jiangang , Rossi Mosè , Qian Shangtuo , Yang Zixuan , Kan Kan
Published: October 2024

Fat, oil, and grease (FOG) floating particles in the sump of sewage pumping stations will accumulate together to form rigid layers, resulting in failure for pump device. To overcome this, the free surface vortex (FSV) technique has been considered and applied to transport floating particles toward the submerged suction pump inlet. This paper investigates the potential of vortices as a means of downward motion of FOG. The entrainment capacity of FSV is investigated by numerical simulations using a coupled level-set and volume-of-fluid method. Two coherent structures are decomposed by proper orthogonal decomposition: FSV represented by the first two orders with high energy content and spiral vortex bands represented by low energy and high order models. The extracted ridges of the finite-time Lyapunov exponent (FTLE) delineate different regions of the flow field and effectively capture the evolution of Lagrangian coherent structures. The floating particles in the sump are first caught by the dividing line formed by the FTLE ridges, mixed in the entrainment zone, and then merged into the vortex. The enstrophy production term dominates the development of vorticity. Subject to the influence of flow velocity gradients, both radial and tangential vortices undergo a transition into axial vortices. This transformation enhances the vortex's capacity to entrain particles within the vortex core area, leading to their rapid inward spiraling toward the vortex center and eventual expulsion due to the vortex's entrainment effect.
The SrBi4Ti4O15-based sandwich-structured films for energy storage capacitors
Authors: Zhang Y. , Song D. P. , Hui Z. Z. , Lei Y. , Li R. Z. , Pei C. H. , Yang J.
Published: October 2024

Both large spontaneous polarization and high breakdown strength are necessary to achieve high recoverable energy density in capacitors. Unfortunately, there is a trade-off between them within the homogeneous medium. Therefore, a sandwich structure with a high polarization layer was designed in the Aurivillius phase lead-free film to address this issue. This strategy can effectively enhance the polarization capability by introducing a highly spontaneous polarization layer and also improve the breakdown strength by reducing the leakage current caused by interfacial barriers and grain refinement. Benefiting from the synergistic effects, a high energy density of 50.4 J/cm3 with a high efficiency of 76.6% in the sandwich-structure thin film capacitors were achieved. In addition, the energy storage performance exhibits good wide frequency range and high-temperature stability. This approach is generally applicable to the design of other ferroelectrics and dielectrics promises high-performance energy storage capacitors.
Numerical simulation on the interaction of median fins for enhancing vortex dynamics and propulsion performance in fish self-propelled swimming
Authors: Yang Guang , Li Wen-jie , Du Hong-bo , Wan Yu , Xiao Yi , Zhang Peng , Yang Sheng-fa
Published: October 2024

Studies have shown that fish can enhance propulsion performance by utilizing the interaction between median fins (dorsal, anal, and caudal fins), compared to fish with only caudal fin. However, most of the current studies are based on the fish oscillating in-place, and the analysis of median fins interaction to improve swimming propulsion performance is still insufficient, and the mechanism needs further study. This study applied three-dimensional numerical simulation methods to solve the process of grass carp accelerating from a stationary state to cruising state under different body and median fins combination, as well as different motion parameter models. A comparative quantitative analysis of different models was conducted to assess the impact of median fins interactions on enhancing swimming performance, with a detailed analysis of the hydrodynamic mechanisms and their relationship with vortex dynamics. The results indicated that interactions between median fins could generate significant hydrodynamic benefits, with the fish's average swimming speed increasing up to 4.6 times, thrust up to 33.47%, and swimming efficiency up to 25.48%. This study found that the enhancement of propulsion performance was due to the formation of high-intensity and persistent posterior body vortices by the movements of the dorsal and anal fins, which were captured by the leading-edge of the caudal fin, greatly enhancing the strength of the leading-edge vortex. This study elucidates the hydrodynamic mechanisms of the interaction between median fins and could provide new insights into the efficient swimming mechanism of fish in nature.
Evolution of supersonic cooling film flow over concave and convex surfaces with different radius curvatures
Authors: Zhang Zhen , Liu Xiaolin , Yi Shihe , Hu Yufa
Published: October 2024

