Crop Failure in Dalocha, Ethiopia: A Participatory Emergency Response

This case study of an NGO's response to a food crisis due to crop failure focuses on the extent of active community participation at each stage of the project. With the current debate on the relationship between relief and development, and in particular the focus on encouraging more active community participation in relief responses, this study has relevance both in the Ethiopian context and beyond.
In this example the participation process was greatly facilitated by the prior relationship between the international NGO and the communities, and also by the high level of staff input into the project. Where resources or conditions are less favourable, as might be the case in similar responses by local NGOs or government agencies, the paper suggests that the participatory approach can be adapted or partially implemented and still result in a more effective and locally relevant operation.     

加速遗传算法及其在暴雨强度公式参数优化中的应用

提出了一般非线性自然灾害模型参数优化的一种通用的数值方法———加速遗传算法,分析了该算法控制参数的优化特性,总结出了这些参数的简便设置技术,并给出了它在暴雨强度公式参数优化中的应用实例。该方法可广泛应用于各种自然灾害模型的优化问题。     

关于风景评价中心理物理学方法局限性的探讨

由于对西方风景评价理论和方法缺乏足够的了解和深入的研究，现今国内对其中的心理物理学方法及其作用产生了一些误解。本文在扼要介绍了心理物理学派的主要方法思路之后，着重对该学派所存在的重大理论缺陷和方法局限性做了较深入的分析。     

华北地区大气细颗粒物(PM2.5)年际变化及其对土地利用/覆被变化的响应

大气细颗粒物(PM_(2.5))是大气污染的重要组成成分,对其影响因素进度探讨具有重要的意义.但目前来看,多数的研究都聚焦于PM_(2.5)与气象要素以及经济因素之间的关系,分析土地利用/覆被变化对PM_(2.5)影响的研究相对较少,需要进一步的深入探讨.基于PM_(2.5)空间分布数据及土地利用/覆被数据,对华北地区PM_(2.5)变化特征及土地利用/覆被变化特征进行了系统分析,并利用地理加权回归、GIS空间分析等手段探讨了PM_(2.5)变化与土地利用/覆被变化的响应关系,结果表明:①华北地区PM_(2.5)浓度整体呈现东南高、西北低的空间格局,且18a均保持这一态势没有变化.时间上来看,在2006年达到污染最大值,之后虽有波动但一直居高不下.多数城市PM_(2.5)浓度超标,整体环境污染形势严峻;②2000～2015年研究区土地利用类型/覆被以耕地、林地和草地为主,土地利用/覆被变化趋势主要表现为耕地的大量减少以及建设用地的持续增加,水域和未利用地面积略有减少,林地和草地转入转出面积接近,因而总量变化不大;③地理加权回归模型计算结果表明,Local R~2(衡量局部拟合度)较低的区域为土地利用/覆被未发生变化的区域,而在土地利用/覆被变化明显的区域,Local R~2较高,说明PM_(2.5)变化对土地利用/覆被变化有着显著的响应作用;④对于不同土地利用/覆被状况而言,PM_(2.5)分布特征表现出建设用地耕地水域草地林地未利用地的趋势.对于不同土地利用/覆被转换方式而言,当自然用地向人工用地转换时PM_(2.5)浓度上升,而人工用地向自然用地转变时PM_(2.5)浓度降低.     

超声波预处理对牛粪与玉米秸秆混合厌氧发酵特性的影响

为了探索超声波预处理提高厌氧发酵产气量的机理、优化超声波预处理工艺及分析超声波预处理的能量效益,利用因子分析法和通径分析研究不同发酵阶段各环境因子对发酵过程的影响,以及发酵初始环境与甲烷产量之间的关系.同时,用响应面优化法优化超声波预处理工艺,并且分析了超声波预处理的能量效益.结果表明,在40 k Hz和0.20 k W下,适宜的超声波预处理能显著提高厌氧发酵总产气量(p0.05),牛粪预处理17.68 min后与玉米秸秆预处理19.94 min混合发酵,甲烷产量最高为177.20 L·kg-1(以TS计),显著高于CK(未经预处理组,p0.05),其能量效益也最高,为1835.14 k J·kg-1(以TS计).超声波预处理通过改变发酵初始环境之间的相互关系和发酵过程环境的主要影响因素来使发酵系统更加稳定从而提高产气量.超声波预处理是一种能量输入的预处理方式,产气量高于CK处理组,但其能量效益不一定大于零.因此,在优化超声波预处理条件时必须对其能量效益进行分析.研究结果能为超声波预处理条件的优化方式提供理论依据.     

