Functionalized iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) are of great interest due to wide range applications, especially in nanomedicine. However, they face challenges preventing their further applications such as rapid agglomeration, oxidation, etc. Appropriate surface modification of IONPs can conquer these barriers with improved physicochemical properties. This review summarizes recent advances in the surface modification of IONPs with small organic molecules, polymers and inorganic materials. The preparation methods, mechanisms and applications of surface-modified IONPs with different materials are discussed. Finally, the technical barriers of IONPs and their limitations in practical applications are pointed out, and the development trends and prospects are discussed.

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This paper describes an application of SVM over the Bird Creek catchment and addresses some important issues in developing and applying SVM in flood forecasting. It has been found that, like artificial neural network models, SVM also suffers from over-fitting and under-fitting problems and the over-fitting is more damaging than under-fitting. This paper illustrates that an optimum selection among a large number of various input combinations and parameters is a real challenge for any modellers in using SVMs. A comparison with some benchmarking models has been made, i.e. Transfer Function, Trend and Naive models. It demonstrates that SVM is able to surpass all of them in the test data series, at the expense of a huge amount of time and effort. Unlike previous published results, this paper shows that linear and nonlinear kernel functions (i.e. RBF) can yield superior performances against each other under different circumstances in the same catchment.The study also shows an interesting result in the SVM response to different rainfall inputs, where lighter rainfalls would generate very different responses to heavier ones, which is a very useful way to reveal the behaviour of a SVM model.

B meson semi-leptonic rare decays are sensitive to new physics beyond standard model. We study the B − → π − µ + µ − process and investigate the Majorana neutrino contribution to its decay width. The constraints on the Majorana neutrino mass and mixing parameter are obtained from this decay channel with the latest LHCb data. Utilizing the best fit for the parameters, we study the lepton number violating decay B − → π + µ − µ − , and find its branching ratio is about 6.4 × 10 −10 , which is consistent with the LHCb data reported recently.

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This study aims to build and examine a model of sustainable supply management (SSM) practices and sustainability performance (SP) from a dynamic capability perspective. More precisely, this article examines whether SSM practices have an affect on SP, and this relation is mediated by supply chain risk management (SCRM) and network capability (NC), and moderated by firm size. We collected data from 436 supply management professionals through a survey instrument from six manufacturing and logistics companies in China. The hypothesized direct and indirect linkages were tested through structural equation modeling. Our findings highlight that SSM practices positively affect SCRM, NC, and SP. The link between SSM practices and SP is mediated by SCRM and NC. The results indicate that firm size moderate the hypothesized relationships differentially based on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) versus large enterprises. Our study is novel in establishing empirically how SSM practices influence SP as an integrative model bringing together firm size, SCRM, and NC. Our empirical results have critical implications for both supply chain management literature and supply management professionals.

Purpose With the development of information technology, there is a growing trend for internet enterprises in China to launch internet-only banks. This paper aims to explore how the brand trust in an internet enterprise is transferred to the initial trust in its affiliated internet-only bank and how such transfer affects adoption behavior of potential internet-only banking users. Design/methodology/approach Data were obtained from online questionnaires via a well-known Chinese survey website and a popular Chinese social platform, which yielded 486 usable responses for the analysis. Partial least squares was used for testing hypotheses. Findings The results show that brand trust in the internet enterprise increases initial trust in its affiliated internet-only bank. This, in turn, enhances the adoption of internet-only banking. More importantly, these results show that brand trust in the internet enterprise transfers to initial trust in internet-only banking through performance expectancy and perceived risk. Further, the need for interaction moderates the relationship between brand trust and performance expectancy as well as the relationship between brand trust and perceived risk. Originality/value This study provides new insights into the mechanism by which trust is transferred between two affiliated business entities. The results of the study suggest several useful managerial implications for managing the internet-only banks.

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