高寒生态脆弱区农户对气候变化的感知——以甘南高原为例

气候变化作为人类当前面临的最严峻挑战,已对生态脆弱区农户生计产生严重的负面影响,明确农户对气候变化的感知对于制定有效的气候变化适应政策非常关键。以甘南高原为研究区,基于入户调查数据,构建了农户对气候变化的感知度指数,分析了甘南高原农户的气候变化感知特征,并采用经济计量模型分析了影响农户气候变化感知的关键因素。结果表明:(1)甘南高原农户对气温变化的感知能力强于对降水变化的感知,并对近期发生的、规模较大、影响较严重的极端天气记忆较深;(2)农户对气候变化的严重性及可能性感知较强烈,感知到的适应成本与适应功效也较高,但感知到的自我效能较弱,其气候变化严重性、可能性、适应功效、自我效能及适应成本感知度指数分别为3.76、3.34、3.43、2.85、3.53,且农区农户对气候变化的风险感知与适应感知均最强,半农半牧区次之,纯牧区最弱;(3)气候变化信息、农户的客观适应能力、农户对社会话语的信任度、适应激励均会影响农户的气候变化感知,其中,适应激励为最关键的影响因素,其与农户的气候变化适应功效感知、自我效能感知均呈正相关,而与风险感知、适应成本感知呈负相关。最后,针对如何提高农户气候变化感知的准确度,增强农户应对气候变化的能力,提出相关的政策建议。     

基于结构方程模型的高寒生态脆弱区农户的气候变化感知研究——以甘南高原为例

农户对气候变化的感知是其适应行动选择的基础,弄清楚影响农户气候变化感知的关键因素,辨明农户气候变化感知的形成机制,对制定有效的适应策略至关重要。以甘南高原为研究区,基于539份入户调查数据,构建了路径模型,分析了影响农牧户气候变化感知的关键因素及其作用路径,结果发现:(1)客观适应能力对农牧户的气候变化风险感知及适应感知有显著的正向影响;(2)气候变化信息对农牧户的气候变化风险感知及适应感知有显著的正向影响,它还通过客观适应能力间接影响农牧户的气候变化感知;(3)社会话语信任度对农牧户的气候变化风险感知及适应感知有显著的正向影响,适应激励对农牧户的气候变化适应感知有显著的正向影响,但对风险感知产生显著的负向影响,同时,社会话语信任度及适应激励均通过气候变化信息及客观适应能力而间接影响农牧户的气候变化感知。最后,基于影响甘南高原农牧户气候变化感知的关键因素,提出了提高农牧户的气候变化认知水平及气候变化适应行为有效性的对策建议。     

重点生态功能区农户对生态系统服务的感知——以甘南高原为例

农户作为重点生态功能区的主要经济活动主体,其对生态系统服务的感知直接影响着环境行为,这不仅关系到生态保护计划的执行效果,更关系到该区主体功能的发挥。以地处青藏高原东缘的甘南高原为例,基于入户调查数据,分析了农户对草地、森林、湿地、农田生态系统服务的感知,并运用多元线性回归模型分析了影响农户生态系统服务感知的关键因素。结果表明:(1)甘南高原农户对森林、草地、农田、湿地生态系统服务的多样化感知依次减弱,其中,半农半牧区农户对各类生态系统服务的多样化感知强于农牧区;(2)农户对森林、草地、农田、湿地生态系统服务重要性、可管理性、脆弱性、损害度的感知度依次降低,且不同区域农户的属性感知存在差异;(3)个体特征、家庭特征是影响农户生态系统服务多样化感知的重要因素,个体特征、家庭特征、环境政策是影响农户生态系统服务属性感知的重要因素。     

Quantitative calculation of eco-tourist's landscape perception: Strength,and spatial variation within ecotourism destination

Landscape perception is usually described through questionnaires according to the visitors' response. So it is difficult to describe the spatial variation of landscape perception, and the landscape perception factor is rarely involved in the ecotourism planning. In this paper, the authors propose a calculation method for the eco-tourists' perception degree on ecotourism destination according to landscapes' quality and quantity based on raster and grid data, which is very different to the angle of the tourists. The method includes a series of impact factors such as the landscape resource type, landscape resource grade, landscape visual range and its best viewing distance and orientation, ecological perception sensitive area etc. This calculation method can quantitatively describe ecotourists' perception degree at any location in the ecotourism destination, so it can also be used to identify the spatial variation of visitors' perception on landscapes. A case study is done, which is in Qixiagu scenic region, Wu'an national geological park in China. Based on Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and high-resolution satellite images, the authors build the virtual 3D landscape for the region. Using the tools of view-shed analysis, spatial overlay analysis, buffer and other methods on the GIS platform, eco-tourists' perception degree is calculated. The result shows that the value of perception degree varied from one location to another. Regions with higher perception value will be the gathering areas of eco-tourists, so the spatial differences for landscape perceptions should be taken into full consideration during the process of ecotourism destination planning.     

