Tourism and Local Character in South Carolina: A Stated Preference Based Demand Analysis

This study attempts to quantify tourists’ demand for regional character on vacations to the South Carolina (SC) coast. Preferences for authentic elements such as the destination’s local flair and the local ownership of restaurants were measured using stated-preference choice modeling. This technique forces individuals to make tradeoffs between hypothetical trips based on attributes such as number of activities, amount of locally owned restaurants, degree of local flair, and price. The results of the survey (n=240) indicate a statistically significant demand for local flair and local restaurant ownership, although the demand plateaus after reaching a moderate level

The AXH module: an independently folded domain common to ataxin-1 and HBP1

AbstractAtaxin-1 (ATX1), a human protein responsible for spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 in humans, shares a region of homology, named AXH module, with the apparently unrelated transcription factor HBP1. Here, we describe the first characterisation of the AXH module in terms of its structural properties and stability. By producing protein constructs spanning the AXH modules of ATX1 and HBP1 and by comparing their properties, we have identified the minimal region sufficient for forming independently folded units (domains). Knowledge of the AXH domain boundaries allows us to map many of the interactions of ATX1 with other molecules onto the AXH module. We further show that the AXH of ATX1 is a dimerisation domain and is able to recognise RNA with the same nucleotide preference previously described for the full-length protein. AXH is therefore a novel protein–protein and RNA binding motif

Prevalence of six viral and bacterial diseases in wild hogs in South Carolina (2007-2013)

The wild hog (Sus scrofa) is an invasive species that can pose a serious threat to native ecosystems, the domestic livestock industry, and human health. It is estimated that wild hog damage in the United States amounts to roughly $1.5 billion each year; however, this estimate could substantially increase if wild hogs transmitted a viral or bacterial disease to the country’s domestic livestock industry. From 2007-2013, blood and nasal secretion samples were collected from 629 wild hogs in South Carolina to test for 6 selected diseases including classical swine fever, swine brucellosis, pseudorabies virus, porcine circovirus, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, and swine influenza virus all of which can be transmitted to domestic livestock. The sex, age class, and geographic location of each wild hog sampled were also recorded. Results indicate that age class was significantly associated with swine brucellosis, pseudorabies virus, and porcine circovirus prevalence. Positive swine brucellosis, pseudorabies virus, and porcine circovirus samples were found in 50.0-92.3% of counties sampled. Because wild hogs are present in every county of South Carolina, this information is crucial to determine disease hotspots in the state and can be shared with at-risk individuals and domestic livestock operations in affected counties

Preferences for Local, Wild-Harvested Shrimp Among Coastal Tourists in South Carolina

In 2004, United States (U.S.) shrimp landings comprised 11% of shrimp available to the domestic market. Asian and South America shrimp imports to the U.S. began reaching record levels in 2001, following European Union tariffs on Asian shrimp. The increased import supply resulted in drastic decline of ex-vessel and wholesale prices for domestic shrimp in the Southeast U.S. Consequently, the profitability and number of participating vessels throughout the Southeast U.S. have decreased. At the same time, U.S. per capita shrimp consumption has reached a record high. Despite new tariffs on imports from six countries and recently imposed limited entry to improve efficiency, the shrimp industry in the Southeast U.S. must become more competitive. In response, the Southeast U.S. states have formed a regional trade association and have been working to establish domestic, wild-harvested shrimp as a premium, higher-priced brand for the U.S. marketplace. One potential target market is coastal tourists. Tourism is a significant industry in South Carolina and the four largest coastal counties generate 56% of the state's total domestic travel expenditures. Successfully marketing premium shrimp to tourists depends upon quality certification, building linkages between local fishermen, restaurants, retailers, and tourism organizations, and probably, educating consumers who are visiting the region. While studies have explored seafood preferences of consumers, few have focused on tourists. The 2004 South Carolina Coastal Tourism survey was designed to identify regional tourist market segments and examine tourist preferences, subjective knowledge, beliefs, and consumption behavior regarding South Carolina shrimp. This paper explores selected results, focusing on the influence of tourists’ subjective knowledge about the shrimp fishery and shrimp preparation on their preferences for shrimp attributes (e.g., origin, freshness, reputation) and the influence of these preferences on their shrimp purchasing behavior at the coastal destination. The results demonstrate that South Carolina coastal tourists have a low level of subjective knowledge about shrimp. Therefore, the ability of coastal tourists to discriminate among shrimp attributes (especially related to origin) may be limited. Recommendations suggest that the tourism and seafood industries, retailers and restaurants on the South Carolina coast should engage in a collaborative marketing strategy focused on educating South Carolina coastal tourists about local, wild-caught shrimp product

