Altimetry Using GPS-Reflection/Occultation Interferometry

A Global Positioning System (GPS)- reflection/occultation interferometry was examined as a means of altimetry of water and ice surfaces in polar regions. In GPS-reflection/occultation interferometry, a GPS receiver aboard a satellite in a low orbit around the Earth is used to determine the temporally varying carrier- phase delay between (1) one component of a signal from a GPS transmitter propagating directly through the atmosphere just as the GPS transmitter falls below the horizon and (2) another component of the same signal, propagating along a slightly different path, reflected at glancing incidence upon the water or ice surface

Formalising suspense from immersive environments

Abstract. Survival horror video-games have acquired great acceptance in recent years. Immersion, ease of play, virtual reality gadgets and emotional intensity have helped to popularise them. Famous youtubers still perform their videos based on these games, counting millions of viewers even if the design of them is very similar in terms of atmosphere, limited actions and mapping. Usually conceived as suspense-evoking threatening environments to explore and escape, this similarity may lead to think about automatising the generation of products of this genre. In this paper, suspense definitions are reviewed from the view of emotional e↵ects. Further, we propose a formula relating suspense to dimensions valence, arousal and dominance. Finally, we present an experiment that supports its application for a horror game

Confronting a Paradox: A New Perspective of the Impact of Uncertainty in Suspense

Suspense is a key narrative issue in terms of emotional gratifications. Reactions in response to this type of entertainment are positively related to enjoyment, having a significant impact on the audience's immersion and suspension of disbelief. Related to computational modeling of this feature, some automatic storytelling systems include limited implementations of suspense management system in their core. In this way, the interest of this subject in the area of creativity has resorted to different definitions from fields as narratology and the film industry, as much as several proposals of its constituent features. Among their characteristics, uncertainty is one of the most discussed in terms of impact and need: while many authors affirm that uncertainty is essential to evoke suspense, others limit or reject its influence. Furthermore, the paradox of suspense reflects the problem of including uncertainty as a component required in suspense creation systems. Due to this need to contrast the effects of the uncertainty in order to compute a general model for automatic storytelling systems, we conducted an experiment measuring suspense experienced by a group of subjects that read a story. While a group of them were told the ending of the story in advance, the members of the other group experimented the same story in chronological order. Both the subjects' reported suspense and their physiological responses are gathered and analyzed. Results provide evidence to conclude that uncertainty affects the emotional response of readers, but independently and in a different form than suspense does. It will help to propose a model in which uncertainty is processed separately as management of the amount of knowledge about the outcome available to the spectator, which acts as a control signal to modulate the input features, but not directly in suspense computing

Importancia de los componentes iónico y osmótico del estrés salino sobre la germinación de cuatro selecciones de quinua ( Chenopodium quinoa Willd.)

The influence of the components of saline stress (osmotic and ionic factors) were evaluated during the germination of four quinua ( Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) selections in Chile, two collected in the arid northern highland region with saline soils (Amarilla and Roja) and the other two from the rainy southern region with non-saline soils (Hueque and Pucura). The seeds were treated with different saline concentrations (0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8 and 1.2 M NaCl). Germination kinetics shows that the control treatments of the four selections reach 100% germination. With application of 0.4 M NaCl (LD50max) germination was reduced by 53% in the Amarilla selection and 89.9% in Hueque. The germination rate was lower for the seeds from non-saline areas, which reached germination after 22 h, compared to 10 h for Amarilla. By separating the salinity stress factors (osmotic and ionic), it is evident that they have different degrees of influence on quinua germination, according to each selection. Thus, the germination of Amarilla selection from the arid area was the least influenced by the ionic factor (27%), Pucura and Roja were more affected by the ionic factor (40% and 46% respectively), and Hueque, from the rainy area, was more affected by the osmotic factor, in which caused a 50% loss in germination.La influencia de los componentes del estrés salino (factores osmótico y iónico) fue evaluada durante la germinación en cuatro selecciones de quinua ( Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), dos cultivadas en la zona árida y salina del altiplano (Amarilla y Roja) y dos en la zona húmeda y suelos no salinos en Chile (Hueque y Pucura). Las semillas fueron tratadas con diferentes concentraciones salinas (NaCl 0; 0,2; 0,4; 0,8 y 1,2 M). Las cinéticas de germinación muestran que los tratamientos testigos de las cuatro selecciones alcanzan un 100% de germinación. Al aplicar NaCl 0,4 M (LD50max), la germinación se reduce en un 53% en la línea Amarilla y 89,9% en Hueque. La velocidad de germinación fue menor en las semillas provenientes de selecciones de zonas no salinas, las que demoran 22 h en alcanzar el 100% de germinación, en comparación con las 10 h de Amarilla. Al separar los factores estresantes de la salinidad (osmóticos y iónicos) es posible concluir que éstos tienen diferentes magnitudes de influencia en la germinación de quinua, según cada selección. Así la germinación en la selección Amarilla de la zona árida fue la menos influenciada por el factor iónico (27%), Pucura y Roja fueron más afectadas por el factor iónico (40% y 46%, respectivamente), en tanto que el factor osmótico influyó en un 50% en la pérdida de la germinación. en Hueque

The Importance of Non-Diffusional Factors in Determining Photosynthesis of Two Contrasting Quinoa Ecotypes (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) Subjected to Salinity Conditions

