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This study looks into how core competence which focuses on shared vision, cooperation, and empowerment affects competitive advantage in the food service business, which is facing pressures from disruptive competition and growing consumer demand for sustainable and better food options. The study measures competitive advantage through business flexibility and responsiveness. It employs a descriptive-correlational research design and a purposive sampling technique, intentionally selecting fifty employees from various food service establishments, including fast-food chains, restaurants, and cafes, as respondents. Data was gathered using a modified version of an existing questionnaire, which included sections on demographics, core competence, and competitive advantage. A five-point Likert scale was used to collect the responses. The study reveals that there was a high degree of core competence in the food service industry, in general. It also discovered that businesses in the food service sector frequently have a very high degree of competitive advantage. Further, the findings show a significant positive relationship between competitive advantage and core competency, underscoring the significance of empowerment, collaboration, and shared vision in fostering flexibility and responsiveness, consequently gaining a competitive advantage in the marketplace. These results suggest that for businesses in the food service sector to obtain a competitive edge, they should prioritize strengthening and expanding their core competencies. The study is important for workers, managers, owners of businesses, consumers, academic institutions, and upcoming researchers. However, this study may have certain limitations regarding its scope and objectives, as it was conducted within a specific context and time frame which may not encompass all possible scenarios or changes over an extended period. Thus, the result of this research should be interpreted within these limitations, and future research is recommended to validate and expand upon these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, our focus is to construct (quasi-)copulas with a given opposite track section. Three different ways for constructing (quasi-)copulas with a given opposite track section are proposed and the best-possible bounds for all those (quasi-)copulas sharing a common opposite track section are also discussed. Drawing inspiration from the opposite diagonal splicing operation, we propose the curved splicing operation. We obtain that the curved splicing of any two quasi-copulas with a common opposite track section must be a quasi-copula. We also show several sufficient conditions for the curved splicing of any two copulas sharing a common opposite track section to be a copula. Furthermore, we discuss the characteristics of a copula constructed by the curved splicing operation. Finally, we construct two novel types of semilinear copulas, and by applying the curved splicing operation we obtain two additional types of semilinear copulas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allopolyploidy is long recognized as an essential driving force in plant evolution. Recent studies have demonstrated that small RNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs), play important roles in the process of allopolyploidy. However, the question that how the distinct parent-of-origin miRNAs are maintained in allopolyploids and how these small RNAs affect gene expression and phenotype remain to be answered. Therefore, we investigated the miRNA expression profiles of a synthesized allotetraploid, Cucumis x hytivus and its parents. The different developmental stages of leaves of C. x hytivus showing contrasting leaf colour were compared as well. Following high-throughput sequencing, 546 conserved d 287 novel miRNAs were identified. The expressions of nine miRNAs obtained by real-time quantitative PCR were consistent with the sequencing results. We detected that 15 miRNAs were divergently expressed between the parent species, and 23 miRNAs were differentially expressed in C. x hytivus compared to either of its parents or both, which suggests the significant effect of allopolyploidization on miRNAs accumulation. Additionally, 26 conserved and 13 novel miRNAs differed in expression between the young and mature leaves of C. x hytivus, indicating an essential role of miRNA-mediated regulation of leaf development following allopolyploidization. This study enriches the context of allopolyploidy effect on miRNAs and lays a foundation for the elucidation of the miRNA-mediated regulatory mechanism in phenotypic variation in allopolyploids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to examine the effect of the decomposition of macrophyte materials on the release potential of heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd) from the lake sediment to the overlying water. A laboratory experiment was carried out with a common macrophyte species (Carex cinerascens Kukenth) to examine the effects of macrophyte decomposition on the release of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb) from the sediment. Fresh aboveground parts of the macrophyte were added to the sediment and the treated sediment was subsequently subjected to a permanent flood condition. