The Healing Uses of Artificial Skin

The Healing Uses of Artificial Skin Artificial skin is a substitute for human skin produced in the laboratory, typically used to treat severe burns. Different types of artificial skin differ in their complexity, but all are designed to mimic at least some of the skin’s basic functions, which include protecting against moisture and infection and regulating body heat. How Artificial Skin Works Skin is primarily made of two layers: the uppermost layer, the epidermis, which serves as a barrier against the environment; and the dermis, the layer below the epidermis which makes up roughly 90 percent of the skin. The dermis also contains the proteins collagen and elastin, which help give the skin its mechanical structure and flexibility. Artificial skins work because they close wounds, which prevents bacterial infection and water loss and helps the damaged skin to heal. For example, one commonly used artificial skin, Integra, consists of an â€Å"epidermis† made of silicone and prevents bacterial infection and water loss, and a â€Å"dermis† based on bovine collagen and glycosaminoglycan. The Integra â€Å"dermis† functions as an extracellular matrix – a structural support found between cells that helps regulate cell behavior – that induces a new dermis to form by promoting cell growth and collagen synthesis. The Integra â€Å"dermis† is also biodegradable and is absorbed and replaced by the new dermis. After several weeks, physicians replace the silicone â€Å"epidermis† with a thin layer of epidermis from another part of the patient’s body. Uses of Artificial Skin Treating burns:  Artificial skin is commonly used to treat burn injuries, especially if the patient does not have enough healthy skin that can be transplanted to the wound. In such cases, the body cannot generate skin cells quickly enough to heal the damaged skin, and the patient’s injury may become lethal due to significant fluid loss and infection. Artificial skin can thus be used to immediately close the wound and improve survival.Treating skin disorders:  Some artificial skin products like Apligraf have been used to treat chronic wounds on the skin, such as ulcers, which are open wounds that heal very slowly. They may also be applied to skin disorders like eczema and psoriasis, which often span a large portion of the body and may benefit from artificial skins laden with medicine, which can easily wrap around the affected area.Research in consumer products and medicine:  Aside from its uses in the clinical setting, artificial skin may also be used to model human skin for research. For example, artificial skin is used as an alternative to animal testing, which is often used to gauge how a cosmetics or medical product affects the skin. However, this testing may cause pain and discomfort to the animals and does not necessarily predict the response of human skin. Some companies like L’Orà ©al have already used artificial skin to test many chemical ingredients and products. Artificial skin may also simulate skin for other research applications, including how skin is affected by UV exposure and how chemicals in sunscreen and medicines are transported through skin. Types of Artificial Skin Artificial skins mimic either the epidermis or dermis, or both epidermis and dermis in a â€Å"full-thickness† skin replacement. Some products are based on biological materials like collagen, or biodegradable materials not found in the body. These skins can also include a non-biological material as another component, such as Integra’s silicone epidermis. Artificial skins have also been produced by growing sheets of skin live skin cells taken from the patient or other humans. One major source is the foreskins of newborns, taken after circumcision. Such cells often do not stimulate the body’s immune system- a property that allows fetuses to develop in their mother’s wombs without being rejected- and hence are much less likely to be rejected by the patient’s body. How Artificial Skin Differs From Skin Grafts Artificial skin should be differentiated from the skin graft, which is an operation in which healthy skin is removed from a donor and attached it to a wounded area. The donor is preferably the patient themself, but could also come from other humans, including cadavers, or from animals like pigs. However, artificial skin is also grafted onto a wounded area during treatments. Improving Artificial Skin for the Future Though artificial skin has benefited many people, a number of drawbacks can be addressed. For example, artificial skin is expensive as the process to make such skin is complex and time-consuming. Furthermore, artificial skin, as in the case of sheets grown from skin cells, can also be more fragile than their natural counterparts. As researchers continue to improve on these, and other, aspects, however, the skins that have been developed will continue to help save lives. References Brohem, C., da Silva Cardeal, L., Tiago, M., Soengas, M., de Moraes Barros, S., Maria-Engler, S. â€Å"Artificial skin in perspective: concepts and applications.† Pigment Cell Melanoma Research, 2011, vol. 24, no. 1, pp. 35-50, doi: doi: 10.1111/j.1755-148X.2010.00786.x.Companies are making human skin in labs to curb animal testing of products, Bob Woods, CNBC.Cooper, G. â€Å"Cell walls and the extracellular matrix.† In The Cell: A Molecular Approach. 2nd edition, 2000, Sunderland, MA, Sinauer Associates.Halim, A., Khoo, T., and Yussof, S. â€Å"Biologic and synthetic skin substitutes: An overview.† Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery, 2010, vol. 43, pp. S23-S28, doi: 10.4103/0970-0358.70712.Immortal skin, Rebecca Skloot, Popular Science.Integra Dermal Regeneration Template.Jones, I., Currie, L., and Martin, R. â€Å"A guide to biological skin substitutes.† British Journal of Plastic Surgery, 2002, vol. 55, pp. 185-193, doi: 10.1054/hips.2002.3800.Schulz, J., Tompkins, R., and Burke, J. â€Å"Artificial skin.† Annual Review of Medicine, 2000, vol. 51, pp. 231-244, doi: 10.1146/annurev.med.51.1.231. ‘Second skin’ goes on over your skin to smooth your wrinkles, Ike Swetlitz, STAT.Tompkins, R., and Burke, J. â€Å"Progress in burn treatment and the use of artificial skin.† World Journal of Surgery, vol. 14, no. 6, pp. 819-824, doi: 10.1007/BF01670529.Varkey, M., Ding, J., and Tredget, E. â€Å"Advances in skin substitutes- Potential of tissue engineered skin for facilitating anti-fibrotic healing.† Journal of Functional Biomaterials, 2015, vol. 6, pp. 547-563, doi:10.3390/jfb6030547.Zhang, Z., and Michniak-Kohn, B. â€Å"Tissue engineered human skin equivalents.† Pharmaceutics, 2012, vol. 4, pp. 26-41, doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics4010026.

