Systems thinking in corporate development strategy: The case of Armco Latin American Division

In this paper we examine the role of top management in relation to the diversified operations of a company and the meaning of “strategic planning” for these entities. We briefly examine two general approaches to generation of growth: conglomeration (portfolio management) and synergistic growth. We argue that the second is preferable. We then challenge the universally popluar notion that growth is the appropriate objective for a business entity. We propose the concept of “development” as a better alternative. We offer the case of Armco's Latin American Division (known as ALAD) as an illustration of the kind of thinking that emerges when development is taken as the corporate objective. We present a five-phase strategy that combines the notions of synergistic growth and corporate development in a systemic framework.     

Impact of gamma radiation and salinity on growth and K+/Na+ balance in two populations of Medicago sativa (L.) cultivar Gabès

The perennial Medicago sativa cv. Gabès is widely grown on saline soils in Tunisian oases. Morphological and physiological analyses of two populations (Mareth and Gannouch) were conducted in order to study the effect of salinity and gamma radiation (350 Gy) interaction on two populations of this species. It has been shown that the two irradiated populations of Medicago sativa are fairly tolerant to salt at growth phase compared to the non-irradiated. Exposure to gamma irradiation (350 Gy), alone or in combination with salt stress, increased significantly (p<0.001) shoot number, stem height and chlorophyll b pigment especially for the Gannouch population, while no change occurred for the Mareth population. The presence of salt to 9g/l affected significantly the root biomass and induced a reduction of shoot development of both control and irradiated alfalfa populations. For all treatments, plants of two populations remained able to produce and to allocate dry matter to the different organs. The survey of Na⁺ / K⁺ ratio showed that the growth of the aerial organs of two non-irradiated populations was at least determined by a selectivity in favour of the K+ ions (r² = 0.97 and r² = 0.59 for Mareth and Gannouch irradiated populations, respectively). However, the rather weak correlation detected for the irradiated populations, particularly for the irradiated Gannouch, seems to be the consequence of the effect of irradiation that improved potassium availability, essential element for growth and development. Results also showed that the two irradiated populations, especially the Mareth, accumulated Na⁺ ions in its photosynthetic organs. This accumulation was associated with an improvement of foliar water content at a level of salinity arrounding 5g/l. Such a mechanism reflects probably an inclusive behaviour of the plants and a good aptitude to use the dominant ions (Na⁺) for the osmotic adjustment. However, the non-irradiated populations are unable to adjust their internal osmotic potential. Consequently, irradiated plants have probably adapted to the osmotic stress by either closing their stomata or increasing the osmotic pressure of the leaf cells.     

Identification of ALK as a major familial neuroblastoma predisposition gene

Neuroblastoma is a childhood cancer that can be inherited, but the genetic aetiology is largely unknown. Here we show that germline mutations in the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene explain most hereditary neuroblastomas, and that activating mutations can also be somatically acquired. We first identified a significant linkage signal at chromosome bands 2p23-24 using a whole-genome scan in neuroblastoma pedigrees. Resequencing of regional candidate genes identified three separate germline missense mutations in the tyrosine kinase domain of ALK that segregated with the disease in eight separate families. Resequencing in 194 high-risk neuroblastoma samples showed somatically acquired mutations in the tyrosine kinase domain in 12.4% of samples. Nine of the ten mutations map to critical regions of the kinase domain and were predicted, with high probability, to be oncogenic drivers. Mutations resulted in constitutive phosphorylation, and targeted knockdown of ALK messenger RNA resulted in profound inhibition of growth in all cell lines harbouring mutant or amplified ALK, as well as in two out of six wild-type cell lines for ALK. Our results demonstrate that heritable mutations of ALK are the main cause of familial neuroblastoma, and that germline or acquired activation of this cell-surface kinase is a tractable therapeutic target for this lethal paediatric malignancy.     

考虑震损的混凝土框架结构改进建模方法

为准确描述震后结构损伤的影响,提出了损伤构件的定量分析方法及震损结构的改进建模方法.首先,从骨架曲线退化及滞回规则退化两方面定义了损伤构件的性能退化指数;然后,基于Park-Ang模型与Kunnath模型,采用统计回归分析方法提出了损伤构件恢复力模型,并对其准确性进行了验证;最后,应用该恢复力模型对震损框架结构进行弹塑性分析.结果 表明:采用Park-Ang模型和Kunnath模型得到的损伤构件恢复力模型均具有较高的准确性;对于所研究的2种构件,滞回曲线力峰值的理论值和试验值误差均小于10％;向完好结构输入组合地震波,向震损结构输入单一地震波,各层位移时程曲线吻合良好,说明采用该恢复力模型进行震损结构建模能够准确分析震损程度及分布对结构抗震性能的影响.     

