Factors Influencing Auction Outcomes: Bidder Turnout, Auction Houses and Market Conditions

This study provides new evidence on the outcomes of auctions of residential real estate, focusing on the effects of bidder turnout, pricing, market conditions and auction houses. Our analysis of properties offered for sale by auction in Singapore from 1995 to 2000 shows that several variables are significant in explaining why an auction results in a sale or not. These variables included the state of the market, the timing of the auction (year), the number of bidders at the auction and the auction house. We also find that the probability of a sale is higher for distress sales, for more homogenous properties and for those located in the central region. Finally, we provide a sensitivity analysis of how market conditions and the choice of auction house influence the probability of a sale.

Preliminary Investigation Into The Benefits From Investments In Environmental Research: Case Studies on Water Clarity/Quality and The Biological Management of Possums

MoRST is performing an evaluation of the funds invested in environmental research. The two case studies discussed in this paper contribute to the ongoing decision-making about this investment. Substantial funds have been invested in both research programmes identified. Because the main benefits associated with research output are environmental, they are difficult to value monetarily. Preliminary analysis suggests that at a discount rate of 6%, annual future benefit flows of $7 -$10 million will justify the water quality/clarity research. The expenditure on possum biocontrol will be justified if the research generates an annual future benefit flow of $20 million.Cost benefit analysis, returns to research, environmental research, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Environmental Economics and Policy, Land Economics/Use, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Computer methods for myocardial contrast two-dimensional echocardiography

Two computer-aided videodensitometric methods that may be used in conjunction with two-dimensional contrast echocardiography were examined to quantify the time course of echographic opacification in the myocardium after experimental injections of contrast agents (hand-agitated Renografin-saline and sonicated sorbitol 70% solutions) into the left main coronary artery. Echographic studies of myocardial cross sections were digitized with an image processing computer using a 128 × 128 resolution matrix. Both stop frame and continuous cycle modes of acquisition were performed. A set of computer programs was developed to extract and analyze time-intensity curves from the digitized images. These included cardiac outline delineation, segmental division, regional intensity computation and exponential curve analysis. The stop frame method was applied to experimental studies in 17 closed chest dogs during control states and after coronary occlusions. Significant differences were found in the decay half-lives of echo intensity between normal (24 ± 8 seconds) and acutely ischemic (293 ± 165 seconds; p < 0.001) myocardium for the Renografinsaline solution. Interobserver reproducibility of the measured half-lives was r = 0.91 and standard error of the estimate = 5 seconds. The continuous cycle method of analysis was examined in five closed chest dogs (with up to six injections per dog), applying the sonicated sorbitol 70% solution in only the control state. The mean halflife was 4.2 ±1.1 seconds.These computer-based videodensitometric methods might be applied to a wide variety of experimental studies in two-dimensional contrast echocardiography that attempt to quantify myocardial perfusion and function

Using the Medical Research Council framework for the development and evaluation of complex interventions in a theory-based infant feeding intervention to prevent childhood obesity: The Baby Milk intervention and trial’

Introduction - We describe our experience of using the Medical Research Council framework on complex interventions to guide the development and evaluation of an intervention to prevent obesity by modifying infant feeding behaviours. Methods - We reviewed the epidemiological evidence on early life risk factors for obesity and interventions to prevent obesity in this age group. The review suggested prevention of excess weight gain in bottle-fed babies and appropriate weaning as intervention targets, hence we undertook systematic reviews to further our understanding of these behaviours. We chose theory and behaviour change techniques that demonstrated evidence of effectiveness in altering dietary behaviours. We subsequently developed intervention materials and evaluation tools and conducted qualitative studies with mothers (intervention recipients) and healthcare professionals (intervention deliverers) to refine these. We developed a questionnaire to assess maternal attitudes and feeding practices to understand the mechanism of any intervention effects. Conclusions - In addition to informing development of our specific intervention and evaluation materials, use of the Medical Research Council framework has helped to build a generalisable evidence base for early life nutritional interventions. However, the process is resource intensive and prolonged, and this should be taken into account by public health research funders.This work was supported by the Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), a UKCRC Public Health Research Centre of Excellence. Funding from the British Heart Foundation, Economic and Social Research Council, Medical Research Council, the National Institute for Health Research, and the Wellcome Trust, under the auspices of the UK Clinical Research Collaboration, is gratefully acknowledged. The Baby Milk Trial is funded by the National Prevention Research Initiative (http://www.npri.org.uk Grant number MR/J000361/1). The Funding Partners relevant to this award are (in alphabetical order): Alzheimer's Research Trust; Alzheimer's Society; Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council; British Heart Foundation; Cancer Research UK; Chief Scientist Office, Scottish Government Health Directorate; Department of Health; Diabetes UK; Economic and Social Research Council; Health and Social Care Research and Development Division of the Public Health Agency (HSC R&D Division); Medical Research Council; The Stroke Association; Wellcome Trust; Welsh Assembly Government; and World Cancer Research Fund. RL was funded by a MRC Population Health Fellowship (Grant number G070165).This is the final published version. It is also available from Hindawi at http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jobe/2014/646504/

Do uHear? Validation of uHear App for Preliminary Screening of Hearing Ability in Soundscape Studies

