1.Quantitative analysis of transcranial temporal interference stimulation in rodents: A simulation study on electrode configurations.
Xiaoxi LIU ; Hongli YU ; Fushuai GOU ; Boai DU ; Pengyi LU ; Chunfang WANG
Journal of Biomedical Engineering 2025;42(2):280-287
Transcranial temporal interference stimulation (tTIS) is a novel non-invasive transcranial electrical stimulation technique that achieves deep brain stimulation through multiple electrodes applying electric fields of different frequencies. Current studies on the mechanism of tTIS effects are primarily based on rodents, but experimental outcomes are often significantly influenced by electrode configurations. To enhance the performance of tTIS within the limited cranial space of rodents, we proposed various electrode configurations for tTIS and conducted finite element simulations using a realistic mouse model. Results demonstrated that ventral-dorsal, four-channel bipolar, and two-channel configurations performed best in terms of focality, diffusion of activated brain regions, and scalp impact, respectively. Compared to traditional transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), these configurations improved by 94.83%, 50.59%, and 3 514.58% in the respective evaluation metrics. This study provides a reference for selecting electrode configurations in future tTIS research on rodents.
Animals
;
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation/instrumentation*
;
Electrodes
;
Mice
;
Computer Simulation
;
Finite Element Analysis
;
Brain/physiology*
2.A simulation study of nerve fiber activation in the lumbar segment under kilohertz-frequency transcutaneously spinal cord stimulation.
Qi XU ; Xinru LI ; Zhixin LU ; Yongchao WU
Journal of Biomedical Engineering 2025;42(2):300-307
Clinical trials have demonstrated that kilohertz-frequency transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (TSCS) can be used to facilitate the recovery of sensory-motor function for patients with spinal cord injury, whereas the neural mechanism of TSCS is still undetermined so that the choice of stimulation parameters is largely dependent on the clinical experience. In this paper, a finite element model of transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation was used to calculate the electric field distribution of human spinal cord segments T 12 to L 2, whereas the activation thresholds of spinal fibers were determined by using a double-cable neuron model. Then the variation of activation thresholds was obtained by varying the carrier waveform, the interphase delay, the modulating frequency, and the modulating pulse width. Compared with the sinusoidal carrier, the usage of square carrier could significantly reduce the activation threshold of dorsal root (DR) fibers. Moreover, the variation of activation thresholds was no more than 1 V due to the varied modulating frequency and decreases with the increased modulating pulse width. For a square carrier at 10 kHz modulated by rectangular pulse with the frequency of 50 Hz and the pulse width of 1 ms, the lowest activation thresholds of DR fibers and dorsal column fibers were 27.6 V and 55.8 V, respectively. An interphase delay of 5 μs was able to reduce the activation thresholds of the DR fibers to 20.1 V. The simulation results can lay a theoretical foundation on the selection of TSCS parameters in clinical trials.
Humans
;
Spinal Cord Stimulation/methods*
;
Nerve Fibers/physiology*
;
Finite Element Analysis
;
Spinal Cord/physiology*
;
Computer Simulation
;
Spinal Cord Injuries/physiopathology*
;
Lumbosacral Region
;
Lumbar Vertebrae
;
Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation/methods*
;
Models, Neurological
3.A study on the predictive model of porous hyperelastic properties of human alveolar bone based on computed tomography imaging.
