Technical Achievement Research Articles

The Role of the European Parliament in the Development of the EU-USA Transatlantic Relations

This article explores the scope and evolution of the European transatlantic policy with the United States of America (USA). Our research questions are related to the number and content of the texts adopted by the European Parliament (EP) and the role of the EP and its Committees in shaping the European transatlantic policies. We examine which are the committees that lead and guide the EP transatlantic conclusions. Within this context, this research paper highlights the substance of the European Union (EU) and the USA relations over the last 25 years and the major areas in which the EU cooperates with the USA. We have built our research on the European Parliament since it has legislative authority in shaping and guiding EU’s external policy. Therefore, our study brings a new perspective to the current literature on transatlantic relations by assessing the EU-USA relations from the EP conclusions and adopted legal texts. A document and policy analysis are conducted between 1999 and 2024, to assess each of the last five Parliamentary Terms and through the entire current EU laws in force. We conclude that despite studies asserting the weakening of the EU-USA relations, EU’s relations have been consistent since 1999 and even increasing in the last decade, from technical and legal achievement, based on the quantitative and contentive analysis of our research.

Prolonged operative time significantly impacts on the incidence of complications in spinal surgery

BackgroundIn spinal surgery adverse events (AE) and surgical complications (SC) significantly affect patient’s outcome and quality of life. The duration of surgery has been investigated in different surgical field as risk factor for complications. The aim of this study is to analyze the correlation between operative time and adverse events in spinal surgery.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed data collected prospectively in a cohort of 336 patients surgically treated for spinal diseases of oncological and degenerative origin in a single center, between January 2017 to January 2018. Demographics and clinical data were collected. Adverse events were classified using Spinal Adverse Events Severity System version 2 (SAVES-V2) capture system. Focusing on degenerative patients, bivariate analysis and univariate logistic regression were used to determine the association between operative time and complications.ResultsA total of 105/336 patients experienced an AE related to surgery, respectively 38% in the oncological group and 28% in the degenerative group. The average age at surgery was 60.3 years (SD 17.1) and the mean operative time was 164.8 ± 138 min. A total of 206 adverse events (30 intraoperative, 135 early postoperative and 41 late postoperative AEs) were recorded. Early post-operative complications accounted for the most recorded AEs (55.5% in the oncological group and 73.2% in the degenerative group). Univariate logistic regression analyses confirmed that operative time correlated with increased risk of intra-operative (p-value = 0.0008), early post-operative (p-value < 0.001) and late post-operative (p-value < 0.001) adverse events.ConclusionsThis study highlights the strong correlation between the occurrence of adverse events in spinal surgery and prolonged operative time and suggests that efforts should be made to minimize the duration of surgical procedures while prioritizing patient’s safety, without compromising the technical achievement of the procedure.

The Manganari's Legacy: an atlas of the Black Sea, Drawn from Nature

This article delves into the historical and cartographic significance of the Manganari Atlas, a monumental work that marked a pivotal moment in the maritime cartography of the Black Sea during the nineteenth century. Originating from the Russian Empire's strategic desire to enhance navigation and assert its presence in the Black Sea, the atlas represents not only a technical achievement in mapping but also a cultural and political artifact of its time. Through a meticulous analysis of the atlas, this study highlights the challenges encountered in its creation, the technical innovations employed, and the political motivations driving its development. The atlas is examined not merely as a collection of maps but as a synthesis of the cultural, linguistic, and geopolitical landscape of the era, reflecting the Russian Empire's aspirations. The panoramic images by Kukharevsky are particularly noted for their potential to aid in coastal geomorphological studies and the reconstruction of various geographical landscapes. The article also addresses the necessity of understanding the technical aspects of cartography for accurate analysis and comparison of historical maps.

