Iconicity and flagshipness of tourist attractions

Major attractions (iconic or flagship) are considered as tools for economic development and as catalysts of urban regeneration, social change, and rebranding in urban and rural settings as they increase local appeal to visitors and quality of life for residents. Their impact has been often defined in the professional jargon as ‘effect’. This research note calls for further studies on the associated issues of definition, management strategies, social and environmental effects, as well as the dynamic process of the creation and loss of iconicity and flagshipness of major tourist attractions

Cross-border knowledge transfer and innovation in the European neighbourhood: Tourism cooperation at the Finnish-Russian border

Knowledge transfer and innovation cooperation between the EU and its neighbours has remained weakly developed. To promote this cooperation, the EU has set up initiatives for the European neighbourhood. The issue has, however, received very limited scholarly attention in the field of tourism. This research gap is addressed here via interview data collected from participants in tourism related EU-funded projects in the Finnish-Russian cross-border region. These underline the importance of EU-funding in facilitating knowledge transfer and innovation between Finland and Russia. While language issues, and differences in business culture and administrative/legislative systems between the two countries, constitute barriers for practical cross-border cooperation, it is cross-border differences in culture and technological capabilities that drive cross-border knowledge transfer and innovation in the cross-border region. The paper concludes with policy recommendations for promoting future cross-border cooperation in innovation and tourism

Religious needs in the tourism industry

Similar to other tourism subgroups, e.g. elderly, gay, and disabled tourists, the special desires of religious tourists need not be marginalized. Given that religion and tourism can be competitive by nature, it is plausible to question whether tourists who practise their religion at home do so in a similar way while away from home. It is suggested that the relationship between tourism and religion constitutes a valid and important area of research and that satisfying religious needs in the tourism industry should be taken into consideration in the marketing process

Knowledge-based urban development of cross-border twin cities

Knowledge-based urban development (KBUD) has recently emerged as a central topic of discussion among scholars and practitioners interested in urban development tools and policies. However, what has rarely been discussed before is whether KBUD can be achieved in a cross-border context. This paper sets out to propose an analytical framework for empirical studies on the shared KBUD processes of cross-border twin cities, based on indicators adapted from the literature on cross-border regional innovation systems. The proposed framework was tested with two cases: Helsinki-Tallinn and Copenhagen-Malmö. The results demonstrate the feasibility of the framework, guide potential further studies on KBUD and twin cities and raise relevant suggestions for urban policy-makers in border regions

Funktion des Na+-gekoppelten Aminosäure-Transporters SNAT2 als Masterregulator der alveolären Homöostase und seine kritische Rolle im akuten Lungenschaden

