Inappropriate Tools Research Articles

Ecosystem services: The economics debate

The goal of this paper is to illuminate the debate concerning the economics of ecosystem services. The sustainability debate focuses on whether or not ecosystem services are essential for human welfare and the existence of ecological thresholds. If ecosystem services are essential, then marginal analysis and monetary valuation are inappropriate tools in the vicinity of thresholds. The justice debate focuses on who is entitled to ecosystem services and the ecosystem structure that generates them. Answers to these questions have profound implications for the choice of suitable economic institutions. The efficiency debate concerns both the goals of economic activity and the mechanisms best suited to achieve those goals. Conventional economists pursue Pareto efficiency and the maximization of monetary value, achieved by integrating ecosystem services into the market framework. Ecological economists and many others pursue the less rigorously defined goal of achieving the highest possible quality of life compatible with the conservation of resilient, healthy ecosystems, achieved by adapting economic institutions to the physical characteristics of ecosystem services. The concept of ecosystem services is a valuable tool for economic analysis, and should not be discarded because of disagreements with particular economists' assumptions regarding sustainability, justice and efficiency.

OntoCheck: verifying ontology naming conventions and metadata completeness in Protégé 4

BackgroundAlthough policy providers have outlined minimal metadata guidelines and naming conventions, ontologies of today still display inter- and intra-ontology heterogeneities in class labelling schemes and metadata completeness. This fact is at least partially due to missing or inappropriate tools. Software support can ease this situation and contribute to overall ontology consistency and quality by helping to enforce such conventions.ObjectiveWe provide a plugin for the Protégé Ontology editor to allow for easy checks on compliance towards ontology naming conventions and metadata completeness, as well as curation in case of found violations.ImplementationIn a requirement analysis, derived from a prior standardization approach carried out within the OBO Foundry, we investigate the needed capabilities for software tools to check, curate and maintain class naming conventions. A Protégé tab plugin was implemented accordingly using the Protégé 4.1 libraries. The plugin was tested on six different ontologies. Based on these test results, the plugin could be refined, also by the integration of new functionalities.ResultsThe new Protégé plugin, OntoCheck, allows for ontology tests to be carried out on OWL ontologies. In particular the OntoCheck plugin helps to clean up an ontology with regard to lexical heterogeneity, i.e. enforcing naming conventions and metadata completeness, meeting most of the requirements outlined for such a tool. Found test violations can be corrected to foster consistency in entity naming and meta-annotation within an artefact. Once specified, check constraints like name patterns can be stored and exchanged for later re-use. Here we describe a first version of the software, illustrate its capabilities and use within running ontology development efforts and briefly outline improvements resulting from its application. Further, we discuss OntoChecks capabilities in the context of related tools and highlight potential future expansions.ConclusionsThe OntoCheck plugin facilitates labelling error detection and curation, contributing to lexical quality assurance in OWL ontologies. Ultimately, we hope this Protégé extension will ease ontology alignments as well as lexical post-processing of annotated data and hence can increase overall secondary data usage by humans and computers.

The evaluation of importance of safety behaviors in a steel manufacturer by entropy.

This study aimed to evaluate the workers safety behavior and to determine the importance of each unsafe behavior in an Iranian steel manufacturing company. This study was conducted in Mobareke steel manufacturing company, which is located in the middle of Iran, in 2007. The methodology was based on the safety behavior sampling (SBS) technique and entropy. After specifying the unsafe behaviors and with reference to the results of a pilot study a sample of 3248 was determined, with a sampling accuracy of 5% and confidence level of 95%. The results indicated that 41.8% of workers behaviors were unsafe. The most frequent unsafe behaviors were inappropriate use of personal protective equipments (PPEs) with 32% of total unsafe behaviors. The results also notified a significant relationship between age, job experience and educational level on unsafe behaviors (P< 0.05). The highest weight, which is obtained by entropy, belongs to using inappropriate tools with weight of 0.1425. The ultimate findings of the study showed that a considerable number of workers' behaviors were unsafe, which is one of the main antecedents of industrial accidents. Considering catastrophic consequences of accidents in steel manufacturing industry, the results emphasize on diminishing unsafe behaviors and recommends applying behavior based safety principles.

