Nanotechnology – Friends of the Earth

In the news: Peer reviewed study exposes potentially hazardous nanoparticles in baby formula

New report:Nanoparticles in baby formula: Tiny new ingredients are a big concern

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Nanotechnology is a powerful emerging technology for engineering nature at the atomic and molecular level. Nanoparticles are infinitesimally small, about 1000 times thinner than a human hair. At this scale, familiar substances change in ways that scientists may not expect or predict, presenting new toxicity risks. A growing body of scientific data suggests that nanoparticles can be harmful to our health and to the environment.

Nanomaterials are now being used in hundreds of consumer products, from toys to clothes to toothpaste. These new products are being commercialized largely outside of public view or debate and with few regulations to protect workers, the public and the environment.

As just one example of potential concerns, studies indicate that manufactured nanomaterials used in sunscreens have the potential to harm our health. When we shower or swim, the nanoparticles in sunscreens end up in our water systems -- these substances could damage microbes that are helpful to ecosystems and could be absorbed up the food chain from smaller to larger organisms.

Friends of the Earth is pushing policymakers in the U.S. and internationally to apply a precautionary approach to the regulation of nanotechnology by putting the health of people and the environment before corporate profits. We are also advocating for mandatory labeling of products that contain nanomaterials so that consumers can make informed decisions.

Friends of the Earth has published several groundbreaking reports on the prevalence and risks of nanomaterials to inform public debate and government solutions, and we work with a variety of partners around the world to monitor the increasing use of this technology and advance common principles for government oversight. We joined over 70 groups from six continents to endorse a guiding document called "Principles for the Oversight of Nanotechnologies and Nanomaterials."

Nanoparticles in baby formula: Tiny new ingredients are a big concern

Unbeknownst to the general public, popular infant formulas sold throughout the United States contain infinitesimally small ingredients known as engineered nanoparticles. A growing body of scientific research demonstrates that nanoparticles pose threats to human health, raising concerns about their use in food and many other consumer products.

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Nanotechnology - Friends of the Earth

Nanotechnology Gives Green Energy a Green Color – Futurism – Futurism

Green Panels

Solar panels have tremendous potential to provide affordable renewable energy, but many people see traditional black and blue panels as an eyesore. Architects, homeowners and city planners may be more open to the technology if they could install green panels that melt into the landscape, red panels on rooftops and white ones camouflaged as walls.

A new study published this week inApplied Physics Lettersbrings us one step closer to a future of colorful, efficientsolar panels. Researchers have developed a method for imprinting existing solar panels with silicon nanopatterns that scatter green light back toward an observer. The panels have a green appearance from most angles yet only show about a 10 percent power reduction due to the loss of absorbed green light.

Some people say why would you make solar cells less efficient? But we can make solar cells beautiful without losing too much efficiency, said Verena Neder, a researcher at AMOLF and lead author of the paper. The new method to change the color of the panels is not only easy to apply but also attractive as an architectural design element and has the potential to widen their use.

Most research on solarcellshas focused on increasing efficiency and reducing cost. Currently, the solar panels sold to consumers can ideally turn up to 22 percent of the suns light into usable energy. Colored solar panels are already on the market, but the dyes and reflective coatings that give them their color greatly reduce efficiency.

Neder and colleagues created their efficient, green solar panels through soft-imprint lithography, which works somewhat like an optical rubber stamp to imprint a dense array of silicon nanocylinders onto the cell surfaces. Each nanocylinder is about 100 nanometers wide and exhibits an electromagnetic resonance that scatters a particular wavelength of light. The geometry of the nanocylinder determines which wavelength it scatters and can be fine-tuned to change the color of the solar cell. The imprint reduces the solar panelsefficiencyby about 2 percent.

In principle, this technique is easily scalable for fabrication technology, said Albert Polman, a scientific group leader at AMOLF and senior author on the paper. You can use a rubber stamp the size of a solar panel that in one step, can print the whole panel full of these little, exactly defined nanoparticles.

Unlike existing colored solar panels, the nanopatterns give a consistent appearance from different angles. The structure we made is not very sensitive to the angle of observation, so even if you look at it from a wide angle, it still appears green, Neder said.

The nanopatterns also could be useful in makingtandem solar cells, which stack several layers, each designed to absorb certain parts of the spectrum, to achieve efficiencies of greater than 30 percent.

Next, the researchers are designing imprints to create red and bluesolar cells. Once they master these three colors, the primary colors oflight, they can create any color, potentially even white. You have to combine different nanoparticles, and if they get very close to each other they can interact and that will affect thecolor, Polman said. Going to white is a really big step.

This article was provided by American Institute of Physics. Materials may have been edited for clarity and brevity.

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Nanotechnology Gives Green Energy a Green Color - Futurism - Futurism

EPA Rule on Nanotechnology Reporting Is Good News – Natural Resources Defense Council

Some good news from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency!

EPA issued a Working Guidance for its Final Nanotechnology Reporting and Record-keeping Requirements Rule, which become effective this week, on August 14, 2017. This important rule establishes one-time reporting and record-keeping requirements for certain chemical substances when they are manufactured or processed at the nanoscale.

In early January 2017 EPA issued the Final Rule with many improvements that we had asked for in our public comments to the EPA docket (see my earlier blog for a summary).

EPA closed the loophole in the proposed rule that would have exempted nanoclays, zinc oxide, and nanocellulose from reporting requirements. This means EPA and the public will now have more information to make informed regulatory decisions about these materials.

EPA rejected industry arguments for a volume cut off below which no reporting would have been required. Such a threshold may have exempted many nanomaterials which are, of course, notoriously low volume due to their extremely small size.

EPA rejected industrys request to exempt naturally occurring nanomaterials from reporting requirements.

EPA closed the loophole that would have exempted chemical substances manufactured as part of a film on a surface.

Maybe most importantly, EPA rejected all industry argument that EPA does not have the authority to issue this rule. EPA asserted its authority under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) section 8(a).

This ruleparticularly with the above improvementsis a win for scientific transparency and public disclosure. However, it is not regulations or restrictions. Therefore, EPA must use the information it collects under this rule to inform policies that will protect human health and the environment from harmful exposures to these small-sized chemicals.

More about the rule is on EPAs website. See my earlier blog on the loopholes.

EPA first started working on this rule in 2009, and, although the Rule has moved slowly through the regulatory process, nanotechnology has not. In the last decade (since 2005) EPA has received and reviewed over160 applicationsfor new nanomaterials, including the carbon nanotubes that look and act much like asbestos (seereportby U Mass Lowell, 2014).

