bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Polish campaign A.V. Suvorov 1794: truth and myths
Authors: Bogdanov Andrey Petrovich
Published: December 2023

The legendary personality of Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov seriously complicates the study of his thoughts and deeds, forcing the scientist to approach the analysis of sources especially critically. Nevertheless, an objective look at the development of Suvorov’s thought and actions based on his ideas and beliefs are quite possible. The article shows this using the example of one, relatively short event in the commander’s biography: the Polish campaign of 1794. The author rejects both speculation about Suvorov’s campaign as a punitive expedition, and ideas rooted in Russian historiography about a dashing raid staged by Suvorov on Warsaw with small forces. Reliable sources indicate that the commander’s campaign in Poland was not only undertaken by him with humane goals, but was also carefully organized for a quick victory with the help of a massive army well trained by him along the way. Suvorov's ideas, his instructions to the troops and the dispositions of the main battle for Warsaw were studied using authentic documents and letters from the commander, correlated with the entire complex of sources left by him. The article examines the circumstances of Suvorov's campaign in Poland, his instructions for preparing and training troops for actions in the new campaign, orders for careful treatment of the civilian population. For the first time, the number of troops concentrated by the commander for the assault on Prague, a suburb of Warsaw, was accurately calculated, and the course of the assault on the city by superior forces was examined. Objective data refute both Western and later Russian journalism, which accused Suvorov’s troops of excessive cruelty. The study shows that Suvorov’s entire organization of the actions of the Russian army was aimed at protecting the civilian population of Poland, and Warsaw in particular, from the consequences of the war, and that these actions were successful. The commander managed not only to prevent the destruction of the capital of Poland, but also to save a significant part of the civilian population of Prague.
Selective Photoelectrochemical Oxidation of Glycerol to Glyceric Acid on (002) Facets Exposed WO3 Nanosheets
Authors: Xiao Yonghao , Wang Mengran , Liu Dong , Gao Jiajian , Ding Jie , Wang Huan , Yang Hong Bin , Li Fuhua , Chen Mengxin , Xu Yangsen , Xu Danyun , Zhang Yun‐Xiao , Fang Shaofan , Ao Xin , Wang Jingyu , Su Chenliang , Liu Bin
Published: December 2023

Glycerol is a byproduct of biodiesel production. Selective photoelectrochemical oxidation of glycerol to high value‐added chemicals offers an economical and sustainable approach to transform renewable feedstock as well as store green energy at the same time. In this work, we synthesized monoclinic WO3 nanosheets with exposed (002) facets, which could selectively oxidize glycerol to glyceric acid (GLYA) with a photocurrent density of 1.7 mA cm−2, a 73 % GLYA selectivity and a 39 % GLYA Faradaic efficiency at 0.9 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) under AM 1.5G illumination (100 mW cm−2). Compared to (200) facets exposed WO3, a combination of experiments and theoretical calculations indicates that the superior performance of selective glycerol oxidation mainly originates from the better charge separation and prolonged carrier lifetime resulted from the plenty of surface trapping states, lower energy barrier of the glycerol‐to‐GLYA reaction pathway, more abundant active sites and stronger oxidative ability of photogenerated holes on the (002) facets exposed WO3. Our findings show great potential to significantly contribute to the sustainable and environmentally friendly chemical processes via designing high performance photoelectrochemical cell via facet engineering for renewable feedstock transformation.
Investigating the effect of the degree of cross‐linking in styrene butadiene rubber on the performance of graphite anodes for the use in lithium‐ion batteries
Authors: Jolley Michael J. , Pathan Tanveerkhan S. , Jenkins Craig , Loveridge Melanie J.
Published: December 2023

Carboxymethyl cellulose/styrene butadiene rubber (CMC/SBR) has been proven to be an effective binder system for the use of graphite anodes within the lithium‐ion battery industry. However, often when this system is employed, there is no acknowledgement regarding the specific chemistry of the SBR used. This is an important omission because properties such as glass transition temperatures and tensile strengths are heavily dependent on the ratio of styrene to butadiene content and the degree of cross‐linking within the SBR. In this study, we investigate the impact of using styrene butadiene rubbers (SBRs) with different degrees of cross‐linking on the performance of graphite anodes. We demonstrate that SBRs with a higher degree of cross‐linking provide longer and more stable capacity retentions, than SBRs with a lower degree of cross‐linking. This was found to correlate with the adhesion and cohesion strengths of the electrode coatings, and the degree of electrolyte swelling the SBRs systems undertook. Overall, the findings from this study indicate that the degree of cross‐linking within the SBR impacts the overall performance of the battery.
A magnetic molecular imprinting‐based fluorescence probe for sensitive and selective detection of 2,4‐D herbicide
Authors: Chu Baiquan , Yu Zeping , Meng Lei , Xu Na
Published: December 2023

A new magnetic molecular imprinting‐based turn‐on fluorescence probe (Fe3O4NPs@SiO2@NBD@MIPs) has been synthesized via a facile sol–gel polymerization for the detection of 2,4‐dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4‐D). Based on the photoinduced electron transfer (PET) of nitrobenzoxadiazole (NBD), 2,4‐D can be recognized by enhancement of NBD fluorescence. With the presence of Fe3O4 in the core of the probe, this sensor can also be reused many times using magnetic aggregation methods. After the addition of various concentrations of 2,4‐D, the fluorescence peak at 530 nm (excitation of 468 nm) increased linearly ranging from 0.1 to 3 μM with a detection limit of 0.023 μM. This sensing system is believed to be available for detecting 2,4‐D in real samples, with high recovery rates ranging from 94% to 108% for three spike levels of 2,4‐D with precisions below 5%.
2,6‐diaminopurine (Z)‐containing toehold probes improve genotyping sensitivity
Authors: Kang Shaohua , Liu Qian , Zhang Jie , Zhang Yan , Qi Hao
Published: December 2023

