Managing Alternative Production Systems

I have a couple of simple messages. The fIrst is that the pigs are up to it in terms of outdoor production. There are questions as to whether today\u27s pigs-· given the modem genetics that have for the most part been designed for intensive indoor production-are up to outdoor production. The answer to that seems to be yes. Second, in outdoor production, just as in indoor production, sloppy management leads to farm sales. This is especially tied to attention to details, the essence of sound management. Attention to detail is also important with respect to equipment design. We know that one farrowing crate is not the same as another farrowing crate, and one nursery feeder is not the same as another nursery feeder. It turns out that one farrowing hut for outdoor production is not the same as another farrowing hut, and the differences can be quite dramatic. So these two messages are the important, take-home ones

Mentoring Emerging Leaders Toward Holistic Health and Longevity: A guide for seasoned leaders to intentionally Invest in and Influence the Next Generation of Ministry Leaders

Dissertation Notice: D.Min. dissertation, Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, 2014 Full Text of the Dissertation available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global This study gathered input from long-term, seasoned pastors, former pastors, and emerging young leaders, then analyzed which of their activities and behaviors prove to enhance the opportunities for success in ministry. The study also examined the effects of mentor/protégé relationships on the success of young leaders

THE KATZ CELL-SURVIVAL MODEL AND BEAMS OF HEAVY CHARGED PARTICLES

In this paper, we describe how the Katz cell-survival model has been used to predict survival along the central axis of the dose vs depth curve of beams of heavy charged particles. Unmodified beams with sharp Bragg peaks as well as ridge-filter-modulated beams with spread Bragg peaks have been studied. The analysis in terms of this model leads to the definition of two coefficients, ion kill and gamma kill , which characterize the radiation quality of the beams. In this way, the relative importance of the primary lind secondary (fragmentation) contributions can be assessed easily. Setting the model parameter m equal to 2 yields two interesting results: the survival expression becomes linear-quadratic at low doses and the inactivation cross-section at small values of Z*2/ β2 (low-LET) increases as (Z*2/ κβ2)2 in accordance with the Lethal-Potentially Lethal (LPL) model. With this restriction on m and these approximations (low-LET and low dose) and for delayed plating experiments of stationary phase cells (i.e. when repair is complete), the Katz model and the LPL model reduce to the same analytical form (linear-quadratic) with simple expressions linking the constants

THE KATZ CELL-SURVIVAL MODEL AND BEAMS OF HEAVY CHARGED PARTICLES

In this paper, we describe how the Katz cell-survival model has been used to predict survival along the central axis of the dose vs depth curve of beams of heavy charged particles. Unmodified beams with sharp Bragg peaks as well as ridge-filter-modulated beams with spread Bragg peaks have been studied. The analysis in terms of this model leads to the definition of two coefficients, ion kill and gamma kill , which characterize the radiation quality of the beams. In this way, the relative importance of the primary lind secondary (fragmentation) contributions can be assessed easily. Setting the model parameter m equal to 2 yields two interesting results: the survival expression becomes linear-quadratic at low doses and the inactivation cross-section at small values of Z*2/ β2 (low-LET) increases as (Z*2/ κβ2)2 in accordance with the Lethal-Potentially Lethal (LPL) model. With this restriction on m and these approximations (low-LET and low dose) and for delayed plating experiments of stationary phase cells (i.e. when repair is complete), the Katz model and the LPL model reduce to the same analytical form (linear-quadratic) with simple expressions linking the constants

Water quality and recreational angling demand in Ireland. ESRI Research Bulletin 2016/2/3

About 8% of the adult population in Ireland consider themselves to be recreational anglers. Including tourist anglers from Northern Ireland, Great Britain and elsewhere, approximately 400,000 people per annum fish in Ireland’s rivers, lakes and coastal waters. The economic contribution of recreational anglers to the local economy, in terms of expenditure on equipment and services plus food and accommodation exceeds €800 million per annum and supports 11,000 jobs, primarily in rural and peripheral communities

Analysing Residential Energy Demand: An Error Correction Demand System Approach for Ireland. ESRI WP505. July 2015

This paper analyses the Irish residential energy demand system by using variants of Deaton and Muellbauer’s Almost Ideal Demand System model. Annual data from 1970 to 2013 is employed to estimate a demand system for solid fuels, oil, gas and electricity with the models incorporating quadratic and demographic terms to estimate long-run price and expenditure elasticities. This is the first attempt in an Irish context to estimate an energy demand system for the residential sector. Error correction models were also estimated to recover short-run elasticities. Against the backdrop of onerous climate and energy efficiency policy targets, and given the residential sector’s substantial energy use it is important to update energy demand elasticity estimates to better inform policy instrument design

Water Quality and Recreational Angling Demand in Ireland. ESRI WP521. December 2015

Using on-site survey data from sea, coarse and game angling sites in Ireland, this paper estimates count data models of recreational angling demand. The models are used to investigate the extent to which anglers are responsive to differences in water quality, with the water quality metric defined by the EU's Water Framework Directive. The analysis shows that angling demand is greater where water quality has a higher ecological status, particularly for anglers targeting game species. However, for coarse anglers we find the reverse, angling demand is greater in waters with lower ecological status. On average, across the different target species surveyed, anglers have a willingness to pay of €371 for a day's fishing. The additional benefit of angling in waters with high versus low ecological status was the highest for game anglers at a mean of €122 per day

The Residential Sector's Demand for Energy. ESRI Research Bulletin 2016/3/2

Ireland and other EU member states face onerous climate and energy efficiency policy targets. As the residential sector represents 25% of final energy consumption in Ireland, what happens within the residential sector will play an important part in determining whether Ireland’s policy targets are achieved. Improvements in energy efficiency performance, reduced fossil energy use, and switching to less carbon intensive fuels will contribute to achieving policy targets. Price mechanisms, such as carbon taxes, are one policy option available to policymakers to encourage households to change their energy consumption patterns. This research paper examines historical data on the residential sector’s energy consumption to gauge how responsive households are to changes in energy prices, which should inform the development of future policy initiatives. The paper estimated an energy demand system for the residential sector for four fuel categories: electricity, gas, oil (incl. kerosene, diesel, LPG and petroleum coke) and solid fuels (incl. sod peat, peat briquettes and coal) and uses data from the period 1970 to 2013

Herpes in Pregnancy

The management of genital herpesvirus infections in pregnancy has seen many changes over the past decade as we have continued to learn more about the epidemiology of the disease. This article reviews these changes and highlights ongoing controversies. Clinical management schemes are proposed based upon this most recent information