Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Best Sterilizers On The Market Today
When it comes to your baby, many parents place having a clean living environment somewhere near the top of their priority list. No parent wants to see their child get sick, especially when it is a very young child who is perhaps still taking bottles to feed. That is where sterilizers have come into play and have been helping parents keep their children's bottles germ free.
There are a variety of sterilizers available on the market today, everything from sterilizers that you simply leave on the counter and forget about to bottle sterilizers that you pop in the microwave. Before you purchase a bottle sterilizer, it is important to understand that it is not for cleaning the bottles. Prior to use, you should always wash your baby's bottles before putting them through the process of sterilization.
As previously stated, many baby bottle sterilizers are available to fit practically every parent's needs as well as their budget. There are simple microwave sterilizers, that involve placing the bottles on a rack, filling the bottom tray with water, then allowing the microwave to create steam to sterilize the bottles. Still others may remind you of steaming vegetables, with a plastic bag setup, as opposed to a rack and tray, that you pop into the microwave as well. There are also electric counter-top sterilizers that might fit in on your counter right next to your toaster. These sterilizers have their own dedicated heating element that will create the steam necessary to sterilize the bottles. These electric sterilizers even come with cycle settings in order to repeat the sterilization process at predetermined intervals throughout the day.
Technology has certainly come a long way when it comes to keeping our babies, and their bottles, germ-free and healthy. Instead of boiling bottles and nipples on the stove, possibly forgetting about them and "overcooking" the bottle, we now have a wide array of convenient tools to make parenting that much easier. Is there one bottle sterilizer that fits everyone? Not necessarily. It all depends on what fits your budget, as well as your needs and preferences as a parent.
Here are the top rated Baby Bottle Sterilizer on Amazon.com:
1 - Microwave Steam Sterilizer by Dr. Brown's
2 - Philips Avent Express Microwave Sterilizer
3 - Germ Guardian Dry Heat Nursery Sanitizer
Learn more about the Top Rated Baby Bottle Sterilizer On Amazon.com at Baby Bottle Sterilizer
There are several reviews of the best baby Bottle Sterilizers from some of the top manufacturers like Philips Avent, Dr. Brown's and Germ Guardian.
Sterilizer Monitoring In the Dental Office
In 2003, the Centers for Disease Control issued Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings.The guidelines are intended to educate dental personnel regarding infection control and to prevent the transmission of bloodborne pathogens.
This comprehensive document covers: hand hygiene, personal protective equipment, contact dermatitis/latex allergy, disinfection/sterilization, environmental infection control, waterlines/biofilms and special dental considerations such as hand pieces, radiographs and laboratory procedures.
The CDC's Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Settings are evidenced based and well documented. One of the areas that must be emphasized in dental offices is sterilization of dental instruments. Along with the proper sterilization of instruments and materials, sterilizer monitoring is an essential part of the infection control program.
Many factors can cause sterilization to fail--from procedural errors that are easily remedied, like overloading, to mechanical problems that can take a sterilizer out of service until repairs can be made. Since this variety of factors can influence successful sterilization, the CDC and the American Dental Association encourage dentists to regularly assess the efficiency of their in-office sterilizers.
Sterilization should be monitored using both chemical and biological indicators. Chemical indicators, such as indicator tapes, are to be used with each instrument load. A color change of these indicators reveals exposure to the proper sterilization conditions.
Failure of the indicator to change color indicates that it was not exposed to the proper sterilization environment (e.g., proper pressure or temperature). In such cases, the instrument load should be re-sterilized. Indicator tapes are made specifically for certain types of sterilizers (i.e., tapes for steam sterilizers cannot be used to test chemical vapor sterilizers). Chemical indicators should not replace biological indicators, as only a biological indicator consisting of bacterial endospores can measure the microbial killing power of the sterilization process.
The CDC and ADA both recommend that sterilizers be monitored at least weekly with biological indicators. Each state dental board may actually have a requirement for biological monitoring.
Biological monitoring can be done in two ways. In-office incubator and spore monitoring strips can be purchased from dental supply houses. This method usually gives results in 24-48 hours. Mail-in spore monitoring programs are also available. This process usually takes a week. Although it takes longer to get results, mail-in monitoring programs may be more reliable and credible than in-house monitoring. A log of spore test results should be maintained in the dental office, usually in the sterilization area.
