We correct a mistake in the paper “Generalized periodicity and primitivity for words” [4] and justify the existence of regular languages all of whose roots are not even context-sensitive.

Starting from six kinds of periodicity of words we define six sets of words which are primitive in different senses and we investigate their relationships. We show that only three of the sets are external Marcus contextual languages with choice but none of them is an external contextual language without choice or an internal contextual language. For the time complexity of deciding any of our sets by one-tape Turing machines, n2 is a lower bound and this is optimal in two (...) cases. The notions of roots and degrees of words and languages, which are strongly connected to periodicity and primitivity, are also considered, and we show that there can be an arbitrarily large gap between the complexity of a language and that of its roots. (shrink)

「人と天地との一体化」とは何か。儒学の「天人合一」説を独自の立論を通して再定義した伊藤仁斎の思想に焦点を当て、その思想的意義を問い直す。仁斎学の思想体系を平易明白に解説した入門書。.

Traditionally, the genealogy of Edo Confucianism, that is, Confucianism reinterpreted and reconstructed in the Tokugawa period, has been classified into the Chu-Hsi, Wang Yang-ming, Ancient, and Eclectic schools. These classifications are based on the most representative Confucian theories in the Tokugawa period and are useful for understanding their genealogy. However, when we try to capture the substance of Confucian thought from the interest of “education,” it is very difficult to understand the differences of each school’s educational thought based on this (...) classification. For example, according to the above classification of Confucian theories, the Jinsai and Sorai schools are also included in the Ancient school. However, it is no exaggeration to say that both educational ideas are completely different. In this study, although both Jinsai and Sorai are classified as Ancient schools, I will clarify how their educational theories are structured and how their contents are different. This study examines the content of Confucian thought from the perspective of “education.” I hope that the discussion will open up the possibility of a more precise understanding of the “educational thought” of Edo Confucianism. (shrink)

Eukaryotic genes are divided into three categories according to the machineries by which they are transcribed. Ribosomal RNA genes (rDNA) are the only ones that are transcribed by RNA polymerase I and are under different control from other genes transcribed by RNA polymerase II or III. None the less, the regulation of rDNA is of prime interest in view of its close relationship to cell growth and differentiation. In this review I shall discuss the recent progress in the study of (...) transcription mechanisms of rDNA by the RNA polymerase I system. The structure of the rDNA promoter and the presence of possible upstream enhancer regions will be described. In addition, factors involved in the transcription initiation of this gene will be discussed with special reference to the formation of an initiation complex. (shrink)

Reinforcement learning has recently received much attention as a learning method for complicated systems, e.g., robot systems. It does not need prior knowledge and has higher capability of reactive and adaptive behaviors. However increase in dimensionality of the action-state space makes it diffcult to accomplish learning. The applicability of the existing reinforcement learning algorithms are effective for simple tasks with relatively small action-state space. In this paper, we propose a new reinforcement learning algorithm: “Q-learning with Dynamic Structuring of Exploration Space (...) Based on Genetic Algorithm ”. The algorithm is applicable to systems with high dimensional action and interior state spaces, for example a robot with many redundant degrees of freedom. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm simulations of obstacle avoidance by a 50 links manipulator have been carried out. It is shown that effective behavior can be learned by using the proposed algorithm. (shrink)

This article considers the implications of the early development of London Zoo. It gives insight into the differences between the ideal image of the zoo, the real situation under which the zoo was managed, and popular perceptions of the zoo. The discussion explores three areas: the heterogeneous audience of the zoo, the aestheticization of the zoo and its animal displays, and the pedagogy of observing nonhuman animals in the zoo. The zoo's ideals confronted various difficulties, while the pedagogy of zoo (...) visits, which developed within a frame of natural theology, was subject to various applications. The article argues that these differences were not evidence of the zoo's failure to consolidate its ideological backbone in Victorian society. It concludes that such divergence characterized the zoo's unique capacity both to evoke and to receive competing ideals, anxieties and criticism. (shrink)

