Monthly Archives: June 2022

The computer is one of the most versatile instruments ever invented. Its functionality is limited only by our capacity to program and our ability to imagine possibilities. Despite this, it has proven to be notoriously hard to deliver, reliably, applications (opens in new tab) that adapt well to the broad range of accommodations needed to enable access for people with disabilities. Disabilities come in seemingly infinite variation.

We should not be surprised at this, since the human body is complex. Some disabilities are temporary (e.g. a broken wrist) and some are chronic and persistent (e.g. deafness, blindness, motor and cognitive impairments). No matter the case, people often need various types of tools to make computer-based applications usable and accessible.

I have a progressive neural hearing loss, so I am very dependent on binaural hearing aids to function on a daily basis. My wife has two cochlear implants - a technology that still leaves me astonished that it works. I am reliant on captioning for television, recorded videos and video conference calls (opens in new tab). More generally, my disability has made me conscious of the value of technical responses to assist people with disabilities.

We know a lot about various kinds of interventions to improve accessibility. Magnification of images and text, maximization of contrast and font style, screen readers to describe orally what is on a computer screen, text-to-speech transcription (opens in new tab) for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, head-mounts for pointing when arms and hands are not reliable, the list goes on. Some of these features are built into computer, pad and mobile operating systems and can be activated to provide the needed accommodation. It is not always easy to know how to do this easily. Perhaps, more importantly, the designers of computer-based applications may not have experience or intuition in the use of accommodation tools to make design decisions that achieve the desired usability level.

Unless the programmer (or advisor) is an experienced user of screen readers, he or she may not know how to make a web page maximally accessible with available screen readers. Users may not know about configuration options that would make a device more readily useful. Even when we write detailed specifications for color combinations, contrast, font sizes, accommodation for magnification (e.g. does the web page still render in a useful way when magnified?), it may not be the case that a programmer will have the experience and skill to transform recommendations and standards into accessibly-crafted applications.

It is here that tools for the crafting of accessible web pages with templates and examples of use might make a difference. Just as the creation of web pages was once done by manually writing HTML (opens in new tab)-encoded web pages and is now often done with convenient tools for composition and layout, one wishes that there were composition tools that naturally produce accessible web pages. There exist testing tools, guidelines, and web-page composition editors but they often provide only limited guidance or assistance. Programmers seeking to produce accessible applications need to have a lot of experience using mechanisms, standards and accommodation tools to achieve the desired result.

Without a doubt there are some tools aimed at solving this problem but more are needed. We need more training and worked examples of good solutions that would improve tool makers ability to help programmers produce accessible digital objects and services. Investing in understanding what makes an application accessible is another area for serious research. Computer professionals need to spend time with people who rely on assistive software and hardware to gain deeper intuition about accessible/usable design.

Serious research is needed to develop a deeper understanding of perception and how steps can be taken to design for accessibility. Standards are needed to allow users to express their configuration requirements so that various operating systems can easily support accessible applications. Application programming (opens in new tab) interfaces and libraries are needed to support configuration for accessibility. Training for accessible design should be a requirement for programmers intending to create applications for users with disabilities.

I believe that many of the ingredients we need are already present, including a few people with extraordinary backgrounds and experience in designing for accessibility. We need to distill this knowledge and incorporate it into reality available applications intended to help programmers produce accessibility by design. While by no means trivial, there is considerable experience in the computer science and engineering communities, but the tools needed to achieve reliable accessibility continue to be elusive. None of these ideas are new. They just need to be applied with increased determination and with codified practices.

These are exciting times for some accessibility capabilities. Speech to text (opens in new tab), text to speech, speech recognition and understanding, language translation, speech re-rendering for improved acuity, optical character recognition (e.g. to translate menus), machine learning tools to improve interaction with voice, video and text for people with disabilities are all examples of technology developed in aid of accessibility. We can expect more to follow.

We've listed the best JavaScript online courses (opens in new tab).

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Accessibility and technology - TechRadar

As a long-term guest teacher, I had the flexibility in teaching style and content to promote what matters and is relevant to me and the student population I serve. This was a tremendous deviation from the focus in the traditional American education structure of demeaning narratives found in Document Based Questions given by school districts. Teaching offered me an opportunity to learn about the current mindset of our youth. Through student interaction, I noted that a lot of their social development is taking place through TikTok, Netflix, and rap music. If they are not talking to you about something they have studied or seen to be true, they are likely talking in TikTok lingo or making 30-second dance clips during passing periods.

Through mediums such as Netflix and TikTok, there is a wide range of global and cultural outreach available to American students. Consequently, when posed with a question like why are our youth educationally behind? the answer is systemic failure. American youth have access to global education, but they do not know how to fully process it because of lack of resources and exposure in the school system. This is not a universal American education experience, so when I see poorly funded schools, I know that the failure is targeted and intentional. Black and Brown children deserve to understand themselves and their world better through global education. The year is 2022. Excuses from our government are tiring, and we should be outraged by the lack of resources and inability to give our children a global education. After all, as told by the rapper Nas, "the world is yours." A thriving education is filled with funding/resources, support of individualized education, and access to global vision and understanding.

