Extracting winter North Atlantic Oscillation information from a central European stalagmite

This study explores the potential for extracting winter North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) information from central European stalagmites using a high resolution calcite δ18O (δ18Ocal) time-series from a stalagmite (AH1) extracted from Atta cave in northwestern Germany. Samples milled at 25μm resolution were run through an isotope-ratio mass spectrometer in weight order. This highlighted the benefit of using a random sample order during isotope ratio analysis because drifts were identified with greater certainty than if the samples were run sequentially. The chronology, constructed using annual δ18Ocal cycles and verified by locating the radiocarbon bomb spike, hints that three isotope excursions may be related to events in the cave history: i) the discovery of AH1's cave passageway in 1985, ii) surface modification during World War Two and iii) the opening of the cave’s artificial cave entrance in 1920. However, it was not possible to locate old aerial photographs of the site and appropriate historical documentation, therefore these explanations remain speculative. A good visual correlation between δ18Ocal and meteoric precipitation δ18O (δ18Opr) cycles was established within the errors of the chronology, but a good quantitative correlation was not achievable probably because the winter δ18Opr signal was documented by too few δ18Ocal datapoints. Despite the poor quantitative correlation, the good visual δ18Ocal- δ18Opr correlation suggests an annual winter NAO reconstruction is possible using stalagmites from central Europe if ultra high temporal resolution is achieved and excellent chronological control is established. Additionally, this suggests that AH1 is amenable to detection of prolonged shifts in mean NAO state, provided trends associated with other processes are remove

A Study of the Halftone Dot Characteristics of Rapid Access Halftones

Rapid access processing is a photographic processing method that combines high temperature processing and high energy developing agents to obtain very short induction periods, and thus, reduced processing times. In order to obtain maximum quality from the process, the rapid access halftone percent dot areas must be correctly evaluated according to established aim points. Traditional evaluation methods, either visual or instrumental, produce errors. These errors are the partial result of the unique dot characteristics of the process. These characteristics include soft, fringed dots; dots with low Dmax, found particularily in the shadow areas; loss of dot area on the tips of the halftone dots during plate exposure^ and high fog in the highlight areas. The illustration of the differences in dot fringe characteristics of a rapid access and a conventional lith halftone imaged with main exposures only were determined visually by the use of microphotographs illuminated with oblique illumination, and quanitatively by microdensitometer traces and film contacting the original halftone films, In all cases, the rapid access halftone dots: had a more highly fringed area when compared to the conventional lith halftone. The test designed to compare percent dot area of first generation rapid access halftones by zero referencing the dot area meter on the identified ghost dot to the percent dot area of their second generation hard dot contact films produced a poor correlation between the two sets of films. Of the three first generation halftones imaged with a main, main plus flash and main plus hump exposure; the main plus bump exposure produced the poorest correlation, particularly in the midtone area of the halftone scale. The compensation method designed to determine the effective percent dot area of first generation rapid access halftones by applying percent dot area correction factors found under various: halfone exposure conditions effectively reduced percent dot area error

Enumerate / construct

I am fascinated how we define and personalize ourselves through the objects we own and accumulate. It is my goal to make a collection of utilitarian pottery forms that through the use of color, form, and pattern, are cohesive in their variety, and are accessible as objects for daily use

Safe Zone Thank You Response

A Thank you letter for advice on creating a Safe Zone progra

THE MANAGBMENT OF RECONSTRUCTION with particular reference to the house building programme 1942-9

Despite extensive writing on Social Democracy in Britain, largely in the form of histories of the Labour Party and marxist state theory, few studies have undertaken, in depth, an empirical analysis of a particular period of social democracy as government, and even fewer using the extensive documentation available in the Public Archives. Theories of the role of the state and those that manage it are often based on abstract, essentially deductive reasoning and over-influenced by a hostile attitude to their object of analysis. Such approaches have resulted in a neglect of the scope for discretionary behaviour in the management of the capitalist state by reducing it to that required for system maintenance. The aim of this thesis has been to examine the nature of any such revealed discretion by opening up and 'dissecting' the black box of policymaking through a detailed examination of a government programme considered vital to the continuing relationship between politicians and the labour movement. Analysis was made of attempts to insulate and protect the programme from forces and interests that could be expected, on a purely deductive reading, to interfere with its success. Crucial in this respect was the way in which policies or programmes were related in an environment, often conceived as one where imperatives, stemming from the constraints of the international market, reduce or remove the degree of discretion and compel adjustment in domestic policy. The closing chapters outlined the key features of the discretionary behaviour apprehended in the study. Much of the conjunctural possibility of social democratic management was seen to lie in a series of 'policy spaces' achieved through a mix of administrative control and negotiation. Some of the contradictions and resulting costs of such a strategy were also revealed: the short term horizon in investment planning, known euphemistically at the time as 'make do and mend", leading to a neglect of long run and progressive accumulation

The discrimination of auditory and visual number

This study compares the discrimination of successive visual number and successive auditory number using the same stimulus durations and presentation rates for both stimuli. The accuracy of the discrimination of successive number decreased as the presentation rate increased and the number in a series increased

Sequential electrodiagnostic abnormalities in acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy

We reviewed 180 electroneuromyographic (EMG) studies from patients with acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy. EMG criteria suggestive of demyelination were met during the first 5 weeks in 87% of patients; an additional 10% had indeterminate electrodiagnostic evaluations, and 3% demonstrated axonal degeneration only. Motor nerve conduction abnormalities initially predominated, with the nadir of abnormality occurring at week 3. Sensory nerve conduction abnormalities peaked during week 4 and were atypical for polyneuropathy, with 52% of patients having normal sural but abnormal median sensory studies, perhaps reflecting distal nerve involvement. Delayed sensory abnormalities may reflect, in part, secondary involvement related to increased intraneural edema accentuated by compression at sites of anatomic vulnerability. Fibrillation potentials and increased polyphasia appeared between weeks 2 and 5 in proximal and distal muscles simultaneously, which is consistent with either random axonal degeneration at any point along the axon or distal involvement. Resolution of conduction abnormalities began between weeks 6 and 10, with increased mean motor-evoked amplitude best reflecting functional clinical recovery.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/50137/1/880080609_ftp.pd

Mulheres vítimas de homicídio em Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil, 2009/2010: um estudo descritivo

Este estudo investigou o perfil epidemiológico de mulheres vítimas de homicídio em Recife, Pernambuco, Nordeste do Brasil. Realizou-se um estudo observacional, descritivo e prospectivo, incluindo todas as mulheres em idade de 10-49 anos, vítimas de homicídio e residentes em Recife, no período de março de 2009 a fevereiro de 2010. O instrumento utilizado foi um questionário que pesquisou as características socioeconômicas, demográficas, biológicas e de risco. Entrevistaram-se os familiares das vítimas e coletaram-se dados da Declaração de Óbito. Identificaram-se 60 homicídios no período do estudo. A maioria das vítimas era adulta, parda, com baixa escolaridade e baixa renda; 39,7% eram tabagistas; o uso de álcool e de drogas ilícitas correspondeu a 48,3% e 24,1%, respectivamente; e 29,3% sofreram violência física e/ou sexual nos 12 meses anteriores ao homicídio. As armas de fogo foram utilizadas em 69% dos casos