Review of: Making Decisions about Liability and Insurance (Colin Camerer & Howard Kunreuther eds.)

Review of: Making Decisions about Liability and Insurance (Colin Camerer & Howard Kunreuther eds., Kluwer Academic Publishers 1993). Figures, index, notes, tables. ISBN 0-7923-9393-7 [139 pp. Cloth $89.95. 101 Phillip Drive, Assinippi Park, Norwell MA 02061.

Cognition and evaluation of architecture environments based on geometric contour references and aesthetic judgements

This paper presents the outline and the achieved results of an experimental study developed to understand the differences on how close architecture spaces with distinct geometric characteristics at contour level, including rounded, curvilinear and sharp, rectilinear elements, are perceived and evaluated. In order to do so, eighteen virtual reality architecture spaces were evaluated by thirty-two test-subjects according to like/dislike aesthetic judgments. As expected, the tested subjects showed a higher level of preference for spaces with rounded, curvilinear contour elements. On another way, when the level of space curvature was high, considering the whole space surface and not only the contour of plan transitions, the level of preference decreased significantly. These results support the idea that rounded, curvilinear elements are interpreted as being more pleasant and preferred than sharp, rectilinear ones and create new knowledge on the how the levels of such preference are more accurate for moderate rather than radical curvature rates. Keywords. Geometric contour; Architecture space environment; Curve, rounded, angular and rectilinear; aesthetic judgement; experimental study.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Cognition and evaluation of architecture environments based on geometric contour references and aesthetic judgements

This paper presents the outline and the achieved results of an experimental study developed to understand the differences on how close architecture spaces with distinct geometric characteristics at contour level, including rounded, curvilinear and sharp, rectilinear elements, are perceived and evaluated. In order to do so, eighteen virtual reality architecture spaces were evaluated by thirty-two test-subjects according to like/dislike aesthetic judgments. As expected, the tested subjects showed a higher level of preference for spaces with rounded, curvilinear contour elements. On another way, when the level of space curvature was high, considering the whole space surface and not only the contour of plan transitions, the level of preference decreased significantly. These results support the idea that rounded, curvilinear elements are interpreted as being more pleasant and preferred than sharp, rectilinear ones and create new knowledge on the how the levels of such preference are more accurate for moderate rather than radical curvature rates

Modalités de contamination du crustacé planctonique Daphnia magna Straus avec le 134Cs. Etudes de la fixation et de la rétention