Family dynamics are our first learning ground. My family gave me strong roots and strong wings. Our young people should be taught to know their roots/legacies and be encouraged to soar up and beyond.

There was intentional global education in my childhood home, and I took the global baton and continued the course around the globe. As I have traveled around the world, I have been exposed to various mediums. One of my favorite mediums is Nollywood, Nigerias film industry. I am in awe of the familial aspects and cultural legacy Nollywood leads. Nollywood has a very efficient turn out rate, and the quality of its productions keeps getting better. A family drama, on their family compound, about the family fool, is compelling storytelling from my family-oriented perspective. I recommend these movies and TVshows:Temidayo Makanjuolas Blood Sisters, Kunle Afolayans A Naija Christmas and the series Young, Famous and African (which features a few Nigerian personalities). If you have ever attended a Nigerian party, you have experienced the intense power and belly laughs of the people. That energy is transferred through the popular storytelling platform of Nollywood and resonates globally.

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How We Can Use Technology to Connect with the World | Black Writers Week - Roger Ebert

CHICAGO, June 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --Tagore Technology Inc., a pioneer of high-power GaN-based RF switches, today announced the introduction of Ultra-Low-Noise Amplifiers (LNA) and companion Linear Power Amplifier (PA) Driver. The family of devices is tunable from 100MHz to 5GHz and operates from 2.7 V to 5 V supply. These devices are well-suited for a broad range of applications including 5G infrastructure and high-performance Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service (SDARS).

The TL0374J and TL0375J are Ultra-Low Noise Figure LNAs utilizingan advanced pHEMT Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) process technology. The TL0374J is optimized for below 3GHz frequency bands and the TL0375J is optimized for above 3GHz frequency bands. Ultra-Low Noise Figure LNAs offer a noise figure of 0.35dB and Gain of 18dB with adjustable bias current through an external resistor. The TP0310K is a Linear PA driver with Gain of 17dB, OP1dB of 27dBm and OIP3 of 39dBm at 2GHz.

Klaus Buehring,Tagore Technology's Chief Sales and Marketing officer said: "The new Ultra-Low Noise Amplifier and Linear PA driver device deliver a very low NF, high Linearity and good gain required for high performance receivers such as 5G infrastructure and SDARS. Our applications team has developed custom tuning for broad range of application at 5V/60mA and 3V/30mA bias for common cellular band frequencies which can be adopted by our customers."

The ultra-Low Noise Amplifiers are available in a 2x2 DFN package and the Linear PA Driver is available in a compact 3 x 3 mm QFN package. Samples and evaluation boards are available now for all devices. Datasheets are available at tagoretech.com. For samples and pricing information please contactTagore Technology's Sales representative at [emailprotected]

About Tagore TechnologyTagore Technology was founded in January 2011 to pioneer Gallium Nitride-on-Silicon (GaN-on-Si) semiconductor technology for Radio Frequency (RF) and power management applications. We are a fabless semiconductor company with design centers in Arlington Heights, Illinois, USA and Kolkata, India. Our R&D team is dedicated to developing disruptive solutions leveraging wide bandgap technologies that help address RF and power design challenges for our customers and accelerate time-to-market for a wide range of applications. For more information visit http://www.tagoretech.com

For further information please contact:

Name: Anindita RayEmail: [emailprotected]

SOURCE Tagore Technology

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Tagore Technology Introduces Family of Ultra-Low Noise Amplifiers and Linear PA Driver for 5G Infrastructure and High-Performance Receivers - PR...

Researchers at Xidian University in China have trialled a technology that could one day wirelessly beam solar power from space to Earth, as reported by Bloomberg.

The power station model is designed to capture sunlight above the ground and convert it into microwave beams.

Microwave beams are then transmitted to a receiver station on the Earth, where they are again converted into electricity.

The research team has successfully conducted the test before a committee of outside experts, who verified its success.

At present, the power station model only has the capacity to send the energy 55m through the air.

The researchers hope that the transmission range can be further expanded in the future to beam the solar energy to Earth from solar panels orbiting the planet.

In 2013, researchers at the California Institute of Technology launched a space solar programme after receiving a $100m grant.

Researchers in India, Russia, the UK and France are also looking at possibilities for such technology, while Japanese researchers are said to be advanced in this area.

Although individual aspects of solar-from-space technology have already been tested, China is the first to test a full-scale model successfully.

This new technology is intended to help capture sunlight continuously from the sun during both the day and night.

This differentiates it from other clean energy technologies, which can only operate during daylight hours.

In March this year, the Chinese government unveiled plans to build 450GW worth of energy power projects in desert regions.

The government plans to build solar and wind power projects in the Gobi Desert and other desert locations.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has committed to increasing the countrys renewable energy capacity to at least 1.2GW by 2030, as well as ensuring its carbon emissions peak by the same year.