2,6‐diaminopurine (Z), a naturally occurring noncanonical nucleotide base found in bacteriophages, enhances DNA hybridization by forming three hydrogen bonds with thymine (T). These distinct biochemical characteristics make it particularly valuable in applications that rely on the thermodynamics of DNA hybridization. However, the practical use of Z‐containing oligos is limited by their high production cost and the challenges associated with their synthesis. Here, we developed an efficient and cost‐effective approach to synthesize Z‐containing oligos of high quality based on an isothermal strand displacement reaction. These newly synthesized Z‐oligos are then employed as toehold‐blockers in an isothermal genotyping assay designed to detect rare single nucleotide variations (SNV). When compared with their counterparts containing the standard adenine (A) base, the Z‐containing blockers significantly enhance the accuracy of identifying SNV. Overall, our innovative methodology in the synthesis of Z‐containing oligos, which can also be used to incorporate other unconventional and unnatural bases into oligonucleotides, is anticipated to be adopted for diverse applications, including genotyping, biosensing, and gene therapy.
Incidence of blast phase in myelofibrosis patients according to anemia severity at ruxolitinib start and during therapy
Authors: Palandri Francesca , Palumbo Giuseppe A. , Benevolo Giulia , Iurlo Alessandra , Elli Elena M. , Abruzzese Elisabetta , Polverelli Nicola , Tiribelli Mario , Auteri Giuseppe , Tieghi Alessia , Caocci Giovanni , Binotto Gianni , Cavazzini Francesco , Branzanti Filippo , Beggiato Eloise , Miglino Maurizio , Bosi Costanza , Crugnola Monica , Bocchia Monica , Martino Bruno , Pugliese Novella , Scaffidi Luigi , Venturi Marta , Duminuco Andrea , Isidori Alessandro , Cattaneo Daniele , Krampera Mauro , Pane Fabrizio , Cilloni Daniela , Semenzato Gianpietro , Lemoli Roberto M. , Cuneo Antonio , Trawinska Malgorzata M. , Vianelli Nicola , Cavo Michele , Bonifacio Massimiliano , Breccia Massimo
Published: December 2023

Background

Anemia is frequently present in patients with myelofibrosis (MF), and it may be exacerbated by treatment with the JAK2‐inhibitor ruxolitinib (RUX). Recently, a relevant blast phase (BP) incidence has been reported in anemic MF patients unexposed to RUX.

Methods

The authors investigated the incidence of BP in 886 RUX‐treated MF patients, included in the “RUX‐MF” retrospective study.

Results

The BP incidence rate ratio (IRR) was 3.74 per 100 patient‐years (3.74 %p‐y). At therapy start, Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events grade 3‐4 anemia (hemoglobin [Hb] <8 g/dL) and severe sex/severity‐adjusted anemia (Hb <8/<9 g/dL in women/men) were present in 22.5% and 25% patients, respectively. IRR of BP was 2.34 in patients with no baseline anemia and reached respectively 4.22, 4.89, and 4.93 %p‐y in patients with grade 1, 2, and 3–4 anemia. Considering the sex/severity‐adjusted Hb thresholds, IRR of BP was 2.85, 4.97, and 4.89 %p‐y in patients with mild/no anemia, moderate, and severe anemia. Transfusion‐dependent patients had the highest IRR (5.03 %p‐y). Progression‐free survival at 5 years was 70%, 52%, 43%, and 27% in patients with no, grade 1, 2, and 3–4 anemia, respectively (p < .001). At 6 months, 260 of 289 patients with no baseline anemia were receiving ruxolitinib, and 9.2% had developed a grade 3–4 anemia. By 6‐month landmark analysis, BP‐free survival was significantly worse in patients acquiring grade 3–4 anemia (69.3% vs. 88.1% at 5 years, p < .001).

Conclusions

This study highlights that anemia correlates with an increased risk of evolution into BP, both when present at baseline and when acquired during RUX monotherapy. Innovative anemia therapies and disease‐modifying agents are warranted in these patients.
Forecasts with Bayesian vector autoregressions under real time conditions
Authors: Pfarrhofer Michael
Published: December 2023

This paper investigates the sensitivity of forecast performance metrics to taking a real time versus pseudo out‐of‐sample perspective. I use monthly vintages of two popular datasets for the United States and the euro area. Variants of vector autoregressions, varying the size of the information sets and the conditional mean and variance specification, are considered. The results suggest differences in the relative ordering of model performance for point and density forecasts depending on the forecast simulation design used to evaluate predictive accuracy. Differentials are more pronounced for the European dataset, and stochastic volatility is a particularly attractive model feature to obtain accurate forecasts in real time.
Association between social determinants of health and delayed postoperative adjuvant therapy among patients undergoing resection of pancreatic cancer
Authors: Rashid Zayed , Munir Muhammad M. , Woldesenbet Selamawit , Khan Muhammad M. M. , Khalil Mujtaba , Endo Yutaka , Tsilimigras Diamantis I. , Dillhoff Mary , Ejaz Aslam , Pawlik Timothy M.
Published: December 2023

Background and Objectives

Pancreatic cancer (PDAC) requires a multimodality approach. We sought to define the association between social determinants of health (SDOH) and delayed or nonreceipt of adjuvant chemotherapy (aCT) among patients undergoing PDAC resection.

