Wall shear stress in intracranial aneurysms and adjacent arteries

Hemodynamic parameters play an important role in aneurysm formation and growth. However, it is difficult to directly observe a rapidly growing de novo aneurysm in a patient. To investigate possible associations between hemodynamic parameters and the formation and growth of intracranial aneurysms, the present study constructed a computational model of a case with an internal carotid artery aneurysm and an anterior communicating artery aneurysm, based on the CT angiography findings of a patient. To simulate the formation of the anterior communicating artery aneurysm and the growth of the internal carotid artery aneurysm, we then constructed a model that virtually removed the anterior communicating artery aneurysm, and a further two models that also progressively decreased the size of the internal carotid artery aneurysm. Computational simulations of the fluid dynamics of the four models were performed under pulsatile flow conditions, and wall shear stress was compared among the different models. In the three aneurysm growth models, increasing size of the aneurysm was associated with an increased area of low wall shear stress, a significant decrease in wall shear stress at the dome of the aneurysm, and a significant change in the wall shear stress of the parent artery. The wall shear stress of the anterior communicating artery remained low, and was significantly lower than the wall shear stress at the bifurcation of the internal carotid artery or the bifurcation of the middle cerebral artery. After formation of the anterior communicating artery aneurysm, the wall shear stress at the dome of the internal carotid artery aneurysm increased significantly, and the wall shear stress in the upstream arteries also changed significantly. These findings indicate that low wall shear stress may be associated with the initiation and growth of aneurysms, and that aneurysm formation and growth may influence hemodynamic parameters in the local and adjacent arteries.

Wall shear stress can improve prediction accuracy for transient ischemic attack

BACKGROUND Early prediction of transient ischemic attack (TIA) has important clinical value. To date, systematic studies on clinical, biochemical, and imaging indicators related to carotid atherosclerosis have been carried out to predict the occurrence of TIA. However, their prediction accuracy is limited. AIM To explore the role of combining wall shear stress (WSS) with conventional predictive indicators in improving the accuracy of TIA prediction. METHODS A total of 250 patients with atherosclerosis who underwent carotid ultrasonography at Naval Military Medical University Affiliated Gongli Hospital were recruited. Plaque location, plaque properties, stenosis rate, peak systolic velocity, and end diastolic velocity were measured and recorded. The WSS distribution map of the proximal and distal ends of the plaque shoulder was drawn using the shear stress quantitative analysis software, and the average values of WSS were recorded. The laboratory indicators of the subjects were recorded. The patients were followed for 4 years. Patients with TIA were included in a TIA group and the remaining patients were included in a control group. The clinical data, laboratory indicators, and ultrasound characteristics of the two groups were analyzed. Survival curves were plotted by the Kaplan-Meier method. Receiver operating characteristic curves were established to evaluate the accuracy of potential indicators in predicting TIA. Logistic regression model was used to establish combined prediction, and the accuracy of combined predictive indicators for TIA was explored.RESULTS The intraclass correlation coefficients of the WSS between the proximal and distal ends of the plaque shoulder were 0.976 and 0.993, respectively, which indicated an excellent agreement. At the end of the follow-up, 30 patients suffered TIA (TIA group) and 204 patients did not (control group). Hypertension (P = 0.037), diabetes (P = 0.026), homocysteine (Hcy)(P = 0.022), fasting blood glucose (P = 0.034), plaque properties (P = 0.000), luminal stenosis rate (P = 0.000), and proximal end WSS (P = 0.000) were independent influencing factors for TIA during follow-up. The accuracy of each indicator for predicting TIA individually was not high (area under the curve [AUC]< 0.9). The accuracy of the combined indicator including WSS (AUC = 0.944) was significantly higher than that of the combined indicator without WSS (AUC = 0.856) in predicting TIA (z = 2.177, P = 0.030). The sensitivity and specificity of the combined indicator including WSS were 86.67% and 92.16%, respectively. CONCLUSION WSS at plaque surface combined with hypertension, diabetes, Hcy, blood glucose, plaque properties, and stenosis rate can significantly improve the accuracy of predicting TIA.

