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Online Engineering Bachelor Degree

Material Geek on March 12th, 2010

12

Mar

The following paragraphs summarize the work of degree experts who are completely familiar with all the aspects of degree. Heed their advice to avoid any degree surprises.
Engineering Basics: By definition, Engineers apply the theories and principles of science and mathematics to the economical solution of practical technical problems. The work of an engineer deals with the relationship of scientific discovery and its application to the world around us. Engineers design and develop and improve many things we use.
In addition to design and development, many engineers work in testing, manufacturing or repairs. They supervise production in factories, determine the causes of breakdowns, and test manufactured products to maintain quality. People who work in engineering do all kinds of jobs.
Some people work in design, which is generally done on computers, and others actually make things in a more hands on environment. Another job segment to the engineering field is the people who make business decisions and deals or who do research ingenious new ways of designing and building things.
Devry University offers bachelor engineering degrees online in the areas of biomedical, computer software, mechanical engineering and more!
People who work in engineering do all kinds of jobs. The majority of engineers concentrate in a specific area such as structural and transportation engineering, which is part of civil engineering and materials engineering.
Engineers also may specialize in one industry, such as aerospace, computer, or medical. The following are more in-depth explanations of various engineering disciplines:
Mechanical engineering is one of the broadest of all disciplines. Mechanical engineers research, develop, design, manufacture, and test tools, engines, machines, and other mechanical devices.
They work on power-producing machines such as electric generators, internal combustion engines, and steam and gas turbines, as well as power-using machines such as refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment, machine tools, material handling systems, elevators and escalators, industrial production equipment, and robots used in manufacturing.
If a machine has moving parts that work together to produce power – it’s likely that a mechanical engineer designed it. They also design tools used by engineers in other specialties and work in emerging fields like nanotechnology.
Mechanical engineers may work in production operations in manufacturing or agriculture, maintenance, or technical sales; many are administrators or managers.
It has been said that mechanical engineering is where the power is.
Civil engineers work in the public interest on projects that impact public health and safety. Some specialize in environmental engineering, focusing on protecting the water supply, or finding safer ways to process human and chemical waste.
Others specialize in construction, or in designing roads, bridges, airports and urban transit systems. Civil engineers design and supervise the construction of roads, buildings, airports, tunnels, dams, bridges, and water supply and sewage systems.
Theses engineers have to take in to account many factors in their design process. They are responsible for calculating construction costs, expected lifetime of a project, government regulations and potential environmental hazards to their projects such as earthquakes.
Civil engineering is one of the oldest engineering disciplines and includes many specialties. The chief specialties are structural, water resources, construction, environmental, transportation, and geotechnical engineering.
Many civil engineers hold supervisory or administrative positions, from supervisor of a construction site to city engineer.
Biomedical engineers develop mechanisms and procedures that solve medical and health-related problems by using knowledge of biology and medicine with engineering principles and practices.
Many do research, along with life scientists, chemists, and medical scientists, to develop and evaluate systems and products such as artificial organs, prostheses, pharmaceuticals and medical information systems.
Most engineers in this specialty need a sound background in another engineering specialty, such as mechanical or electronics engineering, in addition to specialized biomedical training.
Some specialties within biomedical engineering include biomaterials, biomechanics, medical imaging, rehabilitation engineering, and orthopedic engineering.
The more authentic information about degree you know, the more likely people are to consider you a degree expert. Read on for even more degree facts that you can share.
Work Environment
Engineering professionals work in various settings such as office buildings, laboratories, or industrial plants. Some may also work outdoors at construction sites and oil and gas exploration sites. Some engineers travel extensively to plants or worksites. Engineers work a standard 40-hour week, but longer hours can be expected to meet deadlines.
Education Requirements
A bachelors degree is the minimum requirement for entry-level engineering jobs.
Most engineering degrees are granted in electrical, electronics, mechanical, or civil engineering. Many programs also include courses in general engineering. A design course, sometimes accompanied by a computer or laboratory class or both, is part of the curriculum of most programs.
If you think a career in engineering is what you are looking for, compare our online engineering schools to find a program that is right for you.
There’s no doubt that the topic of degree can be fascinating. If you still have unanswered questions about degree, you may find what you’re looking for in the next article.

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Dr. Samuel Waknine talks to New York Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Judy Johnson, Chief Medical Officer; Dental Visits Midtown Manhattan NYC Center for Cosmetic Dentistry, about the importance and advantages of using optimum materials in modern restorative dentistry. Dr. Waknine is President of DRM Research Labs, which is mostly involved in research and development. He lectures at the academic and private sector level, providing either operative or technological instruction to clinicians and technologists, the world over.

(Question) New York Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Judy Johnson: Do you think the Central and Eastern European or the markets of the United States are ready for products with high aesthetic quality and state of- the-art materials?

(Answer) Samuel Waknine DDS: I think so! I have had a vast amount of experience lecturing worldwide and interacting both in the industrial sector as well as in the clinical and academic sector with many technologists, professors and clinicians whether it is in Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Poland or Russia. Indeed such materials are becoming more and more popular in those venues due to the fact that firstly, they are easier to use, secondly, they require less machinery and equipment in the laboratory and thirdly, chair-side time is significantly reduced.

The main disadvantages to this more sophisticated material is that it requires a dry field of operation during the momentary placement procedure, however, I think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages due to the fact that one has a material that is functional, aesthetic, matches tooth color, that is serviceable and is biocompatible, healthier overall compared to the traditional silver amalgam fillings and the standard crown and bridge alloys; nickel chrome, chrome-cobalt and silver-palladium products.

With traditional materials it takes two to three days and an innumerable amount of equipment, instruments and adjunct materials before a crown or a bridge is fabricated, whereas with our materials one is able to fabricate a rather vast or large restoration in less than one hour. So from a time, effort and equipment perspective, this is the preferred methodology for the laboratory.

(Question) New York Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Judy Johnson: Are there any other advantages of modern restorative materials?

