'Face Up to the Truth': Helping Gay Men in Vietnam Protect Themselves from AIDS.

Appropriate AIDS prevention information is not available in Vietnam for men who have sex with men. Current AIDS prevention messages can be misunderstood with potentially dangerous results. We outline some features of gay culture in a provincial city in Vietnam. We describe the activities of a peer educator who made contact with a small group of young gay men during 1996 and 1997. All the young men were ill-informed about AIDS. Their attitudes and sexual practices made them vulnerable to AIDS. The peer educator provided clear information and emotional support. The peer education was done without government endorsement and on a very low budget

Impact of the Delta (1232) resonance on neutral pion photoproduction in chiral perturbation theory

We present an ongoing project to assess the importance of D-waves and the $\Delta (1232)$ resonance for descriptions of neutral pion photoproduction in Heavy Baryon Chiral Perturbation Theory. This research has been motivated by data published by the A2 and CB-TAPS collaborations at MAMI [1]. This data has reached unprecedented levels of accuracy from threshold through to the $\Delta$ resonance. Accompanying the experimental work, there has also been a series of publications studying the theory that show that, to go beyond an energy of $E_\gamma=170$ MeV, it is necessary to include other aspects, in particular the $\Delta (1232)$ as a degree of freedom [2] and possibly higher partial waves [3].Comment: Proceedings to the 8th International Workshop on Chiral Dynamics 201

Radiative transfer of synchrotron radiation through a compressed random magnetic field

The generally low polarization levels present in extragalactic radio sources suggest magnetic fields that are largely turbulent, presumably maintained by turbulence motion of the underlying plasma. The polarization of radio emission is often generated as the plasma is compressed by shock waves, and this type of configuration has been widely applied, from the cores of AGN to the lobes of classical double radio sources. Here we note that, in the absence of Faraday rotation, the synchrotron radiative transfer equations for such a configuration, separate, leading to relatively simple solutions for opaque or partially opaque sources. Expressions for the emission and absorption coefficients are derived, and, although in general, these must be evaluated numerically, the process is much simpler than a full numerical solution of the transfer equations

Gleaning Secrets from the Transverse Profiles of AGN jets

Both the emission properties and evolution of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) radio jets are dependent on the magnetic fields that thread them. A better understanding of these magnetic fields is therefore important in helping our understanding of jets in AGN. Several observations of jets have suggested that, on parsec scales, the jet magnetic field may have a significant helical component. Using a model first proposed by Laing and developed by Papageorgiou and Cawthorne, all of the above observations can be reproduced by varying only the helical pitch angle of the magnetic field and the line of sight angle. In order to reduce the total polarization to agree with observed values, a tangled magnetic field component is also introduced to the model, via another parameter, the degree of entanglement. We are in the process of comparing data from observations of several AGN with this model, making it possible to derive estimates of the helical pitch angle, the viewing angle and the degree of entanglement for these jets in the framework of this model. The observed profiles are compared with a set of theoretical profiles. This proves to be an objective approach to profile fitting that should enable analysis of a large number of AGN jets, making it possible to look for trends. Results for Mrk501 are presented

Specialist tissue viability services: a priority or a luxury?

During the 1980s, the number of tissue viability nurses (TVNs) rose steadily in the UK, in response to mismanagement of patients with wounds (Fletcher, 1995). Since this time, and in response to the quality agenda, the necessity of promoting a tissue viability service (TVS) that is able to meet the needs of a changing population, while being cost effective and offering interventions based on research and evidence, has grown. The drive to reduce avoidable harm in healthcare and to make efficiency savings is continuing, with TVS being one of the key areas to deliver these targets. However, across the UK we have a wide range of role descriptions and job titles, yet little clarification as to the qualifications and skills required to deliver a successful TVS. Infection control specialist nurses have a clear identity with concise role descriptions representing a range of pay bands. Arguably, this is because they are aligned with a medical specialty, whereas TV is not. The introduction of ‘Any Qualified Provider’ (Department of Health, 2011) has witnessed some services, including management of leg ulceration, being delivered by non-NHS providers at a reduced cost. So is TVS in danger of becoming more of a ‘nice thing’ rather than a priority

Magnetic field structure of the extended 3C 380 jet

An earlier study of the complex jet of 3C 380 by Papageorgiou et al. revealed total intensity and polarization structure associated with a bright knot K1 about 0.7 arcsec from the core that was reminiscent of that expected for a conical shock wave. In this new study, 1.42, 1.66 and 4.99 GHz total intensity, polarization and Faraday rotation images are presented and analysed. These images were derived from observations with the Very Long Baseline Array plus one antenna of the Very Large Array, obtained in 2006 March. These new images confirm the overall magnetic field structure of the knot K1 indicated in the earlier observations. In addition, a clear Faraday rotation gradient has been detected across the jet, extending roughly from 10 to 30 mas (70–200 pc) along the jet from the core (a radial distance of approximately two beamwidths). The gradient spans roughly 3.5 beamwidths in the transverse direction, and the difference in the rotation measures on either side of the jet is 4–5σ, demonstrating that the detection of the gradient is firm. We interpret this transverse Faraday rotation gradient as reflecting systematic variation of the line-of-sight component of a helical or toroidal magnetic field (B) associated with the jet of 3C 380. These results provide evidence that the helical field arising due to the joint action of the rotation of the central black hole and its accretion disc and the jet outflow can survive to distances of hundreds of parsecs from the central engine

