A pet-type robot AIBO-assisted therapy as a day care program for chronic schizophrenia patients

BackgroundAAT (Animal-assisted therapy) was developed to promote human social and emotional functioning as a day care program for psychiatric patients.AimsIn this study, we performed AAT using a pet-type robot, AIBO for schizophrenic patients.Methods After obtaining informed consent, we performed the AIBO-assisted therapy for three schizophrenic (ICD-10, F20.x2) patients (male: 1, female: 2) whose medication did not change over the 8 weeks study period in a ward.Results It was found that the AAT using AIBO may be useful for the patients with negative and general psychopathological symptoms such as “Anxiety” and “Uncooperativeness”.ConclusionWe make use of this result, and we want to develop the AAT program using a pet-type robot, AIBO which may be suitable for Japanese psychiatric patients

動物の地震予知能力に関する研究 : イヌによる地震予知の可能性

1995年1月17日に阪神・淡路大震災が発生した。神戸市など震源地周辺で飼育されていたイヌのうち約20%が地震発生前に異常行動を示したことが地震発生後の調査によって報告された。本研究では，イヌの示した異常行動の原因は地震前に発生する電磁波を感知したためではないかとの仮説のもと，人工的に発生させた電磁波をイヌに照射し，照射後の行動および神経内分泌学的な変化を観察した。There were lots of reports concerning the unusual behavior of animals before the Great Hanshin Earthquake on January 17, 1995, although those cases were reported after the earthquake. About 20 % of dogs which were kept at Kobe and its neighboring areas showed unusual behavior: dogs that seldom barked howled; dogs that were always gentle bit their owners suddenly; dogs showed no appetite; dogs were severely frightened; dogs were eager to go out their homes, etc. We hypothesize that those dogs sensed extraordinary changes in their unusual environment, for example, an abnormal production of electromagnetic wave (EMW). In this study we exposed the unusual EMW, which was observed before the earthquake, to dogs, and examined the changes in their behavior and neuroendocrine parameters. Finally we have found dogs having the ability to sense the EMW observed before and at the Great Hanshin Earthquake

Characteristic Metabolism of Free Amino Acids in Cetacean Plasma: Cluster Analysis and Comparison with Mice

From an evolutionary perspective, the ancestors of cetaceans first lived in terrestrial environments prior to adapting to aquatic environments. Whereas anatomical and morphological adaptations to aquatic environments have been well studied, few studies have focused on physiological changes. We focused on plasma amino acid concentrations (aminograms) since they show distinct patterns under various physiological conditions. Plasma and urine aminograms were obtained from bottlenose dolphins, pacific white-sided dolphins, Risso's dolphins, false-killer whales and C57BL/6J and ICR mice. Hierarchical cluster analyses were employed to uncover a multitude of amino acid relationships among different species, which can help us understand the complex interrelations comprising metabolic adaptations. The cetacean aminograms formed a cluster that was markedly distinguishable from the mouse cluster, indicating that cetaceans and terrestrial mammals have quite different metabolic machinery for amino acids. Levels of carnosine and 3-methylhistidine, both of which are antioxidants, were substantially higher in cetaceans. Urea was markedly elevated in cetaceans, whereas the level of urea cycle-related amino acids was lower. Because diving mammals must cope with high rates of reactive oxygen species generation due to alterations in apnea/reoxygenation and ischemia-reperfusion processes, high concentrations of antioxidative amino acids are advantageous. Moreover, shifting the set point of urea cycle may be an adaption used for body water conservation in the hyperosmotic sea water environment, because urea functions as a major blood osmolyte. Furthermore, since dolphins are kept in many aquariums for observation, the evaluation of these aminograms may provide useful diagnostic indices for the assessment of cetacean health in artificial environments in the future

Dogs’ Body Language Relevant to Learning Achievement

The facial expressions and body postures of dogs can give helpful information about their moods and emotional states. People can more effectively obedience train their dogs if we can identify the mannerisms associated with learning in dogs. The aim of this study was to clarify the dog’s body language during operant conditioning to predict achievement in the test that followed by measuring the duration of behaviors. Forty-six untrained dogs (17 males and 26 females) of various breeds were used. Each session consisted of 5 minutes of training with a treat reward followed by 3 minutes of rest and finally an operant conditioning test that consisted of 20 “hand motion” cues. The operant tests were conducted a total of nine times over three consecutive days, and the success numbers were counted. The duration of the dog’s behavior, focusing on the dog’s eyes, mouth, ears, tail and tail-wagging, was recorded during the operant conditioning sessions before the test. Particular behaviors, including wide-eyes, closed mouth, erect ears, and forward and high tail carriage, without wagging or with short and quick wagging, related to high achievement results. It is concluded that dogs\u27 body language during operant conditioning was related to their success rate

the Pacific Coast of Tohoku, Japan: A Way to Predict the Approach of Large Earthquakes

animal

Statistical Evaluations of Variations in Dairy Cows’ Milk Yields as a Precursor of Earthquakes

Previous studies have provided quantitative data regarding unusual animal behavior prior to earthquakes; however, few studies include long-term, observational data. Our previous study revealed that the milk yields of dairy cows decreased prior to an extremely large earthquake. To clarify whether the milk yields decrease prior to earthquakes, we examined the relationship between earthquakes of various magnitudes and daily milk yields. The observation period was one year. In the results, cross-correlation analyses revealed a significant negative correlation between earthquake occurrence and milk yields approximately three weeks beforehand. Approximately a week and a half beforehand, a positive correlation was revealed, and the correlation gradually receded to zero as the day of the earthquake approached. Future studies that use data from a longer observation period are needed because this study only considered ten earthquakes and therefore does not have strong statistical power. Additionally, we compared the milk yields with the subionospheric very low frequency/low frequency (VLF/LF) propagation data indicating ionospheric perturbations. The results showed that anomalies of VLF/LF propagation data emerged prior to all of the earthquakes following decreases in milk yields; the milk yields decreased earlier than propagation anomalies. We mention how ultralow frequency magnetic fields are a stimulus that could reduce milk yields. This study suggests that dairy cow milk yields decrease prior to earthquakes, and that they might respond to stimuli emerging earlier than ionospheric perturbations