Interface optimization and defects suppression via Na F introduction enable efficient flexible Sb_(2)Se_(3) thin-film solar cells

Sb_(2)Se_(3) with unique one-dimensional(1D) crystal structure exhibits exceptional deformation tolerance,demonstrating great application potential in flexible devices.However,the power conversion efficiency(PCE) of flexible Sb_(2)Se_(3) photovoltaic devices is temporarily limited by the complicated intrinsic defects and the undesirable contact interfaces.Herein,a high-quality Sb_(2)Se_(3) absorber layer with large crystal grains and benign [hkl] growth orientation can be first prepared on a Mo foil substrate.Then NaF intermediate layer is introduced between Mo and Sb_(2)Se_(3),which can further optimize the growth of Sb_(2)Se_(3)thin film.Moreover,positive Na ion diffusion enables it to dramatically lower barrier height at the back contact interface and passivate harmful defects at both bulk and heterojunction.As a result,the champion substrate structured Mo-foil/Mo/NaF/Sb_(2)Se_(3)/CdS/ITO/Ag flexible thin-film solar cell delivers an obviously higher efficiency of 8.03% and a record open-circuit voltage(V_(OC)) of 0.492 V.This flexible Sb_(2)Se_(3) device also exhibits excellent stability and flexibility to stand large bending radius and multiple bending times,as well as superior weak light photo-response with derived efficiency of 12.60%.This work presents an effective strategy to enhance the flexible Sb_(2)Se_(3) device performance and expand its potential photovoltaic applications.

Enhancing Hygrothermal Performance in Multi-Zone Constructions through Phase Change Material Integration

As buildings evolve to meet the challenges of energy efficiency and indoor comfort,phase change materials(PCM)emerge as a promising solution due to their ability to store and release latent heat.This paper explores the transformative impact of incorporating PCMon the hygrothermal dynamics of multi-zone constructions.The study focuses on analyzing heat transfer,particularly through thermal conduction,in a wall containing PCM.A novel approach was proposed,wherein the studied system(sensitive balance)interacts directly with a latent balance to realistically define the behavior of specific humidity and mass flow rates.In addition,a numerical model implemented in MATLAB software has been developed to investigate the effect of integrating PCM on the hygrothermal balances inside the building.The obtained results indicate a consistent response in internal temperatures,specific humidity,and mass flow rates,with temperature differences ranging from 5℃to 13℃and a maximum phase shift of 13 h.In addition,the findings provided valuable insights into optimizing the design and performance of multi-zone constructions,offering a sustainable pathway for enhancing building resilience and occupant well-being.

Kernel principal component analysis network for image classification

In order to classify nonlinear features with a linear classifier and improve the classification accuracy, a deep learning network named kernel principal component analysis network（ KPCANet） is proposed. First, the data is mapped into a higher-dimensional space with kernel principal component analysis to make the data linearly separable. Then a two-layer KPCANet is built to obtain the principal components of the image. Finally, the principal components are classified with a linear classifier. Experimental results showthat the proposed KPCANet is effective in face recognition, object recognition and handwritten digit recognition. It also outperforms principal component analysis network（ PCANet） generally. Besides, KPCANet is invariant to illumination and stable to occlusion and slight deformation.

Meso-Cenozoic tectonic evolution of the Talas-Fergana region of the Kyrgyz Tien Shan revealed by low-temperature basement and detrital thermochronology

This study provides new low-temperature thermochronometric data, mainly apatite fission track data on the basement rocks in and adjacent to the Talas-Fergana Fault, in the Kyrgyz Tien Shan in the first place.In the second place, we also present new detrital apatite fission track data on the Meso-Cenozoic sediments from fault related basins and surrounding intramontane basins. Our results confirm multistaged Meso-Cenozoic tectonic activity, possibly induced by the accretion of the so-called Cimmerian blocks to the Eurasian margin. New evidence for this multi-staged thermo-tectonic activity is found in the data of both basement and Meso-Cenozoic sediment samples in or close to the Talas-Fergana Fault.Zircon(U-Th)/He and apatite fission track data constrain rapid Late TriassiceE arly Jurassic and Late JurassiceE arly Cretaceous basement cooling in the Kyrgyz Tien Shan around 200 Ma and 130 -100 Ma respectively. Detrital apatite fission track results indicate a different burial history on both sides of the Talas-Fergana Fault. The apatite fission track system of the Jurassic sediments in the Middle Tien Shan unit east of the Talas-Fergana Fault is not reset, while the Jurassic sediments in the Fergana Basin and Yarkand-Fergana Basin, west of the fault zone, are partially and in some cases even totally reset. The totally reset samples exhibit Oligocene and Miocene ages and evidence the Cenozoic reactivation of the western Kyrgyz Tien Shan as a consequence of the India-Eurasia convergence.