A cooling film (Mach 2.3) is injected into a supersonic wind tunnel's (Mach 3.8) flow field. As the curvature radius decreases, mixing layer destabilization is delayed on the CV (convex wall) and advanced on the CC (concave wall). When x = 20–60 mm, wall pressure is influenced by the cooling film, and when x = 100–220 mm, curvature dominates. As the curvature radius decreases, pressure on the concave wall increases more rapidly, while that on the convex wall decreases more swiftly. IP (impulse for bulk dilation) values on the CC-1500 and CV-1500 walls are approximately twice those on the CC-3000 and CV-3000 walls, respectively.
Exogenous γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) enhances rye (Secale cereale) seedling resistance to combined freeze-thaw and cadmium stress
Authors: Wang Huixin , Bao Guozhang , Tian Lingzhi , Chen Simeng , Xu Yanan , Li Guomei , Zhao Hongwei
Published: October 2024

Freeze-thaw is a common stress at high altitudes in northern China. There is a risk of cadmium (Cd) contamination in the region. γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a natural product that regulates plant growth. Rye (Secale cereale) was used as research material to investigate the physiological effects of exogenous GABA on rye seedlings under the single and combined stresses of freeze-thaw and cadmium. The results showed that the combined stress severely inhibited shoot length, root length, fresh weight, and dry weight, increased malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide contents, and significantly decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Foliar application of 5 mM GABA alleviated the negative effects of stress on seedling growth, increased soluble protein content, and reduced malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide contents. Exogenous GABA application also enhanced the activities of SOD and peroxidase (POD). Additionally, the presence of exogenous GABA activated the GABA metabolic process and encouraged the accumulation of phytochelatins, glutathione, and non-protein thiol. These results indicate that exogenous GABA can effectively improve the resistance of rye seedlings to freeze-thaw and Cd by regulating the antioxidant enzyme system and enhancing its own detoxification mechanism, and they provide a basis for future applications of exogenous GABA, which is beneficial for ecological protection.
Fermionized Dual Vortex Theory for Magnetized Kagomé Spin Liquid
Authors: Pan 潘 Si-Yu 斯语 , Chen 陈 Gang v. 钢
Published: October 2024

Inspired by the recent quantum oscillation measurement on the kagomé lattice antiferromagnet in finite magnetic fields, we raise the question about the physical contents of the emergent fermions and the gauge fields if the U(1) spin liquid is relevant for the finite-field kagomé lattice antiferromagnet. Clearly, the magnetic field is non-perturbative in this regime, and the finite-field state has no direct relation with the U(1) Dirac spin liquid proposal at zero field. We here consider the fermionized dual vortex liquid state as one possible candidate theory to understand the magnetized kagomé spin liquid. Within the dual vortex theory, the Sz
magnetization is the emergent U(1) gauge flux, and the fermionized dual vortex is the emergent fermion. The magnetic field polarizes the spin component that modulates the U(1) gauge flux for the fermionized vortices and generates the quantum oscillation. Within the mean-field theory, we discuss the gauge field correlation, the vortex–antivortex continuum and the vortex thermal Hall effect.
Statistical Properties and Cosmological Applications of Fast Radio Bursts
Authors: Wu 吴 Qin 沁 , Wang 王 Fa-Yin 发印
Published: October 2024

Fast radio burst (FRB) is a type of extragalactic radio signal characterized by millisecond duration, extremely high brightness temperature, and large dispersion measure. It remains a mystery in the universe. Advancements in instrumentation have led to the discovery of 816 FRB sources and 7622 bursts from 67 repeating FRBs (https://blinkverse.alkaidos.cn/). This field is undergoing rapid development, rapidly advancing our understanding of the physics of FRBs as new observational data accumulates. The accumulation of data has also promoted exploration of our universe. In this review, we summarize the statistical analysis and cosmological applications using large samples of FRBs, including the energy functions, the waiting time distributions of repeating FRBs, probe of missing baryons and circumgalactic medium in the universe, measurements of cosmological parameters, exploration of the epoch of re-ionization history, and research of the gravitational lensing of FRBs.
Topology optimization of extreme mechanical metamaterials considering the anisotropy of additive manufactured parts
Authors: Zheng Ran , Yi Bing , Tao Yong , Peng Xiang
Published: October 2024

