bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phylogenetic Groups/B2 Subgroup Distributions, Serogrouping and Identification of Virulence Factors in Extended-Spectrum Cephalosporin-Resistant Escherichia coli Strains Isolated from the Stool of Healthy Children Under 10 Years Old
Authors: Mansouri Mohammad , Najar Peerayeh Shahin , Mohabati Mobarez Ashraf , Bakhshi Bita , Karbalaei Mohsen , Abdolvand Zahra
Published: April 2022

Background: Segregation of Escherichia coli (E. coli) into the phylogenetic groups was observed in the experiments so that group B2 contained the enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) strains and extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC). Objectives: This study aimed to identify B2 phylogenetic groups in the extended-spectrum Cephalosporins resistant E. coli isolated from the stool of healthy children under 10 years old. Methods: One hundred E. coli resistant to broad-spectrum Cephalosporins were collected from the feces of healthy children under 10. Subsequently, we grouped phylogenetic via PCR based on the genes yjaA, chuA, arpA, as well, as TspE4.C2. Then, according to Clermont et al.’s study, we used two individual multiplex PCRs for identifying B2 sub-groups (I-X subgroups). Serogroup typing with the 12 O-antigen was analyzed via PCR, and finally, 10 virulence genes (cnf1, papG, ibeA, malX, usp, cdt, eae, bfp, and afa-Dr) were identified with PCR. Results: The age range of the healthy children was between 1 and 10 years. The B2 and unknown phylogroups were the most common strains in this study. The most common B2 subgroups were I (2%), IX (1%), V (8%), IV, V, VII (1%), IX, V (3%), IX, V, III, I (1%), IX, V, III, VII, I (%1), V, I (6%), V, III, I (3%), and V, III, VII (1%), with each subgroup carrying distinctive sets of ExPEC virulence markers. The results also showed that 29% of E. coli in the healthy children had malX and 23% had papGII. It was also found that 32% of the strains isolated from the healthy children had antigens O2 and 36% were unknown. Conclusions: In this study, 27% of the strains belonged to B2 phylogroup and 6% to B1 phylogroup. Moreover, serogroups O2, O16, and O25 were predominant and belonged to B2 phylogroup. Moreover, malX, papGII, usp, papGIII, aggR, and eae virulence genes also had the highest to lowest supply among the tested strains, respectively. Moreover, B2 isolates were shown to have further virulence-related genes in comparison to the non B2 isolates.
Innovation and human resources practices in companies of Southern Brazil
Authors: Serafin Vanessa Faedo , Severo Eliana Andréa , De Guimarães Julio Cesar Ferro , Rotta Claudio , Philereno Deivis Cassiano
Published: April 2022

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to analyze the relationships between process innovation, human resources practices and the competitive advantage of organizations, through seven research hypotheses.
Design/methodology/approach: The methodology used is a descriptive, quantitative study applied to 207 human resources professionals from companies in the south of Brazil, analyzed by the modeling of structural equations.
Findings: The hypotheses predicted that process innovation and human resources practices would be positively related to competitive advantage, as well as process innovation would be positively correlated with human resources practices. The results confirmed the direct relationships supported by the hypotheses.
Practical implications: Regarding the managerial contributions, the present study brought important information to direct the strategic actions of the companies, integrating process innovation and human resources practices to generate competitive advantage, having human resources management as an important vector for the company strategy, guiding individuals towards the companies’ objectives.
Originality/value: The originality of the study consists in the construction of a theoretical framework on the relationships between process innovation, human resources practices and the competitive advantage of organizations, which can be used by other researches and thus advance in the Theory of Administration.
Adaptive capacity: proposition and validation of a measurement scale
Authors: Zaluski Felipe Cavalheiro , Hedlund Patrique Rosa , Cordeiro Marcelo de Moraes , Sausen Jorge Oneide
Published: April 2022

Purpose
The paper aims to propose and validate a scale for measuring adaptive capacity in organizations.
Design / methodology / approach
To propose the scale dimensions, the model by Stabler and Sydow (2002) was taken into account and to propose the indicators for each dimension, previous studies related to the theme were analyzed based on a systematic review on academic bases. For quantitative validation of the scale, an e-survey was adopted in 122 organizations in the Northwest Colonial region of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, using structural equation modeling (MEE) with the SmartPLS 3.2.8 software as support.
Findings
The results of the study demonstrate the articulation of the indicators of Flexible Organizational Structure and Innovative Management, Plurality and Multifunctionality of Teams and Information Systems and Market Analysis result in a scale in which several aspects related to the existence of the development of adaptive capacities in organizations can be analyzed.
Research limitations / implications
It is noteworthy that the sample considered for the analysis￼ is based on a specific region, therefore, its results should be interpreted with caution.
Practical implications
The scale contributes to instrumenting the managers allowing the identification of weaknesses, relevant to the dimensions and indicators, so that the managers can guide their efforts.
Originality / value
This study shows itself to be prominent, since its measurement and validation of a scale based on the development of adaptive capacity will allow, in such a way, other studies and also new comparisons for the advancement of the subject.
Analysis of the entrepreneurial process from effectuation and causation logic: a case study in two companies from Minas Gerais
Authors: Ferreira Karina Fernanda Oliveira , Guimarães Liliane de Oliveira , Salume Paula Karina , Doyle Maria Luiza de Fátima Costa Proença
Published: April 2022

