The honey bee shaking signal: function and design of a modulatory communication signal

This study explores the meaning and functional design of a modulatory communication signal, the honey bee shaking signal, by addressing five questions: (I) who shakes, (II) when do they shake, (III) where do they shake, (IV) how do receivers respond to shaking, and (V) what conditions trigger shaking. Several results confirm the work of Schneider (1987) and Schneider et al. (1986a): (I) most shakers were foragers (at least 83%); (II) shaking exhibited a consistent temporal pattern with bees producing the most signals in the morning (0810–1150 hours) just prior to a peak in waggle dancing activity; and (IV) bees moved faster (by 75%) after receiving a shaking signal. However, this study differs from previous work by providing a long-term, temporal, spatial, and vector analysis of individual shaker behavior. (III) Bees producing shaking signals walked and delivered signals in all areas of the hive, but produced the most shaking signals directly above the waggle dance floor. (IV) Bees responded to the signal by changing their direction of movement. Prior to receiving a signal, bees selected from the waggle dance floor moved, on average, towards the hive exit. After receiving a signal, some bees continued moving towards the exit but others moved directly away from the exit. During equivalent observation periods, non-shaken bees exhibited a strong tendency to move towards the hive exit. (V) Renewed foraging activity after food dearth triggered shaking signals, and, the level of shaking is positively correlated with the duration of food dearth. However, shaking signal levels also increased in the morning before foraging had begun and in the late afternoon after foraging had ceased. This spontaneous afternoon peak has not previously been reported. The shaking signal consequently appears to convey the general message “reallocate labor to different activities” with receiver context specifying a more precise meaning. In the context of foraging, the shaking signal appears to activate (and perhaps deactivate) colony foraging preparations. The generally weak response elicited by modulatory signals such as the shaking signal may result from a high receiver response threshold which allows the receiver to integrate multiple sources of information and which thereby increases the probability that receiver actions will be appropriate to colony needs. Received: 21 March 1997 / Accepted after revision: 30 August 1997     

The use of cost–benefit analysis in environmental policies: Some issues raised by the Water Framework Directive implementation in France

This paper aims to practically contribute to the literature on the use of cost–benefit analysis (CBA) and economic evaluation in environmental decision-making through a practical case study: the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) in France, for the first cycle (2010–2015). The WFD requires that Member States achieve “good status” for all water bodies in 2015. However, exemptions can apply, if justified, on natural, technical or economic reasons. For the latter, EU guidance documents recommend to use CBA. In France, the water agencies carried out 710 CBAs on proposed restoration projects for water bodies. This article reports on this experience. Issues concerning these analyses are discussed, especially the assessment of non-market benefits. Finally, this article questions the use of economic analysis in the implementation of environmental policy.     

产品生态设计的理论与方法

产品生态设计是一种新的设计理念，其以产品环境特性为目标，以生命周期评价为工具，综合考虑产品整个生命期相关的生态环境问题，设计出对环境友好的，又能满足人的需求的新产品。设计方法和步骤包括四个阶段：产品生态辨识，产品生态诊断，产品生态定义，生态产品评价。     

What makes institutional crafting successful? Applying the SES to case studies from India and the greater Mekong Region

Using two very different empirical settings, this paper emphasizes the required conditions for the successful crafting of sustainable institutions. In the first setting, different farmer groups in Cambodia and Vietnam try to establish a collective approach for small-scale community-based aquaculture and fail. In the second setting, the collective initiatives of urban women in India are analysed. The Indian women succeed in their objective of a fuel transition from firewood to gas cookers using a cooperative approach. Ostrom's variables identified in the “Multitier Framework for Analyzing Social–Ecological Systems (SES)” (Ostrom, 2007) are applied to local collective action initiatives in both settings to understand which factors make some of the groups succeed in their objectives and others fail. This research highlights the complexity as well as the uniqueness of different SESs. At the same time, the paper contributes to demonstrating the usability of the SES and certain variables to estimate the likelihood of success of self-organisation and crafting of rules. It highlights the relevance of certain conceptual variables for sustainable or unsustainable outcomes for different cases.     