Nanoscale chemicals (nanomaterials) are in products from all commercial sectors ranging from sports equipment to agrochemicals to clothing. Increased concern for potential health and environmental impacts of chemicals, including nanomaterials, in consumer products is driving demand for greater transparency regarding potential risks. To that end, we published the results of our research using the GreenScreen hazard assessment method to show both hazards and data gaps for conventional silver and nanosilver approved by EPA for commercial uses (Sass et al 2016). The ability to conduct hazard assessments like the GreenScreens we published depends on reliable and publicly available information. EPAs Rule is an important tool to gather relevant data on nanomaterials to inform hazard assessment, regulatory decisions, and industrial product design and development.

NCI National Cancer Institute

Senior Scientist, Health program

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EPA Rule on Nanotechnology Reporting Is Good News - Natural Resources Defense Council

Nanotechnology could keep soldiers warm – Professional Engineering (subscription)

Credit: iStock

Fabrics embedded with nanowires and hydrogels could help soldiers to keep warm and comfortable in colder climates.

Some of the winter weather gear worn by the US Army was designed 30 years ago. Its heavy and can cause overheating during exertion, while also not doing a very good job of keeping the extremities from going numb.

That's problematic if soldiers have to operate weapons as soon as they land, said Paola D'Angelo, a research bioengineer at the US Armys Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center in Massachusetts. So we want to pursue this fundamental research to see if we can modify hand wear for that extreme cold weather.

So scientists are developing smart fabrics that heat up when powered, and can capture sweat. The work, which was presented at the 254thNational Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society, is based on research from Stanford University in California. A team there embedded a network of very fine silver nanowires in cotton, and was able to heat the fabric by applying power to the wires.

DAngelo and her colleagues are working to extend the approach to other fabrics more suitable for military uniforms, including polyester and a cotton/nylon blend. By applying three volts the output of a typical watch battery to a one-inch square of fabric, they were able to raise its temperature by almost 40 degrees C.

The idea is that soldiers would be able to dial the voltage up or down to vary the amount of heat. The system would mean that uniforms could be lighter and thinner.

The researchers are also incorporating a layer of hydrogel particles made of polyethylene glycol that will absorb sweat and stop the other layers of the fabric from getting wet.

Once we have optimised the coating, we can start looking at scaling up, DAngelo told Professional Engineering. She said the fabric has been tested with up to three washes, and still works the same as unwashed fabric for most of the textiles being tested.

The process for integrating the nanowires varies depending on the type of fabric being used. Some can simply be immersed in nanowire ink for some time and let dry, she explained. Others may need a chemical process to get the fabric ready before coating the nanowires. Production of the nanowires is very simple and not as expensive as you may think, so it may be possible to mass-produce relatively easy. However, since this research is in the early stages we have not started looking into mass-production.

She is confident that the technology could have non-military uses too. I think this could ultimately be beneficial to anyone that is exposed to extreme cold weather, from researchers that work in Arctic climates to people that like to go skiing, she said.

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Lungs in space: research project could lead to new lung therapeutics – Phys.Org

August 15, 2017

Space travel can cause a lot of stress on the human body as the change in gravity, radiation and other factors creates a hostile environment. While much is known about how different parts of the body react in space, how lungs are affected by spaceflight has received little attention until now, say researchers at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and Houston Methodist Research Institute.

That will change, though, once their research project, which aims to grow lungs in space, reaches the International Space Station. UTMB and HMRI researchers say what they learn from the study could have real implications for astronauts, as well as those still on Earth, and could lead to future therapeutics.

"We know a lot about what happens in space to bones, muscle, the heart and the immune system, but nobody knows much about what happens to the lungs," said Joan Nichols, a professor of Internal Medicine and Microbiology and Immunology, and associate director for research and operations for the Galveston National Laboratory at UTMB. "We know that there are some problems with lungs in space flight, but that hasn't been closely looked into. We hope to find out how lung cells react to the change in gravity and the extreme space environment, and then that can help us protect astronauts in space, as well as the lungs of regular people here on Earth."

This investigation represents the third of four collaborative projects currently active at the HMRI's Center for Space Nanomedicine. The center, directed by Alessandro Grattoni, chairman and associate professor of the Department of Nanomedicine at HMRI, focuses on the investigation of nanotechnology-based strategies for medicine on Earth and in space. The research is supported by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, NASA and HMRI.

Scientists from UTMB and HMRI prepared bioreactor pouches that include lung progenitor and stem cells and pieces of lung scaffolding. The scaffolding is the collagen and elastin frame on which lung cells grow. Space X successfully launched the payload containing these pouches Aug. 14 on its 12th Commercial Resupply Services mission (CRS-12) from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida and is expected to arrive at the International Space Station Aug. 16. Once on the ISS, the cells are expected to grow on the scaffold in a retrofitted bioreactor.

Once the lung cells have returned to Earth, researchers will look for the development of fibrosis, the structure of the tissues and the response of immune cells, among other changes and damage that could occur to the lung cells. Lung injuries have been found to accelerate in space, and it is through close study of those cells that therapeutics hopefully could be developed.

Nichols and Dr. Joaquin Cortiella, a professor and director of the Lab of Tissue Engineering and Organ Regeneration at UTMB, have successfully grown lungs in their lab in Galveston, but now they will see if astronauts can do the same in zero gravity. Jason Sakamoto, affiliate professor and former co-chair of the Department of Nanomedicine at HMRI, has applied his novel organ decellularization process and nanotechnology-based delivery systems to support this overall lung regeneration effort.

"We have experience working with the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space to study our nanotechnologies in action on the International Space Station," Grattoni said. "However, we are extremely excited to be a part of this clinical study, since it may play a pivotal role in how we approach future space travel in terms of preserving astronaut health. What we learn during this fundamental experiment could lead to science-fiction-like medical advancements, where organ regeneration becomes a reality in both deep space and here on Earth."

Researchers at HMRI will take the results from UTMB and work on developing therapeutics that could help astronauts, as well as people on Earth.

"This exploration will provide fundamental insight for the collaborative development of cell-based therapies for autoimmune diseases, hormone deficiencies and other issues," Grattoni said.

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While Monday's total solar eclipse in the U.S. will be a once-in-a-lifetime sky show for millions, there's a small group of people who have experienced it all before and they can't get enough of it.

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Lungs in space: research project could lead to new lung therapeutics - Phys.Org

Nanotechnology Gives Green Energy a Green Color – I-Connect007

Solar panels have tremendous potential to provide affordable renewable energy, but many people see traditional black and blue panels as an eyesore. Architects, homeowners and city planners may be more open to the technology if they could install green panels that melt into the landscape, red panels on rooftops and white ones camouflaged as walls.

A new study published this week in Applied Physics Letters ("Efficient colored silicon solar modules using integrated resonant dielectric nanoscatterers"), brings us one step closer to a future of colorful, efficient solar panels.

