No abstract

Textured alumina ceramics were obtained by Spark Plasma Sintering of undoped commercial a-Al 2 O 3 powders. Various parameters (density, grain growth, grain size distribution) of the alumina ceramics, sintered at two typical temperatures 1400 C and 1700 C, are investigated. Quantitative textural and structural analysis, carried out using a combination of Electron Back Scattering Diffraction and X-ray diffraction, are represented in the form of mapping and pole figures. The mechanical properties of these textured alumina ceramics include high elastic modulus and hardness values with high anisotropic nature, opening the door for a large range of applications. V C 2013 AIP Publishing LLC [http://dx

A prospective study of 81 heart transplant (HT) patients was carried out in order to evaluate the evolution of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels in HT patients and compare them with the degree of rejection as determined by endomyocardial biopsy. All patients were subjected to endomyocardial biopsy (532), and determination of BNP and creatinine levels as well as hemodynamic parameters. A control group of 36 volunteers was included. BNP values were significantly greater in HT patients than in healthy volunteers. In the first 3 months, BNP levels in patients with treatable rejection were significantly greater than in patients without graft rejection, although evident overlapping was observed in both distributions and discriminatory potential was low. After the third month, BNP values were similar in patients with and without rejection. Creatinine levels were observed to increase over time after transplantation, but no correlation was observed between the creatinine and BNP levels. A significant positive correlation was observed between BNP and right ventricle and pulmonary arterial pressures.