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC), pH and heavy metal concentrations of the overlying water were measured during the 135-day experiment. In most cases, the rate at which heavy metals were released form the sediments was reduced after the addition of macrophyte biomass. The greater the amount of the macrophyte amendment, the greater the decrease in heavy metals released from the sediment. There is no significant correlation between the DOC concentration in the overlying water and the four heavy metals released from sediments. The addition of macrophyte biomass can reduce the heavy metals release from sediments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of Sn:Ti ratio with large range from 55:3 to 10:48 on the phase structure and electrical properties of Pb0.97La0.02(Zr0.42Sn0.58-xTix)O3ceramics has been investigated. A sequence of phase transitions were analyzed by the variation of P-E hysteresis loops with increasing temperature. The antiferroelectric (AFE)/ferroelectric (FE) occurred at room temperature (RT) when Sn:Ti ratio is between 50:08 and 40:18 with the Zr content of 0.42, which improves the lanthanum doped ternary phase diagram. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cytoplasmic protein p60c-src, an ubiquitous non-receptor protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) is a potential anticancer target as it is over-expressed and/or constitutively active in several cancer types. In addition, the phenotype of c-src knock-out mice is consistent with osteopetrosis, which suggests that inhibitors against this enzyme may also be therapeutic for osteoporosis. Using a known peptide substrate for c-src, MIYKYYF, as a template, we have developed a series of pseudosubstrate-based peptide inhibitors. Structure–activity relationship studies have been performed on one of these inhibitors, CIYKYYF. In a kinase assay using YIYGSFK as the substrate, CIYKYY has been demonstrated to inhibit p60c-src, with an IC50 of 0.6 μ m. Further truncation has led to the determination that even the smaller peptide, CIYK, is a moderately potent inhibitor with IC50 of 15 μ m. Some improvement in inhibitory potency (IC50 = 11.8 μ m) has been observed with the replacement of Tyr3 in CIYK with β-phenylalanine ( β-Phe). The tetrapeptide CI( β-Phe)K will be used as a lead compound for future development of peptidomimetics and small molecule inhibitors that have the capacity to penetrate the plasma membrane of intact cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface ablation of cobalt-cemented tungsten carbide hard metal has been carried out in this work using a 308 nm, 20 ns XeCl excimer laser. Surface microphotography and XRD, as well as an electron probe have been used to investigate the transformation of phase and microstructure as a function of the pulse-number of laser shots at a laser fluence of 2.5 J/cm[sup 2] . The experimental results show that the microstructure of cemented tungsten carbide is transformed from the original polygonal grains of size 3 μm to interlaced large, long grains with an increase in the number of laser shots up to 300, and finally to gross grains of size 10 μm with clear grain boundaries after 700 shots of laser irradiation. The crystalline structure of the irradiated area is partly transformed from the original WC to βWC[sub 1-x] , then to αW[sub 2] C and CW[sub 3] , and finally to W crystal. It is suggested that the undulating ‘hill–valley’ morphology may be the result of selective removal of cobalt binder from the surface layer of the hard metal. The formation of non-stoichiometric tungsten carbide may result from the escape of elemental carbon due to accumulated heating of the surface by pulsed laser irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. Numerical calculations based on a thermal model were presented, which describe the process of target heating and ablation of cobalt during irradiation by 30-ns laser pulses at 308 nm. The attenuation of laser by vapor has been taken into account in this model. As results of the calculations, the temperature distribution beneath the target surface and the temporal evolution of surface temperature were given. The dependence of ablation rate on laser fluence was also studied based on this model. The surface ablation of cobalt with pulsed excimer laser was investigated experimentally. Our model considering proper vapor attenuation has shown to be in good agreement with the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lewis[sup y] carbohydrate antigens are abundant on the surface of many carcinomas. Mab