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Do solar eclipse glasses expire? NASA explains – WBIR-TV

Posted on August 22, 2017 by Danzig

Betsy Kling recaps Total Solar Eclipse

Sean Rossman, USA TODAY , WKYC 10:24 AM. EDT August 22, 2017

Yousurvived the 2017 total solar eclipsewithout going blind thanks to your eclipse glasses. Good job. But now what do you do with those weird paper specs?

It's likely millions of the glasses will be tossed somewhere now that the eclipse is over. That's a lot of paper, consideringat least one company, American Paper Optics, sought to make 100 million pairs and the Space Science Institute's National Center for Interactive Learning dished out about 2.1 million glasses alone.

Do they lose their effectiveness? Some have warned the glasses expire after three years, but is it true?

If your glasses are made by one of the 12 eclipseglasses makers that meet the requirements of NASA and American Astrological Standards,they're good forever, NASA said. They just can't be scratched, punctured or torn.

That means, if you're careful, they can be good to go bythe next time a total solar eclipsedrifts over America on April 8, 2024. It'seasy to find out which ones meet this standard. The companiesare listed hereor they'll have an ISO number of2312-2.

If you don't want to hold on to them,some organizations are encouraging people to recycle their glasses, such as theUniversity of Nebraska Credit Union.

Earth911reports eclipse gazers should pop out the special lensesand recycle the frames. The lenses may be able to be recycled with camera film, so Earth 911 suggests contacting a local camera shop.

You can also donate them.

Astronomers Without Bordersurges people to hold on to their glasses so they can be reused in other countries for future eclipses. The organization is planning a program to collect the glasses.

2017 USATODAY.COM

NASA promotes research tools for local business – WCBD News 2

Posted on August 22, 2017 by Danzig

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. Local businesses and major companies with hubs in South Carolina are exploring ways to help space research get off the ground.

NASA scientists on Tuesday asked local researchers, entrepreneurs and companies to collaborate with the International Space Station (ISS) and use it as a lab to test the latest innovations on medicine, technology, and manufacturing.

The space station is used to investigate areas of science at zero gravity, allowing breakthroughs in orbit that arent necessarily available on earth. Leaders gathered at the South Carolina Research Authority, known as SCRA, a public, non-profit corporation to discuss how best to collaborate.

Astronaut Douglas Wheelock has participated in two international space station missions. Hes traveled more than 178 days and understands how flying through the cosmos leads to scientific innovations.

All the science were doing on board the station is trying to develop innovation and breakthroughs to bring it back to earth to make peoples lives better, said Wheelock.

Known as Wheels by his friends at NASA, Wheellock often explains to people he meets what its like in space.

Its actually kind of a euphoric feeling, said Wheelock. Its three dimension, yes, instead of two-dimensional like here.

The space station orbits the earth every 90 minutes, allowing it to take pictures of locations the human eye couldnt otherwise see.

The businesses want to be the first to get this kind of new knowledge and leverage it in their designs that they can then bring back to you, said Dr. Tara Ruttley, an associate program scientist for the International Space Station at NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

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NASA promotes research tools for local business - WCBD News 2

15 Days of Darkness ‘Confirmed by NASA’ Is Not True – Heavy.com

Posted on August 22, 2017 by Danzig

Following the solar eclipse that passed through the United States on Monday, August 21, rumors that there was going to be 15 days of darkness began circulating. According to Snopes, the initial report first surfaced back in 2015. Due to Mondays eclipse, the rumors resurfaced but said rumors are completely false.

It didnt take long for the following old report to start making the rounds and for social media to light up with posts about this supposed black out that would take place in three months time.

NASA has confirmed that the Earth will experience 15 days of total darkness between November 15 and November 29, 2015. The event, according to NASA, hasnt occurred in over [one] million years. Astronomers from NASA have indicated that the world will remain in complete darkness starting on Sunday, November 15, 2015 at 3 a.m. and will end on Monday, November 30, 2015 at 4:15 p.m. According to officials, the November Black Out event will be caused by another astronomical event between Venus and Jupiter, read the initial claim.

The bogus report went on the say that the White House had already been briefed on the occurrence, which would see most of the U.S. in complete darkness for the latter half of the month of November.

Unlike a solar eclipse in which the moon moves in front of the sun, blocking its light from the earth as part of its orbit, the 15 days of darkness was something even more rare and more involved. As stated above, Venus and Jupiter would come into play, according to the false report.

Back in January, a site called Reflection of Mind reported that the two planets would pass one another very closely and would be separated by just one degree.

Venus will move to the south-west of Jupiter and as a result it will shine 10 times brighter than Jupiter. Venus bright light will heat up the gases in Jupiter causing a reaction which will release a an absurdly high amount of hydrogen into the space. This reaction will come in contact with our Sun at 2:50 a.m. on November 15th, the site reported. Once the hydrogen reaches the Sun, a massive explosion is bound to occur on the surface of the Sun, increasing the temperature to more than 9000 degrees. The whole process will generate so much heat that the Sun will change its color into a bluish shade. Once this happens, the Sun will need a minimum of 14 days to restore its normal color and temperature, the site continued.

NASA has not confirmed any such occurrence and there will not be 15 days of darkness in November.

Volcano seen from space looks like the entrance to hell – CNET

Posted on August 22, 2017 by Danzig

A NASA satellite caught sight of the volcano in Russia spewing ash.

Russian volcano Shiveluch has been busy kicking out ash and lava for over a decade. NASA describes it as one of the world's most active volcanoes. A new satellite photo released on Tuesday makes the natural phenomenon look like an angry, ash-gushing gateway to Hades.

The ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer) instrument on board NASA's Terra satellite captured the eye-opening view on Sunday.

A large ash plume rises from the volcano. What makes this image look so otherworldly is the bright swathe of clouds surrounding the top of the volcano. A smaller volcano named Bezymianny makes a cameo appearance below its larger kin.

Shiveluch has experienced an ongoing eruption since 1999, according to the Smithsonian Institution'sNational Museum of Natural History Global Volcanism Program. The Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Teammonitors volcanoes in the area and reported a 60-mile-long (99- kilometer) ash plume coming from the volcano this month.

The top-down satellite view offers a fascinating perspective on the latest activity at Shiveluch, which is one of the largest volcanoes on Kamchatka Peninsula in the far-east region of Russia.

NASA operates the ASTER instrument in partnership with a Japanese science team. The Terra satellite tracks pollution and monitors Earth's climate and atmosphere.

