Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Emotional Labour and Employee Performance Appraisal: The Missing Link in Some Hotels in South East Nigeria

The main objective of this study was to determine if emotional labour has become a criterion in performance appraisal, job description, selection, and training schemes in the hotel industry in Nigeria. Our main assumption was that majority of hotel organizations have not built emotional labour into their human resources management schemes. Data were gathered by the use of structured questionnaires designed in Likert format, and interviews. The focus group was managers of the selected hotels. Analyses revealed that majority of the hotels have not built emotional labour into their human resources schemes particularly in the 1, 2, and 3-star hotels. It was observed that service employees of 1, 2, and 3-star hotels have not been adequately trained to perform emotional labour; a critical factor in quality service delivery. Managers of 1, 2, and 3-star hotels have not given serious thought to emotional labour as a critical factor in quality service delivery. The study revealed that suitability of an individual’s characteristics is not being considered as a criterion for selection and performance appraisal for service employees. The implication of this is that, person-job-fit is not seriously considered. It was observed that there has been a disconnect between required emotional competency, its recognition, evaluation and training. Based on the findings of this study, it is concluded that selection, training, job description and performance appraisal instruments in use in hotels in Nigeria are inadequate. Human resource implications of the findings in this study are presented. It is recommended that hotel organizations should re-design and plan the emotional content and context of their human resources practices to reflect the emotional demands of frontline jobs in the hotel industry and the crucial role emotional labour plays during service encounters. Keywords: Emotional labour; employee selection; job description; performance appraisal; person-job-fit;
Bias-temperature instability of Si and Si(Ge)-channel sub-1nm EOT p-MOS devices: Challenges and solutions

In this paper we review the Negative-Bias-Temperature-Instability performance of Si and Si(Ge) sub 1-nanometer EOT p-MOS devices. It is shown that NBTI degradation in Si-devices follows an iso-electric field model in over 1-nanometer EOT due to the degradation mechanism of Si/SiO2 interface state generation combined with the hole trapping mechanism. However in sub 1-nanometer EOT regime, the probability of hole trapping into the gate dielectric increases and it is strongly dependent on the thickness of the interfacial oxide layer. The bulk defects affecting the NBTI are shown to be mostly pre-existing defects, though the permanently generated defects are relatively higher in sub 1-nanometer EOT devices. It is demonstrated that a minimum interfacial layer thickness of 0.4nm is required to prevent the accelerated NBTI degradation by increased direct tunneling.Si(Ge) devices, on the other hand, show a significantly reduced Negative-Bias-Temperature-Instability, by which they promise to virtually eliminate this reliability issue for ultra-thin EOT devices. So far it seems to be the only available and reliable solution for sub-1nm EOT devices. The intrinsically superior NBTI robustness of the MOS system consisting of a Ge-based channel and of a SiO2/HfO2 dielectric stack is understood in terms of a favorable energy decoupling between the SiGe channel and the gate dielectric defects. We also demonstrate that in both Si and Si(Ge) nanoscale devices the NBTI degradation shows an increasingly stochastic stepwise behavior, which leads to a time-dependent variability. Again for Si(Ge) devices a significantly reduced time-dependent variability of nanoscale devices is observed. This time-dependent variability has to be taken into account when predicting the lifetime of the technology.
Overweight, obesity and the food service industry

In many countries people are eating out more often and the food service industry has encouraged/reacted to this with business activities such as ‘super-sizing’, product bundling and ‘all you can eat buffets’. At the same time, the incidence of overweight and obesity has increased throughout the world and the food service industry has been implicated if not blamed entirely for this situation. However, is the food service industry rightly condemned as the obesity villain? This article considers some of the factors in the obesity debate and concludes that it is not a ‘one-way street’ and both the food service industry and consumer alike bear responsibility for the current situation.
The Effects of Merchandising and Temporary Promotional Activities on the Sales of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables in Supermarkets

Retail price, newspaper advertising, display space, and display location quality were tested at two levels for selected fruits and vegetables according to a fractional factorial research design in four large supermarkets. The resulting impact on rates of sale was analyzed for four classes of items; hard fruit, cooking vegetables, salad vegetables, and soft fruit.
Small-Molecule Inhibitors Specifically Targeting Type III Secretion

