WorldWideScience

Sample records for health visitors

  1. Health visitor education for today's Britain: Messages from a narrative review of the health visitor literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malone, Mary; Whittaker, Karen A; Cowley, Sarah; Ezhova, Ivanka; Maben, Jill

    2016-09-01

    This paper draws on a narrative review of the literature, commissioned to support the Health Visitor Implementation Plan, and aimed at identifying messages about the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed by health visitors to work within the current system of health care provision. The scoping study and narrative review used three complementary approaches: a broad search, a structured search, and a seminal paper search to identify empirical papers from the health visitor literature for review. The key inclusion criteria were messages of relevance for practice. 378 papers were reviewed. These included empirical papers from the United Kingdom (UK) from 2004 to February 2012, older research identified in the seminal paper search and international literature from 2000 to January 2016. The review papers were read by members of the multidisciplinary research team which included health visitor academics, social scientists, and a clinical psychologist managed the international literature. Thematic content analysis was used to identify main messages. These were tabulated and shared between researchers in order to compare emergent findings and to confirm dominant themes. The analysis identified an 'orientation to practice' based on salutogenesis (health creation), human valuing (person-centred care), and viewing the person in situation (human ecology) as the aspirational core of health visitors' work. This was realised through home visiting, needs assessment, and relationship formation at different levels of service provision. A wide range of knowledge, skills, and abilities were required, including knowledge of health as a process and skills in engagement, building trust, and making professional judgments. These are currently difficult to impart within a 45week health visitor programme and are facilitated through ad hoc post-registration education and training. The international literature reported both similarities and differences between the working practices of health

  2. Baby walkers--health visitors' current practice, attitudes and knowledge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kendrick, Denise; Illingworth, Rachel; Hapgood, Rhydian; Woods, Amanda J; Collier, Jacqueline

    2003-09-01

    Baby walkers are a commonly used item of nursery equipment. Between 12% and 50% of parents whose infant uses a walker report that their child has suffered a walker-related injury. Health visitors' knowledge, attitudes and practice with regard to walkers and related health education has not been explored so far. The aim of the study was to describe health visitors' knowledge of walkers and walker-related injuries, their attitudes towards walkers and current practice with regard to walker health education, and to examine the relationship between knowledge and attitudes and knowledge and practice. A survey was carried out with 64 health visitors prior to participation in a randomized controlled trial assessing the effectiveness of an educational package in reducing baby walker use. The response rate was 95%. Half of the health visitors always discussed walkers postnatally, most frequently at the 6-9 month check. Most did not usually discuss the frequency of walker-related injuries. Most had negative attitudes towards walkers, but believed that parents hold positive attitudes to them and that it is hard to persuade parents not to use them. Health visitors had a limited knowledge of walker use and walker-related injuries. Those giving advice on walkers most often had higher knowledge scores than those giving advice less often (P = 0.03). Those with higher knowledge scores held more negative attitudes towards walkers (rs = 0.29, P = 0.023) and believed parents to have more positive attitudes towards walkers (rs = -0.49, P negotiating alternatives to their use. The provision of audio-visual aids for discussing walkers might also be helpful.

  3. Health visitors and breastfeeding support: influence of knowledge and self-efficacy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kronborg, Hanne; Væth, Michael; Olsen, Jørn

    2008-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Little is known about what influences health visitors' breastfeeding support. The objective was to describe health visitors' breastfeeding experiences, beliefs, knowledge and self-efficacy in breastfeeding guidance and determine the impact of a training course on these factors, and how...... to learn the mechanisms of breastfeeding. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires before the intervention and after the follow-up period. One hundred and six (97%) health visitors and 1302 (82%) mothers responded. RESULTS: At baseline no substantial differences were seen between...... the two groups on years since education, own breastfeeding experiences, beliefs or self-efficacy in breastfeeding guidance except that health visitors in the intervention group, who had completed the course, demonstrated significantly higher scores on knowledge questions (P

  4. Ethical tensions associated with the promotion of public health policy in health visiting: a qualitative investigation of health visitors' views.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greenway, Julie Catherine; Entwistle, Vikki Ann; terMeulen, Ruud

    2013-04-01

    To explore whether and how health visitors experience ethical tensions between the public health agenda and the need to be responsive to individual clients. Current health policy in England gives health visitors a key role in implementing the government's public health agenda. Health visitors are also required by their Professional Code to respond to the health-related concerns and preferences of their individual clients. This may generate tensions. A total of 17 semi-structured individual interviews covering participants' experiences of implementing public health interventions and perceptions of the ethical tensions involved were conducted. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed thematically using a Framework approach. Health visitors raised a number of ethical concerns, which they attributed to organisational resource allocation and the introduction of protocols and targets relating to public health goals. They did not always regard it as appropriate to raise topics that employing organisations had identified as public health priorities with particular clients for whom they were not priorities, or who had other more pressing needs. They noted that resources that were allocated towards reaching public health targets were unavailable for clients who needed support in other areas. Organisational protocols designed to monitor performance put pressure on health visitors to prioritise achieving targets and undermined their ability to exercise professional judgement when supporting individual clients. This had implications for health visitors' sense of professionalism. Health visitors saw trusting relationships as key to effective health visiting practice, but the requirement to implement public health priorities, combined with a lack of resources in health visiting, eroded their ability to form these. Policies need to be evaluated with regard to their impact upon a broader range of processes and outcomes than public health goals. The erosion of health

  5. Effect of stress on serum lipid levels in lady health visitors and housewives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wattoo, F.H.; Memon, M.S.; Memon, A.N.; Wattoo, M.H.S.; Tirmizi, S.A.; Iqbal, J.

    2007-01-01

    To study the effects of stress among lady health visitors and housewives in regard to their serum total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The study was performed at the Institute of Biochemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Pakistan during the years 2003 to 2005. Seventy lady health visitor and housewives aged between 25-40 years participated in this study and were selected from Hyderabad and its adjoining areas. Environmental, psychological and physiological stress levels were measured with likert scale. Total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels were measured. Environmental, psychological and physiological stresses were significantly higher in housewives as compared to lady health visitors. A low level of HDL cholesterol was observed in housewives as compared to lady health visitors. The levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride were found higher in housewives than lady health visitors. Housewives are under more stress than lady health visitors. The levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride increases but HDL cholesterol decrease with stress. (author)

  6. Health visiting assessment--unpacking critical attributes in health visitor needs assessment practice: a case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Appleton, Jane V; Cowley, Sarah

    2008-02-01

    Assessment of family health need is a central feature of health visiting practice in which a range of skills, knowledge and judgements are used. These assessments are pivotal in uncovering need, safeguarding children and in determining levels of health intervention to be offered to children and their families by the health visiting service in the UK. The central focus of this paper is to outline the critical attributes of the basic principles that underpin health visiting assessment practice that emerged as part of a case study enquiry. A case study design informed by a constructivist methodology was used to examine health visitors' professional judgements and use of formal guidelines in identifying health needs and prioritising families requiring extra health visiting support. The main study was conducted in three community Trust case sites in England, UK, with pilot work being undertaken in a fourth site. Fifteen health visitors participated in the main study and data were collected during 56 observed home visits to families receiving extra health visiting support. Separate in-depth interviews were conducted with the health visitors, pre- and post-home contacts, while 53 client interviews also took place. The analysis suggests that there are certain fundamental elements associated with the majority of health visitor assessments and these have been termed assessment principles. These characteristics are integral to, and provide the basis upon which health visitors' assessments are conducted and professional judgement is formed. They reflect the basic principles of health visiting assessment practice, which exist despite the constraints and realities of the practice context and can be differentiated from the activity centred methods of assessment processes.

  7. Exploring barriers for health visitors' adaption of the Danish children's database

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pape-Haugaard, Louise; Haugaard, Karin; Carøe, Per

    2013-01-01

    show redundant records. This redundancy can be explained by multiple transmissions conducted by end users or systems, or a lack of validation methods in the National CDB. In our results three types of cases are presented: from health visitors at school, from health visitors visiting families and from...

  8. Providing Japanese health care information for international visitors: digital animation intervention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishikawa, Mariko; Yamanaka, Masaaki; Kiriya, Junko; Jimba, Masamine

    2018-05-21

    Over 24 million international visitors came to Japan in 2016 and the number is expected to increase. Visitors could be at a risk of illness or injury that may result in hospitalization in Japan. We assessed the effects of a four-minute digital animation titled Mari Info Japan on the level of anxiety experienced by international visitors to Japan. We conducted a non-randomized, controlled study at Narita International Airport outside Tokyo in December 2014. On the first day, we recruited international visitors for the intervention group at predetermined departure gates and, the following day, we sampled visitors for the control group at the same gates. We repeated this procedure twice over 4 days. The intervention group watched the digital animation and the control group read a standard travel guidebook in English. After receiving either intervention, they completed a questionnaire on their level of anxiety. The outcome was assessed using the Mari Meter-X, The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Form Y (STAI-Y), and a face scale, before and immediately after the intervention. We analyzed data with Wilcoxon rank sum tests. We recruited 265 international visitors (134 in the intervention group, 131 in the control group), 241 (91%) of whom completed the questionnaire. Most of them had no previous Japanese health information before arrival in Japan. The level of anxiety about health services in Japan was significantly reduced in the intervention group (Mari Meter-X median: - 5 and 0, p animation is more effective in reducing anxiety among international visitors to Japan compared with reading a standard brochure or guidebook. Such effective animations of health information should be more widely distributed to international visitors. UMIN-CTR (University Hospital Medical Information Network Center Clinical Trials Registry), UMIN000015023 , September 3, 2014.

  9. Graduates from dual qualification courses, registered nurse and health visitor: a career history study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drennan, Vari M; Porter, Elizabeth M J; Grant, Robert L

    2013-08-01

    Educationalists and managers internationally are challenged to find ways of preparing, recruiting early in their careers, and retaining nurses into public health roles in primary care. Public health nursing qualifications are post-initial nurse registration in the United Kingdom as in some other countries. In the mid twentieth century there were a number of innovative programmes of dual qualification: registered nurse and health visitor (the United Kingdom term for public health nurse). To investigate the career histories of graduates from courses integrating both nursing and health visitor qualifications. An observational, survey study. The United Kingdom. A purposive sample of graduates from integrated registered nurse and health visitor programmes, 1959-1995, from one University. Self completed, anonymous, survey sent to graduates, with contact details known to the University and through snowballing techniques, in 2011. Forty five women (56%), graduates in all four decades, returned the survey. A significant majority (82%) had taken up health visitor posts on completing the course. Over their careers, 42% of all jobs held were as health visitors. Only four never worked in a post that required a health visiting qualification. Most had undertaken paid work throughout their careers that focused on aspects of public health, often linked to child, maternal and/or family wellbeing. Many held teaching/lecturing and management posts at some point in their career. Those holding management posts were more likely to report leaving them as a result of organisational re-structuring or redundancy than those in non-management posts. Courses that prepare students to be both nurses and health visitors result in a majority of graduates who take up posts as health visitors on qualification and subsequently. Nurse education planners may find this evidence of value in determining ways of providing a future workforce for public health nursing. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All

  10. Midwives' and health visitors' collaborative relationships: A systematic review of qualitative and quantitative studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aquino, Maria Raisa Jessica Ryc V; Olander, Ellinor K; Needle, Justin J; Bryar, Rosamund M

    2016-10-01

    Interprofessional collaboration between midwives and health visitors working in maternal and child health services is widely encouraged. This systematic review aimed to identify existing and potential areas for collaboration between midwives and health visitors; explore the methods through which collaboration is and can be achieved; assess the effectiveness of this relationship between these groups, and ascertain whether the identified examples of collaboration are in line with clinical guidelines and policy. A narrative synthesis of qualitative and quantitative studies. Fourteen electronic databases, research mailing lists, recommendations from key authors and reference lists and citations of included papers. Papers were included if they explored one or a combination of: the areas of practice in which midwives and health visitors worked collaboratively; the methods that midwives and health visitors employed when communicating and collaborating with each other; the effectiveness of collaboration between midwives and health visitors; and whether collaborative practice between midwives and health visitors meet clinical guidelines. Papers were assessed for study quality. Eighteen papers (sixteen studies) met the inclusion criteria. The studies found that midwives and health visitors reported valuing interprofessional collaboration, however this was rare in practice. Findings show that collaboration could be useful across the service continuum, from antenatal care, transition of care/handover, to postnatal care. Evidence for the effectiveness of collaboration between these two groups was equivocal and based on self-reported data. In relation, multiple enablers and barriers to collaboration were identified. Communication was reportedly key to interprofessional collaboration. Interprofessional collaboration was valuable according to both midwives and health visitors, however, this was made challenging by several barriers such as poor communication, limited resources, and

  11. Evaluation of an oral health education session for Early Head Start home visitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glatt, Kevin; Okunseri, Christopher; Flanagan, Diane; Simpson, Pippa; Cao, Yumei; Willis, Earnestine

    2016-06-01

    Home visiting programs promote the education and health of Early Head Start (EHS) children and pregnant women. However, EHS's oral health component is unevenly implemented. We conducted an educational intervention to improve oral health knowledge and motivational interviewing techniques among Wisconsin EHS home visitors. A questionnaire assessing oral health-related knowledge and confidence was administered to home visitors before and after an educational session. Changes between pre/post-responses were analyzed with McNemar's test and Wilcoxon Signed Rank test. After the intervention there were increases in both knowledge and confidence related to oral health communication. Knowledge increases were observed in such topics as fluoridation, dental caries, and caregivers' role in assisting and supervising children's tooth brushing. A brief educational intervention was associated with increased home visitor knowledge and confidence in communicating oral health messages to EHS caregivers and pregnant women. © 2016 American Association of Public Health Dentistry.

  12. Improving the quality of perinatal mental health: a health visitor-led protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, Anne; Ilot, Irene; Lekka, Chrysanthi; Oluboyede, Yemi

    2011-02-01

    The mental health of mothers is of significant concern to community practitioners. This paper reports on a case study exploring the success factors of a well established, health visitor-led protocol to identify and treat women with mild to moderate depression. Data were collected through interviews with a purposive sample of 12 community practitioners, a focus group of four health visitors and observation of a multidisciplinary steering group meeting. The protocol was described as an evidence-based tool and safety net that could be used flexibly to support clinical judgments and tailored to individual needs. Success factors included frontline clinician engagement and ownership, continuity of leadership to drive development and maintain momentum, comprehensive and on-going staff training, and strategic support for the protocol as a quality indicator at a time of organisational change. Quality and clinical leadership are continuing policy priorities. The protocol enabled frontline staff to lead a service innovation, providing a standardised multiprofessional approach to women's mental health needs through effective support, advice and treatment that can be measured and quality assured.

  13. Mothers' and health visitors' perceptions of the support provided to mothers who have experienced domestic violence: A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eynon, Julia; Carrier, Judith; Rees, Sally; Cartwright, Annie

    2012-01-01

    Domestic violence has been described as a public health epidemic, with victims of domestic violence encountered in all health care settings. Within the United Kingdom the role of the health visitor (specialist community public health nurse) is to promote health in the whole community; every family with a child under five years has a named health visitor. Preparation for the health visitor role is unique to the United Kingdom. Health visitors are particularly well placed to identify and support mothers who are experiencing domestic violence. The objective of this review was to synthesise the best available evidence relating to support provided by UK health visitors for mothers who have experienced domestic violence, from both the mothers and the health visitors' perspectives. The participants of interest were mothers who have experienced domestic violence and health visitors who offer support to those mothers.The self reported experiences of health visitor support provided to mothers who have experienced domestic violence, from the perspective of both the mothers and the health visitors providing the support.This review considered studies that focus on qualitative data including, but not limited to, designs such as ethnography, phenomenology, grounded theory, action research and feminist research. Studies published up to April 2011 were included in the review. The search was restricted to English language studies. The databases searched were: Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, EMBASE, British Nursing Index and Archive, ASSIA and TRIP. Studies were assessed for methodological quality using the standardised critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Data were extracted using standardised data extraction tools from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Data synthesis used the Joanna Briggs Institute approach for meta-synthesis by meta-aggregation. Findings were synthesised into categories, which were aggregated into synthesised findings. Four

  14. Supporting Pakistani and Chinese families with young children: perspectives of mothers and health visitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hogg, R; de Kok, B; Netto, G; Hanley, J; Haycock-Stuart, E

    2015-05-01

    In the UK, public health nurses (health visitors) provide support and advice to families with young children, including those from minority ethnic communities. While the need for cultural sensitivity is being increasingly recognized, the factors which contribute to this sensitivity are poorly understood. The Pakistani and Chinese communities constitute the two largest minority ethnic groups in Scotland. This study explored Pakistani and Chinese women's experience of motherhood and of the health visiting service and public health nurses' experiences of working with Chinese and Pakistani mothers. Semi-structured individual interviews were carried out with 16 Pakistani and 15 Chinese mothers. Eight health visitors took part in two focus groups. The study was undertaken in an urban area of Scotland. Data were analysed thematically. Chinese and Pakistani mothers negotiate complex processes in order to ensure that their children maintain their own ethnic identity while fitting in with their peers in their adopted country. Health visitors were seen as supportive, although sometimes advice and information given was culturally inappropriate, and their role was often poorly understood. Health visitors were anxious to be sensitive to families' religious and cultural beliefs. Cultural sensitivity is an important factor in providing appropriate advice and help to Pakistani and Chinese families, and involves health visitors in considering views and practices on parenting which may differ across cultures, including their own. Family characteristics need to be understood on an individual basis, rather than making assumptions about clients' cultural norms and lifestyles. This is best achieved by exploring with mothers if they understand the advice and information they are being offered and also if it is appropriate to their cultural and religious beliefs. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Targeting health visitor care: lessons from Starting Well.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wright, C M; Jeffrey, S K; Ross, M K; Wallis, L; Wood, R

    2009-01-01

    UK child health promotion guidelines expect health visitors to assess family needs before new babies are aged 4 months and offer targeted care on that basis thereafter. Data from an intensive family support programme were used to assess how accurately family needs can be predicted at this stage. A population based cohort of 1202 families with new babies receiving an intensive health visiting programme. Analysis of routinely recorded data. Starting Well project, Glasgow, UK. Health visitor rating of family needs. Families receiving high visiting rates or referred to social work services. Of 302 families rated high need, only 143 (47%) were identified by age 4 months. Visiting rates in the first year for those initially rated high need were nearly double those for the remainder, but around two thirds of those with high contact rates/referred to social work were not initially rated high need. Six family characteristics (no income, baby born preterm, multiple pregnancy, South Asian, prior social work/criminal justice involvement, either parent in care as a child) were identified as the commonest/strongest predictors of contact rates; 1003 (83%) families had one such characteristics and/or lived in a highly deprived area, including 228 (93%) of those with high contact rates and 157 (96%) of those referred to social work. Most families at risk will not be identified on an individual basis in the early weeks. Most families in deprived areas need continued input if the most vulnerable families are to be reliably identified.

  16. HABIT-an early phase study to explore an oral health intervention delivered by health visitors to parents with young children aged 9-12 months: study protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eskyte, Ieva; Gray-Burrows, Kara; Owen, Jenny; Sykes-Muskett, Bianca; Zoltie, Tim; Gill, Susanne; Smith, Victoria; McEachan, Rosemary; Marshman, Zoe; West, Robert; Pavitt, Sue; Day, Peter

    2018-01-01

    Parental supervised brushing (PSB) when initiated in infancy can lead to long-term protective home-based oral health habits thereby reducing the risk of dental caries. However, PSB is a complex behaviour with many barriers reported by parents hindering its effective implementation. Within the UK, oral health advice is delivered universally to parents by health visitors and their wider teams when children are aged between 9 and 12 months. Nevertheless, there is no standardised intervention or training upon which health visitors can base this advice, and they often lack the specialised knowledge needed to help parents overcome barriers to performing PSB and limiting sugary foods and drinks.Working with health visitors and parents of children aged 9-24 months, we have co-designed oral health training and resources (Health Visitors delivering Advice in Britain on Infant Toothbrushing (HABIT) intervention) to be used by health visitors and their wider teams when providing parents of children aged 9-12 months with oral health advice.The aim of the study is to explore the acceptability of the HABIT intervention to parents and health visitors, to examine the mechanism of action and develop suitable objective measures of PSB. Six health visitors working in a deprived city in the UK will be provided with training on how to use the HABIT intervention. Health visitors will then each deliver the intervention to five parents of children aged 9-12 months. The research team will collect measures of PSB and dietary behaviours before and at 2 weeks and 3 months after the HABIT intervention. Acceptability of the HABIT intervention to health visitors will be explored through semi-structured diaries completed after each visit and a focus group discussion after delivery to all parents. Acceptability of the HABIT intervention and mechanism of action will be explored briefly during each home visit with parents and in greater details in 20-25 qualitative interviews after the

  17. The effect of early postpartum home visits by health visitors: a natural experiment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kronborg, Hanne; Væth, Michael; Kristensen, Ingeborg

    2012-01-01

    Objective: To assess if the absence of early home visits influenced the mothers’ breastfeeding duration and use of medical services. Design: Data from mothers who had given birth during a strike period were compared to data from a reference period with usual work practice. Sample: The study...... included 3834 newborn and 375 health visitors, 75 of whom worked during the strike period. Intervention: All families were offered non- standardized home visits after discharge in the reference period. During the strike, the service was based on individual risk assessment. Results: Overall, no difference....... The mothers’ needs for postnatal visits differed depending on parity: primiparae underlined uncertainty, multiparae underlined previous breastfeeding experience. Mothers had missed out on guidance on all areas of the health visitors’ service. Conclusion: Non-standardized home visits by health visitors were...

  18. Specialist health visitor-led weight management intervention in primary care: exploratory evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackson, Cath; Coe, Anne; Cheater, Francine M; Wroe, Stephen

    2007-04-01

    This paper is a report of an exploratory study to evaluate the effectiveness and acceptability of a specialist health visitor-led weight management clinic in primary care. Tackling obesity is a global health priority. Whilst there is evidence to support a role for primary healthcare professionals in its management, provision in England varies widely. Using designated 'obesity specialists' is an approach warranting further investigation. In 2003-2004, patients with a body mass index of 30 or more received a specialist health visitor-led intervention based on the Jan Felgens 'I2E2' model. Clinical outcome data and self-reported dietary consumption data were collected at weeks 1, 13, 27 and 52. Quantitative and qualitative data on patient acceptability of the clinic were collected at week 26. Eighty-nine patients attended the clinic. Mean body weight and body mass index and systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased over time by statistically significant amounts. There was a non-significant decrease in fasting blood sugar over time, but approximately one in 10 patients with undiagnosed diabetes were identified. No statistically significant change was evident for cholesterol levels. Mean self-reported weekly consumption of cakes, desserts and snacks decreased and that of fruit and vegetables increased, each by statistically significant amounts. Participants found the clinic highly acceptable and identified the specialist health visitor as fundamental to its success. A partnership approach to weight management through which patients are empowered to make sustainable lifestyle changes now needs to be tested in a multi-centre randomized controlled trial.

  19. Health Visitor's Role in Prediction of Early Childhood Injuries and Failure to Thrive.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dean, Janet G.; And Others

    1978-01-01

    Discusses the role of the health visitor in the prediction of early childhood injuries, abuse, and failure to thrive--based on a three-year study of the relationship between early maternal attitudes and subsequent child health. Journal availability: Pergamon Press Ltd., Headington Hill Hall, Oxford, OX3 OBW England. (DLS)

  20. Paraprofessional Home Visitors' Perspectives on Addressing Poor Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Domestic Violence: A Qualitative Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tandon, S. Darius; Mercer, Constance D.; Saylor, Elizabeth L.; Duggan, Anne K.

    2008-01-01

    This research was conducted to understand paraprofessional home visitors' perceptions of their training in addressing poor mental health, substance abuse, and domestic violence, and their actions in working with families in addressing these issues. Five focus groups were conducted with a total of 28 paraprofessional home visitors. Three main…

  1. Focus on vulnerable populations and promoting equity in health service utilization--an analysis of visitor characteristics and service utilization of the Chinese community health service.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Xiaoxin; Liu, Ling; Cao, Shiyi; Yang, Huajie; Song, Fujian; Yang, Chen; Gong, Yanhong; Wang, Yunxia; Yin, Xiaoxu; Xu, Xing; Xie, Jun; Sun, Yi; Lu, Zuxun

    2014-05-26

    Community health service in China is designed to provide a convenient and affordable primary health service for the city residents, and to promote health equity. Based on data from a large national study of 35 cities across China, we examined the characteristics of the patients and the utilization of community health institutions (CHIs), and assessed the role of community health service in promoting equity in health service utilization for community residents. Multistage sampling method was applied to select 35 cities in China. Four CHIs were randomly chosen in every district of the 35 cities. A total of 88,482 visitors to the selected CHIs were investigated by using intercept survey method at the exit of the CHIs in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011. Descriptive analyses were used to analyze the main characteristics (gender, age, and income) of the CHI visitors, and the results were compared with that from the National Health Services Survey (NHSS, including CHIs and higher levels of hospitals). We also analyzed the service utilization and the satisfactions of the CHI visitors. The proportions of the children (2.4%) and the elderly (about 22.7%) were lower in our survey than those in NHSS (9.8% and 38.8% respectively). The proportion of the low-income group (26.4%) was apparently higher than that in NHSS (12.5%). The children group had the lowest satisfaction with the CHIs than other age groups. The satisfaction of the low-income visitors was slightly higher than that of the higher-income visitors. The utilization rate of public health services was low in CHIs. The CHIs in China appears to fulfill the public health target of uptake by vulnerable populations, and may play an important role in promoting equity in health service utilization. However, services for children and the elderly should be strengthened.

  2. Improving health visitor emollient prescribing using a CQUIN-based approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brooks, Christina; Khatau, Tejas

    2015-12-01

    Prescribing is an essential element of health visiting practice. This initiative used the payment framework of Commissioning for Quality and Innovation (CQUIN) to develop health visiting practice across a large health visiting workforce in the East Midlands. A focus on emollient prescribing practice was agreed and a guidance booklet regarding preferred emollient products was produced, based on the local formulary Each health visitor benefitted from receiving additional training and was given a guidance booklet to inform their practice. Targets were set for each quarter to demonstrate an improved prescribing adherence to the preferred product list.The targets were achieved for each quarter. Prescribing rates and confidence improved across the service. Therefore, it was demonstrated that specific guidance and ongoing support can improve prescribing practice within the health visiting service.

  3. Graduates from dual qualification courses, registered nurse and health visitor: a career history study

    OpenAIRE

    Drennan, Vari M; Porter, Elizabeth M J; Grant, Robert L

    2013-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Educationalists and managers internationally are challenged to find ways of preparing, recruiting early in their careers, and retaining nurses into public health roles in primary care. Public health nursing qualifications are post-initial nurse registration in the United Kingdom as in some other countries. In the mid twentieth century there were a number of innovative programmes of dual qualification: registered nurse and health visitor (the United Kingdom term for public health n...

  4. Health risks and precautions for visitors to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakamura, Sachiko; Wada, Koji; Yanagisawa, Naoki; Smith, Derek R

    2018-02-02

    In 2020, Japan will host the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020 (Tokyo 2020) which will involve a large population influx from various countries to Tokyo, the most populated city in Japan. We summarize the potential health risks for visitors to Tokyo 2020, related to communicable disease risks and other health threats, based on recent national and local surveillance reports. We reviewed up-to-date surveillance reports published by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Tokyo Metropolitan Infectious Disease Surveillance Center. Communicable disease risks for vaccine-preventable illnesses such as measles and rubella, as well as food and waterborne diseases represent the most likely risks. The risk of acquiring vector-borne diseases is considered low in Japan. On the other hand, however, heat-related illness represents a potential risk, as Tokyo 2020 is scheduled during the hottest season in Japan, with temperatures generally expected to exceed 30 °C. Maintaining an up-to-date routine vaccination schedule is highly recommended for visitors attending the Tokyo 2020 and appropriate hygiene measures for food and waterborne diseases as well as health promotion for heat-related illness. It may also be useful to increase the number of multilingual triage clinicians whom can be placed within emergency departments during the Tokyo 2020 to provide first contact services and coordination of emergency care among non-Japanese speaking visitors to Tokyo. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  5. Visitor Registration System

    Data.gov (United States)

    US Agency for International Development — Visitor Registration System (VRS) streamlines visitor check-in and check-out process for expediting visitors into USAID. The system captures visitor information...

  6. Visitor characteristics and alcohol-based hand sanitizer dispenser locations at the hospital entrance: Effect on visitor use rates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hobbs, Mary A; Robinson, Susan; Neyens, David M; Steed, Connie

    2016-03-01

    Hospital visitors' hand hygiene (HH) is an important aspect of preventing health care-associated infections, but little is known about visitors' use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers (AHS). The study aim was to examine if use of AHS is influenced by visitor characteristics and the location of AHS within the lobby of a large hospital. An observational study was conducted with AHS placed in 3 different locations. The data included visitor characteristics and if AHS were used. The results suggest that visitors are 5.28 times (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.68-7.82) more likely to use AHS when dispensers are located in the middle of the lobby with limited landmarks or barriers, 1.35 times more likely to use the AHS in the afternoon compared with the morning, or when they are younger visitors (adjusted odds ratio, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.09-1.97). Individuals in a group are more likely (adjusted odds ratio, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.06-1.84) to use AHS. In addition to location, time of day, and age, there is a group effect that results in visitors being more likely to use AHS when in a group. The increased use related to groups may serve as a mechanism to encourage visitor HH. The results suggest future research opportunities to investigate the effect of group dynamics and social pressure on visitor AHS use and to identify strategies for improving visitor HH. Copyright © 2015 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. An innovative strategy to increase a professional workforce: the fast track initiative for health visitors in England.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sayer, Lynn; Barriball, K Louise; Bliss, Julie; Bakhshi, Savita; While, Alison E

    2016-04-01

    Fast tracking is one strategy that organizations use to ameliorate workforce shortfalls by attracting new recruits, and accelerating their skills development and experience. In response to the Government's target of rapidly expanding the number of health visitors in England's National Health Service, the fast track initiative was launched to recruit newly qualified (fast track) as well as experienced (standard entry) nurses and midwives onto health visiting programmes. This paper evaluates the fast track initiative, from the perspective of fast track and standard entry students, practice teachers and health visitor managers. A mixed methods design was used comprising a questionnaire survey (n = 71 students), semi-structured interviews (n = 37 students), telephone interviews (n = 13 managers) and six focus groups (n = 24 practice teachers). Data were collected between April 2012 and July 2013. Descriptive statistics, t-tests and the Pearson Chi-square test were used to analyse the quantitative data. The qualitative data were analysed thematically. Motivations for health visiting as a career choice were similar for fast track and standard entry students, with career progression and interest in health promotion being key motivators. There was consensus that personal qualities and characteristics were more important than experience or qualifications. However, fast track students were significantly less confident about their public health competencies in leadership and management (p communication (p  0.5). Fast tracking offers a useful recruitment strategy in order to expand the health visitor workforce, but longitudinal research is needed to confirm benefits such as retention and career trajectories. © The Author(s) 2015.

  8. Application of HACCP principles to control visitor health threats on dairy farms open to the general public.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barten, M; Noordhuizen, J P M; Lipman, L J A

    2008-10-01

    An increasing number of Dutch dairy farmers have diversified their activities, often opening their farm up to visitors (tourist accommodation, farm shop, contact with livestock, etc). It is essential to prevent these visitors from having accidents or becoming ill, which could result in financial claims and might harm the reputation of the agricultural sector. This article describes how the hazard analysis critical control points concept and principles (HACCP) can be applied to these activities and integrated with on-farm operational herd health and production management programmes.

  9. Self - congruity Influence on Tourist Behavior: Repeat Visitors versus Non - Visitors and First - Time Visitors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mithat Üner

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available This study investigates the role of prior experience on the impact of actual self and ideal self-congruity on tourists’ intention to visit Turkey for leisure purposes. The study draws from an empirical study with 648 subjects conducted in cooperation with the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Results suggest that the effect of actual self-congruity on intention to visit differs according to different levels of tourist experience. While self-congruity has a positive effect on intenti on to visit for the non-visitors and first-time visitors --implying that the relationship between self-congruity and intention does not vary between non-visitors and first-time visitors --this effect loses its significance for repeat visitors. These findings partially support the previous proposed moderating role of prior experience on the impact of self congruity on intention to visit a destination and expand the discussion on this topic raising new questions

  10. Evaluation of a brief intervention to assist health visitors and community practitioners to engage with fathers as part of the healthy child initiative.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Humphries, Heatha; Nolan, Mary

    2015-07-01

    To improve engagement of Health Visitors and Community Practitioners delivering the Healthy Child Programme with fathers. To evaluate a one-day, father-focused workshop with a supporting handbook for Practitioners. To identify institutional and organisational barriers to engagement with fathers. The UK government policy encourages health professionals to engage with fathers. This derives from robust evidence that fathers' early involvement with their children impacts positively on emotional, behavioural and educational development. Yet, there is little evidence that the importance of engaging fathers is reflected in Health Visitor training or that primary-care services are wholly embracing father-inclusive practice. The Fatherhood Institute (FI), a UK charity, has developed a workshop for Practitioners delivering the Healthy Child Programme. A 'before and after' evaluation study, comprising a survey followed by telephone interviews, evaluated the impact of the FI workshop on Health Visitors' and Community Practitioners' knowledge, attitudes and behaviour in practice. A total of 134 Health Visitors and Community Practitioners from eight NHS Trusts in England attended the workshop from November 2011 to January 2014 at 12 sites. A specially constructed survey, incorporating a validated questionnaire, was administered before the workshop, immediately afterwards and three months later. Telephone interviews further explored participants' responses. Analysis of the questionnaire data showed that the workshop and handbook improved participants' knowledge, attitudes and behaviour in practice. This was sustained over a three-month period. In telephone interviews, most participants said that the workshop had raised their awareness of engaging fathers and offered them helpful strategies. However, they also spoke of barriers to engagement with fathers. NHS Trusts need to review the training and education of Health Visitors and Community Practitioners and take a more strategic

  11. New models to support the professional education of health visitors: A qualitative study of the role of space and place in creating 'community of learning hubs'.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donetto, Sara; Malone, Mary; Sayer, Lynn; Robert, Glenn

    2017-07-01

    In response to a policy-driven workforce expansion in England new models of preparing health visitors for practice have been implemented. 'Community of Learning hubs' (COLHs) are one such model, involving different possible approaches to student support in clinical practice placements (for example, 'long arm mentoring' or 'action learning set' sessions). Such models present opportunities for studying the possible effects of spatiality on the learning experiences of students and newly qualified health visitors, and on team relationships more broadly. To explore a 'community of learning hub' model in health visitor education and reflect on the role of space and place in the learning experience and professional identity development of student health visitors. Qualitative research conducted during first year of implementation. Three 'community of learning hub' projects based in two NHS community Trusts in London during the period 2013-2015. Managers and leads (n=7), practice teachers and mentors (n=6) and newly qualified and student health visitors (n=16). Semi-structured, audio-recorded interviews analysed thematically. Participants had differing views as to what constituted a 'hub' in their projects. Two themes emerged around the spaces that shape the learning experience of student and newly qualified health visitors. Firstly, a generalised need for a 'quiet place' which allows pause for reflection but also for sharing experiences and relieving common anxieties. Secondly, the role of physical arrangements in open-plan spaces to promote access to support from more experienced practitioners. Attention to spatiality can shed light on important aspects of teaching and learning practices, and on the professional identities these practices shape and support. New configurations of time and space as part of educational initiatives can surface new insights into existing practices and learning models. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  12. Visitor injuries in Hawai'i.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ho, Hao Chih; Speck, Cora S R; Kumasaki, Jennifer

    2009-12-01

    Over seven million tourists visit the Hawaiian Islands each year. Popular visitor activities such as surfing, scuba diving, ocean kayaking, parasailing, bicycle tours and hiking each have risks of serious injury. This study reviews visitors' activities that led to serious injuries requiring treatment at the state's only trauma center while vacationing in Hawai'i. A retrospective electronic medical record review was conducted of all visitor and resident trauma patients admitted to The Queen's Medical Center (QMC) from January 2002-December 2006. Patient demographics, injury type and severity, mechanism of injury, and discharge status were collected and analyzed. A total of 8244 patients were admitted to QMC for major traumatic injuries over the five year study period. Of these, 466 (5.7%) were visitors. The most common mechanisms of visitor injuries were falls (23.6%), water-related injuries (22.8%), motor vehicle crashes (18.7%), motorcycle, moped, and recreational vehicle crashes (12.2%), assaults (7.3%), and bicycle crashes (4.0%). A disproportionate number of visitors sustained serious injuries while engaging in water-related activities: Visitors account for only 12.6% of the population on any given day, yet comprise 44.2% of the total admissions for Hawai'i's water-related injuries. Head and spine injuries make up over two-thirds (68.2%) of these water-related visitor injuries. As a general category, falls were responsible for the highest number of visitor trauma admissions. Of the recreational activities leading to high numbers of trauma admissions, water-related activities are the leading causes of serious injuries among visitors to Hawai'i. Water-related injury rates are significantly higher for Hawai'i's visitors than residents. Water safety education for visitors should be developed in multiple languages to educate and protect Hawai'i's visitors and visitor industry.

  13. New perspectives on health professions students' e-learning: Looking through the lens of the "visitor and resident" model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Druce, Maralyn; Howden, Stella

    2017-07-01

    The growth of e-learning in health professional education reflects expansion of personal use of online resources. Understanding the user perspective in a fast-changing digital world is essential to maintain the currency of our approach. Mixed methods were used to investigate a cohort of postgraduate, e-learning healthcare students' perspectives on their use of online resources for personal and/or professional roles, via questionnaire and student-constructed diagrams, capturing use of online resources (underpinned by White's model of "resident" and "visitor" online engagement). Semistructured interviews explored the use and value of resources afforded via the online environment. The 45 study participants described a range of prior experiences with online resources in personal and professional capacities, but overall students tended to use online "tools" ("visitor" mode) rather than highly collaborative networks ("resident" mode). In relation to e-learning, the dominant interview theme was valuing knowledge transfer from the tutor and using "visitor" behaviors to maximize knowledge acquisition. Peer-learning opportunities were less valued and barriers to collaborative "resident" modes were identified. These findings help to inform e-learning course design to promote engagement. The results enable recommendations for use of the "Visitor and Residents" model and for planning activities that learners might utilize effectively.

  14. The influence of visitor use levels on visitor spatial behavior in off-trail areas of dispersed recreation use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Antonio, Ashley; Monz, Christopher

    2016-04-01

    A variety of social and ecological factors influence the level and extent of ecological change that occurs in a park or protected area. Understanding these factors and how they are interrelated can help managers prevent undesirable ecological impacts, especially in areas without formal trails and visitor sites. This study examines the relationship between levels of visitor use and spatial patterns of visitor behavior at a variety of backcountry recreation destinations. Current assumptions in both the literature and simulation modeling efforts assume that visitor behavior either does not change with use level or that visitors are more likely to disperse at high levels of visitor use. Using visitor counts and GPS tracks of visitor behavior in locations where visitors could disperse off-trail, we found that visitors' spatial behavior does vary with visitor use level in some recreation settings, however the patterns of visitor behavior observed in this study are sometimes contrary to current generalizations. When visitor behavior does vary with use level, visitors are dispersing more at low levels of visitor use not when use level is high. Overall, these findings suggest that in certain situations the amount of visitor use at a recreation destination may be a less important driver of ecological change than visitor behavior. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Visitor's Computer Guidelines | CTIO

    Science.gov (United States)

    Visitor's Computer Guidelines Network Connection Request Instruments Instruments by Telescope IR Instruments Guidelines Library Facilities Outreach NOAO-S EPO Program team Art of Darkness Image Gallery EPO/CADIAS ‹› You are here CTIO Home » Astronomers » Visitor's Computer Guidelines Visitor's Computer

  16. Street-level bureaucracy and policy implementation in community public health nursing: a qualitative study of the experiences of student and novice health visitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hughes, Alison; Condon, Louise

    2016-11-01

    Aim To explore the experiences of student and novice health visitors in implementing health visiting policy reform pre- and post-qualification. In England, public health nursing has been subject to major policy reform. The Health Visitor Implementation Plan (2011) set out a plan to recruit increasing numbers of nurses and midwives to the profession to deliver an expanded and refocussed health visiting service. Exploring this policy change from the viewpoint of those new to health visiting offers a unique perspective into how a specific policy vision is translated into nursing practice. A descriptive qualitative study in which participants were enrolled on a one-year post-graduate health visiting course at a University in South West of England. Qualitative data were collected pre- and post-qualification. A total of 16 interviews and a focus group were conducted with nine participants between September 2012 and March 2013. Findings Descriptive data were interpreted using Lipsky's theoretical framework of street-level bureaucracy. Three themes emerged which relate to this 'bottom-up' perspective on policy implementation; readiness to operationalise policy, challenges in delivering the service vision; and using discretion in delivering the vision. Community public health nurses operate as street-level bureaucrats in negotiating the demands of policy and practice, and by this means, attempt to reconcile professional values with institutional constraints. Barriers to policy implementation at a local level mediate the effects of policy reform, ultimately impacting upon outcomes for children and families.

  17. Breastfeeding, infant formula, and introduction to complementary foods - comparing data obtained by questionnaires and health visitors' reports to weekly short message service text messages

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bruun, Signe; Buhl, Susanne; Husby, Steffen

    2017-01-01

    compared. DESIGN: The study population was part of the Odense Child Cohort. The four methods used were: (a) self-administered questionnaire 3 months postpartum, (b) self-administered questionnaire 18 months postpartum, (c) registrations from health visitors visiting the families several times within...... weeks, and the mean age when introduced to complementary foods from 19 to 21 weeks. The mean duration of any breastfeeding was 33 weeks across methods. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with the weekly SMS questions, the self-administered questionnaires and the health visitors' reports resulted in a greater...

  18. Managing atopic eczema in childhood: the health visitor and school nurse role.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robinson, Jean

    2008-06-01

    Atopic eczema affects up to 20% of children in the UK. It is a disease of varying severity, and health visitors and school nurses have a vital role in educating and supporting children and their parents and carers in its management. Diagnosis and assessment needs to consider atopic eczema severity, effect on quality of life and contributing trigger factors. Treatment should be tailored to the individual child and should include education on emollient therapy, the use of topical corticosteroids and other measures. A case study is included to highlight practical issues and the support of the child and family in coping with atopic eczema at home and in school.

  19. Characteristics of visitors to practitioners of homeopathy in a large adult Norwegian population (the HUNT 3 study).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Løhre, Audhild; Rise, Marit By; Steinsbekk, Aslak

    2012-07-01

    The aim was to investigate characteristics of female and male visitors to practitioners of homeopathy in a large adult population in Norway. A cross-sectional adult total population health survey from Central Norway (the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study--HUNT 3) conducted in 2008. Variables included demographics, lifestyle, health status and health care use. Multivariate logistic regression models were employed to analyse the data. In total 50,827 participated (54% of the total population). The prevalence of visits to practitioners of homeopathy was 1.3%, a decline from 4.3% 10 years earlier. Both female and male visitors were 4-5 times more likely to experience recent somatic complaints. Further, female visitors were characterised by higher education, non-smoking, more chronic complaints, and visiting a physician or a chiropractor the past year whereas male visitors were characterised by seeking help for psychiatric complaints and visiting a chiropractor. There were no associations of age, marital status, physical activity, perceived global health, respiratory, skin, or musculoskeletal diseases with visiting practitioners of homeopathy. CONCLUSIONS AND PROPOSALS: There has been a marked decline in visits to practitioners of homeopathy. The results indicate a change in reasons to consult from complaints that influences the visitors' global health to less chronic complaints. Further research should compare changes in visits complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practitioners and the characteristics of visitors to practitioners of homeopathy to characteristics of other CAM visitors. Copyright © 2012 The Faculty of Homeopathy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. 22 CFR 62.28 - International visitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false International visitors. 62.28 Section 62.28 Foreign Relations DEPARTMENT OF STATE PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND EXCHANGES EXCHANGE VISITOR PROGRAM Specific Program Provisions § 62.28 International visitors. (a) Purpose. The international visitor category is for...

  1. INTERFACING INFANT MENTAL HEALTH KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS: REFLECTIONS ON THE NARRATIVES OF LAY HOME VISITORS' EXPERIENCES OF LEARNING AND APPLYING RELATIONAL CONCEPTS OF DEVELOPMENT IN A SOUTH AFRICAN INTERVENTION PROGRAM.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baradon, Tessa; Bain, Katherine

    2016-07-01

    The question of interfacing research and clinically generated knowledge in the field of infant mental health (IMH) with local cultural knowledge and belief systems has provoked extended discussion in recent years. This article explores convergences and divergences between current research-based, relational IMH mental health models and "community" knowledge held by a group of South African lay home visitors from a socioeconomically deprived township. These women were trained in a psychoanalytic and attachment-informed infant mental health program that promotes a relational model of infant development. They provide an intervention that supports high risk mother-infant relationships in the same locality. A two-tiered approach was taken to the analysis of the home visitor interviews and focused on the home visitors' constructed narratives of infant development posttraining as well as the personal impact of the training and work on the home visitors themselves. The study found that psychoanalytic and attachment-informed thinking about development makes sense to those operating within the local South African cultural context, but that the accommodation of this knowledge is a complex and challenging process. © 2016 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

  2. Hospitalized Cases of Nonorganic Failure to Thrive: The Scope of the Problem and Short-Term Lay Health Visitor Intervention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haynes, Clare F.; And Others

    1984-01-01

    The paper describes the characteristics of thriving and failure to thrive (FTT) children and their mothers and examines the effect of short-term lay health visitor intervention in cases of nonorganic failure to thrive. Three patients of interaction were identified in the FTT group, benign neglect, incoordination, over hostility. (Author/DB)

  3. SVM to detect the presence of visitors in a smart home environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petersen, Johanna; Larimer, Nicole; Kaye, Jeffrey A; Pavel, Misha; Hayes, Tamara L

    2012-01-01

    With the rising age of the population, there is increased need to help elderly maintain their independence. Smart homes, employing passive sensor networks and pervasive computing techniques, enable the unobtrusive assessment of activities and behaviors of the elderly which can be useful for health state assessment and intervention. Due to the multiple health benefits associated with socializing, accurately tracking whether an individual has visitors to their home is one of the more important aspects of elders' behaviors that could be assessed with smart home technology. With this goal, we have developed a preliminary SVM model to identify periods where untagged visitors are present in the home. Using the dwell time, number of sensor firings, and number of transitions between major living spaces (living room, dining room, kitchen and bathroom) as features in the model, and self report from two subjects as ground truth, we were able to accurately detect the presence of visitors in the home with a sensitivity and specificity of 0.90 and 0.89 for subject 1, and of 0.67 and 0.78 for subject 2, respectively. These preliminary data demonstrate the feasibility of detecting visitors with in-home sensor data, but highlight the need for more advanced modeling techniques so the model performs well for all subjects and all types of visitors.

  4. Attract Visitors to Your Site

    CERN Document Server

    MacDonald, Matthew

    2010-01-01

    To be a success, a website has to attract-and keep--visitors. This Mini Missing Manual shows you how to attract new and return visitors and use the power of keywords and Web search engines to rise up in the rankings of search results. You'll also learn how to use a powerful-and free--service that tracks visitor activity on your site so you know which of your Web pages they love, and-just as important--which pages don't work for them. Using this information, you can fine-tune your site to keep the visitors coming. This Mini Missing Manual is excerpted from Creating a Web Site: The Missing Man

  5. CERN fellows and visitors

    CERN Multimedia

    Penney, R. W.

    1963-01-01

    This article describes the Fellowship and Visitor Programme as it is at present, detailing the various headings under which the visitors come and indicating the methods by which they are chosen. The way in which their work is integrated into the general scientific activity of CERN is discussed briefly.

  6. Wilderness science in a time of change conference-Volume 4: Wilderness visitors, experiences, and visitor management; 1999 May 23-27; Missoula, MT

    Science.gov (United States)

    David N. Cole; Stephen F. McCool; William T. Borrie; Jennifer O' Loughlin

    2000-01-01

    Thirty-seven papers are presented on wilderness visitors, experiences, and visitor management. Three overview papers synthesize knowledge and research about wilderness visitors, management of visitor experiences, and wilderness recreation planning. Other papers contain the results of specific research projects on wilderness visitors, information and education, and...

  7. Visitor Safety and Security in Barbados: Stakeholder Perceptions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Clifford Griffin

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Is information about the nature, location and incidence of crimes against tourists/visitors sufficient to develop meaningful visitor safety and security policy? Are the views of key tourism stakeholder groups useful in informing and enhancing visitor safety and security policy? To answer these questions, this study analyzes 24 years of recorded crime data against visitors to Barbados and survey data of key tourism stakeholder groups and concludes: 1 that information about the nature, location and incidence of crimes against visitors is necessary but not sufficient to inform visitor safety and security policy; and 2 that the views and input of key stakeholders are essential if destinations are to become more effective in enhancing visitor safety and security.

  8. Sources of traffic and visitors' preferences regarding online public reports of quality: web analytics and online survey results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bardach, Naomi S; Hibbard, Judith H; Greaves, Felix; Dudley, R Adams

    2015-05-01

    In the context of the Affordable Care Act, there is extensive emphasis on making provider quality transparent and publicly available. Online public reports of quality exist, but little is known about how visitors find reports or about their purpose in visiting. To address this gap, we gathered website analytics data from a national group of online public reports of hospital or physician quality and surveyed real-time visitors to those websites. Websites were recruited from a national group of online public reports of hospital or physician quality. Analytics data were gathered from each website: number of unique visitors, method of arrival for each unique visitor, and search terms resulting in visits. Depending on the website, a survey invitation was launched for unique visitors on landing pages or on pages with quality information. Survey topics included type of respondent (eg, consumer, health care professional), purpose of visit, areas of interest, website experience, and demographics. There were 116,657 unique visitors to the 18 participating websites (1440 unique visitors/month per website), with most unique visitors arriving through search (63.95%, 74,606/116,657). Websites with a higher percent of traffic from search engines garnered more unique visitors (P=.001). The most common search terms were for individual hospitals (23.25%, 27,122/74,606) and website names (19.43%, 22,672/74,606); medical condition terms were uncommon (0.81%, 605/74,606). Survey view rate was 42.48% (49,560/116,657 invited) resulting in 1755 respondents (participation rate=3.6%). There were substantial proportions of consumer (48.43%, 850/1755) and health care professional respondents (31.39%, 551/1755). Across websites, proportions of consumer (21%-71%) and health care professional respondents (16%-48%) varied. Consumers were frequently interested in using the information to choose providers or assess the quality of their provider (52.7%, 225/427); the majority of those choosing a

  9. 77 FR 65166 - Information Collection; Request for Comment; Visitor Permit and Visitor Registration Card

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-10-25

    ..., number of dogs and number of pack and saddle stock (that is, the number of animals either carrying people... dogs, number of pack and saddle stock (that is, the number of animals either carrying people or their... people. The information collected from the Visitor's Permit (FS-2300-30) and Visitor Registration Card...

  10. Frequent visitors at the psychiatric emergency room - A literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmidt, Manuela

    2018-03-01

    Frequent visitors at the psychiatric emergency room (PER) constitute a small subgroup of patients, yet they are responsible for a disproportionate number of visits and thus claim considerable resources. Their needs are often left unmet and their repetitive visits reflect their dissatisfaction as well as that of PERs' staff. Motivated by these dilemmas, this study systematically reviews the literature about frequent visitors at PER and seeks to answer two questions: What characterizes frequent visitors at PER in the literature? and What characterizes PER in the literature? Based on 29 studies, this paper offers answers to the two questions based on a strength weakness opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis. The results of the review and subsequent analysis of the literature revealed the multiplicity and complexity of frequent visitors' characteristics and how they appear to converge. Commonalities were more difficult to identify in PER characteristics. In some cases, this happened because the characteristics were poorly described or were context specific. As a result, it was not easy to compare the studies on PER. Based on SWOT and the findings of the analysis, the paper proposes new venues of research and suggests how the field of mental health might develop by taking into account its opportunities and threats.

