Polyamide-rubber blends: micrscopic studies of the deformation zone

The morphology of injection moulded samples of polyamide—polybutadiene blends (85.15) with an average particle size of 0.3 μm was studied. The samples were fractured in a notched tensile test at crosshead speeds of 10−4 and 1 ms −1 and the structure of the deformation zone was studied using various techniques: polarized light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy on stained cut samples and carbon replicas, and selected area electron diffraction transmission electron microscopy. The deformation zone of samples tested at 10−4 ms−1 was found to consist of two layers. Far from the fracture surface a layer was observed with more or less round cavities and with cavities in the rubber particles, while near the fracture surface a layer with strongly deformed cavities (length/diameter ratio of 5–10) could be seen. In the samples tested at 1 ms−1 the deformation zone was found to have three layers. In addition to the two previous layers an extra layer next to the fracture plane was found. This layer was 2–3 μm thick with round rubber particles and no orientation of the matrix material. This indicates that, at the high deformation speed of the test, relaxation in the melt took place, suggesting that the material around the crack tip was molten during fracture.\u

Enhanced relativistic-electron beam collimation using two consecutive laser pulses

The double laser pulse approach to relativistic electron beam (REB) collimation has been investigated at the LULI-ELFIE facility. In this scheme, the magnetic field generated by the first laser-driven REB is used to guide a second delayed REB. We show how electron beam collimation can be controlled by properly adjusting laser parameters. By changing the ratio of focus size and the delay time between the two pulses we found a maximum of electron beam collimation clearly dependent on the focal spot size ratio of the two laser pulses and related to the magnetic field dynamics. Cu-K alpha and CTR imaging diagnostics were implemented to evaluate the collimation effects on the respectively low energy ( MeV) components of the REB

The influence of detemir - a long acting analogue of insulin - on the metabolic homeostasis of diabetic patients. Observational study

