The cognitive and experiential effects of flood risk framings and experience, and their influence on adaptation investment behaviour

This study explores how decision makers invest in adaptation to protect against flood risks in response to a) different framings of flood risk information, and b) after experiencing losses from a hypothetical flood event. An incentivised economic lab experiment is conducted on a sample of students in Bilbao (Basque Country, Spain). A 2 × 2 between-subject design is used to measure investment behaviour with and without exposure to a flood risk map and after exposure to impacts framed as economic losses versus number of persons affected. Experience is measured through a 2-period repeated game within-subject design. Flood risk maps and impacts framed as number of persons affected were conducive to more experiential forms of decision-making, while decisions based on impacts framed as economic losses were more cognitive in nature. Those that saw text-only framings used a combination of cognitive and experiential factors for making decisions. While exposure to maps evoked more affect-driven responses, they were associated with lower ratings of positive affect and self-efficacy, and resulted in lower investments in protection compared to text-only framings. Greater experiential processing was found for impact framings based on persons affected, but they were not especially effective at increasing personal relevance of the issue or in driving investments. Individuals who experienced losses from a hypothetical flood event had greater ratings of negative affect, and made subsequent decisions that were more affect-driven in nature. In contrast, individuals who did not experience losses had greater ratings of positive affect, and made subsequent decisions based on primarily cognitive factors. Investments in protection reduced for those who did not experience losses, and remained the same for those who did experience losses. Results suggest that changes in adaptation investments between decision points may be dependent on both the experience (or lack thereof) of losses, as well as the extent to which individuals were risk-averse or risk-taking in previous investment decisions. © 2021This research was supported by the Horizon 2020 COACCH Project (grant agreement no. 776479). Additionally, it was also supported by the Basque Government through the BERC 2018-2021 program and by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness MINECO through the BC3 María de Maetzu excellence accreditation MDM-2017-0714

A CRITICAL REVIEW of COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS for CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION in CITIES

his study systematically reviews the scientific literature (n=56) on cost-benefit analysis (CBA) of adaptation measures in cities and similar urban environments. The review is conducted to assess existing or proposed actions for dealing with impacts of drought, heat waves, sea-level rise, and pluvial and fluvial flooding. It includes over 30 measures related to structural, services, technological, informational and ecosystem-based approaches. The main findings demonstrate that CBA of adaptation measures across urban environments must contend with numerous long-term socioeconomic and climate change uncertainties. Subsequently, this has led to inconsistencies in valuation frameworks related to, for example, planning horizons, discount rates, non-market considerations and future scenarios. Results also indicate a clear gap in the literature on the economic valuation of adaptation measures in the Global South. Furthermore, few studies integrate equity dimensions while planning for adaptation. Extensions of CBA to account for key uncertainties will help policy makers to allocate (often scarce) resources more efficiently and limit the likelihood of maladaptation. Further inclusion of the magnitude and distributional effects of non-market impacts and greater civil society engagement in policy dialogues will also be vital for promoting just and equitable measures that balance adaptation alongside other policy goals such as mitigation, economic development, health and well-being. © 2019 World Scientific Publishing Company.The authors are grateful for support received from the Horizon 2020 RESIN project (EC-H2020, grant agreement No. 653522). Additionally, this work is also supported by the Basque Government through the BERC 2018-2021 program and by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness MINECO through the BC3 Mar a de Maeztu excellence accreditation MDM-2017-0714. The authors would also like to thank the referee of the journal, whose detailed comments have led to major changes that have improved the paper

Accounting for the effects of employment, equity, and risk aversion in cost-benefit analysis: An application to an adaptation project

