508 research outputs found
Factors Influencing Implementation of Environmental Management Practices among Hotels in Tanzania
This study aimed to identify factors that influence implementation of environmental management practices among hotels in Tanzania. Basing on previous studies, five factors that were vital in the implementation of the hotel Environmental Management Practices (EMPs) were acknowledged as management commitment, business competitiveness, governmental regulation, employees training and hospitality industry awareness. The study wasconducted in two cities Arusha and Dar es Salaam whereby structured questionnaire with likert scale range from 1 to 5 was used to collect information from the sample size of 400 managers and supervisors of hotels. SPSS software was used for data entry and AMOS software version 23 was used to analyze multivariate analysis and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to test the hypotheses. The findings indicated that, management commitment affects positively implementation of EMPs in hotel, with significance p<0.05; likewise business competitiveness effects positively the implementation of EMPs in hotel with significance p<0.05. In addition, employees training on EMPs has significant positive effects on the implementation of EMPs in the hotel at p< 0.001; also, implementation of hotel EMPs hassignificant positive effects on hotel business sustainability at p< 0.001. Therefore, the implications to industry managers and expertise are: first, hotel managers’ commitment is vital for the successful EMPs implementation. Second, training of employees on implementation of EMPs is crucial in achieving business sustainability. Third, there is relationship between business competiveness and implementation of EMPs. Fourth implementing EMPs is crucial for sustainability of hotel business. This contributes to body of knowledge by coming with guiding framework on how the hotel could implement EMPs.The main limitation of this is lack of generalizability of the finding in TanzaniaThe study recommends future research in game parks and beaches, as these are visitors’ main attraction in Tanzania
Measuring Distance and Properties of the Milky Way's Central Supermassive Black Hole with Stellar Orbits
We report new precision measurements of the properties of our Galaxy's
supermassive black hole. Based on astrometric (1995-2007) and radial velocity
(2000-2007) measurements from the W. M. Keck 10-meter telescopes, a fully
unconstrained Keplerian orbit for the short period star S0-2 provides values
for Ro of 8.0+-0.6 kpc, M_bh of 4.1+-0.6x10^6 Mo, and the black hole's radial
velocity, which is consistent with zero with 30 km/s uncertainty. If the black
hole is assumed to be at rest with respect to the Galaxy, we can further
constrain the fit and obtain Ro = 8.4+-0.4 kpc and M_bh = 4.5+-0.4x10^6 Mo.
More complex models constrain the extended dark mass distribution to be less
than 3-4x10^5 Mo within 0.01 pc, ~100x higher than predictions from stellar and
stellar remnant models. For all models, we identify transient astrometric
shifts from source confusion and the assumptions regarding the black hole's
radial motion as previously unrecognized limitations on orbital accuracy and
the usefulness of fainter stars. Future astrometric and RV observations will
remedy these effects. Our estimates of Ro and the Galaxy's local rotation
speed, which it is derived from combining Ro with the apparent proper motion of
Sgr A*, (theta0 = 229+-18 km/s), are compatible with measurements made using
other methods. The increased black hole mass found in this study, compared to
that determined using projected mass estimators, implies a longer period for
the innermost stable orbit, longer resonant relaxation timescales for stars in
the vicinity of the black hole and a better agreement with the M_bh-sigma
relation.Comment: ApJ, accepted (26 pages, 16 figures, 7 tables
External Mass Accumulation onto Core Potentials: Implications for Star Clusters, Galaxies and Galaxy Clusters
Accretion studies have been focused on the flow around bodies with point mass
gravitational potentials, but few general results are available for non-point
mass distributions. Here, we study the accretion flow onto non-divergent, core
potentials moving through a background medium. We use Plummer and Hernquist
potentials as examples to study gas accretion onto star clusters, dwarf and
large galaxy halos and galaxy clusters in a variety of astrophysical
environments. The general conditions required for a core potential to
collectively accrete large quantities of gas from the external medium are
derived using both simulations and analytic results. The consequences of large
mass accumulation in galaxy nuclei, dwarf galaxies and star clusters are
twofold. First, if the gas cools effectively star formation can be triggered,
generating new stellar members in the system. Second, if the collective
potential of the system is able to alter the ambient gas properties before the
gas is accreted onto the individual core members, the augmented mass supply
rates could significantly alter the state of the various accreting stellar
populations and result in an enhanced central black hole accretion luminosity.Comment: 24 pages, 15 figures, accepted to Ap
Gas Accretion by Star Clusters and the Formation of Ultraluminous X-ray Sources from Cusps of Compact Remnants
Here we show that the overabundance of ultra-luminous, compact X-ray sources
(ULXs) associated with moderately young clusters in interacting galaxies such
as the Antennae and Cartwheel can be given an alternative explanation that does
not involve the presence of intermediate mass black holes (IMBHs). We argue
that gas density within these systems is enhanced by the collective potential
of the cluster prior to being accreted onto the individual cluster members and,
as a result, the aggregate X-ray luminosity arising from the neutron star
cluster members can exceed . Various observational
tests to distinguish between IMBHs and accreting neutron star cusps are
discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, accepted to ApJ
Six-minute walking test performance relates to neurocognitive abilities in preschoolers
