Increase In Growth Rate Research Articles

Emerging trends and critical insights in international business research: a hybrid review

Purpose This paper aims to present a hybrid review combining the theory, context, characteristics and methodology (TCCM) framework and bibliometric analysis of international business research from 1991 to 2023, shedding light on the field’s growth, trends and key contributors. Design/methodology/approach Relevant papers were selected using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses model. Initially, this paper conducted a descriptive analysis to identify prolific institutions, countries and journals. Using bibliometric techniques and the TCCM framework, this paper analyzed theory, context and method visualized through word clouds and keyword co-occurrence. The characteristic aspect was analyzed using bibliographic coupling to identify major themes, providing a comprehensive understanding of the most significant factors in international business research. Findings The analysis of a data set comprising 5,644 documents reveals a steady increase in the annual growth rate of publications, highlighting the growing significance of international business in the global economy. First, this paper noticed a significant increase in publications in leading international business journals, with the Journal of International Business Studies being the most prolific. Second, using the TCCM framework, this paper discovered that the resource-based view, institutional theory, transaction cost theory and internalization theory are predominant in international business research. Most studies have concentrated on firm or enterprise-level entities, followed by country-level analyses. This paper also identified six main themes: (1) innovation and strategy, (2) market, (3) HR impact and leadership, (4) marketing, (5) internationalization and (6) entrepreneurship. Quantitative methods have been the most frequently used research design, followed by qualitative and mixed methods. Research limitations/implications The study offers researchers and practitioners a roadmap for future investigations, collaboration and innovation in international business, thereby advancing the knowledge and understanding of this complex field within a globally interconnected economy. Originality/value This study provides insights into growth and trends, identifying journals, clustering research topics and enhancing theoretical and methodological understanding in the field of international business.

Trait and plasticity evolution under competition and mutualism in evolving pairwise yeast communities.

Although we have a good understanding of how phenotypic plasticity evolves in response to abiotic environments, we know comparatively less about responses to biotic interactions. We experimentally tested how competition and mutualism affected trait and plasticity evolution of pairwise communities of genetically modified brewer's yeast. We quantified evolutionary changes in growth rate, resource use efficiency (RUE), and their plasticity in strains evolving alone, with a competitor, and with a mutualist. Compared to their ancestors, strains evolving alone had lower RUE and RUE plasticity. There was also an evolutionary tradeoff between changes in growth rate and RUE in strains evolving alone, suggesting selection for increased growth rate at the cost of efficiency. Strains evolving with a competitive partner had higher growth rates, slightly lower RUE, and a stronger tradeoff between growth rate and efficiency. In contrast, mutualism had opposite effects on trait evolution. Strains evolving with a mutualist had slightly lower growth rates, higher RUE, and a weak evolutionary tradeoff between growth rate and RUE. Despite their different effects on trait evolution, competition and mutualism had little effect on plasticity evolution for either trait, suggesting that abiotic factors could be more important than biotic factors in generating selection for plasticity.

Suitability of Rosaceae fruit tree species for Panonychus citri (McGregor) (Acari: Tetranychidae).

The citrus red mite (CRM), Panonychus citri (McGregor) (Acari: Tetranychidae), a worldwide pest chiefly infesting Citrus plants, has spread from Southern China to Northern China. Little information is known about the population performance of CRM on the plants except for citrus trees and pear trees. In order to evaluate the extent of damage might caused by CRM to the fruit trees cultivated in Northern China, the performance of CRM on four Rosaceae species, including three main fruit tree species (pear-Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai cv. Shannongsu, apple-Malus pumila Mill. cv. Fuji, peach-Prunus persica (L.) Batsch cv. Zhongyou 4) cultivated in Shandong Province, Northern China, and one rootstock for grafting apples (crabapple-Malus micromalus Makino) was determined using the age-stage, two-sex life table at laboratory conditions (25 ± 1°C, 75 ± 5% RH and L16: D8 h photoperiod). The results showed that CRM could complete the whole life cycle on all the four plant species. The development time of larva, protonymph and deutonymph and the survival of immature stage of CRM did not vary among the four plant species. Differences on the egg incubation period explained the total duration of the immature stage among the four plants. The total duration of the immature stage was shorter on pear and peach than on crabapple and apple, but no difference was observed between pear and peach. The mites reared on pear and peach exhibited a higher fecundity, net reproductive rate (R0), intrinsic growth rate (r) and finite rate of increase (λ) and longer longevity of the adult females than on crabapple and apple, but no significant differences between pear and peach, crabapple and apple. The mean generation time (T) of CRM reared on crabapple was the longest, which did not differ significantly on pear, peach and apple. In summary, the cultivars of pear, peach, apple and crabapple used in this study, especially that of peach and pear were suitable for the development and reproduction of CRM. CRM might be a serious risk for the main Rosaceae fruit species in Northern China.

