Technology Transfer Research Articles

Laser-Micro-Annealing of Microcrystalline Ni-Rich NCM Oxide: Towards Micro-Cathodes Integrated on Polyethylene Terephthalate Flexible Substrates

Here in this work, we report on micro-Raman spectroscopy investigations performed on freestanding Ni-rich NCM (LixNi0.83Co0.11Mn0.06O2) microcrystals transferred to flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) host substrates. This technological procedure introduces a first building block for future on-chip-integrated micro-accumulators for applications in flexible optoelectronics, sensors, microbiology, and human medicine. An after-synthesis thermal treatment was used to help improve the material homogeneity and perfection of the cathode material. To this end, a local laser micro-annealing process was applied to the freestanding Ni-rich NCM microcrystals. The thermally initialized structural processes in the singular micro-cathode units were characterized and determined by micro-Raman spectroscopy. Micro-Raman mapping images revealed the evolution of a recrystallization process after the local annealing procedure. Furthermore, laser micro-annealing led to the suppression of the pristine “polycrystalline morphology” of the investigated micro-cathode regions. Besides the dominant characteristic Raman mode at ~1085 cm−1, most likely ascribed to lithium carbonate, metal oxides with Raman modes around ~550 cm−1 were identified. This highly efficient transfer and integration technology represents a basic building block towards micrometer-sized accumulators for a large range of emerging applications.

Re-Engineering the Educational System: Technology Transfer from a Behavioral Perspective

Re-Engineering the Educational System: Technology Transfer from a Behavioral Perspective

Technology license agreements as public–private partnerships for economic development: evaluations using surveys, input–output modeling, and regression analysis

We evaluate license agreements as a form of technology transfer that constitutes a public–private partnership (PPP) with the primary goal of economic development. These license agreements permit entrepreneurs and other businesses to turn government innovations into earnings. We constructed a complete database of all license agreements between the U.S. Department of Defense and private industry from 2000 to 2021. We first surveyed the companies involved, achieving a 96% response rate. The subsequently anonymized responses allowed us to generate sales numbers and to model a variety of other national economic impacts. We tallied approximately $32 billion in direct sales across 590 license agreements. While the majority of license agreements with sales belong to smaller companies (which often attract additional investment), some large companies generate higher revenues. Further statistical modeling with the heavily anonymized data identifies features of license agreement situations that influence economic outcomes. Technology license agreements are a form of PPP that performs well against its goal of economic development without the downsides of some PPPs. Importantly, entrepreneurs can use this form of PPP to attract investment and to generate jobs and other societal benefits.

Α Solar-Integrated Wireless Charging System for Electric Vehicles

This paper presents a well-integrated system combining photovoltaic (PV) energy harvesting and Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) technology to develop a Solar Wireless Electric Vehicle Charging System (SWEVCS). With the growing adoption of Electric Vehicles (EVs), the demand for efficient and sustainable charging infrastructure has become a critical issue. The proposed system utilizes photovoltaic panels as a clean renewable energy source to charge EVs, eliminating the need for physical cables. The system performance is evaluated using MATLAB simulations, considering key parameters, such as solar irradiance, power output, battery State of Charge (SOC), charging current, and voltage. The results indicate a peak power output of approximately 500 W during midday, and a high SOC of up to 100% by late afternoon. The charging current reaches almost 5 A, demonstrating the high system’s efficiency in wireless energy transfer/WPT. The concerns of this study are the prospects of SWEVCS in minimizing reliance on the power grid while promoting Renewable Energy Solutions (RES) for EV charging. Future work will address scalability challenges and further improvement of WPT efficiency to advance this innovative charging technology.

Foreign direct investment, technology transfer and the global issuance of green bonds

Foreign direct investment, technology transfer and the global issuance of green bonds

Comparative evaluation of cell-based assay technologies for scoring drug-induced condensation of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein.

