Locomotor activity rhythm in the Japanese eel Anguilla japonica elvers

Under artificial LD cycles (6, 12, 18 L), the elvers of Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica, showed a 24 h cycle of locomotor activity rhythm being most active at light transitions: the eels' activity rose to a primary peak after lights-off, followed by a quiescent period during which they buried into the shelters or lying motionlessly on sand for most of the time, and then reached a secondary peak before lights-on. Elvers could resynchronize their activity rhythm with a new photo cycle within 4 d. Moreover, their activity level at dark phase significantly increased as the light period was prolonged: higher activity levels during shorter dark period. However, the elvers did not display clearly the existence of a circadian rhythm under constant light or dark conditions. The timing of daily activity rhythm evidenced in the Japanese eels may occur through the action of the LD cycles with a weak participation of an endogenous circadian system. In all the LD cycles, over 99% of the activity occurred in the dark phase, indicating that the eels were always nocturnally active no matter what time of day it might be. Under 12 L conditions, the eels' activity level and the time outside sand were significantly elevated both at light and dark phases as temperature increased from 10 similar to 15 to 20 similar to 25 degrees C. The activity rhythm pattern (i.e., two peaks occurring around light transitions) did not apparently change among temperatures. However, in contrast with the primary activity peaks immediately after lights-off at 20 and 25 degrees C, the timing of the primary peaks at 10 and 15 degrees C showed a latency of a few hours following lights-off, indicating the inhibiting effect of low temperature on the eels' activity.

Observations on the spawning behavior of artificially matured Japanese eels Anguilla japonica in captivity

Spawning behavior of artificially matured Japanese eels Anguillo japonica in captivity was investigated using a DVD Video image system. Following a routine hormone treatment technique for this fish, female eels were artificially matured by weekly intramuscular injections of salmon pituitary extracts (SPE) at a dosage of 40 mg kg(-1) BW for a total of 7-11 doses to induce ovarian maturation, while male eels received weekly intramuscular injections of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) at a dosage of 1000 IU kg(-1) BW for a total of 6-11 doses at 18 degrees C to induce testicular maturation in a separate aquarium. In this experiment, three pairs of such hormone-treated matured eels were acclimatized in seawater in 1.5 m(3) experimental aquaria with or without shelters at 20 degrees C for 24 h. Twenty four hours after the acclimatization terminated, the females received SPE injections to boost maturation and ovulation. Twenty four hours following these injections, the females received injections of HCG (1000 IU per fish, HCG injection) and 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone (2 mg per fish) to induce ovulation, while males were given HCG injections (1000 IU per fish, HCG injection) to induce spermiation. Video taping started after the 24 h acclimatization terminated and last for a total of 96 h. Before the HCG injections, both sexes were inactive, staying on the bottom or in shelters if available. Following these HCG injections, they became active and frequently left the bottom swimming in the water column. During the 24 h following HCG injections, activity accounted for 67% and 45% of the total activity in no shelter treatment for females and males, respectively, in comparison with 77% and 78% in shelter treatment. Activity was significantly more pronounced during this phase than during other phases for each sex in either shelter treatment. Egg release and sperm ejection occurred in the water column around the time eels' activity reached peaks. Eels either returned into the shelters or stayed motionlessly on the bottom of the aquaria after egg release and sperm ejection. Eight out of nine (89%) females in no shelter treatment spontaneously released eggs with a total of 11 batches 14-18 h following HCG injections, in contrast with four out of nine (44%) females releasing eggs for 4 batches 16-20 h in shelter treatment. Males arrived at activity peaks 11-13 h following HCG injections in no shelter treatment, 2-4 h ahead of the females (14-16 h), in comparison with 8-11 h in shelter treatment with 5-6 h ahead of the females (14-17 h). Courtship behavior indicative of spawning such as pairing, chasing and touching bodies was not observed in the eels in this study. However, on many occasions, eels of both sexes (male-female or female-female) were found to "cruise together" in water column for a short time period or frequently come together prior to releasing eggs and ejecting sperm, suggesting the possibility of group mating in artificially matured Japanese eels. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Temperature influence on the spawning performance of artificially-matured Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica, in captivity

We studied the influence of temperature on the spawning performance of artificially matured Japanese eels, Anguilla japonica, in captivity. We used routine hormone injections to bring females and males to maturity in separate aquaria. We recorded the behavior of three pairs of such hormone-treated matured eels in an aquarium (2 replicates) at four temperatures: 14, 18, 22, and 27 degrees C, respectively. They became active and frequently left the bottom swimming in the water column, and spawning events occurred. Females released eggs in the water column around the activity peaks. Males preceded females in reaching activity peaks (presumably the timing of sperm ejection and egg release), possibly resulting in the low fertilization we observed in this experiment. Males and females returned back to the aquarium bottoms and became quiet after spawning. On several occasions, male-female or female-female pairs were observed to 'cruise together' in the water column for several to tens of seconds prior to egg releasing, but no courtship behavior indicative of spawning such as pairing and chasing was observed in the eels in our study. Our results suggest that 18-22 degrees C might be the thermal preference for spawning for Japanese eels, which approximates the temperature range of the 500 m deep water layer around the Mariana Islands seamount area, the presumed spawning site for the Japanese eel.

