| 1. |
- Arzani, Amirhossein, et al.
(författare)
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In Vivo Validation of Numerical Prediction for Turbulence Intensity in an Aortic Coarctation
- 2012
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Ingår i: Annals of Biomedical Engineering. - : Springer Verlag (Germany). - 0090-6964 .- 1573-9686. ; 40:4, s. 860-870
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper compares numerical predictions of turbulence intensity with in vivo measurement. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was carried out on a 60-year-old female with a restenosed aortic coarctation. Time-resolved three-directional phase-contrast (PC) MRI data was acquired to enable turbulence intensity estimation. A contrast-enhanced MR angiography (MRA) and a time-resolved 2D PCMRI measurement were also performed to acquire data needed to perform subsequent image-based computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling. A 3D model of the aortic coarctation and surrounding vasculature was constructed from the MRA data, and physiologic boundary conditions were modeled to match 2D PCMRI and pressure pulse measurements. Blood flow velocity data was subsequently obtained by numerical simulation. Turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) was computed from the resulting CFD data. Results indicate relative agreement (error a parts per thousand 10%) between the in vivo measurements and the CFD predictions of TKE. The discrepancies in modeled vs. measured TKE values were within expectations due to modeling and measurement errors.
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| 2. |
- Auer, M., et al.
(författare)
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In Vitro Angioplasty of Atherosclerotic Human Femoral Arteries : Analysis of the Geometrical Changes in the Individual Tissues Using MRI and Image Processing
- 2010
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Ingår i: Annals of Biomedical Engineering. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0090-6964 .- 1573-9686. ; 38:4, s. 1276-1287
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Existing atherosclerotic plaque imaging techniques such as intravascular ultrasound, multidetector computed tomography, optical coherence tomography, and high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (hrMRI) require computerized methods to separate and analyze the plaque morphology. In this work, we perform in vitro balloon angioplasty experiments with 10 human femoral arteries using hrMRI and image processing. The vessel segments contain low-grade to high-grade lesions with very different plaque compositions. The experiments are designed to mimic the in vivo situation. We use a semi-automatic image processing tool to extract the three-dimensional (3D) geometries of the tissue components at four characteristic stages of the angioplasty procedure. The obtained geometries are then used to determine geometrical and mechanical indices in order to characterize, classify, and analyze the atherosclerotic plaques by their specific geometrical changes. During inflation, three vessels ruptured via helical crack propagation. The adventitia, media, and intima did not preserve their area/volume during inflation; the area changes of the lipid pool during inflation were significant. The characterization of changes in individual 3D tissue geometries, together with tissue-specific mechanical properties, may serve as a basis for refined finite element (FE) modeling, which is key to better understand stress evolution in various atherosclerotic plaque configurations.
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| 3. |
- Biasetti, Jacopo, et al.
(författare)
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Hemodynamics of the Normal Aorta Compared to Fusiform and Saccular Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms with Emphasis on a Potential Thrombus Formation Mechanism
- 2010
-
Ingår i: Annals of Biomedical Engineering. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0090-6964 .- 1573-9686. ; 38:2, s. 380-390
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (AAAs), i.e., focal enlargements of the aorta in the abdomen are frequently observed in the elderly population and their rupture is highly mortal. An intra-luminal thrombus is found in nearly all aneurysms of clinically relevant size and multiply affects the underlying wall. However, from a biomechanical perspective thrombus development and its relation to aneurysm rupture is still not clearly understood. In order to explore the impact of blood flow on thrombus development, normal aortas (n = 4), fusiform AAAs (n = 3), and saccular AAAs (n = 2) were compared on the basis of unsteady Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations. To this end patient-specific luminal geometries were segmented from Computerized Tomography Angiography data and five full heart cycles using physiologically realistic boundary conditions were analyzed. Simulations were carried out with computational grids of about half a million finite volume elements and the Carreau-Yasuda model captured the non-Newtonian behavior of blood. In contrast to the normal aorta the flow in aneurysm was highly disturbed and, particularly right after the neck, flow separation involving regions of high streaming velocities and high shear stresses were observed. Naturally, at the expanded sites of the aneurysm average flow velocity and wall shear stress were much lower compared to normal aortas. These findings suggest platelets activation right after the neck, i.e., within zones of pronounced recirculation, and platelet adhesion, i.e., thrombus formation, downstream. This mechanism is supported by recirculation zones promoting the advection of activated platelets to the wall.
