Methods for simulating turbulent phase screen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Jianzhu; Zhang Feizhou; Wu Yi

2012-01-01

Some methods for simulating turbulent phase screen are summarized, and their characteristics are analyzed by calculating the phase structure function, decomposing phase screens into Zernike polynomials, and simulating laser propagation in the atmosphere. Through analyzing, it is found that, the turbulent high-frequency components are well contained by those phase screens simulated by the FFT method, but the low-frequency components are little contained. The low-frequency components are well contained by screens simulated by Zernike method, but the high-frequency components are not contained enough. The high frequency components contained will be improved by increasing the order of the Zernike polynomial, but they mainly lie in the edge-area. Compared with the two methods above, the fractal method is a better method to simulate turbulent phase screens. According to the radius of the focal spot and the variance of the focal spot jitter, there are limitations in the methods except the fractal method. Combining the FFT and Zernike method or combining the FFT method and self-similar theory to simulate turbulent phase screens is an effective and appropriate way. In general, the fractal method is probably the best way. (authors)

A Method for Functional Task Alignment Analysis of an Arthrocentesis Simulator.

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, Reid A; Gilbert, Gregory E; Buckley, Lisa A; Nino Fong, Rodolfo; Fuentealba, I Carmen; Little, Erika L

2018-05-16

During simulation-based education, simulators are subjected to procedures composed of a variety of tasks and processes. Simulators should functionally represent a patient in response to the physical action of these tasks. The aim of this work was to describe a method for determining whether a simulator does or does not have sufficient functional task alignment (FTA) to be used in a simulation. Potential performance checklist items were gathered from published arthrocentesis guidelines and aggregated into a performance checklist using Lawshe's method. An expert panel used this performance checklist and an FTA analysis questionnaire to evaluate a simulator's ability to respond to the physical actions required by the performance checklist. Thirteen items, from a pool of 39, were included on the performance checklist. Experts had mixed reviews of the simulator's FTA and its suitability for use in simulation. Unexpectedly, some positive FTA was found for several tasks where the simulator lacked functionality. By developing a detailed list of specific tasks required to complete a clinical procedure, and surveying experts on the simulator's response to those actions, educators can gain insight into the simulator's clinical accuracy and suitability. Unexpected of positive FTA ratings of function deficits suggest that further revision of the survey method is required.

Intern as Patient: A Patient Experience Simulation to Cultivate Empathy in Emergency Medicine Residents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sara W. Nelson

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction Prior work links empathy and positive physician-patient relationships to improved healthcare outcomes. The objective of this study was to analyze a patient experience simulation for emergency medicine (EM interns as a way to teach empathy and conscientious patient care. Methods We conducted a qualitative descriptive study on an in situ, patient experience simulation held during EM residency orientation. Half the interns were patients brought into the emergency department (ED by ambulance and half were family members. Interns then took part in focus groups that discussed the experience. Data collected during these focus groups were coded by two investigators using a grounded theory approach and constant comparative methodology. Results We identified 10 major themes and 28 subthemes in the resulting qualitative data. Themes were in three broad categories: the experience as a patient or family member in the ED; application to current clinical practice; and evaluation of the exercise itself. Interns experienced firsthand the physical discomfort, emotional stress and confusion patients and families endure during the ED care process. They reflected on lessons learned, including the importance of good communication skills, frequent updates on care and timing, and being responsive to the needs and concerns of patients and families. All interns felt this was a valuable orientation experience. Conclusion Conducting a patient experience simulation may be a practical and effective way to develop empathy in EM resident physicians. Additional research evaluating the effect of participation in the simulation over a longer time period and assessing the effects on residents’ actual clinical care is warranted.

The adaptation method in the Monte Carlo simulation for computed tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Hyoung Gun; Yoon, Chang Yeon; Lee, Won Ho [Dept. of Bio-convergence Engineering, Korea University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Seung Ryong [Dept. of Nuclear and Quantum Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Park, Sung Ho [Dept. of Neurosurgery, Ulsan University Hospital, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

2015-06-15

The patient dose incurred from diagnostic procedures during advanced radiotherapy has become an important issue. Many researchers in medical physics are using computational simulations to calculate complex parameters in experiments. However, extended computation times make it difficult for personal computers to run the conventional Monte Carlo method to simulate radiological images with high-flux photons such as images produced by computed tomography (CT). To minimize the computation time without degrading imaging quality, we applied a deterministic adaptation to the Monte Carlo calculation and verified its effectiveness by simulating CT image reconstruction for an image evaluation phantom (Catphan; Phantom Laboratory, New York NY, USA) and a human-like voxel phantom (KTMAN-2) (Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA). For the deterministic adaptation, the relationship between iteration numbers and the simulations was estimated and the option to simulate scattered radiation was evaluated. The processing times of simulations using the adaptive method were at least 500 times faster than those using a conventional statistical process. In addition, compared with the conventional statistical method, the adaptive method provided images that were more similar to the experimental images, which proved that the adaptive method was highly effective for a simulation that requires a large number of iterations-assuming no radiation scattering in the vicinity of detectors minimized artifacts in the reconstructed image.

Fluid, solid and fluid-structure interaction simulations on patient-based abdominal aortic aneurysm models.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, Sinead; O'Rourke, Malachy

2012-04-01

This article describes the use of fluid, solid and fluid-structure interaction simulations on three patient-based abdominal aortic aneurysm geometries. All simulations were carried out using OpenFOAM, which uses the finite volume method to solve both fluid and solid equations. Initially a fluid-only simulation was carried out on a single patient-based geometry and results from this simulation were compared with experimental results. There was good qualitative and quantitative agreement between the experimental and numerical results, suggesting that OpenFOAM is capable of predicting the main features of unsteady flow through a complex patient-based abdominal aortic aneurysm geometry. The intraluminal thrombus and arterial wall were then included, and solid stress and fluid-structure interaction simulations were performed on this, and two other patient-based abdominal aortic aneurysm geometries. It was found that the solid stress simulations resulted in an under-estimation of the maximum stress by up to 5.9% when compared with the fluid-structure interaction simulations. In the fluid-structure interaction simulations, flow induced pressure within the aneurysm was found to be up to 4.8% higher than the value of peak systolic pressure imposed in the solid stress simulations, which is likely to be the cause of the variation in the stress results. In comparing the results from the initial fluid-only simulation with results from the fluid-structure interaction simulation on the same patient, it was found that wall shear stress values varied by up to 35% between the two simulation methods. It was concluded that solid stress simulations are adequate to predict the maximum stress in an aneurysm wall, while fluid-structure interaction simulations should be performed if accurate prediction of the fluid wall shear stress is necessary. Therefore, the decision to perform fluid-structure interaction simulations should be based on the particular variables of interest in a given

Five Topics Health Care Simulation Can Address to Improve Patient Safety

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sollid, Stephen J M; Dieckman, Peter; Aase, Karina

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVES: There is little knowledge about which elements of health care simulation are most effective in improving patient safety. When empirical evidence is lacking, a consensus statement can help define priorities in, for example, education and research. A consensus process was therefore...... initiated to define priorities in health care simulation that contribute the most to improve patient safety.  METHODS: An international group of experts took part in a 4-stage consensus process based on a modified nominal group technique. Stages 1 to 3 were based on electronic communication; stage 4 was a 2......-day consensus meeting at the Utstein Abbey in Norway. The goals of stage 4 were to agree on the top 5 topics in health care simulation that contribute the most to patient safety, identify the patient safety problems they relate to, and suggest solutions with implementation strategies...

Recent advancements in medical simulation: patient-specific virtual reality simulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Willaert, Willem I M; Aggarwal, Rajesh; Van Herzeele, Isabelle; Cheshire, Nicholas J; Vermassen, Frank E

2012-07-01

Patient-specific virtual reality simulation (PSVR) is a new technological advancement that allows practice of upcoming real operations and complements the established role of VR simulation as a generic training tool. This review describes current developments in PSVR and draws parallels with other high-stake industries, such as aviation, military, and sports. A review of the literature was performed using PubMed and Internet search engines to retrieve data relevant to PSVR in medicine. All reports pertaining to PSVR were included. Reports on simulators that did not incorporate a haptic interface device were excluded from the review. Fifteen reports described 12 simulators that enabled PSVR. Medical procedures in the field of laparoscopy, vascular surgery, orthopedics, neurosurgery, and plastic surgery were included. In all cases, source data was two-dimensional CT or MRI data. Face validity was most commonly reported. Only one (vascular) simulator had undergone face, content, and construct validity. Of the 12 simulators, 1 is commercialized and 11 are prototypes. Five simulators have been used in conjunction with real patient procedures. PSVR is a promising technological advance within medicine. The majority of simulators are still in the prototype phase. As further developments unfold, the validity of PSVR will have to be examined much like generic VR simulation for training purposes. Nonetheless, similar to the aviation, military, and sport industries, operative performance and patient safety may be enhanced by the application of this novel technology.

Mini Combat Trauma Patient Simulation System Defense Acquisition Challenge Program (DACP): Mini Combat Trauma Patient Simulation (Mini CTPS)

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

2004-01-01

.... It consists of networked realistic casualty generators, patient simulators and computer-based casualty simulations, virtual patients and equipment, data and sensor recorders, and an After- Action Review System...

Assessment of Robotic Patient Simulators for Training in Manual Physical Therapy Examination Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Ishikawa, Shun; Okamoto, Shogo; Isogai, Kaoru; Akiyama, Yasuhiro; Yanagihara, Naomi; Yamada, Yoji

2015-01-01

Robots that simulate patients suffering from joint resistance caused by biomechanical and neural impairments are used to aid the training of physical therapists in manual examination techniques. However, there are few methods for assessing such robots. This article proposes two types of assessment measures based on typical judgments of clinicians. One of the measures involves the evaluation of how well the simulator presents different severities of a specified disease. Experienced clinicians were requested to rate the simulated symptoms in terms of severity, and the consistency of their ratings was used as a performance measure. The other measure involves the evaluation of how well the simulator presents different types of symptoms. In this case, the clinicians were requested to classify the simulated resistances in terms of symptom type, and the average ratios of their answers were used as performance measures. For both types of assessment measures, a higher index implied higher agreement among the experienced clinicians that subjectively assessed the symptoms based on typical symptom features. We applied these two assessment methods to a patient knee robot and achieved positive appraisals. The assessment measures have potential for use in comparing several patient simulators for training physical therapists, rather than as absolute indices for developing a standard. PMID:25923719

Assessment of robotic patient simulators for training in manual physical therapy examination techniques.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shun Ishikawa

Full Text Available Robots that simulate patients suffering from joint resistance caused by biomechanical and neural impairments are used to aid the training of physical therapists in manual examination techniques. However, there are few methods for assessing such robots. This article proposes two types of assessment measures based on typical judgments of clinicians. One of the measures involves the evaluation of how well the simulator presents different severities of a specified disease. Experienced clinicians were requested to rate the simulated symptoms in terms of severity, and the consistency of their ratings was used as a performance measure. The other measure involves the evaluation of how well the simulator presents different types of symptoms. In this case, the clinicians were requested to classify the simulated resistances in terms of symptom type, and the average ratios of their answers were used as performance measures. For both types of assessment measures, a higher index implied higher agreement among the experienced clinicians that subjectively assessed the symptoms based on typical symptom features. We applied these two assessment methods to a patient knee robot and achieved positive appraisals. The assessment measures have potential for use in comparing several patient simulators for training physical therapists, rather than as absolute indices for developing a standard.

Assessment of robotic patient simulators for training in manual physical therapy examination techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishikawa, Shun; Okamoto, Shogo; Isogai, Kaoru; Akiyama, Yasuhiro; Yanagihara, Naomi; Yamada, Yoji

2015-01-01

Robots that simulate patients suffering from joint resistance caused by biomechanical and neural impairments are used to aid the training of physical therapists in manual examination techniques. However, there are few methods for assessing such robots. This article proposes two types of assessment measures based on typical judgments of clinicians. One of the measures involves the evaluation of how well the simulator presents different severities of a specified disease. Experienced clinicians were requested to rate the simulated symptoms in terms of severity, and the consistency of their ratings was used as a performance measure. The other measure involves the evaluation of how well the simulator presents different types of symptoms. In this case, the clinicians were requested to classify the simulated resistances in terms of symptom type, and the average ratios of their answers were used as performance measures. For both types of assessment measures, a higher index implied higher agreement among the experienced clinicians that subjectively assessed the symptoms based on typical symptom features. We applied these two assessment methods to a patient knee robot and achieved positive appraisals. The assessment measures have potential for use in comparing several patient simulators for training physical therapists, rather than as absolute indices for developing a standard.

GEM simulation methods development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tikhonov, V.; Veenhof, R.

2002-01-01

A review of methods used in the simulation of processes in gas electron multipliers (GEMs) and in the accurate calculation of detector characteristics is presented. Such detector characteristics as effective gas gain, transparency, charge collection and losses have been calculated and optimized for a number of GEM geometries and compared with experiment. A method and a new special program for calculations of detector macro-characteristics such as signal response in a real detector readout structure, and spatial and time resolution of detectors have been developed and used for detector optimization. A detailed development of signal induction on readout electrodes and electronics characteristics are included in the new program. A method for the simulation of charging-up effects in GEM detectors is described. All methods show good agreement with experiment

Improving patient safety through better teamwork: how effective are different methods of simulation debriefing? Protocol for a pragmatic, prospective and randomised study.

Science.gov (United States)

Freytag, Julia; Stroben, Fabian; Hautz, Wolf E; Eisenmann, Dorothea; Kämmer, Juliane E

2017-06-30

Medical errors have an incidence of 9% and may lead to worse patient outcome. Teamwork training has the capacity to significantly reduce medical errors and therefore improve patient outcome. One common framework for teamwork training is crisis resource management, adapted from aviation and usually trained in simulation settings. Debriefing after simulation is thought to be crucial to learning teamwork-related concepts and behaviours but it remains unclear how best to debrief these aspects. Furthermore, teamwork-training sessions and studies examining education effects on undergraduates are rare. The study aims to evaluate the effects of two teamwork-focused debriefings on team performance after an extensive medical student teamwork training. A prospective experimental study has been designed to compare a well-established three-phase debriefing method (gather-analyse-summarise; the GAS method ) to a newly developed and more structured debriefing approach that extends the GAS method with TeamTAG (teamwork techniques analysis grid). TeamTAG is a cognitive aid listing preselected teamwork principles and descriptions of behavioural anchors that serve as observable patterns of teamwork and is supposed to help structure teamwork-focused debriefing. Both debriefing methods will be tested during an emergency room teamwork-training simulation comprising six emergency medicine cases faced by 35 final-year medical students in teams of five. Teams will be randomised into the two debriefing conditions. Team performance during simulation and the number of principles discussed during debriefing will be evaluated. Learning opportunities, helpfulness and feasibility will be rated by participants and instructors. Analyses will include descriptive, inferential and explorative statistics. The study protocol was approved by the institutional office for data protection and the ethics committee of Charité Medical School Berlin and registered under EA2/172/16. All students will

Using a simulated patient to transfer patient-centred skills from simulated practice to real patients in practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yolinda Uys

2014-11-01

Conclusion: Using a simulated patient to teach administration of an intramuscular injection enhanced students’ patient-centredness when performing the procedure in practice. Recommendations include making use of a bigger sample and including a pre-test the next time research of this nature is carried out.

Evaluating the practice of Iranian community pharmacists regarding oral contraceptive pills using simulated patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Foroutan, Nazanin; Dabaghzadeh, Fatemeh

2016-01-01

As oral contraceptive pills are available over the counter in pharmacies, pharmacists are professionally responsible for checking and informing patients about every aspect of taking these drugs. Simulated patient method is a new and robust way to evaluate professional performance of pharmacists. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the pharmacy practice of Iranian pharmacists regarding over-the-counter use of oral contraceptive pills using simulated patient method. Simulated patients visited pharmacy with a prescription containing ciprofloxacin and asked for oral contraceptive pills. The pharmacist was expected to ask important questions for using these drugs and to inform the patient about them properly. Moreover, the Pharmacists should advise patients in regard to the possible interaction. Ninety four pharmacists participated in this study. In 24 (25.3%) visits, the liable pharmacist was not present at the time of purchase. Furthermore, In 13 (18.57 %) visits by the simulated patients, the liable pharmacists did not pay any attention to the simulated patients even when they asked for consultation. Twenty nine (41.43%) pharmacists did not ask any question during dispensing. Nausea was the most frequent described side effect by pharmacists (27 (38.57%)). Yet important adverse effects of oral contraceptive pills were not mentioned by the pharmacists except for few ones. Only twelve (17.14%) pharmacists mentioned the possible interaction. There was a significant relation between the pharmacists' gender and detection of possible interaction (p value= 0.048). The quality of the pharmacists' consultations regarding the over the counter use of oral contraceptive pills was not satisfactory and required improvement.

Detector Simulation: Data Treatment and Analysis Methods

CERN Document Server

Apostolakis, J

2011-01-01

Detector Simulation in 'Data Treatment and Analysis Methods', part of 'Landolt-Börnstein - Group I Elementary Particles, Nuclei and Atoms: Numerical Data and Functional Relationships in Science and Technology, Volume 21B1: Detectors for Particles and Radiation. Part 1: Principles and Methods'. This document is part of Part 1 'Principles and Methods' of Subvolume B 'Detectors for Particles and Radiation' of Volume 21 'Elementary Particles' of Landolt-Börnstein - Group I 'Elementary Particles, Nuclei and Atoms'. It contains the Section '4.1 Detector Simulation' of Chapter '4 Data Treatment and Analysis Methods' with the content: 4.1 Detector Simulation 4.1.1 Overview of simulation 4.1.1.1 Uses of detector simulation 4.1.2 Stages and types of simulation 4.1.2.1 Tools for event generation and detector simulation 4.1.2.2 Level of simulation and computation time 4.1.2.3 Radiation effects and background studies 4.1.3 Components of detector simulation 4.1.3.1 Geometry modeling 4.1.3.2 External fields 4.1.3.3 Intro...

Patient safety and quality of care: How may clinical simulation contribute?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanne Jensen

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The usability of health information technology (IT is increasingly recognized as critically important to the development of systems that ensure patient safety and quality of care. The substantial complexity of organizations, work practice and physical environments within the healthcare sector influences the development and application of health IT. When health IT is introduced in local clinical work practices, potential patient safety hazards and insufficient support of work practices need to be examined. Qualitative methods, such as clinical simulation, may be used to evaluate new technology in correlation with the clinical context and to study the interaction between users, technology and work practice. Compared with the “classic” methods, such as heuristic inspection and usability testing, clinical simulation takes the clinical context into account. Clinical simulation can be useful in many processes in the human-centred design cycle. In the requirement specification, clinical simulation can be useful to analyze user requirements and work practice as well to evaluate requirements. In the design of health IT, clinical simulation can be used to evaluate clinical information systems and serve as common ground to help to achieve a shared understanding between various communities of practice. In a public procurement process, a clinical simulation-based assessment can help give insight into different solutions and how they support work practice. Before organizational implementation, clinical simulation is a very suitable means, by which to assess an application in connection with work practice.

Creation and Delphi-method refinement of pediatric disaster triage simulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Cicero, Mark X; Brown, Linda; Overly, Frank; Yarzebski, Jorge; Meckler, Garth; Fuchs, Susan; Tomassoni, Anthony; Aghababian, Richard; Chung, Sarita; Garrett, Andrew; Fagbuyi, Daniel; Adelgais, Kathleen; Goldman, Ran; Parker, James; Auerbach, Marc; Riera, Antonio; Cone, David; Baum, Carl R

2014-01-01

There is a need for rigorously designed pediatric disaster triage (PDT) training simulations for paramedics. First, we sought to design three multiple patient incidents for EMS provider training simulations. Our second objective was to determine the appropriate interventions and triage level for each victim in each of the simulations and develop evaluation instruments for each simulation. The final objective was to ensure that each simulation and evaluation tool was free of bias toward any specific PDT strategy. We created mixed-methods disaster simulation scenarios with pediatric victims: a school shooting, a school bus crash, and a multiple-victim house fire. Standardized patients, high-fidelity manikins, and low-fidelity manikins were used to portray the victims. Each simulation had similar acuity of injuries and 10 victims. Examples include children with special health-care needs, gunshot wounds, and smoke inhalation. Checklist-based evaluation tools and behaviorally anchored global assessments of function were created for each simulation. Eight physicians and paramedics from areas with differing PDT strategies were recruited as Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) for a modified Delphi iterative critique of the simulations and evaluation tools. The modified Delphi was managed with an online survey tool. The SMEs provided an expected triage category for each patient. The target for modified Delphi consensus was ≥85%. Using Likert scales and free text, the SMEs assessed the validity of the simulations, including instances of bias toward a specific PDT strategy, clarity of learning objectives, and the correlation of the evaluation tools to the learning objectives and scenarios. After two rounds of the modified Delphi, consensus for expected triage level was >85% for 28 of 30 victims, with the remaining two achieving >85% consensus after three Delphi iterations. To achieve consensus, we amended 11 instances of bias toward a specific PDT strategy and corrected 10

A virtual source method for Monte Carlo simulation of Gamma Knife Model C

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Tae Hoon; Kim, Yong Kyun [Hanyang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Chung, Hyun Tai [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

The Monte Carlo simulation method has been used for dosimetry of radiation treatment. Monte Carlo simulation is the method that determines paths and dosimetry of particles using random number. Recently, owing to the ability of fast processing of the computers, it is possible to treat a patient more precisely. However, it is necessary to increase the simulation time to improve the efficiency of accuracy uncertainty. When generating the particles from the cobalt source in a simulation, there are many particles cut off. So it takes time to simulate more accurately. For the efficiency, we generated the virtual source that has the phase space distribution which acquired a single gamma knife channel. We performed the simulation using the virtual sources on the 201 channel and compared the measurement with the simulation using virtual sources and real sources. A virtual source file was generated to reduce the simulation time of a Gamma Knife Model C. Simulations with a virtual source executed about 50 times faster than the original source code and there was no statistically significant difference in simulated results.

A virtual source method for Monte Carlo simulation of Gamma Knife Model C

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Tae Hoon; Kim, Yong Kyun; Chung, Hyun Tai

2016-01-01

The Monte Carlo simulation method has been used for dosimetry of radiation treatment. Monte Carlo simulation is the method that determines paths and dosimetry of particles using random number. Recently, owing to the ability of fast processing of the computers, it is possible to treat a patient more precisely. However, it is necessary to increase the simulation time to improve the efficiency of accuracy uncertainty. When generating the particles from the cobalt source in a simulation, there are many particles cut off. So it takes time to simulate more accurately. For the efficiency, we generated the virtual source that has the phase space distribution which acquired a single gamma knife channel. We performed the simulation using the virtual sources on the 201 channel and compared the measurement with the simulation using virtual sources and real sources. A virtual source file was generated to reduce the simulation time of a Gamma Knife Model C. Simulations with a virtual source executed about 50 times faster than the original source code and there was no statistically significant difference in simulated results

Assessing methods for dealing with treatment switching in randomised controlled trials: a simulation study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Latimer Nicholas

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background We investigate methods used to analyse the results of clinical trials with survival outcomes in which some patients switch from their allocated treatment to another trial treatment. These included simple methods which are commonly used in medical literature and may be subject to selection bias if patients switching are not typical of the population as a whole. Methods which attempt to adjust the estimated treatment effect, either through adjustment to the hazard ratio or via accelerated failure time models, were also considered. A simulation study was conducted to assess the performance of each method in a number of different scenarios. Results 16 different scenarios were identified which differed by the proportion of patients switching, underlying prognosis of switchers and the size of true treatment effect. 1000 datasets were simulated for each of these and all methods applied. Selection bias was observed in simple methods when the difference in survival between switchers and non-switchers were large. A number of methods, particularly the AFT method of Branson and Whitehead were found to give less biased estimates of the true treatment effect in these situations. Conclusions Simple methods are often not appropriate to deal with treatment switching. Alternative approaches such as the Branson & Whitehead method to adjust for switching should be considered.

New methods in plasma simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mason, R.J.

1990-01-01

The development of implicit methods of particle-in-cell (PIC) computer simulation in recent years, and their merger with older hybrid methods have created a new arsenal of simulation techniques for the treatment of complex practical problems in plasma physics. The new implicit hybrid codes are aimed at transitional problems that lie somewhere between the long time scale, high density regime associated with MHD modeling, and the short time scale, low density regime appropriate to PIC particle-in-cell techniques. This transitional regime arises in ICF coronal plasmas, in pulsed power plasma switches, in Z-pinches, and in foil implosions. Here, we outline how such a merger of implicit and hybrid methods has been carried out, specifically in the ANTHEM computer code, and demonstrate the utility of implicit hybrid simulation in applications. 25 refs., 5 figs

Same Content, Different Methods: Comparing Lecture, Engaged Classroom, and Simulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Raleigh, Meghan F; Wilson, Garland Anthony; Moss, David Alan; Reineke-Piper, Kristen A; Walden, Jeffrey; Fisher, Daniel J; Williams, Tracy; Alexander, Christienne; Niceler, Brock; Viera, Anthony J; Zakrajsek, Todd

2018-02-01

There is a push to use classroom technology and active teaching methods to replace didactic lectures as the most prevalent format for resident education. This multisite collaborative cohort study involving nine residency programs across the United States compared a standard slide-based didactic lecture, a facilitated group discussion via an engaged classroom, and a high-fidelity, hands-on simulation scenario for teaching the topic of acute dyspnea. The primary outcome was knowledge retention at 2 to 4 weeks. Each teaching method was assigned to three different residency programs in the collaborative according to local resources. Learning objectives were determined by faculty. Pre- and posttest questions were validated and utilized as a measurement of knowledge retention. Each site administered the pretest, taught the topic of acute dyspnea utilizing their assigned method, and administered a posttest 2 to 4 weeks later. Differences between the groups were compared using paired t-tests. A total of 146 residents completed the posttest, and scores increased from baseline across all groups. The average score increased 6% in the standard lecture group (n=47), 11% in the engaged classroom (n=53), and 9% in the simulation group (n=56). The differences in improvement between engaged classroom and simulation were not statistically significant. Compared to standard lecture, both engaged classroom and high-fidelity simulation were associated with a statistically significant improvement in knowledge retention. Knowledge retention after engaged classroom and high-fidelity simulation did not significantly differ. More research is necessary to determine if different teaching methods result in different levels of comfort and skill with actual patient care.

Simple Method to Estimate Mean Heart Dose From Hodgkin Lymphoma Radiation Therapy According to Simulation X-Rays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nimwegen, Frederika A. van [Department of Psychosocial Research, Epidemiology, and Biostatistics, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Cutter, David J. [Clinical Trial Service Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford (United Kingdom); Oxford Cancer Centre, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, Oxford (United Kingdom); Schaapveld, Michael [Department of Psychosocial Research, Epidemiology, and Biostatistics, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Rutten, Annemarieke [Department of Radiology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Kooijman, Karen [Department of Psychosocial Research, Epidemiology, and Biostatistics, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Krol, Augustinus D.G. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden (Netherlands); Janus, Cécile P.M. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Center, Rotterdam (Netherlands); Darby, Sarah C. [Clinical Trial Service Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford (United Kingdom); Leeuwen, Flora E. van [Department of Psychosocial Research, Epidemiology, and Biostatistics, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Aleman, Berthe M.P., E-mail: b.aleman@nki.nl [Department of Radiation Oncology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam (Netherlands)

2015-05-01

Purpose: To describe a new method to estimate the mean heart dose for Hodgkin lymphoma patients treated several decades ago, using delineation of the heart on radiation therapy simulation X-rays. Mean heart dose is an important predictor for late cardiovascular complications after Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) treatment. For patients treated before the era of computed tomography (CT)-based radiotherapy planning, retrospective estimation of radiation dose to the heart can be labor intensive. Methods and Materials: Patients for whom cardiac radiation doses had previously been estimated by reconstruction of individual treatments on representative CT data sets were selected at random from a case–control study of 5-year Hodgkin lymphoma survivors (n=289). For 42 patients, cardiac contours were outlined on each patient's simulation X-ray by 4 different raters, and the mean heart dose was estimated as the percentage of the cardiac contour within the radiation field multiplied by the prescribed mediastinal dose and divided by a correction factor obtained by comparison with individual CT-based dosimetry. Results: According to the simulation X-ray method, the medians of the mean heart doses obtained from the cardiac contours outlined by the 4 raters were 30 Gy, 30 Gy, 31 Gy, and 31 Gy, respectively, following prescribed mediastinal doses of 25-42 Gy. The absolute-agreement intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.93 (95% confidence interval 0.85-0.97), indicating excellent agreement. Mean heart dose was 30.4 Gy with the simulation X-ray method, versus 30.2 Gy with the representative CT-based dosimetry, and the between-method absolute-agreement intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.87 (95% confidence interval 0.80-0.95), indicating good agreement between the two methods. Conclusion: Estimating mean heart dose from radiation therapy simulation X-rays is reproducible and fast, takes individual anatomy into account, and yields results comparable to the labor

Addressing Dual Patient and Staff Safety Through A Team-Based Standardized Patient Simulation for Agitation Management in the Emergency Department.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Ambrose H; Auerbach, Marc A; Ruppel, Halley; Crispino, Lauren J; Rosenberg, Alana; Iennaco, Joanne D; Vaca, Federico E

2018-06-01

Emergency departments (EDs) have seen harm rise for both patients and health workers from an increasing rate of agitation events. Team effectiveness during care of this population is particularly challenging because fear of physical harm leads to competing interests. Simulation is frequently employed to improve teamwork in medical resuscitations but has not yet been reported to address team-based behavioral emergency care. As part of a larger investigation of agitated patient care, we designed this secondary study to examine the impact of an interprofessional standardized patient simulation for ED agitation management. We used a mixed-methods approach with emergency medicine resident and attending physicians, Physician Assistants (PAs) and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs), ED nurses, technicians, and security officers at two hospital sites. After a simulated agitated patient encounter, we conducted uniprofessional and interprofessional focus groups. We undertook structured thematic analysis using a grounded theory approach. Quantitative data consisted of responses to the KidSIM Questionnaire addressing teamwork and simulation-based learning attitudes before and after each session. We reached data saturation with 57 participants. KidSIM scores revealed significant improvements in attitudes toward relevance of simulation, opportunities for interprofessional education, and situation awareness, as well as four of six questions for roles/responsibilities. Two broad themes emerged from the focus groups: (1) a team-based agitated patient simulation addressed dual safety of staff and patients simultaneously and (2) the experience fostered interprofessional discovery and cooperation in agitation management. A team-based simulated agitated patient encounter highlighted the need to consider the dual safety of staff and patients while facilitating interprofessional dialog and learning. Our findings suggest that simulation may be effective to enhance teamwork in

An interprofessional course using human patient simulation to teach patient safety and teamwork skills.

Science.gov (United States)

Vyas, Deepti; McCulloh, Russell; Dyer, Carla; Gregory, Gretchen; Higbee, Dena

2012-05-10

To assess the effectiveness of human patient simulation to teach patient safety, team-building skills, and the value of interprofessional collaboration to pharmacy students. Five scenarios simulating semi-urgent situations that required interprofessional collaboration were developed. Groups of 10 to 12 health professions students that included 1 to 2 pharmacy students evaluated patients while addressing patient safety hazards. Pharmacy students' scores on 8 of 30 items on a post-simulation survey of knowledge, skills, and attitudes improved over pre-simulation scores. Students' scores on 3 of 10 items on a team building and interprofessional communications survey also improved after participating in the simulation exercise. Over 90% of students reported that simulation increased their understanding of professional roles and the importance of interprofessional communication. Simulation training provided an opportunity to improve pharmacy students' ability to recognize and react to patient safety concerns and enhanced their interprofessional collaboration and communication skills.

Fluid Structure Interaction simulation of heart prosthesis in patient-specific left-ventricle/aorta anatomies

Science.gov (United States)

Le, Trung; Borazjani, Iman; Sotiropoulos, Fotis

2009-11-01

In order to test and optimize heart valve prosthesis and enable virtual implantation of other biomedical devices it is essential to develop and validate high-resolution FSI-CFD codes for carrying out simulations in patient-specific geometries. We have developed a powerful numerical methodology for carrying out FSI simulations of cardiovascular flows based on the CURVIB approach (Borazjani, L. Ge, and F. Sotiropoulos, Journal of Computational physics, vol. 227, pp. 7587-7620 2008). We have extended our FSI method to overset grids to handle efficiently more complicated geometries e.g. simulating an MHV implanted in an anatomically realistic aorta and left-ventricle. A compliant, anatomic left-ventricle is modeled using prescribed motion in one domain. The mechanical heart valve is placed inside the second domain i.e. the body-fitted curvilinear mesh of the anatomic aorta. The simulations of an MHV with a left-ventricle model underscore the importance of inflow conditions and ventricular compliance for such simulations and demonstrate the potential of our method as a powerful tool for patient-specific simulations.

Collaborative simulation method with spatiotemporal synchronization process control

Science.gov (United States)

Zou, Yisheng; Ding, Guofu; Zhang, Weihua; Zhang, Jian; Qin, Shengfeng; Tan, John Kian

2016-10-01

When designing a complex mechatronics system, such as high speed trains, it is relatively difficult to effectively simulate the entire system's dynamic behaviors because it involves multi-disciplinary subsystems. Currently,a most practical approach for multi-disciplinary simulation is interface based coupling simulation method, but it faces a twofold challenge: spatial and time unsynchronizations among multi-directional coupling simulation of subsystems. A new collaborative simulation method with spatiotemporal synchronization process control is proposed for coupling simulating a given complex mechatronics system across multiple subsystems on different platforms. The method consists of 1) a coupler-based coupling mechanisms to define the interfacing and interaction mechanisms among subsystems, and 2) a simulation process control algorithm to realize the coupling simulation in a spatiotemporal synchronized manner. The test results from a case study show that the proposed method 1) can certainly be used to simulate the sub-systems interactions under different simulation conditions in an engineering system, and 2) effectively supports multi-directional coupling simulation among multi-disciplinary subsystems. This method has been successfully applied in China high speed train design and development processes, demonstrating that it can be applied in a wide range of engineering systems design and simulation with improved efficiency and effectiveness.

Evaluating medical student engagement during virtual patient simulations: a sequential, mixed methods study.

Science.gov (United States)

McCoy, Lise; Pettit, Robin K; Lewis, Joy H; Allgood, J Aaron; Bay, Curt; Schwartz, Frederic N

2016-01-16

Student engagement is an important domain for medical education, however, it is difficult to quantify. The goal of this study was to investigate the utility of virtual patient simulations (VPS) for increasing medical student engagement. Our aims were specifically to investigate how and to what extent the VPS foster student engagement. This study took place at A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (ATSU-SOMA), in the USA. First year medical students (n = 108) worked in teams to complete a series of four in-class virtual patient case studies. Student engagement was measured, defined as flow, interest, and relevance. These dimensions were measured using four data collection instruments: researcher observations, classroom photographs, tutor feedback, and an electronic exit survey. Qualitative data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Triangulation of findings between the four data sources indicate that VPS foster engagement in three facets: 1) Flow. In general, students enjoyed the activities, and were absorbed in the task at hand. 2) Interest. Students demonstrated interest in the activities, as evidenced by enjoyment, active discussion, and humor. Students remarked upon elements that caused cognitive dissonance: excessive text and classroom noise generated by multi-media and peer conversations. 3) Relevance. VPS were relevant, in terms of situational clinical practice, exam preparation, and obtaining concrete feedback on clinical decisions. Researchers successfully introduced a new learning platform into the medical school curriculum. The data collected during this study were also used to improve new learning modules and techniques associated with implementing them in the classroom. Results of this study assert that virtual patient simulations foster engagement in terms of flow, relevance, and interest.

Simple method to estimate mean heart dose from Hodgkin lymphoma radiation therapy according to simulation X-rays.

Science.gov (United States)

van Nimwegen, Frederika A; Cutter, David J; Schaapveld, Michael; Rutten, Annemarieke; Kooijman, Karen; Krol, Augustinus D G; Janus, Cécile P M; Darby, Sarah C; van Leeuwen, Flora E; Aleman, Berthe M P

2015-05-01

To describe a new method to estimate the mean heart dose for Hodgkin lymphoma patients treated several decades ago, using delineation of the heart on radiation therapy simulation X-rays. Mean heart dose is an important predictor for late cardiovascular complications after Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) treatment. For patients treated before the era of computed tomography (CT)-based radiotherapy planning, retrospective estimation of radiation dose to the heart can be labor intensive. Patients for whom cardiac radiation doses had previously been estimated by reconstruction of individual treatments on representative CT data sets were selected at random from a case-control study of 5-year Hodgkin lymphoma survivors (n=289). For 42 patients, cardiac contours were outlined on each patient's simulation X-ray by 4 different raters, and the mean heart dose was estimated as the percentage of the cardiac contour within the radiation field multiplied by the prescribed mediastinal dose and divided by a correction factor obtained by comparison with individual CT-based dosimetry. According to the simulation X-ray method, the medians of the mean heart doses obtained from the cardiac contours outlined by the 4 raters were 30 Gy, 30 Gy, 31 Gy, and 31 Gy, respectively, following prescribed mediastinal doses of 25-42 Gy. The absolute-agreement intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.93 (95% confidence interval 0.85-0.97), indicating excellent agreement. Mean heart dose was 30.4 Gy with the simulation X-ray method, versus 30.2 Gy with the representative CT-based dosimetry, and the between-method absolute-agreement intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.87 (95% confidence interval 0.80-0.95), indicating good agreement between the two methods. Estimating mean heart dose from radiation therapy simulation X-rays is reproducible and fast, takes individual anatomy into account, and yields results comparable to the labor-intensive representative CT-based method. This simpler method may produce a

Simulation of Rossi-α method with analog Monte-Carlo method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Yuzhao; Xie Qilin; Song Lingli; Liu Hangang

2012-01-01

The analog Monte-Carlo code for simulating Rossi-α method based on Geant4 was developed. The prompt neutron decay constant α of six metal uranium configurations in Oak Ridge National Laboratory were calculated. α was also calculated by Burst-Neutron method and the result was consistent with the result of Rossi-α method. There is the difference between results of analog Monte-Carlo simulation and experiment, and the reasons for the difference is the gaps between uranium layers. The influence of gaps decrease as the sub-criticality deepens. The relative difference between results of analog Monte-Carlo simulation and experiment changes from 19% to 0.19%. (authors)

Standardised patient-simulated practice learning: A rich ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study investigates the use of standardised patients (SPs) in a simulated patient interview as a learning strategy to bridge the theory-practice gap. Simulation helps students to develop skills such as communication, higher cognitive thinking, decision-making and problem-solving. There is evidence to support the use of ...

Computed tomographic simulation of craniospinal fields in pediatric patients: improved treatment accuracy and patient comfort.

Science.gov (United States)

Mah, K; Danjoux, C E; Manship, S; Makhani, N; Cardoso, M; Sixel, K E

1998-07-15

To reduce the time required for planning and simulating craniospinal fields through the use of a computed tomography (CT) simulator and virtual simulation, and to improve the accuracy of field and shielding placement. A CT simulation planning technique was developed. Localization of critical anatomic features such as the eyes, cribriform plate region, and caudal extent of the thecal sac are enhanced by this technique. Over a 2-month period, nine consecutive pediatric patients were simulated and planned for craniospinal irradiation. Four patients underwent both conventional simulation and CT simulation. Five were planned using CT simulation only. The accuracy of CT simulation was assessed by comparing digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRRs) to portal films for all patients and to conventional simulation films as well in the first four patients. Time spent by patients in the CT simulation suite was 20 min on average and 40 min maximally for those who were noncompliant. Image acquisition time was absence of the patient, virtual simulation of all fields took 20 min. The DRRs were in agreement with portal and/or simulation films to within 5 mm in five of the eight cases. Discrepancies of > or =5 mm in the positioning of the inferior border of the cranial fields in the first three patients were due to a systematic error in CT scan acquisition and marker contouring which was corrected by modifying the technique after the fourth patient. In one patient, the facial shield had to be moved 0.75 cm inferiorly owing to an error in shield construction. Our analysis showed that CT simulation of craniospinal fields was accurate. It resulted in a significant reduction in the time the patient must be immobilized during the planning process. This technique can improve accuracy in field placement and shielding by using three-dimensional CT-aided localization of critical and target structures. Overall, it has improved staff efficiency and resource utilization.

Patient-specific surgical simulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Soler, Luc; Marescaux, Jacques

2008-02-01

Technological innovations of the twentieth century have provided medicine and surgery with new tools for education and therapy definition. Thus, by combining Medical Imaging and Virtual Reality, patient-specific applications providing preoperative surgical simulation have become possible.

Working as simulated patient has effects on real patient life – Preliminary insights from a qualitative study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simmenroth-Nayda, Anne

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Background: Persons who simulate patients during medical education understand the routines and the underlying script of medical consultations better. We aimed to explore how simulated patients (SPs integrated this new understanding into their daily life, how this work affected their private life as patients, and what we can learn from these changes for concepts of empowerment.Design, setting, and participants: A qualitative interview study. All SPs of Göttingen medical school who had been working longer than three semesters (n=14 were invited and agreed to take part in an open interview about their daily experience with real doctors. Documentary method was used to identify the main issues. Several cases were chosen according to maximum contrast and analysed by in-depth analysis to provide vivid examples of how simulations may affect the real life of the SPs as patients.Results: Our analysis revealed three main changes in the behaviour of SPs as real patients. They were more attentive, had a better understanding of the circumstances under which doctors work, and acted more self-confidently. From the selected cases it became apparent that working as a SP may lead to a constant and significant decrease of fear of hospitals and medical procedures or, in other cases, may enable the SPs to develop new abilities for giving feedback, questioning procedures, and explanations for real doctors.Conclusion: working as a simulated patient seems to be well-suited to understand own progression of diseases, to increase self-responsibility and to a confident attitude as patient.

Virtual simulation. First clinical results in patients with prostate cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buchali, A.; Dinges, S.; Koswig, S.; Rosenthal, P.; Salk, S.; Harder, C.; Schlenger, L.; Budach, V.

1998-01-01

Investigation of options of virtual simulation in patients with localized prostate cancer. Twenty-four patients suffering from prostate cancer were virtual simulated. The clinical target volume was contoured and the planning target volume was defined after CT scan. The isocenter of the planning target volume was determined and marked at patient's skin. The precision of patients marking was controlled with conventional simulation after physical radiation treatment planning. Mean differences of the patient's mark revealed between the 2 simulations in all room axes around 1 mm. The organs at risk were visualized in the digital reconstructed radiographs. The precise patient's mark of the isocentre by virtual simulation allows to skip the conventional simulation. The visualisation of organs at risk leeds to an unnecessarity of an application of contrast medium and to a further relieve of the patient. The personal requirement is not higher in virtual simulation than in conventional CT based radiation treatment planning. (orig./MG) [de

3D immersive patient simulators and their impact on learning success: a thematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Kleinert, Robert; Wahba, Roger; Chang, De-Hua; Plum, Patrick; Hölscher, Arnulf H; Stippel, Dirk L

2015-04-08

Immersive patient simulators (IPSs) combine the simulation of virtual patients with a three-dimensional (3D) environment and, thus, allow an illusionary immersion into a synthetic world, similar to computer games. Playful learning in a 3D environment is motivating and allows repetitive training and internalization of medical workflows (ie, procedural knowledge) without compromising real patients. The impact of this innovative educational concept on learning success requires review of feasibility and validity. It was the aim of this paper to conduct a survey of all immersive patient simulators currently available. In addition, we address the question of whether the use of these simulators has an impact on knowledge gain by summarizing the existing validation studies. A systematic literature search via PubMed was performed using predefined inclusion criteria (ie, virtual worlds, focus on education of medical students, validation testing) to identify all available simulators. Validation testing was defined as the primary end point. There are currently 13 immersive patient simulators available. Of these, 9 are Web-based simulators and represent feasibility studies. None of these simulators are used routinely for student education. The workstation-based simulators are commercially driven and show a higher quality in terms of graphical quality and/or data content. Out of the studies, 1 showed a positive correlation between simulated content and real content (ie, content validity). There was a positive correlation between the outcome of simulator training and alternative training methods (ie, concordance validity), and a positive coherence between measured outcome and future professional attitude and performance (ie, predictive validity). IPSs can promote learning and consolidation of procedural knowledge. The use of immersive patient simulators is still marginal, and technical and educational approaches are heterogeneous. Academic-driven IPSs could possibly enhance the

Methods for Monte Carlo simulations of biomacromolecules.

Science.gov (United States)

Vitalis, Andreas; Pappu, Rohit V

2009-01-01

The state-of-the-art for Monte Carlo (MC) simulations of biomacromolecules is reviewed. Available methodologies for sampling conformational equilibria and associations of biomacromolecules in the canonical ensemble, given a continuum description of the solvent environment, are reviewed. Detailed sections are provided dealing with the choice of degrees of freedom, the efficiencies of MC algorithms and algorithmic peculiarities, as well as the optimization of simple movesets. The issue of introducing correlations into elementary MC moves, and the applicability of such methods to simulations of biomacromolecules is discussed. A brief discussion of multicanonical methods and an overview of recent simulation work highlighting the potential of MC methods are also provided. It is argued that MC simulations, while underutilized biomacromolecular simulation community, hold promise for simulations of complex systems and phenomena that span multiple length scales, especially when used in conjunction with implicit solvation models or other coarse graining strategies.

