Optimization Of Feedback Control Inputs For Posture Control Of A Six-Legged Robot

In this study, an optimization method of feedback control inputs for a posture control of a six-legged robot was developed. The authors had proposed a method to control using an optimum servo system as a posture control method of a six-legged robot. As a problem of this method, because the feedback (FB) gain was switched at the time of switching the swing leg, the control inputs becomes discontinuous and there was a problem that the posture variation increases. After that, FB inputs of the thigh link obtained by optimum servo system were optimized. Then, we design a control system that suppressed the posture variation that occurs during swing leg switching. The effectiveness of the proposed control method was confirmed using a 3D model of a six-legged robot

Handwritten Character Recognition Using Elastic Matching Based On Class-Dependent Deformation Model

For handwritten character recognition, a new elastic image matching (EM) technique based on a class-dependent deformation model is proposed. In the deformation model, any deformation of a class is described by a linear combination of eigen-deformations, which are intrinsic deformation directions of the class. The eigen-deformations can be estimated statistically from the actual deformations of handwritten characters. Experimental results show that the proposed technique can attain higher recognition rates than conventional EM techniques based on class-independent deformation models. The results also show the superiority of the proposed technique over those conventional EM techniques in computational efficiency

The Abundance Inhomogeneity in the Northern Rim of the Cygnus Loop

We observed the northern rim of the Cygnus Loop with the \textit{Suzaku} observatory in 5 pointings (P21-P25). From the spatially resolved analysis, all the spectra are well fitted by the single component of the non-equilibrium ionization plasma model. From the best-fit parameters, we found that the abundances of the heavy elements are significantly lower than the solar values except those at the outermost edge in P21 and P22. The origin of the depleted metal abundances is still unclear while such deficiencies have been reported from many other rim observations of the Loop. To explain these depletion at the rim regions, we considered the several possibilities. The effects of the resonance-line-scattering and the grain condensation lower the values of the abundances. However, these are not sufficient to account for the abundance depletion observed. We found that the abundances at the outermost edge in P21 and P22 are higher than those at the other regions. From the morphological point of view, it is reasonable to consider that this abundance inhomogeneity is derived from the breakout or the thinness of the cavity wall of the Loop.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures, PASJ, Vol.61, No.

Studies on the Chemical Composition and Quality of Silage : XIII. The Influence of Fermentative Quality of Silage on the Nitrogen Utilization of Wethers Fed on the Silage

サイレージの発酵的品質と窒素成分の飼料価値との関係を知るために,添加物の利用によって同一材料草から発酵的品質の異なる製品を調製し,ヒツジによる飼養試験を実施して,窒素の消化率および窒素蓄積率を調査した. サイレージは,開花初期に収穫し,2cmに細切したイタリアンライグラスを材料に用い,鉄製実験サイロに,無添加対照(A区),ギ酸0.4%添加(B区)ならびにブドウ糖1%添加(C区)の区分でそれぞれ調製した. 実験結果の要約は次のようである. (1)でき上がったサイレージの品質評点はA区40点(4級),B区69点(2級),C区50点(3級)であった. (2)サイレージ中の窒素の形態別分布を調査した結果,全窒素に対するタンパク態窒素の比率はA区51,B区57,C区52(%)であり,α-alanineとして定量したアミノ態窒素の比率はA区22,B区36,C区38(%)であった. いっぽう,アンモニア態窒素の比率はA区16,B区10,C区11(%)であった. (3)ヒツジによる飼養試験の結果,窒素の消化率はA区60.5,B区65.5,C区66.6(%)であり,窒素の蓄積率はA区-14.0,B区8.0,C区11.6(%)であった. (4)サイレージ摂取後のヒツジ第一胃内液のアンモニア態窒素の濃度は,サイレージの中のアンモニア水準が高い場合に高くなる傾向を示した. これらの結果を,サイレージのサイロ内醗酵の状態が,その窒素成分の飼料価値に反映することを示すものである

Approach for combining physical properties and sensibility for pleasant beverage can-opening sound