Strategicmanagement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Strategicmanagement - Essay Example Its overall performance has been consistently very good and it is moving in the right direction by seeking advice as regards specific strategies and long term objectives in the current market scenario. Nonetheless, in spite of its stellar performance and status, CGC must steadily adapt to the current business practice of path-breaking forays that among things include globalization, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and excursions into unexplored regions notably the Middle East, South Asia and South-East Asia. The economical growth and social progress in these regions, despite their vicissitudes, uncertainties and filibustering elements provide the right environment and prospects for games like golf. Also, CGC must widen its range of product. Big players like Nike and Adidas have entered the golf market. It is time CGC made forays into some products manufactured and marketed by Nike, Adidas, etc, that are not currently in the list of products covered by CGC. Golf has fairly good presence in countries like China, Korea, and India. The game has attracted enough attention at elite business and social levels for formation of golf clubs which include acquisition of large tracts of land even in cities like Mumbai (Bombay) where real estate prices are among the highest in the world. GGC has encountered piracy problems in China, and undoubtedly the p... n at elite business and social levels for formation of golf clubs which include acquisition of large tracts of land even in cities like Mumbai (Bombay) where real estate prices are among the highest in the world. GGC has encountered piracy problems in China, and undoubtedly the problem does not exist in China alone. Apart from taking legal steps, there is the need to address the problem more pragmatically by entering the market through the front door in these regions. China and India have opened up to foreign investments like never before. The best way to begin operations is by getting hold of big names like Kapil Dev to endorse CGC products. Kapil Dev is a former cricketer and has tremendous fan following in India. Apart from Kapil Dev, there are other players, both current and retired, who play golf. Cost of Endorsements Getting big names like Kapil Dev to endorse is expensive. Conservatively, the price could be around US$ 10 million for five years. This is a rough estimate. Other Costs Other costs include sponsorship of golf events and players. It is difficult to provide precise figures. However, CWC could mark their presence with a budget of another US 6 million dollars for 3 years. It will be necessary to appoint an official representative who is conversant with golf to act on behalf of CGC. The annual cost for such a representative will be US$ 250,000 annually to cover salary, house rent and travel. Annual Budget Thus, the total annual budget will be as follows: 1) Endorsement by a big player US$ 2,000,000 2) Sponsorship of events and players US$ 2,000,000 3) Official Representative's salary, rent, travel US$ 250,000 4) Other promotional costs US$ 250,000 Total Cost US$ 4,500,000 Agenda for Return on Investments (ROI) It is not

