Common Technology Research Articles

On the fatigue behavior of a tool steel manufactured by powder bed based additive manufacturing—a comparison between electron- and laserbeam processed AISI H13

In recent years, additive manufacturing (AM) techniques have gained increased attention. The most common AM technologies to realize complex parts are powder bed-based fusion processes, especially electron beam powder bed fusion of metals (PBF-EB/M) and laser-based powder bed fusion of metals (PBF-LB/M). Focusing on industrial applications, cyclic loading scenarios and fatigue properties of components produced by such techniques came into focus of research. The present work deals with a comparison between microstructure, hardness, density and fatigue properties of a high-alloy tool steel AISI H13 (1.2344, X40CrMoV5-1) manufactured by PBF-EB/M and PBF-LB/M. The investigated specimens are characterized by a complex phase composition containing ferrite, perlite, bainite and martensite, eventually resulting in different hardness values depending on the used AM technology. Fatigue data for PBF-EB/M AISI H13 are reported for the first time in open literature. It is shown that the fatigue behavior is significantly influenced by the specimen density. Accordingly, parts with a high density are characterized by superior fatigue strength.

Book Review: Instructional story design: Develop stories that train

In Instructional story design: Develop stories that train, Greene proves the benefits of using stories in training and demonstrates how to do that successfully. With practical instruction and examples, Instructional story design leads the reader through developing stories, working with subject matter experts (SMEs), and producing story-based training. Greene illustrates his expertise in story design by using story to instruct his design methods throughout the book. The reader follows a fictitious instructional designer, Dayna, as she grapples with, learns to, and triumphs in using stories in her elearning projects. She works with SMEs, clients, stakeholders, and managers and follows instructional design (ID) practices while developing meaningful stories to connect with her learners and convey the training. Through Dayna’s struggles and victories, the reader learns how to create audience personas, build relatable characters, and focus on the action and conflict of the story as it relates to training objectives. Greene further describes how to produce stories using common technology tools, champion stories to convince doubting stakeholders, and overcome common pitfalls.

Removal of heavy metals in water-extracted solution through adsorption by palygorskite and stabilization by comilling.

Removing water-soluble chlorides (WSCs) through water extraction is a common pretreatment technology for recycling municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash (FA). However, the extracted solution often contains heavy metals, the concentrations of which exceed standards for effluent. This study aims to investigate the adsorption of heavy metals by palygorskite in water-extracted solution and explore the feasibility of stabilizing heavy metals through comilling palygorskite-adsorbed heavy metals (PAHMs) with water-extracted fly ash (WFA). The experimental parameters include: two-stage water extraction with a liquid-to-solid ratio of 5, adding 0, 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2 or 3 g of palygorskite to 100 mL of water-extracted solution, and comilling the mixture of PAHMs and WFA for 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24 or 96 hours. The experimental results revealed that 3 g of palygorskite in 100 mL of extracted solution could absorb Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu and Zn, meeting the effluent standards. The total amount of Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu and Zn removal rate reached 99.7%. Moreover, 98.44% of the WSCs were not adsorbed, the water extraction process for removing WSCs was not compromised. After the comilling of PAHMs and WFA, the distribution of the heavy metals in the milled blended powder was greater than 99.44%; moreover, toxicity characteristic leaching procedure concentrations were determined to conform to regulatory standards, and the sequential extraction procedure revealed that the heavy metals tended to be in stable fractions. This achieves the goal of preventing secondary pollution from heavy metals during the MSWI FA recycling process.

High performance bilayer MoTe2 transistors with co-sputtered ternary HfAlO2 high-k dielectric

We demonstrated that ternary HfAlO2 amorphous film prepared with common co-sputtering technology can be a suitable gate dielectric for bilayer MoTe2 transistors. The film quality can be improved by optimizing the sputtering process and post-annealing treatment, which is superior to its binary Al2O3 and HfO2 components and satisfies gate dielectric criteria. The bilayer MoTe2 transistors with ∼29-nm-thick HfAlO2 gate dielectric exhibit an Ion/Ioff ratio of over 108 by a low operating voltage, together with a small subthreshold swing ≈ 71.22 mV/dec. These promising characteristics favor the development of high-performance and low-power ultrathin MoTe2-based beyond-silicon electronics.

