Real-time nonlinear MPC and MHE for a large-scale mechatronic application

Progress in optimization algorithms and in computational hardware made deployment of Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (NMPC) and Moving Horizon Estimation (MHE) possible to mechatronic applications. This paper aims to assess the computational performance of NMPC and MHE for rotational start-up of Airborne Wind Energy systems. The capabilities offered by an automatic code generation tool are experimentally verified on a real physical system, using a model comprising 27 states and 4 inputs at a sampling frequency of 25 Hz. The results show the feedback times less than 5 ms for the NMPC with more than 1500 variables

Real-time nonlinear MPC and MHE for a large-scale mechatronic application

Progress in optimization algorithms and in computational hardware made deployment of Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (NMPC) and Moving Horizon Estimation (MHE) possible to mechatronic applications. This paper aims to assess the computational performance of NMPC and MHE for rotational start-up of Airborne Wind Energy systems. The capabilities offered by an automatic code generation tool are experimentally verified on a real physical system, using a model comprising 27 states and 4 inputs at a sampling frequency of 25 Hz. The results show the feedback times less than 5 ms for the NMPC with more than 1500 variables

Traceability of values for catalytic activity concentration of enzymes : a certified reference material for aspartate transaminase

Background: A new reference material for the liver enzyme aspartate transaminase (AST) (L-aspartate: 2-oxoglutarate-aminotransferase, EC 2.6.1.1), also called aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT), has been developed under the code ERM-AD457/IFCC. This certified reference material (CRM) for AST has been produced from a human type recombinant AST expressed in Escherichia coli and a buffer containing bovine serum albumin, and has been lyophilised. Methods: The homogeneity and the stability of the material have been tested and the catalytic activity concentration has been characterised by 12 laboratories using the reference procedure for AST at 37 degrees C from the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC). Results: The certified catalytic activity concentration and certified uncertainty of AST in the reconstituted material are (1.74 +/- 0.05) mkat/L or (104.6 +/- 2.7) U/L (with a coverage factor k = 2; 95% confidence interval). Conclusions: Both the certified value and uncertainty are traceable to the International System of Units (SI). The material is aiming to control the IFCC reference procedure for AST at 37 degrees C, which will then be used to assign values to calibrants and control materials. The present paper highlights the scientific challenges and innovations which were encountered during the development of this new CRM

The impact of transmitted drug resistance on the natural history of HIV infection and response to first-line therapy

Background: Transmission of drug-resistant HIV-1 is well recognized. However, the impact of such transmission on natural history of infection remains unknown. Methods: Three hundred HIV-1-infected, antiretroviral-naive individuals, recruited between 1987 and 1993, and with resistance tests undertaken within 18 months of infection were assessed. We estimated the impact of transmitted drug resistance (TDR) on subsequent CD4 cell count decline in the absence of treatment. We also used Kaplan\u2013Meier methods to assess the response to antiretroviral therapy based on the number of active drugs utilized (according to genotypic resistance results). Results: Infection with any form of drug-resistant HIV-1 was associated with a steeper decline of CD4 cell count over the first year of infection. Estimated rates of decline in the first year were 5.0 [95% confidence interval (CI), 2.8\u20137.3] and 1.7 (95% CI, 0.8\u20132.6) [square root]CD4 cells per year for TDR and no TDR, respectively (P = 0.005). For an individual at a CD4 cell count of 500 cells/\ub5l at seroconversion, these rates correspond to a CD4 cell loss of 199 and 73 cells/\ub5l, respectively, in the first year. Thereafter we found no evidence of a difference in the rate of CD4 cell decline (P = 0.32). Initiation of HAART after calendar year 2000, but not number of active drugs, was associated with improved responses. Conclusions: The impact of transmitted HIV-1 drug resistance on CD4 cell decline is time dependent, with greater rates of decline in the first year following infection. We found no evidence of a longer term effect of TDR on natural history of HIV-1 infection

Sex-Specific Epidemiology of Heart Failure Risk and Mortality in Europe: Results From the BiomarCaRE Consortium