[Doctor-Patient Communication Training in Simulated Situations: Emotions and Perceptions of Simulated Patients during Patient-Centered Conversations].

Science.gov (United States)

Butollo, Maria Asisa; Holzinger, Anita; Wagner-Menghin, Michaela

2018-04-13

The use of simulated patients (SPs) for doctor-patient communication training has been established in medical curricula as an important didactic method. The study addresses the question, if patients' emotions and perceptions are represented adequately in patient-centered communication. 22 of 37 SPs of the Medical University of Vienna (12 women, 10 men) were asked openly about their feelings after having acted as an SP in a semi-structured interview, which employed the Critical Incident Technique. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, separated into situational analysis units und analyzed deductively; we used the evidence based qualities of patient-centered communication and the "Nationaler Kompetenzbasierter Lernzielkatalog Medizin" as a guideline. Out of 192 analysis units, 67 were evaluated as positive and 125 as negative. The SPs reported positive feelings, such as perceiving "stability and trust in relationships" (22%), perception of congruence (15%), acceptance (27%) and empathy (36%). As to negative feelings, SPs reported "perceiving instability" (18%), "incongruence" (11%), "lack of acceptance" (40%) and "lack of empathy" (30%). Additionally, 50% of SPs were positively affected when observing students' learning success. When SPs perceived patient-centered communication, they reported positive emotions. A lack of patient centeredness, on the contrary, provoked negative emotions. An empathic attitude, as well as a "lack of acceptance" with contrary effects had the strongest influence on the SPs' mental state. The reaction of SPs to patient centeredness is sufficiently authentic to reach learning objectives, however it is also affected by reactions of SPs to the learning success of students, which is irrelevant for the real-life doctor-patient interaction. SP reactions are affected by students' attitudes. Students should therefore be prepared well before interacting with SPs in a roleplay setting. While SPs' behavior is authentic in patient

Real-time hybrid simulation using the convolution integral method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Sung Jig; Christenson, Richard E; Wojtkiewicz, Steven F; Johnson, Erik A

2011-01-01

This paper proposes a real-time hybrid simulation method that will allow complex systems to be tested within the hybrid test framework by employing the convolution integral (CI) method. The proposed CI method is potentially transformative for real-time hybrid simulation. The CI method can allow real-time hybrid simulation to be conducted regardless of the size and complexity of the numerical model and for numerical stability to be ensured in the presence of high frequency responses in the simulation. This paper presents the general theory behind the proposed CI method and provides experimental verification of the proposed method by comparing the CI method to the current integration time-stepping (ITS) method. Real-time hybrid simulation is conducted in the Advanced Hazard Mitigation Laboratory at the University of Connecticut. A seismically excited two-story shear frame building with a magneto-rheological (MR) fluid damper is selected as the test structure to experimentally validate the proposed method. The building structure is numerically modeled and simulated, while the MR damper is physically tested. Real-time hybrid simulation using the proposed CI method is shown to provide accurate results

''Augmented reality'' in conventional simulation by projection of 3-D structures into 2-D images. A comparison with virtual methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deutschmann, H.; Nairz, O.; Zehentmayr, F.; Fastner, G.; Sedlmayer, F.; Steininger, P.; Kopp, P.; Merz, F.; Wurstbauer, K.; Kranzinger, M.; Kametriser, G.; Kopp, M.

2008-01-01

Background and purpose: in this study, a new method is introduced, which allows the overlay of three-dimensional structures, that have been delineated on transverse slices, onto the fluoroscopy from conventional simulators in real time. Patients and methods: setup deviations between volumetric imaging and simulation were visualized, measured and corrected for 701 patient isocenters. Results: comparing the accuracy to mere virtual simulation lacking additional X-ray imaging, a clear benefit of the new method could be shown. On average, virtual prostate simulations had to be corrected by 0.48 cm (standard deviation [SD] 0.38), and those of the breast by 0.67 cm (SD 0.66). Conclusion: the presented method provides an easy way to determine entity-specific safety margins related to patient setup errors upon registration of bony anatomy (prostate 0.9 cm for 90% of cases, breast 1.3 cm). The important role of planar X-ray imaging was clearly demonstrated. The innovation can also be applied to adaptive image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) protocols. (orig.)

Matrix method for acoustic levitation simulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Andrade, Marco A B; Perez, Nicolas; Buiochi, Flavio; Adamowski, Julio C

2011-08-01

A matrix method is presented for simulating acoustic levitators. A typical acoustic levitator consists of an ultrasonic transducer and a reflector. The matrix method is used to determine the potential for acoustic radiation force that acts on a small sphere in the standing wave field produced by the levitator. The method is based on the Rayleigh integral and it takes into account the multiple reflections that occur between the transducer and the reflector. The potential for acoustic radiation force obtained by the matrix method is validated by comparing the matrix method results with those obtained by the finite element method when using an axisymmetric model of a single-axis acoustic levitator. After validation, the method is applied in the simulation of a noncontact manipulation system consisting of two 37.9-kHz Langevin-type transducers and a plane reflector. The manipulation system allows control of the horizontal position of a small levitated sphere from -6 mm to 6 mm, which is done by changing the phase difference between the two transducers. The horizontal position of the sphere predicted by the matrix method agrees with the horizontal positions measured experimentally with a charge-coupled device camera. The main advantage of the matrix method is that it allows simulation of non-symmetric acoustic levitators without requiring much computational effort.

Evacuation of Bed-bound Patients-STEPS Simulations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Anne; Dederichs, Anne Simone

2016-01-01

Fires in hospitals occur, and evacuation of bed-bound patients might be necessary in case of emergency. The current study concerns the evacuation of bed-bound patients from a fire section in a hospital using hospital porters. The simulations are performed using the STEPS program. The aim...... of the study is to investigate the evacuation time of bed-bound hospital patients using different walking speeds from the literature, and the influence of the number of hospital porters on the total evacuation times of bed-bound patients. Different scenarios were carried out with varying staff......-to-patient ratios that simulate the horizontal evacuation of 40 bed-bound patients into a different fire section. It was found that the staff-to-patient-ratio affects the total evacuation times. However, the total evacuation times do not decrease linearly and a saturation effect is seen at a staff-to-patient ratio...

Using Simulation to Train Junior Psychiatry Residents to Work with Agitated Patients: A Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Zigman, Daniel; Young, Meredith; Chalk, Colin

2013-01-01

Objective: This article examines the benefit and feasibility of introducing a new, simulation-based learning intervention for junior psychiatry residents. Method: Junior psychiatry residents were invited to participate in a new simulation-based learning intervention focusing on agitated patients. Questionnaires were used to explore the success of…

2-d Simulations of Test Methods

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thrane, Lars Nyholm

2004-01-01

One of the main obstacles for the further development of self-compacting concrete is to relate the fresh concrete properties to the form filling ability. Therefore, simulation of the form filling ability will provide a powerful tool in obtaining this goal. In this paper, a continuum mechanical...... approach is presented by showing initial results from 2-d simulations of the empirical test methods slump flow and L-box. This method assumes a homogeneous material, which is expected to correspond to particle suspensions e.g. concrete, when it remains stable. The simulations have been carried out when...... using both a Newton and Bingham model for characterisation of the rheological properties of the concrete. From the results, it is expected that both the slump flow and L-box can be simulated quite accurately when the model is extended to 3-d and the concrete is characterised according to the Bingham...

Standardised patient-simulated practice learning

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Teaching strategies must link theory to practice, foster critical thinking, be relevant and stimulate ... Standardised patient-simulated practice learning: A rich pedagogical .... relationship for them to grow and develop from novice to expert. They.

TH-CD-207A-08: Simulated Real-Time Image Guidance for Lung SBRT Patients Using Scatter Imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Redler, G; Cifter, G; Templeton, A; Lee, C; Bernard, D; Liao, Y; Zhen, H; Turian, J; Chu, J

2016-01-01

Purpose: To develop a comprehensive Monte Carlo-based model for the acquisition of scatter images of patient anatomy in real-time, during lung SBRT treatment. Methods: During SBRT treatment, images of patient anatomy can be acquired from scattered radiation. To rigorously examine the utility of scatter images for image guidance, a model is developed using MCNP code to simulate scatter images of phantoms and lung cancer patients. The model is validated by comparing experimental and simulated images of phantoms of different complexity. The differentiation between tissue types is investigated by imaging objects of known compositions (water, lung, and bone equivalent). A lung tumor phantom, simulating materials and geometry encountered during lung SBRT treatments, is used to investigate image noise properties for various quantities of delivered radiation (monitor units(MU)). Patient scatter images are simulated using the validated simulation model. 4DCT patient data is converted to an MCNP input geometry accounting for different tissue composition and densities. Lung tumor phantom images acquired with decreasing imaging time (decreasing MU) are used to model the expected noise amplitude in patient scatter images, producing realistic simulated patient scatter images with varying temporal resolution. Results: Image intensity in simulated and experimental scatter images of tissue equivalent objects (water, lung, bone) match within the uncertainty (∼3%). Lung tumor phantom images agree as well. Specifically, tumor-to-lung contrast matches within the uncertainty. The addition of random noise approximating quantum noise in experimental images to simulated patient images shows that scatter images of lung tumors can provide images in as fast as 0.5 seconds with CNR∼2.7. Conclusions: A scatter imaging simulation model is developed and validated using experimental phantom scatter images. Following validation, lung cancer patient scatter images are simulated. These simulated

TH-CD-207A-08: Simulated Real-Time Image Guidance for Lung SBRT Patients Using Scatter Imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Redler, G; Cifter, G; Templeton, A; Lee, C; Bernard, D; Liao, Y; Zhen, H; Turian, J; Chu, J [Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL (United States)

2016-06-15

Purpose: To develop a comprehensive Monte Carlo-based model for the acquisition of scatter images of patient anatomy in real-time, during lung SBRT treatment. Methods: During SBRT treatment, images of patient anatomy can be acquired from scattered radiation. To rigorously examine the utility of scatter images for image guidance, a model is developed using MCNP code to simulate scatter images of phantoms and lung cancer patients. The model is validated by comparing experimental and simulated images of phantoms of different complexity. The differentiation between tissue types is investigated by imaging objects of known compositions (water, lung, and bone equivalent). A lung tumor phantom, simulating materials and geometry encountered during lung SBRT treatments, is used to investigate image noise properties for various quantities of delivered radiation (monitor units(MU)). Patient scatter images are simulated using the validated simulation model. 4DCT patient data is converted to an MCNP input geometry accounting for different tissue composition and densities. Lung tumor phantom images acquired with decreasing imaging time (decreasing MU) are used to model the expected noise amplitude in patient scatter images, producing realistic simulated patient scatter images with varying temporal resolution. Results: Image intensity in simulated and experimental scatter images of tissue equivalent objects (water, lung, bone) match within the uncertainty (∼3%). Lung tumor phantom images agree as well. Specifically, tumor-to-lung contrast matches within the uncertainty. The addition of random noise approximating quantum noise in experimental images to simulated patient images shows that scatter images of lung tumors can provide images in as fast as 0.5 seconds with CNR∼2.7. Conclusions: A scatter imaging simulation model is developed and validated using experimental phantom scatter images. Following validation, lung cancer patient scatter images are simulated. These simulated

Simulating clinical trial visits yields patient insights into study design and recruitment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lim SS

2017-07-01

Full Text Available S Sam Lim,1 Alan J Kivitz,2 Doug McKinnell,3 M Edward Pierson,4 Faye S O’Brien4 1Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA; 2Altoona Center for Clinical Research, Altoona, PA, USA; 3Deloitte Life Sciences Advisory, Basel, Switzerland; 4Clinical Operations, Global Medicines Development, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, USA Purpose: We elicited patient experiences from clinical trial simulations to aid in future trial development and to improve patient recruitment and retention.Patients and methods: Two simulations of draft Phase II and Phase III anifrolumab studies for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE/lupus nephritis (LN were performed involving African-American patients from Grady Hospital, an indigent care hospital in Atlanta, GA, USA, and white patients from Altoona Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center in Altoona, PA, USA. The clinical trial simulation included an informed consent procedure, a mock screening visit, a mock dosing visit, and a debriefing period for patients and staff. Patients and staff were interviewed to obtain sentiments and perceptions related to the simulated visits.Results: The Atlanta study involved 6 African-American patients (5 female aged 27–60 years with moderate to severe SLE/LN. The Altoona study involved 12 white females aged 32–75 years with mild to moderate SLE/LN. Patient experiences had an impact on four patient-centric care domains: 1 information, communication, and education; 2 responsiveness to needs; 3 access to care; and 4 coordination of care; and continuity and transition. Patients in both studies desired background material, knowledgeable staff, family and friend support, personal results, comfortable settings, shorter wait times, and greater scheduling flexibility. Compared with the Altoona study patients, Atlanta study patients reported greater preferences for information from the Internet, need for strong community and online support, difficulties in

Does the sex of a simulated patient affect CPR?

Science.gov (United States)

Kramer, Chelsea E; Wilkins, Matthew S; Davies, Jan M; Caird, Jeff K; Hallihan, Gregory M

2015-01-01

While males and females are equally at risk of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), females are less likely to be resuscitated. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) may be inhibited by socio-cultural norms about exposing female victims' chests. Empirically confirming this hypothesis is limited by lack of patient simulators modeling realistic female physiques. A commercially-available patient simulator was transformed to evaluate how physical attributes of a patient's sex might influence lay participants who were asked to resuscitate a female versus a male during simulated cardiac arrest. Sixty-nine participants consented to be in the study. Participants were randomly assigned to provide CPR and defibrillation as instructed by a commercially-available automated external defibrillator on a patient simulator presented as either a male or female experiencing cardiac arrest. Rescuers removed significantly more clothing from the male than the female, with men removing less clothing from the female. More rescuers' initial hand placements for CPR were centered between the female's breasts compared to the male, on which placement was distributed across the chest towards the nipples. While rescuers had better hand placement for CPR on the female, both men and women rescuers were reluctant to remove the female's clothing, with men significantly more hesitant. Reticence to remove clothing was often articulated relative to social norms during structured interviews. We suggest that using only male simulators will not allow trainees to experience social differences associated with the care of a female simulated patient. Realistic female patient simulators are needed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hospital simulated patient programme: a guide.

Science.gov (United States)

Barrett, Jenny; Hodgson, Jan

2011-12-01

Many university courses employ simulated patients to work with students in the development of communication skills. Our challenge was to build a sustainable programme that could be adapted for medical, nursing and allied health staff, and groups of students, on our hospital campus. In recognition of the need to provide practice opportunities for junior medical staff to hone their capacity to communicate effectively with parents, we employed professional actors who are also qualified teachers. Junior doctors have multiple opportunities over their training time to work one-to-one with an actor-tutor in the role of simulated parent. The simulated parents are skilled in helping the trainees reflect on the conversation, and the trainees are given a recording of their sessions for further reflection and feedback from a colleague. This model has been adapted to meet the 'topic' needs and scheduling requirements of other staff and hospital-based student groups. In adapting the original medical staff programme, we came to appreciate not only the logistical but also the ethical considerations inherent in a simulated parent/patient programme. Our guide highlights the importance of safeguarding the educational integrity of the design, maintaining the fidelity of the simulations and ensuring the safety of all involved. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2011.

Airway skills training using a human patient simulator | Moodley ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... of airway management skills using the simulator. Participant satisfaction was much better in the simulator group. The importance of psychomotor reinforcement should be borne in mind when designing simulation courses. Keywords: human patient simulator, simulation, airway management, psychomotor skills ...

Evaluation of full-scope simulator testing methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feher, M.P.; Moray, N.; Senders, J.W.; Biron, K.

1995-03-01

This report discusses the use of full scope nuclear power plant simulators in licensing examinations for Unit First Operators of CANDU reactors. The existing literature is reviewed, and an annotated bibliography of the more important sources provided. Since existing methods are judged inadequate, conceptual bases for designing a system for licensing are discussed, and a method proposed which would make use of objective scoring methods based on data collection in full-scope simulators. A field trial of such a method is described. The practicality of such a method is critically discussed and possible advantages of subjective methods of evaluation considered. (author). 32 refs., 1 tab., 4 figs

Evaluation of full-scope simulator testing methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feher, M P; Moray, N; Senders, J W; Biron, K [Human Factors North Inc., Toronto, ON (Canada)

1995-03-01

This report discusses the use of full scope nuclear power plant simulators in licensing examinations for Unit First Operators of CANDU reactors. The existing literature is reviewed, and an annotated bibliography of the more important sources provided. Since existing methods are judged inadequate, conceptual bases for designing a system for licensing are discussed, and a method proposed which would make use of objective scoring methods based on data collection in full-scope simulators. A field trial of such a method is described. The practicality of such a method is critically discussed and possible advantages of subjective methods of evaluation considered. (author). 32 refs., 1 tab., 4 figs.

Comparison Of Simulation Results When Using Two Different Methods For Mold Creation In Moldflow Simulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaushikbhai C. Parmar

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Simulation gives different results when using different methods for the same simulation. Autodesk Moldflow Simulation software provide two different facilities for creating mold for the simulation of injection molding process. Mold can be created inside the Moldflow or it can be imported as CAD file. The aim of this paper is to study the difference in the simulation results like mold temperature part temperature deflection in different direction time for the simulation and coolant temperature for this two different methods.

Towards a personalised virtual diabetic patient simulator

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maas, A.H.; Tani, G.; Pul, van C.; Beijerinck, H.C.W.; Cottaar, E.J.E.; Haak, H.R.; Riel, van N.A.W.

2012-01-01

The development of a diabetes simulator, an educational software tool which can help diabetic patients to better manage their disease, is described. Education of patients with diabetes mellitus is a fundamental part of diabetes care. One of the goals of diabetes education is to support the patients

Interval sampling methods and measurement error: a computer simulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wirth, Oliver; Slaven, James; Taylor, Matthew A

2014-01-01

A simulation study was conducted to provide a more thorough account of measurement error associated with interval sampling methods. A computer program simulated the application of momentary time sampling, partial-interval recording, and whole-interval recording methods on target events randomly distributed across an observation period. The simulation yielded measures of error for multiple combinations of observation period, interval duration, event duration, and cumulative event duration. The simulations were conducted up to 100 times to yield measures of error variability. Although the present simulation confirmed some previously reported characteristics of interval sampling methods, it also revealed many new findings that pertain to each method's inherent strengths and weaknesses. The analysis and resulting error tables can help guide the selection of the most appropriate sampling method for observation-based behavioral assessments. © Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Patient safety and quality of care: how may clinical simulation contribute?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Sanne

2015-01-01

The usability of health information technology (IT) is increasingly recognized as critically important to the development of systems that ensure patient safety and quality of care. The substantial complexity of organizations, work practice and physical environments within the healthcare sector...... influences the development and application of health IT. When health IT is introduced in local clinical work practices, potential patient safety hazards and insufficient support of work practices need to be examined. Qualitative methods, such as clinical simulation, may be used to evaluate new technology...

Atmosphere Re-Entry Simulation Using Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesco Pellicani

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Hypersonic re-entry vehicles aerothermodynamic investigations provide fundamental information to other important disciplines like materials and structures, assisting the development of thermal protection systems (TPS efficient and with a low weight. In the transitional flow regime, where thermal and chemical equilibrium is almost absent, a new numerical method for such studies has been introduced, the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC numerical technique. The acceptance and applicability of the DSMC method have increased significantly in the 50 years since its invention thanks to the increase in computer speed and to the parallel computing. Anyway, further verification and validation efforts are needed to lead to its greater acceptance. In this study, the Monte Carlo simulator OpenFOAM and Sparta have been studied and benchmarked against numerical and theoretical data for inert and chemically reactive flows and the same will be done against experimental data in the near future. The results show the validity of the data found with the DSMC. The best setting of the fundamental parameters used by a DSMC simulator are presented for each software and they are compared with the guidelines deriving from the theory behind the Monte Carlo method. In particular, the number of particles per cell was found to be the most relevant parameter to achieve valid and optimized results. It is shown how a simulation with a mean value of one particle per cell gives sufficiently good results with very low computational resources. This achievement aims to reconsider the correct investigation method in the transitional regime where both the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC and the computational fluid-dynamics (CFD can work, but with a different computational effort.

STUDY ON SIMULATION METHOD OF AVALANCHE : FLOW ANALYSIS OF AVALANCHE USING PARTICLE METHOD

OpenAIRE

塩澤, 孝哉

2015-01-01

In this paper, modeling for the simulation of the avalanche by a particle method is discussed. There are two kinds of the snow avalanches, one is the surface avalanche which shows a smoke-like flow, and another is the total-layer avalanche which shows a flow like Bingham fluid. In the simulation of the surface avalanche, the particle method in consideration of a rotation resistance model is used. The particle method by Bingham fluid is used in the simulation of the total-layer avalanche. At t...

A review and comparison of methods for recreating individual patient data from published Kaplan-Meier survival curves for economic evaluations: a simulation study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, Xiaomin; Peng, Liubao; Li, Yuanjian

2015-01-01

In general, the individual patient-level data (IPD) collected in clinical trials are not available to independent researchers to conduct economic evaluations; researchers only have access to published survival curves and summary statistics. Thus, methods that use published survival curves and summary statistics to reproduce statistics for economic evaluations are essential. Four methods have been identified: two traditional methods 1) least squares method, 2) graphical method; and two recently proposed methods by 3) Hoyle and Henley, 4) Guyot et al. The four methods were first individually reviewed and subsequently assessed regarding their abilities to estimate mean survival through a simulation study. A number of different scenarios were developed that comprised combinations of various sample sizes, censoring rates and parametric survival distributions. One thousand simulated survival datasets were generated for each scenario, and all methods were applied to actual IPD. The uncertainty in the estimate of mean survival time was also captured. All methods provided accurate estimates of the mean survival time when the sample size was 500 and a Weibull distribution was used. When the sample size was 100 and the Weibull distribution was used, the Guyot et al. method was almost as accurate as the Hoyle and Henley method; however, more biases were identified in the traditional methods. When a lognormal distribution was used, the Guyot et al. method generated noticeably less bias and a more accurate uncertainty compared with the Hoyle and Henley method. The traditional methods should not be preferred because of their remarkable overestimation. When the Weibull distribution was used for a fitted model, the Guyot et al. method was almost as accurate as the Hoyle and Henley method. However, if the lognormal distribution was used, the Guyot et al. method was less biased compared with the Hoyle and Henley method.

A particle-based method for granular flow simulation

KAUST Repository

Chang, Yuanzhang; Bao, Kai; Zhu, Jian; Wu, Enhua

2012-01-01

We present a new particle-based method for granular flow simulation. In the method, a new elastic stress term, which is derived from a modified form of the Hooke's law, is included in the momentum governing equation to handle the friction of granular materials. Viscosity force is also added to simulate the dynamic friction for the purpose of smoothing the velocity field and further maintaining the simulation stability. Benefiting from the Lagrangian nature of the SPH method, large flow deformation can be well handled easily and naturally. In addition, a signed distance field is also employed to enforce the solid boundary condition. The experimental results show that the proposed method is effective and efficient for handling the flow of granular materials, and different kinds of granular behaviors can be well simulated by adjusting just one parameter. © 2012 Science China Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

A particle-based method for granular flow simulation

KAUST Repository

Chang, Yuanzhang

2012-03-16

We present a new particle-based method for granular flow simulation. In the method, a new elastic stress term, which is derived from a modified form of the Hooke\\'s law, is included in the momentum governing equation to handle the friction of granular materials. Viscosity force is also added to simulate the dynamic friction for the purpose of smoothing the velocity field and further maintaining the simulation stability. Benefiting from the Lagrangian nature of the SPH method, large flow deformation can be well handled easily and naturally. In addition, a signed distance field is also employed to enforce the solid boundary condition. The experimental results show that the proposed method is effective and efficient for handling the flow of granular materials, and different kinds of granular behaviors can be well simulated by adjusting just one parameter. © 2012 Science China Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

'Augmented reality' in conventional simulation by projection of 3-D structures into 2-D images. A comparison with virtual methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deutschmann, H.; Nairz, O.; Zehentmayr, F.; Fastner, G.; Sedlmayer, F. [Univ. Clinic for Radiotherapy and Radio-Oncology, Salzburg (Austria); radART - Inst. for research and development on Advanced Radiation Technologies at the Paracelsus Medical Univ., Salzburg (Austria); Steininger, P. [radART - Inst. for research and development on Advanced Radiation Technologies at the Paracelsus Medical Univ., Salzburg (Austria); Dept. of Medical Computer Science and Technology, Univ. for Health Sciences, Hall i. T. (Austria); Kopp, P.; Merz, F.; Wurstbauer, K.; Kranzinger, M.; Kametriser, G.; Kopp, M. [Univ. Clinic for Radiotherapy and Radio-Oncology, Salzburg (Austria)

2008-02-15

Background and purpose: in this study, a new method is introduced, which allows the overlay of three-dimensional structures, that have been delineated on transverse slices, onto the fluoroscopy from conventional simulators in real time. Patients and methods: setup deviations between volumetric imaging and simulation were visualized, measured and corrected for 701 patient isocenters. Results: comparing the accuracy to mere virtual simulation lacking additional X-ray imaging, a clear benefit of the new method could be shown. On average, virtual prostate simulations had to be corrected by 0.48 cm (standard deviation [SD] 0.38), and those of the breast by 0.67 cm (SD 0.66). Conclusion: the presented method provides an easy way to determine entity-specific safety margins related to patient setup errors upon registration of bony anatomy (prostate 0.9 cm for 90% of cases, breast 1.3 cm). The important role of planar X-ray imaging was clearly demonstrated. The innovation can also be applied to adaptive image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) protocols. (orig.)

Airway skills training using a human patient simulator

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Thesegan Moodley

2016-04-11

Apr 11, 2016 ... Airway management problems may be particularly challenging to junior doctors.1 ... They respond to real-time, real-life clinical ... Keywords: human patient simulator, simulation, airway management, psychomotor skills.

Evaluation of structural reliability using simulation methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Baballëku Markel

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Eurocode describes the 'index of reliability' as a measure of structural reliability, related to the 'probability of failure'. This paper is focused on the assessment of this index for a reinforced concrete bridge pier. It is rare to explicitly use reliability concepts for design of structures, but the problems of structural engineering are better known through them. Some of the main methods for the estimation of the probability of failure are the exact analytical integration, numerical integration, approximate analytical methods and simulation methods. Monte Carlo Simulation is used in this paper, because it offers a very good tool for the estimation of probability in multivariate functions. Complicated probability and statistics problems are solved through computer aided simulations of a large number of tests. The procedures of structural reliability assessment for the bridge pier and the comparison with the partial factor method of the Eurocodes have been demonstrated in this paper.

Patient Simulation: A Literary Synthesis of Assessment Tools in Anesthesiology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alice A. Edler

2009-12-01

Full Text Available High-fidelity patient simulation (HFPS has been hypothesized as a modality for assessing competency of knowledge and skill in patient simulation, but uniform methods for HFPS performance assessment (PA have not yet been completely achieved. Anesthesiology as a field founded the HFPS discipline and also leads in its PA. This project reviews the types, quality, and designated purpose of HFPS PA tools in anesthesiology. We used the systematic review method and systematically reviewed anesthesiology literature referenced in PubMed to assess the quality and reliability of available PA tools in HFPS. Of 412 articles identified, 50 met our inclusion criteria. Seventy seven percent of studies have been published since 2000; more recent studies demonstrated higher quality. Investigators reported a variety of test construction and validation methods. The most commonly reported test construction methods included “modified Delphi Techniques” for item selection, reliability measurement using inter-rater agreement, and intra-class correlations between test items or subtests. Modern test theory, in particular generalizability theory, was used in nine (18% of studies. Test score validity has been addressed in multiple investigations and shown a significant improvement in reporting accuracy. However the assessment of predicative has been low across the majority of studies. Usability and practicality of testing occasions and tools was only anecdotally reported. To more completely comply with the gold standards for PA design, both shared experience of experts and recognition of test construction standards, including reliability and validity measurements, instrument piloting, rater training, and explicit identification of the purpose and proposed use of the assessment tool, are required.

Assessing the performance and satisfaction of medical residents utilizing standardized patient versus mannequin-simulated training

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alsaad AA

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Ali A Alsaad,1 Swetha Davuluri,2 Vandana Y Bhide,3 Amy M Lannen,4 Michael J Maniaci3 1Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 2University of Miami, Coral Gables, 3Division of Hospital Internal Medicine, 4J. Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver Simulation Center, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA Background: Conducting simulations of rapidly decompensating patients are a key part of internal medicine (IM residency training. Traditionally, mannequins have been the simulation tool used in these scenarios. Objective: To compare IM residents’ performance and assess realism in specific-simulated decompensating patient scenarios using standardized patients (SPs as compared to mannequin. Methods: Nineteen IM residents were randomized to undergo simulations using either a mannequin or an SP. Each resident in the two groups underwent four different simulation scenarios (calcium channel blocker overdose, severe sepsis, severe asthma exacerbation, and acute bacterial meningitis. Residents completed pretest and post-test evaluations as well as a questionnaire to assess the reality perception (realism score. Results: Nine residents completed mannequin-based scenarios, whereas 10 completed SP-based scenarios. Improvement in the post-test scores was seen in both groups. However, there were significantly higher post-test scores achieved with SP simulations in three out of the four scenarios (P=0.01. When compared with the mannequin group, the SP simulation group showed a significantly higher average realism score (P=0.002. Conclusions: Applying SP-based specific-simulation scenarios in IM residency training may result in better performance and a higher sense of a realistic experience by medical residents. Keywords: simulation, standardized patient, satisfaction, mannequin, assessment, resident education

IMPROVING MEDICAL EDUCATION: SIMULATING CHANGES IN PATIENT ANATOMY USING DYNAMIC HAPTIC FEEDBACK.

Science.gov (United States)

Yovanoff, Mary; Pepley, David; Mirkin, Katelin; Moore, Jason; Han, David; Miller, Scarlett

2016-09-01

Virtual simulation is an emerging field in medical education. Research suggests that simulation reduces complication rates and improves learning gains for medical residents. One benefit of simulators is their allowance for more realistic and dynamic patient anatomies. While potentially useful throughout medical education, few studies have explored the impact of dynamic haptic simulators on medical training. In light of this research void, this study was developed to examine how a Dynamic-Haptic Robotic Trainer (DHRT) impacts medical student self-efficacy and skill gains compared to traditional simulators developed to train students in Internal Jugular Central Venous Catheter (IJ CVC) placement. The study was conducted with 18 third year medical students with no prior CVC insertion experience who underwent a pre-test, simulator training (manikin, robotic, or mixed) and post-test. The results revealed the DHRT as a useful method for training CVC skills and supports further research on dynamic haptic trainers in medical education.

[Does simulator-based team training improve patient safety?].

Science.gov (United States)

Trentzsch, H; Urban, B; Sandmeyer, B; Hammer, T; Strohm, P C; Lazarovici, M

2013-10-01

Patient safety became paramount in medicine as well as in emergency medicine after it was recognized that preventable, adverse events significantly contributed to morbidity and mortality during hospital stay. The underlying errors cannot usually be explained by medical technical inadequacies only but are more due to difficulties in the transition of theoretical knowledge into tasks under the conditions of clinical reality. Crew Resource Management and Human Factors which determine safety and efficiency of humans in complex situations are suitable to control such sources of error. Simulation significantly improved safety in high reliability organizations, such as the aerospace industry.Thus, simulator-based team training has also been proposed for medical areas. As such training is consuming in cost, time and human resources, the question of the cost-benefit ratio obviously arises. This review outlines the effects of simulator-based team training on patient safety. Such course formats are not only capable of creating awareness and improvements in safety culture but also improve technical team performance and emphasize team performance as a clinical competence. A few studies even indicated improvement of patient-centered outcome, such as a reduced rate of adverse events but further studies are required in this respect. In summary, simulator-based team training should be accepted as a suitable strategy to improve patient safety.

A java based simulator with user interface to simulate ventilated patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stehle P.

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Mechanical ventilation is a life-saving intervention, which despite its use on a routine basis, poses the risk of inflicting further damage to the lung tissue if ventilator settings are chosen inappropriately. Medical decision support systems may help to prevent such injuries while providing the optimal settings to reach a defined clinical goal. In order to develop and verify decision support algorithms, a test bench simulating a patient’s behaviour is needed. We propose a Java based system that allows simulation of respiratory mechanics, gas exchange and cardiovascular dynamics of a mechanically ventilated patient. The implemented models are allowed to interact and are interchangeable enabling the simulation of various clinical scenarios. Model simulations are running in real-time and show physiologically plausible results.

Multiple time-scale methods in particle simulations of plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohen, B.I.

1985-01-01

This paper surveys recent advances in the application of multiple time-scale methods to particle simulation of collective phenomena in plasmas. These methods dramatically improve the efficiency of simulating low-frequency kinetic behavior by allowing the use of a large timestep, while retaining accuracy. The numerical schemes surveyed provide selective damping of unwanted high-frequency waves and preserve numerical stability in a variety of physics models: electrostatic, magneto-inductive, Darwin and fully electromagnetic. The paper reviews hybrid simulation models, the implicitmoment-equation method, the direct implicit method, orbit averaging, and subcycling

Particle-transport simulation with the Monte Carlo method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carter, L.L.; Cashwell, E.D.

1975-01-01

Attention is focused on the application of the Monte Carlo method to particle transport problems, with emphasis on neutron and photon transport. Topics covered include sampling methods, mathematical prescriptions for simulating particle transport, mechanics of simulating particle transport, neutron transport, and photon transport. A literature survey of 204 references is included. (GMT)

Evaluation of a novel basic life support method in simulated microgravity.

Science.gov (United States)

Rehnberg, Lucas; Russomano, Thaws; Falcão, Felipe; Campos, Fabio; Everts, Simon N

2011-02-01

If a cardiac arrest occurs in microgravity, current emergency protocols aim to treat patients via a medical restraint system within 2-4 min. It is vital that crewmembers have the ability to perform single-person cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) during this period, allowing time for advanced life support to be deployed. The efficacy of the Evetts-Russomano (ER) method has been tested in 22 s of microgravity in a parabolic flight and has shown that external chest compressions (ECC) and mouth-to-mouth ventilation are possible. There were 21 male subjects who performed both the ER method in simulated microgravity via full body suspension and at +1 Gz. The CPR mannequin was modified to provide accurate readings for ECC depth and a metronome to set the rate at 100 bpm. Heart rate, rate of perceived exertion, and angle of arm flexion were measured with an ECG, elbow electrogoniometers, and Borg scale, respectively. The mean (+/- SD) depth of ECC in simulated microgravity was lower in each of the 3 min compared to +1 G2. The ECC depth (45.7 +/- 2.7 mm, 42.3 +/- 5.5 mm, and 41.4 +/- 5.9 mm) and rate (104.5 +/- 5.2, 105.2 +/- 4.5, and 102.4 +/- 6.6 compressions/min), however, remained within CPR guidelines during simulated microgravity over the 3-min period. Heart rate, perceived exertion, and elbow flexion of both arms increased using the ER method. The ER method can provide adequate depth and rate of ECC in simulated microgravity for 3 min to allow time to deploy a medical restraint system. There is, however, a physiological cost associated with it and a need to use the flexion of the arms to compensate for the lack of weight.

Natural tracer test simulation by stochastic particle tracking method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ackerer, P.; Mose, R.; Semra, K.

1990-01-01

Stochastic particle tracking methods are well adapted to 3D transport simulations where discretization requirements of other methods usually cannot be satisfied. They do need a very accurate approximation of the velocity field. The described code is based on the mixed hybrid finite element method (MHFEM) to calculated the piezometric and velocity field. The random-walk method is used to simulate mass transport. The main advantages of the MHFEM over FD or FE are the simultaneous calculation of pressure and velocity, which are considered as unknowns; the possibility of interpolating velocities everywhere; and the continuity of the normal component of the velocity vector from one element to another. For these reasons, the MHFEM is well adapted for particle tracking methods. After a general description of the numerical methods, the model is used to simulate the observations made during the Twin Lake Tracer Test in 1983. A good match is found between observed and simulated heads and concentrations. (Author) (12 refs., 4 figs.)

Simulation teaching method in Engineering Optics

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Qieni; Wang, Yi; Li, Hongbin

2017-08-01

We here introduce a pedagogical method of theoretical simulation as one major means of the teaching process of "Engineering Optics" in course quality improvement action plan (Qc) in our school. Students, in groups of three to five, complete simulations of interference, diffraction, electromagnetism and polarization of light; each student is evaluated and scored in light of his performance in the interviews between the teacher and the student, and each student can opt to be interviewed many times until he is satisfied with his score and learning. After three years of Qc practice, the remarkable teaching and learning effect is obatined. Such theoretical simulation experiment is a very valuable teaching method worthwhile for physical optics which is highly theoretical and abstruse. This teaching methodology works well in training students as to how to ask questions and how to solve problems, which can also stimulate their interest in research learning and their initiative to develop their self-confidence and sense of innovation.

Simulation of the radiography formation process from CT patient volume

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bifulco, P.; Cesarelli, M.; Verso, E.; Roccasalva Firenze, M.; Sansone, M.; Bracale, M.

1998-01-01

The aim of this work is to develop an algorithm to simulate the radiographic image formation process using volumetric anatomical data of the patient, obtained from 3D diagnostic CT images. Many applications, including radiographic driven surgery, virtual reality in medicine and radiologist teaching and training, may take advantage of such technique. The designed algorithm has been developed to simulate a generic radiographic equipment, whatever oriented respect to the patient. The simulated radiography is obtained considering a discrete number of X-ray paths departing from the focus, passing through the patient volume and reaching the radiographic plane. To evaluate a generic pixel of the simulated radiography, the cumulative absorption along the corresponding X-ray is computed. To estimate X-ray absorption in a generic point of the patient volume, 3D interpolation of CT data has been adopted. The proposed technique is quite similar to those employed in Ray Tracing. A computer designed test volume has been used to assess the reliability of the radiography simulation algorithm as a measuring tool. From the errors analysis emerges that the accuracy achieved by the radiographic simulation algorithm is largely confined within the sampling step of the CT volume. (authors)

High viscosity fluid simulation using particle-based method

KAUST Repository

Chang, Yuanzhang

2011-03-01

We present a new particle-based method for high viscosity fluid simulation. In the method, a new elastic stress term, which is derived from a modified form of the Hooke\\'s law, is included in the traditional Navier-Stokes equation to simulate the movements of the high viscosity fluids. Benefiting from the Lagrangian nature of Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics method, large flow deformation can be well handled easily and naturally. In addition, in order to eliminate the particle deficiency problem near the boundary, ghost particles are employed to enforce the solid boundary condition. Compared with Finite Element Methods with complicated and time-consuming remeshing operations, our method is much more straightforward to implement. Moreover, our method doesn\\'t need to store and compare to an initial rest state. The experimental results show that the proposed method is effective and efficient to handle the movements of highly viscous flows, and a large variety of different kinds of fluid behaviors can be well simulated by adjusting just one parameter. © 2011 IEEE.

Simulation of tunneling construction methods of the Cisumdawu toll road

Science.gov (United States)

Abduh, Muhamad; Sukardi, Sapto Nugroho; Ola, Muhammad Rusdian La; Ariesty, Anita; Wirahadikusumah, Reini D.

2017-11-01

Simulation can be used as a tool for planning and analysis of a construction method. Using simulation technique, a contractor could design optimally resources associated with a construction method and compare to other methods based on several criteria, such as productivity, waste, and cost. This paper discusses the use of simulation using Norwegian Method of Tunneling (NMT) for a 472-meter tunneling work in the Cisumdawu Toll Road project. Primary and secondary data were collected to provide useful information for simulation as well as problems that may be faced by the contractor. The method was modelled using the CYCLONE and then simulated using the WebCYCLONE. The simulation could show the duration of the project from the duration model of each work tasks which based on literature review, machine productivity, and several assumptions. The results of simulation could also show the total cost of the project that was modeled based on journal construction & building unit cost and online websites of local and international suppliers. The analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of the method was conducted based on its, wastes, and cost. The simulation concluded the total cost of this operation is about Rp. 900,437,004,599 and the total duration of the tunneling operation is 653 days. The results of the simulation will be used for a recommendation to the contractor before the implementation of the already selected tunneling operation.

Asthma management simulation for children: translating theory, methods, and strategies to effect behavior change.

Science.gov (United States)

Shegog, Ross; Bartholomew, L Kay; Gold, Robert S; Pierrel, Elaine; Parcel, Guy S; Sockrider, Marianna M; Czyzewski, Danita I; Fernandez, Maria E; Berlin, Nina J; Abramson, Stuart

2006-01-01

Translating behavioral theories, models, and strategies to guide the development and structure of computer-based health applications is well recognized, although a continued challenge for program developers. A stepped approach to translate behavioral theory in the design of simulations to teach chronic disease management to children is described. This includes the translation steps to: 1) define target behaviors and their determinants, 2) identify theoretical methods to optimize behavioral change, and 3) choose educational strategies to effectively apply these methods and combine these into a cohesive computer-based simulation for health education. Asthma is used to exemplify a chronic health management problem and a computer-based asthma management simulation (Watch, Discover, Think and Act) that has been evaluated and shown to effect asthma self-management in children is used to exemplify the application of theory to practice. Impact and outcome evaluation studies have indicated the effectiveness of these steps in providing increased rigor and accountability, suggesting their utility for educators and developers seeking to apply simulations to enhance self-management behaviors in patients.

Factorization method for simulating QCD at finite density

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishimura, Jun

2003-01-01

We propose a new method for simulating QCD at finite density. The method is based on a general factorization property of distribution functions of observables, and it is therefore applicable to any system with a complex action. The so-called overlap problem is completely eliminated by the use of constrained simulations. We test this method in a Random Matrix Theory for finite density QCD, where we are able to reproduce the exact results for the quark number density. (author)

Spectral Methods in Numerical Plasma Simulation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Coutsias, E.A.; Hansen, F.R.; Huld, T.

1989-01-01

An introduction is given to the use of spectral methods in numerical plasma simulation. As examples of the use of spectral methods, solutions to the two-dimensional Euler equations in both a simple, doubly periodic region, and on an annulus will be shown. In the first case, the solution is expanded...

An Efficient Simulation Method for Rare Events

KAUST Repository

Rached, Nadhir B.

2015-01-07

Estimating the probability that a sum of random variables (RVs) exceeds a given threshold is a well-known challenging problem. Closed-form expressions for the sum distribution do not generally exist, which has led to an increasing interest in simulation approaches. A crude Monte Carlo (MC) simulation is the standard technique for the estimation of this type of probability. However, this approach is computationally expensive, especially when dealing with rare events. Variance reduction techniques are alternative approaches that can improve the computational efficiency of naive MC simulations. We propose an Importance Sampling (IS) simulation technique based on the well-known hazard rate twisting approach, that presents the advantage of being asymptotically optimal for any arbitrary RVs. The wide scope of applicability of the proposed method is mainly due to our particular way of selecting the twisting parameter. It is worth observing that this interesting feature is rarely satisfied by variance reduction algorithms whose performances were only proven under some restrictive assumptions. It comes along with a good efficiency, illustrated by some selected simulation results comparing the performance of our method with that of an algorithm based on a conditional MC technique.

An Efficient Simulation Method for Rare Events

KAUST Repository

Rached, Nadhir B.; Benkhelifa, Fatma; Kammoun, Abla; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim; Tempone, Raul

2015-01-01

Estimating the probability that a sum of random variables (RVs) exceeds a given threshold is a well-known challenging problem. Closed-form expressions for the sum distribution do not generally exist, which has led to an increasing interest in simulation approaches. A crude Monte Carlo (MC) simulation is the standard technique for the estimation of this type of probability. However, this approach is computationally expensive, especially when dealing with rare events. Variance reduction techniques are alternative approaches that can improve the computational efficiency of naive MC simulations. We propose an Importance Sampling (IS) simulation technique based on the well-known hazard rate twisting approach, that presents the advantage of being asymptotically optimal for any arbitrary RVs. The wide scope of applicability of the proposed method is mainly due to our particular way of selecting the twisting parameter. It is worth observing that this interesting feature is rarely satisfied by variance reduction algorithms whose performances were only proven under some restrictive assumptions. It comes along with a good efficiency, illustrated by some selected simulation results comparing the performance of our method with that of an algorithm based on a conditional MC technique.

A prospective study to determine the need for physical simulation following virtual simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valicenti, R.K.; Waterman, F.M.; Corn, B.W.; Sweet, J.; Curran, W.J.

