NanoWiki

Nanoparticles Deliver Their Cargo, Then Disappear

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:47:52 GMT

A nontoxic nanoparticle is proving to be an all-around effective delivery system for both therapeutic drugs and the fluorescent dyes that can track their delivery.

An interdisciplinary group of materials scientists, chemists, bioengineers, physicists, and pharmacologists show that calcium phosphate particles ranging in size from 20 to 50 nanometers will successfully enter cells and dissolve harmlessly, releasing their cargo of drugs or dye.

Although the primary use envisioned for these particles is for targeted cancer therapy, researchers are interested in their ability to deliver various drugs that have been shown to inhibit cell growth associated with vascular disease. Several drugs have been shown in cultures to be promising for reducing hardening of the arteries and narrowing of blood vessels after balloon angioplasty. The problem has been in delivering any of these drugs to a target.

Source: Nontoxic nanoparticle can deliver and track drugs. The paper is published in Nano Letters: "Encapsulation of Organic Molecules in Calcium Phosphate Nanocomposite Particles for Intracellular Imaging and Drug Delivery by Thomas T. Morgan, Hari S. Muddana, Erhan IÌ. AltÄ±nogÌlu, Sarah M. Rouse, Amra TabakovicÌ, Tristan Tabouillot, Timothy J. Russin, Sriram S. Shanmugavelandy, Peter J. Butler, Peter C. Eklund, Jong K. Yun, Mark Kester and James H. Adair from Pennsylvania State University

Summit on the Global Agenda: On Nanotechnology

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 12:36:00 GMT

The Summit on the Global Agenda is a new, unique gathering of the worldâs most influential thinkers â leaders from academia, business, government and society. Its purpose is to advance solutions to the most critical challenges facing humanity.

Biggest ever brainstorming on the global agenda ends with call for âfundamental rebootâ. The world needs to examine the basic operating systems that drive its economies, markets and societies and aim for a âfundamental rebootâ to establish a fresh platform based on renewed confidence and trust, and on sustainability, responsibility and ethical principles. Summit findings provide input to the upcoming G20 discussions and to the new US administration. That was the over-arching message that 700 of the worldâs top thought leaders from business, government, academia and civil society delivered at the end of the inaugural Summit on the Global Agenda, convened by the World Economic Forum in partnership with the Government of Dubai.

On Nanotechnology, the science and technology of the nanoscale are critical drivers of innovation. The resulting ânanotechnologiesâ have the potential to underpin solutions to a broad range of global challenges beyond what conventional technologies are able to achieve. Major global challenges that will be impacted by nanotechnologies include energy security (alternative energies), healthcare, microelectronics and quantum computing, and water provision (clean water and desalination even on a small scale). The successful implementation of nanotechnologies could be impacted by a lack of strategic funding, poor education of practitioners and decision-makers, limited engagement of key communities, outmoded business models and unresponsive approaches to risk assessment, management and oversight.

Challenges of Nanotechnology: Report and Issue Description

Source: Summit on the Global Agenda, Dubai, United Arab Emirates 7-9 November 2008. Highlights from Council and Cluster Discussions

A new way to communicate nanoscience

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 08:41:00 GMT

European scientific research is normally presented to the public after the project is complete. When clear post-hoc descriptions of the science are constructed, it can present a misleading impression - of the process of scientific research, the methods and skills used by the researchers, and the levels of uncertainty involved. This makes debate of scientific subjects in the public arena difficult, and blocks the public from actively engaging with the science. Furthermore many of the most challenging and exciting aspects of scientific research are often never seen by the public.

To find a new way to involve the public in scientific research. To actively engage them in a two-way dialogue. To show that scientific research is not about cut-and-dried facts but is a dynamic process of discovery, surprise, occasional failure, and often the unexpected. To impart a deeper understanding of the scientific process, and hopefully transfer some of the excitement of involvement in cutting edge nanoscience research.

Using the latest video and Internet technology, we will produce documentary films before and after the project, showing our aims, and eventual outcomes. Throughout the project, the participants will produce video diaries which will be available to view over the Internet, with a forum facilitating discussion between the scientists and the public.

We use a novel plasma treatment technique developed at Namur to modify the surface of carbon nanotubes. This makes it possible, in a single step, to apply precisely controlled amounts of metal to the nanotube surfaces. These metal-nanotube hybrid materials have great potential for use in gas sensors. Combining detailed experiments with strong computer modelling support we will develop new insight into the fundamental interactions between metals and carbon nanotubes, as well as the behaviour of nanotubes in plasma treatments. At the same time we will develop industrial scale production techniques for synthesis, and design, test and optimise a gas sensing device using these metal-nanotube hybrid nanomaterials.