Objectives: This study investigates differences between women and men in heart failure (HF) risk and mortality. Background: Sex differences in HF epidemiology are insufficiently understood. Methods: In 78,657 individuals (median 49.5 years of age; age range 24.1 to 98.7 years; 51.7% women) from community-based European studies (FINRISK, DanMONICA, Moli-sani, Northern Sweden) of the BiomarCaRE (Biomarker for Cardiovascular Risk Assessment in Europe) consortium, the association between incident HF and mortality, the relationship of cardiovascular risk factors, prevalent cardiovascular diseases, biomarkers (C-reactive protein [CRP]; N-terminal pro\u2013B-type natriuretic peptide [NT-proBNP]) with incident HF, and their attributable risks were tested in women vs. men. Results: Over a median follow-up of 12.7 years, fewer HF cases were observed in women (n = 2,399 [5.9%]) than in men (n = 2,771 [7.3%]). HF incidence increased markedly after 60 years of age, initially with a more rapid increase in men, whereas incidence in women exceeded that of men after 85 years of age. HF onset substantially increased mortality risk in both sexes. Multivariable-adjusted Cox models showed the following sex differences for the association with incident HF: systolic blood pressure hazard ratio (HR) according to SD in women of 1.09 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05 to 1.14) versus HR of 1.19 (95% CI: 1.14 to 1.24) in men; heart rate HR of 0.98 (95% CI: 0.93 to 1.03) in women versus HR of 1.09 (95% CI: 1.04 to 1.13) in men; CRP HR of 1.10 (95% CI: 1.00 to 1.20) in women versus HR of 1.32 (95% CI: 1.24 to 1.41) in men; and NT-proBNP HR of 1.54 (95% CI: 1.37 to 1.74) in women versus HR of 1.89 (95% CI: 1.75 to 2.05) in men. Population-attributable risk of all risk factors combined was 59.0% in women and 62.9% in men. Conclusions: Women had a lower risk for HF than men. Sex differences were seen for systolic blood pressure, heart rate, CRP, and NT-proBNP, with a lower HF risk in women

Lipoprotein(a) and the risk of cardiovascular disease in the European population: results from the BiomarCaRE consortium

As promising compounds to lower Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) are emerging, the need for a precise characterization and comparability of the Lp(a)-associated cardiovascular risk is increasing. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the distribution of Lp(a) concentrations across the European population, to characterize the association with cardiovascular outcomes and to provide high comparability of the Lp(a)-associated cardiovascular risk by use of centrally determined Lp(a) concentrations

Burden of hip fracture using disability-adjusted life-years: a pooled analysis of prospective cohorts in the CHANCES consortium

Background No studies have estimated disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) lost due to hip fractures using real-life follow-up cohort data. We aimed to quantify the burden of disease due to incident hip fracture using DALYs in prospective cohorts in the CHANCES consortium, and to calculate population attributable fractions based on DALYs for specific risk factors. Methods We used data from six cohorts of participants aged 50 years or older at recruitment to calculate DALYs. We applied disability weights proposed by the National Osteoporosis Foundation and did a series of sensitivity analyses to examine the robustness of DALY estimates. We calculated population attributable fractions for smoking, body-mass index (BMI), physical activity, alcohol intake, type 2 diabetes and parity, use of hormone replacement therapy, and oral contraceptives in women. We calculated summary risk estimates across cohorts with pooled analysis and random-effects meta-analysis methods. Findings 223\u2008880 men and women were followed up for a mean of 13 years (SD 6). 7724 (3\ub75%) participants developed an incident hip fracture, of whom 413 (5\ub73%) died as a result. 5964 DALYs (27 per 1000 individuals) were lost due to hip fractures, 1230 (20\ub76%) of which were in the group aged 75\u201379 years. 4150 (69\ub76%) DALYs were attributed to disability. Current smoking was the risk factor responsible for the greatest hip fracture burden (7\ub75%, 95% CI 5\ub72\u20139\ub77) followed by physical inactivity (5\ub75%, 2\ub71\u20138\ub75), history of diabetes (2\ub78%, 2\ub71\u20134\ub70), and low to average BMI (2\ub70%, 1\ub74\u20132\ub77), whereas low alcohol consumption (0\ub701\u20132\ub75 g per day) and high BMI had a protective effect. Interpretation Hip fracture can lead to a substantial loss of healthy life-years in elderly people. National public health policies should be strengthened to reduce hip fracture incidence and mortality. Primary prevention measures should be strengthened to prevent falls, and reduce smoking and a sedentary lifestyle. Funding European Community's Seventh Framework Programme. \ua9 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY-NC-ND licens