Planning the Process Parameters During Direct Metal Deposition of Functionally Graded Thin-Walled Parts Based on a 2D Model

The need for functionally graded material (FGM) parts has surfaced with the development of material science and additive manufacturing techniques. Direct Metal Deposition (DMD) processes can locally deposit different metallic powders to produce FGM parts. Yet inappropriate mixing of materials without considering the influence of varying dilution rates and the variation of material properties can result in inaccurate material composition ratios when compared to the desired or computed compositions. Within such a context, this paper proposes a 2D simulation based design method for planning the process parameters in the DMD manufacturing of designed thin-walled parts. The proposed scheme is illustrated through two case studies, one of which is a part with one-dimensional varying composition and the other with two dimensional variation. Using the proposed method, the process parameters can be planned prior to the manufacturing process, and the material distribution deviation from the desired one can be reduced.Mechanical Engineerin

Migraine-specific quality of life questionnaire and relapse on medication overuse headache

Background: The management of Medication overuse headache (MOH) represents a difficult challenge for clinicians and headache experts, particularly for the responder rate after a successful withdrawal treatment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of demographic and clinical characteristics as well as the score of Migraine-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MSQ), Migraine Disability Questionnaire and Leeds Dependence Questionnaire in predicting a response after a successful withdrawal treatment in patients with MOH. Methods: This ancillary study is part of a randomized trial that demonstrated the safety and the efficacy of a 3-month treatment with sodium valproate (VPA) (800 mg/day vs placebo) in MOH. Demographic and clinical characteristics and questionnaire results were obtained from the entire sample. Results: A significant correlation was found only between MOH relapse and the total MSQ score, the Role Preventive sub-scale and the Emotional Function sub-scale, suggesting a poorer quality of life in non responders. Conclusion: A high MSQ score could be associated with a poor short-term outcome in MOH patients after a successful treatment with detoxification followed by a new treatment

Experimental evaluation of privacy-preserving aggregation schemes on planetlab

New pervasive technologies often reveal many sen- sitive information about users’ habits, seriously compromising the privacy and sometimes even the personal security of people. To cope with this problem, researchers have developed the idea of privacy-preserving data mining which refers to the possibility of releasing aggregate information about the data provided by multiple users, without any information leakage about individual data. These techniques have different privacy levels and communication costs, but all of them can suffer when some users’ data becomes inaccessible during the operation of the privacy preserving protocols. It is thus interesting to validate the applicability of such architectures in real-world scenarios. In this paper we experimentally evaluate two promising privacy- preserving techniques on PlanetLab, analyzing the execution time and the failure rate that each scheme exhibits

Analisi di un sistema di trasporto pubblico a guida vincolata a servizio di un'area vasta

I sistemi di trasporto pubblico a guida vincolata, avendo costi di investimento significativi, sono solitamente utilizzati per soddisfare la domanda di mobilità delle grandi aree metropolitane. Negli ultimi anni, lo sviluppo di centri urbani limitrofi di medie dimensioni ha determinato la formazione di aree abitate molto estese risultanti dalla espansione di tali centri sino a formare degli agglomerati urbani senza soluzione di continuità. Tali realtà vengono chiamate “aree vaste” per indicare che si tratta di aree appartenenti a comuni diversi e fra le quali vi è una significativa interazione di tipo socio-economico. In conseguenza di questa forte interazione, all’interno delle aree vaste si genera una domanda di mobilità considerevole, dovuta al fatto che un grande numero di passeggeri deve spostarsi su distanze di qualche decina di chilometri. In questi contesti, un sistema di trasporto collettivo a guida vincolata può diventare competitivo rispetto ad un tradizionale sistema di trasporto su gomma. L’obiettivo del lavoro proposto è l’analisi delle caratteristiche, dei problemi di progetto e della convenienza finanziaria di un sistema di trasporto pubblico di massa a guida vincolata che si sviluppa in parte su linea tranviaria e in parte su linea ferroviaria a servizio di una “area vasta”. L’analisi è stata eseguita su un caso prototipale, individuato dall’”area vasta” formata dalle città di Pisa e Livorno, per cui è proposto un veicolo innovativo, il tram-treno: in grado di circolare sia su binari ferroviari sia tranviari. Sulla base di un’analisi della domanda di mobilità all’interno dell’”area vasta”, sono state individuate le parti del territorio da servire con il nuovo sistema di trasporto e sono state definite le caratteristiche progettuali del sistema. Per valutare la redditività della gestione del nuovo sistema di trasporto è stata eseguita un’analisi finanziaria che, in particolare, ha messo in evidenza i valori positivi del margine operativo lordo