A positive test using chemical or biological indicators signifies that sterilization failed. If the chemical indicator does not change color or the spore test result is positive, the following steps are recommended. The sterilizer should be taken out of service. Instruments that were used after the last documented negative spore test should not be used. The sterilization process being followed in the office should be reviewed to rule out operator error as the cause of failure.
If procedural problems are identified, they should be corrected and the sterilizer retested with mechanical, chemical and biological indicators. If the repeat biological indicator test is negative and the other test results fall within normal limits, the sterilizer can be returned to service. If the biological indicator or the chemical tests indicate failure, sterilizers should be removed from use until the problem is identified and corrected. The dental repair company should be contacted for a service call and possible loan of an interim sterilizer.
Before the sterilizer can be returned to service, negative results should be returned for biological indicator tests conducted during three consecutive empty-chamber sterilization cycles to ensure that the problem has been corrected.
Steven J. Brazis DDS is a family and cosmetic dentist in Sacramento, CA. He has been practicing for 35 years and has written one book and many articles on dentistry. You can visit his web site at: Toothhaven.com
Forced Sterilization in America and Canada
We are lucky to have a choice about our birth control options. Some people, world-wide, have not been given that choice. Forced sterilizations have been performed in the United States and Canada as well as globally. Find out why these atrocities were committed, and learn about your contraceptive rights.
Eugenics
Eugenics is the practice of trying to make the human species better. This is the bid to build a faster, smarter, and better human. Many sterilization programs, including the programs in numerous American states, were created to improve the gene pool. These forced sterilizations focused on mentally disabled people, or people with physical disabilities, such as being blind.
Timeline
In 1897, Michigan became the first state bring up forced sterilization legislature. This legislature did not pass; nor did Pennsylvania's attempts a few years later. The first state to introduce sterilization laws was Indiana, in 1907; Washington and California followed suit in 1907. In 1927 the famed sterilization case Buck v. Bell was heard in the supreme courts, which legalized forced sterilizations, and began the age of the most forced sterilizations. In 1942 the case Skinner v. Oklahoma ruled that you cannot sterilize someone as a punishment, which partially curtailed forced sterilizations. By 1963, most states had taken sterilization laws out of use, though many of them remained in the law books for longer: North Carolina did not rescind their laws until 1974. Roughly 70,000 Americans were sterilized against their will.
Buck v. Bell
In 1924 Virginia passed a law that stated that all mentally disabled individuals had to be sterilized for eugenic reasons. In 1927, Carrie Bell was ordered to be sterilized. Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. explained that the sanctity of the gene pool outweighed one person's physical rights. The reason for sterilizing Carrie was that she was allegedly mentally slower and had a history of prostitution. Current scholarship has demonstrated that Carrie was probably sterilized because of her and her mother's promiscuous ways.
Sexism
As the case of Carrie Bell demonstrates, forced sterilizations were often performed on women for unjust reasons. Whereas men were allowed to be sexually promiscuous (and were often encouraged to be), women were meant to be chaste. Having children out of wedlock could lead to sterilization. Some women were sterilized without their knowledge of it. Many of the women who were forcibly sterilized were barely women at all, being often only 14, or even younger.
Racism
In many states and provinces, racism was a motivating factor in compulsory sterilizations. In North Carolina, for instance, many black women were sterilized when they went in to give birth to their babies. In Alberta, eugenics was allegedly being used to prevent further babies being born with mental or physical disabilities. However, an overly large proportion of Métis women were sterilized. The Métis people are an aboriginal people, who have a heritage of First Nations mixed with European settlers. It is possible that the government was concerned because they represented miscegenation, that is, the mixing of racial genes.
Poverty
Just as gender and race are factors in forced sterilizations, socioeconomic status is also a factor. Often, gender, race, and class were all combined. It was more often than not the black people who were poor, and it was often the black poor women who were sterilized against their wills. Some argued that sterilizing poor people was a blessing because it allowed a family to take care of the children they already had.
Your Rights
You have a right to not be sterilized without your consent. No matter of physical or mental disabilities, nobody in Canada or the United States is legally allowed to be sterilized without consent.
