Development and implementation of radiofrequency identification (RFID) technology for inventory management system : a case study

This paper describes a study to develop and implement Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for inventory management system in a supply store unit. Firstly, data was collected to identify the existing inventory management problems in the supply store management, and then followed by defining requirements of the system which suggested the use of RFID technology to fulfill these requirements. The development process included the utilization of specific hard-ware and self developed software programmed for usage in the supply store management. The system was tested in order to evaluate its efficiency, effectiveness, reliability, security and cost justification. It was found that the newly developed system had successfully managed to capture inventory data, track the borrower ID, keep the record updated and able to display the history of borrowed items, and also the fine imposed due to late return. The system also generated reports for inventory management and audit works in the supply store

Do We Need Trust Transfer Mechanisms? An M-Commerce Adoption Perspective

This study aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis of the factors that determine and shape consumers’ behavioral intention to adopt mobile commerce (m-commerce). By integrating the core constructs from the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), together with the trust-building mechanisms, this study explored the importance of the institutional mechanisms and their moderating effects between trust in the vendors and intention to adopt m-commerce. Traditionally, the effects of institutional mechanisms on trust and adoption intention have been considered separately in different study contexts. The purpose of this study was to extend the literature by simultaneously exploring two institutional mechanisms that are conceptually highly similar to each other, namely, structural assurance (SA) and perceived effectiveness of e-commerce institutional mechanisms (PEEIM). A self-administered survey was used to collect data, which were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results revealed that most of the constructs examined have significant relationships with the intention to adopt m-commerce. Additionally, PEEIM exhibits a significant moderating effect but SA does not. This study delineates how trust-building mechanisms play important roles in increasing consumers’ confidence in order to promote m-commerce adoption

Cone beam computed tomographic evaluation of the maxillary sinus septa and location of blood vessels at the lateral maxillary sinus wall in a sample of the Singaporean population

10.1016/j.ajoms.2016.09.005JOURNAL OF ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY MEDICINE AND PATHOLOGY29139-4

A Numerical Study on the Melt Track in Selective Laser Melting Using Aluminium Alloy 6061

Selective laser melting (SLM) is a type of additive manufacturing (AM), rapid prototyping or 3D printing method that is capable of building complex metallic structures. In this paper, the relationships of process parameters such as laser power and scan speed with the melt penetration, melt width, mass of material melted and evaporated are established based on a validated FE model on SLM that considers powder-to-solid transition, volume shrinkage and evaporation.Published versio

A descriptive qualitative study exploring the experiences of fathers with partners suffering from maternal perinatal depression

10.1016/j.midw.2021.103075MIDWIFERY10

The TRAIL to cancer therapy: hindrances and potential solutions

Apoptosis is an ordered and orchestrated cellular process that occurs in physiological and pathological conditions. Resistance to apoptosis is a hallmark of virtually all malignancies. Despite being a cause of pathological conditions, apoptosis could be a promising target in cancer treatment. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), also known as Apo-2 ligand (Apo2L), is a member of TNF cytokine superfamily. It is a potent anti-cancer agent owing to its specific targeting towards cancerous cells, while sparing normal cells, to induce apoptosis. However, resistance occurs either intrinsically or after multiple treatments which may explain why cancer therapy fails. This review summarizes the apoptotic mechanisms via extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways, as well as the apoptotic resistance mechanisms. It also reviews the current clinically tested recombinant human TRAIL (rhTRAIL) and TRAIL receptor agonists (TRAs) against TRAIL-Receptors, TRAIL-R1 and TRAIL-R2, in which the outcomes of the clinical trials have not been satisfactory. Finally, this review discusses the current strategies in overcoming resistance to TRAIL-induced apoptosis in pre-clinical and clinical settings

Numerical investigation and an effective modelling on the Selective Laser Melting (SLM) process with aluminium alloy 6061

The Selective Laser Melting (SLM) fabrication process is complex and it is crucial to understand the phenomena that will occur to better control it. In this paper, an FE model on SLM that considers powder-to-solid transition together with an effective method to achieve volume shrinkage and material removal has been created. Experiments were conducted to validate the model. A detailed discussion on the progression of the melt pool and the rate of temperature change has been made. Parametric study with the laser power and scan speed as variables has been conducted to identify their relationships with the melt dimensions, melting and evaporation of powder and rates of temperature change

A systematic study of the atmospheric pressure growth of large-area hexagonal crystalline boron nitride film

The growth of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is of much interest owing to its outstanding properties and for scalable two dimensional (2D) electronics applications. Here, we report the controllable growth of h-BN on a copper substrate using the atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) method using ammonia borane as the precursor. The advantages of using APCVD include its ease of setup utilizing fewer resources, low cost and fast growth, all of which are essential for full film coverage and the mass production of 2D h-BN. In this study, we observed a substrate-position dependent evolution of h-BN domains at various stages of growth as the density and size of the domains increased downstream along the quartz tube. Other critical parameters such as growth temperature, deposition time, temperature and mass of precursor were also systemically investigated in order to understand the factors influencing the growth of the h-BN film. Importantly, with a slight increase in the growth temperature of 50 °C, we observe a significant (∼17-fold) increase in the average domain size, and its further expansion for a longer duration of growth. Likewise, our parametric study highlights the impact of other crucial parameters on domain size, coverage, and thickness of the h-BN film. © 2014 The Royal Society of Chemistry

Symptom reduction in palliative care from single session mindful breathing : a randomised controlled trial

Context There has been increasing evidence of the role of mindfulness-based interventions in improving various health conditions. However, the evidence for the use of mindfulness in the palliative care setting is still lacking. Objectives The objective of our study was to determine the efficacy of a single session of 20 min mindful breathing in alleviating multiple symptoms in palliative care. Methods Adult palliative care in patients with at least one symptom scoring ≥5/10 based on the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) were recruited from September 2018 to December 2018. Recruited patients were randomly assigned to either 20 min mindful breathing and standard care or standard care alone. Results Forty patients were randomly assigned to standard care plus a 20 min mindful breathing session (n=20) or standard care alone (n=20). There was statistically significant reduction of total ESAS score in the mindful breathing group compared with the control group at minute 20 (U=98, n 1 = n 2 = 20, mean rank 1 = 15.4, mean rank 2 = 25.6, median reduction 1 = 6.5, median reduction 2 = 1.5, z=−2.763, r=0.3, p=0.005). Conclusion Our results provided evidence that a single session of 20 min mindful breathing was effective in reducing multiple symptoms rapidly for palliative care patients