Nanotechnology : %1

General Enquiries

Admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 21:39:36 +0000

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We get a lot of students enquiring about various matters so we will be posting them here to help out. If you need help use our contact form with your requirements.

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Dear Colleagues,

Researcher in nanomaterial and environemtal researches

Dear Colleagues, I would like to introduce myslef with my Cv at
http://www.geocities.com/hkazemian/CV.doc. Now I want to relocate from my
country to North America or European countries. if you have any research posiiton please contact me

hosseinkazemian@gmail.com

Sincerely
Kazemian

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Dear sir or madam,

A place to write my diploma thesis

I am a bio- nanotechnology student at an advanced technical college in the
9th semester. From march 2009 to the end of may 2009 i need a ministered
place (german diplom-engineer / degreed engineer (advanced technical
college) or higher gradet) were i could write my diploma thesis. Please
write me, if you could help me. I'm interested in jobs in germany, close
to germany (european union) or anywhere else if i get extra payment for
it, in germany i would finance myself but would not mind getting payment.

hd_trinkaus@msn.com

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Hello

Student Research

I was wondering if you had any additional information concerning
nanotechnology and the different markets and suppliers that are already in
the industry. Any other additional information would be greatly
appreciated!!!

tho0505@gmail.com

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The Latest Nanotechnolgy News Snips From Around The World. - CLICK HERE

Admin — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 23:10:29 +0000

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Here we add all the latest news snips from around the world. Hopefully they will be of interest to you. I guess they idea is to save you trolling lots of sites and reading headlines

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ConocoPhillips, University of Kansas launch nanotech program

ConocoPhillips Co. and the University of Kansas have launched a joint three-year nanotechnology research program to develop new oilfield technologies. The Houston-based energy giant (NYSE: COP) will contribute $400,000 a year to the program. Nanotechnology — essentially engineering on the molecular level — has grown from an oil industry buzzword to a major breakthrough in enhanced oil recovery. The energy industry hopes nanosensors can better find pockets of unrecovered oil in depleted reservoirs, and nanoparticles may lead to more efficient recovery. The University of Kansas recently established a strong nanotechnology research program, but has been involved in enhanced oil recovery since the 1970s. University researchers will develop and test polymers using nanotechnology, then hand them over to ConocoPhillips for field testing. “KU’s extensive experience in enhanced oil recovery and nanotechnology provides an ideal foundation for our collaborative research focused on developing promising new oilfield applications,” said Stephen Brand, senior vice president of technology at ConocoPhillips.

Leeds University announces nanotechnology partnership

The University of Leeds (UK) has signed a Research Agreement with King Saud University in Saudi Arabia to develop collaborations in nanoscience, technology and engineering with the King Abdullah Institute of Nanotechnology. This new collaboration will develop joint PhD projects, funded research and enterprise activities in medicine and health, biology, chemical manufacturing, electronics and other sectors. The programme is administered through the University of Leeds NanoManufacturing Institute and will provide new funding for PhD research and collaborative exchanges. Professor Richard Williams, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Enterprise, Knowledge Transfer and International Strategy at the University of Leeds said: "This continues a series of educational agreements with KSU and we are delighted this is our first major research and enterprise project in an area that draws on a distinctive research strength for Leeds in an area that has major societal impact.

Tasmanians To Get An Insight Into Nanotechnology

Three highly experienced researchers and industry representatives tonight will provide their insight to Tasmanian innovators and investors at the i-cubed Nanotechnology – An Insight seminar hosted by the Department of Economic Development and Tourism. The Nanotechnology – An Insight seminar will provide a background on what nanotechnology is, and the potential benefits and applications this technology can offer. It also will give a snapshot of what is occurring locally and nationally in this area. The Minister for Economic Development, Michael Aird, said that nanotechnology has the potential to create many new materials and devices with wide-ranging applications. “Nanotechnology generally deals with structures that are so small they cannot be detected with the naked eye, and can be used in a number of areas such as medicine, electronics and energy production,” Mr Aird said. “When particles are reduced to nano size they can be worked with to form many exciting new materials, such as extra strong plastics, UV and abrasion-resistant coatings and highly effective transparent sunscreens. “At Tasmania’s Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science (ACROSS), research is being conducted on miniaturised analytical systems to be used in biotechnology, clinical diagnostics, counter terrorism and environmental monitoring. “The State Government is excited about the many applications of nanotechnology and is committed to supporting Tasmanian scientists and industries that use this novel approach.”

Kenyan education should embrace nanotechnology

Kenya should introduce a nanotechnology curriculum to position the country as a "global player" in this emerging area of science and technology, write Macharia Waruingi and Jean Njoroge in Business Daily Africa. Nanotechnology could potentially make a greater impact than biotechnology and information technology combined, with an estimated market value of US$1 trillion by 2015. Africa is well

Nanotech centre in Washington

George Washington University in Washington DC has announced the establishment of the GW Institute for Nanotechnology which will draw on the expertise of the university’s faculty members across a range of disciplines.

Nanotechnology in schools

The Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, will today in Melbourne launch an innovative secondary school resource that will assist science teachers to teach nanotechnology in Australian schools. AccessNano, a cutting-edge educational resource, is designed to introduce accessible and innovative science and technology into classrooms, and provide an integrated approach to teaching nanotechnolgy. The Australian Office of Nanotechnology developed AccessNano following feedback from science teachers that children were asking to be taught about nanotechnology, but many teachers did not have the knowledge or resources to be able to teach the topic.

US Army Embraces Nanotechnology

Few of late have not heard about nanotechnology and the advances that have been made with this wondrous technology. Self-repairing paint, possible future surgeries that are invasive, advances plastics and medical technology, and even future ideas for computers are among the few that have been heard about this year alone. However, there are other uses for nanoids including the use of protective equipment and storage materials. This last subject has been the debate of the moment for the next U.S. Army Corrosion Summit. It is hoped that nanotechnology may be applied to corrosive materials and helped to retain them by creating anti-corrosion technology through the use of nanotechnology. As more studies are done on this new science, it is also speculated that further uses including food and water storage for soldiers, and stronger protective shield for mobile units. In addition, there is also the possibility of more affordable and stronger personal armor for soldiers to use on the front line. As this new science is explored, more advances are expected be discovered as time passes, which will hopefully turn into the ability to protect U.S. Army soldiers and supplies while in the field.

CCAS, SEAS launch Institute for Nanotechnology

A recently launched Institute for Nanotechnology at GW will investigate a developing science that studies objects 1/100,000th the size of a strand of hair.In a partnership between the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering and Applied Science, the Institute for Nanotechnology will research atoms at the nano level and ultimately help create new goods and materials. The University has committed $200,000 to the institute for its first year.

NANO ACCESS IN A NUTSHELL

AccessNano is all set for its November 28th launch by The Honourable Julia Guillard MP at the 2008 Science Teachers Association of Victoria Conference. What is AccessNano? AccessNano is a cutting-edge nanotechnology educational resource designed to introduce accessible and innovative science and technology into Australian secondary school classrooms. It is different from most other nanotechnology education initiatives as it provides an integrated and locally-relevant approach to teaching nanotechnology. AccessNano is presented in the form of 13 web-based, curriculum-matched modules targeted at years 7-11, featuring PowerPoint presentations, experiments, activities, animations and links to interactive websites. accessnano.org/

Nanotechnology sparks fears for the future

READ FULL REPORT - http://www.rcep.org.uk/novelmaterials.htm

Footware enhanced by nanotechnology

Guests at the London Aquarium last August 27th were first to see the unvieling of Hi-Tec's revolutionary footware named 'ion mask'. Dr Ian Robins, Business Development Director of P2i, adds: “ion-mask™ surface enhancement nano-technology can treat everyday objects without altering the look, design or feel of the object.

