Effect of web holes on web crippling strength of cold-formed steel channel sections under end-one-flange loading condition - Part II: Parametric study and proposed design equations

A parametric study of cold-formed steel sections with web openings subjected to web crippling under end-one-flange (EOF) loading condition is undertaken, using finite element analysis, to investigate the effects of web holes and cross-section sizes. The holes are located either centred above the bearing plates or with a horizontal clear distance to the near edge of the bearing plates. It was demonstrated that the main factors influencing the web crippling strength are the ratio of the hole depth to the depth of the web, the ratio of the length of bearing plates to the flat depth of the web and the location of the holes as defined by the distance of the hole from the edge of the bearing plate divided by the flat depth of web. In this study, design recommendations in the form of web crippling strength reduction factor equations are proposed, which are conservative when compared with the experimental and finite element results.

Abnormalities on 1q and 7q are associated with poor outcome in sporadic Burkitt's lymphoma. A cytogenetic and comparative genomic hybridization study.

Comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) studies have demonstrated a high incidence of chromosomal imbalances in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. However, the information on the genomic imbalances in Burkitt's Lymphoma (BL) is scanty. Conventional cytogenetics was performed in 34 cases, and long-distance PCR for t(8;14) was performed in 18 cases. A total of 170 changes were present with a median of four changes per case (range 1-22). Gains of chromosomal material (143) were more frequent than amplifications (5) or losses (22). The most frequent aberrations were gains on chromosomes 12q (26%), Xq (22%), 22q (20%), 20q (17%) and 9q (15%). Losses predominantly involved chromosomes 13q (17%) and 4q (9%). High-level amplifications were present in the regions 1q23-31 (three cases), 6p12-p25 and 8p22-p23. Upon comparing BL vs Burkitt's cell leukemia (BCL), the latter had more changes (mean 4.3 +/- 2.2) than BL (mean 2.7 +/- 3.2). In addition, BCL cases showed more frequently gains on 8q, 9q, 14q, 20q, and 20q, 9q, 8q and 14q, as well as losses on 13q and 4q. Concerning outcome, the presence of abnormalities on 1q (ascertained either by cytogenetics or by CGH), and imbalances on 7q (P=0.01) were associated with a short survival.

Multiple training interventions significantly improve reproducibility of PET/CT-based lung cancer radiotherapy target volume delineation using an IAEA study protocol

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To assess the impact of a standardized delineation protocol and training interventions on PET/CT-based target volume delineation (TVD) in NSCLC in a multicenter setting.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Over a one-year period, 11 pairs, comprised each of a radiation oncologist and nuclear medicine physician with limited experience in PET/CT-based TVD for NSCLC from nine different countries took part in a training program through an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) study (NCT02247713). Teams delineated gross tumor volume of the primary tumor, during and after training interventions, according to a provided delineation protocol. In-house developed software recorded the performed delineations, to allow visual inspection of strategies and to assess delineation accuracy.

RESULTS: Following the first training, overall concordance indices for 3 repetitive cases increased from 0.57±0.07 to 0.66±0.07. The overall mean surface distance between observer and expert contours decreased from -0.40±0.03 cm to -0.01±0.33 cm. After further training overall concordance indices for another 3 repetitive cases further increased from 0.64±0.06 to 0.80±0.05 (p=0.01). Mean surface distances decreased from -0.34±0.16 cm to -0.05±0.20 cm (p=0.01).

CONCLUSION: Multiple training interventions improve PET/CT-based TVD delineation accuracy in NSCLC and reduces interobserver variation.

Applying the expanding photosphere and standardized candle methods to Type II-Plateau supernovae at cosmologically significant redshifts . The distance to SN 2013eq

Based on optical imaging and spectroscopy of the Type II-Plateau SN 2013eq, we present a comparative study of commonly used distance determination methods based on Type II supernovae. The occurrence of SN 2013eq in the Hubble flow (z = 0.041 ± 0.001) prompted us to investigate the implications of the difference between "angular" and "luminosity" distances within the framework of the expanding photosphere method (EPM) that relies upon a relation between flux and angular size to yield a distance. Following a re-derivation of the basic equations of the EPM for SNe at non-negligible redshifts, we conclude that the EPM results in an angular distance. The observed flux should be converted into the SN rest frame and the angular size, θ, has to be corrected by a factor of (1 + z)2. Alternatively, the EPM angular distance can be converted to a luminosity distance by implementing a modification of the angular size. For SN 2013eq, we find EPM luminosity distances of DL = 151 ± 18 Mpc and DL = 164 ± 20 Mpc by making use of different sets of dilution factors taken from the literature. Application of the standardized candle method for Type II-P SNe results in an independent luminosity distance estimate (DL = 168 ± 16 Mpc) that is consistent with the EPM estimate. Spectra of SN 2013eq are available in the Weizmann Interactive Supernova data REPository (WISeREP): http://wiserep.weizmann.ac.il