Unlocking the potential of peatlands and paludiculture to achieve Germany’s climate targets: obstacles and major fields of action

Greenhouse gas emissions from drained peatlands must be substantially reduced to meet climate mitigation targets. In Germany, annual peatland emissions of 53 Mt CO2e account for more than 7% of total national GHG emissions. Peatland drainage and reclamation is traditionally considered as a symbol of progress and technical achievement, where agriculture has been the major driver. In Germany, an area of 1.3 million ha of drained peatlands used for agriculture ought to be rewetted by 2050 to meet the 1.5°C target of the Paris Agreement. Paludiculture allows a productive use of wet peatlands instead of abandonment following rewetting. This approach might therefore pave the way for voluntary large-scale peatland rewetting. However, implementation remains scarce. The long history and large extent of peatland drainage has shaped the political and legal framework as well as perceptions and attitudes, thus impeding rewetting and climate-friendly peatland use. This policy and practice review investigates the political, legal, economic and social aspects that hinder the implementation in Germany and derives approaches to overcome multifold restrictions. Finally, three major fields of action are identified: (1) To increase and accelerate rewetting, a consistent peatland mainstreaming approach is needed that overcomes structural barriers and adapts the policy and legal framework, e.g., the Common Agricultural Policy, planning law, water law and nature conservation law. (2) To motivate for a rapid transition, a system of immediate, comprehensive and attractive positive incentives is needed. This should be accompanied by early announcement and gradual introduction of negative incentives to set a clear course and provide planning certainty for farmers and landowners. (3) A just transition depends on empowering local communities to develop and pursue perspectives tailored to their peatland region. Future research of peatlands as social-ecological systems can help to identify region-specific drivers for sustainable peatland management.

Congenital dislocation of the knee: A noninvasive treatment method

BACKGROUND: Congenital knee dislocation is a significant topic of interest in the possible application of new reduction techniques immediately after birth. This initiative aims to minimize the consequences of dislocation, ensuring the possibility of normal joint formation and functioning from the very first stages of life. This is not only a technical achievement but also an approach to providing optimal conditions for the health and development of children with congenital knee dislocation.&#x0D; AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the functional and long-term treatment outcomes of congenital knee dislocation using a new patented method.&#x0D; MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 120 patients (194 knees) with congenital knee dislocation were examined. The patients were divided into the main group (55 patients, 90 knee joints) and the control group (65 patients, 104 knee joints). The main group received the treatment developed by the authors using an Ergopower ER 7028 vibration massager. In the control group, the traditional method of orthopedic correction of congenital knee dislocation using a Von Rosen splint and circular plaster casts was employed. At the start of treatment, the age of the patients in the main group was Me 28 [Q1 28; Q3 30] hours and that of the control group was Me 30 [Q1 28; Q3 34.5] hours.&#x0D; RESULTS: A comparative analysis of the treatment outcomes of the main and control groups showed that the developed method for correcting congenital knee dislocation using a vibration massager and careful manipulations, in contrast to traditional technology, achieved the most accurate orthopedic correction in 95% of cases, ensured the restoration of the axial profile of the knee joint and its stability, and created conditions for the harmonious growth and development of the lower extremities in adulthood. In the main group, after conservative treatment of congenital knee dislocation using improved technology, indicators for assessing knee joint function (66.7%) and pain relief (98.2%) were excellent after 5 years of observation, which was confirmed by data from a clinical study and use of specialized questionnaires.&#x0D; CONCLUSIONS: The proposed innovative method of conservative orthopedic correction of congenital knee dislocation by vibrovascularization of the thigh muscles is a differentiated approach to conservative treatment, which improved the overall and long-term treatment outcomes.

Examining the Foundation: Scaffolding “soft” skills from entry to graduation in an undergraduate business program

