Equivalent SDOF Load Transformation Factors for One-Way Members Subjected to Air Blast Loading

The equivalent single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) load transformation factor expressions of the simply supported, fixed end and simply-fixed one-way members subjected to air blast loading are derived by finite series-expansion method or finite point-fitting method. Moreover, figures are used to show the relative relationship between the load transformation factors KL and the ratio of stand-off distance to structural span (γ). The typical calculation conditions show that the load transformation factors are sensitive to the piecewise function of peak overpressure when γ is less than 0.5. The load transformation factor will be a smooth curve for peak overpressure adopting a single smooth continuous function. For the blast-resistant structural design, if the error of 3% in the elastic stage and 5% in the plastic stage can be allowed, γ = 1.0 is the demarcation point between near field blast and far field blast. In addition, if the error of 0.5% can be allowed, γ ≥ 2.0 can be treated as the far field blast. The calculation results of far field blast show that the values of KL of simply supported, simply-fixed, and fixed-end members are 0.64, 0.58, and 0.54, respectively, which means that the load transformation factor is insensitive to the selection of shape function in vibration mode function or static deflection curve function. The calculation accuracy of KL expression for simply supported beam structure in this paper has been verified through near field blast experiments. This paper provides a clear numerical definition for the distinction between near field and far field explosions. It provides qualification criteria for analyzing explosion categories in blast-resistant structural design and a reference for the selection of theoretical calculation formulas.

Nouveau short-course therapy and morphism mapping for clinical pulmonary Mycobacterium kansasii

Standard therapy [isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol], with or without a macrolide, for pulmonary Mycobacterium kansasii lasts more than a year. Therefore, shorter treatment duration regimens are required. We used data from 32 Taiwanese patients treated with standard therapy who were followed using repetitive sampling-based sputum Mkn time-to-positivity in liquid cultures to calculate kill slopes [γ] based on ordinary differential equations and time-to-extinction of each patient’s bacterial burden. The γ was 0.18 [95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.16-0.20] log10 CFU/mL/day on standard therapy. Next, we identified Mkn time-to-extinction in the hollow fiber system model of pulmonary M. kansasii disease [HFS-Mkn] treated with standard therapy, which was a γ of 0.60 [95% CI: 0.45-0.69) log10 CFU/mL/day. The γs and time-to-extinctions between the two datasets formed structure-preserving maps based on category theory: thus, we could map them from one to the other using morphisms. This mapping identified a multistep non-linear transformation-factor for time-to-extinction from HFS-Mkn to patients. Next, a head-to-head study in the HFS-Mkn identified median time-to-extinction for standard therapy of 38.7 [95% CI: 29.1-53.2) days, isoniazid-rifampin-ethambutol-moxifloxacin of 21.7 [95% CI: 19.1-25) days, isoniazid-rifampin-moxifloxacin of 22 [96% CI: 20.1-24.5) days, and rifampin-moxifloxacin-tedizolid of 20.7 [95% CI:18.5-29) days. Our transformation-factor based translation predicted the proportion of patients of 90.7 [88.74-92.35)% achieving cure with standard therapy at 12 months, and 6-months cure rates of 99.8 [95% CI: 99.27-99.95)% for isoniazid-rifampin-ethambutol-moxifloxacin, 92.2 [90.37-93.71)% for isoniazid-rifampin-moxifloxacin, and 99.9 [99.44-99.99)% for rifampin-moxifloxacin-tedizolid. Thus, rifampin-moxifloxacin-tedizolid and isoniazid-rifampin-ethambutol-moxifloxacin are predicted to be short-course chemotherapy regimens for pulmonary M. kansasii disease.

P06 Improving renal function monitoring during chemotherapy- a role for cystatin C?