Protein-nucleic acid phase separation has been implicated in many diseases such as viral infections, neurodegeneration, and cancer. There is great interest in identifying condensate modulators (CMODs), which are small molecules that alter the dynamics and functions of phase-separated condensates, as a potential therapeutic modality. Most CMODs were identified in cellular high-content screens (HCS) where micron-scale condensates were characterized by fluorescence microscopy. These approaches lack information on protein dynamics, are limited by microscope resolution, and are insensitive to subtle condensation phenotypes missed by overfit analysis pipelines. Here, we evaluate two alternative cell-based assays: high-throughput single molecule tracking (htSMT) and proximity-based condensate biosensors using NanoBIT (split luciferase) and NanoBRET (bioluminescence resonance energy transfer) technologies. We applied these methods to evaluate condensation of the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) protein under GSK3 inhibitor treatment, which we had previously identified in our HCS campaign to induce condensation with well-defined structure-activity relationships (SAR). Using htSMT, we observed robust changes in N protein diffusion as early as 3 hours post GSK3 inhibition. Proximity-based N biosensors also reliably reported on condensation, enabling the rapid assaying of large compound libraries with a readout independent of imaging. Both htSMT and proximity-based biosensors performed well in a screening format and provided information on CMOD activity that was complementary to HCS. We expect that this expanded toolkit for interrogating phase-separated proteins will accelerate the identification of CMODs for important therapeutic targets.

Welfare and productivity of the Chinese regional economy under forced technology transfer in the post-intervention period of the Green Credit Policy

Welfare and productivity of the Chinese regional economy under forced technology transfer in the post-intervention period of the Green Credit Policy

Translatable reporting of energy demand and rates in electrochemical carbon capture.

Electrochemical carbon capture has recently emerged as a viable alternative to temperature-swing carbon capture due to its comparatively low energy demands. However, as a new research area, the experimental and measurement practices have not been standardized, making it difficult to make comparisons among studies. Guided by questions of relationships, we critically review the energy and rate evaluation metrics in the electrochemical carbon capture literature to develop a set of guidelines to make new studies more meaningful and useful for future technology transfer efforts. We demonstrate the need both for more transparent reporting due to the ways that experimental choices such as feed and outlet gas compositions influence these metrics and for careful consideration of how experimental details translate to practical applications at scale. This work is centered on capture from stationary energy generators but briefly mentions special considerations when applying the technology to direct air capture.

Penerapan Inovasi Dalam Penguatan Pasar Melalui Digital Visual Branding dan Peningkatan Produksi Sari Lemon Yoeni

Sari Lemon Yoeni is a lemon juice drink located in the city of Medan which is used as an ingredient in other drinks, such as coffee, tea and other drinks that are usually served in coffee shops and restaurants. However, there are several obstacles faced by partners related to production, promotion, product branding, and packaging. The purpose of this activity is to transfer knowledge and technology to partners in an effort to improve product branding, production, promotion and product packaging, which is carried out in this activity is divided into three stages. The first stage of activity preparation, the stage of implementing coaching activities and evaluating activities. Activities will be carried out until December 2024. Based on the results of visits and interactions with partners, it shows that there are several problems as described previously. So the program and solution offered to solve the problems faced by these partners is to provide expertise training in digital content usage techniques as a means of promotion and marketing of lemon products, product packaging that is in accordance with Basic Standards and needs so that it can be used for packaging sales of lemon juice production results and understanding and registration of trademarks for products so that they can be sold in North Sumatra. The steady increase in production to 60 bottles/production and repackaging of the product is better than before so that it can compete in the market, and partners understand the importance of marketing using social media and e-commerce in increasing sales of Yoeni lemon juice products.

