Technical Domains Research Articles

Digital Transformation and Sustainability: A Study of how Firms Use Digital to Achieve Sustainable Goals

The globalisation brought about by the internet revolution of the twenty-first century has affected both technical and technological domains. As a result, a large number of e-commerce businesses worldwide were starting their digital transition. A firm needs to engage and conduct business with its surroundings. Consequently, there is an unbreakable bond and mutual reliance between business and the environment. The term "business environment" refers to the components of a business's surroundings that impact or define its efficacy and operations. A business organization's objective is to take advantage of opportunities and address issues that come up in the workplace. Analysing the business environment is essential for a company to thrive in its industry. Consequently, managers need to assess the workplace culture before putting forward winning business plans. The ability to handle competition is the cornerstone of developing a plan. Every strategy is predicated on comprehending the opposition.

Inaugural Australian urology bootcamp for early-career medical officers: improving knowledge, skills, and confidence to prepare for registrar years.

Surgical bootcamps provide hands-on learning opportunities for junior doctors and trainees in low-pressure, non-clinical environments. Participants develop skills, knowledge, and confidence in preparation for their registrar years. A number of international urology-specific bootcamps have demonstrated improvements in these technical and non-technical domains. However, there was no such opportunity for Australian doctors. In the first urology bootcamp in Australia, we aimed to assess participants' knowledge, technical skills, and confidence in managing urological conditions pre- and post-bootcamp. Twenty-five early-career medical officers attended the bootcamp and completed a comprehensive written survey at the beginning and end of the bootcamp. Results showed that self-perceptions of knowledge, confidence, and technical skill all improved at the conclusion of the bootcamp (P = 0.01). All participants reported the bootcamp to be 'useful' or 'very useful' in furthering their urological training. This study demonstrates the success of an inaugural Australian urology bootcamp in preparing junior doctors and unaccredited registrars for their registrar training years.

Disfluency annotated corpora for Indian English in technical domains

Disfluency annotated corpora for Indian English in technical domains

Unveiling challenges and strategizing solutions for sustainable agri-entrepreneurship development

The increasing emphasis on fostering agri-entrepreneurship in emerging economies is based on the understanding that it holds the potential to drive economic growth and sustainable development. Its impact transcends mere financial indicators, influencing facets such as innovation, job creation, and societal empowerment. This perspective is also relevant in the Indian context, where organizations promoting agri-entrepreneurship often encounter challenges. This study was carried out to identify the constraints faced by various stakeholders involved in providing and accessing entrepreneurial support, also strategizing solutions for the identified bottlenecks. Data was gathered through structured interviews involving about 200 agri-entrepreneurs and 43 extension professionals in selected states. Constraints as well as strategies in the promotion of agri-entrepreneurship were systematically categorized into four dimensions viz. administrative, financial, technical, and socio-cultural which were further ranked through Garett’s ranking method and Analytical Hierarchy Process. Financial and administrative constraints, including lack of priority lending, favoritism, and delays in fund release, emerged as significant hurdles for sustainable entrepreneurship development, other constraints among technical and socio-cultural domains include lack of prototype testing facility and orientation toward conventional ventures, respectively. Experts suggested strategies like post program funding support, timely disbursement of seed funding and transparency in pitch evaluation for mitigating the challenges. The overall consistency ratio of AHP matrix indicates a high level of agreement in suggestions among experts. Incorporating the suggestions through policy changes is expected to promote a sustainable food value chain thereby promoting sustainable agri-entrepreneurship.

THE IMPORTANCE OF TEACHING CULTURE IN ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES (ESP)

The importance of teaching culture within English for Specific Purposes (ESP) programs is underscored by the necessity for cultural competence and linguistic proficiency, particularly in professional communication. ESP differs from General English education by tailoring instruction to the specific linguistic needs within various professional and technical domains. As the globalised professional world increasingly demands effective intercultural communication, ESP programs must integrate cultural education to prepare learners for authentic interactions across cultural boundaries. This paper examines the importance of cultural aspects in professional communication and the integration of cultural education into ESP curricula, supported by the theoretical frameworks of Byram, Morgan et al. (1994), constructivist perspectives (Hughes & Sears, 2004), intercultural competence (Fantini, 1997), culturally relevant pedagogy (Ladson-Billings, 1995), multicultural education (Parker, 2019), and cultural intelligence (Earley & Ang, 2003). By delving into these pedagogical models and theories, the paper aims to demonstrate that cultural competence is not just an additive element but a core component of ESP curricula, essential for fostering professional, communicative competence among learners. Keywords: English for Specific Purposes (ESP); cultural competence; linguistic proficiency; intercultural communication; cultural education.

