Study on Chinese Tourism Web Sites' Distribution and Online Marketing Effects.

As a platform and carrier of tourism information, tourism websites (TWs) and online tourism marketing have deeply affected the tourism industry. The authors adopt a geographical perspective to analyze the distribution of Chinese tourism websites (CTWs), and statistical analysis with SPSS16.0 was conducted to explore the online marketing effects of CTWs, and some meaningful results has been produced: 1) The number of CTWs generally decreases from eastern China to central and western China, and are especially dominant in tourism developed provinces. 2) The number of tourists has strong statistical correlation with the number of CTWs. 3) The strongest correlation for inbound tourists is with hotel websites, and the highest correlation coefficient is 0.807 between the number of domestic tourist and resort websites. Both inbound and domestic tourists have a low correlation coefficient with travel agency websites (TA). 4) There exist some statistical models between tourist numbers and different kinds of CTWs. The results clearly unveil the marketing effects and correlation of CTWs and is helpful for further online marketing strategies

Why does the Engel method work? Food demand, economies of size and household survey methods

Estimates of household size economies are needed for the analysis of poverty and inequality. This paper shows that Engel estimates of size economies are large when household expenditures are obtained by respondent recall but small when expenditures are obtained by daily recording in diaries. Expenditure estimates from recall surveys appear to have measurement errors correlated with household size. As well as demonstrating the fragility of Engel estimates of size economies, these results help resolve a puzzle raised by Deaton and Paxson (1998) about differences between rich and poor countries in the effect of household size on food demand

Investigation of novel sources of genetic resistance to eastern filbert blight

To identify novel host genetic resistance to eastern filbert blight, caused by the fungus Anisogramma anomala (Peck) E. Muller, ninety European hazelnut {Corylus avellana L.) varieties and interspecific hybrids (with C. americana Marsh, or C. colurna L.) were screened for response to the eastern filbert blight pathogen after inoculation in a severe greenhouse test. Six varieties were discovered which did not display signs of the pathogen or symptoms of eastern filbert blight: 'Closca Molla', 'Ratoli', 'Yoder #5', 'Potomac', 'Medium Long', and 'Grand Traverse'. Two of these, 'Ratoli' and 'Closca Molla', are minor varieties from Spain and are superior agronomic types to 'Gasaway' which is the principle source of resistance currently being used in the Oregon State University (OSU) breeding program. Further studies are required to ascertain if the genetics of resistance in these newly evaluated varieties is unique. None of the six varieties has the UBC 152₈₀₀ RAPD marker that segregates with the resistance gene found in 'Gasaway'. Inheritance of resistance to eastern filbert blight also was investigated in 'Zimmerman', a volunteer seedling that was found in 1989 displaying no disease symptoms despite its proximity to a orchard heavily infested with eastern filbert blight. Three progenies were created using 'Zimmerman' as the pollen parent in controlled crosses with three susceptible advanced selections from the OSU breeding program. The 'Zimmerman' progenies were grown from seed, grafted and subjected to the same severe inoculation as for the germplasm survey. The progenies displayed significant deviation from the 1:1 ratio that would be expected if 'Zimmerman' was hetero2ygous for the 'Gasaway' gene. Resistant phenotypes make up about 83% of the populations which indicates that the genetics of resistance in 'Zimmerman' differs at least partially, from that found in 'Gasaway'. The data were congruent with a 3 resistant :1 susceptible ratio which suggests 'Zimmerman' may possess a second, independent resistance gene. Yet, a well-characterized RAPD marker, linked to the resistance gene in 'Gasaway', segregates with the resistant phenotype in all three progeny populations with very little recombination (2 %, 4 %, and 6%). These newly found sources of resistance to eastern filbert blight will aid in the release of resistant cultivars and may increase the stability of genetic resistance to A. anomala

Energy and environmental systems planning under uncertainty-An inexact fuzzy-stochastic programming approach