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| 4. |
- Forsell, Caroline, et al.
(författare)
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The Quasi-Static Failure Properties of the Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Wall Estimated by a Mixed Experimental-Numerical Approach
- 2012
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Ingår i: Annals of Biomedical Engineering. - : Springer-Verlag New York. - 0090-6964 .- 1573-9686. ; 41:7, s. 1554-1566
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Assessing the risk for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) rupture is critical in the management of aneurysm patients and an individual assessment is possible with the biomechanical rupture risk assessment. Such an assessment could potentially be improved by a constitutive AAA wall model that accounts for irreversible damage-related deformations. Because of that the present study estimated the elastic and inelastic properties of the AAA wall through a mixed experimental-numerical approach. Specifically, finite element (FE) models of bone-shaped tensile specimens were used to merge data from failure testing of the AAA wall with their measured collagen orientation distribution. A histo-mechanical constitutive model for collagen fibers was employed, where plastic fibril sliding determined not only remaining deformations but also weakening of the fiber. The developed FE models were able to replicate the experimentally recorded load-displacement property of all 16 AAA wall specimens that were investigated in the study. Tensile testing in longitudinal direction of the AAA defined a Cauchy strength of 569(SD 411) kPa that was reached at a stretch of 1.436(SD 0.118). The stiffness and strength of specimens decreased with the wall thickness and were elevated (p = 0.018; p = 0.030) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Smoking affected the tissue parameters that were related to the irreversible deformation response, and no correlation with gender and age was found. The observed effects on the biomechanical properties of the AAA wall could have long-term consequences for the management of aneurysm patients, i.e., specifically they might influence future AAA rupture risk assessments. However, in order to design appropriate clinical validation studies our findings should firstly be verified in a larger patient cohort.
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| 5. |
- Garde, A., et al.
(författare)
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Breathing pattern characterization in chronic heart failure patients using the respiratory flow signal
- 2010
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Ingår i: Annals of Biomedical Engineering. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1573-9686 .- 0090-6964. ; 38:12, s. 3572-3580
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study proposes a method for the characterization of respiratory patterns in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients with periodic breathing (PB) and nonperiodic breathing (nPB), using the flow signal. Autoregressive modeling of the envelope of the respiratory flow signal is the starting point for the pattern characterization. Spectral parameters extracted from the discriminant frequency band (DB) are used to characterize the respiratory patterns. For each classification problem, the most discriminant parameter subset is selected using the leave-one-out cross-validation technique. The power in the right DB provides an accuracy of 84.6% when classifying PB vs. nPB patterns in CHF patients, whereas the power of the DB provides an accuracy of 85.5% when classifying the whole group of CHF patients vs. healthy subjects, and 85.2% when classifying nPB patients vs. healthy subjects.
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| 6. |
- Gasser, T. Christian, et al.
(författare)
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Micromechanical Characterization of Intra-luminal Thrombus Tissue from Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms
- 2010
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Ingår i: Annals of Biomedical Engineering. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0090-6964 .- 1573-9686. ; 38:2, s. 371-379
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The reliable assessment of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm rupture risk is critically important in reducing related mortality without unnecessarily increasing the rate of elective repair. Intra-luminal thrombus (ILT) has multiple biomechanical and biochemical impacts on the underlying aneurysm wall and thrombus failure might be linked to aneurysm rupture. Histological slices from 7 ILTs were analyzed using a sequence of automatic image processing and feature analyzing steps. Derived microstructural data was used to define Representative Volume Elements (RVE), which in turn allowed the estimation of microscopic material properties using the non-linear Finite Element Method. ILT tissue exhibited complex microstructural arrangement with larger pores in the abluminal layer than in the luminal layer. The microstructure was isotropic in the abluminal layer, whereas pores started to orient along the circumferential direction towards the luminal site. ILT's macroscopic (reversible) deformability was supported by large pores in the microstructure and the inhomogeneous structure explains in part the radially changing macroscopic constitutive properties of ILT. Its microscopic properties decreased just slightly from the luminal to the abluminal layer. The present study provided novel microstructural and micromechanical data of ILT tissue, which is critically important to further explore the role of the ILT in aneurysm rupture. Data provided in this study allow an integration of structural information from medical imaging for example, to estimate ILT's macroscopic mechanical properties.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Liljemalm, Rickard, 1982-, et al.
