On the bipenalty method: why is it advantageous to add stiffness and mass

In a recent paper, Askes et al [1] proposed the simultaneous use of stiffness and inertia of large magnitude to model constraints in time domain analysis. From a frequency domain perspective, as stiffness and inertia have opposite effects on the natural frequencies, this seems counter-intuitive. With increasing stiffness, the natural frequencies either increase or remain unchanged, whereas the opposite is true for inertia. However, it can be shown, through very simple illustrative examples, that the natural frequencies and modes of continuous systems can be found in this way, and that there are advantages in using both stiffness and mass simultaneously

Protests and tourism crises. A social movement approach to causality

Research into tourism crises to date has largely focused on management and resolution applications. However, theoretical analyses of these crises also need to focus on exogenous economic and sociopolitical events that produce such crises rather than only on ways to manage or resolve them. This study analysed social movements – in particular protests involving conflict – as a causal agent of tourism crises. The research highlighted the characteristics of violent social movements that are important to defining the scope and magnitude of tourism crises, differentiating these movements’ effects from those of other causal agents. Social movements have a multiplier effect, recurrence potential and associations with uncertainty and high-risk issues, which are factors that can significantly shape the severity of tourism crises. Based on a social movement approach, these results were drawn from an analysis of recent teachers’ protests and their effects on the tourism industry in a Mexican destination

Construcciones socioculturales de la playa nudista. Entre lo liminar y el homoerotismo

A partir de la función liminar del turismo y del homoerotismo como marco de análisis se caracterizan las diversas construcciones socioculturales de una playa nudista en el Pacífico sur deMéxico. El estudio revela que las interacciones entre visitantes varones a la playa dan lugar a significados y prácticas diversos que definen colectivamente el uso del espacio turístico-recreativo. La playa nudista es depositaria de múltiples construcciones definidas en lo particular por la cultura propia de los actores sociales participantes. Se concluye que la construcción de la playa nudista es altamente compleja, toda vez que en ella convergen lo liminar, el homoerotismo y la multiculturalidad

Destination image and crime in Mexico: An analysis of foreign government travel advice

Destination image has been recognised as an influential component of travel decision processes. Although organic sources of information play an important role in shaping destination image, researchers have often ignored the types of sources and the information they deliver. In particular, official websites where government travel advice is given, especially in relation to crime, have been widely excluded from scholarly research. This paper analyses the relationship between crime-related travel advice given by foreign governments and Mexicos destination image. Qualitative content analysis of official websites from the US, Canada, the UK and Spain reveals that the travel advice given relates largely to the violence and insecurity that Mexico is currently experiencing. No advisory in effect, Exercise caution and Defer non-essential travel are messages commonly found in the governments travel advice about Mexico

Calibrated forceps model of spinal cord compression injury.

Compression injuries of the murine spinal cord are valuable animal models for the study of spinal cord injury (SCI) and spinal regenerative therapy. The calibrated forceps model of compression injury is a convenient, low cost, and very reproducible animal model for SCI. We used a pair of modified forceps in accordance with the method published by Plemel et al. (2008) to laterally compress the spinal cord to a distance of 0.35 mm. In this video, we will demonstrate a dorsal laminectomy to expose the spinal cord, followed by compression of the spinal cord with the modified forceps. In the video, we will also address issues related to the care of paraplegic laboratory animals. This injury model produces mice that exhibit impairment in sensation, as well as impaired hindlimb locomotor function. Furthermore, this method of injury produces consistent aberrations in the pathology of the SCI, as determined by immunohistochemical methods. After watching this video, viewers should be able to determine the necessary supplies and methods for producing SCI of various severities in the mouse for studies on SCI and/or treatments designed to mitigate impairment after injury

Hosts and guests’ social representations of nudism: A mutual gaze approach

Based on the mutual gaze concept and social representations theory, this study explored locals and nudists’ perceptions of social nudity and each other. Interviews with locals and nudists at a beach destination in Mexico revealed that both groups’ representations of naturism’s ideals, practices and benefits differ considerably. While nudists conceive nudism as a way of life, locals see it as a practice that outside the nudist space is morally unacceptable. Locals’ acceptance of nudists is largely conditioned by their economic significance, and residents have been active subjects in decisions about nudists’ use of local spaces. Nudists have positive perceptions of locals but are dissatisfied with spatial sanctions of nudism. Practical implications are presented

