Design and Realization of an NFC-Driven Smart Home System to Support Intruder Detection and Social Network Integration

The Internet of thing（Io T） emerges as a possible solution to realize a smart life in the modern age. In this article, we design and realize a novel near field communication（NFC）-driven smart home system for Io T, which integrates the wireless sensor network（WSN）, social networks, and the cloud computing. NFC technology provides a way for users to exchange information between them and the system by simply contacting. So, we propose to use NFC as the system drive in the architecture, such that users can intuitively interact with the system and deliver their intentions. Then, the corresponding service over the system will control or adjust the “things” at home to fit users＇ needs. Furthermore, the proposed system provides a platform for developers to easily and rapidly implement their smart home related services. In the system, WSN sensing and control, NFC communications and identification, user profile management and preference analysis, and social network integration are all provided as platform services. We will show how the system works for home automation, intruder detection, and social network sharing.

Methods of Mitigating the Paradox of Compassion in the Organizational Behavior of Government Employees: A Case of Animal Protection Agencies in Taiwan

According to psychologists,for workers whose job is to help others,their quality of service is improved if they have compassion.However,compassion potentially produces the side effect of compassion fatigue,which decreases service quality.According to sociologists,professionals who must interact with animals,such as veterinarians or butchers adopt the role of a“gate-keeper”.Specifically,these professionals are troubled by the conflict between compassion and the faithful execution of the law.This conflict induces,in them,harmful behavior toward the animals.To verify these arguments,we empirically investigated government employees in a Taiwan Residents animal protection agency.Results from structural equation modeling indicate that although compassion toward animals can increase discretionary effort and mitigate ethics exhaustion,compassion fatigue weakened the factors mitigating ethics exhaustion,which increased harm toward the animals.Therefore,to relieve compassion fatigue,the workload of government employees must be reduced.

IGZO/ZTO TFTs with Modulated Double Channel of Thickness Structures

The device characteristics of IGZO/ZTO(indium-gallium-zinc oxide/zinc-tin oxide)TFTs(thin film transistors)with modulated channels were investigated.The field effect mobility was enhanced to 20.4 cm2/Vs in the channel-modulated TFT.The electrical performance of the TFT device was improved by the insertion of a high carrier concentration layer at the channel/gate insulator interfaces.It was due to the enhancement of carrier accumulation and the reduction of parasitic resistance via channel modulation.The threshold voltage was controlled at appropriate value.These results indicate that the device characteristic of TFTs can be enhanced by the modulated channel structure.

Enhanced fluorescence sensing of tetracycline with Ti_(2)C quantum dots

Ti_(2)C quantum dots(QDs)with rich surface functional groups have been synthesized using a hydrothermal method,and used to detect tetracycline(Tc)based on enhanced fluorescence.The interaction between the surface functional groups of Ti_(2)C QDs and Tc enhanced the fluorescence of Tc at 514 nm,which is used to detect Tc quickly and accurately.Under optimal conditions,the fluorescence intensity was linear to the concentration of Tc in the range of 50.0–30.0μM,with a detection limit of 21.6 nM.Furthermore,the Tc-Ti_(2)C QDs detection system was evaluated for detection of Tc in milk and artificial urine.This study demonstrates a new and simple strategy for Tc detection,which is important for food safety and human health.

Modified preoperative score to predict disease-free survival for hepatocellular carcinoma patients with surgical resections

BACKGROUND No prognostic models specific to hepatocellular carcinoma patients receiving surgical resection have been considered strong and convincing enough for survival prediction thus far,and there are no models including only preoperative predictors.We derived a nomogram to predict disease-free survival in a previous study.AIM To simplify our score and compare research outcomes among other scoring systems.METHODS We retrospectively reviewed data from 1106 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent liver resection at the Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital between April 2003 and December 2012.Multivariate analyses were conducted to identify the significant survival predictors.Homogeneity,Harrell’s C-index,and Akaike information criterion were compared between our score,AJCC 8^(th)edition,Tokyo score,and Taipei Integrated Scoring System(TTV-CTPAFP model).RESULTS Among the 1106 patients,731(66.1%)had tumor recurrence at a median followup of 83.9 mo.Five risk factors were identified:platelet count,albumin level,indocyanine green retention rate,multiplicity,and radiologic total tumor volume.Patients were divided into three risk groups,and the 5-year survival rates were 61.7%,39%,and 25.7%,respectively.The C-index was 0.617,which was higher than the Tokyo score(0.613)and the Taipei Integrated Scoring System(0.562)and equal to the value of the AJCC 8th edition(0.617).CONCLUSION The modified score provides an easier method to predict survival.Appropriate treatment can be planned preoperatively by dividing patients into risk groups.

