Continuing improvements in CPU and GPU performances as well as increasing multi-core processor and cluster-based parallelism demand for flexible and scalable parallel rendering solutions that can ...exploit multipipe hardware accelerated graphics. In fact, to achieve interactive visualization, scalable rendering systems are essential to cope with the rapid growth of data sets. However, parallel rendering systems are non-trivial to develop and often only application specific implementations have been proposed. The task of developing a scalable parallel rendering framework is even more difficult if it should be generic to support various types of data and visualization applications, and at the same time work efficiently on a cluster with distributed graphics cards. In this paper we introduce a novel system called Equalizer, a toolkit for scalable parallel rendering based on OpenGL which provides an application programming interface (API) to develop scalable graphics applications for a wide range of systems ranging from large distributed visualization clusters and multi-processor multipipe graphics systems to single-processor single-pipe desktop machines. We describe the system architecture, the basic API, discuss its advantages over previous approaches, present example configurations and usage scenarios as well as scalability results.
Great advancements in commodity graphics hardware have favoured graphics processing unit (GPU)‐based volume rendering as the main adopted solution for interactive exploration of rectilinear scalar ...volumes on commodity platforms. Nevertheless, long data transfer times and GPU memory size limitations are often the main limiting factors, especially for massive, time‐varying or multi‐volume visualization, as well as for networked visualization on the emerging mobile devices. To address this issue, a variety of level‐of‐detail (LOD) data representations and compression techniques have been introduced. In order to improve capabilities and performance over the entire storage, distribution and rendering pipeline, the encoding/decoding process is typically highly asymmetric, and systems should ideally compress at data production time and decompress on demand at rendering time. Compression and LOD pre‐computation does not have to adhere to real‐time constraints and can be performed off‐line for high‐quality results. In contrast, adaptive real‐time rendering from compressed representations requires fast, transient and spatially independent decompression. In this report, we review the existing compressed GPU volume rendering approaches, covering sampling grid layouts, compact representation models, compression techniques, GPU rendering architectures and fast decoding techniques.
GPU‐based volume rendering is the major currently adopted solution for interactive exploration of rectilinear scalar volumes on commodity platforms. Nevertheless, long data transfer times and GPU memory size limitations are often the main limiting factors, especially for massive, time‐varying or multi‐volume visualization, as well as for networked visualization on the emerging mobile devices. This article reviews the existing compressed GPU volume rendering approaches, covering sampling grid layouts, compact representation models, compression techniques, GPU rendering architectures and fast decoding techniques.
Direct volume rendering has become a popular method for visualizing volumetric datasets. Even though computers are continually getting faster, it remains a challenge to incorporate sophisticated ...illumination models into direct volume rendering while maintaining interactive frame rates. In this paper, we present a novel approach for advanced illumination in direct volume rendering based on GPU ray-casting. Our approach features directional soft shadows taking scattering into account, ambient occlusion and color bleeding effects while achieving very competitive frame rates. In particular, multiple dynamic lights and interactive transfer function changes are fully supported. Commonly, direct volume rendering is based on a very simplified discrete version of the original volume rendering integral, including the development of the original exponential extinction into a-blending. In contrast to a-blending forming a product when sampling along a ray, the original exponential extinction coefficient is an integral and its discretization a Riemann sum. The fact that it is a sum can cleverly be exploited to implement volume lighting effects, i.e. soft directional shadows, ambient occlusion and color bleeding. We will show how this can be achieved and how it can be implemented on the GPU.
Information concerning central venous pressure (CVP) is crucial in clinical situations, such as cardiac failure, volume overload, and sepsis. The measurement of CVP, however, requires insertion of a ...catheter through a vein up a vena cava - close to the heart - with related cost and risk of complications. Peripheral venous pressure (PVP) measurement is a technique which allows indirect assessment of CVP without catheterization. However, PVP measurement is cumbersome since it requires several devices, trained medical personnel, and is difficult to perform repeatably. Aiming at an automatic venous pressure measurement system via image-processing, we introduce in this paper a robust vessel tracking algorithm fit for this purpose. The proposed algorithm addresses the challenge of tracking compressed vessels, which is essential for this venous pressure measurement technique. Given this tracking algorithm, initial PVP measurements on healthy volunteers are reported.
s
The extraction of caffeine by hydrophilic and hydrophobic aliphatic alcohols of linear and branched structure is studied, also by water-soluble alkyl acetates. A correlation between the ...distribution ratios of caffeine (log
D
) and the molecular weight of alcohol (log
M
) is found. The concentration of caffeine in the aqueous phase is determined by UV spectrophotometry. The distribution ratios and recovery of caffeine are calculated.