(författare)
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Quantification of a Thermal Damage Threshold for Astrocytes Using Infrared Laser Generated Heat Gradients
- 2014
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Ingår i: Annals of Biomedical Engineering. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0090-6964 .- 1573-9686. ; 42:4, s. 822-832
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The response of cells and tissues to elevated temperatures is highly important in several research areas, especially in the area of infrared neural stimulation. So far, only the heat response of neurons has been considered. In this study, primary rat astrocytes were exposed to infrared laser pulses of various pulse lengths and the resulting cell morphology changes and cell migration was studied using light microscopy. By using a finite element model of the experimental setup the temperature distribution was simulated and the temperatures and times to induce morphological changes and migration were extracted. These threshold temperatures were used in the commonly used first-order reaction model according to Arrhenius to extract the kinetic parameters, i.e., the activation energy, E (a), and the frequency factor, A (c), for the system. A damage signal ratio threshold was defined and calculated to be 6% for the astrocytes to change morphology and start migrating.
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| 9. |
- Mortier, P., et al.
(författare)
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A Novel Simulation Strategy for Stent Insertion and Deployment in Curved Coronary Bifurcations : Comparison of Three Drug-Eluting Stents
- 2010
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Ingår i: Annals of Biomedical Engineering. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0090-6964 .- 1573-9686. ; 38:1, s. 88-99
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The introduction of drug-eluting stents (DES) has reduced the occurrence of restenosis in coronary arteries. However, restenosis remains a problem in stented coronary bifurcations. This study investigates and compares three different second generation DESs when being implanted in the curved main branch of a coronary bifurcation with the aim of providing better insights into the related changes of the mechanical environment. The 3D bifurcation model is based on patient-specific angiographic data that accurately reproduce the in vivo curvatures of the vessel segments. The layered structure of the arterial wall and its anisotropic mechanical behavior are taken into account by applying a novel algorithm to define the fiber orientations. An innovative simulation strategy considering the insertion of a folded balloon catheter over a guide wire is proposed in order to position the stents within the curved vessel. Straightening occurs after implantation of all stents investigated. The resulting distributions of the wall stresses are strongly dependent on the stent design. Using a parametric modeling approach, two design modifications, which reduce the predicted maximum values of the wall stress, are proposed and analyzed.
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| 10. |
- Pablo Martinez, Juan, et al.
(författare)
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Detection Performance and Risk Stratification Using a Model-Based Shape Index Characterizing Heart Rate Turbulence
- 2010
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Ingår i: Annals of Biomedical Engineering. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1573-9686 .- 0090-6964. ; 38:10, s. 3173-3184
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A detection-theoretic approach to quantify heart rate turbulence (HRT) following a ventricular premature beat is proposed and validated using an extended integral pulse frequency modulation (IPFM) model which accounts for HRT. The modulating signal of the extended IPFM model is projected into a three-dimensional subspace spanned by the Karhunen-Loeve basis functions, characterizing HRT shape. The presence or absence of HRT is decided by means of a likelihood ratio test, the Neyman-Pearson detector, resulting in a quadratic detection statistic. Using a labeled dataset built from different interbeat interval series, detection performance is assessed and found to outperform the two widely used indices: turbulence onset (TO) and turbulence slope (TS). The ability of the proposed method to predict the risk of cardiac death is evaluated in a population of patients (n = 90) with ischemic cardiomyopathy and mild-to-moderate congestive heart failure. While both TS and the novel HRT index differ significantly in survivors and cardiac death patients, mortality analysis shows that the latter index exhibits much stronger association with risk of cardiac death (hazard ratio = 2.8, CI = 1.32-5.97, p = 0.008). It is also shown that the model-based shape indices, but not TO and TS, remain predictive of cardiac death in our population when computed from 4-h instead of 24-h ambulatory ECGs.
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| 11. |
- Pierce, David M., et al.
