红细胞非惯性升力对血液流动的影响

目的为准确模拟血流,研究红细胞变形性对血液流动的影响。方法基于血液流变特性和红细胞力学特性分析,对现有血液两相流流动模型进行改进,改进模型中考虑了易变形红细胞受剪切流场或血管壁面作用而产生的非惯性升力的影响。利用改进模型对多个不同直径血管内的血液流动进行模拟。结果由红细胞所受非惯性升力导致的径向运动对血管内红细胞体积分数、运动速度分布有明显影响;当血管直径为0.1~3.0 mm时,用改进模型得到的血液相对黏度的模拟值与测量值接近。结论非惯性升力是血流呈现Fahraeus-Lindqvist效应的主要原因之一。考虑非惯性升力的改进模型可以准确模拟血液流动,为循环系统诊疗机制和细胞分选等过程的模拟提供更为准确的方法。     

红细胞非惯性升力对血液流动的影响

目的 为准确模拟血流,研究红细胞变形性对血液流动的影响。方法 基于血液流变特性和红细胞力学特性分析,对现有血液两相流流动模型进行改进,改进模型中考虑了易变形红细胞受剪切流场或血管壁面作用而产生的非惯性升力的影响。利用改进模型对多个不同直径血管内的血液流动进行模拟。结果 由红细胞所受非惯性升力导致的径向运动对血管内红细胞体积分数、运动速度分布有明显影响;当血管直径为0.1~3.0 mm时,用改进模型得到的血液相对黏度的模拟值与测量值接近。结论 非惯性升力是血流呈现Fahraeus-Lindqvist效应的主要原因之一。考虑非惯性升力的改进模型可以准确模拟血液流动,为循环系统诊疗机制和细胞分选等过程的模拟提供更为准确的方法。     

螺旋弯曲管中血液两相流动分析

目的 经典的单相牛顿血液流动模型忽略了红细胞与血浆之间的相互作用以及血液剪切变稀性质。为了解决这些问题,采用多相的非牛顿模型研究冠状动脉模型的血流动力学参数。方法 把血液考虑为血浆和红细胞的混合体,并用螺旋弯曲血管模型模拟冠状动脉,分析冠状动脉内红细胞的运动以及红细胞体积分数的分布情况,并与单相非牛顿血液模型的模拟结果进行对比。结果 单相和多相血液模型模拟下的截面壁面剪切力平均值差别不明显,但是在两相流模拟中,螺旋弯曲管下底壁面处存在明显的红细胞聚集现象,同时还分布着较低的壁面剪切力。结论 引用多相流数值模拟得到了螺旋弯曲管中的血流动力学参数,同时发现红细胞在螺旋弯曲管下底面处聚集的现象,这很容易诱发血栓形成,与临床上所观察到的粥样硬化斑块经常出现在冠状动脉弯曲内侧是相符合的,可进一步说明动脉粥样硬化病变的发生机制。     

个体化颈动脉瘤的血流动力学特性分析

目的构建个体化的流固耦合模型,计算分析不同血液特性对动脉瘤腔内血液动力学的影响,进一步探讨对脑动脉瘤破裂的影响。方法首先采集3D数字剪影图像构建动脉瘤模型,通过流体动力学计算方法分析在相同边界条件下,不同血流特性对颈动脉瘤动力学参数的影响。最后对简化颈动脉瘤实验模型进行粒子图像测试(particle image velocimetry,PIV)实验,以验证血流计算方法的可靠性。结果不同血流特性的流固耦合模型,在1个心动周期内,在相同时刻,瘤腔内的低速区域面积、瘤腔流线分布、壁面剪切力(wall shear stress,WSS)及动脉瘤壁面变形有较大的差异。通过PIV实验发现,在瘤腔内涡流位置随速度变化而变化,与模拟分析结果流动趋势相一致。结论两种血液特性差异较小,但非牛顿流体更加接近血液真实状态,数值结果将更接近真实流动状态。     

Fontan术血流动力学非牛顿特性研究

目的 分析计算模拟中血液非牛顿特性对Fontan术后血流动力学的影响。方法 基于Fontan术后患者个体化三维血管模型,临床超声实测数据作为边界条件,分别选取常用的牛顿流体模型、非牛顿流体模型中的Casson模型与Carreau模型进行血流动力学模拟,计算血流分配比、能量损失、壁面切应力、非牛顿重要性系数等血流动力学参数,比较不同流体模型之间血流动力学参数差异。结果 流体模型对血流分配比影响小,非牛顿流体模型的能量损失较牛顿流体模型高,其中Casson模型最高。在下腔静脉中有明显回流、血流扰乱区域,并伴有低壁面切应力分布。在低流速时,牛顿流体模型下腔静脉血流扰乱更明显。非牛顿重要性系数显示在下腔静脉的非牛顿特性显著。结论 非牛顿特性在下腔静脉的低速回流区域影响显著,模拟患者个体化的Fontan血流动力学时应考虑血液的非牛顿特性。     