Une étude concernant le transfert du césium radioactif dans une chaîne trophique simplifiée d'eau douce, a été réalisée dans le cadre des Contrats (CCE) n° BI6-B-198-P et n° BI6-0245-P. Les objectifs étaient la connaissance de la radioécologie du fleuve Tejo (Tage) et le comportement du césium radioactif dans un écosystème naturel. Dans le présent document, sont présentées l'accumulation par voies différentes et la rétention du 134Cs par Daphnia magna Straus (Crustacea, Cladocera).L'accumulation directe à partir de l'eau du fleuve contaminée avec du 134Cs, a été effectuée avec une concentration initiale, approximative de 10 Bq ml-1. Le facteur de concentration (FC), rapporté au poids frais des daphnies, a évolué selon la fonction : FC(t) = 57,4 (1 - e-0,275t), avec le temps (t) en jours.L'élimination du radionucléide est exprimée par la fonction de rétention : R(t) = 8,5e-12,211 t + 91,5e-0.441t, qui indique donc deux périodes biologiques, Tb1 = 0,06 jour et Tb2 =1,6 jours.Quand la contamination de D. magna se réalise à partir de la nourriture (Selenastrum capricornutum) contaminée au 134Cs,le facteur de transfert trophique suit la fonction : F T (t) = 5, 1 (1 - e-0,245t).Dans ce cas, le processus de rétention est représenté par une fonction exponentielle à un seul terme : R(t) . 100 e-0,410t et correspond donc à une seule période biologique, Tb = 1,7 jour.La contamination simultanée par les deux vecteurs semble montrer que la voie de contamination la plus importante est le transfert à partir de l'eau. Etant donné que la concentration cellulaire et la concentration en 134Cs de la microalgue S. capricorrrutum étaient approximativement stabilisées, la nourriture n'a été responsable que de 28,5 ± 8,3 % de la concentration du radionucléide dans D. magna.En ce qui concerne l'étude de la rétention, on observe que, pour la contamination par l'eau, la période biologique la plus courte doit correspondre à une désorption au niveau des surfaces, tandis que la période la plus longue doit correspondre à l'élimination du 134Cs assimilé. La rétention consécutive à la fixation par l'ingestion de nourriture contaminé, conduit à une seule période biologique, qui ressemble beaucoup à la période longue du premier cas.Considering the potential radiological risk, due to the normal operation of the spanish nuclear power plants (Jose CABRERA, TRILLO and ALMARAZ) sited in the Tejo (Tagus) River watershed, the radioecological study of the river is of the utmost interest.Aiming for a better understanding of radionuclides behaviour in the Fratel dam, a particular freshwater ecosystem in the Tejo River located a few kilometers from the border, several studies have been carried out.Besides the field follow up, an experimental study concerning the radioactive cesium transfer in a simplified freshwater trophic chain was developed, under the Contracts (CEC) n° BI6-B-1 98-P and n° BI6-0245-P, whose objectives were respectively the knowledge of Tejo River radioecology and the radiocesium behaviour in a natural ecosystem.In a radiological assessment, the use of site specific data is always recommendable, instead of using default values, what is another perspective of the present work.The importance of cesium behaviour in the environment, is related to its chemical similarity with potassium, which is a wide-spread element in the living tissues. Following a hypotetical ingestion of radiocesium contaminated foodstuff or water by man, the contamination may then be extended to the whale body, mainly the muscles. Recently, the accident in the ucranian Chernobyl power plant, has alerted the international scientific community to the problem of the environmental dispersion of this radionuclide.134Cs, a gamma radiation emitter, was the isotope selected for the experiments. Its usual concentration in the radioactive liquid effluents released by PWR plants, is similar to the one of 137Cs, an isotope with a half-life of 30.15 years. 134Cs has a half-life of only 2.07 years, which is an advantage regarding the production of radioactive wastes resulting from the experiments.Our objective is to understand the mechanisms of the 134Cs transfer along the trophic chain, and to determine the parameters that might integrate e radioecological model, namely the concentration factors between organisms and water, and the trophic transfer factors between consumers and nourishment.The simplified trophic chain concerned : a primary producer, the green microalgae Selenastrum capricernutum Printz (CORISCO and CARREIRO, 1990 a); a primary consumer, the planktonic crustacean Daphnia magna Straus; and a secondary consumer, the omnivorous fish Tinca tinta L. (CORISCO and CARREIRO, 1990 b).In this paper the 134Cs uptake and retention by Daphnia magna Straus, (Crustacea, Cladocera) via different pathways, are presented.D. magna is a filter-feeding organism very common in freshwater ecosystems and frequently used as a test organism in toxicology. Several authors have been using it, as well, in the field of experimental radioecology. These small crustaceans, hardly exceeding a 3 mm mesh size, reproduce predominantly by parthenogenesis and, in laboratorial conditions, this process may be permanent if optimum temperature, abundant feeding and water quality are maintained.The main chemical characteristics of Fratel water, which was used in this study, are presented. The average stable cesium concentration, determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis, is 6 x 10-5 ppm.During the experiments, the temperature was kept at 20 ± 2 °C and artificial light was maintained for 15 h a day, using daylight fluorescent tubes (36 watt).The radiocesium used was a 134Cs chloride in a 0.1 M solution, with a total cesium content of 1 µg ml-1.The radioactive measurements were performed in e well type 1 1/4" diameter and 2 1/2" deep sodium iodine (thalium activated) detector of 4" x 4", connected to monochannel analyser.The direct uptake from 134Cs Iabelled river water was carried out using an initial radionuclide concentration in the water near to 10 Bq ml-1. The concentration factor (CF), referred to wet weight of daphnids, evolved according to the function : CF (t)=57.4 (1 - e-0.275t) , with time (t) referred to days.When the contamination of D. magna was carried out through the nourishment, 134Cs Iabelled Selenastrum capricornutum, the trophic transfer factor (TF) followed the exponential function : TF(t)=5.1 (1 - e-0.245t).Combining both pathways simultaneously, water appears to be the main contamination source. The number of cells and 134Cs concentration in microalgae S. capricornutum being approximately stabilized, nourishment was responsable for 28.5 ± 8.3 % of the radionuclide concentration in D. magna.However, using the functions issued from the separated pathways experiments, the assessed contamination of D. magna suggests that the trophic pathway would be predominant.The evaluation of the relative importance of the contamination pathways, would very likely be dependent on the experimental conditions. Therefore, experimental results must be carefully taken in consideration, and an approach as best as possible to the environmental conditions should be attempted.The elimination of the radionuclide , after the uptake from water, is expressed by the retention function : R (t)=8.5e-12.211t + 91.5e-0.441t, meaning two biological retention compartments with half-lives Tb1 = 0.06 day and Tb2 = 1.6 days. Following the uptake from the food pathway, retention is expressed by an exponential with only one term : R(t)=100 e-0.494t and, therefore, only one hall-life, Tb = 1.7 days.From the retention study after 134Cs uptake from water, it appears that the shorter hall-life might correspond to the surface desorption, whereas the longer one might correspond to the loss of assimilated 134Cs. Following uptake from ingestion of labelled food, retention study lead to a single hall-life, very similar to the longer one in the previous case.These results would suggest that water and food pathways act differently when tested together or separately, and assimilation must be the main concentration mechanism of 134Cs for the crustacean Daphnia magna.Considering the importance of these planktonic crustaceans as a link in the freshwater trophic chains, the concentration factor at equilibrium (57 ± 3) and mainly the trophic transfer factor et equilibrium (5.0 ± 0.6), a significative contamination concerning the 134Cs, could be reached

