Financial Analysis and Marketing Strategy

A combination of concept (the product portfolio and the product life cycle) and empirical research (the PIMS study) can aid in clarifying the key issues involved in the selection of a firm's core strategies. Strategy control is multistage: periodic re-evaluation of strategy alternatives by use of the marketing audit; an analytical framework for control of chosen strategies by breaking down components and reporting their performance variances; and 'marketing segment' analysis for control of the detailed marketing plan.?     

True stabilization: the behaviour of lead compounds against the thermal decomposition of polyvinyl chloride

Investigations which have been conducted within the last two decades into the behaviour of basic lead compounds as stabilizers against the thermal dehydrochlorination of polyvinyl chloride are summarized. It is shown that the results can be explained satisfactorily in terms of a free radical dehydrochlorination mechanism and a regenerative exchange process which interferes with the dehydrochlorination. This may be regarded as true stabilization in contrast to hydrogen chloride scavenging. In true stabilization it is proposed that aliphatic carboxylate groups (such as the stearate ion) react with reservoirs of basic lead compounds (such as white lead) to form relatively mobile salts (such as stearates of lead). Also, it is proposed that these salts take part in exchange reactions with chlorine atoms released by the PVC during free radical decomposition, to give innocuous chlorides of lead and the corresponding aliphatic carboxylate free radicals. Hence the chlorine atoms are trapped and no longer able to propagate dehydrochlorination of the polymer. Further, it is proposed that the aliphatic carboxylate free radicals can esterify PVC chains at sites where prior attack by chlorine atoms has abstracted methylenic hydrogen atoms leaving unpaired electrons. This step eliminates the stimulus for loss of chlorine atoms from the PVC, thereby also interfering with the free radical propagation mechanism. Subsequently, the pendant aliphatic carboxylate groups dissociate from the polymer chains with neighbouring chloromethylenic hydrogen atoms to form the corresponding acids, and leaving the chlorine atoms adjacent to carbon-carbon double bonds in relatively stable vinyl-type positions. The aliphatic carboxylic acids so formed can react with the basic lead compounds reservoir to regenerate mobile salts so that the stabilizing process is therefore continuous and cyclic. It is demonstrated that ionic and unimolecular mechanisms which normally are put forward to explain the behaviour of primary stabilizers in PVC are not satisfactory because they do not account for all observations made with basic lead stabilizing regimes. Other evidence which favours the free radical decomposition and stabilization mechanisms is cited, and a suggestion is made for further work.     

Investigations into the behaviour of “plumbonacrite” basic lead carbonate as a thermal stabiliser for polyvinyl chloride

An apparatus is described which permits reasonably uniform heat treatment of fairly large samples of PVC blends in controlled atmospheres, at preset temperatures, and for predetermined lengths of time. Experiments are described in which portions of a plasticised PVC blend, and also portions of an unplasticised PVC blend, were heated under nitrogen at 180 °C for various lengths of time up to those stages when Congo Red tests showed hydrogen chloride to be liberated. Each blend contained the basic lead carbonate “plumbonacrite”, 6PbCO₃. 3Pb(OH)₂.PbO, as stabiliser, and stearic acid as milling lubricant. Carbon dioxide evolved during the stabilising reactions was measured, and the crystalline solids in each heated PVC blend sample were studied by X-ray diffraction. The results obtained show that the plumbonacrite stabiliser in each PVC blend was used continuously and completely during the effective stabilisation period. The rates of carbon dioxide evolution were found to differ markedly between the plasticised and unplasticised blends, but in each case they could be described in terms of first order reaction kinetics. Correlation of these carbon dioxide measurements with the X-ray diffraction results led to the conclusion that the stabilising reactions in the plasticised PVC blend took place mainly in solution, whereas these reactions in the unplasticised PVC blend seemed to take place within the plumbonacrite crystals themselves. It is shown that these findings are consistent with previous work in these laboratories which has led to the idea that soluble lead compounds are formed by reaction of the basic lead stabiliser crystals with stearic acid milling lubricant, and that these compounds are in some way responsible for stabilising polyvinyl chloride against thermal decomposition. Further, it is suggested that the present results show that basic lead compounds act as thermal stabilisers for PVC in the true sense of the word. Considering in particular a radical chain mechanism for the thermal dehydrochlorination of polyvinyl chloride, a theory is proposed which explains how basic lead compounds can stabilise this polymer.     

Measurement: a beginner's guide

This paper provides an introduction to measurement theory for psychometricians. The central concept in measurement theory is that of a continuous quantitative attribute and explaining what measurement is requires showing how this central concept leads on to those of ratio and real number and distinguishing measurements from measures. These distinctions made, the logic of quantification is described with particular emphasis upon the scientific task of quantification, as opposed to the instrumental task. The position presented is that measurement is the estimation of the magnitude of a quantitative attribute relative to a unit and that quantification is always contingent upon first attempting the scientific task of acquiring evidence that the relevant attribute is quantitative in structure. This position means that the definition of measurement usually given in psychology is incorrect and that psychologists' claims about being able to already measure psychological attributes must be seriously questioned. Just how the scientific task of investigating whether psychological attributes are quantitative may be undertaken in psychology is then considered and the corollary that psychological attributes may not actually be quantitative is raised.     

