Recommendations for the classification and nomenclature of the DNA-beta satellites of begomoviruses.

The symptom modulating, single-stranded DNA satellites (known as DNA ) associated with begomoviruses (family Geminiviridae) have proven to be widespread and important components of a large number of plant diseases across the Old World. Since they were first identified in 2000, over 260 full-length sequences (~1360 nucleotides) have been deposited with databases and this number increases daily. This has highlighted the need for a standardised, concise and unambiguous nomenclature for these components, as well as a meaningful and robust classification system. Pairwise comparisons of all available full-length DNA sequences indicates that the minimum numbers of pairs occur at a sequence identity of 78%, which we propose as the species demarcation threshold for distinct DNA . This threshold value divides the presently known DNA sequences into a tractable 51 distinct satellite species. In addition we propose a naming convention for the satellites that is based upon the system already in use for geminiviruses. This maintains, whenever possible, the association with the helper begomovirus, the disease symptoms and the host plant and provides a logical and consistent system for referring to already recognised and newly identified satellites.Estación Experimental "La Mayora", Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 29750 Algarrobo-Costa, Málaga, Spain. National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Jhang Road, P.O. Box 577, Faisalabad, Pakistan. Department of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA. John Innes Centre, Colney Lane, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK. Departamento de Fitopatologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG 36570-000, Brazil. Institute of Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029, China. ILTAB/Danforth Plant Science Centre, 975 N. Warson Rd., St. Louis, MO63132, USA.Peer reviewe

The Process of Wage Adjustment: An Analysis Using Establishment-Level Data

This article presents a study of the influences on the factors that shape wage adjustments. The cost of living, comparability with other firms' wages, the fulfilment of collective agreements at sector level, the need to recruit and retain employees, the performance of the organisation, and the climate of industrial relations are included as factors of interest. The analysis was carried out using a sample of Spanish manufacturing plants. Our results show that the structural characteristics of the establishment such as its size or foreign ownership, as well as the wage setting arrangements and trade unions, play a role in explaining the importance of the factors mentioned in shaping wage adjustments. The human resource management policies adopted by the employer seem to be less relevant, although the qualification of workers and the use of pay for performance have a significant impact on the process of wage adjustment.pay settlements, collective bargaining, wage negotiation

What Are the Factors Behind Pay Settlements? Evidence from Spanish and British Data

This article presents a study of the determinants of pay settlements in a sample of Spanish and British establishments. We find that variables such as establishment size and age, foreign ownership, labour costs, the existence of internal labour markets, a strategic approach to human resource management and pay setting institutions are related to the factors that shape pay adjustments. Moreover, our findings show that there are significant differences in the determinants of pay settlements between Spain and Great Britain. We suggest that the labour market institutions developed in each country influence pay setting decisions.compensation systems, labor market institutions, wage settlements, establishment level data

The Diffusion of Pay for Performance across Occupations

In this paper the differences in the incidence of pay for performance plans between occupations in a sample of Spanish manufacturing establishments are analyzed. Our results show that there are significant differences between occupations in the incidence of individual, group and firm or plant pay for performance plans. The roles of establishment size, multinational ownership and the human resources management department in the incidence of pay for performance plans and their variability of use across occupations within the same firm are also studied. These factors are found to correlate to a greater use of pay for performance and, in most cases, this effect is homogenous across occupations.incentives

Performance Appraisal: Dimensions and Determinants

The determinants of the dimensions that shape a formal system of performance appraisal are studied in relation to a sample of Spanish manufacturing establishments. In particular, the factors that influence the measures used to evaluate performance, the person who carries out such appraisal and its frequency are analysed. Our results show that the characteristics of the establishment exert a significant influence on the configuration of performance appraisal. Specifically, we find that the use of practices complementary to performance evaluation and the structural factors of the establishment are found to correlate closely with the dimensions of formal performance appraisal.performance appraisal, monitoring, establishment characteristics, dimensions of appraisal

"Make-or-buy" of peripheral services in manufacturing: Evidence from Spanish plant-level data

