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Purpose There is little known about investigating the importance of all proximity dimensions simultaneously as a result of geographical proximity on university-industry collaborative innovation. This paper aims to answer the question of how geographically proximate university and industry influence cognitive, social, organizational, institutional and cultural proximity within university-industry joint laboratories and finally, what is the outcome of these interplays on collaborative innovation. Design/methodology/approach The study uses an exploratory multiple-case study approach. The results are derived from 53 in-depth, semistructured interviews with laboratory directors and representatives from both the company and the university within 8 joint laboratories of Telecom Italia (TIM). The data collection was carried out in 2014 and 2015. The analysis follows a multi-grounded theory approach and relies on a mix of deductive and inductive reasoning with the final goal of theoretical elaboration. Findings This study finds the role of social and cultural proximity at the individual level as a result of geographical proximity as an enabler of collaborative innovation by triggering mutual learning, trust formation and frequent interactions. Cognitive proximity at the interface level could systematically influence collaborative innovation, while organizational and institutional proximity has marginal roles in facilitating collaborative innovation. The qualitative analysis offers a conceptual framework for proximity dimensions and collaborative innovation within university-industry joint laboratories. Practical implications The framework not only advances state-of-the-art university-industry collaboration and proximity dimension but also offers guidance for managers in designing collaborative innovation settings between university and industry. Originality/value With this study, the paper advances the understanding beyond solely the relationship between proximity and collaboration and shed light on the interplay between geographical proximity and other proximity dimensions in this context, which has received limited scholarly attention.

Usually, knowledge spillovers (KS) are related to geographic proximity. In the present study, we measure KS on the basis of different proximity matrices, focusing on the relational, social, cognitive and technological preconditions for knowledge diffusion. In the light of previous studies on KS, we examine: (i) which types of proximity enhance or hamper knowledge flows, and (ii) whether local absorptive capacity favour such flows. Our results indicate that KS across European NUTS2 regions measured through geographic, relational, social, cognitive and technological proximity channels increase with local absorptive capacity. This finding points towards the emergence of large clusters of regions (absorptive capacity clubs) where relational, cognitive, social and technological proximity lock-in maximizes the returns to local investment in R&D.

Intrinsic long-range ferromagnetic order is observed in few-layer Cr 2 Ge 2 Te 6 crystals, with a transition temperature that can be controlled using small magnetic fields. Magnetism in flatland The question of what happens to the properties of a material when it is thinned down to atomic-scale thickness has for a long time been a largely hypothetical one. In the past decade, new experimental methods have made it possible to isolate and measure a range of two-dimensional structures, enabling many theoretical predictions to be tested. But it has been a particular challenge to observe intrinsic magnetic effects, which could shed light on the longstanding fundamental question of whether intrinsic long-range magnetic order can robustly exist in two dimensions. In this issue of Nature , two groups address this challenge and report ferromagnetism in atomically thin crystals. Xiang Zhang and colleagues measured atomic layers of Cr 2 Ge 2 Te 6 and observed ferromagnetic ordering with a transition temperature that, unusually, can be controlled using small magnetic fields. Xiaodong Xu and colleagues measured atomic layers of CrI 3 and observed ferromagnetic ordering that, remarkably, was suppressed in double layers of CrI 3 , but restored in triple layers. The two studies demonstrate a platform with which to test fundamental properties of purely two-dimensional magnets. The realization of long-range ferromagnetic order in two-dimensional van der Waals crystals, combined with their rich electronic and optical properties, could lead to new magnetic, magnetoelectric and magneto-optic applications 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 . In two-dimensional systems, the long-range magnetic order is strongly suppressed by thermal fluctuations, according to the Mermin–Wagner theorem 5 ; however, these thermal fluctuations can be counteracted by magnetic anisotropy. Previous efforts, based on defect and composition engineering 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , or the proximity effect, introduced magnetic responses only locally or extrinsically. Here we report intrinsic long-range ferromagnetic order in pristine Cr 2 Ge 2 Te 6 atomic layers, as revealed by scanning magneto-optic Kerr microscopy. In this magnetically soft, two-dimensional van der Waals ferromagnet, we achieve unprecedented control of the transition temperature (between ferromagnetic and paramagnetic states) using very small fields (smaller than 0.3 tesla). This result is in contrast to the insensitivity of the transition temperature to magnetic fields in the three-dimensional regime. We found that the small applied field leads to an effective anisotropy that is much greater than the near-zero magnetocrystalline anisotropy, opening up a large spin-wave excitation gap. We explain the observed phenomenon using renormalized spin-wave theory and conclude that the unusual field dependence of the transition temperature is a hallmark of soft, two-dimensional ferromagnetic van der Waals crystals. Cr 2 Ge 2 Te 6 is a nearly ideal two-dimensional Heisenberg ferromagnet and so will be useful for studying fundamental spin behaviours, opening the door to exploring new applications such as ultra-compact spintronics.

