Numerical Modeling of a Sustainable Solid-State Recycling of Aluminum Scraps by Means of Friction Stir Extrusion Process.

One of the most important purposes of the modern industry is a sustainable production, considering the minimization of the energy and of the raw materials used, together with the reduction of polluting emissions. In this context, Friction Stir Extrusion stands out, since it allows to obtain extrusions starting from metal scraps deriving from traditional mechanical machining processes (e.g.

Discrete-event simulation study of a COVID-19 mass vaccination centre.

The global spread of COVID-19 and the declaration of the pandemic status made by the World Health Organization (WHO) led to the establishment of mass vaccination campaigns. The challenges posed by the request to immunise the entire population necessitated the set-up of new vaccination sites, named Mass Vaccination Centres (MVCs), capable of handling large numbers of patients rapidly and safely. The present study focused on the evolution of MVC performances, in terms of the maximum number of vaccinated patients and primary resource utilisation ratio, while involving statistics belonging to the patient dimension.

Special Issue of Materials focusing on "Finite Element Analysis and Models of Sustainable Manufacturing Processes".

We believe that the chosen topic is nowadays extremely current and of great interest [...

A Comparison between Finite Element Model (FEM) Simulation and an Integrated Artificial Neural Network (ANN)-Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) Approach to Forecast Performances of Micro Electro Discharge Machining (Micro-EDM) Drilling.

Artificial Neural Network (ANN), together with a Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Finite Element Model (FEM), was used to forecast the process performances for the Micro Electrical Discharge Machining (micro-EDM) drilling process. The integrated ANN-PSO methodology has a double direction functionality, responding to different industrial needs. It allows to optimize the process parameters as a function of the required performances and, at the same time, it allows to forecast the process performances fixing the process parameters.

Stress Corrosion Cracking of Friction Stir-Welded AA-2024 T3 Alloy.

The paper is devoted to the study of stress corrosion cracking phenomena in friction stir welding AA-2024 T3 joints. Constant load (CL) cell and slow strain rate (SSR) tests were carried out in aerated NaCl 35 g/L solution. During the tests, open circuit potential (OCP) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were measured in the different zones of the welding.

Effect of Load on the Corrosion Behavior of Friction Stir Welded AA 7075-T6 Aluminum Alloy.

The paper focuses on the corrosion behavior of aluminum joints made by friction stir welding as a function of loading conditions. A four-points bend-beam test, constant loading test, and slow strain-rate test were carried out on AA 7075-T6 alloy in aerated NaCl 35g/L solution at room temperature monitoring the free corrosion potential. The penetration depth of the intergranular attack was deeper after the four-point bent-beam tests compared to all the other testing techniques.

Cost Index Model for the Process Performance Optimization of Micro-EDM Drilling on Tungsten Carbide.

The present work deals with the execution of through micro-holes on tungsten carbide plates using a micro-electrical discharge machining (micro-EDM) machine. The experiments were carried out by varying peak current, voltage and frequency in order to achieve suitable technology windows. Tubular electrodes, made of two different materials (tungsten carbide and brass), were used.

Thermo-Mechanical Characterization of Friction Stir Spot Welded AA7050 Sheets by Means of Experimental and FEM Analyses.

The present study was carried out to evaluate how the friction stir spot welding (FSSW) process parameters affect the temperature distribution in the welding region, the welding forces and the mechanical properties of the joints. The experimental study was performed by means of a CNC machine tool obtaining FSSW lap joints on AA7050 aluminum alloy plates. Three thermocouples were inserted into the samples to measure the temperatures at different distance from the joint axis during the whole FSSW process.

Reproducibility of liver iron concentration measured on a biopsy sample: a validation study in vivo.

Determination of liver iron concentration is essential to predict iron related tissue damage and to guide chelation therapy. To assess the reliability of a single biopsy iron concentration determination in representing the whole liver iron concentration, we conducted a prospective study performing two immediately successive liver biopsies from 61 noncirrhotic, iron overloaded thalassemia patients, directing the needle to different direction from the same skin cut. The correlation among sample biopsies was determined by both regression analysis and the Bland-Altman method.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in thalassemia major and sickle cell disease: indications and management recommendations from an international expert panel.

Thalassemia major and sickle cell disease are the two most widely disseminated hereditary hemoglobinopathies in the world. The outlook for affected individuals has improved in recent years due to advances in medical management in the prevention and treatment of complications. However, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is still the only available curative option.

Influence of Material Microstructures in Micromilling of Ti6Al4V Alloy.

In the most recent decades the introduction of unconventional machining processes allowed the development of micromachining techniques. In this work, the influence of material microstructures on the micromilling process was investigated. Ti6Al4V alloy was selected as workpiece material since it is a very common material for micro applications and because its duplex microstructure can be easily changed by proper thermal treatments.

Third party cord blood transplant boosts autologous hematopoiesis in a case of persistent bone marrow aplasia after double transplant failure for B-thalassemia major.

A 9-year-old female received an allogeneic stem cell transplant (SCT) from an ABO-incompatible HLA-matched sibling for β-thalassemia major, without achieving a complete donor chimerism. Subsequently, the patient received five donor lymphocyte infusions, without increasing donor chimerism, and autologous SCT. Due to the persistent bone marrow aplasia, the patient received a second allogeneic SCT from the same donor without obtaining any engrafment.

