GENUS ZERO PALF STRUCTURES ON THE AKBULUT-YASUI PLUGS

We construct a genus zero PALF structure on each of plugs introduced by Akbulut and Yasui and describe the monodromy as a positive factorization in the mapping class group of a fiber

Adaptive Texture Alignment for Japanese Kimono Design

A yukata is a type of traditional Japanese kimono. An alignment of its texture pattern is an important factor of the yukata design. There are rules in the texture alignment of the yukata. The rules are comparratively simple. However, the texture alignment is difficult for the designer because the texture alignment should be performed with consideration to the rules and the wearer's taste, Additioanlly, it is necessary for the designer to create the cutting pattern from a limited length of the kimono cloth. Consequently, a design support system for the yukata is required. We have developed the image processing algorithm to simulate the condition of the texture alignment. It becomes possible to perform the texture alignment based on the traditioonal rule automatically. However, some cutting pattern becomes over length of a standard kimono cloth. In this paper, we describe a multi-agent system for supporting the texture alignment of the yukata. We developed texture alignment agents, and a management agent. The management agent acts management of the wearer's body sizes, the condition of the texture alignment and the cutting pattern and orders to the texture alignment agents to carry out the texture alignment according to the wearer's taste. By repeating trial and error, the realistic texture alignment became possible. </p

Shape from shading with interreflections under proximal light source - 3D shape reconstruction of unfolded book surface from a scanner image

We address the problem to recover the 3D shape of an unfolded book surface from the shading information in a scanner image. From a technical point of view, this shape from shading problem in real world environments is characterized by (1) proximal light source, (2) interreflections, (3) moving light source, (4) specular reflection, and (5) nonuniform albedo distribution. Taking all these factors into account, we first formulate the problem based on an iterative nonlinear optimization scheme. Then we introduce piecewise polynomial models of the 3D shape. Image restoration experiments for a real book surface demonstrated that geometric and photometric distortions are almost completely removed by the proposed method</p

Metabolism of branched-chain amino acids in rats with acute hepatic failure: a tracer study using 15N-leucine.

Fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) was produced in rats with intraperitoneal injection of D-galactosamine. Control rats received only physiological saline. 15N-leucine (200 mg/kg of body weight) was injected into the rats via the tail vein. Arterial blood was drawn before and 5, 15, 30 and 60 min after the injection of 15N-leucine. 15N-amino acids were determined quantitatively by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The plasma 15N-leucine level decreased logarithmically in the same manner in both groups. This result suggests that leucine is mainly metabolized in extrahepatic tissues. The incorporation of 15N into plasma isoleucine and valine was not significantly different between the groups. Plasma alanine and glutamine concentrations increased in controls and decreased in FHF rates after the injection. The incorporation of 15N into plasma alanine in rats with FHF was significantly later than in controls. This result may suggest that undergoing hyperammonemia causes to form more glutamine from glutamate in extrahepatic sites as the same manner as for chronic hepatic failure. Additionally, insulin levels increased temporarily after the injection of leucine in both groups. This increase may play a role in the decrease in plasma isoleucine and valine concentrations after injection of leucine.</p

Study of the Literary Education Curriculum - Australian Curriculum Consideration Based on “Literature” in English -

本研究の目的は日本の文学教育をカリキュラムの側面から検討することである。日本の学習指導要領の文学・物語に関する指導事項や言語活動例とオーストラリアン・カリキュラム中の「文学」の指導事項を比較する。これまで文学作品の「何をどのように教えるか」に関して考察されてきたが，カリキュラムの側面から考察されることは少なかった。本稿では，文学を読むこととともに，文学・物語の読むこと―書くことをカリキュラムの側面から検討した。その結果，オーストラリアン・カリキュラムから日本のカリキュラムに参考にできる点は①すべての学年で順序性・系統性をもって学習内容を配列すること，②読むこと―書くことの関連指導を行うこと，③修辞技法や文芸批評理論を適切に学習内容に取り入れることである

A Study on Modern Greek Proverbs : Proverbs in which the Element "Animal" Is Used

When we read the proverbs of Modern Greek, various metaphrical expressions are referred to, among which, proverbs in which elements relating to "Animals", are both numerous and interesting. Animals in human society-play various roles; they are considered as friends, dangerous enemies, are sometimes harmful and are sometimes the objects of ridicule. Thus arising from a variety of meaning and viewed from appropriate perspectives,they are used as metaphorical objects. In the two collections of proverbs, Rohlfs,G., Italogriechische Sprichwörter in linguistischer Konfrontation mit neugriechischen Dialekten, München, 1971 and Μιχαήλ, Μαρία-Δέδε, 2500 'Ελληνικές ΙΙαραιμίες (καί Λεγόμενα), 'ΑΘήνα, 1981, "Animals" have been widely used. Furthermore, when comparing Japanese and Greek proverbs, there is a richer use of the element "Animal" in Greek. In the former collection (of 500 proverbs), in the top 40 elements ranked according to the frequency of use, 11 species of animals - Goat ,Donkey, Fox, Pig, Ox, Wolf etc. - have been used with a frequency of over 6 times. In the latter collection, Μιχαήλ has commented that proverbs connected with animals in Greek are abundant and have been the objects of metaphorical expression to Greek folk. He has also enumrated proverbs using the element "animal". When we see the element "animal" from the highest frequency of use there, the ranking is: Wolf, Donky, Ox, Cat, Pig, Fox, Horse etc. (totaly 28 species). From this we can surmise what kind of animals are closely connected with the Greek people and in which they have interest. Next, we have extracted from these proverbs, the kinds of metaphors and images projected, for example; Wolf: (1)Unscrupulous or Vicious (2)Hungry (3)Group consciousness in wrong doing (4)Proud (5)Stubborn / Donkey: (1)Hard working (2)Patient (3)Stubborn (4)Rude / Ox: (1)Strong (2)Stupid / Cat: (1)Has claws (Dangerous) (2)Ability to survive (Tenacious) / Pig: (1)Dirty (2)Greedy (3)Possesses good maternal instincts/ etc. and the characteristic features thus could be observed