scholarly journals The Role of Analogy in Adaptive Explanation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Adrian Mitchell Currie
Keyword(s):  
Catchment Area ◽  
Novel Traits ◽  
Adaptive Explanation ◽  
Analogous Model ◽  
Developmental Noise

<p>Cases of 'convergence' (traits which have independently evolved in two or more lineages) could play an important role in the construction and corroboration of adaptive hypotheses. In particular, they could inform us about the evolutionary histories of novel traits. However, there is a problem of causal depth in the use of analogies. Natural Selection's affect on phenotype is constrained by phylogenetic history to a degree that we are unfounded in projecting adaptive stories from one lineage to another. I will argue for two approaches to resolve this issue. First, by constraining our catchment area to closely related lineages we can control for developmental noise. Second, by integrating analogies into explanations which incorporate other streams of evidence or bootstrapping an analogous model across many instantiations, we can overcome the problem of causal depth.</p>

scholarly journals The Role of Analogy in Adaptive Explanation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Adrian Mitchell Currie
Keyword(s):  
Catchment Area ◽  
Novel Traits ◽  
Adaptive Explanation ◽  
Analogous Model ◽  
Developmental Noise

<p>Cases of 'convergence' (traits which have independently evolved in two or more lineages) could play an important role in the construction and corroboration of adaptive hypotheses. In particular, they could inform us about the evolutionary histories of novel traits. However, there is a problem of causal depth in the use of analogies. Natural Selection's affect on phenotype is constrained by phylogenetic history to a degree that we are unfounded in projecting adaptive stories from one lineage to another. I will argue for two approaches to resolve this issue. First, by constraining our catchment area to closely related lineages we can control for developmental noise. Second, by integrating analogies into explanations which incorporate other streams of evidence or bootstrapping an analogous model across many instantiations, we can overcome the problem of causal depth.</p>

scholarly journals Forensic Investigation of Four Monitored Green Infrastructure Inlets

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 1787
Author(s):  
Leena J. Shevade ◽  
Franco A. Montalto
Keyword(s):  
Measurement Uncertainty ◽  
Green Infrastructure ◽  
Stormwater Management ◽  
Catchment Area ◽  
Low Flow ◽  
Inflow Rate ◽  
Forensic Investigation ◽  
Flow Conditions ◽  
The Mean

Green infrastructure (GI) is viewed as a sustainable approach to stormwater management that is being rapidly implemented, outpacing the ability of researchers to compare the effectiveness of alternate design configurations. This paper investigated inflow data collected at four GI inlets. The performance of these four GI inlets, all of which were engineered with the same inlet lengths and shapes, was evaluated through field monitoring. A forensic interpretation of the observed inlet performance was conducted using conclusions regarding the role of inlet clogging and inflow rate as described in the previously published work. The mean inlet efficiency (meanPE), which represents the percentage of tributary area runoff that enters the inlet was 65% for the Nashville inlet, while at Happyland the NW inlet averaged 30%, the SW inlet 25%, and the SE inlet 10%, considering all recorded events during the monitoring periods. The analysis suggests that inlet clogging was the main reason for lower inlet efficiency at the SW and NW inlets, while for the SE inlet, performance was compromised by a reverse cross slope of the street. Spatial variability of rainfall, measurement uncertainty, uncertain tributary catchment area, and inlet depression characteristics are also correlated with inlet PE. The research suggests that placement of monitoring sensors should consider low flow conditions and a strategy to measure them. Additional research on the role of various maintenance protocols in inlet hydraulics is recommended.

scholarly journals Zonal aspects of the influence of forest cover change on runoff in northern river basins of Central Siberia

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Onuchin ◽  
Т. Burenina ◽  
А. Shvidenko ◽  
D. Prysov ◽  
A. Musokhranova
Keyword(s):  
River Runoff ◽  
Catchment Area ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
River Basins ◽  
Forest Vegetation ◽  
Middle Taiga ◽  
Northern Eurasia ◽  
Runoff Formation ◽  
Forest Tundra

Abstract Background Assessment of the reasons for the ambiguous influence of forests on the structure of the water balance is the subject of heated debate among forest hydrologists. Influencing the components of total evaporation, forest vegetation makes a significant contribution to the process of runoff formation, but this process has specific features in different geographical zones. The issues of the influence of forest vegetation on river runoff in the zonal aspect have not been sufficiently studied. Results Based on the analysis of the dependence of river runoff on forest cover, using the example of nine catchments located in the forest-tundra, northern and middle taiga of Northern Eurasia, it is shown that the share of forest cover in the total catchment area (percentage of forest cover, FCP) has different effects on runoff formation. Numerical experiments with the developed empirical models have shown that an increase in forest cover in the catchment area in northern latitudes contributes to an increase in runoff, while in the southern direction (in the middle taiga) extensive woody cover of catchments “works” to reduce runoff. The effectiveness of geographical zonality in regards to the influence of forests on runoff is more pronounced in the forest-tundra zone than in the zones of northern and middle taiga. Conclusion The study of this problem allowed us to analyze various aspects of the hydrological role of forests, and to show that forest ecosystems, depending on environmental conditions and the spatial distribution of forest cover, can transform water regimes in different ways. Despite the fact that the process of river runoff formation is controlled by many factors, such as temperature conditions, precipitation regime, geomorphology and the presence of permafrost, the models obtained allow us to reveal general trends in the dependence of the annual river runoff on the percentage of forest cover, at the level of catchments. The results obtained are consistent with the concept of geographic determinism, which explains the contradictions that exist in assessing the hydrological role of forests in various geographical and climatic conditions. The results of the study may serve as the basis for regulation of the forest cover of northern Eurasian river basins in order to obtain the desired hydrological effect depending on environmental and economic conditions.

