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Simple cutting devices such as used in the printing industry allow precise and fine sectioning of frozen peats and sediments, thus enabling research with high temporal resolution. Large slices are useful in the collection of multiple synchronous subsamples for multidisciplinary research. This article describes the apparatus (called DAMOCLES) and its operation, and presents some examples from practice. These include combined microfossil, macrofossil and chemical analyses of the same sample with a sample resolution of 0.5 cm (temporal resolution c. 1 year): rapid changes occur that would have remained unnoticed with a coarser sampling distance. The final example presents a sample resolution of only 0.5 mm. These examples illustrate the possible uses of the DAMOCLES apparatus in palaeoecological research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 2-year-old girl sustained severe injury to 2 fingers from a home paper shredder. This case illustrates the risk of injury from paper shredders, which are increasingly common household items. Toddlers are at risk of finger injury and amputation. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission performed an investigation of reported injuries and the characteristics of paper shredders that might have contributed to the injuries, and we summarize their findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]