Finding Happiness Through Globetrotting: Push Factors of Long-Term Travellers

INTRODUCTION: In addition to attitude, perception, personality/self-concept and learning, motivation is a crucial psychological factor that impacts tourist behaviour (Boo & Jones, 2009; Chen & Uysal, 2003; Fodness, 1994; Jang & Cai, 2002; Maslow, 1943; Yuan & McDonald, 1990). Since people have travelled more and more in recent years, the necessity of understanding the motivational factors of travel has also become increasingly important (Yuan & McDonald, 1990). Knowledge, in return, helps stakeholders better accommodate the needs of future travellers of all kinds, in the planning of transportation infrastructures, accommodation, retailing, dining and entertainment (Li, Law & Wang, 2010). Thus, tourism research benefits the economic, environmental and cultural sustainability of touristic destinations, especially in rural areas and in developing countries (World Travel & Tourism Council, 2015). LITERATURE: Travelling in general is commonly linked to happiness, a search for a ‘getaway’ or a recurrent modern way of escaping from daily stress. Many believe that it increases quality of life due to the many benefits travelling induces (Hsu & Huang, 2008; Cai & Jang, 2002; Chick, Durrenberger, Ribeiro & Yarnal, 2009). But while most studies have put focus on the mainstream travellers, almost none have shown interest for the long-term travellers that dedicate a big part of their life to exploring the world. The term long-term traveller refers to a person who travels widely (Merriam- Webster Dictionary) and spends more time travelling than a traditional holiday period would allow, most often longer than a year (Elsrud, 2001, cited in Brun, Larsen & Øgaard, 2011). This particular way of extended holidaying has gained popularity since the 1960s (Brun, Larsen & Øgaard, 2011), but because this trend is relatively new, literature on the topic is still rare. METHODS: The current study was inspired mainly by the work of Brun, Larsen & Øgaard (2011) who conducted one of only few studies on backpackers and other individualist travellers, and Klenosky’s (2002) unique qualitative study on the push and pull factors of travellers. It was intended to pursue the exploration of long-term travellers’ motivation and help clarify how long-term travel affects their subjective wellbeing. There were two research questions: 1) Why do people travel long-term? and 2) How does long-term travel contribute to happiness? Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 participants using a purposive sample. Interview transcripts were triangulated to external sources (participants’ websites and blogs). Data were coded and analyzed in the NVivo qualitative software program using a mixture of intuitive and methodological (constant comparison) processes. FINDINGS: Findings revealed that old misconceptions surrounding long-term travel still exist. For example, misconceptions such as dated definitions, that this type of travel is best suited for single men, journey as an escape and as a way to achieve fame and glory) still persist. The current study contributes to existing findings by shedding a new light on what long-term travel is, why long-term travellers prefer the road to the modern Western lifestyle, and how the journey enriches their lives. The study highlights the pursuit of freedom and personal growth, open-mindedness to the world and its incredible diversity, and a life path for a self-fulfilling life. CONCLUSION: Although long-term travellers represent a marginal percentage of the total number of travellers worldwide, their impact is nevertheless significant, particularly in rural areas and developing countries. Long-term travellers are more likely to travel to remote areas than the mainstream tourists, they are more willing to endure hardship, and they spend more time travelling than any other types of travellers. Findings on this utopian alternative to the modern Western life increase our understanding of travel and, maybe most importantly, on humankind’s pursuit of happiness. REFERENCES: Boo, S. &, Jones, D.L. (2009). Using a validation process to develop market segmentation based on travel motivation for major metropolitan areas. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 26(1), 60-79. Brun, W., Larsen, S. & Øgaard, T. (2011). Backpackers and Mainstreamers; Realities and Myths. Annals of Tourism Research, 38(2), 690-707. Cai, L. A. & Jang, SC. S. (2002). Travel Motivations and Destination Choice: A Study of British Outbound Market. Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing, 13(3), 111-133. Chen, J.S., & Uysal, M. (2003). Leisure traveler typology: A case of ten Eastern States. Journal of Hospitality & Leisure Marketing, 10(1-2), 51-62. Chick, G.E., Durrenberger, E.P., Ribeiro, N.F. & Yarnal, C.M. (2009). “I Just Wanted to Get Away”: An Analysis of Spring Breakers Travel Motivations. Proceedings of the 2009 Northeastern Recreation Research Symposium, 272-276. Fodness, D. (1994). Measuring tourist motivation. Annals of Tourism Research, 21(3), 555-581. Hsu, C. H.C. & Huang, S. S. (2008). Travel Motivation: a Critical Review of the Concepts’ Development. In Martin D. & Woodside, A., Tourism Management; Analysis, Behavior and Strategy, pp.14-27. Oxfordshire, UK: CAB International. Jang, S.S., & Cai, L.A. (2002). Travel motivations and destination choice: A study of British outbound market. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 13(3), 111-133. Klenosky, D.B. (2002). The ‘Pull’ of Tourism Destinations: A Means-end Investigation. Journal of Travel Research, 40(4), 385-395. Li, G., Law, R., & Wang, J. (2010). Analyzing international travelers’ profile with self-organizing maps. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 27, 113–131. Maslow, A.H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50, 370-396. Merriam-Webster Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from http://www.merriam- webster.com/dictionary/globe-trotter. Yuan. S., & McDonald, C. (1990). Motivational determinates of international pleasure time. Journal of Travel Research, 29(1), 42-44. World Travel & Tourism Council (2015). Economic impact of travel & tourism: 2015 annual up-date -summary. Retrieved from http://www.wttc.org/- /media/files/reports/economic%20impact%20research/economic%20impact%202 015%20summary_web.pd

