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Computing with non-linear polynomial constraints over the real numbers has been an important area within Computer Algebra since the field's inception. More recently, satisfiability for this theory has become an important problem in the SMT-solving community. Inspired by the S C 2 project, this paper combines ideas from both communities to produce a fast "partial solver" for the theory — i.e. a solver that can sometimes decide the satisfiability of formulas, but sometimes fails to make a determination. The partial solver is based on existing "black-box/white-box" simplification algorithms, which this paper extends to allow for the production of UNSAT cores (and stronger simplifications). The production of UNSAT cores is required if the partial solver is to be used in SMT-solving, which is one of the primary motivations for this work. The authors have implemented the partial solver in the Image 1 system, and this paper also reports on experiments based on that implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper adds to the growing body of literature on partnerships and Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) by constructing a ladder of transnational partnership working which can act as an aid to partnership development. The first part draws upon partnership working and co-management literature and identifies 5 levels of transnational partnership working: Information Sharing; Administration Sharing; Agreed Joint Rules; Combined Organisation; and Combined Constitution and illustrates what these might entail with reference to established maritime partnerships. The second part of the paper then explores how these generic levels may be used to structure transnational partnership development in a particular marine setting. This draws upon the outputs of two Irish Sea Transnational Partnership Working events which were funded by the UK's Economic and Social Research Council, and in particular on the exploration of motivations for collaboration which was a key point of discussion. In conclusion the paper considers the strengths and weaknesses of the ladder and how it may be enhanced and used more widely to better understand and analyse existing transnational partnership activity and guide the development of new transnational partnerships in support of MSP. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Improving the conditions for natural enemies through conservation biological control (CBC) in agricultural landscapes has the potential to be economically beneficial, but economic assessments of CBC programs are rarely conducted. In this paper, we discuss how to complete an economic assessment of CBC. We also ask what the research and development (R&D) requirements are for CBC and the likelihood of that R&D being funded. We examine the factors that may influence uptake of CBC amongst farmers and consider what policies or strategies might be introduced to increase the incentive to adopt CBC. Relative advantage of CBC over other production systems, trialability (ease of informal field experimentation and learning before adoption) of CBC and the social dynamics of CBC development and extension are key factors influencing adoption. The most important social factors are the social learning processes to support agroecological practices, and the configuration of economic incentives to reward farmers for undertaking the transition to conservation biological control. By itself, neither social pressure to reduce insecticide use nor sophisticated scientific research guarantees expanded implementation of CBC. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study tests whether subjects can preference order job outcomes (Vk's) in a transitive manner, a premise which must be supported if expectancy theory is to remain valid, Thirty-one subjects pair compared and rated 14 job outcomes. The paired comparisons were tested for total and stochastic transitivity. Of 3472 potentially intransitive triads, only 94 were observed. Stochastic transitivity accounted for 81 intransitivities, leaving only 13 intransitive triads unexplained. The data suggest that total or stochastic intransitivity may be due to indifference between outcomes. It was concluded that the results provide strong support for the transitivity postulate and, therefore, expectancy theory, and that the model used in this paper might usefully be applied in other components of expectancy theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a reply to a number of criticisms made by Scott about the work of myself and others on the topic of intrinsic motivation. First I pointed out that Scott's metatheoretic starting point is different from mine and therefore forms the basis for disagreement at the theoretical, methodological, and prescriptive stages of our work. In response to the criticism that my work does not shed light on the obscure meaning of intrinsic motivation, I briefly outlined the elements of a general theoretical framework for conceptualizing and studying intrinsic motivation in relation to other motivational processes. Within this general framework I looked more specifically at the way in which extrinsic rewards can affect a person's intrinsic motivation. I then considered some specific methodological critiques and finally turned briefly to some implications and applications of this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expectancy theory and reinforcement theory of task motivation have assumed that the effect of extrinsic and intrinsic reinforcement are additive in nature. Deci (1971, 1972a, 1972b, 1972c) has recently presented tentative evidence that reportedly shows that contingent monetary rewards actually reduced intrinsic task motivation. This paper reexamines the evidence presented by Deci and then tests his cognitive evaluation theory explanation in both a boring and nonboring task setting. The evidence presented here along with a reexamination of Deci's previous findings indicate that contingent monetary payments that are not delayed have an additive effect with intrinsic rewards on task motivation. The results were discussed in relation to their implication to management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expectancy-valence models of work motivation are frequently tested with survey methodology. This paper deals with the reliability and construct validity of various questionnaire measures of expectancy-valence components. Measures of (a) valence, (b) instrumentality, and (c) expectancy were given to a sample of 171 Air Force trainees on two occasions. The results indicated that reliabilities of the three 'components of the model were fairly low and that different measures of the same component were not highly correlated. it. was concluded that using questionnaire measures to test expectancy-valence models is inappropriate until better measures are developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The slice-rank method, introduced by Tao as a symmetrized version of the polynomial method of Croot, Lev and Pach and Ellenberg and Gijswijt, has proved to be a useful tool in a variety of combinatorial problems. Explicit tensors have been introduced in different contexts but little is known about the limitations of the method. In this paper, building upon a method presented by Tao and Sawin, it is proved that the asymptotic slice rank of any k -tensor in any field is either 1 or at least k / (k − 1) (k − 1) / k. This provides evidence that straight-forward application of the method cannot give useful results in certain problems for which non-trivial exponential bounds are already known. An example, actually a motivation for starting this work, is the problem of bounding the size of sets of trifferent sequences, which constitutes a long-standing open problem in information theory and in theoretical computer science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article comments on R.C. Dipboye's paper "A Critical Review of Korman's Self-Consistency Theory of Work Motivation and Occupational Choice." His discussion for low self-esteem individuals is inaccurate because the predictions all along have been that low self-esteem individual would seek less achievement and less personal need satisfaction than high self-esteem individual. His article needs to propose an alternative theory and then match it against self-consistency theory over a variety of predictions. There is doubt that self-consistency theory has weakness and that parameters for its limitations need to be established and conditions for its coexistence with self-enhancement theory need to be developed.