New Ideas For Improvement Research Articles

A Literature Review on the Practice and Challenges of Project-based Learning (PBL) in Teaching Primary (STEM) in China

With the rapid development of modern society, China is more and more eager for innovative talents; therefore, the national policy supports the adoption of Project-based Learning (PBL) pedagogy in Science, technology, engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Although PBL can develop students' ability to solve real-life problems, such as solving the problem of sewage treatment in life, thinking independently, and exploring actively, the implementation of PBL in STEM teaching in Chinese elementary schools is still a great challenge because the current level of teachers in China is inadequate and lacks systematic training. This paper will analyze the positive views and shortcomings of previous researchers in relevant topics of inquiry through the literature review method and then propose some new ideas for improvement. For example, schools need to be better resourced with teachers as well and the government can provide schools with more funds to buy equipment to ensure that teaching and learning are equipped.

Spatiotemporal dynamics of the foxtail millet transcriptome during grain filling

AbstractFlag leaf, stem, and grain are all important for endosperm development (grain filling) in cereal crops. However, joint analysis of these three tissues during grain filling is limited. Hence, we employed RNA‐seq to compare the transcription dynamics in flag leaf, stem, and grain at different stages during grain filling. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between different tissues and stages were identified. The number of DEGs was increased from stage 2 to stage 4 in leaf and grain, while the number of DEGs was decreased in the stem. Through WGCNA analysis, genes associated with photosynthesis were specifically changed in flag leaves during grain filling. Lignin and branched chain amino acid synthesis‐related genes were specifically expressed in stem and grain, respectively. The phytohormone signal transduction and sucrose‐starch conversion pathway in stem and grain together promoted the offloading of assimilates from stem to grain and the assimilate accumulation in grain. These results provide new insights for further investigations on molecular regulatory mechanisms among different tissues of grain filling, and also provide a new idea for improvement of yield and quality in cereal crops.

Improved Triboelectric Nanogenerators for Self-Powered Systems in Flexible Electronic Devices

As the number of flexible electronic devices grows dramatically, the energy harvesting and storage technology of flexible electronic devices also urgently needs to advance. Traditional flexible electronic devices are battery-powered, which not only suffer from short endurance and large size, but also do not meet the new era requirement of environmental protection and energy saving. Therefore, this study investigates the self-powered system in flexible electronic devices using the Triboelectric Nanogenerator (TENG) technology. The research innovatively optimizes the TENG, proposes a liquid metal triboelectric Nanogenerator (LMTENG), and optimizes the optimal path selection problem. In the test results, the optimal output power of 567.3 μW is obtained when the contact frequency is 2 Hz for an external load of 15 MΩ. By comparing with the current TENG, the LMTENG significantly improves the optimal output power. On the other hand, the LMTENG is able to respond to a pressure of 22 kPa and maintain normal performance at 50% stretching. The study provides new ideas for improvement of triboelectric nanogenerators and also contributes to the optimization of flexible electronic devices.

Research progress on the role of PGC1α in mitochondrial dysfunction associated with Alzheimer’s disease

The transcriptional coactivator Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha (PGC1α) holds significant importance in the regulation of mitochondrial function during the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). PGC1α is highly expressed in the brain and has the ability to upregulate mitochondrial biogenesis. It modulates various metabolic pathways, such as the β-oxidation of fatty acids, which is important for generating ATP, and glycolysis, which supplies energy and protects against oxidative stress. The dysregulation of PGC1α can lead to alterations in energy metabolism in the brain, involving mitochondrial dysfunction and consequently decreasing cognitive function and neuronal pathologies. In the early stage of AD, the little amyloid-β protein (Aβ) induces the production of ROS, which upregulates the expression of PGC1α, resulting in increasing mitochondrial biogenesis, fatty acid oxidation and its mRNA expression. However, with the development of AD, a load of Aβ and neurofibrillary tangles ultimately lead to mitochondrial dysfunction, impaired mitochondrial respiration, reduced ATP production, and affect the behavioral brain function in AD. It provides a new idea for improvement or treatment of AD symptoms by activating PGC1α.