Protein modification and maintenance systems as biomarkers of ageing

Changes in the abundance and post-translational modification of proteins and accumulation of some covalently modified proteins have been proposed to represent hallmarks of biological ageing. Within the frame of the Mark-Age project, the workpackage dedicated to "markers based on proteins and their modifications" has been firstly focused on enzymatic and non-enzymatic post-translational modifications of serum proteins by carbohydrates. The second focus of the workpackage has been directed towards protein maintenance systems that are involved either in protein quality control (ApoJ/Clusterin) or in the removal of oxidatively damaged proteins through degradation and repair (proteasome and methionine sulfoxide reductase systems). This review describes the most relevant features of these protein modifications and maintenance systems, their fate during ageing and/or their implication in ageing and longevity

Putting Management Capacity Building at the Forefront of Health Systems Strengthening Comment on “Management Matters: A Leverage Point for Health Systems Strengthening in Global Health”

The current limited focus on management in global health activities is highly problematic given the amounts of financial and human resources that are pouring into health system strengthening interventions and the complexity of clinical operations across settings. By ensuring that public health and healthcare practitioners in domestic and international settings receive management training in their educational programs and that we build management capacity among individuals already in the health workforce, we can begin to prepare for more effective health systems strengthening efforts. Rigorous evaluation of health systems strengthening and the impact of management capacity building is crucial to building evidence for the field

Etude des écoulements intra anévrismaux par PIV stéréoscopique.

Cette étude a pour objectif de décrire l'hydrodynamique instationnaire d'un fluide rhéofluidifiant dans un élargissement de section asymétrique représentant un anévrisme de l'aorte abdominale. La métrologie utilisée, PIV stéréoscopique, permet une analyse précise de l'anneau tourbillonnaire qui se développe et se propage dans le sac anévrismal au cours du cycle cardiaque

New stable QTLs for berry weight do not colocalize with QTLs for seed traits in cultivated grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.)

International audienceBACKGROUND: In grapevine, as in other fruit crops, fruit size and seed content are key components of yield and quality; however, very few Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) for berry weight and seed content (number, weight, and dry matter percentage) have been discovered so far. To identify new stable QTLs for marker-assisted selection and candidate gene identification, we performed simultaneous QTL detection in four mapping populations (seeded or seedless) with various genetic backgrounds. RESULTS: For berry weight, we identified five new QTLs, on linkage groups (LGs) 1, 8, 11, 17 and 18, in addition to the known major QTL on LG 18. The QTL with the largest effect explained up to 31% of total variance and was found in two genetically distant populations on LG 17, where it colocalized with a published putative domestication locus. For seed traits, besides the major QTLs on LG 18 previously reported, we found four new QTLs explaining up to 51% of total variance, on LGs 4, 5, 12 and 14. The previously published QTL for seed number on LG 2 was found related in fact to sex. We found colocalizations between seed and berry weight QTLs only for the major QTL on LG 18 in a seedless background, and on LGs 1 and 13 in a seeded background. Candidate genes belonging to the cell number regulator CNR or cytochrome P450 families were found under the berry weight QTLs on LGs 1, 8, and 17. The involvement of these gene families in fruit weight was first described in tomato using a QTL-cloning approach. Several other interesting candidate genes related to cell wall modifications, water import, auxin and ethylene signalling, transcription control, or organ identity were also found under berry weight QTLs. CONCLUSION: We discovered a total of nine new QTLs for berry weight or seed traits in grapevine, thereby increasing more than twofold the number of reliable QTLs for these traits available for marker assisted selection or candidate gene studies. The lack of colocalization between berry and seed QTLs suggests that these traits may be partly dissociated

