Gift Wrapping Research Articles

Platform channel strategy of selling format: Effect of asymmetric service information

In platform-based retailing settings, product related services, e.g., product promotion, consulting service, fast order fulfillment, logistics service and even gift wrapping, may be offered by the upstream supplier or the downstream online platform, depending on whether the platform is operating under the agency or reselling format. Such service information may be asymmetric, which highly affects how and whether the online platform chooses the selling format. A platform’s optimal strategies of selling format selection and information sharing with asymmetric service information are explored in this work. We show that whether the reselling or agency format is adopted highly depends on which player can offer a high-type service. Specifically, when the platform can offer a high-type service and the service level difference is sufficiently large, it will prefer the reselling format, but the agency format otherwise. It is found that the optimal selling format selection directly affects the selling player’s information sharing strategy in the supply chain. In particular, the platform will always choose to share the asymmetric service information when it adopts the reselling format, but the supplier does not always do so when adopting the agency format.

The “Gift Wrap” Technique - A Method that Simplifies the Placement of Fascia Lata in the Reconstruction of the Skull Base Following Endoscopic Endonasal Surgery: A Technical Note

With the advancement of endoscopic endonasal surgery in the treatment of anterior skull base (ASB) pathologies, extended, watertight reconstructions are needed to prevent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage. This often involves the use of multilayers closure, with free fascia lata (FL) graft frequently used as an in- and/or outlay. However, positioning the FL properly can be challenging and time-consuming, particularly on wider defects. In this technical note, we present an easier and faster way to position FL using a silicone sheet. FL graft is harvested using a standard technique. The required dimensions are evaluated depending on the extent of the dural defect taking in consideration that FL graft should exceed the edges of the dural defect especially laterally. It is then wrapped around a semi rigid pattern (Silastic sheet) and secured with several monofilament 5/0 sutures. The "package" is transferred through the endonasal corridor to the defect. The sutures are divided and taken out; the fascia is unfolded, and its edges are inserted into the subdural space without any twisting or folding of the flap. Finally, the silicone sheet is withdrawn from the nasal cavity, leaving the FL well-stretched in perfect position. We illustrate this technique in the management of a large anterior skull base chondrosarcoma, which necessitated significant bone and dural resection. The "Gift wrap" technique offers an alternative approach for positioning the FL, which is less time-consuming compared to the traditional technique. Moreover, it enables improved placement of the FL, enhancing its efficacy.

Parasympathetic Nervous System Activity During Measures of Volitional Self‐regulation Predicts School Readiness

ABSTRACTSelf‐regulation is an essential component of school readiness. Although in educational contexts self‐regulation is typically defined in terms of volitional processes, it also encompasses the activity of neurophysiological systems, including the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). In a prospective longitudinal study, 102 preschoolers (Mage = 4.82 years; 52% female) completed two measures of volitional self‐regulation (the gift‐wrap task and a battery of EF tasks) at the beginning of their final preschool year, and then completed the Bracken School Readiness Assessment (BSRA) at year's end. Larger increases in parasympathetic function (indexed by respiratory sinus arrythmia, or RSA) during both the gift‐wrap and EF tasks were correlated with better performance on the BSRA at levels approaching significance, and subsequent regression models that controlled for relevant covariates revealed robust associations between increases in RSA and improved BSRA performance (gift wrap: B = 5.49, p = .012; EF: B = 7.77, p = .001). We interpret these results in light of polyvagal theory and discuss their implications for incorporating measures of parasympathetic activity into future educational neuroscience research.

Abstract P5-08-18: A novel free-to-use software for upper limb volume quantification in breast cancer related lymphedema: implementing cutting-edge technology in the individualized therapeutic approaches of breast cancer survivors