Effects of supplementing the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) diet with Spirulina and Chlorella on the tissue's cadmium detoxification capacity, growth performance, fatty acid composition, antioxidant defense system and liver histology

This study aimed to determine the effects of the addition of Spirulina and Chlorella of the diets of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) on their growth, nutrient composition, the parameters of their antioxidant defense systems, liver histology, and the cadmium removal process of their tissues. Fish with an average weight of 84.25 ± 3.55 g containing Cd in their tissues were distributed in 15 tanks with 18 fish per tank. The fish were fed diets consisting of 0 % (Control-1), 0 % (Control-2), 4 % Chlorella, 4 % Spirulina and 2 % Chlorella +2 % Spirulina twice a day until they were satiated for a period of 80 days. At the conclusion of the experiment, it was determined that diets containing microalgae demonstrated increased growth rates, and that the growth values obtained from the 4 % Spirulina and the Control-1 were similar (p > 0.05). Regarding the fatty acid content, with the addition of microalgae to the diet, a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in SFA values and a significant (p < 0.05) increase in PUFA values were observed compared to the groups Control-1 and Control-2. On days 40 and 80, Cd levels in the muscle and liver tissue of the fish were found to be significantly (p < 0.05) lower in the groups that were fed diets containing microalgae in comparison with the Control-2 group. On days 40 and 80, the SOD, CAT, GSH, GST, and GPx values of liver tissues were higher (p < 0.05) than those of the Control-2 group. As a result of the semiquantitative histopathological evaluation of the liver tissues, improvements were observed in all groups containing microalgae; however, the most remarkable improvement was achieved in the Spirulina group. The results obtained in the study revealed that the addition of microalgae to rainbow trout feed removed Cd from liver and muscle tissues, reinforced the antioxidant defense system parameters, and increased growth. However, when the groups containing microalgae were compared among themselves, the diets containing 4 % Spirulina and 2 % Chlorella +2 % Spirulina were found to be more effective on these parameters.

Analisis Environmental Kuznets Curve (Menyeimbangkan Industri Hijau dan Degradasi Lingkungan di Indonesia)

Indonesia has expanded and adapted to international market trends in tandem with the advancement of its industry. Various factors, such as industrialization, urbanization, and the exploitation of natural resources, are responsible for this growth. However, these activities have also led to environmental degradation in many parts of Indonesia. Deforestation is one of the most significant environmental issues that Indonesia is currently grappling with. The production structure of developing countries can exacerbate the relationship between environmental degradation and economic growth, which can be detrimental to the environment. The primary objective of this study is to examine the relationship between environmental degradation and green economic growth, with a particular emphasis on Gross Domestic Product (GDP), using the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) model. This model posits a reversible relationship between per capita income and environmental quality. The novelty of this study lies in the development of better indicators to measure EKC and Green GDP. These indicators cover a wide range of aspects, from air and water quality, and biodiversity levels, to energy consumption. The Pearson correlation analysis was employed to examine the correlation between GDP and IKLH in Indonesia from 2010 to 2022. The analysis yielded positive and robust correlations between GDP and IKLH. Consequently, the higher the GDP, the greater the IKLL or the less environmental degradation. An advance in the economy during the industrial era in Indonesia is indicated by the increase in the country's GDP growth rate. The short-term and long-term impact of economic expansion on the environmental quality index of life suggests that there is a reduction in environmental degradation. The concept of Green GDP should be proposed as an alternative indicator that considers asset depreciation, non-market economy, and environmental damage caused by economic growth.

LmGSTF3 Overexpression Enhances Cadmium Tolerance in Lemna minor.

Glutathione S-transferase (GST) has been established to play an important role in regulating the responses of plants to stress, although its function and mechanisms of action in the cadmium (Cd)-tolerant Lemna minor remain unclear. In this study, we sought to identify a Cd-responsive GST gene from Lemna minor for functional analysis and mechanistic characterization. We accordingly identified a member of the GST gene family, LmGSTF3, which plays a positive role in adaptation of Lemna minor to Cd. Having successfully obtained overexpressing (OE) strains via genetic transformation, we established that these strains were characterized by elevated Cd tolerance compared with the wild-type strain, as evidenced by significant increases in growth rate, chlorophyll content, antioxidant enzyme activities, and Cd removal rate. At the transcriptome level, the OE strains were found to have a stronger regulatory ability in response to Cd, particularly with respect to photoprotection, antioxidant defense, and glycolytic metabolism, which may be key factors contributing to the Cd tolerance of Lemna minor. Our findings provide a basis for further elucidating the biochemical and molecular mechanisms underlying the Cd tolerance conferred by GST genes in Lemna minor and will potentially contribute to the utilization of Lemna minor in remediating aquatic pollution.

