Assimilation and Accommodation for Self-organizational Learning of Autonomous Robots

Abstract In this paper, we propose a new self-organizational machine learning system, called Dual-Schemata model. This model is based on Piaget's schema theory, which is well known theory in developmental psychology. In our model, we divide Piaget's original schema into two parts; one is a perceptional schema and the other is an intentional schema. By this division, we can describe both adaptation and learning processes of a human and/or of an autonomous robot more simply and more effectively. Further, we show a series of experiments, in which a facial-robot with our Dual-Schemata model attempts to chase movements of a colored ball, and then we present that a robot gets to obtain some inner symbols concerning with those ball movements

Cervicomediastinal Lipoma

A 67-year-old female was hospitalized with complaints of cough and shortness of breath. A chest roentgenogram showed a right upper mediatinal mass. Computed tomography demonstrated a well circumscribed large mass, with a fat density, extending from the azygos arch to the thyroid cartilage. The mass displaced the superior vena cava anteriorly and trachea laterally to the left. It was hourglass shaped, 250g in weight and could be easily removed completely along with the thoracic portion from the cervix. The histologic findings were consistent with lipoma. Its CT diagnosis was discussed

SDSSp J104433.04−-012502.2 at z=5.74z=5.74 is Gravitationally Magnified by an Intervening Galaxy

During the course of our optical deep survey program on L$\alpha$ emitters at $z \approx 5.7$ in the sky area surrounding the quasar SDSSp J104433.04$-$012502.2 at $z=5.74$, we found that a faint galaxy with $m_B$(AB) $\approx 25$ is located at \timeform{1".9} southwest of the quasar. Its broad-band color properties from $B$ to $z^\prime$ suggest that the galaxy is located at a redshift of $z \sim 1.5$ -- 2.5. This is consistent with no strong emission line in our optical spectroscopy. Since the counter image of the quasar cannot be seen in our deep optical images, the magnification factor seems not to be very high. Our modest estimate is that this quasar is gravitationally magnified by a factor of 2.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, PASJ, in pres

The Discovery of a Very Narrow-Line Star Forming Obat a Redshift of 5.66ject

We report on the discovery of a very narrow-line star forming object beyond redshift of 5. Using the prime-focus camera, Suprime-Cam, on the 8.2 m Subaru telescope together with a narrow-passband filter centered at $\lambda_{\rm c}$ = 8150 \AA with passband of $\Delta\lambda$ = 120 \AA, we have obtained a very deep image of the field surrounding the quasar SDSSp J104433.04$-$012502.2 at a redshift of 5.74. Comparing this image with optical broad-band images, we have found an object with a very strong emission line. Our follow-up optical spectroscopy has revealed that this source is at a redshift of $z=5.655\pm0.002$, forming stars at a rate $\sim 13 ~ h_{0.7}^{-2} ~ M_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$. Remarkably, the velocity dispersion of Ly$\alpha$-emitting gas is only 22 km s$^{-1}$. Since a blue half of the Ly$\alpha$ emission could be absorbed by neutral hydrogen gas, perhaps in the system, a modest estimate of the velocity dispersion may be $\gtrsim$ 44 km s$^{-1}$. Together with a linear size of 7.7 $h_{0.7}^{-1}$ kpc, we estimate a lower limit of the dynamical mass of this object to be $\sim 2 \times 10^9 M_\odot$. It is thus suggested that LAE J1044$-$0123 is a star-forming dwarf galaxy (i.e., a subgalactic object or a building block) beyond redshift 5 although we cannot exclude a possibility that most Ly$\alpha$ emission is absorbed by the red damping wing of neutral intergalactic matter.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures. ApJ Letters, in pres

Effects of Histamine Receptor Blockers and the Rate of Administration of Morphine on Cardiovascular System

