A Relation Between the Warm Neutral and Ionized Media Observed in the Canadian Galactic Plane Survey

We report on a comparison between 21 cm rotation measure (RM) and the optically-thin atomic hydrogen column density (N_HI) measured towards unresolved extragalactic sources in the Galactic plane of the northern sky. HI column densities integrated to the Galactic edge are measured immediately surrounding each of nearly 2000 sources in 1-arcminute 21 cm line data, and are compared to RMs observed from polarized emission of each source. RM data are binned in column-density bins 4x10^20 cm^-2 wide, and one observes a strong relationship between the number of hydrogen atoms in a 1 cm^2 column through the plane and the mean RM along the same line-of-sight and path length. The relationship is linear over one order of magnitude (from 0.8-14x10^21 atoms cm^-2) of column densities, with a constant RM/N_HI -23.2+/-2.3 rad m^-2/10^21 atoms cm^-2, and a positive RM of 45.0+/-13.8 rad m^-2 in the presence of no atomic hydrogen. This slope is used to calculate a mean volume-averaged magnetic field in the 2nd quadrant of ~1.0+/-0.1 micro-Gauss directed away from the Sun, assuming an ionization fraction of 8% (consistent with the WNM). The remarkable consistency between this field and =1.2 micro-Gauss found with the same RM sources and a Galactic model of dispersion measures suggests that electrons in the partially ionized WNM are mainly responsible for pulsar dispersion measures, and thus the partially-ionized WNM is the dominant form of the magneto-ionic interstellar medium.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, July 15, 201

Kaon Condensation in Neutron Star Matter with Hyperons

Based on the Kaplan-Nelson Lagrangian, we investigate kaon condensation in dense neutron star matter allowing for the explicit presence of hyperons. Using various models we find that the condensate threshold is sensitive to the behavior of the scalar density; the more rapidly it increases with baryon density, the lower is the threshold for condensation. The presence of hyperons, particularly the $\Sigma^-$, shifts the threshold for $K^-$ condensation to a higher density. In the mean field approach, with hyperons, the condensate amplitude grows sufficiently rapidly that the nucleon effective mass vanishes at a finite density and a satisfactory treatment of the thermodynamics cannot be achieved. Thus, calculations of kaon-baryon interactions beyond the mean field level appear to be necessary.Comment: 13 pages, latex, 3 figures by fax/mail from [email protected]

Probing ISM Magnetic Fields With SNRs

As supernova remnants expand, their shock waves are freezing in and compressing the magnetic field lines they encounter; consequently we can use supernova remnants as magnifying glasses for their ambient magnetic fields. We will describe a simple model to determine emission, polarization, and rotation measure characteristics of adiabatically expanding supernova remnants and how we can exploit this model to gain information about the large scale magnetic field in our Galaxy. We will give two examples: The SNR DA530, which is located high above the Galactic plane, reveals information about the magnetic field in the halo of our Galaxy. The SNR G182.4+4.3 is located close to the anti-centre of our Galaxy and reveals the most probable direction where the large-scale magnetic field is perpendicular to the line of sight. This may help to decide on the large-scale magnetic field configuration of our Galaxy.Comment: 6 pages, IAU 259 Conference Proceedings, in pres

