A study of the strengthening mechanisms in the novel precipitation hardening KEYLOS® 2001 Steel

KeyLos ® 2001 is a new precipitation-hardening steel especially developed for plastic moulds. In this study the precipitation stage of KeyLos ® 2001 steel has been investigated and compared to the results obtained with 17-4 PH steel. Precipitation-hardening has been carried out at three different temperatures and the stages of hardening and overageing have been studied in order to clarify the hardening mechanisms. It has been found that hardening and softening mechanism during the precipitation-hardening treatment occur at higher temperatures and in correspondence with more prolonged treatment times than those typical for the best known 17-4 PH steel; hardness is then expected to remain stable also for very extended mould lives. Microstructural investigations by means of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) have also been carried out and the microstructural parameters responsible for the hardening and overageing have been pointed out

Functional evaluation protocol

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On the crack path of rolling contact fatigue cracks in a railway wheel steel

The objective of the present paper is to give some preliminary results obtained in the frame of a more wide investigation on the rolling contact fatigue (RCF) behavior of a railway wheel steel. The effect of different test parameters on the RCF fatigue strength of the railway wheel steel was evaluated. RCF tests were conducted using two cylindrical contact specimens under different Po/k ratio (where Po is the maximum Hertzian pressure, k is the yield stress in shear of the material), under dry contact conditions or with water lubrication, and at varying slip ratio. In the present study crack initiation location and crack growth direction were carefully investigated; microscopic examination showed that the cracks were initiated at the surface, propagated obliquely in the depth direction and then occasionally branched into two directions. Usually multiple cracks are initiated, at the rolling contact surface, caused by the accumulation of shear deformation due to repeated rolling–sliding contact loading. Subsequent crack growth has been found to occur along specific sloped directions. The influence of Po/k ratio, dry or wet contact, and slip ratio on crack slope angle to the radial direction and the depths at which slope changes occur has been investigated. Observed crack slopes and slope change position have been discussed according to crack path prediction criteria in the literature

Authentication of European sea bass according to production method and geographical origin by light stable isotope ratio and rare earth elements analyses combined with chemometrics

In this work, stable isotope ratio (SIR) and rare earth elements (REEs) analyses, combined with multivariate data elaboration, were used to explore the possibility to authenticate European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) according to: i) production method (wild or farmed specimens); ii) geographical origin (Western, Central or Eastern Mediterranean Sea). The dataset under investigation included a total of 144 wild and farmed specimens coming from 17 different European areas located in the Mediterranean Sea basin. Samples were subjected to SIR analysis (carbon and nitrogen) and REEs analysis (lanthanum, europium, holmium, erbium, lutetium, and terbium). Then, Analytical data were handled by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and then by Orthogonal Partial Last Square Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA), to obtain functional classification models to qualitatively discriminate sea bass according to the conditions under study. OPLSDA models provided good correct classification rate both for production method and geographical origin. It was confirmed that chemometric elaboration of data obtained from SIR and REEs analyses can be a suitable tool for an accurate authentication of European sea bass

The Relationship between Carcass Condemnations and Tail Lesion in Swine Considering Different Production Systems and Tail Lengths

Tail biting has been recognised as an intractable problem in pig production. This study aims to evaluate tail lesion occurrence in slaughtered pigs and explore the relationship between carcass condemnations and tail lesion considering different production systems and tail lengths and to evaluate the importance of creating a detailed tail score classification that includes scarred lesions. Data on a total of 9189 pigs from 73 batches with different tail lengths (undocked; docked mid-length; fully docked) and from distinct production systems (conventional; conventional antibiotic-free and organic) were collected at a Spanish abattoir. Batches with higher tail lesion scores presented a significantly higher chance of total condemnation and total condemnation due to pyaemia, being even more associated with scarring score. The within-batches probability for local condemnations and local condemnation due to abscesses increased significantly with higher scarring scores. Regarding tail length, docked at mid-length and undocked carcasses presented significantly higher odds to be condemned due to abscess. Organic farms showed a higher probability of total condemnations. This research highlights the importance of tail lesions on carcass condemnations that may also be influenced by docking and type of production. Results suggest that scarring score should be included in the tail surveillance program

Developing a risk assessment score for patients with cancer during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic

The novel coronavirus (CoV) pandemic is a serious threat for patients with cancer, who have an immunocompromised status and are considered at high risk of infections. Data on the novel CoV respiratory disease (coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19]) in patients with cancer are still limited. Unlike other common viruses, CoVs have not been shown to cause a more severe disease in immunocompromised subjects. Along with direct viral pathogenicity, in some individuals, CoV infection triggers an uncontrolled aberrant inflammatory response, leading to lung tissue damage. In patients with cancer treated with immunotherapy (e.g. immune checkpoint inhibitors), COVID-19 may therefore represent a serious threat. After a thorough review of the literature on CoV pathogenesis and cancer, we selected several shared features to define which patients can be considered at higher risk of COVID-19. We combined these clinical and laboratory variables, with the aim of developing a score to weight the risk of COVID-19 in patients with cancer

A metanalysis on cabozantinib and bone metastases: True story or commercial gimmick?

Is it true that cabozantinib should be the preferred option treating patients with bone metastases? Are there any reliable comparisons between this drug and other standard options in this subgroup? To address the issue, we performed a systematic review and metanalysis of randomized trials with cabozantinib, to assess its effectiveness, in terms of overall survival, according to the presence of bone metastases. We included (a) randomized controlled trials; (b) any solid tumors and therapeutic line; and (c) overall survival data available according to the site of disease. Cabozantinib improved overall survival both for the group with bone metastases, with risk of death decreased by 53% (hazard ratio, 0.47; 95% confidence interval, 0.26–0.87; P=0.02) and for the group without bone metastases, decreasing the risk of death by 44% (hazard ratio, 0.56; 95% confidence interval, 0.40–0.79; P=0.001) over the standard of care. The difference was not significantly different between the two groups. Despite cabozantinib can be undoubtedly listed as a good therapeutic option for cancer patients with bone metastases, it seems that its preclinical profile against bone remodeling does not translate into an actual clinical relevance, preventing from considering the presence of bone metastases as principal criterion for the choice of this drug

Advances in troubleshooting fish and seafood authentication by inorganic elemental composition

The demand for fish and seafood is growing worldwide. Meanwhile, problems related to the integrity and safety of the fishery sector are increasing, leading legislators, producers, and consumers to search for ways to effectively protect themselves from fraud and health hazards related to fish consumption. What is urgently required now is the availability of reliable, truthful, and reproducible methods assuring the correspondence between the real nature of the product and label declarations accompanying the same product during its market life. The evaluation of the inorganic composition of fish and seafood appears to be one of the most promising strategies to be exploited in the near future to assist routine and official monitoring operations along the supply chain. The present review article focuses on exploring the latest scientific achievements of using the multi-elemental composition of fish and seafood as an imprint of their authenticity and traceability, especially with regards to the geographical origin. The scientific literature of the last 10 years focusing on the analytical determination and statistical elaboration of elemental data (alone or in combination with methodologies targeting other compounds) to verify the identity of fishery products is summarized and discussed