Abstract BACKGROUND: Breast cancer related lymphedema (BCRL) is a detrimental condition affecting a growing number of breast cancer (BC) survivors worldwide [1]. Effective screening programs and early diagnosis are mandatory in the clinical management of this disabling condition and limb volume assessment plays a crucial role [1]. However, a reproducible volumetric assessment is still challenging in clinical practice. In this scenario, augmented reality tools have been recently proposed for volumetric quantification of BCRL [2]. Despite the advantages in safety and time effectiveness, the integration of these devices in clinical practice is affected by several barriers, and free-to-use software for volume quantification are still lacking [3]. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop and validate a free-to-use software for volume quantification of BCRL in order to overcome barriers to technology implementation in the complex management of BC patients. METHODS: A cohort of mixed-gender young adults was assessed by tridimensional laser scanning, centimetric method, and water displacement method. The upper limb volume measures were saved and processed using a software package composed of three programs (Edit 3D, Slice 3D, Cut 3D). The novel software package was specifically developed and freely released on the online site https://mn-visions.gitbook.455io/software-kit-for-3dls-limb-volume-quantification/. In addition, hand volume has been assessed two groups (experimental group and optimization group). Digital volume quantification algorithms have been specifically designed using the gift wrapping (GW) or cubic tessellation (TE) method. The novel software package was subsequently used to assess a small pilot sample of BCRL patients. The upper limb volumes were analyzed to assess linear regression and correlation, level of agreement, and consistency between the different methods. RESULTS: Fourty upper limb volumes of 20 participants were assessed in the present study. The linear regression analysis showed a statistically significant correlation between laser scanning method and centimetric method (R2= 0.99, p< 0.0001). A high level of agreement was reported (R2 interval from 0.93 to 0.97, r ranged from 0.965 to 0.984) between the centimetric method and the novel software package. Hand volume has been assessed in 5 subjects (experimental group). The optimization group (n: 4) demonstrated that the hand volumes calculated from digital method (tessellation method) show a high correlation with the values obtained with water displacement (ρ = 0.83; p < 0.05). Preliminary data from BCRL women were recently assessed (n:3) and suggested a high correlation between LS3D and centimetric method (R2= 0.96). CONCLUSION: Our data underlined promising results for the implementation in clinical setting of the three programs Edit 3D, Slice 3D, Cut 3D for the upper limb volume quantification. In addition, significant correlations between water displacement method (gold standard) and hand digital volume method were highlighted, suggesting intriguing implications in a precise quantification of hand volume in clinical setting. These findings might provide advantages in reproducibility between different operators enhancing data sharing between different centers. Future data on BCRL patients are needed to confirm the role of this novel free-to-use software in the rehabilitation management of breast cancer survivors. REFERENCES: 1. Heller DR et al. Prevention Is Key: Importance of Early Recognition and Referral in Combating Breast Cancer–Related Lymphedema. Journal of Oncology Practice 2019;15:263–4. 2. Invernizzi M et al. Integrating Augmented Reality Tools in Breast Cancer Related Lymphedema Prognostication and Diagnosis. J Vis Exp. 2020 6;(156). 3. Kassamani YW et al. Diagnostic Criteria for Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema of the Upper Extremity: The Need for Universal Agreement. Ann Surg Oncol. 2022;29(2):989-1002 Citation Format: Lorenzo Lippi, Mauro Nascimben, Alessandro de Sire, Arianna Folli, Nicola Fusco, Lia Rimondini, Marco Invernizzi. A novel free-to-use software for upper limb volume quantification in breast cancer related lymphedema: implementing cutting-edge technology in the individualized therapeutic approaches of breast cancer survivors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2022 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(5 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-08-18.

Does Physical Activity Improve Inhibition in Kindergarteners? A Pilot Study.

Substantial empirical evidence supports the positive effects of physical activity (PA) on executive functions, but not all forms of physical activity benefit equally. Among kindergarteners, cognitively-engaging exercise seems to more strongly effect EF than simple exercise. We aimed to investigate several qualitatively different exercise formats on kindergarteners' inhibition. Participants were 75 children (M age = 68.1months), recruited from 14 classrooms of three kindergarten schools. They were randomly assigned to three groups: control group, free play group (non-cognitively-engaging PA), and an intervention group (cognitively-engaging PA). The intervention group performed 18 sessions of a cognitively engaging PA (tasks requiring movements and inhibitory behavior skills). We assessed "hot" and "cool" aspects of inhibition using the Day-Night Stroop test, Head-Shoulders-Knees-Toes, Gift Wrap, and Snack Delay. We found that the intervention group obtained a more consistent performance improvement on post-test measures of hot and cool inhibition than did the free play group.

