BackgroundThe stenosis of the coronary arteries is usually caused by atherosclerosis. Hemodynamic significance of patient-specific coronary stenoses and the risk of its progression may be assessed by comparing the hemodynamic effects induced by flow disorders. The present study shows how stenosis degree and variable flow conditions in coronary artery affect the oscillating shear index, residence time index, pressure drop coefficient and fractional flow reserve. We assume that changes in the hemodynamic indices in relation to variable flow conditions and geometries evaluated using the computational fluid dynamics may be an additional factor for a non-invasive assessment of the coronary stenosis detected on multi-slice computed tomography.MethodsThe local-parametrised models of basic shapes of the vessels, such as straight section, bend, and bifurcation as well as the global-patient-specific models of left coronary artery were used for numerical simulation of flow in virtually reconstructed stenotic vessels. Calculations were carried out for vessels both without stenosis, and vessels of 10 to 95% stenosis. The flow rate varied within the range of 20 to 1000 ml/min, and heart rate frequency within the range of 30 to 210 cycles/min.The computational fluid dynamics based on the finite elements method verified by the experimental measurements of the velocity profiles was used to analyse blood flow in the coronary arteries.ResultsThe results confirm our preliminary assumptions. There is significant variation in the coronary hemodynamic indices value caused by disturbed flow through stenosis in relation to variable flow conditions and geometry of vessels.ConclusionVariations of selected hemodynamic indexes induced by change of flow rate, heart rate and vessel geometry, obtained during a non-invasive study, may assist in evaluating the risk of stenosis progression and in carrying out the assessment of the hemodynamic significance of coronary stenosis. However, for a more accurate assessment of the variability of indices and coronary stenosis severity both local (near the narrowing) and global (in side branches) studies should be used.

Background: 3D bioprinting is the future of constructing functional organs. Creating a bioactive scaffold with pancreatic islets presents many challenges. The aim of this paper is to assess how the 3D bioprinting process affects islet viability. Methods: The BioX 3D printer (Cellink), 600 μm inner diameter nozzles, and 3% (w/v) alginate cell carrier solution were used with rat, porcine, and human pancreatic islets. Islets were divided into a control group (culture medium) and 6 experimental groups (each subjected to specific pressure between 15 and 100 kPa). FDA/PI staining was performed to assess the viability of islets. Analogous studies were carried out on α-cells, β-cells, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells. Results: Viability of human pancreatic islets was as follows: 92% for alginate-based control and 94%, 90%, 74%, 48%, 61%, and 59% for 15, 25, 30, 50, 75, and 100 kPa, respectively. Statistically significant differences were observed between control and 50, 75, and 100 kPa, respectively. Similar observations were made for porcine and rat islets. Conclusions: Optimal pressure during 3D bioprinting with pancreatic islets by the extrusion method should be lower than 30 kPa while using 3% (w/v) alginate as a carrier.

The continuum approach employing porous media models is a robust and efficient solution method in the area of the simulation of fixed-bed reactors. This paper applies the double-averaging methodology to refine the continuum approach, opening a way to alleviate its main limitations: space-invariant averaging volume and inaccurate treatment of the porous/fluid interface. The averaging operator is recast as a general space–time filter allowing for the analysis of commutation errors in a classic large eddy simulation (LES) formalism. An explicit filtering framework has been implemented to carry out an a posteriori evaluation of the unclosed terms appearing in the double-averaged Navier–Stokes (DANS) equations, also considering a space-varying filter width. Two resolved simulations have been performed. First, the flow around a single, stationary particle has been used to validate derived equations and the filtering procedure. Second, an LES of the turbulent flow in a channel partly occupied with a porous medium has been realized and filtered. The commutation error at the porous–fluid interface has been evaluated and compared to the prediction of two models. The significance of the commutation error terms is also discussed and assessed. Finally, the solver for DANS equations has been developed and used to simulate both of the studied geometries. The magnitude of the error associated with neglecting the commutation errors has been investigated, and an LES simulation combined with a porous drag model was performed. Very encouraging results have been obtained indicating that the inaccuracy of the drag closure overshadows the error related to the commutation of operators.

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