Clustering data continues to be a highly active area of data analysis, and resemblance profiles are being incorporated into ecological methodologies as a hypothesis testing-based approach to clustering multivariate data. However, these new clustering techniques have not been rigorously tested to determine the performance variability based on the algorithm's assumptions or any underlying data st...

We present a diagnosis system which combines the outputs of several classifiers performing local generation on the French Telephone Network. This data fusion process takes into account alarms occurring at different times and space locations. This allows to considerably improve upon the performances of a previous diagnosis system which relies only on local decisions.

In this paper we address the issue realizing efficient and equitable utilization of limited resources by collective decision of interacting heterogeneous agents. There is no presumption that collective action of interacting agents leads to collectively satisfactory results without any central authority. How well agents do for it in adapting to their environment is not the same thing as how sati...

Simulating ecological models is always a difficult task, not only because of its complexity but also due to the slowness associated with each simulation run as more variables and processes are incorporated into the complex ecosystem model. The computational overhead becomes a very important limitation for model calibration and scenario analysis, due to the large number of model runs generally r...

Background: A decision tree has been developed for evaluating risks posed by combined exposures to multiple chemicals. The decision tree divides combined exposures of humans and ecological receptors into groups where one or more components are a concern by themselves, where risks from the combined exposures are of low concern, and where there is a concern for the effects from the combined expos...

Analogy and metaphor are figurative forms of communication that help people integrate new information with prior knowledge to facilitate comprehension and appropriate inferences. The novelty and versatility of the Web place cognitive burdens on learners that can be overcome through the use of analogies and metaphors. This paper explores three uses of figurative communication as design elements ...

There is a certain excitement in vision science concerning the idea of applying the tools of Bayesian decision theory to explain our perceptual capacities. Bayesian models – or ‘predictive coding models’ – are thought to be needed to explain how the inverse problem of perception is solved, and to rescue a certain constructivist and Kantian way of understanding the perceptual process (Clark 2012...

Biodiversity measurement, comparison and related hotspot geoinformatics are challenging issues and opportunities in the twenty-first century of statistical ecology, environmental statistics, risk analysis, knowledge discovery, decision making, and decision support in the age of ecological, environmental, and socio-economic indicators. This paper covers diversity measurement and comparison, dive...

social learning and knowledge generation are two key factors to achieve successful natural resources co-management. social learning can be beneficial by broadcasting and transmitting experiences and problem solving ideas in a group of people. social learning networks can transmit knowledge and experiences from one node to another in the network. social learning can produce a suitable learning a...

An updated trophic model of the southern Benguela ecosystem in the period 2004−2008 was constructed, complementing trophic models for earlier periods. The model represents the trophic structure of the system after a southward shift of major resources. There was an increase in biomass of small pelagic fish and cephalopods between the 1980s and 2004–2008 periods, accompanied by declines in severa...