Resident and Non-resident Father Involvement, Coparenting, and the Development of Children's Self-Regulation Among Families Facing Economic Hardship.

Self-regulation, or the ability to effectively manage emotions and behavior, is a critical skill to develop in early childhood. Children living in a context of economic hardship are at an increased risk for developing self-regulation difficulties. However, few studies have comprehensively examined how multiple aspects of the caregiving environment, including fathers’ parenting and coparenting quality, may contribute to child self-regulation. Thus, this study applied a family systems perspective to examine whether coparenting and resident and non-resident fathers’ reports of parenting quantity and quality were associated with observations of children’s self-regulation. Participants were drawn from the Embedded Developmental Study (n = 257) of the Three-City Study, a longitudinal study of children and families facing economic hardship. At Wave 1, when children were 2–4 years old, reports of parenting (i.e., quantity and quality) and coparenting (i.e., support) were obtained. At Wave 2, when children were 3–6 years old, children participated in a snack delay and gift wrap task, which assessed their self-regulation. Multi-group path analyses indicated that resident fathers’ harsh parenting at Wave 1 predicted decreased levels of self-regulation at Wave 2. Non-resident fathers’ reported hours of involvement at Wave 1 predicted greater levels of self-regulation at Wave 2. Additionally, supportive coparenting among families with a non-resident father predicted greater self-regulation. Supportive coparenting was not associated with child self-regulation in families with a resident father. The implications for research focused on facilitating positive father–child relationships in diverse family contexts are discussed.

Development and Applications of Secondary School After-School Programs Using Korean Traditional Elements: Focusing on Gift Wrapping Designs

본 연구의 목적은 중⋅고등학생의 전통문화에 대한 관심을 고조하고 긍정적 인식을 높여주기 위해 전통요소를 활용한 가정과방과후 선물포장 디자인 프로그램을 개발하는데 있다. 보다 효율적인 학습을 위하여 수공노작을 활용한 체험학습 위주의 프로그램을 구성하였다. 연구는 분석, 개발, 평가의 과정을 거쳤다. 분석의 단계에서는 전통미를 표현하는 핵심요소를 파악하기 위해2009와 2015 개정 교육과정의 기술⋅가정 교과서, 백화점 매장에서 전통포장 디자이너로 근무하는 전문가의 인터뷰와 판매하는작품, 선물포장 디자인 협회의 출판물과 블로그의 작품을 종합적으로 분석하였다. 분석 결과 전통선물 포장디자인에서 전통미를표현하는 핵심요소는 전통적 상징 문양, 색채, 장식, 소품을 현대적인 재료를 함께 이용해 구현하는 데 있었다. 추출한 핵심요소를 바탕으로 16주, 32차시의 방과후 프로그램을 개발하여 전문가 3인과 현장교육전문가 1인의 자문을 통해 개발한 프로그램의 우수성을 검증받았다. 개발한 프로그램은 인천 소재 G여자중학교의 57명의 학생들에게 적용한 후 설문조사 참여와 소감문을작성하도록 요청하였다. 그 결과 학생들의 전통에 대한 관심과 인식이 긍정적으로 변화하였음을 확인하였다. 향후 다양한 전통문화 체험 프로그램을 통해 청소년들이 우리 고유의 전통문화를 일상에서 더욱 자주 접할 수 있는 여건을 마련한다면 우리 전통문화의 정체성을 더욱 창조적으로 발전시켜 나갈 수 있는 실질적 계기가 될 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

Differential allocation in a gift-giving spider: males adjust their reproductive investment in response to female condition