不同海拔高度农牧民对气候变化的感知与适应

气候变化已经对西藏地区产生了明显而深刻的影响。农牧民对气候变化的当地影响有较系统的认识。以西藏乃东区为研究对象。调查4个不同海拔梯度上农牧民对气候变化的感知与适应,然后利用气象数据对比农牧民对气候变化的感知,探究海拔高度与农牧民感知及其适应行为的关系,分析影响农牧民对气候变化感知与适应行为的因素。结果如下,研究区增温趋势明显,年降水量自2005年以来明显减少。不同梯度上的农牧民对当地气候变化的相对感知强度存在差异。农牧民对气温和雪覆盖变化的相对感知强度较高且基本随海拔升高而增强,而对雨季、农作物病虫害、新的病虫害变化的相对感知强度则随海拔升高而减弱。农牧民对年降水量的相对感知强度整体较低,但对近年年降水量持续减少记忆较深刻。在全球气候变化背景下,流域的上下两端会遭受较多的气候变化负面影响。农牧民对当地气候变化的感知与其采取的适应行为并不具有同步性。农牧民的受教育程度、经济状况、当地传统文化及其对气候变化的感知强度等因素均会影响农牧民对气候变化适应措施的选择。政府在制定及实施气候政策时应考虑流域内不同海拔高度区域气候变化特征及其影响的差异。     

Salinity perception by larvae of the crab Rhithropanopeus harrisii (gould)

The mechanism of salinity perception was measured in Stage I zoeae of the estuarine crab Rhithropanopeus harrisii. The behavioral assay for perception of a salinity decrease was the loss of positive phototaxis while the reversal in geotactic sign from positive to negative was used for studying a salinity increase. A change in sodium chloride concentration is the primary environmental cue signalling a salinity change. However, neither sodium nor chloride per se is required for detection, since other salts such as lithium nitrate, can substitute for sodium chloride. The minor ions of seawater (calcium, magnesium, potassium and sulfate) have a modulating effect upon larval behavior, but play no role in salinity perception. The exact mechanism for perception of an increase and a decrease in salinity is different. Substitution experiments indicate that in the perception of a salinity decrease, only salts having a cation similar in size to sodium can mimic salinity changes whereas in the detection of a salinity increase, cation size is not an important parameter. The stimulation effectiveness of anions is correlated with neither size nor valence. Though osmolality is probably not involved in perceiving a decreased salinity, it may serve a role in the detection of a salinity increase. A charge in pH has no effect upon perception of a salinity decrease, but does affect perception of a salinity increase. A classical salt receptor appears to be involved in sensing a salinity decrease, while a different type of receptor is used for detecting an increase in salinity.     

Cross-Cultural and Site-Based Influences on Demographic, Well-being, and Social Network Predictors of Risk Perception in Hazard and Disaster Settings in Ecuador and Mexico

Although virtually all comparative research about risk perception focuses on which hazards are of concern to people in different culture groups, much can be gained by focusing on predictors of levels of risk perception in various countries and places. In this case, we examine standard and novel predictors of risk perception in seven sites among communities affected by a flood in Mexico (one site) and volcanic eruptions in Mexico (one site) and Ecuador (five sites). We conducted more than 450 interviews with questions about how people feel at the time (after the disaster) regarding what happened in the past, their current concerns, and their expectations for the future. We explore how aspects of the context in which people live have an effect on how strongly people perceive natural hazards in relationship with demographic, well-being, and social network factors. Generally, our research indicates that levels of risk perception for past, present, and future aspects of a specific hazard are similar across these two countries and seven sites. However, these contexts produced different predictors of risk perception—in other words, there was little overlap between sites in the variables that predicted the past, present, or future aspects of risk perception in each site. Generally, current stress was related to perception of past danger of an event in the Mexican sites, but not in Ecuador; network variables were mainly important for perception of past danger (rather than future or present danger), although specific network correlates varied from site to site across the countries.     