Nanotechnology park needs a name

The Mayor of South Bend Mayor Luecke is asking local residents to come up with a name for the city's future 83 acre nanotechnology park

Nanotechnology Operations To Be Housed In Moscow

In 2009, production of unique nanomaterials for the aviation industry will be launched in Moscow, said Alexander Yuzvik, general director of the Moscow-based state-owned company Stroyexprom. The decision to set up the operations on the territory of the now closed AZLK car factory was made by the city's authorities and the Russian Corporation of Nanotechnology. Moscow has allotted some RUB 1.7bn (approx. USD 63.17m) from its budget to revamp the factory's facilities. According to Yuzvik, some Austrian and French companies have already been given the green light to run their operations in the area. Apart from them, a Russian firm based with the Moscow State University's chemical faculty will set up its production there as well, and Stroyexprom is in talks to attract more partners.

Fuel efficient engine oil driven by nanotechnology

High-tech lubricant hailed the 'top dog of engine oil' has been launched at an industry event at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham. The London firm behind the venture - NanoBoron UK - says the oil has been scientifically proven to improve fuel consumption more than 10 per cent, reduce engine wear and corrosion and help the environment.

Nanotechnology May Help Nepal

Nanotechnology has tremendous possibility to create many new materials and devices with numerous applications, such as in medicine, electronics, and energy production.In September 2000, 189 member states of the UN agreed on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)- Nepal was one of them

Scientific center in nanotechnology started

A regional center in nanotechnology education will be lead by Lansing Community college which will bring together colleges throughout Michigan. The initiative will be named Nano-Link and is funded to the tune of $3 million dollars by The National Science Foundation.

'Second Life' has launched a nanotechnology concept

You know nanotechnology is here to stay when 'Second Life' have created a nanotechnology island within their online virtual world. The aim is to bring nanotech communities together and form relationships between scientists and polcy makers. Well well, what next?

Drug development research aided by nanoparticles

(UK)Liverpool University scientists have been developing a new method that will improve the effectiveness of antibacterial treatments. The new technology is allowing the scientists to develop new medicines by converting currently available drugs into a nanoparticle form. Antiparastitic drugs to treat malaria are also being developed in collaboration with the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.

Nanotech Program Launched By Australian Government

The federal government has launched a $100 million science program aimed at providing laboratories and support for work on micro and nano-fabrication research. The program is to be distributed between seven universities across Australia

Nanocosmetics spark fears

Which magazine report fears over the safety of skin products that are developed with nanotechnology. They are calling for stricter regulations saying that consumers have no idea what they are actually using

There is a difference between Carbon and Nanotubes

Nanotubes are difference than carbon, with carbon nanotubes considered new substances under the Toxic Substances Control Act. This is the position taken by the US Environmental Protection Agency

Managed to kill 98% cervical cancer cells

Scientists at Little Rock have developed a method of killing the cancer cells by injecting them with minute magnetic particles which are heated with low radio frequency radiation. They are working in collaboration with The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

NY - Solar power to be more efficient

Researchers have developed a new antireflective coating that will allow the panels to capture more sunlight. Congratulations to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

US - 39 engineers and scientist selected for 3 year research grant awards

Total awards amount to $12.1 million. The awaards are aimed at creating basic research in many areas such as physics, electronics, chemical and life sciences

More effective insulation using nanotechnology

It is now possible to paint on materials that have been created using nanotechnology that give the surface properties and definitions due to the minute enhanced nano-structures. Think about aircraft and the aerodynamics possibilities.

Chennai, India - Date set for Nanotechnology Conclave 2009

4th Nanotechnology Conclave 2009, Tamil Nadu TEchnology Development & Promotion Center of CII's mega international event, is scheduled to be held in Chennai, India, at Hotel Taj Coromandal, from 02-03 March 2009.

Stamping nanodevices with rubber moulds

Cornell researchers have developed a way to pattern and make nanoscale wires along with other devices. Normally expensive lithographic equipment had been used for this process. The moulds stamp the structures required.

Bioinformatics Industry supported by Nanotechnology will grow at 31% by year 2010

With lots of early success in this field such as nanoparticulate synthetic bone substitute and nanocomposite packaging materials that increases the shelf life of food products. Bioinformatics applications are expected to be instrumental in providing the first major break-through to nanotechnology.

Nanotools sales set to explode in USA

Nanotools are being used in many areas such as research, biomedical and the electronics industry. Sales of nanotools in the electronics industry alone are expected to exceed $450 million by the end of 2012

Nanotechnology to be pushed by The Confederation of Indian Industry

Industry is being urged forward and research projects should be given preference. A skill development initiative is required to support this emerging technolgy. The Indian government is being asked to establish a strong infrastructure to aid this push.

Mend a Boken Heart?

A novel scaffold developed by MIT could mend broken hearts one day. The idea is that living heart cells or stem cells seeded onto such a scaffold would develop into a patch of cardiac tissue that could be used to treat congenital heart defects, or aid the recovery of tissue damaged by a heart attack. The biodegradable scaffold would be gradually absorbed into the body, leaving behind new tissue.

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Your interpretations of nanotechnology

Admin — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 12:32:10 +0000

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For reference (and fun) we are gatherering your slant on 'Nanotechnology' - Send in your idea of what nanotechnolgy is.

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We are going to list everyones idea on the concept of nanotechnology. Whether funny, off the wall or serious we would love to hear from you. All submissions will get your name and url acknowledged.

Here is one slightly understated submission - 'Nanotechnology is about small things'

So come on nanoviper's lets be hearing form you. You can use the form below. 100 words or less please. http://www.nanovip.com/contact

Read the results - http://www.nanovip.com/node/53670

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Click Here For Nanotechnology Related Downloads

Admin — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 23:53:21 +0000

Nanovip Companies Database
http://www.nanovip.com/nanotechnology-companies/download-databases

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Hub-based Simulation and Graphics Hardware Accelerated Visualization for

What does physics have to do with sustainable economic growth? Quite a lot, as it happens.

Admin — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 07:52:53 +0000

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The North–South divide in economic development is often matched by a North–South divide in science and technology.

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The North–South divide in economic development is often matched by a North–South divide in science and technology. Governments in the North and the South, as well as international donors, have at last grasped the reality that science and technology are crucial to building a nation's institutions in areas such as transport, agriculture, health, law and industry.

However, in strengthening their scientific and technological base, developing countries have tended to focus on agricultural research, biology and genetic engineering, space science, and information and communication technologies. One of the most important sciences underpinning development — physics — is barely on the economic development radar screen.

Ignoring physics is a mistake not only because of its fundamental contributions to all science, but also because national capacity in physics correlates strongly with economic performance.