BackgroundWhen males are selective, they can either reject low-quality females or adjust their reproductive investment in response to traits that indicate female quality (e.g., body size or condition). According to the differential allocation hypothesis, males increase their reproductive investment when paired with high-quality females (positive differential allocation) or increase their reproductive investment when paired with low-quality females (negative differential allocation). This hypothesis has been proposed for monogamous species with biparental care, and most empirical studies focus on birds. Here we used the polygamous spider Paratrechalea ornata, in which males offer prey wrapped in silk as nuptial gifts, to test whether males adjust their reproductive investment in gift size, pre-copulatory and copulatory courtship, and sperm transfer in response to female body condition.ResultsMales exposed to females in good body condition added more flies to the gift, stimulated these females longer with abdominal touches during pre-copulatory courtship, and had longer pedipalp insertions than males exposed to females in poor body condition. Female condition affected neither silk investment in nuptial gift wrapping nor the quantity of sperm transferred by males. Finally, females in good body condition oviposited faster after copulation and laid more eggs than females in poor body condition.ConclusionsWe provide experimental evidence that males of a gift-giving spider exhibit positive differential allocation in three key aspects of their reproductive investment: the size of the nutritious gift, duration of pre-copulatory courtship, and duration of pedipalp insertions, which is regarded as a form of copulatory courtship in spiders. This positive differential allocation is likely associated with the benefits of copulating with females in good body condition. These females are more fecund and oviposit faster after copulation than females in poor body condition, which under natural field conditions probably reduces the risk of multiple matings and thus the level of sperm competition faced by the males. As a final remark, our findings indicate that the hypothesis of differential allocation also applies to species with a scramble competition mating system, in which males heavily invest in nuptial gift construction, but not in parental care.

Low-cost System with Handheld Analyzer for Optimizing the Position of Indoor Base Stations

In this paper, an automatic system of locating the indoor area with weak or no mobile signal was proposed and demonstrated experimentally by using the Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Nowadays, the technicians of mobile services providers need to go along with numerous heavy equipment to measure and record the mobile signal strength at outside environment. Recently, there are systems proposed to do such measurement at outdoor area by using the IoT technology automatically. However, these works could not be applied in the indoor area since there are difficulties to do the indoor mapping and positioning. In this work, the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) was used to tackle these two difficulties. After a proper placement of BLE in the testing site, while the technician walk around with a handheld analyzer, the data can be obtained accordingly for further analysis in the proposed system which includes the construction of floor plan, detection of mobile signal strength and suggestion of indoor base stations. The gift wrapping and centroid algorithms were used during the analysis. The experimental results showed that the proposed system successfully demonstrated the indoor mapping, positioning of weak mobile signal area and suggestion of indoor base stations for the normal rectangular rooms with an area of 100 m2 on single floor.

Do Patterns of Levels of Socio-emotional Competence During Early Childhood Predict Executive Function at 4.5Years?

Socio-emotional competence and executive function both work together to meet the demands of the everyday environment. While many studies have focused on how various domains of socio-emotional competence are predicted by, or associated with executive function, the predictive influence of socio-emotional competence on executive function has largely been ignored despite strong theoretical links. In addition, contradictory information exists with regard to the divergent validity of two subtypes of executive function: cool and hot. Using data from 4839 children participating in three data collection waves (9months, 2years and 4.5year) in the Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal study, we examined how different patterns of socio-emotional competence development during the early preschool years (persistent lows, recent low, improved and no lows) related to cool and hot executive function measured at aged 4.5 using a hand clap task and a gift wrap task, respectively. Findings showed that children with persistent lows (with no improvement) in the levels of early socio-emotional competence had increased odds of having below average cool and hot executive function at 4.5years. However, no difference was found in the influence of socio-emotional competence on cool and hot executive function. Possible explanations for these associations between socio-emotional competence and executive function are discussed.

Hybrid Tongue - Myoelectric Control Improves Functional Use of a Robotic Hand Prosthesis.

This study aims at investigating the functional performance of a novel prosthesis control scheme integrating an inductive tongue interface and myoelectric control. The tongue interface allowed direct selection of the desired grasp while myoelectric signals were used to open and close the robotic hand. The novel method was compared to a conventional sequential on/off myoelectric control scheme using functional tasks defined by Assistive Hand Assessment protocol. Ten able-bodied participants were fitted with the SmartHand on their left forearm. They used both the conventional myoelectric control and the Tongue and Myoelectric Hybrid interface (TMH) to accomplish two activities of daily living (i.e., preparing a sandwich and gift wrapping). Sessions were video recorded and the outcome measure was the completion time for the subtasks as well as the full tasks. The sandwich task was completed significantly faster, with 19% decrease in the completion time, using the TMH when compared to the conventional sequential on/off myoelectric control scheme (p < 0.05). The results indicate that the TMH control scheme facilitates the active use of the prosthetic device by simplifying grasp selection, leading thereby to faster completion of challenging and relevant tasks involving bimanual activities.

