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Computational mechanics and medicine

Guest Editors:

  • Bernhard Schrefler (University of Padova, Padua, Italy)
  • Elias Cueto (University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain)

Mechanics is increasingly being recognized as one determinant factor in many biological processes, in general, and in medicine in particular. This issue covers different aspects related to simulation of mechanical phenomena in the wide field of medicine. Many of these biological phenomena constitute a formidable challenge for state-of-the-art computational techniques. Among the reasons for these difficulties we could cite the inherent complexity of biological processes, that very often incorporate complex equations such as advection-diffusion-reaction ones, which are all known to pose difficulties for their numerical treatment. Often, challenges come from the need of extremely fast feedback rates, as is the case in the development of surgical simulators with haptic feedback. These need some 500 Hz-1kHz rates to provide the user with realistic results.In this issue different aspects of the intricate relationship between mechanics and medicine, with emphasis on simulation, will be addressed. These cover from macroscopic descriptions, at the organ level, to the cellular scale, where complex interactions occur. In all of the examples covered, the fascinating influence of mechanics in life sciences will be covered.
 

  1. An immersed finite element method for solid–fluid interaction is presented with application focus on highly deformable elastic bodies in a Stokes flow environment. The method is based on a global balance equat...

    Authors: Thomas Rüberg and José Manuel Garcí Aznar
    Citation: Advanced Modeling and Simulation in Engineering Sciences 2016 3:9
  2. Cell adhesion is a process that involves the interaction between the cell membrane and another surface, either a cell or a substrate. Unlike experimental tests, computer models can simulate processes and study...

    Authors: J. Vivas, D. Garzón-Alvarado and M. Cerrolaza
    Citation: Advanced Modeling and Simulation in Engineering Sciences 2015 2:32
  3. In this work a pancreatic surgery simulator is developed that provides the user with haptic feedback. The simulator is based on the use of model order reduction techniques, particularly Proper Generalized Deco...

    Authors: Andrés Mena, David Bel, Icíar Alfaro, David González, Elías Cueto and Francisco Chinesta
    Citation: Advanced Modeling and Simulation in Engineering Sciences 2015 2:31
  4. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation of fibrin-based tissue engineered heart valves with a tubular leaflet construct have been developed as an alternative to invasive traditional surgical heart valve implan...

    Authors: Scott E Stapleton, Ricardo Moreira, Stefan Jockenhoevel, Petra Mela and Stefanie Reese
    Citation: Advanced Modeling and Simulation in Engineering Sciences 2015 2:21
  5. The multiphase model for tumor growth, proposed by the authors in previous works, is here enhanced. The original model includes a solid phase, the extracellular matrix (ECM) and three fluid phases: living and...

    Authors: R Santagiuliana, C Stigliano, P Mascheroni, M Ferrari, P Decuzzi and B A Schrefler
    Citation: Advanced Modeling and Simulation in Engineering Sciences 2015 2:19