A Perfect Match Condition for Point-Set Matching Problems Using the Optimal Mass Transport Approach

We study the performance of optimal mass transport--based methods applied to point-set matching problems. The present study, which is based on the L2 mass transport cost, states that perfect matches always occur when the product of the point-set cardinality and the norm of the curl of the nonrigid deformation field does not exceed some constant. This analytic result is justified by a numerical study of matching two sets of pulmonary vascular tree branch points whose displacement is caused by the lung volume changes in the same human subject. The nearly perfect match performance verifies the effectiveness of this mass transport--based approach.Read More: http://epubs.siam.org/doi/abs/10.1137/12086443

Spin structure factor and thermodynamics in the antiferromagnetic quantum Ising model in the pyrochlore lattice

We numerically compute the temperature dependence of spin structure factor and thermodynamic quantities in the antiferromagnetic quantum Ising model in the pyrochlore lattice. This model exhibits spin disorder ground state with exponentially-decayed spin correlation. We reproduce the temperature dependence of the pinch point structure in the neutron scattering experiment and correct entropy obtained from the measurement of the specific heat.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figure

A Large Panel Two-CCD Camera Coordinate System with an Alternate-Eight-Matrix Look-Up Table Algorithm

AbstractIn this study, a novel positioning model of a double-CCD cameras calibration system, with an Alternate-Eight-Matrix (AEM) Look-Up-Table (LUT), was proposed. Two CCD cameras were fixed on both sides of a large scale screen to redeem Field Of View (FOV) problems. The first to the fourth AEMLUT were used to compute the corresponding positions of intermediate blocks on the screen captured by the right side camera. In these AEMLUT for the right side camera, the coordinate mapping data of the target in a specific space were stored in two matrixes, while the gray level threshold values of different position were stored in the others. Similarly, the fifth to the eighth AEMLUT were used to compute the corresponding positions of intermediate blocks on the screen captured by the left side camera. Experimental results showed that the problems of dead angles and non-uniform light fields were solved. In addition, rapid and precision positioning results can be obtained by the proposed method

Uniqueness and structure of solutions to the Dirichlet problem for an elliptic system

AbstractIn this paper, we consider the Dirichlet problem for an elliptic system on a ball in R2. By investigating the properties for the corresponding linearized equations of solutions, and adopting the Pohozaev identity and Implicit Function Theorem, we show the uniqueness and the structure of solutions

Enhancement of brain-type creatine kinase activity ameliorates neuronal deficits in Huntington's disease

AbstractHuntington's disease (HD) is a hereditary neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin (HTT) gene. Brain-type creatine kinase (CKB) is an enzyme involved in energy homeostasis via the phosphocreatine–creatine kinase system. Although downregulation of CKB was previously reported in brains of HD mouse models and patients, such regulation and its functional consequence in HD are not fully understood. In the present study, we demonstrated that levels of CKB found in both the soma and processes were markedly reduced in primary neurons and brains of HD mice. We show for the first time that mutant HTT (mHTT) suppressed the activity of the promoter of the CKB gene, which contributes to the lowered CKB expression in HD. Exogenous expression of wild-type CKB, but not a dominant negative CKB mutant, rescued the ATP depletion, aggregate formation, impaired proteasome activity, and shortened neurites induced by mHTT. These findings suggest that negative regulation of CKB by mHTT is a key event in the pathogenesis of HD and contributes to the neuronal dysfunction associated with HD. In addition, besides dietary supplementation with the CKB substrate, strategies aimed at increasing CKB expression might lead to the development of therapeutic treatments for HD

Rapid detection of K650E mutation in FGFR3 using uncultured amniocytes in a pregnancy affected with fetal cloverleaf skull, occipital pseudoencephalocele, ventriculomegaly, straight short femurs, and thanatophoric dysplasia type II

AbstractObjectiveTo present the ultrasound and molecular genetic diagnosis of thanatophoric dysplasia type II (TD2).Case ReportA 35-year-old, primigravid woman was referred to our institution for genetic counseling and amniocentesis at 19 weeks of gestation because of advanced maternal age and sonographic abnormalities in the fetus. The prenatal ultrasound showed short straight femurs, prominent forehead, narrow chest, skin edema, short limbs, and cloverleaf skull consistent with the diagnosis of TD2. Amniocentesis revealed a karyotype of 46,XX. DNA testing for the FGFR3 gene using uncultured amniocytes revealed a heterozygous c.1948A>G, AAG>GAG transversion leading to a p.Lys650Glu(K650E) mutation in the FGFR3 gene. A prenatal ultrasound at 21 weeks of gestation showed ventriculomegaly, cloverleaf skull, straight femurs, micromelia, narrow chest, and pseudoencephalocele with a bulging occipital bone mimicking encephalocele. The pregnancy was subsequently terminated, and a 480-g malformed fetus was delivered with macrocephaly, depressed nasal bridge, short upturned nasal tip, hypoplastic midface, frontal bossing, short digits, trident-shaped hands, short limbs, cloverleaf skull, narrow chest, brachydactyly, nuchal edema, and bulging occipital bone.ConclusionA prenatal diagnosis of cloverleaf skull, short limbs, straight femurs, and occipital pseudoencephalocele should include a differential diagnosis of TD2. A molecular analysis of FGFR3 using uncultured amniocytes is useful for the rapid confirmation of TD2 at prenatal diagnosis