过氧化钙去除水中糖皮质激素的响应面分析

结合响应面方法Box-Behnken实验设计,对过氧化钙降解代表性糖皮质激素曲安奈德过程中的影响因素（过氧化钙投加量、溶液初始pH值、反应时间、糖皮质激素初始浓度）进行了探讨与分析,并对反应条件进行了优化.得出最优反应条件为：过氧化钙投加量4g/L;溶液初始pH值5.7,反应时间15.7min,初始TA浓度为0.06mmol/L.最优条件下模型预测的目标物降解率（88.6%）和实验得出的降解率（82.8%）数值接近,说明此响应面模型能够较准确预测过氧化钙对糖皮质激素的去除效果,并用电子顺磁共振仪对过氧化钙降解有机物过程中的作用自由基进行了检测.研究结果对过氧化钙技术去除有机污染物的发展有一定的参考价值.     

油气泄漏火灾下FPSO热-结构耦合分析

针对FPSO油气泄漏引发的火灾风险,建立热-结构耦合分析模型,采用ANSYS Workbench软件对工艺区设备泄漏、火灾事故及灾害下结构响应进行数值模拟,重点分析工艺处理模块Ⅰ区设备温度分布及热变形情况。通过对比不同油气泄漏速率和环境风速下火灾发展、危害范围和结构受损程度,探讨油气泄漏孔孔径和风速对火灾后果的影响。结果表明:稳定发展火灾下工艺处理模块Ⅰ区设备周围环境维持高温状态;泄漏孔附近结构受损最严重,原油热处理器受火灾损害发生大的变形;随泄漏孔孔径增大,火灾危害范围扩大,结构发生大变形的区域增大,d=40 mm时原油热处理器受损最严重,d=60mm时结构受损区域最大,大部分结构受损程度加剧;来风风速的变大使得火灾更加剧烈,设备受损区域扩大,受损程度加剧,结构火灾风险加大。     

Sensitivity evaluation of the visual,tactile, and auditory detection response task method while driving

Objectives: In this article, we evaluate the sensitivity to cognitive load of 3 versions of the Detection Response Task method (DRT), proposed in ISO Draft Standard DIS-17488.

Methods: We present a user study with 30 participants in which we compared the sensitivity to cognitive load of visual, audio, and tactile DRT in a simulated driving environment. The amount of cognitive load was manipulated with secondary n-back tasks at 2 levels of difficulty (0-back and 1-back). We also explored whether the DRT method is least sensitive to cognitive load when the stimuli and secondary task are of the same modality. For this purpose, we used 3 forms to present the n-back task stimuli: visual, audio, and tactile. Responses to the task were always vocal. The experiment was based on a between-subject design (the DRT modalities) with 2 levels of within-subject design study (modalities and difficulty of the secondary n-back tasks). The participants' primary task in the study was to drive safely, and a second priority was to answer to DRT stimuli and perform secondary tasks.

Results: The results indicate that all 3 versions of the DRT tested were sensitive to detecting the difference in cognitive load between the reference driving period and driving and engaging in the secondary tasks. Only the visual DRT discriminated between the 0-back and 1-back conditions on mean response time. Contrary to expectations, no interaction was observed between DRT modality and the stimuli modality used for presentation of the secondary tasks.

Conclusions: None of the 3 methods of presenting DRT stimuli showed a consistent advantage in sensitivity in differentiating multiple levels of cognitive load if all response times, hit rates, and secondary task performance are considered. If only response time is considered, the visual presentation of the DRT stimulus used in this study showed some advantages. In interpreting these data, it should be noted that the methods of DRT stimulus presentation varied somewhat from the currently proposed draft ISO standard and it is possible that the relative salience level of the visual DRT stimulus influenced the findings. It is further suggested that more than 2 levels of difficulty of the n-back task should be considered for further investigation of the relative sensitivity of different DRT stimuli modalities. Parameters that indicate change in cognitive load (response time, hit rate, task performance) should be analyzed together in assessing the overall impact on the driver and not individually, in order to obtain a fuller insight of the assessed cognitive load.     

Representativity and univocity of traffic signs and their effect on trajectory movement in a driving simulation task: Warning signs

Objective: The effect of traffic signs on the behavior of drivers is not completely understood. Knowing about how humans process the meaning of signs (not just by learning but instinctively) will improve reaction time and decision making when traveling. The economic, social, and psychological consequences of car accidents are well known.

Methods: This study sounds out which traffic signs are more ergonomic for participants, from a cognitive point of view, and determines, at the same time, their effect in participants' movement trajectories in a driving simulation task.

Results: Results point out that the signs least representative of their meaning produce a greater deviation from the center of the road than the most representative ones.

Conclusions: This study encourages both an in-depth analysis of the effect on movement of roadside signs and the study of how this effect can be modified by the context in which these signs are presented (with the aim to move the research closer to and analyze the data in real contexts). The goal is to achieve clarity of meaning and lack of counterproductive effects on the trajectory of representative signs (those that provoke fewer mistakes in the decision task).     

浅析化学事故应急响应专线的发展

纵观国外同类化学事故应急咨询机构30多年的发展经验,结合化学事故应急响应专线的现状,提出了扩大化学事故应急响应专线的服务范围、加强化学事故技术支持体系的建设及加强与国内外同类机构的交流与合作等发展建议。