Excavations at Natural Trap Cave (NTC) began in the mid-1970's and quickly yielded evidence of a diverse steppe fauna that existed during the Last Glacial Maximum (MIS 2) along the western slope of the Bighorn Mountains in north central Wyoming. NTC is a karst pit cave with a 24.5 m vertical drop into a roughly 43 m wide bell-shaped ‘Main Chamber’ and during the course of early excavations a plugged entrance to a fossil-bearing ‘Lower Chamber’ was discovered. Stratigraphic relationships below the entrance to the Main Chamber of the cave were originally studied in the mid-1970's, but were never formally published. Although stratigraphy, taphonomy, and depositional circumstances were briefly discussed over the following years, little has been done to correlate the numerous stratigraphic schemes used by various authors. In this study, four stratigraphic sections were measured and analyzed to establish an easily modifiable lithostratigraphic system of nomenclature. We provide the first correlations of all stratigraphic nomenclature used throughout excavations at NTC to facilitate comparisons with current and previous collections and publications. By leveraging more than 100 radioisotopic dates we developed an age-depth model and chronostratigraphic framework to further interrogate spatiotemporal relationships between strata, paleoenvironmental proxies, and fossil assemblages. Deposition is shown to be discontinuous; sediment accumulation in the study area is restricted to the buildup through peak penultimate and Last Glacial maxima. More recent (<10 ka) Holocene deposits unconformably cover the eroded surface of underlying Pleistocene strata. There is active reworking of sediments with transport and deposition of reactivated material within the Lower Chamber. We note that the two hiatuses coincide with interglacial periods and may reflect changing depositional circumstances within the cave such as extended periods of non-deposition, erosion, or bypass (possibly leading to deposition in the Lower Chamber). Contrary to previous reports, we demonstrate that it is unlikely a prominent snow cone existed or contributed to the pattern of sediment and fossil distribution within the study area, furthermore, we do not observe a continuous Pleistocene-Holocene transition in the study area. Further stratigraphic work will be needed to better understand the interrelationship between Main and Lower chamber deposits and the evolution of sediment accumulation in NTC.

The aim of this study is to examine classical Dow-strategies, Dogs of the Dow and Foolish Four relative to each other and OMXS30GI in order to test if promises of substantial returns would be kept on the Swedish stock market during the period 2002-2019. Our empirical findings show no statistically significant excess-return generated by the Foolish Four-strategy over neither the Dogs of the Dow-strategy nor OMXS30GI. Furthermore, we found that the Dogs of the Dow-strategy produced a statistically significant excess-return over benchmark OMXS30GI, however excess-return does not remain after excluding years of great market turmoil.

[pt] A contribuição de Dietrich Bonhoeffer para a teologia do século XX é imensurável pela sua dedicação pastoral à igreja cristã, bem como pelo empenho e rigor acadêmico e teológico. O mártir luterano é o tema principal dessa dissertação, principalmente no que concerne ao seu pensamento sobre a esperança. Fez-se, pois, uma exposição da sua biografia, a fim de se perceber o quanto o contexto histórico e social é importante para suas obras e posicionamentos, e que já evidencia a perspectiva escatológica latente do autor. Em seguida, a apresentação de temas fundamentais da teologia de Bonhoeffer, como a eclesiologia e cristologia, serve de base para se definir a esperança que se faz presente, ainda que de forma secundária, nos seus escritos. Por fim, define-se o tema da ética do discipulado como a esperança bonhoefferiana, por ser o modo próprio do ser cristão, fundamentada nos conceitos de penúltimo, último e preparação do caminho. Todos estão presentes em Ética e moldam o pensamento teológico do autor, que traz a escatologia, como o último, para o presente, penúltimo, isto é, que apresenta o ethos cristão – discipulado – como a preparação do caminho para a volta do Nazareno. / [en] Dietrich Bonhoeffer s contribution to 20th century theology is immeasurable, for his pastoral dedication to the christian church as well as his academic and theological commitment and rigor. The Lutheran martyr is the main theme of this dissertation, especially regarding his thinking about hope. Therefore, an exposition of his biography was made, in order to understand how important the historical and social context is for his works and positions, and which already shows the latent eschatological perspective of the author. Then, the presentation of fundamental themes of Bonhoeffer s theology, such as ecclesiology and christology, serves as a basis for defining the hope that is present, albeit in a secondary way, in his writings. Finally, the theme ethics of discipleship is defined as the bonhoefferian hope, as it is the proper way of being a christian, based on the concepts of penultimate, ultimate and preparation of the way. All are present in Ethics and shape the author s theological thought, which brings eschatology, as the ultimate, to the present, penultimate, that is, which presents the christian ethos - discipleship - as the preparation of the way for the back from the Nazarene.

