Smart Dental Hygiene Devices to Gain Preference in 2019

With increasing development of the healthcare infrastructure along with probable expenditure of nearly US$ 9.9Trillion in 2019, according to Future Market Insights, production of dental hygiene devices is likely to increase at an exponential rate. As per a latest published report by FMI (Future Market Insights), dental hygiene devices market is likely to grow at a moderate phase of nearly 4.7% in 2019 on a Y-O-Y basis. In addition, FMI also projects that dental hygiene devices market is estimated to surpass market valuation of approximately US$ 3.8Billion in 2019. According to WHO, dental caries are affected by nearly 80% of the adults and children, thereby significantly driving the need for dental hygiene devices.

US To Witness Emergence of New Dental Hygiene Devices Preserving Periosteum

North America is expected to expand at a sluggish rate of nearly 3.8% on a Y-O-Y basis in 2019. However, growing prevalence of the oral diseases and increasing number of skilled dental hygienists across the U.S. is likely to support growth of North America dental hygiene devices market. Recently, US has witnessed the emergence of all-new ultrasonic bone surgery dental hygiene devices, such as Piezotome Cube aiming at making tooth extraction more atraumatic. High-frequency ultrasonic vibration of the dental hygiene devices helps in eliminating need for cutting surgical flap in gingiva, thereby preserving the periosteum.

Potential Opportunities in APAC Spotted

Asia-Pacific is likely to take the lead in dental hygiene devices market in 2019 with India and China contributing on a major basis, with increasing number of cases regarding dental caries. In India, oral and dental health is often neglected by the people. However, with increasing awareness of cosmetic dental treatments and need for enhancing personal esthetics, positive impact is witnessed in the growth and development of APAC dental hygiene devices market. Growing adoption of fresh breath strips and electric toothbrushes further drives the region’s dental hygiene devices market.

Smart Tooth Brushes in the Making

Adoption of innovative dental hygiene devices such as battery and electric-powered tooth brushes especially by the middle and high income groups are expected to drive the dental hygiene devices market at a significant pace. Customized designs for the children and adults are increasingly made available in the global market, thereby driving sales of dental hygiene devices. Pairing toothbrushes with app and other latest technologies is the ongoing trend in the dental hygiene devices market. Brands such as Sonicare and Oral-B are drawing out all stops in the race for being the smartest and best in electric toothbrush sphere, which in turn dives-in possibilities of emergence of new and innovative dental hygiene devices. In addition to this, Colgate also has strived harder to stay in the race of smart toothbrush development with launch of E1 Smart Connect that connects the end-user’s iPhone through Bluetooth.

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Businesses to Gain from RFID-enabled Bulk Chemical Packaging, Projects Study

Pharmaceuticals and chemicals will continue to remain both fastest growing and largest in the bulk chemical packaging market. With rapidly increasing availability of bigger reusable container such as RIBCs (Rigid Bulk Packaging) and FIBCs (Flexible intermediate bulk container), demand for bulk chemical packaging continues. Future Market Insights (FMI) projects that non-traditional chemical producers are increasing the usage of bulk chemical packaging containers, underpinned by strong growth of chemicals industry.

Drums To Witness Demand Fluctuations

Recent study by FMI predicts that sustained development in the output of chemical products, especially in the fast-growing economies such as Vietnam, Indonesia, India and China is likely to boost demand for drums in bulk chemical packaging market. Despite a largely favorable outlook with constant expansion of global economy, prospects for drums in the bulk chemical packaging market will be tempered by the growing competition from large-capacity IBCs and fiber drums are likely to lose market share both to the other drum types as well as to the alternative packaging formats available in the bulk chemical packaging market.

Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC) Prove Significantly Lucrative

Companies such as Mauser is taking immense efforts in acquiring MaschioPack, for expanding its IBC footprint. Apart from this, Grief Company has recently launched its new multi-million euro IBC plant in Netherlands for offering its customer-base with cutting-edge IBC technologies available, with growing focus on food industry. Moreover, this bulk chemical packaging company has also taken efforts in launching GCUBE® Shield for IBC’s that provides revolutionary barrier protection along with enhanced operational performance, shelf-life and product stability.