(Answer) Samuel Waknine DDS: If we look at dental restoration in a chronological manner from infancy to adulthood, from pediatric dentistry to geriatric dentistry, we start out with a little tiny one-surface cavity, that escalates to a two-surface filling, then possibly leaks and has to be repaired and becomes a pin-retented three – or four-surface silver amalgam filling undermining the surrounding enamel, and then onward to a crown (usually poorly adapted or sealed), followed by endodontic treatment and a post/core build-up encapsulated by a crown prosthesis and possibly an extraction, even a bridge, usually non precious alloy (porcelain fused to metal), subsequent alveolar bone resorption and then possibly a removable prosthesis; partial or denture followed by ridge augmentation and possibly an implant.

Because silver amalgams are very limited they usually have to be repaired somewhere down the line. By the time they have to be repaired, the carious lesion site usually has progressed so vastly that it invariably turns into a three-quarter crown or a full crown. On occasions, one even has to resort to crown and bridgework.

The approach with the new modern poly-ceram restorative materials is that if one can achieve a very good seal at a tooth restorative interface, which is really the hub or area of concentration of the technology, and then one can reduce the possibility of having to remake the restoration and ensue this very tedious and complicated voyage. This is not the case with the advanced restorative materials. If there is a failure it tends to be rather minor and require very quick patch-up and repair at the adhesive interface and so the incidences of secondary caries, remakes or repairs is significantly lower in potential expenditure and tooth loss. Which is a massive advantage whether you are in Prague, London or New York City.

(Question) New York Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Judy Johnson: What about the issue of durability?

(Answer) Samuel Waknine DDS: That is a very good point. There is a propensity to judge today’s restoratives of the poly-ceram category by ‘bunching them’ with those of 40 years ago, particularly among dentists who were accustomed to those products then. However, composites or bonding materials from 40 years ago are a far cry from what is available today. Since then, we have gone through about seven generations of products and probably tens of thousands of research projects documented in the form of manuscripts and patents, so there has been a good deal of innovative progression in this field of technology.

Consequently, today there are several products that are very reliable. From the perspective of wear resistance, today’s restoratives are able to sustain wear that is as low as three micrometers per year – which rivals actual enamel. This compares with 40 years ago when it was 150 micrometers per year. According to statistics from pooled clinical data, today’s restoratives have an average half-life of 17-22 years, which is very close to a silver amalgam restoration and or porcelain fused to metal crown. From a color stability perspective these products no longer have residual oxide by-products, they tend to be very stable and tend to maintain their anatomical form, contour and texture and overall physico-mechanical functional state. So yes, there are still some materials today that are not very reliable, and then, there are a few materials that are extremely advanced and are capable of rivaling any metallurgical or ceramic adjunct material.

(Question) New York Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Judy Johnson: Would you say that while these materials might perhaps be slightly more expensive, in the long run they save so much time that they work out to be more economical?

(Answer) Samuel Waknine DDS: Well, cost is certainly one element, but in today’s society people are more health conscious and aesthetically aware, which are also factors that need to be considered. I think that a silver restoration for a posterior molar tooth is 50/50. No one looks back there so it may not be too important. However, for an anterior restoration there is really no choice in the matter, the thought of seeing gold or silver as you smile is rather awkward, therefore, more aesthetically pleasing materials become a matter of necessity. So for the anterior sector of the intra-oral environment it is a necessity. Furthermore, as far as the laboratory technician is concerned, modern materials are quicker and easier to use so there is really no reason why they should not be chosen.

(Question) New York Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Judy Johnson: Could you tell us a little about the history of dental restorations and the advances that have been made in recent years?

(Answer) Samuel Waknine DDS: Traditionally, metallurgical materials were used for restorations. This was a very well established practice for the best part of 150 years. In the case of fillings, silver amalgams were used to a large extent worldwide. These amalgams are 50 percent powder – composed of silver, tin, copper and a trace amount of zinc, and 50 percent liquid – which is pure mercury – amalgamated to form a paste, which is placed into the cavity. The silver amalgamates by reacting with the free mercury, while the copper interacts with the tin to create a cupric-tin complex strengthening/hardening interphase and the zinc acts like a scavenger to rid any unreacted metallic oxide residue. This material is not very technique sensitive, with near zero handling/manipulation error characteristics, so it’s advantageous to the clinician due to the fact that it can be placed in a slightly moist environment, forgiving to isolation technique acuity, in lieu of deleterious effects to its tooth-margin interfacial integrity. However, there are serious disadvantages to this type of silver amalgam material in comparison to the modern poly-ceram composite fillings.

The silver amalgam is not tooth colored and is rather obvious when placed in the anterior sector of the oral environment. However, the modern poly-ceram composite can attain a near perfect tooth color match. Further, in the event the silver amalgam is applied beyond one third of the cuspal incline, it tends to undermine the surrounding thin-walled remaining enamel leading to cuspal fracture and/or radial cracks compromising the retentive surrounding tooth aspects, or the restoration itself. The poly-ceram is capable of achieving a chemical bond-linkage to the underlying organic dentin and a micro-mechanical bond to the surrounding enamel honeycomb prismatic structure with the aid of modern seventh generation adhesive technology.

This allows for a more conservative approach to tooth preparation guidelines criteria, with a greater emphasis on conservation of sound non-carious tooth structure. Conversely, such advances in adhesion technology have allowed for more substantial, larger restorations, in lieu of hampering the strength of the remaining tooth structure, especially with the advent of extra-oral processed inlay-onlay (three-quarter)-crown luted cemented restorations.

The metallurgical silver-amalgam product is electrically conductive, so it is not the most pleasant material to have in your mouth. By contrast, the poly-ceram composite filling is electrically non-conductive. The silver amalgam also undergoes an abrasion phenomenon leading to degradation, allowing the leaching of certain mercuric contents from the filling, which have been known to affect certain kidney and liver enzymes and even permeate the blood brain barrier. Although, the mercuric salt differs from the free mercury in its unamalgamated form, this remains a controversial issue.