Mechanical Performance of Patched Pavements with Different Patching Shapes Based on 2D and 3D Finite Element Simulations

Patching is a common technology used in repairing asphalt-pavement potholes. Due to the differences in material properties between patched- and unpatched-asphalt mixtures, significant strain and stress concentrations could be induced; thus, further cracks and interfacial debonding distress could be caused. As a remedy, the strain and stress concentrations can be alleviated by utilizing optimum patching shapes. Therefore, this paper employed finite element methods (FEM) to deeply analyze the mechanical performance of patched-asphalt pavements embedded with different patching shapes. Three patching shapes, these being rectangular, stair, and trapezoid, were considered for use in pavement pothole repairs based on two- and three-dimensional finite element models. In the two-dimensional models, Top-Down and Bottom-Up crack propagations were simulated to assess the anti-damage performance of the patched pavements with different patching shapes. In addition, the thermal stress behaviors within patched-asphalt pavements were simulated using the two-dimensional model to analyze the performance of the patched pavements during the cooling process in construction. In addition, interface-debonding performance was simulated for the patched-asphalt pavements using three-dimensional models. In light of the simulation results, engineers are expected to better understand the mechanism within patched pavements and to improve the quality of the pavement patching.

네트워크 분석을 활용한 2015 및 2022 개정 중등학교 기술 교과 교육과정 성취기준 비교

Objectives This study attempted to analyze the overall differences and characteristics of each content area of technology in each curriculum by using language network analysis, focusing on the description of achievement standards in the 2015 and 2022 revised secondary school technology curriculum.
 Methods The targets of this study are 43 achievement standards for the 2015 revised curriculum (27 middle schools and 16 high schools) and 41 achievement standards for the 2022 revised curriculum (26 middle schools and 15 high schools). In the 'Expiration and Classification of Achievement Criteria' stage of the analysis procedure, the achievement criteria were extracted and classified into each content area of the technology, and in the 'Pre-processing process', the text of the achievement criteria was analyzed and tokenized through KoNLPy. Later, in the “Language Network Creation” stage, nodes and links were constructed and networks were visualized using Networkx, and in the “Language Network Analysis” stage, the curriculum was compared and analyzed through achievement standard frequency, centrality index, and community detection.
 Results First, as a result of analyzing the frequency of achievement standards for each content area, both middle and high schools decreased in the common engineering technology area, and both middle and high schools increased in the manufacturing technology area. Second, as a result of language network size analysis, the size of both the main words and links of the achievement standards in both middle and high schools increased. Third, as a result of the analysis of the network centrality index, the proportion of key words corresponding to “knowledge and understanding” decreased, and the proportion of key words corresponding to “process and function” and “value and attitude” increased. Fourth, as a result of network cluster analysis, in the case of the 2015 revised curriculum, most of the keywords 'technology' and 'understanding' were located at the center of the cluster, but the 2022 revised curriculum was not focused on specific keywords, but various terms such as 'problem', 'solution', 'recognition', 'investigation', 'design', 'production', and 'evaluation' were at the center of the cluster together.
 Conclusions First, thorough preparation and curriculum restructuring are required in the design of teaching-learning activities in the school field according to changes in the content of the curriculum achievement standards. Second, in addition to “knowledge and understanding,” teaching-learning activities are needed to evenly cultivate core competencies for each subject related to “process and function” and “value and attitude” in the operation of the future curriculum. Third, according to the curriculum revision, educational activities are needed to cultivate more diverse sub-elements of technical literacy based on technical problem solving.

Presence of Multiple Genetic Mutations Related to Insecticide Resistance in Chinese Field Samples of Two Phthorimaea Pest Species.

Potatoes hold the distinction of being the largest non-cereal food crop globally. The application of insecticides has been the most common technology for pest control. The repeated use of synthetic insecticides of the same chemical class and frequent applications have resulted in the emergence of insecticide resistance. Two closely related pests that feed on potato crops are the potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella, and the tomato leafminer, Phthorimaea absoluta (syn. Tuta absoluta). Previous studies indicated the existence of insecticide resistance to various classes of insecticides including organophosphates, carbamates, and pyrethroids in field populations of P. operculella and P. absoluta. However, the exact mechanisms of insecticide resistance in P. operculella and to a lesser extent P. absoluta remain still poorly understood. Detecting resistance genotypes is crucial for the prediction and management of insecticide resistance. In this study, we identified multiple genetic mutations related to insecticide resistance in two species of Phthorimaea. An unexpected genetic divergence on target-site mutations was observed between P. operculella and P. absoluta. Three mutations (A201S, L231V, and F290V) in Ace1 (acetylcholinesterase), four mutations (M918T, L925M, T928I, and L1014F) in VGSC (voltage-gated sodium channel), and one mutation (A301S) in RDL (GABA-gated chloride channel) have been detected with varying frequencies in Chinese P. absoluta field populations. In contrast, P. operculella field populations showed three mutations (F158Y, A201S, and L231V) in Ace1, one mutation (L1014F) in VGSC at a lower frequency, and no mutation in RDL. These findings suggest that pyrethroids, organophosphates, and carbamates are likely to be ineffective in controlling P. absoluta, but not P. operculella. These findings contributed to a deeper understanding of the presence of target-site mutations conferring resistance to commonly used (and cheap) classes of insecticides in two closely related potato pests. It is recommended to consider the resistance status of both pests for the implementation of resistance management strategies in potatoes.