Researchers have developed a method for imprinting existing solar panels with silicon nanopatterns that scatter green light back toward an observer. The panels have a green appearance from most angles yet only show about a 10 percent power reduction due to the loss of absorbed green light.

Left: The nanopatterned module appears green, independent of the angle. Right: Schematic of silicon nanoscatterer arrays on top of a sapphire cover slide, integrated into a commonly used solar panel design. ( AIP)

"Some people say 'why would you make solar cells less efficient?' But we can make solar cells beautiful without losing too much efficiency," said Verena Neder, a researcher at AMOLF and lead author of the paper. "The new method to change the color of the panels is not only easy to apply but also attractive as an architectural design element and has the potential to widen their use."

Most research on solar cells has focused on increasing efficiency and reducing cost. Currently, the solar panels sold to consumers can ideally turn up to 22 percent of the sun's light into usable energy. Colored solar panels are already on the market, but the dyes and reflective coatings that give them their color greatly reduce efficiency.

Neder and colleagues created their efficient, green solar panels through soft-imprint lithography, which works somewhat like an optical rubber stamp to imprint a dense array of silicon nanocylinders onto the cell surfaces. Each nanocylinder is about 100 nanometers wide and exhibits an electromagnetic resonance that scatters a particular wavelength of light. The geometry of the nanocylinder determines which wavelength it scatters and can be fine-tuned to change the color of the solar cell. The imprint reduces the solar panel's efficiency by about 2 percent.

"In principle, this technique is easily scalable for fabrication technology," said Albert Polman, a scientific group leader at AMOLF and senior author on the paper. "You can use a rubber stamp the size of a solar panel that in one step, can print the whole panel full of these little, exactly defined nanoparticles."

Unlike existing colored solar panels, the nanopatterns give a consistent appearance from different angles. "The structure we made is not very sensitive to the angle of observation, so even if you look at it from a wide angle, it still appears green," Neder said.

The nanopatterns also could be useful in making tandem solar cells, which stack several layers, each designed to absorb certain parts of the spectrum, to achieve efficiencies of greater than 30 percent.

Next, the researchers are designing imprints to create red and blue solar cells. Once they master these three colors, the primary colors of light, they can create any color, potentially even white. "You have to combine different nanoparticles, and if they get very close to each other they can interact and that will affect the color," Polman said. "Going to white is a really big step."

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Nanotechnology Gives Green Energy a Green Color - I-Connect007

EC Publishes NanoData Landscape Compilation Reports – Nanotechnology News

Home > Nanotechnology Columns > Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. > EC Publishes NanoData Landscape Compilation Reports

Abstract: On June 8, 2017, the European Commission (EC) published eight NanoData Landscape Compilation reports.

August 16th, 2017

On June 8, 2017, the European Commission (EC) published eight NanoData Landscape Compilation reports. See https://publications.europa.eu/en/search-results?p_p_id=portal2012searchExecutor_WAR_portal2012portlet_INSTANCE_q8EzsBteHybf&p_p_lifecycle=1&p_p_state=normal&queryText=NanoData+landscape+compilation&facet.collection=EULex,EUPub,EUWebPage,EUSummariesOfLegislation&language=en&startRow=1&resultsPerPage=10&SEARCH_TYPE=SIMPLE& The EC states that the reports offer a snapshot of the environment for nanotechnology in different application fields:

- NanoData Landscape Compilation: Health: This report offers a snapshot of the status of the environment for nanotechnology in the context of health. Analysis of that environment, trends in the data, and the effects of European policies and actions on health nanotechnology will be reported in the NanoData Health Impact Assessment and are therefore not included in this report; - NanoData Landscape Compilation: Manufacturing: This report offers an overview of policies and programs for nanotechnology manufacturing in the European Union (EU), publications, patenting, research and innovation, industry, products and markets, and the wider environment; - NanoData Landscape Compilation: Information and Communication Technologies: This report offers a snapshot of the environment for nanotechnology in the context of information and communication technologies (ICT). It gives an overview of policies and programs for nanotechnology and ICT in the EU, publications, patenting, research and innovation, industry, products and markets, and the wider environment; - NanoData Landscape Compilation: Transport: Transport is defined here as a sector based on vehicles for transporting people and/or goods via the air, rail, road, water, and space, and is here divided into two main areas, vehicles and infrastructure. The industry generates about five percent of European employment and seven percent of European gross domestic product (GDP). Transport is also responsible for the emission of nearly 25 percent of greenhouse gases in the EU, however; - NanoData Landscape Compilation: Energy: Nanotechnology has the potential to contribute to energy sustainability by reducing consumption, improving the infrastructure for energy generation, transmission, and use, and offering new methods for energy production. To achieve this, the field of nanotechnology and energy needs to have a solid research base; routes for new developments in energy technology to be further advanced and commercialized; and a market open to nanotechnology energy products, in the context of appropriate regulation and standards. The European Energy Strategy is seeking to tackle that challenge through measures to improve energy efficiency, increase the share of renewable energy, and reduce greenhouse gases. This report looks, from a research, development and deployment (market) perspective, at the role of nanotechnology in achieving those energy goals and at the overall landscape in Europe for nanotechnology and energy; - NanoData Landscape Compilation: Construction: This report offers a snapshot of the status of the environment for nanotechnology in the context of construction. The construction industry covers the building, maintaining, and repairing of buildings and infrastructures for living, working, and transport, including providing materials for those purposes. The sector is a major consumer of raw materials, chemicals, energy and intermediate products such as electrical equipment, as well as services; - NanoData Landscape Compilation: Environment: This report offers a snapshot of the status of nanotechnology in the context of the environment. Nanotechnology is one of the emerging technologies that can help to prevent or remediate environmental degradation and improve monitoring (direct effect), or lead to reduced energy and resource consumption (indirect effect). Introducing new substances, such as nanomaterials and nanoparticles with unknown characteristics, into the environment may have negative environmental and health effects, however. Aspects of nanotechnology both for and in the environment are covered in this report; and NanoData Landscape Compilation: Photonics: Nanoscale effects impact on photonics, e.g., in the surface quality of waveguides and optical fibers. The focus here remains as closely as possible on photonics as it relates to nanotechnology, e.g., where nanotechnology enhances photonics and vice versa.

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EC Publishes NanoData Landscape Compilation Reports - Nanotechnology News

Nanotechnology Gives Green Energy a Green Color – Futurism

Green Panels

Solar panels have tremendous potential to provide affordable renewable energy, but many people see traditional black and blue panels as an eyesore. Architects, homeowners and city planners may be more open to the technology if they could install green panels that melt into the landscape, red panels on rooftops and white ones camouflaged as walls.

A new study published this week inApplied Physics Lettersbrings us one step closer to a future of colorful, efficientsolar panels. Researchers have developed a method for imprinting existing solar panels with silicon nanopatterns that scatter green light back toward an observer. The panels have a green appearance from most angles yet only show about a 10 percent power reduction due to the loss of absorbed green light.

