Gas formation and biological effects of biodegradable magnesium in a preclinical and clinical observation

Magnesium alloys are biodegradable metals receiving increasing attention, but the clinical applications of these materials are delayed by concerns over the rapid corrosion rate and gas formation. Unlike corrosion, which weakens mechanical properties, the gas formation issue has received little attention. Therefore, we evaluated the gas formation and biological effects for Mg implants through preclinical (immersed in Earle’s balanced salt solution and in vivo) and clinical studies. The immersion test examined the gas volume and composition. The in vivo study also examined gas volume and histological analysis. The clinical study examined the gas volume and safety after Mg screw metatarsal fixation. Gas was mainly composed of H₂, CO and CO₂. Maximum volumes of gas formed after 5 days for in vivo and 7 days in clinical study. Within the clinical examination, two superficial wound complications healed with local wound care. Osteolytic lesions in the surrounding metaphysis of the Mg screw insertion developed in all cases and union occurred at 3 months. Mg implants released gas with variable volumes and composition (H₂, CO, and CO₂), with no long-term toxic effects on the surrounding tissue. The implants enabled bone healing, although complications of wound breakdown and osteolytic lesions developed.     

Towards the appropriate human-centred information systems: A case study of the Japanese retail industry

The industries of Japan have developed by learning from Western industries, especially the USA, and by implementing many of their concepts and technologies. However, Japanese industries have often implemented these concepts and technologies in a very different way from the USA. For example, while the USA uses information systems in retail industries as a tool by which data are collected and analysed to control the market, in Japan this same technology is considered rather as a learning device to interpret the market. While in the USA the market is seen as a natural phenomenon capable of being controlled, the Japanese see it as an ambiguous phenomenon that is ever changing and is not capable of being controlled. Rather it is important to feel the change in the market itself.This paper introduces human centredness to the information system, and argues against modern rationalism, i.e. human versus technology, taking the case of use of POS data from the POS system (point of sale: a system that collects data on both the customer and goods sold by scanning bar codes that are attached to the surface of the goods) by the eminent Japanese retailer, Ito-Yokado. It emphasises an interactive concept of interaction between human and technology of the postmodern paradigm.     

International trends in influenza control: preparing for the next pandemic and vaccination

The prevention of influenza continues to be a major public health concern, and a program of vaccination has been promoted, especially to high-risk individuals such as the elderly. In addition, concerted efforts are being expended in many developed countries in order to better cope with the next influenza pandemic. These efforts include enhancing influenza virus surveillance, improving vaccine production and its delivery systems, centralizing vaccine distribution and establishing priorities, etc. In Japan, on the other hand, influenza is only considered a minor illness, and thus little attention has been give to measures against influenza. To disseminate information on recent international trends in influenza control to Japanese public health specialists, I herein outline the recommendations made at two recent international meetings: "Pandemic Influenza: Confronting a Reemergent Threat" held in the u.s., at Bethesda, Maryland, in December 1995; and "The 7th European Meeting of Influenza and Its Prevention" held in Berlin. Germany, in September 1993. Since a routine system capable of responding adequately to annual epidemics is considered to be the best defense against a pandemic, I also describe the present state of influenza control in other countries to contrast it with that in Japan: the target groups for special vaccination programs recommended by the U.S. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices; the recommendations for influenza vaccination and reimbursement for the vaccination of recommended groups in developed countries: and influenza vaccine distribution in Japan and the U.S., 1980-1994. At present in Japan, the efficacy of the currently used inactivated vaccine is regarded as either very low or none at all. There is also no official national recommendations as to what groups should be targeted for active immunization, nor any system for vaccination reimbursement. Public health specialists in Japan, therefore need to fully understand Japan's peculiar situation and, as a result, better recognize the importance of influenza and its prevention.     

Global estimates of evapotranspiration and gross primary production based on MODIS and global meteorology data

The simulation of gross primary production (GPP) at various spatial and temporal scales remains a major challenge for quantifying the global carbon cycle. We developed a light use efficiency model, called EC-LUE, driven by only four variables: normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), air temperature, and the Bowen ratio of sensible to latent heat flux. The EC-LUE model may have the most potential to adequately address the spatial and temporal dynamics of GPP because its parameters (i.e., the potential light use efficiency and optimal plant growth temperature) are invariant across the various land cover types. However, the application of the previous EC-LUE model was hampered by poor prediction of Bowen ratio at the large spatial scale. In this study, we substituted the Bowen ratio with the ratio of evapotranspiration (ET) to net radiation, and revised the RS-PM (Remote Sensing-Penman Monteith) model for quantifying ET. Fifty-four eddy covariance towers, including various ecosystem types, were selected to calibrate and validate the revised RS-PM and EC-LUE models. The revised RS-PM model explained 82% and 68% of the observed variations of ET for all the calibration and validation sites, respectively. Using estimated ET as input, the EC-LUE model performed well in calibration and validation sites, explaining 75% and 61% of the observed GPP variation for calibration and validation sites respectively.Global patterns of ET and GPP at a spatial resolution of 0.5° latitude by 0.6° longitude during the years 2000-2003 were determined using the global MERRA dataset (Modern Era Retrospective-Analysis for Research and Applications) and MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer). The global estimates of ET and GPP agreed well with the other global models from the literature, with the highest ET and GPP over tropical forests and the lowest values in dry and high latitude areas. However, comparisons with observed GPP at eddy flux towers showed significant underestimation of ET and GPP due to lower net radiation of MERRA dataset. Applying a procedure to correct the systematic errors of global meteorological data would improve global estimates of GPP and ET. The revised RS-PM and EC-LUE models will provide the alternative approaches making it possible to map ET and GPP over large areas because (1) the model parameters are invariant across various land cover types and (2) all driving forces of the models may be derived from remote sensing data or existing climate observation networks.     

