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Selected AbstractsPhylogeny of Macroptilium (Leguminosae): morphological, biochemical and molecular evidenceCLADISTICS, Issue 2 2007Shirley M. Espert Macroptilium (Benth.) Urban (Phaseoleae, Papilionoideae, Leguminosae) is an American genus of legumes, belonging to subtribe Phaseolinae along with other economically important genera, such as Vigna Savi and Phaseolus L. (the common bean genus). Cladistic analyses based on morphological, biochemical (storage seed proteins) and molecular (nuclear and plastid DNA sequences) data were performed on the 18 species currently ascribed to the genus, exploring several character weighting strategies. Equal weights, implied weighting and different transversion/transition costs were applied. The three data sets were first analyzed with separate partitions, and then combined into a single matrix. This study is the first one to analyze all the species of the genus from a cladistic point of view. In all the most parsimonious trees obtained, Macroptilium is monophyletic with excellent support values. Two monophyletic clades are recovered in almost all the analyses. Both are compound by nine species, and they constitute two sections of Macroptilium. Several interspecific relationships inside the genus are discussed. © The Willi Hennig Society 2007. [source] Assessing the relationship between forest types and canopy tree beta diversity in AmazoniaECOGRAPHY, Issue 4 2010Thaise Emilio Planning of conservation priorities has often taken mapped forest types as surrogates for biological complementarity. In the Brazilian Amazon, these exercises have given equal weight to each forest type as if they were all equally distinct. Here, we examine floristic similarity between forest types to assess the reliability of vegetation maps as a surrogate for canopy tree-community composition. We analyzed floristic differences at the genus level between twelve Amazonian forest types using 1184 one-hectare inventories of large trees with three complementary approaches. First, we compared a map of floristic composition, from a uni-dimensional NMDS ordination of the inventories, with a map of coarser-level forest types commonly recognized as distinct by classification systems across Amazonia. Using Mantel and means-difference tests, we next examined the distance-decay of floristic similarity for all paired samples and for the pairs drawn from within and between twelve more finely divided forest types. Finally, we examined the degree of floristic separation of each pair of the twelve forest types using non-parametric analysis of variance. Maps of floristic composition and coarse-level forest types were highly congruent. At the finer level of classification, similarity was only slightly higher when pairs were drawn from the same versus from different forest types. This was true for all geographic distances. Nonetheless, eighty percent of the 66 paired combinations of forest types were significantly different in the unreduced genus-space and nearly half showed little or no overlap in a two-dimensional ordination. Three types were most distinct from all others: white sand, seasonally dry, and bamboo-dominated forests. Here, we show that forest types exhibit variable degrees of separation. For this reason, treating all fine-level forest types as equally distinct results in poor representation of canopy tree beta diversity. We recommend explicitly considering the degree of floristic separation between all forest types , as presented here for Amazonian flora , as a way to improve the use of this biodiversity surrogate. [source] ,Sustainable development' as a criterion for the interpretation of Article 6 of the Habitats DirectiveENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 2 2006Herwig Unnerstall Abstract Article 6(4) of the Habitats Directive requires a weighing up of environmental and economic interests in order to allow for deviation from valid environmental standards. This provision has to be interpreted in the light of the tasks and aims of the European treaties, especially in the light of sustainable development (SD). It is not only a political aim, but was also introduced in the European treaties in 1997 as both legally binding task and goal. This paper develops a comprehensive interpretative understanding of these provisions and their consequences for the application of European environmental law. SD is usually understood as being one aim amongst others and having three dimensions of SD (ecological, social and economic) of equal weight. This concept of equal weight contradicts the idea of a common but differentiated responsibility (CBDR), which is an essential part of SD. The CBDR requires that ,SD' has de facto different meanings in different member states according to their economic development. Therefore, Article 6 of the Habitats Directive may only be applied in those areas of the Community having a development lag. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] Statistical prediction of global sea-surface temperature anomaliesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY, Issue 14 2003A. W. Colman Abstract Sea-surface temperature (SST) is one of the principal factors that influence seasonal climate variability, and most seasonal prediction schemes make use of information regarding SST anomalies. In particular, dynamical atmospheric prediction models require global gridded SST data prescribed through the target season. The simplest way of providing those data is to persist the SST anomalies observed at the start of the forecast at each grid point, with some damping, and this strategy has proved to be quite effective in practice. In this paper we present a statistical scheme that aims to improve that basic strategy by combining three individual methods together: simple persistence, canonical correlation analysis (CCA), and nearest-neighbour regression. Several weighting schemes were tested: the best of these is one that uses equal weight in all areas except the east tropical Pacific, where CCA is preferred. The overall performance of the combined scheme is better than the individual schemes. The results show improvements in tropical ocean regions for lead times beyond 1 or 2 months, but the skill of simple persistence is difficult to beat in the extratropics at all lead times. Aspects such as averaging periods and grid size were also investigated: results showed little sensitivity to these factors. The combined statistical SST prediction scheme can also be used to improve statistical regional rainfall forecasts that use SST anomaly patterns as predictors. Copyright © Crown Copyright 2003. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Think globally, act locally: collective consent and the ethics of knowledge productionINTERNATIONAL SOCIAL SCIENCE JOURNAL, Issue 195 2009Maui Hudson Ethical review is an integral part of the process of developing research and considering issues associated with the production of knowledge. It is part of a system that primarily legitimises western traditions of inquiry and reinforces western assumptions about knowledge and its benefit to society. Around the world the process of colonisation has excluded indigenous understandings. In New Zealand, M,ori (indigenous) knowledge has been similarly marginalised; this pattern is also reflected within ethical review. M,ori values, while acknowledged, are not yet considered to have equal weight in ethical deliberations. The notion of collective rights and the possibility of developing processes to allow collective consent to be recognised and mandated by ethics committees have been raised by communities but largely ignored by the ethical review system. While kaupapa M,ori researchers espouse the benefits of closer community involvement, policy makers and ethics committees have focused on "consultation" as the mechanism which confirms proof of engagement, the establishment of community support, and the relevance of the project. This article highlights the potential of the concept of collective consent in negotiations between researchers and communities. [source] Catalytic kinetics of quaternary ammonium poly(styrene- co -methylstyrene) resinAICHE JOURNAL, Issue 7 2006Ho-Shing Wu Abstract The catalytic kinetics and synthesis of poly(styrene- co -chloromethylstyrene) resin of different degrees of crosslinkages and ring substitutions were investigated by copolymerizing styrene and chloromethylstyrene through crosslinking with divinylbenzene. Poly(styrene- co -chloromethylstyrene) quaternary ammonium salt was obtained with activating poly(styrene- co -chloromethylstyrene) resin with tertiary amine. More than 20 types of poly(styrene- co -chloromethylstyrene) quaternary ammonium catalyst were prepared, with reaction conditions including immobilized time (0.125,4 days), concentration of tertiary amine (0.1,2 kmol/m3), kinds of solvents in immobilization (methanol, ethyl alcohol, and DMF), and kinds of tertiary amines (trimethylamine, triethylamine, tripropylamine, tri- n -butylamine, tri- n -pentylamine, tri- n -hexylamine, and tri- n -octylamine). These catalysts were used to achieve the optimum allylation of phenol. The reactions were conducted and studied individually with either equal mole or equal weight of catalyst. The best reactivity for the allylation of phenol was obtained when the structure of the quaternary ammonium catalyst was 10% degree of ring substitution and 2% degree of crosslinkage activating with trihexylamine. The turnover number and the effectiveness factor were also calculated. © 2006 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2006 [source] The Authentic Consent Model: contractarianism, Creditors' Bargain, and corporate liquidationLEGAL STUDIES, Issue 3 2001Rizwaan Jameel Mokal The first part of this paper asks if the Creditors' Bargain Model, long employed by insolvency scholars as the starting point for many an analysis, can explain or justify even the most distinctive and fundamental feature of insolvency law. After examining the defining features of the model's construction, the role of self-interest and consent in it, and its ex ante position, it is concluded that the Bargain model can neither explain nor legitimate the coercive collective liquidation regime. The second part of the paper develops an alternative model to analyse and justify insolvency law. The starting premise is that all (but only) those affected by issues peculiarly governed by insolvency law are to be given a choice in selecting the principles which would determine their rights and obligations. Once these parties have been identified, they are to be given equal weight in the selection process, since their legal status (whether they are employees, secured or unsecured creditors, etc), wealth, cognitive abilities, and bargaining strength are all morally irrelevant in framing rules of justice. This part of the paper introduces the notion of a constructive attribute, characteristics this