A Study of Speed of the Boundary Element Method as applied to the Realtime Computational Simulation of Biological Organs

In this work, possibility of simulating biological organs in realtime using the Boundary Element Method (BEM) is investigated. Biological organs are assumed to follow linear elastostatic material behavior, and constant boundary element is the element type used. First, a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) is used to speed up the BEM computations to achieve the realtime performance. Next, instead of the GPU, a computer cluster is used. Results indicate that BEM is fast enough to provide for realtime graphics if biological organs are assumed to follow linear elastostatic material behavior. Although the present work does not conduct any simulation using nonlinear material models, results from using the linear elastostatic material model imply that it would be difficult to obtain realtime performance if highly nonlinear material models that properly characterize biological organs are used. Although the use of BEM for the simulation of biological organs is not new, the results presented in the present study are not found elsewhere in the literature.Comment: preprint, draft, 2 tables, 47 references, 7 files, Codes that can solve three dimensional linear elastostatic problems using constant boundary elements (of triangular shape) while ignoring body forces are provided as supplementary files; codes are distributed under the MIT License in three versions: i) MATLAB version ii) Fortran 90 version (sequential code) iii) Fortran 90 version (parallel code

Simulations using meshfree methods

In this paper, attempt is made to solve a few problems using the Polynomial Point Collocation Method (PPCM), the Radial Point Collocation Method (RPCM), Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH), and the Finite Point Method (FPM). A few observations on the accuracy of these methods are recorded. All the simulations in this paper are three dimensional linear elastostatic simulations, without accounting for body forces.Comment: preprint (draft) + 3 figures, 1 table, 2 appendices, 2 images, 1 MATLAB cod

Gain vs. Loss and Near vs. Far Spatial Distance Message Framing and Support for Aquaculture Among U.S. Seafood Consumers

In the U.S., the aquaculture industry receives differential support from various publics due to the health and environmental concerns of seafood consumers. Since consumer communication plays a significant role in policy support, understanding how messages about aquaculture should be framed is important. This study investigated the influence of gain vs. loss and near vs. far spatial distance framing on support for aquaculture among seafood consumers in the U.S. The study used a 2*2 experimental design to vary gain/loss and near/far framing among 1052 U.S. residents from all 50 states. An online questionnaire, distributed by the survey firm GfK, was employed to collect quantitative data. Gain frames highlight advantages of adhering to an expected behavioral outcome whereas loss frames highlight disadvantages of nonconforming to a given expectancy. In contrast, a near frame specifies spatial closeness to an event and the far frame is focused on spatially distal events. The framing literature reveals that message framing behaves in contradictory ways depending on the context. For instance, gain frames are more effective in influencing cautious behaviors but loss frames are more effective in inducing risky behaviors. Similarly, near vs. far spatial distance framing shows converging influences depending on research contexts. This study investigated three main research questions to identify what message frames may engender more support for aquacultures and tested for their interaction effect. Results suggest that age, gender, education, political orientation, region of the U.S., seafood consumption frequency, and message relevancy cause extra variation above the effect of the framing variables. Therefore, these variables were treated as covariates in the ANCOVA. Findings further indicated that the loss frame was more effective in increasing support for aquaculture than the gain frame. In addition, near and far spatial distance frames had no significant impact on the support for aquaculture at 5% probability levels. However, loss/near and loss/ far messages show a significant increase in support for aquaculture at the 10% probability level. Finally, gain vs. loss and near vs. far spatial distance frames do not have a significant interaction effect. The above findings indicate that emphasizing the losses of non-adoption of aquaculture in the U.S. (i.e., near) and China (i.e., far) for U.S. audiences may influence support for aquaculture policies, as compared to gain-framed messages. This study also poses implications for the seafood industry as it suggests that presenting a loss frame (as opposed to a gain frame) may lead to more support for aquaculture among U.S. consumers, when controlling for various individual characteristics. Loss frames highlight the disadvantages of not adopting aquaculture in a given location. In so doing, these messages may provoke thoughts about loss of employment opportunities, adverse economic effects of less adoption, and nutritional disadvantages of not consuming seafood, and thus lead to support for the aquaculture industry. Analyzing the mediation and moderation roles of message relevance and emotions, seafood consumption, aquaculture knowledge, perceived aquaculture benefits, source credibility, and political orientation is suggested as future research to this study

Extracting Three Dimensional Surface Model of Human Kidney from the Visible Human Data Set using Free Software

