Methodology for the analysis of post-tensioned structures using a constitutive serial-parallel rule of mixtures

The main purpose of this paper is to develop a reliable method based on a three-dimensional (3D) finite-element (FE) model to simulate the constitutive behaviour of reinforced concrete structures strengthened with post-tensioned tendons taking into account the reduction of the pre-stressing stress due to the steel relaxation. The post-tensioned concrete is modelled as a composite material whose behaviour is described with the serial-parallel rule of mixtures (S/P RoM) (Rastellini et al, 2008; Martinez et al., 2008, 2014) whereas the stress relaxation of the steel is simulated using a viscoelastic model called Generalized Maxwell. A 3D FE model was used, where the nonlinear material behaviour and geometrical analysis based on incremental–iterative load methods were adopted. Validation by comparison with the analytic solution will be done for the case of a concrete beam with a linear steel tendon and for a parabolic pre-tensioned steel tendon embedded. Some viscoelastic cases are presented in order to perceive the behaviour of the Generalized Maxwell model. Several examples are shown where the capabilities of the method on large scale structures are exhibited.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Analysis of pre-tensioned structures by means of a constitutive Serial-Parallel rule of mixtures

The main purpose of this paper is to develop a reliable method based on a three-dimensional (3D) finite-element (FE) model to simulate the constitutive behaviour of reinforced concrete structures strengthened with post-tensioned tendons. A 3D FE model was used, where the nonlinear material behaviour and geometrical analysis based on incremental–iterative load methods were adopted. The pre-tensioned concrete is modelled as a composite material whose behaviour is described with the serial-parallel rule of mixtures (S/P RoM) [1-3]. The effective pre-tensioning stress was applied as an initial strain imposition in the steel material used to model the tendons. The methodology is valid for both straight and curvilinear steel tendons. Examples of both cases will be shown. Validation by comparison with the analytic solution is done for the case of a concrete beam with a straight pre-tensioned steel tendon embedded. Other examples are also included.Postprint (published version

Valoración del mensaje publicitario del spot contra el grooming “love story” de movistar en alumnos de una universidad privada de Lima Norte - 2019

Esta investigación busca conocer cuál es la valoración del mensaje publicitario del spot contra el grooming “love story” de movistar. Definiendo como objetivo general el determinar la valoración del mensaje publicitario en spot contra el grooming “love story” de movistar en alumnos de una universidad privada de Lima norte – 2019. Aplicando a esto la teoría de Interaccionismo simbólico, la cual sostiene que los símbolos que utilizan las personas han sido ofrecidos por generaciones pasadas con fin de mejorar la comunicación. A su vez la presente investigación es de tipo básica, nivel descriptivo, cuyo diseño de investigación es no experimental, debido a que la investigación consta de una variable, cuyo contexto a estudiar será a partir de la muestra. Como técnica de recolección de datos se utilizó la encuesta, aplicando un cuestionario a 39 alumnos de una universidad privada de Lima norte, donde los principales resultados que se determinó fue que el 74.4%(29) alumnos de una universidad privada de Lima norte, tiene una alta valoración del mensaje publicitario del spot contra el grooming “love story” de movistar

Does sleep‑disordered breathing add to impairments in academic performance and brain structure usually observed in children with overweight/obesity?

Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Granada/CBUA. This work is part of a PhD thesis conducted in the Official Doctoral Programme in Biomedicine of the University of Granada, Spain. Preliminary data from this manuscript has been presented previously in The International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (ISBNPA) Xchange 2021 Annual Meeting. The ActiveBrains project was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and the "Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER)" (DEP201347540, DEP2016-79512-R, DEP2017-91544-EXP and RYC-201109011). L.V.T.-L. is supported by a Grant from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (FPU17/04802). J.H.M. is supported by a Grant from the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport (FPU15/02645). C.C.-S. is supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (FJC2018-037925-I). IEC is supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (RYC2019-027287-I). Additional support was obtained from the University of Granada, Plan Propio de Investigacion 2016, Excellence actions: Units of Excellence, Scientific Excellence Unit on Exercise and Health (UCEES), by the Junta de Andalucia, Consejeria de Conocimiento, Investigacion y Universidades, and European Regional Development Funds (ref. SOMM17/6107/UGR). In addition, funding was provided by the SAMID III network, RETICS, funded by the PNI + D + I 2017-2021 (Spain), ISCIII-Sub-Directorate General for Research Assessment and Promotion, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) (Ref. RD16/0022), the EXERNET Research Network on Exercise and Health (DEP2005-00046/ACTI; 09/UPB/19; 45/UPB/20; 27/UPB/21), the European Union's 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No.667302, and the HL-PIVOT network-Healthy Living for Pandemic Event Protection. Additional funding was obtained from the Andalusian Operational Programme supported with European Regional Development Funds (ERDF in English, FEDER in Spanish, project ref: B-CTS-355-UGR18).Approximately 4–11% of children suffer from sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), and children with obesity are at increased risk. Both obesity and SDB have been separately associated with poorer brain health, yet whether SDB severity affects brain health in children with obesity remains unanswered. This study aimed to examine associations of SDB severity with academic performance and brain structure (i.e., total brain and gray and white matter volumes and gray matter volume in the hippocampus) in children with overweight/obesity. One hundred nine children aged 8–12 years with overweight/obesity were included. SDB severity and its subscales (i.e., snoring, daytime sleepiness, and inattention/hyperactivity) were evaluated via the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ), and academic performance was evaluated with the Woodcock-Muñoz standardized test and school grades. Brain structure was assessed by magnetic resonance imaging. SDB severity was not associated with academic performance measured by the standardized test (all |β|> 0.160, P > 0.076), yet it was associated with the school grade point average (β = -0.226, P = 0.007) and natural and social science grades (β = -0.269, P = 0.024). Intention/hyperactivity seemed to drive these associations. No associations were found between SDB severity and the remaining school grades (all β 0.065) or brain volumes (all P > 0.05). Conclusion: Our study shows that SDB severity was associated with lower school grades, yet it was not associated with the standardized measurement of academic performance or with brain volumes in children with overweight/obesity. SDB severity may add to academic problems in children beyond the effects contributed by overweight/obesity status alone.Universidad de Granada/CBUASpanish Government European CommissionSpanish Government DEP201347540 DEP2016-79512-R DEP2017-91544-EXP RYC-201109011Spanish Government FPU17/04802 FPU15/02645 FJC2018-037925-I RYC2019-027287-IUniversity of Granada, Plan Propio de Investigacion 2016, Excellence actions: Units of Excellence, Scientific Excellence Unit on Exercise and Health (UCEES)Junta de Andalucia European Commission SOMM17/6107/UGRSAMID III network, RETICS - PNI + D + I 2017-2021 (Spain)ISCIII-Sub-Directorate General for Research Assessment and PromotionEuropean Commission RD16/0022EXERNET Research Network on Exercise and Health DEP2005-00046/ACTI 09/UPB/19 45/UPB/20 27/UPB/21European Commission 667302HL-PIVOT network-Healthy Living for Pandemic Event ProtectionAndalusian Operational ProgrammeEuropean Regional Development Funds (ERDF in English, FEDER in Spanish) B-CTS-355-UGR1

Sitios de sustitución de Si por Al más probables en la zeolita tipo M²⁺ – Clinoptilolita: estudio de la DFT