Evaluation of Superficial and Dimensional Quality Features in Metallic Micro-Channels Manufactured by Micro-End-Milling.

Miniaturization encourages the development of new manufacturing processes capable of fabricating features, like micro-channels, in order to use them for different applications, such as in fuel cells, heat exchangers, microfluidic devices and micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS). Many studies have been conducted on heat and fluid transfer in micro-channels, and they appeared significantly deviated from conventional theory, due to measurement errors and fabrication methods. The present research, in order to deal with this opportunity, is focused on a set of experiments in the micro-milling of channels made of aluminum, titanium alloys and stainless steel, varying parameters, such as spindle speed, depth of cut per pass (), channel depth (), feed per tooth () and coolant application.

Recipient CTLA-4*CT60-AA genotype is a prognostic factor for acute graft-versus-host disease in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for thalassemia.

Polymorphisms of the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 gene (CTLA-4) have been associated with autoimmune diseases and it has recently been reported that donor genotypes correlate with the outcome of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in leukemia patients. With the aim of confirming this finding in thalassemia patients, we investigated the influence of genotype distribution of 3 CTLA-4 gene polymorphisms in 72 thalassemia patients and their unrelated donors. A significant association was observed for recipient CT60-AA genotype and onset of grade II-IV (63.

Interactions between killer immunoglobulin-like receptors and their human leucocyte antigen Class I ligands influence the outcome of unrelated haematopoietic stem cell transplantation for thalassaemia: a novel predictive algorithm.

In a study conducted on 114 patients undergoing unrelated donor haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for thalassaemia, we observed that the lack of activating killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) on donor natural killer (NK) cells significantly increased the risk of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) [hazard risk (HR) 4.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.7-10.

BeEAM (bendamustine, etoposide, cytarabine, melphalan) before autologous stem cell transplantation is safe and effective for resistant/relapsed lymphoma patients.

We designed a phase 1-2 study to evaluate the safety and the efficacy of increasing doses of bendamustine (160 mg/m², 180 mg/m², and 200 mg/m² given on days -7 and -6) coupled with fixed doses of etoposide, cytarabine, and melphalan (BeEAM regimen) as the conditioning regimen to autologous stem cell transplantation for resistant/relapsed lymphoma patients. Forty-three patients (median age, 47 years) with non-Hodgkin (n = 28) or Hodgkin (n = 15) lymphoma were consecutively treated. Nine patients entered the phase 1 study; no patients experienced a dose-limiting toxicity.

Status of donor-recipient HLA class I ligands and not the KIR genotype is predictive for the outcome of unrelated hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in beta-thalassemia patients.

Several studies have investigated the role played by killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) and their ligands on the outcome of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in patients affected by oncohematologic diseases. However, the interpretation of the results of these studies is considerably hampered by the heterogeneity of the diseases, disease status at transplantation, and the different protocols employed for both conditioning and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis. To better define the role of KIRs in HSCT, we studied KIR genotypes and HLA class I ligands in a homogeneous group of 45 thalassemia patients transplanted with bone marrow cells from an HLA-identical, unrelated donor.

Unrelated bone marrow transplantation for beta-thalassemia patients: The experience of the Italian Bone Marrow Transplant Group.

Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) remains the only potentially curative treatment for patients with thalassemia major. However, most candidates for BMT do not have a suitable family donor. In order to evaluate whether BMT from an HLA-matched unrelated volunteer donor can offer a probability of cure comparable to that obtained when the donor is a compatible sibling, we carried out a study involving 68 thalassemia patients transplanted in six Italian BMT Centers.

Graft rejection after unrelated donor hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for thalassemia is associated with nonpermissive HLA-DPB1 disparity in host-versus-graft direction.

The success of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) from matched unrelated donors (UDs) for beta-thalassemia may be hampered by the occurrence of graft rejection. Here, we show that the rate of this complication can be reduced by selecting 5-loci HLA-matched donors without nonpermissive mismatches at HLA-DPB1, defined according to an algorithm previously described and based on principles of central T-cell tolerance. Seventy-two consecutive patients and their UDs, prospectively selected for matching at the allelic level for HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB, and -DQB1 loci, were enrolled in the analysis.

New approach for bone marrow transplantation in patients with class 3 thalassemia aged younger than 17 years.

When prepared for transplantation with busulfan (BU) 14 mg/kg and cyclophosphamide (CY) 120 to 160 mg/kg, patients with thalassemia in risk class 3, aged younger than 17 years, who receive transplants from HLA-identical donors, had a 30% incidence of transplant rejection with recurrence of thalassemia. This, relatively poor, outcome was ascribed to insufficient immune suppression or to inadequate eradication of the thalassemic marrow, or both. In an attempt to enhance both immune suppression and eradication of the thalassemic clones, hydroxyurea, azathioprine, and fludarabine were added to the BU and CY.

Unrelated donor bone marrow transplantation for thalassemia: the effect of extended haplotypes.

Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) from a genotypically identical family donor is an accepted therapeutic option for homozygous beta-thalassemia. However, only a minority of patients have access to this curative procedure. The aim of this study is to explore the feasibility of matched unrelated transplants in thalassemia and the possibility of reducing the risk of immunologic complications through careful selection of donor/recipient pairs.