Quantaloidal approach to constraint satisfaction

The constraint satisfaction problem (CSP) is a computational problem that includes a range of important problems in computer science. We point out that fundamental concepts of the CSP, such as the solution set of an instance and polymorphisms, can be formulated abstractly inside the 2-category $\mathcal{P}\mathbf{FinSet}$ of finite sets and sets of functions between them. The 2-category $\mathcal{P}\mathbf{FinSet}$ is a quantaloid, and the formulation relies mainly on structure available in any quantaloid. This observation suggests a formal development of generalisations of the CSP and concomitant notions of polymorphism in a large class of quantaloids. We extract a class of optimisation problems as a special case, and show that their computational complexity can be classified by the associated notion of polymorphism.Comment: 17 page

Attractor Universe in the Scalar-Tensor Theory of Gravitation

In the scalar-tensor theory of gravitation it seems nontrivial to establish if solutions of the cosmological equations in the presence of a cosmological constant behave as attractors independently of the initial values. We develop a general formulation in terms of two-dimensional phase space. We show that there are two kinds of fixed points, one of which is an attractor depending on the coupling constant and equation of state. In the case with a power-law potential in the Jordan frame, we also find new type of inflation caused by the coupling to the matter fluid

Algorithms for Coloring Reconfiguration Under Recolorability Digraphs

In the k-Recoloring problem, we are given two (vertex-)colorings of a graph using k colors, and asked to transform one into the other by recoloring only one vertex at a time, while at all times maintaining a proper k-coloring. This problem is known to be solvable in polynomial time if k ? 3, and is PSPACE-complete if k ? 4. In this paper, we consider a (directed) recolorability constraint on the k colors, which forbids some pairs of colors to be recolored directly. The recolorability constraint is given in terms of a digraph R, whose vertices correspond to the colors and whose arcs represent the pairs of colors that can be recolored directly. We provide algorithms for the problem based on the structure of recolorability constraints R, showing that the problem is solvable in linear time when R is a directed cycle or is in a class of multitrees

Reinforcement learning accelerated by using state transition model with robotic applications

金沢大学工学部This paper discusses a method to accelerate reinforcement learning. Firstly defined is a concept that reduces the state space conserving policy. An algorithm is then given that calculates the optimal cost-to-go and the optimal policy in the reduced space from those in the original space. Using the reduced state space, learning convergence is accelerated. Its usefulness for both DP (dynamic programing) iteration and Q-learning are compared through a maze example. The convergence of the optimal cost-to-go in the original state space needs approximately N or more times as long as that in the reduced state space, where N is a ratio of the state number of the original space to the reduced space. The acceleration effect for Q-learning is more remarkable than that for the DP iteration. The proposed technique is also applied to a robot manipulator working for a peg-in-hole task with geometric constraints. The state space reduction can be considered as a model of the change of observation, i.e., one of cognitive actions. The obtained results explain that the change of observation is reasonable in terms of learning efficiency

選択的セロトニン再取り込み阻害薬とセロトニン4受容体作動薬の直腸吻合部におけるインビボ神経再建に与える効果の比較

It was recently reported that activation of enteric neural 5-HT(4) receptors (SR4) promotes reconstruction of enteric neural circuit injury in distal gut of guinea pigs and that this reconstruction involves neural stem cells. We aimed to explore a novel approach using a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), which increases endogenous 5-HT, to repair enteric nerve fiber injury in the rat distal gut. Enteric nerve fiber injury was performed by rectal transection and subsequent end-to-end one-layer anastomosis. The SSRI fluvoxamine maleate (100 μmol/l) was applied locally at the anastomotic site to compare with the 5-HT(4) agonist mosapride citrate (100 μmol/l) (applied for patent) applied locally and orally. Unlike mosapride, fluvoxamine failed to promote the regeneration of the nerve fiber tract across the anastomosis. Furthermore, fluvoxamine did not generate anti-distal-less homeobox 2 (DLX2)- and anti-SR4-positive cells (neural stem cells) and/or anti-neurofilament (NF)-positive cells (neural cells) in newly formed granulation tissue at the anastomosis, whereas these cell types were observed in mosapride-treated preparations. In contrast to its effects in guinea pigs, mosapride generated 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU)-positive neural cells in ganglia sites 3 mm oral and anal from the anastomosis 2 wk after nerve fiber injury. All actions of mosapride were observed after local and or oral applications. These findings indicate that local SSRI treatment does not induce in vivo nerve fiber tract growth across the anastomosis in the rat distal gut. Mosapride induces nerve fiber tract growth across the anastomosis, mediated through enteric neural stem cells possibly from neural crest-derived stem cells or mesenchymal stem cells in the bone marrow.博士（医学）・甲616号・平成26年3月17日発行元の規定により、本文の登録不可。本文は以下のURLを参照 "http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/ajpgi.00284.2011

Efficient derivation and banking of clinical-grade human embryonic stem cell lines in accordance with Japanese regulations

[Introduction] We recently established clinical-grade human embryonic stem cell (hESC) line KthES11 in accordance with current good manufacturing practice standards in Japan. Despite this success, the establishment efficiency was very low at 7.1% in the first period. [Methods] To establish clinical-grade hESC lines, we used xeno-free chemically defined medium StemFit AK03N with the LM-E8 fragments instead of feeder cells. The protocol was then optimized, especially in the early culture phase. [Results] We established five hESC lines (KthES12, KthES13, KthES14, KthES15, and KthES16) with 45.5% efficiency. All five hESC lines showed typical hESC-like morphology, a normal karyotype, pluripotent state, and differentiation potential for all three germ layers. Furthermore, we developed efficient procedures to prepare master cell stocks for clinical-grade hESC lines and an efficient strategy for quality control testing. [Conclusions] Our master cell stocks of hESC lines may contribute to therapeutic applications using human pluripotent stem cells in Japan and other countries

