Kinematics of the Broad Line Region in M81

A new model is presented which explains the origin of the broad emission lines observed in the LINER/Seyfert nucleus of M81 in terms of a steady state spherically symmetric inflow, amounting to 1 x 10^-5 Msun/yr, which is sufficient to explain the luminosity of the AGN. The emitting volume has an outer radius of ~1 pc, making it the largest broad line region yet to be measured, and it contains a total mass of ~ 5 x 10^-2 Msun of dense, ~ 10^8 cm^-3, ionized gas, leading to a very low filling factor of ~ 5 x 10^-9. The fact that the BLR in M81 is so large may explain why the AGN is unable to sustain the ionization seen there. Thus, the AGN in M81 is not simply a scaled down quasar.Comment: Accepted for Publication in ApJ 7/21/0

De-Escalation Techniques

How to resolve issues in high-stress environments

Adaptive Semiparametric Estimation of the Memory Parameter - (Now published with revised title, Adaptive Rate-Optimal Estimation of the Memory Parameter, in Journal of Multivariate Analysis, 72 (2000), pp.183-207.)

Long-range dpendence, semiparametric model, rates of convergence, adaptive bandwidth selection.

A Further Validation of Role Therapy

This study has been planned as a means of throwing more light on certain psychotherapeutic techniques and methods in order that a more valuable, direct, and understandable method of treating neurotic patients may some day be worked out. The specific problem is to understand and recognize more clearly various actions in Edwards and Kelly\u27s (5) Role Therapy” to learn what in the therapy benefited the patient, and discover how and to what kind of disorders it might be most effectively applied. This paper is an attempt to help explain, criticize, and continue with the problem, as described and studied by its authors in 1940 . The present study is attempting to prove no hypothesis or theories. Rather it is exploratory in nature. Edwards has already shown that her method was helpful as an economical treatment for some disorders. This investigation is only an application of her methods to cases and, through seeing what they do or do not do, work out certain improvements or modifications whereby her techniques may be refined and validated

Herreshoff Marine Museum: Historical Analysis

These methods that Herreshoff utilized can be classified as early stages of the LEAN manufacturing concept which is used today in a majority of America’s leading manufacturers. Herreshoff made sure that his entire inventory was used and nothing was wasted. By reducing/eliminating waste, Nat preserved the value of his products and increased the efficiency of operation

The comparative breeding ecology of sympatric common and arctic terns in N.E. England

The life-history traits of two sympatric seabird species, the Common Sterna hirundo and Arctic Tern S. paradisaea, and the flexibility of these traits in relation to short and longer term changes in environmental conditions were measured at Coquet Island, N.E. England. The study focused primarily on inter and intraspecific differences in annual productivity and chick growth, adult time budgets and provisioning rates, and the relationships between these different aspects of reproductive performance. Of the two species, Common Terns delivered larger food items, delivered food at a higher rate to the nest and attended the nest more frequently, indicating that they made trips of shorter average duration. Daily metabolizable energy intake of chicks was about 30% higher in Common Terns than in Arctic Terns, yet the size-specific growth rates of the two species were almost identical, indicating a major difference between species in nestling energy budgets. Brooding appeared to play a less important role in the energy budgets of Common Terns, and the number of chicks that Arctic Terns could raise was probably limited not only by the rate at which parents could supply food to the nest but also by the requirements of chicks for brooding. Increased brood size, low annual food abundance and extreme weather conditions had a negative effect on chick mass development in both tern species. Flexibility of mass growth rates in Arctic and Common Terns may act as a fine-tuning mechanism to regulate provisioning in these species. By maintaining structural growth rates, final fledging mass and final fledging size of nestlings at the expense of retarded mass development rates, these species seem to be able to maximize annual reproductive output and possibly, for parents and nestlings, future survival. Predation of eggs and chicks was generally infrequent and affected mostly very young nestlings. However, Black-headed Gulls took many tern eggs in a year when inshore food supplies were particularly low

Impact of Environmental and Cellular Factors on the Bioactivity of a Novel Antifungal, Occidiofungin

Occidiofungin is a novel glycolipopeptide, synthesized and secreted by Burkholderia contaminans MS14, demonstrating broad-spectrum antifungal activity and potential for successful clinical applications. Its mechanism of action has not yet been determined but is known to exhibit fungicidal activity via the induction of apoptosis in a manner unique from that of currently approved antifungals. As an early investigation into occidiofungin’s mechanism of action, we aimed to identify environmental and cellular factors that significantly alter the susceptibility of the model organism, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. To that end, we have demonstrated that occidiofungin’s bioactivity requires active cellular growth, that new protein synthesis is necessary to adequately respond to occidiofungin exposure, and that alterations in transcriptional regulation in response to glucose and phosphate deprivation have synergistic and antagonist consequences, respectively, on occidiofungin’s effectiveness. Together, this data provides a foundation on which occidiofungin’s mechanism of action can be illuminated

A political ecology of bovine tuberculosis eradication in Northern Ireland

Bovine tuberculosis (TB) is arguably the most important animal health problem in the world. TB is endemic in the Global South, and also affects several nations and regions with highly developed cattle farming industries and statutory eradication programmes in the European Union, including Northern Ireland. The disease has implications for livestock agriculture, wildlife ecology, public health, and the national economy. In addition to scientific and technical complexities, socio-economic and socio-cultural factors affect efforts to control the disease. Disease problems such as TB at the human-nature interface are complex and indeterminate, and require innovative multidisciplinary research to find holistic and workable solutions: geography has much to contribute. This investigation uses a political ecology framework, and provides explanations for the historical and geographical patterns of the disease through a ‘chain of explanation’ approach (Blaikie & Brookfield, 1987). It utilizes political ecology, STS, rural, cultural, health, ‘more-than-human’ and veterinary literatures to produce a political ecology of animal disease control in the First World. Significantly, this account is as much about people and politics as it is about land use, technology, cattle, badgers, bacteria and disease. Conducted from the positionality of being a vet and a farmer’s son, and based on ethnographic interviews with farmers, vets, policy makers and other agricultural industry representatives, the links in the chain explain why the statutory eradication programme has not yet been successful in achieving its original aim. The disease continues to spread across the landscape and evades efforts to eradicate. The thesis shows how TB permeates time and space shaped by global economic forces, political structures, cultural practices and complex ecologies. TB, often invisible and underestimated, must be made visible again. New network structures are required to rescale governance and move closer to the target of TB eradication