Absolute and Relative Deprivation and the Measurement of Poverty

This paper develops the link between poverty and inequality by focussing on a class of poverty indices (some of them well-known) which aggregate normative concerns for absolute and relative deprivation. The indices are distinguished by a parameter that captures the ethical sensitivity of poverty measurement to ``exclusion'' or ``relative-deprivation'' aversion. We also show how the indices can be readily used to predict the impact of growth on poverty. An illustration using LIS data finds that he United States show more relative deprivation than Denmark and Belgium whatever the percentiles considered, but that overall deprivation comparisons of the four countries considered will generally necessarily depend on the intensity of the ethical concern for relative deprivation. The impact of growth on poverty is also seen to depend on the presence of and on the attention granted to concerns over relative deprivation. }Poverty, relative deprivation, inequality, poverty alleviation

From Neel long-range order to spin-liquids in the multiple-spin exchange model

The phase diagram of the multiple-spin exchange model on the triangular lattice is studied using exact diagonalizations. The two-spin (J_2) and four-spin (J_4) exchanges have been taken into account for 12, 16, 19, 21, 24, and 27 site samples in the parameter region J_4=0 - 0.25 (for a fixed J_2=1). It is found that the three-sublattice N\'eel ordered state built up by the pure two-spin exchange can be destroyed by the four-spin exchange, forming a spin-liquid state. The different data suggest that the phase diagram in this range of parameters exhibits two phases. The pure J_2 phase is a three-sublattice Neel ordered phase, a small J_4 drives it into a spin-liquid state with a spin gap filled of a large number of singlets. This spin-liquid phase is not of the same generic kind as the phase studied by Misguich et al. [Phys. Rev. B 60, 1064 (1999)]. It is observed on the finite-size samples that the spin liquid phase, as the Neel ordered phase, exhibits a magnetization plateau at m = 1/3, and for J_4 >0.15 a second plateau atm=1/2. These two plateaus are associated respectively to the semi-classical orderings uud and uuud.Comment: 6 pages (RevTex), 5 figures (eps). Published versio

Reconstruction of Incomplete Data Sets orImages Using Direct Sampling

With increasingly sophisticated acquisition methods, the amount of data available for mapping physical parameters in the geosciences is becoming enormous. If the density of measurements is sufficient, significant non-parametric spatial statistics can be derived from the data. In this context, we propose to use and adapt the Direct Sampling multiple-points simulation method (DS) for the reconstruction of partially informed images. The advantage of the proposed method is that it can accommodate any data disposition and that it can indifferently deal with continuous and categorical variables. The spatial patterns found in the data are mimicked without model inference. Therefore, very few assumptions are required to define the spatial structure of the reconstructed fields, and very limited parameterization is needed to make the proposed approach extremely simple from a user perspective. The different examples shown in this paper give appealing results for the reconstruction of complex 3D geometries from relatively small data set

Athletes' perceptions of role ambiguity and coaching competency in sport teams: A multilevel analysis

20 pagesInternational audienceThe purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between athletes' perceptions of role ambiguity and two theoretically derived dimensions of coaching competency (i.e., game strategy and technique competencies). A total of 243 players from 26 teams representing various interdependent sports completed French versions of the Role Ambiguity Scale and the Coaching Competency Scale. Multilevel analyses supported the existence of relationships between the four dimensions of role ambiguity and the two dimensions of coaching competency at both individual and team levels. When the levels were considered jointly, athletes perceiving greater ambiguity in their role in both offensive and defensive contexts were more critical of their coach's capacities to lead their team during competitions and to diagnose or formulate instructions during training sessions. The results also indicated that the dimension of scope of responsibilities was the main contributor to the relationship with coaching competency at an individual level, whereas role evaluation was the main contributor to this relationship at a group level. Findings are discussed in relation to the role episode model, the role ambiguity dimensions involved in the relationships according to the level of analysis considered, and the salience of ambiguity perceptions in the offensive context

Athletes' perceptions of role ambiguity and coaching competency in sport teams: A multilevel analysis

20 pagesInternational audienceThe purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between athletes' perceptions of role ambiguity and two theoretically derived dimensions of coaching competency (i.e., game strategy and technique competencies). A total of 243 players from 26 teams representing various interdependent sports completed French versions of the Role Ambiguity Scale and the Coaching Competency Scale. Multilevel analyses supported the existence of relationships between the four dimensions of role ambiguity and the two dimensions of coaching competency at both individual and team levels. When the levels were considered jointly, athletes perceiving greater ambiguity in their role in both offensive and defensive contexts were more critical of their coach's capacities to lead their team during competitions and to diagnose or formulate instructions during training sessions. The results also indicated that the dimension of scope of responsibilities was the main contributor to the relationship with coaching competency at an individual level, whereas role evaluation was the main contributor to this relationship at a group level. Findings are discussed in relation to the role episode model, the role ambiguity dimensions involved in the relationships according to the level of analysis considered, and the salience of ambiguity perceptions in the offensive context

Analog-based meandering channel simulation

Characterizing the complex geometries and the heterogeneity of the deposits in meandering river systems is a long-standing issue for the 3-D modeling of alluvial formations. Such deposits are important sources of accessible groundwater in alluvial aquifers throughout the world and also play a major role as hydrocarbons reservoirs. In this paper, we present a method to generate meandering river centerlines that are stochastic, geologically realistic, connected, and conditioned to local observations or global geomorphological characteristics. The method is based on fast 1-D multiple-point statistics in a transformed curvilinear domain: the succession in directions observed in a real-world meandering river (the analog) is considered as statistical model for multiple-point statistics simulation. The integration of local data is accomplished by an inverse procedure ensuring that the channels pass through a given set of locations while conserving the high-order spatial characteristics of an analog. The methodology is applied on seven real-world case studies. This work demonstrates the flexibility and the applicability of multiplepoint statistics outside the standard paradigm that considers the simulation of a 2-D or 3-D variable with spatial coordinates

The Assessment of African Protected Areas

In order to achieve goals for reduction in the rate of biodiversity loss, it is vital that geographically flexible conservation funding is focused on the areas where biodiversity is the highest and is most threatened. There is currently a shortage of systematic and repeatable methods for the assessment of priority areas for conservation. Furthermore, existing prioritisations tend to focus on large biogeographical units, defined by regional experts. We propose a continental scale repeatable methodology, using existing geographical databases, for the prioritisation of African protected areas. This information is utilised to develop 6 indicators for each protected area, quantifying its value with regards to amphibian, bird and mammal species diversity, irreplaceability of habitat, and threat from population pressure and agricultural boundary pressure. These indicators are then summarised to show how the protected area performs, for each indicator, in comparison to other protected areas from the same country or the same ecoregion. Results are also synthesised to show the most valuable protected areas for a given taxa. Finally, the prioritisation is presented via the internet in conjunction with phenology, climate, and environmental information specific to each protected area.JRC.H.3-Global environement monitorin