Parts of the Whole: Teachers and the Work They Do

Parts of the Whole: Teachers and the Work They Do

Questionable 16S ribosomal RNA gene annotations are frequent in completed microbial genomes

According to recent reports, many ribosomal RNA gene annotations are still questionable, and the use of inappropriate tools for annotation has been blamed. However, we believe that the abundant 16S rRNA partial sequence in the databases, mainly created by culture-independent PCR methods, is another main cause of the ambiguous annotations of 16S rRNA. To examine the current status of 16S rRNA gene annotations in complete microbial genomes, we used as a criterion the conserved anti-SD sequence, located at the 3′ end of the 16S rRNA gene, which is commonly overlooked by culture-independent PCR methods. In our large survey, 859 16S rRNA gene sequences from 252 different species of the microbial complete genomes were inspected. 67 species (234 genes) were detected with ambiguous annotations. The common anti-SD sequence and other conserved 16S rRNA sequence features could be detected in the downstream-intergenic regions for almost every questionable sequence, indicating that many of the 16S rRNA genes were annotated incorrectly. Furthermore, we found that more than 91.5% of the 93,716 sequences of the available 16S rRNA in the main databases are partial sequences. We also performed BLAST analysis for every questionable rRNA sequence, and most of the best hits in the analysis were rRNA partial sequences. This result indicates that partial sequences are prevalent in the databases, and that these sequences have significantly affected the accuracy of microbial genomic annotation. We suggest that the annotation of 16S rRNA genes in newly complete microbial genomes must be done in more detail, and that revision of questionable rRNA annotations should commence as soon as possible.

Studying visual practices in construction

The significance of the Building Research & Information special issue on ‘Visual Practices: Images of Knowledge Work’ (2007) is that it provides a window on a different and, in some ways, alternative mode of describing and theorizing the work of design professionals through the visual dimension of construction work, and it offers a more realistic view of visual practices. It shows that design activity is not a linear process composed of steps or phases; instead, design practice can be better understood as a social and material choreography. Three important themes emerge. First, visual artefacts have an active role in making things happen in the construction process. An enhanced understanding can prevent the blunders deriving from using inappropriate tools. Second, visual artefacts only become meaningful when applied within the context of a complex and ‘messy’ practice through understanding the interconnections of people, things, and discourses. The capacity of visual materials to contribute actively to the design process strongly depends on when different artefacts are introduced, their relation to specific activities, and how they are used in conjunction with other tools. Third, visual practices have an important capacity to support or prevent collaboration of different and, at times, distant parties and interests. Visual artefacts can operate as ‘boundary objects’, thereby creating a simultaneous response to different concerns and serving as common points of reference. L'intérêt de ce numéro spécial du Building Research & Information consacré au thème ‘Visual Practices: Images of Knowledge Work’ (2007) est qu'il ouvre une fenêtre sur un mode différent et, en quelque sorte, alternatif de la description et de la théorisation du travail des professionnels de la conception en passant par la dimension visuelle du travail de construction; ce numéro spécial offre également une vue plus réaliste des pratiques visuelles. Il démontre que l'activité de conception n'est pas une procédure linéaire composée d'étapes ou de phases; au contraire, la pratique de la conception peut être mieux comprise si on la compare à une chorégraphie sociale et matérielle. Trois thèmes importants émergent. En premier lieu, les artefacts visuels jouent un rôle actif puisqu'ils font que des choses se produisent pendant le processus de construction. Une meilleure compréhension peut empêcher les fautes dues à l'usage d'outils inappropriés. En deuxième lieu, les artefacts visuels ne prennent un sens que lorsqu'ils sont appliqués dans le contexte d'une pratique complexe et désordonnée passant par la compréhension des interconnexions entre personnes, choses et discours. La capacité des matériaux visuels à contribuer activement au processus de conception dépend étroitement du moment où des artefacts différents sont introduits, de leur relation avec des activités spécifiques et de la façon dont ils sont utilisés conjointement avec d'autres outils. En troisième lieu, les pratiques visuelles ont une importante capacité à contribuer à la collaboration de parties et d'intérêts différents, parfois distants, ou à empêcher cette collaboration. Les artefacts visuels peuvent fonctionner comme des ‘objets frontières’, créant ainsi une réponse simultanée aux différentes préoccupations et servant de points de référence communs. collaboration communication processus de conception échange de connaissances connaissance localisée contexte social pratiques visuelles