This paper sets out to explore to what extent integrating employment effects, equity, and risk aversion within cost-benefit analysis (CBA) affect the economic appraisal of a climate change adaptation project designed to protect against flood risk in a region of Bilbao (Basque Country, Spain). Four CBAs are conducted: (i) a standard CBA; (ii) a standard CBA considering equity; (iii) a standard CBA considering equity and employment; and (iv) a standard CBA considering equity, employment and risk aversion. All CBAs are conducted using a time frame of 2014- 2080 and considering a 100-year return period under a middle of the road emission scenario (RCP4.5). A sensitivity analysis is also undertaken. Results suggest that the economic efficiency of the adaptation investment is contingent on what types of considerations are included within CBA. Integrating elements of employment, equity and risk aversion can strengthen or weaken the case for action (leading to higher or lower net-present values) and (depending on the discount rate chosen) may even be the deciding factor for determining whether a particular action should be carried out or not (whether the net-present value is positive or negative). © The Author(s), 2021.Acknowledgments: The funding for this work was provided by the European Commission 7th Framework Programme ECONADAPT project on the “Economics of climate change adaptation in Europe” under the grant agreement No. 603906. This research is also supported by the Basque Government through the BERC 2018-2021 program and by Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness MINECO through BC3 María de Maeztu excellence accreditation MDM-2017-0714

Sex-differences in reasons for non-participation at recruitment : Geelong Osteoporosis Study

Background : Understanding reasons for non-participation in health studies can help guide recruitment strategies and inform researchers about potential sources of bias in their study sample. Whilst there is a paucity of literature regarding this issue, it remains highly plausible that men and women may have varied reasons for declining an invitation to participate in research. We aimed to investigate sex-differences in the reasons for non-participation at baseline of the Geelong Osteoporosis Study (GOS). Methods : The GOS, a prospective cohort study, randomly recruited men and women aged 20 years and over from a region in south-eastern Australia using Commonwealth electoral rolls (2001–06 and 1993–97, respectively). Reasons for non-participation (n=1,200) were documented during the two recruitment periods. We used the Pearson’s chi squared test to explore differences in the reasons for non-participation between men and women. Results : Non-participation in the male cohort was greater than in the female cohort (32.9% vs. 22.9%; p<0.001). Overall, there were sex-differences in the reasons provided for non-participation (p<0.001); apparent differences related to time constraints (men 26.3% vs. women 10.4%), frailty/inability to cope with or understand the study (men 18.7% vs. women 30.6%), and reluctance over medical testing (men 1.1% vs women 9.9%). No sex-differences were observed for non-participation related to personal reason/disinterest, and language- or travel-related reasons. Conclusions : Improving participation rates in epidemiological studies may require different recruitment strategies for men and women in order to address sex-specific concerns about participating in research

Eutectic Superalloys for Laser Powder Bed Fusion

Due to the small freezing range of eutectic alloys, the Cotac-type alloys might be viable alternatives to conventional Ni-based superalloys when processed through additive manufacturing. Laser-pass assessment reveals that both Cotac-74 and Cotac-744 display improved cracking resistance when compared to the conventional Ni-based superalloy CM247LC. During laser powder bed fusion Cotac-74 displayed the highest cracking resistance, with no microcracking detected in the as-built or heat-treated microstructure. The promising results presented for Cotac-74 highlight the possible use of this alloy for the additive manufacturing of high-temperature aerospace components. <br/

Hardness variation in inconel 718 produced by laser directed energy deposition

Directed energy deposition (DED) of Inconel 718 is of critical importance for the repair of aerospace components, which have tight tolerances for certification, particularly on mechanical properties. Significant hardness variation has been seen throughout DED manufactured Inconel 718 components, suggestive of variation in mechanical properties, which must be understood such that the variation can either be removed, or implemented within the design in line with regulatory guidance. In this work, γʹ precipitation was theorised to be the cause of hardness variation throughout the component, despite Inconel 718 conventionally being regarded as a γʺ strengthened alloy. A simple precipitation potential model based on a moving heat source was found to correlate with the measured hardness and explain the hardness distribution observed. In addition, it has been shown that sections under a critical thickness of 2 mm never reach the peak hardness in the as-built condition. This understanding allows for the development of in-situ heat treatment strategies to be developed for microstructural, and hence, mechanical property optimisation, necessary for repair technologies where post processing steps are limited

