Reimagining Tourism: COVID-19 and the Potential of Virtual Tourism in South Africa

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in massive degrowth of tourism economies, undoing years of progress in destinations around the world. The initial inability of tourists to travel and subsequent fall out from border closures, vaccination hurdles, the changing needs of tourists to travel targeted the very core of tourism. Despite the tourism sector being renowned for its resilience in relation to previous crises, the prolonged and unprecedented nature of this crisis has tested the most resilient of sectors. As part of South Africa’s tourism sector recovery plan, the domestic tourism sub-sector of the industry has been prioritised. However, even before the pandemic induced crisis, the performance of the domestic tourism sector called for attention. Thus, although disruptive, this crisis provides an opportunity for innovation within the sector. While innovations of virtual tourism could be suitable, an investigation into the willingness of tourists to engage in virtual tourism needs to be undertaken. The current paper seeks to address this gap. A quantitative research design was employed, with a total of 110 online surveys being completed by domestic tourists in South Africa. Key finds reveal that virtual tourism could assist in the promotion of a destination, particularly in the decision making processes of potential tourists, which had been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The study found that virtual tourism could increase the exposure and accessibility of tourism attractions in South Africa. Moreover, the results of the study reveal that while virtual tourism could enhance the tourist experience at the destination, it cannot replace traditional tourism. Recommendations emanating from this study relate to the inclusion of virtual tourism components as add ons to tourism attractions.

Progression of a Muscular Dystrophy Due to a Genetic Defect in Membrane Synthesis is Driven by Large Changes in Neutral Lipid Metabolism

CHKB encodes one of two mammalian choline kinase enzymes that catalyze the first step in the synthesis of the major membrane phospholipid, phosphatidylcholine (PC). In humans, inactivation of the CHKB gene causes a recessive form of a rostral-to-caudal congenital muscular dystrophy. Using Chkb knockout mice, we reveal that at no stage of the disease is PC level significantly altered. Instead, at early stages of the disease the level of mitochondrial specific lipids acylcarnitine (AcCa) and cardiolipin (CL) increase 15-fold and 10-fold, respectively. Importantly, these changes are only observed in affected muscle and contribute to the decrease in the skeletal muscle functional output in these mice. As the disease progresses, AcCa and CL levels normalize and there is a 12-fold increase in the neutral storage lipid triacylgycerol and a 3-fold increase in its upstream lipid diacylglycerol. Our findings indicate that the major changes in lipid metabolism upon loss of function of Chkb is not a change in PC level, but instead is an initial inability to utilize fatty acids for energy resulting in shunting of fatty acids into triacyglycerol.

Systemic Racism, Police Brutality of Black People, and the Use of Violence in Quelling Peaceful Protests in America

The Trump Administration and its mantra to ‘Make America Great Again’ has been calibrated with racism and severe oppression against Black people in America who still bear the deep marks of slavery. After the official abolition of slavery in the second half of the nineteenth century, the initial inability of Black people to own land, coupled with the various Jim Crow laws rendered the acquired freedom nearly insignificant in the face of poverty and hopelessness. Although the age-long struggles for civil rights and equal treatments have caused the acquisition of more black-letter rights, the systemic racism that still perverts the American justice system has largely disabled these rights: the result is that Black people continue to exist at the periphery of American economy and politics. Using a functional approach and other types of approach to legal and sociological reasoning, this article examines the supportive roles of Corporate America, Mainstream Media, and White Supremacists in winnowing the systemic oppression that manifests largely through police brutality. The article argues that some of the sustainable solutions against these injustices must be tackled from the roots and not through window-dressing legislation, which often harbor the narrow interests of Corporate America.

“Versöhnung – Ja, Verzicht – Nein“? Marion Gräfin Dönhoff 1946-1970: Territorialer Paradigmenwechsel und neue Sicht auf Polen

This article will examine Marion Gräfin Dönhoff’s articles published in the Hamburg-based “Die Zeit“ weekly in the years 1946-1970. Dönhoff, a renowned German journalist, had to leave East Prussia and her family estate in 1945. The articles under analysis demonstrate an evolution of her views on the problem of losing the so-called German East, from the initial inability to come to terms with the new postwar territo-rial reality, to the eventual recognition that Germany’s loss of provinces in the East is permanent and final.

Flexibility and Use of a Novel Tool in Asian Small-Clawed Otters (Aonyx cinerea)

Asian small-clawed otters (Aonyx cinerea) demonstrate remarkable hand dexterity when gathering and consuming prey, but little is known about their ability to use objects as tools. The present study used a tool choice paradigm in which six Asian small-clawed otters were tested individually and presented with two identical hook-shaped tools. For each trial, only one tool was positioned such that pulling it allowed an otter to obtain food. Pulling the other hook resulted in the correct hook being moved out of reach, necessitating selection of the correct tool as its first choice The two males performed above chance levels, but the four females did not. The females’ poor overall performance may have reflected their initial inability to understand the tool choice task. Two of the females’ performances improved by 20% over the course of the trials, and another female showed 5% improvement over time. In addition, some incorrect responses appeared to be due to the development of a side preference, rather than to the configuration of the apparatus. Four of the otters exhibited a significant side bias toward the left, but there were individual differences in how these preferences presented in each otter. For all otters, latency to approach and make a choice on the tool-use task decreased over time, regardless of success. Although otters do appear capable of learning which tool should be used in a forced choice comparison such as the one used here, other factors appear to influence the choices individual otters make.

