Numerical simulation of tumor-induced angiogenesis influenced by the extra-cellular matrix mechanical environment

To investigate tumor-induced angiogenesis under the influence of the mechanical environments inside and outside the tumor, mathematical model of tumor angiogenesis was developed. In the model, extra-cellular matrix （ECM） was treated as a thin plane. The displacement of ECM is obtained from the force balance equation consisted of the ECs traction, the ECM visco-elastic forces and the exter- nal forces. Simulation results show that a layered capillary network is obtained with a well vascularized region at the periphery of the tumor. The present model can be used as a valid theoretical method in the basic researches in tumorinduced angiogenesis.     

Two-dimensional discrete mathematical model of tumor-induced angiogenesis

A 2D discrete mathematical model of a nine-point finite difference scheme is built to simulate tumor-induced angiogenesis. Nine motion directions of an individual endothelial cell and two parent vessels are extended in the present model. The process of tumor-induced angiogenesis is performed by coupling random motility, chemotaxis, and haptotaxis of endothelial cell in different mechanical environments inside and outside the tumor. The results show that nearly realistic tumor microvascular networks with neoplastic pathophysiological characteristics can be generated from the present model. Moreover, the theoretical capillary networks generated in numerical simulations of the discrete model may provide useful information for further clinical research.     

3D numerical study of tumor blood perfusion and oxygen transport during vascular normalization

The changes of blood perfusion and oxygen transport in tumors during tumor vascular normalization are studied with 3-dimensional mathematical modeling and numerical simulation. The models of tumor angiogenesis and vascular-disrupting are used to simulate "un-normalized" and "normalized" vasculatures. A new model combining tumor hemodynamics and oxygen transport is developed. In this model, the intravasculartransvascular-interstitial flow with red blood cell(RBC) delivery is tightly coupled, and the oxygen resource is produced by heterogeneous distribution of hematocrit from the flow simulation. The results show that both tumor blood perfusion and hematocrit in the vessels increase, and the hypoxia microenvironment in the tumor center is greatly improved during vascular normalization. The total oxygen content inside the tumor tissue increases by about 67%, 51%, and 95% for the three approaches of vascular normalization,respectively. The elevation of oxygen concentration in tumors can improve its metabolic environment, and consequently reduce malignancy of tumor cells. It can also enhance radiation and chemotherapeutics to tumors.     

3D numerical simulation of avascular tumour growth: effect of hypoxic micro-environment in host tissue

A three-dimensional （3D） mathematical model of tumour growth at the avascular phase and vessel remodelling in host tissues is proposed with emphasis on the study of the interactions of tumour growth and hypoxic micro-environment in host tissues. The hybrid based model includes the continuum part, such as the distributions of oxygen and vascular endothelial growth factors （VEGFs）, and the discrete part of tumour cells （TCs） and blood vessel networks. The simulation shows the dynamic process of avascular tumour growth from a fewinitial cells to an equilibrium state with varied vessel networks. After a phase of rapidly increasing numbers of the TCs, more and more host vessels collapse due to the stress caused by the growing tumour. In addition, the consumption of oxygen expands with the enlarged tumour region. The study also discusses the effects of certain factors on tumour growth, including the density and configuration of pre- existing vessel networks and the blood oxygen content. The model enables us to examine the relationship between early tumour growth and hypoxic micro-environment in host tissues, which can be useful for further applications, such as tumour metastasis and the initialization of tumour angiogenesis.     

MASS TRANSPORT IN SOLID TUMORS (Ⅰ)──FLUID DYNAMICS

A three-porous-medium model for transvascular exchange and extravascular transport of fluid and macromolecules in a spherical solid tumor is developed. The microvasculature, lymphatics, and tissue space are each treated as a porous medium with the flow of blood. lymph, and interstitial fluid obeying Darcy’s law and Starling’s assumption. In this part, the role of interstitial pressure and fluid convection are studited. The analytical soiutions are obtained for foe isolated tumor and the normal-tissue-surrounded tumor respectively. The calculated interstitial pressure profue are consistent with the experimental observation that the elevated interstitial pressure is a major barrier in the penetration of macromolecular drug into tumors. The factors which may reduce the interstitial pressure are analyzed in details.     

Study of cobalt ferrite nanosuspensions for low-frequency ferromagnetic hyperthermia

High-coercive cobalt ferrite nanoparticles were synthesized and studied for magnetic hyperthermia by direct injection of their suspension into a tumor and application of a strong audio-frequency magnetic field for heating. Physical （dynamic magnetic hysteresis and heat generation in both liquid and solid dispersions）, biological （toxicity and penetration of particles in therapeutic quantities into mouse tumor tissue） as well as other properties of the particles were studied. A model was developed to describe the magnetodynamics in suspensions of magnetic nanoclusters with an account for both Brownian and regular rotations, to provide understanding of observed phenomena. The experimental and theoretical techniques developed have formed a basis for controllable synthesis of the magnetic nanoparticles for low-frequency heat generation in medical and other applications.     

