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Over the past century, strong applications of psychometrics have resulted in an ideology and practices of identification in the field of gifted education. In recent years, an alternative ideology t...

Based on the two-step stochastic Meta frontier model developed by Huang et al. (2011), this study establishes translog cost functions. Our purpose is to estimate the performance of firms in terms of cost efficiency in Taiwan’s biotech and pharmaceutical industry, and to analyze group-specific and firm-specific environmental variables. The empirical results show that the value of the Meta frontier cost efficiency (MCE) indicator of the industry is 0.7241, indicating that it is basically 27.59% cost inefficient. The value of MCE in the pharmaceutical industry (0.7496) is higher than that in the medical equipment industry (0.7002). The empirical results also show that the cost efficiency of Taiwan’s biotech firms can positively benefit from the government’s contributions. In considering the differences between sub-industries, R&D activities are found to promote the growth of cost efficiency in both the pharmaceutical industry and medical equipment industry. As for the relationship between agency issues and cost efficiency, support is found for the Convergence-of-Interest Hypothesis in the pharmaceutical industry.

In this paper, white light emitting diodes (LEDs) with good color rendering indices (CRI) and high luminous efficiencies have been fabricated by the encapsulation of mixed and double-deck phosphors. Experimental results revealed that white LEDs with the encapsulation of double-deck phosphors exhibited better CRI and higher luminous efficiencies than those with the encapsulation of mixed phosphors because no secondary excitation took place. The hue, CRI, and luminous efficiencies of white LEDs with double-deck phosphors under 200 mA were CIEx,y = (0.357, 0.348), 90, and 62.3 lm/W, respectively while the hue, CRI, and luminous efficiencies of white LEDs with mixed phosphors under 200 mA were CIEx,y = (0.366, 0.354), 89, and 56.5 lm/W, respectively.

In this paper, we have synthesized poly(4-vinylphenol) (PVPh) and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes-poly(4-vinylphenol) (POSS-PVPh) with low surface energies and investigated their surface properties. Experimental results reveal that the surface properties of PVPh and POSS-PVPh can be manipulated with the length of PVPh segment and POSS contents, respectively, resulting in the variation of intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions. In addition, the surface energies of PVPh after thermal treatment of 180 °C for 24 h can be less than 20 mJ m −2 and those of POSS-PVPh without thermal treatment can be less than 25 mJ m −2 while those of poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) are 22 mJ m −2 .

In this paper, the effects of antioxidants and processing parameters on the thermal stability and processability of sPS have been investigated. Experimental results indicate that a long processing duration and mechanic shearing force accelerate the thermal oxidation and addition of antioxidants into sPS can effectively improve color contamination and thermal stability. Furthermore, feasible estimation of sPS/PPO alloys for reflective cups of light emitting diodes (LEDs) have also been made, demonstrating that sPS/PPO alloys are potential candidates by the appropriate prescription of impact modifiers, flame retardants, and titanium dioxide.

With conventional heating process, ultraviolet (UV) illumination, and microwave irradiation, we have successfully synthesized UV curable encapsulating adhesives with excellent gas barrier capabilities, good adhesive strength, moderate hardness, and high refractive indices. The experimental results manifest that the physical properties of lab-made encapsulating adhesives are highly dependent on their chemical structures and synthetic procedure. We also discover that the encapsulating adhesive prepared by microwave irradiation (i.e. encapsulating adhesive VI-MW) exhibits better adhesive strength and higher gas resistance than those prepared by conventional heating process and UV illumination. Furthermore, encapsulating adhesive VI-MW has also been applied for the package of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), flexible OLEDs, and organic solar cells. With encapsulating adhesive VI-MW, the entry of oxygen and moisture in the air into these organic optoelectronic devices has been blocked, therefore enhancing the lifetimes.

By ultraviolet (UV)-assisted synthetic procedure, we have successfully prepared several UV curable organic/inorganic hybrid nanocomposites with excellent gas barrier capabilities, moderate hardness, and good adhesive strength. The experimental results reveal that the physical properties of nanocomposites depend on their chemical structures. Therefore, introduction of silicone and polyurethane (PU) into the Acrylics backbone dramatically raises the adhesive strength as well as refractive index and lowers the gas penetration. Furthermore, we have also applied lab-made nanocomposite g for the encapsulation of organic optoelectronic devices such as OLEDs, flexible OLEDs, and organic solar cells. With the package of lab-made nanocomposite g, the organic optoelectronic devices effectively resist the entry of moisture and oxygen in the air, extending the lifetimes.