To see what the scientists are doing at the moment, go to the View Scientist Diaries

Source: nano2hybrids project

Online Community To Speed Up Development of Nanotech Standards

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:23:00 GMT

Federal government and U.S. industry scientists are forging ahead with plans to establish an international online forum for collaboration that aims to accelerate development of products with ultra-small dimensions while minimizing potential environmental, health, and safety risks. The collaboration will focus on the creation of critically needed nanotechnology standards for biomedical and health applications, including Standard Reference Materials and test methods.

Combining efforts of materials scientists and measurement laboratories with those of biological and medical researchers, the new Internet-linked "community of interest" will exploit Web 2.0-style social networking technologies for creating and sharing information, as well as deliberating over technical details.

The concept for the Web-based collaboration was strongly endorsed during a recent international two-day workshop on Enabling Standards for Nanomaterial Characterization, hosted and co-sponsored by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). At the workshop, participants had reported mixed results in recent interlaboratory comparisons of physical and biological measurements on reference nanomaterials and other pretested samples. Pointing to the inconsistent results in these pilot "round robins," many participants called for a sustained collaboration to develop high-quality, validated and uniformly applied standards that ensure reliable measurement and test results. "This consensus among the scientific community about what has to be done is really reassuring. I firmly believe we are on the right road now," said Kenneth Dawson, chair of the International Alliance for NanoEHS Harmonization.

Estimated to be $147 billion in 2007, the global market for nanotechnology-enabled products could top $3 trillion by 2015, according to the market research firm Lux Research. The large projected market, an increasingly diverse range of anticipated nanotechnology applications, and the wide variety of science and engineering fields working toward these applications have led to a growing need for different types of nanotechnology standards.

"Engagement of the worldâs environmental, health and safety scientific expertise in standards development could well become a âtragedy of the commonsâ in that we know standards will benefit the entire community, but there are a growing number of organizations tapping into this scientific expertise," said Clayton Teague, director of the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office, which administers the federal National Nanotechnology Initiative. "This finite expertise might become so overly taxed that real progress will be hindered. A community-driven initiative makes sense. Collaborative Web sites look very promising as a means to enable sustained cooperation across nations and scientific disciplines."

The new online community of interest will concentrate on facilitating and streamlining the many back-and-forth technical deliberations that take place during the drafting of a standardâbefore itâs submitted for formal approval by an standards developing organization (SDO). Now undergoing further development at NCI, the nanotechnology standards wiki will enable instantaneous dissemination (as well as archiving) of drafts, discussions, votes and supporting materials. Wiki-related tools will help in organizing discussions, and SDOs will be able to tap this resource to expedite drafting and validating protocols before they enter the formal standards approval process.

"The lack of standardized methods has been a rate-limiting step in the translation of nanoparticle-based cancer therapies," said Piotr Grodzinski, director of NCI's Alliance for Nanotechnology in Cancer. "I commend this initiative for taking on streamlining nanomaterial characterization and its standardization."

Increased transparency in the standards development process also will facilitate cooperation in interlaboratory testing to determine the reproducibility and repeatability of methods. For NIST, input from the online community of interest will help to set priorities for developing reference materials used to calibrate instruments that make nanoscale measurements and validate testing protocols.

NCI and its partners expect a fully operational and vetted version of the site to be publicly available by early 2009.

Source: NCI and NIST Propose Online Community To Speed Up Development of Nanotech Standards. Participatory, Web 2.0 Web Site to Focus on Nanomaterials

Grey Goo

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:33:00 GMT

"Grey goo is a hypothetical end-of-the-world scenario involving molecular nanotechnology in which out-of-control self-replicating robots consume all matter on Earth while building more of themselvesâa scenario known as ecophagy ("eating the environment"). The term grey goo is usually used in a science fiction or popular-press context. In the worst postulated scenarios (requiring large, space-capable machines), matter beyond Earth would also be turned into goo (with goo meaning a large mass of replicating nanomachines)." From the Wikipedia definition of Grey Goo