The Smartest Stuff: Innovators are thinking up new ways to make you, and the things around you, smarter.

iHate: CNET looks at how intolerance is taking over the internet.

See one astronaut's wild pictures from space

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Volcano seen from space looks like the entrance to hell - CNET

Nanotechnology Conferences | Global Events | Meetings | USA …

Posted on August 22, 2017 by Danzig

Welcome to Nanotechnology Conferences

Nanotechnology ("nanotech") is the manipulation of matter on an atomic, molecular, and supra molecular scale. Nanotechnology as defined by size is naturally very broad, including fields of science as diverse as surface science, organic chemistry, molecular biology, semiconductor physics, micro fabrication, etc. The associated research and applications are equally diverse, ranging from extensions of conventional device physics to completely new approaches based upon molecular self-assembly, from developing new materials with dimensions on the nano scale to direct control of matter on the atomic scale.

To discuss the advancements in the field of nanotechnology, Conference Series Ltd Conferences has taken the initiation to gather the world class experts both from academic and industry in a common platform at itsNanotechnology Conferences.Conference Series LtdOrganizes 1000+Global EventsConference Series Ltd Organizes 1000+ Global Events Every Year across USA, Europe & Asia with support from 1000 more scientific societies and Publishes 700+ Open access journals which contains over 100000 eminent personalities, reputed scientists as editorial board and organizing committee members. The conference series website will provide you list and details about the conference organize worldwide.conference serieswebsite will provide you list and details about the conference organize worldwide.

Conference Series LtdNanotechnology conferences focus on core multidisciplinary research of the following conferences:

I was very impressed by the international scope of participants at the Chicago meeting and the quality of work presented. It speaks very highly of the organizers of this meeting as it is no small task to get medical researchers from around the world to gather at a single site for an exchange of ideas. The accommodations were wonderful and the noontime luncheons delicious. Congratulations on an exceptional conference.

Endocrinology-2014 was well organized and very well attended. The attendance exceeded the expectation. Session went on time permitting ample time for questions and answers. Doctors from all across the World attending Endocrinology 2014 has made this conference a successful event.

I enjoyed it. Everything was very well organized, and very important, members of the Conference Series LLC were always present for support and help. I greatly appreciated this. Thank you very much again. It was my great pleasure to attend Endocrinology 2014.

Thank you for organizing this conference. My husband and I really enjoyed the scientific programme, the positive international atmosphere and the welcoming spirit. We do support the aim of the Conference Series LLC. We will recommend your coming conferences to our colleagues. Best wishes and good luck with future work.

The Conference Series LLC meeting Translational Medicine 2014 has been a very great meeting providing a comprehensive view on ongoing international clinical developments and gave me the option to make a lot of novel contacts to start collaborative research with people from all over the world. Discussion directly with almost all peoples in a familial atmosphere is very fruitful as well as the venue, time frame and organization has been very convenient

This Conference was one of the best and even brilliant I have ever attended. There was very nice to have a mix between theory, basic science, sharing best practices and practical recommendations. The quality of the panels was outstanding, and I think you arranged a great cross-section of topics!

The conference in Vegas (Food Technology-2014) was well organized and I was very impressed.

I learned a lot from your conference and love to chair or co- chair a session. I will help recruit speakers to the next meeting as an organizer member of the conference committee

It was a great pleasure for me to attend the conference. It was perfectly organized, I met many nice people and listen to many valuable talks.

Thanks for your kindly help and service during the conference. The conference was very interesting and also very useful for my academic research. So I will attend the Biostatistics-2015 next year if I have time.

We would like to thank the Organizing Committee for the outstanding event. It was just excellent in all aspects. Congratulations

The ConferenceSeries-group meeting Translational Medicine 2014 has been a very great meeting providing a comprehensive view on ongoing international clinical developments and gave me the option to make a lot of novel contacts to start collaborative research with people from all over the world. Discussion directly with almost all peoples in a familial atmosphere is very fruitful as well as the venue, time frame and organization has been very convenient

The conference in Vegas (Food Technology-2014) was well organized and I was very impressed.

I appreciate your efforts in excellence for organizing Food Technology-2014.

Thank you for your email and for your well done job in organizing the Food Technology 2014, All subjects in this conference was in depth knowledge from your good selections of international speakers and I expect 2015 conference will be in the same level of performers.

Thank you for a wonderful meeting in Baltimore. I had a great time and thought the program was really nicely put together

The recent Stem Cell Congress in Chicago, from the scientific standpoint, the highest quality and most useful of the three ConferenceSeries-sponsored conferences that I have attended. The presentations I heard were uniformly good. Id be pleased to see such meetings have a larger audience

The conference was well organized and that the opening ceremony program with Keynote lectures was very informative. I would seriously consider participating in the Sept. 2015 meeting.

Many thanks as well for organizing this very focused meetings on vaccines

Dear Endocrinology 2014 participants, it was good to be among people, who are interested in the same field, but looking down to it from different angles

Thank you so much for a memorable experience, we enjoyed our stay in the US. My wife and me keep Endocrinology 2014 firmly in our hearts.

August 31-September 01, 2017

14th International Conference on Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology

March 30- 31, 2017

16th World Nano Conference

June 05-06, 2017

Nano-biotechnology-asiapacific-2017

World Congress on Regulations Of Nanotechnology

July 31-August 01, 2017

International Conference on Nanobiotechnology

July 31-August 01, 2017

6th Global Experts Meeting on Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology

April 21-23, 2016

8th World Medical Nanotechnology Congress & Expo

June 08 - 09, 2016

7th World Nano Conference

June 20-21, 2016

9th Nano Congress For Next Generation

August 1-2, 2016

11th International Conference and Expo on Nanoscience and Molecular Nanotechnology

October 20-22, 2016

12th Nanotechnology Products and Summit

November 24-25, 2016

13th International Conference on Nanotek and Expo

December 05-07, 2016

Nanotechnology Congress & Expo

August 11-13, 2015

5th International Conference on Nanotek & Expo

November 16-18, 2015

3rd International Conference on Nanotek and Expo

December 02-04, 2013

Estimates of the global nanotechnology market in 2010 range from about $15.7 billion to $1 trillion. By 2016, the market may be worth more than $2.4 trillion, according to different analysts. These differences reflect not only different analytical methods and assumptions, but also different definitions of the nanotechnology market (e.g., whether to include decades-old technologies such as carbon black rubber reinforcers and photographic silver, or whether to base the market value on nanotechnology inputs alone, as opposed to the total value of products that incorporate nanotechnology).