Statistical tests as inappropriate tools for data analysis performed on non-random samples of plant communities

Many authors apply statistical tests to sets of releves obtained using non-random methods to investigate phytosociological and ecological relationships. Frequently applied tests include thet-test, ANOVA, Mann-Whitney test, Kruskal-Wallis test, chi-square test (of independence, goodness-of-fit, and homogeneity), Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, concentration analysis, tests of linear correlation and Spearman rank correlation coefficient, computer intensive methods (such as randomization and re-sampling) and others. I examined the extent of reliability of the results of such tests applied to non-random data by examining the tests requirements according to statistical theory. I conclude that when used for such data, the statistical tests do not provide reliable support for the inferences made because non-randomness of samples violated the demand for observations to be independent, and different parts of the investigated communities did not have equal chance to be represented in the sample. Additional requirements, e.g. of normality and homoscedasticity, were also neglected in several cases. The importance of data satisfying the basic requirements set by statistical tests is stressed.

Turbidite bed thickness distributions: methods and pitfalls of analysis and modelling

AbstractTurbidite bed thickness distributions are often interpreted in terms of power laws, even when there are significant departures from a single straight line on a log–log exceedence probability plot. Alternatively, these distributions have been described by a lognormal mixture model. Statistical methods used to analyse and distinguish the two models (power law and lognormal mixture) are presented here. In addition, the shortcomings of some frequently applied techniques are discussed, using a new data set from the Tarcău Sandstone of the East Carpathians, Romania, and published data from the Marnoso‐Arenacea Formation of Italy. Log–log exceedence plots and least squares fitting by themselves are inappropriate tools for the analysis of bed thickness distributions; they must be accompanied by the assessment of other types of diagrams (cumulative probability, histogram of log‐transformed values, q–q plots) and the use of a measure of goodness‐of‐fit other than R2, such as the chi‐square or the Kolmogorov–Smirnov statistics. When interpreting data that do not follow a single straight line on a log–log exceedence plot, it is important to take into account that ‘segmented’ power laws are not simple mixtures of power law populations with arbitrary parameters. Although a simple model of flow confinement does result in segmented plots at the centre of a basin, the segmented shape of the exceedence curve breaks down as the sampling location moves away from the basin centre. The lognormal mixture model is a sedimentologically intuitive alternative to the power law distribution. The expectation–maximization algorithm can be used to estimate the parameters and thus to model lognormal bed thickness mixtures. Taking into account these observations, the bed thickness data from the Tarcău Sandstone are best described by a lognormal mixture model with two components. Compared with the Marnoso‐Arenacea Formation, in which bed thicknesses of thin beds have a larger variability than thicknesses of the thicker beds, the thinner‐bedded population of the Tarcău Sandstone has a lower variability than the thicker‐bedded population. Such differences might reflect contrasting depositional settings, such as the difference between channel levées and basin plains.

Exploring genomic dark matter: A critical assessment of the performance of homology search methods on noncoding RNA

Homology search is one of the most ubiquitous bioinformatic tasks, yet it is unknown how effective the currently available tools are for identifying noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs). In this work, we use reliable ncRNA data sets to assess the effectiveness of methods such as BLAST, FASTA, HMMer, and Infernal. Surprisingly, the most popular homology search methods are often the least accurate. As a result, many studies have used inappropriate tools for their analyses. On the basis of our results, we suggest homology search strategies using the currently available tools and some directions for future development.