From Nanotechnology pioneer slays âgrey gooâ myths: "Eric Drexler, known as the father of nanotechnology, publishes a paper that admits that self-replicating machines are not vital for large-scale molecular manufacture, and that nanotechnology-based fabrication can be thoroughly non-biological and inherently safe. Talk of runaway self-replicating machines, or âgrey gooâ, which he first cautioned against in his book Engines of Creation in 1986, has spurred fears that have long hampered rational public debate about nanotechnology (...) The paper, Safe Exponential Manufacturing by Chris Phoenix, Director of Research of the Center for Responsible Nanotechnology, (CRN) and Dr. K. Eric Drexler, also warns that scaremongering over remote scenarios such as âgrey gooâ is taking attention away from serious safety concerns, such as a deliberate abuse of the technology. (...) In 1986, Drexler described a powerful manufacturing system. This âassemblerâ would use robots the size of bacteria to join individual molecules into products. Assemblers would be highly productive, because small things can move quickly. The products would be precise and strong because molecules are small and uniform, and form strong bonds. For all these reasons, this idea was attractive. However, Drexler also described a danger scenario. A robotic molecular manufacturing system could be directed to build a copy of itself. If someone built a tiny, self-contained manufacturing system that had all the directions for building a copy of itself, and had all the equipment needed to use biomass as raw materials, and could move around, then the system could self-replicate and spread. If it had no built-in limits, then this complex system could, in theory, lead to a worst-case scenario of runaway replicators, popularly called grey goo.â Science fiction writers focused on this idea, and âgrey gooâ became closely associated with nanotechnology, spreading a serious misconception about molecular manufacturing systems and diverting attention from more pressing concerns. This new paper shows why that focus is wrong."

Coming Soon to a Theater Near You: Singularity is near, A True Story about the Future, based on Ray Kurzweilâs book, will be a full-length motion picture slated for theatrical release in early 2009. The movie intertwines a fast-paced A-line documentary with a B-line narrative story. The A-line documentary will feature Ray Kurzweil interacting with a panoply of thinkers (like Bill McKibben, K. Eric Drexler or John Storrs Hall) on the impact of exponentially expanding technologies on the nature of human life in the next half century . The intertwined B-line is the story of Ramona, a computer avatar, who goes into the future where she becomes more and more humanlike and independent - a Pinocchio story. She detects a "gray goo" attack, an attack of self-replicating nanobots. The Department of Homeland Security is oblivious to this, and won't listen to her, so she gets her other avatar friends to work on this. But she breaks some homeland security protocols in the process. She's arrested â and there's a discussion about how you can arrest a virtual person. She hires (civil rights attorney) Alan Dershowitz to defend her, and also to establish her rights as a legal person. She feels she's human enough to have human rights. There's a whole courtroom scene, and finally the judge says, "OK, I'll grant your legal rights if you can pass the Turing Test," in which she must appear indistinguishable from an actual human in a text conversation.

Ray Kurzweil speaks on Singularity. Ray Kurzweil interview by Wired News:

Wired News: So you're trying to make people understand how the exponential advances in technology will abruptly and unexpectedly solve many of the world's problems?
Kurzweil: Think how different the world was 10 years ago â 10 years ago, most people didn't use search engines. That sounds like ancient history now. Generally, people think linearly. I think it's critical that people understand that linear thinking no longer applies. If we capture one part out of 10,000 of sunlight that falls on the earth, we can solve our energy problems. And nanotech will give us the capacity to store (that solar energy).

WN: It's certainly true that linear thinking runs through everything we do.
Kurzweil: For thousands of years, it actually served our needs to think linearly. If you think about our genes and our brains, they obviously evolved into their modern forms before advanced technology. If you saw something in the trees coming towards you, and you made a linear projection about where it would be in 15 seconds, and where you needed to not be, that actually worked very well. But these days we have different kinds of problems, and we need a different kind of thinking.

Flagellated Bacterial Nanorobots for Medical Interventions in the Human Body

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 11:14:00 GMT

"We show that a combination of various types of nanorobots will prove to be more important as we attend to enhance targeting in the smallest blood vessels found in the human microvasculature. As such, various interdependent concepts for the implementation of these different types of medical bio-nanorobots including nanorobots propelled in the microvasculature by flagellated bacteria to target deep regions in the human body are presented. Through experimental results and theoretical formulations, we also showed the advantages of integrating biological components and more specifically Magnetotactic Bacteria (MTB) for the development of hybrid (made of synthetic and biological components) nanorobots adapted to operate in the human microvasculature. We also show a method capable to track using MRI as imaging modality, steerable microbeads and MTB that could be integrated in the implementation of future sophisticated bionanorobots operating inside the complex vascular network. As such, we show that these nanorobots including the ones propelled by a single flagellated bacterium could be guided or controlled directly towards specific locations deep inside the human body. We also show experimentally that flagellated bacterial nanorobots could be propelled and steered in vivo through the interstitial region of a tumor for enhanced therapeutic results."