Green technological innovation (GTI) is critical for addressing environmental challenges and achieving sustainable development. However, its driving factors and underlying mechanisms require further exploration. In this study, the impact of nonspatial proximity—comprising cognitive, social, and technological proximity—on GTI in China’s manufacturing sector is examined. Drawing upon in-depth interview transcripts and case data from seven Chinese fine chemical enterprises, a system dynamics (SD) model is constructed, progressing from a qualitative causal loop diagram that maps the system’s feedback structure to a quantitative stock-and-flow model for simulation. This model simulates the complex interactions among nonspatial proximity dimensions and their effects on GTI over time. Sensitivity analysis reveals the effects of different proximity levels and their combinations on GTI in enterprises. The findings indicate that moderate levels of cognitive, social, and technological proximity significantly increase GTI, whereas excessive proximity may lead to organizational rigidity and inhibit innovation activities. This study not only advances the theoretical understanding in the field of GTI but also provides practical insights for manufacturing enterprises to optimize proximity management and improve GTI performance.

Proximity labeling catalyzed by promiscuous enzymes, such as TurboID, have enabled the proteomic analysis of subcellular regions difficult or impossible to access by conventional fractionation-based approaches. Yet some cellular regions, such as organelle contact sites, remain out of reach for current PL methods. To address this limitation, we split the enzyme TurboID into two inactive fragments that recombine when driven together by a protein–protein interaction or membrane–membrane apposition. At endoplasmic reticulum–mitochondria contact sites, reconstituted TurboID catalyzed spatially restricted biotinylation, enabling the enrichment and identification of >100 endogenous proteins, including many not previously linked to endoplasmic reticulum–mitochondria contacts. We validated eight candidates by biochemical fractionation and overexpression imaging. Overall, split-TurboID is a versatile tool for conditional and spatially specific proximity labeling in cells.

Magnetic proximity effects are integral to manipulating spintronic1,2, superconducting3,4, excitonic5 and topological phenomena6–8 in heterostructures. These effects are highly sensitive to the interfacial electronic properties, such as electron wavefunction overlap and band alignment. The recent emergence of magnetic two-dimensional materials opens new possibilities for exploring proximity effects in van der Waals heterostructures9–12. In particular, atomically thin CrI3 exhibits layered antiferromagnetism, in which adjacent ferromagnetic monolayers are antiferromagnetically coupled9. Here we report a layer-resolved magnetic proximity effect in heterostructures formed by monolayer WSe2 and bi/trilayer CrI3. By controlling the individual layer magnetization in CrI3 with a magnetic field, we show that the spin-dependent charge transfer between WSe2 and CrI3 is dominated by the interfacial CrI3 layer, while the proximity exchange field is highly sensitive to the layered magnetic structure as a whole. In combination with reflective magnetic circular dichroism measurements, these properties allow the use of monolayer WSe2 as a spatially sensitive magnetic sensor to map out layered antiferromagnetic domain structures at zero magnetic field as well as antiferromagnetic/ferromagnetic domains at finite magnetic fields. Our work reveals a way to control proximity effects and probe interfacial magnetic order via van der Waals engineering13.Controlling the individual layer magnetization in CrI3 enables the observation of a layer-resolved magnetic proximity effect in WSe2/CrI3 heterostructures.

In this paper, we document a positive effect of supplier–customer geographic proximity on supplier innovation. To establish causality, we explore plausibly exogenous variation in proximity caused by customer relocations. The positive effect of supplier–customer proximity on supplier innovation is stronger when customers are more innovative themselves, when suppliers and customers are closer in technological space, and when customers’ demand accounts for a larger fraction of suppliers’ total sales. These findings suggest that the feedback channel and the demand channel are likely underlying mechanisms through which supplier–customer proximity affects supplier innovation. Overall, our paper sheds new light on the real effect of supplier–customer relationship on corporate innovation. This paper was accepted by Gustavo Manso, finance.

When does a diffusing particle reach its target for the first time? This first-passage time (FPT) problem is central to the kinetics of molecular reactions in chemistry and molecular biology. Here, we explain the behavior of smooth FPT densities, for which all moments are finite, and demonstrate universal yet generally non-Poissonian long-time asymptotics for a broad variety of transport processes. While Poisson-like asymptotics arise generically in the presence of an effective repulsion in the immediate vicinity of the target, a time-scale separation between direct and reflected indirect trajectories gives rise to a universal proximity effect: Direct paths, heading more or less straight from the point of release to the target, become typical and focused, with a narrow spread of the corresponding first-passage times. Conversely, statistically dominant indirect paths exploring the entire system tend to be massively dissimilar. The initial distance to the target particularly impacts gene regulatory or competitive stochastic processes, for which few binding events often determine the regulatory outcome. The proximity effect is independent of details of the transport, highlighting the robust character of the FPT features uncovered here.

Spin–orbit coupling (SOC) plays a determinate role in spintronics and topological physics. Previous studies indicate that the SOC in graphene nanoribbon (GNR) can be enhanced by the proximity effect from two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenide (2D-TMD). However, the bulk inversion symmetry of GNR/2D-TMD restricts further increase of the proximity-induced SOC in GNR. In this view, we introduce a TMD nanoribbon (TMDNR) with finite width, and propose three methods to break the bulk inversion symmetry, i.e. defects in TMDNR, spatial interlayer edge coupling, and twist between GNR and TMDNR, which can further enhance the SOC in the GNR by roughly 30 times, 20 times and 150 times, respectively, depending on the relative energy between the Dirac point of GNR and the states of TMDNR. Furthermore, the significantly enhanced SOC can drive the GNR into a topological superconducting phase. By introducing the Zeeman splitting and s -wave superconductivity in the GNR, quasi one-dimensional topological superconductivity and Majorana zero modes (MZMs) can be achieved in the GNR. At last we propose a feasible experimental method to realize and manipulate MZMs in the GNR/TMDNR system.