Alih Teknologi Pengolahan Pasca Panen Kopi Arabica Karo Dalam Peningkatan Produksi dan Pengemasan Menuju standarisasi Ekspor

Plantation commodities are one of the largest contributors to Indonesia's foreign exchange. In 2019, the total value of plantation exports reached IDR 359.14 trillion. As the fourth largest producer of coffee beans in the world, Indonesia places coffee as one of its leading plantation commodities. In 2019 until now, the value of coffee exports ranks as the fourth largest commodity in Indonesia. If this program's sustainability plan goes well, it is hoped that partners will be able to utilize the innovative technology that has been provided independently, increase harvest yields and be able to sell and distribute the harvest and even export to Malaysia. The activity will be carried out until December 2024. This activity will be carried out in Kab. Karo. The concept of knowledge and technology transfer carried out in this activity is divided into three stages. The first stage is the preparation of activities, the stage of implementation of coaching activities and evaluation of activities.Based on the results of visits and interactions with partners, it shows that there are 3 problems as previously described. then the programs and solutions offered to solve the problems faced by these partners are:The problem faced by Megara Coffee partners is that the very small sales results are caused by farmers directly selling the coffee logs to middlemen, because coffee processing activities are expensive.Megara Coffee and Warung Dayac do not yet have adequate processing technology and have done it semi-conventionally for post-harvest activities, namely with the help of a small huller machine with a capacity of 10 kg/hour. Increase in partner production up to 100% and partner product packaging becomes export standardization.

Free trade agreements and their effect on the Nigerian agricultural sector: An empirical review

The Nigerian agricultural sector, pivotal to the nation’s economy, faces challenges such as low productivity, limited market access, and structural inefficiencies that hinder its full potential. This empirical review examines the role of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) in shaping the sector’s growth and competitiveness. FTAs, including the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), offer expanded market access, increased agricultural exports, technology transfer, and economic integration opportunities. However, these agreements also present challenges, including competition from cheaper imports, dependency on external supply chains, and loss of government revenue. Empirical evidence highlights mixed outcomes of FTAs on Nigeria’s agriculture. While trade liberalisation has driven increased exports and productivity, domestic farmers face risks of market displacement and unequal benefits due to poor infrastructure, limited access to finance, and inadequate support policies. Insights from other nations reveal that the impacts of FTAs depend on country-specific economic conditions and policy frameworks. To maximise the benefits of FTAs, policy recommendations include implementing protection mechanisms for vulnerable sectors, promoting fair trade standards, enhancing infrastructure, facilitating access to finance, and fostering agricultural industrialisation. Effective FTA implementation and targeted interventions can unlock the sector’s potential, driving sustainable growth and inclusive development.

The role of NSS activities for development of tribal Societies in district Dungarpur, Rajasthan

The motto of National Service Scheme is NOT ME BUT YOU which has to be spread in youth. There are 17 units of NSS working in Dungarpur district and each unit adopts one village of its own and therefore has adopted 17 villages in all 1700 registered volunteers of National Service Scheme go door to door to spread mindfulness about education, medical and literary activities and also give information about public welfare schemes of the center and state government. Here, 80% of the students are from Scheduled tribe so there is basic need to improve the thinking of young mind through NSS. National Service Scheme inspires the youth to do social work along with education. By joining the National Service Scheme units, volunteers have to work to produce mindfulness on cleanliness, leadership chops, technology transfer to rural mass and help the rural youth for creating the job opportunity, through conducting different types of training programme. NSS inspires the volunteers and connects them with the feeling of public interest. This paper shows the social work of NSS and its impact on the creative development of Youths in villages and influence on public.

MRNA Technology Transfer Hub and Intellectual Property: Towards a more Equitable and Sustainable Model

mRNA Technology Transfer Hub and Intellectual Property: Towards a more Equitable and Sustainable Model

Advanced visual sensing and control in CMT-based WAAM processes

Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) can flexibly produce high-performance parts that meet the requirements of deep-sea environments, but it has problems with insufficient molding accuracy and surface smoothness, which require improved precision and quality. To address these challenges, this paper establishes a WAAM experimental system based on Cold Metal Transfer (CMT) technology. First, the influence of process parameters on multi-layer single-channel forming was studied. Second, a structured light visual sensing system based on a high-speed camera was developed. Finally, a method for controlling the camera’s triggering mode at low voltage was designed, effectively eliminating arc interference. The experiment extracted and preprocessed the laser stripe ROI (Region of Interest), extracted geometric size information of the weld seam, and then performed median filtering to extract the centerline and feature points. By constructing a CMT-based WAAM monitoring system, high reliability and quality control of the manufacturing process and weld formation have been achieved.

