GPU-based Streaming for Parallel Level of Detail on Massive Model Rendering

Rendering massive 3D models in real-time has long been recognized as a very challenging problem because of the limited computational power and memory space available in a workstation. Most existing rendering techniques, especially level of detail (LOD) processing, have suffered from their sequential execution natures, and does not scale well with the size of the models. We present a GPU-based progressive mesh simplification approach which enables the interactive rendering of large 3D models with hundreds of millions of triangles. Our work contributes to the massive rendering research in two ways. First, we develop a novel data structure to represent the progressive LOD mesh, and design a parallel mesh simplification algorithm towards GPU architecture. Second, we propose a GPU-based streaming approach which adopt a frame-to-frame coherence scheme in order to minimize the high communication cost between CPU and GPU. Our results show that the parallel mesh simplification algorithm and GPU-based streaming approach significantly improve the overall rendering performance

The effects of anti-sense interleukin-5 gene transferred by recombinant adeno-associated virus in allergic rats

The accumulation and infiltration of eosinophils in airways is one of the most important characteristics of asthma, and is mediated partly by secretion of IL-5 from Th2 lymphocytes. It is well known that interleukin-5 (IL-5) played an important role in the regulation of eosinophils. In this study, an anti-sense IL-5 gene transferred by recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV-ASIL-5) was prepared to transfect allergic rats. It was found that the expression of IL-5 protein in plasma and BALF were inhibited significantly. The rAAV-ASIL-5-mediated suppression of total cell counts in peripheral blood and BALF were also observed. Moreover, rAAV-ASIL-5 remarkably reduced the eosinophil counts in peripheral blood and BALF, as well as the expression of ECP protein in plasma and BALF. The inflammation in lungs of rAAV-ASIL-5 pretreated rats also became slighter when compared with allergic rats. Otherwise, no apparent pathological damage to vital organs of rats was found. In conclusion, recombinant adeno-associated virus-mediated delivery of anti-sense IL-5 gene inhibited the accumulation of eosinophils and the airways inflammation in rat model of allergic asthma via suppressing IL-5 expression. It suggested the feasibility of rAAV-ASIL-5 in the gene therapy for allergic asthma and other eosinophilic diseases

The effects of surface modifications of multiwalled carbon nanotubes on their dispersibility in different solvents and poly(ether ether ketone)

The effects of surface modifications of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on their dispersibility in different solvents and poly (ether ether ketone) (PEEK) have been studied. MWCNTs were treated by mixed acids to obtain acid-functionalized MWCNTs. The acid-functionalized MWCNTs were modified with different chemical agents separately, such as 1,6-diaminohexane, hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide, silane coupling agent 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, anhydrous sulfanilic acid and ethanolamine. MWCNT/PEEK composite films were fabricated in order to explore systematically the dispersibility of differently modified MWCNTs PEEK as well as in different solvents. The morphology and structures of MWCNTs and the compatibility between MWCNTs and PEEK have been investigated. It was observed that the MWCNTs modified with anhydrous sulfanilic acid have an excellent dispersion in the PEEK grafted by sulfonic acid groups and that the MWCNTs modified with ethanolamine are also dispersed well in pure PEEK. The results herein provide useful insights into the development of MWCNT/PEEK composites for a wide variety of applications.Peer reviewe