In sheep, large ovarian antral follicles grow in waves with a periodicity of every 4 to 5 days; each wave is initiated by a peak in serum concentrations of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). In the present thesis, follicular data and hormone estimations acquired from daily ultrasonography and blood samples, respectively, were used to study mechanisms regulating the number of follicular waves per estrous cycle. Using additional approaches such as implants releasing estradiol-17â and or progesterone, immunization against gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH), and injections of GnRH, the role of pulsed luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion and FSH peaks in follicular wave emergence and growth and the dependency of FSH peaks on pulsed GnRH secretion, were studied in sheep. The viability of aged follicles was also addressed.<p> The results of the present studies showed that ewes with three or four waves per cycle had cycles of the same length. The inter-wave interval was longer for the first and the last or ovulatory wave of the cycle in three compared to four wave cycles. The length of the lifespan and regression phase of the largest follicle of a wave declined across the cycle as FSH peak concentration and amplitude decreased. The maximum follicular diameter of the largest follicle growing in the first wave and the last or ovulatory wave of the cycle was greater compared to other waves of the cycle. Treatment of anestrous ewes with estradiol releasing implants alone completely abolished pulsed LH secretion and suppressed follicular wave development; however, FSH secretion was only minimally affected and the pool of small follicles was not affected. When pulsed secretion of LH was restored by frequent injections of GnRH, follicular waves were re-established. Treatment of anestrous ewes with implants releasing estradiol and progesterone, decreased FSH peak amplitude and abolished LH pulses and follicular waves; the size of the pool of small follicles increased. Immunization against GnRH in anestrous ewes abolished pulsatile LH secretion and suppressed follicular wave emergence; however, FSH peaks continued to occur for several weeks. In cyclic ewes, creating an LH pulse frequency typical of the follicular phase, during the luteal phase of the cycle by giving GnRH, increased maximum diameter of the largest follicle in a wave and serum concentrations of estradiol and progesterone. The enhanced growth of follicles in a wave blocked the next expected FSH peak and its associated follicular wave. Decreasing LH pulse frequencies lower than the minimal frequency seen in the luteal phase, by implants releasing progesterone, did not affect the growth of follicular waves.<p> It was previously demonstrated that treatment of non-prolific WWF ewes with Prostaglandin F2á (PGF2á) and medroxy progesterone acetate (MPA) increased the ovulation rate by adding ovulations from the penultimate wave in addition to the final wave of the cycle; however, fertility was not improved. In the last study of my thesis, we collected follicles, with an extended lifespan, from the penultimate wave of the cycle in ewes given the PGF2á and MPA treatment. We compared their quality with follicles from the final wave of the cycle by looking at the expression of markers of follicular development. The results showed that theca cells of follicles from the final wave had significantly higher mRNA expression for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) compared to follicles from the penultimate wave. Granulosa cells of follicles from the final wave had significantly higher mRNA expression for connexion 43 (Cx43) compared to follicles from the penultimate wave. Protein expression for Cx43, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and Factor VIII was greater in follicles from the final compared to the penultimate wave.<p> We concluded from the present studies that: 1) the mechanism that makes a three wave or four wave cycle is unclear; 2) some level of pulsatile LH secretion is required for an FSH peak to trigger emergence of follicular waves in anestrous ewes; 3) progesterone enhances the inhibitory effects of estradiol on FSH secretion in anestrous ewes, suppressing specifically FSH peak amplitude; 4) an endogenous rhythm may exist that drives the peaks in FSH secretion independent of secretory products from the follicles growing in a wave and pulsed GnRH secretion; 5) follicular waves in ewes, when exposed to an LH pulse frequency similar to the follicular phase, during the luteal phase of the cycle, when serum progesterone concentrations are high, can grow and function like ovulatory follicles growing in the follicular phase of the cycle; 6) expression of some markers of vascularization/ angiogenesis, gap-junctional communication and cell proliferation, appeared to be decreased in follicles from the penultimate compared to the final wave of an estrous cycle, when the lifespan of follicles from the penultimate wave was extended such that they were present in the ovary with follicles from the final wave of the cycle.