Whereas the poly-ceram composites of the 1960s ensued upward of 150 micron wears per year, today’s (circa 1993-2003) modern poly-ceram composites are able to sustain a clinical wear rate of 3-35 microns per year, a pivotal improvement. The corrosion by-product of the dental silver amalgam serendipitously seals the tooth restoration margin, in lieu of chemical adhesion, otherwise known as the Gamma-II Phase. In order to passivate this corrosion phenomena, both marginal breakdown, surface pit-corrosion patterns and tarnish, high copper amalgams were innovated, however, a clear disadvantage of the accentuation of the Gamma-I Phase is that it leads to more prevalent bulk fracture and facilitated mercuric salt by-product release.

The G.V. Black rules of cavity preparation protocol innovated in 1898, and still practiced today, state the necessity of ‘extension for prevention’, in other words extending the cavity preparation/excavation beyond the carious limit zone in order to prevent recurring caries, thereby, consuming more tooth structure. In addition, due to the fact that silver amalgams do not chemically adhere to tooth structure, creating diatoric forms, undercuts, channeling and macro-mechanical retentive sites during the cavity preparation is both necessary to retent the amalgam as well as deleterious in sacrificing more sound tooth structure. On such occasion that the tooth preparation has been compromised to a great extent, the tendency is to use gold retentive pins in order to anchor and sustain the silver-mercury admix, a further unnecessary invasive step.

Previous research has shown that a silver amalgam ‘MOD’ 3- surface, slot-like cavity preparation, restored class II molar tooth, sustains only 50 percent of a sound unrestored molar intercuspal flexural strength. Further, a modern poly-ceram composite restoration strengthens the tooth to 2xfold its potential intercuspal transverse strength. Silver amalgams used in large class II molar restorations; invariably cause a tattoo phenomenon of permanent tooth discoloration to a violet-gray/green tinge and even brown/black tint, this is quite evident when a clinician attempts the removal, replacement or repair of a failing old silver-amalgam restoration. This is not the case with modern poly-ceram composite filling materials. As a consequence, such restorations have, over the past 20-25 years, become less and less popular and alternatives, otherwise known as bonding or white fillings (or more prevalently known as composites) are now available.

(Question) New York Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Judy Johnson: Could you tell us about your particular area of specialty?

(Answer) Samuel Waknine DDS: At DRM Research Labs our area of specialty lies with these alternative restorations, which are composed of polymeric materials and glass ceramic fillers for reinforcement. Such restorations are used for a plethora of intraoral care including liners, cement, sealants, class V cervical erosion sites, and direct fillings, class I, II, III and IV in anterior and posterior tooth restoration. They were originally available in auto cure format (2-part systems) throughout the 1950-60s, then in photo cure UV-light initiated (200-400 nanometers). In the early 1970s and in the late 1970s the entire industry merged to photo cure blue or halogen light cure materials, which are initiated by a blue light ranging from 400 to 700 nanometers wavelength irradiated for 10-40 seconds. The light triggers a free-radical addition reaction in the material that converts it from a monomer (liquid state) to a polymer (solid form), hardened material.

Such materials have experienced a lot of problems, most of which have been resolved over the years, as the technology has become more refined. Our area of concentration and original innovation is the semi-crystalline poly-ceram nano-reinforced technology, and the particular line adjunct and borne of this pivotal innovation is the Diamond product line. There is an entire series affiliated with this ranging from the advanced adhesive, DiamondBond, the liner/cement/sealant, DiamondLink, the filling material, DiamondLite to the prosthodontic, crown and bridge system, DiamondCrown. It is the crystalline morphology and special oligomer-ceram interfacial characteristics that affords these materials certain physical, mechanical, optical and wear resistance properties that rival the standard amorphous polymer composites.

This special technology has afforded improved color stability, better tooth color matching ability, significantly higher fracture strength resistance, near-zero leaching/solubility, tremendous wear resistance, negligible polymerization-contraction forces, shrinkage, substantially improved tooth-adhesive marginal integrity due to advanced bonding mechanisms, biocompatible formulation and remarkable toughness, shock absorbing character, carrying this technology above the norm of the restorative niche into the realm of reconstructive materials, including prosthetics and implantology.

Of special interest is field prosthodontics and implantology due to the fact that the traditional superstructure encapsulating or crowning the underlying metallic alloy substructure is usually dental porcelain characterized as a very hard and brittle surface that is relatively unforgiving and complex in its laboratory application methodology. The PFM (porcelain fused to metal) restoration, although very popular, is infused with a spectrum of relative disadvantages:

i. The mechanical properties of dental porcelain exhibit an unusually hard material, four times that of natural tooth structure, which is rather non-forgiving, wears opposing dentition, weak in tension and flexure mode (low strength), and most importantly attains very low toughness, hence, unable to dissipate cyclic masticatory energy. Therefore, it is prone to fracture, delamination from the underlying retentive metal framework, eventually necessitating complex intra/extra-oral repair.

ii. This is further complicated by the use of popular dental alloys as the copings or frameworks for these dental porcelains such as nickel chrome and silver-palladium, which have been documented to ensue cytotoxic reactivity with the intraoral epithelial mucous membrane soft tissue contact zones, leading to cervical erosion, pocket formation, degradation of the interdentinal papillae and loss of periodontal ligature attachment, accelerating mobility and jeopardizing the overall stability of tooth structural-architectural ergonomics.

iii. The underlying metallic substructure lack of aesthetic quality or tooth color matching ability necessitates greater tooth structure compromise in order to plunge the metallic collar of the crown restoration, yielding a cervical margin below the gingival gum-tissue line, sub gingival. This leads to further bio-interaction at the sulcus with perio-ligature deterioration and poor hygienic maintenance due to inaccessibility to tooth brushing and dentifrice activity.

iv. These factors collectively are of great ramification when such materials, dental porcelain, are used in implant prosthodontics. Especially in single implants and the more popular immediate loading techniques, where the shock absorbing, high toughness, form and functional maintenance coupled with superb aesthetics of the semi-crystalline poly-ceram nano-reinforced DiamondCrown technology rivals any dental porcelain titanium implant superstructure. This is of great importance in particularly frail osseo integration transitional implant-prosthesis (crown) loading periods that will dictate the eventual success rate of the implant prosthesis integration and maintenance thereof.

