Educators’ Use and Views of Simulations as Teaching Tools within a Discipline: The Example of Hospitality and Tourism

This Scholarship of Teaching and Learning study investigated hospitality faculty members’ perceptions and use of industry-related simulations in hospitality and tourism education to help the authors understand how simulations are and can be used as educational tools. Using learning engagement theory as a framework, respondents to a survey perceived that simulations help students develop decision-making skills, increase problem-solving skills, integrate knowledge from other classes, learn to work with others, and link theory to practice, and noted that simulations are fun to use. A significant positive relationship was found between the number of semesters educators have used simulations and their satisfaction with the simulations. Perceived drawbacks to the use of simulations included that they are costly, time-consuming, too complex, and lack realism and validity. Based on the findings, suggestions are made for improving the use of simulations in hospitality and tourism education, and limitations and ideas for further research are offered

Nutritional and neuroprotective characterization of 'Tadanishiki' yuzu according to harvesting period or extraction condition

The present study investigated the phenolic profile, antioxidant activity, and neuroprotective properties of ‘Tadanishiki’ yuzu (Citrus junos, a seedless variety of yuzu) according to harvesting period and extraction condition. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to identify the functional components. To evaluate the neuroprotective properties, scopolamine was used to induce cholinergic dysfunction in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells pretreated with yuzu extracts. Among the harvesting periods, September provided the optimum fruit weight of yuzu and relatively high amounts of total phenolics (3.67 mg/g DW), flavonoids (10.13 mg/g DW), and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity (29.10 μg Vit. C eq.). Of the functional compounds, hesperidin (13.57 mg/100 g DW) and naringin (5.84 mg/100 g DW) were the highest in 5% (w/v) yuzu extracted with 80% ethanol and this extract showed the highest DPPH (289.2 μg Vit. C eq.) scavenging activity. This same extract showed the highest cell viability and lowest cortisol or acetylcholinesterase content in scopolamine-treated SH-SY5Y cells. These results indicate that ‘Tadanishiki’ yuzu harvested in September should be extracted at 5% (w/v) yuzu with 80% EtOH, and this extract might be useful for application as a natural functional additive

EFFECTS OF MO, CR, AND V ADDITIONS ON TENSILE AND CHARPY IMPACT PROPERTIES OF API X80 PIPELINE STEELS

In this study, four API X80 pipeline steels were fabricated by varying Mo, Cr, and V additions, and their microstructures and crystallographic orientations were analyzed to investigate the effects of their alloying compositions on tensile properties and Charpy impact properties. Because additions of Mo and V promoted the formation of fine acicular ferrite (AF) and granular bainite (GB) while prohibiting the formation of coarse GB, they increased the strength and upper-shelf energy (USE) and decreased the energy transition temperature (ETT). The addition of Cr promoted the formation of coarse GB and hard secondary phases, thereby leading to an increased effective grain size, ETT, and strength, and a decreased USE. The addition of V resulted in a higher strength, a higher USE, a smaller effective grain size, and a lower ETT, because it promoted the formation of fine and homogeneous of AF and GB. The steel that contains 0.3 wt pct Mo and 0.06 wt pct V without Cr had the highest USE and the lowest ETT, because its microstructure was composed of fine AF and GB while its maintained excellent tensile properties.X1126sciescopu

Effects of Radix Adenophorae and Cyclosporine A on an OVA-Induced Murine Model of Asthma by Suppressing to T Cells Activity, Eosinophilia, and Bronchial Hyperresponsiveness

The present study is performed to investigate the inhibitory effects of Radix Adenophorae extract (RAE) on ovalbumin-induced asthma murine model. To study the anti-inflammatory and antiasthmatic effects of RAE, we examined the development of pulmonary eosinophilic inflammation and inhibitory effects of T cells in murine by RAE and cyclosporine A (CsA). We examined determination of airway hyperresponsiveness, flow cytometric analysis (FACS), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), quantitative real time (PCR), hematoxylin-eosin staining, and Masson trichrome staining in lung tissue, lung weight, total cells, and eosinophil numbers in lung tissue. We demonstrated how RAE suppressed development on inflammation and decreased airway damage

Approccio alla caratterizzazione di un lembo di bosco vetusto: il caso di Monte Egitto

An integrated approach to characterize an old growth forest patch; the Monte Egitto case study Old growth forests, i.e. forests which have achieved a remarkable age without or with a very limited disturbance, are nowadays subject of detailed studies in order to understand their characters and capacity of ecosystems services providing. In Sicily only few wooded areas are classified as old growth forest, following the heavy land use change toward agriculture during the centuries. This paper reports the results of a study carried out to characterize the vegetation of a little crater on the Mount Etna, where a residual open wood of Quercus congesta (an endemic oak of Southern Italy) survived the year 1651 lava flows surrounding the crater. About 35 years ago inside the crater some areas were planted with Calabrian Black Pine. As a consequence today there is a remarkable competition between trees of the two species. An integrated approach monitoring was adopted, taking into account both trees and understory (herbs, shrubs and tree regeneration) characters as well as bird fauna, in order to describe the current situation and monitor the effect of pine plantation thinning aimed at favouring oak regeneration and reducing pine-oak competition