Deakin University - Practical Science - Nano medicine
http://www.deakin.edu.au An interview with Deakin University research fellow Dr Rupinder Kanwa as she discusses Deakin Uni #39;s groundbreaking Nano Medicine research Another one of many great reasons to come to Deakin University Open DayFrom:deakinuniversityViews:41 0ratingsTime:01:14More inEducation
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Deakin University - Practical Science - Nano medicine - Video
Il Nano Mondo del professor Ennio Tasciotti
Ennio Tasciotti un giovanissimo (e molto cool!) biologo molecolare che lavora all #39;Health Science Center di Houston dove professore nel primo dipartimento al mondo di nano medicine. Quello che per noi fantascienza, per lui scienza. Ascoltarlo... per credere! (Gentile concessione ExtraTv http://www.extratv.it)From:Alessandro AlloccaViews:9 1ratingsTime:23:16More inScience Technology
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SKOKIE, IL--(Marketwire - Oct 11, 2012) - NanoGuardian, a division of NanoInk, Inc. that delivers on-dose brand protection solutions to the pharmaceutical industry to fight counterfeiting and illegal diversion, announced today that it will give a poster presentation at the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) Annual Meeting and Exhibition, which is being held on October 14 - 18, at McCormick Place in Chicago. The abstract, "Can Nanofabrication be used to Combat Counterfeit Medicines by Applying On-dose Authentication Features without Disrupting the Integrity of the Medicine?" will be presented on Monday, October 15, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Hall F by Bjoern Rosner, director of research and development, brand protection for NanoGuardian.
"Counterfeit medicines have become such a problem that pharmaceutical manufacturers are evaluating how to best ensure the integrity of their medicines for patients early in the drug development process," said Dean Hart, chief commercial officer of NanoGuardian. "The AAPS poster presentation will demonstrate that NanoGuardian's NanoEncryption technology can be used to incorporate highly sophisticated nanoscale, authentication, and tracing features directly on film-coated tablets, gelatin capsules, and vial caps without affecting the dissolution or stability of the medication -- important considerations in the development and commercialization of a new medication."
NanoGuardian's NanoEncryption technology is the only on-dose, multi-layered, brand protection solution that enables pharmaceutical manufacturers to authenticate and trace every single dose, from plant to patient. NanoGuardian's Closed-Loop Protection Program combines the on-dose authentication and tracing benefits of NanoEncryption technology with a proactive supply chain auditing program to identify counterfeit or illegally diverted pharmaceuticals entering the global supply chain as early as possible.
NanoGuardian fights both counterfeiting and illegal diversion with a single technology that can be used to protect capsules, tablets, vial caps, and single-use syringes providing a layered security of overt, covert, and forensic features. The overt and covert security features allow dose-level authentication at any point in the supply chain, while the forensic and nano-scale NanoCodes provide comprehensive tracing information on each and every dose. NanoGuardian's technology provides a strong benefit over other on-dose technologies given that NanoGuardian's security features are implemented with no additional material or chemicals being added to the medication.
As evidence of the rapidly growing problem of counterfeit pharmaceuticals, a recent report from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement noted that the domestic value of counterfeit pharmaceutical seizures in fiscal year 2011 rose by more than $11 million, an increase of almost 200 percent. The implications for victims of counterfeit drugs are extremely serious, often resulting in unexpected side effects, severe allergic reactions and even death.
AAPS provides a dynamic international forum for the exchange of knowledge among scientists to enhance their contributions to health. It offers timely scientific programs, ongoing education, opportunities for networking, and professional development. More information is available at: http://www.aaps.org.
About NanoGuardian NanoGuardian, a division of NanoInk, Inc., focuses exclusively on delivering brand protection solutions to fight illegal diversion and counterfeiting. Anchored by NanoInk's novel NanoEncryption technology, NanoGuardian enables manufacturers to authenticate and trace the integrity of their products across the supply chain. More information about NanoGuardian is available at http://www.nanoguardian.net.
NanoInk, NanoGuardian, NanoEncryption and the NanoGuardian logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of NanoInk, Inc.
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Dr. Frank Maye, DOM (NMD)
When talking about an integral approach to emotional health, the term integral is not integrative or complimentary. Integral is not a mainstream approach. Integral simply implies that a team concept is adopted, and the team agrees to use whatever strategies work best for the patient. Patients benefit from a variety of disciplines which all work with one another. I believe these techniques are the future of all medical practice. I returned to school to obtain a PhD degree in Integral Health to ensure this approach took root in Miami.