Major gastrointestinal bleeding and antithrombotics: Characteristics and management

BACKGROUND There are few reports on major gastrointestinal(GI)bleeding among patients receiving an antithrombotic.AIM To describe clinical characteristics,bleeding locations,management and inhospital mortality related to these events.METHODS Over a three-year period,we prospectively identified 1080 consecutive adult patients admitted in two tertiary care hospitals between January 1,2013 and December 31,2015 for major GI bleeding while receiving an antithrombotic.The bleeding events were medically validated.Clinical characteristics,causative lesions,management and fatalities were described.The distribution of antithrombotics prescribed was compared across the bleeding lesions identified.RESULTS Of 576 patients had symptoms of upper GI bleeding and 504 symptoms of lower GI bleeding.No cause was identified for 383(35.5%)patients.Gastro-duodenal ulcer was the first causative lesion in the upper tract(209 out of 408)and colonic diverticulum the first causative lesion in the lower tract(120 out of 289).There was a larger proportion of direct oral anticoagulant use among patients with lower GI than among those with upper GI lesion locations(P=0.03).There was an independent association between gastro-duodenal ulcer and antithrombotic use(P=0.03),taking account of confounders and proton pump inhibitor coprescription.Pair wise comparisons pointed to a difference between vitamin K antagonist,direct oral anticoagulants,and antiplatelet agents in monotherapy vs dual antiplatelet agents.CONCLUSION We showed a higher rate of bleeding lesion identification and suggested a different pattern of antithrombotic exposure between upper and lower GI lesion locations and between gastro-duodenal ulcer and other identified upper GI causes of bleeding.Management was similar across antithrombotics and in-hospital mortality was low(5.95%).

Segmental closure of the Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean:Insight from detrital geochronology in the East Transbaikalia Basin

The Late Paleozoic–Early Mesozoic Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean extended between the Siberian and Amur–North China continents.The timing and modalities of the oceanic closure are widely discussed.It is largely accepted that the ocean closed in a scissor-like manner from southwest to northeast(in modern coordinates),though the timing of this process remains uncertain.Recent studies have shown that both western(West Transbaikalia)and eastern(Dzhagda)parts of the ocean closed almost simultaneously at the Early–Middle Jurassic boundary.However,little information on the key central part of the oceanic suture zone is available.We performed U-Pb(LA-ICP-MS)dating of detrital zircon from wellcharacterized stratigraphic sections of the central part of the Mongol-Okhotsk suture zone.These include the initial marine and final continental sequences of the East Transbaikalia Basin,deposited on the northern Argun-Idemeg terrane basement.We provide new stratigraphic ages for the marine and continental deposits.This revised chronostratigraphy allows assigning an age of~165–155 Ma,to the collisionrelated flexure of the northern Argun-Idemeg terrane and the development of a peripheral foreland basin.This collisional process took place 5 to10 million years later than in the western and eastern parts of the ocean.We demonstrate that the northern Argun-Idemeg terrane was the last block to collide with the Siberian continent,challenging the widely supported scissor-like model of closure of the MongolOkhotsk Ocean.Different segments of the ocean closed independently,depending on the initial shape of the paleo continental margins.

A New Approach to Inducing Silicon Tethered Ring-closing Metathesis Reactions

Ring-closing metathesis reactions involving diallyldiphenylsilane and diallyloxydiphenylsilane were successfully performed by using only 0 01 mol or even less of Grubbs' catalyst 1. The effects of reaction parameters, such as solvents, temperature and concentration of the catalyst are discussed.

AB047.Quebec database of clinical data and biological material for research on uveal melanoma

Background:Sharing biological material and clinical data from patients with uveal melanoma.Methods:Uveal melanoma is the most common intraocular malignancy in the adult population.Because uveal melanoma is primarily a sporadic cancer and familial cases are rare,it is difficult to prevent or detect it.Despite effective treatment of ocular tumors,more than 50%of patients develop incurable liver metastases mainly in the 5-10 years following the detection of the primary tumor.This cancer is relatively rare and the obtained biopsies are very small.About 20 samples are taken each year in Quebec.This provincial infrastructure is made of biological material from donors with uveal melanoma and a large clinical database.Collected tumor biopsies are used for culturing cell lines and the creation of a DNA/RNA library used for genomic and genetic studies.Results:This infrastructure plays an important role in the achievement of various research programs for a better understanding of genetic and environmental factors involved in the development of melanoma and the spread of metastasis.It allows collaboration with other researchers at a provincial,national and international level in order to make progress in basic and clinical research on uveal melanoma.Conclusions:The biological material and clinical data of this infrastructure are available upon request to VHRN members whose research project was approved by the ethics committee of the institution.