Cheap Tweets?: Crisis Signaling in the Age of Twitter

Abstract World leaders are increasingly turning to social media to engage in crisis signaling. This raises important questions about the effects of emerging communication technologies on international politics. In particular, are threats issued via social media seen as more or less credible than those issued through traditional channels such as government press releases? Using survey experiments fielded both on unique samples of foreign policy experts in the United States, India, and Singapore and on US public samples, we find that threat medium generally generates no significant difference in perceived credibility among national security experts and members of the public. Put differently, tweeted threats are not seen as “cheaper talk” than threats issued through more traditional channels. This project extends work on crisis signaling, elite decision-making, and the domestic politics of international relations by taking into account an increasingly common technology.

Denitrification Technology and The Catalysts: A Review and Recent Advances

AbstractWith the acceleration of industrialization and the increasing prominence of environmental pollution problems, the emission of nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the atmosphere has become a global concern. These emissions are not only hazardous to human health, but also one of the main factors leading to acid rain, photochemical smog and global climate change. Therefore, the development and implementation of efficient denitrification technologies are an important issue for environmental protection. The present review focuses on the research progress of the denitrification technology in the recent years, including the traditional denitrification methods and common technologies. At the same time, the advantages, limitations and application prospects of each method are analyzed. The mechanisms, influencing factors, advantages and disadvantages of the denitrification catalysts are also discussed. In addition, the future research trends and potential challenges of denitrification technology are discussed. It is expected that this review will provide useful references for promoting the development and application of denitrification technology, which may help researchers to choose high‐performance and cost‐effective methods.

Toward a circular economy: zero-waste manufacturing of carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites

Fiber-reinforced composites are becoming ubiquitous as a way of lightweighting in the wind, aerospace, and automotive industries, but current recycling technologies fall short of a circular economy. In this work, fiber-reinforced composites made of recycled carbon fiber and polyphenylene sulfide were recycled and remanufactured using common processing technologies such as compression and injection molding. An industrially viable size-exclusive sieving technique was used to retain fiber length and reduce variability in the mechanical properties of the remanufactured composites. Fiber length reduction alone could not explain the strength reductions apparent in the composites, which we propose are due to microstructural inhomogeneity as defined by poor dispersion of the fibers. Future recycling efforts must focus on fiber length retention and good dispersion to make composite remanufacturing a viable path toward a circular economy.

Shared versus pooled automated vehicles: Understanding behavioral intentions towards adopting on-demand automated vehicles

The success of future, on-demand AVs depends on whether and how the public adopts them as regular travel modes. To this end, this study has four objectives: (a) understand the effect of current travel behavior on adopting shared automated vehicles (SAVs) and pooled automated vehicles (PooledAVs), and accordingly, propose a theoretical model for behavioral intention to use on-demand AVs based on a mediation analysis; (b) identify the commonalities and differences between the characteristics of SAVs’ and PooledAVs’ early adopters; (c) investigate Canadian residents’ intentions to adopt on-demand AVs; and (d) differentiate between shared mobility-oriented and AV technology-oriented predictors to determine whether behavioral intentions are driven by enthusiasm for AV technology or linked to shared mobility. This study uses data from an online survey administered in fall 2021 to residents of six major Canadian metropolitan areas. Workers and students aged 18 to 75 were selected for analysis (n = 3622). The study employs a full structural equation model (SEM) and a partial mediation analysis. The SEM uses seven affective motivations: attitude towards a behavior, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, driving enthusiasm, sensation seeking, ample knowledge about AVs, and eco-friendliness. The findings of this paper paint a complex picture with respect to the application of constructs from common technology adoption models to the study of on-demand AVs. Also, results suggest that although the characteristics of early adopters differ slightly among the examined service types, individuals with positive attitudes who are current users of ride-hailing services are likely to use both on-demand service types.