COVID-19 Vaccines and Dentistry

Transplant pioneer, Peter Medawar, once said that a virus is ‘simply a piece of bad news wrapped in protein’. One could opine then, that the new COVID-19 vaccines are ‘Bits of corona viral proteins in gift wrapping.’ For, most of the COVID-19 vaccines are based on the principle that pre-exposure of the vaccinee's host immune system to the spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2, the first part of the viral anatomy that touches the vulnerable host cells, will elicit an effective antibody response to curb potential future infections. COVID-19 vaccines come in many sizes and shapes, and clearly, a return to normal, post-COVID dental practice entails protecting all members of the dental team with an appropriate vaccine, as and when available. We provide a thumbnail sketch of the COVID-19 vaccines currently in the offing, which we hope will be helpful for decision-making for choice of vaccine. The commentary ends with a discussion of the impact of COVID-19 vaccines on dentistry, in general.

Turistlerin Destinasyon Alışveriş Olanaklarından Memnuniyetlerinin Belirlenmesine Yönelik Bir Araştırma: Göbeklitepe Örneği

DDestinasyonlarda turistlere sunulan konaklama, yeme-içme, ulaşım, rekreasyon, vb. hizmetlerin yanı sıra destinasyonun sahip olduğu alışveriş olanakları ve bu olanakları sunan görevlilerin tutumlarından turistlerin memnuniyet algıları da son derece önemlidir. Bu çalışmada yerli turistlerin destinasyon alışveriş olanaklarından ve alışveriş noktalarındaki görevlilerin tutumlarından memnuniyet algı düzeylerinin belirlenmesi amaçlanmaktadır. Bu kapsamda hazırlanan anket formu Temmuz-Eylül 2019 döneminde Göbeklitepe destinasyonunu ziyaret eden 400 yerli turiste yüz yüze iletişim kurularak ulaştırılmıştır. Anketlerden elde edilen veriler (386 anket) SPSS programında analize tabi tutulmuştur. Yapılan analizler sonucunda; katılımcıların çoğunluğunun destinasyon alışveriş olanaklarından (%71) ve destinasyondaki alışveriş noktalarındaki görevlilerin tutumlarından memnun oldukları (%65) ancak katılımcıların daha az olmakla birlikte önemli bir kısmının ise destinasyon alışveriş olanaklarından (%29) ve destinasyon alışveriş noktalarındaki görevlilerin tutumlarından memnun olmadıkları (%35) belirlenmiştir. Ayrıca katılımcıların destinasyon alışveriş noktalarındaki görevlilerin tutumlarını İçtenlik, Nezaket, İletişim, Turistlerin İhtiyaçları ile İlgilenme ve Hediye Paketleme Becerisi boyutları kapsamında değerlendirdikleri belirlenmiştir.