scholarly journals The role of catastrophic floods in shaping the morphology of river beds in small mountain catchment areas

2017 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-38
Author(s):  
Paweł Franczak
Keyword(s):  
Catchment Area ◽  
Heavy Rainfall ◽  
Flash Flood ◽  
Mountain Streams ◽  
River Bed ◽  
Mountain Catchment ◽  
Catchment Areas ◽  
Forested Areas ◽  
Transported Material

Abstract Mountain streams are subjected to the continuous reshaping of their river beds during floods, with the greatest changes occurring during extreme floods caused by sudden and heavy rainfall. River bed transformations during these flash floods are more severe in forested areas, where wooden logs carried by swollen streams are more likely to be deposited on the ground, which in turn leads to the greater accumulation of other transported material and debris. The study was conducted in the Rybny Potok catchment area (Babia Góra National Park). An extreme flash flood occurred on 15–16 May 2014 because of heavy rainfall, which, on 15 May amounted to 138 mm. The total amount of precipitation in the catchment area was 216.5 mm in three days. This resulted in sudden and full streams in spate, contributing to significant geomorphological transformations reaching all the way to the bottom of the river beds. During the flash flood, already established river beds and streams increased in size and many new river courses were formed.

scholarly journals Assessing the Impacts of Hierarchical Healthcare System on the Accessibility and Spatial Equality of Healthcare Services in Shenzhen, China

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 615
Author(s):  
Zhuolin Tao ◽  
Wenchao Han
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare System ◽  
Catchment Area ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Utilization Efficiency ◽  
Delivery Of Healthcare ◽  
Healthcare Accessibility ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Different Levels

The hierarchical healthcare system is widely considered to be a desirable mode of the delivery of healthcare services. It is expected that the establishment of a hierarchical healthcare system can help provide better and more equal healthcare accessibility. However, limited evidence has been provided on the impacts of a hierarchical healthcare system on healthcare accessibility. This study develops an improved Hierarchical two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) method, which incorporates variable catchment area sizes, distance friction effects and utilization efficiency for facilities at different levels. Leveraging the Hierarchical 2SFCA method, various scenarios are set up to assess the accessibility impacts of a hierarchical healthcare system. The methods are applied in a case study of Shenzhen. The results reveal significant disparity and inequality in healthcare accessibility and also differences between various facility levels in Shenzhen. The overall healthcare accessibility and its equality can be significantly improved by fully utilizing existing facilities. It is also demonstrated that allocating additional supply to lower-level facilities can generate larger accessibility gains. Furthermore, allocating new supply to primary facilities would mitigate the inequality in healthcare accessibility, whereas inequality tends to be aggravated with new supply allocated to tertiary facilities. These impacts cannot be captured by traditional accessibility measures. This study demonstrates the pivotal role of primary facilities in the hierarchical healthcare system. It can contribute to the literature by providing transferable methods and procedures for measuring hierarchical healthcare accessibility and assessing accessibility impacts of a hierarchical healthcare system in developing countries.

scholarly journals Reptile fauna of the Katse Dam catchment area and a biogeographical assessment of species composition in the Lesotho Highlands

Koedoe ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Ie F.N. Mouton ◽  
J.H. Van Wyk
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Catchment Area ◽  
The Other ◽  
Direct Impact ◽  
Species Dispersal ◽  
Lizard Species ◽  
Generalist Species ◽  
Central Highland ◽  
Reproductive Cycles

A survey of the reptile fauna of the Katse Dam catchment area in the Lesotho Highlands was conducted to assess the possible impact of the dam, once it is full, on reptile populations in the area. With only seven lizard and five snake species recorded to date, species richness in the catchment area is much lower than expected. It is inferred that species richness in the western and central districts of the Lesotho Highlands in general, is low, emphasising the role of the Drakensberg-Maluti mountain complex as a barrier to species dispersal. The reptile fauna of the western/central highland areas is primarily composed of widespread generalist species. The eastern highland areas, on the other hand, have a substantial endemic component. indicating the greater potential of these areas as a conservatory of geographical isolates. The direct impact of the Katse Dam on the local reptile fauna is expected to be minimal. Snake numbers are low in the catchment area and this may be the result of human impact. Reproductive cycles of the lizard species in the catchment area do not differ from the cycles of the same species at lower altitudes elsewhere.