Emotional and mental health includes a spectrum of conditions, including autism, obsessive compulsive disorder, eating disorders, ADD/ADHD, addictions, depression and anxiety. Some conditions require pharmacology and others call for counseling or talk-therapy. However, there is another alternative. Are you aware that there are nutritional causes of emotional and mental discomfort? You may ask how do I determine if these factors apply to me? There are tests available to help determine bacterial, nutritional, food allergies and toxicity, which are all causative factors. Even if you are already taking an anti-depressant or anxiety-relieving drug, you can I still benefit from these tests. Many side effects are minimized when the causative factors are identified.
At Maye Holistic Med, I spend two hours with every new patient. I ask myself Where did this patient lose their way? ! I owe this time to you and this question helps me guide you emotionally, physically and spiritually back to starting life over. The day you give up on your passion and dreams, the emotional, physical and spiritual you become depressed. The simple tests I conduct reveal and confirm how much this has affected you. Then, I can work to get you happy to be you again.
Psychiatrists, psychologists and natural healthcare providers can work as a team. Recently I attended a conference with 120 other physicians for the Integration of Mental Healthcare Teams. We all agreed that patient-centered healthcare is integral care. We band together as a team to deliver therapies that our patients need to get healthy and happy.
Join me at Maye Holistic Med as a patient or cooperating physician. Sometimes the answer to your problems is simple and sometimes it is complex. Let me help you put a team together.
Dr. Frank Maye, DOM (NMD) is a Diplomate of Naturopathic Medicine and a Diplomate of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Maye graduated from Community School of Traditional Chinese Healthcare, Inc. Dr. Maye continued his studies at American Naturopathic Medical Institute where he was awarded a Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and a designation of (NMD). Along with his private practice, Dr. Maye currently researches for Scintilla Software Industries in the field of Bio-energetics, Resonance Homeopathy, and Nutritional Nano technology.
Dr. Maye can be reached at 305-668-9555 or email:mayeholisticmed@aol.com. Visit us at: mayeholisticmed.com
Short URL: http://www.communitynewspapers.com/?p=47396
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Delivering an integral approach to emotional and mental health
Mobile Nanomundo Classrooms Will Deliver Nanotechnology Education Throughout SENAI/SESI Sao Paulo System
SKOKIE, IL--(Marketwire - Oct 8, 2012) - NanoProfessor, the global leader in hands-on undergraduate nanotechnology education, announced today that SENAI (Servio Nacional de Aprendizagem Industrial) and SESI (Servio Social da Indstria) of So Paulo, Brazil recently incorporated the NanoProfessor Nanoscience Education Program into five mobile nanotechnology classrooms in launching its Nanomundo Nanotechnology Educational Program.
SENAI is Brazil's largest organization of professional and technological education in Latin America, while SESI is Brazil's leader in promoting improved quality of life for workers and their dependents including providing high quality basic education for students from first through twelfth grade.
The mobile Nanomundo nanotechnology classrooms can accommodate up to 30 students at a time and will travel between the SENAI/SESI network of schools within So Paulo.Each Nanomundo classroom comes equipped with nano-focused instrumentation provided by the NanoProfessor Program including NanoInk's NLP 2000 Desktop NanoFabrication System, a student-friendly atomic force microscope, and a best-of-class fluorescence microscope.The Nanomundo classrooms will also use the NanoProfessor textbook, "Introduction to Nanoscale Science and Technology," and the cutting-edge lab experiments provided by the NanoProfessor Program.Both the NanoProfessor textbook and lab guide have been translated into Portuguese to further support the Nanomundo Program.The SENAI/SESI teachers will undergo an intensive two-week training program in So Paulo conducted by NanoProfessor's Scientific Education Team.
"Nanotechnology is a rapidly emerging industry that is responsible for life-changing breakthroughs in fields such as medicine, manufacturing, alternative energy, and electronics," said Professor Walter Vicioni, Diretor Regional and Superintendente Operacional of SENAI/SESI So Paulo."By using the NanoProfessor Program as the foundation of the Nanomundo Program and the five mobile nanotechnology classrooms, we are ensuring that students throughout our vast network of schools in So Paulo will have access to state-of-the-art nanotechnology education and be prepared for exciting jobs in the nanotechnology industry."