Blood pressure reduction during the high dose morphine anesthesia was investigated from the point of view of histamine receptor blockers and the rate of morphine administration. It was found as the results that blood pressure reduction was prevented by the administration of the histamine receptor blockers, and the effect was almost equivalent to that caused by morphine with the rate of infusion at 2 mg/min. Safer anesthesia may be performed in term of blood pressure reduction when H1 and H2 receptor blockers and a slow infusion of morphine with small divided doses are given

Improvement of acquisition and analysis methods in multi-electrode array experiments with iPS cell-derived cardiomyocytes

AbstractIntroductionMulti-electrode array (MEA) systems and human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell-derived cardiomyocytes are frequently used to characterize the electrophysiological effects of drug candidates for the prediction of QT prolongation and proarrhythmic potential. However, the optimal experimental conditions for obtaining reliable experimental data, such as high-pass filter (HPF) frequency and cell plating density, remain to be determined.MethodsExtracellular field potentials (FPs) were recorded from iPS cell-derived cardiomyocyte sheets by using the MED64 and MEA2100 multi-electrode array systems. Effects of HPF frequency (0.1 or 1Hz) on FP duration (FPD) were assessed in the presence and absence of moxifloxacin, terfenadine, and aspirin. The influence of cell density on FP characteristics recorded through a 0.1-Hz HPF was examined. The relationship between FP and action potential (AP) was elucidated by simultaneous recording of FP and AP using a membrane potential dye.ResultsMany of the FP waveforms recorded through a 1-Hz HPF were markedly deformed and appeared differentiated compared with those recorded through a 0.1-Hz HPF. The concentration–response curves for FPD in the presence of terfenadine reached a steady state at concentrations of 0.1 and 0.3μM when a 0.1-Hz HPF was used. In contrast, FPD decreased at a concentration of 0.3μM with a characteristic bell-shaped concentration–response curve when a 1-Hz HPF was used. The amplitude of the first and second peaks in the FP waveform increased with increasing cell plating density. The second peak of the FP waveform roughly coincided with AP signal at 50% repolarization, and the negative deflection at the second peak of the FP waveform in the presence of E-4031 corresponded to early afterdepolarization and triggered activity.DiscussionFP can be used to assess the QT prolongation and proarrhythmic potential of drug candidates; however, experimental conditions such as HPF frequency are important for obtaining reliable data

Age and sex effects on paired-pulse suppression and prepulse inhibition of auditory evoked potentials

Responses to a sensory stimulus are inhibited by a preceding stimulus; if the two stimuli are identical, paired-pulse suppression (PPS) occurs; if the preceding stimulus is too weak to reliably elicit the target response, prepulse inhibition (PPI) occurs. PPS and PPI represent excitability changes in neural circuits induced by the first stimulus, but involve different mechanisms and are impaired in different diseases, e.g., impaired PPS in schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease and impaired PPI in schizophrenia and movement disorders. Therefore, these measures provide information on several inhibitory mechanisms that may have roles in clinical conditions. In the present study, PPS and PPI of the auditory change-related cortical response were examined to establish normative data on healthy subjects (35 females and 32 males, aged 19–70 years). We also investigated the effects of age and sex on PPS and PPI to clarify whether these variables need to be considered as biases. The test response was elicited by an abrupt increase in sound pressure in a continuous sound and was recorded by electroencephalography. In the PPS experiment, the two change stimuli to elicit the cortical response were a 15-dB increase from the background of 65 dB separated by 600 ms. In the PPI experiment, the prepulse and test stimuli were 2- and 10-dB increases, respectively, with an interval of 50 ms. The results obtained showed that sex exerted similar effects on the two measures, with females having stronger test responses and weaker inhibition. On the other hand, age exerted different effects: aging correlated with stronger test responses and weaker inhibition in the PPS experiment, but had no effects in the PPI experiment. The present results suggest age and sex biases in addition to normative data on PPS and PPI of auditory change-related potentials. PPS and PPI, as well as other similar paradigms, such as P50 gating, may have different and common mechanisms. Collectively, they may provide insights into the pathophysiologies of diseases with impaired inhibitory function