This thesis examines the human and animal dimensions of whale-watching and develops a framework for management of the humpback whale-watching industry in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. The short-term responses of humpback whales to whale-watching vessels during their southward migration on the south coast of NSW were assessed. The behaviour of pods was recorded from commercial whale-watching vessels during tours and compared to pods in the absence of vessels observed from shore in the same area. Pod sizes and composition were typical of southward migrating whales. Calf pods were more sensitive to the presence of vessels than non-calf pods. Whilst there was a longer dive time and a greater percentage of time spent submerged by whales in the presence of vessels, there were no associated changes in respiration intervals. Some surface behaviours were suppressed in the presence of vessels. Surface-active behaviours were prevalent in this study which indicates that social interactions amongst conspecifics are common during the southern migration. Feeding pods were observed on 24.5% of all whale-watching trips and during 14% of all observations made from shore. South-eastern NSW is probably a significant supplemental feeding ground for migrating whales. Feeding behaviour did not alter in the presence of vessels but the time between feeding lunges increased when vessels were closer than 100 m and when more than one vessel was present. The demographics, expectations, experience and satisfaction of land-based and boat-based whale-watchers in NSW were assessed by a questionnaire to participants. Land-based whale-watchers had high and often unrealistic expectations about their whale-watching experience and were moderately satisfied. Boat-based whale-watchers had high, but often realistic expectations of their experience and were highly satisfied. Satisfaction was a function of the degree to which expectations were met, the proximity of whales, the numbers of whales, their behavioural displays and the level of information available on whales. Whale-watchers showed limited increase in their knowledge and conservation-oriented behaviours over the long term. Current education about whales requires better structure and clearer conservation objectives. This study identifies research, education and vessel management as three fundamental components for the sustainable management of the whale-watching industry, and makes recommendations incorporating these components.

Tourism is promoted by the governments of many developing countries because it offers the potential for creating jobs, thus generating income for the country and revenue for the government. However, the tourism industry can also be viewed as a destructive force, associated with negative externalities such as the loss of natural landscapes, congestion, and environmental and cultural degradation. These problems are more likely to be exacerbated where there is a lack of well-designed planning and effective management of tourism development. An essential component of any management of tourism is the ability to engage with, and get a positive response from, the tourism industry. There are a wide range of enterprises involved in providing tourist products and experiences, and in many nations, both developing and developed, a large number of these businesses are small and medium in size and tend to operate at a local scale. The informal nature of tourism enterprises in the developing world can make it difficult to spread awareness of tourism policy and to measure moves towards more sustainable performance on the part of the industry. Using the case study of tourism in the city of Hue, this thesis argues that it is essential to understand both what tourism enterprises know about sustainable tourism practice and policy and also how they respond to its adoption, if we are to more fully understand tourism and its links to sustainable economic development. Located on the central northern coast of Vietnam, Hue is well known for its cultural resources and natural beauty, and the province has become a major tourism centre in Vietnam. The city of Hue itself is recognized as having international heritage value and was listed as a world cultural heritage site by UNESCO in 1993. During the last decade, tourism revenues have increased by nearly 35% per annum, and Hue has made great efforts to both stimulate and cater for increasing demand for its tourism products and services. The Vietnamese government has introduced a number of policies designed to enhance environmental quality generally and, more specifically, to improve the sustainability of enterprises in the tourism sector. This thesis examines the degree to which tourism enterprises in the city of Hue are aware of the broad concept of sustainable tourism and of the specific legislation designed to influence the sustainability of their businesses. I examine the structure and make-up of the industry and then analyse whether characteristics such as size, ownership type and sectoral focus play a role in influencing awareness of, and response to, government policy. The research triangulates data-gathering methods: secondary data, literature reviews, semi-structured interviews and an enterprise survey are all used to gain insights into the core research questions. Each method feeds into and is strengthened by the others, and their combination (including 50 interviews and 180 survey responses) provides a robust data set to work from. The findings reveal that many of the firms operating in the Hue tourism industry are characterized by weak