  11. 22 CFR Appendix B to Part 62 - Exchange Visitor Program Services, Exchange-Visitor Program Application

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Exchange Visitor Program Services, Exchange-Visitor Program Application B Appendix B to Part 62 Foreign Relations DEPARTMENT OF STATE PUBLIC DIPLOMACY... Media and Communications; 03—Education; 04—Business and Commercial; 05—Banking and Financial; 06...

  12. More items on visitors' menu

    CERN Document Server

    2005-01-01

    Visitors to CERN will now be able to appreciate first-hand the sheer scale of the computing challenge associated with the LHC, during guided visits to the Computing Centre. Two more of CERN's experimental facilities have recently been added to the itineraries offered to the public by the Visits Service. The general public will now be able to see the COMPASS experiment and CERN's Computing Centre. Over the past few years, there has been an increasing demand for visits. Last year, 25 000 visitors came to see sites at CERN. 'Visitors to CERN are impressed by the sheer scale of the experiments, interested to find out how they work and amazed at how they are often located underground,' says Dominique Bertola, Head of the CERN Visits Service. COMPASS is the first fixed-target experiment available for viewing to the general public. The linear structure of the detector makes it an ideal exhibit for the visitors, because it permits them to see the different stages of the experiment and intuitively appreciate how it ...

  13. Visitor Safety and Security in Barbados: Stakeholder Perceptions

    OpenAIRE

    Clifford Griffin

    2010-01-01

    Is information about the nature, location and incidence of crimes against tourists/visitors sufficient to develop meaningful visitor safety and security policy? Are the views of key tourism stakeholder groups useful in informing and enhancing visitor safety and security policy? To answer these questions, this study analyzes 24 years of recorded crime data against visitors to Barbados and survey data of key tourism stakeholder groups and concludes: 1) that information about the nature, locatio...

  14. Characteristics of the Las Vegas/Clark County visitor economy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1988-06-01

    The purpose of this report is to present the results of a review of the Clark County visitor economy and the Clark County visitor. The review, undertaken in support of NWPO's two objectives mentioned above, addressed a number of topics including performance of the Clark County visitor economy as a generator of employment, earnings and tax base; importance of the Clark County visitor economy to the Nevada economy as a whole; elements of the Clark County visitor economy outside the Las Vegas strip and downtown areas; current trends in the Clark County visitor industry; and indirect economic effects of Clark County casino/hotel purchases

  15. 'The End of Sitting' in a public space: observations of spontaneous visitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Renaud, Lidewij R; Huysmans, Maaike A; Speklé, Erwin M; van der Beek, Allard J; van der Ploeg, Hidde P

    2017-12-08

    Sitting too much has been associated with negative health outcomes. 'The End of Sitting' is a newly developed office landscape that moves away from the traditional chair-desk setup. The landscape aims to reduce sitting time by offering a variety of (supported) standing positions. The aim of this study was to determine the usage of the landscape after being placed in the main entrance hall of the VU University in Amsterdam. We observed the number of spontaneous visitors as well as the duration of visits, changes to another location within the landscape, and adopted postures. Using questionnaires reasons (not) to visit the landscape, perceived affordances of the landscape and associations with long-term use were determined. Observed numbers of visitors were relatively low and duration of visits were short, which seemed to indicate visitors were trying out the landscape. The majority of visitors were in an upright position, reflecting the designers' intentions. Visitors indicated that long-term use would be pleasant to them. 'The End of Sitting' landscape received positive reactions but number of visits were limited in the few months that it was placed in the university main entrance hall. The landscape might be better suited for designated working or study spaces, for which it was originally intended. It might also be worth to explore the landscapes suitability for short stay environments, such as waiting rooms.

  16. Survey of Visitors to Bornholm 1996

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hartl, Ann; Rassing, Charlotte

    The overall objective was to provide a comprehensive description of visitors to Bornholm that was in keeping with the standard analysis of destination surveys.......The overall objective was to provide a comprehensive description of visitors to Bornholm that was in keeping with the standard analysis of destination surveys....

  17. Practice nurse and health visitor management of acute minor illness in a general practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pritchard, A; Kendrick, D

    2001-11-01

    To evaluate practice nurse (PN) and health visitor (HV) management of patients with acute minor illnesses, monitor the effect on general practitioner (GP) workload, and describe the range of conditions seen by nurses. Patients requesting 'urgent' appointments (within 24 hours) were offered consultations with a PN or HV trained in the management of acute minor illness. Comparative data were collected before and after the establishment of the acute minor illness service. A general practice in Nottingham, England. Patient satisfaction, consultation rate, prescriptions, investigations, referrals and urgent re-consultations for the same condition within 2 weeks. About 2056 urgent consultations were recorded in the study period, of which 332 (16.1%) were seen by PNs and 46 (2.2%) by a HV. High levels of patient satisfaction were reported for all health professionals. Patients seeing the HV reported higher levels of satisfaction than those consulting GPs (P=0.033) and PNs (P=0.010). There was no difference by health professional for prescription rates (P=0.76), re-consultations (P=0.14), or referrals to secondary care (P=0.07). General practitioners were more likely to initiate further investigations than the PNs or HV (P manage patients with a range of conditions. General practitioner workload can be reduced while maintaining high patient satisfaction levels.

  18. First-time versus repeat visitors at the Kruger National Park

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martinette Kruger

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: The aim of this research is to segment visitors at the Kruger National Park based on the frequency of visitation in order to distinguish between first-time and repeat park visitors. Problem investigated: The Kruger National Park (KNP in South Africa is one of the world’s most renowned wildlife reserves. The KNP is in great demand because it is regarded as anall-inclusive holiday destination that provides tourists with a unique nature and leisure experience. As a result, the park attracts over one million visitors per annum and is one of the top five international tourist destinations in the country. For the KNP to sustain its visitor numbers, park managers should realise that both first-time and repeat visitor groups play a fundamental role in the overall competitiveness and success of the park, and they should strive to achieve a balance between first-time and repeat visitors. Therefore, the park management should know which attributes of the park attract first-time visitors group and which attract repeat visitors. Design and methodology and approach: A research survey was done at various rest camps inthe KNP from 26 December 2010 to 03 January 2011; a total of 436 visitor questionnaires were completed. Two-way frequency tables and chi-square tests as well as analysis of variance and Tukey’s multiple comparisons were used to analyse the data and segment first-time and repeat visitors based on socio-demographics and behavioural characteristics as well as travel motivations. Findings and implications: The results indicated that first-time visitors are long-haul visitors, are younger and pay for fewer people whilst repeat visitors are mainly motivated by escape and plan their trips well in advance. These differences indicate that the KNP should follow a two pronged marketing approach aimed at both visitor markets. This would greatly contribute to the long-term sustainability and competitiveness of the KNP.

  19. A new visitor centre for CMS

    CERN Document Server

    2001-01-01

    At the inauguration of the new CMS visitor centre. The CMS experiment inaugurated a new visitor centre at its Cessy site on 14 June. This will allow the thousands of people who come to CERN each year to follow the construction of one the Laboratory's flagship experiments first-hand. CERN receives over 20,000 visitors each year. Until recently, many of them were taken on a guided tour of one of the LEP experiments. With the closure of LEP, however, trips underground are no longer possible, and the Visits' Service has put in place a number of other itineraries (Bulletin 46/2000). Since the CMS detector will be almost entirely constructed in a surface hall, it is now taking a big share of the limelight. The CMS visitor centre has been built on a platform overlooking CMS construction. It contains a set of clear descriptive posters describing the experiment, along with a video projection showing animations and movies about CMS construction. In the coming weeks, a display of CMS detector elements will be added, as...

  20. A close-up on laboratory visitors

    CERN Multimedia

    2004-01-01

    "Inside the Big Black Box" is a European survey of responses by visitors to five laboratories, including CERN. Its findings will be presented at a two-day meeting to be held at CERN on 29 and 30 March. Can the visits programme of a research laboratory, such as a particle physics laboratory, satisfy the public's curiosity? What are the impressions of visitors to such laboratories? "Inside the Big Black Box" (IN3B), a study sponsored by the European Commission, provides the answers to these previously unanswered questions. The results of this survey, conducted among 4000 visitors to five laboratories (CERN in Switzerland, LNGS in Italy, Demokritos in Greece and DESY and Forschungszentrum Jülich in Germany), will be presented at a meeting hosted by CERN on 29 and 30 March. The detailed programme and a registration form for those wishing to attend can be found at: http://www.cern.ch/info/IN3B. Visitors to the DESY laboratory inside the hall of the TESLA (Tera Electr...

  1. Visualizing, clustering, and predicting the behavior of museum visitors

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Martella, Claudio; Miraglia, Armando; Frost, Jeana; Cattani, Marco; van Steen, Maarten

    2017-01-01

    Fine-arts museums design exhibitions to educate, inform and entertain visitors. Existing work leverages technology to engage, guide and interact with the visitors, neglecting the need of museum staff to understand the response of the visitors. Surveys and expensive observational studies are

  2. Analysis of the CMS visitors feedback Poster

    CERN Multimedia

    Davis, Siona Ruth

    2016-01-01

    CMS welcomed over 5500 visitors underground during the 2013 CERN Open Days and more than 4500 during the Neighbourhood Days of 2014 on the occasion of CERN’s 60th anniversary. During the latter event, visitors gave their feedback on the visit experience by answering three questions: • In one sentence, what will you tell your friends about what you saw today? • What fact or story that you heard today impressed you the most? • Describe the CMS detector in three words. This poster will show the analysis of the answers given by visitors.

  3. Analysis of the CMS visitors feedback Poster

    CERN Multimedia

    Davis, Siona Ruth

    CMS welcomed over 5500 visitors underground during the 2013 CERN Open Days and more than 4500 during the Neighbourhood Days of 2014 on the occasion of CERN’s 60th anniversary. During the latter event, visitors gave their feedback on the visit experience by answering three questions: • In one sentence, what will you tell your friends about what you saw today? • What fact or story that you heard today impressed you the most? • Describe the CMS detector in three words. This poster will show the analysis of the answers given by visitors.

  4. Visitor attitudes towards fire and wind disturbances in wilderness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robert G. Dvorak; Erin D. Small

    2011-01-01

    This study examines visitor attitudes across the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness regarding the effects of natural disturbances on visitor planning and wilderness conditions. Visitors were intercepted at entry points and permit distribution locations during 2007. Results suggest that respondents were aware of recent wind and fire disturbances. Few respondents...

  5. Perceived Authenticity of the Visitor Experience in Museums

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hede, Anne-Marie; Garma, Romana; Josiassen, Alexander

    2014-01-01

    of perceived authenticity, resonating with Bal's (1996) research in this area. Findings also confirm that consumer scepticism and expectations are antecedents to perceived authenticity of the visitor experience in museums, and that perceived authenticity in turn affects visitor satisfaction and perceived...... corporate hypocrisy. Practical implications -This research provides a framework for museums to manage visitors' perceptions of authenticity, and to plan and design exhibits accordingly. Originality/value - Our research, set in the museum context, articulates the basis of perceived authenticity, its....... To investigate authenticity in a model with two antecedents and two outcomes, an additional data set was collected. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modelling. Findings -The results show that perceived authenticity of the museum, the visitor and the materials in the museum are dimensions...

  6. Examining the social construction of surveillance: A critical issue for health visitors and public health nurses working with mothers and children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peckover, Sue; Aston, Megan

    2018-01-01

    To critically examine surveillance practices of health visitors (HV) in the UK and public health nurses (PHNs) in Canada. The practice and meaning of surveillance shifts and changes depending on the context and intent of relationships between mothers and HVs or PHNs. We present the context and practice of HVs in the UK and PHNs in Canada and provide a comprehensive literature review regarding surveillance of mothers within public health systems. We then present our critique of the meaning and practice of surveillance across different settings. Concepts from Foucault and discourse analysis are used to critically examine and discuss the meaning of surveillance. Surveillance is a complex concept that shifts meaning and is socially and institutionally constructed through relations of power. Healthcare providers need to understand the different meanings and practices associated with surveillance to effectively inform practice. Healthcare providers should be aware of how their positions of expert and privilege within healthcare systems affect relationships with mothers. A more comprehensive understanding of personal, social and institutional aspects of surveillance will provide opportunities to reflect upon and change practices that are supportive of mothers and their families. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Visitor satisfaction of international cultural events in Belgrade

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zečević Bojan

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available In modern tourism, events are of great importance. The increase in the number of events on a global scale has influenced the growth of competitive pressure and the need for a marketing approach in managing event development. Consumer satisfaction (service user is one of the basic elements in managing tourism development generally seen, and thus it is also important to manage and measure the satisfaction of event visitors. The satisfaction of event visitors is important bearing in mind its influence onto passing over positive experience, re-visits and tourism affirmation in areas where the event takes place. The paper analyzes the visitor satisfaction of three most important cultural events in Belgrade-BITEF, Jazz Festival and Belgrade book fair. The focus of the analysis is on visitor satisfaction which is the result of event participation, the contents which the event offers, as well as the following tourism contents of Belgrade, as a tourism destination. The analysis has been conducted based on an empirical research in which 450 participants, event visitors, took part in.

  8. Impacts of visitor number on Kangaroos housed in free-range exhibits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sherwen, Sally L; Hemsworth, Paul H; Butler, Kym L; Fanson, Kerry V; Magrath, Michael J L

    2015-01-01

    Free range exhibits are becoming increasingly popular in zoos as a means to enhance interaction between visitors and animals. However very little research exists on the impacts of visitors on animal behaviour and stress in free range exhibits. We investigated the effects of visitor number on the behaviour and stress physiology of Kangaroo Island (KI) Kangaroos, Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus, and Red Kangaroos, Macropus rufus, housed in two free range exhibits in Australian zoos. Behavioural observations were conducted on individual kangaroos at each site using instantaneous scan sampling to record activity (e.g., vigilance, foraging, resting) and distance from the visitor pathway. Individually identifiable faecal samples were collected at the end of each study day and analysed for faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) concentration. When visitor number increased, both KI Kangaroos and Red Kangaroos increased the time spent engaged in visitor-directed vigilance and KI Kangaroos also increased the time spent engaged in locomotion and decreased the time spent resting. There was no effect of visitor number on the distance kangaroos positioned themselves from the visitor pathway or FGM concentration in either species. While there are limitations in interpreting these results in terms of fear of visitors, there was no evidence of adverse effects animal welfare in these study groups based on avoidance behaviour or stress physiology under the range of visitor numbers that we studied. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Information seeking behaviour of online museum visitors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skov, Mette

    visitors pursuing a long-standing interest or hobby. The second part of the talk will present preliminary findings from a study of user motivation in the context of Europeana.eu. The talk will invite to reflections and a discussion of how we can explore and evaluate motivation of virtual museum visitors....

  10. Spatial strategies for managing visitor impacts in National Parks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leung, Y.-F.; Marion, J.L.

    1999-01-01

    Resource and social impacts caused by recreationists and tourists have become a management concern in national parks and equivalent protected areas. The need to contain visitor impacts within acceptable limits has prompted park and protected area managers to implement a wide variety of strategies and actions, many of which are spatial in nature. This paper classifies and illustrates the basic spatial strategies for managing visitor impacts in parks and protected areas. A typology of four spatial strategies was proposed based on the recreation and park management literature. Spatial segregation is a common strategy for shielding sensitive resources from visitor impacts or for separating potentially conflicting types of use. Two forms of spatial segregation are zoning and closure. A spatial containment strategy is intended to minimize the aggregate extent of visitor impacts by confining use to limited designated or established Iocations. In contrast, a spatial dispersal strategy seeks to spread visitor use, reducing the frequency of use to levels that avoid or minimize permanent resource impacts or visitor crowding and conflict. Finally, a spatial configuration strategy minimizes impacting visitor behavior though the judicious spatial arrangement of facilities. These four spatial strategics can be implemented separately or in combination at varying spatial scales within a single park. A survey of national park managers provides an empirical example of the diversity of implemented spatial strategies in managing visitor impacts. Spatial segregation is frequently applied in the form of camping restrictions or closures to protect sensitive natural or cultural resources and to separate incompatible visitor activities. Spatial containment is the most widely applied strategy for minimizing the areal extent of resource impacts. Spatial dispersal is commonly applied to reduce visitor crowding or conflicts in popular destination areas but is less frequently applied or

  11. Designing museum exhibits that facilitate visitor reflection and discussion

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skydsgaard, Morten Arnika; Andersen, Hanne Møller; King, Heather

    2016-01-01

    This paper explores how four design principles (curiosity, challenge, narratives and participation) facilitate reflection and discussion among young visitors in the issues-based exhibition Dear, Difficult Body. The investigation is based on a mixed-method approach combining questionnaire and inte......This paper explores how four design principles (curiosity, challenge, narratives and participation) facilitate reflection and discussion among young visitors in the issues-based exhibition Dear, Difficult Body. The investigation is based on a mixed-method approach combining questionnaire...... and interview data. The implementation of design principles resulted in a variety of exhibits which variously prompted reflection and discussion on the part of visitors. Exhibits with narratives, for example, here defined as both personal and expert narratives, were found to be effective in facilitating...... personal reflection but also prompted discussion. Participation, defined as including both physical interaction with exhibits, and dialogic interaction between visitors, facilitated the sharing of ideas and feelings between visitors. Exhibits with elements of curiosity and challenge were found to attract...

  12. Survey of Visitors to Bornholm 2001

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hartl, Ann; Rassing, Charlotte

    In July 1995 the Research Centre of Bornholm (now: Centre for Regional and Tourism Research) began conducting a survey among visitors to Bornholm. The survey is being conducted in order to assess the nature of tourism demand in peripheral areas, using Bornholm as a case example for the purposes...... of fieldwork. During the first year people arriving and departing by ferry and plane were interviewed. Since July 1996 only people departing by ferry have been interviewed. The overall objective is to provide a comprehensive description of visitors to Bornholm that was in keeping with the standard analysis...... of destination surveys. Because the survey has been conducted for six and a half year (since July 1995) the data can also disclose trends in visitor patterns. The passenger survey carried out by the Centre for Regional and Tourism Research is, to our knowledge, the largest of its kind carried out in Denmark....

  13. Survey of Visitors to Bornholm 2002

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hartl, Ann

    In July 1995 the Research Centre of Bornholm (now: Centre for Regional and Tourism Research) began conducting a survey among visitors to Bornholm. The survey was conducted in order to assess the nature of tourism demand in peripheral areas, using Bornholm as a case example for the purposes...... of fieldwork. During the first year people arriving and departing by ferry and plane were interviewed. From July 1996 only people departing by ferry were interviewed. The overall objective is to provide a comprehensive description of visitors to Bornholm that was in keeping with the standard analysis...... of destination surveys. Because the survey has been conducted for seven and a half year altogether, the data can also disclose trends in visitor patterns. The passenger survey carried out by the Centre for Regional and Tourism Research is, to our knowledge, the largest of its kind carried out in Denmark....

  14. Evaluation of visitor profiles and motivations at Ankara museums

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eda Gürel

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Museums all over the world appear to be targeting their visitors for resources, thanks to diminishing state support. The purpose of this study is to recognize the profiles and motivations of visitors to museums in Ankara, in order to provide for the development of strategies that will help translate these visits to regular active participation. The results of the study conducted at Ankara’s five principal museums show that these museums play a significant part in education for the visitors. Certain internal and external factors – such as advertising and promotion – are essential to boost museum visits. Study results call attention to external factors in particular, as driving forces for recurrent museum visitors.

  15. User-Generated Geographic Information for Visitor Monitoring in a National Park: A Comparison of Social Media Data and Visitor Survey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vuokko Heikinheimo

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Protected area management and marketing require real-time information on visitors’ behavior and preferences. Thus far, visitor information has been collected mostly with repeated visitor surveys. A wealth of content-rich geographic data is produced by users of different social media platforms. These data could potentially provide continuous information about people’s activities and interactions with the environment at different spatial and temporal scales. In this paper, we compare social media data with traditional survey data in order to map people’s activities and preferences using the most popular national park in Finland, Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park, as a case study. We compare systematically collected survey data and the content of geotagged social media data and analyze: (i where do people go within the park; (ii what are their activities; (iii when do people visit the park and if there are temporal patterns in their activities; (iv who the visitors are; (v why people visit the national park; and (vi what complementary information from social media can provide in addition to the results from traditional surveys. The comparison of survey and social media data demonstrated that geotagged social media content provides relevant information about visitors’ use of the national park. As social media platforms are a dynamic source of data, they could complement and enrich traditional forms of visitor monitoring by providing more insight on emerging activities, temporal patterns of shared content, and mobility patterns of visitors. Potentially, geotagged social media data could also provide an overview of the spatio-temporal activity patterns in other areas where systematic visitor monitoring is not taking place.

  16. First-time versus repeat visitors at a national arts festival

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This method of segmentation has proved to be successful and is used .... aimed at potential tourists (visitors) to maximise their marketing return on investment ... satisfaction; (3) repeat visitors are the type of tourists most likely to revisit a festival, ...... visitor relationships', Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing, 2(2/3): 3–20.

  17. Visitors' perceptions of tourism development in West Virginia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jinyang Deng; Maureen Young Bender

    2008-01-01

    Previous studies indicate that tourists' destination choices are increasingly influenced by perceptions of sustainability but research into tourists' insights and sensitivities about sustainability is lacking. This study examines how visitors to West Virginia perceive tourism development in the state. Findings indicate that visitors' perceptions are...

  18. Reducing visitor noise levels at Muir Woods National Monument using experimental management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stack, David W; Peter, Newman; Manning, Robert E; Fristrup, Kurt M

    2011-03-01

    Noise impacts resources and visitor experience in many protected natural areas, and visitors can be the dominant source of noise. This experimental study tested the efficacy and acceptability of signs asking visitors to be quiet at Muir Woods National Monument, California. Signs declaring a "quiet zone" (at the park's Cathedral Grove) or a "quiet day" (throughout the park) were posted on a randomized schedule that included control days (no signs). Visitor surveys were conducted to measure the cognitive and behavioral responses of visitors to the signs and test the acceptability of these management practices to visitors. Visitors were highly supportive of these management practices and reported that they consciously limited the amount of noise they produced. Sound level measurements showed substantial decreases on days when signs were posted. © 2011 Acoustical Society of America

  19. Analyzing traffic source impact on returning visitors ratio in information provider website

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prasetio, A.; Sari, P. K.; Sharif, O. O.; Sofyan, E.

    2016-04-01

    Web site performance, especially returning visitor is an important metric for an information provider web site. Since high returning visitor is a good indication of a web site’s visitor loyalty, it is important to find a way to improve this metric. This research investigated if there is any difference on returning visitor metric among three web traffic sources namely direct, referral and search. Monthly returning visitor and total visitor from each source is retrieved from Google Analytics tools and then calculated to measure returning visitor ratio. The period of data observation is from July 2012 to June 2015 resulting in a total of 108 samples. These data then analysed using One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to address our research question. The results showed that different traffic source has significantly different returning visitor ratio especially between referral traffic source and the other two traffic sources. On the other hand, this research did not find any significant difference between returning visitor ratio from direct and search traffic sources. The owner of the web site can focus to multiply referral links from other relevant sites.

  20. Health risks and travel preparation among foreign visitors and expatriates during the 2008 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jentes, Emily S; Davis, Xiaohong M; Macdonald, Susan; Snyman, P Johann; Nelson, Hugh; Quarry, Doug; Lai, Irene; van Vliet, Erik W N; Balaban, Victor; Marano, Cinzia; Mues, Katherine; Kozarsky, Phyllis; Marano, Nina

    2010-03-01

    During the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games, we conducted surveillance of illnesses among travelers at six Beijing clinics. Surveys asked about demographic, pre-travel, and vaccination information, and physician-provided diagnoses. Of 807 respondents, 38% and 57% were classified as foreign visitors (FV) and expatriates, respectively. Less than one-half of FV sought pre-travel advice; sources included health-care providers and friends/family. FV vaccination rate was also low; however, most vaccines given were recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The most common FV diagnoses were respiratory, injury/musculoskeletal, and gastrointestinal illnesses; for expatriates, injury/musculoskeletal, respiratory, and dermatologic were the most common illnesses. Respiratory illnesses in expatriates were significantly less in 2008 than during 2004-2007 (chi(2) = 10.2; P = 0.0014), suggesting that control programs may have reduced pollutants/respiratory irritants during the 2008 Games. We found no previous studies of health outcomes among expatriates living in cities with mass travel events. These findings highlight the need to continuously disseminate information to health-care providers advising travelers.

  1. An evaluation of hand hygiene in an intensive care unit: Are visitors a potential vector for pathogens?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Birnbach, David J; Rosen, Lisa F; Fitzpatrick, Maureen; Arheart, Kristopher L; Munoz-Price, L Silvia

    2015-01-01

    Patients in an intensive care unit (ICU) are frequently immunocompromised and might be highly susceptible to infection. Visitors to an ICU who do not adequately clean their hands could carry pathogenic organisms, resulting in risk to a vulnerable patient population. This observational study identifies pathogens carried on the hands of visitors into an ICU and investigates the effect of hand hygiene. Two observers, one stationed outside and one inside the ICU, evaluated whether visitors performed hand hygiene at any of the wall-mounted alcohol-based hand sanitizer dispensers prior to reaching a patient's room. Upon reaching a patient's room, the dominant hand of all of the participants was cultured. Of the 55 participating visitors, 35 did not disinfect their hands. Among the cultures of those who failed to perform hand hygiene, eight cultures grew Gram-negative rods and one grew methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Of the cultures of the 20 individuals who performed hand hygiene, 14 (70%) had no growth on the cultures, and the remaining six (30%) showed only the usual skin flora. The visitors who do not perform hand hygiene might carry pathogens that pose a risk to ICU patients. Copyright © 2015 King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Presentation of TVO's visitor's centre

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aemmaelae, V.M.

    1993-01-01

    There are four nuclear power plant units in Finland, two of which are PWR's owned by Imatran Voima Oy. The two BWR units are located at Olkiluoto and owned by Teollisuuden Voima Oy. This presentation tells about TVO's concept of informing the visitors at Olkiluoto. At the site there are located, in addition to the two nuclear power plant units, the intermediate storage for spent fuel, the repository for low and medium-active waste as well as the training centre. At the Olkiluoto Visitor's Centre all the activities of the company are presented using varied audio-visual aids. The centre has several exhibits and there are also different installations to show how the plant works. (author)

  3. Visitors' Motivation and Willingness to Pay for Conservation in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    PROF HORSFALL

    2018-04-20

    Apr 20, 2018 ... Relationship exists between the visitors' motivation (r = 0.23, p = 0.00) and their level of satisfaction. ... decisions which are reflected in travel behaviour. Visitors' travel ..... family holiday purchase decision-making process” ...

  4. Weather and Tourism: Thermal Comfort and Zoological Park Visitor Attendance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David R. Perkins

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Weather events have the potential to greatly impact business operations and profitability, especially in outdoor-oriented economic sectors such as Tourism, Recreation, and Leisure (TRL. Although a substantive body of work focuses on the macroscale impacts of climate change, less is known about how daily weather events influence attendance decisions, particularly relating to the physiological thermal comfort levels of each visitor. To address this imbalance, this paper focuses on ambient thermal environments and visitor behavior at the Phoenix and Atlanta zoos. Daily visitor attendances at each zoo from September 2001 to June 2011, were paired with the Physiologically Equivalent Temperature (PET to help measure the thermal conditions most likely experienced by zoo visitors. PET was calculated using hourly atmospheric variables of temperature, humidity, wind speed, and cloud cover from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at each zoological park location and then classified based on thermal comfort categories established by the American Society of Heating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE. The major findings suggested that in both Phoenix and Atlanta, optimal thermal regimes for peak attendance occurred within “slightly warm” and “warm” PET-based thermal categories. Additionally, visitors seemed to be averse to the most commonly occurring thermal extreme since visitors appeared to avoid the zoo on excessively hot days in Phoenix and excessively cold days in Atlanta. Finally, changes in the daily weather impacted visitor attendance as both zoos experienced peak attendance on days with dynamic changes in the thermal regimes and depressed attendances on days with stagnant thermal regimes. Building a better understanding of how weather events impact visitor demand can help improve our assessments of the potential impacts future climate change may have on tourism.

  5. ATLAS Visitors Centre

    CERN Multimedia

    claudia Marcelloni

    2009-01-01

    ATLAS Visitors Centre has opened its shiny new doors to the public. Officially launched on Monday February 23rd, 2009, the permanent exhibition at Point 1 was conceived as a tour resource for ATLAS guides, and as a way to preserve the public’s opportunity to get a close-up look at the experiment in action when the cavern is sealed.

  6. Elements of museum mobile augmented reality for engaging hearing impaired visitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baker, Esraa Jaffar; Bakar, Juliana Aida Abu; Zulkifli, Abdul Nasir

    2017-10-01

    Nowadays, designers are more concern with the issue of engagement and informal learning at museum and gallery sites. This has made studies to focus more on the use of Mobile Augmented Reality (MAR) at museum and gallery sites. However, most of the MAR applications for museum visitors are largely tailored to normal hearing visitors while the hearing-impaired (HI) visitors are not supported. The hearing impaired (HI) community account for over 5% of the world's populace which is about 360 million people. Thus, this paper explores the design elements of mobile augmented reality for engaging hearing impaired visitors at the museum site. The findings of this paper argues that there are eleven major elements of engagement of MAR needed for the design of an efficient museum MAR app for hearing impaired visitors. These eleven elements include Aesthetics, Curiosity, Usability, Interaction, Motivation, Satisfaction, Self-Efficacy, Perceived Control, Enjoyment, Focused Attention and Interest. This study pointed out that for an efficient and engaged MAR app for the HI community especially HI visitors to museum sites, these eleven elements are critical. This finding will help MAR designers and developers on how to design an efficient and engaged MAR app for the HI community at large and museum HI visitors specifically.

  7. Visitor centres at nuclear facility sites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1993-01-01

    Communications strategies in the nuclear field are often based on the creation of visitor centres at nuclear facility sites. Today, the design, as well as the realization and management of such centres has become a specialized function, and its role is very complementary to the nuclear operator's. It also uses the latest technology in the field of audio-visual, experiment and interactivity. This publication contains the proceedings of an international seminar organized by the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency on the role of visitor centres at nuclear facility sites. It includes the main papers presented at this Seminar

  8. 75 FR 2153 - National Fire Academy Board of Visitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-14

    ...] National Fire Academy Board of Visitors AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Committee Management; Notice of Open Teleconference Federal Advisory Committee Meeting. SUMMARY: The National Fire Academy Board of Visitors will meet by teleconference on February 2, 2010. DATES: The teleconference will...

  9. 75 FR 44276 - National Fire Academy Board of Visitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-28

    ...] National Fire Academy Board of Visitors AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Notice of cancellation of meeting. SUMMARY: The National Fire Academy Board of Visitors public teleconference [email protected] . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) published a Notice...

  10. 76 FR 10498 - Exchange Visitor Program-Fees and Charges

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-02-25

    ...--Fees and Charges AGENCY: Department of State. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: The Department of State is amending its regulations regarding fees and charges for Exchange Visitor Program services. The fees permit the Department to recoup the cost of providing such Exchange Visitor Program services. DATES...

  11. 77 FR 9633 - Air University Board of Visitors Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-02-17

    ... to academic affairs; research; future learning and technology; and institutional advancement during... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Air Force Air University Board of Visitors Meeting ACTION: Notice of meeting of the Air University Board of Visitors. SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the Federal...

  12. 76 FR 62787 - Air University Board of Visitors Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-10-11

    ... relating to academic affairs; research; future learning and technology; and institutional advancement... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Air Force Air University Board of Visitors Meeting ACTION: Notice of Meeting of the Air University Board of Visitors. SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the Federal...

  13. Evaluating Education and Science in the KSC Visitor Complex Exhibits

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erickson, Lance K.

    2000-01-01

    The continuing development of exhibits at the Kennedy Space Center's Visitor Complex is an excellent opportunity for NASA personnel to promote science and provide insight into NASA programs and projects for the approximately 3 million visitors that come to KSC annually. Stated goals for the Visitor Complex, in fact, emphasize science awareness and recommend broadening the appeal of the displays and exhibits for all age groups. To this end, this summer project seeks to evaluate the science content of planned exhibits/displays in relation to these developing opportunities and identify specific areas for enhancement of existing or planned exhibits and displays. To help expand the educational and science content within the developing exhibits at the Visitor Complex, this project was structured to implement the goals of the Visitor Center Director. To accomplish this, the exhibits and displays planned for completion within the year underwent review and evaluation for science content and educational direction. Planning emphasis for the individual displays was directed at combining the elements of effective education with fundamental scientific integrity, within an appealing format.

  14. Service elements influencing the emotions of visitors to an international airport

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L du Plessis

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Emotions constitute a crucial element in understanding a service experience. When a service experience is evaluated by airport visitors, their evaluation is influenced by their emotional reactions. Furthermore, since emotions represent a primary source of human motivation, positive emotions are likely to lead to positive responses, increased satisfaction and favourable behaviour. These introductory statements give rise to the aim of this article, which is to explore those service elements influencing visitors' emotions and, consequently, also their experiences at an international airport. In order to achieve the aim, a questionnaire survey (N=490 was conducted at an international airport in South Africa after which a factor analysis was performed to identify the primary elements of the airport service environment that influence the emotions of visitors. Structural equation modelling was then employed to test the significance of the relationship between the service elements and the emotions of visitors. Five distinct service elements were identified, namely Physical comfort, Amenities, Visitor facilities, Passenger services and Accessibility. These elements further showed significant correlations with the emotions of visitors. This research was the first of its kind conducted at an international airport in South Africa and contributes significantly to management practices regarding specific elements of an international airport environment, i.e. the emotions, experiences and behaviour of international airport visitors.

  15. Serving culturally diverse visitors to forests in California: a resource guide

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nina S. Roberts; Deborah J. Chavez; Benjamin M. Lara; Emilyn A. Sheffield

    2009-01-01

    The national forests of California are experiencing an increase in new visitors yet, in some areas, a continued lack of ethnic diversity persists. In addition, changing demographics has led to a need for keeping up with trends while also being aware of constraints to visitor use. Knowing how to serve culturally diverse visitors in ways that are innovative and inclusive...

  16. Reviewing Automated Sensor-Based Visitor Tracking Studies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mygind, Lærke; Bentsen, Peter

    2017-01-01

    The method of timing and tracking has a long history within visitor studies and exhibition evaluation. With an increase in indoor tracking research, sensor-based positioning tool usage in museums has grown, as have expectations regarding the efficacy of technological sensing systems. This literat......The method of timing and tracking has a long history within visitor studies and exhibition evaluation. With an increase in indoor tracking research, sensor-based positioning tool usage in museums has grown, as have expectations regarding the efficacy of technological sensing systems...... methods in terms of obtained level of detail, accuracy, level of obtrusiveness, automation of data entry, ability to time concurrent behaviors, and amount of observer training needed. Although individual sensor-based and traditional, observational methods had both strengths and weaknesses, all sensor......-based timing and tracking methods provided automated data entry and the opportunity to track a number of visitors simultaneously regardless of the available personnel....

  17. Hospital admissions for traumatic brain injury of Austrian residents vs. of visitors to Austria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mauritz, Walter; Brazinova, Alexandra; Majdan, Marek; Leitgeb, Johannes

    2014-01-01

    The goal was to compare epidemiology of hospital admissions for traumatic brain injury (TBI) in Austrian residents vs. visitors to Austria. Data on all hospital admissions due to TBI (ICD-10 codes S06.0-S06.9; years 2009-2011) was provided by the Austrian Statistical Office. Data on Austrian population and on tourism (visitor numbers, nights spent) was retrieved from www.statistik.at . Age, sex, mechanism of injury, season and mortality was analysed for Austrian residents vs. visitors. Visitors contributed 3.9% to the total population and 9.2% of all TBI cases. Incidence of hospital admissions was 292/100,000/year in Austrian residents and was 727/100,000/year in visitors. Male:female ratio was 1.39:1 in Austrian residents and 1.55:1 in visitors. Austrian cases were older than visitors' cases (mean age 41 vs. 28 years). Austrian cases were distributed evenly over the seasons, while 75% of the visitors' cases happened during winter and spring. The most frequently observed causes of TBI in Austrian residents were private accidents, while sports caused almost half of the visitors' cases. Hospital mortality was lower in visitors than in Austrian residents (0.8 vs. 2.1%). Sports-related TBI of visitors causes a significant workload for Austrian hospitals. Better prevention is warranted.

  18. 76 FR 10341 - Air University Board of Visitors Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-02-24

    ...; research; future learning and technology; and institutional advancement. Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552b, as... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Air Force Air University Board of Visitors Meeting ACTION: Notice of Meeting of the Air University Board of Visitors. SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the Federal...

  19. Visitor spending effects: assessing and showcasing America's investment in national parks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koontz, Lynne; Cullinane Thomas, Catherine; Ziesler, Pamela; Olson, Jeffrey; Meldrum, Bret

    2017-01-01

    This paper provides an overview of the evolution, future, and global applicability of the U.S. National Park Service's (NPS) visitor spending effects framework and discusses the methods used to effectively communicate the economic return on investment in America's national parks. The 417 parks represent many of America's most iconic destinations: in 2016, they received a record 331 million visits. Competing federal budgetary demands necessitate that, in addition to meeting their mission to preserve unimpaired natural and cultural resources for the enjoyment of the people, parks also assess and showcase their contributions to the economic vitality of their regions and the nation. Key approaches explained include the original Money Generation Model (MGM) from 1990, MGM2 used from 2001, and the visitor spending effects model which replaced MGM2 in 2012. Detailed discussion explains the NPS's visitor use statistics system, the formal program for collecting, compiling, and reporting visitor use data. The NPS is now establishing a formal socioeconomic monitoring (SEM) program to provide a standard visitor survey instrument and a long-term, systematic sampling design for in-park visitor surveys. The pilot SEM survey is discussed, along with the need for international standardization of research methods.

  20. Breastfeeding, Infant Formula, and Introduction to Complementary Foods-Comparing Data Obtained by Questionnaires and Health Visitors' Reports to Weekly Short Message Service Text Messages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruun, Signe; Buhl, Susanne; Husby, Steffen; Jacobsen, Lotte Neergaard; Michaelsen, Kim F; Sørensen, Jan; Zachariassen, Gitte

    2017-11-01

    Studies on prevalence and effects of breastfeeding call for reliable and precise data collection to optimize infant nutrition, growth, and health. Data on breastfeeding and infant nutrition are at risk of, for example, recall bias or social desirability bias. The aim of the present analysis was to compare data on infant nutrition, that is, breastfeeding, use of infant formula, and introduction to complementary foods, obtained by four different methods. We assumed that weekly short message service (SMS) questions were the most reliable method, to which the other methods were compared. The study population was part of the Odense Child Cohort. The four methods used were: (a) self-administered questionnaire 3 months postpartum, (b) self-administered questionnaire 18 months postpartum, (c) registrations from health visitors visiting the families several times within the first year of life, and (d) weekly SMS questions introduced shortly after birth. In total, 639 singleton mothers with data from all four methods were included. The proportion of mothers initiating breastfeeding varied from 86% to 97%, the mean duration of exclusive breastfeeding from 12 to 19 weeks, and the mean age when introduced to complementary foods from 19 to 21 weeks. The mean duration of any breastfeeding was 33 weeks across methods. Compared with the weekly SMS questions, the self-administered questionnaires and the health visitors' reports resulted in a greater proportion of mothers with an unknown breastfeeding status, a longer duration of exclusive breastfeeding and later introduction to complementary foods, while the duration of any breastfeeding did not differ.

  1. Exploring visitor acceptability for hardening trails to sustain visitation and minimize impacts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cahill, K.L.; Marion, J.L.; Lawson, S.R.

    2008-01-01

    Protected natural area managers are challenged to provide high quality recreation opportunities and ensure the protection of resources from impacts associated with visitation. Development of visitor use facilities and application of site hardening practices are commonly applied tools for achieving these competing management objectives. This study applies stated choice analysis to examine visitor opinions on acceptability when they are asked to make tradeoffs among competing social, resource and management attributes in backcountry and frontcountry settings of Acadia National Park. This study demonstrates that asking visitors about recreation setting attributes uni-dimensionally, a common approach, can yield less informative responses. Analyses that considered direct tradeoffs revealed more divergent opinions on acceptability for setting attributes than a unidimensional approach. Findings revealed that visitors to an accessible and popular attraction feature supported trail development options to protect resource conditions with unrestricted visitor access. In contrast, visitors to a remote undeveloped island expressed stronger support for no or limited trail development and access restrictions to protect resource conditions.

  2. The Fernald Preserve Visitors Center The Fernald Experience-Revealing, Engaging, and Preserving

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Powell, J.; Griffiths, G.; Walpole, S.; Lutz, M.

    2009-01-01

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Legacy Management's public involvement activities at the Fernald, Ohio, site include continued communication about groundwater remediation, the management of legacy waste, and the future of the Fernald site. The completion of the Fernald Preserve Visitors Center, in August 2008, ensures that information continues to be readily available and effectively communicated to the public. A primary goal of the Visitors Center is to function as an informational and educational center within the surrounding community, with the information available at the Visitors Center serving as an institutional control. By offering information on a variety of topics, from the site's history to its current condition, the Visitors Center increases public awareness and helps prevent unsafe disturbances to and uses of the site. The Office of Legacy Management maintains and operates the Visitors Center, continues to solicit stakeholder opinion, and will periodically reevaluate the use of the Visitors Center and its programming. (authors)

  3. Health visiting and refugee families: issues in professional practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drennan, Vari M; Joseph, Judy

    2005-01-01

    This paper reports on the perceptions of experienced health visitors working with refugee families in Inner London. Women who are refugees and asylum seekers in the United Kingdom are more likely to experience depression than either non-refugee women or male asylum seekers. Health visitors provide a universal public health service to all women on the birth of a child, or with children aged under five, and as such are well placed to identify emotional and mental health problems of women who are refugees. Despite successive waves of refugees to the United Kingdom in the 20th century, there are no empirical studies of health visiting practice with this vulnerable group. There is also no body of evidence to inform the practice of health visitors new to working with asylum seekers and refugees. An exploratory study was undertaken in Inner London in 2001. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 13 health visitors experienced in working with women and families who are refugees. A range of structural challenges was identified that mediated against the development of a health-promoting relationship between health visitors and refugee women. With refugee families, who were living in temporary accommodation, health visitors were prioritizing basic needs that had to be addressed: in addition, they prioritized the needs of children before those of women. Health visitors were aware of the emotional needs of women and had strategies for addressing these with women in more settled circumstances. Health visitors considered themselves ill-prepared to deal with the complexities of working with women in these situations. This study identifies issues for further exploration, not least from the perspective of refugee women receiving health visiting services. Health visitors in countries receiving refugee women are framing their work with these women in ways that reflect Maslow's theory of a hierarchy of needs. This study suggests ways that public health

  4. The Impact of Hospital Visiting Hour Policies on Pediatric and Adult Patients and their Visitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Lisa; Medves, Jennifer; Harrison, Margaret B; Tranmer, Joan; Waytuck, Brett

    Policies concerning restricted or open visiting hours are being challenged in health care institutions internationally, with no apparent consensus on the appropriateness of the visiting hour policies for pediatric and adult patients. The rules that govern practice are often based on the institutional precedent and assumptions of staff, and may have little or no evidence to support them. Policy and practice related to visiting hours is of pressing concern in Canada, and in Ontario specifically, following the reaction to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003 and subsequent changes in visiting policies in most health care settings. A systematic investigation of the impact of hospital visiting hours on visitors (including patients, families, and significant others) would inform decision-makers who are responsible for hospital policies about the best available evidence. The objective of this review was to appraise and synthesize the best available evidence on the impact of hospital visiting hours on patients and their visitors. Types of participants This review considered studies that included both pediatric and adult hospital patients and their visitors. Participants were either patients, visitors, or health care providers in the following hospital settings: medical/surgical units, critical care (ICU, CCU, NICU), pediatrics, maternity, or general hospital wards.Articles were excluded if participants came from the following settings: post-operative and post-anaesthesia care units (PACU), dementia wards, long-term care settings or retirement homes, or delivery rooms. PACUs were excluded because there are aspects of the presence of visitors to these units that are very specific, and differ from the general visits to patients who are not in the immediate post-operative stage. Dementia wards, long-term care settings and retirement homes were excluded because these were considered to be their "home", so visiting would be quite different from that on

  5. A Recreational Visitor Travel Simulation Model as an Aid to Management Planning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lucas, Robert C.; Shechter, Mordechai

    1977-01-01

    The article describes the use of a simulation for outdoor recreation management which is applicable for any type of dispersed recreation area where visitor flows are of concern, where there are capacity constraints, where visitor encounters are significant, and where it is desired to allow visitors substantial freedom to move about flexibly. (MJB)

  6. A visitor motivational typology at Mapungubwe National Park and World Heritage Site

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Uwe P. Hermann

    2016-05-01

    Research purpose: This study aimed to develop a general visitor profile and to describe the motivational factors for visiting the park in order to support the development of tourism at MNP. Motivation of the study: A tourism management plan is required for the park; however, any planning associated planning requires an assessment of tourist behaviour and needs. Research design, approach and method: An online questionnaire was distributed to a database of visitors to MNP during March−April 2013. A total of 486 responses were received. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics through frequencies and means. Motivator constructs were analysed through a factor analysis. Main findings: The study both confirmed and contradicted previous findings from other national parks in terms of visitor profiles and motivations. Most crucially, this study identified a new motivational factor for visiting national parks, which advances the need to manage the heritage aspect of world heritage sites distinctly from national parks. Managerial implications: The results indicated that visitors to MNP were older and better educated compared to visitors at other national parks. These visitors included predominantly first-time visitors. In addition these visitors are mainly motivated by the need for a nature experience, although the park is not a Big 5 reserve, findings also identified heritage and education as a unique motivational factor for this park. Contribution added: The study promotes the requirement of a unique park-specific tourism management strategy for MNP as the market base of this park is demographically distinct. In addition, the park should improve the promotion of its status as a World Heritage asset in relation to its natural attributes in order to attract greater numbers of heritage tourists. Although the park features exceptional natural features, the reserve is not a Big 5 reserve and this may result in dissatisfaction with the major group of visitors seeking a

  7. Does loyalty pay? First-time versus repeat visitors at a national arts ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Both first-time and repeat visitor groups play a fundamental role in the overall well-being and success of a festival, and festival organisers must strive to achieve a balance between first-time and repeat visitors. Festival managers should therefore be aware of the festival attributes that differentiate between the first-time visitor ...

  8. Visitor Management, a Tool for Sustainable Tourism Development in Protected Areas

    OpenAIRE

    Candrea A. N.; Ispas A.

    2009-01-01

    The article analyzes visitor management techniques as a way to develop sustainable tourism in protected areas. Visitor management is an important tool in recreational and protected areas, as increasing use levels can negatively impact the quality of recreational experience as well as natural resources. To meet the requirements of both nature and visitors, a prudent and careful management is necessary. In order to manage protected areas within acceptable ecological and social carrying capacit...

  9. 78 FR 17183 - Information Collection: Grey Towers Visitor Comment Card

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-03-20

    ... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Information Collection: Grey Towers Visitor Comment Card... request: (1) An extension from the Office of Management and Budget; and (2) to merge the currently approved information collection 0596- 0222, ``Grey Towers Visitor Comment Card'' with 0596-0226, ``Forest...

  10. Is Alaska really different? A review of CUSTOMER recreation visitor survey data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patrick C. Reed

    1995-01-01

    Many believe that Alaska is unique and that its location, resources, and population influence the use patterns and attitudes of its National Forest recreation visitors so that they seem notably different from visitors to other National Forests outside Alaska. Data from a recreation visitor survey called CUSTOMER were analyzed for the years 1991 to 1993 to identify...

  11. Categorizing "frequent visitors" in the psychiatric emergency room: a semistructured interview study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Buus, Niels

    2011-01-01

    Nurses can become demoralized and hostile toward frequent visitors in psychiatric emergency rooms because of the number of visits. The aim of this study was to develop more knowledge about the ways in which nurses categorize frequent visitors. Eleven nurses were interviewed, and their categorizing...... practices were examined from a social constructionist perspective. The results showed that the nurses did not categorize frequent visitors as particularly unlikeable or difficult to treat. Like other visitors, they could be categorized as difficult if they obstructed a smooth flow of successful referrals...... through the emergency room and/or there was poor rapport with the nurses....

  12. Improving customer generation by analysing website visitor behaviour

    OpenAIRE

    Ramlall, Shalini

    2011-01-01

    This dissertation describes the creation of a new integrated Information Technology (IT) system that assisted in the collection of data about the behaviour of website visitors as well as sales and marketing data for those visitors who turned into customers. A key contribution to knowledge was the creation of a method to predict the outcome of visits to a website from visitors’ browsing behaviour. A new Online Tracking Module (OTM) was created that monitored visitors’ behaviour while they brow...

  13. The Stochastic Dynamics for Ecological Tourism System with Visitor Educational Intervention

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dongping Wei

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The ever-increasing visitation in parks and protected areas continues to present a considerable challenge for worldwide land managers with allowing recreational use while preserving natural conditions. In China, the fast expanding visitation in protected areas is quickly damaging the natural resources and precious culture without effective visitor education, while regulation and site management are also gaining very limited efficacy. We propose a differential equation to describe the ecological tourism system. Shown by the theoretical proof and numerical simulation, the ecological tourism system is unstable without any perturbed factors, especially visitor educational intervention, because the solution of the dynamic system explodes in a finite time given any initial value. Supposing that the intrinsic increasing rate of stakeholders in the systems stochastically perturbed by the visitor educational intervention, we discover that the stochastic dynamic model can effectively suppress the explosion of the solution. As such, we demonstrate that the tourism system can develop steadily and safely even under a large amount of visitors in public vacation, when employing continuous visitor education intervention programmes.

  14. NHS patients, staff, and visitor viewpoints of smoking within a hospitals’ ground: a qualitative analysis

    OpenAIRE

    Serafin, Alina; Franklin, Sarah; Mehta, Rashesh; Crosby, Scott; Lee, Diane; Edlin, Becky; Bewick, Bridgette M

    2014-01-01

    Background Smoking is a public health concern and an avoidable cause of morbidity and mortality. Widening tobacco control policies might help shift social norms, the acceptability of exposing others to second-hand smoke, and cultural attitudes towards smoking. This study explored patient, staff, and visitor viewpoints of smoking within the grounds of a National Health Service hospital. Methods Analysis of free text responses given as part of a larger repeat cross sectional questionnaire study...

  15. Rokkasho visitors center and the status of its activities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sato, T.; Mochizuki, H.

    1993-01-01

    The Rokkasho Visitors Center was built as a base for furthering the understanding of a large number of people, mainly Aomori Prefecture residents, of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Project. The Center plays a key role in transmitting various information concerning the nuclear fuel cycle. The Visitors Center introduces in a simple manner the role and system of the nuclear fuel cycle by featuring various exhibits using electronics, graphic presentations and actual-size models. It also serves as a forum for communication with local communities and corporations. The Center has already attracted roughly 140 000 visitors in the year since its opening. Thus, it is fulfilling the objectives set in the beginning and giving shape to one form of nuclear energy public relations. (author)

  16. Visitor evaluations of management actions at a highly impacted Appalachian Trail camping area.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daniels, Melissa L; Marion, Jeffrey L

    2006-12-01

    Protected area management involves balancing environmental and social objectives. This is particularly difficult at high-use/high-impact recreation sites, because resource protection objectives may require substantial site management or visitor regulation. This study examined visitors' reactions to both of these types of actions at Annapolis Rocks, Maryland, a popular Appalachian Trail camping area. We surveyed visitors before and after implementation of camping policies that included shifting camping to designated newly constructed campsites and prohibiting campfires. Survey results reveal that visitors were more satisfied with all social and environmental indicators after the changes were enacted. An Importance-Performance analysis also determined that management actions improved conditions for factors of greatest concern to campers prior to the changes. Posttreatment visitors were least satisfied with factors related to reduced freedom and to some characteristics of the constructed campsites. Although there was evidence of visitor displacement, the camping changes met management goals by protecting the camping area's natural resources and improving social conditions.

