Piezoelectric properties of PVDF-conjugated polymer nanofibers

This study presents the development and characterization of PVDF-conjugated polymer nanofiber-based systems. Five different conducting polymers (CPs) were synthesized successfully and used to create the nanofiber systems. The CPs used are polyaniline (PANI), polypyrrole (PPY), polyindole (PIN), polyanthranilic acid (PANA), and polycarbazole (PCZ). Nanofiber systems were produced utilizing the Forcespinning® technique. The nanofiber systems were developed by mechanical stretching. No electrical field or post-process poling was used in the nanofiber systems. The morphology, structure, electrochemical and piezoelectric performance was characterized. All of the nanofiber PVDF/CP systems displayed higher piezoelectric performance than the fine fiber PVDF systems. The PVDF/PPY nanofiber system displays the highest piezoelectric performance of 15.56 V. The piezoelectric performance of the PVDF/CP nanofiber systems favors potential for an attractive source of energy where highly flexible membranes could be used in power actuators, sensors and portable, and wireless devices to mention some.     

Generalization of the Wolstenholme cyclic inequality and its application

This paper deals with the generalization and sharp versions of the Wolstenholme cyclic inequality and their applications. The inequalities of this paper improve and unify corresponding known results. Several interesting inequalities including the celebrated Ozeki inequality are obtained. Extensions of the Wolstenholme inequality for a complex polygon and the Wolstenholme inequality for a convex quadrilateral are derived. As example of applications, the well-known Erdös–Mordell inequality is improved in this paper. In addition, several extensions, unifications and refinements of Gueron–Shafrir’s inequalities and Mitrinović–Pecaric’s inequality are established.     

The sliding-window packet switch: a new class of packet switch architecture with plural memory modules and decentralized control

Shared-memory based packet switches are known to provide the best possible throughput performance for bursty data traffic in high-speed packet networks and internets compared with other buffering strategies under conditions of identical memory resources deployed in the switch. However, scaling of shared-memory packet switches to a larger size has been restricted mainly due to the physical limitations imposed by the memory-access speed and the centralized control for switching functions in shared-memory switches. A new scalable architecture for a shared-memory packet switch, called the sliding-window (SW) switch, is proposed to overcome these limitations. The SW switch introduces a new class of switching architecture, where physically separate multiple memory modules are logically shared among all the ports of the switch, and the control is decentralized. The SW switch alleviates the bottleneck caused by the centralized control of switching functions in large shared-memory switches. Decentralized switching functions enable the SW switch to operate in a pipeline fashion to enhance scalability and switching capacity compared with that of previously known classes of shared-memory switch architecture.     

A multidimensional and hierarchical model of mobile service quality

Using mobile brokerage service as an example, we propose and test a multidimensional and hierarchical model of mobile service (m-service) quality using a sample of 338 respondents from the two largest m-service providers in China: China Mobile and China Unicom. Through three-stage validation, we are able to confirm all three levels of the proposed hierarchical structure where a customer’s perceived m-service quality includes primary dimensions of interaction, outcome, and environment qualities. Each primary dimension further has its sub-dimensions. Our empirical results also show that corporate image moderates the effects of environment and outcome qualities on the service quality. Our proposed model provides implications for future research on mobile commerce.     

What affects information systems development team performance? An exploratory study from the perspective of combined socio-technical theory and coordination theory

Quality is an important factor in information systems development (ISD), and ISD team performance closely relates to quality. To better understand ISD teams, we empirically tested a model on ISD team performance by combining socio-technical theory and coordination theory. Using existing empirical studies and data collected from three well-known ISD companies in China, our research results identified influential characteristics of ISD team performance, and revealed similarities and differences between China’s ISD team performance and those in other countries. By the results, we find that knowledge sharing and major do not affect team performance. The compensation satisfaction to job performance is not significant in China, either. Our research provides suggestions for building and supporting ISD teams that could lead to performance improvements.     

Improved deterministic algorithms for weighted matching and packing problems

Based on the method of (n,k)-universal sets, we present a deterministic parameterized algorithm for the weighted rd-matching problem with time complexity O^∗(4^{(r−1)k+o(k)}), improving the previous best upper bound O^∗(4^rk+o(k)). In particular, the algorithm applied to the unweighted 3d-matching problem results in a deterministic algorithm with time O^∗(16^k+o(k)), improving the previous best result O^∗(21.26^k). For the weighted r-set packing problem, we present a deterministic parameterized algorithm with time complexity O^∗(2^{(2r−1)k+o(k)}), improving the previous best result O^∗(2^2rk+o(k)). The algorithm, when applied to the unweighted 3-set packing problem, has running time O^∗(32^k+o(k)), improving the previous best result O^∗(43.62^k+o(k)). Moreover, for the weighted r-set packing and weighted rd-matching problems, we give a kernel of size O(k^r), which is the first kernelization algorithm for the problems on weighted versions.     

Staged self-assembly: nanomanufacture of arbitrary shapes with <Emphasis Type="Italic">O</Emphasis>(1) glues

We introduce staged self-assembly of Wang tiles, where tiles can be added dynamically in sequence and where intermediate constructions can be stored for later mixing. This model and its various constraints and performance measures are motivated by a practical nanofabrication scenario through protein-based bioengineering. Staging allows us to break through the traditional lower bounds in tile self-assembly by encoding the shape in the staging algorithm instead of the tiles. All of our results are based on the practical assumption that only a constant number of glues, and thus only a constant number of tiles, can be engineered. Under this assumption, traditional tile self-assembly cannot even manufacture an n × n square; in contrast, we show how staged assembly in theory enables manufacture of arbitrary shapes in a variety of precise formulations of the model.

An analytical framework for evaluating peer-to-peer business models

While existing research on peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing services has increased our understanding in many respects, it has not yet supplied a comprehensive theoretical framework that explains business failures of P2P file-sharing network service models. We develop such an analytical model and base it on seven specific market constraints – technical, economic, structural, legal, political, cognitive, and cultural – that are specifically relevant for P2P services. We show how our model can be used as a tool for strategic analysis of P2P business model performance using Napster as a particular case of study. We show also how P2P file-sharing networks have migrated through a series of system typologies by incorporating technological innovations in response to market constraints. Finally, we offer a new theoretical conceptualization that views P2P file-sharing networks as electronic markets.