Robot arm system for automatic satellite capture and berthing

Load control is one of the most important technologies for capturing and berthing free flying satellites by a space robot arm because free flying satellites have different motion rates. The performance of active compliance control techniques depend on the location of the force sensor and the arm's structural compliance. A compliance control technique for the robot arm's structural elasticity and a consideration for an end-effector appropriate for it are presented in this paper

Fractional Reserve in Banking System

This thesis is aimed to provide understanding of the role of the fractional reserve in the mod-ern banking system worldwide and particularly in Finland. The fractional reserve banking is used worldwide, but the benefits of this system are very disputable. On the one hand, experts say that the fractional reserve is a necessary instrument for the normal business and profit making. On the other hand, sceptics openly criticize the fractional reserve system and blame it for fiat money (money not backed by any physical commodities) creation. According to a third point of view, which is expressed by conspiracy theory followers, a the fractional reserve system primary targets to control the money supply in favor of famous rich families, such as the Rothschild family. Although the fractional reserve system is criticized for many reasons, such as causing a moral hazard, cheating and being not transparent, it still functions successfully all over the world. At least the banking system still exists and seems to exist further. How crucial are the defi-ciencies in the fractional reserve system for which it is criticized? Can they be improved? Or maybe the fractional reserve system is not that up to date anymore and should be replaced by something totally different? To find answers to these questions, I studied history books, up-to-date materials and legisla-tion, especially acts published by the European Central Bank. In addition, I sent questionnaires to several banks in Finland and got examples from real bank practice, which in total helped me to form the final understanding of the role of the fractional reserve system in today’s economy

Bone structural and metabolic response of caloric restriction in Wistar rats and a GH-IGF-1 axis-suppressed transgenic rat model.

The growth hormone?insulin-like growth factor-1 (GH?IGF-1) axis plays an important role in the effects of caloric restriction(CR) on lifespan extension and may elicit effects on bone metabolism in CR animals. We compared the effects of the GH?IGF-1 axis suppression and CR on bone metabolism. We used Wistar rats fed ad libitum (control group) or fed a 30% calorierestricted diet in CR group and heterozygous transgenic (F1) rats whose GH-IGF-1 axis is moderately suppressed. There was no significant difference in serum IGF-1 concentration between control and CR rats; however, IGF-1 was significantly lower inF1 rats than in other groups. The bone volume fraction (BV/TV) was significantly lower in CR than in the control. The mean SMI value in CR rats was marginally significant difference from that in control rats, Although there was no difference in serum IGF-1 concentrations between CR and control rats, bone volume was lower, and higher SMI was observed in the former. The serum IGF-1 levels in F1 rats were lower than those of controls, but the bone volume and SMI in F1 were not different. Therefore, the effects of bone metabolism in CR rats may be different from those in the GH-IGF-1 suppression rats

Sleep fragmentation and working memory in healthy adults

Introduction: Sleep is essential for performing cognitive function in humans. We have hypothesized that sleep fragmentation compared to sleep efficiency may have a negative impact on the working memory. Material and Methods: Twenty-eight healthy adults (18 males and 10 females; mean age 27.8±15.5 years) were enrolled in this study. We measured the total sleep time (TST), sleep efficiency, %stage wakefulness (W), %stage rapid eye movement (REM), %stage N1, %stage N2, %stage N3, wake after sleep onset (WASO), and arousal index using polysomnography. Working memory, executive function, and sustained attention of three domains of cognitive function were evaluated with the number of back task (N-back task), Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST), and continuous performance test-identical pairs (CPT-IP), respectively. Results: The percentage of correct answers on the 2-back task was significantly correlated with %stage REM, %stage N1, and %stage N2 (%stage REM: r=0.505, p=0.006; %stage N1: r=-0.637, p<0.001; %stage N2: r=0.670, p<0.001), and multiple regression analysis including the stepwise forward selection method revealed that %stage N2 was the most significant factor (%stage N2: β=0.670, p<0.001). The percentage of correct answers on the 2-back task was also significantly correlated with TST, sleep efficiency, WASO, and arousal index (TST: r=0.492, p=0.008; sleep efficiency: r=0.622, p<0.001; WASO: r=-0.721, p<0.001; arousal index: r=-0.656, p<0.001), and WASO was the significant factor (β=-2.086, p=0.007). The WCST category achievement and CPT-IP d-prime score were correlated with none of the sleep variables. Conclusion: Increased WASO and a decrease in %stage N2 were associated with worse working memory

Efficient Retrieval and Secure Distribution of Information about Nonwritten Cultural Materials

