Industry In Recent Decades Research Articles

Effect of external electric fields on the ionic conductivity of the PET ion-track membrane

Polymeric ion track-etched membranes with asymmetric pores have been the subject of increased interest in both the academia and industry in recent decades. This interest is related to the rectification behavior of the membranes and their possible applications. In this work, the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) membranes with conical ion tracks were investigated for different etching conditions. Thin PET membranes were prepared using irradiated foils etched in a NaOH bath with the help of external electric fields (AC/DC) of a specific polarity. After etching, the I-V characteristics of the membranes were examined in the KCl solutions with different molarities. The obtained results showed that the I-V relations are strongly non-linear, thus confirming the rectification behavior of the membranes. It turned out that the external AC and DC fields applied during etching play an important role. They make it possible to influence the pore etching process, and so the properties of the membranes, which is important for the intended applications. Keywords: polymeric membranes, asymmetric pores, polyethylene terephthalate, I-V characteristics, transport phenomena

RESEARCH ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TOOLS FOR AUTOMATING THE SOFTWARE TESTING PROCESS

The subject matter of the article is artificial intelligence (AI) tools for automating the software testing process. The rapid development of the software development industry in recent decades has led to a significant increase in competition in the IT technology market and, as a result, stricter requirements for corresponding products and services. AI-driven test automation is becoming increasingly relevant due to its ability to solve complex tasks that previously required significant human resources. The goal of the work is to investigate the possibilities of using AI technologies to automate manual testing processes, which will increase testing efficiency, reduce costs, and improve software quality. The following tasks were solved in the article: analysis of existing tools and approaches to test automation using AI; development of a conceptual model of a system that integrates AI into the testing process; exploring the potential of AI to automate various aspects of software testing, such as generating test scenarios, detecting defects, predicting errors, and automatically analyzing test results. The following methods are used: theoretical analysis of the literature and existing solutions in the field of test automation, experimental study of the effectiveness of the proposed test automation methods. The following results were obtained: the concept of a system that integrates AI technologies for automating software testing is presented. It has been found that the use of AI allows automating routine testing tasks, significantly reducing the number of human errors, and improving the quality of software products and the effectiveness of verification and validation processes. Conclusions: The development and implementation of AI-based testing automation systems are extremely relevant and promising. The use of AI technologies makes it possible to significantly increase the efficiency of testing, reduce the costs of its implementation, and improve the quality of software. The proposed approach to the development of an AI-based test automation system can be used as a basis for further research and development in this field.

Sensor-Enhanced Smart Gripper Development for Automated Meat Processing.

Grasping and object manipulation have been considered key domains of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) since the beginning of automation, as they are the most common interactions between systems, or a system and its environment. As the demand for automation is spreading to increasingly complex fields of industry, smart tools with sensors and internal decision-making become necessities. CPS, such as robots and smart autonomous machinery, have been introduced in the meat industry in recent decades; however, the natural diversity of animals, potential anatomical disorders and soft, slippery animal tissues require the use of a wide range of sensors, software and intelligent tools. This paper presents the development of a smart robotic gripper for deployment in the meat industry. A comprehensive review of the available robotic grippers employed in the sector is presented along with the relevant recent research projects. Based on the identified needs, a new mechatronic design and early development process of the smart gripper is described. The integrated force sensing method based on strain measurement and magnetic encoders is described, including the adjacent laboratory and on-site tests. Furthermore, a combined slip detection system is presented, which relies on an optical flow-based image processing algorithm using the video feed of a built-in endoscopic camera. Basic user tests and application assessments are presented.

