Developing automated methods for pipe driving control surveying

Tunnelvortriebsmaschinen werden eingesetzt, um weitestgehend ohne größere Eingriffe in oberirdischen Geländestrukturen unterirdische Tunnel und Kanäle für Straßen- und Bahntunnel sowie für wasser- und abwassertechnische Anlagen zu errichten. In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden die Entwicklungen automatisierter Messverfahren beschrieben, die eine Alternative zu den herkömmlichen Vortriebskontrollvermessungen darstellen. Die Kontrollvermessungen sind wesentlicher Bestandteil für einen zielgerichteten Vortrieb. Für einen planmäßigen Vortrieb und einer sicheren Einfahrt in den Zielschacht sind Vermessungsnetze, bestehend aus Grundlagen-, Portal- und Vortriebsnetzen, eine Grundvoraussetzung. Es wird gezeigt, dass die Methodenlehre der Netzkonfiguration und die Datumsfestlegungen einen entscheidenden Einfluss auf die Vortriebsgenauigkeit haben. Die Steuerung der Vortriebsmaschinen erfolgt über Navigationssysteme, die aus Lasertheodolit- und Schlauchwaagensystemen sowie Tachymeter bestehen. Die unterschiedlichen Systeme werden mit ihren projektspezifischen Parametern erläutert und in Verbindung mit den Rohrvortriebskontrollvermessungen gesetzt. Basierend auf den Beschreibungen der gebräuchlichen Vortriebskontrollvermessungen wird die Entwicklung der neuen Messverfahren erläutert, die über mehrere Schritte zu dem Bau eines autonomen Messroboters geführt haben. Die in der Praxis gebräuchlichen Vortriebsnetze, Messinstrumente und Gerätschaften werden beschrieben, um daraus Erkenntnisse für das neue autonome Messverfahren ableiten zu können. Die Umsetzung erfolgt über ein darauf abgestimmtes Vortriebsnetz, welches auch eine Neuentwicklung der für das Verfahren unabdingbar wichtigen Messprismen beinhaltet. Die Vorteile des autonomen Messverfahrens mit dem Roboter liegen in einer geringeren Kontrollmesszeit und der damit verbundenen Reduzierung von Baustillstandszeiten. Darüber hinaus entfällt ein Begehen in Rohren mit geringen Durchmessern. Mit der Elimination von gesundheitlichen Beeinträchtigungen werden Forderungen des Arbeits- und Gesundheitsschutzes berücksichtigt. An Hand von Simulationsberechnungen wird gezeigt, dass das autonome Messverfahren zu einer Verbesserung bei den Genauigkeiten am Durchschlagspunkt des Zielschachtes führt. Die geringeren Messzeiten führen zu einer Kosten- und Zeiteinsparung. Die Ergebnisse unterstreichen, dass der autonome Messroboter eine effiziente Alternative zu hergebrachten Kontrollmessverfahren darstellt.Pipe driving machines are used to construct underground road and railway tunnels as well as water and wastewater canals with minimum impact on existing structures above ground. Control surveying is an integral part of targeted pipe driving. The thesis at hand describes the development of automated surveying methods that an alternative to conventional forms of control surveying in the context of pipe driving. Orderly pipe driving and safe entry into the target shaft require the setup of base, portal, and pipe driving networks. The thesis shows that it is primarily the network configuration and the determination of the geodetic datum which have a decisive impact on pipe driving accuracy. Pipe driving machines are steered via navigational systems using laser theodolite and hydrostatic level systems as well as tachymeters. The thesis describes the different systems and their project-specific parameters and places them in the context of pipe driving control surveying. Based on descriptions of conventional forms of pipe driving control surveying, the thesis explains the development of new forms of surveying which, through a number of steps, resulted in the construction of an autonomous surveying robot. The pipe driving networks and surveying instruments that have already been in practical use for some time are described in order to derive insights into the new, autonomous method of surveying. This new method is implemented using a pipe driving network specifically geared to this purpose, which crucially also includes the required surveying prism. The advantages of the autonomous method are reduced control surveying times and the associated decrease in construction standstill times. In addition, the autonomous method obviates the need for on-site inspection in small-diameter pipes, and the concomitant elimination of health risks is in line with the requirements of occupational safety and health protection. The thesis also shows, on the basis of simulations, that the autonomous surveying method leads to an improvement in pipe driving accuracy. Moreover, the reduced surveying times lead to cost and time savings. The results therefore highlight that the autonomous surveying robot constitutes an efficient alternative to conventional methods of control surveying in the context of pipe driving

Efficacy of COVID-19 Booster Vaccines in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies: Experiences in a Real-World Scenario.