Bin WU ; Mingna LI ; Fan YANG ; Le YUAN ; Yi LU ; Di JIANG ; Yang YI ; Bin YAN
Journal of Biomedical Engineering 2025;42(2):359-365
Alveolar bone reconstruction simulation is an effective means for quantifying orthodontics, but currently, it is not possible to directly obtain human alveolar bone material models for simulation. This study introduces a prediction method for the equivalent shear modulus of three-dimensional random porous materials, integrating the first-order Ogden hyperelastic model to construct a computed tomography (CT) based porous hyperelastic Ogden model (CT-PHO) for human alveolar bone. Model parameters are derived by combining results from micro-CT, nanoindentation experiments, and uniaxial compression tests. Compared to previous predictive models, the CT-PHO model shows a lower root mean square error (RMSE) under all bone density conditions. Simulation results using the CT-PHO model parameters in uniaxial compression experiments demonstrate more accurate prediction of the mechanical behavior of alveolar bone under compression. Further prediction and validation with different individual human alveolar bone samples yield accurate results, confirming the generality of the CT-PHO model. The study suggests that the CT-PHO model proposed in this paper can estimate the material properties of human alveolar bone and may eventually be used for bone reconstruction simulations to guide clinical treatment.
Humans
;
Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods*
;
Porosity
;
Alveolar Process/physiology*
;
Bone Density
;
Computer Simulation
;
Elasticity
;
X-Ray Microtomography
;
Stress, Mechanical
;
Finite Element Analysis
;
Models, Biological
4.Research on flow characteristics of dual-outlet centrifugal disk blood pumps.
Qilong LIAN ; Yuan XIAO ; Yiping XIAO ; Zhanshuo CAO ; Guomin CUI
Journal of Biomedical Engineering 2025;42(2):374-381
Tesla blood pumps demonstrate a reduced propensity for hemolysis and thrombosis compared with vane blood pumps. Considering the restricted driving force within the secondary flow channel of vane blood pumps, along with the low hydraulic efficiency of conventional Tesla blood pumps and their internal flow characteristics that significantly contribute to hemolysis and thrombosis, this study introduces a set of vanes atop the rotor of the Tesla blood pump. This forms a dual-fluid domain rotor, and an axial dual-outlet volute shell structure is adopted to realize the separation of the fluid domains. Through numerical simulations of the new structure, a comparative analysis was conducted in this study on the internal flow characteristics of double-outlet and single-outlet volute shells, and symmetric and asymmetric cross-sections of the same rotor. The results indicate that the flow field distribution is more uniform under the double-outlet volute shell structure, and overall energy dissipation is decreased. After implementing the double-outlet design, in the asymmetric cross-section, compared with the symmetric cross-section, the fluid velocity gradient and turbulent kinetic energy at the tongue of the septum are reduced, and the fluid velocity gradient at the convergence of the diffuser tube outlets are also decreased. The maximum scalar stress is lower, and the decline in head and efficiency is mitigated. Moreover, compared with the single-outlet volute shell, the hemolysis index in the asymmetric cross-section is reduced. In summary, this paper proposes a novel dual-outlet centrifugal disk blood pumps, which can provide a reference for the structural design and performance optimization of magnetically levitated centrifugal blood pumps.
Heart-Assist Devices
;
Humans
;
Equipment Design
;
Hemolysis
;
Computer Simulation
5.Modeling and finite element analysis of human trabecular meshwork outflow pathways.
Shiya BAO ; Qing SUN ; Si CHEN ; Xinyu CHEN ; Xiang PENG ; Jing ZHANG
Journal of Biomedical Engineering 2025;42(3):585-591
Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, with its primary risk factor arising from elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) due to an imbalance between aqueous humor production and outflow. This study aims to establish quantitative correlations among IOP, iris mechanical properties, channel microstructures, and aqueous humor dynamics through three-dimensional modeling and finite element analysis, overcoming the limitations of conventional experimental techniques in studying aqueous flow within the trabecular meshwork (TM) outflow pathway. A three-dimensional fluid-structure interaction (FSI) model incorporating the layered TM structure, Schlemm's canal (SC), iris, and other anterior segment tissues was developed based on human ocular anatomy. FSI simulations were performed to quantify the effects of IOP variations and iris Young's modulus on tissue morphology and aqueous humor dynamics parameters. The computational results demonstrated that axial iris deformation showed significant correlations with IOP and iris Young's modulus. Although elevated IOP exhibited minimal effects on hydrodynamic parameters in the anterior and posterior chambers, it markedly suppressed aqueous flow velocity in the TM region. Additionally, wall shear stress in SC and collector channels displayed high sensitivity to IOP variations. These findings reveal that the tissue mechanics-FSI mechanism modulates outflow resistance by regulating aqueous humor dynamics, offering valuable references for developing clinical therapies targeting IOP reduction in glaucoma management.