You can, however, choose to have a sterilization for your method of birth control. Birth control remains in your hands, and not the governments'. Learn more about your birth control options to prevent unwanted pregnancies and to use your power of choice.
Lilith Mill is the editor of The Guide to Birth Control [http://www.theguideto-birthcontrol.com/birth_control_myths/], a site dedicated to providing you the facts about many forms of contraception so that you can make the right choice for you.
How to Get the Best Results From a Microwave Sterilizer Bag
Sterilizer bags come with instructions printed on the side of each one, so you can't go wrong, and most of the manufacturers have directions available for their style of bag too. The instructions are there both for your safety and to help you get the best results from the sterilizing bags. For whatever reason if you find that you don't have any instructions on how to use them, then you can follow these simple steps.
First wash all the items well before sterilizing. The sterilizing process is designed to kill bacteria, not to remove dirt, grime or food deposits. Bacteria will be in any food residue so that is why it is important to clean it thoroughly first. Sterilizing a dirty baby bottle is ineffective because the bacteria are protected by any food or liquid residue.
I hear you asking "If I clean it thoroughly, won't that remove the germs? So why sterilize?" Washing does remove a significant amount of bacteria found in those food deposits, however as you are generally washing in warm-hot water, those bacteria are not killed and are still present in the water and remain even on clean surfaces after they dry. By cleaning the babies bottle first you remove all the bacterial 'hiding places' and now they are all out in the open ready to be killed off in the sterilization process.
Add the right amount of water. Place any items like feeding bottles into the sterilizer bags and add 100ml of water into the bottom. Adding water is a critical part of the sterilization process. Microwave bag sterilizers will not work with out water. The reason for this is that the sterilization is done by steam at greater than 100 degrees Celsius. As the bag is heated in the microwave, the water boils, creating steam which in turn kills the bacteria and sterilizes the bottle. The amount of water that you put into bag may very depending on its size and specifications of the manufacturer. Somewhere between 60 and 100 ml water is sufficient, but never use less than 60 ml. If you have insufficient water all the water may boil off and cause damage to the bag and the feeding equipment.
Sterilize the right items. You can put any item like baby bottles, nipples and teats, a breast pump or other feeding equipment into the bags. But do not over load it, as the bag must shut correctly. You can also sterilize other items to help your family's health. Toothbrushes for example are a common item that can be sterilized in a microwave bag. Many diabetics use syringes to inject themselves with insulin, and syringes can be sterilized with a microwave bag. Or if you are caring for sick or elderly family members then they too would benefit by sterilizing their catheters or any other medical equipment.
Remember - never place metal items into the microwave.
Seal the bag properly. This is an important step to ensure that the sterilization occurs correctly. The seal must be tight in order to keep the steam in the bag. If the bag is over filled the seal might pop open or if you have not sealed it properly then steam will unnecessarily escape out of the bag and the sterilization process compromised. If steam escapes in an uncontrolled manner out of the microwave bag then the temperature inside the bag is likely to be less than 100 degrees Celsius and you will not achieve the high temperatures for the length of time required to achieve good sterilization. And an open bag cannot sterilize anything, so before you press 'start' on the microwave make sure the bag is sealed properly.
Have the microwave on for the right amount of time. Each microwave has a different amount of power so it is important that the microwave is on the correct power setting for the right amount of time to achieve the best results. Read the manufacturers instructions as to how long to put the bag in the microwave for that particular type of bag.
For example microwave ovens over 1100W need may only be on high for 1.5 minutes (90 seconds), 800W - 1100W microwaves on high for 3 minutes, and 500W - 800W microwaves on high for 5 minutes. Read your bag carefully to make sure you know how long you need to sterilise for.
Sterilization is done by a combination of temperature and time. You don't achieve good sterilization by raising the temperature to 100 degrees Celsius for a moment and then letting it cool down. These high temperatures must be maintained for at least 60 seconds. The powerful microwaves boil the water faster and superheat the steam, and so require less time, whereas the less powerful microwaves take more time to bring the water in the bag to boiling point and do not superheat the steam significantly.
Let the bag cool down before opening. You are trying to do the right thing by your babies health, and you also need to do the right thing by your own health - so be smart and let the bag cool down in the microwave for 60 seconds before taking it out. Then take care opening the bag as there will still be hot water inside.