Additive Manufacturing Technologies in Dentistry (A Review)

Background: Significant advancements have been observed in the additive manufacturing (AM) technology industry in recent decades. Due to the inherent variations among each AM manufacturing technique, new areas of investigation continually arise and require consideration. Additionally, the novel applications of additive manufacturing present new difficulties and possibilities for targeted focus. The aim of this manuscript is to conduct a comprehensive literature review that describes the various processing methods, precision levels, types of materials utilized, and potential applications of 3D printing technology in the field of dentistry. Data: An online search was conducted on databases including Research Gate, Google Scholar, and PubMed to identify potential applications of AM technologies in the dental industry. The most relevant studies on the subject were selected, including English-language articles published between 2006 and 2022. Conclusion: It is feasible to incorporate a variety of AM techniques in dentistry, which has led to improved workflow and acceptable clinical results. Moreover, the different technologies of 3D printing have a broad array of potential applications, enabling the development of novel and optimized techniques to produce dental products.

A Paradigm Shift towards Environmental Responsibility in Sustainable Green Tourism and Hospitality

The demand for various cultural experiences and easier access to travel has driven the exponential rise of the global tourism and hospitality industries in recent decades. However, the increased tourism has sparked worries about how it would affect the environment which led to a paradigm change in favour of sustainable methods. The phrase "green tourism" describes a collection of behaviors designed to reduce the adverse effects of tourism-related activities on the environment, society, and culture. This entails implementing eco-friendly programs, encouraging conservation, and cultivating community involvement. Similarly, green hospitality emphasizes eco-friendly procedures in lodging establishments, promoting waste minimization, energy efficiency, and ethical sourcing. The carbon footprint of travel is one of the main issues that green tourism and hospitality attempt to address. With the assistance of carbon offset programs and the promotion of environmentally friendly transportation options, like electric vehicles, the sector is coming to understand the significance of lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, the implementation of sustainable building designs, energy-efficient technologies, and renewable energy sources in hospitality facilities helps to reduce their overall environmental effect. An additional crucial component of green tourism is water conservation. Water-saving methods, like low-flow fixtures and effective irrigation systems, are being implemented by accommodations to reduce water usage and safeguard nearby ecosystems. Waste management is essential to reaching sustainability targets in the tourism and hospitality industries. There is a growing movement to reduce the use of single-use plastics, encourage recycling, and establish composting techniques. Establishments promote the circular economy and lessen environmental deterioration by encouraging guests to dispose of waste responsibly. The effectiveness of projects aimed at promoting green tourism depends on community involvement. Forming alliances with nearby communities guarantees equitable distribution of economic gains and promotes a sense of collective accountability for environmental preservation. Moreover, maintaining the uniqueness of sites is aided by fostering cultural sensitivity and respect for local knowledge. To sum up, green tourism and hospitality mark a significant turn in the direction of a more responsible and sustainable sector. The tourist and hospitality industry may make a substantial contribution to environmental preservation by implementing eco-friendly practices, reducing carbon footprints, preserving water resources, handling waste responsibly, and interacting with local people.

PUSHOVER ANALYSIS OF EARTHQUAKE RESISTANCE RCC STRUCTURE USING STAAD.PRO SOFTWARE

RCC structure has become crucial to the construction industry in recent decades. A structure must be designed with strong seismic performance in mind. A multi-story reinforced concrete building's seismic performance is planned in compliance with the current Indian code (IS 456 -2000). The study of each structural members performance is conducted using nonlinear static analysis. This paper study about a popular method to ascertain the performance level of a building is through pushover analysis, which yields results that indicate whether collapse occurs at the member or structure level. Performance-based design is used to evaluate the performance level of buildings subjected to earthquakes. Various approaches in nonlinear static analysis were developed to study the performance of a building. This assessment has taken into account a non-existing solid Rcc structure that is assumed to be located in Zone IV, as defined by IS 1893:2000, a classification of seismic zones in India. During the entire inquiry, brick work infills have been considered to be non-structural individuals. Systems for inelastic static static study include the Secant Method, the Displacement Coefficient Method, and the Capacity Spectrum Method. Pushover Analysis, a non-direct static approach, was used to examine the structure's weak points, building on static testing. The structure was recreated in SeismoStruct Version 5.2.2 using M20 cement and Fe415 steel support, as predicted in STAAD Pro v8i. After that, the research is carried out for 150% of the predetermined objective displacing for the structure to track individual yielding and the sufficiency of the core quality. The degree of damage suffered by the structure during the objective displacing is thought to represent the damage the structure would experience under configuration level ground shaking. Key Words: Pushover analysis, RCC structure, Pushover curve, drift velocity, STAAD.PRO, Earthquake structure.

