Fdm layering deposition effects on mechanical response of tpu lattice structures

Nowadays, fused deposition modeling additive technology is becoming more and more popular in parts manufacturing due to its ability to reproduce complex geometries with many different thermoplastic materials, such as the TPU. On the other hand, objects obtained through this technology are mainly used for prototyping activities. For this reason, analyzing the functional behavior of FDM parts is still a topic of great interest. Many studies are conducted to broaden the spectrum of materials used to ensure an ever-increasing use of FDM in various production scenarios. In this study, the effects of several phenomena that influence the mechanical properties of printed lattice structures additively obtained by FDM are evaluated. Three different configurations of lattice structures with designs developed from unit cells were analyzed both experimentally and numerically. As the main result of the study, several parameters of the FDM process and their correlation were identified as possible detrimental factors of the mechanical properties by about 50% of the same parts used as isotropic cell solids. The best parameter configurations in terms of mechanical response were then highlighted by numerical analysis

Contract Formation Jurisdiction of the United States Claims Court

This new United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has jurisdiction over appeals in contract and patent infringement cases. The former Court of Claims\u27 trial division has also been replaced with a new United States Claims Court. This court, inter alia, has been invested with the jurisdiction to conduct trials in contract and patent cases. Of particular interest to the government contracting community, is the provision of the Act regarding the contract formation or pre-award jurisdiction of the new Claims Court. The Claims Court has the potential to provide the most effective forum for the resolution of protests against the award of federal government contracts. Early decisions by the Claims Court defining both the court\u27s jurisdiction over pre-award issues and the scope of review in cases found to be within the court\u27s jurisdiction, however, raised substantial fears whether that potential ever would be reached. The March 23, 1983 decision of the new Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in United States v. Grimberg Co. and subsequent Claims Court opinions applying that decision now confirm those fears. Section I looks at the situation in government contracts cases before the creation of the new court. Section II briefly acknowledges the limitations of the former system, and how Congress sought to fix these problems in the Federal Courts Improvement Act. Then Section II turns to discuss the decision in US v. Grimberg

Contract Formation Jurisdiction of the United States Claims Court

This new United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has jurisdiction over appeals in contract and patent infringement cases. The former Court of Claims\u27 trial division has also been replaced with a new United States Claims Court. This court, inter alia, has been invested with the jurisdiction to conduct trials in contract and patent cases. Of particular interest to the government contracting community, is the provision of the Act regarding the contract formation or pre-award jurisdiction of the new Claims Court. The Claims Court has the potential to provide the most effective forum for the resolution of protests against the award of federal government contracts. Early decisions by the Claims Court defining both the court\u27s jurisdiction over pre-award issues and the scope of review in cases found to be within the court\u27s jurisdiction, however, raised substantial fears whether that potential ever would be reached. The March 23, 1983 decision of the new Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in United States v. Grimberg Co. and subsequent Claims Court opinions applying that decision now confirm those fears. Section I looks at the situation in government contracts cases before the creation of the new court. Section II briefly acknowledges the limitations of the former system, and how Congress sought to fix these problems in the Federal Courts Improvement Act. Then Section II turns to discuss the decision in US v. Grimberg

Hard X-ray selected giant radio galaxies - I. The X-ray properties and radio connection

We present the first broad-band X-ray study of the nuclei of 14 hard X-ray selected giant radio galaxies, based both on the literature and on the analysis of archival X-ray data from NuSTAR, XMM-Newton, Swift and INTEGRAL. The X-ray properties of the sources are consistent with an accretion-related X-ray emission, likely originating from an X-ray corona coupled to a radiatively efficient accretion flow. We find a correlation between the X-ray luminosity and the radio core luminosity, consistent with that expected for AGNs powered by efficient accretion. In most sources, the luminosity of the radio lobes and the estimated jet power are relatively low compared with the nuclear X-ray emission. This indicates that either the nucleus is more powerful than in the past, consistent with a restarting of the central engine, or that the giant lobes are dimmer due to expansion losses.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA

An XMM-Newton look at the strongly variable radio-weak BL Lac Fermi J1544-0639

Fermi J1544-0639/ASASSN-17gs/AT2017egv was identified as a gamma-ray/optical transient on May 15, 2017. Subsequent multiwavelength observations suggest that this source may belong to the new class of radio-weak BL Lacs. We studied the X-ray spectral properties and short-term variability of Fermi J1544-0639 to constrain the X-ray continuum emission mechanism of this peculiar source. We present the analysis of an XMM-Newton observation, 56 ks in length, performed on February 21, 2018. The source exhibits strong X-ray variability, both in flux and spectral shape, on timescales of ~10 ks, with a harder-when-brighter behaviour typical of BL Lacs. The X-ray spectrum is nicely described by a variable broken power law, with a break energy of around 2.7 keV consistent with radiative cooling due to Comptonization of broad-line region photons. We find evidence for a `soft excess', nicely described by a blackbody with a temperature of ~0.2 keV, consistent with being produced by bulk Comptonization along the jet.Comment: 11 pages, 12 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic

Building a rheumatology biobank for reliable basic/translational research and precision medicine

Research biobanks are non-profit structures that collect, manipulate, store, analyze and distribute systematically organized biological samples and data for research and development purposes. Over the recent years, we have established a biobank, the Rheumatology BioBank (RheumaBank) headed by the Medicine and Rheumatology unit of the IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli (IOR) in Bologna, Italy for the purpose of collecting, processing, storing, and distributing biological samples and associated data obtained from patients suffering from inflammatory joint diseases. RheumaBank is a research biobank, and its main objective is to promote large-scale, high-quality basic, translational, and clinical research studies that can help elucidate pathogenetic mechanisms and improve personalization of treatment choice in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and other spondyloarthritides (SpA)

Mesenchymal stromal cells from a progressive pseudorheumatoid dysplasia patient show altered osteogenic differentiation

Background: Progressive pseudorheumatoid dysplasia (PPRD) is a rare autosomal recessive non-inflammatory skeletal disease with childhood onset and is characterized by a progressive chondropathy in multiple joints, and skeletal abnormalities. To date, the etiopathological relationship between biological modification occurring in PPRD and genetic mutation remains an open issue, partially due to the limited availability of biological samples obtained from PPRD patients for experimental studies. Case presentation: We describe the clinical features of a PPRD patient and experimental results obtained from the biological characterization of PPRD mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) and osteoblasts (OBs) compared to normal cell populations. Phenotypic profile modifications were found in PPRD compared to normal subjects, essentially ascribed to decreased expression of CD146, osteocalcin (OC) and bone sialoprotein in PPRD MSCs and enhanced CD146, OC and collagen type I expression in PPRD OBs. Gene expression of Dickkopf-1, a master inhibitor of WNT signaling, was remarkably increased in PPRD MSCs compared to normal expression range, whereas PPRD OBs essentially exhibited higher OC gene expression levels. PPRD MSCs failed to efficiently differentiate into mature OBs, so showing a greatly impaired osteogenic potential. Conclusions: Since all regenerative processes require stem cell reservoirs, compromised functionality of MSCs may lead to an imbalance in bone homeostasis, suggesting a potential role of MSCs in the pathological mechanisms of PPRD caused by WNT1-inducible signaling pathway protein-3 (WISP3) mutations. In consideration of the lack of compounds with proven efficacy in such a rare disease, these data might contribute to better identify new specific and effective therapeutic approaches

Complete Healing of a Giant Wart in a Severely Immune-Compromised Patient with HIV Infection Treated with Acupuncture

Giant warts are infrequent dermatological viral infections caused by Papillomavirus (HPV) in immune-compromised patients. Treatment may often be difficult and unsatisfactory, either by surgery or cytotoxic agents, because of poor immune control of viral activity in such hosts. Here we report on the case of a patient with advanced and persistent immune suppression caused by HIV disease, who developed a monstrous wart covering the entirety of the radial district of his right hand. He was completely healed after a long treatment with traditional Chinese acupuncture, in spite of minimal immune recovery induced by efficacious antiretroviral therapy. To the best of our knowledge, therefore, the present report may be the first direct clinical evidence that acupuncture may be effective in the treatment of cutaneous warts also in HIV-infected patients