基于计算流体力学方法进行不同个体的主动脉弓内血流模拟对比分析

目的:应用医学CT图像数据三维重构技术和计算流体力学方法进行人体主动脉内血流数值模拟分析,通过对不同个体正常主动脉弓内血流数值模拟获得的血流动力学参数进行比较,分析讨论血流动力学参数与血管结构形状的关系及对血液流动的影响,为阐明血管疾病的发病机理提供理论依据。方法:应用医学图像后处理软件对通过临床获得的增强CT二维医学图像数据进行处理重构而得到不同个体的主动脉弓三维立体模型并转化为可用于模拟计算的CAD模型。应用CFD软件模拟主动脉弓内的血流情况,获得相关血流动力学参数。结果:计算得到了不同个体主动脉弓在心动周期内不同时刻的血流动力学参数。结论:计算流体力学数值模拟方法为个体主动脉弓内进行仿真模拟血流动力学分析提供了可靠方法。在心动周期内主动脉弓弯曲处存压力变化明显,出现漩涡等复杂血液流动现象,为研究血流动力学及各种脉管疾病提供一定的理论依据。     

人体主动脉弓内非牛顿血液流动数值模拟分析

目的:通过基于三维重构技术对正常人体主动脉弓内的血流进行非牛顿血液模型数值模拟,分析血流动力学参数与血管疾病的关系,并与牛顿血液模型获得的壁面切应力(WSS)参数进行比较。方法:对临床获得的CT医学图像据进行处理重构,并转化为可用于模拟计算的三维模型。应用计算流体力学(CFD)方法进行数值模拟计算。结果:获得了正常人体主动脉弓内血流在心动周期内不同时刻的血流动力学参数。结论:主动脉弓内复杂的血流情况与血管疾病的产生与发展存在一定联系,并且非牛顿血液模型更为适合进行深入细致的主动脉弓内血液低速区域的瞬态模拟分析。     

一种甚高频超声仿血液流速测量系统的实验研究

目的设计并实现一种甚高频超声仿血液流速测量系统,用来完成模拟人体浅表器官血流信息实时检测的实验研究。方法笔者自制了血液仿体,该仿体由尼龙颗粒、纯净水、甘油、葡聚糖和非离子表面活性剂组成。该系统实验平台包含控制流速的医用注射泵、医用硅胶管和模拟血液仿体所组成的模拟血液循环系统;工作频率为50 MHz的单脉冲、机械、线性扫描探头;下位机超声回波信号采集电路和上位机模块构成的甚高频超声血流成像系统。将换能器置于模拟血管上方9 mm左右处,血液流动方向与探头扫查方向相向,调整注射泵的推动速度,得到焦点区域附近的模拟血液成像。结果笔者自制的血液仿体的声学特性在150 d内几乎没有改变,符合实验研究要求。由不同流速仿血流成像结果图可见,当流速较低时,红细胞成像颗粒较大,数量较少;当流速较高时,红细胞成像颗粒较小,数量较多。结论设计的甚高频超声仿血液流速测量系统可以初步得出模拟血流红细胞成像颗粒数值与模拟血流流速成正比,并由此判定血流流速的快慢。     

磁场对人体三维分叉颈动脉血液流动的影响规律

目的 通过CT影像重构三维血管模型,研究外加均匀磁场对血液动力学行为的影响规律。方法 采用计算流体动力学理论和磁流体力学方法,建立体外均匀磁场对血液流动影响的数学模型,运用多物理场耦合模拟软件COMSOL Multiphysics进行仿真模拟,探究磁场强度对血液流动速度、压力和剪切应力的影响。结果 随着磁场强度的增加,血管中心处的流速受到了更加显著的抑制。壁面压力随着磁场强度的增加而减小,且磁场在血流分叉前对壁面处压力的影响明显,而在血流分叉后对壁面压力的影响减弱。血流进入分支血管后,壁面切应力显著增加,同时磁场对切应力的影响也显著增强。结论 人体血液具有磁流体力学特性,一定强度范围的磁场对血液流动产生了明显的影响。研究结果为设计人造强磁场设备、评估人造磁场环境对人体血液动力学的影响以及诊断人造磁场环境产生的疾病提供理论依据。     

流动血液的电特性

在医学和生物工程学中,血液的电特性是有实用意义的,因为血液的阻抗比其它机体组织都低。流动血液的阻抗率的变化主要有三个因子:红细胞定向、红细胞的变形和轴向集中,这些现象是同时发生的。在圆管内流动的血液不是所有的红细胞都定向流动,由于受到流体阻力,使红细胞发生旋转,其旋转速度因红细胞方向不同而有差异,故血液阻抗率是随血流变化而改变。如受流体运动的影响为零时,这种旋转速     

