Perspectives on Destination Crisis Management in the UK and Mexico: Conventional Crisis Models and Complexity Theory

Tourism destinations are particularly vulnerable to crises and disasters and while a number of tourism specific crisis management models exist to assist managers and to provide a reference point for academics, they unfortunately display a number of limitations which reduce their effectiveness. For example, drawing on organisational crisis management theory as a framework, they fail to account for differences in size and scope between a typical business organisation and a tourism destination. At the same time, the prescriptive, linear, one-size-fits-all structure of the models does not consider the unpredictable, unique nature of crises and disasters, the manner in which they evolve and the distinct characteristics of individual tourism destinations. Furthermore, they presume coordination will automatically occur when, in reality, competition and rivalry often act as a barrier to the implementation of measures to achieve such aims. Beyond these specific limitations, perhaps the most pertinent challenge to contemporary models is that they fail to recognise the chaotic nature of the system and its environment. Various commentators have suggested a chaos and complexity theory approach to tourism crisis management. In this way, the tourism system is viewed as a complex adaptive system, similar to an ecological community, which, despite its chaotic exterior, demonstrates an underlying current of orderliness and a particular aptitude for self-organisation. The ability of a system, under the correct conditions, to self-organise and evolve to an improved state of being has implications for the management of crises and disasters. Nevertheless, despite prompts from academia to investigate further, research has been extremely sparse and the potential of chaos and complexity theory as a method to manage tourism crises has remained relatively unknown. This thesis, therefore, seeks to address the gap in the literature. Its overall purpose is to identify whether the proposed limitations of existing frameworks are demonstrated in practice and to consider whether a complexity-based perspective on tourism crisis and disaster management represents a more viable framework for managers of tourism destinations preparing for and responding to crises. To address this purpose, two case studies were conducted in the context of two tourism crises, namely the 2001 UK Foot and mouth crisis and the 2009 Mexican H1N1 Influenza crisis. Following an interpretivist theoretical approach to the research, a series of semi-structured interviews were performed with relevant participants associated with each crisis and the information gathered was analysed along with media and government documentary evidence pertaining to each crisis. The research serves to substantiate the claim that the proposed limitations diminish the effectiveness of contemporary tourism crisis and disaster models, as the limitations are clearly evident in both case studies. Moreover, the case studies also offer the opportunity to observe manifestations of the elements of chaos and complexity, which enables the conclusion to be drawn that had the Foot and Mouth crisis and the H1N1 Influenza crisis been managed using complexity theory based management strategies, facilitated by the implementation of a ‘learning destination’ type structure, then the crisis response would have been improved

The AH1N1 Influenza crisis in Mexico: A critique of contemporary tourism crisis and disaster management models and frameworks

Tourism experts appear to agree that at some point in time each individual tourism destination will eventually encounter disruption, in the form of a crisis or a disaster. The subsequent negative impacts will threaten the destination’s stability and immediate future. Crisis management models and frameworks are provided to assist tourism managers to prepare and cope with this apparent inevitability; however, it seems that these models are somewhat flawed in that they display several weaknesses and limitations; that is, certain important issues appear to have been neglected during their construction. Such concerns relate to the unpredictability of tourism crises and disasters, the rigid, prescriptive nature of the models, the cultural context of crises, and certain realities affecting small tourism businesses. The possibilities which could arise from the application of chaos theory are also overlooked, in favour of a traditional, pedantic approach which perhaps stifles innovation. The AH1N1 Influenza crisis, which afflicted Mexico in 2009, provides a useful case study with which to conduct a qualitative investigation openly challenging contemporary tourism crisis management theory. Furthermore, it offers an opportunity to apply an alternative tourism crisis management model based on chaos theory. A series of semi-structured interviews were undertaken with key players from the Mexican tourism industry along with an analysis of government and media documentation. The process served to substantiate the doubts cast regarding the restrictions associated with contemporary models, as the flaws referred to above were apparent throughout the crisis. On a more positive note, also noticeable were various elements of chaos theory, whose recognition can serve to generate alternative tourism crisis management strategies which are perhaps more suitable and effective to the situation at hand. It is suggested that this empirical study utilising chaos theory, the first of its kind concerning a tourism destination, be used as the springboard for further research into the possibilities offered by chaos theory to the management of tourism crises and disasters

