Guide Technology Development Research Articles

Numerical Simulation of Heat Transfer Characteristics of Petroleum Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Soil During Ex-Situ Indirect Thermal Desorption

ABSTRACT Indirect thermal desorption process of petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated soil is very complex and difficult to be analyzed by engineering full-scale numerical simulation considering multi-phase flow and interphase heat as well as mass transfer. Therefore, it is urgent to develop a simple and rapid calculation method to guide technology development and engineering applications. In this paper, the method of equivalent specific heat approximation was proposed to simplify the mass transfer process on the material side to the heat transfer process under variable specific heat conditions, and the numerical simulation of engineering scale indirect thermal desorption equipment was studied by coupling the diffusion flame combustion model, weighted-sum-of-gray-gases model, and discrete ordinates model. The heating process of soil in thermal desorption chamber was simulated, and the influence of soil residence time and designed feed rate on process parameters was obtained. The research results showed that soil residence time should be extended appropriately under the condition of less than 1.75 hours and designed feed rate be limited within 4 t/h to ensure reasonable soil discharge temperature that was directly related to the removal efficiency of petroleum hydrocarbons in contaminated soil. Meanwhile, the modification scheme of power distribution of combustion system was further studied to improve the heating uniformity of tubes.

Reproducibility metrics for context-specific CRISPR screens.

CRISPR screens are used extensively to systematically interrogate the phenotype-to-genotype problem. In contrast to early CRISPR screens, which defined core cell fitness genes, most current efforts now aim to identify context-specific phenotypes that differentiate a cell line, genetic background, or condition of interest, such as a drug treatment. While CRISPR-related technologies have shown great promise and a fast pace of innovation, a better understanding of standards and methods for quality assessment of CRISPR screen results is crucial to guide technology development and application. Specifically, many commonly used metrics for quantifying screen quality do not accurately measure the reproducibility of context-specific hits. We highlight the importance of reporting reproducibility statistics that directly relate to the purpose of the screen and suggest the use of metrics that are sensitive to context-specific signal. A record of this paper's transparent peer review process is included in the supplemental information.

The state of human-centered NLP technology for fact-checking

Misinformation threatens modern society by promoting distrust in science, changing narratives in public health, heightening social polarization, and disrupting democratic elections and financial markets, among a myriad of other societal harms. To address this, a growing cadre of professional fact-checkers and journalists provide high-quality investigations into purported facts. However, these largely manual efforts have struggled to match the enormous scale of the problem. In response, a growing body of Natural Language Processing (NLP) technologies have been proposed for more scalable fact-checking. Despite tremendous growth in such research, however, practical adoption of NLP technologies for fact-checking still remains in its infancy today.In this work, we review the capabilities and limitations of the current NLP technologies for fact-checking. Our particular focus is to further chart the design space for how these technologies can be harnessed and refined in order to better meet the needs of human fact-checkers. To do so, we review key aspects of NLP-based fact-checking: task formulation, dataset construction, modeling, and human-centered strategies, such as explainable models and human-in-the-loop approaches. Next, we review the efficacy of applying NLP-based fact-checking tools to assist human fact-checkers. We recommend that future research include collaboration with fact-checker stakeholders early on in NLP research, as well as incorporation of human-centered design practices in model development, in order to further guide technology development for human use and practical adoption. Finally, we advocate for more research on benchmark development supporting extrinsic evaluation of human-centered fact-checking technologies.

Bioindustrial manufacturing readiness levels (BioMRLs) as a shared framework for measuring and communicating the maturity of bioproduct manufacturing processes.

Readiness level (RL) frameworks such as technology readiness levels and manufacturing readiness levels describe the status of a technology/manufacturing process on its journey from initial conception to commercial deployment. More importantly, they provide a roadmap to guide technology development and scale-up from a ‘‘totality of system’’ approach. Commercialization risks associated with too narrowly focused R&D efforts are mitigated. RLs are defined abstractly so that they can apply to diverse industries and technology sectors. However, differences between technology sectors make necessary the definition of sector specific RL frameworks. Here, we describe bioindustrial manufacturing readiness levels (BioMRLs), a classification system specific to bioindustrial manufacturing. BioMRLs will give program managers, investors, scientists, and engineers a shared vocabulary for prioritizing goals and assessing risks in the development and commercialization of a bioindustrial manufacturing process.

