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.

A hill hidden by the clouds

"A 33-year-old woman, with a past medical history of polysubstance abuse and recently treated infective endocarditis, is admitted with septic shock due to pneumonia. The chest x-ray reveals right middle and lower lobe infiltrates plus a right pleural effusion (Figure 1). Because of persistent tachycardia and hypoxia, computed tomography (CT) of the chest with contrast was performed. It revealed a large pulmonary embolus (PE) involving the right main pulmonary artery (PA) and an absence of distal arterial filling (Figures 2, 3). Transverse images demonstrated a wedge-shaped density consistent with a pulmonary infarct (Figure 4)."Most Munira, Gurchetan Randhawa, Aviva Dworkin, Wendy Moh, Kenneth Ong (Department of Medicine, Lincoln Medical Center)Includes bibliographical reference

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,

Preliminary investigation of the short-term in situ performance of an automatic masker selection system

Soundscape augmentation or "masking" introduces wanted sounds into the acoustic environment to improve acoustic comfort. Usually, the masker selection and playback strategies are either arbitrary or based on simple rules (e.g. -3 dBA), which may lead to sub-optimal increment or even reduction in acoustic comfort for dynamic acoustic environments. To reduce ambiguity in the selection of maskers, an automatic masker selection system (AMSS) was recently developed. The AMSS uses a deep-learning model trained on a large-scale dataset of subjective responses to maximize the derived ISO pleasantness (ISO 12913-2). Hence, this study investigates the short-term in situ performance of the AMSS implemented in a gazebo in an urban park. Firstly, the predicted ISO pleasantness from the AMSS is evaluated in comparison to the in situ subjective evaluation scores. Secondly, the effect of various masker selection schemes on the perceived affective quality and appropriateness would be evaluated. In total, each participant evaluated 6 conditions: (1) ambient environment with no maskers; (2) AMSS; (3) bird and (4) water masker from prior art; (5) random selection from same pool of maskers used to train the AMSS; and (6) selection of best-performing maskers based on the analysis of the dataset used to train the AMSS.Comment: paper submitted to the 52nd International Congress and Exposition on Noise Control Engineering held in Chiba, Greater Tokyo, Japan, on 20-23 August 2023 (Inter-Noise 2023

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/

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

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

Increased placental glucose transport rates in pregnant mice carrying fetuses with targeted disruption of their placental-specific Igf2 transcripts are not associated with raised circulating glucose concentrations.

At the beginning of the third week of pregnancy, mouse fetuses with targeted disruption of their paternally-transmitted insulin-like growth factor 2 gene placental-specific transcripts have growth-restricted placentas but normal body weights due to upregulated placental nutrient transport. We assessed whether increased placental glucose transport rates were associated with raised maternal glucose concentrations by performing intraperitoneal glucose tolerance tests (ipGTT) in pregnant mice carrying knockout pups and comparing them with mice carrying genotype-matched phenotypically wild type pups. Mean ± SD body weights of affected pups were 95 ± 8% of control values at e16 and 73 ± 7% at e18. There were no differences in areas under the maternal ipGTT curves at either e16 (mean ± SD being 99.0 ± 9.1% of control values; P = .9) or e18 (91.4 ± 13.4%; P = .3), suggesting that effects on transplacental glucose transport in these mice are not mediated through changes in maternal glucose concentrations