Étude expérimentale sur l'accumulation et la rétention du 134Cs par une microalgue planctonique, Selenastrum capricornutum Printz

Avec l'objectif de mieux connaître le comportement du césium radioactif et son transfert dans un écosystème naturel d'eau douce, une étude concernant une chaîne trophique du fleuve Tejo a été conduite dans le cadre du contrat (CCE) n° B16-0245-P et aussi du contrat (CCE) n° B16-B-198-P. Ce document présente l'étude de l'interaction eau-producteur primaire, Selenastrum capricomufum Printz, algue planctonique unicellulaire, en présence du 134Cs.Les essais de contamination de la microalgue ont été conduits en utilisant des cultures en milieu confiné et en phase de stabilisation de la croissance. Quand la composition chimique de l'eau de Fratel n'est pas modifiée, sauf en ce qui est de l'addition du radioélément, le facteur de concentration évalué est de (1,6 ±0,2)103 (rapporté au poids sec). Par ailleurs, quand il y a un enrichissement en plusieurs cations par l'addition d'un milieu nutritif, le facteur de concentration baisse à (1,5 ± 0,2)102. Dans tous les cas l'équilibre est atteint dans les premières 24 h.L'étude de la rétention a été réalisée en repiquant des microalgues, préalablement contaminées, dans l'eau du fleuve non radioactive et en les maintenant soit en milieu confiné, soit en milieu renouvelé une seule fois au bout d'un jour, ou plusieurs fois au cours de l'expérience. Comme les résultats obtenus dans ces trois conditions sont semblables, un modèle général exprimant la variation du pourcentage de rétention a pu étre établi :R (t) = 76,7 e-45,0 t + 20,1 e-1,28 t (t exprimé en jours)ce modèle met en évidence l'existence de deux périodes biologiques, respectivement Tb1 = 0,015 jours et Tb2 = 0,54 jours.Compte tenu de la dilution biologique due à la prolifération des algues unicellulaires au cours des expériences, la cinétique de désorption permet de faire l'hypothèse que le 134Cs est d'une part adsorbé sur les surfaces et d'autre part absorbé dans les cellules.For a better understanding of the radiocesium transfer in a freshwater ecosystem, a study concerning a simplified trophic chain from the Fratel dam, in the River Tejo, is being developed under the CEC contract n° B16-0245-P and also the CEC contract n° B16-B-198-P. In this paper is presented the study of the interaction water - primary producer (Selenastrum tapricornutum Printz, an unicellular planktonic algae) in the presence of 134Cs.The accumulation experiments were carried out in confined medium, during stabilization of the culture development. When the microalgae were cultivated in labelled river water, without any chemical change except for the addition of 134Cs, the evaluated concentration factor was CF = (1,6 ± 0,2)103, referred to dry weight. Otherwise, when the water was enriched by several cations by the addition of nutrients, the concentration factor was lower, CF = (1,6 ± 0,2)103. In every case, equilibrium was reached within the first 24 h.The retention was also carried out in river water and was studied through three parallel experiments : the labelled microalgae were maintained respectively in a confined medium, in a renewed medium with one single renewal made after 24 h's experiment, and in a renewed medium with renewals made at each sampling time. In every case, the 134Cs loss obeyed a two-differential equation and the results obtained were similar, namely concerning the biological half-lives (Tb1 = 0.015 days in every case and Tb2 respectively 0.53, 0.42 and 0.54 days); therefore a total model could be deduced :R (t) = 76,7 e-45,0 t + 20,1 e-128 t (t in days)showing two biological half-lives, which were Tb1 = 0.015 and Tb2 = 0.54 days.Taking into account the biological dilution due to the biomass increase during the experiments, the elimination kinetics suggests that 134Cs is on the one hand adsorbed on the cell surface and on the other band is absorbed intracellularly

