Lebensdauerorientierter Entwurf der Hängestangen bei Bogenbrücken - Modellierung als Mehrebenenproblem

Der lebensdauerorientierte Entwurf von Stabbogenbrücken, mit Zuschnitt auf die Auslegung von Hängern, die durch Ermüdung infolge wirbelinduzierter Querschwingungen gefährdet sind, wird als stochastisches semi-infinites Optimierungsproblem formuliert. Zur Lösung dieses Problems sind mehrere Modellierungsebenen erforderlich, so dass ein Mehrebenenproblem entsteht. Es wird der derzeitige Entwicklungs- und Implementierungsstand bei der Umsetzung des Mehrebenenproblems in ein Entwurfsleitsystem (Software) aufgezeigt. Außerdem werden die Konzepte der noch ausstehenden Forschungsarbeit, die bereits erfolgreich beim lebensdauerorientierten Entwurf von Industriehallen mit Rahmensystem als Haupttragwerk eingesetzt wurden, diskutiert und ihre Einbildung in die bisher umgesetzte Forschungsarbeit erläutert

Avelumab in Combination With Cetuximab and Chemotherapy as First-Line Treatment for Patients With Advanced Squamous NSCLC

Avelumab; Cetuximab; Non–small cell lung cancerAvelumab; Cetuximab; Càncer de pulmó de cèl·lules no petitesAvelumab; Cetuximab; Cáncer de pulmón de células no pequeñasIntroduction We present the results of a phase 2a trial of first-line avelumab (anti–programmed death-ligand 1 antibody) plus cetuximab (anti–EGFR antibody) in patients with advanced squamous NSCLC. Methods Patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous NSCLC received avelumab 800 mg (d 1 and 8), cetuximab 250 mg/m2 (d 1) and 500 mg/m2 (d 8), cisplatin 75 mg/m2 (d 1), and gemcitabine 1250 mg/m2 (d 1 and 8) for four 3-week cycles, followed by avelumab 800 mg and cetuximab 500 mg/m2 every 2 weeks. The primary end point was the best overall response; the secondary end points were progression-free survival, duration of response, overall survival, and safety. Efficacy analyses were reported from an updated data cutoff. Results A total of 43 patients were enrolled. The median follow-up was 6.6 months for the primary analyses and 9.2 months for the efficacy analyses. In the efficacy analyses, 15 patients had a confirmed partial response (objective response rate, 34.9% [95% confidence interval: 21.0%–50.9%]), and the median duration of response was 7.1 months (95% confidence interval: 4.2–12.5 mo). The median progression-free survival and overall survival were 6.1 months and 10.0 months, respectively. In the safety analyses (primary analysis), 38 patients (88.4%) had a treatment-related adverse event, of whom 24 (55.8%) had a grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse event. Conclusions The combination of avelumab + cetuximab and chemotherapy showed antitumor activity and tolerable safety; however, the ORR was not improved compared with those reported for current standards of care (NCT03717155).This study was sponsored by the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany (CrossRef Funder ID: 10.13039/100009945) as part of an alliance between the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and Pfizer. Employees of the sponsor are coauthors of this manuscript and contributed to the design, execution, interpretation of the analyses, writing the report, and the decision to submit the article for publication, along with other coauthors. We thank the patients and their families, the investigators, co-investigators, and study teams at each participating center and the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. Medical writing support was provided by Abhijith Thippeswamy of ClinicalThinking and funded by the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany (CrossRef Funder ID: 10.13039/100009945) and Pfizer