Methods

Data on patients who underwent PDAC resection between 2014 and 2020 were identified from Medicare Standard Analytic Files and merged with the county‐level social vulnerability index (SVI). Mediation analysis defined the association between SVI subthemes and aCT receipt.

Results

Among 24 078 patients, 47.7% received timely aCT, 17.7% received delayed aCT, and 34.6% did not receive any aCT. High SVI was associated with delay (odds ratio [OR] 1.22, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.10–1.34) and nonreceipt of aCT (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.20–1.41) (both p < 0.05). 73.1% of the variation in timely aCT receipt was directly attributable to SVI, whereas 26.9% of the effect was due to indirect mediators including hospital volume (6.4%), length‐of‐stay (7.9%) and postoperative complications (12.6%). Socioeconomic status (delayed aCT: OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.13–1.38; nonreceipt aCT: OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.15–1.36) and household composition and disability (delayed aCT: OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.17–1.43; nonreceipt aCT: OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.09–1.29) were associated with receipt of aCT (both p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Most of the disparities in receipt of aCT after PDAC surgery are driven by underlying SDOH such as SVI.
Degrees of closed points on hypersurfaces
Authors: Balestrieri Francesca
Published: December 2023

Let be any field. Let be a degree hypersurface. Under some conditions, we prove that if for some extension with and , then for some extension with , , and . Moreover, if a ‐solution is known explicitly, then we can compute explicitly as well. As an application, we improve upon a result by Coray on smooth cubic surfaces by showing that if for some extension with , then for some with .
Toward efficient and industrially compatible fully textured perovskite silicon tandem solar cells: Controlled process parameters for reliable perovskite formation
Authors: Er‐raji Oussama , Bett Alexander J. , Lange Stefan , Nagel Henning , Bivour Martin , Schultz‐Wittmann Oliver , Hagendorf Christian , Hermle Martin , Borchert Juliane , Glunz Stefan W. , Schulze Patricia S. C.
Published: December 2023

Capitalizing on the existing silicon industry, fully textured perovskite‐silicon tandem solar cells have a great potential to penetrate the electricity market. While the use of textured silicon with large pyramid size (> 1 μm) enhances the power conversion efficiency (PCE), it also presents process complications. To achieve high performance, meticulous control of deposition parameters on textured silicon is required. This study provides a guideline for the use of the hybrid evaporation/spin‐coating route to form high‐quality perovskite absorbers. Using various characterization techniques, we highlight intrinsic differences between perovskite growth on flat versus textured substrates. Furthermore, we provide pathways to ensure a high perovskite phase purity, reveal mitigation strategies to avoid the formation of undesired dendritic perovskite structures, give guidelines to ensure photostability, and discuss the “misleading” effect of residual PbI2 on the perovskite photoluminescence response. A good understanding of the perovskite growth on textured silicon enables the fabrication of a tandem device with a PCE > 26% (without employing additives or surface treatments) and a good operational stability. The comprehensive guidelines in this study provide a better understanding of perovskite formation on textured silicon and can be transferred when upscaling the hybrid route perovskite deposition.
Osmotin1 is involved in rice resistance to Schizotetranychus oryzae (Acari: Tetranychidae) infestation
Authors: Keil Rosana , de Oliveira Neves Leonardo , da Silva Luiz Carlos Oliveira , Lamb Thainá Inês , Berghahn Emílio , Pita Fernanda Miyagi , Johann Liana , Wang Yu , Feng Zhiming , Wang Guanda , Zuo Shimin , Sperotto Raul Antonio
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND

Rice is one of the most consumed cereals in the world. Productivity losses are caused by different biotic stresses. One of the most common is the phytophagous mite Schizotetranychus oryzae Rossi de Simons (Acari: Tetranychidae), which inhibits plant development and seed production. The identification of plant defense proteins is important for a better understanding of the mite–plant interaction. We previously detected a high expression of Osmotin1 protein in mite‐resistant rice cultivars, under infested conditions, suggesting it could be involved in plant defense against mite attack. We therefore aimed to evaluate the responses of three rice lines overexpressing Osmotin1 (OSM1‐OE) and three lines lacking the Osmotin1 gene (osm1‐ko) to mite attack.

RESULTS

The numbers of individuals (adults, immature stages, and eggs) were significantly lower in OSM1‐OE lines than those in wild‐type (WT) plants. On the other hand, the osm1‐ko lines showed larger numbers of mites per leaf than WT plants. When plants reached the full maturity stage, two out of the three infested OSM1‐OE lines presented lower plant height than WT, while the three osm1‐ko lines (infested or not) presented higher plant height than WT. The reduction in seed number caused by mite infestation was lower in OSM1‐OE lines (12–19%) than in WT plants (34%), while osm1‐ko lines presented higher reduction (24–54%) in seed number than WT plants (13%).