Public smog knowledge,risk perception,and intention to reduce car use: Evidence from China

ABSTRACT

Smog pollution has received widely attention in recent years due to its negative effects. There is consensus that the motor vehicle exhaust emission is one of the sources of smog pollution and reduced private car use would significantly improve the air quality and alleviate the smog pollution problem. In this research, we aim to investigate how public smog knowledge and risk perception (physical health risk perception and mental health risk perception) affect public attitude and intention to reduce car use. A questionnaire survey of 334 randomly sampled respondents was designed to test these relationships. The results show that public smog knowledge is positively and significantly related to physical health risk perception, mental health risk perception, attitude and intention to reduce car use. Public smog knowledge has the largest impact on intention to reduce car use. Furthermore, physical health risk perception and mental health risk perception are positively and significantly associated with attitude and intention to reduce car use. In addition, the results also indicated that public smog knowledge is at a low level. Based on the results, implications and suggestions for future research were discussed.     

形状和空间位置知觉两条通路的功能磁共振研究

利用功能磁共振成像（ｆＭＲＩ） 技术,研究在处理形状知觉、位置知觉和特定形状图形的空间位置知觉的情况下,人类视皮层背侧（Ｄｏｒｓａｌ ｓｔｒｅａｍ） 和腹侧（Ｖｅｎｔｒａｌ ｓｔｒｅａｍ） 两条通路是怎样反应的。结果发现：形状知觉仅引起腹侧通路的兴奋;空间位置的知觉引起背侧通路的兴奋;特定形状的空间位置知觉引起腹侧通路和背侧通路的共同兴奋。这一结果丰富了对人类视觉皮层的两条通路在功能上定位的认识。     

Discrimination of a Right Angle with Monocular and Cyclopic Perception

Psychophysical tests with monocular and cyclopic perception were carried out to evaluate the accuracy of discrimination of right, acute, and obtuse angles. Tests with monocular perception were carried out with stimuli made by light line segments, spots, or elements of the Oppel-Kundt and Muller-Lyer figures. In tests with cyclopic perception, pairs of V-shaped stimuli with an identical orientation in the visual field and equal length of the sides but different divergence angles were presented to the different eyes of subjects. The test data demonstrated features of the perception of a right angle, namely, a high accuracy of reproduction, periodicity of errors as a function of the general orientation of a stimulus, similar characteristics of the manifestation of geometric illusions in angle reproduction and length comparison, and the manifestation of Hering’s law in cyclopic perception. These results agree with the multilocal hypothesis, which explains the perception of right and other angles on the basis of the information about the coordinates of stimulus parts.__________Translated from Fiziologiya Cheloveka, Vol. 31, No. 4, 2005, pp. 14–26.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Bulatov, Bertulis, Bulatova.     

Perception of time by human consciousness

The paper presents a survey of 79 publications dedicated to tasks of chronobiology, to significance of studies of time perception by human consciousness, to ideas of the mechanisms of the time perception, of the role of sleep in regulation of temporal relations, techniques of studies of the time perception (including the Author's own), as well as the results of studying the perception of time intervals duration by humans and effects of environments and mental state on this perception; intuitive and logical estimations of the time properties are also considered.     

Relationships between Categorical Perception of Phonemes,Phoneme Awareness,and Visual Attention Span in Developmental Dyslexia

We tested the hypothesis that the categorical perception deficit of speech sounds in developmental dyslexia is related to phoneme awareness skills, whereas a visual attention (VA) span deficit constitutes an independent deficit. Phoneme awareness tasks, VA span tasks and categorical perception tasks of phoneme identification and discrimination using a d/t voicing continuum were administered to 63 dyslexic children and 63 control children matched on chronological age. Results showed significant differences in categorical perception between the dyslexic and control children. Significant correlations were found between categorical perception skills, phoneme awareness and reading. Although VA span correlated with reading, no significant correlations were found between either categorical perception or phoneme awareness and VA span. Mediation analyses performed on the whole dyslexic sample suggested that the effect of categorical perception on reading might be mediated by phoneme awareness. This relationship was independent of the participants’ VA span abilities. Two groups of dyslexic children with a single phoneme awareness or a single VA span deficit were then identified. The phonologically impaired group showed lower categorical perception skills than the control group but categorical perception was similar in the VA span impaired dyslexic and control children. The overall findings suggest that the link between categorical perception, phoneme awareness and reading is independent from VA span skills. These findings provide new insights on the heterogeneity of developmental dyslexia. They suggest that phonological processes and VA span independently affect reading acquisition.     

