The articles in this book review hybrid experimental-computational methods applied to soft tissues which have been developed by worldwide specialists in the field. People developing computational models of soft tissues and organs will find solutions for calibrating the material parameters of their models; people performing tests on soft tissues will learn what to extract from the data and how to use these data for their models and people worried about the complexity of the biomechanical behavior of soft tissues will find relevant approaches to address this complexity.

This book gathers selected, extended and revised contributions to the 16th International Symposium on Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering, and the 4th Conference on Imaging and Visualization (CMBBE 2019), held on August 14-16, 2019, in New York City, USA. It reports on cutting-edge models and algorithms for studying various tissues and organs in normal and pathological conditions; innovative imaging and visualization techniques; and the latest diagnostic tools. Further topics addressed include: numerical methods, machine learning approaches, FEM models, and high-resolution imaging and real-time visualization methods applied for biomedical purposes. Given the scope of its coverage, the book provides graduate students and researchers with a timely and insightful snapshot of the latest research and current challenges in biomedical engineering, computational biomechanics and biological imaging, as well as a source of inspiration for future research and cross-disciplinary collaborations.

The objective of this book is to illustrate in specific detail how cardiovascular mechanics stands as a common pillar supporting such different clinical successes as drugs for high blood pressure, prosthetic heart valves and coronary artery bypass grafting, among others. This information is conveyed through a comprehensive treatment of the overarching principles and theories that are behind mechanobiological processes, aortic and arterial mechanics, atherosclerosis, blood and microcirculation, hear valve mechanics, as well as medical devices and drugs. Examines all major theoretical and practical aspects of mechanical forces related to the cardiovascular system. Discusses a unique coverage of mechanical changes related to an aging cardiovascular system. Provides an overview of experimental methods in cardiovascular mechanics. Written by world-class researchers from Canada, the US and EU. Extensive references are provided at the end of each chapter to enhance further study. Michel R. Labrosse is the founder of the Cardiovascular Mechanics Laboratory at the University of Ottawa, where he is a full professor within the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He has been an active researcher in academia along with being heavily associated with the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. He has authored or co-authored over 90 refereed communications, and supervised or co-supervised over 40 graduate students and post-docs.

Biomechanics of Coronary Atherosclerotic Plaque: From Model to Patient, First Edition, is the first comprehensive text to focus on important biomechanical studies conducted in the last decade that have increased our understanding of coronary atherosclerotic plaque initiation, growth, and rupture, as well as improving the design of medical devices and clinical interventions, including surgical procedures. The book provides students, researchers, engineers, clinicians, and interventional cardiologists with an overview of the main topics related to the biomechanics of atherosclerosis, in a single volume written by several experts in the field. This volume is part of the Biomechanics of Living Organs book series. The biomechanics of human soft tissues and organs has been an emerging research field since the publication of Y.C. Fung's original book series in the 1990s. The publication of such books entirely dedicated to a specific biomechanical subject is necessary to advance scientific research in the field of biomechanics and to transfer important knowledge to future generations. Therefore, this series of volumes on the biomechanics of living organs has been created. This series began in July 2017 with the publication of a first volume on the fundamentals of Hyperelastic Constitutive Laws for Finite Element Modeling of Living Organs. The current volume on the Biomechanics of Coronary Atherosclerotic Plaque, is the latest in this new series. - Presents the main computational fluid dynamic studies performed, describing blood flow in healthy and pathological artery branches, including in coronary bifurcations - Highlights the correlation between plaque initiation regions and blood shear stress amplitude - Discusses the main biomechanical and mechanobiological models to highlight the importance of quantifying the residual and peak cap stresses and the presence of μ-calcifications to evaluate the risk of plaque rupture - Introduces the most recent intravascular imaging biomarker techniques (elastography, palpography and modulography)

This book presents state-of-the-art experimental and modelling techniques for skin biophysics that are currently used in academic and industrial research. It also identifies current and future challenges, as well as a growing number of opportunities in this exciting research field. The book covers the basics of skin physiology, biology, microstructural and material properties, and progressively introduces the reader to established experimental characterisation protocols and modelling approaches. Advanced topics in modelling theories and numerical implementation are also presented. The book focusses especially on: 1. Basic physiology, molecular biology, microstructural and material properties of the skin. 2. Experimental characterisation techniques for the skin (including imaging): in vivo and in vitro techniques and combination of those with in silico approaches. 3. State-of-the-art constitutive models of the skin: elastic, anelastic and mechanobiological formulations (e.g. growth, ageing, healing). 4. Applications: mechanics, damage, biological growth, healing, ageing and skin tribology. This book is addressed to postgraduate students in biomedical/mechanical/civil engineering, (bio)physics and applied mathematics, postdoctoral researchers, as well as scientists and engineers working in academia and industry engaged in skin research, particularly, if at the cross-roads of physical experiments, imaging and modelling. The book is also be of interest to clinicians/biologists who wish to learn about the possibilities offered by modern engineering techniques for skin science research and, by so doing, provide them with an incentive to broaden their outlook, engage more widely with the non-clinical research communities and, ultimately, help cross-fertilising new ideas that will lead to better treatment plans and engineering solutions.

