Near-Field Radiative Heat Transfer Between Metasurfaces: A Full-Wave Study Based on 2D Grooved Metal Plates

Metamaterials possess artificial bulk and surface electromagnetic states. Tamed dispersion properties of surface waves allow one to achieve controllable super-Planckian radiative heat transfer (RHT) process between two closely spaced objects. We numerically demonstrate enhanced RHT between two 2D grooved metal plates by a full-wave scattering approach. The enhancement originates from both transverse magnetic spoof surface plasmon polaritons and a series of transverse electric bonding- and anti-bonding waveguide modes at surfaces. The RHT spectrum is frequency-selective, and highly geometrically tailorable. Our simulation also reveals thermally excited non-resonant surface waves in constituent materials can play a prevailing role for RHT at an extremely small separation between two plates, rendering metamaterial modes insignificant for the energy transfer process

On Validating an Astrophysical Simulation Code

We present a case study of validating an astrophysical simulation code. Our study focuses on validating FLASH, a parallel, adaptive-mesh hydrodynamics code for studying the compressible, reactive flows found in many astrophysical environments. We describe the astrophysics problems of interest and the challenges associated with simulating these problems. We describe methodology and discuss solutions to difficulties encountered in verification and validation. We describe verification tests regularly administered to the code, present the results of new verification tests, and outline a method for testing general equations of state. We present the results of two validation tests in which we compared simulations to experimental data. The first is of a laser-driven shock propagating through a multi-layer target, a configuration subject to both Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities. The second test is a classic Rayleigh-Taylor instability, where a heavy fluid is supported against the force of gravity by a light fluid. Our simulations of the multi-layer target experiments showed good agreement with the experimental results, but our simulations of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability did not agree well with the experimental results. We discuss our findings and present results of additional simulations undertaken to further investigate the Rayleigh-Taylor instability.Comment: 76 pages, 26 figures (3 color), Accepted for publication in the ApJ

Pharmacoeconomic effectiveness of lenvatinib in patients with differentiated radioiodine-resistant thyroid cancer

Aim. To assess the pharmacoeconomic feasibility of including lenvatinib in the list of vital and essential drugs (VED) and the state program for providing to the necessary drugs to treat patients with differentiated radioiodine-resistant thyroid cancer. Materials and methods. The design of the study is a retrospective analysis of the literature data. Methods of pharmacoeconomic analysis - cost analysis, budget impact analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis. Results. The replacement of sorafenib with lenvatinib when included in the VED list and the state program for providing the necessary medicines for the treatment of patients with differentiated radioiodine-resistant thyroid cancer will reduce the burden on the program budget. At the size of the target group of 100 people for 3 years, the savings will amount to 43.95 million rubles. The total reduction in the load on the budget will be 11.8%. The results obtained are resistant to an increase in the price of lenvatinib by 19.0% and a decrease in the price of sorafenib by 52%. The average cost of therapy for 1 patient with differentiated radioiodine-resistant thyroid cancer for 1 year with the use of lenvatinib in the first line is 36.0% lower than with sorafenib. The savings for 1 year is 334 911 rubles on the patient. In terms of «cost-effectiveness», the drug lenvatinib dominates sorafenib. The CER value per patient for the year using lenvatinib is 48.7% lower than with sorafenib. Conclusion. From the pharmacoeconomic point of view, the use of lenvatinib in the first line of therapy of radioiodide-differentiated thyroid cancer is preferred in comparison with the use of sorafenib. The inclusion of lenvatinib in the list of vital and essential drugs and the state program for providing the necessary drugs is pharmacoeconomically feasible

Economic expertise of alirocumab in standard lipid lowering therapy insusceptibility

Usage of PCSK9 inhibitors is a new approach of lipid lowering therapy allowing overcomes as well insusceptibility of standard statins’ therapy as their intolerance. In last case PCSK9 inhibitors can substitute statins in the treatment program. Introduction to the Russian clinical practice the new PCSK9 inhibitor alirocumab (INN) requires it’s economic evaluation. Aim: To evaluate of alirocumab reasonability from pharmacoeconomic point of view to the Governmental program of free medical aid and others programs of reimbursement for the treatment of high cardiac risks patients also. Materials and methods. Retrospective comparative economic analysis of published data on efficacy and safety of new technology with alirocumab using and standard statin therapy. Budget impact analysis has been performed in according to Methodological guidelines for evaluation of influence on the Governmental program of free medical aid and coat of illness of the Russian Ministry of Health with Markov’s model usage with direct medical costs calculation. Costs were calculated on 1 000 pts and then recalculated on one patient. For stability results checking the sensitivity analysis has been performed. Cost of illness has been calculated as sum of direct costs (remedies, cost of one case of cardiac event etc.) and indirect cost (GDP loss due to temporary and permanent disability or premature death due to cardiac events). Results. Alirocumab during two years could save at least 6,635 bln RUR of budget’s funds and decrease on 45,52% of Governmental budget impact in a treatment of high cardiac risks patients in case of it’s inclusion into the Governmental program of free medical aid. This result was stable in sensitive analysis on 25%. Cost of illness analysis with evaluation of indirect costs has shown that alirocumab could lead to burden of illness decreasing on 9,04 bln RUR in the frames of targeted group of patients (or 58,92% vs current methodology of the treatment) during two years. Conclusion. Alirocumab has pharmacoeconomics evidences to be included into the Governmental program of free medical aid, Essential Drug List and different reimbursement programs

