The final publication is available at link.springer.com. An Optimal Control Approach to Find Sparse Data for Laplace Interpolation

Abstract. Finding optimal data for inpainting is a key problem in the context of partial differential equation-based image compression. We present a new model for optimising the data used for the reconstruction by the underlying homogeneous diffusion process. Our approach is based on an optimal control framework with a strictly convex cost functional containing an L1 term to enforce sparsity of the data and non-convex constraints. We propose a numerical approach that solves a series of convex optimisation problems with linear constraints. Our numerical examples show that it outperforms existing methods with respect to quality and computation time

Neurobiological Mechanisms of Metacognitive Therapy – An Experimental Paradigm

IntroductionThe neurobiological mechanisms underlying the clinical effects of psychotherapy are scarcely understood. In particular, the modifying effects of psychotherapy on neuronal activity are largely unknown. We here present data from an innovative experimental paradigm using the example of a patient with treatment resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder (trOCD) who underwent implantation of bilateral electrodes for deep brain stimulation (DBS). The aim of the paradigm was to examine the short term effect of metacognitive therapy (MCT) on neuronal local field potentials (LFP) before and after 5 MCT sessions.MethodsDBS electrodes were implanted bilaterally with stereotactic guidance in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis/ internal capsule (BNST/IC). The period between implantation of the electrodes and the pacemaker was used for the experimental paradigm. DBS electrodes were externalized via extension cables, yielding the opportunity to record LFP directly from the BNST/IC. The experimental paradigm was designed as follows: (a) baseline recording of LFP from the BNST/IC, (b) application of 5 MCT sessions over 3 days, (c) post-MCT recording from the BNST/IC. The Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder- scale (OCD-S) was used to evaluate OCD symptoms.ResultsOCD symptoms decreased after MCT. These reductions were accompanied by a decrease of the relative power of theta band activity, while alpha, beta, and gamma band activity was significantly increased after MCT. Further, analysis of BNST/IC LFP and frontal cortex EEG coherence showed that MCT decreased theta frequency band synchronization.DiscussionImplantation of DBS electrodes for treating psychiatric disorders offers the opportunity to gather data from neuronal circuits, and to compare effects of therapeutic interventions. Here, we demonstrate direct effects of MCT on neuronal oscillatory behavior, which may give possible cues for the neurobiological changes associated with psychotherapy

1st International Experts' Meeting on Agitation: Conclusions Regarding the Current and Ideal Management Paradigm of Agitation.

Agitation is a heterogeneous concept without a uniformly accepted definition, however, it is generally considered as a state of cognitive and motor hyperactivity characterized by excessive or inappropriate motor or verbal activity with marked emotional arousal. Not only the definition but also other aspects of agitated patients' care are still unsolved and need consensus and improvement. To help the discussion about agitation among experts and improve the identification, management, and treatment of agitation, the 1st International Experts' Meeting on Agitation was held in October 2016 in Madrid. It was attended by 20 experts from Europe and Latin America with broad experience in the clinical management of agitated patients. The present document summarizes the key conclusions of this meeting and highlights the need for an updated protocol of agitation management and treatment, the promotion of education and training among healthcare professionals to improve the care of these patients and the necessity to generate clinical data of agitated episodes

EPA guidance on physical activity as a treatment for severe mental illness: a meta-review of the evidence and Position Statement from the European Psychiatric Association (EPA), supported by the International Organization of Physical Therapists in Mental Health (IOPTMH)

Physical activity (PA) may be therapeutic for people with severe mental illness (SMI) who generally have low PA and experience numerous life style-related medical complications. We conducted a meta-review of interventions and their impact on health outcomes for people with SMI, including schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder. We searched major electronic databases until January 2018 for systematic reviews with/without meta-analysis that investigated PA for any SMI. We rated the quality of studies with the AMSTAR tool, grading the quality of evidence, and identifying gaps, future research needs and clinical practice recommendations. For MDD, consistent evidence indicated that PA can improve depressive symptoms versus control conditions, with effects comparable to those of antidepressants and psychotherapy. PA can also improve cardiorespiratory fitness and quality of life in people with MDD, although the impact on physical health outcomes was limited. There were no differences in adverse events versus control conditions. For MDD, larger effect sizes were seen when PA was delivered at moderate-vigorous intensity and supervised by an exercise specialist. For schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, evidence indicates that aerobic PA can reduce psychiatric symptoms, improves cognition and various subdomains, cardiorespiratory fitness, whilst evidence for the impact on anthropometric measures was inconsistent. There was a paucity of studies investigating PA in bipolar disorder, precluding any definitive recommendations. No cost effectiveness analyses in any SMI condition were identified. We make multiple recommendations to fill existing research gaps and increase the use of PA in routine clinical care aimed at improving psychiatric and medical outcomes

Development of Programmable Bipolar Multi kHz Kicker Drivers for Long Pulse Superconducting Electron LINACs

Superconducting cavities allow for long RF-pulses, which enable the acceleration of thousands of electron bunches within one RF-pulse. Due to transient effects, e.g. couplerkicks, eddy currents, wakefields or gun properties the beam trajectory can change along the pulse train. To compensate for this, kicker systems based on high-current operational amplifiers (OA) have been developed for the free electron lasers European XFEL and FLASH at DESY in Hamburg.Here, we present the layout of the kicker system, the setupof the pulse electronics and operational results with beam

Illumination aspects of sparse line arrays for 3D terahertz imaging

Terahertz imaging solutions for industrial non-destructive testing applications receive an increasing attention. Besides the need for real-time acquisition and image processing, 3D feature localization and large field of views of several tenths to a few meters are in the focus of interest. For this purposes sparse line arrays of transmitters (Tx) and receivers (Rx) offer an optimal approach to reduce costs, hardware complexity and potentially the required measurement time of the system, while providing a comparable imaging quality to full array based approaches. But in the presence of dominant specular reflections, sparse arrays can lead to an inhomogeneous illumination which impairs images and hampers their correct interpretation. We propose an experimentally verified method to simulative asses the design of sparse line arrays, taking in consideration the scattering characteristics of the object under test