No / This paper looks at the doctrines of ‘Wicca’, or what might be termed as pagan or white magic by its adherents, in terms of the economics of religion. The primary focus of the paper is the issue of the degree of product differentiation involved from established religion in terms of two things: the concept of God (or deities) and the ideas of sin. The main contribution of the paper is that it presents (for the first time ever, so far as the author is aware) an economic analysis of the doctrine of a ‘rebound’ effect of any attempts to do harm to other people through the practice of magic. Some basic microeconomic concepts suggest that the moral force of this rebound law is a difficult one to sustain except under very unreasonable assumptions.

Summary: The thesis is advanced that there are clinical states which are interpreted by Maoris as Makutu or Bewitchment. These are not rare, although not commonly recognised by Medical Practitioners. The thesis is advanced, from a historical survey and clinical experience, that although the clinical manifestions of the syndrome of Makutu have altered over the last one hundred years, the essential nature has not changed, and that it is at all times the explanation of natural phenomena in supernatural terms. This thesis attempts to contrast and discuss the nature of Makutu, past and present and to describe the clinical manifestations as they exist in the present day in the North Island of New Zealand and to show there are public and social aspects of Makutu not usually appreciated. Some of the factors which have led to the perpetuation of Makutu are discussed. Except where otherwise specified, Makutu is used as a general term for Witchcraft and sorcery. Makutu also has a specific meaning for a certain type of Witchcraft.

This thesis presents a framework for the deployment of algorithms that support the correlation and real-time classification of physiological data streams through the development of clinically meaningful alerts using a blend of expert knowledge in the domain and pattern recognition programming based on clinical rules. Its relevance is demonstrated via a real world case study within the context of neonatal intensive care to provide real-time classification of neonatal spells. Events are first detected in individual streams independently; then synced together based on timestamps; and finally assessed to determine the start and end of a multi-signal episode. The episode is then processed through a classifier based on clinical rules to determine a classification. The output of the algorithms has been shown, in a single use case study with 24 hours of patient data, to detect clinically significant relative changes in heart rate, blood oxygen saturation levels and pauses in breathing in the respiratory impedance signal. The accuracy of the algorithm for detecting these is 97.8%, 98.3% and 98.9% respectively. The accuracy for correlating the streams and determining spells classifications is 98.9%. Future research will focus on the clinical validation of these algorithms and the application of the framework for the detection and classification of signals in other clinical contexts.

