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Metagenomic Identification of a Novel Salt Tolerance Gene from the Human Gut Microbiome Which Encodes a Membrane Protein with Homology to a brp/blh-Family beta-Carotene 15,15\u27-Monooxygenase
Get PDFThe human gut microbiome consists of at least 3 million non-redundant genes, 150 times that of the core human genome. Herein, we report the identification and characterisation of a novel stress tolerance gene from the human gut metagenome. The locus, assigned brpA, encodes a membrane protein with homology to a brp/blh-family β-carotene monooxygenase. Cloning and heterologous expression of brpA in Escherichia coli confers a significant salt tolerance phenotype. Furthermore, when cultured in the presence of exogenous β-carotene, cell pellets adopt a red/orange pigmentation indicating the incorporation of carotenoids in the cell membrane
Assessing Farmers’ and Landowners’ Attitudes towards Environmental Sustainability and their Motivations towards Walking Tourism in Sheep’s Head Way, Co. Cork
Get PDFNumerous studies within academic literature examine motivations of walkers engaging with nature-based tourism activities, such as hillwalking. However, a gap exists in the literature regarding the suppliers of this type of tourism, namely landowners and farmers. This research hopes to address this identifiable gap in tourism research in a confined study area located in the Sheep’s Head Way in Co. Cork. The purpose of this research was to examine geographical spatial differences in environmental attitudes, and to determine the factors that influenced the landowner’s intentions to permit the walkway throughout their land. To examine these factors, seven semi-structured interviews were conducted, and to further examine these factors a survey collection of a near complete census of landowners (212 farmers) on the peninsula was carried out. Through the method of door-to-door collection, the information gathered numerous variables were analysed. The information compiled as part of this study forms a data rich analysis of landowners’ and farmers’ attitudes to the evolution of the walkway as well as other attributes such as; environmental awareness, issues of sustainability, community links, farm diversification and conservation of the landscape. The results illustrate significant differences among the landowners’ orientations towards the environment and a range of factors that influence landowners’ intentions to engage in environmental conservation and sustainable tourism. Suppliers of nature-based tourism activities are at the helm of the future direction of sustainable tourism and it is essential that they are examined with the same detail as users of nature-based activities
Assessing Service Quality in Adventure Tourism
Get PDFThe purpose of this paper, which is based on a survey of activity providers in South West Ireland, is to assess the quality of adventure tourism offerings and to investigate which aspects of the experience contribute most to visitors’ perception of quality. In addition, it explores the validity of different methods for the assessment of service quality. A new importance weighted method is developed that avoids the inconsistencies of existing approaches and has higher predictive value than the other models for the Irish sample. A simple performance only approach is second best in explaining variation in overall perception of quality, whereas the gap-based and simple importance-weighted methods are inferior. A good atmosphere and staff friendliness were the most important influences on overall perceived quality, which was generally very high
The Domestic Death of a Global Icon? A Situational Analysis of the Irish Public House
Get PDFThe public house has formed an intrinsic part of the Irish way of life for centuries, but it may soon be gone due to changes in demographics, alcohol consumption, and other variables including psychographic and geographic factors. Changes in Irish society during the rise in affluence characteristic of the Celtic Tiger era, and applicable Government policies have all played a role in altering the Irish pub culture. This research examines the current situation of the public house market in Ireland today with an aim of recommending some viable solutions to this declining industry. Government intervention in the future will be a key issue in order to address the imbalance in the retail alcohol market through corrective regulation. A quantitative approach was applied in this study and the research questionnaire yielded 316 responses representing a cross section of Irish society today. The findings reveal that there is an increased incidence of ‘at-home’ alcohol consumption, especially due to economic factors and the availability of cheaper alcohol from retail outlets. Respondents indicate that public houses did not represent ‘value for money’ anymore, and were perceived as being out-dated and unwelcoming. The findings reveal that publicans need to analyse their local market, diversify and innovate to generate new business, in order to survive and reverse the demise of the Irish public house. This study will be of benefit to the hospitality industry, Industry trade associations e.g., Vintners Federation of Ireland, Licensed Vintners Association, Government bodies, policy makers and the Irish Hospitality Institute
The Case of VPL and Industry Focused Programmes in Cork Institute of Technology
Get PDFAs organisations focus on economic indicators and return on investment their approaches to learning and development opportunities are transformed. In a challenging, competitive climate there is a need to ensure that the long and short term benefits are maximised. This masterclass describes the experience and issues raised for Cork Institute of Technology, a Higher Education Institution (HEI) in Ireland in implementing programmes developed in partnership with industry which are mutually beneficial and maintain academic standards. It also addresses the enablers, challenges and barriers in customised course development
Very-High Energy Observations Of The Galactic Center Region By Veritas In 2010-2012
Get PDFThe Galactic center is an interesting region for high-energy (0.1-100 GeV) and very-high-energy (E \u3e 100 GeV) γ-ray observations. Potential sources of GeV/TeV γ-ray emission have been suggested, e.g., the accretion of matter onto the supermassive black hole, cosmic rays from a nearby supernova remnant (e.g., Sgr A East), particle acceleration in a plerion, or the annihilation of dark matter particles. The Galactic center has been detected by EGRET and by Fermi/LAT in the MeV/GeV energy band. At TeV energies, the Galactic center was detected with moderate significance by the CANGAROO and Whipple 10 m telescopes and with high significance by H.E.S.S., MAGIC, and VERITAS. We present the results from three years of VERITAS observations conducted at large zenith angles resulting in a detection of the Galactic center on the level of 18 standard deviations at energies above ~2.5 TeV. The energy spectrum is derived and is found to be compatible with hadronic, leptonic, and hybrid emission models discussed in the literature. Future, more detailed measurements of the high-energy cutoff and better constraints on the high-energy flux variability will help to refine and/or disentangle the individual models
Facilitating External Engagement and Developing Industry-Focused Programmes in Cork Institute of Technology
Get PDFAs organisations focus on economic indicators and return on investment their approaches to learning and development opportunities are transformed. In a challenging, competitive climate there is a need to ensure that long and short term benefits are maximised. While engagement is often presented as a third mission of universities, encompassing the full range of external interactions with enterprises, individuals and communities, separate and distinct from the first two missions of teaching and research, is only effective if it is closely interlinked with them.
