Lab Services are provided by Pioneer Technologies, a division of Pioneer Metal Finishing. Pioneer Technologies is staffed by a core group of technical metal finishing experts with over a hundred years of Electroplating and Manufacturing expertise. Lab services offered through Pioneer Technologies are listed below with the corresponding test specification. These on site services are unique to Pioneer to assist customers in a timely manner. In addition to providing lab services and technical resources this core group focuses on helping customers achieve their “Time To Market” and product differentiation goals. • Full metallographic preparation • Micro hardness tester for the analysis of coatings and substrates (ASTM E384) • Taber (ASTM D4060) • Suga wear testing (ISO 8251) • Surface roughness evaluation (ASME B46.1) • Weight Loss for coating density (ASTM B137) • Salt Spray Corrosion Testing (ASTM B117, ISO 9227) • Coefficient of Friction (ASTM D1894)

• Professional Reporting, including documentation and photographs • Process Validation Testing • Develop and Maintain Best Practices • Process Analysis and Trouble Shooting • Pilot Line (small volume and specialized work) • New Process Development Pioneer's OEM Solution: (VA-100) • Custom Selective Anodize Systems - Individual fixture per part with masking built into fixture - Individual rectification control per fixtures - Unparalleled oxide build control - Complete uniform coverage within coated area • Minimizes area coated to reduce costs - Minimum electrolyte consumption • Minimizes electrical consumption • Minimize fixture costs and maintenance • Identify non-conforming product before assembly and field replacement - Eliminate Customer complaints and returnsJules Hirsch, whose clinical investigations into body weight regulation helped establish the biological underpinnings of obesity — including that a person’s weight is in part determined by the body’s own predisposition — died on July 23 in Englewood, N.J.

He was 88.His death was confirmed by a nephew, Norman Silber.Dr. Hirsch had a long career at the Rockefeller University in New York, including as physician in chief at Rockefeller University Hospital from 1992 to 1996. An advocate of patient-oriented research — in which a doctor investigates the mechanism of disease by studying his own patients — he specialized in studies of metabolism, focusing in particular on why some people get fat and others don’t.That research was crucial to a shift in approach in obesity studies. Through the middle of the 20th century, fat cells, known as adipose tissue, were considered to be inert storage units for fat that the body burned for energy.That view reinforced the popular perception that obese people were to blame for their own condition — that they must be lazy or gluttonous or lacking in will power.Over the years, Dr. Hirsch and others showed that to the contrary, many people are biologically predisposed to be heavy, and that even when they manage to lose weight, biological processes work against their being able to keep it off.Dr. Hirsch demonstrated that fat cells came in different sizes, and that weight loss reduced the size but not the number of such cells.

The discovery provided evidence that fat cells, far from being inert depots, communicate with the brain, and that the brain keeps track of how much fat is in the body and to some extent regulates it.Average Cost Bathroom Fitting In 1994, researchers at Rockefeller isolated the communicating agent, a hormone called leptin, which, when secreted from fat cells, tells the brain how big those cells are.B12 Shots Good For Weight LossThe scientists also determined that the brain used leptin to maintain a base level of body fat.“Strip Vinyl Tile FloorDr. Hirsch’s work was seminal in demonstrating that there is this flexibility of fat cell size, which provided an anatomic basis for a signal between the body’s adipose tissue and the brain,” Dr. Rudolph L. Leibel, a research partner of Dr. Hirsch’s, said in an interview.

Dr. Leibel was among those responsible for the discovery of leptin.For 10 years, beginning in the mid-1980s, he and Dr. Hirsch studied 41 volunteers — some obese, some lean — while regulating their weights with liquid formulas.The study’s findings, released to acclaim in 1995, showed that the body worked against attempts to lose — or gain — weight: When the body slims down, its metabolism slows down and its muscles burn fewer calories with the same effort; when the body beefs up, it burns calories more briskly.Emphasizing the presumed truth that the human body has its own sense of how fat it should be — different predispositions for different people — the study offered a measure of relief to those subject to self-recriminations for being unable to keep off weight.Born in Manhattan on April 6, 1927, Dr. Hirsch was the son of immigrants from Europe. His father was a tailor who later became a shopkeeper in Asbury Park, N.J., where Jules grew up. He attended Rutgers, but left before graduating to study medicine at Southwestern Medical College in Texas, now incorporated in the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, where he earned a medical degree.Dr. Hirsch worked at hospitals in North Carolina and upstate New York, and he spent two years in the federal Public Health Service before joining the Rockefeller University (it was known at the time as the Rockefeller Institute) as an assistant physician in 1954.Dr. Hirsch’s