Source: Flagellated Bacterial Nanorobots for Medical Interventions in the Human Body by Sylvain Martel, Ouajdi Felfoul, and Mahmood Mohammadi, Ãcole Polytechnique de MontrÃ©al. The researchers' latest work, was presented at the IEEE 2008 Biorobotics Conference, in the Symposium "Microrobotic Systems For Biomedical Applications". See also World first in medical robotics and the video documental on their work, Sous-marin Ã rÃ©sonance magnÃ©tique

Mass sensors based on carbon nanotubes

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 17:52:00 GMT

A group of researchers led by Adrian Bachtold of the CIN2 laboratory in Spain has developed an ultrasensitive mass sensor, which can measure tiny amounts of mass with atomic precision, and with an unprecedented resolution to date.

The CIN2 (Research Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology), is a joint centre belonging to the Spanish National Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) and the Nanotechnology Catalonian Institute (ICN).

The device is based on a carbon nanotube of 1 nanometer diameter which is clamped at both ends to two electrodes. It works as an electromechanical resonator characterized by a mechanical resonance frequency as if it was a string on a guitar. When atoms are directed towards the nanotube, they hit and stick to its surface. This increases the nanotube mass, thereby reducing its resonance frequency: this slowing of the vibration is used to quantify the mass of the atoms.

At room temperature, the nanotube resonator has a resolution of 25 zeptograms (zg) but cooling the nanotube down to 5 Kelvin (268.15 degrees C below zero) the resolution improves to 1.4 zeptograms. A zeptogram equals 10 -21 grams or, which is the same, a thousandth part of one millionth of one millionth of one millionth of a gram.

A sensor of this resolution would allow the detection of tiny amounts of mass such as the mass of proteins or other molecules with atomic resolution. Also, it could be used to monitor nuclear reactions in individual atoms, or biological molecules in chemical reactions.

The researchers tested the device by measuring the mass of evaporated chromium atoms, and the performance, as explained in an article published in the journal Nanoletters (Ultra Sensitive Mass Sensing with a Nanotube Electromechanical Resonator), is exceptional. The other members of the team are Benjamin Lassagne and Daniel Garcia, both of CIN2, and Albert Aguasca, from the Universitat PolitÃ¨cnica de Catalunya.

A remaining challenge

One of the challenges of nanotechnology and nanomechanics is having a mass spectrometer working at subatomic level. The maximum resolution had been achieved with some silicon resonators (with a resolution of about 7 to zeptograms temperature of 4.2 Kelvin). Now, the work of Bachtold and co-workers has substantially increased that resolution through the use of carbon nanotubes.

The mass of a nanotube is very low, barely a few atograms (which is a millionth of one millionth of a microgram, or 10 -18 g), so that any tiny amount of added mass will be detected. In addition, the nanotubes are mechanically ultrarigid, which makes them excellent candidates to be used as mechanical resonators.

Now, the team of Bachtold is improving the measurement set up and hopes to achieve in the near future the resolution of 0.001 zg, the mass of one nucleus. The researchers will then place proteins on the nanotube and monitor the change of the mass during chemical reactions (when a hydrogen atom is released from the protein, for instance).

Nanotechnology has been advancing rapidly in the few last years. Even so, there remain many challenges ahead, and one of them is a mass spectrometer to allow work at that level, with small biological molecules or atoms.

The development of the CIN2 team has coincided in time with others of similar characteristics, both from the U.S.A. One, at the Technical University of California (Caltech) and the other at the University of California (Berkeley) [K. Jensen, K. Kim, and A. Zettl. An atomic-resolution nanomechanical mass sensor. Nature Nanotech 3 (2008)]. Both groups have developed mass sensors based on carbon nanotubes, with minor differences between the methods used. The fact was recently highlighted in the journal Nature Nanotechnology.

Source: Measuring Tiny Amounts of Mass with Atomic Precision

Toward Sustainable Nanoproducts

Sun, 26 Oct 2008 19:15:00 GMT

Sustainable development of nanotechnology will inevitably require incorporation of life cycle thinking to analyze environmental impacts of nanomanufacturing. While many concerns have been raised regarding the human and ecological health effects of and benefits from using nanoproducts, relatively little attention has been given to the manufacturing phase. Unlike many conventional manufacturing techniques, nanomanufacturing techniques require unique facility and process design as well as operation and control. Accordingly, the environmental burden of most nanomanufacturing techniques may be more profound than that of many other conventional techniques. This article reports on a comprehensive review of the current state of technologies used in the manufacture of nanostructured materials in order to identify those attributes that contribute to environmental impacts. It provides a preliminary analysis of significant attributes of commonly used nanomanufacturing techniques, including strict material purity requirements, less tolerance for defects, low process yields and material utilization efficiencies, repetitive processing steps, the need for specialized environments (such as high temperatures or cryogenic processing), the use of toxic chemicals and solvents, the need for moderate to high vacuum, the use or generation of greenhouse gases, high energy and water consumption, and the potential for chemical exposure.

