The Ursinus Weekly, December 22, 1905

Schaff anniversary • The eyes of the Chinese idol • Alumni • Philadelphia letter • Literary Supplement: From Romany to Rome; The dramatic interpretation of Irving; The professor\u27s Christmas present; Mind concentration; The need of reform in college athletics • Exchanges • Personals • Something left undonehttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/2962/thumbnail.jp

Spontaneous Cracking in Unfired Magnesia Compacts Upon Standing in Air

Analytical-grade magnesium oxide powder without binder was compressed hydrostatically to 50,000 lb. per sq. in. to form compacts. When exposed to moist air immediately after pressing, these compacts developed irregularly shaped cracks. Controlled tests, in which these compacts were exposed for various lengths of time to various atmospheres, indicated that in general water vapor, carbon dioxide, and residual stresses had to be present if cracking was to occur. The probable cause of the cracking was the formation of a less dense and mechanically weak basic carbonate of magnesium at crystallite surface points of high stress concentration which developed during the compacting. The adsorption of dry CO2 at such sites prevented subsequent delayed fracture

Simultaneous improvement of heating efficiency and mechanical strength of a self-healing thermoplastic polymer by hybridizing magnetic particles with conductive fibres

Radio-Frequency (RF) induction heating is a versatile in-situ method for contactless heating of structures by utilizing either magnetic hysteresis loss or eddy-current loss mechanism. Achieving high heating efficiency without degrading mechanical properties is a major challenge. Herein, a RF induction compatible self-healing composite was developed by hybridizing iron oxides (Fe3O4) nanoparticles with carbon fibre veils (CFVs) in poly(ethylene-co-methacrylic acid) (EMAA), which could possess both high magnetic and electrical properties. Owing to the multiscale conductive networks built by Fe3O4 nanoparticles and CFVs, the electrical conductivity of the nanocomposite was found to be higher than the linear combination of the individual contributions, thus creating a synergistic improvement in electrical conductivity and heating efficiency. Furthermore, single lap shear test results demonstrated that the combination of Fe3O4 nanoparticles and CFVs could significantly improve the bonding strength of EMAA polymer. Therefore, the hybridization of magnetic particles with conductive fibres offers a promising technology for a wide range of applications, such as self-healing, reversable bonding, and multiple use bonded composites

Psychological and Genetic Predictors of Pain Tolerance

Previous studies have shown associations between genetic polymorphisms and pain tolerance, but psychological evaluations are seldom measured. The objective of this study was to determine the independent effects of demographic, psychological, and genetic predictors of cold noxious pain tolerance. Healthy subjects (n = 89) completed the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) and Fear of Pain Questionnaire (FPQ-III), underwent genotyping for candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and completed a cold-pressor test in a 1-2 degrees C water bath for a maximum of 3 minutes. The primary outcome measure was pain tolerance, defined as the maximum duration of time subjects left their nondominant hand in the cold-water bath. Cox proportional hazards regression indicated that female sex, Asian race, and increasing PCS and FPQ-III scores were associated with lower pain tolerance. No candidate SNP was significantly associated with pain tolerance. Future genetic studies should include demographic and psychological variables as confounders in experimental pain models.Open access journal.This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

In-situ aligning magnetic nanoparticles in thermoplastic adhesives for contactless rapid joining of composite structures

Magnetic nanoparticles of high magnetic susceptibility, such as magnetite (Fe3O4), have been used for wireless heating of adhesives and composites through the magnetic hysteresis loss mechanism, but the high concentrations of nanoparticles needed to meet heating performance targets can degrade mechanical properties. Herein, we present an in-situ aligning method to enhance the heating efficiency of magnetite nanoparticles in a nylon thermoplastic matrix without adversely affecting its mechanical strength. A composite adhesive was made by dispersing Fe3O4 nanoparticles in a nylon matrix followed by hot melting. Experimental results show that by subjecting the adhesive to an alternating magnetic field during the hot-melt process, its heating rate can be improved by 200% compared to that without applying the magnetic field. The improvement in the heating performance has been identified to stem from the alignment of the ease axis of the magnetic nanoparticles. This in-situ aligning technique enables better induction heating performance with the same amount of Fe3O4 nanoparticles, avoiding the agglomeration problem of high nanoparticle concentrations. Moreover, this technique makes it possible to develop high-performance self-heating thermoplastic adhesive for reversible bonding and self-healing solution with a wide range of applications, such as bonding and debonding of composites, temporary attachment of systems, and recyclable bonded structures

Process evaluation for complex interventions in primary care: understanding trials using the normalization process model

Background: the Normalization Process Model is a conceptual tool intended to assist in understanding the factors that affect implementation processes in clinical trials and other evaluations of complex interventions. It focuses on the ways that the implementation of complex interventions is shaped by problems of workability and integration.Method: in this paper the model is applied to two different complex trials: (i) the delivery of problem solving therapies for psychosocial distress, and (ii) the delivery of nurse-led clinics for heart failure treatment in primary care.Results: application of the model shows how process evaluations need to focus on more than the immediate contexts in which trial outcomes are generated. Problems relating to intervention workability and integration also need to be understood. The model may be used effectively to explain the implementation process in trials of complex interventions.Conclusion: the model invites evaluators to attend equally to considering how a complex intervention interacts with existing patterns of service organization, professional practice, and professional-patient interaction. The justification for this may be found in the abundance of reports of clinical effectiveness for interventions that have little hope of being implemented in real healthcare setting

SPARC is expressed in renal interstitial fibrosis and in renal vascular injury

SPARC is expressed in renal interstitial fibrosis and in renal vascular injury. Tubulointerstitial inflammation and fibrosis are critical determinants for renal function and prognosis in a variety of human nephropathies. Yet, the pathophysiology of the injury remains obscure. We investigated the expression of SPARC (secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine) by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization in experimental models characterized by tubulointerstitial fibrosis and matrix expansion in rats. SPARC is a secreted glycoprotein that has been demonstrated to affect cellular interaction with matrix proteins, modulate cell proliferation, bind to and/or inhibit growth factors such as PDGF and bFGF, and regulate angiogenesis. Interstitial expression of SPARC was most prominent in passive Heyman nephritis (PHN), chronic cyclosporine A (CsA) nephropathy, and the remnant kidney model and, to a lesser extent, in angiotensin II (Ang II)-infused animals. SPARC protein and mRNA were substantially increased at sites of tubulointerstitial fibrosis/matrix expansion. In the PHN model, SPARC protein was expressed by interstitial fibroblasts that also produced α-smooth muscle actin (“myofibroblasts”) and correlated both temporally (r = 0.97) and spatially with sites of type I collagen deposition. Interstitial cell proliferation preceded the development of interstitial fibrosis, and maximal SPARC expression (d15) coincided with the initial decline in interstitial proliferation. In the Ang II-infusion model, which is characterized by arteriolopathy and tubulointerstitial injury, an increase in SPARC protein and mRNA was also seen in injured blood vessels. SPARC was shown to be expressed by vascular smooth muscle cells and also by cells in the adventitia of hypertrophied arteries. In summary, SPARC was transiently expressed by interstitial fibroblasts at sites of tubulointerstitial injury and fibrosis, and by smooth muscle cells and cells in the adventitia of injured arteries in the Ang II-model. In addition to its proposed role in extracellular matrix deposition, the antiproliferative properties of SPARC might contribute to the resolution of interstitial fibroblast proliferation in the PHN model