institutional practices, low financial capacity, poor facilities and a lack of broader awareness of policies that influence sustainable tourism practice. The tourism industry’s awareness of general sustainable development issues is low, and much business practice focuses on short-term rather than long-term perspectives. This limits the use of environmentally friendly practices by firms, especially small- and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs), in their daily business activities. The study reveals that there is no significant variation in the adoption of sustainable tourism practices according to the size of enterprises, especially if the practices in question are simple and can be introduced with cost savings. However, as the cost and complexity of introducing environmental measures increases, we see a greater ability on the part of larger enterprises to adopt such actions – partly because they are in a stronger position to bear the short-terms costs of implementing such approaches. There are a wide range of factors that constrain the Hue tourism industry from adopting more sustainable tourism practices. Internal constraints such as limited financial and human resources are combined with external constraints such as increasing cost-based competition, the lack of enforcement of government policies, and limited awareness of sustainable tourism pracitces. All of these factors play a crucial role in shaping the actions of enterprises in relation to sustainable tourism practices and policies. The results of this study also point to the fact that government sustainable tourism initiatives that rely on ‘command-and-control’ approaches will have limited effect; instead, a variety of institutional economic instruments offer greater potential to overcome deficiencies in the ability of the market to drive tourism enterprises towards more sustainable business practices. The thesis also argues that it is important to develop approaches that can cope with the special challenges attached to management of sustainable tourism development in destinations that are dominated by SMEs. The thesis contributes to the growing body of theory and literature in sustainable tourism development and tourism-enterprise behaviour. It also makes an important contribution to our understanding of tourism enterprises in the developing world. In particular, the findings add an important layer of understanding to those attempting to develop a more sustainable tourism industry in Vietnam. Specifically, it provides policy-makers with important insights into the ways in which different types of tourism enterprises respond to initiatives that relate to improved business sustainability.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Duquesne University, 2008. / Title from document title page. Abstract included in electronic submission form. Includes bibliographical references (p. 86-94) and index.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Marshall University, 2002. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains p. vii, 109 p. Includes abstract. Includes vita. Bibliography: p. 91-99.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is one of the most economically significant viral diseases facing the global swine industry. Viraemia profiles of PRRS virus challenged pigs reflect the severity and progression of infection within the host and provide crucial information for subsequent control measures. In this thesis we analyse the largest longitudinal PRRS viraemia dataset from an in-vivo experiment, and corresponding immune measures in the form of cytokine data and neutralising antibodies. In the PRRS Host Genetic Consortium (PHGC) trials, pigs were challenged with one of two PRRSV isolates (NVSL and KS06, respectively). In Chapter 2 we derive a statistical description of the temporal changes in viraemia and determine the influence of diverse factors (e.g. PRRSV strain, pig genetic background, resistance genotype, etc.) on viraemia profiles. The well-established methodology of linear mixed modelling with a repeated measures model and fitting a linearized Wood’s function, a gamma-type function, is applied to the viraemia dataset. The virus isolate had a significant impact on the viraemia profiles which was captured by statistically significant differences in model parameters via both statistical methods. The more virulent NVSL isolate had higher early viraemia predictions and a faster rate of decline than KS06. In line with previous studies the WUR “resistance” genotype, associated with lower AUC viraemia found in previous studies, also resulted in lower viraemia predictions in the statistical models. The typical time trends of the viraemia profiles were a rise to a peak followed by a period of decline with dynamics and magnitude influenced by the virus isolate. Both uni and bimodal viraemia profiles were observed. The Wood’s model appeared a suitable candidate model for the data associated with uni-modal profiles and captured the time trends concisely in only three model parameters which also had a biological relevance. Overall the best fitting Wood’s model (y=atbe-ct) was when there was a random effect in Wood’s parameters b and c. Bimodal profiles significantly reduced the model fit, particularly in the later phase of infection resulting in large model residuals. However bimodal profiles did not impact upon the significance of the differences between the LSM repeated measures estimates nor the LSM linearized Wood’s model parameter estimates. The longitudinal viraemia measures from the PRRSV challenge experiment revealed substantial differences