Artificial intelligence and omics in cancer

Cancer is a major public health problem worldwide.Current predictions suggest that 13 million people will die each year from cancer by 2030.Thus,new ideas are urgently needed to change paradigms in the global fight against cancer.Over the last decades,artificial intelligence(AI)emerged in the field of cancer research as a new and promising discipline.Although emerging,a great potential is appreciated in AI to improve cancer diagnosis and prognosis,as well as to identify relevant therapeutics in the current era of personalized medicine.Developing pipelines connecting patient-generated health data easily translatable into clinical practice to assist clinicians in decision making represents a challenging but fascinating task.AI algorithms are mainly fueled by multi omics data which,in the case of cancer research,have been largely derived from international cancer programs,including The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA).Here,I briefly review some examples of supervised and unsupervised big data derived from TCGA programs and comment on how AI algorithms have been applied to improve the management of patients with cancer.In this context,Artificial Intelligence in Cancer journal was specifically launched to promote the development of this discipline,by serving as a forum to publish high-quality basic and clinical research articles in various fields of AI in oncology.

Effect of Zeolite on Small Intestine Microbiota of Broiler Chickens:A Case Study

After ban of antibiotics growth promoters (AGP) in Europe in 2006, use of non-medicated gut microbiota regulators as feed additives has dramatically increased. This study aimed at describing the effects of a copper-exchanged zeolite on broiler growth performance, small intestine morphology and microbiota composition. Illumina Sequencing of the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was employed to study the small intestine microbiota. This microbiota with copper-exchanged zeolite treated-chickens was significantly less diverse with an almost exclusive presence of Lactobacillus johnsonii and Lactobacillus reuteri. These Lactobacilli are correlated with increased diameter, length and weight of the three segments of the small intestine and decreased viscosity of the intestinal content, suggesting probiotic action. The tested copper-exchanged zeolite would act as a prebiotic, selecting a “favorable” flora for the healthy broilers development.

Late Neoproterozoic to early Cambrian high-grade metamorphism from Mikir Hills(Assam-Meghalaya gneissic Complex,northeast India):Implications for eastern Gondwana assembly

Mikir Hills region,which represents the eastern segment of the Assam-Meghalaya Gneissic Complex(AMGC)in northeast India,constitutes part of the Eastern Gondwana.The Mikir Hills preserves multiple metamorphic and magmatic events ranging from Early Mesoproterozoic to Early Cambrian.Out of these events,documenting the late Neoproterozoic to early Cambrian tectonothermal events is helpful in correlating the continental blocks of Eastern Gondwana.We present an integrated study involving field relations,petrology,P-T history and zircon-monazite geochronology of hitherto poorly studied pelitic and quartzo-feldspathic gneisses from the Mikir Hills region.These gneisses have experienced at least three deformation events(D_(1),D_(2) and D_(3))with dominant foliation indicated by ENE-WSW striking and shallow-moderately dipping(<40°)S_(2) gneissic foliation.The peak metamorphism in pelitic and quartzo-feldspathic gneisses is characterized by garnet(core)-K-feldspar-sillimanite-plagioclase-bio tite-rutile-quartz-ilmenite-melt and garnet-plagioclase-K-feldspar-biotite-quartz-ilmenite-melt assemblages,respectively.The application of thermobarometric methods constrains the peak P-T conditions of 7.5-8.4 kbar at 674-778℃and 6.7-7.4 kbar at 601-618℃for pelitic and quartzofeldspathic gneisses,respectively.These results are consistent with the values estimated using phase equilibria modelling and melt reintegration approach.The results of pseudosection modelling suggests a clockwise P-T path for pelitic gneisses involving migmatisation during peak metamorphism followed by near isothermal decompression from 8.0 to 8.6 kbar at 768-780℃to 4.0-5.0 kbar at 720-765℃.In contrast,quartzo-feldspathic gneisses preserved slightly lower peak P-T conditions at 3.8-4.6 kbar and 590-650℃.The U-Pb zircon dating of migmatised pelitic and quartzo-feldspathic gneisses yielded concordant ages of 1647±11 Ma and 1590±7 Ma,respectively.These dates represent the inherited igneous protolith components,possibly equivalent to the Mesoproterozoic granulite facies metamorphism in the western AMGC.The rarely preserved cores of monazite in pelitic gneisses yielded an older population of 1058±35 Ma,most likely representing a weak tectonic imprint associated with the amalgamation of India with Western Australia and East Antarctica in the Rodinia assembly.However,the majority of monazite grains in pelitic and quartzo-feldspathic gneisses show high Th/U ratios with ages between 496±7 Ma and 467±16 Ma,indicating the timing of migmatisation that is contemporary with voluminous~500 Ma granite magmatism in and around the Mikir Hills.The similarities in P-T-t histories estimated in this study(eastern AMGC)and those obtained from the Sonapahar-Umpretha region(central AMGC)confirm that these domains experienced common tectonometamorphic history during Pan-African orogeny.The dominance of Late Neoproterozoic migmatisation and magmatism in the Mikir Hills region indicate that the eastern AMGC represent an active convergent margin with Western Australia and East Antarctica and evolved as a hot orogen during the assembly of Western and Eastern Gondwana continental fragments.

