[Alumina reinforced porcelain jacket crown].
Aluminum oxides provide one of the most useful sources of high-strength and high-modulus crystals. New types of high alumina content glasses may replace feldspathic porcelains. Esthetics compare favorably.
Proposed Fracture Theory of a Dispersion‐Strengthened Glass Matrix
A fracture theory is proposed for a composite system based on a continuous glass matrix. It is hypothesized that hard crystalline dispersions within the glass matrix will limit the size of Griffith flaws and strengthen the composite. Quantitative relations are derived for the effect of a dispersed phase on composite strength. At low volume fractions of the dispersed phase, the average flaw size is statistically reduced independent of the size of the dispersed particles. At high volume fractions of the dispersed phase, the average flaw size is governed by the average distance between particles dispersed in the matrix. The strength of a composite should, therefore, be a function of the volume fraction of the dispersed phase at low volume fractions and dependent on both the volume fraction and particle size of the dispersed phase at high volume fractions. For verification of the theory, cross-bending strengths were measured on a sodium borosilicate glass containing varying volume fractions of spheroidized alumina over a range of particle sizes. The average distance between dispersed particles ranged from approximately 15 to 500μ. Good agreement with theory was found. Values of glass surface energy calculated from the experimental data agree well with literature data.
Amphotericin B microspheres: A therapeutic approach to minimize toxicity while maintaining antifungal efficacy
Amphotericin B microsphere formulations with and without addition of polyethylene glycol 2000 in cross-linked bovine serum albumin were prepared. Amphotericin B microspheres were characterized for particle size (<5 µm), zeta potential (∼30 mV) and drug interaction by DSC and FTIR and were found to be stable formulations. Drug release profiles for these microspheres revealed that the release was primarily by diffusion. In vitro toxicity as assessed by release of haemoglobin and potassium demonstrated no toxic effect as compared with conventional solution formulation. Antifungal activity in vitro was comparable to solution formulation when tested by broth dilution method.