(författare)
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DT-MRI Based Computation of Collagen Fiber Deformation in Human Articular Cartilage : A Feasibility Study
- 2010
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Ingår i: Annals of Biomedical Engineering. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0090-6964 .- 1573-9686. ; 38:7, s. 2447-2463
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Accurate techniques for simulating the deformation of soft biological tissues are an increasingly valuable tool in many areas of biomechanical analysis and medical image computing. To model the complex morphology and response of articular cartilage, a hyperviscoelastic (dispersed) fiber-reinforced constitutive model is employed to complete two specimen-specific finite element (FE) simulations of an indentation experiment, with and without considering fiber dispersion. Ultra-high field Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging (17.6 T DT-MRI) is performed on a specimen of human articular cartilage before and after indentation to similar to 20% compression. Based on this DT-MRI data, we detail a novel FE approach to determine the geometry (edge detection from first eigenvalue), the meshing (semi-automated smoothing of DTI measurement voxels), and the fiber structural input (estimated principal fiber direction and dispersion). The global and fiber fabric deformations of both the un-dispersed and dispersed fiber models provide a satisfactory match to that estimated experimentally. In both simulations, the fiber fabric in the superficial and middle zones becomes more aligned with the articular surface, although the dispersed model appears more consistent with the literature. In the future, a multi-disciplinary combination of DT-MRI and numerical simulation will allow the functional state of articular cartilage to be determined in vivo.
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| 12. |
- Polzer, Stanislav, et al.
(författare)
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A Numerical Implementation to Predict Residual Strains from the Homogeneous Stress Hypothesis with Application to Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms
- 2013
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Ingår i: Annals of Biomedical Engineering. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0090-6964 .- 1573-9686. ; 41:7, s. 1516-1527
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Wall stress analysis of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a promising method of identifying AAAs at high risk of rupture. However, neglecting residual strains (RS) in the load-free configuration of patient-specific finite element analysis models is a sever limitation that strongly affects the computed wall stresses. Although several methods for including RS have been proposed, they cannot be directly applied to patient-specific AAA simulations. RS in the AAA wall are predicted through volumetric tissue growth that aims at satisfying the homogeneous stress hypothesis at mean arterial pressure load. Tissue growth is interpolated linearly across the wall thickness and aneurysm tissues are described by isotropic constitutive formulations. The total deformation is multiplicatively split into elastic and growth contributions, and a staggered schema is used to solve the field variables. The algorithm is validated qualitatively at a cylindrical artery model and then applied to patient-specific AAAs (n = 5). The induced RS state is fully three-dimensional and in qualitative agreement with experimental observations, i.e., wall strips that were excised from the load-free wall showed stress-releasing-deformations that are typically seen in laboratory experiments. Compared to RS-free simulations, the proposed algorithm reduced the von Mises stress gradient across the wall by a tenfold. Accounting for RS leads to homogenized wall stresses, which apart from reducing the peak wall stress (PWS) also shifted its location in some cases. The present study demonstrated that the homogeneous stress hypothesis can be effectively used to predict RS in the load-free configuration of the vascular wall. The proposed algorithm leads to a fast and robust prediction of RS, which is fully capable for a patient-specific AAA rupture risk assessment. Neglecting RS leads to non-realistic wall stress values that severely overestimate the PWS.
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| 13. |
- Rausch, Manuel K., et al.
(författare)
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Characterization of mitral valve annular dynamics in the beating heart
- 2011
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Ingår i: Annals of Biomedical Engineering. - New York : Springer-Verlag New York. - 0090-6964 .- 1573-9686. ; 39:6, s. 1690-1702
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The objective of this study is to establish a mathematical characterization of the mitral valve annulus that allows a precise qualitative and quantitative assessment of annular dynamics in the beating heart. We define annular geometry through 16 miniature markers sewn onto the annuli of 55 sheep. Using biplane videofluoroscopy, we record marker coordinates in vivo. By approximating these 16 marker coordinates through piecewise cubic splines, we generate a smooth mathematical representation of the 55 mitral annuli. We time-align these 55 annulus representations with respect to characteristic hemodynamic time points to generate an averaged baseline annulus representation. To characterize annular physiology, we extract classical clinical metrics of annular form and function throughout the cardiac cycle. To characterize annular dynamics, we calculate displacements, strains, and curvature from the discrete mathematical representations. To illustrate potential future applications of this approach, we create rapid prototypes of the averaged mitral annulus at characteristic hemodynamic time points. In summary, this study introduces a novel mathematical model that allows us to identify temporal, regional, and inter-subject variations of clinical and mechanical metrics that characterize mitral annular form and function. Ultimately, this model can serve as a valuable tool to optimize both surgical and interventional approaches that aim at restoring mitral valve competence.
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| 14. |
- Richter, Ulrike, et al.
