Al–Si cast alloys under isothermal and thermomechanical fatigue conditions

This work presents a survey of the isothermal and anisothermal fatigue behavior of aluminum casting alloys obtained from different processes. Experimental results have shown that porosity, especially large and irregular pores, provides the main factor in decreasing fatigue properties of the tested alloys. In materials with similar porosity levels, other microstructural factors became relevant such as, matrix morphology and the amount of alloying elements. Fractographic analyses showed that fatigue cracks preferentially start to propagate in microcracks or interdendritic shrinkage usually located next to the surface. In most cases, propagation takes place in the eutectic phase, although in the thixoformed material, a transition from transgranular to intergranular mode was observed in the crack propagation mode.     

Fabrication of nano-porous silicon oxide layers by plasma polymerisation methods

We report on the synthesis of nano-porous silicon oxide (SiO₂) layers by gas phase polymerisation reactions of hexamethy disiloxane and oxygen. The SiO₂ layers are deposited onto one or more layers of poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) particles spin coated onto the substrate surface. Subsequent annealing of the films to high temperature (500 °C) leads to the pyrolysis of the polymeric particles resulting in a 3D nanoporosity in the film. X-ray Photoelectron (XPS) and Fourier Transform Infra Red Spectroscopy (FTIR) show an SiO₂-like surface chemistry and virtually complete removal of the organic components. These materials offer a very high surface area-to-volume ratio suitable for sensing applications.     

A generalized self consistent model for effective elastic moduli of human dentine

Closed-form expressions are presented for effective material properties of human dentine in this paper. The derivation is based a Generalized Self Consistent Method and the strain energy principle. The Generalized Self Consistent Model for cell model of fiber-reinforced composites is extended to the case of hollow cylinder model and the corresponding cell model is chosen to consist of a circular hollow cylinder filled with liquid or gas phase, which surrounded by a circular cylindrical shell of matrix phase. Each layer of cylindrical shell is here considered as a kind of composite consisting of collagen fibrils, with mineralized hydroxyapatite, loosely connected to their neighbours, and water (or gas in the case of dry dentine composite). Using the cell model, the effect of Poisson’s ratio and volume fraction of intertubular dentine on effective mechanical constants is analyzed. Results obtained from the proposed model are compared with those from other models such as nano-indentation method.     

Machine-learning paradigms for selecting ecologically significant input variables

Harmful algal blooms, which are considered a serious environmental problem nowadays, occur in coastal waters in many parts of the world. They cause acute ecological damage and ensuing economic losses, due to fish kills and shellfish poisoning as well as public health threats posed by toxic blooms. Recently, data-driven models including machine-learning (ML) techniques have been employed to mimic dynamics of algal blooms. One of the most important steps in the application of a ML technique is the selection of significant model input variables. In the present paper, we use two extensively used ML techniques, artificial neural networks (ANN) and genetic programming (GP) for selecting the significant input variables. The efficacy of these techniques is first demonstrated on a test problem with known dependence and then they are applied to a real-world case study of water quality data from Tolo Harbour, Hong Kong. These ML techniques overcome some of the limitations of the currently used techniques for input variable selection, a review of which is also presented. The interpretation of the weights of the trained ANN and the GP evolved equations demonstrate their ability to identify the ecologically significant variables precisely. The significant variables suggested by the ML techniques also indicate chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) itself to be the most significant input in predicting the algal blooms, suggesting an auto-regressive nature or persistence in the algal bloom dynamics, which may be related to the long flushing time in the semi-enclosed coastal waters. The study also confirms the previous understanding that the algal blooms in coastal waters of Hong Kong often occur with a life cycle of the order of 1–2 weeks.     

Relationship between knowledge sharing and performance: A survey in Xi’an,China

This paper explores the quantitative relationship between knowledge sharing and performance, with contextual factors in consideration. First, we argue that both knowledge sharing and its contextual factors should be associated with performance. Then, we analyze the multi-dimensional characteristics of knowledge sharing and propose six measures for it. Next, we model the relationship between knowledge sharing and performance, integrating various contingent factors with the model framework, some of which have significant influences on the relationship between knowledge sharing and performance. After that, we propose four alternative models and corresponding propositions for knowledge sharing-contingent variables relationship, and present a quantitative formulation of the relationship between knowledge sharing and performance. Finally, we conduct a survey of 249 organizations in Xi’an, China, and show the empirical results. Our propositions about the knowledge sharing-performance relationship and contingent factors are supported by the survey. The empirical results suggest that managers have to pay attention to some contingent factors while they commit to knowledge sharing. This study adds to the understanding of the effects of knowledge sharing on performance, and gives implications to the practice of knowledge sharing.     

强化会计内部控制促进高校科学管理

建立和强化完善的会计内部控制体系,对于高校优化资源,促进科学管理有着重要意义.针对当前高校会计内部控制的不足,提出了若干解决对策.     

Influence of channel-height on heat transfer in rectangular channels with skewed ribs at different bleed conditions

An infrared imaging system is used to measure detailed distributions of local heat transfer coefficient from rectangular channels with two opposite wide walls roughened by 45° staggered ribs of twenty test cases. Nusselt number (Nu) contours over the ribbed surfaces are presented for five sets of channels with an identical rib-floor configuration, but different channel-heights where the complex Nu distributions without bleed and then with bleeds from the scanned rib-floor or from the ribbed wall opposite to the scanned rib-floor or from the smooth sidewall are analyzed to examine the synergetic effects of variable channel-heights and different bleed conditions on heat transfer. Spatially averaged heat transfer results for the entire set of test channels are generated with the thermal performance factors compared to establish the heat transfer correlations with applications to the design of coolant channels in a gas turbine blade.