Proportional-integral-plus control applications of state-dependent parameter models

This paper considers proportional-integral-plus (PIP) control of non-linear systems defined by state-dependent parameter models, with particular emphasis on three practical demonstrators: a microclimate test chamber, a 1/5th-scale laboratory representation of an intelligent excavator, and a full-scale (commercial) vibrolance system used for ground improvement on a construction site. In each case, the system is represented using a quasi-linear state-dependent parameter (SDP) model structure, in which the parameters are functionally dependent on other variables in the system. The approach yields novel SDP-PIP control algorithms with improved performance and robustness in comparison with conventional linear PIP control. In particular, the new approach better handles the large disturbances and other non-linearities typical in the application areas considered

Ex vivo perfusion, arteriography, and autotransplantation procedures for kidney salvage

Three kidneys with arterial lesions that would have been difficult or impossible to repair by standard vascular reconstruction were removed, perfused by the Belzer technique, and returned to host after partial or complete autotransplantation. The fact that kidneys can be studied, dissected, repaired, and constantly salvaged with this technique should have important implications in several aspects of urologic operations

THE EFFECTS OF FIELD EMITTED ELECTRONS ON RF SURFACE

The ever-growing demand for higher RF gradients has considerably increased the risk of breakdown in accelerating structures. Field emission is the most common form of RF breakdown that generates free electrons capable of inflicting irreversible damages on the RF surface. This paper presents a systematic experimental and simulation programme to understand possible sources and their influence on RF cavity operatio

Arteriography during ex vivo renal perfusion A complication

A case of bilateral renal-cell carcinoma unsuccessfully treated with bench surgery is reported. The reason for failure was apparently the toxicity of the contrast media used during the ex vivo arteriographic studies. © 1973

Analysing multi-person timing in music and movement : event based methods

Accurate timing of movement in the hundreds of milliseconds range is a hallmark of human activities such as music and dance. Its study requires accurate measurement of the times of events (often called responses) based on the movement or acoustic record. This chapter provides a comprehensive over - view of methods developed to capture, process, analyse, and model individual and group timing [...] This chapter is structured in five main sections, as follows. We start with a review of data capture methods, working, in turn, through a low cost system to research simple tapping, complex movements, use of video, inertial measurement units, and dedicated sensorimotor synchronisation software. This is followed by a section on music performance, which includes topics on the selection of music materials, sound recording, and system latency. The identification of events in the data stream can be challenging and this topic is treated in the next section, first for movement then for music. Finally, we cover methods of analysis, including alignment of the channels, computation of between channel asynchrony errors and modelling of the data set

Investigating the prevalence, predictors, and prognosis of suboptimal statin use early after a non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome

BACKGROUND:High-potency statin therapy is recommended in the secondary prevention of car-diovascular disease but discontinuation, dose reduction, statin switching, and/or nonadherence occurin practice.OBJECTIVES:To determine the prevalence and predictors of deviation from high-potency statin useearly after a non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) and its association with subse-quent major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and all-cause mortality (ACM).METHODS:A total of 1005 patients from a UK-based prospective NSTE-ACS cohort study dis-charged on high-potency statin therapy (atorvastatin 80 mg, rosuvastatin 20 mg, or 40 mg daily)were included. At 1 month, patients were divided into constant high-potency statin users, and subop-timal users incorporating statin discontinuation, dose reduction, switching statin to a lower equivalentpotency, and/or statin nonadherence. Follow-up was a median of 16 months.RESULTS:There were 156 suboptimal (w15.5%) and 849 constant statin users. Factors associatedin multivariable analysis with suboptimal statin occurrence included female sex (odds ratio 1.75, 95%confidence interval [CI] 1.14–2.68) and muscular symptoms (odds ratio 4.28, 95% CI 1.30–14.08).Suboptimal statin use was associated with increased adjusted risks of time to MACE (hazard ratio2.10, 95% CI 1.25–3.53,P5.005) and ACM (hazard ratio 2.46, 95% CI 1.38–4.39,P5.003). Sub-group analysis confirmed that the increased MACE/ACM risks were principally attributable to statindiscontinuation or nonadherence.CONCLUSIONS:Conversion to suboptimal statin use is common early after NSTE-ACS and ispartly related to muscular symptoms. Statin discontinuation or non-adherence carries an adverse prog-nosis. Interventions that preserve and enhance statin utilization could improve post NSTE-ACSoutcomes

Confidence College – an online education tool for neurology patients

COVID-19 and its aftermath highlight the importance of patient self-care and involvement in monitoring and improving their health. Resources to guide this are essential. Our objective was to create a web-based patient education tool, to facilitate patient education and empowerment for people with epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease, available without cost to patients, carers and clinicians. This project was conducted within community and secondary neurology services. Patients and their carers were involved in designing, reviewing and revising the tool, as equal partners with clinicians and digital engineers. A web-based design template was developed with graphics and links to enable patients to create personalised plans. Participants are patients, carers, clinicians (neurology consultants and specialist nurses), neurological charities, the London Neuroscience Clinical Network, NHS England and Shift.ms (a service design team with experience in creating digital services for individuals living with neurological conditions). Shift.ms conducted in-depth interviews. Clinicians used evidence from personal and PubMed databases. Shift.ms analysed and co-ordinated the responses, and designed the pilot tool. Confidence College provides a delivery model for patient education relating to multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease. It requires follow-up evaluation regarding uptake. This web-based accessible patient empowerment tool has no limit on recurrent use, low maintenance costs and no additional costs in up-scaling the number of users. It is ideally suited for use during and after the COVID-19 pandemic