Fermented pumpkin puree effect on the activity of fermented milk products probiotic microflora and organoleptic indicators

The issues of providing the population with high-quality food products with functional properties are given special attention not only by the state, but also by food industry enterprises. Of particular importance is the preservation of fermented milk product technologies, modernization of existing ones and creation of innovative food technologies for their production. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of fermented pumpkin puree on the activity of probiotic microflora using the example of the complex of probiotic microorganisms "Evitalia" and the formation of organoleptic properties of fermented milk drinks obtained with its use. To conduct the research, samples were produced with the addition of fermented pumpkin puree in a volume of 1 to 5%. It was found that the addition of various concentrations of fermented pumpkin puree to pasteurized milk (fat content 3.2%, protein content 2.9%) inoculated with the probiotic starter culture "Evitalia" promotes an increase in the biomass growth rate by 1.43-3.21 times in the first 12 hours. The authors calculated parameters characterizing the development of the probiotic start er culture. It was found that the specific growth rate of probiotics in the experiment using 5% fermented pumpkin puree increased by 1.8 times, and the generation time decreased by 1.18 hours. Samples of fermented milk drinks were obtained, their organoleptic evaluation was carried out, as a result of which it was found that the addition of 5% fermented pumpkin puree to the fermented milk drink seems optimal for developing a commercial product recipe. The results of the study showed that fermented pumpkin puree can be a promising alternative for the food industry, including the dairy industry, in terms of enriching fermented milk drinks with carotenoids.

THE ECONOMY OF ARAB COUNTRIES BEFORE AND AFTER THE «ARAB SPRING»

This article aims to study, analyze and assess the nature of economic growth in the Arab countries in the period 1990-2023, in order to determine the aspects of economic and social sustainability. Considering that the early 1990s were characterized by the participation of the Arab countries in the decisions of the Washington Consensus of 1989, based on the development of public policy based on the market economy and the developing role of the private sector in the national economy, as well as in stimulating economic growth, such analysis is of particular interest. The main objective of this article is to analyze and assess the quantity, quality and stability of economic growth, as well as trends in the dynamics of labor productivity, production and industry in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, including the Persian Gulf states. The novelty of the study lies in the wide coverage of the analysis of economic indicators compared to other countries. The study is also aimed at analyzing the impact of internal and external factors on labor productivity. The objectives of the study include analyzing the dynamics of productivity, identifying the key factors influencing the decline and increase in growth rates. The practical significance of the work lies in the possibility of using the research results for further research of strategies for improving the efficiency of the economic sector in the Arab countries. Taking into account the differences in the economic sector in the MENA countries, the study relied on an analytical approach supported by descriptive and comparative methods. The main attention is paid to economic and statistical data on the Arab countries and their comparative analysis for the period 1990-2023. The research methodology is based on the collection and analysis of statistical data on GDP, labor productivity and economic indicators in the Arab countries. In addition to using comparative analysis methods, as well as statistical tools for assessing productivity changes in recent years, the main objective of the study was both to identify the factors that influence the decline in productivity growth and to find ways to improve the efficiency of the industrial sector. The comparative method used in the article made it possible to give an objective assessment of the current state of the Arab economy in the global context. The main results show that the rate of productivity growth in the Arab countries is significantly lower than in other regions of the world, especially after the Arab Spring. The analysis revealed key factors influencing both internal economic difficulties and external influences.

Рост окуня Perca fluviatilis L., 1758 (Percidae) в казахстанской части бассейна Ишима

The growth of Eurasian perch in water bodies within the Ishim River system in the Republic of Kazakhstan has been investigated. Data from 29 samples from various water bodies of the Ishim watershed and some adjacent watersheds are presented. The most extensive age series were found in specimens from Lake Lobanovo (National Park “Kokshetau”) – up to sixteen years (15+). River populations had a shorter lifespan. Comparison of growth rate patterns indicates the presence of two conditional “units”: the first includes the majority of lake populations, while the second includes Karatomarskoe Reservoir and Lake Lobanovo. Some samples are located outside of these groupings. The examined chronological samples show significant differences in growth for some. This is typical for Lake Karakol and, partialy, – the Ishimskoe Reservoir, where positive hydrological changes occurred between perch catches years, resulting in increased growth rates. These samples exhibit a low level of correlation in growth indicators between adjacent ages, indicating disruption in growth rate “canalization” and the acquisition of opportunities for individuals in a renewed unbalanced habitat environment. In relatively stable conditions of most other water bodies, the correlation level of these data indicators is high for the majority of comparison pairs. When comparing Ishim populations with previously published data on the Nura and Sarysu river watersheds re-garding growth rates, one can empirically conclude about the more successful growth of perch in the Nura-Sarysu watershed. However, it should be noted that mainly water bodies without commercial fishing and with developed recreational fishing were studied in the Ishim watershed. In contrast, water bodies with predominant commercial fishing were surveyed in the Nura-Sarysu system. The different impacts of these types of fishing may determine both the growth rates and the lifespan of perch.