On some bags there is a small notch in the side to allow steam to escape in an orderly manner and also to pour out the remaining hot water. They may also have a safe grip tab on the other end so you can confidently grab the bag, take it out of the microwave, and put the bag in the sink to pour out the hot water.
Your items are sterilized and ready for use. Open the bag and use them immediately or keep them in the bag for use later on. Items will remain sterile inside the bag for a couple of days.
I hope this guide helps you get the best results for using microwave sterilizer bags and your baby stays healthy and happy.
Jess Embling runs Easy Bubs Baby Care. She promotes baby products that are healthy for baby and cost effective & convenient for parents, like BPA-free Microwave Sterilizer Bags. They are the easiest and fastest way for sterilizing baby bottles and are a great to sterilize a babies bottle when you travel.
Don't Touch the Sterile Site With That NOT-Sterile (Non-Sterile) Glove!
Gloves: there are two types of gloves in the health care field: sterile and non-sterile.
Sterile gloves - protect the patient from germs.
Non-sterile gloves - protect the worker from germs.
Did you catch that huge difference in mission and purpose?
In the vein access of 'phlebotomy', we wear non-sterile gloves. And there are some things that you need to know about the non-sterile glove - to prevent infections during that venipuncture.
Let's compare: Sterile vs. Non-sterile
1. What does non mean? Not! So, really we have - sterile vs. Not-sterile
2. In terms of germs, what do we have? - no germs vs. Has germs
3. Let's assign terms clean and dirty based on germs. No germs = clean has germs = dirty
i know, I know . . . These applications of the words clean and dirty are not how the health care industry defines them. Medically speaking, these words "sterile", "clean", "dirty", and "non-sterile" have their own definition.
Sterile = guaranteed no germs. Clean = not sterile, but coming out of a box or package that is not dirty, therefore, not soiled, not used. Dirty = implies soiled, and/or used, and/or visibly dirty. Non-sterile = not sterile, has some germs(?), but clean.....Until used....Then soiled!
I can see how confusing all of this can be. So, let's clarify it, re-define it, and globally agree on one understanding of it, because not-sterile gloves are touching the needle insertion site every day.
That's how I want to begin this chapter because there is a huge misconception out there about non-sterile gloves. Some health care workers and nearly all patients think that non-sterile gloves are without germs and/or that the patient's are protected from germs because gloves are worn, and this couldn't be further from the truth - this is only true if the gloves worn are sterile gloves!
We are wearing non-sterile gloves, not sterile gloves.
The little scientist who invented the glove meant it for one purpose with regards to the phlebotomy. That purpose is to protect the phlebotomist from the patient's blood. That is its only mission! The non-sterile glove wasn't meant to protect the patient from us. That's the role of the sterile glove.
The reason this is so important to emphasize is because you see health care providers touch the vein access site, right before they stick it, with that not sterile glove. Did you get that? The not sterile glove touches the sterile site!
Right before the phlebotomist inserts the needle into the vein, he/she reaches up with their other gloved index finger to feel the vein 'one more time', right before they stick, touching the very site that they intend to insert the needle through and into the blood stream!!! Was that a clean glove? No! It was a not-sterile glove. It was a glove that had touched non-sterile tools (i.E. The tourniquet, the bed side table, the needle package, the patient, etc.) potentially picking up whatever germs were lurking about. How dangerous is that? How often do you see that happen?
And we wonder how infections occur!
Don't touch the sterile site (with that dirty not-sterile glove) right before you stick it. If you have problems remembering where the vein is at, "landmark" it.
Everyone thinks they are safe just because a glove is worn - we have created a false sense of security and safety in one of the highest risk environments.
Not-sterile gloves have a purpose, but a limited one - gloves are to protect the 'phlebotomist' from the patient's blood. That's it! No other purpose! Not-sterile gloves do not protect the patient - in fact, they can kill the patient.
Don't touch the sterile site with the not-sterile glove.
M. Gail Stotler, Vein Access Technologist, B.S.N., R.N.
Reputation Risks For Pharma Companies on the Internet
"This company is not realizing the reputation damage with every development in the court", quipped a pharma journalist. What she was referring to was a court case filed by an MNC in an Indian court for patent on a cancer drug. The case was attracting high media coverage as an NGO and some Indian companies were opposing the move.