The sound quality of consumer products has recently become an important feature, receiving much attention in the fields of engineering and manufacturing. The sound could add value to the product in the way that it meets the interests and preferences of consumers in a wide range of fields. The present study deals with the sound emitted from beverage cans when lifting the tab of the can end to open it before drinking. With a view toward finding the characteristics of sound that have a sense of ease and certainty for the consumer when opening a beverage can, we introduce the semantic differential method for the subjective assessment of sounds of various cans. We then perform waveform analyses in both time and frequency domains to determine the physical properties of the desirable sounds. Finally, we successfully correlate the texture factor with the duration of the tearing sound, which may be a new way to design cans with pleasant sounds. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

322. Benign Herpes Simplex Virus Vector Design for Efficient Delivery of Large or Multiple Transgenes To a Diversity of Cells

Viral vectors derived from herpes simplex virus (HSV) have the potential to revolutionize gene therapy due to their ability to accommodate large and multiple therapeutic transgenes. However, current HSV gene therapy vectors express toxic levels of an immediate-early (IE) protein, ICP0, whose function is required for robust and sustained transgene expression. Here we report the development of a new generation of HSV vectors that are IE-gene independent and non-toxic, yet capable of persistent transgene expression in a variety of human primary non-neuronal cell types. We identified a CTCF motif cluster upstream of the latency promoter and a known long-term regulatory region as key elements for the protection of transgene expression cassettes from global silencing of the viral genome in the absence of all viral IE gene products. Using this new HSV vector system, we have observed vigorous expression of full-length dystrophin cDNA (14 kb) for several weeks in a dystrophin-deficient muscle cell line. We further tested our vectors for transgene expression in rodent brain. While we detected variable persistence of gene expression from the latency locus, we were surprised to observe vigorous long-term reporter gene expression from one other locus despite the absence of gene expression from this locus in non-neuronal cells. These findings demonstrate that transgene expression in neurons is operatively different from that in non-neuronal cells and suggest that multiple loci can be used for expression of foreign genes in the nervous system. In addition, our data raise the prospect that our highly defective HSV vector system will be applicable as a safe delivery tool for large and multiple therapeutic genes to a wide range of non-neuronal tissues

Serum REIC/Dickkopf-3 Protein Level Predicts Disease-Free Survival in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

The physiological role of the reduced expression of immortalized cells (REIC)/Dickkopf-3 (Dkk-3) protein in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. In this study, we evaluated the effect of the REIC/Dkk-3 protein on HCC cell proliferation and assessed the relationship between the serum REIC/Dkk-3 protein level and the prognosis in patients with HCC. We evaluated the REIC/Dkk-3 protein-induced anticancer effects on Huh7 and Hep3B cells (HCC cell lines) in the presence of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), and found that combination treatment with REIC/Dkk-3 protein and PBMCs reduced the proliferation of HCC cells (Hep3B: 82.0%±16.3%; Huh7: 72.6%±9.1%). We also studied 194 HCC patients who underwent primary liver resection or primary radiofrequency ablation from 2008 to 2017. Serum REIC/Dkk-3 protein levels were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and compared to the prognostic data. The 3-year disease-free survival of the REIC/Dkk-3 high group was significantly higher than that in the REIC/Dkk-3 low group. In conclusion, this is the first study investigating the relationship between HCC patient survival and serum REIC/Dkk-3 protein levels in a large population. Based on the results, the serum REIC/Dkk-3 protein level should be considered a new prognostic marker for patients with HCC

Cancer immunotherapy with surgery

With the recent advances in the immunological surveillance system, an understanding of the role of host immunity has become essential to the management of carcinogenesis, tumor proliferation, recurrence and metastasis. Although it is important to continue chemical and surgical treatment of cancer, support of the anti-tumor immune system of the host should also be considered. Long term remission has been reported in leukemia by treating with BCG after chemotherapy whereas surgical treatment is usually more effective in preventing cancer recurrence in digestive organ cancer. The first step is extirpating the tumor as thoroughly as possible and the second step is chemo-immunotherapy. Cancer immunity, however weak, constitutes the basis for other treatments in selectively attacking cancer cells remaining after surgery, chemotherapy or irradiation. Immunotherapy should thus not replace chemotherapy or radiotherapy, but these methods should be employed in combination to attain more favorable results.</p