Effects of tourism development on the local poor people - Case study in Taibai Region China

In China, protected areas are one of the main destinations attracting tourists and homeland for many poor people living in and around them. Based on a case study, the paper focuses on correlation between tourism and poverty alleviation by tracing the cash flows to the local poor. It also reviews the social and environmental effects of tourism on local area. The case study is conducted in a group of protected areas in Qinling Mountain Region in Shaanxi, a western province in China. Qinling Mountain is one of the most important distribution zones for Giant Panda and some other endangered wildlife such as Golden Takin and Golden Monkey. The tourism development in the region is happening. Research indicates that there is 29.33%, of tourist expenditure is going to local households, directly or indirectly. Tourist spends US$7.11 (13.67%) in food and beverage, and US$6.39 (12.23%) in accommodation service, which are the greatest contributors to local households in terms of tourism benefits. Local households can get US$8.15 from food/beverage and accommodation sectors, taking 56.64% of total income from tourism. Generally, tourism development benefits all stakeholders. However, poor people get less benefit. The paper analyses the barriers for the poor to be involved in tourism development, and discusses the government roles, major issues in implementation of Sustainable Tourism-Eliminating Poverty (ST-EP) model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Revegetation strategies for bauxite refinery residue: A case study of Alcan Gove in Northern Territory, Australia

Alumina extraction from bauxite ore with strong alkali produces waste bauxite refinery residue consisting of residue sand and red mud. The amount and composition of refinery residue depend on the purity of the bauxite ore and extraction conditions, and differs between refineries. The refinery residue is usually stored in engineered disposal areas that eventually have to be revegetated. This is challenging because of the alkaline and sodic nature of the residue. At Alcan Gove's bauxite refinery in Gove, Northern Territory, Australia, research into revegetation of bauxite residue has been conducted since the mid-1970s. In this review, we discuss approaches taken by Alcan Gove to achieve revegetation outcomes (soil capping of refinery residue) on wet-slurry disposal areas. Problems encountered in the past include poor drainage and water logging during the wet season, and salt scalding and capillary rise during the dry season. The amount of available water in the soil capping is the most important determinant of vegetation survival in the seasonally dry climate. Vegetation cover was found to prevent deterioration of the soil cover by minimising capillary rise of alkalinity from the refinery residue. The sodicity and alkalinity of the residue in old impoundments has diminished slightly over the 25 years since it was deposited. However, development of a blocky structure in red mud, presumably due to desiccation, allows root penetration, thereby supplying additional water to salt and alkali-tolerant plant species. This has led to the establishment of an ecosystem that approaches a native woodland.

Shortcomings of protein removal prior to high performance liquid chromatographic analysis - A case study using method development for BAY 11-7082

During the analytical method development for BAY 11-7082 ((E)-3-[4-methylphenylsulfonyl]-2-propenenitrile), using HPLC-MS-MS and HPLC-UV, we observed that the protein removal process (both ultrafiltration and precipitation method using organic solvents) prior to HPLC brought about a significant reduction in the concentration of this compound. The use of a structurally similar internal standard, BAY 11-7085 ((E)-3-[4-t-butylphenylsulfonyl]-2-propenenitrile), was not effective in compensating for the loss of analyte as the extent of reduction was different to that of the analyte. We present here a systematic investigation of this problem and a new validated method for the determination of BAY 11-7082. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The judicious utilization of new technologies through authentic learning in higher education: A case study

Though technology holds significant promise for enhanced teaching and learning it is unlikely to meet this promise without a principled approach to course design. There is burgeoning discourse about the use of technological tools and models in higher education, but much of the discussion is fixed upon distance learning or technology based courses. This paper will develop and propose a balanced model for effective teaching and learning for “on campus” higher education, with particular emphasis on the opportunities for revitalisation available through the judicious utilisation of new technologies. It will explore the opportunities available for the creation of more authentic learning environments through the principled design. Finally it will demonstrate with a case study how these have come together enabling the creation of an effective and authentic learning environment for one pre-service teacher education course at the University of Queensland.

Leadership across international borders: A case study of an environmental leader

This paper focuses on the story of a well-respected leader known for his tireless work in promoting and preserving the environment both within Australia and internationally. It highlights the contextual factors that have influenced and continue to influence his thinking about leadership as well as the key values he embodies as a leader. The paper begins by considering some of the salient leadership literature in the field. The next part of the paper reviews the qualitative methodology that steered the research for this paper. Following on, the paper provides a snapshot of the life forces and context that played an important role in shaping the leader’s views and practices. Finally, the paper provides an analytical discussion of the leader’s practices in the light of two well-known leadership frameworks.

A participatory design agenda for ubiquitous computing and multimodal interaction: A case study of dental practice

This paper reflects upon our attempts to bring a participatory design approach to design research into interfaces that better support dental practice. The project brought together design researchers, general and specialist dental practitioners, the CEO of a dental software company and, to a limited extent, dental patients. We explored the potential for deployment of speech and gesture technologies in the challenging and authentic context of dental practices. The paper describes the various motivations behind the project, the negotiation of access and the development of the participant relationships as seen from the researchers' perspectives. Conducting participatory design sessions with busy professionals demands preparation, improvisation, and clarity of purpose. The paper describes how we identified what went well and when to shift tactics. The contribution of the paper is in its description of what we learned in bringing participatory design principles to a project that spanned technical research interests, commercial objectives and placing demands upon the time of skilled professionals. Copyright © 2010 ACM, Inc