UV-curable organic/inorganic hybrid composites with gas barrier and heat-dissipating capability have been successfully fast synthesized with microwave irradiation and utilized for the encapsulation of top-emitting organic light-emitting diodes (TEOLEDs). Experimental results manifest that lab-made organic/inorganic hybrid composites can effectively not only obstruct the invasion of moisture as well as oxygen in the atmosphere into the device but also lower the temperature of device. Therefore, the lifetimes of TEOLEDs with their encapsulation are 2.2 folds longer than those without encapsulation.

UV curable organic/inorganic hybrid nanocomposites with high refractive indices, moderate hardness, good adhesive strength, and excellent gas blocking performances have been successfully rapidly synthesized by in situ microwave-assisted heating process. We find that the chemical structures of polymer matrices influence the physical properties and addition of silicone and polyurethane (PU) into the acrylics backbone can further reduce the gas permeation and increase the adhesive strength as well as refractive indices. Moreover, lab-made Silicone/PU/Acrylics I nanocomposites have also been utilized for the encapsulation of organic solar cells, LEDs, OLEDs, and flexible OLEDs. The experimental results demonstrate that they can effectively hinder the penetration of oxygen as well as moisture in the atmosphere into the photoelectric devices, consequently prolonging their lifetimes. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

By ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, brightness enhancement films (BEFs) have been successfully manufactured with UV-curable polymers and applied for organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). With BEFs, either green OLEDs (BEF/ITO glass/NPB (30 nm)/Alq3 (65 nm)/LiF (0.5 nm)/Al (100 nm)) or white OLEDs (BEF/ITO glass/TAPC (40 nm)/mCP:Os:Firpic mixture (weight ratio = 82:17:1; 25 nm)/BCP (15 nm)/Alq3 (30 nm)/LiF (0.5 nm)/Al(150 nm)) exhibit better electroluminescent performances than those without BEFs. In case of green OLEDs, the luminance and electroluminescent yield with 45° compound BEFs are, respectively, 1.51-fold and 1.42-fold (at 9 V, 60 mA/cm2) larger than those without BEFs. In case of white OLEDs, moreover, the luminance and electroluminescent yield with 45° compound BEFs are, respectively, 1.28-fold and 1.21-fold (at 9 V, 16 mA/cm2) larger than those without BEFs.

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at high risk of acquiring emerging infections while caring for patients, as has been shown in the recent SARS and swine flu epidemics. Using SARS as an example, we determined the effectiveness of infection control measures (ICMs) by logistic regression and structural equation modelling (SEM), a quantitative methodology that can test a hypothetical model and validates causal relationships among ICMs. Logistic regression showed that installing hand wash stations in the emergency room (p = 0.012, odds ratio = 1.07) was the only ICM significantly associated with the protection of HCWs from acquiring the SARS virus. The structural equation modelling results showed that the most important contributing factor (highest proportion of effectiveness) was installation of a fever screening station outside the emergency department (51%). Other measures included traffic control in the emergency department (19%), availability of an outbreak standard operation protocol (12%), mandatory temperature screening (9%), establishing a hand washing setup at each hospital checkpoint (3%), adding simplified isolation rooms (3%), and a standardized patient transfer protocol (3%). Installation of fever screening stations outside of the hospital and implementing traffic control in the emergency department contributed to 70% of the effectiveness in the prevention of SARS transmission. Our approach can be applied to the evaluation of control measures for other epidemic infectious diseases, including swine flu and avian flu.

Ultraviolet (UV) curable organic/inorganic hybrid nanocomposites with excellent gas barrier effect, good adhesion strength, high refractive indices, moderate hardness, and fast curing speed have been successfully quickly synthesized by UV irradiation and utilized for the encapsulation of light emitting diodes (LEDs). In addition, the experimental results reveal that lab-made nanocomposites effectively resist the penetration of oxygen and moisture in the air into the LEDs and thus enhance their lifetimes to achieve 18,300 h while those without encapsulation are only 2400 h.