Fabric, Metal and Rubber Expansion Joints

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Chinese researchers test technology to transmit solar power from space - Power Technology

COLUMBUS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As the country grapples with the persistent problem of PFAS contamination, Battelle stands ready to assist with a proven solution that eliminates the source of contaminated drinking water. The PFAS Annihilator attacks the source by destroying the chemicals preventing them from entering drinking water systems.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently issued health advisories for chemical compounds known as PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

These human-made chemicals, first introduced during World War II as an armor coating, have been adapted for a wide variety of everyday products, including food packaging, cosmetics, non-stick cookware, paint, firefighting foams and many other products that are oil and water repellent, temperature resistant and friction reducing. Their usefulness and durabilitytheyre known as forever chemicals is a double-edged sword. Now they are in the water, air and soil, and theyre very difficult to eliminate.

Today, PFAS are ubiquitous in all 50 states in the U.S. and around the world, and most people have them in their bodies. The health effects of some PFAS are linked to infertility, thyroid problems and several types of cancer.

There are currently no federally enforced, science-based standards for PFAS regulation, but the EPA released a PFAS Strategic Roadmap in October 2021 and identified more than 120,000 U.S. locations where people may be exposed to PFAS.

The EPA mid-June advisories for a few of the 5,000-plus PFAS compounds came with an indication that the federal agency will begin to regulate them later this year.

Battelle is ahead of the curve on this problem, said Amy Dindal, Battelles Environment Division manager. During the past decade, we have invested millions of dollars in PFAS research and developed a solution called the PFAS Annihilator to destroy PFAS chemicals.

The technology has been proven to destroy PFAS by using super critical water oxidation (SCWO), a process that results in breaking the carbon-fluorine bond that makes them so durable. Battelles on-site destruction capabilities are designed to eliminate PFAS at the source of contamination before they get to drinking water supplies. The PFAS Annihilator is a scalable technology that is able to be mobile, portable or fixed in terms of operating scenarios. Battelle anticipates that at least four units will be in operation by June 2023.

Other methods for treating PFAS-contaminated water provide removal of PFAS decontamination, but often generate secondary waste that requires additional treatment or landfilling for final disposition of the waste. The Battelle technology destroys PFAS completely, which mitigates concerns with meeting future regulatory limits. Battelle also provides PFAS laboratory analysis and is approved for EPA Method 533 and EPA Method 537.1, both drinking water methods on the EPAs Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5.

Initially, Battelle is focused on addressing sources of PFAS in industrial wastewater, landfill leachate and firefighting foams (AFFF). Later this summer, the PFAS Annihilator will be on site in North Carolina to destroy firefighting foam that have high levels of PFAS because of the suppression capabilities. The foams have been used for years at fire departments, airports, military bases and other sites but are now being phased out. While concerns exist about other treatment and disposal options, the Annihilator is a proven non-combustion technology to destroy PFAS in AFFF.

Earlier this year, the PFAS Annihilator was deployed to a facility in Michigan operated by Heritage-Crystal Clean (HCC). The closed-loop supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) technology was used and completely destroyed PFAS in landfill leachate that was brought to the site. Battelle is currently fabricating a fixed base unit that will be installed to operate at this HCC facility to destroy PFAS in multiple types of aqueous waste.

About Battelle

Every day, the people of Battelle apply science and technology to solving what matters most. At major technology centers and national laboratories around the world, Battelle conducts research and development, designs and manufactures products, and delivers critical services for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio since its founding in 1929, Battelle serves the national security, health and life sciences, and energy and environmental industries. For more information, visit http://www.battelle.org.

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Battelle's Proven Technology Ready to Address PFAS Threats to Drinking Water - Business Wire

University of Central Florida researchers have developed a device for artificial intelligence that mimics the retina of the eye.

The development could lead to advanced AI that can instantly recognize what it sees, like automatic descriptions of pictures taken by a camera or phone. The technology also has applications in self-driving vehicles and robotics.

The device, which is detailed in a new study in the journal ACS Nano, also outperforms the eye in the number of wavelengths it can see, from ultraviolet to visible light and on to the infrared spectrum.

Its uniqueness also comes from its ability to integrate three different operations into one. Current intelligent imaging technology, like whats used in self-driving vehicles, requires separate sensing, memorization and processing of data.

By combining the three steps, the UCF-designed device is many times faster than current technology, the researchers say. The technology is also very small, with hundreds of the devices fitting on a one-inch-wide chip.

It will change the way artificial intelligence is realized today, says study principal investigator Tania Roy, an assistant professor in UCFs Department of Materials Science and Engineering and NanoScience Technology Center. Today, everything is discrete components and running on conventional hardware. And here, we have the capacity to do in-sensor computing using a single device on one small platform.

The technology expands upon previous work by the research team that created brain-like devices that can enable AI to work in remote regions and space.

