Thesis (S.M. in Engineering and Management)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, System Design and Management Program, 2011. / Page 88 blank. Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 82-87). / Using an industry analysis framework, this thesis analyzes whether the recently established Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) is likely to break the Boeing-Airbus duopoly in the industry of large commercial airplanes. The selected framework for this thesis is comprised by the following two principles: 1) "The nature and degree of competition in an industry hinge on five forces, one of these being the Threat of New Entrants, which depends on the height of Entry Barriers." (Porter 1979, 1) 2) "In order to cope with the competitive forces in an industry, there are three potentially successful generic strategic approaches to outperforming other firms in the industry: overall cost leadership, differentiation, and focus." (Porter 1980, 35) The results from the barriers of entry analysis suggest that Comac enjoys full unconditional support from the Chinese government as the development of an aerospace industry is deemed as national interest. However, the firm faces a high barrier of entry derived from the advantages the incumbent companies have in terms of their learning and experience curves, which allow them to effectively conduct research and development and innovate. In the long run, as the companies seek sustained competitive advantage (Porter 1984, 34), I find that Comac will mainly rely on generic strategy 'cost', while the incumbents counteract by adopting mainly generic strategy 'differentiation' and 'focus'. This thesis claims the chances of success for Comac largely depend not only on finding the right strategy for a proper balance between 'cost' and 'differentiation', but mainly on the Chinese government being able to maintain protectionist policies in place. In other words, the Chinese government must continue to decide for the domestic airlines what airplanes they should buy. This conclusion is reached by analyzing the history of all previous attempts by China to develop a national jet-which have all been unsuccessful- and the recent history of high-tech industries where China represented the world's largest market and there was a national interest for technology transfer. / by Jose L. Fuentes. / S.M.in Engineering and Management

GABA neurons in the ventral tegmental area of the midbrain are important components in the brain's reward circuit. Long term changes in this circuit occur through the process of synaptic plasticity. It has been shown that high frequency stimulation, as well as treatment with endocannabinoids, can cause GABA neurons in the ventral tegmental area to undergo long term depression, a form of synaptic plasticity that decreases excitability of cells. The present study elaborates on the mechanism whereby high frequency stimulation can result in long term depression of ventral tegmental area GABA neurons. Using the whole cell patch clamp technique in acute brain slices, we recorded excitatory currents from ventral tegmental area GABA neurons in GAD-GFP expressing CD1 mice and observed how the excitatory currents changed in response to different treatments. We confirm that high frequency stimulation causes long term depression, and the cannabinoid type 1 receptor antagonist AM-251 blocks this effect. Long term depression is also elicited by treatment with the cannabinoid type 1 receptor agonist 2-arachidonylglycerol. It is inconclusive whether treatment with 2-arachidonylglycerol occludes further long term depression by high frequency stimulation. We also demonstrate that activation of group I metabotropic glutamate receptors by DHPG produces long term depression. These results support the model that at these excitatory synapses, high frequency stimulation causes the release of glutamate from presynaptic terminals, activating group I metabotropic glutamate receptors, causing production of 2-arachidonylglycerol. 2-arachidonylglycerol in turn acts on presynaptic cannabinoid type 1 receptors to decrease release of glutamate onto GABA neurons. This model can be tested by further research, which should include cannabinoid type 1 receptor knockout mice. This study provides more insight into how drugs of abuse such as tetrahydrocannabinol, the active component of marijuana that activate cannabinoid type I receptors, can corrupt the natural reward mechanisms of the brain.

No / Aims: To compare an ultra-rapid hand dryer against warm air dryers, with regard to: (A) bacterial transfer after drying and (B) the impact on bacterial numbers of rubbing hands during dryer use. Methods and Results: The Airblade¿ dryer (Dyson Ltd) uses two air `knives¿ to strip water from still hands, whereas conventional dryers use warm air to evaporate moisture whilst hands are rubbed together. These approaches were compared using 14 volunteers; the Airblade¿ and two types of warm air dryer. In study (A), hands were contaminated by handling meat and then washed in a standardized manner. After dryer use, fingers were pressed onto foil and transfer of residual bacteria enumerated. Transfers of 0¿107 CFU per five fingers were observed. For a drying time of 10 s, the Airblade¿ led to significantly less bacterial transfer than the other dryers (P < 0·05; range 0·0003¿0·0015). When the latter were used for 30¿35 s, the trend was for the Airblade to still perform better, but differences were not significant (P > 0·05, range 0·1317¿0·4099). In study (B), drying was performed ± hand rubbing. Contact plates enumerated bacteria transferred from palms, fingers and fingertips before and after drying. When keeping hands still, there was no statistical difference between dryers, and reduction in the numbers released was almost as high as with paper towels. Rubbing when using the warm air dryers inhibited an overall reduction in bacterial numbers on the skin (P < 0·05). Conclusions: Effective hand drying is important for reducing transfer of commensals or remaining contaminants to surfaces. Rubbing hands during warm air drying can counteract the reduction in bacterial numbers accrued during handwashing. Significance and Impact of the Study: The Airblade¿ was superior to the warm air dryers for reducing bacterial transfer. Its short, 10 s drying time should encourage greater compliance with hand drying and thus help reduce the spread of infectious agents via hands. / Dyson Ltd