Nitrogen-cycling microbial community functional potential and enzyme activities in cultured biofilms with response to inorganic nitrogen availability

Biofilms mediate crucial biochemical processes in aquatic ecosystems. It was hypothesized that eutrophication may promote the growth of biofilms, resulting in larger numbers of functional genes. However, the metabolic activity and the roles of biofilms in N cycling will be affected by ambient inorganic nitrogen availability, not by the abundance of functional genes. Biofilms were cultured either with replete inorganic nitrogen(N-rep) or without exogenous inorganic nitrogen supply(N-def) in a flow incubator, and the N-cycling gene abundances(nifH, N_2 fixation; amoA, ammonia oxidation, archaea and bacteria; nirS and nirK, denitrification) and enzyme activities(nitrogenase and nitrate reductase) were analyzed. The results showed that, comparing the N-def and N-rep biofilms, the former contained lower nifH gene abundance, but higher nitrogenase activity(NA), while the latter contained higher nifH gene abundance, but lower NA. Different patterns of NA diel variations corresponded to the dynamic microbial community composition and different stages of biofilm colonization. Ammonia oxidizing bacteria(AOB), detected only in N-def biofilms, were responsible for nitrification in biofilms. N-rep biofilms contained high nirS and nirK gene abundance and high denitrification enzyme activity, but N-def biofilms contained significantly lower denitrification gene abundance and activity. In general,the strong N_2 fixation in N-def biofilms and strong denitrification in N-rep biofilms assured the balance of aquatic ecosystems. The results suggested that evaluation of the functional processes of N cycling should not only focus on genetic potential, but also on the physiological activity of biofilms.

Dormancy and the influence of photoperiod and temperature on sexual maturity in Nicrophorus nepalensis （Coleoptera： Silphidae）

Carrion beetles （Nicrophorus spp.） use small vertebrate carcasses for food and reproduction. Their ecology and behaviors are highly affected by the availability of carcasses and the surrounding environmental conditions. Our results revealed that in subtropical Fushan, northern Taiwan, N. nepalensis was mainly active in spring （February to May）, and could also be found in autumn （October and November）; but there was no capture record in summer （June to September） and winter （December and January）. A laboratory temperature tolerance study indicated that N. nepalensis adults become inactive at temperatures above 26℃, and had the highest mortality when the temperature was raised from 27℃ to 28℃. Furthermore, N. nepalensis became sexually mature at 20℃, depending on the photoperiod： the longer the day, the lower the percentage of sexually mature 2-week-old females after emergence. In another experiment, N. nepalensis virgins were paired under three possible conditions at Fushan. At 15℃ and 20℃, if carcasses were presented to the pairs within 3 days after emergence, all laid eggs in the second week after emergence. If carcasses were presented 1 week after emergence, most began to reproduce at 20℃ with 12.5 h of daylight. However, at 15℃ with 1 l h of daylight, the carrion beetles hibernated first, and reproduced in the ninth week after emergence. At 25℃ with 14 h of daylight, carrion beetles did not bury the mouse carcasses, the females did not lay eggs, and the adult lifespan was only one-third of that at 20℃. This study revealed that both photoperiod and temperature influence the time needed to reach the sexual maturity of N. nepalensis; and also implied that the narrow temperature tolerance range and dormancy behavior of carrion beetles are highly regulated by those environmental factors.

An FFT Based Fast Poisson Solver on Spherical Shells

We present a fast Poisson solver on spherical shells.With a special change of variable,the radial part of the Laplacian transforms to a constant coefficient differential operator.As a result,the Fast Fourier Transform can be applied to solve the Poisson equation with O(N^(3) logN)operations.Numerical examples have confirmed the accuracy and robustness of the new scheme.