Our joint research is aimed at developing basic technology necessary for information about nonwritten cultural materials to be exchanged and shared among researchers or between researchers and non-experts, and at verifying the effectiveness of the technology by using a demonstration system targeting actual materials and researchers. We will offer a proposal for basic technology required to achieve these goals, and then develop a basic system for Tadami Townʼs mingu（folk implements） record cards. To improve the keyword search function of the Tadami Internet Eco-Museum, unseen relationships will be clarified by using the Web Ontology Language（OWL） for an ontology of nonwritten cultural materials. This will lead to the discovery of new relationships, and enable users to accurately retrieve information they really need. To design a user interface suitable to, for example, creating an ontology of nonwritten cultural materials and retrieving information about them, data will be made visually manageable by regarding each datum as swarm intelligence data that can self-organize, and controlling these data. The proposed management method can be applied to self-organizing methods according to the process of data management. We will propose two information retrieval methods that take the quality of the retrieval process into consideration: a method using ant colony optimization（ACO）, a swarm intelligence algorithm; and a method using a so-called “recommender system.” To create a system in which personal and confidential information are protected and copyright mediation is autonomously conducted when information about nonwritten cultural materials is retrieved and distributed, we will also propose a digital watermarking method for the copyright management of bilevel line images that embeds information in images, not pixel values, using Bézier curves. Our other proposals include : swarm intelligence that regards access control as “language games,” and adapts to changing environments by using a concept of swarm and a concept of heredity ; a value exchange system designed to facilitate the documentation, data processing and distribution of nonwritten cultural materials that can reflect a variety of values by taking advantage of a characteristic of community currencies ― “value can be set independently” ; and a model that uses game theory to satisfy each user under particular conditions

Efficacy and Safety of Intravitreal Aflibercept Treat-and-Extend Regimens in Exudative Age-Related Macular Degeneration: 52- and 96-Week Findings from ALTAIR : A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PURPOSE:To evaluate efficacy and safety of intravitreal injections of aflibercept (IVT-AFL) treat-and-extend (T&E) dosing regimens in treatment-naïve patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD).METHODS:Adults aged at least 50 years old with exudative AMD and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 73-25 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letters were included. Patients received three monthly doses of IVT-AFL 2 mg. At week 16, patients were randomized 1:1 to IVT-AFL T&E with either 2- or 4-week adjustments. The primary endpoint was mean change in BCVA from baseline to week 52. Outcomes were assessed at weeks 52 and 96.RESULTS:Baseline characteristics were comparable between the groups (n = 123 each). Over 52 weeks, mean number of injections was 7.2 and 6.9 and mean last injection interval was 10.7 and 11.8 weeks, for the 2- and 4-week groups, respectively. From baseline, mean change in BCVA was + 9.0 and + 8.4 letters (week 52) and + 7.6 and + 6.1 letters (week 96); mean change in central retinal thickness was - 134.4 µm and - 126.1 µm (week 52) and - 130.5 µm and - 125.3 µm (week 96). Last injection interval before week 52 was at least 12 weeks in 42.3% and 49.6% of patients and 56.9% and 60.2% before week 96. Over 96 weeks, mean number of injections was 10.4 (both groups). The safety profile of IVT-AFL was consistent with previous reports.CONCLUSIONS:IVT-AFL administered using two different T&E regimens for treatment-naïve exudative AMD improved functional and anatomic outcomes at week 52 and outcomes were maintained to week 96. Outcomes were similar between the 2- and 4-week groups.TRIAL REGISTRATION:ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT02305238

A Clinical Trial Evaluating the Usefulness of Tailored Antimicrobial Prophylaxis Using Rectal-culture Screening Media Prior to Transrectal Prostate Biopsy: A Multicenter, Randomized Controlled Trial

The aim of this report is to introduce an on-going, multicenter, randomized controlled trial to evaluate whether tailored antimicrobial prophylaxis guided by rectal culture screening prevents acute bacterial prostatitis following transrectal prostate biopsy (TRPB). Patients will be randomized into an intervention or non-intervention group; tazobactam-piperacillin or levofloxacin will be prophylactically administered according to the results of rectal culture prior to TRPB in the intervention group whereas levofloxacin will be routinely given in the non-intervention group. The primary endpoint is the occurrence rate of acute bacterial prostatitis after TRPB. Recruitment begins in April, 2021 and the target total sample size is 5,100 participants

Research on Basic Technologies, Including Data Mining and a User Interface, for the Internet Eco-Museum

第三期共同研究活動報