Water information: what is it good for? The use of information in transboundary water management

Consistent and relevant information on the status of water systems is indispensable for rational and cost-effective water management. This statement has general validity for all types of river basins, but is particularly relevant for transboundary water regions. Information is used to support decision-making and to evaluate the effects of water resources management decisions. Information production however lags behind developments in water management, which becomes clear from the fact that information still focuses on ecological components of water bodies and largely ignores the importance of socio-economic data stemming from human activities taking place in the river basin. Production of improved information is hindered by strong boundaries between different disciplines that are not easily overcome. Moreover, consideration of information needs and the goals of information dissemination prior to producing information is insufficient and the relevant actors are often reluctant to participate in these processes as they are time consuming. Differences in institutional behaviour also hinder cooperation between institutions, while organisational structures are insufficiently tuned to the needs of the external environment. All these issues hinder the use of information as the basis for decision-making. This paper provides an overview of relevant aspects of information from a broad range of perspectives and establishes the need for changes in the production and use of environmental information in support of water management. The paper is largely based on the outcomes of a closed multi-disciplinary specialist meeting on the role and use of environmental data and information in transboundary water contexts held in Arendal, Norway, September 2002.     

新《消防法》关于消防设计审核与验收工作改革的研究

简要分析公安机关消防机构在进行建筑工程消防设计审核与验收工作中,建设、设计、施工单位及消防技术服务机构、消防产品生产单位、公安机关消防机构和其他行政主管部门7个责任相关方之间存在的问题;将修订后的《消防法》与现行《消防法》进行对比;总结出修订后的《消防法》在消防设计审核与验收工作方面的新规定、新举措,并从法律角度和现实意义两个方面进行分析和探讨,为新《消防法》施行后相关部门和单位消防设计审核与验收工作的开展提供一定的帮助。     

Modeling of BP Texas City refinery incident

This paper presents detailed modeling results of the BP Texas City refinery incident. Three different approaches and explosion modeling tools were used to study the event. The results predicted by all three approaches are similar and all approaches identified a hazard potential comparable to what was witnessed on March 23, 2005. This confirms that quantitative risk assessment (QRA) has the ability to model a realistic scenario, and is therefore useful in safety measure design and emergency preparedness decision making to improve overall safety performance. Had QRA been conducted during a management of change (MOC) decision-making process, personnel trailers likely would not have been sited in such close proximity to the process units. The resulting severe consequences would then not have occurred. This work also aims to emphasize the importance of QRA in process safety management.

The paper presents the authors’ perception of the sequence of events involved in the incident based on the published literature available at the time of writing. It also assesses potential consequences for the perceived sequence of events using a variety of consequence assessment tools. In doing so, the analysis illustrates how this incident could have been prevented in spite of many operational difficulties. The observations and commentary presented in this paper are intended solely for the purpose of process safety enhancement on the basis of the lessons learned. BP has published its own detailed report; the incident is also the subject of a recent investigation by the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, with the CSB's final report being available at http://www.csb.gov/index.cfm?folder=completed_investigations&page=info&INV_ID=52 (as of April 2007).     

转向螺母锻模块液态模锻工艺分析及模具设计

此文叙述了转向螺母锻模块液态模锻工艺及特点,对该工艺及模具设计作了较详细的分析研究。     

The pathway to a sustainable industrial society – initiative of the Research Institute for Sustainability Science (RISS) at Osaka University

While it is widely known that sustainable development is the only sound and viable pathway for humankind’s future, its attainment remains elusive despite intensive efforts and some successes. The current industrial society approach based on product and process innovation in a variety of fields is not providing the expected results in addressing this important issue. In an attempt to carry out this unavoidable task, Osaka University’s Research Institute for Sustainability Science (RISS) introduces an integral and dynamic innovation system where technology plays a key role in fulfilling societal functions. This innovation system adopts a highly solution-driven approach that makes use of backcasting techniques based on long-term visions and mid-term strategic goals. Since technology management is the key to propelling effective innovation towards sustainability, we propose a technology transition management through the interaction of technology push, demand pull and institutional design, along with eight transition principles. RISS will develop this innovation system based on these three components and through the design of dynamic scenarios and their roadmaps.