In this paper, an application of neural networks and fuzzy rules for an autonomous mobile robot is described. The neural networks are used to select a suitable action from tracking and avoidance actions under operating environment and are adjusted by the back propagation algorithm so that the selected action corresponds to the action obtained by operator's decision skill. To realize the selected action, the steering angle and the speed are determined by using the fuzzy rules which are also automatically tuned so as to simulate the operator's control skill. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme for tracking and avoidance motions of the autonomous mobile robot.

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The state of health of the Korean old people is studied statistically with their five family lines which have lasted from seventeen century. The conclusion is as follows. (1) According to the age of death, the state of health in general has been improved since the beginning of this century. (2) Each family line has its own life span and the age of death. It is assumed that there is heredity of life span, or each family line has had own custom for health. (3) There is no difference on the state of health between old male and old female at Korea in latter days. (4) The state of health of the aged in latter days at Korea is no less than that in the present time with Proportional Mortality Indicator (PMI) and life expectancy of the aged.

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This paper reports our experiences of transcatheter embolization using Ivalon particles in nine cases of dural arteriovenous malformations (AVM). The embolization was done for the purpose of decreasing abnormal arteriovenous shunts.
Catheterization was undertaken through the femoral artery in six cases and through the common carotid artery in three. Ivalon (polyvinyl alcohol foam) particles,0.5×0.5×0.5mm in mean size, were instilled with normal saline and contrast material half-and-half. The emboli were injected as gently as possible under an image intensifier.
In eight cases of dural AVMs, embolization resulted in a remarkable decrease in the size of the malformation. One patient had a small dural AVM in the posterior fossa dura, which was occluded. In two cases of malformation, a CT scan was done after embolization, and both showed a decrease of the contrast enhancement lesions, considered intracranial drainage veins of the malformations. Most patients with malformations, had clinically favorable results when treated with embolization alone.
Subsequent to embolization, irradiation was performed in four patients with idiopathic CCF and the malformation disappeared completely in two cases and partially in one.
No major side effects were encountered in this series. We should pay attention to vascular anomalies before embolization to prevent possible catastrophes.

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While the reporting system of death cases in Thailand looks working properly at the national level, there still is a problem that "unknown causes of death" amount to half of the total number of deaths. For improving the quality of the system, the situation of registration at a local level needs to be analyzed. In Khonkaen province, one of the major provinces in the northeast Thailand, copies of deathregistration were summarized by the Provincial Health Office. In the present research, data inJanuary (dry season) and July (rainy season) in 1996 were investigated. The total number ofdeath reports was 1, 632 (976 males, 619 females and 37 unknown gender) for the two months . The two months being compared, there was no significant difference in terms of sex ratio.The average age at death was 53.9 years as a whole. The average age of males was 49.7 yearsand that of females was 60.6 years, showing about 10 years difference. It was 1, 607 examples that their places of death were mentioned: 1, 000 (62.4%) at home, 541 (33.8%) in medical facilities and 66 (4.1%) in other places, mostly outside, which includedunexpected accidents such as traffic accidents.Deaths at home amounted to almost two thirds of the entire death cases. Of the total number of 1, 461 cases, only 601 (41.1 %) were attached with death certificates; there were 860death reports (58.9%) without medical certificate. In 974 cases which received medical care before death, 506 (52.0%) died in hospitals and456 (46.8%) died at home. Almost all the cases (99.2%) for deaths in medical facilities wereattached with death certificates. However, up to 95.7% of persons who once received medicaltreatment but eventually died at home were not attached with death certificates . In addition, 390 cases (90.1 %) in the group who did not have medical treatment before death died at home . It is necessary to extend opportunities of medical services to elder people. But, even if medial services became available, it is not enough just to increase access to medical services, con sidering that only half of the people eventually received medical certificates.

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Experiences of preoperative embolization using Ivalon (polyvinyl alcohol foam) particles in 12 cases of intracranial meningiomas are reported. Preoperative embolization was carried out for the purpose of decreasing bleeding from the tumor during operation.
Catheterization was performed through the femoral artery in 8 cases and through the common carotid artery in 4 cases. Ivalon particles, with a mean size of 0.5×0.5×0.5 mm, were instilled, half-and-half with normal saline and contrast material. The emboli were injected as gently as possible under the image intensifier.
In 9 cases a computed tomography scan was done after the embolization and all the cases showed a decrease in the contrast enhancement of the tumor. The operations were performed from 1 to 22 days after the embolization. Total removal was performed in 11 cases. The pathological specimens showed fragments of Ivalon within the tumor in 7 cases. In all the cases but one, the primary purpose of minimizing bleeding during operation, was achieved. No major side effects were encountered in this series. However, attention should be paid to vascular anomalies, such as the ophthalmic artery arising from the middle meningeal artery and the vertebral artery visualized through the collateral from the occipital artery, before embolization so as to prevent possible catastrophes.

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歯磨圧は歯垢清掃効果及び歯質,歯周組織の損傷と大きな関連性を有しているものと思われる。そこで本研究は,小児のスクラブ法による最適歯磨圧を歯垢清掃効果率,刷掃時の疹痛及び歯齪よりの出血の有無等を参考として求めた。被験者は,4歳から5歳までの歯牙の欠損および歯列不正を認めない乳歯列期の小児15名である。歯ブラシは中等度の毛の硬さを有するライオン株式会社製DentM-2を使用した。測定部位は上下顎左右側の乳臼歯部頬面の4部位で,欄掃回数は各部位とも20回とした。設定歯磨圧は,100g,200g,300g,400g,500gとし,その他の条件は一定とした。得られた結果は以下の通りである。
1)100gの歯磨圧での歯垢清掃効果率は30・2%であり,200gでも44.3%であった。これらに対し300gでは76・1%と大きな向上が見られた。しかし,400gでは76.7%,500gでは73.4%とあまり変化がみられなかった。それぞれについて有意差検定を行ったところ1009,2009及び3009の間には1%の危険率で有意差が認められた。しかし,300g,400g,500gの間には有意差は認められなかった。
2)部位による清掃効果の差は,歯磨圧100gおよび200gにおいてはみられたが,300g,400g,500gにおいては殆どみられなかった。
3)刷掃時の疹痛は300g以下では全く認められなかったが400gで8名,500gで11名の小児に認められた。また,辺縁部歯齪からの出血が400gで3名,500gで5名の小児に認められた。以上の結果より小児のスクラブ法による刷掃において,中等度の硬さの歯ブラシを用いた場合,最適歯磨圧は300gと考えられる。

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 Manga and the reading of manga have frequently been subject to criticism. However, manga now often appear within textbooks, signaling a shift from practices that attempted to distance children from manga to practices where manga materials are accepted into school libraries and are being utilized as educational materials. The shift has even progressed to the extent that educational manga are being used in high-school classes and in university courses.

The author would like to encourage the transition from manga reading to educational manga reading. Specifically, the author wishes to utilize manga as textbooks for Japanese language courses and to establish reading circles for educational manga at elementary schools. This paper calls for further investigation of manga.

 The author argues for the recognition of manga as reading materials suitable for morning reading sessions at junior and senior high-school. To that aim, teachers themselves should read manga and should include them in their reading lists. This paper suggests using works like a “Biography of Educational Manga” for investigative study. The paper also proposes comprehensive lessons that integrate the use of manga, such as “Kasai no Hito” and “Mori no Asagao”, as educational materials. Essay writing could also be incorporated.

 Practices of manga reading and educational manga will spread as more teachers come to regard manga as reading materials.

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