Hardness variation in inconel 718 produced by laser directed energy deposition

Directed energy deposition (DED) of Inconel 718 is of critical importance for the repair of aerospace components, which have tight tolerances for certification, particularly on mechanical properties. Significant hardness variation has been seen throughout DED manufactured Inconel 718 components, suggestive of variation in mechanical properties, which must be understood such that the variation can either be removed, or implemented within the design in line with regulatory guidance. In this work, γʹ precipitation was theorised to be the cause of hardness variation throughout the component, despite Inconel 718 conventionally being regarded as a γʺ strengthened alloy. A simple precipitation potential model based on a moving heat source was found to correlate with the measured hardness and explain the hardness distribution observed. In addition, it has been shown that sections under a critical thickness of 2 mm never reach the peak hardness in the as-built condition. This understanding allows for the development of in-situ heat treatment strategies to be developed for microstructural, and hence, mechanical property optimisation, necessary for repair technologies where post processing steps are limited

Correlated response to selection for litter size environmental variability in rabbits' resilience

[EN] Resilience is the ability of an animal to return soon to its initial productivity after facing diverse environmental challenges. This trait is directly related to animal welfare and it plays a key role in fluctuations of livestock productivity. A divergent selection experiment for environmental variance of litter size has been performed successfully in rabbits over ten generations. The objective of this study was to analyse resilience indicators of stress and disease in the divergent lines of this experiment. The high line showed a lower survival rate at birth than the low line (-4.1%). After correcting by litter size, the difference was -3.2%. Involuntary culling rate was higher in the high than in the low line (+12.4%). Before vaccination against viral haemorrhagic disease or myxomatosis, concentration of lymphocytes, C-reactive protein (CRP), complement C3, serum bilirubin, triglycerides and cholesterol were higher in the high line than in the low line (difference between lines +4.5%, +5.6 mu g/ml, +4.6 mg/ml, +7.9 mmol/l, +0.3 mmol/l and +0.4 mmol/l). Immunological and biochemical responses to the two vaccines were similar. After vaccination, the percentage of lymphocytes and CRP concentration were higher in the low line than in the high one (difference between lines +4.0% and +13.1 mu g/ml). The low line also showed a higher increment in bilirubin and triglycerides than the high line (+14.2 v. +8.7 mmol/l for bilirubin and +0.11 v. +0.01 mmol/l for triglycerides); these results would agree with the protective role of bilirubin and triglycerides against the larger inflammatory response found in this line. In relation to stress, the high line had higher basal concentration of cortisol than the low line (+0.2ng/ml); the difference between lines increased more than threefold after the injection of ACTH 1 to 24, the increase being greater in the high line (+0.9 ng/ml) than in the low line (+0.4 ng/ml). Selection for divergent environmental variability of litter size leads to dams with different culling rate for reproductive causes and different kits' neonatal survival. These associations suggest that the observed fitness differences are related to differences in the inflammatory response and the corticotrope response to stress, which are two important components of physiological adaptation to environmental aggressions.This study is supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) with the Projects AGL2014-55921, C2-1-P and C2-2-P, and AGL2017-86083, C2-1-P and C2-2-P.Argente, M.; Garcia, M.; Zbynovska, K.; Petruska, P.; Capcarova, M.; Blasco Mateu, A. (2019). 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Vaccine, 33(17), 2004-2008. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2015.03.019Blasco, A. (2017). Bayesian Data Analysis for Animal Scientists. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-54274-4Castellini, C., Dal Bosco, A., Arias-Álvarez, M., Lorenzo, P. L., Cardinali, R., & Rebollar, P. G. (2010). The main factors affecting the reproductive performance of rabbit does: A review. Animal Reproduction Science, 122(3-4), 174-182. doi:10.1016/j.anireprosci.2010.10.003Rosa Neto, N. S., & Carvalho, J. F. de. (2009). O uso de provas de atividade inflamatória em reumatologia. Revista Brasileira de Reumatologia, 49(4), 413-430. doi:10.1590/s0482-50042009000400008Argente, M. J., Calle, E. W., García, M. L., & Blasco, A. (2017). Correlated response in litter size components in rabbits selected for litter size variability. Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics, 134(6), 505-511. doi:10.1111/jbg.12283Mirkena, T., Duguma, G., Haile, A., Tibbo, M., Okeyo, A. M., Wurzinger, M., & Sölkner, J. (2010). Genetics of adaptation in domestic farm animals: A review. Livestock Science, 132(1-3), 1-12. doi:10.1016/j.livsci.2010.05.003García, M. L., Blasco, A., & Argente, M. J. (2016). Embryologic changes in rabbit lines selected for litter size variability. Theriogenology, 86(5), 1247-1250. doi:10.1016/j.theriogenology.2016.04.065Feingold KR and Grunfeld C 2015. The effect of inflammation and infection on lipids and lipoproteins. In: De Groot LJ, Chrousos G, Dungan K, Feingold KR, Grossman A, Hershman JM, Koch C, Korbonits M, McLachlan R, New M, Purnell J, Rebar R, Singer F and Vinik A. Endotext, South Dartmouth, MA, USA. Retrieved on 7 June 2018 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK326741/.Minemura, M. (2014). Liver involvement in systemic infection. World Journal of Hepatology, 6(9), 632. doi:10.4254/wjh.v6.i9.632Knap, P. W. (2005). Breeding robust pigs. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 45(8), 763. doi:10.1071/ea05041Barcia, A. M., & Harris, H. W. (2005). 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Mindfulness-based stress reduction for people with multiple sclerosis ? a feasibility randomised controlled trial

