System Utterance Generation by Label Propagation over Association Graph of Words and Utterance Patterns for Open-Domain Dialogue Systems

A novel graph-based utterance generation method for open-domain dialogue systems is proposed in this paper. After an association graph of words and utterance patterns from a dialogue corpus is constructed, a label propa-gation algorithm is used for generating system utterances from the words and utterance pat-terns in the association graph that are found to strongly correlate with the words and ut-terance patterns that appeared in previous user utterances. We also propose a crowdsourcing framework for collecting annotated chat data so that we can implement our method in a cost effective manner. Crowdsourcing is also used for conducting subjective evaluations and the results will show that the proposed method can not only provide interesting and informative responses but it also can appropriately expand the topics by comparing them to a well-known chat system in Japanese.

Paragonimus westermani infection mimicking recurrent lung cancer: A case report

AbstractHerein, we report a case of Paragonimus westermani infection, which required differentiation from recurrent lung cancer. A 66-year old Japanese man with a history of lung cancer who had undergone a lobectomy was referred to our clinic for treatment of cough, sputum, dyspnea, and a right pulmonary nodule. He had previously eaten seafood he visited China. P. westermani infection was confirmed by the presence of antibody against P. westermani antigen in the patient's serum and eggs in his sputum. Eventually, molecular identification by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and sequencing confirmed that the patient was infected with triploid forms of P. westermani

Characterization of a New Saccharomyces cerevisiae Isolated From Hibiscus Flower and Its Mutant With L-Leucine Accumulation for Awamori Brewing

Since flavors of alcoholic beverages produced in fermentation process are affected mainly by yeast metabolism, the isolation and breeding of yeasts have contributed to the alcoholic beverage industry. To produce awamori, a traditional spirit (distilled alcoholic beverage) with unique flavors made from steamed rice in Okinawa, Japan, it is necessary to optimize yeast strains for a diversity of tastes and flavors with established qualities. Two categories of flavors are characteristic of awamori; initial scented fruity flavors and sweet flavors that arise with aging. Here we isolated a novel strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae from hibiscus flowers in Okinawa, HC02-5-2, that produces high levels of alcohol. The whole-genome information revealed that strain HC02-5-2 is contiguous to wine yeast strains in a phylogenic tree. This strain also exhibited a high productivity of 4-vinyl guaiacol (4-VG), which is a precursor of vanillin known as a key flavor of aged awamori. Although conventional awamori yeast strain 101-18, which possesses the FDC1 pseudogene does not produce 4-VG, strain HC02-5-2, which has the intact PAD1 and FDC1 genes, has an advantage for use in a novel kind of awamori. To increase the contents of initial scented fruity flavors, such as isoamyl alcohol and isoamyl acetate, we attempted to breed strain HC02-5-2 targeting the L-leucine synthetic pathway by conventional mutagenesis. In mutant strain T25 with L-leucine accumulation, we found a hetero allelic mutation in the LEU4 gene encoding the Gly516Ser variant α-isopropylmalate synthase (IPMS). IPMS activity of the Gly516Ser variant was less sensitive to feedback inhibition by L-leucine, leading to intracellular L-leucine accumulation. In a laboratory-scale test, awamori brewed with strain T25 showed higher concentrations of isoamyl alcohol and isoamyl acetate than that brewed with strain HC02-5-2. Such a combinatorial approach to yeast isolation, with whole-genome analysis and metabolism-focused breeding, has the potentials to vary the quality of alcoholic beverages

Suitable Ovariectomy Age for Screening the Functional Agents by Femoral Bone Strength in Osteoporosis Model Rats

Abstract Osteoporosis is a major contributor to the high frequency of bone fracture in elderly women. The ovariectomized (OVX) rat is one of the excellent pre-clinical animal model of osteoporosis. Following ovariectomy, rapid loss of cancellous bone mass and strength occurs. Maximum breaking force of the femoral diaphysis is a major parameter to determine the severity of the osteoporosis directly. Although, the suitable age at ovariectomy remains obscure to evaluate the maximum breaking force of the femoral diaphysis. Accordingly, the suitable rat age at ovariectomy to evaluate the maximum breaking force of the femoral diaphysis for screening of therapeutic or functional agents was determined. Female Sprague-Dawley rats (6, 13 or 30 week-old) were used. Rats of each age were divided into two groups; underwent bilateral OVX and underwent bilateral laparotomy (sham). All rats were fed an AIN93G-based normal diet for further 10 weeks. Reduction of maximum bone strength in femur and increase of body weight gain were observed only in 6 week-old OVX rats after 10-week acclimatization, whereas the difference was obscure in 13 and 30 week-old OVX rats. Therefore, ovariectomy at 6 week-old was the suitable age for osteoporosis model to screen the effects of functional agents in rats