Source: Toward Sustainable Nanoproducts. An Overview of Nanomanufacturing Methods by Hatice ÅengÃ¼l, Thomas L. Theis, and Siddhartha Ghosh

Secret Lives of Catalysts Revealed

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 08:32:00 GMT

The first-ever glimpse of nanoscale catalysts in action could lead to improved pollution control and fuel cell technologies. Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energyâs Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory observed catalysts restructuring themselves in response to various gases swirling around them, like a chameleon changing its color to match its surroundings.

Using a state-of-the-art spectroscopy system at Berkeley Labâs Advanced Light Source, the team watched, for the first time, as nanoparticles composed of two catalytic metals changed their composition in the presence of different reactants. Until now, scientists have had to rely on snapshots of catalysts taken before and after a reaction, never during.

This new window could give scientists the ability to develop cheaper and smarter catalysts that are fine-tuned to drive the chemistry of everyday life. It could also expedite the development of catalysts that mop up all the substances in a reaction except the desired product, the hallmark of âgreen chemistryâ in which waste byproducts are minimized.

âNow we can dream. By watching catalysts change in real time, we can possibly design smart catalysts that optimally change as a reaction evolves,â said Gabor Somorjai, a renowned surface science and catalysis expert who holds joint appointments with Berkeley Labâs Materials Sciences Division and UC Berkeleyâs department of chemistry. He conducted the research with Miquel Salmeron, a pioneer in a field of spectroscopy that enabled this work.

âReaction-Driven Restructuring of Rh-Pd and Pt-Pd Core-Shell Nanoparticlesâ was published online Oct. 9 in Science Express.

Source: Secret Lives of Catalysts Revealed. New window into nanoscale chemistry could help improve pollution control, fuel cell technologies

Nanobiotechnology: Involving the public

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 11:43:00 GMT

A public debate on the merits of nanobiotechnology is urgently needed if people's fears about the emerging science are to be allayed, EU-funded researchers recommend in a new report.

Nanobiotechnology has the power to drastically transform society, yet all too often the dialogue regarding this science has been dominated by fear, created by novels such as Prey, by Michael Crichton, and news headlines about a 'grey goo nightmare'.

Now a new report, written as part of the EU-funded NanoBio-RAISE project, concludes that the public needs to be engaged in order to calm such fears. The report was presented at the recent EuroBIO2008 conference in Paris, France.

The NanoBio-RAISE project was funded by the EU under the Science and Society Activity area of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) to the tune of EUR 553,845.

The project combines science communication with ethics research in nanobiotechnology and aims to anticipate any societal and ethical issues that may arise.

Over the course of a series of workshops, bioethicists from the US and Europe gathered information and investigated the impact of nanobiotechnology in the areas of food and medicine as well as the emerging field of human enhancement. A final workshop looked into methods of engaging the public in an informed debate over specific issues.

With regard to the issue of human enhancement, the report discovered a divergent attitude between the US and the EU. In Europe, human enhancement focuses on regenerative medicine and neurodegenerative disease, while in the US, the interest is primarily military, focussing on creating 'bionic soldiers'. Debate in the US also revolves around the nature of the human condition and how we can enhance, rather than just repair, our physical and mental states.

Current fears regarding nanobiotechnology seemed to be dominated by the issue of nanofood technology, commonly associated with genetically modified (GM) foods. Also dominating the discussion are certain ideas rooted in science fiction such as replicator vending machines. Nanomedicine is viewed in a much better light, with certain advancements being heralded as great achievements. These include improved diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of patients, particularly in areas such as cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disease.

On the basis of these findings, NanoBio-RAISE coordinator Dr David Bennett and his colleagues have called for a proactive response to reassure the public over the potential of nanobiotechnology.

'There is a consistent demand for more open discussion and public involvement in policy making relating to science and technology overall than has been afforded up to now. Nanobiotechnology is the latest and, in our opinion, one of the most pressing areas in which this demand must be met. We believe that the EU has a major role to play in working with the research community, industry and other stakeholders to initiate innovative and effective programmes and activities across the community,' he said.