1996-01-01

Purpose: Virtual simulation is CT based planning utilizing computed digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRRs) in a manner similar to conventional fluoroscopic simulation. However, conventional or physical simulation is still widely used to assure precise implementation of the devised plan. To evaluate the need for performing physical simulation, we prospectively studied patients undergoing virtual simulation who either had or did not have a subsequent physical simulation. Materials and Methods: From July, 1995 to February, 1996, 48 patients underwent conformal 4-field radiation therapy for prostate cancer using a commercial grade spiral CT simulator. All patients were immobilized in a foam body cast and positioned by using a fiducial laser marking system. Following prostate and seminal vesicle definition on a slice-by-slice basis, virtual simulation was performed. The isocenter defined by this process was marked on both the patient and the immobilization device before leaving the CT simulator room. The isocenter position of the devised plan was evaluated by three verification methods: physical simulation, first day treatment port filming, and port filming immediately following physical simulation. Simulator radiographs and port films were compared against DRRs for x, y, and z deviations of the isocenter. These deviations were used as a measure of the implementation precision achieved by each verification method. Results: Thirty-seven patients underwent physical simulation and first day port filming. Eleven had first day treatment verification films only and never had a physical simulation. A total of 79 simulator radiographs and 126 first day treatment port films were reviewed. The tabulation of all deviations is as follows: There was significantly more setup error (≥ 5 mm) observed when the devised treatment was implemented in the treatment room as opposed to the physical simulator. The physical simulator did not lead to a significant reduction in setup error

Evaluation of radiation dose to patients in intraoral dental radiography using Monte Carlo Method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Il; Kim, Kyeong Ho; Oh, Seung Chul; Song, Ji Young

2016-01-01

The use of dental radiographic examinations is common although radiation dose resulting from the dental radiography is relatively small. Therefore, it is required to evaluate radiation dose from the dental radiography for radiation safety purpose. The objectives of the present study were to develop dosimetry method for intraoral dental radiography using a Monte Carlo method based radiation transport code and to calculate organ doses and effective doses of patients from different types of intraoral radiographies. Radiological properties of dental radiography equipment were characterized for the evaluation of patient radiation dose. The properties including x-ray energy spectrum were simulated using MCNP code. Organ doses and effective doses to patients were calculated by MCNP simulation with computational adult phantoms. At the typical equipment settings (60 kVp, 7 mA, and 0.12 sec), the entrance air kerma was 1.79 mGy and the measured half value layer was 1.82 mm. The half value layer calculated by MCNP simulation was well agreed with the measurement values. Effective doses from intraoral radiographies ranged from 1 μSv for maxilla premolar to 3 μSv for maxilla incisor. Oral cavity layer (23⁓82 μSv) and salivary glands (10⁓68 μSv) received relatively high radiation dose. Thyroid also received high radiation dose (3⁓47 μSv) for examinations. The developed dosimetry method and evaluated radiation doses in this study can be utilized for policy making, patient dose management, and development of low-dose equipment. In addition, this study can ultimately contribute to decrease radiation dose to patients for radiation safety

Evaluation of radiation dose to patients in intraoral dental radiography using Monte Carlo Method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Il; Kim, Kyeong Ho; Oh, Seung Chul; Song, Ji Young [Dept. of Nuclear Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yongin (Korea, Republic of)

2016-11-15

The use of dental radiographic examinations is common although radiation dose resulting from the dental radiography is relatively small. Therefore, it is required to evaluate radiation dose from the dental radiography for radiation safety purpose. The objectives of the present study were to develop dosimetry method for intraoral dental radiography using a Monte Carlo method based radiation transport code and to calculate organ doses and effective doses of patients from different types of intraoral radiographies. Radiological properties of dental radiography equipment were characterized for the evaluation of patient radiation dose. The properties including x-ray energy spectrum were simulated using MCNP code. Organ doses and effective doses to patients were calculated by MCNP simulation with computational adult phantoms. At the typical equipment settings (60 kVp, 7 mA, and 0.12 sec), the entrance air kerma was 1.79 mGy and the measured half value layer was 1.82 mm. The half value layer calculated by MCNP simulation was well agreed with the measurement values. Effective doses from intraoral radiographies ranged from 1 μSv for maxilla premolar to 3 μSv for maxilla incisor. Oral cavity layer (23⁓82 μSv) and salivary glands (10⁓68 μSv) received relatively high radiation dose. Thyroid also received high radiation dose (3⁓47 μSv) for examinations. The developed dosimetry method and evaluated radiation doses in this study can be utilized for policy making, patient dose management, and development of low-dose equipment. In addition, this study can ultimately contribute to decrease radiation dose to patients for radiation safety.

Simulation of the radiography formation process from CT patient volume

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bifulco, P; Cesarelli, M; Verso, E; Roccasalva Firenze, M; Sansone, M; Bracale, M [University of Naples, Federico II, Electronic Engineering Department, Bioengineering Unit, Via Claudio, 21 - 80125 Naples (Italy)

1999-12-31

The aim of this work is to develop an algorithm to simulate the radiographic image formation process using volumetric anatomical data of the patient, obtained from 3D diagnostic CT images. Many applications, including radiographic driven surgery, virtual reality in medicine and radiologist teaching and training, may take advantage of such technique. The designed algorithm has been developed to simulate a generic radiographic equipment, whatever oriented respect to the patient. The simulated radiography is obtained considering a discrete number of X-ray paths departing from the focus, passing through the patient volume and reaching the radiographic plane. To evaluate a generic pixel of the simulated radiography, the cumulative absorption along the corresponding X-ray is computed. To estimate X-ray absorption in a generic point of the patient volume, 3D interpolation of CT data has been adopted. The proposed technique is quite similar to those employed in Ray Tracing. A computer designed test volume has been used to assess the reliability of the radiography simulation algorithm as a measuring tool. From the errors analysis emerges that the accuracy achieved by the radiographic simulation algorithm is largely confined within the sampling step of the CT volume. (authors) 16 refs., 12 figs., 1 tabs.

LBM-EP: Lattice-Boltzmann method for fast cardiac electrophysiology simulation from 3D images.

Science.gov (United States)

Rapaka, S; Mansi, T; Georgescu, B; Pop, M; Wright, G A; Kamen, A; Comaniciu, Dorin

2012-01-01

Current treatments of heart rhythm troubles require careful planning and guidance for optimal outcomes. Computational models of cardiac electrophysiology are being proposed for therapy planning but current approaches are either too simplified or too computationally intensive for patient-specific simulations in clinical practice. This paper presents a novel approach, LBM-EP, to solve any type of mono-domain cardiac electrophysiology models at near real-time that is especially tailored for patient-specific simulations. The domain is discretized on a Cartesian grid with a level-set representation of patient's heart geometry, previously estimated from images automatically. The cell model is calculated node-wise, while the transmembrane potential is diffused using Lattice-Boltzmann method within the domain defined by the level-set. Experiments on synthetic cases, on a data set from CESC'10 and on one patient with myocardium scar showed that LBM-EP provides results comparable to an FEM implementation, while being 10 - 45 times faster. Fast, accurate, scalable and requiring no specific meshing, LBM-EP paves the way to efficient and detailed models of cardiac electrophysiology for therapy planning.

Selecting a dynamic simulation modeling method for health care delivery research-part 2: report of the ISPOR Dynamic Simulation Modeling Emerging Good Practices Task Force.

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall, Deborah A; Burgos-Liz, Lina; IJzerman, Maarten J; Crown, William; Padula, William V; Wong, Peter K; Pasupathy, Kalyan S; Higashi, Mitchell K; Osgood, Nathaniel D

2015-03-01

In a previous report, the ISPOR Task Force on Dynamic Simulation Modeling Applications in Health Care Delivery Research Emerging Good Practices introduced the fundamentals of dynamic simulation modeling and identified the types of health care delivery problems for which dynamic simulation modeling can be used more effectively than other modeling methods. The hierarchical relationship between the health care delivery system, providers, patients, and other stakeholders exhibits a level of complexity that ought to be captured using dynamic simulation modeling methods. As a tool to help researchers decide whether dynamic simulation modeling is an appropriate method for modeling the effects of an intervention on a health care system, we presented the System, Interactions, Multilevel, Understanding, Loops, Agents, Time, Emergence (SIMULATE) checklist consisting of eight elements. This report builds on the previous work, systematically comparing each of the three most commonly used dynamic simulation modeling methods-system dynamics, discrete-event simulation, and agent-based modeling. We review criteria for selecting the most suitable method depending on 1) the purpose-type of problem and research questions being investigated, 2) the object-scope of the model, and 3) the method to model the object to achieve the purpose. Finally, we provide guidance for emerging good practices for dynamic simulation modeling in the health sector, covering all aspects, from the engagement of decision makers in the model design through model maintenance and upkeep. We conclude by providing some recommendations about the application of these methods to add value to informed decision making, with an emphasis on stakeholder engagement, starting with the problem definition. Finally, we identify areas in which further methodological development will likely occur given the growing "volume, velocity and variety" and availability of "big data" to provide empirical evidence and techniques

Adaptive implicit method for thermal compositional reservoir simulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Agarwal, A.; Tchelepi, H.A. [Society of Petroleum Engineers, Richardson, TX (United States)]|[Stanford Univ., Palo Alto (United States)

2008-10-15

As the global demand for oil increases, thermal enhanced oil recovery techniques are becoming increasingly important. Numerical reservoir simulation of thermal methods such as steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) is complex and requires a solution of nonlinear mass and energy conservation equations on a fine reservoir grid. The most currently used technique for solving these equations is the fully IMplicit (FIM) method which is unconditionally stable, allowing for large timesteps in simulation. However, it is computationally expensive. On the other hand, the method known as IMplicit pressure explicit saturations, temperature and compositions (IMPEST) is computationally inexpensive, but it is only conditionally stable and restricts the timestep size. To improve the balance between the timestep size and computational cost, the thermal adaptive IMplicit (TAIM) method uses stability criteria and a switching algorithm, where some simulation variables such as pressure, saturations, temperature, compositions are treated implicitly while others are treated with explicit schemes. This presentation described ongoing research on TAIM with particular reference to thermal displacement processes such as the stability criteria that dictate the maximum allowed timestep size for simulation based on the von Neumann linear stability analysis method; the switching algorithm that adapts labeling of reservoir variables as implicit or explicit as a function of space and time; and, complex physical behaviors such as heat and fluid convection, thermal conduction and compressibility. Key numerical results obtained by enhancing Stanford's General Purpose Research Simulator (GPRS) were also presented along with a list of research challenges. 14 refs., 2 tabs., 11 figs., 1 appendix.

Evaluation of the airway of the SimMan full-scale patient simulator

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hesselfeldt, R; Kristensen, M S; Rasmussen, L S

2005-01-01

SimMan is a full-scale patient simulator, capable of simulating normal and pathological airways. The performance of SimMan has never been critically evaluated.......SimMan is a full-scale patient simulator, capable of simulating normal and pathological airways. The performance of SimMan has never been critically evaluated....

Using soft systems methodology to develop a simulation of out-patient services.

Science.gov (United States)

Lehaney, B; Paul, R J

1994-10-01

Discrete event simulation is an approach to modelling a system in the form of a set of mathematical equations and logical relationships, usually used for complex problems, which are difficult to address by using analytical or numerical methods. Managing out-patient services is such a problem. However, simulation is not in itself a systemic approach, in that it provides no methodology by which system boundaries and system activities may be identified. The investigation considers the use of soft systems methodology as an aid to drawing system boundaries and identifying system activities, for the purpose of simulating the outpatients' department at a local hospital. The long term aims are to examine the effects that the participative nature of soft systems methodology has on the acceptability of the simulation model, and to provide analysts and managers with a process that may assist in planning strategies for health care.

Constraint methods that accelerate free-energy simulations of biomolecules.

Science.gov (United States)

Perez, Alberto; MacCallum, Justin L; Coutsias, Evangelos A; Dill, Ken A

2015-12-28

Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of biomolecules are critical for generating narratives about biological mechanisms. The power of atomistic simulations is that these are physics-based methods that satisfy Boltzmann's law, so they can be used to compute populations, dynamics, and mechanisms. But physical simulations are computationally intensive and do not scale well to the sizes of many important biomolecules. One way to speed up physical simulations is by coarse-graining the potential function. Another way is to harness structural knowledge, often by imposing spring-like restraints. But harnessing external knowledge in physical simulations is problematic because knowledge, data, or hunches have errors, noise, and combinatoric uncertainties. Here, we review recent principled methods for imposing restraints to speed up physics-based molecular simulations that promise to scale to larger biomolecules and motions.

Discrete event simulation modelling of patient service management with Arena

Science.gov (United States)

Guseva, Elena; Varfolomeyeva, Tatyana; Efimova, Irina; Movchan, Irina

2018-05-01

This paper describes the simulation modeling methodology aimed to aid in solving the practical problems of the research and analysing the complex systems. The paper gives the review of a simulation platform sand example of simulation model development with Arena 15.0 (Rockwell Automation).The provided example of the simulation model for the patient service management helps to evaluate the workload of the clinic doctors, determine the number of the general practitioners, surgeons, traumatologists and other specialized doctors required for the patient service and develop recommendations to ensure timely delivery of medical care and improve the efficiency of the clinic operation.

Degrees of reality: airway anatomy of high-fidelity human patient simulators and airway trainers.

Science.gov (United States)

Schebesta, Karl; Hüpfl, Michael; Rössler, Bernhard; Ringl, Helmut; Müller, Michael P; Kimberger, Oliver

2012-06-01

Human patient simulators and airway training manikins are widely used to train airway management skills to medical professionals. Furthermore, these patient simulators are employed as standardized "patients" to evaluate airway devices. However, little is known about how realistic these patient simulators and airway-training manikins really are. This trial aimed to evaluate the upper airway anatomy of four high-fidelity patient simulators and two airway trainers in comparison with actual patients by means of radiographic measurements. The volume of the pharyngeal airspace was the primary outcome parameter. Computed tomography scans of 20 adult trauma patients without head or neck injuries were compared with computed tomography scans of four high-fidelity patient simulators and two airway trainers. By using 14 predefined distances, two cross-sectional areas and three volume parameters of the upper airway, the manikins' similarity to a human patient was assessed. The pharyngeal airspace of all manikins differed significantly from the patients' pharyngeal airspace. The HPS Human Patient Simulator (METI®, Sarasota, FL) was the most realistic high-fidelity patient simulator (6/19 [32%] of all parameters were within the 95% CI of human airway measurements). The airway anatomy of four high-fidelity patient simulators and two airway trainers does not reflect the upper airway anatomy of actual patients. This finding may impact airway training and confound comparative airway device studies.

Computer-Assisted Orthognathic Surgery for Patients with Cleft Lip/Palate: From Traditional Planning to Three-Dimensional Surgical Simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Lonic, Daniel; Pai, Betty Chien-Jung; Yamaguchi, Kazuaki; Chortrakarnkij, Peerasak; Lin, Hsiu-Hsia; Lo, Lun-Jou

2016-01-01

Background Although conventional two-dimensional (2D) methods for orthognathic surgery planning are still popular, the use of three-dimensional (3D) simulation is steadily increasing. In facial asymmetry cases such as in cleft lip/palate patients, the additional information can dramatically improve planning accuracy and outcome. The purpose of this study is to investigate which parameters are changed most frequently in transferring a traditional 2D plan to 3D simulation, and what planning parameters can be better adjusted by this method. Patients and Methods This prospective study enrolled 30 consecutive patients with cleft lip and/or cleft palate (mean age 18.6±2.9 years, range 15 to 32 years). All patients received two-jaw single-splint orthognathic surgery. 2D orthodontic surgery plans were transferred into a 3D setting. Severe bony collisions in the ramus area after 2D plan transfer were noted. The position of the maxillo-mandibular complex was evaluated and eventually adjusted. Position changes of roll, midline, pitch, yaw, genioplasty and their frequency within the patient group were recorded as an alternation of the initial 2D plan. Patients were divided in groups of no change from the original 2D plan and changes in one, two, three and four of the aforementioned parameters as well as subgroups of unilateral, bilateral cleft lip/palate and isolated cleft palate cases. Postoperative OQLQ scores were obtained for 20 patients who finished orthodontic treatment. Results 83.3% of 2D plans were modified, mostly concerning yaw (63.3%) and midline (36.7%) adjustments. Yaw adjustments had the highest mean values in total and in all subgroups. Severe bony collisions as a result of 2D planning were seen in 46.7% of patients. Possible asymmetry was regularly foreseen and corrected in the 3D simulation. Conclusion Based on our findings, 3D simulation renders important information for accurate planning in complex cleft lip/palate cases involving facial asymmetry that is

Simulated annealing method for electronic circuits design: adaptation and comparison with other optimization methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berthiau, G.

1995-10-01

The circuit design problem consists in determining acceptable parameter values (resistors, capacitors, transistors geometries ...) which allow the circuit to meet various user given operational criteria (DC consumption, AC bandwidth, transient times ...). This task is equivalent to a multidimensional and/or multi objective optimization problem: n-variables functions have to be minimized in an hyper-rectangular domain ; equality constraints can be eventually specified. A similar problem consists in fitting component models. In this way, the optimization variables are the model parameters and one aims at minimizing a cost function built on the error between the model response and the data measured on the component. The chosen optimization method for this kind of problem is the simulated annealing method. This method, provided by the combinatorial optimization domain, has been adapted and compared with other global optimization methods for the continuous variables problems. An efficient strategy of variables discretization and a set of complementary stopping criteria have been proposed. The different parameters of the method have been adjusted with analytical functions of which minima are known, classically used in the literature. Our simulated annealing algorithm has been coupled with an open electrical simulator SPICE-PAC of which the modular structure allows the chaining of simulations required by the circuit optimization process. We proposed, for high-dimensional problems, a partitioning technique which ensures proportionality between CPU-time and variables number. To compare our method with others, we have adapted three other methods coming from combinatorial optimization domain - the threshold method, a genetic algorithm and the Tabu search method - The tests have been performed on the same set of test functions and the results allow a first comparison between these methods applied to continuous optimization variables. Finally, our simulated annealing program

Hybrid Method Simulation of Slender Marine Structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Niels Hørbye

This present thesis consists of an extended summary and five appended papers concerning various aspects of the implementation of a hybrid method which combines classical simulation methods and artificial neural networks. The thesis covers three main topics. Common for all these topics...... only recognize patterns similar to those comprised in the data used to train the network. Fatigue life evaluation of marine structures often considers simulations of more than a hundred different sea states. Hence, in order for this method to be useful, the training data must be arranged so...... that a single neural network can cover all relevant sea states. The applicability and performance of the present hybrid method is demonstrated on a numerical model of a mooring line attached to a floating offshore platform. The second part of the thesis demonstrates how sequential neural networks can be used...

Development of modelling method selection tool for health services management: from problem structuring methods to modelling and simulation methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Jun, Gyuchan T; Morris, Zoe; Eldabi, Tillal; Harper, Paul; Naseer, Aisha; Patel, Brijesh; Clarkson, John P

2011-05-19

There is an increasing recognition that modelling and simulation can assist in the process of designing health care policies, strategies and operations. However, the current use is limited and answers to questions such as what methods to use and when remain somewhat underdeveloped. The aim of this study is to provide a mechanism for decision makers in health services planning and management to compare a broad range of modelling and simulation methods so that they can better select and use them or better commission relevant modelling and simulation work. This paper proposes a modelling and simulation method comparison and selection tool developed from a comprehensive literature review, the research team's extensive expertise and inputs from potential users. Twenty-eight different methods were identified, characterised by their relevance to different application areas, project life cycle stages, types of output and levels of insight, and four input resources required (time, money, knowledge and data). The characterisation is presented in matrix forms to allow quick comparison and selection. This paper also highlights significant knowledge gaps in the existing literature when assessing the applicability of particular approaches to health services management, where modelling and simulation skills are scarce let alone money and time. A modelling and simulation method comparison and selection tool is developed to assist with the selection of methods appropriate to supporting specific decision making processes. In particular it addresses the issue of which method is most appropriate to which specific health services management problem, what the user might expect to be obtained from the method, and what is required to use the method. In summary, we believe the tool adds value to the scarce existing literature on methods comparison and selection.

DRK methods for time-domain oscillator simulation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sevat, M.F.; Houben, S.H.M.J.; Maten, ter E.J.W.; Di Bucchianico, A.; Mattheij, R.M.M.; Peletier, M.A.

2006-01-01

This paper presents a new Runge-Kutta type integration method that is well-suited for time-domain simulation of oscillators. A unique property of the new method is that its damping characteristics can be controlled by a continuous parameter.

Theoretical simulation of the dual-heat-flux method in deep body temperature measurements.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Ming; Chen, Wenxi

2010-01-01

Deep body temperature reveals individual physiological states, and is important in patient monitoring and chronobiological studies. An innovative dual-heat-flux method has been shown experimentally to be competitive with the conventional zero-heat-flow method in its performance, in terms of measurement accuracy and step response to changes in the deep temperature. We have utilized a finite element method to model and simulate the dynamic process of a dual-heat-flux probe in deep body temperature measurements to validate the fundamental principles of the dual-heat-flux method theoretically, and to acquire a detailed quantitative description of the thermal profile of the dual-heat-flux probe. The simulation results show that the estimated deep body temperature is influenced by the ambient temperature (linearly, at a maximum rate of 0.03 °C/°C) and the blood perfusion rate. The corresponding depth of the estimated temperature in the skin and subcutaneous tissue layer is consistent when using the dual-heat-flux probe. Insights in improving the performance of the dual-heat-flux method were discussed for further studies of dual-heat-flux probes, taking into account structural and geometric considerations.

Radiant Ceiling Panels Combined with Localized Methods for Improved Thermal Comfort of Both Patient and Medical Staff in Patient Room

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mori, Sakura; Barova, Mariya; Bolashikov, Zhecho Dimitrov

2012-01-01

The objectives were to identify whether ceiling installed radiant heating panels can provide thermal comfort to the occupants in a patient room, and to determine a method for optimal thermal environment to both patient and medical staff simultaneously. The experiments were performed in a climate...... mattress were used to provide local heating for the patient. The effects of the methods were identified by comparing the manikin based equivalent temperatures. The optimal thermal comfort level for both patient and medical staff would obtained when two conventional cotton blankets were used with extra...... chamber resembling a single-bed patient room under convective air conditioning alone or combined with the ceiling installed radiant heating panels. Two thermal manikins simulated a patient lying in the bed and a doctor standing next to the patient. Conventional cotton blanket, electric blanket, electric...

In-Situ Simulation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bjerregaard, Anders Thais; Slot, Susanne; Paltved, Charlotte

2015-01-01

, and organisational characteristic. Therefore, it might fail to fully mimic real clinical team processes. Though research on in situ simulation in healthcare is in its infancy, literature is abundant on patient safety and team training1. Patient safety reporting systems that identify risks to patients can improve......Introduction: In situ simulation offers on-site training to healthcare professionals. It refers to a training strategy where simulation technology is integrated into the clinical encounter. Training in the simulation laboratory does not easily tap into situational resources, e.g. individual, team...... patient safety if coupled with training and organisational support. This study explored the use of critical incidents and adverse events reports for in situ simulation and short-term observations were used to create learning objectives and training scenarios. Method: This study used an interventional case...

Numerical simulation methods for electron and ion optics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munro, Eric

2011-01-01

This paper summarizes currently used techniques for simulation and computer-aided design in electron and ion beam optics. Topics covered include: field computation, methods for computing optical properties (including Paraxial Rays and Aberration Integrals, Differential Algebra and Direct Ray Tracing), simulation of Coulomb interactions, space charge effects in electron and ion sources, tolerancing, wave optical simulations and optimization. Simulation examples are presented for multipole aberration correctors, Wien filter monochromators, imaging energy filters, magnetic prisms, general curved axis systems and electron mirrors.

In Patients with Cirrhosis, Driving Simulator Performance is Associated With Real-life Driving

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lauridsen, Mette Enok Munk; Thacker, Leroy R; White, Melanie B

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) has been linked to higher real-life rates of automobile crashes and poor performance in driving simulation studies, but the link between driving simulator performance and real-life automobile crashes has not been clearly established. Further......, not all patients with MHE are unsafe drivers, but it is unclear how to distinguish them from unsafe drivers. We investigated the link between performance on driving simulators and real-life automobile accidents and traffic violations. We also aimed to identify features of unsafe drivers with cirrhosis...... and evaluated changes in simulated driving skills and MHE status after 1 year. METHODS: We performed a study of outpatients with cirrhosis (n=205; median 55 years old; median model for end-stage liver disease score, 9.5; none with overt hepatic encephalopathy or alcohol or illicit drug use within previous 6...

A Monte Carlo method and finite volume method coupled optical simulation method for parabolic trough solar collectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang, Hongbo; Fan, Man; You, Shijun; Zheng, Wandong; Zhang, Huan; Ye, Tianzhen; Zheng, Xuejing

2017-01-01

Highlights: •Four optical models for parabolic trough solar collectors were compared in detail. •Characteristics of Monte Carlo Method and Finite Volume Method were discussed. •A novel method was presented combining advantages of different models. •The method was suited to optical analysis of collectors with different geometries. •A new kind of cavity receiver was simulated depending on the novel method. -- Abstract: The PTC (parabolic trough solar collector) is widely used for space heating, heat-driven refrigeration, solar power, etc. The concentrated solar radiation is the only energy source for a PTC, thus its optical performance significantly affects the collector efficiency. In this study, four different optical models were constructed, validated and compared in detail. On this basis, a novel coupled method was presented by combining advantages of these models, which was suited to carry out a mass of optical simulations of collectors with different geometrical parameters rapidly and accurately. Based on these simulation results, the optimal configuration of a collector with highest efficiency can be determined. Thus, this method was useful for collector optimization and design. In the four models, MCM (Monte Carlo Method) and FVM (Finite Volume Method) were used to initialize photons distribution, as well as CPEM (Change Photon Energy Method) and MCM were adopted to describe the process of reflecting, transmitting and absorbing. For simulating reflection, transmission and absorption, CPEM was more efficient than MCM, so it was utilized in the coupled method. For photons distribution initialization, FVM saved running time and computation effort, whereas it needed suitable grid configuration. MCM only required a total number of rays for simulation, whereas it needed higher computing cost and its results fluctuated in multiple runs. In the novel coupled method, the grid configuration for FVM was optimized according to the “true values” from MCM of

Simulation methods for nuclear production scheduling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miles, W.T.; Markel, L.C.

1975-01-01

Recent developments and applications of simulation methods for use in nuclear production scheduling and fuel management are reviewed. The unique characteristics of the nuclear fuel cycle as they relate to the overall optimization of a mixed nuclear-fossil system in both the short-and mid-range time frame are described. Emphasis is placed on the various formulations and approaches to the mid-range planning problem, whose objective is the determination of an optimal (least cost) system operation strategy over a multi-year planning horizon. The decomposition of the mid-range problem into power system simulation, reactor core simulation and nuclear fuel management optimization, and system integration models is discussed. Present utility practices, requirements, and research trends are described. 37 references

'Odontologic dosimetric card' experiments and simulations using Monte Carlo methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Menezes, C.J.M.; Lima, R. de A.; Peixoto, J.E.; Vieira, J.W.

2008-01-01

The techniques for data processing, combined with the development of fast and more powerful computers, makes the Monte Carlo methods one of the most widely used tools in the radiation transport simulation. For applications in diagnostic radiology, this method generally uses anthropomorphic phantoms to evaluate the absorbed dose to patients during exposure. In this paper, some Monte Carlo techniques were used to simulation of a testing device designed for intra-oral X-ray equipment performance evaluation called Odontologic Dosimetric Card (CDO of 'Cartao Dosimetrico Odontologico' in Portuguese) for different thermoluminescent detectors. This paper used two computational models of exposition RXD/EGS4 and CDO/EGS4. In the first model, the simulation results are compared with experimental data obtained in the similar conditions. The second model, it presents the same characteristics of the testing device studied (CDO). For the irradiations, the X-ray spectra were generated by the IPEM report number 78, spectrum processor. The attenuated spectrum was obtained for IEC 61267 qualities and various additional filters for a Pantak 320 X-ray industrial equipment. The results obtained for the study of the copper filters used in the determination of the kVp were compared with experimental data, validating the model proposed for the characterization of the CDO. The results shower of the CDO will be utilized in quality assurance programs in order to guarantee that the equipment fulfill the requirements of the Norm SVS No. 453/98 MS (Brazil) 'Directives of Radiation Protection in Medical and Dental Radiodiagnostic'. We conclude that the EGS4 is a suitable code Monte Carlo to simulate thermoluminescent dosimeters and experimental procedures employed in the routine of the quality control laboratory in diagnostic radiology. (author)

[Method of radiotherapy planning for head and neck tumors using simulated CT images and radiographic data, developed at the Gustave Roussy Institute].

Science.gov (United States)

Bridier, A; Diaz, J C; Kafrouni, H; Leclerc, A; Barrois, M M; Rivet, P; Wibault, P; Bourhis, J; Eschwège, F

2001-06-01

The paper deals with the recent improvements introduced in the most usual method applied in the Institut Gustave Roussy radiotherapy department for obtaining the anatomical data of patients treated for head and neck tumors. For each of these patients, five to seven transverses slices and a lateral radiographic film are taken from a Mecaserto simulator-CT. The anatomical representation of the patient sagittal plane is carried out from the digitalisation of the radiographic film on a Vidar Vxr-12 Plus film scanner and integrated into the Dosigray dose calculation programme in order to be used as a support for the laying out of the dose distribution in reference to the treatment. The sagittal anatomical representation obtained from the radiographic film digitalisation is compared with the one resulting from the interpolation between a limited number of irregularly-spaced transverse slices taken on the simulator-CT. The method using the simulator-scanner transverse slices and the radiographic film digitalisation represents an interesting alternative for obtaining an anatomy simulation representative of the patient in hospitals where a scanner is not available full-time for the needs of the radiotherapy process.

Patient identification errors are common in a simulated setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Henneman, Philip L; Fisher, Donald L; Henneman, Elizabeth A; Pham, Tuan A; Campbell, Megan M; Nathanson, Brian H

2010-06-01

We evaluate the frequency and accuracy of health care workers verifying patient identity before performing common tasks. The study included prospective, simulated patient scenarios with an eye-tracking device that showed where the health care workers looked. Simulations involved nurses administering an intravenous medication, technicians labeling a blood specimen, and clerks applying an identity band. Participants were asked to perform their assigned task on 3 simulated patients, and the third patient had a different date of birth and medical record number than the identity information on the artifact label specific to the health care workers' task. Health care workers were unaware that the focus of the study was patient identity. Sixty-one emergency health care workers participated--28 nurses, 16 technicians, and 17 emergency service associates--in 183 patient scenarios. Sixty-one percent of health care workers (37/61) caught the identity error (61% nurses, 94% technicians, 29% emergency service associates). Thirty-nine percent of health care workers (24/61) performed their assigned task on the wrong patient (39% nurses, 6% technicians, 71% emergency service associates). Eye-tracking data were available for 73% of the patient scenarios (133/183). Seventy-four percent of health care workers (74/100) failed to match the patient to the identity band (87% nurses, 49% technicians). Twenty-seven percent of health care workers (36/133) failed to match the artifact to the patient or the identity band before performing their task (33% nurses, 9% technicians, 33% emergency service associates). Fifteen percent (5/33) of health care workers who completed the steps to verify patient identity on the patient with the identification error still failed to recognize the error. Wide variation exists among health care workers verifying patient identity before performing everyday tasks. Education, process changes, and technology are needed to improve the frequency and accuracy of

A simulation framework for mapping risks in clinical processes: the case of in-patient transfers.

Science.gov (United States)

Dunn, Adam G; Ong, Mei-Sing; Westbrook, Johanna I; Magrabi, Farah; Coiera, Enrico; Wobcke, Wayne

2011-05-01

To model how individual violations in routine clinical processes cumulatively contribute to the risk of adverse events in hospital using an agent-based simulation framework. An agent-based simulation was designed to model the cascade of common violations that contribute to the risk of adverse events in routine clinical processes. Clinicians and the information systems that support them were represented as a group of interacting agents using data from direct observations. The model was calibrated using data from 101 patient transfers observed in a hospital and results were validated for one of two scenarios (a misidentification scenario and an infection control scenario). Repeated simulations using the calibrated model were undertaken to create a distribution of possible process outcomes. The likelihood of end-of-chain risk is the main outcome measure, reported for each of the two scenarios. The simulations demonstrate end-of-chain risks of 8% and 24% for the misidentification and infection control scenarios, respectively. Over 95% of the simulations in both scenarios are unique, indicating that the in-patient transfer process diverges from prescribed work practices in a variety of ways. The simulation allowed us to model the risk of adverse events in a clinical process, by generating the variety of possible work subject to violations, a novel prospective risk analysis method. The in-patient transfer process has a high proportion of unique trajectories, implying that risk mitigation may benefit from focusing on reducing complexity rather than augmenting the process with further rule-based protocols.

Systematic Review of Patient-Specific Surgical Simulation: Toward Advancing Medical Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryu, Won Hyung A; Dharampal, Navjit; Mostafa, Ahmed E; Sharlin, Ehud; Kopp, Gail; Jacobs, William Bradley; Hurlbert, Robin John; Chan, Sonny; Sutherland, Garnette R

Simulation-based education has been shown to be an effective tool to teach foundational technical skills in various surgical specialties. However, most of the current simulations are limited to generic scenarios and do not allow continuation of the learning curve beyond basic technical skills to prepare for more advanced expertise, such as patient-specific surgical planning. The objective of this study was to evaluate the current medical literature with respect to the utilization and educational value of patient-specific simulations for surgical training. We performed a systematic review of the literature using Pubmed, Embase, and Scopus focusing on themes of simulation, patient-specific, surgical procedure, and education. The study included randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, and case-control studies published between 2005 and 2016. Two independent reviewers (W.H.R. and N.D) conducted the study appraisal, data abstraction, and quality assessment of the studies. The search identified 13 studies that met the inclusion criteria; 7 studies employed computer simulations and 6 studies used 3-dimensional (3D) synthetic models. A number of surgical specialties evaluated patient-specific simulation, including neurosurgery, vascular surgery, orthopedic surgery, and interventional radiology. However, most studies were small in size and primarily aimed at feasibility assessments and early validation. Early evidence has shown feasibility and utility of patient-specific simulation for surgical education. With further development of this technology, simulation-based education may be able to support training of higher-level competencies outside the clinical settingto aid learners in their development of surgical skills. Copyright © 2017 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A tool for simulating parallel branch-and-bound methods

Science.gov (United States)

Golubeva, Yana; Orlov, Yury; Posypkin, Mikhail

2016-01-01

The Branch-and-Bound method is known as one of the most powerful but very resource consuming global optimization methods. Parallel and distributed computing can efficiently cope with this issue. The major difficulty in parallel B&B method is the need for dynamic load redistribution. Therefore design and study of load balancing algorithms is a separate and very important research topic. This paper presents a tool for simulating parallel Branchand-Bound method. The simulator allows one to run load balancing algorithms with various numbers of processors, sizes of the search tree, the characteristics of the supercomputer's interconnect thereby fostering deep study of load distribution strategies. The process of resolution of the optimization problem by B&B method is replaced by a stochastic branching process. Data exchanges are modeled using the concept of logical time. The user friendly graphical interface to the simulator provides efficient visualization and convenient performance analysis.

Real time simulation method for fast breeder reactors dynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miki, Tetsushi; Mineo, Yoshiyuki; Ogino, Takamichi; Kishida, Koji; Furuichi, Kenji.

1985-01-01

The development of multi-purpose real time simulator models with suitable plant dynamics was made; these models can be used not only in training operators but also in designing control systems, operation sequences and many other items which must be studied for the development of new type reactors. The prototype fast breeder reactor ''Monju'' is taken as an example. Analysis is made on various factors affecting the accuracy and computer load of its dynamic simulation. A method is presented which determines the optimum number of nodes in distributed systems and time steps. The oscillations due to the numerical instability are observed in the dynamic simulation of evaporators with a small number of nodes, and a method to cancel these oscillations is proposed. It has been verified through the development of plant dynamics simulation codes that these methods can provide efficient real time dynamics models of fast breeder reactors. (author)

Plasma simulations using the Car-Parrinello method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clerouin, J.; Zerah, G.; Benisti, D.; Hansen, J.P.

1990-01-01

A simplified version of the Car-Parrinello method, based on the Thomas-Fermi (local density) functional for the electrons, is adapted to the simulation of the ionic dynamics in dense plasmas. The method is illustrated by an explicit application to a degenerate one-dimensional hydrogen plasma

Simulation research to enhance patient safety and outcomes: recommendations of the Simnovate Patient Safety Domain Group

OpenAIRE

Pucher, PH; Tamblyn, R; Boorman, D; Dixon-Woods, Mary Margaret; Donaldson, L; Draycott, T; Forster, A; Nadkarni, V; Power, C; Sevdalis, N; Aggarwal, R

2017-01-01

The use of simulation-based training has established itself in healthcare but its implementation has been varied and mostly limited to technical and non-technical skills training. This article discusses the possibilities of the use of simulation as part of an overarching approach to improving patient safety, and represents the views of the Simnovate Patient Safety Domain Group, an international multidisciplinary expert group dedicated to the improvement of patient safety. The application and ...

Non-analogue Monte Carlo method, application to neutron simulation; Methode de Monte Carlo non analogue, application a la simulation des neutrons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morillon, B.

1996-12-31

With most of the traditional and contemporary techniques, it is still impossible to solve the transport equation if one takes into account a fully detailed geometry and if one studies precisely the interactions between particles and matters. Only the Monte Carlo method offers such a possibility. However with significant attenuation, the natural simulation remains inefficient: it becomes necessary to use biasing techniques where the solution of the adjoint transport equation is essential. The Monte Carlo code Tripoli has been using such techniques successfully for a long time with different approximate adjoint solutions: these methods require from the user to find out some parameters. If this parameters are not optimal or nearly optimal, the biases simulations may bring about small figures of merit. This paper presents a description of the most important biasing techniques of the Monte Carlo code Tripoli ; then we show how to calculate the importance function for general geometry with multigroup cases. We present a completely automatic biasing technique where the parameters of the biased simulation are deduced from the solution of the adjoint transport equation calculated by collision probabilities. In this study we shall estimate the importance function through collision probabilities method and we shall evaluate its possibilities thanks to a Monte Carlo calculation. We compare different biased simulations with the importance function calculated by collision probabilities for one-group and multigroup problems. We have run simulations with new biasing method for one-group transport problems with isotropic shocks and for multigroup problems with anisotropic shocks. The results show that for the one-group and homogeneous geometry transport problems the method is quite optimal without splitting and russian roulette technique but for the multigroup and heterogeneous X-Y geometry ones the figures of merit are higher if we add splitting and russian roulette technique.

Simulation experience enhances physical therapist student confidence in managing a patient in the critical care environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohtake, Patricia J; Lazarus, Marcilene; Schillo, Rebecca; Rosen, Michael

2013-02-01

Rehabilitation of patients in critical care environments improves functional outcomes. This finding has led to increased implementation of intensive care unit (ICU) rehabilitation programs, including early mobility, and an associated increased demand for physical therapists practicing in ICUs. Unfortunately, many physical therapists report being inadequately prepared to work in this high-risk environment. Simulation provides focused, deliberate practice in safe, controlled learning environments and may be a method to initiate academic preparation of physical therapists for ICU practice. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of participation in simulation-based management of a patient with critical illness in an ICU setting on levels of confidence and satisfaction in physical therapist students. A one-group, pretest-posttest, quasi-experimental design was used. Physical therapist students (N=43) participated in a critical care simulation experience requiring technical (assessing bed mobility and pulmonary status), behavioral (patient and interprofessional communication), and cognitive (recognizing a patient status change and initiating appropriate responses) skill performance. Student confidence and satisfaction were surveyed before and after the simulation experience. Students' confidence in their technical, behavioral, and cognitive skill performance increased from "somewhat confident" to "confident" following the critical care simulation experience. Student satisfaction was highly positive, with strong agreement the simulation experience was valuable, reinforced course content, and was a useful educational tool. Limitations of the study were the small sample from one university and a control group was not included. Incorporating a simulated, interprofessional critical care experience into a required clinical course improved physical therapist student confidence in technical, behavioral, and cognitive performance measures and was associated with high

A tool for simulating parallel branch-and-bound methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Golubeva Yana

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The Branch-and-Bound method is known as one of the most powerful but very resource consuming global optimization methods. Parallel and distributed computing can efficiently cope with this issue. The major difficulty in parallel B&B method is the need for dynamic load redistribution. Therefore design and study of load balancing algorithms is a separate and very important research topic. This paper presents a tool for simulating parallel Branchand-Bound method. The simulator allows one to run load balancing algorithms with various numbers of processors, sizes of the search tree, the characteristics of the supercomputer’s interconnect thereby fostering deep study of load distribution strategies. The process of resolution of the optimization problem by B&B method is replaced by a stochastic branching process. Data exchanges are modeled using the concept of logical time. The user friendly graphical interface to the simulator provides efficient visualization and convenient performance analysis.

Utilization of simulated patients to assess diabetes and asthma counseling practices among community pharmacists in Qatar.

Science.gov (United States)

Paravattil, Bridget; Kheir, Nadir; Yousif, Adil

2017-08-01

Background Patient counseling is one of the most important services a pharmacist can provide to patients. Studies have shown that counseling provided by pharmacists may prevent medication related problems and improve adherence to medication therapy. Objective To explore counseling practices among community pharmacists using simulated patients and to determine if patient, pharmacist, and pharmacy characteristics influence the counseling provided by community pharmacists. Setting Private community pharmacies within Qatar. Method This is a randomized, cross sectional study where simulated patients visited community pharmacies and presented the pharmacist with a new prescription or requested a refill for either a diabetes or asthma medication. Pharmacists completed a questionnaire at the end of the simulated interaction, which was utilized to determine if patient, pharmacist, or pharmacy characteristics had any influence on the counseling provided to patients. A scoring system was devised to assess the pharmacist's counseling practices. Main outcome measure To evaluate the type of information provided by community pharmacists to the simulated patient regarding diabetes and asthma. Results One hundred and twenty-nine pharmacists were enrolled in the study. Eighty one percent of pharmacists had a score master of pharmacy degree provided significantly better counseling (f = 3.261; p = 0.042). Many pharmacists (65%) provided hypoglycemia management to patients, however, 63% referred the patient to the physician when the patient experienced hypoglycemia from inappropriate medication administration. Only 2 (7%) pharmacists correctly counseled the patient on all 8 inhaler administration steps. Majority of pharmacists (50%) educated on the role of the rescue and controller therapy in asthma, however, 33% referred the patient to the physician when the patient inquired about controller therapy use. Conclusion Patient counseling was substandard with the majority of community

Simulation of plume dynamics by the Lattice Boltzmann Method

Science.gov (United States)

Mora, Peter; Yuen, David A.

2017-09-01

The Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) is a semi-microscopic method to simulate fluid mechanics by modelling distributions of particles moving and colliding on a lattice. We present 2-D simulations using the LBM of a fluid in a rectangular box being heated from below, and cooled from above, with a Rayleigh of Ra = 108, similar to current estimates of the Earth's mantle, and a Prandtl number of 5000. At this Prandtl number, the flow is found to be in the non-inertial regime where the inertial terms denoted I ≪ 1. Hence, the simulations presented lie within the regime of relevance for geodynamical problems. We obtain narrow upwelling plumes with mushroom heads and chutes of downwelling fluid as expected of a flow in the non-inertial regime. The method developed demonstrates that the LBM has great potential for simulating thermal convection and plume dynamics relevant to geodynamics, albeit with some limitations.

Novel Methods for Electromagnetic Simulation and Design

Science.gov (United States)

2016-08-03

modeling software that can handle complicated, electrically large objects in a manner that is sufficiently fast to allow design by simulation. 15. SUBJECT...electrically large objects in a manner that is sufficiently fast to allow design by simulation. We also developed new methods for scattering from cavities in a...basis for high fidelity modeling software that can handle complicated, electrically large objects in a manner that is sufficiently fast to allow

Validity evidence and reliability of a simulated patient feedback instrument.

Science.gov (United States)

Schlegel, Claudia; Woermann, Ulrich; Rethans, Jan-Joost; van der Vleuten, Cees

2012-01-27

In the training of healthcare professionals, one of the advantages of communication training with simulated patients (SPs) is the SP's ability to provide direct feedback to students after a simulated clinical encounter. The quality of SP feedback must be monitored, especially because it is well known that feedback can have a profound effect on student performance. Due to the current lack of valid and reliable instruments to assess the quality of SP feedback, our study examined the validity and reliability of one potential instrument, the 'modified Quality of Simulated Patient Feedback Form' (mQSF). Content validity of the mQSF was assessed by inviting experts in the area of simulated clinical encounters to rate the importance of the mQSF items. Moreover, generalizability theory was used to examine the reliability of the mQSF. Our data came from videotapes of clinical encounters between six simulated patients and six students and the ensuing feedback from the SPs to the students. Ten faculty members judged the SP feedback according to the items on the mQSF. Three weeks later, this procedure was repeated with the same faculty members and recordings. All but two items of the mQSF received importance ratings of > 2.5 on a four-point rating scale. A generalizability coefficient of 0.77 was established with two judges observing one encounter. The findings for content validity and reliability with two judges suggest that the mQSF is a valid and reliable instrument to assess the quality of feedback provided by simulated patients.

A hybrid multiscale kinetic Monte Carlo method for simulation of copper electrodeposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng Zheming; Stephens, Ryan M.; Braatz, Richard D.; Alkire, Richard C.; Petzold, Linda R.

