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For millions of people around the world, the condition of 'refugee-ness' is a daily reality. They do not live in a place of their own choice, and live there amid a web of complex relationships and processes. These encompass two different universes: firstly, their own socio-cultural? historical and political roots, which in themselves carry a highly conflictive potential, having forced the refugees into exile; and secondly, the often alien and hostile characteristics of the host society where, at the same time, new localities and senses of homes are created., Asien, Nr. 104 (2007): ASIEN (Juli)

Submerged breakwaters are efficient structures used for shore protection. Many design features of these structures are captured upon modeling wave propagation over submerged square obstacles. The presence of separation vortices and large free surface deformations complicates the problem. A multiphase turbulent numerical model is developed using ANSYS commercial package. Careful domain discretization is done employing suitable mesh clustering to capture high gradients. Various numerical model parameters are provided, including grid size and time step. Special attention is directed towards clarifying turbulence initial conditions. Stable simulation results are obtained within acceptable computational time. Numerical results are validated quantitatively using subsurface measurements. Comparison along continuous horizontal and vertical velocity profiles is provided. Temporal and spatial model resolutions are illustrated for three test cases. The effect of wave period and height is well focused. The unsteady vortical structure is visualized. The incident wave energy is calculated and validated against theoretical values. The wave energy dissipation characteristics are briefly explained.

Accurate flow data form the basis for describing hydrological runoff processes and extremes. While the continuous measurement of the water level is a standard task in hydrometry, the continuous measurement of flow velocity is more complex and often involves greater effort. Videometric methods like LSPIV (Large Scale Particle Image Velocimetry) allow a contactless acquisition of surface velocity distribution in open channels. Ready-to-use instrumentation for that purpose is hardly available and requires permanent electricity supply.Therefore, a simple self-made measuring system, consisting of a data logger with camera and a distance sensor, is introduced. It enables not only the detection of the water level but also the recording and remote transmission of video data. Based on an Arduino microcontroller and a Raspberry Pi Single Board Computer the battery-powered data logger is freely programmable with open source software and supports the operation of various sensors with digital interface at low power consumption. The measuring system with its wide angle camera is intended to be mounted on bridges or steep banks with longitudinal or transverse to flow camera alignment. The water level is detected by an ultrasonic range transducer, a raspberry pi camera module with wide angle lens records videos in 1080p resolution. The water level data and the videos are remotely transmitted via cellular network to a server that provides the data to the subsequent LSPIV analysis. The LSPIV analysis enables a high-resolution measurement of the velocity distribution at the water surface and in combination with the known channel geometry and the height of the water level it offers an accurate discharge determination. Particularly with regard to extreme events the use of video data brings considerable advantages as it allows a visual on-site inspection of the situation. Information such as the condition of the local vegetation, icing or disturbing influences at the gauge site can be derived and included in the flow rate determination.

In the last 3 years, Lutetium-177 prostate-specific membrane antigen radioligand therapy (Lu-177-PSMA-RLT) has received increasing attention in nuclear medicine as a new form of treatment for castration-resistant metastatic prostate cancer. This therapy combines the radionuclide Lutetium-177, which has been therapeutically used in nuclear medicine for many years, with a molecular target of the transmembrane prostate-specific membrane antigen expressed by prostate cancer cells. Since there are no prospective randomized studies on Lu-177-PSMA-RLT and the question of reimbursement has repeatedly been the subject of review by the MDK Nordrhein (Medischenische Dienst der Krankenversicherung), there was a desire because of the increasing number of patients being treated to clarify under which circumstances Lu-177-PSMA-RLT can be reimbursed by German statutory health insurance. The goals of this article are to help treating physicians understand how this new therapy option works, to integrate it in the overall therapy concept for castration-resistant metastatic prostate cancer, and, above all, to use Lu-177-PSMA-RLT-based on the current data-at the right place in the therapy sequence of castration-resistant metastatic prostate cancer.