Grid'5000: A Large Scale And Highly Reconfigurable Experimental Grid Testbed

Large scale distributed systems such as Grids are difficult to study from theoretical models and simulators only. Most Grids deployed at large scale are production platforms that are inappropriate research tools because of their limited reconfiguration, control and monitoring capabilities. In this paper, we present Grid'5000, a 5000 CPU nation-wide infrastructure for research in Grid computing. Grid'5000 is designed to provide a scientific tool for computer scientists similar to the large-scale instruments used by physicists, astronomers, and biologists. We describe the motivations, design considerations, architecture, control, and monitoring infrastructure of this experimental platform. We present configuration examples and performance results for the reconfiguration subsystem.

Quality and reliability of routine coagulation testing: can we trust that sample?

Poor standardization of preanalytic variables exerts a strong influence on the reliability of coagulation testing, consuming valuable health care resources and compromising patient outcome. Most uncertainties emerge from patient misidentification and the procedures for specimen collection and handling. Location of unsuitable venous access or problematic phlebotomies may produce spurious activation of the hemostatic system and hemolytic specimens. Prolonged venous stasis is associated with hemoconcentration and spurious variations of most coagulation assays. Additional pitfalls can be introduced by inappropriate phlebotomy tools and small-gauge needles. Inappropriate filling and mixing of the tube, unsuitable procedures for centrifugation and storage of the specimens are additional aspects that need accurate standardization. Besides traditional preanalytic variables affecting routine coagulation testing, thrombin-generation assays require specific criteria to be accurately fulfilled. These aspects include the type of specimen (platelet-poor plasma, platelet-rich plasma or whole blood), blood collection tubes, storage conditions and the presence of residual platelets. Compliance with new international quality assessment programs, which will also involve coagulation laboratories, encompasses the adoption of suitable strategies for reducing undue variability throughout the whole testing process. Such strategies would not entail extraordinary costs and are affordable with a structured outlay of existing resources, educational policies and compliance with reliable guidelines.

Geospatial Data Infrastructure Portals: Using the National Atlas as a Metaphor

The concept of geospatial data infrastructure (GDI) has been put into practice in some countries by providing portals allowing users to search for multiple geospatial data sets. Our review and inquiry activities show that current portals suffer from two potential setbacks: inappropriate navigation tools and a lack of supports for users’ understanding. This article defines a new approach to portal development using the atlas as metaphor. This allows the atlas to be used not only to access assorted thematic maps but also to discover data sets. Within the atlas, an information structure plays an important role in organizing the content. Metadata published by providers are incorporated into this structure as metadata summaries. Based upon the topical relevancy of the data, each metadata summary is linked to a specific map within a particular topic. These summaries can be represented as symbols to support discovery tasks, either loosely or strictly defined. Browsing can be used to deal with the first via navigations and map interfaces. Searching can be used to deal with the second via explorer and search presentation interfaces. A working prototype to enable users to browse and search is built as a Flash-based ArcIMS client. Whether browsing or searching, users are offered interfaces to effectively assess data suitability.

Prototype System for Knowledge Problem Definition

Attitudes to knowledge management (KM) have changed considerably as organizations are now realizing its benefits. Implementation, however, has been facing serious difficulties attributed either to not being able to anticipate the barriers when planning KM strategies or to using inappropriate methods and tools for implementation. These difficulties are more critical in construction due to the fragmented nature of the industry. This paper suggests that proper definition of a KM problem at the early stages of developing the KM initiatives will result in better control over the KM barriers. A methodology for identifying KM problems within a business context is then introduced. The methodology is encapsulated into a prototype software system, which facilitates its deployment in organizations and provides online help facilities. The methodology, development, operation, and evaluation of the prototype are described. The paper concludes that the prototype offers considerable potential for delivering a clarified KM problem and a distilled set of issues for an organization to address. This represents a significant first step in any KM initiative.

