Pathology and first occurrence of the kidney trematode Paratanaisia bragai (Santos, 1934) Freitas, 1959 (Digenea: Eucotylidae) in Phasianus colchicus L., 1758, from Brazil

The kidney trematode Paratanaisia bragai is reported for the first time parasitizing the ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus L., 1758) and the pathological alterations associated to the parasitism are referred on the basis of 50 specimens of this bird from backyard flocks in 11 counties of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil after clinical examination, necropsies, and histopathological analysis. The counting of the kidney flukes was based on worms recovered from one of the kidneys, since the other was fixed in 10% formalin and then routinely processed for histopathological procedures. The prevalence of P. bragai was of 22%, with a mean intensity of 44.3, mean abundance of 9.7, and range of infection of 3-153. Parasitized birds did not present with clinical signs and kidney gross lesions. Microscopic lesions were mild and characterized by dilatation of the renal medullary collecting ducts, occasional flattening of the lining epithelium of the ducts and inflammatory reaction of variable intensity with granulocytes around the ureter branches and medullary collecting ducts. The severity and pattern of the microscopic lesions seem not to be associated to the size of the worm burden and could be related to the mechanic action of the parasites, without traumatism, in despite of the presence of the tegumentar spines in specimens of P. bragai.

Steel Diaphragms in Prestressed Concrete Girder Bridges, September 2004

Over the years, bridge engineers have been concerned about the response of prestressed concrete (PC) girder bridges that had been hit by over-height vehicles or vehicle loads. When a bridge is struck by an over-height vehicle or vehicle load, usually the outside and in some instances one of the interior girders are damaged in a bridge. The effect of intermediate diaphragms in providing damage protection to the PC girders of a bridge is not clearly defined. This analytical study focused on the role of intermediate diaphragms in reducing the occurrence of damage in the girders of a PC-girder bridge that has been struck by an over-height vehicle or vehicle load. The study also investigated whether a steel, intermediate diaphragm would essentially provide the same degree of impact protection for PC girders as that provided by a reinforced-concrete diaphragm. This investigation includes the following: a literature search and a survey questionnaire to determine the state-of-the-art in the use and design of intermediate diaphragms in PC-girder bridges. Comparisons were made between the strain and displacement results that were experimentally measured for a large-scale, laboratory, model bridge during previously documented work and those results that were obtained from analyses of the finite-element models that were developed during this research for that bridge. These comparisons were conducted to calibrate the finite element models used in the analyses for this research on intermediate diaphragms. Finite-element models were developed for non-skewed and skewed PC-girder bridges. Each model was analyzed with either a reinforced concrete or two types of steel, intermediate diaphragms that were located at mid-span of an interior span for a PC-girder bridge. The bridge models were analyzed for lateral-impact loads that were applied to the bottom flange of the exterior girders at the diaphragms location and away from the diaphragms location. A comparison was conducted between the strains and displacements induced in the girders for each intermediate-diaphragm type. These results showed that intermediate diaphragms have an effect in reducing impact damage to the PC girders. When the lateral impact-load was applied at the diaphragm location, the reinforced-concrete diaphragms provided more protection for the girders than that provided by the two types of steel diaphragms. The three types of diaphragms provided essentially the same degree of protection to the impacted, PC girder when the lateral-impact load was applied away from the diaphragm location.

Evaluation of a Bridge Constructed using High Performance Steel, May 2006

Of the approximately 25,000 bridges in Iowa, 28% are classified as structurally deficient, functionally obsolete, or both. Because many Iowa bridges require repair or replacement with a relatively limited funding base, there is a need to develop new bridge materials that may lead to longer life spans and reduced life-cycle costs. In addition, new and effective methods for determining the condition of structures are needed to identify when the useful life has expired or other maintenance is needed. Due to its unique alloy blend, high-performance steel (HPS) has been shown to have improved weldability, weathering capabilities, and fracture toughness than conventional structural steels. Since the development of HPS in the mid-1990s, numerous bridges using HPS girders have been constructed, and many have been economically built. The East 12th Street Bridge, which replaced a deteriorated box girder bridge, is Iowa’s first bridge constructed using HPS girders. The new structure is a two-span bridge that crosses I-235 in Des Moines, Iowa, providing one lane of traffic in each direction. A remote, continuous, fiber-optic based structural health monitoring (SHM) system for the bridge was developed using off-the-shelf technologies. In the system, sensors strategically located on the bridge collect raw strain data and then transfer the data via wireless communication to a gateway system at a nearby secure facility. The data are integrated and converted to text files before being uploaded automatically to a website that provides live strain data and a live video stream. A data storage/processing system at the Bridge Engineering Center in Ames, Iowa, permanently stores and processes the data files. Several processes are performed to check the overall system’s operation, eliminate temperature effects from the complete strain record, compute the global behavior of the bridge, and count strain cycles at the various sensor locations.

Johtaja K. Hillilä 21/12 1959

Kirje

Kansanedustaja Olavi Lahtela 4/11 1959

Kirje 4.11.1959