Regulatory challenges raised by an increasingly wireless world Essay

Regulatory challenges raised by an increasingly wireless world - Essay Example This popularity is attributed to the recent discoveries and accomplishments done in the field of mobile communications such as mobile phones. Private firms are expected to invest at least 18 million in the United to States for the development of the next step in cutting edge wireless and mobile technologies (Frieden). One example that provides consumers of wireless communications a wide variety of advantages is the use of prepaid call cards. Like credit cards, prepaid cards eliminate the need to carry around cash often. It also allows the consumer to control his or her cell phone service expenditures. Advancement in wireless technology is "climate proofing", where wireless communication devices are designed to fit the climatic conditions of the country they are to be distributed and marketed to ("A social ecology of wireless technology"). Currently, the U.S. is still far away from its dream of being the wireless communication heaven that it envisions around the turn of the 21st century. Wireless communications today is not just limited to voice calls and the introduction of SMS, MMS and IM have already gained some leverage in significant market spots as well as providing consumers more communication options. Other wireless options aside from SMS, MMS and IM available are mobile games, MP3's and other non-communication applications are popular today ("U.S. Wireless Business Users.."). Type of Device Wireless Users Expect to Use Device Next 12Months Next 24 Months Data-centric 39% 19% Voice-centric 43% 72% Desktop/Notebook PC 10% 4% Other 9% 5% Source: ResearchPortal.com Furthermore the advent of convergence all over the world has spurned several useful applications. Among these is the ability to avail of different communication services across several formats and platforms. These leaps and bounds in technology has been sped up by the liberalization of international trade which permitted the advancement of international digital communications networks which puts forward several services and options beyond their national limits (Gillwald). The need for regulating the wireless world Breakthroughs and advancements in technology start with the inventor developing his invention in the hopes that he can sell it for profit. When the development of the new technology is successful, the new product is eventually introduced in the market and several trade and intellectual laws and regulations are applied to it. The acquisition of a paten may take a long time or may only be possible under certain circumstances. Today, the digital work is in constant risk of being attacked by unscrupulous people, particularly hackers who deliberately alter or destroy crucial data as it please them. Hacking may lead into bigger conflicts,

Deep Vein Thrombosis PowerPoint Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Deep Vein Thrombosis - PowerPoint Presentation Example Immediate concerns with a diagnosis of DVT are stroke and pulmonary embolism, as the clot in his leg could break off and cause either of these potentially fatal situations. Mr. Roberts denies any chest pain, shortness of breath, fever, or headaches, indicating he is not currently at risk for these concerns. DVT Cause It is important to understand the cause of Mr. Roberts’s DVT to prevent future clots and to increase positive outcomes of his treatment. One of the biggest causes of DVT is surgery. Often times, surgeons can damage venous walls or intercellular matrix, releasing clotting factors and causing DVTs (sloc.org). Mr. Roberts has not had any recent surgery indicating that this is probably not the cause of his DVT. DVT can also be caused by obesity and a sedentary lifestyle (sloc.org). Mr. Roberts’s BMI indicates that this is probably the cause of his DVT. In order to prevent future DVTs, Mr. Roberts should be counseled about increasing daily physical activity, mak ing modifications to his diet, and the use of his hypercholesterolemia medication. Another potential cause of Mr. Roberts’s DVT is his hypercholesterolemia. Increased lipids in the blood can form clots, which can lodge in the deep veins of the extremities and cause a DVT in some cases (sloc.org). Mr. Roberts’s DVT is probably exacerbated by his discontinuation of his hypercholesterolemia medication, as this behavior would increase his lipids and potentially add to previous clots or form new ones. In addition to his treatment regimen, Mr. Roberts should be counseled on the dangers of quitting his hypercholesterolemia medication without consulting medical personnel. Treatment Regimen There are two parts to Mr. Roberts’s treatment regimen: initial treatment and maintained treatment. The purpose of the initial treatment should be controlling Mr. Robert’s partial thromboplastin time (PTT) and his INR while attempting to dissolve the clot in his leg. To achieve this, heparin is given initially in a bolus dose at 80 units/kg. After this initial bolus dose, Mr. Roberts will be on a maintenance dose of heparin at 16 units/kg. For Mr. Roberts, this means a 7000 unit bolus dose and a maintenance dose of 1640 units/hour which will continue for ten days. These doses were developed based on formulas posted on the accompanying powerpoint presentation, and were based off of calculated dosage weight (surgery.ucsf.edu). During these ten days, Mr. Roberts’s PTT needs to be monitored every 6 hours until 2 consecutive in-range tests are performed. Adjustments to the dosage can be made based on the provided chart. Once in range, PTTs need to be done every 24 hours. After ten days, Mr. Roberts should be evaluated and hopefully can discontinue his heparin regimen. The maintained treatment portion of Mr. Roberts’s treatment regimen is warfarin. When beginning warfarin, an initial INR needs to be taken in order to calculate an accurate dose. Ba sed on Mr. Roberts age, BMI, and use of hypercholesterolemia medications, 3mg was decided as an appropriate starting dose. Mr. Roberts’s INR should be measured daily and I have recommended an at home testing device. Mr. Roberts dose will need to be adjusted to make sure his INR falls in the target range of 2-3. Mr. Roberts will continue the warfarin daily until he can successfully maintain an INR of 2-3 without it. This should take between three and six months, but could potentially take longer

