Tag Archives: Technology

Wrinkled skin can be controlled with nanotechnology

Posted on by
Reply

Age is catching up and you just can’t stand the wrinkles on your face? Don’t worry as you are one among the millions of people around the world who are worried about getting old. For all you people nanotechnology could be a blessing in disguise because researchers who had created a method using which thin polymer films could be prevented from buckling have now stated that the same method could be deployed for preventing the human skin to wrinkle. The founder of Wrinkle-Free Nanomechanical Film, Ilsoon Lee states that sufficient concentration of nanoparticles might be beneficial in controlling wrinkles on the face. He says that the same principal behind the wrinkle free polymer film can be applied to human skin. Though skin is more complicated when compared with polymer films but the same principle could be implemented in cosmetics or an implantable device for preventing wrinkles on the face but before all this happens nanoparticles would have to get a clearance for toxicity so that people stay younger for a longer time.

Nano Tag prevents subsidized diesel from reaching commercial establishments in Malaysia

Posted on by
Reply

Don’t even think of using subsidized diesel for commercial purposes as the Malaysian government is using nanotechnology for preventing abuse of subsidized diesel. The government is mixing a liquid called Nano Tag with subsidized diesel and it can be easily detected with the help of special devices. Subsidized diesel is meant for public transport operators and fishermen and commercial establishments are prohibited from using this diesel. In case a commercial establishment is found in possession of subsidized diesel legal action can be taken against them. The government was fed up with subsidized diesel reaching wrong hands and hence in September last year the government started tagging subsidized diesel and now it has become quite easy for it to detect subsidized diesel at commercial establishments in a matter of time and hence prevent this illegal practice. With nanotechnology Malaysian government has succeeded in putting this practice to an end.

Nanodiamonds not toxic, claim researchers

Posted on by
Reply

Diamond nanoparticles attractive properties will now be put to a better use. Recent research studies have indicated that nanodiamonds could act as drug carriers, nanorobots, implant coatings and a host of other medical applications. With advanced researches you can now get a range of next generation diamonds. Its a know fact that diamonds in their bulk form are biocompatible and inert and at times nano materials tend to behave in a different manner when compared with their bulk counterparts and this created a fear that diamond nanoparticles might create a toxic effects on cells. Researchers were able to assess the cytotoxicity of nanodiamonds and found out that nanodiamonds were not toxic to a range of different cell types and this made them come to a conclusion that nanodiamonds could be used for a number of biological applications in a variety of cell types. It seems that after this research nanodiamonds would be used to their full potential.

Are we aware of risks posed by Nanotechnology?

Posted on by
Reply

There are more than four hundred nanotechnology based products selling in the market but very little is known regarding the potential risks posed by this technology. In 2006 itself nanotechnology found a place in goods worth $30 million and by 2014 the figure is expected to cross the mark of $2.6 trillion. Today you can find nanotechnology in a number of goods ranging from cosmetics to computer chips. As of now there is little information available regarding the risks posed by nanotechnology which also includes exposure of workers. When compared with the commercial application of nanotechnology the spending on risk focused research is miniscule. Andrew Maynard, Chief Science Advisor, Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies states: Because nanotechnology is a way of doing or making things rather than a discrete technology, there will never be a one-solution-fits-all approach for nanotechnology and nanomaterials workplace safety. Till the time more data is collected on the risks posed by nanotechnology Maynard suggests that good hygiene practices in the work place should be complemented with nano specific knowledge and control banding approach needs to be adopted which is a course of action between inaction and banning all nanomaterials as hazardous. Definitely something needs to be done before the unknown risks of nanotechnology harm us.

Cell phones to embrace Nanotechnology

Posted on by
Reply

Soon the mobile phones you carry will be developed using nanotechnology. DoCoMo Capital, Nanosys and NTT DoCoMo have entered into an exclusive collaboration agreement under which nanotechnology platform of Nanosys would be applied to products in the field of wireless communications for cell phone applications in Japan. This technology is expected to open up a number of opportunities in the field of wireless communication. With this a number of opportunities will come up for development of latest mobile telephone applications. Nanotechnology will also help NTT DoCoMo to improve its position and emerge as a leader in the field of mobile communication technology. So get ready to experience the power of nanotechnology in your mobile phones.