Objective: The article aimed to analyze how the effectuation and causation logics were used in the entrepreneurial process of two companies from Minas Gerais. The effectuation logic is based on issues related to the entrepreneur's decision making and contrasts with the causation logic - which refers to traditional methods of the entrepreneurial process based on planning and determined sequences.
Methodology: A qualitative comparative study was carried out in two companies from Minas Gerais. The evidence was obtained from interviews with the founding partners, in addition to observation and documents, and the data analysis was performed using content analysis.
Results:  The results showed that in the two cases analyzed, the entrepreneurs relied on effectuation logic for setting up the businesses, with little use of causation logic but as the businesses consolidated and moved beyond the initial founding phase, the entrepreneurs took different attitudes, basing their decisions and actions on greater planning and systematic analysis of the context.
Limitations: Some studies show that cultural differences can have an influence on the entrepreneurial process and how entrepreneurs make decisions. This variable was not contemplated in this study, which represents a limitation. Additionally, the study analyzed the entrepreneurial process of two companies from Minas Gerais, which does not allow for generalization.
Originality/contributions: the work contributes to the national studies on the entrepreneurial process, mainly from the principles that compose the effectuation logic, seeking to identify and classify the decisions and actions of entrepreneurs in the causation and effectuation logics.
Public policies of guarantee for minimum prices on products of sociobiodiversity (PGPMBio): composition of the extraction cost of Amazonian chestnut in Rondônia and Acre
Authors: Silva Jean Marcos da , Paes-de-Souza Mariluce , Souza Filho Theophilo Alves de , Riva Fabiana Rodrigues , Borbosa Cleidimar da Silva
Published: April 2022

Objective: To analyze the Minimum Price Guarantee Policy for Sociobiodiversity Products - PGPMBio with focus on the composition of the extraction cost of the Brazil nut in the states of Rondônia and Acre.
Materials and Methods: This work used a qualitative approach through a field study. The Matrix proposed by Easton (1957) enabled an analysis of Public Policy. The field research took place at three different times, with 34 respondents: the first was in Brasiléia -AC) Acre State) in November 2014, in Porto Velho - RO (Rondônia State) in March 2015, in Brasiléia - AC and Cobija - Bolivia in June 2015.
Results: It was concluded that there is a discrepancy between the minimum price defined in PGPMBio and the price paid by the market in the cases studied. The results show that PGPMBio does not consider environmental costs in the elaboration of the minimum price, employing economic criteria in a context that requires a sustainable vision.
Study limitations: The size of the extractivist sample, which, due to its small quantity, makes it impossible to expand the results for the entire population, being limited to the reality of the interviewees.
Practical implications: It is suggested to include bonuses for environmental services in the calculation of the minimum price.
Originality: The recognition of the workforce on the extractivism of the Chestnut-of-the-Amazon in the composition of the product's cost. This was possible due to the analysis of production costs of the Chestnut-of-the-Amazon through the methodology of analysis of public policies of Easton (1957) and the simultaneous verification of the applicability of PGPMBio among the extractivists.
Digital Technology: Reflections on the Difference between Instrumental Rationality and Practical Reason
Authors: Nagl Ludwig
Published: April 2022

Are computers on the way to acquiring “superintelligence”? Can human deliberation and decision-making be fully simulated by the mechanical execution of AI programmes? On close examination these expectations turn out not to be well-founded, since algorithms (or, in Kantian terms, “imperatives of skill” that are implemented by technological means) do, ultimately, have “heteronomous” characteristics. So-called AI-“autonomy” is a sensor-directed performance automatism, which — compared with the potential for ethical judgment in human “practical reason” — proves to be limited in significant ways (even if, in so-called “machine learning”, digital technologies are able to probabilistically adapt to new data). This is shown in some detail with reference to the idea of a “digital humanism”, which was introduced by Julian Nida-Rümelin and Nathalie Weidenfeld, who argue that algorithms (possibly) are useful “tools”, but emphasise — thus rejecting excessive “post-humanist” (Utopian or dystopian) ideas about AI — that there exists a crucial difference between human action and its (partial) AI-simulation. While Nida-Rümelin/Weidenfeld´s “digital humanism” is, on the one hand, inspired by Kant’s conception of human autonomous self-determination, the concept of “structural rationality” that they advocate is, on the other hand, quite problematic. “Digital humanism”, however, can be improved as I argue — with reference to Barbara Herman’s analysis of “moral judgment” and to Allen Wood’s reflections on “human dignity”.
Developing student's creativity
Authors: Stojanović Anja
Published: April 2022