1768 Esophagitis Dissecans Superficialis Secondary to Ingestion of Hair Dye

INTRODUCTION: Esophagitis dissecans superficialis (EDS) is a rare and underdiagnosed esophageal lesion characterized by sloughing of the esophageal mucosa that has been associated with various autoimmune disorders and exposure to some chemical irritants. Our case highlights a 65-year-old woman diagnosed with EDS after incidental ingestion of hair dye containing resorcinol and paraphenylenediamine (PPD). CASE DESCRIPTION/METHODS: The patient is a 65 year-old female with a medical history of diabetes, hypertension, major depressive disorder, asthma, alcohol use disorder who presented to our emergency department complaining of nausea and vomiting after ingesting a colored hair dye. The patient stated she accidentally ingested 2 oz of hair dye believing it was cough syrup. Notable laboratory findings on admission included a complete blood count within normal limits; a venous blood gas showing a pH of 7.274; pCO2 of 39.2 mm Hg; HCO3 of 17.2 mEq/L and a lactic acid of 5.1. Notable imaging included a chest x-ray showing focal patchy opacities at both lung bases; and an X-ray of the neck showed no retropharyngeal soft tissue swelling. Physical exam was unremarkable. After initial evaluation esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) was done and showed mild superficial mucosal desquamation in entire esophagus suggestive of esophagitis dissecans superficialis (Figure 1). After the procedure the patient was started on pantoprazole and admitted to the general medical floor for further monitoring. The following night the patients symptoms resolved and she was discharge with follow up appointments. DISCUSSION: PPD is an aromatic amine that is widely used in hair dye due to its favorable cosmetic outcomes. Adverse effects of PPD include cervicofacial edema, upper airway tract edema, oliguria, and shock. Resorcinol is a phenolic chemical that is also used in hair dye. Readily absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract, resorcinol is a corrosive acid that causes severe burns on direct contact. Its consumption may also result in pulmonary edema, hemolysis, and metabolic acidosis. Clinical manifestations of EDS are non-specific and include vomiting and dysphagia. Endoscopically it is characterized by sheets of sloughed squamous tissue which typically appear as multiple columns of strips, often described as "gift wrap paper" like distribution as was present in our case. Its prognosis is very favorable and long term complications are rare. To our knowledge this makes the first reported case of EDS occurring secondary to ingestion of hair dye.

Gift Purchases as Catalysts for Strengthening Customer–Brand Relationships

Gift giving is an effective means to strengthen interpersonal relationships; it also may initiate and enhance customer–brand relationships. Through a field study conducted with an international monobrand retailer of beauty products, a combination of propensity score matching with difference-in-differences estimations, and two experimental scenario studies, this research demonstrates that gift buyers spend 63% more in the year following a gift purchase than a matched sample of customers who purchase for their personal use. Specifically, gift buyers increase their purchase frequency (25%), spend more per shopping trip (41%), and engage in more cross-buying (49%). The sales lift is particularly pronounced among new customers. Identity theory suggests customer gratitude and public commitment as mediating mechanisms. Gift purchase design characteristics (i.e., assistance during gift purchase and branded gift wrapping) influence the strength of the mediating mechanisms.

Abstract 3730: Structure determination, mode of action and safe delivery of an improved K6L9-type peptide

Abstract There is a significantly increased interest in using antimicrobial peptides for anticancer therapy. D-K6L9, LKLLKKLLKKLLKLL is an antimicrobial peptide that has been explored. It kills cancer cells by depolarizing their cell membranes, thus inducing apoptosis. Further modification of the peptide for increased toxicity and safe packaging into a delivery vehicle for targeted delivery is highly desired for the in vivo applications. Here, the peptide was modified with two extra amino acids (serine and alanine) at both C and N terminals, resulting in SA-LKLLKKLLKKLLKLL-AS. The sequence and structure of the modified peptide were determined by means of 2D 1H-1H -COSY, NOESY, and TOCSY-NMR spectroscopy. The 3D structure of the peptide in the solution phase was generated by CNS software using a distance constraint generated by NOE spectroscopy. The 3-D structure of SA-D-K6L9-AS is maintained, as well as the amphiphilicity required for insertion into cell membranes. This peptide was tested on the following mouse cancer cell lines: GL 26 (glioma), B16-F10 (melanoma lung metastases) and 4T1 (metastasizing breast cancer). The LC50 values of the modified peptide were found to be 0.707 µM for B16-F10, 6.237 µM for 4T1 and 1.707 µM for GL 26, which is 5- 10 fold more active than the original D-K6L9. To explore the findings using the modified peptide, SA-D-K6L9-AS tagged with a rhodamine dye was incubated with GL 26 cancer cells. Sequential confocal imaging (every 30 seconds) revealed that the peptide gets internalized into the cytoplasm in less than 5 min and then localizes in the mitochondria. This peptide is found to be toxic to neuronal stem cells and monocytes as well. To avoid the non-specific toxicity of the peptide for in vivo applications, highly mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) were synthesized. The peptide was loaded into the MSN. MSN were further coated with a polysilazane as a “gift wrap” after loading the peptide. This gift wrap can hold the contents inside the MSN, showing no toxicity at 24 hours and subsequent slow release of the peptide payload into the cytoplasm within 72 hours. This gift wrapping of the highly toxic peptide into the MSN could be very useful for in vivo cancer therapy by means of targeted delivery to the cancer site with appropriate surface modification of MSN. Citation Format: Tej B. Shrestha, Jing Yu, Stefan Bossmann, Deryl Troyer. Structure determination, mode of action and safe delivery of an improved K6L9-type peptide [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3730.