CONCLUSION

These data suggest that Osmotin1 is involved in rice resistance to S. oryzae infestation. This is the first work showing increased plant resistance to herbivory overexpressing an Osmotin gene. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Event‐triggered adaptive consensus control of nonlinear multi‐agent systems with unknown control directions and actuator saturation
Authors: Zhang Shuning , Wang Qiangde , Wei Chunling
Published: December 2023

This article addresses the event‐triggered adaptive consensus control of nonlinear multi‐agent systems with unknown control direction and actuator saturation. A new robust adaptive control algorithm based on an event‐triggered mechanism is designed. The smooth Lipschitz function approximates the saturated nonlinear function, while the Nussbaum function handles unknown control directions and residual terms. The event‐triggered mechanism is designed to determine the time of communication, significantly reducing the communication burden. An additional estimator is utilized to deal with unknown parameters involved in neighbor dynamics and prevent information exchange to consistency errors between connected subsystems. The results show that all the signals of the closed‐loop system are uniformly bounded, and the consensus tracking error converges to a bounded set. Meanwhile, Zeno's behavior is eliminated. Simulation results confirm the superiority of the proposed method.
Assessing the progress toward achieving energy‐ and climate‐related sustainable development goals under four global energy transition outlooks
Authors: Ruan Wenjie , Guo Zhaoxia , Yang Jing , Gao Lei , Dong Yucheng , Liu Qi
Published: December 2023

Climate change is one of the greatest challenges in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), underscoring the critical need for energy transitions to mitigate the climate crisis. The achievement of two energy‐ and climate‐focused SDGs—SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy) and SDG 13 (climate action)—remains uncertain under potential future global energy transition outlooks. This study evaluates the progress toward achieving SDGs 7 and 13 by 2050 under four representative energy transition outlooks through 14 performance indicators derived from a global system dynamics model. Our results reveal a progressive trend in achieving SDGs 7 and 13 under these energy transition outlooks. The overall progress scores toward these two SDGs are estimated as 16.23% in 2030 and 20.06% in 2050 under the most conservative outlook and 65.35% in 2030 and 88.24% in 2050 under the most radical outlook. Although energy transitions contribute to achieving SDGs 7 and 13, our analysis indicates that the world is far off‐track in achieving these SDGs by relying solely on the implementation of energy transition policies. We further suggest promising measures from both the energy sector and other vital sectors to facilitate progress toward achieving the two SDGs.
Husbandry conditions of spotted ratfish (Hydrolagus colliei, Chimaeriformes) in aquaria for successful embryonic development and long‐term survival of juveniles
Authors: Berio Fidji , Charron Raphaël , Dagouret Jean‐Marie , De Gasperis Florent , Éon Aurore , Meunier Emmanuel , Simonet Morrigane , Verschraegen Nathalie , Hirel Nicolas
Published: December 2023

The spotted ratfish Hydrolagus colliei is the most common holocephalan species exhibited in aquaria worldwide for introducing deep‐sea environments and raising awareness of their conservation. However, little is known about the biology of H. colliei. Current practices in aquaria allow long‐term survival of sexually mature H. colliei specimens; however, this species struggles to complete a reproductive cycle in captivity mostly because embryos do not reach the hatchling stage. The aquarists of Planet Ocean Montpellier (POM, France) have bred H. colliei for 15 years and recorded parameters suitable for this species' successful embryonic and post‐embryonic development. POM aquarists now regularly record egg‐laying events of H. colliei and use four tanks to incubate eggs and raise neonates, late hatchlings, early and intermediate juveniles, subadults, and sexually mature specimens. In this work we provide the first long‐term biometric data on H. colliei from the hatchling to the subadult stage. We also report the biotic and abiotic parameters sufficient to breed H. colliei in aquaria. We finally describe the methods used to facilitate individual monitoring of specimens along the ontogeny and several pathologies identified in this species, their putative causes, and the corresponding treatments. This work highlights the importance of ex situ research and points to the valuable outcomes of collaborative efforts between aquaria and academia in deciphering the biology of species whose study in the wild remains challenging.
Vision
Authors: Mourits Maarten P.
Published: December 2023

Light beams refracted by the cornea and lens are focused on the retina. In the rods and cones, photons generate an electrical signal which is modified and sent to the occipital cortex, where a single image is created. We distinguish five aspects of vision: visual acuity, color vision, dark vision, visual field, and stereoscopic vision.
On symbology and differential equations of Feynman integrals from Schubert analysis
Authors: He Song , Jiang Xuhang , Liu Jiahao , Yang Qinglin
Published: December 2023

Abstract

We take the first step in generalizing the so-called “Schubert analysis”, originally proposed in twistor space for four-dimensional kinematics, to the study of symbol letters and more detailed information on canonical differential equations for Feynman integral families in general dimensions with general masses. The basic idea is to work in embedding space and compute possible cross-ratios built from (Lorentz products of) maximal cut solutions for all integrals in the family. We demonstrate the power of the method using the most general one-loop integrals, as well as various two-loop planar integral families (such as sunrise, double-triangle and double-box) in general dimensions. Not only can we obtain all symbol letters as cross-ratios from maximal-cut solutions, but we also reproduce entries in the canonical differential equations satisfied by a basis of d log integrals.
Holographic weak measurement
Authors: Sun Xinyu , Jian Shao-Kai
Published: December 2023