in the viraemia profiles between hosts infected with the same PRRSV challenge dose, pointing to considerable variation in the host response to PRRSV infections. In Chapter 3 we provide a suitable mathematical description of all viraemia profiles with biologically meaningful parameters for quantitative analysis of profile characteristics. The Wood’s function and a biphasic extended Wood’s function were fit to the individual profiles using Bayesian inference with a likelihood framework in Chapter 3. Using maximum likelihood inference and numerous fit criteria, we established that the broad spectrum of viraemia trends could be adequately represented by either uni-or biphasic Wood’s functions. Three viraemic categories emerged: cleared (uni-modal and below detection within 42 days post infection(dpi)), persistent (transient experimental persistence over 42 dpi) and rebound (biphasic within 42 dpi). The convenient biological interpretation of the model parameters estimates, allowed us not only to quantify inter-host variation, but also to establish common viraemia curve characteristics and their predictability. The convenient biological interpretation of the model parameters estimates, allowed us not only to quantify inter-host variation, but also to establish common viraemia curve characteristics and their predictability, which were utilized in subsequent quantitative genetic analyses to identify genomic regions associated with these new resistance traits. The Bayesian approach for curve fitting in Chapter 3 led to better model fits than the classical linear mixed models approach of Chapter 2. Furthermore in Chapter 4 we explored the association between the observed PRRS viraemia profile characteristics and the corresponding measures of the immune response in the form of: neutralising antibody (nAb) cross protection data and longitudinal cytokine profiles. Statistical analysis of the profile characteristics revealed that persistent profiles were distinguishable already within the first 21 dpi, whereas it is not possible to predict the onset of viraemia rebound. Analysis of the neutralizing antibody (nAb) data indicated that there was a ubiquitous strong response to the homologous PRRSV challenge, but high variability in the range of cross-protection of the nAbs. Persistent pigs were found to have a significantly higher nAb cross-protectivity than pigs that either cleared viraemia or experienced rebound within 42 dpi. We determined the typical features and time trends of each cytokine profile, examined the associations between cytokines, and characterised the cytokine response. A stronger association was found in the direction of cytokines driving the ensuing viraemia characteristics as opposed to vice versa. It was found that viraemia class differences were best captured in the anti-viral cytokine IFNA and also the chemokine CCL2, furthermore these key cytokines were the most strongly associated with viraemia measures. The breadth of the cytokine responsiveness was associated with viral profile class and genetic background but not the WUR genotype. The statistical categorization of pigs from each PHGC trial through model fitting provides a critical basis for the generation of new desirable host phenotypes, and of potential use in the genetic selection of pigs with favourable infection traits. Our study provides novel insights into the nature and degree of variation of hosts’ responses to infection as well as new informative traits for subsequent genetic and modelling studies.

The aim of the study was to investigate whether a moderately cold indoor temperature, 15.5+- °C, has a negative effect on human attention. This was investigated in an experiment where 40 participants (18 women, M = 23.5 years, age range 20–33 years) partook in three commonly used attention demanding cognitive tests, where half of the participants were tested in a normal room temperature environment around 20+-1 °C and the remaining participants in a cooler temperature of 15.5+-2 °C. The three tests that were used were the Stroop Test, Trail Making Test A and B as well as the Dot Cancellation Test. The results from the study suggest that attention is significantly affected in tests where rapid, correct responses are demanded, since the lower indoor temperature in particular significantly affected the performance in the Stroop Test. This effect is suggested to originate from a performance decrease when inhibiting erroneous responses. Additional to this it is interesting to observe that the test time was short, 15-20 minutes in the test environment, thus the effect has been shown to affect rather immediately, during a short time period.

Introdução: A captação e o estudo de respostas cerebrais evocadas por um estímulo sonoro vem permitindo a investigação objetiva do processamento da informação auditiva e uma melhor compreensão da via auditiva central. A utilidade deste método diagnóstico tem sido cada vez mais valorizada pelos audiologistas, no entanto sua aplicação clínica corrente requer a realização de uma quantidade mais expressiva de estudos, especialmente na literatura nacional, para um conhecimento mais profundo deste método, sobretudo quanto a normatizações, critérios de identificação das ondas e interferências de variáveis como idade, sexo e parâmetros utilizados na aquisição. Os Potenciais Evocados Auditivos de Média Latência são compostos por uma seqüência de ondas com latências em torno de 10 a 80ms, com origem neurogênica múltipla (projeções tálamo-corticais e córtex auditivo, colículo inferior e formação reticular em menor escala). O presente estudo tem como