Interleukin-1β Modulation of the Mechanobiology of Primary Human Pulmonary Fibroblasts: Potential Implications in Lung Repair

Pro-inflammatory cytokines like interleukin-1β (IL-1β) are upregulated during early responses to tissue damage and are expected to transiently compromise the mechanical microenvironment. Fibroblasts are key regulators of tissue mechanics in the lungs and other organs. However, the effects of IL-1β on fibroblast mechanics and functions remain unclear. Here we treated human pulmonary fibroblasts from control donors with IL-1β and used Atomic Force Microscopy to unveil that IL-1β significantly reduces the stiffness of fibroblasts concomitantly with a downregulation of filamentous actin (F-actin) and alpha-smooth muscle (α-SMA). Likewise, COL1A1 mRNA was reduced, whereas that of collagenases MMP1 and MMP2 were upregulated, favoring a reduction of type-I collagen. These mechanobiology changes were functionally associated with reduced proliferation and enhanced migration upon IL-1β stimulation, which could facilitate lung repair by drawing fibroblasts to sites of tissue damage. Our observations reveal that IL-1β may reduce local tissue rigidity by acting both intracellularly and extracellularly through the downregulation of fibroblast contractility and type I collagen deposition, respectively. These IL-1β-dependent mechanical effects may enhance lung repair further by locally increasing pulmonary tissue compliance to preserve normal lung distension and function. Moreover, our results support that IL-1β provides innate anti-fibrotic protection that may be relevant during the early stages of lung repair.     

液压阻尼孔的宽温度范围流动特性试验研究

研制一种适合对各种液压孔口或缝隙进行高低温流体力学试验的新型试验装置，运用该装置对具有不同几何参数的液压阻尼孔进行在-50~80℃宽温度范围内的流动特性试验，研究以普通抗磨液压油HM46和低温抗凝减振器油TITAN SAF 5045为工质及其温度变化时对液压阻尼孔流量-压力特性曲线、幂指数和流量系数的影响，研究表明，在低温条件下，液压阻尼孔的流量系数均因油液黏度增大、流动性变差而呈线性下降的趋势，从宏观上看，HM46通过液压阻尼孔时的流动稳定性较差，其对应流量系数的下降幅度明显大于TITAN SAF 5045对应的下降幅度，厚壁小孔流量系数的下降幅度明显大于薄壁小孔对应的下降幅度。研究所获得的新型试验装置、试验数据分析方法和具体理论公式为深入研究和优化现代液压元件在宽温度范围内的动态性能提供新型试验平台与理论基础。     

拉深筋对板材变形特征和力学性能的影响研究

采用实验方法将金属板材拉过不同尺寸的拉深筋镶块，分析了拉深筋高度、圆角半径以及过筋次数对板材变形特征的影响规律，研究了过筋产生的预应变对板材后续力学性能的影响规律。结果表明：板材流过拉深筋后，流动方向上发生均匀的拉伸变形；过筋产生的预应变随着拉深筋高度增大而增大，随着圆角半径增大而减小，随着过筋次数增加而近似线性增大；预应变越大，材料后续屈服强度和抗拉强度越高，但后续延伸率越小，总延伸率随着预应变增大表现出先减小后增大的趋势。     

A theoretically-based novel protocol for the analytic treatment of the glass failure stresses associated with coaxial double ring test method

With the aim of validating a new standardized Coaxial Double Ring testing procedure, without overpressure and with fixed geometry, an ad hoc theoretical approach has been proposed here to rearrange the laboratory outcomes accounting for the effects of the geometric non-linearities associated with such a testing configuration. By borrowing this idea, once the experimental values of the failure load have been determined, it has been possible to obtain an expression in closed form (fully defined by only two coefficients) of the maximum tensile stress (σ_max) in the core of the specimen. Following this, in order to make the laboratory outcomes comparable and homogeneous, the σ_max-values have been then re-scaled to a common reference condition (equibiaxial stress on a reference area, σ_eqbx), by means of the use of a correction coefficient (K) able to determine, under a condition of equal probability of failure, the effective area (A_eff) of the tested specimens. After being corrected to account for the effects of the stress corrosion cracking (static fatigue effect), all re-scaled data have been finally interpreted using a Weibull-type statistical distribution to determine the main fractile values of the glass strength. Doing so, despite some unavoidable approximations, this procedure furnished a highly effective means of determining the bending strength of float glass. Unlike the pure numerical approach proposed in codes and literature, which requires to correct the experimental data via FEM simulation, the rationale behind the proposed approach is in fact to elaborate the experimental data through an analytic treatment of the problem, which would greatly facilitate the interpretation of the data as well as the standardization of the testing procedure.     