  17. Heuristics Miner for E-Commerce Visitor Access Pattern Representation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kartina Diah Kesuma Wardhani

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available E-commerce click stream data can form a certain pattern that describe visitor behavior while surfing the e-commerce website. This pattern can be used to initiate a design to determine alternative access sequence on the website. This research use heuristic miner algorithm to determine the pattern. σ-Algorithm and Genetic Mining are methods used for pattern recognition with frequent sequence item set approach. Heuristic Miner is an evolved form of those methods. σ-Algorithm assume that an activity in a website, that has been recorded in the data log, is a complete sequence from start to finish, without any tolerance to incomplete data or data with noise. On the other hand, Genetic Mining is a method that tolerate incomplete data or data with noise, so it can generate a more detailed e-commerce visitor access pattern. In this study, the same sequence of events obtained from six-generated patterns. The resulting pattern of visitor access is that visitors are often access the home page and then the product category page or the home page and then the full text search page.

  18. Research needs for a better understanding of wilderness visitor experiences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stephen F. McCool; Chad P. Dawson

    2012-01-01

    What information is needed to facilitate enhanced management of visitor experiences in wilderness? The final session of the workshop comprised a facilitated process with the 20 participants to identify research and information needs to support wilderness visitor experience management. The Wilderness Act and the previous presentations and discussions not only provided a...

  19. Attendance motivations and visitor segments within a university agricultural festival

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carla Barbieri; Yasuharu Katsube; Christine Tew

    2010-01-01

    Festivals attract a variety of visitors driven by a complex set of motivations. The objective of this study was to identify and classify motivations for attending the South Farm Showcase (SFS), a university-based agricultural festival in Missouri. The study further developed a motivation-based segmentation of festival visitors and examined their distinct...

  20. 77 FR 69648 - Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-11-20

    ...] Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Committee Management; Notice of Open Teleconference Federal Advisory Committee Meeting. SUMMARY: The Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy (Board) will meet via teleconference on Wednesday, December...

  1. How Do Zoos "Talk" to Their General Visitors? Do Visitors "Listen"? A Mixed Method Investigation of the Communication between Modern Zoos and Their General Visitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roe, Katie; McConney, Andrew; Mansfield, Caroline F.

    2014-01-01

    Modern zoos utilise a variety of education tools for communicating with visitors. Previous research has discussed the benefits of providing multiple education communications, yet little research provides an indication of what communications are being employed within zoos today. This research is a two-phased, mixed-methods investigation into the…

  2. Enhancing Visitor Experiences Using Thematic Interpretation in Park Guiding Service in Sarawak National Parks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amin Victor Luna

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Enhancing visitor experiences is arguably the primary and most important goal for interpretation by many protected area managers and tourism business. However, little research has been conducted in Sarawak, Malaysia to directly quantify the effects of thematic interpretation has on tourist experiences. Drawing on the TORE-model of interpretation and through the inception of Park Guiding Training and Licensing System in Sarawak since 2007, this quantitative study examines the effectiveness of thematic interpretive guided tours delivered by park guides at Bako National Park, Sarawak, with the assumption that it will further enhance visitor experiences. A descriptive analysis and Pearson's product-moment correlation analysis of sub-indicators of the global evaluation of interpretation of site, and sub-indicators of elaboration surveyed from visitors of purposively sampled park guides revealed a strong measurement and correlation coefficients of visitors’ overall quality of thematic intepretive guided tours effecting visitor satisfaction and experiences. These findings provide empirical evidence that good thematic interpretive guided tour makes a positive impacts on visitor experiences, thus making training of tourism businesses' employees as park guides as a good investment. The suggestions for further research in influencing visitor attitude and shaping visitor behaviour are offered.

  3. Visits to the ATLAS cavern - A record of 20000 visitors in 2006!

    CERN Document Server

    Alessandra Ciocio

    The year 2006 closed with the impressive record of just under 20000 visitors to the ATLAS cavern. These visitors come from all walks of life - people within ATLAS, groups from other CERN divisions, retired CERN staff, school groups both from the local area and from far away, companies looking for something different as a special outing, celebrities (Cirque du Soleil, Black Eyed Peas hip-hop group) passing through Geneva who had read Angels and Demons, a stream of VIP visitors and now, more and more, Press visitors. There have been public visits in the ATLAS cavern since the middle of 2003. At that time a lot of the visitors were guided by Bernard Lebegue and Francois Butin. The total number of visits in 2003 was 2220 people. Not bad for just two guides! Over the following three years demand for visits increased to such an extent that the ATLAS Visits Service was created and is now run very successfully under the supervision of Connie Potter in the ATLAS Secretariat in close collaboration with the ever-helpfu...

  4. 78 FR 72094 - Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-12-02

    ...] Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Committee Management; Notice of Open Federal Advisory Committee Meeting. SUMMARY: The Board of Visitors for... Academy (NFA) and advise the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), through the...

  5. 78 FR 59045 - Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-09-25

    ...] Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Committee Management; Notice of Open Federal Advisory Committee Meeting. SUMMARY: The Board of Visitors for... National Fire Academy (NFA) and advise the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA...

  6. 77 FR 5818 - Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-02-06

    ...] Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Committee management; notice of open federal advisory committee teleconference meeting. SUMMARY: The Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy (Board) will meet by teleconference on February 21, 2012...

  7. 77 FR 41196 - Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-07-12

    ...] Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Committee Management; Notice of Open Federal Advisory Committee Teleconference Meeting. SUMMARY: The Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy (Board) will meet by teleconference on July 26, 2012. The...

  8. 76 FR 36933 - Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-06-23

    ...] Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Committee Management; Notice of Open Teleconference Federal Advisory Committee Meeting. SUMMARY: The Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy (Board) will meet by teleconference on July 12, 2011. The...

  9. Visitor Intake Processing Re-write Management Information

    Data.gov (United States)

    Social Security Administration — The data store houses detail information pertaining to visitors' wait times, visits, calls, and other customer relationship information relating to VIPR and CHIP....

  10. Generalization versus specialization in pollination systems: visitors, thieves, and pollinators of Hypoestes aristata (Acanthaceae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Padyšáková, Eliška; Bartoš, Michael; Tropek, Robert; Janeček, Stěpán

    2013-01-01

    Many recent studies have suggested that the majority of animal-pollinated plants have a higher diversity of pollinators than that expected according to their pollination syndrome. This broad generalization, often based on pollination web data, has been challenged by the fact that some floral visitors recorded in pollination webs are ineffective pollinators. To contribute to this debate, and to obtain a contrast between visitors and pollinators, we studied insect and bird visitors to virgin flowers of Hypoestes aristata in the Bamenda Highlands, Cameroon. We observed the flowers and their visitors for 2-h periods and measured the seed production as a metric of reproductive success. We determined the effects of individual visitors using 2 statistical models, single-visit data that were gathered for more frequent visitor species, and frequency data. This approach enabled us to determine the positive as well as neutral or negative impact of visitors on H. aristata's reproductive success. We found that (i) this plant is not generalized but rather specialized; although we recorded 15 morphotaxa of visitors, only 3 large bee species seemed to be important pollinators; (ii) the carpenter bee Xylocopa cf. inconstans was both the most frequent and the most effective pollinator; (iii) the honey bee Apis mellifera acted as a nectar thief with apparent negative effects on the plant reproduction; and (iv) the close relationship between H. aristata and carpenter bees was in agreement with the large-bee pollination syndrome of this plant. Our results highlight the need for studies detecting the roles of individual visitors. We showed that such an approach is necessary to evaluate the pollination syndrome hypothesis and create relevant evolutionary and ecological hypotheses.

  11. Generalization versus specialization in pollination systems: visitors, thieves, and pollinators of Hypoestes aristata (Acanthaceae.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eliška Padyšáková

    Full Text Available Many recent studies have suggested that the majority of animal-pollinated plants have a higher diversity of pollinators than that expected according to their pollination syndrome. This broad generalization, often based on pollination web data, has been challenged by the fact that some floral visitors recorded in pollination webs are ineffective pollinators. To contribute to this debate, and to obtain a contrast between visitors and pollinators, we studied insect and bird visitors to virgin flowers of Hypoestes aristata in the Bamenda Highlands, Cameroon. We observed the flowers and their visitors for 2-h periods and measured the seed production as a metric of reproductive success. We determined the effects of individual visitors using 2 statistical models, single-visit data that were gathered for more frequent visitor species, and frequency data. This approach enabled us to determine the positive as well as neutral or negative impact of visitors on H. aristata's reproductive success. We found that (i this plant is not generalized but rather specialized; although we recorded 15 morphotaxa of visitors, only 3 large bee species seemed to be important pollinators; (ii the carpenter bee Xylocopa cf. inconstans was both the most frequent and the most effective pollinator; (iii the honey bee Apis mellifera acted as a nectar thief with apparent negative effects on the plant reproduction; and (iv the close relationship between H. aristata and carpenter bees was in agreement with the large-bee pollination syndrome of this plant. Our results highlight the need for studies detecting the roles of individual visitors. We showed that such an approach is necessary to evaluate the pollination syndrome hypothesis and create relevant evolutionary and ecological hypotheses.

  12. NWIS casting measurements taken during demonstrations to Russian visitors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mullens, J.A.; Valentine, T.E.; Mihalczo, J.T.

    1998-01-01

    This report describes a set of NWIS measurements made during demonstrations to Russian visitors on August 28, 1997. These measurements will be given to the Russian visitors from Arzamus-16 as part of their NWIS training (part of a DOE laboratory-to-laboratory exchange program). These measurements are made on standard highly enriched Uranium annular castings (as used for storage). Associated NWIS calibration runs were made in air (no casting, just the NWIS Californium source and detectors)

  13. 76 FR 58028 - Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-09-19

    ...] Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Committee Management; Notice of Open Federal Advisory Committee Meeting. SUMMARY: The Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy (Board) will meet on October 14 and 15, 2011. The meeting will be open to...

  14. Floral visitors of Ananas comosus in Ghana: A preliminary assessment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter Kwapong

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Ananas comosus var comosus (L. Merr. is the third most important tropical fruit in the world production and the leading foreign exchange earner among fresh fruits exported from Ghana. A survey was conducted in pineapple farms in the Central region of Ghana to identify floral visitors and their activities on the flowers. Nectar concentration and energetics and effect of floral visitors on fruit production were determined. Fourteen species of butterflies and one ant species were the main insect floral visitors as well as four species of sunbirds. The mean nectar concentration was 23.3% (± 0.39, SE and pollination limitation did not significantly affect fruit yield (weight: p = 0.285; length: p = 0.056; width: p= 0.268. The study showed that butterflies, ants and sunbirds are the main floral visitors on A. comosus. However their visits did not results in pollination and fruit production was not affected in any way by floral visitation. Still, it was found that A. comosus provides an important nectar resource for its foragers. Even if pollination is not crucial in pineapple cultivation, it is still essential in pineapple breeding programs to promote genetic diversity and conservation.

  15. Spatially characterizing visitor use and its association with informal trails in Yosemite Valley meadows.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walden-Schreiner, Chelsey; Leung, Yu-Fai

    2013-07-01

    Ecological impacts associated with nature-based recreation and tourism can compromise park and protected area goals if left unrestricted. Protected area agencies are increasingly incorporating indicator-based management frameworks into their management plans to address visitor impacts. Development of indicators requires empirical evaluation of indicator measures and examining their ecological and social relevance. This study addresses the development of the informal trail indicator in Yosemite National Park by spatially characterizing visitor use in open landscapes and integrating use patterns with informal trail condition data to examine their spatial association. Informal trail and visitor use data were collected concurrently during July and August of 2011 in three, high-use meadows of Yosemite Valley. Visitor use was clustered at statistically significant levels in all three study meadows. Spatial data integration found no statistically significant differences between use patterns and trail condition class. However, statistically significant differences were found between the distance visitors were observed from informal trails and visitor activity type with active activities occurring closer to trail corridors. Gender was also found to be significant with male visitors observed further from trail corridors. Results highlight the utility of integrated spatial analysis in supporting indicator-based monitoring and informing management of open landscapes. Additional variables for future analysis and methodological improvements are discussed.

  16. Spatially Characterizing Visitor Use and Its Association with Informal Trails in Yosemite Valley Meadows

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walden-Schreiner, Chelsey; Leung, Yu-Fai

    2013-07-01

    Ecological impacts associated with nature-based recreation and tourism can compromise park and protected area goals if left unrestricted. Protected area agencies are increasingly incorporating indicator-based management frameworks into their management plans to address visitor impacts. Development of indicators requires empirical evaluation of indicator measures and examining their ecological and social relevance. This study addresses the development of the informal trail indicator in Yosemite National Park by spatially characterizing visitor use in open landscapes and integrating use patterns with informal trail condition data to examine their spatial association. Informal trail and visitor use data were collected concurrently during July and August of 2011 in three, high-use meadows of Yosemite Valley. Visitor use was clustered at statistically significant levels in all three study meadows. Spatial data integration found no statistically significant differences between use patterns and trail condition class. However, statistically significant differences were found between the distance visitors were observed from informal trails and visitor activity type with active activities occurring closer to trail corridors. Gender was also found to be significant with male visitors observed further from trail corridors. Results highlight the utility of integrated spatial analysis in supporting indicator-based monitoring and informing management of open landscapes. Additional variables for future analysis and methodological improvements are discussed.

  17. While visitors conserve, residents splurge: Patterns and changes in energy consumption, 1997-2007

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nasseri, Iman; Assané, Djeto; Konan, Denise Eby

    2015-01-01

    This study analyzes changes in energy consumption in Hawai‘i between 1997 and 2007 using input-output analysis. Residents increase their energy use by 33% in electricity and 18% in fuel, largely due to direct consumption. In contrast, visitors contract energy demand by 9% and 4% in electricity and fuel, respectively. The findings are robust at per-capita levels. Key drivers are the significant drops in energy intensity of primarily three industries: air transportation, hotels, and restaurants. Further analysis decomposes the change to evaluate the underlying factors. - Highlights: • Residents and visitors exhibit differences in their energy consumption profile. • Increase/decrease in energy consumption for residents/visitors from 1997 to 2007. • Visitor factor for fuel consumption dropped from 3.5 in 1997 to 2.3 in 2007. • Visitor factor for electricity consumption dropped from 2.4 in 1997 to 1.5 in 2007. • Decrease in energy intensity firmly establishes improvement in energy efficiency

  18. Human values and codes of behavior: Changes in Oregon's Eagle Cap Wilderness visitors and their attitudes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alan E. Watson; John C. Hendee; Hans P. Zaglauer

    1996-01-01

    A study of visitors to Oregon's Eagle Cap Wilderness in 1965 offered a baseline against which to evaluate how those who recreate in wilderness have changed their views of wilderness. A study of visitors to that same wilderness area in 1993 provided comparative data. Some characteristics of the visitors changed in ways that would suggest that the values visitors...

  19. The influence of visitor interaction on the behavior of captive crowned lemurs (Eulemur coronatus) and implications for welfare.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, H; McGregor, P K; Farmer, H L A; Baker, K R

    2016-05-01

    Research suggests that zoo visitors can have positive, negative, and neutral impacts on captive primate welfare; however, research investigating the implications of visitor-animal feeding experiences is extremely limited. In the UK, a large proportion of BIAZA zoos that house lemur species offer visitor interaction experiences (16 out of 33). This study investigated the impact on the behavior of a family group of crowned lemurs (Eulemur coronatus) housed at Newquay Zoo, UK of visitors, accompanied by a keeper, entering the enclosure to feed the lemurs. Behavior was observed under four conditions: (i) during visitor feed; (ii) 30 min post-visitor feed; (iii) during a keeper feed; and (iv) 30 min post-keeper feed. Keeper feeds were conducted by keepers only, on the day after visitor feeds. The lemur group spent significantly less time performing aggressive behavior and was also significantly more interactive with keepers during visitor feeds compared with keeper-only feeds. There was no significant difference in behaviors performed immediately after interacting with visitors. Over the study period, there was a tendency for interactions with visitors to increase, and for interactions with keepers during visitor feeds to decrease. After a 28-day interval without visitor interaction, the lemurs' interaction with visitors had returned to the level recorded at the start of the study. In conclusion, visitor interaction did not compromise the welfare of the study subjects in either the short- or long-term, while an increase in visitor interactions over time has interesting implications for the enrichment properties of, or habituation to, unfamiliar humans. Zoo Biol. 35:222-227, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. Visitor Preferences for Visual Changes in Bark Beetle-Impacted Forest Recreation Settings in the United States and Germany

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arnberger, Arne; Ebenberger, Martin; Schneider, Ingrid E.; Cottrell, Stuart; Schlueter, Alexander C.; von Ruschkowski, Eick; Venette, Robert C.; Snyder, Stephanie A.; Gobster, Paul H.

    2018-02-01

    Extensive outbreaks of tree-killing insects are increasing across forests in Europe and North America due to climate change and other factors. Yet, little recent research examines visitor response to visual changes in conifer forest recreation settings resulting from forest insect infestations, how visitors weigh trade-offs between physical and social forest environment factors, or how visitor preferences might differ by nationality. This study explored forest visitor preferences with a discrete choice experiment that photographically simulated conifer forest stands with varying levels of bark beetle outbreaks, forest and visitor management practices, and visitor use levels and compositions. On-site surveys were conducted with visitors to State Forest State Park in Colorado ( n = 200), Lake Bemidji State Park in Minnesota ( n = 228), and Harz National Park in Germany ( n = 208). Results revealed that the condition of the immediate forest surrounding was the most important variable influencing visitors' landscape preferences. Visitors preferred healthy mature forest stands and disliked forests with substantial dead wood. The number of visitors was the most important social factor influencing visitor landscape preferences. Differences in the influence of physical and social factors on visual preferences existed between study sites. Findings suggest that both visual forest conditions and visitor use management are important concerns in addressing landscape preferences for beetle-impacted forest recreation areas.

  1. A case study of communication with Anglo and Hispanic wilderness visitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Julia Dawn Parker; Patricia L. Winter

    1998-01-01

    Educating, interpreting for, and communicating with wilderness visitors is necessary to promote appropriate low-impact wilderness recreation. The Angeles National Forest is located northeast of Los Angeles and is surrounded by a large and ethnically diverse population that provided a potentially ethnically diverse sample ofwilderness visitors for the purpose of this...

  2. Attitude Change When Presenting Science Museum Visitors with Risk-Benefit Information

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phelan, Siëlle; Specht, Inga; Schnotz, Wolfgang; Lewalter, Doris

    2017-01-01

    Visitors to modern science museums are likely to encounter exhibitions presenting conflicting information, such as risks and benefits of new scientific developments. Such exhibitions encourage visitors to reflect upon different sides of a story and to form or adjust their attitudes toward the topic on display. However, there is very little…

  3. 77 FR 57102 - Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-09-17

    ...] Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Committee Management; Notice of Open Federal Advisory Committee Meeting. SUMMARY: The Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy (Board) will meet on October 5 and 6, 2012. The meeting will be open to the...

  4. IMPLEMENTING AN ATTACHMENT-BASED PARENTING INTERVENTION WITHIN HOME-BASED EARLY HEAD START: HOME-VISITORS' PERCEPTIONS AND EXPERIENCES.

    Science.gov (United States)

    West, Allison L; Aparicio, Elizabeth M; Berlin, Lisa J; Jones Harden, Brenda

    2017-07-01

    Implementation of evidence-based interventions in "real-world" settings is enhanced when front-line staff view the intervention as acceptable, appropriate, and feasible. This qualitative study addresses Early Head Start (EHS) home visitors' perceptions and experiences of an evidence-based parenting intervention, the Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up program (M. Dozier, O. Lindhiem, & J. Ackerman, 2005), when added to EHS services as usual within the context of a research-practice partnership. Thematic analysis of in-depth, qualitative interviews indicates that home visitors experienced the intervention as positive and helpful for EHS families. Some challenges included scheduling and uncertainty regarding the goals of the intervention. Concerns over participation in the research centered on information exchange, confidentiality, and time limitations. © 2017 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

  5. Determinants of Visitor Pro-Environmental Intentions on Two Small Greek Islands: Is Ecotourism Possible at Coastal Protected Areas?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kafyri, Andriani; Hovardas, Tasos; Poirazidis, Konstantinos

    2012-07-01

    A relatively under-researched question is whether there is a possibility of influencing environmentally aware tourists regarding ecotourism at destinations that continue to develop under a pattern of mass `seaside' tourism. Our objective was to assess the pro-environmental intentions of visitors at two small Greek islands, which are within a Natura 2000 site, specifically Paxoi and Antipaxoi. Intentions involved willingness to receive information about the protected area, willingness to accept pro-environmental limitations on recreational experience, and willingness-to-pay a conditional environmental conservation value added tax. In addition, we aimed to identify determinants of visitor pro-environmental intentions among visitor and visit characteristics, visitor satisfaction, and self-reported environmental knowledge, as well as anticipated outcomes of tourism development and suggestions for protected area management. We randomly collected 324 usable questionnaires during the summer season; 242 (74.69 %) by Greek visitors and 82 (25.31 %) by foreign visitors. Visitor satisfaction was quite high; however, visitors reported low levels of environmental knowledge. Our findings showed that the unique characteristics of the destination were not salient among visitors and that there is a lack of effective outreach campaigns, interpretation, and on-site environmental education programs. However, our study revealed high levels of visitor pro-environmental intentions that might support the promotion of ecotourism on the two islands. We provide recommendations based on determinants of visitor pro-environmental intentions, which might assist towards advancing visitor participation in environmental education projects, environmentally responsible behavior among visitors, and financial contribution to environmental conservation by visitors.

  6. Determinants of visitor pro-environmental intentions on two small Greek islands: is ecotourism possible at coastal protected areas?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kafyri, Andriani; Hovardas, Tasos; Poirazidis, Konstantinos

    2012-07-01

    A relatively under-researched question is whether there is a possibility of influencing environmentally aware tourists regarding ecotourism at destinations that continue to develop under a pattern of mass 'seaside' tourism. Our objective was to assess the pro-environmental intentions of visitors at two small Greek islands, which are within a Natura 2000 site, specifically Paxoi and Antipaxoi. Intentions involved willingness to receive information about the protected area, willingness to accept pro-environmental limitations on recreational experience, and willingness-to-pay a conditional environmental conservation value added tax. In addition, we aimed to identify determinants of visitor pro-environmental intentions among visitor and visit characteristics, visitor satisfaction, and self-reported environmental knowledge, as well as anticipated outcomes of tourism development and suggestions for protected area management. We randomly collected 324 usable questionnaires during the summer season; 242 (74.69 %) by Greek visitors and 82 (25.31 %) by foreign visitors. Visitor satisfaction was quite high; however, visitors reported low levels of environmental knowledge. Our findings showed that the unique characteristics of the destination were not salient among visitors and that there is a lack of effective outreach campaigns, interpretation, and on-site environmental education programs. However, our study revealed high levels of visitor pro-environmental intentions that might support the promotion of ecotourism on the two islands. We provide recommendations based on determinants of visitor pro-environmental intentions, which might assist towards advancing visitor participation in environmental education projects, environmentally responsible behavior among visitors, and financial contribution to environmental conservation by visitors.

  7. Crowding related norms in outdoor recreation: U.S. versus international visitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Megha Budruk; Robert Manning

    2003-01-01

    Research on crowding-related norms has begun to explore differences across settings, time, activities, and visitor characteristics such as age, economic status, and country of origin. The literature examining visitors' country of origin suggests a mixed pattern. While there is some evidence of differences across country of origin, other studies have not indicated...

  8. The relationship between visitor characteristics and learning-associated behaviors in a science museum discovery space

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lozowski Boisvert, Dorothy; Jochums Slez, Brenda

    As informal educational institutions, science museums must do more than entertain and amaze visitors. Museum educators must design exhibits that attract and hold the attention of visitors long enough so that the visitors become engaged with the exhibits and learn from them. In order for museum educators to develop such exhibits, more information is needed about the variables associated with learning in museums. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on informal education by examining the relationship between visitor characteristics and attraction, holding power, and visitor engagement.One hundred fifty-four visitors to a science museum discovery space were observed as they interacted freely with the exhibits. Trained volunteers recorded the subjects' movements including the exhibits at which they stopped (attraction), the amount of time spent at each exhibit (holding power), and behaviors indicative of subjects' engagement levels with the exhibits. Data indicated significant differences between age group and the holding power of exhibits. Though not significant statistically, a similar trend was noted between age group and attraction and visitor engagement level. No significant differences were found between gender or social grouping and attraction, holding power, or engagement levels.

  9. 78 FR 25289 - Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy Teleconference

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-04-30

    ...] Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy Teleconference AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management... National Fire Academy (Academy) and advise the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.... SUMMARY: The Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy (Board) will meet via teleconference on...

  10. 2014 National Park visitor spending effects: economic contributions to local communities, states, and the nation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cullinane Thomas, Catherine; Huber, Christopher; Koontz, Lynne

    2015-01-01

    The National Park System covers more than 84 million acres and is comprised of more than 401 sites across the Nation. These lands managed by the National Park Service (NPS) serve as recreational destinations for visitors from across the Nation and around the world. On vacations or on day trips, NPS visitors spend time and money in the gateway communities surrounding NPS sites. Spending by NPS visitors generates and supports a considerable amount of economic activity within park gateway economies. The NPS has been measuring and reporting visitor spending and economic effects for the past 25 years. The 2012 analysis marked a major revision to the NPS visitor spending effects analyses, with the development of the Visitor Spending Effects model (VSE model) which replaced the previous Money Generation Model (see Cullinane Thomas et al. (2014) for a description of how the VSE model differs from the previous model). This report provides updated VSE estimates associated with 2014 NPS visitation.

  11. Using crowd-sourced photos to assess seasonal patterns of visitor use in mountain-protected areas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walden-Schreiner, Chelsey; Rossi, Sebastian Dario; Barros, Agustina; Pickering, Catherine; Leung, Yu-Fai

    2018-02-12

    Managing protected areas effectively requires information about patterns of visitor use, but these data are often limited. We explore how geotagged photos on Flickr, a popular photo-sharing social-media site, can generate hotspot maps and distribution models of temporal and spatial patterns of use in two mountain-protected areas of high conservation value. In Aconcagua Provincial Park (Argentina), two routes to the summit of Aconcagua were used in summer, but most visitors stayed close to the main road, using formal and informal walking trails and the Visitor Centre, while in winter, there was very limited visitation. In Kosciuszko National Park (Australia), alpine walking trails were popular in summer, but in winter, most visitors stayed in the lower altitude ski resorts and ski trails. Results demonstrate the usefulness of social-media data alone as well as a complement for visitor monitoring, providing spatial and temporal information for site-specific and park-level management of visitors and potential impacts in conservation areas.

  12. Nuclear Electric Visitor Centres - Innovation and inspiration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fenton, Bob

    1998-01-01

    Full text: This eight minute video demonstrates the approach taken by Nuclear Electric to exhibitions that are open to the public. The information is given both visually - with excerpts from some of the attractions on display at the centres - and in comments from interviews with visitors, the centre guides and the man responsible for many of the exhibits featured in the video. on one side are the schoolchildren who are visiting the exhibition and are seen both playing and learning as they press buttons, watch videos, 'meet' Michael Faraday, and learn about radiation - its disposal and its safe transportation. The headmaster of the school is interviewed and explains that the exhibition is helping his children understand the importance of electricity to their world. on the other side is Jackie Lucas, the visitor centre manager, explaining what the public make of the exhibition. We see her staff greeting the children and helping them to understand the show. The designer of the exhibition, Len Upton explains how you go about making an exhibition such as this both informative and fun. Also interviewed is the man behind many of the exhibitions featured at Nuclear Electric's visitor centres up and down the country, Nicholas Mullane. He explains the purpose of the exhibition and what messages it imparts. The video is presented in split-screen or composite format, whereby the interviewee and children are often presented together. Excerpts from the various videos on display are presented as both how they are seen from the floor, as well as the full screen effect of the various programmes. The video gives much of the feeling of fun to be gained at the exhibition, as well as showing the educational benefits to be gained from a couple of hours at one of Nuclear Electric's visitor centres. Copies of the video can be obtained from Bob Fenton at Nuclear Electric. (Fax: ++44 1 452 652 443). (author)

  13. Recreation visitor preferences for and perceptions of outdoor recreation setting attributes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Michael A. Tarrant; Erin Smith; H. Ken Cordell

    1999-01-01

    Between 1990 and 1994, a comprehensive national survey was conducted by the USDA Forest Service (FS), Southern Research Station, to measure visitor preferences for, and perceptions of, setting attributes at a variety of outdoor recreation sites. Over 11,000 visitors at 31 outdoor recreation sites across the country were interviewed in this study. The study was entitled...

  14. Visitor Assessment of the Mandatory Alternative Transportation System at Zion National Park

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mace, Britton L.; Marquit, Joshua D.; Bates, Scott C.

    2013-11-01

    Transportation infrastructure in national parks has historically been designed for the automobile. With more vehicles in the parks, visitors found themselves in circumstances more reminiscent of a city than a park. Traffic jams, overcrowding, illegal parking, horn honking, and idling vehicles became common, creating stress and contributing to air and noise pollution, the very things visitors were hoping to get away from. Park managers began searching for alternatives, including shuttle systems. Many national parks have implemented optional shuttle systems, but relatively few have completely closed roads to vehicles, transporting visitors on mandatory shuttles. Zion National Park instituted a mandatory shuttle system in May 2000 to relieve crowding and congestion in the main canyon and to protect natural resources. Taking a longitudinal approach, attributes of the shuttle (e.g., crowding, accessibility, freedom, efficiency, preference, and success) were assessed with experiential park factors (e.g., scenic beauty, naturalness, solitude, tranquility, air quality, and soundscape) in 2000, 2003, and 2010 by surveying shuttle-riding park visitors. While visitors initially reported a few reservations about the shuttle system, by 2003, the majority rated the system successful. Ratings of all shuttle-related variables, except crowding, improved over the decade. Improvements were greatest for freedom, accessibility, and efficiency. Multiple regression found overall shuttle success to be mediated by preference, freedom, accessibility, efficiency, and comfort. Experiential variables assessing park conditions followed a similar pattern, with improved ratings as the decade progressed. Results provide important insights into the visitor experience with mandatory alternative shuttle systems in national parks.

  15. U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon Visitors Guide 2015

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2015-09-03

    The U.S. Department of Energy 2015 Visitors Guide is a free, hard-copy publication distributed free to those attending the Solar Decathlon event. The publications' objectives are to serve as the primary information resource for those in attendance, and to deliver a compelling message about the Solar Decathlon's success as a proven workforce development program and its role in educating students and the public about clean energy products and design solutions. The U.S. Department of Energy 2015 Visitors Guide SD15 Visitors Guide goals are to guide attendees through the Solar Decathlon village; List and explain the 10 contests; educate attendees about the participating teams and their competition houses; provide access to more information on the Solar Decathlon website through the use of QR codes; and acknowledge the support of all event sponsors.

  16. 76 FR 45543 - Board of Visitors, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-07-29

    ... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Army Board of Visitors, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center AGENCY: Department of the Army, DOD. ACTION: Notice; cancellation. SUMMARY: The Board of Visitors, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center meeting scheduled for August 3 and 4, 2011...

  17. 76 FR 6149 - National Fire Academy Board of Visitors; Notice of Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-02-03

    ...] National Fire Academy Board of Visitors; Notice of Meeting AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Committee Management; Notice of Open Federal Advisory Committee Meeting. SUMMARY: The National Fire Academy Board of Visitors will meet on February 22, 2011. DATES: The teleconference will take...

  18. Long-Term Prediction of Emergency Department Revenue and Visitor Volume Using Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chieh-Fan Chen

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available This study analyzed meteorological, clinical and economic factors in terms of their effects on monthly ED revenue and visitor volume. Monthly data from January 1, 2005 to September 30, 2009 were analyzed. Spearman correlation and cross-correlation analyses were performed to identify the correlation between each independent variable, ED revenue, and visitor volume. Autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA model was used to quantify the relationship between each independent variable, ED revenue, and visitor volume. The accuracies were evaluated by comparing model forecasts to actual values with mean absolute percentage of error. Sensitivity of prediction errors to model training time was also evaluated. The ARIMA models indicated that mean maximum temperature, relative humidity, rainfall, non-trauma, and trauma visits may correlate positively with ED revenue, but mean minimum temperature may correlate negatively with ED revenue. Moreover, mean minimum temperature and stock market index fluctuation may correlate positively with trauma visitor volume. Mean maximum temperature, relative humidity and stock market index fluctuation may correlate positively with non-trauma visitor volume. Mean maximum temperature and relative humidity may correlate positively with pediatric visitor volume, but mean minimum temperature may correlate negatively with pediatric visitor volume. The model also performed well in forecasting revenue and visitor volume.

  19. 76 FR 39076 - Board of Visitors, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-07-05

    ... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Army Board of Visitors, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD. ACTION: Notice of open meeting. SUMMARY: Under the... Visitors, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center. Date: August 3 and 4, 2011. Time of Meeting...

  20. 75 FR 43496 - Board of Visitors, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-26

    ... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Army Board of Visitors, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD. ACTION: Notice of open meeting. SUMMARY: Under the... Visitors, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center. Date: August 10 and 11, 2010. Time of Meeting...

  1. 77 FR 62223 - Board of Visitors Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-10-12

    ... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Army Board of Visitors Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD. ACTION: Notice of open meeting. SUMMARY: Under the... Visitors, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center. Date: October 31, 2012 and November 1, 2012...

  2. Hospital visitors as controls in case-control studies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gulnar Azevedo S Mendonça

    2001-10-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Selecting controls is one of the most difficult tasks in the design of case-control studies. Hospital controls may be inadequate and random controls drawn from the base population may be unavailable. The aim was to assess the use of hospital visitors as controls in a case-control study on the association of organochlorinated compounds and other risk factors for breast cancer conducted in the main hospital of the "Instituto Nacional de Câncer" -- INCA (National Cancer Institute in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil. METHODS: The study included 177 incident cases and 377 controls recruited among female visitors. Three different models of control group composition were compared: Model 1, with all selected visitors; Model 2, excluding women visiting relatives with breast cancer; and Model 3, excluding all women visiting relatives with any type of cancer. Odds ratios (OR and 95% confidence intervals were calculated to test the associations. RESULTS: Age-adjusted OR for breast cancer associated with risk factors other than family history of cancer, except smoking and breast size, were similar in the three models. Regarding family history of all cancers, except for breast cancer, there was a decreased risk in Models 1 and 2, while in Model 3 there was an increased risk, but not statistically significant. Family history of breast cancer was a risk factor in Models 2 and 3, but no association was found in Model 1. In multivariate analysis a significant risk of breast cancer was found when there was a family history of breast cancer in Models 2 and 3 but not in Model 1. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that while investigating risk factors unrelated to family history of cancer, the use of hospital visitors as controls may be a valid and feasible alternative.

  3. Dark destinations – Visitor reflections from a holocaust memorial site

    OpenAIRE

    Liyanage, Sherry; Coca-Stefaniak, Andres; Powell, Raymond

    2015-01-01

    Abstract\\ud \\ud Purpose – Dark tourism and, more specifically, visitor experiences at Nazi concentration camp memorials are emerging fields of research in tourism studies and destination management. This paper builds on this growing body of knowledge and focuses on the World War II Nazi concentration camp at Dachau in Germany to explore the psychological impact of the site on its visitors as well as critical self-reflection processes triggered by this experience.\\ud \\ud Design/methodology/app...

  4. Exploring staff perceptions and experiences of volunteers and visitors on the hospital ward at mealtimes using an ethnographic approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ottrey, Ella; Palermo, Claire; Huggins, Catherine E; Porter, Judi

    2018-04-01

    To explore multiple perspectives and experiences of volunteer and visitor involvement and interactions at hospital mealtimes. In addition, to understand how the volunteer and visitor role at mealtimes is perceived within the hospital system. Mealtime assistance can improve patients' food intake and mealtime experience. Barriers to providing mealtime assistance include time pressures, staff availability and inadequate communication. Volunteers and visitors can encourage and assist patients at mealtimes. There is a lack of evidence on the relationship between hospital staff, volunteers and visitors. A qualitative, ethnographic approach. Sixty-seven hours of fieldwork were conducted on two subacute wards within an Australian healthcare network in 2015. Mealtime practices and interactions of hospital staff, volunteers and visitors were observed. Sixty-one staff, volunteers and visitors were interviewed in 75 ethnographic and semi-structured interviews. Data were inductively and thematically analysed. Three key themes emerged as follows: "help"-volunteers and visitors were considered helpful when they assisted patients at mealtimes, supported well-being and aided staff-patient communication; "hindrance"-staff perceived visitors as negative presences when they inhibited patient progress and impacted staff work practices; and "reality of practice"-visiting hours, visitor engagement in patient therapy and communication between staff, volunteers and visitors were important practical considerations of mealtime involvement. The findings show how and why volunteers and visitors can be helpful and unhelpful at hospital mealtimes on subacute wards. More research on the role and contribution of volunteers and visitors on hospital wards will inform future practice in healthcare settings. This healthcare organisation should continue to encourage volunteer and visitor involvement at hospital mealtimes. More effort is needed to educate visitors about patients' therapeutic goals and

  5. Lakes and ponds recreation management: a state-wide application of the visitor impact management process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jerry J. Vaske; Rodney R. Zwick; Maureen P. Donnelly

    1992-01-01

    The Visitor Impact Management (VIM) process is designed to identify unacceptable changes occurring as a result of visitor use and to develop management strategies to keep visitor impacts within acceptable levels. All previous attempts to apply the VIM planning framework have concentrated on specific resources. This paper expands this focus to an entire state. Based on...

  6. The generalist Inga subnuda subsp. luschnathiana (Fabaceae): negative effect of floral visitors on reproductive success?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avila, R; Pinheiro, M; Sazima, M

    2015-05-01

    Inga species are characterised by generalist or mixed pollination system. However, this feature does not enhance reproductive rates in species with very low fruit set under natural conditions. Some ecological and genetic factors are associated with this feature, and to test the effect of massive visits on pollination success in Inga subnuda subsp. luschnathiana, we studied the efficacy of polyads deposited on stigmas of flowers isolated from visitors and polyads exposed to visitors. The proportion of polyads fixed in stigmas decreased after exposure to visitors (24 h) in comparison to stigmas isolated from visitors (hummingbirds, bees, wasps, hawkmoths and bats), and fruit set was very low. Furthermore, nectar production, sugar composition and other floral biology traits were evaluated. Increased nectar production, sugar availability and sucrose dominance during the night indicates adaptation to nocturnal visitors and supports their role as main pollinators; although the brush-flower morphology, time of anthesis, nectar dynamics and chemical composition also allow daytime visitors. Thus the species is an important resource for a diverse group of floral visitors. We conclude that excess visits (diurnal and nocturnal) are responsible for the decrease in fixed polyads in stigmas of I. subnuda subsp. luschnathiana flowers, thus contributing, with others factors, to its low fruit set. Therefore, the generalist pollination system does not result in reproductive advantages because the low fruit set in natural conditions could be the result of a negative effect of visitors/pollinators. © 2014 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

  7. Visitors' perception of thermal comfort during extreme heat events at the Royal Botanic Garden Melbourne

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lam, Cho Kwong Charlie; Loughnan, Margaret; Tapper, Nigel

    2018-01-01

    Outdoor thermal comfort studies have mainly examined the perception of local residents, and there has been little work on how those conditions are perceived differently by tourists, especially tourists of diverse origins. This issue is important because it will improve the application of thermal indices in predicting the thermal perception of tourists. This study aims to compare the differences in thermal perception and preferences between local and overseas visitors to the Royal Botanic Garden (RBG) in Melbourne during summer. An 8-day survey was conducted in February 2014 at four sites in the garden ( n = 2198), including 2 days with maximum temperature exceeding 40 °C. The survey results were compared with data from four weather stations adjacent to the survey locations. One survey location, `Fern Gully', has a misting system and visitors perceived the Fern Gully to be cooler than other survey locations. As the apparent temperature exceeded 32.4 °C, visitors perceived the environment as being `warm' or `hot'. At `hot' conditions, 36.8 % of European visitors voted for no change to the thermal conditions, which is considerably higher than the response from Australian visitors (12.2 %) and Chinese visitors (7.5 %). Study results suggest that overseas tourists have different comfort perception and preferences compared to local Australians in hot weather based at least in part on expectations. Understanding the differences in visitors' thermal perception is important to improve the garden design. It can also lead to better tour planning and marketing to potential visitors from different countries.

  8. Experiencing polar bears in the zoo: feelings and cognitions in relation to a visitor's conservation attitude

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Marseille, M.M.; Elands, B.H.M.; Brink, van den M.L.

    2012-01-01

    This article explores which feelings and cognitions are involved in visitor experiences of zoo polar bears and how this experience relates to a visitor's conservation attitude. Data were collected through qualitative interviews with 30 visitors in two Dutch zoos. Most respondents believed that a

  9. The newly expanded KSC Visitors Complex features a new ticket plaza, information center, exhibits an

    Science.gov (United States)

    1999-01-01

    The newly added Robot Scouts exhibit at the KSC Visitor Complex is situated next to the Rocket Garden. Part of the $13 million expansion to the Visitor Complex, the exhibit helps describe for visitors the accomplishments of unsung space heroes - space probes - and their role in space exploration. It also includes a display of how data from robotic probes might be used to build a human habitat for Mars. Visitors can witness a simulated Martian sunset. Other additions include a new foyer, films, and an International Space Station-themed ticket plaza, featuring a structure of overhanging solar panels and astronauts performing assembly tasks. The KSC Visitor Complex was inaugurated three decades ago and is now one of the top five tourist attractions in Florida. It is located on S.R. 407, east of I-95, within the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.

  10. Validation of the visitor and resident framework in an e-book setting

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Engelsmann, Hazel C.; Greifeneder, Elke Susanne; Lauridsen, Nikoline D.

    2014-01-01

    Introduction. By applying the visitor and resident framework on e-book usage, the article explores whether the concepts of a resident and a visitor can help to explain e-book use, and can help to gain a better insight into users' motivations for e-book use. Method. A questionnaire and semi-struct...

  11. Finding the key to success: A visitors' perspective at a National Arts Festival

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Saayman

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Purpose and/or objectives: The purpose of this article was to segment festival visitors at the Klein Karoo National Arts Festival (KKNK based on their travel motives and their ratings of the Key Success Factors (KSFs in terms of their festival experience. Problem investigated: Previous research has indicated that the success and sustainability of an arts festival is dependent on the number of tickets sold for shows and productions during the festival. Therefore, success depends on attracting visitors who attend and buy tickets for different types of shows and productions. To achieve this festival organisers need to understand the aspects that visitors regard as satisfying their needs and which create a unique festival experience. Methodology: A survey was conducted using a questionnaire at the festival. A total of 450 questionnaires were administered and 443 completed questionnaires were included in the analysis. Factor analysis was used to identify visitors' motivation to travel to and attend the KKNK. Cluster analysis followed the factor analysis to segments visitors based their identified travel motives. ANOVAs, Chi-square tests, two-way frequency tables and Tukey's multiple comparisons were conducted to investigate and determine any significant differences between the clusters based on demographics, behavioural variables and KSFs. Analysis and interpretation of findings: The findings of this study revealed that the travel motives that are important to visitors to the arts festival are: Festival Attractiveness, Novelty and Escape and Socialisation. Furthermore, different markets have different travel motives, clustered as Escapists, Festival Junkies and Culture Seekers. These different clusters have different tastes and needs, for example the Culture Seekers are more interested in Rock shows and all three clusters enjoy Drama, Music Theatre and Cabaret and Comedy shows and productions. Different markets also focus on different KSFs that

  12. Self-Regulated Learning in the Museum: Understanding the Relationship of Visitor's Goals, Learning Strategies, and Appraisals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Ji; Urhahne, Detlef

    2017-01-01

    Self-regulated learning (SRL) in the museum was explored by 2 investigations. The first one investigated 233 visitors on their goals and intended learning strategies by questionnaire before they visited the science museum. Results indicated visitors' learning goals can predict their intended deep-learning strategy. Moreover, visitors can be…

  13. Relationships between trip motivations and selected variables among Allegheny National forest visitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alan R. Graefe; Brijesh Thapa; John J. Confer; James D. Absher

    2000-01-01

    To meet visitors’ needs, managers must understand the motivations driving visitors to wilderness areas. This paper compares the motivations of different segments of Allegheny National Forest users. Factor analysis identified 5 motivation factors (social, escape, fun, nature and learning), with two items retained as single item dimensions (close to home and challenge)....

  14. Minimising visitor impacts to protected areas: The efficacy of low impact education programmes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marion, J.L.; Reid, S.E.

    2007-01-01

    Protected area managers, tourism providers, and other organisations commonly employ education programmes to address visitation-related impairment of natural and cultural resources, social conditions, and neighbouring communities. These programmes have different names (Leave No Trace, Codes of Conduct, Environmental Guidelines for Tourists) but share common objectives: to sustain opportunities for high quality visitor experiences while avoiding or minimising associated negative impacts to protected area resources, visitor experiences, and park neighbours. Theoretical and empirical research studies in the United States are reviewed to evaluate the efficacy of educational efforts that seek to encourage adoption of low impact behaviours. Findings reveal that most of the visitor education efforts evaluated did effectively alter visitor knowledge, behaviour and/or resource and social conditions in the intended direction. These findings, including discussions of message content, delivery, audience characteristics and theoretical grounding, provide insights for improving the efficacy of future educational efforts.

  15. 2012 National Park visitor spending effects: economic contributions to local communities, states, and the nation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cullinane Thomas, Catherine; Huber, Christopher C.; Koontz, Lynne

    2014-01-01

    The National Park Service (NPS) manages the nation's most iconic destinations that attract millions of visitors from across the nation and around the world. Trip-related spending by NPS visitors generates and supports a considerable amount of economic activity within park gateway communities. This economic effects analysis measures how NPS visitor spending cycles through local economies, generating business sales and supporting jobs and income.

  16. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders among visitors to faith healers in Saudi Arabia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alosaimi, Fahad D; Alshehri, Youssef; Alfraih, Ibrahim; Alghamdi, Ayedh; Aldahash, Saleh; Alkhuzayem, Haifa; Albeeeshi, Haneen

    2014-09-01

    We investigated the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among visitors to Faith Healers (FHs) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. We also studied the sociodemographic profiles for these visitors, in addition to their past psychiatric history, reason(s) for seeking FH help, and past and current treatment experience with FHs. We conducted a cross-sectional study among the visitors (n=321) to a number of faith healing settings in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia using a specially designed questionnaire and validated Arabic version of The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Most of the participants were young adults (35.1±10.8 years) and males with intermediate and secondary levels of education who had not sought medical help prior to their visits. A high proportion of the FH visitors have diagnosable mental illnesses. Depressive and anxiety disorders were the most prevalent among the study participants; few visitors were affected by psychotic or bipolar disorders. The present study provides insight for understanding the type of patients with psychiatric disorders who visit Faith Healers.(FHs). The study highlights the tendency of psychiatric patients in Saudi Arabia to visit FHs, which could reflect the importance of further studies to clarify the impact of FHs on the management of those patients.

  17. Factors Influencing Visitors to Suburban Open Space Areas near a Northern Japanese City

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yasushi Shoji

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Visitor information often serves as the basis for the management plan of parks. However, there exist few scientific and fundamental surveys for parks and open spaces in Japan. We analyzed the correlation between the number of visitors and the various factors in a suburban open space in a northern Japanese city, Takino Park. To explain the fluctuations in the number of visitors in Takino Park, multiple regression analyses with the stepwise method were conducted. The analyses employed social factors and meteorological factors, such as the day of the week, school vacations, temperature and the weather. The results show that the most influential factor is the day of the week, i.e., Sundays and holidays. The weather is also influential as the number of visitors decreases on rainy and snowy days. Comparing different seasons of the year, we found that influential factors varied from one season to the other. A key distinguishing finding of our results is that the weather conditions at the departure site and the weather forecast are also determining factors. These findings will help park managers understand the current situations and examine future management strategies to maintain and enhance visitor satisfaction, and improve information services.

  18. Visitors' motives for attending a hybrid event: A case study of agricultural fair

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivkov Milan

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Management of a complex events such as hybrid ones, relies on understanding a modern market trends. The purpose of this study is to determine visitors' motives for attending a hybrid event, to identify clusters based on those motives, and to help organizers and exhibitors to meet visitors' expectations. Therefore, authors performed ANOVA analysis, factor analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis. The findings clearly indicate elements of trade fairs and consumer exhibitions integrated in hybrid event and therefore, some of the main motives for visiting those two types of events are also present among hybrid event visitors. However, hybrid event tends to be more than just place for business meetings. It is also a venue for education and leisure time activities. Moreover, event organizers and exhibitors need to pay more attention on their strategic approach to managing their event activities. The paper suggests that hybrid event organizers should focus on establishing dialogue with both exhibitors and visitors.

  19. Scaffolding the Next Wave of Digital Visitor Interaction in Museums

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rudloff, Maja

    2013-01-01

    Over the last ten years the possibilities for engaging in dialogue and participation with museum visitors have been greatly improved by developments in digital technologies. Throughout the world museums are experimenting with inclusive and participatory digital projects that can enhance the museum...... visitor experience. Many of these projects are unique and creative in their use of cutting edge technology, and in their search for finding new ways to reach differentiated groups of users. However, building on insights from user studies at a Danish digital museum installation, this paper also suggests...

  20. Visitor effects on a zoo population of California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) and harbor seals (Phoca vitulina).

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Vere, Amber J

    2018-04-19

    The effects of visitor presence on zoo and aquarium animals have become increasingly well studied, using measures such as behavioral responses and exhibit usage. Many taxa remain underrepresented in this literature; this is the case for marine mammals, despite widespread public concern for their welfare in managed care settings. The current study therefore used behavioral activity budgets and exhibit usage to assess the responses of California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) and harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) to visitors at the Seal Cove exhibit at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Vallejo CA. Data was collected via focal follow video recordings over the summer season of 2016, and analyzed using MANCOVAs, discriminant analyses, and modified Spread of Participation Indices. The sea lions showed no significant changes in behavior when visitors were present, but did show greater preference for the water bordering visitor viewing areas during these times. Two sea lions gave birth during the study period, and showed greater preference for land areas both adjacent to and out of sight of visitors when nursing compared to while pregnant. In contrast, the harbor seals showed significant behavioral changes in the presence of visitors, including increased vigilance and feeding. This was associated with increased preferential use of water areas adjacent to the visitor viewing area. Visitors were able to purchase fish to throw to the animals, which likely contributed to the differences observed. Overall, this study found little evidence for negative visitor impacts on two pinniped species in a zoo setting. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. The Effect of Visitor Satisfaction Level on Willingness to Pay at Plengkung, in Alas Purwo National Park

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mona Annisa Matondang

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available One of ecotourism destinations in Indonesia is located in the Plengkung Beach at Alas Purwo National Park, Banyuwangi, East Java. Plengkung is one of the world's best locations for surfing activities which can be equated with Hawaii, Australia and South Africa. It was attract tourists to visit Plengkung. Each investor should pay attention to visitor satisfaction in order to maintain and increase the number of visitors. However, visitor satisfaction could be reflected through the improvement of service quality. The purpose of this study was to measure the level of visitor satisfaction based on service quality at PT Plengkung Indah Wisata and PT Wanasari Pramudita Ananta in Plengkung, to measure the value of ecotourism satisfaction using the willingness to pay (WTP approach and to know the effect of visitor satisfaction level on WTP after doing ecotourism activities. The research was conducted in June-October 2016 with data collection method using quesionnaires, interviews and literature studies. The effect of visitor satisfaction level on WTP of ecotourism activities in Plengkung was analyzed using bivariate correlation analysis (parson correlation coefficient with p-value <0,05. The results showed that PT WPA had better service quality, hence it got higher satisfaction score which is 4,8. The WTP in PT WPA was greater than PT PIW, that is Rp 15.452.370 since PT WPA had a higher level of visitor satisfaction than PT PIW. The correlation test results proved that the level of visitor satisfaction significantly affect the WTP with a value of 0,031.Keyword: ecotourism, visitor satisfaction level, WTP.

