Managing sacred sites for tourism: A case study of visitor facilities in Palmyra, New York

Sacred sites are qualitatively different than others developed for tourism purposes. However, sacred sites do have touristic appeal and can benefit from their popularity as both pilgrimage and secular tourist attractions. To protect the sacred resource and to make the touristic or culminating pilgrimage experience meaningful, many site managers develop well designed, well maintained and efficiently operated tourist facilities such as visitor centers, interpretive resources, and events. These facilities serve specifically to accommodate a wide range of site-based experiences from satisfaction of curiosity to life-changing hierophanies. Palmyra, New York is rich with cultural and religious sites that attract thousands of tourists each year. Most sites are meaningful to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) who travel to Palmyra to see the birthplace of their religion. Later-day Saint sacred sites are important to the many pilgrim-like visitors and to the community in which they are located. The world-class tourist facilities and events associated with LDS sacred sites provide positive opportunities for social and economic development in the region. Specifically, this case study examines the positive impacts, which include site preservation and protection, education and interpretation, social identification, hospitality, social buffering, employment, local spending, tourism product enhancement, marketing, and business networking

An extension of the block spacial path approach to analysis of the influence of intra and interregional trade on multiplier effects in general interregional input-output models

In a number of recent papers Sonis, Hewings and coworkers have extended spacial path analysis to a block structural context capable of analysing the relationship between direct blocks of influence, such as intra and interregional trade coefficients or demographic-economic interactions, and full model multipliers. The approach makes use of a definition of the direct coefficients block partitioned matrix in terms of simpler matrices each of which is made up of null blocks except for one block column. In the current paper, the underlying technique is extended by making use of an even simpler matrix construction - an "almost null" matrix, defined as null in all partitioned blocks except one. An arbitrary n x n block partitioned direct coefficients matrix can be represented as a sum of n-squared almost null matrices. Properties of almost null matrices are exploited to enable analytically manageable expressions for the Leontief inverse to be written entirely in terms of the almost null matrices making up the direct coefficients matrix. Additive and multiplicative representations in terms of groupings of almost null matrices are provided.

The inheritance of fibre traits in a crossbred population of cashmere goats

AbstractGenetic parameters were calculated for fibre traits measured on patch samples taken at 5 months of age on a crossbred population of cashmere goats, comprising goats of Scottish feral, Icelandic, Tasmanian, New Zealand and Siberian origin. Within-strain heritabilities, fitting genetic origin as a covariable, were: live weight, 0·71 (s.e. 0·08), fibre diameter, 0·63 (0·07), diameter standard deviation 0·43 (0·08), logipatch cashmere weight), 0·60 (0·06), log(estimated annual cashmere production), 0·51 (0·07), and fibre length, 0·49 (0·15). Including between strain information increased these values to 0·74, 0·68, 0·45, 0·73, 0·67 and 0·57, respectively. Maternal effects for all fibre traits were negligible. Expressions were derived to relate cashmere weight to fibre diameter and length, using functional relationships between these traits. Logarithmic regressions showed cashmere weight to be proportional to diameter2'7, indicating that selection to reducefibre diameter will have a disproportionate effect on cashmere weight. Analyses of subsets of the data confirmed this and showed that correlated responses to selection can be accurately predicted by considering thefunctionally relatedfibre traits on the log scale.</jats:p

Sensors measure surface ablation rate of reentry vehicle heat shield

Sensors measure surface erosion rate of ablating material in reentry vehicle heat shield. Each sensor, which is placed at precise depths in the heat shield is activated when the ablator surface erodes to the location of a sensing point. Sensor depth and activation time determine ablator surface erosion rate

Exertional sickling: Questions and controversy

Sickle cell trait (SCT) occurs in about 8% of African-Americans and is often described to be of little clinical consequence. Over time, a number of risks have emerged, and among these are rare but catastrophic episodes of sudden death in athletes and other individuals associated with physical activities which is often described as exercise collapse associated with sickle trait (ECAST). Despite an epidemiologic link between SCT and sudden death as well as numerous case reports in both medical literature and lay press, no clear understanding of the key pathophysiologic events has been identified. Strategies for identification of individuals at risk and prevention of ECAST have been both elusive and controversial. Stakeholders have advocated for different approaches to this issue particularly with regard to screening for hemoglobin S. Furthermore, the recommendations and guidelines that are in place for the early recognition of ECAST and the prevention and treatment of the illness are not well defined and remain fragmented. Among the cases identified, those in collegiate football players in the United States are often highlighted. This manuscript examines these case studies and the current recommendations to identify areas of consensus and controversy regarding recommendations for prevention, recognition and treatment of ECAST

A white paper: Operational efficiency. New approaches to future propulsion systems

Advanced launch systems for the next generation of space transportation systems (1995 to 2010) must deliver large payloads (125,000 to 500,000 lbs) to low earth orbit (LEO) at one tenth of today's cost, or 300 to 400 $/lb of payload. This cost represents an order of magnitude reduction from the Titan unmanned vehicle cost of delivering payload to orbit. To achieve this sizable reduction, the operations cost as well as the engine cost must both be lower than current engine system. The Advanced Launch System (ALS) is studying advanced engine designs, such as the Space Transportation Main Engine (STME), which has achieved notable reduction in cost. The results are presented of a current study wherein another level of cost reduction can be achieved by designing the propulsion module utilizing these advanced engines for enhanced operations efficiency and reduced operations cost