Deep sound-field denoiser: optically-measured sound-field denoising using deep neural network

This paper proposes a deep sound-field denoiser, a deep neural network (DNN) based denoising of optically measured sound-field images. Sound-field imaging using optical methods has gained considerable attention due to its ability to achieve high-spatial-resolution imaging of acoustic phenomena that conventional acoustic sensors cannot accomplish. However, the optically measured sound-field images are often heavily contaminated by noise because of the low sensitivity of optical interferometric measurements to airborne sound. Here, we propose a DNN-based sound-field denoising method. Time-varying sound-field image sequences are decomposed into harmonic complex-amplitude images by using a time-directional Fourier transform. The complex images are converted into two-channel images consisting of real and imaginary parts and denoised by a nonlinear-activation-free network. The network is trained on a sound-field dataset obtained from numerical acoustic simulations with randomized parameters. We compared the method with conventional ones, such as image filters and a spatiotemporal filter, on numerical and experimental data. The experimental data were measured by parallel phase-shifting interferometry and holographic speckle interferometry. The proposed deep sound-field denoiser significantly outperformed the conventional methods on both the numerical and experimental data.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures, 2 table

Gender difference in the relationships between vision and hearing impairments and negative well-being.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association of hearing impairment, vision impairment and their combination (dual sensory impairment) with negative well-being such as depression, subjective poor health and the reduced functional ability in community-dwelling older adults, and to determine whether any association varies by gender. METHODS: Between 2005 and 2006, we objectively examined vision and hearing impairment (using best-corrected visual acuity and pure-tone audiometric test) in 843 people aged 65 years and older (351 males, 492 females) in a rural Japanese town. Through a home visit interview survey using a structured questionnaire, we also collected information on depression (the five-item Geriatric Depression Scale), subjective poor health, and reduced functional activity (the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology's Index of Competence). RESULTS: We observed gender differences in the association between sensory impairment and depression. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that hearing impairment in males (adjusted odds ratio: 2.22, 95% confidence interval; 1.07-4.61) and vision impairment in females (1.91, 1.14-3.21) were related to depression. Vision impairment and dual sensory impairment were also associated with subjective poor health and reduced functional activity in both sexes. CONCLUSIONS: Sensory impairment is significantly associated with negative well-being in older persons, and its association with depression may differ between males and females

Free Amino Acids and Related Compounds in the Fluid from Surgical Ciliated Cysts of the Maxilla

Fluids from 6 surgical ciliated cysts of the maxilla and autologous sera were analyzed for total free amino acids and related compounds concentrations. All of the amino acids present in the serum were observed in the cyst fluids, but the concentrations and profile of their constituents were markedly different from that of the serum. The concentrations of non-essential amino acids such as Ala, Glx, and Gly were extremely low in the cyst fluids. The composition and concentration of the amino acids and related compounds in the fluids of these cysts may reflect the balance between proteolytic and catabolic metabolism and also in the permeability effect of the lining cells of the cyst wall

A Study on Evoked Potential by Inaudible Auditory Stimulation toward Continuous Biometric Authentication

Biometrics have been used in person authentication. However, conventional biometrics have a vulnerability to the identity theft, especially in user management systems. In order to prevent the identity theft, the effective way is to authenticate continuously. However, the continuous authentication requires unconscious biometrics. The authors have been studied to use brain waves as the unconscious biometrics. In conventional studies, the authors had used spontaneous brain waves; however, their verification performance was not so high. Thus, the authors propose to use evoked potentials by supersonic sounds, which cannot be perceived by human beings. In this paper, the authors examine the characteristics of evoked potentials by supersonic sounds and confirm that the spectrum in the band is increased at the electrodes on the back of the head. This phenomenon could be used as an individual feature in person verification

Newly Identified Oligocene Formation in the Sera Plateau, Hiroshima, SW Japan

This study aimed to show the presence of an Oligocene formation in the Sera Plateau, located in the eastern part of Hiroshima Prefecture, SW Japan, using field surveys, a petrological study, and fission-track dating. According to field surveys conducted between 1996 and 2002, and supplementally in 2017, rhyolitic pyroclastic rocks and conglomerate beds unconformably covered by the Quaternary sediments were identified along the bank of Mihara-gawa River at Kurohada in Sera Town. The rhyolitic pyroclastic rocks, tentatively called Kurohada Ryolite, were composed of welded tuff, coarse tuff, and tuff breccia, and were intercalated with conglomerate beds lithologically similar to the mountain gravels. The Kurohada Rhyolite and the conglomerate beds were either horizontal or dipped gently to the northwest, with a total thickness of about 5 m. Based on whole-rock chemical composition analysis by X-ray fluorescence (SiO2: 72.39-75.82 wt % , K2O+Na2O: 5.78-7.80 wt % ) the welded tuff was classified into rhyolite of sub-alkalic series. Under the microscope, the pyroclastic rocks were composed of crystal fragments of plagioclase and quartz, and lithic fragments in glassy matrix, and signs of thermal alteration could not be confirmed. On the other hand, one of the lithic fragments of rhyolite contained biotite fine crystals as thermal metamorphic products. Thus, the Kurohada Rhyolite was distinguished from the Mesozoic Takada Rhyolites distributed widely in Hiroshima Prefecture depending on the presence of thermal metamorphism. Fission track ages of zircons from the welded tuff were 30.4 ± 1.6 Ma and 30.9 ± 1.5 Ma. This result shows that the geologic age of Kurohada Rhyolite and associated conglomerate beds in the study area is constrained to the early Oligocene and suggests the possibility that the mountain gravels distributed in the eastern part of Hiroshima Prefecture are Paleogenic.This study was partly supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP16K00966