objetivo pesquisar os componentes dos PEAMLs, numa população de crianças saudáveis, estudando a latência e amplitude das ondas, a fim de conhecer as características dos PEAMLs para esta faixa etária. Metodologia: Participaram do estudo 32 crianças de ambos os sexos com idade entre 10 e 13 anos, otologicamente normais e sem histórias neurológicas. A análise estatística incluiu a realização da estatística descritiva (média e desvio-padrão) e análise da variância pelo teste F. Os PEAMLs foram pesquisados utilizando como estímulo tone-burst, nas intensidades de 50, 60 e 70 dBNA. Resultados e conclusão: Os valores médios de latência dos componentes foram Na=20,79ms, Pa=35,34ms, Nb=43,27ms e Pb=53,36ms. Para a amplitude Na-Pa os valores médios obtidos no estudo variaram entre 0,2 e 1,9mV (M=1,0mV). As formas de onda Na-Pa constituíram os componentes mais consistentes e mais facilmente identificáveis. Pode-se concluir que a amplitude aumenta e a latência diminui com o aumento da intensidade sonora. Na intensidade de 50dBNA as latências obtidas são significativamente maiores que as intensidades de 60 e 70 dBNA para a onda Na. A partir de 60dBNA os valores se estabilizam e não há mudanças significativas na latência ou morfologia da onda. Nas comparações inter e intra-individual foram observadas latências mais longas e amplitudes menores para o lado E (A1/Cz). Numa análise posterior dos dados segundo queixa de dificuldade escolar não foram observadas diferenças ao nível de significância para os componentes Na, Pa, Nb e Pb para os grupos de crianças com e sem queixa de dificuldades escolares. Nestas crianças foram observadas anormalidades na morfologia das ondas, as quais não foram atribuídas exclusivamente à queixa de dificuldade escolar, já que poderia haver também interferência da idade do sujeito avaliado e do neuro-desenvolvimento do Sistema Nervoso Auditivo Central. O presente estudo possibilitou um melhor conhecimento das características dos PEAMLs, o que contribuirá para a aplicação mais segura da técnica. Porém, outros estudos ainda se fazem necessários, principalmente na literatura nacional, a fim de estabelecer padrões normativos para o uso na rotina clínica. / Introduction: The record and study of corticals responses evoked by auditory stimulus has allowed the objective investigation from process of auditory information and a better understanding of central auditory path. The utility of the procedure has been valued by audiologists, nevertheless her clinical aplication current demand the a execution a sum more significative of the study, especially in nationals researchs, to knowledge profoundest this procedure, over all as for normative studys, waves?s identification criterion and interference of the variables with age, gender and parameters used in records. The PEAMLs are composed of a waves?s sequence with latency are around 10 a 80ms, with multiple neurogenic origen (thalamus corticais projections and auditory cortex, coliculus inferior and reticular formation in small scale). The present study objetive examined the components dos PEAMLs, in healthy childrens, researching the waves?s latency and amplitude, to know the PEAML in this band of age. Methods: make part of study 32 childrens in both genders between the ages of 10 e 13, normal hearing without neurological desorders. The statistical analises involved the descrition statistical (mean and standard deviation) and variance analises by test F. The PEAMLs are investigated with tone-burst stimuli in 50, 60 e 70 dBNA. Results and conclusions: the means values of the components are Na=20,79ms, Pa=35,34ms, Nb=43,27ms e Pb=53,36ms. To the amplitude Na-Pa the means values obtained in the study varies between 0,2 and 1,9mV (M=1,0mV). The waveforms are more consistents e more easyly identifiable. We are able to conclude that the amplitude increase and latency decrease with growth of intensity of sound. In 50dBNA the latency are significative higher that 60 and 70 dBNA to wave Na. From 60dBNA the values are stabilize and there is no significatives changes in the latency ou morphology of wave. In the comparisions inter e inta-hemisferical were observed latencys lengthest and amplitudes higher to side left (A1/Cz). In a posterior analises in conformity to complaint of hardness scholar were observeds diferrences no significants to the components Na, Pa, Nb e Pb in the childrens groups with and without complaint of hardness scholar. Anormalities in the morphology of waves were viewed in this childrens wich weren´t atribute to complaint of hardness scholar exclusively once there was interference of the patient?s age and the neural development of Central Auditory System Nervous. The present study made possible a better knowledge of PEAMLs and will contribute to securest aplication this procedure. But, another studys still are requisite, essentialy in the researchs national to established normatives standard to utily in the clinical practice.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of event order on a cycling(C)/running(R) or R/C biathlon. Eight experienced male biathlete/triathletes with a mean age of 24.9 + 4.6 yr formed the sample of the study. Results show no significant interaction effects on oxygen consumption peak, oxygen consumption during steady-state, ventilation, and heart rate when C/R or R/C are performed at 70% oxygen consumption peak for subsequent R and C respectively. These results seem to indicate that the biathlete/triathlete is efficient in both C and R to the extent that event order does not significantly interact with metabolic response in submaximal cycling and running.