A proto-monsoonal climate in the late Eocene of Southeast Asia:Evidence from a sedimentary record in central Myanmar

The Burma Terrane has yielded some of the earliest pieces of evidence for monsoonal rainfall in the Bay of Bengal.However,Burmese ecosystems and their potential monsoonal imprint remain poorly studied.This study focuses on the late Eocene Yaw Formation(23°N)in central Myanmar,which was located near the equator(c.5°N)during the Eocene.We quantitatively assessed the past vegetation,climate,and depositional environments with sporomorph diagrams,bioclimatic analysis,and sequence biostratigraphy.We calculated the palynological diversity and drew inferences with rarefaction analysis by comparing with four other middle to late Eocene tropical palynofloras.Palynological results highlight a high floristic diversity for the palynoflora throughout the section formed by six pollen zones characterized by different vegetation.They indicate that lowland evergreen forests and swamps dominated in the Eocene Burmese deltaic plains while terra firma areas were occupied by seasonal evergreen,seasonally dry,and deciduous forests.This vegetation pattern is typical to what is found around the Bay of Bengal today and supports a monsoon-like climate at the time of the Yaw Formation.Bioclimatic analysis further suggests that in the late Eocene,the Yaw Formation was more seasonal,drier,and cooler compared to modern-day climate at similar near-equatorial latitude.More seasonal and drier conditions can be explained by a well-marked seasonal migration of the Intertropical Convergence Zone(ITCZ),driver of proto-monsoonal rainfall.Cooler temperatures in the late Eocene of central Myanmar may be due to the lack of adequate modern analogues for the Eocene monsoonal climate,while those found at other three Eocene Asian paleobotanical sites(India and South China)may be caused by the effect of canopy evapotranspirational cooling.Our data suggest that paleoenvironmental change including two transgressive-regressive depositional sequences is controlled by global sea level change,which may be driven by climate change and tectonics.The high diversity of the Yaw Formation palynoflora,despite well-marked seasonality,is explained by its crossroads location for plant dispersals between India and Asia.

From individual elements to macroscopic materials: in search of new superconductors via machine learning

An approach to supervised classification and regression of superconductive materials is proposed which builds on the DeepSet technology.This enables us to provide the chemical constituents of the examined compounds as an input to the algorithm,while avoiding artefacts that could originate from the chosen ordering in the list.The performance of the method are successfully challenged for both classification(tag a given material as superconducting)and regression(quantifying the associated critical temperature).We then searched through the International Mineralogical Association list with the trained neural network.Among the obtained superconducting candidates,three materials were selected to undergo a thorough experimental characterization.Superconductivity has been indeed confirmed for the synthetic analogue of michenerite,PdBiTe,and observed for the first time in monchetundraite,Pd2NiTe2,at critical temperatures in good agreement with the theory predictions.This latter is the first certified superconducting material to be identified by artificial intelligence methodologies.

