User acceptance of media tablets: An empirical examination of perceived value

Media tablets have been one of the most innovative and popular mobile devices with the rapid development of mobile computing technology. The purpose of this study is to offer a clear understanding of the overall adoption processes by starting from the characteristics of a media tablet to adoption intention via perceived value. This study investigates the relationships between the value of media tablet (e.g., usefulness, enjoyment, social image, and risk) and the product characteristics (e.g., design, functionality, contents, brand, and price). Perceived benefits including perceived usefulness, perceived enjoyment, and social image seem to have a greater impact than the level of perceived sacrifice on perceived value. Perceived usefulness is the strongest factor determining adoption intention through perceived value. An innovative design affects social image, and brand name positively affects both perceived usefulness and social image. Functionality and content have a positive influence on both perceived usefulness and enjoyment. Price positively affects perceived risk. This research also finds that smartphone experience moderates the effect of perceived usefulness on perceived value, and personal innovativeness offsets the negative effect of perceived risk on perceived value as a moderator. These findings contribute a number of implications for academia and practitioners.     

Towards the reflective sports coach: issues of context, education and application

The current demands faced by elite sports coaches and the nature of their educational experiences are outlined. Examination of current approaches to coach education are considered in relation to research evidence which describes the key skills required in elite sports coaching. Recently, reflective practice has emerged as a key skill with which to enhance coach learning and increase the value of coaches' educational experiences. In tracing this emergence, this study analyses the use of reflective practice and learning strategies within six governing body award coaching programmes. Results indicate that none of the programmes examined contained structures or processes for directly teaching or overtly nurturing reflective skills. However, almost all programmes offered a potential structure for this through completion of a coaching log or undertaking a period of mentoring. Finally, recommendations are made to coach educators for developing reflection within coach education programme structures.     

Physiological effects of unassembled chaperonin Cct subunits in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Eukaryotic chaperonins, the Cct complexes, are assembled into two rings, each of which is composed of a stoichiometric array of eight different subunits, which are denoted Cct1p-Cct8p. Overexpression of a single CCT gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae causes an increase of the corresponding Cct subunit, but not of the Cct complex. Nevertheless, overexpression of certain Cct subunits, especially CCT6, suppresses a wide range of abnormal phenotypes, including those caused by the diverse types of conditional mutations tor2-21, lst8-2 and rsp5-9 and those caused by the concomitant overexpression of Sit4p and Sap155p. The examination of 73 altered forms of Cct6p revealed that the cct6-24 mutation, containing GDGTT --> AAAAA replacements of the conserved ATP-binding motif, was unable to suppress any of these traits, although the cct6-24 allele was completely functional for growth. These results provide evidence for functional differences among Cct subunits and for physiological properties of unassembled subunits. We suggest that the suppression is due to the competition of specific Cct subunits for activities that normally modify various cellular components. Furthermore, we also suggest that the Cct subunits can act as suppressors only in certain states, such as when associated with ATP.     

测量氡析出率的驻极体收集法

本文描述了测量氡析出率的驻极体收集被动采样法。给出了对铀尾矿堆或建筑材料的部分测量结果。测量结果的可靠性由刻度程序保证,并在比对测量中得到检验。     

Grain refinement of magnesium alloys

The literature on grain refinement of magnesium alloys is reviewed with regard to two broad groups of alloys: alloys that contain aluminum and alloys that do not contain aluminum. The alloys that are free of aluminum are generally very well refined by Zr master alloys. On the other hand, the understanding of grain refinement in aluminum bearing alloys is poor and in many cases confusing probably due to the interaction between impurity elements and aluminum in affecting the potency of nucleant particles. A grain refinement model that was developed for aluminum alloys is presented, which takes into account both alloy chemistry and nucleant particle potency. This model is applied to experimental data for a range of magnesium alloys. It is shown that by using this analytical approach, new information on the refinement of magnesium alloys is obtained as well as providing a method of characterizing the effectiveness of new refiners. The new information revealed by the model has identified new directions for further research. Future research needs to focus on gaining a better understanding of the detailed mechanisms by which refinement occurs and gathering data to improve our ability to predict grain refinement for particular combinations of alloy and impurity chemistry and nucleant particles. This article is based on a presentation made in the symposium entitled “Phase Transformations and Deformation in Magnesium Alloys,” which occurred during the Spring TMS meeting, March 14–17, 2004, in Charlotte, NC, under the auspices of ASM-MSCTS Phase Transformations Committee.     

