Perceptions of Risk: an Experimental Approach using Internet Questionnaires

Building on previous studies on perceptions of inequality, welfare and risk we investigate the structure of individuals' rankings of uncertain prospects in terms of risk and their relationship to individual preferences. We examine three interlinked propositions that are fundamental to the standard economic approach to risk: (i) that rankings by risk are simply the reverse of ranking by preference over distributions with a given mean; (ii) that risk-rankings respect the principle of mean-preserving spreads; (iii) that risk-rankings are independent of whether the individual is personally involved in the gains/losses associated with the uncertain prospects. To do this we use a set of questionnaires implemented through the Virtual Laboratory, a novel experimental setting for the study of normative issues in experimental economics. The results from the questionnaires provide an evaluation of the similitude between individual perceptions of risk and theoretical axioms. They also help identify the individual characteristics that might affect such perceptions.Inequality, risk, experiment, transfer principle, mean-preserving spread.

Implementing service-learning programs in physical education; teacher education as teaching and learning models for all the agents involved: A systematic review

Service-learning (SL) is the subject of a growing number of studies and is becoming increasingly popular in physical education teacher education (PETE) programs. The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the implementation of SL programs with PETE students. The databases used were Web of Science, SPORTDiscus (EBSCO), and SCOPUS. Articles were selected on the basis of the following criteria: (a) published in a peer-reviewed journal; (b) covers the use of SL programs with PETE students; (c) relates to physical education or physical activity programs; (d) availability of a full-text version in English and/or Spanish. Thirty-two articles met the inclusion criteria. Two types of findings were observed: firstly, findings relating to the study characteristics and objectives and, secondly, recommendations for improvement of this type of intervention. The objectives of the different studies focused on (a) the impact of the SL methodology on PETE students’ professional, social, and personal skills; (b) its impact on the community; (c) analysis of the effectiveness and quality of the programs. All but two studies analyzed the impact of SL on PETE, while only four analyzed community participants and only three analyzed the quality of the SL program. Recommendations for improving SL programs used with PETE students included: all stakeholders, e.g., students and community participants, should be studied and coordinated; the quality of the programs should be assessed, as studying the effectiveness of SL programs could help to attain the objectives of both students and the community; mixed methods should be used; and intervention implementation periods should be extended to provide more objective, controlled measurements

Clinical outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infection in 7 adults with Duchenne muscular dystrophy attending a specialist neuromuscular centre

Due to their frailty and cardiorespiratory compromise adults with DMD are considered extremely vulnerable and at high risk of severe infection should they contract COVID-19. We report 7 adults with DMD aged 17–26 years who tested positive on a nasopharyngeal PCR swab for SARS-CoV-2. Despite long term corticosteroid treatment, severe respiratory compromise requiring night-time ventilation and receiving treatment for moderate to severe cardiomyopathy, none of the patients developed moderate to severe symptoms; in fact two remained asymptomatic and two developed only anosmia and reduced sensation. The remaining three developed transient fever with or without sore throat, cough and runny nose. All recovered fully without complication and no patient required hospitalization

Povezanost slike o vlastitu tijelu s tjelesnom aktivnošću, zadovoljstvom životom i mediteranskom prehranom španjolskih adolescenata

The aim of this study was to examine the association between physical self-concept and physical activity, the intention to be physically active, life satisfaction, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet in adolescents. A total of 1,808 Spanish adolescents (12-16 years of age) participated in this cross-sectional study. Physical Self Questionnaire, Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity Screening Measure, Intention to be Physically Active Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, and Mediterranean Diet Quality Index were administered. The boys with a lower physical self-concept showed higher odd ratios of being inactive, having low intentions of being physically active, poor life satisfaction and low adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Similarly, most of the associations were also statistically significant in girls as well. In conclusion, the study reveals that having a low level of physical self-concept increases the risk of being inactive and of having a low level of intention to be physically active, life satisfaction and adherence to the Mediterranean diet in adolescents.Cilj je ovog istraživanja bio utvrditi povezanost između samopoimanja tijela i tjelesne aktivnosti, namjere da se bude tjelesno aktivan, zadovoljstva životom i pridržavanja mediteranske prehrane kod adolescenata. U ovo transverzalno istraživanje bilo je uključeno ukupno 1.808 španjolskih adolescenata (u dobi od 12 do 16 godina). U istraživanju su korišteni sljedeći mjerni instrumenti: Physical Self Questionnaire, Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity Screening Measure, Intention to be Physically Active Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, i Mediterranean Diet Quality Index. Dječaci s nižom razinom zadovoljstva vlastitim tijelom, u bilo kojoj njegovoj dimenziji, pokazali su veću sklonost tjelesnoj neaktivnosti, nižu odlučnost da budu tjelesno aktivni, manifestirali su nisku razinu zadovoljstva životom i slabo pridržavanje načela mediteranske prehrane. Slično kao i kod dječaka, većina relacija bila je statistički značajna i kod djevojčica. Zaključno, istraživanje je ukazalo na činjenicu da niska razina samopoimanja povećava rizik za neaktivnost i za nisku razinu namjere za kasniju tjelesnu aktivnost te da je povezano sa slabijim zadovoljstvom životom i slabijim pridržavanjem načela mediteranske prehrane kod adolescenata