Further, in complicated cases where temporomadibular joint disorder is prevalent and eventual characteristic tooth bruxism and jaw-clenching phenomena are evident, the semi-crystalline DiamondCrown technology, serves its purpose par excellence as the restorative of choice for occlusal rehabilitation. Whereby the shock-absorbing, cyclic masticatory energy dissipating special micro morphology of the crystalline lamellae leads to a micro elastic behavior, the reinforcing poly-ceram interdendritic structure allows for macro rigidity and architectural stability in spite of the tormented occlusal disappropriation. Further, enhanced by the ability to repair and maintain intra-orally opposed to the standard of the industry, dental gold.

(Question) New York Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Judy Johnson: Would it be advisable to undertake specific training before using the new restorative materials?

(Answer) Samuel Waknine DDS: Yes, training and education is a key factor in disseminating the proper methodology and operative techniques affiliated with this new generation of materials. The learning curve associated with the older generation metallurgical materials, from an intra-oral placement care point of view, is not very steep, so in order to become more adept at this type of restorative dentistry, it is very important to hold clinics, workshops and get-togethers or even chair-side practical workshops to bring about greater awareness as to what is the proper either surgical, operative or technical protocols that bring about a higher chair-side success rate, their corresponding clinical indications and material ramifications.

(Question) New York Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Judy Johnson: Who would conduct these workshops?

(Answer) Samuel Waknine DDS: We actually conduct these workshops with an entire team of technologists, clinicians and scientists. We go from country to country and attempt to help generate a greater awareness of the proper clinical methodologies associated with advanced biomaterials chemical engineering. That’s what brings about the real success in this restorative science – the education.

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Careers in the Pharmaceutical Sciences

Material Geek on March 09th, 2010

09

Mar

The pharmaceutical sciences have saved millions of lives and improved quality of life by playing an important role in the discovery and development of new drugs and drug therapies. As science and medicine evolve and discoveries are made at an astonishing rate, the pharmaceutical industry continues to generate billions of dollars and employ top researchers and professionals.

With accelerating advances in science and technology, the pharmaceutical industry has entered its most promising period yet for new drug development. Pharmaceutical companies are using new knowledge and techniques to attack the root causes—rather than just the symptoms—of diseases and thus are revolutionizing the ways in which new drugs are discovered and developed.

The Disciplines of the Pharmaceutical Sciences

The pharmaceutical sciences can be broadly categorized according to the following disciplines:

* Drug discovery: This discipline deals with the design and synthesis of new drug molecules and includes medicinal chemistry, combinatorial chemistry, and biotechnology.

* Drug delivery: This discipline deals with designing the forms of drug dosages and their delivery to patients. Those involved in drug delivery work to determine the best concentrations of and schedules for drugs. Sciences related to this field include pharmaceutics, biomaterials, and pharmacokinetics.

* Drug action: This discipline examines the actions of drugs in living systems. Sciences dealing with drug action include molecular biology, pharmacology, pharmacodynamics, toxicology, and biochemistry.

* Clinical sciences: This discipline deals with the use of drugs to treat diseases. Drugs’ properties, such as efficacy, adverse effects, drug-to-drug interactions, and bioavailability, are tested in clinical trials.

* Drug analysis: This discipline deals with the separation, identification, and quantification of components of drugs.

* Cost effectiveness: This discipline deals with the economics of drug usage.

* Regulatory affairs: This discipline deals with the coordination of academia, industry, and regulatory bodies.

Careers in the Pharmaceutical Industry

The research-based pharmaceutical industry is one of the strongest components of the American economy and leads the world in discovering and developing innovative new life-saving medicines.

Almost half of the most important global drugs developed between 1975 and 1994 originated in the U.S. U.S. companies developed 370 new medicines to fight dreaded diseases during this period. In 2000, the market value of the industry was greater than $379 million. The field offers a myriad of opportunities to pharmaceutical scientists.

Pharmaceutical companies employ several hundred thousand professionals in a variety of jobs in the U.S. In view of the demand for well-trained professionals, the earning potential of pharmacists is very high. According to an American Pharmaceutical Association report, pharmacists’ salaries range from around $40,000 to $70,000.

Is a Career in Pharmaceutical Sciences Right for Me?

The pharmaceutical field is a good choice for those who:

* want to work in laboratories

* desire to contribute to the health and well-being of society

* love science and excel in the subject

* enjoy professional challenges

* enjoy finding solutions to medical problems baffling scientific communities

How Can I Become a Pharmaceutical Scientist?

Get an undergraduate or advanced college degree in pharmacy, chemistry, biology, medicine, or a related field. There are many who became pharmaceutical scientists after obtaining degrees in economics, marketing, business, or other non-scientific subjects. To work as a registered pharmacist, one needs to satisfy both national and state licensing requirements. Some states require fulfillment of a certain number of continuing education credits annually to stay abreast of developments in the field.

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Neowater Solubilization Service

Material Geek on March 08th, 2010

08

Mar

Do-Coop Technologies Ltd. is a private company based in Israel. Its primal goal is to develop and commercialize novel water-based materials using Nanotechnology for the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and chemical industries.

Do-Coop has developed a patented Nanotechnology to modify the properties of water, using nanoparticles, enabling the first ever introduction of water-based biomaterials.

Do-Coop has recently started commercialization of its first line of products, branded as Neowater ,targeting the molecular diagnostics and research market within the Life Sciences industry. The company is now offering a new solubilization service for Pharma and Biotech companies, in order to enhance bioavailability and solubility of existing and new drugs.

A new solubilization service, provided by Neowater, is a water-based nanotechnology, which has significant value-added in drug-delivery systems applications due to increased stability of compounds solvated by Neowater. Breakthrough nanotechnology, developed in Israel, modifies the physical properties of water molecules: each nanoparticle organizes the water molecules surrounding it.

