High-speed nonlinear finite element analysis for surgical simulation using graphics processing units

The use of biomechanical modelling, especially in conjunction with finite element analysis, has become common in many areas of medical image analysis and surgical simulation. Clinical employment of such techniques is hindered by conflicting requirements for high fidelity in the modelling approach, and fast solution speeds. We report the development of techniques for high-speed nonlinear finite element analysis for surgical simulation. We use a fully nonlinear total Lagrangian explicit finite element formulation which offers significant computational advantages for soft tissue simulation. However, the key contribution of the work is the presentation of a fast graphics processing unit (GPU) solution scheme for the finite element equations. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the first GPU implementation of a nonlinear finite element solver. We show that the present explicit finite element scheme is well suited to solution via highly parallel graphics hardware, and that even a midrange GPU allows significant solution speed gains (up to 16.8 times) compared with equivalent CPU implementations. For the models tested the scheme allows real-time solution of models with up to 16 000 tetrahedral elements. The use of GPUs for such purposes offers a cost-effective high-performance alternative to expensive multi-CPU machines, and may have important applications in medical image analysis and surgical simulation.     

Radiation doses from some [3H]-labelled organic compounds following ingestion

Published information, especially human data, on the biokinetics of 11 compounds labelled with 3H was used to develop simple, cautious compound-specific models and to calculate both tissue absorbed doses and effective doses using the OLINDA computer code. The compounds were [3H]-cortisol, 3alpha-Hydroxy-5beta-pregnane-11, 20-dione-7-[3H], cyclic 20 trimethylene acetal, [3H]-ifetroban, [3H]-digoxin, 7-[2'-alpha-methylphenylethylamino[3H]]theophylline, 7-[2'-alpha-methylphenylethylamino]theophylline-[3H], [3H]-amphetamine, [17(3)H]-nicergoline, [3H]-colestipol, [3H]-5(S)-benzamido-4-oxo-6-phenylhexanoyl-l-proline and [6-(3)H]-thymidine. The calculated effective doses ranged from 6 to 87% of that predicted by the ICRP default model for uncharacterised organic compounds of tritium (OBTM). For all the compounds studied, the retention of 3H in the body was less than that predicted by the OBTM and the route of excretion was found to influence both tissue and effective doses. It is concluded that although the ICRP OBT model may underestimate doses for specific compounds by up to an order of magnitude, it can still be applied with caution for prospective radiological protection purposes, but it should not be applied for the interpretation of bioassay data.     

Modelling of neutron survey instrument performance and experimental validation of those calculated response data

Three moderator-type neutron survey instruments have been modelled for energy and angle dependence of the response, in greater detail than before. These response data have been verified by comparison with published experimental measurements and measurements made specifically for this project. Influences on the instrument response have also been investigated. These have included its mode-of-use and perturbations caused by variations in the instrument manufacture. The implications of these new response data have been assessed by an extensive programme of folding the responses with workplace energy distributions.     

Thermal and cardiovascular strain imposed by motorcycle protective clothing under Australian summer conditions

Motorcycle protective clothing can be uncomfortably hot during summer, and this experiment was designed to evaluate the physiological significance of that burden. Twelve males participated in four, 90-min trials (cycling 30 W) across three environments (25, 30, 35 °C [all 40% relative humidity]). Clothing was modified between full and minimal injury protection. Both ensembles were tested at 25 °C, with only the more protective ensemble investigated at 30 and 35 °C. At 35 °C, auditory canal temperature rose at 0.02 °C min^?1 (SD 0.005), deviating from all other trials (p < 0.05). The thresholds for moderate (>38.5 °C) and profound hyperthermia (>40.0 °C) were predicted to occur within 105 min (SD 20.6) and 180 min (SD 33.0), respectively. Profound hyperthermia might eventuate in ~10 h at 30 °C, but should not occur at 25 °C. These outcomes demonstrate a need to enhance the heat dissipation capabilities of motorcycle clothing designed for summer use in hot climates, but without compromising impact protection.