Reporting of a case proceeding harming the reputation of a global pharma giant? How? She further added, "The minute there is a word from the court on the case, some activist groups sitting in some other part of the world, immediately issues a note on patents and healthcare challenges in developing countries, which we in India also receive. I am sure these notes are received by journalists in other countries as well. Imagine a court case in an Indian city, opposing an MNC on a patent which will make the drug unaffordable to millions, reaching out to a global audience. This global company is tarnishing its reputation because of this case."
Long live the internet. No doubt, the paradigm of free flow of information has changed with the power of communication now in an individual's hand. The economically or politically powerful can no longer manage the news.
The power of globalised media has taken a new dimension. I have noticed a new trend recently. An activist group based in Europe or some other part of the world issues a report, which is picked by the Indian media and stories filed. What is astonishing is that the author of the report may be Mumbai based, while the report is issued from a group in a foreign country. The issue of action against pharmaceutical companies for industrial pollution around Hyderabad is a case in point. Some MNC's who have outsourced their clinical research work to India have also faced the music.
Unleashing the power of communication in people's hands - internet in true democratic style is also opening a Pandora's Box on newer and ethical challenges. Not long back, facing a rather peculiar situation was an Indian pharma company. An obscure website from the middle-east carried a negative write-up against the company (with some fictitious facts). The Indian media picked up the news (thanks to Google alerts) and started calling the company. Thankfully, I must exclaim! The PR team posed only one question to the journalist fraternity- "Would you trust the company or an obscure website?" The media displayed maturity and did not publish stories.
True, we live in a democracy where everyone has the freedom of speech and the internet is an open forum for everyone to express their views. However, apart from posing reputation challenges for large businesses and governments, there are a few other issues at stake- those of liberties, rights and honour. Accompanying every right is a corresponding responsibility. While I might have the freedom of expression in the country, I have no right to cause harm with my expression. An eve-teaser can not claim immunity under this right, because he is not only trampling the right of privacy but also impinging on the honour of a woman.
The recent incident involving a TV channel and a blogger is a case in point. While I don't support the tactics adopted by the channel, I do subscribe to their position that as a responsible media house they have checks and balances in place. The media organisation stands responsible for the news that it shows. Who controls the information on the internet? Any individual with an internet connection can put any information on the net, tarnish anybody's reputation and nobody can take any action.
The world today is debating the effects of greed, conspicuous consumption and non-regulated economic environment. Is it time for some discussion on the free market of communication on the net?
Pharma companies are constantly under the scanner, be it for product quality, environmental issues, ethical considerations in clinical research, overpricing, policy changes, trade partner protests, etc. Its time pharma companies devise strategies of managing reputation on the net.
Noumaan Qureshi, based in Mumbai (India) works in the Healthcare practice at one of India's leading PR consultancies.
Pharmaceutical Industry in India, Top Pharma Companies and Jobs
Pharmaceutical companies in India are growing at a very fast pace and this has made the Indian pharmaceutical industry as the second largest growing industry. Also the pharmaceutical industry in India is the third largest in the world, which will be of US$20 billion by 2015. Mergers and acquisitions are the part of this growth. The compounded annual growth rate of pharma in India is 12-15% and the global figures are 4-7% for the period of 2008-2013. With such a profound growth of pharmaceutical companies in India numerous pharmaceutical jobs can be seen. This in turn is helping biotechnology industry and booming the biotechnology jobs in India.
Angel Broking has done a research on the growth of pharmaceutical industry and found that by 2015 the pharmaceutical industry in India will be in the top 10 markets. Yet another finding of FICCI-Ernst & Young study reveals that the population of high income group in India is rising which will give rise to more influx of MNCs and expensive drugs.
Pharmaceutical companies along with native companies are also competing with the top MNCs. Such a profound growth is because of the heavy population figures and with the increasing number of middle class people and their income the access to drugs and medicines is also increasing. But still the low-priced generics are popular in Indian pharmaceutical industry.
From India in year 2007-08 total of US$ 8.25 billion were exported and there was seen 29% rise in this figure in 2009. MR Anand Sharma, Union Minister of Commerce said that pharmaceutical sector in India has grown and it is the major contributor to exports from India. In 1990 the amount was meager as compare to today's massive figures.