Fallibility of plasma urea and creatinine as indices of renal function in diarrhoeic calves treated with conventional or nutritional oral rehydration solutions

The prevalence and severity of gingival overgrowth in organ-transplant patients medicated with cyclosporin are greater in patients concomitantly medicated with nifedipine; however, no relationship between the gingival overgrowth and any of the nifedipine pharmacological variables has been demonstrated. The study examined the effect of five nifedipine pharmacological variables (nifedipine dosage, plasma concentration and gingival crevicular fluid concentration, M1 metabolite plasma concentration and the nifedipine: M1 ratio). The effect of the nifedipine variables on the gingival overgrowth score were examined using univariate and multivariate regression analysis. Adjustment for the effect of other risk factors was made by adding the distribution of each of the nifedipine variables in turn to a stepwise regression model containing previously identified risk factors for this condition. Despite the high levels of nifedipine sequestered in the GCF, only the plasma concentration of nifedipine was identified as a risk factor for the severity of gingival overgrowth in these patients (P = 0.01) once adjusted for other known risk factors (R2 for the model = 55%).     

Brazing of UNS S32101 and UNS S32304 lean duplex stainless steels and UNS S32750 super duplex with AWS A5.3 BNi-7 (Ni–Cr–P) filler metal

Summary

Weld metals solidified in the ferritic-austenitic solidification mode (FA mode) have dual phases of ferrite and austenite in their as-solidified condition, where ferrite exhibits different morphologies depending on the chemical composition and welding conditions. This paper describes an investigation of the effect of the solidification and transformation sequence on the formation of final ferrite morphologies. Austenite is formed through either a eutectic reaction or peritectic reaction at the dendrite boundaries after the primary formation of ferrite. During the eutectic formation of austenite, the <100>_δ direction of the primary ferrite and the <100>_γ direction of the eutectic austenite are parallel to each other and lie along the growth direction of the primary dendrites. However, any specific lattice plane relationship between the two phases is not identified. During cooling after solidification, the austenite extends into the primary ferrite via solid-state transformation, and the final morphology of the ferrite is vermicular without any coherent orientation relationship between the primary ferrite and eutectic austenite. During peritectic formation of austenite, the Kurdjumov-Sachs orientation relationship is established between the primary ferrite and peritectic austenite, and the <100>_γ direction of the peritectic austenite is not parallel to the growth direction of the primary dendrites. During cooling after solidification, the primary ferrite transforms into austenite, and the final morphology of the ferrite is lathy, since the primary ferrite and peritectic austenite have a favourable coherent orientation.     

Case Study: Sediment Control at Water Intake for Large Thermal-Power Station on a Small River

A large thermal-power station drawing water from a small alluvial river had a chronic problem with alluvial-bed sediment buildup at the station’s river-water intake structure. The problem required expensive corrective dredging and adversely affected the station’s fuel-consumption efficiency. This case-study paper describes how the sediment problem was successfully controlled by means of modifications to the area in front of the intake and the upstream riverbank. The modifications comprised erosion-promoting vanes and a skimming wall, together with realignment of the riverbank upstream of the intake. A hydraulic model was used to aid the design of the modifications. Installation of the modifications required construction techniques that enabled the intake and power station to continue operating while the modifications were being installed.     

Posttranslational modifications of the 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase beta1 subunit

The AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) consists of catalytic alpha and noncatalytic beta and gamma subunits and is responsible for acting as a metabolic sensor for AMP levels. There are multiple genes for each subunit and the rat liver AMPK alpha1 and alpha2 catalytic subunits are associated with beta1 and gamma1 noncatalytic subunits. We find that the isolated gamma1 subunit is N-terminally acetylated with no other posttranslational modification. The isolated beta1 subunit is N-terminally myristoylated. Transfection of COS cells with AMPK subunit cDNAs containing a nonmyristoylatable beta1 reduces, but does not eliminate, membrane binding of AMPK heterotrimer. The isolated beta1 subunit is partially phosphorylated at three sites, Ser24/25, Ser182, and Ser108. The Ser24/25 and Ser108 sites are substoichiometrically phosphorylated and can be autophosphorylated in vitro. The Ser-Pro site in the sequence LSSS182PPGP is stoichiometrically phosphorylated, and no additional phosphate is incorporated into this site with autophosphorylation. Based on labeling studies in transfected cells, we conclude that alpha1 Thr172 is a major, although not exclusive, site of both basal and stimulated alpha1 phosphorylation by an upstream AMPK kinase.     

Fully pipelined TSPC barrel shifter for high-speed applications

In this paper we describe a TSPC (True Single-Phase-Clock) barrel shifter for high-speed, real time applications. The circuit consists of a shift and rotate array and a control unit, both having a pipeline structure, which allows on-line programming. Using 1.5 μm CMOS technology, a full custom prototype for 16-b data shift and rotate array has been implemented, with a simplified control unit, and testing circuitry. Worst case HSPICE simulations indicate a maximum operating frequency of over 100 MHz, both for the barrel with on-line programming and for the barrel implemented. The full functionality of the prototype has been tested up to 25 MHz, although each bit path has been tested at 100 MHz     

Inhibition of phosphatases and increased Ca2+ channel activity by inositol hexakisphosphate

Inositol hexakisphosphate (InsP6), the dominant inositol phosphate in insulin-secreting pancreatic beta cells, inhibited the serine-threonine protein phosphatases type 1, type 2A, and type 3 in a concentration-dependent manner. The activity of voltage-gated L-type calcium channels is increased in cells treated with inhibitors of serine-threonine protein phosphatases. Thus, the increased calcium channel activity obtained in the presence of InsP6 might result from the inhibition of phosphatase activity. Glucose elicited a transient increase in InsP6 concentration, which indicates that this inositol polyphosphate may modulate calcium influx over the plasma membrane and serve as a signal in the pancreatic beta cell stimulus-secretion coupling.