Monitoring Snow-Cover Depletion by Coupling Satellite Imagery with a Distributed Snowmelt Model

Many watersheds in Canada and in the northern United States see most of their precipitation in the form of snow. Many of these watersheds are the sites of important hydropower development projects. During snowmelt, watershed managers require information on snowpack depletion in order to optimize power production while minimizing flooding risk. In many cases, management techniques are based on simple correlations extracted from data collected in previous years or on inappropriate tools for data interpretation. Both of these factors can affect the reliability of forecasts and result in production losses or increased risk in downstream areas. This paper presents an approach to improve snowmelt forecasts. A simple distributed snowmelt model based on the degree-days approach is used to predict snowmelt based on weather forecasts. To improve forecasts, a feedback algorithm is presented that allows for real-time model adjustment using the integration of NOAA-AVHRR remote sensing data. A case study is presented based on a central Quebec watershed for the 1999 snowmelt season. This watershed is mostly under the management of Alcan Inc., which uses hydropower for the production of aluminum in its Jonquière, Que., Canada plant. A real-time simulation was carried out that resulted in a significant improvement of the timing of the flood peak forecast. With only one satellite image, the forecasting error of the flood peak was decreased by 5days (from 7 to 2) and reduced to less than 1day with the use of a second image, acquired 2days later. For this watershed, each one-day improvement in the timing of the peak flood forecast is worth tens of thousands of dollars in hydropower.

Hunting metaphysical snarks

They sought it with thimbles, they sought it with care;They pursued it with forks and hope;They threatened its life with a railway share;They charmed it with smiles and soap.The snark is pursued with forks and hope. The hunters are unclear about where to find it, and the appropriate methods for catching it, because they are not even clear what it is that they are seeking. We do not pursue metaphysical quarry with forks, although we often pursue such quarry with inappropriate logical tools and misplaced hope, for often we are equally confused about what it is we are seeking, and the appropriate methods for finding it. So what we find may be very surprising: we may find that there is nothing to find.

Prioritizing barriers to successful business process re‐engineering (BPR) efforts in Saudi Arabian construction industry

Engaging in business process re‐engineering (BPR) efforts could prove to be highly rewarding for construction companies in Saudi Arabia. However, BPR is risky and could be disastrous if not properly approached. To enable sound BPR efforts and increase success chances, thorough investigation of barriers is essential. This study presents 29 barriers, with their influence (strength) on the success of BPR initiatives. Additionally, these barriers are ranked according to the ease of overcoming each. Finally, a graphical aid is provided to enable decision makers to concentrate their efforts on the most influential (strongest), yet easiest to overcome barriers. Following inadequate approach, affected people not informed, culture of construction firms, using inappropriate tools, using external consultants, undefined core processes, and fear and resistance to change are the most important barriers to successful BPR endeavours.

With all this intelligence, why don't we have better strategies?

PurposeTo describe reasons why companies make bad strategy decisions despite having the most capable, motivated, experienced, well‐equipped strategists in history. To recommend practical changes companies can implement to improve strategy decision‐making.Design/methodology/approachWhy do bad strategy decisions get made when so much effort goes into making them well? After all, no one gets up in the morning intending to make bad strategy decisions. This paper draws on the author's experience in scores of business war games and strategy simulations in Fortune 500 firms around the world and on the author's observations in 30 years of designing and implementing quantitative business tools.FindingsHelps strategists uncover sources of bad strategy decisions that might not be recognized in their companies, such as overconfidence, use of inappropriate analytical tools, and excessive emphasis on accountability. Discusses remedies and alternatives such as strategy simulation, business war games, examination of uncertainty, and competitor role‐playing. IncludesPractical implicationsImproving the quality of strategy decision‐making can hugely affect the bottom line and be a potent source of competitive advantage.Originality/valueStrategy decisions are among the highest‐leverage actions management can take. This paper offers new ideas to strategists who want to make better strategy decisions, and identifies conventional solutions to avoid.

