European tour-operators environmental risk management

European tour-operators have become more involved in building long-term relationships between tourists, governments and local communities across the world. Having an enormous economic and social potential tour-operators have the capabilities to inspire a significant movement towards tourism sustainability. This research presents case studies of three global tour-operators (TUI, Thomas Cook and Kuoni) that are deeply engaged in ecological initiatives. Data concerning environmental protection, nature conservation and sustainable development in their source markets and tourism destinations have been integrated in order to reveal a common environmental risk assessment (ERA) framework. This study also identified a shift between Western and Eastern Europe tour operators in terms of environmental management initiatives

Sustainability in the Hotel Industry

The tourism industry has a dual relationship with the environment but has for many years claimed to be a "smokeless industry". In fact, accommodation facilities interact with their environments during every stage of their life cycle, often negatively. Resorts are frequently developed in pristine and fragile ecosystems with little or no consideration for the local natural or cultural environment. Many of the services offered by these establishments require the consumption of substantial quantities of energy, water and non-durable products. The resource-use efficiency of the many end-users in such facilities is frequently low, and the resulting environmental impacts are of significant magnitude.tourism industry, environment, resource-use efficiency

A cross country study on university graduates key competencies. An employer’s perspective

Job markets are calling out for change. Realizing the gap between the levels of university-acquired and job-required competencies and following consultations with representatives of employers from various industries and students, universities across the world have been working on development of innovative education systems based on skills and competencies. Although not yet fully aligned, heterogeneous, multicultural and multi ethnic, the European Union education system is facing with continuous challenges. This paper aims at undertaking a comparative analysis of the degree in which higher education institutions from the United Kingdom and Romania (mainly universities and academies) are meeting the expectations of employers, with a special focus on knowledge, skills and competencies of young university graduates employed in two highly dynamic industries that are mixing technical and social areas of knowledge and skills: agro-food and tourism. The research was based on a structured interview survey with managers from agro-food and tourism companies that have young graduates in their staff. The main conclusions are that universities/academies need to improve their existing curriculum through enhancing competencies related to communication, team working, technical expertise, customer satisfaction, multi-criteria decision making, language and multicultural working environments

Effects of T1 diet (sunflower meal) or T2 diet (camelina oil cakes) on selected blood biochemical parameters^*.

<p>*Pigs received two different dietary fat treatments: T1 diet (12% sunflower meal) and T2 (12% camelina oil cakes) diet for 33d. At the end of the experiment plasma from 12 pigs/group was used to measure the blood biochemical parameters. Data are means ± standard error of the mean (SEM).</p>a,b<p> = Mean values within a row with unlike superscript letters were significantly different (P<0·05).</p><p>Effects of T1 diet (sunflower meal) or T2 diet (camelina oil cakes) on selected blood biochemical parameters^{<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0110186#nt106" target="_blank">*</a>}.</p

Cytokine concentrations^* in plasma and spleen of pigs fed T1 diet (sunflower meal) or T2 diet (camelina oil cakes).

<p>*Concentration of cytokines was measured by ELISA in samples of spleen and plasma collected at the end of the experiment, using R&D Systems kits (according to the manufacturer’s instructions). Results were expressed as picograms (pg) of cytokine/mg of spleen protein or/ml of plasma. Data are means ± SEM (n = 12).</p>a,b,c<p> = Means with different superscripts within a row are significantly different (P<0.0).</p><p>Cytokine concentrations^{<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0110186#nt110" target="_blank">*</a>} in plasma and spleen of pigs fed T1 diet (sunflower meal) or T2 diet (camelina oil cakes).</p

Effect of camelina oil-cakes on signaling molecules expression in spleen.

<p>Spleen samples were taken at the end of the trial on day 33 and were analyzed for PPAR-γ, NF-κB, MAPK-p-38α and Nrf2 mRNA expression by quantitative RT-PCR. Results are expressed as change after normalization of the expression of target gene to the mean of 2 internally reference genes expression. Values are the means ± SEM, from two replicates. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA followed by Fisher test (*<i>P</i><0.05, T1 diet-control group (white column) versus T2 diet -Camelina group (grey column).</p

Fatty acid composition of experimental diets (g/100 g of total fatty acids).

1<p>BW range 68.45 to 98.0 kg.</p><p>T1: diet containing 12% sunflower meal.</p><p>T2: experimental diet including 12% camelina oil-cakes.</p><p>Fatty acid composition of experimental diets (g/100 g of total fatty acids).</p

Phospho-p65 NF-κB expression in protein spleen lysate.

<p>The level of p65-NF-kB phosphorylation in spleen of pigs fed or not with camelina oil-cakes was determined by western blot and expressed as the ratio between phospho-p65 NF-κB and β-actin band intensities respectively. For each group of animals the mean values ± SEM were calculated and presented as histogram. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA followed by Fisher test (*<i>P</i><0.05, T1 diet-control group (white column) versus T2 diet -Camelina group (grey column).</p

Effect of camelina oil-cakes on antioxidant enzymes expression.

<p>Spleen samples were taken at the end of the trial on day 33 and were analyzed for SOD, CAT and GPx mRNA expression by quantitative RT-PCR. Results are expressed as fold change after normalization of the expression of target gene to the mean of 2 internally reference genes expression. Values are the means ± SEM, from two replicates. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA followed by Fisher test (*<i>P</i><0.05, T1 diet-control group (white column) versus T2 diet -Camelina group (grey column).</p

Nucleotide sequences of primers for Real-Time PCR.

<p>Nucleotide sequences of primers for Real-Time PCR.</p