RFID Technology to Remain Trending

Reusable packaging solutions including IBCs are progressively implemented along with trace and track technologies such as RFID (radio-frequency identification). The innovative bulk chemical packaging technology not only helps manufacturers in tracking IBCs but also enhances their servicing effectiveness, thereby managing accurate supply capabilities. Suppliers and manufacturers of IBCs are constantly facing challenges arising from delay in supply of the IBCs. Validating availability of the IBCs by means of the innovative bulk chemical packaging technology, enables the manufacturers in avoiding unnecessary costs related to the expendable form of the packaging solutions. With growing usage of RFID technology in bulk chemical packaging market, suppliers can avoid confusions leading to the poor business relationships.

Furthermore, the innovative bulk chemical packaging technology has benefitted suppliers and manufacturers with effective cost saving tools for consumers. End-users availing IBCs for shipping products such as the agricultural produce and food ingredients can save costs, thereby eliminating the physical counting of inventories with the implementation of RFID tags for controlling and managing the overall inventory. Efficient functionality has encouraged various IBC manufacturers for making heavy investments in the innovative bulk chemical packaging technology, in order to enhance customer service as well as to save the overall operational costs.

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Box and Carton Overwrapping Machines: Food Industry Exhibits Maximum Demand

Rapidly surging production of perfume boxes, gift boxes, retail packages and cigarettes significantly drives the growth and development of box and carton overwrapping machines market. Although box and carton overwrapping machines market is likely to expand at a healthy pace, growing adoption of the flexible packaging solutions might pose as a threat in 2019. Companies in the box and carton overwrapping machines market might witness surging demand for the highly precise as well as completely automatic box and carton overwrapping machines in 2019, with growing demand for unique stretch overwrapping machines, as per a recent market study by Future Market Insights (FMI).

Demand High for Cost-Effective Box and Carton Overwrapping Machines

Growing demand for enhancing appearance and protection of packaged products from the viscous liquids dives-in considerable need for box and carton overwrapping machines. In order to secure product as well as to experience an effective transportation, need for applying basic wrapping films on the package becomes more vital, thereby driving usage of box and carton overwrapping machines. Companies in box and carton overwrapping machines might focus on smart packaging solutions, thereby reducing labor costs and enhancing appearance of packaging for catering to the consumer appealing demands. With growing availability of bar codes, QR codes and various other labels on wrappers, demand for effective packaging is catered, thereby driving the usage of box and carton overwrapping machines.

Food Sector in Emerging Regions to Hold Incremental Opportunities

Companies in the food and beverage sector are taking immense efforts in launching products that helps them with reduced labor costs, thereby attaining higher production outputs at minimal time frame. This is the notable factor driving the demand growth of box and carton overwrapping machines in food sector in emerging economies such as MEA, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. The FMI study also projects that food sector is likely to offer high incremental opportunities compared to other end-use applications. Integration of various components in production line helps in significantly increasing production efficiency in the long run, which in turn drives the demand for innovative and automatic box and carton overwrapping machines. Nearly 80% of the companies in box and carton overwrapping machines market have been looking for quick change-over as a vital factor in identifying traits of packaging machinery.

Opportunity Analysis: Mergers and Acquisitions Remain a Key Expansion Strategy in China

Companies in China box and carton overwrapping machines market might make heavy investments in R&D for improving their access in new overseas markets, thereby expanding their global reach in the box and carton overwrapping machines market across the globe. Recently, government of China has taken up notable efforts by encouraging ODI (Overseas Direct Investment) by the Chinese companies. Multinational businesses are therefore targeting China with several expansion activities including mergers and acquisitions. Market expansion strategies are expected to play a significant role in attracting new customers in the box and carton overwrapping machines market, thereby enhancing market foothold of the manufacturers.

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Rising Preference for Automation and Smart Technologies Drives Development of Power Tools

Constant efforts by manufacturing industries towards reducing time and manpower required for operations, is the key driver behind the rapid growth of the global power tools market, owing to the streamlining of repetitive activities in the sector, and the reduction of errors, by human hands through power tools. The production of affordable and energy-efficient tools are important factors that drive the rise of the global power tools market in the foreseeable future.

What innovations are manufacturers making to enhance the efficiency of power tools?