Executive functions in kindergarten children at risk for developmental coordination disorder

Executive functioning (EF) is a key cognitive process for development. Little is known about EF in Kindergarten children at risk for developmental coordination disorder (DCD), despite this age being one of the most critical and intensive period of motor and cognitive development. In our investigation we compared EF in kindergarten children at risk for DCD with Typically Developing (TD) children. Participants were 36 Italian children, 18 at risk for DCD (9 boys and 9 girls) who had a mean age of 4.6 years and 18 TD (9 boys and 9 girls) who had a mean age of 4.6. Executive functions were measured by tasks targeting cold executive functioning (working memory, fluency, inhibitory control) and two assessments of hot executive functioning (Snack Delay and Gift Wrap). Significant differences were found between children at risk for DCD and TD children on cold EF tasks of visuo-spatial working memory abilities, fluency and inhibitory control, but not on hot EF tasks. The findings suggest that it is advisable to implement preschool cognitively challenging physical activities programmes.

Transmedia Storyworlds, Literary Theory, Games

This article focuses on some of the connections between digitally transmitted stories, games, narrative processes, and the discipline whose ostensible job is the study of storytelling, namely literature. My observations are limited to the specific case of computer games, storytelling, and what is often unproblematically referred to as “literature,” in order to focus attention on historical and contemporary features of the development of the relationship between the two that remain largely unexamined. Further, this article addresses the dissemination of narrative on/through various platforms before mass-media, such as textually transmitted stories that anticipate digitally disseminated narrative. This includes specific examples as well as a more general a re-examination of claims made on the topic of literature, narrative and computer games, via a brief review of disciplinary insights from the study of digital games and narrative. The article is therefore intended as a view of games and (literary) narrative in pre-digital forms as an attempt to build bridges between media studies and other disciplines by calling for a longer, developmental history of games, narrative and/or literature that considers them together rather than as separate territories.

A Total Order Heuristic-Based Convex Hull Algorithm for Points in the Plane

Computing the convex hull of a set of points is a fundamental operation in many research fields, including geometric computing, computer graphics, computer vision, robotics, and so forth. This problem is particularly challenging when the number of points goes beyond some millions. In this article, we describe a very fast algorithm that copes with millions of points in a short period of time without using any kind of parallel computing. This has been made possible because the algorithm reduces to a sorting problem of the input point set, what dramatically minimizes the geometric computations (e.g., angles, distances, and so forth) that are typical in other algorithms. When compared with popular convex hull algorithms (namely, Graham’s scan, Andrew’s monotone chain, Jarvis’ gift wrapping, Chan’s, and Quickhull), our algorithm is capable of generating the convex hull of a point set in the plane much faster than those five algorithms without penalties in memory space.

Associations between respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) reactivity and effortful control in preschool-age children.

We tested whether respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) reactivity in response to each of three self-regulation tasks (bird and dragon; knock-tap; and gift wrap) would predict self-regulation performance in a sample of 101 preschool-age children (M age = 4.49, SD = .64). While controlling for baseline RSA, decreases in RSA from bird and dragon to knock-tap (but not from baseline to bird and dragon) predicted a latent variable measuring self-regulation. Furthermore, increases in RSA from the knock-tap to gift wrap-the only task involving delay of gratification-were related to concurrent task performance while controlling for the relation between RSA reactivity and the latent self-regulation variable. Results suggest that the relations between RSA reactivity and self-regulatory ability are influenced by task-specific demands and possibly by task order. Furthermore, RSA reactivity appears to relate differently to performance on motivationally salient self-regulation tasks such as delay of gratification relative to cool executive function tasks.