2008-01-01

A hybrid multiscale kinetic Monte Carlo (HMKMC) method for speeding up the simulation of copper electrodeposition is presented. The fast diffusion events are simulated deterministically with a heterogeneous diffusion model which considers site-blocking effects of additives. Chemical reactions are simulated by an accelerated (tau-leaping) method for discrete stochastic simulation which adaptively selects exact discrete stochastic simulation for the appropriate reaction whenever that is necessary. The HMKMC method is seen to be accurate and highly efficient

Simulation methods with extended stability for stiff biochemical Kinetics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rué Pau

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background With increasing computer power, simulating the dynamics of complex systems in chemistry and biology is becoming increasingly routine. The modelling of individual reactions in (biochemical systems involves a large number of random events that can be simulated by the stochastic simulation algorithm (SSA. The key quantity is the step size, or waiting time, τ, whose value inversely depends on the size of the propensities of the different channel reactions and which needs to be re-evaluated after every firing event. Such a discrete event simulation may be extremely expensive, in particular for stiff systems where τ can be very short due to the fast kinetics of some of the channel reactions. Several alternative methods have been put forward to increase the integration step size. The so-called τ-leap approach takes a larger step size by allowing all the reactions to fire, from a Poisson or Binomial distribution, within that step. Although the expected value for the different species in the reactive system is maintained with respect to more precise methods, the variance at steady state can suffer from large errors as τ grows. Results In this paper we extend Poisson τ-leap methods to a general class of Runge-Kutta (RK τ-leap methods. We show that with the proper selection of the coefficients, the variance of the extended τ-leap can be well-behaved, leading to significantly larger step sizes. Conclusions The benefit of adapting the extended method to the use of RK frameworks is clear in terms of speed of calculation, as the number of evaluations of the Poisson distribution is still one set per time step, as in the original τ-leap method. The approach paves the way to explore new multiscale methods to simulate (biochemical systems.

A nondissipative simulation method for the drift kinetic equation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Tomo-Hiko; Sugama, Hideo; Sato, Tetsuya

2001-07-01

With the aim to study the ion temperature gradient (ITG) driven turbulence, a nondissipative kinetic simulation scheme is developed and comprehensively benchmarked. The new simulation method preserving the time-reversibility of basic kinetic equations can successfully reproduce the analytical solutions of asymmetric three-mode ITG equations which are extended to provide a more general reference for benchmarking than the previous work [T.-H. Watanabe, H. Sugama, and T. Sato: Phys. Plasmas 7 (2000) 984]. It is also applied to a dissipative three-mode system, and shows a good agreement with the analytical solution. The nondissipative simulation result of the ITG turbulence accurately satisfies the entropy balance equation. Usefulness of the nondissipative method for the drift kinetic simulations is confirmed in comparisons with other dissipative schemes. (author)

Dr. Tulp attends the soft machine: patient simulators, user involvement and intellectual disability.

Science.gov (United States)

McClimens, Alex; Lewis, Robin; Brewster, Jacqui

2012-09-01

Simulation as a way to teach clinical skills attracts much critical attention. Its benefits, however, might be significantly reduced when the simulation model used relies exclusively on patient simulators. This is particularly true if the intended patient population for students taught is characterized by intellectual disability. Learning to care for people with intellectual disability might be better supplemented when the simulation model used incorporates input from 'real' people. If these people themselves have intellectual disabilities then the verisimilitude of the simulation will be higher and the outcomes for learners and potential patients will also be improved.

Capturing readiness to learn and collaboration as explored with an interprofessional simulation scenario: A mixed-methods research study.

Science.gov (United States)

Rossler, Kelly L; Kimble, Laura P

2016-01-01

Didactic lecture does not lend itself to teaching interprofessional collaboration. High-fidelity human patient simulation with a focus on clinical situations/scenarios is highly conducive to interprofessional education. Consequently, a need for research supporting the incorporation of interprofessional education with high-fidelity patient simulation based technology exists. The purpose of this study was to explore readiness for interprofessional learning and collaboration among pre-licensure health professions students participating in an interprofessional education human patient simulation experience. Using a mixed methods convergent parallel design, a sample of 53 pre-licensure health professions students enrolled in nursing, respiratory therapy, health administration, and physical therapy programs within a college of health professions participated in high-fidelity human patient simulation experiences. Perceptions of interprofessional learning and collaboration were measured with the revised Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) and the Health Professional Collaboration Scale (HPCS). Focus groups were conducted during the simulation post-briefing to obtain qualitative data. Statistical analysis included non-parametric, inferential statistics. Qualitative data were analyzed using a phenomenological approach. Pre- and post-RIPLS demonstrated pre-licensure health professions students reported significantly more positive attitudes about readiness for interprofessional learning post-simulation in the areas of team work and collaboration, negative professional identity, and positive professional identity. Post-simulation HPCS revealed pre-licensure nursing and health administration groups reported greater health collaboration during simulation than physical therapy students. Qualitative analysis yielded three themes: "exposure to experiential learning," "acquisition of interactional relationships," and "presence of chronology in role preparation

Forest canopy BRDF simulation using Monte Carlo method

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huang, J.; Wu, B.; Zeng, Y.; Tian, Y.

2006-01-01

Monte Carlo method is a random statistic method, which has been widely used to simulate the Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) of vegetation canopy in the field of visible remote sensing. The random process between photons and forest canopy was designed using Monte Carlo method.

Patient outcomes in simulation-based medical education: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Zendejas, Benjamin; Brydges, Ryan; Wang, Amy T; Cook, David A

2013-08-01

Evaluating the patient impact of health professions education is a societal priority with many challenges. Researchers would benefit from a summary of topics studied and potential methodological problems. We sought to summarize key information on patient outcomes identified in a comprehensive systematic review of simulation-based instruction. Systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Scopus, key journals, and bibliographies of previous reviews through May 2011. Original research in any language measuring the direct effects on patients of simulation-based instruction for health professionals, in comparison with no intervention or other instruction. Two reviewers independently abstracted information on learners, topics, study quality including unit of analysis, and validity evidence. We pooled outcomes using random effects. From 10,903 articles screened, we identified 50 studies reporting patient outcomes for at least 3,221 trainees and 16,742 patients. Clinical topics included airway management (14 studies), gastrointestinal endoscopy (12), and central venous catheter insertion (8). There were 31 studies involving postgraduate physicians and seven studies each involving practicing physicians, nurses, and emergency medicine technicians. Fourteen studies (28 %) used an appropriate unit of analysis. Measurement validity was supported in seven studies reporting content evidence, three reporting internal structure, and three reporting relations with other variables. The pooled Hedges' g effect size for 33 comparisons with no intervention was 0.47 (95 % confidence interval [CI], 0.31-0.63); and for nine comparisons with non-simulation instruction, it was 0.36 (95 % CI, -0.06 to 0.78). Focused field in education; high inconsistency (I(2) > 50 % in most analyses). Simulation-based education was associated with small-moderate patient benefits in comparison with no intervention and non-simulation instruction, although the latter did not reach statistical

Coupling methods for parallel running RELAPSim codes in nuclear power plant simulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Yankai; Lin, Meng, E-mail: linmeng@sjtu.edu.cn; Yang, Yanhua

2016-02-15

When the plant is modeled detailedly for high precision, it is hard to achieve real-time calculation for one single RELAP5 in a large-scale simulation. To improve the speed and ensure the precision of simulation at the same time, coupling methods for parallel running RELAPSim codes were proposed in this study. Explicit coupling method via coupling boundaries was realized based on a data-exchange and procedure-control environment. Compromise of synchronization frequency was well considered to improve the precision of simulation and guarantee the real-time simulation at the same time. The coupling methods were assessed using both single-phase flow models and two-phase flow models and good agreements were obtained between the splitting–coupling models and the integrated model. The mitigation of SGTR was performed as an integral application of the coupling models. A large-scope NPP simulator was developed adopting six splitting–coupling models of RELAPSim and other simulation codes. The coupling models could improve the speed of simulation significantly and make it possible for real-time calculation. In this paper, the coupling of the models in the engineering simulator is taken as an example to expound the coupling methods, i.e., coupling between parallel running RELAPSim codes, and coupling between RELAPSim code and other types of simulation codes. However, the coupling methods are also referable in other simulator, for example, a simulator employing ATHLETE instead of RELAP5, other logic code instead of SIMULINK. It is believed the coupling method is commonly used for NPP simulator regardless of the specific codes chosen in this paper.

A simulation framework for mapping risks in clinical processes: the case of in-patient transfers

Science.gov (United States)

Ong, Mei-Sing; Westbrook, Johanna I; Magrabi, Farah; Coiera, Enrico; Wobcke, Wayne

2011-01-01

Objective To model how individual violations in routine clinical processes cumulatively contribute to the risk of adverse events in hospital using an agent-based simulation framework. Design An agent-based simulation was designed to model the cascade of common violations that contribute to the risk of adverse events in routine clinical processes. Clinicians and the information systems that support them were represented as a group of interacting agents using data from direct observations. The model was calibrated using data from 101 patient transfers observed in a hospital and results were validated for one of two scenarios (a misidentification scenario and an infection control scenario). Repeated simulations using the calibrated model were undertaken to create a distribution of possible process outcomes. The likelihood of end-of-chain risk is the main outcome measure, reported for each of the two scenarios. Results The simulations demonstrate end-of-chain risks of 8% and 24% for the misidentification and infection control scenarios, respectively. Over 95% of the simulations in both scenarios are unique, indicating that the in-patient transfer process diverges from prescribed work practices in a variety of ways. Conclusions The simulation allowed us to model the risk of adverse events in a clinical process, by generating the variety of possible work subject to violations, a novel prospective risk analysis method. The in-patient transfer process has a high proportion of unique trajectories, implying that risk mitigation may benefit from focusing on reducing complexity rather than augmenting the process with further rule-based protocols. PMID:21486883

Methods of channeling simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barrett, J.H.

1989-06-01

Many computer simulation programs have been used to interpret experiments almost since the first channeling measurements were made. Certain aspects of these programs are important in how accurately they simulate ions in crystals; among these are the manner in which the structure of the crystal is incorporated, how any quantity of interest is computed, what ion-atom potential is used, how deflections are computed from the potential, incorporation of thermal vibrations of the lattice atoms, correlations of thermal vibrations, and form of stopping power. Other aspects of the programs are included to improve the speed; among these are table lookup, importance sampling, and the multiparameter method. It is desirable for programs to facilitate incorporation of special features of interest in special situations; examples are relaxations and enhanced vibrations of surface atoms, easy substitution of an alternate potential for comparison, change of row directions from layer to layer in strained-layer lattices, and different vibration amplitudes for substitutional solute or impurity atoms. Ways of implementing all of these aspects and features and the consequences of them will be discussed. 30 refs., 3 figs

A regularized vortex-particle mesh method for large eddy simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Spietz, H. J.; Walther, J. H.; Hejlesen, M. M.

2017-11-01

We present recent developments of the remeshed vortex particle-mesh method for simulating incompressible fluid flow. The presented method relies on a parallel higher-order FFT based solver for the Poisson equation. Arbitrary high order is achieved through regularization of singular Green's function solutions to the Poisson equation and recently we have derived novel high order solutions for a mixture of open and periodic domains. With this approach the simulated variables may formally be viewed as the approximate solution to the filtered Navier Stokes equations, hence we use the method for Large Eddy Simulation by including a dynamic subfilter-scale model based on test-filters compatible with the aforementioned regularization functions. Further the subfilter-scale model uses Lagrangian averaging, which is a natural candidate in light of the Lagrangian nature of vortex particle methods. A multiresolution variation of the method is applied to simulate the benchmark problem of the flow past a square cylinder at Re = 22000 and the obtained results are compared to results from the literature.

Hybrid statistics-simulations based method for atom-counting from ADF STEM images.

Science.gov (United States)

De Wael, Annelies; De Backer, Annick; Jones, Lewys; Nellist, Peter D; Van Aert, Sandra

2017-06-01

A hybrid statistics-simulations based method for atom-counting from annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (ADF STEM) images of monotype crystalline nanostructures is presented. Different atom-counting methods already exist for model-like systems. However, the increasing relevance of radiation damage in the study of nanostructures demands a method that allows atom-counting from low dose images with a low signal-to-noise ratio. Therefore, the hybrid method directly includes prior knowledge from image simulations into the existing statistics-based method for atom-counting, and accounts in this manner for possible discrepancies between actual and simulated experimental conditions. It is shown by means of simulations and experiments that this hybrid method outperforms the statistics-based method, especially for low electron doses and small nanoparticles. The analysis of a simulated low dose image of a small nanoparticle suggests that this method allows for far more reliable quantitative analysis of beam-sensitive materials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Simulation and the Monte Carlo method

CERN Document Server

Rubinstein, Reuven Y

2016-01-01

Simulation and the Monte Carlo Method, Third Edition reflects the latest developments in the field and presents a fully updated and comprehensive account of the major topics that have emerged in Monte Carlo simulation since the publication of the classic First Edition over more than a quarter of a century ago. While maintaining its accessible and intuitive approach, this revised edition features a wealth of up-to-date information that facilitates a deeper understanding of problem solving across a wide array of subject areas, such as engineering, statistics, computer science, mathematics, and the physical and life sciences. The book begins with a modernized introduction that addresses the basic concepts of probability, Markov processes, and convex optimization. Subsequent chapters discuss the dramatic changes that have occurred in the field of the Monte Carlo method, with coverage of many modern topics including: Markov Chain Monte Carlo, variance reduction techniques such as the transform likelihood ratio...

Research on Monte Carlo simulation method of industry CT system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Junli; Zeng Zhi; Qui Rui; Wu Zhen; Li Chunyan

2010-01-01

There are a series of radiation physical problems in the design and production of industry CT system (ICTS), including limit quality index analysis; the effect of scattering, efficiency of detectors and crosstalk to the system. Usually the Monte Carlo (MC) Method is applied to resolve these problems. Most of them are of little probability, so direct simulation is very difficult, and existing MC methods and programs can't meet the needs. To resolve these difficulties, particle flux point auto-important sampling (PFPAIS) is given on the basis of auto-important sampling. Then, on the basis of PFPAIS, a particular ICTS simulation method: MCCT is realized. Compared with existing MC methods, MCCT is proved to be able to simulate the ICTS more exactly and effectively. Furthermore, the effects of all kinds of disturbances of ICTS are simulated and analyzed by MCCT. To some extent, MCCT can guide the research of the radiation physical problems in ICTS. (author)

Validation of Patient-Specific Cerebral Blood Flow Simulation Using Transcranial Doppler Measurements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Derek Groen

2018-06-01

Full Text Available We present a validation study comparing results from a patient-specific lattice-Boltzmann simulation to transcranial Doppler (TCD velocity measurements in four different planes of the middle cerebral artery (MCA. As part of the study, we compared simulations using a Newtonian and a Carreau-Yasuda rheology model. We also investigated the viability of using downscaled velocities to reduce the required resolution. Simulations with unscaled velocities predict the maximum flow velocity with an error of less than 9%, independent of the rheology model chosen. The accuracy of the simulation predictions worsens considerably when simulations are run at reduced velocity, as is for example the case when inflow velocities from healthy individuals are used on a vascular model of a stroke patient. Our results demonstrate the importance of using directly measured and patient-specific inflow velocities when simulating blood flow in MCAs. We conclude that localized TCD measurements together with predictive simulations can be used to obtain flow estimates with high fidelity over a larger region, and reduce the need for more invasive flow measurement procedures.

A multiscale quantum mechanics/electromagnetics method for device simulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Yam, ChiYung; Meng, Lingyi; Zhang, Yu; Chen, GuanHua

2015-04-07

Multiscale modeling has become a popular tool for research applying to different areas including materials science, microelectronics, biology, chemistry, etc. In this tutorial review, we describe a newly developed multiscale computational method, incorporating quantum mechanics into electronic device modeling with the electromagnetic environment included through classical electrodynamics. In the quantum mechanics/electromagnetics (QM/EM) method, the regions of the system where active electron scattering processes take place are treated quantum mechanically, while the surroundings are described by Maxwell's equations and a semiclassical drift-diffusion model. The QM model and the EM model are solved, respectively, in different regions of the system in a self-consistent manner. Potential distributions and current densities at the interface between QM and EM regions are employed as the boundary conditions for the quantum mechanical and electromagnetic simulations, respectively. The method is illustrated in the simulation of several realistic systems. In the case of junctionless field-effect transistors, transfer characteristics are obtained and a good agreement between experiments and simulations is achieved. Optical properties of a tandem photovoltaic cell are studied and the simulations demonstrate that multiple QM regions are coupled through the classical EM model. Finally, the study of a carbon nanotube-based molecular device shows the accuracy and efficiency of the QM/EM method.

Method for numerical simulation of two-term exponentially correlated colored noise

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yilmaz, B.; Ayik, S.; Abe, Y.; Gokalp, A.; Yilmaz, O.

2006-01-01

A method for numerical simulation of two-term exponentially correlated colored noise is proposed. The method is an extension of traditional method for one-term exponentially correlated colored noise. The validity of the algorithm is tested by comparing numerical simulations with analytical results in two physical applications

Comparative Study on Two Melting Simulation Methods: Melting Curve of Gold

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Zhong-Li; Li Rui; Sun Jun-Sheng; Zhang Xiu-Lu; Cai Ling-Cang

2016-01-01

Melting simulation methods are of crucial importance to determining melting temperature of materials efficiently. A high-efficiency melting simulation method saves much simulation time and computational resources. To compare the efficiency of our newly developed shock melting (SM) method with that of the well-established two-phase (TP) method, we calculate the high-pressure melting curve of Au using the two methods based on the optimally selected interatomic potentials. Although we only use 640 atoms to determine the melting temperature of Au in the SM method, the resulting melting curve accords very well with the results from the TP method using much more atoms. Thus, this shows that a much smaller system size in SM method can still achieve a fully converged melting curve compared with the TP method, implying the robustness and efficiency of the SM method. (paper)

Methods for simulation-based analysis of fluid-structure interaction.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barone, Matthew Franklin; Payne, Jeffrey L.

2005-10-01

Methods for analysis of fluid-structure interaction using high fidelity simulations are critically reviewed. First, a literature review of modern numerical techniques for simulation of aeroelastic phenomena is presented. The review focuses on methods contained within the arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) framework for coupling computational fluid dynamics codes to computational structural mechanics codes. The review treats mesh movement algorithms, the role of the geometric conservation law, time advancement schemes, wetted surface interface strategies, and some representative applications. The complexity and computational expense of coupled Navier-Stokes/structural dynamics simulations points to the need for reduced order modeling to facilitate parametric analysis. The proper orthogonal decomposition (POD)/Galerkin projection approach for building a reduced order model (ROM) is presented, along with ideas for extension of the methodology to allow construction of ROMs based on data generated from ALE simulations.

A prospective, randomized study addressing the need for physical simulation following virtual simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valicenti, Richard K.; Waterman, Frank M.; Corn, Benjamin W.; Curran, Walter J.

1997-01-01

Purpose: To accurately implement a treatment plan obtained by virtual or CT simulation, conventional or physical simulation is still widely used. To evaluate the need for physical simulation, we prospectively randomized patients to undergo physical simulation or no additional simulation after virtual simulation. Methods and Materials: From July 1995 to September 1996, 75 patients underwent conformal four-field radiation therapy planning for prostate cancer with a commercial grade CT simulator. The patients were randomized to undergo either port filming immediately following physical simulation or port filming alone. The precision of implementing the devised plan was evaluated by comparing simulator radiographs and/or port films against the digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRRs) for x, y, and z displacements of the isocenter. Changes in beam aperture were also prospectively evaluated. Results: Thirty-seven patients were randomized to undergo physical simulation and first day port filming, and 38 had first day treatment verification films only without a physical simulation. Seventy-eight simulator radiographs and 195 first day treatment port films were reviewed. There was no statistically significant reduction in treatment setup error (>5 mm) if patients underwent physical simulation following virtual simulation. No patient required a resimulation, and there was no significant difference in changes of beam aperture. Conclusions: Following virtual simulation, physical simulation may not be necessary to accurately implement the conformal four-field technique. Because port filming appears to be sufficient to assure precise and reliable execution of a devised treatment plan, physical simulation may be eliminated from the process of CT based planning when virtual simulation is available

Benchmarking HRA methods against different NPP simulator data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petkov, Gueorgui; Filipov, Kalin; Velev, Vladimir; Grigorov, Alexander; Popov, Dimiter; Lazarov, Lazar; Stoichev, Kosta

2008-01-01

The paper presents both international and Bulgarian experience in assessing HRA methods, underlying models approaches for their validation and verification by benchmarking HRA methods against different NPP simulator data. The organization, status, methodology and outlooks of the studies are described

Hybrid statistics-simulations based method for atom-counting from ADF STEM images

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

De wael, Annelies, E-mail: annelies.dewael@uantwerpen.be [Electron Microscopy for Materials Science (EMAT), University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp (Belgium); De Backer, Annick [Electron Microscopy for Materials Science (EMAT), University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp (Belgium); Jones, Lewys; Nellist, Peter D. [Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, OX1 3PH Oxford (United Kingdom); Van Aert, Sandra, E-mail: sandra.vanaert@uantwerpen.be [Electron Microscopy for Materials Science (EMAT), University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp (Belgium)

2017-06-15

A hybrid statistics-simulations based method for atom-counting from annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (ADF STEM) images of monotype crystalline nanostructures is presented. Different atom-counting methods already exist for model-like systems. However, the increasing relevance of radiation damage in the study of nanostructures demands a method that allows atom-counting from low dose images with a low signal-to-noise ratio. Therefore, the hybrid method directly includes prior knowledge from image simulations into the existing statistics-based method for atom-counting, and accounts in this manner for possible discrepancies between actual and simulated experimental conditions. It is shown by means of simulations and experiments that this hybrid method outperforms the statistics-based method, especially for low electron doses and small nanoparticles. The analysis of a simulated low dose image of a small nanoparticle suggests that this method allows for far more reliable quantitative analysis of beam-sensitive materials. - Highlights: • A hybrid method for atom-counting from ADF STEM images is introduced. • Image simulations are incorporated into a statistical framework in a reliable manner. • Limits of the existing methods for atom-counting are far exceeded. • Reliable counting results from an experimental low dose image are obtained. • Progress towards reliable quantitative analysis of beam-sensitive materials is made.

Simulated annealing method for electronic circuits design: adaptation and comparison with other optimization methods; La methode du recuit simule pour la conception des circuits electroniques: adaptation et comparaison avec d`autres methodes d`optimisation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berthiau, G

1995-10-01

The circuit design problem consists in determining acceptable parameter values (resistors, capacitors, transistors geometries ...) which allow the circuit to meet various user given operational criteria (DC consumption, AC bandwidth, transient times ...). This task is equivalent to a multidimensional and/or multi objective optimization problem: n-variables functions have to be minimized in an hyper-rectangular domain ; equality constraints can be eventually specified. A similar problem consists in fitting component models. In this way, the optimization variables are the model parameters and one aims at minimizing a cost function built on the error between the model response and the data measured on the component. The chosen optimization method for this kind of problem is the simulated annealing method. This method, provided by the combinatorial optimization domain, has been adapted and compared with other global optimization methods for the continuous variables problems. An efficient strategy of variables discretization and a set of complementary stopping criteria have been proposed. The different parameters of the method have been adjusted with analytical functions of which minima are known, classically used in the literature. Our simulated annealing algorithm has been coupled with an open electrical simulator SPICE-PAC of which the modular structure allows the chaining of simulations required by the circuit optimization process. We proposed, for high-dimensional problems, a partitioning technique which ensures proportionality between CPU-time and variables number. To compare our method with others, we have adapted three other methods coming from combinatorial optimization domain - the threshold method, a genetic algorithm and the Tabu search method - The tests have been performed on the same set of test functions and the results allow a first comparison between these methods applied to continuous optimization variables. (Abstract Truncated)

Motion simulation of hydraulic driven safety rod using FSI method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Jaeho; Kim, Sanghaun; Yoo, Yeonsik; Cho, Yeonggarp; Kim, Jong In

2013-01-01

Hydraulic driven safety rod which is one of them is being developed by Division for Reactor Mechanical Engineering, KAERI. In this paper the motion of this rod is simulated by fluid structure interaction (FSI) method before manufacturing for design verification and pump sizing. A newly designed hydraulic driven safety rod which is one of reactivity control mechanism is simulated using FSI method for design verification and pump sizing. The simulation is done in CFD domain with UDF. The pressure drop is changed slightly by flow rates. It means that the pressure drop is mainly determined by weight of moving part. The simulated velocity of piston is linearly proportional to flow rates so the pump can be sized easily according to the rising and drop time requirement of the safety rod using the simulation results

Pulse contour analysis of arterial waveform in a high fidelity human patient simulator.

Science.gov (United States)

Persona, Paolo; Saraceni, Elisabetta; Facchin, Francesca; Petranzan, Enrico; Parotto, Matteo; Baratto, Fabio; Ori, Carlo; Rossi, Sandra

2017-10-03

The measurement of cardiac output (CO) may be useful to improve the assessment of hemodynamics during simulated scenarios. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of introducing an uncalibrated pulse contour device (MostCare, Vytech, Vygon, Padova, Italy) into the simulation environment. MostCare device was plugged to a clinical monitor and connected to the METI human patient simulator (HPS) to obtain a continuous arterial waveform analysis and CO calculation. In six different simulated clinical scenarios (baseline, ventricular failure, vasoplegic shock, hypertensive crisis, hypovolemic shock and aortic stenosis), the HPS-CO and the MostCare-CO were simultaneously recorded. The level of concordance between the two methods was assessed by the Bland and Altman analysis. 150-paired CO values were obtained. The HPS-CO values ranged from 2.3 to 6.6 L min -1 and the MostCare-CO values from 2.8 to 6.4 L min -1 . The mean difference between HPS-CO and MostCare-CO was - 0.3 L min -1 and the limits of agreement were - 1.5 and 0.9 L min -1 . The percentage of error was 23%. A good correlation between HPS-CO and MostCare-CO was observed in each scenario of the study (r = 0.88). Although MostCare-CO tended to underestimate the CO over the study period, good agreements were found between the two methods. Therefore, a pulse contour device can be integrated into the simulation environment, offering the opportunity to create new simulated clinical settings.

Performance evaluation of sea surface simulation methods for target detection

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Renjie; Wu, Xin; Yang, Chen; Han, Yiping; Zhang, Jianqi

2017-11-01

With the fast development of sea surface target detection by optoelectronic sensors, machine learning has been adopted to improve the detection performance. Many features can be learned from training images by machines automatically. However, field images of sea surface target are not sufficient as training data. 3D scene simulation is a promising method to address this problem. For ocean scene simulation, sea surface height field generation is the key point to achieve high fidelity. In this paper, two spectra-based height field generation methods are evaluated. Comparison between the linear superposition and linear filter method is made quantitatively with a statistical model. 3D ocean scene simulating results show the different features between the methods, which can give reference for synthesizing sea surface target images with different ocean conditions.

Survey of Australian schools of nursing use of human patient (mannequin) simulation.

Science.gov (United States)

McGarry, Denise Elizabeth; Cashin, Andrew; Fowler, Cathrine

2014-11-01

Rapid adoption of high-fidelity human patient (mannequin) simulation has occurred in Australian Schools of Nursing in recent years, as it has internationally. This paper reports findings from a 2012 online survey of Australian Schools of Nursing and builds on findings of earlier studies. The survey design allowed direct comparison with a previous study from the USA but limited its scope to the pre-registration (pre-service Bachelor of Nursing) curriculum. It also included extra mental health specific questions. Australian patterns of adoption and application of high-fidelity human patient (mannequin) simulation in the pre-registration nursing curriculum share features with experiences reported in previous US and Australian surveys. A finding of interest in this survey was a small number of Schools of Nursing that reported no current use of high-fidelity human patient (mannequin) simulation and no plans to adopt it, in spite of a governmental capital funding support programme. In-line with prior surveys, mental health applications were meagre. There is an absence of clearly articulated learning theory underpinnings in the use of high-fidelity human patient (mannequin) simulation generally. It appears the first stage of implementation of high-fidelity human patient (mannequin) simulation into the pre-registration nursing curriculum has occurred and the adoption of this pedagogy is entering a new phase.

System dynamic simulation: A new method in social impact assessment (SIA)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karami, Shobeir; Karami, Ezatollah; Buys, Laurie; Drogemuller, Robin

2017-01-01

Many complex social questions are difficult to address adequately with conventional methods and techniques, due to the complicated dynamics, and hard to quantify social processes. Despite these difficulties researchers and practitioners have attempted to use conventional methods not only in evaluative modes but also in predictive modes to inform decision making. The effectiveness of SIAs would be increased if they were used to support the project design processes. This requires deliberate use of lessons from retrospective assessments to inform predictive assessments. Social simulations may be a useful tool for developing a predictive SIA method. There have been limited attempts to develop computer simulations that allow social impacts to be explored and understood before implementing development projects. In light of this argument, this paper aims to introduce system dynamic (SD) simulation as a new predictive SIA method in large development projects. We propose the potential value of the SD approach to simulate social impacts of development projects. We use data from the SIA of Gareh-Bygone floodwater spreading project to illustrate the potential of SD simulation in SIA. It was concluded that in comparison to traditional SIA methods SD simulation can integrate quantitative and qualitative inputs from different sources and methods and provides a more effective and dynamic assessment of social impacts for development projects. We recommend future research to investigate the full potential of SD in SIA in comparing different situations and scenarios.

System dynamic simulation: A new method in social impact assessment (SIA)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karami, Shobeir, E-mail: shobeirkarami@gmail.com [Agricultural Extension and Education, Shiraz University (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Karami, Ezatollah, E-mail: ekarami@shirazu.ac.ir [Agricultural Extension and Education, Shiraz University (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Buys, Laurie, E-mail: l.buys@qut.edu.au [Creative Industries Faculty, School of Design, Queensland University of Technology (Australia); Drogemuller, Robin, E-mail: robin.drogemuller@qut.edu.au [Creative Industries Faculty, School of Design, Queensland University of Technology (Australia)

2017-01-15

Many complex social questions are difficult to address adequately with conventional methods and techniques, due to the complicated dynamics, and hard to quantify social processes. Despite these difficulties researchers and practitioners have attempted to use conventional methods not only in evaluative modes but also in predictive modes to inform decision making. The effectiveness of SIAs would be increased if they were used to support the project design processes. This requires deliberate use of lessons from retrospective assessments to inform predictive assessments. Social simulations may be a useful tool for developing a predictive SIA method. There have been limited attempts to develop computer simulations that allow social impacts to be explored and understood before implementing development projects. In light of this argument, this paper aims to introduce system dynamic (SD) simulation as a new predictive SIA method in large development projects. We propose the potential value of the SD approach to simulate social impacts of development projects. We use data from the SIA of Gareh-Bygone floodwater spreading project to illustrate the potential of SD simulation in SIA. It was concluded that in comparison to traditional SIA methods SD simulation can integrate quantitative and qualitative inputs from different sources and methods and provides a more effective and dynamic assessment of social impacts for development projects. We recommend future research to investigate the full potential of SD in SIA in comparing different situations and scenarios.

Validation of a new method for testing provider clinical quality in rural settings in low- and middle-income countries: the observed simulated patient.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tin Aung

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Assessing the quality of care provided by individual health practitioners is critical to identifying possible risks to the health of the public. However, existing assessment methods can be inaccurate, expensive, or infeasible in many developing country settings, particularly in rural areas and especially for children. Following an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the existing methods for provider assessment, we developed a synthesis method combining components of direct observation, clinical vignettes, and medical mannequins which we have termed "Observed Simulated Patient" or OSP. An OSP assessment involves a trained actor playing the role of a 'mother', a life-size doll representing a 5-year old boy, and a trained observer. The provider being assessed was informed in advance of the role-playing, and told to conduct the diagnosis and treatment as he normally would while verbally describing the examinations. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We tested the validity of OSP by conducting parallel scoring of medical providers in Myanmar, assessing the quality of their diagnosis and treatment of pediatric malaria, first by direct observation of true patients and second by OSP. Data were collected from 20 private independent medical practitioners in Mon and Kayin States, Myanmar between December 26, 2010 and January 12, 2011. All areas of assessment showed agreement between OSP and direct observation above 90% except for history taking related to past experience with malaria medicines. In this area, providers did not ask questions of the OSP to the same degree that they questioned real patients (agreement 82.8%. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The OSP methodology may provide a valuable option for quality assessment of providers in places, or for health conditions, where other assessment tools are unworkable.

Computer-Assisted Orthognathic Surgery for Patients with Cleft Lip/Palate: From Traditional Planning to Three-Dimensional Surgical Simulation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Lonic

Full Text Available Although conventional two-dimensional (2D methods for orthognathic surgery planning are still popular, the use of three-dimensional (3D simulation is steadily increasing. In facial asymmetry cases such as in cleft lip/palate patients, the additional information can dramatically improve planning accuracy and outcome. The purpose of this study is to investigate which parameters are changed most frequently in transferring a traditional 2D plan to 3D simulation, and what planning parameters can be better adjusted by this method.This prospective study enrolled 30 consecutive patients with cleft lip and/or cleft palate (mean age 18.6±2.9 years, range 15 to 32 years. All patients received two-jaw single-splint orthognathic surgery. 2D orthodontic surgery plans were transferred into a 3D setting. Severe bony collisions in the ramus area after 2D plan transfer were noted. The position of the maxillo-mandibular complex was evaluated and eventually adjusted. Position changes of roll, midline, pitch, yaw, genioplasty and their frequency within the patient group were recorded as an alternation of the initial 2D plan. Patients were divided in groups of no change from the original 2D plan and changes in one, two, three and four of the aforementioned parameters as well as subgroups of unilateral, bilateral cleft lip/palate and isolated cleft palate cases. Postoperative OQLQ scores were obtained for 20 patients who finished orthodontic treatment.83.3% of 2D plans were modified, mostly concerning yaw (63.3% and midline (36.7% adjustments. Yaw adjustments had the highest mean values in total and in all subgroups. Severe bony collisions as a result of 2D planning were seen in 46.7% of patients. Possible asymmetry was regularly foreseen and corrected in the 3D simulation.Based on our findings, 3D simulation renders important information for accurate planning in complex cleft lip/palate cases involving facial asymmetry that is regularly missed in conventional 2D

An introduction to computer simulation methods applications to physical systems

CERN Document Server

Gould, Harvey; Christian, Wolfgang

2007-01-01

Now in its third edition, this book teaches physical concepts using computer simulations. The text incorporates object-oriented programming techniques and encourages readers to develop good programming habits in the context of doing physics. Designed for readers at all levels , An Introduction to Computer Simulation Methods uses Java, currently the most popular programming language. Introduction, Tools for Doing Simulations, Simulating Particle Motion, Oscillatory Systems, Few-Body Problems: The Motion of the Planets, The Chaotic Motion of Dynamical Systems, Random Processes, The Dynamics of Many Particle Systems, Normal Modes and Waves, Electrodynamics, Numerical and Monte Carlo Methods, Percolation, Fractals and Kinetic Growth Models, Complex Systems, Monte Carlo Simulations of Thermal Systems, Quantum Systems, Visualization and Rigid Body Dynamics, Seeing in Special and General Relativity, Epilogue: The Unity of Physics For all readers interested in developing programming habits in the context of doing phy...

Advance in research on aerosol deposition simulation methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Keyang; Li Jingsong

2011-01-01

A comprehensive analysis of the health effects of inhaled toxic aerosols requires exact data on airway deposition. A knowledge of the effect of inhaled drugs is essential to the optimization of aerosol drug delivery. Sophisticated analytical deposition models can be used for the computation of total, regional and generation specific deposition efficiencies. The continuously enhancing computer seem to allow us to study the particle transport and deposition in more and more realistic airway geometries with the help of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation method. In this article, the trends in aerosol deposition models and lung models, and the methods for achievement of deposition simulations are also reviewed. (authors)

Simulation of patient encounters using a virtual patient in periodontology instruction of dental students: design, usability, and learning effects in history-taking skills

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Janda, M.S.; Mattheos, N.; Nattestad, A.

2004-01-01

computer-assisted learning, effectiveness of learning, health education, patient simulation, virtual patient......computer-assisted learning, effectiveness of learning, health education, patient simulation, virtual patient...

Estimating patient dose from CT exams that use automatic exposure control: Development and validation of methods to accurately estimate tube current values.

Science.gov (United States)

McMillan, Kyle; Bostani, Maryam; Cagnon, Christopher H; Yu, Lifeng; Leng, Shuai; McCollough, Cynthia H; McNitt-Gray, Michael F

2017-08-01

The vast majority of body CT exams are performed with automatic exposure control (AEC), which adapts the mean tube current to the patient size and modulates the tube current either angularly, longitudinally or both. However, most radiation dose estimation tools are based on fixed tube current scans. Accurate estimates of patient dose from AEC scans require knowledge of the tube current values, which is usually unavailable. The purpose of this work was to develop and validate methods to accurately estimate the tube current values prescribed by one manufacturer's AEC system to enable accurate estimates of patient dose. Methods were developed that took into account available patient attenuation information, user selected image quality reference parameters and x-ray system limits to estimate tube current values for patient scans. Methods consistent with AAPM Report 220 were developed that used patient attenuation data that were: (a) supplied by the manufacturer in the CT localizer radiograph and (b) based on a simulated CT localizer radiograph derived from image data. For comparison, actual tube current values were extracted from the projection data of each patient. Validation of each approach was based on data collected from 40 pediatric and adult patients who received clinically indicated chest (n = 20) and abdomen/pelvis (n = 20) scans on a 64 slice multidetector row CT (Sensation 64, Siemens Healthcare, Forchheim, Germany). For each patient dataset, the following were collected with Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval: (a) projection data containing actual tube current values at each projection view, (b) CT localizer radiograph (topogram) and (c) reconstructed image data. Tube current values were estimated based on the actual topogram (actual-topo) as well as the simulated topogram based on image data (sim-topo). Each of these was compared to the actual tube current values from the patient scan. In addition, to assess the accuracy of each method in estimating

COMPARISON OF METHODS FOR SIMULATING TSUNAMI RUN-UP THROUGH COASTAL FORESTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benazir

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The research is aimed at reviewing two numerical methods for modeling the effect of coastal forest on tsunami run-up and to propose an alternative approach. Two methods for modeling the effect of coastal forest namely the Constant Roughness Model (CRM and Equivalent Roughness Model (ERM simulate the effect of the forest by using an artificial Manning roughness coefficient. An alternative approach that simulates each of the trees as a vertical square column is introduced. Simulations were carried out with variations of forest density and layout pattern of the trees. The numerical model was validated using an existing data series of tsunami run-up without forest protection. The study indicated that the alternative method is in good agreement with ERM method for low forest density. At higher density and when the trees were planted in a zigzag pattern, the ERM produced significantly higher run-up. For a zigzag pattern and at 50% forest densities which represents a water tight wall, both the ERM and CRM methods produced relatively high run-up which should not happen theoretically. The alternative method, on the other hand, reflected the entire tsunami. In reality, housing complex can be considered and simulated as forest with various size and layout of obstacles where the alternative approach is applicable. The alternative method is more accurate than the existing methods for simulating a coastal forest for tsunami mitigation but consumes considerably more computational time.

Electromagnetic simulation using the FDTD method

CERN Document Server

Sullivan, Dennis M

2013-01-01

A straightforward, easy-to-read introduction to the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) is one of the primary computational electrodynamics modeling techniques available. Since it is a time-domain method, FDTD solutions can cover a wide frequency range with a single simulation run and treat nonlinear material properties in a natural way. Written in a tutorial fashion, starting with the simplest programs and guiding the reader up from one-dimensional to the more complex, three-dimensional programs, this book provides a simple, yet comp

Basic study on a lower-energy defibrillation method using computer simulation and cultured myocardial cell models.

Science.gov (United States)

Yaguchi, A; Nagase, K; Ishikawa, M; Iwasaka, T; Odagaki, M; Hosaka, H

2006-01-01

Computer simulation and myocardial cell models were used to evaluate a low-energy defibrillation technique. A generated spiral wave, considered to be a mechanism of fibrillation, and fibrillation were investigated using two myocardial sheet models: a two-dimensional computer simulation model and a two-dimensional experimental model. A new defibrillation technique that has few side effects, which are induced by the current passing into the patient's body, on cardiac muscle is desired. The purpose of the present study is to conduct a basic investigation into an efficient defibrillation method. In order to evaluate the defibrillation method, the propagation of excitation in the myocardial sheet is measured during the normal state and during fibrillation, respectively. The advantages of the low-energy defibrillation technique are then discussed based on the stimulation timing.

Computational simulation in architectural and environmental acoustics methods and applications of wave-based computation

CERN Document Server

Sakamoto, Shinichi; Otsuru, Toru

2014-01-01

This book reviews a variety of methods for wave-based acoustic simulation and recent applications to architectural and environmental acoustic problems. Following an introduction providing an overview of computational simulation of sound environment, the book is in two parts: four chapters on methods and four chapters on applications. The first part explains the fundamentals and advanced techniques for three popular methods, namely, the finite-difference time-domain method, the finite element method, and the boundary element method, as well as alternative time-domain methods. The second part demonstrates various applications to room acoustics simulation, noise propagation simulation, acoustic property simulation for building components, and auralization. This book is a valuable reference that covers the state of the art in computational simulation for architectural and environmental acoustics.  

Validity evidence and reliability of a simulated patient feedback instrument.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schlegel, C.; Woermann, U.; Rethans, J.J.; Vleuten, C.P.M. van der

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND: In the training of healthcare professionals, one of the advantages of communication training with simulated patients (SPs) is the SP's ability to provide direct feedback to students after a simulated clinical encounter. The quality of SP feedback must be monitored, especially because it

A particle finite element method for machining simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Sabel, Matthias; Sator, Christian; Müller, Ralf

2014-07-01

The particle finite element method (PFEM) appears to be a convenient technique for machining simulations, since the geometry and topology of the problem can undergo severe changes. In this work, a short outline of the PFEM-algorithm is given, which is followed by a detailed description of the involved operations. The -shape method, which is used to track the topology, is explained and tested by a simple example. Also the kinematics and a suitable finite element formulation are introduced. To validate the method simple settings without topological changes are considered and compared to the standard finite element method for large deformations. To examine the performance of the method, when dealing with separating material, a tensile loading is applied to a notched plate. This investigation includes a numerical analysis of the different meshing parameters, and the numerical convergence is studied. With regard to the cutting simulation it is found that only a sufficiently large number of particles (and thus a rather fine finite element discretisation) leads to converged results of process parameters, such as the cutting force.

Meshless Method for Simulation of Compressible Flow

Science.gov (United States)

Nabizadeh Shahrebabak, Ebrahim

In the present age, rapid development in computing technology and high speed supercomputers has made numerical analysis and computational simulation more practical than ever before for large and complex cases. Numerical simulations have also become an essential means for analyzing the engineering problems and the cases that experimental analysis is not practical. There are so many sophisticated and accurate numerical schemes, which do these simulations. The finite difference method (FDM) has been used to solve differential equation systems for decades. Additional numerical methods based on finite volume and finite element techniques are widely used in solving problems with complex geometry. All of these methods are mesh-based techniques. Mesh generation is an essential preprocessing part to discretize the computation domain for these conventional methods. However, when dealing with mesh-based complex geometries these conventional mesh-based techniques can become troublesome, difficult to implement, and prone to inaccuracies. In this study, a more robust, yet simple numerical approach is used to simulate problems in an easier manner for even complex problem. The meshless, or meshfree, method is one such development that is becoming the focus of much research in the recent years. The biggest advantage of meshfree methods is to circumvent mesh generation. Many algorithms have now been developed to help make this method more popular and understandable for everyone. These algorithms have been employed over a wide range of problems in computational analysis with various levels of success. Since there is no connectivity between the nodes in this method, the challenge was considerable. The most fundamental issue is lack of conservation, which can be a source of unpredictable errors in the solution process. This problem is particularly evident in the presence of steep gradient regions and discontinuities, such as shocks that frequently occur in high speed compressible flow

A Multilevel Adaptive Reaction-splitting Simulation Method for Stochastic Reaction Networks

KAUST Repository

Moraes, Alvaro; Tempone, Raul; Vilanova, Pedro

2016-01-01

In this work, we present a novel multilevel Monte Carlo method for kinetic simulation of stochastic reaction networks characterized by having simultaneously fast and slow reaction channels. To produce efficient simulations, our method adaptively classifies the reactions channels into fast and slow channels. To this end, we first introduce a state-dependent quantity named level of activity of a reaction channel. Then, we propose a low-cost heuristic that allows us to adaptively split the set of reaction channels into two subsets characterized by either a high or a low level of activity. Based on a time-splitting technique, the increments associated with high-activity channels are simulated using the tau-leap method, while those associated with low-activity channels are simulated using an exact method. This path simulation technique is amenable for coupled path generation and a corresponding multilevel Monte Carlo algorithm. To estimate expected values of observables of the system at a prescribed final time, our method bounds the global computational error to be below a prescribed tolerance, TOL, within a given confidence level. This goal is achieved with a computational complexity of order O(TOL-2), the same as with a pathwise-exact method, but with a smaller constant. We also present a novel low-cost control variate technique based on the stochastic time change representation by Kurtz, showing its performance on a numerical example. We present two numerical examples extracted from the literature that show how the reaction-splitting method obtains substantial gains with respect to the standard stochastic simulation algorithm and the multilevel Monte Carlo approach by Anderson and Higham. © 2016 Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.