  2. Potential pollinators and robbers: a study of the floral visitors of Heliconia angusta (Heliconiaceae and their behaviour

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hensen, Isabell

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Floral syndromes are traditionally thought to be associated with particular pollinator groups. Ornithophilous flowers tend to have traits that facilitate bird pollination such as having long, narrow, tubular corollas, often vivid coloration and diluted, sucrose-rich nectar. However, recent studies have shown that flowers attract a broader spectrum of visitors than might be expected. Furthermore, the classification of floral visitors as ‘robbers’ or ‘pollinators’ often is not as simple as it seems, as pollinators can at times act as robbers and vice versa. We studied the species composition, behaviour and ecology of floral visitors, including potential pollinators and robbers, of Heliconia angusta (Heliconiaceae, an endemic understorey herb of the Atlantic Rainforest of Brazil. In addition, the impact of the plant inflorescence attractiveness and of weather and light conditions on visitor abundance and frequency was investigated. Flower visitors were found to be scarce with a total of only 151 visits being observed during 120 h of field observations. A stingless bee species (Trigona sp. appeared to be the most abundant visitor to the ornithophilous flowers of H. angusta, along with four different species of hummingbirds and two species of butterflies. We consider Trigona sp. rather as pollen robber, but which still has the potential to be a secondary pollinator, whereas the hummingbirds were the principle legitimate visitors. Most flower visitors were recorded between 9.00 am and 1.00 pm with a higher number visiting under semi-shaded conditions than in full shade. Hummingbird numbers increased with flower abundance while the other visitor group numbers were not affected.

  3. How do exhibition visitors describe aesthetic qualities?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomsen, Bente Dahl; Ravn, Anders Peter

    2007-01-01

    In this investigation, visitors to an art and design exhibition have used an interactive computer program to express the qualities they consider important for an art or design object (artefact). They have then used the program with their individually selected qualities to assess the artefacts. In...

  4. Highlighting High Performance: National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Visitors Center, Golden, Colorado

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burgert, S.

    2001-01-01

    The National Renewable Energy Laboratory Visitors Center, also known as the Dan Schaefer Federal Building, is a high-performance building located in Golden, Colorado. The 6,400-square-foot building incorporates passive solar heating, energy-efficient lighting, an evaporative cooling system, and other technologies to minimize energy costs and environmental impact. The Visitors Center displays a variety of interactive exhibits on energy efficiency and renewable energy, and the building includes an auditorium, a public reading room, and office space

  5. 77 FR 73974 - Information Collection: Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest Visitor Surveys for Recreation...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-12-12

    ... conditions are being collected. In the summer of 2013, the Forest Service will collect feedback from visitors... amended, 5. Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 [Pub. L. 103-62] as amended, 6. Executive Order... managers better serve the public by translating visitor input into future strategic plans for these sites...

  6. Gateways as a means of visitor management in national parks and protected areas

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beunen, R.; Regnerus, H.D.; Jaarsma, C.F.

    2008-01-01

    Managers of national parks and other protected areas need to balance visitor needs with conservation objectives. In Western Europe, these areas are often part of a "living landscape" where people live and work and where the area roads are used not only by visitors but also by utilitarian local bound

  7. Investigation into the acceptability of door locking to staff, patients, and visitors on acute psychiatric wards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muir-Cochrane, Eimear; van der Merwe, Marie; Nijman, Henk; Haglund, Kristina; Simpson, Alan; Bowers, Len

    2012-02-01

    There is disagreement among psychiatric professionals about whether the doors of acute psychiatric wards should be kept locked to prevent patients from leaving and harming themselves or others. This study explored patient, staff, and visitor perceptions about the acceptability of locking the ward door on acute psychiatric inpatient wards. Interviews were conducted with 14 registered nurses, 15 patients, and six visitors from three different acute wards. Findings revealed commonalities across all groups, with general agreement that locking the door reduced absconding. Staff expressed feelings of guilt, embarrassment, and fear of being blamed when a patient absconded. Staff also reported that open wards created anxious vigilance to prevent an abscond and increased workload in allocating staff to watch the door, whereas staff on partially-locked doors also perceived an increased workload in letting people in and out of the ward. Patients had mixed feelings about the status of the door, expressing depression, a sense of stigma, and low self-esteem when the door was locked. The issue of balancing safety and security on acute psychiatric wards against the autonomy of patients is not easily resolved, and requires focused research to develop innovative nursing practices. © 2011 The Authors. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing © 2011 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

  8. 78 FR 90 - Defense Intelligence Agency National Intelligence University Board of Visitors Closed Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-02

    ... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Defense Intelligence Agency National Intelligence University Board of Visitors Closed Meeting AGENCY: National Intelligence University, Defense Intelligence... hereby given that a closed meeting of the National Intelligence University Board of Visitors has been...

  9. Sustainable Design and Construction of the Fernald Preserve Visitors Center

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Powell, J.; Sizemore, M.; Cornils, K.

    2009-01-01

    In September 2008, the Fernald Preserve Visitors Center was awarded the platinum certification level by the US Green Building Council (USGBC), the highest level achievable under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design New Construction and Major Renovations (LEED-NC) rating system. The Visitors Center, which is maintained and operated under the direction of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Legacy Management, is the first building in Ohio, the second DOE building and one of approximately 100 buildings worldwide to achieve platinum certification. As a sustainable building, the Visitors Center includes a ground source heat pump, a bio-treatment wetland system, recycled construction materials, native and no-irrigation plants and numerous other components to reduce energy, electricity, and water consumption and to lessen the building's impact on the environment. The building's conceptual design was originally developed by the University of Cincinnati's College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning (DAAP), with input from the community, and the building was designed and built by the Megen Construction Company-glaserworks team, under the direction of S.M. Stoller, Corporation, the Legacy Management contractor for the Fernald Preserve and the DOE Office of Legacy Management. The project required a committed effort by all members of the project team. This is the first sustainable building constructed as part of the cleanup of the environmental legacy of the Cold War. The Visitors Center's exhibits, reading room, and programs will help to educate the community about the Fernald Preserve's environmental legacy and show how our decisions affect the environment. (authors)

  10. Evidence of public engagement with science: visitor learning at a zoo-housed primate research centre.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bridget M Waller

    Full Text Available Primate behavioural and cognitive research is increasingly conducted on direct public view in zoo settings. The potential of such facilities for public engagement with science is often heralded, but evidence of tangible, positive effects on public understanding is rare. Here, the effect of a new zoo-based primate research centre on visitor behaviour, learning and attitudes was assessed using a quasi-experimental design. Zoo visitors approached the primate research centre more often when a scientist was present and working with the primates, and reported greater awareness of primates (including conservation compared to when the scientist was not present. Visitors also reported greater perceived learning when the scientist was present. Installation of information signage had no main effect on visitor attitudes or learning. Visitors who interacted with the signage, however, demonstrated increased knowledge and understanding when asked about the specific information present on the signs (which was related to the ongoing facial expression research at the research centre. The findings show that primate behaviour research centres on public view can have a demonstrable and beneficial effect on public understanding of science.

  11. Evidence of public engagement with science: visitor learning at a zoo-housed primate research centre.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waller, Bridget M; Peirce, Kate; Mitchell, Heidi; Micheletta, Jerome

    2012-01-01

    Primate behavioural and cognitive research is increasingly conducted on direct public view in zoo settings. The potential of such facilities for public engagement with science is often heralded, but evidence of tangible, positive effects on public understanding is rare. Here, the effect of a new zoo-based primate research centre on visitor behaviour, learning and attitudes was assessed using a quasi-experimental design. Zoo visitors approached the primate research centre more often when a scientist was present and working with the primates, and reported greater awareness of primates (including conservation) compared to when the scientist was not present. Visitors also reported greater perceived learning when the scientist was present. Installation of information signage had no main effect on visitor attitudes or learning. Visitors who interacted with the signage, however, demonstrated increased knowledge and understanding when asked about the specific information present on the signs (which was related to the ongoing facial expression research at the research centre). The findings show that primate behaviour research centres on public view can have a demonstrable and beneficial effect on public understanding of science.

  12. Sellafield visitor centre: techniques for bringing technology to the community

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jackson, D.

    1993-01-01

    British Nuclear Fuels plc undertakes a full range of fuel cycle services and is committed to an open-door policy in explaining its operations of the public; for which its Visitor's Centre at Sellafield is the flagship. The existing Centre was opened in 1988 and replaced an earlier, smaller, facility. In total, more than 1 000 000 visitors have been welcomed to Sellafield and the Site is now recognized as the largest tourist attraction in the region. This creates a high level of responsibility to the local area, to which Sellafield responds through its many community and education based projects. (author)

  13. Disruption of a belowground mutualism alters interactions between plants and their floral visitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cahill, James F; Elle, Elizabeth; Smith, Glen R; Shore, Bryon H

    2008-07-01

    Plants engage in diverse and intimate interactions with unrelated taxa. For example, aboveground floral visitors provide pollination services, while belowground arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) enhance nutrient capture. Traditionally in ecology, these processes were studied in isolation, reinforcing the prevailing assumption that these above- and belowground processes were also functionally distinct. More recently, there has been a growing realization that the soil surface is not a barrier to many ecological interactions, particularly those involving plants (who live simultaneously above and below ground). Because of the potentially large impact that mycorrhizae and floral visitors can have on plant performance and community dynamics, we designed an experiment to test whether these multi-species mutualisms were interdependent under field conditions. Using benomyl, a widely used fungicide, we suppressed AMF in a native grassland, measuring plant, fungal, and floral-visitor responses after three years of fungal suppression. AMF suppression caused a shift in the community of floral visitors from large-bodied bees to small-bodied bees and flies, and reduced the total number of floral visits per flowering stem 67% across the 23 flowering species found in the plots. Fungal suppression has species-specific effects on floral visits for the six most common flowering plants in this experiment. Exploratory analyses suggest these results were due to changes in floral-visitor behavior due to altered patch-level floral display, rather than through direct effects of AMF suppression on floral morphology. Our findings indicate that AMF are an important, and overlooked, driver of floral-visitor community structure with the potential to affect pollination services. These results support the growing body of research indicating that interactions among ecological interactions can be of meaningful effect size under natural field conditions and may influence individual performance

  14. Development of the Virtual Visitor Center at SLAC

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McDunn, Ruth

    1999-11-17

    The Virtual Visitor Center (VVC) web site (www2.slac.stanford.edu/vvc) is a ''virtual'' version of the Visitor Center, a mini science museum that opened at SLAC in 1996. The VVC was made public in December 1998. Both centers contribute to SLAC mission regarding education of the next generation and increasing scientific awareness of the public. The site is designed to mimic the real visitor center and allow a larger audience to the information. The intent was to reach the 8th-12th grade audience. Considerable effort was made to organize the content, including color-coding graphical elements for each main topic area. Tables of contents, a search tool, several photo tours, as well as graphical and non-graphical menu bars allow users many methods of navigating the site. The site was developed over almost two years using an estimated .95 FTE, split between a program manager, graphic designer, content provider (theoretical physicist), and a summer intern (high school teacher). As of November 1999, the site consists of 1,147 files, 935 images, 3,080 internal hyperlinks, and 190 external hyperlinks. The site has had over 1 million hits between January and mid-October 1999 and averages about 600 page views each day. Future plans include bringing the web site into compliance with the W3Cs Web Content Accessibility guidelines, thoroughly integrating the glossary terms, continued incorporation of current research at SLAC, and adding more interactivity.

  15. Development of the Virtual Visitor Center at SLAC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McDunn, Ruth

    1999-01-01

    The Virtual Visitor Center (VVC) web site (www2.slac.stanford.edu/vvc) is a ''virtual'' version of the Visitor Center, a mini science museum that opened at SLAC in 1996. The VVC was made public in December 1998. Both centers contribute to SLAC mission regarding education of the next generation and increasing scientific awareness of the public. The site is designed to mimic the real visitor center and allow a larger audience to the information. The intent was to reach the 8th-12th grade audience. Considerable effort was made to organize the content, including color-coding graphical elements for each main topic area. Tables of contents, a search tool, several photo tours, as well as graphical and non-graphical menu bars allow users many methods of navigating the site. The site was developed over almost two years using an estimated .95 FTE, split between a program manager, graphic designer, content provider (theoretical physicist), and a summer intern (high school teacher). As of November 1999, the site consists of 1,147 files, 935 images, 3,080 internal hyperlinks, and 190 external hyperlinks. The site has had over 1 million hits between January and mid-October 1999 and averages about 600 page views each day. Future plans include bringing the web site into compliance with the W3Cs Web Content Accessibility guidelines, thoroughly integrating the glossary terms, continued incorporation of current research at SLAC, and adding more interactivity

  16. Visitors speak openly on the Open Day

    CERN Multimedia

    2004-01-01

    On Open Day, CERN was filled with visitors from around Europe—and beyond—who toured the LHC detector sites and visited a multitude of experimental halls and workshops across the Meyrin and Prevessin sites, the vast majority in buildings normally closed to the public.

  17. Lion, ungulate, and visitor reactions to playbacks of lion roars at Zoo Atlanta.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelling, Angela S; Allard, Stephanie M; Kelling, Nicholas J; Sandhaus, Estelle A; Maple, Terry L

    2012-01-01

    Felids in captivity are often inactive and elusive in zoos, leading to a frustrating visitor experience. Eight roars were recorded from an adult male lion and played back over speakers as auditory enrichment to benefit the lions while simultaneously enhancing the zoo visitor experience. In addition, ungulates in an adjacent exhibit were observed to ensure that the novel location and increased frequency of roars did not lead to a stress or fear response. The male lion in this study roared more in the playback phase than in the baseline phases while not increasing any behaviors that would indicate compromised welfare. In addition, zoo visitors remained at the lion exhibit longer during playback. The nearby ungulates never exhibited any reactions stronger than orienting to playbacks, identical to their reactions to live roars. Therefore, naturalistic playbacks of lion roars are a potential form of auditory enrichment that leads to more instances of live lion roars and enhances the visitor experience without increasing the stress levels of nearby ungulates or the lion themselves, who might interpret the roar as that of an intruder.

  18. Using synoptic weather types to predict visitor attendance at Atlanta and Indianapolis zoological parks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perkins, David R.

    2018-01-01

    Defining an ideal "tourism climate" has been an often-visited research topic where explanations have evolved from global- to location-specific indices tailored to tourists' recreational behavior. Unfortunately, as indices become increasingly specific, they are less translatable across geographies because they may only apply to specific activities, locales, climates, or populations. A key need in the future development of weather and climate indices for tourism has been a translatable, meteorologically based index capturing the generalized ambient atmospheric conditions yet considering local climatology. To address this need, this paper tests the applicability of the spatial synoptic classification (SSC) as a tool to predict visitor attendance response in the tourism, recreation, and leisure (TRL) sector across different climate regimes. Daily attendance data is paired with the prevailing synoptic weather condition at Atlanta and Indianapolis zoological parks from September 2001 to June 2011, to review potential impacts ambient atmospheric conditions may have on visitor attendances. Results indicate that "dry moderate" conditions are most associated with high levels of attendance and "moist polar" synoptic conditions are most associated with low levels of attendance at both zoological parks. Comparing visitor response at these zoo locations, visitors in Indianapolis showed lower levels of tolerance to synoptic conditions which were not "ideal." Visitors in Indianapolis also displayed more aversion to "polar" synoptic regimes while visitors in Atlanta displayed more tolerance to "moist tropical" synoptic regimes. Using a comprehensive atmospheric measure such as the SSC may be a key to broadening application when assessing tourism climates across diverse geographies.

  19. Assessing recreation impacts to cliffs in Shenandoah National Park: Integrating visitor observation with trail and recreation site measurements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wood, K.T.; Lawson, S.R.; Marion, J.L.

    2006-01-01

    The rock outcrops and cliffs of Shenandoah National Park provide habitat for several rare and endangered plant and animal species, including the federally endangered Shenandoah Salamander (Plethodon shenandoah; Ludwig et al., 1993). The location of the well-known park tour road, Skyline Drive, along the ridgeline provides exceptional access to many outcrops and cliffs throughout the park for a large number of the park?s 1.2 million annual visitors. Consequently, visitor use of cliff areas has led to natural resource impacts, including marked decreases in size and vigor of known rare plant populations. Despite the clear ecological value and potential threats to the natural resources at cliff areas, managers possess little information on visitor use of cliff sites and presently have no formal planning document to guide management. Thus, a park wide study of cliff sites was initiated during the 2005 visitor use season. As part of this research effort, our study used an integrative approach to study recreational use and visitor-caused resource impacts at one of the more heavily visited cliff sites in the park: Little Stony Man Cliffs (LSMC). In particular, this study integrated data from resource impact measurements and visitor use observation to help assess the effects of recreational use on the natural resources of LSMC. Procedures derived from campsite and trail impact studies were used to measure and characterize the amount of visitor-caused resource impacts on LSMC (Marion & Leung, 2001; Marion, 1995). Visitor use observations were conducted on top of LSMC to document and characterize the type and amount of recreational use the cliffs receive and the behaviors of recreationists that may contribute to cliff-top resource impacts. Resource impact measurement data show trampling disturbance present at LSMC, characterized by vegetation loss, exposed soil, and root exposure. Documentation of informal trails, soil erosion, tree damage, and tree stumps provide further

  20. 7 CFR 502.10 - Photographs by visitors or for news, advertising, or commercial purposes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... (Continued) AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE CONDUCT ON BELTSVILLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH CENTER PROPERTY, BELTSVILLE, MARYLAND § 502.10 Photographs by visitors or for news, advertising... 7 Agriculture 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Photographs by visitors or for news, advertising, or...

  1. 77 FR 46113 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Cape Lookout National Park Visitor and...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-08-02

    ... data about visitors that can be used to prepare resource management planning documents. Lessons learned... Information Collection; Comment Request; Cape Lookout National Park Visitor and Community Survey AGENCY...) will ask the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the Information Collection (IC) described...

  2. An Integrative Suicide Prevention Program for Visitor Charcoal Burning Suicide and Suicide Pact

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Paul W. C.; Liu, Patricia M. Y.; Chan, Wincy S. C.; Law, Y. W.; Law, Steven C. K.; Fu, King-Wa; Li, Hana S. H.; Tso, M. K.; Beautrais, Annette L.; Yip, Paul S. F.

    2009-01-01

    An integrative suicide prevention program was implemented to tackle an outbreak of visitor charcoal burning suicides in Cheung Chau, an island in Hong Kong, in 2002. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the program. The numbers of visitor suicides reduced from 37 deaths in the 51 months prior to program implementation to 6 deaths in the 42…

  3. 77 FR 59221 - Information Collection Activities: Timpanogos Cave National Monument Visitor and Community Survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-09-26

    ... of how each of the above management issue affects their overall quality of visit experience. Visitors... collect visitors and local community members' perceptions and evaluations of four management issues (1... management issues: (1) Cave tour size and frequency. (2) Ticketing process and fees. (3) Concession service...

  4. Fit model between participation statement of exhibitors and visitors to improve the exhibition performance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristina García Magro

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: The aims of the paper is offers a model of analysis which allows to measure the impact on the performance of fairs, as well as the knowledge or not of the motives of participation of the visitors on the part of the exhibitors. Design/methodology: A review of the literature is established concerning two of the principal interested agents, exhibitors and visitors, focusing. The study is focused on the line of investigation referred to the motives of participation or not in a trade show. According to the information thrown by each perspectives of study, a comparative analysis is carried out in order to determine the degree of existing understanding between both. Findings: The trade shows allow to be studied from an integrated strategic marketing approach. The fit model between the reasons for participation of exhibitors and visitors offer information on the lack of an understanding between exhibitors and visitors, leading to dissatisfaction with the participation, a fact that is reflected in the fair success. The model identified shows that a strategic plan must be designed in which the reason for participation of visitor was incorporated as moderating variable of the reason for participation of exhibitors. The article concludes with the contribution of a series of proposals for the improvement of fairground results. Social implications: The fit model that improve the performance of trade shows, implicitly leads to successful achievement of targets for multiple stakeholders beyond the consideration of visitors and exhibitors. Originality/value: The integrated perspective of stakeholders allows the study of the existing relationships between the principal groups of interest, in such a way that, having knowledge on the condition of the question of the trade shows facilitates the task of the investigator in future academic works and allows that the interested groups obtain a better performance to the participation in fairs, as visitor or as

  5. Zion's New Visitor Center a Model of Energy Efficiency

    Science.gov (United States)

    features, much of the visitors center's electricity comes from photovoltaic (PV) panels on the roof. These solar panels convert sunlight directly into electricity, some of which is stored in batteries. Any

  6. Coaching via Electronic Performance Feedback to Support Home Visitors' Use of Caregiver Coaching Strategies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krick Oborn, Kellie M.; Johnson, LeAnne D.

    2015-01-01

    Recommended practices for Part C early childhood special education home visitors encourage use of caregiver coaching strategies to enhance learning opportunities within the natural routines of infants and toddlers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a multicomponent professional development intervention on home visitors' use…

  7. 2017 National Park visitor spending effects : Economic contributions to local communities, states, and the Nation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cullinane Thomas, Catherine M.; Koontz, Lynne; Cornachione, Egan

    2018-01-01

    The National Park Service (NPS) manages the Nation’s most iconic destinations that attract millions of visitors from across the Nation and around the world. Trip-related spending by NPS visitors generates and supports a considerable amount of economic activity within park gateway communities. This economic effects analysis measures how NPS visitor spending cycles through local economies, generating business sales and supporting jobs and income. In 2017, the National Park System received an estimated 331 million recreation visits. Visitors to National Parks spent an estimated \\$18.2 billion in local gateway regions (defined as communities within 60 miles of a park). The contribution of this spending to the national economy was 306 thousand jobs, \\$11.9 billion in labor income, \\$20.3 billion in value added, and \\$35.8 billion in economic output. The lodging sector saw the highest direct contributions with \\$5.5 billion in economic output directly contributed to local gateway economies nationally. The sector with the next greatest direct contributions was the restaurants and bars sector, with \\$3.7 billion in economic output directly contributed to local gateway economies nationally. Results from the Visitor Spending Effects report series are available online via an interactive tool. Users can view year-by-year trend data and explore current year visitor spending, jobs, labor income, value added, and economic output effects by sector for national, state, and local economies. This interactive tool is available at https://www.nps.gov/subjects/socialscience/vse.htm.

  8. 2016 National Park visitor spending effects: Economic contributions to local communities, states, and the Nation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cullinane Thomas, Catherine; Koontz, Lynne

    2017-01-01

    The National Park Service (NPS) manages the Nation’s most iconic destinations that attract millions of visitors from across the Nation and around the world. Trip-related spending by NPS visitors generates and supports a considerable amount of economic activity within park gateway communities. This economic effects analysis measures how NPS visitor spending cycles through local economies, generating business sales and supporting jobs and income. In 2016, the National Park System received an estimated 330,971,689 recreation visits. Visitors to National Parks spent an estimated $18.4 billion in local gateway regions (defined as communities within 60 miles of a park). The contribution of this spending to the national economy was 318 thousand jobs, $12.0 billion in labor income, $19.9 billion in value added, and $34.9 billion in economic output. The lodging sector saw the highest direct contributions with $5.7 billion in economic output directly contributed to local gateway economies nationally. The sector with the next greatest direct contributions was the restaurants and bars sector, with $3.7 billion in economic output directly contributed to local gateway economies nationally. Results from the Visitor Spending Effects report series are available online via an interactive tool. Users can view year-by-year trend data and explore current year visitor spending, jobs, labor income, value added, and economic output effects by sector for national, state, and local economies. This interactive tool is available at https://www.nps.gov/subjects/socialscience/vse.htm.

  9. 2015 National Park visitor spending effects: Economic contributions to local communities, states, and the nation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cullinane Thomas, Catherine M.; Koontz, Lynne

    2016-01-01

    The National Park Service (NPS) manages the Nation’s most iconic destinations that attract millions of visitors from across the Nation and around the world. Trip-related spending by NPS visitors generates and supports a considerable amount of economic activity within park gateway communities. This economic effects analysis measures how NPS visitor spending cycles through local economies, generating business sales and supporting jobs and income.In 2015, the National Park System received over 307.2 million recreation visits. NPS visitors spent \\$16.9 billion in local gateway regions (defined as communities within 60 miles of a park). The contribution of this spending to the national economy was 295 thousand jobs, \\$11.1 billion in labor income, \\$18.4 billion in value added, and \\$32.0 billion in economic output. The lodging sector saw the highest direct contributions with \\$5.2 billion in economic output directly contributed to local gateway economies nationally. The sector with the next greatest direct contributions was the restaurants and bar sector, with \\$3.4 billion in economic output directly contributed to local gateway economies nationally.Results from the Visitor Spending Effects report series are available online via an interactive tool. Users can view year-by-year trend data and explore current year visitor spending, jobs, labor income, value added, and economic output effects by sector for national, state, and local economies. This interactive tool is available at http://go.nps.gov/vse.

  10. Museum Web search behavior of special interest visitors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skov, Mette; Ingwersen, Peter

    2014-01-01

    content analysis. It was found that metadata elements on factual object related information, provenience, and historic context was indicated to be relevant by the majority of the respondents, characterising the group of special interest museum visitors as information hungry. Further, four main...

  11. CMS inaugurates its high-tech visitor centre

    CERN Multimedia

    Antonella Del Rosso

    2014-01-01

    The new Building SL53 on CERN’s Cessy site in France is ready to welcome the thousands of visitors (30,000 in 2013) who come to learn about CMS each year. It boasts low energy consumption and the possibility, in the future, of being heated by recycling the heat given off by the detector.   The new Building SL53 at CERN’s Cessy site in France will be inaugurated on 24 May 2014. “Constructed by the GS Department and the firm Dimensione, the building meets the operational requirements of the CMS experiment, which require the uninterrupted use of its infrastructure,” explains Martin Gastal, the member of the collaboration in charge of the project. Its 560 m2 surface area features a meeting room, eight offices, an open space for CMS users, a rest area with a kitchen, sanitary facilities including showers, and a conference room in which to receive visitors. “The new conference room on the ground floor can accommodate 50 people,&am...

  12. Potential roles of research in enhancing the performance of management in securing high quality visitor experiences in wilderness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stephen F. McCool

    2012-01-01

    Does research help managers provide opportunities for visitors to have high quality experiences in wilderness? Difficulties in applying visitor experience research result from several factors: the nature of wilderness itself, the character of the wilderness visitor experience challenge as a research and management topic, and the paradigm of research applications...

  13. Instagram, Flickr, or Twitter: Assessing the usability of social media data for visitor monitoring in protected areas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tenkanen, Henrikki; Di Minin, Enrico; Heikinheimo, Vuokko; Hausmann, Anna; Herbst, Marna; Kajala, Liisa; Toivonen, Tuuli

    2017-12-14

    Social media data is increasingly used as a proxy for human activity in different environments, including protected areas, where collecting visitor information is often laborious and expensive, but important for management and marketing. Here, we compared data from Instagram, Twitter and Flickr, and assessed systematically how park popularity and temporal visitor counts derived from social media data perform against high-precision visitor statistics in 56 national parks in Finland and South Africa in 2014. We show that social media activity is highly associated with park popularity, and social media-based monthly visitation patterns match relatively well with the official visitor counts. However, there were considerable differences between platforms as Instagram clearly outperformed Twitter and Flickr. Furthermore, we show that social media data tend to perform better in more visited parks, and should always be used with caution. Based on stakeholder discussions we identified potential reasons why social media data and visitor statistics might not match: the geography and profile of the park, the visitor profile, and sudden events. Overall the results are encouraging in broader terms: Over 60% of the national parks globally have Twitter or Instagram activity, which could potentially inform global nature conservation.

  14. Giving voice to wildlands visitors: Selecting indicators to protect and sustain experiences in the eastern arctic of Nunavut

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alan Watson; Brian Glaspell; Neal Christensen; Paul Lachapelle; Vicki Sahanatien; Frances Gertsch

    2007-01-01

    Many public land management agencies are committed to understanding and protecting recreation visitor experiences. Parks Canada is deeply committed to that objective for visitors to Canada's National Parks. This 2004 study, informed by a 2003 qualitative study of visitor experiences and influences on those experiences at Auyuittuq National Park in Nunavut, worked...

  15. Swine flu (H1N1 influenza): awareness profile of visitors of swine flu screening booths in Belgaum city, Karnataka.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Viveki, R G; Halappanavar, A B; Patil, M S; Joshi, A V; Gunagi, Praveena; Halki, Sunanda B

    2012-06-01

    The 2009 flu pandemic was a global outbreak of a new strain of H1N1 influenza virus often referred colloquially as "swine flu". The objectives of the study were: (1) To know the sociodemographic and awareness profile of visitors attending swine flu screening booths. (2) To reveal sources of information. The present cross-sectional study was undertaken among the visitors (18 years and above) attending swine flu screening booths organised within the Belgaum city during Ganesh festival from 28-08-2009 to 03-09-2009 by interviewing them using predesigned, pretested structured questionnaire on swine flu. The data was collected and analysed using SPSS software programme for windows (version 16). Chi-square test was applied. Out of 206 visitors, 132 (64.1%) were males and 107 (51.9%) were in the age group of 30-49 years; 183 (88.8%) had heard about swine flu. More than a third of the visitors (38.3%) disclosed that there was a vaccine to prevent swine flu. Majority responded that it could be transmitted by being in close proximity to pigs (49.0%) and by eating pork (51.5%). Newspaper/magazine (64.6%), television (61.7%), and public posters/pamphlets (44.2%) were common sources of information. The present study revealed that doctors/public health workers have played little role in creating awareness in the community. The improved communication between doctors and the community would help to spread correct information about the disease and the role that the community can play in controlling the spread of the disease.

  16. Interview with Peter Samis and Mimi Michaelson, Authors of "Creating the Visitor-Centered Museum"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spero, Susan

    2017-01-01

    "Creating the Visitor-Centered Museum" offers insight into why and how 10 case study museums have transformed to serve the needs of their public. Susan Spero interviews authors Peter Samis and Mimi Michaelson about the purpose of the book, their case study choices, the key characteristics of visitor-centered institutions and their…

  17. How to be a good visitor during flu season

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... consumers How to be a good visitor during flu season 11/20/2017 Access a printer-friendly ... of infection prevention. This is especially true during flu season. According to the CDC, influenza (the flu) ...

  18. Can persuasive and demonstrative messages to visitors reduce littering in river beaches?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cingolani, Ana M; Barberá, Iván; Renison, Daniel; Barri, Fernando R

    2016-12-01

    Littering of public areas is a significant problem worldwide. Here we evaluate the success of persuasive and demonstrative messages at reducing littering in highly visited river beaches in Argentina. We made an intervention at the beaches which consisted of a personalized verbal request asking visitors to take their litter to the waste cans (persuasive message) while they were exposed to the example of picking up the litter already left on the beach (demonstrative message). We conducted 102 observations distributed over 29 dates, two years and four beaches. Each observation consisted of three or four rounds: before the presence of visitors we cleaned the beaches, during the stay of visitors we made the intervention (once or twice) in two out of the four beaches, and early next morning we estimated the amount of litter left per beach. Litter weight ranged from 0 to 53gvisitor -1 day -1 . Littering per visitor was reduced an average of 35% due to the intervention (p=0.049). We also found differences among beaches (p=0.001), and an increase in littering with crowding (p=0.005). We show for the first time that the personalized request combined with the example of picking up litter is effective in reducing littering in a Latin American country. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  19. Visitor interest in zoo animals and the implications for collection planning and zoo education programmes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moss, Andrew; Esson, Maggie

    2010-01-01

    As zoos have sought to further their conservation missions, they have become powerful providers of environmental education. Outside of "formal" education initiatives, such as those designed for school and other organized groups, or structured public talks programmes, much of the learning potential that the zoo has to offer is around the viewing of animals and the response of visitors to them. In this, zoo learning is a very personal construct, develops from the previous knowledge, and experiences and motivations of each individual. In this article, we make the assertion that learning potential, although difficult to quantify, is very much related to the attractiveness of animal species and the interest that visitors show in them. Using standard behaviorist measures of attraction and interest (the proportion of visitors that stop and for how long), we analyzed the relative interest in 40 zoo species held in a modern UK zoo and the variables that are significant in predicting that popularity. Further to this, the suggestion is made that the zoo collection planning process could use such information to make more informed decisions about which species should be housed for their educational value. Taxonomic grouping was found to be the most significant predictor of visitor interest--that is, visitors were far more interested in mammals than any other group--although body size (length), increasing animal activity and whether the species was the primary or "flagship" species in an exhibit or not, were all found to have a significant bearing on visitor interest. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  20. Visualizing Biological Data in Museums: Visitor Learning with an Interactive Tree of Life Exhibit

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horn, Michael S.; Phillips, Brenda C.; Evans, Evelyn Margaret; Block, Florian; Diamond, Judy; Shen, Chia

    2016-01-01

    In this study, we investigate museum visitor learning and engagement at an interactive visualization of an evolutionary tree of life consisting of over 70,000 species. The study was conducted at two natural history museums where visitors collaboratively explored the tree of life using direct touch gestures on a multi-touch tabletop display. In the…

  1. Exploring visitor movement patterns in natural recreational areas

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Orellana, D.A.; Bregt, A.K.; Ligtenberg, A.; Wachowicz, M.

    2012-01-01

    GPS technology is widely used to produce detailed data on the movement of people. Analysing massive amounts of GPS data, however, can be cumbersome. We present a novel approach to processing such data to aid interpretation and understanding of the aggregated movement of visitors in natural

  2. Work-Related Stressors Among Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Home Visitors: A Qualitative Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alitz, Paige J; Geary, Shana; Birriel, Pamela C; Sayi, Takudzwa; Ramakrishnan, Rema; Balogun, Omotola; Salloum, Alison; Marshall, Jennifer T

    2018-05-31

    Background The Florida Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program delivers evidence-based home visiting services to over 1400 families each year. Home visitors are integral in providing resources for families to promote healthy pregnancy, child development, family wellness, and self-sufficiency. Due to the nature of this work, home visitors experience work-related pressures and stressors that can impact staff well-being and retention. Objectives The purpose of this study was to understand primary sources of work-related stress experienced by home visitors, subsequent effects on their engagement with program participants, and to learn of coping mechanisms used to manage stress. Methods In 2015, Florida MIECHV program evaluators conducted ten focus groups with 49 home visitors during which they ranked and discussed their top sources of work-related stress. Qualitative analysis was conducted to identify emergent themes in work-related stressors and coping/supports. Results Across all sites, the burden of paperwork and data entry were the highest ranked work-related stressors perceived as interfering with home visitors' engagement with participants. The second-highest ranked stressors included caseload management, followed by a lack of resources for families, and dangerous environments. Home visitors reported gratification in their helping relationships families, and relied on coworkers or supervisors as primary sources of workplace support along with self-care (e.g. mini-vacations, recreation, and counseling). Conclusions for practice Florida MIECHV home visitors across all ten focus groups shared similar work-related stressors that they felt diminished engagement with program participants and could impact participant and staff retention. In response, Florida MIECHV increased resources to support home visitor compensation and reduce caseloads, and obtained a competitive award from HRSA to implement a mindfulness-based stress reduction

  3. Evaluating multiple dimensions of visitors' tradeoffs between access and crowding at Arches National Park using indifference curve analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steven R. Lawson; Robert E. Manning

    2001-01-01

    Tradeoffs are an inherent part of many of the decisions faced by outdoor recreation managers. For example, decisions concerning the social carrying capacity of popular attraction sites involve tradeoffs between limiting visitor use to ensure a high quality experience and allowing high levels of visitor use to ensure that large numbers of visitors retain access to park...

  4. User Statistics for an Online Health Game Targeted at Children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alblas, Eva E; Folkvord, Frans; Anschütz, Doeschka J; Ketelaar, Paul E; Granic, Isabela; Mensink, Fréderike; Buijzen, Moniek; van 't Riet, Jonathan P

    2017-10-01

    Given that many households in western countries nowadays have home access to the Internet, developing health-promoting online interventions has the potential to reach large audiences. Studies assessing usage data of online health interventions are important and relevant but, as of yet, scarce. The present study reviewed usage data from Monkey Do, an existing online health game developed specifically for children from 4 to 8 years old. In addition, the effect of advertising on usage was examined. In an observational study, a web-based analysis program was used to examine usage data of all visits to the online health game for the first 31 months following the launch. We reported descriptives for usage data. We analyzed the relationship between advertising and usage with a Mann-Whitney U test, and used a Pearson's chi-square test to investigate the association between advertising and the number of first-time visitors. In the period of data analysis, there were 224,859 sessions. Around 34% of the visitors played the game more than once. Compared with first-time visitors, the average session time of returning visitors was doubled. The game was most frequently accessed via search engine query, on a desktop computer (compared to mobile devices). Advertising was found to be positively related to the number of sessions and the number of first-time visitors. Placing a game online can reach a large audience, but it is important to also consider how to stimulate retention. Furthermore, repeated advertisement for an online game appears to be necessary to maintain visitors over time.

  5. 75 FR 24964 - Proposed Information Collection; OMB Control Number 1018-NEW; Refuge Daily Visitor Use Report and...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-05-06

    ... observation, wildlife photography, auto touring, birding, hiking, boating/canoeing, visitor center, special...: Visitors to national wildlife refuges. Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit...

  6. Will woody plant encroachment impact the visitor experience and economy of conservation areas?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emma F. Gray

    2013-08-01

    Conservation implications: The results pointed to potentially significant economic consequences for conservation efforts as visitors become less satisfied with their experience. Perceptions of visitors are important for management decisions as park fees contribute significantly to conservation efforts. This could ultimately result in a reduced capacity for African conservation areas to conserve their biodiversity effectively. The results suggest that management may need to re-evaluate their approach to controlling woody plant encroachment.

  7. 50 CFR 36.37 - Revenue producing visitor services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... Section 36.37 Wildlife and Fisheries UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR... compensation to persons who visit a refuge, including such services as providing food, accommodations... equal and are not additive. (2) In selecting persons to provide any type of visitor service for refuges...

  8. Visitor centres at nuclear facility sites how are they organized: what information do they provide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sorin, F.

    1993-01-01

    A large proportion of visitors consists in school children. The centre receives an average of 12 000 visitors a year. It regularly advertises its services through information campaigns and sometimes pays for advertising. Not a target for anti-nuclear demonstrations, it may receive some support from local authorities. Designed for the lay public, the Centre gives out concise and condensed information relating in equal measure to the nuclear power plant to which it is attached and nuclear energy in general (mentioning other applications of nuclear power and other energy sources). The information given is a neutral account of the facts rather than arguments justifying and promoting the use of nuclear energy. These Visitor Centres can be considered as an essential element in educating public opinion about nuclear energy. Furthermore, beyond the nuclear debate properly so-called, these Visitor Centres, together with science and technology museums, constitute one of the first vehicles in the world for disseminating scientific and technical knowledge to the general public

  9. Geoheritage, Geotourism and the Cultural Landscape: Enhancing the Visitor Experience and Promoting Geoconservation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John E. Gordon

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Geotourism spans a range of visitor interests, from the specialist geotourist to the more general visitor. As well as supporting geoconservation outcomes, it provides economic, cultural, relational and social benefits for both visitors and host communities. The interconnections between geoheritage and the cultural components of the landscape have antecedents in concepts of landscape aesthetics in different cultures. These interconnections provide a range of opportunities for enhancing the geotourist experience and promoting geoconservation and geoeducation by means of activities that involve aesthetic and emotional experiences and interpretation through different cultural filters that encourage the rediscovery of a sense of wonder both about the geological stories in the landscape and the human interactions. A cultural ecosystem services framework provides a holistic approach for informing conservation policy, management and planning for geotourism, enabling assessment of multiple benefits and trade-offs for visitors and communities based on the values of the geoheritage assets. Geotourism studies could also benefit from integration of existing theory, conceptual analysis and practice from broader heritage and nature-based tourism and closer collaboration with relevant social sciences. Adhering to sound geoethical practice is an essential part of geotourism, which can also play a role in the promotion of geoethics among the public and professionals.

  10. Managing visitor impacts in parks: A multi-method study of the effectiveness of alternative management practices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, L.O.; Marion, J.L.; Manning, R.E.; Lawson, S.R.; Jacobi, C.

    2008-01-01

    How can recreation use be managed to control associated environmental impacts? What management practices are most effective and why? This study explored these and related questions through a series of experimental ?treatments? and associated ?controls? at the summit of Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park, a heavily used and environmentally fragile area. The treatments included five management practices designed to keep visitors on maintained trails, and these practices ranged from ?indirect? (information/education) to ?direct? (a fence bordering the trail). Research methods included unobtrusive observation of visitors to determine the percentage of visitors who walked off-trail and a follow-up visitor survey to explore why management practices did or didn?t work. All of the management practices reduced the percentage of visitors who walked off-trail. More aggressive applications of indirect practices were more effective than less aggressive applications, and the direct management practice of fencing was the most effective of all. None of the indirect management practices reduced walking off-trail to a degree that is likely to control damage to soil and vegetation at the study site. Study findings suggest that an integrated suite of direct and indirect management practices be implemented on Cadillac Mountain (and other, similar sites) that includes a) a regulation requiring visitors to stay on the maintained trail, b) enforcement of this regulation as needed, c) unobtrusive fencing along the margins of the trail, d) redesign of the trail to extend it, widen it in key places, and provide short spur trails to key ?photo points?, and e) an aggressive information/education program to inform visitors of the regulation to stay on the trail and the reasons for it. These recommendations are a manifestation of what may be an emerging principle of park and outdoor recreation management: intensive use requires intensive management.

  11. Visitors to nests of Hooded Vultures Necrosyrtes monachus in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    We recommend expanding the Hooded Vulture nest monitoring programme to include more pairs. Keywords: Alopochen aegyptiaca, Chacma Baboon, Egyptian Goose, Hooded Vulture, Kruger-to-Canyons Biosphere Region, Martial Eagle, Necrosyrtes monachus, nest visitors, Papio ursinus, Polemaetus bellicosus ...

  12. Four steps in the history of museum technologies and visitors' digital participation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jørgen Riber Christensen

    2011-06-01

        In conclusion, the article asks where the place of signification or meaning of the exhibited object has moved to in the face of the increased degree of visitor participation. The tentative answer is that the signification generating process has moved away from the historical context of the object and towards the contemporary world of the visitor. The article connects this change in cultural discourse with Karin Sander's archaeological imagination and in a wider sense with the concept of negotiation from new historicism.

  13. Using the Delphi Technique to Identify Key Elements for Effective and Sustainable Visitor Use Planning Frameworks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jessica P. Fefer

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Protected areas around the world receive nearly 800 billion visits/year, with international tourism continuing to increase. While protected areas provide necessary benefits to communities and visitors, the increased visitation may negatively impact the resource and the recreational experience, hence the need to manage visitor use in protected areas around the world. This research focused on obtaining information from experts to document their experiences utilizing one visitor use planning framework: Visitor Experience and Resource Protection (VERP. Using the Delphi Technique, 31 experts from seven regions around the world were asked to identify elements necessary for effective visitor management, as well as elements that facilitated or limited success when using VERP. Elements were categorized and rated in terms of importance. Scoring of the final categories was analyzed using Wilcoxon and Median non-parametric statistical tests. Results suggest that planning challenges stem from limitations in organizational capacity to support a long-term, adaptive management process, inferring that VERP may be sufficiently developed, but implementation capacity may not. The results can be used to refine existing frameworks, and to aid in the development of new recreation frameworks.

  14. Experiencing nature: The recognition of the symbolic environment within research and management of visitor flows

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Marwijk, van R.; Elands, B.H.M.; Lengkeek, J.

    2007-01-01

    Insight in and understanding of visitor use, including temporal and spatial distributions, is necess­ary for sustainable recreational use and effective park management. A visitor uses the physical environment of e.g. a National Park, however, his behaviour is not only a result of the objective or

  15. Monetary and social impact measures of visitor experience and the effects of a piping plover recovery program on visitor experience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laura Gilbert

    1995-01-01

    This study examined visitor perceptions and attitudes towards their experience at a national wildlife refuge which limits access to its barrier beach during the nesting season of the threatened piping plover. It determined attitudes towards the closure, as well as what factors influenced these attitudes. It also examined how willingness to pay for refuge protection...

  16. Visit of the Austrian Minister of Health and Women's Issues

    CERN Multimedia

    Maximilien Brice

    2003-01-01

    Mrs Maria Rauch-Kallat, Minister of Health and Women's Issues, Austria, came to CERN on 19 May. The theme of her visit was technology transfer. Photo 01: Dr Hans F. Hoffmann, CERN Director for Technology Transfer and Scientific Computing with Mrs Maria Rauch-Kallat, Minister of Health and Women's Issues, Austria, signing the VIP visitors' book. Photo 02: Mrs Maria Rauch-Kallat, Minister of Health and Women's Issues, Austria, signing the VIP visitors' book.

  17. Implementing health management information systems: measuring success in Korea's health centers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chae, Y M; Kim, S I; Lee, B H; Choi, S H; Kim, I S

    1994-01-01

    This article analyses the effects that the introduction and adoption of a health management information system (HMIS) can have on both the productivity of health center staff as well as on user-satisfaction. The focus is upon the service provided by the Kwonsun Health Center located in Suwon City, Korea. Two surveys were conducted to measure the changes in productivity and adoption (knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation and confirmation) of health center staff over time. In addition, a third survey was conducted to measure the effects of HMIS on the level of satisfaction perceived by the visitors, by comparing the satisfaction level between the study health center and a similar health center identified as a control. The results suggest that HMIS increased the productivity and satisfaction of the staff but did not increase their persuasion and decision levels; and, that is also succeeded in increasing the levels of visitors' satisfaction with the services provided.

  18. Visitor satisfaction in agritourism and its implications for agritourism farmers in Sri Lanka

    OpenAIRE

    Malkanthi, S. H. Pushpa; Routray, Jayant K

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to evaluate visitor satisfaction in agritourism and to understand the implications for agritourism farmers in Sri Lanka. This has been done following the Expectancy Disconfirmation Theory. There are 21 attributes under five different aspects selected for the satisfaction measurement. This study also provides a comparative picture of local and foreign visitors. The study has been conducted on three randomly selected agritourism destinations. Results reveal that out of ...

  19. Increases in quitline calls and smoking cessation website visitors during a national tobacco education campaign--March 19-June 10, 2012.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-08-31

    Mass media campaigns and telephone quitlines are effective in increasing cessation rates among cigarette smokers. During March 19-June 10, 2012, CDC aired Tips from Former Smokers (TIPS), the first federally funded, nationwide, paid-media tobacco education campaign in the United States. The TIPS campaign featured former smokers talking about their experiences living with diseases caused by smoking. The campaign was primarily intended to encourage adult smokers aged 18-54 years to quit by making them aware of the health damage caused by smoking and letting them know that they could call the telephone quitline portal 1-800-QUIT-NOW or visit the National Cancer Institute (NCI) smoking cessation website (http://www.smokefree.gov) if they needed free help to quit. The campaign included advertising on national and local cable television, local radio, online media, and billboards, and in movie theaters, transit venues, and print media. To determine the effects of the TIPS campaign on weekly quitline call volume and weekly unique visitors to the cessation website, CDC analyzed call and visitor data immediately before, during, and immediately after the campaign period and compared them with data from the corresponding weeks in 2011. This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which found that the number of weekly calls to the quitline from the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico increased 132% (207,519 additional calls) during the TIPS campaign, and the number of unique visitors to the cessation website increased 428% (510,571 additional unique visitors). These results indicate that many smokers are interested in quitting and learning more about cessation assistance, and will respond to motivational messages that include an offer of help.

  20. Implementation of visitor pattern in processing a syntax tree in Qlab project

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Đenić Aleksandar

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Qlab is an open-source project that supports various mathematical calculations, specialized for academic use. It has been developed at the Faculty of Mathematics, University of Belgrade, and is supported by Microsoft Serbia. In this paper we present some of Qlab’s successfully implemented core solutions. More precisely, in our approach we use a specialized Visitor pattern to optimize the management of syntax tree commands that our parser sends to our engine. This allows the processing of a larger scale of tree implementation using the Visitor interface.

  1. Exposure dose estimation of nursing personnel and visitors following "1"2"5I brachytherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakazato, Kazuhisa; Kikuchi, Hirosumi; Hotta, Harumi; Nishizawa, Kunihide

    2007-01-01

    An automated access management system to the controlled sickrooms for "1"2"5I brachytherapy was developed. The system consists of access control and video surveillance units. The patients implanted "1"2"5I seeds were isolated for about 20 h after surgery in the controlled sickrooms. The maximum doses and dose rates of the nurses and visitors were estimated by using the legal upper limit activity of 1,300 MBq, the measured longest staying time, and the shortest distance between the patients and individuals. Video analysis revealed activities of the nurses, patients, and visitors in the controlled sickroom, and relationships between the access frequency and staying time. The nurses' measured doses ranged from 1 to 3 μSv, and averaged 1.6 μSv. The nurses' maximum dose and dose rate were 16 μSv and 5.6 nSv·h"-"1·MBq"-"1. The visitors' maximum dose and dose rate were 6 μSv and 2.6 nSv·h"-"1·MBq"-"1. The nurses and visitors' exposure doses per patient were estimated to be negligible compared with the annual limit of the public. (author)

  2. Aesthetic Movement Ideals in Contemporary Architecture: The President Garfield Historic Site Visitors Center

    OpenAIRE

    Redenshek, Julie

    2006-01-01

    The James A. Garfield National Historic Site in Mentor, Ohio includes numerous structures of mid 19th century Victorian Era architecture. After the grounds became a national landmark in 1945, all new additions conformed to the existing historic style. This Thesis proposes that the existing visitors center be relocated from the carriage house to a new structure on site. This new visitor center is sensitive to the existing however, visually different. This architectural position is contradi...

  3. Health Visiting: Preparation for Practice (Fourth edition) Luker Karen McHugh Gretl and Bryar Rosamund Health Visiting: Preparation for Practice (Fourth edition) 312pp £32.99 Wiley Blackwell 9781119078586 111907858X [Formula: see text].

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-04-12

    Children, families and the communities they live in deserve high-quality care from well-informed health visitors and healthcare staff. Having an understanding of the role and responsibilities of health visitors and the wider influences on their practice has never been more important.

  4. Visitors' Motivation and Willingness to Pay for Conservation in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    PROF HORSFALL

    2018-04-20

    Apr 20, 2018 ... zoos shows their willingness to pay for conservation services at the zoos. Income (r = 0.25, p ... Therefore, to address the gap, the objective of this study is to ..... and gender had significant relationship with visitors. WTP. This is ...

  5. 78 FR 58343 - Information Collection Activities: Visitor Perceptions of Climate Change in U.S. National Parks

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-09-23

    ....NM0000] Information Collection Activities: Visitor Perceptions of Climate Change in U.S. National Parks... Information Collection 1024-NEW, Visitor Perceptions of Climate Change in U.S. National Parks in the subject line. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Angie Richman, Communication Specialist, Climate Change Response...

  6. Beyond "Home-Like" Design: Visitor Responses to an Immersive Creative Space in a Canadian Long-Term Care Facility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graham, Megan E; Fabricius, Andréa

    2017-11-01

    This study examined the benefits of expanding upon the "home-like" design by introducing an immersive creative space for residents, staff, and visitors to explore in a long-term care facility in Eastern Ontario, Canada. Data were collected through guestbook comments ( N = 93) and coded for themes according to guidelines for thematic analysis. Selected themes included visitors' enjoyment of the winter aesthetic, expressions of gratitude to the artists, time spent socializing with family and visitors in a creative milieu, and the experience of remembering in an evocative space. The results indicate that residents and visitors benefited from the experience of a creative space that was neither institutional, nor "home-like." Implications for future research are discussed.