Some people say why would you make solar cells less efficient? But we can make solar cells beautiful without losing too much efficiency, said Verena Neder, a researcher at AMOLF and lead author of the paper. The new method to change the color of the panels is not only easy to apply but also attractive as an architectural design element and has the potential to widen their use.

Most research on solarcellshas focused on increasing efficiency and reducing cost. Currently, the solar panels sold to consumers can ideally turn up to 22 percent of the suns light into usable energy. Colored solar panels are already on the market, but the dyes and reflective coatings that give them their color greatly reduce efficiency.

Neder and colleagues created their efficient, green solar panels through soft-imprint lithography, which works somewhat like an optical rubber stamp to imprint a dense array of silicon nanocylinders onto the cell surfaces. Each nanocylinder is about 100 nanometers wide and exhibits an electromagnetic resonance that scatters a particular wavelength of light. The geometry of the nanocylinder determines which wavelength it scatters and can be fine-tuned to change the color of the solar cell. The imprint reduces the solar panelsefficiencyby about 2 percent.

In principle, this technique is easily scalable for fabrication technology, said Albert Polman, a scientific group leader at AMOLF and senior author on the paper. You can use a rubber stamp the size of a solar panel that in one step, can print the whole panel full of these little, exactly defined nanoparticles.

Unlike existing colored solar panels, the nanopatterns give a consistent appearance from different angles. The structure we made is not very sensitive to the angle of observation, so even if you look at it from a wide angle, it still appears green, Neder said.

The nanopatterns also could be useful in makingtandem solar cells, which stack several layers, each designed to absorb certain parts of the spectrum, to achieve efficiencies of greater than 30 percent.

Next, the researchers are designing imprints to create red and bluesolar cells. Once they master these three colors, the primary colors oflight, they can create any color, potentially even white. You have to combine different nanoparticles, and if they get very close to each other they can interact and that will affect thecolor, Polman said. Going to white is a really big step.

This article was provided by American Institute of Physics. Materials may have been edited for clarity and brevity.

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Nanotechnology Gives Green Energy a Green Color - Futurism

Nanotechnology makes Solar Panels Beautiful – AZoCleantech.com – AZoCleantech

By Kerry Taylor-SmithAug 15 2017

Solar panels are attractive in terms of offering an alternative to the air-polluting fossil fuels which satisfy nearly 80% of the worlds energy demands, but they are not very attractive to look at.

However, the shiny blue and black panels littered across the landscape could become less of an eyesore, and blend in more with their surroundings thanks to new research from AMOLF - a research laboratory of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research.

Scientists at the Amsterdam-based institute have developed a method for imprinting existing solar panels with silicon nanoparticles that scatter green light back to an observer. The panels have a green appearance from most angles, and show only a 10% power reduction due to the loss of absorbed green light.

It is hoped this step will make solar panels a more attractive technology to Architects, homeowners and to City Planners, as such installations could melt into the landscape, as could red panels on roofs, and white ones disguised as walls.

Some people say why would you make solar cells less efficient? But we can make solar cells beautiful without losing too much efficiency. The new method to change the colour of the panels is not only easy to apply but also attractive as an architectural design element and has the potential to widen their use.

Verena Neder, a Researcher in Photonic Materials at AMOLF and Lead Author of the Paper Published in Applied Physical Letters

Most research on solar cells focusses on increasing their efficiency and reducing costs; those currently sold to consumers ideally convert up to 22% of the suns light into usable energy. And while colored solar panels are on the market, the dyes and reflective coatings used to give them their color massively reduce their efficiency.

Neder and her colleagues were able to create their efficient green solar panels through soft-imprint lithography which works a bit like an optical rubber stamp to print a dense array of silicon nanocylinders onto the surface of the cell. Each nanocylinder is approximately 100 nanometers wide slightly smaller than the diameter of the HIV virus and exhibits an electromagnetic resonance that scatters a particular wavelength of light.

The geometry of the nanocylinder determines which wavelength it scatters and can easily be fine-tuned to change the color of the solar cells. The imprint reduces the solar panels efficiency by about 2%.

In principle, this technique is easily scalable for fabrication technology. You can use a rubber stamp the size of a solar panel that in one step can print the whole panel full of these little, exactly defined nanoparticles.

Professor Albert Polman, a Scientific Group Leader in Photonic Materials at AMOLF and Senior Author on the Paper

Unlike existing colored solar panels, the nanopatterns give a consistent appearance from different angles, The structure we made is not very sensitive to the angle of observation, so even if you look at it from a wide angle, it still appears green, Neder said.

The nanopatterns also could be useful in constructing tandem solar cells, which stack several layers, each designed to absorb certain parts of the spectrum, to achieve efficiencies of greater than 30%.

Next, the Researchers aim to design imprints to create red and blue solar cells. Once they master these three colors - the primary colors of light - they can create any color, potentially even white.

You have to combine different nanoparticles, and if they get very close to each other they can interact and that will affect the color. Going to white is a really big step.

Professor Albert Polman, a Scientific Group Leader in Photonic Materials at AMOLF and Senior Author on the Paper

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Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the author expressed in their private capacity and do not necessarily represent the views of AZoM.com Limited T/A AZoNetwork the owner and operator of this website. This disclaimer forms part of the Terms and conditions of use of this website.

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Researchers develop nanotechnology test for Zika virus – Homeland Preparedness News

Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis recently developed a test that uses nanotechnology to quickly detect the Zika virus in blood.

Current Zika test requires the refrigeration of a blood sample in order to shop it to a medical center or laboratory. The recently developed tests results can be determined in minutes and does not require refrigeration.

The technology has not yet been produced for use in a medical situation, but the researchers tested blood samples from four people who were infected with Zika and five who did not. The test did not return any false positives.

With this test, results will be clear before the patient leaves the clinic, allowing immediate counseling and access to treatment, Jeremiah J. Morrissey, a research professor of anesthesiology who worked on the project, said.

The test uses protein made by Zika virus attached to tiny gold nanorods mounted on paper. The paper is coated with protective nanocrystals that enable the diagnostic nanorods to be shipped and stored without refrigeration before use.

To use the test, medical professionals wash the paper with slightly acidic water to remove the nanocrystals and then apply a drop of the patients blood. Blood that has been infected with the Zika virus contains immunoglobulins that react with the protein.

The nanorods will change slightly in color. This change can currently only be detected with a spectrophotometer, but the researchers are working to make it visible to the naked eye.

The researchers say similar strategies may be able to be used to detect other infectious diseases.

