Nanotechnology Breakthroughs

“Nanotechnology is already starting to affect our lives, and it’s anticipated that over the next 20 years it’s going to have major impact on everything around us,” says Wendy Crone, an engineer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Nanoscience, she explains, looks at objects and devices that are smaller than a red blood cell. At that size, nanomaterials have different chemical and physical properties, and quantum mechanics becomes extremely important. Today the tiny nanoparticle is used in age-defying makeup, stain-resistant coatings and self-cleaning windows, and future advances are currently being made to develop enamel-protecting toothpaste, self-cleaning shoes and antibiotics/anti-inflammatories. Nano particles can strengthen the walls of just about any structure, researchers say, which will allow them to create tougher, more durable products.

In Europe, Dutch food scientist Frans Kampers is making a presentation titled: What Nanotechnology Can Do for the Average Donut. He explains that a nanoparticle can re-engineer ingredients to bring healthy nutrients to the body more efficiently, while ensuring that less-desirable components pass on. European scientists are creating structures within foods that will deliver specific nutrients to specific locations in the body for the most beneficial effects. “We are basically creating nano-structures in food that are designed to fall apart in your body because of digestion so in the end there will not be nanoparticles,” Kampers explains. Yet, he admits, there are some people who are fearful of the nanotechnology applications. For instance, if persistent metal or metal oxide particles are used in food packaging, there is some worry that they may be able to migrate through the bloodstream, into the cells and into the nucleuses. “These are the more controversial applications of nanotechnology,” Kampers adds. “More research is necessary to understand the kinetics and dynamics of these particles before large-scale applications in food are developed. At the moment, these types of nanoparticles are rarely used in food products.”

Scientists at the Michigan Nanotechnology Institute for Medicine and Biological Sciences say they are using nanotechnology applications to carry pain-relieving drugs to injured soldiers in combat. While morphine is most effective at eradicating pain, it sometimes depresses breathing functions and decreases blood pressure to life-threatening levels. “When respiratory distress is too severe, that will trigger release of naloxone, the antagonist (morphine-suppressing) drug. When the oxygen blood levels go up, that will stop the action of the antagonist drug and more morphine will be available,” explains Baohua Huang, Ph.D., a research investigator at the Institute. The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency hopes that an auto-injector device can be created soon, allowing soldiers the ability to administer the drugs themselves. “This system could improve pain management for millions of patients with chronic illnesses,” says James R. Baker, Jr., M.D., director of the Michigan Nanotechnology Institute for Medicine and Biological Sciences.

One of the most exciting nanotechnology developments was discovered by University of Nottingham researchers this year. A new nanoscience technique uses ultrasound technology to examine the insides of individual cells to detect abnormalities and diagnose diseases like cancer. To talk to the device, researchers are testing pulses of laser light, rather than electrical current or wires. “By examining the mechanical properties inside a cell there is a huge amount that we can learn about its structure and the way it functions. But it’s very much a leap into the unknown as this has never been achieved before,” says Dr. Matt Clark of The Ultrasonics Group of Electrical Systems and Optics. Future nanotechnology applications could eliminate the need for many invasive test procedures, as well as treatments like chemotherapy.

Most people wanted to get security in life. For this Rene Lacape can help you in getting the right insurance policy that you will need. He has been doing this for many years already and is sure to help you out. Contact him now.

http://www.healthmassagechair.com/massage-chair-review/nanotechnology-breakthroughs.html

number of view: 764
Posted by admin on Dec 18th, 2009 and filed under NANOTECH INFORMATION. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response by filling following comment form or trackback to this entry from your site

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

This site is Copy Protected