Research on energy‐saving technology of loader hydraulic torque converter based on MATLAB dynamic characteristic simulation

AbstractAt present, hydraulic transmission loaders have high automatic adaptability and convenient operation, but their transmission efficiency is low, and the intelligent degree of energy consumption regulation is limited. Strengthening the research of locking device in torque converter is an important measure to effectively reduce energy consumption. Therefore, the research uses MATLAB software and torque converter parameters to build the external characteristic curves of the engine and torque converter, and builds the dynamic model based on the working principle and locking process of the lockup clutch. The research and experimental analysis are carried out from three aspects of the lockup dynamic process of the torque converter, the lock‐up and unlocking conditions, and the change of the lockup oil pressure of the clutch. The results show that the speed difference range between pump wheel and turbine (233.08–365.44 rpm) is much lower than that of other cases (409.68–616.23 rpm) when the engine and torque converter are matched. And the fuel rate is the highest when the throttle opening of the loader is 70%, about 38%. The above results show that the locking structure of the hydraulic torque converter of the loader can effectively reduce the working vibration and improve the service life and fuel rate. And its energy‐saving application effect has an important enlightening effect on the performance optimization and resource utilization of construction machinery, and provides new ideas for improvement.

Finite Element Analysis of the Distribution Parameters of a Metal Dot Array in a SAW Gyroscope

A surface acoustic wave (SAW) gyroscope has many unique advantages, but a low detection sensitivity limits its development. Previous studies have shown that adding a metal dot array to the acoustic wave propagation path of the SAW delay line can enhance the Coriolis force and further improve sensitivity. Therefore, in order to optimize the detection sensitivity performance of the sensor, 128°YX-LiNbO3, ST-X Quartz and X112°Y-LiTaO3 piezoelectric substrates were selected by finite element method to analyze the influence of the metal dot array size on the SAW gyroscopic effect in this paper. The most suitable metal dot size for 128°YX-LiNbO3 and X112°Y-LiTaO3 obtained by simulation are 5/16λ and 1/16λ, respectively; for example, when the normalized angular velocity is 1 × 10−3, the SAW gyroscopic effect factor g of the two piezoelectric substrates distributing the optimum size metal dots can reach 22.4 kHz and 5.2 kHz. For ST-X quartz, there is a threshold between the rotation speed of the substrate and the optimum size of the metal dot. When the rotating speed is lower than the threshold, the SAW gyroscopic effect is strongest when the metal dot size is 3/16λ; otherwise, the SAW gyroscopic effect is strongest when the size is 11/16λ. These research results provide new ideas for improvement of the SAW gyroscope.

Observation: Setting the Foundation for Creativity and Innovation.

Observation: Setting the Foundation for Creativity and Innovation.

Complexity Science Fosters Professional Advanced Nurse Practitioner Role Emergence.

This article discusses role emergence from master's-prepared nurse practitioners to Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) innovative leaders who utilize Complexity science to impact health care organizations. DNP leaders are in position to disrupt linear traditional leadership and embark on new ideas for improvements in care delivery, organizational system processes, and policies within health care. Complexity science provides the necessary theoretical framework for nurse executives and stakeholders to interact with DNP leaders by engaging in collaborative efforts, cultivating communication from point of service providers to administrators, and coordinating interdisciplinary teams to approach gaps in practice, clinical issues, health care policy, and organizational sustainability. The DNP leader is aware that health care organizations are complex adaptive systems, continuously changing. These require skilled and knowledgeable leaders to support growth within an uncertain environment, and bring evidence to practice while promoting organizational wellness.

Views of psycho-oncologists, physicians, and nurses on cancer care-A qualitative study.

BackgroundAs worldwide cancer prevalence continues to increase, the challenges facing cancer care are also increasing. Various topics related to deficiencies in cancer care have been discussed repeatedly in the literature. The most frequently stated topics are the unmet psychosocial support needs of cancer patients, difficulties in multidisciplinary teamwork, difficulties in communication between physicians and patients, and issues in palliative care settings. However, there is little research regarding the views of health care providers on these topics. With the aim of gaining abundant information regarding the care of German cancer patients, this study explores the stances of psycho-oncologists, physicians, and nurses regarding the quality of cancer care.Materials and methodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) and in different oncological outpatient offices in Hamburg; twenty-five interviews in total were conducted with health care providers. Interviews were semi-structured to gain a broad range of information on cancer care. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis by Braun and Clarke with an inductive, constant comparison approach to identify themes and categorized codes.ResultsThe following five principle themes were identified in the interviews: “psycho-oncological care”, “cooperation of health care providers”, “palliative care”, “health care provider-patient contact”, and “coordination and organization of care”. Participants seemed satisfied with the overall quality of cancer care in Germany. Nevertheless, the results showed deficiencies regarding communication among different health care providers and between health care providers and patients. Important findings in conjunction with these communication problems were a lack of psycho-oncological support, shortages in the oncology work force, language and cultural barriers, and deficient education in the communication of providers.ConclusionsThe statements of psycho-oncologists, physicians, and nurses on cancer care provide a suitable basis to conduct further focused research on the studied deficiencies in cancer care. In particular, communication in psycho-oncological care, communication within multidisciplinary teams, and health care provider-patient communication should be further explored with the aim of developing new ideas for improvements and thereby enhancing the quality of cancer care.