Source: Nanobiotechnology: Involving the public

How to make gold nanoparticles using gold salts, soybeans and water

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 08:33:00 GMT

Gold nanoparticles are everywhere. They are used in cancer treatments, automobile sensors, cell phones, blood sugar monitors and hydrogen gas production. However, until recently, scientists couldnât create the nanoparticles without producing synthetic chemicals that had negative impacts on the environment. A new method, created by a University of Missouri research team, not only eliminates any negative environmental impact, but also has resulted in national and international recognition for the lead scientist. The research was published recently in the journal Small.

âI have always believed that nature is smarter and stronger than humankind,â said Kattesh Katti, professor of radiology and physics in MUâs School of Medicine and College of Arts and Science, senior research scientist at the MU Research Reactor, and director of the MU Cancer Nanotechnology Platform. âThis new procedure to create nanoparticles is wonderfully simple, yet it will help create very complex components. There is so much to learn from energy generation, chemical and photochemical reactions of plants.â

Katti, who was recently recognized by rt Image magazine as one of the 25 most influential people in radiology, and his research team have formed Greennano Company, a company that is in the beginning stages of producing environmentally friendly gold nanoparticles. The company will focus on the development, commercialization and worldwide supply of gold nanoparticles for medical and technological applications. Katti believes that because of this new process to produce the nanoparticles, researchers are developing other ways to use them.

The MU research team, which was led by Katti, Raghuraman Kannan and Kavita Katti, found that by submersing gold salts in water and then adding soybeans, gold nanoparticles were generated. The water pulls a phytochemical out of the soybean that is effective in reducing the gold to nanoparticles. A second phytochemical from the soybean, also pulled out by the water, interacts with the nanoparticles to stabilize them and keep them from fusing with the particles nearby. This process creates nanoparticles that are uniform in size in a 100-percent green process. No toxic waste is generated.

âIâm very proud to be one among the list of â25 Most Influential Scientistsâ in the world, especially in the company of all time greats and former awardees including: Elias Zerhouni, director of National Institutes of Health (2003); Henry N. Wagner Jr., recognized as the Father of Nuclear Medicine (2004); Henry D. Royal, Peter S. Conti, past presidents of the Society of Nuclear Medicine; and Barry B. Goldberg, pioneer of ultrasound (2007),â Katti said.

Kattiâs research has been funded by the National Cancer Institute in the National Institutes of Health.

Source: Missouri University Scientists Go Green with Gold, Forms Company to Distribute Environmentally Friendly Nanoparticles

Enhancement of In Vivo Anticancer Effects of Cisplatin

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 11:41:00 GMT

Another set of experiments show the promise of nanoparticles and carbon nanostructures as efficient vehicles for cancer treatment. Cisplatin was incorporated inside single-wall carbon nanohorns with holes opened by a nanoprecipitation method that involved dispersion of cisplatine and the nanostructures in a solvent followed by the solvent evaporation. The incorporated cisplatin quantity increased from the previously reported value of 15 to 46%, and the total released quantity of cisplatine also increased from 60 to 100% by changing the solvent from dimethylformamide to water. Concurrently, in vitro anticancer efficiency increased to 46 times greater than that of the free cisplatine.

In vivo, cisplatine vehiculized by the carbon nanohorn intratumorally injected to transplanted tumors
of mice suppressed the tumor growth more than the intact cisplatin. Adhesion of the nanostructure to the the cell surfaces in vitro and within the tumor tissues in vivo is probably the key in the observed effects.

However, the carbon nanohorns show also cytotoxicity, what may on one side increase the toxicity of the conjugated drug but also result in undesired toxic side effects due to the inherent toxicity of carbon nanotubes, fullerenes and their derivates.

Source: Enhancement of In Vivo Anticancer Effects of Cisplatin by Incorporation Inside Single-Wall Carbon Nanohorns by Kumiko Ajima, Tatsuya Murakami, Yoshikazu Mizoguchi, Kunihiro Tsuchida, Toshinari Ichihashi, Sumio Iijima, and Masako Yudasaka. See also Cisplatin and Carbon Nanotubes

Americans don't know what's coming

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:24:00 GMT

A groundbreaking poll (Risks and Benefits of Nanotechnology & Synthetic Biology) finds that almost half of U.S. adults have heard nothing about nanotechnology, and nearly nine in 10 Americans say they have heard just a little or nothing at all about the emerging field of synthetic biology, according to a new report released by the Project on Emerging Technologies and Peter D. Hart Research. Both technologies involve manipulating matter at an incredibly small scale to achieve something new.