Customers of Neowater receive a sterile, sealed vial with a maximum effective concentration, with Neowater replacing its organic solvents.solubilization service maintains active compound stability and enhances bioavailability; a superior physical environment created as a result of this process can easily be integrated into already existed or new drugs.

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Porcelain Veneers and Crowns

Material Geek on March 06th, 2010

06

Mar

Today at Brit Phillips DDS PA we have exciting new biomaterials that can give your smile a lift without invasive treatments.Dr. Phillips uses ultra-thin porcelain veneers to correct chipped, weakened, or discolored teeth. No more yellow. No more gaps or embarrassing chips. And Dr. Phillips’ veneers can return real structural integrity to damaged teeth, while leaving them looking as good (in many cases better) than the originals.

Think of this treatment as a manicure for your smile. Veneers are thin shells of porcelain that are custom fitted over your natural teeth, with a translucent finish to blend in with surrounding teeth. People won’t notice the veneers, they’ll simply see your beautiful, natural smile.

Change the shape, color and length of your teeth in only two visits at Dr. Phillips’ office. It looks so good you’ll wonder why you waited so long. Call today for your consultation.

When the size of a “filling” exceeds a certain proportion of the tooth, it must be replaced with a “crown,” which look and function just like natural teeth. Dr. Phillips may recommend a crown if your tooth has enough decay that it cannot hold a filling, or if your tooth is cracked or broken and in danger of cracking down into the root if left unattended. A crown covers your tooth completely. It fits snugly at the gum and protects what remains of the natural tooth.

Dr. Phillips uses porcelain crowns that look very natural and don’t have a dark metal line at the gum. Porcelain crowns, when performed correctly using the latest materials and most up to date procedures are natural looking. The untrained eye can barely notice a different between a porcelain crown and your own natural tooth. Dr. Phillips extensive training makes him uniquely qualified to give you the most up to date, natural looking crowns.

Dr. Phillips may also recommend a porcelain bridge be utilized to replace one or more teeth. These restorations are cemented onto the teeth and are referred to as “fixed” dentistry as opposed to a restoration of missing teeth with a removable appliance or partial denture. These are most commonly used to replace a missing tooth or teeth.

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05

Mar

Nanotechnology is an applied science, which deals in microscopic engineering of machines, bots and drugs. Nanotechnology mainly deals with structures that have measurements in nanometers. With the help of nanotechnology, it has become possible to control and make changes at the molecular levels of any compound.

 

Due to evolution in nanotechnology, it has become possible to develop various techniques that may help people in the future. There are several developments taking place in the field of medicines, physics, chemistry and other such fundamental sciences due to nanotechnology.

 

Nanotechnology and Solubilization:

 

Various biotech companies are now developing and commercializing unique water-based resources. These companies are trying to develop such unique water-based resources for various industries related to biotechnology, chemicals and pharmaceuticals. They are trying to patent this technology. This water-based resource has the ability to alter the properties of water. The ability to alter the properties of water is due to the presence of nanoparticles. Thus, this technology will help in creating unique water-based biomaterials. 

 

These companies have started commercializing such water-based products and solubilization services. These companies are trying to target the research and molecular diagnostic markets of the life science industry and are offering various solubilization services too. The new water-based material is soluble in water and other fluids.

 

The companies with the technology of water-based material also offer various solubilization services to the pharmacy and biotechnology companies. These services help the biotech and pharmacy related companies to improve the solubility and bioavailability of new and existing drugs.  

 

These solubilization services are nothing, but water-based nanotechnology, which are very much beneficial in drug delivery applications. They also increase the stability of a drug. One of the best advantages of this technology is that, it has the ability to change the physical properties of water and the nanoparticles in the technology have the capability of organizing the water molecules in its surroundings.

 

With the help of such a technology, it is now possible for many fields of science to develop bio-friendly technologies in the future. In the near future, scientists may help in preventing water crisis too. In short, this is the technology of future.

 

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03

Mar

Hydrogels have been around for for quite some time now. And despite their utility, their toxic components, and use as drug carriers have been their popular shortcomings. However, recently a self-assembling version of the pharmaceutical raw material has been developed, which is claimed to be biocompatible.

If you are new to hydrogels, then simply put, it’s a gel in which water is the continuous phase and it has a myriad medical and industrial applications.

During the course of their study, instead to reinventing the wheel, researchers went about exploring means by which medically approved drugs can be converted into amphiphilic molecules which can self assemble. Finding new uses of the already approved pharmaceutical excipients seems to be a slick way to tackle the issue of the time it takes to get a new molecule or pharmaceutical ingredients approved.

And now the researchers’ efforts have led them to develop structures capable of delivering high concentrations of pharmaceutical drugs minus the negative side effects. It still the beginning, an important one though, because this method can be a stepping stone for making drug-based delivery carriers which can release a number of drugs e.g. anti-inflammatory drugs.

This research conducted by scientists from the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Science and Technology (HST) will be published in the journal, Biomaterials.

Hydrogels have seen a number of developments over the years and the new research is the most recent advancement for using them as a pharmaceutical controlled drug delivery vehicles. This research is also important as it might even help eliminate the need for an external carrier for as a means of drug delivery.

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02

Mar

Nanotechnology: Giving a new dimension to Food Industry

INTRODUCTION:

A derivative of chemistry, engineering, and physics, and micro fabrication techniques, nanotechnology involves manipulating matter at the nanoscale level. It is responsible for determining not only that biological and nonbiological structures measuring less than 100 nm exist but also that they have unique and novel functional applications. In fact, the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI, 2006) defines nanotechnology as “the understanding and control of matter at dimensions of roughly 1 to 100 nanometers, where unique phenomena enable novel applications.” Because applications with structural features on the nanoscale level have physical, chemical, and biological properties that are substantially different from their macroscopic counterparts, nanotechnology can be beneficial on various levels. Research in biology, chemistry, engineering, and physics drives the development and exploration of the nanotechnology field. Consequently, certain industries such as microelectronics, aerospace, and pharmaceuticals have already begun manufacturing commercial products of nanoscale size. Even though the food industry is just beginning to explore its applications, nanotechnology exhibits great potential. Food undergoes a variety of postharvest and processing-induced modifications that affect its biological and biochemical makeup, so nanotechnology developments in the fields of biology and biochemistry could eventually also influence the food industry. Ideally, systems with structural features in the nanometer length range could affect aspects from food safety to molecular synthesis.

