Page 31 - Hormel Report 2023

| 31
Developing and Applying Mathematical Models to Analyze Composite and Fluid Materials in Various Contexts.
One of the main objectives is to investigate
the behavior and properties of electroelastic materials, which can deform under electric fields
and generate electric fields under mechanical stress. These materials have potential applications in tissue self-repair, prostheses, and energy harvesting, as they can mimic the natural functions of biological tissues and organs. Another objective is to use modeling techniques of composite materials, such as homogenization and multiscale methods, to study the growth and dynamics of solid tumors. These studies can help understand the interactions between tumor cells and their microenvironment and design better diagnosis and treatment strategies.
The laboratory is involved in several projects within the Hormel Institute and with external partners focusing on different cancer and nutrition research aspects. These projects include simulating cancer cell growth, developing a computational framework for the endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and studying the relationship between food diversity and nutritional quality.
ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2941-0487
Estimated effect of vaccine efficacy on COVID-19 cases in Cuba. The figure shows the projected number of active COVID-19 cases in Cuba from December 2022 to September 2023 under different scenarios of vaccine efficacy. The designs are based on the reported effectiveness of the Cuban vaccines Soberana 02 and Abdala and a hypothetical efficacy between 40%-90%. The figure illustrates how higher vaccine efficacy can reduce the number of active cases and potentially control the pandemic.
A schematic diagram of the Smart Metamaterial (SMM) system. The SMM consists of a periodic array of three-element units containing two buck- ling actuators and one central post. The buckling actuators can expand or contract depending on the applied voltage, while the central post can contract or extend depending on the strain. The SMM can achieve large deformation and shape change by coordinating the actuation of the units.
/
Susceptible
P
Recovered
P
Depiction of the SIR model with demography showing the population’s susceptible, infected, and recovered (SIR) segments. The model assumes that the population size does not change quickly and that people are born susceptible at a constant rate Λ and die from natural causes at a continuous rate μ. The model also assumes that the parame- ters given the transmission and recovery rates are β and α, respectively.
E
Infected
D
P
Deceased
G
PUBLICATION HIGHLIGHTS:
• Espinosa-Almeyda, Y., Guinovart-Sanjuán, D., Rodríguez- Ramos, R., Camacho-Montes, H., & Rodríguez-Bermúdez, P. (2023). Effective properties of multi-laminated micropolar composites with Fibonacci and random structures. Mathematics and Mechanics of Solids, Special Issue in honor of Prof. Ray Ogden (In Press).
• Guinovart-Sanjuán, D., Mohapatra, R., Rodríguez-Ramos, R., Espinosa-Almeyda, Y., & Rodríguez-Bermúdez, P. (2023). Influence of nonlocal elasticity tensor and flexoelectricity in a rod: An asymptotic homogenization approach. International Journal of Engineering Science, 193, 103960