Initiatives by Government
- Tax breaks are offered to pharma industry
- New procedure for the development drugs
- Proper clinical procedures
- New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative and the Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Research Programme - Two schemes launched by the government.
Some Vital Information on Pharmaceutical Companies in India
- In terms of volume - India's pharmaceutical industry is the third largest in the entire world.
- In terms of value - India's pharmaceutical industry ranks fourteenth
- By 2015 - It will be in the list of top 10 global pharmaceutical markets and it will touch US $ 20 billion.
- 2008-2009 - Saw 29% growth in exports of pharmaceutical drugs as compared to 2007
- 2013 - Indian formulation market is expected to touch US$ 13.7 billion
Top 10 Pharmaceutical Companies in India
- Ranbaxy
- Dr Reddy's Laboratories
- Cipla
- Sun Pharma Industries
- Lupin Labs
- Aurobindo Pharma
- GlaxoSmithKline Pharma
- Cadila Healthcare
- Aventis Pharma
- Ipca Laboratories
R Oberoi is associated with Manpower from India and recommends http://www.manpowerindia.net for searching and finding information on all kinds of jobs.
Pharma Companies Taking a Second Look at Startups in 2012
Pharma companies are taking a second look at startups in 2012. These companies are known to be a driving force in the research and development of new medications. This is currently a lucrative area, and many of these startups provide a lot of innovation in this field. These new companies are able to work in a number of ways that are not available to many of the largest firms. They often have a greater freedom to develop their products.
Many of the innovations that occur in the pharmaceutical industry are brought about by small startup companies. A pharma company often has to struggle to get the capital that is essential to their work. There are a number of ways that they can do this, and many rely on investments from venture capitalists. This capital provides a number of things to these startup companies.
A pharma company needs resources to continue its work in the innovation and testing of new medications. They often have incredibly high bills, and most of these startups require independent capital to help them meet their needs. Venture capitalists often provide the resources that these small startups need. This is also a great area for investors to realize an excellent return on their capital.
2012 is sure to bring about many new things to pharma companies. Most analysts are aware of the earning potentials that are available in this field. Startups are an important player in this game, and their work is essential to the development of new medications.
Many chemists often have a great idea, and they decide to pursue this idea with the startup of their own pharma company. This can lead to many innovations. These startups often focus on the kernel of an idea. They can then put all of their resources behind the product they're developing. Many of the larger companies don't have the economic ability to commit themselves in this way. They're often more focused on other issues.
Pharma companies are taking a second look at startups in 2012. These small firms are known for bringing innovation to the development of new medications. Many of the people who work at these startups are inextricably linked to the success of their products. They often rely on the investments that can be provided by venture capitalists. Since they often have limited resources, it is essential for them to solicit capital from a number of sources. This capital plays a huge role in the success of these startups.
Pharma companies are taking a second look at biotech startups this year; learn about opportunities in this exciting space on our website.
Pharma Indexes on the Web - Databases and Directories of Pharma Companies
A Pharma index is essentially a database or a collection of pharmaceutical companies - and they are developing in new ways which may pose some interesting questions for companies whose operations must incoporate pharmacovigilance services. These directories categorise by parameters such as different countries or different areas of the pharmaceutical industry. The categorisation is commonly based on the type of results which will be searchable. On the whole, a Pharma list will be an all-encompassing directory of pharmaceutical operations.
Commonly, the entries will be ordered alphabetically and contain the company details, their site links, address and other contact information. While certain directories contain a catalogue of global pharmaceutical companies, there are many simply containing Pharma info for a particular country. You will find the Net platform is a superb source of such online all-inclusive databases or business directories listing firms that are operational within Pharma products production.
