Rui Lv¹, Liang Wang¹, Dalin Tang^1,*,2

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.16, Suppl.2, pp. 27-28, 2019, DOI:10.32604/mcb.2019.06829

Abstract Medical imaging and image-based computational modeling have been used by many researchers in recent years to quantify atherosclerotic plaque morphological and biomechanical characteristics and predict the coronary plaque growth and rupture processes. However, it has been hard to validate model predictions due to imaging resolution limitation, lack of clinical events and plaque rupture data. This article reviews recent advances in coronary plaque research over the past decade, including medical imaging techniques represented by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and optical coherence tomography (OCT), computational modeling and their applications in plaque progression and vulnerability analyses and predictions. The clinical application and future development… More >

Biyue Liu^1,*, Dalin Tang²

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.16, Suppl.2, pp. 25-26, 2019, DOI:10.32604/mcb.2019.06825

Abstract The blood flow and mass transport pattern of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in a right coronary artery with two stenoses are studied. Computations were carried out under physiological conditions. Our results show a strong correlation between wall shear stress (WSS) and distribution patterns of LDL. More >

Liang Wang¹, Haibo Jia², Luping He², Rui Lv¹, Xiaoya Guo³, Chun Yang^4,5, Don P. Giddens^6,7, Habib Samady⁶, Akiko Maehara⁸, Gary S. Mintz⁸, Dalin Tang^1,*,5

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.16, Suppl.2, pp. 23-24, 2019, DOI:10.32604/mcb.2019.07522

Abstract Plaque erosion, one of the primary causes for coronary thrombosis, is responsible for about one third of the patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) [1]. Histological studies characterized the eroded plaque as a plaque with following morphological features: 1) plaque intima having direct contact with intraluminal thrombus due to the absence of endothelium or endothelial injury; 2) without rupture in the fibrous cap; 3) abundance of proteoglycans and smooth muscle cells on the luminal surface under the thrombus [2]. These characteristics has been applied in in vivo diagnosis of plaque erosion using optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging technology and specific… More >

Padmini Rangamani^1,*

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.16, Suppl.2, pp. 22-22, 2019, DOI:10.32604/mcb.2019.08513

Abstract Endocytosis is the process of uptake of cargo and fluid from the extracellular space to inside the cell; defects in endo- cytosis contribute to a wide spectrum of diseases including cancer, neurodegeneration, and heart disease. Clathrin- mediated endocytosis (CME) is an archetypal example of a membrane deformation process where multiple variables such as pre-existing membrane curvature, membrane bending due to the protein machinery, membrane tension regulation, and actin-mediated forces govern the progression of vesiculation. My group has been working for the past few years on deciphering the biophysical determinants of CME using multiscale modeling. We recently showed that membrane tension… More >

Ning Wang^1,*

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.16, Suppl.2, pp. 21-21, 2019, DOI:10.32604/mcb.2019.07550

Abstract Decades ago YC Fung proposed that mechanical stress could have substantial impacts on remodeling and growth of living tissues. Fung also proposed the concept of residual stress in blood vessels and quantified residual stress in excised arteries [1]. However, how stress influences cell and tissue functions remains elusive. At the cellular level, we have quantified myosin II mediated pre-existing tensile stress (prestress) in living cells and demonstrated that the prestress (the endogenous cytoskeletal tension) regulates cell stiffness, gene expression, and long-distance stress propagation in the cytoplasm to activate enzymes [2]. The prestress even impacts on force-induced direct chromatin stretching and… More >

Mohammad R. K. Mofrad^1,*

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.16, Suppl.2, pp. 19-20, 2019, DOI:10.32604/mcb.2019.07429

Abstract This article has no abstract. More >

G.S. Kassab^1,*

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.16, Suppl.2, pp. 18-18, 2019, DOI:10.32604/mcb.2019.08416

Abstract In celebration of Dr. Fung’s 100 birthday, the presentation will focus on a biomechanical design-based approach to innovation of medical devices that addresses unmet clinical needs ranging from cardiovascular diseases (e.g., ischemic heart disease and heart failure) to obesity. The technologies attempt to restore biomechanical homeostasis through a minimally invasive (e.g., percutaneous or laproscopic) approach in time efficient and cost-effective manner. The illustratory technologies include: A) A catheter for selective retroperfusion and “arterialization” of coronary veins for myocardial revascularization; B) A suction-based catheter for ease of trans-septal access; and C) A laproscopic and reversible restrictive device for weight loss without… More >

Mohammadali Sharzehee¹, Yuan Chang², Jiang-ping Song², Hai-Chao Han^1,*

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.16, Suppl.2, pp. 16-17, 2019, DOI:10.32604/mcb.2019.07129

Abstract A myocardial bridge (MB), a congenital anomaly of the coronary artery, occurs when a segment of the epicardial coronary artery goes underneath the myocardium. MBs are often observed in the middle part of the left anterior descending (LAD) artery. MB squeezes the vessel wall periodically and induces hemodynamic abnormalities which are correlated with angina and myocardial ischemia. The level of hemodynamics disturbances induced by MB depends on the myocardial bridge length, the degree of myocardial contractility, thickness, and location [1]. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), characterized by abnormal thickening of the heart wall, is a leading cause of death in patients of… More >

Gloria B. Kim^1,†, Qiong Wei^2,†, Virginia Aragon-Sanabria¹, Sulin Zhang², Jian Yang¹, Cheng Dong^1,*

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.16, Suppl.2, pp. 15-15, 2019, DOI:10.32604/mcb.2019.07137

Abstract Most cells survive and grow by attaching and spreading on a substrate. They generate internal tension that contracts the cell body and thus exert tractions on the underlying substrate through focal adhesions. Traction force also plays a critical role in many biological processes, such as inflammation, metastasis, and angiogenesis. Thus, measuring the cell traction force provides valuable information on understanding the underlying mechanism of these biological processes. Here, a traction force microscopy (TFM) method using super thin hydrogels composed of immobilized fluorescent beads was utilized to quantify the mechanical forces generated during the transmigration of Jurkat cells (a human T… More >

Ram P. Ghosh¹, Matteo Bianchi¹, Gil Marom², Oren M. Rotman¹, Brandon Kovarovic¹, Danny Bluestein^1,*

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.16, Suppl.2, pp. 12-14, 2019, DOI:10.32604/mcb.2019.07379

Abstract This article has no abstract. More >