Abstract

In this paper, we study a holographic description of weak measurements in conformal field theories (CFTs). Weak measurements can be viewed as a soft projection that interpolates between an identity operator and a projection operator, and can induce an effective central charge distinct from the unmeasured CFT. We model the weak measurement by an interface brane, separating different geometries dual to the post-measurement state and the unmeasured CFT, respectively. In an infinite system, the weak measurement is related to ICFT via a spacetime rotation. We find that the holographic entanglement entropy with twist operators located on the defect is consistent in both calculations for ICFT and weak measurements. We additionally calculate the boundary entropy via holographic entanglement as well as partition function. In a finite system, the weak measurement can lead to a rich phase diagram: for marginal measurements the emergent brane separates two AdS geometries, while for irrelevant measurements the post-measurement geometry features an AdS spacetime and a black hole spacetime that are separated by the brane. Although the measurement is irrelevant in the later phase, the post-measurement geometry can realize a Python’s lunch. Finally, we discuss the thick brane construction for measurement and higher-dimension extensions of our model. For these general cases, our results above are still shown to be valid.
From framework to industrial implementation: the digital twin in process planning
Authors: Wagner Sarah , Gonnermann Clemens , Wegmann Marc , Listl Franz , Reinhart Gunther , Weyrich Michael
Published: December 2023

In today’s fast-paced market, companies are challenged to meet increasing customer demands and shorter product life cycles. To successfully respond to these demands, companies must produce a wide variety of different products. This requires the determination of necessary processes and resources for each product, which can be difficult for process engineers due to the high manual effort and expertise involved. The current state of research has not yet provided explicit definitions of the necessary knowledge and has not fully achieved complete process planning automation. To address this challenge, a digital twin is a valuable tool for automating and understanding process planning. This paper presents a digital twin concept for process planning. It automatically analyzes the product, determines production processes, and selects appropriate resources by linking information about products, resources, and processes. The effectiveness of the digital twin concept is demonstrated through verified and validated use cases, including the production of a compressor element.
Socioeconomic Disparities for Early Childhood Anthropometrics and Vocabulary and Socio-emotional Skills: Dynamic Evidence from Chilean Longitudinal Data
Authors: Behrman Jere R. , Contreras Dante , Palma Maria Isidora , Puentes Esteban
Published: December 2023

This paper investigates the impact of socioeconomic (SES) disparities on anthropometrics, receptive vocabulary skills, and socio-emotional skills in Chilean children 31–83 months old (n = 7744). Longitudinal data allow for the estimation of dynamic models of child growth and skill formation while adjusting for mother's schooling and cognitive ability. The results show small length differences at birth with the better-off being shorter, but these differences are reversed during the first 10 months of life, at which age SES disparities in height-for-age z scores (HAZ) favored the better-off. Disparities in receptive vocabulary skills found at 30 months continue until the child is at least 6 years old. For socio-emotional skills, we found SES disparities before 72 months, but not after. Our results indicate that—even after controlling for factors that are not usually considered in the literature, such as mother's cognitive ability and lagged skills—SES remains significantly associated with child development outcomes within a dynamic context.
A multivariate heavy-tailed integer-valued GARCH process with EM algorithm-based inference
Authors: Jang Yuhyeong , Sundararajan Raanju R. , Barreto-Souza Wagner
Published: December 2023

A new multivariate integer-valued Generalized AutoRegressive Conditional Heteroscedastic (GARCH) process based on a multivariate Poisson generalized inverse Gaussian distribution is proposed. The estimation of parameters of the proposed multivariate heavy-tailed count time series model via maximum likelihood method is challenging since the likelihood function involves a Bessel function that depends on the multivariate counts and its dimension. As a consequence, numerical instability is often experienced in optimization procedures. To overcome this computational problem, two feasible variants of the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm are proposed for estimating the parameters of our model under low and high-dimensional settings. These EM algorithm variants provide computational benefits and help avoid the difficult direct optimization of the likelihood function from the proposed process. Our model and proposed estimation procedures can handle multiple features such as modeling of multivariate counts, heavy-tailedness, overdispersion, accommodation of outliers, allowances for both positive and negative autocorrelations, estimation of cross/contemporaneous-correlation, and the efficient estimation of parameters from both statistical and computational points of view. Extensive Monte Carlo simulation studies are presented to assess the performance of the proposed EM algorithms. Two empirical applications of our approach are provided. The first application concerns modeling bivariate count time series data on cannabis possession-related offenses in Australia, while the second one involves modeling intraday high-frequency financial transactions data from multiple holdings in the U.S. financial market.
A life cycle perspective of startup accelerators
Authors: de Klerk Saskia , Miles Morgan P. , Bliemel Martin
Published: December 2023

Accelerators are broadly seen as platforms that government, non-profit, and for-profit organizations use to fast-track the development of entrepreneurial and SME business capabilities. Typically, this occurs as competitive, time-constrained, cohort-centered, authentic learning experiences supported by mentoring and access to the local entrepreneurial ecosystem, management development programs, and financial resources. Interest in how the ventures in the development programs evolve and contribute to the entrepreneurial ecosystem is increasing (Cantner et al. in Small Business Economics, 57, 407–423, 2021), but how the accelerators evolve has yet to be adequately researched. To better understand how accelerators evolve, we adapt Churchill and Lewis (Harvard Business Review, 61(3), 30–50, 1983) conceptual framework of the stages of small business development. This study investigated the life cycle of Australian accelerators from 2013 to 2020. The accelerators ranged from short-term “pop-up” programs to permanent programs. We found through a series of four selected exemplar case studies that these accelerators exhibited a similar four-stage life cycle to their participants, including (1) gestation, (2) survival, (3) viability, and (4) decline or renewal. We also found that external support was a critical issue that determined viability. Our findings support the development of accelerator management to be more agile, resilient, and entrepreneurial, which can confront those adopting a more standardized franchise model. In addition, we adapt Kohler (Business Horizons, 59(3), 347–357, 2016) work on corporate accelerators into an inclusive framework for all forms of accelerators, including considering their geographic context or Place, the actors involved with the accelerator or its People, the accelerator’s value Proposition to participants, the accelerator’s Processes and most fundamentally, its Purpose that will contribute to the entrepreneurial ecosystem practice and literature. This research provides practical considerations on positioning, suitable business models, and maximized operations.
The population structure of the Fusarium brachygibbosum species complex in the grassland biome of South Africa
Authors: Dhlamini Lerato , Jacobs Adriaana , van der Merwe Nicolaas A. , Summerell Brett , Venter Eduard
Published: December 2023