We had devices, which behaved like the synapses of the human brain, but still, we were not feeding them the image directly, Roy says. Now, by adding image sensing ability to them, we have synapse-like devices that act like smart pixels in a camera by sensing, processing and recognizing images simultaneously.

For self-driving vehicles, the versality of the device will allow for safer driving in a range of conditions, including at night, says Molla Manjurul Islam 17MS, the studys lead author and a doctoral student in UCFs Department of Physics.

If you are in your autonomous vehicle at night and the imaging system of the car operates only at a particular wavelength, say the visible wavelength, it will not see what is in front of it, Islam says. But in our case, with our device, it can actually see in the entire condition.

There is no reported device like this, which can operate simultaneously in ultraviolet range and visible wavelength as well as infrared wavelength, so this is the most unique selling point for this device, he says.

Key to the technology is the engineering of nanoscale surfaces made of molybdenum disulfide and platinum ditelluride to allow for multi-wavelength sensing and memory. This work was performed in close collaboration with YeonWoong Jung, an assistant professor with joint appointments in UCFs NanoScience Technology Center and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, part of UCFs College of Engineering and Computer Science.

The researchers tested the devices accuracy by having it sense and recognize a mixed wavelength image an ultraviolet number 3 and an infrared part that is the mirror image of the digit that were placed together to form an 8. They demonstrated that the technology could discern the patterns and identify it both as a 3 in ultraviolet and an 8 in infrared.

We got 70 to 80% accuracy, which means they have very good chances that they can be realized in hardware, says study co-author Adithi Krishnaprasad 18MS, adoctoral studentin UCFsDepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

The researchers say the technology could become available for use in the next five to 10 years.

Study co-authors also included Durjoy Dev 21, a graduate of UCFs doctoral program in electrical engineering; Ricardo Martinez-Martinez 19MS, a student in UCFs doctoral program in optics and photonics; Victor Okonkwo, a UCF undergraduate student studying biomedical sciences and mechanical engineering; Benjamin Wu with Stony Brook University; Sang Sub Han, a postdoctoral associate in the Jung Research Group at UCF; Tae-Sung Bae and Hee-Suk Chung with the Korea Basic Science Institute; and Jimmy Touma, a research scientist at the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory.

The work was funded by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory through the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and the U.S. National Science Foundation through its CAREER program.

Roy joined UCF in 2016 and is a part of the NanoScience Technology Center with a joint appointment in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, theDepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineeringand theDepartment of Physics. Her National Science Foundation CAREER awardfocuses on the development of devices for artificial intelligence applications. Roy was a postdoctoral scholar at the University of California, Berkeley prior to joining UCF. She received her doctorate in electrical engineering from Vanderbilt University.

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UCF Researchers Develop Technology for AI that Mimics the Human Eye - UCF

INTRODUCTION

Applying digital technologies in dental practices today can be confusing, especially for removable prosthodontics. Until recently, complete denture technologies and procedures had remained practically unchanged for the better part of a century. The invention of the intraoral scanner, printable biocompatible resins, and the desktop 3D printer has essentially revolutionized complete denture techniques for the modern dentist. However, acquiring these technologies alone does not necessarily lead to better outcomes. Digital hardware and software must be utilized with sound principles practically and efficiently to benefit dentists in clinical practice meaningfully.

The topic of digital dentures is popular today and encompasses many techniques and workflows that must be understood and combined for successful outcomes. Arguably, the limitations of digital techniques are as important to consider as the possibilities. Today, dentists have more choices available to them for digital denture fabrication than ever before. This case report will follow a specific treatment pathway of a patient receiving complete denture therapy where both digital and analog processes were utilized.

CASE REPORT

A 65-year-old female presented with her chief concern being an ill-fitting and worn upper complete denture (Figure 1). The existing prosthesis was more than 15 years old and no longer stable or retentive. The patient reported she became edentulous in her early thirties, and the current prosthesis was her third complete denture.

Figure 1. Preoperative presentation.

She also reported her previous long-time dentist recently attempted to replace the denture unsuccessfully. The fit, retention, stability, and tooth arrangement were not to the patients satisfaction, and she sought to have it remade by a different clinician.

After a review of the medical and dental history, the patient was evaluated clinically and radiographically with a panoramic radiograph. A soft-tissue exam was completed with no significant findings. The patient was fully edentulous in the maxilla and partially edentulous in the mandible. The remaining lower anterior teeth were worn, and there was significant resorption in the posterior mandible as well as the maxilla. The palatal arch form was somewhat flat, and the residual ridge was thin and knife-edged anteriorly. The patient reported having a mandibular removable partial denture that was never comfortable and that she was unable to wear it. She reported being able to function adequately with her remaining dentition. The upper denture was found to be worn with an uneven occlusal plane and curve of Spee. The denture tooth arrangement had a midline discrepancy of approximately 8 mm toward the patients right side.

