Choices, chance and change: luck egalitarianism over time

The family of theories dubbed ‘luck egalitarianism’ represent an attempt to infuse egalitarian thinking with a concern for personal responsibility, arguing that inequalities are just when they result from, or the extent to which they result from, choice, but are unjust when they result from, or the extent to which they result from, luck. In this essay I argue that luck egalitarians should sometimes seek to limit inequalities, even when they have a fully choice-based pedigree (i.e., result only from the choices of agents). I grant that the broad approach is correct but argue that the temporal standpoint from which we judge whether the person can be held responsible, or the extent to which they can be held responsible, should be radically altered. Instead of asking, as Standard (or Static) Luck Egalitarianism seems to, whether or not, or to what extent, a person was responsible for the choice at the time of choosing, and asking the question of responsibility only once, we should ask whether, or to what extent, they are responsible for the choice at the point at which we are seeking to discover whether, or to what extent, the inequality is just, and so the question of responsibility is not settled but constantly under review. Such an approach will differ from Standard Luck Egalitarianism only if responsibility for a choice is not set in stone – if responsibility can weaken then we should not see the boundary between luck and responsibility within a particular action as static. Drawing on Derek Parfit’s illuminating discussions of personal identity, and contemporary literature on moral responsibility, I suggest there are good reasons to think that responsibility can weaken – that we are not necessarily fully responsible for a choice for ever, even if we were fully responsible at the time of choosing. I call the variant of luck egalitarianism that recognises this shift in temporal standpoint and that responsibility can weaken Dynamic Luck Egalitarianism (DLE). In conclusion I offer a preliminary discussion of what kind of policies DLE would support.

Inequality of educational opportunity in India: changes over time and across states

This paper documents the extent of inequality of educational opportunity in India spanning the period 1983–2004 using National Sample Surveys. We build on recent developments in the literature that have operationalized concepts of inequality of opportunity theory and construct several indices of inequality of educational opportunity for an adult sample. Kerala stands out as the least opportunity-unequal state. Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh experienced large-scale falls in the ranking of inequality of opportunities. By contrast, West Bengal and Orissa made significant progress in reducing inequality of opportunity. We also examine the links between progress toward equality of opportunity and a selection of pro-poor policies.

Differentiation in populations of the apple scab fungus Venturia inaequalis on cultivars in a mixed orchard remains over time

The ascomycete Venturia inaequalis causes annual epidemics of apple scab worldwide. Scab development is reduced in mixed cultivar orchards compared with monocultures. To use mixtures in commercial production, we need to understand how the population of scab changes in a mixed orchard and how likely a super race, with virulence factors overcoming multiple resistance factors in the mixed orchard, is to emerge and become dominant. We used short sequence repeat (SSR) markers to investigate the temporal change of scab populations in two mixed cultivar orchards in the UK to infer the likelihood of emergence of a scab super race. There were no significant differences between the populations at the two sampling times (six or seven years apart) in either of the two mixed orchards. In one of the orchards apple scab populations on different cultivars were significantly different and the differences did not diminish over time. These results suggest that it is not inevitable that a super race of V. inaequalis will become dominant during the lifetime of a commercial apple orchard.

The career competencies of self-initiated and assigned expatriates: assessing the development of career capital over time

Building on a modern careers approach, we assess the effects of working abroad on individuals’ career capital. Given the dearth of longitudinal studies, we return to a sample of economics graduates in Finland eight years later. We measure changes in three dimensions of career capital; ‘knowing how’, ‘knowing whom’, ‘knowing why’ and find that company assigned expatriates learn more than self-initiated expatriates. All three career capital areas benefit from international experience and all are increasingly valued over time. Based on our findings we conclude that a dynamic notion of career capital acquisition and use is needed. Managerial implications include the need for a wider view of talent management for international businesses.

Changes of a mutualistic network over time: reanalysis over a 10-year period

We analyzed the structure of a multispecific network or interacting ants and plants bearing extrafloral nectaries recorded in 1990 and again in 2000 in La Mancha, Veracruz, Mexico. We assessed the replicability of the number of interactions found among species and also whether there had been changes in the network structure associated with appearance of new ant and plant species during. that 10-year period. Our results show that the nested topology of the network was similar between sampling dates, group dissimilarity increased, mean number of interactions for ant species increased, the frequency distribution of standardized degrees reached higher values for plant species, more ant species and fewer plant species constituted the core of the more recent network, and the presence of new ant and plant species increased while their contribution to nestedness remained the same. Generalist species (i.e., those with the most links or interactions) appeared to maintain the stability of the network because the new species incorporated into the communities were linked to this core of generalists. Camponotus planatus was the most extreme generalist ant species (the one with the most links) in both networks, followed by four other ant species; but other species changed either their position along the continuum of generalists relative to specialists or their presence or absence within the network. Even though new species moved into the area during the decade between the surveys, the overall network structure remained unmodified.

How do neighbouring populations affect local population change over time?

