1,276 research outputs found
Boston Hospitality Review: Winter 2013
No full textLodging Update: Portland, Maine by Rachel Roginsky and Matthew Arrants -- From Boston to the Balkans: Olmsted’s Emerald Legacy by Christina Luke -- An Important Arrival: Te Anatomy of a Vintage Advertisement by Bradford Hudson -- The Historical Origins of Business Statistics and a Current Application in Lodging Forecasting by Barry A.N. Bloom -- Building Hotel Revenues through Tourism by John D. Murtha -- Revisiting the Glass Ceiling: Career Progression for Women in the Hotel Industry by Zoe H
The construction of Karen Karnak: The multi-author-function
No full textThis thesis is situated within the comparatively recent developments of Web 2.0 and the emergence of interactive WikiMedia, and explores the mode of authorship within a Read/Write culture compared to that of a Read/Only tradition. The hypothesis of this study is that the role of the audience has become merged with the author, and as such, represents new functions and attributes, distinct from a more conventional concept of authorship, in which the roles of audience and author are more separate. Read/Write and participatory culture, as defined by this study, is focused on collaboration, and includes the influences of D.I.Y. culture, Open-Source practices and the production of text by multiple authors. Multi-authorship presents a re-thinking of several concepts which support the notion of the individual author, since the focus of multi-authorship is not on attribution and ownership of a finished text, but on the continued malleability of a text. Modes of multi-authorship, demonstrated in the use of the pseudonyms Alan Smithee and Karen Eliot, represent declarative authors whose names signify multiple origins, whilst concurrently indicating a distinct body of work. The function of these names form an important context to this study, since primary research involves the construction of an experimental mode of multi-authorship utilising WikiMedia technology and the interaction of thirty nine participants, who are invited to create a body of work under the collective pseudonym Karen Karnak. The data generated by this experiment is analysed using aspects of Michel Foucault's author-function to identify and determine power structures inherent in the WikiMedia context. The interplay of power structures, including concepts such as identity, ownership and the body of work, affect the resulting mode of authorship and contribute to the construction of Karen Karnak, suggesting further areas of research into the emerging multi-author
A review of Nearctic and some related Anthribidae (Coleoptera)
No full textTaxonomy, synonymy, distribution, and biologies of Nearctic (and a few Neotropical and Pale arctic) Anthribidae are reviewed, new keys are provided, and four new genera and eleven new species are described. Allandrus Leconte, 1876 (=Tropiderinus Reitter, 1916). Anthribus Geoffrey, 1762 (=Pseudobrachytarsus Pierce, 1930). Araecerus Schoenherr, 1823 (=Araeocorynus Jekel, 1855); Araecerus coffeae Fabricius, 1801 (=Tropideres (Rhaphitropis) mateui Cobos, 1954). Brachycorynus n. gen., type species Tropideres rectus Leconte, 1876; congeneric: Homocloeus distentus Frieser, 1983 from Cuba and Florida, and B. hirsutus n. sp. from Texas. Choragus major n. sp., Ohio, etc., striolatus n. sp., Ohio, and exophthalmus n. sp., Virginia. Corrhecerus Schoenherr, 1826 (=Paranthribus Jordan, 1904) resulting in Corrhecerus rufescens (Jordan, 1904), new combination. Eurymycter Leconte, 1876, and Gonotropis Leconte, 1876, are removed from synonymy with Tropideres Schoenherr, 1823, and returned to full generic rank. Eusphyrus Leconte, 1876 is removed from synonymy with Ormiscus Waterhouse, 1845, and returned to full generic rank; Tropideres (Opisthotropis) vasconicus Hoffmann and Tempere, 1954, from France is transferred to Eusphyrus, with Opisthotropis a generic synonym; Eusphyrus pulicarius Boheman, 1859, Brasil, is transferred from Brachytarsus, and the species eusphyroides Schaeffer and quercus Schaeffer are transferred from Ormiscus. Gymnognathus triangularis n. sp., Texas. Habroxenus n. gen., type species H. politus n. sp., Texas and Maryland, also H. fuscus n. sp., Guatemala, and H. sarmenticola n. sp., Haiti. Neoxenus n. gen., type species N. versicolor n. sp., Texas, etc.; congeneric: Notioxenus ater and polius Jordan, 1907, Central America, andpallipes Suffrian, 1870, Cuba. Phoenicobiella trituberculata (Suffrian, 1870, Cuba) transferred from Toxonotus Lacordaire, 1866. Piesocorynus lateralis Jordan, 1906 (=P. virginicus Leng, 1918). Sicanthus n. gen., type species S. rhizophorae n. sp., Florida. Toxonotus bipunctatus Schaeffer, 1904 (=Neanthribus obtusus Jordan, 1906); Toxonotus penicellatus Schaeffer, 1906 (=Neanthribus segregus Jordan, 1906); Toxonotus vagus Horn, 1894 (=Neanthribus hieronymus