A long-wave model for a falling upper convected Maxwell film inside a tube

A long-wave asymptotic model is developed for a viscoelastic falling film along the inside of a tube; viscoelasticity is incorporated using an upper convected Maxwell model. The dynamics of the resulting model in the inertialess limit is determined by three parameters: Bond number Bo, Weissenberg number We and a film thickness parameter $a$ . The free surface is unstable to long waves due to the Plateau–Rayleigh instability; linear stability analysis of the model equation quantifies the degree to which viscoelasticity increases both the rate and wavenumber of maximum growth of instability. Elasticity also affects the classification of instabilities as absolute or convective, with elasticity promoting absolute instability. Numerical solutions of the nonlinear evolution equation demonstrate that elasticity promotes plug formation by reducing the critical film thickness required for plugs to form. Turning points in travelling wave solution families may be used as a proxy for this critical thickness in the model. By continuation of these turning points, it is demonstrated that in contrast to Newtonian films in the inertialess limit, in which plug formation may be suppressed for a film of any thickness so long as the base flow is strong enough relative to surface tension, elasticity introduces a maximum critical thickness past which plug formation occurs regardless of the base flow strength. Attention is also paid to the trade-off of the competing effects introduced by increasing We (which increases growth rate and promotes plug formation) and increasing Bo (which decreases growth rate and inhibits plug formation) simultaneously.

Synthesis of diamond films with reduced roughness in microwave plasma

The work studies the effect of nitrogen additions on the secondary nucleation (nucleation) of diamond during its synthesis by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). A series of polycrystalline diamond (PCD) films 2 μm thick were grown on silicon substrates in methane-hydrogen-nitrogen gas mixtures with different nitrogen concentrations (0–1%). The structure and roughness of the grown films were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical profilometry. It has been shown that small additions of nitrogen play a key role in the processes of secondary nucleation of diamond, having a significant impact on the morphology of films. The comparison of the characteristics of grown PCD allowed us to find the optimal nitrogen concentration [N2] ≈ 0.2% for the formation of nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films with low surface roughness and increased growth rate. The results obtained are expected to be used to optimize the parameters of CVD synthesis of PCD films for use as protective or friction-reducing layers, as well as for the manufacture of superhard cutting tools.

THE EFFECT OF DIFFERENT SALINITY ON GROWTH RATE AND SURVIVAL RATE OF POST-LARVA (PL-9) VANNAME SHRIMP ( Litopenaeus vannamei )

Vannamei shrimp (Litopenaeus vannaemi) is one of the largest fisheries commodities in Indonesia. The first step in the success of vannamei shrimp cultivation is seeding. The success of the hatchery will support efforts to provide quality shrimp seed . The research method used is experimentation with descriptive quantitative data analysis. Calculation using a completely randomized design test with the help of SPSS. The results of water quality measurements showed an average temperature of 26.26oC - 28.8oC. The pH ranges between 7.32-7.68. For DO it ranges from 5.2 mg/l -6.6 mg/l. For Ammonia it ranges from 0.2 ml/lt - 0.54 ml/lt. Water quality measurements were carried out for 14 days in the morning and evening. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the growth rate, survival rate, and biomass increase value, the salinity value in treatment 1 (26 ppt) shows the highest compared to the salinity values in the other treatments. Meanwhile, the value of water quality measurements based on SNI 8678-4:2021 shows that the temperature is still below standard, the pH scale is still atstandard, the DO value is still at standard value, and the value for ammonia exceeds standard limits .

Performance, nutrient digestibilities, and metabolic profiles of Holstein calves fed whole milk or milk replacer at two feeding levels.