An Optically Flat Conductive Outcoupler Using Core/Shell Ag/ZnO Nanochurros

Transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs) featuring a smooth surface are indispensable for preserving pristine electrical characteristics in optoelectronic and transparent electronic devices. For high‐efficiency organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), a high outcoupling efficiency, which is crucial, is only achieved by incorporating a wavelength‐scale undulating surface into a TCE layer, but this inevitably degrades device performance. Here, an optically flat, high‐conductivity TCE composed of core/shell Ag/ZnO nanochurros (NCs) is reported embedded within a resin film on a polyethylene terephthalate substrate, simultaneously serving as an efficient outcoupler and a flexible substrate. The ZnO NCs are epitaxially grown on the {100} planes of a pentagonal Ag core and the length of ZnO shells is precisely controlled by the exposure time of Xe lamp. Unlike Ag nanowires films, the Ag/ZnO NCs films markedly boost the optical tunneling of light. Green‐emitting OLEDs (2.78 × 3.5 mm²) fabricated with the Ag/ZnO TCE exhibit an 86% higher power efficiency at 1000 cd m^?2 than ones with an Sn‐doped indium oxide TCE. A full‐vectorial electromagnetic simulation suggests the suppression of plasmonic absorption losses within their Ag cores. These results provide a feasibility of multifunctional TCEs with synthetically controlled core/shell nanomaterials toward the development of high‐efficiency LED and solar cell devices.     

Analyzing the Economic Effects of Past Mobile Network Sharing Deals for Future Network Deployment

The increase in data traffic calls for investment in mobile networks; however, the saturating revenue of mobile broadband and increasing capital expenditure are discouraging mobile operators from investing in next-generation mobile networks. Mobile network sharing is a viable solution for operators and regulators to resolve this dilemma. This research uses a difference-in-differences analysis of 33 operators (including 11 control operators) to empirically evaluate the cost reduction effect of mobile network sharing. The results indicate a reduction in overall operating expenditure and short-term capital expenditure by national roaming. This finding implies that future technology and standards development should focus on flexible network operation and maintenance, energy efficiency, and maximizing economies of scale in radio access networks. Furthermore, mobile network sharing will become more viable and relevant in a 5G network deployment as spectrum bands are likely to increase the total cost of ownership of mobile networks and technical enablers will facilitate network sharing.     

Revised Manuscript with Corrections: Polyurethane-Based Conductive Composites: From Synthesis to Applications

The purpose of this review article is to outline the extended applications of polyurethane (PU)-based nanocomposites incorporated with conductive polymeric particles as well as to condense an outline on the chemistry and fabrication of polyurethanes (PUs). Additionally, we discuss related research trends of PU-based conducting materials for EMI shielding, sensors, coating, films, and foams, in particular those from the past 10 years. PU is generally an electrical insulator and behaves as a dielectric material. The electrical conductivity of PU is imparted by the addition of metal nanoparticles, and increases with the enhancing aspect ratio and ordering in structure, as happens in the case of conducting polymer fibrils or reduced graphene oxide (rGO). Nanocomposites with good electrical conductivity exhibit noticeable changes based on the remarkable electric properties of nanomaterials such as graphene, RGO, and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Recently, conducting polymers, including PANI, PPY, PTh, and their derivatives, have been popularly engaged as incorporated fillers into PU substrates. This review also discusses additional challenges and future-oriented perspectives combined with here-and-now practicableness.     

Multiparameter Kinetic Analysis for Covalent Fragment Optimization by Using Quantitative Irreversible Tethering (qIT)

Chemical probes that covalently modify cysteine residues in a protein-specific manner are valuable tools for biological investigations. Covalent fragments are increasingly implemented as probe starting points, but the complex relationship between fragment structure and binding kinetics makes covalent fragment optimization uniquely challenging. We describe a new technique in covalent probe discovery that enables data-driven optimization of covalent fragment potency and selectivity. This platform extends beyond the existing repertoire of methods for identifying covalent fragment hits by facilitating rapid multiparameter kinetic analysis of covalent structure–activity relationships through the simultaneous determination of K_i, k_inact and intrinsic reactivity. By applying this approach to develop novel probes against electrophile-sensitive kinases, we showcase the utility of the platform in hit identification and highlight how multiparameter kinetic analysis enabled a successful fragment-merging strategy.     

基于卷积神经网络的虚拟视点空洞填补

为了提高虚拟视点绘制中空洞填补的质量,本文提 出一种基于卷积神经网络的虚拟视点空洞填补算 法,包括图像预处理、特征提取和空洞填补三部分。首先,对双视点虚拟视点图像进行预处 理,即利用深 度图像绘制(Depth Image Based Rendering,DIBR)技术得到空洞填补前的图像和空洞掩膜 ;然后,通过卷积 神经网络对虚拟视点图像提取多维特征,针对空洞区域,使用结构相似性损失函数优化网络 ;最后,利用 提取的特征填补虚拟视点中的空洞。实验结果表明,本文算法能较好地保持虚拟视点图像前 景和背景的锐 利边缘,主观视觉感知效果佳,同时,对不同场景测试序列的客观评价指标PS NR和SSIM都能取得满意结果,该方法能有效地填补虚拟视点中的空洞。