Galactic and Extragalactic Magnetic Fields

The strength of the total magnetic field in our Milky Way from radio Zeeman and synchrotron measurements is about 6 muG near the Sun and several mG in dense clouds, pulsar wind nebulae, and filaments near the Galactic Center. Diffuse polarized radio emission and Faraday rotation of the polarized emission from pulsars and background sources show many small-scale magnetic features, but the overall field structure in our Galaxy is still under debate. -- Radio synchrotron observations of nearby galaxies reveal dynamically important magnetic fields of 10-30 muG total strength in the spiral arms. Fields with random orientations are concentrated in spiral arms, while ordered fields (observed in radio polarization) are strongest in interarm regions and follow the orientation of the adjacent gas spiral arms. Faraday rotation of the diffuse polarized radio emission from the disks of spiral galaxies sometimes reveals large-scale patterns which are signatures of coherent fields generated by dynamos, but in most galaxies the field structure is more complicated. -- Strong magnetic fields are also observed in radio halos around edge-on galaxies, out to large distances from the plane. The synchrotron scaleheight of radio halos allows to measure the mean outflow velocity of the cosmic-ray electrons. The ordered halo fields mostly form an X-shaped pattern, but no large-scale pattern is seen in the Faraday rotation data. Diffuse polarized radio emission in the outer disks and halos is an excellent tracer of galaxy interactions and ram pressure by the intergalactic medium. -- Intracluster gas can also be significantly magnetized and highly polarized due to shocks or cluster mergers.Comment: 14 pages, 14 figures. To be published in "High Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy", eds. F.A. Aharonian, W. Hofmann, and F.M. Rieger, AIP Conf. Proc. Updated and added references 28/11/2008; typo corrected and references updated 07/01/2009; typos corrected 12/01/200

Staff development as a factor of competitiveness increase oil and gas industry

Currently, personnel policy in the Russian Federation oil and gas sector needs to be modernized. Previous management systems outdated in most cases. The necessity of raising funds in such areas as human resources management: training, motivation and retraining, as well as interaction with schools and universities. The proposed rationalization measures should serve as a stimulus for the development of staff, as well as lead to significant changes in the formation of the branch system, improving performance and growth of highly qualified personnel in the oil and gas industry. After completing these steps, Russian oil companies can increase their competitive advantage in the global market and increase the attractiveness of the oil and gas industry

Oceans and space: new frontiers in investment protection?

This article provides background and introduces into the overarching themes of the contributions to the Special Issue dealing with investment protection in areas beyond territorial jurisdiction at sea and in outer space. It explains that fast-paced commercialization, evolving technological advances, and the inevitable need for regulatory intervention make the oceans and space into an increasingly important topic in international investment law. At the same time, investment lawyers, as well as experts in the law of the sea and space law, have largely ignored the legal issues foreign investments raise in these spaces. The article sketches out a framework for addressing the underlying issues from an investment law perspective, pointing out both familiar conceptual approaches and novel challenges

Forschungsbericht Nr. 2010-01, Juni 2010

Das vorliegende Kompendium der Beratungsbetriebslehre erläutert den Begriff der „IT-Beratung“ (im Sinne einer IT-orientierten Unternehmensberatung). Die wesentlichen Merkmale eines modellhaften Beratungsbetriebs werden erläutert und dargelegt. Es wird beschrieben, wie die Märkte für IT-Beratung, Softwareprodukte und IT- bzw. Software-orientierte Dienstleistungen („professional services“) miteinander verzahnt sind. Das Kompendium reflektiert im Sinne einer direkten Praxisorientierung die qualitativen Erkenntnisse des Autors zur Beratungsbetriebslehre und baut explizit nicht – im Sinne eines methodischen Ansatzes – auf quantitativen, empirischen Ergebnissen auf. So wie der Gesamtmarkt für Unternehmensberatung (engl.: consulting, oder management consulting) zunehmend von der Wirtschaftsinformatik bestimmt wird; wird umgekehrt der Markt für Wirtschaftsinformatik zunehmend ein Beratungsmarkt. Dies bedeutet für die klassischen Ingenieurberufe, insbesondere aber für Informatiker und Wirtschaftsinformatiker, dass die Projekt- und Beratungstätigkeiten in zunehmendem Maße die klassischen Software- und Hardware-Produktentwicklungstätigkeiten ergänzen oder ersetzen

