Zur Fragestellung des Einsatzes von Schlacken als Versatz im Bergbau

Bergversatz ist die zur Prävention von Bergschäden erforderliche Verfüllung unterirdischer Hohlräume. Die Verfahrensrichtlinie des Bergmännischen Verbandes Österreichs (BVÖ) (Bergmännischer Verband Österreichs, Fachausschuss für Untertagebergbau: Verfahrensrichtlinie – Versatzsysteme im untertägigen Bergbau, 22.05.2013) legt die Anforderungen an die verwendeten Versatzmaterialien fest. Versatzmaterialien aus Sekundärrohstoffen, die aus ressourcenökonomischer Sicht eigens zu diesem Zweck abgebauten Primärrohstoffen vorzuziehen sind, sofern keine bergbaueigenen Materialien in ausreichender Menge zur Verfügung stehen, können diese Anforderungen unter gewissen Voraussetzungen erfüllen. Der Einsatz von Sekundärrohstoffen als Versatzmaterial stellt in diesem Fall eine stoffliche Verwertung im Sinne der Abfallhierarchie (Abfallwirtschaftsgesetz, 2002) dar. Die Zulässigkeit dieser Verwertung hängt maßgeblich von der mineralogisch-hydrogeochemischen Beurteilung der Auswirkungen des Einsatzes sekundärer Versatzmaterialien auf die Umwelt ab. Schlacken der Metallurgie, die aus felsmechanischen Gründen geeignete Versatzmaterialien darstellen, entsprechen unter gewissen Voraussetzungen auch den umweltgeochemischen Anforderungen. Anhand des Beispiels von Chrom in Stahlwerksschlacken wird gezeigt, welche Aspekte bei der Beurteilung dieser Fragestellung im individuell zu beurteilenden Einzelfall zu prüfen sind

Calculation of valence electron momentum densities using the projector augmented-wave method

We present valence electron Compton profiles calculated within the density-functional theory using the all-electron full-potential projector augmented-wave method (PAW). Our results for covalent (Si), metallic (Li, Al) and hydrogen-bonded ((H_2O)_2) systems agree well with experiments and computational results obtained with other band-structure and basis set schemes. The PAW basis set describes the high-momentum Fourier components of the valence wave functions accurately when compared with other basis set schemes and previous all-electron calculations.Comment: Submitted to Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids on September 17 2004. Revised version submitted on December 13 200

Workplace Contextual Supports for LGBT Employees: A Review, Meta‐Analysis, and Agenda for future Research

The past decade has witnessed a rise in the visibility of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. This has resulted in some organizational researchers focusing their attention on workplace issues facing LGBT employees. While empirical research has been appropriately focused on examining the impact of workplace factors on the work lives of LGBT individuals, no research has examined these empirical relationships cumulatively. The purpose of this study was to conduct a comprehensive review and meta‐analysis of the outcomes associated with three workplace contextual supports (formal LGBT policies and practices, LGBT‐supportive climate, and supportive workplace relationships) and to compare the relative influence of these workplace supports on outcomes. Outcomes were grouped into four categories: (a) work attitudes, (b) psychological strain, (c) disclosure, and (d) perceived discrimination. Results show that supportive workplace relationships were more strongly related to work attitudes and strain, whereas LGBT supportive climate was more strongly related to disclosure and perceived discrimination compared to the other supports. Our findings also revealed a number of insights concerning the measurement, research design, and sample characteristics of the studies in the present review. Based on these results, we offer an agenda for future research

Test-retest repeatability of organ uptake on PSMA‐targeted 18F‐DCFPyL PET/CT in patients with prostate cancer

Objectives We evaluated 18F-DCFPyL test–retest repeatability of uptake in normal organs. Methods Twenty-two prostate cancer (PC) patients underwent two 18F-DCFPyL PET scans within 7 days within a prospective clinical trial (NCT03793543). In both PET scans, uptake in normal organs (kidneys, spleen, liver, and salivary and lacrimal glands) was quantified. Repeatability was determined by using within-subject coefficient of variation (wCOV), with lower values indicating improved repeatability. Results For SUVmean, repeatability was high for kidneys, spleen, liver, and parotid glands (wCOV, range: 9.0%–14.3%) and lower for lacrimal (23.9%) and submandibular glands (12.4%). For SUVmax, however, the lacrimal (14.4%) and submandibular glands (6.9%) achieved higher repeatability, while for large organs (kidneys, liver, spleen, and parotid glands), repeatability was low (range: 14.1%–45.2%). Conclusion We found acceptable repeatability of uptake on 18F-DCFPyL PET for normal organs, in particular for SUVmean in the liver or parotid glands. This may have implications for both PSMA-targeted imaging and treatment, as patient selection for radioligand therapy and standardized frameworks for scan interpretation (PROMISE, E-PSMA) rely on uptake in those reference organs

OSBPL2 encodes a protein of inner and outer hair cell stereocilia and is mutated in autosomal dominant hearing loss (DFNA67)