The new title on Nanomedicine Market (Neurology, Cardiovascular, Anti-inflammatory, Anti-infective, and Oncology Applications) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013 - 2019," predicts that the total nanomedicine market globally will be worth USD 177.60 billion by 2019, growing considerably from its 2012 value of USD 78.54 billion. This market is expected to achieve a compounded annual growth rate of 12.3% between 2013 and 2019.

The global market for nanotechnology products was valued at $22.9 billion in 2013 and increased to about $26 billion in 2014. This market is expected to reach about $64.2 billion by 2019; a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.8% from 2014 to 2019.The global market for nanotechnology-enabled printing technology was estimated to total $14 billion in 2013. The market is expected to grow at a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.7% over the next five years to total $31.8 billion by 2018.

Nanomaterials 2016 is going to be held at Dubai, UAE during April 21-23, 2016 which will bring together world class professors, scientists and doctors to discuss about the current developments in the field of Nanotechnology. This International Nanomaterials conference is designed to provide diverse and current education that will keep Nanotechnology professionals to be updated with the advancements that are taking place in the field of Nanotechnology, The Conference will be organized with a theme Advances in Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology.

Nano 2016 conference is scheduled during May 19-21, 2016 at Osaka, Japan. It provides a premier technical forum for reporting and learning about the latest research and development, as well as for launching new applications and technologies. This nanotechnology conference is designed with the theme Nanotechnology in honouring the past, treasuring the present and shaping the future.

Medical Nanotechnology 2016 is scheduled during June 9-11, 2016 at Dallas, USA. This nanotechnology conference provides a perfect symposium for scientists, engineers, directors of companies and students in the field of Nanotechnology to meet and share their knowledge on the theme, Nano and molecular technologies in medical theranostics.

Nano Congress 2016 will be held at Valencia, Spain during June 27-29, 2016 with the theme Exploring Advancements in Nanotechnology highlighting the interdisciplinary nature of Nanotechnology. Scientific Tracks of this nanomaterial conference designed for this conference will enable the attendees and participants to learn extremes.

Nanoscience 2016 is scheduled during September 26-28, 2016 at London, UK. This scientific gathering and nanomaterial conference guarantees that offering the thoughts and ideas will enable and secure you the theme Taking Nanotechnology to New Heights through Innovation and Collaboration. It provides a premier technical forum for reporting and learning about the latest research and development, as well as for launching new applications and technologies.

Nano Expo 2016 would be the biggest marketplace for Nanotechnology, Nanomaterials and Organic Electronics applications, products and research in Australia during Nov 10-12, 2016 at Melbourne, Australia. This scientific gathering guarantees that offering the thoughts and ideas will enable and secure you the theme Nanotechnology for renewable materials.

Nanotek 2016 will address, identify and focus Nanobiotechnology, Biomedical engineering, Applications of Nanotechnology and showcase the current research in Nanomaterials and Nanocomposites. The nanotechnology conference gathering will highlight the challenges and opportunities in both medical and commercial usage of Nanotek products. Hopefully, this expert gathering of academicians, public and private agencies will provide spotlight and new insights on these critical areas. The meeting ensures that sharing the ideas and visions will empowers and establishes you by satisfy the Nanotek Conference theme Accelerating Research and Pioneering Expansion in Nanotechnology.

Major Nanotechnology Conferences and Nanomaterial conferences around the Globe:

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Nanotechnology Conferences | Global Events | Meetings | USA ...

Nanotechnology | Define Nanotechnology at Dictionary.com

Posted on August 22, 2017 by Danzig

nanotechnology (nn'-tk-nl'-j) The science and technology of devices and materials, such as electronic circuits or drug delivery systems, constructed on extremely small scales, as small as individual atoms and molecules. Our Living Language : Nanotechnology is the science and technology of precisely manipulating the structure of matter at the molecular level. The term nanotechnology embraces many different fields and specialties, including engineering, chemistry, electronics, and medicine, among others, but all are concerned with bringing existing technologies down to a very small scale, measured in nanometers A nanometera billionth of a meteris about the size of six carbon atoms in a row. (The prefix nano- comes from the Greek word nanos, which meant "little old man" or "dwarf.") Today, as in the past, most industrial products are created by pushing piles of millions of atoms togetherby mixing, grinding, heatinga very imprecise process. However, scientists can now pick up individual atoms to assemble them into simple structures or cause specific chemical reactions. Propellers have been attached to molecular motors, and electricity has been conducted through nanowires. Nanotubes made of carbon are being investigated for a variety of industrial and research purposes. In the future, nanotechnology may be able to harness the forces that operate at the scale of the nanometer, such as the van der Waals force, as well as changes in the quantum states of particles, for new engineering purposes. The development of nanotechnology holds out great promise of improvements in the quality of life, including new treatments for disease and greater efficiency in computer data storage and processing. For example, tiny autonomous robots, or nanobots, may one day be sent into human bodies to repair cells and cure cancers, perhaps even extending the human life span by many years. The simple devices created by nanotechnology so far have not yet approached the complexity of the envisioned nanomachines and nanobots. Some scientists even see a dark side to the technology, emphasizing the need for caution in its development, particularly in attempts to create nanobots that can replicate themselves like living organisms.

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Nanotechnology | Define Nanotechnology at Dictionary.com

Nanotechnology – Friends of the Earth

Posted on August 22, 2017 by Danzig

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

From the staff:Check out our digital magazine!

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

About Nanotechnology – Foresight Institute

Posted on August 22, 2017 by Danzig

Nanotechnology draws its name from the prefix "nano". A nanometer is one-billionth of a metera distance equal to two to twenty atoms (depending on what type of atom) laid down next to each other. Nanotechnology refers to manipulating the structure of matter on a length scale of some small number of nanometers, interpreted by different people at different times as meaning anything from 0.1 nm (controlling the arrangement of individual atoms) to 100 nm or more (anything smaller than microtechnology). Richard Feynman was the first scientist to suggest (in 1959) that devices and materials could someday be fabricated to atomic specifications. "The principles of physics, as far as I can see, do not speak against the possibility of maneuvering things atom by atom." This concept was expanded and popularized in a 1986 book Engines of Creation by K Eric Drexler, who applied the term nanotechnology to Feynman's vision.