BACKGROUND Two-dose COVID-19 vaccination often results in poor humoral response rates in patients with hematologic malignancies (HMs); yet responses to COVID-19 booster vaccines and the risk of COVID-19 infection post-booster are mostly uncertain. METHODS We included 200 outpatients with HMs and predominantly lymphoid neoplasms (96%, 191/200) in our academic center and reported on the humoral responses, which were assessed by measurement of anti-spike IgG antibodies in peripheral blood as early as 14 days after mRNA-based prime-boost vaccination, as well as factors hampering booster efficacy. Previous basic (double) immunization was applied according to the local recommendations with mRNA- and/or vector-based vaccines. We also report on post-booster COVID-19 breakthrough infections that emerged in the Omicron era and the prophylaxis strategies that were applied to poor and non-responders to booster vaccines. RESULTS A total of 55% (110/200) of the patients achieved seroconversion (i.e., anti-spike protein IgG antibody titer > 100 AU/mL assessed in median 48 days after prime-boost vaccination) after prime-boost vaccination. Multivariable analyses revealed age, lymphocytopenia, ongoing treatment and prior anti-CD20 B-cell depletion to be independent predictors for booster failure. With each month between anti-CD20-mediated B-cell depletion and booster vaccination, the probability of seroconversion increased by approximately 4% (p < 0.001) and serum-antibody titer (S-AbT) levels increased by 90 AU/mL (p = 0.011). Notably, obinutuzumab treatment was associated with an 85% lower probability for seroconversion after prime-boost vaccination compared to rituximab (p = 0.002). Of poor or non-responders to prime-boost vaccination, 41% (47/114) underwent a second booster and 73% (83/114) underwent passive immunization. COVID-19 breakthrough infections were observed in 15% (29/200) of patients after prime-boost vaccination with predominantly mild courses (93%). Next to seroconversion, passive immunization was associated with a significantly lower risk of COVID-19 breakthrough infections after booster, even in vaccine non-responders (all p < 0.05). In a small proportion of analyzed patients with myeloid neoplasms (9/200), the seroconversion rate was higher compared to those with lymphoid ones (78% vs. 54%, accordingly), while the incidence rate of COVID-19 breakthrough infections was similar (22% vs. 14%, respectively). Following the low frequency of myeloid neoplasms in this study, the results may not be automatically applied to a larger cohort. CONCLUSIONS Patients with HMs are at a high risk of COVID-19 booster vaccine failure; yet COVID-19 breakthrough infections after prime-boost vaccination are predominantly mild. Booster failure can likely be overcome by passive immunization, thereby providing immune protection against COVID-19 and attenuating the severity of COVID-19 courses. Further sophistication of clinical algorithms for preventing post-vaccination COVID-19 breakthrough infections is urgently needed

SUGAR-DIP trial: Oral medication strategy versus insulin for diabetes in pregnancy, study protocol for a multicentre, open-label, non-inferiority, randomised controlled trial

Introduction In women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) requiring pharmacotherapy, insulin was the established first-line treatment. More recently, oral glucose lowering drugs (OGLDs) have gained popularity as a patient-friendly, less expensive and safe alternative. Monotherapy with metformin or glibenclamide (glyburide) is incorporated in several international guidelines. In women who do not reach sufficient glucose control with OGLD monotherapy, usually insulin is added, either with or without continuation of OGLDs. No reliable data from clinical trials, however, are available on the effectiveness of a treatment strategy using all three agents, metformin, glibenclamide and insulin, in a stepwise approach, compared with insulin-only therapy for improving pregnancy outcomes. In this trial, we aim to assess the clinical effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and patient experience of a stepwise combined OGLD treatment protocol, compared with conventional insulin-based therapy for GDM. Methods The SUGAR-DIP trial is an open-label, multicentre randomised controlled non-inferiority trial. Participants are women with GDM who do not reach target glycaemic control with modification of diet, between 16 and 34 weeks of gestation. Participants will be randomised to either treatment with OGLDs, starting with metformin and supplemented as needed with glibenclamide, or randomised to treatment with insulin. In women who do not reach target glycaemic control with combined metformin and glibenclamide, glibenclamide will be substituted with insulin, while continuing metformin. The primary outcome will be the incidence of large-for-gestational-age infants (birth weight >90th percentile). Secondary outcome measures are maternal diabetes-related endpoints, obstetric complications, neonatal complications and cost-effectiveness analysis. Outcomes will be analysed according to the intention-to-treat principle. Ethics and dissemination The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Utrecht University Medical Centre. Approval by the boards of management for all participating hospitals will be obtained. Trial results will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals

Estimate of Heavy Metal Contamination in Soils after a Mining Accident Using Reflectance Spectroscopy.

Abstract not availableJRC.H-Institute for environment and sustainability (Ispra

A New Tool for Variable Multiple Endmember Spectral Mixture Analysis VMESMA.

Abstract not availableJRC.H-Institute for environment and sustainability (Ispra

Vaccine-induced pseudothrombocytopenia after Ad26.COV2.S vaccination

Complement is one of the most ancient defense systems. It gets strongly activated immediately after acute injuries like trauma, burn, or sepsis and helps to initiate regeneration. However, uncontrolled complement activation contributes to disease progression instead of supporting healing. Such effects are perceptible not only at the site of injury but also systemically, leading to systemic activation of other intravascular cascade systems eventually causing dysfunction of several vital organs. Understanding the complement pathomechanism and its interplay with other systems is a strict requirement for exploring novel therapeutic intervention routes. Ex vivo models exploring the cross-talk with other systems are rather limited, which complicates the determination of the exact pathophysiological roles that complement has in trauma, burn, and sepsis. Literature reporting on these three conditions is often controversial regarding the importance, distribution, and temporal occurrence of complement activation products further hampering the deduction of defined pathophysiological pathways driven by complement. Nevertheless, many in vitro experiments and animal models have shown beneficial effects of complement inhibition at different levels of the cascade. In the future, not only inhibition but also a complement reconstitution therapy should be considered in prospective studies to expedite how meaningful complement-targeted interventions need to be tailored to prevent complement augmented multi-organ failure after trauma, burn, and sepsis.This review summarizes clinically relevant studies investigating the role of complement in the acute diseases trauma, burn, and sepsis with important implications for clinical translation