Combining H-Adaptivity with the Element Splitting Method for Crack Simulation in Large Structures

H-adaptivity is an effective tool to introduce local mesh refinement in the FEM-based numerical simulation of crack propagation. The implementation of h-adaptivity could benefit the numerical simulation of fatigue or accidental load scenarios involving large structures, such as ship hulls. Meanwhile, in engineering applications, the element deletion method is frequently used to represent cracks. However, the element deletion method has some drawbacks, such as strong mesh dependency and loss of mass or energy. In order to mitigate this problem, the element splitting method could be applied. In this study, a numerical method called ‘h-adaptive element splitting’ (h-AES) is introduced. The h-AES method is applied in FEM programs by combining h-adaptivity with the element splitting method. Two examples using the h-AES method to simulate cracks in large structures under linear-elastic fracture mechanics scenario are presented. The numerical results are verified against analytical solutions. Based on the examples, the h-AES method is proven to be able to introduce mesh refinement in large-scale numerical models that mostly consist of structured coarse meshes, which is also beneficial to the reduction of computational resources. By employing the h-AES method, very small cracks are well represented in large structures without any deletions of elements.     

Setting Times of Early-Age Mortars Determined from Evolution Curves of Poisson’s Ratio

Setting times, as the early-age properties of cement-based materials, are important properties to ensure the quality and long-term performance of engineering structures. To determine the initial and final setting times of cementitious materials, the compressive wave velocity and shear wave velocity of six early-age mortar samples were monitored. Their time evolution curves of Young’s modulus, shear modulus, bulk modulus, and Poisson’s ratio were then calculated and analyzed. The signature times of the derivatives of the Poisson’s ratio evolution curves correlate well with the initial and final setting times, and the remarkably high coefficient of determination values relative to the data from this study are higher than those presented in the current literature. The proposed derivative method on the Poisson’s ratio evolution curve is as good as the derivative methods from vs. evolution curves used by prior studies for the estimation of both the initial and final setting times of the early-age properties of cement-based materials. The formation and subsequent disappearance of ettringite of low Poisson’s ratio were postulated to cause the initial dip in the Poisson’s ratio evolution curves.     

门静脉高压症猪肝动脉的生物力学特性

目的：建立猪门静脉高压症模型,探讨门静脉高压症对肝动脉的生物力学特性的影响。方法：猪以四氯化碳、苯巴比妥、乙醇,配合高脂、低蛋白、低胆碱饮食进行混合饲养。通过脾静脉插管测压,取肝动脉在生物软组织力学试验机上测定其压力-直径关系,计算机图像分析测量肝动脉两端血管环的张开角及其几何形态学指标。结果：实验组门静脉压(4．17±1．03)kPa明显大于对照组(1．51±0．79)kPa,肝动脉的各向同性增量弹性模量、血管容积弹性模量和血管压力-应变模量均随压力的上升而增大,在相同压力下明显大于对照组。肝动脉的顺应性显著低于对照组,而张开角显著增加。结论：门静脉高压症时,肝动脉的生物力学特性发生了显著变化。     

护理指导对外伤松动牙在树脂纤维弹性夹板固定过程中口腔卫生情况的影响

目的 观察口腔护理指导在树脂纤维弹性夹板固定外伤松动牙过程中对口腔卫生情况的影响。方法 收集51例因外伤导致牙松动的病例(349颗牙齿),行树脂纤维夹板固定处理后,随机分为2组：对照组(25例,152颗牙齿)行常规医嘱;试验组(26例,197颗牙齿)予以常规医嘱+口腔卫生护理指导。患者于术后第2 w进行复查,观察树脂纤维夹板范围内的口腔卫生情况,包括牙唇侧表面软垢形成程度,牙周探诊深度及牙周探诊出血(Bleeding on probing,BOP) 阳性率。结果 试验组的牙齿表面白色软垢形成程度明显低于对照组(P<0.05);试验组的龈沟深度为(2.68±0.36) mm,对照组为(3.23±0.45) mm,差异无统计学意义;试验组的BOP阳性率为31.98%,低于对照组的BOP阳性率77.68% (P< 0.05)。结论 口腔护理指导在外伤松动牙树脂纤维弹性夹板固定过程中十分必要,可明显改善患者口腔卫生环境,有助于预防牙龈炎症的发生。     

Interdisciplinary Methods for Zoonotic Tissue Acellularization for Natural Heart Valve Substitute of Biomimetic Materials

