Combining CV and RP data: a note on the relationship between consistency and rationality

In this paper, we show that, when combining revealed (RP) and stated (SP) data, for marginal changes in quality of environmental goods, rationality implies consistency, as the consistency conditions coincide with a subset of the conditions for rationality.combined (RP and SP) individual data; rationality; data consistency

Combining Averting Behavior and Contingent Valuation Data: An Application to Drinking Water Treatment

This paper is an empirical application that combines averting behavior with contingent valuation data. Consistency tests are performed incorporating alternative heteroscedastic structures in the bivariate probit models by taking advantage of the different information content that characterizes each data source. We look at three covariates not yet examined in the literature when combining stated and revealed preferred data to explain the variance in the models: income, the bid in the contingent valuation questionnaire, and the distance between the bid and the averting expenditures with drinking water. The models estimated include between and within data sources heteroscedasticity. The results obtained allow the combination of the two data sources under a common preference structure.averting behavior, combination of data sets, consistency tests, contingent valuation, revealed preferred data

Traffic noise: Annoyance assessment of real and virtual sounds based on close proximity measurements

The negative impact of noise on human health is well established and a high percentage of environmental noise is related with traffic sources. In this study, we compared annoyance judgments of real and virtual traffic sounds. Virtual sounds were generated through an auralization software with input from close proximity tyre/road noise measurements and real sounds were recorded through a Head and Torso Simulator. Both groups had sounds generated at two speeds and from three urban pavement surfaces (asphalt concrete, concrete blocks and granite cubes). Under controlled laboratory conditions, participants rated the annoyance of each real and virtual stimulus. It was found that virtual stimuli, based on close proximity tyre/road noise, can be used to assess traffic annoyance, in spite of systematic lower rates than those found for real stimuli. The effects of type of pavement and speed were the same for both conditions (real and virtualized stimulus). Opposed to granite cubes, asphalt concrete had lower annoyance rates for both test speeds and higher rate differences between real and virtual stimuli. Additionally, it was also found that annoyance is better described by Loudness than by LAmax. This evidence is stronger for the virtual stimuli condition than for the real stimuli one. Nevertheless, we should stress that it is possible to accurately predict real annoyance rates from virtual auralized sound samples through a simple transformation model. The methodology developed is clearly efficient and significantly simplifies field procedures, allowing the reduction of experimental costs, a better control of variables and an increment on the accuracy of annoyance ratings.This work was financed by FEDER grants through the Operational Competitiveness Program – COMPETE and ON.2 – Novo Norte (Programa Operacional Regional do Norte 2007/2013) integrated in the structural funds QREN and the project PEst-OE/ECI/UI4047/2014 supported by Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Dilated fetal bowel as indication for prenatal diagnosis of cystic fibrosis

Dilated fetal bowel is a sonographic fi nding that is associated to meconium ileus, a feature of cystic fi brosis (CF). Prenatal diagnosis of CF is possible through analysis of the cystic fi brosis transmembrane regulator gene mutations. A male infant is described, who was referred to our Prenatal Diagnosis Center a 17th week of gestation with a dilated bowel loop on a prenatal scan. Amniocentesis was performed at 23rd week gestation and a homozygous F508del mutation was found. He was born at 38 weeks gestation, after an otherwise unremarkable pregnancy, and admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. He showed progressive abdominal distension without stools and was transferred to another Hospital to surgery. A total occlusion of terminal ileum with meconium and a microcolon were found, and resection of 8 cm of ileum and an ileostomy were performed. The characteristic sonographic fi nding of a dilated bowel is an indication to search for CF mutations

Nasal obstruction in neonates: Two cases report of congenital nasal pyriform aperture stenosis