Background: Early-onset hearing loss is mostly of genetic origin. The complexity of the hearing process is reflected by its extensive genetic heterogeneity, with probably many causative genes remaining to be identified. Here, we aimed at identifying the genetic basis for autosomal dominant non-syndromic hearing loss (ADNSHL) in a large German family. Methods: A panel of 66 known deafness genes was analyzed for mutations by next-generation sequencing (NGS) in the index patient. We then conducted genome-wide linkage analysis, and whole-exome sequencing was carried out with samples of two patients. Expression of Osbpl2 in the mouse cochlea was determined by immunohistochemistry. Because Osbpl2 has been proposed as a target of miR-96, we investigated homozygous Mir96 mutant mice for its upregulation. Results: Onset of hearing loss in the investigated ADNSHL family is in childhood, initially affecting the high frequencies and progressing to profound deafness in adulthood. However, there is considerable intrafamilial variability. We mapped a novel ADNSHL locus, DFNA67, to chromosome 20q13.2-q13.33, and subsequently identified a co-segregating heterozygous frameshift mutation, c.141-142delTG (p.Arg50Alafs∗103), in OSBPL2, encoding a protein known to interact with the DFNA1 protein, DIAPH1. In mice, Osbpl2 was prominently expressed in stereocilia of cochlear outer and inner hair cells. We found no significant Osbpl2 upregulation at the mRNA level in homozygous Mir96 mutant mice. Conclusion: The function of OSBPL2 in the hearing process remains to be determined. Our study and the recent description of another frameshift mutation in a Chinese ADNSHL family identify OSBPL2 as a novel gene for progressive deafness.</p

Lack of repeatability of radiomic features derived from PET scans: results from a 18F‐DCFPyL test–retest cohort

Objectives PET-based radiomic metrics are increasingly utilized as predictive image biomarkers. However, the repeatability of radiomic features on PET has not been assessed in a test–retest setting. The prostate-specific membrane antigen-targeted compound 18F-DCFPyL is a high-affinity, high-contrast PET agent that we utilized in a test-retest cohort of men with metastatic prostate cancer (PC). Methods Data of 21 patients enrolled in a prospective clinical trial with histologically proven PC underwent two 18F-DCFPyL PET scans within 7 days, using identical acquisition and reconstruction parameters. Sites of disease were segmented and a set of 29 different radiomic parameters were assessed on both scans. We determined repeatability of quantification by using Pearson's correlations, within-subject coefficient of variation (wCOV), and Bland–Altman analysis. Results In total, 230 lesions (177 bone, 38 lymph nodes, 15 others) were assessed on both scans. For all investigated radiomic features, a broad range of inter-scan correlation was found (r, 0.07–0.95), with acceptable reproducibility for entropy and homogeneity (wCOV, 16.0% and 12.7%, respectively). On Bland–Altman analysis, no systematic increase or decrease between the scans was observed for either parameter (±1.96 SD: 1.07/−1.30, 0.23/−0.18, respectively). The remaining 27 tested radiomic metrics, however, achieved unacceptable high wCOV (≥21.7%). Conclusion Many common radiomic features derived from a test–retest PET study had poor repeatability. Only Entropy and homogeneity achieved good repeatability, supporting the notion that those image biomarkers may be incorporated in future clinical trials. Those radiomic features based on high frequency aspects of images appear to lack the repeatability on PET to justify further study

High SUVs have more robust repeatability in patients with metastatic prostate cancer: results from a prospective test-retest cohort imaged with 18F-DCFPyL

OBJECTIVES: In patients with prostate cancer (PC) receiving prostate-specific membrane antigen- (PSMA-) targeted radioligand therapy (RLT), higher baseline standardized uptake values (SUVs) are linked to improved outcome. Thus, readers deciding on RLT must have certainty on the repeatability of PSMA uptake metrics. As such, we aimed to evaluate the test-retest repeatability of lesion uptake in a large cohort of patients imaged with (18)F-DCFPyL. METHODS: In this prospective, IRB-approved trial (NCT03793543), 21 patients with history of histologically proven PC underwent two (18)F-DCFPyL PET/CTs within 7 days (mean 3.7, range 1 to 7 days). Lesions in the bone, lymph nodes (LN), and other organs were manually segmented on both scans, and uptake parameters were assessed (maximum (SUV(max)) and mean (SUV(mean)) SUVs), PSMA-tumor volume (PSMA-TV), and total lesion PSMA (TL-PSMA, defined as PSMA − TV × SUV(mean))). Repeatability was determined using Pearson's correlations, within-subject coefficient of variation (wCOV), and Bland-Altman analysis. RESULTS: In total, 230 pairs of lesions (177 bone, 38 LN, and 15 other) were delineated, demonstrating a wide range of SUV(max) (1.5–80.5) and SUV(mean) (1.4–24.8). Including all sites of suspected disease, SUVs had a strong interscan correlation (R(2) ≥ 0.99), with high repeatability for SUV(mean) and SUV(max) (wCOV, 7.3% and 12.1%, respectively). High SUVs showed significantly improved wCOV relative to lower SUVs (P < 0.0001), indicating that high SUVs are more repeatable, relative to the magnitude of the underlying SUV. Repeatability for PSMA-TV and TL-PSMA, however, was low (wCOV ≥ 23.5%). Across all metrics for LN and bone lesions, interscan correlation was again strong (R(2) ≥ 0.98). Moreover, LN-based SUV(mean) also achieved the best wCOV (3.8%), which was significantly reduced when compared to osseous lesions (7.8%, P < 0.0001). This was also noted for SUV(max) (wCOV, LN 8.8% vs. bone 12.0%, P < 0.03). On a compartment-based level, wCOVs for volumetric features were ≥22.8%, demonstrating no significant differences between LN and bone lesions (PSMA-TV, P =0.63; TL-PSMA, P =0.9). Findings on an entire tumor burden level were also corroborated in a hottest lesion analysis investigating the SUV(max) of the most intense lesion per patient (R(2), 0.99; wCOV, 11.2%). CONCLUSION: In this prospective test-retest setting, SUV parameters demonstrated high repeatability, in particular in LNs, while volumetric parameters demonstrated low repeatability. Further, the large number of lesions and wide distribution of SUVs included in this analysis allowed for the demonstration of a dependence of repeatability on SUV, with higher SUVs having more robust repeatability