Monthly Archives: January 2014

How nanotechnology is urine-proofing your smartphone

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Mobile & tablets by Ben Sullivan| 30 January 2014 Nanotech firm says that all mobile devices can be 100% waterproof in 5 years. CBR finds out how P2i is testing its 'invisible barrier' against all liquids.

Revolving shower machines, a giant salt bath, and a metre-deep tube that's going to need to hold many bladders' worth of urine. These are just some of the ways Didcot-based tech company P2i is showing how its nano-coating technology is providing absolute safety for electrical devices from the dangers of liquid.

Water damage is one of the main causes for smartphone dysfunctionally, and in turn causes headaches for network operators worldwide as damaged phones increase the risk of customers leaving the lengthy contracts they are now increasingly locked in to.

P2i says it has the answer, and yesterday I was given the opportunity to tour its UK base to talk, and see first hand, the exciting future of nano-coating.

Dr Stephen Coulson started off by submerging his own phone in water, and then setting the timer. The pack of tissues in the photo has also been treated with nano-coating. Not very useful for blowing your nose...

P2i, this week celebrating its 10th birthday, was originally manifested within the Ministry of Defence, which was looking for clothing protection from nerve gases. Since then, under the helm of founder Dr Stephen Coulson, P2i has been developing a process called nano-coating which effectively makes a tiny, ultra-thin shield between a surface and liquid - making the surface hydrophobic.

As you can imagine, network operators are very interested in working alongside phone manufacturers with this technology. A phone that is, to use P2i's trademark phrase 'Dunkable', will not suffer any returns or warranty payouts for water damage, ultimately increasing revenue for operators.

The first 'Dunkable' devices will launch later this year, and the technology differs itself from regular splash-proof coatings. The barrier, which is 1000 times thinner than a human hair, enables manufacturers to reach an IPX7 water protection rating, which is classed as 'submerged for 30 minutes at 1 metre deep'. It was also noted that one customer has asked P2i to test the IPX7 standard with urine, as dropping your phone down the toilet is apparently a lot more common than you first think. CEO Carl Francis admitted: "We're not exactly sure where we're going to get that much urine."

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How nanotechnology is urine-proofing your smartphone

Engineer Brings New Twist to Sodium-Ion Battery Technology with Discovery of Flexible Molybdenum Disulfide Electrodes

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Newswise MANHATTAN, KAN. -- A Kansas State University engineer has made a breakthrough in rechargeable battery applications.

Gurpreet Singh, assistant professor of mechanical and nuclear engineering, and his student researchers are the first to demonstrate that a composite paper -- made of interleaved molybdenum disulfide and graphene nanosheets -- can be both an active material to efficiently store sodium atoms and a flexible current collector. The newly developed composite paper can be used as a negative electrode in sodium-ion batteries.

"Most negative electrodes for sodium-ion batteries use materials that undergo an 'alloying' reaction with sodium," Singh said. "These materials can swell as much as 400 to 500 percent as the battery is charged and discharged, which may result in mechanical damage and loss of electrical contact with the current collector."

"Molybdenum disulfide, the major constituent of the paper electrode, offers a new kind of chemistry with sodium ions, which is a combination of intercalation and a conversion-type reaction," Singh said. "The paper electrode offers stable charge capacity of 230 mAh.g-1, with respect to total electrode weight. Further, the interleaved and porous structure of the paper electrode offers smooth channels for sodium to diffuse in and out as the cell is charged and discharged quickly. This design also eliminates the polymeric binders and copper current collector foil used in a traditional battery electrode.

The research appears in the latest issue of the journal ACS-NANO in the article "MoS2/graphene composite paper for sodium-ion battery electrodes."

For the last two years the researchers have been developing new methods for quick and cost-effective synthesis of atomically thin two-dimensional materials graphene, molybdenum and tungsten disulfide in gram quantities, particularly for rechargeable battery applications.

For the latest research, the engineers created a large-area composite paper that consisted of acid-treated layered molybdenum disulfide and chemically modified graphene in an interleaved structured. The research marks the first time that such a flexible paper electrode was used in a sodium-ion battery as an anode that operates at room temperature. Most commercial sodium-sulfur batteries operate close to 300 degrees Celsius, Singh said.