A Estenose Congénita do Orifício Piriforme (ECOP) é uma causa rara de obstrução nasal no recém-nascido, um respirador nasal obrigatório, e por isso potencialmente fatal. Obriga a diagnóstico diferencial com causas mais comuns como a atrésia choanal. Na clínica predominam a apneia episódica e a cianose cíclica, sendo o diagnóstico confirmado imagiologicamente. Pode surgir isoladamente ou associada a alterações crâniofaciais, hipopituitarismo e cromossomopatias. A correcção cirúrgica impõe-se face ao insucesso do tratamento médico. Este artigo tem por objectivo relatar dois casos clínicos de ECOP. O primeiro caso foi diagnosticado à nascença, não apresentava patologia concomitante e estabilizou clinicamente apenas com terapêutica médica. O segundo caso relata lactente de 3 meses, cujo estudo imagiológico identificou dente incisivo superior mediano único, como malformação associada. Pela gravidade da obstrução nasal a abordagem exigiu, para além da terapêutica nasal tópica, a correcção cirúrgica da estenose. Ambas as crianças encontram-se clinicamente beminfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Earth-based render of tabique walls – an experimental work contribution

A research work focused on studying earth render for tabique application purposes is presented. Initially, a brief description of the tabique building technique is provided. The relevance of the application of this traditional building technique is also highlighted. Different compositions of earth render are experimentally analysed and the respective performance is evaluated. Flexural and compressive strengths, workability, drying shrinkage cracking and water resistance are the material properties assessed. A simple earth render is selected as being adequate for tabique building applications and it is applied on the manufacturing of a tabique wall sample. This wall sample is monitored in terms of thermal insulation ability and its thermal transmission coefficient is estimated. Taking into account that there is still a lack of published technical information related to this topic, this paper may contribute to solve this limitation and to give some guidance in future repairing processes of tabique construction. The technological benefit of adding lime or cement with earth is researched. Real tabique timber structure samples are applied in order to validate the obtained experimental results.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Influência da alexitimia nos processos atencionais: A deteção de expressões faciais emocionais

Alexithymia is characterized by difficulties in emotional processing and facial expression recognition, essential processes in interpersonal relationship. In this study we intended to evaluate if facial expressions processing in individuals with high levels of alexithymia, especially negative emotional expressions (anger, disgust), is distinguished from the processing done by individuals with low levels of alexithymia. The participants (67 women) performed a visual search task in which sets of emotional facial expressions (happyness, anger and disgust) were presented among neutral facial expressions. The participants’ task was to detect the presence or absence of these emotional facial expressions as quickly and accurately as possible. The results revealed no significant differences between the target groups. However, there was a differential processing of the emotional facial expressions according to the face gender. The negative emotional expressions on faces of men were promptly detected. On the other hand, the processing of faces of women who expressed anger led to a greater proportion of errors. The evolutionary assumptions associated with the processing of negative emotions, which the literature in the relationship between emotion and attention indicates as being an adaptive process in the general population, may explain the absence of significant effects between the groups with high and low levels of alexithymia.A alexitimia carateriza-se pela dificuldade no processamento emocional e reconhecimento de expressões faciais, processos indispensáveis no relacionamento interpessoal. Neste estudo, pretendemos avaliar se o processamento de expressões faciais em indivíduos com altos níveis de alexitimia, sobretudo de expressões com cariz emocional negativo (raiva, nojo), é diferenciado do processamento efetuado por indivíduos com baixos níveis de alexitimia. Os participantes (67 mulheres) realizaram uma tarefa de procura visual onde se apresentavam conjuntos de expressões faciais emocionais (alegria, raiva, nojo), tendo os participantes de detetar de modo rápido e preciso a presença (ou ausência) destas expressões apresentadas entre expressões faciais neutras. Os resultados não revelaram quaisquer diferenças significativas entre os grupos. Contudo, verificou-se um processamento diferencial das expressões faciais emocionais em função do género da face. As expressões emocionais negativas em faces de homens foram mais rapidamente detetadas. Por outro lado, o processamento de faces de mulheres que expressavam raiva conduziu a uma maior proporção de erros. Os pressupostos evolutivos associados ao processamento das emoções negativas, que a literatura na área da relação entre a emoção e a atenção aponta como adaptativa na população em geral, poderá explicar a ausência de efeitos significativos entre o grupo com altos e baixos níveis de alexitimia