Endocrine surgery fellowship is necessary for competent endocrine surgical practice: perspectives from Australia and New Zealand.

Currently pathways to practice in endocrine surgery vary based on location and surgical training programme. International data highlights the impact of surgeon volume on outcomes, and the importance of understanding the learning curve in developing minimum training competencies. This study aims to explore how surgeons obtain competence in endocrine surgery in Australia and New Zealand, and perceptions around competence and scope of practice. A web-based survey was distributed to fellows practicing endocrine surgery. Participants were invited to complete a semi-structured interview to explore key themes around competence. Thematic analysis was performed. Responses from 87 surgeons, with 30% practicing primarily in a regional or rural area, showed 94% emphasized post-fellowship training to be competent in endocrine surgery. Median primary operator procedural volume learning curves were 50 thyroid, 30 parathyroid and 20 laparoscopic adrenalectomy procedures. Semi-structured interviews with 12 participants identified four major themes: (1) learning opportunities during general surgical education and training programmes alone are insufficient for consultant-level competence; (2) the importance of sufficient training to develop clinical decision-making, insight and judgement to appropriately select patients in the management of endocrine disease; (3) expected standards of clinical and technical performance are independent of practice location or context; (4) the importance of multi-disciplinary teams for complex cases including advanced cancers. Practicing endocrine surgeons acknowledge formal fellowship training is required to achieve competence across technical and non-technical domains. The definition of competence and expectations regarding technical outcomes are independent of practice location or context.

From human-centered to social-centered artificial intelligence: Assessing ChatGPT's impact through disruptive events

Large language models (LLMs) and dialogue agents represent a significant shift in artificial intelligence (AI) research, particularly with the recent release of the GPT family of models. ChatGPT's generative capabilities and versatility across technical and creative domains led to its widespread adoption, marking a departure from more limited deployments of previous AI systems. While society grapples with the emerging cultural impacts of this new societal-scale technology, critiques of ChatGPT's impact within machine learning research communities have coalesced around its performance or other conventional safety evaluations relating to bias, toxicity, and “hallucination.” We argue that these critiques draw heavily on a particular conceptualization of the “human-centered” framework, which tends to cast atomized individuals as the key recipients of technology's benefits and detriments. In this article, we direct attention to another dimension of LLMs and dialogue agents’ impact: their effects on social groups, institutions, and accompanying norms and practices. By analyzing ChatGPT's social impact through a social-centered framework, we challenge individualistic approaches in AI development and contribute to ongoing debates around the ethical and responsible deployment of AI systems. We hope this effort will call attention to more comprehensive and longitudinal evaluation tools (e.g., including more ethnographic analyses and participatory approaches) and compel technologists to complement human-centered thinking with social-centered approaches.

Analysis of multi-term arbitrary order implicit differential equations with variable type delay

Due to their capacity to simulate intricate dynamic systems containing memory effects and non-local interactions, fractional differential equations have attracted a great deal of attention lately. This study examines multi-term fractional differential equations with variable type delay with the goal of illuminating their complex dynamics and analytical characteristics. The introduction to fractional calculus and the justification for its use in many scientific and technical domains sets the stage for the remainder of the essay. It describes the importance of including variable type delay in differential equations and then applying it to model more sophisticated and realistic behaviours of real-world phenomena. The research study then presents the mathematical formulation of variable type delay and multi-term fractional differential equations. The system’s novelty stems from its unique combination of variable delay, generalized multi terms fractional differential operators (n and m), and integral implicit parameters, and studying the stability of the the newly formulated system as compared to the work in the existing literature. While the variable type delay is introduced as a function of time to describe instances where the delay is not constant, the fractional order derivatives are generated using the Caputo approach. The existence, uniqueness, and stability of solutions are the main topics of the theoretical analysis of the suggested differential equations. In order to establish important mathematical features, the inquiry makes use of spectral techniques, and fixed-point theorems. The study finishes by summarizing the major discoveries and outlining potential future research avenues in this developing field. It highlights the potential contribution of multi-term fractional differential equations with variable type delay to improving the control and design of complex systems. Overall, this study adds to the growing body of knowledge in the field of fractional calculus and provides insightful information about the investigation of multi-term fractional differential equations with variable type delay, making it pertinent for academics and practitioners from a variety of fields.