The patient was referred for a surgical consultation to assess the remaining bone volume and evaluate for possible implant support. There was minimal bone remaining, and implant therapy would require significant augmentation procedures the patient was not interested in pursuing. All findings and options were presented and discussed with the patient, including no treatment, as well as risks and benefits. The treatment plan was finalized to replace the complete upper denture and have no treatment in the mandibular arch at the current time.

The patient expressed a desire to have the new denture resemble her existing denture as closely as possible with respect to tooth size, contour, arrangement, and display. It was mutually agreed upon that the midline would be corrected by shifting it to the patients left and bisecting the philtrum of her upper lip. She requested the shade to be similar to but slightly brighter than her existing denture.

The reference denture technique was utilized to accomplish treatment using the patients existing denture and to combine analog and digital workflows. The first step in clinical treatment consisted of making full-face digital portraits with the patient wearing the existing denture in both smiling and retracted poses. These 2 portraits were aligned over each other in digital smile design software (TRIOS Smile Design [3Shape]) that allows the tooth positions to be designed and visualized and toggled accurately between the views.

The proportions and positions of the proposed denture teeth can be customized as the clinician deems appropriate for the particular situation at a level not possible with premanufactured denture teeth. Special care was taken to ensure the patients head did not move significantly between the photographs. If the patients head moves between the poses, its not possible to accurately toggle between the views when designing the tooth positions.

The existing denture was cleaned, and approximately 1 to 2 mm of intaglio acrylic was removed to create space for polyvinyl siloxane. The denture (not coated with adhesive) was loaded with VPS impression material and placed into the mouth in the usual fashion, making sure to record and maintain proper peripheral border molding. The impression was made in 2 phases, with the second phase recording the posterior border palatal seal (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Reference denture impression.

Upon removal of the denture after proper manufacturer setting time, the impression was evaluated and inspected for any significant voids, pulls, or artifacts. The prosthesis was then digitized using a handheld intraoral scanner (TRIOS 4 [3Shape]), beginning on the intaglio surface, then continuing to the peripheral border and, finally, to the labial and occlusal aspects of the denture teeth. The denture was then placed back into the mouth to record the bite relationships. The opposing arch dentition was also recorded with the intraoral scanner in the usual fashion. The denture and all necessary information to design a new denture were now digitized and ready to be utilized (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Data was captured and aligned digitally.

The digital files were exported from the scanning software and imported into the laboratory computer-aided design (CAD) software denture module (Dental System [3Shape]). The denture was virtually designed, and careful attention was paid to the pretreatment goal of maintaining the overall tooth setup and correcting the midline discrepancy (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Virtual denture setup and design.

The digital full-face portraits were aligned with the intraoral scan using common landmark points to allow visualization of the denture in relation to the patients smile (Figure 5). The desired midline correction could also be visualized within the reference of the patients smile to further refine the digital tooth setup (Figure 6).

Figure 5. Digitized impression scan aligned to the facial portrait.

Figure 6. Digital design of the denture setup with a facial reference.

This denture was designed to be milled from a monolithic acrylic puck containing both the gingival base and tooth layer (Ivotion Denture System [Ivoclar Vivadent]). When the design was completed, it was exported from the CAD design software in an STL file format (Figure 7).

Figure 7. Prototype STL file.

This file was imported into the onsite desktop 3D printing computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software (Form 3B [Formlabs]) and printed as a denture prototype using biocompatible denture tooth resin (Denture Tooth Resin [Formlabs]). The prototype was tried in the patient and evaluated for aesthetics, occlusion, and phonetics (Figure 8).

Figure 8. Prototype try-in.

Photographs were retaken and analyzed by both the doctor and patient. Following the evaluation, the file was sent to a digital denture laboratory (The Denture Center, Windsor, Ont, Canada) for manufacturing and delivered to the patient in normal fashion. Final photographs were obtained at the one-week postoperative visit (Figure 9).

Figure 9. Final prosthesis.

DISCUSSION

Rates of edentulism in the United States have been on a steady decline since the middle of the 20th century.1 In the 1950s, up to 19% of the general population was edentulous. By 2012, that figure declined to about 5%. This decline constituted a 78% relative decline. Dental schools followed this trend and generally allocated less time and emphasis to teaching complete dentures than in previous periods. In recent years, as dental schools began adopting digital techniques, some institutions even considered the notion of eliminating analog denture content from their curriculums. The topic of how to handle complete denture education in the modern era can be somewhat controversial and variable, depending on the institution.

Since the 20th century, dentistry itself as a profession has undergone marked changes with the development of new technologies, techniques, equipment, and services. Aesthetic, implant, and prosthodontics have developed and enjoyed robust innovations in materials, techniques, and armamentaria. However, proficiency in complete denture techniques still helps one master many of the critical skills required to assess aesthetics, smile design, occlusion, phonetics, and more. The development of digital denture techniques in recent years can complement and enhance the basic skills and concepts learned with analog processes.