The broad distribution of quinoa in saline and non-saline environments is reflected in variations in the photosynthesis-associated mechanisms of different ecotypes. The aim of this study was to characterize the photosynthetic response to high salinity (0.4 M NaCl) of two contrasting Chilean genotypes, Amarilla (salt-tolerant, salares ecotype) and Hueque (salt-sensitive, coastal ecotype). Our results show that saline stress induced a significant decrease in the K+/Na+ ratio in roots and an increase in glycine betaine in leaves, particularly in the sensitive genotype (Hueque). Measurement of the photosynthesis-related parameters showed that maximum CO2 assimilation (Amax) in control plants was comparable between genotypes (ca. 9–10 μmol CO2 m−2 s−1). However, salt treatment produced different responses, with Amax values decreasing by 65.1% in the sensitive ecotype and 37.7% in the tolerant one. Although both genotypes maintained mesophyll conductance when stomatal restrictions were removed, the biochemical components of Amarilla were impaired to a lesser extent under salt stress conditions: for example, the maximum rate of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RubisCO; Vcmax) was not as affected in Amarilla, revealing that this enzyme has a higher affinity for its substrate in this genotype and, thus, a better carboxylation efficiency. The present results show that the higher salinity tolerance of Amarilla was also due to its ability to control non-diffusional components, indicating its superior photosynthetic capacity compared to Hueque, particularly under salt stress conditions

Effects of water stress and high temperature on photosynthetic rates of two species of Prosopis

The main aim of this research was to compare the photosynthetic responses of two species of Prosopis, Prosopis chilensis (algarrobo) and Prosopis tamarugo (tamarugo) subjected to heat and water stress, to determine how heat shock or water deficit, either individually or combined, affect the photosynthesis of these two species. The photosynthetic rates expressed as a function of photon flow density (PFD) were determined by the O-2 liberated, in seedlings of tamarugo and algarrobo subjected to two water potentials: -0.3 MPa and -2.5 MPa and to three temperatures: 25 degrees C, 35 degrees C and 40 degrees C. Light response curves were constructed to obtain light Compensation and light saturation points, maximum photosynthetic rates, quantum yields and dark respiration rates. The photochemical efficiency as the F-v/F-m ratio and the amount of RUBISCO were also determined under heat shock, water deficit, and under the combined action of both stress. Photosynthetic rates at a light intensity higher than 500 mu mole photons m(-2) s(-1) were not significantly different (P > 0.05) between species when measured at 25 degrees C under the same water potential. The maximum photosynthetic rates decreased with temperature in both species and with water deficit in algarrobo. At 40 degrees C and -2.5 MPa, the photosynthetic rate of algarrobo fell to 72% of that of tamarugo. The quantum yield decreased in algarrobo with temperature and water deficit and it was reduced by 50% when the conditions were 40 degrees C and -2.5 MPa. Dark respiration increased by 62% respect to the control at 40 degrees C in tamarugo while remained unchanged in algarrobo. The photochemical efficiency decreased with both, high temperature and water deficit, without differences between species. RUBISCO content increased in algarrobo 35 degrees C. Water deficit reduced the amount of RUBISCO in both species. The results of this work support the conclusion that in both Prosopis species, the interaction between high temperature and water deficit affects photosynthesis responses greater than each individual stress, and that the interactive effect is more pronounce in algarrobo than in tamarugo.The research was supported by Fondo de Desarrollo Cientı´fico y Tecnológico, Gobierno de Chile, Grant No. 1950401, given to Liliana Cardemil and by Departamento de Investigación y Desarrollo, Universidad de Chile

A computational model of the cognitive impact of decorative elements on the perception of suspense

Suspense is a key narrative issue in terms of emotional gratification, influencing the way in which the audience experiences a story. Virtually all narrative media uses suspense as a strategy for reader engagement regardless of the technology or genre. Being such an important narrative component, computational creativity has tackled suspense in a number of automatic storytelling. These systems are mainly based on narrative theories, and in general lack a cognitive approach involving the study of empathy or emotional effect of the environment impact. With this idea in mind, this paper reports on a computational model of the influence of decorative elements on suspense. It has been developed as part of a more general proposal for plot generation based on cognitive aspects. In order to test and parameterise the model, an evaluation based on textual stories and an evaluation based on a 3D virtual environment was run. In both cases, results suggest a direct influence of emotional perception of decorative objects in the suspense of a scene

Tropical Tropopause Structure and Processes as Observed with GPS Radio Occultation

The vertical temperature structure of the tropical atmosphere has been explained as controlled by the combined effect of three green house gases: water vapor, carbon dioxide, and ozone. Absorption by water vapor of the light reflected off the Earth's surface would determine the temperature lapse rate in the lower troposphere up to the bottom of the Tropical Transition Layer (TTL); radiative absorption by carbon dioxide would dominate the temperature lapse rate between the bottom of the TTL and the coldest point in the upper-troposphere, the cold point tropopause (CPT), and; absorption of incoming solar radiation by ozone would control the temperature above the CPT. The TTL region can thus be very sensitive to changes in the relative abundances of these greenhouse gases. In this contribution we describe the seasonal evolution of temperature profiles in the TTL and their longitudinal structure using GPS radio occultation

Desarrollo para la comercialización y ventas internacionales de la empresa Plata y Oro Citlali a la República de Colombia

ITESO, A.C

Information management in interactive and non-interactive suspenseful storytelling

Suspense is one key feature in modern storytelling. One of the mechanisms to deliver a suspenseful experience to an audience is by means of controlling the information provided. The media, however, has a very strong impact on what kind of information can be delivered and how. Moreover, modern storytelling is usually conveyed interactively, in such a way that the audience is also part of the story. In this paper, we experiment and analyse the different impact of information management in interactive and non-interactive storytelling. We report on an experiment measuring the reported perceived amusement in interactive and non-interactive versions of a potentially suspenseful story, and we provide evidence that a passive, non-interactive audience usually prefers less information than an active interactive audience. The study provides informed insight on how these results could be used in real scenarios to deliver appropriate levels of information to enhance the perception of suspense