Autonomic nervous alterations associated with daily level of fatigue

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Fatigue is a common symptom in both sick and healthy people. We examined autonomic nervous alterations associated with fatigue to clarify the mechanisms underlying fatigue.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study group consisted of 19 healthy participants who performed a 2-back test for 30 min as a fatigue-inducing mental task session. Before and after the session, they completed the advanced trail making test (ATMT) for 30 min for mental fatigue evaluation, subjective scales to measure fatigue sensation, and underwent electrocardiography to allow assessment of autonomic nerve activities.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>After the fatigue-inducing task, the total error counts on the ATMT tended to increase (<it>P </it>= 0.076); the ATMT for total trial counts (<it>P </it>= 0.001), the subjective level of fatigue (<it>P </it>< 0.001), and the % low-frequency power (%LF) (<it>P </it>= 0.035) increased significantly; and the % high-frequency power (%HF) decreased compared with before the fatigue-inducing task although this did not reach the statistical significance (<it>P </it>= 0.170). Although LF measured in absolute units did not change significantly before and after the fatigue-inducing task (<it>P </it>= 0.771), and HF measured in absolute units decreased after the task (<it>P </it>= 0.020). The %LF and LF/HF ratio were positively associated with the daily level of fatigue evaluated using Chalder's fatigue scale. In addition, %HF was negatively associated with the fatigue score.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Increased sympathetic activity and decreased parasympathetic activity may be characteristic features of both acute and daily levels of fatigue. Our findings provide new perspectives on the mechanisms underlying fatigue.</p

Xanthogranulomatous inflammation of the perimetrium with infiltration into the uterine myometrium in a postmenopausal woman: a case report

BACKGROUND: Xanthogranulomatous inflammation is an uncommon form of chronic inflammation that is destructive to the normal tissue of affected organs. Although xanthogranulomatous endometritis and xanthogranulomatous salpingitis of the female genital tract has been described previously, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of xanthogranulomatous inflammation with infiltration into the uterine myometrium from the perimetrium without endometritis. CASE PRESENTATION: A 68-year-old Japanese woman with intermittent lower abdominal pain and low-grade fever who was initially treated with antibiotics underwent hysterectomy due to abscess formation in the posterior wall of the myometrium and perimetrium (the outer serosal layer of the uterus). Histopathological findings revealed that the abscess was caused by xanthogranulomatous inflammation with the granulation tissue and chronic inflammatory cells that consisted of focal and sheets of foam cells. The inflammation destroyed the perimetrial elastic lamina, and the myometrium was deeply infiltrated by the xanthoma cells. Neither endometritis nor salpingitis was coexistent with the xanthogranulomatous inflammation. CONCLUSION: The patient was diagnosed as xanthogranulomatous inflammation, most likely arising from the perimetrium. Our findings suggest that the perimetrium, as well as the endometrium and adnexae, is one of the origins of xanthogranulomatous inflammation in female genital tract

Design and synthesis of fluorescent probes for GPR54.

Kisspeptins are neuropeptides that induce the secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone via the activation of the cognate receptor, G-protein coupled receptor 54 (GPR54). The kisspeptin-GPR54 axis is associated with the onset of puberty and the maintenance of the reproductive system. In this study, several fluorescent probes have been designed and synthesized for rat GPR54 through the modification of the N-terminus of rat kisspeptins to allow for the visualization of the expression and localization of kisspeptin receptor(s) in living cells and native tissues. The tetramethylrhodamine (TMR) and rhodamine green (RG)-labeled kisspeptins exhibited good binding and agonistic activities towards GPR54, and the results of the application studies demonstrated that these fluorescent probes could be used effectively for the detection of GPR54 receptors in flow cytometry and confocal microscopy experiments

Body temperature and cold sensation during and following exercise under temperate room conditions in cold‐sensitive young trained females

We evaluated cold sensation at rest and in response to exercise‐induced changes in core and skin temperatures in cold‐sensitive exercise trained females. Fifty‐eight trained young females were screened by a questionnaire, selecting cold‐sensitive (Cold‐sensitive, n = 7) and non‐cold‐sensitive (Control, n = 7) individuals. Participants rested in a room at 29.5°C for ~100 min after which ambient temperature was reduced to 23.5°C where they remained resting for 60 min. Participants then performed 30‐min of moderate intensity cycling (50% peak oxygen uptake) followed by a 60‐min recovery. Core and mean skin temperatures and cold sensation over the whole‐body and extremities (fingers and toes) were assessed throughout. Resting core temperature was lower in the Cold‐sensitive relative to Control group (36.4 ± 0.3 vs. 36.7 ± 0.2°C). Core temperature increased to similar levels at end‐exercise (~37.2°C) and gradually returned to near preexercise rest levels at the end of recovery (>36.6°C). Whole‐body cold sensation was greater in the Cold‐sensitive relative to Control group during resting at a room temperature of 23.5°C only without a difference in mean skin temperature between groups. In contrast, cold sensation of the extremities was greater in the Cold‐sensitive group prior to, during and following exercise albeit this was not paralleled by differences in mean extremity skin temperature. We show that young trained females who are sensitive to cold exhibit augmented whole‐body cold sensation during rest under temperate ambient conditions. However, this response is diminished during and following exercise. In contrast, cold sensation of extremities is augmented during resting that persists during and following exercise