Temporal Variability of Tungsten and Cobalt in Fallon, Nevada

BACKGROUND: Since 1997, Fallon, Nevada, has experienced a cluster of childhood leukemia that has been declared “one of the most unique clusters of childhood cancer ever reported.” Multiple environmental studies have shown airborne tungsten and cobalt to be elevated within Fallon, but the question remains: Have these metals changed through time in correspondence with the onset of the leukemia cluster? METHODS: We used dendrochemistry, the study of element concentrations through time in tree rings, in Fallon to assess temporal variability of airborne tungsten and cobalt since the late 1980s. The techniques used in Fallon were also tested in a different town (Sweet Home, OR) that has airborne tungsten from a known source. RESULTS: The Sweet Home test case confirms the accuracy of dendrochemistry for showing temporal variability of environmental tungsten. Given that dendrochemistry works for tungsten, tree-ring chemistry shows that tungsten increased in Fallon relative to nearby comparison towns beginning by the mid-1990s, slightly before the onset of the cluster, and cobalt has been high throughout the last ~ 15 years. Other metals do not show trends through time in Fallon. DISCUSSION: Results in Fallon suggest a temporal correspondence between the onset of excessive childhood leukemia and elevated levels of tungsten and cobalt. Although environmental data alone cannot directly link childhood leukemia with exposure to metals, research by others has shown that combined exposure to tungsten and cobalt can be carcinogenic to humans. CONCLUSION: Continued biomedical research is warranted to directly test for linkage between childhood leukemia and tungsten and cobalt

The relationship of female physical attractiveness to body fatness

Funding This work was supported by NSFC grant 91431102 from the National Science Foundation of China. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Acknowledgements We are grateful to all the participants from all the countries and all the members of Molecular Energetics Group for their help on the investigation and discussion of the results.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Increased parental effort fails to buffer the cascading effects of warmer seas on common guillemot demographic rates

Research Funding Natural Environment Research Council Award. Grant Number: NE/R016429/1 UK-SCAPE Programme Delivering National Capability Joint Nature Conservation Committee EU ‘The Effect of Large-scale Industrial Fisheries On Non-Target Species’ FP5 Project ‘Interactions between the Marine environment, PREdators and Prey: Implications for Sustainable Sandeel Fisheries’. Grant Numbers: MS21-013, Q5RS-2000-30864 Ministry of Universities-University of ValenciaPeer reviewedPublisher PD

An integrated strain improvement and process development program for the production of UK-2A, the precursor of the fungicide InatreqTM active

Secondary metabolites produced by Actinobacteria serve a variety of functions including molecules having agricultural applications. Streptomyces sp. 517-02 produces a novel fungicidal compound called UK-2A, which through a single step chemical reaction is converted to Inatreq™ active. Inatreq utilizes a unique target site of action, ubiquinone reductase Qi site (inner side of membrane), and is intended for use in cereals and banana markets with strong residual protectant and curative activity in wheat against Zymoseptoria tritici, with additional activity on rust and other diseases. To achieve a commercially viable process an integrated multidiscipline approach was applied in parallel including mutagenesis, high-throughput (HTP) screening, fermentation process optimization, and targeted genetic engineering. The presentation will review how the integrated approach contributed to a rapid acceleration in productivity gains resulting in a 75% improvement in titer over a one-year period, more than a 2 fold improvement in 4 years and successful scale-up to the final commercial production plant. Examples of topics to be discussed: Development, deployment, and optimization of the mutagenesis and high-throughput screening process for the selection of improved strains. Deployment of targeted genetic engineering to alleviate biosynthesis bottlenecks identified using approaches such as biosynthetic gene overexpression and precursor feeding. Use of “omics” tools to identify native promoters which permit temporal gene expression suitable for enhanced precursor production and increased UK-2A production. Vetting of new strains and fermentation process improvements both in bioreactors at multiple scales and in the downstream process for product recovery. Use of experimental results from across the integrated program to guide prioritization of strain and process improvement targets. Incorporation of final product design and performance requirements into the program with a line of sight to manufacturing process constraints. ™ Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company ( Dow ) or an affiliated company of Do