Stationary Flow of Blood in a Rigid Vessel in the Presence of an External Magnetic Field: Considerations about the Forces and Wall Shear Stresses

The magnetohydrodynamics laws govern the motion of a conducting fluid, such as blood, in an externally applied static magnetic field B0. When an artery is exposed to a magnetic field, the blood charged particles are deviated by the Lorentz force thus inducing electrical currents and voltages along the vessel walls and in the neighboring tissues. Such a situation may occur in several biomedical applications: magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), magnetic drug transport and targeting, tissue engineering… In this paper, we consider the steady unidirectional blood flow in a straight circular rigid vessel with non-conducting walls, in the presence of an exterior static magnetic field. The exact solution of Gold (1962) (with the induced fields not neglected) is revisited. It is shown that the integration over a cross section of the vessel of the longitudinal projection of the Lorentz force is zero, and that this result is related to the existence of current return paths, whose contributions compensate each other over the section. It is also demonstrated that the classical definition of the shear stresses cannot apply in this situation of magnetohydrodynamic flow, because, due to the existence of the Lorentz force, the axisymmetry is broken.

The Analysis of Wall Shear Stress Modulated by Acute Exercise in the Human Common Carotid Artery with an Elastic Tube Model

Assessment of the magnitude and pattern of wall shear stress(WSS)in vivo is the prerequisite for studying the quantitative relationship between exercise-induced WSS and arterial endothelial function.In the previous studies,the calculation of the WSS modulated by exercise training was primarily based upon the rigid tube model,which did not take non-linear effects of vessel elastic deformation into consideration.In this study,with an elastic tube model,we estimated the effect of a bout of 30-minute acute cycling exercise on the WSS and the flow rate in the common carotid artery according to the measured inner diameter,center-line blood flow velocity,heart rates and the brachial blood pressures before and after exercise training.Furthermore,the roles of exerciseinduced arterial diameter and blood flow rate in the change of WSS were also determined.The numerical results demonstrate that acute exercise significantly increases the magnitudes of blood flow rate and WSS.Moreover,the vessel elastic deformation is a non-negligible factor in the calculation of the WSS induced by exercise,which generates greater effects on the minimum WSS than the maximum WSS.Additionally,the contributions of exercise-induced variations in blood flow rate and diameter are almost identical in the change of the mean WSS.

An improved wall shear stress measurement technique using sandwiched hot-film sensors

In this letter we present a novel wall shear stress measurement technique for a turbulent boundary layer using sandwiched hot-film sensors. Under certain conditions, satisfactory results can be obtained using only the heat generated by one of the hot-film and a calibration of the sensors is not required. Two thin Nickel films with the same size were used in this study, separated by an electrical insulating layer. The upper film served as a sensor and the bottom one served as a guard heater. The two Nickel films were operated at a same temperature, so that the Joule heat flux generated by the sensor film transferred to the air with a minimum loss or gain depending on the uncertainties in the film temperature measurements. Analytical solution of the shear stress based on the aforementioned heat flux was obtained. The preliminary results were promising and the estimated wall shear stresses agreed reasonablywell with the directly measured values （with errors less than 20%） in a fully developed turbulent pipe flow. The proposed technique can be improved to further increase precisions.

Wall shear stress in portal vein of cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension

AIM To investigate wall shear stress(WSS) magnitude and distribution in cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension using computational fluid dynamics. METHODS Idealized portal vein(PV) system models were reconstructed with different angles of the PV-splenic vein(SV) and superior mesenteric vein(SMV)-SV. Patient-specific models were created according to enhanced computed tomography images. WSS was simulated by using a finite-element analyzer, regarding the blood as a Newtonian fluid and the vessel as a rigid wall. Analysis was carried out to compare the WSSin the portal hypertension group with that in healthy controls.RESULTS For the idealized models, WSS in the portal hypertension group(0-10 dyn/cm2) was significantly lower than that in the healthy controls(10-20 dyn/cm2), and low WSS area(0-1 dyn/cm2) only occurred in the left wall of the PV in the portal hypertension group. Different angles of PV-SV and SMV-SV had different effects on the magnitude and distribution of WSS, and low WSS area often occurred in smaller PV-SV angle and larger SMV-SV angle. In the patient-specific models, WSS in the cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension(10.13 ± 1.34 dyn/cm2) was also significantly lower than that in the healthy controls(P < 0.05). Low WSS area often occurred in the junction area of SV and SMV into the PV, in the area of the division of PV into left and right PV, and in the outer wall of the curving SV in the control group. In the cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension, the low WSS area extended to wider levels and the magnitude of WSS reached lower levels, thereby being more prone to disturbed flow occurrence.CONCLUSION Cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension show dramatic hemodynamic changes with lower WSS and greater potential for disturbed flow, representing a possible causative factor of PV thrombosis.

Inner-outer decomposition of wall shear stress fluctuations in turbulent channels

Fluctuating wall shear stress in turbulent channel flows is decomposed into small-scale and large-scale components.The large-scale fluctuating wall shear stress is computed as the footprints of the outer turbulent motions,and the small-scale one is obtained by subtracting the large-scale one from the total,which fully remove the outer influences.We show that the statistics of the small-scale fluctuating wall shear stress is Reynolds number independent at the friction Reynolds number larger than 1000,while which is Reynolds number dependent or the low-Reynolds-number effect exists at the friction Reynolds number smaller than 1000.Therefore,a critical Reynolds number that defines the emergence of universal small-scale fluctuating wall shear stress is proposed to be 1000.The total and large-scale fluctuating wall shear stress intensities approximately follow logarithmic-linear relationships with Reynolds number,and empirical fitting expressions are given in this work.

The Effect of Near-Wall Vortices on Wall Shear Stress in Turbulent Boundary Layers

The objective of the present study is to explore the relation between the near-wall vortices and the shear stress on the wall in two-dimensional channel flows. A direct numerical simulation of an incompressible two-dimensional turbulent channel flow is performed with spectral method and the results are used to examine the relation between wall shear stress and near-wall vortices. The two-point correlation results indicate that the wall shear stress is associated with the vortices near the wall and the maximum correlation-value location of the near-wall vortices is obtained. The analysis of the instantaneous diagrams of fluctuation velocity vectors provides a further expression for the above conclusions. The results of this research provide a useful supplement for the control of turbulent boundary layers.

Relationship between wall shear stresses and streamwise vortices in turbulent flows over wavy boundaries

The relationship between wall shear stresses and near-wall streamwise vortices is investigated via a direct numerical simulation(DNS) of turbulent flows over a wavy boundary with traveling-wave motion. The results indicate that the wall shear stresses are still closely related to the near-wall streamwise vortices in the presence of a wave. The wave age and wave phase significantly affect the distribution of a two-point correlation coefficient between the wall shear stresses and streamwise vorticity. For the slow wave case of c/Um = 0.14, the correlation is attenuated above the leeward side while the distribution of correlation function is more elongated and also exhibits a larger vertical extent above the crest. With respect to the fast wave case of c/U_m=1.4, the distribution of the correlation function is recovered in a manner similar to that in the flat-wall case. In this case, the maximum correlation coefficient exhibits only slight differences at different wave phases while the vertical distribution of the correlation function depends on the wave phase.

Converging Parallel Plate Flow Chambers for Studies on the Effect of the Spatial Gradient of Wall Shear Stress on Endothelial Cells

Many in vitro studies focus on effects of wall shear stress (WSS) and wall shear stress gradient (WSSG) on endothelial cells, which are linked to the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis in the arterial system. Limitation in available flow chambers with a constant WSSG in the testing region makes it difficult to quantify cellular responses to WSSG. The current study proposes and characterizes a type of converging parallel plate flow chamber (PPFC) featuring a constant gradient of WSS. A simple formula was derived for the curvature of side walls, which relates WSSG to flow rate (Q), height of the PPFC (h), length of the convergent section (L), its widths at the entrance (w0) and exit (w1). CFD simulation of flow in the chamber is carried out. Constant WSSG is observed in most regions of the top and bottom plates except those in close proximity of side walls. A change in Q or h induces equally proportional changes in WSS and WSSG whereas an alteration in the ratio between w0 and w1 results in a more significant change in WSSG than that in WSS. The current design makes possible an easy quantification of WSSG on endothelial cells in the flow chamber.