Encouraging creativity, as well as expressing and developing it, is a desirable goal of modern educational systems. In order for this to be implemented in practice, it is necessary to devise such a curriculum and provide conditions conducive to the creative behavior of teachers and students in the school. It is necessary to lay a good foundation for the creative expression of students and teachers. The social needs for creative members of society are growing, where the school is one of the institutions that plays an important role in educating young people and encouraging the development of creativity in students. Every society, at a certain time, respects, appreciates, emphasizes certain aspects as a feature of quality, therefore creative creators, if they do not adapt their work to these aspects, their work can be evaluated as not good enough, although in another social environment it might be rated as excellent. Compared to the former traditional teaching, today's teacher is more qualified and competent for the vocation that awaits them, both in the transfer of knowledge and in getting to know and respect the individual abilities and interests of each child in the class. The research was conducted through the Google questionnaire, in 2021, using a five-point Likert-type assessment scale in online form, based on which we determined the reflections of teachers on the developing student's creativity. The data obtained by the scaling technique and interpreted by the method of descriptive statistics provided a clear insight into the research results. By the analysis of the results obtained by this research, it was determined that primary school teachers, as well as subject teachers in their classes gladly apply creativity by using various creative methods and techniques in teaching, with various technical and material means and organizing classes outside school.
External financing of SMEs in Serbia
Authors: Dukić Dragan , Petrevska Ivana , Rastovac Dragan
Published: April 2022

Considering the fact that small and medium enterprises often face funding difficulties, this paper discusses and analyzes the issue of financing SMEs in Serbia, i.e. the usage and possibilities of alternative, relatively more affordable, cheaper and more flexible options for financing entrepreneurial projects, which are available in practice. The research was conducted by surveying entrepreneurs and SME owners, in order to show the extent to which SMEs in practice rely on their own financing of their business, and how much is represented by financing from external non-banking sources. Also, the paper investigates and analyzes the level of satisfaction of entrepreneurs with the current usage of various financial instruments that they can access in different circumstances, as well as potential opportunities for their usage, with a focus on the current state of SME financing in practice. The obtained results indicate that entrepreneurs mostly rely on own financing of their business, that various options of non-bank financing are insufficient and that there is a lot of untapped potential. However, there is a need for more simplified procedures and better informedness of entrepreneurs.
Setting a competence framework to strengthen organizational strategic performance
Authors: Micić Ivana , Krstić-Ranđić Jelena
Published: April 2022

The paper discusses current issues for strengthening the strategic performance of all organizations, and provides insight into the importance of establishing a professional framework of competencies for managing the potential of employees. The role of managers in compiling performances in a way that suits their tasks, while continuously developing their teams, is examined. The author also considers the impact of the specifics of the work that the organization is engaged in on the establishment of the competence framework. The aim of this paper is to point out the importance of individual and collective knowledge in organizations, so that they adopt the fact that knowledge management is a strategic resource of every organization.
Presentation of the strategic analysis model of significance for company operations and strategic decision making
Authors: Gardašević Jovana , Carić Marko , Kovačević Maja , Egić Srđan
Published: April 2022

The subject of paper is a presentation of the most important models of strategic analysis of importance for business operations and strategic decision-making by managers and executives. Strategic thinking is a necessary approach to today's business management. The knowledge of the external and internal environment is of vital importance for a manager to manage the company and make strategic decisions. The starting point for strategic management is strategic analysis. The goals of the organization are met precisely thanks to strategic management. The paper explains in detail the four models of strategic analysis which are of importance for business operations and strategic decision-making, namely the SWOT analysis, PEST analysis, McKinsey analysis and the BCG matrix. Through a detailed content analysis, we tried to show all stakeholders, especially managers and executives, how important for them it is to know and use selected strategic analyses in business and encourage the aforementioned stakeholders to use them to improve the business situation in an increasingly dynamic business environment. Adaptation to changes in the external and internal environment is possible only if strategic management is implemented. In a dynamic and constantly changing business environment, for successful decision-making, as well as for successful in business, it is necessary to use certain strategic analyses. The aim of this paper is to present the most important strategic analyses to all stakeholders, which can improve and enhance their business.
Expediente
Authors: Palavra Moda
Published: April 2022

Expediente Variata V.15, N.36
Editorial V.15N.36
Authors: Novelli Daniela
Published: April 2022

Editorial V.15N.36
Mulheres à frente: O Novy Byt e a produção de estampas soviética entre 1923 e 1924
Authors: Leite Tamires Moura Gonçalves , Kanamaru Antonio Takao
Published: April 2022

