Limited Situations Research Articles

Domain Adaptation of Anchor-Free object detection for urban traffic

Modern detectors are mostly trained under single and limited conditions. However, object detection faces various complex and open situations in autonomous driving, especially in urban street scenes with dense objects and complex backgrounds. Due to the shift in data distribution, modern detectors cannot perform well in actual urban environments. Using domain adaptation to improve detection performance is one of the key methods to extend object detection from limited situations to open situations. To this end, this article proposes a Domain Adaptation of Anchor-Free object detection (DAAF) for urban traffic. DAAF is a cross-domain object detection method that performs feature alignment including two aspects. On the one hand, we designed a fully convolutional adversarial training method for global feature alignment at the image level. Meanwhile, images can generally be decomposed into structural information and texture information. In urban street scenes, the structural information of images is generally similar. The main difference between the source domain and the target domain is texture information. Therefore, during global feature alignment, this paper proposes a method called texture information limitation (TIL). On the other hand, in order to solve the problem of variable aspect ratios of objects in urban street scenes, this article uses an anchor-free detector as the baseline detector. Since the anchor-free object detector can obtain neither explicit nor implicit instance-level features, we adopt Pixel-Level Adaptation (PLA) to align local features instead of instance-level alignment for local features. The size of the object has the greatest impact on the final detection effect, and the object scale in urban scenes is relatively rich. Guided by the differentiation of attention mechanisms, a multi-level adversarial network is designed to perform feature alignment of the output space at different feature levels called Scale Information Limitation (SIL). We conducted cross-domain detection experiments by using various urban streetscape autonomous driving object detection datasets, including adverse weather conditions, synthetic data to real data, and cross-camera adaptation. The experimental results indicate that the method proposed in this article is effective.

AI-based real-time hand gesture-controlled virtual mouse

ABSTRACT Hand gesture control technology is an emerging alternative to conventional input devices like keyboards and mice, enabling users to interact with computers through natural hand movements. Although, many researchers worked on gesture recognition and its challenges, yet wide range of gestures has not been addressed. In this direction, the author proposed a novel gesture-controlled virtual mouse system that uses hand gestures and hand tip detection with a webcam or internal camera for computer navigation that accurately recognizes various gestures, including cursor movement, left and right clicks, double clicks, scrolling, drag and drop, multiple item selection, volume control. To deal with this real-world problem, the authors proposed a solution for limited space situations and assist individuals with hand impairments who cannot use a physical mouse. Furthermore, it surpasses the limitations of traditional mice, such as mechanical wear and tear, adaptability to different environments, and restricted functionalities. By leveraging hand gestures and tip detection through a camera proposed system offers an efficient and adaptable approach to operating a PC mouse. The proposed methodology uses computer vision and AI for the accurate detection of gestures, even in challenging environments. It also offers a comprehensive set of gestures for various actions and functions.

Family members as gamete donors or gestational carriers: an Ethics Committee opinion

The use of adult intrafamilial gamete donors and gestational surrogates is generally ethically acceptable when all participants are fully informed and counseled, but consanguineous arrangements or ones that simulate incestuous unions should be prohibited. Adult child-to-parent arrangements require caution to avoid coercion, and parent-to-adult child arrangements are acceptable in limited situations. Programs that choose to participate in intrafamilial arrangements should be prepared to spend additional time counseling participants and ensuring that they have made free, informed decisions. This document replaces the document of the same name, last published in2017.

Long-term efficacies of selective vasodilators in pulmonary arterial hypertension: a comprehensive comparison using a spontaneous reporting database.

There is no clinical evidence of differences in drugs associated with long-term survival in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) due to the small population and lack of information on death in Japanese medical database systems. This study evaluated whether patient data from a spontaneous reporting database could be used for comparing the effects of pulmonary vasodilators on long-term survival in PAH patients. PAH patient data reported in the Japanese Adverse Drug Event Report (JADER) database from April 2004 to July 2022 were extracted. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to compare survival times. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) for all-cause mortality were determined using Cox proportional hazards models. Of 1969 PAH patients reported in the JADER database, 1208 were included in the survival analyses. The patient demographics were similar to those of the PAH population reported in the Japan Pulmonary Hypertension Registry. Among drugs targeting the prostacyclin pathway, epoprostenol was most associated with long-term survival (aHR, 0.38; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.23-0.64). The PAH patients treated with endothelin receptor antagonists had improved survival, especially among the macitentan users (aHR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.22-0.42). Sildenafil was associated with a poor prognosis in the PAH patients (aHR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.19-2.04). Although our results must be interpreted with caution due to several limitations inherent to spontaneous reporting databases, our approach using the JADER database for survival analysis may provide useful information in limited situations such as the treatment of rare diseases including PAH.

