Group size and decision rules in legislative bargaining

We conduct experiments to investigate the effects of different majority requirements on bargaining outcomes in small and large groups. In particular, we use a Baron-Ferejohn protocol and investigate the effects of decision rules on delay (number of bargaining rounds needed to reach agreement) and measures of "fairness" (inclusiveness of coalitions, equality of the distribution within a coalition). We find that larger groups and unanimity rule are associated with significantly larger decision making costs in the sense that first round proposals more often fail, leading to more costly delay. The higher rate of failure under unanimity rule and in large groups is a combination of three facts: (1) in these conditions, a larger number of individuals must agree, (2) an important fraction of individuals reject offers below the equal share, and (3) proposers demand more (relative to the equal share) in large groups.

Fisheries rules and regulations in 23 states of Nigeria: a note

In order to make a sound proposal to the Kainji Lake Fisheries Management and Conservation Unit regarding the amendment of the existing Fisheries Laws and Regulations, including the raise of fishing license fees, the Fisheries Departments of 21 Nigerian States were visited in August-September 2000. In that occasion the staff was interviewed, existing documents were revised, and the results were compared with those of Kebbi and Niger State

On the Benefits of Including Age-structure in Harvest Control Rules

This paper explores the benefits of including age-structure in the control rule (HCR) when decision makers regard their (age-structured) models as approximations. We find that introducing age structure into the HCR reduces both the volatility of the spawning biomass and the yield. Although at a fairly imprecise level the benefits are lower, there are still major advantages for actual assessment precision of the case study. Moreover, we find that when age-structure is included in the HCR the relative ranking of different policies in terms of variance in biomass and yield does not differ. These results are shown both theoretically and numerically by applying the model to the Southern Hake fishery.

Intermediate serial cost-sharing rules

In this paper we give a generalization of the serial cost-sharing rule defined by Moulin and Shenker (1992) for cost sharing problems. According to the serial cost sharing rule, agents with low demands of a good pay cost increments associated with low quantities in the production process of that good. This fact might not always be desirable for those agents, since those cost increments might be higher than others, for example with concave cost functions. In this paper we give a family of cost sharing rules which allocates cost increments in all the possible places in the production process. And we characterize axiomatically each of them by means of an axiomatic characterization related to the one given for the serial cost-sharing rule by Moulin and Shenker (1994).

Measurement of the direct CP asymmetry in b-->s+gamma via sum of exclusive B Meson decays using the BABAR detector

We perform a measurement of direct CP violation in b to s+gamma Acp, and the measurement of a difference between Acp for neutral B and charged B mesons, Delta A_{X_s\gamma}, using 429 inverse femtobarn of data recorded at the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the BABAR detector. B mesons are reconstructed from 16 exclusive final states. Particle identification is done using an algorithm based on Error Correcting Output Code with an exhaustive matrix. Background rejection and best candidate selection are done using two decision tree-based classifiers. We found $\acp = 1.73%+-1.93%+-1.02% and Delta A_X_sgamma = 4.97%+-3.90%+-1.45% where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic respectively. Based on the measured value of Delta A_X_sgamma, we determine a 90% confidence interval for Im C_8g/C_7gamma, where C_7gamma and C_8g are Wilson coefficients for New Physics amplitudes, at -1.64 < Im C_8g/C_7gamma < 6.52.

Characterizing distribution rules for cost sharing games

In noncooperative cost sharing games, individually strategic agents choose resources based on how the welfare (cost or revenue) generated at each resource (which depends on the set of agents that choose the resource) is distributed. The focus is on finding distribution rules that lead to stable allocations, which is formalized by the concept of Nash equilibrium, e.g., Shapley value (budget-balanced) and marginal contribution (not budget-balanced) rules.

Recent work that seeks to characterize the space of all such rules shows that the only budget-balanced distribution rules that guarantee equilibrium existence in all welfare sharing games are generalized weighted Shapley values (GWSVs), by exhibiting a specific 'worst-case' welfare function which requires that GWSV rules be used. Our work provides an exact characterization of the space of distribution rules (not necessarily budget-balanced) for any specific local welfare functions remains, for a general class of scalable and separable games with well-known applications, e.g., facility location, routing, network formation, and coverage games.

We show that all games conditioned on any fixed local welfare functions possess an equilibrium if and only if the distribution rules are equivalent to GWSV rules on some 'ground' welfare functions. Therefore, it is neither the existence of some worst-case welfare function, nor the restriction of budget-balance, which limits the design to GWSVs. Also, in order to guarantee equilibrium existence, it is necessary to work within the class of potential games, since GWSVs result in (weighted) potential games.

