EFFECT OF AROTINOLOL ON LEFT VENTRICULAR FUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH IDIOPATHIC DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of long-term treatment with arotinolol in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy(IDCM).Methods Sixty-three patients with IDCM were evaluated at baseline and after 12-month therapy with arotinolol.The conventional therapy for congestive heart failure was continued throughout the study with arotinolol as the only β-blocker.Left ventricular function was assessed with the New York Heart Association functional class and two-dimensional echocardiography.Results After 12-month arotinolol treatment,there was a significant improvement in left ventricular systolic function.Left ventricular end-systolic dimension significantly decreased from 59.52±8.83 mm to 50.89±8.17 mm(P<0.001).Left ventricular ejection fraction significantly increased from 27.39%±7.94% to 41.13%±9.45%(P<0.001).Left ventricular mass index decreased from 150.47±42.42 g/m2 to 141.58±34.36 g/m2(P<0.01).No adverse events leading to premature discontinuation of study drug occurred.Conclusion In this preliminary study,12-month arotinolol treatment has a favorable effect on left ventricular function in patients with IDCM,and it is safe and well tolerated.

Laves Phase Formation and Its Effect on Mechanical Properties in P91 Steel

Effect of Laves phase formation on mechanical properties in a pressurized T-junction of P91 steel pipe at849 K for 58,000 h with 25.65 MPa vapor pressure was studied. Thermodynamic calculations had been performed by using the software Thermo-Calc to study the phase at equilibrium state. Counter plot of von Mises stress in the pipe during service life was calculated by finite element analysis to study the effect of the operated stress distribution on the evolution of Laves phase. The change in the microstructure and mechanical properties in the sites with different stress was also studied. The results indicated that the formation of Laves phase in P91 steel was a thermodynamically possible process due to enrichment of Mo and depletion of C adjacent to M23C6 particles or along martensite lath and packet boundaries. The formation of Laves phase had a detrimental influence on the mechanical properties in P91 steel. The mean size of Laves phase would be significantly increased with increasing operated stress, leading to a reduction in tensile properties and impact energy. In particular, crack initiation energy and crack growth energy during impact test rapidly decreased with increasing the mean size and volume fraction of Laves phase.

Growth Kinetics of Laves Phase and Its Effect on Creep Rupture Behavior in 9Cr Heat Resistant Steel

The effects of Laves phase formation and growth on creep rupture behaviors of P92 steel at 883 K were studied.The microstructural evolution was characterized using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.Kinetic modeling was carried out using the software DICTRA.The results indicated Fe_2（W,Mo）Laves phase has formed during creep with 200 MPa applied stress at 883 Kfor 243 h.The experimental results showed a good agreement with thermodynamic calculations.The plastic deformation of laths is the main reason of creep rupture under the applied stress beyond 160 MPa,whereas,creep voids initiated by coarser Laves phase play an effective role in creep rupture under the applied stress lower than 160 MPa.Laves phase particles with the mean size of 243 nm lead to the change of creep rupture feature.Microstructures at the vicinity of fracture surface,the gage portion and the threaded ends of creep rupture specimens were also observed,indicating that creep tensile stress enhances the coarsening of Laves phase.