Controllability and Robustness of Functional and Structural Connectomic Networks in Glioma Patients.

Previous studies suggest that the topological properties of structural and functional neural networks in glioma patients are altered beyond the tumor location. These alterations are due to the dynamic interactions with large-scale neural circuits. Understanding and describing these interactions may be an important step towards deciphering glioma disease evolution.

Structural Target Controllability of Brain Networks in Dementia.

Controlling the dynamics of large-scale neural circuits might play an important role in aberrant cognitive functioning as found in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Analyzing the disease trajectory changes is of critical relevance when we want to get an understanding of the neurodegenerative disease evolution. Advanced control theory offers a multitude of techniques and concepts that can be easily translated into the dynamic processes governing disease evolution at the patient level, treatment response evaluation and revealing some central mechanisms in brain connectomic networks that drive alterations in these diseases.

A theta-scheme approximation of basic reproduction number for an age-structured epidemic system in a finite horizon.

This paper focuses on numerical approximation of the basic reproduction number R, which is the threshold defined by the spectral radius of the next-generation operator in epidemiology. Generally speaking, R cannot be explicitly calculated for most age-structured epidemic systems. In this paper, for a deterministic age-structured epidemic system and its stochastic version, we discretize a linear operator produced by the infective population with a theta scheme in a finite horizon, which transforms the abstract problem into the problem of solving the positive dominant eigenvalue of the next-generation matrix.

Technical Note: A comparison of point set registration methods for electromagnetic tracking.

Purpose: High dose rate brachytherapy applies intense and destructive radiation. A treatment plan defines radiation source dwell positions to avoid irradiating healthy tissue. The study discusses methods to quantify any positional changes of source locations along the various treatment sessions.

Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography in the evaluation of breast suspicious calcifications: diagnostic accuracy and impact on surgical management.

Background: Detecting pathological breast calcifications remains challenging. Based on recent studies, contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) was shown to be superior compared to full-field digital mammography (FFDM).

Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of CESM in suspicious breast calcifications and its impact on surgical decision-making.