society accepts its citizens should have in their role as legislators. So all parties affected by insolvency issues are regarded as free, equal, and reasonable. The model sketched out in this part of the article requires all principles to be selected from its choice position. Here, all the parties are deprived of any knowledge of personal attributes, and must reason rationally. It is shown that parties in the choice position would in fact choose the principles laying down the automatic stay on unsecured claims. The paper concludes with the demonstration that because of the construction of the choice position and the constructive attributes of the parties bargaining in it, the principles chosen are fair and just, and chosen in exercise of the parties' autonomy. As it happens, they are also efficient. [source] Is Constitutional Politics like Politics ,At Home'?POLITICAL STUDIES, Issue 4 2008The Case of the EU Constitution A large number of delegates from different institutional levels within the EU have achieved a remarkable consensus on a draft constitution. Has this consensus been made possible because the nationally predominant left,right divide was only weakly present during the deliberations of the delegates? Left,right differences have been analysed by means of a content analysis on submitted documents during the European Convention. The data analysis confirms our assumption that the left,right distinction was relevant, although not very dominant. The draft constitution did not take a mean position on left and right issues, but in fact puts more emphasis on substantial goals related to both left and right, giving an equal weight to both anti-poles. However, if we exclude the Charter of Human Rights, the draft constitution appears to be strongly tilted to the right. The analysis also shows that party family differences did affect the process of coalition building during the Convention, since more than half of all documents have been submitted together with at least one member of the same party family and/or with one family member close by. Our analysis also indicates that the process of consensus building was enhanced by the absence of many extremist and new parties during the Convention. This may have enhanced agreement on the Constitution, but later it became problematic for the domestic democratic process and for the acceptance of the Constitution in some countries, such as France and the Netherlands, especially since some of the excluded parties have actively and successfully mobilised voters to vote against the Constitution. [source] A comparative study of vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) for sandwich panelsPOLYMER COMPOSITES, Issue 6 2003J. Dai Vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) of sandwich panels can be facilitated by using high permeability layers (HPL) over the skins or adding channels in the surfaces of the core (CIC). The present paper investigates the advantages and disadvantages of both methods in terms of manufacturing cost and time through simulations and experimental observations. A cost model is developed, and the resin infusion time for each method was minimized through simulations. The design parameters are the number of high-permeability layers and the number and size of channels. A penalty function with equal weight on cost and time is used to find the optimum values of the design parameters. Under the conditions studied, the optimal HPL method is found to be better than the optimal CIC method. While the conclusion is limited to the present study, the proposed approach can be used to optimize manufacturing processes for larger sandwich panels under different conditions. [source] Is All Communication Created Equal?: An Investigation into the Effects of Communication Mode on Perceived Information QualityTHE JOURNAL OF PRODUCT INNOVATION MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2000Elliot Maltz Enhancing communication between functions is crucial to successful product development and management. Previous work in the product innovation management literature has made two implicit assumptions. First, that increasing the frequency of information dissemination from one function to the other always improves the perceived quality of the information received. The second assumption is that all types of interfunctional communication carry equal weight in the decision-making process of the target of that communication. The current study develops a typology of communication modes, which suggests a rationale for why these assumptions may not be true. The empirical findings of the study, based on a survey of 504 nonmarketing managers indicate that the relationship between total communication frequency and perceived information quality (PIQ) is nonlinear. Specifically, the study finds that marketing managers can either communicate too little or too much with nonmarketing managers. If they interact too infrequently, they run the risk of not understanding the way to most effectively communicate market information. If they communicate too much, they may overload the manager with too much information and erode the overall quality of the information sent. In addition, some modes of communication are more effective in improving perceptions of the quality of market information. For instance, regular e-mail sent by marketing managers seems to have no effect on perceived information quality. On the other hand, e-mail sent with supporting documentation can have a strong positive