An assessment of the state of physics in a country can shed light on how successfully it is developing and will develop in the future, particularly a nation's ability to make use of advanced technologies. China, for example, accounts for 3% of the world's trade in high-technology goods and services, which is the highest percentage among developing countries. India accounts for 1% of global trade in high-technology goods and services, which is the second highest percentage among developing countries.

It should come as no surprise that these two countries also the rank first and second in the developing world in the physical sciences — as measured by various indices, including articles published in international peer-reviewed journals and patents. The fact is that most high-technology products and services — computers, scientific instruments, electrical machinery and electronics — are based on research and development in the physical sciences.

How well are developing nations doing in physics? A good measure of a nation's capability in any science is the number of articles published by its scientists in international peer-reviewed journals.

In 2006, physicists in the developed world authored over 80% of the physics papers published in international peer-reviewed journals. Physicists in the USA alone were responsible for 18% of the total (32,000 articles).

Meanwhile, physicists in developing countries, which are home to 80% of the world's population, authored 20% of physics papers. When you consider that three developing countries – China, India and Brazil — are each responsible for approximately 1% of the total published every year, the situation looks a lot more dismal for other developing nations. Indeed, only 28 of them publish more than 100 physics papers a year in international journals. The contribution of the remainder, some 120 countries in total, is so small that it is not statistically significant. These include many of the 57 member states of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). The OIC states are home to some 1.5 billion people. Yet, physicists in OIC countries are collectively responsible for just 3% of the peer-reviewed articles published in international journals.

Governments and scientists from developing nations who are seeking a way out of this hole could look to China, which has increased its contribution to the worldwide total of peer-reviewed physics papers from about 4% to just over 14% in the past decade. Are there lessons here for other developing nations?

One lesson is that China and the five other developing countries that are most advanced in physics — Brazil, India, Iran, Mexico and Turkey — all focus on the same three subfields of the discipline: condensed matter physics, followed by optics and nuclear physics. Another lesson can be found in the development of scientific hardware. For example, China is home to state-of-the-art physics instrumentation. This has helped the country to transform its capacity in physics into technology products and services, which have helped to fuel the nation's growth.

The message is clear for all countries that are seeking to grow, and for all donors that are seeking to help them. Recent history shows that a nation's chances of technological development dim appreciably without a broad-based capacity in physics, and that without technological capability, sustainable economic growth often remains a faint hope.

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nature.com/nature/journal/v456/n1s/full/twas08.38a.html

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Green Earth Nano Science, Inc. Expands Operation in India with Permaweld Pvt Ltd

Admin — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 07:47:55 +0000

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Green Earth Nano Science, Inc. is a Canadian corporation finalist in 2008 Green Log Award with Head Office located in Toronto Canada.

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Green Earth Nano Science, Inc., (GENS) a nanotechnology solutions provider and a global supplier and licensor of proprietary photocatalyst* technology, recently signed an Exclusive Master Distributor license agreement with Permaweld Pvt Ltd; India's leading "specialty maintenance product supplier" with two decades of vertical focus on New technologies and now Green Technology products that help "industry extend the maintenance interval by overcoming specific maintenance problems with their superior technology products". This results in better productivity from critical Assets. Permaweld is seen as a suitable partner, as a growing corporation with an existing network of existing business in key industrial segments and geographical areas of India. Permaweld Pvt Ltd provides and will help develop a national network with a unique entrepreneurial spirit and far-reaching possibilities for added-value using Gens Nano nanotechnology.

Green Earth Nano Science, Inc. is a Canadian corporation finalist in 2008 Green Log Award with Head Office located in Toronto Canada. GENS is one of the first of a new class of companies specialized as independent licensor-distributors of "green" nanotechnology based products and commercialization of new sustainable environmental technologies.

Gens Nano coatings are 100% Green products and their series of photocatalyst coatings transform any treated surface into an anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, mold free surface. The coating also helps reduce pollution and improve air quality environment, protect building interior or exterior from environmental contamination. These hygienic coatings are formulated to incorporate light activated Nano Titanium Dioxide (TiO2), which helps to deactivate bio-contamination and neutralize pollutants. Gens Nano coatings are easy to apply, they dry at room temperature and are designed for a variety of applications and substrates. GENS products and services are branded and marketed under registered brand "Gens Nano."

The Distributor for India M/S Permaweld Pvt Ltd has been vertically focused since 1988 in providing comprehensive maintenance solutions under one roof to industry; through specially engineered high quality maintenance products and services. With 20 years of specialized experience with varied industry segments Permaweld can be trusted to provide unique solutions for all types of industrial plant and machinery found in continuous Process Plants, Steel, Mining, Petrochemical, Refineries, Paper, Automobile, and Automotive component, Thermal and Nuclear Power Plants. Permaweld is certified as an ISO 9001-2000 company for its marketing focus and the customer retention services provided for specialized maintenance products.

The Indian market and its one billion plus population, presents a lucrative and diverse opportunity for GENS NANO with these technology products, services, and commitment. Not withstanding the current slow down in Global economies it is surmised that such products should have a greater need as they preserve the "asset and reduce recurring maintenance costs" for Industry. India's infrastructure, transportation, energy, environmental, health care, heritage and high-tech sectors will require products and services which will exceed tens of billions of dollars in the medium-term as the Indian economy globalizes and expands. India's GDP, currently growing at around 7 percent, makes it one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Construction of nearly everything from airports to container ports to teleports and new industries are setting the stage to remake India.

Uday Pasricha, Managing Director and Business Partner of Pernaweld PVT LTD. stated: "We are thrilled to introduce GENS NANO coating into India; we have no doubt that with investment and some gestation, our efforts to introduce these products and our results will ignite other Asian markets as well. India has a great hidden potential and we have started to develop key markets as well as manufacturers who will incorporate GENS NANO into their product lines as a low-maintenance feature and a green, eco-friendly product. "

Miroslaw Chrzaniecki, Executive Director of Green Earth Nano Science Inc.
(GENS) Global Operations, reported: "India is growing at a very fast pace and its current trade openness creates a good timing for the introduction of our innovative photo catalyst nanotechnology, along with all upcoming products we have in our R&D portfolio; we are very pleased with this strategic alliance for India."

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Contacts:
Green Earth Nano Science, Inc.
Milana Segal
416-800-0969
info@gensnano.com

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Blood Scanner Detects Even Faint Indicators Of Cancer

Admin — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 07:38:18 +0000

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A team led by Stanford researchers has developed a prototype blood scanner that can find cancer markers in the bloodstream in early stages of the disease, potentially allowing for earlier treatment and dramatically improved chances of survival.

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The system based on MagArray biodetection chips can find cancer-associated proteins in a blood serum sample in less than an hour, and with much greater sensitivity than existing commercial devices. In fact, the device, which uses magnetic nanotechnology to spot the cancer proteins, is tens to hundreds of times more sensitive, meaning the proteins can be found while there are relatively few of them in the bloodstream.

"This is essentially a proof-of-concept study showing that now we have a chip and a reader that can find multiple biomarkers in a sample at a concentration much lower than the standard that is commercially available," said Shan Wang, a Stanford professor of materials science and of electrical engineering.

Wang is optimistic that the technology will someday save lives by detecting cancer early or by helping doctors select more effective therapy. "The earlier you can detect a cancer, the better chance you have to kill it," he said. "This could be especially helpful for lung cancer, ovarian cancer and pancreatic cancer, because those cancers are hidden in the body."

