Non-Invasive Experimental Identification of a Single Particle Model for LiFePO4 Cells

The rapid spread of Lithium-ions batteries (LiBs) for electric vehicles calls for the development of accurate physical models for Battery Management Systems (BMSs). In this work, the electrochemical Single Particle Model (SPM) for a high-power LiFePO4 cell is experimentally identified through a set of non-invasive tests (based on voltage-current measurements only). The SPM is identified through a two-step procedure in which the equilibrium potentials and the kinetics parameters are characterized sequentially. The proposed identification procedure is specifically tuned for LiFePO4 chemistry, which is particularly challenging to model due to the non-linearity of its open circuit voltage (OCV) characteristic. The identified SPM is compared with a second-order Equivalent Circuit Model (ECM) with State of Charge dependency. Models performance is compared on dynamic current profiles. They exhibit similar performance when discharge currents peak up to 1C (RMSE between simulation and measures smaller than 20 mV) while, increasing the discharge peaks up to 3C, ECM's performance significantly deteriorates while SPM maintains acceptable RMSE (< 50 mV).Comment: Accepted for publication at the IFAC World Congress 202

A Fully Integrated Electrochemical BioMEMS Fabrication Process for Cytokine Detection: Application for Heart Failure

AbstractIn this present study, a fully integrated BioMEMS was developed using silicon technology to simultaneously detect varying cytokine biomarkers: interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) using eight gold working microelectrodes (WE). The biomarkers are one of many antigens that are secreted in acute stages of inflammation after left ventricle assisted device (LVAD) implantation for patients suffering from heart failure (HF). The monoclonal antibodies (mAb): anti-human IL-1, IL-10, and IL-6 were immobilized onto gold microelectrodes through functionalization with carboxyl diazonium, respectively. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) was applied during the microelectrode functionalization process to characterize the gold microelectrode surface properties, while electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used to characterize the modified gold microelectrodes. The BioMEMS was highly sensitive towards the three cytokines in a range of 1 pg/mL to 15 pg/mL, which is the window where acute inflammations were observed

The association of ferritin with cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in community-dwellers: The English longitudinal study of ageing

Background: Ferritin constitutes a sensitive iron-storage index and multi-functional protein. Evidence on its association with mortality in general population is scarce and conflicting. We investigated the sex-specific associations of ferritin levels with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in a population-based cohort. Methods: Data came from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing and the national mortality registry. The sample comprised 5,471 participants aged ≥52 years. Blood concentration of ferritin was measured at baseline in 2004–05. Sex-specific Cox proportional hazards models were estimated with adjustment for age, major chronic diseases, marital status, educational attainment, total net household wealth, anemia, inflammatory markers, body mass index, smoking, and physical activity. Stratified analyses by chronic disease status were also performed. Results: We categorized ferritin in sex-specific quartiles. In men, we used, the following categorization: lowest (2-69ng/ml), second lowest (70-118ng/ml), second highest (reference category) (119-193ng/ml) and highest (194-598ng/ml) ferritin quartiles. In women, ferritin was categorized as follows: lowest (2-44ng/ml), second lowest (45-73ng/ml), second highest (reference category) (74-115ng/ml) and highest (116-341ng/ml) ferritin quartiles. 841 deaths of which 262 cardiovascular disease-related were recorded over a mean follow-up time of 7.7 years. Risk for all-cause mortality was found increased in men with hyperferritinemia (194-598ng/ml) and no history of major chronic diseases compared with the reference group [fully-adjusted HR: 1.49 (95%CI 1.03–2.16)]. Among women, those in the lowest ferritin quartile (2-44ng/ml) had increased risk for all-cause mortality [fully-adjusted HR: 1.59 (95%CI 1.18–2.13)] compared with the reference group after adjustment for all covariates. Regarding cardiovascular mortality, we observed a positive association with ferritin levels in men, which was blunted after adjustment for inflammatory markers and lifestyle parameters. Men with no major chronic diseases who were in the highest ferritin quartile had a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular mortality. No association between ferritin levels and cardiovascular mortality was detected in women. Conclusion: Circulating ferritin levels showed sex-specific prognostic patterns. High ferritin levels in men with no major chronic disease and low ferritin levels in all women were associated with increased all-cause mortality after adjusting for covariates. High ferritin levels in men with no major chronic diseases were also independently associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality. Future research is needed to clarify the prognostic role of ferritin

Adverse effects of small-volume red blood cell transfusions in the neonatal population