Dispersal syndrome and landscape fragmentation in the salt-marsh specialist spider Erigone longipalpis

Dispersal and its evolution play a key role for population persistence in fragmented landscapes where habitat loss and fragmentation increase the cost of between-habitat movements.In such contexts,it is important to know how variation in dispersal and other traits is structured,and whether responses to landscape fragmentation are aligned with underlying dispersal-trait correlations,or dispersal syndromes.We,therefore,studied trait variation in Erigone longipalpis,a European spider species specialist of(often patchy)salt marshes.We collected spiders in two salt-marsh landscapes differing in habitat availability.We then reared lab-born spiders for two generations in controlled conditions,and measured dispersal and its association with various key traits.Erigone longipalpis population densities were lower in the more fragmented landscape.Despite this,we found no evidence of differences in dispersal,or any other trait we studied,between the two landscapes.While a dispersal syndrome was present at the among-individual level(dispersers were more fecund and faster growing,among others),there was no indication it was genetically driven:among-family differences in dispersal were not correlated with differences in other traits.Instead,we showed that the observed phenotypic covariations were mostly due to within-family correlations.We hypothesize that the dispersal syndrome is the result of asymmetric food access among siblings,leading to variation in development rates and carrying over to adult traits.Our results show we need to better understand the sources of dispersal variation and syndromes,especially when dispersal may evolve rapidly in response to environmental change.

Evolution of germination strategy in the invasive species Ulex europaeus

Aims The study of the adaptive potential of the germination patterns of invading species enables us to identify some traits linked with their capacity to colonize new sites,and to gain a better understanding of their area of distribution.The aim of this study is to determine the germination pattern of Ulex europaeus,a cosmopolitan invasive species,in relation to temperature and to explore its potential evolu-tion and invasiveness in a tropical region,following its introduction from Europe.Methods We studied the germination pattern of U.europaeus(the com-mon gorse)to test both physical dormancy and germination capacity within the range of temperatures found in the native and invasive regions.To understand its germination pattern and its evolution,the rate and the speed of germination,as well as the percentage of seeds that became mouldy during the experi-ment,have been compared between a native habitat,France and a habitat into which it has been introduced,the tropical island of La Reunion.Important Findings The results show that gorse seeds germinate in large quantities,pos-sess the ability to germinate under a wide range of temperatures and they confirm the physical dormancy of the seeds(caused by seed coat impermeability).The decrease in germination from 25℃ upwards,coupled with an increase in the rate of moulding help to explain its restricted distribution at altitude in tropical environments.For scari-fied seeds,we have not detected any difference between the two regions,neither in the percentage of germinated seeds,nor in the per-centage of mouldy seeds.However,seeds from Reunion germinate faster at 20℃ than seeds from France and a greater number of seeds from Reunion are able to germinate without scarification(10-60%for Reunion versus 0-10%for France).These results suggest that while preserving the advantages of the native habitat,in Reunion gorse develops a strategy which favours the rapid occupation of new sites.

Broadband mid-infrared supercontinuum generation in dispersion-engineered As_(2)S_(3)-silica nanospike waveguides pumped by 2.8 μm femtosecond laser

Broadband mid-infrared(IR)supercontinuum laser sources are essential for spectroscopy in the molecular fingerprint region.Here,we report generation of octave-spanning and coherent mid-IR supercontinua in As_(2)S_(3)-silica nanospike hybrid waveguides pumped by a custom-built 2.8μm femtosecond fiber laser.The waveguides are formed by pressure-assisted melt-filling of molten As_(2)S_(3) into silica capillaries,allowing the dispersion and nonlinearity to be precisely tailored.Continuous coherent spectra spanning from 1.1μm to 4.8μm(30 dB level)are observed when the waveguide is designed so that 2.8μm lies in the anomalous dispersion regime.Moreover,linearly tapered millimeter-scale As_(2)S_(3)-silica waveguides are fabricated and investigated for the first time,to the best of our knowledge,showing much broader supercontinua than uniform waveguides,with improved spectral coherence.The waveguides are demonstrated to be long-term stable and water-resistant due to the shielding of the As_(2)S_(3) by the fused silica sheath.They offer an alternative route to generating broadband mid-IR supercontinua,with applications in frequency metrology and molecular spectroscopy,especially in humid and aqueous environments.