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a promising target for the diagnosis of and therapy for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). The aim of this study was to measure overall-survival (OS) in mCRPC patients who received either abiraterone or enzalutamide prior to PSMA therapy. The second aim of this study was to analyse the predictors of OS according to different pre-therapeutic parameters and also the responses to the first cycle of radioligand therapy (RLT) base on PSA level. Patients with mCRPC and a history of therapy with either abiraterone or enzalutamide or both, were included in this study. Different laboratory tests and pre-therapeutic parameters have been included into the analysis. One-hundred patients received a total of 347 cycles of Lu-PSMA (median: three cycles). 69 patients showed a decline in PSA two months after the first cycle, and 38 of those patients showed a PSA decline of = > 50%. The median OS was 60 weeks. In the multivariate analysis, the level of albumin, AST and haemoglobin, existence of liver metastases and a decline of > 14% in PSA level had a significant impact on overall-survival. The median OS is significantly longer in patients without hepatic involvement, with high levels of albumin and Hb and low levels of AST. A decline in PSA levels of more than 14% was the most important response parameter with regard to overall survival.

Up to 30% of patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) do not show any response to the first cycle of radioligand therapy (RLT) with [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 (Lu-PSMA). We evaluated patient response to the second and third cycles of RLT in patients that underwent at least three cycles. The second aim of this study was to calculate the median overall survival (OS) of responders and non-responders after the first cycle and after all three cycles of RLT. CRPC patients were treated with Lu-PSMA, with a median interval of 8 weeks between each cycle. The tumour marker prostate-specific antigen (PSA) was used as the marker for response evaluation. Fifty-two patients underwent a total of 190 cycles of RLT (3–6 cycles per patient). Of these, 80.8% showed a decline in PSA 2 months after the first cycle, with 44.2% showing a PSA decline of ≥50%. When compared to baseline PSA, 73.1% showed a PSA decline after the third cycle. 50% of patients that did not show any response to the first cycle also did not respond to the second and third cycles. The median OS was 60 weeks in all patients. The median OS was significantly longer for patients that showed any PSA decline after the first cycle compared to patients without PSA decline (68 vs. 33 weeks). There was a significant difference in median OS between responders and non-responders for a change in PSA after the third cycle compared to baseline PSA. Patients with a positive response to RLT, regardless of the rate of decline, had a significantly longer median OS. Of the patients that did not show any response to the first cycle, 50% responded to the second or third cycles.

Due to an increasing number of heavy rainfall events, the managing of urban flooding requires new design approaches in urban drainage engineering. With bidirectional coupled numerical models the surface runoff, the underground sewer flow and the interaction processes between both systems can be calculated. Most of the numerical models use a weir equation to calculate the surface to sewer flow with unsurcharged flow conditions, but uncertainties still exist in the representation of the real flow conditions. Street inlets, existing in different types, are the connecting elements between the surface and the underground system. In the present study, an empirical formula was developed based on physical model test runs to estimate the hydraulic capacity and type-specific efficiency of grate inlets with supercritical surface flow. Influencing hydraulic parameters are water depth and flow velocity upstream of the grate and, in addition, different geometrical parameters are taken into account, such as the grate dimensions or the orientation of the bars (transverse, longitudinal or diagonal). Good agreement between estimated and measured results could be proven with relative deviations less than 1%.

This paper presents an integration of data-driven modeling and stochastic models for simulation of reservoir operation. The simulation model developed in this study was applied to the Ruhr river reservoirs system in Germany. An adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system, Thomas–Fiering model and hidden Markov model were integrated in a simulation model. The set of model input included the time of the year, reservoir storage, inflow and Standardized Precipitation Index; and the target output was the reservoir release. Predicted and observed release values were evaluated using several common evaluation criteria. Results of model performance showed that the proposed model is capable of simulating reservoir operation and provides reliable reservoir release prediction. Results showed also that the proposed approach could be a good tool at the real-time operation stage to quickly check operational alternatives due to emergency events or planning and real-time incongruence.

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is highly expressed on prostate epithelial cells and strongly up-regulated in prostate cancer (PC), making it an optimal target for the treatment of metastasized PC. Radioligand therapy (RLT) with 177Lu-PSMA-DKFZ-617 (Lu-PSMA) is a targeted therapy for metastatic PC. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the side effects and the response rate of 24 hormone and/or chemorefractory PC patients with a mean age of 75.2 years (range: 64–82) with distant metastases and progressive disease according to the PSA level, who were treated with Lu-PSMA. Median PSA was 522 ng/ml (range: 17–2360). Forty-six cycles of Lu-PSMA were performed. Of the 24 patients, 22 received two cycles. Eight weeks after the first cycle of Lu-PSMA therapy 79.1% experienced a decline in PSA level. Eight weeks after the second cycle of Lu-PSMA therapy 68.2% experienced a decline in PSA relative to the baseline value. Apart from two cases of grade 3 anemia, there was no relevant hemato- or nephrotoxicity (grade 3 or 4). These results confirmed that Lu-PSMA is a safe treatment option for metastatic PC patients and has a low toxicity profile. A positive response to therapy in terms of decline in PSA occurs in about 70% of patients.

