Elevated Serum Uric Acid Concentrations Independently Predict Cardiovascular Mortality in Type 2 Diabetic Patients

OBJECTIVE\u2014 There is limited information on whether increased serum uric acid levels are independently associated with cardiovascular mortality in type 2 diabetes. We assessed thepredictive role of serum uric acid levels on all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in a large cohort of type 2 diabetic individuals.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS\u2014 The cohort included 2,726 type 2 diabetic outpatients, who were followed for a mean period of 4.7 years. The independent association of serum uric acid levels with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality was assessed by Cox proportional hazards models and adjusted for conventional risk factors and several potential confounders.RESULTS\u2014 During follow-up, 329 (12.1%) patients died, 44.1% (n = 145) of whom from cardiovascular causes. In univariate analysis, higher serum uric acid levels were significantly associated with increased risk of all-cause (hazard ratio 19 [95% CI 1.12\u20131.27], P < 0.001) and cardiovascular (1.25 [1.16 \u20131.34], P < 0.001) mortality. After adjustment for age, sex, BMI, smoking, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes duration, A1C, medication use (allopurinol or hypoglycemic, antihypertensive, lipid-lowering, and antiplatelet drugs), estimated glomerular filtration rate, and albuminuria, the association of serum uric acid with cardiovascular mortalityremained statistically significant (1.27 [1.01\u20131.61], P = 0.046), whereas the association of serum uric acid with all-cause mortality did not.CONCLUSIONS\u2014 Higher serum uric acid levels are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular mortality in type 2 diabetic patients, independent of several potential confounders, including renal function measures

ROTARY WING UAV SYSTEM IDENTIFICATION FOR FLIGHT CONTROL DESIGN

This paper presents the results, achieved at the Aerospace Engineering Department Laboratories of the University of Bologna, concerning the development of a simple identification procedure, in a Matlab-Simulink environment, in order to obtain a representative dynamic model of a small rotorcraft UAV near hovering flight conditions. Procedure starts with open-loop identification test flights without any cross-effect accounted, cross-effects are then introduced in the simulated model and, at the end, parameters refinement is performed using a closed loop identification technique. For each step, training data are shown and the adopted cost function to be minimized is described. Moreover cross validation is performed and indexes of relative goodness of fit are computed to assess the new model

Multiobjective wing design using genetic algorithms and fuzzy logic

The designer faces frequently problems in which the project depends on many parameters and the final solution must be evaluated according to several optimisation objectives. This may be the case for the aeroelastic and aeromechanics design of lifting surfaces. The aim of the paper is to show how the combined techniques of genetic algorithms and fuzzy logic can be useful in these situations. The leading idea is the development of a tool to assist the designer in the preliminary phase of his activity by associating a genetic code to every possible solution and assessing its performance by means of a fuzzy controller in order to handle simultaneously different design criteria. Examples are given for some typical problems in aeronautical design

ROTARY WING UAV: HIL TESTS FOR A MODEL-BASED FEEDFORWARD CONTROLLER

This paper presents the results of applying a model-based feed-forward control technique to control a small scale unmanned Helicopter (RUAV). The very simple proposed architecture is based on nested proportional-integral control loops with the addition of a feedforward compensation in the inner loop. The feedforward term is obtained by the inversion of the command-attitude identified plant models. For a matter of comparison, a fast discrete time implementation will be also illustrated. An Hardware In the Loop (HIL) test bench will be presented and the velocity signal noise identification process will be illustrated. Finally stability analysis results and HIL simulations will show how this technique combines benefits of feedforward and feedback controllers and makes easier the tuning of the controller parameters

Autopiloti Fuzzy e PID: confronto delle prestazioni

Questo articolo descrive i risultati di un\u2019attivit\ue0 congiunta tra AGUSTA ed Universit\ue0 di Bologna all\u2019interno del programma di ricerca CAPECON. CAPECON, \ue8 un programma finanziato dall\u2019Unione Europea con l\u2019obiettivo di contribuire a creare in Europa un nuovo mercato per gli UAVs in ambito civile. All\u2019interno di CAPECON, AGUSTA e l\u2019Universit\ue0 di Bologna hanno studiato configurazioni di UAV ad ala rotante (RWUAV). Differentemente da un elicottero con pilota a bordo, progettare un sistema RWUAV significa sviluppare ed integrare contemporaneamente tutti i sottosistemi di cui \ue8 composto: la piattaforma volante, il sistema di navigazione, guida e controllo, la stazione di terra ed il data link. In questo articolo si propone una metodologia di progettazione preliminare per gli RWUAV basata su un ambiente di simulazione di missione. AGUSTA ha effettuato il dimensionamento preliminare di un elicottero con rotore principale ed rotore di coda. L\u2019Universit\ue0 di Bologna ha invece realizzato un ambiente di simulazione di missione da affiancare alla metodologia utilizzata da AGUSTA nella fase di progettazione preliminare del sistema RWUAV. L\u2019ambiente di simulazione \ue8 in grado di emulare i diversi sottosistemi di cui \ue8 composto l\u2019RWUAV ed \ue8 costituito da quattro parti fondamentali: la stazione di controllo a terra, un simulatore di elicottero, il suo sistema di navigazione, guida e controllo, un visual per la riproduzione virtuale dello scenario di missione. I risultati del dimensionamento preliminare della piattaforma volante effettuato da AGUSTA sono stati inseriti all\u2019interno dell\u2019ambiente di simulazione per valutare l\u2019intero sistema RWUAV sullo spettro delle missioni definite nell\u2019ambito del programma CAPECON. Nell\u2019articolo sono riportati la descrizione della metodologia utilizzata da AGUSTA per effettuare il dimensionamento preliminare, la descrizione dei vari sottosistemi di cui \ue8 composto l\u2019ambiente di simulazione ed i risultati delle simulazioni effettuate nel caso di una tipica missione di ricerca in mare

On Possible Application of Smart Structures to Control of Space Systems

The general equations for a multi-body space system with internal control forces are written. Single body, or 'local', equations of motion are written and then they are transformed into global equations, associated with a sufficient number of 'internal' equations describing the relative motions of the various parts of the system. In such a transformation, quantities of two orders of magnitude arise: the first group is associated with the Earth's equatorial radius, and the second group is associated with a characteristic length of the spacecraft. The two groups are separated in order to avoid round-off errors. Furthermore, a law of control associated with deformations of the connections between the elements of the system is introduced, in such a way that efficient control of instability phenomena may be possible. Numerical examples complete the work

SISTEMA UAV AD ALA ROTANTE CON AVIONICA \u201cCOTS\u201d

Il presente articolo descrive la realizzazione di un sistema UAV incentrato su un elicottero di derivazione aeromodellistica opportunamente modificato e strumentato. Requisiti fondamentali utilizzati per il suo sviluppo sono stati il basso costo finale, l\u2019utilizzo di componentistica gi\ue0 presente sul mercato e la scelta di ambienti per lo sviluppo del software che consentano la programmazione ad alto livello. Di tale UAV verranno illustrati i sistemi hardware scelti e il software che hanno permesso la realizzazione del volo automatico. In particolare verranno descritti sia il sistema avionico installato a bordo, con i relativi test di affidabilit\ue0, sia il software di acquisizione dati e il programma di controllo del velivolo implementati sul computer di bordo. I risultati dei voli sperimentali riportati mostrano come il velivolo sia in grado di seguire un percorso predefinito in modalit\ue0 automatica