first marriage ended in divorce. His second wife, the former Dr. Helen Davidoff, a noted psychoanalyst, died in 2010.He is survived by two sons, David and Joshua, and several nieces and nephews, including Mr. Silber.Dr. Hirsch’s recognition of the intractability of obesity as a trial for individuals and a serious public health issue informed what his colleagues described as a deep sympathy for patients.An adamant proponent of the “a calorie is a calorie” school of weight loss dietetics, Dr. Hirsch never discouraged overweight people from making the attempt to lose weight, but he acknowledged how difficult it was, and was always careful to emphasize that there was no such thing as a miracle diet.For the obese, he counseled, losing weight and keeping it off is a lifelong enterprise.“They will feel miserable,” Dr. Hirsch said. “But if they can do it, they will be better off.”Am I a good candidate for a tummy tuck? A tummy tuck firms and tightens your abdominal wall by removing any excess skin and tightening the muscles.

Therefore, it is recommended that you be at an ideal body weight to achieve the best result. If you are actively losing weight, we recommend your weight be stable before undergoing any body contouring procedure. If you note excess skin or fat of the abdominal wall, or if your abdominal muscles have separated or weakened over time, you may be a good candidate for a tummy tuck. During your consultation, we will provide you with our expert opinion on whether you are a good candidate. We will discuss the surgical process along with any possible risks and complications of the surgery. How should I prepare for a tummy tuck consultation? Researching tummy tuck on reputable internet sites such as the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons can be very informative to help provide basics about the surgery and your recovery. However, the best information will be obtained by making an appointment and speaking with Dr. Johnson. At the time of your consultation it may also be helpful to review before and after photos of patients who have had the procedure.

Know your surgical expectations so you can discuss them fully. If you are a smoker, we recommend you quit to help reduce the risk of wound healing complications. We also recommend a healthy lifestyle to aid your recovery process. Will I be seen by the surgeon?Dr. Johnson will meet with you and she will discuss all your surgical options. Dr. Johnson will provide you with the necessary information so that you feel confident and comfortable with your surgical decision. Will I be charged for an initial tummy tuck consultation?There is a $100 cosmetic consultation fee for your initial visit. If you choose to have surgery with Dr. Johnson, the $100 consultation fee will go towards your surgery cost. Are there different types of tummy tuck procedures? A classic tummy tuck is done with a horizontal incision above the pubic area that extends from one pelvic bone to the other. In many instances a second incision around the umbilicus is needed to remove any loose skin above the umbilicus.

The abdominal muscles are tightened if needed. Another variation to the tummy tuck procedure is a mini-abdominoplasty. This procedure is recommended for patients who have a small amount of loose skin below the umbilicus. In many instances this procedure does not require an incision around the umbilicus. Liposuction may be recommended in addition to a tummy tuck to contour the abdominal wall. Drains are placed to help prevent seromas (fluid collections) under the skin. What is the surgical process for abdominoplasty? The surgery is performed at a hospital. During surgery you will receive general anesthesia. The surgery will take between 2-3 hours. Once you are awake you are taken to the recovery room for another 1-2 hours. Our recommendation is that you spend one night in the hospital. Are there risks involved with tummy tuck? Yes, there are risks with any surgical procedure. Some of the possible risks with a tummy tuck are pain, infection, wound healing complications, hematoma/seroma, unsatisfactory results or scars that may require a revision surgery.

What is the recovery process from a tummy tuck? The first few days you may feel tightness and/or pain of the abdominal wall. You will notice that the pain decreases with each passing day. You are sent home on pain medications which will decrease your discomfort. We will recommend that you wear an abdominal binder to provide compression and help minimize swelling. We will see you one week after surgery to evaluate your healing process and to possibly remove the drains. We request that you do no heavy lifting for at least one month following surgery. Where will my abdominoplasty be performed? Dr. Johnson has privileges at Baystate Medical Center and Mercy Medical Center. Both are accredited by the Joint Commission and have been awarded the Gold Seal of Approval, and both are conveniently located in Springfield, MA. Will my insurance cover tummy tuck surgery?Contouring your abdominal wall is a cosmetic procedure. The insurance companies do not deem this procedure medically necessary and therefore it is not a covered procedure by insurance carriers.

Can I finance my tummy tuck?We offer patient financing through CareCredit, which is a part of GE Capital, one of the nation's most credible and trusted financial partners. You can apply securely online by filling out a CareCredit Online Credit Application, or by calling (800) 365-8295. A decision is usually made within minutes of receiving your application. What forms of payment are accepted? Our office accepts all major credit cards, debit cards, cash, money orders, and certified bank checks, or you can finance through CareCredit. Can I make payments online?You have the option of logging into our website to make your payment securely. Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) Before & After Photos All photos are of actual procedures performed by Dr. Melissa Johnson Abdominoplasty #1 with Liposuction After photos were taken 7 weeks after surgery. After photos were taken 2 months after surgery. After photos were taken 6 weeks after surgery. After photos were taken 4 months after surgery.