Non-blind Image Restoration Based on Convolutional Neural Network

Blind image restoration processors based on convolutional neural network (CNN) are intensively researched because of their high performance. However, they are too sensitive to the perturbation of the degradation model. They easily fail to restore the image whose degradation model is slightly different from the trained degradation model. In this paper, we propose a non-blind CNN-based image restoration processor, aiming to be robust against a perturbation of the degradation model compared to the blind restoration processor. Experimental comparisons demonstrate that the proposed non-blind CNN-based image restoration processor can robustly restore images compared to existing blind CNN-based image restoration processors.Comment: Accepted by IEEE 7th Global Conference on Consumer Electronics, 201

Chaotic mode-competition dynamics in a multimode semiconductor laser with optical feedback and injection

Photonic computing is attracting increasing interest to accelerate information processing in machine learning applications. The mode-competition dynamics of multimode semiconductor lasers is useful for solving the multi-armed bandit problem in reinforcement learning for computing applications. In this study, we numerically evaluate the chaotic mode-competition dynamics in a multimode semiconductor laser with optical feedback and injection. We observe the chaotic mode-competition dynamics among the longitudinal modes and control them by injecting an external optical signal into one of the longitudinal modes. We define the dominant mode as the mode with the maximum intensity; the dominant-mode ratio for the injected mode increases as the optical injection strength increases. We find that the characteristics of the dominant mode ratio in terms of the optical injection strength are different among the modes owing to the different optical feedback phases. We propose a control technique for the characteristics of the dominant mode ratio by precisely tuning the initial optical frequency detuning between the optical injection signal and injected mode. We also evaluate the relationship between the region for the large dominant mode ratio and injection locking range. The region for the large dominant mode ratio does not correspond to the injection-locking range. This discrepancy results from the complex mode-competition dynamics in multimode semiconductor lasers with both optical feedback and injection. This control technique of chaotic mode-competition dynamics in multimode lasers is promising for applications in reinforcement learning and reservoir computing as photonic artificial intelligence.Comment: 17 pages, 12 figures, 1 tabl

Different Characteristics of Cognitive Impairment in Elderly Schizophrenia and Alzheimer's Disease in the Mild Cognitive Impairment Stage

We compared indices of the revised version of the Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS-R) and scaled scores of the five subtests of the revised version of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-R) in 30 elderly schizophrenia (ES) patients and 25 Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients in the amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) stage (AD-aMCI). In the WMS-R, attention/concentration was rated lower and delayed recall was rated higher in ES than in AD-aMCI, although general memory was comparable in the two groups. In WAIS-R, digit symbol substitution, similarity, picture completion, and block design scores were significantly lower in ES than in AD-aMCI, but the information scores were comparable between the two groups. Delayed recall and forgetfulness were less impaired, and attention, working memory and executive function were more impaired in ES than in AD-aMCI. These results should help clinicians to distinguish ES combined with AD-aMCI from ES alone

Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes in 314 Japanese Patients with Bacterial Endophthalmitis : A Multicenter Cohort Study from J-CREST

Bacterial endophthalmitis is an intraocular infection that causes rapid vison loss. Pathogens can infect the intraocular space directly (exogenous endophthalmitis (ExE)) or indirectly (endogenous endophthalmitis (EnE)). To identify predictive factors for the visual prognosis of Japanese patients with bacterial endophthalmitis, we retrospectively examined the bacterial endophthalmitis characteristics of 314 Japanese patients and performed statistics using these clinical data. Older patients, with significantly more severe clinical symptoms, were prevalent in the ExE group compared with the EnE group. However, the final best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was not significantly different between the ExE and EnE groups. Bacteria isolated from patients were not associated with age, sex, or presence of eye symptoms. Genus Streptococcus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Enterococcus were more prevalent in ExE patients than EnE patients and contributed to poor final BCVA. The presence of eye pain, bacterial identification, and poor BCVA at baseline were risk factors for final visual impairment

Genetic polymorphism of pleiotrophin is associated with pain experience in Japanese adults Case-control study

Genetic factors play a role in individual differences in pain experience. Here, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify novel loci regulating pain processing. We conducted a 2-stage GWAS and the candidate single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) association study on pain experience using an exploratory cohort of patients with cancer pain. The confirmatory cohort comprised of participants from the general population with and without habitual use of analgesic medication. In the exploratory cohort, we evaluated pain intensity using a numerical rating scale, recorded daily opioid dosages, and calculated pain reduction rate. In the confirmatory cohort, pain experience was defined as habitual nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug usage. Using linear regression models, we identified candidate SNP in the exploratory samples, and tested the association between phenotype and experienced pain in the confirmatory samples. We found 1 novel SNP (rs11764598)—located on the gene encoding for pleiotrophin on chromosome 7—that passed the genome-wide suggestive significance at 20% false discovery rate (FDR) correction in the exploratory samples of patients with cancer pain (P = 1.31 × 10-7, FDR = 0.101). We confirmed its significant association with daily analgesic usage in the confirmatory cohort (P = .028), although the minor allele affected pain experience in an opposite manner. We identified a novel genetic variant associated with pain experience. Further studies are required to validate the role of pleiotrophin in pain processing

Arctic weather in 2012 summer and influences on Arctic Environment

第3回極域科学シンポジウム/特別セッション「これからの北極研究」11月28日（水） 国立極地研究所 2階大会議