High Estradiol Differentially Affects the Expression of the Glucose Transporter Type 4 in Pelvic Floor Muscles of Rats

María de los Ángeles Carrasco-Ruiz,Laura G. Hernández-Aragón,Jesús Ramsés Chávez-Ríos,Jorge Rodríguez-Antolín,Pablo Pacheco,Margarita Martínez-Gómez,Estela Cuevas-Romero,Francisco Castelán 대한배뇨장애요실금학회 2018 International Neurourology Journal Vol.22 No.3

Purpose: To characterize the relationship between serum estradiol levels and the expression of glucose transporter type 4 (Glut4) in the pubococcygeus and iliococcygeus muscles in female rats. Methods: The muscles were excised from virgin rats during the metestrus and proestrus stages of the estrous cycle, and from sham and ovariectomized rats implanted with empty or estradiol benzoate–filled capsules. The expression of estrogen receptors (ERs) was inspected in the muscles at metestrus and proestrus. Relative Glut4 expression, glycogen content, and serum glucose levels were measured. Appropriate statistical tests were done to identify significant differences (P≤0.05). Results: The pubococcygeus and iliococcygeus muscles expressed ERα and ERβ. Glut4 expression and glycogen content in the pubococcygeus muscle were higher at proestrus than at metestrus. No significant changes were observed in the iliococcygeus muscle. In ovariectomized rats, the administration of estradiol benzoate increased Glut4 expression and glycogen content in the pubococcygeus muscle alone. Conclusions: High serum estradiol levels increased Glut4 expression and glycogen content in the pubococcygeus muscle, but not in the iliococcygeus muscle.

Pinning of rotating waves to defects in finite Taylor-Couette flow

Pacheco, J.R.,Lopez, J.M.,Marques, F. CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS 2011 Journal of fluid mechanics Vol.666 No.-

Comparative study of some analytical methods to quantify lignin concentration in tropical grasses

Alejandro V. Velasquez,Cristian M.M.R. Martins,Pedro Pacheco,Romualdo S. Fukushima 아세아·태평양축산학회 2019 Animal Bioscience Vol.32 No.11

Objective: Lignin plays a relevant role in the inhibition of cell wall (CW) structural carbohydrate degradation. Thus, obtaining accurate estimates of the lignin content in tropical plants is important in order to properly characterize the mechanism of lignin action on CW degradation. Comparing conflicting results between the different methods available for commercial use will bring insight on the subject. This way, providing data to better understand the relationship between lignin concentration and implications with tropical forage degradation. Methods: Five grass species, Brachiaria brizantha cv Marandú, Brachiaria brizantha cv Xaraés (MG-5), Panicum maximum cv Mombaça, Pennisetum purpureum cv Cameroon, and Pennisetum purpureum cv Napier, were harvested at five maturity stages. Acid detergent lignin (ADL), Klason lignin (KL), acetyl bromide lignin (ABL), and permanganate lignin (PerL) were measured on all species. Lignin concentration was correlated with in vitro degradability. Results: Highly significant effects for maturity, lignin method and their interaction on lignin content were observed. The ADL, KL and ABL methods had similar negative correlations with degradability. The PerL method failed to reliably estimate the degradability of tropical grasses, possibly due to interference of other substances potentially soluble in the KMnO4 solution. Conclusion: ADL and KL methods use strong acid (H2SO4) and require determination of ash and N content in the lignin residues, therefore, increasing time and cost of analysis. The ABL method has no need for such corrections and is a fast and a convenient method for determination of total lignin content in plants, thus, it may be a good option for routine laboratory analysis.