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a stressful condition. Mental health comorbidity is common. Stress can increase the risk of depression, reduce quality of life (QOL), and possibly exacerbate disease activity in MS. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) may help, but has been little studied in MS, particularly among more disabled individuals. Methods: The objective of this study was to test the feasibility and likely effectiveness of a standard MBSR course for people with MS. Participant eligibility included: age &#62; 18, any type of MS, an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) &#60;/= 7.0. Participants received either MBSR or wait-list control. Outcome measures were collected at baseline, post-intervention, and three-months later. Primary outcomes were perceived stress and QOL. Secondary outcomes were common MS symptoms, mindfulness, and self-compassion. Results: Fifty participants were recruited and randomised (25 per group). Trial retention and outcome measure completion rates were 90% at post-intervention, and 88% at 3 months. Sixty percent of participants completed the course. Immediately post-MBSR, perceived stress improved with a large effect size (ES 0.93; p &#60; 0.01), compared to very small beneficial effects on QOL (ES 0.17; p = 0.48). Depression (ES 1.35; p &#60; 0.05), positive affect (ES 0.87; p = 0.13), anxiety (ES 0.85; p = 0.05), and self-compassion (ES 0.80; p &#60; 0.01) also improved with large effect sizes. At three-months post-MBSR (study endpoint) improvements in perceived stress were diminished to a small effect size (ES 0.26; p = 0.39), were negligible for QOL (ES 0.08; p = 0.71), but were large for mindfulness (ES 1.13; p &#60; 0.001), positive affect (ES 0.90; p = 0.54), self-compassion (ES 0.83; p &#60; 0.05), anxiety (ES 0.82; p = 0.15), and prospective memory (ES 0.81; p &#60; 0.05). Conclusions: Recruitment, retention, and data collection demonstrate that a RCT of MBSR is feasible for people with MS. Trends towards improved outcomes suggest that a larger definitive RCT may be warranted. However, optimisation changes may be required to render more stable the beneficial treatment effects on stress and depression. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT02136485; trial registered 1st May 2014