Criminal Justice, Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Criminal Justice, - Essay Example This is because the criminal justice system of the United States acts as a benchmark of the most developed justice system in the world making it a basic eternal model. The crime control model works efficiently within the criminal justice system by punishing crime and in the process serving as the best tool to detour the occurrence of criminal behavior. It is important to note that the due process model and the crime control model are two frameworks within the criminal justice system under conflict throughout the world for many years. Proponents of the due process model hold that nobody can deprive of life of any individual, freedom, and material wealth including property disregarding the legal processes as well as safeguards. The due process framework requires the criminal justice system to protect the rights of nay person charged with crime. However, the crime control framework for enforcing law bases on the assumption of complete reliability of facts collected by police officers and handles people arrested by the disciplined forces as guilty. In this case, the arrestees are guilty and proceed to the courts to prove their innocence. On the other hand, the due process considers the arrestees innocent and assigns the criminal justice system the responsibility of proving that they are guilty. This marks the first difference between the due process and the crime control model. The two frameworks present the most competing models within the criminal justice system and result in the ever-increasing tension bringing d isharmony and conflict presently observable within the same system. The models aim at challenging crime but insist on issuing the most appropriate justice to both the law enforcers and the arrestees. Professor Herbert, designed the due process model to make sure that people arrested and charged with crime have their rights protected and receive fair trial as well as judgment. The model insists on the

Quality Engineering Management of 3D Printing Research Proposal

Quality Engineering Management of 3D Printing - Research Proposal Example The introduction of the 3D printer has been one of the most remarkable examples of technological advancements through which, the users are allowed to transform any form of digital file into a physical product of three-dimensional innovations. 3D printing is highly customizable and the users can produce their desired three-dimensional objects according to their choices. The development of 3D printing has served beneficial for various manufacturing industries, creative industries, as well as within the dimension of research and education. However, there are various challenges and problems of 3D printing technology, essential to solving in order to improve the quality of output, which will be discussed in the research study. 3D printing has contributed much to the industrial sectors and individuals with its technology through which, a digital file can easily be converted into a three dimensional object. However, there are certain problems encountered when implementing the technology tha t is negatively affecting the users to obtain a desired and reliable outcome. 3D printing is used almost in every manufacturing industry such as automobiles, apparels, aircraft and firearms among others.Moreover, the technology has also contributed much in the film industries for adding various special effects to creations, especially when developing animated movies. The problems in the technology of 3D printing will negatively influence the output produced by these industries that will ultimately affect the performance of the industries.

Adam Smith and Karl Polanyi Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Adam Smith and Karl Polanyi - Essay Example The basic mechanisms include (a) regulation of market transactions, (b) regulation of market participants, (c) disputes resolution and enforcement actions, and (d) pre-commitment of resources (Polanyi and Karl 34). According to Polanyi and Karl (1944), market economy implies a self-regulating system of markets in which there are various human processes involved. They iclude: technological processes, learning processes and economic processes that involves human activities. Commercial societies, they claim that the free-market system of property rights, freedom of contract, and other liberty rights – the â€Å"negative† right of individuals to peacefully pursue their own ends – is impersonal and dehumanizing, or even inherently divisive and adversarial. While market societies are controlled market (Polanyi and Karl 47). Karl Polanyi remains one of the most cogent critics of neoclassical economics. As an alternative to the market society, he emphasizes the embedded-ness of economic activities and institutions and the historical relativity of economic concept (Polanyi and Karl 35). Karl Polanyi denounced the â€Å"economist prejudice† found in both the market liberalism of Ludwig von Mises and the communism of Karl Marx, Polanyi and Karl (1944). Polanyi drew his own inspiration from Christian social thought and yearned for â€Å"a Christian spirited guild life. He also had an objection to the "ruling economic class", or "the richest 1%", having undue influence on government policies and that this situation reflects a "failure of democratic representation" for the middle and lower classes, or the "other 99% (Polanyi and Karl 47). A self-regulating market demands nothing less than the institutional separation of society into an economic and political sphere. Such a dichotomy is, in effect, merely the restatement, from the point of view of society as a whole, of the existence of a self-regulating market, Polanyi and Karl (1944). It