A DEA-TOPSIS method for multiple criteria decision analysis in emergency management

A hybrid approach of DEA (data envelopment analysis) and TOPSIS (technique for order performance (preference) by similarity to ideal solution) is proposed for multiple criteria decision analysis in emergency management. Two DEA-based optimization models are constructed to facilitate identifying parameter information regarding criterion weights and quantifying qualitative criteria in TOPSIS. An emergency management case study utilizing data from the Emergency Management Australia (EMA) Disasters Database is provided to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed analysis procedure.     

中国竹类真菌资源和多样性(英文)

本文作者对中国竹类真菌的研究历史、多样性、生活史、地理分布、寄主选择性、组织选择性和竹类真菌的演替作了文献综述。至今中国大陆已经报道了 189种包括 75属竹类真菌 ;此外在香港还报道了 79种包括 58属的竹类真菌。这些竹类真菌大多数是子囊菌 ,其次为担子菌和半知菌。柄锈科 (Pucciniaceae)种类多样性最丰富 ,有 2 0种 ;次之为黑痣菌科 (Phyllachoraceae)有 15种 ,炭角菌科 (Xylariaceae)有 9种 ,煤炱科 (Capnodiaceae)有 8种。     

Value-entanglement and the integrity of scientific research

Throughout much of the 20th century, philosophers of science maintained a position known as the value-free ideal, which holds that non-epistemic (e.g., moral, social, political, or economic) values should not influence the evaluation and acceptance of scientific results. In the last few decades, many philosophers of science have rejected this position by arguing that non-epistemic values can and should play an important role in scientific judgment and decision-making in a variety of contexts, including the evaluation and acceptance of scientific results. Rejecting the value-free ideal creates some new and vexing problems, however. One of these is that relinquishing this philosophical doctrine may undermine the integrity of scientific research if practicing scientists decide to allow non-epistemic values to impact their judgment and decision-making. A number of prominent philosophers of science have sought to show how one can reject the value-free ideal without compromising the integrity of scientific research. In this paper, we examine and critique their views and offer our own proposal for protecting and promoting scientific integrity. We argue that the literature on research ethics and its focus on adherence to norms, rules, policies, and procedures that together promote the aims of science can provide a promising foundation for building an account of scientific integrity. These norms, rules, policies, and procedures provide a level of specificity that is lacking in most philosophical discussions of science and values, and they suggest an important set of tasks for those working in science and values—namely, assessing, justifying, and prioritizing them. Thus, we argue that bringing together the literature on research ethics with the literature on science and values will enrich both areas and generate a more sophisticated and detailed account of scientific integrity.     

Inference to the best explanation and Norton's material theory of induction

I argue that we should consider Norton's material theory of induction as consisting of two largely independent claims. First, there is the claim that material facts license inductions - a claim which I interpret as a type of contextualism about induction. Second, there is the claim that there are no universal rules of induction. While a good case can be made for the first claim, I believe that Norton's arguments for the second claim are lacking. In particular, I spell out Norton's argument against the claim that all induction may be reduced to inference to the best explanation, and argue that it is not persuasive. Rejecting this part of Norton's theory does not however require us to abandon the first claim that material facts license inductions. In this way, I distinguish the parts of the material theory of induction we should happily accept from the parts about which we should be more skeptical.     

Forecasting using high‐frequency data: a comparison of asymmetric financial duration models

The first purpose of this paper is to assess the short‐run forecasting capabilities of two competing financial duration models. The forecast performance of the Autoregressive Conditional Multinomial–Autoregressive Conditional Duration (ACM‐ACD) model is better than the Asymmetric Autoregressive Conditional Duration (AACD) model. However, the ACM‐ACD model is more complex in terms of the computational setting and is more sensitive to starting values. The second purpose is to examine the effects of market microstructure on the forecasting performance of the two models. The results indicate that the forecast performance of the models generally decreases as the liquidity of the stock increases, with the exception of the most liquid stocks. Furthermore, a simple filter of the raw data improves the performance of both models. Finally, the results suggest that both models capture the characteristics of the micro data very well with a minimum sample length of 20 days. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

星系对选择的新方法讨论

了解星系对的空间分布和随时间的演化是研究星系的形成和演化的重要手段之一,而其中完备星系对样本的选择是研究的关键.比起光学波段,在红外波段选择和观测星系对有很多优势.介绍了利用红外望远镜Spitzer卫星的SWIRE(the Spitzer Wide-area Infra Red Extragalactic survey)数据选择完备星系对样本的新方法,比较分析了星系对选源标准,得到了初步星系对样本.     

