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Stimulus context affects judgments of intensity of both gustatory and olfactory flavors, and the contextual effects are modality-specific. Does context also exert separate effects on the gustatory and olfactory components of flavor mixtures? To answer this question, in each of 4 experiments, subjects rated the perceived intensity of 16 mixtures constructed by combining 4 concentrations of the gustatory flavorant sucrose with 4 concentrations of the retronasal olfactory flavorant citral. In 1 contextual condition of each experiment, concentrations of sucrose were relatively high and those of citral low; in the other condition, the relative concentrations of sucrose and citral reversed. There were 2 main results: First, consistent with earlier findings, in 5 of the 8 conditions, the ratings were consistent with linear addition of perceived sucrose and citral; departures from additivity appeared, however, in 3 conditions where the relative concentrations of citral were high. Second, changes in context produced contrast (adaptation-like changes) in perceived intensity: The contribution to perceived intensity of a given concentration of a flavorant was smaller when the contextual concentrations of that flavorant were high rather than low. A notable exception was the absence of contextual effects on the perceived intensity of near-threshold citral. These findings suggest that the contextual effects may arise separately in the gustatory and olfactory channels, prior to the integration of perceived flavor intensity.

The perception of flavor arises from the combination of inputs from several sensory modalities, especially gustation (taste proper) and olfaction (the primary source of flavor qualities). Both the perception of intensity of suprathreshold flavorants and, notably, the detection of weak flavorants are consistent with a rule of additivity. Thus, the detectability, d', of mixtures of the gustatory flavorant sucrose and the olfactory flavorant vanillin approximates the additive sum of detectabilities of the two components, within a model that assumes pooled noise in the flavor system that derives from both modalities. When gustatory and olfactory flavorants are presented in isolation, however, under conditions that encourage or permit selective attention to one modality or the other, it may be possible to filter out the noise associated with the unattended modality, and leading thereby to a rule of vector summation.

Targeting of threat leaders by military strikes is increasingly being touted as an option for crisis resolution. Operational and strategic level commanders face greater pressure than ever to employ this option. A survey of the legitimacy, capability, and efficacy of targeting enemy leaders shows that commanders have the right and ability to target threat leaders. However, the lack of positive effects for such targeting, both in theory and in practice, argues that commanders should not pursue this approach.

This thesis addresses the continuation of PRC-North Korean alliance even though significant changes have emerged in international security environment. Numerous studies have focused on the decreased strategic value of North Korea with respect to Chinese national interests, but Pyongyang still serves as stepping stone for China to expand its leverage. China's national objectives of maintaining its leverage in Northeast Asia indicates that Beijing will maintain the 1961 alliance to assure its security interests. By examining the formation of PRC-DPRK alliance, this thesis assesses the characteristics of their alliance and analyzes the evolution in Beijing's approach to Pyongyang by explaining how transitions in the security environment have affected their alliance. This thesis concludes that, for China, the rationale for maintaining the PRC-DPRK alliance is to guarantee China's national interests, not to sustain its traditional "sealed in blood" relationship. http://archive.org/details/beijingndprcdprk109455096 Republic of Korea Army author Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

This thesis analyzes major aspects of Sino-Russian relations during the first decade of the twenty-first century. It has two main objectives. First, it provides a more detailed understanding of Sino-Russian relations as they pertain to the dynamics affecting the relationship in the Russian Far East (RFE), the formation and evolution of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and Sino-Russian trends and dynamics regarding arms sales. This endeavor is accomplished by a detailed historical analysis of the background and developments over the past decade as they relate to each subject area. In addition, relevant examples or cases have been provided to amplify the analytical value in each area. This historical analysis will assist with constructing the second, more important objective of this research: To identify the general themes and trends that permeate each aspect of Sino-Russian interactions analyzed in order to decipher the substance of the relationship, and how it is maintained, under the current state of affairs. Identifying these will allow for a more cogent projection of short- and long-term prospects for Sino-Russian relations as they move forward in the twenty-first century. http://archive.org/details/sinorussirelatio109455155 US Navy (USN) author Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

As China emerges as a major world power, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has adjusted its ideology to maintain national spirit and power. Elements of this adjustment can be seen in changes within the People's Liberation Army (PLA). As the PLA aggressively pursues a revolution in military affairs with Chinese characteristics, some have asserted the PLA's modernization and professionalization reform involves reviving values and ideals associated with Confucianism and China's traditional past. This thesis will reveal that the PLA has not revived values and ideals associated with Confucianism in its drive to modernize. Instead, the PLA is incorporating values and ideals similar to other modernizing militaries that have some similarities to ancient Chinese ideals but are comparatively different. The values and ideals the PLA has incorporated provide a foundation for all service members and clarify allegiances, define acceptable ethical behavior, elucidate competing ideological thoughts, establish a benchmark for military members' actions with each other and with society, and facilitate loyalty to the CCP. http://archive.org/details/theidealsoftoday109455276 US Air Force (USAF) author Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

South Korean security has been threatened by North Korea since the Korean War. The collapse of the Soviet Union has required Northeast Asian regional security to be reconfigured. North Korea remains as South Korea's primary threat. China is emerging rapidly and creating several issues directly and indirectly that are related to South Korea. Especially, China's PLA modernization has been remarkable in its capability and ambition. Therefore, threats imposed by China to South Korea may seem significant. Directly, dispute in Socotra Rock and the Northeast Project impose threats to South Korea. The Taiwan issue and the South China Sea dispute indirectly affect South Korean security due to the involvement of the United States forces in the Northeast Asian region. This thesis will reveal that China's PLA modernization coerces South Korea to confront dilemmas in its security policy. In other words, such modernization is a threat to South Korean security. http://archive.org/details/theimplicationso109454415 Republic of Korea Navy author.

Naval Security Cooperation can take many forms from joint exercises to bilateral and multilateral agreements. In response to the challenges of providing stability and security for the world's oceans the Thousand-Ship-Navy was born. In the Thousand- Ship-Navy, partner-nation-navies would voluntarily participate in common maritime goals in a "come as you are" manner. One possible vehicle for implementing the Thousand-Ship-Navy concept is Maritime Domain Awareness, which seeks to create a Common Operating Picture from Naval, Federal, State, Private and International partners. These partners would be able to feed into the system any information they gather and would be able to access the combined information from all sources in the Common Operating Picture. This thesis examines the probability of using Maritime Domain Awareness to pursue a Thousand Ship Navy style of Naval Security Cooperation in the Eastern Pacific between navies of the United States, Chile and Peru. http://archive.org/details/increasingnavals109454852 US Navy (USN) author. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.