Active galactic nuclei at gamma-ray energies

Active Galactic Nuclei can be copious extragalactic emitters of MeV-GeV-TeV gamma rays, a phenomenon linked to the presence of relativistic jets powered by a super-massive black hole in the center of the host galaxy. Most of gamma-ray emitting active galactic nuclei, with more than 1500 known at GeV energies, and more than 60 at TeV energies, are called "blazars". The standard blazar paradigm features a jet of relativistic magnetized plasma ejected from the neighborhood of a spinning and accreting super-massive black hole, close to the observer direction. Two classes of blazars are distinguished from observations: the flat-spectrum radio-quasar class (FSRQ) is characterized by strong external radiation fields, emission of broad optical lines, and dust tori. The BL Lac class (from the name of one of its members, BL Lacertae) corresponds to weaker advection-dominated flows with gamma-ray spectra dominated by the inverse Compton effect on synchrotron photons. This paradigm has been very successful for modeling the broadband spectral energy distributions of blazars. However, many fundamental issues remain, including the role of hadronic processes and the rapid variability of those BL Lac objects whose synchrotron spectrum peaks at UV or X-ray frequencies. A class of gamma-ray--emitting radio galaxies, which are thought to be the misaligned counterparts of blazars, has emerged from the results of the Fermi-Large Area Telescope and of ground-based Cherenkov telescopes. Blazars and their misaligned ounterparts make up most of the >100 MeV extragalactic gamma ray background (EGB), and are uspected of being the sources of ultra-high energy cosmic rays. The future "Cherenkov Telescope Array", in synergy with the Fermi-Large Area Telescope and a wide range of telescopes in space and on he ground, will write the next chapter of blazar physics.Comment: 27 pages, 28 figures, in a topical review on gamma-ray astronomy above 100 MeV, to be published in Comptes Rendus Physique de l'Acad\'emie des Sciences (CRAS

An assessment of apple varieties for their suitability in organic production systems

Twenty seven varieties of apple were assessed for their susceptibility to apple scab, mildew and rosy apple aphid in a replicated experiment at East Malling Research. The varieties most affected by mildew were Goldrush, DL11, Liberty, Bohemia and Pinova. Ceeval, Discovery, Edward VII, Howgate Wonder, Rajka, Rebella and Topaz had the lowest incidences of mildew. The highest incidence of scab occurred on Pilot and Pinova, but infestation was low throughout the assessment period. In 2006 when aphid populations were high, Liberty, Goldrush and Delorina had no aphid infestations, and low infestations were seen on Edward VII, Resi and Santana

Book Review. CBT: The Cognitive Behavioural Tsunami – Managerialism, Politics, and the Corruptions of Science. Farhad Dalal

This book offers a critical response to the relentless and rapid growth of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in the UK. Dalal’s comprehensive analysis aims at critiquing the suspect practices and fetishism of measurement in CBT research. Looking at the broad intellectual and economic underpinnings of CBT, he also highlights the forms of neoliberal governance that maintain the whole edifice (or should we say artifice?). Overall, he does a great job of providing a long overdue retort to CBT’s insistent claims. The book is pertinent reading for art psychotherapists who have been left relatively marginalised by the cognitive behavioural tsunami and the dynamics and developments described

Are Electronic Editions Inherently Obsolete?

This paper looks at some of the theoretical background behind technologies being developed at the Australian Scholarly Editions Centre for a new form of resource for the study of historical works of literature. Some of the unique features of these technologies are that they support conflicting points of view (including conflicting structural markup) and also allow simultaneous, parallel development by multiple researchers on the same parts of the work. Archivists talk about maintaining digital assets through use rather than preservation so that demand for the asset will ensure its propagation long-term. To achieve this end a digital asset must be as versatile as possible so as to meet all requirements for those who might want to use it. If it does not do this it will be superseded by something that does meet those needs creating new witness states in the record and confusion for future literary researchers. The word "edition" is a term from the print paradigm and implies a fixed publication with features proscribed by the medium. Technical and feature obsolescence will eventually cause these "electronic editions" to be either superseded or lost from the human record. A better type of resource is one that can be continually developed by its multiple users, while maintaining its textual authenticity, thereby ensuring its continued maintenance long after its original creator is gone. This paper looks at the reasoning behind the need for a new paradigm for creating and maintaining text-based digital assets and provides examples of a work in progress that solves some of the inherent limitations of the print-based "edition" paradigm.Hosted by the Scholarly Text and Imaging Service (SETIS), the University of Sydney Library, and the Research Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences (RIHSS), the University of Sydney

Alien Registration- Wright, Berrie (Presque Isle, Aroostook County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/33620/thumbnail.jp

Causal inference methods and simulation approaches in observational health research within a geographical framework

Statistical methods are often used habitually, perhaps without sufficient reflection on their robustness in a range of novel circumstances. Increasingly, there is a desire to unravel the complexities of humans interacting with their environments, to improve our understanding and explanation of what influences population health in the wider context of our living environment. A framework is provided for using simulation and causal inference methods to evaluate analytical approaches in health geography, to introduce the reader to some of the considerations around complexity of context and data generation that may need to be reflected upon carefully when applying such methods in their own work. These methods have the potential to aid researchers in their explanation of what factors are important for population health and well–being in the context of our geographical environment while avoiding potential pitfalls in their work and allowing for greater critical evaluation of the methods employed by themselves and others. This thesis considers the utility of simulation to investigate applied problems related to mathematical coupling and specific considerations that need to be made in relation to research on the relationship between limiting long–term illness and deprivation and the challenges encountered while investigating the relationship between population mixing and childhood leukaemia —with all such considerations examined through the lens of cause and effect. The datasets chosen are representative of many others in health geography and span the full range of outcome prevalence rates likely encountered. Methods in causal inference and simulation are demonstrated to be powerful tools in understanding potential bias in research analyses. With careful planning, forethought and reflection on the data generating processes of the context of interest, causal inference and simulation methodologies are accessible to all researchers to improve their understanding of the methods they employ to address the research questions they pose