HOTLINE
A portable airborne particle counter measures 1 m3 of air in 10 minutes. The APC M3 counter from Biotest Diagnostics Corp. (Denville, NJ; www.biotestusa.com) can collect air samples at a rate of 100 L/min. The unit is being presented by the company as “the world’s fastest particle counter.”
As the demand for advanced implantable devices increases, the debate rages on as to which material is optimal for these in vivo applications. Biomaterial provider Invibio (Greenville, SC) has created a composite for implantables that boasts the strength of a metal alloy coupled with the imaging properties and biocompatibility of a polymer.
Components that are commonly used to fire sporting guns or inflate flotation devices and air bags are now being used in medical equipment. Single-use gas cylinders can be used for critical functions such as inflation, pressurization, propulsion, cooling, and particle acceleration, or as a form of mechanical energy. The disposable cylinders from iSi Components (Fairfield, NJ; www.isicomponents.com) range in size from 10 to 700 ml. Inert gases include carbon dioxide, nitrogen, nitrous oxide, and argon.