Diante da Revolução Russa de 1917, cujo resultado propôs um novo modelo econômico que até então nunca havia sido posto em prática, revolucionários se viram na necessidade de criar uma nova realidade que não mudaria apenas as leis e a economia, mudaria também a vida da população em seu sentido mais básico. O chamado Novy Byt era uma formulação teórica de como o cotidiano deveria ser sob o socialismo, e  para a construção deste novo modo de vida, era necessário que se educasse a população nos ideais da revolução, ideais estes que foram absorvidos pela vanguarda artística construtivista, que nos anos seguintes se dedicou a criar objetos que mudassem a forma de consumo da população. O presente artigo dedica-se ao estudo visual das estampas criadas por Liubov Popova e Varvara Stepanova entre 1923 e 1924, que buscavam de maneira gráfica de educar a população nos ideais revolucionários.
Scalable Community Extraction of Text Networks for Automated Grouping in Medical Databases
Authors: Komolafe Tomilayo , Fong Allan , Sengupta Srijan
Published: April 2022

Networks are ubiquitous in today’s world. Community structure is a well-known feature of many empirical networks, and a lot of statistical methods have been developed for community detection. In this paper, we consider the problem of community extraction in text networks, which is greatly relevant in medical errors and patient safety databases. We adapt a well-known community extraction method to develop a scalable algorithm for extracting groups of similar documents in large text databases. The application of our method on a real-world patient safety report system demonstrates that the groups generated from community extraction are much more accurate than manual tagging by frontline workers.
Liquid-cooled structure design and heat dissipation characteristics analysis of cross-flow channels for lithium batteries
Authors: Wang Xue-Zhang , Li Ke-Qun ,   Energy and Power Engineering College, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
Published: April 2022

A detailed three-dimensional thermal model is developed to examine the thermal behaviour of a lithium-ion battery. This model is a cross-flow liquid cooling model, which can make the heat dissipation of lithium-ion battery pack achieve higher safety. Two kinds of fluids are used for cooling, and the polynomial fitting function is used as the heat source term of lithium battery pack. The battery temperature distribution under the conditions of different Reynolds numbers, different numbers of micro-channel and different micro-channel radii are studied for this model. The simulation results show that the maximum battery temperature is 295.84 K, the minimum battery temperature is 293.14 K, and the maximum temperature difference of the battery pack is 2.7 K. The maximum temperature and temperature difference of the battery under the model are in line with the reasonable operating temperature range of lithium-ion battery pack. The maximum temperature of battery pack decreases with the increase of Reynolds number, but the effect of Reynolds number on heat dissipation of lithium-ion battery pack has a critical value. As the number of micro-channels increases, the maximum temperature of the battery string decreases. However, when the number of micro-channels increases to a certain value, the maximum temperature of the battery pack decreases slowly. The maximum temperature of the battery pack does not decrease monotonically as the radius of the micro-channel increases. Orthogonal analysis results show that the Reynolds number has the greatest influence on the cooling effect of the model, followed by the size of the micro-channel radius, and the number of micro-channels has the least influence. The optimized liquid cooling model can effectively reduce the maximum temperature of lithium-ion battery in theory, and the maximum temperature of lithium-ion battery decreases by 26.24 K in comparison with that of single battery at 2C discharge rate. The reliability of the cross-flow channel model is proved by numerical analysis, and it is also proved that the cross-flow channel has an equilibrium point between the perturbation gain and the flow retarding effect. The heat dissipation effect of lithium- ion battery pack is correlated with the number and radius of micro-channels, but not a single positive correlation. Reasonably increasing the number and size of micro-channels can effectively enhance the heat dissipation effect of battery pack.
Research on rapid surveying and mapping of outfield absolute gravity based on vehicle-mounted atomic gravimeter
Authors: Wang Kai-Nan , Xu Han , Zhou Yin , Xu Yun-Peng , Song Wei , Tang Hong-Zhi , Wang Qiao-Wei , Zhu Dong , Weng Kan-Xing , Wang He-Lin , Peng Shu-Ping , Wang Xiao-Long , Cheng Bing , Li De-Zhao , Qiao Zhong-Kun , Wu Bin , Lin Qiang ,   Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Quantum Precision Measurement, College of Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310023, China
Published: April 2022

The information about Earth’s gravity field is an important basic information necessarily for geodesy, geophysics, geodynamics and other disciplines. The mapping of gravity field is an effective mean to obtain the gravity field information. Compared with the surveying of gravity field based on satellite, ship, and airplane, vehicle-mounted gravity mapping has advantages of strong flexibility, high spatial resolution and high accuracy. A short baseline or a small-scale gravity field mapping can be realized based on the combination of relative gravimeters and the high-precision absolute gravity reference point. However, this method is not suitable for the situation of a long baseline or a large-scale gravity field surveying due to the drift of relative gravimeter. In this work, a vehicle-mounted system for rapid surveying of the absolute gravity field is built up based on a miniaturized atomic gravimeter. The inner precision of the instrument is evaluated to be 0.123 mGal, and the outer precision is 0.112 mGal in a field test which contains 12 points for 3 km distance. Furthermore, with this system, the absolute gravity data are obatined within 2 min for adjusting and 5 min for measuring in downtown for each measured point. A rapid surveying of absolute gravity field for 19 points is carried out and the route covers 24 km. The inner precision of the instrument is evaluated to be 0.162 mGal, and the outer precision is 0.169 mGal. Finally, the free-air gravity anomalies obtained from the measured data of atomic gravimeter and the fitting results of satellite gravity model are analyzed, and it is found that the trends of changing are basically consistent with each other. This paper provides a new proposal for the rapid surveying of the absolute gravity field.
Estimation method for beam size of superconducting transition edge detector
Authors: Gao Guan-Hua , Xu Yu , Liao Guo-Fu , Lu Fang-Jun ,   Key Laboratory of Particle Astrophysics, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China,   University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
Published: April 2022

