Greater Size Research Articles

The Impact of Enterprise Risk on Firms’ Performance: An Empirical Analysis of Indonesia’s Public Listed Banking Firms

This paper examines the influential factors of potential adoption of Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) and the impact of ERM adoption on the public listed banking firms’ performances in Indonesia during 2009 to 2017. This research uses logistic regression to test four potential factors as the driving forces behind the potential adoption of ERM and linear regression to test the impact of ERM on firms’ performances. The result suggests that firms with greater size, having more institutional ownership, and being part of Multinational companies are more likely to adopt ERM, while the implementation of ERM has no significant impact on the firms’ performance. Little empirical research has been conducted on the topic, especially in developing economies like Indonesia. This study will broaden the scope of literature by providing novel empirical evidence.

P1306 A large cardiac mass of left sections in a young man

Abstract Background Heart tumors are very rare lesions. Their prevalence is about 0.001 to 0.03 % in an autopsy series. In most cases, primitive lesions are benign, with atrial myxomas that represent up to 2/3 of cases. Malignant neoplasms have a high mortality; sarcomas are the most frequent typologies. The most aggressive tumors are characterized by greater size, muscle invasion and pericardial effusion. Clinical case A 39-year-old man with recent history of worsening dyspnea went to the emergency room because of an aggravation of the symptoms. An echocardiogram showed a large atrial inhomogeneous mass, adherent to the mitral ring and involving both left atrial and ventricle, causing a severe valvular stenosis, suggestive for malignancy. Thus the patient performed a cardiac-MRI, confirming the neoplasm localization with parietal infiltration, pericardial extension and effusion. A total-body CT scan ruled out metastasis. The patient underwent heart surgery and a partial excision was performed. Macroscopically the tumor had a scirrhous consistency and a diameter of about 5 cm. The histologic examination showed a high-grade sarcoma with fused cells and with condrosarcomatous areas. Discussion The study of heart massesincludes the execution of echocardiographies as first-line examinations, while the in-depth diagnostics (necessary in the anticipation of surgery) require cardiac-MRI or CT. Malignant lesions are characterized by an inomogeneous appearance, with a wide plant base and sizes larger than 5 cm, they are also able to take contrast medium during diagnostic examinations. High grade neoplasms are rapidly evolving with a very severe prognosis. The symptoms are essentially due to the localization and the mass bulk. In our case, its development on the mitral valve caused severe hemodynamic impairment, requiring immediate intervention. The treatment of these lesions is necessarily surgical. The only positive prognostic factor is a complete excision of neoplasm with free resection margins. As the diagnosis is often not early, chemotherapy or radiotherapy are often required after surgery. Conclusion Cardiac masses are rare entities and their evaluation may be a diagnostic challenge. Myxoma represent the most common primary cardiac neoplasm in adults, while about 25% of other primary ones are malignant. Our patient was suffering from a sarcoma, whose incomplete debulking made further therapies necessary. The correct interpretation of instrumental findings together with a possible radical surgery are mandatory for a successful therapeutic strategy. Abstract P1306 Figure.

Observational physical activity in public open spaces: environmental determinants of physical activity intensity levels in Iran

Public open spaces play an important role in promoting physical activity (PA). This study aimed to describe user characteristics of public open spaces (POSs) given the type of location and levels of PA. The study also evaluated the relationship between the environmental determinants of POSs and PA intensity. The study used observational data to measure environmental determinants and obtain information on users and their activity levels in the POSs of Darab in Iran. Out of 13,342 individuals observed, the proportion of men was slightly higher than that of women. More than half of the users observed in the community parks performed vigorous activities. Children and teenagers were found more often than other age groups doing vigorous activities. Most of the observed users performed vigorous activities in the evening and sedentary activities during weekends. Seniors were more sedentary than the other groups. Greater size, and better facilities and aesthetics of POSs increased the odds of being more active. However, a higher number of incivilities was associated with a greater chance of walking and lower odds of performing vigorous activities. As the quality of POSs contributes to PA levels, stakeholders should consider the quality of such spaces to improve retrofitting and designing POSs to maximize activity levels.