The thermal characterization, melting behaviors, dynamic mechanical properties, and morphology of syndiotactic polystyrene and its blends with poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-diphenylene oxide) were examined by differential scanning calorimetry, dynamical mechanical analyzer, and scanning electron microscope. With differential scanning calorimetry and scanning electron microscope results, two melting endothermic peaks and blending morphology were observed. We suggest that the lower melting endothermic peak is due to the melt of syndiotactic polystyrene, however, the higher melting endothermic peak comes from the melt of recrystallized syndiotactic polystyrene crystals during the differential scanning calorimetry scan. With dynamical mechanical analyzer results, we find that addition of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-diphenylene oxide) into syndiotactic polystyrene can increase the soft temperature and toughness. Moreover, the experimental results also reveal that crystallization of syndiotactic polystyrene in the syndiotactic polystyrene/poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-diphenylene oxide) blend is impeded in the presence of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-diphenylene oxide) and the melting behaviors of syndiotactic polystyrene/poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-diphenylene oxide) blends are homogeneous.

The lifetimes of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) have been successfully enhanced with the modulation of LiF thickness and the utilization of encapsulating adhesives, which have been successfully and quickly synthesized with UV irradiation. Experimental results demonstrate that LiF and lab-made encapsulating adhesives can block the invasion of moisture as well as oxygen in the atmosphere into the OLEDs so that the lifetimes of devices with their encapsulation are 18-folds longer than those without encapsulation.

Isothermal crystallization kinetics of syndiotactic polystyrene (sPS) is reported in this work with Avrami analytical method. It was found that the spherulite growth rate and overall crystallization rate depend on the crystallization temperatures, average molecular weight ( M ¯ W ) and polydispersity index (PDI). The experimental results for the melt and cold crystallization processes of sPS revealed that the PDI and M ¯ W exhibit pivotal effects on the crystallization rate, which increases with the decrease of M ¯ W and PDI.

We have successfully prepared ultraviolet (UV) curable organic/inorganic hybrid nanocomposites with good thermal stability, moderate adhesion strength, and excellent barrier capability. In order to improve the gas blocking properties, the metal alloy (Invar) has been blended with lab-made organic/inorganic hybrid nanocomposites, dramatically not only raising the gas resistance but also reducing the shrinkage after UV curing. Moreover, we have also applied lab-made nanocomposite IV for the encapsulation of organic solar cells. The experimental results reveal that introduction of nanocomposite IV can effectively block the penetration of moisture as well as oxygen in the air into the devices and consequently promote the lifetime of organic solar cells.

In this work, color/luminance tunable organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) (ITO glass/naphthyl phenyl benzidine (NPB; 80 nm)/4,4′-bis(diphenylvinylenyl)-biphenyl (ADS082BE; 35 nm)/1,3-bis[2-(2,2′-bipyridine-6-yl)-1,3,4-oxadiazo-5-yl]benzene (Bpy-OXD; 20 nm)/tris-[8-hydroxy-quinoline]aluminum (Alq 3 ; 50 nm)/lithium fluoride (LiF; 3 nm)/aluminum (Al, 80 nm)) with low turn-on voltage (3 V) and high luminance (4850 cd/m 2 at 9 V) have been successfully manufactured. The experimental results reveal that their electroluminescent properties (e.g. hue, luminescent intensity, etc.) can be modulated by the manipulation for the layer thickness of NPB/ADS082BE/Bpy-OXD and the applied voltages. In addition, we have also demonstrated lab-made UV-curable silicone-acrylate encapsulating resin exhibits excellent gas barrier capability so that the half-lifetimes of OLEDs reach 98 h whereas those without encapsulation are only 9 h.

Epoxy-modified polyethylene (PE-g-GMA) was successfully synthesized from glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) via the grafting reaction of extrusion. The mechanism of grafting reaction and the rapid determination for the percentage of grafting are also reported. Experimental results demonstrated that the PE-g-GMA is a good compatibilizer in polyphenylene sulfide/poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PPS/PET) as well as PPS/nylon 6,6/glass fiber alloys and the addition of PE-g-GMA into PPS alloys may effectively improve the mechanical properties of composites.