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Researchers develop nanotechnology test for Zika virus - Homeland Preparedness News

A nanotechnology overnight sensation 30 years in the making! – BetaNews

One of my favorite mad scientists sent me a link recently to a very important IEEE paper from Stanford. Scientists at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) have managed to observe in real time the growth of nanocrystalline superlattices and report that they can grow impressively in only a few seconds rather than the days or weeks they were formerly thought to take. What this means for you and me is future manufacturing on an atomic scale with whole new types of materials we cant even imagine today.

Whats strange about this is not that these developments are happening but that they took so long to be discovered because my mad scientist has been telling me for over a decade that it was coming.

You see the effect just noticed by SLAC was first observed in the late 1980s by Soviet scientists coating optics for spy satellites. The main scientist involved then is no longer alive but his work lives quietly on and my somewhat smug buddy has been using it to build sheets of cheap graphene in his microwave oven ever since.

No, I dont know why my friend hasnt chosen to exploit this commercially but I swear he first mentioned it to me at least a decade ago and maybe longer. Hes been waiting decades for someone else to figure it out.

Whats important now is that this effect is real and will allow vast quantities of nano materials to be quickly manufactured. In his graphene experiment, which involved vacuum deposition controlled by an audio oscillator, my friend could lay down billions of precisely positioned carbon atoms per second.

This means a major change in the way well actually use nano materials. When I first wrote about nano technology in the early 1990s we were talking mainly about tiny machines that would eat cholesterol plaque out of your arteries. Another possibility I wrote about was using little machines in an elemental aqueous soup to toil away eventually producing a replica 1957 Studebaker Gold Hawk complete with a full tank of gasoline. This was totally possible but an expert at the time warned me the actual additive manufacturing process for the car would probably take at least a thousand years.

But now the future is a lot closer and it looks more like well be building things pretty much the old way but from superior (absolutely perfect) materials. Imagine practical room temperature superconductors because they are coming.

Heres what my friend predicts for 2027:

Remember you heard it here third!

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A nanotechnology overnight sensation 30 years in the making! - BetaNews

New Rapid Zika Virus Blood Test Uses Nanotechnology – ReliaWire

A test which rapidly detects the presence of Zika virus in blood has been developed by researchers at Washington University in St. Louis.

Current Zika testing means a blood sample needs to be refrigerated and shipped to a medical center or laboratory, delaying diagnosis and possible treatment. The new technology has not yet been produced for use in medical situations, but the tests results can be determined in minutes.

Not only that, but the materials required for the test do not require refrigeration and may be applicable in testing for other emerging infectious diseases.

One of the reasons such a test is needed, researchers say, is that often people infected with Zika dont know theyre infected. Even though symptoms include fever, joint pain, muscle pain and rash, many people dont feel ill after being bitten by an infected mosquito.

Testing is especially vital for pregnant women because Zika infection can cause congenital Zika syndrome, which contributes to several neurologic problems in the fetus or newborn infant.

Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine and the School of Engineering & Applied Science tested blood samples taken from four people who had been infected with Zika virus and compared it to blood from five people known not to have the virus.

Blood from Zika-infected patients tested positive, but blood from Zika-negative controls did not. The assay produced no false-positive results.

Zika infection is often either asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic. The most effective way to diagnose the disease is not to wait for people to develop symptoms but to do population screening,

said Evan D. Kharasch, MD, PhD, who is one of the studys three senior investigators. The strategy requires inexpensive, easy-to-use and easy-to-transport tests.

Qisheng Jiang (left) works with senior author Jerry Morrissey, PhD. Credit: James Byard

Kharasch collaborated with Srikanth Singamaneni, PhD, an associate professor of mechanical engineering & materials science, and Jeremiah J. Morrissey, PhD, a research professor of anesthesiology, to create the test. It uses gold nanorods mounted on paper to detect Zika infection within a few minutes.

If an assay requires electricity and refrigeration, it defeats the purpose of developing something to use in a resource-limited setting, especially in tropical areas of the world, said Singamaneni. We wanted to make the test immune from variations in temperature and humidity.

The test takes advantage of a protein produced by the Zika virus that causes an immune response in infected individuals.

The protein is attached to tiny gold nanorods mounted on a piece of paper. The paper then is completely covered with tiny, protective nanocrystals. The nanocrystals allow the diagnostic nanorods to be shipped and stored without refrigeration prior to use.

To use the test, a technician rinses the paper with slightly acidic water, removing the protective crystals and exposing the protein mounted on the nanorods. Then, a drop of the patients blood is applied. If the patient has come into contact with the virus, the blood will contain immunoglobulins that react with the protein.

Nanorods are a type of nanoscale object. Each of their dimensions range from 1100 nm. The researchers estimate that the cost of the gold used in each test would be 10 to 15 cents.

Were taking advantage of the fact that patients mount an immune attack against this viral protein, said Morrissey. The immunoglobulins persist in the blood for a few months, and when they come into contact with the gold nanorods, the nanorods undergo a slight color change that can be detected with a hand-held spectrophotometer.

As other infectious diseases emerge around the world, similar ideas could potentially be used to create tests to detect the presence of viruses that may become problematic, the researchers suggest.

Top Image: Maurizio De Angelis, Wellcome Images

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New Rapid Zika Virus Blood Test Uses Nanotechnology - ReliaWire

Test uses nanotechnology to quickly diagnose Zika virus … – Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

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May be possible to use approach with other emerging infectious diseases

A Washington University researcher holds a piece of paper coated with tiny gold nanorods that can be used to test blood for Zika virus. If a patient whose blood is being tested has come into contact with Zika virus, the blood will contain substances that react with a protein coating the nanorods. The test paper doesn't need to be refrigerated, and test results are available in about 15 minutes.

Washington University in St. Louis researchers have developed a test that quickly detects the presence of Zika virus in blood.

Currently, testing for Zika requires that a blood sample be refrigerated and shipped to a medical center or laboratory, delaying diagnosis and possible treatment. Although the new proof-of-concept technology has yet to be produced for use in medical situations, the tests results can be determined in minutes. Further, the materials required for the test do not require refrigeration and may be applicable in testing for other emerging infectious diseases.

Findings from the small study from Washington University School of Medicine and the School of Engineering & Applied Science is available online in the journal Advanced Biosystems.

The researchers tested blood samples taken from four people who had been infected with Zika virus and compared it to blood from five people known not to have the virus. Blood from Zika-infected patients tested positive, but blood from Zika-negative controls did not. The assay produced no false-positive results.

Among the reasons such a test is needed, according to the researchers, is that many people infected with Zika dont know theyre infected. Although symptoms include fever, joint pain, muscle pain and rash, many people dont feel ill after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Testing is particularly important for pregnant women because Zika infection can cause congenital Zika syndrome, which contributes to several neurologic problems in the fetus or newborn infant.