Owing to its extremely low noise equivalent power, superconducting transition edge detectors have been widely used in various international cosmic microwave background polarization observation projects in recent years. In order to ensure that the detector works in the best performance range, the saturation power value of the detector needs to be adjusted according to the meteorological conditions of the observation site and the observation band, and the structural size of the detector beam directly determines the saturation power. Owing to process differences and other reasons, the beam sizes obtained under different processing schemes often cannot be directly used for horizontal comparison. In previous observation projects, a series of devices with different sizes were generally processed and measured one by one, and then the actual required size was inferred by fitting the relationship between the measured saturated power and the beam size. In order to match the target value, multiple machining iterations are often required. In this work, the boundary-restricted phonon transport model is used to successfully integrate the device parameters from previous observation projects to estimate the size of the transition edge sensor (TES) beam. According to the estimated value, the TES detector chips for detecting cosmic microwave background polarization signal are fabricated for the first time in China. Measurements show that its parameters deviate slightly from the target value. This method can well estimate the sizes of similar TES detectors, and thus has guiding significance for designing TES detectors in the future.
Efficient energy transition from kinetic to internal energy in supersonic collision of high-density plasma jets from conical implosions
Authors: Zhang Zhe , Yuan Xiao-Hui , Zhang Yi-Hang , Liu Hao , Fang Ke , Zhang Cheng-Long , Liu Zheng-Dong , Zhao Xu , Dong Quan-Li , Liu Gao-Yang , Dai Yu , Gu Hao-Chen , Li Yu-Tong , Zheng Jian , Zhong Jia-Yong , Zhang Jie ,   Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China,   Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China,   Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan 523808, China,   Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas, Ministry of Education and School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China,   School of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China,   Department of Physics, College of Science, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing 100083, China,   Department of Astronomy, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China,   School of Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology at Weihai, Weihai 264209, China,   CAS Key Laboratory of Geospace Environment and Department of Plasma Physics and Fusion Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
Published: April 2022

A collision of supersonic jets in the double-cone ignition scheme is realized experimentally. With a very high deceleration, the supersonic jets merge into a high density plasma core, which will be further fast heated to ignition condition. Both the density and temperature of the plasma core are increased due to nearly 100% of kinetic energy of the jets converted into the internal energy. Some diagnostic tools are used to characterize the plasma, including X-ray Thomson scattering, hard X-ray monochromatic backlighting, X-ray streak imaging and framing imaging. The density of the supersonic jet arrive at about 5.5–8 g/cm3. During colliding, a stagnation phase lasts about 200 ps, and the maximum density of the plasma core is increased to (46 ± 24) g/cm3. By analyzing the velocity and temperature before and after colliding, it is found that 90% of the kinetic energy is converted into thermal energy.
Influence of polarity compensation on exchange bias field in LaMnO3/LaNiO3 superlattices
Authors: Wei Hao-Ming , Zhang Ying , Zhang Zhou , Wu Yang-Qing , Cao Bing-Qiang ,   School of Physics and Physical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, China,   School of Material Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, China
Published: April 2022

Perovskite superlattices have received enormous attention in recent years, for they possess several new phases of quantum matter. In particular, an unexpected exchange bias effect in (111)-oriented superlattices composed of ferromagnetic LaMnO3 and paramagnetic LaNiO3 is observed, which has aroused broad interest. In this work, three kinds of LaMnO3/LaNiO3 superlattices with (001), (110), and (111) out-of-plane orientation are fabricated by pulsed laser deposition, and also studied systemically. It is found that the superlattices are epitaxially grown on the SrTiO3 substrates without strain relaxation. The superlattices have a monolayer terraced structure with a surface roughness below 0.1 nm. Electrical transport measurements reveal a Mott conducting behavior with strong localization of electrons in the superlattices. All the superlattices with different orientations exhibit exchange bias phenomenon. The field cooling and zero field cooling curves indicate that there are two different magnetic components in the superlattice in a low temperature range. Further analysis of the values of exchange field reveals that the exchange bias field is related to the orientation and polarity of the superlattices. Different superlattices form different charged planes stacked along out-of-plane orientation, leading to a polarity match/mismatch at the interface between the superlattices and substrates. The surface reconstructions that act as compensating for the polar mismatch influence the exchange bias field of the superlattices. It is observed that the intensities of the exchange field of the polar-matched superlattices are higher than those of the polar-mismatched superlattices at different temperatures. These results are helpful in further understanding the magnetoelectric transport properties in the perovskite superlattices.
Superconducting nanowire single photon detector under AC-bias with self-differential readout
Authors: Ma Lu-Yao , Zhang Xing-Yu , Shu Zhi-Yun , Xiao You , Zhang Tian-Zhu , Li Hao , You Li-Xing ,   State Key Laboratory of Functional Materials for Informatics, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050, China,   University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China
Published: April 2022