In an interesting new marketing development, recently two very large, very well known firms decided to launch their own pages on social networking site Twitter within weeks of each other. Nova Nordisk and Pfizer appeared to value Twitter for disseminating information on new products, new drug treatments, and building on their customer relations. Previous, many pharmaceutical firms had not used social media at the forefront of any campaigns, which may be influenced by a lack of fiscal measurement available to track how successful this type of publicity really is. Pharmaceutical companies were also notable by absence from blogs, presumably due to legal and regulatory issues. As previously noted, companies marketing pharmaceutical products are going to automatically need to provide for pharmacovigilance services somewhere within their budgets to ensure they are always compliant with a veritable raft of legislation. Nonetheless, the adoption of Twitter by these two pharma giants may indicate a new willingness to engage with social media within the industry as a whole. Drug companies are beginning to explore the possibilities of blogs and online notice boards using external companies to create the relevant online presence, whilst staying one step removed.
The web platform works so well as a resource for comprehensive databases or business directories of pharma companies. One end user who benefits is the consumer, who can literally browse online catalogues placed by various sundry producers within the Pharma industry. Typically, a product catalogue will list names and details of exporters, importers and wholesalers.
However, the nature of pharma products is the chief purchases are going to be those who buy in bulk quantities - drug store owners, labs and sales delegates. Many directories are keen to promote the fact they only enrol companies which sell products at market costs.
There is one aspect of the new online presence for the pharma industry which could be of concern if it were not to be properly managed (and that is not to say those companies already experimenting with social media are not managing their affairs correctly). Naturally, pharmaceuticals bring subject to strict pharmacovigilance responsibilities to companies, and there is the question of whether any online activity (such as social media) would have any impact on such responsibilities. An example might be the possibility of details of serious adverse events somehow reaching the shores of the likes of Twitter - when of course, any such adverse event details must be properly expedited to comply with regulation. The difficulty imagined here might be missing expediting deadlines. However, in this imaginary scenario, or for any other concern about online activity impacting on pharmacovigilance practice, consulting experienced pharmacovigilance services experts should be able to provide you with vital information to help you asses your best course of action.
Jon Barton is a member of the pharmacovigilance service sector and produces articles to make more aspects of pharmacovigilance services better understood.
Will Pharma Companies Win Against Economic Recession?
Hit by the tsunami of recessionary economy causing sales to dip and growth rates forecasted to fall below historic levels, pharma drug companies have hit the panic button and are trying out different ways in their quest to survive.
Mergers & Acquisitions
Pfizer's acquisition of Wyeth for US$68 Billion is a striking example. The company has acted to safeguard itself, owing to the plummeting revenues from it's popular drug "Lipitor" and several other products, which would soon be faced with expired patent protection.
But this is being seen as just the beginning of a whole wave of mergers to come by. Some other expected acquisitions are being speculated such as Roche buying out the remaining share of Genentech, Merck merging with Schering-Plough, a merger between Sanofi and Bristol-Myers Squibb, and more pharma industry mergers.
In fact the general expectation the big pharma companies are all set to taking over smaller player raised the hopes among small biotechnology companies worrying about their own survival soon a bigger firm would approach them with a buy out offer. However, recently panelists attending the BioPartnering North America conference, warned of harboring such an unrealistic expectation that all biotech companies in distress will be rescued. At present pharma firms have their eyes set on other pharma firms rather than biotech product companies.
Job Cuts
Pharma companies are fast reducing their workforce. The Pfizer-Wyeth deal itself if expected lead to a 15 percent reduction of staff for both the firms combined, which translates in to about 130,000 job cuts.
Other recent layoffs include King Pharmaceuticals (KG), (22%, or 760 jobs), KV Pharmaceutical Co (700 job cuts expected), GlaxoSmithKline (10,000 job cuts predicted), and more.
Skepticism
At the same time analysts are skeptical about some aspects of these deals. For example there's apparently no solution to declining sales outlook, as projections about Pfizer-Wyeth will have a combined 2013 total company sales below the 2008 figure of $70 billion. Some suggest that while large-scale mergers between will create cost savings and give these companies time, that won't be sufficient to reinvent pharma.
Fred is a journalist with 7 years of experience. Though, as a professional He's reported on myriad topics, his favorite is the medical industry. Off late he's been working on different web portals including Themedica.com. Themedica is a comprehensive business-to-business (b2b) information portal and directory, featuring useful information for medical and health care industry professionals and businesses. It showcases resources such as trade shows, industry overviews, trade associations, global business listings, industry news, tenders, medical publications, informative articles and more that help professionals/businesses stay abreast with the latest and grow. He now blogs at Smiling Health
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Computer Graphics - Vertex Processing
Cartesian Coordinate System
In a Cartesian coordinate system there are three axes which are at right angles with each other. The three axes intersect at their origin. The three axes are generally defined as:
- X - axis to indicate a displacement in a positive direction to the right and a displacement in a negative direction to the left;
- Y - axis where a positive displacement is up and a displacement in a negative direction is down;
- Z - axis for a displacement in a positive direction is forward and a displacement in a negative direction is backwards.