The Tensions of Food System Localization in Ontario's Buy-Local Procurement

Buying local has become a recent trend within the food movement across the world. The purchasing of local foods is seen as a way to support local economies, and relationships while also promoting better environmental practices. Recently the push to buy local has extended past individual consumers to a focus on public institutions. Institutional procurement is seen to have opportunity to influence food system changes through the huge amounts of purchasing power institutions hold. At the same time, within academia there are growing critiques of the buying local trend, highlighting the limitations within food system localization. This research is an exploration of the tensions between local food procurement within public institutions and the food system localization literature. Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted of food service directors, and not-for-profit experts. Although this research is situated in Ontario, comparisons are made both out of province and out of country to demonstrate different procurement programs and thoughts towards buying local. A Marxist food justice lens is sued to analyse the potential of procurement, and its limitations for addressing food system change

Evaluating attention allocation in children to young adults with a single and dual task EEG paradigm

2019 Summer.Includes bibliographical references.Objectives. The ability to effectively allocate attentional resources between tasks has implications for participation in activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) across the lifespan. Neuroimaging techniques, such as electroencephalography (EEG) can measure cognitive processing with more precision than some behavioral paradigms and can evaluate the neural underpinnings of cognitive processes such as attention. Further, EEG has excellent temporal resolution, as it can measure changes in attention occurring at the neural level in milliseconds. This study's purpose is to understand how neural markers of attention are impacted in neurotypical participants under different task demands (i.e. single versus dual). This study also seeks to understand if attention is different across age under different task demands. Methods. All EEG data were collected for this study using a portable QuickTrace system (Neuroscan (Compumedics USA, 5015 West WT Harris Blvd, Suite E, Charlotte, NC 28269, USA)) from 29 scalp sites according to the 10-20 system. Data from 206 neurotypical participants age 7-25 (M= 13.64 years, SD= 4.21) were analyzed for this study. Each participant completed the novelty oddball paradigm (single task) and novelty dual task paradigm. Three distinct tone types (standard, target, and novel) are used in the novelty oddball (NOD) paradigm. Participants were instructed to press a button with their right index finger in response to the target tone. Participants were instructed to not respond to any other tones. In the novelty dual task (NDT) paradigm, participants continued to respond to target tone and simultaneously viewed numbers displayed on a computer monitor. Participants were instructed to press a button with their left index finger when there were three sequentially-presented odd numbers. Results. P3 amplitude and latency from Fz and Pz scalp sites during target tone presentation were analyzed. There was a negative correlation between participant age and P3 amplitude and latency at both Fz and Pz. There was no main effect of task nor an interaction of task and age on either P3 amplitude or latency at Pz. However, there was a significant main effect of task on P3 amplitude at Fz, as single task amplitudes were smaller than dual task amplitudes. There was also a significant interaction of task and age for P3 amplitude at Fz, demonstrating that the P3 amplitude in response to dual tasks decreased more with increasing participant age than P3 amplitude in response to single tasks. A significant interaction of task and age for latency at Fz was found, demonstrating that the latency of the P3 in response to single tasks decreases more with increasing participant age than the latency in response to dual tasks. Conclusions. These findings suggest that attention changes with age and that dual tasks are more effortful in younger participants compared to older participants. Future directions of this research include exploration of how manipulating the probability of hearing each stimulus affects amplitude and latency of the P3 in a three-tone novelty paradigm. Other future directions include exploration of the effects of differing task demands in populations such as those who may have attention deficits

Polarization of synchrotron emission from relativistic reconfinement shocks

We study the polarization properties of relativistic reconfinement shocks with chaotic magnetic fields. Using our hydrodynamical model of their structure, we calculate synthetic polarization maps, longitudinal polarization profiles and discuss the spatially averaged polarization degree as a function of jet half-opening angle Theta_j, jet Lorentz factor Gamma_j and observer inclination angle to the jet axis theta_{obs}. We find, that for theta_{obs} <= Theta_j the wave electric vectors are parallel in the vicinity of the structure ends and perpendicular in between, while for theta_{obs} > Theta_j the polarization can only be perpendicular. The spatially averaged polarization degree does not exceed 30%. Parallel average polarization, with polarization degrees lower than 10%, have been found for theta_{obs} < Theta_j under the condition Gamma_j * Theta_j > 1. As earlier works predicted the parallel polarization from relativistic conical shocks, we explain our results by discussing conical shocks with divergent upstream flow.Comment: 8 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

Rights under International Humanitarian Law

The idea of ‘rights’ under the law of war historically referred to state or belligerent rights – that is, rights to engage in actions not permitted under the law of peace. The different sense of rights of individuals was absent from those traditional accounts of the law, and whether individuals are granted rights (for example, of prisoners of war to be humanely treated, of civilians not to be targeted) under contemporary international humanitarian law (IHL) remains contested. This article explores how this debate has developed in recent history. It argues that clear support for the notion of individual rights during the drafting of the 1907 Hague Convention IV and subsequent treaties seemed to be overtaken by state practice in the area of war reparations, only to re-emerge in more recent practice that, in part, is shown to be a result of a more legalized approach to the invocation of responsibility for IHL violations. This growing support for the individual rights perspective of IHL is then juxtaposed with the re-emergence of state rights. The article concludes that these two different notions of ‘rights’ under IHL present two fundamentally opposing visions for the law’s role in regulating armed conflict