Digital denture techniques have developed and grown over the last 2 decades.2 However, there can be confusion about just what a digital denture is. The term digital denture can be divided between digital information capture and digital manufacturing. There are many decisions that are necessary for each unique clinical situation on how best to use or not use digital technology. The advent of advanced intraoral scanners has allowed dentists to capture edentulous data digitally for the first time. The advancement of milling and printing technologies over the past 20 or so years has allowed the dental technician freedom to manufacture dentures using various techniques, workflows, and materials.

The clinical case presented above utilized multiple techniques and technologies to produce the outcome. The impression was made analog and then immediately digitized. The digital file was used to perform a virtual denture setup and then additively manufactured into a denture prototype rather than a traditional wax setup. Denture prototypes differ from wax try-ins in that a prototype will have a fit identical to the final prosthesis because it is produced from the master impression itself rather than a baseplate hand-formed over the master cast. This allows the clinician an opportunity to evaluate and assess retention and stability prior to finalizing the prosthesis. A significant advantage of this technique is the try-in step with the printed prototype. If retention and stability are not ideal, the prototype can itself be used as a custom impression tray to obtain an updated impression before the final prosthesis is manufactured. With analog-style techniques, cases with a lack of adequate retention and stability were often only discovered at the final prosthesis delivery appointment. This could be potentially upsetting to both doctor and patient when the intention is to finalize treatment during the appointment.

Today, some dentists are adding digital design and manufacturing equipment to their private offices to produce dentures and other final restorations on-site rather than outsource them.3 While certainly possible, producing final restorations on-site may not align with all clinicians looking to leverage technology without also adding cost, complexity, and responsibility. Dentists producing prostheses on-site are essentially starting in-house laboratories in their clinics. Taking control and responsibility for final prostheses ideally requires a trained team, laboratory equipment, and various denture materials.4 If a practice is not performing large numbers of cases, the return on investment may not deliver as intended.

However, utilizing the workflow outlined in this case report allows the clinician to leverage digital technology while still outsourcing final manufacturing. By combining an intraoral scanner, CAD design software, and a desktop 3D printer, the modern clinician can control the data capture, virtual design, and manufacturing of the denture prototype with relatively minimal capital investment. The responsibility and investments required to produce the final restoration can still be outsourced.

The development of digital denture design software allows any clinician to accomplish denture tooth setups accurately and efficiently without the learning curve of traditional manual waxing. These software products have essentially leveled the playing field with respect to the design process such that any clinician can easily learn and apply the workflows. Whereas final outcomes with analog workflows are highly dependent on the technicians specific experience and hand skills, digital design allows even a novice operator to produce denture setups comparable to those from expert technicians.

Today, many clinicians are interested in using intraoral scanners to record edentulous tissues and eliminating physical impression procedures from complete denture workflows. The proof of concept has been well-documented by groups in the United States and internationally.5 While it is most certainly possible to record edentulous tissues with todays generation of intraoral scanners, it often remains one of the more technique-sensitive and situation-specific procedures in digital dentistry with some inherent limitations. Variables including limited oral access, strong muscle tone, lack of keratinized tissue, hypermobile tissues, and poor patient cooperation must be considered before scanning tissues directly. Understanding the limitations of digital technology is as essential as understanding its capabilities. In the authors experience, immediately digitizing an impression offers a consistent method of capturing the necessary information without the variables mentioned above. Combining analog impression techniques with sound prosthodontic principles and digital design/manufacturing processes may offer the best of all worlds in treating complete denture patients today. The patient presented here was immediately satisfied with her new prosthesis, and it required minimal post-op adjustments. Implementing digital workflows in complete denture patients can empower the clinician to provide a more predictable and efficient rendering of complete denture services.

CONCLUSION

Digital techniques in dentistry and removable prosthodontics are rapidly changing the capabilities and workflows available to the contemporary dental clinician. Leveraging digital technologies with sound prosthodontic principles and time-tested analog techniques results in a hybridization of techniques to improve patient outcomes and treatment efficiency.

Dentists taking responsibility for data capture, design, and prototyping while outsourcing final manufacturing offer a pragmatic and practical utilization of digital technologies for complete denture prosthodontics.

REFERENCES

1. Slade GD, Akinkugbe AA, Sanders AE. Projections of U.S. edentulism prevalence following 5 decades of decline. J Dent Res. 2014;93(10):95965. doi:10.1177/0022034514546165

2. Bonnet G, Batisse C, Bessadet M, et al. A new digital denture procedure: a first practitioners appraisal. BMC Oral Health. 2017;17(1):155. doi:10.1186/s12903-017-0440-z

3. Dusmukhamedov S, Lee C-N, Jeong S-M, et al. Digital denture fabrication: a technical note. Appl Sci. 2021;11(17):8093. doi.org/10.3390/app11178093

4. Andreescu CF, Ghergic DL, Botoaca D, et al. Evaluation of different materials used for fabrication of complete digital denture. Materiale Plastice. 2018;55(1):1248.