Involving the students: outcomes and experiences from the participation of the board of European students of technology in the thematic network E4

In order to keep on developing the European dimension of engineering education, the European Commission decided to launch the thematic network Enhancing Engineering Education in Europe (E4) to continue the work done in the previous thematic network, Higher European Engineering Education (H3E). As in H3E, the input of students was considered to be important and valuable, and thus needed also in this new thematic network. As contacts had already been made with the Board of European Students of Technology (BEST) that had participated in H3E, and the cooperation had proved to be fruitful and reliable, BEST was chosen as the channel to get student presence inside the Thematic Network. It is an understatement to say that students as a whole are an important stakeholder in education, since it is in fact the students that are the actual recipients of education. After all, what would be the point of education without students? The question seems absurd, yet it is very often the case that students are not even consulted when changes are considered and implemented. That students should take part in the shaping of education needs to be recognized as something as self-evident as students taking part in education itself. The views of the students can indeed in several cases be more original and innovative than those of professors or other academics, and of course take better into account the students' own needs. Professors and academics have, or at least should have, more knowledge and experience than students, but at the same time we must all realize that the environment around us changes, sometimes very fast, and what was good at one time sometimes does not work anymore. Students are young and still fresh with ideas, without yet having been fixed into a particular way of thinking, thus being able to come up with new ideas for improvement, in this case for engineering education. Thus it is not only natural that students should be involved in educational changes because of their position as its recipients, but also because they constitute a source of innovation and freshness in its own right, something that should not be overlooked. The participation of students in the thematic network E4, via BEST, has allowed engineering students from around Europe to participate in the development of engineering education and their views to be made public to those who decide on how they are educated.

Self-Sensing Fedback Compensation for Piezoactuator's Hysteresis. 2nd Report. Improvement of Displacement Drift for Compensation Circuit.

Piezoelectric ceramic is ferroelectric and is showing a significant hysteretic loop in its displacement response. This paper deals with the development of a linear compensation circuit for piezoelectric ceramic actuators by the self-sensing feedback control technique. In this paper, the concept of self-sensing feedback control technique and the circuit design were presented in detail, and the effect of the electric leakage in the piezoelectric actuator was investigated. A new idea for improvement of the effect of the electric leakage on the displacement drift in piezoactuator has been proposed simply by adding compensatory resistors in the circuit.

Muon catalysed fusion-fission reactor driven by a recirculating beam

The recent experimentally inferred values of multiplicity of deuterium-tritium fusion catalysed by muons have increased the interest in muon catalysed fusion reactors. Since the main energy expended is in pion (and consequent muon) production, it is tried to minimize the pion loss by magnetically confining pions where they are created. At the present time, it does not appear possible to achieve an energy gain by pure fusion, but it is possible to gain energy by combining catalysed fusion with fission blankets. Two new ideas for improvement of the muon fusion reactor concept are presented. The first idea is to combine the target which creates pions, the converter of pions to muons, and the synthesizer in one vessel (synergetic concept). This is accomplished by injecting a tritium or deuterium beam of 1 GeV per nucleon into DT fuel contained in a magnetic mirror. The confined pions slow down and decay to muons which are confined in the fuel whereby muon loss is kept small. The quantity of tritium necessary to keep the reactor viable has been derived. The second idea is to collect the beam passing through the target for reuse and to recirculate it, while directing the strongly interacting portion of the beam to electronuclear blankets. The present concepts are at the margin of known technologies and are based on known physical processes and data.