Critical thinking, creativity, communication, teamwork, emotional intelligence, problem-solving, empathy, resilience, ambition, grit, innovation... (Heckman &amp; Kautz, 2012). These skills, known as a contentious four-letter “S” word (soft), are considered a requirement for employment and advancement for the 21st-century graduate (Carnevale &amp; Smith, 2013). Within a School of Business, in an environment highly regarded for technical skill achievement in diploma and degree graduates, faculty set out to investigate the contentiousness and inclusion of human skills in curriculum outcomes. While not directly built into the curriculum, there is an institutional understanding that human skill development is innately a part of the programs. The intention is that human skills (LeBusque, 2020), or power skills (PMI, 2022) naturally occur during course delivery, creating a commonality across foundational courses to reinforce the skill sets identified, developed, and refined as students complete their credentials. However, industry reports (Lapointe &amp; Turner, 2020; RBC, 2019) and the authors’ own institutional data collected from new graduates and employers indicated room for improvement in these skills. To gain a better understanding, the authors undertook a critical examination through a document analysis of all common core courses that form the program foundation. This involved 24 common courses, comprising 1,442-course objectives or outcomes, resulting in a range of 134 Bloom’s Taxonomy verbs. In this paper, the authors begin the first phase of this comprehensive study with a return to the course foundations. Through this analysis, the authors present a framework to better understand and strengthen the learning foundation, to proceed with realignment and strategic scaffolding of both technical and human skills from entry through graduation. Keywords: business education, skill development, course objectives, Bloom's Taxonomy, 21st-century graduate, document analysis

Breakthrough and Practice of Ground Penetrating Radar Detection Technology in Baiyangdian Lake

In order to investigate the stratum structure of the lake bottom in the Baiyangdian Lake area, implement the test of the water-based ground penetrating radar detection system, explore the working mode of the water-based radar detection, compare the water exploration capabilities of different hardware devices, analyze the electromagnetic wave propagation characteristics in the Baiyangdian Lake area, and interpret the geophysical response of the native strata at the bottom of the lake. The stratum structure data in the 15m depth range of the bottom of the lake was obtained to provide a basis for the establishment of a three-dimensional geological model of the Dian District. This technical achievement can strongly promote the construction of a lake and wetland water-land integrated technical method system.

Difluoromethoxylated Ketones as Building Blocks for the Synthesis of Challenging OCF2H‐Bearing N‐Heterocycles

AbstractInvited for this issue's Front Cover is the group of Frédéric. R. Leroux. The cover picture illustrates the potential of difluoromethoxylated ketones as building blocks for accessing challenging structures bearing the key OCF2H motif. These are represented here by a rocket, a highly technical achievement. Obviously, a parallel can be drawn between the building block strategy and a famous construction game. On the righthand side of the cover we can see the rocket heading towards a cell, highlighting the importance of fluorinated molecules in life sciences. Cover design by A. Loison. Read the full text of the article at 10.1002/ejoc.202300695.

PERTUMBUHAN DAN PERKEMBANGAN TANAMAN Gmelina moluccana (RE-NUMERASI KEDELAPAN)

This research aims to determine the annual growth rate, diameter growth, and technical rotation age achievement of Titi trees (Gmelina moluccana) 8 years after planting. The method employed is a quantitative descriptive approach, involving the re-measurement (re-numeration) of Titi trees to calculate growth rates and observe changes in growth stages. The results of the study indicate a current annual increment (CAI) of 2.69 cm/yr for diameter in the eighth year, and a mean annual increment (MAI) of 1.52 cm/yr for diameter. In terms of height, the current annual increment (CAI) is 2.48 cm/yr in the eighth year, with a mean annual increment (MAI) of 1.49 cm/yr. The achievement of the technical rotation age for Titi trees (Gmelina moluccana) based on diameter growth is reached in the seventh year. In the eighth year, the development of Titi trees (Gmelina moluccana) shows that 23 individuals are still at the pole stage, 52 individuals have reached the tree stage, and there are no trees that have flowered or fruited yet.

Drone-based meteorological observations up to the tropopause – a concept study

Abstract. The main in situ database for numerical weather prediction currently relies on radiosonde and airliner observations, with large systematic data gaps: horizontally in certain countries, above the oceans and in polar regions, and vertically in the rapidly changing atmospheric boundary layer, as well as up to the tropopause in areas with low air traffic. These gaps might be patched by measurements with drones. They provide a significant improvement towards environment-friendly additional data, avoiding waste and without the need for helium. So far, such systems have not been regarded as a feasible alternative for performing measurements up to the upper troposphere. In this article, the development of a drone system that is capable of sounding the atmosphere up to an altitude of 10 km with its own propulsion is presented, for which Antarctic and mid-European ambient conditions were taken into account: after an assessment of the environmental conditions at two exemplary radiosounding sites, the design of the system and the instrumentation are presented. Further, the process to get permissions for such flight tests even in the densely populated continent of Europe is discussed, and methods to compare drone and radiosonde data for quality assessment are presented. The main result is the technical achievement of demonstrating the feasibility of reaching an altitude of 10 km with a small meteorologically equipped drone using its own propulsion. The first data are compared to radiosonde measurements, demonstrating an accuracy comparable to other aircraft-based observations, despite the simplistic sensor package deployed. A detailed error discussion is given. The article closes with an outlook on the potential use of drones for filling data gaps in the troposphere.