AMPK is essential for energy homeostasis regulation and glucose sensing by POMC and AgRP neurons

Hypothalamic AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has been suggested to act as a key sensing mechanism, responding to hormones and nutrients in the regulation of energy homeostasis. However, the precise neuronal populations and cellular mechanisms involved are unclear. The effects of long-term manipulation of hypothalamic AMPK on energy balance are also unknown. To directly address such issues, we generated POMC alpha 2KO and AgRP alpha 2KO mice lacking AMPK alpha 2 in proopiomelanocortin- (POMC-) and agouti-related protein-expressing (AgRP-expressing) neurons, key regulators of energy homeostasis. POMC alpha 2KO mice developed obesity due to reduced energy expenditure and dysregulated food intake but remained sensitive to leptin. in contrast, AgRPa2KO mice developed an age-dependent lean phenotype with increased sensitivity to a melanocortin agonist. Electrophysiological studies in AMPK alpha 2-deficient POMC or AgRP neurons revealed normal leptin or insulin action but absent responses to alterations in extracellular glucose levels, showing that glucose-sensing signaling mechanisms in these neurons are distinct from those pathways utilized by leptin or insulin. Taken together with the divergent phenotypes of POMC alpha 2KO and AgRP alpha 2KO mice, our findings suggest that while AMPK plays a key role in hypothalamic function, it does not act as a general sensor and integrator of energy homeostasis in the mediobasal hypothalamus

Clinical Judgment Versus Biomarker Prostate Cancer Gene 3: Which Is Best When Determining the Need for Repeat Prostate Biopsy?

ObjectiveTo assess the value of best clinical judgment (BCJ) and the prostate cancer gene 3 (PCA3) assay in guiding the decision to perform a repeat prostate biopsy (PBx) after a previous negative PBx.Materials and MethodsUsing the RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method, 12 European urologists established recommendations (BCJ) for the appropriateness of PBx according to the prostate-specific antigen level, digital rectal examination findings, number of previous negative PBxs, prostate volume, and life expectancy, with and without consideration of the PCA3 scores. These recommendations were applied to 1024 subjects receiving placebo in the Reduction by Dutasteride of Prostate Cancer Events trial, including men with a previous negative PBx, a baseline prostate-specific antigen level of 2.5-10 ng/mL, and a PCA3 test performed before the protocol-mandated 2- and 4-year repeat PBxs. Three scenarios (ie, BCJ alone, BCJ with PCA3, and the PCA3 score alone) were tested for their ability to reduce the repeat PBx rate versus missing Gleason sum ≥7 prostate cancer (PCa).ResultsBCJ with PCA3 would have avoided 64% of repeat PBxs compared with 26% for BCJ alone and 55% for PCA3 alone (cutoff score 20). Of 55 PCa cases (Gleason sum ≥7), 13 would have been missed using BCJ alone compared with 7 using PCA3 (cutoff score 20) alone and 8 using BCJ plus PCA3. The diagnostic accuracy for Gleason sum ≥7 PCa of the BCJ with PCA3 scenario was superior to that of the other scenarios, with a negative predictive value of 99%.ConclusionApplication of the BCJ together with PCA3 testing can reduce the number of repeat PBxs while maintaining the sensitivity to detect Gleason sum ≥7 PCa

Different impacts of resources on opposite sex ratings of physical attractiveness by males and females

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC grant 91431102) and International Cooperation Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (GJHZ1660). John R. Speakman was supported by the 1000 talents program of the Chinese government and a Wolfson merit award from the Royal Society. Guanlin Wang was awarded by the UCAS-UoA dual degree PhD training Program.Peer reviewedPostprin