B3 directed against this carbohydrate antigen has been used to make an immunotoxin that is very cytotoxic to cancer cells expressing the Lewis[sup y] antigen. Mab B3 was also used to screen a phage-displayed peptide library and identified a peptide mimicking the Lewis[sup y] epitope. In this report, we demonstrate that the Lewis[sup y] epitope-mimicking peptide induces anti-Lewis[sup y] immune responses in both rabbits and mice. In addition, Lewis[sup y] antigens induce anti-peptide immune responses. These results indicate that carbohydrate-mimicking peptides provide a novel strategy to elicit immune responses for tumor-associated carbohydrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After being irradiated in air by a XeCl (308 nm) excimer laser, the electrical conductivity of solid thin-film C[sub 60] has been improved by more than six orders of magnitudes. The products resulting from laser irradiation of C[sub 60] films have been investigated by Raman scattering and the onset of conductivity can be attributed to laser-induced oxygenation and disintegration of the fullerene. Irradiated by ≈40 ns laser pulses with different fluence, products with different microstructure were observed. At lower fluence, the Raman features of microcrystalline graphite and fullerene polymer were observed. At a fluence just below the ablation threshold (36 mJ/cm[sup 2] ), the fullerene molecules in the film were disintegrated completely and transformed to amorphous graphite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of background gases on the optical emission of the excimer-laser-ablated plume from a brass target have been studied experimentally. It is found that the plume emission can be enhanced significantly in a proper gas ambient. In hydrogen, the highest peak intensity is detected, and in argon, there is a distinctive difference in the pressure-dependent emission between in He and in the other three gases, Ar, N and H. Moreover, the monitored line peak intensity remains unchanged in Ar and N and increases in H within a distance above the target surface; but in He, the observed peak intensity decreases with distance like in vacuum. Furthermore, the emissions of several more atomic lines of Cu and Zn atoms from the plume are also found to be enhanced in the same manner in gas ambient. Some physical processes involved in the plume expansion and the possible mechanisms for the enhanced emission of the plume in backing gas are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By employing a double-pass absorption design and pressure clamping technique, a diode end-pumped continuous-wave Yb:Y2O3 ceramic disc laser at room temperature has been developed. An optimum output power of 10.5 W near 1078 nm was obtained at a pump power of 35 W. The laser threshold was 7 W and the corresponding slope-efficiency was 37.5%. The red-shift phenomena under different pump power levels and output couplings have been investigated. The still evolving Yb:Y2O3 ceramic is a super-excellent media for high brightness laser applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Li+ ion-doped BaTiO3 (LBT-x, x = 0, 3%, 5%, 7%) ceramics were prepared by the solid-state reaction method, which were analyzed by XRD and EDS. The Ba2TiO4 phase was formed on the surface of sintered LBT-x ceramics with high Li+ concentration (x = 5%, 7%), and tetragonal phase appeared after the removal of Ba2TiO4 surface layer. According to the results from first-principle calculation of 2 × 2 × 2 and 3 × 3 × 3 supercells, Li+ ions can occupy B site of ABO3 perovskite structure. The LBT-x (x = 3%, 5%, 7%) ceramics showed antiferroelectric-like double hysteresis loops which form [LiTi–Vo]− dipoles and pin the domain walls. The piezoelectric constant d33 also decreases due to pinning effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a quite uniformly side-around arranged compact pumping system, a high power Nd:YAG ceramic quasi-CW laser has been demonstrated with high optical-to-optical conversion efficiency over 50% for the first time. With 450 W quasi-CW stacked laser diode bars pumping at 808 nm, 236 W output at 1064 nm was obtained and no saturation phenomena were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discretization of interaction force is an important issue in the lattice Boltzmann equation (LBE) method for two-phase systems. A variety of discretization schemes for the interaction force have been developed from different viewpoints. Although these schemes are totally identical mathematically, they may have quite different behaviors in actual applications. In this paper we investigate the mass conservation properties of four discretization forcing schemes that have been adopted in a variety of two-phase LBE models. It is found that LBE with the mixed scheme does not conserve the total mass, and the violation is related to grid resolution, fluid velocity, and density variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]