Antecedents of memorable heritage tourism experiences: an application of stimuli–organism–response theory

Purpose: Based on stimulus-organism-response theory, this study aims to develop and tests a model of memorable heritage tourism experience (MHTE). The model proposes that experiencescape, experience co-creation, education and photography are important antecedents of MHTE, which is then a driver of place attachment. Design/methodology/approach: Data for this study were collected using a Web-based questionnaire of people aged 18 years and over who had a heritage tourism experience during the previous three months (February–April 2023). The survey was distributed in May 2023 using Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk). A survey link was posted on MTurk, which remained active for the first week of May 2023. Out of the 283 responses received, 272 were valid responses from individuals who met the participation criteria. Findings: Experiencescape, experience co-creation, education and photography were found to be positive drivers of the MHTE, with a positive relationship between MHTE and place attachment. Originality/value: Many studies linked to memorable tourism experience (MTE) mainly replicate Kim, Ritchie, & McCormick’s (2012) MTE scale, regardless of the specific study context. This study offers an alternative framework through which alternative antecedents and outcomes of tourists’ MTE can be identified

Research priorities in prehabilitation for patients undergoing cancer surgery: an international Delphi study

Background Recently, the number of prehabilitation trials has increased significantly. The identification of key research priorities is vital in guiding future research directions. Thus, the aim of this collaborative study was to define key research priorities in prehabilitation for patients undergoing cancer surgery. Methods The Delphi methodology was implemented over three rounds of surveys distributed to prehabilitation experts from across multiple specialties, tumour streams and countries via a secure online platform. In the first round, participants were asked to provide baseline demographics and to identify five top prehabilitation research priorities. In successive rounds, participants were asked to rank research priorities on a 5-point Likert scale. Consensus was considered if > 70% of participants indicated agreement on each research priority. Results A total of 165 prehabilitation experts participated, including medical doctors, physiotherapists, dieticians, nurses, and academics across four continents. The first round identified 446 research priorities, collated within 75 unique research questions. Over two successive rounds, a list of 10 research priorities reached international consensus of importance. These included the efficacy of prehabilitation on varied postoperative outcomes, benefit to specific patient groups, ideal programme composition, cost efficacy, enhancing compliance and adherence, effect during neoadjuvant therapies, and modes of delivery. Conclusions This collaborative international study identified the top 10 research priorities in prehabilitation for patients undergoing cancer surgery. The identified priorities inform research strategies, provide future directions for prehabilitation research, support resource allocation and enhance the prehabilitation evidence base in cancer patients undergoing surgery

COVID-19 and international travel restrictions:the geopolitics of health and tourism

Abstract In an effort to contain the advancement of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, many states have introduced unprecedented peacetime measures ranging from border closures and travel bans to the suspension of visa exemptions, as well as internal mobility restrictions, including full lockdowns and quarantine for incoming passengers. Nevertheless, coercive measures such as sanctions continue to be applied during the COVID-19 outbreak and have largely undermined sanctioned countries’ capacity to respond to the pandemic. The latter has prompted renewed discussion of the humanitarian costs of this frequently deployed foreign policy tool against the civilian populations in the target countries. The inconsistent application of border controls and travel restrictions by states also raise questions as to the politics of pandemics and how they fulfill the International Health Regulations. Framed from a geopolitical perspective, this study aims to discuss the power of sanctions regime in relation to state responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper also discusses the degree of selectivity of border restrictions by major global tourism destinations. While the COVID-19 pandemic is first and foremost a health crisis, its implications are economically and geo-politically far-reaching with corresponding implications for the framing of travel and tourism within humanitarian and political contexts

Evaluation expression of miR-146a and miR-155 in non-small cell lung cancer patients

Background: Non−small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the major type of lung cancer. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are novel markers and targets in cancer therapy and can act as both tumor suppressors and oncogenes and affect immune function. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of miR146a and miR155 in linked to blood immune cell phenotypes and serum cytokines in NSCLC patients. Methods: Thirty-three NSCLC patients and 30 healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. The allele frequencies of potential DNA polymorphisms were studied using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis in peripheral blood samples. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to measure the expression of miR-146a and miR-155 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Serum cytokine (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, TGF-β, IL-4, IFN-γ) levels were determined by ELISA. The frequency of circulating CD3+CTLA-4+ and CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ (T regulatory cells/Treg) expression was measured by flow cytometry. Results: miR-146a was significantly downregulated in PBMC of NSCLC patients (P ≤ 0.001). Moreover, IL-6 and TGF-β levels were elevated in NSCLC patients (P ≤ 0.001, P ≤ 0.018, respectively). CD3+ CTLA-4+ and Treg cells frequencies were higher in patients than in control subjects (P ≤ 0.0001, P ≤ 0.0001, respectively). There was a positive correlation between miR-155 and IL-1β levels (r=0.567, p ≤ 0.001) and a negative correlation between miR-146a and TGF-β levels (r=-0.376, P ≤ 0.031) in NSCLC patients. No significant differences were found in the relative expression of miR-146a and miR-155, cytokine levels or immune cell numbers according to miR-146a and miR-155 (GG/GC/CC, TT/AT/AA) genotypes. However, there was a positive correlation between miR-146a and IL-1β levels (r=0.74, P ≤ 0.009) in GG subjects and a positive correlation between miR-146a expression and CD3+CTLA4+ cell frequency (r=0.79, P ≤ 0.01) in CC genotyped subjects. Conversely, a negative correlation between miR-146a expression and Treg cell frequency (r=−0.87, P ≤ 0.05) was observed with the GG genotype. A positive correlation between miR-155 and IL-1β expression (r=0.58, p ≤ 0.009) in the TT genotype and between miR-155 expression and CD3+CTLA-4 cell frequency (r=0.75, P ≤ 0.01) was observed in the AT genotype. Conclusions: The current data suggest that the miR-146a expression in PBMC and serum TGF-β and IL-1β levels may act as blood markers in NSCLC patients. Further study is needed to elucidate the link between immune cells and serum miR146 at early disease stages