SANTOS, Julio Cesar Neves dos. Processos hidrológicos e sedimentológicos em clima semiárido tropical. 2015. 167 f. Tese (doutorado em engenharia agrícola)- Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza-CE, 2015. / Submitted by Elineudson Ribeiro (elineudsonr@gmail.com) on 2016-03-22T20:20:32Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2016_tese_jcnsantos.pdf: 7356479 bytes, checksum: d9f566594ccbc8e17ca265d0b238223a (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by José Jairo Viana de Sousa (jairo@ufc.br) on 2016-05-18T19:37:55Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2016_tese_jcnsantos.pdf: 7356479 bytes, checksum: d9f566594ccbc8e17ca265d0b238223a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-18T19:37:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2016_tese_jcnsantos.pdf: 7356479 bytes, checksum: d9f566594ccbc8e17ca265d0b238223a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015 / The understanding of processes such as the generation of surface runoff, sediment yield and their relations with the rainfall regime is the basis for the planning and effective management of soil and water resources in a watershed. In this context, the present study aims to identify the main processes that influence the generation of surface runoff and sediment yield in small watersheds, and determine parameters for empirical sedimentological models, as well as the Sediment Delivery Ratio (SDR) for the tropical, semi-arid region of Brazil. The study area is the Iguatu Experimental Basin (IEB), which comprises a watershed of 16.74 km2, three small nested watersheds (from 1 to 3 ha) and three erosion plots of 20 m2. One of the watersheds had been under regenerating Caatinga for 35 years, another subjected to a management, which involved thinning the Caatinga, and the last faced deforestation followed by burning and the cultivation of grass. The period of study was six years (2009 to 2014). Collections to quantify surface runoff and sediment yield were taken for each erosive rainfall event in an accumulated period of 24 hours. Surface runoff in the watersheds was quantified using Parshall flumes, and sediment yield was measured with towers and trenches to collect suspended sediment and bedload. On the watershed scale, runoff was measured by means of a spillway, and sediment yield by a turbidimeter. Cluster analysis was used to determine rainfall regimes and groups of similar rainfall-runoff events. With data from the erosion plots and watersheds, the C factors and coefficients of the Modified Universal Soil Loss Equation (MUSLE) were calibrated and validated. From data measured in the basin, sediment delivery ratios were determined. The occurrence of dry spells and the formation of cracks in the soil were important factors in controlling the generation of runoff and consequently sediment yield. The dry spells made it possible for the soil to dry out, with the formation of cracks, which acted as pathways for preferential flow, generating higher initial abstraction during the start of the rainy season. Changes in ground cover had little influence on accumulated flow, demonstrating that the soil characteristics and conditions as moisture and the presence of cracks, best explain the generation of runoff on expansive soils. The greatest runoff losses in all the watersheds under study were for Rainfall Regime II, characterized by higher depth, intensity and occurrence of the rainfall. For the ground covers under study, values for the C factors and the fit of the coefficients "a" and "b" of MUSLE, proved to be appropriate and recommended according to the statistical indices employed. Values for sediment delivery ratio for individual rainfall events ranged from 0.08 to 1.67%, with an average of 0.68%. In the basin, extreme events may cause high disaggregation of soil particles, but without sufficient transporting energy for dragging the sediment, generating low SDR. / O entendimento de processos como geração do escoamento superficial, produção de sedimentos e suas relações com o regime pluviométrico é a base para o planejamento e a gestão eficaz dos recursos solo e água em uma bacia hidrográfica. Nesse contexto, o presente estudo tem como objetivos identificar os principais processos que influenciam a geração do escoamento superficial e a produção de sedimento em pequenas bacias hidrográficas, e calibrar parâmetros de modelos sedimentológicos empíricos, bem como a razão de aporte de sedimentos (SDR) para a região semiárida tropical do Brasil. A área de estudo é a Bacia Experimental de Iguatu (BEI), composta de uma bacia de 16,74 km2, três pequenas microbacias aninhadas (de 1 a 3 ha) e três parcelas de erosão de 20 m2. Uma das microbacias foi mantida com Caatinga em regeneração há 35 anos, outra submetida ao manejo de raleamento da Caatinga e na última foi realizado o desmatamento seguido de queimada e cultivo de capim. O período de estudo foi de seis anos (2009 a 2014). As coletas para quantificação do escoamento superficial e da produção de sedimentos foram realizadas a cada evento de chuva erosiva, no acumulado de 24 horas. O escoamento superficial nas microbacias foi quantificado através de calhas Parshall e as produções de sedimentos foram mensuradas através de torres e fossos coletores de sedimentos em suspensão e arraste. Na bacia de 16,74 km2, o escoamento superficial foi mensurado por meio de um vertedor e a produção de sedimentos através de um turbidímetro. Análises de agrupamento foram utilizadas para determinação de regimes de chuvas e grupos de eventos similares de chuva-deflúvio. Com dados das parcelas de erosão e das microbacias foram calibrados e validados os fatores C e os coeficientes da Equação Universal de Perdas de Solo Modificada (MUSLE). A partir dos dados medidos na bacia foram determinadas as razões de aporte de sedimentos. A ocorrência de veranicos e a formação de fendas no solo foram determinantes no controle da geração de escoamento e consequentemente da produção de sedimentos. A ocorrência de veranicos possibilitou o secamento do solo com a formação de fendas, que agem como caminhos preferenciais para o fluxo de água, gerando elevadas abstrações inicias durante o início da estação chuvosa. As mudanças da cobertura vegetal apresentaram pouca influência sobre o escoamento acumulado, indicando que as características e condições do solo, como umidade e presença de fendas, explicam melhor a geração de escoamento em solos expansivos. Maiores perdas por escoamento em todas as microbacias estudadas foram para chuvas do Regime II caracterizado por maiores alturas pluviométricas, intensidades e ocorrências. Quanto aos valores dos fatores C e dos coeficientes de ajuste “a” e “b” da MUSLE, para as coberturas estudadas, mostraram-se apropriados e recomendados de acordo com os índices estatísticos empregados. Os valores da razão de aporte de sedimentos para eventos pluviométricos individuais variaram de 0,08 a 1,67%, com média de 0,68%. Na bacia, eventos extremos podem causar elevada desagregação de partículas de solo, mas podem não dispor de energia de transporte suficiente para arrastá-las, gerando baixo SDR.