Indonesian Diaspora's Preferences for Dual Citizenship: Opportunities and Challenges for National Resilience

The Indonesian diaspora, which is spread across various parts of the world, has great potential to support national development through remittances, investment, technology transfer, and strengthening nation branding. However, Indonesia's single citizenship policy creates a dilemma for the diaspora, forcing them to choose between Indonesian citizenship or the country of residence. This study aims to identify diaspora preferences for dual citizenship policies, analyze emerging opportunities and challenges, and develop recommendations for implementation strategies for this policy. The results of the study show that the dual citizenship policy can increase diaspora involvement in national development, strengthen economic stability, and support Indonesia's public diplomacy. However, the implementation of this policy requires mitigating risks such as double loyalty and legal conflicts through comprehensive regulatory design. With the right policies, the diaspora can become a strategic asset to support national resilience and the vision of Golden Indonesia 2045.

Correlations among hope, fertility quality of life and negative emotions for couples undergoing their first in vitro fertilization–embryo transfer: a cross-sectional analysis

BackgroundThe global incidence of infertility is increasing, and infertility has become an important medical and social issue. With the widespread application of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) technology, the mental health problems of patients undergoing this treatment have gradually attracted widespread attention. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships among the level of hope, the fertility quality of life and negative emotions of patients who underwent IVF-ET treatment for the first time to provide a scientific basis for subsequent psychological support interventions.MethodsThis study was a cross-sectional survey conducted at the Reproductive Medicine Center of Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University. From February 2023 to October 2023, 1425 patients who received IVF-ET treatment for the first time participated in the questionnaire survey. The survey content included the General Information Questionnaire, the Fertility Quality of Life (FertiQoL) Questionnaire, and the Herth Hope Index (HHI). Pearson correlation analysis was used to examine the relationships among the level of hope, fertility quality of life, and negative emotions.ResultsThe survey included 805 women and 620 men representing 603 couples. The level of hope in patients undergoing IVF-ET treatment for the first time was positively correlated with fertility quality of life (r = 0.247, P < 0.01), and the level of hope was negatively correlated with negative emotions (stress: r = − 0.135, P < 0.01; anxiety: r = − 0.105, P < 0.01; depression: r = − 0.189, P < 0.01). Fertility quality of life was negatively correlated with negative emotions (stress: r = − 0.609, P < 0.01; anxiety: r = − 0.533, P < 0.01; depression: r = − 0.591, P < 0.01). Among couples undergoing IVF-ET treatment for the first time, the husband’s level of hope (r = 0.131, P < 0.01), fertility quality of life (r = 0.372, P < 0.01), and negative emotions (stress: r = 0.181, P < 0.01; anxiety: r = 0.163, P < 0.01; depression: r = 0.210, P < 0.01) were positively correlated with those of his wife.ConclusionsIn patients undergoing their first IVF-ET treatment, there is a significant correlation among hope, fertility quality of life, and negative emotions. Moreover, within couples, the levels of hope, fertility quality of life, and negative emotions of husbands and wives mutually influence each other. Enhancing the level of hope in this population is conducive to alleviating negative emotions and improving their fertility quality of life. The mutual influence of spouses should not be overlooked in clinical practice, and psychological support for both partners should be emphasized.

The Intertwined Threads of Blue Economy, Inclusive Growth, and Environmental Sustainability in Transition Economies

This research creates the critical relationship between the blue economy, inclusive growth, and environmental sustainability in 17 transitional economies from 2000 to 2022. Using panel-corrected standard errors (PCSEs) and the Driscoll–Kraay standard error regression approach, we examine how inclusive growth significantly decreases the ecological footprint while the blue economy increases these effects through sustainable marine resource utilization and clean technologies. Focusing on countries such as Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Iran, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Pakistan, Singapore, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and Sri Lanka, this study advances the understanding of how the blue economy fosters sustainability amidst rising consumption pressures. The findings underscore the potential of technology transfer, capacity building, regional collaboration and green finance mechanisms to unlock the blue economy’s full potential for inclusive and sustainable development, offering actionable insights for policymakers and future research directions in developing and transitional economies.

