Mar
10th
Wed
10th
2010
Nanoparticles in a Voronoi Matrix
The cardinality of the real number line is the same as a finite open interval of the real number line.
Berlin | gomme
“I create thin metal films that can be reversibly stretched and remain conductive. PDMS serves as our platform/substrate. PDMS is Polydimethylsiloxane a elastomeric polymer and after being reversibly stretched, comes back to its origninal size and form. These thin-metal films provide a platform for the realization of stretchable electronic circuits. We cast the PDMS into petri dishes by mixing the liquid polymer with a curing agent and after stirring, the mixture is cured for 24 hours at 70 degree Celsius. This photograph shows a multilayer of silicone elastomer (PDMS)/gold/PDMS. The image was taken by optical microscope. There are no manipulations or enhancements to the photograph.” source
Today’s Poison: Cyanide!
Cyanide can naturally occur in very small concentrations in the pits of some fruits, but is commonly manufactured by blending Ammonia with Hydrogen and Carbon. The cyanide anion is an inhibitor of a key enzyme in the electron transport chain (found in the membrane of the mitochondria of eukaryotic cells). As a result, the electron transport chain is disrupted, meaning that the cell can no longer aerobically produce ATP for energy. Tissues that mainly depend on aerobic respiration, such as the central nervous system and the heart, are particularly affected.
New electrode array designs
I’m doing this because I like accountability and transparency, and I believe in public service. And it is the complete opposite of everything else I do. Maybe I’ll learn something. The practical consequence is that I will probably go to Washington several days each month, in addition to whatever homework and phone meetings are necessary.
— Edward Tufte, who has been appointed by President Obama to “help track and explain $787 billion in recovery stimulus funds” as part of the Recovery Independent Advisory Panel.
Central nervous system, historical anatomical artwork. This is an anterior (front) view of the brain and upper part of the spinal cord. At the base of the brain is the striated (striped) pons, and below this the medulla. These two structures make up the brainstem, which leads into the spinal cord. Below the brainstem the nerves emerging from the spinal cord can be seen. There are eight cervical nerves in the neck area, and below these are thoracic nerves. This illustration is taken from the 19th century French textbook The Atlas of Human Anatomy and Surgery by J. M. Bourgery and N. H. Jacob.
David Foster Wallace’s copy of Don Delillo’s Players
from the Harry Ransom Center at University of Texas, who recently received DFW’s archives
CERN’s Large Hadron Collider
This is Strychnos Toxifera - the plant which the Poison Curare is derived from. Curare is a paralyzing agent that is used on the tips of poisoned arrows. Curare acts by binding to the receptors for the neurotransmitter Acetylcholine (it’s an antagonist) which is the neurotransmitter employed at many neuromuscular junctions (the synapses that interface neurons to muscle tissue), such as the heart. In this way, curare can be used as an anesthetic, but it can also stop breathing & contractions of the heart.
(Inspired by Michael’s week of shelving-related posts & because I’ve been talking about neurotoxins a lot lately, UGP will feature a daily poison posting this week.)
One of my favorite names for a field of study.
