Posted by Erin on October 3rd, 2014
Architect Norbert Dalsass has designed a home in Vahrn, an area of South Tyrol in Italy.
Architect: Norbert Dalsass
Photography by Arnold Ritter
segunda-feira, 6 de outubro de 2014
House for Trees by Vo Trong Nghia Architects
Posted by Erin on October 5th, 2014
This house in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, by Vo Trong Nghia Architects, is designed to return green space into the city.
Project description
Under rapid urbanization, cities in Vietnam have diverged far away from their origins as rampant tropical forests. In Ho Chi Minh City, as an example, only 0.25% area of the entire city is covered by greenery. Over-abundance of motorbikes causes daily traffic congestion as well as serious air pollution. As a result, new generations in urban areas are losing their connections with nature.
“House for Trees”, a prototypical house within a tight budget of 155,000 USD, is an effort to change this situation. The aim of project is to return green space into the city, accommodating high-density dwelling with big tropical trees. Five concrete boxes, each houses a different program, are designed as “pots” to plant trees on their tops. With thick soil layer, these “pots” also function as storm-water basins for detention and retention, therefore contribute to reduce the risk of flooding in the city when the idea is multiplied to a large number of houses in the future.
Architect: Vo Trong Nghia Architects
Photography by Hiroyuki Oki
Self-healing polymer 'starfish' prolong lifetime of automotive oils
Researchers have created self-healing polymers that could extend the lifetime of automotive oils. These polymers are suitable to add to lubricants and could maintain the physical properties of engine oils for longer, they claim helping engine efficiency. Biological materials, such as skin, self heal following damage giving inspiration for these new materials.
Polymers are often added to automotive oils to control important physical properties such as viscosity but mechanical and thermal stress can break the polymers decreasing the efficiency and how they affect the oils properties. The research team, led by Professor David Haddleton, of the University of Warwick have now designed a self-healing, star-shaped polymer for use as a viscosity modifier.
The methacrylate polymer has vulnerable long arms which be broken off if stressed reducing performance. The research team found they could add a particular chemical combination to the polymer’s backbone which, almost like a starfish, which allow broken arms to reform via a “Diels Alder cycloaddition reaction” in a self healing reaction.
The research team now plan to 'optimise the chemistry before passing it on to our industrial collaborators, Lubrizol, for development in automotive lubricant applications,' says Professor Haddleton.
Story Source:
The above story is based on materials provided by University of Warwick. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
Journal Reference:
- Syrett et al. Self-healing polymers prepared via living radical polymerisation. Polymer Chemistry, 2010; DOI: 10.1039/b9py00316a
Farmaci di automedicazione, come si prendono
Distribuiti senza obbligo di ricetta, si trovano in farmacia ma anche nelle parafarmacie e nei negozi della grande distribuzione. Si prendono al bisogno, seguendo alcune semplici regole di buon senso. Tosse, mal di testa, stomaco pesante, naso chiuso, arrossamenti: vediamo le indicazioni
Farmaci di automedicazione, non c'è obbligo di ricetta
Milano, 24 settembre 2014 - Un colpo di tosse, una lieve contusione, un arrossamento agli occhi, bruciore o pesantezza di stomaco, mal di testa, raffreddore...a chi non capita di avere a che fare con questi e altri piccoli fastidi capaci di interferire con lo svolgimento delle nostre attività quotidiane? Si tratta di disturbi lievi o passeggeri, che conosciamo bene e che possiamo affrontare efficacemente anche senza l’intervento del medico e, se necessario, per un primo rimedio, è perfetto il consiglio del farmacista. In questi casi si può ricorrere all’automedicazione, che ci viene in aiuto con farmaci chiamati OTC (dall’inglese Over The Counter) vendibili senza ricetta medica perché, nel loro impiego diffuso e di lungo corso, si sono dimostrati sicuri, efficaci e hanno ricevuto un’apposita autorizzazione da parte delle autorità.
