Factors Influencing the Successful Utilization of Groupware

In today’s highly dynamic and competitive business environment, groupware technology can be one of the best solutions for today’s organizations. The key feature of groupware is to help various business processes operate more efficiently with fewer resources. The purpose of this study is to develop a better understanding of the important factors influencing the successful utilization of groupware. To achieve this objective, a model is developed to test the relationships between a variety of variables and groupware usage. By employing the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), this study proposes that four variables are antecedents of perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness, and have indirect effects on groupware usage through perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness. Survey research methodology is employed. The research hypotheses will be tested using LISREL. The research is ongoing and this paper presents the conceptual framework of the research, the theoretical foundation, and the research hypotheses

Three-Dimensional Human Alveolar Stem Cell Culture Models Reveal Infection Response to SARS-CoV-2.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is the cause of a present pandemic, infects human lung alveolar type 2 (hAT2) cells. Characterizing pathogenesis is crucial for developing vaccines and therapeutics. However, the lack of models mirroring the cellular physiology and pathology of hAT2 cells limits the study. Here, we develop a feeder-free, long-term, three-dimensional (3D) culture technique for hAT2 cells derived from primary human lung tissue and investigate infection response to SARS-CoV-2. By imaging-based analysis and single-cell transcriptome profiling, we reveal rapid viral replication and the increased expression of interferon-associated genes and proinflammatory genes in infected hAT2 cells, indicating a robust endogenous innate immune response. Further tracing of viral mutations acquired during transmission identifies full infection of individual cells effectively from a single viral entry. Our study provides deep insights into the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 and the application of defined 3D hAT2 cultures as models for respiratory diseases

LMGAN: Linguistically Informed Semi-Supervised GAN with Multiple Generators

Semi-supervised learning is one of the active research topics these days. There is a trial that solves semi-supervised text classification with a generative adversarial network (GAN). However, its generator has a limitation in producing fake data distributions that are similar to real data distributions. Since the real data distribution is frequently changing, the generator could not create adequate fake data. To overcome this problem, we present a novel approach for semi-supervised learning for text classification based on generative adversarial networks, Linguistically Informed SeMi-Supervised GAN with Multiple Generators, LMGAN. LMGAN uses trained bidirectional encoder representations from transformers (BERT) and the discriminator from GAN-BERT. In addition, LMGAN has multiple generators and utilizes the hidden layers of BERT. To reduce the discrepancy between the distribution of fake data and real data distribution, LMGAN uses fine-tuned BERT and the discriminator from GAN-BERT. However, since injecting fine-tuned BERT could induce incorrect fake data distribution, we utilize linguistically meaningful intermediate hidden layer outputs of BERT to enrich fake data distribution. Our model shows well-distributed fake data compared to the earlier GAN-based approach that failed to generate adequate high-quality fake data. Moreover, we can get better performances with extremely limited amounts of labeled data, up to 20.0%, compared to the baseline GAN-based model

Development of Field Tests for Cardiovascular Fitness Assessment in Wheelchair

It is essential to consider both physique and physical fitness factors to minimize the risk of injuries and optimize athletic performance among elite athletes. Athletes with disabilities face limitations in fitness assessments compared to their healthy counterparts. The aim of this study was to revalidate established cardiovascular fitness assessment methods and develop field tests for wheelchair athletes. As representatives registered at the Korea Paralympic Committee’s Athletes Training Center in Icheon, athletes with physical disabilities participating in para ice hockey (n = 14), who were capable of wheelchair control, were volunteered. Prior to cardiovascular fitness assessments using an ergometer and a shuttle run, demographic characteristics were surveyed, and physical measurements and muscle strength (grip strength) were recorded. All the participants performed one ergometer test based on cardiovascular fitness criteria, and for shuttle run validation, two trials were conducted using existing audio cues (National Physical Fitness 100, 20 m shuttle run). For the development of the shuttle run, considering wheelchair turning, signal-to-sound intervals were increased by 1 s and 1.5 s, respectively, in two trials. An analysis of the correlation with the maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) in comparison to the reference criterion, an ergometer, demonstrated high correlations in the first trial (r = 0.738) and the second trial (r = 0.780). Similarly, significant correlations were observed with the maximum heart rate (HRmax) in the first trial (r = 0.689) and the second trial (r = 0.896). Thus, the 15 m shuttle run is validated as a field test for assessing cardiovascular fitness in athletes with disabilities. Correlation analysis with maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) compared to the reference criterion, an ergometer, revealed a correlation of 0.815 with a 1 s interval audio cue and 0.355 with a 1.5 s interval audio cue. A high correlation was observed with the 1 s interval audio cue. Regarding the maximum heart rate (HRmax), the correlations were 0.665 with a 1 s interval audio cue. Once again, a high correlation was noted with the 1 s interval audio cue. The field test selected for measuring cardiovascular fitness in wheelchair athletes involved performing a 15 m shuttle run while in the wheelchair. The test utilized an audio cue with a 1 s increased interval between the signal sounds

