Baseline characteristics of patients in the reduction of events with darbepoetin alfa in heart failure trial (RED-HF)

<p>Aims: This report describes the baseline characteristics of patients in the Reduction of Events with Darbepoetin alfa in Heart Failure trial (RED-HF) which is testing the hypothesis that anaemia correction with darbepoetin alfa will reduce the composite endpoint of death from any cause or hospital admission for worsening heart failure, and improve other outcomes.</p> <p>Methods and results: Key demographic, clinical, and laboratory findings, along with baseline treatment, are reported and compared with those of patients in other recent clinical trials in heart failure. Compared with other recent trials, RED-HF enrolled more elderly [mean age 70 (SD 11.4) years], female (41%), and black (9%) patients. RED-HF patients more often had diabetes (46%) and renal impairment (72% had an estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73 m2). Patients in RED-HF had heart failure of longer duration [5.3 (5.4) years], worse NYHA class (35% II, 63% III, and 2% IV), and more signs of congestion. Mean EF was 30% (6.8%). RED-HF patients were well treated at randomization, and pharmacological therapy at baseline was broadly similar to that of other recent trials, taking account of study-specific inclusion/exclusion criteria. Median (interquartile range) haemoglobin at baseline was 112 (106–117) g/L.</p> <p>Conclusion: The anaemic patients enrolled in RED-HF were older, moderately to markedly symptomatic, and had extensive co-morbidity.</p&gt

Electronic and atomic structures of the Sr3Ir4Sn13 single crystal: A possible charge density wave material

[[abstract]]X-ray scattering (XRS), x-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopic techniques were used to study the electronic and atomic structures of the high-quality Sr3Ir4Sn13 (SIS) single crystal below and above the transition temperature (T* ≈ 147 K). The evolution of a series of modulated satellite peaks below the transition temperature in the XRS experiment indicated the formation of a possible charge density wave (CDW) in the (110) plane. The EXAFS phase derivative analysis supports the CDW-like formation by revealing different bond distances [Sn1(2)-Sn2] below and above T* in the (110) plane. XANES spectra at the Ir L3-edge and Sn K-edge demonstrated an increase (decrease) in the unoccupied (occupied) density of Ir 5d-derived states and a nearly constant density of Sn 5p-derived states at temperatures T < T* in the (110) plane. These observations clearly suggest that the Ir 5d-derived states are closely related to the anomalous resistivity transition. Accordingly, a close relationship exists between local electronic and atomic structures and the CDW-like phase in the SIS single crystal.[[notice]]補正完

Effects of Anacetrapib in Patients with Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease

BACKGROUND: Patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease remain at high risk for cardiovascular events despite effective statin-based treatment of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. The inhibition of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) by anacetrapib reduces LDL cholesterol levels and increases high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. However, trials of other CETP inhibitors have shown neutral or adverse effects on cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 30,449 adults with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive atorvastatin therapy and who had a mean LDL cholesterol level of 61 mg per deciliter (1.58 mmol per liter), a mean non-HDL cholesterol level of 92 mg per deciliter (2.38 mmol per liter), and a mean HDL cholesterol level of 40 mg per deciliter (1.03 mmol per liter). The patients were assigned to receive either 100 mg of anacetrapib once daily (15,225 patients) or matching placebo (15,224 patients). The primary outcome was the first major coronary event, a composite of coronary death, myocardial infarction, or coronary revascularization. RESULTS: During the median follow-up period of 4.1 years, the primary outcome occurred in significantly fewer patients in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (1640 of 15,225 patients [10.8%] vs. 1803 of 15,224 patients [11.8%]; rate ratio, 0.91; 95% confidence interval, 0.85 to 0.97; P=0.004). The relative difference in risk was similar across multiple prespecified subgroups. At the trial midpoint, the mean level of HDL cholesterol was higher by 43 mg per deciliter (1.12 mmol per liter) in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (a relative difference of 104%), and the mean level of non-HDL cholesterol was lower by 17 mg per deciliter (0.44 mmol per liter), a relative difference of -18%. There were no significant between-group differences in the risk of death, cancer, or other serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive statin therapy, the use of anacetrapib resulted in a lower incidence of major coronary events than the use of placebo. (Funded by Merck and others; Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN48678192 ; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01252953 ; and EudraCT number, 2010-023467-18 .)

