An exploratory analysis of planning characteristics in Australian visitor attractions

This paper provides an exploratory analysis of the planning practices of 408 Australian attraction operators. The results indicate that attraction managers can be divided into four categories: those that do not engage in any formal planning, those that adopt a short-term planning approach, those that develop long-term plans, and those that use both short-term and long-term planning approaches. An evaluation of the sophistication of attraction planning showed a bipolar distribution. Attraction managers favored a planning horizon of three or five years, and were inclined to involve their employees in the planning process. Managers relied strongly on their own research and tourism industry intelligence when formulating business plans. The content of plans tended to focus on operational activities, financial planning and marketing. The study provides a benchmark for the comparison of attraction planning efforts in various contexts. © 2006 Asia Pacific Tourism Association

The pancreatic beta cell surface proteome

The pancreatic beta cell is responsible for maintaining normoglycaemia by secreting an appropriate amount of insulin according to blood glucose levels. The accurate sensing of the beta cell extracellular environment is therefore crucial to this endocrine function and is transmitted via its cell surface proteome. Various surface proteins that mediate or affect beta cell endocrine function have been identified, including growth factor and cytokine receptors, transporters, ion channels and proteases, attributing important roles to surface proteins in the adaptive behaviour of beta cells in response to acute and chronic environmental changes. However, the largely unknown composition of the beta cell surface proteome is likely to harbour yet more information about these mechanisms and provide novel points of therapeutic intervention and diagnostic tools. This article will provide an overview of the functional complexity of the beta cell surface proteome and selected surface proteins, outline the mechanisms by which their activity may be modulated, discuss the methods and challenges of comprehensively mapping and studying the beta cell surface proteome, and address the potential of this interesting subproteome for diagnostic and therapeutic applications in human disease

Analytical and experimental study on the seismic performance of cold-formed steel frames

This study aims to investigate the seismic performance of an innovative cold-formed steel (CFS) moment-resisting frame experimentally and analytically. A half-scale CFS moment-resisting portal frame was tested under static monotonic loading until failure. The frame consisted of two box-shaped columns (face-to-face channels connected with inside plates), a back-to-back lipped channel beam section and fully moment-resisting CFS bolted connections. During experimental tests, damage mostly concentrated at the top and bottom of the CFS columns due to the web crippling of the channels close to the connections, while no fracture or obvious slippage was observed at the connection zones. A detailed Finite Element (FE) model was developed using ABAQUS by taking into account the material non-linearity and geometrical imperfections. The lateral load-displacement behaviour, ultimate strength and failure modes predicted by the model were in very good agreement with the experimental results. The validated FE model was then used to assess the effects of key design parameters on the lateral load capacity, ultimate displacement, energy dissipation, ductility, and ductility reduction factor of the frame. It is shown that the proposed system can provide good seismic performance subjected to the appropriate design of the main structural elements. Increasing the axial load ratio of the columns by 50% resulted in 26%, 62%, and 50% decrease in the ultimate lateral load, energy dissipation capacity, and ductility ratio of the CFS frame, respectively. However, the energy dissipation capacity and the ductility ratio of the proposed system increased significantly by decreasing the width-to-thickness ratio of the columns