Overcoming Trade Impediments: Considering SME Exporters from Nova Scotia

Firms often encounter location-based impediments that hinder them from engaging with international markets. These challenges can be exacerbated for smaller firms, which often have limited resources and exposure to global markets. This article examines successful small and medium-sized exporters from Nova Scotia, a province with decreased export activity in recent years. It explores these firms’ trade-related motivations, their impediments, and the strategies that they have used to address possible location-related problems. Although geographical distance does not appear to be a competitive challenge, other issues emerge, including travel expenditures and the costs of export intelligence gathering. Successful exporters have overcome many potential impediments by using government trade programs, establishing and maintaining face-to-face contacts, and working with international partners.     

DISCUSSION ON THE SPECTRA SHAPE OF SEISMIC MARGIN EARTHQUAKE OF NUCLEAR POWER PLANT IN CHINA

Fukushima nuclear accident caused widespread concern of earthquake initiated severe accident. Under this background, China nuclear utilities carried out research and application of seismic margin assessment(SMA)approach to evaluate the seismic margin of the existing nuclear power plants(NPP)by different spectra shape of seismic margin earthquake(SME). By reviewing the method used to determine SME of operational NPP in central and eastern United States(CEUS), this paper analyzed the seismic hazard characteristic of China NPP sites, contrasted the design basis ground motion between NPP in CEUS and China, and suggested giving priority to evaluating the seismic margin of operational NPP that adopted the improved second generation technology for the urgency and importance of assessment on the actual seismic capacity of NPP. Comparing RG1.60 spectrum to normalized site-specific SL-2 level acceleration spectra, we found that some normalized spectra overtook the RG1.60's in high frequency range, so it is not always adequate to scale RG1.60 spectrum to evaluate the seismic margin for sites of the improved second generation NPP. We selected a sample site whose site-specific SL-2 level ground motion is close to the standard design of improved second generation NPP(0.2g scaled RG1.60 spectrum)to determine the seismic margin earthquake by probabilistic seismic hazard analysis method of the sample site. Compared to the given PGA(0.3g)scaled scenario earthquake ground motions and the uniform hazard response spectrum(UHRS), whose PGA is 0.3g to PGA(0.3g)scaled standard spectra(median NUREG/CR0098 spectrum and RG1.60 spectrum), the results demonstrated that uniform hazard response spectrum and scaled scenario earthquake ground motions are both significantly higher than the PGA scaled median NUREG/CR0098 spectrum, and all the three spectra are enveloped by PGA scaled RG1.60 spectrum. Then, this paper suggests adopting the uniform hazard response spectrum or scenario earthquake ground motions to evaluate the seismic margin of improved second generation NPP beyond site SL-2 ground motion; and to evaluate the seismic margin of improved second generation NPP beyond standard design, we recommend to use PGA scaled RG1.60 spectrum.     

一种空间建模环境及其在生态经济系统中的应用

空间建模和模拟已成为生态系统研究的重要手段,其中SME(SpatialModelingEnvironment)是一个有广泛应用前景的空间建模环境之一。本文首先对SME的结构和功能及其在生态经济系统中应用的两个典型实例进行了介绍,然后介绍了在甘肃省高性能网格计算中心的曙光TC1700高性能计算系统上已建立的SME空间建模环境及其运行验证情况,最后就SME在黑河流域生态系统研究中的应用作了简要展望。     

形状记忆合金金属橡胶自回复减震(振)器的性能试验研究

形状记忆合金金属橡胶(Shape Memory Alloy Metal Rubber,SMAMR)是在金属橡胶基础上改进的一种新型减振材料,在减震(振)器发生塑性变形之后,形状记忆合金金属橡胶可以通过加热诱发金属橡胶中的形状记忆合金丝发生相变,从而达到变形自回复的目的。本文通过对8个金属橡胶试件的静力和动力压缩试验研究发现,形状记忆合金金属橡胶力学性能稳定,并且形状记忆合金金属橡胶减震(振)器的塑性变形可以通过升温进行自回复,而不需要更换新的减震设备。