A Multilevel Adaptive Reaction-splitting Simulation Method for Stochastic Reaction Networks

KAUST Repository

Moraes, Alvaro

2016-07-07

In this work, we present a novel multilevel Monte Carlo method for kinetic simulation of stochastic reaction networks characterized by having simultaneously fast and slow reaction channels. To produce efficient simulations, our method adaptively classifies the reactions channels into fast and slow channels. To this end, we first introduce a state-dependent quantity named level of activity of a reaction channel. Then, we propose a low-cost heuristic that allows us to adaptively split the set of reaction channels into two subsets characterized by either a high or a low level of activity. Based on a time-splitting technique, the increments associated with high-activity channels are simulated using the tau-leap method, while those associated with low-activity channels are simulated using an exact method. This path simulation technique is amenable for coupled path generation and a corresponding multilevel Monte Carlo algorithm. To estimate expected values of observables of the system at a prescribed final time, our method bounds the global computational error to be below a prescribed tolerance, TOL, within a given confidence level. This goal is achieved with a computational complexity of order O(TOL-2), the same as with a pathwise-exact method, but with a smaller constant. We also present a novel low-cost control variate technique based on the stochastic time change representation by Kurtz, showing its performance on a numerical example. We present two numerical examples extracted from the literature that show how the reaction-splitting method obtains substantial gains with respect to the standard stochastic simulation algorithm and the multilevel Monte Carlo approach by Anderson and Higham. © 2016 Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.

Research on neutron noise analysis stochastic simulation method for α calculation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhong Bin; Shen Huayun; She Ruogu; Zhu Shengdong; Xiao Gang

2014-01-01

The prompt decay constant α has significant application on the physical design and safety analysis in nuclear facilities. To overcome the difficulty of a value calculation with Monte-Carlo method, and improve the precision, a new method based on the neutron noise analysis technology was presented. This method employs the stochastic simulation and the theory of neutron noise analysis technology. Firstly, the evolution of stochastic neutron was simulated by discrete-events Monte-Carlo method based on the theory of generalized Semi-Markov process, then the neutron noise in detectors was solved from neutron signal. Secondly, the neutron noise analysis methods such as Rossia method, Feynman-α method, zero-probability method, and cross-correlation method were used to calculate a value. All of the parameters used in neutron noise analysis method were calculated based on auto-adaptive arithmetic. The a value from these methods accords with each other, the largest relative deviation is 7.9%, which proves the feasibility of a calculation method based on neutron noise analysis stochastic simulation. (authors)

Modeling and simulation of different and representative engineering problems using Network Simulation Method.

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez-Pérez, J F; Marín, F; Morales, J L; Cánovas, M; Alhama, F

2018-01-01

Mathematical models simulating different and representative engineering problem, atomic dry friction, the moving front problems and elastic and solid mechanics are presented in the form of a set of non-linear, coupled or not coupled differential equations. For different parameters values that influence the solution, the problem is numerically solved by the network method, which provides all the variables of the problems. Although the model is extremely sensitive to the above parameters, no assumptions are considered as regards the linearization of the variables. The design of the models, which are run on standard electrical circuit simulation software, is explained in detail. The network model results are compared with common numerical methods or experimental data, published in the scientific literature, to show the reliability of the model.

Finite element method for simulation of the semiconductor devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zikatanov, L.T.; Kaschiev, M.S.

1991-01-01

An iterative method for solving the system of nonlinear equations of the drift-diffusion representation for the simulation of the semiconductor devices is worked out. The Petrov-Galerkin method is taken for the discretization of these equations using the bilinear finite elements. It is shown that the numerical scheme is a monotonous one and there are no oscillations of the solutions in the region of p-n transition. The numerical calculations of the simulation of one semiconductor device are presented. 13 refs.; 3 figs

A simulation method for lightning surge response of switching power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei, Ming; Chen, Xiang

2013-01-01

In order to meet the need of protection design for lighting surge, a prediction method of lightning electromagnetic pulse (LEMP) response which is based on system identification is presented. Experiments of switching power's surge injection were conducted, and the input and output data were sampled, de-noised and de-trended. In addition, the model of energy coupling transfer function was obtained by system identification method. Simulation results show that the system identification method can predict the surge response of linear circuit well. The method proposed in the paper provided a convenient and effective technology for simulation of lightning effect.

The Monte Carlo Simulation Method for System Reliability and Risk Analysis

CERN Document Server

Zio, Enrico

2013-01-01

Monte Carlo simulation is one of the best tools for performing realistic analysis of complex systems as it allows most of the limiting assumptions on system behavior to be relaxed. The Monte Carlo Simulation Method for System Reliability and Risk Analysis comprehensively illustrates the Monte Carlo simulation method and its application to reliability and system engineering. Readers are given a sound understanding of the fundamentals of Monte Carlo sampling and simulation and its application for realistic system modeling.   Whilst many of the topics rely on a high-level understanding of calculus, probability and statistics, simple academic examples will be provided in support to the explanation of the theoretical foundations to facilitate comprehension of the subject matter. Case studies will be introduced to provide the practical value of the most advanced techniques.   This detailed approach makes The Monte Carlo Simulation Method for System Reliability and Risk Analysis a key reference for senior undergra...

Resolved-particle simulation by the Physalis method: Enhancements and new capabilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sierakowski, Adam J., E-mail: sierakowski@jhu.edu [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Prosperetti, Andrea [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Faculty of Science and Technology and J.M. Burgers Centre for Fluid Dynamics, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede (Netherlands)

2016-03-15

We present enhancements and new capabilities of the Physalis method for simulating disperse multiphase flows using particle-resolved simulation. The current work enhances the previous method by incorporating a new type of pressure-Poisson solver that couples with a new Physalis particle pressure boundary condition scheme and a new particle interior treatment to significantly improve overall numerical efficiency. Further, we implement a more efficient method of calculating the Physalis scalar products and incorporate short-range particle interaction models. We provide validation and benchmarking for the Physalis method against experiments of a sedimenting particle and of normal wall collisions. We conclude with an illustrative simulation of 2048 particles sedimenting in a duct. In the appendix, we present a complete and self-consistent description of the analytical development and numerical methods.

Determination of electron clinical spectra from percentage depth dose (PDD) curves by classical simulated annealing method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Visbal, Jorge H. Wilches; Costa, Alessandro M.

2016-01-01

Percentage depth dose of electron beams represents an important item of data in radiation therapy treatment since it describes the dosimetric properties of these. Using an accurate transport theory, or the Monte Carlo method, has been shown obvious differences between the dose distribution of electron beams of a clinical accelerator in a water simulator object and the dose distribution of monoenergetic electrons of nominal energy of the clinical accelerator in water. In radiotherapy, the electron spectra should be considered to improve the accuracy of dose calculation since the shape of PDP curve depends of way how radiation particles deposit their energy in patient/phantom, that is, the spectrum. Exist three principal approaches to obtain electron energy spectra from central PDP: Monte Carlo Method, Direct Measurement and Inverse Reconstruction. In this work it will be presented the Simulated Annealing method as a practical, reliable and simple approach of inverse reconstruction as being an optimal alternative to other options. (author)

Nonequilibrium relaxation method – An alternative simulation strategy

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

One well-established simulation strategy to study the thermal phases and transitions of a given microscopic model system is the so-called equilibrium method, in which one first realizes the equilibrium ensemble of a finite system and then extrapolates the results to infinite system. This equilibrium method traces over the ...

Comparison of meaningful learning characteristics in simulated nursing practice after traditional versus computer-based simulation method: a qualitative videography study.

Science.gov (United States)

Poikela, Paula; Ruokamo, Heli; Teräs, Marianne

2015-02-01

Nursing educators must ensure that nursing students acquire the necessary competencies; finding the most purposeful teaching methods and encouraging learning through meaningful learning opportunities is necessary to meet this goal. We investigated student learning in a simulated nursing practice using videography. The purpose of this paper is to examine how two different teaching methods presented students' meaningful learning in a simulated nursing experience. The 6-hour study was divided into three parts: part I, general information; part II, training; and part III, simulated nursing practice. Part II was delivered by two different methods: a computer-based simulation and a lecture. The study was carried out in the simulated nursing practice in two universities of applied sciences, in Northern Finland. The participants in parts II and I were 40 first year nursing students; 12 student volunteers continued to part III. Qualitative analysis method was used. The data were collected using video recordings and analyzed by videography. The students who used a computer-based simulation program were more likely to report meaningful learning themes than those who were first exposed to lecture method. Educators should be encouraged to use computer-based simulation teaching in conjunction with other teaching methods to ensure that nursing students are able to receive the greatest educational benefits. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Architecture oriented modeling and simulation method for combat mission profile

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

CHEN Xia

2017-05-01

Full Text Available In order to effectively analyze the system behavior and system performance of combat mission profile, an architecture-oriented modeling and simulation method is proposed. Starting from the architecture modeling,this paper describes the mission profile based on the definition from National Military Standard of China and the US Department of Defense Architecture Framework(DoDAFmodel, and constructs the architecture model of the mission profile. Then the transformation relationship between the architecture model and the agent simulation model is proposed to form the mission profile executable model. At last,taking the air-defense mission profile as an example,the agent simulation model is established based on the architecture model,and the input and output relations of the simulation model are analyzed. It provides method guidance for the combat mission profile design.

Embedding a Virtual Patient Simulator in an Interactive Surgical lecture.

Science.gov (United States)

Kleinert, Robert; Plum, Patrick; Heiermann, Nadine; Wahba, Roger; Chang, De-Huan; Hölscher, Arnulf H; Stippel, Dirk L

2016-01-01

Lectures are traditionally used for teaching declarative knowledge. One established tool for clinical education is the demonstration of a real patient. The use of real patients in the daily clinical environment is increasingly difficult. The use of a virtual patient simulator (VPS) can potentially circumvent these problems. Unlimited availability and the opportunity of an electronic feedback system could possibly enrich traditional lectures by enabling more interactivity that meets the expectations of the current student generation. As students face the consequences of their own decisions they take a more active role in the lecture. VPS links declarative knowledge with visual perception that is known to influence students' motivation. Until now, there have been no reports covering the usage and validation of interactive VPS for supporting traditional lectures. In this study, we (1) described the development of a custom-made three-dimensional (3D) VPS for supporting the traditional lecture and (2) performed a feasibility study including an initial assessment of this novel educational concept. Conceptualization included definition of curricular content, technical realization and validation. A custom-made simulator was validated with 68 students. The degree of student acceptance was evaluated. Furthermore, the effect on knowledge gain was determined by testing prelecture and postlecture performance. A custom-made simulator prototype that displays a 3D virtual clinic environment was developed and linked to a PowerPoint presentation. Students were able to connect to the simulator via electronic devices (smartphones and tablets) and to control the simulator via majority vote. The simulator was used in 6 lectures and validated in 2 lectures with 68 students each. Student acceptance and their opinion about effectiveness and applicability were determined. Students showed a high level of motivation when using the simulator as most of them had fun using it. Effect on

Spectral methods in numerical plasma simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coutsias, E.A.; Hansen, F.R.; Huld, T.; Knorr, G.; Lynov, J.P.

1989-01-01

An introduction is given to the use of spectral methods in numerical plasma simulation. As examples of the use of spectral methods, solutions to the two-dimensional Euler equations in both a simple, doubly periodic region, and on an annulus will be shown. In the first case, the solution is expanded in a two-dimensional Fourier series, while a Chebyshev-Fourier expansion is employed in the second case. A new, efficient algorithm for the solution of Poisson's equation on an annulus is introduced. Problems connected to aliasing and to short wavelength noise generated by gradient steepening are discussed. (orig.)

Activity coefficients from molecular simulations using the OPAS method

Science.gov (United States)

Kohns, Maximilian; Horsch, Martin; Hasse, Hans

2017-10-01

A method for determining activity coefficients by molecular dynamics simulations is presented. It is an extension of the OPAS (osmotic pressure for the activity of the solvent) method in previous work for studying the solvent activity in electrolyte solutions. That method is extended here to study activities of all components in mixtures of molecular species. As an example, activity coefficients in liquid mixtures of water and methanol are calculated for 298.15 K and 323.15 K at 1 bar using molecular models from the literature. These dense and strongly interacting mixtures pose a significant challenge to existing methods for determining activity coefficients by molecular simulation. It is shown that the new method yields accurate results for the activity coefficients which are in agreement with results obtained with a thermodynamic integration technique. As the partial molar volumes are needed in the proposed method, the molar excess volume of the system water + methanol is also investigated.

Computerized method for X-ray angular distribution simulation in radiological systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marques, Marcio A.; Oliveira, Henrique J.Q. de; Frere, Annie F.; Schiabel, Homero; Marques, Paulo M.A.

1996-01-01

A method to simulate the changes in X-ray angular distribution (the Heel effect) for radiologic imaging systems is presented. This simulation method is described as to predict images for any exposure technique considering that the distribution is the cause of the intensity variation along the radiation field

Evaluation of a proposed optimization method for discrete-event simulation models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandre Ferreira de Pinho

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Optimization methods combined with computer-based simulation have been utilized in a wide range of manufacturing applications. However, in terms of current technology, these methods exhibit low performance levels which are only able to manipulate a single decision variable at a time. Thus, the objective of this article is to evaluate a proposed optimization method for discrete-event simulation models based on genetic algorithms which exhibits more efficiency in relation to computational time when compared to software packages on the market. It should be emphasized that the variable's response quality will not be altered; that is, the proposed method will maintain the solutions' effectiveness. Thus, the study draws a comparison between the proposed method and that of a simulation instrument already available on the market and has been examined in academic literature. Conclusions are presented, confirming the proposed optimization method's efficiency.

A New Method to Simulate Free Surface Flows for Viscoelastic Fluid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu Cao

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Free surface flows arise in a variety of engineering applications. To predict the dynamic characteristics of such problems, specific numerical methods are required to accurately capture the shape of free surface. This paper proposed a new method which combined the Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE technique with the Finite Volume Method (FVM to simulate the time-dependent viscoelastic free surface flows. Based on an open source CFD toolbox called OpenFOAM, we designed an ALE-FVM free surface simulation platform. In the meantime, the die-swell flow had been investigated with our proposed platform to make a further analysis of free surface phenomenon. The results validated the correctness and effectiveness of the proposed method for free surface simulation in both Newtonian fluid and viscoelastic fluid.

Solar panel thermal cycling testing by solar simulation and infrared radiation methods

Science.gov (United States)

Nuss, H. E.

1980-01-01

For the solar panels of the European Space Agency (ESA) satellites OTS/MAROTS and ECS/MARECS the thermal cycling tests were performed by using solar simulation methods. The performance data of two different solar simulators used and the thermal test results are described. The solar simulation thermal cycling tests for the ECS/MARECS solar panels were carried out with the aid of a rotatable multipanel test rig by which simultaneous testing of three solar panels was possible. As an alternative thermal test method, the capability of an infrared radiation method was studied and infrared simulation tests for the ultralight panel and the INTELSAT 5 solar panels were performed. The setup and the characteristics of the infrared radiation unit using a quartz lamp array of approx. 15 sq and LN2-cooled shutter and the thermal test results are presented. The irradiation uniformity, the solar panel temperature distribution, temperature changing rates for both test methods are compared. Results indicate the infrared simulation is an effective solar panel thermal testing method.

Modeling and simulation of different and representative engineering problems using Network Simulation Method

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-01

Mathematical models simulating different and representative engineering problem, atomic dry friction, the moving front problems and elastic and solid mechanics are presented in the form of a set of non-linear, coupled or not coupled differential equations. For different parameters values that influence the solution, the problem is numerically solved by the network method, which provides all the variables of the problems. Although the model is extremely sensitive to the above parameters, no assumptions are considered as regards the linearization of the variables. The design of the models, which are run on standard electrical circuit simulation software, is explained in detail. The network model results are compared with common numerical methods or experimental data, published in the scientific literature, to show the reliability of the model. PMID:29518121

Lagrangian numerical methods for ocean biogeochemical simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Paparella, Francesco; Popolizio, Marina

2018-05-01

We propose two closely-related Lagrangian numerical methods for the simulation of physical processes involving advection, reaction and diffusion. The methods are intended to be used in settings where the flow is nearly incompressible and the Péclet numbers are so high that resolving all the scales of motion is unfeasible. This is commonplace in ocean flows. Our methods consist in augmenting the method of characteristics, which is suitable for advection-reaction problems, with couplings among nearby particles, producing fluxes that mimic diffusion, or unresolved small-scale transport. The methods conserve mass, obey the maximum principle, and allow to tune the strength of the diffusive terms down to zero, while avoiding unwanted numerical dissipation effects.

Effectiveness of Standardized Patient Simulations in Teaching Clinical Communication Skills to Dental Students.

Science.gov (United States)

McKenzie, Carly T; Tilashalski, Ken R; Peterson, Dawn Taylor; White, Marjorie Lee

2017-10-01

The aim of this study was to investigate dental students' long-term retention of clinical communication skills learned in a second-year standardized patient simulation at one U.S. dental school. Retention was measured by students' performance with an actual patient during their fourth year. The high-fidelity simulation exercise focused on clinical communication skills took place during the spring term of the students' second year. The effect of the simulation was measured by comparing the fourth-year clinical performance of two groups: those who had participated in the simulation (intervention group; Class of 2016) and those who had not (no intervention/control group; Class of 2015). In the no intervention group, all 47 students participated; in the intervention group, 58 of 59 students participated. Both instructor assessments and students' self-assessments were used to evaluate the effectiveness of key patient interaction principles as well as comprehensive presentation of multiple treatment options. The results showed that students in the intervention group more frequently included cost during their treatment option presentation than did students in the no intervention group. The instructor ratings showed that the intervention group included all key treatment option components except duration more frequently than did the no intervention group. However, the simulation experience did not result in significantly more effective student-patient clinical communication on any of the items measured. This study presents limited evidence of the effectiveness of a standardized patient simulation to improve dental students' long-term clinical communication skills with respect to thorough presentation of treatment options to a patient.

Biasing transition rate method based on direct MC simulation for probabilistic safety assessment

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Xiao-Lei Pan; Jia-Qun Wang; Run Yuan; Fang Wang; Han-Qing Lin; Li-Qin Hu; Jin Wang

2017-01-01

Direct Monte Carlo (MC) simulation is a powerful probabilistic safety assessment method for accounting dynamics of the system.But it is not efficient at simulating rare events.A biasing transition rate method based on direct MC simulation is proposed to solve the problem in this paper.This method biases transition rates of the components by adding virtual components to them in series to increase the occurrence probability of the rare event,hence the decrease in the variance of MC estimator.Several cases are used to benchmark this method.The results show that the method is effective at modeling system failure and is more efficient at collecting evidence of rare events than the direct MC simulation.The performance is greatly improved by the biasing transition rate method.

Vectorization of a particle simulation method for hypersonic rarefied flow

Science.gov (United States)

Mcdonald, Jeffrey D.; Baganoff, Donald

1988-01-01

An efficient particle simulation technique for hypersonic rarefied flows is presented at an algorithmic and implementation level. The implementation is for a vector computer architecture, specifically the Cray-2. The method models an ideal diatomic Maxwell molecule with three translational and two rotational degrees of freedom. Algorithms are designed specifically for compatibility with fine grain parallelism by reducing the number of data dependencies in the computation. By insisting on this compatibility, the method is capable of performing simulation on a much larger scale than previously possible. A two-dimensional simulation of supersonic flow over a wedge is carried out for the near-continuum limit where the gas is in equilibrium and the ideal solution can be used as a check on the accuracy of the gas model employed in the method. Also, a three-dimensional, Mach 8, rarefied flow about a finite-span flat plate at a 45 degree angle of attack was simulated. It utilized over 10 to the 7th particles carried through 400 discrete time steps in less than one hour of Cray-2 CPU time. This problem was chosen to exhibit the capability of the method in handling a large number of particles and a true three-dimensional geometry.

Vectorization of a particle simulation method for hypersonic rarefied flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mcdonald, J.D.; Baganoff, D.

1988-01-01

An efficient particle simulation technique for hypersonic rarefied flows is presented at an algorithmic and implementation level. The implementation is for a vector computer architecture, specifically the Cray-2. The method models an ideal diatomic Maxwell molecule with three translational and two rotational degrees of freedom. Algorithms are designed specifically for compatibility with fine grain parallelism by reducing the number of data dependencies in the computation. By insisting on this compatibility, the method is capable of performing simulation on a much larger scale than previously possible. A two-dimensional simulation of supersonic flow over a wedge is carried out for the near-continuum limit where the gas is in equilibrium and the ideal solution can be used as a check on the accuracy of the gas model employed in the method. Also, a three-dimensional, Mach 8, rarefied flow about a finite-span flat plate at a 45 degree angle of attack was simulated. It utilized over 10 to the 7th particles carried through 400 discrete time steps in less than one hour of Cray-2 CPU time. This problem was chosen to exhibit the capability of the method in handling a large number of particles and a true three-dimensional geometry. 14 references

What are the appropriate methods for analyzing patient-reported outcomes in randomized trials when data are missing?

Science.gov (United States)

Hamel, J F; Sebille, V; Le Neel, T; Kubis, G; Boyer, F C; Hardouin, J B

2017-12-01

Subjective health measurements using Patient Reported Outcomes (PRO) are increasingly used in randomized trials, particularly for patient groups comparisons. Two main types of analytical strategies can be used for such data: Classical Test Theory (CTT) and Item Response Theory models (IRT). These two strategies display very similar characteristics when data are complete, but in the common case when data are missing, whether IRT or CTT would be the most appropriate remains unknown and was investigated using simulations. We simulated PRO data such as quality of life data. Missing responses to items were simulated as being completely random, depending on an observable covariate or on an unobserved latent trait. The considered CTT-based methods allowed comparing scores using complete-case analysis, personal mean imputations or multiple-imputations based on a two-way procedure. The IRT-based method was the Wald test on a Rasch model including a group covariate. The IRT-based method and the multiple-imputations-based method for CTT displayed the highest observed power and were the only unbiased method whatever the kind of missing data. Online software and Stata® modules compatibles with the innate mi impute suite are provided for performing such analyses. Traditional procedures (listwise deletion and personal mean imputations) should be avoided, due to inevitable problems of biases and lack of power.

A calculation method for RF couplers design based on numerical simulation by microwave studio

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Rong; Pei Yuanji; Jin Kai

2006-01-01

A numerical simulation method for coupler design is proposed. It is based on the matching procedure for the 2π/3 structure given by Dr. R.L. Kyhl. Microwave Studio EigenMode Solver is used for such numerical simulation. the simulation for a coupler has been finished with this method and the simulation data are compared with experimental measurements. The results show that this numerical simulation method is feasible for coupler design. (authors)

The Multiple-Patient Simulation Toolkit: Purpose, Process, and Pilot.

Science.gov (United States)

Beroz, Sabrina; Sullivan, Nancy; Kramasz, Vanessa; Morgan, Patricia

Educating nursing students to safely care for multiple patients has become an important but challenging focus for nurse educators. New graduate nurses are expected to manage care for multiple patients in a complex and multifaceted health care system. With patient safety as a priority, multiple-patient assignments are necessary in order for nursing students to learn how to effectively prioritize and delegate care. The purpose of this project was the construction of an adaptable and flexible template for the development of multiple-patient simulations. Through utilization, the template moved to a toolkit adding an operational guide, sample-populated template, and bibliography.

Contribution of the ultrasonic simulation to the testing methods qualification process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Ber, L.; Calmon, P.; Abittan, E.

2001-01-01

The CEA and EDF have started a study concerning the simulation interest in the qualification of nuclear components control by ultrasonic methods. In this framework, the simulation tools of the CEA, as CIVA, have been tested on real control. The method and the results obtained on some examples are presented. (A.L.B.)

Design and implementation of a simulation exercise for teaching confidentiality of patient information.

Science.gov (United States)

Snyder, J R

1982-05-01

Allied health students, making the transition from a purely academic to a professional school setting, are suddenly faced with judgment decisions about disclosure of medical information. Obscure guidelines and new interpersonal relationships with other members of the health care team complicate this transition and pose a threat to confidentiality of patient information. This article describes the design and implementation of a simulation exercise to reinforce lecture guidelines specifying disclosure of medical information without risk to the patient or student. The simulation is comprised of 10 critical incidents calling for responses ranging from logical to judgmental. Although written primarily for medical technologists, with emphasis on limitations governing release of patient laboratory data, the simulation approach is presented here as a model for other allied health professions. The use of a latent image format provides learners with positive or negative reinforcement as they learn the consequences of their decisions. The simulation activity described is easily adapted to small group discussion or computer-assisted instruction. While the simulation appears to be an accurate representation of reality, peer and real-life pressures could not be totally simulated.

Simulation methods supporting homologation of Electronic Stability Control in vehicle variants

Science.gov (United States)

Lutz, Albert; Schick, Bernhard; Holzmann, Henning; Kochem, Michael; Meyer-Tuve, Harald; Lange, Olav; Mao, Yiqin; Tosolin, Guido

2017-10-01

Vehicle simulation has a long tradition in the automotive industry as a powerful supplement to physical vehicle testing. In the field of Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system, the simulation process has been well established to support the ESC development and application by suppliers and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). The latest regulation of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe UN/ECE-R 13 allows also for simulation-based homologation. This extends the usage of simulation from ESC development to homologation. This paper gives an overview of simulation methods, as well as processes and tools used for the homologation of ESC in vehicle variants. The paper first describes the generic homologation process according to the European Regulation (UN/ECE-R 13H, UN/ECE-R 13/11) and U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS 126). Subsequently the ESC system is explained as well as the generic application and release process at the supplier and OEM side. Coming up with the simulation methods, the ESC development and application process needs to be adapted for the virtual vehicles. The simulation environment, consisting of vehicle model, ESC model and simulation platform, is explained in detail with some exemplary use-cases. In the final section, examples of simulation-based ESC homologation in vehicle variants are shown for passenger cars, light trucks, heavy trucks and trailers. This paper is targeted to give a state-of-the-art account of the simulation methods supporting the homologation of ESC systems in vehicle variants. However, the described approach and the lessons learned can be used as reference in future for an extended usage of simulation-supported releases of the ESC system up to the development and release of driver assistance systems.

Comparison of multiple-criteria decision-making methods - results of simulation study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michał Adamczak

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Today, both researchers and practitioners have many methods for supporting the decision-making process. Due to the conditions in which supply chains function, the most interesting are multi-criteria methods. The use of sophisticated methods for supporting decisions requires the parameterization and execution of calculations that are often complex. So is it efficient to use sophisticated methods? Methods: The authors of the publication compared two popular multi-criteria decision-making methods: the  Weighted Sum Model (WSM and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP. A simulation study reflects these two decision-making methods. Input data for this study was a set of criteria weights and the value of each in terms of each criterion. Results: The iGrafx Process for Six Sigma simulation software recreated how both multiple-criteria decision-making methods (WSM and AHP function. The result of the simulation was a numerical value defining the preference of each of the alternatives according to the WSM and AHP methods. The alternative producing a result of higher numerical value  was considered preferred, according to the selected method. In the analysis of the results, the relationship between the values of the parameters and the difference in the results presented by both methods was investigated. Statistical methods, including hypothesis testing, were used for this purpose. Conclusions: The simulation study findings prove that the results obtained with the use of two multiple-criteria decision-making methods are very similar. Differences occurred more frequently in lower-value parameters from the "value of each alternative" group and higher-value parameters from the "weight of criteria" group.

Towards numerical simulations of supersonic liquid jets using ghost fluid method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majidi, Sahand; Afshari, Asghar

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A ghost fluid method based solver is developed for numerical simulation of compressible multiphase flows. • The performance of the numerical tool is validated via several benchmark problems. • Emergence of supersonic liquid jets in quiescent gaseous environment is simulated using ghost fluid method for the first time. • Bow-shock formation ahead of the liquid jet is clearly observed in the obtained numerical results. • Radiation of mach waves from the phase-interface witnessed experimentally is evidently captured in our numerical simulations. - Abstract: A computational tool based on the ghost fluid method (GFM) is developed to study supersonic liquid jets involving strong shocks and contact discontinuities with high density ratios. The solver utilizes constrained reinitialization method and is capable of switching between the exact and approximate Riemann solvers to increase the robustness. The numerical methodology is validated through several benchmark test problems; these include one-dimensional multiphase shock tube problem, shock–bubble interaction, air cavity collapse in water, and underwater-explosion. A comparison between our results and numerical and experimental observations indicate that the developed solver performs well investigating these problems. The code is then used to simulate the emergence of a supersonic liquid jet into a quiescent gaseous medium, which is the very first time to be studied by a ghost fluid method. The results of simulations are in good agreement with the experimental investigations. Also some of the famous flow characteristics, like the propagation of pressure-waves from the liquid jet interface and dependence of the Mach cone structure on the inlet Mach number, are reproduced numerically. The numerical simulations conducted here suggest that the ghost fluid method is an affordable and reliable scheme to study complicated interfacial evolutions in complex multiphase systems such as supersonic liquid

An efficient parallel simulation of unsteady blood flows in patient-specific pulmonary artery.

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Fande; Kheyfets, Vitaly; Finol, Ender; Cai, Xiao-Chuan

2018-04-01

Simulation of blood flows in the pulmonary artery provides some insight into certain diseases by examining the relationship between some continuum metrics, eg, the wall shear stress acting on the vascular endothelium, which responds to flow-induced mechanical forces by releasing vasodilators/constrictors. V. Kheyfets, in his previous work, studies numerically a patient-specific pulmonary circulation to show that decreasing wall shear stress is correlated with increasing pulmonary vascular impedance. In this paper, we develop a scalable parallel algorithm based on domain decomposition methods to investigate an unsteady model with patient-specific pulsatile waveforms as the inlet boundary condition. The unsteady model offers tremendously more information about the dynamic behavior of the flow field, but computationally speaking, the simulation is a lot more expensive since a problem which is similar to the steady-state problem has to be solved many times, and therefore, the traditional sequential approach is not suitable anymore. We show computationally that simulations using the proposed parallel approach with up to 10 000 processor cores can be obtained with much reduced compute time. This makes the technology potentially usable for the routine study of the dynamic behavior of blood flows in the pulmonary artery, in particular, the changes of the blood flows and the wall shear stress in the spatial and temporal dimensions. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A Simulation Method Measuring Psychomotor Nursing Skills.

Science.gov (United States)

McBride, Helena; And Others

1981-01-01

The development of a simulation technique to evaluate performance of psychomotor skills in an undergraduate nursing program is described. This method is used as one admission requirement to an alternate route nursing program. With modifications, any health profession could use this technique where psychomotor skills performance is important.…

Discrete Particle Method for Simulating Hypervelocity Impact Phenomena

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erkai Watson

2017-04-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we introduce a computational model for the simulation of hypervelocity impact (HVI phenomena which is based on the Discrete Element Method (DEM. Our paper constitutes the first application of DEM to the modeling and simulating of impact events for velocities beyond 5 kms-1. We present here the results of a systematic numerical study on HVI of solids. For modeling the solids, we use discrete spherical particles that interact with each other via potentials. In our numerical investigations we are particularly interested in the dynamics of material fragmentation upon impact. We model a typical HVI experiment configuration where a sphere strikes a thin plate and investigate the properties of the resulting debris cloud. We provide a quantitative computational analysis of the resulting debris cloud caused by impact and a comprehensive parameter study by varying key parameters of our model. We compare our findings from the simulations with recent HVI experiments performed at our institute. Our findings are that the DEM method leads to very stable, energy–conserving simulations of HVI scenarios that map the experimental setup where a sphere strikes a thin plate at hypervelocity speed. Our chosen interaction model works particularly well in the velocity range where the local stresses caused by impact shock waves markedly exceed the ultimate material strength.

Situation awareness in undergraduate nursing students managing simulated patient deterioration.

Science.gov (United States)

McKenna, Lisa; Missen, Karen; Cooper, Simon; Bogossian, Fiona; Bucknall, Tracey; Cant, Robyn

2014-06-01

Nursing work often occurs in complex and potentially hazardous settings. Awareness of patient and practice environments is an imperative for nurses in practice. To explore nursing students' situation awareness while engaging in simulated patient deterioration scenarios. The educational process of FIRST(2)ACT was the model for the nurse intervention. Situation awareness was measured quantitatively using the Situation Awareness Global Assessment tool. Four domains were measured: physiological perception (patient parameters), global perception (surroundings), comprehension (interpretation of information), and projection (forecasting outcomes). Clinical laboratories at each of three participating universities. Ninety-seven nursing students from three Australian universities. Between March and July 2012, students participated in three video-recorded simulation events, in which a trained actor played patient roles and groups of three students worked as teams. To measure situation awareness, following the simulation each team leader was taken to a separate room and asked to report on a question set regarding the patient's vital signs, bedside setting and medical diagnosis. Overall, situation awareness was low (41%). Of the four domains, physiological perceptions scored the lowest (26%) and projection the highest (59%). Final year nursing students may not have well developed situation awareness skills, especially when dealing with these types of scenarios. Education providers need to consider ways to assist students to fully develop this attribute. Findings suggest that this is an aspect of undergraduate nursing education that requires significant consideration by curriculum developers. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A regularized vortex-particle mesh method for large eddy simulation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Spietz, Henrik Juul; Walther, Jens Honore; Hejlesen, Mads Mølholm

We present recent developments of the remeshed vortex particle-mesh method for simulating incompressible fluid flow. The presented method relies on a parallel higher-order FFT based solver for the Poisson equation. Arbitrary high order is achieved through regularization of singular Green’s function...... solutions to the Poisson equation and recently we have derived novel high order solutions for a mixture of open and periodic domains. With this approach the simulated variables may formally be viewed as the approximate solution to the filtered Navier Stokes equations, hence we use the method for Large Eddy...

High-fidelity haptic and visual rendering for patient-specific simulation of temporal bone surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Sonny; Li, Peter; Locketz, Garrett; Salisbury, Kenneth; Blevins, Nikolas H

2016-12-01

Medical imaging techniques provide a wealth of information for surgical preparation, but it is still often the case that surgeons are examining three-dimensional pre-operative image data as a series of two-dimensional images. With recent advances in visual computing and interactive technologies, there is much opportunity to provide surgeons an ability to actively manipulate and interpret digital image data in a surgically meaningful way. This article describes the design and initial evaluation of a virtual surgical environment that supports patient-specific simulation of temporal bone surgery using pre-operative medical image data. Computational methods are presented that enable six degree-of-freedom haptic feedback during manipulation, and that simulate virtual dissection according to the mechanical principles of orthogonal cutting and abrasive wear. A highly efficient direct volume renderer simultaneously provides high-fidelity visual feedback during surgical manipulation of the virtual anatomy. The resulting virtual surgical environment was assessed by evaluating its ability to replicate findings in the operating room, using pre-operative imaging of the same patient. Correspondences between surgical exposure, anatomical features, and the locations of pathology were readily observed when comparing intra-operative video with the simulation, indicating the predictive ability of the virtual surgical environment.

Comparing three methods for participatory simulation of hospital work systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Broberg, Ole; Andersen, Simone Nyholm

Summative Statement: This study compared three participatory simulation methods using different simulation objects: Low resolution table-top setup using Lego figures, full scale mock-ups, and blueprints using Lego figures. It was concluded the three objects by differences in fidelity and affordance...... scenarios using the objects. Results: Full scale mock-ups significantly addressed the local space and technology/tool elements of a work system. In contrast, the table-top simulation object addressed the organizational issues of the future work system. The blueprint based simulation addressed...

Enhancing Care Transitions for Older People through Interprofessional Simulation: A Mixed Method Evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susie Sykes

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The educational needs of the health and social care workforce for delivering effective integrated care are important. This paper reports on the development, pilot and evaluation of an interprofessional simulation course, which aimed to support integrated care models for care transitions for older people from hospital to home. Theory and methods: The course development was informed by a literature review and a scoping exercise with the health and social care workforce. The course ran six times and was attended by health and social care professionals from hospital and community (n = 49. The evaluation aimed to elicit staff perceptions of their learning about care transfers of older people and to explore application of learning into practice and perceived outcomes. The study used a sequential mixed method design with questionnaires completed pre (n = 44 and post (n = 47 course and interviews (n = 9 2–5 months later. Results: Participants evaluated interprofessional simulation as a successful strategy. Post-course, participants identified learning points and at the interviews, similar themes with examples of application in practice were: Understanding individual needs and empathy; Communicating with patients and families; Interprofessional working; Working across settings to achieve effective care transitions. Conclusions and discussion: An interprofessional simulation course successfully brought together health and social care professionals across settings to develop integrated care skills and improve care transitions for older people with complex needs from hospital to home.

A Ten-Step Design Method for Simulation Games in Logistics Management

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fumarola, M.; Van Staalduinen, J.P.; Verbraeck, A.

2011-01-01

Simulation games have often been found useful as a method of inquiry to gain insight in complex system behavior and as aids for design, engineering simulation and visualization, and education. Designing simulation games are the result of creative thinking and planning, but often not the result of a

Numerical simulation of electromagnetic wave propagation using time domain meshless method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikuno, Soichiro; Fujita, Yoshihisa; Itoh, Taku; Nakata, Susumu; Nakamura, Hiroaki; Kamitani, Atsushi

2012-01-01

The electromagnetic wave propagation in various shaped wave guide is simulated by using meshless time domain method (MTDM). Generally, Finite Differential Time Domain (FDTD) method is applied for electromagnetic wave propagation simulation. However, the numerical domain should be divided into rectangle meshes if FDTD method is applied for the simulation. On the other hand, the node disposition of MTDM can easily describe the structure of arbitrary shaped wave guide. This is the large advantage of the meshless time domain method. The results of computations show that the damping rate is stably calculated in case with R < 0.03, where R denotes a support radius of the weight function for the shape function. And the results indicate that the support radius R of the weight functions should be selected small, and monomials must be used for calculating the shape functions. (author)

Enhancing Student Communication Skills Through Arabic Language Competency and Simulated Patient Assessments.

Science.gov (United States)

Hasan, Sanah; Tarazi, Hamadeh M Khier; Halim Hilal, Dana Abdel

2017-05-01

Objective. To assess student communication and patient management skill with introduction of Arabic and use of simulated patient assessments to a communication and counseling course. Design. Five, 3-hour tutorials (clinical skill laboratory) were added to the course covering: listening and empathic responding, non-verbal communications, interviewing skills, assertiveness, counseling in special situations: conflict, anger, worry or rushed situations, and professional decision making. Arabic content was introduced to the course to enhance Arabic communications and competence among students. Simulated patient assessment was used to evaluate student skills. Students' feedback about course changes was evaluated. Assessment. The course now covers a wider content and Arabic language. Students' scores were similar in the assessment and other assessments within the course and between Arabic and English groups. Students favorably rated the changes in the course and provided constructive feedback on content usefulness and adequacy. Conclusion. Expanding the course to include Arabic language and content and simulated patient assessments enhanced student communication skills.

New method of fast simulation for a hadron calorimeter response

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kul'chitskij, Yu.; Sutiak, J.; Tokar, S.; Zenis, T.

2003-01-01

In this work we present the new method of a fast Monte-Carlo simulation of a hadron calorimeter response. It is based on the three-dimensional parameterization of the hadronic shower obtained from the ATLAS TILECAL test beam data and GEANT simulations. A new approach of including the longitudinal fluctuations of hadronic shower is described. The obtained results of the fast simulation are in good agreement with the TILECAL experimental data

Simulation of multivariate stationary stochastic processes using dimension-reduction representation methods

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhangjun; Liu, Zenghui; Peng, Yongbo

2018-03-01

In view of the Fourier-Stieltjes integral formula of multivariate stationary stochastic processes, a unified formulation accommodating spectral representation method (SRM) and proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) is deduced. By introducing random functions as constraints correlating the orthogonal random variables involved in the unified formulation, the dimension-reduction spectral representation method (DR-SRM) and the dimension-reduction proper orthogonal decomposition (DR-POD) are addressed. The proposed schemes are capable of representing the multivariate stationary stochastic process with a few elementary random variables, bypassing the challenges of high-dimensional random variables inherent in the conventional Monte Carlo methods. In order to accelerate the numerical simulation, the technique of Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) is integrated with the proposed schemes. For illustrative purposes, the simulation of horizontal wind velocity field along the deck of a large-span bridge is proceeded using the proposed methods containing 2 and 3 elementary random variables. Numerical simulation reveals the usefulness of the dimension-reduction representation methods.

Innovative Calibration Method for System Level Simulation Models of Internal Combustion Engines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivo Prah

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The paper outlines a procedure for the computer-controlled calibration of the combined zero-dimensional (0D and one-dimensional (1D thermodynamic simulation model of a turbocharged internal combustion engine (ICE. The main purpose of the calibration is to determine input parameters of the simulation model in such a way as to achieve the smallest difference between the results of the measurements and the results of the numerical simulations with minimum consumption of the computing time. An innovative calibration methodology is based on a novel interaction between optimization methods and physically based methods of the selected ICE sub-systems. Therein physically based methods were used for steering the division of the integral ICE to several sub-models and for determining parameters of selected components considering their governing equations. Innovative multistage interaction between optimization methods and physically based methods allows, unlike the use of well-established methods that rely only on the optimization techniques, for successful calibration of a large number of input parameters with low time consumption. Therefore, the proposed method is suitable for efficient calibration of simulation models of advanced ICEs.

Simulated patient training: Using inter-rater reliability to evaluate simulated patient consistency in nursing education.

Science.gov (United States)

MacLean, Sharon; Geddes, Fiona; Kelly, Michelle; Della, Phillip

2018-03-01

Simulated patients (SPs) are frequently used for training nursing students in communication skills. An acknowledged benefit of using SPs is the opportunity to provide a standardized approach by which participants can demonstrate and develop communication skills. However, relatively little evidence is available on how to best facilitate and evaluate the reliability and accuracy of SPs' performances. The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of an evidenced based SP training framework to ensure standardization of SPs. The training framework was employed to improve inter-rater reliability of SPs. A quasi-experimental study was employed to assess SP post-training understanding of simulation scenario parameters using inter-rater reliability agreement indices. Two phases of data collection took place. Initially a trial phase including audio-visual (AV) recordings of two undergraduate nursing students completing a simulation scenario is rated by eight SPs using the Interpersonal Communication Assessments Scale (ICAS) and Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale (QDTS). In phase 2, eight SP raters and four nursing faculty raters independently evaluated students' (N=42) communication practices using the QDTS. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were >0.80 for both stages of the study in clinical communication skills. The results support the premise that if trained appropriately, SPs have a high degree of reliability and validity to both facilitate and evaluate student performance in nurse education. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Scalable Methods for Eulerian-Lagrangian Simulation Applied to Compressible Multiphase Flows

Science.gov (United States)

Zwick, David; Hackl, Jason; Balachandar, S.

2017-11-01

Multiphase flows can be found in countless areas of physics and engineering. Many of these flows can be classified as dispersed two-phase flows, meaning that there are solid particles dispersed in a continuous fluid phase. A common technique for simulating such flow is the Eulerian-Lagrangian method. While useful, this method can suffer from scaling issues on larger problem sizes that are typical of many realistic geometries. Here we present scalable techniques for Eulerian-Lagrangian simulations and apply it to the simulation of a particle bed subjected to expansion waves in a shock tube. The results show that the methods presented here are viable for simulation of larger problems on modern supercomputers. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship under Grant No. DGE-1315138. This work was supported in part by the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-NA0002378.

MONTE CARLO METHOD AND APPLICATION IN @RISK SIMULATION SYSTEM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriela Ižaríková

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The article is an example of using the software simulation @Risk designed for simulation in Microsoft Excel spread sheet, demonstrated the possibility of its usage in order to show a universal method of solving problems. The simulation is experimenting with computer models based on the real production process in order to optimize the production processes or the system. The simulation model allows performing a number of experiments, analysing them, evaluating, optimizing and afterwards applying the results to the real system. A simulation model in general is presenting modelling system by using mathematical formulations and logical relations. In the model is possible to distinguish controlled inputs (for instance investment costs and random outputs (for instance demand, which are by using a model transformed into outputs (for instance mean value of profit. In case of a simulation experiment at the beginning are chosen controlled inputs and random (stochastic outputs are generated randomly. Simulations belong into quantitative tools, which can be used as a support for a decision making.

Multilevel panel method for wind turbine rotor flow simulations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Garrel, Arne

2016-01-01

Simulation methods of wind turbine aerodynamics currently in use mainly fall into two categories: the first is the group of traditional low-fidelity engineering models and the second is the group of computationally expensive CFD methods based on the Navier-Stokes equations. For an engineering

Teaching cardiopulmonary auscultation in workshops using a virtual patient simulation technology - A pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, D; Gomes, P; Faria, S; Cruz-Correia, R; Coimbra, M

2016-08-01

Auscultation is currently both a powerful screening tool, providing a cheap and quick initial assessment of a patient's clinical condition, and a hard skill to master. The teaching of auscultation in Universities is today reduced to an unsuitable number of hours. Virtual patient simulators can potentially mitigate this problem, by providing an interesting high-quality alternative to teaching with real patients or patient simulators. In this paper we evaluate the pedagogical impact of using a virtual patient simulation technology in a short workshop format for medical students, training them to detect cardiac pathologies. Results showed a significant improvement (+16%) in the differentiation between normal and pathological cases, although longer duration formats seem to be needed to accurately identify specific pathologies.