Zika infection is often either asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, said Evan D. Kharasch, MD, PhD, one of the studys three senior investigators. The most effective way to diagnose the disease is not to wait for people to develop symptoms but to do population screening.

That strategy requires inexpensive, easy-to-use and easy-to-transport tests. Kharasch, the Russell D. and Mary B. Shelden Professor of Anesthesiology, collaborated with Srikanth Singamaneni, PhD, an associate professor of mechanical engineering & materials science, and Jeremiah J. Morrissey, PhD, a research professor of anesthesiology, to create the test, which uses gold nanorods mounted on paper to detect Zika infection within a few minutes.

If an assay requires electricity and refrigeration, it defeats the purpose of developing something to use in a resource-limited setting, especially in tropical areas of the world, said Singamaneni. We wanted to make the test immune from variations in temperature and humidity.

The test relies on a protein made by Zika virus that causes an immune response in infected individuals. The protein is attached to tiny gold nanorods mounted on a piece of paper. The paper then is completely covered with tiny, protective nanocrystals. The nanocrystals allow the diagnostic nanorods to be shipped and stored without refrigeration prior to use.

To use the test, a technician rinses the paper with slightly acidic water, removing the protective crystals and exposing the protein mounted on the nanorods. Then, a drop of the patients blood is applied. If the patient has come into contact with the virus, the blood will contain immunoglobulins that react with the protein.

Were taking advantage of the fact that patients mount an immune attack against this viral protein, said Morrissey. The immunoglobulins persist in the blood for a few months, and when they come into contact with the gold nanorods, the nanorods undergo a slight color change that can be detected with a hand-held spectrophotometer.

With this test, results will be clear before the patient leaves the clinic, allowing immediate counseling and access to treatment.

The color change cannot be seen with the naked eye, but the scientists are working to change that. Theyre also working on developing ways to use saliva rather than blood.

Although the test uses gold, the nanorods are very small. The researchers estimate that the cost of the gold used in one of the assays would be 10 to 15 cents.

As other infectious diseases emerge around the world, similar strategies potentially could be used to develop tests to detect the presence of viruses that may become problematic, according to the researchers.

First author and engineering doctoral student Qisheng Jiang (left) works with senior author Jerry Morrissey, PhD, on a test to detect Zika virus with gold nanorods mounted on a small piece of paper.

Jiang Q, Chandar YJ, Cao S, Kharasch ED, Singamaneni S, Morrissey JJ. Rapid, point-of-care, paper-based plasmonic biosensor for Zika virus diagnosis. Advanced Biosystems, published online Aug. 10, 2017.

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation, grant numbers CBET1254399 and CBET1512043. Additional funding was provided by the Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science, Washington University in St. Louis.

Washington University School of Medicines 2,100 employed and volunteer faculty physicians also are the medical staff of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Childrens hospitals. The School of Medicine is one of the leading medical research, teaching and patient-care institutions in the nation, currently ranked seventh in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Through its affiliations with Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Childrens hospitals, the School of Medicine is linked to BJC HealthCare.

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Test uses nanotechnology to quickly diagnose Zika virus ... - Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

Nanotechnology-based test can quickly diagnose Zika virus – Financial Express

Representative Image (Reuters)

Scientists, including one of Indian-origin, have developed a nanotechnology-based test that can quickly detect the presence of the Zika virus in the blood, an advance that may also be applicable to other emerging infectious diseases. Currently, testing for Zika requires that a blood sample be refrigerated and shipped to a medical centre or laboratory, delaying diagnosis and possible treatment. The new test, however, relies on a protein made by the Zika virus that causes an immune response in infected individuals, which is then attached to tiny gold nanorods mounted on a piece of paper. The paper then is completely covered with tiny, protective nanocrystals. The nanocrystals allow the diagnostic nanorods to be shipped and stored without refrigeration prior to use, the researchers said.If an assay requires electricity and refrigeration, it defeats the purpose of developing something to use in a resource-limited setting, especially in tropical areas of the world, said Srikanth Singamaneni, Associate Professor at the Washington University in St. Louis. We wanted to make the test immune from variations in temperature and humidity, Singamaneni added.When a drop of the patients blood is applied on the paper mounted on the nanorods, the immunoglobulins in the blood will react with the protein if the patient has come into contact with the virus and demonstrate a colour change.

The immunoglobulins persist in the blood for a few months, and when they come into contact with the gold nanorods, the nanorods undergo a slight colour change that can be detected with a hand-held spectrophotometer, explained Jeremiah J. Morrissey, Professor at the varsity. With this test, results will be clear before the patient leaves the clinic, allowing immediate counselling and access to treatment, he added in the paper detailed in the journal Advanced Biosystems. As other infectious diseases emerge around the world, similar strategies potentially could be used to develop tests to detect the presence of viruses that may become problematic, the researchers said.

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Nanotechnology-based test can quickly diagnose Zika virus - Financial Express

Applications of nanotechnology – Wikipedia

The 2000s have seen the beginnings of the applications of nanotechnology in commercial products, although most applications are limited to the bulk use of passive nanomaterials. Examples include titanium dioxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles in sunscreen, cosmetics and some food products; silver nanoparticles in food packaging, clothing, disinfectants and household appliances such as Silver Nano; carbon nanotubes for stain-resistant textiles; and cerium oxide as a fuel catalyst.[1] As of March 10, 2011, the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies estimated that over 1300 manufacturer-identified nanotech products are publicly available, with new ones hitting the market at a pace of 34 per week.[2]

Nanotechnology is being used in developing countries to help treat disease and prevent health issues. The umbrella term for this kind of nanotechnology is Nanomedicine.

Nanotechnology is also being applied to or developed for application to a variety of industrial and purification processes. Purification and environmental cleanup applications include the desalination of water, water filtration, wastewater treatment, groundwater treatment, and other nanoremediation. In industry, applications may include construction materials, military goods, and nano-machining of nano-wires, nano-rods, few layers of graphene,[3] etc. Also, recently a new field arisen from the root of Nanotechnology is called Nanobiotechnology. Nanobiotechnology is the biology-based, application-oriented frontier area of research in the hybrid discipline of Nanoscience and biotechnology with an equivalent contribution.[4]

Scientists at the Department of Energys Oak Ridge National Laboratory while attempting to create a nanotechnology based catalyst-mediated series of chemical reactions to turn CO2 into a usable fuel have discovered a process to turn the Carbon dioxide into ethanol, which will serve as a way forward to climate change by both decreasing CO2 in the atmosphere and using the ethanol (CH3CH2OH) as an additive to fuels to increase efficiency and thereby decrease consumption. Reportedly it is also related that the process is cheap in cost and efficient in functioning.[5]Morgan McCorkle, Communications (October 12, 2016). "Nano-spike catalysts convert carbon dioxide directly into ethanol". Oak Pridge National Laboratory. Retrieved October 18, 2016.