In sheep, large ovarian antral follicles grow in waves with a periodicity of every 4 to 5 days; each wave is initiated by a peak in serum concentrations of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). In the present thesis, follicular data and hormone estimations acquired from daily ultrasonography and blood samples, respectively, were used to study mechanisms regulating the number of follicular waves per estrous cycle. Using additional approaches such as implants releasing estradiol-17â and or progesterone, immunization against gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH), and injections of GnRH, the role of pulsed luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion and FSH peaks in follicular wave emergence and growth and the dependency of FSH peaks on pulsed GnRH secretion, were studied in sheep. The viability of aged follicles was also addressed.<p> The results of the present studies showed that ewes with three or four waves per cycle had cycles of the same length. The inter-wave interval was longer for the first and the last or ovulatory wave of the cycle in three compared to four wave cycles. The length of the lifespan and regression phase of the largest follicle of a wave declined across the cycle as FSH peak concentration and amplitude decreased. The maximum follicular diameter of the largest follicle growing in the first wave and the last or ovulatory wave of the cycle was greater compared to other waves of the cycle. Treatment of anestrous ewes with estradiol releasing implants alone completely abolished pulsed LH secretion and suppressed follicular wave development; however, FSH secretion was only minimally affected and the pool of small follicles was not affected. When pulsed secretion of LH was restored by frequent injections of GnRH, follicular waves were re-established. Treatment of anestrous ewes with implants releasing estradiol and progesterone, decreased FSH peak amplitude and abolished LH pulses and follicular waves; the size of the pool of small follicles increased. Immunization against GnRH in anestrous ewes abolished pulsatile LH secretion and suppressed follicular wave emergence; however, FSH peaks continued to occur for several weeks. In cyclic ewes, creating an LH pulse frequency typical of the follicular phase, during the luteal phase of the cycle by giving GnRH, increased maximum diameter of the largest follicle in a wave and serum concentrations of estradiol and progesterone. The enhanced growth of follicles in a wave blocked the next expected FSH peak and its associated follicular wave. Decreasing LH pulse frequencies lower than the minimal frequency seen in the luteal phase, by implants releasing progesterone, did not affect the growth of follicular waves.<p> It was previously demonstrated that treatment of non-prolific WWF ewes with Prostaglandin F2á (PGF2á) and medroxy progesterone acetate (MPA) increased the ovulation rate by adding ovulations from the penultimate wave in addition to the final wave of the cycle; however, fertility was not improved. In the last study of my thesis, we collected follicles, with an extended lifespan, from the penultimate wave of the cycle in ewes given the PGF2á and MPA treatment. We compared their quality with follicles from the final wave of the cycle by looking at the expression of markers of follicular development. The results showed that theca cells of follicles from the final wave had significantly higher mRNA expression for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) compared to follicles from the penultimate wave. Granulosa cells of follicles from the final wave had significantly higher mRNA expression for connexion 43 (Cx43) compared to follicles from the penultimate wave. Protein expression for Cx43, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and Factor VIII was greater in follicles from the final compared to the penultimate wave.<p> We concluded from the present studies that: 1) the mechanism that makes a three wave or four wave cycle is unclear; 2) some level of pulsatile LH secretion is required for an FSH peak to trigger emergence of follicular waves in anestrous ewes; 3) progesterone enhances the inhibitory effects of estradiol on FSH secretion in anestrous ewes, suppressing specifically FSH peak amplitude; 4) an endogenous rhythm may exist that drives the peaks in FSH secretion independent of secretory products from the follicles growing in a wave and pulsed GnRH secretion; 5) follicular waves in ewes, when exposed to an LH pulse frequency similar to the follicular phase, during the luteal phase of the cycle, when serum progesterone concentrations are high, can grow and function like ovulatory follicles growing in the follicular phase of the cycle; 6) expression of some markers of vascularization/ angiogenesis, gap-junctional communication and cell proliferation, appeared to be decreased in follicles from the penultimate compared to the final wave of an estrous cycle, when the lifespan of follicles from the penultimate wave was extended such that they were present in the ovary with follicles from the final wave of the cycle.

Induction machine; outer rotor; water pump; thermal network; thermal analysis; optimization; electromagnetic model; finite element method; thermal insulation class