Transit time ultrasound perivascular flow probe technology is superior to MR imaging on hepatic blood flow measurement in a porcine model

Background: The hepatic hemodynamics is an essential parameter in surgical planning as well as in various disease processes. The transit time ultrasound(TTUS) perivascular flow probe technology is widely used in clinical practice to evaluate the hepatic inflow, yet invasive. The phase-contrast-MRI(PC-MRI) is not invasive and potentially applicable in assessing the hepatic blood flow. In the present study, we compared the hepatic inflow rates using the PC-MRI and the TTUS probe, and evaluated their predictive value of post-hepatectomy adverse events. Methods: Eighteen large white pigs were anaesthetized for PC-MRI and approximately 75% hepatic resection was performed under a unified protocol. The blood flow was measured in the hepatic artery(Qha), the portal vein(Qpv), and the aorta above the celiac trunk(Qca) using PC-MRI, and was compared to the TTUS probe. The Bland-Altman method was conducted and a partial least squares regression(PLS) model was implemented. Results: The mean Qpv measured in PC-MRI was 0.55 ± 0.12 L/min, and in the TTUS probe was 0.74 ± 0.17 L/min. Qca was 1.40 ± 0.47 L/min in the PC-MRI and 2.00 ± 0.60 L/min in the TTUS probe. Qha was 0.17 ± 0.10 L/min in the PC-MRI, and 0.13 ± 0.06 L/min in the TTUS probe. The Bland-Altman method revealed that the estimated bias of Qca in the PC-MRI was 32%(95% CI:-49% to 15%); Qha 17%(95% CI:-15% to 51%); and Qpv 40%(95% CI:-62% to 18%). The TTUS probe had a higher weight in predicting adverse outcomes after 75% resection compared to the PC-MRI( β= 0.35 and 0.43 vs β = 0.22 and 0.07, for tissue changes and premature death, respectively). Conclusions: There is a tendency of the PC-MRI to underestimate the flow measured by the TTUS probes. The TTUS probe measures are more predictive of relevant post-hepatectomy outcomes.

Hybrid High‑Order Methods for the Acoustic Wave Equation in the Time Domain

We devise hybrid high-order(HHO)methods for the acoustic wave equation in the time domain.We frst consider the second-order formulation in time.Using the Newmark scheme for the temporal discretization,we show that the resulting HHO-Newmark scheme is energy-conservative,and this scheme is also amenable to static condensation at each time step.We then consider the formulation of the acoustic wave equation as a frst-order system together with singly-diagonally implicit and explicit Runge-Kutta(SDIRK and ERK)schemes.HHO-SDIRK schemes are amenable to static condensation at each time step.For HHO-ERK schemes,the use of the mixed-order formulation,where the polynomial degree of the cell unknowns is one order higher than that of the face unknowns,is key to beneft from the explicit structure of the scheme.Numerical results on test cases with analytical solutions show that the methods can deliver optimal convergence rates for smooth solutions of order O(hk+1)in the H1-norm and of order O(h^(k+2))in the L^(2)-norm.Moreover,test cases on wave propagation in heterogeneous media indicate the benefts of using high-order methods.

A Tree Pattern Matching Algorithm for XML Queries with Structural Preferences

In the XML community, exact queries allow users to specify exactly what they want to check and/or retrieve in an XML document. When they are applied to a semi-structured document or to a document with an overly complex model, the lack or the ignorance of the explicit document model (DTD—Document Type Definition, Schema, etc.) increases the risk of obtaining an empty result set when the query is too specific, or, too large result set when it is too vague (e.g. it contains wildcards such as “*”). The reason is that in both cases, users write queries according to the document model they have in mind;this can be very far from the one that can actually be extracted from the document. Opposed to exact queries, preference queries are more flexible and can be relaxed to expand the search space during their evaluations. Indeed, during their evaluation, certain constraints (the preferences they contain) can be relaxed if necessary to avoid precisely empty results;moreover, the returned answers can be filtered to retain only the best ones. This paper presents an algorithm for evaluating such queries inspired by the TreeMatch algorithm proposed by Yao et al. for exact queries. In the proposed algorithm, the best answers are obtained by using an adaptation of the Skyline operator (defined in relational databases) in the context of documents (trees) to incrementally filter into the partial solutions set, those which satisfy the maximum of preferential constraints. The only restriction imposed on documents is No-Self-Containment.

