Thermal and Optical Characterization of Undoped and Neodymium-Doped Y3ScAl4O12 Ceramics

Y3–3xNd3xSc1Al4O12 (x = 0, 0.01, and 0.02) ceramics were fabricated by sintering at high temperature under vacuum. Unit cell parameter refinement and chemical analysis have been performed. The morphological characterization shows micrograins with no visible defects. The thermal analysis of these ceramics is presented, by measuring the specific heat in the temperature range from 300 to 500 K. Their values at room temperature are in the range 0.81–0.90 J g1–K–1. The thermal conductivity has been determined by two methods: by the experimental measurement of the thermal diffusivity by the photopyroelectric method, and by spectroscopy, evaluating the thermal load. The thermal conductivities are in the range 9.7–6.5 W K–1 m–1 in the temperature interval from 300 to 500 K. The thermooptic coefficients were measured at 632 nm by the dark mode method using a prism coupler, and the obtained values are in the range 12.8–13.3 × 10–6 K–1. The nonlinear refractive index values at 795 nm have been evaluated to calibrate the nonlinear optical response of these materials.This work is supported by the Spanish Government under projects MAT2011-29255-C02-01-02, MAT2013-47395-C4-4-R, and the Catalan Government under project 2014SGR1358. It was also funded by the European Commission under the Seventh Framework Programme, project Cleanspace, FP7-SPACE-2010-1-GA No. 263044

EFFECT OF LISINOPRIL ON 24-HOUR BLOOD PRESSURE AND ARTERIAL STIFFNESS IN PATIENTS WITH ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION AND RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Aim. To study effect of 24-week treatment with lisinopril on blood pressure (BP) and arterial stiffness in patients with arterial hypertension (HT) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Material and methods. Twenty patients with essential HT grade  1-2 and RA (mean age 60.2±7.9 years) were treated with lisinoprilin 24 weeks in open controlled study. Office blood pressure (BP) was 147.2±9.4/87.5±8.6 mm Hg; 24-h mean  BP – 141.8±9.3/82.2±9.6 mm Hg; HT duration was 14.5±9.4 years, and RA duration – 12.3±2.6 years. A high incidence of traditional cardiovascular risk factors was identified: 95% of patients had dyslipidaemia, 45% – obesity, 35% – impaired glucose tolerance. Atherosclerosis of carotid arteries with stenosis less than 25% was diagnosed in 65% of patients. Most patients had a positive rheumatoid factor and cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies, as well as moderate RA activity and III-IV radiologic stage of RA. All patients received methotrexate as the basic anti-inflammatory drug, 12 (60%) patients – selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors, 6 (30%) patients took corticosteroids equivalent to prednisolone 7.5±5.5 mg per day. Mean  dose  of lisinopril was 12.2±9.8 mg/day. Office BP measurements, 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM), and  arterial stiffness evaluation were  performed initially and  at the end of the study. Arterial stiffness was assessed by cardio-ankle vascular index on the right (R-CAVI) and on the left (L-CAVI).Results. After 24-week therapy with lisinopril office systolic and diastolic BP significantly decreased by 16.0±7.2/11.6±9.1 mm Hg (p<0.0001) and 11.6±9.1 mm Hg (p<0.0001), respectively. The target BP was achieved in 16 (83%) patients. According to the ABPM 24-week therapy with lisino pril led to a significant (p<0.002) decrease in BP for all referable periods: by 12.4±9.1/7.6±3.9 mm Hg within 24 hours;  by 13.4±10.1/8.0±6.1 mm Hg for daytime; by 10.1±9.3/7.3±6.3 mm Hg for night-time. After lisinopril treatment, R-CAVI decreased from 8.9±1.7 to 8.4±1.6 relative units (p=0.011), L-CAVI decreased from 8.9±1.6 to 8.4±1.5 relative units (p=0.003).Conclusion. In patients with combination of HT and RA, 24-week therapy with lisinopril had a significant antihypertensive effect and improved the elastic properties of the vessels