Embryo and larval biology of the deepsea octocoral Dentomuricea aff. meteor under different temperature regimes

Deep-sea octocorals are common habitat-formers in deep-sea ecosystems, however, our knowledge on their early life history stages is extremely limited. The present study focuses on the early life history of the species Dentomuricea aff. meteor, a common deep-sea octocoral in the Azores. The objective was to describe the embryo and larval biology of the target species under two temperature regimes, corresponding to the minimum and maximum temperatures in its natural environment during the spawning season. At temperature of 13 ±0.5 °C, embryos of the species reached the planula stage after 96h and displayed a median survival of 11 days. Planulae displayed swimming only after stimulation, swimming speed was 0.24 ±0.16 mm s−1 and increased slightly but significantly with time. Under a higher temperature (15 °C ±0.5 °C) embryos reached the planula stage 24 h earlier (after 72 h), displayed a median survival of 16 days and had significantly higher swimming speed (0.3 ±0.27 mm s−1). Although the differences in survival were not statistically significant, our results highlight how small changes in temperature can affect embryo and larval characteristics with potential cascading effects in larval dispersal and success. In both temperatures, settlement rates were low and metamorphosis occurred even without settlement. Such information is rarely available for deep-sea corals, although essential to achieve a better understanding of dispersal, connectivity and biogeographical patterns of benthic species.Versión del edito

Travel of studies: cities of João Pessoa, Maceio, Natal and Recife: a look on the urban space and brazilian architectural production

Ponencia presentada a Session 8: Dimensiones psicosociales de la arquitectura y el urbanismo / Psycological dimensions of architecture and planningThis article aims to present the methodology and the final results of the elective course “Travel of Studies” which belongs to the new pedagogical project from the Architecture and Urbanism course at the University Federal of Pernambuco. It was offered for the first time in 2013.The discipline was organized to occur in four long weekends through visits of four capitals of the Northeast of Brazil: Recife, João Pessoa, Natal and Maceió. The purpose was to allow the students to apprehend the cities through four axis: intervention in historical center (axis 1), production of urban space (axis 2), production of coastline space (axis 3) and contemporary architecture (axis 4). After the four visits were complete, we prepared a poster with the comparison of the cities based on the identification of the similarities and differences of each axis we have studied

Reacção ao Glutamato Monossódico – Avaliação por Prova de Provocação em Ocultação Simples

Em 1968 foram descritos sintomas autolimitados que surgiam até 30 minutos após refeição em restaurante chinês. Esta síndrome tem sido atribuída ao consumo de glutamato monossódico (GMS), sendo designada por “complexo de sintomas associado ao GMS”. Foi objectivo deste estudo avaliar a resposta ao GMS em dois adultos com história sugestiva de reacção adversa a este aditivo alimentar. Em ocultação simples, foram administrados oralmente, em jejum e em dias diferentes, placebo ou doses crescentes de GMS, até à dose cumulativa de 5 gramas, sendo a prova considerada positiva caso surgissem pelo menos dois sintomas de vinte descritos na literatura. Apenas a prova com GMS foi positiva num doente, que referiu mal-estar geral, astenia e hipersudorese, na dose máxima. À semelhança de outros estudos, os resultados sugerem que doses elevadas de GMS, administradas sem alimentos, podem provocar sintomas em indivíduos com história suspeita de “complexo de sintomas associado a GMS”