Impact of gamma radiation and salinity on growth and K+/Na+balance in two populations of Medicago sativa(L.)cultivar Gabès

The perennial Medicago sativa cv.Gabès is widely grown on saline soils in Tunisian oases.Morphological and physiological analyses of two populations(Mareth and Gannouch)were conducted in order to study the effect of salinity and gamma radiation(350 Gy)inter-action on two populations of this species.It has been shown that the two irradiated populations of Medicago sativa are fairly tolerant to salt at growth phase compared to the non-irradiated.Exposure to gamma irradiation(350 Gy),alone or in combination with salt stress,increased significantly (p<0.00 1)shoot number,stem height and chlorophyll b pigment especially for the Gannouch population,while no change occurred for the Mareth population.The presence of salt to 9 g/1 affected significantly the root biomass and induced a reduc-tion of shoot development of both control and irradiated alfalfa populations.For all treatments,plants of two populations remained able to produce and to allocate dry matter to the different organs.The survey of Na+/K+ratio showed that the growth of the aerial organs of two non-irradiated populations was at least determined by a selectivity in favour of the K+ions r2=0.97 and r2=0.59 for Mareth and Gannouch non-irradiated populations,respectively).However,the rather weak correlation detected for the irradiated populations,par-ticularly for the irradiated Gannouch.seems to be the consequence of the effect of irradiation that improved potassium availability.essential element for growth and development.Results also showed that the two irradiated populations,especially the Mareth,accumu-lated Na+ions in its photosynthetic organs.This accumulation was associated with an improvement of foliar water content at a level of salinity around 5 g/1.Such a mechanism reflects probably an inclusive behaviour of the plants and a good aptitude to use the dominant ions(Na+)for the osmotic adjustment.However,the non-irradiated populations are unable to adjust their internal osmotic potential.Consequently,irradiated plants have probably adapted to the osmotic stress by either closing their stomata or increasing the osmotic pressure of the leaf cells.     

壬二酸的性质、合成和应用

本综述了壬二酸的性质，用途及合成方法。介绍了国内外采用臭氧氧化法合成壬二酸的研究进展。对臭氧氧化法合成壬二酸的反应机理，合成工艺做了较为系统的总结并对臭氧氧化法在精细化工中的应用做了展望：臭氧氧化法作为一种清洁工艺在油脂深加工和精细化工产品的开发方面大有可为。     

Global hotspots of species richness are not congruent with endemism or threat

Biodiversity hotspots have a prominent role in conservation biology, but it remains controversial to what extent different types of hotspot are congruent. Previous studies were unable to provide a general answer because they used a single biodiversity index, were geographically restricted, compared areas of unequal size or did not quantitatively compare hotspot types. Here we use a new global database on the breeding distribution of all known extant bird species to test for congruence across three types of hotspot. We demonstrate that hotspots of species richness, threat and endemism do not show the same geographical distribution. Only 2.5% of hotspot areas are common to all three aspects of diversity, with over 80% of hotspots being idiosyncratic. More generally, there is a surprisingly low overall congruence of biodiversity indices, with any one index explaining less than 24% of variation in the other indices. These results suggest that, even within a single taxonomic class, different mechanisms are responsible for the origin and maintenance of different aspects of diversity. Consequently, the different types of hotspots also vary greatly in their utility as conservation tools.     

响应面法优化微波辅助提取豆腐柴果胶工艺及其抗氧化研究

豆腐柴含有丰富的果胶,具有多样的药理活性.在单因素试验基础上,以果胶提取率为指标,采用Box-Behnken优化其微波辅助提取工艺,并通过测定果胶对羟基自由基和超氧阴离子的清除率来研究豆腐柴果胶体外抗氧化活性.结果显示,豆腐柴果胶的最佳提取工艺为:微波功率635 W、提取时间29 s、液料比20:1(m L/g),该条件下果胶提取率平均值为20.31%.豆腐柴果胶对羟基自由基和超氧阴离子自由基有较强的清除作用,显示其具有良好的抗氧化活性.