The rose and the name: the unresolved debate on biotechnological terms

The largest survey on the perception of synthetic biology-related disciplines (Porcar et al., 2019,EMBO Rep 20) recently revealed that the Spanish society does not have a very positive perception of the term synthetic biology. On the other hand, the terms biotechnology and even genetic engineering received relatively higher scores. The issue of nomenclature and perception is a classical one in science perception studies. Synthetic biologists have been debating their neologism (Synthetic Biology, from now on SB) for years. Even in a 2006 blog, Rob Carlson discussed the various labels for the new field, such as intentional biology, constructive biology, natural engineering, synthetic genomics and biological engineering. This diversity of names, along with the above mentioned negative public perception of the term synthetic biology, raises the question on whether the term itself is suitable or whether it could, in an extreme scenario, be replaced by another combining scientific consensus with public acceptance.     

Bistable Perception Modeled as Competing Stochastic Integrations at Two Levels

We propose a novel explanation for bistable perception, namely, the collective dynamics of multiple neural populations that are individually meta-stable. Distributed representations of sensory input and of perceptual state build gradually through noise-driven transitions in these populations, until the competition between alternative representations is resolved by a threshold mechanism. The perpetual repetition of this collective race to threshold renders perception bistable. This collective dynamics – which is largely uncoupled from the time-scales that govern individual populations or neurons – explains many hitherto puzzling observations about bistable perception: the wide range of mean alternation rates exhibited by bistable phenomena, the consistent variability of successive dominance periods, and the stabilizing effect of past perceptual states. It also predicts a number of previously unsuspected relationships between observable quantities characterizing bistable perception. We conclude that bistable perception reflects the collective nature of neural decision making rather than properties of individual populations or neurons.     

MET and AKT genetic influence on facial emotion perception

Background

Facial emotion perception is a major social skill, but its molecular signal pathway remains unclear. The MET/AKT cascade affects neurodevelopment in general populations and face recognition in patients with autism. This study explores the possible role of MET/AKT cascade in facial emotion perception.

Methods

One hundred and eighty two unrelated healthy volunteers (82 men and 100 women) were recruited. Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of MET (rs2237717, rs41735, rs42336, and rs1858830) and AKT rs1130233 were genotyped and tested for their effects on facial emotion perception. Facial emotion perception was assessed by the face task of Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT). Thorough neurocognitive functions were also assessed.

Results

Regarding MET rs2237717, individuals with the CT genotype performed better in facial emotion perception than those with TT (p = 0.016 by ANOVA, 0.018 by general linear regression model [GLM] to control for age, gender, and education duration), and showed no difference with those with CC. Carriers with the most common MET CGA haplotype (frequency = 50.5%) performed better than non-carriers of CGA in facial emotion perception (p = 0.018, df = 1, F = 5.69, p = 0.009 by GLM). In MET rs2237717/AKT rs1130233 interaction, the C carrier/G carrier group showed better facial emotion perception than those with the TT/AA genotype (p = 0.035 by ANOVA, 0.015 by GLM), even when neurocognitive functions were controlled (p = 0.046 by GLM).

Conclusions

To our knowledge, this is the first study to suggest that genetic factors can affect performance of facial emotion perception. The findings indicate that MET variances and MET/AKT interaction may affect facial emotion perception, implicating that the MET/AKT cascade plays a significant role in facial emotion perception. Further replication studies are needed.     

Surgical Decompression in Dogs with Thoracolumbar Intervertebral Disc Disease and Loss of Deep Pain Perception: A Retrospective Study of 46 Cases

The case details and outcome after surgical decompression of 46 dogs with thoracolumbar intervertebral disc disease with loss of deep pain perception prior to surgery were reviewed. Nineteen dogs (41.3%) recovered with a median follow-up period of 12.5 months. Recovery was defined as an ambulatory paraparesis, or better, with urinary and fecal continence. There was a better outcome in dogs with loss of deep pain for less than 24 hours prior to surgery (19/41; 46.3% recovered) than in dogs without deep pain perception for more than 24 hours (0/5; 0% recovered). Dogs with deep pain perception present at two weeks postoperatively had significantly higher success rate (8/12; 66.7% recovered) than dogs without deep pain perception at this time period (1/10; 10.0% recovered). The return of deep pain perception by two weeks postoperatively can be a useful positive prognostic indicator.     