The macronutrient composition of common milk replacers (MR) largely differs from bovine whole milk (WM). These differences are more nutritionally relevant when calves receive higher milk allowances. Therefore, the present study compared fresh WM with a conventional MR fed at 2 level of feeding allowances evaluating growth performance, apparent total-tract nutrient digestibilities, nitrogen (N) balance, and serum metabolite profiles in calves. Forty-eight newborn Holstein male calves (1.96 ± 0.99 d of age; 45.0 ± 4.37 kg BW) were blocked by arrival date and age. Calves in each block were then randomly assigned to the 4 treatments (n = 12/treatment): MR or WM at a high (9.0 L/d) or low feeding allowance (4.5 L/d) fed 3 times daily. Calves were weaned between wk 6 and 10 following the introduction of the starter feed in wk 6. The study ended 13 wk after the arrival at the facility. Blood and body weights were collected on arrival, and weekly thereafter. Total 24h-collection periods of feces and urine was performed at wk 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13. Remarkably, no interactions were observed between liquid feed and level of supply. Calves fed MR had higher ADG during the pre-weaning phase than to calves fed WM. However, calves fed WM had an increased growth rate post-weaning, resulting in no difference in BW at the end of the study. Calves fed WM had a higher apparent crude fat digestibility during the weaning period. Metabolic N efficiency, expressed as N balance relative to digestible N supply, was higher during the pre-weaning phase, but tended to be lower during the post-weaning phase for calves fed MR as compared with calves fed WM. In the pre-weaning period, serum glucose, BHB, nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), total protein (TP), urea, albumin, globulin, triglyceride (TG), and cholesterol were influenced by liquid feed source. Carry-over effects of milk source on TG and TP were observed during the post-weaning period. As expected, calves fed a high-milk allowance showed better ADG at pre-weaning and were consistently heavier throughout the study than calves fed a low-milk allowance. Feeding a high-milk allowance did not negatively affect nutrient digestibility during the post-weaning phase. In the pre-weaning phase, milk allowance affected glucose and cholesterol metabolism, whereas TG, TP, albumin, and NEFA concentrations were affected during the post-weaning period. From a single oral dose of indigestible markers (Cr-EDTA, lactulose, and D-mannitol), calves fed a high-milk allowance showed greater urinary recovery of all markers after 6h of collection, but not after 24h. Calves fed a high-milk allowance had a higher proportion of days with lower fecal scores during the pre-weaning phase. In conclusion, the serum metabolite profiles of calves throughout the study were highly influenced by milk source. Higher milk allowance increased growth performance and had no adverse effects on starter feed intake or nutrient digestibility in the post-weaning phase. The multiple effects described for milk source and level of supply were overall independent, presenting no relevant interactions.

Biofabrication of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) in engineered Cupriavidus necator H16 from waste molasses

BackgroundCupriavidus necator H16, a native polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) producer, has emerged as a promising candidate for sustainable bioproduction to replace conventional plastics. However, most fermentation processes still rely on expensive substrates. Therefore, developing an eco-friendly bioprocess for PHB using waste materials is urgent and essential. MethodAn engineered strain Lgg-H16, incorporating galactose permease (galP) and glucokinase (glk), was employed to boost glucose uptake and phosphorylation. Then, biomass and PHB production were improved by fine-tuning the carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus ratios. Yeast extract was supplemented as an additional nutrient, and a tailored feeding strategy was applied to maximize PHB output. To lower the manufacturing costs, waste molasses from the sugar industry, was utilized for fed-batch fermentation. The physical properties of the PHB, such as molecular weight and crystallinity, were analyzed using differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC), respectively. Significant resultsEngineered Lgg-H16 strain exhibited a 2.15-fold increase in specific growth rate compared to the wild type with a C:N:P ratio of 20:1:18, as well as supplemented 2 g/L yeast extract in the medium. PHB yield reached 17.4 g/L with 70 % content from waste molasses in fed-batch fermentation with an atomizer to increase gas dispersion, costing only 1 % of pharmaceutical-grade glucose. All physical properties of the PHB produced by Lgg-H16 were comparable to commercial product, supporting this promising bioprocess by using the low-cost feedstocks for high-value bioplastic PHB.

Lincomycin as a growth-promoting antibiotic induces metabolic and immune dysregulation in animals

Since animal growth promoters (AGPs) are used in large quantities and commonly released to the environment from animal farms, it is necessary to determine whether such agents should be regarded as an environmental toxin that poses a threat to the ecosystem and health risk to wildlife. In this study, a multi-omics approach was employed to explore the effects of a representative AGP, lincomycin, on key metabolic and physiological functions of animals, using a mouse model. The results indicated that exposure to lincomycin resulted in a significant increase in growth rate of mice (50.11 %) over an 8 weeks period, during which significant decrease (61.94 %) and increase (68.64 %) in the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Escherichia coli, respectively, was observed in the gut microbiota, indicating that the gut microbiota structure has been altered. Moreover, the mice exhibited altered lipid profiles and liver damage suggestive of early-stage non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Disruptions in blood glucose and insulin levels associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were also observed. Furthermore, lincomycin was found to cause suppression in inflammatory responses, as evidenced by the downregulation of related genes and elevated inflammatory mediators, potentially resulting in increased susceptibility to microbial infection. Our findings underscore the detrimental effects of lincomycin on animal health and highlight the necessity for comprehensive toxicological assessments of lincomycin and other AGPs before their environmental release.