New metal-free nanolubricants based on carbon-dots with outstanding antiwear performance

C. Chimeno-Trinchet,M.E. Pacheco,A. Fernández-González,M.E. Díaz-García,R. Badía-Laíño 한국공업화학회 2020 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.87 No.-

Nanoparticles have already demonstrated a good performance in improving the wear and/or coefficientof friction when used as nanolubricants. Nevertheless, they show two main drawbacks: most of them aremetal-based and, therefore, eco-unfriendly, and they are mostly hydrophilic and, consequently, unstablein organic media, whichfinally drives to aggregation/sedimentation and the loose of the good properties. In this work, we carry out the synthesis of carbon-based nanoparticles for additives in lubricants fromtwo different approaches: either using ionic liquids as carbons source, or using glutathione as carbonsource and decorating the so-obtained carbon dots with the big organic cations of the ionic liquid. Thefinal materials (diameters between 2.2 and 3.5 nm) were characterized by TEM, FTIR, XPS, andluminescent methodologies,finding long-term stability of the suspensions in organic media ( 15 days). Carbon dots obtained directly from the ionic liquids, in particular from methyltrioctylammoniumchloride (MTOACDs) have demonstrated to be the best candidate as additive in different base oils (0.1%,w/v) and lubrication regimes, reducing the coefficient of friction about 30% and wear scar in more than60% in the most extreme of the tested conditions (120 N). Additionally, nanolubricants are metal-free andtherefore, more eco-friendly than classic additives.

Structural analysis of a prestressed segmented girder using contact elements in ANSYS

Paula M. Lazzari,Américo Campos Filho,Bruna M. Lazzari,Alexandre R. Pacheco 사단법인 한국계산역학회 2017 Computers and Concrete, An International Journal Vol.20 No.3

Studying the structural behavior of prestressed segmented girders is quite important due to the large use this type of solution in viaducts and bridges. Thus, this work presents a nonlinear three-dimensional structural analysis of an externally prestressed segmented concrete girder through the Finite Element Method (FEM), using a customized ANSYS platform, version 14.5. Aiming the minimization of the computational effort by using the lowest number of finite elements, a new viscoelastoplastic material model has been implemented for the structural concrete with the UPF customization tool of ANSYS, adding new subroutines, written in FORTRAN programming language, to the main program. This model takes into consideration the cracking of concrete in its formulation, being based on fib Model Code 2010, which uses Ottosen rupture surface as the rupture criterion. By implementing this new material model, it was possible to use the three-dimensional 20-node quadratic element SOLID186 to model the concrete. Upon validation of the model, an externally prestressed segmented box concrete girder that was originally lab tested by Aparicio et al. (2002) has been computationally simulated. In the discretization of the structure, in addition to element SOLID186 for the concrete, unidimensional element LINK180 has been used to model the prestressing tendons, as well as contact elements CONTA174 and TARGE170 to simulate the dry joints along the segmented girder. Stresses in the concrete and in the prestressing tendons are assessed, as well as joint openings and load versus deflection diagrams. A comparison between numerical and experimental data is also presented, showing a good agreement.

Characterization of MIPA and DIPA aqueous solutions in relation to absorption, speciation and degradation

A.B. Lo´ pez,M.D. La Rubia,J.M. Navaza,R. Pacheco,D. Go´ mez-Dı´az 한국공업화학회 2015 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.21 No.1

The carbon dioxide absorption process by 1-amino-2-propanol (MIPA) and bis(2-hydroxypropyl)amine(DIPA) aqueous solutions in bubble column reactor have been studied considering the influence of liquidphase physical properties and the amine group substitution on the overall process. Themain objective ofthis work was to establish the carbon dioxide capture reaction mechanism for these systems, and then toobtain the predominant stoichiometry to calculate the mass transfer coefficient. NMR technique wasused to determine the species present in the liquid phase during the absorption process and to confirmthe reaction mechanism. The degradation of these amines was also evaluated.