Ectopic sebaceous glands in the esophagus that became evident over a three-year span

A 43-year-old Japanese woman was diagnosed with ectopic sebaceous glands in the esophagus by esophagogastroduodenoscopy and biopsy. At the age of 46, typical ectopic sebaceous glands were recognized in the upper esophagus, whereas yellowish white granules were faintly observed in the lower esophagus. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy examinations were repeated when she was 47 and again at 50 years old, and the lesions in the lower esophagus had become more evident over the ensuing 3 years. Esophageal ectopic sebaceous glands are relatively infrequent, and there have been few case reports describing the progression of the endoscopic features. We also report the clinical and endoscopic features of the five similar cases with pathologically proven ectopic sebaceous glands in the esophagus

Prompt Resolution of Hypoglycemia by Hepatic Transarterial Embolization for Malignant Insulinoma with Multiple Liver Metastases

A 45-year-old female who presented with loss of consciousness and a cold sweat was found to have a pancreatic tumor and multiple liver metastases. Laboratory studies showed marked hypoglycemia and inappropriately elevated serum insulin, C-peptide, and serum tumor markers. Fine needle aspiration revealed Grade 3 small-cell type primary pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma. Consequently, the diagnosis of malignant insulinoma was made. Transarterial embolization (TAE) for hepatic metastases resulted in the reduction of tumor volume and prompt resolution of hypoglycemic attacks, whereas diazoxide and systemic chemotherapy had been ineffective for controlling blood glucose levels, and octreotide was unavailable due to the allergic effect. This case report highlights the potential usefulness of TAE for malignant insulinomas in the management of hypoglycemia

異文化をフィールドで学ぶ : 環境科学科における学生海外研修の事例から

This paper reports on the overseas training conducted over a long period by the Office of International Communication and by the Regional Community Research Laboratory (formerly the Environmental Sociology Research Laboratory) in the Department of Environmental Science, School of Life and Environmental Science, Azabu University, Japan. As of October 2017, a total of 48 separate overseas programs have been conducted: 24 programs led by Mr. Akira Harada in the Office of International Communication, 16 programs led by Mr. Jonathan Lynch in the same office and 8 programs by Associate Professor Takehiro Okura in the Seminar of Community Studies. These programs have been conducted in a total of 7 different countries: Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, Cambodia, the Philippines and the United States. In this report, we will review the learning derived from the overseas study tours in terms of field work. Furthermore, we aim to show examples of student learning across national borders, focusing on the goals and reports implemented within each laboratory. In Harada’s report, the themes that have emerged from his numerous study tours are reviewed. Lynch’s report gives details of the implementation and organizational methods used for his tours, and in Okura’s report, a chronological review of his overseas programs is presented. In each of the three reports, comments by participating students are provided for reference

Observer agreement for the diagnosis of intestinal acute graft‑vs.‑host disease based on the presence of villous atrophy in the terminal ileum

Intestinal graft‑vs.‑host disease (GVHD) is a serious complication of allo‑hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo‑HSCT). Villous atrophy in the terminal ileum is considered a useful diagnostic indicator for GVHD. However, the inter‑ and intra‑observer agreement regarding the ileocolonoscopic findings indicative of acute intestinal GVHD, i.e., villous atrophy in the terminal ileum, are currently insufficient in multiple institutions. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the incidence of villous atrophy in the terminal ileum to diagnose acute intestinal GVHD and determine the inter‑ and intra‑observer agreement regarding this result for experienced endoscopists from multiple institutions. Consecutive patients who underwent allo‑HSCT were referred to our institution between May 2008 and September 2015. A total of 54 patients underwent total ileocolonoscopy after allo‑HSCT due to suspected intestinal acute GVHD. Subsequently, three observers from different institutions evaluated the cases for the presence of villous atrophy in the terminal ileum. In this study, the pathology results were a gold standard to evaluate the predictive value of ileocolonoscopy detection. Definitive pathological and non‑pathological GVHD was diagnosed in 22 and 32 cases, respectively. The results of examining whether villous atrophy could predict GVHD were as follows. For three observers (A, B and C), the sensitivity of villous atrophy in the terminal ileum was 86.4, 77.3 and 79.2%, respectively, whereas the specificity was 62.5, 62.5 and 86.7%, respectively. The positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of villous atrophy for GVHD were as follows: The PPV of appearance was 61.3, 58.6 and 82.6%, respectively, whereas the NPV was 87.0, 80.0 and 83.9%, respectively. Kappa coefficients for the inter‑observer reliability were 0.85, 0.63 and 0.63 for observers A and B, A and C, and B and C, respectively. The intra‑observer kappa coefficient was 0.88 for observer A, 0.73 for observer B and 0.75 for observer C. A substantial observer agreement was achieved for the analysis of villous atrophy in the terminal ileum and the agreement for the predictive histological diagnosis was also excellent. Based on the results of the present study, identification of villous atrophy in the terminal ileum was a clinically effective diagnostic parameter, even if different endoscopists were involved in the diagnosis at multiple institutions. The present study was registered as a trial with the University Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN; registration no. UMIN000025390)