Advanced SiGe:B Raised Sources and Drains for p-type FD-SOI MOSFETs

We have evaluated the feasability of selectively growing (at 600°C-700°C, 20 Torr and with a SiH2Cl2 + GeH4 + B2H6 + HCl chemistry) SiGe:B Raised Sources and Drains on each side of PMOS FD-SOI devices with a vertical Ge concentration gradient. The reason was twofold : (i) inject meaningful amounts of uniaxial compressive strain and boost hole mobility thanks to really high Ge concentrations (50%) in layers on each side of the channel and (ii) benefit from SiGe:B 20% to 30% layers on top, that are easier to germano-salicide, for instance with Ni or NiPt. As the diborane flow increased, we had, whatever the Ge concentration (20%, 30% or 50%), (i) sub-linear SiGe:B growth rate increases (from +14% up to + 23%) and (ii) linear decreases of the “apparent” Ge concentration from X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), as shown in Figures 1a and 1b. They were due to (i) a catalysis of H/Cl desorption by B adatoms and (ii) compressive strain compensation by small size B atoms, respectively. The resulting substitutional B concentrations increased almost linearly with the B2H6 mass-flow. The slopes of those increases were steeper and B concentrations systematically higher for higher Ge contents, however (at most 2.2x1020 cm-3 for 50% of Ge), as illustrated in Figure 1c. We otherwise showed, for Si0.7Ge0.3:B layers, that the Ge atomic concentration was steady as the B2H6 mass-flow increased. Atomic, substitutional and ionized B concentrations (from Secondary Ions Mass Spectrometry, XRD and Hall effect measurements) were the same for the lowest diborane flow probed (e.g. 7x1019 cm-3). For a medium flow, atomic and substitutional B concentrations were equal (e.g. 1.4x1020 cm-3), while the ionized B concentration was ~80% of it. Discrepancies were the highest for the highest diborane flow probed, with substitutional and ionized B concentrations ~80% and ~60% the atomic B concentration of 2.3x1020 cm-3, then (Figure 1d). The specifics of SiGe:B Selective Epitaxial Growth (SEG) in sources and drains regions on each side of FD-SOI devices (Figure 2) were then described, such as (i) loading effects, because of the presence of dielectrics, resulting in significant growth rate increases (x1.5 - x1.7), together with slight Ge and B concentrations increases that might impact the layer quality on patterned wafers, (ii) facet formation, (iii) the importance of proper surface preparation prior to epitaxy and of tight SiN hard masks on top of poly-Si gates, (iv) the strain loss happening upon germano-salicidation and so on. Growing a thin Si(:B) cap on SiGe:B is another way of obtaining uniform and stable metallic contacts. This is why we have studied the capping, with pure Si, of SiGe 20% or 30% layers. As growth had to be conducted, for the SEG of Si with a chlorinated chemistry, at temperatures significantly higher than that of SiGe (750°C, typically, to be compared with 700°C for SiGe 20% and 650°C only for SiGe 30%), we have quantified the impact of using temperature ramping-ups with SiH2Cl2 + HCl flowing into the growing chamber. The purpose of such active ramps was to avoid elastic strain relaxation, e.g. the formation of SiGe surface undulations that would happen with temperature ramping-ups under H2 only. Superior quality 2D SiGe / Si stacks were then obtained, as shown by X-Ray Reflectivity and XRD. Energy Dispersive X-ray maps of such stacks enabled us to quantify loading effects on patterned wafers. SiGe growth rates in small, recessed windows were 1.5 times (SiGe 30%) – 1.8 times higher (SiGe 20%) than on bulk, blanket Si. Meanwhile, Ge concentrations were 2% to 3% higher. Finally, Si growth rates were lower than bulk, most probably because of the presence of thick buried oxide layers on those patterned wafers that impacted the effective surface temperature during growth. Figure 1

High Performance CMOS RF Switch Based on Highly Carbon Doped Raised Source/Drain Regions

