Numerical Simulation of Mechanical Properties of Series System with Bearing and Pier Under Lateral Load

The local series system with typical common plate rubber support/pier in highway reinforced concrete girder bridge is the object of the current research. The finite element numerical simulation method is used to study sensitive parameters – the mechanical properties of the series system under the horizontal load. The simulated results show that the interface bonding strength between the bearing and adjacent structure is reduced; the equivalent shear deformation and the horizontal force of bearing under horizontal load change insignificantly with the increase of horizontal displacement. However, the total shear deformation and equivalent shear deformation increase with the increase of the axial compression ratio. In addition, the top horizontal force and displacement of the pier significantly decrease with reduction of the connection strength at both ends of the bearing. Therefore, adjusting the axial compression ratio of the pier and interfacial connection mode can obviously affect the mechanical properties of the support and adjacent structure, even the failure mode of the local structure. This approach can help estimate the mechanical properties of the existing bridge and determine the reasonable maintenance plan

Roles of Pyroptosis-Related Genes in the Diagnosis and Subtype Classification of Periodontitis

Pyroptosis is widely involved in many diseases, including periodontitis. Nonetheless, the functions of pyroptosis-related genes (PRGs) in periodontitis are still not fully elucidated. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the role of PRGs in periodontitis. Three datasets (GSE10334, GSE16134, and GSE173078) from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) were selected to analyze the differences in expression values of the PRGs between nonperiodontitis and periodontitis tissue samples using difference analysis. Following this, five hub PRGs (charged multivesicular body protein 2B, granzyme B, Z-DNA-binding protein 1, interleukin-1β, and interferon regulatory factor 1) predicting periodontitis susceptibility were screened by establishing a random forest model, and a predictive nomogram model was constructed on the basis of these genes. Decision curve analysis suggested that the PRG-based predictive nomogram model could provide clinical benefits to patients. Three distinct PRG patterns (cluster A, cluster B, and cluster C) in the periodontitis samples were revealed according to the 48 significant PRGs, and the difference in the immune cell infiltration among the three patterns was explored. We observed that all infiltrating immune cells, except type 2 T helper cells, differ significantly among the three patterns. To quantify the PRG patterns, the PRG score was calculated by principal component analysis. According to the results, cluster B had the highest PRG score, followed by cluster A and cluster C. In conclusion, PRGs significantly contribute to the development of periodontitis. Our study of PRG patterns might open up a new avenue to guide individualized treatment plans for patients with periodontitis

Fatigue Performance of Reinforced Concrete T-Girders under Cyclic Loading

This paper examines the performance of reinforced concrete girders under cyclic loading. Seven T-girders were casted and tested. All girders were loaded under different constant cyclic loading in the midspan with the load ratio of 0.14∼0.23 and frequency of 3∼4 Hz. The study shows that the longitudinal reinforcement fracture is the main cause of girder rupture. And during cyclic loading, the concrete cracks, strains, and deflections generally indicate a “three-stage” law. The measured data were small but developed quickly in the initial stage. Thereafter, the degradation gradually stabilized and continued for a long time. In the final stage, the cracks, strains, and stiffness degradation developed sharply and the girders failed quickly. The duration of the stage is very short and may be difficult to be caught. For the life estimation, the longitudinal rebar S-N curve is fitted using different collected data. The results show that the curve is in good agreement with the corresponding data, which may be an excellent candidate for the evaluation of fatigue life