Wang is a senior author of the paper, along with Stanford biochemistry and genetics Professor Ronald W. Davis of the Stanford Genome Technology Center and University of California-Santa Cruz biomolecular engineering Professor Nader Pourmand.

The device is able to detect many different kinds of proteins at the same time, which is important for two reasons, Wang said. First, researchers are still uncertain which cancer biomarkers are the best diagnostic indicators. Second, detecting multiple biomarkers simultaneously will allow a doctor to diagnose more specifically the kind of cancer a patient may have.

Wang says the handheld device could be the smallest protein array reader in the world.

By means of magnets

The specialty of Wang's research group at Stanford is magnetic nanotechnology. Magnetism is rare in biological systems, so any magnetic signal in a blood serum sample stands out like a flare in the night sky. By tagging cancer proteins with tiny magnetic particles, rather than electrically charged or glowing particles as in other detectors, the new system can obtain a clearer signal from a smaller number of cancer proteins.

At the heart of the detector is a silicon chip, designed by the paper's lead author, Sebastian Osterfeld, a Stanford doctoral student in materials science and engineering. The chips have 64 embedded sensors that monitor for changes in nearby magnetic fields. Attached to these sensors are "capture antibodies," painstakingly selected by Heng Yu, formerly a postdoctoral fellow at the Stanford Genome Technology Center, and Richard Gaster, a student in a combined program of doctoral and medical degrees.

The sensor's "capture antibodies" grab specific cancer-related proteins as they float by and hold onto them. Then a second batch of antibodies is added to the mix. They latch onto magnetic nanoparticles as well as the cancer biomarkers that are being held captive by the sensors. Thus when the MagArray sensors detect the magnetic field of nanoparticles, they've found cancer markers as well.

In the paper, the researchers estimate that they could detect levels of the human chorionic gonadotropin protein at a level about 400 times lower than the level required for detection by current commercial kits known by the acronym ELISA, in which captured cancer proteins are tethered to color-altering or fluorescent labels.

At Stanford Medical Center, the detector is viewed as a potentially significant clinical advance, according to a diagnostics expert there.

"This work represents a giant leap forward in enabling technology for in vitro protein diagnostics with significant potential for many applications including cancer detection and management," said Dr. Sam Gambhir, the principal investigator of the Center of Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence at Stanford.

Headed for hospitals?

To properly prepare a patient's blood sample for use with the detector, a technician must use a centrifuge to separate out the serum, which contains the biomarkers. For this reason, the device must be located in a hospital or a private diagnostic lab, Wang said. But before then it must face clinical testing and trials to win regulatory approval. To see the detector through those steps, Wang has co-founded a startup company, MagArray Inc., in the Panorama Institute for Molecular Medicine, a not-for-profit incubator in Sunnyvale, Calif.

The nascent startup is also investigating the possible use of the detectors in emergency rooms to quickly check for heart attacks when patients arrive with chest pains. Like cancer, heart cell death is associated with the release of specific biomarker proteins.

The researchers reported their results in the Dec. 1 online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The research was funded partly by grants from the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the Department of Defense. Other authors on the paper include Stefano Caramuta, Liang Xu, Shu-Jen Han, Drew Hall, Robert Wilson and Robert White, all of Stanford, and Shouheng Sun of Brown University.

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sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081202115656.htm

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‘Intelligent’ materials to revolutionise surgical implants

Admin — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 07:36:04 +0000

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Nanotechnology will provide superior implants for orthopaedic patients

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A brand new process that could revolutionise the reliability and durability of surgical implants, such as hip and knee replacements, has today, 2 December 08, received recognition for its medical and commercial potential by achieving one of the worlds most sought after accolades. A team of researchers, led by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), has received a Medical Futures Innovation Award for its high technology process designed to coat surgical implants with fibres that, for the first time, will encourage the implant to bond with living bone and to last the lifetime of the patient.

This unique surface engineering process is being developed at the Micro-Nano Technology Centre (MNTC) at STFC. In collaboration with the Electrospinning Company Ltd (TECL) and Anglia Ruskin University, the concept will be taken forward under the guidance of a Medical Futures team, and eventually exclusively licensed to TECL, a spin out company of STFC.

This advanced nanotechnology technique builds on an existing technique known as electrospinning, and will utilise a vastly superior electrospinning source to create bespoke fibrous materials. Electrospinning is a process that uses an electrical charge to turn polymers into extremely thin fibres that are spun to form a mat of fine fibres. It is seen as a platform technology for the medical sector with a wide range of applications including tissue regeneration and drug delivery. The MNTC has developed systems to increase the production rate of nanofibres which has been previously prevented this technology from being adopted by industry.

In this case, nanosized hair- like structures, a thousand times thinner than the width of a human hair, are electrospun at MNTC and added to the surface of an orthopaedic implant to create a living interface between the artificial implants and living bone. Not only does this improve the performance of the implants it also significantly increases their durability to last the lifetime of the patient. Any stress on the implant is relieved, making it more reliable and durable. Additionally, it is also possible to add a unique biological coating that can facilitate growth and improve the bonding of healthy tissue to the implant, primarily benefitting patients with osteoarthritis in the aging population and sports injuries in the younger population.

This process will be transferred to UK industry and TECL will provide access to state-of-the-art electrospinning systems. TECL has spun out from STFC to provide open access to electrospinning equipments and expertise to organisations that would like to explore the techniques potential. The main benefit is that this can be done without commercial companies committing to capital investment or developing in-house expertise until the potential value of electrospinning to the organisation is fully understood. TECL is based both at the Daresbury Science and Innovation Centre in Cheshire and at STFCs Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire, and was founded by CLIK, the wholly-owned technology exploitation company of STFC. TECLs specialised facilities are designed to extend current electrospinning capabilities so that nanofibres can be reproduced in volume.

Dr Robert Stevens, Head of the MNTC at STFC said: This award provides a major step forward for the future of patients requiring surgical implants and I am thrilled that this concept was selected as an award winner over several hundred entries. Our award is given for translational research innovation to meet the current and future orthopaedic needs of patients.

Mansel Williams, Chief Executive of The Electrospinning Company said: Ten percent of patients receiving surgical implants go on to develop infection and loosening of their implants, costing the UK at least 14 million every year, 224 million globally. We want to eliminate this by creating the ideal implant surface matched to the individual patient, benefitting both the patient and the economy. This award will now allow us to scale up the testing and commercialisation of these implants

The Medical Futures Innovation Awards, which were announced at the Medical Futures Innovators Gallery in London, are one of the UKs most highly coveted medical awards, rewarding ground-breaking innovation from front line clinicians and scientists with ideas that have the potential to transform peoples’ lives and demonstrate the UK’s position as a world beater.

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breakthroughdigest.com/nanotechnology/‘intelligent’-materials-to-revolutionise-surgical-implants/

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Nanotechnology Unfolds Futuristic Green Cars

Admin — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 07:30:34 +0000

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Auto makers are constantly incorporating the most advanced technology in their lineup. This time around they are planning to use nanotechnology to come up with spectacular vehicles.