"We salute SENAI/SESI So Paulo for their ingenuity, visionary thinking, and strong commitment to nanotechnology education," said Dean Hart, Chief Commercial Officer of NanoProfessor."By integrating the NanoProfessor Nanoscience Education Program into its five Nanomundo mobile nanotechnology classrooms, SENAI/SESI is not only providing their students with the skills and education needed to succeed in nanotechnology-related careers, but also building a nano-savvy workforce to help support the strong economic growth within So Paulo and Brazil as a whole."
In just over 24 months, the NanoProfessor Nanoscience Education Program has been chosen to serve as the foundation for undergraduate hands-on nanotechnology education by over 20 institutions in five countries.The NanoProfessor Program alternates between classroom lectures and exciting, hands-on nanoscale lab work.The NanoProfessor curriculum includes a textbook authored by leading nanotechnology experts, covering the topics of Nanotechnology Instrumentation, Imaging and Nanofabrication techniques, Nanophysics, Nanochemistry, Nanobiology, and perspectives on Environmental, Health, and Safety within nanotechnology.In conducting the hands-on lab experiments, students work with state-of-the-art nano-centric instrumentation including NanoInk's NLP 2000 Desktop NanoFabrication System, the first desktop nanofabrication system allowing students to quickly and easily build custom-engineered nanoscale structures with a wide variety of materials from biomolecules to metal nanoparticles using NanoInk's proprietary Dip Pen Nanolithography (DPN).
Nanotechnology is the understanding and control of matter at dimensions between approximately one and 100 nanometers (nm), where unique phenomena enable novel applications which are not feasible when working with bulk materials.A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter.Encompassing nanoscale science, engineering, and technology, nanotechnology involves imaging, measuring, modeling, and manipulating matter at the nanoscale.A study funded by the National Science Foundation projects that 6 million nanotechnology workers will be needed worldwide by 2020, with 2 million of those jobs in the United States.However, as of 2008, there were only 400,000 estimated workers worldwide in the field of nanotechnology, with an estimated 150,000 of those in the United States.
About the NanoProfessor Nanoscience Education Program The NanoProfessor Nanoscience Education Program aims to advance undergraduate nanotechnology education and address the growing need for a skilled, nano-savvy workforce. The NanoProfessor Program, including state-of-the-art, nano-centric instruments, an expert-driven curriculum, and student/teacher support materials, is available for high schools, community colleges, technical institutes, and universities worldwide.More information is available at http://www.NanoProfessor.net or (847)679-NANO (6266).You can also like NanoProfessor on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/NanoProfessor1 and follow on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nanoprofessor1.
NanoInk, NanoProfessor, Dip Pen Nanolithography, DPN, and the NanoProfessor logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of NanoInk, Inc.
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Nano-medicine - using nano-sized particles to deliver drugs - has the potential to revolutionise the treatment of common maternal and fetal conditions, without side effects or risks to the mother or baby, according to a leading researcher.
Jeff Keelan, principal research fellow in the University of WA's School of Women's and Infants' Health, said nano-technology had the potential to create drugs that "boldly go where no drug has gone before".
"In conventional medicine you take a pill, aspirin say, and it gets dissolved in the stomach, enters the bloodstream and circulates around the body so all of the organs and tissues in your body get exposed to that drug," he said. "It is very non-selective."
Nano-medicine is a bit like adding a postcode to medications - it allows the drugs to be targeted to a specific destination in the body.
Nano-particles, which are the "envelopes" that contain the drugs, are usually made out of a biodegradable polymer and are about the size of a virus, ranging from one to 200 nanometres in diameter. A nanometre is one billionth of a metre.
The "envelope" or shell has a chemical structure that enables it to be targeted to a specific tissue. Once the envelope has reached and entered the target cell, it dissolves and the drug is released.
"Because it goes directly to the cell of interest, the dose you need to give of the drug is much, much smaller, maybe hundreds of times smaller," Professor Keelan said. The average dose of a drug is 10 to 1000mg whereas for nano-drugs the doses would typically be 0.1-10mg.
Professor Keelan is working on nano-particles for pregnancy with three different targets in mind - the mother, the placenta and the baby.
"Sometimes women in pregnancy have to take drugs that might be harmful to the baby," he said. These include drugs for epilepsy, cancer, hypertension and depression. So if you can figure out a way of designing a drug that does not cross the placenta, then you know that the drug is just going to act on the mother without affecting the baby," he said. "I call them 'fetal-friendly' drugs."
