Fascinating Technology Research Articles

A Survey on Energy Detection for Spectrum Sensing in Cognitive Radio

Cognitive radio () is an emerging and fascinating technology for the opportunistic use of underutilised spectrum that promises to change the future technological trends forever, if employed properly. One of the major challenges in CR network is spectrum sensing that is to detect the presence of licenced primary transmissions. In this paper, a survey of various spectrum sensing methodologies is presented.

Genetically engineered mouse models for drug development and preclinical trials.

Drug development and preclinical trials are challenging processes and more than 80% to 90% of drug candidates fail to gain approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration. Predictive and efficient tools are required to discover high quality targets and increase the probability of success in the process of new drug development. One such solution to the challenges faced in the development of new drugs and combination therapies is the use of low-cost and experimentally manageable in vivo animal models. Since the 1980’s, scientists have been able to genetically modify the mouse genome by removing or replacing a specific gene, which has improved the identification and validation of target genes of interest. Now genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) are widely used and have proved to be a powerful tool in drug discovery processes. This review particularly covers recent fascinating technologies for drug discovery and preclinical trials, targeted transgenesis and RNAi mouse, including application and combination of inducible system. Improvements in technologies and the development of new GEMMs are expected to guide future applications of these models to drug discovery and preclinical trials.

An Investigation on the Issues in Cloud Data Security

computing is one of the most fascinating technologies which attract the users to outsource their data from local to remote cloud servers using Internet. A large number of cryptographic schemes are available to encrypt the sensitive information and to protect data. Even though it protects the data but it limits the functionality of the cloud storage. This paper focuses on investigation of cloud data security and its issues. Cloud Computing is one of the most influential technology in the IT industry in recent years. In Cloud, the computing infrastructures (Hardware and Software) are provided as services over the internet in pay-as-you-use basis. The outsourced sensitive data an cloud servers are not within the same domain. For securing these sensitive user data in cloud server, at present many cryptographic solutions are available. However, these solutions have computation overhead, key distribution and data management for providing security and scalability in data access control of cloud computing. This paper presents the analysis on various cloud data security issues available.

Latest research results on the effects of nanomaterials on humans and the environment: DaNa – Knowledge Base Nanomaterials

Nanotechnology is considered one of the key technologies of the 21st century. The success of this fascinating technology is based on its versatility. It will bring about fundamental changes of basic research as well as of many sectors of industry and also of daily life from electronics to the health care system. However, consumers often miss reliable and understandable information on nanomaterials and all aspects of this versatile technology. A huge body of data on the potential hazards of nanoobjects towards human and environmental health already exists, but is either not easily accessible for a broad audience or presented unprocessable for nonexperts. But risk communication is an essential and thus integral component of risk management. For that purpose, the DaNa-Project aims at filling this gap by collecting and evaluating scientific results in an interdisciplinary approach with scientists from different research areas, such as human and environmental toxicology, biology, physics, chemistry, and sociology. Research findings from the field of human and environmental nanotoxicology are being prepared and presented together with material properties and possible applications for interested laymen and stakeholders. For the evaluation of literature a "Literature Criteria Checklist" has been developed as well as a Standard Operation Procedure template (SOP) based on careful scientific practice.

Particle sizing in highly turbid dispersions by Photon Density Wave spectroscopy

Photon Density Wave (PDW) spectroscopy is presented as a fascinating technology for the independent determination of scattering (μ′s) and absorption (μa) properties of highly turbid liquid dispersions. The theory is reviewed introducing new expressions for the PDW coefficients kI and kΦ. Furthermore, two models for dependent scattering, namely the hard sphere model in the Percus–Yevick Approximation (HSPYA) and the Yukawa model in the Mean Spherical Approximation (YMSA), are experimentally examined. On the basis of the HSPYA particle sizing is feasible in dispersions of high ionic strength. It is furthermore shown that in dialyzed dispersions or in technical copolymers with high particle charge only the YMSA allows for correct dilution-free particle sizing.