The term "nano-technology" had been coined in 1974 by Norio Taniguichi to describe semiconductor processes involving control on the order of a nanometer. From the mid-1980s on progress in nanometer-scale science and technology exploded, and the term nanotechnology was appropriated by researchers, media, businesses, and funding agencies to refer to any technology in which control of the structure of matter on a scale of nanometers to tens of nanometers to hundreds of nanometers in at least one dimension enabled unique phenomena and novel applications.

The Foresight Institute is still focused on the original meaning of the term: atomically-precise manufacturing or "molecular manufacturing". Nevertheless, incremental progress in nanometer-scale science and technology expands the toolkit that can be used to develop atomically-precise manufacturing, and provides benefits to encourage further investment in nanotechnology. A Short History of Nanotechnology An Overview of Nanotechnology Nanofactories

Nanotechnology is a group of emerging technologies in which the structure of matter is controlled at the nanometer scale, the scale of small numbers of atoms, to produce novel materials and devices that have useful and unique properties. Some of these technologies impose only limited control of structure at the nanometer scale, but they are already in use, producing useful products. They are also being further developed to produce even more sophisticated products in which the structure of matter is more precisely controlled. The Foresight Nanotechnology Challenges focus on applying these developing technologies to solving important world problems.

Foresight was founded on an interest in the capabilities that await at the end of this development process, when advanced nanotechnology will enable construction of complex systems in which each individual atom is specified and serves a designed function in the system. To read about these capabilities and their consequences: Introductions to Nanotechnology for the General Reader

Technical introductions to advanced nanotechnology have emphasized theoretical studies of what our current knowledge of physics and chemistry tells us about the kinds of systems we will eventually be able to build as our ability to control the structure of matter at the nanometer scale increases. Although the best path from current experimental abilities to building advanced systems is not yet clear, several authors have described some good possibilities. Introductions to Nanotechnology for the Technical Reader

Molecular manufacturing is the name given to the proposal that molecular machine systems will eventually be able to manufacture most objects, including large objects, from the molecule up, building complex products with atomic precision.

The proposal that advanced nanotechnology will include artificial molecular machine systems capable of building complex systems to atomic precision has been controversial within the scientific community. In general, proponents have argued from the grounds of theoretical analysis coupled with the existence of multiple plausible implementation pathways from current technology, while opponents have been unimpressed with theoretical arguments in the absence of direct experimental demonstration of crucial milestones.

This essay series includes contributions from nanotechnology thinkers offering their understanding as to why everyone should care about the potential and power of nanotechnology. Why care about nanotechnology?

Thanks to Netconcepts for their continued support. Clients include Working In NZ/AU/Nanotechnology, Discovery Educational Toys, Cabela's Hunting & Fishing, Bellacor Lighting, HomeVisions Furniture, Ecowool Sheepskin Rugs, InnSite Bed and Breakfasts, WritersNet.

About Nanotechnology - Foresight Institute

Nanotechnology could keep soldiers warm – Professional Engineering (subscription)

Posted on August 22, 2017 by Danzig

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.

Nanotechnology Gives Green Energy a Green Color – Futurism – Futurism

Posted on August 22, 2017 by Danzig

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

Posted on August 22, 2017 by Danzig

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

Nanomedicinal products: a survey on specific toxicity and side effects – Dove Medical Press

Posted on August 22, 2017 by Danzig

Walter Brand,1,* Cornelle W Noorlander,1,* Christina Giannakou,2,3 Wim H De Jong,2 Myrna W Kooi,1 Margriet VDZ Park,2 Rob J Vandebriel,2 Irene EM Bosselaers,4 Joep HG Scholl,5 Robert E Geertsma2

1Centre for Safety of Substances and Products, 2Centre for Health Protection, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, 3Department of Toxicogenomics, Maastricht University, Maastricht, 4Section Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacokinetics, Medicines Evaluation Board (CBG-MEB), Utrecht, 5Research & Analysis Department, Netherlands Pharmacovigilance Centre Lareb, s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands

*These authors contributed equally tothis work

Abstract: Due to their specific properties and pharmacokinetics, nanomedicinal products (NMPs) may present different toxicity and side effects compared to non-nanoformulated, conventional medicines. To facilitate the safety assessment of NMPs, we aimed to gain insight into toxic effects specific for NMPs by systematically analyzing the available toxicity data on approved NMPs in the European Union. In addition, by comparing five sets of products with the same active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) in a conventional formulation versus a nanoformulation, we aimed to identify any side effects specific for the nano aspect of NMPs. The objective was to investigate whether specific toxicity could be related to certain structural types of NMPs and whether a nanoformulation of an API altered the nature of side effects of the product in humans compared to a conventional formulation. The survey of toxicity data did not reveal nanospecific toxicity that could be related to certain types of structures of NMPs, other than those reported previously in relation to accumulation of iron nanoparticles (NPs). However, given the limited data for some of the product groups or toxicological end points in the analysis, conclusions with regard to (a lack of) potential nanomedicine-specific effects need to be considered carefully. Results from the comparison of side effects of five sets of drugs (mainly liposomes and/or cytostatics) confirmed the induction of pseudo-allergic responses associated with specific NMPs in the literature, in addition to the side effects common to both nanoformulations and regular formulations, eg, with liposomal doxorubicin, and possibly liposomal daunorubicin. Based on the available data, immunotoxicological effects of certain NMPs cannot be excluded, and we conclude that this end point requires further attention.

Keywords: adverse effects, drug safety, immunotoxicity, nanomedicine, nanotoxicology, pharmacovigilance

This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License. By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.

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Nanomedicinal products: a survey on specific toxicity and side effects - Dove Medical Press

"(W)rap on Race" Town Hall with Greg Fishel held at NC Museum of Natural Sciences, Aug. 31 – WRAL.com

Posted on August 22, 2017 by Danzig

Raleigh, N.C. Forty years after anthropologist Margaret Mead and author James Baldwin met to have a Rap on Race, WRAL Chief Meteorologist Greg Fishel and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences bring their conversation into the 21st century. In (W)rap on Race: Where Do We Go from Here? guest speakers will reflect on what the future holds for public education and race, the role of race in medicine, the potential dangers of using biology to explain the behaviors of certain racialized groups, and the ultimate question: where do we go from here? The free event takes place at the Museum on Thursday, August 31, 7 p.m.

The evenings speakers include:

Dr. Yolanda Moses, a past president of the American Anthropological Association (AAA), chair of AAAs National Advisory Board on Race and Human Variation, and co-author of the book Race: Are We So Different? She is also a Professor of Anthropology andAssociate Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Excellence at the University of California, Riverside. Dr. Jay S. Kaufman, a Professor and Canada Research Chair in the Health Disparities Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health at McGill University and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Joseph Graves, Jr., Associate Dean for Research and a Professor of Biological Sciences in the Joint School of Nanosciences and Nanoengineering, a collaboration between North Carolina A&T State University and UNC Greensboro.