Customer Satisfaction on Service Quality (With Special Reference to State Bank of India in Visakhapatnam District)

The rapid modernization of information technology and increasing competition in the financial sector has changed the landscape of the financial industry in recent decades. In most of the cases new technologies adopted in the financial industry gave the customers more freedom and convenience than ever. In the era of steep competition, the superior service quality is the vital, critical factor which can differentiate and improve organization’s performance. There is enough evidence that demonstrates the strategic benefits of quality in contributing to market share and return on investment. Measuring service quality in the service sector particularly in the banking sector is more difficult than measuring the quality of manufactured goods. Moreover satisfaction of customer depends upon service quality and service quality is increasingly offered as a strategy by marketers to position themselves more effectively in the market place. Therefore, the paper largely focuses upon the service quality through the SERVQUAL model in the select bank of select region and the methodology of the study is purely based on the primary data by conducting survey to identify customer satisfaction on service quality in the select bank.

Research on Using the SICAS Model to Analyse the Zara Marketing Strategy

The rapid evolution of the fashion industry in recent decades has been characterised by the rise of fast fashion, which challenges the traditional bi-annual fashion cycle by producing and disseminating new styles in a much shorter timeframe. Fast fashion democratises the fashion world, making trendy clothing accessible and affordable to a broader audience. A principal player in this transformation is Zara, conceptualised by Amancio Ortega, which grew from a small shop in A Coruna to a worldwide retail empire, epitomising the ethos of "instant fashions". This transition in the industry parallels shifts in consumer behavior models. Historically, the AIDA model suggested a progression from Attention to Interest, Desire, and Action. However, with the advent of the Internet, this model has evolved. The AISAS model, proposed in 2005, adjusts for the digital age by including the Search, Action, and Share stages. This was further modified to the SICAS model in 2011, encompassing stages of Sense, Interest and Interactive, Connection and Communication, Action, and Sharing. This model delineates the steps of brand-consumer interaction in today's digital age, emphasising the significance of connectivity, communication, and sharing in the consumer's purchasing journey. The article introduces the Zara marketing strategy based on the SICAS model.

Factors influencıng outsourcing of accounting services in Kazakhstani companies

Object: Outsourcing of accounting services has significantly influenced the finance and accounting industry in recent decades. This research analyzes the determinants of outsourcing of accounting services in Kazakhstan companies.Methods: Correlation and logistic regression analysis were used in the study.Findings: This research examined the overall situation of outsourcing and how it has affected the performance of companies.Conclusions: The research conducted created a framework for analyzing accounting outsourcing. The analysis of variables and how they influenced the decision to outsource or not outsource accounting tasks in their organization provides concise and useful information on the assessment of the importance of the accounting process in companies. In addition, the study also points to the relationship between the intensity of accounting outsourcing in the preparation of financial statements and the performance of companies as measured by the return on assets and the companies' leverage ratio. According to the results, it was found that there is no relationship between these two variables.