Potential Food Applications:

All organisms represent a consolidation of various nanoscale-size objects. Atoms and molecules combine to form dynamic structures and systems that are the building blocks of every organism’s existence. For humans, cell membranes, hormones, and DNA are examples of vital structures that measure in the nanometer range. In fact, every living organism on earth exists because of the presence and interaction of various nanostructures. Even food molecules such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are the results of nanoscale- level mergers between

sugars, amino acids, and fatty acids. As it applies to the food industry, nanotechnology involves using biological molecules such as sugars or proteins as target-recognition groups for nanostructures that could be used, for example, as biosensors on foods. Such biosensors could serve as detectors of food pathogens and other contaminants and as devices to track food products. Nanotechnology may also be useful in encapsulation systems for protection against environmental factors. In addition, it can be used in the design of food ingredients such as flavors and antioxidants. The goal is to improve the functionality of such ingredients while minimizing their concentration. As the infusion of novel ingredients into foods gains popularity, greater exploration of delivery and controlled-release systems for nutraceuticals will occur. Although nanotechnology can potentially be useful in all areas of food production and processing, many of the methods are either too expensive or too impractical to implement on a commercial scale. For this reason, nanoscale techniques are most cost-effective in the following areas of the food industry: development of new functional materials, food formulations, food processing at microscale and nanoscale levels, product development, and storage.

Nanodispersions and Nanocapsules:

As the fundamental components of foods, functional ingredients such as vitamins, antimicrobials, antioxidants, flavorings, and preservatives come in various molecular and physical forms. Because they are rarely used in their purest form, functional ingredients are usually part of a delivery system. A delivery system has numerous functions, only one of which is to transport a functional ingredient to its desired site. Besides being compatible with food product attributes such as taste, texture, and shelf life, other functions of a delivery system include protecting an ingredient from chemical or biological degradation, such as oxidation, and controlling the functional ingredient’s rate of release under specific environmental conditions. Because they can effectively perform all these tasks, nanodispersions and nanocapsules are ideal mechanisms for delivery of functional ingredients. These types of nanostructures include association colloids, nanoemulsions, and biopolymeric nanoparticles.

§ Association Colloids:

Surfactant micelles, vesicles, bilayers, reverse micelles, and liquid crystals are all examples of association colloids. A colloid is a stable system of a substance containing small particles dispersed throughout. An association colloid is a colloid whose particles are made up of even smaller molecules. Used for many years to deliver polar, nonpolar, and amphiphilic functional ingredients (Golding and Sein, 2004; Garti et al., 2004, 2005; Flanagan and Singh, 2006), association colloids range in size from 5 nm to 100 nm and are usually transparent solutions. The major disadvantages to association colloids are that they may compromise the flavor of the ingredients and can spontaneously dissociate if diluted.

§ Nanoemulsions:

An emulsion is a mixture of two or more liquids (such as oil and water) that do not easily combine. Therefore, a nanoemulsion is an emulsion in which the diameters of the dispersed droplets measure 500 nm or less. Nanoemulsions can encapsulate functional ingredients within their droplets, which can facilitate a reduction in chemical degradation (McClements and Decker, 2000). In fact, different types of nanoemulsions with more-complex properties— such as nanostructured multiple emulsions or nanostructured multilayer emulsions—offer multiple encapsulating abilities from a single delivery system that can carry several functional components. In structures such as these, a functional component encased within one component of a multiple emulsion system could be released in response to a specific environmental trigger.

§ Biopolymeric Nanoparticles:

Food-grade biopolymers such as proteins or polysaccharides can be used to produce nanometer-sized particles (Chang and Chen, 2005; Gupta and Gupta, 2005; Ritzoulis et al., 2005). Using aggregative (net attraction) or segregative (net repulsion) interactions, a single biopolymer separates into smaller nanoparticles. The nanoparticles can then be used to encapsulate functional ingredients and release them in response to distinct environmental triggers. One of the most common components of many biodegradable biopolymeric nanoparticles is polylactic acid (PLA). Widely available from a number of manufacturers, PLA is often used to encapsulate and deliver drugs, vaccines, and proteins, but it has limitations: it is quickly removed from the bloodstream, remaining isolated in the liver and kidneys. Because its purpose as a nanoparticle is to deliver active components to other areas of the body, PLA needs an associative compound such as polyethylene glycol to be successful in this regard (Riley et al., 1999).

Nanolaminates:

Besides nanodispersions and nanocapsules, another nanoscale technique is commercially viable for the food industry: nanolaminates. Consisting of two or more layers of material with nanometer dimensions, a nanolaminate is an extremely thin food-grade film (1–100 nm/ layer) that has physically bonded or chemically bonded dimensions. Because of its advantages in the preparation of edible films, a nanolaminate has a number of important food-industry applications. Edible films are present on a wide variety of foods: fruits, vegetables, meats, chocolate, candies, baked goods, and French fries (Morillon, 2002; Cagri et al., 2004; Cha and Chinnan, 2004; Rhim, 2004). Such films protect foods from moisture, lipids, and gases, or they can improve the textural properties of foods and serve as carriers of colors, flavors, antioxidants, nutrients, and antimicrobials. Currently, edible nanolaminates are constructed from polysaccharides, proteins, and lipids. Although polysaccharide- and protein-based films are good barriers against oxygen and carbon dioxide, they are poor at protecting against moisture. On the other hand, lipid-based nanolaminates are good at protecting food from moisture, but they offer limited resistance to gases and have poor mechanical strength (Park, 1999). Because neither polysaccharides, proteins, nor lipids provide all of the desired properties in an edible coating, researchers are trying to identify additives that can improve them, such as polyols. For now, coating foods with nanolaminates involves either dipping them into a series of solutions containing substances that would adsorb to a food’s surface or spraying substances onto the food surface (McClements et al., 2005). While there are various methods that can cause adsorption, it is commonly a result of an electrostatic attraction between substances that have opposite charges. The degree of a substance’s adsorption depends on the nature of the food’s surface as well as the nature of the adsorbing substance. Different adsorbing substances can constitute different layers of a nanolaminate; examples are polyelectrolytes (proteins and polysaccharides), charged lipids, and colloidal particles. Consequently, different nanolaminates could include various functional agents such as antimicrobials, anti-browning agents, antioxidants, enzymes, flavors, and colors.

