A Dynamic Credit Index System for TSMEs in China Using the Delphi and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) Methods

A high-quality credit index system is essential for technological small and medium-sized enterprises (TSMEs) to obtain financing from various institutions, such as banks, venture capital. Some attempts have made to construct the credit index system for TSMEs. However, the current credit index systems for TSMEs have placed too much emphasis on their financial ability with few prominent technological and talent indicators. Therefore, this study has proposed a dynamic credit index system for TSMEs in China using the Delphi and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methods. This credit index system covers a wide range of indicators to measure the enterprises’ controller ability, operation and management ability, financial ability, and innovation capacity. This study made some contributions in the following aspects: (1) This study proposed a credit index system for TSMEs that highlights the main characteristics of technological innovation and talents of enterprises in China. (2) The credit index system is also highly adaptable as it can dynamically adjust the index weight according to the life cycles of TSMEs. (3) A case study of evaluating the credit of three TSMEs in China was selected to verify the feasibility and the effectiveness of this system. The results show that the credit index system constructed in this study provides a comprehensive and systematic model for evaluating the credit of TSMEs in China.The research was funded by Sichuan University and Chengdu Administration China (Sichuan) Pilot Free Trade Zone. And the APC was funded by Sichuan University

Generating Synergistic Formulaic Alpha Collections via Reinforcement Learning

In the field of quantitative trading, it is common practice to transform raw historical stock data into indicative signals for the market trend. Such signals are called alpha factors. Alphas in formula forms are more interpretable and thus favored by practitioners concerned with risk. In practice, a set of formulaic alphas is often used together for better modeling precision, so we need to find synergistic formulaic alpha sets that work well together. However, most traditional alpha generators mine alphas one by one separately, overlooking the fact that the alphas would be combined later. In this paper, we propose a new alpha-mining framework that prioritizes mining a synergistic set of alphas, i.e., it directly uses the performance of the downstream combination model to optimize the alpha generator. Our framework also leverages the strong exploratory capabilities of reinforcement learning~(RL) to better explore the vast search space of formulaic alphas. The contribution to the combination models' performance is assigned to be the return used in the RL process, driving the alpha generator to find better alphas that improve upon the current set. Experimental evaluations on real-world stock market data demonstrate both the effectiveness and the efficiency of our framework for stock trend forecasting. The investment simulation results show that our framework is able to achieve higher returns compared to previous approaches.Comment: Accepted by KDD '23, ADS trac

Ring-Pins combined with cable cerclage for the fixation of displaced inferior patellar pole fractures

ObjectiveThe study aimed to present the clinical results and complication rates of ring-pins with cable cerclage for treating the inferior pole of patella fracture.MethodA study that retrospectively reviewed consecutive patients of the displaced inferior pole of patella fracture (AO/OTA 34-A1) operated with a ring-pin tension band using cable cerclage between October 2015 and October 2017 was performed. The duration of surgery, motion range of the knee, function outcomes, and complications were recorded.ResultsThe average follow-up of 31 patients was 21 months. The mean operation time was 50 min. Fractures in all 31 patients healed at a mean duration of 8 weeks. There was no infection, no withdrawing of ring-pins, no implant breakage, and no loss of fracture reduction. The mean range of motion was 120°, and no patient complained of implant irritation at the final follow-up. The average Bostman score was 29.0 points, and 28 patients graded clinical outcomes excellent and 3 patients graded clinical outcomes good at the last follow-up.ConclusionsRing-pin combined with cable cerclage for treating the displaced inferior pole of patellar fracture is simple, and the postoperative internal fixation-related complication rate is low. It is a good choice for treating the displaced inferior pole of the patellar fracture