Changes in determinants of the interest margin in today’s economy

This study examined the interest margin following the significant drop in its contribution to credit institutions’ total income. Balance sheet variables, income statement and annual report variables, and external variables were studied separately. Variables that had not previously been studied in the literature were considered, and determinants that had already been studied were revisited after the reduction in the interest margin. The diversification of investment in associated companies and investment in fixed and variable income are causes of this decrease in the interest margin. Higher fees and commissions offset this decrease. Greater size and market power have reduced the interest margin. Regulations stipulated in the Basel III Accord regarding liquidity may adversely affect the solvency ratio. Results were obtained using econometric analysis of panel data. The analysis consisted of four separate regressions: one for balance sheet variables, one for income statement and annual report variables, one for external factors and one for annual effects.

Selección de presas por perros callejeros en el humedal Estero Culebrón (Coquimbo, Chile)

Examinamos los factores que influyen en la selección de presas por perros callejeros en el humedal Estero Culebrón (Coquimbo, Chile) y caracterizamos sus ataques durante 20 visitas en el año 2015. Utilizamos modelos lineales generalizados considerando el tamaño del ave, su abundancia relativa, el sitio y tipo de sustrato como variables explicativas. Registramos una jauría de siete individuos que realizaron 34 ataques sobre aves, de las cuales el pelícano presentó la mayor frecuencia de predación. El tamaño del ave y el sitio se relacionaron positivamente con los ataques. La selección del pelícano como presa podría estar relacionada con su baja distancia de inicio de vuelo y su gran tamaño, lo que facilitaría el ataque de los perros y, además, este mayor tamaño podría sostener energéticamente a la jauría, especialmente cuando es numerosa. Otras condiciones como la ausencia de totora (Typha angustipholia) y la baja profundidad del agua en el sector playa, facilitarían el desarrollo de los ataques al reducir los obstáculos a la persecución. Por último, debido al peligro que representan estos animales para las personas y la fauna de los humedales, es urgente desarrollar planes de manejo que consideren su retiro y traslado a centros de rescate, así como de implementar campañas de esterilización y educación.

A quantitative and statistical discrimination of morphotaxa within the Ediacaran genus Palaeopascichnus

AbstractThe palaeopascichnids are a relatively abundant component of the Ediacara biota. The eponymous Palaeopascichnus delicatus consists of serially arranged, millimetre‐scale allantoid chambers that have variously been interpreted as evidence of movement, feeding traces, and body fossils of various affinities. Palaeopascichnus has most recently been compared to the deep‐marine Xenophyophora, an extant group of large, benthic protists characterized by their greater size and possession of stercomata within their cells. The morphometric variation in palaeopascichnids is assessed using material from the Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland, Canada. The application of quantitative morphological analysis to the study of over 90 well‐preserved specimens of Palaeopascichnus demonstrates considerable variation in chamber shape and size, and in behaviour along the chamber series. The combination of morphometric and multivariate statistical analysis allows the recognition of natural groups within the dataset, thereby demonstrating variability within and between morphospecies. Morphological comparisons of fossil palaeopascichnids with fossil and extant protistan taxa support the proposed protistan affinity of Palaeopascichnus, allowing further resolution regarding the diversity and disparity within this prominent element of the later Ediacara biotas of Gondwana and Baltica.

NOT ENJOYING THE MEAL WAS ASSOCIATED WITH DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS, DESPITE THE SIZE OF SOCIAL CONNECTIONS

Conventional studies report that the enjoyment of the meal is related to likelihood of contracting depressive mood. The Japanese assisted living facilities currently support seniors build social connections to maintain their health and well-being, but psychological feeling during mealtime is often left unquestioned. Because seniors engage in conversation with tablemates while dining, the feeling during mealtime should not be ignored. This study aimed to explore the relationship among social connection, enjoyment during mealtime, and depressive mood. A cross-sectional questionnaire study was performed for independent residents at assisted living facility in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The size of social connection (the number of facility residents that one can easily talk to) and enjoyment during the meal were assessed by a single item, respectively. The 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale was used to measure depressive symptoms. The analysis included 190 questionnaires. A logistic regression analysis showed that enjoyment during mealtime was associated with less likelihood of depressive symptoms, but the size of social connection was not, after adjusting for socio-demographics and health conditions. Moreover, a significant interaction between social connection and enjoyment during mealtime was observed. This indicated that greater size of social connection was inversely related to depressive symptoms among those who enjoyed the meal; however, among those who did not enjoy the meal, the likelihood of depressive symptoms were stably higher despite the size of social connection. The findings suggested that along with helping seniors build social connection, care takers should focus on improving the dining environment of seniors.