An overview of animal welfare issues in Kenya

Animal welfare is the physical and psychological state of an animal as regards its attempt to cope with the environment. An animal\'s welfare is compromised if it does not enjoy the five fundamental freedoms, namely: freedom from hunger or thirst; freedom from thermal or physical discomfort; freedom from pain, injury and disease; freedom from fear and distress and; freedom to indulge in normal behavior patterns. In recent times, animal welfare has developed into a science with growing amount of research whose outcomes have led to reforms in animal welfare legislation and improved conditions for production animals, research animals and those kept in captivity or as companion animals. Animal welfare abuse in Kenya results from: neglect; malicious physical injury; starvation; confinement; use of inappropriate modes of transportation/transportation facilities; manhandling during transportation; overcrowding; overloading; overworking; inhumane treatment at slaughter/slaughter facilities; inhumane treatment during capture; branding and; inappropriate working tools, among others. Animal welfare abuse in Kenya has been occasioned by: inadequate legal and policy provisions; inadequate capacity to monitor and minimize cruelty to animals; limited animal extension services and; inadequate training in animal welfare and supervision of service providers. Given that veterinarians influence how animals are treated at local, national and international levels, their training should include a good grounding in animal welfare education. The same should be extended to all other animal scientists. Through this, they can lead in bringing about improvements in animal welfare as well as helping to change attitudes towards animals. This paper looks at animal welfare issues in Kenya with respect to abuse, policy, legislation and education, and gives recommendations on the way forward. The Kenya Veterinarian Vol. 29 2005: pp. 48-52

Post operative pain experiences of central Australian aboriginal women. What do we understand?

The aim of this study was to explore the postoperative pain experiences of Central Australian Aboriginal women and the subsequent interpretation of that pain experience by non-Aboriginal female nurses. Qualitative study using grounded theory methodology. Postoperative surgical setting of a Central Australian regional hospital. Five Aboriginal female clients who had undergone a surgical procedure, eight non-Aboriginal female nurses and four Aboriginal female health workers employed by a Central Australian regional hospital. Aboriginal women have culturally appropriate ways of expressing and managing pain that are not well understood by non-Aboriginal female nurses. In addition, the Aboriginal women inappropriately endow non-Aboriginal nurses with the same powers and skills expected of healers from their culture. This phenomenon resulted in the non-Aboriginal nurses lacking the cultural insight and the appropriate knowledge and tools required to assess and manage the postoperative pain of Central Australian Aboriginal women effectively or efficiently. Non-Aboriginal nurses have a profound knowledge deficit about the postoperative pain experiences of Central Australian Aboriginal women. This deficit is evident through the use of culturally inappropriate and unreliable pain assessment strategies and tools and the misinterpretation of traditional pain relief strategies, such as the use of pituri, rubbing and centreing. The findings of this study suggested that nurse/client interactions related to language and role interpretation were in cultural conflict. The nurses expected the Aboriginal women to adopt pain behaviours as understood from the nurses' culture. The nurses anticipated that the client would contribute to their own care by communicating pain experiences in ways that are familiar and are believed to be universal. The Aboriginal women expected the nurses to conduct business similar to that of their own traditional tribal healers, 'to see within' and to 'just know'.

JEM Readers respond

Congratulations on the success of your new BC Journalof Ecosystems and Management. We look forward tofuture issues on this important topic. However, webelieve there needs to be some clarification on therecently posted JEM article, “Using forest structuraldiversity to inventory habitat diversity of forest-dwellingwildlife in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia”by Kris McCleary and Garth Mowat [see pages 120–132]. The authors state that “forest ecosystem inventoriescurrently used in the province only document forestcomposition (Vegetation Resources Inventory) oridentify plant communities (Terrestrial EcosystemMapping) and are therefore inappropriate or inadequateas tools for land management planning.” Yet the methodssubsequently described for using forest structure asa means of inventorying forest-dwelling wildlife habitatappear to draw heavily on these existing provincialinventory standards for forest and ecosystem inventory.These inventories should have been correctly acknowledgedand referenced in McCleary and Mowat’s article.