The pharmacoeconomic comparison of the fixed insulin glargine and lixisenatide combination with insulin degludec family in type 2 diabetes mellitus

Insulin glargine 100 U/ml (iGla) is gradually giving way to a fixed combination of insulin glargine 100 U/ml+ lixisenatide (iGlaLixi) — an effective and safe drug for Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 (DM2T) control. It has demonstrated the economic benefits in naïve patients as well as for treatment intensification aft er failure of insulins. Economic aspects of iGlaLixi in DM2T in comparison with another effective drugs — insulin degludec (iDeg) and insulin degludec + insulin aspart (iDegAsp) were not evaluated before.Materials and methods. Indirect treatment comparison (ITC) for iGlaLixi with others EDL drugs — iDeg and iDegAsp — has been performed through common comparator — iGla based on published results of efficacy in naïve and insulinized DM2T patients separately. Patients reached target HbA1c level (%) were chosen as a criterion of drugs efficacy. Odds ratio (OR) of efficacy has been calculated, modelling has been performed for direct and indirect costs. Sensitivity analysis was done for validation of results.Results. Efficacy of iGlaLixi were higher as well in naïve as in insulinized patients in comparison with iDeg family: with iDeg comparison OR 2.23 (95 % CI 1.40; 3.53); 3.34 (2.06; 5.40), with iDegAsp OR 1.90 (1.23; 2.95) и 2.49 (1.54; 4.04) accordingly. Direct costs in sum for iGlaLixi were less for iDeg on 22.1, and on 18.3 % for iDegAsp in naïve patient group, and on 35.9 % and 7.0 % for insulinized patients respectively. In total expenditures (direct and indirect costs) for iGlaLixi were less vs iDeg and iDegAsp for naïve patients on 18.9 % and 28 %, and on 15.5 % and 8.9 % for insulinized patients accordingly for 26 weeks treatment. Sensitivity analysis has confirmed of results.Conclusion. iGlaLixi has economic benefits vs iDeg and iGedAsp for DM2T treatment

Health technology assessement of the fxed combination of insulin glargine 100 UI/ml and lixisenatide in the treatment intensifcation of diabetes mellitus type 2

Fixed antidiabetic drugs’ combinations have aim to improve of Diabetes Mellitus type 2 (DMT2) control as well as a safety treatment increasing. Soliqua SoloStar® is a new registered drug for control of fasting and prandial glucose levels, contained insulin glargine 100 UI/ml and lixisenatide. In the published non-direct comparison, it was more effective for DMT2 control vs insulin glargine 100 UI/ml and lixisenatide separately, and daily insulin dose was less on 22 UI.Aim: To evaluate of Soliqua SoloStar® reasonability og inclusion from pharmacoeconomics point of view into the State program of the free medical Aid guarantees.Materials and methods: Retrospective comparative economic analysis based on the published data of new methodology treatment with Soliqua SoloStar® in compare with the current treatment methodology with usage of insulin glargine and lixisenatide separately. Common used methodology of clinical-economic analysis was used, and target group of patients was created based on the Federal Diabetes Register. Direct medical cost was defned as a cost of medications. Differentiation between direct medical cost for the proposed methodology and current practice of the separate usage of insulin glargine and lixisenatide was calculated. Discounting at 5 % annually used in the calculation of the three years time horizon. Te results of health technology assessment are confrmed by sensitivity analysis. Microsof Excel was used for calculation.Results: Calculation has been performed for two pens of Soliqua SoloStar® with different prices (Variation 1 and 2) in compare with different drugs of insulin glargine 100 UI/ml and lixisenatide. Soliqua SoloStar® had less daily dose (by insulin glargine) on 22 UI vs free combination, and dose of lixisenatide was 20 mkg per day. Amount of patients who have reached HbA1c<7 % was higher in Soliqua group vs free combination group on 29 % (95 % CI: 20.2-30.7; p<0.0001). Cost of daily dose in Variation 1 is 269.72 RUR., for Variation 2 — 214.28 RUR. In the same time cost of the free combination of insulin glargine 100 UI and lixisenatide is depended from trade’s name of the drug, while cost of lixisenatide per day is the same for free combination and has 158.8 RUR. Soliqua SoloStar® usage can decrease budget impact in comparison with free combination on 10.46-35.02 % (depending on cost of insulin glargine 100 UI from different manufacturers and Soliqua pen cost). Cost-effectiveness analysis has shown that Soliqua SoloStar® had economic advantages in compare with free components’ combination on 51.95-65.08 % (depending on cost of insulin glargine 100 UI from different manufacturers and variations of Soliqua pen cost).Conclusion: Soliqua SoloStar® has pharmacoeconomics evidences to be included into the Governmental program of free medical Aid in Diabetes Mellitus type 2