Managing resources for digital transformation in supply chain integration: The role of hybrid governance structures

Digital transformation (DT) plays a crucial role in shaping operations and supply chain management. Through real-time data sharing and automated decision-making systems, DT fosters supply chain integration (SCI), facilitated by key digital technologies like Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, big data, and artificial intelligence. Effective DT necessitates managing organizational digital resources encompassing technical domains such as software, hardware, and data science, alongside financial resources and managerial capabilities. Navigating the complexities of DT requires strategic decisions in supply chain governance regarding the management of these digital resources. While in-house development offers control and differentiation, it entails organizational and financial risks. Conversely, outsourcing digital activities reduces risks but increases technological dependence. Hybrid governance (concurrently sourcing in-house and outsourcing activities) presents a reconciliatory approach that can be valuable for DT in SCI. This study investigates the contribution of hybrid governance for DT, focusing on its effects on SCI and delivery performance. Through quantitative analysis of 379 manufacturing companies, our findings reveal that hybrid governance positively influences the digitalization of SCI and contributes to delivery performance through a digitalized SCI. Our research contributes to the theoretical understanding of hybrid governance in DT, offering insights into strategic digital resource management for SCI. It underscores the importance of balancing internal and external resources to optimize supply chain performance in the digital era.

EURAD state-of-the-art report: development and improvement of numerical methods and tools for modeling coupled processes in the field of nuclear waste disposal

The Strategic Research Agenda (SRA; https://www.ejp-eurad.eu/publications/eurad-sra) of the European Joint Programme on Radioactive Waste Management (EURAD; https://www.ejp-eurad.eu/) describes the scientific and technical domains and sub-domains and knowledge management needs of common interest between EURAD participant organizations. Theme number 7 is entitled “Performance assessment, safety case development and safety analyses.” A list of research and development priorities and activities of common interest to be addressed within EURAD for theme 7 have been established. Amongst others, the Understanding and modelling of multi-physical Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical-Chemical coupled processes (THMC) occurring in radioactive waste disposal is a major and permanent issue to support optimization of design and safety case abstraction. To tackle this challenge a research work package entitled “DONUT: Development and improvement of numerical methods and tools for modelling coupled processes” has been conducted within the EURAD join programming initiative. The purpose of this work package is to improve/develop methods or numerical tools in order to go a step further in development of (i) relevant, performant and cutting-edge numerical methods that can easily be implemented in existing or new tools, in order to carry out high-performance computing to facilitate the study of highly coupled processes in large systems, (ii) numerical scale transition schemes for coupled processes, (iii) innovative numerical methods to carry out uncertainty and sensitivity analyses. In this paper the work carried out within the DONUT work package is put in perspective regarding the existing concept and literature on the field. It does not pretend to be exhaustive but rather to put emphasis on particular issues tackled during the project.

ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT-ATHLETE ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE BASED ON MOTIVATIONAL CLIMATE

The study on the assessment of the student athlete’s motivational climate and their athletic performance was conducted utilizing descriptive research design. The student athletes from all the campus of the Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology were chosen using purposive sampling technique. It used the survey method to gather data. Survey-questionnaire was administered online via Google Forms to collect the relevant data. Likert Scale of 1- 5 was utilized to quantify the assessment of the student athlete’s motivational climate in two portion which is Coach- created and peer-created motivational climate of the respondents. Frequency count, percentage, and weighted mean were the statistical tools applied. Results revealed that 143 student athletes of NEUST had experienced motivational climate in terms of coach created and peer created and evaluated their athletic performance in terms of tactical and technical domain. Highest weighted mean of their coach created motivational climate is 4.78 which is the coaches and trainers always motivate the athletes in all of their games. 4.58 was the highest weighted mean in terms of their peer created motivational climate said that the athletes motivate their co-athletes to have a strong desire to win the competitions. On their tactical domain, 4.75 was the highest weighted mean which the Coaches and trainers have plans on winning the games. Highest weighted mean of their technical domain was 4.50 which the coaches and trainers are active during training. KEYWORDS: Coach created motivational climate, Peer Created motivational climate, Tactical domain, technical domain, Student Athletes and Assessment

Holistic Information Security Management and Compliance Framework

The growing complexity of cybersecurity threats demands a robust framework that integrates various security domains, addressing the issue of disjointed security practices that fail to comply with evolving regulations. This paper introduces a novel information security management and compliance framework that integrates operational, technical, human, and physical security domains. The aim of this framework is to enable organizations to identify the requisite information security controls and legislative compliance needs effectively. Unlike traditional approaches, this framework systematically aligns with both current and emerging security legislation, including GDPR, NIS2 Directive, and the Artificial Intelligence Act, offering a unified approach to comprehensive security management. The experimental methodology involves evaluating the framework against five distinct risk scenarios to test its effectiveness and adaptability. Each scenario assesses the framework’s capability to manage and ensure compliance with specific security controls and regulations. The results demonstrate that the proposed framework not only meets compliance requirements across multiple security domains but also provides a scalable solution for adapting to new threats and regulations efficiently. These findings represent a significant step forward in holistic security management, indicating that organizations can enhance their security posture and legislative compliance simultaneously through this integrated framework.

Construction and validation of an instrument to identify barriers to implementing pharmaceutical care

BackgroundPharmaceutical Care is a professional practice in high demand for implementation in Primary Health Care within the Public Health System. Consequently, it was necessary to develop and validate an instrument to assess the obstacles to this process. MethodsA methodological study was conducted in three stages: first, the questionnaire was developed based on the APOTECA framework, which includes Attitudinal, Political, Technical, and Administrative domains. Second, the content was validated using the Delphi Technique, with a content validity coefficient greater than or equal to 0.8 considered acceptable. Third, a pre-test was conducted with pharmacists working in Primary Health Care within the Public Health System. After validation, the instrument was administered to pharmacists participating in a training and support project for the implementation of Pharmaceutical Care. ResultsThe results indicated that the instrument was validated after two rounds of evaluation, with the first round involving 33 experts achieving a total content validity coefficient of 96 %, and the second round involving 18 experts achieving a total content validity coefficient of 98 %. In the third stage, the pre-test with Primary Health Care pharmacists resulted in a total content validity coefficient of 91 %. The final version of the questionnaire, which incorporated suggestions for improvements, included 19 questions. When answered by pharmacists, the responses indicated that Technical questions were the most significant barrier to implementation, followed by Political, Attitudinal, and Administrative questions. ConclusionThe validation of this instrument provides an important tool for identifying factors that hinder the implementation of Pharmaceutical Care within the Public Health System.

WIRELESS CHARGING TECHNOLOGY FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES: CURRENT TRENDS AND ENGINEERING CHALLENGES

Wireless charging technology (WCT) for electric vehicles (EVs) has gained significant attention as a promising alternative to traditional plug-in charging systems due to its convenience and efficiency. This paper systematically reviews 100 peer-reviewed studies on the advancements in WCT, focusing on wireless power transfer (WPT) methods such as inductive and resonant coupling, and the critical engineering challenges that limit widespread adoption. Key issues identified include power transfer efficiency, misalignment between the vehicle and charging pad, and electromagnetic interference (EMI). Additionally, this review explores the infrastructure and scalability challenges of implementing WCT in urban environments and highways, including the potential of dynamic wireless charging systems, which allow EVs to charge while in motion. Despite recent innovations, such as adaptive control systems and advanced coil designs, gaps remain in the research on long-term feasibility and standardization. This study emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary collaboration across technical, economic, and policy domains to support the large-scale commercialization of WCT.