BACKGROUND: Adverse transfusion reactions in the neonatal population are poorly understood and defined. The incidence and pattern of adverse effects due to red blood cell (RBC) transfusion are not well known, and there has been no systematic review of published adverse events. RBC transfusions continue to be linked to the development of morbidities unique to neonates, including chronic lung disease, retinopathy of prematurity, intraventricular haemorrhage and necrotising enterocolitis. Uncertainties about the exact nature of risks alongside benefits of RBC transfusion may contribute to evidence of widespread variation in neonatal RBC transfusion practice.Our review aims to describe clinical adverse effects attributed to small-volume (10-20 mL/kg) RBC transfusions and, where possible, their incidence rates in the neonatal population through the systematic identification of all relevant studies. METHODS: A comprehensive search of the following bibliographic databases will be performed: MEDLINE (PubMed/OVID which includes the Cochrane Library) and EMBASE (OVID). The intervention of interest is small-volume (10-20 mL/kg) RBC transfusions in the neonatal population.We will undertake a narrative synthesis of the evidence. If clinical similarity and data quantity and quality permit, we will also carry out meta-analyses on the listed outcomes. DISCUSSION: This systematic review will identify and synthesise the reported adverse effects and associations of RBC transfusions in the neonatal population. We believe that this systematic review is timely and will make a valuable contribution to highlight an existing research gap. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO, CRD42013005107http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.asp?ID=CRD42013005107.Amy Keir, Sanchita Pal, Marialena Trivella, Lani Lieberman, Jeannie Callum, Nadine Shehata and Simon Stanwort

Mastiha has efficacy in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases through a microRNA-155 Th17 dependent action

Mastiha is a natural nutritional supplement with known anti-inflammatory properties. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are immune mediated inflammatory diseases that share common pathophysiological features. Mastiha has shown beneficial effects in both diseases. MicroRNAs have emerged as key regulators of inflammation and their modulation by phytochemicals have been extensively studied over the last years. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate whether a common route exists in the anti-inflammatory activity of Mastiha, specifically through the regulation of miRNA levels. Plasma miR-16, miR-21 and miR-155 were measured by Real-Time PCR before and after two double blinded and placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials with Mastiha. In IBD and particularly in ulcerative colitis patients in relapse, miR-155 increased in the placebo group (p = 0.054) whereas this increase was prevented by Mastiha. The mean changes were different in the two groups even after adjusting for age, sex and BMI (p = 0.024 for IBD and p = 0.042). Although the results were not so prominent in NAFLD, miR-155 displayed a downward trend in the placebo group (p = 0.054) whereas the levels did not changed significantly in the Mastiha group in patients with less advanced fibrosis. Our results propose a regulatory role for Mastiha in circulating levels of miR-155, a critical player in T helper-17 (Th17) differentiation and function

Systematic Lab Knowledge Integration for Management of Lipid Excess in High-Risk Patients : Rationale and Design of the SKIM LEAN Project

SKIM LEAN aims at exploiting Electronic Health Records (EHRs) to integrate knowledge derived from routine laboratory tests with background analysis of clinical databases, for the identification and early referral to specialist care, where appropriate, of patients with hypercholesterolemia, who may be inadequately controlled according to their cardiovascular (CV) risk level. SKIM LEAN addresses gaps in care that may occur through the lack of coordination between primary and specialist care, incomplete adherence to clinical guidelines, or poor patient's compliance to the physician's prescriptions because of comorbidities or drug side effects. Key project objectives include: (1) improved health professionals' competence and patient empowerment through a two-tiered educational website for general practitioners (GPs) and patients, and (2) implementation of a hospital-community shared care pathway to increase the proportion of patients at high/very-high CV risk (Familial Hypercholesterolemia, previous CV events) who achieve target LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. Thanks to a close collaboration between clinical and information technology partners, SKIM LEAN will fully exploit the value of big data deriving from EHRs, and filter such knowledge using clinically-derived algorithms to risk-stratify patients. Alerts for GPs will be generated with interpreted test results. GPs will be able to refer patients with uncontrolled LDL-C within the shared pathway to the lipid or secondary prevention outpatient clinics of NIG hospital. Metrics to verify the project achievements include web-site visits, the number of alerts generated, numbers of patients referred by GPs, the proportion of secondary prevention patients who achieve LDL-C 50% decrease from baseline

Development of a risk score for early saphenous vein graft failure: An individual patient data meta-analysis

Objectives: Early saphenous vein graft (SVG) occlusion is typically attributed to technical factors. We aimed at exploring clinical, anatomical, and operative factors associated with the risk of early SVG occlusion (within 12 months postsurgery). Methods: Published literature in MEDLINE was searched for studies reporting the incidence of early SVG occlusion. Individual patient data (IPD) on early SVG occlusion were used from the SAFINOUS-CABG Consortium. A derivation (n = 1492 patients) and validation (n = 372 patients) cohort were used for model training (with 10-fold cross-validation) and external validation respectively. Results: In aggregate data meta-analysis (48 studies, 41,530 SVGs) the pooled estimate for early SVG occlusion was 11%. The developed IPD model for early SVG occlusion, which included clinical, anatomical, and operative characteristics (age, sex, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, smoking, serum creatinine, endoscopic vein harvesting, use of complex grafts, grafted target vessel, and number of SVGs), had good performance in the derivation (c-index = 0.744; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.701-0.774) and validation cohort (c-index = 0.734; 95% CI, 0.659-0.809). Based on this model. we constructed a simplified 12-variable risk score system (SAFINOUS score) with good performance for early SVG occlusion (c-index = 0.700, 95% CI, 0.684-0.716). Conclusions: From a large international IPD collaboration, we developed a novel risk score to assess the individualized risk for early SVG occlusion. The SAFINOUS risk score could be used to identify patients that are more likely to benefit from aggressive treatment strategies