The miR-146a SNP Rs2910164 and miR-155 SNP rs767649 are risk factors for non-small cell lung cancer in the Iranian population

Background. Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression and may act as both tumor suppressors and as oncogenes. *e presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) inside the miRNA genomic region could affect target miRNA maturation, expression, and binding to its target mRNA and contribute to cancer development. Previous studies on the SNPs Rs2910164 in miR-146a and Rs767649 in miR-155 showed association with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) development. *us, the aim of this study was to detect any correlation between those SNPs in Iranian NSCLC patients. Methods. In a small cohort study, 165 NSCLC patients and 147 noncancer controls were enrolled between Apr 2015 and Sep 2019 at the Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Allele frequencies from the genomic DNA of blood cells were studied using PCR-RFLP and their association with the risk of lung cancer was evaluated. Results. *e rs2910164C allele (OR � 1.56, 95% CI � 1.10–2.21, p � 0.012) and CC genotype (OR � 2.93, 95% CI � 1.07–7.9, p � 0.034, respectively) were associated with a significantly increased risk for lung cancer compared to that for the GG genotype. When patients were stratified according to smoking exposure, no association with rs2910164 variants was found. *e AT genotype (OR � 0.57, 95% CI � 0.33–0.99, p � 0.048) and the A allele frequency (OR � 0.58, 95% CI � 0.35–0.98, p � 0.043) in rs767649 were lower in NSCLC patients in comparison with the control group. In addition, the rs767649 AT genotype frequency in smoking controls was higher than in smoking NSCLC patients (OR � 0.44, 95% CI � 0.21–0.90, p � 0.024). No association was found between rs2910164 and rs767649 variants and stage or type of NSCLC. Conclusion. Our finding suggests that miR-146a rs2910164 and miR-155 rs767649 polymorphisms may be considered as genetic risk factors for the susceptibility to NSCLC in the Iranian population. However, a larger multicenter study across Iran is needed to confirm these findings

Síntese e estudo microestrutural de perovsquitas tipo La0,8Ca0,2MO3 (M: Co e Mn) para aplicação em catálise automotiva Synthesis and microstructural study of La0.8Ca0.2MO3 (M: Mn and Co) perovskites for automotive catalysis

Materiais com estrutura perovsquita são potenciais catalisadores para prevenir a emissão de componentes indesejáveis ao meio ambiente. Diferentes métodos têm sido propostos para a síntese desses materiais, visando produzir materiais homogêneos com tamanho nanométrico de partículas. Os compostos La0,8Ca0,2MnO3 e La0,8Ca0,2CoO3 foram preparados pelo método dos precursores poliméricos visando sua utilização como catalisadores automotivos. Este método de síntese foi utilizado porque permite a obtenção de pós homogêneos e fases cristalinas a temperaturas mais baixas que os outros métodos tradicionais de síntese. Os materiais foram calcinados a 700 e 900 ºC por 4 h e caracterizados pelas técnicas de análise térmica, difração de raios X e microscopia eletrônica de varredura. As perovsquitas obtidas são nanométricas, monofásicas e com propriedades adequadas para utilização em catálise automotiva.<br>Materials with perovskite structure are potential catalysts for preventing greenhouse gas emissions to the environment. Several methods have been proposed for the synthesis of these materials in order to produce homogeneous powders with nanometric particle size. In the present work, the La0.8Ca0.2MnO3 and La0.8Ca0.2CoO3 systems were prepared by the polymeric precursor method for application in automotive catalysis. This method was chosen because it allows obtaining homogeneous powders and crystalline phases at lower temperatures. The powders were calcined at 700 and 900 ºC for 4 h and characterized by thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy techniques. The perovskites are nanometric, single phased and present suitable properties for use in automotive catalysis