Improvement of the longitudinal phase space tomography at the J-PARC synchrotrons

The longitudinal phase space tomography, which reconstructs the phase space distribution from the one-dimensional bunch profiles, is used in various accelerators to measure longitudinal beam parameters. At the J-PARC, an implementation of the phase space tomography based on the Convolution Back Projection method (CBP) has been used to measure the momentum spread of the injected beam. The method assumes that the beam distribution rotates without significant deformation during the synchrotron oscillation. Because of the nonlinearity of synchrotron motion with sinusoidal RF voltage, the method can be used only in limited situations such as small amplitude synchrotron oscillation. Algebraic Reconstruction Techniques (ART) in conjunction with particle tracking, which is implemented in the CERN’s tomography code, allows accurate reconstructions even for nonlinear large amplitude synchrotron oscillations. We present the overview of the application of the CERN’s tomography code to the J-PARC synchrotrons. The results of benchmarking are also reported.

La creatividad desde un enfoque logoterapéutico

This document is a reflective writing work regarding the relationship that creativity has with logotherapy, within which the tools that are used from both approaches are considered, each one in its practice, in creativity, from problem solving and in logotherapy considering aspects related to self-transcendence and responsibility to solve a situation that is within the person’s control. The objective is to relate creativity with logotherapy to analyse the meaning of life in the spiritual field of the individual. Likewise, three techniques of logotherapy that require the personal creative process to achieve self-transcendence are explained, which are the existential analysis in which creative, attitudinal and experiential values are mentioned; on the other hand, there is the technique oh the mandala of values/priorities, in which you can see a graphic sketch of the particular situation; and also the technique of self-distancing, in which the person will be able to see their own situation from other perspectives. In the conclusions, the relational aspects between the two concepts can be found, considering the creative personality, the creative environment and the indicators of creativity, while mentioning the function of crises and deficiencies in the human being, since the idea in not to get rid of the so-called limit situations, but rather to start from them to promote the growth of the person.

Significance of Melting Heat Transfer, Inclined Magnetic Field, and Thermal Radiation on the Dynamics of Williamson Nanofluid Above a Stretching Sheet

This study investigates the melting heat transfer in MHD flow that occurs when the flow is past a stretched sheet. With the use of the boundary layer concept, a set of non-linear ODEs is derived from a system of PDEs of motion and energy. After transforming the non-linear ODEs and their boundary conditions into dimensionless form with the use of appropriate similarity conversions, the equations are then numerically solved by employing the MATLAB inbuilt solver bvp4c method in conjunction with the shooting methodology. Through the use of a variety of charts and tables, the authors analyze and describe in depth the effects that relevant factors have on a variety of flow fields. As melting factor (Me) increases, it is discovered that the effect of Me on fluid temperature and velocity distributions decreases. Williamson parameter and inclined magnetic profile are shown to have decreasing impact on velocity and momentum parameter. After that, the findings are compared with the earlier published findings in limited situations of the issue, and it is discovered that they are in exceptional specify with those findings.

