Quality of life development during initial hemodialysis therapy and association with loss of residual renal function

Introduction: Health related quality of life (HRQOL) is markedly reduced in hemodialysis patients compared to the general population. We investigated the course of self‐reported HRQOL over time and the association with selected factors, focusing on changes in glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Methods: Eighty‐two newly started hemodialysis patients from the SAFIR cohort filled out the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form Version 1.3 (KDQOL‐SF^TM) questionnaire at baseline, 6 and 12 months. The SAFIR study was a randomized, placebo‐controlled, double‐blind intervention study, examining the effects of the angiotensin II receptor blocker irbesartan. HRQOL was a secondary outcome measure. Main inclusion criteria: Dialysis vintage <1 year, left ventricular ejection fraction >30% and urinary output >300 mL/day. GFR was measured with mean creatinine and urea clearance from 24‐hour urine collections at baseline, 6 and 12 months. Findings: Irbesartan treatment did not affect HRQOL. Patients were pooled into one group for further analyses. Decline in GFR correlated significantly with decreasing HRQOL over time. HRQOL was stable over time, with a slight nonsignificant tendency toward improved HRQOL. The largest HRQOL‐differences (positive values equal improved HRQOL) observed during the 12 month study period were (mean[95% confidence interval]): Burden of kidney disease:6.4[?2.2;15.0], Role limitations‐physical:12.7[?2.1;27.5], and Role limitations‐emotional:9.7[?5.2;24.6]. Comorbidity, especially diabetes, hospital admissions, female gender, and age were strongly associated with lower HRQOL in cross sectional analysis. Discussion: Preservation of residual renal function seems to be important for HRQOL. In newly started HD patients, HRQOL showed little change after 12 months. HRQOL was negatively affected by comorbidity, especially diabetes, hospital admissions, female gender, and age.     

Structure and Magnetic Property Control of Copper Hydroxide Acetate by Non‐Classical Crystallization

Copper hydroxide acetate (CHA), one layered hydroxide compound with tunable magnetism, attracts great interest because of its potential applications in memory devices. However, ferromagnetism for CHA is only demonstrated by means of GPa pressure. Herein, a new method is reported, involving the combination of different crystallization pathways to control crystallization of amorphous CHA toward the formation of CHA/polymer composites with tunable magnetic properties and even a tunability that can be tested at room temperature. By using poly[(ethylene glycol)₆ methyl ether methacrylate]‐block‐poly[2‐(acetoacetoxy) ethyl methacrylate] (PEGMA‐b‐PAEMA) diblock copolymers as additives in combination with a post‐treatment process by ultracentrifugation, it is demonstrated that CHA and PEGMA‐b‐PAEMA form composites exhibiting different magnetic properties, depending on CHA in‐plane nanostructures. Analytical characterization reveals that crystallization of CHA is induced by ultracentrifugation, during which CHA nanostructures can be well controlled by changing the degrees of polymerization of the PEGMA and PAEMA blocks and their block length ratios. These findings not only present the first example of using crystallization from polymer stabilized amorphous precursors toward the generation of magnetic nanomaterials with tunable magnetism but also pave the way for the future design of functional composite materials.     

On the simulation,economic analysis,and life cycle assessment of batch-mode organic solvent recovery alternatives for the pharmaceutical industry

This study explores design alternatives for the purification and possible reuse of low-volume organic solvents waste streams in pharmaceutical manufacturing. Solvent use has a large impact on the life cycle of pharmaceutical processes, as typically 80–90% of the total mass used in the production of an active pharmaceutical ingredient is attributed to solvent use. Solvents are not consumed in pharmaceutical processes so they exit the process as waste. These waste streams are usually disposed of using incineration; therefore, generating significant life cycle emissions from disposal and replacement of virgin solvent. Solvent recovery efforts are generally limited to large-volume waste streams. However, results show that solvents in low-volume streams can also be economically recovered using a versatile multi-campaign solvent recovery skid. Three different solvent waste streams were evaluated, and 85.3% reduction in total emissions and 86.3% reduction in operating costs were achieved. Investment in the solvent recovery system was determined to have a payback period of 4.5 years and a 28% IRR over 10 years. A life cycle impact assessment shows impacts on the human health, ecosystems, and resources categories have been reduced by 82.4, 85.1, and 87.1%, respectively.     

Real‐time updating of structural mechanics models using Kalman filtering,modified constitutive relation error,and proper generalized decomposition

The paper aims at proposing a new strategy for real‐time identification or updating of structural mechanics models defined as dynamical systems. The main idea is to introduce the modified constitutive relation error concept, which is a practical tool that enables to efficiently solve identification problems with highly corrupted data, into the Kalman filtering, which is a classical framework for data assimilation. Furthermore, a PGD‐based model reduction method is performed in order to optimize capabilities of the online updating strategy. Performances of the proposed approach, in terms of robustness gain and computational cost reduction, are illustrated on several unsteady thermal applications. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.