Major Harvey Cushing's difficulties with the British and American armies during World War I

This historical review explores Harvey Cushing's difficulties with both the British and American armies during his World War I service to definitively examine the rumor of his possible court martial. It also provides a further understanding of Cushing the man. While in France during World War I, Cushing was initially assigned to British hospital units. This service began in May 1917 and ended abruptly in May 1918 when the British cashiered him for repeated censorship violations. Returning to American command, he feared court martial. The army file on this matter (retrieved from the United States National Archives) indicates that US Army authorities recommended that Cushing be reprimanded and returned to the US for his violations. The army carried out neither recommendation, and no evidence exists that a court martial was considered. Cushing's army career and possible future academic life were protected by the actions of his surgical peers and Merritte Ireland, Chief Surgeon of the US Army in France. After this censorship episode, Cushing was made a neurosurgical consultant but was also sternly warned that further rule violations would not be tolerated by the US Army. Thereafter, despite the onset of a severe peripheral neuropathy, probably Guillian Barré's syndrome, Cushing was indefatigable in ministering to neurosurgical needs in the US sector in France. Cushing's repeated defying of censorship regulations reveals poor judgment plus an initial inability to be a “team player.” The explanations he offered for his censorship violations showed an ability to bend the truth. Cushing's war journal is unclear as to exactly what transpired between him and the British and US armies. It also shows no recognition of the help he received from others who were instrumental in preventing his ignominious removal from service in France. Had that happened, his academic future and ability to train future neurosurgical leaders may have been seriously threatened. Cushing's foibles notwithstanding, all realized that he contributed greatly to both British and US war neurosurgery. United States Army surgeons who operated upon brain wounds in France recognized Cushing as their leader.

Ganglion cyst arising from the composite occipito-atlanto-axial joint cavity in a cat

SummaryA four-year-old, female spayed Domestic Longhaired cat was referred for evaluation with a two month history of initial inability to jump progressing to ambulatory tetraparesis. Magnetic resonance imaging studies demonstrated a cystic lesion arising from the composite occipito-atlanto-axial joint cavity and extending to the region of the occipital bone and the axis. The lesion surrounded the spinal canal, causing moderate dorsal spinal cord compression at the atlanto-occipital joint. A dynamic myelographic study demonstrated attenuation of the dorsal contrast column at the atlanto-occipital joint when the cervical spine was positioned in extension. Partial excision of the cyst capsule by a ventral approach resulted in long-term (64 months) resolution of clinical signs. Histological evaluation was consistent with a ganglion cyst. An intra-spinal ganglion cyst arising from the composite occipito-atlanto-axial joint cavity may be considered as an uncommon differential diagnosis for cats with cervical myelopathy.

Failure to conceive in the queen

A 13-month-old Persian queen was presented for infertility. She had been bred on two consecutive oestrous cycles on day 1 of oestrus, and on both occasions had developed a purulent vulvar discharge shortly after breeding. Treatment by the private veterinarian had included parenteral antibiotics and vaginal medications. Upon presentation to the Small Animal Reproduction Service, a complete clinical, diagnostic imaging and laboratory investigation failed to demonstrate evidence of a reproductive tract disease. Therefore, at a subsequent cycle breeding was attempted on day 3 of oestrus. The queen conceived and delivered six kittens by caesarean section. The initial inability of this queen to conceive appears to have resulted from inappropriate management practice.

Manchester, RNCM: Robin Holloway's String Quartet, op. 97

The world première of Robin Holloway's String Quartet, given by the Endellion Quartet at the RNCM on 13 October 2003, came in the midst of a number of concerts around the country marking the composer's 60th birthday. (Let us not forget, too, Claridge Press's publication of Holloway's writings, also coinciding with this anniversary.) Clever programming between Haydn's quartet op. 76 no. 4 and Brahms's op. 51 no. 2, enabled one to appreciate Holloway's first essay in this genre in the context (on the one hand) of a composer for whom the string quartet was seemingly an effortless medium, and (on the other) of a composer on whom the quartet tradition weighed heavily. For Holloway too, the string quartet proved problematic, and almost unassailable – his highly biographical programme-note revealed an initial inability to engage with ‘this most hallowed of the classic media, with its incomparably rich literature’. This inhibition threatened to stifle work altogether, for it was only a final attempt in August 2003, after three ‘sterile years’ of trying, that Holloway found a way through the problems the string quartet posed him.