Adaptation to land scarcity among small-scale farming households in South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Rural farming households in Sub-Saharan Africa, facing limited land access, engage in land purchase, rental, and other land access practices. However, the highly unregulated land markets expose these farmers to wide-ranging vulnerabilities. In this study, we investigated the land access mechanisms and the related constraints among the small-scale farmers in the densely populated Eastern part of The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). We randomly selected 240 consenting farmers for inclusion in the study and collected data using semi-structured interviews to obtain data on land access characteristics. Then, the data was subjected to descriptive statistics to obtain measures of central tendency and dispersion on the responses and correlation statistics to understand the patterns and relations of factors affecting the land access and strategies used to cope with the limited land situation in the South Kivu province of DRC. Our results showed an insecure land tenure system among smallholder farmers. Most of the farmers in the study purchased and leased land to cope with poor land access and, in so doing, faced high price-related limitations that were unsustainable to these farmers; they also faced highly restrictive leasehold contracts. Given the limited access to financial resources and support, improving regulations of land markets and resource support interventions could promote land access among these smallholder farmers. We conclude that the challenges of land access and the current methods farmers use to obtain additional land among the smallholder farming households in the south Kivu province of DRC are precarious and unsustainable and continue to pose a food insecurity and poverty risk among these farmers. We recommend developing and implementing measures to support resource access by these farmers, such as finance, farmer-focused cooperative societies, and better land policy reforms and tenure systems to improve access to land among these farmers and farmers facing similar scenarios in other parts of sub-Saharan Africa.

Reawakenings to the improbable: Offerings of the limit situation for media theory in a disorderly world

The global pandemic threw the world in all its asymmetries and diversities into a limit situation without known coordinates. This article suggests that in its aftermath there is actually a call and an opportunity for more than rethinking existing keywords in the field. It argues that the crisis was “improbable” in the meaning of the word offered by Amitav Ghosh who traces a common sense forged by probabilistic science, that expelled the unthinkable from the modern imaginary. Tracking down this regime of certainty, the essay offers a discussion on the place or displacement of the disorderly, the uncertain, and the disruptive in media theory. It submits that reawakening to the improbable, in light of Karl Jaspers’ philosophical anthropology of the limit situation, offers a fruitful conceptual avenue ahead. Apart from introducing the concept of the (digital) limit situation, the article offers a conversation between existential media studies, critical disability studies, feminist STS, and the environmental humanities, by also inviting an extended family of unruly concepts, including dismediation and deferral. It concludes that limit situations can be transformative also for media theory, if we dare to seize them, by means of existential modes of transversal listening to ghostly pasts never fulfilled.

3D numerical analysis of stability and onset of hydraulic fracture in the vertical‐oblique‐horizontal wells under wide range of in situ stresses

AbstractInfluence of the depth and location of perforation, direction and magnitudes of in situ stresses, wellbore angle, and pumping pressure is investigated numerically for the hydraulic fracture. 3D models of rock formation with vertical, inclined or horizontal wells containing semi‐circular crack are analyzed to obtain both KI and the minimum pumping pressure. By computing the magnitude and sign of the T‐stress it is demonstrated that hydraulic fracture path is generally stable except for a very limited situations in which the vertical well is subjected to the lowest in situ stresses. The minimum horizontal in situ stress has the most dominant role in controlling the hydraulic fracture. A direct relationship between KI and T was obtained for different ranges of in situ stresses and some relations were presented for estimating the critical stress intensity factor at the onset of hydraulic fracture and minimum injection pressure in terms of the applied in situ stresses.

Examination of the effects of value creation, intellectual property and organizational creativity on artificial intelligence focused enterprises

PurposeAritificial intelligence (AI)-focused enterprises purpose to provide value-creating and differentiated products and services using innovative technologies. For this reason, it is aimed to examine the effects of value creation, intellectual property and organizational creativity variables to make evaluations to increase the success of such enterprises.Design/methodology/approachRandom sampling method was used in the research. The population of the research consists of AI-oriented enterprises in technoparks. On the specified days, short-term visits and surveys were conducted face-to-face. Name and similar personal information was not taken in the research and participation was made on a voluntary basis. A sample size of 500 units is a sufficient size at the 0.05 significance level. SmartPLS (4.0.8.4) licensed software was used in the research.FindingsAs a result of the collected data, it has been supported by hypotheses that value creation, intellectual property and organizational creativity have positive effects so that artificial intelligence-oriented enterprises can be successful in performance criteria.Research limitations/implicationsSince the research was conducted by collecting data from artificial intelligence-oriented enterprises in technoparks in Istanbul, it would not be correct to evaluate the analysis results by making generalizations. For this reason, it is recommended that similar studies planned to be conducted in the future should contribute to the literature by developing the research model, taking into account the limited situation in the sample.Practical implicationsAccording to the results of the analysis of the effects of value creation, intellectual property and organizational creativity in artificial intelligence-oriented enterprises, in order to increase the success of such enterprises, they should offer more value to their customers, protect their technologies and increase their innovation capacity.Originality/valueValue creation, intellectual property, and organizational creativity in AI-focused enterprises are important topics in a rapidly growing industry such as AI-focused enterprises. Therefore, a research investigating these variables together offers a different perspective than previous studies.