Distribuiti anche in canali diversi dalla farmacia (parafarmacie e corner della grande distribuzione) ma sempre consegnati da un farmacista iscritto all’ordine, non sono rimborsabili e possono fare pubblicità diretta. I farmaci di automedicazione sono riconoscibili grazie al bollino rosso che sorride e che riporta la scritta «Farmaco senza obbligo di ricetta» obbligatoriamente presente su tutte le confezioni. Il bollino ha lo scopo di orientare il pubblico e rendere riconoscibili questi che sono farmaci a tutti gli effetti, distinguendoli dai prodotti salutistici (che farmaci non sono) e dai medicinali, specialità per le quali, invece, è obbligatoria la ricetta. Il bollino dice al cittadino che i prodotti per automedicazione, pur essendo indicati per un uso autonomo, sono farmaci e che, quindi, vanno utilizzati seguendo alcune semplici regole di buon senso.
L’automedicazione è indicata per il trattamento di disturbi lievi per un periodo limitato di tempo (3/5 giorni). Se i sintomi persistono o ne compaiono di nuovi è necessario consultare il medico. Un farmaco è senza obbligo di ricetta, di automedicazione solo se ha sulla confezione il bollino rosso. L’impiego di farmaci con obbligo di ricetta non deve avvenire mai senza il consulto del medico, anche se li abbiamo già presi in passato e li abbiamo in casa. I farmaci di automedicazione vanno assunti seguendo sempre le istruzioni del foglietto illustrativo. E’ importante verificare con il medico o il farmacista se il farmaco scelto può essere assunto contemporaneamente ad altri medicinali che si stanno eventualmente assumendo o in caso di allergie. Non bisogna fidarsi del passaparola ma solo del consiglio di chi il farmaco lo dispensa o lo prescrive. Durante la gravidanza/allattamento, meglio chiedere sempre consiglio al medico. Fondamentale conservare le confezioni conformemente alle istruzioni d’uso, controllare la data di scadenza e tenere i farmaci sempre fuori dalla portata dei bambini.
Obiettivo del trattamento: alleviare da soli o con il consiglio del farmacista i sintomi più comuni, ad esempio in caso di raffreddore, influenza e sindromi simil-influenzali. È bene ricordare che la febbre rappresenta un strumento di difesa dell’organismo. L’uso di farmaci, che combattano l’ipertermia è raccomandato solo in caso di febbre sopra i 38°. Di seguito le tipologie di farmaci da banco per affrontare i principali disturbi/sintomi legati ai malanni invernali.
Alcuni esempi di disturbi, sintomi e tipologia del farmaco di automedicazione corrispondente
Gocciolamento nasale, starnuti, congiuntivite - Antistaminici (desclorfeniramina, clorfenamina, feniramina)
Naso chiuso - Spray nasali che contengano vasocostrittori (efedrina, fenilefrina, xilometazolina, pseudoefedrina, oximetazolina, nafazolina).
Mal di gola - Collutori anticongestionanti o antisettici o pastiglie da sciogliere in bocca a base di sostanze disinfettanti (clorexidina, cetilpiridinio, benzidamina, dequalinio).
Tosse - Se è tosse secca: sedativi a base di destrometorfano, dropropizina, cloperastina. Se è tosse grassa: fluidificanti come gli espettoranti (guaifenesina) e mucolitici (carbocisteina, acetilcisteina, bromexina, ambroxolo).
Febbre e stati di malessere o dolori - Antipiretici per la febbre: paracetamolo o acido acetilsalicilico, ibuprofene, ma anche diclofenac, naprossene, ketoprofene.
Disturbi intestinali - Antidiarrotici come le polveri assorbenti (caolino e subgallato di bismuto) o inibitori della motilità intestinale quale la loperamide, (farmaco senza obbligo di ricetta medica, ma controindicato nei bambini). Utili i fermenti lattici che ripristinano la flora intestinale.
Prima di assumere un farmaco di automedicazione leggere attentamente il foglietto illustrativo e rivolgersi al farmacista o al medico in caso di dubbio. Fonte della notizia: assosalute.federchimica.it
Alessandro Malpelo
Gli Antiossidanti Favoriscono Il Cancro?