Simulation methods of nuclear electromagnetic pulse effects in integrated circuits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng Jili; Liu Yuan; En Yunfei; Fang Wenxiao; Wei Aixiang; Yang Yuanzhen

2013-01-01

In the paper the ways to compute the response of transmission line (TL) illuminated by electromagnetic pulse (EMP) were introduced firstly, which include finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) and trans-mission line matrix (TLM); then the feasibility of electromagnetic topology (EMT) in ICs nuclear electromagnetic pulse (NEMP) effect simulation was discussed; in the end, combined with the methods computing the response of TL, a new method of simulate the transmission line in IC illuminated by NEMP was put forward. (authors)

Patient dose simulation in X-ray CT using a radiation treatment-planning system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakae, Yasuo; Oda, Masahiko; Minamoto, Takahiro

2003-01-01

Medical irradiation dosage has been increasing with the development of new radiological equipment and new techniques like interventional radiology. It is fair to say that patient dose has been increased as a result of the development of multi-slice CT. A number of studies on the irradiation dose of CT have been reported, and the computed tomography dose index (CTDI) is now used as a general means of determining CT dose. However, patient dose distribution in the body varies with the patient's constitution, bowel gas in the body, and conditions of exposure. In this study, patient dose was analyzed from the viewpoint of dose distribution, using a radiation treatment-planning computer. Percent depth dose (PDD) and the off-center ratio (OCR) of the CT beam are needed to calculate dose distribution by the planning computer. Therefore, X-ray CT data were measured with various apparatuses, and beam data were sent to the planning computer. Measurement and simulation doses in the elliptical phantom (Mix-Dp: water equivalent material) were collated, and the CT irradiation dose was determined for patient dose simulation. The rotational radiation treatment technique was used to obtain the patient dose distribution of CT, and patient dose was evaluated through simulation of the dose distribution. CT images of the thorax were sent to the planning computer and simulated. The result was that the patient dose distribution of the thorax was obtained for CT examination. (author)

Numerical method for IR background and clutter simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Quaranta, Carlo; Daniele, Gina; Balzarotti, Giorgio

1997-06-01

The paper describes a fast and accurate algorithm of IR background noise and clutter generation for application in scene simulations. The process is based on the hypothesis that background might be modeled as a statistical process where amplitude of signal obeys to the Gaussian distribution rule and zones of the same scene meet a correlation function with exponential form. The algorithm allows to provide an accurate mathematical approximation of the model and also an excellent fidelity with reality, that appears from a comparison with images from IR sensors. The proposed method shows advantages with respect to methods based on the filtering of white noise in time or frequency domain as it requires a limited number of computation and, furthermore, it is more accurate than the quasi random processes. The background generation starts from a reticule of few points and by means of growing rules the process is extended to the whole scene of required dimension and resolution. The statistical property of the model are properly maintained in the simulation process. The paper gives specific attention to the mathematical aspects of the algorithm and provides a number of simulations and comparisons with real scenes.

Simulations of Micro Gas Flows by the DS-BGK Method

KAUST Repository

Li, Jun

2011-01-01

For gas flows in micro devices, the molecular mean free path is of the same order as the characteristic scale making the Navier-Stokes equation invalid. Recently, some micro gas flows are simulated by the DS-BGK method, which is convergent to the BGK equation and very efficient for low-velocity cases. As the molecular reflection on the boundary is the dominant effect compared to the intermolecular collisions in micro gas flows, the more realistic boundary condition, namely the CLL reflection model, is employed in the DS-BGK simulation and the influence of the accommodation coefficients used in the molecular reflection model on the results are discussed. The simulation results are verified by comparison with those of the DSMC method as criteria. Copyright © 2011 by ASME.

Simulation in pediatric anesthesiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Fehr, James J; Honkanen, Anita; Murray, David J

2012-10-01

Simulation-based training, research and quality initiatives are expanding in pediatric anesthesiology just as in other medical specialties. Various modalities are available, from task trainers to standardized patients, and from computer-based simulations to mannequins. Computer-controlled mannequins can simulate pediatric vital signs with reasonable reliability; however the fidelity of skin temperature and color change, airway reflexes and breath and heart sounds remains rudimentary. Current pediatric mannequins are utilized in simulation centers, throughout hospitals in-situ, at national meetings for continuing medical education and in research into individual and team performance. Ongoing efforts by pediatric anesthesiologists dedicated to using simulation to improve patient care and educational delivery will result in further dissemination of this technology. Health care professionals who provide complex, subspecialty care to children require a curriculum supported by an active learning environment where skills directly relevant to pediatric care can be developed. The approach is not only the most effective method to educate adult learners, but meets calls for education reform and offers the potential to guide efforts toward evaluating competence. Simulation addresses patient safety imperatives by providing a method for trainees to develop skills and experience in various management strategies, without risk to the health and life of a child. A curriculum that provides pediatric anesthesiologists with the range of skills required in clinical practice settings must include a relatively broad range of task-training devises and electromechanical mannequins. Challenges remain in defining the best integration of this modality into training and clinical practice to meet the needs of pediatric patients. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Comparison of Two Methods for Speeding Up Flash Calculations in Compositional Simulations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Belkadi, Abdelkrim; Yan, Wei; Michelsen, Michael Locht

2011-01-01

Flash calculation is the most time consuming part in compositional reservoir simulations and several approaches have been proposed to speed it up. Two recent approaches proposed in the literature are the shadow region method and the Compositional Space Adaptive Tabulation (CSAT) method. The shadow...... region method reduces the computation time mainly by skipping stability analysis for a large portion of compositions in the single phase region. In the two-phase region, a highly efficient Newton-Raphson algorithm can be employed with initial estimates from the previous step. The CSAT method saves...... and the tolerance set for accepting the feed composition are the key parameters in this method since they will influence the simulation speed and the accuracy of simulation results. Inspired by CSAT, we proposed a Tieline Distance Based Approximation (TDBA) method to get approximate flash results in the twophase...

Some recent developments of the immersed interface method for flow simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Sheng

2017-11-01

The immersed interface method is a general methodology for solving PDEs subject to interfaces. In this talk, I will give an overview of some recent developments of the method toward the enhancement of its robustness for flow simulation. In particular, I will present with numerical results how to capture boundary conditions on immersed rigid objects, how to adopt interface triangulation in the method, and how to parallelize the method for flow with moving objects. With these developments, the immersed interface method can achieve accurate and efficient simulation of a flow involving multiple moving complex objects. Thanks to NSF for the support of this work under Grant NSF DMS 1320317.

INTEGRATING DATA ANALYTICS AND SIMULATION METHODS TO SUPPORT MANUFACTURING DECISION MAKING

Science.gov (United States)

Kibira, Deogratias; Hatim, Qais; Kumara, Soundar; Shao, Guodong

2017-01-01

Modern manufacturing systems are installed with smart devices such as sensors that monitor system performance and collect data to manage uncertainties in their operations. However, multiple parameters and variables affect system performance, making it impossible for a human to make informed decisions without systematic methodologies and tools. Further, the large volume and variety of streaming data collected is beyond simulation analysis alone. Simulation models are run with well-prepared data. Novel approaches, combining different methods, are needed to use this data for making guided decisions. This paper proposes a methodology whereby parameters that most affect system performance are extracted from the data using data analytics methods. These parameters are used to develop scenarios for simulation inputs; system optimizations are performed on simulation data outputs. A case study of a machine shop demonstrates the proposed methodology. This paper also reviews candidate standards for data collection, simulation, and systems interfaces. PMID:28690363

Flow simulation of a Pelton bucket using finite volume particle method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vessaz, C; Jahanbakhsh, E; Avellan, F

2014-01-01

The objective of the present paper is to perform an accurate numerical simulation of the high-speed water jet impinging on a Pelton bucket. To reach this goal, the Finite Volume Particle Method (FVPM) is used to discretize the governing equations. FVPM is an arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian method, which combines attractive features of Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics and conventional mesh-based Finite Volume Method. This method is able to satisfy free surface and no-slip wall boundary conditions precisely. The fluid flow is assumed weakly compressible and the wall boundary is represented by one layer of particles located on the bucket surface. In the present study, the simulations of the flow in a stationary bucket are investigated for three different impinging angles: 72°, 90° and 108°. The particles resolution is first validated by a convergence study. Then, the FVPM results are validated with available experimental data and conventional grid-based Volume Of Fluid simulations. It is shown that the wall pressure field is in good agreement with the experimental and numerical data. Finally, the torque evolution and water sheet location are presented for a simulation of five rotating Pelton buckets

A fast mollified impulse method for biomolecular atomistic simulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fath, L., E-mail: lukas.fath@kit.edu [Institute for App. and Num. Mathematics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany); Hochbruck, M., E-mail: marlis.hochbruck@kit.edu [Institute for App. and Num. Mathematics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany); Singh, C.V., E-mail: chandraveer.singh@utoronto.ca [Department of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Toronto (Canada)

2017-03-15

Classical integration methods for molecular dynamics are inherently limited due to resonance phenomena occurring at certain time-step sizes. The mollified impulse method can partially avoid this problem by using appropriate filters based on averaging or projection techniques. However, existing filters are computationally expensive and tedious in implementation since they require either analytical Hessians or they need to solve nonlinear systems from constraints. In this work we follow a different approach based on corotation for the construction of a new filter for (flexible) biomolecular simulations. The main advantages of the proposed filter are its excellent stability properties and ease of implementation in standard softwares without Hessians or solving constraint systems. By simulating multiple realistic examples such as peptide, protein, ice equilibrium and ice–ice friction, the new filter is shown to speed up the computations of long-range interactions by approximately 20%. The proposed filtered integrators allow step sizes as large as 10 fs while keeping the energy drift less than 1% on a 50 ps simulation.

Research of Monte Carlo method used in simulation of different maintenance processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Siqiao; Liu Jingquan

2011-01-01

The paper introduces two kinds of Monte Carlo methods used in equipment life process simulation under the least maintenance: condition: method of producing the interval of lifetime, method of time scale conversion. The paper also analyzes the characteristics and the using scope of the two methods. By using the conception of service age reduction factor, the model of equipment's life process under incomplete maintenance condition is established, and also the life process simulation method applicable to this situation is invented. (authors)

A multimedia patient simulation for teaching and assessing endodontic diagnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Littlefield, John H; Demps, Elaine L; Keiser, Karl; Chatterjee, Lipika; Yuan, Cheng H; Hargreaves, Kenneth M

2003-06-01

Teaching and assessing diagnostic skills are difficult due to relatively small numbers of total clinical experiences and a shortage of clinical faculty. Patient simulations could help teach and assess diagnosis by displaying a well-defined diagnostic task, then providing informative feedback and opportunities for repetition and correction of errors. This report describes the development and initial evaluation of SimEndo I, a multimedia patient simulation program that could be used for teaching or assessing endodontic diagnosis. Students interact with a graphical interface that has four pull-down menus and related submenus. In response to student requests, the program presents patient information. Scoring is based on diagnosis of each case by endodontists. Pilot testing with seventy-four junior dental students identified numerous needed improvements to the user interface program. A multi-school field test of the interface program using three patient cases addressed three research questions: 1) How did the field test students evaluate SimEndo I? Overall mean evaluation was 8.1 on a 0 to 10 scale; 2) How many cases are needed to generate a reproducible diagnostic proficiency score for an individual student using the Rimoldi scoring procedure? Mean diagnostic proficiency scores by case ranged from .27 to .40 on a 0 to 1 scale; five cases would produce a score with a 0.80 reliability coefficient; and 3) Did students accurately diagnose each case? Mean correct diagnosis scores by case ranged from .54 to .78 on a 0 to 1 scale. We conclude that multimedia patient simulations offer a promising alternative for teaching and assessing student diagnostic skills.

The effects of using high-fidelity simulators and standardized patients on the thorax, lung, and cardiac examination skills of undergraduate nursing students.

Science.gov (United States)

Tuzer, Hilal; Dinc, Leyla; Elcin, Melih

2016-10-01

Existing research literature indicates that the use of various simulation techniques in the training of physical examination skills develops students' cognitive and psychomotor abilities in a realistic learning environment while improving patient safety. The study aimed to compare the effects of the use of a high-fidelity simulator and standardized patients on the knowledge and skills of students conducting thorax-lungs and cardiac examinations, and to explore the students' views and learning experiences. A mixed-method explanatory sequential design. The study was conducted in the Simulation Laboratory of a Nursing School, the Training Center at the Faculty of Medicine, and in the inpatient clinics of the Education and Research Hospital. Fifty-two fourth-year nursing students. Students were randomly assigned to Group I and Group II. The students in Group 1 attended the thorax-lungs and cardiac examination training using a high-fidelity simulator, while the students in Group 2 using standardized patients. After the training sessions, all students practiced their skills on real patients in the clinical setting under the supervision of the investigator. Knowledge and performance scores of all students increased following the simulation activities; however, the students that worked with standardized patients achieved significantly higher knowledge scores than those that worked with the high-fidelity simulator; however, there was no significant difference in performance scores between the groups. The mean performance scores of students on real patients were significantly higher compared to the post-simulation assessment scores (psimulator in increasing the knowledge scores of students on thorax-lungs and cardiac examinations; however, practice on real patients increased performance scores of all students without any significant difference in two groups. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Application of Simulation Method in Isothermal Elastic Natural Gas Pipeline

Science.gov (United States)

Xing, Chunlei; Guan, Shiming; Zhao, Yue; Cao, Jinggang; Chu, Yanji

2018-02-01

This Elastic pipeline mathematic model is of crucial importance in natural gas pipeline simulation because of its compliance with the practical industrial cases. The numerical model of elastic pipeline will bring non-linear complexity to the discretized equations. Hence the Newton-Raphson method cannot achieve fast convergence in this kind of problems. Therefore A new Newton Based method with Powell-Wolfe Condition to simulate the Isothermal elastic pipeline flow is presented. The results obtained by the new method aregiven based on the defined boundary conditions. It is shown that the method converges in all cases and reduces significant computational cost.

Reliability Verification of DBE Environment Simulation Test Facility by using Statistics Method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jang, Kyung Nam; Kim, Jong Soeg; Jeong, Sun Chul; Kyung Heum

2011-01-01

In the nuclear power plant, all the safety-related equipment including cables under the harsh environment should perform the equipment qualification (EQ) according to the IEEE std 323. There are three types of qualification methods including type testing, operating experience and analysis. In order to environmentally qualify the safety-related equipment using type testing method, not analysis or operation experience method, the representative sample of equipment, including interfaces, should be subjected to a series of tests. Among these tests, Design Basis Events (DBE) environment simulating test is the most important test. DBE simulation test is performed in DBE simulation test chamber according to the postulated DBE conditions including specified high-energy line break (HELB), loss of coolant accident (LOCA), main steam line break (MSLB) and etc, after thermal and radiation aging. Because most DBE conditions have 100% humidity condition, in order to trace temperature and pressure of DBE condition, high temperature steam should be used. During DBE simulation test, if high temperature steam under high pressure inject to the DBE test chamber, the temperature and pressure in test chamber rapidly increase over the target temperature. Therefore, the temperature and pressure in test chamber continue fluctuating during the DBE simulation test to meet target temperature and pressure. We should ensure fairness and accuracy of test result by confirming the performance of DBE environment simulation test facility. In this paper, in order to verify reliability of DBE environment simulation test facility, statistics method is used

Simulation and CRM.

Science.gov (United States)

Ostergaard, Doris; Dieckmann, Peter; Lippert, Anne

2011-06-01

Patients are harmed as a result of incidents. Both poor interdisciplinary communication and teamwork are contributing factors to such events. The principles of crisis resource management are meant to help prevent and manage difficulties and reflect both, the social-team-oriented and cognitive-individual-oriented aspects of human factors. This article explores the importance of human factors training for safe care of patients and the role of simulation. Based on the available literature, the need to integrate this type of training to increase awareness of the importance of human factors and to change attitudes appears obvious. A combination of different training methods appears to be useful. Simulation-based training appears to be favourable, although the number of studies demonstrating the impact of training is limited. It is important to develop training programmes for individual teams, based on the knowledge of challenges and deficiencies, and to monitor behavioural change. Several methods, including patient safety data, interviews, observational studies and simulations, can be used to specify learning objectives. The training should be established for the real team(s). Furthermore, leaders need to implement training in the organisation and establish databases to monitor the impact on patient outcome. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reduction of radiation-induced xerostomia in nasopharyngeal carcinoma using CT simulation with laser patient marking and three-field irradiation technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishioka, Takeshi; Shirato, Hiroki; Arimoto, Takuro; Kaneko, Masanori; Kitahara, Toshihiro; Oomori, Keiichi; Yasuda, Motoyuki; Fukuda, Satoshi; Inuyama, Yukio; Miyasaka, Kazuo

1997-01-01

Purpose: Tumor control and reduction of postirradiation xerostomia in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) using the three-field irradiation technique based on the CT-based simulation with laser patient marking was investigated. Methods and Materials: Seventy-eight patients with NPC were consecutively treated between 1983 and 1993. In 33 patients treated before 1987, target volume was determined using a conventional x-ray simulator with a reference of CT images, and the primary site was treated by the conventional parallel-opposed two-field technique (Group I). In 45 patients treated from 1987, target volume was determined using a CT simulator slice by slice, the treatment field was projected onto the patient's skin by a laser beam projector mounted on a C-arm, and the primary site was irradiated by a three-fields (anterior and bilateral) technique (Group II). In Group II, the shape of each field was determined using a beam's eye view to reduce the dose to the bilateral parotid glands. The three-field technique reduced the dose to the superficial lobe of parotid gland to about two-thirds of the dose given by the two-field technique. Radiation-induced xerostomia was evaluated by clinical symptoms and radio-isotope sialography. Results: The 5-year survival rate and disease-free survival rate were 46.6 and 31.2% in Group I, and 46.8 and 46.5% in Group II. A large variation in the volume of parotid glands were demonstrated, ranging from 9 cm 3 to 61 cm 3 among patients treated with CT simulation. Forty percent of the patients in Group II showed no or mild xerostomia, whereas all of the patients in Group I showed moderate to severe xerostomia (p < 0.01). The radioisotope sialography study showed that the mean secretion ratio by acid stimulation was improved from 3.8% in the Group I to 15.2% in the Group II (p < 0.01). Conclusions: CT simulation was useful to determine the size and shape of each field to reduce the dose to the parotid gland, of which size varies

An improved method for simulating radiographs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laguna, G.W.

1986-01-01

The parameters involved in generating actual radiographs and what can and cannot be modeled are examined in this report. Using the spectral distribution of the radiation source and the mass absorption curve for the material comprising the part to be modeled, the actual amount of radiation that would pass through the part and reach the film is determined. This method increases confidence in the results of the simulation and enables the modeling of parts made of multiple materials

Investigation of vessel visibility of iterative reconstruction method in coronary computed tomography angiography using simulated vessel phantom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inoue, Takeshi; Uto, Fumiaki; Ichikawa, Katsuhiro; Hara, Takanori; Urikura, Atsushi; Hoshino, Takashi; Miura, Youhei; Terakawa, Syouichi

2012-01-01

Iterative reconstruction methods can reduce the noise of computed tomography (CT) images, which are expected to contribute to the reduction of patient dose CT examinations. The purpose of this study was to investigate impact of an iterative reconstruction method (iDose 4 , Philips Healthcare) on vessel visibility in coronary CT angiography (CTA) by using phantom studies. A simulated phantom was scanned by a CT system (iCT, Philips Healthcare), and the axial images were reconstructed by filtered back projection (FBP) and given a level of 1 to 7 (L1-L7) of the iterative reconstruction (IR). The vessel visibility was evaluated by a quantitative analysis using profiles across a 1.5-mm diameter simulated vessel as well as visual evaluation for multi planar reformation (MPR) images and volume rendering (VR) images in terms of the normalized-rank method with analysis of variance. The peak CT value of the profiles decreased with IR level and full width at half maximum of the profile also decreased with the IR level. For normalized-rank method, there was no statistical difference between FBP and L1 (20% dose reduction) for both MPR and VR images. The IR levels higher than L1 sacrificed the spatial resolution for the 1.5-mm simulated vessel, and their visual vessel visibilities were significantly inferior to that of the FBP. (author)

Methods of patient warming during abdominal surgery.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Shao

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Keeping abdominal surgery patients warm is common and warming methods are needed in power outages during natural disasters. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of low-cost, low-power warming methods for maintaining normothermia in abdominal surgery patients. METHODS: Patients (n = 160 scheduled for elective abdominal surgery were included in this prospective clinical study. Five warming methods were applied: heated blood transfusion/fluid infusion vs. unheated; wrapping patients vs. not wrapping; applying moist dressings, heated or not; surgical field rinse heated or not; and applying heating blankets or not. Patients' nasopharyngeal and rectal temperatures were recorded to evaluate warming efficacy. Significant differences were found in mean temperatures of warmed patients compared to those not warmed. RESULTS: When we compared temperatures of abdominal surgery patient groups receiving three specific warming methods with temperatures of control groups not receiving these methods, significant differences were revealed in temperatures maintained during the surgeries between the warmed groups and controls. DISCUSSION: The value of maintaining normothermia in patients undergoing abdominal surgery under general anesthesia is accepted. Three effective economical and practically applicable warming methods are combined body wrapping and heating blanket; combined body wrapping, heated moist dressings, and heating blanket; combined body wrapping, heated moist dressings, and warmed surgical rinse fluid, with or without heating blanket. These methods are practically applicable when low-cost method is indeed needed.

Reliability analysis of neutron transport simulation using Monte Carlo method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Souza, Bismarck A. de; Borges, Jose C.

1995-01-01

This work presents a statistical and reliability analysis covering data obtained by computer simulation of neutron transport process, using the Monte Carlo method. A general description of the method and its applications is presented. Several simulations, corresponding to slowing down and shielding problems have been accomplished. The influence of the physical dimensions of the materials and of the sample size on the reliability level of results was investigated. The objective was to optimize the sample size, in order to obtain reliable results, optimizing computation time. (author). 5 refs, 8 figs

Intensive care nurses' perceptions of simulation-based team training for building patient safety in intensive care: a descriptive qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ballangrud, Randi; Hall-Lord, Marie Louise; Persenius, Mona; Hedelin, Birgitta

2014-08-01

To describe intensive care nurses' perceptions of simulation-based team training for building patient safety in intensive care. Failures in team processes are found to be contributory factors to incidents in an intensive care environment. Simulation-based training is recommended as a method to make health-care personnel aware of the importance of team working and to improve their competencies. The study uses a qualitative descriptive design. Individual qualitative interviews were conducted with 18 intensive care nurses from May to December 2009, all of which had attended a simulation-based team training programme. The interviews were analysed by qualitative content analysis. One main category emerged to illuminate the intensive care nurse perception: "training increases awareness of clinical practice and acknowledges the importance of structured work in teams". Three generic categories were found: "realistic training contributes to safe care", "reflection and openness motivates learning" and "finding a common understanding of team performance". Simulation-based team training makes intensive care nurses more prepared to care for severely ill patients. Team training creates a common understanding of how to work in teams with regard to patient safety. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

IMPROVING MEDICAL EDUCATION: SIMULATING CHANGES IN PATIENT ANATOMY USING DYNAMIC HAPTIC FEEDBACK

OpenAIRE

Yovanoff, Mary; Pepley, David; Mirkin, Katelin; Moore, Jason; Han, David; Miller, Scarlett

2016-01-01

Virtual simulation is an emerging field in medical education. Research suggests that simulation reduces complication rates and improves learning gains for medical residents. One benefit of simulators is their allowance for more realistic and dynamic patient anatomies. While potentially useful throughout medical education, few studies have explored the impact of dynamic haptic simulators on medical training. In light of this research void, this study was developed to examine how a Dynamic-Hapt...

Investigation of realistic PET simulations incorporating tumor patient's specificity using anthropomorphic models: Creation of an oncology database

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Papadimitroulas, Panagiotis; Efthimiou, Nikos; Nikiforidis, George C.; Kagadis, George C.; Loudos, George; Le Maitre, Amandine; Hatt, Mathieu; Tixier, Florent; Visvikis, Dimitris

2013-01-01

Purpose: The GATE Monte Carlo simulation toolkit is used for the implementation of realistic PET simulations incorporating tumor heterogeneous activity distributions. The reconstructed patient images include noise from the acquisition process, imaging system's performance restrictions and have limited spatial resolution. For those reasons, the measured intensity cannot be simply introduced in GATE simulations, to reproduce clinical data. Investigation of the heterogeneity distribution within tumors applying partial volume correction (PVC) algorithms was assessed. The purpose of the present study was to create a simulated oncology database based on clinical data with realistic intratumor uptake heterogeneity properties.Methods: PET/CT data of seven oncology patients were used in order to create a realistic tumor database investigating the heterogeneity activity distribution of the simulated tumors. The anthropomorphic models (NURBS based cardiac torso and Zubal phantoms) were adapted to the CT data of each patient, and the activity distribution was extracted from the respective PET data. The patient-specific models were simulated with the Monte Carlo Geant4 application for tomography emission (GATE) in three different levels for each case: (a) using homogeneous activity within the tumor, (b) using heterogeneous activity distribution in every voxel within the tumor as it was extracted from the PET image, and (c) using heterogeneous activity distribution corresponding to the clinical image following PVC. The three different types of simulated data in each case were reconstructed with two iterations and filtered with a 3D Gaussian postfilter, in order to simulate the intratumor heterogeneous uptake. Heterogeneity in all generated images was quantified using textural feature derived parameters in 3D according to the ground truth of the simulation, and compared to clinical measurements. Finally, profiles were plotted in central slices of the tumors, across lines with

Low validity of the Sensewear Pro3 activity monitor compared to indirect calorimetry during simulated free living in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hermann, Andreas; Ried-Larsen, Mathias; Jensen, Andreas Emil Kryger

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: To validate physical activity estimates by the Sensewear Pro3 activity monitor compared with indirect calorimetry during simulated free living in patients diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the hip pre or post total hip arthroplasty. METHODS: Twenty patients diagnosed with hip osteoarth...

Thermal shale fracturing simulation using the Cohesive Zone Method (CZM)

KAUST Repository

Enayatpour, Saeid; van Oort, Eric; Patzek, Tadeusz

2018-01-01

Extensive research has been conducted over the past two decades to improve hydraulic fracturing methods used for hydrocarbon recovery from tight reservoir rocks such as shales. Our focus in this paper is on thermal fracturing of such tight rocks to enhance hydraulic fracturing efficiency. Thermal fracturing is effective in generating small fractures in the near-wellbore zone - or in the vicinity of natural or induced fractures - that may act as initiation points for larger fractures. Previous analytical and numerical results indicate that thermal fracturing in tight rock significantly enhances rock permeability, thereby enhancing hydrocarbon recovery. Here, we present a more powerful way of simulating the initiation and propagation of thermally induced fractures in tight formations using the Cohesive Zone Method (CZM). The advantages of CZM are: 1) CZM simulation is fast compared to similar models which are based on the spring-mass particle method or Discrete Element Method (DEM); 2) unlike DEM, rock material complexities such as scale-dependent failure behavior can be incorporated in a CZM simulation; 3) CZM is capable of predicting the extent of fracture propagation in rock, which is more difficult to determine in a classic finite element approach. We demonstrate that CZM delivers results for the challenging fracture propagation problem of similar accuracy to the eXtended Finite Element Method (XFEM) while reducing complexity and computational effort. Simulation results for thermal fracturing in the near-wellbore zone show the effect of stress anisotropy in fracture propagation in the direction of the maximum horizontal stress. It is shown that CZM can be used to readily obtain the extent and the pattern of induced thermal fractures.

Thermal shale fracturing simulation using the Cohesive Zone Method (CZM)

KAUST Repository

Enayatpour, Saeid

2018-05-17

Extensive research has been conducted over the past two decades to improve hydraulic fracturing methods used for hydrocarbon recovery from tight reservoir rocks such as shales. Our focus in this paper is on thermal fracturing of such tight rocks to enhance hydraulic fracturing efficiency. Thermal fracturing is effective in generating small fractures in the near-wellbore zone - or in the vicinity of natural or induced fractures - that may act as initiation points for larger fractures. Previous analytical and numerical results indicate that thermal fracturing in tight rock significantly enhances rock permeability, thereby enhancing hydrocarbon recovery. Here, we present a more powerful way of simulating the initiation and propagation of thermally induced fractures in tight formations using the Cohesive Zone Method (CZM). The advantages of CZM are: 1) CZM simulation is fast compared to similar models which are based on the spring-mass particle method or Discrete Element Method (DEM); 2) unlike DEM, rock material complexities such as scale-dependent failure behavior can be incorporated in a CZM simulation; 3) CZM is capable of predicting the extent of fracture propagation in rock, which is more difficult to determine in a classic finite element approach. We demonstrate that CZM delivers results for the challenging fracture propagation problem of similar accuracy to the eXtended Finite Element Method (XFEM) while reducing complexity and computational effort. Simulation results for thermal fracturing in the near-wellbore zone show the effect of stress anisotropy in fracture propagation in the direction of the maximum horizontal stress. It is shown that CZM can be used to readily obtain the extent and the pattern of induced thermal fractures.

In Patients With Cirrhosis, Driving Simulator Performance Is Associated With Real-life Driving.

Science.gov (United States)

Lauridsen, Mette M; Thacker, Leroy R; White, Melanie B; Unser, Ariel; Sterling, Richard K; Stravitz, Richard T; Matherly, Scott; Puri, Puneet; Sanyal, Arun J; Gavis, Edith A; Luketic, Velimir; Siddiqui, Muhammad S; Heuman, Douglas M; Fuchs, Michael; Bajaj, Jasmohan S

2016-05-01

Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) has been linked to higher real-life rates of automobile crashes and poor performance in driving simulation studies, but the link between driving simulator performance and real-life automobile crashes has not been clearly established. Furthermore, not all patients with MHE are unsafe drivers, but it is unclear how to distinguish them from unsafe drivers. We investigated the link between performance on driving simulators and real-life automobile accidents and traffic violations. We also aimed to identify features of unsafe drivers with cirrhosis and evaluated changes in simulated driving skills and MHE status after 1 year. We performed a study of outpatients with cirrhosis (n = 205; median 55 years old; median model for end-stage liver disease score, 9.5; none with overt hepatic encephalopathy or alcohol or illicit drug use within previous 6 months) seen at the Virginia Commonwealth University and McGuire Veterans Administration Medical Center, from November 2008 through April 2014. All participants were given paper-pencil tests to diagnose MHE (98 had MHE; 48%), and 163 patients completed a standardized driving simulation. Data were collected on traffic violations and automobile accidents from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles and from participants' self-assessments when they entered the study, and from 73 participants 1 year later. Participants also completed a questionnaire about alcohol use and cessation patterns. The driving simulator measured crashes, run-time, road center and edge excursions, and illegal turns during navigation; before and after each driving simulation session, patients were asked to rate their overall driving skills. Drivers were classified as safe or unsafe based on crashes and violations reported on official driving records; simulation results were compared with real-life driving records. Multivariable regression analyses of real-life crashes and violations was performed using data on

Methods and models for accelerating dynamic simulation of fluid power circuits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aaman, R.

2011-07-01

The objective of this dissertation is to improve the dynamic simulation of fluid power circuits. A fluid power circuit is a typical way to implement power transmission in mobile working machines, e.g. cranes, excavators etc. Dynamic simulation is an essential tool in developing controllability and energy-efficient solutions for mobile machines. Efficient dynamic simulation is the basic requirement for the real-time simulation. In the real-time simulation of fluid power circuits there exist numerical problems due to the software and methods used for modelling and integration. A simulation model of a fluid power circuit is typically created using differential and algebraic equations. Efficient numerical methods are required since differential equations must be solved in real time. Unfortunately, simulation software packages offer only a limited selection of numerical solvers. Numerical problems cause noise to the results, which in many cases leads the simulation run to fail. Mathematically the fluid power circuit models are stiff systems of ordinary differential equations. Numerical solution of the stiff systems can be improved by two alternative approaches. The first is to develop numerical solvers suitable for solving stiff systems. The second is to decrease the model stiffness itself by introducing models and algorithms that either decrease the highest eigenvalues or neglect them by introducing steady-state solutions of the stiff parts of the models. The thesis proposes novel methods using the latter approach. The study aims to develop practical methods usable in dynamic simulation of fluid power circuits using explicit fixed-step integration algorithms. In this thesis, two mechanisms which make the system stiff are studied. These are the pressure drop approaching zero in the turbulent orifice model and the volume approaching zero in the equation of pressure build-up. These are the critical areas to which alternative methods for modelling and numerical simulation

Simulation of Jetting in Injection Molding Using a Finite Volume Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shaozhen Hua

2016-05-01

Full Text Available In order to predict the jetting and the subsequent buckling flow more accurately, a three dimensional melt flow model was established on a viscous, incompressible, and non-isothermal fluid, and a control volume-based finite volume method was employed to discretize the governing equations. A two-fold iterative method was proposed to decouple the dependence among pressure, velocity, and temperature so as to reduce the computation and improve the numerical stability. Based on the proposed theoretical model and numerical method, a program code was developed to simulate melt front progress and flow fields. The numerical simulations for different injection speeds, melt temperatures, and gate locations were carried out to explore the jetting mechanism. The results indicate the filling pattern depends on the competition between inertial and viscous forces. When inertial force exceeds the viscous force jetting occurs, then it changes to a buckling flow as the viscous force competes over the inertial force. Once the melt contacts with the mold wall, the melt filling switches to conventional sequential filling mode. Numerical results also indicate jetting length increases with injection speed but changes little with melt temperature. The reasonable agreements between simulated and experimental jetting length and buckling frequency imply the proposed method is valid for jetting simulation.

Viscoelastic Earthquake Cycle Simulation with Memory Variable Method

Science.gov (United States)

Hirahara, K.; Ohtani, M.

2017-12-01

There have so far been no EQ (earthquake) cycle simulations, based on RSF (rate and state friction) laws, in viscoelastic media, except for Kato (2002), who simulated cycles on a 2-D vertical strike-slip fault, and showed nearly the same cycles as those in elastic cases. The viscoelasticity could, however, give more effects on large dip-slip EQ cycles. In a boundary element approach, stress is calculated using a hereditary integral of stress relaxation function and slip deficit rate, where we need the past slip rates, leading to huge computational costs. This is a cause for almost no simulations in viscoelastic media. We have investigated the memory variable method utilized in numerical computation of wave propagation in dissipative media (e.g., Moczo and Kristek, 2005). In this method, introducing memory variables satisfying 1st order differential equations, we need no hereditary integrals in stress calculation and the computational costs are the same order of those in elastic cases. Further, Hirahara et al. (2012) developed the iterative memory variable method, referring to Taylor et al. (1970), in EQ cycle simulations in linear viscoelastic media. In this presentation, first, we introduce our method in EQ cycle simulations and show the effect of the linear viscoelasticity on stick-slip cycles in a 1-DOF block-SLS (standard linear solid) model, where the elastic spring of the traditional block-spring model is replaced by SLS element and we pull, in a constant rate, the block obeying RSF law. In this model, the memory variable stands for the displacement of the dash-pot in SLS element. The use of smaller viscosity reduces the recurrence time to a minimum value. The smaller viscosity means the smaller relaxation time, which makes the stress recovery quicker, leading to the smaller recurrence time. Second, we show EQ cycles on a 2-D dip-slip fault with the dip angel of 20 degrees in an elastic layer with thickness of 40 km overriding a Maxwell viscoelastic half

Impaired driving simulation in patients with Periodic Limb Movement Disorder and patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gieteling, Esther W.; Bakker, Marije S.; Hoekema, Aarnoud; Maurits, Natasha M.; Brouwer, Wiebo H.; van der Hoeven, Johannes H.

Background: Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is considered to be responsible for increased collision rate and impaired driving simulator performance in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) patients. Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD) patients also frequently report EDS and may also have

Method for simulating dose reduction in digital mammography using the Anscombe transformation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Borges, Lucas R., E-mail: lucas.rodrigues.borges@usp.br; Oliveira, Helder C. R. de; Nunes, Polyana F.; Vieira, Marcelo A. C. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, 400 Trabalhador São-Carlense Avenue, São Carlos 13566-590 (Brazil); Bakic, Predrag R.; Maidment, Andrew D. A. [Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104 (United States)

2016-06-15

Purpose: This work proposes an accurate method for simulating dose reduction in digital mammography starting from a clinical image acquired with a standard dose. Methods: The method developed in this work consists of scaling a mammogram acquired at the standard radiation dose and adding signal-dependent noise. The algorithm accounts for specific issues relevant in digital mammography images, such as anisotropic noise, spatial variations in pixel gain, and the effect of dose reduction on the detective quantum efficiency. The scaling process takes into account the linearity of the system and the offset of the detector elements. The inserted noise is obtained by acquiring images of a flat-field phantom at the standard radiation dose and at the simulated dose. Using the Anscombe transformation, a relationship is created between the calculated noise mask and the scaled image, resulting in a clinical mammogram with the same noise and gray level characteristics as an image acquired at the lower-radiation dose. Results: The performance of the proposed algorithm was validated using real images acquired with an anthropomorphic breast phantom at four different doses, with five exposures for each dose and 256 nonoverlapping ROIs extracted from each image and with uniform images. The authors simulated lower-dose images and compared these with the real images. The authors evaluated the similarity between the normalized noise power spectrum (NNPS) and power spectrum (PS) of simulated images and real images acquired with the same dose. The maximum relative error was less than 2.5% for every ROI. The added noise was also evaluated by measuring the local variance in the real and simulated images. The relative average error for the local variance was smaller than 1%. Conclusions: A new method is proposed for simulating dose reduction in clinical mammograms. In this method, the dependency between image noise and image signal is addressed using a novel application of the Anscombe

Method for simulating dose reduction in digital mammography using the Anscombe transformation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borges, Lucas R.; Oliveira, Helder C. R. de; Nunes, Polyana F.; Vieira, Marcelo A. C.; Bakic, Predrag R.; Maidment, Andrew D. A.

2016-01-01

Purpose: This work proposes an accurate method for simulating dose reduction in digital mammography starting from a clinical image acquired with a standard dose. Methods: The method developed in this work consists of scaling a mammogram acquired at the standard radiation dose and adding signal-dependent noise. The algorithm accounts for specific issues relevant in digital mammography images, such as anisotropic noise, spatial variations in pixel gain, and the effect of dose reduction on the detective quantum efficiency. The scaling process takes into account the linearity of the system and the offset of the detector elements. The inserted noise is obtained by acquiring images of a flat-field phantom at the standard radiation dose and at the simulated dose. Using the Anscombe transformation, a relationship is created between the calculated noise mask and the scaled image, resulting in a clinical mammogram with the same noise and gray level characteristics as an image acquired at the lower-radiation dose. Results: The performance of the proposed algorithm was validated using real images acquired with an anthropomorphic breast phantom at four different doses, with five exposures for each dose and 256 nonoverlapping ROIs extracted from each image and with uniform images. The authors simulated lower-dose images and compared these with the real images. The authors evaluated the similarity between the normalized noise power spectrum (NNPS) and power spectrum (PS) of simulated images and real images acquired with the same dose. The maximum relative error was less than 2.5% for every ROI. The added noise was also evaluated by measuring the local variance in the real and simulated images. The relative average error for the local variance was smaller than 1%. Conclusions: A new method is proposed for simulating dose reduction in clinical mammograms. In this method, the dependency between image noise and image signal is addressed using a novel application of the Anscombe

A new method to estimate heat source parameters in gas metal arc welding simulation process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jia, Xiaolei; Xu, Jie; Liu, Zhaoheng; Huang, Shaojie; Fan, Yu; Sun, Zhi

2014-01-01

Highlights: •A new method for accurate simulation of heat source parameters was presented. •The partial least-squares regression analysis was recommended in the method. •The welding experiment results verified accuracy of the proposed method. -- Abstract: Heat source parameters were usually recommended by experience in welding simulation process, which induced error in simulation results (e.g. temperature distribution and residual stress). In this paper, a new method was developed to accurately estimate heat source parameters in welding simulation. In order to reduce the simulation complexity, a sensitivity analysis of heat source parameters was carried out. The relationships between heat source parameters and welding pool characteristics (fusion width (W), penetration depth (D) and peak temperature (T p )) were obtained with both the multiple regression analysis (MRA) and the partial least-squares regression analysis (PLSRA). Different regression models were employed in each regression method. Comparisons of both methods were performed. A welding experiment was carried out to verify the method. The results showed that both the MRA and the PLSRA were feasible and accurate for prediction of heat source parameters in welding simulation. However, the PLSRA was recommended for its advantages of requiring less simulation data

To improve training methods in an engine room simulator-based training

OpenAIRE

Lin, Chingshin

2016-01-01

The simulator based training are used widely in both industry and school education to reduce the accidents nowadays. This study aims to suggest the improved training methods to increase the effectiveness of engine room simulator training. The effectiveness of training in engine room will be performance indicators and the self-evaluation by participants. In the first phase of observation, the aim is to find out the possible shortcomings of current training methods based on train...

A study on the usefulness of high fidelity patient simulation in undergraduate medical education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bikramjit Pal

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Simulation is the imitation of the operation of a real-world process or system over time. Innovative simulation training solutions are now being used to train medical professionals in an attempt to reduce the number of safety concerns that have adverse effects on the patients. Objectives: (a To determine its usefulness as a teaching or learning tool for management of surgical emergencies, both in the short term and medium term by students’ perception. (b To plan future teaching methodology regarding hi-fidelity simulation based on the study outcomes and re-assessment of the current training modules. Methods: Quasi-experimental time series design with pretest-posttest interventional study. Quantitative data was analysed in terms of Mean, Standard Deviation and standard error of Mean. Statistical tests of significance like Repeated Measure of Analysis of Variance (ANOVA were used for comparisons. P value < 0.001 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: The students opined that the simulated sessions on high fidelity simulators had encouraged their active participation which was appropriate to their current level of learning. It helped them to think fast and the training sessions resembled a real life situation. The study showed that learning had progressively improved with each session of simulation with corresponding decrease in stress. Conclusion: Implementation of high fidelity simulation based learning in our Institute had been perceived favourably by a large number of students in enhancing their knowledge over time in management of trauma and surgical emergencies.

Simulating water hammer with corrective smoothed particle method

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hou, Q.; Kruisbrink, A.C.H.; Tijsseling, A.S.; Keramat, A.

2012-01-01

The corrective smoothed particle method (CSPM) is used to simulate water hammer. The spatial derivatives in the water-hammer equations are approximated by a corrective kernel estimate. For the temporal derivatives, the Euler-forward time integration algorithm is employed. The CSPM results are in

ADAM, a hands-on patient simulator for teaching principles of drug disposition and compartmental pharmacokinetics.

Science.gov (United States)

Zuna, Ines; Holt, Andrew

2017-11-01

To design, construct and validate a pharmacokinetics simulator that offers students hands-on opportunities to participate in the design, administration and analysis of oral and intravenous dosing regimens. The Alberta Drug Administration Modeller (ADAM) is a mechanical patient in which peristaltic circulation of water through a network of silicone tubing and glass bottles creates a representation of the outcomes of drug absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination. Changing peristaltic pump rates and volumes in bottles allows values for pharmacokinetic constants to be varied, thereby simulating differences in drug properties and in patient physiologies and pathologies. Following administration of methylene blue dye by oral or intravenous routes, plasma and/or urine samples are collected and drug concentrations are determined spectrophotometrically. The effectiveness of the simulator in enhancing student competence and confidence was assessed in two undergraduate laboratory classes. The simulator effectively models one- and two-compartment drug behaviour in a mathematically-robust and realistic manner. Data allow calculation of numerous pharmacokinetic constants, by traditional graphing methods or with curve-fitting software. Students' competence in solving pharmacokinetic problems involving calculations and graphing improved significantly, while an increase in confidence and understanding was reported. The ADAM is relatively inexpensive and straightforward to construct, and offers a realistic, hands-on pharmacokinetics learning opportunity for students that effectively complements didactic lectures. © 2017 The Authors. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Pharmacological Society.

A heuristic method for simulating open-data of arbitrary complexity that can be used to compare and evaluate machine learning methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Jason H; Shestov, Maksim; Schmitt, Peter; Olson, Randal S

2018-01-01

A central challenge of developing and evaluating artificial intelligence and machine learning methods for regression and classification is access to data that illuminates the strengths and weaknesses of different methods. Open data plays an important role in this process by making it easy for computational researchers to easily access real data for this purpose. Genomics has in some examples taken a leading role in the open data effort starting with DNA microarrays. While real data from experimental and observational studies is necessary for developing computational methods it is not sufficient. This is because it is not possible to know what the ground truth is in real data. This must be accompanied by simulated data where that balance between signal and noise is known and can be directly evaluated. Unfortunately, there is a lack of methods and software for simulating data with the kind of complexity found in real biological and biomedical systems. We present here the Heuristic Identification of Biological Architectures for simulating Complex Hierarchical Interactions (HIBACHI) method and prototype software for simulating complex biological and biomedical data. Further, we introduce new methods for developing simulation models that generate data that specifically allows discrimination between different machine learning methods.