Singh said the research is important for two reasons:

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Engineer Brings New Twist to Sodium-Ion Battery Technology with Discovery of Flexible Molybdenum Disulfide Electrodes

Global Industry Analysts, Inc. Reports Unmet Needs Driving Nanotechnology In Drug Discovery

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By Cyndi Root

Global Industry Analysts, Inc. (GIA) announced the release of a report on nanotechnology in drug discovery. Entitled Nanotechnology in Drug Delivery: A Global Strategic Market Report, the report is global in scope and comprehensive. GIA addresses the 53.3 billion dollar U.S. market projected for 2018. Included are the forces driving the pharmaceutical industry such as the aging population, increasing chronic diseases, unmet needs, and nanotechnology. GIA is an independent publisher of market research. It serves 10,000 companies in 36 countries. Founded in 1987, it specialized in the medical industry but now reports on 180 industries.

GIA states that the pharmaceutical industry was one of the first beneficiaries of nano drug technology. It holds promise in diagnostics, drug discovery, drug delivery, and tissue engineering. Drug delivery has been the primary focus in research medicine using the technology, as nano-delivery offers better targeting and reduction in side effects. Researchers can now revisit prior experiments and drugs to investigate nanotechnology possibilities. Shelved molecules and abandoned studies may be revived for further studies with nanotechnology. The interest and activity in the technology is rising due to growing demand for novel techniques. Competition is increasing as companies seek to reduce costs of drug components and differentiate products from competitors.

Nano Products

Nano products are described as intelligent drug-delivery systems. They are novel techniques and products, and require different administration than conventional treatments. These tiny molecules are active or passive depending on the application. They can be nanoparticles, micro-injectors, and/or have micro-electrical properties. Controlled release and target specificity allow for custom therapies based on the condition or disease and the patient. Nanotechnology offers on-demand dosing and a more sophisticated drug delivery system. For the patient, it means better quality treatment and improvement in the quality of life. Researchers are interested in biomolecules like DNA and siRNA, chemotherapeutic agents that target cancer better, and oral drug delivery.

The GIA report states the U.S. is the largest market in the world, driven by a strong pharmaceutical industry. U.S. firms have a strong focus on R&D and companies are moving to improve their pipelines. The Asian-Pacific market is the fastest growing, led by China. China has prioritized healthcare and is committed to advanced medical technology. Nanocrystals and nanocarriers like liposomes are expected to see strong growth. The report lists some of the major players in nanotechnology and forecasts revenues.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates nanotechnology and interested parties can visit the FDA site for more information on nanomedicine, its uses, and trends.

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Global Industry Analysts, Inc. Reports Unmet Needs Driving Nanotechnology In Drug Discovery

Palm Beach murderer James Sulllivan sued to recover $13.5 million he was ordered to pay 20 years ago for killing his …

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One of the most salacious, tortured and long-running murder cases in Palm Beach County history found its way back to the courthouse this week when attorneys sued convicted millionaire murderer James Sullivan for the millions he owes his dead wifes estate.

With the clocking running out on a 20-year deadline to collect a $13.5 million judgment from Sullivan for hiring a hitman to kill his estranged wife, Lita Sullivan, in her Atlanta townhouse, attorneys said they had to file suit to keep the former Palm Beach resident on the financial hook.

By law, the judgment expires Feb. 25, exactly 20 years after a Palm Beach County civil jury ordered Sullivan to pay $4 million for causing his 35-year-old socialite wifes death. With interest, the judgment has ballooned to $13.5 million, according to the lawsuit filed in Palm Beach County Circuit Court.

The unusual lawsuit is a way to keep the judgment alive.

West Palm Beach lawyer J. Brad Moores and Atlanta attorney David Boone, who pursued Sullivan in civil court when prosecutors in Atlanta couldnt find enough evidence to file criminal charges against the savvy investor, said they see no reason their lawsuit will not be successful.

We have a judgment. We have not been made whole. Its pretty simple, Boone said.

Even though Sullivan was finally convicted of his wifes death in 2006 and is now serving a life sentence in a Georgia prison, both attorneys said they are convinced he still has access to millions he stashed in Swiss Bank accounts. Decades-long efforts to recover the money failed. But both attorneys said they arent giving up on their quest to recover the money for Lita Sullivans parents.

I cant predict where things will ultimately go but I think I can predict one thing: Were not going away, Moores said.

And, he said, he is equally sure that Sullivan hopes they would.

Its always been about the money, he said. Hed rather pour lighter fluid on it and set it one fire than see one dime go to my clients. Hes a sociopath.

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Palm Beach murderer James Sulllivan sued to recover $13.5 million he was ordered to pay 20 years ago for killing his ...