Functionalized Iron–Nitrogen–Carbon Electrocatalyst Provides a Reversible Electron Transfer Platform for Efficient Uranium Extraction from Seawater

Uranium extraction from seawater provides an opportunity for sustainable fuel supply to nuclear power plants. Herein, an adsorption-electrocatalysis strategy is demonstrated for efficient uranium extraction from seawater using a functionalized iron-nitrogen-carbon (Fe-Nx -C-R) catalyst, comprising N-doped carbon capsules supporting FeNx single-atom sites and surface chelating amidoxime groups (R). The amidoxime groups bring hydrophilicity to the adsorbent and offer surface-specific binding sites for UO2 2+ capture. The site-isolated FeNx centres reduce adsorbed UO2 2+ to UO2 + . Subsequently, through electrochemical reduction of the FeNx sites, unstable U(V) ions are reoxidized to U(VI) in the presence of Na+ resulting in the generation of solid Na2 O(UO3 ·H2 O)x , which can easily be collected. Fe-Nx -C-R reduced the uranium concentration in seawater from ≈3.5 ppb to below 0.5 ppb with a calculated capacity of ≈1.2 mg g-1 within 24 h. To the best of the knowledge, the developed system is the first to use the adsorption of uranyl ions and electrodeposition of solid Na2 O(UO3 .H2 O)x for the extraction of uranium from seawater. The important discoveries guide technology development for the efficient extraction of uranium from seawater.

Quantum physical reality of polar-nonpolar oxide heterostructures

Conducting interfaces between polar and nonpolar insulating oxides, e.g., ${\mathrm{LaAlO}}_{3}/{\mathrm{SrTiO}}_{3}$, have generated interest for both fundamental physics and oxide-electronics applications. Current understanding is based on an amalgamation of a classical electrostatic model (polar catastrophe model) that was originally derived for semi-infinite solids and quantum density-functional-theory (DFT) results on ultrathin films. Here we report comprehensive DFT calculations that unveil a very different purely quantum physical reality. We show that, for ultrathin polar films, the interfacial dipole does not control the electrostatic potential in the polar film---the surface and interface play equal roles, and the absence or presence of centrosymmetry in the physical LAO film results in different, purely quantum mechanisms for the generation of a conducting interface, neither involving physical-charged transfer. Predictions are made that can be tested and can guide technology development.

Double fortified (iron and zinc) spray-dried microencapsulated premix for food fortification

This study examines spray-drying microencapsulation of iron and zinc simultaneously as a strategy to combat iron and zinc nutrient deficiency, and in order to ascertain the possibility of delivering these nutrients together. Iron and zinc bioaccessibility and release kinetics were assessed through simulated digestion gastro-intestinal (pH 2.0 and pH 6.6) on three optimized microencapsulated formulations containing ferrous and zinc sulphate using whey protein isolate (WPI) and Eudraguard as coating materials. Optimized formulations depicted up to 97 % encapsulation efficiency for iron and 52 % encapsulation efficiency of zinc, with up to 73 % yield from the spray-drying process. In stomach conditions, the microcapsules released close to 100 % of the iron and zinc within 30 min at pH 2.0, and within 45 min of intestinal digestion at pH 6.6. Thus, the microcapsules showed higher resistance to intestinal conditions. The Higuchi mathematical model was found to best fit the experimental data for iron and zinc release, suggesting a transport phenomenon governed by the diffusion process through the coating material. The results from this study shall guide technology development using proteins that could resist gastro-intestinal conditions as well as understanding the complex release process into the release mechanisms.

Is stratification testing for treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations cost-effective in primary care? an early cost-utility analysis.

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who experience acute exacerbations usually require treatment with oral steroids or antibiotics, depending on the etiology of the exacerbation. Current management is based on clinician's assessment and judgement, which lacks diagnostic accuracy and results in overtreatment. A test to guide these decisions in primary care is in development. We developed an early decision model to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of this treatment stratification test in the primary care setting in the United Kingdom. A combined decision tree and Markov model was developed of COPD progression and the exacerbation care pathway. Sensitivity analysis was carried out to guide technology development and inform evidence generation requirements. The base case test strategy cost GBP 423 (USD 542) less and resulted in a health gain of 0.15 quality-adjusted life-years per patient compared with not testing. Testing reduced antibiotic prescriptions by 30 percent, potentially lowering the risk of antimicrobial resistance developing. In sensitivity analysis, the result depended on the clinical effects of treating patients according to the test result, as opposed to treating according to clinical judgement alone, for which there is limited evidence. The results were less sensitive to the accuracy of the test. Testing may be cost-saving in primary care, but this requires robust evidence on whether test-guided treatment is effective. High quality evidence on the clinical utility of testing is required for early modeling of diagnostic tests generally.