5. Lo Russo L, Caradonna G, Salamini A, et al. Intraoral scans of edentulous arches for denture design in a single procedure. J Prosthet Dent. 2020;123(2):2159. doi:10.1016/j.prosdent.2019.03.022

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Rajan brings more than 18 years of experience to a full-time general practice in Mendham, NJ, focused on restorative, implant, and aesthetic dentistry. Dr. Rajan has been involved with digital techniques in dentistry since 2007. His focus is on optimizing intraoral scanning and digital workflows in restorative practices.

He has lectured extensively nationally and internationally as a key opinion leader for 3Shape, Straumann, and Henry Schein as well as for the Seattle Study Club. Dr. Rajan has obtained Fellowship in the AGD and trained at both Spear Education and the Pankey Institute. He is actively involved in dental education as the assistant director of digital dentistry at the Touro College of Dental Medicine and a founding member at CADpro Academy, a center for education in digital dentistry.

He can be reached at naren@cadproacademy.com.

Disclosure: Dr. Rajan has been a key opinion leader for 3Shape.

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Dentures and the Practical Application of Digital Technology - Dentistry Today

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Global Market Report 2022: By Technology, By Route, By Indication" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global antisense & RNAI therapeutics market is expected to grow from $1.32 billion in 2021 to $1.42 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8%. The market is expected to reach $2.14 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 10.8%.

Major players in the antisense & RNAi therapeutics market are Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Benitec Biopharma Ltd., Gene Signal, GlaxoSmithKline Plc, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Marina Biosciences, Quark Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi S.A, Acuitas Therapeutics and Antisense Therapeutics Ltd.

The antisense & RNAi therapeutics market consists of sales of antisense & RNAi therapeutics products and related services by entities (organizations, sole traders and partnerships) that develop antisense & RNAi therapeutics to treat various diseases. RNA interference (RNAi)-based and RNA-based antisense oligonucleotide therapies are advanced methods used for the treatment of various respiratory diseases including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. In addition to this, antisense & RNAi therapeutics finds its application in curing cancer, infectious diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and genetic disorders.

The main technologies of antisense & RNAi therapeutics are RNA interference, antisense RNA. RNA interference is a conserved biological response to double-stranded RNA that mediates resistance to both endogenous parasitic and exogenous pathogenic nucleic acids and regulates protein-coding gene expression.

The various route of administration include pulmonary delivery, intravenous injections, intra-dermal injections, intraperitoneal injections, topical delivery, other delivery methods that are used for the indication of oncology, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), respiratory disorders, neurological disorders, infectious diseases, other.

The rising prevalence of coronary artery diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, and infectious diseases is projected to contribute to the demand for the antisense & RNAi therapeutics market. Gene suppression approaches including RNA interference and antisense oligonucleotides are used for the treatment of various neurodegenerative conditions by repairing mutant genes.

According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease are the most common neurodegenerative diseases affecting millions of people globally. In the USA, around 930,000 people had Parkinson's disease by the end of 2020. Hence, the growing prevalence of several neurodegenerative diseases and infectious diseases is expected to drive the growth of the antisense & RNAi therapeutics market.

The high cost of RNA interference-based drugs is expected to act as a major restraint for the growth of the antisense & RNAi therapeutics market in the future. For instance, according to Future Medicine, the price of Onpattro is approximately $450,000 per year. Onpattro (patisaran) is the RNA interference-based drug used for the treatment of the polyneuropathy of hereditary transthyretin-mediated (hATTR) amyloidosis in adults.

Stringent regulations, long product approval process, high development cost, and a comparably small number of patients are few factors leading to the high cost of RNA interference drugs, which is expected to hinder the antisense & RNAi therapeutics' market growth in upcoming years.

Major companies operating in the antisense & RNAi therapeutics market are undertaking strategic initiatives such as collaborations and partnerships for product innovation to sustain in the increasingly competitive market, companies are developing innovative products as well as sharing skills and expertise with other companies.

While companies have long collaborated with each other as well as with academic and research institutions in this market by way of partnerships, and in or out-licensing deals, this trend has been increasing over recent years.

Companies Featured

Key Topics Covered:

1. Executive Summary

2. Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market Characteristics

3. Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market Trends And Strategies

4. Impact Of COVID-19 On Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics

5. Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market Size And Growth

5.1. Global Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Historic Market, 2016-2021, $ Billion

5.1.1. Drivers Of The Market

5.1.2. Restraints On The Market

5.2. Global Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Forecast Market, 2021-2026F, 2031F, $ Billion

5.2.1. Drivers Of The Market

5.2.2. Restraints On the Market

6. Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market Segmentation

6.1. Global Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market, Segmentation By Technology, Historic and Forecast, 2016-2021, 2021-2026F, 2031F, $ Billion

6.2. Global Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market, Segmentation By Route of Administration, Historic and Forecast, 2016-2021, 2021-2026F, 2031F, $ Billion

6.3. Global Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market, Segmentation By Indication, Historic and Forecast, 2016-2021, 2021-2026F, 2031F, $ Billion

7. Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market Regional And Country Analysis