Theoretical bounds on the accuracy of state and parameter estimation for batteries

Today it is standard to use equivalent circuit models to describe the dynamic behavior of Li-ion vehicle batteries. The parameters and states change with operating point and are therefore continuously estimated using bayesian observers, though without knowing to what degree the performance can be improved. Posterior Cram\ue9r-Rao Lower Bounds (CRLBs) can be used to theoretically quantify the optimal accuracy of bayesian estimators. In this paper we apply this to a second-order nonlinear equivalent-circuit model of a lithium-ion battery. It is shown, by numerical calculations, how the posterior Cram\ue9r-Rao Lower Bounds depend on the amplitude and frequency of the current, and on the slope of the Open Circuit Voltage (OCV) curve. Furthermore, it is investigated how much the accuracy is reduced in combined estimation of the states and the resistance compared to when the resistance is perfectly known. More importantly, it is also shown that the Mean Square Errors (MSE) of an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) are close to the posterior CRLBs, which means that, under the investigated circumstances, it is not possible to significantly reduce the MSEs by replacing the EKF by any other observer

Kalman filter for adaptive learning of two-dimensional look-up tables applied to OCV-curves for aged battery cells

In online automotive applications it is common to use look-up tables, or maps, to describe nonlinearities in component models that are to be valid over large operating ranges. If the component characteristics change with aging or wear, these look-up tables must be updated online. For 2-D look-up tables, the existing methods in the literature only adapt the observable parameters in the look-up table, which means that parameters in operation points that have not been visited for a long time may be far from their true values. In this work, correlations between different operating points are used to also update non-observable parameters of the look-up table. The method is applied to Open Circuit Voltage (OCV) curves for aged battery cells. From laboratory experimental data it is demonstrated that the proposed method can significantly reduce the average deviation from an aged OCV-curve compared to keeping the OCV-curve from the beginning of the cell\u27s life, both for observable and non-observable parameters

Power capability prediction for lithium-ion batteries using economic nonlinear model predictive control

Technical challenges facing determination of battery available power arise from its complicated nonlinear dynamics, input and output constraints, and inaccessible internal states. Available solutions often resorted to open-loop prediction with simplified battery models or linear control algorithms. To resolve these challenges simultaneously, this paper formulates an economic nonlinear model predictive control to forecast a battery\u27s state-of-power. This algorithm is built upon a high-fidelity model that captures nonlinear coupled electrical and thermal dynamics of a lithium-ion battery. Constraints imposed on current, voltage, temperature, and state-of-charge are then taken into account in a systematic fashion. Illustrative results from several different tests over a wide range of conditions demonstrate that the proposed approach is capable of accurately predicting the power capability with the error less than 0.2% while protecting the battery from undesirable reactions. Furthermore, the effects of temperature constraints, prediction horizon, and model accuracy are quantitatively examined. The proposed power prediction algorithm is general and then can be equally applicable to different lithium-ion batteries and cell chemistries where proper mathematical models exist

Process of destratification at Brno dam reservoir

This thesis deals with the process of destratification at the Brno dam reservoir within the activities of a larger project "Clean Svratka", aimed to improvement of water quality in the catchment area upstream the Brno dam. At the Brno dam the project "Implementation of measures at the Brno Reservoir" has been in progress for the third year. Its aim is the proposal and implementation of measures to suppress the cyanobacteria mass development in the dam lake. One of the key measures is aeration and mixing of dam water through a 20 aeration tower. The theoretical part of this thesis focuses on seasonal conditions in the dam lake, the technology suitable for destratification and aeration and possibilities of their use. In the practical part of the thesis the seasonal destratification and the impact of meteorological conditions are monitored