49 research outputs found
Thermal transformations of Cu–Mg (Zn)–Al(Fe) hydrotalcite-like materials into metal oxide systems and their catalytic activity in selective oxidation of ammonia to dinitrogen
Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) containing
Mg^{2+}, Cu^{2+} or Zn^{2+} cations in the Me^{II} positions and Al^{3+}
and Fe^{3+} in the Me^{III} positions were synthesized by co-
precipitation method. Detailed studies of thermal trans-
formation of obtained LDHs into metal oxide systems were
performed using high temperature X-ray diffraction in
oxidising and reducing atmosphere, thermogravimetry
coupled with mass spectrometry and temperature-pro-
grammed reduction. The LDH samples calcined at 600 and
900 °C were tested in the role of catalysts for selective
oxidation of ammonia into nitrogen and water vapour. It
was shown that all copper congaing samples presented high
catalytic activity and additionally, for the Cu–Mg–Al and
Cu–Mg–Fe hydrotalcite samples calcined at 600 °C rela-
tively high stability and selectivity to dinitrogen was
obtained. An increase in calcination temperature to 900 °C
resulted in a decrease of their catalytic activity, possibly
due to formation of well-crystallised metal oxide phase which are less catalytically active in the process of selective oxidation of ammonia
Reduced costs with bisoprolol treatment for heart failure - An economic analysis of the second Cardiac Insufficiency Bisoprolol Study (CIBIS-II)
Background
Beta-blockers, used as an adjunctive to diuretics, digoxin and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, improve survival in chronic heart failure. We report a prospectively planned economic analysis of the cost of adjunctive beta-blocker therapy in the second Cardiac Insufficiency BIsoprolol Study (CIBIS II).
Methods
Resource utilization data (drug therapy, number of hospital admissions, length of hospital stay, ward type) were collected prospectively in all patients in CIBIS . These data were used to determine the additional direct costs incurred, and savings made, with bisoprolol therapy. As well as the cost of the drug, additional costs related to bisoprolol therapy were added to cover the supervision of treatment initiation and titration (four outpatient clinic/office visits). Per them (hospital bed day) costings were carried out for France, Germany and the U.K. Diagnosis related group costings were performed for France and the U.K. Our analyses took the perspective of a third party payer in France and Germany and the National Health Service in the U.K.
Results
Overall, fewer patients were hospitalized in the bisoprolol group, there were fewer hospital admissions perpatient hospitalized, fewer hospital admissions overall, fewer days spent in hospital and fewer days spent in the most expensive type of ward. As a consequence the cost of care in the bisoprolol group was 5-10% less in all three countries, in the per them analysis, even taking into account the cost of bisoprolol and the extra initiation/up-titration visits. The cost per patient treated in the placebo and bisoprolol groups was FF35 009 vs FF31 762 in France, DM11 563 vs DM10 784 in Germany and pound 4987 vs pound 4722 in the U.K. The diagnosis related group analysis gave similar results.
Interpretation
Not only did bisoprolol increase survival and reduce hospital admissions in CIBIS II, it also cut the cost of care in so doing. This `win-win' situation of positive health benefits associated with cost savings is Favourable from the point of view of both the patient and health care systems. These findings add further support for the use of beta-blockers in chronic heart failure
Coupling a Statistical Process-Device Simulator with a Circuit Layout Extractor for Realistic Circuit Simulation of VLSI Circuits
This paper discusses methodology of statistical simulation of an IC design which includes disturbances described by independent random variables, spatially correlated random disturbances and deterministic process parameters distribution on a wafer. The method of coupling of a processldevice simulator with a circuit extractor is proposed. Practical example of an operational amplifier design optimization is presented. 1