It might also be possible to devise therapies that targeted the fetus only; for example, if a test during pregnancy showed that the fetus had a genetic or metabolic defect, gene therapy could be delivered directly to the fetus using nano-delivery. Cystic fibrosis was an example of a genetic disorder that potentially could be treated with nano-medicine.
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The UMass Lowell Emerging Technologies Innovation Center will officially open next week.
The opening of the UMass Lowells 84,000-square-foot Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center (ETIC) is slated for next week.
Susan Windham-Bannister, president and COO of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center told Mass High Tech that the $80 million education and research-based facility specializing in nanotechnology, molecular biology and plastics engineering, will not only support the university, it will position UMass Lowell as an integral member of the regions life sciences cluster and ultimately become a powerful resource for the entire state.
The North Shore has a very strong life science cluster, and with this investment, UMass Lowell is becoming a focal point for this cluster, said Windham-Bannister.
High on the list of facility assets is the nano-manufacturing research laboratories and clean room. These amenities equate to a $5 million-a-year operation is largely supported by federal grants.
In addition to high tech clean rooms, the facility located off VFW Highway in Lowell will also house a plastics-processing high bay. The facility mission is to educate students in the fields of life sciences, energy, national security and environmental protection and become a corporate and government-sponsored research site, a release states.
Officials said the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center will commit $10 million dollars and house nano medicine and biomaterial laboratories on the facilitys third floor.
We are very excited to not just support the university but to be creating a resource that will create value for the life sciences community more broadly, Windham-Bannister said.
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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/d4wkjk/micronano) has announced the addition of the "Micro-Nano Technology XIII" report to their offering.
Selected, peer reviewed papers from the 13th Annual Conference of Chinese Society of Micro-Nano Technology, September 28-30, 2011, Changchow, China
These 81 papers, all written by Chinese researchers, are grouped into 8 chapters: Micro/Nano Transducer/Acutar/Robot, Microfluidic Devices and Systems, Micro/ Nano Fabrication and Measurement Technologies, Microfluidics and nano fluids, Nano Material Research/Nanotube/Nanowire Devices, MEMS/NENS and Applications, Nanometer Biological / Nano Medicine and Packaging Technology. This work offers an excellent overview of current research on MEMS and nano-technology in China. It will be invaluable to researchers, graduate students and engineers who work in the fields of MEMS and nano technology.
Key Topics Covered:
The Out-Rotator of Spin Traveling Wave Pump on Magnetic Fluid
Meng Zhao, Ji Bin Zou, Jing Shang
A Flush-Mounted Resonant Ice Detection Sensor with High Sensitivity
Qiang Shi, Jun Bo Wang, De Yong Chen, Yan Long Shang
Heating Carve Technique for Polymer Microfluidic Microchannel
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October 3, 2012
Image Caption: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Aki Hoshide, Expedition 33 flight engineer, services the Nano Step payload in the Kibo laboratory of the International Space Station. Credit: NASA
Lee Rannals for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online
NASA announced it is inviting scientists from all over the world to submit proposals to perform biological research aboard the International Space Station.
NASAs Research Opportunities in Space Biology opened up for proposals on Sunday, challenging scientists to submit their experiments that could provide answers to questions about how life adapts and responds to microgravity.
Investigators will have the opportunity to take advantage of new cell, plant and animal research facilities being developed for the space station.
NASA said proposals submitted by the scientists should demonstrate benefits to astronauts living and working in the harsh environment of space during long-duration missions. The space agency also said they should improve medicine and health care for humans on Earth as well.
NASAs Research Announcement (NRA) focuses on ground-based research designed to lead to new space biology investigations aboard the space station.
The space agency said the investigations should use microgravity and other characteristics of the space environment effectively to enhance our understanding of basic biological processes and develop the scientific and technological foundations for a safe, productive human presence in space.
The investigations should also be able to be applied to help improve the United States competitiveness, education and quality of life, according to NASA.
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Scientists Invited To Submit Proposals For Biological Research In Space
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Oct. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Genia Technologies, Inc. today announced a collaboration with investigators at Columbia University and Harvard University to develop a nanopore-based sequencing system that will accelerate the use of DNA sequencing in the clinic. The three-way collaboration focuses on the development of a single molecule sequencing system combining Genia's standard complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuit, Professor George Church's novel protein constructs with Columbia's unique Tag-based sequencing chemistry approach. Genia has recently entered into an exclusive license agreement with Columbia University for use of its Tag-based sequencing technology. By combining standard protein nanopores with the tag sequencing chemistry (NanoTag) and semiconductor technology, the Genia chip will be more accurate, faster, and affordable than current commercially available technologies. This integrated circuit platform is designed for decentralized deployment, ease of use, and less upfront sample preparation, at a size and price ideal for diagnostics in the clinical setting.