Sullivan sued by victim’s parents

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Attorneys for the parents of Lita McClinton Sullivan filed a lawsuit Monday against former Palm Beacher James Vincent Sullivan, preserving their rights to a $4 million wrongful death judgment they won against him for ordering their daughters 1987 murder.

The lawsuit was filed in Palm Beach County Circuit Court on behalf of Lita Sullivans estate, with her parents, Emory and JoAnn McClinton of Atlanta, as beneficiaries. The McClintons won the civil case against Sullivan in February 1994. With 12 percent interest accruing since then, Sullivan owes $13.5 million as of Monday, the lawsuit says.

A former Landmarks Preservation Chairman, Sullivan, 72, is serving a life sentence in a Georgia state prison for ordering a contract hit on his estranged wife. A gunman posing as a flower deliveryman shot Lita Sullivan at her suburban Atlanta townhouse on Jan. 16, 1987. The murder occurred on the morning of a key hearing in the the couples pending divorce.

The McClintons havent received any money from the judgment. In order to be entitled to any money after 20 years, a new lawsuit has to be filed, said attorney Brad Moores, who won the original judgment and represents the McClintons. Feb. 25 marks the 20th anniversary of the judgment.

Its an independent case, but its based on the original case, Moores said. Its based on the fact that Sullivan has avoided payment. This will give us the legal ability to collect the debt beyond the 20 years.

Moores thinks Sullivan has money stashed in a Swiss bank account and, after he dies, that money will come to his estate in the United States.

We want the ability to impose restrictions and liens on his estate, Moores said. We should have priority.

In the 1980s, James Sullivan hosted dinner parties at his oceanfront mansion, inserted himself into local politics and tried to climb the Palm Beach social ladder. From the beginning, law enforcement believed Sullivan had his wife murdered to avoid losing millions and the mansion in their pending divorce. Authorities also knew Sullivan had moved on long before the murder with a new girlfriend, the exotic Suki Rogers, whom he was eager to wed. But it took authorities 11 years to get a break in the case.

A tip led to the 1998 arrest of the triggerman and a subsequent arrest warrant for Sullivan. By the time the warrant was issued, Sullivan had disappeared. In 2002, he was traced to Thailand and arrested. After spending time in a Thai prison, Sullivan was extradited to the United States. He stood trial in February 2006 for his wifes murder. He was convicted and sentenced to life without parole.

Hes just a worthless human being, Moores said. That money means more to him in the abstract than anything. He would rather go to his grave and not have access to the money as long as the McClintons dont have access to it.

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Ring’s Reflections: Pioneers in medicine, science have brought international acclaim to Tucson

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Tucsons movers and shakers in science and medicine include an archaeologist, a planetary scientist, a heart transplant surgeon and a pioneer in integrative medicine.

Emil Haury was a pre-eminent archaeologist and anthropologist who accumulated the evidence that provides much of our understanding of Southwestern prehistory.

Michael J. Drake, a world-class scientist in extraterrestrial geology, was director of the University of Arizonas lunar and planetary projects, and was instrumental in several successful NASA space missions.

While at the UA, Jack Copeland performed Arizonas first heart transplant and later pioneered the use of artificial hearts to temporarily bridge a patient to heart transplant.

Andrew Weil is a medical pioneer in treating both the mind and body for a healthy life.

Emil Haury (1904-1992) was born in Newton, Kan., educated in Kansas through two years of college, then transferred to the UA, where he earned a bachelors degree in archaeology in 1927 and a masters in 1928. He earned a doctorate from Harvard University in 1934.

Haury began his archaeological fieldwork in the late 1920s, exploring prehistoric ruins in Northern Arizona and Mexico, and in 1930 became the assistant director of the Gila Pueblo Archaeological Foundation in Globe, working for Harold Gladwin.

With Gladwins support, Haury was instrumental in identifying and defining the Hohokam culture in Arizona and the Mogollon culture in New Mexico, which flourished around A.D. 1000 and earlier.

Haury also became a key figure in developing tree-ring dating that enabled construction of event timelines for prehistoric sites. In the 1940s and 1950s, Haury excavated several ancient (circa 9,000 B.C.) Paleo-Indian mammoth-kill sites in Arizona and New Mexico.

In 1937, Haury returned to the UA to head the Department of Anthropology, and a year later became the director of the Arizona State Museum, holding both posts until 1964.

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Ring's Reflections: Pioneers in medicine, science have brought international acclaim to Tucson