Microconfined flow behavior of red blood cells

Red blood cells (RBCs) perform essential functions in human body, such as gas exchange between blood and tissues, thanks to their ability to deform and flow in the microvascular network. The high RBC deformability is mainly due to the viscoelastic properties of the cell membrane. Since an impaired RBC deformability could be found in some diseases, such as malaria, sickle cell anemia, diabetes and hereditary disorders, there is the need to provide further insight into measurement of RBC deformability in a physiologically relevant flow field. Here, RBCs deformability has been studied in terms of the minimum apparent plasma-layer thickness by using high-speed video microscopy of RBCs flowing in cylindrical glass capillaries. An in vitro systematic microfluidic investigation of RBCs in micro-confined conditions has been performed, resulting in the determination of the RBCs time recovery constant, RBC volume and surface area and RBC membrane shear elastic modulus and surface viscosity. It has been noticed that the deformability of RBCs induces cells aggregation during flow in microcapillaries, allowing the formation of clusters of cells. Overall, our results provide a novel technique to estimate RBC deformability and also RBCs collective behavior, which can be used for the analysis of pathological RBCs, for which reliable quantitative methods are still lacking.     

Simulated Two-dimensional Red Blood Cell Motion,Deformation, and Partitioning in Microvessel Bifurcations

Movement, deformation, and partitioning of mammalian red blood cells (RBCs) in diverging microvessel bifurcations are simulated using a two-dimensional, flexible-particle model. A set of viscoelastic elements represents the RBC membrane and the cytoplasm. Motion of isolated cells is considered, neglecting cell-to-cell interactions. Center-of-mass trajectories deviate from background flow streamlines due to migration of flexible cells towards the mother vessel centerline upstream of the bifurcation and due to flow perturbations caused by cell obstruction in the neighborhood of the bifurcation. RBC partitioning in the bifurcation is predicted by determining the RBC fraction entering each branch, for a given partition of total flow and for a given upstream distribution of RBCs. Typically, RBCs preferentially enter the higher-flow branch, leading to unequal discharge hematocrits in the downstream branches. This effect is increased by migration toward the centerline but decreased by the effects of obstruction. It is stronger for flexible cells than for rigid circular particles of corresponding size, and decreases with increasing parent vessel diameter. For unequally sized daughter vessels, partitioning is asymmetric, with RBCs tending to enter the smaller vessel. Partitioning is not significantly affected by branching angles. Model predictions are consistent with previous experimental results.     

Computational analysis on the mechanical interaction between a thrombus and red blood cells: Possible causes of membrane damage of red blood cells at microvessels

Previous studies investigating thrombus formation have not focused on the physical interaction between red blood cells (RBCs) and thrombus, although they have been speculated that some pathological conditions such as microangiopathic hemolytic anemia (MAHA) stem from interactions between RBCs and thrombi. In this study, we investigated the mechanical influence of RBCs on primary thrombi during hemostasis. We also explored the mechanics and aggravating factors of intravascular hemolysis. Computer simulations of primary thrombogenesis in the presence and the absence of RBCs demonstrated that RBCs are unlikely to affect the thrombus height and coverage, although their presence may change microvessel hemodynamics and platelet transportation to the injured wall. Our results suggest that intravascular hemolysis owing to RBC membrane damage would be promoted by three hemodynamic factors: (1) dispersibility of platelet thrombi, because more frequent spatial thrombus formation decreases the time available for an RBC to recover its shape and enforces more severe deformation; (2) platelet thrombus stiffness, because a stiffer thrombus increases the degree of RBC deformation upon collision; and (3) vessel size and hemocyte density, because a smaller vessel diameter and higher hemocyte density decrease the room for RBCs to escape as they come closer to a thrombus, thereby enhancing thrombus–RBC interactions.     

Perturbation of red blood cell flow in small tubes by white blood cells

The flow of blood in the microcirculation is facilitated by the dynamic reduction in viscosity (Fahraeus-Lindquist effect) resulting from the axial flow of deforming crythrocytes (RBCs) and from the decrease in the ratio of cell to vessel diameter. RBC velocity exceeds that of average fluid velocity; however the slower moving white blood cells (WBC) perturb flow velocity and the ratio of cell to vessel diameter by obstructing red cell flow through formation of trains of red cells collecting behind the white cell. This effect of white cells was studied quantitatively in a model in vitro tubes less than 10 m in diameter with the demonstration that flow resistance increases linearly with white cell numbers up to 1,000 WBC/mm³ at tube hematocrit of 17.7%. The increase in resistance exceeds the flow resistance of WBC and appears to relate directly to train formation. A mechanical model of train formation developed to predict WBC influence in flow resistance over the range of WBC studied reasonably fits observed WBC effects.     