Jordan, 1906). Trigonorhinus lepidus n. sp., California; Trigonorhinus limbatus Say, 1827 (=Brachytarsus plumbeus and B. vestitus Leconte, 1876, and Brachytarsoides minor, quadratus, quadratus ssp. nigrinus and rufodorsalis Dethlefsen, 1954); Trigonorhinus grise us Leconte, 1876 (=Brachytarsus riddelliae Schaeffer, 1906, and Brachytarsoides cylindratus, elongatus, nevadensis, nevadensis ssp. tigrinus, and vulgaris Dethlefsen, 1954); Trigonorhinus tomentosus Say, 1827 (=Brachytarsus paululus Casey, 1884, B. beyeri Schaeffer, 1906, B. franseria Barrett, 1931, and B. irregularis Tanner, 1934); Trigonorhinus zeae Wolfrum, 1931 (=Opanthribus trimaculatus Senoh, 1986); Trigonorhinus areolatus Boheman, 1845 (=Tropideres (Tropideres), bagueni Cobos, 1954, Spain). Introgressive hybridization is invoked for the Trigonorhinus limbatus-griseus complex. New keys are provided for the species of Brachycorynus, Choragus, Habroxenus, Neoxenus, Phoenicobiella, Trigonorhinus, and Eusphyrus, plus a new key to Nearctic tribes and genera, and a new Nearctic checklist. New distribution and life-history data are given for many species
Transcriptional profiles of Microcystis reveal gene expression shifts that promote bloom persistence in in situ mesocosms
No full textABSTRACT Harmful algal blooms caused by cyanobacteria threaten aquatic ecosystems, the economy, and human health. Previous work has tried to identify the mechanisms that allow blooms to form, focusing on the role of nutrients. However, little is known about how introduced nutrients influence gene expression in situ. To address this knowledge gap, we used in situ mesocosms initiated with water experiencing a Microcystis bloom. We added pulses of nutrients that are commonly associated with anthropogenic sources to the mesocosms for 72 hours and collected samples for metatranscriptomics to examine how the physiological function of Microcystis and bloom status changed. The addition of nitrogen (N) as urea, but not the addition of PO4, resulted in conspicuous bloom persistence for at least 9 days after the final introduction of nutrients. The addition of urea initially resulted in the upregulation of photosynthesis machinery, as well as phosphate, carbon, and N transport and metabolism. Once Microcystis presumably became N-replete, upregulation of amino acid metabolism, microcystin biosynthesis, and other processes associated with biomass generation occurred. These capacities coincided with the upregulation of toxin-antitoxin systems, CRISPR-cas genes, and transposases suggesting that phage defense and genome rearrangement are critical in bloom persistence. Overall, our results show the stepwise transcriptional response of a Microcystis bloom to the introduction of nutrients, specifically urea, as it is sustained in a natural setting. The transcriptomic shifts observed herein may serve as markers of the longevity of blooms while providing insight into why Microcystis blooms over other cyanobacteria.IMPORTANCEHarmful algal blooms represent a threat to human health and ecosystems. Understanding why blooms persist may help us develop warning indicators of bloom persistence and create novel mitigation strategies. Using mesocosm experiments initiated with water with an active bloom, we measured the stepwise transcription changes of the toxin-producing cyanobacterium Microcystis in response to the addition of nutrients that are important in causing blooms. We found that nitrogen (N), but not phosphorus, promoted bloom longevity. The initial introduction of N resulted in the upregulation of genes involved in photosynthesis and N import. At later times in the bloom, upregulation of genes involved in biomass generation, phage protection, genomic rearrangement, and toxin production was observed. Our results suggest that Microcystis first fulfills nutritional requirements before investing energy in pathways associated with growth and protection against competitors, which allowed bloom persistence more than a week after the final addition of nutrients
Diagnostic scores predict morbidity and mortality in patients hospitalized for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction
No full textAims To investigate the prognostic value of diagnostic scores for heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Methods and results Consecutive patients with HFpEF admitted for unequivocal decompensated HF treated with intravenous loop diuretics were evaluated (n = 443; mean age 78 +/- 12 years; 60% women). The HFA-PEFF and H2FPEF scores were calculated for all patients with echocardiography data available within 1 year and the population was stratified according to HFA-PEFF scores 2-4 (n = 79), 5 (n = 93), or 6 (n = 271) and H2FPEF score probabilities <90% (n = 80), 90-95% (n = 61), and 96-100% (n = 293). HF readmission rates (95% confidence intervals) increased from 28.9 (22.7-35.0) per 100 patient-years in HFA-PEFF 2-4 to 46.0 (38.5-53.5) in HFA-PEFF 5 and 45.0 (40.1-49.8) in HFA-PEFF 6. Similarly, HF readmission rates increased with increasing H2FPEF probability: <0.90 [31.8 (25.3-38.2) per 100 patient-years], 0.90-0.95 [41.5 (32.9-50.1)], and 0.96-1.00 [45.9 (41.2-50.6]. Median survival was 65 months (36-89 months) in HFA-PEFF score 2-4, 45 months (26-59 months) in HFA-PEFF score 5, and 28 months (22-42 months) in HFA-PEFF score 6 (P < 0.001), while the hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) for all-cause mortality was 1.16 (1.02-1.32) per 0.10 increase in H2FPEF probability. Conclusions Among patients hospitalized with HFpEF, higher HFpEF probability according to diagnostic scores is associated with increased risk of subsequent HF readmissions and all-cause mortality.F.H.V. is supported by a Fellowship of the Belgian American Educational Foundation (B.A.E.F.) and by the Special Research Fund (BOF) of Hasselt University (BOF19PD04). B.A.B. is supported by RO1 HL128526 from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Borlaug, BA (corresponding author), Mayo Clink & Fdn, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905 USA.
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Population Dynamics in India and Implications for Economic Growth
No full textDemographic change in India is opening up new economic opportunities. As in many countries, declining infant and child mortality helped to spark lower fertility, effectively resulting in a temporary baby boom. As this cohort moves into working ages, India finds itself with a potentially higher share of workers as compared with dependents. If working-age people can be productively employed, India's economic growth stands to accelerate. Theoretical and empirical literature on the effect of demographics on labor supply, savings, and economic growth underpins this effort to understand and forecast economic growth in India. Policy choices can potentiate India's realization of economic benefits stemming from demographic change. Failure to take advantage of the opportunities inherent in demographic change can lead to economic stagnation.age structure, China-India comparison, conditional convergence, demographic dividend, demographic transition, economic growth, economic growth in India, policy reform, population health, population of India
A Designed “Nested” Dimer of Cyanovirin-N Increases Antiviral Activity
No full textabstract: Cyanovirin-N (CV-N) is an antiviral lectin with potent activity against enveloped viruses, including HIV. The mechanism of action involves high affinity binding to mannose-rich glycans that decorate the surface of enveloped viruses. In the case of HIV, antiviral activity of CV-N is postulated to require multivalent interactions with envelope protein gp120, achieved through a pseudo-repeat of sequence that adopts two near-identical glycan-binding sites, and possibly involves a 3D-domain-swapped dimeric form of CV-N. Here, we present a covalent dimer of CV-N that increases the number of active glycan-binding sites, and we characterize its ability to recognize four glycans in solution. A CV-N variant was designed in which two native repeats were separated by the “nested” covalent insertion of two additional repeats of CV-N, resulting in four possible glycan-binding sites. The resulting Nested CV-N folds into a wild-type-like structure as assessed by circular dichroism and NMR spectroscopy, and displays high thermal stability with a T[subscript m] of 59 °C, identical to WT. All four glycan-binding domains encompassed by the sequence are functional as demonstrated by isothermal titration calorimetry, which revealed two sets of binding events to dimannose with dissociation constants K[subscript d] of 25 μM and 900 μM, assigned to domains B and B’ and domains A and A’ respectively. Nested CV-N displays a slight increase in activity when compared to WT CV-N in both an anti-HIV cellular assay and a fusion assay. This construct conserves the original binding specifityies of domain A and B, thus indicating correct fold of the two CV-N repeats. Thus, rational design can be used to increase multivalency in antiviral lectins in a controlled manner
Post-war British working-class fiction with special reference to the novels of John Braine, Alan Sillitoe, Stan Barstow, David Storey and Barry Hines
No full textThis study is about British working-class fiction in the post-war period.
It covers various authors such as Robert Tressell, George Orwell, Walter Greenwood, Lewis Grassic Gibbon and DH Lawrence from the early twentieth century; writers traditionally classified as 'Angry Young Men' like John Osborne, Arnold Wesker, Shelagh Delaney, John Wain and
Kingsley Amis; and working-class novelists like John Braine, Stan Barstow, David Storey, Alan Sillitoe and Barry Hines from the 1950s and 1960s.