This Town Hall is held in conjunction with the Museums current featured exhibition, RACE: Are We So Different? which runs through October 22. This program is part of a series at the Museum The Nature of Science: A Town Hall with Greg Fishel inspired by Albert Einsteins view that To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old problems from a new angle, requires creative imagination and marks real advance in science. The series is designed to provide in-depth discussions with leaders from around the globe as they explore the major scientific and environmental issues of our time. Comments and questions from the audience are encouraged.

Doors to the WRAL 3D Theater open at 6:30 p.m. All guests are invited to attend a coffee and dessert reception following the program from 8:30 to 9 p.m. in the Museums Natural Treasures Gallery. This program is made possible by the Friends of the NC Museum of Natural Sciences and Capitol Broadcasting Company.

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh (11 and 121 W. Jones St.) is an active research institution that engages visitors of every age and stage of learning in the wonders of science and the natural world. Hours: Mon. Sat., 9 a.m.5 p.m., and Sun., noon5 p.m. General admission is free. Visit the Museum online at http://www.naturalsciences.org. Emlyn Koster, PhD, Museum Director.

Tripura governor Tathagata Roy rues decrepit engineering industry of the east – The Indian Express

Posted on August 22, 2017 by Danzig

By: PTI | Kolkata | Published:August 22, 2017 4:41 pm Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy. (File Photo)

Governor of Tripura Tathagata Roy on Tuesday regretted the run down condition of engineering industry in eastern India which was used to be a matter of glory in the past.You see eastern India today and what it used to be in the past. The possible reaction will be nothing but to shed a drop of tear, he said at an event organised by Engineering Exports Promotion Council (EEPC) at Kolkata.Roy, who was earlier the president of West Bengal unit of BJP, said that Howrah was once known as the Sheffield of India where companies like GKW, Remington Rand, Martin Burn, Braithwaite and Hindustan Motors used to operate.

All these are things of the past or barely existing, he said.

According to Roy, engineering exports from the east used to account for 50 per cent to 60 per cent of Indias overall figure. This has now dwindled to less than 15 per cent.

The reasons for such a decline were known to all, he said adding West Bengal had a bad experience in the recent past. A car factory started construction of its plant (the Nano plant in Singur) and then went away. And some proudly say that land has been given back to the cultivators, Roy said.

The state was moving from an industrial age to agricultural age, he said adding that similar signs were seen in Odisha when Posco and Vedanta moved away. But Odisha showed some kind of dynamism, he said.

Roy said resurrection was still possible in Bengal if the right government was there as well as a stable land policy and good infrastructure.

The state has good coal reserves and plenty of power, he said but was quick to add that there was no load-shedding as there was no load here referring again to lack of industrialisation.

About Tripura, he said that connectivity was still a problem and transit through Bangladesh would help to a great extent.

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Tripura governor Tathagata Roy rues decrepit engineering industry of the east - The Indian Express

Fiber Optics to Prevent Accidents in Mines and Power Plants – Markets Insider

Posted on August 22, 2017 by Danzig

MOSCOW, August 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

NUST MISIS scientists have suggested a technology for the creation of high-precision sensors based on doped fiberoptics for accident prevention in the nuclear, space, and mining industries.

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"An international team of scientists led byAlexander Kir`yanov,avisitingProfessorat NUST MISIS's Semiconductor Electronics and Semiconductor Physics Department, in cooperation with the Center for Research in Optics (Leon, Mexico) and CSIR-Central Glass & Ceramic Research Institute (Kolkata, India) has developed a technology for the creation of high-precision stand-alone sensors based onfiber optics," said AlevtinaChernikova, Rector of NUST MISIS.

The created fiber optics is doped with rare-earth and transition metals: erbium, holmium, bismuth, etc., in addition to nanoparticles of silver and silicon. The composition and ratio of ligands (chemical additives) in quartz-based fibers are unique, as they provide unique properties in obtained fibers. The study's results have been published in the journal LaserPhysicsLetters.

The high sensitivity of the resulting fibers to temperature changes, tension, chemical composition, and an environment's background radiation, as well as their stability in inhospitable environments and their high resistance to electromagnetic disturbances allows the fibers to carry out high-precision monitoring of large-scale facilities (pipelines, drillings, power plants, bridges) on a number of parameters. The length of fiber optics also gives the chance to measure large size objects (up to hundreds of meters). In near-earth orbit, sensors based on these obtained fibers can measure the conditions of background radiation in spacecrafts.

Sensors based on these fiber optics effectively register various types of radiation emissions in a wide range of doses, and can do so with high-precision in ultra-high (up to 1700) temperatures, harsh chemical compositions, and powerful electromagnetic fields. The length of fiber optics allows the technology to carry out remote measurements; for example, it can provide full-scale monitoring of deep oil wells, mines, and pipeline assemblies for nuclear plants. Due to its unique characteristics, devices based on this technology will be in high demand in a plethora of fields, including construction and geotechnical engineering, the aerospace and oil & gas industries, and high-current energy engineering, including nuclear engineering.

"A fiber optic sensor is either a small-sized ("pointed") device (which, in turn, can be a part of a multi-component detecting network, or an interrogator), or a " spatially-distributed circuit" which is able to collect information about detected parameters at great distances - due to fiber's property as a fundamentally "long" environment. In the former case, the sensitive elements of sensors can be Bragg gratings (spectrally-selective filters), written in fiber. Their parameters, i.e. reflection and transmission spectrums, greatly depend on the state of the environment (pressure, temperature, deformation, etc.), and respectively serve as the basis of detection. The entire length of a used fiber is the sensitive element in "long sensor" format. It is used either in "passive" mode (in this case, for example, the changes in absorption and transmission spectrum of doped fiber optics are detected parameters), or "active" mode, when it is a component of a laser (in this case, for example, relaxation frequency, optical spectrum, or laser oscillation mode are detected parameters).

"Our research, within this project`s framework, is aimed at the creation, comprehensive research, and application of fiber sensors of the second type with the use of specially developed doped fibers, obtained, in particular, by the method of nano-engineering. Such fibers can become a reliable solution while working in an aggressive environment, when the device based on them is in extreme conditions - for example, when thermo-monitoring oil wells or performing dosimetry at power plants," told Alexander Kir`yanov, the head of the project.