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a life-threatening disease, is the most frequent cause of death in critical care medicine. Despite numerous clinical trials, effective pharmacological treatments to improve overall survival in ARDS patients are still lacking. This unmet medical need stresses the necessity for a better understanding of the underlying pathophysiology. Dysregulation or inhibition of alveolar fluid clearance (AFC) and loss of alveolar-capillary barrier function due to increased epithelial cell apoptosis are central pathomechanisms in ARDS that promote pulmonary edema, impair gas exchange, and drive respiratory failure. The sodium-coupled neutral amino acid transporter SNAT2 might provide a novel therapeutic target to counteract edema formation and alleviate lung injury. SNAT2, which co-transports a neutral amino acid (AA) along with Na+, may promote AFC by mediating epithelial Na+ uptake but may also counteract alveolar apoptosis via its role as AA transporter. In this study, the role of SNAT2 in AFC and alveolar hemostasis was analyzed in isolated perfused mouse lungs (IPL), different murine models of acute lung injury (ALI), and pulmonary epithelial cells. In IPL, edema formation was induced by hydrostatic stress (left atrial pressure = 7 cmH2O) or fluid instillation (100 µl) in heterozygous SNAT2-deficient (Slc38a2+/-) and corresponding wild type (WT) mice in the presence or absence of SNAT substrate L-alanine, or of SNAT inhibitor α-methylaminoisobutyric acid (MeAIB). Impaired AFC was assessed as changes in lung wet-to-dry weight (wet/dry) ratios. In vivo, ALI was induced in Slc38a2+/- and WT mice by intratracheal instillation of hydrochloric acid (HCl) or intranasal application of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Protein and RNA expression profiles and wet/dry ratios were analyzed after 2 h or 24 h, respectively. In the epithelial cell line NCI-H441, SNAT2 expression was determined after stimulation with cytomix (TNFα, IFN-γ, IL-1β, LPS) or pneumolysin (PLY). In IPL, Slc38a2+/- mice had elevated wet/dry ratios as compared to WT in response to hydrostatic stress or fluid instillation. L-alanine instillation rescued AFC in WT, yet not in Slc38a2+/- mice. This rescue was sensitive to MeAIB. In response to HCl, wet/dry ratios were increased in Slc38a2+/- mice as compared to WT. In LPS-induced ALI, expressions of ER stress marker ATF4 and pro-apoptotic protein CHOP in lung lysates were elevated in Slc38a2+/- mice compared to WT. Finally, SNAT2 protein expression was decreased in response to cytomix and PLY in NCI-H441 cells. The results of this work identify a crucial role for SNAT2 in alveolar AFC and epithelial cell homeostasis. SNAT2 counteracts lung edema formation, probably by mediating the Na+ uptake that drives AFC. Additionally, SNAT2 maintains alveolar epithelial homeostasis presumably through its role as AA transporter. SNAT2 activation may thus provide for a novel multi-pronged strategy to counteract lung injury.Der akute Lungenschaden (ARDS, acute respiratory distress syndrome) ist die häufigste Todesursache der Intensivmedizin. Trotz zahlreicher klinischer Studien fehlen bislang Interventionen, die die Mortalität bei ARDS Patienten mindern, was die Notwendigkeit eines besseren Verständnisses der ARDS Pathophysiologie verdeutlicht. Dysregulation bzw. Hemmung des alveolären Flüssigkeitstransports und Verlust der alveolo-kapillaren Barriere aufgrund erhöhter epithelialer Apoptose sind zentrale ARDS Pathomechanismen, die das Lungenödem fördern, und zum respiratorischen Versagen führen. Der Na+-gekoppelten neutrale Aminosäure (AA)- Transporter SNAT2 könnte als neues therapeutisches Target der Lungenödembildung im ARDS entgegenwirken. Als Na+ Transporter fördert SNAT2 vermutlich die alveoläre Flüssigkeitsabsorption. Zusätzlich könnte der SNAT2-vermittelte AA-Transport der alveolären Apoptose entgegenwirken. Hier wurde die funktionelle Bedeutung von SNAT2 im Lungenepithel in isoliert perfundierten Mauslungen (IPL), Mausmodellen des akuten Lungenschadens (ALI) und pulmonalen Epithelzellen analysiert. In der IPL wurde die Ödembildung durch hydrostatischen Stress (linker Vorhofdruck = 7 cmH2O) oder Flüssigkeitsinstillation in heterozygoten SNAT2-defizienten (Slc38a2+/-) und entsprechenden Wildtyp (WT) Mäusen mit oder ohne SNAT Substrat L-Alanin bzw. SNAT-Inhibitor Methylaminoisobuttersäure (MeAIB) induziert. Gestörte Flüssigkeitsabsorption und Ödembildung wurden als Anstieg des Feucht-/Trockengewicht der Lunge (wet/dry ratio) erfaßt. In vivo wurde ein akuter Lungenschaden in Lungen von Slc38a2+/- oder WT-Mäusen durch Salzsäure (HCl) oder Lipopolysaccharid (LPS) induziert. Nach 2 h bzw. 24 h wurden Protein- und RNA-Expressionsprofile und wet/dry ratios der Lungen untersucht. Die SNAT2 Proteinexpression in der Epithelzelllinie NCI-H441 wurde nach Stimulation mit Cytomix (TNFα, IFN-γ, IL-1β, LPS) oder Pneumolysin (PLY) analysiert. In der IPL zeigten Slc38a2+/- Mäuse durch hydrostatischen Stress oder Flüssigkeitsinstillation erhöhte wet/dry ratios im Vergleich zum WT. L-alanin verminderte die wet/dry ratios im WT und MeAIB antagonisierte den protektiven Effekt von L-alanin. Im HCl-ALI, wiesen Slc38a2+/- Mäuse im Vergleich zum WT erhöhte wet/dry ratios auf. Im Modell des LPS-ALI war die Expression des ER-Stressmarkers ATF4 und des pro-apoptotischen Proteins CHOP in Lungen von Slc38a2+/- Mäusen im Vergleich zum WT erhöht. Cytomix oder PLY verminderten in NCI-H441-Zellen die SNAT2 Proteinexpression. Die Ergebnisse weisen eine funktionelle Rolle von SNAT2 im alveolären Flüssigkeitshaushalt nach. SNAT2 wirkt der Lungenödembildung vermutlich durch Vermittlung der epithelialen Na+-Aufnahme, die die alveoläre Flüssigkeitsabsorption antreibt, entgegen. Darüber hinaus vermag SNAT2 durch seine Rolle als AA-Transporter die ER-stressbedingte Apoptose zu reduzieren. Die pharmakologische Aktivierung von SNAT2 könnte daher eine neue Strategie zur Bekämpfung des ARDS darstellen

Science and Technology Cooperation in Cross-border Regions::A Proximity Approach with Evidence for Northern Europe

Given the sheer number of cross-border regions (CBRs) within the EU, their socio-economic importance has been recognized both by policy-makers and academics. Recently, the novel concept of cross-border regional innovation system has been introduced to guide the assessment of integration processes in CBRs. A central focus of this concept is set on analyzing the impact of varying types of proximity (cognitive, technological, etc.) on cross-border cooperation. Previous empirical applications of the concept have, however, relied on individual case studies and varying methodologies, thus complicating and constraining comparisons between different CBRs. Here a broader view is provided by comparing 28 Northern European CBRs. The empirical analysis utilizes economic, science and technology (S&T) statistics to construct proximity indicators and measures S&T integration in the context of cross-border cooperation. The findings from descriptive statistics and exploratory count data regressions show that technological and cognitive proximity measures are significantly related to S&T cooperation activities (cross-border co-publications and co-patents). Taken together, our empirical approach underlines the feasibility of utilizing the proximity approach for comparative analyses in CBR settings

Knowledge-based urban development of cross-border twin cities

Knowledge-based urban development (KBUD) has recently emerged as a central topic of discussion among scholars and practitioners interested in urban development tools and policies. However, what has rarely been discussed before is whether KBUD can be achieved in a cross-border context. This paper sets out to propose an analytical framework for empirical studies on the shared KBUD processes of cross-border twin cities, based on indicators adapted from the literature on cross-border regional innovation systems. The proposed framework was tested with two cases: Helsinki-Tallinn and Copenhagen-Malmö. The results demonstrate the feasibility of the framework, guide potential further studies on KBUD and twin cities and raise relevant suggestions for urban policy-makers in border regions