?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fmiis.maths.ox.ac.uk%2Fmiis%2F272%2F&rft.title=Mathematical+models+for+vulnerable+plaques&rft.creator=Bell%2C+J.&rft.creator=Breward%2C+C.&rft.creator=Chou%2C+T.&rft.creator=Fok%2C+P.-W.&rft.creator=Haugh%2C+J.+M.&rft.creator=Li%2C+Q.&rft.creator=Rossi%2C+L.&rft.creator=Walter%2C+A.&rft.creator=Yang%2C+X.&rft.creator=Zemlyanova%2C+A.&rft.creator=Zhang%2C+N.&rft.subject=Medical+and+pharmaceutical&rft.description=A+plaque+is+an+accumulation+and+swelling+in+the+artery+walls+and+typically+consists+of+cells%2C+cell+debris%2C+lipids%2C+calcium+deposits+and+fibrous+connective+tissue.+A+person+is+likely+to+have+many+plaques+inside+his%2Fher+body+even+if+they+are+healthy.+However+plaques+may+become+%22vulnerable%22%2C+%22high-risk%22+or+%22thrombosis-prone%22+if+the+person+engages+in+a+high-fat+diet+and+does+not+exercise+regularly.%0D%0A%0D%0AIn+this+study+group%2C+we+proposed+two+mathematical+models+to+describe+plaque+growth+and+rupture.%0D%0AThe+first+model+is+a+mechanical+one+that+approximately+treats+the+plaque+as+an+inflating+elastic+balloon.+In+this+model%2C+the+pressure+inside+the+core+increases+and+then+decreases+suggesting+that+plaque+stabilization+and+prevention+of+rupture+is+possible.%0D%0AThe+second+model+is+a+biochemical+one+that+focuses+on+the+role+of+MMPs+in+degrading+the+fibrous+plaque+cap.+The+cap+stress%2C+MMP+concentration%2C+plaque+volume+and+cap+thickness+are+coupled+together+in+a+system+of+phenomenological+equations.+The+equations+always+predict+an+eventual+rupture+since+the+volume%2C+stresses+and+MMP+concentrations+generally+grow+without+bound.+The+main+weakness+of+the+model+is+that+many+of+the+important+parameters+that+control+the+behavior+of+the+plaque+are+unknown.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe+two+simple+models+suggested+by+this+group+could+serve+as+a+springboard+for+more+realistic+theoretical+studies.+But+most+importantly%2C+we+hope+they+will+motivate+more+experimental+work+to+quantify+some+of+the+important+mechanical+and+biochemical+properties+of+vulnerable+plaques.&rft.date=2009&rft.type=Study+Group+Report&rft.type=NonPeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.language=en&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fmiis.maths.ox.ac.uk%2Fmiis%2F272%2F1%2Fplaque.pdf&rft.identifier=++Bell%2C+J.+and+Breward%2C+C.+and+Chou%2C+T.+and+Fok%2C+P.-W.+and+Haugh%2C+J.+M.+and+Li%2C+Q.+and+Rossi%2C+L.+and+Walter%2C+A.+and+Yang%2C+X.+and+Zemlyanova%2C+A.+and+Zhang%2C+N.++(2009)+Mathematical+models+for+vulnerable+plaques.++%5BStudy+Group+Report%5D+++++