Esta es la primera parte de una serie de trabajos en los que se estudia la interacción electrónica del fluoruro con los contraiones, y los átomos estructurales, de la zeolita tipo M²⁺– Clinoptilolita (M = Fe, Mg y Ca), con el fin de proponer modificaciones al material que favorezca la remoción de iones F– -causantes de fluorosis- presentes en aguas subterráneas, sin comprometer su posterior regeneración. En este trabajo se examina, a través de la teoría de funcionales de la densidad, la estructura, tanto geométrica como electrónica, de la clinoptilolita y el papel que tiene la distribución de los iones Al en la reactividad de los oxígenos estructurales. Se determinaron las posiciones de sustitución más probables de Si por Al en los sitios T₂ y T₅, y se verificó la congruencia con datos experimentales. Todo esto para generar un modelo que permita el posterior estudio de la adsorción de contaminantes.This is the first of a set of studies in which the electronic interaction of fluoride with the counterions, and the framework atoms, of the zeolite M²⁺ Clinoptilolite (M = Fe, Mg and Ca) is discussed. The aim is to propose a material that enhances the removal of F- –which causes fluorosis- from groundwater without compromising its later regeneration. In this work the structure, both geometrical and electronic, of the clinoptilolite is studied by means of the density functional theory. As well as the role that the distribution of Al ions has in the reactivity of the oxygen atoms in the SiO₂ framework. Furthermore, it was determined with accuracy the substitution of Si with Al atoms in T₂ and T₅ sites. The resulting structural models are consistent with experimental studies. With these results we generate a model which allow us to study the adsorption of pollutants on M2+– Clinoptilolite

A Transcriptomic Approach to Search for Novel Phenotypic Regulators in McArdle Disease

McArdle disease is caused by lack of glycogen phosphorylase (GP) activity in skeletal muscle. Patients experience exercise intolerance, presenting as early fatigue and contractures. In this study, we investigated the effects produced by a lack of GP on several genes and proteins of skeletal muscle in McArdle patients. Muscle tissue of 35 patients and 7 healthy controls were used to identify abnormalities in the patients' transcriptomic profile using low-density arrays. Gene expression was analyzed for the influence of variables such as sex and clinical severity. Differences in protein expression were studied by immunoblotting and 2D electrophoresis analysis, and protein complexes were examined by two-dimensional, blue native gel electrophoresis (BN-PAGE). A number of genes including those encoding acetyl-coA carboxylase beta, m-cadherin, calpain III, creatine kinase, glycogen synthase (GS), and sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase 1 (SERCA1), were found to be downregulated in patients. Specifically, compared to controls, GS and SERCA1 proteins were reduced by 50% and 75% respectively; also, unphosphorylated GS and SERCA1 were highly downregulated. On BN-PAGE analysis, GP was present with GS in two muscle protein complexes. Our findings revealed some issues that could be important in understanding the physiological consequences of McArdle disease: (i) SERCA1 downregulation in patients could result in impaired calcium transport in type II (fast-twitch) muscle fibers, leading to early fatigability during exercise tasks involving type II fibers (which mostly use glycolytic metabolism), i.e. isometric exercise, lifting weights or intense dynamic exercise (stair climbing, bicycling, walking at a very brisk pace), (ii) GP and GS were found together in two protein complexes, which suggests a new regulatory mechanism in the activity of these glycogen enzymes

Trastuzumab inhibits pituitary tumor cell growth modulating the TGFB/SMAD2/3 pathway

