The Current State of Performance Appraisal Research and Practice: Concerns, Directions, and Implications

On the surface, it is not readily apparent how some performance appraisal research issues inform performance appraisal practice. Because performance appraisal is an applied topic, it is useful to periodically consider the current state of performance research and its relation to performance appraisal practice. This review examines the performance appraisal literature published in both academic and practitioner outlets between 1985 and 1990, briefly discusses the current state of performance appraisal practice, highlights the juxtaposition of research and practice, and suggests directions for further research

AdcAII of Streptococcus pneumoniae Affects Pneumococcal Invasiveness.

Across bacterial species, metal binding proteins can serve functions in pathogenesis in addition to regulating metal homeostasis. We have compared and contrasted the activities of zinc (Zn2+)-binding lipoproteins AdcA and AdcAII in the Streptococcus pneumoniae TIGR4 background. Exposure to Zn2+-limiting conditions resulted in delayed growth in a strain lacking AdcAII (ΔAdcAII) when compared to wild type bacteria or a mutant lacking AdcA (ΔAdcA). AdcAII failed to interact with the extracellular matrix protein laminin despite homology to laminin-binding proteins of related streptococci. Deletion of AdcA or AdcAII led to significantly increased invasion of A549 human lung epithelial cells and a trend toward increased invasion in vivo. Loss of AdcAII, but not AdcA, was shown to negatively impact early colonization of the nasopharynx. Our findings suggest that expression of AdcAII affects invasiveness of S. pneumoniae in response to available Zn2+ concentrations

Dot blot demonstrating lack of laminin binding by AdcAII.

<p>A) Laminin (2 μg, 5 μg, and 10 μg spots) or anti-AdcAII antibody (1:100, 1:1000, 1:5000 spots) as control were probed with biotinylated recombinant AdcAII protein. B) To demonstrate laminin could interact with ligands using this method laminin protein (2 μg, 5 μg, and 10 μg spots) or anti-laminin receptor antibody (1:100, 1:1000, 1:5000 spots) as a control probed with recombinant laminin receptor and developed with anti-LR antibody.</p