Fusarium brachygibbosum Padwick is a phytopathogen with a widespread distribution, infecting various host plants. In South Africa, there is a limited number of studies on the genetic diversity of fusaria, particularly in undisturbed soils. In the current study, the genetic diversity of F. brachygibbosum was investigated using inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) and mating type genes. The F. brachygibbosum isolates were collected from four different geographic regions within the grassland biome of South Africa. A total of ten ISSR primers produced 64 distinct and reproducible amplicons, with 100% polymorphism. The ISSR markers revealed high levels of intraspecific variation, which is depicted by various genetic diversity indexes. In the analysis of mating type genes, the MAT1-1-2 gene was found among the four populations, but the MAT1-2-1 gene was only present in the population from the Groenkloof Nature Reserve. The data from this study will contribute substantially to knowledge of grassland fusaria of South Africa and their population structure in the grassland biome.
Meditation and Prayer in the Eleventh- and Twelfth-Century Monastery
Authors: Mancia Lauren
Published: December 2023

This book explores the dimensions of medieval monastic meditation, prayer, and contemplation in the heyday of Benedictine and Cistercian spiritual writing, the eleventh and twelfth centuries. Mancia aims to answer the following questions: What did extra-liturgical prayer and meditation look like for medieval monks and nuns in western medieval Europe? When, where, and how was it practised? Was there a set way to engage with monastic meditation, or were there a variety of medieval monastic meditative experiences in the eleventh and twelfth centuries? What did monks and nuns perceive as the limitations of monastic prayer and meditation, and how did they understand their own imperfections and failures to performv perfect devotion? What extra-textual tools - art, manuscripts, diagrams, spaces - did monks and nuns rely upon to stimulate their practices of meditation? What does monastic meditation reveal about the emotional lives of Benedictine and Cistercian monks and nuns in the high Middle Ages? And, finally, what does the monastic struggle to pursue a prayerful Christian life have to teach the secular world of the twenty-first century?
Diagnostic testing and antibiotic utilization among inpatients evaluated for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia
Authors: Wimmer Megan R. , Griffin Meggie , Peterson-Weber Alex , Schulz Lucas T. , Hamel Ashlee G. , Schwei Rebecca J. , Fong Karen , Burgess Donna R. , Brett Meghan , Hale Cory M. , Holubar Marisa , Jain Rupali , Larry Rachel , Spivak Emily S. , Newland Helen , Njoku Jessica , Postelnick Michael , Walraven Carla , Pulia Michael S.
Published: December 2023

We evaluated diagnostic test and antibiotic utilization among 252 patients from 11 US hospitals who were evaluated for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia during the severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) omicron variant pandemic wave. In our cohort, antibiotic use remained high (62%) among SARS-CoV-2–positive patients and even higher among those who underwent procalcitonin testing (68%).
Proton and helium ions acceleration in near-critical density gas targets by short-pulse Ti:Sa PW-class laser
Authors: Henares J.L. , Puyuelo-Valdes P. , Salgado-López C. , Apiñaniz J.I. , Bradford P. , Consoli F. , de Luis D. , Ehret M. , Hannachi F. , Hernández-Martín R. , Huber A. , Lancia L. , Mackeviciute M. , Maitrallain A. , Marquès J.-R. , Pérez-Hernández J.A. , Santos C. , Santos J.J. , Stankevic V. , Tarisien M. , Tomkus V. , Volpe L. , Gatti G.
Published: December 2023

The ability to quickly refresh gas-jet targets without cycling the vacuum chamber makes them a promising candidate for laser-accelerated ion experiments at high repetition rate. Here we present results from the first high repetition rate ion acceleration experiment on the VEGA-3 PW-class laser at CLPU. A near-critical density gas-jet target was produced by forcing a 1000 bar H

$_2$

and He gas mix through bespoke supersonic shock nozzles. Proton energies up to 2 MeV were measured in the laser forward direction and 2.2 MeV transversally. He

$^{2+}$

ions up to 5.8 MeV were also measured in the transverse direction. To help maintain a consistent gas density profile over many shots, nozzles were designed to produce a high-density shock at distances larger than 1 mm from the nozzle exit. We outline a procedure for optimizing the laser–gas interaction by translating the nozzle along the laser axis and using different nozzle materials. Several tens of laser interactions were performed with the same nozzle which demonstrates the potential usefulness of gas-jet targets as high repetition rate particle source.
The genus Usnea (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota) in the southern Philippines: a first phylogenetic approach
Authors: Gerlach Alice , Clerc Philippe , Lücking Robert , Moncada Bibiana , Nobleza Joevina Caballero , Ohmura Yoshihito , Dal Forno Manuela
Published: December 2023