Despite their many common features (mechanical behavior, multi-scale structure, evolutionary and living characteristics, etc.), the tissues that make up the human body each have specific characteristics linked to their function, which require the development of dedicated experimental, theoretical and numerical methods. Mechanics of Living Tissues brings together the work of a number of experts to provide an overview of the most recent approaches developed to study the biomechanical behavior of these soft tissues, in order to understand their structure and apparent behavior. Specific tissues are analyzed across the chapters with the aim of developing solutions that address the clinical problems encountered. Conclusions are then drawn regarding future methods that will improve the current state of knowledge of the behavior of these living tissues, in particular with a view to predicting the effect of a pathology or medical procedure on their apparent properties.

Dynamic soft materials that have the ability to expand and contract, change stiffness, self-heal or dissolve in response to environmental changes, are of great interest in applications ranging from biosensing and drug delivery to soft robotics and tissue engineering. This book covers the state-of-the-art and current trends in the very active and exciting field of bioinspired soft matter, its fundamentals and comprehension from the structural-property point of view, as well as materials and cutting-edge technologies that enable their design, fabrication, advanced characterization and underpin their biomedical applications. The book contents are supported by illustrated examples, schemes, and figures, offering a comprehensive and thorough overview of key aspects of soft matter. The book will provide a trusted resource for undergraduate and graduate students and will extensively benefit researchers and professionals working across the fields of chemistry, biochemistry, polymer chemistry, materials science and engineering, nanosciences, nanotechnologies, nanomedicine, biomedical engineering and medical sciences.

This detailed book brings together a collection of methodologies, from the most basic to the more complex, that provides researchers with a platform they can use to embark on a cartilage research career. To aid in the search for novel therapies for cartilage regeneration, this volume addresses 3D cartilage models, challenges associated with RNA and protein extraction, imaging, gene transfer, as well as stable differentiation and variations in cell phenotype from different tissue origins. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step and readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and up-to-date, Cartilage Tissue Engineering serves as an ideal guide for researchers working to advance the vital study of cartilage biology and repair.

Biomechanics of the Female Reproductive System: Breast and Pelvic Organs: From Models to Patients synthesizes complementary advances in women's reproductive biomechanics, medical imaging analysis, patient-specific characterization, and computational finite element models. The book discusses the biomechanical aspects related to the breast and female pelvic floor system at each step of development. The table of contents also covers certain events and diseases, including cancers, delivery, aging, breast, hysterectomy or prolapse surgery. It presents the main biomechanical experimental results obtained and models developed this last decade to highlight the importance of accounting for patient-specific history and aging characteristics to consider damage growth effect and impact. As part of Elsevier's Biomechanics of Living Organs series, this book provides an opportunity for students, researchers, clinicians and engineers to study the main topics related to the biomechanics of the women's reproductive system in a single book written by a global base of experts. - Introduces fundamental aspects of breast and pelvic floor Anatomy, Physiology and Physiopathology - Covers the most recent imaging techniques (such as image analysis reconstruction, elastography, tagged MRI, nondestructive inverse methods) developed to characterize patient-specific anatomy and mechanical properties characteristics - Discusses the main computational studies performed this last decade for modeling the delivery process and potential induced injury

Stochastic elasticity is a fast developing field that combines nonlinear elasticity and stochastic theories in order to significantly improve model predictions by accounting for uncertainties in the mechanical responses of materials. However, in contrast to the tremendous development of computational methods for large-scale problems, which have been proposed and implemented extensively in recent years, at the fundamental level, there is very little understanding of the uncertainties in the behaviour of elastic materials under large strains. Based on the idea that every large-scale problem starts as a small-scale data problem, this book combines fundamental aspects of finite (large-strain) elasticity and probability theories, which are prerequisites for the quantification of uncertainties in the elastic responses of soft materials. The problems treated in this book are drawn from the analytical continuum mechanics literature and incorporate random variables as basic concepts along with mechanical stresses and strains. Such problems are interesting in their own right but they are also meant to inspire further thinking about how stochastic extensions can be formulated before they can be applied to more complex physical systems.