The demand for high-performance Radio Frequency (RF) switches has rapidly increased in recent years due to the ever-growing demand for wireless communication. Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) RF switches are favored for their affordability, energy efficiency, and CMOS process compatibility. However, their performance is compromised by factors like insertion loss, isolation, linearity, and power handling. Enhancing CMOS RF switch performance is vital for advancing high-speed wireless communication and supporting emerging technologies like 5G, IoT, and smart homes [1]. The Figure of Merit (FoM) of a RF switch is a metric used to evaluate the overall performance, combining on-resistance (Ron) and off-capacitance (Coff), with lower values indicating better performance (fig 1). One of the methods used to reduce the Ron of switches is strain engineering of the channel. By growing a material with a different lattice constant than the silicon substrate, we can directly modify the strain of the channel, increase the mobility of the charge carriers (µ) and thus reduce Ron. The strain can be either compressive or tensile, depending on the material chosen. Materials investigated for strain engineering, include silicon-germanium (Si1-xGex), silicon-carbon (Si1-yCy), and silicon-nitride (SiN) [2].In this paper we will give new insights on a promising strain engineering method based on incorporation of 1% carbon on the Source/Drain regions, induced tensile strained Si channel (fig 2). The process involves Raised Source/Drain (RSD), where a layer of with a high concentration of substitutional carbon (Csub) is selectively grown on top of the silicon. This creates a tensile strained Si channel, improving the mobility of electron carriers and reducing Ron for N-type switch device [3,4]. We decided to selectively grow RSD, resulting in a theoretical 16% gain in current. The thickness of the layer was limited to 40 nm for 1 % Csub, to avoid its relaxation due to the critical thickness [5]. This approach was implemented in a 200 mm Reduced Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition (RP-CVD) equipment from Applied Materials, using silane (SiH4) and methylsilane (MS) gases. The carbon concentration was determined by SIMS analysis for quantifying the total carbon concentration (Ctot) and XRD to measure the Csub within the layers.Growth parameters were carefully optimized to increase Csub. First, a compromise between the growth temperature and the growth rate was found around 600°C where 0.82% of Csub was reached (for 1.44% Ctot) while 0.58% of Csub was obtained at 625°C (for 1.26% Ctot). Further increase of Csub up to 1.22% were obtained thanks to the reduction of the H2 carrier gas/total pressure ratio, leading to a rise in the partial pressures of MS and SiH4 (fig 3). We indeed found that reducing the carrier gas debit and increasing the total pressure have a positive impact on the carbon concentration, thanks to the increased growth rate. However, two limitations were shown: (i) the growth rate should not be too fast to avoid the nucleation of extended defects preventing strain engineering; (ii) the thickness range should be reduced to not alter the uniformity of the grown layer (fig 4).Subsequent steps of the process will involve the RSD selective epitaxy of only on the S/D areas, thanks to the dielectric masking materials around the S/D with Cyclic Deposition Etch process (CDE). The final assessment of this based strain engineering process will be made through electrical and radio frequency characterizations of the CMOS RF SOI (Silicon on Insulator) switch devices.[1] STMicroelectronics RF-SOI[2] Maiti C K and Maiti T K 2012 Strain-Engineered MOSFETs (CRC press)[3] Ang K-W, Balasubramanian N, Samudra G S and Yeo Y-C 2007 Performance Enhancement in Uniaxial Strained Silicon-on-Insulator N-MOSFETs Featuring Silicon–Carbon Source/Drain Regions IEEE Trans. ELECTRON DEVICES 54[4] Bauer M, Machkaoutsan V, Zhang Y, Weeks D, Spear J, Thomas S G, Verheyen P, Kerner C, Clemente F, Bender H, Shamiryan D, Loo R, Hikavyy I, Hoffmann T, Absil P and Biesemans S 2008 SiCP Selective Epitaxial Growth in Recessed Source/Drain Regions yielding to Drive Current Enhancement in n-channel MOSFET ECS Trans. [5] Cherkashin N, Hÿtch M, Houdellier F, Hüe F, Paillard V, Claverie A, Gouyé A, Kermarrec O, Rouchon D, Burdin M and Holliger P 2018 On the influence of elastic strain on the accommodation of carbon atoms into substitutional sites in strained Si:C layers grown on Si substrates Appl Phys Lett Figure 1