Decomposition and Analysis of Household Electricity Consumption Inequality in China

Achieving equal electricity distribution among households is crucial to equal access to socioeconomic opportunities and hence shared prosperity in China. This paper studies the inequalities in household electricity consumption with the Theil index. It overcomes the drawbacks of using the Gini and Atkinsons indexes in previous studies in this area. It provides insight into the inter- and intra-regional and urban-rural inequalities with inequalities decomposed with Theils method. Comparisons are made between the results for electricity and private consumption inequality, with possible explanations for the findings. The findings can substantiate several arguments. First, high income and personal consumption inequalities may not accompany substantial electricity consumption disparities. The latter is not solely reliant on economic well-being as the regions development and modernization may help universalize electrification when enlarging private consumption inequality. Second, inter-regional inequality is less significant for the overall disparity in electricity consumption than personal consumption inequality. The expansion and reform of the power industry in recent decades may explain the difference. Third, the climate also impacts electricity consumption and inequality. In cold regions, electricity expenditures can be rendered more unequal by the different choices of heating mode and appliance. Finally, industrialization, urbanization, and local development may explain the urban-rural electrical and private consumption disparity. Due to its natural and agricultural resources and early railway construction, the Northeast avoided growth in inequity after urbanization, in contrast to the East, Central, and West.

Artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, and big data techniques for the advancements of superconducting technology: a road to smarter and intelligent superconductivity

The last 100 years of experience within the superconducting community have proven that addressing the challenges faced by this technology often requires incorporation of other disruptive techniques or technologies into superconductivity. Artificial intelligence (AI) methods including machine learning, deep learning, and big data techniques have emerged as highly effective tools in resolving challenges across various industries in recent decades. The concept of AI entails the development of computers that resemble human intelligence. The papers published in the focus issue, “Focus on Artificial Intelligence and Big Data for Superconductivity”, represent the cutting-edge and forefront research activities in the field of AI for superconductivity.

Integrated Inspection on PCB Manufacturing in Cyber–Physical–Social Systems

The printed circuit boards (PCBs) industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in recent decades. The PCB manufacturing process is highly complicated and severely affected by social factors, which makes it very important to conduct integrated inspection, assuring and improving the production quality. In this article, we propose an artificial systems, computational experiments, and parallel execution-based integrated inspection method in cyber–physical–social systems (CPSS) to realize smart manufacturing. In this inspection system, rather than simply performing modeling, analysis, and control, we perform descriptive intelligence to construct production processes with limited multimodal information, perform predictive intelligence to conduct defect detection and defect prediction, and perform prescriptive intelligence to achieve defect diagnosis and defect management. In this way, our inspection system could offer a learning and training platform for workers to master professional inspection skills, provide an experimentation and evaluation platform for product defect monitoring and early warnings, and supply guidance about defect management and control to improve manufacturing processes. For technical implementation, we leverage a Transformer-based foundation model to achieve knowledge reasoning and human–computer interaction. As a result, we provide an innovative solution to cope with the challenges of quality inspection in current smart manufacturing, and expect its further applications in the PCB industry.

Behavioral and emotional problems and related risk factors of primary school children aged 6-11 in Guangdong, China.

China has seen rapid urbanization and industrialization in recent decades and children behavioral and emotional problems accompanied have been a heavy burden on family and society. We therefore aimed to estimate the prevalence and risk factors of behavioral and emotional problems in primary school children aged 6-11 in an urbanized area of China. Primary school children aged 6-11 from 15 primary schools were enrolled from Shunde District, Guangdong. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was used to assess behavioral and emotional problems and then determined risk factors associated with the behavioral and emotional problems. In total, 12 868 were included in the present analysis. The prevalence of total behavioral and emotional problems was 8.4% (95% CI, 7.9%-8.9%), which was gradually increased with age in both boys and girls. The prevalence was higher in boys than girls (9.8% vs. 6.8%, p < .001) and in children without siblings than those with siblings (9.9% vs. 8.1%, p=.006). In boys, age was positively associated with delinquent behavior, depression, poor contact, compulsive activity, social withdrawal, attention problems and aggressive behavior and was negatively associated with schizoid (p < .05). While in girls, age was positively associated with delinquent behavior, somatic complaints, social withdrawal and schizoid/compulsive activity but was negatively associated with aggressive behavior and sexual problems (p < .05). Behavioral and emotional problems are common in primary school children in the urbanized area of China and are associated with sex and siblings. These findings suggest that close attention should be given to these primary school children.