LIFETIME-ORIENTED OPTIMIZATION OF BRIDGE TIE RODS EXPOSED TO VORTEX-INDUCED ACROSS-WIND VIBRATIONS

In recent years, damages in welded connections plates of vertical tie rods of several arched steel bridges have been reported. These damages are due to fatigue caused by wind-induced vibrations. In the present study, such phenomena are examined, and the corresponding lifetime of a reference bridge in Münster-Hiltrup, Germany, is estimated, based on the actual shape of the connection plate. Also, the results obtained are compared to the expected lifetime of a connection plate, whose geometry has been optimized separately. The structural optimization, focussing on the shape of the cut at the hanger ends, has been carried out using evolution strategies. The oscillation amplitudes have been computed by means of the Newmark-Wilson time-step method, using an appropriate load model, which has been validated by on-site experiments on the selected reference bridge. Corresponding stress-amplitudes are evaluated by multiplying the oscillation amplitudes with a stress concentration factor. This factor has been computed on the basis of a finite element model of the system "hanger-welding-connection plate", applying solid elements, according to the notch stress approach. The damage estimation takes into account the stochastics of the exciting wind process, as well as the stochastics of the material parameters (fatigue strength) given in terms of Woehler-curves. The shape optimization results in a substantial increase of the estimated hanger lifetime. The comparison of the lifetimes of the bulk plate and of the welding revealed that, in the optimized structure, the welding, being the most sensitive part in the original structure, shows much more resistance against potential damages than the bulk material

Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma Symptoms in a Real-Life Study of MP-AzeFlu to Treat Multimorbid Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma

Acknowledgements We would like to thank the subjects who participated in the trial. Funding This study was supported by MEDA Pharma GmbH & Co. KG (A Mylan Company), Bad Homburg, Germany. Technical, editorial, and medical writing assistance was provided under the direction of the authors by Strategix, an affiliate of The Lynx Group, LLC. Funding for this support was provided by Mylan Inc.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Effect of Specific Immunoglobulin E Response and Comorbidities on Effectiveness of MP-AzeFlu in a Real-Life Study

Acknowledgements: We would like to thank the subjects who participated in the trial. Funding Sources: This study was supported by MEDA Pharma GmbH & Co. KG (a Mylan Company), Bad Homburg, Germany. Technical, editorial, and medical writing assistance were provided under the direction of the authors by Strategix, an affiliate of The Lynx Group, LLC. This assistance was supported by MEDA Pharma GmbH & Co. KG (a Mylan Company).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

MP-AzeFlu Improves the Quality-of-Life of Patients with Allergic Rhinitis

Acknowledgments: We would like to thank the subjects who participated in the trial. The abstract of this paper was presented at the EAACI Congress 2020 as an oral presentation. The presentation’s abstract was published in Allergy: Van Weissenbruch R, Klimek L, Galffy G, et al. MP-Azeflu improves quality of life of patients with allergic rhinitis: a real-world study Funding: Technical, editorial, and medical writing assistance were provided under the direction of the authors by Erin Burns, PhD, and Strategix, an affiliate of The Lynx Group, LLC. Funding for this support was provided by Mylan Inc.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Scaling Behavior of Anomalous Hall Effect and Longitudinal Nonlinear Response in High-Tc Superconductors

Based on existing theoretical model and by considering our longitudinal nonlinear response function, we derive a nonliear equation in which the mixed state Hall resistivity can be expressed as an analytical function of magnetic field, temperature and applied current. This equation enables one to compare quantitatively the experimental data with theoretical model. We also find some new scaling relations of the temperature and field dependency of Hall resistivity. The comparison between our theoretical curves and experimental data shows a fair agreement.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Inertial Mass of a Vortex in Cuprate Superconductors

We present here a calculation of the inertial mass of a moving vortex in cuprate superconductors. This is a poorly known basic quantity of obvious interest in vortex dynamics. The motion of a vortex causes a dipolar density distortion and an associated electric field which is screened. The energy cost of the density distortion as well as the related screened electric field contribute to the vortex mass, which is small because of efficient screening. As a preliminary, we present a discussion and calculation of the vortex mass using a microscopically derivable phase-only action functional for the far region which shows that the contribution from the far region is negligible, and that most of it arises from the (small) core region of the vortex. A calculation based on a phenomenological Ginzburg-Landau functional is performed in the core region. Unfortunately such a calculation is unreliable, the reasons for it are discussed. A credible calculation of the vortex mass thus requires a fully microscopic, non-coarse grained theory. This is developed, and results are presented for a s-wave BCS like gap, with parameters appropriate to the cuprates. The mass, about 0.5 $m_e$ per layer, for magnetic field along the $c$ axis, arises from deformation of quasiparticle states bound in the core, and screening effects mentioned above. We discuss earlier results, possible extensions to d-wave symmetry, and observability of effects dependent on the inertial mass.Comment: 27 pages, Latex, 3 figures available on request, to appear in Physical Review