Sinteza 2-(1H-indol-3-il)acetil-N-(supstituiranih fenil)hidrazinkarbotioamida i srodnih heterocikličkih spojeva te procjena njihovog antikonvulzivnog djelovanja i toksičnosti

A series of new 5-(1H-indol-3-yl)methyl-4-(substituted aryl)-2,4-dihydro-3H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiones (4a-g), 5-(1H-indol-3-yl)methyl-N-(substituted aryl)-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-amines (5a-g) and 5-(1H-indol-3-yl)methyl-N-(substituted aryl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-amines (6a-g) were prepared by treating 2-(1H-indol-3-yl)acetyl-N-(substituted phenyl)hydrazine carbothioamides (3a-g) with suitable reagents. All the newly synthesized compounds were screened for their anticonvulsant activity in the MES model and were compared with the standard drugs phenytoin sodium and carbamazepine. Out of the twenty-one compounds studied, 4b, 4e, 4f, 5b, 5d, 5g, 6b, 6d and 6e showed comparable MES activity to phenytoin and carbamazepine after 0.5 h. Compound 5b showed to be more potent than carbamazepine after 4 h. Compounds 4a, 4c, 4d, 5a, 5c, 5e, 5f, 6f and 6g showed lower neurotoxicity than phenytoin.Reakcijom 2-(1H-indol-3-il)acetil-N-(supstituiranih fenil)hidrazinkarbotioamida (3a-g) s odgovarajućim reaktantom sintetizirana je serija novih 5-(1H-indol-3-il)metil-4-(supstituiranih aril)-2,4-dihidro-3H-1,2,4-triazol-3-tiona (4a-g), 5-(1H-indol-3-yl)metil-N-(supstituiranih aril)-1,3,4-oksadiazol-2-amina (5a-g) i 5-(1H-indol-3-il)metil-N-(supstituiranih aril)-1,3,4-tiadiazol-2-amina (6a-g). Ispitano je antikonvulzivno djelovanje sintetiziranih spojeva na MES modelu i uspoređeno s djelovanjem fenitoin natrija i karbamazepina. Spojevi 4b, 4e, 4f, 5b, 5d, 5g, 6b, 6d i 6e pokazali su MES djelovanje usporedivo s djelovanjem fenitoina i karbamazepina nakon 0,5 h, dok je spoj 5b nakon 4 sata imao snažnije djelovanje od karbamazepina. Osim toga, spojevi 4a, 4c, 4d, 5a, 5c, 5e, 5f, 6f i 6g su manje neurotoksični od fenitoina

Defining the Structural Parameters That Confer Anticonvulsant Activity by the Site-by-Site Modification of ( R )- N ′-Benzyl 2-Amino-3-methylbutanamide

Primary Amino Acid Derivatives (PAADs) (N′-benzyl 2-substituted 2-amino acetamides) are structurally related to Functionalized Amino Acids (FAAs) (N′-benzyl 2- substituted 2-acetamido acetamides) but differ by the absence of the terminal N-acetyl group. Both classes exhibit potent anticonvulsant activities in the maximal electroshock seizure animal model and the reported structure-activity relationships (SARs) of PAADs and FAAs differ in significant ways. Recently, we documented that PAAD efficacy was associated with a hydrocarbon moiety at the C(2)-carbon, while in the FAAs, a substituted heteroatom one atom removed from the C(2)-center was optimal. Previously in this issue, we showed that PAAD activity was dependent upon the electronic properties of the 4′-N′-benzylamide substituent, while FAA activity was insensitive to electronic changes at this site. In this study, we prepared analogs of (R)-N′-benzyl 2-amino-3-methylbutanamide to identify the structural components for maximal anticonvulsant activity. We demonstrated that the SAR of PAADs and FAAs diverged at the terminal amide site and that PAADs had considerably more structural latitude in the types of units that could be incorporated at this position, suggesting that these compounds function according to different mechanism(s)

High platelet reactivity in patients with acute coronary syndromes undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: Randomised controlled trial comparing prasugrel and clopidogrel

Background: Prasugrel is more effective than clopidogrel in reducing platelet aggregation in acute coronary syndromes. Data available on prasugrel reloading in clopidogrel treated patients with high residual platelet reactivity (HRPR) i.e. poor responders, is limited. Objectives: To determine the effects of prasugrel loading on platelet function in patients on clopidogrel and high platelet reactivity undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Patients: Patients with ACS on clopidogrel who were scheduled for PCI found to have a platelet reactivity ≥40 AUC with the Multiplate Analyzer, i.e. “poor responders” were randomised to prasugrel (60 mg loading and 10 mg maintenance dose) or clopidogrel (600 mg reloading and 150 mg maintenance dose). The primary outcome measure was proportion of patients with platelet reactivity <40 AUC 4 hours after loading with study medication, and also at one hour (secondary outcome). 44 patients were enrolled and the study was terminated early as clopidogrel use decreased sharply due to introduction of newer P2Y12 inhibitors. Results: At 4 hours after study medication 100% of patients treated with prasugrel compared to 91% of those treated with clopidogrel had platelet reactivity <40 AUC (p = 0.49), while at 1 hour the proportions were 95% and 64% respectively (p = 0.02). Mean platelet reactivity at 4 and 1 hours after study medication in prasugrel and clopidogrel groups respectively were 12 versus 22 (p = 0.005) and 19 versus 34 (p = 0.01) respectively. Conclusions: Routine platelet function testing identifies patients with high residual platelet reactivity (“poor responders”) on clopidogrel. A strategy of prasugrel rather than clopidogrel reloading results in earlier and more sustained suppression of platelet reactivity. Future trials need to identify if this translates into clinical benefit