Meshfree simulation of avalanches with the Finite Pointset Method (FPM)

Science.gov (United States)

Michel, Isabel; Kuhnert, Jörg; Kolymbas, Dimitrios

2017-04-01

Meshfree methods are the numerical method of choice in case of applications which are characterized by strong deformations in conjunction with free surfaces or phase boundaries. In the past the meshfree Finite Pointset Method (FPM) developed by Fraunhofer ITWM (Kaiserslautern, Germany) has been successfully applied to problems in computational fluid dynamics such as water crossing of cars, water turbines, and hydraulic valves. Most recently the simulation of granular flows, e.g. soil interaction with cars (rollover), has also been tackled. This advancement is the basis for the simulation of avalanches. Due to the generalized finite difference formulation in FPM, the implementation of different material models is quite simple. We will demonstrate 3D simulations of avalanches based on the Drucker-Prager yield criterion as well as the nonlinear barodesy model. The barodesy model (Division of Geotechnical and Tunnel Engineering, University of Innsbruck, Austria) describes the mechanical behavior of soil by an evolution equation for the stress tensor. The key feature of successful and realistic simulations of avalanches - apart from the numerical approximation of the occurring differential operators - is the choice of the boundary conditions (slip, no-slip, friction) between the different phases of the flow as well as the geometry. We will discuss their influences for simplified one- and two-phase flow examples. This research is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the FWF Austrian Science Fund.

Simulation methods to estimate design power: an overview for applied research.

Science.gov (United States)

Arnold, Benjamin F; Hogan, Daniel R; Colford, John M; Hubbard, Alan E

2011-06-20

Estimating the required sample size and statistical power for a study is an integral part of study design. For standard designs, power equations provide an efficient solution to the problem, but they are unavailable for many complex study designs that arise in practice. For such complex study designs, computer simulation is a useful alternative for estimating study power. Although this approach is well known among statisticians, in our experience many epidemiologists and social scientists are unfamiliar with the technique. This article aims to address this knowledge gap. We review an approach to estimate study power for individual- or cluster-randomized designs using computer simulation. This flexible approach arises naturally from the model used to derive conventional power equations, but extends those methods to accommodate arbitrarily complex designs. The method is universally applicable to a broad range of designs and outcomes, and we present the material in a way that is approachable for quantitative, applied researchers. We illustrate the method using two examples (one simple, one complex) based on sanitation and nutritional interventions to improve child growth. We first show how simulation reproduces conventional power estimates for simple randomized designs over a broad range of sample scenarios to familiarize the reader with the approach. We then demonstrate how to extend the simulation approach to more complex designs. Finally, we discuss extensions to the examples in the article, and provide computer code to efficiently run the example simulations in both R and Stata. Simulation methods offer a flexible option to estimate statistical power for standard and non-traditional study designs and parameters of interest. The approach we have described is universally applicable for evaluating study designs used in epidemiologic and social science research.

Viscosity of dilute suspensions of rodlike particles: A numerical simulation method

Science.gov (United States)

Yamamoto, Satoru; Matsuoka, Takaaki

1994-02-01

The recently developed simulation method, named as the particle simulation method (PSM), is extended to predict the viscosity of dilute suspensions of rodlike particles. In this method a rodlike particle is modeled by bonded spheres. Each bond has three types of springs for stretching, bending, and twisting deformation. The rod model can therefore deform by changing the bond distance, bond angle, and torsion angle between paired spheres. The rod model can represent a variety of rigidity by modifying the bond parameters related to Young's modulus and the shear modulus of the real particle. The time evolution of each constituent sphere of the rod model is followed by molecular-dynamics-type approach. The intrinsic viscosity of a suspension of rodlike particles is derived from calculating an increased energy dissipation for each sphere of the rod model in a viscous fluid. With and without deformation of the particle, the motion of the rodlike particle was numerically simulated in a three-dimensional simple shear flow at a low particle Reynolds number and without Brownian motion of particles. The intrinsic viscosity of the suspension of rodlike particles was investigated on orientation angle, rotation orbit, deformation, and aspect ratio of the particle. For the rigid rodlike particle, the simulated rotation orbit compared extremely well with theoretical one which was obtained for a rigid ellipsoidal particle by use of Jeffery's equation. The simulated dependence of the intrinsic viscosity on various factors was also identical with that of theories for suspensions of rigid rodlike particles. For the flexible rodlike particle, the rotation orbit could be obtained by the particle simulation method and it was also cleared that the intrinsic viscosity decreased as occurring of recoverable deformation of the rodlike particle induced by flow.

A coupling method for a cardiovascular simulation model which includes the Kalman filter.

Science.gov (United States)

Hasegawa, Yuki; Shimayoshi, Takao; Amano, Akira; Matsuda, Tetsuya

2012-01-01

Multi-scale models of the cardiovascular system provide new insight that was unavailable with in vivo and in vitro experiments. For the cardiovascular system, multi-scale simulations provide a valuable perspective in analyzing the interaction of three phenomenons occurring at different spatial scales: circulatory hemodynamics, ventricular structural dynamics, and myocardial excitation-contraction. In order to simulate these interactions, multiscale cardiovascular simulation systems couple models that simulate different phenomena. However, coupling methods require a significant amount of calculation, since a system of non-linear equations must be solved for each timestep. Therefore, we proposed a coupling method which decreases the amount of calculation by using the Kalman filter. In our method, the Kalman filter calculates approximations for the solution to the system of non-linear equations at each timestep. The approximations are then used as initial values for solving the system of non-linear equations. The proposed method decreases the number of iterations required by 94.0% compared to the conventional strong coupling method. When compared with a smoothing spline predictor, the proposed method required 49.4% fewer iterations.

Effects of Simulation With Problem-Based Learning Program on Metacognition, Team Efficacy, and Learning Attitude in Nursing Students: Nursing Care With Increased Intracranial Pressure Patient.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Myung-Nam; Nam, Kyung-Dong; Kim, Hyeon-Young

2017-03-01

Nursing care for patients with central nervous system problems requires advanced professional knowledge and care skills. Nursing students are more likely to have difficulty in dealing with adult patients who have severe neurological problems in clinical practice. This study investigated the effect on the metacognition, team efficacy, and learning attitude of nursing students after an integrated simulation and problem-based learning program. A real scenario of a patient with increased intracranial pressure was simulated for the students. The results showed that this method was effective in improving the metacognitive ability of the students. Furthermore, we used this comprehensive model of simulation with problem-based learning in order to assess the consequences of student satisfaction with the nursing major, interpersonal relationships, and importance of simulation-based education in relation to the effectiveness of the integrated simulation with problem-based learning. The results can be used to improve the design of clinical practicum and nursing education.

Evaluation of patient dose using a virtual CT scanner: Applications to 4DCT simulation and Kilovoltage cone-beam imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DeMarco, J J; Agazaryan, N; McNitt-Gray, M F; Cagnon, C H; Angel, E; Zankl, M

2008-01-01

This work evaluates the effects of patient size on radiation dose from simulation imaging studies such as four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) and kilovoltage cone-beam computed tomography (kV-CBCT). 4DCT studies are scans that include temporal information, frequently incorporating highly over-sampled imaging series necessary for retrospective sorting as a function of respiratory phase. This type of imaging study can result in a significant dose increase to the patient due to the slower table speed as compared with a conventional axial or helical scan protocol. Kilovoltage cone-beam imaging is a relatively new imaging technique that requires an on-board kilovoltage x-ray tube and a flat-panel detector. Instead of porting individual reference fields, the kV tube and flat-panel detector are rotated about the patient producing a cone-beam CT data set (kV-CBCT). To perform these investigations, we used Monte Carlo simulation methods with detailed models of adult patients and virtual source models of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) scanners. The GSF family of three-dimensional, voxelized patient models, were implemented as input files using the Monte Carlo code MCNPX. The adult patient models represent a range of patient sizes and have all radiosensitive organs previously identified and segmented. Simulated 4DCT scans of each voxelized patient model were performed using a multi-detector CT source model that includes scanner specific spectra, bow-tie filtration, and helical source path. Standard MCNPX tally functions were applied to each model to estimate absolute organ dose based upon an air-kerma normalization measurement for nominal scanner operating parameters

A simple mass-conserved level set method for simulation of multiphase flows

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, H.-Z.; Shu, C.; Wang, Y.; Shu, S.

2018-04-01

In this paper, a modified level set method is proposed for simulation of multiphase flows with large density ratio and high Reynolds number. The present method simply introduces a source or sink term into the level set equation to compensate the mass loss or offset the mass increase. The source or sink term is derived analytically by applying the mass conservation principle with the level set equation and the continuity equation of flow field. Since only a source term is introduced, the application of the present method is as simple as the original level set method, but it can guarantee the overall mass conservation. To validate the present method, the vortex flow problem is first considered. The simulation results are compared with those from the original level set method, which demonstrates that the modified level set method has the capability of accurately capturing the interface and keeping the mass conservation. Then, the proposed method is further validated by simulating the Laplace law, the merging of two bubbles, a bubble rising with high density ratio, and Rayleigh-Taylor instability with high Reynolds number. Numerical results show that the mass is a well-conserved by the present method.

Efficient simulation and likelihood methods for non-neutral multi-allele models.

Science.gov (United States)

Joyce, Paul; Genz, Alan; Buzbas, Erkan Ozge

2012-06-01

Throughout the 1980s, Simon Tavaré made numerous significant contributions to population genetics theory. As genetic data, in particular DNA sequence, became more readily available, a need to connect population-genetic models to data became the central issue. The seminal work of Griffiths and Tavaré (1994a , 1994b , 1994c) was among the first to develop a likelihood method to estimate the population-genetic parameters using full DNA sequences. Now, we are in the genomics era where methods need to scale-up to handle massive data sets, and Tavaré has led the way to new approaches. However, performing statistical inference under non-neutral models has proved elusive. In tribute to Simon Tavaré, we present an article in spirit of his work that provides a computationally tractable method for simulating and analyzing data under a class of non-neutral population-genetic models. Computational methods for approximating likelihood functions and generating samples under a class of allele-frequency based non-neutral parent-independent mutation models were proposed by Donnelly, Nordborg, and Joyce (DNJ) (Donnelly et al., 2001). DNJ (2001) simulated samples of allele frequencies from non-neutral models using neutral models as auxiliary distribution in a rejection algorithm. However, patterns of allele frequencies produced by neutral models are dissimilar to patterns of allele frequencies produced by non-neutral models, making the rejection method inefficient. For example, in some cases the methods in DNJ (2001) require 10(9) rejections before a sample from the non-neutral model is accepted. Our method simulates samples directly from the distribution of non-neutral models, making simulation methods a practical tool to study the behavior of the likelihood and to perform inference on the strength of selection.

The importance of simulation in nursing education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Evrim Eyikara

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Nursing education involves a practice-oriented curriculum in which emphasis is placed on both theoretical knowledge and psychomotor skills. In skill-based education, where learning through practice occupies a central role, it is important to ensure the integration of theoretical knowledge into practice. In this context, simulations represent an innovative teaching method that stimulates a number of senses at the same time among learners. Simulation is a method which can be designed to reflect real-life conditions, and which provides the opportunity to work in contexts that are closer and more representative of real settings. Depending on the clinical situation or scenario; the simulation method will involve a student or a group of students performing a number of patient care activities on a manikin, player or standardized patient. The simulation method allows students to repeatedly practice their clinical skills until they develop a sense of proficiency; to learn at their own pace; and to freely make mistakes. Simulations is an educational process that can replicate clinical practices in a safe environment. Nursing students who take part in education programs involving simulations perform less medical mistakes in clinical settings, and are able to better develop their critical thinking and clinical decision-making skills. For these reasons, we recommend that simulations, which represent an interactive learning method, are rendered more common in institutions providing nursing education.

A Modified SPH Method for Dynamic Failure Simulation of Heterogeneous Material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. W. Ma

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A modified smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH method is applied to simulate the failure process of heterogeneous materials. An elastoplastic damage model based on an extension form of the unified twin shear strength (UTSS criterion is adopted. Polycrystalline modeling is introduced to generate the artificial microstructure of specimen for the dynamic simulation of Brazilian splitting test and uniaxial compression test. The strain rate effect on the predicted dynamic tensile and compressive strength is discussed. The final failure patterns and the dynamic strength increments demonstrate good agreements with experimental results. It is illustrated that the polycrystalline modeling approach combined with the SPH method is promising to simulate more complex failure process of heterogeneous materials.

Partial Variance of Increments Method in Solar Wind Observations and Plasma Simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Greco, A.; Matthaeus, W. H.; Perri, S.; Osman, K. T.; Servidio, S.; Wan, M.; Dmitruk, P.

2018-02-01

The method called "PVI" (Partial Variance of Increments) has been increasingly used in analysis of spacecraft and numerical simulation data since its inception in 2008. The purpose of the method is to study the kinematics and formation of coherent structures in space plasmas, a topic that has gained considerable attention, leading the development of identification methods, observations, and associated theoretical research based on numerical simulations. This review paper will summarize key features of the method and provide a synopsis of the main results obtained by various groups using the method. This will enable new users or those considering methods of this type to find details and background collected in one place.

Use of clinical simulations for patient education: targeting an untapped audience.

Science.gov (United States)

Siwe, Karin; Berterö, Carina; Pugh, Carla; Wijma, Barbro

2009-01-01

In most cases, the health professional has been the target for simulation based learning curricula. We have developed a simulation based curriculum for patient education. In our curriculum lay-women learn how to perform the clinical female pelvic examination using a manikin-based trainer. Learner assessments show that prior negative expectations turned into positive expectations regarding future pelvic examinations.

Study of Physiological Responses to Acute Carbon Monoxide Exposure with a Human Patient Simulator

Science.gov (United States)

Cesari, Whitney A.; Caruso, Dominique M.; Zyka, Enela L.; Schroff, Stuart T.; Evans, Charles H., Jr.; Hyatt, Jon-Philippe K.

2006-01-01

Human patient simulators are widely used to train health professionals and students in a clinical setting, but they also can be used to enhance physiology education in a laboratory setting. Our course incorporates the human patient simulator for experiential learning in which undergraduate university juniors and seniors are instructed to design,…

Petascale molecular dynamics simulation using the fast multipole method on K computer

KAUST Repository

Ohno, Yousuke; Yokota, Rio; Koyama, Hiroshi; Morimoto, Gentaro; Hasegawa, Aki; Masumoto, Gen; Okimoto, Noriaki; Hirano, Yoshinori; Ibeid, Huda; Narumi, Tetsu; Taiji, Makoto

2014-01-01

In this paper, we report all-atom simulations of molecular crowding - a result from the full node simulation on the "K computer", which is a 10-PFLOPS supercomputer in Japan. The capability of this machine enables us to perform simulation of crowded cellular environments, which are more realistic compared to conventional MD simulations where proteins are simulated in isolation. Living cells are "crowded" because macromolecules comprise ∼30% of their molecular weight. Recently, the effects of crowded cellular environments on protein stability have been revealed through in-cell NMR spectroscopy. To measure the performance of the "K computer", we performed all-atom classical molecular dynamics simulations of two systems: target proteins in a solvent, and target proteins in an environment of molecular crowders that mimic the conditions of a living cell. Using the full system, we achieved 4.4 PFLOPS during a 520 million-atom simulation with cutoff of 28 Å. Furthermore, we discuss the performance and scaling of fast multipole methods for molecular dynamics simulations on the "K computer", as well as comparisons with Ewald summation methods. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Petascale molecular dynamics simulation using the fast multipole method on K computer

KAUST Repository

Ohno, Yousuke

2014-10-01

In this paper, we report all-atom simulations of molecular crowding - a result from the full node simulation on the "K computer", which is a 10-PFLOPS supercomputer in Japan. The capability of this machine enables us to perform simulation of crowded cellular environments, which are more realistic compared to conventional MD simulations where proteins are simulated in isolation. Living cells are "crowded" because macromolecules comprise ∼30% of their molecular weight. Recently, the effects of crowded cellular environments on protein stability have been revealed through in-cell NMR spectroscopy. To measure the performance of the "K computer", we performed all-atom classical molecular dynamics simulations of two systems: target proteins in a solvent, and target proteins in an environment of molecular crowders that mimic the conditions of a living cell. Using the full system, we achieved 4.4 PFLOPS during a 520 million-atom simulation with cutoff of 28 Å. Furthermore, we discuss the performance and scaling of fast multipole methods for molecular dynamics simulations on the "K computer", as well as comparisons with Ewald summation methods. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cerebral Aneurysm Clipping Surgery Simulation Using Patient-Specific 3D Printing and Silicone Casting.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryan, Justin R; Almefty, Kaith K; Nakaji, Peter; Frakes, David H

2016-04-01

Neurosurgery simulator development is growing as practitioners recognize the need for improved instructional and rehearsal platforms to improve procedural skills and patient care. In addition, changes in practice patterns have decreased the volume of specific cases, such as aneurysm clippings, which reduces the opportunity for operating room experience. The authors developed a hands-on, dimensionally accurate model for aneurysm clipping using patient-derived anatomic data and three-dimensional (3D) printing. Design of the model focused on reproducibility as well as adaptability to new patient geometry. A modular, reproducible, and patient-derived medical simulacrum was developed for medical learners to practice aneurysmal clipping procedures. Various forms of 3D printing were used to develop a geometrically accurate cranium and vascular tree featuring 9 patient-derived aneurysms. 3D printing in conjunction with elastomeric casting was leveraged to achieve a patient-derived brain model with tactile properties not yet available from commercial 3D printing technology. An educational pilot study was performed to gauge simulation efficacy. Through the novel manufacturing process, a patient-derived simulacrum was developed for neurovascular surgical simulation. A follow-up qualitative study suggests potential to enhance current educational programs; assessments support the efficacy of the simulacrum. The proposed aneurysm clipping simulator has the potential to improve learning experiences in surgical environment. 3D printing and elastomeric casting can produce patient-derived models for a dynamic learning environment that add value to surgical training and preparation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A method of simulating and visualizing nuclear reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atwood, C.H.; Paul, K.M.

1994-01-01

Teaching nuclear reactions to students is difficult because the mechanisms are complex and directly visualizing them is impossible. As a teaching tool, the authors have developed a method of simulating nuclear reactions using colliding water droplets. Videotaping of the collisions, taken with a high shutter speed camera and run frame-by-frame, shows details of the collisions that are analogous to nuclear reactions. The method for colliding the water drops and videotaping the collisions are shown

Lattice Boltzmann method used to simulate particle motion in a conduit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dolanský Jindřich

2017-06-01

Full Text Available A three-dimensional numerical simulation of particle motion in a pipe with a rough bed is presented. The simulation based on the Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM employs the hybrid diffuse bounce-back approach to model moving boundaries. The bed of the pipe is formed by stationary spherical particles of the same size as the moving particles. Particle movements are induced by gravitational and hydrodynamic forces. To evaluate the hydrodynamic forces, the Momentum Exchange Algorithm is used. The LBM unified computational frame makes it possible to simulate both the particle motion and the fluid flow and to study mutual interactions of the carrier liquid flow and particles and the particle–bed and particle–particle collisions. The trajectories of simulated and experimental particles are compared. The Particle Tracking method is used to track particle motion. The correctness of the applied approach is assessed.

Numerical simulation methods for wave propagation through optical waveguides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharma, A.

1993-01-01

The simulation of the field propagation through waveguides requires numerical solutions of the Helmholtz equation. For this purpose a method based on the principle of orthogonal collocation was recently developed. The method is also applicable to nonlinear pulse propagation through optical fibers. Some of the salient features of this method and its application to both linear and nonlinear wave propagation through optical waveguides are discussed in this report. 51 refs, 8 figs, 2 tabs

Study on simulation methods of atrium building cooling load in hot and humid regions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pan, Yiqun; Li, Yuming; Huang, Zhizhong [Institute of Building Performance and Technology, Sino-German College of Applied Sciences, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092 (China); Wu, Gang [Weldtech Technology (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. (China)

2010-10-15

In recent years, highly glazed atria are popular because of their architectural aesthetics and advantage of introducing daylight into inside. However, cooling load estimation of such atrium buildings is difficult due to complex thermal phenomena that occur in the atrium space. The study aims to find out a simplified method of estimating cooling loads through simulations for various types of atria in hot and humid regions. Atrium buildings are divided into different types. For every type of atrium buildings, both CFD and energy models are developed. A standard method versus the simplified one is proposed to simulate cooling load of atria in EnergyPlus based on different room air temperature patterns as a result from CFD simulation. It incorporates CFD results as input into non-dimensional height room air models in EnergyPlus, and the simulation results are defined as a baseline model in order to compare with the results from the simplified method for every category of atrium buildings. In order to further validate the simplified method an actual atrium office building is tested on site in a typical summer day and measured results are compared with simulation results using the simplified methods. Finally, appropriate methods of simulating different types of atrium buildings are proposed. (author)

A novel method for energy harvesting simulation based on scenario generation

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhe; Li, Taoshen; Xiao, Nan; Ye, Jin; Wu, Min

2018-06-01

Energy harvesting network (EHN) is a new form of computer networks. It converts ambient energy into usable electric energy and supply the electrical energy as a primary or secondary power source to the communication devices. However, most of the EHN uses the analytical probability distribution function to describe the energy harvesting process, which cannot accurately identify the actual situation for the lack of authenticity. We propose an EHN simulation method based on scenario generation in this paper. Firstly, instead of setting a probability distribution in advance, it uses optimal scenario reduction technology to generate representative scenarios in single period based on the historical data of the harvested energy. Secondly, it uses homogeneous simulated annealing algorithm to generate optimal daily energy harvesting scenario sequences to get a more accurate simulation of the random characteristics of the energy harvesting network. Then taking the actual wind power data as an example, the accuracy and stability of the method are verified by comparing with the real data. Finally, we cite an instance to optimize the network throughput, which indicate the feasibility and effectiveness of the method we proposed from the optimal solution and data analysis in energy harvesting simulation.

Fetal doses to pregnant patients from CT with tube current modulation calculated using Monte Carlo simulations and realistic phantoms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gu, J.; George Xu, X.; Caracappa, P. F.; Liu, B.

2013-01-01

To investigate the radiation dose to the fetus using retrospective tube current modulation (TCM) data selected from archived clinical records. This paper describes the calculation of fetal doses using retrospective TCM data and Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. Three TCM schemes were adopted for use with three pregnant patient phantoms. MC simulations were used to model CT scanners, TCM schemes and pregnant patients. Comparisons between organ doses from TCM schemes and those from non-TCM schemes show that these three TCM schemes reduced fetal doses by 14, 18 and 25 %, respectively. These organ doses were also compared with those from ImPACT calculation. It is found that the difference between the calculated fetal dose and the ImPACT reported dose is as high as 46 %. This work demonstrates methods to study organ doses from various TCM protocols and potential ways to improve the accuracy of CT dose calculation for pregnant patients. (authors)

Simulated microbe removal around finger rings using different hand sanitation methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Alur, Archana A; Rane, Madhavi J; Scheetz, James P; Lorenz, Douglas J; Gettleman, Lawrence

2009-09-01

It is our opinion that the CDC and the WHO have underestimated cross-contamination under examination gloves in dental clinics while wearing jewelry, such as finger rings. These agencies only "recommend" removing jewelry, and only washing hands for 15 seconds with soap and warm water before donning gloves. This study examined several washing procedures and finger rings using simulated microbes. A gloved rubber hand manikin was made and fitted with a fresh disposable vinyl glove. Four fingers were fitted with rings or no ring, dusted with simulated microbes, and washed with a scrub brush for 5, 15, and 25 seconds under 20 degrees C and 40 degrees C water alone, or with liquid hand soap. Light levels (in lux) of fluorescent powder before and after washing were measured and delta scores calculated for changes in light levels, equivalent to effectiveness of hand washing procedures. A full-factorial, 3-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test for differences among levels of the three study factors-time, temperature, and soap use. Tukey's post hoc honestly significant difference (HSD) test was applied to significant factors to examine pair-wise differences between factor levels. It was found that the longer the hands with rings were washed with a scrub brush under flowing water, the more simulated microbes were removed. By 25 seconds, all methods were essentially the same. Simulated microbes were more difficult to remove from the palm compared to the back of the hand. The liquid hand soap used in this study was more effective with warm water than cold. When given a choice of washing with cold water up to 15 seconds, it would be preferable not to use soap to remove simulated microbes. Qualitatively, the outer surface of finger rings were more effectively cleaned than the crevice below the ring, and the ring with a stone setting appeared to accumulate and retain simulated microbes more than other rings. The most effective treatment was washing with warm water

The Fractional Step Method Applied to Simulations of Natural Convective Flows

Science.gov (United States)

Westra, Douglas G.; Heinrich, Juan C.; Saxon, Jeff (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

This paper describes research done to apply the Fractional Step Method to finite-element simulations of natural convective flows in pure liquids, permeable media, and in a directionally solidified metal alloy casting. The Fractional Step Method has been applied commonly to high Reynold's number flow simulations, but is less common for low Reynold's number flows, such as natural convection in liquids and in permeable media. The Fractional Step Method offers increased speed and reduced memory requirements by allowing non-coupled solution of the pressure and the velocity components. The Fractional Step Method has particular benefits for predicting flows in a directionally solidified alloy, since other methods presently employed are not very efficient. Previously, the most suitable method for predicting flows in a directionally solidified binary alloy was the penalty method. The penalty method requires direct matrix solvers, due to the penalty term. The Fractional Step Method allows iterative solution of the finite element stiffness matrices, thereby allowing more efficient solution of the matrices. The Fractional Step Method also lends itself to parallel processing, since the velocity component stiffness matrices can be built and solved independently of each other. The finite-element simulations of a directionally solidified casting are used to predict macrosegregation in directionally solidified castings. In particular, the finite-element simulations predict the existence of 'channels' within the processing mushy zone and subsequently 'freckles' within the fully processed solid, which are known to result from macrosegregation, or what is often referred to as thermo-solutal convection. These freckles cause material property non-uniformities in directionally solidified castings; therefore many of these castings are scrapped. The phenomenon of natural convection in an alloy under-going directional solidification, or thermo-solutal convection, will be explained. The

Simulation modelling of a patient surge in an emergency department under disaster conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammet Gul

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The efficiency of emergency departments (EDs in handling patient surges during disaster times using the available resources is very important. Many EDs require additional resources to overcome the bottlenecks in emergency systems. The assumption is that EDs consider the option of temporary staff dispatching, among other options, in order to respond to an increased demand or even the hiring temporarily non-hospital medical staff. Discrete event simulation (DES, a well-known simulation method and based on the idea of process modeling, is used for establishing ED operations and management related models. In this study, a DES model is developed to investigate and analyze an ED under normal conditions and an ED in a disaster scenario which takes into consideration an increased influx of disaster victims-patients. This will allow early preparedness of emergency departments in terms of physical and human resources. The studied ED is located in an earthquake zone in Istanbul. The report on Istanbul’s disaster preparedness presented by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM, asserts that the district where the ED is located is estimated to have the highest injury rate. Based on real case study information, the study aims to suggest a model on pre-planning of ED resources for disasters. The results indicate that in times of a possible disaster, when the percentage of red patient arrivals exceeds 20% of total patient arrivals, the number of red area nurses and the available space for red area patients will be insufficient for the department to operate effectively. A methodological improvement presented a different distribution function that was tested for service time of the treatment areas. The conclusion is that the Weibull distribution function used in service process of injection room fits the model better than the Gamma distribution function.

Statistical methods to correct for verification bias in diagnostic studies are inadequate when there are few false negatives: a simulation study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vickers Andrew J

2008-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A common feature of diagnostic research is that results for a diagnostic gold standard are available primarily for patients who are positive for the test under investigation. Data from such studies are subject to what has been termed "verification bias". We evaluated statistical methods for verification bias correction when there are few false negatives. Methods A simulation study was conducted of a screening study subject to verification bias. We compared estimates of the area-under-the-curve (AUC corrected for verification bias varying both the rate and mechanism of verification. Results In a single simulated data set, varying false negatives from 0 to 4 led to verification bias corrected AUCs ranging from 0.550 to 0.852. Excess variation associated with low numbers of false negatives was confirmed in simulation studies and by analyses of published studies that incorporated verification bias correction. The 2.5th – 97.5th centile range constituted as much as 60% of the possible range of AUCs for some simulations. Conclusion Screening programs are designed such that there are few false negatives. Standard statistical methods for verification bias correction are inadequate in this circumstance.

A Comparative Study on the Refueling Simulation Method for a CANDU Reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Do, Quang Binh; Choi, Hang Bok; Roh, Gyu Hong [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

2006-07-01

The Canada deuterium uranium (CANDU) reactor calculation is typically performed by the RFSP code to obtain the power distribution upon a refueling. In order to assess the equilibrium behavior of the CANDU reactor, a few methods were suggested for a selection of the refueling channel. For example, an automatic refueling channel selection method (AUTOREFUEL) and a deterministic method (GENOVA) were developed, which were based on a reactor's operation experience and the generalized perturbation theory, respectively. Both programs were designed to keep the zone controller unit (ZCU) water level within a reasonable range during a continuous refueling simulation. However, a global optimization of the refueling simulation, that includes constraints on the discharge burn-up, maximum channel power (MCP), maximum bundle power (MBP), channel power peaking factor (CPPF) and the ZCU water level, was not achieved. In this study, an evolutionary algorithm, which is indeed a hybrid method based on the genetic algorithm, the elitism strategy and the heuristic rules for a multi-cycle and multi-objective optimization of the refueling simulation has been developed for the CANDU reactor. This paper presents the optimization model of the genetic algorithm and compares the results with those obtained by other simulation methods.

Patients setup verification tool for RT (PSVTs): DRR, simulation, portal and digital images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Suk; Seong, Jin Sil; Chu, Sung Sil; Lee, Chang Geol; Suh, Chang Ok; Kwon, Soo Il

2003-01-01

To develop a patients' setup verification tool (PSVT) to verify the alignment of the machine and the target isocenters, and the reproducibility of patients' setup for three dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) and intensity modulated radiotherapy (MRT). The utilization of this system is evaluated through phantom and patient case studies. We developed and clinically tested a new method for patients' setup verification, using digitally reconstructed radiography (DRR), simulation, portal and digital images. The PSVT system was networked to a Pentium PC for the transmission of the acquired images to the PC for analysis. To verify the alignment of the machine and target isocenters, orthogonal pairs of simulation images were used as verification images. Errors in the isocenter alignment were measured by comparing the verification images with DRR of CT images. Orthogonal films were taken of all the patients once a week. These verification films were compared with the DRR were used for the treatment setup. By performing this procedure every treatment, using humanoid phantom and patient cases, the errors of localization can be analyzed, with adjustments made from the translation. The reproducibility of the patients' setup was verified using portal and digital images. The PSVT system was developed to verify the alignment of the machine and the target isocenters, and the reproducibility of the patients' setup for 3DCRT and IMRT The results show that the localization errors are 0.8±0.2 mm (AP) and 1.0±0.3 mm (Lateral) in the cases relating to the brain and 1.1± 0.5 mm (AP) and 1.0±0.6 mm (Lateral) in the cases relating to the pelvis. The reproducibility of the patients' setup was verified by visualization, using real-time image acquisition, leading to the practical utilization of our software. A PSVT system was developed for the verification of the alignment between machine and the target isocenters, and the reproducibility of the patients' setup in 3DCRT and IMRT

Rapid simulation of spatial epidemics: a spectral method.

Science.gov (United States)

Brand, Samuel P C; Tildesley, Michael J; Keeling, Matthew J

2015-04-07

Spatial structure and hence the spatial position of host populations plays a vital role in the spread of infection. In the majority of situations, it is only possible to predict the spatial spread of infection using simulation models, which can be computationally demanding especially for large population sizes. Here we develop an approximation method that vastly reduces this computational burden. We assume that the transmission rates between individuals or sub-populations are determined by a spatial transmission kernel. This kernel is assumed to be isotropic, such that the transmission rate is simply a function of the distance between susceptible and infectious individuals; as such this provides the ideal mechanism for modelling localised transmission in a spatial environment. We show that the spatial force of infection acting on all susceptibles can be represented as a spatial convolution between the transmission kernel and a spatially extended 'image' of the infection state. This representation allows the rapid calculation of stochastic rates of infection using fast-Fourier transform (FFT) routines, which greatly improves the computational efficiency of spatial simulations. We demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of this fast spectral rate recalculation (FSR) method with two examples: an idealised scenario simulating an SIR-type epidemic outbreak amongst N habitats distributed across a two-dimensional plane; the spread of infection between US cattle farms, illustrating that the FSR method makes continental-scale outbreak forecasting feasible with desktop processing power. The latter model demonstrates which areas of the US are at consistently high risk for cattle-infections, although predictions of epidemic size are highly dependent on assumptions about the tail of the transmission kernel. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reliability Assessment of Active Distribution System Using Monte Carlo Simulation Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shaoyun Ge

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper we have treated the reliability assessment problem of low and high DG penetration level of active distribution system using the Monte Carlo simulation method. The problem is formulated as a two-case program, the program of low penetration simulation and the program of high penetration simulation. The load shedding strategy and the simulation process were introduced in detail during each FMEA process. Results indicate that the integration of DG can improve the reliability of the system if the system was operated actively.

Test of a Cardiology Patient Simulator with Students in Fourth-Year Electives.

Science.gov (United States)

Ewy, Gordon A.; And Others

1987-01-01

Students at five medical schools participated in an evaluation of a cardiology patient simulator (CPS), a life-size mannequin capable of simulating a wide variety of cardiovascular conditions. The CPS enhances learning both the knowledge and the skills necessary to perform a bedside cardiovascular evaluation. (Author/MLW)

3D simulation of friction stir welding based on movable cellular automaton method

Science.gov (United States)

Eremina, Galina M.

2017-12-01

The paper is devoted to a 3D computer simulation of the peculiarities of material flow taking place in friction stir welding (FSW). The simulation was performed by the movable cellular automaton (MCA) method, which is a representative of particle methods in mechanics. Commonly, the flow of material in FSW is simulated based on computational fluid mechanics, assuming the material as continuum and ignoring its structure. The MCA method considers a material as an ensemble of bonded particles. The rupture of interparticle bonds and the formation of new bonds enable simulations of crack nucleation and healing as well as mas mixing and microwelding. The simulation results showed that using pins of simple shape (cylinder, cone, and pyramid) without a shoulder results in small displacements of plasticized material in workpiece thickness directions. Nevertheless, the optimal ratio of longitudinal velocity to rotational speed makes it possible to transport the welded material around the pin several times and to produce a joint of good quality.

Debriefing after Human Patient Simulation and Nursing Students' Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Benhuri, Gloria

2014-01-01

Human Patient Simulation (HPS) exercises with life-like computerized manikins provide clinical experiences for nursing students in a safe environment followed by debriefing that promotes learning. Quantitative research in techniques to support learning from debriefing is limited. The purpose of the quantitative quasi-experimental study using a…

Artificial skin and patient simulator comprising the artificial skin

NARCIS (Netherlands)

2011-01-01

The invention relates to an artificial skin (10, 12, 14), and relates to a patient simulator (100) comprising the artificial skin. The artificial skin is a layered structure comprising a translucent cover layer (20) configured for imitating human or animal skin, and comprising a light emitting layer

Institut Gustave Roussy method for head and neck tumor treatment planning using simulator-CT images and radiographic film data; Methode utilisee a l'institut Gustave Roussy pour l'etablissement des plans de traitement des cancers ORL a partir des images de simulateur-scanneur et du film radiographique de profil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bridier, A.; Barrois, M.M.; Rivet, P. [Institut Gustave Roussy, Service de Physique, 94 - Villejuif (France); Diaz, J.C.; Kafrouni, H.; Leclerc, A. [Institut Gustave Roussy, Activite Dosigray, 94 - Villejuif (France); Wibault, P.; Bourhis, J.; Eschwege, F. [Institut Gustave Roussy, Dept. de Radiotherapie, 94 - Villejuif (France)

2001-06-01

Institut Gustave Roussy method for head and neck tumor treatment planning using simulator-CT images and radiographic film data. The paper deals with the recent improvements introduced in the most usual method applied in the Institut Gustave Roussy radiotherapy department for obtaining the anatomical data of patients treated for head and neck tumors. For each of these patients, five to seven transverses slices and a lateral radiographic film are taken from a Mecaserto simulator-CT. The anatomical representation of the patient sagittal plane is carried out from the digitalization of the radiographic film on a Vidar Vxr-12 Plus film scanner and integrated into the Dosigray dose calculation programme in order to be used as a support for the laying out of the dose distribution in reference to the treatment. The sagittal anatomical representation obtained from the radiographic film digitalization is compared with the one resulting from the interpolation between a limited number of irregularly-spaced transverse slices taken on the simulator-CT. The method using the simulator-scanner transverse slices and the radiographic film digitalization represents an interesting alternative for obtaining an anatomy simulation representative of the patient in hospitals where a scanner is not available full-time for the needs of the radiotherapy process. (authors)

Method for simulating dose reduction in digital mammography using the Anscombe transformation.

Science.gov (United States)

Borges, Lucas R; Oliveira, Helder C R de; Nunes, Polyana F; Bakic, Predrag R; Maidment, Andrew D A; Vieira, Marcelo A C

2016-06-01

This work proposes an accurate method for simulating dose reduction in digital mammography starting from a clinical image acquired with a standard dose. The method developed in this work consists of scaling a mammogram acquired at the standard radiation dose and adding signal-dependent noise. The algorithm accounts for specific issues relevant in digital mammography images, such as anisotropic noise, spatial variations in pixel gain, and the effect of dose reduction on the detective quantum efficiency. The scaling process takes into account the linearity of the system and the offset of the detector elements. The inserted noise is obtained by acquiring images of a flat-field phantom at the standard radiation dose and at the simulated dose. Using the Anscombe transformation, a relationship is created between the calculated noise mask and the scaled image, resulting in a clinical mammogram with the same noise and gray level characteristics as an image acquired at the lower-radiation dose. The performance of the proposed algorithm was validated using real images acquired with an anthropomorphic breast phantom at four different doses, with five exposures for each dose and 256 nonoverlapping ROIs extracted from each image and with uniform images. The authors simulated lower-dose images and compared these with the real images. The authors evaluated the similarity between the normalized noise power spectrum (NNPS) and power spectrum (PS) of simulated images and real images acquired with the same dose. The maximum relative error was less than 2.5% for every ROI. The added noise was also evaluated by measuring the local variance in the real and simulated images. The relative average error for the local variance was smaller than 1%. A new method is proposed for simulating dose reduction in clinical mammograms. In this method, the dependency between image noise and image signal is addressed using a novel application of the Anscombe transformation. NNPS, PS, and local noise

A direct simulation method for flows with suspended paramagnetic particles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kang, T.G.; Hulsen, M.A.; Toonder, den J.M.J.; Anderson, P.D.; Meijer, H.E.H.

2008-01-01

A direct numerical simulation method based on the Maxwell stress tensor and a fictitious domain method has been developed to solve flows with suspended paramagnetic particles. The numerical scheme enables us to take into account both hydrodynamic and magnetic interactions between particles in a

Fast evaluation of patient set-up during radiotherapy by aligning features in portal and simulator images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bijhold, J.; Herk, M. van; Vijlbrief, R.; Lebesque, J.V.

1991-01-01

A new fast method is presented for the quantification of patient set-up errors during radiotherapy with external photon beams. The set-up errors are described as deviations in relative position and orientation of specified anatomical structures relative to specified field shaping devices. These deviations are determined from parameters of the image transformations that make their features in a portal image align with the corresponding features in a simulator image. Knowledge of some set-up parameters during treatment simulation is required. The method does not require accurate knowledge about the position of the portal imaging device as long as the positions of some of the field shaping devices are verified independently during treatment. By applying this method, deviations in a pelvic phantom set-up can be measured with a precision of 2 mm within 1 minute. Theoretical considerations and experiments have shown that the method is not applicable when there are out-of-plane rotations larger than 2 degrees or translations larger than 1 cm. Inter-observer variability proved to be a source of large systematic errors, which could be reduced by offering a precise protocol for the feature alignment. (author)

Simulating colloid hydrodynamics with lattice Boltzmann methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cates, M E; Stratford, K; Adhikari, R; Stansell, P; Desplat, J-C; Pagonabarraga, I; Wagner, A J

2004-01-01

We present a progress report on our work on lattice Boltzmann methods for colloidal suspensions. We focus on the treatment of colloidal particles in binary solvents and on the inclusion of thermal noise. For a benchmark problem of colloids sedimenting and becoming trapped by capillary forces at a horizontal interface between two fluids, we discuss the criteria for parameter selection, and address the inevitable compromise between computational resources and simulation accuracy

Estimation of functional failure probability of passive systems based on subset simulation method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Dongqing; Wang Baosheng; Zhang Jianmin; Jiang Jing

2012-01-01

In order to solve the problem of multi-dimensional epistemic uncertainties and small functional failure probability of passive systems, an innovative reliability analysis algorithm called subset simulation based on Markov chain Monte Carlo was presented. The method is found on the idea that a small failure probability can be expressed as a product of larger conditional failure probabilities by introducing a proper choice of intermediate failure events. Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation was implemented to efficiently generate conditional samples for estimating the conditional failure probabilities. Taking the AP1000 passive residual heat removal system, for example, the uncertainties related to the model of a passive system and the numerical values of its input parameters were considered in this paper. And then the probability of functional failure was estimated with subset simulation method. The numerical results demonstrate that subset simulation method has the high computing efficiency and excellent computing accuracy compared with traditional probability analysis methods. (authors)

Optimal learning in a virtual patient simulation of cranial nerve palsies: The interaction between social learning context and student aptitude

Science.gov (United States)

JOHNSON, TERESA R.; LYONS, REBECCA; CHUAH, JOON HAO; KOPPER, REGIS; LOK, BENJAMIN C.; CENDAN, JUAN C.

2013-01-01

Background Simulation in medical education provides students with opportunities to practice interviews, examinations, and diagnosis formulation related to complex conditions without risks to patients. Aim To examine differences between individual and team participation on learning outcomes and student perspectives through use of virtual patients (VPs) for teaching cranial nerve (CN) evaluation. Methods Fifty-seven medical students were randomly assigned to complete simulation exercises either as individuals or as members of three-person teams. Students interviewed, examined, and diagnosed VPs with possible CN damage in the Neurological Exam Rehearsal Virtual Environment (NERVE). Knowledge of CN abnormalities was assessed pre- and post-simulation. Student perspectives of system usability were evaluated post-simulation. Results An aptitude-treatment interaction (ATI) effect was detected; at pre-test scores ≤50%, students in teams scored higher (83%) at post-test than did students as individuals (62%, p = 0.02). Post-simulation, students in teams reported greater confidence in their ability to diagnose CN abnormalities than did students as individuals (p = 0.02; mean rating = 4.0/5.0 and 3.4/5.0, respectively). Conclusion The ATI effect allows us to begin defining best practices for the integration of VP simulators into the medical curriculum. We are persuaded to implement future NERVE exercises with small teams of medical students. PMID:22938679

Advanced scientific computational methods and their applications to nuclear technologies. (4) Overview of scientific computational methods, introduction of continuum simulation methods and their applications (4)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sekimura, Naoto; Okita, Taira

2006-01-01

Scientific computational methods have advanced remarkably with the progress of nuclear development. They have played the role of weft connecting each realm of nuclear engineering and then an introductory course of advanced scientific computational methods and their applications to nuclear technologies were prepared in serial form. This is the fourth issue showing the overview of scientific computational methods with the introduction of continuum simulation methods and their applications. Simulation methods on physical radiation effects on materials are reviewed based on the process such as binary collision approximation, molecular dynamics, kinematic Monte Carlo method, reaction rate method and dislocation dynamics. (T. Tanaka)

SU-E-J-90: MRI-Based Treatment Simulation and Patient Setup for Radiation Therapy of Brain Cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Y [UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, AA (United States); Cao, M; Han, F; Santhanam, A; Neylon, J; Gomez, C; Kaprealian, T; Sheng, K; Agazaryan, N; Low, D; Hu, P

2014-06-01

Purpose: Traditional radiation therapy of cancer is heavily dependent on CT. CT provides excellent depiction of the bones but lacks good soft tissue contrast, which makes contouring difficult. Often, MRIs are fused with CT to take advantage of its superior soft tissue contrast. Such an approach has drawbacks. It is desirable to perform treatment simulation entirely based on MRI. To achieve MR-based simulation for radiation therapy, bone imaging is an important challenge because of the low MR signal intensity from bone due to its ultra-short T2 and T1, which presents difficulty for both dose calculation and patient setup in terms of digitally reconstructed radiograph (DRR) generation. Current solutions will either require manual bone contouring or multiple MR scans. We present a technique to generate DRR using MRI with an Ultra Short Echo Time (UTE) sequence which is applicable to both OBI and ExacTrac 2D patient setup. Methods: Seven brain cancer patients were scanned at 1.5 Tesla using a radial UTE sequence. The sequence acquires two images at two different echo times. The two images were processed using in-house software. The resultant bone images were subsequently loaded into commercial systems to generate DRRs. Simulation and patient clinical on-board images were used to evaluate 2D patient setup with MRI-DRRs. Results: The majority bones are well visualized in all patients. The fused image of patient CT with the MR bone image demonstrates the accuracy of automatic bone identification using our technique. The generated DRR is of good quality. Accuracy of 2D patient setup by using MRI-DRR is comparable to CT-based 2D patient setup. Conclusion: This study shows the potential of DRR generation with single MR sequence. Further work will be needed on MR sequence development and post-processing procedure to achieve robust MR bone imaging for other human sites in addition to brain.