The Urgency of Actors' Presence on Trending Hashtags on Twitter's New Media in the Frame of Social Network Analysis

The phenomenon of using social media as a new media to meet the needs of information in the community is the result of the rapid development of the internet. Now the needs of the community are easily met, because various things have been contained in it. This can be analyzed based on the phenomenon of trending topics through hashtags on social media twitter using Social Network Analysis (SNA). The purpose of writing this research article is that with so many soap operas in Indonesia that last more than one year on the Indonesian screen, it becomes an interesting thing, but it is not only in the real world, but has become a conversation in cyberspace, Twitter in particular. Using mixed method research methods with actor and network analysis techniques in the quantitative and technical domains of observation, record and descriptive analysis techniques, with Bruno Latour's network study approach. The subjects of the study were the network of actors and the flow of information on the hashtag #IkatanCintaEp1012. The use of Twitter social media as a new media can show networks and actors that make the spread of information and connectivity between fans in the virtual world increasingly stronger and faster in a hashtag network.

Application of transformer architectures in generative video modeling for neurosurgical education.

This article explores the potential impact of OpenAI's Sora, a generative video modeling technology, on neurosurgical training. It evaluates how such technology could revolutionize the field by providing realistic surgical simulations, thereby enhancing the learning experience and proficiency in complex procedures for neurosurgical trainees. The study examines the incorporation of this technology into neurosurgical education by leveraging transformer architecture and processing of video and image data. It involves compiling a neurosurgical procedure dataset for model training, aiming to create accurate, high-fidelity simulations. Our findings indicate significant potential applications in neurosurgical training, including immersive simulations for skill development and exposure to diverse surgical scenarios. The technology also promises to transform assessment and feedback, introducing a standardized, objective way to measure and improve trainee competencies. Integrating generative video modeling technology into neurosurgical education marks a progressive step toward enhancing training methodologies. Despite challenges in technical, ethical, and practical domains, continuous development and evaluation could lead to substantial advancements in surgical education, preparing neurosurgeons more effectively for their demanding roles.

Resilience Metrics for Socio-Ecological and Socio-Technical Systems: A Scoping Review

An increased interest in the resilience of complex socio-ecological and socio-technical systems has led to a variety of metrics being proposed. An overview of these metrics and their underlying concepts would support identifying useful metrics for applications in science and engineering. This study undertakes a scoping review of resilience metrics for systems straddling the societal, ecological, and technical domains to determine how resilience has been measured, the conceptual differences between the proposed approaches, and how they align with the domains of their case studies. We find that a wide variety of resilience metrics have been proposed in the literature. Conceptually, ten different quantification approaches were identified. Four different disturbance types were observed, including sudden, continuous, multiple, and abruptly ending disturbances. Surprisingly, there is no strong pattern regarding socio-ecological systems being studied using the “ecological resilience” concept and socio-technical systems being studied using the “engineering resilience” concept. As a result, we recommend that researchers use multiple resilience metrics in the same study, ideally following different conceptual approaches, and compare the resulting insights. Furthermore, the used metrics should be mathematically defined, the included variables explained and their units provided, and the chosen functional form justified.

Evaluation Criteria for Developing a Quality Management System for EdTech Tools

To support various changes in the education environment and teaching methods, a type of EdTech is emerging which utilizes new information technology and cloud computing-based platforms for education services and ensures more stable operation. As various types of EdTech tools are expected to become more widely adopted in school education in the future, there is a need for accurate information about these tools to be made available, as well as concrete strategies for expanding EdTech-based choice and effective utilization. This study aims to develop optimal evidence-based EdTech evaluation and certification indicators. The process involved five stages: 1) literature review, 2) gathering of expert opinions, 3) deriving improvements, 4) gathering opinions from school environments, and 5) finalizing a framework through analysis of school environment opinions and expert/researcher feedback. The proposed evidence-based EdTech evaluation and certification system includes five evaluation criteria in the technical domain (purpose, convenience, sustainability, integrity/stability, accessibility), with 13 evaluation items, and seven evaluation criteria in the usability domain (purpose, usability, functionality, compatibility, sustainability, integrity/security, ethics), with 20 evaluation items. The results of this study will enhance choice in school environments and contribute to the development of high-quality EdTech tools. The introduction of an evidence-based evaluation and certification system, based on objective data from EdTech stakeholders rather than relying on evaluation by a small group of experts, is expected to enhance trust in EdTech and improve its overall quality.