Superconducting nanowire single photon detector (SNSPD) has been widely used in many fields such as quantum computing, quantum key distribution and laser radar, due to its high detection efficiency, low dark count rate, high counting rate, and low timing jitter. In most cases, the SNSPD works under the DC-bias mode that can detect single photons arrived at any time. In some cases such as satellite laser ranging and single-photon laser radar where the light pulses arrive regularly, the AC-bias mode enables the SNSPD to work with higher counting rates and lower background dark counts, which however requires complicated readout due to the low signal-to-noise ratio of the photon response. In this work, we report on an AC-biased SNSPD system with a self-differential readout circuit. The system includes a 2-pixel SNSPD consisting of two parallel nanowires, which are biased with 100 MHz sinusoidal current. The output signals of these two nanowires are amplified and combined for the differential readout of the photon response. The resulting response pulse possesses a signal-to-noise ratio ten times higher than that extracted before self-differential readout. In addition, the dark counts are reduced by a factor of 4, and the count rates are increased by a factor of 1.5, in comparison with those under the DC-bias mode. This work provides a specific method to read out the AC-biased SNSPD.
Theoretical prediction of novel two-dimensional auxetic material SiGeS and its electronic and optical properties
Authors: Zhu Yu-Jie , Jiang Tao , Ye Xiao-Juan , Liu Chun-Sheng ,   College of Electronic and Optical Engineering, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, China
Published: April 2022

Two-dimensional (2D) materials have aroused tremendous interest due to their great potential applications in electronic, optical, and mechanical devices. We theoretically design a new 2D material SiGeS by regularly arranging the Si-S-Ge skeleton of SiH3SGeH3. Based on first-principles calculation, the structure, stability, electronic properties, mechanical properties, and optical properties of SiGeS are systematically investigated. Monolayer SiGeS is found to be energetically, dynamically, and thermally stable. Remarkably, the SiGeS displays a unique negative Poisson’s ratio. Besides, the SiGeS is an indirect-semiconductor with a band gap of 1.95 eV. The band gap can be modulated effectively by applying external strains. An indirect-to-direct band gap transition can be observed when the tensile strain along the x axial or biaxial direction is greater than +3%, which is highly desirable for applications in optical and semiconductor technology. Moreover, pristine SiGeS has a high absorption coefficient (～105 cm–1) in a visible-to-ultraviolet region. Under tensile strain along the x axial direction, the absorption edge of SiGeS has a red shift, which makes it cover the whole region of solar spectrum. These intriguing properties make the SiGeS a competitive multifunctional material for nanomechanic and optoelectronic applications.
Effects of annealing time on nanoscale structural heterogeneity and magnetic properties of Fe80Si9B10Cu1 amorphous alloy
Authors: Chen Bo , Yang Zhan-Zhan , Wang Yu-Ying , Wang Yin-Gang ,   Jiangsu Yangdian Technology CO., LTD, Taizhou 225500, China,   College of Materials Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 211106, China
Published: April 2022

The evolution of nanoscale structural heterogeneity and its effect on magnetic properties of Fe80Si9B10Cu1 amorphous alloy during structural relaxation after being annealed for different times are investigated in this work. The nanoscale structural heterogeneity is found to degenerate gradually with relaxation by using the small-angle X-ray scattering and atomic force microscope. Combined with Mössbauer spectroscopy analysis results, the enhanced comprehensive soft magnetic properties of the relaxed alloys can be attributed to the degeneration of nanoscale structural heterogeneity. From the flow unit model, the volume fraction of flow units decreases with relaxation proceeding, and some of the flow units annihilate and transform into the ideal elastic matrix. On the one hand, the relaxed sample with greater packing density has stronger magnetic exchange interaction and higher saturation magnetic flux intensity. On the other hand, the number density of quasi-dislocation dipoles decreases with the annihilation of flow units in the relaxation process, leading the pinning effect of the domain wall to be weakened. Consequently, the magnetic anisotropy decreases after relaxation, which results in the reduction of coercivity. In this work, the structural mechanism of the evolution of magnetic properties in the relaxation process of Fe80Si9B10Cu1 amorphous alloy is investigated from the perspective of structural heterogeneity, which is helpful in establishing the correlation between the structure and magnetic properties of Fe-based amorphous alloys.
Formation mechanism of coherent rainbows (II)
Authors: Shi Ting-Ting , Qian Xuan , Shang Ya-Xuan , Ji Yang ,   State Key Laboratory of Superlattices and Microstructures, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100083, China,   Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
Published: April 2022

