This paper seeks to highlight underlying issues of the tourism system that have led to tourism extremes of too much or too little tourism. Five phases are recognized that reflect different ways of dealing with too much tourism over time, after which the impact of a sudden lack of tourism is investigated in light of future renewal processes. This discussion highlights the remarkable capacity of the tourism industry to adjust to rapidly changing circumstances and crises, even when these cause anguish to individuals and within societies at large. The paper thus seeks to contextualize the current discussions regarding the transformation of tourism post COVID-19. It highlights the complexity of changing a tourism that multiple stakeholders depend on or have grown accustomed to. To come to a more balanced tourism, it is necessary to not only come up with alternative visions and strategies, but also to engage with the political economy nature of tourism development. A future research agenda should therefore also discuss facets of entangled power, social exclusion, inequalities and class differences to come to new reference points of what actually constitutes a more inclusive tourism success.
MULTIFILE
The performance of neural electrodes in physiological fluid, especially in chronic use, is critical for the success of functional electrical stimulation devices. Tips of the Utah electrode arrays (UEAs) were coated with sputtered iridium oxide film (SIROF) and activated iridium oxide film (AIROF) to study the degradation during charge injection consistent with functional electrical stimulation (FES). The arrays were subjected to continuous biphasic, cathodal first, charge balanced (with equal cathodal and anodal pulse widths) current pulses for 7 h (>1 million pulses) at a frequency of 50 Hz. The amplitude and width of the current pulses were varied to determine the damage threshold of the coatings. Degradation was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The injected charge and charge density per phase were found to play synergistic role in damaging the electrodes. The damage threshold for SIROF coated electrode tips of the UEA was between 60 nC with a charge density of 1.9 mC/cm2 per phase and 80 nC with a charge density of 1.0 mC/cm2 per phase. While for AIROF coated electrode tips, the threshold was between 40 nC with a charge density of 0.9 mC/cm2 per phase and 50 nC with a charge density of 0.5 mC/cm2 per phase. Compared to AIROF, SIROF showed higher damage threshold and therefore is highly recommended to be used as a stimulation material.
Background: The proportion of frail older adults is increasing and is expected to further increase in the coming years, both globally and in the Dutch population. This poses a great challenge to public health. To determine the prevalence of frailty in a population, a frailty index (FI) is recommended. A FI is an accumulation model encompassing health deficits in multiple domains. Previous research has shown that a FI can be created out of existing health surveys, since it is a flexible instrument, fairly insensitive to the use of specific items. However, this is based on scale development using Classical Test Theory, while few studies have investigated the psychometric properties of their FI using Item Response Theory (IRT). The aim of this study was to create a FI using the Dutch Health Monitor 2016, and to investigate its psychometric properties using Item Response Theory (IRT). Methods: Forty-two deficits were selected in three health domains, i.e., physical, psychological, and social. Psychometric properties were investigated by using an IRT model for polytomous response categories: the Graded Response Model (GRM). Items were evaluated by Cronbach’s Alpha, Factor Analysis, Point Polyserial Correlations, and GRM. Results: The analyses showed that all items demonstrated a positive association with the scale. However, five items did not fit well to the FI scale. From the physical domain these were body mass index and three items about adherence to physical activity guidelines: moderate activity per week; bone and muscle strengthening activities; balance exercises. From the psychological domain this was an item about a sense of control over one’s own future. Conclusions: By using IRT, we showed that while 37 items were adequate and fitted the scale well, five items in our FI were redundant, indicating that it does matter which items are selected for a FI. IRT is a strong method for item selection and thus for creating a more concise Frailty Index. Key messages: Creating a solid and more concise Frailty Index with IRT is promising for epidemiological research and public health. For creating a Frailty Index, item selection needs careful consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
CRISPR/Cas genome engineering unleashed a scientific revolution, but entails socio-ethical dilemmas as genetic changes might affect evolution and objections exist against genetically modified organisms. CRISPR-mediated epigenetic editing offers an alternative to reprogram gene functioning long-term, without changing the genetic sequence. Although preclinical studies indicate effective gene expression modulation, long-term effects are unpredictable. This limited understanding of epigenetics and transcription dynamics hampers straightforward applications and prevents full exploitation of epigenetic editing in biotechnological and health/medical applications.Epi-Guide-Edit will analyse existing and newly-generated screening data to predict long-term responsiveness to epigenetic editing (cancer cells, plant protoplasts). Robust rules to achieve long-term epigenetic reprogramming will be distilled based on i) responsiveness to various epigenetic effector domains targeting selected genes, ii) (epi)genetic/chromatin composition before/after editing, and iii) transcription dynamics. Sustained reprogramming will be examined in complex systems (2/3D fibroblast/immune/cancer co-cultures; tomato plants), providing insights for improving tumor/immune responses, skin care or crop breeding. The iterative optimisations of Epi-Guide-Edit rules to non-genetically reprogram eventually any gene of interest will enable exploitation of gene regulation in diverse biological models addressing major societal challenges.The optimally balanced consortium of (applied) universities, ethical and industrial experts facilitates timely socioeconomic impact. Specifically, the developed knowledge/tools will be shared with a wide-spectrum of students/teachers ensuring training of next-generation professionals. Epi-Guide-Edit will thus result in widely applicable effective epigenetic editing tools, whilst training next-generation scientists, and guiding public acceptance.
In the last decade, the concept on interactions between humans, animals and their environment has drastically changed, endorsed by the One Health approach that recognizes that health of humans and animals are inextricably linked. Consideration of welfare of livestock has increased accordingly and with it, attention into the possibilities to improve livestock health via natural, more balanced nutrition is expanding. Central to effects of healthy nutrition is an optimal gastrointestinal condition which entails a well-balanced functional local immune system leading to a resilient state of well-being. This project proposal, GITools, aims to establish a toolbox of in vitro assays to screen new feed ingredients for beneficial effects on gastrointestinal health and animal well-being. GITools will focus on pig and chicken as important livestock species present in high quantities and living in close proximity to humans. GITools builds on intestinal models (intestinal cell lines and stem cell-derived organoids), biomarker analysis, and in vitro enzymatic and microbial digestion models of feed constituents. The concept of GITools originated from various individual contacts and projects with industry partners that produce animal feed (additives) or veterinary medicines. Within these companies, an urgent need exists for straightforward, well-characterized and standardized in vitro methods that provide results translatable to the in vivo situation. This to replace testing of new feed concepts in live animal. We will examine in vitro methods for their applicability with feed ingredients selected based on the availability of data from (previous) in vivo studies. These model compounds will include long and short chain fatty acids, oligosaccharides and herbal-derived components. GITools will deliver insights on the role of intestinal processes (e.g. dietary hormone production, growth of epithelial cells, barrier function and innate immune responses) in health and well-being of livestock animals and improve the efficiency of testing new feed products.