—
Against the background of global warming, urban ecosystems are becoming increasingly vulnerable to climate stresses. Strategies for climate adaptation developed for almost every major city in the ...world pay considerable attention to urban green infrastructure as a nature-oriented solution for carbon sequestration. However, the influence of urban climate on the spatiotemporal variability of CO
2
emissions from urban soils remains poorly understood, which can lead to inaccurate estimates and inflated expectations of urban green infrastructure in the context of carbon neutrality. In 2019–2022, studies of the dynamics of CO
2
emission with parallel monitoring of soil temperature and soil moisture were carried out at three green infrastructure sites of Moscow differing in their mesoclimatic conditions. For each object, plots with different types of vegetation were compared, which made it possible to assess the internal heterogeneity of soil and microclimatic conditions. Soil temperature determined up to 70% of the total variance of CO
2
emissions. Mean annual soil temperature in the city center was almost 3–6°C higher than that in the peripheral areas (10–12 km from the center), whereas soil moisture in the center was 10–15% lower. Soils under lawns and shrubs were, on average, 1–2°C warmer and 10–15% wetter than soils under trees. The annual CO
2
emission from soils under lawns was, on average, 20–30% higher than that from soils under tree plantations in the same area. At the same time, the differences between the plots with the same vegetation in the center and on the periphery reached 50%, which reflects the high vulnerability of urban soil carbon stocks to mesoclimatic anomalies and the high risks of a further increase in CO
2
emissions from urban soils against the background of climate change.
The slow evaporation of an acetone solution containing
trans
-Ru(NO)Py
4
(OH)
2+
cations and hexafluorophosphate anions results in the crystallization of
trans
-Ru(NO)Py
4
(OH)(PF
6
)
2
⋅ (CH
3
)
2
...CO (
I
). The reactions of
trans
‑Ru(NO)Py
4
(OH)Cl
2
⋅ H
2
O with solutions of chloric or hydrochloric acid followed by the evaporation of the reaction solutions at ambient temperature afford
trans
-Ru(NO)Py
4
(H
2
O)(ClO
4
)
3
(
II
) or H
5
O
2
2
Ru(NO)Py
4
ClCl
4
(
III
), respectively. The obtained chloride complex
III
is unstable and at ambient temperature eliminates hydrogen chloride to transform into
trans-
Ru(NO)Py
4
ClCl
2
⋅ 4H
2
O (
IV
). The crystal structures of compounds
I
and
III
are determined by X-ray structure analysis (CIF files ССDC nos. 1421042 (
I
) and 1421041 (
III
)).
According to the data of
1
H NMR spectroscopy,
trans
-hydroxochloro complexes containing from two to four pyridine molecules in the internal sphere are formed on the heating of a dilute aqueous ...solution of K
2
Ru(NO)Cl
5
with pyridine. The evaporation of the reaction solution with concentrated hydrochloric acid gives
fac
-Ru(NO)(Py)
2
Cl
3
(
I
) in a yield of ~90%. The structures of two crystalline modifications of this complex are determined by X-ray diffraction analysis (CIF files ССDС nos. 1452208 (
Ia
) and 1452207 (
Ib
)). IR spectroscopy shows that the irradiation of complex
I
(λ ~ 450 nm,
T
= 80 K) results in photoisomerization with the formation of the metastable state MS1 in which the nitroso group is coordinated by the oxygen atom. The activation parameters of the photoisomerization are determined from the data of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Compound
trans
-Ru(NO)Py
4
(OH)Cl
2
∙ H
2
O is isolated in a yield of ~70% on reflux of complex
I
with a pyridine excess in an aqueous solution, and the presence of molecules of water of crystallization in this compound is confirmed by thermal gravimetry (TG) and IR spectroscopy.
Background: Acute leukemia (AL) during pregnancy is a rare event. The incidence of AL in pregnancy has been reported as one in 100 000 1. The serious complications may be caused in these women as by ...pregnancy as by AL and chemotherapy.