Power tools manufacturers are witnessing rapid growth, which is largely reliant on the inclusion of technologies that feature smart reactive operations and automation, through pneumatic or power actuated systems. Moreover, power tool producers are increasingly shifting to cordless variants of products such as saws, crimpers, and wrenches among others. This can be attributed to the preference for increased portability and improved battery technologies for longer operational time on a single charge.

Will the surging Asia Pacific construction industry influence power tool sales?

Numerous opportunities for power tools manufacturers are anticipated to emerge mainly owing to the rapid infrastructural development of cities across major emerging economies of Asia such as China and India. Moreover, China is also the largest producer of branded power tools in the worldwide market, accounting for approximately 80% of the total supply, owing to the standard low price points, which is aiding the local construction industry as well.

What are the key safety standards relevant to the production and operation of ride-on power trowels?

ISO 11148-2:2011, IEC Standards, and OSHA Certifications are a few of the many internationally respected certifications that power tools manufacturers are aiming to target in terms of compliance to raise their use in different parts of the world. Certifications from such organizations keep evolving with the development of new technologies and the need of the end use industry, influencing design and material features, along with operational guidelines for new additions to product portfolios. 

Will Lithium ion batteries play a role in shaping the future of power tools?

With the growing application of cordless power tools, an extended battery life is a key quality that manufacturers are looking to incorporate in their products. As a result, lithium-ion batteries are increasingly replacing nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal hydride batteries. This can be attributed to the smaller and lightweight properties of lithium batteries, in addition to the elimination of self-discharge, enabling storage for long durations, without power drain. Lithium ion batteries also provide better energy density increasing the efficacy and demand for power tools.

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Companies Focus on Innovative Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients for Efficient Animal Healthcare

A senior analyst discusses on how innovative animal healthcare programs are benefiting the overall animal healthcare landscape.

Demand for high-protein diets has led to commercial farming of the meat and milch cattle. In developed regions such as North America, governments are taking active initiatives in controlling and preventing animal diseases, thereby, creating advisory systems for raising awareness in the general population regarding animal healthcare. Several pharmaceutical companies are increasing their focus towards animal healthcare market, catering to the surging incidences of animal disease outbreaks and hygiene management products.

How are animal healthcare programs beneficial?

On a broader perspective, with the latest animal healthcare program, an initiative by Madhya Pradesh (MP’s) Animal Husbandry Department, signing a MoU (memorandum of understanding) with BFIL (Bharat Financial Inclusion Ltd), the animal owners could avail wide-ranging veterinary services by just dialing toll-free helpline number- 1962. This animal healthcare program is likely to help the farmers, who face major issues in bringing their cattle to the animal healthcare centers.

What are some of the most recent developments in the global animal healthcare market?

Robinson Animal Healthcare, manufacturer of animal’s first-aid woundcare as well as absorbents launched an all-new Animalintex Hoof Treatment, highly beneficial in rapid treatment of the foot conditions. This new animal healthcare product is the sole VMD (Veterinary Medicines Directorate) licensed product in UK consisting of multi-layered absorbent poultice.

Colorado State University introduced a new certificate, known as Spanish for Animal Health and Care for ensuring students in animal science and veterinary fields would be equipped for communicating with the Spanish speakers in a ranch setting.

How is the trend of pet ownership taking a major leap in North America animal healthcare market?

Most of the people in U.S. own a cat or dog, which in turn increases animal expenditure especially by the millennials that are driving humanization of their furry companions. Animal healthcare is one of the most innovative and developing industries of the U.S. Animal healthcare products helps in enhancing activities in pet services, dairy and meat production, animal production and veterinary services. In addition, animal healthcare market in North America has witnessed some major M&A for attaining expertise in launching new and innovative active pharmaceutical ingredients. For example, Zoetis lately acquired Nexvet, biologic therapeutics company for introducing monoclonal antibody therapies, benefitting companion animals suffering from chronic pain.

What are some of the market strategies adopted by key companies in the animal healthcare market?