Search for intracranial aneurysm susceptibility gene(s) using Finnish families

BACKGROUND: Cerebrovascular disease is the third leading cause of death in the United States, and about one-fourth of cerebrovascular deaths are attributed to ruptured intracranial aneurysms (IA). Epidemiological evidence suggests that IAs cluster in families, and are therefore probably genetic. Identification of individuals at risk for developing IAs by genetic tests will allow concentration of diagnostic imaging on high-risk individuals. We used model-free linkage analysis based on allele sharing with a two-stage design for a genome-wide scan to identify chromosomal regions that may harbor IA loci. METHODS: We previously estimated sibling relative risk in the Finnish population at between 9 and 16, and proceeded with a genome-wide scan for loci predisposing to IA. In 85 Finnish families with two or more affected members, 48 affected sibling pairs (ASPs) were available for our genetic study. Power calculations indicated that 48 ASPs were adequate to identify chromosomal regions likely to harbor predisposing genes and that a liberal stage I lod score threshold of 0.8 provided a reasonable balance between detection of false positive regions and failure to detect real loci with moderate effect. RESULTS: Seven chromosomal regions exceeded the stage I lod score threshold of 0.8 and five exceeded 1.0. The most significant region, on chromosome 19q, had a maximum multipoint lod score (MLS) of 2.6. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides evidence for the locations of genes predisposing to IA. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the genes and their role in the pathophysiology of IA, and to design genetic tests

The carboxy-terminal fragment of α1A calcium channel preferentially aggregates in the cytoplasm of human spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 Purkinje cells

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 (SCA6) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease caused by a small polyglutamine (polyQ) expansion (control: 4–20Q; SCA6: 20–33Q) in the carboxyl(C)-terminal cytoplasmic domain of the α1A voltage-dependent calcium channel (Cav2.1). Although a 75–85-kDa Cav2.1 C-terminal fragment (CTF) is toxic in cultured cells, its existence in human brains and its role in SCA6 pathogenesis remains unknown. Here, we investigated whether the small polyQ expansion alters the expression pattern and intracellular distribution of Cav2.1 in human SCA6 brains. New antibodies against the Cav2.1 C-terminus were used in immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry. In the cerebella of six control individuals, the CTF was detected in sucrose- and SDS-soluble cytosolic fractions; in the cerebella of two SCA6 patients, it was additionally detected in SDS-insoluble cytosolic and sucrose-soluble nuclear fractions. In contrast, however, the CTF was not detected either in the nuclear fraction or in the SDS-insoluble cytosolic fraction of SCA6 extracerebellar tissues, indicating that the CTF being insoluble in the cytoplasm or mislocalized to the nucleus only in the SCA6 cerebellum. Immunohistochemistry revealed abundant aggregates in cell bodies and dendrites of SCA6 Purkinje cells (seven patients) but not in controls (n = 6). Recombinant CTF with a small polyQ expansion (rCTF-Q28) aggregated in cultured PC12 cells, but neither rCTF-Q13 (normal-length polyQ) nor full-length Cav2.1 with Q28 did. We conclude that SCA6 pathogenesis may be associated with the CTF, normally found in the cytoplasm, being aggregated in the cytoplasm and additionally distributed in the nucleus

Global assessment of marine plastic exposure risk for oceanic birds

Plastic pollution is distributed patchily around the world’s oceans. Likewise, marine organisms that are vulnerable to plastic ingestion or entanglement have uneven distributions. Understanding where wildlife encounters plastic is crucial for targeting research and mitigation. Oceanic seabirds, particularly petrels, frequently ingest plastic, are highly threatened, and cover vast distances during foraging and migration. However, the spatial overlap between petrels and plastics is poorly understood. Here we combine marine plastic density estimates with individual movement data for 7137 birds of 77 petrel species to estimate relative exposure risk. We identify high exposure risk areas in the Mediterranean and Black seas, and the northeast Pacific, northwest Pacific, South Atlantic and southwest Indian oceans. Plastic exposure risk varies greatly among species and populations, and between breeding and non-breeding seasons. Exposure risk is disproportionately high for Threatened species. Outside the Mediterranean and Black seas, exposure risk is highest in the high seas and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of the USA, Japan, and the UK. Birds generally had higher plastic exposure risk outside the EEZ of the country where they breed. We identify conservation and research priorities, and highlight that international collaboration is key to addressing the impacts of marine plastic on wide-ranging species