In pituitary adenomas, early recurrences and resistance to conventional pharmacotherapies are common, but the mechanisms involved are still not understood. The high expression of epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) signal observed in human pituitary adenomas, together with the low levels of the antimitogenic transforming growth factor beta receptor 2 (TBR2), encouraged us to evaluate the effect of the specific HER2 inhibition with trastuzumab on experimental pituitary tumor cell growth and its effect on the antiproliferative response to TGFB1. Trastuzumab decreased the pituitary tumor growth as well as the expression of ERK1/2 and the cell cycle regulators CCND1 and CDK4. The HER2/ERK1/2 pathway is an attractive therapeutic target, but its intricate relations with other signaling modulators still need to be unraveled. Thus, we investigated possible cross-talk with TGFB signaling, which has not yet been studied in pituitary tumors. In tumoral GH3 cells, co-incubation with trastuzumab and TGFB1 significantly decreased cell proliferation, an effect accompanied by a reduction in ERK1/2 phosphorylation, an increase of SMAD2/3 activation. In addition, through immunoprecipitation assays, a diminution of SMAD2/3-ERK1/2 and an increase SMAD2/3-TGFBR1 interactions were observed when cells were co-incubated with trastuzumab and TGFB1. These findings indicate that blocking HER2 by trastuzumab inhibited pituitary tumor growth and modulated HER2/ERK1/2 signaling and consequently the anti-mitogenic TGFB1/TBRs/SMADs cascade. The imbalance between HER2 and TGFBRs expression observed in human adenomas and the response to trastuzumab on experimental tumor growth may make the HER2/ERK1/2 pathway an attractive target for future pituitary adenoma therapy.Fil: Petiti, Juan Pablo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: Sosa, Liliana del Valle. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: Picech, Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: Gabriela Deisi, Moyano Crespo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: Arevalo Rojas, Jean Zander. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: Pérez, Pablo Aníbal. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: Guido, Carolina Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: Leimgruber, Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: Sabatino, María Eugenia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: García, Pedro. Instituto de Radioterapia, Fundación Marie Curie; ArgentinaFil: Bengio, Verónica. Servicio de Patología, Hospital Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Papalini, Francisco Roque. Hospital Córdoba. Servicio de Neurocirugía; ArgentinaFil: Estario, Paula. Servicio de Endocrinología, Hospital Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Berhard, Celina. Servicio de Patología, Clínica Reina Fabiola; ArgentinaFil: Villarreal, Marcos Ariel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Gutiérrez, Silvina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: de Paul, Ana Lucia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: Mukdsi, Jorge Humberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: Torres, Alicia Ines. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud; Argentin

microRNAs-mediated regulation of insulin signaling in white adipose tissue during aging: Role of caloric restriction

© 2023 The Authors. Aging Cell published by Anatomical Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Caloric restriction is a non-pharmacological intervention known to ameliorate the metabolic defects associated with aging, including insulin resistance. The levels of miRNA expression may represent a predictive tool for aging-related alterations. In order to investigate the role of miRNAs underlying insulin resistance in adipose tissue during the early stages of aging, 3- and 12-month-old male animals fed ad libitum, and 12-month-old male animals fed with a 20% caloric restricted diet were used. In this work we demonstrate that specific miRNAs may contribute to the impaired insulin-stimulated glucose metabolism specifically in the subcutaneous white adipose tissue, through the regulation of target genes implicated in the insulin signaling cascade. Moreover, the expression of these miRNAs is modified by caloric restriction in middle-aged animals, in accordance with the improvement of the metabolic state. Overall, our work demonstrates that alterations in posttranscriptional gene expression because of miRNAs dysregulation might represent an endogenous mechanism by which insulin response in the subcutaneous fat depot is already affected at middle age. Importantly, caloric restriction could prevent this modulation, demonstrating that certain miRNAs could constitute potential biomarkers of age-related metabolic alterations.This work was supported by grants from Community of Madrid (Found action by the Community of Madrid in the framework of the Multiannual Agreement with the Rey Juan Carlos University in line of action 1, “Encouragement of Young PhD investigation”, A-485-EPIGENIDAD to P.C. and S2017/BMD-3684 and P2022/BMD-7227 to G.M.G.) and the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (BFU2013-47384-R, BFU2016-78951-R, and BFU2017-90578-REDT) and Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PID2020-116875RB-I00) to G.M.G and “Ayuda a la Investigación Ignacio Hernando de Larramendi 2014” from Mapfre Foundation to G.M.G.Peer reviewe

YODA MAPK kinase kinase regulates a novel immunity pathway conferring broad-spectrum resistance to pathogens

Plant mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) casca des transduce environmental molecular signals and developmental cues into cellular responses. Among these signals are the pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) that upon recognition by plant pattern recognition receptors (PRR), including Receptor-Like Kinases (RLKs), activate MAPK cascades that regulate PAMP-triggered immunity responses (PTI)