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In Taiwan, issues in technology education (TE), such as indeterminate core mission and unclear role, could be addressed through an objective knowledge map of research to discern directions of development and prospects. This study explores sub-fields, genres, characteristics, and trends in TE research in Chinese and English over 24 years through bibliometric co-citation analysis using two databases: Web of Science and Airiti Library. As per the findings: (1) TE research has been progressing slowly in Taiwan, while it is developing rapidly elsewhere; disciplines integrated with TE include education and educational research, engineering, computer science, social sciences, and medicine; (2) research topics have evolved from industrial arts, technical and vocational education, technological literacy education, and curriculum development, to pedagogical skills of teachers of technology; other countries focus on "professional development of technology teachers," while Taiwan emphasizes "curriculum and teaching materials;" (3) clusters from different periods are complementary, and research topics and fronts reflect continuity; and (4) "assessment," as a research dimension, has received insufficient attention. Insights into the evolution of research topics and research fronts are offered for technology educators.

Abstract Citizen science, including structured and semi-structured forms, has become a powerful tool to collect biodiversity data. However, semi-structured citizen science data have been criticized for higher variability in quality, including less information to adjust for imperfect detection and uneven duration that bias the estimates of species richness. Species richness estimators may quantify bias in estimates. Here, we test the effectiveness of Chao1 estimator in eBird (semi-structured) by comparing it to averaged species richness in Breeding Bird Survey Taiwan, BBS (structured) and quantifying bias. We then fit a power function to compare bias while controlling for differences in count duration. The Chao1 estimator increased the species richness estimates of eBird data from 56 to 69% of the average observed BBS and from 47 to 59% of the average estimated BBS. Effects of incomplete short duration samples and variability in detectability skills of observers can lead to biased estimates. Using the Chao1 estimator improved estimates of species richness from semi-structured and structured data, but the strong effect of singleton species on bias, especially in short duration counts, should be evaluated in advance to reduce the uncertainty of estimation processes.

Extensive networks of large plots have the potential to transform knowledge of avian community dynamics through time and across geographical space. In the Neotropics, the global hotspot of avian diversity, only six 100-ha plots, all located in lowland forests of Amazonia, the Guianan shield and Panama, have been inventoried sufficiently. We review the most important lessons learned about Neotropical forest bird communities from those big bird plots and explore opportunities for creating a more extensive network of additional plots to address questions in ecology and conservation, following the model of the existing ForestGEO network of tree plots. Scholarly impact of the big bird plot papers has been extensive, with the papers accumulating nearly 1,500 citations, particularly on topics of tropical ecology, avian conservation, and community organization. Comparisons of results from the plot surveys show no single methodological scheme works effectively for surveying abundances of all bird species at all sites; multiple approaches have been utilized and must be employed in the future. On the existing plots, abundance patterns varied substantially between the South American plots and the Central American one, suggesting different community structuring mechanisms are at work and that additional sampling across geographic space is needed. Total bird abundance in Panama, dominated by small insectivores, was double that of Amazonia and the Guianan plateau, which were dominated by large granivores and frugivores. The most common species in Panama were three times more abundant than those in Amazonia, whereas overall richness was 1.5 times greater in Amazonia. Despite these differences in community structure, other basic information, including uncertainty in population density estimates, has yet to be quantified. Results from existing plots may inform drivers of differences in community structure and create baselines for detection of long-term regional changes in bird abundances, but supplementation of the small number of plots is needed to increase generalizability of results and reveal the texture of geographic variation. We propose fruitful avenues of future research based on our current synthesis of the big bird plots. Collaborating with the large network of ForestGEO tree plots could be one approach to improve understanding of linkages between plant and bird diversity. Careful quantification of bird survey effort, recording of exact locations of survey routes or stations, and archiving detailed metadata will greatly enhance the value of benchmark data for future repeat surveys of the existing plots and initial surveys of newly established plots.

Polyimide (PI) metallization using Ni-nanofilm (Ni-nF) as the copper barrier layer and catalyst layer of electroless copper deposition was carried out. The surface of the PI film was hydrolyzed by KOH to form a layer of poly-amic acid (PAA) and subsequently performed ion-exchange of K+ ions with Ni2+ ions. The doped Ni2+ ions can be rapidly chemically reduced to the dense and continuous Ni-nF, if the reducing solution [i.e., dimethylamine borane (DMAB)] contained a trace amount of Ag+, Cu2+ or Pd2+ ions. To characterize the materials and propose a mechanism of Ni-nF formation, Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS), field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and secondary ion mass spectrometer (SIMS) were employed in this work. The main reason of Ni-nF formation is caused by a high concentration gradient of doped Ni2+ ions in the PAA that results from the addition of those metallic ions in the DMAB solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]