Effects of Elasticity on Wall Shear Stress in Patient-Specific Aneurysm of Cerebral Artery

The behavior of wall shear stress (WSS) was previously reported in a deformable aneurysm model using fluid-structure interactions. However, these findings have not been validated. In the present study, we examined the effect of elasticity (i.e., deformation) on wall shear stress inside a cerebral aneurysm at the apex of a bifurcation using particle image velocimetry in vitro. The flow model simulated a human patient-specific aneurysm at the apex of the bifurcation of the middle cerebral artery. Flow characteristics by wall elasticity were examined for both elastic and non-deformable aneurysm models with pulsatile blood flow. The absolute temporally- and spatially-averaged WSS along the bleb wall was smaller in the elastic model than that in the non-deformable model. This small WSS may be related to attenuation of the WSS. Further, the WSS gradient had a finite value near the stagnation point of the aneurysm dome. Finally, the WSS gradient near the stagnation point was slightly smaller in the elastic model than that in the non-deformable model. These data suggest that elasticity of the aneurysm wall can affect the progression and rupture of aneurysms via hemodynamic stress.

The Wall Shear Stress of a Pulsatile Blood Flow in a Patient Specific Stenotic Right Coronary Artery

A computer simulation of the blood flow in a patient specific atherosclerotic right coronary artery is carried out to study the blood flow pattern and the wall shear stress (WSS) distribution in the artery. Both temporal and special distribution patterns of the WSS of the non-Newtonian blood flow are presented and the regions on the lumen surface where the WSS is constantly lower than 1N/m2are identified.

A CLOSED SYSTEM OF EQUATIONS FOR DENSE TWO-PHASE FLOW AND EXPRESSIONS OF SHEARING STRESS OF DISPERSED PHA’E AT A WALL

Inthis paper, each of the two phases in dense two-phase flow is considered as continuous medium and the fundamental equations for two-phase flow arc described in Eulerian form. The generalized constitutive relation of the Bingham fluid is applied to the dispersed phase with the analysis oj physical mechanism of dense two-phase flow. The shearing stress of dispersed phase at a wall is used to give a boundary condition. Then a mathematical model for dense two-phase flow is obtained. In addition, the expressions of shearing stress of dispersed phase at a wall is derived according to the fundamental model of the friclional collision between dispersed-plutse particles and the wall.

Measurement of surface shear stress vector distribution using shear-sensitive liquid crystal coatings

The global wall shear stress measurement tech- nique using shear-sensitive liquid crystal （SSLC） is extended to wind tunnel measurements. Simple and common every- day equipment is used in the measurement; in particular a tungsten-halogen light bulb provides illumination and a saturation of SSLC coating color change with time is found. Spatial wall shear stress distributions of several typical flows are obtained using this technique, including wall-jet flow, vortex flow generated by a delta wing and junction flow behind a thin cylinder, although the magnitudes are not fully calibrated. The results demonstrate that SSLC technique can be extended to wind tunnel measurements with no complicated facilities used.

Investigation on Cracking of Concrete Shear Wall under Exceeded Temperature Differences Rate

In situ, the changes of temperature, deformation, and stressing of steel bar of C40 reinforced concrete shear wall were measured, respectively. The results are obvious that the temperature change of climate is one of the most effective factors which could lead the concrete shear wall to cracking at earlier age. The temperature differences between inside and outside concrete shear wall are so large that the concrete will gain larger shrinkage. This larger shrinkage which is caused by the temperature reducing ratio will gain the strained action of head, end and reinforced steel bar of concrete shear wall. This action can lead to tensile stress on the surface and inside concrete shear wall. If the tensile stress would exceed the pull strength of concrete, the concrete shear wall would crack and cause deterioration. Thus, the enhancing curing of concrete shear wall in suit at earlier age, and controlling temperature reducing ratio and deform caused by shrinkage, will be available treatments which control occurring and developing of cracking on concrete shear wall.