Animal healthcare manufacturers such as Neogen Corporation are taking immense efforts in acquiring animal genomics laboratory such as the one Delta Genomics Centre owns in Canada. Such acquisitions are done for enhancement of business in the particular region. Several manufacturers such as Henry Schein are planning on merging with animal healthcare businesses and start-ups, in a bid to form new companies.

In a nutshell, with increasing number of pet owners willing to make heavy payments for veterinary care, upsurge in demand for the food supplements is likely to increase at a significant rate in the animal healthcare market.

Global Animal Healthcare Market Value - By Product Type
Global Animal Healthcare Market Value – By Product Type

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Alderon, Kami LP Signs Memorandum of Understanding with Schneider Electric for Digital and Advanced Mine Operations

Alderon, the Vancouver based Mining Corporation with operations in Labrador Trough, and Kami Mine Limited Partnership have signed a joint memorandum of understanding with Schneider Electric for development funding as well as equipment acquisition for the Kami Iron Ore Project.

Alderon CEO Tayfun Eldem said that Schneider Electric was chosen owing to wide range of product and service offerings in mine digitization, process control and power and energy management. The Kami LP will harness Schneider’s expertise in providing sustainable energy solutions for optimal usage and energy costs for Kami’s Mining projects.

The collaboration is aimed at reducing equipment cost and capital spending as well as accelerating the project timeline. A September 2018 feasibility study conducted by the Kami estimated an average capital spending of $982.42 million for producing a quantity of 7.84 million tons/y of 65.2% Fe concentrate.  It also envisaged a construction period of 26 month. 

This timeline is expected to shrink to a reduced time by the use of Schneider’s EcoStruxure platform which will help Alderon in creating fully digital, efficient and advanced mine as a part of the Kami Project. The EcoStruxure platform according to the company is platform which offers world class technological solutions by using advances in IT and unlocks trapped potential in operation by harnessing the latest developments in Internet of Things.

The terms of the MoU also include Schneider Electric assisting The Kami LP in its efforts to raise funds by facilitating discussions and making introductions with potential funding sources including export credit agencies in regions where Schneider has manufacturing units. The Kami LP under the terms of the agreement have been given a free hand in choosing whether to purchase the equipment for its project or lease it.

Alderon has 75% stake in The Kami mine project in Labrador trough while HBIS Group owns about 25% of the project through Kami LP. The Kami Iron ore project is expected to have great impact on Canada’s economics by generating C$76 billion for businesses and workers creating 100,000 jobs. The project will fill government’s coffers by C$5.1 billion in federal and provincial tax revenues. The Mineral resource estimate of the project is around 12 billion tonnes at 29.8% iron and additional 522.6 million tonnes at 29.5% iron. The company has announced partnership with China’s largest steel producer HBIS Group for the Kami Project.

Alderon’s shares have surged by over 6.52% in last 12 months but traded 4% lower on 9 Jan 2018. The company is capitalized at C$33.88 million.

Baidu Announces China’s First Open Source Edge Computing Platform OpenEdge

Baidu, Chinese search giant and cloud service provider has announced launch of its open source edge computing platform OpenEdge. The announcement came at the CES 2019 event where technological giants are showcasing their might.

The platform is a first such launch in China. The company which is often dubbed as China’s Google is a pioneer in cloud computing. Edge computing is a paradigm in computing which is mostly or completely executed on distributed device nodes known as edge devices. Edge computing differs from cloud computing in the manner that the former processes data at the edge of network while the latter in a central data center or cloud. This radical new technique is gaining much mainstream attention with the growing number of Internet of Things devices and autonomous vehicles. It shifts processing power away from the cloud to the users end.

The OpenEdge platform will enable developers to build their edge computing applications and deploy them on various IoT hardware and devices. The platform which is open-sourced will simplify app development for developers. OpenEdge evolved as a part of Baidu Intelligent Edge which is a commercial software which works in tandem with Baidu Cloud. Baidu’s spokesperson Mr. Wang said that the project will empower developers to build their own edge systems as well as add more custom edge apps to the existing platform.

The project which is first open source edge computing initiative from Baidu and also one of the first in China will proliferate edge computing applications globally. The industry is undergoing a paradigm shift in computing infrastructure with news pouring in everyday about new developments in Artificial Intelligence and machine learning. As Industrial robotics, self-driving cars and smart gadgets become everyday reality, more and more computing is going to shift from cloud to the device edge. This has led many experts in the industry to suggest that edge computing is the next big thing.

