An e-Business Logistic Model in Taiwan

The current article develops a framework for an e-business logistic model in Taiwan. The model includes e-marketplace, logistic, organization, and informational systems factors. Data used for this research come from a survey of business groups, including marine and air carriers, terminal warehousing, custom brokers, shipping centers, and marine information service providers. Our study reveals relationships between essential variables for e-business trading in the logistic industry. These include organizational advantage and information technology, strategy and vision, consumer-directed service and planning, lower cost and high quality customer service, quick merchandise delivery and low inventory, and long-term development plans. Specifically, we found that the logistic industry in Taiwan ignores the details of purchasing procedure in e-marketplace operation, focusing more on actual merchandise delivery, consumer satisfaction, and downstream consumer service. In addition, the logistical industry in Taiwan also involves employee adjustment to the new environment, support from upper management, training and, application of information technology

Optical, Excitonic, and Electronic Properties of CH3NH3PbI3 Thin Films and Their Application in Photovoltaics

In the past two years, the highest power conversion efficiency of perovskite absorber (PA)–based photovoltaics has been 20.2%. The PA can be fabricated on flat substrates (for example, ZnO, TiO2, and PEDOT:PSS) using solution processes, which have a low-cost advantage in terms of industry production. In this report, the recent advances of PA-based photovoltaics will be mentioned. Then, the optoelectronic properties of PA, material fabrication, and photovoltaic performance will be discussed. On the other hand, we used scanning electron microscopy, two-dimensional X-ray diffractometer, and photoluminescence spectroscopy to investigate the fundamental properties of CH3NH3PbI3 thin films fabricated with and without toluene washing treatment, which provides an assessment of the development potential of PA-based photovoltaics

Disordered Fe vacancies and superconductivity in potassium-intercalated iron selenide (K2-xFe4+ySe5)

The parent compound of an unconventional superconductor must contain unusual correlated electronic and magnetic properties of its own. In the high-Tc potassium intercalated FeSe, there has been significant debate regarding what the exact parent compound is. Our studies unambiguously show that the Fe-vacancy ordered K2Fe4Se5 is the magnetic, Mott insulating parent compound of the superconducting state. Non-superconducting K2Fe4Se5 becomes a superconductor after high temperature annealing, and the overall picture indicates that superconductivity in K2-xFe4+ySe5 originates from the Fe-vacancy order to disorder transition. Thus, the long pending question whether magnetic and superconducting state are competing or cooperating for cuprate superconductors may also apply to the Fe-chalcogenide superconductors. It is believed that the iron selenides and related compounds will provide essential information to understand the origin of superconductivity in the iron-based superconductors, and possibly to the superconducting cuprates

Pr0.67Ba0.33MnO3 in bulk and thin film ceramic

Bulk polycrystalline of Pr0.67Ba0.33MnO3 (PBMO) ceramic prepared via solid‐state reaction and converted into thin films on corning glass, fused silica and MgO (100) by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. As compared to bulk PBMO, the unit cell in thin film PBMO experienced positive misfit due to lattice strain induced by substrate used resulting MnO6 to deform (change in Mn‐O‐Mn bond angle and Mn‐O bond length). Bulk PBMO had large grains (∼1.5μm) as compared to thin film which are nano‐sized (<100 nm). Two metal‐insulator transition temperatures, TP (156 K and 190 K) were observed in bulk due to core‐shell effect as proposed by Zhang et al.. In summary, variation of electrical behaviour was observed between bulk and thin film samples which believed to be due to the difference of ordering in core (body) and grain surface

Effect of rare earth elements substitution in La site for LaMnO3 Manganites

With a view to understanding the effect of rare earth element (Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm and Gd) substitution for the La site in LaMnO3 (LMO), the samples were prepared via solid-state reaction. Structure investigation by X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that structure transformation from trigonal (LMO) to orthorhombic (PMO, NMO, SMO and GMO) occurred when smaller trivalent rare earth element was replaced. The MnO6octahedra were tilted and elongated or compressed, corresponding to the ionic radii of the rare earth inserted. Meanwhile, microstructure study using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) illustrated that La substitution by another rare earth element caused a reduction in grain size. This might due to the changes in enthalpy of fusion by other rare earth ions, where higher enthalpy of fusion favours formation of smaller grain size. However, CeMnO3 did not form under this preparation condition. The magnetic properties studied from the hysteresis plot taken at room temperature indicated that the substitution of La with other magnetic trivalent rare earth ions strongly weakened the magnetic strength of the system

Microstructure and magnetic properties of PrMnO3 bulk and thin film

Perovskite PrMnO3 (PMO) had been prepared in bulk by solid state reaction and thin films on corning glass, fused silica and MgO (100) glass substrate by pulsed laser deposition technique. SEM micrographs show that grains with size 2∼3 μm is observed in bulk PMO while thin films PMO show strongly connected grain structure with particle size that not larger than 100 nm. X‐ray diffraction analysis shows that all samples are in single phase with orthorhombic crystal structure. Bulk PMO sample had lattice strain of 0.134% which is the lowest value among others. However, larger lattice strain was observed in thin film samples due to lattice mismatch between film‐substrate and caused the MnO6 to deform. All samples shown paramagnetic or antiferromagnetic behavior, enhancement in magnetization value occurred for all PMO grew as film. We believe that larger lattice strain favor the grain growth of PMO towards more order phase. In summary, formation of structure and microstructure of thin film PMO depends on type of substrate used and it affect the magnetic property

Cadmium burden and the risk and phenotype of prostate cancer

© 2009 Chen et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licens

Generalist Versus Specialist Nurses\u27 Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavioral Intentions Toward Promoting Pulmonary Rehabilitation for Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Cross-Sectional Correlational Study

Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is an effective strategy to manage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), though its utilization rate is low. One reason for this low utilization rate is that nurses do not provide COPD patients with enough health education to increase the patient\u27s motivation for PR participation. This study examined knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intention toward PR promotion. The study also investigated the correlates of behavioral intentions to promote PR among pulmonary nurses. A cross-sectional correlational design was used. Overall, 284 nurses (all women) from chest medicine and general internal medicine wards in 3 hospitals within Midwest Taiwan were recruited. Data were collected by anonymous, self-administered questionnaires. We aimed to understand if there would be differences in the Chest Medicine and Generalist nurses on these outcomes, given the specialty versus generalist nature of their practice. Results were analyzed using multiple linear regressions. Although the 2 groups of nurses (ie, Chest Medicine, General Medicine) showed no differences in PR knowledge, attitudes, or behavioral intentions, they lacked sufficient PR knowledge and skills. The accuracy rate of PR knowledge was approximately 12% and self-evaluated PR skills were less than 50%. Self-efficacy in promoting PR was above average (ie, 57%–60%), and the strength of attitudes and behavioral intentions was over 70%. A multiple linear regression revealed that behavioral intentions of nurses working in the chest medicine ward were influenced by behavioral attitudes, and also PR skills and self-efficacy (explanatory power 33.3%). Attitudes, skills, and self-efficacy heavily affected pulmonary nurses’ ability to promote PR; however, PR knowledge and skills remain low. Therefore, future implementation of practical PR training courses is needed to strengthen nurses’ behavioral intentions toward PR promotion. Improved pulmonary rehabilitation-related skill, attitudes, clinical experience of PR programs, and/or practical PR training are needed among both generalist and specialist nurses. Education courses and clinical practice training should be increased in the future to promote pulmonary rehabilitation of COPD patients