Dental economics and the aging population.

In 2011, the oldest segment of the baby boom generation will be 65 years of age, marking the beginning of an important demographic shift for dentistry. As seniors, boomers will continue to need dental care, more than previous cohorts of seniors. However, many may lack the means to fully finance their dental care. With the associations between oral and systemic health becoming clearer, dental practitioners will become increasingly involved in promoting their patients' overall health. This article reviews recent trends and projections in dental spending and how an aging population may impact clinical practice and dental business operations.

The membrane-disrupting activity of alpha-aminoalkanephosphonic acids and their derivatives.

The influence of a series of acyclic and cyclic aminophosphonates on the physicochemical properties of model (planar lipid membranes-BLM) and biological (erythrocytes-RBC) membranes was studied. The results obtained were compared with the results of physiological tests performed on the aquatic plant Spirodela oligorrhiza. It was found that the inhibition of plant growth by the compounds studied correlated, although not very highly, with the observed changes in the properties of membranes used. It was also found that both the biological activity of aminophosphonates and their efficiency at modifying the physicochemical parameters of membranes depended on their structural features.