Additive manufacturing (AM) has the advantage of fabricating complex geometries designed by topology optimization. However, the layer-by-layer stacking of AM causes the anisotropic property of the manufactured parts, which is rarely considered in the topology optimization of metamaterials. Hence, this paper presents a new method for the topology optimization of metamaterials with anisotropic properties. First, the elastic moduli in different directions of anisotropic materials are introduced into the solid isotropic material with penalization interpolation function. Then, the effective elastic properties of anisotropic metamaterials are evaluated using the energy-based homogenization method, and the formulation of the topology optimization of anisotropic metamaterials is constructed, and it is iteratively solved by the method of moving asymptotes algorithm. Finally, several two-dimensional and three-dimensional numerical examples and a set of mechanical experiment are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Forecast of CMB TB and EB correlations for AliCPT-1
Authors: Dou Jiazheng , Ghosh Shamik , Santos Larissa , Zhao Wen
Published: October 2024

The correlations between T, E modes and B modes in cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation, which are expected to vanish under parity symmetry, have become a sensitive probe of the new physics beyond the standard model. In this paper, we forecast the estimation of TB and EB cross power spectra using NILC and cILC on AliCPT-1 simulations together with Planck HFI and WMAP K maps as ancillary data. We find that, NILC performs better than cILC on measuring TB and EB correlations in light of its lower uncertainties. In terms of the birefringence angle estimation without assuming systematic errors, the combination of CMB TB and EB spectra from NILC cleaned simulations could reach a sensitivity of |β| < 0.058∘ with 2σ significance for the first observing season of AliCPT. Tripling the survey duration will improve this sensitivity to |β| < 0.041∘.
Bootstrapping Lagrangian perturbation theory for the large scale structure
Authors: Marinucci Marco , Pardede Kevin , Pietroni Massimo
Published: October 2024

We develop a model-independent approach to Lagrangian perturbation theory for the large scale structure of the universe. We focus on the displacement field for dark matter particles, and derive its most general structure without assuming a specific form for the equations of motion, but implementing a set of general requirements based on symmetry principles and consistency with the perturbative approach. We present explicit results up to sixth order, and provide an algorithmic procedure for arbitrarily higher orders. The resulting displacement field is expressed as an expansion in operators built up from the linear density field, with time-dependent coefficients that can be obtained, in a specific model, by solving ordinary differential equations. The derived structure is general enough to cover a wide spectrum of models beyond ΛCDM, including modified gravity scenarios of the Horndeski type and models with multiple dark matter species. This work is a first step towards a complete model-independent Lagrangian forward model, to be employed in cosmological analyses with power spectrum and bispectrum, other summary statistics, and field-level inference.
Manufacture and applications of GaN-based piezotronic and piezo-phototronic devices
Authors: Niu Jianan , Wang Jiangwen , Sha Wei , Long Yong , Ma Bei , Hu Weiguo
Published: October 2024

Driven by the urgent demands for information technology, energy, and intelligent industry, third-generation semiconductor GaN has emerged as a pivotal component in electronic and optoelectronic devices. Fundamentally, piezoelectric polarization is the most essential feature of GaN materials. Incorporating piezotronics and piezo-phototronics, GaN materials synergize mechanical signals with electrical and optical signals, thereby achieving multi-field coupling that enhances device performance. Piezotronics regulates the carrier transport process in micro–nano devices, which has been proven to significantly improve the performance of devices (such as high electron mobility transistors and microLEDs) and brings many novel applications. This review examines GaN material properties and the theoretical foundations of piezotronics and phototronics. Furthermore, it delves into the fabrication and integration processes of GaN devices to achieve state-of-the-art performance. Additionally, this review analyzes the impact of introducing three-dimensional stress and regulatory forces on the electrical and optical output performance of devices. Moreover, it discusses the burgeoning applications of GaN devices in neural sensing, optoelectronic output, and energy harvesting. The potential of piezotronic-controlled GaN devices provides valuable insights for future research and the development of multi-functional, diversified electronic devices.
Laser-induced thermo-compression bonding for Cu–Au heterogeneous nanojoining
Authors: Wan Hui , Shu Yu , Chen Shuo , Cao Hao , Zhou Shengjun , Liu Sheng , Gui Chengqun
Published: October 2024