Tecnología digital y cine español contemporáneo (2000-2010). En busca de la modernidad perdida

La tecnología digital ha permitido el desarrollo de un cine contemporáneo que se ha liberado de los condicionamientos del cine analógico. Esta nueva realidad técnica posibilita la recuperación de algunas de las inquietudes artísticas de la modernidad cinematográfica en torno a tres de sus características definitorias: la hibridación documental-ficción, la captación del tiempo y la materialización del pensamiento cinematográfico. La modernidad digital contemporánea se configura como un fenómeno transversal que recorre los espacios de la no-ficción, la ficción y el cine experimental. El presente artículo analiza las primeras manifestaciones de esta nueva experiencia digital en el cine español.Digital technology has allowed the development of a contemporary cinema that has freed itself from the conditioning of analog cinema. This new technical reality makes possible the recovery of some of the artistic concerns of modern cinema around three of its defining characteristics: the hybridization between documentary and fiction, the capture of time and the materialization of cinematic thinking. The contemporary digital modernity is configured as a transversal phenomenon that runs through the spaces of non-fiction, fiction and experimental cinema. This article aims to analyse the first manifestations of this new digital experience in Spanish cinema

Tourist stereotypes and servers’ attitudes: a combined theoretical approach

Local attitudes towards tourism comprise one of the most researched topics in tourism. However, researchers still need to examine attitudes of specific local groups, acknowledge tourist stereotypes as an influential factor and test different theoretical approaches, to develop a broader understanding and explanation of attitudes. Based on an emic perspective, this study analysed servers’ stereotypes of a specific group of tourists – locally known as chilangos – and associated attitudes in a Mexican resort. By adopting a combined theoretical approach drawn from social exchange theory and integrated threat theory, this study’s results reveal that individuals who depend economically on tourism do not always have positive attitudes and that negative stereotypes on their own are not the strongest predictors of attitudes. By combining both theories’ postulations, the findings show that perceived economic benefits and personal positive contact together account for positive attitudes but that these factors are significantly counterbalanced by negative tourist stereotypes. The practical and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed

Exploring nudist festival attendance at a Mexican beach: a tourist motivation approach

Artículo de investigación en revista indizadaMotivations to attend nudist festivals and their association with tourist motivation factors have been largely unexplored. Based on qualitative interviews with nudist tourists, this study explored these individuals’ motivations for attending a nudist festival in Mexico. The findings reveal a complex amalgamation of both festival and tourism motivation constructs. Based on the escape-seeking dichotomy and push-pull framework, data analyses revealed that the interpersonal festival motivations are more significant than personal factors are and the pull factors of the event-hosting destination can dominate over festival factors. The findings have important practical implications for nudism festival organisers

El tacto suspendido: Bleu de Krzysztof Kieslovski

Análisis del film Bleu de Krzysztof Kieslowski a partir de la asociación del azul-libertad (simbología de la película), con el azul-sentido del tacto, que ante las dramáticas pérdidas de la protagonista se convertirá en azul- suspensión del sentido del tacto – intento de ingravidez, como encierro sensorial. Simbolizada esta problemática mediante una piscina (refugio sensorial de la protagonista), de la que finalmente podrá escapar para encontrar un nuevo símbolo de ese azul – libertad en el del cielo reflejándose en su cara.Analysis of the film Bleu of Krzysztof Kieslowski starting from the association of blue colour – freedom (the film symbols), with blue colour – sense of touch, which, due to the dramatic losts of the female character, will become into blue – sense of touch suspensión – intent of weigthlessness, as a sensorial confinement. This set of problems is symbolized through a swimming pool (the woman’s sensorial refugee), from which she finally will be able to get away to find a new symbol of this blue – freedom in the blue sky reflecting in her face