A Rate-Distortion Approach to Index Coding

We approach index coding as a special case of rate-distortion with multiple receivers, each with some side information about the source. Specifically, using techniques developed for the rate-distortion problem, we provide two upper bounds and one lower bound on the optimal index coding rate. The upper bounds involve specific choices of the auxiliary random variables in the best existing scheme for the rate-distortion problem. The lower bound is based on a new lower bound for the general rate-distortion problem. The bounds are shown to coincide for a number of (groupcast) index coding instances, including all instances for which the number of decoders does not exceed three.Comment: Substantially extended version. Submitted to IEEE Transactions on Information Theor

Characterizing killing vector fields of standard static space-times

Cataloged from PDF version of article.We provide a global characterization of the Killing vector fields of a standard static space-time by a system of partial differential equations. By studying this system, we determine all the Killing vector fields in the same framework when the Riemannian part is compact. Furthermore, we deal with the characterization of Killing vector fields with zero curl on a standard static space-time. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.

Comparing primary prevention with secondary prevention to explain decreasing Coronary Heart Disease death rates in Ireland, 1985-2000.

BACKGROUND: To investigate whether primary prevention might be more favourable than secondary prevention (risk factor reduction in patients with coronary heart disease(CHD)). METHODS: The cell-based IMPACT CHD mortality model was used to integrate data for Ireland describing CHD patient numbers, uptake of specific treatments, trends in major cardiovascular risk factors, and the mortality benefits of these specific risk factor changes in CHD patients and in healthy people without recognised CHD. RESULTS: Between 1985 and 2000, approximately 2,530 fewer deaths were attributable to reductions in the three major risk factors in Ireland. Overall smoking prevalence declined by 14% between 1985 and 2000, resulting in about 685 fewer deaths (minimum estimate 330, maximum estimate 1,285) attributable to smoking cessation: about 275 in healthy people and 410 in known CHD patients. Population total cholesterol concentrations fell by 4.6%, resulting in approximately 1,300 (minimum estimate 1,115, maximum estimate 1,660) fewer deaths attributable to dietary changes(1,185 in healthy people and 115 in CHD patients) plus 305 fewer deaths attributable to statin treatment (45 in people without CHD and 260 in CHD patients). Mean population diastolic blood pressure fell by 7.2%, resulting in approximately 170 (minimum estimate 105, maximum estimate 300) fewer deaths attributable to secular falls in blood pressure (140 in healthy people and 30 in CHD patients), plus approximately 70 fewer deaths attributable to antihypertensive treatments in people without CHD. Of all the deaths attributable to risk factor falls, some 1,715 (68%) occurred in people without recognized CHD and 815(32%) in CHD patients. CONCLUSION: Compared with secondary prevention, primary prevention achieved a two-fold larger reduction in CHD deaths. Future national CHD policies should therefore prioritize nationwide interventions to promote healthy diets and reduce smoking

Gamete Formation Resets the Aging Clock in Yeast

Gametogenesis is a process whereby a germ cell differentiates into haploid gametes. We found that, in budding yeast, replicatively aged cells remove age-induced cellular damage during gametogenesis. Importantly, gametes of aged cells have the same replicative potential as those derived from young cells, indicating that life span resets during gametogenesis. Here, we explore the potential mechanisms responsible for gametogenesis-induced rejuvenation and discuss putative analogous mechanisms in higher eukaryotes.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (grant GM62207

Gametogenesis Eliminates Age-Induced Cellular Damage and Resets Life Span in Yeast

Eukaryotic organisms age, yet detrimental age-associated traits are not passed on to progeny. How life span is reset from one generation to the next is not known. We show that in budding yeast resetting of life span occurs during gametogenesis. Gametes (spores) generated by aged cells show the same replicative potential as gametes generated by young cells. Age-associated damage is no longer detectable in mature gametes. Furthermore, transient induction of a transcription factor essential for later stages of gametogenesis extends the replicative life span of aged cells. Our results indicate that gamete formation brings about rejuvenation by eliminating age-induced cellular damage.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant GM62207

Weight optimization of an aerobrake structural concept for a lunar transfer vehicle

An aerobrake structural concept for a lunar transfer vehicle was weight optimized through the use of the Taguchi design method, finite element analyses, and element sizing routines. Six design parameters were chosen to represent the aerobrake structural configuration. The design parameters included honeycomb core thickness, diameter-depth ratio, shape, material, number of concentric ring frames, and number of radial frames. Each parameter was assigned three levels. The aerobrake structural configuration with the minimum weight was 44 percent less than the average weight of all the remaining satisfactory experimental configurations. In addition, the results of this study have served to bolster the advocacy of the Taguchi method for aerospace vehicle design. Both reduced analysis time and an optimized design demonstrated the applicability of the Taguchi method to aerospace vehicle design

Coupled PDEs for Non-Rigid Registration and Segmentation

In this paper we present coupled partial differential equations (PDEs) for the problem of joint segmentation and registration. The registration component of the method estimates a deformation field between boundaries of two structures. The desired coupling comes from two PDEs that estimate a common surface through segmentation and its non-rigid registration with a target image. The solutions of these two PDEs both decrease the total energy of the surface, and therefore aid each other in finding a locally optimal solution. Our technique differs from recently popular joint segmentation and registration algorithms, all of which assume a rigid transformation among shapes. We present both the theory and results that demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach

Estimation of Vector Fields in Unconstrained and Inequality Constrained Variational Problems for Segmentation and Registration

Vector fields arise in many problems of computer vision, particularly in non-rigid registration. In this paper, we develop coupled partial differential equations (PDEs) to estimate vector fields that define the deformation between objects, and the contour or surface that defines the segmentation of the objects as well. We also explore the utility of inequality constraints applied to variational problems in vision such as estimation of deformation fields in non-rigid registration and tracking. To solve inequality constrained vector field estimation problems, we apply tools from the Kuhn-Tucker theorem in optimization theory. Our technique differs from recently popular joint segmentation and registration algorithms, particularly in its coupled set of PDEs derived from the same set of energy terms for registration and segmentation. We present both the theory and results that demonstrate our approach

Active Polyhedron: Surface Evolution Theory Applied to Deformable Meshes

This paper presents a novel 3D deformable surface that we call an active polyhedron. Rooted in surface evolution theory, an active polyhedron is a polyhedral surface whose vertices deform to minimize a regional and/or boundarybased energy functional. Unlike continuous active surface models, the vertex motion of an active polyhedron is computed by integrating speed terms over polygonal faces of the surface. The resulting ordinary differential equations (ODEs) provide improved robustness to noise and allow for larger time steps compared to continuous active surfaces implemented with level set methods. We describe an electrostatic regularization technique that achieves global regularization while better preserving sharper local features. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of an active polyhedron in solving segmentation problems as well as surface reconstruction from unorganized points

Guidewire tracking in x-ray videos of endovascular interventions

We present a novel method to track a guidewire in cardiac xray video. Using variational calculus, we derive differential equations that deform a spline, subject to intrinsic and extrinsic forces, so that it matches the image data, remains smooth, and preserves an a priori length. We analytically derive these equations from first principles, and show how they include tangential terms, which we include in our model. To address the poor contrast often observed in x-ray video, we propose using phase congruency as an image-based feature. Experimental results demonstrate the success of the method in tracking guidewires in low contrast x-ray video