  7. Health status of people of slums in Nairobi, Kenya

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gulis, Gabriel; Mulumba, J.A.A.; Juma, Olivia; Kakosova, Beatrica

    2004-01-01

    The objective of this study was to describe the health status of people living in the slums of Nairobi. It was designed as a cross-sectional study based on data from visitors at a clinic at Trnava University located in Mukuru slum in Nairobi. There were about 16,000 visits registered at Mary Immaculate Clinic of Trnava University in Nairobi during 2 years of operation. A random 5% sample was drawn from the paper-card database of this clinic to assess basic characteristics and health complaints of visitors. Both self-reported health complaints and diagnoses written by physicians were used to assess health status of participants. More females with average age (by slum) ranging from 20.46 to 21.30 years than males with average age ranging from (by slum) 15.86 to 19.49 years are the visitors of the clinic. The major self-reported health complaints of visitors were cough, abdominal pain, and headache for both sexes. The most frequent diagnoses were consequently virosis, acute respiratory infections, and bronchitis. Differences in health complaints by slums were observed and are described herein. The major health complaints and diagnoses in addition to the differences in health complaints and diagnoses by slum show that environmental conditions can have major influences on health status. Therefore, environmental improvements are important in the improvement of health status. A very high prevalence of respiratory complaints and gastrointestinal problems signify that improvements in air pollution reduction, drinking water provision, and waste management in slums can lead to more significant and sustainable improvements in health status than just simple treatment. This fact should be taken into account when planning future relief programs

  8. 77 FR 22606 - Proposed Information Collection; Visitor Use Surveys for Headwaters Forest Reserve and King Range...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-04-16

    ... visitor use surveys would assist the BLM in meeting goals set forth in Resource Management Plans (RMPs... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [LLCAN03900 L17110000 AL0000] Proposed Information Collection; Visitor Use Surveys for Headwaters Forest Reserve and King Range National Conservation...

  9. 77 FR 61775 - Cancellation; Federal Advisory Committee Meeting: Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-10-11

    ...] Cancellation; Federal Advisory Committee Meeting: Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Notice of meeting cancellation. SUMMARY: The meeting of the Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy (Board) scheduled for Friday, October 5, from 8:30...

  10. 75 FR 39561 - National Fire Academy Board of Visitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-09

    ...] National Fire Academy Board of Visitors AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Committee Management; Notice of Open Federal Advisory Committee Meeting. SUMMARY: The National Fire Academy Board of... the docket to read background documents or comments received by the National Fire Academy Board of...

  11. A turtle cognition research demonstration enhances visitor engagement and keeper-animal relationships.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alba, Andrew C; Leighty, Katherine A; Pittman Courte, Victoria L; Grand, Alison P; Bettinger, Tamara L

    2017-07-01

    Environmental enrichment techniques present animals with cognitive challenges while providing them opportunities to make choices and exert control over their environment. In this way, cognitive research and training is enriching to animals and can be used as a form of enrichment in zoos and aquariums. Cognitive research demonstrations also provide an opportunity to enhance visitor experience, as well as foster interactions between animals and keepers. We investigated how cognitive research sessions involving eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) at Disney's Animal Kingdom ® impacted both the rate of visitors coming to the exhibit and the amount of time they spent engaged. Further, we used a questionnaire to assess the impact of keeper participation in these sessions on their relationships with and perceptions of the turtles. While visitation rate to the exhibit was not impacted, cognitive research sessions held visitor attention for longer than keeper interpretation or at times during which no keepers or researchers were present. We also found that keepers that had worked with the turtles for longer and keepers that regularly participated in cognitive research sessions reported stronger bonds with the turtles. Our research suggests that use of cognitive research and training demonstrations for guest viewing in zoos and aquariums may enhance visitor learning opportunities by increasing the amount of time they spend at the exhibit. Our study also provides evidence that participation in such demonstrations by zoo and aquarium professionals can be related to improved keeper-animal bonds, potentially resulting in better husbandry and enhanced animal welfare. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. Fecal glucocorticoid metabolite response of captive koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) to visitor encounters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Webster, Koa; Narayan, Edward; de Vos, Nicholas

    2017-04-01

    Physiological responses of wildlife species to zoo visitors should be studied to better understand how wildlife perceive human encounters. We conducted an experimental test of the effect of changes in zoo visitor encounter experiences on the glucocorticoid (GC) response of koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) in a Sydney zoo. Koalas were housed in a multiple-bay enclosure (two to three koalas per bay) for photography sessions with zoo visitors (no touching of koalas permitted by visitors). Following a one-week no-photography baseline period, photography sessions were rotated between three enclosure bays for four weeks (Intensive photography), then between five enclosure bays for an additional four weeks (Standard photography). A sixth enclosure bay was never included in the photography sessions (control bay); koalas in this bay showed no significant change in fecal cortisol metabolites (FCMs) during the course of the study. In the five experimental bays differences were seen between male and female koalas. Males had higher mean FCMs than females, and individual FCM traces showed that two male koalas that were related and of similar age responded strongly to the experimental manipulation. These two males showed a peak in FCMs at the beginning of the Intensive photography period, then a decline when photography sessions returned to the Standard protocol. No systematic pattern in response to photography sessions was observed in females. Our results demonstrate successful application of a non-invasive endocrinology tool for assessing the stress biology and welfare of captive zoo wildlife. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Visitor preferences for managing wilderness recreation after wildfire.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryan N.K. Brown; Randall S. Rosenberger; Jeffrey D. Kline; Troy E. Hall; Mark D. Needham

    2008-01-01

    The 2003 Bear Butte and Booth (B&B) Fires burned much of the Mount Jefferson Wilderness in the Deschutes and Willamette National Forests, Oregon. A question for managers is how best to manage recreation in fire-affected areas in ways that minimize adverse impacts on visitor experiences and the recovering landscape. To help address this question, we used onsite...

  14. The perception of visitors towards the level of satisfaction on park (Case study: Singha Merjosari Park Malang)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Priadaniswari, R.

    2017-06-01

    Park is one of the public spaces which is used by people to get happiness and comfort. Singha Merjosari Park is one of the parks in Malang that is functioned as a recreational and educational park for the citizen. In weekends and national holidays Singha Merjosari park get visited by so many visitors. But if we see the reality, there are still some problems regarding visitor satisfaction. Also, there are attributes that has performance levels decrease that will become another new problem. The purpose of this study is to analyze the perception of visitors about the level of visitor satisfaction and what attributes that need to be improved and developed by managers in the future. The approach method in this research is descriptive quantitative. Primary data is based on measurement and observation. The number of samples used is 100 respondents referring to the number of samples determination by Slovin formula with the sample selection used is accidental sampling technique. The analysis technique used is Importance Performance Analysis (IPA) and Costumer Satisfaction Index (CSI). Based on the results of IPA analysis, the things that should get important attention and should be improved is the aesthetics of lighting, cleanliness of parking area and toilet, shade in park area, and availability of clean water. While the result of CSI value analysis is 65,30%. This means visitors are satisfied, but visitors are still not satisfied overall. Implications or changes that should be given is the aesthetics of lighting should be more creative and become the identity of the park (for example, lamp lanterns should be suitable with the concept of the park). Also, the change of toilet look so that visitors can enjoy the look and it can be iconic (toilet concept according to local culture of Malang) and the prevalence of lighting in the park area at night.

  15. Small Island Visitor Attractions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haven Allahar

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available This article proposes a process framework for developing and managing visitor attractions (VA in small island developing states with Trinidad and Tobago, a two-island state in the Caribbean, as the case study. An extensive literature review was conducted, supported by field observations, individual depth interviews, and small and large focus group meetings. The process framework identified four sets of processes: national policy formulation and legislation; inventory, classification, evaluation, and ranking of VA; general operations management involving project management activities; and site specific activities of development, operations, and maintenance. The value of the framework lies in the fact that no similar framework applicable to small islands was covered in the literature and validation was obtained from a panel of experts and a cross section of tourism stakeholders in Tobago.

  16. Effects on consumer welfare of visitor satisfaction information: a case study of the Allegheny National Forest

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seong-Hoon Cho; Michael Bowker; Roland K.  Roberts; Seunggyu  Kim; Taeyoung  Kim; Dayton M.  Lambert

    2015-01-01

    This research quantifies changes in consumer welfare due to changes in visitor satisfaction with the availability of information about recreational sites. The authors tested the hypothesis that an improvement in visitor satisfaction with recreation information increases the number of visits to national forests, resulting in increased consumer welfare. They...

  17. Exploring Use of New Media in Environmental Education Contexts: Introducing Visitors' Technology Use in Zoos Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yocco, Victor; Danter, Elizabeth H.; Heimlich, Joseph E.; Dunckel, Betty A.; Myers, Chris

    2011-01-01

    Modern zoological gardens have invested substantial resources in technology to deliver environmental education concepts to visitors. Investment in these media reflects a currently unsubstantiated belief that visitors will both use and learn from these media alongside more traditional and less costly displays. This paper proposes a model that…

  18. How Do Visitors Relate to Biodiversity Conservation? An Analysis of London Zoo's "BUGS" Exhibit

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chalmin-Pui, Lauriane Suyin; Perkins, Richard

    2017-01-01

    Using a case study of London Zoo's BUGS (Biodiversity Underpinning Global Survival) exhibit, this article assesses the role of experiential learning in raising biodiversity knowledge, concern and potential pro-conservation actions. Using Personal Meaning Mindmapping, a novel method in visitor research, the study examines how adult visitors relate…

  19. 76 FR 20696 - National Fire Academy Board of Visitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-04-13

    ...] National Fire Academy Board of Visitors AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Committee Management; Notice of Federal Advisory Committee meeting. SUMMARY: On Tuesday, March 29, 2011, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced in the Federal Register at 76 FR 17425 that the National Fire...

  20. Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center vehicular and pedestrian traffic congestion study

    Science.gov (United States)

    2007-05-01

    The Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center of Tongass National Forest in Juneau, Alaska is experiencing vehicular and pedestrian congestion. This study was initiated by the United States Forest Service, Alaska Region, in cooperation with Western Federal L...

  1. Recreational Interests of Visitors and Their Effects on Miankaleh Wildlife Refuge

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Masoodi

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Today, ecotourism is a major tourist activity around the world. Ecotourism is one of the strategies for supporting conservation and ensuring income in the protected areas. When implemented within the capabilities of natural systems evaluated based on natural and socio-economic factors, ecotourism can simultaneously lead to regional prosperity and environmental protection. The goal of research is determination of natural potential, recreational opportunity, and effective factors in their choice in natural areas. The area is located south of the Caspian Sea in Mazandaran and Golestan Provinces. We used questionnaires and field survey for collecting public opinions. Results indicated the high tendency of visitors for bird watching, swimming, nature photography and filming and boating among all the suggested recreational activities. Also, the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests were used for assessment of the relationships between age, sex and visitor groups and recreational activities. We found significant relationships between the groups in many of recreational activities such as research, resting and photography and filming of nature. The results of this study showed this area lacked sufficient facilities for visitors, therefore planning, preparation and implementation of comprehensive tourism infrastructure are essential to attract more ecotourists that can also reduce negative effects of recreational activities on the environment.

  2. Responses to olfactory signals reflect network structure of flower-visitor interactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Junker, Robert R; Höcherl, Nicole; Blüthgen, Nico

    2010-07-01

    1. Network analyses provide insights into the diversity and complexity of ecological interactions and have motivated conclusions about community stability and co-evolution. However, biological traits and mechanisms such as chemical signals regulating the interactions between individual species--the microstructure of a network--are poorly understood. 2. We linked the responses of receivers (flower visitors) towards signals (flower scent) to the structure of a highly diverse natural flower-insect network. For each interaction, we define link temperature--a newly developed metric--as the deviation of the observed interaction strength from neutrality, assuming that animals randomly interact with flowers. 3. Link temperature was positively correlated to the specific visitors' responses to floral scents, experimentally examined in a mobile olfactometer. Thus, communication between plants and consumers via phytochemical signals reflects a significant part of the microstructure in a complex network. Negative as well as positive responses towards floral scents contributed to these results, where individual experience was important apart from innate behaviour. 4. Our results indicate that: (1) biological mechanisms have a profound impact on the microstructure of complex networks that underlies the outcome of aggregate statistics, and (2) floral scents act as a filter, promoting the visitation of some flower visitors, but also inhibiting the visitation of others.

  3. Enjoying green cities: Assessing visitors' attitude and preferences of urban forests in Washington, D.C.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogelio II Andrada; Jinyang. Deng

    2012-01-01

    This study examined the attitudes and preferences of visitors toWashington, D.C., one of the top tourism cities in the United States. Results of a visitor survey conducted at two sites show that respondents have a highly positive attitude towards the city's urban forest and that their appreciation of the urban forest has a positive influence on their experiences...

  4. Do hospital visitors wash their hands? Assessing the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer in a hospital lobby.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Birnbach, David J; Nevo, Igal; Barnes, Susan; Fitzpatrick, Maureen; Rosen, Lisa F; Everett-Thomas, Ruth; Sanko, Jill S; Arheart, Kristopher L

    2012-05-01

    Reports regarding hand hygiene compliance (HHC) among hospital visitors are limited. Although there is an implicit assumption that the availability of alcohol-based hand sanitizer (AHS) promotes visitor HHC, the degree of AHS use by visitors remains unclear. To assess AHS use, we observed visitor HHC and how it is affected by visual cues in a private university hospital. Using an observational controlled study, we tested 3 interventions: a desk sign mandating all visitors to use AHS, a free-standing AHS dispenser directly in front of a security desk, and a combination of a freestanding AHS dispenser and a sign. HHC was 0.52% at baseline and did not improve significantly when the desk sign was provided as a cue 0.67% (P = .753). However, HHC did improve significantly with use of the freestanding AHS dispenser (9.33%) and the sign and dispenser combination (11.67%) (P hand hygiene behavior. Copyright © 2012 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. 76 FR 24956 - 30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-05-03

    ...: Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status; Form DS-2019, OMB No. 1405-0119. ACTION: Notice... Management and Budget (OMB) for approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Title of Information Collection: Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status OMB Control Number: 1405...

  6. The influence of place attachment and experience use history on perceived depreciative visitor behavior and crowding in an urban national park.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eder, Renate; Arnberger, Arne

    2012-10-01

    Research on recreational place attachment suggests that place identity, or the emotional/symbolic ties people have to places, and place dependence, which describes a functional attachment to a specific place, influence the perception of social and environmental site conditions. Recent research, however, has found that place attachment is not always a predictor of such perceptions. This study investigated the influence of place attachment and experience use history on the perception of depreciative visitor behavior, recreation impacts and crowding in an urban national park. In 2006, 605 on-site visitors to the heavily-used Viennese part of the Danube Floodplains National Park were asked about past experience, place attachment, perceptions of depreciative visitor behavior, crowding, changes in visitor numbers during the past ten years, and recreation impacts on wildlife. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the two dimensions of place attachment. Linear regression analyses found that place identity and place dependence were related to some perceived depreciative visitor behaviors and visitor number changes but not to crowding, while experience use history additionally related to perceived crowding. Visitors with higher place attachment and past experience were more sensitive to social and environmental site conditions. Management implications of the findings are discussed.

  7. Enhancing Brand Image through Events and Cultural Festivals: the Perspective of the Stresa Festival’s Visitors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elisa Piva

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Cultural events have become a significant component within the strategies of destination branding of a place. Territories are increasingly using events and cultural festivals to enhance their image and boost tourism development. Many destinations worldwide have built events portfolios as a strategic initiative to attract visitors and to develop their own brand. A destination brand represents a dynamic interaction between the destination’s core assets and the way in which potential visitors perceive them. Thus, the visitor perspective is considered as fundamental in triggering processes of destination branding. This paper investigates how the visitors assess the impact of cultural events and festivals in enhancing the image of a tourist destination. The Stresa Festival (Stresa, Lake Maggiore, Italy has been selected as a case study. Stresa Festival is undoubtedly one of the best-known European classical music festivals that every year offers performances by internationally famous artists to its audiences. Structured questionnaires have been used as the methodology to carry out the research. Online questionnaires have been handed out to residents and non-resident visitors to the Stresa Festival to extract the opinions and experience from the public on the image effects of this festival. Findings reveal that there is a positive relationship between this cultural event and the enhancement of the city image and its territory.

  8. Recreation settings, scenery, and visitor experiences: a research assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daniel R. Williams

    2007-01-01

    A core task of recreation research is to understand the relation between settings, scenery, and visitor experiences. This paper uses environmental psychology to describe four conceptual models underlying these relations: inherent/aesthetic, opportunity/goal-directed, symbolic, and expressive. The paper then describes some challenges to applying results to recreation...

  9. Examining winter visitor use in Yellowstone National Park

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mae A. Davenport; Wayne A. Freimund; William T. Borrie; Robert E. Manning; William A. Valliere; Benjamin Wang

    2000-01-01

    This research was designed to assist the managers of Yellowstone National Park (YNP) in their decision making about winter visitation. The focus of this report is on winter use patterns and winter visitor preferences. It is the author’s hope that this information will benefit both the quality of winter experiences and the stewardship of the park resources. This report...

  10. The value of continuing professional development: A realistic evaluation of a multi-disciplinary workshop for health visitors dealing with children with complex needs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steven, Alison; Larkin, Valerie; Stewart, Jane; Bateman, Belinda

    2018-08-01

    Continuing Professional Development is important for maintaining and developing knowledge and skills. Evidence regarding direct impact on practice is limited. Existing literature often lacks sufficient detail regarding the initiative or its evaluation, making transferability problematic. To explore the impact and perceived value of multi-disciplinary Continuing Professional Development workshops for Health Visitors who support families with children with complex health needs. Realistic Evaluation principles guided the research. Workshop attendees were invited to participate (n.21), 81% (n.17) agreed. Data collection included a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and qualitative thematic analysis. One North of England Health Service Trust. Interrelated temporal themes emerged. Before the workshop expectations included, uncertainty regarding content and ambiguity regarding attendance. During workshops comments focused on networking opportunities, the detail, content and facilitation of the learning experience. 'Emotional safety' enabled interaction, sharing and absorption of information, and potentially increased trust, confidence and social capital. Participants viewed the workshop as informative, enhancing insight regarding roles, services and processes. Post-workshop participants reported examples of practice enhancements attributed to workshop attendance including: confidence building; improved team working; facilitation of early referral and accessing additional support for families. Findings suggest initiative developers aiming CPD at new or existing teams need to consider nurturing social capital and to pay attention to the context and mechanisms, which can prompt attendance, engagement and subsequent practice application. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Conservation caring: measuring the influence of zoo visitors' connection to wildlife on pro-conservation behaviors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skibins, Jeffrey C; Powell, Robert B

    2013-01-01

    Zoos in the 21st century are striving to make effective contributions to conservation. Although zoos are extremely popular and host over 600 million visitors worldwide, one challenge zoos face is how to effectively engage visitors and raise awareness and action for conservation. To this end, zoos commonly rely on charismatic megafauna, which have been shown to elicit a connection with zoo visitors. However, little is known about how to measure a connection to a species or how this connection may influence conservation behaviors. This study had two sequential objectives. The first was to develop a scale to measure visitors' connection to a species (Conservation Caring). The second was to investigate the relationship of Conservation Caring to pro-conservation behaviors, following a zoo experience. Pre- (n = 411) and post-visit (n = 452) responses were collected from three sites in order to assess the reliability and validity of a scale to measure Conservation Caring. Structural equation modeling was used to explore the relationship between Conservation Caring and pro-conservation behaviors. Conservation Caring was deemed a valid and reliable scale and was a strong predictor of species oriented behaviors (β = 0.62), for example, "adopting" an animal, but a weak predictor for biodiversity oriented behaviors (β = 0.07), for example, supporting sustainability policies. Results support the role zoos can play in fostering a connection to wildlife and stimulating pro-conservation behaviors. Additionally, visitors connected to a wide array of animals. On the basis of these results, zoos may recruit a wider assemblage of species as potential flagships. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. 76 FR 8804 - 30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Form DS-3097, Exchange Visitor Program Annual...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-02-15

    ... DS-3097, Exchange Visitor Program Annual Report, OMB Control Number 1405-0151 ACTION: Notice of... Department of State has submitted the following information collection request to the Office of Management... Information Collection: Exchange Visitor Program Annual Report. OMB Control Number: 1405-0151. Type of Request...

  13. 77 FR 20687 - 30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Form DS-3097, Exchange Visitor Program Annual...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-04-05

    ...-3097, Exchange Visitor Program Annual Report, OMB Control Number 1405-0151 ACTION: Notice of request... Department of State has submitted the following information collection request to the Office of Management... Information Collection: Exchange Visitor Program Annual Report. OMB Control Number: 1405-0151. Type of Request...

  14. Perception Modelling of Visitors in Vargas Museum Using Agent-Based Simulation and Visibility Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carcellar, B. G., III

    2017-10-01

    Museum exhibit management is one of the usual undertakings of museum facilitators. Art works must be strategically placed to achieve maximum viewing from the visitors. The positioning of the artworks also highly influences the quality of experience of the visitors. One solution in such problems is to utilize GIS and Agent-Based Modelling (ABM). In ABM, persistent interacting objects are modelled as agents. These agents are given attributes and behaviors that describe their properties as well as their motion. In this study, ABM approach that incorporates GIS is utilized to perform analyticcal assessment on the placement of the artworks in the Vargas Museum. GIS serves as the backbone for the spatial aspect of the simulation such as the placement of the artwork exhibits, as well as possible obstructions to perception such as the columns, walls, and panel boards. Visibility Analysis is also done to the model in GIS to assess the overall visibility of the artworks. The ABM is done using the initial GIS outputs and GAMA, an open source ABM software. Visitors are modelled as agents, moving inside the museum following a specific decision tree. The simulation is done in three use cases: the 10 %, 20 %, and 30 % chance of having a visitor in the next minute. For the case of the said museum, the 10 % chance is determined to be the closest simulation case to the actual and the recommended minimum time to achieve a maximum artwork perception is 1 hour and 40 minutes. Initial assessment of the results shows that even after 3 hours of simulation, small parts of the exhibit show lack of viewers, due to its distance from the entrance. A more detailed decision tree for the visitor agents can be incorporated to have a more realistic simulation.

  15. Visitor Learning on Guided Tours: An Activity Theory Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robinson, Lily Beatrice

    2016-01-01

    Guided tours, field trips, and other non-formal learning experiences occur in a variety of settings such as museums, parks, civic buildings, and architectural landmarks for the purpose of educating the public. This study yielded four main findings. (1) Program educational goals were visitor awareness, positive affective experience, and advocacy.…

  16. Cultural Centre, Destination Cultural Offer and Visitor Satisfaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Benxiang Zeng

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available This paper aims to establish the link between tourists’ perceptions on cultural offers and their overall satisfaction, and explore the implication of this link for sustainable tourist destination management. Assessing online customers’ reviews, this study identifies a positive correlation between visitors’ perspectives and experiences at the on-site cultural centre and visitors’ destination satisfaction. It suggests that the on-site cultural centre plays a critical role in building up visitors’ perception on cultural attributes of the destination, and its impact on visitor satisfaction is a double-edged sword. Visitors’ positive perspectives on the cultural centre enhance visitors’ experiences and contribute to their destination satisfaction; however, not only does a negative perspective on their cultural and spiritual experience compromise visitors’ satisfaction, but also subsequent negative online reviews damage the destination image and discourage visitor return/visit. The findings help destination management organisations to better understand visitors’ preference for cultural centres and therefore to improve visitors’ cultural experience. This paper appeals for further study of on-site cultural centres’ role in forming destination cultural attributes, and of social media’s potential in enriching cultural experience.

  17. Thanks to CERN's team of surveyors, the Organization's stand at the Night of Science attracted a large number of visitors : the technology and tools used by the surveyors, such as the Terrameter shown here, attracted many visitors to the CERN stand

    CERN Multimedia

    2004-01-01

    Thanks to CERN's team of surveyors, the Organization's stand at the Night of Science attracted a large number of visitors : the technology and tools used by the surveyors, such as the Terrameter shown here, attracted many visitors to the CERN stand

  18. Networked Biomedical System for Ubiquitous Health Monitoring

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arjan Durresi

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available We propose a distributed system that enables global and ubiquitous health monitoring of patients. The biomedical data will be collected by wearable health diagnostic devices, which will include various types of sensors and will be transmitted towards the corresponding Health Monitoring Centers. The permanent medical data of patients will be kept in the corresponding Home Data Bases, while the measured biomedical data will be sent to the Visitor Health Monitor Center and Visitor Data Base that serves the area of present location of the patient. By combining the measured biomedical data and the permanent medical data, Health Medical Centers will be able to coordinate the needed actions and help the local medical teams to make quickly the best decisions that could be crucial for the patient health, and that can reduce the cost of health service.

  19. Nurse managers: Determinants and behaviours in relation to patient and visitor aggression in general hospitals. A qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heckemann, Birgit; Peter, Karin A; Halfens, Ruud Jg; Schols, Jos Mga; Kok, Gerjo; Hahn, Sabine

    2017-12-01

    To explore nurse managers' behaviours, attitudes, perceived social norms, and behavioural control in the prevention and management of patient and visitor aggression in general hospitals. Patient and visitor aggression in general hospitals is a global problem that incurs substantial human suffering and organizational cost. Managers are key persons for creating low-aggression environments, yet their role and behaviours in reducing patient and visitor aggression remains unexplored. A qualitative descriptive study underpinned by the Reasoned Action Approach. Between October 2015-January 2016, we conducted five focus groups and 13 individual interviews with nurse leaders in Switzerland. The semi-structured interviews and focus groups were recorded, transcribed, and analysed in a qualitative content analysis. We identified three main themes: (i) Background factors: "Patient and visitor aggression is perceived through different lenses"; (ii) Determinants and intention: "Good intentions competing with harsh organizational reality"; (iii) Behaviours: "Preventing and managing aggressive behaviour and relentlessly striving to create low-aggression work environments". Addressing patient and visitor aggression is difficult for nurse managers due to a lack of effective communication, organizational feedback loops, protocols, and procedures that connect the situational and organizational management of aggressive incidents. Furthermore, tackling aggression at an organizational level is a major challenge for nurse managers due to scant financial resources and lack of interest. Treating patient and visitor aggression as a business case may increase organizational awareness and interest. Furthermore, clear communication of expectations, needs and resources could optimize support provision for staff. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Consumer acculturation of Latin American visitors in Taiwan : a study of food and clothing products

    OpenAIRE

    Chang, Aihwa; Lee, Yi-Fan

    2010-01-01

    This study seeks to determine the factors influencing consumer acculturation of Latin American student visitors in Taiwan for the product categories of food and clothing. This research found: (1) some variables of acculturation influence, marketing practices, and situation factors are significantly related to consumer acculturation; (2) four acculturation patterns are discovered and they coincide with Berry's (1997) typology;(3) visitors do not travel in family units, hence their food habits ...

  1. 75 FR 64775 - 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Form DS-3097, Exchange Visitor Program Annual...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-20

    ... DS-3097, Exchange Visitor Program Annual Report, and OMB Control Number 1405- 0151 ACTION: Notice of request for public comments. SUMMARY: The Department of State is seeking Office of Management and Budget...: Exchange Visitor Program Annual Report. OMB Control Number: 1405-0151. Type of Request: Extension of a...

  2. 76 FR 77581 - 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Form DS-3097, Exchange Visitor Program Annual...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-12-13

    ... DS-3097, Exchange Visitor Program Annual Report, and OMB Control Number 1405- 0151 ACTION: Notice of request for public comments. SUMMARY: The Department of State is seeking Office of Management and Budget...: Exchange Visitor Program Annual Report. OMB Control Number: 1405-0151. Type of Request: Extension of a...

  3. Projections on museum exhibits - engaging visitors in the museum setting

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Basballe, Ditte Amund; Halskov, Kim

    2010-01-01

    Using animation, text, and visual effects as elements of projections on the Danish rune stone, Mejlbystenen (the Mejlby stone), we have explored approaches to engaging museum visitors. The installation positions itself in the field of previous installations and experiments exploring projection on...

  4. Biodiversity Hotspots and Visitor Flows in Oulanka National Park, Finland

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lyon, K.; Cottrell, S.P.; Siikamaki, P.; Marwijk, van R.B.M.

    2011-01-01

    Oulanka National Park, Finland aims to ensure nature conservation while providing high quality visitor experiences. The growth of outdoor recreation and nature tourism, however, has fueled concern about consequent pressures on the natural resources of the park. This analysis assessed the spatial

  5. Wealth and the nation's health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blackburn, C

    1993-07-01

    Social and economic prosperity to a great extent depend on a healthy population; similarly good health depends on adequate income, writes Clare Blackburn. The government strategy for health promotion outlined most recently in The health of the nation, fails to acknowledge this. Nevertheless health visitors and school nurses cannot ignore the links between health and wealth.

  6. 77 FR 14006 - Board of Visitors, United States Military Academy (USMA)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-03-08

    ... Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention, Supporting US Army Strategies, and the DAIG Cemetery Inspection... Organizational Meeting of the USMA Board of Visitors (BoV). Members of the Board will be provided updates on...

  7. Street Choice Logit Model for Visitors in Shopping Districts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawada, Ko; Yamada, Takashi; Kishimoto, Tatsuya

    2014-01-01

    In this study, we propose two models for predicting people’s activity. The first model is the pedestrian distribution prediction (or postdiction) model by multiple regression analysis using space syntax indices of urban fabric and people distribution data obtained from a field survey. The second model is a street choice model for visitors using multinomial logit model. We performed a questionnaire survey on the field to investigate the strolling routes of 46 visitors and obtained a total of 1211 street choices in their routes. We proposed a utility function, sum of weighted space syntax indices, and other indices, and estimated the parameters for weights on the basis of maximum likelihood. These models consider both street networks, distance from destination, direction of the street choice and other spatial compositions (numbers of pedestrians, cars, shops, and elevation). The first model explains the characteristics of the street where many people tend to walk or stay. The second model explains the mechanism underlying the street choice of visitors and clarifies the differences in the weights of street choice parameters among the various attributes, such as gender, existence of destinations, number of people, etc. For all the attributes considered, the influences of DISTANCE and DIRECTION are strong. On the other hand, the influences of Int.V, SHOPS, CARS, ELEVATION, and WIDTH are different for each attribute. People with defined destinations tend to choose streets that “have more shops, and are wider and lower”. In contrast, people with undefined destinations tend to choose streets of high Int.V. The choice of males is affected by Int.V, SHOPS, WIDTH (positive) and CARS (negative). Females prefer streets that have many shops, and couples tend to choose downhill streets. The behavior of individual persons is affected by all variables. The behavior of people visiting in groups is affected by SHOP and WIDTH (positive). PMID:25379274

  8. Street Choice Logit Model for Visitors in Shopping Districts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ko Kawada

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available In this study, we propose two models for predicting people’s activity. The first model is the pedestrian distribution prediction (or postdiction model by multiple regression analysis using space syntax indices of urban fabric and people distribution data obtained from a field survey. The second model is a street choice model for visitors using multinomial logit model. We performed a questionnaire survey on the field to investigate the strolling routes of 46 visitors and obtained a total of 1211 street choices in their routes. We proposed a utility function, sum of weighted space syntax indices, and other indices, and estimated the parameters for weights on the basis of maximum likelihood. These models consider both street networks, distance from destination, direction of the street choice and other spatial compositions (numbers of pedestrians, cars, shops, and elevation. The first model explains the characteristics of the street where many people tend to walk or stay. The second model explains the mechanism underlying the street choice of visitors and clarifies the differences in the weights of street choice parameters among the various attributes, such as gender, existence of destinations, number of people, etc. For all the attributes considered, the influences of DISTANCE and DIRECTION are strong. On the other hand, the influences of Int.V, SHOPS, CARS, ELEVATION, and WIDTH are different for each attribute. People with defined destinations tend to choose streets that “have more shops, and are wider and lower”. In contrast, people with undefined destinations tend to choose streets of high Int.V. The choice of males is affected by Int.V, SHOPS, WIDTH (positive and CARS (negative. Females prefer streets that have many shops, and couples tend to choose downhill streets. The behavior of individual persons is affected by all variables. The behavior of people visiting in groups is affected by SHOP and WIDTH (positive.

  9. Northern Virginia wineries: understanding visitor motivations for market segmentation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cammeral Geide; Laurie Harmon; Robert Baker

    2009-01-01

    The wine industry is a rapidly growing sector of Virginia's economy, yet little research has been done on this topic. The purpose of this study was to obtain a better understanding of northern Virginia winery visitors' motivations to help winery operators better focus their marketing efforts. This exploratory research project collected basic information about...

  10. Visitor preferences of thinning practice in young even-aged stands of pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Petucco, Claudio; Jensen, Frank Søndergaard; Meilby, Henrik

    2018-01-01

    This study compared visitor preferences of forestry professionals across six European countries (Sweden, Denmark, Great Britain, Austria, Romania and Portugal) using a questionnaire survey. The 598 interviewees were asked to rank photographs depicting recently thinned experimental plots in a 13......-year old stand of pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) according to the criterion: “Which forest environment do you prefer as a visitor?” The plots represented five different residual stem densities: 7000 (no thinning, very high stem density), 5300 (heavy thinning, high stem density), 1000 (very heavy...... rows, indicating a preference for scenes offering perspective and accessibility. The results indicate a variation of visitor preferences among forestry professionals for different silvicultural regimes. We interpret this in the context of national traditions and forestry paradigms that influence...

  11. Health visiting and its role in addressing the nutritional needs of children in the first world war.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osborne, Wayne; Lawton, Sandra

    2014-10-01

    The first known UK health visitor post was established in 1862, in response to the living conditions of the poor. Before the first world war, local government boards advised district councils generally to employ health visitors: breastfeeding and child nutrition needed particular attention. In 1910, Hucknall District Council in Nottinghamshire, England, appointed nurse Ellen Woodcock to advise mothers and caregivers on looking after their children and themselves. Focusing on the welfare of women and children, health visitors could not fail to reach everyone in the community. This historical perspective shows that many of the initiatives and policies of today mirror those of a century ago.

  12. The Revisitalization of the Querença Market: Exploring the Visitor Experience

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sara Fernandes

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Within the paradigm of the experience economy, the literature has recently focused on the importance of creating the conditions to provide individuals with positive, meaningful and memorable consumption experiences. The consumption experience model proposed by Pine and Gilmore, which is based on four dimensions – entertainment, aesthetics, education and escapism – has been operationalized and adapted in several settings. This study presents the results obtained from the analysis of participants’ experiences at the Querença Market, from the perspective of visitors. This initiative is part of a pilot project for territorial intervention – the Querença Project - which was implemented by nine young graduates in the region of Algarve, Portugal. Through a diversified offering of products and cultural and nature-related activities, based on the co-creation process with the local community, it was possible to revitalize the traditional village market, which became extinct 70 years ago. The results of the questionnaires presented to visitors of the market highlighted the multi-sensory nature of the event, which is related to the wide diversity of sensory stimuli associated with food, agricultural products and human interaction. Visitors described an overall positive and memorable experience, emphasizing the dimensions related to “aesthetics” and “entertainment.”

  13. Multiparameter Stochastic Dynamics of Ecological Tourism System with Continuous Visitor Education Interventions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dongping Wei

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Management of ecological tourism in protected areas faces many challenges, with visitation-related resource degradations and cultural impacts being two of them. To address those issues, several strategies including regulations, site managements, and visitor education programs have been commonly used in China and other countries. This paper presents a multiparameter stochastic differential equation model of an Ecological Tourism System to study how the populations of stakeholders vary in a finite time. The solution of Ordinary Differential Equation of Ecological Tourism System reveals that the system collapses when there is a lack of visitor educational intervention. Hence, the Stochastic Dynamic of Ecological Tourism System is introduced to suppress the explosion of the system. But the simulation results of the Stochastic Dynamic of Ecological Tourism System show that the system is still unstable and chaos in some small time interval. The Multiparameters Stochastic Dynamics of Ecological Tourism System is proposed to improve the performance in this paper. The Multiparameters Stochastic Dynamics of Ecological Tourism System not only suppresses the explosion of the system in a finite time, but also keeps the populations of stakeholders in an acceptable level. In conclusion, the Ecological Tourism System develops steadily and sustainably when land managers employ effective visitor education intervention programs to deal with recreation impacts.

  14. Prevalence and construct validity of compulsive buying disorder in shopping mall visitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maraz, Aniko; van den Brink, Wim; Demetrovics, Zsolt

    2015-08-30

    Compulsive buying is a relatively new psychopathological concept and very few data are currently available regarding the prevalence and validity of compulsive buying disorder. In this cross-sectional study, we establish the prevalence of compulsive buying disorder in shopping mall visitors and explore the construct validity of the concept using the revised version of the Edwards Compulsive Buying Scale in 1441 shopping mall visitors looking at shopping habits, current substance use (smoking, alcohol and illicit drug) and various psychological characteristics. Overall, 8.7% (95% CI: 7.3-10.3) of our sample was classified as having a compulsive buying disorder. Compulsive buyers were younger, less educated and more likely to be female than non-compulsive buyers. They were also more likely to have used licit and illicit substances. Compulsive buyers also reported higher levels of impulsivity and obsessive-compulsive symptoms, lower levels of well-being and self-esteem and more psychological distress. Finally, compulsive buyers were five times more likely to meet criteria for borderline personality disorder than non-compulsive buyers. Compulsive buying is a frequent disorder in shopping mall visitors and is associated with important and robust indicators of psychopathology thus supporting the validity of the construct. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Tourism package preferences of West Virginia state park visitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    William Gravley; John Dengler; Roy Ramthun; Chad Pierskalla

    2009-01-01

    This study was a preliminary examination of the activity and spending behavior of visitors to Pipestem State Park in West Virginia. This state park is being used as a case study area to determine whether a new fish stocking program accompanied by appropriate marketing activities can increase park visitation by anglers and other sports-oriented people. The research was...

  16. The structure of flower visitation webs : how morphology and abundance affect interaction patterns between flowers and flower visitors

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Stang, Martina

    2007-01-01

    Interaction patterns between plants and flower visitors in a Mediterranean flower visitation web can be explained surprisingly well by the combination of two simple mechanisms. Firstly, the size threshold that the nectar tube depth of flowers puts on the tongue length of potential flower visitors;

  17. Educational intervention toward preventive home visitors reduced functional decline in community-living older women

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Avlund, K; Vass, M; Kvist, K

    2007-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether immediate effects of a 3-year educational intervention in primary health care were confirmed 18 months after the end of the intervention. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: A controlled 3-year intervention study in 34 Danish municipalities with randomization and intervent......: The effect of a brief, feasible educational intervention for primary care professionals is sustained in women 1(1/2) years after the end of the intervention.......OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether immediate effects of a 3-year educational intervention in primary health care were confirmed 18 months after the end of the intervention. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: A controlled 3-year intervention study in 34 Danish municipalities with randomization...... and intervention at municipality level. The 17 intervention municipality visitors received regular education, and GPs were introduced to a short assessment program. The effect was measured at the individual level by questions about functional ability at the end of the intervention period and 1(1/2) years later; 4...

  18. Contrasting Pollination Efficiency and Effectiveness among Flower Visitors of Malva Sylvestris, Borago Officinalis and Onobrychis Viciifolia

    OpenAIRE

    Gorenflo, Anna; Diekötter, Tim; van Kleunen, Mark; Wolters, Volkmar; Jauker, Frank

    2017-01-01

    Biotic pollination is an important factor for ecosystem functioning and provides a substantial ecosystem service to human food security. Not all flower visitors are pollinators, however, and pollinators differ in their pollination performances. In this study, we determined the efficiencies of flower visitors to the plant species Malva sylvestris, Borago officinalis and Onobrychis viciifolia by analysing stigmatic pollen deposition. We further calculated pollinator effectiveness by scaling up ...

  19. Perspectives on the Direction of the Suncheon Bay National Garden from Local Residents and Non-Local Visitors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moohan Kim

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available As Korea’s first national garden, the Suncheon Bay National Garden is a major tourist attraction and a space of enjoyment for visitors. However, in 2016 its sudden establishment necessitates many discussions and measures, and requires that it seek direction based on current perceptions for its continued use in the future. This study begins a search for that direction by examining perspectives of local residents and non-local visitors on the relationships between visitors’ purposes, spatial needs, and required features. The research methodology included a survey administered to Suncheon residents and tourists on these factors. Results were analyzed by multiple correlation analysis and networking between the variables, and differences between Suncheon residents and non-local visitors were deduced; relationships among the factors were also verified. Both locals and visitors saw a need to emphasize garden experiences and education. The study also presents items that differ by respondent group. This study provides information that can be referred to when implementing management and plans for other national gardens.

  20. Greenhouse gas emissions in Hawaii. Household and visitor expenditure analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Konan, Denise Eby; Chan, Hing Ling

    2010-01-01

    This paper focuses on petroleum use and greenhouse gas emissions associated with economic activities in Hawaii. Data on economic activity, petroleum consumption by type (gasoline, diesel, aviation fuel, residual, propane), and emissions factors are compiled and analyzed. In the baseline year 1997, emissions are estimated to total approximately 23.2 million metric tons of carbon, 181 thousand metric tons of nitrous oxide, and 31 thousand metric tons of methane in terms of carbon-equivalent global warming potential over a 100-year horizon. Air transportation, electricity, and other transportation are the key economic activity responsible for GHG emissions associated with fossil fuel use. More than 22% of total emissions are attributed to visitor expenditures. On a per person per annum basis, emission rates generated by visitor demand are estimated to be higher than that of residents by a factor of 4.3 for carbon, 3.2 for methane, and 4.8 for nitrous oxide. (author)

  1. Procedure for the delivering of personal short-term visitor dosimeters

    CERN Document Server

    2016-01-01

    Update of the administrative procedure for delivering a personal short-term visitor dosimeter to associated members of CERN’s personnel.   Associated members of the CERN personnel may request a short term visitor dosimeter if working only in Supervised Radiation Areas and for a period of less than two months in a calendar year. Such a dosimeter is delivered without the need to provide the usual regular documents: radiation passport, certificate from the home institute or medical certificate. Periodic verification will ensure that holders of these personal dosimeters do not exceed the maximum allowed personal dose for this type of dosimeter, which is the same as the limit for members of the public at 1 mSv per year. From now on, the two-month period can be spread over a calendar year, offering greater flexibility to users coming to CERN for multiple short periods. Please return unused dosimeters Persons leaving CERN for a period of more than one month should return their dosimeter to the D...

  2. The Sunnel: Engaging Visitors in Solar Research via a Tunnel Through the Sun

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeMuth, Nora H.; Walker, C. E.

    2006-12-01

    The publicly accessible hallway space inside the McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope building on Kitt Peak has great untapped potential to house a display that would be relevant and understandable to KPNO visitors without the need for mediation or further explanation. An effective display would unite background content on solar physics and astronomy, and information on current solar research techniques and results in an accessible way that would excite and engage visitors. Considering these requirements, we created a concept currently dubbed the Sunnel (for “Sun-tunnel”). The Sunnel consists of two 95by 13-foot murals of the layers of the Sun stretching down the visitor hallway in the McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope. Temperatures of the layers are represented by the colors of the peak in the corresponding black-body curves, and solar features such as sunspots and pressure waves are represented by abstract designs flowing along the walls. A photon path will be laid on the floor using tiles, and several posters highlighting current solar research and background science content relevant to solar research will be displayed on one wall. An audio tour featuring interviews with solar researchers guides visitors along the Sunnel, engaging them and supporting deeper appreciation of the solar research. Installation of the murals is scheduled for early 2007, just in time to celebrate the International Heliophysical Year. DeMuth's research was supported by the NOAO/KPNO Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program which is funded by the National Science Foundation through Scientific Program Order No. 3 (AST-0243875) of the Cooperative Agreement No. AST-0132798 between the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) and the NSF.

  3. A Visitor Control Policy for Martin Army Hospital,

    Science.gov (United States)

    1978-04-05

    gathered at York Hospital resulted in the limitation of two visitors per patient at one time. This was not an arbitrary decision by management but...management is required to receive input from the consumer on many management decisions . Even discounting the above, the patient was felt to be a logical...proximity of the parking areas to the primary entrances, no additional staff entrances ,4 are needed, therefore no special locking devices for any auxillary

  4. Individual differences in zoo-housed squirrel monkeys' (Saimiri sciureus) reactions to visitors, research participation, and personality ratings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polgár, Zita; Wood, Lara; Haskell, Marie J

    2017-05-01

    Understanding individual differences in captive squirrel monkeys is a topic of importance both for improving welfare by catering to individual needs, and for better understanding the results and implications of behavioral research. In this study, 23 squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus), housed in an environment that is both a zoo enclosure and research facility, were assessed for (i) the time they spent by an observation window under three visitor conditions: no visitors, small groups, and large groups; (ii) their likelihood of participating in voluntary research; and (iii) zookeepers, ratings of personality. A Friedman's ANOVA and Wilcoxon post-hoc tests comparing mean times found that the monkeys spent more time by the window when there were large groups present than when there were small groups or no visitors. Thus, visitors do not seem to have a negative effect and may be enriching for certain individuals. Through GLMM and correlational analyses, it was found that high scores on the personality trait of playfulness and low scores on cautiousness, depression, and solitude were significant predictors of increased window approach behavior when visitors were present. The GLMM and correlational analyses assessing the links between personality traits and research participation found that low scores of cautiousness and high scores of playfulness, gentleness, affection, and friendliness, were significant predictors. The implications of these results are discussed in relation to selection bias and its potential confounding effect on cognitive studies with voluntary participation. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Re-examine the measure of values cross-culturally: the case of recreation visitors in Hong Kong and Taiwan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chieh-Lu Li; Yi-Chung Hsu; Chi-Chuan Lue; James D. Absher

    2008-01-01

    Parks and recreation areas around the world increasingly serve as international visitor attractions and play an important role in the international tourism industry. Given the increasingly diverse visitors, changes in racial and ethnic composition have confronted the management of parks and recreation areas . Since values presumably influence perceptions and behaviors...

  6. Exploring the health visiting service from the view of South Asian clients in England: a grounded theory study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdu, Lena; Stenner, Karen; Vydelingum, Vasso

    2016-09-01

    The fact that health inequalities disproportionately affect the minority ethnic population is not new and projections are that the minority ethnic population will continue to increase. The importance of early intervention and the key role that health visitors can play in attempting to reduce health inequalities is well documented as is the requirement for health providers to establish culturally sensitive services. To date, much of the research has focused on the perspectives of healthcare professionals caring for minority ethnic clients in hospital-based settings and little is known about the perspectives of minority ethnic clients regarding the health visiting service (HVS). The aim of this study was to explore the perspectives of South Asians regarding their experiences with the HVS. The study was conducted in a small town in the South of England between March and June 2013. A qualitative study using a grounded theory approach was used to capture the perspectives of this group regarding their interactions with the HVS. The sample consisted of 15 participants and data were collected through audio-recorded semi-structured interviews and analysed using constant comparative approach. Three key categories were identified: 'understanding the health visitor's role', 'sensitivity of services' and 'the significance of family'. While clients valued one-to-one support from health visitors, there was some evidence of poor communication and ethnocentric tendencies within the service. It was found that South Asian clients distinguish between health and parenting advice, being more likely to accept health advice from their health visitor and more likely to accept parenting advice from their family. The findings, although limited in their generalisability, offer important insights into how South Asians perceive the service and will equip health visitors with a better understanding of how best to improve the experience of South Asian clients accessing the health visiting.

  7. Public opinion and acceptability in Lithuania: Swedish support to the visitors' centre at Ignalina NPP

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Medeliene, Diana; Alvers, Margareta

    1998-01-01

    As the visitors' centre receives over 500 visitors per month it could be very interesting to take advantage of this fact and organise a survey of public opinion. First there must be a questionnaire prepared to be filled by visitors to the INPP, people of different sex, age, profession and education, coming from different regions. If needed, the same questionnaire could be spread in the biggest towns of Lithuania and in those parts of the country which are far away from the plant. The objective of the survey is to examine people's opinion about the energy sector and the role and safety of the INPP as well as to find out what they think about the future of the energy sector and nuclear. Another important question is if there is enough information about the INPP and the safety improvements. The comparison of results can certainly give interesting statistical data and conclusions. On the basis of the results of the survey an action plan can be prepared as part of the Public Information Programme. The visitors' centre was established in 1995 with the financial support from EBRD's Nuclear Safety Account. Sweden was asked for assistance by the INPP a year later and we stepped in when the centre was already well equipped and manned. Still, a lot was missing and together we made a list of priorities. First of all we ordered high quality ITV-equipment. Cameras were installed in the control room, reactor hall, turbine hall and in waste storage. Through monitors at the centre the visitors can see, in colour, what is going on inside the plant. Video films for general public were badly needed and SiP contacted a young Lithuanian film producer living in Stockholm. Two films are made: about every day work at the plant and about safety improvements financed within SiP's assistance programme. One of the films will be shown at PIME. At the same time SSI, the Swedish Institute for Radiation Protection, made a commitment to support the information centre and ordered a video film about

  8. Using social networking sites (namely Facebook) in health visiting practice--an account of five years experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dion, Xena

    2015-02-01

    With new developments in electronic and social networking communication methods the way health visitors communicate with clients is rapidly changing. With good governance these technologies can be utilised to enhance the health visiting service and can be an effective way of accessing hard-to-reach families, saving time and resources. This paper presents five years' experience in the use of Facebook between the health visiting team and clients and explains the benefits and potential it offers to health visitors and other community practitioners.

  9. Visitor Centre at Nuclear Facility Site of La Hague

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marie-Sainte, E.; Jozeau-Marigne, M.

    1993-01-01

    Cogema, a french fuel reprocessing plant, reprocesses spent fuel issued from french nuclear power plants, but also japanese, german, swiss, belgian, dutch ones. Since 1976, Cogema has reprocessed more than 5000 tons of spent fuel, about 85% of spent fuel in the world with a market economy. Since 1976, Cogema has a department which is in charge of visits of the firm. Five persons, communication assistants in charge of relations with the public organize all year long, visits on the site. A visitor centre has been built in 1974 by the CEA (Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique). It is opened to the public six months by year, from 1st of april until 30 of september, seven days a week. The visitor centre is situated out of the factory enclosure, so everybody can come in without formality. Entrance is free. Four floors to explain what is fuel cycle, reprocessing, environment surveillance, radiation protection, dosimetry, panels with elementary notions of nuclear physics (atom, fission, reactor working), use of atom in medicine and non nuclear industry, a whole of general information related to nuclear historical record, fuel cycle, and particularly activities of La Hague

  10. Visitor preferences for visual changes in bark beetle-impacted forest recreation settings in the United States and Germany

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arne Arnberger; Martin Ebenberger; Ingrid E. Schneider; Stuart Cottrell; Alexander C. Schlueter; Eick von Ruschkowski; Robert C. Venette; Stephanie A. Snyder; Paul H. Gobster

    2018-01-01

    Extensive outbreaks of tree-killing insects are increasing across forests in Europe and North America due to climate change and other factors. Yet, little recent research examines visitor response to visual changes in conifer forest recreation settings resulting from forest insect infestations, how visitors weigh trade-offs between physical and social forest...

  11. THE DETERMINANTS OF SATISFACTION OF TOURIST ATTRACTIONS’ VISITORS

    OpenAIRE

    Nowacki, Marek

    2013-01-01

    The publication concerns visitors’ attractions as the primary aim of tourist trips and the primary component of the tourism system. The central issue addressed in the book can be formulated as the following question: what are the features of visitors’ attractions and the visitors features that determine visitors’ satisfaction. The paper consists of the theory part and the empirical study. As a result of theoretical investigation, a number of conclusions concerning the nature and concept of vi...

  12. Foreign students, visitors and immigration to British Columbia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kunin, R

    1993-01-01

    "This report has provided a brief outline of business immigration to Canada and to British Columbia from several source countries in the Asian Pacific Rim. The importance of business immigration to Canada in general, and British Columbia in particular, is [examined].... Even with the limited data currently available, this brief study indicates a very high statistical relationship between business immigration and other less formal and less permanent movements of people such as student flows and visitors." excerpt

  13. 75 FR 65458 - Renewal of Department of Defense Federal Advisory Committee; Board of Visitors of the U.S. Air...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-25

    ... Committee; Board of Visitors of the U.S. Air Force Academy AGENCY: Department of Defense (DoD). ACTION... the Board of Visitors of the U.S. Air Force Academy (hereafter referred to as the ``Board''). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Freeman, Deputy Committee [[Page 65459

  14. Public recreation and landscape protection- Hand in hand with visitor monitoring

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jaarsma, C.F.; Beunen, R.; Vries, de J.R.

    2013-01-01

    Policy makers and managers of natural areas have to deal with competing socio-economic and environmental interests. The planning and management of these areas depends on accurate and sufficiently detailed information. Data from long-term monitoring are essential for assessing visitor impact on

  15. 77 FR 21576 - Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-04-10

    ...] Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Committee Management; Notice of Open Federal Advisory Committee Teleconference Meeting. SUMMARY: The Board... National Fire Academy (Academy) and advise the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency...