ABSTRACT The type III secretion (TTS) system is used by several animal and plant pathogens to deliver effector proteins into the cytosol of the eukaryotic target cell as a strategy to evade the defense reactions elicited by the infected organism. The fact that these systems are highly homologous implies that novel antibacterial agents that chemically attenuate the pathogens via a specific interaction with the type III secretion mechanism can be identified. A number of small organic molecules having this potential have recently been identified (A. M. Kauppi, R. Nordfelth, H. Uvell, H. Wolf-Watz, and M. Elofsson, Chem. Biol. 10:241-249, 2003). Using different reporter gene constructs, we showed that compounds that belong to a class of acylated hydrazones of different salicylaldehydes target the TTS system of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. One of these compounds, compound 1, was studied in detail and was found to specifically block Yop effector secretion under in vitro conditions by targeting the TTS system. In this respect the drug mimics the well-known effect of calcium on Yop secretion. In addition, compound 1 inhibits Yop effector translocation after infection of HeLa cells without affecting the eukaryotic cells or the bacteria. A HeLa cell model that mimics in vivo conditions showed that compound 1 chemically attenuates the pathogen to the advantage of the eukaryotic cell. Thus, our results show proof of concept, i.e., that small compounds targeting the TTS system can be identified, and they point to the possible use of TTS inhibitors as a novel class of antibacterial agents.
Recommendations on clinical proof of efficacy for potential scar prevention and reduction therapies

Cutaneous scarring is an enormous medical problem with approximately 100 million patients acquiring scars each year. Scar prevention/reduction represents a significant, and largely unmet, clinical need. Research into the prophylactic modulation of scar outcome differs from research into other disease processes as the scar is not present at the start of the study; measurements of changes from baseline are impossible. Final scar morphology is influenced by many variables. A fundamental principle that should be observed in the prospective evaluation of scar prevention/reduction therapies is that, if left untreated, wounds in treatment and control groups should have healed with identical scars. Observation of this principle will allow the detection of true treatment effects. The many variables that influence scar morphology mean that the evaluation of potential pharmaceutical products for this indication favors the use of self‐controlled designs in clinical trials. In this article, we review variables that affect scar morphology and recommend the self‐controlled design for clinical trials aiming to establish proof of efficacy of scar prevention and reduction pharmaceuticals. With no pharmaceutical products currently licensed for this indication, this represents a new therapeutic area. The principles discussed will also have direct relevance to the wider fields of wound healing and regenerative medicine.
The pathogenesis of cell death in Parkinson's disease – 2007

A number of factors have been implicated in the pathogenesis of cell death in Parkinson's disease (PD). These include oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, excitotoxicity, and apoptosis. While the precise pathogenic mechanism leading to neurodegeneration in PD is not known, there is considerable evidence suggesting that cell death occurs by way of a signal‐mediated apoptotic process. PD is also characterized by intracellular proteinaceous inclusions or Lewy bodies. Proteolytic stress arises as a consequence of the excessive production of misfolded proteins, which exceed the capacity of the ubiquitin‐proteasome system to degrade them. Recent genetic and laboratory studies support the possible relevance of proteolytic stress to both familial and sporadic forms of PD. Postmortem studies have shown that in the SNc of sporadic PD patients there are reduced levels of the alpha subunit of the 20S proteasome and reduced proteolytic enzyme activities. A determination as to the precise cause of cell death in PD, and the identification of specific targets for the development of drugs that might modify disease progression is one of the most critical goals in PD research. It is anticipated that over the next few years there will be a flurry of scientific activity examining the mechanism of cell death and putative neuroprotective interventions. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society
Online impulse buying of tourism products: The role of web site personality, utilitarian and hedonic web browsing

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the structural relationship between web site personality, utilitarian web browsing, hedonic web browsing and online impulse buying of tourism products. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 405 valid online questionnaires were collected to empirically test the measurement and structural model using partial least square path modelling approach, a variance-based structural equation modelling technique. The study sample includes experienced online shoppers who performed shopping tourism products and services via internet medium. Findings – The results imply that web site personality is a second-order reflective construct comprising solidity, enthusiasm, genuineness, sophistication and unpleasantness. web site personality positively influences utilitarian web browsing, hedonic web browsing and online impulse buying; and both hedonic web browsing and utilitarian web browsing positively influence online impulse buying. Originality/value – Online impulse buying of tourism products has not been profoundly explored in current literature, despite its important implication for managers, academicians and consumers alike. This study contributes to the field of e-commerce marketing, retailing and e-tourism research.
Different epitopes of the CD31 antigen identified by monoclonal antibodies: cell type-specific patterns of expression.