Working live. A sociological account of the entangled relations of liveness through festival work.

The ‘liveness’ of live music performance is often understood as a sensibility or effect – a ‘magic’ or ‘energy’ – produced through a dynamic attachment between performer and audience. However, this popular meaning is elusive and offers a narrow account of the actors, dynamics and relationships involved in its production. Academic debates about ‘liveness’ have tended to reproduce and rely upon existing discursive frameworks of meaning pertaining to its dynamics and constitution that overlook other actors that are also crucial in producing liveness: the cultural and technical worker. This article develops a more sociological account of liveness that acknowledges a wider constituency of actors, objects and temporalities. By drawing on qualitative interviews with festival workers in Britain and the Netherlands, our sociological analysis of festival work demonstrates that liveness is an entangled set of relations that involves performers, audiences, technologies/objects and cultural and technical workers. We also show how the meaning of liveness should be temporally extended to include linear, cyclical and fluid modes. We argue that liveness is better understood as a type of human and technical achievement produced through a more complex set of experiences and participation of actors and objects. Through this examination of liveness, we also contribute to a better sociological understanding of the appeal of cultural work.

2022 개정 실과교육과정 기술 영역 성취기준에 대한 예비교사의 인식 분석

This study was conducted to examine the need for pre-service teachers to be considered in the education stage of the 2022 revised practical arts curriculum in order for the curriculum to effectively reflect the educational field. In order to achieve this purpose, researchers analyzed pre-service teachers' perceptions of technical area achievement standards in the 2022 revised practical course.&#x0D; This study’s results revealed several key findings. Firstly, pre-service teachers recognized the importance of educational content and the ability of teachers to educate students in reaching technology achievement standards related to the use of artificial intelligence, computers, digital devices, and robotics. Secondly, pre-service teachers’ perception of educational performance ability on achievement standards was relatively high as it related to cyberspace, digital devices, and plants. Thirdly, the Matrix analysis confirmed the need for intensive education of pre-service teachers to assist them in developing theoretical and practical skills in robotics, computing, and artificial intelligence. It was also found that high interest was needed in pre-service teacher education in intellectual property, digital devices, robotics, computing, and artificial intelligence.&#x0D; This study and analysis led to three conclusions. Firstly, in order for pre-service teachers to apply the 2022 revised practical arts curriculum to the educational field, it is necessary to actively educate them in the areas of artificial intelligence, computing, digital devices, robotics, and intellectual property rights. Secondly, pre-service teachers must be instructed in the value of achievement standards related to agriculture, along with other subjects that have been newly introduced to the curriculum, such as transportation technology and construction technology.&#x0D; Thirdly, the educational content to be emphasized in the pre-service teacher education stage should be carefully selected, focusing on the importance of achievement standards and the abilities of pre-service teachers.

Recent applications and potential of near-term (interannual to decadal) climate predictions

Following efforts from leading centres for climate forecasting, sustained routine operational near-term climate predictions (NTCP) are now produced that bridge the gap between seasonal forecasts and climate change projections offering the prospect of seamless climate services. Though NTCP is a new area of climate science and active research is taking place to increase understanding of the processes and mechanisms required to produce skillful predictions, this significant technical achievement combines advances in initialisation with ensemble prediction of future climate up to a decade ahead. With a growing NTCP database, the predictability of the evolving externally-forced and internally-generated components of the climate system can now be quantified. Decision-makers in key sectors of the economy can now begin to assess the utility of these products for informing climate risk and for planning adaptation and resilience strategies up to a decade into the future. Here, case studies are presented from finance and economics, water management, agriculture and fisheries management demonstrating the emerging utility and potential of operational NTCP to inform strategic planning across a broad range of applications in key sectors of the global economy.