Source: http://en.misis.ru/

SOURCE The National University of Science and Technology MISiS

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Fiber Optics to Prevent Accidents in Mines and Power Plants - Markets Insider

GOP Senate candidate Roy Moore has said he doesn’t believe Obama is a natural-born citizen – CNN

Posted on August 22, 2017 by Danzig

Moore, who started questioning the legitimacy of Obama's citizenship back in 2008, last year told a meeting of the Constitution Party that he personally did not believe Obama was a natural-born citizen.

"My personal belief is that he wasn't, but that's probably over and done in a few days, unless we get something else to come along," he added.

Moore finished ahead of Strange in last week's Republican primary, with 39% of the vote. The runoff election is set for September 26.

Moore's campaign declined to make him available for interview and did not respond to follow-up emails about the details of this story.

Moore has made headlines for years by publicly championing hard-right causes. Last May, the state Court of the Judiciary suspended Moore as chief justice over his refusal to comply with the US Supreme Court's decision striking down same-sex marriage bans nationwide. Over a decade prior, Moore was removed as chief justice for defying a court order to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the grounds of the Alabama Supreme Court.

"I don't see any reason a candidate who has such a serious question would not come forward with the truth about where he was born, Moore said in December of that year.

"Obama has the answer," Moore added. "He knows where he was born. If he tells something that's untrue that's another matter. It's not an Obama issue, it's an American issue. It's about the Constitution of the United States."

In March 2009, Moore spoke at length with conservative Internet radio show host Andrew Shea King about the birther issue.

"Now, I haven't seen one thing in the press about this, and yet the President of the United States will not produce his birth certificate," Moore said. "They produced a certificate of live birth from Hawaii that says he's got the birth certificate, but nobody can see that birth certificate. My son had to show his birth certificate to get his driver's permit to the county courthouse. He had to show his birth certificate to get on the little league team. My other son that's in AIT [Advanced Individual Training] right now, before he went to basic training, he had to produce his birth certificate. I've had to produce my birth certificate, and I think most people have had to, but not the President of the United States? That's very strange indeed. Why we don't hear about it, because the press won't report it."

"Why doesn't the President have to show he's a natural-born citizen?," Moore asked. "There are so many questions about that, and yet the Constitution requires that the President be a natural-born citizen, and we've had all kind of suits filed. The press doesn't mention them and the courts continually reject them. I don't understand it; I think -- they can holler political question all they wish, but it's a simple fact that if he's not a natural-born citizen, he's not qualified to be President, and I don't care who he is."

"The President has never produced evidence in the face of substantial evidence he was not born in our country. People are accepting it blindly based on their feelings, not on the law," Moore said.

In 2011, Hawaiian officials, at Obama's request, released the long form of his birth certificate. It indicated that he had, indeed, been born in Hawaii. Conspiracy theorists continue to allege the document was a forgery.

Moore wrote in his dissent, "presentation of a birth certificate is indeed a common means of determining age and citizenship" and the Secretary of State should "investigate the qualifications of those candidates who appeared on the 2012 general-election ballot."

"Furthermore, I believe the circuit court should have granted the petition for a writ of mandamus to order the Secretary of State to investigate the qualifications of those candidates who appeared on the 2012 general-election ballot for President of the United States," Moore added.

Intel announces 8th gen. core processors: claims major boost for graphics-heavy applications – TelecomTV

Posted on August 22, 2017 by Danzig

Intel has cunningly latched its 8th generation core processor announcement onto the solar eclipse that yesterday streaked across the continental USA for the first time in about 100 years. New generation processor announcements from Intel arent nearly as rare as eclipses, but both phenomena are supposedly governed by immutable laws. Astronomy in the case of the eclipse and Moore's Law in the case of Intels processor offerings.

For the uninitiated, Moore's Law was coined by Intel co-founder Gordon Moore in 1965 when he noticed that the number of transistors on integrated circuits tended to double every year. He predicted that this would continue for the foreseeable future.

OK, so Moore's Law isnt exactly immutable, but it has been more or less humming along for the past 52 years and thats quite an achievement for any law. So subtly linking the two things in a blog post penned by Greg Bryant, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Client Computing Group at Intel, was a clever move

Greg took the opportunity to ruminate on how processor technology (Intels especially, of course) had accelerated both hardware development and applications.

If you go back even five years, a thin laptop was still more than 20 mm, 4K content was only starting to take off and Oculus (virtual reality headsets) was kicking off its Kickstarter campaign. Compare that with today: Laptops are less than 11 mm, 4K content is pervasive and, with the advent of Windows Mixed Reality, VR is being baked right into the operating system people use every day.

The last time we experienced an eclipse like this was almost 100 years ago. If you werent directly in its path, you would miss it entirely assuming you even knew it was happening in the first place. Now, people from all over the world can be part of the moment, and a huge number of them will be using their computer. But for those 450 million people using a machine that is more than five years old, the experience will be vastly different. Vastly compromised.

Enough of the shameless promo.

Intel says it is to start rolling out its 8th Gen processor family today, beginning with a range of mobile processors aimed at light notebooks and 2 in 1s.

The big performance improvements will result in real-world application improvements, Intel claims. For instance, manipulating photos or slideshows will be up to 48 per cent faster on 8th Gen vs. devices powered by the processor Intel released last year; while editing video footage will be up to 14.7x faster. Rendering what used to take 45 minutes on a 5-year-old PC, will now take three minutes it claims.

The first wave of 8th Gen Intel Core processor-powered devices featuring i5/i7 processors will come to market beginning in September.

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Intel announces 8th gen. core processors: claims major boost for graphics-heavy applications - TelecomTV

Tudor to head medical lab program at Motlow – Elk Valley Times

Posted on August 22, 2017 by Danzig

Kim-Sue Tudor

Dr. Kim-Sue Tudor has been selected to lead the newly approved medical laboratory technology (MLT) program at Motlow State Community College, according to Pat Hendrix, dean of allied health.

The goal of the Smyrna campus-based program is to obtain state approval and to be positioned to attain national accreditation by the summer of 2018, when MLT classes are scheduled to begin.

Having served as both a clinician and academician, Tudor comes to Motlow State with the blended background needed to establish as well as to grow a first-class, competitive, and successful MLT program. She has worked on staff at John Hopkins University and Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland among other leading hospitals in Georgia, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Ohio, Kentucky and Virginia.

