Review on the influence of process parameters in incremental sheet forming

Incremental sheet forming (ISF) is a relatively new flexible forming process. ISF has excellent adaptability to conventional milling machines and requires minimum use of complex tooling, dies and forming press, which makes the process cost-effective and easy to automate for various applications. In the past two decades, extensive research on ISF has resulted in significant advances being made in fundamental understanding and development of new processing and tooling solutions. However, ISF has yet to be fully implemented to mainstream high-value manufacturing industries due to a number of technical challenges, all of which are directly related to ISF process parameters. This paper aims to provide a detailed review of the current state-of-the-art of ISF processes in terms of its technological capabilities and specific limitations with discussions on the ISF process parameters and their effects on ISF processes. Particular attention is given to the ISF process parameters on the formability, deformation and failure mechanics, springback and accuracy and surface roughness. This leads to a number of recommendations that are considered essential for future research effort

Sull'età degli zirconi di Campanella di Altissimo (Valle del Chiampo, Lessini Orientali)

A single crystal of zircon from the basal sequence of Tertiary lavas outcropping at Campanella di Altissimo (Vicenza) was dated by the U-Pb radiometric method, applying the Sensitive High mass Resolution Ion MicroProbe (SHRIMP) tecnique. An age of 44.9+/-2.8 Ma was obteined, as a mean, on six analysed points. As some distinctive features (e.g. Th/U ratio, cathodoluminescence image) indicated that the zircon is of magmatic origin, the mineral age corresponds to that of the host rock. It is therefore possible to attribute the initial basaltic emission, produced by the volcanic activity in the Veneto area, to the Lutetian

Prognostic role of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia detected with remote interrogation in a pacemaker population

Background: Non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) can occur asymptomatically and can be incidentally detected in the internal records of pacemakers (PM). The clinical value of NSVT in the population of PM patients is still uncertain. Our aim was to assess the prevalence of NSVT detected by remote PM control, to describe the clinical and demographic characteristics of patients with NSVT, and to assess the prognostic significance of NSVT in terms of both overall and cardiovascular mortality. Methods: Consecutive patients followed with PM remote interrogations from September 2010 to December 2015 were included. The transmissions pertaining to the first 12 months of remote control were analysed and the patients were divided by those presenting NSVT and those without NSVT. The two groups were compared in terms of total mortality and cardiovascular mortality based on the administrative data provided by the regional administration of the Italian National Health System. Results: The prevalence of NSVT in 408 patients (62% males, mean age 75.6; SD 10.6 years old) was 21% in a year. During a mean follow-up duration of 44 months, NSVT did not emerge as independently associated with overall mortality, but was associated with cardiovascular mortality in a competing risk regression model with older age, male gender, diabetes, chronic renal insufficiency, ischemic cardiomyopathy and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Conclusions: We show that NSVT episodes recorded by remote control in a PM population are independently associated with cardiovascular mortality with possible implications for risk stratification and therapeutic options

Predictors for Restoration of Normal Left Ventricular Function in Response to Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Measured at Time of Implantation.

There are no parameters predicting the individual probability of "full response" to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). The aim of this work was to find prognostic factors of full clinical and echocardiographic responses (i.e., 6550\% left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] and New York Heart Association class I) after 1 year of CRT. This was a prospective follow-up study that involved 2 hospitals. Patients (n = 75) with advanced heart failure (64 \ub1 9 years of age, 87\% men, LVEF 24 \ub1 7\%) who received CRT were followed for 17 \ub1 9 months. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were used to identify predictors of full CRT response. A nomogram predicting the individual probability of full CRT response during follow-up was calculated. There were 13 patients with restoration of normal LVEF versus 62 without (mean LVEF 56\% \ub1 5\% vs 31\% \ub1 8\%, respectively, p 75\% probability of restoration of normal LVEF. In conclusion, our nomogram using a combination of cause, baseline QRS width, and degree of QRS shortening in response to CRT allows assessment of individual probability of full response. This observation awaits further confirmation from larger series