Hospitais de alta complexidade do estado de São Paulo: uma análise comparativa dos níveis de eficiência obtidos pelos modelos de gestão de Administração Direta e de Organização Social

Este artigo tem por objetivo analisar comparativamente o nível de eficiência auferido por dois grupos de hospitais de alta complexidade do estado São Paulo, um gerido por Organizações Sociais e outro pela Administração Direta, a título de verificar qual dos grupos faz melhor uso dos recursos públicos. A metodologia utilizada foi pesquisa descritiva com avaliação quantitativa dividida em duas partes, na primeira mensurou-se o porte, o financiamento, os insumos e procedimentos utilizados por estes hospitais, cujos dados foram extraídos do orçamento estadual, do DATASUS e da Fundação SEADE, para comparação entre os componentes da amostra; na segunda houve a aplicação de Análise Envoltória de Dados para a análise de eficiência. Os resultados evidenciaram melhores índices de eficiência para os hospitais geridos por Organizações Sociais além de, comparativamente, terem apresentado maior porte e repasse recebido pelo estado e maior quantidade de atendimentos.

Análise do desempenho das melhores práticas de manejo para constituição de corredores verdes em Fortaleza -CE.

A Avenida Aguanambi, situada na cidade de Fortaleza, CE, é conhecida pela suscetibilidade a alagamentos em períodos chuvosos. A infraestrutura verde é uma importante alternativa para complementar a convencional e consolidar a resiliência urbana nas vias. Com o objetivo principal de propor a implantação de corredores verdes no sistema viário de Fortaleza, CE, foi desenvolvido um método de análise do desempenho das melhores práticas de manejo em corredores de mobilidade. As técnicas de manejo foram distribuídas com base na hierarquia viária estabelecida pela Lei de Parcelamento, Uso e Ocupação do Solo. A precipitação admitida para a cidade foi de 65,2mm/h com tempo de retorno de dez anos. As biovaletas apresentaram melhor desempenho em vias expressas e arteriais, de maior porte; os jardins de chuva e canteiros pluviais responderam melhor em vias coletoras e locais, consideradas de menor porte.

Bulk tank somatic cell count and total bacterial count are affected by target practices and milking machine features in dairy sheep flocks in Castilla y León region, Spain

To study the effect of main flock target practices and milking machine features on the variation of bulk tank milk (BTM) somatic cell count (SCC) and total bacterial count (TBC) in dairy sheep flocks, a total of 3458 records of BTM SCC and TBC, corresponding to 340 audited flocks from the Consorcio de Promoción del Ovino of Castilla y León region (Spain), were collected throughout 12 months before testing the technical features of their milking machines. Average values were established for flock size (485.6 ewes), replacement rate (21.1%), parlor capacity (35.7 places), number of milking units (13.8), milking vacuum (36.2 kPa), pump air capacity at 50 and 36 kPa (106.4 and 158.3 L/min per milking unit), manual reserve (122.3 L/min per milking unit), air, milk and milking unit system consumptions (8.0 to 12.5 L/min per milking unit), internal diameters of the main air and milk pipes (5.9 mm and 4.2 mm per milking unit), pulsation rate and ratio (161.1 c/min and 57.4%), age and time since the last revision of the milking installation (16.3 years and 48.1 months), BTM temperature (3.4 °C) and washing water temperature at water-heater outlet (62.1 °C). Antibiotic dry therapy, time since last milking machine revision, and warm water temperature were critical factors influencing BTM SCC and TBC variation. Optimised BTM quality was also obtained for flocks with a greater size and foreign breeds, confined and post-dipped, with daily bedding maintenance, a low-level milk pipeline system, the presence of pulsation airline, greater manual reserve, smaller milk system consumption, and greater main air and pulsation pipe diameters. Greater milk pipe diameters and pulsation rates ≥180 c/min were associated with smaller SCC, but greater TBC, whereas pulsation ratios ≥60% increased SCC, but decreased TBC. Overall, results will allow for the optimisation of educational and risk management programs in the dairy sheep sector to improve flock mammary health and BTM hygiene.