Reinforcement learning is very effective for robot learning. Because it does not need priori knowledge and has higher capability of reactive and adaptive behaviors. In our previous works, we proposed new reinforcement learning algorithm: “Q-learning with Dynamic Structuring of Exploration Space Based on Genetic Algorithm (QDSEGA)”. It is designed for complicated systems with large action-state space like a robot with many redundant degrees of freedom. And we applied it to 50 link manipulator and effective behavior is acquired. However optimality and (...) fault tolerance of the proposed algorithm were not considered and to demonstrate effectiveness of the proposed algorithm other applications are necessary. Acquiring of locomotion patterns by a multi-legged robot is a very interesting problem. As it has many redundant degrees of freedom, application of usual reinforcement learning is difficult and an optimal locomotion has not been acquired using previous reinforcement learning algorithm. And the redundancy of the robot is effective to the fault tolerance and various locomotion patterns can be acquired for adapting the faults of the legs. In this paper, we applied QDSEGA to acquiring of locomotion pattern by the multi-legged robot and considered the optimality and fault tolerance. Effective behavior has been obtained by using our proposed algorithm. (shrink)

人の始期から終期の「生」について、生殖医療、再生医療、ゲノム医療などの先端医療を紹介し、バイオエシックス教育の実際をみる。.

With growing globalization, the governments of many countries are tending to place a disproportionately large emphasis on economy, which often results in budget cuts in health, education and social welfare. Such a tendency has provoked arguments by many individuals concerned. The neo-conservatism represented by ex-US President Reagan and ex-UK Prime Minister Thatcher in the 1980s, known as Reaganomics and Thatcherism, caused public funds for health care and education to be substantially reduced. In developing countries a so-called structural adjustment policy, promoted (...) by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, is leading to shrinking budgets for health, education and social security in general. (shrink)

A senior physician with a government role in Japan made a widely reported and misleading statement about Thailand’s policy on HIV/AIDS patients. He claimed that in Thailand the policy is to spend public money on the prevention of HIV infection while allowing AIDS patients to die untreated. The author, a community nursing specialist in Japan with first-hand knowledge of HIV/AIDS policy in Thailand, thought that this statement would influence attitudes negatively in Japan. However, speaking out about this misrepresentation of the (...) facts carried certain risks. Although freedom of expression is valued in Japan, in practice it is not easy to contradict senior medical professionals. The author uses his experience of this difficult professional situation to teach nurses how to approach speaking out in the public interest. (shrink)

This study investigated the circumstances and problems that departments of forensic medicine encounter with bereaved families regarding samples obtained from medico-legal autopsies. A questionnaire was posted to all 76 departments of forensic medicine performing medico-legal autopsies in Japan, and responses were received from 48 . Of the respondents, 12.8% had approached and communicated with bereaved families about collecting samples from the deceased person during an autopsy and the storage of the samples. In addition, 23.4% of these had informed families that (...) samples might be used in research. Eighteen departments had received enquiries and requests from families about the samples, with most requests concerning their return. The response to such requests varied according to the department. Few departments interacted with the bereaved families regarding the procedure for obtaining autopsy samples, and their methods for handling family concerns differed depending on the person within the department authorised to contact the family. Moreover, the procedures for engaging in such communication have long been unclear, and no legal or ethical consensus or agreement with the general public has been established. It is important for researchers to further discuss the correct way for forensic medicine departments to communicate with bereaved families. (shrink)

徳川慶喜のブレーンにして明治政府の高級官僚。翻訳論、日本語論、軍事論。知の百面相・西周初の入門書。.

Athletes in sport are not only physical beings but also spiritual beings. Sport is referred to sport as an issue of human self. What kind of inner self do athletes have in the context of modern sports? To consider the issue of self in sport, we focused on its two aspects, athletics and training. In conclusion, we proposed to combine individual training like Japanese shugyo influenced mainly by Zen philosophy with athletics developed in the West since the time of the (...) Greeks. When these are separated, the self of an athlete is still incomplete, and it is hard to attain genuine excellence or achievement. An athlete in such a separate state ofmind possibly ends up using irrational force or power when relying on individual training. On the other hand, an athlete who focuses only on competitions will have a strong inclination to be affected by the media and commercialism, while having chances to be approved by others. It is hence essential to combine the two approaches. If we redefine playing sports as the phenomenon that comprehends both our self-reflection and our encounters with others, it will serve as an occasion of great significance for people living in today’s world. (shrink)