Ethical Concepts and Future Challenges of Neuroimaging: An Islamic Perspective

Neuroscience is advancing at a rapid pace, with new technologies and approaches that are creating ethical challenges not easily addressed by current ethical frameworks and guidelines. One fascinating technology is neuroimaging, especially functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI). Although still in its infancy, fMRI is breaking new ground in neuroscience, potentially offering increased understanding of brain function. Different populations and faith traditions will likely have different reactions to these new technologies and the ethical challenges they bring with them. Muslims are approximately one-fifth of world population and they have a specific and highly regulated ethical and moral code, which helps them deal with scientific advances and decision making processes in an Islamically ethical manner. From this ethical perspective, in light of the relevant tenets of Islam, neuroimaging poses various challenges. The privacy of spirituality and the thought process, the requirement to put community interest before individual interest, and emphasis on conscious confession in legal situations are Islamic concepts that can pose a challenge for the use of something intrusive such as an fMRI. Muslim moral concepts such as There shall be no harm inflicted or reciprocated in Islam and Necessities overrule prohibitions are some of the criteria that might appropriately be used to guide advancing neuroscience. Neuroscientists should be particularly prudent and well prepared in implementing neuroscience advances that are breaking new scientific and ethical ground. Neuroscientists should also be prepared to assist in setting the ethical frameworks in place in advance of what might be perceived as runaway applications of technology.

Effect of process parameters on properties of Al-Si alloys cast by Rapid Slurry Formation (RSF) technique

Rapid slurry formation is a semi-solid metal forming technique, which is based on a so-called solid enthalpy exchange material (EEM). It is a fascinating technology offering the opportunity to manufacture net-shaped metal components of complex geometry in a single forming operation. At the same time, high mechanical properties can be achieved due to the unique microstructure and flow behaviour. The major process parameters used in the RSF process are rotation speed of the EEM, melt superheat, amount of EEM added (determining fs), and holding time. The process parameters can be well controlled with clear effects on the microstructure. There is a lack of theoretical modelling of the morphological evolution in these two-phase slurries.

Medical Robotics – Not A Golem Anymore

When people hear the word robot their first association is science fiction as a source of visionary fascinating technology that is going to be part of our daily life. When the Czech Capek brothers wrote their science fiction stories and coined the term robot, they probably based it on the 16th century Jewish-Czech folklore of the Golem of Prague, who was created by the rabbi of Prague (the Maharal) to protect his community from the hostile anti-Semites. In Hebrew, the world Golem is used as a metaphor for a brainless creature or entity that serves man under controlled conditions. The most significant boost to public recognition of the robotic concept was done by Isaac Asimov, who published a series of short stories about robots and contributed the famous three laws of robotic behavior or function. The robots in his stories, like the Golem, were independent machines that replaced human beings for various activities. In the last 4 decades, robotics has penetrated into every industrialized field, from assembling cars to medicine, mainly as part of automatism and manufacturing, replacing human workers in many tasks.

Robot-Assisted Laparoscopy, Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopy, and Single-Site Laparoscopy in Reproductive Surgery

Minimally invasive gynecologic surgery is continuously pushing its limits by embracing ever more sophisticated technology. This is also true for reproductive surgery, arguably the birthplace of gynecologic endoscopy, where minimally invasive treatment of uterine, tubal, ovarian, and peritoneal pathology has long become the gold standard. This article describes in some detail three novel minimally invasive surgery approaches that have seen the light during the past decade: robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery, natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery, and single-incision laparoscopic surgery. These fascinating technologies, far from being widely adopted, are sure to generate scientific controversy for years to come. Nonetheless, they follow in the footsteps of the tradition of innovation that is a defining aspect of our specialty and hold the promise to potentially revolutionize the field of reproductive surgery.

A new cathode for solid oxide fuel cells capable of in situ electrochemical regeneration

As highly efficient energy conversion devices with the capability for power/heat co-generation and fuel flexibility, solid-oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) have received considerable attention recently as a keystone of the future energy economy. Nowadays, lack of a proper cathode with high performance at intermediate temperature (IT) has become the main obstacle in realizing this fascinating technology. Here we present (La0.8Sr0.2)0.95Ag0.05MnO3−δ as a novel CO2 tolerant cathode of IT-SOFCs, which shows silver intercalation/de-intercalation capability. Under cathodic polarization, silver can be extracted from perovskite lattice to form a 5–15 nm silver modified A-site cation deficient (La0.8Sr0.2)0.95MnO3−δelectrode with superior electrocatalytic activity and improved stability. Any performance degradation due to silver sintering can be easily in situ restored by re-intercalating silver into the perovskite lattice under anodic polarization. Through electrochemically adjusting the oxidation state and location of silver, we introduce a way for the development of high-performance silver-modified cathode for IT-SOFCs, which may contribute significantly to a sustainable future.