Modern Novel Writing in the Eighteenth Century: ‘Classic’ and Later Perspectives

AbstractThis article provides a recapitulation of Ian Watt’s classic account of the rise of the novel in terms of the rise of the middle class which finds its ideological equivalent in the rise of formal realism. While this account has been frequently countered by revisionist approaches in a largely new historicist mode, which insist that the historical multifariousness of modern novel writing in the eighteenth century is not fully captured by Watt (Lennart J. Davis, Michael McKeon, J. Paul Hunter, Jane Spencer, Nancy Armstrong and Janet Todd in the 1980s, Marcie Frank, Jordan Alexander Stein and Mike Goode more recently), it has not really lost its persuasiveness to this day. As the article tries to show, this persuasiveness rests on the ideological implications of Watt’s account of early novelistic practice rather than its actual historical implementation. This diagnosis has recently been confirmed by Mike Goode’s approach to Sir Walter Scott’s and Jane Austen’s ‘synthesis’ of fully developed formal realism in terms of ‘media behaviors’ and their affordances. In the case of Jane Austen, for example, the fact that later media usage in fanfiction tends to turn to narrative techniques from before Austen’s synthesis (letters, journals, etc.) points to the (perceived) ideological limitations of her technical achievement of smooth assimilation of multiple points of view into a naturalized third-person narrator’s discourse. This opens up new perspectives on Smollett’s practice of unassimilated multiperspectivity, especially in his last novelThe Expedition of Humphry Clinker(1771).

Overview of MIM Technology Development in the Last 25 Years through Our μ-MIM Technology

It was a great honour for us to receive the 59th technical achievement award of Japan Society of Powder and Powder metallurgy (JSPM). We presented an overview of the metal injection moulding (MIM) technology development over 25 years of experience and future trends through our originally developed μ-MIM technology in the annual spring meeting of JSPM 2022, which are summarised in this paper.The μ-MIM technology is developed for especially small size metal parts with strict dimensional tolerances. We have focused only on a small complex designed metal part production in a net shaping, thus, the trend related to MIM parts larger than 50 mm in size is not covered. We have also joined the Micro Manufacturing Association in Japan since its establishment in 2018, which promotes micro parts manufacturing technology to the world. The demand increment of micro parts in various industries is never slowdown thus our μ-MIM technology overview might be instructive for both powder metallurgy and micro parts manufacturing interests.

IMPACT OF COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN AND DRAFTING ON STUDENTS’ ATTITUDE AND PERFORMANCE IN TECHNICAL DRAWING IN UNITY COLLEGES IN PORT HARCOURT

The study investigated the impact of Computer-Aided Design and Drafting (CADD) on students’ attitude and performance in Technical drawing in Unity Colleges in Port Harcourt using quasi-experimental and descriptive survey designs. Samples of eighty (80) Technical drawing students from the two unity colleges in Port Harcourt were drawn from a population of 228 students. Two research questions were answered and two hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance. Instruments used for data collection were Technical Drawing Achievement Test (TDAT) to determine students’ performance and Technical Drawing Structured Questionnaire (TDSQ) used to measure students’ attitude towards Computer-Aided Design and Drafting usage. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS (Mean and Standard Deviation to answer research questions, while ANCOVA and Independent t-test were used to test the hypotheses). The findings revealed among others; that CADD had significant impact on students’ performance in Technical drawing, and also positively influenced the attitude of the students. Recommendations include among others; that the Nigerian Educational Research &amp; Development Council (NERDC) should design a curriculum that will enforced the incorporation of modern technology software such as the CADD in the teaching and learning process in Secondary Schools in every subject areas as this will help to promote the learning outcome and thus bringing about positive change towards students’ attitude in the different subject areas. KEYWORDS: Computer-aided Design, Drafting, Attitude, Technical Drawing, Performance