Ion-Gel-Gated Graphene Optical Modulator with Hysteretic Behavior

We propose a graphene-based optical modulator and comprehensively investigate its photonic characteristics by electrically controlling the device with an ion-gel top-gate dielectric. The density of the electrically driven charge carriers in the ion-gel gate dielectric plays a key role in tuning the optical output power of the device. The charge density at the ion-gel–graphene interface is tuned electrically, and the chemical potential of graphene is then changed to control its light absorption strength. The optical behavior of the ion-gel gate dielectric exhibits a large hysteresis which originates from the inherent nature of the ionic gel and the graphene–ion-gel interface and a slow polarization response time of ions. The photonic device is applicable to both TE- and TM-polarized light waves, covering two entire optical communication bands, the O-band (1.26–1.36 μm) and the C-band (1.52–1.565 μm). The experimental results are in good agreement with theoretically simulated predictions. The temporal behavior of the ion-gel–graphene-integrated optical modulator reveals a long-term modulation state because of the relatively low mobility of the ions in the ion-gel solution and formation of the electric double layer in the graphene–ion-gel interface. Fast dynamic recovery is observed by applying an opposite voltage gate pulse. This study paves the way to the understanding of the operational principles and future applications of ion-gel-gated graphene optical devices in photonics

Size-controlled synthesis of phase separated protein condensates with interfacial protein cages

Phase separation of specific proteins into liquidic condensates is a key mechanism to form membrane-less organelles, which organize diverse cellular processes in space and time. These protein condensates hold immense potential as biomaterials that can contain specific sets of biomolecules with extremely high densities and dynamic liquid properties. Despite their appeal, methods to manipulate protein condensate materials remain largely unexplored. Here, we developed a one-pot assembly method to synthesize coalescence-free protein condensates from a few μm to 100 nm sizes with surface-stabilizing protein cages. We discovered that large protein cages (~30 nm), with precisely tuned interaction strengths to condensates, could effectively localize on condensate surfaces and block coalescence during phase separation. This approach proved applicable to diverse condensates with varying compositions and fluidities. Condensate sizes were concisely controlled by modulating condensate/cage ratios. In addition, we successfully visualized the 3D structures of intact protein condensates with interfacial cages with cryo-electron tomography (ET). Protein cages formed monolayer shells on protein condensates, where cages were slightly buried in condensates with contact angles lower than 90 degree. These cage-covered protein condensates maintained dynamic properties, including the capacity for selective material exchange or recruitment from the external environment

Large-area niobium disulfide thin films as transparent electrodes for devices based on two-dimensional materials

Direct contacts of a metal with atomically thin two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) semiconductors have been found to suppress device performance by producing a high contact resistance. NbS2 is a 2D TMDC and a conductor. It is expected to form ohmic contacts with 2D semiconductors because of its high work function and the van der Waals interface it forms with the semiconductor, with such an interface resulting in weak Fermi level pinning. Despite the usefulness of NbS2 as an electrode, previous synthesis methods could not control the thickness, uniformity, and shape of the NbS2 film and hence could not find practical applications in electronics. Here, we report a patternable method for carrying out the synthesis of NbS2 films in which the number of NbS2 layers formed over a large area was successfully controlled, which is necessary for the production of customized electrodes. The synthesized NbS2 films were shown to be highly transparent and uniform in thickness and conductivity over the large area. Furthermore, the synthesized NbS2 showed half the contact resistance than did the molybdenum metal in MoS2 field effect transistors (FETs) on a large transparent quartz substrate. The MoS2 device with NbS2 showed an electron mobility as high as 12.7 cm(2) V-1 s(-1), which was three times higher than that found for the corresponding molybdenum-contacted MoS2 device. This result showed the high potential of the NbS2 thin film as a transparent electrode for 2D transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) semiconductors with low contact resistance