Votive Inscription by Archinos in the Sanctuary of Oropos

Pentelic marble table with a brief dedicatory inscription of a patient, Archinos, found in the Amphiaraos sanctuary in Oropos during the excavations of Leonardos. The pinax, in relief, shows three significant moments of the postulant’s stay in the shrine. The narration begins on the left, where Amphiaraos is represented (with greater size if compared to the patient) intent to intervene with an instrument on Archinos’ right shoulder. Below is a scene of enkoimeterion, where Archinos, lying on a kline, is overhung by the sacred snake and touched on the right shoulder. The third image of the patient represents him at the right end of the pinax and seems to be looking and pointing at the votive table on the stele with his right hand: it is an offer as a sign of gratitude to the god.

Dedica votiva di Archino nel santuario di Oropo

Pentelic marble table with a brief dedicatory inscription of a patient, Archinos, found in the Amphiaraos sanctuary in Oropos during the excavations of Leonardos. The pinax, in relief, shows three significant moments of the postulant’s stay in the shrine. The narration begins on the left, where Amphiaraos is represented (with greater size if compared to the patient) intent to intervene with an instrument on Archinos’ right shoulder. Below is a scene of enkoimeterion, where Archinos, lying on a kline, is overhung by the sacred snake and touched on the right shoulder. The third image of the patient represents him at the right end of the pinax and seems to be looking and pointing at the votive table on the stele with his right hand: it is an offer as a sign of gratitude to the god.

Soil hydraulic response to conservation agriculture under irrigated intensive cereal-based cropping systems in a semiarid climate

Assessment of soil hydraulic response to conservation agriculture (CA) practices may assist in better management decisions in agriculturally sensitive and environmentally fragile agroecosystems. Although, the potential of management induced temporal changes of soil hydraulic properties (SHPs) has been studied particularly in relation to tillage, few studies have evaluated combined effects of tillage, crop residue retention and cropping sequence, which are essential components of CA, on near-saturated SHPs under field conditions. The objective of this study was thus to evaluate the long-term effect after eight years of CA practices and short-term effect of crops on near-saturated soil hydraulic conductivity, k(h), and water transmission properties under irrigated intensive cereal-based cropping systems in a semiarid climate (NW Indo-Gangetic Plains, India). There were four treatments: (1) conventionally tilled rice-wheat cropping system, (2) reduced till CA-based rice-wheat-mungbean system, (3) no-till CA-based rice-wheat-mungbean system and (4) no-till CA-based maize-wheat-mungbean system. Steady state infiltration rates were obtained at four pressure heads by hood infiltrometer consecutively over two cropping seasons, i.e., during harvest season of rice/maize (October 2017) and maximum crop growth stage of wheat (February 2018). Data were analysed in terms of k(h), flow weighted mean pore radius (r0), hydraulically active porosity (ε) and threshold pore radius (rbp), a new pore measure indicative of macropore stability derived by substituting soil’s bubble pressure in the capillary equation. Our results showed that no till-based CA enhanced k(h) as compared with conventional cultivation practice. Although the interaction effect of treatments with crop seasons were statistically non-significant (p < 0.05), considerable changes of soil hydraulic properties were observed over crop seasons under CA treatments. Transition from maize to wheat in the crop sequence reduced k(h) values by about 55, 44, 34 and 40% at pressure heads of 0, −1, −2 and −4 cm, respectively. In contrast, transition from rice to wheat in rice-based no till CA increased k(h) values by 129, 164, 124 and 24% in the same pressure head ranges. Irrespective of crop seasons, higher k(h) was observed under CA due to formation of macropores with better continuity, greater size and numbers as compared with conventional intensive tillage treatment. Reduced till-based CA showed an intermediate effect with respect to the different soil hydraulic characteristics in both crop seasons. Moreover, higher r0 values were observed for a given k(h) for CA treatments suggesting that interaggregate pores are the dominant pathways of infiltration flux in CA. A relatively smaller temporal variation of rbp was indicative of a more stable macropore system established by rice-based CA as compared with maize-based CA. CA also enhanced hydraulically active macropores as compared with intensive tillage based conventional agriculture. Overall, the results revealed that the potential impacts of CA on near-saturated SHPs are largely governed by characteristic changes in macro- and interaggregate pores.