No description available.

In the territory of the current Czech Republic, the first written mention of the negative perception of magic appeared as early as in the 11th century, but it was only in the 14th century when the prohibitions to practice magic got more precise contours. Legally, the offense of witchcraft in Municipal and Capital Crime Codes only was defined in the 16th and the 17th century. It was at the turn of these centuries when we saw increase in processes with persons accused of abusing spells. However, in most prosecutions of that time, the abuses of megic only were secondary charges and the perpetrators were condemned, only occurred in the Czech Kingdom rarely. Only the persecution of witches in some of the Silesian principalities and in northern Moravia during the 17th century got out these trends. In northern Moravia, the largest witch trials took place in the years 1679 - 1696 in the Velké Losiny estate and in the town of Šumperk, where 81 alleged sorcerers and witches were killed. Like in many other cases, also here the outbreak of local witch trials was inspired by a stolen host. Court proceedings took place under the direction of Judge Heinrich Franz Boblig of Edelstadt, who for many years gained the trust of the local nobility. Although the legislation continued to contain criminal offense against witchcraft...

A atividade agrícola é muito importante para a economia do Rio Grande do Sul, cuja região alvo deste estudo é sua porção noroeste, representada por seis municípios: São Luiz Gonzaga, Santa Rosa, Cruz Alta, Iraí, Passo Fundo e Marcelino Ramos. Esta região é foco nacional de produção de soja, dependendo fortemente das condições atmosféricas, tanto em escala sinótica quanto climática. Os períodos secos, conhecidos como veranicos, durante a fase de desenvolvimento até a colheita, que acorrem entre outubro e março, acarretam vários prejuízos à região. O objetivo do trabalho é estimar a climatologia de ocorrência de veranicos no NW do RS, no primeiro e quarto trimestres do ano, entre 1978 e 2005 e associá-los a padrões atmosféricos característicos. Verificou-se que o maior número de veranicos ocorre no primeiro trimestre em relação ao quarto, resultado que apresenta correlação direta com o volume médio climatológico de precipitação para esses 2 trimestres. Março e dezembro apresentam mais eventos secos do que os outros meses, o que parece ser resposta direta de menor volume de chuva. Por outro lado, numa análise espacial, Santa Rosa e São Luiz Gonzaga apresentam os maiores números de veranicos, mesmo com médias anuais climatológicas de precipitação superior aos demais municípios. Durante os períodos secos (úmidos) verificou-se o padrão dipolo com base na ROL. Nesses períodos, no sul do Brasil foram observados baixos (altos) valores de ROL, em relação à média climatológica. Sobre o norte e nordeste do Brasil há a inversão das anomalias de ROL, configurando o dipolo. Anomalias de convergência (divergência) em altos níveis são observadas sobre boa parte do sul do Brasil e oceano Atlântico adjacente, durante períodos secos (úmidos), fornecendo desta forma, maior divergência em baixos níveis. A circulação do ar em períodos úmidos (secos) evidencia a intensificação (enfraquecimento) do JBN em direção ao sul do Brasil, contribuindo para o incremento (decréscimo) de chuvas na região. Anomalias negativas e positivas de TSM sobre o Pacífico Equatorial parecem influir em todos os meses selecionados a variabilidade de precipitação no sul e a variabilidade da TSM do Atlântico Subtropical, adjacente à Região Sul do País, não influencia diretamente a variabilidade de chuvas sobre o RS. Assim, conclui-se que períodos de veranicos ou úmidos são descritos por padrões climáticos definidos. / Agriculture plays an extremely important role in the economy of Rio Grande do Sul state. The target region of the present work in its northwest portion is represented by six cities: São Luiz Gonzaga, Santa Rosa, Cruz Alta, Iraí, Passo Fundo e Marcelino Ramos. It constitute a national focus of soya production and thus depend heavily on atmospheric conditions not only in the synoptic scale but also in climatic. In dry spells periods (known as veranicos in portuguese), during growing to harvest and, comprehending the months from October to March, the frequent lack of rain brings great economic losses to the region. The aim of this work is to estimate the climatology of dry spells occurrence in the northwest portion of Rio Grande do Sul in the first and fourth quarters of the year, between 1978 and 2005. Related to extreme climatic periods and the greater occurrence of dry spells, we depicted atmospheric and oceanic patterns. In conclusion, it is stated that the number of dry spells that occur in the first quarter of the year is greater than that which take place in the fourth quarter what is directly related to the monthly precipitation climatology. Santa Rosa is the municipality which presents the greater number of dry spells, even with higher monthly climatologic average than the other locations. March and December present more events than the other months, what in this case is related to the low amount of precipitation. During dry and wet periods, there is the evidence of a dipole standard based on ROL data. During dry (wet) periods in the southern part of Brazil it is observed low (high) values of ROL, in relation to climatology. Over the northern region of Brazil, during the same periods, it is observed inverted ROL anomalies, figuring the dipole pattern. An anomalous convergence (divergence) region in high levels above part of the South Region and the adjacent South Atlantic is observed during dry (wet) periods. The circulation pattern in low atmospheric levels, during wet (dry) periods, shows the strengthening (weakening) of the meridional low levels jet, which contributes for the increase (decrease) of rain in the region. ENSO events are somehow connected to the occurrence of dry spells in the region of study. All the considered month during dry (wet) periods in climatic extremes are related to negative (positive) TSM anomalies in the Equatorial Pacific region, that is, to La Niña (El Niño) events. This strong relation between precipitation variability and surface temperature anomalies over South Atlantic is not so evident. In conclusion, the occurrence of dry spells periods is well related to extreme climatic conditions.