Surface tension-induced shrinkage of heterogeneously bonded interfaces is a key factor in limiting the performance of nanostructures. Herein, we demonstrate a laser-induced thermo-compression bonding technology to suppress surface tension-induced shrinkage of Cu–Au bonded interface. A focused laser beam is used to apply localized heating and scattering force to the exposed Cu nanowire. The laser-induced scattering force and the heating can be adjusted by regulating the exposure intensity. When the ratio of scattering forces to the gravity of the exposed nanowire reaches 3.6 × 103, the molten Cu nanowire is compressed into flattened shape rather than shrinking into nanosphere by the surface tension. As a result, the Cu–Au bonding interface is broadened fourfold by the scattering force, leading to a reduction in contact resistance of approximately 56%. This noncontact thermo-compression bonding technology provides significant possibilities for the interconnect packaging and integration of nanodevices.
IoT- enabled crop waste mulching machine for sustainable farming: perspective of circular economy
Authors: Chaudhari Rajendra S , Rane Santosh B , Mahajan S K , Mogal Yogesh K
Published: October 2024

A large amount of crop waste is generated after crop harvesting. A substantial quantity of waste on the farm is burnt to clear the field, contributing to environmental harm and global warming. The study aims to develop a technological solution for crop waste management (CWM) by designing and developing an IoT-enabled crop waste mulching machine. This initiative addresses the environmental and health issues caused by burning crop waste on farms. The research involves designing and developing an IoT-enabled mulching machine that can be attached to the back side of a tractor. The machine consists of power-transmitting elements, supports, and mechanisms to distribute mulching material evenly onto the plant bed. It incorporates advanced IoT load cell sensors, soil moisture sensors, and proximity sensors to optimize the mulching process based on soil moisture content and to prevent machinery blockages. The IoT-enabled mulching machine effectively manages crop waste by utilizing it in mulch, thus preventing the harmful practice of burning waste. This machine ensures a more efficient, safer, and environmentally friendly approach to mulching, offering significant improvements over traditional manual mulching methods. The novelty of this research lies in integrating IoT technologies within mulching machine. The mulching machine uses sensors to automate and optimize the mulching process, representing a significant technological advancement over conventional methods. The study offers practical benefits by reducing labour requirements, minimizing the risk of injuries, and ensuring a more uniform mulch application. This technology facilitates more sustainable farming practices, aligning with global sustainability goals. The study can potentially revolutionize the agricultural equipment manufacturing industry (AEMI) by shifting the focus toward environmental sustainability. It promotes replacing plastic film mulching machines with more eco-friendly crop waste mulching solutions. This technology has the potential to reduce air pollution, carbon emissions, and mitigate climate. It also enhances soil health through better mulching practices.
Chemical space-informed machine learning models for rapid predictions of x-ray photoelectron spectra of organic molecules
Authors: Tripathy Susmita , Das Surajit , Jindal Shweta , Ramakrishnan Raghunathan
Published: October 2024

We present machine learning models based on kernel-ridge regression for predicting x-ray photoelectron spectra of organic molecules originating from the K-shell ionization energies of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), oxygen (O), and fluorine (F) atoms. We constructed the training dataset through high-throughput calculations of K-shell core-electron binding energies (CEBEs) for 12 880 small organic molecules in the bigQM7ω  dataset, employing the Δ-SCF formalism coupled with meta-GGA-DFT and a variationally converged basis set. The models are cost-effective, as they require the atomic coordinates of a molecule generated using universal force fields while estimating the target-level CEBEs corresponding to DFT-level equilibrium geometry. We explore transfer learning by utilizing the atomic environment feature vectors learned using a graph neural network framework in kernel-ridge regression. Additionally, we enhance accuracy within the Δ-machine learning framework by leveraging inexpensive baseline spectra derived from Kohn–Sham eigenvalues. When applied to 208 combinatorially substituted uracil molecules larger than those in the training set, our analyses suggest that the models may not provide quantitatively accurate predictions of CEBEs but offer a strong linear correlation relevant for virtual high-throughput screening. We present the dataset and models as the Python module, cebeconf, to facilitate further explorations.
Mitigation in the Law of Damages
Authors: Summers Andy
Published: October 2024