7.1. Global Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market, Split By Region, Historic and Forecast, 2016-2021, 2021-2026F, 2031F, $ Billion

7.2. Global Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market, Split By Country, Historic and Forecast, 2016-2021, 2021-2026F, 2031F, $ Billion

8. Asia-Pacific Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market

8.1. Asia-Pacific Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market Overview

8.2. Asia-Pacific Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market, Segmentation By Technology, Historic and Forecast, 2016-2021, 2021-2026F, 2031F, $ Billion

8.3. Asia-Pacific Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market, Segmentation By Route of Administration, Historic and Forecast, 2016-2021, 2021-2026F, 2031F, $ Billion

9. China Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market

10. India Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market

11. Japan Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market

12. Australia Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market

13. Indonesia Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market

14. South Korea Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market

15. Western Europe Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market

16. UK Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market

17. Germany Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market

18. France Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market

19. Eastern Europe Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market

20. Russia Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market

21. North America Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market

22. USA Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market

23. South America Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market

24. Brazil Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market

25. Middle East Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market

26. Africa Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market

27. Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market Competitive Landscape And Company Profiles

27.1. Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market Competitive Landscape

27.2. Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market Company Profiles

28. Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Pipeline Analysis

29. Key Mergers And Acquisitions In The Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market

30. Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market Future Outlook and Potential Analysis

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Global Antisense & RNAi Therapeutics Market Research Report 2022: Technology, Route, Indication Analysis & Forecasts, 2016-2021, 2021-2026F,...

By Anser Hassan

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CASTRO VALLEY, California (KGO) It has been 28 years since Jenny Lin was murdered in her home in Castro Valley. The family continues the search for the killer.

A vigil and march was held Friday night in Castro Valley in her honor.

We think about her and we ask ourselves, Is this what Jenny would want us to do? And thats what keeps us going, explains Mei-Lian Lin, Jennys mother.

In 1994, then 14-year-old Jenny Lin was murdered in their house in Castro Valley. Jennys father found her dead body in the bathroom. But no one has found the killer.

We are still pretty frustrated that after all these years, the case is still not solved. However, we are encouraged, says John Lin, Jennys father.

Encouraged because new technology may have led to a breakthrough in the case, says Alameda County Sheriff Greg Ahern.

Sheriff Ahern says all the evidence has been reexamined with new DNA technology, which allows them to extract new cells, and has given them new leads.

We have a couple of possibilities that we are holding close to our vest. We want to make sure we dont disclose too much to a potential suspect, says Sheriff Ahern.

Ahern says Sebastian Shaw was once considered the prime suspect, but was later ruled out. Shaw died last year in prison while severing three life sentences for murder.

Jennys parents they couldnt do this without community support.

Mei-Lian says it has been hard as a mother over all these years, but adds this is a parents commitment to justice and to their daughter.

It is very hard, but we have learned how to manage it, says Mei-Lian. We know its sad. But we also know that we need to find justice for Jenny.

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New technology may lead to breakthrough in 1994 murder of teen, sheriff says - KTVZ

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. Intellectual Property Developers LLC in Independence, Mo., is introducing zinc oxide thin-film transistors technology for radiation-hardened applications in space.

Called the ZnO Radiation-Hardened Thin-Film Transistors, the patented rad-hard space electronics technology was developed together with Auburn University in Auburn, Ala.

A thin-film transistor is made up of an annealed layer comprising crystalline zinc oxide, with a passivation layer adjacent to the thin-film transistor. The passivation layer has a thickness and material composition such that when a dose of radiation from a radiation source irradiates the thin-film transistor, a portion of the dose that includes an approximate maximum concentration of the dose is located within the annealed layer.

Related: Radiation-hardened MOSFET qualified for commercial and military satellites and space power solutions

The annealed layer has a thickness and threshold displacement energies after it has been annealed such that a difference between a transfer characteristic value of the thin-film transistor before and after the dose is less than a first threshold; and a difference between a transistor output characteristic value of the thin-film before and after the dose is less than a second threshold. The thresholds are based on a desired performance of the thin-film transistor.

The ZnO technology is radiation-hardened upon irradiation of gamma-ray radiation, and is intended for radiation hard electronics application in space, nuclear power facilities, high-altitude aviation, and other radiation environments.

ZnO technology offers reduced volume, mass, and power consumption that can operate in extreme temperature ranges.

Related: Radiation-hardened space electronics enter the multi-core era

ZnO technology compares favorably to silicon carbide (SiC), gallium nitride. ZnO technology is relatively inexpensive to synthesize device quality materials compared to GaN or SiC, Intellectual Property Developers officials say.

The company has completed a two-year research project, which shows that ZnO transistors are working well under exposure in difficult radiation situations. A patent for ZnO technology has been approved by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria, Va.

For more information contact Vincent Salva, president of Intellectual Property Developers LLC, by email at vpsuss@aol.com, or by phone at 816-254-6670.

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Zinc oxide thin-film transistors technology introduced for radiation-hardened applications in space - Military & Aerospace Electronics