Holocene glacial activity in Mt Cook National Park New Zealand: The use of multi-parameter dating techniques to define glacial moraine chronologies

Holocene glacial moraines in Mt Cook National Park are re-dated by multi-parameter dating techniques. The deposits from six main valley glaciers were examined. In earlier studies by other workers the glacial moraine chronology of three of these valleys had been specified using radiocarbon, historical and lichen dating. Results from the present study are compared with this earlier work. A chronology of glacial events is here defined using historical, radiocarbon and rock weathering rind thickness dating. In addition, post-depositional surface modifications are described using changes in plant development, lichen growth and soil properties. The more precise dating methods delineate up to fifteen separate glacial expansion phases during the last 10 000 years. The weathering rind chronology defines glacial events around 7200,4200,3790,3350,2940,2540,2160,1830,1490, 1150,840,580,340,135 and <100 years ago. The chronology is strongly correlated with the radiocarbon dated glacial sequence; 8000, c.7000, 4200-4000, 3400, 2800, 2500, 2200- 2100, 1800-1600, 1100-1000, 800-700, 340 and 250 yr B.P. In recent historical times the glacial record is characterised by a number of local,minor advances prior to 1900, followed by a general still-stand until about 1930-40. During the last forty years all of the glaciers have been retreating. The widespread glacier recession supports evidence of a climatic warming in New Zealand since about 1930 which has intensified in the last thirty years. The Mt Cook glacial moraine chronology shows good agreement with the Holocene glacial record described from elsewhere in the Southern Alps of the South Island, New Zealand. A brief comparison with events associated with cool climate periods from elsewhere in the Southern Hemisphere demonstrates a similarity with events in South America, New Guinea, Australia and Antarctica. The present study indicates the need for revision of the original Mt Cook glacial moraine chronology which had implied extensive glacial expansion around the 17th century and which had grouped all of the events listed above as having formed in the last 1000 years

Rockfalls and glacier contraction: Cirque de Troumouse, French Pyrenees

The incidence of rockfalls within the Cirque de Troumouse appears to have been triggered by ice wastage and the resultant geomorphological pattern of rockfall deposits affords an insight into the migration of headwall weathering zones. Observations of the rockfall deposits indicate clear geological controls which maybe directly related to the exposure of the headwall zone during phases of glacier wastage[es] Las caldas de piedras en el Circo de Troumouse parecen haber sido desencadenadas por la acción del hielo, y el modelo geomorfológico de depósitos de bloques resultante proporciona una idea sobre la migración de las zonas de meteorización en las paredes. Las observaciones de tales depósitos indican la existencia de claros controles geológicos que pueden relacionarse directamente con la exposición de la pared durante las fases de fusión glaciar. [fr] Les chutes des pierres dans le cirque de Troumouse paraissent avoir été déclenchées par l'action de la glace, et le modèle géomorphologique des dépôts de blocs résultant donne une idée de la migration des zones de météorisation dans les parois. Les observations de ces dépôts indiquent l'existence de contrôles géologiques très clairs qui peuvent être directement liés à l'exposition de la paroi durant les phases de fusion glaciaire

Ferromanganese rock varnish in north Norway: a subglacial origin

A thin, dark brown rock varnish is described from ice-smoothed bedrock on the forefield of a glacier in North Norway. It occurs only in narrow strips (ca 100 mm or less wide) which run roughly parallel to the ice front and along the top edges of small treads of a series of bedrock steps. The varnish is hard, thin (&#60; 10 μm) and consists of an iron/manganese deposit, greatly enriched in these elements compared with the composition of the underlying gabbroic bedrock. It is suggested that the varnish formation is due to localized changes in Eh/pH conditions in subglacial regelation ice and meltwater at the top of the bedrock steps. These changes may be due to CO2 and/or O2 degassing from water held at higher pressures under the ice than in cavities downstream where the ice is decoupled from the bedrock. Glacier retreat rates indicate that the varnish has remained exposed subaerially at the surface for about twenty years, and its restricted occurrence suggests that it is not of biological origin but rather is essentially authigenic. Possible subglacial origins for associated iron and silica precipitates are also suggested

Developing guided self-help for depression using the Medical Research Council complex interventions framework: a description of the modelling phase and results of an exploratory randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Current guidelines for the management of depression suggest the use of guided self-help for patients with mild to moderate disorders. However, there is little consensus concerning the optimal form and delivery of this intervention. To develop acceptable and effective interventions, a phased process has been proposed, using a modelling phase to examine and develop an intervention prior to preliminary testing in an exploratory trial. This paper (a) describes the modelling phase used to develop a guided self-help intervention for depression in primary care and (b) reports data from an exploratory randomised trial of the intervention. METHODS: A guided self-help intervention was developed following a modelling phase which involved a systematic review, meta synthesis and a consensus process. The intervention was then tested in an exploratory randomised controlled trial by examining (a) fidelity using analysis of taped guided self-help sessions (b) acceptability to patients and professionals through qualitative interviews (c) effectiveness through estimation of the intervention effect size. RESULTS: Fifty eight patients were recruited to the exploratory trial. Seven professionals and nine patients were interviewed, and 22 tapes of sessions analysed for fidelity. Generally, fidelity to the intervention protocol was high, and the professionals delivered the majority of the specific components (with the exception of the use of feedback). Acceptability to both professionals and patients was also high. The effect size of the intervention on outcomes was small, and in line with previous analyses showing the modest effect of guided self-help in primary care. However, the sample size was small and confidence intervals around the effectiveness estimate were wide. CONCLUSION: The general principles of the modelling phase adopted in this study are designed to draw on a range of evidence, potentially providing an intervention that is evidence-based, patient-centred and acceptable to professionals. However, the pilot outcome data did not suggest that the intervention developed was particularly effective. The advantages and disadvantages of the general methods used in the modelling phase are discussed, and possible reasons for the failure to demonstrate a larger effect in this particular case are outlined

Non-animal methods to predict skin sensitization (I): the Cosmetics Europe database^*

<p>Cosmetics Europe, the European Trade Association for the cosmetics and personal care industry, is conducting a multi-phase program to develop regulatory accepted, animal-free testing strategies enabling the cosmetics industry to conduct safety assessments. Based on a systematic evaluation of test methods for skin sensitization, five non-animal test methods (DPRA (Direct Peptide Reactivity Assay), KeratinoSens^TM, h-CLAT (human cell line activation test), U-SENS^TM, SENS-IS) were selected for inclusion in a comprehensive database of 128 substances. Existing data were compiled and completed with newly generated data, the latter amounting to one-third of all data. The database was complemented with human and local lymph node assay (LLNA) reference data, physicochemical properties and use categories, and thoroughly curated. Focused on the availability of human data, the substance selection resulted nevertheless resulted in a high diversity of chemistries in terms of physico-chemical property ranges and use categories. Predictivities of skin sensitization potential and potency, where applicable, were calculated for the LLNA as compared to human data and for the individual test methods compared to both human and LLNA reference data. In addition, various aspects of applicability of the test methods were analyzed. Due to its high level of curation, comprehensiveness, and completeness, we propose our database as a point of reference for the evaluation and development of testing strategies, as done for example in the associated work of Kleinstreuer et al. We encourage the community to use it to meet the challenge of conducting skin sensitization safety assessment without generating new animal data.</p