3 mAb-5A2.G5, B2B1 and 2BD4-all of IgG1 isotype were identified as belonging to the CD31 cluster by their binding to transfected murine cell lines expressing the CD31 antigen and by sequential immunoprecipitation experiments. Competitive binding experiments were carried out using the human myelomonocytic cell line RC-2A. mAb B2B1 and 2BD4 did not cross block. mAb 5A2.G5 partly inhibited binding of 2BD4 but not B2B1. Thus the epitopes identified by 5A2.G5 and 2BD4 appear to overlap but to be quite separate from that recognized by B2B1. All 3 antibodies bound to a 130 kDa species on Western blots after nonreducing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of platelet lysates. Culture of RC-2A cells in the presence of tunicamycin (after removal of surface antigens by pronase) blocked re-expression of the epitopes recognised by all 3 mAb suggesting that they involve N-linked glycosylation. Furthermore, treatment of platelet lysates with Endoglycosidase F prior to electrophoresis and Western blotting abolished the binding of the mAb but not a rabbit polyclonal antiserum to CD31. Nevertheless, neuraminidase treatment of RC-2A cells failed to affect mAb binding. The antibodies displayed typical properties of CD31 antibodies in that all 3 precipitated at 130 kDa cell surface protein and bound strongly to platelets, monocytes, neutrophils and vascular endothelium. All 3 antibodies were positive on hemopoietic progenitor cells which give rise to colonies in the CFU-C assay. However, differences in binding to peripheral blood lymphocytes and to certain human leukemic cell lines were noted. In particular, mAb 5A2.G5 bound weakly to lymphocytes and to the lymphoid cell line HSB-2 compared with the other 2 antibodies.
Nonlinear Distortion in Wireless Systems [Book\/Software Reviews]

This book focuses on nonlinear distortion in wireless communication systems whereby the author pulled from 140 references and melted together all the information on nonlinear system characteristics to derive a model and use it in MATLAB simulations. In today’s radiofrequency (RF) nonlinear simulations, deterministic signals are used that face a problem with predicting system performance when the input to the system is real-world communication signals, which have a random nature. The author introduces modeling and simulation of nonlinear distortions from both a deterministic and a stochastic point of view and uses random process theory to develop simulation tools for predicting system performance.
Reconfigurable electrically small split ring resonator antenna

A reconfigurable electrically small microstrip-fed antenna composed of a broadside coupled split ring resonator with stubs connected through pin-diodes and an exciting arc-shaped monopole is presented. Numerical and experimental results are presented for an antenna configuration of 1/24.3 wavelength λ in diameter (antenna is inscribed in a sphere with radius a, k — wave number), ka = 0.13. The antenna size including the ground plane is 68 × 44 mm2 and it operates at 149 MHz with 7.15 MHz bandwidth (VSWR<2). Its resonant frequency can be tuned over a wide range of frequency without changing the antenna size. The antenna can be used with metamaterial cover, as a part of the antenna array or an active antenna.
Integrated design of structural and controller parameters with ILMI algorithm

This paper is concerned with the simultaneous design of plant structure parameters (passive components) and controllers (active components) in order to achieve the optimal system performance. With LFT (Linear Fractional Transformation) formulation, the simultaneous design problem can be transferred into a design problem of a controller with specific construction. It is a complex control problem with nonconvex constraints. Then a heuristic iterative algorithm is proposed in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) formulation. More importantly, a method of setting initial value to the Lyapunov matrix is proposed to enhance the probability of obtaining a possible solution for the iterative LMI approach.
The role of individual and organizational factors in promoting firm environmental practices

Purpose – This study seeks to explore the roles of organizational support and environmental manager commitment on organizational environmental management practices.Design/methodology/approach – A survey of environmental managers was conducted to examine the role of organizational support and individual environmental commitment on key informant perceptions of environmental organizational practices including participation in extra‐organizational voluntary environmental programs, adoption of a company‐specific environmental management system (EMS), and involvement in ISO 14000 certification.Findings – Study findings demonstrate that high perceptions of organizational support for the environment affect the likelihood of an organization's implementation of environmental practices. Similarly, study findings indicate that higher levels of environmental commitment of the individual responsible for environmental management practices affects the likelihood of an organization's implementation of environmental practi.
The binding of prion proteins to serum components is affected by detergent extraction conditions

As many GPI anchored proteins, PrPC and its abnormal conformer PrPSc, are inserted into membrane microdomains known as rafts. Upon raft disruption, PrPC becomes soluble, while PrPSc aggregates into insoluble structures. It was recently published that, as opposed to PrPC, PrPSc, as well as its protease resistant core PrP27‐30, can bind specifically to plasminogen and other serum components. These findings were suggested to have important physiological implications in transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) diagnosis and pathogenesis. In this work, we show that the binding of PrPSc or PrP 27–30 to serum proteins occurs only at specific detergent combinations, in which disease associated PrPs are present in aggregated structures. At detergent conditions in which rafts are intact, it is actually PrPC. that binds to blood proteins, albeit not directly, but through neighboring rafts components. Our results therefore indicate that the binding of PrPSc to blood components has no physiological relevance.
Consumer perceptions of fresh meat quality: cross‐national comparison