Numerical simulation of the constructive steps of a cable-stayed bridge using ANSYS

Paula M. Lazzari,Américo Campos Filho,Bruna M. Lazzari,Alexandre R. Pacheco,Renan R. S. Gomes 국제구조공학회 2019 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.69 No.3

This work addresses a three-dimensional nonlinear structural analysis of the constructive phases of a cable-stayed segmental concrete bridge using The Finite Element Method through ANSYS, version 14.5. New subroutines have been added to ANSYS via its UPF customization tool to implement viscoelastoplastic constitutive equations with cracking capability to model concrete’s structural behavior. This numerical implementation allowed the use of three-dimensional twenty-node quadratic elements (SOLID186) with the Element-Embedded Rebar model option (REINF264), conducting to a fast and efficient solution. These advantages are of fundamental importance when large structures, such as bridges, are modeled, since an increasing number of finite elements is demanded. After validating the subroutines, the bridge located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and known as “Ponte do Saber” (Bridge of Knowledge, in Portuguese), has been numerically modeled, simulating each of the constructive phases of the bridge. Additionally, the data obtained numerically is compared with the field data collected from monitoring conducted during the construction of the bridge, showing good agreement.

Using element-embedded rebar model in ANSYS for the study of reinforced and prestressed concrete structures

Bruna M. Lazzari,Américo Campos Filho,Paula M. Lazzari,Alexandre R. Pacheco 사단법인 한국계산역학회 2017 Computers and Concrete, An International Journal Vol.19 No.4

ANSYS is a software well accepted by professionals and academics, since it provides a variety of finite elements, material constitutive models, and linear and nonlinear analysis of structures in general. For the concrete material, for instance, the software uses an elastoplastic model with the Willam-Warnke surface of rupture (1975). However, this model is only available for finite elements that do not offer the possibility of use of the element-embedded model for rebars, demanding a much larger amount of elements to discretize structures, making numerical solutions less efficient. This study is, therefore, about the development of a computational model using the Finite Element Method via ANSYS platform for nonlinear analysis of reinforced and prestressed concrete beams under plane stress states. The most significant advantage of this implementation is the possibility of using the element-embedded rebar model in ANSYS with its 2D eight-node quadratic element PLANE183 for discretization of the concrete together with element REINF263 for discretization of rebars, stirrups, and cables, making the solutions faster and more efficient. For representation of the constitutive equations of the steel and the concrete, a proposed model was implemented with the help of the UPF customization tool (User Programmable Features) of ANSYS, where new subroutines written in FORTRAN were attached to the main program. The numerical results are compared with experimental values available in the technical literature to validate the proposed model, with satisfactory results being found.

How Does Early L2 Exposure Impact L1 Proficiency? Evidence from Tagalog-English Bilingual Children

Edward Jay M. Quinto,Paula Enxi D.V. Pacheco,Sophia Ysabelle R. Fallarme,Leanne Margaret C. Garcia 한국영어학회 2021 영어학 Vol.21 No.-

Numerical simulation by the finite element method of the constructive steps of a precast prestressed segmental bridge

Gabriela G. Machado,Américo Campos Filho,Paula M. Lazzari,Bruna M. Lazzari,Alexandre R. Pacheco 국제구조공학회 2023 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.85 No.2

The design of segmental bridges, a structure that typically employs precast prestressed concrete elements and the balanced cantilever construction method for the deck, may demand a highly complex structural analysis for increased precision of the results. This work presents a comprehensive numerical analysis of a 3D finite element model using the software ANSYS, version 21.2, to simulate the constructive deck stages of the New Guaiba Bridge, a structure located in Porto Alegre city, southern Brazil. The materials concrete and steel were considered viscoelastic. The concrete used a Generalized Kelvin model, with subroutines written in FORTRAN and added to the main model through the customization tool UPF (User Programmable Features). The steel prestressing tendons used a Generalized Maxwell model available in ANSYS. The balanced cantilever constructive steps of a span of the New Guaiba Bridge were then numerically simulated to follow the actual constructive sequence of the bridge. A comparison between the results obtained with the numerical model and the actual vertical displacement data monitored during the bridge's construction was carried out, showing a good correlation.