Software and methods for oligonucleotide and cDNA array data analysis.

Two HTML-based programs were developed to analyze and filter gene-expression data: 'Bullfrog' for Affymetrix oligonucleotide arrays and 'Spot' for custom cDNA arrays. The programs provide intuitive data-filtering tools through an easy-to-use interface. A background subtraction and normalization program for cDNA arrays was also built that provides an informative summary report with data-quality assessments. These programs are freeware to aid in the analysis of gene-expression results and facilitate the search for genes responsible for interesting biological processes and phenotypes

Externalities revisited: the use of an environmental equity account

This exploratory paper attempts to restart a debate about the incorporation of environmental externalities into the cost structure of the organisation. A number approaches are considered; regulation together with all that would follow such as audit and policing; pollution permits, which probably can only be used with a sinking lid application; and other charging mechanisms such as making the private sector pay for public sector capital funding. The fourth alternative, the use of an environmental equity account, has not been widely considered in the literature. The paper proposes the use of an environmental equity account (after Boone and Rubenstein, 1997) with the express intent of generating a charge for environmental impact based on the cost of control. That is, the cost of implementing state of the art technology compared to that currently in use within the organisation, is used as a balance which may be either paid as a capital sum or carried as a balance sheet entry upon which dividend payments would have to be made. It is envisaged that both capital sums and dividend payments would go to an agency responsible for environmental remediation activity

Exact Post-Selection Inference for Sequential Regression Procedures

We propose new inference tools for forward stepwise regression, least angle regression, and the lasso. Assuming a Gaussian model for the observation vector y, we first describe a general scheme to perform valid inference after any selection event that can be characterized as y falling into a polyhedral set. This framework allows us to derive conditional (post-selection) hypothesis tests at any step of forward stepwise or least angle regression, or any step along the lasso regularization path, because, as it turns out, selection events for these procedures can be expressed as polyhedral constraints on y. The p-values associated with these tests are exactly uniform under the null distribution, in finite samples, yielding exact type I error control. The tests can also be inverted to produce confidence intervals for appropriate underlying regression parameters. The R package "selectiveInference", freely available on the CRAN repository, implements the new inference tools described in this paper.Comment: 26 pages, 5 figure

Panel: “Protecting Our National Parks: What Should Be Done,” and William J. Lockhart, Outline: Problems and Issues that Must Be Addressed; and Some Preliminary Proposals for Solutions

26 pages

BLM Land Planning and Consistency Obligations to Provide for Protection of Natural Values on Adjacent Protected Lands

60 pages

Panel: “Protecting Our National Parks: What Should Be Done,” and William J. Lockhart, Outline: Problems and Issues that Must Be Addressed; and Some Preliminary Proposals for Solutions

26 pages