AimRenal toxicity causes major morbidity following chemotherapy- abnormal iGFRs may be detected in up to 73.7% of patients.1 Creatinine is universally used as a biomarker to track fluctuating function and to calculate surrogate glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in the form of estimating equations.2 There is concern regarding the suitability of creatinine as a biomarker in this population, and it is proposed that cystatin C as a biomarker alone and also included in estimating equations may offer improved clinical suitability and accuracy.3MethodsIn this prospective, longitudinal study over a period of 18 months, 132 combined isotope GFR (iGFR), creatinine and cystatin C measurements were taken from 48 paediatric oncology patients at a Northern Children’s Hospital. Correlation and agreement analysis was performed for both individual biomarkers and estimating equations. Sensitivity data, along with ROC curve analysis was performed for all biomarkers and estimating equations. Data from three identified patients was isolated to examine individual patient variation over time.ResultsCreatinine identified only 1/32 patients with an abnormal iGFR (<90 ml/min/1.73 m2) compared to cystatin C which identified 12/32. Creatinine values and both estimating equations failed to change significantly over a period of declining iGFR though cystatin C did show a significant inverse increase (p<0.05). Bland Altman analysis for both the creatinine and combined equation showed poor agreement (mean difference -64 ml/min/1.3 m2 and -20 ml/min/1.73 m2 respectively). All biomarkers and equations showed poor sensitivity to detect an abnormal iGFR either below 70 ml/min/1.73 m2 or 90 ml/min/1.73 m2. A transformation factor applied to the equations significantly improved the sensitivity and clinical applicability of all equations. The data from three individual patients failed to reveal any significant intra-patient relationships.ConclusionData from this study cannot support the use of creatinine or cystatin C as a single biomarker to monitor renal function in children undergoing chemotherapy. Newer cystatin C and creatinine combined equations, whilst offering statistical superiority, do not offer the clinical superiority to replace iGFR or provide a tool for accurate dose calculations. A transformation factor can be applied to the results gained from the estimating equations to significantly improve the detection of abnormal iGFR, though work in other patient cohorts is needed to support this. Previous work also supported the use of a transformation factor, though application of their transformation factor to this current cohort failed to replicate the 100% sensitivity findings previously demonstrated4. Three patients were identified from the cohort and their paired iGFR and estimated GFR were monitored prospectively, over a period of approximately a year. Significant variation was observed between iGFR and eGFR at each time point for all three patients and therefore personalisation of GFR estimation from baseline iGFR and demographic data could not be proposed. This requires exploration in a larger cohort with the possible inclusion of additional baseline variables.ReferencesCRUK Survival trends over time in Children’s Cancers. 1.2015. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/childrens-cancers/survival#heading-Two Accessed 28th March 2019.NICE ( 2013) CG169 Acute kidney injury: Prevention, detection and management of acute kidney injury up to the point of renal replacement therapy.Barnfield, MC, Burniston, MT, Reid, U, et al. Cystatin C in assessment of glomerular filtration rate in children and young adults suffering from cancer. Nuclear Medicine Communications 2013;34:609–614.Dodgshun, AJ, Quinlan, C, Sullivan, MJ. Cystatin C based equation accurately estimates glomerular filtration rate in children with solid and central nervous system tumours: enough evidence to change practice? Pediatric Blood and Cancer 2016;63:1535–1538.

Man-induced transformation of the territory of Staryi Sambir raion of Lviv Region

Types of man-induced impact in the territory of village councils in Staryi Sambir raion have been analyzed. The most significant changes in the raion’s territory have been caused by agricultural, forestry, pastoral, residential, industrial, and recreational impacts. Many types of impact are characterized by a rather clear landscape confinedness. Each of the types of impact causes different anthropic transformations in specific environmental components. Following P. Shyshchenko’s methodology, the factors of man-induced transformation for the territory of village councils of the raion in question have been estimated on the basis of analysis of the structure of agriculturally used lands. Five levels of territory transformation have been outlined according to the value of the man-induced transformation factor: very slightly transformed, slightly, moderately, severely and very severely transformed. It has been clarified that the territories of village councils with moderate level of transformation stand for almost a half of the raion’s area. A bit smaller is the share of very slightly transformed ones – 24.9% and slightly transformed ones – 23.1% of the territory. The territories of severely and very severely transformed village councils occupy, respectively, 1.6% and 1.5%. These are mainly the territories around the towns of Staryi Sambir, Dobromyl, and Khyriv. The overall man-induced transformation factor for the territory of Staryi Sambir raion is some 3.51.