Baidu has also significantly invested in other open source projects which include its autonomous driving platform Apollo and artificial intelligence framework PaddlePaddle. An agricultural technology company McFly has successfully used Baidu’s cloud platform to collect and process data about crops which helps it to lower pesticide usage.

Other platforms in the industry which offers edge computing solution include Microsoft’s Azure and Amazon Web Services. Although AWS offers edge computing solutions, it’s a closed source software which restricts freedom of the developer.

UC Berkeley Research Team Tests Device which Acts as Sponge for Absorbing Excess Chemotherapy Drugs in the Bloodstream

A new device developed by University of California Berkeley, can be potentially used for absorbing excess chemotherapy drugs before they circulate in the bloodstream. This has shown potential to significantly reduce side effects of the chemo drugs for patients undergoing the treatment.

Chemotherapy is a part of the standard treatment procedure for diagnosed cancers. While it attacks the tumor and stops its further growth, but it also causes a great collateral damage to healthy tissues in the body as well. Oncologists and radiologists agree that chemotherapy is not exactly the most effective therapy in cancer treatment but lack of alternatives has made it the only viable option right now. Chemotherapy is riddled with massive side effects including anaemia, dysfunctional immune system, hair loss, nausea and vomiting. Although it manages to kill cancerous cells but studies have suggested that 50-80 % of chemo drugs don’t even reach the tumor and instead circulates in the bloodstream causing damage to healthy cells.

The new device developed by a team of researchers at UC Berkeley, will act as ‘sponge’ which will absorb excess chemo drugs from the bloodstream. Professor Nitash Balsara, the head of UCB’s team, said that the device is inspired by absorbers used in petroleum refining, which regularly uses absorbers to remove unwanted chemicals like sulphur. The team created 3D printed tiny cylinders, 3mm long made from poly diacrylate (ethylene glycol), with a square lattice structure inside which allows blood vessels to pass through it. But the lattice structure is coated with copolymer which attaches itself to the chemo dug and stops its passage. The device shows promises to bring down side effects of chemotherapy and opens doors for increased chemo dosage for the patients in need of it.

Doxorubicin, with brand name Adriamycin is a chemotherapy drug used for many types of cancer. The team used this drug for testing on three pigs and found that when the drug was injected in a particular vein, it flew through the bloodstream and was detected by the device. 64% of the drug was captured by the device. Prof. Balsara said that the team considered all the risk factors like thrombosis or blood clotting while developing the device and issues related to vein wall dissection and blood clots were not observed.

Cancer researchers have long been looking for good alternatives for chemotherapy, while some breakthroughs in targeted medicine which selectively kills only cancerous cells excluding the healthy ones has made much headway. But chemotherapy is going to hang around for a while. The new device offers hope for 650,000 cancer patients in USA and millions worldwide who undergo chemotherapy every year. Although much work remains to be done before the device’s roll out in hospitals the study has shown hope to reduce side effects of drugs and scope for regionally targeted high dose chemotherapy.

Lack of Deep Sleep Linked to Early Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease

In a new study, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis may have uncovered important explanation on how and why poor sleep is linked to early signs of Alzheimer’s disease.

Older people who have reduced slow-wave sleep – the deep sleep required to accumulate memories and wake up feeling refreshed – tend to have higher percentage of the brain protein tau, according to the researchers. Elevated tau has not only been associated with memory loss, confusion, and brain damage but also been considered as a sign of Alzheimer’s disease.

Findings of the study, appeared recently in Science Transitional Medicine, suggest that poor-quality sleep in later life could a warning sign of deteriorating brain health.

Most interestingly, the team observed an inverse relationship between reduced slow-wave sleep and increased tau protein in people who were cognitively normal or mildly impaired, indicating that decreased slow-wave sleep could be a marker for the transition from normal cognition to impaired one.

According to Brendan Lucey, MD, first author and assistant professor of neurology, measuring the way people sleep would be a noninvasive method to check for Alzheimer’s disease before and as the people start to have issues with memory and thinking.