Preparation and characterization of CdS/ZnS core-shell nanoparticles

Cadmium sulfide/zinc sulfide (CdS/ZnS) core-shell nanoparticles in polyacrylamide (PAM) colloid particle were prepared by the succession of inverse miniemulsion polymerization and absorption. The cadmium sulfate (CdSO4)-PAM colloid was firstly prepared by inverse miniemulsion polymerization, the CdS nanoparticles were formed by reaction between CdSO4 in PAM particles and excessive sodium sulfide in being-absorbed miniemulsion droplets; and then the ZnS nanoparticles were orientated-grew onto CdS nanoparticles by slowly absorbing zinc acetate in miniemulsion droplets. The effects of the Cd2+/Zn2+ molar ratios on CdS/ZnS-PAM particles preparation were investigated. When the Cd2+/Zn2+molar ratio was 1:1, the Z average diameter of the CdS/ZnS-PAM particles was 178 nm. The CdS/ZnS crystals showed a greater size with Zn2+ mole fraction increase. The core-shell structure of CdS/ZnS nanoparticles was confirmed successfully by transmission electron microscopy observation, X-ray diffraction analysis and so on. The ZnS shell layer played an important role in modification and reduced the surface defects of nanocrystals effectively. The succession method will provide a great advantage in core-shell structure CdS/ZnS preparation.

Hepatitis C virus and mortality among patients on dialysis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The role of hepatitis C virus (HCV) as an independent risk factor for death in dialysis population is unclear. A systematic review of the published medical literature was performed to evaluate the impact of positive anti-HCV serologic status on all-cause and disease-specific mortality in patients on regular dialysis. The risk of all-cause, cardiovascular and liver disease-related mortality was regarded as the most reliable outcome end-point. Study-specific relative risks were weighted by the inverse of their variance to obtain fixed- and random-effects pooled estimates for mortality with HCV across the published studies. Twenty-three observational studies (n = 574,081 patients on long-term dialysis) were identified. Pooling of study results demonstrated that HCV positive status was an independent and significant risk factor for death in patients on maintenance dialysis. The summary estimate for adjusted death risk (all-cause mortality) with HCV was 1.26 (95% CI: 1.18; 1.34) (P < 0.0001). Between-study heterogeneity was found (Q value 52.8, P = 0.001). The overall estimate for adjusted death risk (liver disease-related mortality) was 5.05 (95% CI: 2.53; 10.0) (P < 0.0001); heterogeneity statistics, Q value 8.2, P = 0.04. The overall estimate for adjusted death risk (cardiovascular mortality) was 1.18 (95% CI: 1.085; 1.29) (P < 0.0001) (no heterogeneity). Meta-regression showed that the effect of HCV on all-cause mortality was more evident in those studies provided with a greater size (P = 0.0001), a higher prevalence of diabetics (P = 0.0005) and HCV-infected individuals (P = 0.001). An association between HCV positive serologic status and increased risk of either liver or cardiovascular disease-related mortality exists among dialysis patients.

Reproductive senescence in free-ranging North American elk Cervus elaphus Cervidae

Abstract Successful production of calves is necessary for growth of North American elk (Cervus elaphus Linnaeus 1758) populations, but few studies have evaluated age-related effects on both the conception and survival of a calf to weaning in multiple free-ranging populations. Conception and survival of calves to weaning were both affected by maternal age, with old (age 9 and older) females showing reproductive senescence as compared to prime-aged (ages 2–8) females despite achieving similar or greater size and condition. Reproductive senescence in our free-ranging populations ultimately resulted in old females weaning fewer calves (0.42 calves/female) than did prime-aged females (0.64 calves/female). Other factors, especially maternal size, also influenced conception and survival to weaning, and these interacted with age in a consistent manner, i.e. larger females or females in better condition were more likely to conceive and successfully wean calves within each age class. Female age structure receives less consideration in ungulate management than does male age structure, despite demonstrated impacts on population productivity of multiple species because of reproductive senescence. Because of the large proportion of individuals in senesced age classes in elk populations, low productivity in populations may simply reflect female age structure, rather than other frequently hypothesized factors.

Minichromosome Maintenance Proteins MCM-3, MCM-5, MCM-7, and Ki-67 as Proliferative Markers in Adrenocortical Tumors.

