Estudio comparativo del conformado en caliente de un acero microaleado usando criterios termodinámicos continuos y criterios fenomenológicos

En las últimas décadas, los mapas de procesado han sido ampliamente utilizados para diseñar, controlar y optimizar los procesos de conformado en caliente. En el presente trabajo, se presenta un estudio comparativo entre mapas de procesado elaborados usando criterios termodinámicos continuos y criterios fenomenológicos. Por ello, se llevaron a cabo ensayos de compresión en caliente en el rango de temperaturas 900 - 1150 °C y de velocidades de deformación =10-4 - 10 s-1. El comportamiento en caliente del acero estudiado ha sido estudiado analizando las curvas de fluencia y la interacción entre el comportamiento microestructural y los parámetros de control del proceso de deformación. El estudio comparativo de los mapas de procesado muestra la diferencia entre las posiciones de los distintos dominios de deformación plástica, según el criterio de inestabilidad usado. Además, el análisis de dichos mapas indica que el acero estudiado no sufre ningún tipo de inestabilidad plástica. Sin embargo, los mapas correspondientes a la deformación¿¿ = 0,6 revelan la existencia de un dominio de recristalización dinámica, considerado como el dominio más eficiente dentro de la región segura de procesado. Este dominio está centrado a 1150 ºC y 10 s-1.Postprint (published version

Aproximación al control de la microestructura de dos aceros microaleados con contenido medio de carbono en condiciones de conformado en caliente

El objetivo principal de este trabajo es estudiar el comportamiento a fluencia de dos aceros microaleados de contenido medio de carbono, en condiciones de conformado en caliente analizando su evolución microstructural a través de la dependencia del tamaño de grano recristalizado (Drec) con el parámetro de Zener-Hollomon, Z. Se observó que esta dependencia muestra un comportamiento bimodal asociado a la transición entre la recristalización dinámica cíclica y de pico simple. También, se ha observado que la variación del Drec normalizado por el vector de Burgers (b) con la tensión de estado estable sss a su vez normalizada por el modulo de cizalladura (m) exhibe el mismo comportamiento bimodal arriba mencionado. Debido a la complejidad de los dos aceros estudiados, el tamaño de grano recristalizado no se ajusta a la ecuación universal de Derby. Para explicar este comportamiento cabe pensar en el efecto de los precipitados y de la microestructura inicial sobre el tamaño de grano recristalizado. The main aim of the present investigation was to study the flow behaviour of two medium carbon microalloyed steels under hot forming conditions, and to analyse their microstructural evolution. The dependence of recrystallized grain size (Drec) on the Zener-Hollomon parameter Z shows a bimodal behaviour with transition from single to cyclic dynamic recrystallization. We also observed that the variation of Drec normalized by the Burgers vector (b) with the steady state stress sss normalized by shear modulus (m) shows the same bimodal behaviour cited above. The Derby’s universal equation reported in the literature for recrystallized grain sizes was not followed; it seems that the presence of fine precipitated particles has a clear effect on this disagreementPeer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Forebrain Deletion of the Vesicular Acetylcholine Transporter Results in Deficits in Executive Function, Metabolic, and RNA Splicing Abnormalities in the Prefrontal Cortex

One of the key brain regions in cognitive processing and executive function is the prefrontal cortex (PFC), which receives cholinergic input from basal forebrain cholinergic neurons. We evaluated the contribution of synaptically released acetylcholine (ACh) to executive function by genetically targeting the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) in the mouse forebrain. Executive function was assessed using a pairwise visual discrimination paradigm and the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRT). In the pairwise test, VAChT-deficient mice were able to learn, but were impaired in reversal learning, suggesting that these mice present cognitive inflexibility. Interestingly, VAChT-targeted mice took longer to reach criteria in the 5-CSRT. Although their performance was indistinguishable from that of control mice during low attentional demand, increased attentional demand revealed striking deficits in VAChT-deleted mice. Galantamine, a cholinesterase inhibitor used in Alzheimer\u27s disease, significantly improved the performance of control mice, but not of VAChT-deficient mice on the 5-CSRT. In vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed altered levels of two neurochemical markers of neuronal function, taurine and lactate, suggesting altered PFC metabolism in VAChT-deficient mice. The PFC of these mice displayed a drastic reduction in the splicing factor heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2/B1 (hnRNPA2/B1), whose cholinergic-mediated reduction was previously demonstrated in Alzheimer\u27s disease. Consequently, several key hnRNPA2/B1 target transcripts involved in neuronal function present changes in alternative splicing in VAChT-deficient mice, including pyruvate kinase M, a key enzyme involved in lactate metabolism. We propose that VAChT-targeted mice can be used to model and to dissect the neurochemical basis of executive abnormalities

Aplicación de los mapas de procesado en la optimización de los parámetros de un proceso de conformado en caliente. I parte. Revisión teórica

