Particle hemodynamics analysis of Miller cuff arterial anastomosis

AbstractObjectiveStudies of animal and human below-knee anastomoses with Miller cuffs indicate that improved graft patency results from redistribution of intimal hyperplasia away from areas critical to flow delivery, such as the arterial toe. We hypothesize that particle hemodynamic conditions are a biophysical mechanism potentially responsible for the clinically observed shift in intimal hyperplasia localization associated with better patency of the Miller configuration.MethodsComputational fluid dynamics analysis of vortical flow patterns, wall shear stress fields, and potential for platelet interaction with the vascular surface was performed for realistic three-dimensional conventional and Miller cuff distal end-to-side anastomoses. Sites of significant platelet-wall interaction, including elevated near-wall particle concentrations and stasis, were identified with a validated near-wall residence time model, which includes shear stress–based factors for particle activation and surface reactivity.ResultsParticle hemodynamics largely coincide with the observed redistribution of intimal hyperplasia away from the critical arterial toe region. Detrimental changes in wall shear stress vector magnitude and direction are significantly reduced along the arterial suture line of the Miller cuff, largely as a result of increased anastomotic area available for flow redirection. However, because of strong particle-wall interaction, resulting high near-wall residence time contours indicate significant intimal hyperplasia along the graft-vein suture line and in the vicinity of the arterial heel.ConclusionsWhile a number of interacting mechanical, biophysical, and technical factors may be responsible for improved Miller cuff patency, our results imply that particle hemodynamics conditions engendered by Miller cuff geometry provide a mechanism that may account for redistribution of intimal hyperplasia. In particular, it appears that a focal region of significant particle-wall interaction at the arterial toe is substantially reduced with the Miller cuff configuration

Analysis of Multi-Layer Immiscible Fluid Flow in a Microchannel

The development of microfluidics platforms in recent years has led to an increase in the number of applications involving the flow of multiple immiscible layers of viscous electrolyte fluids. In this study, numerical results as well as analytic equations for velocity and shear stress profiles were derived for N layers with known viscosities, assuming steady laminar flow in a microchannel driven by pressure and/or electro-static (Coulomb) forces. Numerical simulation results, using a commercial software package, match analytical results for fully-developed flow. Entrance flow effects with centered fluid-layer shrinking were studied as well. Specifically, cases with larger viscosities in the inner layers show a very good agreement with experimental correlations for the dimensionless entrance length as a function of inlet Reynolds number. However, significant deviations may occur for multilayer flows with smaller viscosities in the inner layers. A correlation was deduced for the two-layer electroosmotic flow and the pressure driven flow, both being more complex when compared with single-layer flows. The impact of using powerlaw fluids on resulting velocity profiles has also been explored and compared to Newtonian fluid flows. The present model readily allows for an exploration of the impact of design choices on velocity profiles, shear stress, and channel distribution in multilayer microchannel flows as a function of layered viscosity distribution and type of driving force

Critical Invalidation of Temperature Dependence of Nanofluid Thermal Conductivity Enhancement

Of interest is the accurate measurement of the enhanced thermal conductivity of certain nanofluids free from the impact of natural convection. Owing to its simplicity, wide range of applicability and short response time, the transient hot-wire method (THWM) is frequently used to measure the thermal conductivity of fluids. In order to gain a sufficiently high accuracy, special care should be taken to assure that each measurement is not affected by initial heat supply delay, natural convection, and signal noise. In this study, it was found that there is a temperature limit when using THWM due to the incipience of natural convection. The results imply that the temperature-dependence of the thermal conductivity enhancement observed by other researchers might be misleading when ignoring the impact of natural convection; hence, it could not be used as supporting evidence of the effectiveness of micromixing due to Brownian motion. Thus, it is recommended that researchers report how they keep the impact of the natural convection negligible and check the integrity of their measurements in the future researches

Subject-variability effects on micron particle deposition in human nasal cavities