The Adoption of Farmer-managed Natural Regeneration in Dogonkiria, Niger

Abstract We examined the diffusion of agricultural innovations that improve smallholder well-being in sub-Saharan Africa. Innovations are slowly being accepted in the region, but villagers of Dogonkiria in Niger are an exception in adopting a technology known as farmer-managed natural regeneration (FMNR). We employed an exploratory qualitative methodology based on Everette Rogers’ diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory to investigate the microlevel dynamics behind the success of FMNR. Our findings demonstrate that the top-down technology transfer model required robust local-level participation, with local knowledge being a substantial element in the diffusion process. In effect, the area is experiencing improved crop yield and availability of wood for construction and energy. The results enhance understanding the relationship between external agents (state and non-state actors) and local beneficiaries in the context of new technology dissemination.

Structure-Adaptive and Power-Aware Broadcast Scheduling for Multihop Wireless-Powered IoT Networks

Wireless Power Transfer technology, which can charge IoT devices over the air, has become a promising technology for IoT networks. In wireless-powered IoT networks, broadcasting is a fundamental networking service for disseminating messages to the whole network. To seek a fast and collision-free broadcast schedule, the problem of Minimum Latency Broadcast Scheduling (MLBS) has been well studied when nodes are energy-abundant. However, in wireless-powered networks, a node can only receive or transmit packets after it has harvested enough energy. In such networks, it is of great importance to exploit the divergent harvested energy to reduce the broadcast latency. Unfortunately, existing works always assume a predetermined tree and a fixed transmission power for broadcast scheduling, which greatly limits their performance. Thus, in this article, we investigate the first work for the MLBS problem in wireless-powered networks without relying on predetermined trees. First, the problem is formulated and proved to be NP-hard. Then, two structure-adaptive scheduling algorithms are proposed with a theoretical bound, which can intertwine the construction of broadcast tree with the computation of an energy-aware schedule simultaneously. Furthermore, a power-aware scheduling method is also proposed to take the structure of the broadcast tree, the adjustment of nodes’ transmission powers, and the interference during transmissions into account simultaneously. Additionally, the algorithm for the MLBS problem under the physical interference model is also studied. Finally, the theoretical analysis and simulation results verify that the proposed algorithms have high performance in terms of latency.

Enhancing Rural Economic Sustainability in China Through Agricultural Socialization Services: A Novel Perspective on Spatial-Temporal Dynamics

Rural economic development faces significant challenges in the context of rapid urbanization and agricultural transformation, particularly in developing countries like China. Agricultural socialization services (ASSs) play a crucial role in promoting rural economic sustainability by enhancing household income and fostering regional development. This study investigates the impact of ASSs on rural economic sustainability in China from both temporal and spatial perspectives, employing the entropy weight method, double fixed effects model, and Spatial Durbin Model. Analyzing panel data from 30 Chinese provinces from 2011 to 2021 reveals significant positive effects of ASSs on rural income, along with spatial spillovers to neighboring regions. The results highlight regional heterogeneity in the impact of ASSs, with the eastern region benefiting from local spillovers, while the central and western regions gain from intensification and scale effects. These findings suggest that policymakers should adopt region-specific ASSs strategies, such as facilitating technology transfer in the eastern regions while leveraging intensification and scale advantages in the central and western regions, to optimize the effectiveness of agricultural support measures. Moreover, the relationship between ASSs and rural income exhibits a non-linear trend across various urbanization stages, implying that ASS policies should be tailored to the specific challenges and opportunities associated with different levels of urbanization to maximize their impact on rural economic sustainability. These findings underscore the importance of optimizing ASSs, tailoring policies to local conditions, and harnessing the role of ASSs in the urbanization process to promote inclusive rural development and foster sustainable rural economic growth.