scholarly journals Isolating and quantifying the role of developmental noise in generating phenotypic variation

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. e1006943 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Kiskowski ◽  
Tilmann Glimm ◽  
Nickolas Moreno ◽  
Tony Gamble ◽  
Ylenia Chiari
Keyword(s):  
Phenotypic Variation ◽  
Developmental Noise

Epidemiology and pathobiology of bipolar disorder, and their exploration within a complete catchment area population

2000 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 73-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.J. Scully ◽  
J.M. Owens ◽  
A. Kinsella ◽  
J.L. Waddington
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Catchment Area ◽  
Negative Symptoms ◽  
Age At Onset ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Positive Symptoms ◽  
Left Hand ◽  
Duration Of Illness

ABSTRACTEpidemiological and pathobiological findings in bipolar disorder [BP] have often been limited by selection bias and lack of epidemiological representativeness. In a rural, circumscribed catchment area, ‘all’ patients with BP were identified and assessed. On preliminary analysis, morbid risk [MR] for BP over the area as a whole was 5.0 ± 0.6/1000. The distribution of MR for BP over geographical subregions showed no significant deviation from a statistical model for random occurrences in space by place at birth, in contrast to schizophrenia [SZ], and varied only modestly among males by place at onset. These results imply different etiological factors acting in BP in comparison with SZ, particularly with regard to the role of early versus later life events. In preliminary analyses of psychotic and cognitive features, current severity of positive symptoms was predicted in BP only by increasing dominance of the left hand; negative symptoms by duration of illness and current anticholinergic exposure; poorer general and frontal cognitive function by older age at onset of illness, increasing duration of illness, and current anticholinergic exposure. The finding on handedness suggests disturbance of cerebral asymmetry associated with positive symptoms in BP, while both negative symptoms and cognitive impairment may involve progressive processes. Further analysis of this epidemiologically complete population, including systematic comparisons of BP with schizoaffective disorder and SZ, continues.

The role of subsurface storage on departures from the Budyko curve

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurent Pfister ◽  
Stan Schymanski ◽  
Remko Nijzink ◽  
Jeffrey McDonnell
Keyword(s):  
Null Hypothesis ◽  
Catchment Area ◽  
Potential Evapotranspiration ◽  
Precipitation Amount ◽  
Aridity Index ◽  
Transit Times ◽  
Porosity And Permeability ◽  
Below Ground ◽  
East West

&lt;p&gt;The Budyko framework is a widely used empirical concept in hydrology and climatology. However, catchment water balances that plot along the curve are often noisy and scattered, with some catchments plotting above the curve and some below the curve. Here we examine one of the possible causes for such scatter: subsurface storage. We bring together data from 38 experimental catchments in Luxembourg where all climate and landuse factors are roughly constant, except for subsurface storage.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We leverage diverse catchment geology represented by the large differences in bedrock porosity and permeability with resulting large differences in storage and streamwater transit times across our set of nested catchments. This setting enables us to test the null hypothesis that departures (offset) from the Budyko line along the evaporative index (i.e. actual evapotranspiration / potential evapotranspiration) axis has no relation to below ground storage. We then ask the following questions:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ol&gt;&lt;li&gt;Where do the 38 Luxembourg catchments plot in the Budyko space?&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;How do subsurface storage metrics vary across the 38 Luxembourg catchments?&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;How are these subsurface storage metrics related to the Budyko offset?&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ol&gt;&lt;p&gt;And secondarily,&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ol&gt;&lt;li&gt;What might explain scatter on the precipitation / PET axis in the Luxembourg catchments and how is this related to catchment area?&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ol&gt;&lt;p&gt;Our main finding is that subsurface storage&amp;#8212;driven by differences in catchment geology&amp;#8212;explains approximately 60% of the departure from the Budyko curve. Furthermore, scatter along the aridity index axis (i.e. precipitation / potential evapo-transpiration) is explained by an east-west gradient in precipitation amount within an otherwise low seasonality environment.&lt;/p&gt;

Associations of depression status and hopelessness with breast cancer: A 24-year follow-up study

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (10) ◽  
pp. 1322-1331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda M Mitchell ◽  
Patrick Pössel ◽  
Benjamin W Van Voorhees ◽  
William W Eaton
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Catchment Area ◽  
Follow Up Study ◽  
Depression Status ◽  
Double Depression ◽  
Extended Duration ◽  
Unexpected Findings ◽  
Epidemiologic Catchment Area Study

This study extended the literature by examining whether three profiles of depression predicted breast cancer status. In 1076 women of the Baltimore Epidemiologic Catchment Area study, depression status and hopelessness were measured at baseline and breast cancer status was ascertained 24 years later. Double depression, but not major depression or dysthymia, was associated with breast cancer. Hopelessness predicted fewer new cases of breast cancer. When double depression and hopelessness were simultaneously entered as predictors, the regression weights of both predictors increased. The role of severe and extended duration depression as well as possible explanations for unexpected findings are discussed.

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