The effect of cooling process on the structure and charge/discharge capacities of Li-rich solid-solution layered oxide cathode materials for the Li-ion battery.

The effect of cooling process after calcination at 900 °C in the preparation of cathode materials, on the crystal structure and charging/discharging capacities of Li2MnO3-LiNi1/2Mn1/2O2-LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2 Li-rich solid-solution layered oxide (LLO) cathode materials for the lithium ion battery was examined in twenty-one LLO samples having different compositions. This was achieved by applying two types of cooling processes: (i) quenching the calcinated LLO samples with liquid nitrogen (quenched cooling), and (ii) slow cooling of LLO samples in the furnace at a controlled decreasing rate of the temperature (slow cooling). The results of the comparison between discharging capacities observed with LLO samples prepared with two types of cooling processes indicated that the cooling process for LLO samples to exhibit high discharge capacity was not limited to either one. The process that can be more effective for LLO samples to exhibit the high discharge capacity depended on the composition of LLO samples. LLO samples containing Li2MnO3 of over 60% exhibited higher discharge capacity when samples were quenched with liquid nitrogen than those prepared with the slow cooling process. Among LLOs examined, the effect of quenching was maximum when the Li2MnO3 content was 60%. As the LLO composition deviated from the line of 60% Li2MnO3 in the Li[Li0.20Mn0.58Ni0.18Co0.04]O2 sample compositions, the effect of quenching became smaller and the slow cooling process was superior to the quenching process. A connection was thus made between the structural difference of LLO samples prepared with the two types of cooling processes and the cathode performance was observed.

Multicenter prospective investigation on efficacy and safety of carperitide as a first-line drug for acute heart failure syndrome with preserved blood pressure: COMPASS: Carperitide Effects Observed Through Monitoring Dyspnea in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure Study.

BACKGROUND: Recently, vasodilators have been increasingly being recognized as useful for the treatment of acute heart failure syndromes (AHFS). Although carperitide (alpha-human atrial natriuretic peptide) has vasodilatory, diuretic and organ-protective effects, its efficacy and safety for the first-line drug treatment of AHFS have not been reported. METHODS AND RESULTS: A prospective observational study was performed in AHFS patients with preserved systolic blood pressure (SBP >or=120 mmHg), pulmonary congestion and dyspnea who were receiving carperitide monotherapy. The analysis was conducted in 1,832 patients (male: 52.7%; mean age: 75.1+/-12.7 years). The initial SBP was 151.1+/-25.7 mmHg; 62.0% were diagnosed as having acutely decompensated chronic heart failure and 78.8% were assessed as functional class III-IV according to New York Heart Association classification. Carperitide was administered at an initial dosage of 0.025-0.05 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1) in 50.4% of patients. In 1,524 patients (83.2%), carperitide monotherapy restored the acute phase and improved the degree of dyspnea as assessed using the modified Borg scale. The incidence of adverse drug reactions was 4.64%; the most frequently reported adverse reaction was hypotension (3.55%). CONCLUSION: In the present study, following carperitide monotherapy, 83.2% of AHFS patients recovered from the acute phase. Based on these findings, carperitide seems useful for the first-line drug treatment of AHFS in patients with pulmonary congestion and preserved blood pressure.