Nanofibers and Nanotubes:

Two applications of nanotechnology that are in the early stages of having an impact on the food industry are nanofibers and nanotubes. Because nanofibers are usually not composed of food-grade substances, nanofibers have only a few potential applications in the food industry. Produced by a manufacturing technique using electrostatic force, nanofibers have small diameters ranging in size from 10 nm to 1,000 nm, which makes them ideal for serving as a platform for bacterial cultures. In addition, nanofibers could also serve as the structural matrix for artificial foods and environmentally friendly food-packaging material. As advances continue in the area of producing nanofibers from food-grade materials, their use will likely increase. As with nanofibers, the use of nanotubes has predominantly been for non-food applications. Carbon nanotubes are popularly used as low resistance conductors and catalytic reaction vessels. Under appropriate environmental conditions, however, certain globular milk proteins can self-assemble into similarly structured nanotubes (Graveland- Bikker and de Kruif, 2005, 2006; Graveland-Bikker et al., 2006a, b).

Regulations:

In India, the nanotechnology is at nascent stage and there does not exist any regulation for its application in food industry. Similarly in the United States, no special regulations exist for the use of nanotechnology in the food industry. In contrast, the European Union has recommended special regulations that have yet to be accepted and enforced. The Food and Drug Administration says that it regulates “products, not technologies.”Nevertheless, FDA expects that many products of nanotechnology will come under the jurisdiction of many of its centers; thus, the Office of Combination Products will likely absorb any relevant responsibilities. Because FDA regulates on a product- by-product basis, it emphasizes that many products that are already under regulation contain particles in the nanoscale range. Accordingly, “particle size is not the issue,” and any new materials will be subjected to the customary battery of safety tests. The Institute of Food Science and Technology, a United Kingdom–based independent professional body for food scientists and technologists, has a different view of nanotechnology. In its report (IFST, 2006), the organization says that size matters and recommends that nanoparticles be treated as potentially harmful until testing proves otherwise. Still it is the European Commission’s intention to apply existing food laws to food products using nanotechnology. Consequently, the European Commission says that the technology will likely require some modification for it to adhere to existing laws. Commissioned by the UK to assess the potential effects of nanotechnology, the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering recommend indicating nanoparticles in the lists of ingredients. The UK government agrees that the inclusion of nanoparticles on ingredient labels is necessary for consumers to make informed decisions; thus, updated ingredient labeling requirements will be necessary. The UK government plans to consult with its EU partners to determine whether IFST’s recommendation to scrutinize nanoparticle ingredients for safety is valid.

Conclusion:

As developments in nanotechnology continue to emerge, its applicability to the food industry is sure to increase. The success of these advancements will be dependent on consumer acceptance and the exploration of regulatory issues. Food producers and manufacturers could make great strides in food safety by using nanotechnology, and consumers would reap benefits as well. More than 200 companies are conducting research in nanotechnology and its application to food products (IFST, 2006), and as more of its functionalities become evident, the level of interest is certain to increase.

R E F E R E NC E S:

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Cha, D.S. and Chinnan, M.S. 2004. Biopolymer-based antimicrobial packaging: Review. Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr. 44:223-237.

Chang, Y.C. and Chen, D.G.H. 2005 Adsorption kinetics and thermodynamics of acid dyes on a carboxymethylated chitosan- conjugated magnetic nano-adsorbent. Macromol. Biosci. 5: 254-261.

Charych, D., Cheng, Q., Reichert, A., Kuziemko, G., Stroh, N., Nagy, J., Spevak, W., and Stevens, R. 1996. A ‘litmus test’ for molecular recognition using artificial membranes. Chem. Biol. 3: 113.

Chen, H., Weiss, J., and Shahidi, F. 2006. Nanotechnology in nutraceuticals and functional foods. Food Technol. 60(3): 30-36.

Flanagan, J. and Singh, H. 2006. Microemulsions: A potential delivery system for bioactives in food. Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr. 46: 221-237.

Garti, N., Shevachman, M., and Shani, A. 2004. Solubilization of lycopene in jojoba oil microemulsion. J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 81: 873-877.

Garti, N., Spernath, A., Aserin, A., and Lutz, R. 2005. Nano-sized self-assemblies of nonionic surfactants as solubilization reservoirs and microreactors for food systems. Soft Matter 1: 206-218.

Golding, M. and Sein, A. 2004. Surface rheology of aqueous casein-monoglyceride dispersions. Food Hydrocoll. 18: 451-461.

Graveland-Bikker, J. and de Kruif, C. 2005. Self-assembly of hydrolysed

?-lactalbumin into nanotubes. FEBS J.272 (Suppl 1): 550.

Graveland-Bikker, J.F. and de Kruif, C.G. 2006. Unique milk protein-based nanotubes: Food and nanotechnology meet. Trends Food Sci. Technol. 17: 196-203.

Graveland-Bikker, J.F., Fritz, G., and Glatter, O. 2006a. Growth and structure of ?-lactalbumin nanotubes. J. Appl. Crystallogr. 39: 180-184.

Graveland-Bikker, J.F., Schaap, I.A.T., Schmidt, C.F., and de Kruif, C.G. 2006b. Structural and mechanical study of a self assembling protein nanotube. Nano Lett. 6: 616-621.

Gupta, A.K. and Gupta, M. 2005. Synthesis and surface engineering of iron oxide nanoparticles for biomedical applications. Biomaterials 26: 3995 -4021.