This study investigated the relationship between six-minute walking test (6MWT) distance walked and preschool-aged children\u27s academic abilities, and behavioral and event-related potentials (ERP) indices of cognitive control. There were 59 children (25 females; age: 5.0 ± 0.6 years) who completed a 6MWT (mean distance: 449.6 ± 82.0 m) to estimate cardiorespiratory fitness. The Woodcock Johnson Early Cognitive and Academic Development Test evaluated academic abilities. A modified Eriksen flanker, hearts and flowers task, and auditory oddball task eliciting ERPs (N2, P3) assessed cognitive control. After adjusting for adiposity, diet, and demographics, linear regressions resulted in positive relationships between 6MWT distance and General Intellectual Ability (β = 0.25, Adj
Water in a Changing World
Life on earth depends on the continuous flow of materials through the air, water, soil, and food webs of the biosphere. The movement of water through the hydrological cycle comprises the largest of these flows, delivering an estimated I 10,000 cubic kilometers (km^\u3e of water to the land each year as snow and rainfall. Solar energy drives the hydrological cycle, vaporizing water from the surface of oceans, lakes, and rivers as well as from soils and plants (evapotranspiration). Water vapor rises into the atmosphere where it cools, condenses, and eventually rains down anew. This renewable freshwater supply sustains life on the land, in estuaries, and in the freshwater ecosystems of the earth
Designing and Piloting a Tool for the Measurement of the Use of Pronunciation Learning Strategies
What appears to be indispensable to drive the field forward and ensure that research findings will be comparable across studies and provide a sound basis for feasible pedagogic proposals is to draw up a classification of PLS and design on that basis a valid and reliable data collection tool which could be employed to measure the use of these strategies in different groups of learners, correlate it with individual and contextual variables, and appraise the effects of training programs. In accordance with this rationale, the present paper represents an attempt to propose a tentative categorization of pronunciation learning strategies, adopting as a point of reference the existing taxonomies of strategic devices (i.e. O'Malley and Chamot 1990; Oxford 1990) and the instructional options teachers have at their disposal when dealing with elements of this language subsystem (e.g. Kelly 2000; Goodwin 2001). It also introduces a research instrument designed on the basis of the classification that shares a number of characteristics with Oxford's (1990) Strategy Inventory for Language Learning but, in contrast to it, includes both Likert-scale and open-ended items. The findings of a pilot study which involved 80 English Department students demonstrate that although the tool requires considerable refinement, it provides a useful point of departure for future research into PLS
Adult beginner distance language learner perceptions and use of assignment feedback
This qualitative study examines perceptions and use of assignment feedback among adult beginner modern foreign language learners on higher education distance learning courses. A survey of responses to feedback on assignments by 43 Open University students on beginner language courses in Spanish, French, and German indicated that respondents can be classified into three groups: those who use feedback strategically by integrating it into the learning process and comparing it with, for example, informal feedback from interaction with native speakers, those who take note of feedback, but seem not to use it strategically, and those who appear to take little account of either marks or feedback. The first group proved to be the most confident and most likely to maintain their motivation in the longer term. The conclusion discusses some of the pedagogical and policy implications of the findings
Predicting language learners' grades in the L1, L2, L3 and L4: the effect of some psychological and sociocognitive variables
This study of 89 Flemish high-school students' grades for L1 (Dutch), L2 (French), L3 (English) and L4 (German) investigates the effects of three higher-level personality dimensions (psychoticism, extraversion, neuroticism), one lower-level personality dimension (foreign language anxiety) and sociobiographical variables (gender, social class) on the participants' language grades. Analyses of variance revealed no significant effects of the higher-level personality dimensions on grades. Participants with high levels of foreign language anxiety obtained significantly lower grades in the L2 and L3. Gender and social class had no effect. Strong positive correlations between grades in the different languages could point to an underlying sociocognitive dimension. The implications of these findings are discussed
Effectiveness of cidofovir intralesional treatment in recurrent respiratory papillomatosis
To present the results of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) treatment with surgical excision and adjuvant anti-viral cidofovir intralesional use and to examine the correlation between the cidofovir effectiveness and the patient previous history of multiple larynx procedures, age, extension of lesion and dose. 32 patients with laryngeal papillomas were treated with cidofovir in our Department between I.2009 and I.2011. The number of previous RRP debulking procedures ranged from 1 to 100. The intensity of papillomatosis differed from one anatomic site and moderate growth to four or five localizations with heavy extension. The number of injections per patient varied from 1 to 7, and the total volume of 5 mg/ml solution varied from 2 to 33 ml. The injections were combined with laser debulking of the lesions. In disperse papillomata, the injections were administered in particular anatomical sites in 4–6 weeks intervals, in massive lesions injections were repeated in the same anatomical site in 2–4 weeks. Complete remission was observed in 18 out of 32 patients. 13 patients showed remission in a place of cidofovir injection. One patient did not react to the drug. In four patients, new changes in injection places appeared. In two patients, hepatic toxic side effects were observed. Intralesional cidofovir injection has been shown to be an effective and safe therapy for laryngeal papillomatosis and should be considered in those patients who experienced disease relapse
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