Changes in the brain that lead to Alzheimer’s disease, affecting an estimated 5.7 million US population, begin slowly and silently. Up to two decades, amyloid beta proteins begin to consolidate into plaques in the brain, before the distinctive symptoms of confusion and memory loss appear. Tau proteins tangled up much later, followed by deterioration of key brain regions. Only then do people start showing the critical symptoms of cognitive decline.

It has been a challenge detect people who are likely to develop Alzheimer’s, prior to changes in the brain that limits the ability to think clearly.

For better understanding of the relationship between sleep and Alzheimer’s disease, the team examined 119 study participants 60 years of age or above. Of which, around 80% were cognitively normal, while the remaining ones were very mildly impaired.

The researchers monitored the volunteers’ sleep at home over the course of a normal week. To measure the brain waves, the participants were provided a portable EEG monitor strapped on their foreheads and for wristwatch-like sensor for tracking the body movement. Additionally, they kept a sleep log, noting down nighttime sleep sessions as well as daytime napping.

The researchers also measured levels of tau protein and amyloid beta in the brain and in the cerebrospinal fluid. Of all the participants, 38 underwent brain PET scan for the two proteins, 104 underwent spinal taps, and 27 did both.

After controlling for different factors such as age, sex, and sleep movements, the researchers discovered that reduced slow-wave sleep associated with elevated tau in the brain and a high ratio of tau-to-amyloid in the cerebrospinal fluid.

Lucey said that the important observation is that the total amount of sleep was not linked to tau, but rather the slow-wave sleep, reflecting the quality of sleep. If future research confirms their results, sleep monitoring may contribute as a simple and affordable way to screen earlier of Alzheimer’s disease, the researchers said.

Plant-based-meat and Gluten Free Burger Impossible Burger 2.0 Backed by Bill Gates Debuts at CES 2019 Las Vegas

Bill Gates backed food startup Impossible Foods have debuted the upgraded version of their plant based healthy burger named Impossible Burger 2.0 at the Burger Grill at Las Vegas CES 2019.

The updated Impossible Burger 2.0 contains zero milligrams cholesterol, 14 grams fat and 250 calories in quarter pound patty. The company said that the fans of the previous version of Impossible Burger wanted a wheat or gluten free burger. The updated version of the burger has instead used soya based protein for its burger instead of wheat protein. The new burger is a significant improvement from the previous burger as it was only meant for cooking in restaurants while the 2.0 version can be cooked at home by sizzling on open flame, steaming and searing. The burger makes no compromise with nutrition or taste as it tastes the same like meat burger while at the same time containing the same nutritional content that you get from a beef burger. The burger has strange component called leghemoglobin or heme which gives the burger a bleeding attribute along with adding to the flavor of the final product.

The burger prides at being environmentally sustainable with 87% less greenhouse gas emissions, 75% lesser water and 95% lesser land than the regular ground beef burger. Food sector has seen some groundbreaking sustainable innovations in the recent decades. As plant based diet and vegan movements have propelled the demand for healthy food, food companies are left with no choice but to innovate in creating eco-friendly food recipes. Owner of Border Grill, the restaurant chosen for the debut, Sue Milliken said that using animals to meet human protein needs is going to be thing of the past with many healthy and delicious plant based alternatives arriving in the market. Finally technology has given solutions to meat lovers to satiate their taste buds without any harm to biodiversity.

White Castle has bagged the status of being the first fast-food burger chain to debut the Impossible Burger 2.0 at its restaurant starting with Border Grill, Las Vegas. The burger apart from being covered in stories by all major newspapers has become a latest Twitter sensation with a trending hashtag and also taken Instagram by a whirlwind. Whalburger and Umami Burgers are next in line to launch the new burger on their menu in next couple of weeks. The company will initially launch the burger only in handful of private burger chains with plans to a nationwide launch soon.

Impossible Foods production unit in Oakland, Caliph is spread over 68,000 Sq. ft. The company is facing tough competition from other health food startups like Tyson Food backed Beyond Burger. Many large food companies are launching new plant based food products. Nestle has recently launched its Incredible Burger under Garden Gourmet brand name with recent news reporting that Unilever’s acquisition of a Dutch plant based meat company Vegetarian Butcher.