Compilation of planktonic foraminiferal census counts from the Southern Hemisphere Oceans

We present an improved database of planktonic foraminiferal census counts from the Southern Hemisphere Oceans (SHO) from 15°S to 64°S. The SHO database combines 3 existing databases. Using this SHO database, we investigated dissolution biases that might affect faunal census counts. We suggest a depth/[DCO3]2- threshold of ~3800 m/[DCO3]2- = ~-10 to -5 µmol/kg for the Pacific and Indian Oceans, and ~4000 m/[DCO3]2- = ~0 to 10 µmol/kg for the Atlantic Ocean, under which core-top assemblages can be affected by dissolution and are less reliable for paleo-sea surface temperature (SST) reconstructions. We removed all core-tops beyond these thresholds from the SHO database. This database has 598 core-tops and is able to reconstruct past SST variations from 2° to 25.5°C, with a root mean square error of 1.00°C, for annual temperatures. To inspect dissolution affects SST reconstruction quality, we tested the data base with two "leave-one-out" tests, with and without the deep core-tops. We used this database to reconstruct Summer SST (SSST) over the last 20 ka, using the Modern Analog Technique method, on the Southeast Pacific core MD07-3100. This was compared to the SSST reconstructed using the 3 databases used to compile the SHO database. Thus showing that the reconstruction using the SHO database is more reliable, as its dissimilarity values are the lowest. The most important aspect here is the importance of a bias-free, geographic-rich, database. We leave this dataset open-ended to future additions; the new core-tops must be carefully selected, with their chronological frameworks, and evidence of dissolution assessed.

Global data compilation of benthic data sets II

In this study we present a global distribution pattern and budget of the minimum flux of particulate organic carbon to the sea floor (J POC alpha). The estimations are based on regionally specific correlations between the diffusive oxygen flux across the sediment-water interface, the total organic carbon content in surface sediments, and the oxygen concentration in bottom waters. For this, we modified the principal equation of Cai and Reimers [1995] as a basic monod reaction rate, applied within 11 regions where in situ measurements of diffusive oxygen uptake exist. By application of the resulting transfer functions to other regions with similar sedimentary conditions and areal interpolation, we calculated a minimum global budget of particulate organic carbon that actually reaches the sea floor of ~0.5 GtC yr**-1 (>1000 m water depth (wd)), whereas approximately 0.002-0.12 GtC yr**-1 is buried in the sediments (0.01-0.4% of surface primary production). Despite the fact that our global budget is in good agreement with previous studies, we found conspicuous differences among the distribution patterns of primary production, calculations based on particle trap collections of the POC flux, and J POC alpha of this study. These deviations, especially located at the southeastern and southwestern Atlantic Ocean, the Greenland and Norwegian Sea and the entire equatorial Pacific Ocean, strongly indicate a considerable influence of lateral particle transport on the vertical link between surface waters and underlying sediments. This observation is supported by sediment trap data. Furthermore, local differences in the availability and quality of the organic matter as well as different transport mechanisms through the water column are discussed.

Adaptación del sector turístico al cambio climático en España. La importancia de las acciones a escala local y en empresas turísticas

El 5º Informe del IPCC (Panel Intergubernamental de Cambio Climático, 2014) señala que el turismo será una de las actividades económicas que mayores efectos negativos experimentará en las próximas décadas debido al calentamiento térmico del planeta. En España, el turismo es una fuente principal de ingresos y de creación de puestos de trabajo en su economía. De ahí que sea necesaria la puesta en marcha de medidas de adaptación a la nueva realidad climática que, en nuestro país, va a suponer cambios en el confort climático de los destinos e incremento de extremos atmosféricos. Frente a los planes de adaptación al cambio climático en la actividad turística, elaborados por los gobiernos estatal y regional, que apenas se han desarrollado en España, la escala local muestra interesantes ejemplos de acciones de adaptación al cambio climático, desarrolladas tanto por los municipios (energía, transporte, vivienda, planificación urbanística) como por la propia empresa turística (hoteles, campings, apartamentos). Medidas de ahorro de agua y luz, fomento del transporte público y de las energías limpias, creación de zonas verdes urbanas y adaptación a los extremos atmosféricos destacan como acciones de mitigación del cambio climático en los destinos turísticos principales de nuestro país.