Background. Many video games make use of particle effects to portray magic abilities known as spells. Different spells may have large variation in behaviour and colour. Aside from their different appearance, the spells often deal a different amount of damage. Objectives. The aim of this paper is to evaluate how velocity, scale, and direction, as well as the colour orange and blue affect the expected damage of a projectile-like spell.Methods. A perceptual experiment with a 2AFC was conducted where participants compared various spells with different values of velocity, scale, direction, and colour. The participants were asked to select the spell that they expect to deal the most damage. Results. Scale had a larger impact on the expected damage of a spell than velocity. The largest and fastest spells with an added sinus based direction in the x-axis were expected to cause the most damage. However, the difference between these spells and the largest and fastest spells without the added direction was not found to be statistically significant. The orange spells were rated as more damage causing in all cases compared to the blue spells. The difference between the blue and orange preference in two of these cases were however not large enough to be statistically significant. Conclusions. The results showed that the visual attributes of a particle-based spell affect its perceived damage with the scale having a greater impact than velocity and orange being the colour most often associated with higher damage. The effect of an added direction could not be evaluated due the result from the direction spells not being statistically significant.

A atividade agrícola é muito importante para a economia do Rio Grande do Sul, cuja região alvo deste estudo é sua porção noroeste, representada por seis municípios: São Luiz Gonzaga, Santa Rosa, Cruz Alta, Iraí, Passo Fundo e Marcelino Ramos. Esta região é foco nacional de produção de soja, dependendo fortemente das condições atmosféricas, tanto em escala sinótica quanto climática. Os períodos secos, conhecidos como veranicos, durante a fase de desenvolvimento até a colheita, que acorrem entre outubro e março, acarretam vários prejuízos à região. O objetivo do trabalho é estimar a climatologia de ocorrência de veranicos no NW do RS, no primeiro e quarto trimestres do ano, entre 1978 e 2005 e associá-los a padrões atmosféricos característicos. Verificou-se que o maior número de veranicos ocorre no primeiro trimestre em relação ao quarto, resultado que apresenta correlação direta com o volume médio climatológico de precipitação para esses 2 trimestres. Março e dezembro apresentam mais eventos secos do que os outros meses, o que parece ser resposta direta de menor volume de chuva. Por outro lado, numa análise espacial, Santa Rosa e São Luiz Gonzaga apresentam os maiores números de veranicos, mesmo com médias anuais climatológicas de precipitação superior aos demais municípios. Durante os períodos secos (úmidos) verificou-se o padrão dipolo com base na ROL. Nesses períodos, no sul do Brasil foram observados baixos (altos) valores de ROL, em relação à média climatológica. Sobre o norte e nordeste do Brasil há a inversão das anomalias de ROL, configurando o dipolo. Anomalias de convergência (divergência) em altos níveis são observadas sobre boa parte do sul do Brasil e oceano Atlântico adjacente, durante períodos secos (úmidos), fornecendo desta forma, maior divergência em baixos níveis. A circulação do ar em períodos úmidos (secos) evidencia a intensificação (enfraquecimento) do JBN em direção ao sul do Brasil, contribuindo para o incremento (decréscimo) de chuvas na região. Anomalias negativas e positivas de TSM sobre o Pacífico Equatorial parecem influir em todos os meses selecionados a variabilidade de precipitação no sul e a variabilidade da TSM do Atlântico Subtropical, adjacente à Região Sul do País, não influencia diretamente a variabilidade de chuvas sobre o RS. Assim, conclui-se que períodos de veranicos ou úmidos são descritos por padrões climáticos definidos. / Agriculture plays an extremely important role in the economy of Rio Grande do Sul state. The target region of the present work in its northwest portion is represented by six cities: São Luiz Gonzaga, Santa Rosa, Cruz Alta, Iraí, Passo Fundo e Marcelino Ramos. It constitute a national focus of soya production and thus depend heavily