A Modular In-Vehicle C-ITS Architecture for Sensor Data Collection, Vehicular Communications and Cloud Connectivity.

The growth of the automobile industry in recent decades and the overuse of personal vehicles have amplified problems directly related to road safety, such as the increase in traffic congestion and number of accidents, as well as the degradation of the quality of roads. At the same time, and with the contribution of climate change effects, dangerous weather events have become more common on road infrastructure. In this context, Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions emerge to overcome the limitations of human and local sensory systems, through the collection and distribution of relevant data to Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAVs). In this paper, an intra- and inter-vehicle sensory data collection system is presented, starting with the acquisition of relevant data present on the Controller Area Network (CAN) bus, collected through the vehicle's On-Board-Diagnostics II (OBD-II) port, as well as on an on-board smartphone device and possibly other additional sensors. Short-range communication technologies, such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Wi-Fi, and ITS-G5, are employed in conjunction with long-range cellular networks for data dissemination and remote cloud monitoring. The results of the experimental tests allow the analysis of the road environment, as well as the notification in near real-time of adverse road conditions to drivers. The developed data collection system reveals itself as a potentially valuable tool for improving road safety and to iterate on the current Road Weather Models (RWMs).

An overview fair play regulation in England premier league: Accounting information for leverage and financial distress to conservatism

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has become an industry in recent decades that has attracted many investors. The UEFA issued a Financial Fair Play Regulation (FFPR) policy to control the financial condition of football clubs. This study aims to determine the effect of leverage and financial distress on applying the principle of conservatism to provide a sense of security to investors and creditors. It is quantitative research that uses purposive data from the football companies listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2011–2013. The results indicate that the level of leverage and financial distress positively affect the application of the conservatism principle. In conclusion, the higher level of debt and financial distress will increase the company’s applying the conservatism principle. A suggestion for further research is to test the theory against football leagues in other countries because football leagues in other countries may have different rules.

Ideological and political study of college English courses under the guidance of ecological linguistics

With the development of The Times, the new curriculum reform is gradually promoted. Ideological and political course has become the key teaching goal in the current university curriculum, and also the teaching focus of the reform and innovation of the university curriculum system. As a public compulsory course for college students, college English course involves a large number of students and a long class hours. It is one of the main courses of development courses and ideological and political education. Ecological linguistics emphasizes the connection and connection between language and ecological environment, which has attracted the attention of the education industry in recent decades. As a language course, college English can be organically combined with ecological linguistics. Because language and its environment will interact, and language is the basis of social and cultural inheritance. Therefore, in order to improve the teaching level of college English, it is necessary to perfectly integrate ecological linguistics with ideological and politics of the course. However, in the current ideological and political teaching objectives of university courses, the integration of ecological linguistics has not been valued. According to the current background and the current classroom teaching mode of college English, this paper discusses the strategy of improving the ideological and political education level of college English courses under the guidance of ecological linguistics, in order to improve the current college English education system in China.

Adsorption properties of silica aerogel-based materials.

Silica aerogels have piqued the interest of both scientists and industry in recent decades due to their unusual properties such as low density, high porosity, low thermal and acoustic conductivity, high optical transparency, and strong sorption activity. Aerogels may be created via two-step sol-gel synthesis from different organosilicon compounds known as precursors. Various drying processes are employed to remove the solvent from the gel pores, the most common of which is the supracritical drying method. This paper highlights the potential of silica aerogels and their modifications as adsorbents for environmental cleanup based on recent researches. Following an introduction of the characteristics of aerogels, production techniques, and different categorization possibilities, the study is organized around their potential use as adsorbents.

Huanglongbing Pandemic: Current Challenges and Emerging Management Strategies.

