Relaxed Linearized Algorithms for Faster X-Ray CT Image Reconstruction

Statistical image reconstruction (SIR) methods are studied extensively for X-ray computed tomography (CT) due to the potential of acquiring CT scans with reduced X-ray dose while maintaining image quality. However, the longer reconstruction time of SIR methods hinders their use in X-ray CT in practice. To accelerate statistical methods, many optimization techniques have been investigated. Over-relaxation is a common technique to speed up convergence of iterative algorithms. For instance, using a relaxation parameter that is close to two in alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) has been shown to speed up convergence significantly. This paper proposes a relaxed linearized augmented Lagrangian (AL) method that shows theoretical faster convergence rate with over-relaxation and applies the proposed relaxed linearized AL method to X-ray CT image reconstruction problems. Experimental results with both simulated and real CT scan data show that the proposed relaxed algorithm (with ordered-subsets [OS] acceleration) is about twice as fast as the existing unrelaxed fast algorithms, with negligible computation and memory overhead.Comment: Submitted to IEEE Transactions on Medical Imagin

Constraint on the branching ratio of B_c \to tau nu from LEP1 and consequences for R(D(*)) anomaly

Recently there has been interest in the correlation between R(D*) and the branching ratio (BR) of $B_c \to \tau \nu$ in models with a charged scalar H^\pm. Any enhancement of R(D*) by $H^\pm$ alone (in order to agree with current data) also enhances $BR(B_c \to \tau \nu$), for which there has been no direct search at hadron colliders. We show that LEP data taken at the Z peak requires BR($B_c \to \tau \nu$) < 10%, and this constraint is significantly stronger than the recent constraint BR($B_c \to \tau \nu$) < 30% from considering the lifetime of B_c. In order to respect this new constraint, any explanation of the R(D) and R(D*) anomaly in terms of $H^\pm$ alone would require the future measurements of R(D*) to be even closer to the Standard Model prediction. A stronger limit on BR($B_c \to \tau \nu$) (or its first measurement) would be obtained if the L3 collaboration used all its data taken at the Z peak.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures, a reference and two sentences adde

Large peak-to-valley ratio of negative-differential-conductance in graphene p-n junctions

We investigate the transport characteristics of monolayer graphene p-n junctions by means of the non-equilibrium Green's function technique. It is shown that thanks to the high interband tunneling of chiral fermions and to a finite bandgap opening when the inversion symmetry of graphene plane is broken, a strong negative-differential-conductance behavior with peak-to-valley ratio as large as a few tens can be achieved even at room temperature. The dependence of this behavior on the device parameters such as the Fermi energy, the barrier height, and the transition length is then discussed.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

Geometrical interpretation and graphical solution to minimum energy discrete-data control Scientific report no. 9

Linear PAM regulator minimum energy design by geometric interpretation and graphical solutio

TTL implementation of a CAMB tree network switch

Packet collisions and their resolution create a performance bottleneck in random-access LANs. A hardware solution to this problem is to use a collision avoidance switch. These switches allow the implementation of random access protocols without the penalty of collisions among packets. An architecture based on collision avoidance is the CAMB (Collision Avoidance Multiple Broadcast) Tree network, where concurrent broadcasts are possible.The purpose of this paper is to present two implementations for a CAMB Tree switch. First, a general outline of the CAMB switch is provided. Then, a description of the two implementations is given

Automatic Generation of School Bus Routes in Los Angeles

The goal of our project is to automatically generate school bus routes for the Los Angeles Unified School District&nbsp;(LAUSD). We examined four algorithms, including two from the existing literature and two new ones that we developed. A major focus of our work was the construction of “mixed-load routes,” which transport students from multiple schools. Based on our measurements (whose imperfections we discuss), three of the four algorithms perform at least as well as the existing route plan, and one of those three performs better than the existing route plan. We also delivered a user-friendly routing program to LAUSD that uses one of these algorithms, and we have made our software publicly available. Our insights and results are also applicable to other school districts that permit mixed-load routing