Learning-Based Fast Charging of Li-Ion Batteries

This paper presents an aggressive charging strategy for Lithium-ion batteries (LiBs) while maximizing their life using an adaptive control strategy and a physics-inspired, data-driven model. With the increased presence of Lithium-ion batteries in critical applications, there is a demand for advanced fast-charging strategies to reduce the charging time while maximizing the battery's lifespan. Several factors, such as elevated temperature, limit fast charging. Elevated temperature accelerates electrochemical aging, which in turn results in increased lithium plating, higher mechanical stresses, and an increased growth rate of the solid-electrolyte interface layer. The fast charging problem has been explored through passive and optimal charging strategies, such as constant-current constant-voltage (CCCV) and model predictive control (MPC). The optimal charging variants allow for formulating a closed-loop optimization problem to minimize charging time and can more naturally include physics-based constraints. However, the efficacy of real-time implementations is hampered by model inaccuracies stemming from streamlined battery dynamics that fail to exploit the system's capabilities, potentially resulting in conservative or infeasible solutions. Furthermore, MPC strategies that employ electrochemical models for improved estimation of the battery states exhibit considerable computational complexity, limiting their application.Here, we propose an efficient and fast charging strategy for Li-ion batteries via learning and optimization. This strategy substitutes the complex mechanistic model with a fast and control-oriented data-driven LiB model. Unlike mechanistic models, data-driven models offer accurate representations of system dynamics without relying on in-situ measurements and proprietary information. However, these models may perform poorly in unseen scenarios due to overfitting training data, which is typical. We developed a physics-inspired, data-driven approach to determine LiBs governing equations based on their electrochemistry rather than generic terms. We employ a sparse identification method achieved through sequential thresholding ridge regression to construct a nonlinear model from battery measurements, including electrical current (excitation input), voltage, and temperature. We formulate the problem to optimize the sparsification parameters as hyperparameters and minimize a cost function comprised of training and validation sets and the number of terms as a measure of complexity. Furthermore, we evaluate the identified model's performance in unseen scenarios with the urban dynamometer driving schedule (UDDS) data, where a root mean square error of 1.26e-2 was achieved for SOC prediction, showcasing the model's adaptability to new conditions.The optimal charging strategy is developed using an adaptive control scheme that learns the closed-loop system's Jacobian from input/output data and optimizes the response based on the learned dynamics. Here, we employ the data-driven LiB model to generate input/output data, leveraging its high accuracy and low complexity. The electrical current is optimized for minimum battery charge time while respecting constraints such as maximum cell temperature and voltage to avoid subjecting the cell to accelerated aging. Our optimized charging strategy is comprised of a hybrid (mixed continuous-discrete) solution that fully charges a 5Ah 21700 NMC-811 cylindrical cell, 66% faster than the recommended 0.3C constant-current constant-voltage strategy while respecting safety constraints, including a maximum voltage of 4.2V and a maximum temperature of 57oC corresponding to 90% of the maximum allowable surface temperature. We further tested our results against a fast-charging CCCV protocol with a maximum current of 2C rate. Under similar conditions, this strategy experienced upwards of 12% higher temperatures than our proposed charging strategy (similar charging time), reaching an excess of 64oC (compared to 57oC), which can result in significant damage to the battery's health. In summary, we present an adaptive data-driven modeling and learning control strategy to keep the temperature within the manufacturer's recommended range and achieve lower charging time compared to other strategies. Figure 1

The effect of silicate on polyamine oxidase genes in Skeletonema dohrnii

By using Skeletonema dohrnii as the experimental algal species, we investigated how silicate concentration impacts the polyamine metabolism of diatoms in our experiment. Three different silicate concentrations were set for cultivation, and Skeletonema dohrnii at the exponential growth phase was selected to analyze basic physiological parameters, polyamine content, and Polyamine oxidase (PAO) gene expression under varying silicate concentrations. Results showed that low silicate concentrations led to reduced growth rate and polyamine content, with down-regulation of PAO gene expression. Conversely, high silicate concentrations did not significantly increase growth rate but did increase polyamine content and up-regulate the PAO gene. These findings suggested that changes in silicate concentration impact the growth rate and polyamine content of Skeletonema dohrnii, with the PAO gene potentially playing a role in regulating the algal response to silicate concentration variations. This study provides a foundation for further exploration of the PAO gene function in Skeletonema dohrnii.

Genetic Interaction Between F-Box Encoding UCC1 and RRM3 Regulates Growth Rate, Cell Size, and Stress Tolerance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Ucc1, an F-box motif-containing protein of Saccharomyces cerevisiae encoded by UCC1 regulates energy metabolism through proteasomal degradation of citrate synthase Cit2 and inactivation of the glyoxylate cycle when glucose is present as the main carbon source in the growth medium. Rrm3, a Pif1 family DNA helicase, encoded by RRM3 regulates the movement of the replication forks during the DNA replication process. Here in this study, we present evidence of binary genetic interaction between both the genes, UCC1 and RRM3, that determine the growth rate, cell morphology, cell size, apoptosis, and stress response. The absence of both genes UCC1 and RRM3 leads to altered cell morphology, increased growth rate, utilization of alternate carbon sources, resistance to hydrogen peroxide, and susceptibility to acetic acid-induced apoptosis. Further, the genetic interaction network analysis shows both the genes UCC1 and RRM3 interaction through the SGS1 and cross-link among metabolic, glyoxylate, DNA replication, and retrograde signaling pathways.