Metáforas del amor en la poesía de la Grecia antigua (I): la épica y la lírica arcaicas

Partiendo del concepto de metáfora cognitiva, que complementa al más conocido de metáfora literaria, y analizando la base conceptual que a ambas subyace, pretendemos un cuidadoso análisis de los textos de poesía épica y lírica arcaicas, sin olvidar la importancia fundamental del contexto cultural en que estos surgen, para obtener una mejor comprensión de la forma en que los griegos conceptualizaban el sentimiento amoroso.

Development of a Durability Test for Asphalts, HR-124, Progress Report No. 3., 1969

Research Project HR-124, "Development of a Laboratory Durability Test for Asphalts," was initiated in 1966 as a long range comprehensive program. Its ultimate objective was to develop a simple, rapid laboratory test that could be used by highway engineers to select paving asphalt according to quality, to identify inferior asphalts, and to reasonably predict the useful life of asphalts once they were incorporated in the pavements. This report, designated Progress Report No. 3, summarizes the work accomplished during the second year of the HR-124 extension (1967 - 1969), i. e., the period from 1 October 1968 to 31 October 1969.

Durability and Durability Tests for Paving Asphalt: A State-of-the-Art Report, HR-124, 1969

This special report is prepared to review durability and durability tests for paving asphalt, both in theory and in application. The report summarizes and evaluates factors related to asphalt durability, problems associated with durability study and development of durability tests, important work on durability and practical design implications concerning asphalt durability. It is a state-of-the-art report and a part of the study under HR-124, Development of Laboratory Durability Test for Asphalts.

Development of a Laboratory Durability Test for Asphalts, HR-124, 1967

Fruitful research on durability of paving asphalts may come from two approaches: The improvement of the asphalt for durability; The development of relatively rapid laboratory tests which will enable the design engineer to select or to specify an asphalt based on quality and to make a correct estimate of the service life of a selected asphalt when used in a specific paving mixture. Research Project HR-124, "Development of a Laboratory Durability Test for Asphalts," sponsored by the Iowa Highway Research Board is in the second category and was intended to be the initial stage of an overall study in the development of a durability test for paving asphalts.

Some surface profiles of a strip after plane-strain indentation by rigid bodies with serrated surfaces

This paper is concerned with the surface profiles of a strip after rigid bodies with serrated (saw-teeth) surfaces indent the strip and are subsequently removed. Plane-strain conditions are assumed. This has application in roughness transfer of final metal forming process. The effects of the semi-angle of the teeth, the depth of indentation and the friction on the contact surface on the profile are considered.

Torres Strait Island parents' involvement in their children's mathematics learning : a discussion paper

This paper is a beginning point for discussing what the literature states about parents’ involvement in their children’s mathematics education. Where possible it will focus on Torres Strait Islander Peoples. Little is known about how Torres Strait Islander parents approach their children’s learning of mathematics and how important early mathematics is to mothers. What is known is that is they are keen for their children to receive an education that provides them with opportunities for their present and future lives. However, gaining access to education is challenging given that the language of instruction in schools is written to English conventions, decontextualised and disconnected from the students’ culture, community and home language. This paper discusses some of the issues raised in the literature about what parents are confronted with when making decisions about their children’s education.

Demographic and clinical correlates of comorbid substance use disorders in psychosis : multivariate analyses from an epidemiological sample

Background: While there has been substantial research examining the correlates of comorbid substance abuse in psychotic disorders, it has been difficult to tease apart the relative importance of individual variables. Multivariate analyses are required, in which the relative contributions of risk factors to specific forms of substance misuse are examined, while taking into account the effects of other important correlates. Methods: This study used multivariate correlates of several forms of comorbid substance misuse in a large epidemiological sample of 852 Australians with DSMIII- R-diagnosed psychoses. Results: Multiple substance use was common and equally prevalent in nonaffective and affective psychoses. The most consistent correlate across the substance use disorders was male sex. Younger age groups were more likely to report the use of illegal drugs, while alcohol misuse was not associated with age. Side effects secondary to medication were associated with the misuse of cannabis and multiple substances, but not alcohol. Lower educational attainment was associated with cannabis misuse but not other forms of substance abuse. Conclusion: The profile of substance misuse in psychosis shows clinical and demographic gradients that can inform treatment and preventive research.