Vorley and Nelles (2008) describe the third mission as a ‘thread that has the capacity to weave together teaching and research, while assuming a more economic and societal focus’. As described by Goddard ‘Insofar as external engagement is taking place, the academic heartland is protected by specialist units dealing with technology transfer and continuing education. However the external engagement agenda… requires institutional responses, co-ordination and transversal mechanisms.’ (Goddard 2005: 30).
This case study describes the experience and issues raised for Cork Institute of Technology, a Higher Education Institution (HEI) in Ireland in responding to the challenges. The institute has created a dedicated unit to facilitate effective engagement with industry and to ensure that engagement is integrated and at the core of strategy and practice. This case study explores experiences in bridging the gap between the institution and industry and in implementing industry focused programmes developed in partnership, which are mutually beneficial and maintain academic standards. It also addresses the enablers, challenges and barriers in customised course development
Spatially Resolving The Very High Energy Emission From Mgro J2019+37 With Veritas
Get PDFWe present very high energy (VHE) imaging of MGRO J2019+37 obtained with the VERITAS observatory. The bright extended (~2°) unidentified Milagro source is located toward the rich star formation region Cygnus-X. MGRO J2019+37 is resolved into two VERITAS sources. The faint, point-like source VER J2016+371 overlaps CTB 87, a filled-center remnant (SNR) with no evidence of a supernova remnant shell at the present time. Its spectrum is well fit in the 0.65-10 TeV energy range by a power-law model with photon index 2.3 ± 0.4. VER J2019+378 is a bright extended (~1°) source that likely accounts for the bulk of the Milagro emission and is notably coincident with PSR J2021+3651 and the star formation region Sh 2–104. Its spectrum in the range 1-30 TeV is well fit with a power-law model of photon index 1.75 ± 0.3, among the hardest values measured in the VHE band, comparable to that observed near Vela-X. We explore the unusual spectrum and morphology in the radio and X-ray bands to constrain possible emission mechanisms for this source
Preparation and Biological Properties of Ring-Substituted Naphthalene-1-Carboxanilides
Get PDFIn this study, a series of twenty-two ring-substituted naphthalene-1-carboxanilides were prepared and characterized. Primary in vitro screening of the synthesized carboxanilides was performed against Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis. N-(2-Methoxyphenyl)naphthalene-1-carboxamide, N-(3-methoxy-phenyl)naphthalene-1-carboxamide, N-(3-methylphenyl)naphthalene-1-carboxamide, N-(4-methylphenyl)naphthalene-1-carboxamide and N-(3-fluorophenyl)naphthalene-1-carboxamide showed against M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis two-fold higher activity than rifampicin and three-fold higher activity than ciprofloxacin. The most effective antimycobacterial compounds demonstrated insignificant toxicity against the human monocytic leukemia THP-1 cell line. The testing of biological activity of the compounds was completed with the study of photosynthetic electron transport (PET) inhibition in isolated spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) chloroplasts. The PET-inhibiting activity expressed by IC50 value of the most active compound N-[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]naphthalene-1-carboxamide was 59 μmol/L. The structure-activity relationships are discussed
Long-Term Tev And X-Ray Observations Of The Gamma- Ray Binary Hess J0632+057
Get PDFHESS J0632+057 is the only gamma-ray binary known so far whose position in the sky allows observations with ground-based observatories in both the northern and southern hemispheres. Here we report on long-term observations of HESS J0632+057 conducted with the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System and High Energy Stereoscopic System Cherenkov telescopes and the X-ray satellite Swift, spanning a time range from 2004 to 2012 and covering most of the system\u27s orbit. The very-high-energy (VHE) emission is found to be variable and is correlated with that at X-ray energies. An orbital period of days is derived from the X-ray data set, which is compatible with previous results, P = (321 ± 5) days. The VHE light curve shows a distinct maximum at orbital phases close to 0.3, or about 100 days after periastron passage, which coincides with the periodic enhancement of the X-ray emission. Furthermore, the analysis of the TeV data shows for the first time a statistically significant (\u3e6.5σ) detection at orbital phases 0.6-0.9. The obtained gamma-ray and X-ray light curves and the correlation of the source emission at these two energy bands are discussed in the context of the recent ephemeris obtained for the system. Our results are compared to those reported for other gamma-ray binaries