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Applications of nanotechnology - Wikipedia

Test Uses Nanotechnology to Quickly Diagnose Zika Virus – Newswise (press release)

Newswise Washington University in St. Louis researchers have developed a test that quickly detects the presence of Zika virus in blood.

Currently, testing for Zika requires that a blood sample be refrigerated and shipped to a medical center or laboratory, delaying diagnosis and possible treatment. Although the new proof-of-concept technology has yet to be produced for use in medical situations, the tests results can be determined in minutes. Further, the materials required for the test do not require refrigeration and may be applicable in testing for other emerging infectious diseases.

Findings from the small study from Washington University School of Medicine and the School of Engineering & Applied Science is available online in the journal Advanced Biosystems.

The researchers tested blood samples taken from four people who had been infected with Zika virus and compared it to blood from five people known not to have the virus. Blood from Zika-infected patients tested positive, but blood from Zika-negative controls did not. The assay produced no false-positive results.

Among the reasons such a test is needed, according to the researchers, is that many people infected with Zika dont know theyre infected. Although symptoms include fever, joint pain, muscle pain and rash, many people dont feel ill after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Testing is particularly important for pregnant women because Zika infection can cause congenital Zika syndrome, which contributes to several neurologic problems in the fetus or newborn infant.

Zika infection is often either asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, said Evan D. Kharasch, MD, PhD, one of the studys three senior investigators. The most effective way to diagnose the disease is not to wait for people to develop symptoms but to do population screening.

That strategy requires inexpensive, easy-to-use and easy-to-transport tests. Kharasch, the Russell D. and Mary B. Shelden Professor of Anesthesiology, collaborated with Srikanth Singamaneni, PhD, an associate professor of mechanical engineering & materials science, and Jeremiah J. Morrissey, PhD, a research professor of anesthesiology, to create the test, which uses gold nanorods mounted on paper to detect Zika infection within a few minutes.

If an assay requires electricity and refrigeration, it defeats the purpose of developing something to use in a resource-limited setting, especially in tropical areas of the world, said Singamaneni. We wanted to make the test immune from variations in temperature and humidity.

The test relies on a protein made by Zika virus that causes an immune response in infected individuals. The protein is attached to tiny gold nanorods mounted on a piece of paper. The paper then is completely covered with tiny, protective nanocrystals. The nanocrystals allow the diagnostic nanorods to be shipped and stored without refrigeration prior to use.

To use the test, a technician rinses the paper with slightly acidic water, removing the protective crystals and exposing the protein mounted on the nanorods. Then, a drop of the patients blood is applied. If the patient has come into contact with the virus, the blood will contain immunoglobulins that react with the protein.

Were taking advantage of the fact that patients mount an immune attack against this viral protein, said Morrissey. The immunoglobulins persist in the blood for a few months, and when they come into contact with the gold nanorods, the nanorods undergo a slight color change that can be detected with a hand-held spectrophotometer.

With this test, results will be clear before the patient leaves the clinic, allowing immediate counseling and access to treatment.

The color change cannot be seen with the naked eye, but the scientists are working to change that. Theyre also working on developing ways to use saliva rather than blood.

Although the test uses gold, the nanorods are very small. The researchers estimate that the cost of the gold used in one of the assays would be 10 to 15 cents.

As other infectious diseases emerge around the world, similar strategies potentially could be used to develop tests to detect the presence of viruses that may become problematic, according to the researchers.

Jiang Q, Chandar YJ, Cao S, Kharasch ED, Singamaneni S, Morrissey JJ. Rapid, point-of-care, paper-based plasmonic biosensor for Zika virus diagnosis. Advanced Biosystems, published online Aug. 10, 2017.

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation, grant numbers CBET1254399 and CBET1512043. Additional funding was provided by the Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science, Washington University in St. Louis.

Washington University School of Medicines 2,100 employed and volunteer faculty physicians also are the medical staff of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Childrens hospitals. The School of Medicine is one of the leading medical research, teaching and patient-care institutions in the nation, currently ranked seventh in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Through its affiliations with Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Childrens hospitals, the School of Medicine is linked to BJC HealthCare.

Read the rest here:

Test Uses Nanotechnology to Quickly Diagnose Zika Virus - Newswise (press release)

Nanotechnology Being Used to Quickly Diagnose Zika Virus – Electronics360

Based in Detroit, Michigan, Americas capital for electric-vehicle manufacturing, Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology Expo highlights advances right across the powertrain. From passenger and commercial vehicles to off-highway industrial vehicles, this manufacturing and engineering event showcases the latest innovations across a vast range of vehicles. Running concurrent to the exhibition is the Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology Conference, which attracts technical leaders and executives from global technology companies to reveal what is driving demand, and shaping novel technologies and new innovations at the cutting edge.

The wide-ranging sessions cover performance vehicle technology transfer, technology transfer from aerospace to EV, technologies for improving efficiency and performance of H/EVs, the impact of autonomous driving features, 48V and low-voltage mild-hybrid architectures (including energy storage design considerations), electric and hybrid bus development, the commercial and vocational electric vehicle sector, P0-P4 architectures and more.

Since 2010 this dual event has experienced exponential growth achieving a sell-out exhibition and record attendance year on year, and bringing in some of the leading names as exhibitors, speakers, delegates and visitors, including Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, American Airlines, Hyundai, Ford, Valeo, BorgWarner, NovaBus, Chrysler, NASA, GM and many more.

Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology Expo is attended by industry leaders, businesspeople, technicians, consultants, and research and development professionals, all looking for greater efficiency, safety, and cost reduction.

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Nanotechnology Being Used to Quickly Diagnose Zika Virus - Electronics360

New nanotechnology microchip could heal organs, study says – Gears Of Biz

A group of scientists has invented a new technology that could one day help to heal severe wounds in human organs, Tissue Nanotransfection (TNT). It uses nanotechnology to turn skin cells into other types of cell that can repair damaged tissues.

The research was conducted by scientists at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, and their new study was published online on Monday in the journal Nature Nanotechnology.

The TNT technique has been previously studied in pigs and mice and successfully worked 98 percent of the time. The technology doesnt require laboratory-based procedures like in stem cell therapy procedures.

Dr. Chandan Sen, the director of the Ohio State Universitys Center for Regenerative Medicine & Cell Based Therapies and co-author of the new study, said that with this technology, they can turn skin cells into cells of any organ with just one touch. He noted the process is non-invasive and only takes less than a second.

Sen co-led the study with L. James Lee, a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at the universitys College in Engineering. They also worked alongside the Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center of the University.

The researchers used mice and pigs in their experiments. They were able to reprogram skin cells to become vascular cells in injured legs that lacked blood flow. Within one week of using the technique, active blood vessels appeared on the injured leg, and in the second week, the leg was saved, according to the researchers.