Yes / Group I metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) dependent long-term depression (LTD) is a major form of synaptic plasticity underlying learning and memory. The molecular mechanisms involved in mGluR-LTD have been investigated intensively for the last two decades. In this 60th anniversary special issue article, we review the recent advances in determining the mechanisms that regulate the induction, transduction and expression of mGluR-LTD in the hippocampus, with a focus on the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. In particular we discuss the requirement of p38 MAPK and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK 1/2) activation. The recent advances in understanding the signaling cascades regulating mGluR-LTD are then related to the cognitive impairments observed in neurological disorders, such as fragile X syndrome and Alzheimer's disease.

Yes / The molecular mechanisms and signalling cascades that trigger the induction of group I metabotropic glutamate receptor (GI-mGluR)-dependent long-term depression (LTD) have been the subject of intensive investigation for nearly two decades. The generation of genetically modified animals has played a crucial role in elucidating the involvement of key molecules regulating the induction and maintenance of mGluR-LTD. In this review we will discuss the requirement of the newly discovered MAPKAPK-2 (MK2) and MAPKAPK-3 (MK3) signalling cascade in regulating GI-mGluR-LTD. Recently, it has been shown that the absence of MK2 impaired the induction of GI-mGluR-dependent LTD, an effect that is caused by reduced internalization of AMPA receptors (AMPAR). As the MK2 cascade directly regulates tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) production, this review will examine the evidence that the release of TNFα acts to regulate glutamate receptor expression and therefore may play a functional role in the impairment of GI-mGluRdependent LTD and the cognitive deficits observed in MK2/3 double knockout animals. The strong links of increased TNFα production in both aging and neurodegenerative disease could implicate the action of MK2 in these processes. / This work was supported by the BBSRC-BB/H018344/1 to S.A.L.C.

Yes / The ability to either erase or update the memories of a previously learned spatial task is an essential process that is required to modify behaviour in a changing environment. Current evidence suggests that the neural representation of such cognitive flexibility involves the balancing of synaptic potentiation (acquisition of memories) with synaptic depression (modulation and updating previously acquired memories). Here we demonstrate that the p38 MAPK/MAPK-activated protein kinase 2 (MK2) cascade is required to maintain the precise tuning of long-term potentiation and long-term depression at CA1 synapses of the hippocampus which is correlated with efficient reversal learning. Using the MK2 knockout (KO) mouse, we show that mGluR-LTD, but not NMDAR-LTD, is markedly impaired in mice aged between 4 and 5 weeks (juvenile) to 7 months (mature adult). Although the amplitude of LTP was the same as in wildtype mice, priming of LTP by the activation of group I metabotropic receptors was impaired in MK2 KO mice. Consistent with unaltered LTP amplitude and compromised mGluR-LTD, MK2 KO mice had intact spatial learning when performing the Barnes maze task, but showed specific deficits in selecting the most efficient combination of search strategies to perform the task reversal. Findings from this study suggest that the mGluR-p38-MK2 cascade is important for cognitive flexibility by regulating LTD amplitude and the priming of LTP. / Professor Richard Greene at the University of Bradford - startup fund to setup electrophysiological facility and Wellcome Trust 200646/Z/16/Z to S.A.L.C.