This study covers a period when society changed from a pre-industrial agricultural society to a post-industrial service-producing society. Parallel with this social transformation, major population changes took place. In this study, we analyse how local population changes are affected by neighbouring populations. To do so we use the last 200 years of local population change that redistributed population in Sweden. We use literature to identify several different processes and spatial dependencies in the redistribution between a parish and its surrounding parishes. The analysis is based on a unique unchanged historical parish division, and we use an index of local spatial correlation to describe different kinds of spatial dependencies that have influenced the redistribution of the population. To control inherent time dependencies, we introduce a non-separable spatial temporal correlation model into the analysis of population redistribution. Hereby, several different spatial dependencies can be observed simultaneously over time. The main conclusions are that while local population changes have been highly dependent on the neighbouring populations in the 19th century, this spatial dependence have become insignificant already when two parishes is separated by 5 kilometres in the late 20th century. Another conclusion is that the time dependency in the population change is higher when the population redistribution is weak, as it currently is and as it was during the 19th century until the start of industrial revolution.

Regulation of Social Hierarchy Over Time in Colonies of the Primitive Eusocial Wasp Mischocyttarus (Monocyttarus) cassununga. Von Ihering, 1903 (Hymenoptera, Vespidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Changes over time in canine retraction: An implant study

Introduction: The objective of this study was to analyze rates of canine movement over the first 2 months of continuous retraction, when rate changes are expected. Methods: Ten patients with bone markers placed in the maxilla and the mandible had their canines retracted over a 2-month period. Retraction was accomplished with beta-titanium alloy T-loop springs. Standardized 45 degrees oblique cephalograms where taken initially and every 28 days thereafter. The radiographs were scanned and digitized twice (the average was used for the analyses). The radiographs were superimposed by using the bone markers and oriented on the functional occlusal plane. Paired t tests were used to compare side and jaw effects. Results: There were no significant differences between sides. The maxillary cusp was retracted 3.2 mm, with less movement during the first (1.1 mm) than during the second 4 weeks (2.1 mm). The maxillary apices did not move horizontally. There were no significant vertical movements in the cusps and apices of the maxillary canines. The mandibular cusp was retracted 3.8 mm-1.1 mm during the first and 2.7 mm during the second 4 weeks. The mandibular apices were protracted 1.1 mm. The cusps and apices were intruded 0.6 and 0.7 mm, respectively. The only difference between jaws was the greater protraction of the mandibular apices during the second 4 weeks and in overall movement. Conclusions: The rate of canine cusp retraction was greater during the second than the first 4 weeks. The mandibular canines were retracted by uncontrolled tipping whereas the maxillary canines were retracted by controlled tipping. (Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 2009; 136: 87-93)

Method for the evaluation of insecticidal activity over time in Atta sexdens rubropilosa workers (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

The active ingredients used in the formulation of toxic baits for leaf-cutting ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) should possess a delayed action defined as an insecticidal activity whereby worker mortality is ≤15% at 24 hours and ≥90% at 21 days. Serious shortcomings have occurred in the search for new active ingredients, such as the initial selection of fenoxycarb, copper oxychloride and diflubenzuron, compounds considered very promising but whose inefficiency was verified only later, indicating methodological problems. In view of this situation, we developed a classification method for insecticidal activity over time using workers of the leaf-cutting ant Atta sexdens rubropilosa Forel. The insecticides used were fipronil, sulfluramid GX071HB and sulfluramid GX439, vehicled in an attractive pasty formulation prepared based on citrus pulp. The results obtained were consistent from a toxicological viewpoint and agreed with the literature in terms of the control of colonies. Sulfluramids were found to possess a delayed action at a broad range of concentrations, in agreement with the fact that these substances are highly effective in the control of all leaf-cutting ant species. The smaller range of concentrations of fipronil with delayed action is probably related to its lower efficacy for species more difficult to control such as Atta capiguara (Forti et al. 2003). We discuss the importance of relating behavioral particularities to the specific feeding habits of leaf-cutting ants, with methodological adequacy of the assessment of insecticides aimed at toxic baits.

The challenge of finding robust poverty indicators for rapid monitoring of changes over time

Includes bibliography

Evaluation of quality of life over time among 453 patients with hyperhidrosis submitted to endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy

Objectives: Current data do not provide enough information on how quality of life (QoL) evolves over time in cases of endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS). The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether the immediate improvement in QoL after the surgery was sustained until the fifth postoperative year. Methods: This was a prospective, nonrandomized and uncontrolled study. From March 2001 to December 2003, 475 consecutive patients with hyperhidrosis submitted to ETS were included. A QoL questionnaire was applied at the preoperative day, around the 30th postoperative day, and after the fifth year. Results: After excluding 22 patients who did not answer all the questions, we analyzed 453 patients. Their ages ranged from 11 to 57 years old, with a mean of 25.3 + 7.9 years, including 297 female patients (65.6%). All patients were assessed on three occasions: before surgery, around the 30th postoperative day, and after the fifth postoperative year. The QoL before surgery was considered to be poor or very poor for all patients. The QoL around 30 days after surgery was better in 412 patients (90.9%), the same in 27 patients (6.0%), and worse in 14 patients (3.1%). After 5 years, 409 patients (90.3%) were better, 27 (6.0%) were the same, and 14 (3.1%) were worse. There were no differences between these postoperative times according to the McNemar statistical test. Conclusion:The patients had an immediate improvement in QoL after ETS, and this improvement was sustained until the fifth postoperative year. (J Vase Surg 2012;55:154-6.)