Physical Principles
(off-the-cuff principles)

Chemistry
Solubility
Density
Molecilar Structure
Ions
Cations/Anions

Mechanics
Flow Rates
Adhesion
Pressure Variance
Particle size
Diffusion

Physics
Electricity
Ultrasound
Vibrations
Negative and Positive Charges
Electric Field
Piezo Electric
Circuits
iontophoresis
electrophoresis

Technology
Microchips
Computers
Smart Systems
Biocompatible Devices

Physical Principles

Article Analysis
(off-the-cuff)

     This article was quite interesting. I never thought of the incredible efforts that scientists and technicians make to get drugs into our systems. Growing up, I figured you just eat something and it will get where the doctors want it to go. I did wonder about how aspirin works. If there was one thing I could take from this article, it would be that there are all sorts of people working on this problem of drug uptake. It seems like Doctors would have to be biophysicists as well as medical doctors. I guess what I am saying. . .doctors are not what they use to be. Understanding the human body as well as the physical principles involved is mandatory. Doctors need to be Chemists, Technologists, Physicists, Molecular Biologists as well as Surgeons.

     Getting the drugs across the stomach-lining is important because people like to eat and swallow things. It is easy for them. People do not like shots, things on their skin, or radiation treatments. If we can devise better 'smart' drug delivery systems, we can eliminate doctors and nurses that are needed to administer these medical prescriptions. We need to take the easy work out of the hands of expensive technicians and reduce the cost for people world-wide. More people would receive medical attention if we become more 'surgical' with our delivery systems.

    Getting the drugs across the skin seems like a good idea. I had a brother who used the nicotine patch. The idea was to deliver smaller and smaller amounts of nicotine to his system. This was to slowly get his desire for nicotine to drop off. It is a good idea because it takes the work out of doing something good for yourself. The idea had to be motivated by the fact that people are lazy and easily distracted from a schedule. One could as easily have smoked one less cigarette a day. The birth control patch is another fool-proof device. Women may forget to take their pill but the patch will not forget! Many devices that we use are to circumvent getting bored with following a schedule. The electrode patch used to deliver insulin or more important cancer-reducing drugs is quite interesting. Doctors are trying to force these large particles across the skin barrier. The use of an electric field to move these charged ions across the skin barrier is rather cool. Knowing only a few basic physical principles doctors can help technologists develop new devices that will help millions of people.

Grade   55/60   A

I like the selection of the article.
The interaction is much better, than Tony has done before. 
He really gets into talking to the author.  20/20
The Physical Principles are not typed but they are very good. I like the diagrams.
I like the way he tries to relate the physical principles to the article.
He brings in K.C. Cole and references the Hewitt book.  18/20
The Analysis needs a little work. Where is K.C.?
It is nice to read what Tony thinks. No summary.  17/20