Managing global network operations along the engineering value chain

Purpose: This paper aims to improve understanding of how to manage global network operations from an engineering perspective. Design/methodology/approach: This research adopted a theory building approach based on case studies. Grounded in the existing literature, the theoretical framework was refined and enriched through nine in-depth case studies in the industry sectors of aerospace, automotives, defence and electrics and electronics. Findings: This paper demonstrates the main value creation mechanisms of global network operations along the engineering value chain. Typical organisational features to support the value creation mechanisms are captured, and the key issues in engineering network design and operations are presented with an overall framework. Practical implications: Evidenced by a series of pilot applications, outputs of this research can help companies to improve the performance of their current engineering networks and design new engineering networks to better support their global businesses and customers in a systematic way. Originality/value: Issues about the design and operations of global engineering networks (GEN) are poorly understood in the existing literature in contrast to their apparent importance in value creation and realisation. To address this knowledge gap, this paper introduces the concept of engineering value chain to highlight the potential of a value chain approach to the exploration of engineering activities in a complex business context. At the same time, it develops an overall framework for managing GEN along the engineering value chain. This improves our understanding of engineering in industrial value chains and extends the theoretical understanding of GEN through integrating the engineering network theories and the value chain concepts. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

欧洲鳗鲡淋巴细胞转化试验条件的建立

通过对培养时间、培养温度、刀豆蛋白A(ConA)质量浓度和鳗鲡血清质量分数4个参数的测定,确定欧洲鳗鲡(Anguilla anguilla)外周血淋巴细胞转化试验四甲基偶氮唑(MTT)法的实验条件。结果表明,在培养时间为42-90 h,培养温度分别为15.0℃、20.0℃、25.0℃和30.0℃时,细胞培养液中ConA质量浓度分别为0、10μg/mL、20μg/mL和30μg/mL,鳗鲡血清质量分数分别为0、5%、10%和15%时,淋巴细胞于20.0℃、含10μg/mL ConA,10%鳗鲡血清的RPMI

Effects of brominated flame retardants and brominated dioxins on steroidogenesis in H295R human adrenocortical carcinoma cell line

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and brominated dioxins are emerging persistent organic pollutants that are ubiquitous in the environment and can be accumulated by wildlife and humans. These chemicals can disturb endocrine function. Recent studies have demonstrated that one of the mechanisms of endocrine disruption by chemicals is modulation of steroidogenic gene expression or enzyme activities. In this study, an in vitro assay based on the H295R human adrenocortical carcinoma cell line, which possesses most key genes or enzymes involved in steroidogenesis, was used to examine the effects of five bromophenols, two polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs 77 and 169), 2,3,7,8-tetrabromodibenzo-p-dioxin, and 2,3,7,8-tetrabromodibenzofuran on the expression of 10 key steroidogenic genes. The H295R cells were exposed to various BFR concentrations for 48 h, and the expression of specific genescytochrome P450 (CYP11A, CYP11B2, CYP17, CYP19, and CYP21), 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3PHSD2), 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17 beta HSD1 and 17 beta HSD4), steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGR)-was quantitatively measured using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Cell viability was not affected at the doses tested. Most of the genes were either up- or down-regulated, to some extent, by BFR exposure. Among the genes tested, 3PHSD2 was the most markedly up-regulated, with a range of magnitude from 1.6- to 20-fold. The results demonstrate that bromophenol, bromobiphenyls, and bromodibenzo-p-dioxin/furan are able to modulate steroidogenic gene expression, which may lead to endocrine disruption.

Electronic states of InAs verfically-assembled quantum disks in magnetic fields and two-electron quantum-disk qubit

We have studied the single-electron and two-electron vertically-assembled quantum disks in an axial magnetic field using the effective mass approximation. The electron interaction is treated accurately by the direct diagonalization of the Hamiltonian matrix. We calculate the six criergy levels of single-electron quantum disks and the two lowest energy levels of two-electron quantum disks in an axial magnetic field. The change of the magnetic field as an effective potential strongly modifies the electronic structures. leading to splittings and crossings between levels The results demonstrate the switching between the around states with the total spins S = 0 and S = 1. The switching results in a qubit allowed to fabricate by current growth techniques.

施肥水平对长武旱塬地冬小麦产量影响的模拟

为了在实时气象条件下确定旱塬区适宜的肥力水平和产量水平,在模拟精度验证基础上,应用WinEPIC模型模拟研究了黄土高原长武旱塬地1957～2001年期间不同肥力水平下连作冬小麦田产量效应。模型验证结果表明CK、N、NP处理产量模拟值与观测值之间的相关系数分别为0.740、0.764和0.740,均达到显著水平,WinEPIC模型对不同肥力处理下冬小麦籽粒产量模拟较为准确。模拟结果表明,无肥、低肥、中肥和高肥处理下连作冬小麦的产量均呈现波动性降低趋势,其平均值分别为1.055、1.422、2.405和3.170t/hm2,不同肥力处理间差异显著,以中肥和高肥处理增产效果最好。为黄土高原南部沟壑区旱地小麦生产的可持续发展提供了科学依据。

非对称性有利于合作行为的演化

解释合作行为的演化一直是社会行为学和进化生物学研究的核心问题之一.经典的亲选择和互惠选择理论认为,合作双方由于高度的亲缘关系(遗传相似性)或互惠关系而存在合作均衡或进化稳定策略.这些经典合作演化理论都暗含合作双方是对称的前提假设,即合作双方的实力对等.然而,在现实的合作系统中,博弈双方几乎都是实力不对等的非对称性相互关系.运用"鹰鸽博弈"模型及博弈理论发现,若博弈双方的实力不对等,博弈双方冲突的频率与博弈双方实力的对比有着密切关系,即:博弈双方实力对比越悬殊,合作的频率越大,而实力对等时发生冲突的频率最大.该结果表明,相互作用个体间的非对称性将可能是合作关系演化的关键动力之一,且非对称性合作系统并不存在稳定的纯策略Nash均衡.模型结果有效地解释了为什么在几乎所有的著名合作系统中都观测到了合作双方的冲突行为.该模型同时发现,博弈双方发生合作频率的大小与冲突的单位成本收益呈负相关,而合作方冲突行为的单位成本收益可能取决于合作个体从其系统扩散到其他系统的几率或从原有系统退出的成本大小.而扩散到其他系统几率越小,或退出成本越高,合作接受方(优势方)对合作方的不合作行为惩罚越可信,合作系统因而可能越稳定.

Intersubband absorption from In0.26Ga0.74As/GaAs quantum dot superlattice

We have grown a high-quality 20 period InGaAs/GaAs quantum dot superlattice with a standard structure typically used for quantum well infrared photodetector. Normal incident absorption was observed around 13-15 mu m. Potential applications for this work include high-performance quantum dot infrared detectors.

Effect of Si-Ge interdiffusion on the waveguide properties of SiGe-Si MQW photodetector

Because of Si-Ge interdiffusion in the Si-SiGe interface during the growth process, the square-wave refractive index distribution of a SiGe-Si multiple-quantum-web (MQW) will become smooth. In order to simulate the actual refractive index profile, a staircase approximation is applied. Based on this approach, the dispersion equation of the MQW waveguide is obtained by using a transfer matrix method, The effects of index changes caused by the interdiffusion on the optical field and the characteristics of the photodetector are evaluated by solving the dispersion equation, It is shown that the Si-Ge interdiffusion can result in a reduction of the effective absorption coefficient and the quantum efficiency.