In this paper we empirically explore the make-or-buy decisions of peripheral services in manufacturing plants using detailed information on a data set from a new plant-level survey from 926 plants distributed in all manufacturing industries in Spain. In particular, survey respondents are asked how their contracting practices of peripheral services had changed in the last three years. The answer to this question is informative of the changes in the importance of backward integration for each of the plants interviewed. Using other information provided in the survey, we relate reported changes in backward integration to changes in other relevant plant characteristics. We show that increases in outsourcing of services are positively correlated with increases in the plant's market share as well as increases in product market competition and product prices. These findings are robust to controlling for whether plants belong to single-plant or multi-plant firms. This result is consistent with the view that market size limits the degree of specialization at the plant level in the Spanish manufacturing industry

Begomovirus quasispecies adapt to hosts by exploring different sequence space without changing their consensus sequences

Geminiviruses possess single-stranded circular DNA genomes that depend on cellular polymerases for replication in the host nucleus. In plant hosts, geminivirus populations behave as ensembles of mutant and recombinant genomes. This favours the emergence of new geminivirus strains able to produce new diseases or overcome the genetic resistance of cultivars. In warm and temperate areas several whitefly-transmitted geminiviruses of the genus Begomovirus cause the tomato yellow leaf curl disease (TYLCD) with important economic consequences. TYLCD is frequently controlled in commercial tomato production using the Ty-1 resistance gene. Over a 45 day period we studied the evolution of infectious clones from three TYLCD-associated begomoviruses: Tomato yellow leaf curl Sardinia virus, Tomato yellow leaf curl virus and the recombinant Tomato yellow leaf curl Axarquia virus. The evolution of their viral progeny was examined in susceptible tomato (ty1/ty1), resistant tomato (Ty1/ty1), common bean, and the wild reservoir Solanum nigrum. We found that in addition to affecting viral accumulation kinetics, the host influenced the sequence space explored by these begomoviruses. In tomato, viral dynamics was not influenced by the presence of the Ty-1 gene. Interestingly, positive adaptation of the coat protein gene was only observed in the common bean and S. nigrum, which correlates with these plants having viral quasispecies with the highest degree of complexity and heterogeneity. Our results underline the importance of analysing the mutant spectra of begomovirus infections, especially in wild reservoirs, which have the potential to give rise to large numbers of emergent variants in spite of the invariance of their consensus sequences.Junta de Andalucía proyecto: P10-CVI-6561. Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

The process of wage adjustment: An analysis using establishment-level data

This article presents a study of the influences on the factors that shape wage adjustments. The cost of living, comparability with other firms' wages, the fulfilment of collective agreements at sector level, the need to recruit and retain employees, the performance of the organisation, and the climate of industrial relations are included as factors of interest. The analysis was carried out using a sample of Spanish manufacturing plants. Our results show that the structural characteristics of the establishment such as its size or foreign ownership, as well as the wage setting arrangements and trade unions, play a role in explaining the importance of the factors mentioned in shaping wage adjustments. The human resource management policies adopted by the employer seem to be less relevant, although the qualification of workers and the use of pay for performance have a significant impact on the process of wage adjustment

Competitive Strategy, Performance Appraisal and Firm Results

In this study, we address the relationship between performance appraisal and competitive strategy, as well as the impact of this relationship on firm performance. The results indicate that the adoption of developmental performance appraisal and the use of administrative performance appraisal are higher among firms that pursue differentiation strategies compared to those competing on costs. Regarding firm performance, the interaction between a developmental appraisal system and a quality strategy displays higher return on equity and sales per employee. Those firms that combine a focus on innovation with administrative performance appraisal also enjoy higher performance. Finally, when the firm competes on the basis of cost reduction, the use of administrative appraisal increases the sales per employee

What are the factors behind pay settlements? Evidence from Spanish and British data

This article presents a study of the determinants of pay settlements in a sample of Spanish and British establishments. We find that variables such as establishment size and age, foreign ownership, labour costs, the existence of internal labour markets, a strategic approach to human resource management and pay setting institutions are related to the factors that shape pay adjustments. Moreover, our findings show that there are significant differences in the determinants of pay settlements between Spain and Great Britain. We suggest that the labour market institutions developed in each country influence pay setting decisions