Convolutional neural network-based program to predict lymph node metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer using 18F-FDG PET.

To develop a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based program to analyze maximum intensity projection (MIP) images of 2-deoxy-2-[F-18]fluoro-D-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) scans, aimed at predicting lymph node metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and to evaluate its effectiveness in providing diagnostic assistance to radiologists. We obtained PET images of NSCLC from public datasets, including those of 435 patients with available N-stage information, which were divided into a training set (n = 304) and a test set (n = 131). We generated 36 maximum intensity projection (MIP) images for each patient. A residual network (ResNet-50)-based CNN was trained using the MIP images of the training set to predict lymph node metastasis. Lymph node metastasis in the test set was predicted by the trained CNN as well as by seven radiologists twice: first without and second with CNN assistance. Diagnostic performance metrics, including accuracy and prediction error (the difference between the truth and the predictions), were calculated, and reading times were recorded. In the test set, 67 (51%) patients exhibited lymph node metastases and the CNN yielded 0.748 predictive accuracy. With the assistance of the CNN, the prediction error was significantly reduced for six of the seven radiologists although the accuracy did not change significantly. The prediction time was significantly reduced for five of the seven radiologists with the median reduction ratio 38.0%. The CNN-based program could potentially assist radiologists in predicting lymph node metastasis by increasing diagnostic confidence and reducing reading time without affecting diagnostic accuracy, at least in the limited situations using MIP images.

Resilience of the critical infrastructure in hospitals : Categorization and quantification as abasis for optimization

Critical infrastructure (CRITIS) in hospitals has become the focus of resilience research due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and also the events in Ukraine. This foundational research examines overall contexts, categorizing and quantifying them. Previous research examined limited scale damage situations with little CRITIS involvement: Worst case studies are missing. The vulnerabilities of the CRITIS of one or more countries will likewise be aprime target for attack in current and future conflicts or criminal extortion, this is especially true in the healthcare sector. Therefore, detailed research with ablack swan scenario is necessary in this field. The aim of the study was to create and validate acategorized and weighted model for the self-assessment of the resilience of critical infrastructure in German hospitals at different levels of care before the exemplary scenario of aprolonged supraregional power blackout. Using an explorative design, experts from 8hospitals of different care levels performed an expert-based qualitative system analysis to develop, weight and test the model. The resilience index was then calculated using adapted interdependence analyses in aVester influence matrix. A total of 7 categories and 24subcategories of hospital CRITIS were identified. There are several key elements: rank1 of active elements is the emergency power system (E1), and for passive elements, it is the nursing staff (P2). This means that the emergency power system has the greatest impact on all other areas and the nursing staff are most dependent on all others for their work. The most critical elements, because they are most intertwined in the overall system, are the situation center/command staff (Z1) and technical staff (P3), on which the entire system depends. From the weighted individual elements of CRITIS, an overall resilience for ahospital can be calculated (resilience index). The developed model can be used by hospital crisis experts as part of aself-assessment to provide abasis for risk management, financial planning, technical planning, personnel planning or crisis and disaster management. The categorization and quantification of critical infrastructure (CRITIS) in hospitals with the aim of resilience documentation and optimization is possible. The model that has been developed allows rapid adaptation to changing initial situations and increases in resilience that can be realized in the short and medium term. Emergency and crisis preparedness is adynamic process, which has been combined here with the further development of critical infrastructure. Consequently, there can be no final state to be achieved but only acertain best possible framework within which the hospital as abusiness enterprise can operate. The classification of the categories in the model must also be constantly further developed and adapted to the current status. Once the explorative and qualitative basic research has been completed, it is necessary in afurther step to subject the model, which has been validated by experts, to abroader review. Ideally, this will be done using quantitative methods and asignificantly larger sample.

Current status of outpatient heart failure management in Egypt and recommendations for the future.