Gli antiossidanti sono in grado di combattere i radicali liberi, molecole che danneggiano le proteine, le membrane cellulari e il nostro DNA e che, inoltre, possono favorire le infiammazioni e un aumento del rischio di cancro e molte malattie croniche.
In quest’articolo Jennifer Sacheck parla delle ultime ricerche effettuate sugli antiossidanti e di come queste sostanze possono essere benefiche o dannose per il nostro corpo.
Jennifer Sacheck è professore associato di Nutrizione presso la Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy della Tufts University, vicino Boston, e ricorda lo spavento nel “mondo degli antiossidanti” dopo la lettura di titoli, come “Gli antiossidanti provocano il cancro!”.
Dopo anni di ricerca sui potenziali benefici del consumo di antiossidanti, da dove è saltata fuori questa spaventosa notizia?
Nel suo libro “Thinner This Year”, la professoressa Sacheck racconta che fino ad oggi sono stati condotti 9 studi clinici in tutto il mondo sugli integratori a base di antiossidanti e sulla prevenzione del cancro. I risultati sono stati sorprendentemente contrastanti. Nella maggior parte dei casi, gli integratori non hanno avuto un impatto sul rischio per vari tipi di tumori. In alcuni studi invece gli integratori a base di sostanze antiossidanti hanno effettivamente aumentato il rischio di cancro. I più notevoli di questi studi sono stati la prova CARET e lo studio ATBC, dai quali è risultato che l’integrazione giornaliera con beta – carotene o una combinazione di beta – carotene e vitamina A aveva aumentato l’incidenza del cancro al polmone e il tasso di mortalità per qualsiasi causa per i fumatori. Da un altro studio, il SELECT Trial è risultato invece che l’assunzione giornaliera di integratori di vitamina E aumentava l’incidenza di tumore alla prostata per gli uomini più anziani.
I risultati di questi studi non sono mai stati tenuti nascosti, quindi perché solo ora si pone tutta l’attenzione sull’impatto negativo degli antiossidanti sul cancro?
In un interessante studio pubblicato lo scorso mese di gennaio, alcuni ricercatori allevarono dei topi in modo che avessero elevate probabilità di tumore al polmone e li trattarono con vitamina E o altri antiossidanti, come la N-acetilcisteina. Sorprendentemente, gli antiossidanti avevano fatto sì che i topi sviluppassero un tumore molto aggressivo e che avessero anche più probabilità di morire di tumore. Con un’analisi più attenta emerse che, in realtà, gli antiossidanti avevano inibito l’attività di un gene, chiamato p53 – il cui compito è quello di distruggere le cellule tumorali. Di conseguenza, ciò che indica questo studio è che, in dosi elevate, gli antiossidanti effettivamente possono aiutare a proteggere le cellule tumorali, inibendo il gene p53 che, a sua volta, consente poi al tumore di continuare a crescere.
È importante precisare che questo studio ha preso in esame l’effetto degli integratori a base di antiossidanti (e non gli alimenti contenenti sostanze antiossidanti!) sull’aumento del rischio di cancro. Gli antiossidanti si trovano negli alimenti in dosi naturali e in combinazione con altri cibi sani e nutrienti. Anche se si consumano vari alimenti ricchi di sostanze antiossidanti (come melone cantalupo, arance e mandorle), è improbabile che si superi la dose giornaliera raccomandata.
Quando gli antiossidanti vengono consumati in dosi elevate, come spesso accade con l’uso di integratori, aumenta il rischio di problemi di salute e tossicità. Ad esempio, il consumo eccessivo di vitamina A è associato a anomalie al fegato, superare i 2000 mg al giorno di vitamina C può causare disturbi gastrointestinali e aumentare il rischio di calcoli renali, mentre un consumo di vitamina E superiore alle 1500 UI al giorno può interferire con la coagulazione del sangue. Anche l’assunzione minima di vitamina E è stata associata a un aumento di rischio di alcuni tumori. Prima di fare uso di un integratore, assicurati che le quantità delle sostanze antiossidanti contenute si avvicinano a quelle raccomandate giornalmente.