Toward a velocity-resolved microvascular blood flow measure by decomposition of the laser Doppler spectrum

Tissue microcirculation, as measured by laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF), comprises capillary, arterial, and venous blood flow. With the classical LDF approach, it has been impossible to differentiate between different vascular compartments. We suggest an alternative LDF algorithm that estimates at least three concentration measures of flowing red blood cells (RBCs), each associated with a predefined, physiologically relevant, absolute velocity in millimeters per second. As the RBC flow velocity depends on the dimension of the blood vessel, this approach might enable a microcirculatory flow differentiation. The LDF concentration estimates are derived by fitting predefined Monte Carlo simulated, single-velocity spectra to a measured, multiple-velocity LDF spectrum. Validation measurements, using both single- and double-tube flow phantoms perfused with a microsphere solution, show that it is possible to estimate velocity and concentration changes, and to differentiate between flows with different velocities. Our theory is also applied to RBC flow measurements. A Gegenbauer kernel phase function (alpha(gk)=1.05; g(gk)=0.93), with an anisotropy factor of 0.987 at 786 nm, is found suitable for modeling Doppler scattering by RBCs diluted in physiological saline. The method is developed for low concentrations of RBCs, but can in theory be extended to cover multiple Doppler scattering.     

Measuring electrical and mechanical properties of red blood cells with double optical tweezers

Red blood cell (RBC) aggregation in the blood stream is prevented by the zeta potential created by its negatively charged membrane. There are techniques, however, to decrease the zeta potential and allow cell agglutination, which are the basis of most of antigen-antibody tests used in immunohematology. We propose the use of optical tweezers to measure membrane viscosity, adhesion, zeta potential, and the double layer thickness of charges (DLT) formed around the cell in an electrolytic solution. For the membrane viscosity experiment, we trap a bead attached to RBCs and measure the force to slide one RBC over the other as a function of the velocity. Adhesion is quantified by displacing two RBCs apart until disagglutination. The DLT is measured using the force on the bead attached to a single RBC in response to an applied voltage. The zeta potential is obtained by measuring the terminal velocity after releasing the RBC from the trap at the last applied voltage. We believe that the methodology proposed here can provide information about agglutination, help to improve the tests usually performed in transfusion services, and be applied for zeta potential measurements in other samples.     

Quantitative analysis of optical properties of flowing blood using a photon-cell interactive Monte Carlo code: effects of red blood cells' orientation on light scattering

Optical properties of flowing blood were analyzed using a photon-cell interactive Monte Carlo (pciMC) model with the physical properties of the flowing red blood cells (RBCs) such as cell size, shape, refractive index, distribution, and orientation as the parameters. The scattering of light by flowing blood at the He-Ne laser wavelength of 632.8 nm was significantly affected by the shear rate. The light was scattered more in the direction of flow as the flow rate increased. Therefore, the light intensity transmitted forward in the direction perpendicular to flow axis decreased. The pciMC model can duplicate the changes in the photon propagation due to moving RBCs with various orientations. The resulting RBC's orientation that best simulated the experimental results was with their long axis perpendicular to the direction of blood flow. Moreover, the scattering probability was dependent on the orientation of the RBCs. Finally, the pciMC code was used to predict the hematocrit of flowing blood with accuracy of approximately 1.0 HCT%. The photon-cell interactive Monte Carlo (pciMC) model can provide optical properties of flowing blood and will facilitate the development of the non-invasive monitoring of blood in extra corporeal circulatory systems.     

Development of standard tests to examine viscoelastic properties of blood of experimental animals for pediatric mechanical support device evaluation

We investigated the applicability of measuring the viscoelasticity of bovine, ovine, and porcine whole blood for the evaluation of sublethal damage to red blood cells (RBCs). An increase in blood viscosity and elasticity without changes in hematocrit and plasma viscosity would signify a decrease in RBC deformability. Blood viscoelasticity was assessed using a Vilastic Scientific viscoelastometer. Due to the natural absence of RBC aggregation and small RBC size in normal bovine and ovine blood, viscoelastic properties are less readily detected. However, we found that adjustment of blood hematocrit to a standard level of 40-50% allows for sensitive assessment of viscoelasticity in these blood types demonstrating a marked non-Newtonian behavior mostly related to RBC deformability. Porcine blood showed a pronounced non-Newtonian behavior at all tested hematocrit values, which makes it rheologically comparable to human blood. Both viscosity and elasticity were elevated after blood exposure to a uniform mechanical stress. RBCs rigidified by heat exposure demonstrated a loss of viscoelasticity dependence on shear rate. Measurements of blood viscoelasticity can be meaningful in bovine, ovine, and, especially, porcine blood, and can be used for evaluation of sublethal blood damage during in vitro and animal trials of heart-assist devices.