Divergent selection and realized heritability for growth in the Japanese scallop, Patinopecten yessoensis Jay

In order to improve the production and accurately estimate response to selection, divergent selection for growth in shell height was conducted in a cultured population of the Japanese scallop Patinopecten yessoensis. Applying the same selection intensity +/- 1.756 in upward and downward directions, three groups including two selected groups of Fast and Slow and one non-selected Control group were created, which were reared under the same environmental conditions at any stage. Differences always significantly existed among the three groups (P < 0.05), except for larvae at day 1 and at day 5, and in the order of Fast > Control > Slow. The average standardized response to selection (SR), realized heritability (h(R)2) and genetic gain (GG) was 0.473%, 0.269% and 7.85% for the Fast group and 0.381%, 0.217% and 6.60% for the Slow group respectively. Moreover, significant differences (P < 0.05) were detected between the fast and the slow lines in both SR and h(R)2, providing evidence for an asymmetric response in two directions. Performance in shell height is improved by 7.85% in the fast line after one generation selection, suggesting that mass selection for faster growth in a cultured population of the Japanese scallop is effective.

用改进的ART-2网络建立移动机器人环境模型的研究

本文应用自适应共振理论中ART-2神经网络进行移动机器人环境障碍模式识别。ART-2神经网络在处理单方向渐变的模式输入时具有模式漂移的特点，机器人在静态环境中运动依赖这种特点，但在动态环境中模式漂移的特点却会对机器人的安全造成威胁。为此，设计了一种改进的ART-2神经网络，使得移动机器人同时适应在静态和动态环境中安全运动。

Computer Perception of Three-Dimensional Objects

We first pose the following problem: to develop a program which takes line-drawings as input and constructs three-dimensional objects as output, such that the output objects are the same as the ones we see when we look at the input line-drawing. We then introduce the principle of minimum standard-deviation of angles (MSDA) and discuss a program based on MSDA. We present the results of testing this program with a variety of line- drawings and show that the program constitutes a solution to the stated problem over the range of line-drawings tested. Finally, we relate this work to its historical antecedents in the psychological and computer-vision literature.

Stimulus Familiarity Determines Recognition Strategy for Novel 3-D Objects

We describe a psychophysical investigation of the effects of object complexity and familiarity on the variation of recognition time and recognition accuracy over different views of novel 3D objects. Our findings indicate that with practice the response times for different views become more uniform and the initially orderly dependency of the response time on the distance to a "good" view disappears. One possible interpretation of our results is in terms of a tradeoff between memory needed for storing specific-view representations of objects and time spent in recognizing the objects.

A Self-Organizing Multiple-View Representation of 3D Objects

We explore representation of 3D objects in which several distinct 2D views are stored for each object. We demonstrate the ability of a two-layer network of thresholded summation units to support such representations. Using unsupervised Hebbian relaxation, we trained the network to recognise ten objects from different viewpoints. The training process led to the emergence of compact representations of the specific input views. When tested on novel views of the same objects, the network exhibited a substantial generalisation capability. In simulated psychophysical experiments, the network's behavior was qualitatively similar to that of human subjects.

Recognizing Three-Dimensional Objects without the Use of Models

We present an approach to the problem of recognizing three-dimensional objects from line-drawings. In this approach there are no models. The system needs only to be given a single picture of an object; it can then recognize the object in arbitrary orientations.

The Alignment of Objects With Smooth Surfaces: Error Analysis of the Curvature Method

The recognition of objects with smooth bounding surfaces from their contour images is considerably more complicated than that of objects with sharp edges, since in the former case the set of object points that generates the silhouette contours changes from one view to another. The "curvature method", developed by Basri and Ullman [1988], provides a method to approximate the appearance of such objects from different viewpoints. In this paper we analyze the curvature method. We apply the method to ellipsoidal objects and compute analytically the error obtained for different rotations of the objects. The error depends on the exact shape of the ellipsoid (namely, the relative lengths of its axes), and it increases a sthe ellipsoid becomes "deep" (elongated in the Z-direction). We show that the errors are usually small, and that, in general, a small number of models is required to predict the appearance of an ellipsoid from all possible views. Finally, we show experimentally that the curvature method applies as well to objects with hyperbolic surface patches.

Recovery of Three-Dimensional Objects from Single Perspective Images

Any three-dimensional wire-frame object constructed out of parallelograms can be recovered from a single perspective two-dimensional image. A procedure for performing the recovery is given.

Mid-Level Vision and Recognition of Non-Rigid Objects

We address mid-level vision for the recognition of non-rigid objects. We align model and image using frame curves - which are object or "figure/ground" skeletons. Frame curves are computed, without discontinuities, using Curved Inertia Frames, a provably global scheme implemented on the Connection Machine, based on: non-cartisean networks; a definition of curved axis of inertia; and a ridge detector. I present evidence against frame alignment in human perception. This suggests: frame curves have a role in figure/ground segregation and in fuzzy boundaries; their outside/near/top/ incoming regions are more salient; and that perception begins by setting a reference frame (prior to early vision), and proceeds by processing convex structures.

Recognizing 3-D Objects Using 2-D Images

We discuss a strategy for visual recognition by forming groups of salient image features, and then using these groups to index into a data base to find all of the matching groups of model features. We discuss the most space efficient possible method of representing 3-D models for indexing from 2-D data, and show how to account for sensing error when indexing. We also present a convex grouping method that is robust and efficient, both theoretically and in practice. Finally, we combine these modules into a complete recognition system, and test its performance on many real images.

Three-Dimensional Recognition of Solid Objects from a Two-Dimensional Image

This thesis addresses the problem of recognizing solid objects in the three-dimensional world, using two-dimensional shape information extracted from a single image. Objects can be partly occluded and can occur in cluttered scenes. A model based approach is taken, where stored models are matched to an image. The matching problem is separated into two stages, which employ different representations of objects. The first stage uses the smallest possible number of local features to find transformations from a model to an image. This minimizes the amount of search required in recognition. The second stage uses the entire edge contour of an object to verify each transformation. This reduces the chance of finding false matches.