Risk of abducens nerve palsy following COVID-19 vaccination

To investigate the prevalence and risk of new-onset abducens nerve palsy and acute-onset diplopia following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. In this retrospective, population-based study, patient data from the COVID-19 Research Network of TriNetX was searched via the TriNetX Analytics platform for patients who received specific vaccinations based on Common Procedural Technology codes. We recorded instances of newly diagnosed abducens nerve palsy and diplopia within 21 days following each vaccination event. Of the 3,545,224 patients (mean age at vaccination, 46.2 ± 21.3 years) who received the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, 12 (<0.0001%) patients had a new diagnosis of abducens nerve palsy and 453 (0.013%) had acute-onset diplopia within 21 days of first dose of COVID-19 vaccination. After propensity score matching, the relative risk for new abducens nerve palsy diagnosis after the first dose of COVID-19 vaccination was not significantly different from that after influenza (RR, 0.77), Tdap (RR, 1.0), or the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccinations (RR, 1.00). Furthermore, there was a lower risk of abducens nerve palsy diagnosis after the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccination compared with the risk after COVID-19 infection (RR, 0.15). The risk of a new abducens nerve palsy diagnosis following the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is lower than the risk associated with COVID-19 infection itself. There is no evidence to suggest a causal relationship between COVID-19 vaccination and the development of abducens nerve palsy.

Design and Sensitivity Analysis of Mechanically Actuated Digital Radial Piston Pumps

One major challenge in fluid power is the improvement and optimization of the efficiency of mobile hydraulic systems. Conventional fluid power systems often exhibit relatively low overall efficiencies caused by inefficiencies in the various components, such as a prime mover, variable displacement pump, valves, fittings, hoses, and actuators. While each component contributes to the losses in the overall system, the pump converts the mechanical shaft energy from the prime mover to energy transmitted hydraulically and is one of the most crucial components impacting overall system efficiency. Using on/off technologies, new pump architectures have enabled the opportunity to increase the efficiency over conventional designs using positive sealing valves in place of conventional port plate designs. This work proposes, investigates, and assesses the development and optimization of a digital variable displacement pump using a novel cam actuation technique on radial piston pumps. The novelty of this work is the development and parameter optimization of a mechanically actuated digital radial piston pump that can achieve high efficiencies from minimum to maximum displacement compared to common conventional variable displacement pump technologies. In this study, a sensitivity analysis is conducted to study the parameters of the system to optimize the pump. The parameters assessed in this study include: the valve bore size, cam transition and compression angles, piston diameter, and dead volume in the pumping chamber. The simulation results show that after optimizing the parameters of the system, the pump in design could reach a maximum efficiency of approximately 93% and was capable of upholding efficiencies above 80% between 30–100% displacement.

The role of radio, television and mobile phones in disseminating information on occurrences of wildfire in Uluguru Mountains Nature Reserve – Morogoro Tanzania

This study sought to determine the contribution of radio, television and mobile phones used by local communities in disseminating and accessing information about wildfire hazards in the Uluguru Mountains Nature Reserve and assessed the extent of their usage in disseminating wildfire information. It also aimed at identifying barriers to their use in reporting wildfire incidences in the Uluguru Mountains and determined the available wildfire reduction strategies which can be improved by use of other types of ICTs. A descriptive survey method and purposive and conveniently sampling techniques were employed to select a sample of 15 key informants and 90 villagers from the three villages that were purposively selected. Questionnaires, focus group discussions, interview with key informants and participants observations were used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. The finding show that the community living around Uluguru Mountains Nature Reserve own Radio and mobile phones although few of them owned televisions. Very few respondents reported wildfire incidence using their mobile phone, while the majority used their mobile phone for other social-economic activities. However, internet based AFIS Meraka system and handheld GPS were the most common technologies used to disseminate wildfire information. In general radio, mobile phones and televisions are not fully beneficial to the local communities. Based on the results, it was recommended that the role of modern ICTs in detecting and disseminating wildfire be encouraged among the authorities.

Microencapsulation for Pharmaceutical Applications: A Review.

In order to improve bioavailability, stability, control release, and target delivery of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), as well as to mask their bitter taste, to increase their efficacy, and to minimize their side effects, a variety of microencapsulation (including nanoencapsulation, particle size <100 nm) technologies have been widely used in the pharmaceutical industry. Commonly used microencapsulation technologies are emulsion, coacervation, extrusion, spray drying, freeze-drying, molecular inclusion, microbubbles and microsponge, fluidized bed coating, supercritical fluid encapsulation, electro spinning/spray, and polymerization. In this review, APIs are categorized by their molecular complexity: small APIs (compounds with low molecular weight, like Aspirin, Ibuprofen, and Cannabidiol), medium APIs (compounds with medium molecular weight like insulin, peptides, and nucleic acids), and living microorganisms (such as probiotics, bacteria, and bacteriophages). This article provides an overview of these microencapsulation technologies including their processes, matrix, and their recent applications in microencapsulation of APIs. Furthermore, the advantages and disadvantages of these common microencapsulation technologies in terms of improving the efficacy of APIs for pharmaceutical treatments are comprehensively analyzed. The objective is to summarize the most recent progresses on microencapsulation of APIs for enhancing their bioavailability, control release, target delivery, masking their bitter taste and stability, and thus increasing their efficacy and minimizing their side effects. At the end, future perspectives on microencapsulation for pharmaceutical applications are highlighted.