When white light laser is focused on liquids, colorful interference rings with different shapes, i.e. “coherent rainbows” can be seen. The formation mechanism of such coherent rainbows is described as follows. The laser heating changes the local temperature distribution of the liquid, which affects the refractive index locally and thus the optical path difference, i.e. thermal lens effect which may cause the laser to go off at large angles. The curvature of the laser wavefront and the convection and bubbles in the liquid can also play some roles as reported here. The wave front curvature results in the asymmetry of the coherent rainbows in the near of the focal point because the wave front curvature in front of the focal point is negative and the wave front curvature in the rear of the focal point is positive. The coherent rainbow has an oval shape with up-down asymmetry because convection in the locally heated liquid leads to an asymmetric temperature distribution. We construct a function including wave front curvature and thermal lens effect, and obtain the relationship between the size of the coherent rainbows and the position of the sample. As a result of the liquid instability induced by the laser heating, the temperature distribution in the liquid is no longer axisymmetric, thus, the focal length of the transverse and longitudinal thermal concave lens are no longer the same. The fitting results accord well with the experimental observations that the coherent rainbows change faster (slower) in front of (rear) the focal point and the longitudinal and transverse dimension of the coherent rainbow are different. Many tiny bubbles are generated in water in the center of the laser beam, forming a local “black barrier” which explains the observation that there are diffraction rings and Poisson-type bright spots in the dark area of the coherent rainbows. The coherent rainbows can be observed in many liquids where the shape and number of rings of coherent rainbows depend on liquid properties such as density, viscosity and thermal conductivity.
Effects of underlayer on structures and magnetic properties of Fe65Co35 alloy films
Authors: Han Ze-Yu , Song Cheng-Ji , Zhou Jie , Zheng Fu ,   School of Physics and Electronic-Electrical Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
Published: April 2022

Fe100-xCox (x = 30–40) alloys have the highest saturation magnetizations, 4πMs ≥ 24 kG (1 G = 10–4 T). Therefore, FeCo thin flms have been widely used in microwave magnetic devices. However, the as-deposited FeCo film has a large coercivity, which is attributed to the large saturation magnetostriction and high magneto-crystalline anisotropy. On the basis of maintaining high saturation magnetization, adding an appropriate underlayer is a simple and effective method to reduce the coercivity of the film and facilitate the magnetic field-induced in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy. Since these kinds of films are used in a high-frequency environment, the eddy current loss in GHz band must be considered. For a certain film material, the thinner the film, the lower the eddy current loss is. However, at present, the thickness of ferromagnetic layer is generally tens of nanometers or even hundreds of nanometers, which will not help to suppress the eddy current loss at high frequency. In the present study, to obtain FeCo films with good soft magnetic properties and excellent high-frequency characteristics, Fe65Co35 alloy films with a thickness of 13 nm and different underlayers (Cu, Co and Ni80Fe20) are prepared by magnetron sputtering. The effects of different underlayer materials and different NiFe underlayer thickness values on the structures and magnetic properties of FeCo films are studied. The results show that the introduction of underlayers can increase the in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropies of films, and the soft magnetic properties of films are significantly improved. The reason why the good soft magnetic properties can be achieved is attributed to the grain refinement, the dipolar interaction between layers, and the reduction of surface roughness. For different underlayer materials with the same thickness, NiFe underlayer can obviously improve the soft magnetic properties of FeCo films: the covercivity of easy axis is 23 Oe. By changing the thickness of NiFe underlayer, the dynamic magnetic properties of films can be adjusted. The resonance frequency changes from 3.13 GHz for NiFe(1 nm)/FeCo(13 nm) film to 2.78 GHz for NiFe(9.3 nm)/ FeCo(13 nm) film. For all NiFe/FeCo bilayer films, the real part of the permeability μ′ at low frequency has a large value of 350–450, and the damping coefficient α shows a small value of 0.01–0.02. In addition, the smaller film thickness can reduce eddy current loss, which contributes to its application in high-frequency microwave magnetic devices.
Sensing Machines
Authors: Salter Chris
Published: April 2022

How we are tracked, surveilled, tantalized, and seduced by machines ranging from smart watches and Roombas to immersive art installations.

Sensing machines are everywhere in our world. As we move through the day, electronic sensors and computers adjust our thermostats, guide our Roombas, count our steps, change the orientation of an image when we rotate our phones. There are more of these electronic devices in the world than there are people—in 2020, thirty to fifty billion of them (versus 7.8 billion people), with more than a trillion expected in the next decade. In Sensing Machines, Chris Salter examines how we are tracked, surveilled, tantalized, and seduced by machines ranging from smart watches and mood trackers to massive immersive art installations.