Validated computer simulations of the airflow and particle dynamics in human nasal cavities are important for local, segmental and total deposition predictions of both inhaled toxic and therapeutic particles. Considering three, quite different subject-specific nasal airway configurations, micron-particle transport and deposition for low-to-medium flow rates have been analyzed. Of special interest was the olfactory region from which deposited drugs could readily migrate to the central nervous system for effective treatment. A secondary objective was the development of a new dimensionless group with which total particle deposition efficiency curves are very similar for all airway models, i.e., greatly reducing the impact of intersubject variability. Assuming dilute particle suspensions with inhalation flow rates ranging from 7.5 to 20 L/min, the airflow and particle-trajectory equations were solved in parallel with the in-house, multi-purpose Alya program at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center. The geometrically complex nasal airways generated intriguing airflow fields where the three subject models exhibit among them both similar as well as diverse flow structures and wall shear stress distributions, all related to the coupled particle transport and deposition. Nevertheless, with the new Stokes-Reynolds-number group, , the total deposition-efficiency curves for all three subjects and flow rates almost collapsed to a single function. However, local particle deposition efficiencies differed significantly for the three subjects when using particle diameters = 2, 10, and . Only one of the three subject-specific olfactory regions received, at relatively high values of the inertial parameter , some inhaled microspheres. Clearly, for drug delivery to the brain via the olfactory region, a new method of directional inhalation of nanoparticles would have to be implemented.The authors acknowledge Dr. Rick Corley and colleagues at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory for providing the subject B nasal surface geometry and Dr. Edgar Matida and Dr. Matthew Johnson at Carleton University for providing the subject C nasal surface geometryPeer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Analysis and computer program for rupture-risk prediction of abdominal aortic aneurysms

BACKGROUND: Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are the 13(th )leading cause of death in the United States. While AAA rupture may occur without significant warning, its risk assessment is generally based on critical values of the maximum AAA diameter (>5 cm) and AAA-growth rate (>0.5 cm/year). These criteria may be insufficient for reliable AAA-rupture risk assessment especially when predicting possible rupture of smaller AAAs. METHODS: Based on clinical evidence, eight biomechanical factors with associated weighting coefficients were determined and summed up in terms of a dimensionless, time-dependent severity parameter, SP(t). The most important factor is the maximum wall stress for which a semi-empirical correlation has been developed. RESULTS: The patient-specific SP(t) indicates the risk level of AAA rupture and provides a threshold value when surgical intervention becomes necessary. The severity parameter was validated with four clinical cases and its application is demonstrated for two AAA cases. CONCLUSION: As part of computational AAA-risk assessment and medical management, a patient-specific severity parameter 0 < SP(t) < 1.0 has been developed. The time-dependent, normalized SP(t) depends on eight biomechanical factors, to be obtained via a patient's pressure and AAA-geometry measurements. The resulting program is an easy-to-use tool which allows medical practitioners to make scientific diagnoses, which may save lives and should lead to an improved quality of life

Assessing the carcinogenic potential of low-dose exposures to chemical mixtures in the environment: the challenge ahead.

Lifestyle factors are responsible for a considerable portion of cancer incidence worldwide, but credible estimates from the World Health Organization and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) suggest that the fraction of cancers attributable to toxic environmental exposures is between 7% and 19%. To explore the hypothesis that low-dose exposures to mixtures of chemicals in the environment may be combining to contribute to environmental carcinogenesis, we reviewed 11 hallmark phenotypes of cancer, multiple priority target sites for disruption in each area and prototypical chemical disruptors for all targets, this included dose-response characterizations, evidence of low-dose effects and cross-hallmark effects for all targets and chemicals. In total, 85 examples of chemicals were reviewed for actions on key pathways/mechanisms related to carcinogenesis. Only 15% (13/85) were found to have evidence of a dose-response threshold, whereas 59% (50/85) exerted low-dose effects. No dose-response information was found for the remaining 26% (22/85). Our analysis suggests that the cumulative effects of individual (non-carcinogenic) chemicals acting on different pathways, and a variety of related systems, organs, tissues and cells could plausibly conspire to produce carcinogenic synergies. Additional basic research on carcinogenesis and research focused on low-dose effects of chemical mixtures needs to be rigorously pursued before the merits of this hypothesis can be further advanced. However, the structure of the World Health Organization International Programme on Chemical Safety 'Mode of Action' framework should be revisited as it has inherent weaknesses that are not fully aligned with our current understanding of cancer biology

Experimental and theoretical studies of nanofluid thermal conductivity enhancement: a review

Nanofluids, i.e., well-dispersed (metallic) nanoparticles at low- volume fractions in liquids, may enhance the mixture's thermal conductivity, knf, over the base-fluid values. Thus, they are potentially useful for advanced cooling of micro-systems. Focusing mainly on dilute suspensions of well-dispersed spherical nanoparticles in water or ethylene glycol, recent experimental observations, associated measurement techniques, and new theories as well as useful correlations have been reviewed

Assessing the carcinogenic potential of low-dose exposures to chemical mixtures in the environment: the challenge ahead

