Collaborative Research: Multi-Domain Computational Framework for Simulating Musculoskeletal Systems

PI：Thelen、Darryl G.、Negrut、Dan 和 Dhaher、Yasin 提案编号：0966535 和 0966742 膝关节韧带损伤的个人患早发性骨关节炎的风险很高，这可能导致慢性疼痛和功能丧失。据信，生物力学因素可能会导致这种长期问题，异常的软骨负荷会诱发继发性微创伤和关节退化过程。本研究的目的是建立一个经过验证的计算框架，用于研究损伤（例如部分或全部韧带撕裂）、手术（例如韧带复位部位、软组织张力）和康复（例如拉伸、肌肉再训练）因素如何改变运动过程中的组织负荷。两个研究目标集中于技术努力来实现既定目标。第一个目标涉及根据高分辨率医学图像构建特定于主题的有限元 (FE) 膝盖模型。有限元模型包括结缔组织的连续描述，并独特地解释了胫骨-股骨关节和髌骨-股骨关节之间的相互作用。第二个目标是研究一种预测运动过程中膝关节运动学、韧带应变和软骨负荷的计算方法。提出了一种联合仿真框架，其中有限元模型与多体和肌肉肌腱动力学同时求解，从而解释了膝关节力学和运动动力学之间存在的固有相互作用。贝叶斯分析技术将用于通过将模型预测与使用动态磁共振成像获得的体内测量进行比较来统计校准和验证计算模型。推广目标是：1）教育医疗从业者了解功能任务期间自然出现的运动和内部关节力学之间的固有耦合，2）让威斯康星州和伊利诺伊州的少数族裔高中生参与计算科学相关活动。研究/教育一体化计划涉及为芝加哥康复研究所 (RIC) 的理疗住院医师项目开展案例研究。通过依靠该项目开发的预测模拟功能，这些研究将说明在规划解决肌肉骨骼损伤和疾病的临床干预措施时考虑生物力学因素的重要性。高中的推广工作将涉及两层方法，每年将（a）首先组织普及计算科学的研讨会，（b）随后在威斯康星大学麦迪逊分校进行为期一周的住宿暑期项目。该计划“促进计算科学倡议” （ProCSI），针对代表性不足的高中生。这项研究的智力价值源于将先进的计算科学、生物力学建模和统计分析技术相结合，建立了一个用于模拟肌肉骨骼功能的新计算框架。通过推广使用生物力学模型来科学评估肌肉骨骼损伤的临床治疗，以及为代表性不足的学生提供使用计算工具解决有意义的医疗问题的机会，将实现更广泛的影响。

PI: Thelen, Darryl G., Negrut, Dan, and Dhaher, YasinProposal Number: 0966535 & 0966742Individuals who experience knee ligament injuries are at high risk for early onset osteoarthritis, which can result in chronic pain and loss of function. It is believed that biomechanical factors may contribute to such long term problems, with abnormal cartilage loading inducing secondary micro-trauma and joint degeneration processes. The goal of this study is to establish a validated computational framework that would be used to investigate how injury (e.g. partial or full ligament tears), surgical (e.g. ligament reattachment sites, soft tissue tensioning) and rehabilitative (e.g. stretching, muscle re-training) factors can alter tissue loading during movement. Two research aims focus technical effort to meet the stated goal.The first aim involves the construction of subject-specific, finite element (FE) knee models from high resolution medical images. The FE models include continuum descriptions of connective tissues, and uniquely account for interactions between the tibio-femoral and patella-femoral joints. The second aim investigates a computational approach for predicting knee kinematics, ligament strains and cartilage loading during movement. A co-simulation framework is proposed in which finite element models are solved simultaneously with multi-body and musculo-tendon dynamics, thereby accounting for inherent interactions that exist between knee mechanics and movement dynamics. Bayesian analysis techniques will be used to both statistically calibrate and validate the computational models by comparing model predictions to in vivo measures obtained using dynamic magnetic resonance imaging.The outreach objectives are to: 1) educate medical practitioners about the inherent coupling between movement and internal joint mechanics that arise naturally during functional tasks, 2) engage minority high school students from Wisconsin and Illinois in Computational Science related activities. The research/education integration plan involves the development of case studies for the physiatry residency program at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC). By relying on the predictive simulation capability developed under this project, these studies will illustrate the importance of considering biomechanical factors when planning clinical interventions that address musculoskeletal injury and diseases. The high school outreach effort will involve a two tier approach that each year will (a) start by organizing seminars that popularize computational science, and (b) follow up by a one week residential summer program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The program, ?Promoting the Computational Science Initiative? (ProCSI), is aimed at under-represented high-school students.The intellectual merit of this study stems from combining advanced computational science, biomechanical modeling and statistical analysis techniques to establish a new computational framework for simulating musculoskeletal function. Broader impact will be achieved by promoting the use of biomechanical modeling to scientifically evaluate the clinical treatment of musculoskeletal injuries, and also by providing under-represented students an opportunity to use computational tools to address meaningful medical problems.