Humans
;
Trabecular Meshwork/anatomy & histology*
;
Finite Element Analysis
;
Aqueous Humor/metabolism*
;
Intraocular Pressure/physiology*
;
Glaucoma/physiopathology*
;
Iris/anatomy & histology*
;
Computer Simulation
;
Models, Biological
6.Simulation analysis of adaptability of large airborne negative pressure isolation cabin to aviation conditions.
Lei GUO ; Falin LI ; Lang JIANG ; Haibo DU ; Bingjie XUE ; Wei YONG ; Yuanyuan JIANG ; Muzhe ZHANG
Journal of Biomedical Engineering 2025;42(4):775-781
In order to solve the problems of difficult test, high cost and long cycle in the development of large-scale airborne negative pressure isolation system, the simulation analysis of negative pressure response characteristics is carried out around various aviation conditions such as aircraft ascending, leveling and descending, especially rapid decompression, based on the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method. The results showed that the isolation cabin could achieve -50 Pa pressure difference environment and form a certain pressure gradient. The exhaust air volume reached the maximum value in the early stage of the aircraft's ascent, and gradually decreased with the increase of altitude until it was level flying. In the process of aircraft descent, the exhaust fan could theoretically maintain a pressure difference far below -50 Pa without working; Under the special condition of rapid pressure loss, it was difficult to deal with the rapid change of low pressure only by the exhaust fan, so it was necessary to design safety valve and other anti-leakage measures in the isolation cabin structure. Therefore, the initial stage of aircraft ascent is the key stage for the adjustment and control of the negative pressure isolation system. By controlling the exhaust air volume and adjusting parameters, it can adapt to the change of low pressure under normal flight conditions, form a relatively stable negative pressure environment, and meet the needs of biological control, isolation and transport.
Aircraft
;
Computer Simulation
;
Aviation/instrumentation*
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Humans
;
Hydrodynamics
;
Air Pressure
;
Equipment Design
;
Pressure
7.Design and analysis of human arm pathological tremor simulation system.
Zixin HE ; Haiping LIU ; Qingsheng LIU ; Yu JIANG ; Zhu ZHU
Journal of Biomedical Engineering 2025;42(4):790-798
In order to characterize the characteristics of pathological tremor of human upper limb, a simulation system of pathological tremor of human arm was provided and its dynamic response was analyzed. Firstly, in this study, a two-degree-of-freedom human arm dynamic model was established and linearized according to the arbitrary initial angle of joints. After solving the analytical solutions of steady-state responses of the joints, the numerical solution was used to verify it. The results of theoretical analysis show that the two natural frequencies of the developed dynamic model are 2.9 Hz and 5.4 Hz, respectively, which meet the characteristic frequency range of pathological tremors. Then, combined with the measured parameters of human arm, a tremor simulation system was built, and the measured results of joint responses are in good agreement with the theoretical and simulation analysis results, which verifies the effectiveness of the theoretical model. The results show that the human arm pathological tremor simulation system designed in this paper can characterize the frequency and response amplitude of the human upper limb pathological tremor. Moreover, the relevant research lays a theoretical foundation and experimental conditions for the subsequent development of wearable tremor suppression devices.
Humans
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Tremor/physiopathology*
;
Computer Simulation
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Arm/physiopathology*
;
Joints/physiopathology*
;
Biomechanical Phenomena
;
Upper Extremity/physiopathology*
;
Models, Biological
8.Finite element modeling and simulation study of solid-liquid biphase fiber-reinforced lumbar intervertebral disc.