Los procesos de conformado en caliente de materiales constituyen un paso muy importante en la fabricación de los componentes mecánicos. Durante siglos estos procesos fueron utilizados para dar a los metales la forma deseada. Hoy en día, sin embargo, la deformación en caliente no sólo proporciona la geometría deseada sino las características mecánicas y microestructurales necesarias mediante un adecuado diseño del proceso de termoconformado. En el presente trabajo se presentan, a modo de revisión, las características generales del llamadoThe hot working processes constitute an important step in the manufacture of components for engineering applications. In the past, the mechanical processing have been used to impart a shape to the engineering materials. More recently, however, the hot working processes are used not only to achieve the required shape but also to impart desirable mechanical and microstructural characteristics by an adequate design of the thermomechanical process. The aim of the present paper is to summarize the general characteristics of the Dynamic Materials Model. In this model, the workpiece material under hot working conditions is considered to be a dissipator of power. Also, the extreme principies of irreversible thermodynamics applied to large plástic flow are decribed to develop a continuum criterion capable to predict the metallurgical instabilities in a hot worked material.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Forebrain Cholinergic Signaling Regulates Innate Immune Responses and Inflammation

The brain regulates physiological functions integral to survival. However, the insight into brain neuronal regulation of peripheral immune function and the neuromediator systems and pathways involved remains limited. Here, utilizing selective genetic and pharmacological approaches, we studied the role of forebrain cholinergic signaling in the regulation of peripheral immune function and inflammation. Forebrain-selective genetic ablation of acetylcholine release and vagotomy abolished the suppression of serum TNF by the centrally-acting cholinergic drug galantamine in murine endotoxemia. Selective stimulation of acetylcholine action on the M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (M1 mAChR) by central administration of the positive allosteric modulator benzyl quinolone carboxylic acid (BQCA) suppressed serum TNF (TNF alpha) levels in murine endotoxemia. This effect was recapitulated by peripheral administration of the compound. BQCA also improved survival in murine endotoxemia and these effects were abolished in M1 mAChR knockout (KO) mice. Selective optogenetic stimulation of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons innervating brain regions with abundant M1 mAChR localization reduced serum TNF in endotoxemic mice. These findings reveal that forebrain cholinergic neurons regulate innate immune responses and inflammation, suggesting the possibility that in diseases associated with cholinergic dysfunction, including Alzheimer\u27s disease this anti-inflammatory regulation can be impaired. These results also suggest novel anti-inflammatory approaches based on targeting forebrain cholinergic signaling in sepsis and other disorders characterized by immune dysregulation

Observers in an accelerated universe

If the current acceleration of our Universe is due to a cosmological constant, then a Coleman-De Luccia bubble will nucleate in our Universe. In this work, we consider that our observations could be likely in this framework, consisting in two infinite spaces, if a foliation by constant mean curvature hypersurfaces is taken to count the events in the spacetime. Thus, we obtain and study a particular foliation, which covers the existence of most observers in our part of spacetime.Comment: revised version, accepted in EPJ

Forebrain Cholinergic Signaling Regulates Innate Immune Responses and Inflammation

The brain regulates physiological functions integral to survival. However, the insight into brain neuronal regulation of peripheral immune function and the neuromediator systems and pathways involved remains limited. Here, utilizing selective genetic and pharmacological approaches, we studied the role of forebrain cholinergic signaling in the regulation of peripheral immune function and inflammation. Forebrain-selective genetic ablation of acetylcholine release and vagotomy abolished the suppression of serum TNF by the centrally-acting cholinergic drug galantamine in murine endotoxemia. Selective stimulation of acetylcholine action on the M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (M1 mAChR) by central administration of the positive allosteric modulator benzyl quinolone carboxylic acid (BQCA) suppressed serum TNF (TNFα) levels in murine endotoxemia. This effect was recapitulated by peripheral administration of the compound. BQCA also improved survival in murine endotoxemia and these effects were abolished in M1 mAChR knockout (KO) mice. Selective optogenetic stimulation of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons innervating brain regions with abundant M1 mAChR localization reduced serum TNF in endotoxemic mice. These findings reveal that forebrain cholinergic neurons regulate innate immune responses and inflammation, suggesting the possibility that in diseases associated with cholinergic dysfunction, including Alzheimer's disease this anti-inflammatory regulation can be impaired. These results also suggest novel anti-inflammatory approaches based on targeting forebrain cholinergic signaling in sepsis and other disorders characterized by immune dysregulation

Aplicación de los mapas de procesado en la optimización de los parámetros de un proceso de conformado en caliente. Parte II. Mapas de procesado de un acero microaleado con un contenido medio de carbono

En la I parte de este trabajo, se presentó, a modo de revisión, las características generales del llamado Modelo Dinámico de Materiales mediante el cual se determinan los mapas de procesado. En esta II parte, siguiendo la metodología descrita en la I parte, se desarrollan los mapas de procesado de un acero microaleado de contenido medio de carbono en el intervalo de temperaturas 900-1.150 °C y de velocidades de deformación ¿ = 10-4-10 s-1. El análisis de los mapas indica que el acero estudiado sufre recristalización dinámica, con un máximo de eficiencia del 33 %, en el dominio situado a 1.150 °C y 10 s-1 y restauración dinámica en el entorno de 900 °C y 0,1 s-1. Part 1 of this work presents a revisión of the general characteristics of the so called dynamic materials model on which processing maps are developed. In this part following the methodology described in part 1, processing maps of a microalloyed médium carbón steel are developed over a temperature range varying from 900 to 1.150 °C at different true strain rates ranging from 10-4 to 10 s-1. The analysis of these maps revealed a domain of dynamic recrystallization centred at about 1.150 °C and strain rate 10 s-1 and a domain of dynamic recovery centred at 900 °C and 0,1 s-1.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version