"We believe DNA sequencing will dominate molecular diagnostics in the future," said Stefan Roever, CEO of Genia. "We have been working to fully operationalize a nanopore-based sequencing approach, and this chemistry will be the catalyst that helps us finally bring affordable, easy-to-use genomic diagnostics into everyday medical care."
"The Genia platform combines the single molecule detection capabilities seen in nanopore-based platforms with true semiconductor scalability," Roever continued. "We are thrilled to collaborate with Professor Jingyue Ju, Professor George Church, and their teams to develop the NanoTag sequencing chemistry on our platform and believe this Tag-based approach overcomes the inherent accuracy issues you have with trying to pull native DNA through the pore. We believe this will be the winning chemistry for nanopore-based sequencing."
This transformational platform, based on the innovative electronic Nano-SBS system developed by Dr. Ju and his team at Columbia's Engineering School in an academic collaboration with Dr. John Kasianowicz and his group at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, uses a robust sequencing-by-synthesis approach to determine DNA sequences electronically at the single molecule level, without requiring amplification or optical detection. The technology identifies DNA sequences not by detecting the nucleotides themselves with the nanopore, but by measuring the current changes caused by the passage of each of four different tags that are released from the incorporated nucleotide during the polymerase reaction. On September 21, 2012, Dr. Ju, Dr. Kasianowicz, and their groups published an article in the peer-reviewed journal, Scientific Reports (Nature Publication group), "PEG-Labeled Nucleotides and Nanopore Detection for Single Molecule DNA Sequencing by Synthesis" (2, 684;DOI:10.1038/srep00684), that successfully demonstrates proof of principle of the Nano-SBS system.
"We are very fortunate to have partnered with Genia Technologies. We are very impressed with their chip capabilities and are excited to work with them and take our novel tag sequencing chemistry to commercialization. Our published research with Dr. Kasianowicz represents the first step in further development of this novel sequencing technology. By scaling with a nanopore integrated circuit, the commercial implications and the impact on biomedical research and clinical diagnostics are very exciting," said Dr. Ju, Professor of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacology at Columbia University.
Genia's technology combines a nanopore array integrated on a standard CMOS chip. Software on the chip controls the insertion of the nanopores into the lipid bilayers and allows for active control of individual sensors on the array. Genia has strong IP around their analog electronic circuitry, which at the heart, controls each sensor of the array and allows for operationalizing the overall nanopore-based platform. In addition, Genia's patented protein construct and methodology solve the diffusion, capture rate, and translocation speed issues faced by alternative exonuclease-based approaches.
To make NanoTag sequencing a reality, a fusion protein is needed to position the polymerase near the nanopore's vestibule, so that the tags can be easily captured and detected in the barrel of the pore. As part of the Genia collaboration, George Church and his group will provide the protein constructs which are integral to the overall Tag-based approach.
"DNA sequencing is the future of molecular diagnostics and finding a platform that can be deployed straight into the clinic and enable rapid, easy to interpret results will be the way to truly achieve personal genomes worthy of precision medicine," said George Church, Professor of Genetics, at Harvard University. "The Genia integrated circuit combined with the NanoTag sequencing chemistry, seems to have a winning formula that makes it ideal for clinical care and may be the platform that finally moves DNA sequencing into the doctor's office to ensure earlier diagnostics, treatment, and better patient outcomes.
The first version of Genia's CMOS chip is in-house and is currently being used to further develop and test the NanoTag sequencing chemistry. The company expects to ship its first devices to customers for beta testing by the end of 2013 and expects to have a commercial product, on the market in 2014.
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Sri Lanka as a leading nanotechnology destination:
By Shirajiv SIRIMANE
Sri Lanka had been talking of introducing nanotechnology for almost 15 years; ministers had promised to build nano parks and provide other benefits to get such projects off the ground. However, very little attention had been paid to the matter.
A model of the Nanotechnology Centre in Homagama
Last Thursday, the much talked about and long overdue foundation stone for the 54-acre nanotechnology Centre of Excellence (NCE) was finally laid on Government land at Homagama.