Some of the main issues dealt with in the course of this study are language, form, community, self/identity/autobiography, sexuality and relationship with bourgeois art. The major argument centres on two questions: representation of working-class life, and the
relationship between working-class literary tradition and dominant ideologies.
We will be arguing that while working-class fiction succeeded in challenging and rupturing bourgeois literary tradition, on the level of language and linguistic medium of expression for example, it utterly failed to break away from dominant, bourgeois modes of literary production in relation to form, for instance.
Our argument is situated within Marxist approaches to literature, a political and aesthetic position from which we attempt an analysis and an evaluation of this working-class literary tradition. These critical approaches provide us also with the theoretical tool to define the political perspective of this tradition, and to judge whether it was confined to a descriptive mode of representation or
located in a radical, political outlook
Experiencing the armed struggle : the Soweto generation and after
No full textIncludes bibliographical references (p. 354-369).This study explores the experiences of the rank-and-file soldiers of Umkhonto we Sizwe and the Azanian People's Liberation Anny. Extensive interviews by the author and other researchers reveal the voices of the soldiers themselves. The African National Congress and Pan African Congress archives at the University of the Western Cape and the University of Fort Hare supplement and verify these oral testimonies, as do some published sources. Most previously published materials about the armed struggle against apartheid have already focused on diplomacy, strategy and tactics, operations, leadership, and human rights abuses to the neglect of the soldiers' actual experiences. This study complements these with significant new oral history materials from the Soweto generation of soldiers and their successors. When dealing with MK, many authors have documented issues of the camp structure in Angola, and operations inside South Africa, so much of this detail is only addressed briefly, leaving space to explore the soldiers' experiences. In the case of APLA, very little has been written on its history, and more detail is provided on these subjects. This study therefore deals with the soldiers' politicisation and motivation for joining the armed struggle, their experiences in leaving South Africa and training in exile, the crises in exile which limited their effectiveness for a time, their return to fight in South Africa, and their difficulties in the "new" South Africa. These materials reveal that vast problems remain facing these veterans of the struggle against apartheid, and that they have the potential, if properly supported and employed, to contribute substantially to the development of present day South Africa. Conversely, if their neglect continues, they also have the potential to bring vast harm to the country. Further use of the investigative tools of oral history, especially if extended to the former soldiers' vernacular languages, is necessary to augment the history of South Africa, and these soldiers' contributions
Absorption efficiencies and basal turnover of C, N and fatty acids in a marine Calanoid copepod
No full text1. Marine copepods of the genus Calanus can reproduce prior to the spring bloom in the absence of sufficient food. Their starvation physiology, and hence the factors limiting their pre-bloom population growth (egg production), remain poorly understood.2. Stoichiometric theory can provide insights into the factors controlling an organism’s growth and the fate of elements in an ecosystem. It is underpinned by substrate utilization efficiencies that relate to key physiological processes such as absorption efficiencies (AEs) and biomass turnover. These parameters are seldom investigated, particularly in the case of essential ‘micronutrients’ such as the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).3. Calanus spp. were fed briefly and subsequently starved for 5 days to determine basal turnover rates of biomass carbon, nitrogen and essential PUFAs. The effect of short-term fasting on nitrogen isotope signatures was also examined. The elemental, fatty acid and isotopic composition of their faecal pellets were compared to that of their food, providing insights into AEs and digestive isotopic discrimination.4. Gut AEs typically followed the sequence: PUFA > nitrogen > carbon, although low AE for DHA was a notable exception. Starvation-induced losses of carbon, nitrogen, EPA and DHA demonstrate that homeostatic organisms must ingest all of these substrates in substantial quantity to achieve positive net growth.5. Egested material was significantly depleted in 13C and 15N relative to the ingested food. We attribute this to isotopic discrimination at the macromolecular level, indicating that food quality contributes to the isotopic signature of a consumer organism. Values of d15N in the copepods’ tissues did not increase during starvation, despite significant losses of bulk nitrogen. This supports the suggestion that dissimilatory protein pathways in marine crustaceans are non-discriminating.6. The significant basal turnover rates and variable AEs for essential PUFAs and nitrogen presented herein demonstrate that organisms cannot be assumed to utilize all nutritious substrates with the same, high efficiency, even when scarce in the diet. Our data highlight the need for a more detailed understanding of organismal physiology before isotopic and stoichiometric models can be meaningfully constructed and parameterized
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