Heart failure (HF) represents one of the greatest healthcare burdens worldwide, and Egypt is no exception. HF healthcare programmes in Egypt still require further optimization to enhance diagnosis and management of the disease. Development of specialized HF clinics (HFCs) and their incorporation in the healthcare system is expected to reduce HF hospitalization and mortality rates and improve quality of care in Egypt. We conducted a literature search on PubMed on the requirements and essential infrastructure of HFCs. Retrieved articles deemed relevant were discussed by a panel of 10 expert cardiologists from Egypt and a basic HFC model for the Egyptian settings was proposed. A multidisciplinary team managing the HFC should essentially be composed of specialized HF cardiologists and nurses, clinical pharmacists, registered nutritionists, physiotherapists, and psychologists. Other clinical specialists should be included according to patients' needs and size and structure of individual clinics. HFCs should receive patients referred from primary care settings, emergency care units, and physicians from different specialties. A basic HFC should have the following fundamental investigations available: resting electrocardiogram, basic transthoracic echocardiogram, and testing for N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide. Fundamental patients' functional assessments are assessing the New York Heart Association functional classification and quality of life and conducting the 6min walking test. guideline-directed medical therapy should be implemented, and device therapy should be utilized when available. In the first visit, once HF is diagnosed and co-morbidities assessed, guideline-directed medical therapy should be started immediately. Comprehensive patient education sessions should be delivered by HF nurses or clinical pharmacists. The follow-up visit should be scheduled during the initial visit rather than over the phone, and time from the initial visit to the first follow-up visit should be determined based on the patient's health status and needs. Home and virtual visits are only recommended in limited and emergency situations. In this paper, we provide a practical and detailed review on the essential components of HFCs and propose a preliminary model of HFCs as part of a comprehensive HF programme model in Egypt. We believe that other low-to-middle income countries could also benefit from our proposed model.

Partial Electrification Strategies for Diesel Commuter Rail’s Climate Challenge

As societal attitudes toward fossil fuels shifts, commuter railroads may be coming under increased scrutiny for their contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This analysis explores new possibilities created by battery-electric locomotives (BELs) in conjunction with partial electrification for en-route recharging in electrified territory. We propose a systemwide network approach that starts with one or more substations in geographically strategic locations, then electrifying just enough for sufficient electrical charge, with BELs running off the wire in non-electrified areas. As 25,000-V alternating-current substations generally have an 18–26-mi reach, considerable possibilities exist for new-start electrifications. This is significantly more cost effective than a traditional approach that electrifies one corridor at a time. Although BELs are in technical development, and certain implementation challenges remains on commuter railroads, we believe BELs required to enable this type of electrification are within reach of current battery technology. Drawing on examples in Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Minneapolis, six strategies are outlined: (1) minimizing electrification costs by electrifying radial commuter networks from a centrally located substation, (2) for systems with longer routes, using BELs to extend the central substation’s reach, (3) extending new electric service beyond existing electrifications with BELs, (4) using BELs to create new trans-regional services, (5) co-locating railroad-owned feeder lines with utility infrastructure such as electric transmission rights-of-way to maximize the geographic reach of supply substations, and (6) providing charging pads in certain limited situations. Preliminary ridership, energy sufficiency, and lifecycle cost analyses were performed to show the feasibility of BEL technology in conjunction with a substation-based, supply-side approach to designing electrification projects.

Tendencje w religijności osób doświadczonych graniczną sytuacją śmierci bliskich

The presented study undertook the analysis of psychological parameters of religiosity in believers and practitioners who, at different stages of development, were experienced with the limit situation of the death of their loved ones which significantly affected their life. This situation is most often described by respondents as rattling their existing conception of faith, but not leading them to abandon their relationship with God. Overwhelming suffering leads to the disruption of previous shape of their religiosity, and significant factors in this are inner disunity, crisis of confidence and disorientation. The goal of the study was to answer the following research questions: what is the shape of religiosity in believers who experienced such a difficult situation? Does this experience weaken the existing religiosity or shape some specific tendencies in it? The theoretical basis of the study was Czeslaw Walesa’s cognitive-developmental conception of religiosity. An in-depth interview as well as a questionnaire constructed on its grounds were used. The study includes the analysis of 10 cases. Key words: death, limit situation, religiosity, parameters of religiosity, ambivalent tendencies, negative tendencies.