by Chan Wing-Sum. / Includes Chinese questionnaire. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1993. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 115-117). / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iii / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.vi / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vii / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.viii / Chapters / Chapter I. --- BACKGROUND --- p.1 / Chapter II. --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.3 / Chapter III. --- STELUX HOLDINGS LIMITED --- p.6 / Chapter IV. --- CITY CHAIN CO. LTD --- p.8 / Company Development --- p.9 / Stage 1 (May 85 - May 86) --- p.9 / Stage 2 (May 86 - May 87) --- p.10 / Stage 3 (May 87 - now) --- p.12 / Current Marketing Strategies --- p.14 / Target Market --- p.14 / Competitors --- p.14 / Product --- p.15 / Price --- p.16 / Distribution --- p.17 / Promotion --- p.18 / Personnel --- p.19 / Presentation --- p.22 / Personality --- p.23 / Chapter V. --- OPTICAL 88 LIMITED --- p.25 / Company Development --- p.26 / Stage 1 ( April 79 - May 84) --- p.26 / Stage 2 ( May 84 - April 86) --- p.27 / Stage 3 (86- Oct. 88) --- p.28 / Stage 4 ( Oct. 88 - Now ) --- p.29 / Current Marketing Strategies --- p.30 / Target Market --- p.30 / Competitors --- p.30 / Product --- p.32 / Price --- p.33 / Distribution --- p.34 / Promotion --- p.35 / Personnel --- p.38 / Presentation --- p.40 / Personality --- p.40 / Chapter VI. --- RESEARCH --- p.42 / Methodology --- p.42 / Results --- p.45 / Demographics of Total Sample --- p.45 / "Demographics of City Chain ""Shoppers"" and ""Non-shoppers""…" --- p.47 / "Demographics of Optical 88 ""Shoppers"" and ""Non-shoppers""" --- p.49 / Research Implications and Recommendations --- p.51 / City Chain --- p.51 / Optical 88 --- p.58 / Chapter VII. --- DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS --- p.64 / Synergy Effect --- p.64 / Definition of Business --- p.65 / Definition of Products --- p.66 / Shopping Process --- p.72 / Life Cycle of Chain Stores in Hong Kong --- p.74 / Introduction Stage --- p.74 / Early Growth Stage --- p.76 / Rapid Growth Stage --- p.77 / Consolidation Stage --- p.78 / Maturity Stage --- p.78 / Chapter VIII. --- SUMMARY --- p.79 / APPENDIX --- p.80 / Chapter A. --- Factor Analysis of Attributes : City Chain --- p.80 / Chapter B. --- Factor Analysis of Attributes : Optical 88 --- p.81 / Chapter C. --- "TV Commercial of City Chain - ""Solvil et Titus (Shanghai 1937)""" --- p.82 / Chapter D. --- Instore Layouts of City Chain --- p.90 / Chapter E. --- "TV Commercial of Optical 88 - ""Stand by Me""" --- p.91 / Chapter F. --- "TV Commercial of Optical 88 - ""The Kid""" --- p.96 / Chapter G. --- Instore Layouts of Optical 88 --- p.107 / Chapter H. --- Questionnaire --- p.108 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.115

Thesis (M.Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 61-62) Also available in print.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 61-62).

This thesis argues that the twin concept of separate personality and limited liability from its historical beginnings, has entrenched corporate irresponsibility. It assesses the role that these concepts have played in tackling corporate irresponsibility from their historical origins to the present day, commenting on the lessons learnt. Whilst the institution of the company as a legal person is unquestionably the bedrock of modern company law,1 this thesis examines these concepts not necessarily from the position of disputing the philosophical, economic, or political imperatives, all of which are incredibly important – but from the viewpoint that historically, the principle of separate personality and limited liability entrenches corporate irresponsibility. As such, this thesis suggests a partial abandonment of the separate personality principle because it provides a mechanism for dishonest directors to escape liability for their fraudulent conduct. It also argues that the existing judicial evasion and concealment2 principles and the statutory fraudulent and wrongful trading provisions under the Insolvency Act 19863 are too restrictive, and ambiguous in combating corporate abuse. It is concluded that the existing common law and statutory rules geared towards combating abuse of limited liability provides no coherent format upon which the courts and legislature may effectively curb abuse of the corporate form. As such, these laws in light of their inability to make dishonest directors personally liable for their fraudulent conducts ought to be challenged. There is a need to challenge the existing rules in order to show the effect abuse of limited liability has on creditors, the public and the economy. This research indicates that there ought to be an adequate and effective alternative law which provides balance and support for genuine enterprise whilst providing a robust system whereby those who abuse the corporate form can be easily made liable for corporate debts.