We also provide an alternative characterization—all games conditioned on any fixed local welfare functions possess an equilibrium if and only if the distribution rules are equivalent to generalized weighted marginal contribution (GWMC) rules on some 'ground' welfare functions. This result is due to a deeper fundamental connection between Shapley values and marginal contributions that our proofs expose—they are equivalent given a transformation connecting their ground welfare functions. (This connection leads to novel closed-form expressions for the GWSV potential function.) Since GWMCs are more tractable than GWSVs, a designer can tradeoff budget-balance with computational tractability in deciding which rule to implement.

Studies of the representation of interatomic distances in molecules and crystal as sum of atomic radii

The electron diffraction investigation of the following compounds has been carried out: sulfur, sulfur nitride, realgar, arsenic trisulfide, spiropentane, dimethyltrisulfide, cis and trans lewisite, methylal, and ethylene glycol.

The crystal structures of the following salts have been determined by x-ray diffraction: silver molybdateand hydrazinium dichloride.

Suggested revisions of the covalent radii for B, Si, P, Ge, As, Sn, Sb, and Pb have been made, and values for the covalent radii of Al, Ga, In, Ti, and Bi have been proposed.

The Schomaker-Stevenson revision of the additivity rule for single covalent bond distances has been used in conjunction with the revised radii. Agreement with experiment is in general better with the revised radii than with the former radii and additivity.

The principle of ionic bond character in addition to that present in a normal covalent bond has been applied to the observed structures of numerous molecules. It leads to a method of interpretation which is at least as consistent as the theory of multiple bond formation.

The revision of the additivity rule has been extended to double bonds. An encouraging beginning along these lines has been made, but additional experimental data are needed for clarification.

A common axiom for classical division rules for claims problems

In this paper we introduce a new axiom, denoted claims separability, that is satisfied by several classical division rules defined for claims problems. We characterize axiomatically the entire family of division rules that satisfy this new axiom. In addition, employing claims separability, we characterize the minimal overlap rule, given by O'Neill (1982), Piniles rule and the rules in the TAL-family, introduced by Moreno-Ternero and Villar (2006), which includes the uniform gains rule, the uniform losses rule and the Talmud rule.

A fully-nonlocal energy-based formulation and high-performance realization of the quasicontinuum method

The quasicontinuum (QC) method was introduced to coarse-grain crystalline atomic ensembles in order to bridge the scales from individual atoms to the micro- and mesoscales. Though many QC formulations have been proposed with varying characteristics and capabilities, a crucial cornerstone of all QC techniques is the concept of summation rules, which attempt to efficiently approximate the total Hamiltonian of a crystalline atomic ensemble by a weighted sum over a small subset of atoms. In this work we propose a novel, fully-nonlocal, energy-based formulation of the QC method with support for legacy and new summation rules through a general energy-sampling scheme. Our formulation does not conceptually differentiate between atomistic and coarse-grained regions and thus allows for seamless bridging without domain-coupling interfaces. Within this structure, we introduce a new class of summation rules which leverage the affine kinematics of this QC formulation to most accurately integrate thermodynamic quantities of interest. By comparing this new class of summation rules to commonly-employed rules through analysis of energy and spurious force errors, we find that the new rules produce no residual or spurious force artifacts in the large-element limit under arbitrary affine deformation, while allowing us to seamlessly bridge to full atomistics. We verify that the new summation rules exhibit significantly smaller force artifacts and energy approximation errors than all comparable previous summation rules through a comprehensive suite of examples with spatially non-uniform QC discretizations in two and three dimensions. Due to the unique structure of these summation rules, we also use the new formulation to study scenarios with large regions of free surface, a class of problems previously out of reach of the QC method. Lastly, we present the key components of a high-performance, distributed-memory realization of the new method, including a novel algorithm for supporting unparalleled levels of deformation. Overall, this new formulation and implementation allows us to efficiently perform simulations containing an unprecedented number of degrees of freedom with low approximation error.