Hyperspectral imaging-based detection of soluble solids content of loquat from a small sample

The flavor and market value of loquats are substantially affected by their soluble solids content (SSC). This study explored the ability of hyperspectral imaging combined with multiple regression models to detect SSC of loquats using small sample size. In this study, one hundred and fifteen loquats were collected as samples, and regions of interest in the hyperspectral images of the samples were extracted. The spectral data processed through direct orthogonal signal correction (DOSC), the best among the five processing methods examined, was selected for the feature spectrum process. Successive projection algorithm (SPA), competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS), improved uninformative variable elimination algorithm (imUVE), and imUVE-SPA algorithms were used to extract feature spectra and establish partial least squares regression (PLSR), support vector machine regression (SVR), back-propagation neural network (BPNN), and customized convolutional neural network (CNN) models, respectively. The results demonstrated that the CNN model based on the 18 feature spectra extracted by CARS was the best (correlation coefficient of validation = 0.904, root mean square error of validation = 0.336 %, and residual predictive deviation = 2.339). Consequently, hyperspectral images with small sample size combined with appropriate regression models can be used for nondestructive detection of loquat brix. Furthermore, the wavelength feature extraction algorithm effectively improves the performance of CNN models with small sample sizes. This study can serve as a valuable reference for the nondestructive detection of fruit brix in other limited sample situations.

The puzzle of how higher education learning does in post-COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has exhibited a significant impact on higher education learning. Campus closure or social distancing has been handled by University management, in limited or emergency situations. However, the pandemic has also provided extraordinary lessons learned for the sustainability of higher education in Indonesia. During the post-pandemic period, online learning or blended patterns can be carried out enthusiastically. This paper emphasizes that post-pandemic learning should be strengthened by an evaluation process and a level of satisfaction. The quality assurance mechanism is carried out systematically, especially ensuring the evaluation of online learning and taking continuous improvement actions. The evaluation process is complemented by a customer satisfaction survey involving students, lecturers, and admin staff to ensure the mechanism meets standards. Students should get a favorable atmosphere to involve in learning with the support of adequate lecturer competence, communicative tutorials, easy-to-understand online platforms, and proper class management.JEL Classification D80; I18; I23

Walking performance of pedestrians in corridors under different visibility conditions

Visibility is an important factor affecting pedestrian movement and safe evacuation. To investigate the walking characteristics of pedestrians under limited visibilities, a novel measurement method by changing the light transmittance in a suitable lighting environment is proposed to achieve different visibility levels. A series of individual movement experiments were performed under the quantitative control of visibility condition. Stoop-walking behavior was observed at low visibility levels. Besides, pedestrians would stretch out their arms or feet to explore the surrounding environment under invisible conditions. Based on the high-precise trajectories, it is found that the acceleration and relaxation time of individuals increase with the improvement of visual condition. The walking speed of males is significantly larger than that of females at the same visibility level. Moreover, individual speed increases with the improvement of visibility level, but no significant difference is found when the visual distance is larger than 6 m. In addition, individuals prefer to change movement direction rather than reduce the speed to avoid the frontal obstacle or pedestrians under limited visibilities. Furthermore, comparison between previous studies and our work is made, and their differences are also elaborated. The study can help to quantitatively predict pedestrian’s speed and develop movement models for limited visibility situations.

"El oficio de mirar": Regarding the Human-Animal Gaze in Three Texts by Julio Cortázar

Several of Cortázar's stories feature animals represented in a range from the fully realistic, to the fantastic, to the symbolic or purely imaginary. One of his most widely read stories, "Axolotl," turns on the transmigration of a human consciousness into that of a salamander. This limit situation is predicated on the act of looking, a mutual gaze that ultimately leads to the inexplicable absorption of the human subject into the animal object. Two other lesser-known texts by Cortázar—the early short story "Bestiario" and a later sui generis text called "Paseo entre las jaulas"—likewise develop the trope of the human-animal gaze as a mode of knowledge or understanding, but they do so using a variety of techniques that obviate the kind of fantastical twist we see at the end of "Axolotl." These two texts, whose animal logic is developed discursively and associatively, offer the reader a more psychologically plausible and even intimate glimpse into the potential of the interspecies gaze. Taken together, these three very different works serve to further elucidate Cortázar's insistent grappling with the problematic of self and (animal) other.