Intraspecific maternal competition in insect parasitoids induces summer diapause in insect parasitoids

Organisms often live in unpredictable environments and have to adopt life history strategies that optimize their fitness under these conditions.According to bet-hedging theory,individuals can reduce variation in fitness outcomes by investing in different strategies at the same time.For arthropods,facultative summer diapause enables survival during dry and hot periods of the year,and can be triggered by a decrease in resource abundance. However,the effect of resource depletion on diapause induction has never been disentangled from the effect of the perception of the presence of competitors.Using two solitary parasitoid species of cereal aphids as a model system,Aphidius avenae (Haliday)and Aphidius rhopalosiphi (De Stefani-Perez)(Hymenoptera:Braconidae),we tested whether (i)low absolute host density and/or (ii)high levels of parasitoid females'competition lead to maternal-induced summer diapause in parasitoid offspring.Under summer-like climatic conditions,emerging parasitoid females were (i)reared alone and exposed to different host densities (from 5 to 130 aphids),or (ii)reared together with competing females (from 2 to 20 females)and then exposed individually to 50 aphids.For both parasitoid species, low aphid densities did not induce summer diapause.However,the incidence of summer diapause increased up to a maximum of 11% with increasing levels of competition expe rienced by female parasitoids.More than 60% of the females produced both diapausing and nondiapausing offspring after being kept at the two highest competition densities. Such a "spreading-the-risk"strategy has likely evolved to optimize parasitoid fitness by preventing the following generation from exposure to low populations of suitable hosts and high mortality from superparasitism.These results provide the first experimental evidence of direct maternal competition-induced diapause in insects,and may change the way we apprehend the evolution of arthropod seasonal ecology,by considering intraspecific competition.

Inhibition of mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation in drug-induced hepatic steatosis

Mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation(mtFAO)is a key metabolic pathway required for energy production in the liver,in particular during periods of fasting.One major consequence of drug-induced impairment of mtFAO is hepatic steatosis,which is characterized by an accumulation of triglycerides and other lipid species,such as acyl-carnitines.Actually,the severity of this liver lesion is dependent on the residual mitochondrial b-oxidation flux.Indeed,a severe inhibition of mtFAO leads to microvesicular steatosis,hypoglycemia and liver failure.In contrast,moderate impairment of mtFAO can cause macrovacuolar steatosis,which is a benign lesion in the short term.Because some drugs can induce both microvesicular and macrovacuolar steatosis,it is surmised that severe mitochondrial dysfunction could be favored in some patients by non-genetic factors(e.g.,high doses and polymedication),or genetic predispositions involving genes that encode proteins playing directly or indirectly a role in the mtFAO pathway.Example of drugs inducing steatosis include acetaminophen(APAP),amiodarone,ibuprofen,linezolid,nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors,such as stavudine and didanosine,perhexiline,tamoxifen,tetracyclines,troglitazone and valproic acid.Because several previous articles reviewed in depth the mechanism(s)whereby most of these drugs are able to inhibit mtFAO and induce steatosis,the present review is rather focused on APAP,linezolid and troglitazone.These steatogenic drugs are indeed rarely discussed in the literature as regards their ability to impair mtFAO.

Modeling the crystallographic structure of Ho(Ni,Co,Mn)O_(3±δ) perovskite-type manganite

Crystallographic and microstructural properties of Ho(Ni,Co,Mn)O3±dperovskite-type multiferroic material are reported.Samples were synthesized with a modified polymeric precursor method.The synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction(SXRPD)technique associated to Rietveld refinement method was used to perform structural characterization.The crystallographic structures,as well as microstructural properties,were studied to determine unit cell parameters and volume,angles and atomic positions,crystallite size and strain.X-ray energies below the absorption edges of the transition metals helped to determine the mean preferred atomic occupancy for the substituent atoms.Furthermore,analyzing the degree of distortion of the polyhedra centered at the transitions metal atoms led to understanding the structural model of the synthesized phase.X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS)was performed to evaluate the valence states of the elements,and the tolerance factor and oxygen content.The obtained results indicated a small decrease distortion in structure,close to the HoMnO3 basis compound.In addition,the substituent atoms showed the same distribution and,on average,preferentially occupied the center of the unit cell.

Whether profitability and investment factors have additional explanatory power compared with Fama-French three-factor model:Empirical evidence on Chinese A-share stock market

Fama and French propose a five-factor model containing the market factor and factors related to size,book-to-market equity ratio,profitability and investment,which outperforms the Fama-French three-factor model in their paper 2014.This study investigates the performance of Fama-French five-factor model and compare with that of Fama-French three-factor model on Chinese A-share stock market.The empirical results show that Fama-French five-factor model explanatory power has differences among different sets of portfolios.Compared with Fama-French three-factor model,the presence of profitability and investment factors donot seem to capture more variations of expected stock returns than the three-factor model except for six value-weighted portfolios formed on size and operating profitability.