Validation of a surgical simulator and establishment of quantitative performance thresholds—RealSpine simulation system for open lumbar decompressions

BACKGROUND CONTEXTThe majority of surgical training is conducted in real-world operations. High-fidelity surgical simulators may provide a safer environment for surgical training. However, the extent that it reflects real-world operations and surgical ability is often poorly characterized. PURPOSE(1) Assess the validity and fidelity of a surgical simulator; (2) Examine the quantitative relationship between simulation performance and markers of real-world ability; (3) Establish thresholds for surgical expertise, and estimate their external validity and accuracy. STUDY DESIGN/SETTINGA cohort study of surgeons at a British neurosurgical center. STUDY SAMPLETen early-career “novice” surgeons and 8 board-certified “expert” neurosurgeons. OUTCOMES MEASURES(1) Face and content validity, and visual and haptic fidelity; (2) Construct validity; (3) Predictive and discriminative utility of quantitative performance thresholds. METHODSParticipants performed unilateral lumbar decompressions on high-fidelity spinal simulators that replicate the bony and soft tissue anatomy along with physiological processes such as bleeding and CSF leaks. Operating times, measured from first surgical action to either self-perceived satisfactory decompression or the end of allocated time, were recorded. The performance was also assessed independently by 2 blinded spinal subspecialist neurosurgeons using OSATS, a validated surgical assessment tool that utilizes 5-point scales on a variety of technical domains to grade the overall technical proficiency. Validity and fidelity were assessed by expert neurosurgeons using quantitative questionnaires. Construct validity was assessed by ordinal regression of simulation performance against real-world surgical grade and portfolio. Thresholds of expert status by simulation performance was established, and their predictive and discriminative utility assessed by crossvalidation accuracy and AUC-ROC. RESULTSOperating time and expert assessments of simulation performance (OSATS) were strong and significant prdictors of surrogate markers of real-world surgical ability. The thresholds for expert status were operating time of 15 minutes and modified OSATS score of 15/20. These thresholds predicted expert status with 84.2% and 71.4% accuracy respectively. Strong discriminative ability was demonstrated by AUC-ROC of 0.95 and 0.83 respectively. All expert surgeons agreed that RealSpine simulators demonstrate high face validity, and high visual and haptic fidelity, with overall scores showing statistically significant agreement on these items (all scores at least 4/5, p<.0001). There was less consensus on content validity, but with still significant overall agreement (average score: 3.75/5, p=.023). CONCLUSIONSReal-world surgical ability and experience can be accurately predicted by defining objective quantitative thresholds on high-fidelity simulations. The thresholds established here, along with other data presented in this paper, may inform objectives and standards to be established in a spinal surgical training curriculum.

Advances in East Polynesian zooarchaeology: Special Issue introduction, review (2016–2024), and assessment

ABSTRACTThis article both introduces our Special Issue on “Zooarchaeology and Human Ecodynamics in East Polynesia” and reviews recent research from East Polynesia at large. The seven articles and discussion essay derive from a symposium at the 14th International Council for Archaeozoology (ICAZ) conference in Cairns, Australia (2023). To contextualize these contributions, we review recent studies (2016–2024) from the region relating to human–animal relationships, including morphological, ancient DNA, and stable isotope research. Seven areas or themes emerge from our review, representing substantive, analytical and technical domains. These include (1) geographic coverage; (2) methodological issues; (3) assessments of anthropogenic impacts; (4) studies of domestic and commensal taxa; (5) animals in social, ritual and symbolic roles; (6) engagement with historical records and traditional ecological knowledges (TEK); and (7) emerging technologies. We conclude with a brief summary of recent achievements and propose future directions for zooarchaeological studies in East Polynesia and the wider Pacific.