The goal of this work was to create a bioactive tissue-based scaffold using multi-disciplinary engineering materials and tissue engineering techniques. Materials & methods: Physical techniques such as direct laser interference lithography and proton radiation were selected as alternative methods of enzymatic and chemical decellularization to remove cells from a tissue without degradation of the extracellular matrix nor its protein structure. This study was an attempt to prepare a functional scaffold for cell culture from tissue of animal origin using new physical methods that have not been considered before. The work was carried out under full control of the histological and molecular analysis. Results & conclusions: The most important finding was that the physical methods used to obtain the decellularized tissue scaffold differed in the efficiency of cell removal from the tissue in favour of the laser method. Both the laser method and the proton method exhibited a destructive effect on tissue structure and the genetic material in cell nuclei. This effect was visible on histology images as blurred areas within the cell nucleus. The finite element 3D simulation of decellularization process of the three-layer tissue of animal origin sample reflected well the mechanical response of tissue described by hyperelastic material models and provided results comparable to the experimental ones.     

Eye bank versus surgeon prepared Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty tissues: Influence on adhesion force in a pilot study

Purpose:To evaluate and compare the biomechanical properties of the eye bank-prepared and surgeon prepared Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) tissues.Methods:In this laboratory study, corneal tissues for research were randomly allocated in the following groups: a) surgeon-cut DSAEK and b) eye bank-prepared (pre-cut and pre-loaded) DSAEK. Endothelial cell loss (ECL), immunostaining for tight junction protein ZO-1, elastic modulus, and adhesion force were investigated.Results:ECL was not found to be significantly different between surgeon-cut DSAEK (7.8% ±6.5%), pre-cut DSAEK (8.6% ±2.3%), and pre-loaded DSAEK (11.1% ±4.8%) (P = 0.5910). ZO-1 was expressed equally across all groups. Surgeon-cut DSAEK grafts showed a significantly higher elastic modulus compared to pre-cut and pre-loaded DSAEK groups (P = 0.0047 and P < 0.0001, respectively). Adhesion force was significantly greater in the surgeon-cut DSAEK compared to pre-cut (P < 0.0001) or pre-loaded DSAEK groups (P = 0.0101).Conclusion:The laboratory data on the biomechanics of DSAEK grafts suggests that surgeon-cut DSAEK grafts present higher elastic modulus and adhesion force compared to eye bank-prepared DSAEK grafts.     

Accumulation of lipid in muscular arteries of short-term diabetic rats

Summary Lipid accumulation in muscular (pulmonary, coronary and tibial) arteries and elastic (aorta and pulmonary) arteries of streptozotocin diabetic (65 mg/kg) rats was studied with an electron microscope. Arterial tissue specimens taken 4 days after the induction of diabetes showed lipid deposits in smooth muscle cells in the muscular arteries of 9 out of 24 diabetic rats, but in none of the 17 control rats. Histochemically the lipid was identified as triacylglycerol. Lipid accumulation was not seen in the elastic arteries of either diabetic or control rats. The diabetic animals with lipid deposits had slightly but significantly higher plasma glucose concentrations (p<0.02), higher non-esterified fatty acids levels (p<0.01), and lower concentrations of plasma insulin (p<0.02) than those without arterial deposits. The amount of lipid deposited in the arteries was closely related to the plasma non-esterified fatty acid level, which was in the ranges 0.8–1.1 mmol/l in diabetic rats without deposits, and 1.1–2.4 mmol/l in those with deposits. The findings suggest that lipid accumulation in smooth muscle cells of muscular arteries during acute diabetes could result from the high plasma non-esterified fatty acid concentrations.     

颈椎损伤后手术中脊髓保护措施的效果探讨

目的探讨颈椎损伤后手术中脊髓保护措施的效果。方法强迫位下清醒/快速诱导气管插管后,部分患者行控制性降压、脱水、利尿、适度过度通气、皮层体感诱发电位(CSEP)监测;截瘫患者行双下肢弹性绷带缠裹。结果快速诱导插管较清醒插管难度明显降低(P<0.05),术后并发症减少;控制性降压明显减少术中出血量(P<0.01),显露清晰,方便椎管内操作;脱水、利尿、适度过度通气使椎管内压明显降低,硬膜、脊髓损伤减少;截瘫患者弹性绷带缠裹后,术中脊髓血供改善;CSEP监测可规避术中误伤脊髓的发生。结论颈椎手术中脊髓保护应从诱导插管、术中管理多个环节加以落实,方可获得理想的脊髓保护效果。