Determinación experimental de la carga de apertura de grieta en fatiga bajo cargas aleatorias

El concepto de carga de apertura o cierre de grieta es ampliamente utilizado en fatiga para justificar el comportamiento del crecimiento de grietas con distintas relaciones de carga y el efecto de interacción de las cargas. Hasta la fecha son numerosas las técnicas experimentales propuestas para medir la apertura de grieta y entre ellas los métodos de flexibilidad son ampliamente utilizados por su simplicidad. En este trabajo se propone una modificación del método propuesto por la ASTM y se presentan los resultados obtenidos en ensayos de crecimiento de grietas por fatiga bajo cargas aleatorias. Así mismo, los valores experimentales de cargas de apertura son comparados con los calculados analíticamente por un modelo de simulación tipo “strip-yield” implementado en el software NASGRO. En general, se ha encontrado una concordancia razonablemente buena entre los valores experimentales y los obtenidos por simulación.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. Los autores agradecen la financiación aportada para la realización de este trabajo al Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (referencia MAT2016-76951-C2-2-P)

Delayed development of basal spikelets in wheat explains their increased floret abortion and rudimentary nature

Large differences exist in the number of grains per spikelet across an individual wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) spike. The central spikelets produce the highest number of grains, while apical and basal spikelets are less productive, and the most basal spikelets are commonly only developed in rudimentary form. Basal spikelets are delayed in initiation, yet they continue to develop and produce florets. The precise timing or the cause of their abortion remains largely unknown. Here, we investigated the underlying causes of basal spikelet abortion using shading applications in the field. We found that basal spikelet abortion is likely to be the consequence of complete floret abortion, as both occur concurrently and have the same response to shading treatments. We detected no differences in assimilate availability across the spike. Instead, we show that the reduced developmental age of basal florets pre-anthesis is strongly associated with their increased abortion. Using the developmental age pre-abortion, we were able to predict final grain set per spikelet across the spike, alongside the characteristic gradient in the number of grains from basal to central spikelets. Future efforts to improve spikelet homogeneity across the spike could thus focus on improving basal spikelet establishment and increasing floret development rates pre-abortion

Fatigue crack characterisation in 2024-T351 aluminium alloy through SEM observation combined with the CJP model

This work characterises crack growth in AA2024-T315 by combining different methods to further increase the reliability of the results. The Christopher-James-Patterson (CJP) model was fitted to experimental data obtained by digital image correlation (DIC). The effective value of the CJP stress intensity factors were successfully correlated with the ΔK-da/dN curve as obtained with Scanning Electron Microscopy measurements of the depth of striations on the fracture surface. This approach based on fitting the CJP model with DIC data and SEM observations allowed estimation of opening and closure loads and allowed the propagation rate and fracture mode to be effectively characterised.The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support of Programa Operativo FEDER from the Junta de Andalucia (Spain) through grant reference UMA18-FEDERJA-250. Industrial support from Bettergy SL and from Dr N Ordonez and M Carrera is also greatly acknowledged, as well as access to different components and materials in the energy industry. The authors would also like to acknowledge the financial support from Junta de Andalucia through the research project “1380786” funded by the program “Proyectos de I + D + I en el Marco del Programa Operativo FEDER Andalucia 2014-2020. Convocatoria 2020.” We would also like to acknowledge funding for open access charge: Universidad de Malaga / CBU