This new insight into limited public awareness of emerging technologies comes as a major leadership change is about to take hold in the nation's capital. Public policy experts are concerned, regardless of party, that the federal government is behind the curve in engaging citizens on the potential benefits and risks posed by technologies that could have a significant impact on society.

"Early in the administration of the next president, scientists are expected to take the next major step toward the creation of synthetic forms of life. Yet the results from the first U.S. telephone poll about synthetic biology show that most adults have heard just a little or nothing at all about it," says PEN Director David Rejeski. The poll findings are contained in the report, The American Public's Awareness Of And Perceptions About Potential Risks and Benefits of Nanotechnology & Synthetic Biology.

Synthetic biology is the use of advanced science and engineering to construct or re-design living organismsâlike bacteriaâso that they can carry out specific functions. This emerging technology is likely to develop rapidly in the coming years, much as nanotechnology did in the last decade.

At the same time, the poll found that about half of adults say they have heard nothing at all about nanotechnology. About 50 percent of adults are too unsure about nanotechnology to make an initial judgment on the possible tradeoffs between benefits and risks. Of those people who are willing to make an initial judgment, they think benefits will outweigh risks by a three to one margin when compared to those who believe risks will outweigh benefits. The plurality of respondents, however, believes that risks and benefits will be about equal. A major industry forecasting firm determined that last year nanotech goods in the global marketplace totaled $147 billion.

According to the poll, the level of U.S. public awareness about nanotechnology has not changed measurably since 2004 when Hart Research conducted the first poll on the topic on behalf of the PEN.

Source: Poll: Risks and Benefits of Nanotechnology & Synthetic Biology

Nano Good Practices Wiki

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 10:38:00 GMT

ICON seeks input from occupational experts, nano workers on planned Wiki

In 2006, the International Council on Nanotechnology ("ICON") completed a survey of current workplace practices in the nanotechnology industry confirming that organizations involved in this industry âbelieve there are special risks related to the nanomaterials they work with.â The survey further found that these organizations are âactively seeking additional information on how to best handle nanomaterials.â With this goal in mind, ICON is developing an Internet-based, wiki-software platform (nicknamed the âGoodWikiâ) specially designed to enhance the ability of experts in the field to exchange information about good occupational practices for the safe handling of nanomaterials. ICON needs input from a wide variety of people to make sure the GoodWiki works as intended and provides content that is both useful and timely. Please take a moment then to respond to the following questionnaire

The GoodWiki is an Internet-based collaboration platform specially designed to enhance the ability of experts to exchange ideas on how best to handle nanomaterials in an occupational setting. It is meant to be a modern, interactive forum that fills the need for up-to-date information about current good practices for the handling of nanomaterials in an occupational setting, including the highlighting of new practices as they develop. That said, while the GoodWiki respects the dialogue now being held worldwide regarding the effect nanotechnologies may have on human health, the environment, and society in general, the GoodWiki is not meant to address or resolve such issues. Instead, it assumes that someone, somewhere in the world is likely to be working on nanomaterials as this debate continues, and thus endeavors to provide information to that person about current good practices to make sure appropriate safeguards are in place as that person works on nanomaterials in an occupational setting. Finally, the GoodWiki is open for everyone to review. However, to ensure the dependability of the good practices reported, the GoodWiki is a protected site in which contributions are limited to those individuals that have become GoodWiki members.

Source: Nano Good Practices Wiki
^{Via Inge, Victor Puntes}

The International Council on Nanotechnology (ICON) is an international, multi-stakeholder organization whose mission is to develop and communicate information regarding potential environmental and health risks of nanotechnology, thereby fostering risk reduction while maximizing societal benefit.

safety practices nanotoxicology concerns

Nanoparticles closer and closer of cancer therapy

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 00:01:00 GMT

"Nanoparticles provide opportunities for designing and tuning properties that are not possible with other types of therapeutics, and as more clinical data become available, the nanoparticle approach should improve further as the optimal properties are elucidated. Nanoparticle-based therapeutics are evolving, and newer, more sophisticated multifunctional nanoparticles are reaching the clinic. Results from these trials are already fuelling enthusiasm for this type of therapeutic modality.