on atmospheric conditions not only in the synoptic scale but also in climatic. In dry spells periods (known as veranicos in portuguese), during growing to harvest and, comprehending the months from October to March, the frequent lack of rain brings great economic losses to the region. The aim of this work is to estimate the climatology of dry spells occurrence in the northwest portion of Rio Grande do Sul in the first and fourth quarters of the year, between 1978 and 2005. Related to extreme climatic periods and the greater occurrence of dry spells, we depicted atmospheric and oceanic patterns. In conclusion, it is stated that the number of dry spells that occur in the first quarter of the year is greater than that which take place in the fourth quarter what is directly related to the monthly precipitation climatology. Santa Rosa is the municipality which presents the greater number of dry spells, even with higher monthly climatologic average than the other locations. March and December present more events than the other months, what in this case is related to the low amount of precipitation. During dry and wet periods, there is the evidence of a dipole standard based on ROL data. During dry (wet) periods in the southern part of Brazil it is observed low (high) values of ROL, in relation to climatology. Over the northern region of Brazil, during the same periods, it is observed inverted ROL anomalies, figuring the dipole pattern. An anomalous convergence (divergence) region in high levels above part of the South Region and the adjacent South Atlantic is observed during dry (wet) periods. The circulation pattern in low atmospheric levels, during wet (dry) periods, shows the strengthening (weakening) of the meridional low levels jet, which contributes for the increase (decrease) of rain in the region. ENSO events are somehow connected to the occurrence of dry spells in the region of study. All the considered month during dry (wet) periods in climatic extremes are related to negative (positive) TSM anomalies in the Equatorial Pacific region, that is, to La Niña (El Niño) events. This strong relation between precipitation variability and surface temperature anomalies over South Atlantic is not so evident. In conclusion, the occurrence of dry spells periods is well related to extreme climatic conditions.

This thesis examines the co-occurrence of wintertime low temperature extremes (cold spells) over North America and wet or windy extremes over Europe. Prolonged (≅ 5 days) North American cold spells can be associated with both upstream and downstream anomalous large-scale atmospheric flows, the latter modulating extreme weather occurrences over Europe. The approximate co-occurrence of European wet or windy extremes with North American cold spells is temporally and spatially dependent on the location of cold spells. We identify three broad regional clusters of cold spells:  Central Canada: cold spells are predominantly preceded by Iberian precipitation extremes. Eastern United States: occurrences of both wind and precipitation extremes in Iberia before and after the cold spell. East Canada: cold spells are predominantly followed by wind extremes over the British Isles and Northern Europe. We show that cold spells over these three regions are associated with distinct storm track and jet stream anomalies over the North Atlantic. Iberia experiences a higher number of extratropical cyclones during Central Canada cold spells due to an equatorward displacement of the jet. However, the propagation of extratropical cyclones over Europe is limited due to a Scandinavian block-type configuration over Northern Europe. Eastern United States cold spells show a similar configuration to Central Canada. However, this configuration does not show the Scandinavian block-type feature, resulting in a higher number of extratropical cyclones affecting Iberia and Southern Europe. Eastern Canada cold spells are associated with an extended and accelerated jet over Northern Europe. As a result, the UK, France and Northern Europe experience more intense extratropical cyclones on average, with the accelerated jet resulting in stronger extratropical cyclones throughout the North Atlantic in general. These results evidence the existence of a systematic statistical and dynamical connection between North American cold spells and European wet or windy extremes.