The effects of moderate, long-term intake of ethanol on the hypothalamic response to cold stress were examined. The long-term experimental animals were given .25 ml of 28% ethanol or .25 ml of water orally once a day, five days a week for fourteen months. A stainless steel electrode was then surgically implanted into the paraventricular nucleus, after which the animal was subjected to cold stress (-150 C, 10 min.). Recordings were taken in the forms of frequency and activity. The data clearly indicate that: (1) alcohol fed rats exhibited a suppressed response to cold stress compared to sham-fed rats; (2) this suppression of activity occurred at the level of the hypothalamus, and (3) mortality was significantly lower in alcohol-fed males than it was in sham fed males. This study clearly points out the need for further work in the area of the beneficial effects of moderate doses of alcohol.

Abstract The general purpose of this study was to develop methodology for assessing counseling interactions. The first main objective of the research was to develop measures for assessing counselors’ responses and client-centeredness (Study I). Specific aims connected to the first objective were to assess the content validity and inter-rater reliability of the Counselor Response Coding System (CRCS) and the content validity, construct validity and inter-rater agreement of the Skilled Verbal Responding Scale (SVRS), which are measures included in the Counselor Response Observation System (CROS). The second main objective was to assess the applicability of heart-rate variability (HRV) to the measurement of emotions during clients’ verbal reports of unpleasant experiences (Studies II and III). The setting was analog with client-centered counseling aims in that the subjects produced verbal reports of their unpleasant experiences. Specific aims connected to the second objective were to examine the differences in subjects’ emotions between viewing and reporting unpleasant experiences and to examine the differences in their emotions between reporting pleasant and unpleasant experiences by measuring HRV. The results supported the content validity and inter-rater agreement of the CRCS and the content validity, construct validity, and inter-rater reliability of the SVRS. Overall, the results from the CROS testing can be considered a good starting point toward its further validation. The results from the HRV experiments were consistent with earlier findings and indicated that the subjects’ sympathetic activity was lower and that their parasympathetic activity higher when they reported unpleasant pictures than it was when they viewed them. This dynamic was not observed with the pleasant pictures. The results suggest that HRV and emotions during reporting should be interpreted in relation to the initial experiences and emotions in the viewing phase. / Tiivistelmä Tutkimuksen yleinen tavoite oli ohjausvuorovaikutuksen arviointimenetelmien kehittäminen. Tutkimuksen ensimmäinen päämäärä oli kehittää ohjaajan responsseja ja ohjaustoiminnan asiakaskeskeisyyttä arvioivia mittareita (Osajulkaisu I). Tarkempina ensimmäiseen päämäärän kytkeytyvinä tavoitteina oli arvioida Ohjausresponssien mittausjärjestelmään (CROS) sisältyvien Ohjausresponssien koodaussysteemin (CRCS) sisällön validiteettia ja interarvioitsijareliabiliteettia sekä Taitavan verbaalisen toiminnan skaalan (SVRS) sisällön validiteettia, rakennevaliditeettia ja interarvioitsijareliabiliteettia. Toisena päämääränä oli arvioida sykevariaatiomittauksen (HRV) soveltuvuutta asiakkaan emootioiden arviointiin puheen aikana (Osajulkaisut II ja III). Asetelma tässä oli analoginen asiakaskeskeisen ohjauksen tavoitteiden kanssa ja HRV -kokeissa koehenkilöt tuottivat verbaalisia kuvauksia emotionaalisesta kokemuksesta. Toiseen päämäärään kytkeytyvät tarkemmat tavoitteet olivat tarkastella eroja koehenkilöiden emotionaalisessa aktiviteetissa epämiellyttävien kuvastimulien katselun ja raportoinnin välillä sekä eroja miellyttävien ja epämiellyttävien kuvastimulien raportoinnin välillä HRV mittauksen avulla. Tulokset tukivat CRCS:n sisällön validiteettia ja interarvioitsija -reliabiliteettia sekä SVRS:n sisällön validiteettia, rakennevaliditeettia sekä interarvioitsija -reliabiliteettia. Kokonaisuudessaan CROS -arvioinnin tulokset ovat hyvä lähtökohta sen kehitystyössä. HRV -kokeiden tulokset olivat yhdenmukaisia aiempien löydösten kanssa ja indikoivat, että koehenkilöiden sympaattinen aktiviteetti oli matalampaa ja parasympaattinen korkeampaa, kun he raportoivat epämiellyttäviä stimuleita verrattuna stimulien katseluun. Tätä dynamiikka ei havaittu miellyttävien stimuleiden kohdalla. HRV -kokeiden tulokset indikoivat, että HRV ja emootiot tulisi tulkita suhteessa alkuperäiseen kokemuksen valenssiin, mikä on raportoinnin kohteena.