In laboratory tests, the scientists also found the technique can also transform body cells into nerve cells to be injected into mice with brain injuries, helping them recover from a stroke.

This process only takes less than a second and is non-invasive, and then youre off, said Sen, according to a statement. The chip does not stay with you and the reprogramming of the cell starts. Our technology keeps the cells in the body under immune surveillance, so immune suppression is not necessary.

Using the new nanochip technology, compromised or injured organs can be completely replaced, according to Sen. He noted that skin is a fertile land where they can grow the elements of any compromised organ.

The new technology has two components: a nanotechnology-based chip designed to carry cargo to adult cells in the live body, and a design of specific biological cargo for cell conversion. Daniel Gallego-Perez, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering and general surgery and first author of the study, explained that the cargo, when delivered using the nanochip, converts an adult cell from one type to another.

The researchers noted the TNT technology does not require any laboratory-based procedures and can be implemented at the point of care. The cargo is delivered by zapping the chip with a small electrical charge thats barely felt by the person carrying it.

The concept is very simple, said Lee. As a matter of fact, we were even surprised how it worked so well. In my lab, we have ongoing research trying to understand the mechanism and do even better. So this is the beginning, more to come.

The researchers said they plan to test the TNT technology in humans next year.

The research involving nanotechnology is leading to impressive breakthroughs in medicine. A recent study published in the journal Nature Chemistry studied the technique to create functional cell-permeable Nanobodies (antibodies that have single, monomeric domains) that are able of targeted labeling and manipulation of intracellular antigens.

Those findings can help scientists dig further into the use of immunotherapy. Sam Gambhir, a professor and chair of radiology at Stanford Universitys School of Medicine, said that nanotechnology would change the path of cancer treatment and diagnosis in the U.S. within the next ten years.

We can now detect just a few cancer-associated molecules or circulating tumor cells in the body in just a few millimeters of blood or saliva, or map the boundaries of a brain tumor within millimeters to assess its response to therapy or to plan a surgery, said Gambhir last year, according to International Business Times.

He added that they have specially designed nanoparticles that can send back a massively amplified signal when they bind to colonic cancer cells and noted they are also working on ways to trigger the self-assembly of nanoparticles as they come across a cancer cell. Gambhir also noted the field has advanced tremendously in the past 10 to 15 years.

Source: International Business Times

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New nanotechnology microchip could heal organs, study says - Gears Of Biz

Scientists Reprogram Cells’ DNA Using Nanotechnology – Voice of America

Researchers have turned skin cells into blood vessel tissue to save a mouse's wounded leg. They were able to do that simply by tapping the wound with a chip that uses nanotechnology to inject new DNA into the cells.

This step follows a number of significant advances in techniques to turn one type of cell into another. Scientists hope this so-called cell reprogramming can one day be used to regenerate damaged tissue, or cure conditions such as Parkinson's disease.

The research, published Monday in Nature Nanotechnology, combines existing biotechnology and nanotechnology to create a new technique called tissue nano-transfection. The researchers turned skin cells into brain cells, in addition to demonstrating the therapeutic benefit of turning them into vascular cells.

Maintaining blood flow to deliver nutrients around a wound is critical for recovery, so by making more blood vessel cells, researchers found that a mouse's wounded limb was more likely to survive.

A brief electric current causes the chip to eject DNA fragments that reprogram the cells. The particles only enter the very top layer of cells, so L. James Lee, a biomolecular engineer at Ohio State University and study co-author, said he was surprised to find reprogrammed cells deep within the tissue.

"Within 24 hours after the transfection, we actually observed the propagation of the biological functions deep inside the skin," Lee told VOA. "So we were very surprised that it actually works for tissue." Lee said it wasn't yet entirely clear why this was possible.

Masato Nakafuku, who studies cell reprogramming at the University of Cincinnati and was not associated with the research, told VOA that he, too, was surprised "to see very efficient generation of the [vascular] cells."

Nakafuku added a cautionary note: It is not clear that that tissue nano-transfection will work on animals as large as humans, since the treatment would have to reprogram cells much deeper in the tissue in order to be effective.

Lee told VOA he is hopeful that upcoming human trials will prove the real-world effectiveness of tissue nano-transfection.

In theory, tissue nano-transfection should be able to turn any cell in the body into any other cell type. That could make therapeutic applications of cell reprogramming easier and safer, because cells would stay in the body during reprogramming. If cells are removed from the body, reprogrammed and then returned, they could be attacked by the immune system.

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Scientists Reprogram Cells' DNA Using Nanotechnology - Voice of America

Protein Cages May Have Applications in Nanotechnology and Synthetic Biology – Controlled Environments Magazine

A multidisciplinary team from the Bristol BioDesign Institute has come together to study the self-assembly of protein building into protein cages, leading to new research which has potential applications in nanotechnology and synthetic biology.

The paper: Beyond icosahedral symmetry in packings of proteins in spherical shells, describes theoretical work and numerical simulations by a team of mathematicians, theoretical physicists, chemists and biochemists from the University of Bristol's BioDesign Institute, and is published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Bristol BioDesign Institute (BBI) brings together BrisSynBio, a UK Synthetic Biology Research Centre, and the SynBio Centre for Doctoral Training, and is at the forefront of the global effort to engineer biological systems more predictably and reliably (synthetic biology). BBI brings together postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers, academics, policy makers and industry, and engages the public through emerging solutions to global challenges.

The research was led by Professors Tanniemola Liverpool and Noah Linden from the School of Mathematics and Professor Dek Woolfson from the Schools of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and builds on previous research performed in Professor Woolfsons laboratory on synthetic protein cages. The teams findings shed light on understanding the regularity of the self-assembled cages, potentially leading to new approaches in protein design for self-assembly and driving new experimental methodologies.

Commenting on the research, lead author, Dr Majid Mosayebi, a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Theoretical Biophysics in the School of Mathematics, said:

The design and construction of man-made structures at microscopic scales is one of the key goals of modern nanotechnology. With nature as inspiration, synthetic biological building blocks have recently been designed that self-assemble into quasi-spherical shells or cages.

While many natural protein building blocks self-assemble into highly symmetric ordered shells (e.g. viruses), our study shows that surprisingly even a small amount of (unavoidable) flexibility in the synthetic protein building blocks leads to stable disordered configurations.

Our work focuses on how robust the symmetry of the cage is given the flexibility of the protein building blocks. Our work sheds light on the self-assembly mechanisms in these cages, which can have widespread applications in material science and synthetic biology, including fabrication of metamaterials, targeted drug delivery, vaccine design and nanoreactors.

SOURCE: University of Bristol

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Protein Cages May Have Applications in Nanotechnology and Synthetic Biology - Controlled Environments Magazine