Douglas on values: From indirect roles to multiple goals

In recent papers and a book, Heather Douglas has expanded on the well-known argument from inductive risk, thereby launching an influential contemporary critique of the value-free ideal for science. This paper distills Douglas’s critique into four major claims. The first three claims provide a significant challenge to the value-free ideal for science. However, the fourth claim, which delineates her positive proposal to regulate values in science by distinguishing direct and indirect roles for values, is ambiguous between two interpretations, and both have weaknesses. Fortunately, two elements of Douglas’s work that have previously received much less emphasis (namely, her comments about the goals of scientific activity and the ethics of communicating about values) provide resources for developing a more promising approach for regulating values in science.     

Leafhopper assemblages on native and reseeded grasslands in southwestern Montana

Using sweep samples, we surveyed leafhoppers (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) on grassland sites in the Gallatin Valley of Montana during 1988 and 1991. We sampled 12 sites representing 2 habitat types defined by their dominant plant species in an undisturbed state ( Stipa comata / Bouteloua gracilis and Festuca idahoensis / Agropyron spicatum ). At half of the sites the native plant communities were present, whereas the remainder had been reseeded with either Agropyron spicatum (to replace the S. comata / B. gracilis assemblage ) or Bromus inermis (to replace the F. idahoensis / A. spicatum assemblage). We found at least 66 species of leafhoppers among 44,428 adults collected. Seven taxa comprised 83% of all individuals collected: Doratura stylata (26%), Ceratagallia spp. (18%), Endria inimica (17%), Orocastus perpusillus (7%), Sorhoanus spp. (6%), Athysanella spp. (5%), and Psammotettix lividellus (4%). Sites with similar vegetation had broadly similar leafhopper assemblages, and assemblages differed most between the relatively xeric Stipa comata / Bouteloua gracilis sites and the more mesic sites dominated by Bromus inermis . The composition of a leafhopper assemblage at a site tended to be more similar to those on noncontiguous sites with the same overall vegetation than to those on contiguous sites with different vegetation. These patterns are likely related to the fact that many Cicadellidae are host specialists. In fact, variation in abundance of some of the most common leafhopper taxa on our sites was correlated with the percent cover of their known host plants. Our analyses of the leafhopper assemblages generally support the contention that terrestrial plant associations are among the more useful indicators of insect community composition.     

三峡库区湿地研究进展 (三峡地区资源环境生态研究)

对当前三峡库区消落带新生湿地的相关研究进展进行了分类综述，主要包括三峡库区湿地植物生态学研究、湿地生态环境问题研究、湿地保护与可持续利用研究、湿地土壤理化性质研究等4个方面。然而，现有研究中存在的一些不足，主要包括：基础理论与实践研究不够深入；与周边环境耦合关系研究较少；动态研究不足；湿地的空间分布与类型划分不明确；与全球变化关系研究十分薄弱。最后指出，三峡库区湿地研究必将是多学科交叉研究；湿地生态系统的恢复与重构，生态系统演替的长期监测，湿地开发与利用在相当长一段时间内仍是热点；长期定位观测技术、“3S”技术、计算机模拟等技术与方法将会广泛应用于三峡库区湿地的研究。
     

Sodium-dependent uptake of inorganic phosphate by the intracellular malaria parasite

As the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, grows within its host erythrocyte it induces an increase in the permeability of the erythrocyte membrane to a range of low-molecular-mass solutes, including Na+ and K+ (ref. 1). This results in a progressive increase in the concentration of Na+ in the erythrocyte cytosol. The parasite cytosol has a relatively low Na+ concentration and there is therefore a large inward Na+ gradient across the parasite plasma membrane. Here we show that the parasite exploits the Na+ electrochemical gradient to energize the uptake of inorganic phosphate (P(i)), an essential nutrient. P(i) was taken up into the intracellular parasite by a Na+-dependent transporter, with a stoichiometry of 2Na+:1P(i) and with an apparent preference for the monovalent over the divalent form of P(i). A P(i) transporter (PfPiT) belonging to the PiT family was cloned from the parasite and localized to the parasite surface. Expression of PfPiT in Xenopus oocytes resulted in Na+-dependent P(i) uptake with characteristics similar to those observed for P(i) uptake in the parasite. This study provides new insight into the significance of the malaria-parasite-induced alteration of the ionic composition of its host cell.