Aerobic and Anaerobic Metabolism of 6,10,14-Trimethylpentadecan-2-one by a Denitrifying-bacterium Isolated from Marine Environments

This report describes the metabolism of 6,10,14-trimethylpentadecan-2-one by a denitrifying bacterium (Marinobacter sp. strain CAB) isolated from marine sediments. Under aerobic and denitrifying conditions, this strain efficiently degraded this ubiquitous isoprenoid ketone. Several bacterial metabolites, 4,8,12-trimethyltridecan-1-ol, 4,8,12-trimethyltridecanal, 4,8,12-trimethyltridecanoic acid, Z-3,7-dimethylocten-2-oic acid,Z-3,7, 11-trimethyldodecen-2-oic acid, and 6,10,14-trimethylpentadecan-2-ol, were formally identified, and different pathways were proposed to explain the formation of such isoprenoid compounds

Classification of and risk factors for hematologic complications in a French national cohort of 102 patients with Shwachman-Diamond syndrome.

International audienceBACKGROUND: Patients with the Shwachman-Diamond syndrome often develop hematologic complications. No risk factors for these complications have so far been identified. The aim of this study was to classify the hematologic complications occurring in patients with Shwachman-Diamond syndrome and to investigate the risk factors for these complications. DESIGN AND METHODS: One hundred and two patients with Shwachman-Diamond syndrome, with a median follow-up of 11.6 years, were studied. Major hematologic complications were considered in the case of definitive severe cytopenia (i.e. anemia <7 g/dL or thrombocytopenia <20 × 10(9)/L), classified as malignant (myelodysplasia/leukemia) according to the 2008 World Health Organization classification or as non-malignant. RESULTS: Severe cytopenia was observed in 21 patients and classified as malignant severe cytopenia (n=9), non-malignant severe cytopenia (n=9) and malignant severe cytopenia preceded by non-malignant severe cytopenia (n=3). The 20-year cumulative risk of severe cytopenia was 24.3% (95% confidence interval: 15.3%-38.5%). Young age at first symptoms (<3 months) and low hematologic parameters both at diagnosis of the disease and during the follow-up were associated with severe hematologic complications (P<0.001). Fifteen novel SBDS mutations were identified. Genotype analysis showed no discernible prognostic value. CONCLUSIONS Patients with Shwachman-Diamond syndrome with very early symptoms or cytopenia at diagnosis (even mild anemia or thrombocytopenia) should be considered at a high risk of severe hematologic complications, malignant or non-malignant. Transient severe cytopenia or an indolent cytogenetic clone had no deleterious value

EURL ECVAM Status Report on the Development, Validation and Regulatory Acceptance of Alternative Methods and Approaches (2013-April 2014)

The EURL ECVAM status report provides an update on the progress made in the development, validation and regulatory acceptance of alternative methods and approaches since the last report published in April 2013. It is informing on ongoing research and development activities, validation studies, peer reviews, recommendations, strategies and international acceptance of alternative methods and approaches. R&D activities are ongoing for the complex endpoints where the toxicological processes and the mechanistic understanding have not been sufficiently elucidated yet and for which 3Rs solutions are more difficult to find. On the other hand, good progress In the validation and regulatory acceptance is made in areas where non-animal alternative methods have been developed and validated and where the focus lies in an intelligent combination/ integration of the various non-animal approaches.JRC.I.5-Systems Toxicolog

EURL ECVAM Status Report on the Development, Validation and Regulatory Acceptance of Alternative Methods and Approaches (2015)

The EURL ECVAM status report provides an update on the progress made in the development, validation and regulatory acceptance of alternative methods and approaches and their dissemination since the last report published in June 2014. It is informing on ongoing research and development activities, validation studies, peer reviews, recommendations, strategies and regulatory/international acceptance of alternative methods and approaches and dissemination activities. R&D activities within large European or International consortia continued in toxicity areas where 3Rs solutions are more difficult to find due to the underlying complexity of the area. On the other hand, toxicity areas where promising non-animal approaches have been developed, their validation and regulatory acceptance/international adoption could be progressed. Particular emphasis was given to the best and most intelligent combination and integration of these different non-animal approaches to ultimately obtain the required information without resorting to animal testing.JRC.I.5-Systems Toxicolog