Pesca artesanal na Baía de Ilha Grande, RJ: conflitos e novas possibilidades de gestão compartilhada

Esta pesquisa tem por objetivo analisar os conflitos socioambientais envolvendo os pescadores artesanais na Baía de Ilha Grande e as iniciativas institucionais que buscam dar tratamento a esses conflitos de forma compartilhada. Neste sentido, foram consideradas duas iniciativas institucionais: i) o Projeto Desenvolvimento e Gerenciamento dos Sistemas de Gestão da Pesca e Aquicultura na baía de Ilha Grande GPESCA-BIG; e ii) o Termo de Compromisso entre a Estação Ecológica de Tamoios e as comunidades pesqueiras de Angra dos Reis e Paraty. A metodologia envolveu a observação direta da autora em reuniões de conselhos consultivos e grupos de trabalho em unidades de conservação, em especial, os espaços envolvendo a Estação Ecológica de Tamoios, além de apresentações e audiências públicas sobre a proposta de Acordos de Pesca. Utilizou-se também a observação participante em reuniões e oficinas no âmbito do projeto GPESCA-BIG. De forma complementar, a pesquisa se baseou em entrevistas (formais e informais) e análise de documentos diversos elaborados por entidades representativas dos pescadores e demais atores direta e indiretamente envolvidos no conflito. Foram identificadas três grandes grupos de conflitos relacionados aos pescadores artesanais: (1) sobreposição de territórios de pesca/pesqueiros e as áreas protegidas, principalmente aqueles relacionados à ESEC Tamoios; (2) conflitos associados à pesca industrial, identificados pelos pescadores como barcos de fora, e em menor escala, as embarcações de petróleo/gás e do turismo e; (3) conflitos resultantes da falta de regularização/permissionamento da atividade. Em síntese, estes conflitos envolvem políticas de desenvolvimento e de conservação, que se confrontam com o modo de vida tradicional dos pescadores artesanais e caiçaras. Além dos conflitos oriundos das diferentes formas de apropriação do espaço marinho, estes conflitos também estiveram relacionados ao papel paradoxal do Estado no estabelecimento das regras e normas de ordenamento (incluindo-se a fiscalização/monitoramento ambiental), à burocracia e às diversas instituições existentes para tratar de problemas comuns, tornado confuso o gerenciamento da atividade. No que se refere às iniciativas em análise, os resultados demonstram a existência de instituições relativamente bem constituídas na região, com a atuação de órgãos de gestão pública e ambiental nos mais variados níveis: municipal estadual e federal. Além destes, registra-se também a participação da sociedade civil, em especial, dos pescadores artesanais de Paraty e de suas representações, na busca pelo tratamento dos conflitos nos quais estão inseridos. Por outro lado, evidencia-se a falta de articulação e integração entre as políticas e atores, bem como entre as experiências institucionais em curso. Portanto, um dos maiores desafios existentes na implantação de um modo compartilhado de gestão dos recursos pesqueiros na BIG consiste justamente em superar tais limitações institucionais, de maneira que possam promover ações articuladas visando não apenas a conservação integrada do ecossistema, como também a reprodução das práticas tradicionais de pesca e a sua co-existência com os demais tipos de usos

Sex-change rules, stock dynamics, and the performance of spawning-per-recruit measures in protogynous stocks

Predicting and under-standing the dynamics of a population requires knowledge of vital rates such as survival, growth, and reproduction. However, these variables are influenced by individual behavior, and when managing exploited populations, it is now generally realized that knowledge of a species’ behavior and life history strategies is required. However, predicting and understanding a response to novel conditions—such as increased fishing-induced mortality, changes in environmental conditions, or specific management strategies—also require knowing the endogenous or exogenous cues that induce phenotypic changes and knowing whether these behaviors and life history patterns are plastic. Although a wide variety of patterns of sex change have been observed in the wild, it is not known how the specific sex-change rule and cues that induce sex change affect stock dynamics. Using an individual based model, we examined the effect of the sex-change rule on the predicted stock dynamics, the effect of mating group size, and the performance of traditional spawning-per-recruit (SPR) measures in a protogynous stock. We considered four different patterns of sex change in which the probability of sex change is determined by 1) the absolute size of the individual, 2) the relative length of individuals at the mating site, 3) the frequency of smaller individuals at the mating site, and 4) expected reproductive success. All four pat-terns of sex change have distinct stock dynamics. Although each sex-change rule leads to the prediction that the stock will be sensitive to the size-selective fishing pattern and may crash if too many reproductive size classes are fished, the performance of traditional spawning-per-recruit measures, the fishing pattern that leads to the greatest yield, and the effect of mating group size all differ distinctly for the four sex-change rules. These results indicate that the management of individual species requires knowledge of whether sex change occurs, as well as an understanding of the endogenous or exogenous cues that induce sex change.