12—The Dilly Collegian ThursAlay, November 10, 1977
PSU creates artificial. membrane
By A. JOSEPII GROSSMAN
Daily Collegian Staff Writer
An artificial membrane network that
may one clay make implantable man
made kidneys and lungs possible has
been developed by University research
ers.
The membrane has been fabricated
from sea coral and sea urchin molds by
Eugene W. White, former professor of
solid state science, and former graduate
student William M. Hanusiak.
The University, through the Research
Corporation of America, has received a
patent for the membrane,. whose most
immediate potential use is in kidney
dialysis equipment and in lung by-pass
equipment used to temporarily sustain
breathing.
About inn times thinner than existing
surrogate membranes, the new device
could eventually revolutionize the
Board of Trustees will meet
The University Board of Trustees continuing education activities and meet Friday morning. The major
will hold two days of meetings enrollments. Another report will item on the agenda will be a report on
beginning this afternoon at 2:30 p.m. present the final 1977 fall term the physical facilities planning and
in 403 Keller. enrollment figures. review commission.
The Committee on Educational The committee will also be in- The status of the 1977-78 state ap-
Policy will hold the only meeting formed on the intermediate and long- propriation will be the first item
today. Four informational reports are range policy of the University and considered by the committee ,on
included on the agenda. about the basic skills program. finance at its. 10:30 a.m. meeting
The' first report will be on the The physical plant committee will Friday. —by llarry Glenn
Trustee nominees face interview
The five nominees for the University's
student trustee position will travel to
Harrisburg today to be interviewed by
the state secretary of education, ac
cording to Undergraduate Student
Government President Grant Acker
man. •
House and Senate Leadership
The Hon. Henry C. Messinger
• Majority Leader
Senate of Pennsylvania
Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120
The Hon. Henry G. Hager
f 4inority Leader
Senate of Pennsylvania
Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120
The Hon. James J. Manderino
Majority Leader
House of Representatives
Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120
The Hon. Robert J. Butera
Minority Leader
House of Representatives
Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120
Centre Region Legislators
Sen. J. Doyle Corman, Jr.
34th District
222 N. Allegheny Street
Bellefonte, Pennsylvania 16823
Rep. Helen D. Wise
77th District
1127 S. Allen Street
State College, Pennsylvania 16801
Rep. Russell P. Letterman
76th District
P.O. Box 285
milesburg, Pennsylvania .16853
Rep. Walter F. DeVerter
82nd District
R.D. #1 Box 84
McClure, Pennsylvania 17841
Rep. Camille George
74th District
512 Harry Street
Houtzdale, Pennsylvania 16651
Rep. Samuel E. Hayes, Jr.
81st District
R.D. #3 Box 365 A
Tyrone, Pennsylvania 16686
treatment of patients with such crippling
or fatal lung ailments as emphysema,
pneumonia and Legionnaires disease,
Hanusiak said. le could also prove in
valuable in certain operations and in
keeping alive fire victims whose lungs
have been seared, he said.
The membrane is made of synthetic
silicon rubber and is fashioned into an
intricate microscopic maze, he said. The
device resembles the make-up of the
human lung and its maze-like quality
and high porosity offer tremendous
medical potential, Hanusiak said.
"Unlike a kidney dialysis machine,
which a patient can use intermittently to
by-pass kidney function, existing lung
by-pass equipment can be used at most
l'or about a week because the blood
oxygenator slowly and progressively
destroys the blood by breaking down its
components," Hanusiak said.
Ackerman said he thinks education
secretary Caryl Kline will probably
designate one of the five as her choice
for trustee in time to send him or her to
the Board of Trustees meeting Friday.
Ackerman said the trustee would
probably not attend the meeting in an
pens01)01 Letter to the
o State Corornuoity
Penn State is ►n the midst of one
o f the worst linanc;ol crises ►n its history . \Nith theliscal year ,already in its tab
Month, the University has not received one cent in State appropriatons. T o deal With this cris, We 'need ybur help.
Along witninsttug Many internal austerity Measures, the University --to c°nt►nu operatng-:—hashp.dtobor.(ow
More than $36 Millin to date. renter ac
costs are no* runnings4',ooo Pet (I'M and
asecOtlnWl9 eacb 01000. s`i the end
of 14overt‘ber, We t he 'nave pe:4 approy:rmately $32.5000 in interest charges. These intetest charges -- which
take
Money away from educatonal prografns .w►~ ultimately be borne by students, their fiaMites and other taxpayers.
l'he absence of State fundmg places ►n jeopardy the ability of by
State to contnue orderly oPerat►ors of its
programs and services. Onl\lov eMber 14, the General AsseMbly wit return WO its recess to contnue dliberations.
Penn State has not advocated any single soluton to the crisis, but we have pleaded contnually for an early and
equitable soluton. Some betev e an ►nc
in taxes w be essential if the pr Oaken is to be solv ed. Otners i eel that at
least sorne of the ires•
can be Grade aNiata'oleitorn eX‘stng sources. Bipa,►san cooperator\ is indispensable for a \
s oluto n.
Because of the gravity of the situation and the stake every rnernber of the Penn State co met
out has in this Matter,
we are asking for your help.