Chairman Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology (SLINTEC), Mahesh Amalean said the investment for the initial stage of the project is Rs 830 million. The nanotechnology park, funded by the Government and a few private sector entities, would enable companies to invest and develop their research centres incubation facilities and pilot plants in the environment of an advanced technology park.
This would help Sri Lanka to be positioned as a leading destination for nanotechnology, taking the country closer towards becoming the Wonder of Asia.
The second phase of the park will focus on the expansion of research and business development for the public and private sector in Sri Lanka and potential foreign direct investment from multinational corporations as well as SMEs through attractive incentives, terms and conditions.
One of Asias leading nano-scientists Dr Lalin Samaranayake told the Sunday Observer that Sri Lanka is sitting on a nanotechnology goldmine. It has not used its potential in the world market, he said
He said while Sri Lanka has the technology to reap economic benefits from nanotechnology in the island itself, the country only exports raw materials, giving all the benefits to the world. Sri Lanka sells nano raw materials such as graphite, silica, titanium dioxide and clay for various industries in the world and imports the finished products spending a lot of foreign currency.
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Corporate money men fill the political void at Rio+20
It may have been a damp squib politically, but business leaders at the Earth Summit in Rio were on hand to commit cash for UN green initiatives
In Why Does the World Exist? Jim Holt spans physics, philosophy and literature to examine the mystery of why there is something rather than nothing
Ferrofluids - a mix of oil and nano-sized iron particles - are normally used in computer hard drives, but their weird properties can make for great liquid art
Twisting individual beams of light in different ways allows more data to be transmitted in the same signal
A swallowable ultrasound device called uPill could end the need for painful daily injections
If life arises wherever conditions are right, why haven't we heard from aliens yet? Biochemist Nick Lane thinks he might have an answer
The Atlantic coast of North America is a hotspot of sea level rise, suggesting that a major Atlantic current is slowing down
Which is more likely to derail the decades-long battle to rid the world of polio? The Taliban, or the financial crisis?
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ScienceDaily (June 20, 2012) Scientists have visualized the trapping and confinement of light on graphene, making a sheet of carbon atoms the most promising candidate for optical information processing on the nano-scale, optical detection, and ultrafast optoelectronics.
Spanish research groups have achieved the first ever visualizations of light guided with nanometric precision on graphene (a one-atom-thick sheet of carbon atoms). This visualization demonstrates what theoretical physicists have long predicted; that it is possible to trap and manipulate light in a highly efficient way, using graphene as a novel platform for optical information processing and sensing. Synergies between theoretical proposals from IQFR-CSIC (Madrid), specializations in graphene nano-photonics and nano-optoelectonics at ICFO (Barcelona), and experimental expertise in optical nano-imaging at nanoGUNE (San Sebastian) give rise to these noteworthy results reported in Nature this week in a back-to-back publication alongside a similar study by the group of Dmitry Basov in UCSD in California.
Graphene is a material that, among many other fascinating properties, has an extraordinary optical behavior. Particularly interesting optical properties had been predicted for the case that light couples to so-called plasmons, wave-like excitations that were predicted to exist in the "sea" of conduction electrons of graphene. However, no direct experimental evidence of plasmons in graphene had been shown up to this work. This is because the wavelength of graphene plasmons is 10 to 100 times smaller than what can be seen with conventional light microscopes.
Now, the researchers show the first experimental images of graphene plasmons. They used a so called near-field microscope that uses a sharp tip to convert the illumination light into a nanoscale light spot that provides the extra push needed for the plasmons to be created. At the same time the tip probes the presence of plasmons. Rainer Hillenbrand, leader of the nanoGUNE group comments: "Seeing is believing! Our near-field optical images definitely proof the existence of propagating and localized graphene plasmons and allow for a direct measurement of their dramatically reduced wavelength."
As demonstrated by the researchers, graphene plasmons can be used to electrically control light in a similar fashion as is traditionally achieved with electrons in a transistor. These capabilities, which until now were impossible with other existing plasmonic materials, enable new highly efficient nano-scale optical switches which can perform calculations using light instead of electricity.