A Novel Dnmt3a1 Transcript Inhibits Adipogenesis

DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferase 3a (Dnmt3a) is an enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of methyl groups to specific CpG forms in DNA. In mammals, two variant transcripts of Dnmt3a have been successfully identified. To the best of our knowledge, no Dnmt3a transcripts in an avian have been successfully identified. This study was performed to detect different transcripts of Dnmt3a in chickens and to examine whether a novel Dnmt3a transcript named Dnmt3a1 may regulate adipogenesis. In addition to cloning, sequencing, transcript detection, and expression studies, a novel Dnmt3a1 transcript overexpression and knockdown were conducted to explore the potential role of Dnmt3a1 in preadipocyte proliferation and the early stage of adipocyte differentiation. In chicken abdominal fat tissue, we detected a novel Dnmt3a1 transcript that differs from Dnmt3a by lacking 23 amino acids at the exon-1/exon-2 border. Dnmt3a1 mRNA was ubiquitously expressed in a variety of tissues or cells and highly expressed in chicken adipose tissue/cells. The expression of Dnmt3a1 was regulated under different physiological conditions including aging, fasting, and high-fat diet. In addition, overexpression of Dnmt3a1 significantly decreased preadipocyte proliferation and induced cell-cycle arrest while its inhibition increased cell proliferation and S-phase cells. Furthermore, the overexpression of Dnmt3a1 significantly upregulated the mRNA level of cell-cycle-related genes, such as CDKN1A, CDKN1B, CCNB3, CCND2, CCNG2, CDKN2B, and CDK9, or the protein level of CDKN1A, CDKN1B, and CCNG2. Conversely, the knockdown of Dnmt3a1 by siRNA had the opposite effects. Moreover, during early adipocyte differentiation, the overexpression of Dnmt3a1 significantly decreased the mRNA and the protein levels of PPAR-γ, C/EBP-α, ADIPOR1, and STAT3, and the mRNA levels of FAS, LEPR, LPL, PRKAB2, and ATGL. In contrast, their expression was significantly increased after the knockdown of Dnmt3a1. Taken together, we identified a novel transcript of Dnmt3a, and it played a potential role in adipogenesis

Laboratory observation of ion acceleration via reflection off laser-produced magnetized collisionless shocks

Fermi acceleration by collisionless shocks is believed to be the primary mechanism to produce high energy charged particles in the Universe,where charged particles gain energy successively from multiple reflections off the shock front.Here,we present the first direct experimental evidence of ion energization from reflection off a supercritical quasi perpendicular collisionless shock,an essential component of Fermi acceleration in a laser produced magnetized plasma. We observed a quasi monoenergetic ion beam with 2,4 times the shock velocity in the upstream flow using time of flight method. Our related kinetic simulations reproduced the energy gain and showed that these ions were first reflected and then accelerated mainly by the motional electric field associated with the shock. This mechanism can also explain the quasi monoenergetic fast ion component observed in the Earth's bow shock

Optimizing robotic thyroid surgery: lessons learned from an retrospective analysis of 104 cases

BackgroundRobotic assistance in thyroidectomy is a developing field that promises enhanced surgical precision and improved patient outcomes. This study investigates the impact of the da Vinci Surgical System on operative efficiency, learning curve, and postoperative outcomes in thyroid surgery.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study of 104 patients who underwent robotic thyroidectomy between March 2018 and January 2022. We evaluated the learning curve using the Cumulative Sum (CUSUM) analysis and analyzed operative times, complication rates, and postoperative recovery metrics.ResultsThe cohort had a mean age of 36 years, predominantly female (68.3%). The average body mass index (BMI) was within the normal range. A significant reduction in operative times was observed as the series progressed, with no permanent hypoparathyroidism or recurrent laryngeal nerve injuries reported. The learning curve plateaued after the 37th case. Postoperative recovery was consistent, with no significant difference in hospital stay duration. Complications were minimal, with a noted decrease in transient vocal cord palsy as experience with the robotic system increased.ConclusionRobotic thyroidectomy using the da Vinci system has demonstrated a significant improvement in operative efficiency without compromising safety. The learning curve is steep but manageable, and once overcome, it leads to improved surgical outcomes and high patient satisfaction. Further research with larger datasets and longer follow-up is necessary to establish the long-term benefits of robotic thyroidectomy

Quantum teleportation and entanglement distribution over 100-kilometre free-space channels

A long standing goal for quantum communication is to transfer a quantum state over arbitrary distances. Free-space quantum communication provides a promising solution towards this challenging goal. Here, through a 97-km free space channel, we demonstrate long distance quantum teleportation over a 35-53 dB loss one-link channel, and entanglement distribution over a 66-85 dB high-loss two-link channel. We achieve an average fidelity of {80.4(9)}% for teleporting six distinct initial states and observe the violation of the Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt inequality after distributing entanglement. Besides being of fundamental interest, our result represents a significant step towards a global quantum network. Moreover, the high-frequency and high-accuracy acquiring, pointing and tracking technique developed in our experiment provides an essential tool for future satellite-based quantum communication.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figure