Sustaining Rural Landscapes: the role of integrated tourism

The aim of a European Union-funded research project entitled 'Supporting and Promoting Integrated Tourism in Europe's Lagging Rural Regions' (SPRITE) is to analyse and develop the potential for better-integrated tourism in the rural landscapes of Europe. Integrated tourism can be defined as that which is explicitly linked to the localities in which it takes place and, in practical terms, has clear connections with local resources, activities, products, production and service industries, and a participatory local community. Enhancing the sustainable economic potential of rural landscapes requires partnerships among rural people and the sustainable yet productive use of rural resources. A 'culture economy' approach to integrated tourism is proposed, which emphasizes the importance of local identity, the strategic commodification of resources and of place, and the importance of extra-local forces in enabling local activities. It is suggested that this approach may represent a shift beyond more traditional approaches to rural development.     

Occurrence of Lawn Care and Agricultural Pesticides in the Don River and Humber River Watersheds (1998–2002)

Between 1998 and 2002, surface water samples were collected from several sites in the Don River and Humber River watersheds, both tributaries to Lake Ontario, and analyzed for a variety of pesticides, including those used for urban lawn care. Analyses included 152 pesticide active ingredients and eight metabolites. Samples were collected during base flow periods (i.e., dry events) and rainfall events (i.e., wet events). The objectives of the study were to determine which pesticides were detectable, whether there was a difference in the detection frequency between the two watersheds and between upstream and downstream in each river, and whether precipitation influenced the frequency of detection. Eleven pesticides and one metabolite were detected in surface waters of the Don and Humber rivers or their tributaries, with approximately 72% of samples containing at least one pesticide attributable to lawn care use. The pesticides and pesticide metabolite detected in this study included 2,4-D, atrazine, bromacil, carbofuran, chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, diazinon, dicamba, MECOPROP, metolachlor, metribuzin, and an atrazine metabolite (des-ethyl atrazine). Four pesticides exceeded federal or provincial water quality guidelines/objectives. Diazinon exceeded the provincial water quality objective in 28% of the samples taken. For the three other pesticides (atrazine, carbofuran and chlorpyrifos) exceedance of a water quality criteria occurred in less than 1% of the samples.     

10Gbit/S以太网,RPR和MPLS协同工作:城域网的未来

随着数据业务的发展,目前在城域网领域出现了3种很有希望的新技术:MPLS(多协议标记交换)、10 Gbit/s以太网和弹性分组环(RPR).这三种技术都各自有着自己的特点和优点,然而仅仅采用某一项技术并不能解决网络中的全部问题,将这三种技术综合应用就成为一种必要,本文将简要分析这几种技术,及其它们综合起来协同工作的必要性和现实意义.     

Humans: the missing link in manufacturing simulation?

Computer based discrete event simulation (DES) is one of the most commonly used aids for the design of automotive manufacturing systems. However, DES tools represent machines in extensive detail, while only representing workers as simple resources. This presents a problem when modelling systems with a highly manual work content, such as an assembly line. This paper describes research at Cranfield University, in collaboration with the Ford Motor Company, founded on the assumption that human variation is the cause of a large percentage of the disparity between simulation predictions and real world performance. The research aims to improve the accuracy and reliability of simulation prediction by including models of human factors.     

A kinematic analysis of the modified flight telerobotic servicer manipulator system

A reverse analysis of a 6 degree of freedom (dof) subchain of a modified 7 dof flight telerobotic servicer (FTS) manipulator system is presented. The 6 dof subchain is designated as a TR-RT* chain. At the outset, it was considered that the reverse analysis would be similar to a TTT manipulator analyzed previously for which the third and fourth joints intersect at a finite point. This was not, however, the case and a sixteenth-degree tan-half-angle polynomial was derived for the TR-RT manipulator. The elimination procedure is interesting and much simpler than the procedures for the general case.     

Nonaqueous Phase Liquid Pool Dissolution as a Function of Average Pore Water Velocity

Bench-scale reactor experiments were performed to study the dissolution of a binary naphthalene-in-nonane mixture nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) pool over a wide range of average pore water velocities, vx (≈0.1–60 m/day). Experimental NAPL pool dissolution flux values were determined using a steady-state mass balance approach. The experimental flux data were compared to model predictions made assuming either local equilibrium or mass-transfer limited conditions. The local equilibrium model could describe the trends in the average effluent concentration and dissolution flux with 0.110?m/day. Data determined to be under mass-transfer limited conditions were fit to the nonequilibrium model to estimate values for an overall mass-transfer coefficient. The calculated overall mass-transfer coefficients had an average value of 0.407 m/day and showed no correlation with vx, probably due to mass-transfer resistance becoming dominated by the diffusional resistance in the NAPL. These results suggest that the nonequilibrium approach is better suited for describing high velocity (vx>10?m/day) dissolution of multicomponent NAPL pools, and that flushing of groundwater at very high velocities may not be an effective approach for enhancing NAPL-pool dissolution flux.     

Outplacement: Client characteristics and outcomes.

Outplacement firms developed in response to corporate downsizings to assist former upper-level employees in seeking reemployment. An important question for practitioners who assist clients in outplacement is how the personal characteristics that clients bring to the situation influence their success in finding a new job. The present archival study examined demographic variables, previous job history, and personality characteristics as predictors of outplacement outcomes. Outplacement duration was predicted by previous income, and new earnings were predicted by previous earnings, sex, and years with previous employer. The need for prospective, longitudinal research that examines the coping process in outplacement is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Customer entrepreneurship on digital platforms: Challenges and solutions for platform business models

Drawing on the mixed methods of qualitative research and agent‐based simulation, this study examines: (a) how end‐users use digital platforms to become customer–entrepreneurs undertaking commercial activities on platforms; and (b) how platform providers can convert this customer entrepreneurship into a revenue stream. Considering that end‐users have traditionally been defined as passive and uncharged actors in platform business models, an in‐depth understanding of their commercial activities and the viable revenue model to monetize this emerging customer practice is warranted. Our qualitative study reveals that customer–entrepreneurs make substantial use of platform offerings to advertise their products; communicate with end‐consumers; and accept payments. These commercial activities are largely exercised for free on platforms, even though they could otherwise serve as a source of revenue. On this point, our simulation results identify two pricing models achieving the generation of nearly identical revenues over time. First, platform providers may charge both advertising and transaction fees, which maximize the survival of professional customer–entrepreneurs. Second, platform businesses may levy advertising fees only, which maximizes the survival of informal customer–entrepreneurs operating on a micro‐scale and part‐time basis. This study offers theoretical, methodological, and managerial implications for platform studies.