In conclusione, il messaggio della professoressa Sacheck è che abusare di qualcosa di buono non è necessariamente qualcosa di buono.
L’assunzione di integratori a base di antiossidanti può effettivamente far aumentare il rischio di cancro, soprattutto se sei fumatore, se hai una storia familiare di cancro o se ne hai già sofferto. In generale, gli antiossidanti presenti negli alimenti sembrano ancora essere meravigliosamente efficaci; di conseguenza, mangiare tanta frutta e verdura è un’alternativa sana e naturale agli integratori.
Autore | Anna Abategiovanni
15 Foods High in Magnesium for a Healthier Body
Here are the foods highest in magnesium so you can be sure you’ve always got this important mineral topped up. They run the gamut from seeds and beans to fruits and vegetables, and each brings with it added vitamins and minerals so you’re getting plenty in the way of nutrition. Magnesium is important as it can help you avoid cardiovascular disease, can be helpful for those with diabetes and can help the brain in its daily functions. Signs that you’re running low on magnesium include leg cramps, which may be a subtle sign you might overlook, or a general feeling of fatigue or weakness. Check with your doctor if you’re concerned that your magnesium level is not where is should be.While it may be tempting to rely on some of these foods for your magnesium needs, since they’re so rich in it, you’ll want to share the responsibility over a large assortment of foods and reach your total from multiple sources.
1. Flaxseed: 392mg Magnesium (98% DV)
Flaxseed usually gets credit for its high levels of omega-3s, but it is also a fantastic source of magnesium. The good news is that you don’t have to eat 100 grams of flaxseed in order to reap the benefits. Smaller servings will still give you plenty of magnesium and you can make up the difference with other foods throughout the day.
Ground flaxseed is easiest to work with and ensures that you’ll actually use it. You can also opt for flaxseed oil.
But let’s not overlook the impressive amounts of omega-3s that flaxseed contains. This will help the body fight off free radical damage. Most of the time it’s oily fish that contains omega-3s, but flaxseed is a nice plant-based source of them.
Tips for eating more: Ground flaxseed is one of the easiest foods to eat more of because it disappears into soups and stews and goes relatively unnoticed on top of a salad.
2. Dark Chocolate: 327mg Magnesium (82% DV)
Dark chocolate is a magnesium powerhouse, providing almost a full day’s supply in a 100 gram serving. You probably won’t want to eat 100 grams of dark chocolate in one sitting, which is good because there are plenty of other foods that can help you hit your magnesium mark.
You can get an energy boost by having just a small amount of dark chocolate thanks in part to the magnesium it contains. You’ll also feel better, since chocolate has long been known to help the body produce endorphins.
Dark chocolate also contains antioxidants not found in milk chocolate. These will help you fend off free radicals in the body. Try out the different percentages of dark chocolate to see which one you prefer. The higher the percentage, the more bitter the chocolate will be, but the more pure it will be as well.
Tips for eating more: It’s not hard to eat more chocolate, but make sure you’re using dark chocolate and not milk chocolate to avoid the extra sugar used in milk chocolate. Nibble on a bit of dark chocolate when you get a craving, or as a dessert after a meal.
3. Sunflower Seeds: 325mg Magnesium (81% DV)
Sunflower seeds provide quite a punch when it comes to magnesium, and they also provide other nutrients and minerals making them an excellent snack time choice.
The magnesium found in sunflower seeds will help you keep calm when things get stressful. They also contain protein and fiber, which helps you feel full for a longer period of time, and they are a good source of selenium, which has been shown to have anti-cancer properties.
If you’re worried about eating sunflower seeds because of their fat content, it’s time to reevaluate them. The fat they contain is mostly healthy fat in the form of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat. You’ll still want to watch your intake of them, as to keep your total fat at healthy levels for the day.