Mean-field BSDEs with jumps and dual representation for global risk measures

We study mean-field BSDEs with jumps and a generalized mean-field operator that can capture higher-order interactions.We interpret the BSDE solution as a dynamic risk measure for a representative bank whose risk attitude is influenced by the system.This influence can come in a wide class of choices,including the average system state or average intensity of system interactions.Using Fenchel−Legendre transforms,our main result is a dual representation for the expectation of the risk measure in the convex case.In particular,we exhibit its dependence on the mean-field operator.

Exploring system architectures in AADL via POLYCHRONY and SYNDEx

Architecture analysis ＆ design language （AADL） has been increasingly adopted in the design of em- bedded systems, and corresponding scheduling and formal verification have been well studied. However, little work takes code distribution and architecture exploration into ac- count, particularly considering clock constraints, for dis- tributed multi-processor systems. In this paper, we present an overview of our approach to handle these concerns, together with the associated toolchain, AADL-PoLYCHRONY-SYNDEx. First, in order to avoid semantic ambiguities of AADL, the polychronous/multiclock semantics of AADL, based on a polychronous model of computation, is considered. Clock synthesis is then carried out in POLYCHRONY, which bridges the gap between the polychronous semantics and the syn- chronous semantics of SYNDEx. The same timing semantics is always preserved in order to ensure the correctness of the transformations between different formalisms. Code distri- bution and corresponding scheduling is carried out on the obtained SYNDEx model in the last step, which enables the exploration of architectures originally specified in AADL. Our contribution provides a fast yet efficient architecture ex- ploration approach for the design of distributed real-time and embedded systems. An avionic case study is used here to illustrate our approach.

Improving on Linear Scan Register Allocation

Register allocation is a major step for all compilers. Various register allocation algorithms have been developed over the dec- ades. This work describes a new class of rapid register allocation algorithms and presents experimental data on their behavior. Our re- search encourages the avoidance of graphing and graph-coloring based on the fact that precise graph-coloring is nondeterministic poly- nomial time-complete （NP-complete）, which is not suitable for real-time tasks. In addition, practical graph-coloring algorithms tend to use polynomial-time heuristics. In dynamic compilation environments, their super linear complexity makes them unsuitable for register allocation and code generation. Existing tools for code generation and register allocation do not completely fulfill the requirements of fast compilation. Existing approaches either do not allow for the optimization of register allocation to be achieved comprehensively with a sufficient degree of performance or they require an unjustifiable amount of time and/or resources. Therefore, we propose a new class of register allocation and code generation algorithms that can be performed in linear time. These algorithms are based on the mathematic- al foundations of abstract interpretation and the computation of the level of abstraction. They have been implemented in a specialized library for just-in-time compilation. The specialization of this library involves the execution of common intermediate language （CIL） and low level virtual machine （LLVM） with a focus on embedded systems.

Pole placement approach to coherent passive reservoir engineering for storing quantum information

Reservoir engineering is the term used in quantum control and information technologies to describe manipulating the environment within which an open quantum system operates. Reservoir engineering is essential in applications where storing quantum information is required. From the control theory perspective, a quantum system is capable of storing quantum information if it possesses a so-called decoherence free subsystem （DFS）. This paper explores pole placement techniques to facilitate synthesis of decoherence free subsystems via coherent quantum feedback control. We discuss limitations of the conventional ＇open loop＇ approach and propose a constructive feedback design methodology for decoherence free subsystem engineering. It captures a quite general dynamic coherent feedback structure which allows systems with decoherence free modes to be synthesized from components which do not have such modes.

Composite Waves for a Cell Population System Modeling Tumor Growth and Invasion

In the recent biomechanical theory of cancer growth,solid tumors are considered as liquid-like materials comprising elastic components.In this fluid mechanical view,the expansion ability of a solid tumor into a host tissue is mainly driven by either the cell diffusion constant or the cell division rate,with the latter depending on the local cell density(contact inhibition) or/and on the mechanical stress in the tumor.For the two by two degenerate parabolic/elliptic reaction-diffusion system that results from this modeling,the authors prove that there are always traveling waves above a minimal speed,and analyse their shapes.They appear to be complex with composite shapes and discontinuities.Several small parameters allow for analytical solutions,and in particular,the incompressible cells limit is very singular and related to the Hele-Shaw equation.These singular traveling waves are recovered numerically.