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Automakers are constantly incorporating the most advanced technology in their lineup. This time around they are planning to use nanotechnology to come up with spectacular vehicles. Two of the most sought-after vehicles are Acura FCX 2020 Le Mans and Volkswagen Nanospyder.

Recently, automakers have unleashed their environment-friendly concept cars that are expected to be manufactured using nanotechnology. The latter is a technology of building tiny machines using functional systems at a molecular scale. According to experts, nanotechnology, in its original sense, means projected ability to assemble items from the bottom up, utilizing techniques and tools being developed these days to make complete, high performance products.

Nanotechnology works from the bottom to the inside of the machine called personal nanofactories (PNs). Using mechanochemistry, nanotechnology will facilitate control at the nanometer scale. A nanometer is one billionth of a meter. Basically, it is about the width of 3 to 4 atoms.

One of the striking future cars presented is FCX 2020 Le Mans from Acura. Said car is envisioned to be powered by advanced auto parts from the automaker. It will also be using Honda car accessories to boost its ergonomics and comfort.

Acura FCX 2020 Le Mans appears like a Batmobile. The difference is that it uses lightweight and recyclable materials. Moreover, it is equipped with a hydrogen fuel cell drivetrain that makes it an environment-friendly car. Its molecular nanotechnology made it lighter and more manageable than present day cars.

Another viable future car is Volkswagen Nanospyder. The captivating car is made up billions of spore-like nanobots. The car is inclusive of mouth, eyeballs and other Volkswagen car accessories including tiny logos.

One of the exciting features of this VW Nanospyder is the ability of its lead bots to pick up impending collisions. Aside from that, the information can be sent away to support particular sections of the car.

Analysts in the auto industry are expecting a greener car future because of nanotechnology. In fact, there have been interesting concept cars submitted in the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show’s Design Challenge. The latter is a competition designed to cover future cars that are environment-friendly. Mechanics of the competition include originality, safety, environmentalism and relevancy to Southern California’s ‘green’ lifestyle.

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Moving New Technologies from the Lab to the Marketplace

Admin — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:43:39 +0000

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Judith Sheft, associate vice president for technology development at NJIT, has been awarded funds from the New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology to assist faculty researchers with the most promising patentable inventions with funding grants of up to $50,000. The money, known as Gap grants, is designed to help bridge the chasm between an interesting idea and a commercial product.

Sixteen grants have been made since 2006 to NJIT faculty researchers. The most promising innovations include the following.

Timothy Chang, professor of electrical and computer engineering, received a Gap award last year for his patented nanopositioner which has 6 degrees of freedom for applications in such fields as semiconductor manufacturing, opto-electronics, life sciences and material handling. This year, he received two more awards -- one for his low transient pulse technique for ultrasound imaging to detect and monitor bone fractures, and another for broadening the application base of the SmartPin™, a new liquid dispensing/handling system capable of producing tiny spots/droplets/geometric-features for molecular biology research and analysis.

Rajesh Dave, distinguished professor of chemical engineering, received a Gap award for his dry-particle coating technique. The technique enables a precise amount of nano-particles to be bonded onto the surface of cohesive powders as small as 5 microns. This nanoscale coating process opens a host of new applications for pharmaceutical, neutraceutical, food, energetic and electronics materials.

Sergiu Gorun, associate professor of chemistry, received an award to further develop his phthalocyanine dyes. The dyes have the unique characteristic of absorbing heat, allowing visible light to pass through the polymer thus opening up an array of new civilian and military applications. They include heat ray shielding laminated glass or film, plasma display grade filters, heat-retaining and heat-accumulating fibers, and liquid crystal display devices.

Zafar Iqbal, research professor of chemistry, received support to develop technology that applies the principles and materials of nanotechnology to a novel biofuel cell that converts the body’s own glucose to power devices like pacemakers and glucose biosensors for diabetics. The device uses highly conductive nanomaterials -- carbon nanotubes and gold quantum dots -- to guide the electrons.

Treena Livingston Arinzeh, associate professor of biomedical engineering, and Michael Jaffe, research professor of biomedical engineering, received a grant to refine and improve their electrospinning technique. They have used it to build scaffolds for tissue engineering which are then combined with adult stem cells to regrow bone tissue.

Michael Lacker, professor of biomedical engineering, received an award for his boundary method. The method generates new output algorithms for measuring skill, movement stability, and energy efficiency of human motion. He someday sees his research assisting people with neuromuscular and skeletal injuries with daily activities.

Chengjun Liu, associate professor of computer science, received a Gap grant for his patented face detection technology to develop new similarity measures required for a robust face detection pilot system. The system, which takes into account such factors as lighting and facial expressions, can be used as a security system with facial identification replacing a physical key or a password. Such a system could also assist law enforcement officials in locating fugitives by means of video cameras strategically placed in public places.

Somenath Mitra, professor of chemistry, and Zafar Iqbal, research professor of chemistry, received awards to refine their proprietary techniques for producing, purifying and changing the chemical characteristics of carbon nanotubes thus allowing nanomaterials to be combined into nanostructures, manipulated by chemical engineering, or embedded into a matrix of other materials for a wide variety of applications.

Kamalesh K. Sirkar, distinguished professor of chemical engineering, received multiple grants to participate in a NASA-sponsored large-scale demonstration of his hollow fiber membrane device. The device can remove and recover volatile organic compounds from air and waste-gas streams vented by a variety of industrial processes (water treatment, and chemical, food, petrochemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing), thus reducing the greenhouse effect.

G. Gordon Thomas, professor of physics, received two awards, one to improve and test a new tonometer. The instrument enables thru-the-eyelid measurement of intro-ocular pressure to diagnose glaucoma. He received a second award to continue work of his team’s “smart shunt” for hydrocephalus and brain-injured patients.

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New Jersey Institute of Technology, New Jersey's science and technology university, enrolls more than 8,000 students in bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in nearly 100 degree programs offered by six colleges: Newark College of Engineering, New Jersey School of Architecture, College of Science and Liberal Arts, School of Management, Albert Dorman Honors College, and College of Computing Sciences. NJIT is renowned for expertise in architecture, applied mathematics, wireless communications and networking, solar physics, advanced engineered particulate materials, nanotechnology, neural engineering, and eLearning. NJIT: The Edge in Knowledge.

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Imagination Moves Nanotechnology into the Forefront of Current Scientific Exploration

Admin — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:37:27 +0000

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“What are nano-pants?” I asked a curious 11 year-old. “Very tiny pants?” she guessed.

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Although her answer was technically incorrect in that nanotechnology will not shrink pants, her thinking was headed in the right direction.

Nanotechnology involves the shrinking of scientific substances into the nanoscale (1 nm = 10-9 m), and building substances at the atomic level to create new materials and devices, explained Beth Baumert, SCC Chemistry instructor. “It is the study and control of matter on an atomic and/or molecular scale,” she said.

As for the pants, they do exist. Just ask SCC Computer Science instructor Gerald Thurman.

What do nano-pants, the newest sunscreens, and cell phones have in common? They are commercial products that include components or materials that are made of substances that have been reduced into the nanoscale in order to make the product better, more functional, or more appealing to the consumer.

Many new sunscreens, for instance, are made with transparent zinc oxide, a substance that allows wearers to shield themselves from the sun while avoiding the pasty white nose effect made famous by local lifeguards. Sunblock can now change from white to colorless when zinc oxide nanoparticles are used because the optical properties of the materials are altered as the size of particles change. When they get smaller, they become transparent.