Tips for eating more: Keep a supply of sunflower seeds handy, and make like the baseball players. Choose unsalted sunflower seeds to keep your sodium levels in check.
4. Cashews: 292mg Magnesium (73% DV)
Cashews have an impressive amount of magnesium, and even a one ounce serving will provide you with one fifth of what you need for the day. This will help strengthen bones and balance blood sugar levels, among the other benefits magnesium provides.
In addition to magnesium cashews also provide you with iron and potassium, as well as protein. This makes it a very well rounded snack that can help you build muscle, avoid an anemic state, and assist with healthy blood pressure levels.
Cashews are a good source of healthy fats, which will actually help you lose fat rather than gain it when eaten as part of a proper diet.
Tips for eating more: Cashews make a great snack all by themselves, but can also be added to a stir fry or a vegetable like green beans to boost the magnesium content of the meal.
5. Soybeans: 280mg Magnesium (70% DV)
Soybeans have a great deal of magnesium in them, and they’re also known for their protein, healthy fats, and iron levels.
The fiber in soybeans is also very high, so you’re getting a lot of benefit from one food. The magnesium will help you sleep better, and along with the fiber will help prevent constipation. The protein will balance out your meal, and when combined with the healthy fat it contains will keep you satiated for several hours.
Because of the high protein content in soybeans, you’ll often see soy-derived products stand in as meat replacements. Tofu and tempeh are popular vegan and vegetarian options for subbing out meat, providing protein and other essential minerals, much like meat does.
Tips for eating more: Soybeans may not be the most delicious thing to eat all by themselves, but they can be used in your cooking by adding them to soup or chili, or in a processed form like tofu or tempeh, although you’ll be losing much of the magnesium if you go this route.
6. Pumpkin Seeds: 262mg Magnesium (66% DV)
Pumpkin seeds are one of the healthier snack options out there, and their magnesium content is only part of the equation.
The magnesium and tryptophan in pumpkin seeds will help the body relax and drift off to sleep at night. The protein they contain will work to keep your blood glucose in check. They’re also a good source of zinc, which benefits the prostate, as well as omega-3s which provide protection from inflammation, heart disease, and free radical damage.
Go with organic raw pumpkin seeds rather than the conventional roasted kind you’ll find most often in stores. It’s worth the extra searching to know that you’re getting a top quality product, and if you’re eating pumpkin seeds for health, you’ll want to make sure you avoid the unhealthy additives found in conventional seeds.
Tips for eating more: Pumpkin seeds taste great sprinkled on a salad, and they can also be eaten by themselves as a snack, much like sunflower seeds.
7. Dill Weed: 256mg Magnesium (64% DV)
Dill weed should be part of your spice collection, as it provides a nice flavor as well as plenty of magnesium. Since it contains a high concentration of magnesium, you don’t have to use a lot in order to get a good supply.
Dill provides antioxidant benefits to the body, and also provides important vitamins like Vitamin A and Vitamin C, which will improve the condition of your skin and strengthen your immune system, respectively.
The flavonoids in dill have been shown to have anti-cancer benefits, which is one more reason why you’ll want to start adding this to more of your meals.
Tips for eating more: Dill weed can be used as a seasoning herb on chicken and fish, and tastes best when combined with lemon juice. Try sprinkling it on your next chicken breast or fish fillet with a squeeze of lemon.
8. Quinoa: 197mg Magnesium (49% DV)
Quinoa is chock-full of magnesium, which is not surprising as it is a good source of plenty of other minerals, vitamins, and healthy substances like fiber.
A 100 gram serving of quinoa will give you roughly half of your day’s supply of magnesium. This means you could eat half of that and get a quarter of what you need from other sources. It’s always good to rely on a variety of foods to meet your nutritional needs, rather than depending on one magnesium-rich food to carry the entire load.
Quinoa has made the rounds in health food circles for years, and has gained mainstream awareness recently due to its nutritional profile. The big draw to quinoa is that it’s a gluten-free way to get more protein and fiber, as well as important minerals like magnesium.
