Modelling water resource systems: issues and experiences

Since their first serious introduction in the early 1 960s, systems analysis methods have held out a promise of providing information that can help improve decision making. This paper surveys a number of actual applications of optimization and simulation modelling that illustrate the variety of problems studied, the variety of approaches used to study them, and the variety of outcomes or results of such studies. Some studies have been very successful, some have not. Given the varying but generally beneficial results of such studies, it seems clear that research on, together with application of, systems analysis techniques to water resources and environmental problems should continue. The paper concludes with some suggestions for facilitating the development and effective application of this methodology.     

Use of fuzzy sets in developing code risk factors

Fuzzy set theory is used to produce risk factor values for a building code. Working through reliability indices, a transformation is developed to convert estimates of relative social importance of a building into code load factors. The importance estimates are found by surveying knowledgeable members of society or playing their roles, and by using fuzzy set theory to combine their views according to their significance. An extension, again using fuzzy set theory, brings in the use of multiple criteria on which to base judgements. An example gives risk factors close to those in an existing code.     

河道生态基流计算方法回顾与评估框架研究

回顾了国内外河道生态基流计算方法的发展历程并对比分析其异同,同时提出了国内河道生态基流的研究不足。开展了国内外河道生态基流计算方法的分类对比研究,讨论了不同类型计算方法的优缺点与适用条件,为不同计算方法的应用提供了依据。最后,构建了河道生态基流评估框架,分析了生态基流评估计算时的影响因素,提出了评估框架构建原则。通过构建生态基流决策支持系统提出了河道生态基流评估框架的分析流程。研究成果可为不同区域生态基流的确定提供技术支撑。     

Parking at the UC campus: Problems and solutions

This study underscores the importance of adopting integrated parking management policies that ensure not only more rational use of the available parking spaces, evenly balancing supply and demand and bringing in revenues to cover the parking facilities costs, but also the improved attractiveness of alternative transportation modes. Parking supply and demand flows within the UC campus are estimated. The results indicate that the parking facility is underpriced and that there is overcrowding. To reflect critically on these issues and identify research areas to address their socioeconomic implications, a survey regarding the characterization of campus commuters and their travel options is presented. Logistic regression modelling is applied to determine the relative importance of UC campus commuters’ attributes in their level of willingness to pay to have reserved parking on the campus. Finally, some policy proposals are discussed.     

Induced generalized hesitant fuzzy operators and their application to multiple attribute group decision making

In this paper, we develop a series of induced generalized aggregation operators for hesitant fuzzy or interval-valued hesitant fuzzy information, including induced generalized hesitant fuzzy ordered weighted averaging (IGHFOWA) operators, induced generalized hesitant fuzzy ordered weighted geometric (IGHFOWG) operators, induced generalized interval-valued hesitant fuzzy ordered weighted averaging (IGIVHFOWA) operators, and induced generalized interval-valued hesitant fuzzy ordered weighted geometric (IGIVHFOWG) operators. Next, we investigate their various properties and some of their special cases. Furthermore, some approaches based on the proposed operators are developed to solve multiple attribute group decision making (MAGDM) problems with hesitant fuzzy or interval-valued hesitant fuzzy information. Finally, some numerical examples are provided to illustrate the developed approaches.     

Efficient purchaser incentive when dealing with suppliers implementing continuous improvement plans

This paper presents incentive schemes in the framework of a collaborative purchasing cost reduction process with a supplier implementing a continuous improvement plan. Using a stochastic decision process formulation, we analyze the structure of the optimal policy and characterize its numerical robustness through numerical applications solved by dynamic programming. Then, we analyze two purchaser incentive schemes observed in practice. First, we describe some theoretical properties of the policies associated with these two schemes (schemes I and II) and show that these policies exhibit nonoptimal structures. Second, we estimate the quantitative loss for typical parameter values and, in particular, we show that for certain businesses this loss is significant. Then, we propose two easy‐to‐implement improvements (schemes III and IV), which result in near‐optimal solutions and a significant impact on purchasing cost performances.     

Stanley B. Floresco: Award for distinguished scientific early career contributions to psychology.

The American Psychological Association 2010 Award for Distinguished Scientific Early Career Contributions to Psychology was awarded to Stanley F. Floresco, for his outstanding and innovative research on neural mechanisms linking brain activity to critical cognitive functions including risk-based decision making, cognitive flexibility, working memory, and other aspects of executive function. His novel findings form an empirical base for understanding how neural pathology may underlie aspects of psychotic behavior and as such validate neuropsychopharmacological approaches to mental ill health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Uptake of energy efficiency interventions in English dwellings

Little detailed evidence has previously been available regarding the uptake rate or prevalence of energy efficiency interventions among specific household groups. This study uses the Home Energy Efficiency Database (HEED) to investigate both the combination of measures that have been installed, and in which dwellings, according to key neighbourhood socio-demographic variables, including income and tenure. Analysis of 2000–07 data indicates that approximately 40% (9.3 million) dwellings in England had approximately 23.7 million efficiency measures installed, with an average of 2.5 measures per dwelling. Building fabric-related measures were the most frequent (e.g. cavity wall insulation, loft insulation and glazing) with an average of 2.1 million installed each year. Dwellings with the highest number of fabric interventions (the top 20%) were more likely to be found in areas with low income, with more owner-occupied dwellings, experiencing lower winter temperatures, having a lower proportion of flats, and having a slightly higher proportion of older adults and children. Energy efficiency installations have tended to occur among specific types of households or parts of the building stock. These findings have implications for the design of future government programmes for targeting energy efficiency measures to specific household groups or dwelling types.     

Is There Room for Families in the Inner City? Life-Stage Blenders Challenging Planning

This paper addresses the phenomenon of families returning to inner cities. With evidence from the first qualitative study done on families residing in inner-city Helsinki, it demonstrates that urban living reduces the sharp divide between life before having children and family life. Urban parents stay in the city much for the same reasons they first moved there: because they are attracted to population density, good amenities and good public transport. Living in the city enables a lifestyle where different life stages blend into each other. The paper, however, reveals that there is a lack of understanding among city planners and politicians about family needs in the inner city. By adopting a framework of the reviewed literature, the paper draws on the argument that modernist ideals on proper family living still prevail. The paper suggests that planning must acknowledge that exclusionary life stages are eroding and creating a need to facilitate multiple forms of lifestyles.