"With our work we show that graphene is an excellent choice for solving the long-standing and technologically important problem of modulating light at the speeds of today's microchips," says Javier Garca de Abajo, leader of the IQFR-CSIC group. In addition, the capability of trapping light in very small volumes could give rise to a new generation of nano-sensors with applications in diverse areas such as medicine and bio-detection, solar cells and light detectors, as well as quantum information processing. This result literally opens a new field of research and provides a first viable path towards ultrafast tuning of light, which was not possible until now. Frank Koppens, leader of the ICFO group, summarizes: "Graphene is a novel and unique material for plasmonics, truly bridging the fields of nano-electronics and nano-optics."
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Elhuyar Fundazioa, via AlphaGalileo.
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Public release date: 19-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Myles Gough myles.gough@unsw.edu.au 61-029-385-1933 University of New South Wales
With advances in nanotechnology, the future of medicine is taking shape on the nano-scale and making possible healthcare solutions once confined to the realm of science fiction.
From microscopic robots that could soon be swimming around our bloodstream repairing cells and diagnosing diseases, to drugs with improved therapeutic properties that can selectively target affected regions of the body with cellular precision without damaging surrounding tissue.
The Australian Centre for Nanomedicine at the University of New South Wales is at the forefront of this exciting new discipline and will host the third International Nanomedicine Conference from 2 4 July in Sydney.
The conference will bring together world-leading academics and clinicians to highlight important research into targeted drug delivery systems, diagnostics and imaging, and regenerative medicine, all enabled by nanomedicine.
One nanometre is equivalent to one-billionth of a metre and is roughly 60,000 times thinner than a human hair, or the size of a single strand of DNA.
By exploiting the novel biological, chemical and physical properties of materials at this scale, researchers can build devices and systems that improve disease detection and develop more effective therapies.
The Australian Centre for Nanomedicine at UNSW, which crosses medicine, science and engineering, is investigating strategies to better diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
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International Nanomedicine Conference bound for Sydney: July 2-4, 2012
What unites the diverse group selected to participate in the inaugural ZeroTo510 medical device accelerator?
In a word, entrepreneurship.
That's the common thread that binds the founders of the six startups selected for the ZeroTo510 program in Memphis.
Photo by Mike Maple // Buy this photo
Ben Tempel (left) is CEO and Dr. Edward Chaum is a co-founder of Nanophthalmics, which is creating microscopic tools for ocular surgery.
Photo by Brandon Dill // Buy this photo
BioNanovations founders Charleson Bell (left) and Andre' Stevenson have developed TestQuick, a technology that uses "bio-nano" particles to reduce the time needed to determine the type of bacterial infection present in a sample.
Some are experienced health care professionals; some are just starting their careers. Some are full-fledged professors at prestigious universities; some are graduate students and research assistants. Some are Memphians; others live and work elsewhere.
"It's inspirational how the spirit of entrepreneurship brings them together," said Allan Daisley, director of innovation and entrepreneurship for Memphis Bioworks Foundation, the organization that houses and administers ZeroTo510.
Created as the first medical device accelerator program in the country, ZeroTo510 aims to create more jobs, boost the local economy and make Memphis a place for entrepreneurs. To participate in ZeroTo510, the startups have to be based here.
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Six startup medical device firms compete in Memphis for fame and fortune
Normally used in clinical settings, Puridone has been recently released to the general public online as a 60-day "in home" treatment to help those dealing with opiate dependency and painkiller addiction. In clinical studies conducted in 2012, Puridone demonstrated a remarkable increase in energy, sleep and sex drive, while simultaneously lowering withdrawal symptoms, anxiety and depression ...
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The Puridone Program - A Breakthrough for Painkiller Addiction
by Gwyneth K. Shaw | Jun 15, 2012 10:36 am
(NHI Nanoblog) Its become a rallying cry for some researchers who are scrutinizing the potential health and environmental effects of super-small particles: Test the products that use nanomaterials, not just the substances themselves.
A new study looking at the exposure risk of nano-enabled cosmetic powders offers a powerful validation of that argument. The researchers conclude that the hazards are different from what might be expected, given the size of the particles involved.
They also found that even the rudimentary labeling of nano-enabled products isnt always accurate: Five of the six powders contained nanoparticles, even though only three were marketed that way.
The researchers, from Rutgers University and the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School-University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, predict that exposure to nanoparticles from cosmetic powders is more likely to be in the upper respiratory system, rather than in the deeper, smaller alveolar area. In other words, these products are mostly coming throughand maybe lodging inyour nose, throat and the bronchial area.
The study was published in Environmental Health Perspectives, an open-access journal put out by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
Experimental studies using pure versions of nanomaterials suggested that they would migrate to the alveolar region, home of the tiny sacs that form the end of the smallest airways and where the exchange of air and carbon monoxide takes place.
