囲碁に対する２つの情報工学的アプローチ

　本研究は「囲碁における情報工学的アプローチ」をテーマとしている．現在も囲碁で用いられているモンテカルロ法に関連した機械学習法，Simulation Adjusting の提案(第I 部) と，畳み込みニューラルネットワークを用いた棋力推定の提案(第II 部) が二大テーマである．　囲碁AI（Arti_cial Intelligence，人工知能）の研究は1960 年代に始まったが，その棋力は，2005 年頃まで平均的なアマチュアプレイヤーにすら及ばなかった．そのような状況で，囲碁におけるモンテカルロ法の有効性が2006 年頃から知られ始め，囲碁AI の棋力は急速に伸び，2012 年頃にはアマチュア上級レベルに達した．しかし，2012 年頃から2015 年頃まで，囲碁AI の棋力は再び停滞した．　その状況を打破しようと，モンテカルロ法のシミュレーション部の新たな学習手法として提案した手法が，第I 部で述べるSimulation Adjusting である．これは，モンテカルロ法を用いたAI が返す手が，人間の上級者の手と一致するように，シミュレーションの方策を調整していく手法である．既存研究にSilver らによるSimulation Balancing があるが，Simulation Balancing が「教師となるモンテカルロAI」から学習するのに対し，Simulation Adjusting は「上級者の棋譜や問題集」から学習する点が異なる．　Simulation Adjusting の実験では，最終的には5 路盤の問題集での安定した目的関数の減少と正答率の向上を確認できた．　一方，2012 年にDCNN（Deep Convolutional Neural Network，階層の深い畳み込みニューラルネットワーク）を用いたシステムが画像認識のコンペティションでブレイクスルーを起こした．その後，囲碁の盤面認識にもDCNN が有効なのではないかと言われ始め， 2014 年頃から徐々に，DCNN が囲碁の着手予測にも有効であるという研究が発表され始めた．2016 年にGoogle 社のDeepMind チームが発表したAlphaGo は人間のトッププレイヤーに初めて勝利を収めたが，これには，DCNN が決定的な役割を果たしている．　第II 部では，CNN（Convolutional Neural Network，畳み込みニューラルネットワーク）の局面認識能力を活用し，一局の棋譜のみからの棋力推定に関する研究を述べる．　プレイヤーの棋力を少数の棋譜からコンピュータが自動的に推定できるようになれば，インターネット碁会所の運営などにたいへん役に立つと考えられる．また，実際に人間の上級者は一局の棋譜のみからプレイヤーの棋力をかなりの精度で推測できると言われており，この研究は人工知能の観点からも興味深い．　コンピュータによる棋力推定に関する既存研究は囲碁を含めていくつか存在したが， CNN を使用したものは当時は見当たらなかった．我々の研究ではDCNN のライブラリであるCaffe を用いた棋力推定のシステムを構築し，インターネット対局場「囲碁クエスト」の13 路盤の棋譜を用いて，どれくらいの精度で棋力を推定可能かを調べる実験を行った．その結果，適合誤差を既存研究より小さくすることができた．この結果より，畳み込みニューラルネットワークは，AI の棋力向上だけでなく棋譜からの棋力推定にも有用であると分かった．電気通信大学201

Implementation of design based learning for the development of SDGs educational games

Education on sustainable education (ESD) is gaining momentum to ensure that SDGs are met by 2030. The educational institutions have significant role in fostering ESD. However, there is lack of educational resources to be used for ESD. Particularly, teaching the concept of SDGs needs an attention grabbing and engaging approach and Design Based Learning (DBL) holds much potential. The main objective of this investigation was to describe the development of SDGs education resources i.e., SDGs educational games using DBL approach. Besides, the generic skills of the students during DBL were assessed during game development phase. The outputs of DBL were Bingo Mat game, Carrom board game and Sugoroku game. These games were validated for their effectiveness as resource for teaching and learning SDGs. The results revealed the positive impact on the generic skills of students through DBL during game development phase. Moreover, the response results of the players highlighted that carrom board game offered them the gaming experience while Bingo and Sugoroku offered them learning experience. Another important finding of this study is the need to teach SDGs from the younger age as the level of education had significantly impacted on their knowledge about SDGs. The results of this study will contribute to the domain of ESD by articulating an alternative pedagogy of integrating DBL with SDGs as invigorating educational resources and faculty development methodPeer Reviewe

A Low-Tech Bioreactor System for the Enrichment and Production of Ureolytic Microbes

Ureolysis-driven microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) has recently received attention for its potential biotechnological applications. However, information on the enrichment and production of ureolytic microbes by using bioreactor systems is limited. Here, we report a low-tech down-flow hanging sponge (DHS) bioreactor system for the enrichment and production of ureolytic microbes. Using this bioreactor system and a yeast extract-based medium containing 0.17 M urea, ureolytic microbes with high potential urease activity (> 10 μmol urea hydrolyzed per min per ml of enrichment culture) were repeatedly enriched under non-sterile conditions. In addition, the ureolytic enrichment obtained in this study showed in vitro calcium carbonate precipitation. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis showed the existence of bacteria of the phylum Firmicutes in the bioreactor system. Our data demonstrate that this DHS bioreactor system is a useful system for the enrichment and production of ureolytic microbes for MICP applications