Morphological features, combined with Ki-67 proliferative index, remain the standard for discriminating benign and malignant adrenocortical tumors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of minichromosome maintenance proteins MCM-3, MCM-5, MCM-7, and Ki-67 as proliferative markers in adrenocortical tumors. Specimens of 81 adrenocortical adenomas and 3 adrenocortical carcinomas were stained with antibodies against MCM-3, 5, 7 and Ki-67. Malignant tumors were characterized by a greater size (p=0.017), volume (p=0.017), and higher levels of Ki-67 (p=0.005), MCM-3 (p=0.005), MCM-7 (p=0.008), but not MCM-5 (p=0.069). The markers' levels were independent from the tumors' size and volume, the patient's age and hormonal status. ROC curves showed Ki-67 (AUC 0.984), MCM-3 (AUC 0.984), and MCM-7 (AUC 0.950), but not MCM-5 (AUC 0.820) to be reliable markers. Ki-67, MCM-3, and MCM-7, but not MCM-5 are reliable proliferative and diagnostic markers in discerning benign and malignant adrenocortical tumors.

If it does not scale, it does not work!

The world runs on lots of software. For many businesses and domains, this results in more software elements to develop and maintain. The added software elements often make for greater software complexity, which leads, in turn, to increased need for coordination between multiple software teams that build, integrate, and test the software. This increasing complexity often aggravates the challenges of large-scale software. Achieving scalability means different things in different contexts. The Editor briefly reviews scale, discussed from three different perspectives: scope, people, and time. Scope is about capabilities in terms of added features, greater size, and increased complexity of the system the software serves. The category of people includes the scale of the development organization and the software users. The category of time relates to the expected life of the system. It is then noted that this issue of IEEE Software presents different perspectives of scale with two themes, thus viewing the topic of scale from the perspective of development as well as software property. Articles under the theme Large-Scale Agile Development look into scaling development teams in large projects and organizations using agile software development methods. Articles under the theme Building Long-Lived Adaptive Systems cover state-of-the-art developments related to automated adaptive approaches for engineering systems that stand the test of time.

The determinants of companies’ levels of integration: Does one size fit all?

This article extends current knowledge in the field of integrated thinking and reporting (ITR) by providing new empirical evidence on the nature and determinants of companies' levels of integration (i.e. ITR levels). Based on legitimacy theory and stakeholder theory, we empirically investigate companies' levels of integration and examine the drivers of different ITR levels. Our results suggest that companies' levels of ITR, namely Holistic, Integrated, Conservative, and Minimalist, are related to company characteristics and tend to remain consistent over time exhibiting routine and imitation. Companies with greater size, leverage, bigger board size and meetings, as well as companies operating in sensitive industries and with higher environmental performance are more likely to exhibit a Holistic or Integrated level of integration, while Minimalist and Conservative levels are driven by the same variables in opposite direction. Furthermore, at country level, economic growth, market performance, citizens freedom and lower environmental performance significantly contribute to higher integration. These results could drive companies' choices alongside policymakers’ initiatives, by identifying which levers should be pulled to achieve the desired level of integration, and suggest the need for a tailored approach rather than a one size fits all within the debate on the future developments of ITR.

UV regulates the expression of phenylpropanoid biosynthesis genes in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) in an organ and spectrum dependent manner.

Expression of cucumber (Cucumis sativus) genes encoding the phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthetic enzymes phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), cinnamic acid 4-hydroxylase (C4H), and chalcone synthase (CHS), was studied under control light conditions (photosynthetically active radiation, PAR) in root, stem, and leaf. Furthermore, the expression was quantified in leaves illuminated with PAR and supplemental ultraviolet-A (315-400 nm) or ultraviolet-B (280-315 nm) radiation. The expression patterns of all twelve CsPAL, three CsC4H, and three CsCHS genes were established. Among the genes regulated by UV two general expression patterns emerge. One pattern applies to genes primarily regulated by enriched UV-A illumination (pattern 1). Another pattern (pattern 2) was found for the genes regulated by enriched UV-B. Three of the pattern 2 genes (CsPAL4, CsPAL10, and CsCHS2) displayed a particular sub-pattern (pattern 2b) with transcription enriched by at least 30-fold. In contrast to the other genes studied, the promoters of the genes regulated according to pattern 2b contained a combination of a number of cis-acting regulatory elements (MREs, ACEs, and G-boxes) that may be of importance for the particularly high enhancement of expression under UV-B-containing light. The regulation of phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis genes in cucumber resembles that of a number of other plants. However, cucumber, due to its greater size, is an attractive species for combining more detailed studies of the morphology, physiological parameters and fine regulation of spatial and temporal expression of key genes. This, in turn, can facilitate the quantitative investigation of the relationships among different promoter motifs, the expression levels of each of these three genes, and metabolite accumulation profiles.