Three dimensional digital model of a representative human kidney is needed for a surgical simulator that is capable of simulating a laparoscopic surgery involving kidney. Buying a three dimensional computer model of a representative human kidney, or reconstructing a human kidney from an image sequence using commercial software, both involve (sometimes significant amount of) money. In this paper, author has shown that one can obtain a three dimensional surface model of human kidney by making use of images from the Visible Human Data Set and a few free software packages (ImageJ, ITK-SNAP, and MeshLab in particular). Images from the Visible Human Data Set, and the software packages used here, both do not cost anything. Hence, the practice of extracting the geometry of a representative human kidney for free, as illustrated in the present work, could be a free alternative to the use of expensive commercial software or to the purchase of a digital model.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures, accepted versio

A Study of the Tax System Associated with the Ancient Irrigation System and the use of the Proceeds for Temple Purposes Revealed by the Source of the Epigraphy

This study is an epigraphy sourced inquiry into the taxation system associated with the ancient irrigation system of Sri Lanka and the use of that revenue for rural needs. Tank land is the most popular type of land that was donated for temples by royalty, nobles as well as common people. Its incomes have been used in an organized manner to fulfill the needs of the residents, to successfully fulfill religious functions, as well as for the restoration processes of the temple. The research problem here was whether the tank lands given for temples and their income were used for temple needs with proper management. The main objective of this study was to conduct a study on the tank lands offered for temples during the Rajarata kingdoms and their revenue management. To identify how Viharaya emerged as a property-owning organization, investigate the contribution and involvement of Bhikshu in the management of the revenue shares of a lake, investigate the legal provisions in the use of the revenue of the tank lands for temple needs, etc. was implemented as sub-objectives of this research. The research method used here is the historical research method. The conclusions of this research were reached by studying the data obtained in a comparative and analytical manner based on the information revealed by epigraphical sources, limiting to the Rajarata civilization stage. The conclusion reached here was that due to the taxes obtained from the tank lands made for the temples and those revenues were used with proper management to meet the needs of the residents, an orderly temple administration system had been built at the same time. DOI: http://doi.org/10.31357/fhss/vjhss.v07i02.1

PERCEPTION AND USAGE OF HEALTH INFORMATION SOURCES AND SERVICES AMONG THE URBAN COMMUNITY USERS OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES: A CASE STUDY OF BHADRAVATHI

The study examined the perception and usage of health information sources and services by the urban community users of public libraries. The study investigated 110 users from two public libraries in Bhadravathi. Findings revealed that majority of the users not enrolling library membership. 44.54% of users were visit library daily and large numbers of respondents were get health information through newspaper followed by television, advertisements and pamphlet/brochures. Education and sports were the most frequently preferred topics by the users. Arogya column published by Prajavani Kannada newspaper was most preferred newspaper column for getting health information by the users followed by VK Health column published by Vijaya Karnataka was stood in 2nd position to get health information by the users. Most of the users preferred Sudha, Gruhashobha and Taranga magazines to get health information. Stimulatingly, large number of the users frequently listen health related programs in Radio. The study also revealed that most of the users were aware about H1N1, DPT, Polio, BCG, TT, AIDS Control, 108 Arogya Kavacha, Malaria Cholera Dengue, Family Planning, Chicken Gunya district health programs of Karnataka state

Teachers Working in Special Schools in Scotland Acting with Practical Wisdom:Supporting Children with Additional Needs in COVID-19 Lockdown

The COVID-19 lockdown has substantially disrupted the established facets of teacher engagement with their students, and, given the significance of this multidimensional interaction, it brings into question what we know as teachers’ identity. The lockdown has offered a dilemmatic context where the processes of teaching and learning and being(s) a teacher are being re-visited and re-negotiated. This paper looks specifically at the perceptions of two teachers of their lockdown experience working within a special education context in Scotland, supporting children with disabilities and/or learning difficulties while at home. The question that this paper addresses is: what is the understanding of these two teachers of their role in a specialised educational context while in COVID-19 lockdown? This paper uses ‘practical wisdom’ (also known as phronêsis) as its theoretical basis, where the focus is on teachers’ judgements at precisely those moments where guidelines and procedures are unclear, and the criteria open to multiple interpretations. The COVID-19 pandemic certainly provided this context. Richard Smith’s interpretation of phronêsis as ‘attentiveness’ are central to this paper. In-depth interviews carried out with teachers are analysed through this theoretical framework and two themes are discussed