To thewstudents: The quatty and contnuaton of your edctor\ are at issoe. lake ten minutes out tonight or
tomorro to write your State Senator and 'Representatve to voice your concern. it-0e at home during the term break,
ask your parents to write, cat or vid‘ttheir Harrisburg representatv es. Vkletter Wit also be go.A to your patents
urg►n9
their help)
To alumni: You have already received a letter from the Pluroni Exec\ltve- Board asl<mg you to contact your
le9►sl
ab out
Penn State's ciis. Vie urge you to iolloWup on tts request as soon as possible.
To faculty and staff members
ikctng in your role as a ptWate 60-en and taYsPa‘ler 'and using your Pe rsonal
statonery , do On us in writing your les:Plative representatves urging them to provide the full funding needed to
meet
people
Penn States ...rograms.
Top eople of the Centre Region: \Ne ask you to contact your Senator and Vlepresentatve. You area ware of the
in
of the UriNetsity and toe local c ornmunit►e of which we are all a The Uri‘versity employs, full
and part-tme, approximatelyl4poo people fro State College :Bellefonte , Tyrone,
Gap, ileburg, and many other coronnites. The Magri‘tude of the econoni\c impact oi the Urtversity to.this area is
enormus. 3ust two figure annual payroll of the University Park Ca►~`n
alone is $l3O Milton. In additon to the
Vl3O oirlt\on payroll, the University's purc'nases of goods and seNices, along with the da y of 32,000 students,
add more than $l5 rri►ll►o per year to the economy of the e9►O .
Will each of you _students, aluMni, faculty, staff and Centre Region citizens take ten Minutes out today or
tornorroW to Write your local legislators and the leadership (Attie House and Senate, urging them to find an early and
equitable solution for full funding of Penn State's appropriation? Thank you.
The blood damage occurs because the
artificial membrane is too thick to allow
a swift blood-oxygen exchange and the
blood must be sloshed around to get all
parts of it up against the membrane,
Hanusiak said.
Since the new membranes are about
100 times thinner than any now available
and almost approximately the size and
make-up of the lung's capillary system,
they would allow swift and easy passage
of oxygen to and from the blood com
ponents, Hanusiak said., This is the
essence of the breathing process, he
said.
The new membranes are molded in the
narrow spines of sea urchins, which
have been cut into short cylinders and
hollowed out. The microscopic maze of
thousands of interconnecting
passageways provides the basic pattern,
Hanusiak said. White. and his nephew,
official capacity, since Kline's choice
must be approved by Gov. Shapp before
the appointment becomes official.
Ackerman said he got the impression
from speaking with Kline that she would
interview the five nominees in a "round
table" situation instead of individually.
, 4
. . jAtotiC"..k)
10aro K. Oerich
Pceskd ent
Boar -trustees
d oi
Rodney White, tried to shape this
structure into something that looked like
a lung
"The membranes are so much thinner
and therefore more effective than any
now available," Hanusiak said, "both
because they are copied from a network
that is very close in size to the mem
branes found throughout the human
body and because they could be made
microscopically thin since they are not
handled."
The most intriguing element of the
new membrane is that it has diverse
potential for many body processes,
according to Hanusiak.
Even with the proper financial
backing, Hanusiak said, it will be at
least five years before the membrane
could be made 'available for practical
use.
Demos gloat over victories
GOP 'going way of Prohibition'
PHILADELPHIA (AP) L The Penn
sylvania GOP appears to be going The
way of the Prohibition Party. The
Democrats drank to that yesterday.
They toasted an election that often was
boring, but one in which Democrats
thumped Republicans in state-wide and
big city races, leaving the GOP in poor
shape for the state's political contest in
1978.
That's when the voters carve up the
turkey, picking a governor, 25
congressmen, 25'state senators and 203
state representatives.
Tuesday's turnout was one of the
lightest in years, even for an off-year
municipal bout. It's expected less than
half of the state's registered voters had
their say.
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The Republicans had hoped for a
backlash against the shenanigans of
Democratic bigwigs like state Sen.
Henry Cianfrani, currently under in
dictment, and former House Speaker
Herbert Fineman, recently convicted of
obstruction of justice. But the GOP
voters in many towns stayed home out of
the rain.
Analysis
The Republicans were blown out of
the water in Philadelphia and Pitts
burgh, the state's two largest cities.
They finished third in a three-man race
for mayor in Pittsburgh even though
14overnber 10, 1977
\( 1 )
John \N • Oswa\d
•
Predent State Univer
Me Pennslivano ty
,•••• 4" , '2,
IES
their candidate was a former Democrat,
As a result of Tuesday's results; the
Republicans, for the first time in 25t1
years, will not represent a majority of
the seven Supreme Court justices.
The GOP won only one of three special
House contests. R had hoped to win two.
And in two dozen third-class cities
which were electing mayors, less than
half selected Republicans.
In Philadelphia, where Democrats
enjoy a 7-2 registration edge:
Republicans are more of an em
barrassment than a force in politics.
Despite a heavy financial investment,
they were unable Tuesday to come
within 100,000 votes of two Democratic'
opponents for district attorney and,
controller.
lIMIZI