Impact of an External Magnetic Field on the Shear Stresses Exerted by Blood Flowing in a Large Vessel

The aim of this paper is to provide an advanced analysis of the shear stresses exerted on vessel walls by the flowing blood, when a limb or the whole body, or a vessel prosthesis, a scaffold… is placed in an external static magnetic field B0. This type of situation could occur in several biomedical applications, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), magnetic drug transport and targeting, tissue engineering, mechanotransduction studies… Since blood is a conducting fluid, its charged particles are deviated by the Hall effect, and the equations of motion include the Lorentz force. Consequently, the velocity profile is no longer axisymmetric, and the velocity gradients at the wall vary all around the vessel. To illustrate this idea, we expand the exact solution given by Gold (1962) for the stationary flow of blood in a rigid vessel with an insulating wall in the presence of an external static magnetic field: the analytical expressions for the velocity gradients are provided and evaluated near the wall. We demonstrate that the derivative of the longitudinal velocity with respect to the radial coordinate is preponderant when compared to the θ-derivative, and that elevated values of B0 would be required to induce some noteworthy influence on the shear stresses at the vessel wall.

复合型形态学特征联合流体力学对肾下型腹主动脉瘤破裂风险的评估

目的探讨复合型几何形态学特征对腹主动脉瘤(AAA)破裂风险的影响,并进行流体力学分析。方法回顾性收集2019年6月—2023年8月行CTA检查的AAA未破裂患者25例(完整组)和同期检查进行性别和年龄1∶1配比的AAA破裂患者25例(破裂组)。比较两组患者之间AAA的形态学特征,筛选AAA破裂风险的影响因素,并进行流体力学分析。结果破裂组和完整组的瘤体最大直径(D_(max))、瘤颈直径(D_(neck))、瘤体最大直径/健康主动脉直径(D_(max)/DAO)、瘤体最大直径/瘤颈直径(D_(max)/D_(neck))、标准化动脉瘤范围(L_(nor))分别为(5.92±1.50)cm和(3.67±0.68)cm、(2.38±0.50)cm和(2.06±0.03)cm、(2.54±0.67)和(1.56±0.34)、(2.53±0.62)和(1.81±0.38)、(22.73±11.08)和(10.78±4.59);破裂组的形态学指标量值均高于完整组,其差异均具有统计学意义(t=6.947、2.563、6.567、4.952、4.982,P均<0.05)。其中D_(max)和D_(max)/DAO是AAA破裂风险的独立影响因素(OR分别为1.824、4.039,95%CI分别为1.459~6.251和3.261~9.155,P<0.05)。包含复合型形态学特征的多变量新模型对破裂风险分类的准确性高于仅包含D_(max)的常规模型(94%比88%)。破裂组和完整组AAA分别表现为Ⅲ型和Ⅱ型血流模式,并且破裂组AAA的低壁剪切力面积大于完整动脉瘤(73.9 cm^(2)比67.8 cm^(2))。结论结合形态学特征D_(max)、D_(max)/DAO和流体力学的血流模式和低壁剪切力面积有助于评估AAA的破裂风险。