Gold Nanoparticles can kill cancer cells

Posted on by
Reply

Cancer is one of the biggest killer diseases and with our sedentary lifestyles the figures have reached alarming proportions. In order to cure this disease, researchers have found out that gold nanoparticles could be used in the treatment of this disease. It has been found out that gold nanoparticles stick to cancer cells and makes them shine. What makes them effective in treatment is because of certain properties such as photostable, striong absorbers, easy conjugation to antibodies and nontoxic. Up till now a number of cancer cells killing mechanism were proposed but one of the methods which has become the cynosure of discussion is the formation of bubble around the overheated gold particles in a liquid environment and this has been found out to be more effective in killing cancer cells and also quite safe for tissues too. Besides this, in case of environments which don’t have enough liquid for generation of bubble like dense solid tumor or bones, cell walls could be melted by hot gold nanoparticles which would lead to destruction of cell by gold nanoclusters. It seems that nanotechnology would wipe out this killer disease from the whole world.

Nano version of Solomon’s knot designed

Posted on by
Reply

Chemists have come up with a nano-version of Solomon’s knot. Roughly 2 nanometers high and 1.2 nanometers wide, the molecular Solomon’s knot is composed of two rings interlacing each other four times, having crossing points alternately that go over, under, over and under as one traces around each of the rings. An UCLA chemist says, There is often a connection between the beauty and elegance of a chemical structure and its potential usefulness, and this Solomon knot structure is quite beautiful and elegant. Found in numerous buildings, including that of the floor tiles and the wooden ceilings of UCLA’s Powell Library, the design is now being built in the nano-scale. Speaking of the excitement of nanoscience, J. Fraser Stoddart said in the journal Angewandte Chemie, We have to try to rediscover the spirit of the Renaissance, when there were no boundaries. Nanoscience is a replay of previous industrial revolutions. In the 21st century, people will start to appreciate what a nanoparticle or nanowire is, just as in the past they embraced the invention of the wheel or the highway. The secret of our success is the careful selection of metal ions and solvents. Managed by Stoddart, this research was led by Cari Pentecost, who works for the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI).

Improved Diabetes control with Nanotechnology based glucose sensors

Posted on by
Reply

One of the most common diseases in the modern world is diabetes which despite having various treatments available is a cause of death and various neuropathy and vascular diseases. One of the common treatments used for controlling diabetes is keeping a watch on the glucose levels and administering insulin injections. Though various researches have been conducted for developing glucose sensors for diagnoses but still these sensors suffer from certain disabilities, are less sensitive and therefore cannot be relied upon. Getting good results from a glucose sensor depends upon the type of material which is used for creating them and now researchers are moving towards nanomaterials for creating sensors as nano sensors have been found to be effective in detection of trace amounts of biomolecules in real time. Platinum decorated multi walled carbon nanotubes have been used by researchers for creating an enzyme based mediated glucose sensor which has been found out to demonstrate higher level of sensitivity. Developed by researchers at the University of Arkansas’, this sensor is expected to ensure better diabetes control and management.

Nanotechnology has the power to control lung cancer

Posted on by
Reply

It seems that nanotechnology is proving to be effective in the treatment of various types of cancers and in a recent study conducted by American scientists they have discovered that delivery of gene therapy in lipid based nanoparticles could be quite effective in treatment of lung cancer. The research which was conducted at the University of Texas on mice showed that tumor suppressing genes which were administered to them brought down the number of tumors by a whopping seventy five percent. P53 which is a popular tumor suppressor was wrapped in nanoparticles for treating lung cancer more effectively. Dr. Jack Roth, Chairman of the M.D., Anderson Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery said: In cancer treatment we have combination chemotherapy, and we also combine different modes of therapy — surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Now you’ve got the possibility of combined targeted gene therapy.

Breast cancer tumors can be targeted with nanoparticles

Posted on by
Reply

Researchers have developed nanoparticles similar to a developing clot which attack tumors and they search for and bind to blood vessels around the tumors and also attract more nanoparticles for targeting the tumors. These nanoparticles can aid in delivering payload of an imaging compound and act as a clotting agent which helps in obstruction of around one fifth of tumor blood vessels. The research team was led by Erkki Ruoslahti who works at the University of California. With the help of a screening technique it was possible for the researchers to identify a peptide inside the breast cancer tumor. The peptide was able to identify clotted blood present in the lining of tumor vessels and after clotted blood was confirmed as the binding site, nanoparticles were created from superparamagnetic amino dextran-coated iron oxide and the peptide along with SIO particles offered the particles a tumor homing function.