Parameters Optimization of Semisolid Diecasting Process for Air-Conditioner’s Triple Valve in HPb59-1 Alloy

The disadvantages of air-conditioner’s triple valve in HPb59-1 alloy processed by traditional solid state hot forging, such as larger forming loads, lower material utilization, larger subsequent machining allowance, nonuniform microstructure, are put forward. However, semisolid diecasting forming which can overcome the above shortcomings is a fascinating technology. The process paremeters which had a larger influence on filling ability of semisolid slurry and casting quality, such as pouring temperature, shot velocity and preheated temperature of the die, were chosen. Furthermore, based on orthogonal test, the semisolid diecasting process of a certain type triple valve was simulated with FLOW-3D. According to the analysis of temperature field, pressure field and surface defect concentration, the optimal process parameters such as pouring temperature 897.25 °C, shot velocity 1.5 m/s and preheated temperature of the die 260 °C, were obtained, and the effectiveness of the technology was well demonstrated by numerical simulation.

Chemical Aerosol Engineering as a Novel Tool for Material Science: From Oxides to Salt and Metal Nanoparticles

Aerosol nanotechnology has rapidly evolved in the past years. This fascinating technology has resulted in the development of functional nanomaterials providing novel solutions in industrial applications. The extensive research on the physical understanding of gas phase processes has strongly contributed to the present industrial use of single and mixed oxides and the design of industrial aerosol reactors. Recent advances have shown that chemical aerosol engineering can be established on the interface between classical aerosol science and chemical engineering. The emerging new methods give access to a much broader class of functional materials including salt and metal nanoparticles. The latter implies that aerosol production units can now be considered as chemical reactors. The incorporation of thermodynamic considerations and chemical kinetics in the modelling of gas phase processes will further boost the development of aerosol engineering and will provide deeper understanding of the fundamentals of parti...

Radiosurgery for Spinal Malignant Tumors: Expertise Is Crucial

On the basis of the non-judgmental review article by Sahgal et al (1), Wowra et al report a therapeutic approach that is pointing the way, as well as their own experiences with a truly fascinating technology, which can undoubtedly be performed with equal precision, safety, dosage distributions, and control rates in state-of-the-art radiotherapeutic institutions with a linear accelerator by using complementary functionalities (www.elekta.com/oncology/IGRT, www.varian.com/us/oncology/radiosurgery). Comprehensive service provision is thus guaranteed, to the benefit of all those affected. However, the technology will remain a tool; the crucial factor will always be expertise. Spinal radiosurgery is also an excellent example for the evolutionary development of radiotherapy in the past 10 years. It combines all modern forms of application, calculation algorithms, and dosage concepts; however, simultaneously, many questions arise that require answers (quality assurance, normal tissue tolerance doses, etc). The topic of extracranial radiosurgery remains an exciting subcategory within interdisciplinary radio-oncology. For our patients, the following is important: over the next few years, oncologists of all specialties will not be able to escape or avoid many radiotherapeutic terms and phrases (and their basic principles), such as SBRS (stereotactic body radiosurgery), hypofractionated IGRT (image guided radiotherapy), IMRT (intensity modulated radiotherapy), and IMAT (intensity modulated arc therapy, dynamic IMRT).

Are small RNAs a big help to plants?

The discovery of RNA interference (RNAi) has augmented our knowledge of gene regulation and presents a fascinating technology that has a great potential for application in genetic analysis, disease therapy, plant protection, and many other areas. In this review, we will focus on the biological functions of RNAi and its application in agriculture with a brief introduction to the history of its discovery and molecular mechanism.

Musculoskeletal ultrasonography: to keep pace with progress or be left behind?

AbstractRheumatology has been witnessing dramatic developments. Improvement in our understanding of the pathogenesis of diseases and advancements in therapeutics has forced us to re‐look at our approach to the disease. The emphasis is on early recognition, proper assessment and regular follow‐up. Musculoskeletal ultrasonography (MSUS) has emerged as a promising tool in fulfilling most of these requirements. It has proved to be of significant utility in a variety of rheumatic diseases and has been in regular use in several European countries. In this review we have discussed in detail its use in various rheumatic diseases, the upcoming developments in the field of MSUS and various issues related to its incorporation into routine care of rheumatic patients. In our opinion MSUS is the future of rheumatology and we shouldn't be left behind just because of our reluctance to understand and appreciate this fascinating technology.