Aim: To evaluate the outcomes of pregnant women with AL admitted in ICU due to life-threatening complications before delivery.
Patients (Pts) and Methods: 20 pregnant women with AL admitted in the intensive care unit (ICU) due to the life-threatening complications were included in retrospective study (1996-2016). The reasons for ICU admission, chemotherapy, delivery features and outcomes of mothers and children were assessed.
Results: 14 pts had acute myeloid leukemia (AML), 2 two of them with acute promyelocytic leukemia, 6 pts had acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), age 18-40 yrs., median 30 yrs. Gestation age on ICU admission was 14-36 week, median 32 week. In 19 women AL was manifested during pregnancy, one woman had relapse of AL. 15 pts received induction chemotherapy before ICU admission (7+3, AIDA ALL-2009). 12 pts were severe neutropenic (WBC <0.5*109/l). The reasons for ICU admission were hypoxemic acute respiratory failure (ARF) (13 pts), acute renal failure (4 pts), sepsis (6 pts). ARF developed as result of pneumonia (10), pulmonary edema (2), ATRA syndrome (1). Lung ultrasound was used in pts with ARF to avoid radiation exposure. Bronchoalveolar lavage was done in 6 pts. The most common pathogen causing pneumonia was Pneumocystis jirovecii (4 pts), all of them were treated with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. One woman had cytomegalovirus infection. 2 pts were noninvasive ventilated and 2 patients were mechanically ventilated. 4 pts received noradrenaline. Hemodialysis was required in 1 pregnant woman. All women had anemia (Hb levels from 65 to 114 g/l, median 85 g/l) and thrombocytopenia (from 10*109/l to 140*109/l, median 65*109/l).
1 woman with pneumocystic pneumonia had miscarriage and died 3 days after due to ARF. One woman died due to ARF on the 18-20 weeks of gestation age. Fast improvement was achieved in 3 women and they were discharged from ICU before delivery. Remained 15 women required urgent cesarean section and they delivered in ICU. In total, only 1 woman had vaginal birth, 17 pts required cesarean section. Cesarean sections were performed under general anesthesia in 13 pts and spinal anesthesia in 3 pts. Blood loss was from 200 to 1500 ml, median 803 ml. 16 children were born alive (APGAR scores 6-8), 1 child died 11 days after delivery due to ARF, 1 child was born with Down's syndrome and heart malformation. After delivery all women were discharged from ICU. In all pts the chemotherapy of AL was continued after delivery. The median overall survival of pts with acute leukemia who required ICU admission during pregnancy was 13.9 months.
Conclusion: In the most pregnant pts life-threatening complication were associated with neutropenia. The frequent complication was ARF due to pneumonia, especially caused Pneumocystis jirovecii. Despite life-threatening complications, potentially adverse effect on the fetus of antibiotic therapy and chemotherapy the majority of pregnant women delivered the healthy children.
Reference.
1.Hurley TJ, McKinnell JV, Irani MS. Hematologic malignancies in pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am. 2005; 32: 595-614.
No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
After the addition of the saturated NaClO
4
solution to a solution of
trans
-Ru(NO)(NH
3
)
4
SO
4
HSO
4
•H
2
O,
trans
-Ru(NO)(NH
3
)
4
SO
4
ClO
4
perchlorate salt (
I
) is obtained with the yield of ...~80%. The heating of
trans
-Ru(NO)(NH
3
)
4
(H
2
O)(HSO
4
)SO
4
at a temperature of ~220 °C results in a complete removal of coordination water and a partial removal of ammonia molecules. Successive treatment of the thermolysis product with sulfuric and hydrochloric acids yields Ru(NO)(NH
3
)
4
SO
4
Ru(NO)(NH
3
)
3
Cl(SO
4
)HSO
4
•H
2
O crystals (
II
). The single crystal X-ray diffraction method is used to determine the structure of the compounds obtained. For
I
: space group
P
2
1
/
c
,
a
= 6.6949(9) Å,
b
= 13.7049(19) Å,
c
= 12.8641(17) Å, β = 101.028(4)°; for
II
: space group
Р
2
1
/
c
,
a
= 14.1304(4) Å,
b
= 12.4908(3) Å,,
c
= 11.6264(3) Å, β = 94.1980(10)°.
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