Our findings on potential nanomaterial inhalation exposure due to the use of actual consumer products emphasize that properties and effects of the pure nanomaterial ingredients cannot be used to predict actual consumer exposures and resulting health effects, the authors write. Therefore, experimental techniques for toxicity studies of de facto nanotechnology-based consumer products must be developed. Results of such studies will provide guidance for the developing market of nanotechnology-based consumer products and help clarify the need and feasibility of its regulation.
Nanotechnology is a broad term that encompasses a wide variety of uses of very small materials. (A nanometer is a billionth of a meter.) These substances can make better batteries or lighter and stronger bike frames, as well as new medical instruments and medicines that can save lives. Theyre increasingly common in consumer products, from sunscreens to stain-repellent pants to boat paints that resist algae growth.
Nanomaterials are believed to hold great promise for a wide variety of applications. Their ultra-tiny size often gives them different properties, which is the basis of their appeal; scientists are struggling to figure out whether that can make them dangerous in the process, and how and why it happens.
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Women someday could protect themselves against sexually transmitted infections by using a gel that uses nanoparticles to deliver drugs to the vaginal walls, a new study in mice suggests.
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BOZEMAN, Mont.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Golden Helix has established a representative office in Japan and has selected Filgen Inc. as its exclusive distributor for the territory. Filgen will work directly with Golden Helix Japan to market and support its flagship product, SNP & Variation Suite (SVS). The software offers several packages to facilitate SNP, copy number, and next-generation sequencing data analyses.
We are excited to enter the Japanese life sciences market, as our products align with the high-quality genetic analysis work being done in Japan, said Andy Ferrin, Senior Vice-President of Business Development at Golden Helix. Having a local office supported by an experienced distributor like Filgen will enable us to better serve our customer base.
Japan has been a key area of opportunity for Golden Helix, constituting one of the countries most focused on advancing genomic studies. Having a local office will help Golden Helix take up a strong position in this important market by showing its commitment to this extremely demanding customer base, said David Leangen, the newly appointed Country Manager for Golden Helix Japan.
Says Manabu Harada, Vice-President of Filgen: Our company is one of the leading providers of life science products and services in Japan. Our customers expect a high level of quality from our offerings, and SVS fits that bill. Filgen looks forward to working with Golden Helixs representative office and is thrilled to have found a partner in this arena with such an intuitive and powerful product.
About Golden Helix
Golden Helix is a leading bioinformatics organization, specializing in sequence and array-based SNP and copy number analysis, genetic association software, and analytic services. Our innovative technologies empower scientists to determine the genetic causes of disease, transform drug discovery, develop genetic diagnostics, and advance the quest for personalized medicine. Used by hundreds of researchers at the world's top pharmaceutical, biotech, and academic research organizations, Golden Helix products and services have been cited in over 600 peer-reviewed publications. Learn more at http://www.goldenhelix.com.
About Filgen Inc.
Filgen Inc. engages in the development, manufacturing, and sales of science research equipment and provides biotechnology analysis services to the life sciences market. The company offers nano-science products, such as ultraviolet radiation ozone cleaner, spectrum osmium, dipping device, plasma film manufacture device, simple dipping device, and electron microscope trust photographing service. Filgen Inc. was founded in 2004 and is based in Nagoya, Japan. Learn more at http://www.filgen.jp.
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Sandrine Ceurstemont, editor, New Scientist TV
If you want to make the worm turn, try using magnets. By implanting nanoparticles in nerve cells in a nematode's head, Arnd Pralle and his team from the State University of New York in Buffalo can make a wriggling worm alter its course when exposed to a magnetic field.
In this video, you can see how both a single treated worm, as well as a whole group, can quickly be triggered to change direction. A third clip shows that in the same scenario, an untreated worm doesn't alter its behaviour.
These nematodes are just one example of how living cells can be controlled remotely. By using other hosts, and implanting nanoparticles in ion channels, DNA strands or antibodies, medical treatments could be activated instantly from afar, leading to a new generation of drugs that can be set off with a smartphone app.
To find out more about recent developments in wireless medicine, read our full-length feature, Wireless medicine: Turn on, tune in, control life.
If you enjoyed this post, see how a roundworm can be stunned by UV light or watch how (contrary to what you might think) obstacles can help worms speed through an obstacle course.
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