Responsivity Enhancement of Wafer‐Bonded In0.53Ga0.47As Photo‐Field‐Effect Transistor on Si Substrate via Equivalent Oxide Thickness Scaling

A high‐responsivity photo‐field‐effect transistor (photo‐FET) with a metal‐oxide‐semiconductor (MOS) structure is a promising technology for low‐intensity light detection with its high gain and low operation voltage. To enhance their responsivity, the equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) scaling is one of the effective solutions, which is a common technology to improve the electrical properties of MOSFETs using higher‐k insulators. Herein, the EOT scaling effect on the optoelectrical characteristics of photo‐FETs using Al2O3 and Al2O3/HfO2 gate stacks is investigated. Thanks to the EOT scaling effect introducing Al2O3/HfO2, only the transconductance of the photo‐FET is enhanced without any significant change in the photovoltaic effect and cavity effect. As a result, its responsivity is improved by up to 1.7 times. The results give a basic strategy of the EOT scaling effect for photo‐FETs; thus, the EOT scaling with a higher‐k insulator is a powerful solution for the high‐performance InGaAs photo‐FET requiring high responsivity in the short‐wavelength infrared range.

AUTOMATION OF ACCOUNTING

This article discusses current trends and problems of automation implementation in accounting of organizations. The main stages of the automation process are described, starting from the analysis and selection of suitable software to staff training and process optimization. The article emphasizes the importance of automation to improve the efficiency, accuracy and efficiency of accounting. Common programs and technologies are considered, as well as the advantages and challenges faced by enterprises when implementing automation in accounting processes are highlighted. The article emphasizes the importance of a balanced use of technology and the human factor for the successful fusion of automation with accounting practice.

Micro-Scholarship: An Innovative Process Using Common Technology Tools.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-024-01989-y.

Economic and Sustainability Comparative Study of Wood Pellets Production in Portugal, Germany and Sweden

During the last decade wood pellets consumption grew rapidly. In this paper the development of the wood pellet production factors for markets in Germany, Sweden and Portugal are compared. Domestic market prices for pellet production factors as well as domestic market prices for pellets variation are analysed. The analysis are based on two model plants, representing the first common technologies for small scale production based on dry sawdust sources, and the second represents large scale production based on wet materials. The results show how differences in costs of raw materials, energy and labour affects wood pellets production. The economic sustainability for European pellet producers depends on their domestic markets as internationally traded pellets are priced lower than their production costs, being Portugal an exception due to lower labour and raw materials costs. Future pellet production will be based on wet raw materials such as logs and wet sawdust. These raw materials are also demanded by pulp and paper or fiberboard industries. The transition from smaller wood pellets plants using dry raw materials to larger plants using wet raw materials, can be expected to follow comparative advantages regarding raw materials, energy costs and economies of scale.

From 0-50 in Pandemic, and Then Back? A Case Study of Virtual Care in Ontario Pre–COVID-19, During, and Post–COVID-19

We review the evolution of virtual care (VC) in Ontario. Pre–COVID-19, the primary focus was on patients in remote and underserved areas who went to host sites for care. Ontario’s vision pre-pandemic was for a gradual increase in VC by physicians registered with the Ontario Telemedicine Network (OTN), using OTN-approved video technologies; some accommodated patients and doctors wherever they were. Less than 1% of care was virtual pre-pandemic. We discuss how policies that altered access to in-person care (pandemic lockdowns and guidelines to seek and provide care virtually), compensation policy changes (allowing any Ontario physician to be compensated for VC), and policies allowing common technologies not previously allowed (including, importantly, the telephone), drove and enabled a rapid shift to >50% of care being virtual at the start of the pandemic, leveling off to ∼30% over time. We review policy changes in late 2022 and predict these will result in a drop in VC compared with the policies during the pandemic, particularly for walk-in clinic patients, in a province where 2.2-4.6 million people do not have a primary care doctor and presumably use walk-in clinics. This is because, going forward, physicians will be compensated less for telephone care than for in-person or video care for rostered patients, and because compensation will be less still for telephone or video care provided to walk-in patients. Through this case study we develop a visual model of how these key policy and technology factors influence the provision of VC.