Development of a pulse control-type MEMS microrobot with a hardware neural network

This article presents the micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) microrobot which demonstrates locomotion controlled by hardware neural networks (HNN). The size of the microrobot fabricated by the MEMS technology is 4 × 4 × 3.5 mm. The frame of the robot is made of silicon wafer, and it is equipped with a rotary-type actuator, a link mechanism, and six legs. The rotary-type actuator generates rotational movement by applying an electrical current to artificial muscle wires. The locomotion of the microrobot is obtained by the rotation of the rotary-type actuator. As in a living organism, the HNN realized robot control without using any software programs, A/D converters, or additional driving circuits. A central pattern generator (CPG) model was implemented as an HNN system to emulate the locomotion pattern. The MEMS microrobot emulated the locomotion method and the neural networks of an insect with the rotary-type actuator, the link mechanism, and the HNN. The microrobot performed forward and backward locomotion, and also changed direction by inputting an external trigger pulse. The locomotion speed was 0.325 mm/s and the step width was 1.3 mm.     

Brain-like Computing Based on Distributed Representations and Neurodynamics

A key to overcoming the limitations of classical artificial intelligence and to deal well with enormous amounts of information might be brain-like computing in which distributed representations of information are processed by dynamical systems without using symbols. We present a method for such computing. We constructed an inference system using a nonmonotone neural network, which is a kind of recurrent neural network with continuous-time dynamics. This system deduces a conclusion according to state transitions of the network in which knowledge is embedded as trajectory attractors. It has the powerful ability of analogical reasoning without special treatment for exceptional knowledge. We also propose a method of linking different neurodynamical systems and show that two mutually interacting systems can process complex spatiotemporal patterns.     

Learning science in a virtual reality application: The impacts of animated-virtual actors’ visual complexity

As the technology in computer graphics advances, Animated-Virtual Actors (AVAs) in Virtual Reality (VR) applications become increasingly rich and complex. Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML) suggests that complex visual materials could hinder novice learners from attending to the lesson properly. On the other hand, previous studies have shown that visual complexity correlates with presence and may increase the perceived affective quality of the virtual world, towards an optimal experience or flow. Increasing these in VR applications may promote enjoyment and higher cognitive engagement for better learning outcomes. While visually complex materials could be motivating and pleasing to attend to, would they affect learning adversely? We developed a series of VR presentations to teach second-year psychology students about the navigational behaviour of Cataglyphis ants with flat, cartoon, or lifelike AVAs. To assess learning outcomes, we used Program Ratings, which measured perception of learning and perceived difficulty, and retention and transfer tests. The results from 200 students did not reveal any significant differences in presence, perceived affective quality, or learning outcomes as a function of the AVA’s visual complexity. While the results showed positive correlations between presence, perceived affective quality and perception of learning, none of these correlates with perceived difficulty, retention, or transfer scores. Nevertheless, our simulation produced significant improvements on retention and transfer scores in all conditions. We discuss possible explanations and future research directions.     

Z-SKY: an efficient skyline query processing framework based on Z-order

Given a set of data points in a multidimensional space, a skyline query retrieves those data points that are not dominated by any other point in the same dataset. Observing that the properties of Z-order space filling curves (or Z-order curves) perfectly match with the dominance relationships among data points in a geometrical data space, we, in this paper, develop and present a novel and efficient processing framework to evaluate skyline queries and their variants, and to support skyline result updates based on Z-order curves. This framework consists of ZBtree, i.e., an index structure to organize a source dataset and skyline candidates, and a suite of algorithms, namely, (1) ZSearch, which processes skyline queries, (2) ZInsert, ZDelete and ZUpdate, which incrementally maintain skyline results in presence of source dataset updates, (3) ZBand, which answers skyband queries, (4) ZRank, which returns top-ranked skyline points, (5) k-ZSearch, which evaluates k-dominant skyline queries, and (6) ZSubspace, which supports skyline queries on a subset of dimensions. While derived upon coherent ideas and concepts, our approaches are shown to outperform the state-of-the-art algorithms that are specialized to address particular skyline problems, especially when a large number of skyline points are resulted, via comprehensive experiments.     

Existential rigidity and many modalities in order-sorted logic

Order-sorted logic is a useful tool for knowledge representation and reasoning because it enables representation of sorted terms and formulas along with partially ordered sorts (called sort-hierarchy). However, this logic cannot represent more complex sorted expressions when they are true in any possible world (as rigid) or some possible worlds (as modality) such as time, space, belief, or situation. In this study, we extend order-sorted logic by introducing existential rigidity and many modalities. In the extended logic, sorted modal formulas are interpreted over the Cartesian product of sets of possible worlds. We present a new labeled tableau calculus to check the (un)satisfiability and validity of sorted modal formulas.