Computational efficiency improvement for analyzing bending and tensile behavior of woven fabric using strain smoothing method

The tensile and bending behavior of woven fabrics are among the most important characteristics in complex deformation analysis and modelling of textile fabrics and they govern many aesthetics and performance aspects such as wrinkle/buckle, hand and drape. In this paper, a numerical method for analyzing of the tensile and bending behavior of plain-woven fabric structure was developed. The formulated model is based on the first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) for a four-node quadrilateral element (Q4) and a strain smoothing method in finite elements, referred as a cell-based smoothed finite element method (CS-FEM). The physical and low-stress mechanical parameters of the fabric were obtained through the fabric objective measurement technology (FOM) using the Kawabata evaluation system for fabrics (KES-FB). The results show that the applied numerical method provides higher efficiency in computation in terms of central processing unit (CPU) time than the conventional finite element method (FEM) because the evaluation of compatible strain fields of Q4 element in CS-FEM model is constants, and it was also appropriated for numerical modelling and simulation of mechanical deformation behavior such as tensile and bending of woven fabric.The author (UMINHO/BPD/9/2017) and co-authors acknowledge the FCT funding from FCT – Foundation for Science and Technology within the scope of the project “PEST UID/CTM/00264; POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007136”

Expression of interleukins 7 & 8 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with metabolic syndrome: A preliminary study

Background& objectives:Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a common but serious public health problem in developed countries. Chronic inflammation plays a key role in MS. Interleukins (IL)-7 and 8 are considered to have proinflammatory effects and may be involved in the pathogenesis of MS. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine gene expression level of IL-7 and IL-8 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with MS compared to healthy control subjects. Methods: Using real-time RT-PCR, the relative amounts of IL-7 and IL-8 mRNA were determined in PBMCs from 20 female patients with MS and compared with those of 20 healthy control subjects. Biochemical and anthropometric parameters of MS were also assessed. Results: Total cholesterol, triglyceride, and fasting blood sugar were significantly higher in MS patients compared to healthy subjects. There were no significant differences in HDLc and LDLc between the two groups. IL-8 expression in PBMC was significantly decreased in MS versus control subjects (fold of change was 0.395 ± 0.1824), while no difference in the IL-7 expression was detected between them. IL-8 expression had negative correlation with MS components especially with triglyceride and total cholesterol (r=0.5, P<0.001). Interpretation & conclusions: In this preliminary study, no detectable differences were found in IL-7 expression and decreased expression of IL-8 in PBMCs of MS patients as compared to those of control subjects. Study on a larger population and investigating the mechanisms involved can reveal more details