Science fiction reduces the eeriness of android robots: A field experiment

As suggested by the uncanny valley hypothesis, robots that resemble humans likely elicit feelings of eeriness. Based on the psychological model of meaning maintenance, we expected that the uncanny valley experience could be mitigated through a fictional story, due to the meaning-generating function of narratives. A field experiment was conducted, in which 75 participants interacted with the humanlike robot Telenoid. Prior to the interaction, they either read a short story, a non-narrative leaflet about the robot, or they received no preliminary information. Eeriness ratings were significantly lower in the science fiction condition than in both other conditions. This effect was mediated by higher perceived human-likeness of the robot. Our findings suggest that science fiction may provide meaning for otherwise unsettling future technologies.     

毛家河水电站库区岩溶发育特征及邻谷渗漏分析

毛家河水电站位于碳酸盐岩地区，库首距左岸邻谷可渡河14—23km、距右岸邻谷北盘江干流14．8km，水库两岸大型落水洞、溶洞及地下岩溶管道相对较为发育。为初步判断水库存在邻谷渗漏的可能性，对水库两岸可溶岩地层岩溶发育形态、特征及规律进行了勘察，并根据现场地质调查资料对3条可疑渗漏带进行了分析论证。     

Intra-seasonal NDVI change projections in semi-arid Africa

Early warning systems (EWS) tend to focus on the identification of slow onset disasters such famine and epidemic disease. Since hazardous environmental conditions often precede disastrous outcomes by many months, effective monitoring via satellite and in situ observations can successfully guide mitigation activities. Accurate short term forecasts of NDVI could increase lead times, making early warning earlier. This paper presents a simple empirical model for making 1 to 4 month NDVI projections. These statistical projections are based on parameterized satellite rainfall estimates (RFE) and relative humidity demand (RHD). A quasi-global, 1 month ahead, 1° study demonstrates reasonable accuracies in many semi-arid regions. In Africa, a 0.1° cross-validated skill assessment quantifies the technique's applicability at 1 to 4 month forecast intervals. These results suggest that useful projections can be made over many semi-arid, food insecure regions of Africa, with plausible extensions to drought prone areas of Asia, Australia and South America.     

The intervalley X6→Γ6, L6 scattering time in GaAs measured by ultrafast pump-probe infrared absorption spectroscopy

A direct measurement of the dynamics of electrons in the X₆ valley for a GaAs crystal by time-resolved absorption spectroscopy is reported for the first time. IR picosecond probe pulses were used to monitor the growth and decay of the population in the X₆ valley subsequent to excitation by a 527 nm pump pulse. The intervalley X₆→Γ₆, L₆ scattering time t_x of 0.70 ± 0.50 ps is determined and the crossection for the X₆→X₇ transition is estimated to be 1.8 × 10⁻¹⁶ cm².     

万顷沙西十三涌油轮码头模型试验研究

华隆公司拟在万顷沙西十二涌与十三涌之间兴十三涌３０００Ｔ级油轮港口码头。本文分析了该河段水文泥沙的特性、河道演变趋势及河段稳定性，通过物理模型试验研究及对航道、港池的回淤计算分析，预测工程建成后引起局部水流流态的变化，对水道泄洪、潮排、潮灌的影响，以及港池、航道建成后的泥沙淤积情况。     

为流域管理机构立法

本文主要借鉴美国田纳西河流域的管理职权立法经验，对中国江河流域机械法案的内容框架进行探讨：流域机械法的地位；流域机械的地位；流域机构管理人员组成、任免、待遇规范及工作制度；流域机构的责、权、利、罚规则；与地方各行政部门尤其是环保、城建、地质矿产等部门的关系。     

降水和植被变化对龙川江径流量的影响

基于龙川江大峡谷进出口水文控制站楚雄站和小黄瓜园站的长系列水文资料和流域森林盖度变化资料,结合小波分析方法,对降水、植被与径流量变化间相互关系以及径流量各时间尺度准周期变化的本质和形成机制进行了研究。结果表明:研究区降水量序列存在2 a、4 a和14.5 a左右的主周期,径流量序列具有2 a、4 a、6 a和22 a左右的主周期;其中径流量低频振荡所反映的是总径流中来自于壤中水径流和存在于裂隙中的地下水径流的准周期变化,而高频振荡反映的是总径流中来自于地面径流的准周期变化;径流量的年内变化和年际高频振荡主要是由降水量变化所引起的,而径流量序列6 a和22 a的主周期是由土壤和裂隙对降水量序列4 a和14.5 a的主周期滞后放大作用所形成的,径流量序列4 a的主周期是由干热河谷特殊自然地理环境所形成的;径流量与降水量间相互关系在1969年左右发生了突变     

In vitro effects of urease inhibitors on rate of urea hydrolysis in soils

We studied the effect of urease inhibitors on the urea hydrolysis in some Sundanese soils belonging to the orders of Vertisol and Entisol. The hydrolysis showed a lag period of about 3 days and its rate (Y) per unit time (t) could be described by a two constants exponential equation of the general form Y = K₁t^K ₂. Statistical analysis showed that the intercept K₁ (rate of urea hydrolysis) was significantly affected by soil type rather than treatment. It seems that K₁ is associated with the soils' initial urease activity as it closely correlates with the Michaelis constant (km).The gradient, K₂, being significantly affected by soil type as well as treatment is probably associated with the induced urease activity with time and it, therefore, varied with variations in soils and treatments. Of the so-called urease inhibitors used in this study Ca(OH)₂, p-benzoquinone (PBQ) and orthophosphoric acid (OP) only PBQ reduced urea hydrolysis while the other chemicals have effects possibly related to modifying the soil pH. Inhibitor treated soils had substantial amounts of unacounted for N which was believed to be present, presumably, in the form of carbamate.Contribution from the Department of Biochemistry and Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Shambat, Sudan.     

巴楚露头地区海相地层沉积体系与声波速度、密度关系的研究

对巴楚露头地区下切谷和礁滩地层沉积环境岩样纵、横波速测量和密度测量的结果进行统计分析,其结果表明下切谷相中峡谷相的纵横波速度以及密度均高于斜坡相,礁滩相中礁前相和礁后相的物性变化较大,礁核相的纵、横波速度以及密度相对较高。另外,在测量过程中,由于岩石的裂缝、岩石速度的各向异性、超声仪的测量精度以及密度仪对温度的灵敏度等等因素,在一定程度上会影响测量的结果。尽管如此,通过对下切谷和礁滩沉积环境的物性分析,这些结果仍然能为塔里木巴楚一间房组沉积体系的精细储层预测提供重要的线索。     

磁性浮板覆盖下干旱区平原水库节水效率分析

针对干旱区平原水库水深浅、风速大、气温高、空气相对湿度低而导致蒸发损失严重的问题,在吐鲁番市胜金乡胜金沟三期水土保持水库进行了一整年不同覆盖面积的带磁性浮板与非磁性浮板覆盖水面来减少水面蒸发的试验,以此来分析相同覆盖面积下带磁性浮板成片整体分布与非磁性浮板分散分布对水库水面蒸发的节水效率。试验结果表明：在气象因素相同的情况下,带磁性浮板分别覆盖水面25％,50％和75％时,蒸发抑制率分别为27.4％,41.5％和59.1％;非磁性浮板分别覆盖水面25％,50％和75％时,蒸发抑制率分别为22.1％,38.1％和57.3％;带磁性浮板比非磁性浮板蒸发抑制率分别提高了5.3％,3.4％和1.8％。可见,带磁性浮板节水效果更加显著,对提高干旱区平原水库水资源的利用效率具有显著意义。