We can represent a point in in 3 D space with the aid of a Cartesian coordinate system. This is done by writing the displacement of the point along each of the three axes in the following format (x, y, z). The x is the displacement along the x - axis, also known as the x coordinate, y along the y - axis, also known as the y coordinate and z along the z - axis, also known as the z coordinate. So if we want to describe a point located one unit to the right, two units up and three units forward it is written as (1, 2, 3). I started by mentioning a point, but it is also possible to represent a vector as well as a vertex on a Cartesian coordinate system using the (x, y, z) format. A vector is something that has quantity as well as direction. A vertex contains positional as well as directional values or quantities.
Objects in 3D Space
An Object in computer graphics and especially video games is something like a car, a person or a weapon. It is generally something that plays an active part in a scene. Any object in 3D space can be broken down into triangles. Each triangle can be represented by three vertices (vertices is the plural of vertex). As mentioned before vertex is a point in space that has positional as well as directional information. If we change the vertices that represents a triangle we also change that triangle. If we change all the triangles which comprises an object we also change the object in 3D space. It can therefore be said that a change in the vertices cause a change in the object in 3D space. Vertex processing is the process whereby each vertex of an object is transformed from 3D in virtual space to an image on a 2D coordinate system. This 2D image can be displayed on a computer screen or printed by a printer. Vertex processing is done in a vertex shader. The modern trend is to have vertex shaders that are programmable. This allows for greater flexibility in the rendering and display of the objects by a computer. Vertex processing does provide for the following steps:
- transformation
- lighting
Transformation
Transformation can be done by translation, scaling and rotation.
Translation
Let's take the vertex (1, 2, 3) in 3D space described by a Cartesian coordinate system. If we move this vertex one unit to the right it will end up at (2, 2, 3). We have done this mathematically by adding the one unit of movement to the x coordinate. Translation is thus addition. Another method of achieving this mathematically is to make use of a matrix and homogeneous coordinates. This particular matrix is called a translation matrix. The translation is then achieved by multiplying the vertex (1, 2, 3) with the translation matrix.This will work for any vertex (x, y, z). If we do the same for all three the vertices representing the triangle the whole triangle can be moved one unit to the right along the x -axis. By using the correct matrix we can translate a vertex to anywhere we want. This also means we can translate any triangle where we want. By translating all the triangles of an object we can translate the object itself.
Scaling
Scaling is achieved by multiplying the vertex. Consider vertex (1, 2, 3) again and multiply the x coordinate with three. The result would be (3, 2, 3). This means we have moved vertex (1, 2, 3) three units to the right or in a positive direction along the x - axis. Once again the same effect could be achieved with a scaling matrix. By doing the same with all three vertices of the triangle the whole triangle can be scaled three units to the right. Similarly by scaling all the triangles of an object three units to the right the object itself can be scaled three units to the right.
Rotation
The rotation of a vertex is achieved by using the cosine and sine mathematical functions. This could also be achieved with a rotational matrix. Generally the vertex is rotated around one axis at a time. For instance the vertex may be rotated by 10 degrees around the x - axis then another 20 degrees around the y - axis and lastly 30 degrees around the z - axis. By rotating subsequently around the x, y and z - axis any required rotation of a vertex in 3D space can be achieved. Just as before if all the vertices of the triangle is rotated in the same manner the triangle as a whole can be rotated. Further by rotating the all the triangles that an object is composed of the object itself can be rotated through any angle in 3D space (1).
Resources
- Samyn, K. (not dated). Matrices for 3D applications - Translation & Rotation. Retrieved November 12, 2009, from knol.google.com website: http://knol.google.com/k/matrices-for-3d-applications-translation-rotation
For more on vertex processing and in particular the matrices: http://review-technology-blog.blogspot.com/2009/12/vertex-processing.html