Transport capability of intake vortices at horizontal intake structures was investigated by small-scale physical model tests on a scale of 1:5. The intention was to develop a prediction model which allows an evaluation of the transport capability of intake vortices on the basis of a calculated probability for various floating solids for a given geometry of intake structure. It could be demonstrated that the transport capability of intake vortices under constant geometrical boundary conditions can be determined on the basis of (i) the present hydraulic boundary conditions and (ii) the characteristics of the floating solids (density and diameter). A prediction model developed on this basis allows an estimation of the transport of floating solids for the present boundary conditions.

According to an increasing number of heavy rainfall events, the managing of urban flooding requires new design approaches in urban drainage engineering. With bidirectional coupled numerical models the surface runoff, the underground sewer flow and the interaction processes between both systems can be calculated. Most of the numerical models use a weir equation to calculate the surface to sewer flow with unsurcharged flow conditions, but uncertainties still exist in the representation of the real flow conditions. Street inlets, existing in different types, are the connecting elements between the surface and the underground system. In the present study, an empirical formula was developed based on physical model test runs to estimate the hydraulic capacity of grate inlets with supercritical surface flow. The influencing hydraulic parameters are the water depth and flow velocity upstream of the grate and in addition different geometrical parameters are taken into account such as the grate dimensions or the orientation of the bars (transverse, longitudinal or diagonal).

In the last 3 years, Lutetium-177 prostate-specific membrane antigen radioligand therapy (Lu-177-PSMA-RLT) has received increasing attention in nuclear medicine as a new form of treatment for castration-resistant metastatic prostate cancer. This therapy combines the radionuclide Lutetium-177, which has been therapeutically used in nuclear medicine for many years, with a molecular target of the transmembrane prostate-specific membrane antigen expressed by prostate cancer cells. Since there are no prospective randomized studies on Lu-177-PSMA-RLT and the question of reimbursement has repeatedly been the subject of review by the MDK Nordrhein (Medischenische Dienst der Krankenversicherung), there was a desire because of the increasing number of patients being treated to clarify under which circumstances Lu-177-PSMA-RLT can be reimbursed by German statutory health insurance. The goals of this article are to help treating physicians understand how this new therapy option works, to integrate it in the overall therapy concept for castration-resistant metastatic prostate cancer, and, above all, to use Lu-177-PSMA-RLT-based on the current data-at the right place in the therapy sequence of castration-resistant metastatic prostate cancer.

Corporate volunteering has become increasingly widespread across the globe. While in some regions it has long been ‘business as usual’, other areas are just being introduced to it, often through international corporations that bring their own Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes with them. Comparative statistics to quantify corporate volunteering around the globe are hard to come by; however, a lot can be learned from comparing strategies, trends and challenges from completely different regions. This chapter reviews available literature to give some insights into the conditions and frameworks of corporate volunteering and uses the United Kingdom, leading corporate volunteering in Europe, as a case study to go into more depth. It finds that companies globally engage much more directly with civil society and the public sector in addressing inequalities and also find more of an infrastructure to partner internationally to increase their impact. Similarly, civil society organisations have become much stronger and more emancipated partners. Consequentially, barriers to addressing inequalities are either better understood or broken down innovatively paving the way to win-win scenarios for business and civil society.

Two castration-resistant prostate cancer patients, both with cerebral and visceral and lymphatic metastases, received multiple cycles of Lu-PSMA-617 treatments. The prognosis of both cases is dependent on brain metastases. Between Lu-PSMA-617 treatment cycles, local radiotherapy was also applied to the brain metastases. Prior to the combined therapy, all systemic metastases, including cerebral lesions, showed PSMA expression using Ga-PSMA PET/CT. Under the combined therapy, all the metastases, particularly the cerebral lesions, showed significant regression in size and PSMA expression over time.

An 81-year-old castrate-resistant prostate cancer man with multiple lymph node, bone, and hepatic metastases received four cycles of Lu-PSMA-617 treatments at our department from May to December 2015. All of his liver metastases showed PSMA expression in Ga-PSMA PET performed before the first cycle. Under this therapy, all of the metastases showed significant regression in size and PSMA expression over time.