A “Natural” Agglomerative Clustering Method for Biology

The authors consider that cluster analysis does not objectivize but represents the biologist's subjectivity as to (1) characters considered to be significant and to (2) the way of classification. The latter, however, in authors' opinion, must be specific to the field of application. To this effect some methods are suggested for biology. The methods originate in improvements or transformation of Buser and Baroni-Urbani's method, as well as Watanabe's method, and have the property of processing overall information with no loss or distortion. An agglomerative method which yields a necessarily unique result is suggested, being considered by the authors as a homologue of Watanabe's divisive method. The methods proposed are studied using examples logically constructed. These examples can provide from biology, especially from ecology.     

“Ecological biotechnology” – the new dimension in technology

Ecological restructuring of all areas is the most essential action needed for the future of our cultures on earth. This paper intends to clarify how human technology activities can be embedded in the cycles of the biosphere.A new quality of life will be maintainable by this concept of ecologically sustainable technology.The background of this innovation is explained in more detail and the fundamentals are eluciatated comprehensively. A series of principles of general validity are derived from the study of ecosystems in biosphere, which are to be transferred to technologies. This will result in the new technology paradigm of “ecologic process engineering” which is part of a new paradigm in sciences.     

“Infant Mortality in Armenia 1992–2003”: A comment

The purpose of this comment is to counsel caution in some of the conclusions drawn in an otherwise fine article recently published in Economics and Human Biology on infant mortality in Armenia by Hakobyan, Mkrtchyan and Yepiskoposyan. These relate first, to the reliability of estimates and trends in infant mortality estimated from DHS data; second, to the interpretation of what the authors consider to be a ‘low’ infant mortality rate in former communist countries given their level of economic development; and third, to the role of the health care infrastructure in countries of the former Soviet Union in producing these ‘low’ infant mortality levels. This comment argues that trends in infant mortality in Armenia and other CIS countries, although probably declining, are perhaps less certain than the authors allow, that existing evidence does not suggest that they are uniformly low by global standards, or that the health care systems in CIS countries are uniformly effective in reducing infant deaths.