Numerical Analysis of the Spallation of Steel Target under Explosive Loading

A numerical analysis of the propagation of stress waves and theallied scabbing phenomena in a steel plate under explosive attack is made,by using a model of one-dimensional flow.The results are compared withour experimental results which were carried out several years ago.Itis found that,in case the hydrodynamic-elastoplastic model for steelplate and the cumulative damage spall criterion are used,the calculatedthickness of the major spall is in reasonable agreement with that obtainedin the experiments.An approximate formula for the thickness of themajor spall is presented and the“mica-splitting”phenomenon about theminor spalls observed in the experiments is satisfactorily explained.     

Hybrid discrete-continuum model of tumor growth considering capillary points

A hybrid discrete-continuum model of tumor growth in the avascular phase considering capillary points is established. The influence of the position of capillary points on tumor growth is also studied by simulation. The results of the dynamic tumor growth and the distribution of oxygen, matrix-degrading enzymes, and extracellular matrixconcentration in the microenvironment with respect to time are shown by graphs. The relationships between different oxygenated environments and the numbers of surviving, dead, proliferative, and quiescent tumor cells are also investigated.     

Effects of polydispersity on the micro–macro behavior of granular assemblies under different deformation paths

The micromechanical and macromechanical behavior of idealized granular assemblies, made by linearly elastic, frictionless, polydisperse spheres, are studied in a periodic, triaxial box geometry, using the discrete element method. Emphasis is put on the effect of polydispersity under purely isotropic loading and unloading, deviatoric(volume conserving), and uniaxial compression paths.We show that scaled pressure, coordination number and fraction of rattlers behave in a very similar fashion as functions of volume fraction, irrespective of the deformation path applied. Interestingly, they show a systematic dependence on the deformation mode and polydispersity via the respective jamming volume fraction. This confirms that the concept of a single jamming point has to be rephrased to a range of variable jamming points, dependent on microstructure and history of the sample, making the jamming volume fraction a state-variable.This behavior is confirmed when a simplified constitutive model involving structural anisotropy is calibrated using the purely isotropic and deviatoric simulations. The basic model parameters are found to depend on the polydispersity of the sample through the different jamming volume fractions. The predictive power of the calibrated model is checked by comparison with an independent test, namely uniaxial compression. The important features of the uniaxial experiment are captured and a qualitative prediction for the evolution of stress and fabric is shown involving a "softening" regime in both stress and fabric – stronger for the latter – that was not prescribed into the model a priori.     

Dynamic model of vertical vehicle-subgrade coupled system under secondary suspension

As it is known, track transportation can be divided into track system above and track system below. While the train is moving, the parts above and below are interacted and influenced. Therefore, in fact, the problem of track transportation is the match between the vehicle and the railway line system. In this paper, on a basis of dynamic analysis of the vehicle-subgrade model of vertical coupled system under primary suspension, utilizing track maintenance standard and simulating track irregularity excitation, the dynamic interaction of vehicle-track-subgrade system is researched in theory and dynamic model of the vertical vehicle-track-subgrade coupled system under secondary suspension is established by compatibility condition of deformation. Even this model considers the actual structure of a vehicle, also considers vibration characteristic of the substructure of track including subgrade and foundation. All these work want to be benefit for understanding and design about the dynamic characters of subgrade in high speed railway.     

内皮抑素抑制肿瘤血管生成的数值模拟

数值模拟抗血管生成药物内皮抑素对肿瘤血管生成的抑制效应. 建立内皮抑素作用下肿瘤内外血管生成的二维、三维离散数学模型,模型中考虑内皮抑素的抑制作用、内皮细胞自身的增殖、促血管生成因子TAF和Fibronectin对内皮细胞产生的趋化性和趋触性以及内皮细胞自身扩散引起的随机性运动,数值模拟肿瘤内外微血管网的生成过程. 模拟结果表明,抗血管生成药物内皮抑素对肿瘤内外血管生成的速度、成熟度以及血管分支数量均有明显的抑制作用,从而有效地抑制肿瘤新生血管的形成. 该模型能够较好地模拟内皮抑素对肿瘤血管内皮细胞迁移与增殖的抑制效应,为临床抗血管生成治疗肿瘤提供有益的信息.      