Tips for eating more: Quinoa is an excellent replacement for rice or couscous because of its extra minerals, fiber and protein. Use it in place of rice as a side dish or even for things like sushi.
9. Beans (Black Turtle): 160mg Magnesium (40% DV)
Beans in general are a good source of magnesium, not just black turtle beans. They are also full of calcium, iron, and fiber, making them a well rounded food.
Beans provide plenty of soluble fiber which will help your digestive system and can help you prevent the formation of polyps on the colon which could lead to colon cancer. They’re also good for your heart, and can help you with your blood sugar levels if you’re diabetic, or just trying to prevent diabetes.
Unless you don’t process them well, beans are a great addition to most diet plans because they are digested slowly, causing you to feel satisfied long after you’ve eaten. They’re also a great source of fiber and protein, a combination that works well for weight loss and overall health.
Tips for eating more: Beans make the perfect side dish, but they can also be easily incorporated into a main dish, casserole, stew, or salad. A three bean salad is a great way to boost your magnesium, as well as your fiber and protein.
10. Peanut Butter: 154mg Magnesium (39% DV)
Peanut butter has a good amount of magnesium in it, two tablespoons will give you more than a tenth of what you need for the day. Eat some peanut butter along with a few other foods on this list and you’ve got your daily magnesium needs met.
Peanut butter is rich in healthy fats and is a decent source of potassium as well. It also has some fiber and a good amount of protein, which is why you’ll see it included on most diet plans, but you’ll want to keep the portion size in check.
Both crunchy and smooth version of peanut butter will contain the same amount of magnesium, but you’ll want to make sure that you go with an organic version so you can avoid pesticides and herbicides. It may be a bit tricky to mix up the oil with the peanut butter when you first open it, but it’s worth the effort to make sure you’re getting only organic peanuts in your peanut butter.
Tips for eating more: Peanut butter spreads nicely over apple slices, celery sticks, and more, and can be added to smoothies for an instant magnesium boost.
11. Lentils: 122mg Magnesium (31% DV)
Lentils are a good source of magnesium, nearly rivaling their bean cousins, but still providing nearly a third of what you need from a 100 gram serving.
Lentils can be a reliable source of energy thanks in part to the magnesium they contain, but also because they’ll help prevent blood sugar spikes, providing sustained focus and alertness through your afternoon, rather than brain fog and sluggishness.
There’s more to lentils than just magnesium, they’re also a good source of iron as well as Vitamin B-6. Iron helps your muscles and brain function at their full potential and Vitamin B-6 also helps your brain, as well as your nervous system.
Tips for eating more: Lentils can be used much like beans, either as a side dish, a soup thickener, or as part of a casserole. They have a similar consistency to beans, and provide many of the same benefits, which makes sense since they’re in the same family.
12. Spinach: 79mg Magnesium (20% DV)
The magnesium content of spinach is just one of the reasons why it’s often thought of as one of the healthiest foods you can eat. Spinach is nutrient-dense, and it’s no slouch in the magnesium department, although it didn’t make the top ten on our list.
The magnesium in spinach can help improve your mood and fight off feelings of depression, as well as help prevent and soothe migraine pain. We’ve also seen how magnesium can help you sleep at night, which will provide numerous peripheral benefits to your life.
Spinach contains phytonutrients that act as antioxidants within the body, making it a key ally in your fight against everything from cancer to heart disease. It’s also recommend on most diet programs thanks to its combination of vitamins and minerals as well as its fiber. It even contains a fair amount of protein for a vegetable.
Tips for eating more: Spinach often acts as the backbone to a green smoothie, but also plays well with other foods. Consider adding it to your breakfast to complement eggs, or get into the habit of having a salad with your lunch and dinner and use spinach as the base.
13. Avocado: 29mg Magnesium (7% DV)
Avocados may not have a lot of magnesium compared to some of the other heavy-hitters on our list, but they still provide some, and they have so much more going on that you’re doing yourself a disservice if you aren’t eating enough of them.
