Repeatability of quantitative individual lesion and total disease multiparametric whole-body MRI measurements in prostate cancer bone metastases.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the repeatability of quantitative multiparametric whole-body MRI (mpWB-MRI) parameters in advanced prostate cancer (APC) bone metastases. METHODS: 1.5T MRI was performed twice on the same day in 10 APC patients. MpWB-MRI-included diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and T1-weighted gradient-echo 2-point Dixon sequences. ADC and relative fat-fraction percentage (rFF%) maps were calculated, respectively. A radiologist delineated up to 10 target bone metastases per study. Means of ADC, b900 signal intensity(SI), normalised b900 SI, rFF% and maximum diameter (MD) for each target lesion and overall parameter averages across all targets per patient were recorded. The total disease volume (tDV in ml) was manually delineated on b900 images and mean global (g)ADC was derived. Bland-Altman analyses were performed with calculation of 95% repeatability coefficients (RC). RESULTS: Seventy-three individual targets (median MD 26 mm) were included. Lesion mean ADC RC was 12.5%, mean b900 SI RC 137%, normalised mean b900 SI RC 110%, rFF% RC 3.2 and target MD RC 5.5 mm (16.3%). Patient target lesion average mean ADC RC was 6.4%, b900 SI RC 104% and normalised mean b900 SI RC 39.6%. Target average rFF% RC was 1.8, average MD RC 1.3 mm (4.8%). tDV segmentation RC was 6.4% and mean gADC RC 5.3%. CONCLUSIONS: APC bone metastases' ADC, rFF% and maximum diameter, tDV and gADC show good repeatability. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: APC bone metastases' mean ADC and rFF% measurements of single lesions and global disease volumes are repeatable, supporting their potential role as quantitative biomarkers in metastatic bone disease

Conversion of neutron stars to strange stars as the central engine of gamma-ray bursts

We study the conversion of a neutron star to a strange star as a possible energy source for gamma-ray bursts. We use different recent models for the equation of state of neutron star matter and strange quark matter. We show that the total amount of energy liberated in the conversion is in the range of (1-4) 10^{53} ergs (one order of magnitude larger than previous estimates) and is in agreement with the energy required to power gamma-ray burst sources at cosmological distances.Comment: ApJ, 530, 2000 February 20, Lxxx (in press

Studi Deformasi Waduk Pendidikan Diponegoro Tahun 2016

According to SNI No. 1731-1989 dam is any artificial barrier, urugan type or any other type that can hold or store water both natural and artificial. In addition to benefits are very much dams also have a high risk because has the potential danger of collapse that could result in the loss of life and material losses, therefore it needs to be observed deformation to determine the condition of the dam.In this research will be observation of the deformation of Pendidikan Diponegoro dam, with GPS (Global Positioning System) observation methods will be observed of 9 monitoring points deformation (bench mark) spread around the body of the dam, the GPS observed data will be processing using scientific software GAMIT 10.6, deformation monitoring points were also observed changes in distance and height from the control points are placed outside the body of the dam, deformation observations carried out from April to June 2016, with twice the period of observation.The results of GPS observations during the observation period showed deformation monitoring points change the coordinate value with ranging from 0.06 cm to 1.4 cm for the X axis, 0.03 cm to 1.9 cm for the Y axis, and 0.4 cm to 1.3 cm for the Z axis. Distance and height changes based on total station and waterpass measurement during the observation period ranging from 0.09 mm to 1.7 mm and 0.15 mm to 1.8 mm. From the result of the dam deformation observation by GPS observation methods, total station, and waterpass shows deformation of the deformation monitoring points during the observation period, but based on the statistical test with 95% confidence level showed that there is no deformation of all the deformation monitoring points

Single production of vector-like bottom quark at the LHeC

Existences of vector-like quarks (VLQs) are predicted in many new physics scenarios beyond the Standard Model (SM). We study the possibility of detecting the vector-like bottom quark (VLQ-$B$) being the $SU(2)$ singlet with electric charge $-1/3$ at the Large Hadron Electron Collider (LHeC) in a model-independent framework. The decay properties and single production of VLQ-$B$ at the LHeC are explored. Three types of signatures are investigated. By carrying out a fast simulation for the signals and the corresponding backgrounds, the signal significances are obtained. Our numerical results show that detecting of VLQ-$B$ via the semileptonic channel is better than via the fully hadronic or leptonic channel.Comment: 21 pages, 10 figures, Prepared for publicatio

Quark matter in compact stars: astrophysical implications and possible signatures