Sense of Sensing: From Data to Informed Decisions for the Built Environment

There is currently an explosion of research on microsensor and wireless network technology, and methods of discerning structural state from such data. Besides the inherent interest in such fascinating technology, the question remains as to why an owner, operator, or user of the built environment should care. The construction industry is now adopting new types of contracting practice. Previously the contractor simply implemented a given design, but the current trend is for clients to commission certain performance requirements to be met with performance-based design. The emphasis of the industry is becoming the delivery of certain structural behavior states rather than simply building to a client’s set plans. The contracting process becomes the determination of the performance criteria, and delivery becomes a long-term fulfillment of these criteria. This can only take place if the performance states can be measured, and the measurement utilized in a decision-making process. The tools needed for both the ev...

FUNDAMENTAL PHYSICS AT NASA: TWO CRITICAL ISSUES AND FAIRBANK'S PRINCIPLE

Space offers eight distinct paths to controlled laboratory-style experiments in fundamental physics beyond the reach of any Earth-based laboratory. This impressive range of opportunity has already led to important physics but we are only at the beginning. Meanwhile, NASA is in crisis. This paper follows the wisdom of a great and inspiring physicist, William Fairbank, that every setback or difficulty is an opportunity. NASA needs new science; fundamental physics can provide it and with it fascinating new technologies — and training for a new generation of imaginative physicists and engineers.

Success and failures in urban transport planning in Europe—understanding the transport system

Technological determinism has become a kind of religion for many people since it appears to offer solutions for societal problems as never before in history. Transport is one of the fascinating technology branches developed during the last 200 years. Effortless movement over long distances has become possible for car users as long as cheap fossil energy is available. However, the effect of fast transport on urban structures and society was not taken into account when developing these technical means. Technologists and economists have used indicators for expected benefits of these fast transport modes without taking into account the real system effects on society and urban structures. Plausible assumptions and hopes instead of scientific understanding of the complex system are used in practice. In contradiction to widely held beliefs of transportation planners, there is actually no growth of mobility if counted in number of trips per person per day, no time saving by increasing speed in the system, and no real freedom of modal choice. Modal choice is dependent on physical and other structures, the artificial environment built by urban planners, transport experts and political decisions. The core hypothesis of traditional urban and transport planning ‘growth of mobility’, ‘travel time saving by increasing speed’ and ‘freedom of modal choice’ are myths and do not exist in the real urban and transport system. This is the reason why urban planning and transport planning based on traditional non-scientific assumptions is creating continuously not only more transport problems, but also environmental and social as well as economic problems all over the world, where these principals are applied. Urban transport planning in Europe, understanding the transport system and the solutions are presented in this paper.

Fascinating technology: computer games as an issue for religious education

Computer games as an important part of youth culture can, from a certain perspective, be highly relevant for religious education. I will review the role of computer games, and then give a brief overview, suggesting a specific phenomenological approach for research on computer games and religious education. After presenting one example of such research I will explore the potential religious dimensions of computer games and raise the question of the possible consequences for religious education.

Investigation of ultra- and nanofiltration for utilization of whey protein and lactose

Ultrafiltration is one of the most fascinating technologies, which has been introduced for application in the dairy industry. Ultrafiltration makes it possible to improve the quality of traditional dairy products, to create new food staffs, to utilize dairy by-products (such as whey) to a much greater extent for human nutrition and to prepare milk ingredients to be used in the entire food industry. In this study the application of ultrafiltration for milk and whey protein concentration, and research on nanofiltration for lactose concentration of the ultrafiltration permeate are detailed. The performance of ultra- and nanofiltration membranes can be characterized in terms of permeate flux, membrane retention and yield, which parameters are determined by pressure, recycle flow rate and temperature. The influence of these parameters on milk- and whey protein and lactose concentration was measured. The experiments were carried out using laboratory scale ultra- and nanofiltration units. The permeate flux, protein and lactose content in the permeate and in the concentrate fractions were measured during the experimental runs. Comparing the separation behavior of the membranes it was found that the investigated membranes are suitable for concentration of the milk- and whey proteins and lactose with high flux and retention. The filtration characteristics were obviously influenced by the process parameters. A new combination of membrane based cheese production procedure is proposed, which makes possible a significant increase in the cheese yield by incorporating the whey proteins.