Aligning RFID applications with supply chain strategies

Many large retailers decided to adopt RFID as their new supply chain technology, but RFID adoption by all industries did not spread as rapidly as initially expected. We believe that its benefits constituted the major barrier to its adoption, and argued that a major contributor to the delay has been its inappropriate implementation. Our study reports the result of six in-depth case studies, which, together with case content analysis of 88 reported RFID applications, provided us with a clear view of the RFID implementation landscape, suggesting that organizations often mindlessly adopted RFID applications that were misaligned with their supply chain strategies, leading to unsatisfactory benefits. Insights into how organizations should adopt RFID were developed from our results and were discussed.     

Centering of organic-inorganic hybrid liposomal cerasomes in electrospun gelatin nanofibers

A study investigating the embedding of stabilized organic-inorganic liposomal cerasomes in gelatin nanofibers through the electrospinning of cerasome-dispersed gelatin aqueous solution is presented. Fluorescent and transmission electron microscopy confirm the embedding and centering of cerasomes in the electrospun nanofibers. A simple mechanism is proposed for the centering of cerasomes in gelatin nanofibers. The ability to incorporate cerasomes capable of encapsulating a variety of bioactive molecules provides a promising method to functionalize polymer nanofibers.     

Transmission Electron Microscopy of Fe79.5B6.5C14 Network Alloys: Part II

When undercooled deeply into its undercooling regime, a molten Fe_79.5B_6.5C₁₄ ingot undergoes spinodal decomposition, splitting into two interpenetrating subnetworks which are denoted by α-(liquid subnetwork) and β-(liquid subnetwork). Transmission electron microscopy results suggest that there are three constraints on crystal growth when the undercooled, decomposed molten ingot solidifies, which are (i) the solidification is due to the advancement of a bulk solid/liquid interface. It consists of a number of α-solid/liquid interfaces moving in the α-(liquid subnetwork) and a number of β-solid/liquid interfaces moving in the β-(liquid subnetwork); (ii) to overcome two long-range composition gradients of C and B atoms; and (iii) the two long-range composition gradients stabilize the bulk solid/liquid interface. The morphology of a solidified or network Fe_79.5B_6.5C₁₄ ingot is explained in terms of the obtained microscopic results.     

Applying bifocal displays to topological maps

Presentation techniques for topological networks can be broadly classified as distortion‐oriented and nondistortion‐oriented. Although there has been a growing interest in applying various distortion‐oriented techniques, the application of an earlier example, the bifocal display, has so far been underexploited. This article describes a number of human‐computer interface techniques potentially relevant to the presentation and navigation of topological networks associated with transport systems, and describes a preliminary experimental study of a number of techniques for presenting the London Underground map as part of a real‐time information system for travelers.     

Inverted polymer solar cells with a solution-processed cesium halide interlayer

We demonstrate the utility of a low-cost cesium iodide interlayer spun from an aqueous or 2-ethoxyethanol solution on ITO in inverted polymer solar cells of the structure ITO/CsI/P3HT:PCBM/MoO₃/Al, where P3HT is poly(3-hexylthiophene) and PCBM is [6,6]-phenyl-C₆₀-butyric acid methyl ester. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of optimized cells was ～3.4%, comparable to that we obtained for inverted cells with Cs carbonate. The thickness of the CsI film was adjusted by varying the solution concentration. The concentration affected the surface morphology of P3HT:PCBM and the density of fractal-like aggregates (possibly related to the presence of Cs and film fabrication conditions) formed near the anode, as revealed by scanning electron microscopy. Auger analysis indicated a P3HT-rich surface. Optimization of the cells was achieved also by varying the thickness of the MoO₃ and the drying/annealing conditions of the active layer, as was evident from the current–voltage characteristics, external quantum efficiency spectra, and PCE. The cells with the CsI interlayer were compared additionally to cells with CsCl or CsF interlayers (with a PCE of up to ～2.7%), which were inferior to the comparable cells with Cs₂CO₃ or CsI. The surface concentrations of Cs and the halide on ITO were monitored using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The iodine level was low with the Cs:I ratio exceeding 8:1. In contrast, the Cs:Cl ratio was ～1.4:1 and the Cs:F ratio was ～1:1; the Cs₂CO₃ decomposed partially, as expected. Therefore, for CsI, as is the case for Cs₂CO₃ but not for CsF, Cs–O bonds are formed at the surface. Such bonds on ITO are important in modifying the ITO work function, improving the cell performance. The results indicate that spin coating solutions of the high polarity CsI is a promising and easy approach to introduce Cs–O on ITO in inverted structures for increased electron extraction from PCBM and possibly hole extraction from the P3HT-rich surface at the anode.     

Computation offloading balance in small cell networks with mobile edge computing

Wireless Networks - As a promising way to offset the low computation capacity of user equipments (UEs), mobile edge computing (MEC) has attracted great attention of academy and industrial recently....     

ASYMPTOTIC INFERENCES FOR AN AR(1) MODEL WITH A CHANGE POINT: STATIONARY AND NEARLY NON‐STATIONARY CASES

This article examines the asymptotic inference for AR(1) models with a possible structural break in the AR parameter β near the unity at an unknown time k₀. Consider the model y_t = β₁y_{t − 1}I{t ≤ k₀} + β₂y_{t − 1}I{t > k₀} + ϵ_t, t = 1,2, … ,T, where I{ ⋅ } denotes the indicator function. We examine two cases: case I | β₁ | < 1,β₂ = β_2T = 1 − c ∕ T; and case II β₁ = β_1T = 1 − c ∕ T, | β₂ | < 1, where c is a fixed constant, and {ϵ_t,t ≥ 1} is a sequence of i.i.d. random variables, which are in the domain of attraction of the normal law with zero means and possibly infinite variances. We derive the limiting distributions of the least squares estimators of β₁ and β₂ and that of the break‐point estimator for shrinking break for the aforementioned cases. Monte Carlo simulations are conducted to demonstrate the finite‐sample properties of the estimators. Our theoretical results are supported by Monte Carlo simulations.