This book provides the first comprehensive theoretical and doctrinal treatment of the law of mitigation in any common law jurisdiction. Mitigation determines how a claimant’s own response to a breach affects the damages they can recover. It responds to the basic argument: ‘although I did wrong, you made things worse’. It applies to all claims for compensation, regardless of the claimant’s cause of action and irrespective of the defendant’s level of fault (if any). The book’s main argument is that the twin principles of choice and abnormality, which underlie ‘commonsense’ causal reasoning, also explain how judges approach questions of mitigation. Contrary to the conventional view, the rules of mitigation apply symmetrically to benefits as well as harms. If the claimant makes a choice not to replicate their ‘no-breach’ position in the usual way then damages will be assessed counterfactually as if they had done so, for better or worse. The book also explains the relation between mitigation and other damages doctrines including the market rule, intervening acts by the claimant, betterment, remoteness, and contributory negligence. The book’s arguments have broader implications for our understanding of the legal concepts of causation, choice, and loss, and call for a re-evaluation of existing theories of damages.
Conclusion
Authors: Summers Andy
Published: October 2024

This chapter draws out some implications and open questions raised by the book’s account of mitigation, taking a broader perspective aimed at private law theorists. The reflections are organized according to four key concepts: causation; choice; rights; and loss. On causation, the discussion focuses on the nature and scope of the choice and abnormality principles identified in the law of mitigation. On choice, it is argued that the literature on the moral significance of choice could be used to further delineate the boundaries of mitigation. On rights and loss, the chapter seeks to how the new account of mitigation relates to existing general theories of damages, and concludes by proposing a ‘new loss-based theory’ with mitigation at its heart.
The General Christian Contradiction
Authors: Chepurin Kirill
Published: October 2024

In dialogue with Hans Blumenberg’s account of modernity, Christianity, and Gnosticism, this chapter traces the contours of the Christian-modern world in Schelling as a structure of alienation and the not-yet. The chapter reconstructs the tension between theodicy and bliss in Schelling’s genealogy of modernity, as well as analyzes the place of mysticism in this genealogy and highlights his Romantic proclamation of the coming epoch of magic, bliss, and what William Wordsworth calls the “one life.” In the Schellingian framework, Christianity and modernity remain co-imbricated in and as the hegemonic Christian-modern world, and modernity appears as a failed salvific epoch that inherits the Christian promise of a blissful future. What the chapter terms the general Christian contradiction as the structure of universal diremption forms the basis of Schelling’s view of the world as a whole and provides the context in which his thought is placed in the rest of the book.
Evil Is but a Shadow
Authors: Chepurin Kirill
Published: October 2024

This chapter reconstructs Schelling’s so-called identity philosophy as a speculative solar thought and an antagonistic attempt to re-vision the universe, against the logics of self-assertion and appropriation, as one blissful being-in-common. In bliss, the world’s enclosures and divisions are annihilated, dissolved as in water and consumed as in revolutionary fire—the fire that, for Schelling, is one with the solar fire repressed within the earth. However, as part of his identity philosophy, Schelling also develops an aesthetic theodicy of history that indifferently assigns to everything its place within the All and sees no evil, and that explicitly legitimates Christian-European colonialism. Not only does Schelling position the Christian-European subject as the normative subject of planetary history but his very construction of concepts such as “history” and “religion” is programmatically Christian-modern in character. In the end, the chapter suggests, Schelling’s identity philosophy collapses due to the apocalyptic tension between theodicy and bliss.
Clustering scRNA-seq data with the cross-view collaborative information fusion strategy
Authors: Lou Zhengzheng , Wei Xiaojiao , Hu Yuanhao , Hu Shizhe , Wu Yucong , Tian Zhen
Published: October 2024

