Evolution of Thermal Microcracking in Refractory ZrO₂-SiO₂ after Application of External Loads at High Temperatures.

Zirconia-based cast refractories are widely used for glass furnace applications. Since they have to withstand harsh chemical as well as thermo-mechanical environments, internal stresses and microcracking are often present in such materials under operating conditions (sometimes in excess of 1700 °C). We studied the evolution of thermal (CTE) and mechanical (Young's modulus) properties as a function of temperature in a fused-cast refractory containing 94 wt.

Effect of nanospinel additions on the sintering of magnesia-zirconia ceramic composites.

Nanocrystalline magnesium aluminate (MA) spinel powder produced through a coprecipitation method and calcined at 900°C for 1 h was added to magnesia-zirconia composite in the range of 0-25 mass % and sintered at 1600°C for 2 h. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques were used for studying the microstructure and the phase composition of the sintered composites. Bulk density, apparent porosity, volume shrinkage, and Young's modulus of the sintered composites were also investigated.

Detection of myocardial fibrosis in systemic sclerosis by contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging.

Purpose: Our study aimed to assess the prevalence and pattern of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) as an in vivo correlate of myocardial fibrosis in cardiac asymptomatic patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Materials And Methods: Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging was successfully performed in 34 patients (30 female, 4 male, mean age of 54 +/- 14 years) with proven SSc and in controls with matching age, sex and cardiovascular risk factors. All examinations were performed on a 1.

Developmental differences in implicit learning of spatial context.

The authors examined whether a form of implicit memory that has been unambiguously dissociated from conscious awareness--learning of spatial context on the contextual cuing task introduced by M. M. Chun and Y.

Mycophenolate sodium for subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus resistant to standard therapy.

Background: Approximately 75-95% of patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus respond to antimalarial therapy and/or topical glucocorticosteroids. Immunosuppressive agents are usually considered a second-line approach in patients with resistant disease.

Objectives: This was a prospective, nonrandomized, open pilot study to evaluate the efficacy of mycophenolate sodium monotherapy in patients with recalcitrant subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE).

Lipid mediators from pollen act as chemoattractants and activators of polymorphonuclear granulocytes.

Background: Under natural exposure conditions, pollen grains function as allergen carriers that release allergens from internal binding sites on contact with the aqueous phase of mucosa membranes. In addition, we recently demonstrated that pollen are a rich source of eicosanoid-like mediators, which are rapidly released on contact with the aqueous phase.

Objective: The current study was designed to characterize the biochemical nature of pollen-derived lipid mediators in more detail and to delineate their biologic activity on polymorphonuclear granulocytes (PMNs).