Previous literature has shown that poly(vinylidene fluoride)-graft-poly(styrene sulfonated acid) (PVDF-g-PSSA) exhibits a lower methanol permeability than commercial Nafion and so is better suited to use as a proton exchange membrane (PEM) in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). A number of studies have suggested that the microstructures of ionic aggregates explain their lower methanol permeability, but few direct morphological observations have been reported. In this study, the use of a tapping mode atomic force microscope (AFM) and a high-angle annular dark-field (HAADF) scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) has identified the phase separation of PVDF and sulfonated PS, and ionic sulfonic aggregates, 3–5 nm, in sulfonated PS regions. An experiment to elucidate the microstructural changes in the membrane with and without methanol immersion shows that PVDF-g-PSSA has ionic aggregates with a more stable microstructure than Nafion.

Botulinum toxin A (Btx) injections and supervised exercise are often used concurrently to treat calf muscle spasticity in children. This study has analyzed the early effects of Btx-induced paralysis and increased activity by voluntary wheel running on cell growth-related processes in juvenile rat gastrocnemius muscle. Btx injection at 29 days of age prevented the normal increases in wet mass (50%) and fiber cross-sectional area (34%) seen by 36 days of age in control rats. Btx-injected vs. contralateral muscles had 22% fewer myonuclei per fiber length but greater than twofold the number of MyoD-positive nuclei at 36 days of age. The accretion of 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine-labeled newly produced myonuclei did not differ between limbs. Voluntary exercise during the 7 days increased the mass (18%) and fiber size (23%) of Btx-injected and contralateral muscles but did not affect any other variable. Thus Btx injection and exercise had early effects on muscle and fiber size without consistently associated changes in myonuclear production or number. This suggests the presence of noncontractile activity-dependent, growth-promoting cytoplasmic events in juvenile muscle.

After the 1980s, Taiwan government has prepared a plan to promote strategies and accelerate the biotechnology development for Taiwan’s biotech and pharmaceutical industry. Biotech and pharmaceutical industry technology intensity have a significant connection with the research and development activities and firm performance. Based on the two-step stochastic meta frontier model developed by Huang, Huang and Liu (2012), this study establishes translog cost function. The purpose of the study is to estimate the performance of cost efficiency for firms in the Taiwan biotech and pharmaceutical industry, and to analyze group-specific and firm-specific environmental variables. The empirical results show that it is basically a 15.87% cost inefficiency for the average cost efficiency of Taiwan biotech and pharmaceutical industry. Firms’ operating scale and industrial environment development are supported by the government to encourage cost efficiency. Considering the differences between sub-industries, the empirical results indicate that the R&D activity promotes the growth of cost efficiency in both pharmaceutical and medical equipment industry. For the relation of agency issues and cost efficiency, Convergence-of-Interest Hypothesis exists in the pharmaceutical industry, and Conflict-of-Interest Hypothesis exists in the medical equipment industry.

This paper explored if the ICT skills is different between students with/without learning disabilities across the grades. Meanwhile the current paper also explored if the structural equation modeling (SEM) is different between the students with/without learning abilities. 547 students with LD and 2298 students without LD from grade 3 to grade 9 participated in this survey. The results indicated that although the ICT skill is different between the students with/without LD, the structure of model is similar between the two groups.

Polymeric solar cells (PSCs) with a derivative of C60 [[6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM)], and 3-hexylthiophene (P3HT) as active layers have been fabricated. The PSC devices were also packaged with glass and novel UV glues to improve their lifetimes and power conversion efficiencies (PCEs). After encapsulation with UV glue I, II, and III, the PCEs of PSCs reached 4, 4.82, and 6%, respectively, and their half-lifetimes increased to 16–18, 26–28, and 90 h, respectively, while the PCEs and half-lifetimes of PSCs without encapsulation were 3.76% and 2.5 h, respectively.

The electrostatic discharge (ESD) characteristics and robustness of LTPS TFT devices with different layout parameters were investigated in this paper. Several key layout parameters and device structures, such as device channel length/width, drain contact to gate spacing, contact layout geometry, gate-overlap structure and LDD length…etc, were designed to characterize the device ESD performance by using both electrostatic discharge simulator (ETS-910) and transmission line pulsing generator (TLPG) system. The ESD induced failure phenomena were also discussed. These layout dependent results on ESD robustness of LTPS TFTs would help designers implement the ESD protection devices or circuits on the panel of glass substrate.