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology has revolutionized biological research by enabling high-throughput, cellular-resolution gene expression profiling. A critical step in scRNA-seq data analysis is cell clustering, which supports downstream analyses. However, the high-dimensional and sparse nature of scRNA-seq data poses significant challenges to existing clustering methods. Furthermore, integrating gene expression information with potential cell structure data remains largely unexplored. Here, we present scCFIB, a novel information bottleneck (IB)-based clustering algorithm that leverages the power of IB for efficient processing of high-dimensional sparse data and incorporates a cross-view fusion strategy to achieve robust cell clustering. scCFIB constructs a multi-feature space by establishing two distinct views from the original features. We then formulate the cell clustering problem as a target loss function within the IB framework, employing a collaborative information fusion strategy. To further optimize scCFIB’s performance, we introduce a novel sequential optimization approach through an iterative process. Benchmarking against established methods on diverse scRNA-seq datasets demonstrates that scCFIB achieves superior performance in scRNA-seq data clustering tasks. Availability: the source code is publicly available on GitHub: https://github.com/weixiaojiao/scCFIB.
Bioinformatics in Russia: history and present-day landscape
Authors: Nawaz Muhammad A , Pamirsky Igor E , Golokhvast Kirill S
Published: October 2024

Bioinformatics has become an interdisciplinary subject due to its universal role in molecular biology research. The current status of Russia’s bioinformatics research in Russia is not known. Here, we review the history of bioinformatics in Russia, present the current landscape, and highlight future directions and challenges. Bioinformatics research in Russia is driven by four major industries: information technology, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and agriculture. Over the past three decades, despite a delayed start, the field has gained momentum, especially in protein and nucleic acid research. Dedicated and shared centers for genomics, proteomics, and bioinformatics are active in different regions of Russia. Present-day bioinformatics in Russia is characterized by research issues related to genetics, metagenomics, OMICs, medical informatics, computational biology, environmental informatics, and structural bioinformatics. Notable developments are in the fields of software (tools, algorithms, and pipelines), use of high computation power (e.g. by the Siberian Supercomputer Center), and large-scale sequencing projects (the sequencing of 100 000 human genomes). Government funding is increasing, policies are being changed, and a National Genomic Information Database is being established. An increased focus on eukaryotic genome sequencing, the development of a common place for developers and researchers to share tools and data, and the use of biological modeling, machine learning, and biostatistics are key areas for future focus. Universities and research institutes have started to implement bioinformatics modules. A critical mass of bioinformaticians is essential to catch up with the global pace in the discipline.
Incidence of rectal cancer after colectomy for inflammatory bowel disease: nationwide study
Authors: Deputy Mohammed , Worley Guy , Burns Elaine M , Bottle Alex , Aylin Paul , Hart Ailsa , Faiz Omar
Published: October 2024

Background

Inflammatory bowel disease increases the risk of colorectal neoplasia. A particular problem arises in patients who have undergone subtotal colectomy leaving a rectal remnant. The risk of future rectal cancer must be accurately estimated and weighed against the risks of further surgery or surveillance. The aim of this study was to estimate the 10-year cumulative incidence of rectal cancer in such patients.

Methods

A nationwide study using England’s hospital administrative data was performed. A cohort of patients undergoing subtotal colectomy between April 2002 and March 2014 was identified. A competing risks survival analysis was performed to calculate the cumulative incidence of rectal cancer. The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on endoscopic surveillance was investigated using time-trend analysis.

Results

A total of 8120 patients were included and 61 patients (0.8%) were diagnosed with cancer. The cumulative incidence of rectal cancer was 0.26% (95% c.i. 0.17% to 0.39%), 0.49% (95% c.i. 0.36% to 0.68%), and 0.77% (95% c.i. 0.57% to 1.02%) at 5, 10, and 15 years respectively. A previous diagnosis of colonic dysplasia (HR 3.34, 95% c.i. 1.01 to 10.97; P = 0.047), primary sclerosing cholangitis (HR 5.42, 95% c.i. 1.34 to 21.85; P = 0.018), and elective colectomy (HR 1.83, 95% c.i. 1.11 to 3.02; P = 0.018) was associated with an increased incidence of rectal cancer. Regarding endoscopic surveillance, there was a 43% decline in endoscopic procedures performed in 2020 (333 procedures) compared with 2019 (585 procedures).