Cell phone technology is in a daily state of change it seems, much of it involving nanotechnology. Thurman describes a new product in development that is aided by nanotechnology – a ‘band-aid’ that is applied to a cell phone battery that will extend the life of the battery.

“Eventually cell phones will become more computer-like, but the size needs to stay small,” he said. “Nanotechnology will allow it to stay small,” explaining that current magnification technology allows computer scientists to burn more onto the silicon chip, although tomorrow’s technology will likely improve the process so that these effects can be maximized.

Many solar product companies are riding the nanotechnology bandwagon. California-based Nanosolar is exploring new territory in its quest to deliver cost-effective solar electricity. According to Thurman, current products include nano particle-based coatings in which the particles are charged by the sun’s rays. The coatings can be used on houses and cars for starters, and if more energy is needed, additional coatings can be applied.

According to Baumert, nanotechnology has been around for many centuries -- used for beer-making, Egyptian enamels and stained-glass windows. It was first mentioned by Richard Feynman in 1959. He described a process by which the ability to manipulate individual atoms and molecules might be developed.

SCC understands the significance of nanotechnology and has served as host for the Arizona Nanotechnology Cluster’s annual symposium for the past two years. A nonprofit organization, the Cluster was formed to share technological advances and promote business development in the nanotechnology field. Last year, over 340 people attended the symposium at SCC, many from around the world.

In 2007, the symposium’s keynote speaker, Wade Adams from Rice University--the leader in nanotechnology research, explained that nanotechnology will play a key role in solving the world’s energy problems. “He said ‘become a scientist – save the world’,” recalled Thurman.

Nanotechnology is a diverse and multidisciplinary field. It has wide-ranging applications, including medicine, electronics, and energy production. According to Baumert, it has the potential to benefit everyone.

The commercial benefits include pharmaceuticals with fewer side effects, stain-resistant clothing (such as Thurman’s nano-pants), faster and more powerful computers (for complex operations such as weather prediction or modeling new electronic materials on an atomic scale), and the use of nano-composite fibers to strengthen sports equipment (such as in the bicycle used by Floyd Landis in the 2006 Tour de France).

The humanitarian benefits of nanotechnology include developing more efficient ways to produce energy--thus lowering its cost, removing toxins from waste streams through the use of filters made with nanoscale porous structures, creating more effective drug delivery, developing new cancer treatments, and making faster, cheaper medical diagnostic techniques.

Multiple academic disciplines are involved in the study and application of nanotechnology. Chemistry works with fuel cells, surface reactions, and nanoparticles. Computer Science works with new magnetic materials for computer hard drives and quantum-based computers. Electrical Engineering works to make faster, smaller electronic devices.

Material Science and Engineering works with carbon nanotubes for strengthening materials, nanoparticles for more efficient solar cells, and biocompatible materials to make such devices as hip joints. Medicine works with drug delivery systems and molecular self-assembly for producing pharmaceuticals. Physics works with quantum dots.

Kyle Rawlings, physics professor at SCC, explains that quantum dots will allow us to manipulate natural substances so they can be programmable. “What if I need… solar cells?” said Rawlings, explaining that any device or object we need can be created through these programmable substances.

Scientists are now developing the tools to build quantum dots. “The programmable quantum dots will tell atoms how to chemically bond to create whatever we need,” explained Rawlings.

The concept of quantum dots sounds like the stuff of modern science fiction, yet Rawlings explains that large research universities are currently in the process of working with claytronics, a form of quantum dots technology in which nanoscale robots become capable of self-assembly. (www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcaqzOUv2Ao).

Where is nanotechnology headed and how fast is this science growing? The 2008 budget for the US federal agencies participating in the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) is nearly 1.5 billion dollars, noted Baumert. The National Science Foundation predicts that nano-related goods and services could be a one-trillion dollar market by 2015, making it one of the fastest-growing industries in history.

SCC students will get to join the nanotech bandwagon by joining SCC’s Nano-newbies club (currently being formed). For more information about the club, contact Gerald Thurman.

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Scottsdale, AZ (October 9, 2008)

About Scottsdale Community College:
Scottsdale Community College offers over 1,500 academic and non-credit classes each semester. Located on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, the campus is known for its serene atmosphere and beautiful plant and wildlife. With nearly 12,000 students, Scottsdale Community College is proud to offer high-quality, affordable programs in small class settings. From Motion Picture/Television Production and Culinary Arts to Nursing and American Indian Studies, students have a wide variety of programs from which to earn credits for university transfer, launch their careers, train for new ones, or pursue a special interest. The SCC Business Institute offers customized programs to meet the needs of local business. Scottsdale Community College is one of the ten Maricopa Community Colleges.

To learn about the many academic programs at Scottsdale Community College, call us at (480) 423-6000 or visit our website at scottsdalecc.edu.

Media contact:

Denise Kronsteiner
(480) 423-6567
denise.kronsteiner@sccmail.maricopa.edu

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Self-powered devices possible, says Texas A&M researcher

Admin — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:28:15 +0000

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Imagine a self-powering cell phone that never needs to be charged because it converts sound waves produced by the user into the energy it needs to keep running.

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COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Dec. 1, 2008 – Imagine a self-powering cell phone that never needs to be charged because it converts sound waves produced by the user into the energy it needs to keep running. It's not as far-fetched as it may seem thanks to the recent work of Tahir Cagin, a professor in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University.

Utilizing materials known in scientific circles as "piezoelectrics," Cagin, whose research focuses on nanotechnology, has made a significant discovery in the area of power harvesting – a field that aims to develop self-powered devices that do not require replaceable power supplies, such as batteries.

Specifically, Cagin and his partners from the University of Houston have found that a certain type of piezoelectric material can covert energy at a 100 percent increase when manufactured at a very small size – in this case, around 21 nanometers in thickness.

What's more, when materials are constructed bigger or smaller than this specific size they show a significant decrease in their energy-converting capacity, he said.

His findings, which are detailed in an article published this fall in "Physical Review B," the scientific journal of the American Physical Society, could have potentially profound effects for low-powered electronic devices such as cell phones, laptops, personal communicators and a host of other computer-related devices used by everyone from the average consumer to law enforcement officers and even soldiers in the battlefield.

Many of these high-tech devices contain components that are measured in nanometers – a microscopic unit of measurement representing one-billionth of a meter. Atoms and molecules are measured in nanometers, and a human hair is about 100,000 nanometers wide.

Though Cagin's subject matter is small, its impact could be huge. His discovery stands to advance an area of study that has grown increasingly popular due to consumer demand for compact portable and wireless devices with extended lifespans.

Battery life remains a major concern for popular mp3 players and cell phones that are required to perform an ever-expanding array of functions. But beyond mere consumer convenience, self-powering devices are of major interest to several federal agencies.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has investigated methods for soldiers in the field to generate power for their portable equipment through the energy harvested from simply walking. And sensors – such as those used to detect explosives – could greatly benefit from a self-powering technology that would reduce the need for the testing and replacing of batteries.

"Even the disturbances in the form of sound waves such as pressure waves in gases, liquids and solids may be harvested for powering nano- and micro devices of the future if these materials are processed and manufactured appropriately for this purpose," Cagin said.