POLICIES TOWARDS INWARD FOREIGN INVESTMENT

Summary This article considers the policies which a democratic government of South Africa should adopt towards inward foreign investment and what instruments should be sued to give effect to those policies. The article notes the change in attitude towards foreign investment that has occurred in the past 30 years and a number of very special features which characterize South Africa's political economy. The approach proposed would essentially treat foreign investors on level terms (concerning rights and obligations) with domestic investors, save in two areas. First, it is recognized that there are aspiring Black businessmen and businesswomen, previously repressed, who will need special encouragement and assistance and some protection from would?be immigrant entrepreneurs. Second, it is recognized that some foreign investors for major projects may need assurances concerning the remittability of funds, security of title, and access to international arbitration. the article opposes across?the?board incentives but envisages a class of ‘Special Status Investments’ which could be given exceptional assurances but which could be asked to accept exceptional obligations and responsibilities as well. Resumé Le présent article considère les politiques qu'un gouvernement démocratique en Afrique du Sud devrait adopter en ce qui concerne les investissements dans ce pays de provenance à la fois étrangère et extérieure; et s'interroge sur la nature des instruments qu'il serait nécessaire d'employer pour leur donner vigueur. Les auteurs constatent qu'au cours des 30 dernières années certains changements se sont produits en ce qui concerne les investissements de provenance étrangère et extérieure, tout en constatant que certains facteurs très particuliers caractérisent l'économie politique sud?africaine. L'approche proposée traiterait les investisseurs étrangers sur une base essentiellement paritaire (en termes des droits et des obligations) relativement aux investisseurs internes, sauf dans deux domaines. Tout d'abord il y aurait lieu de reconnaître qu'il existe d'aspirants hommes et femmes d'affaires noirs, jusqu'ici victimes de la répression, qui mériteront un encouragement et une assistance spéciaux, ainsi qu'une protection contre les éventuels entrepreneurs immigrés. En deuxième lieu, il est admis que certains investisseurs étrangers auront besoin, avant de participer dans des projets majeurs, de recevoir certaines garanties concernant la disponibilité des fonds, la permanence de leur accueil, et l'accès à l'arbitrage international. Les auteurs s'opposent à ce que des primes d'encouragement soient offertes à tous sans distinction des cas mais ils envisagent, par contre, une catégorie spéciale d'Investissements à Statut spécial auxquels des garanties exceptionnelles pourraient être accordées moyennant, réciproquement, l'acceptation de certaines obligations et responsabilités exceptionnelles. Resumen Este artículo considera las pautas que un gobierno democrático en Sudáfrica debería adoptar para la inversión extranjera proveniente del exterior, y los elementos que deberían ponerse en práctica para hacerlas efectivas. Se señala el cambio positivo en la actitud hacia las inversiones extranjeras que han ocurrido en los últimos 30 años, y se mencionan una serie de rasgos especiales que caracterizan a la política económica de Sudáfrica. El enfoque que se propone esencialmente consideraría a los inversores extranjeros en los mismos términos (derechos y obligaciones) que a los inversores locales, con dos notables excepciones. En primer lugar, se reconoce la existencia de ambiciosos hombres y mujeres de negocios de raza negra, anteriormente reprimidos en sus actividades, que ahora necesitarán apoyo y estímulo especiales y también protección frente a la posibles aparición de empresarios inmigrantes. En segundo lugar, se reconoce que algunos inversores extranjeros en proyectos de gran envergadura pueden necesitar seguridades en asuntos como remisión de fondos, fiabilidad de títulos y acceso al arbitraje internacional. El artículo rechaza la idea de incentivos globales, pero prevé un tipo de ‘Inversiones de Status Especial’ que si bien recibiría seguridades especiales, debería a su vez aceptar obligaciones y responsabilidades de excepción

Participation in continuing vocational education and training: results from the case studies and qualitative investigations

Contents: Introduction; Germany; Greece; Italy; Portugal; Spain; United Kingdo

The 6 minute walk in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: longitudinal changes and minimum important difference

The response characteristics of the 6 minute walk test (6MWT) in studies of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) are only poorly understood, and the change in walk distance that constitutes the minimum important difference (MID) over time is unknown

Cost-effectiveness of community-based screening and treatment of moderate acute malnutrition in Mali.

IntroductionModerate acute malnutrition (MAM) causes substantial child morbidity and mortality, accounting for 4.4% of deaths and 6.0% of disability-adjusted life years (DALY) lost among children under 5 each year. There is growing consensus on the need to provide appropriate treatment of MAM, both to reduce associated morbidity and mortality and to halt its progression to severe acute malnutrition. We estimated health outcomes, costs and cost-effectiveness of four dietary supplements for MAM treatment in children 6-35 months of age in Mali.MethodsWe conducted a cluster-randomised MAM treatment trial to describe nutritional outcomes of four dietary supplements for the management of MAM: ready-to-use supplementary foods (RUSF; PlumpySup); a specially formulated corn-soy blend (CSB) containing dehulled soybean flour, maize flour, dried skimmed milk, soy oil and a micronutrient pre-mix (CSB++; Super Cereal Plus); Misola, a locally produced, micronutrient-fortified, cereal-legume blend (MI); and locally milled flour (LMF), a mixture of millet, beans, oil and sugar, with a separate micronutrient powder. We used a decision tree model to estimate long-term outcomes and calculated incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) comparing the health and economic outcomes of each strategy.ResultsCompared to no MAM treatment, MAM treatment with RUSF, CSB++, MI and LMF reduced the risk of death by 15.4%, 12.7%, 11.9% and 10.3%, respectively. The ICER was US$9821 per death averted (2015 USD) and US$347 per DALY averted for RUSF compared with no MAM treatment.ConclusionMAM treatment with RUSF is cost-effective across a wide range of willingness-to-pay thresholds.Trial registrationNCT01015950

Debussy 100th Anniversary Concert

Celebrating the Music of Debussy (1862-1918) on the 100th Anniversary of His Deat