Emerging Observational Technologies

Dendritically branched molecules have shapes and interactions that are radically different from traditional linear polymers. SANS, SAXS and TEM have been used to measure the properties of dendrimers and a generic understanding of their properties has emerged. Five technologically important questions on the nature of dendrimers have been posed and generalized observations can be made. 

Further inroads of highly crosslinked UHMWPE into U.S. population of THA patients are expected to occur at a much slower rate than was observed in the past 5 years. Restricted availability because of patent licenses, surgeon conservatism, and emerging alternative technologies are all expected to substantially curtail future expansion of highly crosslinked UHMWPE in orthopedics, at least within the short term for THA. Whereas conversion of previous surgeons to highly crosslinked UHMWPE has been based on in vitro experimental... 

Throughout the history of technology there has been an interplay between empirical discoveries and rational scientific theories. In almost every case a new science must start from an empirical base of simple observations. From a number of systematic observations some laws may emerge, then these laws can be illustrated by means of models, and eventually the models can be moulded into a more general theory. These theories in turn may suggest new experimental approaches, and so the circle (or rather, spiral) of knowledge goes on. 

Microfabrication is increasingly central to modern science and technology. Many opportunities in technology derive from the ability to fabricate new types of microstructures or to reconstitute existing structures in down-sized versions. The most obvious examples are in microelectronics. Microstructures should also provide the opportunity to study basic scientific phenomena that occur at small dimensions one example is quantum confinement observed in nanostructures [1]. Although microfabrication has its basis in microelectronics and most research in microfabrication has been focused on microelectronic devices [2], applications in other areas are rapidly emerging. These include systems for microanalysis [3-6], micro-volume reactors [7,8], combinatorial synthesis [9], micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) [10, 11], and optical components [12-14]. 

---