Managing a non-profit hospitality platform conversion: The case of Couchsurfing.com

Couchsurfing (CS) was founded in 2003 as a non-profit for those interested in creating a common resource for world-wide hospitality exchange and low cost tourism. Built around a non-market communal sharing model, it became a for-profit in August 2011. Applying a discourse relational model approach, this study characterizes how competing discursive articulations over the conversion led to a discursive strategy of moral justification as management sought to retain its non-profit, alternative, democratic imaginary. The study finds that the justifications gained initial appeal, but ultimately lost credibility due to a mismanaged conversion. By articulating the competing discourses through the sacred value protection model (SVPM), this study provides insights into the way in which a management strategy can be interpreted at a micro-analysis level. It recommends that management decisions need to start from the activities of the organizations members, groups and networks so as to account for their emotions, motivations and actions

Next generation sequencing reveals major histocompatibility complex class II alleles associated with survival to avian malaria (<i>Plasmodium relictum</i>) in Hawaiian honeycreepers (Drepanidinae) (P3089)

Abstract While most species of Hawaiian honeycreeper are highly susceptible to avian malaria, populations of the Hawaii amakihi (Hemignathus virens) are thriving at low elevations despite high infection rates of Plasmodium relictum. Due to their critical function in adaptive immunity, proteins encoded by Mhc genes may play a role in the recently evolved host defense mechanisms in these populations. A 454 Roche platform was used to generate 44,014 sequences representing 158 Mhc alleles from 46 captive amakihi involved in experimental challenges to avian malaria and 88 wild amakihi originating from Hawaii Island. Analysis of an NJ tree revealed 6 clusters of alleles occurring most often in surviving amakihi, and a significant association between survivorship and the presence of one or more alleles from these clusters was detected (p = 0.00006). Several of these alleles were also found in higher frequencies in low vs. high elevation populations. A similar analysis of 6,417 sequences representing 31 Mhc alleles from 19 experimentally infected i`iwi (Vestiaria coccinea) revealed a significant association between survivorship and the presence of one or more alleles from two clusters (p = 0.02). This is the first documentation of an Mhc association with survival to malaria in Hawaiian honeycreepers and is expected to enhance our understanding of host-parasite interactions in this natural disease system while also providing a predictive tool for conservation and management.</jats:p

Characterization of class II β chain major histocompatibility complex genes in a family of Hawaiian honeycreepers: ‘Amakihi (<i>Hemignathus virens</i>) (VET1P.1124)

Abstract The objective of this study was to estimate the number and degree of variation of Mhc class II β chain genes and alleles in a family of Hawaiian honeycreepers (`Amakihi, Hemignathus virens). The parents were bred in captivity and produced eight progeny. Partial antigen binding region (173 bp) fragments were produced via PCR+1 cloning and sequenced on a Beckman CEQ system, and two Roche 454 platform pyrosequencing runs. A total of 302 sequences were obtained via cloning. After quality filtering and removal of chimeras, a total of 2762 sequences were retained from 454 run 1 and 3958 sequences from 454 run 2. Unique sequences detected &amp;lt;3 times within an individual were discarded. All sequences were used to generate a neighbor-joining tree in MEGA v. 5.2 to evaluate sequences across family members. Singlet sequences were discarded. The remaining sequences were used to evaluate segregation and relationships of loci. A total of 19 putative loci were detected in this family. Allelic segregation was not observed among any of these loci thus they appear to be independent, but linkage was observed among four loci suggesting segregation of a haplotype among 5 progeny. The finding of 37 sequences in one individual also suggests a minimum of 19 Mhc class II loci in `Amakihi. Of these, 17 loci are classical Mhc loci thus designated as DAB, but mean diversity and evolutionary divergence values among groups suggest that two loci are non-classical and thus should be designated as DBB.</jats:p

AFLP analysis of a natural population of native Hawaiian Honeycreepers (<i>Hemignathus virens</i>) reveals candidate markers for tolerance to avian malaria (<i>Plasmodium relictum</i>) (P3066)

Abstract A better understanding of host defenses against malaria is important, but most studies have traditionally focused on resistance and/or immunological mechanisms that limit parasite burden. Host tolerance mechanisms are thought to minimize physiological damage caused by both the parasite itself and immunopathology without directly affecting parasite burden. On Hawai`i Island, low elevation populations of amakihi (Hemignathus virens) appear to have recently evolved tolerance mechanisms against avian malaria (Plasmodium relictum). Under comparable parasite loads, low elevation amakihi have lower mortality, greater fitness, lower reticulocyte levels and lower heterophil to lymphocyte ratios than high elevation amakihi. Thus, distinct host defense mechanisms are likely operating in low vs. high elevation amakihi. To search for genes involved in host defense, AFLP analysis was completed. Group significance tests (Bionumerics v 2.0) reveal genetic distinction between groups (p = 0.000). Band frequency comparisons between low and high elevation `amakihi (Fisher’s exact test and Pearson’s chi-square test with Yate’s continuity correction, R v 2.11.1) revealed ten band classes with significantly higher (p &amp;lt; 0.05) frequencies in low vs. high elevation birds and 13 band classes with higher frequencies in high vs. low elevation birds. Isolation and sequencing of these candidate bands is underway and may provide a better understanding of host defense mechanisms in natural populations.</jats:p