Salter, an artist/scholar who has worked with sensors and computers for more than twenty years, explains that the quantification of bodies, senses, and experience did not begin with the surveillance capitalism practiced by Facebook, Amazon, Netflix, and Google but can be traced back to mathematical and statistical techniques of the nineteenth century. He describes the emergence of the “sensed self,” investigating how sensor technology has been deployed in music and gaming, programmable and immersive art environments, driving, and even eating, with e-tongues and e-noses that can taste and smell for us. Sensing technology turns our experience into data; but Salter's story isn't just about what these machines want from us, but what we want from them—new sensations, the thrill of the uncanny, and magic that will transport us from our daily grind.
Intracellular glycosyl hydrolase PslG shapes bacterial cell fate, signaling, and the biofilm development of Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Zhang Jingchao , Wu Huijun , Wang Di , Wang Lanxin , Cui Yifan , Zhang Chenxi , Zhao Kun , Ma Luyan
Published: April 2022

Biofilm formation is one of most important causes leading to persistent infections. Exopolysaccharides are usually a main component of biofilm matrix. Genes encoding glycosyl hydrolases are often found in gene clusters that are involved in the exopolysaccharide synthesis. It remains elusive about the functions of intracellular glycosyl hydrolase and why a polysaccharide synthesis gene cluster requires a glycosyl hydrolase-encoding gene. Here, we systematically studied the physiologically relevant role of intracellular PslG, a glycosyl hydrolase whose encoding gene is co-transcribed with 15 psl genes, which is responsible for the synthesis of exopolysaccharide PSL, a key biofilm matrix polysaccharide in opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We showed that lack of PslG or its hydrolytic activity in this opportunistic pathogen enhances the signaling function of PSL, changes the relative level of cyclic-di-GMP within daughter cells during cell division and shapes the localization of PSL on bacterial periphery, thus results in long chains of bacterial cells, fast-forming biofilm microcolonies. Our results reveal the important roles of intracellular PslG on the cell fate and biofilm development.
Notch controls the cell cycle to define leader versus follower identities during collective cell migration
Authors: Alhashem Zain , Feldner-Busztin Dylan , Revell Christopher , Alvarez-Garcillan Portillo Macarena , Camargo-Sosa Karen , Richardson Joanna , Rocha Manuel , Gauert Anton , Corbeaux Tatianna , Milanetto Martina , Argenton Francesco , Tiso Natascia , Kelsh Robert N , Prince Victoria E , Bentley Katie , Linker Claudia
Published: April 2022

Coordination of cell proliferation and migration is fundamental for life, and its dysregulation has catastrophic consequences, such as cancer. How cell cycle progression affects migration, and vice versa, remains largely unknown. We address these questions by combining in silico modelling and in vivo experimentation in the zebrafish trunk neural crest (TNC). TNC migrate collectively, forming chains with a leader cell directing the movement of trailing followers. We show that the acquisition of migratory identity is autonomously controlled by Notch signalling in TNC. High Notch activity defines leaders, while low Notch determines followers. Moreover, cell cycle progression is required for TNC migration and is regulated by Notch. Cells with low Notch activity stay longer in G1 and become followers, while leaders with high Notch activity quickly undergo G1/S transition and remain in S-phase longer. In conclusion, TNC migratory identities are defined through the interaction of Notch signalling and cell cycle progression.
Air pollution particles hijack peroxidasin to disrupt immunosurveillance and promote lung cancer
Authors: Wang Zhenzhen , Zhai Ziyu , Chen Chunyu , Tian Xuejiao , Xing Zhen , Xing Panfei , Yang Yushun , Zhang Junfeng , Wang Chunming , Dong Lei
Published: April 2022

Although fine particulate matter (FPM) in air pollutants and tobacco smoke is recognized as a strong carcinogen and global threat to public health, its biological mechanism for inducing lung cancer remains unclear. Here, by investigating FPM’s bioactivities in lung carcinoma mice models, we discover that these particles promote lung tumor progression by inducing aberrant thickening of tissue matrix and hampering migration of antitumor immunocytes. Upon inhalation into lung tissue, these FPM particles abundantly adsorb peroxidasin (PXDN) – an enzyme mediating type IV collagen (Col IV) crosslinking – onto their surface. The adsorbed PXDN exerts abnormally high activity to crosslink Col IV via increasing the formation of sulfilimine bonds at the NC1 domain, leading to an overly dense matrix in the lung tissue. This disordered structure decreases the mobility of cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocytes into the lung and consequently impairs the local immune surveillance, enabling the flourishing of nascent tumor cells. Meanwhile, inhibiting the activity of PXDN abolishes the tumor-promoting effect of FPM, indicating the key impact of aberrant PXDN activity on the tumorigenic process. In summary, our finding elucidates a new mechanism for FPM-induced lung tumorigenesis and identifies PXDN as a potential target for treatment or prevention of the FPM-relevant biological risks.