effect on perceived information quality. Impromptu phone calls by marketing have less positive effects than scheduled phone calls. Interestingly, too much of the wrong types of communication actually seem to reduce perceptions of perceived information quality, and consequently the likelihood that market information will be used. The study also suggests that certain kinds of communication are better for manufacturing managers and others more effective in sharing information with R&D managers. For instance, disseminating information through written reports seems to reduce perceived information quality. This is particularly true for R&D managers. On the other hand too many meetings can reduce perceptions of PIQ, particularly on the part of manufacturing managers. Implications for theory and practice are discussed. [source] Soft constraints in interactive behavior: the case of ignoring perfect knowledge in-the-world for imperfect knowledge in-the-head,,COGNITIVE SCIENCE - A MULTIDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL, Issue 3 2004Wayne D. Gray Abstract Constraints and dependencies among the elements of embodied cognition form patterns or microstrategies of interactive behavior. Hard constraints determine which microstrategies are possible. Soft constraints determine which of the possible microstrategies are most likely to be selected. When selection is non-deliberate or automatic the least effort microstrategy is chosen. In calculating the effort required to execute a microstrategy each of the three types of operations, memory retrieval, perception, and action, are given equal weight; that is, perceptual-motor activity does not have a privileged status with respect to memory. Soft constraints can work contrary to the designer's intentions by making the access of perfect knowledge in-the-world more effortful than the access of imperfect knowledge in-the-head. These implications of soft constraints are tested in two experiments. In experiment 1 we varied the perceptual-motor effort of accessing knowledge in-the-world as well as the effort of retrieving items from memory. In experiment 2 we replicated one of the experiment 1 conditions to collect eye movement data. The results suggest that milliseconds matter. Soft constraints lead to a reliance on knowledge in-the-head even when the absolute difference in perceptual-motor versus memory retrieval effort is small, and even when relying on memory leads to a higher error rate and lower performance. We discuss the implications of soft constraints for routine interactive behavior, accounts of embodied cognition, and tool and interface design. [source] Least-squared ordered weighted averaging operator weightsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS, Issue 1 2008Byeong Seok Ahn The ordered weighted averaging (OWA) operator by Yager (IEEE Trans Syst Man Cybern 1988; 18; 183,190) has received much more attention since its appearance. One key point in the OWA operator is to determine its associated weights. Among numerous methods that have appeared in the literature, we notice the maximum entropy OWA (MEOWA) weights that are determined by taking into account two appealing measures characterizing the OWA weights. Instead of maximizing the entropy in the formulation for determining the MEOWA weights, a new method in the paper tries to obtain the OWA weights that are evenly spread out around equal weights as much as possible while strictly satisfying the orness value provided in the program. This consideration leads to the least-squared OWA (LSOWA) weighting method in which the program is to obtain the weights that minimize the sum of deviations from the equal weights since entropy is maximized when all the weights are equal. Above all, the LSOWA method allocates the positive and negative portions to the equal weights that are identical but opposite in sign from the middle point in the number of criteria. Furthermore, interval LSOWA weights can be constructed when a decision maker specifies his or her orness value in uncertain numerical bounds and we present a method, with those uncertain interval LSOWA weights, for prioritizing alternatives that are evaluated by multiple criteria. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] The value of assessing weights in multi-criteria portfolio decision analysisJOURNAL OF MULTI CRITERIA DECISION ANALYSIS, Issue 5-6 2008Jeffrey M. KeislerArticle first published online: 28 SEP 200 Abstract Analytic efforts in support of portfolio decisions can be applied with varying levels of intensity. To gain insight about how to match the effort to the situation, we simulate a portfolio of potential projects and compare portfolio performance under a range of analytic strategies. Each project is scored with respect to several attributes in a linear additive value model. Projects are ranked in order of value per unit cost and funded until the budget is exhausted. Assuming these weights and scores are correct, and the funding decisions made this way are optimal, this process is a gold standard against which to compare other decision processes. In particular, a baseline process would fund projects essentially at random, and we may estimate the value added by various decision processes above this worst case as a percentage of the increase arising from the optimal process. We consider several stylized decision rules and combinations of them: using equal weights, picking one attribute at random, assessing weights from a single randomly selected stakeholder. Simulation results are then used to identify which conditions tend to make which types of analytic strategies valuable, and to identify useful hybrid strategies. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A Conceptual Framework for Computing U.S. Non-manufacturing PMI IndexesJOURNAL OF SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2007Danny I. Cho SUMMARY This research develops a conceptual framework for computing new weighted composite indexes for the U.S. non-manufacturing sector using a two-step sequential approach , a correlation analysis, followed by a principal components analysis. The results suggest that different weights (i.e., the highest weight to New orders and the lowest weight to Supply deliveries) be assigned if all diffusion indexes in the initial set of six are retained. It also turns out that a simpler index based on two (New orders and Supply deliveries) of the six diffusion indexes, with equal weights, can be computed with little information loss. The new indexes are shown to correlate highly with many key business/economic indicators. [source] Using Lagrangean relaxation to minimize the weighted number of late jobs on a single machineNAVAL RESEARCH LOGISTICS: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 3 2003Stéphane Dauzère-Pérès This paper tackles the general single machine scheduling problem, where jobs have different release and due dates and the objective is to minimize the weighted number of late jobs. The notion of master sequence is first introduced, i.e., a sequence that contains at least an optimal sequence of jobs on time. This master sequence is used to derive an original mixed-integer linear programming formulation. By relaxing some constraints, a Lagrangean relaxation algorithm is designed which gives both lower and upper bounds. The special case where jobs have equal weights is analyzed. Computational results are presented and, although the duality gap becomes larger with the number of jobs, it is possible to solve problems of more than 100 jobs. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 50: 2003 [source] Phylogeny of the Pantomorus,Naupactus complex based on morphological and molecular data (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)CLADISTICS, Issue 2 2005María A. Scataglini The Pantomorus,Naupactus complex is a Neotropical group of broad-nosed weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) including several parthenogenetic species usually assigned to the genera Naupactus Dejean, Pantomorus Schoenherr, Asynonychus Crotch, Aramigus Horn, Eurymetopus Schoenherr and Graphognathus Buchanan. Sixteen species were studied to test hypotheses on the monophyly of these genera, and on the origin of the parthenogenetic lineages. A matrix of 30 morphological characters and 999 positions of the Cytochrome Oxidase I gene, was analyzed with separate partitions and simultaneously, under equal and implied weights, and with different transversion/transitions costs. The ILD test indicates that the incongruence between the molecular and morphological data is not significant. Under equal weights, the molecular data resulted in a single tree and morphology in 34 trees; under implied weights morphology gave a different tree, and under TV:TS ,,4:1 molecular and combined analyses resulted in the same optimal tree. According to the latter, Naupactus includes Graphognathus, and is thus paraphyletic and basal regarding remaining genera, Pantomorus is polyphyletic and includes Aramigus and Asynonychus, and Eurymetopus is monophyletic. The species in which apomictic parthenogenesis has been verified (Aramigus tessellatus, Asynonychus cervinus and Graphognathus lecuoloma), belong to different clades of the Pantomorus-Naupactus complex, with basal sexual relatives. © The Willi Hennig Society 2005. [source] Phylogeny of Nerillidae (Polychaeta, Annelida) as inferred from combined 18S rDNA and morphological dataCLADISTICS, Issue 2 2005Katrine Worsaae A phylogeny of the meiofaunal polychaete family Nerillidae based on morphological, molecular and combined data is presented here. The data sets comprise nearly complete sequences of 18S rDNA and 40 morphological characters of 17 taxa. Sequences were analyzed simultaneously with the morphological data by direct optimization in the program POY, with a variety of parameter sets (costs of gaps: transversions: transitions). Three outgroups were selected from the major polychaete group Aciculata and one from Scolecida. The 13 nerillid species from 11 genera were monophyletic in all analyses with very high support, and three new apomorphies for Nerillidae are identified. The topology of the ingroup varied according to the various parameter settings. Reducing the number of outgroups to one decreased the variance among the phylogenetic hypotheses. The congruence among these was tested and a parameter set, with equal weights (222) and extension gap weighted 1, yielded minimum incongruence (ILD). Several terminal clades of the combined analysis were highly supported, as well as the position of Leptonerilla prospera as sister terminal to the other nerillids. The evolution of morphological characters such as segment numbers, chaetae, appendages and ciliation are traced and discussed. A regressive pathway within Nerillidae is indicated for several characters, however, generally implying several convergent losses. Numerous genera are shown to require revision. © The Willi Hennig Society 2005. [source] | ||||||||||||||||