Numerical simulation of inhibiting effects on solid tumour cells in anti-angiogenic therapy: application of coupled mathematical model of angiogenesis with tumour growth

To investigate the inhibiting effects of the anti-angiogenic factor andostatin and the anti-angiogenic drug endostatin on tumour angiogenesis and tumour cells, a coupled mathematical model of tumor angiogenesis with tumour growth and blood perfusion is developed. Simulation results show that angiostatin and endostatin can improve the abnormal microenvironment inside the tumour tissue by effectively inhibiting the process of tumor angiogenesis and decreasing tumour cells. The present model can be used as a valid theoretical method in the investigation of the tumour anti-angiogenic therapy.     

实体肿瘤血管生成和肿瘤生长的耦合研究

研究宏观尺度上肿瘤向外浸润式生长的动态变化对微观尺度上肿瘤内部微血管网生成过程产生的影响。建立肿瘤组织生长动力学模型与促血管生成的二维离散数学模型,模型考虑促血管生成因子诱导下血管内皮细胞的随机性、趋化性和趋触性运动以及血管内皮细胞与胞外基质的相互作用,并且肿瘤组织的生长满足经典的Compertz函数形式,通过耦合研究模拟了肿瘤组织动态生长过程中微脉管系统生成的时空演化,数值生成肿瘤动态生长下内外异构的微血管网和肿瘤内部分层的网络结构。该模型可以产生相对真实的具有接近肿瘤病理生理特性的血管网,为临床研究提供有益的信息。     

利用血管生成模型计算实体肿瘤内的血液动力学

肿瘤血管生成(Tumor-induced Angiogenesis)是指在实体肿瘤细胞诱导下毛细血管的生长以及肿瘤中血液微循环的建立。肿瘤内血液、组织液等流体流动在肿瘤药物输运过程中扮演着重要作用,而这些流动受到肿瘤内微血管网络结构的直接影响。目前要获得精确的肿瘤内外的毛细血管拓扑结构存在一定困难,因此给肿瘤内的血液动力学研究带来困难。本文根据肿瘤内外的复杂生理特性,建立肿瘤内外血管生成的二维离散模型,在获得相对真实的毛细血管网络拓扑结构基础上对肿瘤内的血液动力学进行初步计算,数值计算的结果加深了对肿瘤的复杂生理特性的理解,同时也给肿瘤内的药物输运给予一定的提示。     

Numerical simulation of blood flow and interstitial fluid pressure in solid tumor microcirculation based on tumor-induced angiogenesis

A coupled intravascular–transvascular–interstitial fluid flow model is developed to study the distributions of blood flow and interstitial fluid pressure in solid tumor microcirculation based on a tumor-induced microvascular network. This is generated from a 2D nine-point discrete mathematical model of tumor angiogenesis and contains two parent vessels. Blood flow through the microvascular network and interstitial fluid flow in tumor tissues are performed by the extended Poiseuille’s law and Darcy’s law, respectively, transvascular flow is described by Starling’s law; effects of the vascular permeability and the interstitial hydraulic conductivity are also considered. The simulation results predict the heterogeneous blood supply, interstitial hypertension and low convection on the inside of the tumor, which are consistent with physiological observed facts. These results may provide beneficial information for anti-angiogenesis treatment of tumor and further clinical research. The project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (10372026).     

Coupled modeling of tumour angiogenesis,tumour growth,and blood perfusion

This paper proposes a more realistic mathematical simulation method to investigate the dynamic process of tumour angio-genesis by fully coupling the vessel growth, tumour growth and associated blood perfusion. The tumour growth and angiogenesis are coupled by the chemical microenvironment and the cell-matrix interaction. The haemodynamic calculation is carried out on the new vasculature, and an estimation of vessel collapse is made according to the wall shear stress criterion. The results are consistent with physiological observations, and further confirm the application of the coupled model feedback mechanism. The model is available to examine the interactions between angiogenesis and tumour growth, to study the change in the dynamic process of chemical environment and the vessel remodeling.     

Modeling of anisotropic wound healing

Biological soft tissues exhibit non-linear complex properties, the quantification of which presents a challenge. Nevertheless, these properties, such as skin anisotropy, highly influence different processes that occur in soft tissues, for instance wound healing, and thus its correct identification and quantification is crucial to understand them. Experimental and computational works are required in order to find the most precise model to replicate the tissues' properties. In this work, we present a wound healing model focused on the proliferative stage that includes angiogenesis and wound contraction in three dimensions and which relies on the accurate representation of the mechanical behavior of the skin. Thus, an anisotropic hyperelastic model has been considered to analyze the effect of collagen fibers on the healing evolution of an ellipsoidal wound. The implemented model accounts for the contribution of the ground matrix and two mechanically equivalent families of fibers. Simulation results show the evolution of the cellular and chemical species in the wound and the wound volume evolution. Moreover, the local strain directions depend on the relative wound orientation with respect to the fibers.