Improved Drought Stress Tolerance of White Clover through Hybridisation with \u3cem\u3eTrifolium uniflorum\u3c/em\u3e L.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of hybridisation with Trifolium uniflorum L. on drought resistance of Trifolium repens L. (white clover). Shoot dry weight of backcross 1 (BC1) hybrids was reduced less by water stress than for backcross 2 (BC2) hybrids and white clover, as were key morphological traits such as leaf area. Under water stress, important differences for the BC1 generation compared to white clover also included lower senescence, higher stolon density, increased root dry weight, and a higher maximum nodal root diameter. Drought decreased the net photosynthetic rate by up to 48% in BC2 and white clover, but there was no significant effect on the BC1 generation. BC1 hybrids were therefore more resistant to water stress than white clover. Smaller effects on stolon morphology suggest BC1 hybrids were better able to maintain cell turgor and growth, and maintenance of photosynthesis under drought may have contributed to smaller reductions in productivity. The findings suggest that BC1 hybrids may be able to maintain higher water uptake during drought than white clover by increased allocation to root biomass

Zeit für Familie – Thema des 8. Familienberichts

Am 28. Oktober 2011 wurde in Berlin der 8. Familienbericht an die Bundesministerin für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend übergeben. Er beschäftigt sich mit dem Thema »Zeit für Familie« und mit den Notwendigkeiten und Möglichkeiten einer Familienzeitpolitik. Für die Erstellung des Berichts wurde eine achtköpfige Sachverständigenkommission, zusammengesetzt aus den Bereichen der Betriebs- und Volkswirtschaftslehre, der Soziologie, der Entwicklungspsychologie und der Rechtswissenschaften, berufen. Das ifo Institut, das mit den Aufgaben einer Geschäftsstelle beauftragt wurde, hat die Kommission organisatorisch betreut und wesentliche inhaltliche Beiträge geliefert. Insbesondere hat es die empirische Unterfütterung der Diskussionen und des Berichts übernommen.Zeit, Zeitverwendung, Arbeitszeit, Familie, Freizeit, Familienpolitik, Deutschland

Treatment of Primary and Metastatic Multifocal Mucosal Melanoma of the Oral Cavity with Imatinib

BACKGROUND: Mucosal melanoma of the oral cavity is a rare entity and accounts for less than 1\u20133% of all melanomas. Contrary to cutaneous melanoma, primary oral melanoma more commonly harbors mutations in c-KIT. METHODS: A 64-year-old man presented with asymptomatic, multiple, brown-to-black macules in the oral cavity. A biopsy was taken and histopathology exhibited mucosal melanoma. In molecular analysis, a c-KIT mutation was proven and a CT scan revealed pulmonary metastases. Due to the multifocality of the lesions, the metastases, and the mutation status, a therapy with imatinib was initiated. RESULTS: After 1 year of therapy, progressive disease in the lung was noticed. Therefore, the therapy was switched to a PD-1 antagonist and a CTL-4 antibody. CONCLUSIONS: Our case suggests that imatinib may be considered as first-line treatment for both locally advanced and distant primary multifocal oral melanoma, for which surgery or radiotherapy of the primary tumor is impossible

Lacunarity Analysis: A Promising Method for the Automated Assessment of Melanocytic Naevi and Melanoma

The early diagnosis of melanoma is critical to achieving reduced mortality and increased survival. Although clinical examination is currently the method of choice for melanocytic lesion assessment, there is a growing interest among clinicians regarding the potential diagnostic utility of computerised image analysis. Recognising that there exist significant shortcomings in currently available algorithms, we are motivated to investigate the utility of lacunarity, a simple statistical measure previously used in geology and other fields for the analysis of fractal and multi-scaled images, in the automated assessment of melanocytic naevi and melanoma. Digitised dermoscopic images of 111 benign melanocytic naevi, 99 dysplastic naevi and 102 melanomas were obtained over the period 2003 to 2008, and subject to lacunarity analysis. We found the lacunarity algorithm could accurately distinguish melanoma from benign melanocytic naevi or non-melanoma without introducing many of the limitations associated with other previously reported diagnostic algorithms. Lacunarity analysis suggests an ordering of irregularity in melanocytic lesions, and we suggest the clinical application of this ordering may have utility in the naked-eye dermoscopic diagnosis of early melanoma