We are indeed fortunate to have Kim-Sue join the Motlow staff as program director of the MLT program, which expands the colleges allied health programs and meets a specific healthcare need in our communities, said Hendrix. The program will attract a student population that has been requesting MLT training for years. Kim-Sues well-versed, extensive background in the field will yield dividends and position the program as another leader in the allied health profession at Motlow State.

With the charge of establishing the medical laboratory technology program, I am privileged to be able to contribute to Motlows mission of promoting personal enrichment and economic and community development, Tudor said. I aspire to create and lead a nationally accredited clinical laboratory science program that features educational innovation and sophisticated contemporary laboratory technology and automation.

Tudor received a bachelors degree in biology and medical technology from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, a certificate in medical technology from Rockingham Memorial Hospital School of Medical Technology, and a Ph.D. in pathobiology and molecular medicine from the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio. Additionally, Tudor has certifications and licensures from the American Society of Clinical Pathologists, National Certification Agency for Medical Laboratory Personnel, and the State of Tennessee, Division of Health.

As a clinical laboratory science educator and academic professional, Tudor has worked as a medical technologist 2, clinical laboratory scientist 3, senior research specialist, and a senior flow cytometry analyst. She most recently served as program director of the MLT program at Volunteer State Community College. She served as an assistant professor in the clinical laboratory sciences division at University of Minnesota.

Tudors most recent published works are An Introduction to Genetic Analysis: A Self-Study Unit in Molecular Biology and Molecular Diagnostic Testing and Your Immune System video in collaboration with Master Communication Group.

Tudors office is based at the Smyrna campus, MaryLou Apple Building, room 213. She can be reached at 615.220.7912 or ktudor@mscc.edu.

Sunquest Information Systems Announces the General Availability of Sunquest Mitogen: Molecular LIMS and … – Markets Insider

Posted on August 22, 2017 by Danzig

TUCSON, Ariz., Aug. 22, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Sunquest Information Systems, Inc. announced today the general availability of Sunquest Mitogen, a laboratory information management system (LIMS) and genetic analysis software suite for molecular diagnostics and precision medicine. The comprehensive, integrated molecular and genetics laboratory solution streamlines data and processes across the wet lab and the dry lab from sample accessioning and tracking; to lab workflows, inventory and reagent management; to data generation, genetic analysis, and clinical report creation and delivery.

"Sunquest is committed to advancing technology to allow our laboratory partners to respond to market demand. As medical treatments become more precise, clinicians are looking to laboratories to support precision medicine. This requires taking on complex lab processes and delivering easy-to-understand, clinically actionable reports with short turnaround times and at lower cost," said Matt Hawkins, president/CEO of Sunquest. "The innovation embodied in Sunquest Mitogen makes this much easier."

"We wanted a platform that was paperless, cutting-edge, alive and responsive. But with many LIMS platforms we looked at, attempting to adapt them to molecular testing was like fitting a square peg into a round hole. Sunquest Mitogen is different it is designed for molecular testing," said Dr. Jason Walker, chief scientific officer at MedComp Sciences, a clinical laboratory services company and Sunquest client. "The end result is something we are truly proud of at MedComp. It is an investment we have made in laboratory quality and in our future."

"Sunquest delivers laboratory solutions that support world-class labs," Hawkins added. "Sunquest Mitogen is an innovative, comprehensive and flexible solution for laboratories to simplify and streamline extremely complicated molecular diagnostics and genetic testing processes and analysis. Sunquest Mitogen flexibly fits into existing laboratory workflows and new workflows are quick to build, which is essential in a molecular lab."

Nabil Hafez, senior director of product management for Sunquest's precision medicine solution added, "By taming the extreme complexity of molecular diagnostic laboratory processes and genetic variant analysis, we're creating the right conditions for laboratories to offer these important diagnostic tests."

Sunquest Mitogen laboratory software addresses the high complexity of sample lineage, laboratory processes, and genetic analysis for molecular diagnostics and precision medicine, which requires a laboratory platform designed from its foundation for this kind of laboratory work. In addition, Sunquest Mitogen interfaces with other clinical software, instruments, and services at the lab, and the electronic medical records used by healthcare providers.

The new solution combines the power of two key complimentary acquisitions, GeneInsight and UNIConnect, and optimizes the combined value with a set of pre-defined, out-of-the-box workflows for the LIMS and genetic analysis components.

Sunquest Mitogen: the comprehensive and configurable molecular LIMS for the wet lab

A modular, scalable, laboratory process management platform, Sunquest Mitogen supports a wide range of molecular testing requirements, from entrepreneurial molecular diagnostic companies to molecular pathology departments of major health systems. Sunquest Mitogen is a hosted, cloud-based platform accessed from a client's web browser, making for a small footprint and minimal dependency on the client's IT resources.

The molecular LIMS architecture offers rich sample tracking and deep auditing capabilities. In molecular testing, samples can move from one container type (plates, wells, vials) to another multiple times. Sunquest Mitogen tracks every step and transfer, so users can view sample path by process step, user or time frame. The information is captured and organized automatically to create a detailed audit trail and chain of custody for CAP and CLIA compliance and audits.

The Sunquest Mitogen LIMS also provides robust reagent, instrument, inventory, document, personnel and sample storage management capabilities. Users can drill down through interactive charts and graphs to individual customers, payers, and samples, and to view consumables and costs across projects and time.

Ready-made and custom laboratory workflows provided with the Sunquest Mitogen LIMS include:

Sunquest Mitogen: scalable genetic analysis software for the dry lab

Sunquest Mitogen's genetic analysis software helps clinical laboratories expand into and scale next generation sequencing (NGS) testing services for precision medicine from a single gene to a whole genome. Pathologists, data scientists, and lab directors use the Sunquest Mitogen genetic analysis software in the dry lab to bring in data from the LIMS, produce actionable reports with consistent genetic variant annotation and interpretation, and deliver to clinicians electronic medical record (EMR)-ready reports and variant data.

About 80% of each customizable report is generated automatically, reducing the time spent creating each clinically actionable genetic test report to minutes instead of hours. The reports are easy to edit and are customizable to each laboratory's needs.

The ability to tap into trusted content from well-known sources to identify clinically significant genetic variants saves time and improves report quality, and also provides information to incorporate disease, drug, and clinical trial information into the reports. Each lab can access external sources to develop its own knowledgebase and can choose to share data in real-time with other labs greatly speeding the flow of up-to-date knowledge and improving consistency and accuracy.

