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This announcement is cross-posted from Morphmet (the morphometrics listserver)
Norm MacLeod
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*********************** Announcing RASA 2.0 *************************
*********************************************************************
Software for the Mac that will perform "Relative Apparent
Synapomorphy Analysis" (RASA) has been updated and is freely
available at the address below. RASA is a statistical test
for the presence of phylogenetic signal (a.k.a. cladistic
hierarchy) in _any_ type of discrete character data matrix
(morphological/molecular/combined).
RASA belongs to the family of inferential statistics, which
focuses on hypothesis testing. Functionally, the test compares
the observed and null rates of increase in cladistic similarity
among pairs of taxa predicted by an increase in the phenetic
similarity among taxon pairs. The test statistic follows
Student's t distribution (cf., a t-test).
The software (updated from 1.1.1 to 2.0) is now available FREE
at the following URL as a binhexed self-extracting archive:
http://loco.biology.unr.edu/archives/rasa/rasa.html
and by anonymous ftp at
loco.biology.unr.edu (pub) (rasa)
There you'll find rasa.sea, which contains the following:
RASA 2.0 <-- Reads a data file, measures signal,
reports the result in tabular form,
AND allows you to plot and explore
the RASA regression. RASA 2.0 replaces
RASA 1.1.1 and RASA Plot 1.1.1.
sample.data <-- A sample data file with signal.
README-2.0 <-- A file with FAQs, bugs, etc.
SoftwareFPU <-- Allows FPU machines to run
RASA 2.0.
PLUS LINKS to other Phylogenetic Information on the Web.
**** CHANGES IN 2.0 ****
RASA 2.0 is much more sophisticated and user friendly than 1.1.1:
User interface
Menu-driven analyses
Menu-driven graphics
Identify specific taxa in the RASA regression
(RASA Plot is now incorporated into 2.0)
Data entry
No more COMMAS between characters!
See new sample data file for data entry format
Data analysis
Multiple outgroups can be defined.
Planned Upgrades
Printing capability will be added.
Including/Excluding Taxa will be added.
New analytical tools for phylogenetic data
exploration based on the RASA test will be
implemented _after_ they have survived peer
review.
RASA 2.0 will be upgraded after each analysis is
implemented. Check for upgrades monthly.
The reference for the algorithm and detailed justification and discussion
of limitations of the approach can be found in:
Lyons-Weiler, J., G.A. Hoelzer, and R.J. Tausch. 1996. Relative
Apparent Synapomorphy Analysis (RASA) I: the statistical
measurement of phylogenetic signal. Molecular Biology and
Evolution 13:749-757.
Send questions off the list; FAQs will be included in the README file as
they arrive.
To add your name to the RASA mailing list, or if you have questions, send
an email with your postal to
weiler@ers.unr.edu
James Lyons-Weiler
Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology
1000 Valley Road/186
University of Nevada, Reno
Reno, NV 89512
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Norman MacLeod
Micropalaeontological Research
N.MacLeod@nhm.ac.uk (Internet)
N.MacLeod@uk.ac.nhm (Janet)
Address: Dept. of Palaeontology, The Natural History Museum,
Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD
Office Phone: 0171-938-9006
Dept. FAX: 0171-938-9277
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