Advances in statistical mechanics of rock masses and its engineering applications

To efficiently link the continuum mechanics for rocks with the structural statistics of rock masses,a theoretical and methodological system called the statistical mechanics of rock masses(SMRM)was developed in the past three decades.In SMRM,equivalent continuum models of stressestrain relationship,strength and failure probability for jointed rock masses were established,which were based on the geometric probability models characterising the rock mass structure.This follows the statistical physics,the continuum mechanics,the fracture mechanics and the weakest link hypothesis.A general constitutive model and complete stressestrain models under compressive and shear conditions were also developed as the derivatives of the SMRM theory.An SMRM calculation system was then developed to provide fast and precise solutions for parameter estimations of rock masses,such as full-direction rock quality designation(RQD),elastic modulus,Coulomb compressive strength,rock mass quality rating,and Poisson’s ratio and shear strength.The constitutive equations involved in SMRM were integrated into a FLAC3D based numerical module to apply for engineering rock masses.It is also capable of analysing the complete deformation of rock masses and active reinforcement of engineering rock masses.Examples of engineering applications of SMRM were presented,including a rock mass at QBT hydropower station in northwestern China,a dam slope of Zongo II hydropower station in D.R.Congo,an open-pit mine in Dexing,China,an underground powerhouse of Jinping I hydropower station in southwestern China,and a typical circular tunnel in Lanzhou-Chongqing railway,China.These applications verified the reliability of the SMRM and demonstrated its applicability to broad engineering issues associated with jointed rock masses.     

Effects of SiC content on the densification,microstructure, and mechanical properties of HfB2–SiC composites

To investigate the effects of SiC on microstructure, hardness, and fracture toughness, 0, 10, 20, and 30 vol% SiC were added to HfB₂ and sintered by SPS. Upon adding SiC to 30 vol%, relative density increased about 4%; but HfB₂ grain growth had a minimum at 20 vol% SiC. This may be due to grain boundary silicate glass, responsible for surface oxide wash out, enriched in SiO₂ with higher fraction of SiC. By SiO₂ enrichment, the glass viscosity increased and higher HfO₂ remained unsolved which subsequently lead to higher grain growth. Hardness has increased from about 13 to 15 GPa by SiC introduction with no sensible variation with SiC increase. Residual stress measurements by Rietveld method indicated high levels of tensile residual stresses in the HfB₂ Matrix. Despite the peak residual stress value at 20 vol% SiC, fracture toughness of this sample was the highest (6.43 MPa m^0.5) which implied that fracture toughness is mainly a grain size function. Tracking crack trajectory showed a mainly trans-granular fracture, but grain boundaries imposed a partial deflection on the crack pathway. SiC had a higher percentage in fracture surface images than the cross-section which implied a weak crack deflection.     

Modeling of the electromechanical coupling between crack propagation and piezoelectric behavior in active layers of smart devices

In this article, a new computational approach is investigated to predict the crack propagation inside some smart structures equipped with surface-bonded piezoelectric layers; meanwhile, the electromechanical coupling is exploited. The current industrial need of analyzing rather irregular geometries motivates resorting to a numerical approach. Therefore, the finite element method (FEM) is used to predict both the fracture behavior and the coupled response of piezoelectric material through a suitable interoperation of the two computational environments, available in some commercial code like the ABAQUS^©. The two solutions are then coupled by means of a subroutine, in this case operated through the ISIGHT^© tool. After a preliminary analysis and a validation, results of some numerical simulations are shown to highlight some significant peculiarities of the coupled behavior of the piezoelectric material.     

Evaluation of different modelling conditions in the cohesive zone analysis of single-lap bonded joints

Cohesive Zone Models (CZM) are widely used for the strength prediction of adhesive joints. Different simulation conditions, such as damage initiation and growth criteria, are available for use in CZM analyses to provide the mixed-mode behaviour. Thus, it is highly relevant to understand in detail their influence on the simulations’ outcome. This work studies the influence of different conditions used in CZM simulations to model a thin adhesive layer in single-lap joints (SLJ) under a tensile loading, for an estimation of their influence on the strength prediction under diverse geometrical and material conditions. Validation with experimental data is considered. Adhesives ranging from brittle to highly ductile and overlap lengths (L_O) between 12.5 and 50 mm were considered. Different studies were considered: Variation of the elastic stiffness of the cohesive laws, different mesh refinements, study of the element type, and evaluation of several damage initiation and growth criteria. The analysis carried out in this work confirmed the known suitability of CZM for static strength prediction of bonded joints and pointed out the best set of numerical conditions for this purpose. Inaccurate results can be obtained if the choice of the modelling conditions is not the most suitable for the problem.     

Fracture Mode of Martensite-Austenite Constituents Containing Multiphase Steel Controlled by Microstructural and Micromechanical Aspects

The fracture mode in different M-A constituents containing multiphase steels under impact load was examined considering their microstructural and micromechanical aspects. The results showed that a ductile fracture develops in the fine-grained bainitic ferrite/M-A multiphase by microvoids initiation and coalescence, while cleavage develops in the coarse-grained polygonal ferrite/M-A multiphase by microcracks initiation and propagation, due to their diversities in morphologies of microstructural components and microhardness difference between phases.     

Bayesian model selection and parameter estimation for fatigue damage progression models in composites

A Bayesian approach is presented for selecting the most probable model class among a set of damage mechanics models for fatigue damage progression in composites. Candidate models, that are first parameterized through a Global Sensitivity Analysis, are ranked based on estimated probabilities that measure the extent of agreement of their predictions with observed data. A case study is presented using multi-scale fatigue damage data from a cross-ply carbon–epoxy laminate. The results show that, for this case, the most probable model class among the competing candidates is the one that involves the simplest damage mechanics. The principle of Ockham’s razor seems to hold true for the composite materials investigated here since the data-fit of more complex models is penalized, as they extract more information from the data.