Merger Point Research Articles

Chinese networks and enterprise development: Malaysian investments in China

This study assesses the argument that common ethnic identity has facilitated the creation of transnational business networks leading to the rise of a new economically powerful “global tribe” comprising ethnic Chinese from East and Southeast Asia. The primary contention in this article is that a network with the economic clout of a “global tribe” would entail interlocking stock-ownership ties, a sharing of resources and cooperation to the point of merger. Through an in-depth analysis of investments in China by ethnic Chinese from Malaysia, this article proves that even major Chinese-owned companies have little or no interlocking stock ownership and directorate links, either domestically or across borders, with other Chinese-owned companies. The growing inflow of investments into China by ethnic Chinese from Southeast Asia is primarily due to endeavours by government leaders in the region and China to encourage businesses to invest in the Mainland.

Crystallography and phase equilibria a review: Part III—Second-order transitions and approximations

In this third part of the review of the relevance of crystallography to phase equilibria, the distinction between firstorder and second-order transitions is the first item to be considered. In a first-order transition G/ is discontinuous; however, in a second-order transition G/ is continuous, but G/d 2 is discontinuous. Here G is the Gibbs energy and is a state variable such as temperature, pressure, or composition (T, P, or X). Plots of G versus T are shown in Fig. III-1 to illustrate the difference between firstand second-order transitions. In Fig. III-1(a), the curve for the -symmetry structure crosses the curve for the -symmetry structure at a point where the Gibbs energies are the same, but the slopes of the two curves are different, dG /dT dG /dT. The juncture is the transition temperature, Tt. It is obvious that has the lower Gibbs energy at T Tt has the lower Gibbs energy and is the stable structure. At Tt the two phases can exist in a two-phase equilibrium. Since dG/dT −S, it is also obvious that iS is not zero. Thus, the combination of iG 0 and iS 0 characterizes a first-order transition with two distinct phases in equilibrium at Tt. For comparison Fig. III-1(b) illustrates the G versus T behavior of a second-order reaction. In this figure, the and -symmetry structures have Gibbs energies that differ at low temperatures but merge at a point where both G G and dG /dT dG /dT and at temperatures above the merger point, the symmetry difference disappears and the Gibbs energies are indistinguishable. The transition temperature is the point of merger. Figure III-1(b) characterizes a second-order transition, and there is no phase change but rather a transition between two symmetries of the same single phase. The second-order transition contrasts with the first-order transition in that both tG and tS equal zero in the second-order transition. The symmetries of the two structures in a second-order transition are related in a manner that allows the possibility of the structures to continuously change from one to the other. The specific conditions that must apply before a secondorder transition can occur were first delineated by Landau and Lifshitz on the mathematical basis of group theory. Their result in the language of group theory necessitates that all of four conditions apply: • Space groups of the structures in a second-order transition must be in a group-subgroup relationship. • The difference between the particle density functions of the two structures must be a basis function, or combination of basis functions, of the irreducible representation of the higher-symmetry space group. • It must not be possible to form a totally symmetric third-order combination of such basis functions. • The low-symmetry structure must be locked in by symmetry to the high-symmetry space group (even if incommensurate).

Explicit-chain model of native-state hydrogen exchange: implications for event ordering and cooperativity in protein folding.

Native-state hydrogen exchange experiments on several proteins have revealed partially unfolded conformations with diverse stabilities. These equilibrium observations have been used to support kinetic arguments that folding proceeds via a sequential "pathway." This interpretative logic is evaluated here by analyzing the relationship between thermodynamic behavior and folding kinetics in a class of simplified lattice protein models. The chain models studied have varying degrees of cooperative interplay (coupling) between local helical conformational preference and favorable nonlocal interactions. When model cooperativity is high, as native conditions are weakened, "isotherms" of free energy of exchange for residues belonging to the same helix merge together before global unfolding. The point of merger depends on the model energetic favorability of the helix. This trend is similar to the corresponding experimental observations. Kinetically, we find that the ordering of helix formation in the very last stage of native core assembly tends to follow the stabilities of their converged isotherms. In a majority (but not all) of folding trajectories, the final assembly of helices that are thermodynamically more stable against exchange precedes that of helices that are less stable against exchange. These model features are in partial agreement with common experimental interpretations. However, the model results also underscore the ensemble nature of the folding process: the kinetics of helix formation is not a discrete, strictly "all-or-none" process as that envisioned by certain non-explicit-chain models. Helices generally undergo many cycles of partial formation and dissolution before their conformations are fixed in the final assembly stage of folding, a kinetic stage that takes up only approximately 2% of the average folding time in the present model; and the ordering of the helices' final assembly in some trajectories can be different from the dominant ordering stipulated by the exchange isotherms.