Studies involving soundscape perception often exclude participants with hearing loss to prevent impaired perception from affecting experimental results. Participants are typically screened with pure tone audiometry, the "gold standard" for identifying and quantifying hearing loss at specific frequencies, and excluded if a study-dependent threshold is not met. However, procuring professional audiometric equipment for soundscape studies may be cost-ineffective, and manually performing audiometric tests is labour-intensive. Moreover, testing requirements for soundscape studies may not require sensitivities and specificities as high as that in a medical diagnosis setting. Hence, in this study, we investigate the effectiveness of the uHear app, an iOS application, as an affordable and automatic alternative to a conventional audiometer in screening participants for hearing loss for the purpose of soundscape studies or listening tests in general. Based on audiometric comparisons with the audiometer of 163 participants, the uHear app was found to have high precision (98.04%) when using the World Health Organization (WHO) grading scheme for assessing normal hearing. Precision is further improved (98.69%) when all frequencies assessed with the uHear app is considered in the grading, which lends further support to this cost-effective, automated alternative to screen for normal hearing.Comment: Full paper submitted to 24th International Congress on Acoustic

Assessment of a cost-effective headphone calibration procedure for soundscape evaluations

To increase the availability and adoption of the soundscape standard, a low-cost calibration procedure for reproduction of audio stimuli over headphones was proposed as part of the global ``Soundscape Attributes Translation Project'' (SATP) for validating ISO/TS~12913-2:2018 perceived affective quality (PAQ) attribute translations. A previous preliminary study revealed significant deviations from the intended equivalent continuous A-weighted sound pressure levels ($L_{\text{A,eq}}$) using the open-circuit voltage (OCV) calibration procedure. For a more holistic human-centric perspective, the OCV method is further investigated here in terms of psychoacoustic parameters, including relevant exceedance levels to account for temporal effects on the same 27 stimuli from the SATP. Moreover, a within-subjects experiment with 36 participants was conducted to examine the effects of OCV calibration on the PAQ attributes in ISO/TS~12913-2:2018. Bland-Altman analysis of the objective indicators revealed large biases in the OCV method across all weighted sound level and loudness indicators; and roughness indicators at \SI{5}{\%} and \SI{10}{\%} exceedance levels. Significant perceptual differences due to the OCV method were observed in about \SI{20}{\%} of the stimuli, which did not correspond clearly with the biased acoustic indicators. A cautioned interpretation of the objective and perceptual differences due to small and unpaired samples nevertheless provide grounds for further investigation.Comment: For 24th International Congress on Acoustic

Prenatal paracetamol exposure is associated with shorter anogenital distance in male infants

${\bf Study~question:}$ What is the relationship between maternal paracetamol intake during the masculinisation programming window (MPW, 8-14 weeks of gestation) and male infant anogenital distance (AGD), a biomarker for androgen action during the MPW? ${\bf Summary~answer:}$ Intrauterine paracetamol exposure during 8-14 weeks of gestation is associated with shorter AGD from birth to 24 months of age. ${\bf What~is~known~already:}$ The increasing prevalence of male reproductive disorders may reflect environmental influences on fetal testicular development during the MPW. Animal and human xenograft studies have demonstrated that paracetamol reduces fetal testicular testosterone production, consistent with reported epidemiological associations between prenatal paracetamol exposure and cryptorchidism. ${\bf Study~design,~size,~duration:}$ Prospective cohort study (Cambridge Baby Growth Study), with recruitment of pregnant women at ~12 post-menstrual weeks of gestation from a single UK maternity unit between 2001 and 2009, and 24 months of infant follow-up. Of 2229 recruited women, 1640 continued with the infancy study after delivery, of whom 676 delivered male infants and completed a medicine consumption questionnaire. ${\bf Participants/materials,~setting,~methods:}$ Mothers self-reported medicine consumption during pregnancy by a questionnaire administered during the perinatal period. Infant AGD (measured from 2006 onwards), penile length, and testicular descent were assessed at 0, 3, 12, 18, and 24 months of age, and age-specific Z scores were calculated. Associations between paracetamol intake during three gestational periods (14 weeks) and these outcomes were tested by linear mixed models. Two hundred and twenty-five (33%) of 681 male infants were exposed to paracetamol during pregnancy, of whom 68 were reported to be exposed during 8-14 weeks. AGD measurements were available for 434 male infants. ${\bf Main~results~and~the~role~of~chance:}$ Paracetamol exposure during 8-14 weeks of gestation, but not any other period, was associated with shorter AGD (by 0.27 SD, 95% CI 0.06-0.48, p=0.014) from birth to 24 months of age. This reduction was independent of body size. Paracetamol exposure was not related to penile length or testicular descent. ${\bf Limitations,~reasons~for~caution:}$ Confounding by other drugs or endocrine-disrupting chemicals cannot be discounted. The cohort was not fully representative of pregnant women in the UK, particularly in terms of maternal ethnicity and smoking prevalence. There is likely to have been misclassification of paracetamol exposure due to recall error. ${\bf Wider~implications~of~the~findings:}$ Our observational findings support experimental evidence that intrauterine paracetamol exposure during the MPW may adversely affect male reproductive development.European Union (Framework V programme), World Cancer Research Fund International, Medical Research Council (UK), Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children, Evelyn Trust, Mothercare Group Foundation, Mead Johnson Nutrition, National Institute for Health Research Cambridge Comprehensive Biomedical Research CentreThis is the author accepted manuscript. It is currently under an indefinite embargo pending publication by Oxford University Press