Sharif Digital Repository

Satisfying customer demand is one of the growing concerns of supply chain managers. On the other hand, the development of internet communications has increased online demand. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the demand for online shopping. One of the useful concepts that help to address this concern is the omni-channel strategy, which integrates online and traditional channels with the aim of improving customer service level. For this purpose, this paper proposes an algorithm for evaluating Omni-channel Distribution Network Configurations (OCDNCs). The algorithm applies an extended Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model to evaluate OCDNCs based on cost, service, transparency,... 

TiO2 nanotubes (TNTs) were synthesized hydrothermally and modified by Cu2O using a sol-gel method to provide photocatalytic activity in visible light. Cellulose nanofiber (CNF)-based films were prepared by adding TiO2, TNTs, and Cu2O-modified TNT (TNT-Cu2O). The TiO2-based nanoparticles (TiO2, TNTs, and TNT-Cu2O) were uniformly distributed in the base polymer to make compatible and flexible films. The incorporation of nanoparticles significantly enhanced the UV-shielding properties of the film while slightly decreasing the transparency. Incorporating nanofillers improved the film's mechanical and water resistance properties depending on the nanoparticle type. The TNT-Cu2O-added CNF film... 

Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) are introduced to improve individuals' quality of life by offering a wide range of services. They collect a huge amount of data and exchange them with each other and the infrastructure. The collected data usually includes sensitive information about the users and the surrounding environment. Therefore, data security and privacy are among the main challenges in this industry. Blockchain, an emerging distributed ledger, has been considered by the research community as a potential solution for enhancing data security, integrity, and transparency in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). However, despite the emphasis of governments on the transparency... 

Acknowledging the conditionality of model-based evidence facilitates the dialogue between model developers and model users, especially when models are used to guide decisions at the science-policy interface. In general, model users have limited access to verify the realism of a model, being only exposed to model plausibility and trustworthiness; instead, modellers have an an array of validation and verification techniques available. In the end, model credibility is what both developers and users aim for, also in the interest of shielding from the possible pitfall of over-interpreting the model results. To this end, in this contribution we discuss sensitivity auditing, an extension of... 

The diseases and disorders of the cornea may lead to blindness, and cornea transplantation has been an effective treatment in this regard. However, lack of cornea throughout the world makes this treatment difficult. Therefore, the first goal of the present study is to make a chitosan/gelatin hyaline film with NHS and EDC crosslinkers for transplanting the epithelial cells of the cornea. Two solutions of gelatin and chitosan were mixed homogeneously before crosslinking in ratios of 20/80, 30/70, 40/60, and 50/50 (Gel/Chi). After 24 hours, they were put in an oven to dry, then EDC and NHS were added to the mixture as crosslinker. Corneal epithelial cell morphology was assessed qualitatively... 

One of the most important problems in teleoperation systems is time delay and packet loss in the communication channel, which can affect transparency and stability. One way to overcome the time delay effects in a teleoperation system is to predict the master-side motion. In this way, when data is received in the slave side, it will be considered as the current position of the master robot and, thus, complete transparency could be achieved. The majority of the previous works regarding operator position prediction have considered known and constant time delay in the system; however, in the real applications, time delay is unknown and variable. In this paper, an adaptive online prediction... 

All-solution-processed multilayer ZnO/Ag NWs/ZnO/PVP/PVA composite is introduced as a transparent conductive film (TCF) for optoelectronic applications. Unlike conventional film formation methods that impose high investment expenses, scalable spray coating is applied over the layers using a hand-made spray apparatus. The resulting TCF exhibits high transmittance (T, 86% at 550 nm) and low sheet resistance (Rs, 6 Ω/sq), which is comparable to the sputtered counterparts. The bending test demonstrates the flexibility of the multilayer TCF with no noticeable increase in Rs, even after 1500 bending iterations. Moreover, chemical stability test (exposure to a corrosive agent) and adhesion... 

In recent years, thin silver nanowires (Ag NWs) with diameters smaller than 150 nm have been synthesized by implementation of NaCl or FeCl3 as reaction promoters and high molecular weight polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as the capping agent. However, the yield of Ag NWs still remains low, mostly due to the insufficient aspect ratio (AR) of the synthesized nanostructures and the production of Ag nanoparticles, which is an undesirable by product. This study proposes a modified technique to alleviate the problem by using a mixture of FeCl3/CuCl2 as the reaction promoter and two different types of PVP with molecular weight of 360 k and 40 k as the capping agents. The appropriate mixtures of... 

Material design and input field properties limit high-harmonic excitation efficiency of surface-plasmon polaritons (SPPs) in a nanoscopic device. We remedy these limitations by developing a concept for a plasmonic waveguide that exploits spatiotemporal control of a weak surface polaritonic field to create efficient four-wave mixing (FWM) and periodic phase singularities. Our configuration comprises four-level double 3-type atomic medium (43 As) doped in a lossless dielectric situated above a negative-index metamaterial (NIMM) layer. We report the coherent excitation and propagation of the multiple surface polaritonic shock waves (SWs) and establish the highly efficient frequency combs by... 

Material characteristics and input-field specifics limit controllability of nonlinear electromagnetic-field interactions. As these nonlinear interactions could be exploited to create strongly localized bright and dark waves, such as nonlinear surface polaritons, ameliorating this limitation is important. We present our approach to amelioration, which is based on a surface-polaritonic waveguide reconfiguration that enables excitation, propagation and coherent control of coupled dark rogue waves having orthogonal polarizations. Our control mechanism is achieved by finely tuning laser-field intensities and their respective detuning at the interface between the atomic medium and the metamaterial... 