Unveiling opportunities afforded by emerging technologies: evidences from the drone industry

ABSTRACTIn recent decades, researchers and practitioners have increasingly focused on how to develop breakthrough technologies. Notwithstanding this, companies still face the problem of understanding the opportunities enabled by technologies from the early stage of development. The technology management literature highlights that development is usually managed by adopting one of two approaches: normative or explorative. However, in using the latter approach focused on developing emerging technologies, unanswered questions remain. In particular, this paper aims to shed light on the strategies that companies adopt to unveil the opportunities enabled by emerging technologies. Analysing the drone industry using an exploratory case study approach, we investigate the strategies that companies implement to guide technology development to address more meaningful application fields. Using the Federal Aviation Administration database, we identify four possible strategies to develop emerging technologies: focus, deep, broad, and holistic.

A Study of Resource-efficient Technologies for Cities of the Future to be Sustainable

The urbanization process presents enormous challenges to governments, companies, and environmental planners of the megacities. The rapid growth of megacity causes severe social, environmental and economic problems, which are difficult to manage in a sustainable way. Traffic jams, poor air quality, and health risks make life in megacities even more difficult. On the other hand, in developing world, urban impoverished face enormous challenges with inadequate services which become even more challenging. Therefore, resource-efficient systems will be highly needed to tackle the social, economic and environment pressures in a sustainable way for cities. This paper improves the awareness of some resource-efficient technologies and investigates their contributions to tackling environmental and social challenges for megacities of the future. Some sustainability principles are investigated to guide technology development to better deliver social equity, environmental protection, and economic prosperity for cities of the future.

A hybrid method to trace technology evolution pathways: a case study of 3D printing

Whether it be for countries to improve the ability to undertake independent innovation or for enterprises to enhance their international competitiveness, tracing historical progression and forecasting future trends of technology evolution is essential for formulating technology strategies and policies. In this paper, we apply co-classification analysis to reveal the technical evolution process of a certain technical field, use co-word analysis to extract implicit or unknown patterns and topics, and employ main path analysis to discover significant clues about technology hotspots and development prospects. We illustrate this hybrid approach with 3D printing, referring to various technologies and processes used to synthesize a three-dimensional object. Results show how our method offers technical insights and traces technology evolution pathways, and then helps decision-makers guide technology development.

The energy-water agriculture nexus: the past, present and future of holistic resource management via remote sensing technologies

The nexus between energy, water and agricultural production is important to consider for effective resource management and risk mitigation. New data acquisition techniques, in conjunction with cheap storage applications, have facilitated the collection and analysis of massive datasets to holistically describe natural and built environments. However, the field of coupling energy, water and agricultural management through evolving remote sensing technologies is still nascent. We find that remote sensing technologies are being increasingly utilized for resource management, but there are still large opportunities to deploy these technologies to achieve integrated resource management goals. Thus, this article aims to bridge remote sensing and integrated resource management communities, which have largely developed in isolation, so that technologies can be developed to assist in achieving sustainable development. The opportunities and challenges highlighted in this article can guide technology development, research opportunities and create new interdisciplinary research partnerships.

Towards an optimal contact metal for CNTFETs.

Downscaling of the contact length Lc of a side-contacted carbon nanotube field-effect transistor (CNTFET) is challenging because of the rapidly increasing contact resistance as Lc falls below 20-50 nm. If in agreement with existing experimental results, theoretical work might answer the question, which metals yield the lowest CNT-metal contact resistance and what physical mechanisms govern the geometry dependence of the contact resistance. However, at the scale of 10 nm, parameter-free models of electron transport become computationally prohibitively expensive. In our work we used a dedicated combination of the Green function formalism and density functional theory to perform an overall ab initio simulation of extended CNT-metal contacts of an arbitrary length (including infinite), a previously not achievable level of simulations. We provide a systematic and comprehensive discussion of metal-CNT contact properties as a function of the metal type and the contact length. We have found and been able to explain very uncommon relations between chemical, physical and electrical properties observed in CNT-metal contacts. The calculated electrical characteristics are in reasonable quantitative agreement and exhibit similar trends as the latest experimental data in terms of: (i) contact resistance for Lc = ∞, (ii) scaling of contact resistance Rc(Lc); (iii) metal-defined polarity of a CNTFET. Our results can guide technology development and contact material selection for downscaling the length of side-contacts below 10 nm.