The healthy fats in avocados will help you feel full, and they also contain vitamins and fiber that will provide overall feelings of wellbeing, and help your digestive system.
Avocados are also an excellent source of potassium, even more so than a banana. They contain fiber as well, so you are really doing your body a favor when you eat them.
Tips for eating more: Add avocado as a side item to any meal. It doesn’t have to be a side dish per se, but can simply serve as a sort of edible garnish to the plate will provide plenty of different benefits in addition to its magnesium content.
14. Banana: 27mg Magnesium (7% DV)
Bananas are a good way to supplement your magnesium intake, and they’ll provide you with plenty of other benefits as well. One medium-sized banana will provide you with 8% of your total magnesium for the day, so you’ll definitely want to eat some other magnesium-rich foods to get you to your full amount.
In addition to the magnesium they contain bananas provide fiber that helps your digestive system stay regular, and are also a decent source of Vitamin C, even though oranges usually get all of the credit. One banana will give you a good helping of Vitamin B-6, and important B vitamin for brain health.
Bananas are often regarded for their potassium levels, and they are also listed on our top foods highest in potassium list.
Tips for eating more: Bananas can go where you go, making them the perfect anytime, anywhere snack. They also work well on oatmeal and cereals, and often factor into smoothie recipes.
15. Sweet Potato: 25mg Magnesium (6% DV)
Sweet potatoes round off our list and provide you with a bit of magnesium that can contribute to your overall total for the day.
Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of fiber, and unlike regular potatoes they’ll provide you with antioxidants that your body needs to help prevent damage being done by free radicals.
They contain beta-Carotene, the same antioxidant found in carrots, which not only helps your eyesight, but also helps you prevent heart disease and cancer. This is a safe form of Vitamin A, since it comes from a whole food and your body can easily get rid of the excess.
Tips for eating more: Baking your sweet potatoes is probably the easiest way to enjoy them, but you can also boil them up and mash them just like regular potatoes. Try slicing them up and baking them as an alternative to potato chips.
Want more? Check out our list of 22 Foods High in Magnesium
Continuous fabrication system for highly aligned polymer films provides method for tuning mechanical and thermal properties in bulk polymers
Sequence of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images demonstrate drastic changes in polyethylene surface morphology resulting from the fabrication process. The initial polymer particulate material resembled tightly wound balls of string (a). Comparing this to the extruded sample (b), however, polymer disentanglement as a result of the high shear rate Couette-based extrusion process is evident. SEM images of 50¡Á (c) and 100¡Á (d) drawn films. As shown, film structure is uniform fiberous with minimal defects. Scale bar represents 100 microns (a), and 2 microns (b-d).
A team of researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, MA have demonstrated a novel automated fabrication process consisting of a three-step sol-gel extrusion, structure freezing and drying, and mechanical drawing process which results in production of highly aligned polymer films. Alignment of molecular chains within polymers is a desirable trait for many applications as it results in superior mechanical and thermal properties in the polymeric materials. Although these highly aligned polymer films (HAPFs) are in demand, previous fabrication methods were limited to manual, lab-scale batch processes. This novel, scalable technology can enable deployment of low-cost and energy efficient polymer alternatives to traditionally used materials in heat transfer applications, such as electronic packaging and heat exchangers, with the additional advantages of energy savings, weight reduction, chemical resistance, and electrical insulation. The report appears in the September 2014 issue of the journal Technology.
"By taking advantage of the inherent high thermal conductivity of polymers' C-C bond, and a corresponding reduction in chain entanglements and defects, this process opens the door for transforming materials which are traditionally considered thermal insulators into something that is ideal for use in heat transfer applications," says Professor Gang Chen, Ph.D., of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Principal Investigator on the paper.
