Article history: Received 11 November 2009 Available online 16 July 2010 JEL classification: C9 D02 D7 D8

This paper contrasts the user-centred design with the gamification design framework and proposes a model of usability benefits adapted to gamification. The model is useful for selling the usability activities to management and strategists when developing gamified solutions, services, and software. In this paper, we focus on identifying the benefits since they can be used to legitimise the usabi...

The potential between two D4-branes at angles with partially unbroken supersymmetry is computed, and is used to discuss the creation of a fundamental string when two such D4-branes cross each other in M(atrix) theory. The effective Lagrangian is shown to be anomalous at 1-loop approximation, but it can be modified by bare Chern-Simons terms to preserve the invariance under the large gauge trans...

We examined interactions between the spinal networks that generate right and left rostral scratch motor patterns in turtle hindlimb motoneurons before and after transecting the spinal cord within the anterior hindlimb enlargement. Our results provide evidence that reciprocal inhibition between hip circuit modules can generate hip rhythmicity during the rostral scratch reflex. "Module" refers he...

Let G be a finite group and A be a normal subgroup of G. We denote by ncc(A) the number of G-conjugacy classes of A and A is called n-decomposable, if ncc(A) = n. Set KG = {ncc(A)|A⊳ G}. Let X be a non-empty subset of positive integers. A group G is called X-decomposable, if KG = X . Ashrafi and his co-authors [1,2,3,4,5] have characterized the X-decomposable nonperfect finite groups for X = {1...

γ-Valerolactone (GVL) is readily accessible by catalytic hydrogenation of carbohydrate-derived levulinic acid (LA) and an attractive biobased chemical with a wide range applications in both the (e.g., as biomass-derived solvent) transportation fuel sector. In this study, we used isotopic labeling experiments to provide insights into pathways involved conversion LA GVL under different reaction c...

We consider a D4 − D8 − D8 brane construction which gives rise to a large N QCD at sufficiently small energies. Using the gravity dual of this system, we study chiral phase transition at finite chemical potential and temperature and find a line of first order phase transitions in the phase plane. We compute the spectral function and the photon emission rate. The trace of the spectral function i...