(författare)
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A novel approach to propagation pattern analysis in intracardiac atrial fibrillation signals
- 2011
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Ingår i: Annals of Biomedical Engineering. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1573-9686 .- 0090-6964. ; 39, s. 310-323
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The purpose of this study is to investigate propagation patterns in intracardiac signals recorded during atrial fibrillation (AF) using an approach based on partial directed coherence (PDC), which evaluates directional coupling between multiple signals in the frequency domain. The PDC is evaluated at the dominant frequency of AF signals and tested for significance using a surrogate data procedure specifically designed to assess causality. For significantly coupled sites, the approach allows also to estimate the delay in propagation. The methods potential is illustrated with two simulation scenarios based on a detailed ionic model of the human atrial myocyte as well as with real data recordings, selected to present typical propagation mechanisms and recording situations in atrial tachyarrhythmias. In both simulation scenarios the significant PDCs correctly reflect the direction of coupling and thus the propagation between all recording sites. In the real data recordings, clear propagation patterns are identified which agree with previous clinical observations. Thus, the results illustrate the ability of the novel approach to identify propagation patterns from intracardiac signals during AF, which can provide important information about the underlying AF mechanisms, potentially improving the planning and outcome of arrhythmia ablation.
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| 15. |
- Riveros, Fabian, et al.
(författare)
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A Pull-Back Algorithm to Determine the Unloaded Vascular Geometry in Anisotropic Hyperelastic AAA Passive Mechanics
- 2013
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Ingår i: Annals of Biomedical Engineering. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0090-6964 .- 1573-9686. ; 41:4, s. 694-708
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Biomechanical studies on abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) seek to provide for better decision criteria to undergo surgical intervention for AAA repair. More accurate results can be obtained by using appropriate material models for the tissues along with accurate geometric models and more realistic boundary conditions for the lesion. However, patient-specific AAA models are generated from gated medical images in which the artery is under pressure. Therefore, identification of the AAA zero pressure geometry would allow for a more realistic estimate of the aneurysmal wall mechanics. This study proposes a novel iterative algorithm to find the zero pressure geometry of patient-specific AAA models. The methodology allows considering the anisotropic hyperelastic behavior of the aortic wall, its thickness and accounts for the presence of the intraluminal thrombus. Results on 12 patient-specific AAA geometric models indicate that the procedure is computational tractable and efficient, and preserves the global volume of the model. In addition, a comparison of the peak wall stress computed with the zero pressure and CT-based geometries during systole indicates that computations using CT-based geometric models underestimate the peak wall stress by 59 +/- A 64 and 47 +/- A 64 kPa for the isotropic and anisotropic material models of the arterial wall, respectively.
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| 16. |
- Sano, M. B., et al.
(författare)
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Electromagnetically Controlled Biological Assembly of Aligned Bacterial Cellulose Nanofibers
- 2010
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Ingår i: Annals of Biomedical Engineering. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1573-9686 .- 0090-6964. ; 38:8, s. 2475-2484
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We have developed a new biofabrication process in which the precise control of bacterial motion is used to fabricate customizable networks of cellulose nanofibrils. This article describes how the motion of Acetobacter xylinum can be controlled by electric fields while the bacteria simultaneously produce nanocellulose, resulting in networks with aligned fibers. Since the electrolysis of water due to the application of electric fields produces the oxygen in the culture media far from the liquid-air boundary, aerobic cellulose production in 3D structures is readily achievable. Five separate sets of experiments were conducted to demonstrate the assembly of nanocellulose by A. xylinum in the presence of electric fields in micro-and macro-environments. This study demonstrates a new concept of bottom up material synthesis by the control of a biological assembly process.
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| 17. |
- Shum, Judy, et al.
(författare)
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Quantitative Assessment of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Geometry
- 2011
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Ingår i: Annals of Biomedical Engineering. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0090-6964 .- 1573-9686. ; 39:1, s. 277-286
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Recent studies have shown that the maximum transverse diameter of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and expansion rate are not entirely reliable indicators of rupture potential. We hypothesize that aneurysm morphology and wall thickness are more predictive of rupture risk and can be the deciding factors in the clinical management of the disease. A non-invasive, image-based evaluation of AAA shape was implemented on a retrospective study of 10 ruptured and 66 unruptured aneurysms. Three-dimensional models were generated from segmented, contrast-enhanced computed tomography images. Geometric indices and regional variations in wall thickness were estimated based on novel segmentation algorithms. A model was created using a J48 decision tree algorithm and its performance was assessed using ten-fold cross validation. Feature selection was performed using the chi(2)-test. The model correctly classified 65 datasets and had an average prediction accuracy of 86.6% (kappa = 0.37). The highest ranked features were sac length, sac height, volume, surface area, maximum diameter, bulge height, and intra-luminal thrombus volume. Given that individual AAAs have complex shapes with local changes in surface curvature and wall thickness, the assessment of AAA rupture risk should be based on the accurate quantification of aneurysmal sac shape and size.
