Optimal Accounting Rules and Efficient Liquidation

We study optimal accounting rules that alleviate inefficiencies caused by managerial private benefits. Accounting signals generated by the accounting rules guide the continuation decision at an interim project stage. The entrepreneur enjoys private benefits from continuation, which may induce inefficient decisions. The optimal accounting rule is characterized by a threshold, with a higher threshold representing more conservative accounting. The first-best is achieved under small private benefits. As private benefits increase, the first-best eventually is not achievable and more informative bad news is required for the manager to terminate, resulting in less conservative accounting rules. Therefore, more conservative accounting rules are associated with more efficient investment decisions

An AFSA-Inspired Vector Energy Routing Algorithm Based on Fluid Mechanics

This paper probes into the issue of short network lifetime caused by unbalanced routing energy consumption of wireless sensor network, and discovers that the reason for the problem is unbalanced network load. To tackle the issue, the author constructs a load-balanced vector field by the non-viscous fluid model in fluid mechanics, and optimizes the vector field-based energy routing by artificial fish-swarm algorithm (AFSA). On this basis, the author builds up an AFSA-inspired vector field-based energy routing algorithm based on fluid mechanics. Besides, the author conducts simulation analysis of the algorithm and common routing algorithms. Through comparison, it is discovered that the routing algorithm proposed by this paper has higher energy efficiency than the traditional routing algorithms, which prolongs the lifetime of the wireless sensor network

A parametrized three-dimensional model for MEMS thermal shear-stress sensors

This paper presents an accurate and efficient model of MEMS thermal shear-stress sensors featuring a thin-film hotwire on a vacuum-isolated dielectric diaphragm. We consider three-dimensional (3-D) heat transfer in sensors operating in constant-temperature mode, and describe sensor response with a functional relationship between dimensionless forms of hotwire power and shear stress. This relationship is parametrized by the diaphragm aspect ratio and two additional dimensionless parameters that represent heat conduction in the hotwire and diaphragm. Closed-form correlations are obtained to represent this relationship, yielding a MEMS sensor model that is highly efficient while retaining the accuracy of three-dimensional heat transfer analysis. The model is compared with experimental data, and the agreement in the total and net hotwire power, the latter being a small second-order quantity induced by the applied shear stress, is respectively within 0.5% and 11% when uncertainties in sensor geometry and material properties are taken into account. The model is then used to elucidate thermal boundary layer characteristics for MEMS sensors, and in particular, quantitatively show that the relatively thick thermal boundary layer renders classical shear-stress sensor theory invalid for MEMS sensors operating in air. The model is also used to systematically study the effects of geometry and material properties on MEMS sensor behavior, yielding insights useful as practical design guidelines