  16. A NEW APPROACH TO THE ANALYSIS OF VISITOR PERCEPTIONS TOWARDS A TOURISM DESTINATION: THE ROLE OF FOOD AND WINE EXPERIENCES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roberta CAPITELLO

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The study aims to propose a new approach to analyse visitor perceptions and experiences in a tourism destination. The purpose is to discuss how the discrete choice models can contribute to the analysis of the tourism destination in the visitor experience perspective. The study pays particular attention to the role of food and wine supply in thetourism experience and the destination perception. This research deepens the theoretical approach to the analysis of visitor perceptions for a tourist urban destination. The proposed framework has been applied to the city of Verona. The findings concern an exploratory survey and the subsequent building of the causal analysis. The discrete choice model application and the development of the experimental design are discussed, in order to take the role of food and wine attractions into account. The exploratory survey identified seven relevant themes for visitors. Among them, food and wine specialties may play a relevant role in the assessment of a tourist destination. Attributes and levels have been outlined to apply the discrete choice models. A survey questionnaire has been developed to be submitted to a large sample of visitors or potential visitors of Verona. The methodological contribution of this study is the application of the discrete choice models to the study of tourism experiences. The empirical innovation consists in a different marketing perspective for an urban tourist destination, whose competitiveness is strengthened by the agrofood industry.

  17. Beyond the Horizon: Visitor Meaning-Making and the Vatican Frescoes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brodie, Lee

    2004-01-01

    During the summer of 2002, thirty-one medieval frescoes went on display at the Museum of Texas Tech University, the only venue in the world for this extraordinary exhibition. This paper summarizes a qualitative research study that focused on the experiences of three visitors to the Medieval Frescoes from the Vatican Museums Collection exhibition.…

  18. The influence of hand-held information and communication technology on visitor perceptions of risk and risk-related behavior

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steven R. Martin; Kristen Pope

    2012-01-01

    As devices like personal locator beacons become more readily available, more visitors may bring them into wilderness and use them to request rescues and may develop unrealistic expectations of rescue. In an exploratory study in 2009, 235 overnight visitors to the King Range Wilderness in California completed a written survey. Of the respondents, 40 percent considered...

  19. Museums for all: evaluation of an audio descriptive guide for visually impaired visitors at the science museum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silvia Soler Gallego

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Translation and interpreting are valuable tools to improve accessibility at museums. Theese tools permit the museum communicate with visitors with different capabilities. The aim of this article is to show the results of a study carried out within the TACTO project, aimed at creating and evaluating an audio descriptive guide for visually impaired visitors at the Science Museum of Granada. The project focused on the linguistic aspects of the guide’s contents and its evaluation, which combined the participatory observation with a survey and interview. The results from this study allow us to conclude that the proposed design improves visually impaired visitors’ access to the museum. However, the expectations and specific needs of each visitor change considerably depending on individual factors such as their level of disability and museum visiting habits.

  20. Why health visiting? Examining the potential public health benefits from health visiting practice within a universal service: a narrative review of the literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cowley, Sarah; Whittaker, Karen; Malone, Mary; Donetto, Sara; Grigulis, Astrida; Maben, Jill

    2015-01-01

    There is increasing international interest in universal, health promoting services for pregnancy and the first three years of life and the concept of proportionate universalism. Drawing on a narrative review of literature, this paper explores mechanisms by which such services might contribute to health improvement and reducing health inequalities. Through a narrative review of empirical literature, to identify: (1) What are the key components of health visiting practice? (2) How are they reflected in implementing the universal service/provision envisaged in the English Health Visitor Implementation Plan (HVIP)? The paper draws upon a scoping study and narrative review. We used three complementary approaches to search the widely dispersed literature: (1) broad, general search, (2) structured search, using topic-specific search terms, (3) seminal paper search. Our key inclusion criterion was information about health visiting practice. We included empirical papers from United Kingdom (UK) from 2004 to February 2012 and older seminal papers identified in search (3), identifying a total of 348 papers for inclusion. A thematic content analysis compared the older (up to 2003) with more recent research (2004 onwards). The analysis revealed health visiting practice as potentially characterized by a particular 'orientation to practice.' This embodied the values, skills and attitudes needed to deliver universal health visiting services through salutogenesis (health creation), person-centredness (human valuing) and viewing the person in situation (human ecology). Research about health visiting actions focuses on home visiting, needs assessment and parent-health visitor relationships. The detailed description of health visitors' skills, attitudes, values, and their application in practice, provides an explanation of how universal provision can potentially help to promote health and shift the social gradient of health inequalities. Identification of needs across an

  1. Conceptual design and equipment of visitor centres

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huettinger, K.

    1993-01-01

    Discussing the needs to be met by a visitor centre, the author develops the strategies to be adopted and defines the items to be included in the information program. The procedure in preparing the layout and design are explained and the media available to provide various levels of information are listed. Principles of selecting and mixing the media are discussed and the functions of the various sections of the centre described. Also included are examples of the costs and time requirements for the establishment of a typical centre. The importance of regular maintenance and updating is emphasized. (author)

  2. Missing and accounted for: gaps and areas of wealth in the public health review literature

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Background High-quality review evidence is useful for informing and influencing public health policy and practice decisions. However, certain topic areas lack representation in terms of the quantity and quality of review literature available. The objectives of this paper are to identify the quantity, as well as quality, of review-level evidence available on the effectiveness of public health interventions for public health decision makers. Methods Searches conducted on http://www.health-evidence.ca produced an inventory of public health review literature in 21 topic areas. Gaps and areas of wealth in the review literature, as well as the proportion of reviews rated methodologically strong, moderate, or weak were identified. The top 10 topic areas of interest for registered users and visitors of http://www.health-evidence.ca were extracted from user profile data and Google Analytics. Results Registered users' top three interests included: 1) healthy communities, 2) chronic diseases, and 3) nutrition. The top three preferences for visitors included: 1) chronic diseases, 2) physical activity, and 3) addiction/substance use. All of the topic areas with many (301+) available reviews were of interest to registered users and/or visitors (mental health, physical activity, addiction/substance use, adolescent health, child health, nutrition, adult health, and chronic diseases). Conversely, the majority of registered users and/or visitors did not have preference for topic areas with few (≤ 150) available reviews (food safety and inspection, dental health, environmental health) with the exception of social determinants of health and healthy communities. Across registered users' and visitors' topic areas of preference, 80.2% of the reviews were of well-done methodological quality, with 43.5% of reviews having a strong quality rating and 36.7% a moderate review quality rating. Conclusions In topic areas in which many reviews are available, higher level syntheses are needed to

  3. Coordination and Human Resource Planning in the Hawaii Visitor Industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hawaii State Commission on Manpower and Full Employment, Honolulu.

    This report was undertaken in response to a request by the Sixth Legislature, which expressed its concern with the lack of coordination and overall human resource planning in the visitor industry and that the findings of the January 6-7, 1970 Travel Industry Congress had not been fully implemented. The State Commission on Manpower and Full…

  4. Forest Service National Visitor Use Monitoring Process: Research Method Documentation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donald B.K. English; Susan M. Kocis; Stanley J. Zarnoch; J. Ross Arnold

    2002-01-01

    In response to the need for improved information on recreational use of National Forest System lands, the authors have developed a nationwide, systematic monitoring process. This report documents the methods they used in estimating recreational use on an annual basis. The basic unit of measure is exiting volume of visitors from a recreation site on a given day. Sites...

  5. Chinese visitors at Australia wineries: Preferences, motivations, and barriers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emily (Jintao Ma

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available China has become Australia’s most important source market and there are growing number of visitors participated in wine tourism. Using in-depth interviews, the study looked into Chinese tourists’ preferences, motivations and barriers to participate in wineries tours in Australia. The study enriched to literature on wine tourism. It offered practical implications for wineries and destinations to better understand and accommodate Chinese wine tourists’ needs and preferences.

  6. Museums as a venue for public health intervention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ickovics, Jeannette R

    2013-12-01

    Big Food: Health, Culture, and the Evolution of Eating broke numerous records for museum attendance, highlighting the public's appetite for public health. During its 10-month run at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, more than 120 000 visitors attended Big Food, including 25 000 students through the museum's public education program, an increase of 30% more than the average student attendance in the past decade. Big Food cost approximately $100 000 to build, comprising printed panels and objects, installation displays (e.g., custom-built cases to house such objects as sugar-sweetened beverages and healthy and diseased organs), temporary walls, video monitors, food products, and more. At less than $1 per visitor, this provided extraordinary public health value.

  7. The soul-sucking wasp by popular acclaim--museum visitor participation in biodiversity discovery and taxonomy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael Ohl

    Full Text Available Taxonomy, the science of describing and naming of the living world, is recognized as an important and relevant field in modern biological science. While there is wide agreement on the importance of a complete inventory of all organisms on Earth, the public is partly unaware of the amount of known and unknown biodiversity. Out of the enormous number of undescribed (but already recognized species in natural history museum collections, we selected an attractive example of a wasp, which was presented to museum visitors at a special museum event. We asked 300 visitors to vote on a name for the new species and out of four preselected options, Ampulex dementor Ohl n. sp. was selected. The name, derived from the 'soul sucking' dementors from the popular Harry Potter books is an allusion to the wasps' behavior to selectively paralyze its cockroach prey. In this example, public voting on a scientific name has been shown to be an appropriate way to link museum visitors emotionally to biodiversity and its discovery.

  8. The soul-sucking wasp by popular acclaim--museum visitor participation in biodiversity discovery and taxonomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohl, Michael; Lohrmann, Volker; Breitkreuz, Laura; Kirschey, Lukas; Krause, Stefanie

    2014-01-01

    Taxonomy, the science of describing and naming of the living world, is recognized as an important and relevant field in modern biological science. While there is wide agreement on the importance of a complete inventory of all organisms on Earth, the public is partly unaware of the amount of known and unknown biodiversity. Out of the enormous number of undescribed (but already recognized) species in natural history museum collections, we selected an attractive example of a wasp, which was presented to museum visitors at a special museum event. We asked 300 visitors to vote on a name for the new species and out of four preselected options, Ampulex dementor Ohl n. sp. was selected. The name, derived from the 'soul sucking' dementors from the popular Harry Potter books is an allusion to the wasps' behavior to selectively paralyze its cockroach prey. In this example, public voting on a scientific name has been shown to be an appropriate way to link museum visitors emotionally to biodiversity and its discovery.

  9. The appreciation of nature and landscape by tourism service providers and visitors in the Ore Mountains (Germany

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christian Stein

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents empirical studies on the appreciation of nature and landscape in the Eastern Ore Mountains (Saxony, Germany by tourism service providers (TSP and visitors. Attractive landscape and experience of nature are the most important reasons to visit this region and to spend leisure time there. Particularly mountain meadows, raised bogs and mixed forests are highly appreciated. Deforestation, industrial development and the decline of biodiversity would reduce attractiveness for visitors. We also assessed whether the tourism sector is prepared to contribute to the funding of nature conservation and landscape management. Use of general tax revenues is favoured, but other modes would also be accepted, e.g. a nature tax. Willingness to pay (WTP is ranging between €0.75 and €1.36 per guest per night by TSP, or between €1.06 and €2.73 per day by visitors. With respect to landscape preference and WTP we found in some cases significant differences among visitors, depending on region of residence, age and education level. A major part of the annual costs for nature conservation and landscape could be covered by public funds (taxes, if the results of the WTP approach were understood as a sign of societal demand and a call to action.

  10. CERN's 50th anniversary open day attracts record number of visitors

    CERN Multimedia

    Patrice Loiez

    2004-01-01

    Some of the biggest attractions were the huge detectors under construction for the Large Hadron Collider. Such tours helped the visitors gain a sense of the scale of CERN's work - and even those who already had some notion of CERN were awed by the gigantic detectors, caverns, and tunnels.

  11. An Interactive Exhibition about Animal Skeletons: Did the Visitors Learn Any Zoology?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tunnicliffe, Sue Dale; Laterveer-de Beer, Manon

    2002-01-01

    Explores museum visitors' understanding of skeleton exhibits and whether such exhibits increase their understanding of the zoology displayed. The exhibition under study focused on the diversity of vertebrae skeletons which were arranged according to the mode of locomotion. (DDR)

  12. Spontaneous cross-species imitation in interactions between chimpanzees and zoo visitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Persson, Tomas; Sauciuc, Gabriela-Alina; Madsen, Elainie Alenkær

    2018-01-01

    Imitation is a cornerstone of human development, serving both a cognitive function (e.g. in the acquisition and transmission of skills and knowledge) and a social-communicative function, whereby the imitation of familiar actions serves to maintain social interaction and promote prosociality. In nonhuman primates, this latter function is poorly understood, or even claimed to be absent. In this observational study, we documented interactions between chimpanzees and zoo visitors and found that the two species imitated each other at a similar rate, corresponding to almost 10% of all produced actions. Imitation appeared to accomplish a social-communicative function, as cross-species interactions that contained imitative actions lasted significantly longer than interactions without imitation. In both species, physical proximity promoted cross-species imitation. Overall, imitative precision was higher among visitors than among chimpanzees, but this difference vanished in proximity contexts, i.e. in the indoor environment. Four of five chimpanzees produced imitations; three of them exhibited comparable imitation rates, despite large individual differences in level of cross-species interactivity. We also found that chimpanzees evidenced imitation recognition, yet only when visitors imitated their actions (as opposed to postures). Imitation recognition was expressed by returned imitation in 36% of the cases, and all four imitating chimpanzees engaged in so-called imitative games. Previously regarded as unique to early human socialization, such games serve to maintain social engagement. The results presented here indicate that nonhuman apes exhibit spontaneous imitation that can accomplish a communicative function. The study raises a number of novel questions for imitation research and highlights the imitation of familiar behaviours as a relevant-yet thus far understudied-research topic.

  13. An Interpretive Study of Yosemite National Park Visitors' Perspectives Toward Alternative Transportation in Yosemite Valley

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Dave D.

    2007-01-01

    The National Park Service (NPS) is increasingly focusing on alternative transportation systems in national parks to address environmental and social problems arising from a historical reliance on personal automobiles as the primary means of visitor access. Despite the potential advantages, alternative transportation may require a reorientation in the way that Americans have experienced national parks since the advent of auto-tourism in the early twentieth century. Little research exists, however, on visitor perspectives towards alternative transportation or the rationale underlying their perspectives. It remains unclear how transportation systems affect visitors’ experiences of the park landscape or the factors influencing their travel behavior in the parks. This report presents an interpretive study of visitor perspectives toward transportation management in the Yosemite Valley area of Yosemite National Park, California. Qualitative analysis of 160 semi-structured interviews identified individual psychological factors as well as situational influences that affect visitors’ behavior and perspectives. Individual psychological factors include perceived freedom, environmental values and beliefs, prior experience with Yosemite National Park and other national parks, prior experience with alternative transportation in national parks, and sensitivity to subjective perceptions of crowding. Situational factors included convenience, access, and flexibility of travel modes, as well as type of visit, type of group, and park use level. Interpretive communication designed to encourage voluntary visitor use of alternative transportation should focus on these psychological and situational factors. Although challenges remain, the results of this study suggest approaches for shaping the way Americans visit and experience their national parks to encourage environmental sustainability.

  14. Segmentation of culturally diverse visitors' values in forest recreation management

    Science.gov (United States)

    C. Li; H.C. Zinn; G.E. Chick; J.D. Absher; A.R. Graefe; Y. Hsu

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the potential utility of HOFSTEDE’s measure of cultural values (1980) for group segmentation in an ethnically diverse population in a forest recreation context, and to validate the values segmentation, if any, via socio-demographic and service quality related variables. In 2002, the visitors to the Angeles National Forest (ANF)...

  15. Feeling and Understanding Plate Tectonics - How can We attract Museum Visitors Attention?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simon, Gilla; Apel, Michael

    2017-04-01

    Earthquakes, volcano eruptions and other natural hazards are commonly paid attention to, if news about disastrous events reach us. The mission of an Earth Science or Natural History Museum, however, goes beyond explaining the causes of natural disasters, but should also present science history and cutting edge research. Since dealing with a subject, especially with one, which seems to be in the abstract, is more effective, we realised two new projects where our visitors can feel and understand plate tectonics in a more exciting way. In 2015 we installed an earthquake simulator in our permanent exhibition to allow our visitors the physical experience of an earthquake. Because of static restrictions the simulator is housed in a container outside the building where it can be visited as a booked program upon prior reservation or by joining public tours on Sundays and special occasions. The simulation of six real earthquakes in two spatial directions is accompanied by a movie presenting facts about the earthquake itself (e.g. location, magnitude, damage and victims), but also general information about plate tectonics. This standard program takes about 20 minutes. During an educational program, however, not only the simulator is visited, but also the permanent exhibition, where the guide can focus on different aspects and then might choose specific earthquakes and information blocs in the simulator. In addition workshops with experiments are offered for school classes and other groups. This allows us to offer an individual program fitting to the visitor group. In 2016 we converted an old movie room to a state of the art media room. In cooperation with Media Informatics students we developed a quiz for three different levels and various themes like earthquakes, volcanoes, history and plate tectonics in general. Starting the quiz, a virtual earthquake destroys a building which will be reconstructed if the participants answer multiple choice questions correctly. Though, the

  16. Prevalence and construct validity of compulsive buying disorder in shopping mall visitors

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Maraz, Aniko; van den Brink, Wim; Demetrovics, Zsolt

    2015-01-01

    Compulsive buying is a relatively new psychopathological concept and very few data are currently available regarding the prevalence and validity of compulsive buying disorder. In this cross-sectional study, we establish the prevalence of compulsive buying disorder in shopping mall visitors and

  17. Talking about domestic abuse: Crucial conversations for health visitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bradbury-Jones, Caroline

    2015-12-01

    Domestic abuse is a serious problem across the world and it is considered a public health issue. Nurses play a crucial role in recognising and responding to domestic abuse but they sometimes lack confidence in dealing with the issue. In this article, two recently completed studies are used to extract lessons for health visiting practice. The first study investigated primary healthcare professionals' beliefs about domestic abuse. Many healthcare professionals were confident in dealing with domestic abuse. However, there was disinclination among some to discuss the issue. People who experience abuse rarely discuss it unless asked. So the study highlighted a potential dynamic of silence between health professionals and abused people in their care. The second study investigated student nurses and student midwives experiences of learning about domestic abuse. The student nurses had learned less than the student midwives. They had not been taught about domestic abuse in university and many had not had the opportunity to learn about it in clinical placement. They reported reluctance among some mentors to discuss the issue with them, with a resulting silencing of the issue. Both of these studies have important lessons for health visiting practice regarding opening up crucial conversations about domestic abuse.

  18. Smoking in hospital: a survey of attitudes of staff, patients, and visitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garratt, D J; Gough, N A; Taylor, E J; Banks, M H; Sönksen, P H

    1978-01-01

    A survey was carried out on attitudes to smoking in hospital. Analysis of 411 interviews showed that the majority (64%) of those questioned approved of some restrictions on patients smoking in the wards. Eighteen per cent would have liked to see a complete ban on smoking, while an identical number favoured no restrictions at all. Smoking habit influenced response; only 8% of smokers, compared with 25% of non-smokers, would have liked to see a total ban on smoking. Attitudes to smoking varied according to the status of the persons interviewed; only 6% of visitors and 7% of nurses approved of a complete ban on smoking, compared with 32% of medical students and 27% of doctors. The results suggest that the introduction of smoking and non-smoking areas in hospital wards would be approved by the majority of patients, staff, and visitors. PMID:711983

  19. Profiles of foreign visitors attending the 2010 FIFA World Cup in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... types of attendees in relation to place of residence and travel behaviour. The study revealed that foreign visitors were mainly from Europe and the United States of America (males, 30-39 years of age) and well-educated. Overall, the respondents had positive attitudes towards South Africa as a host nation and tourism ...

  20. Ecological modules and roles of species in heathland plant-insect flower visitor networks

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dupont, Yoko; Olesen, Jens Mogens

    2009-01-01

    1.  Co-existing plants and flower-visiting animals often form complex interaction networks. A long-standing question in ecology and evolutionary biology is how to detect nonrandom subsets (compartments, blocks, modules) of strongly interacting species within such networks. Here we use a network...... analytical approach to (i) detect modularity in pollination networks, (ii) investigate species composition of modules, and (iii) assess the stability of modules across sites. 2.  Interactions between entomophilous plants and their flower-visitors were recorded throughout the flowering season at three...... heathland sites in Denmark, separated by ≥ 10 km. Among sites, plant communities were similar, but composition of flower-visiting insect faunas differed. Visitation frequencies of visitor species were recorded as a measure of insect abundance. 3.  Qualitative (presence-absence) interaction networks were...

  1. How do plant communities and flower visitors relate? A case study of semi-natural xerothermic grasslands

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Damian Chmura

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available The paper examines the relationships between the species composition of flower visitors and plants in the semi-natural xerothermic grasslands in southern and central Poland. Thirty 10 × 10 m permanent plots were laid out in total, mainly in nature reserves. The vegetation units studied were classified according to the Braun-Blanquet system; these were phytocoenoses of the Festuco-Brometea classes Inuletum ensifoliae, Adonido-Brachypodietum pinnati and the transitional plant community. Entomological research was performed using the Pollard method within the same plots. A particular site was visited only once and different sites were studied between April and August 2008. We applied, among others, co-correspondence-analysis Co-CA, detrended correspondence analysis (DCA and redundancy analysis (RDA to investigate the co-occurrence patterns of plants and flower visitors and their biotopic requirements. We found that the species composition of flower visitors cannot be predicted by floristic composition when the duration of the study is restricted to one day (but under similar weather conditions; however, there is a positive relationship between the species richness of insects and plants and a positive relationship between the number of plant species and the abundance of flower visitors. The Ellenberg moisture index and the cover of meadow species significantly explained the species composition of insects. The three various vegetation units and five dominant xerothermic species, i.e. Adonis vernalis, Anemone sylvestris, Inula ensifolia, Linum hirsutum and Carlina onopordifolia that were studied across time differed in the species richness of insects. Our results demonstrate that possible patterns in the species composition and the assembly rules of flower visitors are not apparent when the Pollard method is applied. Based on the data obtained using this method, the flower visiting assemblages seem not to be driven by competition and they primarily

  2. Heuristics Miner for E-Commerce Visitor Access Pattern Representation

    OpenAIRE

    Kartina Diah Kesuma Wardhani; Wawan Yunanto

    2017-01-01

    E-commerce click stream data can form a certain pattern that describe visitor behavior while surfing the e-commerce website. This pattern can be used to initiate a design to determine alternative access sequence on the website. This research use heuristic miner algorithm to determine the pattern. σ-Algorithm and Genetic Mining are methods used for pattern recognition with frequent sequence item set approach. Heuristic Miner is an evolved form of those methods. σ-Algorithm assume that an activ...

  3. Development and Testing of the Glenn Research Center Visitor's Center Grid-Tied Photovoltaic Power System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eichenberg, Dennis J.

    2009-01-01

    The NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) has developed, installed, and tested a 12 kW DC grid-tied photovoltaic (PV) power system at the GRC Visitor s Center. This system utilizes a unique ballast type roof mount for installing the photovoltaic panels on the roof of the Visitor s Center with no alterations or penetrations to the roof. The PV system has generated in excess of 15000 kWh since operation commenced in August 2008. The PV system is providing power to the GRC grid for use by all. Operation of the GRC Visitor s Center PV system has been completely trouble free. A grid-tied PV power system is connected directly to the utility distribution grid. Facility power can be obtained from the utility system as normal. The PV system is synchronized with the utility system to provide power for the facility, and excess power is provided to the utility. The project transfers space technology to terrestrial use via nontraditional partners. GRC personnel glean valuable experience with PV power systems that are directly applicable to various space power systems, and provides valuable space program test data. PV power systems help to reduce harmful emissions and reduce the Nation s dependence on fossil fuels. Power generated by the PV system reduces the GRC utility demand, and the surplus power aids the community. Present global energy concerns reinforce the need for the development of alternative energy systems. Modern PV panels are readily available, reliable, efficient, and economical with a life expectancy of at least 25 years. Modern electronics has been the enabling technology behind grid-tied power systems, making them safe, reliable, efficient, and economical with a life expectancy of at least 25 years. Based upon the success of the GRC Visitor s Center PV system, additional PV power system expansion at GRC is under consideration. The GRC Visitor s Center grid-tied PV power system was successfully designed and developed which served to validate the basic principles

  4. Informal Learning in Online Knowledge Communities: Predicting Community Response to Visitor Inquiries

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nistor, Nicolae; Dascalu, Mihai; Stavarache, Lucia Larise; Serafin, Yvonne; Trausan-Matu, Stefan

    2016-01-01

    Nistor, N., Dascalu, M., Stavarache, L.L., Serafin, Y., & Trausan-Matu, S. (2015). Informal Learning in Online Knowledge Communities: Predicting Community Response to Visitor Inquiries. In G. Conole, T. Klobucar, C. Rensing, J. Konert & É. Lavoué (Eds.), 10th European Conf. on Technology Enhanced

  5. Following Musical Shows: A Study with Focal Groups on Satisfaction of Musical Concerts Regular Visitors and Socialization between Them

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lúmia Massa Garcia Pires

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available This article aimed to identify which attributes impact more significantly on the satisfaction of concerts’ regular visitors and socialization between them when inserted in these kinds of events. Thus, we used a qualitative methodology, performing focus groups. Among the main results of this study, we found, regarding satisfaction of concerts’ visitors, the attributes that most influence the public are related to services - especially for beverage supply, cleaning of bathrooms and lines formed inside the event - organization, show infrastructure and performance artists. Furthermore, considering the socialization of the visitors, we found that most respondents often go to concerts together with other people, but some did not exclude the possibility to attend the concerts alone when it comes to a familiar artist.

  6. Examining visitors' behavioral intentions and behaviors in a Taiwan National Park

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chieh-Lu Li; Garry E. Chick

    2011-01-01

    In 2007-2008, some visitors to Taroko National Park in Taiwan were surveyed to allow testing of a behavioral prediction model in the context of national park recreation. This model includes three constructs: values (a cultural anthropology factor), perceptions of service quality (service marketing factors), and perceptions of crowding (a national park recreation factor...

  7. Profile of winery visitors of Michigan wineries based on behavioral segmentations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tzu-Ching Chang; Mi-Kyung Kim; Seung Hyun Kim

    2003-01-01

    Since 1995, the number of wineries and sales of Michigan wine continued to increase. In addition to wine production, the vineyards have been designed for agriculture tourism including the development of tasting rooms and winery tours. Commercial winery is more than simply grape production and has an important relationship with visitors or customers. However, little...

  8. Pollen morphology and study of the visitors (Hymenoptera, Apidae) of Solanum stramoniifolium Jacq. (Solanaceae) in Central Amazon

    OpenAIRE

    Silva,Alexandre Coletto da; Kinupp,Valdely Ferreira; Absy,Maria Lucia; Kerr,Warwick Estevam

    2004-01-01

    The Solanaceae family has a wide distribution, mainly in the tropical and subtropical areas of South America. Solanum L. is one of the most important genera of the family with approximately 1,200 species. The objective of this work was to study the floral biology, pollen morphology as well as to investigate the bee visitors of S. stramoniifolium. Preliminary data indicate the presence of one species of stinging bee and four species of stingless bees as visitors to S. stramoniifolium. The poll...

  9. Spatio-temporal variation of nectar robbing in Salvia gesneriflora and its effects on nectar production and legitimate visitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cuevas, E; Rosas-Guerrero, V

    2016-01-01

    Nectar robbing occurs when floral visitors remove floral nectar through floral damage and usually without providing pollination in return. Even though nectar robbing may have negative, neutral or even positive effects on plant fitness, few studies have investigated temporal and spatial variation in robbing rate and their consequences, particularly in the tropics. In this study, robbing levels were estimated during 3 years in four populations of Salvia gesneriflora, a hummingbird-pollinated shrub endemic to central Mexico that is mainly robbed by birds, carpenter bees and bumblebees. The effect of robbing on nectar availability, flower longevity and on visitation rate by floral visitors was also evaluated. Our results indicate great variation in robbing levels across years and populations and a positive relationship between robbing level and flower abundance per population. Moreover, our results show that nectar availability is about eight times higher in unrobbed flowers than in robbed flowers, and that nectar robbers prefer younger flowers, although lifespan of robbed and unrobbed flowers did not differ statistically. Primary and secondary nectar robbers showed a higher visitation rate compared to legitimate visitors, and neither legitimate nor illegitimate floral visitors seem to discriminate between robbed and unrobbed flowers. These results suggest that robbers may respond to food availability and that no floral visitors apparently could differentiate between robbed and unrobbed flowers. Finally, results show that nectar robbers prefer the youngest flowers, which suggests that strong competition for access to nectar between pollinators and robbers might occur, mainly at the first stages of the flowers. © 2015 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

  10. Researching opinions of exhibitors and visitors of the event 'Spring of Novi Sad': By gender and educational level

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Petrović Marko

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available 'Spring of Novi Sad' is an event, which represents an important part of the event offer of Novi Sad, and on the ba­sis of classification of events on the tourism value, event is very significant on the province level too. The event has become more recognisable as environmentally friendly brand and according to its model, similar events are organized in several cities. 'Spring of Novi Sad' is known for interesting content in the fields of horticulture, land­scape architecture, environmental protection, healthy nutrition and old crafts, which are designed for visitors with different interests and for all generations. The aim of this paper is to examine the opinions of exhibitors and visitors by gender and education level about organizational and other components of the event 'Spring of Novi Sad'. The sample taken for this research consists of 246 respondents - 184 visitors and 62 exhibitors. A survey can be used by the entire travel industry of Novi Sad and by tourism organizations (local, provincial and national. It is necessary to conduct surveys for visitors and participants of the city events in order to select base results of key events for the future promotion of Novi Sad.

  11. Floral visitors of Aechmea constantinii (Mez L. B. Sm. (Bromeliaceae in a remnant of the Brazilian Northeast Atlantic Rainforest

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Petrúcio Alexandre Fonseca Rios J

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to determine the floral visitors and potential pollinators of Aechmea constantinii (Mez L. B. Sm. (Bromeliaceae, a bromeliad endemic to the Brazilian Northeast Atlantic Rainforest. Reproductively-active individuals were observed systematically and their visitors were recorded and determined. The main recorded fl oral visitors were Glaucis hirsutus, Phaethornis ruber and Phaethornis pretrei (hummingbirds which executed frontal functional floral visits in which they touched the parts of the fl owers. Visits of Plebeia flavocincta, Plebeia sp., Trigona spinipes and Euglossa cordata (bees and Talides sergestu and Strymon ziba (butterflies were also recorded. In addition, two ants (Hymenoptera, Insecta, Formicidae were identifi ed in activity on the fl oral scapes and flowers of the studied bromeliad. The suggestion is made in the study that the A. constantinii is pollinated by hummingbirds since these birds executed direct frontal visits to the fl owers, touching reproductive structures. The identification of pollen on the bodies of bees and butterflies, as well as the contact executed by visitors, with the stigma of the visited flowers, offered an indication that these species may exert an influence as secondary pollinators of Aechmea constantinii.

  12. 77 FR 13571 - Board of Visitors, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-03-07

    ... matters, ACCJC interactions, and a review of previous BoV recommendations. Agenda: Summary--March 21--The... Visitors, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center. Date: March 21, 2012. Time of Meeting... Institute Foreign Language Center in response to the agenda. All written statements shall be submitted to...

  13. Economic contribution of recreating visitors to the Florida Keys/Key West

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donald B.K. English; Warren Kriesel; Vernon R Leeworthy; Peter C. Wiley

    1996-01-01

    This report provides estimates of the economic impact that visitors to the Florida Keys have on both the Monroe County and larger South Florida regional economies. Estimates are made for output/sales, income, and employment and include both direct and secondary economic impacts. This report provides the basis for demonstrating the income-producing asset value of the...

  14. 78 FR 65977 - Board of Visitors, United States Military Academy (USMA)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-11-04

    [email protected]us.army.mil . 7. Due to the lapse of appropriations, the Department of Defense cancelled the... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Army Board of Visitors, United States Military Academy... the Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended), and 41 CFR 102-3.150, the Department of Defense...

  15. Making Travel to Cuba Work for Health and Sustainable Development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gorry, Conner

    2017-01-01

    In 2015, a record-breaking 3.5 million visitors-1 million from Canada alone-traveled to Cuba to explore its history, culture, natural splendor, and visit family. That same year, US President Barack Obama relaxed travel restrictions, giving general authorization for a dozen categories of legal travel by US citizens and residents. As a result, US visitors to the island ballooned by 80% between January 2015 and June 2016. And the numbers keep growing: the latest data show that foreign arrivals reached 4 million in 2016.[1] The surge in visitors highlights the potential negative impact of tourism on a developing country's infrastructure, environment, cultural patrimony and local economy-all considered important social determinants of health.

  16. Understanding motivation of visitors at dark tourism sites : Case study of August 7th Memorial Park, Kenya

    OpenAIRE

    Gaya, Esther

    2013-01-01

    Recently, the fascination of death and disaster has influenced the tourism scene and today, millions of visitors from all over the world travel to sites of death and disaster. This study aims to identify what motivates tourists to visit sites of death and disaster in order to understand better visitor behavior at such sites and specifically the August 7th Memorial Park, Kenya; which was the site of a 1998 terrorist bomb attack that caused the deaths of 218 people and injured thousands more. ...

  17. Wind energy report : views of residents of PEI and visitors to PEI

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2010-08-15

    Tourist brochures describe Prince Edward Island (PEI) as an island with pastoral landscapes and sandy beaches. At the same time, PEI is encouraging and actively supporting the development of a major wind energy industry. PEI is also promoting itself as Canada's green province. This report discussed a wind energy survey that was implemented to capture perceptions of wind energy production and wind farms, and their perceived effects on the landscape. Specifically, the survey questioned whether wind farms fit with the gentle island brand for visitors, and whether they support the attempt to label PEI as a green province. The survey also compared perceptions of renewable and non-renewable energy generation methods and determined if there was support for further expansion of wind farms on PEI. The report discussed the objectives of the study as well as the methodology including data collection; statistical issues; and sample characteristics. General travel data for visitors was also presented, such as composition and size of travel party; type of visitation; and regions visited while on PEI. Topics and results that were addressed in the survey included propensity for taking scenic driving tours; percentage of electricity generated from coal, gas, oil, or diesel; desired method to generate electricity; willingness to pay for electricity from renewable energy sources; impressions of fossil based methods; impressions of wind power; percentage of electricity generated from wind turbines; perception of the phrase promoting PEI as Canada's green province; seeing a wind farm on PEI; and attitudes toward wind farms on PEI. In general, the report demonstrated support from both Islanders and visitors for the development of energy though renewable sources, particularly wind energy. tabs., figs.

  18. Wind energy report : views of residents of PEI and visitors to PEI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2010-08-01

    Tourist brochures describe Prince Edward Island (PEI) as an island with pastoral landscapes and sandy beaches. At the same time, PEI is encouraging and actively supporting the development of a major wind energy industry. PEI is also promoting itself as Canada's green province. This report discussed a wind energy survey that was implemented to capture perceptions of wind energy production and wind farms, and their perceived effects on the landscape. Specifically, the survey questioned whether wind farms fit with the gentle island brand for visitors, and whether they support the attempt to label PEI as a green province. The survey also compared perceptions of renewable and non-renewable energy generation methods and determined if there was support for further expansion of wind farms on PEI. The report discussed the objectives of the study as well as the methodology including data collection; statistical issues; and sample characteristics. General travel data for visitors was also presented, such as composition and size of travel party; type of visitation; and regions visited while on PEI. Topics and results that were addressed in the survey included propensity for taking scenic driving tours; percentage of electricity generated from coal, gas, oil, or diesel; desired method to generate electricity; willingness to pay for electricity from renewable energy sources; impressions of fossil based methods; impressions of wind power; percentage of electricity generated from wind turbines; perception of the phrase promoting PEI as Canada's green province; seeing a wind farm on PEI; and attitudes toward wind farms on PEI. In general, the report demonstrated support from both Islanders and visitors for the development of energy though renewable sources, particularly wind energy. tabs., figs.

  19. 75 FR 33573 - Information Collection; Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute Wilderness Visitor Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-06-14

    ..., methods used to protect wilderness conditions and social conditions, actions taken by managers to control... most important elements of the wilderness environment and social conditions, such as naturalness, wildness, challenge, self-reliance, crowding, and aesthetics; and 4. How current visitor use...

  20. Impact of Tourist and One-Day Visitor Arrivals on Economic Growth. Case Study of the Cayman Islands

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Podhorodecka Katarzyna

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The Cayman Islands are one of the SISODs, located in the Caribbean Sea, with a high number of foreign visitor arrivals and a GDP based to a large extent on tourism. They are also considered to be SITE islands and may even be characteristic of the subtype, PROFIT-SITE islands. The aim of the article is to provide an answer to the question of whether the increase in the number of tourist and one-day visitor arrivals1 had a positive impact on the creation of GDP in the Cayman Islands during the period 1983-2011. The hypothesis was that such a correlation should exist and it should be a strong positive correlation, but only between the increase in number of tourist arrivals and increase in GDP. The second question was: which year is the most economically affected by the increase in tourist and visitor arrivals (the same or the following year? The hypothesis was that the biggest impact is recorded in the year in which the increase in tourist and visitor arrivals occurs (not in the following year. The third question was: has the global economic crisis affected the tourism sector in the Cayman Islands? The hypothesis was that the Cayman Islands were not as badly affected by the global economic crisis as other SISOD countries. The methods used by the author were literature analysis, data analysis and the Spearman correlation ratio.

  1. The effect of minimum impact education on visitor spatial behavior in parks and protected areas: An experimental investigation using GPS-based tracking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kidd, Abigail M; Monz, Christopher; D'Antonio, Ashley; Manning, Robert E; Reigner, Nathan; Goonan, Kelly A; Jacobi, Charles

    2015-10-01

    The unmanaged impacts of recreation and tourism can often result in unacceptable changes in resource conditions and quality of the visitor experience. Minimum impact visitor education programs aim to reduce the impacts of recreation by altering visitor behaviors. Specifically, education seeks to reduce impacts resulting from lack of knowledge both about the consequences of one's actions and impact-minimizing best practices. In this study, three different on-site minimum impact education strategies ("treatments") and a control condition were applied on the trails and summit area of Sargent Mountain in Acadia National Park, Maine. Treatment conditions were designed to encourage visitors to stay on marked trails and minimize off-trail travel. Treatments included a message delivered via personal contact, and both an ecological-based message and an amenity-based message posted on signs located alongside the trail. A control condition of current trail markings and directional signs was also assessed. The efficacy of the messaging was evaluated through the use of Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking of visitor spatial behavior on/off trails. Spatial analysis of GPS tracks revealed statistically significant differences among treatments, with the personal contact treatment yielding significantly less dispersion of visitors on the mountain summit. Results also indicate that the signs deployed in the study were ineffective at limiting off-trail use beyond what can be accomplished with trail markers and directional signs. These findings suggest that personal contact by a uniformed ranger or volunteer may be the most effective means of message delivery for on-site minimum impact education. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. A visitor study approach to INGV exhibition at Genova Science Festival 2011

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nave, R.; D'Addezio, G.; Carosi, A.

    2012-04-01

    The Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) is one of the largest European scientific institution dealing with Earth Sciences research and seismic and volcanic surveillance. We organizes every year intense educational and outreach activities focalizing in particular on causes of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions and how to behave properly and deal with these events. This approach derived from the consciousness on the social role of a correct information on natural hazards and on the awareness that preparedness is the best way to live with and to mitigate natural hazard. The Genova Science Festival, held since 2003, is the most remarkable among the Italian Science Communication events and for or the 2011 edition, the INGV realized an exibition called COME E' PROFONDO IL MARE, la geofisica in acqua (HOW DEEP THE SEA IS, geophysics in water). The exhibition shows and explains the main geodinamic processes trough interactive exhibits and colorful panels exploring events as earthquakes, volcanic eruption and tsunami, their impact on our territory. In order to approach a visitor study related to this scientific educational path we elaborated questionnaires designed for students, for teacher and for general public. We have chosen this survey instrument for its advantage to get a wide variety of information and quantitative data. In developing the questionnaire three main aspects were taken in account: its shortness, clarity in the questions, and answers structure able to grade different indicator of visitor opinion and exhibition impact. That will also allow us to combine indicators scores during data elaboration phase. The questionnaire goes through all the section of the educational path, trying to have a feedback on the proposed layout and its efficacy. The Science Festival lasted 2 weeks and was visited by about 8000 people. During the event were handed out and recollected about 300 questionnaires that allows us to make a reliable assessment on the

  3. Impact of Tourist and One-Day Visitor Arrivals on Economic Growth. Case Study of the Cayman Islands

    OpenAIRE

    Podhorodecka Katarzyna

    2014-01-01

    The Cayman Islands are one of the SISODs, located in the Caribbean Sea, with a high number of foreign visitor arrivals and a GDP based to a large extent on tourism. They are also considered to be SITE islands and may even be characteristic of the subtype, PROFIT-SITE islands. The aim of the article is to provide an answer to the question of whether the increase in the number of tourist and one-day visitor arrivals1 had a positive impact on the creation of GDP in the Cayman Islands during the ...

  4. 75 FR 47797 - Board of Visitors, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-08-09

    ... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Army Board of Visitors, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center AGENCY: Department of the Army, DOD. ACTION: Notice; cancellation. SUMMARY: The Board of... be held on September 13 & 14, 2010 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Defense Language Institute Foreign...

  5. COMPARISON OF METHICILLIN RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS IN HEALTHY COMMUNITY HOSPITAL VISITORS[CA-MRSA] AND HOSPITAL STAFF [HA-MRSA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nirmal A Pathare

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Background: The prevalence of community associated methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus [CA-MRSA] in unknown in Oman. Methods: Nasal and cell phones swabs were collected from hospital visitors and health-care workers on sterile polyester swabs and directly inoculated onto a mannitol salt agar containing oxacillin, allowing growth of methicillin-resistant microorganisms. Antibiotic susceptibility tests were performed using Kirby Bauer’s disc diffusion method on the isolates. A brief survey questionnaire was requested be filled to ascertain the exposure to known risk factors for CA-MRSA carriage. Results: Overall, nasal colonization with CA-MRSA was seen in 34 individuals (18%, 95% confidence interval [CI] =12.5%-23.5%, whereas, CA-MRSA was additionally isolated from the cell phone surface in 12 participants (6.3%, 95% CI =5.6%-6.98%. Nasal colonization prevalence with HA-MRSA was seen in 16 individuals (13.8%, 95% confidence interval [CI] =7.5%-20.06%, whereas, HA-MRSA was additionally isolated from the cell phone surface in 3 participants (2.6%, 95% CI =1.7-4.54.  Antibiotic sensitivity was 100% to linezolid and rifampicin in the CA-MRSA isolates. Antibiotic resistance to vancomycin and clindamycin varied between 9-11 % in the CA-MRSA isolates.  There was no statistically significant correlation between CA-MRSA nasal carriage and the risk factors (P>0.05, Chi-square test. Conclusions: The prevalence of CA-MRSA in the healthy community hospital visitors was 18 % (95% CI, 12.5% to 23.5% as compared to 13.8% [HA-MRSA] in the hospital health-care staff. In spite of a significant prevalence of CA-MRSA, these strains were mostly sensitive. Recommendation the universal techniques of hand washing, personal hygiene and sanitation are thus warranted.

  6. Man-Made Wildlife Tourism Destination: The Visitors Perspective on Lok Kawi Wildlife Park, Sabah, Malaysia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Boyd Sun Fatt

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Sabah is blessed with natural forest habitats and rich with floras and faunas. Amongst its’ attraction is wildlife endemism. Lok Kawi Wildlife Park was established to provide an alternative wildlife tourism destination with its inhabitants from the wildlife species of Borneo. Since its opening in 2007, multitudes of tourists have visited the park. However, there has been no study to identify the visitor’s perspective on Lok Kawi Wildlife Park as man-made wildlife tourism destination. The study aims to assist the park’s management for the betterment of the park’s facilities and future development. A convenience sampling and a designed questionnaire was applied in this study, distributed after the visitors visited the park. The results showed that majority of the visitors were Malaysian and only a quarter were foreign visitors. Majority indicated that visiting the park is for recreational outing (holiday and only a few indicated that is an educational visit. Majority of the respondents knew the meaning of wildlife tourism and visiting the park’s is part of wildlife tourism. Most of the respondents came to know about the park’s existence through the local media and mostly agreed that the park indeed provide an authentic learning experience about wildlife, whilst creating wildlife conservation awareness.

  7. Open day an enormous success more than 15 000 visitors came to DESY

    CERN Document Server

    2003-01-01

    "More than 15 000 visitors seized the opportunity to look behind the scenes at the Helmholtz research center DESY. Around 600 DESY employees were in action to present "their" research center, answer questions and care for the welfare of their guests" (1 page).

  8. Visiting motivation and satisfaction of visitors to Chinese botanical gardens

    OpenAIRE

    He He; Jin Chen

    2011-01-01

    Botanical gardens (BGs) have attracted millions of visitors worldwide; therefore, BGs have become important sites for displaying and education for biodiversity. Understanding garden visitors’ motivations and their traveling satisfactory degree is crucial for BG management and its role in public education. In this study, we conducted survey in five Chinese BGs, i.e., Xiamen BG, Wuhan BG of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing BG, Kunming BG of CAS and Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Gar...

  9. Desktop analysis of potential impacts of visitor use: a case study for the highest park in the Southern Hemisphere.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barros, Agustina; Pickering, Catherine; Gudes, Ori

    2015-03-01

    Nature-based tourism and recreation activities have a range of environmental impacts, but most protected area agencies have limited capacity to assess them. To prioritise where and what impacts to monitor and manage, we conducted a desktop assessment using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) by combining recreation ecology research with data on visitor usage and key environmental features for a popular protected area used for mountaineering and trekking, Aconcagua Provincial Park (2400-6962 m a.s.l.) in the Andes of Argentina. First, we integrated visitor data from permits with environmental data using GIS. We then identified key impact indicators for different activities based on the recreation ecology literature. Finally, we integrated this data to identify likely ecological impacts based on the types of activities, amount of use and altitudinal zones. Visitors only used 2% of the Park, but use was concentrated in areas of high conservation value including in alpine meadows and glacier lakes. Impacts on water resources were likely to be concentrated in campsites from the intermediate to the nival/glacial zones of the Park while impacts on terrestrial biodiversity were likely to be more severe in the low and intermediate alpine zones (2400-3800 m a.s.l.). These results highlight how visitor data can be used to identify priority areas for on-ground assessment of impacts in key locations. Improvements to the management of visitors in this Park involves more effective ways of dealing with water extraction and human waste in high altitude campsites and the impacts of hikers and pack animals in the low and intermediate alpine zones. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. How Full Is Your Luggage? Background Knowledge of Zoo Visitors Regarding Sharks

    Science.gov (United States)

    das Neves, João Pedro Correia; Monteiro, Rute Cristina Rocha

    2013-01-01

    For the general population, sharks have a reputation that does not really fit with their biological and ecological nature. Informal surveys often classify sharks as dangerous, aggressive and/or man-eaters. This apparent common knowledge seems difficult to detach from the conscience of many worldwide zoo visitors, even with the help of…

  11. Key success factors in managing the visitors' experience at the Klein Karoo National Arts Festival / Erasmus L.J.J.

    OpenAIRE

    Erasmus, Lourens Johannes Jacobus

    2011-01-01

    The ABSA Klein Karoo National Arts Festival (KKNK) is one of the biggest and most popular Afrikaans arts festivals in South Africa, and since its modest beginnings in 1994, the festival has grown significantly with an estimated 85518 visitors attending the festival in 2010. The festival furthermore has a considerable economic impact on the host community of Oudtshoorn and the surrounding regions. The direct spending by festival visitors during the 2010 festival was estimated at...

  12. 75 FR 22559 - Federal Advisory Committee; Air University Board of Visitors; Charter Renewal

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-29

    ... Visitors; Charter Renewal AGENCY: Department of Defense (DoD). ACTION: Renewal of Federal advisory... the university; and c. Review and evaluate the educational effectiveness, quality of student learning... members, with the exception of travel and per diem for official travel, shall serve without compensation...

  13. 78 FR 65300 - Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation Board of Visitors; Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-10-31

    ... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Army Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation Board of Visitors; Meeting AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD. ACTION: Notice of open meeting. SUMMARY... from the WHINSEC Commandant; Department of State; US Northern Command and US Southern Command; the...

  14. An assessment of innovation in web marketing: Investigating American convention and visitor bureaus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zach, Florian; Xiang, Zheng; Fesenmaier, Daniel R.

    2007-01-01

    Innovation has become an increasingly important issue for tourism businesses. The goal of this study was to evaluate innovation in Web marketing by American convention and visitors bureaus and the contribution of website features to the overall success of their Web marketing programs. The results...

  15. Market segmentation of visitors at three selected arts festivals in South Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. Pissoort

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: The purpose of this article is to examine the market segmentation of visitors at three Arts Festivals in South Africa. The Arts Festivals were Innibos, Oppikoppi and Volksblad. Problem investigated: The literature review clearly shows that, in order for marketers of festivals to use scarce resources effectively and efficiently, it is paramount to do market segmentation. The advantages of market segmentation lie in an increase in visitor numbers, better image, and by creating a competitive advantage to name but a few. Method of research: The research was conducted by means of structured questionnaires at the three arts festivals. The data was used to compile a profile of each Festival. The significance of the correlation between the three Festivals and their profiles were tested by using effect sizes and Chi-square. A sample size of 452 questionnaires for Volksblad, 573 questionnaires for Innibos and 201 for Oppikoppi was used. Findings: The results show that the visitor profile variables that are significant for market segmentation purposes include:language; the province in which Festival attendees reside; days spent at the Festival; and the size of the travelling group.These results confirmed but also contradicted a number of similar studies conducted. The results also clearly showed the different profiles of each of the three arts festivals. Value of research: This was the first time such research was undertaken at smaller Arts Festivals in South Africa and is useful for planning and marketing purposes. Conclusion: Due to the increase in the number of festivals and events in South Africa as well as competition in general,marketers and organisers of these events and festivals are required to understand and target the right markets. Hence, this type of research is important and necessitates marketers and event organisers to follow a more scientific approach.

  16. Visitors and Residents: Mapping Student Attitudes to Academic Use of Social Networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wright, Fiona; White, David; Hirst, Tony; Cann, Alan

    2014-01-01

    The Visitors and Residents model of internet use suggests a continuum of modes of engagement with the online world, ranging from tool use to social spaces. In this paper, we examine evidence derived from a large cohort of students to assess whether this idea can be validated by experimental evidence. We find statistically significant differences…

  17. Behavior and diversity of floral visitors to Campomanesia adamantium (Myrtaceae)

    OpenAIRE

    NUCCI, MATEUS; ALVES-JUNIOR, ALTER VIEIRA

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Considering the important roles of pollinators in ecosystem services, their identification and studies of their behavior would be extremely important to efforts directed towards their preservation and management. With the aim of examining the diversity and behavior of the floral visitors to Campomanesia adamantium (Cambessédes) O. Berg (“guavira”) and how they act in the pollination process, a total of 31 species belonging to the orders Hymenoptera (79.30 %), Coleoptera (11.34 %), Di...

  18. Addressing Practical Issues Related Tto Nursing Care For International Visitors To Hiroshima

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariko Nishikawa

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available When nine million foreigners visited Japan in 2013, the federal government set a goal to attract an additional two and a half million visitors including medical tourists by 2020. This research investigates the attitudes and concerns of Japanese nurses when they are in a situation dealing with foreign patients. The data were collected from March through September 2010, from 114 nurses at three hospitals, in close proximity to popular tourist destinations in Hiroshima. A questionnaire was developed for this research, named Mari Meter, which included a section to write answers to an open question for the nurses to express their opinions. These responses were examined statistically and by word analysis using Text Mining Studio. Japanese nurses expressed greatest concern about payment options, foreign language skills, and issues of informed consent, when dealing with foreigners. The results confirm that, in order to provide a high quality of patient care, extra preparation and a greater knowledge of international workers and visitors are required by nursing professionals in Japan.

