16,544 research outputs found
Quantitative magnetic resonance image analysis via the EM algorithm with stochastic variation
Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging (qMRI) provides researchers insight
into pathological and physiological alterations of living tissue, with the help
of which researchers hope to predict (local) therapeutic efficacy early and
determine optimal treatment schedule. However, the analysis of qMRI has been
limited to ad-hoc heuristic methods. Our research provides a powerful
statistical framework for image analysis and sheds light on future localized
adaptive treatment regimes tailored to the individual's response. We assume in
an imperfect world we only observe a blurred and noisy version of the
underlying pathological/physiological changes via qMRI, due to measurement
errors or unpredictable influences. We use a hidden Markov random field to
model the spatial dependence in the data and develop a maximum likelihood
approach via the Expectation--Maximization algorithm with stochastic variation.
An important improvement over previous work is the assessment of variability in
parameter estimation, which is the valid basis for statistical inference. More
importantly, we focus on the expected changes rather than image segmentation.
Our research has shown that the approach is powerful in both simulation studies
and on a real dataset, while quite robust in the presence of some model
assumption violations.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/07-AOAS157 the Annals of
Applied Statistics (http://www.imstat.org/aoas/) by the Institute of
Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org
Episodic Learning with Control Lyapunov Functions for Uncertain Robotic Systems
Many modern nonlinear control methods aim to endow systems with guaranteed
properties, such as stability or safety, and have been successfully applied to
the domain of robotics. However, model uncertainty remains a persistent
challenge, weakening theoretical guarantees and causing implementation failures
on physical systems. This paper develops a machine learning framework centered
around Control Lyapunov Functions (CLFs) to adapt to parametric uncertainty and
unmodeled dynamics in general robotic systems. Our proposed method proceeds by
iteratively updating estimates of Lyapunov function derivatives and improving
controllers, ultimately yielding a stabilizing quadratic program model-based
controller. We validate our approach on a planar Segway simulation,
demonstrating substantial performance improvements by iteratively refining on a
base model-free controller
Modelling Time-varying Dark Energy with Constraints from Latest Observations
We introduce a set of two-parameter models for the dark energy equation of
state (EOS) to investigate time-varying dark energy. The models are
classified into two types according to their boundary behaviors at the redshift
and their local extremum properties. A joint analysis based on
four observations (SNe + BAO + CMB + ) is carried out to constrain all the
models. It is shown that all models get almost the same and the cosmological parameters with the
best-fit results , although the constraint results on two
parameters and the allowed regions for the EOS are
sensitive to different models and a given extra model parameter. For three of
Type I models which have similar functional behaviors with the so-called CPL
model, the constrained two parameters and have negative correlation
and are compatible with the ones in CPL model, and the allowed regions of
get a narrow node at . The best-fit results from the most
stringent constraints in Model Ia give which may compare with the best-fit results in the CPL model. For four of
Type II models which have logarithmic function forms and an extremum point, the
allowed regions of are found to be sensitive to different models and a
given extra parameter. It is interesting to obtain two models in which two
parameters and are strongly correlative and appropriately reduced
to one parameter by a linear relation .Comment: 30 pages, 7 figure
Probing Topcolor-Assisted Technicolor from Like-sign Top Pair Production at LHC
The topcolor-assisted technicolor (TC2) theory predicts tree-level
flavor-changing neutral-current (FCNC) top quark Yukawa couplings with
top-pions. Such FCNC interactions will induce like-sign top quark pair
productions at CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC). While these rare productions
are far below the observable level in the Standard Model and other popular new
physics models such as the Minimal Supersymmetric Model, we find that in a
sound part of parameter space the TC2 model can enhance the production cross
sections to several tens of fb and thus may be observable at the LHC due to
rather low backgrounds. Searching for these productions at the LHC will serve
as an excellent probe for the TC2 model.Comment: 10 pages, 6 fig
Multi-Atomic Mirror for Perfect Reflection of Single Photons in A Wide Band of Frequency
A resonant two level atom doped in one dimensional waveguide behaves as a
mirror, but this single-atom "mirror" can only reflect single photon perfectly
at a specific frequency. For a one dimensional coupled-resonator waveguide, we
propose to extend the perfect reflection region from a specific frequency to a
wide band by placing many atoms individually in the resonators in a finite
coordinate region of the waveguide. Such a doped resonator array promises us to
control the propagation of a practical photon wave packet with certain momentum
distribution instead of a single photon, which is ideally represented by a
plane wave with specific momentum. The studies based on the discrete-coordinate
scattering theory display that such hybrid structure indeed provides a
near-perfect reflection for single photon in a wide band. We also calculated
photon group velocity distribution, which shows that the perfect reflection
with wide band exactly corresponds to the stopping light region.Comment: 8 pages, 10 figure
Parametrical optimization of laser surface alloyed NiTi shape memory alloy with Co and Nb by the Taguchi method
Different high-purity metal powders were successfully alloyed on to a nickel titanium (NiTi) shape memory alloy (SMA) with a 3 kW carbon dioxide (CO2) laser system. In order to produce an alloyed layer with complete penetration and acceptable composition profile, the Taguchi approach was used as a statistical technique for optimizing selected laser processing parameters. A systematic study of laser power, scanning velocity, and pre-paste powder thickness was conducted. The signal-to-noise ratios (S/N) for each control factor were calculated in order to assess the deviation from the average response. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was carried out to understand the significance of process variables affecting the process effects. The Taguchi method was able to determine the laser process parameters for the laser surface alloying technique with high statistical accuracy and yield a laser surface alloying technique capable of achieving a desirable dilution ratio. Energy dispersive spectrometry consistently showed that the per cent by weight of Ni was reduced by 45 per cent as compared with untreated NiTi SMA when the Taguchi-determined laser processing parameters were employed, thus verifying the laser's processing parameters as optimum
Inherent Mach-Zehnder interference with "which-way" detection for single particle scattering in one dimension
We study the coherent transport of single photon in a one-dimensional
coupled-resonator-array, "non-locally" coupled to a two-level system. Since its
inherent structure is a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, we explain the destructive
interference phenomenon of the transmission spectrums according to the effect
of which-way detection. The quantum realization of the present model is a
nano-electromechanical resonator arrays with two nearest resonators coupled to
a single spin via their attached magnetic tips. Its classical simulation is a
waveguide of coupled defected cavity array with double couplings to a side
defected cavity.Comment: 5 papges, 4 figure
A new metric for rotating charged Gauss-Bonnet black holes in AdS spaces
This paper presents a new metric for slowly rotating charged Gauss-Bonnet
black holes in higher dimensional anti-de Sitter spaces. Taking the angular
momentum parameter up to second order, the slowly rotating charged black
hole solutions are obtained by working directly in the action.Comment: 11 pages and accepted by Chin. Phys.
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