A first integrative survey of the genus Usnea in the southern Philippines, taking into account morphological, anatomical, chemical and molecular characters, resulted in the recognition of 20 taxa, including three species new to science: Usnea angulata Ach., U. baileyi (Stirt.) Zahlbr., U. bismolliuscula Zahlbr., U. brasiliensis (Zahlbr.) Motyka, U. confusa Asah., U. croceorubescens Stirt., U. dasaea Stirt., U. himalayana C. Bab., U. krogiana P. Clerc, U. longissima Ach., U. nidifica Taylor, U. norsticornuta A. Gerlach & P. Clerc sp. nov. (characterized by a moderately thick cortex and by the presence of norstictic acid), U. paleograndisora A. Gerlach & P. Clerc sp. nov. (characterized by an orange subcortical pigmentation in the medulla, with enlarging soralia and a moderately thick and shiny cortex), U. pectinata Taylor, U. pygmoidea (Asahina) Y. Ohmura, U. rubicunda Stirt., U. rubrotincta (Stirt.) Zahlbr., U. spinulifera (Vain.) Motyka, U. subscabrosa Motyka and U. yoshihitoi P. Clerc & A. Gerlach sp. nov. (characterized by a lax medulla with non-conglutinated hyphae). Usnea krogiana is a new record for Asia; Usnea brasiliensis, Usnea confusa and U. croceorubescens are new records for the Philippines. This is the first phylogenetic study to include DNA sequences of Usnea from the Philippines. Molecular data from the ITS rDNA (76 newly generated sequences) are presented for most taxa except for U. himalayana, U. longissima and U. subscabrosa. At least six further taxa remain unidentified, awaiting the collection of additional specimens.
New insight in massive cerebral infarction predictions after anterior circulation occlusion
Authors: Chen Jingshu , Zou Mingyu , Zhang Nan , Qi Shouliang , Yang Benqiang , Zhang Libo , Shi Lin , Duan Yang
Published: December 2023

To predict massive cerebral infarction (MCI) occurrence after anterior circulation occlusion (ACO) by cASPECTS-CTA-CS (combined ASPECTS and CTA-CS). Of 185 cerebral infarction patients with the ACO, their collateral circulation scores from CT angiography (CTA) images in two groups (MCI and non-MCI) were evaluated using Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) and CT angiography collateral score (CTA-CS) approaches. The cASPECTS-CTA-CS was validated internally using the bootstrap sampling method with 1000 bootstrap repetitions and compared to CTA-CS. Receiver-operating characteristic curve (ROC), clinical impact curve (CIC), and decision curve analysis (DCA) strategies were used to assess the clinical practicality and predictability of both approaches (cASPECTS-CTA-CS and CTA-CS). Using net reclassification improvement (NRI) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) analyses, discrimination levels of the cASPECTS-CTA-CS were compared with CTA-CS. Classification and regression tree (CART) analyses was conducted to identify the best predictive values and identify subgroup of MCI. The discrimination ability of collateral circulation evaluation score using the cASPECTS-CTA-CS [AUC: 0.918, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.869–0.967, P < 0.01; NRI: 0.200, 95% CI: −0.104 to 0.505, P = 0.197; and IDI: 0.107, 95% CI: 0.035–0.178, P = 0.004] was better than CTA-CS alone (AUC: 0.885, 95% CI: 0.833–0.937, P < 0.01). DCA indicated the net benefits of the cASPECTS-CTA-CS approach was higher than CTA-CS alone when the threshold probability range over 20%. CIC analyses showed that the number of high risks and true positives were in agreement when the threshold probability > 80%. Less than 23 of cASPECTS-CTA-CS by CART was important factor in determining MCI occurrence, and ASPECTS < 7 was followed factor. The cASPECTS-CTA-CS approach cumulatively predicted MCI after ACO.
Efficacy of nafamostat mesylate in the prevention of pancreatitis after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Narumi Kazuaki , Okada Tomoki , Lin Yingsong , Kikuchi Shogo
Published: December 2023

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of nafamostat on the prevention of post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) pancreatitis (PEP). PubMed, Web of Science, and Ichushi Web were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using nafamostat to prevent PEP. In subgroup analyses, we studied the preventive effects of nafamostat according to the severity of PEP, risk category, and dose. A random-effects model was adopted; heterogeneity between studies was examined using the chi-squared test and I2 statistics. This analysis uses the PRISMA statement as general guidance. 9 RCTs involving 3321 patients were included. The risk of PEP was lower in the nafamostat group than in the control group [4.4% vs. 8.3%, risk ratio (RR): 0.50, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.36–0.68]. In subgroup analyses, the protective effects were evident in low-risk patients for PEP before ERCP (RR: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.21–0.55). The association between PEP and nafamostat was significant only in patients who developed mild PEP (RR: 0.49; 95% CI: 0.36–0.69). The benefits were independent of the dose. The prophylactic use of nafamostat resulted in a lower risk of PEP. The subgroup analyses suggested uncertain benefits for severe PEP or high-risk patients for PEP. This warrants further investigation through additional RCTs.
Smart salt-responsive thread for highly sensitive microfluidic glucose detection in sweat
Authors: Wu Liang , Xiong Jing , Xiao Gang , Ju Jun , Sun Wei , Wang Wei , Ma Yan , Ran Ruilong , Qiao Yan , Li Changming , Yu Ling , Lu Zhisong
Published: December 2023