WSTĘP. Celem niniejszej pracy była ocena wyrównania metabolicznego u chorych na cukrzycę typu 1 i typu 2, leczonych intensywną insulinoterapią, z zastosowaniem długodziałającego analogu insuliny detemir. MATERIAŁ I METODY. Do badania zakwalifikowano 17 chorych na cukrzycę typu 1 i 11 chorych na cukrzycę typu 2, u których podstawowym leczeniem była dotychczas intensywna insulinoterapia, oparta głównie na insulinie NPH w skojarzeniu z szybkodziałającymi analogami insuliny (86%). W ramach intensyfikacji leczenia insulinę podstawową zastąpiono insuliną detemir. Po obserwacji trwającej 3-6 miesięcy oceniano wpływ zmiany terapii na glikemię na czczo, glikemię poposiłkową, stężenie HbA1c, incydenty hipoglikemii, masę ciała. Do oceny statystycznej używano testu McNemary (p*) oraz testu T dla prób powiązanych (p**). WYNIKI. Oceniając glikemię na czczo w całej badanej grupie chorych na cukrzycę typu 1 i typu 2, u 36% uzyskano znamienną statystycznie (p* < 0,013) znaczącą poprawę stężenia glukozy na czczo. Wiązało się to z 25-procentowym (p* < 0,039) zwiększeniem stabilności glikemii na czczo. Zastosowanie analogu długodziałającego detemir jako insuliny stanowiącej bazę łącznie z analogami szybkodziałającymi (86%) w ramach intensywnej insulinoterapii przyczyniło się do wzrostu o 32% (p* < 0,039) liczby chorych z prawidłową glikemią poposiłkową. Skutkiem lepszego wyrównania metabolicznego cukrzycy w całej badanej grupie było znamienne statystycznie obniżenie o 1,7% (p** < 0,001) stężenia HbA1c. Zastosowanie insuliny detemir doprowadziło do 17-procentowej redukcji odsetka chorych z incydentami hipoglikemii, w tym również epizodami hipoglikemii nocnych. U prawie 1/3 pacjentów zarówno z cukrzycą typu 1, jak i typu 2 doszło do zmniejszenia masy ciała. WNIOSKI. W wyniku zastosowania długodziałającego analogu insuliny detemir uzyskano poprawę wyrównania metabolicznego cukrzycy wyrażającą się: obniżeniem glikemii na czczo i normalizacją glikemii poposiłkowych, obniżeniem stężenia HbA1c, zmniejszeniem częstości incydentów hipoglikemii, a także redukcją masy ciała.BACKGROUND. The aim of this work is to estimate the metabolic homeostasis in cases of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, treated with intensive insulinotherapy, with the use of detemir - a long acting analogue of insulin. MATERIAL AND METHODS. The research included 17 patients with type 1 diabetes and 11 patients with type 2 diabetes. These patients were so far treated with intensive insulinotherapy, using NPH insulin and short acting analogues of insulin (86%). In order to intensify the treatment basic insulin was supplanted with detemir insulin. After 3-6 months of observation the influence of the change in therapy was evaluated. The evaluation included fasting plasma glucose concentration, post-prandial glucose concentration, HbA1c concentration, number of hypoglycemia incidences, body weight. The statistic assessment was performed with the use of the McNemara test (p*) and the T test for associated samples (p**). RESULTS. In the group, 36% of case showed a statistically significant (p* < 0.013) decrease in FPG followed by a 25% (p < 0.039) improvement in FPG stability. Using detemir as the basic insulin together with short acting analogues (86%) in intensive insulinotherapy, caused a 32% (p* < 0.039) increase in the number of patients with normal post-prandial glucouse concentration. Resulting from better metabolic homeostasis in the whole research group, there was a statistically significant decrease of HbA1c by 1.7% (p** < 0.001). The use of detemir led to a 17% reduction in the number of hypoglycemia incidences, including night hypoglycemia. One third of patients in the whole group reduced body weight. CONCLUSIONS. The use of detemir led to an improvment in metabolic homeostasis, manifesting in: decrese in FPG and regulation of post-prandial glycemia, lower HbA1c concentration, lower of hypoglycemia incidences and decrease in body weight

Gender, media, and mixed martial arts in Poland: the case of Joanna Jędrzejczyk

Recent growth in the media visibility of female combat sport athletes has offered a compelling site for research on gender and sport media, as women in deeply masculinized sports have been increasingly placed in the public spotlight. While scholars in the Anglophone West have offered analyses of the media framing of this phenomenon, little work has been done outside these cultural contexts. Thus, in this paper we offer a qualitative exploration of how Joanna Jędrzejczyk, a Polish champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, has been represented in Polish media. Our findings reveal a relatively de-gendered, widely celebratory account, primarily framed by nationalistic discourse–findings we ascribe to both the particularities of the sport of mixed martial arts as well as the historic nature of Jędrzejczyk’s success

The operational window of carbon nanotube electrical wires treated with strong acids and oxidants

Conventional metal wires suffer from a significant degradation or complete failure in their electrical performance, when subjected to harsh oxidizing environments, however wires constructed from Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) have been found to actually improve in their electrical performance when subjected to these environments. These opposing reactions may provide new and interesting applications for CNT wires. Yet, before attempting to move to any real-world harsh environment applications, for the CNT wires, it is essential that this area of their operation be thoroughly examined. To investigate this, CNT wires were treated with multiple combinations of the strongest acids and halogens. The wires were then subjected to conductivity measurements, current carrying capacity tests, as well as Raman, microscopy and thermogravimetric analysis to enable the identification of both the limits of oxidative conductivity boosting and the onset of physical damage to the wires. These experiments have led to two main conclusions. Firstly, that CNT wires may operate effectively in harsh oxidizing environments where metal wires would easily fail and secondly, that the highest conductivity increase of the CNT wires can be achieved through a process of annealing, acetone and HCl purification followed by either H2O2 and HClO4 or Br2 treatment