  19. 77 FR 20369 - Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation Board of Visitors; Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-04-04

    ... Defense (Policy); Department of State; US Northern Command and US Southern Command as well as receive... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Army Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation Board of Visitors; Meeting AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD. ACTION: Notice of open meeting. SUMMARY...

  20. 76 FR 39076 - Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation Board of Visitors; Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-07-05

    ... Defense (Policy); Department of State; US Northern Command and US Southern Command meeting on December 3rd... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Army Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation Board of Visitors; Meeting AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD. ACTION: Notice of open meeting. SUMMARY...

  1. Trees in the small city retail business district: comparing resident and visitor perceptions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kathleen L. Wolf

    2005-01-01

    Many small cities and towns are located near resource lands, and their central business districts serve both residents and visitors. Such quasi-rural retail centers face competitive challenges from regional shopping malls, online purchasing, and big box discount retailers. District merchants must strategically enhance their market...

  2. The whereabouts of flower visitors: contrasting land-use preferences revealed by a country-wide survey based on citizen science.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicolas Deguines

    Full Text Available In the past decade, accumulating evidence of pollinator decline has raised concerns regarding the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems and the sustainability of crop production. Although land-use changes have been advanced as the major causes, the affinities of most wild pollinators with the main land-use types remain unknown. Filling this gap in our knowledge is a prerequisite to improving conservation and management programmes.We estimated the affinity of flower visitors with urban, agricultural and natural land-uses using data from a country-wide scale monitoring scheme based on citizen science (Spipoll. We tested whether the affinities differed among insect orders and according to insect frequency (frequent or infrequent. Our results indicate that the affinities with the three land-use types differed among insect orders. Apart from Hymenopterans, which appeared tolerant to the different land-uses, all flower visitors presented a negative affinity with urban areas and a positive affinity with agricultural and natural areas. Additionally, infrequent taxa displayed a lower affinity with urban areas and a higher affinity with natural areas than did frequent taxa. Within frequent taxa, Hymenoptera and Coleoptera included specialists of the three land-use types whereas Diptera and Lepidoptera contained specialists of all but urban areas.Our approach allowed the first standardised evaluation of the affinity of flower visitors with the main land-use types across a broad taxonomical range and a wide geographic scope. Our results suggest that the most detrimental land-use change for flower visitor communities is urbanisation. Moreover, our findings highlight the fact that agricultural areas have the potential to host highly diverse pollinator communities. We suggest that policy makers should, therefore, focus on the implementation of pollinator-friendly practices in agricultural lands. This may be a win-win strategy, as both biodiversity and crop

  3. National Identity, International Visitors: Narration and Translation of the Taipei 228 Memorial Museum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chia-Li Chen

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Although many museums nowadays provide multilingual services, translations in museums have not received enough attention from researchers. The issue of how ideology is embedded in museum texts is translated is particularly underresearched. Since museums are often important sites for tourists to learn about a nation, translation plays a pivotal role in mediating how international visitors construct the host nation’s identity. The translation of national identity is even more important when sensitive topics are dealt with, such as exhibitions of the past in memorial museums. This paper takes the Taipei 228 Memorial Museum as a case study to examine how Taiwanese identity is formatted in the Chinese text and reframed in the English translation. The current study found inconsistent historical perspectives embedded in both texts, particularly in the English translation. We argue that, without awareness of ideological assumptions embedded in translations, museums run the risk of sending unintended messages to international visitors.

  4. Effective recreation visitor communication strategies: Rock climbers in the Bitterroot Valley, Montana

    Science.gov (United States)

    William T. Borrie; James A. Harding

    2002-01-01

    A four-stage model of decisionmaking was investigated in the context of low-impact practices among rock climbers in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana. Previous research has suggested that knowing what to do to minimize environmental and social impacts may not be the only factor limiting compliance with recommended visitor behaviors. Results from a sample of climbers at...

  5. 77 FR 32952 - Defense Intelligence Agency National Intelligence University Board of Visitors Closed Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-06-04

    ... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Defense Intelligence Agency National Intelligence University Board of Visitors Closed Meeting AGENCY: Department of Defense, Defense Intelligence Agency, National Intelligence University. ACTION: Notice of closed meeting. SUMMARY: Pursuant to the provisions of...

  6. 27 February 2012 - Director of the Health Directorate at the Research DG European Commission R. Draghia-Akli in the ATLAS visitor centre with ATLAS Former Collaboration Spokesperson P. Jenni and Head of CERN EU Projects Office S. Stavrev; in the LHC superconducting magnet test hall with E. Todesco; and signing the guest book with CERN Director-General R. Heuer.

    CERN Multimedia

    Michel Blanc

    2012-01-01

    27 February 2012 - Director of the Health Directorate at the Research DG European Commission R. Draghia-Akli in the ATLAS visitor centre with ATLAS Former Collaboration Spokesperson P. Jenni and Head of CERN EU Projects Office S. Stavrev; in the LHC superconducting magnet test hall with E. Todesco; and signing the guest book with CERN Director-General R. Heuer.

  7. Radon Concentration in Caves of Croatia - Assesing Effective Radon Doses for Occupational Workers and Visitors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Radolic, V.; Miklavcic, I.; Poje, M.; Stanic, D.; Vukovic, B.; Paar, D.

    2011-01-01

    Radon monitoring at potentially highly radioactive location such as caves is important to assess the radiological hazards to occupational workers and occasional visitors. In its Publication 65 the ICRP has produced recommendations dealing with exposure to elevated background radiation, in particular, the risk associated with the inhalation of radon and radon progeny. Recommended annual effective dose from radon 222Rn and its short-lived progeny for workers should not exceed 20 mSv and for occasional users (visitors) the same recommendation is 1 mSv. Measurements were performed with series of track etched detectors (LR115 - type II) in several caves in Croatia. The obtained values for the radon concentration ranged from ambient values up to several thousand Bq m -3 . Radon concentration was measured in about 20 caves of Velebit and Zumberak mountains and the highest radon concentration was in Lubuska jama (3.8 kBq m -3 ) and cave Dolaca (21.8 kBq m -3 ), respectively. Djurovica cave is especially interesting because of its huge tourist potential due to its location bellow Dubrovnik airport. Its mean annual radon concentration of 17.6 kBq m -3 classifies Djurovica cave among caves with high radon concentration. A visitor during half an hour visit at summer time would receive an effective dose of 30.6 μSv. Calculated mean dose rate of 44 μSv/h means that workers (mainly tourist guides) should limit their time inside cave to 454 hours per year. Manita pec is the only cave open for tourists on the territory of Paklenica National Park. The preliminary radon measurements performed during summer 2010, gave an average radon concentration of 1.1 kBq m -3 . An exposure to average dose rate of 3.7 μSv/h means that the tourist guides would receive an effective dose of 0.42 mSv during summer period according to their working schedule. A visitor during half an hour visits would receive an effective dose of 1.86 μSv. (author)

  8. Project connect online: user and visitor experiences of an Internet-based intervention for women with breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harris, Lauren N; Cleary, Elizabeth H; Stanton, Annette L

    2015-09-01

    This study's purpose was to characterize the experience of patients with breast cancer randomly assigned to the intervention arm of Project Connect Online (PCO), a randomized controlled trial of an Internet-based intervention, and to examine relationships between website use variables and psychosocial outcomes. In the larger PCO trial, patients with breast cancer (n = 88) were randomly assigned to an intervention or a waiting-list control. This report pertains to the 46 women in the intervention arm, a 3-h workshop for creation of personal websites with a blog function to communicate with their interpersonal network and chronicle their breast cancer experience. Participants completed assessments at 1 and 6 months. Visitors to the websites (n = 66) completed an online questionnaire. Reactions to website use were positive, although lack of time was a barrier for some. Women with advanced cancer were more likely to use their websites. Women found the websites useful for telling the story of their experience and expressing emotions. Positive word use was associated with heightened positive mood at 6 months; negative word use was associated with improved depressive symptoms. Visitors were most commonly female friends of participants who valued the websites as a way to connect emotionally with participants and receive information about their health. Specific aspects of patients' blogs predicted improvements in psychosocial functioning. Personal websites can help women with breast cancer construct a narrative of their experience, express emotions, and receive the social support they need, particularly from friends and extended family. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  9. The CMS experiment inaugurated a new visitor centre at its Cessy site on 14 June

    CERN Multimedia

    2001-01-01

    The CMS visitor centre has been built on a platform overlooking CMS construction. It contains a set of clear descriptive posters describing the experiment, along with a video projection showing animations and movies about CMS construction.

  10. Variation in visitor perceptions of a polar bear enclosure based on the presence of natural vs. un-natural enrichment items.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kutska, Debra

    2009-07-01

    A debate exists among modern zoo staff as to whether or not the addition of un-naturalistic enrichment takes away from, or even defeats, the educational messages designers are trying to incorporate in naturalistic exhibits. A visitor study was conducted at the Central Park Zoo's polar bear exhibit in order to determine whether or not the type of enrichment in an enclosure actually alters guest perceptions. Visitors were exposed to one of two enrichment treatments in the bear enclosure: Naturalistic or Un-naturalistic. The results of this study suggest that enrichment type did not alter the perceptions of visitors. However, it did identify some of the different ways adults and youths perceive animals and zoos. Additionally, the study highlighted the varying perceptions individuals have of the concept of polar bears vs. their perceptions of the captive individuals at the Central Park Zoo. Implications for enrichment usage and exhibit design are discussed.

  11. Crutches, confetti or useful tools? Professionals' views on and use of health education leaflets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murphy, S; Smith, C

    1993-06-01

    This paper examines the views on and use of health education leaflets by a number of professional groups: health visitors, midwives, occupational health workers, pharmacists and school health education co-ordinators. Eighty nine percent currently obtain leaflets from health promotion units, with the exception of health visitors, professionals are largely satisfied with the units' service. Seventy six percent use commercial or sponsored leaflets primarily because of the large numbers and topics that are available. The numbers and type of leaflets used were found to vary across the professions. All professionals see an increasingly important role for leaflets in their work. A number of them, pharmacists and occupational health workers in particular, saw the numbers they use rising. These views were accompanied by lower levels of belief in a leaflets ability to increase knowledge and behaviour as well as lower levels of satisfaction with current leaflet use and a concern over the public's reception of leaflets. Methods of leaflet distribution to the public largely reflect the professionals' work contexts. Most popular were handing out leaflets with advice, leaving them in a public place and using them as a back-up to a meeting. A number of contradictions emerge between distribution practices and perceived effectiveness. Few professionals thought leaving leaflets in a public place was effective, and few health visitors and midwives believed giving leaflets to the family of a client was effective despite large numbers doing so. The implications of these findings for health promotion policy and practice are discussed.

  12. Reproductive biology, hybridization, and flower visitors of rare Sclerocactus taxa in Utah's Uintah Basin

    Science.gov (United States)

    The mating system and flower visitors of two threatened species of Sclerocactus (Cactaceae) were studied in the Uintah Basin of eastern Utah, an area undergoing rapid energy development. We found that both S. wetlandicus and S. brevispinus, as well as a third presumptive taxon (undescribed) which w...

  13. 78 FR 32241 - Defense Intelligence Agency National Intelligence University Board of Visitors; Notice of Closed...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-05-29

    ... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Defense Intelligence Agency National Intelligence University Board of Visitors; Notice of Closed Meeting AGENCY: National Intelligence University, Defense Intelligence Agency, Department of Defense. ACTION: Notice of closed meeting. SUMMARY: Pursuant to the...

  14. 75 FR 76423 - Defense Intelligence Agency National Defense Intelligence College Board of Visitors Closed Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-12-08

    ... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Defense Intelligence Agency National Defense Intelligence College Board of Visitors Closed Meeting AGENCY: National Defense Intelligence College, Defense Intelligence Agency, Department of Defense. ACTION: Notice of Closed Meeting. SUMMARY: Pursuant to the...

  15. 76 FR 28960 - Defense Intelligence Agency National Defense Intelligence College Board of Visitors Closed Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-05-19

    ... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Defense Intelligence Agency National Defense Intelligence College Board of Visitors Closed Meeting AGENCY: National Defense Intelligence College, Defense Intelligence Agency, Department of Defense. ACTION: Notice of Closed Meeting. SUMMARY: Pursuant to the...

  16. Projections on museum exhibits - engaging visitors in the museum setting

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Basballe, Ditte Amund; Halskov, Kim

    2010-01-01

    Using animation, text, and visual effects as elements of projections on the Danish rune stone, Mejlbystenen (the Mejlby stone), we have explored approaches to engaging museum visitors. The installation positions itself in the field of previous installations and experiments exploring projection...... on physical objects, but is unique in focusing on fusing the projection and the object in an engaging approach to communicating information at a cultural heritage museum. The Mejlby stone installation is now a permanent installation at a cultural and historical museum, and, based on observation as well...

  17. A review and synthesis of recreation ecology research supporting carrying capacity and visitor use management decisionmaking

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marion, Jeff

    2016-01-01

    Resource and experiential impacts associated with visitation to wilderness and other similar backcountry settings have long been addressed by land managers under the context of “carrying capacity” decisionmaking. Determining a maximum level of allowable use, below which high-quality resource and experiential conditions would be sustained, was an early focus in the 1960s and 1970s. However, decades of recreation ecology research have shown that the severity and areal extent of visitor impact problems are influenced by an interrelated array of use-related, environmental, and managerial factors. This complexity, with similar findings from social science research, prompted scientists and managers to develop more comprehensive carrying capacity frameworks, including a new Visitor Use Management framework. These frameworks rely on a diverse array of management strategies and actions, often termed a “management toolbox,” for resolving visitor impact problems. This article reviews the most recent and relevant recreation ecology studies that have been applied in wildland settings to avoid or minimize resource impacts. The key findings and their management implications are highlighted to support the professional management of common trail, recreation site, and wildlife impact problems. These studies illustrate the need to select from a more diverse array of impact management strategies and actions based on an evaluation of problems to identify the most influential factors that can be manipulated.

  18. Opposing effects of floral visitors and soil conditions on the determinants of competitive outcomes maintain species diversity in heterogeneous landscapes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lanuza, Jose B; Bartomeus, Ignasi; Godoy, Oscar

    2018-06-01

    Theory argues that both soil conditions and aboveground trophic interactions have equivalent potential to limit or promote plant diversity. However, it remains unexplored how they jointly modify the niche differences stabilising species coexistence and the average fitness differences driving competitive dominance. We conducted a field study in Mediterranean annual grasslands to parameterise population models of six competing plant species. Spatially explicit floral visitor assemblages and soil salinity variation were characterised for each species. Both floral visitors and soil salinity modified species population dynamics via direct changes in seed production and indirect changes in competitive responses. Although the magnitude and sign of these changes were species-specific, floral visitors promoted coexistence at neighbourhood scales, while soil salinity did so over larger scales by changing the superior competitors' identity. Our results show how below and aboveground interactions maintain diversity in heterogeneous landscapes through their opposing effects on the determinants of competitive outcomes. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

  19. Evaluating Education and Science at the KSC Visitor Complex

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erickson, Lance K.

    2002-01-01

    As part of a two-year NASA-ASEE project, a preliminary evaluation and subsequent recommendations were developed to improve the education and science content of the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex exhibits. Recommendations for improvements in those exhibits were based on qualitative descriptions of the exhibits, on comparisons to similar exhibit collections, and on available evaluation processes. Because of the subjective nature of measuring content in a broad group of exhibits and displays, emphasis is placed on employing a survey format for a follow-on, more quantitative evaluation. The use of an external organization for this evaluation development is also recommended to reduce bias and increase validity.

  20. Curating the collider: using place to engage museum visitors with particle physics

    OpenAIRE

    Alison Boyle; Dr Harry Cliff

    2014-01-01

    CERN’s Large Hadron Collider, the world’s largest particle physics facility, provides museological opportunities and challenges. Visitor interest in cutting-edge physics, with its high media profile, is tempered by anxiety about understanding complex content. The topic does not readily lend itself to traditional museum showcase-dominated displays: the technology of modern particle physics is overwhelmingly large, while the phenomena under investigation are invisible. For Collider, a major tem...

  1. The determinants of visitor length of stay at the Kruger National Park

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martinette Kruger

    2014-06-01

    Conservation implications: The northern and southern regions of the Kruger National Park differ significantly in terms of ecosystems, rainfall, climate and wildlife. From a tourism perspective, these regions should be managed separately taking the distinct differences of the two regions into consideration. Different variables influence visitors’ length of stay in these two regions. Conservation practitioners can use the results of this study to manage visitors to these areas.

  2. African Journal for Physical Activity and Health Sciences - Vol 19 ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    African Journal for Physical, Health Education, Recreation and Dance. ... The socio-economic impact of HIV/AIDS on infected individuals in the ... influence the travel behaviour of visitors to nature-based tourism products in South Africa?

  3. Knowledge, Interest, and Value of Youth Zoo Visitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burris, Alexandra M.

    In the face of massive global extinction, the mission of zoos for conservation education has increasing importance. Zoos are in a unique position to affect the development of youth in ways that are consistent with cultivating pro-environmental behaviors. The purpose of this study was to examine three intrinsic traits of youth important to the goals of conservation education: knowledge about animals, interest in animals, and value for animals. In particular, I explored the relationship between these three traits and the utterances and behaviors of youth zoo visitors during their visit. Using an embedded correlational data transformation mixed methods design, this study examined the experiences of 37 youth attending the zoo. Data collection sources included a drawing activity meant to assess the knowledge of youth about animals, Likert-type questionnaires meant to assess the youth's interest and value, and a semi-structured interview meant to ascertain critical moments from the youth's visit. The results of these instruments were paired with extensive video data of the youth's entire zoo visit. Results of the study indicated that youth organize their knowledge about animals around ecological and morphological concepts and that this forms the basis for their value of animals. The knowledge, interest, and value of youth zoo visitors did seem to correlate with some utterances and behaviors in the zoo, but learning talk was rare. Results also indicated that certain critical moments during the youth's visit were social in nature and centered on the behaviors of animals. These moments may be the most promising for influencing the development of knowledge, interest, and value. The discussion and implications sections of the study focus on the practical use of the findings for zoo education. The study points to the importance of studying intrinsic traits of youth as well as the important influences of the social and physical context on the development of these traits during

  4. Effectiveness of a risk-based visitor-prioritizing system at a sexually transmitted infection outpatient clinic

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Heijman, Titia L. J.; van der Bij, Akke K.; de Vries, Henry J. C.; van Leent, Edwin J. M.; Thiesbrummel, Harold F. J.; Fennema, Han S. A.

    2007-01-01

    The objective of this study was to study the efficacy/effectiveness of a risk-based visitor-prioritizing system at a sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinic aimed to improve screening capacity by providing tailored service. In April 2004, a prioritizing system was implemented that classifies

  5. Effectiveness of a risk-based visitor-prioritizing system at a sexually transmitted infection outpatient clinic

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Heijman, T.L.J.; van der Bij, A.K.; de Vries, H.J.C.; van Leent, E.J.M.; Thiesbrummel, H.F.J.; Fennema, H.S.A.

    2007-01-01

    Objective: The objective of this study was to study the efficacy/effectiveness of a risk-based visitor-prioritizing system at a sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinic aimed to improve screening capacity by providing tailored service. Study Design: In April 2004, a prioritizing system was

  6. The Spirituality of the Leader and its influence on Visitor Experience Management at Sacred Sites in the Island of Ireland: Insights and implications

    OpenAIRE

    Enongene, Vreny; Griffin, Kevin A.

    2017-01-01

    Despite growing interest in understanding the sacred site visitor experience management, scholars have predominantly explored the phenomenon from the visitor’s perspective. There is very little exploration from the managerial perspectives, given that decisions regarding the nature of the experience, the product and service delivery strategies aimed at providing a diversity of visitors with rewarding, satisfying and memorable experiences, solely depends on these individuals, whose personal att...

  7. A knowledge management tool for public health: health-evidence.ca

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dobbins Maureen

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The ultimate goal of knowledge translation and exchange (KTE activities is to facilitate incorporation of research knowledge into program and policy development decision making. Evidence-informed decision making involves translation of the best available evidence from a systematically collected, appraised, and analyzed body of knowledge. Knowledge management (KM is emerging as a key factor contributing to the realization of evidence-informed public health decision making. The goal of health-evidence.ca is to promote evidence-informed public health decision making through facilitation of decision maker access to, retrieval, and use of the best available synthesized research evidence evaluating the effectiveness of public health interventions. Methods The systematic reviews that populate health evidence.ca are identified through an extensive search (1985-present of 7 electronic databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Sociological Abstracts, BIOSIS, and SportDiscus; handsearching of over 20 journals; and reference list searches of all relevant reviews. Reviews are assessed for relevance and quality by two independent reviewers. Commonly-used public health terms are used to assign key words to each review, and project staff members compose short summaries highlighting results and implications for policy and practice. Results As of June 2010, there are 1913 reviews in the health-evidence.ca registry in 21 public health and health promotion topic areas. Of these, 78% have been assessed as being of strong or moderate methodological quality. Health-evidence.ca receives approximately 35,000 visits per year, 20,596 of which are unique visitors, representing approximately 100 visits per day. Just under half of all visitors return to the site, with the average user spending six minutes and visiting seven pages per visit. Public health nurses, program managers, health promotion workers, researchers, and program coordinators are

  8. Study of behavior, preferences and attitudes visitors tourist destinations Tara

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rakić Mirjana

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available One of the strategic development of the Serbian economy is tourism. Tourist destinations Tara has great tourism potential. The starting assumption for the development of tourism and creating a tourist destination brand of Tara is the analysis of image of tourism, and this is exactly the subject of the current paper. The image analysis includes the examination of preferences, attitudes and behavior of visitors to this tourist destination. This research is exploratory, but may be a useful starting point for further, more comprehensive research on which the results would be based upon serious analysis and making relevant decisions.

  9. The concept of visitors' centres: a mobile alternative from Sweden

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ungermark, S.

    1993-01-01

    The information activities at the permanent exhibitions at the four nuclear facility sites in Sweden have been enhanced during the last four years by travelling exhibitions touring the whole country. In this way it has been possible to communicate the most important facts about radioactive waste management to more than 100 000 Swedes annually, i.e. more people than visit all the permanent visitors'centres each year. Also these efforts have opened a dialogue between the general public and the very technicians and scientists who work daily with handling the radioactive waste and planning its future management

  10. Managing visitor sites in Svalbard: from a precautionary approach towards knowledge-based management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kirstin Fangel

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Increased tourism in the Arctic calls for more knowledge to meet management challenges. This paper reviews existing knowledge of the effects of human use on vegetation, fauna and cultural heritage in Svalbard, and it addresses the need for site-specific knowledge for improved management. This paper draws upon scientific studies, knowledge held by management authorities and local people, the Governor's database on visitors and visited sites and our own data from landing sites we visited. There is a certain level of basic knowledge available, allowing us to roughly grade the vulnerability of sites. However, there is a thorough lack of site-specific data related to the management of single locations or groups of similar locations. Future research needs to address specific on-site challenges in the management of visitor sites. Relevant management models and measures are discussed. We contend that a shift away from a blanket application of the precautionary principle and towards a more integrated, site-specific and evidence-based management plan will contribute to more trusted and reliable, and thereby acceptable among stakeholders, decisions in the management of growing tourism activity in Svalbard.

  11. A rationale for a museum of health

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Farzaneh Yousefi

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available The museum of health is a place that presents health science and human body and any other subjects that can affect human health. In this museum visitors can learn the mechanisms and functions of human body and learn how to protect and take care of their bodies. They can also learn several diseases and their consequences on human body and how to fight against them. This museum is a big step for improvement of general society health level by increasing society’s health knowledge. In this article structure, departments and also benefits of the health museum are evaluated.

  12. Hobby-related information-seeking behaviour of highly dedicated online museum visitors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skov, Mette

    2013-01-01

    collectors and liberal arts enthusiasts. Analysis showed that the two hobby classes have distinct profiles including differences in the nature of their knowledge acquisition. Results. Across the two hobby classes, participants can be characterised as special interest museum visitors pursuing a long......-standing interest or hobby. The identified information needs were surprisingly well-defined known item needs and only few exploratory information needs were identified. Participants stressed the importance of personal channels and the social context of the hobby. Conclusions. The present study contributes...

  13. Visitor empowerment and the authority of science: Exploring institutionalized tensions in a science center

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loomis, Molly

    This research explored the relationships among societal, organizational, and visitor assumptions about learning in a science center. The study combined a sociocultural theory of learning with a constructivist theory of organizations to examine empirical links among the history of the Exploratorium (founded in 1969 and located in San Francisco, California), its organizational practices, and family activity at its exhibits. The study focused on three perspectives on science learning in a science center: (1) the societal perspective, which traced assumptions about science learning to the history of science centers; (2) the organizational perspective, which documented the ways that assumptions about science learning were manifested in historic museum exhibits; and (3) the family perspective, which documented the assumptions about science learning that characterized family activity at historic exhibits. All three perspectives uncovered a tension between the goals of supporting public empowerment on the one hand and preserving scientific authority on the other. Findings revealed this tension to be grounded in the social context of the organization's development, where ideas about promoting democracy and preserving the authority of science intersected. The tension was manifested in museum exhibits, which had as their task addressing the dual purposes of supporting all visitors, while also supporting committed visitors. The tension was also evident in the activity of families, who echoed sentiments about potential for their own empowerment but deferred to scientific authority. The study draws on critiques of a hidden curriculum in schools in order to explore the relationship between empowerment and authority in science centers, specifically as they are conveyed in the explicit and underlying missions of the Exploratorium. Findings suggest the need for science centers to engage in ongoing critical reflection and also lend empirical justification to the need for science

  14. Financing marine protected areas through visitor fees: insights from tourists willingness to pay in Chile.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gelcich, Stefan; Amar, Francisca; Valdebenito, Abel; Castilla, Juan Carlos; Fernandez, Miriam; Godoy, Cecilia; Biggs, Duan

    2013-12-01

    Tourism is a financing mechanism considered by many donor-funded marine conservation initiatives. Here we assess the potential role of visitor entry fees, in generating the necessary revenue to manage a marine protected area (MPA), established through a Global Environmental Facility Grant, in a temperate region of Chile. We assess tourists' willingness to pay (WTP) for an entry fee associated to management and protection of the MPA. Results show 97 % of respondents were willing to pay an entrance fee. WTP predictors included the type of tourist, tourists' sensitivity to crowding, education, and understanding of ecological benefits of the MPA. Nature-based tourists state median WTP values of US$ 4.38 and Sun-sea-sand tourists US$ 3.77. Overall, entry fees could account for 10-13 % of MPA running costs. In Chile, where funding for conservation runs among the weakest in the world, visitor entry fees are no panacea in the short term and other mechanisms, including direct state/government support, should be considered.

  15. Health inequity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Frausing, Kristian Park; Smærup, Michael; Maibom, Kirsten

    living alone. Social and psychological needs were of primary concern whereas practical needs were of lesser concern. The second study showed older men living alone with no/short education to rate their health significantly worse on almost all items compared to men of higher education. The third study......Background: Being male, living alone and being of low socioeconomic status (SES) are all risk factors for health inequities, including a shorter lifespan. Not much is known, however, about older low-SES men living alone. This study maps their health. Methods: Three studies were conducted. First......, an electronic survey with municipal preventive home visitors nationwide inquiring into their perception of the health and needs of old men living alone. The second study compared older men's self-rated health according to their living arrangements and educational level using data from 29.791 older men from...

  16. Perinatal support to protect maternal mental health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCaul, Anthony; Stokes, Jayne

    Family Action is a charity that helps more than 45,000 vulnerable families and children across England a year by offering emotional, practical and financial support. A pilot of a perinatal support project in Southwark, London was found to reduce mental health problems in vulnerable women and is now being extended. Such schemes complement the work of health visitors and other health professionals. Commissioners need to be aware of the long-term impact of such low-cost interventions in the early years.

  17. Men's health promotion interventions: what have we learned from previous programmes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robertson, Steve; Witty, Karl; Zwolinsky, Steve; Day, Rhiannon

    2013-11-01

    Concern persists in health-related literature about men's reduced life expectancy and higher premature death rates; this is often linked to difficulties in engaging with men as a client group. However, some innovative projects and programmes, often led by health visitors or other community based nurses, have developed successful health promotion work with men. This article collates existing tacit knowledge (previous learning) about men's health interventions by integrating interview data from nine practitioners who have established such initiatives with data from 35 men's health project reports to consider 'what works'. Five themes stood out as being significant across the data reviewed: using the right setting (often outside statutory services); ensuring the right approach (drawing on male-specific interests and language); actively listening to what local men say; appropriate training (initial and ongoing) for those involved in such work; and partnership working with local community groups, businesses and statutory service providers. While not a panacea for working with any and all men, these themes form a good basis for successful engagement with men and align well with what a recent review of health visitor interventions suggest works in helping bridge service provision-uptake gaps.

  18. 76 FR 60816 - Board of Visitors, United States Military Academy (USMA)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-09-30

    ...Under the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5 U.S.C., Appendix, as amended), the Government in the Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended), and 41 CFR 102-3.150, the Department of Defense announces that the following Federal advisory committee meeting will take place: 1. Name of Committee: United States Military Academy Board of Visitors. 2. Date: Thursday, October 27, 2011. 3. Time: 12:30 p.m.--3 p.m. Members of the public wishing to attend the meeting will need to show photo identification in order to gain access to the meeting location. All participants are subject to security screening. 4. Location: Jefferson Hall Library, Haig Room. West Point, NY. 5. Purpose of the Meeting: This is the 2011 Annual Meeting of the USMA Board of Visitors (BoV). Members of the Board will be provided updates on Academy issues. 6. Agenda: The Academy leadership will provide the Board updates on the following: the Academic program, Honor and Respect Programs and the Annual Report writing process. 7. Public's Accessibility to the Meeting: Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552b and 41 CFR 102-3.140 through 102-3.165, and the availability of space, this meeting is open to the public. Seating is on a first-come basis. 8. Committee's Designated Federal Officer or Point of Contact: Ms. Joy A. Pasquazi, (845) 938-5078, [email protected

  19. Behavioral Analysis of Visitors to a Medical Institution’s Website Using Markov Chain Monte Carlo Methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tani, Yuji

    2016-01-01

    Background Consistent with the “attention, interest, desire, memory, action” (AIDMA) model of consumer behavior, patients collect information about available medical institutions using the Internet to select information for their particular needs. Studies of consumer behavior may be found in areas other than medical institution websites. Such research uses Web access logs for visitor search behavior. At this time, research applying the patient searching behavior model to medical institution website visitors is lacking. Objective We have developed a hospital website search behavior model using a Bayesian approach to clarify the behavior of medical institution website visitors and determine the probability of their visits, classified by search keyword. Methods We used the website data access log of a clinic of internal medicine and gastroenterology in the Sapporo suburbs, collecting data from January 1 through June 31, 2011. The contents of the 6 website pages included the following: home, news, content introduction for medical examinations, mammography screening, holiday person-on-duty information, and other. The search keywords we identified as best expressing website visitor needs were listed as the top 4 headings from the access log: clinic name, clinic name + regional name, clinic name + medical examination, and mammography screening. Using the search keywords as the explaining variable, we built a binomial probit model that allows inspection of the contents of each purpose variable. Using this model, we determined a beta value and generated a posterior distribution. We performed the simulation using Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods with a noninformation prior distribution for this model and determined the visit probability classified by keyword for each category. Results In the case of the keyword “clinic name,” the visit probability to the website, repeated visit to the website, and contents page for medical examination was positive. In the case of the

  20. A Successful Replication of the River Visitor Inventory and Monitoring Process for Capacity Management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kenneth Chilman; James Vogel; Greg Brown; John H. Burde

    2004-01-01

    This paper has 3 purposes: to discuss 1. case study research and its utility for recreation management decisionmaking, 2. the recreation visitor inventory and monitoring process developed from case study research, and 3. a successful replication of the process in a large-scale, multi-year application. Although case study research is discussed in research textbooks as...

  1. Alternative Wastewater Treatment: On-Site Bio-treatment Wetlands at the Fernald Preserve Visitors Center

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Homer, J.; Glassmeyer, C.; Sauer, N.; Powell, J.

    2009-01-01

    This paper describes the design and operation of a constructed on-site bio-treatment wetland at the Fernald Preserve Visitors Center. The use of constructed wetlands for treatment of domestic wastewater at the Fernald Preserve contributed to the award of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. (authors)

  2. Meeting the visitor: Distribution and dissemination of mobile guides at the museum front desk

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Laursen, Ditte

    interpretation – one that has received little attention so far – is the distribution and dissemination of the guides. This presentation focuses on the operation of the museum’s front desk. Based on video recordings, it addresses the interaction between front desk assistants and visitors, highlighting barriers...... and organizational challenges in the distribution and dissemination of multimedia guides....

  3. Simultaneous use of several monitoring techniques to measure visitor load, spatio-temporal distribution and social characteristics of tourists - a case study of a cable car area in the Carpathian Mountains, Tatra National Park

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taczanowska, Karolina; Zięba, Antoni; Brandenburg, Christiane; Muhar, Andreas; Preisel, Hemma; Hibner, Joanna; Latosinska, Barbara; Benítez, Rafael; Bolós, Vicente; Toca-Herrera, José L.; Ziobrowski, Szymon

    2017-04-01

    Visitor monitoring is an integrate part of the effective management of recreational and protected areas. Comprehensive information concerning volume of tourist traffic, spatial-temporal distribution of visitors in a leisure setting as well as visitor socio-demographic characteristics may support understanding human behaviour and the ongoing natural processes (trail deterioration, erosion, impact on flora and fauna). Especially, vulnerable areas that in the same time serve as tourist attractions need to be carefully investigated. One of such areas is Kasprowy Wierch (1987 m.a.s.l.) - a popular cable car destination located in the Carpathian Mountains, Tatra National Park, Poland / Slovakia. The aim of this study was to define the overall visitor load and to understand visitor behaviour in the proximity of the upper cable car station at Kasprowy Wierch. The main focus of this presentation is the comparison of the used monitoring techniques and exposing the benefit of their simultaneous application. Visitor monitoring campaign was carried out in the study area in the summer season 2014. The following data collection techniques were simultaneously applied: 1) automatic counting (Eco-Counter pyroelectric sensors), 2) manual counting; 3) on-site interviews combined with trip diaries and visitor observation 4) GPS-tracking 5) registry of cable car tickets 6) registry of entries to the national park (TPN). Between 26.06.2014 and 30.09.2014 at 7 locations a continuous automatic counting of visitors was done using pyroelectric sensors (Eco-Counter). Additionally, on 18 sampling days at 12 locations direct observations (manual counting) of visitor flows was carried out. During the sampling days tourists were interviewed in the field using structured questionnaires (PAPI survey technique, N = 2639). Survey was combined with a documentation of visitors' trip itineraries via GPS-loggers and map sketches. Totally 1250 GPS-tracks of visitors and 1351 map sketches have been

  4. Visitor effect on the behavior of a group of spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) maintained at an island in Lake Catemaco, Veracruz/Mexico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pérez-Galicia, Sergio; Miranda-Anaya, Manuel; Canales-Espinosa, Domingo; Muñoz-Delgado, Jairo

    2017-12-01

    We analyzed the effect of human visitors on the behavior of a group of spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) kept on a small tourist island. Although the spider monkey is a common species in zoos, there are very few specific studies on visitor effects on these monkeys. We conducted behavioral observations on the group of spider monkeys to evaluate the effect of visitors. We also used actimetry devices to measure the variations in the spider monkeys' locomotor activity associated with human presence. With regard to the effect on behavior, we found an increase in self-directed behaviors and a decrease in vocalization, both associated with human presence. Moreover, our results suggest that when people feed monkeys, there is an increase in agonistic behaviors. On the other hand, we found that changes in activity levels in response to human presence vary among individuals. We conclude that changes in spider monkeys' behavior could provide evidence of the negative effect of visitors in our study conditions. Although we discuss the differences in activity levels due to differences in social position, further research is required this topic. Our results can be used to inform management plans for this species in captivity. Improving this relationship between humans and non-human primates through tourism education programs would benefit ecotourism and therefore species conservation programs. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Improving leadership skills and health outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mckenzie, Christine

    2017-04-27

    The Mary Seacole awards provide an opportunity for individuals to be recognised for their outstanding work in black and minority ethnic (BME) communities. Set up in 2004, the awards are funded by Health Education England and made in association with the Royal College of Nursing, Royal College of Midwives, Unison and Unite, with the support of NHS Employers. They are open to nurses, midwives and health visitors in England, and recipients need not come from a BME background.

  6. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE EFFECTS OF INCREASING THE SATISFACTION OF THE VISITORS AND DEVELOPMENT OF CULTURAL TOURISM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tünde SZABÓ

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available In order to succeed on the market, organizations must permanently focus their efforts towards understanding and fulfilling the necessities and expectations of all their clients, both the current and the potential ones. At the same time, enterprises must identify methods and tools appropriate for evaluating the satisfaction degree of the clients and for ensuring the loyalty of the most important clients, as well as improving the internal and external relational system and creating new partnerships with loyal clients. The effects of increasing the client satisfaction can be numerous, and they depend greatly on the activities specific to each organization. In the current paper, an attempt is made to highlight the possible effects of increasing the satisfaction of the visitors of the National Seckler Museum from Sfîntu Gheorghe, - effects like an increased number of visitors, tourist attraction, developing and promoting cultural tourism in the county.

  7. Factors Affecting the Number of Visitors in National Parks in the Czech Republic, Germany and Austria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Josef Stemberk

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available In the context of national-level strategies, the importance of tourism in national parks is on the rise. The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between the number of visitors to national parks and five variables: area, number of employees, budget, average employee salary and number of researchers in 12 national parks in the Czech Republic, Germany and Austria. Analysis of factors influencing the number of visitors to national parks uses the method of retrospective analysis of the data contained in internal documents and questionnaires among managers of national parks. The number of candidate predictors is relatively high when compared with the number of observations. Due to this fact, the Gilmour method for statistical analysis is used. Statistical results represented by the parameter β2 for number of employees is −33,016 (95% CI, −50,592–−15,441 and by the parameter β3 for budget is 0.586 (95% CI, 0.295–0.878, showing that the number of visitors increases with budget, while it decreases with the number of employees. The results of this study are a useful starting point for managers in their efforts to focus on developing key areas in an appropriate way. In conclusion, results show that increasing the economic benefits accruing from national parks regional policy could aim at a qualitative upgrading of tourist services, increased marketing of the unique national park label and the promotion of a diverse regional supply base.

  8. Destination Quality Perception in the Context of Different Behavioural Characteristics of Visitors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ryglová Kateřina

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Visitors’ perceptions of the quality of a tourism destination are fundamental for effective destination management and marketing. This paper deals with the topic of destination quality from the viewpoint of demand, i.e. from the viewpoint of a destination visitor. The results of perceiving the destination quality partial factors in the context of different behavioural characteristics of a visitor are presented, particularly, the way how spending and organizing a holiday influences the perception of destination quality factors (Kruskal-Wallis test. The research nineteen factors were designed on the basis of contemporary theories and on qualitative research. Some important quality aspects related to tourism were identified and assessed for the Czech population. The primary data were obtained through a questionnaire survey with quota sampling (n = 1097. The dependence of destination quality perception on the way of spending the holiday was revealed in the case of 8 factors (e.g., Availability of transportation to the destination, Availability and quality of information; Additional infrastructure, Sense of security, Destination cleanliness, Uniqueness of destination, Price level in the destination, Cultural monuments. The significant differences identified among various groups of respondents are described in detail in this study. The research findings contribute to better understanding of the behavioural mechanism and can be used by destination managers to design communication strategies for different segments of consumers for individual destinations to improve their competiveness.

  9. Aerial view of the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Center

    Science.gov (United States)

    1998-01-01

    The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Center, shown in this aerial view looking south, sprawls across 70 acres on Florida's Space Coast , and is located off State Road 405, NASA Parkway, six miles inside the Space Center entrance. SR 405 can be seen at the bottom of the photo. Just above the roadway, from left can be seen the Shuttle/Gantry mockup; the Post Show Dome; the Astronaut Memorial; and to the far right, the Center for Space Education. Behind the Memorial are a cluster of buildings that include the Theater Complex, Cafeteria, Space Flight Exhibit Building, Souvenir Sales Building, Spaceport Central, and Ticket Pavilion. At the upper right are various rockets that have played a significant role in the growth of the space program.

  10. Perceptions of relative attractiveness of nature-based tourism assets: A comparison between CVB directors and visitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jinyang Deng; David Dyre; Jing Wang

    2012-01-01

    This study uses the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to examine the similarities and differences between directors of Convention and Visitors Bureaus (CVB) and the general travelling public in their perceptions of the attractiveness of nature-based tourism resources in the state of West Virginia.

  11. Investigating Predictors of Visiting, Using and Revisiting an Online Health-Communication Programme: A Longitudinal Study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Riet, van 't J.P.; Crutzen, R.; Vries, de H.

    2010-01-01

    Background: Online health communication has the potential to reach large audiences, with the additional advantages that it can be operational at all times and that the costs per visitor are low. Furthermore, research shows that Internet-delivered interventions can be effective in changing health

  12. Reading, Learning and Enacting: Interpretation at Visitor Sites in the Wet Tropics Rainforest of Australia

    Science.gov (United States)

    McNamara, Karen Elizabeth; Prideaux, Bruce

    2010-01-01

    The northern Wet Tropics rainforest of Australia was declared a world heritage site in 1988 and now supports an extensive tourism industry that attracts an estimated 2.5 million local and international visits annually. As part of the visitor experience, many sites include both environmental and cultural interpretation experiences, which range from…

  13. Innovation in the web marketing programs of American convention and visitor bureaus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zach, Florian; Gretzel, Ulrike; Xiang, Zheng

    2010-01-01

    , and continuity of innovation in Web marketing efforts and the perceived contribution of this investment to the overall success of the bureau's Web marketing program. The findings indicate that American convention and visitor bureaus have invested substantially in their websites and continue redesigning them...... as new technology and Web marketing trends emerge. However, it appears that there is a substantial gap between bureau investments in innovative website features and related activities and their perceived contribution to overall Web marketing success....

  14. Evaluating Two Oral Health Video Interventions with Early Head Start Families

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lynn B. Wilson

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Poor oral health in early childhood can have long-term consequences, and parents often are unaware of the importance of preventive measures for infants and toddlers. Children in rural, low-income families suffer disproportionately from the effects of poor oral health. Participants were 91 parents of infants and toddlers enrolled in Early Head Start (EHS living in rural Hawai'i, USA. In this quasi-experimental design, EHS home visitors were assigned to use either a didactic or family-centered video with parents they served. Home visitors reviewed short segments of the assigned videos with parents over an eight-week period. Both groups showed significant prepost gains on knowledge and attitudes/behaviors relating to early oral health as well as self-reported changes in family oral health routines at a six-week followup. Controlling for pretest levels, parents in the family-centered video group showed larger changes in attitudes/behaviors at posttest and a higher number of positive changes in family oral health routines at followup. Results suggest that family-centered educational videos are a promising method for providing anticipatory guidance to parents regarding early childhood oral health. Furthermore, establishing partnerships between dental care, early childhood education, and maternal health systems offers a model that broadens potential reach with minimal cost.

  15. Valuing setting-based recreation for selected visitors to national forests in the southern United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sardana, Kavita; Bergstrom, John C; Bowker, J M

    2016-12-01

    In this study we estimate selected visitors' demand and value for recreational trips to settings such as developed vs. undeveloped sites in U.S. national forests in the Southern United States using the travel cost method. The setting-based approach allows for valuation of multi-activity trips to particular settings. The results from an adjusted Poisson lognormal estimator corrected for truncation and endogenous stratification reveal that economic value per trip estimates are higher for wilderness compared to day-use developed settings, overnight-use developed settings, and general forest areas. Estimates of these economic values are important to resource managers because their management decisions and actions typically control recreational settings. For example, managers control developed campground capacity in a national forest, but typically not the number of campers below the capacity constraint and the number and types of activities visitors engage in during a multi-activity trip to a developed campground (within limits since some activities such as discharging a firearm are not permitted in a developed campground). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. [Similarities and differences in the social background of female medical, nursing and public health visiting students].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feith, Helga Judit; Soósné Kiss, Zsuzsanna; Kovácsné Tóth, Agnes; Balázs, Péter

    2008-06-15

    According to our knowledge, there has never been a comprehensive research in Hungary dealing with healthcare university or college students' social background. The main objectives of our cross-section research were to analyze differences in the social background of female students who decided to become doctors, professional nurses and health visitors. This research was conducted among female medical and nursing college students at the Semmelweis University. There were 295 students invited to participate, the response rate was 68,08% (N = 201). Data analysis was performed by SPSS software by using descriptive methods of statistics. We found a decisive difference among medical, nursing and health visitor students while analyzing a number of socio-demographic characteristics. Most medical students came from families where the parents had college or university degrees, but we can state that there is a minimal likelihood in the case of college students that they are descendants of parents with higher educational degrees. We did not find statistical differences in the three student sample groups regarding their marital status, but fewer nursing college students lived in marriage or household partnership. We found a significant difference in the social background of nursing college and medical students. The social disadvantages of nursing and health visitor students are more considerable than those of medical students.

  17. A funding model for health visiting: baseline requirements--part 1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cowley, Sarah

    2007-11-01

    A funding model proposed in two papers will outline the health visiting resource, including team skill mix, required to deliver the recommended approach of 'progressive universalism,' taking account of health inequalities, best evidence and impact on outcomes that might be anticipated. The model has been discussed as far as possible across the professional networks of both the Community Practitioners' and Health Visitors' Association (CPHVA) and United Kingdom Public Health Association (UKPHA), and is a consensus statement agreed by all who have participated.

  18. Using destination image to predict visitors' intention to revisit three Hudson River Valley, New York, communities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rudy M. Schuster; Laura Sullivan; Duarte Morais; Diane Kuehn

    2009-01-01

    This analysis explores the differences in Affective and Cognitive Destination Image among three Hudson River Valley (New York) tourism communities. Multiple regressions were used with six dimensions of visitors' images to predict future intention to revisit. Two of the three regression models were significant. The only significantly contributing independent...

  19. Lightning safety awareness of visitors in three California national parks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weichenthal, Lori; Allen, Jacoby; Davis, Kyle P; Campagne, Danielle; Snowden, Brandy; Hughes, Susan

    2011-09-01

    To assess the level of lightning safety awareness among visitors at 3 national parks in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. A 12-question, short answer convenience sample survey was administered to participants 18 years of age and over concerning popular trails and points of interest with known lightning activity. There were 6 identifying questions and 5 knowledge-based questions pertaining to lightning that were scored on a binary value of 0 or 1 for a total of 10 points for the survey instrument. Volunteers in Fresno, California, were used as a control group. Participants were categorized as Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park (SEKI), frontcountry (FC), or backcountry (BC); Yosemite National Park (YNP) FC or BC; and Fresno. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test for differences between groups. 467 surveys were included for analysis: 77 in Fresno, 192 in SEKI, and 198 in YNP. National park participants demonstrated greater familiarity with lightning safety than individuals from the metropolitan community (YNP 5.84 and SEKI 5.65 vs Fresno 5.14, P = .0032). There were also differences noted between the BC and FC subgroups (YNP FC 6.07 vs YNP BC 5.62, P = .02; YNP FC 6.07 vs SEKI FC 5.58, P = .02). Overall results showed that participants had certain basic lightning knowledge but lacked familiarity with other key lightning safety recommendations. While there are statistically significant differences in lightning safety awareness between national parks and metropolitan participants, the clinical impact of these findings are debatable. This study provides a starting point for providing educational outreach to visitors in these national parks. Copyright © 2011 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Dual Effect of Phenolic Nectar on Three Floral Visitors of Elsholtzia rugulosa (Lamiaceae) in SW China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Feng-Ping; Yang, Qiu-Yun; Zhang, Shi-Bao

    2016-01-01

    Some plants secrete toxic nectar to appeal to most effective pollinators and deter non-pollinators or nectar thieves; however available information about ecological function of toxic nectar remains scarce. Elsholtzia rugulosa stands out as a plant with toxic nectar recorded in SW China. We focused on the functional significance of the phenolic compound that imparts toxic to the nectar of E. rugulosa. The effects of phenolic nectar were studied in three visitors of the flowers of the winter-blooming E. rugulosa Hemsl. (Lamiaceae) in SW China. The pollinating species Apis cerana Fabricius (Apidae; Asian honey bee) and two occasional visitors, Vespa velutina Lepeletier (Vespidae; yellow-legged Asian hornet) and Bombus eximius Smith (Apidae; a bumble bee) were tested for their preferences for low and high concentrations of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid in hexose and sucrose solutions. The pollinator is important for the plant, which is dependent on pollinator visits to attain a higher seed production and it is most likely that the combination of phenolic toxic nectar and the adaptation to phenolic nectar by A. cerana delivers an evolutionary advantage to both actors. The low and high concentrations of the phenolic acid were nearly totally refused by both occasional visitors V. velutina and B. eximius and were preferred by the pollinator A. cerana. E. rugulosa gains by having a much higher seed production and the pollinating honey bee by having an exclusive and reliable food source during the winter season at high altitudes in SW China. We found that the function of the toxic phenolic compound has dual roles by appealing to legitimate pollinators and deterring non-pollinators of E. rugulosa.

  1. Dual Effect of Phenolic Nectar on Three Floral Visitors of Elsholtzia rugulosa (Lamiaceae in SW China.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Feng-Ping Zhang

    Full Text Available Some plants secrete toxic nectar to appeal to most effective pollinators and deter non-pollinators or nectar thieves; however available information about ecological function of toxic nectar remains scarce. Elsholtzia rugulosa stands out as a plant with toxic nectar recorded in SW China. We focused on the functional significance of the phenolic compound that imparts toxic to the nectar of E. rugulosa. The effects of phenolic nectar were studied in three visitors of the flowers of the winter-blooming E. rugulosa Hemsl. (Lamiaceae in SW China. The pollinating species Apis cerana Fabricius (Apidae; Asian honey bee and two occasional visitors, Vespa velutina Lepeletier (Vespidae; yellow-legged Asian hornet and Bombus eximius Smith (Apidae; a bumble bee were tested for their preferences for low and high concentrations of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid in hexose and sucrose solutions. The pollinator is important for the plant, which is dependent on pollinator visits to attain a higher seed production and it is most likely that the combination of phenolic toxic nectar and the adaptation to phenolic nectar by A. cerana delivers an evolutionary advantage to both actors. The low and high concentrations of the phenolic acid were nearly totally refused by both occasional visitors V. velutina and B. eximius and were preferred by the pollinator A. cerana. E. rugulosa gains by having a much higher seed production and the pollinating honey bee by having an exclusive and reliable food source during the winter season at high altitudes in SW China. We found that the function of the toxic phenolic compound has dual roles by appealing to legitimate pollinators and deterring non-pollinators of E. rugulosa.

  2. African Journal for Physical Activity and Health Sciences - Vol 19 ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Activity-based market segmentation of visitors to thermal spring resorts in the Western Cape Province, South Africa: Assessing the potential for health tourism development · EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT. MS Boekstein, JP Spencer, 1100-1109 ...

  3. Titan: a distant but enticing destination for human visitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nott, Julian

    2009-10-01

    Until recently, very little was known about Saturn's largest satellite, Titan. But that has changed dramatically since the Cassini spacecraft started orbiting in the Saturn system in 2004. Larger than Mercury and with a dense atmosphere, Titan has many of the characteristics of a planet. Indeed, many scientists now see it as the most interesting place in the Solar System for robotic exploration, with many unique features and even the possibility of exotic forms of life. This paper points out that Titan is also a potential destination for humans. With its predominantly nitrogen atmosphere, moderate gravity, and available water and oxygen, it also appears that, once it becomes possible to travel there, it will prove to be much more hospitable for human visitors than any other destination in the Solar System.