Conclusion

The incidence of rectal cancer after subtotal colectomy is low. Asymptomatic patients without evidence of rectal dysplasia should be carefully counselled on the possible benefits and risks of prophylactic proctectomy.
Influence of a surgeon’s exposure to operating room turnover delays on patient outcomes
Authors: Pasquer Arnaud , Cordier Quentin , Lifante Jean-Christophe , Poncet Gilles , Polazzi Stéphanie , Duclos Antoine
Published: October 2024

Background

A surgeon’s daily performance may be affected by operating room organizational factors, potentially impacting patient outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate the link between a surgeon’s exposure to delays in starting scheduled operations and patient outcomes.

Methods

A prospective observational study was conducted from 1 November 2020 to 31 December 2021, across 14 surgical departments in four university hospitals, covering various surgical disciplines. All elective surgeries by 45 attending surgeons were analysed, assessing delays in starting operations and inter-procedural wait times exceeding 1 or 2 h. The primary outcome was major adverse events within 30 days post-surgery. Mixed-effect logistic regression accounted for operation clustering within surgeons, estimating adjusted relative risks and outcome rate differences using marginal standardization.

Results

Among 8844 elective operations, 4.0% started more than 1 h late, associated with an increased rate of adverse events (21.6% versus 14.4%, P = 0.039). Waiting time surpassing 1 h between procedures occurred in 71.4% of operations and was also associated with a higher frequency of adverse events (13.9% versus 5.3%, P < 0.001). After adjustment, delayed operations were associated with an elevated risk of major adverse events (adjusted relative risk 1.37 (95% c.i. 1.06 to 1.85)). The standardized rate of major adverse events was 12.1%, compared with 8.9% (absolute difference of 3.3% (95% c.i. 0.6% to 5.6%)), when a surgeon experienced a delay in operating room scheduling or waiting time between two procedures exceeding 1 h, as opposed to not experiencing such delays.

Conclusion

A surgeon’s exposure to delay before starting elective procedures was associated with an increased occurrence of major adverse events. Optimizing operating room turnover to prevent delayed operations and waiting time is critical for patient safety.
Early poliosis- and vitiligo-like depigmentation as an indicator of treatment response in patients with uveal melanoma under tebentafusp therapy
Authors: Helf Charlotte , Kähler Katharina C
Published: October 2024

We report novel findings of early vitiligo- and poliosis-like depigmentation of skin and hair in three patients with uveal melanoma under tebentafusp therapy, which are associated with a good treatment response to tebentafusp.
Tender indurated patches and plaques on lower limbs
Authors: Yong Ji Fung , Griffin Laoise , Karunadhas Nesa Samuel , Macsweeney Fergus , Victory Liana , Pender Emily , O’Connell Michael
Published: October 2024

A 65-year-old White man presented with worsening dyspnoea, dependent oedema and a bilateral lower limb rash. He described intermittently tender areas of erythema limited to both lower legs.
Solvent-vapor-assisted crystallization of covalent organic framework films for CO2/CH4 separation
Authors: Kato Masaki , Yanase Takashi , Waizumi Hiroki , Yokokura Seiya , Shimada Toshihiro
Published: October 2024

Covalent organic framework films were prepared using alternating vapor deposition of precursors followed by solvent vapor annealing. When an as-deposited film was annealed in appropriate solvent vapors, the prepared covalent organic framework film exhibited an “onion-like” structure. This result opens a way to synthesize covalent organic framework films with highly ordered planar layers through the interaction between layers. The CO2/CH4 separation performance of covalent organic framework film was significantly improved due to the decrease in defects caused by crystallization.
Remdesivir-Associated Survival Outcomes Among Immunocompromised Patients Hospitalized for COVID-19: Real-world Evidence From the Omicron-Dominant Era
Authors: Mozaffari Essy , Chandak Aastha , Gottlieb Robert L , Chima-Melton Chidinma , Berry Mark , Amin Alpesh N , Sax Paul E , Kalil Andre C
Published: October 2024

Background

Patients with immunocompromising conditions are at increased risk for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)–related hospitalizations and deaths. Randomized clinical trials provide limited enrollment, if any, to provide information on the outcomes in such patients treated with remdesivir.