Web-Based Intelligent Tutoring System On Students Achievement And Interest In Technical Drawing In Niger State

The study examines how a web-based innovative coaching system affects students' performance and interest in technical drawing in Niger, Nigeria. The hypotheses created in answer to the two study questions are evaluated using the A.05 significance threshold. The investigation was conducted utilizing a pre-post non-equivalent control group quasi-experimental study design. The study's participants comprised 428 National Technical College (NTC) II, students. The sample size for this study was 180 students, of whom 68 were in the experimental group, and 112 were in the control group. The experimental group employed Simple Random Sampling (SRS) and intentional sampling techniques. The instruments used to gather data are the Technical Drawing Achievement Test (TDAT) and the Technical Drawing Interest Inventory (TDII). The reliability coefficient for TDAT is 0.77, whereas the reliability coefficient for TDII is 0.79 using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation coefficient. The mean was used to answer research questions, and ANCOVA was used to evaluate the hypotheses. The study's findings demonstrated that web-based intelligent tutoring solutions are more successful in raising student achievement and piquing their interest in technical drawing than traditional teaching techniques. It was suggested that professors, particularly those teaching technical drawing, employ a web-based intelligent tutoring system for technical college students to enhance students' academic performance and pique their interest in technical drawing.

The Future of Precision Medicine in the Cure of Alzheimer's Disease.

This decade has seen the beginning of ground-breaking conceptual shifts in the research of Alzheimer's disease (AD), which acknowledges risk elements and the evolving wide spectrum of complicated underlying pathophysiology among the range of diverse neurodegenerative diseases. Significant improvements in diagnosis, treatments, and mitigation of AD are likely to result from the development and application of a comprehensive approach to precision medicine (PM), as is the case with several other diseases. This strategy will probably be based on the achievements made in more sophisticated research areas, including cancer. PM will require the direct integration of neurology, neuroscience, and psychiatry into a paradigm of the healthcare field that turns away from the isolated method. PM is biomarker-guided treatment at a systems level that incorporates findings of the thorough pathophysiology of neurodegenerative disorders as well as methodological developments. Comprehensive examination and categorization of interrelated and convergent disease processes, an explanation of the genomic and epigenetic drivers, a description of the spatial and temporal paths of natural history, biological markers, and risk markers, as well as aspects about the regulation, and the ethical, governmental, and sociocultural repercussions of findings at a subclinical level all require clarification and realistic execution. Advances toward a comprehensive systems-based approach to PM may finally usher in a new era of scientific and technical achievement that will help to end the complications of AD.

Engineering pivoting shade structures for the Dubai Expo

This article focuses on the engineering of pivoting sunshade structures for the Dubai Expo 2020, which won a Structural Award 2022. Synopsis Most engineers will be familiar with regular-shaped, fixed buildings or structures and how to design to ensure loads can safely be transferred to the ground. But what happens when your structure is bespoke, irregular, permeable, flexible and moveable? This article outlines the unique challenges involved in developing a successful design for the shade structures at the Dubai Expo, which involved extensive wind tunnel testing, prototyping and engineering well outside the Eurocodes and usual day-to-day work of most structural engineers. The project won a Structural Award 2022 under the Process attribute that recognises technical achievement and innovation.

Removing barriers to a sharing economy helps attain sustainable development goals in ASEAN countries

Globally, the barriers to the sharing economy are significant. They present a hurdle to attaining sustainable development goals (SDGs) and require the focus of policymakers and researchers. Hence, this article investigates the influence of removing economic, social and technical barriers on the achievement of SDGs. A supportive organizational climate is considered as a mediator, and its impact on the link between removing economic, social and technical barriers and SDG achievement in the tourism industry of ASEAN countries is examined. Adapted questionnaires are used to gather data from respondents, and Smart-PLS is applied to analyse the data. The findings show that removing economic, social and technical barriers positively influences the achievement of SDGs. The results also indicate that a supportive organizational climate positively and significantly mediates the association between removing economic, social and technical barriers, and the achievement of SDGs. The current research provides guidelines for regulators developing policies related to SDG achievement by removing the economic, social and technical barriers to the sharing economy.