Yongchang GAO ; Yantao FU ; Qingfeng CUI ; Shibin CHEN ; Peng LIU ; Xifang LIU
Journal of Biomedical Engineering 2025;42(4):799-807
The lumbar intervertebral disc exhibits a complex physiological structure with interactions between various segments, and its components are extremely complex. The material properties of different components in the lumbar intervertebral disc, especially the water content (undergoing dynamic change as influenced by age, degeneration, mechanical loading, and proteoglycan content) - critically determine its mechanical properties. When the lumbar intervertebral disc is under continuous pressure, water seeps out, and after the pressure is removed, water re-infiltrates. This dynamic fluid exchange process directly affects the mechanical properties of the lumbar intervertebral disc, while previous isotropic modeling methods have been unable to accurately reflect such solid-liquid phase behaviors. To explore the load-bearing mechanism of the lumbar intervertebral disc and establish a more realistic mechanical model of the lumbar intervertebral disc, this study developed a solid-liquid biphasic, fiber-reinforced finite element model. This model was used to simulate the four movements of the human lumbar spine in daily life, namely flexion, extension, axial rotation, and lateral bending. The fluid pressure, effective solid stress, and liquid pressure-bearing ratio of the annulus fibrosus and nucleus pulposus of different lumbar intervertebral discs were compared and analyzed under the movements. Under all the movements, the fluid pressure distribution was closer to the nucleus pulposus, while the effective solid stress distribution was more concentrated in the outer annulus fibrosus. In terms of fluid pressure, the maximum fluid pressure of the lumbar intervertebral disc during lateral bending was 1.95 MPa, significantly higher than the maximum fluid pressure under other movements. Meanwhile, the maximum effective solid stress of the lumbar intervertebral disc during flexion was 2.43 MPa, markedly higher than the maximum effective solid stress under other movements. Overall, the liquid pressure-bearing ratio under axial rotation was smaller than that under other movements. Based on the solid-liquid biphasic modeling method, this study more accurately revealed the dominant role of the liquid phase in the daily load-bearing process of the lumbar intervertebral disc and the solid-phase mechanical mechanism of the annulus fibrosus load-bearing, and more effectively predicted the solid-liquid phase co-load-bearing mechanism of the lumbar intervertebral disc in daily life.
Humans
;
Finite Element Analysis
;
Intervertebral Disc/physiology*
;
Lumbar Vertebrae/physiology*
;
Weight-Bearing/physiology*
;
Biomechanical Phenomena
;
Stress, Mechanical
;
Computer Simulation
;
Models, Biological
9.Simulation research on the influence of regular porous lattice scaffolds on bone growth.
Yutao MEN ; Lele WEI ; Baibing HU ; Pujun HAO ; Chunqiu ZHANG
Journal of Biomedical Engineering 2025;42(4):808-816
To assess the implantation effectiveness of porous scaffolds, it is essential to consider not only their mechanical properties but also their biological performance. Given the high cost, long duration and low reproducibility of biological experiments, simulation studies as a virtual alternative, have become a widely adopted and efficient evaluation method. In this study, based on the secondary development environment of finite element analysis software, the strain energy density growth criterion for bone tissue was introduced to simulate and analyze the cell proliferation-promoting effects of four different lattice porous scaffolds under cyclic compressive loading. The biological performance of these scaffolds was evaluated accordingly. The computational results indicated that in the early stages of bone growth, the differences in bone tissue formation among the scaffold groups were not significant. However, as bone growth progressed, the scaffold with a porosity of 70% and a pore size of 900 μm demonstrated markedly superior bone formation compared to other porosity groups and pore size groups. These results suggested that the scaffold with a porosity of 70% and a pore size of 900 μm was most conducive to bone tissue growth and could be regarded as the optimal structural parameter for bone repair scaffold. In conclusion, this study used a visualized simulation approach to pre-evaluate the osteogenic potential of porous scaffolds, aiming to provide reliable data support for the optimized design and clinical application of implantable scaffolds.