Monarch Initiative's ontology is among the knowledge sources to which access is provided. A collaboration of multiple organizations steeped in the advancement of genetic knowledge, the Monarch Initiative integrates biological data from multiple authoritative data sources at an unprecedented level, connecting phenotypes to genotypes across species. For example, a mutation may give rise to similar diseases in multiple species, including humans. Monarch Initiative brings this data together to help identify a patient's clinical features.

About Sunquest Information Systems

Sunquest Information Systems Inc. provides diagnostic informatics solutions to more than 1,700 laboratories. Since 1979, Sunquest has helped laboratories and healthcare organizations across the world enhance efficiency, improve patient care, and optimize financial results. Sunquest's solutions enable world-class lab capabilities, including multisite, multi-disciplinary support for complex anatomic, molecular and genetic testing, and engagement with physicians and patients outside the hospitals at the point-of-care.

Headquartered in Tucson, AZ with offices in Boston, London, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Bangalore, India, Sunquest is a global leader in healthcare information Technology. For more information, visit http://www.sunquestinfo.com/mitogen

Contact info: Trish Moxam Vice President, Corporate Marketing rel="nofollow">trish.moxam@sunquestinfo.com 520-237-4024

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Mouse model of human immune system inadequate for stem cell studies – Medical Xpress

Posted on August 22, 2017 by Danzig

August 22, 2017 Credit: Martha Sexton/public domain

A type of mouse widely used to assess how the human immune system responds to transplanted stem cells does not reflect what is likely to occur in patients, according to a study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The researchers urge further optimization of this animal model before making decisions about whether and when to begin wide-scale stem cell transplants in humans.

Known as "humanized" mice, the animals have been engineered to have a human, rather than a murine, immune system. Researchers have relied upon the animals for decades to study, among other things, the immune response to the transplantation of pancreatic islet cells for diabetes and skin grafts for burn victims.

However, the Stanford researchers found that, unlike what would occur in a human patient, the humanized mice are unable to robustly reject the transplantation of genetically mismatched human stem cells. As a result, they can't be used to study the immunosuppressive drugs that patients will likely require after transplant. The researchers conclude that the humanized mouse model is not suitable for studying the human immune response to transplanted stem cells or cells derived from them.

"In an ideal situation, these humanized mice would reject foreign stem cells just as a human patient would," said Joseph Wu, MD, PhD, director of Stanford's Cardiovascular Institute and professor of cardiovascular medicine and of radiology. "We could then test a variety of immunosuppressive drugs to learn which might work best in patients, or to screen for new drugs that could inhibit this rejection. We can't do that with these animals."

Wu shares senior authorship of the research, which will be published Aug. 22 in Cell Reports, with Dale Greiner, PhD, professor in the Program in Molecular Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, and Leonard Shultz, PhD, professor at the Jackson Laboratory. Former postdoctoral scholars Nigel Kooreman, MD, and Patricia de Almeida, PhD, and graduate student Jonathan Stack, DVM, share lead authorship of the study.

"Although these mice are fully functional in their immune response to HIV infection or after transplantation of other tissues, they are unable to completely reject the stem cells," said Kooreman. "Understanding why this is, and whether we can overcome this deficiency, is a critical step in advancing stem cell therapies in humans."

"Humanized mice are critical preclinical models in many biomedical fields helping to bring basic science into the clinic, but as this work shows, it is critical to frame the question properly," said Greiner. "Multiple laboratories remain committed to advancing our understanding and enhancing the function of engrafted human immune systems."

Greiner and Shultz helped to pioneer the use of humanized mice in the 1990s to model human diseases and they provided the mice used in the study.

Understanding stem cell transplants

The researchers were studying pluripotent stem cells, which can become any tissue in the body. They tested the animals' immune response to human embryonic stem cells, which are naturally pluripotent, and to induced pluripotent stem cells. Although iPS cells can be made from a patient's own tissues, future clinical applications will likely rely on pre-screened, FDA-approved banks of stem cell-derived products developed for specific clinical situations, such as heart muscle cells to repair tissue damaged by a heart attack, or endothelial cells to stimulate new blood vessel growth. Unlike patient-specific iPS cells, these cells would be reliable and immediately available for clinical use. But because they won't genetically match each patient, it's likely that they would be rejected without giving the recipients immunosuppressive drugs.

Humanized mice were first developed in the 1980s. Researchers genetically engineered the mice to be unable to develop their own immune system. They then used human immune and bone marrow precursor cells to reconstitute the animals' immune system. Over the years subsequent studies have shown that the human immune cells survive better when fragments of the human thymus and liver are also implanted into the animals.

Kooreman and his colleagues found that two varieties of humanized mice were unable to completely reject unrelated human embryonic stem cells or iPS cells, despite the fact that some human immune cells homed to and were active in the transplanted stem cell grafts. In some cases, the cells not only thrived, but grew rapidly to form cancers called teratomas. In contrast, mice with unaltered immune systems quickly dispatched both forms of human pluripotent stem cells.

The researchers obtained similar results when they transplanted endothelial cells derived from the pluripotent stem cells.

A new mouse model

To understand more about what was happening, Kooreman and his colleagues created a new mouse model similar to the humanized mice. Instead of reconstituting the animals' nonexistent immune systems with human cells, however, they used immune and bone marrow cells from a different strain of mice. They then performed the same set of experiments again.

Unlike the humanized mice, these new mice robustly rejected human pluripotent stem cells as well as mouse stem cells from a genetically mismatched strain of mice. In other words, their newly acquired immune systems appeared to be in much better working order.

Although more research needs to be done to identify the cause of the discrepancy between the two types of animals, the researchers speculate it may have something to do with the complexity of the immune system and the need to further optimize the humanized mouse model to perhaps include other types of cells or signaling molecules. In the meantime, they are warning other researchers of potential pitfalls in using this model to screen for immunosuppressive drugs that could be effective after human stem cell transplants.

"Many in the fields of pluripotent stem cell research and regenerative medicine are pushing the use of the humanized mice to study the human immune response," said Kooreman. "But if we start to make claims using this model, assuming that these cells won't be rejected by patients, it could be worrisome. Our work clearly shows that, although there is some human immune cell activity, these animals don't fully reconstitute the human immune system."

The researchers are hopeful that recent advances may overcome some of the current model's limitations.

"The immune system is highly complex and there still remains much we need to learn," said Shultz. "Each roadblock we identify will only serve as a landmark as we navigate the future. Already, we've seen recent improvements in humanized mouse models that foster enhancement of human immune function."

Explore further: Study provides hope for some human stem cell therapies

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