Hydrogeology and geochemistry of the sulfur karst springs at Santa Cesarea Terme (Apulia, southern Italy)

This work describes the geochemical and hydrogeological characteristics of Santa Cesarea Terme, an active sulfuric acid speleogenetic system located along the Adriatic coastline (Apulia, southern Italy). It represents a very peculiar site, where rising thermal and acidic waters mix with seawater creating undersaturated solutions with respect to CaCO3, able to dissolve and corrode limestone and create caves. The Santa Cesarea Terme system is composed of four caves: Fetida, Sulfurea, Gattulla, and Solfatara. Hypogene morphologies and abundant deposits of native sulfur (especially in Gattulla Cave) and sulfate minerals are present in these caves. Fetida and Gattulla caves were investigated primarily because they are easily accessible throughout the whole year through artificial entrances, the other caves being reachable only from the sea. Geochemical analysis of water, monitoring of cave atmosphere, and measurement of the stable isotopes of S, O, and H helped to identify the main processes occurring in this complex cave system. In particular, changes in Ba2+ and Sr2+ concentration allowed for the identification of two main domains of influence, characterized by marine and rising acidic waters

5-Hydroxyvitamin D concentration in paediatric cancer patients from Scotland:a prospective cohort study

Children with cancer are potentially at high risk of plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] inadequacy and despite UK vitamin D supplementation guidelines their implementation remains inconsistent. Thus, we aimed to investigate 25(OH)D concentration and factors contributing to 25(OH)D inadequacy in paediatric cancer patients. A prospective cohort study of Scottish children aged <18 years, diagnosed with and treated for cancer (patients) between Aug 2010-Jan 2014 was performed, with control data from Scottish healthy children (controls). Clinical and nutritional data were collected at defined periods up to 24 months. 25(OH)D status was defined by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (2013); inadequacy [<50 nmol/L: deficiency (<25 nmol/L), insufficiency (25-50 nmol/L)], sufficiency (51-75 nmol/L), optimal (>75 nmol/L). Eighty-two patients [median(IQR) age 3.9(1.9-8.8); 56% males)] and 35 controls [median(IQR) age (6.2(4.8-9.1); 49% males] were recruited. 25(OH)D inadequacy was highly prevalent in the controls (63%; 22/35), and in the patients (64%; 42/65) at both baseline and during treatment (33-50%). Non-supplemented children had the highest prevalence of 25(OH)D inadequacy at every stage with 25(OH)D median(IQR) ranging from 32.0 (21.0-46.5) nmol/L to 45.0(28.0-64.5) nmol/L. Older age at baseline [R=-0.46; p<0.001], overnutrition (BMI ≥85th centile) at 3 months [p=0.005; RR=3.1] and not being supplemented at 6 months (p=0.04; RR=4.3) may have contributed to lower plasma 25(OH)D. Paediatric cancer patients are not at higher risk of 25(OH)D inadequacy than healthy children at diagnosis; however prevalence of 25(OH)D inadequacy is still high and non-supplemented children have a higher risk. Appropriate monitoring and therapeutic supplementation should be implemented

Molecular signatures associated with the treatment of triple-negative MDA-MB231 breast cancer cells with the histone deacetylase inhibitors JAHA and SAHA

Jay Amin Hydroxamic Acid (JAHA; N8-ferrocenylN1-hydroxy-octanediamide) is a ferrocene-containing analogue of the histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA). JAHA’s cytotoxic activity on MDA-MB231 triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells at 72 h has been previously demonstrated with an IC50 of 8.45 M. JAHA’s lethal effect was found linked to perturbations of cell cycle, mitochondrial activity, signal transduction and autophagy mechanisms. In order to glean novel insights on how MDA-MB231 breast cancer cells respond to the cytotoxic effect induced by JAHA, and to compare the biological effect with the related compound SAHA, we have employed a combination of differential display-PCR, proteome analysis and COMET assay techniques and shown some differences in the molecular signature profiles induced by exposure to either HDACis. In particular, in contrast to the more numerous and diversified changes induced by SAHA, JAHA has shown a more selective impact on expression of molecular signatures involved in anti-oxidant activity and DNA repair. Besides expanding the biological knowledge of the effect exerted by the modifications in compound structures on cell phenotype, the molecular elements put in evidence in our study may provide promising targets for therapeutic interventions on TNBCs