Huanglongbing (HLB, aka citrus greening), one of the most devastating diseases of citrus, has wreaked havoc on the global citrus industry in recent decades. The culprit behind such a gloomy scenario is the phloem-limited bacteria "Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus" (CLas), which are transmitted via psyllid. To date, there are no effective long-termcommercialized control measures for HLB, making it increasingly difficult to prevent the disease spread. To combat HLB effectively, introduction of multipronged management strategies towards controlling CLas population within the phloem system is deemed necessary. This article presents a comprehensive review of up-to-date scientific information about HLB, including currently available management practices and unprecedented challenges associated with the disease control. Additionally, a triangular disease management approach has been introduced targeting pathogen, host, and vector. Pathogen-targeting approaches include (i) inhibition of important proteins of CLas, (ii) use of the most efficient antimicrobial or immunity-inducing compounds to suppress the growth of CLas, and (iii) use of tools to suppress or kill the CLas. Approaches for targeting the host include (i) improvement of the host immune system, (ii) effective use of transgenic variety to build the host's resistance against CLas, and (iii) induction of systemic acquired resistance. Strategies for targeting the vector include (i) chemical and biological control and (ii) eradication of HLB-affected trees. Finally, a hypothetical model for integrated disease management has been discussed to mitigate the HLB pandemic.

Morphological Change and Internal Growth Factors of Firms in the Korean Pharmaceutical Industry in Recent Decades

The pharmaceutical industry is a regulatory-based high-tech industry that requires long-term R&amp;D investments from product development to market entry. This study investigates how pharmaceutical firms in Korea have grown their production size, changed their morphological structure, and identified the internal factors for sustainable growth in recent decades. First, with time series production data of pharmaceutical firms collected based on the production records of finished drugs, we studied the morphological change of the firms to adapt to environmental change by using general morphological analysis. Second, the pharmaceutical firms were divided into above-average growth firms and non-above-average growth firms, high growth firms, and non-high growth firms, using the decision tree technique to analyze and visualize the determining factors of sustainable growth firms. The general morphological analysis result showed that during the past two decades, in response to undergoing policy and environmental changes, the types of products by pharmaceutical firms have significantly changed from over-the-counter to ethical drugs and have shifted from generic drugs to more R&amp;D-intensive ones. Furthermore, the decision tree technique identified the internal factors of growth and non-growth firms for sustainable growth during the past three decades. The decision tree analysis showed the determining factors for above-average and high-growth firms, such as the firm’s size, age, R&amp;D investment, the over-the-counter drug to ethical drug production ratio, and the choice between chemical and bio drugs. The research findings imply that pharmaceutical firms must combine their strategy-side internal factors with the organization-side internal factors to achieve above-average or high-growth firms over the long term. Some detailed business and policy implications and future research topics are also presented.

Synthesis and Characterization of Carbon Fiber Nanocomposite Using Titanium Dioxide and Silicon Carbide Nanomaterials

Carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRPs) have spread to a wide range of industries in recent decades, including the automobile, aeronautics, and space industries. Recently, the emergence of new requirements for improved properties and features has become one of the major drivers of the introduction of innovative methodologies and process optimization. In this study, the effect of nanomaterials on the behavior of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites was investigated experimentally. The grafting of TiO2 and SiC nanomaterials onto the surface of fibers was performed by mixing nanomaterials in the epoxy resin. CFRPs were manufactured using vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) in this study and characterized using mechanical and thermal testing. The primary test parameters were carbon fiber with epoxy resin and 0% nanomaterials by weight. An increase in properties was observed in nanocomposite with 2% wt. of nanomaterials when compared with 0, 0.5, and 1% wt. Between 0 wt.% and 2 wt.%, the tensile strength, flexural strength, impact strength, hardness, and HDT properties were increased by 17%, 39%, 32%, 14% and 21%, respectively, due to the addition of nanomaterials into the resin.