Haruyama, T. 2003. Micro- and nanobiotechnology for biosensing cellular

responses. Adv. Drug Delivery Rev. 55: 393-401.

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Imafidon, G.I. and Spanier, A.M. 1994.

Unraveling the secret of meat flavor. Trends Food Sci. Technol. 5: 315-321.

Lawrence, M.J. and Rees, G.D. 2000.Microemulsion-based media as novel drug delivery systems. Adv. Drug Delivery Rev. 45: 89-121.

McClements, D.J. and Decker, E.A. 2000. Lipid oxidation in oil-in-water emulsions: Impact of molecular environment on chemical reactions in heterogeneous food systems. J. Food Sci. 65: 1270-1282.

McClements, D.J., Decker, E.A., and Weiss, J., inventors; University of Massachusetts, assignee. 2005. UMA 05-27: Novel procedure for creating nanolaminated edible films and coatings, U.S. patent application. Morillon, V., Debeaufort, F., Blond, G., Capelle, M., and Voilley, A. 2002. Factors affecting the moisture permeability of lipid-based edible films: A review. Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr. 42: 67-89.

Park, H.J. 1999. Development of advanced edible coatings for fruits. Trends Food Sci.Technol. 10: 254-260.

Rhim, J.W. 2004. Increase in water vapor barrier property of biopolymer-based edible films and coatings by compositing with lipid materials. Food Sci. Biotech. 13:528-535.

Riley, T., Govender, T., Stolnik, S., Xiong, C.D., Garnett, M.C., Illum, L., and Davis, S.S. 1999. Colloidal stability and drug incorporation aspects of micellar-like PLA-PEG nanoparticles. Colloids Surf., B 16: 147-159.

Ritzoulis, C., Scoutaris, N., Papademetriou, K., Stavroulias, S. and, Panayiotou, C. 2005. Milk protein-based emulsion gels for bone tissue engineering. Food Hydrocolloids 19: 575-581.

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New Samsung Ecological Mobile Phone

Material Geek on February 28th, 2010

28

Feb

In today’s fierce and competitive market, how can a company sell more cell phones? One response: manufacture “green” phones. At the Seoul World IT show, Samsung (the Korean consumer electronics multinational corporation) offered plans to begin development and sale of two environmental-friendly handsets. The first is the W510. The W510 is constructed from a corn-based bioplastic and is free from hazardous heavy metals such as lead, mercury and cadmium.This is the earliest Samsung bioplastic-based telephone. However, At the CES in January, it was discovered that Samsung was among several big consumer electronics manufacturers to utilize the unconventional material. Fujitsu showed off a laptop with a bioplastic case. Additionally, 3310 Evolve has been produced by Nokia, a mobile phone partly made from biomaterials.Removing petroleum-based plastics is a valuable proposal, due to current research, it is common knowledge that corn is an acceptable substitute for fossil fuels and plastics are not a sustainable resource. We hope that Samsung’s newer models will use a more sustainable, futuristic bioplastic, even though we know, the reason behind testing the market for bioplastic with cost-effective corn that is easy to obtain before any decisions are made.Samsung has come out with a new phone. The company corroborates that this telephone, named the F268, does not contain PVC or (Polyvinyl chloride) or Brominated Flame Retardant, a flame retardant containing bromine (Flame retardants consisting of organic compounds containing bromine). That telephone is an good move in the firm’s scheduled phasing out of polyvinyl chloride and brominated flame retardants in all its portable phones no later than the year 2010.Samsung has received accolades from Greenpeace for it’s environmentally-friendly electronics. The recent “Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics” is the basis for this. which cites that since March the company has earned a ranking of 7 out of 10. ranking it near the top. Invariably, it also gathered points for its PVC and BFR end of life date. However, while Samsung started to introduce into the market its PVC-free LCD panels last November, it only lost points on the strict Greenpeace ranking system when it faild to install a complete take-back and recycling program.We are giving some discounts on the various coupons if, you want more information please visit our website www.deals365.us and you save a lot of money.

(more…)



Samsung Ecological Mobile Phone

Material Geek on February 27th, 2010

27

Feb

In today’s fierce and competitive market, how can a company sell more cell phones? One response: manufacture “green” phones. At the Seoul World IT show, Samsung (the Korean consumer electronics multinational corporation) offered plans to begin development and sale of two environmental-friendly handsets. The first is the W510. The W510 is constructed from a corn-based bioplastic and is free from hazardous heavy metals such as lead, mercury and cadmium.This is the earliest Samsung bioplastic-based telephone. However, At the CES in January, it was discovered that Samsung was among several big consumer electronics manufacturers to utilize the unconventional material. Fujitsu showed off a laptop with a bioplastic case. Additionally, 3310 Evolve has been produced by Nokia, a mobile phone partly made from biomaterials.Removing petroleum-based plastics is a valuable proposal, due to current research, it is common knowledge that corn is an acceptable substitute for fossil fuels and plastics are not a sustainable resource. We hope that Samsung’s newer models will use a more sustainable, futuristic bioplastic, even though we know, the reason behind testing the market for bioplastic with cost-effective corn that is easy to obtain before any decisions are made.Samsung has come out with a new phone. The company corroborates that this telephone, named the F268, does not contain PVC or (Polyvinyl chloride) or Brominated Flame Retardant, a flame retardant containing bromine (Flame retardants consisting of organic compounds containing bromine). That telephone is an good move in the firm’s scheduled phasing out of polyvinyl chloride and brominated flame retardants in all its portable phones no later than the year 2010.Samsung has received accolades from Greenpeace for it’s environmentally-friendly electronics. The recent “Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics” is the basis for this. which cites that since March the company has earned a ranking of 7 out of 10. ranking it near the top. Invariably, it also gathered points for its PVC and BFR end of life date. However, while Samsung started to introduce into the market its PVC-free LCD panels last November, it only lost points on the strict Greenpeace ranking system when it faild to install a complete take-back and recycling program.We are giving some discounts on the various coupons if, you want more information please visit our website www.deals365.us and you save a lot of money. For More Information Go Through The link http://www.deals365.us

(more…)



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