Experimental Study of Reinforced Concrete T-Beam Retrofitted with Ultra-High-Performance Concrete under Cyclic and Ultimate Flexural Loading.

Structurally deficient bridges are commonly retrofitted using conventional methodologies, including reinforced concrete, steel jackets, and fiber-reinforced polymers. Although these retrofit methods aim to improve structural performance, exposure to aggressive environments may undermine the durability performance of the retrofit material. More recently, ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) has provided an alternative to conventional construction methods, with its superior material characteristics favoring its use in retrofit applications. In this study, a large-scale reinforced concrete (RC) T-beam is constructed and artificially damaged. The T-beam is then retrofitted with an external envelope of UHPC on all faces. Sandblasting is introduced to the surface, providing partially exposed reinforcement in the T-beam to simulate material deterioration. Additional reinforcement is placed in the web and flange, followed by casting the enveloping layer of UHPC around the specimen. The feasibility of this method is discussed, and the structural performance of the beam is assessed by subjecting the beam to cyclic and ultimate flexural loading. This paper presents the results of cyclic and ultimate testing on the RC-UHPC composite T-beam regarding load-displacement, failure mode, and strain responses. The retrofitted T-beam specimen is subjected to a cyclic loading range of 131 kN for 1.576 million cycles. Despite no visible cracks in the cyclic testing, the specimen experiences a 12.22% degradation in stiffness. During the ultimate flexural testing, the specimen shows no relative slip between the two concretes, and the typical flexural failure mode is observed. By increasing the longitudinal reinforcement ratio in the web, the failure mode can shift from localized cracking, predominantly observed in the UHPC shell, toward a more distributed cracking pattern along the length of the beam, which is similar to conventional reinforced concrete beams.

Primary leiomyosarcoma of the mandible.

Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is a malignant soft tissue tumor that exhibits smoothmuscle differentiation. Its occurrence in the oral cavity is exceedingly rare. This article presents a 67-year-old woman with 9-month history of a painful tumoral lesion on the right side of mandible. Tumor was composed of fascicles of spindle-shaped cells with cigar-shaped nuclei and eosinophilic cytoplasm. Immunohistochemistry showed that tumor cells were positive for smooth muscle actin (SMA) and desmin. The findings were consistent with the diagnosis of LMS.

Hypermethylation of p16 tumor-suppressor gene in ameloblastic carcinoma, ameloblastoma, and dental follicles.

PURPOSE: The high rate of p16 gene alterations in malignant neoplasms suggests the important effect of this tumor-suppressor gene mutation on the malignant behavior of tumoral lesions. The present study investigated the possible methylation of the p16 tumor in ameloblastic carcinoma, ameloblastoma, and dental follicles. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen samples of ameloblastic carcinoma, ameloblastoma, and dental follicles of mandibular impacted third molar were selected from available documents in the archives of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Taleghani Hospital and the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. After confirming the initial diagnosis, 6-µm sections were used for DNA extraction. A CpG island methylation of p16 was identified by polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Although CpG methylation of p16 was observed in all ameloblastic carcinoma samples, only 1 ameloblastoma specimen exhibited the mutation. The mutation was not detected in other ameloblastoma specimens or in any dental follicle sample. CONCLUSIONS: The p16 alteration might play a role in the malignant progression of ameloblastic carcinoma. It is worth mentioning that ameloblastoma can be further differentiated from ameloblastic carcinoma based on molecular observations.

Evaluation of PKM2 and MAPK8IP2 Polymorphism in Ameloblastic Carcinoma: A Retrospective Quantitative Study.

Ameloblastic carcinoma (AC) is a rare malignant epithelial odontogenic tumor that histologically retains the features of ameloblastic differentiation and exhibits cytological features of malignancy in the primary or recurrent tumor. It may develop within a preexisting ameloblastoma or arise de novo or from an odontogenic cyst. Epidemiological evidence shows that human cancer is generally caused by genotoxic factors, genes involved in the susceptibility of cancer, including those involved in metabolism or detoxification of genotoxic environment and those controlling DNA replication. Nowadays, gene polymorphism has an important role in development of malignant tumor. We report a case series study of ameloblastic carcinoma and ameloblastoma to show the role of PKM2 and MAPK8IP2 polymorphisms in these tumors. The DNA was extracted separately from specimens in paraffin sections of the tumor. Polymorphism of these genes was determined by PCR-RFLP (Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction fragment length polymorphism) method. The allele distributions of all samples were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The genotype and allele distribution in these genes were not statistically different between patients and controls.

Massive craniofacial intraosseous vascular malformation resembling cystic angiomatosis: report of 2 cases and review of the literature.

Cystic angiomatosis of bone is a rare condition of multifocal angiomas of the skeleton. The condition is believed to be congenital, grows slowly and starts in first decades of life. Two cases of progressive bimaxillary enlargement, presented here with a history of slowly enlargement of facial bones when they were 9 and 6 year old, respectively. Radiographic evaluation of the craniofacial bones revealed aggressive hypertrophy with severe displacement of the teeth. The histopathological evaluation of the gross specimen showed vital bone containing capillary and cavernous spaces with endothelial lining. Aggressive cystic angiomatosis of the facial bones was described here as the most probable diagnosis.