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Comprehensive Topological, Geometric, And Hemodynamic Analysis Of The Rat Gluteus Maximus Arteriolar Networks, Mohammed K. Al Tarhuni

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The objective of this thesis was to measure the geometric and topological properties of complete arteriolar networks within skeletal muscle, and to use these data as ideal inputs in a computational blood flow model in order to analyze the corresponding hemodynamic properties. Specifically, we sought to measure the levels of structural and hemodynamic heterogeneity exhibited within and between arteriolar networks. Intravital videomicroscopy was used to image and construct photomontages of complete arteriolar networks of the rat gluteus maximus muscle under baseline conditions. Arteriolar diameters, lengths, and inter-connections were analyzed and grouped according to a centrifugal ordering scheme. For all networks …