Practitioner’s Summary:

Motorcycle protective clothing can be uncomfortably hot during summer. This experiment was designed to evaluate the physiological significance of this burden across climatic states. In the heat, moderate (>38.5 °C) and profound hyperthermia (>40.0 °C) were predicted to occur within 105 and 180 min, respectively.     

Physical Maltreatment Victim to Antisocial Child: Evidence of an Environmentally Mediated Process.

The well-documented finding that child physical maltreatment predicts later antisocial behavior has at least 2 explanations: (a) Physical maltreatment causes antisocial behavior, and (b) genetic factors transmitted from parents to children influence the likelihood that parents will be abusive and that children will engage in antisocial behavior. The authors tested these hypotheses in the representative Environmental-Risk cohort of 1,116 twin pairs and their families, who were assessed when the twins were 5 and 7 years old. Mothers reported on children's experience of physical maltreatment, and mothers and teachers reported on children's antisocial behavior. The findings support the hypothesis that physical maltreatment plays a causal role in the development of children's antisocial behavior and that preventing maltreatment can prevent its violent sequelae. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Pigmentation of Acrylic Resins*

Acrylic resins may be divided into two main categories—solvent-bome and water-borne systems—and these have been further subdivided into two groups, namely solutions and dispersions. Problems associated with the pigmentation of acrylic resins are discussed, and methods of assessing the wetting properties of the system are mentioned. The use of wetting and dispersing agents is examined, and the concept of the hydrophilic-lyophilic balance (HLB) value is investigated in this context. Pigmentation is one important factor that must be considered in assessing the exterior durability of acrylic resins, certain types of which are ideal media for metallic finishes because of their excellent polishing and weathering properties. The phenomenon of geometric metamerism associated with metallic finishes is discussed.     

Airborne differences in odors emitted byRattus norvegicus in response to reward and nonreward

To test the hypothesis that rats (Rattus norvegicus) emit airborne, differential odors in response to reward and nonreward, donor rats received random sequences of rewarded and nonrewarded placements in small compartments and an airstream transported odors from these compartments to test rats in a separate chamber. When donors remained in the compartments during, or were removed just prior to, air transport, test rats utilized transported odors as discriminative cues signaling their own reward and nonreward for a lever-press response. When the airstream was passed through a clean compartment containing paper flooring extracted from donor compartments, test rats were not able to discriminate. Test trials to assess for control by food odors suggest that donor-produced odors, rather than food odors per se, provided the discriminative signals for test rats. Results confirm the existence of somewhat volatile, although apparently stable, odors emitted in response to reward and nonreward, and implicate a differential in amount and/or type of odor produced by donors to these two events as the source of discriminative control.     

Antioxidant activity of amino acids bound to trolox-C

Various amino acids, selected for their potential antioxidant activity, were, covalently attached to 6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid (Trolox-C), a lower homolog of vitamin E that has great antioxidant effectiveness. The resulting Troloxylamino acids (T-AA) had greater antioxidant effectiveness than Trolox-C in a linoleate emulsion system oxidized by hemoglobin. Troloxyl-tryptophan-methyl ester and Troloxyl-methionine-methyl ester were the most effective T-AA evaluated in the linoleate emulsion. However, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and α-tocopherol were more antioxidant than any T-AA in the emulsion system. In a Schaal oven test at 45 C. Trolox-C was by by far the most effective antioxidant evaluated in corn oil. BHT and Troloxylcysteine had significant antioxidant activity in corn oil, but no other T-AA was antioxidant in corn oil. In butter oil, Trolox-C again had the highest antioxidant activity, and BHA and BHT were also highly antioxidant. All t-AA had antioxidant activity in butter oil, with Troloxyl-methioninc and Troloxyl-cysteine having the grcatest antioxidant effectiveness. The T-AA of highest antioxidant activity were hydrolyzed by chymotrypsin and/or trypsin, in vitro.