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| 18. |
- Tong, Jianhua, et al.
(författare)
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Dissection Properties and Mechanical Strength of Tissue Components in Human Carotid Bifurcations
- 2011
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Ingår i: Annals of Biomedical Engineering. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0090-6964 .- 1573-9686. ; 39:6, s. 1703-1719
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Carotid artery dissections can be triggered by several factors. The underlying biomechanical phenomena and properties are unclear. This study investigates the dissection properties of 62 human carotid bifurcations using two experimental methods: direct tension and peeling tests. Direct tension tests study the mechanical strength of the tissue components in radial direction, while peeling tests quantify the fracture energy required to propagate a dissection in a tissue. Results show that the interface between the healthy adventitia and media has the highest radial failure stress (132 +/- A 20 kPa, mean +/- A SD, n = 25), whereas the lowest value occurs between the diseased intima and media (104 +/- A 24 kPa, n = 18). The radial tissue strength at the bifurcation is the highest compared with locations that are away from the central region of the bifurcation. Force/width values required to separate the individual layers and to dissect the media in the circumferential direction are always lower than related values in the axial direction, suggesting anisotropic dissection properties. Dissection energies per reference area generated during the peeling tests are also lower for strips in the circumferential direction than for axial strips, and they vary significantly with the location, as shown for the media. Histological investigations demonstrate that interfacial ruptures mainly occur in the media in both types of tests and are 2-5 elastic lamellae away from the external and internal elastic laminae. A remarkably "rougher" dissection surface is generated during axial peeling tests when compared with tests performed in the circumferential direction.
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| 19. |
- Töger, Johannes, et al.
(författare)
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Vortex Ring Formation in the Left Ventricle of the Heart: Analysis by 4D Flow MRI and Lagrangian Coherent Structures.
- 2012
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Ingår i: Annals of Biomedical Engineering. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1573-9686 .- 0090-6964. ; 40:12, s. 2652-2662
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Recent studies suggest that vortex ring formation during left ventricular (LV) rapid filling is an optimized mechanism for blood transport, and that the volume of the vortex ring is an important measure. However, due to lack of quantitative methods, the volume of the vortex ring has not previously been studied. Lagrangian Coherent Structures (LCS) is a new flow analysis method, which enables in vivo quantification of vortex ring volume. Therefore, we aimed to investigate if vortex ring volume in the human LV can be reliably quantified using LCS and magnetic resonance velocity mapping (4D PC-MR). Flow velocities were measured using 4D PC-MR in 9 healthy volunteers and 4 patients with dilated ischemic cardiomyopathy. LV LCS were computed from flow velocities and manually delineated in all subjects. Vortex volume in the healthy volunteers was 51 ± 6% of the LV volume, and 21 ± 5% in the patients. Interobserver variability was -1 ± 13% and interstudy variability was -2 ± 12%. Compared to idealized flow experiments, the vortex rings showed additional complexity and asymmetry, related to endocardial trabeculation and papillary muscles. In conclusion, LCS and 4D PC-MR enables measurement of vortex ring volume during rapid filling of the LV.
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| 20. |
- Valentin, A., et al.
(författare)
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A Multi-Layered Computational Model of Coupled Elastin Degradation, Vasoactive Dysfunction, and Collagenous Stiffening in Aortic Aging
- 2011
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Ingår i: Annals of Biomedical Engineering. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0090-6964 .- 1573-9686. ; 39:7, s. 2027-2045
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Arterial responses to diverse pathologies and insults likely occur via similar mechanisms. For example, many studies suggest that the natural process of aging and isolated systolic hypertension share many characteristics in arteries, including loss of functional elastin, decreased smooth muscle tone, and altered rates of deposition, and/or crosslinking of fibrillar collagen. Our aim is to show computationally how these coupled effects can impact evolving aortic geometry and mechanical behavior. Employing a thick-walled, multi-layered constrained mixture model, we suggest that a coupled loss of elastin and vasoactive function are fundamental mechanisms by which aortic aging occurs. Moreover, it is suggested that collagenous stiffening, although itself generally an undesirable process, can play a key role in attenuating excessive dilatation, perhaps including the enlargement of abdominal aortic aneurysms.