Lifestyle factors are responsible for a considerable portion of cancer incidence worldwide, but credible estimates from the World Health Organization and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) suggest that the fraction of cancers attributable to toxic environmental exposures is between 7% and 19%. To explore the hypothesis that low-dose exposures to mixtures of chemicals in the environment may be combining to contribute to environmental carcinogenesis, we reviewed 11 hallmark phenotypes of cancer, multiple priority target sites for disruption in each area and prototypical chemical disruptors for all targets, this included dose-response characterizations, evidence of low-dose effects and cross-hallmark effects for all targets and chemicals. In total, 85 examples of chemicals were reviewed for actions on key pathways/mechanisms related to carcinogenesis. Only 15% (13/85) were found to have evidence of a dose-response threshold, whereas 59% (50/85) exerted low-dose effects. No dose-response information was found for the remaining 26% (22/85). Our analysis suggests that the cumulative effects of individual (non-carcinogenic) chemicals acting on different pathways, and a variety of related systems, organs, tissues and cells could plausibly conspire to produce carcinogenic synergies. Additional basic research on carcinogenesis and research focused on low-dose effects of chemical mixtures needs to be rigorously pursued before the merits of this hypothesis can be further advanced. However, the structure of the World Health Organization International Programme on Chemical Safety ‘Mode of Action’ framework should be revisited as it has inherent weaknesses that are not fully aligned with our current understanding of cancer biology

Assessing the carcinogenic potential of low-dose exposures to chemical mixtures in the environment: the challenge ahead

Lifestyle factors are responsible for a considerable portion of cancer incidence worldwide, but credible estimates from the World Health Organization and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) suggest that the fraction of cancers attributable to toxic environmental exposures is between 7% and 19%. To explore the hypothesis that low-dose exposures to mixtures of chemicals in the environment may be combining to contribute to environmental carcinogenesis, we reviewed 11 hallmark phenotypes of cancer, multiple priority target sites for disruption in each area and prototypical chemical disruptors for all targets, this included dose-response characterizations, evidence of low-dose effects and cross-hallmark effects for all targets and chemicals. In total, 85 examples of chemicals were reviewed for actions on key pathways/ mechanisms related to carcinogenesis. Only 15% (13/85) were found to have evidence of a dose-response threshold, whereas 59% (50/85) exerted low-dose effects. No dose-response information was found for the remaining 26% (22/85). Our analysis suggests that the cumulative effects of individual (non-carcinogenic) chemicals acting on different pathways, and a variety of related systems, organs, tissues and cells could plausibly conspire to produce carcinogenic synergies. Additional basic research on carcinogenesis and research focused on low-dose effects of chemical mixtures needs to be rigorously pursued before the merits of this hypothesis can be further advanced. However, the structure of the World Health Organization International Programme on Chemical Safety ‘Mode of Action’ framework should be revisited as it has inherent weaknesses that are not fully aligned with our current understanding of cancer biology

Modern Fluid Dynamics: Intermediate Theory and Applications

Features pedagogical elements that include consistent 50/50 physics-mathematics approach when introducing material, illustrating concepts, showing flow visualizations, and solving problems. This title intends to help serious undergraduate student solve basic fluid dynamics problems independently, and suggest system design improvementsThis textbook covers the essentials of traditional and modern fluid dynamics, i.e., the fundamentals of and basic applications in fluid mechanics and convection heat transfer with brief excursions into fluid-particle dynamics and solid mechanics. Specifically, the book can be used to enhance the knowledge base and skill level of engineering and physics students in macro-scale fluid mechanics (see Chapters I-V), followed by an introductory excursion into micro-scale fluid dynamics (see Chapters VI-X). Clearly, most of Chapters I-X could be taught in one course to honours-level seniors and first-year graduates. A Solutions Manual to the assigned book problems will be provided. This work evolved primarily out of industrial demands and post-graduate expectations, because a fine knowledge base in modern fluid dynamics is important, focusing on novel application areas such as microfluidics, mixture flows, fluid-structure interaction, biofluid dynamics, thermal flows, and fluid-particle transport. Building on courses in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and solid mechanics as prerequisites as well as on a junior-level math background, a differential approach is most insightful to teach the fundamentals in fluid mechanics, to explain traditional and modern applications on an intermediate level, and to provide sufficient physical insight to understand results, later on generated with useful CFD software. Pedagogical elements include a consistent 50/50 physics-mathematics approach when introducing new material, illustrating concepts, showing flow visualizations, and solving problems. The problem solution format strictly follows the pattern of system sketch, assumptions, and concept/approach—before starting the solution phase which consists of symbolic math model development (Appendix A), numerical solution, graphs, and comments on "physical insight". After some illustrative examples, most solved text examples have the same level of difficulty as suggested homework, quiz, test, and/or exam problems. The ultimate goals are that the more serious student can solve basic fluid dynamics problems independently, can provide physical insight, and can suggest, via a course project, system design improvements