After a brief non technical introduction of the basic properties of strange quark matter (SQM) in compact stars, we consider some of the late important advances in the field, and discuss some recent astrophysical observational data that could shed new light on the possible presence of SQM in compact stars. We show that above a threshold value of the gravitational mass a neutron star (pure hadronic star) is metastable to the decay (conversion) to an hybrid neutron star or to a strange star. We explore the consequences of the metastability of "massive" neutron stars and of the existence of stable compact "quark" stars (hybrid neutron stars or strange stars) on the concept of limiting mass of compact stars, and we give an extension of this concept with respect to the "classical" one given in 1939 by Oppenheimer and Volkoff.Comment: Invited talk at "the Eleventh Marcel Grossman Meeting on General Relativity", Berlin 200

Imaging in myeloma with focus on advanced imaging techniques.

In recent years, there have been major advances in the imaging of myeloma with whole body MRI incorporating diffusion-weighted imaging, emerging as the most sensitive modality. Imaging is now a key component in the work-up of patients with a suspected diagnosis of myeloma. The International Myeloma Working Group now specifies that more than one focal lesion on MRI or lytic lesion on whole body low-dose CT or fludeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT fulfil the criteria for bone damage requiring therapy. The recent National Institute for Health and Care Excellence myeloma guidelines recommend imaging in all patients with suspected myeloma. In addition, there is emerging data supporting the use of functional imaging techniques (WB-DW MRI and FDG PET/CT) to predict outcome and evaluate response to therapy. This review summarises the imaging modalities used in myeloma, the latest guidelines relevant to imaging and future directions

The {\tt Mathematica} package {\tt TopoID} and its application to the Higgs boson production cross section

We present the {\tt Mathematica} package {\tt TopoID} which aims at the automation of several steps in multiloop calculations. The algorithm which lies at the very core of the package is described and illustrated with an example. The main features of {\tt TopoID} are stated and some of them are briefly demonstrated for NLO or NNLO Higgs boson production.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, contribution to the proceedings of ACAT, 18 - 22 January 2016, UTFSM, Valparaiso, Chile v2: updated references, added preprint number DESY 16-03

The value of baseline 18F-sodium fluoride and 18F-choline PET activity for identifying responders to radium-223 treatment in castration-resistant prostate cancer bone metastases.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether baseline 18F-sodium fluoride (NaF) and 18F-choline PET activity is associated with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) global and individual bone metastases' DWI MR imaging response to radium-223 treatment. METHODS: Thirty-six bone-only mCRPC patients were prospectively recruited from three centers. Whole-body (WB)-MRI with DWI and 18F-NaF and 18F-choline PET/CT were performed at therapy baseline and 8-week intervals. In each patient, bone disease median global (g)ADC change between baseline and follow-up was calculated. Additionally, up to five bone target lesions per patient were delineated and individual median ADC change recorded. An ADC increase > 30% defined response per-patient and per-lesion. For the same targets, baseline 18F-NaF and 18F-choline PET SUVmax were recorded. Mean SUVmax across patient targets was correlated with gADC change and lesion SUVmax with per-lesion ADC change. RESULTS: A total of 133 lesions in 36 patients (14 responders) were analyzed. 18F-NaF PET per-patient mean SUVmax was significantly higher in responders (median = 56.0 versus 38.7 in non-responders; p = 0.008), with positive correlation between SUVmax and gADC increase (rho = 0.42; p = 0.015). A 48.7 SUVmax threshold identified responders with 77% sensitivity and 75% specificity. Baseline 18F-NaF PET per-lesion SUVmax was higher in responding metastases (median = 51.6 versus 31.8 in non-responding metastases; p = 0.001), with positive correlation between baseline lesion SUVmax and ADC increase (rho = 0.39; p < 0.001). A 36.8 SUVmax threshold yielded 72% sensitivity and 63% specificity. No significant association was found between baseline 18F-choline PET SUVmax and ADC response on a per-patient (p = 0.164) or per-lesion basis (p = 0.921). CONCLUSION: 18F-NaF PET baseline SUVmax of target mCRPC bone disease showed significant association with response to radium-223 defined by ADC change. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: 18F-sodium fluoride PET/CT baseline maximum SUV of castration-resistant prostate cancer bone metastases could be used as a predictive biomarker for response to radium-223 therapy. KEY POINTS: • 18F-sodium fluoride PET baseline SUVmax of castration-resistant prostate cancer bone metastases showed significant association with response to radium-223. • Baseline 18F-sodium fluoride PET can improve patient selection for radium-223 therapy. • Change in whole-body DWI parameters can be used for response correlation with baseline 18F-sodium fluoride PET SUVmax in castration-resistant prostate cancer bone metastases