The durability of novel metallic artifacts and buildings is an open issue, and the role of smart protecting coatings in extending these artifacts’ lifetimes is crucial. In this paper, the role of γ-Fe2 O3 nanoparticles and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets on enhancing the self-cleaning properties of composite TiO2 films and reducing metal alterations due to contact with acid rain and pollutants is investigated. The photocatalytic assessment of the TiO2 based films indicates that there are optimum contents for γ-Fe2 O3 and rGO, which confer the film lower bandgap and tune the TiO2 anatase/rutile ratio. By adding a proper content of γ-Fe2 O3, wettability is reduced both in dark and... 

A novel nanohybrid composite of TiO2, SiO2, γ-Fe2O3, and reduced graphene oxide (TiO2@Si:Fe:rGO) is fabricated by the sol-gel method. The properties of the coated film were examined by structural and self-cleaning analyses using simulated discoloration/soiling and roofing tests. The fabricated transparent TiO2@Si:Fe:rGO composite showed excellent photoactivity and wettability, behaving well in self-cleaning applications. The addition of SiO2 improved the crystalline structure and surface hydroxylation of TiO2 nanoparticles. γ-Fe2O3 decreased the recombination rate of e-/h+ pairs, and significantly improved photocatalytic activity under visible light. Moreover, rGO sheets as excellent... 

Proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is a rich source of renewable energy. A non-destructive prediction method is needed to determine the content of water in the PEMFC. In the gas channel of a transparent PEMFC, water is detected with image processing. This method has a high computational cost and is sensitive to the initial position of the camera and ambient lighting. In this paper, the deep neural network (DNN) has been trained to learn the transparent PEMFC's labeled images as a way to determine the content of water, limit human interference and employed in a real-time process. This DNN model is a virtual sensor for measuring the water coverage ratio. To produce the label of images,... 

One of the most important problems in teleoperation systems is time delay and packet loss in the communication channel, which can affect transparency and stability. One way to overcome the time delay effects in a teleoperation system is to predict the master-side motion. In this way, when data is received in the slave side, it will be considered as the current position of the master robot and, thus, complete transparency could be achieved. The majority of the previous works regarding operator position prediction have considered known and constant time delay in the system; however, in the real applications, time delay is unknown and variable. In this paper, an adaptive online prediction... 

We report the effect of the geometric parameters on transparency and conductivity in a metallic nanowire mesh as a transparent electrode. Today, indium tin oxide and fluorine-doped tin oxide are used as the transparent electrode for displays and solar cells. Still, there is a definite need for their replacement due to drawbacks such as brittleness, scarcity, and adverse environmental effects. Metallic nanowire mesh is likely the best replacement option, but the main issue is how to find the optimal structure and how to get the best performance. Since the interaction of light with nanowire mesh is complicated, there is no straightforward rule with a simple analytical solution. We developed a... 

The new paradigm of good governance has an emphasis on international transparency, and this in this study takes into account the actual impacts of organizational intelligence in policymaker organizations. This study primarily aims to design an intelligent model of transparent governance in policymaker organizations with the approach of good governance. The study is a fundamental research in terms of objectives. In the qualitative section, data collection was done through Delphi interview questions, and the statistical population was senior managers, specialists, and policymakers with targeted sampling. In the quantitative part, the population was mid-level managers and organizational... 

In recent years, the construction of high-rise buildings as an urban development strategy has been accepted in many megacities. High-rise buildings have positive as well as negative impacts on urban environments. Therefore, the environmental impact assessment of high-rise buildings for establishing strategies to ensure sustainable and resilient urban development is essential. In this study, the environmental impact of high-rise buildings with a resilient development mindset was assessed. Resilience mindset provides an approach for including the uncertainties and interdependence of systems and processes for planning new sustainable developments and assessment methods. The corresponding... 

We develop a concept for a waveguide that exploits spatial control of nonlinear surface-polaritonic waves. Our scheme includes an optical cavity with four-level N-type atoms in a lossless dielectric placed above a negative-index metamaterial layer. We propose exciting a polaritonic Akhmediev breather at a certain position of the interface between the atomic medium and the metamaterial by modifying laser-field intensities and detunings. Furthermore, we propose generating position-dependent polaritonic frequency combs by engineering widths of the electromagnetically induced transparency window commensurate with the surface-polaritonic modulation instability. Therefore, this waveguide acts as a... 

Electrochemical exfoliation of graphite has recently attracted a big attention as a simple, fast and scalable method for the preparation of high quality graphene, but there are some drawbacks that hinder its application. Direct deposition is one of the most critical challenges that makes it difficult to deposit uniform, compact and large scale graphene thin films. This work develops a facile electrophoretic deposition route to fabricate exfoliated graphene (EG) film on Ag nanowires (NWs) networks with a controllable film thickness in nanometers scale. EG thin films are deposited with different applied potentials and times from an EG dispersion in N, N-dimethylformamide solvent. Since... 

Transparent Conductive Electrode (TCE), as an essential part of the optoelectronic devices, has become popular owing to its unique properties such as high optical transmittance and conductivity. Among utilized materials for fabrication of TCE, copper nanofibers (NFs)-network have been attracting much attention due to its extraordinary properties such as low sheet resistance, the scalable manufacturing and low-cost fabrication method. However, many challenges exist in the way of multi-step fabrication of network to increase the NFs continuity and consequently, improvement of their electrical conductivity as TCE. Herein, we report a deep investigation of the effective parameters on diameter...