Detection of anatomical changes in lung cancer patients with 2D time-integrated, 2D time-resolved and 3D time-integrated portal dosimetry: a simulation study

Science.gov (United States)

Wolfs, Cecile J. A.; Brás, Mariana G.; Schyns, Lotte E. J. R.; Nijsten, Sebastiaan M. J. J. G.; van Elmpt, Wouter; Scheib, Stefan G.; Baltes, Christof; Podesta, Mark; Verhaegen, Frank

2017-08-01

The aim of this work is to assess the performance of 2D time-integrated (2D-TI), 2D time-resolved (2D-TR) and 3D time-integrated (3D-TI) portal dosimetry in detecting dose discrepancies between the planned and (simulated) delivered dose caused by simulated changes in the anatomy of lung cancer patients. For six lung cancer patients, tumor shift, tumor regression and pleural effusion are simulated by modifying their CT images. Based on the modified CT images, time-integrated (TI) and time-resolved (TR) portal dose images (PDIs) are simulated and 3D-TI doses are calculated. The modified and original PDIs and 3D doses are compared by a gamma analysis with various gamma criteria. Furthermore, the difference in the D 95% (ΔD 95%) of the GTV is calculated and used as a gold standard. The correlation between the gamma fail rate and the ΔD 95% is investigated, as well the sensitivity and specificity of all combinations of portal dosimetry method, gamma criteria and gamma fail rate threshold. On the individual patient level, there is a correlation between the gamma fail rate and the ΔD 95%, which cannot be found at the group level. The sensitivity and specificity analysis showed that there is not one combination of portal dosimetry method, gamma criteria and gamma fail rate threshold that can detect all simulated anatomical changes. This work shows that it will be more beneficial to relate portal dosimetry and DVH analysis on the patient level, rather than trying to quantify a relationship for a group of patients. With regards to optimizing sensitivity and specificity, different combinations of portal dosimetry method, gamma criteria and gamma fail rate should be used to optimally detect certain types of anatomical changes.

Detection of anatomical changes in lung cancer patients with 2D time-integrated, 2D time-resolved and 3D time-integrated portal dosimetry: a simulation study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolfs, Cecile J A; Brás, Mariana G; Schyns, Lotte E J R; Nijsten, Sebastiaan M J J G; van Elmpt, Wouter; Scheib, Stefan G; Baltes, Christof; Podesta, Mark; Verhaegen, Frank

2017-07-12

The aim of this work is to assess the performance of 2D time-integrated (2D-TI), 2D time-resolved (2D-TR) and 3D time-integrated (3D-TI) portal dosimetry in detecting dose discrepancies between the planned and (simulated) delivered dose caused by simulated changes in the anatomy of lung cancer patients. For six lung cancer patients, tumor shift, tumor regression and pleural effusion are simulated by modifying their CT images. Based on the modified CT images, time-integrated (TI) and time-resolved (TR) portal dose images (PDIs) are simulated and 3D-TI doses are calculated. The modified and original PDIs and 3D doses are compared by a gamma analysis with various gamma criteria. Furthermore, the difference in the D 95% (ΔD 95% ) of the GTV is calculated and used as a gold standard. The correlation between the gamma fail rate and the ΔD 95% is investigated, as well the sensitivity and specificity of all combinations of portal dosimetry method, gamma criteria and gamma fail rate threshold. On the individual patient level, there is a correlation between the gamma fail rate and the ΔD 95% , which cannot be found at the group level. The sensitivity and specificity analysis showed that there is not one combination of portal dosimetry method, gamma criteria and gamma fail rate threshold that can detect all simulated anatomical changes. This work shows that it will be more beneficial to relate portal dosimetry and DVH analysis on the patient level, rather than trying to quantify a relationship for a group of patients. With regards to optimizing sensitivity and specificity, different combinations of portal dosimetry method, gamma criteria and gamma fail rate should be used to optimally detect certain types of anatomical changes.

Amyloid oligomer structure characterization from simulations: A general method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nguyen, Phuong H., E-mail: phuong.nguyen@ibpc.fr [Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, UPR 9080, CNRS Université Denis Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité IBPC, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris (France); Li, Mai Suan [Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Lotnikow 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw (Poland); Derreumaux, Philippe, E-mail: philippe.derreumaux@ibpc.fr [Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, UPR 9080, CNRS Université Denis Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité IBPC, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris (France); Institut Universitaire de France, 103 Bvd Saint-Germain, 75005 Paris (France)

2014-03-07

Amyloid oligomers and plaques are composed of multiple chemically identical proteins. Therefore, one of the first fundamental problems in the characterization of structures from simulations is the treatment of the degeneracy, i.e., the permutation of the molecules. Second, the intramolecular and intermolecular degrees of freedom of the various molecules must be taken into account. Currently, the well-known dihedral principal component analysis method only considers the intramolecular degrees of freedom, and other methods employing collective variables can only describe intermolecular degrees of freedom at the global level. With this in mind, we propose a general method that identifies all the structures accurately. The basis idea is that the intramolecular and intermolecular states are described in terms of combinations of single-molecule and double-molecule states, respectively, and the overall structures of oligomers are the product basis of the intramolecular and intermolecular states. This way, the degeneracy is automatically avoided. The method is illustrated on the conformational ensemble of the tetramer of the Alzheimer's peptide Aβ{sub 9−40}, resulting from two atomistic molecular dynamics simulations in explicit solvent, each of 200 ns, starting from two distinct structures.

Real-time surgery simulation of intracranial aneurysm clipping with patient-specific geometries and haptic feedback

Science.gov (United States)

Fenz, Wolfgang; Dirnberger, Johannes

2015-03-01

Providing suitable training for aspiring neurosurgeons is becoming more and more problematic. The increasing popularity of the endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms leads to a lack of simple surgical situations for clipping operations, leaving mainly the complex cases, which present even experienced surgeons with a challenge. To alleviate this situation, we have developed a training simulator with haptic interaction allowing trainees to practice virtual clipping surgeries on real patient-specific vessel geometries. By using specialized finite element (FEM) algorithms (fast finite element method, matrix condensation) combined with GPU acceleration, we can achieve the necessary frame rate for smooth real-time interaction with the detailed models needed for a realistic simulation of the vessel wall deformation caused by the clamping with surgical clips. Vessel wall geometries for typical training scenarios were obtained from 3D-reconstructed medical image data, while for the instruments (clipping forceps, various types of clips, suction tubes) we use models provided by manufacturer Aesculap AG. Collisions between vessel and instruments have to be continuously detected and transformed into corresponding boundary conditions and feedback forces, calculated using a contact plane method. After a training, the achieved result can be assessed based on various criteria, including a simulation of the residual blood flow into the aneurysm. Rigid models of the surgical access and surrounding brain tissue, plus coupling a real forceps to the haptic input device further increase the realism of the simulation.

A Simulation Study on Patient Setup Errors in External Beam Radiotherapy Using an Anthropomorphic 4D Phantom

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Payam Samadi Miandoab

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction Patient set-up optimization is required in radiotherapy to fill the accuracy gap between personalized treatment planning and uncertainties in the irradiation set-up. In this study, we aimed to develop a new method based on neural network to estimate patient geometrical setup using 4-dimensional (4D XCAT anthropomorphic phantom. Materials and Methods To access 4D modeling of motion of dynamic organs, a phantom employs non-uniform rational B-splines (NURBS-based Cardiac-Torso method with spline-based model to generate 4D computed tomography (CT images. First, to generate all the possible roto-translation positions, the 4D CT images were imported to Medical Image Data Examiner (AMIDE. Then, for automatic, real time verification of geometrical setup, an artificial neural network (ANN was proposed to estimate patient displacement, using training sets. Moreover, three external motion markers were synchronized with a patient couch position as reference points. In addition, the technique was validated through simulated activities by using reference 4D CT data acquired from five patients. Results The results indicated that patient geometrical set-up is highly depended on the comprehensiveness of training set. By using ANN model, the average patient setup error in XCAT phantom was reduced from 17.26 mm to 0.50 mm. In addition, in the five real patients, these average errors were decreased from 18.26 mm to 1.48 mm various breathing phases ranging from inhalation to exhalation were taken into account for patient setup. Uncertainty error assessment and different setup errors were obtained from each respiration phase. Conclusion This study proposed a new method for alignment of patient setup error using ANN model. Additionally, our correlation model (ANN could estimate true patient position with less error.

Simulation As a Method To Support Complex Organizational Transformations in Healthcare

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rothengatter, D.C.F.; Katsma, Christiaan; van Hillegersberg, Jos

2010-01-01

In this paper we study the application of simulation as a method to support information system and process design in complex organizational transitions. We apply a combined use of a collaborative workshop approach with the use of a detailed and accurate graphical simulation model in a hospital that

Analysis of optimisation method for a two-stroke piston ring using the Finite Element Method and the Simulated Annealing Method

Science.gov (United States)

Kaliszewski, M.; Mazuro, P.

2016-09-01

Simulated Annealing Method of optimisation for the sealing piston ring geometry is tested. The aim of optimisation is to develop ring geometry which would exert demanded pressure on a cylinder just while being bended to fit the cylinder. Method of FEM analysis of an arbitrary piston ring geometry is applied in an ANSYS software. The demanded pressure function (basing on formulae presented by A. Iskra) as well as objective function are introduced. Geometry definition constructed by polynomials in radial coordinate system is delivered and discussed. Possible application of Simulated Annealing Method in a piston ring optimisation task is proposed and visualised. Difficulties leading to possible lack of convergence of optimisation are presented. An example of an unsuccessful optimisation performed in APDL is discussed. Possible line of further optimisation improvement is proposed.

The afforestation problem: a heuristic method based on simulated annealing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vidal, Rene Victor Valqui

1992-01-01

This paper presents the afforestation problem, that is the location and design of new forest compartments to be planted in a given area. This optimization problem is solved by a two-step heuristic method based on simulated annealing. Tests and experiences with this method are also presented....

A method of simulating intensity modulation-direct detection WDM systems

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

HUANG Jing; YAO Jian-quan; LI En-bang

2005-01-01

In the simulation of Intensity Modulation-Direct Detection WDM Systems,when the dispersion and nonlinear effects play equally important roles,the intensity fluctuation caused by cross-phase modulation may be overestimated as a result of the improper step size.Therefore,the step size in numerical simulation should be selected to suppress false XPM intensity modulation (keep it much less than signal power).According to this criterion,the step size is variable along the fiber.For a WDM system,the step size depends on the channel separation.Different type of transmission fiber has different step size.In the split-step Fourier method,this criterion can reduce simulation time,and when the step size is bigger than 100 meters,the simulation accuracy can also be improved.

A non-discrete method for computation of residence time in fluid mechanics simulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Esmaily-Moghadam, Mahdi; Hsia, Tain-Yen; Marsden, Alison L

2013-11-01

Cardiovascular simulations provide a promising means to predict risk of thrombosis in grafts, devices, and surgical anatomies in adult and pediatric patients. Although the pathways for platelet activation and clot formation are not yet fully understood, recent findings suggest that thrombosis risk is increased in regions of flow recirculation and high residence time (RT). Current approaches for calculating RT are typically based on releasing a finite number of Lagrangian particles into the flow field and calculating RT by tracking their positions. However, special care must be taken to achieve temporal and spatial convergence, often requiring repeated simulations. In this work, we introduce a non-discrete method in which RT is calculated in an Eulerian framework using the advection-diffusion equation. We first present the formulation for calculating residence time in a given region of interest using two alternate definitions. The physical significance and sensitivity of the two measures of RT are discussed and their mathematical relation is established. An extension to a point-wise value is also presented. The methods presented here are then applied in a 2D cavity and two representative clinical scenarios, involving shunt placement for single ventricle heart defects and Kawasaki disease. In the second case study, we explored the relationship between RT and wall shear stress, a parameter of particular importance in cardiovascular disease.

Set simulation of a turbulent arc by Monte-Carlo method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhukov, M.F.; Devyatov, B.N.; Nazaruk, V.I.

1982-01-01

A method of simulation of turbulent arc fluctuations is suggested which is based on the probabilistic set description of conducting channel displacements over the plane not nodes with taking into account the turbulent eddies causing non-uniformity of the field of displacements. The problem is treated in terms of the random set theory. Methods to control the displacements by varying the local displacement sets are described. A local-set approach in the turbulent arc simulation is used for a statistical study of the arc form evolution in a turbulent gas flow. The method implies the performance of numerical experiments on a computer. Various ways to solve the problem of control of the geometric form of an arc column on a model are described. Under consideration are the problems of organization of physical experiments to obtain the required information for the identification of local sets. The suggested method of the application of mathematical experiments is associated with the principles of an operational game. (author)

Computer Simulation of Nonuniform MTLs via Implicit Wendroff and State-Variable Methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Brancik

2011-04-01

Full Text Available The paper deals with techniques for a computer simulation of nonuniform multiconductor transmission lines (MTLs based on the implicit Wendroff and the statevariable methods. The techniques fall into a class of finitedifference time-domain (FDTD methods useful to solve various electromagnetic systems. Their basic variants are extended and modified to enable solving both voltage and current distributions along nonuniform MTL’s wires and their sensitivities with respect to lumped and distributed parameters. An experimental error analysis is performed based on the Thomson cable whose analytical solutions are known, and some examples of simulation of both uniform and nonuniform MTLs are presented. Based on the Matlab language programme, CPU times are analyzed to compare efficiency of the methods. Some results for nonlinear MTLs simulation are presented as well.

Evaluation of null-point detection methods on simulation data

Science.gov (United States)

Olshevsky, Vyacheslav; Fu, Huishan; Vaivads, Andris; Khotyaintsev, Yuri; Lapenta, Giovanni; Markidis, Stefano

2014-05-01

We model the measurements of artificial spacecraft that resemble the configuration of CLUSTER propagating in the particle-in-cell simulation of turbulent magnetic reconnection. The simulation domain contains multiple isolated X-type null-points, but the majority are O-type null-points. Simulations show that current pinches surrounded by twisted fields, analogous to laboratory pinches, are formed along the sequences of O-type nulls. In the simulation, the magnetic reconnection is mainly driven by the kinking of the pinches, at spatial scales of several ion inertial lentghs. We compute the locations of magnetic null-points and detect their type. When the satellites are separated by the fractions of ion inertial length, as it is for CLUSTER, they are able to locate both the isolated null-points, and the pinches. We apply the method to the real CLUSTER data and speculate how common are pinches in the magnetosphere, and whether they play a dominant role in the dissipation of magnetic energy.

Hybrid numerical methods for multiscale simulations of subsurface biogeochemical processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scheibe, T D; Tartakovsky, A M; Tartakovsky, D M; Redden, G D; Meakin, P

2007-01-01

Many subsurface flow and transport problems of importance today involve coupled non-linear flow, transport, and reaction in media exhibiting complex heterogeneity. In particular, problems involving biological mediation of reactions fall into this class of problems. Recent experimental research has revealed important details about the physical, chemical, and biological mechanisms involved in these processes at a variety of scales ranging from molecular to laboratory scales. However, it has not been practical or possible to translate detailed knowledge at small scales into reliable predictions of field-scale phenomena important for environmental management applications. A large assortment of numerical simulation tools have been developed, each with its own characteristic scale. Important examples include 1. molecular simulations (e.g., molecular dynamics); 2. simulation of microbial processes at the cell level (e.g., cellular automata or particle individual-based models); 3. pore-scale simulations (e.g., lattice-Boltzmann, pore network models, and discrete particle methods such as smoothed particle hydrodynamics); and 4. macroscopic continuum-scale simulations (e.g., traditional partial differential equations solved by finite difference or finite element methods). While many problems can be effectively addressed by one of these models at a single scale, some problems may require explicit integration of models across multiple scales. We are developing a hybrid multi-scale subsurface reactive transport modeling framework that integrates models with diverse representations of physics, chemistry and biology at different scales (sub-pore, pore and continuum). The modeling framework is being designed to take advantage of advanced computational technologies including parallel code components using the Common Component Architecture, parallel solvers, gridding, data and workflow management, and visualization. This paper describes the specific methods/codes being used at each

New method of processing heat treatment experiments with numerical simulation support

Science.gov (United States)

Kik, T.; Moravec, J.; Novakova, I.

2017-08-01

In this work, benefits of combining modern software for numerical simulations of welding processes with laboratory research was described. Proposed new method of processing heat treatment experiments leading to obtaining relevant input data for numerical simulations of heat treatment of large parts was presented. It is now possible, by using experiments on small tested samples, to simulate cooling conditions comparable with cooling of bigger parts. Results from this method of testing makes current boundary conditions during real cooling process more accurate, but also can be used for improvement of software databases and optimization of a computational models. The point is to precise the computation of temperature fields for large scale hardening parts based on new method of temperature dependence determination of the heat transfer coefficient into hardening media for the particular material, defined maximal thickness of processed part and cooling conditions. In the paper we will also present an example of the comparison standard and modified (according to newly suggested methodology) heat transfer coefficient data’s and theirs influence on the simulation results. It shows how even the small changes influence mainly on distribution of temperature, metallurgical phases, hardness and stresses distribution. By this experiment it is also possible to obtain not only input data and data enabling optimization of computational model but at the same time also verification data. The greatest advantage of described method is independence of used cooling media type.

Understanding the impact of simulated patients on health care learners' communication skills: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaplonyi, Jessica; Bowles, Kelly-Ann; Nestel, Debra; Kiegaldie, Debra; Maloney, Stephen; Haines, Terry; Williams, Cylie

2017-12-01

Effective communication skills are at the core of good health care. Simulated patients (SPs) are increasingly engaged as an interactive means of teaching, applying and practising communication skills with immediate feedback. There is a large body of research into the use of manikin-based simulation but a gap exists in the body of research on the effectiveness of SP-based education to teach communication skills that impact patient outcomes. The aim of this systematic review was to critically analyse the existing research, investigating whether SP-based communication skills training improves learner-patient communication, how communication skill improvement is measured, and who measures these improvements. The databases Medline, ProQuest (Health & Medical Complete, Nursing and Allied Health Source) and CINAHL (EBSCOhost) Education Resources Information Centre (ERIC) were searched for articles that investigated the effects of SP-based education on the communication skills of medical, nursing and allied health learners. There were 60 studies included in the review. Only two studies reported direct patient outcomes, one reporting some negative impact, and no studies included an economic analysis. Many studies reported statistically significant third-party ratings of improved communication effectiveness following SP-based education; however, studies were unable to be pooled for meta-analysis because of the outcome collection methods. There were a small number of studies comparing SP with no training at all and there were no differences between communication skills, contradicting the results from studies reporting benefits. Of the 60 studies included for analysis, 54 (90%) met the minimum quality score of 7/11, with four articles (7%) scoring 11/11. SP-based education is widely accepted as a valuable and effective means of teaching communication skills but there is limited evidence of how this translates to patient outcomes and no indication of economic benefit for this

A simple method for potential flow simulation of cascades

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

vortex panel method to simulate potential flow in cascades is presented. The cascade ... The fluid loading on the blades, such as the normal force and pitching moment, may ... of such discrete infinite array singularities along the blade surface.

Application of a Perturbation Method for Realistic Dynamic Simulation of Industrial Robots

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waiboer, R. R.; Aarts, R. G. K. M.; Jonker, J. B.

2005-01-01

This paper presents the application of a perturbation method for the closed-loop dynamic simulation of a rigid-link manipulator with joint friction. In this method the perturbed motion of the manipulator is modelled as a first-order perturbation of the nominal manipulator motion. A non-linear finite element method is used to formulate the dynamic equations of the manipulator mechanism. In a closed-loop simulation the driving torques are generated by the control system. Friction torques at the actuator joints are introduced at the stage of perturbed dynamics. For a mathematical model of the friction torques we implemented the LuGre friction model that accounts both for the sliding and pre-sliding regime. To illustrate the method, the motion of a six-axes industrial Staeubli robot is simulated. The manipulation task implies transferring a laser spot along a straight line with a trapezoidal velocity profile. The computed trajectory tracking errors are compared with measured values, where in both cases the tip position is computed from the joint angles using a nominal kinematic robot model. It is found that a closed-loop simulation using a non-linear finite element model of this robot is very time-consuming due to the small time step of the discrete controller. Using the perturbation method with the linearised model a substantial reduction of the computer time is achieved without loss of accuracy

Quantum control with NMR methods: Application to quantum simulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Negrevergne, Camille

2002-01-01

Manipulating information according to quantum laws allows improvements in the efficiency of the way we treat certain problems. Liquid state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance methods allow us to initialize, manipulate and read the quantum state of a system of coupled spins. These methods have been used to realize an experimental small Quantum Information Processor (QIP) able to process information through around hundred elementary operations. One of the main themes of this work was to design, optimize and validate reliable RF-pulse sequences used to 'program' the QIP. Such techniques have been used to run a quantum simulation algorithm for anionic systems. Some experimental results have been obtained on the determination of Eigen energies and correlation function for a toy problem consisting of fermions on a lattice, showing an experimental proof of principle for such quantum simulations. (author) [fr

A typology of educationally focused medical simulation tools.

Science.gov (United States)

Alinier, Guillaume

2007-10-01

The concept of simulation as an educational tool in healthcare is not a new idea but its use has really blossomed over the last few years. This enthusiasm is partly driven by an attempt to increase patient safety and also because the technology is becoming more affordable and advanced. Simulation is becoming more commonly used for initial training purposes as well as for continuing professional development, but people often have very different perceptions of the definition of the term simulation, especially in an educational context. This highlights the need for a clear classification of the technology available but also about the method and teaching approach employed. The aims of this paper are to discuss the current range of simulation approaches and propose a clear typology of simulation teaching aids. Commonly used simulation techniques have been identified and discussed in order to create a classification that reports simulation techniques, their usual mode of delivery, the skills they can address, the facilities required, their typical use, and their pros and cons. This paper presents a clear classification scheme of educational simulation tools and techniques with six different technological levels. They are respectively: written simulations, three-dimensional models, screen-based simulators, standardized patients, intermediate fidelity patient simulators, and interactive patient simulators. This typology allows the accurate description of the simulation technology and the teaching methods applied. Thus valid comparison of educational tools can be made as to their potential effectiveness and verisimilitude at different training stages. The proposed typology of simulation methodologies available for educational purposes provides a helpful guide for educators and participants which should help them to realise the potential learning outcomes at different technological simulation levels in relation to the training approach employed. It should also be a useful

A computer method for simulating the decay of radon daughters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hartley, B.M.

1988-01-01

The analytical equations representing the decay of a series of radioactive atoms through a number of daughter products are well known. These equations are for an idealized case in which the expectation value of the number of atoms which decay in a certain time can be represented by a smooth curve. The real curve of the total number of disintegrations from a radioactive species consists of a series of Heaviside step functions, with the steps occurring at the time of the disintegration. The disintegration of radioactive atoms is said to be random but this random behaviour is such that a single species forms an ensemble of which the times of disintegration give a geometric distribution. Numbers which have a geometric distribution can be generated by computer and can be used to simulate the decay of one or more radioactive species. A computer method is described for simulating such decay of radioactive atoms and this method is applied specifically to the decay of the short half life daughters of radon 222 and the emission of alpha particles from polonium 218 and polonium 214. Repeating the simulation of the decay a number of times provides a method for investigating the statistical uncertainty inherent in methods for measurement of exposure to radon daughters. This statistical uncertainty is difficult to investigate analytically since the time of decay of an atom of polonium 218 is not independent of the time of decay of subsequent polonium 214. The method is currently being used to investigate the statistical uncertainties of a number of commonly used methods for the counting of alpha particles from radon daughters and the calculations of exposure

A general method for closed-loop inverse simulation of helicopter maneuver flight

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei WU

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Maneuverability is a key factor to determine whether a helicopter could finish certain flight missions successfully or not. Inverse simulation is commonly used to calculate the pilot controls of a helicopter to complete a certain kind of maneuver flight and to assess its maneuverability. A general method for inverse simulation of maneuver flight for helicopters with the flight control system online is developed in this paper. A general mathematical describing function is established to provide mathematical descriptions of different kinds of maneuvers. A comprehensive control solver based on the optimal linear quadratic regulator theory is developed to calculate the pilot controls of different maneuvers. The coupling problem between pilot controls and flight control system outputs is well solved by taking the flight control system model into the control solver. Inverse simulation of three different kinds of maneuvers with different agility requirements defined in the ADS-33E-PRF is implemented based on the developed method for a UH-60 helicopter. The results show that the method developed in this paper can solve the closed-loop inverse simulation problem of helicopter maneuver flight with high reliability as well as efficiency. Keywords: Closed-loop, Flying quality, Helicopters, Inverse simulation, Maneuver flight

A method for data handling numerical results in parallel OpenFOAM simulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

nd Vasile Pârvan Ave., 300223, TM Timişoara, Romania, alin.anton@cs.upt.ro (Romania))" data-affiliation=" (Faculty of Automatic Control and Computing, Politehnica University of Timişoara, 2nd Vasile Pârvan Ave., 300223, TM Timişoara, Romania, alin.anton@cs.upt.ro (Romania))" >Anton, Alin; th Mihai Viteazu Ave., 300221, TM Timişoara (Romania))" data-affiliation=" (Center for Advanced Research in Engineering Science, Romanian Academy – Timişoara Branch, 24th Mihai Viteazu Ave., 300221, TM Timişoara (Romania))" >Muntean, Sebastian

2015-01-01

Parallel computational fluid dynamics simulations produce vast amount of numerical result data. This paper introduces a method for reducing the size of the data by replaying the interprocessor traffic. The results are recovered only in certain regions of interest configured by the user. A known test case is used for several mesh partitioning scenarios using the OpenFOAM toolkit ® [1]. The space savings obtained with classic algorithms remain constant for more than 60 Gb of floating point data. Our method is most efficient on large simulation meshes and is much better suited for compressing large scale simulation results than the regular algorithms

A method for data handling numerical results in parallel OpenFOAM simulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anton, Alin [Faculty of Automatic Control and Computing, Politehnica University of Timişoara, 2" n" d Vasile Pârvan Ave., 300223, TM Timişoara, Romania, alin.anton@cs.upt.ro (Romania); Muntean, Sebastian [Center for Advanced Research in Engineering Science, Romanian Academy – Timişoara Branch, 24" t" h Mihai Viteazu Ave., 300221, TM Timişoara (Romania)

2015-12-31

Parallel computational fluid dynamics simulations produce vast amount of numerical result data. This paper introduces a method for reducing the size of the data by replaying the interprocessor traffic. The results are recovered only in certain regions of interest configured by the user. A known test case is used for several mesh partitioning scenarios using the OpenFOAM toolkit{sup ®}[1]. The space savings obtained with classic algorithms remain constant for more than 60 Gb of floating point data. Our method is most efficient on large simulation meshes and is much better suited for compressing large scale simulation results than the regular algorithms.

SPACE CHARGE SIMULATION METHODS INCORPORATED IN SOME MULTI - PARTICLE TRACKING CODES AND THEIR RESULTS COMPARISON

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

BEEBE - WANG, J.; LUCCIO, A.U.; D IMPERIO, N.; MACHIDA, S.

2002-01-01

Space charge in high intensity beams is an important issue in accelerator physics. Due to the complicity of the problems, the most effective way of investigating its effect is by computer simulations. In the resent years, many space charge simulation methods have been developed and incorporated in various 2D or 3D multi-particle-tracking codes. It has becoming necessary to benchmark these methods against each other, and against experimental results. As a part of global effort, we present our initial comparison of the space charge methods incorporated in simulation codes ORBIT++, ORBIT and SIMPSONS. In this paper, the methods included in these codes are overviewed. The simulation results are presented and compared. Finally, from this study, the advantages and disadvantages of each method are discussed

SPACE CHARGE SIMULATION METHODS INCORPORATED IN SOME MULTI - PARTICLE TRACKING CODES AND THEIR RESULTS COMPARISON.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

BEEBE - WANG,J.; LUCCIO,A.U.; D IMPERIO,N.; MACHIDA,S.

2002-06-03

Space charge in high intensity beams is an important issue in accelerator physics. Due to the complicity of the problems, the most effective way of investigating its effect is by computer simulations. In the resent years, many space charge simulation methods have been developed and incorporated in various 2D or 3D multi-particle-tracking codes. It has becoming necessary to benchmark these methods against each other, and against experimental results. As a part of global effort, we present our initial comparison of the space charge methods incorporated in simulation codes ORBIT++, ORBIT and SIMPSONS. In this paper, the methods included in these codes are overviewed. The simulation results are presented and compared. Finally, from this study, the advantages and disadvantages of each method are discussed.

An eFTD-VP framework for efficiently generating patient-specific anatomically detailed facial soft tissue FE mesh for craniomaxillofacial surgery simulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiaoyan; Kim, Daeseung; Shen, Shunyao; Yuan, Peng; Liu, Siting; Tang, Zhen; Zhang, Guangming; Zhou, Xiaobo; Gateno, Jaime; Liebschner, Michael A K; Xia, James J

2018-04-01

Accurate surgical planning and prediction of craniomaxillofacial surgery outcome requires simulation of soft tissue changes following osteotomy. This can only be achieved by using an anatomically detailed facial soft tissue model. The current state-of-the-art of model generation is not appropriate to clinical applications due to the time-intensive nature of manual segmentation and volumetric mesh generation. The conventional patient-specific finite element (FE) mesh generation methods are to deform a template FE mesh to match the shape of a patient based on registration. However, these methods commonly produce element distortion. Additionally, the mesh density for patients depends on that of the template model. It could not be adjusted to conduct mesh density sensitivity analysis. In this study, we propose a new framework of patient-specific facial soft tissue FE mesh generation. The goal of the developed method is to efficiently generate a high-quality patient-specific hexahedral FE mesh with adjustable mesh density while preserving the accuracy in anatomical structure correspondence. Our FE mesh is generated by eFace template deformation followed by volumetric parametrization. First, the patient-specific anatomically detailed facial soft tissue model (including skin, mucosa, and muscles) is generated by deforming an eFace template model. The adaptation of the eFace template model is achieved by using a hybrid landmark-based morphing and dense surface fitting approach followed by a thin-plate spline interpolation. Then, high-quality hexahedral mesh is constructed by using volumetric parameterization. The user can control the resolution of hexahedron mesh to best reflect clinicians' need. Our approach was validated using 30 patient models and 4 visible human datasets. The generated patient-specific FE mesh showed high surface matching accuracy, element quality, and internal structure matching accuracy. They can be directly and effectively used for clinical

An analytical method to simulate the H I 21-cm visibility signal for intensity mapping experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Sarkar, Anjan Kumar; Bharadwaj, Somnath; Marthi, Visweshwar Ram

2018-01-01

Simulations play a vital role in testing and validating H I 21-cm power spectrum estimation techniques. Conventional methods use techniques like N-body simulations to simulate the sky signal which is then passed through a model of the instrument. This makes it necessary to simulate the H I distribution in a large cosmological volume, and incorporate both the light-cone effect and the telescope's chromatic response. The computational requirements may be particularly large if one wishes to simulate many realizations of the signal. In this paper, we present an analytical method to simulate the H I visibility signal. This is particularly efficient if one wishes to simulate a large number of realizations of the signal. Our method is based on theoretical predictions of the visibility correlation which incorporate both the light-cone effect and the telescope's chromatic response. We have demonstrated this method by applying it to simulate the H I visibility signal for the upcoming Ooty Wide Field Array Phase I.

Application of subset simulation methods to dynamic fault tree analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Mengyun; Liu Jingquan; She Ding

2015-01-01

Although fault tree analysis has been implemented in the nuclear safety field over the past few decades, it was recently criticized for the inability to model the time-dependent behaviors. Several methods are proposed to overcome this disadvantage, and dynamic fault tree (DFT) has become one of the research highlights. By introducing additional dynamic gates, DFT is able to describe the dynamic behaviors like the replacement of spare components or the priority of failure events. Using Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) approach to solve DFT has obtained rising attention, because it can model the authentic behaviors of systems and avoid the limitations in the analytical method. In this paper, it provides an overview and MCS information for DFT analysis, including the sampling of basic events and the propagation rule for logic gates. When calculating rare-event probability, large amount of simulations in standard MCS are required. To improve the weakness, subset simulation (SS) approach is applied. Using the concept of conditional probability and Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) technique, the SS method is able to accelerate the efficiency of exploring the failure region. Two cases are tested to illustrate the performance of SS approach, and the numerical results suggest that it gives high efficiency when calculating complicated systems with small failure probabilities. (author)

Minimizing patient waiting time in emergency department of public hospital using simulation optimization approach

Science.gov (United States)

Ibrahim, Ireen Munira; Liong, Choong-Yeun; Bakar, Sakhinah Abu; Ahmad, Norazura; Najmuddin, Ahmad Farid

2017-04-01

Emergency department (ED) is the main unit of a hospital that provides emergency treatment. Operating 24 hours a day with limited number of resources invites more problems to the current chaotic situation in some hospitals in Malaysia. Delays in getting treatments that caused patients to wait for a long period of time are among the frequent complaints against government hospitals. Therefore, the ED management needs a model that can be used to examine and understand resource capacity which can assist the hospital managers to reduce patients waiting time. Simulation model was developed based on 24 hours data collection. The model developed using Arena simulation replicates the actual ED's operations of a public hospital in Selangor, Malaysia. The OptQuest optimization in Arena is used to find the possible combinations of a number of resources that can minimize patients waiting time while increasing the number of patients served. The simulation model was modified for improvement based on results from OptQuest. The improvement model significantly improves ED's efficiency with an average of 32% reduction in average patients waiting times and 25% increase in the total number of patients served.

Task-based image quality evaluation of iterative reconstruction methods for low dose CT using computer simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Jingyan; Fuld, Matthew K.; Fung, George S. K.; Tsui, Benjamin M. W.

2015-04-01

Iterative reconstruction (IR) methods for x-ray CT is a promising approach to improve image quality or reduce radiation dose to patients. The goal of this work was to use task based image quality measures and the channelized Hotelling observer (CHO) to evaluate both analytic and IR methods for clinical x-ray CT applications. We performed realistic computer simulations at five radiation dose levels, from a clinical reference low dose D0 to 25% D0. A fixed size and contrast lesion was inserted at different locations into the liver of the XCAT phantom to simulate a weak signal. The simulated data were reconstructed on a commercial CT scanner (SOMATOM Definition Flash; Siemens, Forchheim, Germany) using the vendor-provided analytic (WFBP) and IR (SAFIRE) methods. The reconstructed images were analyzed by CHOs with both rotationally symmetric (RS) and rotationally oriented (RO) channels, and with different numbers of lesion locations (5, 10, and 20) in a signal known exactly (SKE), background known exactly but variable (BKEV) detection task. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used as a summary measure to compare the IR and analytic methods; the AUC was also used as the equal performance criterion to derive the potential dose reduction factor of IR. In general, there was a good agreement in the relative AUC values of different reconstruction methods using CHOs with RS and RO channels, although the CHO with RO channels achieved higher AUCs than RS channels. The improvement of IR over analytic methods depends on the dose level. The reference dose level D0 was based on a clinical low dose protocol, lower than the standard dose due to the use of IR methods. At 75% D0, the performance improvement was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The potential dose reduction factor also depended on the detection task. For the SKE/BKEV task involving 10 lesion locations, a dose reduction of at least 25% from D0 was achieved.

Simulation of lung motions using an artificial neural network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laurent, R.; Henriet, J.; Sauget, M.; Gschwind, R.; Makovicka, L.; Salomon, M.; Nguyen, F.

2011-01-01

Purpose. A way to improve the accuracy of lung radiotherapy for a patient is to get a better understanding of its lung motion. Indeed, thanks to this knowledge it becomes possible to follow the displacements of the clinical target volume (CTV) induced by the lung breathing. This paper presents a feasibility study of an original method to simulate the positions of points in patient's lung at all breathing phases. Patients and methods. This method, based on an artificial neural network, allowed learning the lung motion on real cases and then to simulate it for new patients for which only the beginning and the end breathing data are known. The neural network learning set is made up of more than 600 points. These points, shared out on three patients and gathered on a specific lung area, were plotted by a MD. Results. - The first results are promising: an average accuracy of 1 mm is obtained for a spatial resolution of 1 x 1 x 2.5 mm 3 . Conclusion. We have demonstrated that it is possible to simulate lung motion with accuracy using an artificial neural network. As future work we plan to improve the accuracy of our method with the addition of new patient data and a coverage of the whole lungs. (authors)

Current concepts in simulation-based trauma education.

Science.gov (United States)

Cherry, Robert A; Ali, Jameel

2008-11-01

The use of simulation-based technology in trauma education has focused on providing a safe and effective alternative to the more traditional methods that are used to teach technical skills and critical concepts in trauma resuscitation. Trauma team training using simulation-based technology is also being used to develop skills in leadership, team-information sharing, communication, and decision-making. The integration of simulators into medical student curriculum, residency training, and continuing medical education has been strongly recommended by the American College of Surgeons as an innovative means of enhancing patient safety, reducing medical errors, and performing a systematic evaluation of various competencies. Advanced human patient simulators are increasingly being used in trauma as an evaluation tool to assess clinical performance and to teach and reinforce essential knowledge, skills, and abilities. A number of specialty simulators in trauma and critical care have also been designed to meet these educational objectives. Ongoing educational research is still needed to validate long-term retention of knowledge and skills, provide reliable methods to evaluate teaching effectiveness and performance, and to demonstrate improvement in patient safety and overall quality of care.

Limitations in simulator time-based human reliability analysis methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wreathall, J.

1989-01-01

Developments in human reliability analysis (HRA) methods have evolved slowly. Current methods are little changed from those of almost a decade ago, particularly in the use of time-reliability relationships. While these methods were suitable as an interim step, the time (and the need) has come to specify the next evolution of HRA methods. As with any performance-oriented data source, power plant simulator data have no direct connection to HRA models. Errors reported in data are normal deficiencies observed in human performance; failures are events modeled in probabilistic risk assessments (PRAs). Not all errors cause failures; not all failures are caused by errors. Second, the times at which actions are taken provide no measure of the likelihood of failures to act correctly within an accident scenario. Inferences can be made about human reliability, but they must be made with great care. Specific limitations are discussed. Simulator performance data are useful in providing qualitative evidence of the variety of error types and their potential influences on operating systems. More work is required to combine recent developments in the psychology of error with the qualitative data collected at stimulators. Until data become openly available, however, such an advance will not be practical

An iterative method for hydrodynamic interactions in Brownian dynamics simulations of polymer dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Miao, Linling; Young, Charles D.; Sing, Charles E.

2017-07-01

Brownian Dynamics (BD) simulations are a standard tool for understanding the dynamics of polymers in and out of equilibrium. Quantitative comparison can be made to rheological measurements of dilute polymer solutions, as well as direct visual observations of fluorescently labeled DNA. The primary computational challenge with BD is the expensive calculation of hydrodynamic interactions (HI), which are necessary to capture physically realistic dynamics. The full HI calculation, performed via a Cholesky decomposition every time step, scales with the length of the polymer as O(N3). This limits the calculation to a few hundred simulated particles. A number of approximations in the literature can lower this scaling to O(N2 - N2.25), and explicit solvent methods scale as O(N); however both incur a significant constant per-time step computational cost. Despite this progress, there remains a need for new or alternative methods of calculating hydrodynamic interactions; large polymer chains or semidilute polymer solutions remain computationally expensive. In this paper, we introduce an alternative method for calculating approximate hydrodynamic interactions. Our method relies on an iterative scheme to establish self-consistency between a hydrodynamic matrix that is averaged over simulation and the hydrodynamic matrix used to run the simulation. Comparison to standard BD simulation and polymer theory results demonstrates that this method quantitatively captures both equilibrium and steady-state dynamics after only a few iterations. The use of an averaged hydrodynamic matrix allows the computationally expensive Brownian noise calculation to be performed infrequently, so that it is no longer the bottleneck of the simulation calculations. We also investigate limitations of this conformational averaging approach in ring polymers.

High-order dynamic lattice method for seismic simulation in anisotropic media

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Xiaolin; Jia, Xiaofeng

2018-03-01

The discrete particle-based dynamic lattice method (DLM) offers an approach to simulate elastic wave propagation in anisotropic media by calculating the anisotropic micromechanical interactions between these particles based on the directions of the bonds that connect them in the lattice. To build such a lattice, the media are discretized into particles. This discretization inevitably leads to numerical dispersion. The basic lattice unit used in the original DLM only includes interactions between the central particle and its nearest neighbours; therefore, it represents the first-order form of a particle lattice. The first-order lattice suffers from numerical dispersion compared with other numerical methods, such as high-order finite-difference methods, in terms of seismic wave simulation. Due to its unique way of discretizing the media, the particle-based DLM no longer solves elastic wave equations; this means that one cannot build a high-order DLM by simply creating a high-order discrete operator to better approximate a partial derivative operator. To build a high-order DLM, we carry out a thorough dispersion analysis of the method and discover that by adding more neighbouring particles into the lattice unit, the DLM will yield different spatial accuracy. According to the dispersion analysis, the high-order DLM presented here can adapt the requirement of spatial accuracy for seismic wave simulations. For any given spatial accuracy, we can design a corresponding high-order lattice unit to satisfy the accuracy requirement. Numerical tests show that the high-order DLM improves the accuracy of elastic wave simulation in anisotropic media.

Simulation of the 2-dimensional Drude’s model using molecular dynamics method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Naa, Christian Fredy; Amin, Aisyah; Ramli,; Suprijadi,; Djamal, Mitra [Theoretical High Energy Physics and Instrumentation Research Division, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesha 10, Bandung 40132 (Indonesia); Wahyoedi, Seramika Ari; Viridi, Sparisoma, E-mail: viridi@cphys.fi.itb.ac.id [Nuclear and Biophysics Research Division, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesha 10, Bandung 40132 (Indonesia)

2015-04-16

In this paper, we reported the results of the simulation of the electronic conduction in solids. The simulation is based on the Drude’s models by applying molecular dynamics (MD) method, which uses the fifth-order predictor-corrector algorithm. A formula of the electrical conductivity as a function of lattice length and ion diameter τ(L, d) cand be obtained empirically based on the simulation results.

Multigrid Methods for Fully Implicit Oil Reservoir Simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Molenaar, J.

1996-01-01

In this paper we consider the simultaneous flow of oil and water in reservoir rock. This displacement process is modeled by two basic equations: the material balance or continuity equations and the equation of motion (Darcy's law). For the numerical solution of this system of nonlinear partial differential equations there are two approaches: the fully implicit or simultaneous solution method and the sequential solution method. In the sequential solution method the system of partial differential equations is manipulated to give an elliptic pressure equation and a hyperbolic (or parabolic) saturation equation. In the IMPES approach the pressure equation is first solved, using values for the saturation from the previous time level. Next the saturations are updated by some explicit time stepping method; this implies that the method is only conditionally stable. For the numerical solution of the linear, elliptic pressure equation multigrid methods have become an accepted technique. On the other hand, the fully implicit method is unconditionally stable, but it has the disadvantage that in every time step a large system of nonlinear algebraic equations has to be solved. The most time-consuming part of any fully implicit reservoir simulator is the solution of this large system of equations. Usually this is done by Newton's method. The resulting systems of linear equations are then either solved by a direct method or by some conjugate gradient type method. In this paper we consider the possibility of applying multigrid methods for the iterative solution of the systems of nonlinear equations. There are two ways of using multigrid for this job: either we use a nonlinear multigrid method or we use a linear multigrid method to deal with the linear systems that arise in Newton's method. So far only a few authors have reported on the use of multigrid methods for fully implicit simulations. Two-level FAS algorithm is presented for the black-oil equations, and linear multigrid for

Investigation of realistic PET simulations incorporating tumor patient's specificity using anthropomorphic models: Creation of an oncology database

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Papadimitroulas, Panagiotis; Efthimiou, Nikos; Nikiforidis, George C.; Kagadis, George C. [Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Rion, GR 265 04 (Greece); Loudos, George [Department of Biomedical Engineering, Technological Educational Institute of Athens, Ag. Spyridonos Street, Egaleo GR 122 10, Athens (Greece); Le Maitre, Amandine; Hatt, Mathieu; Tixier, Florent; Visvikis, Dimitris [Medical Information Processing Laboratory (LaTIM), National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), 29609 Brest (France)

2013-11-15

Purpose: The GATE Monte Carlo simulation toolkit is used for the implementation of realistic PET simulations incorporating tumor heterogeneous activity distributions. The reconstructed patient images include noise from the acquisition process, imaging system's performance restrictions and have limited spatial resolution. For those reasons, the measured intensity cannot be simply introduced in GATE simulations, to reproduce clinical data. Investigation of the heterogeneity distribution within tumors applying partial volume correction (PVC) algorithms was assessed. The purpose of the present study was to create a simulated oncology database based on clinical data with realistic intratumor uptake heterogeneity properties.Methods: PET/CT data of seven oncology patients were used in order to create a realistic tumor database investigating the heterogeneity activity distribution of the simulated tumors. The anthropomorphic models (NURBS based cardiac torso and Zubal phantoms) were adapted to the CT data of each patient, and the activity distribution was extracted from the respective PET data. The patient-specific models were simulated with the Monte Carlo Geant4 application for tomography emission (GATE) in three different levels for each case: (a) using homogeneous activity within the tumor, (b) using heterogeneous activity distribution in every voxel within the tumor as it was extracted from the PET image, and (c) using heterogeneous activity distribution corresponding to the clinical image following PVC. The three different types of simulated data in each case were reconstructed with two iterations and filtered with a 3D Gaussian postfilter, in order to simulate the intratumor heterogeneous uptake. Heterogeneity in all generated images was quantified using textural feature derived parameters in 3D according to the ground truth of the simulation, and compared to clinical measurements. Finally, profiles were plotted in central slices of the tumors, across lines