This paper summarises the results of the consumer survey, which had been carried out in six European countries in order to obtain comparable information about consumer behaviour towards meat and perception of fresh meat quality. Quality evaluation of fresh meat in this study is supposed to consist of two phases: a stage previous to the actual purchase and a stage after the purchase while eating the meat. Concerning the first stage, it becomes obvious that for beef and pork the place of purchase plays a major role as quality indicator, while the price was distinctly considered to be least helpful. “Colour” is the most important intrinsic quality cue for all three meats. In the second phase of quality evaluation after purchase, “flavour” is one of the most significant quality characteristics. Concerning the safety of beef, pork and chicken, “freshness” was shown to be the most important indicator. Consequently, it would be advisable for producers and retailers to use appropriate signals in order to communicate “freshness” to the consumers. Concerns about meat are rated very highly in each of the countries. Trustworthy signals of meat safety are required, which are able to reduce the risk felt by consumers.
Characteristics of Job Rotation in the Midwest U.S. Manufacturing Sector

Job rotation has been advocated as a business practice to increase the skill of employees, as well as a suitable intervention for the control of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. However, little is known regarding the prevalence of job rotation, methods used to identify jobs to rotate to, or the benefits or limitations of job rotation. A web-based questionnaire was developed to survey job rotation practices in the Midwest U.S. manufacturing sector. Results indicated that 42% of the companies contacted use job rotation, and that companies appeared to be using job rotation on a permanent basis. Job rotation was used mainly to reduce exposure to risk factors and reduce work related injuries, whereas methods utilized to identify jobs to rotate to were based mainly on supervisor decision and ergonomic job analysis. These findings suggest further study is needed to determine if exposure to risk factors is being reduced through current efforts.
BONE REGENERATION IN EXTRACTION SITES. PART 2: THE STAGED APPROACH

The use of guided tissue regeneration in conjunction with implants is a routine procedure in oral implant reconstruction. Three patient reports of the staged approach are presented and discussed. Implants were placed in regenerated bone 9 months after augmentation. Barrier membranes, with and without supporting screws, were used in different types of extraction site defects and followed for 2 years postoperatively.
Exploring real-brand meanings and goods in virtual-world social interaction: Enhanced rewards, rarity, and realism

Abstract In virtual worlds, real-life brands develop co-created meanings in social interaction involving users, platform, and marketers. Whilst research has focused on brands advertised in online venues, marketers are challenged to know how users experience brands socially and interactively in virtual worlds, and potential outcomes of those experiences. This article explores meanings of brands and branded virtual goods through user interviews from one virtual world with brands integrated into social interaction. Findings suggest positive orientations as brands aid sociability, status, and achievement. Interactions connect with avatar identity displays and social roles, enabled by platform and realism from real-brand presence. Manifestations extend beyond the virtual world, and seem understood as marketer tactics. Inserted brands appear to impact user experiences with enhanced rewards, rarity, and realism.
Incorporating Relevance and Rigor in a Game Environment: Barracuda Cove Investment Game

Achieving student learning outcomes in a "gamelike" environment allows students to connect real-world activities to marketing and business concepts presented in a relevant and authentic manner. The innovative game, Barracuda Cove Investment Game, can be incorporated into any marketing-related course that would require a marketing or business plan. Of the students who have taken part in this project (n = 135), the results from the course project survey suggest that students believe the project is relevant, effective, and provides future benefits. This paper describes the design, implementation, and evaluation of this authentic "gamelike" project that models the popular reality television program Shark Tank.
A Conceptual Framework for Analyzing Why Organizations Downsize

Although downsizing has become an integral part of organizational life in the U.S., there is little serious theoretical or empirical work on this issue. Nearly all of the completed work addresses the effects of downsizing, whic h usually are negative. Therefore, an important yet unanswered question is: Why do organizations downsize in the first place? In addressing this question, I offer some systematic thoughts on the causes of downsizing. Specifically, I develop a conceptual f ramework for studying organizational innovation that draws on two overlooked dimensions associated with this phenomenon, the basis of social action (rational versus arational) and social context (organizational versus extraorganizational). I then characte rize downsizing as an organizational innovation and develop propositions that explain why organizations downsize. Finally, I emphasize that empirical evaluation of these propositions will help us to understand a pivotal organizational development of recent decades.