  4. Perception of residents about visitors Tourist Attractions in Porto Nacional [Tocantins], Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariela Cristina Ayres de Oliveira

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available This research aimed to analyze the perceptions of residents of the Historic Centre in relation to the tourist attractions of Porto Nacional [TO], regarded as Brazil's cultural heritage. The survey was developed specifically in the streets of the Historic Center. At first, it was made a literature research in the library of the University of Tocantins and also digitally. The questionnaires were administered randomly with people who agreed to answer oral questions, the answers being transcribed by the researcher. Data were collected in December 2009 and were used as data collection technique, the semi-structured interview with open and closed questions, applied to residents of the Historic Center.Interviews with residents took an average of five days, lasting twenty minutes for each questionnaire.Concluding this collection, the data were analyzed in graphics and tables, in order to contribute to quantitative studies. The perception of the residents of the Historic Center offers an opportunity to know opinions on issues related to tourist attractions and their visitors. The research revealed the opinion of the people that were interviewed about the tourist attractions, visitors and potential economic growth of tourism in the city under study. To complete the survey highlights the final considerations, aimed to defend the heritage and the importance of disclosure and even tourism, and encourage the link between social problems and the role of the university.

  5. Characteristics and the Economic Impact of Visitors to Heritage and Cultural Tourism Attractions in North Dakota

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hodur, Nancy Marie

    2010-01-01

    In the last two decades, travel and tourism has grown into an increasingly important industry. More recently, travelers have sought out activities and attractions that focus on authenticity, heritage and uniqueness, and rural communities have begun to realize that their communities and attractions match well with what visitors are demanding.…

  6. Using the visitor experiences for mapping the possibilities of implementing a robotic guide in outdoor sites

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Karreman, Daphne Eleonora; van Dijk, Elisabeth M.A.G.; Evers, Vanessa

    2012-01-01

    FROG (Fun Robotic Outdoor Guide) is a project that aims to develop an outdoor robotic guide that enriches the visitor experience in touristic sites. This paper is a first step toward a guide robot and presents a case study on how to analyze the visitors’ experience and examine opportunities for a

  7. Unintended de-marketing manages visitor demand in Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area

    OpenAIRE

    Burgin, Shelley; Hardiman, Nigel

    2014-01-01

    Kotler and Levy (1971, p.76) introduced the term ‘de-marketing’, defined as ‘that aspect of marketing that deals with discouraging customers in general or a certain class of customers in particular on either a temporary or permanent basis’. Subsequently, Groff (1998) interpreted the concept in the context of parks and recreation administration. Recently, Armstrong and Kern (2011) used the concept to underpin their investigation of visitor demand management within the Greater Blue Mountains Wo...

  8. Web usage data as a means of evaluating public health messaging and outreach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Hao; Brimmer, Dana J; Lin, Jin-Mann S; Tumpey, Abbigail J; Reeves, William C

    2009-12-21

    The Internet is increasingly utilized by researchers, health care providers, and the public to seek medical information. The Internet also provides a powerful tool for public health messaging. Understanding the needs of the intended audience and how they use websites is critical for website developers to provide better services to the intended users. The aim of the study was to examine the utilization of the chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) website at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We evaluated (1) CFS website utilization, (2) outcomes of a CDC CFS public awareness campaign, and (3) user behavior related to public awareness campaign materials and CFS continuing medical education courses. To describe and evaluate Web utilization, we collected Web usage data over an 18-month period and extracted page views, visits, referring domains, and geographic locations. We used page views as the primary measure for the CFS awareness outreach effort. We utilized market basket analysis and Markov chain model techniques to describe user behavior related to utilization of campaign materials and continuing medical education courses. The CDC CFS website received 3,647,736 views from more than 50 countries over the 18-month period and was the 33rd most popular CDC website. States with formal CFS programs had higher visiting density, such as Washington, DC; Georgia; and New Jersey. Most visits (71%) were from Web search engines, with 16% from non-search-engine sites and 12% from visitors who had bookmarked the site. The public awareness campaign was associated with a sharp increase and subsequent quick drop in Web traffic. Following the campaign, user interest shifted from information targeting consumer basic knowledge to information for health care professionals. The market basket analysis showed that visitors preferred the 60-second radio clip public service announcement over the 30-second one. Markov chain model results revealed that most visitors took the

  9. Four steps in the history of museum technologies and visitors' digital participation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Jørgen Riber

    2011-01-01

    technologies used today in three different museums and galleries: the Bode Museum in Berlin, the Victoria and Albert Museum and Dr. Johnson's House in London. The historical verification and documentation in this article describe four steps in the development of exhibition technologies: the Boydell Shakespeare...... participation of visitors and audience. Here the argumentation is based on how the displayed object creates signification in its position between its autonomy and its contexts. The following display technologies are described and analysed: stipple engraving, photography, the audio guide, and the interactive...

  10. UK public attitudes to the nuclear industry: the effect of the Sellafield visitor centre

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jackson, D.; Rogers, J.

    1993-01-01

    Public support for the nuclear industry appears to be growing in the UK at a time when environmental awareness is also prominent. Perceived advantages from nuclear power range from conservation of scare fossil reserves through to maintaining a worldwide technical competitiveness. Within the UK, the Sellafield Visitors Centre has proved to be a large tourist attraction, as well as successfully presenting information in a form that is easy to understand. (author)

  11. Landowner and visitor response to forest landscape restoration: the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest Northeast Sands Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kristin Floress; Anna Haines; Emily Usher; Paul Gobster; Mike. Dockry

    2018-01-01

    This report is intended to support the ongoing pine barrens restoration on work in the Lakewood-Laona Ranger District on the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest (CNNF). The report provides the results from 2016 surveys and focus groups examining landowner and visitor attitudes toward forest management treatments, communication, and restoration project outcomes; their...

  12. CERN's 50th anniversary open day attracts record number of visitors: an estimated 32,000 visitors, from across Europe and beyond, flocked to the laboratory for a day of tours, displays and presentations.

    CERN Multimedia

    Patrice Loiez

    2004-01-01

    When CERN opened its doors to the public for its open day on 16 October, the laboratory took on the air of a county fair. Children took rides around the site in a big lorry, visitors ate ice cream that had been handmade in a flash using liquid nitrogen, and crowds strolled the lanes as they visited more than 50 events across various sites in Switzerland and France.

  13. 8 CFR 214.12 - Preliminary enrollment of schools in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... of schools in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). (a) Private elementary and private secondary schools, public high schools, post-secondary schools, language schools, and vocational... 8 Aliens and Nationality 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Preliminary enrollment of schools in the...

  14. Visitors views of human origins after visiting the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anthony Lelliott

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available The Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, west of Johannesburg, was designated in 1999 because of its importance as a locality where numerous hominid fossils have been discovered since the 1930s. In this article, responses to questions from a survey of more than 800 adult visitors to the Cradle of Humankind visitor centres are analysed, covering their understanding of the concept of the "cradle" and their views on human evolution. Findings indicated that 63% of the respondents conceptualised the cradle as the origin or birthplace of humankind, and a similar proportion thought that nowhere else could be called the Cradle of Humankind (77% of people of South African nationality thought this. Nearly 60% of respondents accepted that humans evolved from an ape-like ancestor, while 25% disagreed. South Africans were less likely to accept human evolution than their international counterparts. The great majority of participants who accepted human evolution based their agreement on various forms of evidence and their knowledge of evolution. A religious foundation was used for their rationale by 60% of those who rejected evolution, with 33% citing evidence for their rejection. The implications of the findings are discussed in the light of public awareness and human origins.

  15. Leaf glands of Banisteriopsis muricata (Malpighiaceae: distribution, secretion composition, anatomy and relationship to visitors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lays Araújo Nery

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Leaf glands are common structures in Malpighiaceae and exhibit great morphological diversity, yet information on their anatomy, secretion and type of visitors remains scarce. The aim of this study was to describe the distribution, anatomical development and chemical and functional properties of leaf glands of Banisteriopsis muricata (Malpighiaceae. Leaves at different stages of development were collected and processed according to standard techniques for light and scanning electron microscopy. Secretion composition was determined by histochemical tests and test-strips, while gland funciton was determined by field observation of interactions with visitors. Leaf glands were located on the petiole and on the abaxial base of the leaf blade. The gland secretion was found to be a protein-rich nectar that was foraged upon by ants ( Solenopsis; it was found accumulated in subcuticular spaces without pores or stomata for its release. Leaf glands were found to develop from protoderm and ground meristem, and consisted of typical secretory epidermis, nectariferous parenchyma and vascularized subnectariferous parenchyma. Therefore, it can be concluded that the distribution, chemical nature of secretion and anatomy of leaf glands of B. muricata characterize them as EFNs, while foraging by ants indicate a mutualistic relationship that possibly protects the plant against herbivores.

  16. Museums as brokers of participation: how visitors view the emerging role of European science centres and museums in policy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrea Bandelli

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Science centres and museums in Europe traditionally offer opportunities for public participation, such as dialogues, debates and workshops. In recent years, starting with the support of grants from the European Commission, the purpose of these initiatives is increasingly more connected with the policy making processes where science centres play a role as brokers between the public and other stakeholders. This article begins an investigation on how these two levels of participation – the participation of museums in policy, and the participation of visitors in museums – are related in seven European science centres and museums. The results suggest that science centres and museums are regarded by their visitors as potential platforms to facilitate public participation in policy, especially in countries where the general infrastructure for public participation in science is weak.

  17. Birthday and birthmate problems: misconceptions of probability among psychology undergraduates and casino visitors and personnel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Voracek, Martin; Tran, Ulrich S; Formann, Anton K

    2008-02-01

    Subjective estimates and associated confidence ratings for the solutions of some classic occupancy problems were studied in samples of 721 psychology undergraduates, 39 casino visitors, and 34 casino employees. On tasks varying the classic birthday problem, i.e., the probability P for any coincidence among N individuals sharing the same birthday, clear majorities of respondents markedly overestimated N, given P, and markedly underestimated P, given N. Respondents did notedly better on tasks varying the birthmate problem, i.e., P for the specific coincidence among N individuals of having a birthday today. Psychology students and women did better on both task types, but were less confident about their estimates than casino visitors or per sonnel and men. Several further person variables, such as indicators of topical knowledge and familiarity, were associated with better and more confident performance on birthday problems, but not on birthmate problems. Likewise, higher confidence ratings were related to subjective estimates that were closer to the solutions of birthday problems, but not of birthmate problems. Implications of and possible explanations for these findings, study limitations, directions for further inquiry, and the real-world relevance of ameliorating misconceptions of probability are discussed.

  18. Exploring barriers for health visitors’ adaption of the Danish Children’s Database through an empirical study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pape-Haugaard, Louise; Haugaard, Karin; Carøe, Per

    2013-01-01

    Denmark has unique health informatics databases such as “The Children’s Database” (CDB), which since 2009 has held data on all Danish children from birth until 17 years of age. In the current set-up a number of potential sources of error exist - both technical and human - which means that the data...... is flawed. The objective of this paper is both to clarify errors in the database and to enlighten the underlying mechanisms causing these errors. This is done through an ethnographic study using participant observations, interviews and workshops. Additionally, errors are documented through statistical...... analysis. The data show redundant records. This redundancy can be explained by multiple transmissions conducted by end users or systems, or a lack of validation methods in the National CDB. In our results three types of cases are presented: from health visitors at school, from health visitors visiting...

  19. Addressing the Security Concerns of Locals and Visitors for the Sustainable Development of Tourist Destinations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rob I. Mawby

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Tourism has long been recognized as a crime generator. This poses a dilemma in the sustainable development context: is continued tourist expansion sustainable if it generates increased law and order problems? Using the example of Brașov, Romania, this article considers the ways in which criminal justice agencies and the tourism sector have operated in partnership to ensure the security of both local residents and visitors. We argue that the success of the initiative depends on multi-agency working at the local level, but that the involvement of local residents is also crucial. This commitment may be tested as the nature of tourism changes. The research consists of an analysis of primary and secondary data. The results revealed that among the main security issues mentioned by tourists are not only robberies and other social and situational features that contributed to tourists feeling anxious or unsafe, but also the need to have access to good health services and easy access to money changing facilities, information centers, etc. Some improvements are suggested for the local Sustainable Development Strategy of Brașov.

  20. Effects of visitor pressure on understory vegetation in Warsaw forested parks (Poland).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sikorski, Piotr; Szumacher, Iwona; Sikorska, Daria; Kozak, Marcin; Wierzba, Marek

    2013-07-01

    Visitor's access to understorey vegetation in park forest stands results in the impoverishment of plant species composition and a reduction in habitat quality. The phenomenon of biotic homogenisation is typical in urban landscapes, but it can proceed differently depending on the scale, a detail that has not been observed in previous studies. This research was carried out in seven Warsaw parks (both public and restricted access). Thirty-four forested areas were randomly selected, some subjected to strong visitors' pressure and some within restricted access areas, free of such impacts. The latter category included woodlands growing in old forest and secondary habitats. Public access to the study areas contributed to the disappearance of some forest species and their replacement by cosmopolitan non-forest species, leading to loss of floristic biodiversity in areas of high ecological importance at the city scale. Some human-induced factors, including soil compaction and changes in soil pH, moisture and capillary volume, were found to cause habitat changes that favoured native non-forest plants. Despite changes in species composition, the taxonomic similarity of understorey vegetation in both categories--public access and restricted access--was comparable. In a distance gradient of measurements taken around selected individual trees, there was found to be significant variation (in light, soil pH and compaction) affecting the quality and quantity of understorey vegetation (including rare species). In conclusion, the protection of rare forest species could be achieved by limiting access to forested areas, particularly in old forest fragments, and we highly recommend its consideration in the proposal of future park restoration plans.

  1. THE FEATURES OF MUSEUM COMMUNICATION: THE JUSTIFICATION OF EXPECTATIONS AND THE SATISFACTION OF AESTHETIC NEED (ON THE EXAMPLE OF THE MUSEUM VISITORS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Svetlana Dzakhotovna Gurieva

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available The article is devoted to the problem of interaction between the museum and visitors, actual in the modern society. It presents the results of empirical researches, held in the Museum (General Staff Building of the State Hermitage Museum. 2500 persons participated in this research. The subject of analysis is the correlation of aesthetic needs, the museum communication, the justification of expectations, and personal differences of the visitors, depending on the awareness and satisfaction of aesthetic need. Based on the scientific literature review, we concluded that it is necessary to approach to the study of the museum communication in terms of a socio-psychological process, considering that the aesthetic need expresses outwardly the inner psychological characteristics of a person. To analyze the structure of the museum communication, and justification of expectations we used the questionnaire surveys including the value judgments of the visitors. To explore personal characteristics of the museum visitors have been used: the test of hardiness S. Maddi, D.A. Leontiev, the brief version of E.N. Osin and E.I. Rasskazova the test of life orientations (DLC D.A. Leontiev, the questionnaire “Importance and satisfaction of needs” of L.V. Kulikov. As the mathematical-statistical methods were applied: the correlation analysis with the r-Spearman correlation coefficient; comparative analysis of mean values; comparative analysis of nominative variables of independent samples with the χ2-Pearson; factor analysis of the principal component with Varimax rotation. Statistical data processing was performed with the SPSS Statistica v. 20. The results can be applied in the field of socio-psychological researches and the practice of visitor’s museum activities.

  2. Repository on maternal child health: health portal to improve access to information on maternal child health in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khanna, Rajesh; Karikalan, N; Mishra, Anil Kumar; Agarwal, Anchal; Bhattacharya, Madhulekha; Das, Jayanta K

    2013-01-02

    Quality and essential health information is considered one of the most cost-effective interventions to improve health for a developing country. Healthcare portals have revolutionalized access to health information and knowledge using the Internet and related technologies, but their usage is far from satisfactory in India. This article describes a health portal developed in India aimed at providing one-stop access to efficiently search, organize and share maternal child health information relevant from public health perspective in the country. The portal 'Repository on Maternal Child Health' was developed using an open source content management system and standardized processes were followed for collection, selection, categorization and presentation of resource materials. Its usage is evaluated using key performance indicators obtained from Google Analytics, and quality assessed using a standardized checklist of knowledge management. The results are discussed in relation to improving quality and access to health information. The portal was launched in July 2010 and provides free access to full-text of 900 resource materials categorized under specific topics and themes. During the subsequent 18 months, 52,798 visits were registered from 174 countries across the world, and more than three-fourth visits were from India alone. Nearly 44,000 unique visitors visited the website and spent an average time of 4 minutes 26 seconds. The overall bounce rate was 27.6%. An increase in the number of unique visitors was found to be significantly associated with an increase in the average time on site (p-value 0.01), increase in the web traffic through search engines (p-value 0.00), and decrease in the bounce rate (p-value 0.03). There was a high degree of agreement between the two experts regarding quality assessment carried out under the three domains of knowledge access, knowledge creation and knowledge transfer (Kappa statistic 0.72). Efficient management of health information

  3. Living in the United States. A Brief Introduction to the Culture for Visitors, Students and Business Travelers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hawkinson, Anni; Clark, Raymond C.

    The guide provides a brief introduction to the culture and language of the United States, and is designed for visitors, students, and business travelers. It offers practical information on various aspects of daily living, including: money and banks; food; restaurants; drinking and smoking laws; hotels; postal and telecommunications services;…

  4. Visitor Emotion, Affect and Registers of Engagement at Museums and Heritage Sites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laurajane Smith

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Heritage sites and museums displaying history and culture are used in many different ways by visitors. Understanding the ways in which people use and engage with sites of heritage allows a greater understanding not only of the ways in which history and the past are understood, but more importantly how the past is actively used in the present by individuals. This use may range from the negotiation of contemporary social and political issues, aspects of personal, ethnic or national identity, and most importantly, the mediation of past and contemporary experiences that under pin ideas of identity.

  5. Floral visitors and reproductive strategies in five melittophilous species of Bignoniaceae in Southeastern Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuriko A. N. Pinto Yanagizawa

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available In order to evaluate the pollination strategies of Bignoniaceae, the floral biology and the floral visitors in five species, three cerrado shrubs (Arrabidaea brachypoda (DC. Bor., Jacaranda decurrens Cham., and Jacaranda oxyphylla Cham., and two lianas from the border of a semideciduous seasonal forest (Arrabidaea samydoides (Cham. Sandw., and Arrabidaea triplinervia H. Baill. were studied in Botucatu, São Paulo State, Southeastern Brazil. The flowering periods were partially overlapping, especially between species in the same habitat. All the five species were functionally allogamous, melittophilous, nototribic and mainly pollinated by long tongued large bees. Some medium-sized and small pollen-foraging bees were occasional legitimate visitors, whereas others visitors were robbers/thieves. Each species showed a particular set of pollinators. Only two pollinator species were observed in more than one bignon. There was no partition of pollinators even among the species of bignons blooming at the same time at the same habitat.Com objetivo de avaliar as estratégias de polinização de espécies de Bignoniaceae, foram estudados a biologia floral e os visitantes florais de cinco espécies, três arbustivas do cerrado (Arrabidaea brachypoda (DC. Bor., Jacaranda decurrens Cham. e Jacaranda oxyphylla Cham. e duas lianas da orla da floresta estacional semidecidual (Arrabidaea samydoides (Cham. Sandw. e Arrabidaea triplinervia H. Baill., na região de Botucatu (22º52'20" S e 48(026'37" W, estado de São Paulo, sudeste do Brasil. Os períodos de florescimento, principalmente entre espécies do mesmo habitat, apresentaram sobreposição parcial. Observou-se que as cinco espécies são alogâmicas funcionais, melitófilas, nototríbicas, polinizadas principalmente por abelhas grandes de língua comprida. Algumas abelhas coletoras de pólen de tamanho médio e pequeno atuaram como polinizadoras ocasionais, enquanto outros visitantes foram pilhadores. Cada

  6. Stakeholder Engagement in Trial Design: Survey of Visitors to Critically Ill Patients Regarding Preferences for Outcomes and Treatment Options during Weaning from Mechanical Ventilation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burns, Karen E A; Jacob, Sonu Karottaiyamvelil; Aguirre, Valeria; Gomes, Janice; Mehta, Sangeeta; Rizvi, Leena

    2016-11-01

    Stakeholder engagement in research is expected to provide unique insights, make research investments more accountable and transparent, and ensure that future research is applicable to patients and family members. To inform the design of a trial of strategies for weaning from mechanical ventilation, we sought to identify preferences of patient visitors regarding outcome and treatment measures. We conducted an interviewer-administered questionnaire of visitors of critically ill patients in two family waiting rooms serving three intensive care units (ICUs) in Toronto, Canada. Respondents rated the importance of general and ventilation-related outcomes in two hypothetical scenarios (before a first spontaneous breathing trial, and after a failed spontaneous breathing trial) and selected a preferred technique for the breathing trials. With regard to the patient they were visiting, respondents identified the most important outcome to them at ICU admission, during the ICU stay, and at ICU discharge. We analyzed 322 questionnaires (95.5% response rate). All outcomes were highly rated (average range: 7.82-9.74). Across scenarios, outcomes rated as most important were ICU and hospital survival (9.72, 9.70), avoiding complications (9.45), quality of life (9.394), patient comfort (9.393), and returning to previous living arrangements (9.31). Overall, the most important ventilation-related outcomes were being ventilator-free (8.95), avoiding reintubation (8.905), and passing a spontaneous breathing trial (8.903). Passing a spontaneous breathing trial assumed greater importance after an initial failed attempt. "Time to event" outcomes were less important to visitors. We did not identify a preferred spontaneous breathing trial technique. Although ICU survival was the most important outcome at ICU admission and during the ICU stay, visitors rated quality of life higher than hospital survival at ICU discharge. Visitors to critically ill patients prioritized two general outcomes (ICU

  7. Present situation of visitor services in Public Relations Outreach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schatzmann, V.

    1993-01-01

    Nagra (the Swiss National Cooperative for the disposal of radioactive Waste) was established in 1972 by the Federal Government and the operators of nuclear power plants and is responsible for the safe disposal of all categories of radioactive waste in Switzerland. At present, Nagra does not have a permanent visitors centre as such, but this situation may change in the future with the selection of a site for a repository for short-lived wastes. One of our most important tasks is therefore to enhance the acceptance and understanding of radioactive waste management projects. We have to present the true facts; there is nothing to be achieved by manipulating or softening the message to be put across. When presenting information to the public we adhere to the strategy of communicating key points in the right way and at the right time in order to optimize impact

  8. The Museum Wearable: Real-Time Sensor-Driven Understanding of Visitors' Interests for Personalized Visually-Augmented Museum Experiences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sparacino, Flavia

    This paper describes the museum wearable: a wearable computer that orchestrates an audiovisual narration as a function of the visitors' interests gathered from their physical path in the museum and length of stops. The wearable consists of a lightweight and small computer that people carry inside a shoulder pack. It offers an audiovisual…

  9. 77 FR 3373 - Establishing Visa and Foreign Visitor Processing Goals and the Task Force On Travel and...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-24

    ... improve visa and foreign visitor processing and travel promotion in order to create jobs and spur economic... requirements imposed after 2001. Given the importance of the travel and tourism industry to the U.S. economy... Promotion Act was signed into law. While our processes for moving people and goods across our borders are...

  10. Repository on maternal child health: Health portal to improve access to information on maternal child health in India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khanna Rajesh

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Quality and essential health information is considered one of the most cost-effective interventions to improve health for a developing country. Healthcare portals have revolutionalized access to health information and knowledge using the Internet and related technologies, but their usage is far from satisfactory in India. This article describes a health portal developed in India aimed at providing one-stop access to efficiently search, organize and share maternal child health information relevant from public health perspective in the country. Methods The portal ‘Repository on Maternal Child Health’ was developed using an open source content management system and standardized processes were followed for collection, selection, categorization and presentation of resource materials. Its usage is evaluated using key performance indicators obtained from Google Analytics, and quality assessed using a standardized checklist of knowledge management. The results are discussed in relation to improving quality and access to health information. Results The portal was launched in July 2010 and provides free access to full-text of 900 resource materials categorized under specific topics and themes. During the subsequent 18 months, 52,798 visits were registered from 174 countries across the world, and more than three-fourth visits were from India alone. Nearly 44,000 unique visitors visited the website and spent an average time of 4 minutes 26 seconds. The overall bounce rate was 27.6%. An increase in the number of unique visitors was found to be significantly associated with an increase in the average time on site (p-value 0.01, increase in the web traffic through search engines (p-value 0.00, and decrease in the bounce rate (p-value 0.03. There was a high degree of agreement between the two experts regarding quality assessment carried out under the three domains of knowledge access, knowledge creation and knowledge transfer (Kappa

  11. Solar space heating for the Visitors Center, Stephens College, Columbia, Missouri

    Science.gov (United States)

    1980-01-01

    The solar energy system located at the Visitors' Center on the Stephens College Campus, Columbia, Missouri is discussed. The system is installed in a four-story, 15,000 square foot building. The solar energy system is an integral design of the building and utilizes 176 hydronic flat plate collectors which use a 50 percent water ethylene blycol solution and water-to-water heat exchanger. Solar heated water is stored in a 5,000 gallon water storage tank located in the basement equipment room. A natural gas fired hot water boiler supplies hot water when the solar energy heat supply fails to meet the demand. The designed solar contribution is 71 percent of the heating load.

  12. VISITOR PERCEPTIONS OF THE ROLE OF TOUR GUIDES IN NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

    OpenAIRE

    Ozlem Koroglu; Ozlem Guzel

    2013-01-01

    Undoubtedly, development of sustainable tourism activities is closely related to the protection of natural resources. Protection of natural resources is an important issue that should be taken seriously by the communities. Natural resource management includes sharing all the necessary responsibility for the purpose of protecting natural resources, ensuring the sustainability and leaving it to the next generation. This paper aims to explore the visitor perceptions of tour guides to contribute ...

  13. An interview with Yasmine Samir Kelada, Deputy Director at BibAlex Visitors Department

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosella Perugi

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is an extraordinary structure, rebuilt to bring back to life the mythic complex existing in Hellenistic times. It started its activity in 2002, and since then it has offered its visitors (about 1.500.000 each year a myriad of activities in the fields of arts, history, science, philosophy. Yasmine Samir Kelada has been working at the BibAlex since its opening, covering different positions; she has therefore seen the BibAlex developing and increasing its function in the Alexandria cultural scene.

  14. The potential of ecological theory for building an integrated framework to develop the public health contribution of health visiting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bryans, Alison; Cornish, Flora; McIntosh, Jean

    2009-11-01

    In line with recent UK and Scottish policy imperatives, there is increasing pressure for the health visiting service to assume an enhanced role in improving public health. Although health visiting has so far maintained its unique position as a primarily preventive service within the UK health service, its distinctive contribution now appears under threat. The continuing absence of a comprehensive and integrated conceptual basis for practice has a negative impact on the profession's ability to respond to current challenges. Establishing an integrative framework to conceptualise health visiting practice would enable more sensitive, focused and appropriate research, education and evaluation in relation to practice. Work in this area could thus usefully contribute to the future development of the service at a difficult time. Our paper aims to make such a contribution. In support of our conceptual aims, we draw on a study of health visiting practice undertaken within a large conurbation in central Scotland. The study used a mixed method, collaborative approach involving 12 audio-recorded and observed health visitor-client interactions, semi-structured interviews with the 12 HVs and 12 clients, examination of related documentation and workshops with the HV participants. We critically consider prevalent models of health visiting practice and describe the more integrative conceptual approach provided by Bronfenbrenner's ecological, 'person-in-context' framework. The paper subsequently explores relationships between this framework and understandings of need demonstrated by health visitors who participated in our study. Current policy emphasises the need to focus on public health and social inclusion in order to improve health. However, if this policy is to be translated into practice, we must develop a more adequate understanding of how practitioners work effectively with families and individuals in a sensitive and context-specific manner. Bronfenbrenner's framework appears

  15. Planning for people? An evaluation of objectives for managing visitors at wildlife refuges in the United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeffrey J. Brooks; Robert Massengale

    2011-01-01

    This study evaluates the quality of planning objectives for visitor services as written in Comprehensive Conservation Plans for the National Wildlife Refuge System of the United States. Planners in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are predominantly writing public use objectives that address wildlife recreation and education. Results indicate that planners are writing...

  16. A preliminary analysis of environmental dilemmas and environmental ethical reasoning among Hispanic and non-Hispanic forest visitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas C. Swearingen; Robert E. Pfister

    1995-01-01

    In a preliminary investigation of environmental reasoning, Hispanic and Anglo-American visitors were interviewed during the summer of 1991 in two National Forests near Los Angeles. A bilingual research technician approached parties visiting the sample sites and, after a brief introduction, requested that they participate in the study. No more than two persons from each...

  17. Investigating predictors of visiting, using, and revisiting an online health-communication program: a longitudinal study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van 't Riet, Jonathan; Crutzen, Rik; De Vries, Hein

    2010-09-02

    Online health communication has the potential to reach large audiences, with the additional advantages that it can be operational at all times and that the costs per visitor are low. Furthermore, research shows that Internet-delivered interventions can be effective in changing health behaviors. However, exposure to Internet-delivered health-communication programs is generally low. Research investigating predictors of exposure is needed to be able to effectively disseminate online interventions. In the present study, the authors used a longitudinal design with the aim of identifying demographic, psychological, and behavioral predictors of visiting, using, and revisiting an online program promoting physical activity in the general population. A webpage was created providing the public with information about health and healthy behavior. The website included a "physical activity check," which consisted of a physical activity computer-tailoring expert system where visitors could check whether their physical activity levels were in line with recommendations. Visitors who consented to participate in the present study (n = 489) filled in a questionnaire that assessed demographics, mode of recruitment, current physical activity levels, and health motivation. Immediately after, participants received tailored feedback concerning their current physical activity levels and completed a questionnaire assessing affective and cognitive user experience, attitude toward being sufficiently physically active, and intention to be sufficiently physically active. Three months later, participants received an email inviting them once more to check whether their physical activity level had changed. Analyses of visiting showed that more women (67.5%) than men (32.5%) visited the program. With regard to continued use, native Dutch participants (odds ratio [OR] = 2.81, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.16-6.81, P = .02) and participants with a strong motivation to be healthy (OR = 1.46, CI = 1

  18. A community-wide school health project for the promotion of smoke-free homes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loke, Alice Yuen; Mak, Y W

    2015-11-26

    A community-wide school health project for the promotion of smoke-free homes was launched in June 2010 with the aim of promoting the benefits of smoke-free homes to all school-aged children (aged 6-18), and indirectly to their parents and family members. The 1-year project included health talks on a smoke-free life; the distribution of educational leaflets; slogan and visual art competitions; and a health fair held in June 2011. Two sets of questionnaires were developed to solicit a resolution and action from the participants regarding the establishment of a smoke-free home, and their decision to stay smoke-free. This is a paper to report on the activities of this project, the attempts to reach out to school-aged children, and their indications of agreement with, support for, and commitment to promoting smoke-free homes. The project reached an estimated 12,800 school-aged children in Hong Kong. A large proportion of those received educational leaflets (69.6-88.2 %). Of those who participated in the health fair, 69.7-87.6 % agreed to promote the concept of smoke-free homes to friends and family. More primary than secondary students pledged to not take up smoking (90.8 vs 85.8 %). About 82 % of those who had experimented with smoking pledged to stop. A small proportion of them reported already having established a smoke-free policy at home (14.9 %), placed a 'No Smoking' sign at home (16.4 %), informed visitors of their smoke-free policy at home (12.9 %), and asked visitors to dispose of lit cigarettes before entering their home (15.9 %). This community-wide school health project on the benefits of smoke-free homes reached a large number of students, and indirectly to family members, and home visitors. Public health efforts of this kind should be continued to reach younger generations and the general public.

  19. Using fingerprint image quality to improve the identification performance of the U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology Program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wein, Lawrence M; Baveja, Manas

    2005-05-24

    Motivated by the difficulty of biometric systems to correctly match fingerprints with poor image quality, we formulate and solve a game-theoretic formulation of the identification problem in two settings: U.S. visa applicants are checked against a list of visa holders to detect visa fraud, and visitors entering the U.S. are checked against a watchlist of criminals and suspected terrorists. For three types of biometric strategies, we solve the game in which the U.S. Government chooses the strategy's optimal parameter values to maximize the detection probability subject to a constraint on the mean biometric processing time per legal visitor, and then the terrorist chooses the image quality to minimize the detection probability. At current inspector staffing levels at ports of entry, our model predicts that a quality-dependent two-finger strategy achieves a detection probability of 0.733, compared to 0.526 under the quality-independent two-finger strategy that is currently implemented at the U.S. border. Increasing the staffing level of inspectors offers only minor increases in the detection probability for these two strategies. Using more than two fingers to match visitors with poor image quality allows a detection probability of 0.949 under current staffing levels, but may require major changes to the current U.S. biometric program. The detection probabilities during visa application are approximately 11-22% smaller than at ports of entry for all three strategies, but the same qualitative conclusions hold.

  20. MANAGING THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE ON ROMANIAN RELIGIOUS SITES: MONASTERIES ABBOTS’ PERCEPTIONS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mihai Florin BĂCILĂ

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available For thousands of years, people have been travelling to places considered sacred to meet or to worship Divinity. Religion-motivated tourism is extremely important in many parts of the world. The aim of this paper is to investigate the issue of the religious tourism experience for a religion considered to be conservative and traditionalist in relation to other denominations. In order to achieve this end we distinguish the behavioural characteristics and motivations of the religious sites’ visitors through the abbots’ gaze. The research method of this study is a questionnaire based survey among more than one hundred monasteries’ superiors from different regions of Romania, places known as “holy or sacred” destinations for the Romanian religious people.

  1. 75 FR 82400 - Development of Health Risk Assessment Guidance; Public Forum

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-12-30

    ... Visitor's Center parking guard station. Visitors will be asked for identification and the purpose of the... identification card. Parking spaces for visitors are available in the parking lot adjacent to the CDC Visitor's... or some other means in the physician's office, internet, mail-in paper form, other non-traditional...

  2. Put a Frame on It: Contextualizing Climate Change for Museum Visitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Canning, Katharine

    Public opinion polls continue to show that Americans are divided---particularly along political and ideological lines---on whether climate change is real and warrants immediate action. Those in the natural and social sciences have recognized that effective communication is key to closing the gap that exists between scientific and public understanding on this issue. A body of social science research on climate change communication has emerged within the last decade. This field has identified strategies for climate change communicators and educators, emphasizing the importance of framing climate change issues in ways that help it resonate with a wider range of public concerns and values in order to develop a shared belief regarding the necessity of action. Museum exhibits and programs on climate change that were developed within the last five years are likely to have benefitted from this body of work. This qualitative research seeks to examine and analyze the various ways museums in the United States are communicating about climate change related issues to the public. Three case studies of museum exhibits on climate change issues were examined. The scope and purpose of climate change communication in museums, the specific messages that museums are choosing to communicate, and how those messages are being framed for public audiences were explored through these case studies. The findings suggest that museums are considering their audience when framing messages about climate change and have used work from the climate change communication field to inform message development. In particular, museums are making climate change issues more relevant by emphasizing social, economic, and human health concerns, and are considering strategies to counteract fear-fatigue and empower visitors to take action.

  3. 77 FR 58145 - Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health Notice of Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-09-19

    ... issues. Place: National Institutes of Health, Building 31, 31 Center Drive, Conference Room 10, Bethesda... person. In the interest of security, NIH has instituted stringent procedures for entrance onto the NIH campus. All visitor vehicles, including taxicabs, hotel, and airport shuttles will be inspected before...

  4. 77 FR 12603 - Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health; Notice of Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-03-01

    ... issues. Place: National Institutes of Health, Building 31, 31 Center Drive, Conference Room 10, Bethesda... person. In the interest of security, NIH has instituted stringent procedures for entrance onto the NIH campus. All visitor vehicles, including taxicabs, hotel, and airport shuttles will be inspected before...

  5. The Behavior of Online Museum Visitors on Facebook Fan Page of the Museum in Indonesia

    OpenAIRE

    Arta Moro Sundjaja; Ford Lumban Gaol; Sri Bramantoro Abdinagoro; Bahtiar S. Abbas

    2017-01-01

    The objective of this research was to discover the behavior of museum visitors on Facebook fan page in Indonesia based on the user motivation, user expectation, online community involvement, and Facebook fan page of the museum. This research used a quantitative approach to descriptive analysis. The population was the Facebook users who had followed the Facebook fan page of the museum in Indonesia. The samples used were 270 respondents. The researchers distributed the questionnaire to a Facebo...

  6. Valuing setting-based recreation for selected visitors to national forests in the southern United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kavita Sardana; John C. Bergstrom; J. M.  Bowker

    2016-01-01

    In this study we estimate selected visitors’ demand and value for recreational trips to settings such as developed vs. undeveloped sites in U.S. national forests in the Southern United States using the travel cost method. The setting-based approach allows for valuation of multi-activity trips to particular settings. The results from an adjusted Poisson lognormal...

  7. Developing social standards for wilderness encounters in Mount Rainier National Park: Manager-defined versus visitor-defined standards

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kristopher J. Lah

    2000-01-01

    This research compared the differences found between manager-defined and visitor-defined social standards for wilderness encounters in Mount Rainier National Park. Social standards in recreation areas of public land are defined by what is acceptable to the public, in addition to the area’s management. Social standards for the encounter indicator in Mount Rainier’s...

  8. The regulation of visitors conduction activity in the State System os Brazilian Conservation Units

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    Cristina Alves Nascimento

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Beyond to conserving biodiversity, conservation units must promote public use in contact with nature, assisting in increasing the economic resource of the area, approximating the society to nature and promoting their sustainable use. In Brazil, there are rules of the Ministry of Environment and Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation that regulate the conduction of visitors in federal conservation units. Remains to know how the activity is regulated in other spheres of the National Conservation Units System. Therefore, this article purpose to identify the legal basis for the conduction of visitors in the state conservation units and their adherence to guidelines of the Ministry of Environment. The methodology consisted in documentary research and data survey of the legal basis, done through visits to websites and sending e-mails to state management agencies. Adherence to the guidelines of the regulations was done through the evaluation to fulfillment or not from them. Legal basis were found in 18.5% of federal units of Brazil, being that only Espírito Santo and Rio de Janeiro meet almost all of the guideline. The conclusion was that there is a long way to go forward as the creation of rules and procedures that simultaneously encourage visitation accompanied to qualified conductors and biodiversity conservation. It is recommended greater efforts of state management agencies for the development of these legal basis, promoting improvements in desenvolviment of the activity and awareness of society.

  9. Visitors׳ perceptions on the important factors of atrium design in shopping centers: A study of Gandaria City Mall and Ciputra World in Indonesia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Astrid Kusumowidagdo

    2016-03-01

    The research was conducted with the sequential exploratory method, which involved a qualitative study, followed by a quantitative study. The objects of this research were two shopping centers located in the two largest cities in Indonesia, namely, Gandaria City Mall in Jakarta and Ciputra World in Surabaya. A total of 43 informants were a part of the qualitative data collection, and 350 respondents served as survey participants. The survey research shows that the design factors considered by visitors at the Gandaria City Mall are atrium legibility, atrium decoration, event decoration, social image and interaction, and event ambience, whereas the visitors at Ciputra World considered atrium legibility, social image and interaction, atrium ambience, and atrium decoration.

  10. Self-pollination rate and floral-display size in Asclepias syriaca (Common Milkweed) with regard to floral-visitor taxa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howard, Aaron F; Barrows, Edward M

    2014-06-23

    Animals fertilize thousands of angiosperm species whose floral-display sizes can significantly influence pollinator behavior and plant reproductive success. Many studies have measured the interactions among pollinator behavior, floral-display size, and plant reproductive success, but few studies have been able to separate the effects of pollinator behavior and post-pollination processes on angiosperm sexual reproduction. In this study, we utilized the highly self-incompatible pollinium-pollination system of Asclepias syriaca (Common Milkweed) to quantify how insect visitors influenced male reproductive success measured as pollen removal, female reproductive success measured as pollen deposition, and self-pollination rate. We also determined how floral-display size impacts both visitor behavior and self-pollination rate. Four insect taxonomic orders visited A. syriaca: Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera, and Lepidoptera. We focused on three groups of visitor taxa within two orders (Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera) with sample sizes large enough for quantitative analysis: Apis mellifera (Western Honey Bee), Bombus spp. (bumble bees) and lepidopterans (butterflies and moths). Qualitatively, lepidopterans had the highest pollinator importance values, but the large variability in the lepidopteran data precluded meaningful interpretation of much of their behavior. The introduced A. mellifera was the most effective and most important diurnal pollinator with regard to both pollen removal and pollen deposition. However, when considering the self-incompatibility of A. syriaca, A. mellifera was not the most important pollinator because of its high self-pollination rate as compared to Bombus spp. Additionally, the rate of self-pollination increased more rapidly with the number of flowers per inflorescence in A. mellifera than in the native Bombus spp. Apis mellifera's high rate of self-pollination may have significant negative effects on both male and female reproductive successes

  11. Providing Hands on Experiences to Museum Visitors to Explore and Learn about Earthquakes and their Impacts in the Pacific Northwest

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olds, S. E.; Schiffman, C. R.; Butler, R. F.; Farley, M.; Frankel, S.; Hunter, N.; Lillie, R. J.

    2013-12-01

    Over the past ten years, UNAVCO has developed a suite of learning materials for formal undergraduate and grades 6-12 classroom environments, integrating GPS data from the EarthScope Plate Boundary Observatory (PBO) to explore Earth science processes. To make complex Earth processes accessible to general audiences, UNAVCO has designed a multi-component visiting museum exhibit that explores the tectonic setting of the United States Pacific Northwest, hazards of living on a plate boundary, and the technologies being used to study the plate motion and in the future, help communities become more resilient to the impacts of earthquakes. This exhibit was installed in Fall 2013 at the Oregon State University (OSU) Hatfield Marine Science Center (HMSC) in Newport, Oregon. Through multiple hands-on elements, visitors to the HMSC exhibit explore and experience the build up and release of strain in the region, along with some of the technologies used to measure these changes. In one component, visitors compress a model of the Pacific Northwest to feel the build up of strain in the landscape and observe the movement of land over time. Supporting panels connect this movement to the measurements currently being observed by the network of PBO and other GPS stations in the Pacific Northwest. In another component, visitors learn about the recurrence interval for earthquakes at the Juan De Fuca - North America plate boundary by turning a handle to slowly move and compress plates until a simulated earthquake occurs. A related component explores how an earthquake early warning system (EEWS) of the future might combine seismic data collected by both seismometers and real time GPS to allow people and communities time to prepare for oncoming ground shaking and tsunami after an earthquake. Several technologies are also highlighted throughout the exhibit, including information panels that compare the accuracy of high precision GPS with smartphone technologies. Additionally, models of a full

  12. An investigation of the factors which influence to the satisfaction with tourist experience of a tourist-visitor of an event in Novi Sad

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hadžić Olga

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available In this paper we investigate factors which influence to the satisfaction with tourist experience of a tourist/visitor of an event, and which are under the control in some extent by the organizer of the event, as well as by the tourism sector of the destination and the local community. A qualitative method (open interview and a quantitative method (the method of Importance/Performance matrix are used.. The results obtained by the application of these methods can help to the organizer of an event, as well as to the tourism sector on the destination, to make an estimation of the successfulness of the event, which is important in the planning process of a similar event in the future. We pointed out the necessity of joint efforts of many partners (stakeholders in tourism sector on the destination in order to satisfy the expectation of a tourist-visitor of the manifestation. Important stakeholders are experts in the domains of the space planning and the protection of the environment. They have to choose in their plans the venue for manifestations and camps for the accommodation of many visitors, which is of the special importance if tourism sector on the destination wish to include in their tourism offer international music manifestations, which attract thousand of tourists.

  13. Curating the collider: using place to engage museum visitors with particle physics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alison Boyle

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available CERN’s Large Hadron Collider, the world’s largest particle physics facility, provides museological opportunities and challenges. Visitor interest in cutting-edge physics, with its high media profile, is tempered by anxiety about understanding complex content. The topic does not readily lend itself to traditional museum showcase-dominated displays: the technology of modern particle physics is overwhelmingly large, while the phenomena under investigation are invisible. For Collider, a major temporary exhibition, the Science Museum adopted a ‘visit to CERN’ approach, recreating several of the laboratory’s spaces. We explore the effectiveness of this approach, at a time when historical studies of scientific laboratories and museum reconstructions of spaces are subject to renewed interest.

  14. Floral Visitors of Three Asteraceae Species in a Xeric Environment in Central Mexico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Figueroa-Castro, Dulce María; González-Tochihuitl, Guadalupe; Rivas-Arancibia, Sombra Patricia; Castaño-Meneses, Gabriela

    2016-12-01

    We describe the spatial variation in the structure and composition of the communities of insects visiting the inflorescences of Flaveria ramosissima Klatt, Florestina pedata (Cav.) Cass., and Parthenium bipinnatifidum (Ort.) Rollins (Asteraceae) in a xeric environment in Central Mexico. Inflorescences of the three Asteraceae were visited by a total of 96 species of Hymenoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Hemiptera. Total species richness of floral visitors to the three Asteraceae and total abundance of insects of Fl. pedata and P. bipinnatifidum did not differ between low and high vegetation cover sites. Total abundance of insects visiting the inflorescences of F. ramosissima and abundance of Hymenoptera in all three Asteraceae were higher at the low vegetation coverage (LVC) site than at the high vegetation coverage (HVC) one. Diversity of insects of Fl. pedata and P. bipinnatifidum was higher at the HVC site. However, in F. ramosissima diversity was higher at the LVC site. The communities of insects of each Asteraceae were dissimilar between sites. These differences can be attributed to variation in the abundance of Lepidophora (Diptera: Bombyliidae), Miridae (Hemiptera), Melyridae (Coleoptera), Tiphiidae (Hymenoptera), Myrmecocystus mexicanus Wesmael, and Dorymyrmex grandulus (Forel) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). The first three insect groups were sensitive to LVC, high temperature, and low humidity, whereas the last three tolerated those same environmental conditions. Changes in temperature, humidity, and resources associated with vegetation coverage seem to differentially affect each species of floral visitors of the three Asteraceae species studied. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  15. Do smoke-free environment policies reduce smoking on hospital grounds? Evaluation of a smoke-free health service policy at two Sydney hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poder, Natasha; Carroll, Therese; Wallace, Cate; Hua, Myna

    2012-05-01

    To evaluate the compliance of hospital staff, inpatients and visitors with Sydney South West Area Health Service's Smoke-free Environment Policy. Six sites were observed at two Sydney hospitals 2 weeks before implementation of the policy and at 2 weeks, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months and 2 years after implementation. There was an overall significant 36% (P≤0.05) reduction in observed smoking incidents on hospital grounds 2 years after implementation. Two years after implementation, observed smoking incidents reduced by 44% (P≤0.05) in staff, 37% (P≤0.05) in visitors and remained unchanged among inpatients. The Smoke-free Environment Policy was effective in reducing visitors and staff observed smoking on hospital grounds, but had little effect on inpatients' smoking. Identifying strategies to effectively manage nicotine addiction and promote cessation amongst hospital inpatients remains a key priority.

  16. Visitor and community survey results for Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge: Completion report

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sexton, Natalie R.; Stewart, Susan C.; Koontz, Lynne; Ponds, Phadrea; Walters, Katherine D.

    2007-01-01

    This study was commissioned by the Northeast Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in support of the Comprehensive Conservation Planning at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge (Prime Hook NWR or Refuge). The National Wildlife Refuge Improvement Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-57, USC668dd) mandates a Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) for every refuge in the system. A refuge CCP outlines goals, objectives, and management strategies for all refuge programs over the next 15 years, while providing opportunities for compatible, wildlifedependent public uses. The plan evaluates refuge wildlife, habitat, land protection, and visitor service priorities during the planning process.

  17. NHS patients, staff, and visitor viewpoints of smoking within a hospitals' ground: a qualitative analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serafin, Alina; Franklin, Sarah; Mehta, Rashesh; Crosby, Scott; Lee, Diane; Edlin, Becky; Bewick, Bridgette M

    2014-09-29

    Smoking is a public health concern and an avoidable cause of morbidity and mortality. Widening tobacco control policies might help shift social norms, the acceptability of exposing others to second-hand smoke, and cultural attitudes towards smoking. This study explored patient, staff, and visitor viewpoints of smoking within the grounds of a National Health Service hospital. Analysis of free text responses given as part of a larger repeat cross sectional questionnaire study. Free text qualitative responses analysed using thematic analysis. Pinderfields Hospital, a UK National Health Service hospital in the county of Yorkshire, provides a health service to around half a million people living in the Wakefield and North Kirklees area. Surveys were distributed 10th-18th September and 17th-21st December 2012. Of the n=952 participants who completed an anonymous survey n=306 participants provided a response to the optional free text question. Thematic analysis revealed 5 distinct themes: (1) smoking is a dirty problem; (2) smokers are free to do as they wish; (3) the poor smoker; (4) smoke in our space: the battleground; and (5) no smoking please. Of the n=272 represented by the five themes, generally people accepted that smoking is socially unacceptable but their understanding of smoking behaviours and attitudes towards management and control of smoking differed. There was a strong sense that action is needed to separate the space smokers and non-smokers share. We identified a distinct group of participants that supported a hard line approach and suggested enforcing the no smoking policy through fines and monitoring. Smoking on hospital grounds remains a contentious issue. Participants acknowledge that smoking is an increasingly unacceptable social behaviour but their understanding and acceptance of smokers vary. There is a strong sense of dislike about the impact of smoke and smokers on the shared hospital environment, with a focus on the hospital entrance

  18. The appreciation of nature and landscape by tourism service providers and visitors in the Ore Mountains (Germany)

    OpenAIRE

    Christian Stein; Gerd Lupp; Jan Behrens; Christina Renner; Karsten Grunewald

    2015-01-01

    The paper presents empirical studies on the appreciation of nature and landscape in the Eastern Ore Mountains (Saxony, Germany) by tourism service providers (TSP) and visitors. Attractive landscape and experience of nature are the most important reasons to visit this region and to spend leisure time there. Particularly mountain meadows, raised bogs and mixed forests are highly appreciated. Deforestation, industrial development and the decline of biodiversity would reduce attractiveness for vi...

  19. O perfil dos visitantes do parque estadual do Ibitipoca (PEIb, Lima Duarte, MG Profile of visitors to the Ibitipoca state park (PEIb, Lima Duarte, MG

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alecia Silva Ladeira

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available Este trabalho foi desenvolvido no Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca (PEIb, onde foi realizado um levantamento das características dos visitantes da referida UC, com a finalidade de obter informações sobre o perfil destes. Foram entrevistados 324 visitantes durante os meses de janeiro, fevereiro, abril e junho do ano de 2004, ao passo que os dados de visitação relativos à freqüência mensal e anual de visitantes (1988-2004 foram fornecidos pela administração da UC. As variáveis utilizadas nas entrevistas foram tabuladas, analisadas e comparadas com a de outras unidades de conservação; dentre elas, observaram-se o nível de escolaridade, a idade, o gênero, o tamanho dos grupos e a origem dos visitantes do PEIb. Como principal resultado, constatou-se que a maioria dos visitantes desejava permanecer no parque por mais de dois dias; eles ficaram sabendo da existência do parque por meio da propaganda informal. O perfil dos visitantes mostrou um alto nível de escolaridade, tendo a sua grande maioria segundo grau completo. O principal objetivo da visita foi a busca de um local tranqüilo, de grande beleza cênica proporcionada pelo contato com a natureza. Nos dias atuais, o ecoturismo, além de um modismo, é uma forma de interação e de resgate da vida interiorana, proporcionado pela Vila de Conceição do Ibitipoca, distante apenas 3 km da portaria do parque.The present work was developed at the State Park of Ibitipoca (PEIb to assess the characteristics of its visitors to gather information on their profile. A total of 324 visitors were interviewed during the months of January, February, April, and June of 2004, while data related to the frequency of monthly and annual visits (1988-2004 were provided by the administration of the Protected Area. The variables used in the interviews were tabulated, analyzed and compared with other protected areas. The variables education level, age, gender, group size and place of origin of the visitors were

  20. The households purchase behavior and visitors shopping – amusing centre Olympia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miroslav Foret

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available The first part of the paper is devoted to the problems of the households purchase behavior in the Czech Republic. The main part is based on own empirical results from own marketing research conducted in 2005–2006. The results concerns on influences of food-stuffs purchases, clothes and shoes purchases, household equipments purchases and differences among them. In the second part is presented increasing number of shopping – amusing centres in the Czech Republic. These trends are changing purchase behavior our consumers. In Spring 2006 was conducted own marketing research of visitors shopping – amusing centre Olympia in Brno Modřice. Some more detail results give their basic sociodemographic characteristics as well as shopping orientations. The purchase in the shopping – amusing centres is a part of the contemporary life style, leisure and amusement.