Care Giver Perception of Children's Obesity‐Related Health Risk: A Study of African American Families

Objective: To examine care giver perception of children's weight‐related health risk in African American families. Research Methods and Procedures: One‐hundred and eleven families (representing 48 boys and 63 girls) screened for participation in a diabetes prevention study participated. Care givers completed a health awareness questionnaire that assessed their perception of the child's weight, eating habits, appearance, exercise habits, and health risk. The care givers also reported each subject's family history of obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases. After a physical examination, height and weight were used to compute an age‐ and sex‐adjusted body mass index for each child. Results: Despite the fact that a substantial number of children were obese (57%) and super‐obese (12%), only 44% of the care givers perceived the child's weight to be a potential health problem. Regression analysis showed that 21% of the variance in parental perception of obesity‐related health risk could be predicted by child age, body mass index, perception of frame size, and perception of exercise habits. Discussion: A number of reasons for the apparent minimization of child health risk are discussed, including cultural differences in the acceptance of a large body habitus, lack of knowledge about the connection between childhood obesity and future health risk, and an optimistic bias in the perception of personal health risk.     

Haptic interaction with virtual objects

This paper considers interaction of the human arm with “virtual” objects simulated mechanically by a planar robot. Haptic perception of spatial properties of objects is distorted. It is reasonable to expect that it may be distorted in a geometrically consistent way. Three experiments were performed to quantify perceptual distortion of length, angle and orientation. We found that spatial perception is geometrically inconsistent across these perceptual tasks. Given that spatial perception is distorted, it is plausible that motor behavior may be distorted in a way consistent with perceptual distortion. In a fourth experiment, subjects were asked to draw circles. The results were geometrically inconsistent with those of the length perception experiment. Interestingly, although the results were inconsistent (statistically different), this difference was not strong (the relative distortion between the observed distributions was small). Some computational implications of this research for haptic perception and motor planning are discussed. Received: 12 February 1996 /Accepted in revised form: 6 May 1999     

Visceral perception versus visceral detection: Disentangling methods and assumptions

A within-subject experiment compared three paradigms commonly used in visceral perception: self-report, heartbeat tracking, and signal detection. Eighteen undergraduates estimated heart rate using each technique while engaging in a number of separate tasks conducted a week apart. Although all three techniques significantly tapped accuracy of heart rate perception, only the self-report and signal detection methods were reliable over time. Most important, there was no relationship involving any of the methods in measuring accuracy. The findings suggest some fundamental differences in the assumptions and perceptual properties of the various paradigms. A distinction is made between visceral perception and detection. Perception implies the subject's use of both internal physiological and external environmental information in the perception of visceral state. Detection connotes the subject's use of only physiological information — to the exclusion of all other factors. The relevance of these approaches for biofeedback and real-world symptom perception is discussed.     

Speech Misperception: Speaking and Seeing Interfere Differently with Hearing

Speech perception is thought to be linked to speech motor production. This linkage is considered to mediate multimodal aspects of speech perception, such as audio-visual and audio-tactile integration. However, direct coupling between articulatory movement and auditory perception has been little studied. The present study reveals a clear dissociation between the effects of a listener’s own speech action and the effects of viewing another’s speech movements on the perception of auditory phonemes. We assessed the intelligibility of the syllables [pa], [ta], and [ka] when listeners silently and simultaneously articulated syllables that were congruent/incongruent with the syllables they heard. The intelligibility was compared with a condition where the listeners simultaneously watched another’s mouth producing congruent/incongruent syllables, but did not articulate. The intelligibility of [ta] and [ka] were degraded by articulating [ka] and [ta] respectively, which are associated with the same primary articulator (tongue) as the heard syllables. But they were not affected by articulating [pa], which is associated with a different primary articulator (lips) from the heard syllables. In contrast, the intelligibility of [ta] and [ka] was degraded by watching the production of [pa]. These results indicate that the articulatory-induced distortion of speech perception occurs in an articulator-specific manner while visually induced distortion does not. The articulator-specific nature of the auditory-motor interaction in speech perception suggests that speech motor processing directly contributes to our ability to hear speech.