We prepared a zwitterionic polymer-modified thread with superior hydrophilicity, large water-absorbing capacity, and salt-responsive behaviors for highly sensitive microfluidic glucose detection in sweat.
A superamphiphobic surface with ordered hexagonal microstructures inspired by springtails
Authors: Guo Molan , Nie Chao , Zhang Pengyu , Guo Zhiguang
Published: December 2023

Inspired by springtails, we prepared an ordered hexagonal microscale and nanoparticle composite superamphiphobic surface, which can repel liquids with different surface tensions.
Rational design of three-dimensional pomegranate-shaped double-layer carbon-shell-coated Si nanoparticles as an excellent anode material for lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Gao Yuan , Zhang Zhengguang , Cui Ruiwen , Wang Shuo , Li Zheng , Zhang Xiaoting , Chen Rongna , Hou Li
Published: December 2023

Double-layer carbon-shell-coated Si nanoparticles (Si@DCSS) exhibit a morphology similar to pomegranate. This structure effectively suppresses the volume change of Si in the process of ion transport, endowing Si@DCSS with excellent cyclic stability.
NICE-FF: A non-empirical, intermolecular, consistent, and extensible force field for nucleic acids and beyond
Authors: Demir Gözde İniş , Tekin Adem
Published: December 2023

A new non-empirical ab initio intermolecular force field (NICE-FF in buffered 14-7 potential form) has been developed for nucleic acids and beyond based on the dimer interaction energies (IEs) calculated at the spin component scaled-MI-second order Møller–Plesset perturbation theory. A fully automatic framework has been implemented for this purpose, capable of generating well-polished computational grids, performing the necessary ab initio calculations, conducting machine learning (ML) assisted force field (FF) parametrization, and extending existing FF parameters by incorporating new atom types. For the ML-assisted parametrization of NICE-FF, interaction energies of ∼18 000 dimer geometries (with IE < 0) were used, and the best fit gave a mean square deviation of about 0.46 kcal/mol. During this parametrization, atom types apparent in four deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) bases have been first trained using the generated DNA base datasets. Both uracil and hypoxanthine, which contain the same atom types found in DNA bases, have been considered as test molecules. Three new atom types have been added to the DNA atom types by using IE datasets of both pyrazinamide and 9-methylhypoxanthine. Finally, the last test molecule, theophylline, has been selected, which contains already-fitted atom-type parameters. The performance of NICE-FF has been investigated on the S22 dataset, and it has been found that NICE-FF outperforms the well-known FFs by generating the most consistent IEs with the high-level ab initio ones. Moreover, NICE-FF has been integrated into our in-house developed crystal structure prediction (CSP) tool [called FFCASP (Fast and Flexible CrystAl Structure Predictor)], aiming to find the experimental crystal structures of all considered molecules. CSPs, which were performed up to 4 formula units (Z), resulted in NICE-FF being able to locate almost all the known experimental crystal structures with sufficiently low RMSD20 values to provide good starting points for density functional theory optimizations.
On committor functions in milestoning
Authors: Ji Xiaojun , Wang Ru , Wang Hao , Liu Wenjian
Published: December 2023

As an optimal one-dimensional reaction coordinate, the committor function not only describes the probability of a trajectory initiated at a phase space point first reaching the product state before reaching the reactant state but also preserves the kinetics when utilized to run a reduced dynamics model. However, calculating the committor function in high-dimensional systems poses significant challenges. In this paper, within the framework of milestoning, exact expressions for committor functions at two levels of coarse graining are given, including committor functions of phase space point to point (CFPP) and milestone to milestone (CFMM). When combined with transition kernels obtained from trajectory analysis, these expressions can be utilized to accurately and efficiently compute the committor functions. Furthermore, based on the calculated committor functions, an adaptive algorithm is developed to gradually refine the transition state region. Finally, two model examples are employed to assess the accuracy of these different formulations of committor functions.
ZSCAN4-binding motif—TGCACAC is conserved and enriched in CA/TG microsatellites in both mouse and human genomes
Authors: Akiyama Tomohiko , Ishiguro Kei-ichiro , Chikazawa Nana , Ko Shigeru B H , Yukawa Masashi , Ko Minoru S H
Published: December 2023

The Zinc finger and SCAN domain containing 4 (ZSCAN4) protein, expressed transiently in pluripotent stem cells, gametes, and early embryos, extends telomeres, enhances genome stability, and improves karyotypes in mouse embryonic stem (mES) cells. To gain insights into the mechanism of ZSCAN4 function, we identified genome-wide binding sites of endogenous ZSCAN4 protein using ChIP-seq technology in mouse and human ES cells, where the expression of endogenous ZSCAN4 was induced by treating cells with retinoic acids or by overexpressing DUX4. We revealed that both mouse and human ZSCAN4 bind to the TGCACAC motif located in CA/TG microsatellite repeats, which are known to form unstable left-handed duplexes called Z-DNA that can induce double-strand DNA breaks and mutations. These ZSCAN4 binding sites are mostly located in intergenic and intronic regions of the genomes. By generating ZSCAN4 knockout in human ES cells, we showed that ZSCAN4 does not seem to be involved in transcriptional regulation. We also found that ectopic expression of mouse ZSCAN4 enhances the suppression of chromatin at ZSCAN4-binding sites. These results together suggest that some of the ZSCAN4 functions are mediated by binding to the error-prone regions in mouse and human genomes.