Methods

Using the US PINC AI Healthcare Database, we identified adult patients with immunocompromising conditions, hospitalized for COVID-19 between December 2021 and February 2024. The primary outcome was all-cause inpatient mortality examined in propensity score–matched patients in remdesivir vs nonremdesivir groups. Subgroup analyses were performed for patients with cancer, hematological malignancies, and solid organ or hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.

Results

Of 28 966 patients included in the study, 16 730 (58%) received remdesivir during the first 2 days of hospitalization. After propensity score matching, 8822 patients in the remdesivir and 8822 patients in the nonremdesivir group were analyzed. Remdesivir was associated with a significantly lower mortality rate among patients with no supplemental oxygen (adjusted hazard ratio [95% confidence interval], 0.73 [.62–.86] at 14 days and 0.79 [.68–.91] at 28 days) and among those with supplemental oxygen (0.75 [.67–.85] and 0.78 [.70–.86], respectively). Remdesivir was also associated with lower mortality rates in subgroups of patients with cancer, hematological malignancies (leukemia, lymphoma, or multiple myeloma), and solid organ or hematopoietic stem cell transplants.

Conclusions

In this large cohort of patients with immunocompromising conditions hospitalized for COVID-19, remdesivir was associated with significant improvement in survival, including patients with varied underlying immunocompromising conditions. The integration of current real-world evidence into clinical guideline recommendations can inform clinical communities to optimize treatment decisions in the evolving COVID-19 era, extending beyond the conclusion of the public health emergency declaration.
Remdesivir Effectiveness in Reducing the Risk of 30-Day Readmission in Vulnerable Patients Hospitalized for COVID-19: A Retrospective US Cohort Study Using Propensity Scores
Authors: Mozaffari Essy , Chandak Aastha , Gottlieb Robert L , Kalil Andre C , Jiang Heng , Oppelt Thomas , Berry Mark , Chima-Melton Chidinma , Amin Alpesh N
Published: October 2024

Background

Reducing hospital readmission offer potential benefits for patients, providers, payers, and policymakers to improve quality of healthcare, reduce cost, and improve patient experience. We investigated effectiveness of remdesivir in reducing 30-day coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related readmission during the Omicron era, including older adults and those with underlying immunocompromising conditions.

Methods

This retrospective study utilized the US PINC AI Healthcare Database to identify adult patients discharged alive from an index COVID-19 hospitalization between December 2021 and February 2024. Odds of 30-day COVID-19-related readmission to the same hospital were compared between patients who received remdesivir vs those who did not, after balancing characteristics of the two groups using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). Analyses were stratified by maximum supplemental oxygen requirement during index hospitalization.

Results

Of 326 033 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 during study period, 210 586 patients met the eligibility criteria. Of these, 109 551 (52%) patients were treated with remdesivir. After IPTW, lower odds of 30-day COVID-19-related readmission were observed in patients who received remdesivir vs those who did not, in the overall population (3.3% vs 4.2%, respectively; odds ratio [95% confidence interval {CI}]: 0.78 [.75–.80]), elderly population (3.7% vs 4.7%, respectively; 0.78 [.75–.81]), and those with underlying immunocompromising conditions (5.3% vs 6.2%, respectively; 0.86 [.80–.92]). These results were consistent irrespective of supplemental oxygen requirements.

Conclusions

Treating patients hospitalized for COVID-19 with remdesivir was associated with a significantly lower likelihood of 30-day COVID-19-related readmission across all patients discharged alive from the initial COVID-19 hospitalization, including older adults and those with underlying immunocompromising conditions.