Tissue Scaffolds/chemistry*
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Porosity
;
Finite Element Analysis
;
Tissue Engineering/methods*
;
Computer Simulation
;
Bone Development
;
Osteogenesis
;
Humans
;
Cell Proliferation
10.Biomechanical advantages of personalized Y-shaped plates in treatment of distal humeral intra-articular fractures.
Hao YU ; Jiachen PENG ; Jibin YANG ; Lidan YANG ; Zhi XU ; Chen YANG
Chinese Journal of Reparative and Reconstructive Surgery 2025;39(5):574-583
OBJECTIVE:
To compare the biomechanical properties of personalized Y-shaped plates with horizontal plates, vertical plates, and traditional Y-shaped plates in the treatment of distal humeral intra-articular fractures through finite element analysis, and to evaluate their potential for clinical application.
METHODS:
The study selected a 38-year-old male volunteer and obtained a three-dimensional model of the humerus by scanning his upper limbs using a 64-slice spiral CT. Four types of fracture-internal fixation models were constructed using Mimics 19.0, Geomagic Wrap 2017, Creo 6.0, and other software: horizontal plates, vertical plates, traditional Y-shaped plate, and personalized Y-shaped plate. The models were then meshed using Hypermesh 14.0 software, and material properties and boundary conditions were defined in Abaqus 6.14 software. AnyBody 7.3 software was used to simulate elbow flexion and extension movements, calculate muscle strength, joint forces, and load torques, and compare the peak stress and maximum displacement of the four fixation methods at different motion angles (10°, 30°, 50°, 70°, 90°, 110°, 130°, 150°) during elbow flexion and extension.
RESULTS:
Under dynamic loading during elbow flexion and extension, the personalized Y-shaped plate exhibits significant biomechanical advantages. During elbow flexion, the peak internal fixation stress of the personalized Y-shaped plate was (28.8±0.9) MPa, which was significantly lower than that of the horizontal plates, vertical plates, and traditional Y-shaped plate ( P<0.05). During elbow extension, the peak internal fixation stress of the personalized Y-shaped plate was (18.1±1.6) MPa, which was lower than those of the other three models, with significant differences when compared with horizontal plates and vertical plates ( P<0.05). Regarding the peak humeral stress, the personalized Y-shaped plate model showed mean values of (10.9±0.8) and (13.1±1.4) MPa during elbow flexion and extension, respectively, which were significantly lower than those of the other three models ( P<0.05). Displacement analysis showed that the maximum displacement of the humerus with the personalized Y-shaped plate during elbow flexion was (2.03±0.08) mm, slightly higher than that of the horizontal plates, but significantly lower than that of the vertical plates, showing significant differences ( P<0.05). During elbow extension, the maximum displacement of the humerus with the personalized Y-shaped plate was (1.93±0.13) mm, which was lower than that of the other three models, with significant differences when compared with vertical plates and traditional Y-shaped plates ( P<0.05). Stress contour analysis showed that the stress of the personalized Y-shaped plate was primarily concentrated at the bifurcation of the Y-shaped structure. Displacement contour analysis showed that the personalized Y-shaped plate effectively controlled the displacement of the distal humerus during both flexion and extension, demonstrating excellent stability.
CONCLUSION
The personalized Y-shaped plate demonstrates excellent biomechanical performance in the treatment of distal humeral intra-articular fractures, with lower stress and displacement, providing more stable fixation effects.
Humans
;
Male
;
Adult
;
Healthy Volunteers
;
Finite Element Analysis
;
Tomography, Spiral Computed
;
Models, Anatomic
;
Biomechanical Phenomena
;
Humeral Fractures, Distal/surgery*
;
Fracture Fixation, Internal/instrumentation*
;
Bone Plates
;
Computer Simulation
;
Precision Medicine/methods*
;
Elbow Joint/surgery*
;
Elbow/surgery*
;
Humerus/surgery*
;
Torque
;
Stress, Mechanical
;
Intra-Articular Fractures/surgery*
;
Prosthesis Design/methods*
;
Imaging, Three-Dimensional
;
Range of Motion, Articular

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