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| 21. |
- Viano, David C, et al.
(författare)
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Evaluation of three animal models for concussion and serious brain injury.
- 2012
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Ingår i: Annals of biomedical engineering. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1573-9686 .- 0090-6964. ; 40:1, s. 213-26
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Three animal models were evaluated in this study involving head impacts of the rat, including the Marmarou drop-weight and two momentum-exchange techniques. In series 1, 36 Wistar rats were hit on the side of the free-moving head using Marmarou's 450 g impact mass at 4.4, 5.4, and 6.3 m/s. Head acceleration was measured and injuries were observed. The 6.3-m/s side impact resulted in no deaths, no skull fractures, infrequent contusions, and some injuries consistent with diffuse axonal injury. In series 2, 57 Marmarou drop-weight tests were conducted to study head biomechanical responses. Marmarou's technique involves a head impact followed by prolonged loading into a foam pad under the animal. Based on the literature, the 2 m (6.3 m/s) Marmarou drop causes death, skull fracture, brain and spinal cord contusions, and diffuse axonal injury. These injuries are more severe than that occurring with impact of similar mass and velocity to the free-moving head. Impacts to the free-moving head provide more realistic animal models to study concussion and severe brain injury.
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| 22. |
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| 23. |
- Engstedt, Olof, et al.
(författare)
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Assessment of natal origin of pike (Esox lucius) in the Baltic Sea using Sr:Ca in otoliths
- 2010
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Ingår i: Environmental Biology Of Fishes. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0378-1909 .- 1573-5133. ; 89:3-4, s. 547-555
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Spawning habitat of pike (Esox lucius) in the Baltic Sea include brackish water bays, brooks and rivers. Elevated salinity concentrations are one of several stressors that might increase the use and importance of freshwater habitats for spawning. In the Baltic Sea, one of the largest brackish seas in the world, freshwater species like pike, perch (Perca fluviatilis), whitefish (Coregonus sp), bream (Abramis brama), ide (Leuciscus idus), roach (Rutilus rutilus) and burbot (Lola iota) all undertake spawning migrations to freshwater. However, over the last decades populations densities of these species have declined, and recruitment failure has been argued to be at least part of the problem. The importance of brooks and rivers as spawning areas for these species have not been quantified and set in relation to spawning success in brackish bays. In this study, we collected 175 adult pike (Esox lucius) on their foraging grounds in the sea. Fish were collected in two regions on the Baltic coast, more than 600 km apart. Subsequently we determined their origin (freshwater or marine) using otolith chemistry. Sagittal otoliths were analysed for strontium using the PIXE-method. The results show that 80 of the 175 pike were recruited in freshwater, and several of the larger specimens showed reoccurring migration behaviour. Data show that freshwater is an important recruitment habitat for Baltic Sea pike, suggesting that habitat improvements in rivers entering the Baltic Sea might significantly contribute to population restoration.
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| 24. |
- Miller, Amanda C, et al.
(författare)
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Reading Comprehension in Children with ADHD: Cognitive Underpinnings of the Centrality Deficit
- 2013
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Ingår i: Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology. - : Springer Verlag (Germany). - 0091-0627 .- 1573-2835. ; 41:3, s. 473-483
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We examined reading comprehension in children with ADHD by assessing their ability to build a coherent mental representation that allows them to recall central and peripheral information. We compared children with ADHD (mean age 9.78) to word reading-matched controls (mean age 9.89) on their ability to retell a passage. We found that even though children with ADHD recalled more central than peripheral information, they showed their greatest deficit, relative to controls, on central information-a centrality deficit (Miller and Keenan, Annals of Dyslexia 59:99-113, 2009). We explored the cognitive underpinnings of this deficit using regressions to compare how well cognitive factors (working memory, inhibition, processing speed, and IQ) predicted the ability to recall central information, after controlling for word reading ability, and whether these cognitive factors interacted with ADHD symptoms. Working memory accounted for the most unique variance. Although previous evidence for reading comprehension difficulties in children with ADHD have been mixed, this study suggests that even when word reading ability is controlled, children with ADHD have difficulty building a coherent mental representation, and this difficulty is likely related to deficits in working memory.
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