偏载作用下薄壁箱梁空间整体效应的综合分析

为了研究斜腹板箱梁在竖向偏心荷载作用下的受力性能,在合理构造各翘曲位移函数的基础上,用能量变分法建立全面反映竖向弯曲变形以及剪力滞、约束扭转、畸变等翘曲变形的控制微分方程,通过对既有文献中的模型梁进行计算分析,明确剪力滞、约束扭转及畸变翘曲应力在竖向弯曲应力中的占比情况,并揭示各翘曲广义内力的分布规律。结果表明:按文章解析法求得的模型梁应力理论值与实测值吻合良好,从而验证文章方法的合理性;在偏载作用下箱梁的约束扭转微分方程与畸变微分方程是相互耦联的,这在已有文献中往往被忽略;在剪力滞、约束扭转及畸变翘曲应力中,畸变翘曲应力占据主导地位,剪力滞和约束扭转翘曲应力相对较小,但仍不可忽略,在控制截面上因各种翘曲变形引起的应力放大系数达到1.362;偏心集中荷载引起的各翘曲广义内力均具有快速衰减的分布规律,剪力滞和约束扭转广义内力分布范围很小,而畸变广义内力分布范围广阔。建议在桥梁设计规范相关条文及实际箱梁桥设计中,对畸变效应给予充分重视。

吹氩模式对钢包内多相流流动行为影响的数值模拟研究

以某钢厂150 t钢包为对象,通过数值模拟手段研究了吹氩模式和吹氩流量对钢包流场、钢渣界面行为和壁面剪应力分布的影响。结果表明:单孔吹氩模式下,钢包内环流远端流速低,钢渣界面流动不活跃,易导致此处渣层冷凝结壳;双孔等流量吹氩模式下,随着吹氩流量增大,钢渣界面流速增加,但其流动活跃性降低;双孔差流量吹氩下,大吹氩流量时钢渣界面能维持一定范围的活跃流动。当吹氩流量在120~240 L/min范围,单孔吹氩所形成的渣眼面积大于两种双孔吹氩模式;当吹氩流量超过240 L/min,双孔等流量吹氩下渣眼面积最大,双孔差流量吹氩对应的渣眼面积最小。另外,单孔吹氩下壁面剪应力最大,应力面积较小,双孔等流量吹氩下剪应力虽然显著降低,但分布区域面积增大。综上所述,双孔差流量吹氩模式可以在提高钢液精炼效率的同时,降低对钢包内衬耐火材料的流动侵蚀。

基于计算流体动力学技术评估动脉瘤性蛛网膜下腔出血后迟发性脑缺血风险

目的基于计算流体动力学(computational fluid dynamics,CFD)技术,探究动脉瘤性蛛网膜下腔出血(anauryrmal subarachnoid hemorrhage,aSAH)后颅内血流动力学早期变化与迟发性脑缺血(delayed cerebral ischemia,DCI)发生的潜在关系。方法本研究前瞻性收集经CTA(CT Angiography)诊断并经DSA(Digital Subtracted Angiography)或手术证实为颅内动脉瘤破裂的患者。收集患者的临床和术前、术后的头颅CTA数据。基于患者的CTA原始图像构建个体化颅内血管模型,基于CFD技术模拟计算术前、术后的压力和壁剪切应力(wall shear stress,WSS)及PR(pressure ratio)、WSSR(WSS ratio)。通过随访影像学或临床体格检查判断是否发生DCI,并分为DCI组和无DCI组,分析比较两组间临床资料及血流动力学参数差异及其与DCI相关性。结果共入组51例患者,其中DCI组共15例患者(29.4%)DCI组较无DCI组,入院时收缩压(170.87±20.28 vs.1.58.19±28.06,P=0.037)、Pressure术后(19735.10±860.18vs.14606.06±11260.28,P=0.010)和PR(1.58±0.01vs.1.37±2.12,P=0.012)均较高。单因素分析显示血流动力学参数均无统计学差异,而多因素分析显示Pressure术前(OR=1,95%CI:0.999~1,P=0.017)、Prassure术后(QR=1.00.1,95%CI:1~1.001,P=0.007)、WSS术前(OR=1.096,95%CI:1.002~1.198,P=0.045)和WSS术后(OR=0.888,95%CI:0.806~0.979,P=0.017)对DCI的影响有统计学意义。ROC曲线显示,基于Pressure术前、Pressure术后、WSS术前及WSS术后模型对DCI的识别效能AUC为0.794,敏感度为73.33%,特异度为86.1%。结论aSAH后颅内血流动力学早期改变与DCI发生有关。