In this study, an inexact fuzzy-stochastic energy model (IFS-EM) is developed for planning energy and environmental systems (EES) management under multiple uncertainties. In the IFS-EM, methods of interval parameter fuzzy linear programming (IFLP) and multistage stochastic programming with recourse (MSP) are introduced into a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) framework, such that the developed model can tackle uncertainties described in terms of interval values, fuzzy sets and probability distributions. Moreover, it can reflect dynamic decisions for facility-capacity expansion and energy supply over a multistage context. The developed model is applied to a case of planning regional-scale energy and environmental systems to demonstrate its applicability, where three cases are considered based on different energy and environmental management policies. The results indicate that reasonable solutions have been generated. They are helpful for supporting: (a) adjustment or justification of allocation patterns of regional energy resources and services, (b) formulation of local policies regarding energy consumption, economic development and environmental protection, and (c) in-depth analysis of tradeoffs among system cost, satisfaction degree and environmental requirement under multiple uncertainties. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

D'yakonov-Perel' spin relaxation in InSb/AlInSb quantum wells

We investigate theoretically the D'yakonov-Perel' spin relaxation time by solving the eight-band Kane model and Poisson equation self-consistently. Our results show distinct behavior with the single-band model due to the anomalous spin-orbit interactions in narrow band-gap semiconductors, and agree well with the experiment values reported in recent experiment (K. L. Litvinenko, et al., New J. Phys. \textbf{8}, 49 (2006)). We find a strong resonant enhancement of the spin relaxation time appears for spin align along [$1\bar{1}0$] at a certain electron density at 4 K. This resonant peak is smeared out with increasing the temperature.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Assessing effectiveness of Komagataeibacter strains for producing surface-microstructured cellulose via guided assembly-based biolithography.

In this study, a medical device made of surface microstructured bacterial cellulose was produced using cellulose‑producing acetic acid bacteria wild‑type strains in combination with guided assembly‑based biolithography. The medical device aims at interfering with the cell’s focal adhesion establishment and maturation around implantable devices placed in soft tissues by the symmetrical array on its surface. A total of 25 Komagataeibacter strains was evaluated over a three‑step selection. In the first step, the ability of strains to produce a suitable bacterial cellulose layer with high production yield was examined, then nine strains, with a uniform and smooth layer of bacterial cellulose, were cultured in a custom‑made silicone bioreactor and finally the characteristics of the symmetrical array of topographic features on the surface were analysed. Selected strains showed high inter and intra species variability in bacterial cellulose production. The devices obtained by K2G30, K1G4, DSM 46590 (Komagataeibacter xylinus), K2A8 (Komagataeibacter sp.) and DSM 15973T (Komagataeibacter sucrofermentas) strains were pouched‑formed with hexagonal surface pattern required for reducing the formation of fibrotic tissue around devices, once they are implanted in soft tissues. Our findings revealed the effectiveness of the selected Komagataeibacter wild‑type strains in producing surface microstructured bacterial cellulose pouches for making biomedical devices

Superlinear emission in bare perovskite: amplified spontaneous emission in disordered film versus single crystal lasing

Abstract We present an experimental study concerning the superlinear emission in organic-inorganic halide perovskites. Microphotoluminescence experiments under CW and picosecond excitation condition at low temperature and near field optical photoluminescence spectra at room temperature provide clear evidence of the very different origin of the superlinear regime in disordered films and microplates/microwires. Insights on the origin of modal structures of the emission spectra in the high excitation regime will be given by polarization-resolved photoluminescence experiments

Interplay between s-d exchange interaction and Rashba effect: spin-polarized transport

We investigate the spin-polarized transport properties of a two-dimensional electron gas in a n-type diluted magnetic narrow gap semiconductor quantum well subjected to a perpendicular magnetic and electric field. Interesting beating patterns in the magneto resistance are found which can be tuned significantly by varying the electric field. A resonant enhancement of spin-polarized current is found which is induced by the competition between the s-d exchange interaction and the Rashba effect [Y. A. Bychkov and E. I. Rashba, J. Phys. C 17, 6039 (1984)].Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, Appl. Phys. Lett. (in press

Projected Images of Major Chinese Outbound Destinations

This study aimed to explore the projected images of major outbound destinations based on popular travel magazines in China. Travel articles on Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and Taiwan from 2006 to 2008 were content analyzed. Japan was reported on most, and the projected images of the six destinations are dominated by leisure and recreation, and culture, history and art. Correspondence analysis was used to examine relationships between destinations and popular image attributes. The results showed that South Korea and Macau had distinct projected images, whereas Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Vietnam shared many similar image attributes. Practical implications for destination marketing organizations are provided