Modeling music perception in impaired listeners

We employ computational models of loudness and pitch perception to better understand the impact of sensorineural hearing loss on music perception, with the aim of guiding technology development for hearing-impaired listeners. Traditionally, hearing aid development has been geared towards improving speech intelligibility and has largely failed to provide adequate restoration of music to those with hearing loss. One difficulty with trying to improve music perception in impaired listeners is the absence of a good quantitative measure of music reception, analogous to speech reception measures like word-recognition rate. Psychoacoustic models for loudness and pitch allow us to guage quantitative parameters relevant to music perception and make predictions about the type of deficits listeners face. We examine the impact of hearing loss to predicted measures of loudness, specific loudness, pitch, and consonance and make suggestions on possible methods for restoration.

A Retrospective Review of TATRC Funding for Medical Modeling and Simulation Technologies

In February 2000, the U.S. Army's Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC) and the U.S. Army's Simulation, Training, and Instrumentation Command cohosted an Integrated Research Team conference in Maryland. The goal of the conference was to enable end users, researchers, materiel developers, and other government agencies to present their conceptions of how modeling and simulation could and should be developed to meet military medical needs. During the past 9 years, TATRC has funded more than 175 projects relating to simulation. This study was a retrospective review of TATRC's Modeling and Simulation Training projects (N = 175). Our results show that most (>75%) of the funded projects in this study involved industry. More than 85% of the projects that involved industry focused on technology development. Industry development projects seemed to meet their deliverables in a timely fashion. However, academia projects using industry-developed technologies and prototypes were delayed largely because the technologies did not meet their needs. There seems to be a measurable gap between industry's definition of a completed product technology and academia's ability to implement and use the technology in interactive learning environments. Our findings support the need for a standardized strategic design process that involves a strong industry-academia collaboration and early end-user testing to better facilitate the development of sound requirements that guide technology development.

Technology path assessment for sustainable technology development

SummaryForming strategy and policy that guide technology development into sustainable paths is great a challenge. Different kinds of environmental assessment tools exist, that take into account the benefits and disadvantages of different technologies. However, they pay little attention to the dynamics of technical change. This paper presents a technology path assessment, which consists of three parts that roughly deal with the questions: Where do we want to go? What is happening now? And, how can the current development be linked to future desirable outcomes – is there a risk that the long-term best options are locked out? The assessment makes use of and brings together bits and pieces of existing assessment methods, but also suggest the need for new methodological tools. The theoretical development within evolutionary economics and science and technology studies could be used to further develop the methodology. To illustrate the methodology and key concepts, examples from three technological areas are given, the historical case of nuclear energy and two cases of ongoing technology developments represented by solar photovoltaics (PV) and new fuels in the transportation sector.

Problem driven CVE technology development

The need for a real-world driving problem to guide technology development has long been recognised. However, this does not guarantee the identification of requirements for technology development. This paper argues that a more systematic approach is needed for choosing and making best use of a driving problem for CVE technology. The method consists of identifying the stakeholders in the technology development project. A series of issues must then be addressed: choice of problem area, choice of application, choice of research approach, design of the application, ensuring use by real users, choice of method of study, and identification of technology requirements. The method is illustrated by considering the development of the Deva CVE system with an art-based application and with an educational application.

Guiding technology development and transition into products responsive to end-user needs

It is argued that a systems engineering process that develops an understanding of end-user needs and economically develops a product system which includes the right technology advances to satisfy these needs is the best way to ensure success in the market of end-user needs. This customer pulled approach to new and improved products also pulls the necessary technology developments with it and integrates their timing and resource requirements into those of the end product planning. With appropriate concurrent, cross-functional teams working both the planning and the execution, this approach benefits from the wisdom and leadership of the end-user focused team to deliver the desired program results on schedule. This frees top leadership to focus on longer range visions for the product line and technologies.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

Two-stage earth-to-orbit vehicles with dual-fuel Orbiter propulsion

Earth-to-orbit vehicle studies of future replacements for the Space Shuttle are needed to guide technology development. Previous studies that have examined single-stage vehicles have shown advantages for dual-fuel propulsion. Previous two-stage system studies have assumed all-hydrogen fuel for the orbiters. The present study examined dual-fuel orbiters and found that the system dry mass could be reduced with this concept. The possibility of staging the booster at a staging velocity low enough to allow coastback to the launch site ts shown to be beneficial, particularly in combination with a dual-fuel orbiter. An engine evaluation indicated the same ranking of engines as a previous single-stage study. Propane and RP-1 fuels result in lower vehicle dry mass than methane, and staged-combustion engines are preferred over gas-generator engines. The sensitivity to the engine selection is less for two-stage systems than for single-stage systems.