A Low-Tech Bioreactor System for the Enrichment and Production of Ureolytic Microbes

Ureolysis-driven microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) has recently received attention for its potential biotechnological applications. However, information on the enrichment and production of ureolytic microbes by using bioreactor systems is limited. Here, we report a low-tech down-flow hanging sponge (DHS) bioreactor system for the enrichment and production of ureolytic microbes. Using this bioreactor system and a yeast extract-based medium containing 0.17 M urea, ureolytic microbes with high potential urease activity (> 10 μmol urea hydrolyzed per min per ml of enrichment culture) were repeatedly enriched under non-sterile conditions. In addition, the ureolytic enrichment obtained in this study showed in vitro calcium carbonate precipitation. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis showed the existence of bacteria of the phylum Firmicutes in the bioreactor system. Our data demonstrate that this DHS bioreactor system is a useful system for the enrichment and production of ureolytic microbes for MICP applications

Downflow Hanging Sponge System: A Self-Sustaining Option for Wastewater Treatment

Need of self-sustaining wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) has become critical to cope up with dynamics of the environmental regulations and rapid advancements in the contemporary technologies. At present there are limited number of self-sustaining WWTPs around the world. The aim of this chapter is to present state -of- art of Downflow Hanging Sponge (DHS) system which was developed as a post treatment unit of Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) from sustainability perspective. DHS system is a non-submerged fixed bed trickling filter (TF) that employs a core technology of polyurethane sponges as a media where the microorganisms thrive and major treatment processes take place. This chapter reviews the introduction of DHS system (UASB+DHS) summarizes the quantitative analysis of environmental, economic and social sustainability using indicators. Furthermore, self-sustaining prospects of DHS system are assessed and discussed by comparing with conventional TF (UASB+TF)

Hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy for acoustic neuromas: safety and effectiveness over 8 years of experience.

Little information is available about long-term outcomes of hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (hypo-FSRT) for acoustic neuromas. In this study, the safety and effectiveness of hypo-FSRT for unilateral acoustic neuroma were reviewed over 8 years of experience at our institution

Dynamic Analysis of Photosynthate Translocation Into Strawberry Fruits Using Non-invasive 11C-Labeling Supported With Conventional Destructive Measurements Using 13C-Labeling

In protected strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) cultivation, environmental control based on the process of photosynthate translocation is essential for optimizing fruit quality and yield, because the process of photosynthate translocation directly affects dry matter partitioning. We visualized photosynthate translocation to strawberry fruits non-invasively with 11CO2 and a positron-emitting tracer imaging system (PETIS). We used PETIS to evaluate real-time dynamics of 11C-labeled photosynthate translocation from a 11CO2-fed leaf, which was immediately below the inflorescence, to individual fruits on an inflorescence in intact plant. Serial photosynthate translocation images and animations obtained by PETIS verified that the 11C-photosynthates from the source leaf reached the sink fruit within 1 h but did not accumulate homogeneously within a fruit. The quantity of photosynthate translocation as represented by 11C radioactivity varied among individual fruits and their positions on the inflorescence. Photosynthate translocation rates to secondary fruit were faster than those to primary or tertiary fruits, even though the translocation pathway from leaf to fruit was the longest for the secondary fruit. Moreover, the secondary fruit was 25% smaller than the primary fruit. Sink activity (11C radioactivity/dry weight [DW]) of the secondary fruit was higher than those of the primary and tertiary fruits. These relative differences in sink activity levels among the three fruit positions were also confirmed by 13C tracer measurement. Photosynthate translocation rates in the pedicels might be dependent on the sink strength of the adjoining fruits. The present study established 11C-photosynthate arrival times to the sink fruits and demonstrated that the translocated material does not uniformly accumulate within a fruit. The actual quantities of translocated photosynthates from a specific leaf differed among individual fruits on the same inflorescence. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported observation of real-time translocation to individual fruits in an intact strawberry plant using 11C-radioactive- and 13C-stable-isotope analyses

Double bundle arthroscopic Anterior Cruciate Ligament reconstruction with remnant preserving technique using a hamstring autograft

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Preservation of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) remnant is important from the biological point of view as it enhances revascularization, and preserves the proprioceptive function of the graft construct. Additionally, it may have a useful biomechanical function. Double bundle ACL reconstruction has been shown to better replicate the native ACL anatomy and results in better restoration of the rotational stability than single bundle reconstruction.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We used the far anteromedial (FAM) portal for creation of the femoral tunnels, with a special technique for its preoperative localization using three dimensional (3D) CT. The central anteromedial (AM) portal was used to make a longitudinal slit in the ACL remnant to allow visualization of the tips of the guide pins during anatomical creation of the tibial tunnels within the native ACL tibial foot print. The use of curved hemostat allow retrieval of the wire loop from the apertures of the femoral tunnels through the longitudinal slit in the ACL remnant thereby, guarding against impingement of the reconstruction graft against the ACL remnant as well as the roof of the intercondylar notch.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our technique allows for anatomical double bundle reconstruction of the ACL while maximally preserving the ACL remnant without the use of intra-operative image intensifier.</p