DIVERTICULUM OF KOMMERELL

Non progressive intermittent dysphagia to solids is usually due to esophageal rings. Dysphagia due to a vascular ring is extremely rare. Here we describe a case of dysphagia lusoria due to a diverticulum of Kommerell in an 83 year old man. Case: The patient presented with complaints of intermittent, non-progressive dysphagia to solids over the past few months. He denied symptoms of GERD, weight loss or gastrointestinal bleeding. Physical examination was normal. EGD showed a submucosal mass versus extrinsic compression in the mid esophagus compromising about half of the esophageal lumen. A chest CT scan showed that the esophagus was compressed between a right sided aortic arch with mirror image branching and an aberrant left subclavian artery arising from a diverticulum of Kommerell. Given the patient's advanced age and intermittent nature of symptoms surgery was deferred. Apparently he had also recently stopped using his dentures and so his dysphagia improved after using his dentures again. Discussion: Dysphagia lusoria or dysphagia due to vascular rings are due to congenital abnormalities of the aortic arch and its branches that completely or partially encircle the trachea and esophagus causing symptoms from compression. These are more common in the pediatric age group where they can be a potential medical emergency. Adults are often completely asymptomatic and these anomalies can be found incidentally. About 5% of adults experience symptoms after development of atherosclerotic rigidity and tortuosity of the aorta. This is especially so if the aberrant left subclavian artery originates from the diverticulum of Kommerell. Kommerell's diverticulum is a very rare anomaly (incidence 1:100,000) and represents the nonresorbed remnant of the embryonic left fourth aortic arch situated at the point of merger between the right arch and the proximal descending thoracic aorta. CT or MR angiography would help in defining vascular anatomy. Surgery with vascular reconstruction would be the treatment of choice in cases of intractable dysphagia.

Frontogenesis and frontal motion due to confluent deformation with a translating dilatation axis

AbstractA two‐dimensional model of primitive‐equation frontogenesis is formulated in which the forcing is due to a basic‐state field of confluent deformation with a dilatation axis that translates in the cross‐front direction. Although the translation speed and direction of motion of the basic‐state dilatation axis have no effect on frontal structure when the total deformation is spatially uniform, they can influence considerably the motion of the front. At the surface, this motion may be separated into two components: (i) internal motion, directed towards the warm air, which is associated with the secondary ageostrophic circulation of the front itself; and (ii) external motion, either towards cold or warm air, which is associated with the initial location and translation speed of the basicstate dilatation axis. the latter component ultimately dominates, and thus the motion of a mature front may be thought of as being controlled by the large‐scale flow. However, the former may dominate early on in the frontal evolution, resulting in significantly different frontal trajectories depending on the initial location of the basic‐state dilatation axis and on whether this axis is moving towards the cold or the warm air. the relative locations of various conventional frontal measures are examined in the special case of a uniformly translating dilatation axis. of these measures the axes of maximum baroclinicity and vorticity become collocated at the surface as the front intensifies. However, the basic‐state dilatation axis and the confluence axis, the latter being defined as the location of zero total wind in the cross‐front direction, may be displaced considerably from this merger point, with this displacement depending on the initial location and subsequent motion of the basic‐state dilatation axis. Potential extensions of the model are discussed with regard to improved understanding of the difference in structure and motion between cold and warm fronts.

Variations of the axial intensity pattern formed by a focused truncated gaussian beam

This paper investigates the merger of the extreme points in the axial diffraction pattern formed by a gaussian beam passing through a lens and aperture system. Equations giving the locations of the merger points are derived, and the numerical results obtained are displayed by using the merger loop diagrams, which show how the axial intensities are varying from a very fluctuating distribution into a smoother one as predicted by the theory of focusing of a non-truncated gaussian beam.

Laser-Velocimeter Surveys of Merging Vortices in a Wind Tunnel

The merger of two vortices was studied with a laser velocimeter designed to measure the two cross-stream components of velocity. Measurements were made at several downstream distances in the vortex wake shed by two semispan wings mounted on the wind tunnel walls. The velocity data provided well difined contours of cross-flow velocity, stream function and vorticity. Downstream of the merger point the vorticity was shown to be independent of the downstream distance for small radii, and at larger radii was dependent on the distance from the wing rather than from the merger point. Upstream of the merger point a multicell vorticity pattern was shown.

Intensity profiles and color distributions in the non-nuclear regions of SB galaxies

view Abstract Citations (10) References (27) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Intensity profiles and color distributions in the nonnuclear regions of Sb galaxies. Simkin, S. M. Abstract Intensity profiles, isophotes, and color distributions for a sample of four nearby Sb galaxies indicate: (1) The "exponential disk" in this type of object is uniform in color out to a radius of 15 kpc, where it appears to either change abruptly or merge into the halo. (2) The color indices and outer isophotes of the regions beyond this "merger point" are consistent with a metal-poor "halo" population enriched with BHB stars and possibly some M dwarfs. (3) Observed "red excesses" in the outer regions of one of these spiral galaxies may conceivably be explained by tidal interaction with nearby galaxies. Publication: The Astronomical Journal Pub Date: June 1975 DOI: 10.1086/111758 Bibcode: 1975AJ.....80..415S Keywords: Galactic Radiation; Halos; Isophotes; Spectral Energy Distribution; Spiral Galaxies; Astronomical Photometry; Calibrating; Color Photography; Dwarf Stars; Electrophotometry; Galactic Clusters; Late Stars; Radiant Flux Density; Sky Brightness; Astrophysics full text sources ADS | data products NED (4)