While lab-scale fabrication processes have been successfully demonstrated, however, the investigators at MIT were able to solve the significant challenges which exist in terms of scaling and automated handling of the numerous process variables. In this work, improvement, or 'tuning' of the material properties, is achieved through manipulating the polymers' molecular chains first by disentanglement followed by macroscopic plastic deformation-induced alignment. This high throughput platform has three advantages over previous methods: (1) utilization of Couette flow for enhanced chain disentanglement; (2) constant-force adaptive-thickness mechanical drawing system aiding in uniform film production; and (3) an automated scalable platform -- thus successfully demonstrating a desktop printer sized fabrication platform for HAPFs in a commercially attractive form factor.
Utilization of Couette flow produces a high degree of molecular chain disentanglement; liquid N2 cooling freezes the disentangled structure in the extruded polymer gel; and the constant-force mechanical drawing leads to highly crystalline and uniform aligned final films. The platform was demonstrated using ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, producing HAPFs with crystallinity >99% and lengths exceeding 15 meters. Molecular chain disentanglement has two crucial effects: (1) allows for plastic deformation to high draw ratios without film rupture, and (2) helps in subsequent molecular chain alignment for improved material properties.
While commercial-grade production systems for highly aligned polymer fibers are already in use (and address an existing mature commercial market), new opportunities for highly aligned polymers in a film form factor must be addressed. "This is a great example of a market-ready technology, which can supplement existing fabrication processes used for producing aligned polymer fibers. While fibers are ideal for textiles, however, for practical applications, such as fins in heat exchangers, casings for electronic systems, and biomedical treatments for improved cooling, a film (vice fibrous) form of these materials is essential.
The difficulty lies in translating the remarkable material property enhancements seen in high performance fibers into a film form factor," says James Loomis, Ph.D., the lead author on this paper. "Furthermore, for widespread commercial implementation of these advanced materials, a scalable, continuous, and robust film manufacturing platform is needed."
The team from MIT is working now to further characterize structural changes in the polymers as a function of the draw ratio (amount of plastic deformation in the films), establishing relationships between varying molecular weights and realized material properties, and investigating orientation effects of highly aligned nanocarbon-polymer composites. Application of this technology towards composites which incorporate electrically conductive nanofillers presents an exciting new direction for commercial deployment of composites with tunable strength, and thermal conductivity, and electrical conductivity.
Additional co-authors of the TECHNOLOGY paper are Hadi Ghasemi, Ph.D., Xiaopeng Huang, Ph.D., Nagarajan Thoppey, Ph.D., Jianjian Wang, Jonathan K. Tong, Yanfei Xu, Ph.D., Xiaobo Li, Ph.D., and Cheng Te Lin, Ph.D., all from the NanoEngineering Group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
This work was funded by the Department of Energy/Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy/Advanced Manufacturing Program (DOE/EEREAMO) under award number DE-EE0005756.
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The above story is based on materials provided by World Scientific. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
Journal Reference:
- Alvin Chen, Kevin Nikitczuk, Jason Nikitczuk, Tim Maguire, Martin Yarmush. Portable robot for autonomous venipuncture using 3D near infrared image guidance. TECHNOLOGY, 2013; 01 (01): 72 DOI: 10.1142/S2339547813500064
Soft Rocker: Sculptural Solar-Powered Outdoor Lounger
Lay back and relax outdoors with your laptop, tablet or phone without any fear of losing juice. The SOFT Rocker by architecture students at MIT is a teardrop-shaped lounger with built-in lighting and solar panels that power up small electronic devices.
Flexible solar panels follow the curve of the rocker’s ‘roof,’ feeding a 12 amp-hour battery that provides power via USB to gadgets and even chilled drink dispensers. The rockers rotate on their bases so the users can follow the movements of the sun throughout the day.
The user also has the power to angle the solar panels higher or lower depending on how they lay inside the rocker, acting as a ‘second axis’ of the solar tracker. The MIT team wanted an interactive experience, making energy generation something the user can participate in rather than something that happens behind a fence or wall in a large-scale facility.
The rocker is made of flat MDF panels developed using the ‘zipshape’ process, in which flat-packed materials are laser-cut in a way that resembles rows of teeth and then interlocked with each other to produce a strong yet flexible result. The individual panels are glued together and then vacuum-sealed in plastic bags until dry.
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