Key to this technology, Cagin explained, are piezoelectrics. Derived from the Greek word "piezein," which means "to press," piezoelectrics are materials (usually crystals or ceramics) that generate voltage when a form of mechanical stress is applied. Conversely, they demonstrate a change in their physical properties when an electric field is applied.

Discovered by French scientists in the 1880s, piezoelectrics aren't a new concept. They were first used in sonar devices during World War I. Today they can be found in microphones and quartz watches. Cigarette lighters in automobiles also contain piezoelectrics. Pressing down the lighter button causes impact on a piezoelectric crystal that in turn produces enough voltage to create a spark and ignite the gas.

On a grander scale, some night clubs in Europe feature dance floors built with piezoelectrics that absorb and convert the energy from footsteps in order to help power lights in the club. And it's been reported that a Hong Kong gym is using the technology to convert energy from exercisers to help power its lights and music.

While advances in those applications continue to progress, piezoelectric work at the nanoscale is a relatively new endeavor with different and complex aspects to consider, said Cagin.

For example, imagine going from working with a material the size and shape of a telephone post to dealing with that same material the size of a hair, he said. When such a significant change in scale occurs, materials react differently. In this case, something the size of a hair is much more pliable and susceptible to change from its surrounding environment, Cagin noted. These types of changes have to be taken into consideration when conducting research at this scale, he said.

"When materials are brought down to the nanoscale dimension, their properties for some performance characteristics dramatically change," said Cagin who is a past recipient of the prestigious Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology. "One such example is with piezoelectric materials. We have demonstrated that when you go to a particular length scale – between 20 and 23 nanometers – you actually improve the energy-harvesting capacity by 100 percent.

"We're studying basic laws of nature such as physics and we're trying to apply that in terms of developing better engineering materials, better performing engineering materials. We're looking at chemical constitutions and physical compositions. And then we're looking at how to manipulate these structures so that we can improve the performance of these materials."

###

Texas A&M University, among the world's leading research institutions, is in the vanguard in making significant contributions to the storehouse of knowledge, including that of science and technology. Research conducted at Texas A&M represents an annual investment of more than $540 million and underwrites approximately 3,500 sponsored projects. That research creates new knowledge that provides basic, fundamental and applied contributions resulting in many cases in economic benefits to the state, nation and world.

Contact: Tahir Cagin at (979) 862-1449 or via email: cagin@che.tamu.edu or Ryan A. Garcia at (979) 845-9237 or via email: ryan.garcia99@tamu.edu

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Contact: Ryan Garcia
ryan.garcia99@tamu.edu
979-845-9237
Texas A&M University

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Technologies in hydrogen generation.

Admin — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:26:36 +0000

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Mission: To assist industries in moving toward a more viable and environmental solution for producing energy utilizing emerging technologies in hydrogen generation.

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Global Hydrogen, Inc., founded by Dr. Linnard Griffin, is located in Betram, TX. Dr. Griffin is working on new processes for the generation of hydrogen and oxygen.

Using proprietary electrodes and cell design, Dr. Griffin has developed a now low-voltage hydrogen generation process that generates hydrogen under the theoretical minimum of 1.23 volts believed to be necessary.

Consider, until now producing hydrogen using natural gas reforming was the best known and most efficient process. This process uses 3.5 kilogram of natural gas for each kilogram of hydrogen produced. With natural gas marketing at $1.02 a kilogram, hydrogen produced with natural gas is $3.57 per kilogram.

With Dr. Griffin's process, hydrogen can be produced for $2.47 per kilogram (over $1 less) assuming 6 cents per kilowatt hour on the standard utility grid. You can view a short video accompanied by an explanation by Dr. Griffin on our Supporting Documents page.

Almost 96% of the hydrogen gas produced today is from fossil fuel feedstock. The process developed by Global Hydrogen utilizes water, not fossil fuels, to generate hydrogen. Additionally, the process can be utilized so that NO GREENHOUSE GASES are produced. The emergence of fuel cells has created new emerging markets for distributed hydrogen, including standby/backup power generators, material handling, and niche transportation such as fuel cell fleet vehicles, scooters, motorcycles, utility vehicles, boats and more.

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Nanotechnology, Biotech, and Our Common Future

Admin — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:24:52 +0000

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You might think that the acronym “NBIC” (Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, Information and communication technology (ICT), and Cognitive science) is such an infocritter.

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As befits an information-besotted age, we live amidst buzzwords that, like some species of exotic insect, seem to live and die in weeks. You might think that the acronym “NBIC” (Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, Information and communication technology (ICT), and Cognitive science) is such an infocritter. But the phenomena behind this term are complex and profound, and raise difficult conceptual and operational questions for not just environmentalists, but anyone interested in human futures.

NBIC is not simply recognition of four rapidly evolving areas of research and technological advance. Rather, it also indicates that the four components -- which are probably best thought of as frontiers of knowledge, rather than simply new technologies -- are increasingly converging in many ways. The boundaries between them are growing increasingly fuzzy and fluid -- is building a DNA-based computational system ICT, or biotechnology, or nanotechnology? They also share some important functional similarities -- for example, all of them represent substantial leaps in the amount of information available to humans, and the ability to manipulate and learn from that information. Thus, for example, biotechnology explicates genome after genome, and the patent system and free market economics rapidly commoditize such information as it is developed. They also represent significant extensions of human intentionality into scales -- such as the very small -- that heretofore were closed to human design.

History clearly indicates that it’s a mug’s game to try to predict the specifics of technological evolution -- the more fundamental a technology system is, the less we can say about its eventual effects on society and culture. But the scenarios which respected scientists spin about the possible implications of the NBIC convergence are worth mentioning because they hint at the degree of possible disruptive change. Some scientists in fields such as artificial intelligence and biotechnology, for example, talk about achieving “functional immortality” within perhaps 50 years. Others speak of being able to create integrated real/virtual inhabitable environments within decades. Still others, thinking of the experiment where remote mechanical arms were linked directly into a monkey’s brain via wireless transmission and precision wiring, predict a future where complex engineered systems, such as weapons platforms, are directly interconnected with human brains. Some speak of self-replicating nanobots -- the “gray goo” made famous by Bill Joy in his pessimistic article in Wired. And the potential for a completely sensored, grid computed planetary environment, with no privacy and no individuality, is the nightmare scenario for others.

There are a few common immediate responses to these suggestions. One is usually incredulity -- are they not after all science fiction? “Functional immortality” has been a human fantasy for millennia. Direct coupling of external engineered systems with the human central nervous system reminds one of Anne McCaffrey’s The Ship that Sang about a human brain coupled to a space ship. Another typical response is complete rejection of a potential future that is difficult to comprehend. Thus, for example, some deep greens have already demanded a halt to nanotechnology. More broadly, a resurgence of religious fundamentalism around the world is at least partly attributable to fleeing into a structure of ideological certainty in an attempt to avoid an increasingly complex and contingent world.

These are problematic responses. For one thing, while predicting technology is virtually impossible, the transformative potential of these foundational technologies is clear and in some cases already demonstrable (MRI scans clearly show that access to the Internet and modern games creates a different cognitive structure in the young in developed countries than their peers without such access). Thus, while specific a priori predictions are not possible, it is certainly clear that the effects will be profound and far-reaching. Even more problematic is the effort to completely stifle (as opposed to regulate or manage) new technologies -- it has not worked with genetically modified organisms, and it has already failed with nanotechnology (modern electronics, for example, already contain components designed at the nano scale).

