7,598 research outputs found
An Illustrated Key to the Pupae of Six Species of \u3ci\u3eHydropsyche\u3c/i\u3e (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae) Common in Southern Ontario Streams
I present a key for the identification of pupae and pupal exuviae of six species of Hydropsyche that are widely distributed throughout northeastern North America and that are particularly abundant in the streams of southern Ontario. Use of the pupal key requires less manipulation of a specimen than either removing larval sclerites from the pupal case or attempting to discern the adult genitalia through the pupal integument
Discussion of: A statistical analysis of multiple temperature proxies: Are reconstructions of surface temperatures over the last 1000 years reliable?
Discussion of "A statistical analysis of multiple temperature proxies: Are
reconstructions of surface temperatures over the last 1000 years reliable?" by
B.B. McShane and A.J. Wyner [arXiv:1104.4002]Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/10-AOAS398F the Annals of
Applied Statistics (http://www.imstat.org/aoas/) by the Institute of
Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org
Distributional Effects of Fiscal Consolidation.
This paper examines the distributional consequences of public debt reduction achieved through spending cuts. Under the assumption that public goods and transfers are relatively more valuable to the poor, our calculations indicate that the elderly poor stand to lose from such policies. Debt reduction produces short-term deficits and long-term surpluses, and when future surpluses are recycled into higher provision of public goods and transfers, future generations of poor could gain. If future surpluses are recycled through lower labour taxes, working households in the future would be positively affected. We conclude that debt reduction could have positive or negative impacts on vertical equity, yet inter- rather than intra-generational equity is likely to pose the greatest obstacle to fiscal consolidation. Based on majority voting by self-interested households, debt reduction would never occur. Yet, in a formal social welfare analysis, some debt reduction programmes may be deemed beneficial with social discount factors as high as two percent. When we then consider alternative time profiles for debt reduction, we conclude that slower is better.
Robustness of proxy-based climate field reconstruction methods
We present results from continued investigations into the fidelity of covariance-based climate field reconstruction (CFR) approaches used in proxy-based climate reconstruction. Our experiments employ synthetic “pseudoproxy” data derived from simulations of forced climate changes over the past millennium. Using networks of these pseudoproxy data, we investigate the sensitivity of CFR performance to signal-to-noise ratios, the noise spectrum, the spatial sampling of pseudoproxy locations, the statistical representation of predictors used, and the diagnostic used to quantify reconstruction skill. Our results reinforce previous conclusions that CFR methods, correctly implemented and applied to suitable networks of proxy data, should yield reliable reconstructions of past climate histories within estimated uncertainties. Our results also demonstrate the deleterious impact of a linear detrending procedure performed recently in certain CFR studies and illustrate flaws in some previously proposed metrics of reconstruction skill
Settlers from Connecticut in Spanish Florida, 1808-1816
Ambrose Hull was one of the Protestant Americans who answered Spain’s call of 1788 for immigrants to settle and develop the Florida lands. Hull obtained a grant of 2,600 acres in the New Smyrna area early in 1801 and began building his settlement, as narrated in Part I in de last issue of this Quarterly. Unfortunately, his first attempt was cut short by an Indian raid in which he suffered damages amounting to several thousand dollars. Nevertheless, Ambrose and his wife, Abigail, with her sister, Stella Hall, soon began rebuilding
Laboratory Investigation of Type I and Type II Hardened Cement Emulsified Asphalt Mortar
The research presented in this thesis investigated the mechanical and viscoelastic properties of a relatively new construction building material that has been given a lot of attention in the past decade. Cement emulsified asphalt mortar (CEAM) has unique properties that differ from concrete and asphalt binder alone as this hybrid material combines the high strength of portland cement composites and the flexibility of asphalt materials. Functioning as a damping material for ballastless high-speed rail track bed, CEAM has the potential to be utilized in other areas of construction.
The work presented in this thesis is broken down into two studies, each examining the CEAM over a range of asphalt binder/cement (B/C) ratios. The first study examined the uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), indirect tensile (IDT) strength, tensile strength ratio (TSR), dynamic modulus, phase angle, and shrinkage of type II CEAM at three different B/C ratios. The cement hydration heat of the paste was measured and the microstructures of CEAM were examined to analyze the interaction between cement and asphalt and to explain its effect on the mechanical properties of CEAM. The results from this study showed that CEAM exhibited loading rate- and temperature-dependent properties, indicative of a typical viscoelastic material, and laid the groundwork for the following study.
The second study built upon the results of the first work and examined the mechanical and viscoelastic properties of type I and type II CEAM using cationic and anionic emulsions. Cationic emulsion proved to yield greater strength development at the cost of workability for both type I and type II CEAM. In addition the results showed a sizable difference in measurable properties at the highest and lowest B/C ratios while indicating possibly comparable results mid-range B/C ratios showing the versatility of the material
Settlers from Connecticut in Spanish Florida: Letters of Ambrose Hull and Stella Hart 1804-1806
Florida was the northern bastion of Spain’s New World empire from an early period; and, except for brief British possession (1763-1783), the land was hers for almost three hundred years. The era following 1783, when Great Britain returned Florida to Spain, until 1821, when Florida became United States territory, is known as the second Spanish period of Florida history
Market Structure in the Residential Real Estate Brokerage Market
This study provides empirical evidence regarding brokerage firm concentration in a local market multiple listing service setting over the year 1992-1995. To evaluate the level of brokerage firm concentration in this market, Gini Coefficients, Herfindahl-Hirschman Indices and Concentration Ratios for each year of the study period are calculated. Our results indicate that for firms responsible for listing properties, firm concentration has not varied substantially over the four-year study period. However, for those firms that were responsible for actually selling properties, firm concentration has decreased over the study period. This finding tends to indicate that the MLS now provides greater exposure to a wide variety of sales firms, therefore leading to a higher level of competition with a lower level of concentration for selling firms in this local market.
Life Care Plans : a Resource for Caregivers
Life Care Plans have been used since the early 70s, primarily to assist in litigation involving catastrophic illness or injury. In the last decade Life Care Plans have become an important component in the field of litigation and rehabilitation. However, to date no studies have explored the impact having a Life Care Plan may have for the family Caregiver. Literature supports the need Caregivers have for detailed and concise information about their loved one\u27s condition, plan of care and future needs. This study investigated the perceived helpfulness of the Life Care Plan to Caregivers. Using a 5-point Likert Scale, Caregivers were asked to rate how helpful 37 different areas contained in a Life Care Plan were to them. The second purpose of the study was to explore coping styles caregivers use in a stressful situation. Relationships between Caregivers and their coping styles were also explored. Seventy Four Caregivers responded to the survey. Caregivers rated all 37 areas at least fairly helpful to them. Most helpful to the Caregiver was information regarding the future costs. More than 90 percent of Caregivers responding indicated that they found the Life Care Plan as very helpful or extremely helpful in understanding the future costs involved. Using the Ways of Coping Questionnaire, several coping styles of Caregivers were explored. It was hypothesized that there would be a positive correlation between the Helpfulness scale and the Seeking Social Support Scale, measured by the Ways of Coping Questionnaire. This reached statistical significance at the .001 level. No other hypothesis reached statistical significance
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