Whether these technologies will on balance be “good” or “bad” is unanswerable at this point. But they do pose a significant challenge not just to society, but to the environmental and sustainability discourses -- a challenge that, so far, has not been met. Continued inability to constructively engage with technological evolution in a rapidly developing world may end up continuing the marginalization of the environmental and sustainability movements. The costs of such a failure would be high for environmentalists - but also for the environment itself. How such engagement might be structured will, accordingly, be the topic of my next column.

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Brad Allenby is professor of civil and environmental engineering at Arizona State University, a fellow at the University of Virginia’s Darden Graduate School of Business, and previously was AT&T’s vice president of environment, health, and safety.

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Magnetic nanotags allow sensitive detection of cancer biomarkers

Admin — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:23:27 +0000

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In a multiplex assay involving seven potential cancer biomarkers, concentrations ranging from 5 quadrillionths to 0.1 trillionths of a mole (a standard unit of measurement for molecules) were unambiguously detected simultaneously.

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The detection of cancer-associated proteins, or biomarkers, in blood samples is a potentially powerful tool for early diagnosis of cancer and monitoring of cancer treatment. A team led by researchers at Stanford University and the University of California, Santa Cruz, has developed a compact prototype detector that uses magnetic nanotechnology to spot cancer-associated proteins in a human blood serum sample with much higher sensitivity than current detectors.

The researchers describe their results in a paper published by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) the week of December 1, 2008.

In addition to its high sensitivity, the new detector can monitor multiple biomarkers simultaneously. This "multiplex" capability is important because the use of multiple biomarkers is likely to provide greater accuracy and reliability than single biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and other potential applications, said Nader Pourmand, professor of biomolecular engineering at UCSC.

"With current detectors, you can only detect one protein at a time," Pourmand said. "Instead of the standard fluorescent tags, we used nanosized magnetic beads as tags and were able to detect target molecules with tens to hundreds of times greater sensitivity than standard techniques."

Wang and Pourmand are senior authors of the paper, along with Stanford biochemistry and genetics Professor Ronald W. Davis.

To tag the cancer proteins with magnetic nanoparticles, the detector subjects blood serum samples to an incubation process that takes place in roughly half an hour. At the heart of the detector is a silicon chip designed by the paper's first author, Sebastian Osterfeld, a Stanford materials science and engineering doctoral student. The chips have 64 embedded sensors whose electrical resistance changes in the presence of a nearby magnetic field. Attached to these sensors are capture antibodies that have the unique ability to latch on to specific cancer-related proteins as they float by.

During the incubation process, these antibodies first capture their specific cancer proteins. Next, a second wave of antibodies attach to the specific cancer proteins on one end and magnetic nanoparticles on the other end, tethering the captured cancer biomarkers to magnetic "nanotags." The tags emit a magnetic field that causes a change in the resistance of the underlying sensor, giving the detector a clear signal.

In the PNAS paper, the researchers described detection of very low concentrations of various cancer biomarkers, such as tumor necrosis factor alpha and cancer embryonic antigen. In a multiplex assay involving seven potential cancer biomarkers, concentrations ranging from 5 quadrillionths to 0.1 trillionths of a mole (a standard unit of measurement for molecules) were unambiguously detected simultaneously.

The researchers also estimated that they could detect levels of the protein human chorionic gonadotropin about 400 times lower than the concentration detectable by current commercial kits known by the acronym ELISA, in which captured proteins are conjugated to color-altering or fluorescent labels.

To properly prepare a patient's blood sample for use with the detector, a technician must use a centrifuge to separate out the serum, which contains the biomarkers. For this reason, the device would need to be located in a hospital or a private diagnostic lab, Wang said. Even before that, the device faces clinical utility testing and then must undergo clinical trials to win regulatory approval. To see the device through those steps, Pourmand and Wang have cofounded a startup company, MagArray, in the Panorama Institute for Molecular Medicine, a nonprofit incubator in Sunnyvale, Calif.

Wang said he is optimistic that the technology could someday save lives by detecting cancer early or by helping doctors to select more effective therapy.

"The earlier you can detect a cancer, the better chance you have to kill it," Wang said. "This could be especially helpful for lung cancer, ovarian cancer, and pancreatic cancer, because those cancers are hidden in the body."

The nascent startup has also begun to apply the technology to diagnosis and assessing risk of heart attack in emergency rooms. Heart cell death is also associated with the release of specific biomarker proteins.

The research was funded partly by grants from the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Defense. Other authors of the paper include Heng Yu, Richard Gaster, Stefano Caramuta, Liang Xu, Shu-Jen Han, Drew Hall, Robert Wilson, and Robert White, all of Stanford, and Shouheng Sun, of Brown University.

Note to reporters: You may contact Pourmand at (831) 502-7315 or pourmand@soe.ucsc.edu.

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NANOSENSORS introduces Carbon Nanotube AFM probes

Admin — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:48:45 +0000

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Neuchatel, December 2nd 2008, NANOSENSORS™ today announced that it has added a Carbon Nanotube SPM probe to its scope of products.

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The Single or Double Walled Carbon Nanotubes (CNT) at the end of the tips are grown by chemical vapour deposition and are ready to use, no shortening or post processing is necessary.

NANOSENSORS CNT probes are Single/Double Wall Carbon Nanotube SPM probes with a tip diameter between 2 and 3 nm. Compared to other Carbon Nanotube probes available on the market today that are mostly multiwalled carbon nanotubes the tip radius of NANOSENSORS™ Carbon Nanotube AFM tips is considerably smaller. They are therefore very suitable for high resolution measurements of nanometer-sized features.

The small tip radius achieved by a single or double wall carbon nanotube probe combined with the wear resistance of the CNT material compared to other materials makes it the ideal probe for high resolution imaging of flat surfaces.

NANOSENSORS™ CNT AFM probes are now the probes with the highest resolution capabilities in the NANOSENSORS product range.

The CNT probes are designed for high resolution measurements in Tapping Mode or Non-Contact Mode operations in air or vacuum

Due to their elastic properties Single / Double Wall CNTs are dedicated for the use on soft matter as well as on hard surfaces.

Because of the same elastic properties NANOSENSORS™ Single / Double Wall CNT probes are not suitable for measuring high aspect ratio features like very deep and narrow trenches or contact holes and should only be used by the experienced AFM user. They require special care to enable the user to profit from their unique properties and achieve good results. For this reason NANOSENSORS™ will add a guideline called “How to use a Single / Double Wall Carbon Nanotube AFM Probe ” to every delivered package of CNT probes. The NANOSENSORS™ CNT Probes will be available in package sizes of two and of five probes.

About NANOSENSORS™:

NANOSENSORS™ is specializing in the development and production of innovative high quality probes for scanning probe microscopy (SPM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The products are especially designed for scientists at universities, research institutions and industrial R&D centres in the fields of nanotechnology, microtechnology, materials research, semiconductors, biology, biotechnology, chemistry and medicine. NANOSENSORS™ is a trademark of NanoWorld AG.

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