Nanoparticles â particles in the size range 1â100 nm â are emerging as a class of therapeutics for cancer. Early clinical results suggest that nanoparticle therapeutics can show enhanced efficacy, while simultaneously reducing side effects, owing to properties such as more targeted localization in tumours and active cellular uptake. Here, we highlight the features of nanoparticle therapeutics that distinguish them from previous anticancer therapies, and describe how these features provide the potential for therapeutic effects that are not achievable with other modalities. While large numbers of preclinical studies have been published, the emphasis here is placed on preclinical and clinical studies that are likely to affect clinical investigations and their implications for advancing the treatment of patients with cancer".

Source: Nanoparticle therapeutics: an emerging treatment modality for cancer by Mark E. Davis, Zhuo (Georgia) Chen and Dong M. Shin. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, September 2008

Air-purifying stones

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:31:00 GMT

As of April 2008, Jos Brouwers with a post-doc (Dr. M. Ballari) has started a 2-year project concerning the full-scale demonstration of 500 m2 air-purifying (DeNOx) stones in a street in Hengelo. The municipality of Hengelo and the University of Twente (UT) are paving a test road section in Hengelo with air-purifying stones. The top layer of the concrete stones converts nitrogen oxide from exhaust fumes into harmless nitrates.

Car exhaust fumes contain nitrogen oxides (NOx). Nitrogen oxides cause acid rain and smog. This problem can be partly solved by using air-purifying paving stones. The top layer of the paving stones is made of air-purifying concrete. This concrete contains titanium dioxide, a photocatalytic material which uses sunlight to convert the nitrogen oxides in the air into harmless nitrates. The rain then washes the streets clean.

Based on a Japanese invention, the stones were further developed and their effectiveness demonstrated by the UT in its concrete research laboratory. The next step now is to test the stones in practice. The municipality of Hengelo has made the Castorweg location available for this purpose. The street will be divided into two sections, one half will be paved with conventional stones and the other half with air-purifying ones. The air quality will then be measured in each section to test the effectiveness of the stones. As an added bonus, the stones repel dirt and therefore always stay clean.

The location in Hengelo was chosen because of the volume of cars and the fact that the road is being reconstructed. The local air quality is currently well within the norm.

This trial is being carried out with stone producer Struyk Verwo Infra. As part of its âEffective Sustainabilityâ programme the province of Overijssel has granted a subsidy for the project. The province of Overijssel sees these stones as a good future opportunity for improving the air quality at places where the norms are not met. The demonstration project also has national significance.

The road reconstruction is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Measurements will then start early next year, with the first test results expected around the summer of 2009.

Source: Air-purifying paving stones on trial. See also The European-Japanese Initiative on Photocatalytic Applications and Commercialization
^{Via Victor Puntes}

New ISO will help defining nanotechnologies

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 08:27:00 GMT

The first concrete result of the work ISO launched in 2005 to develop standards to support the innovative field of nanotechnologies comes with the publication of ISO/TS 27687:2008, which provides terms and definitions related to particles in the field of nanotechnologies. It is intended to facilitate communications between organizations and individuals in industry and those who interact with them.

ISO/TS 27687:2008, Nanotechnologies â Terminology and definitions for nano-objects â Nanoparticle, nanofibre and nanoplate, is the first part of a projected series on terminology and definitions documents covering the different aspects of nanotechnologies.

ISO/TS 27687:2008 is concerned with the terminology and definitions for objects at the nano-scale, which come in several shapes. The three basic shapes referred to in this document are:

* nanoparticle
* nanofibre
* nanoplate.

Nanotechnologies are expected to be a key economic driver for the 21st century. They promise significant benefits, including enhancements in medical diagnosis and treatment; more efficient energy sources; lighter, stronger and cheaper materials, faster and more powerful electronic products, and cleaner, cheaper water. At the same time, particular attention is being paid to the effects of specific nanomaterials, particularly nanoparticles, on human health and the environment and ISO's work in the field includes the development of standards on these aspects.

Dr. Peter Hatto, Chair of ISO technical committee ISO/TC 229, Nanotechnologies, comments: âInternational standardization will play a critical role in ensuring that the full potential of nanotechnology is realized and that nanotechnology is safely integrated into society. Standards will help create a smooth transition from the laboratory to the marketplace, promote progress along the nanotechnology value chain and facilitate global trade. ISO/TS 27687:2008 helps to provide clarity in the description and naming of these fundamental building blocks for this important area of technologyâ.

ISO/TS 27687, Nanotechnologies â Terminology and definitions for nano-objects â Nanoparticle, nanofibre and nanoplate, was developed by ISO technical committee ISO/TC 229, Nanotechnologies.

Source: New ISO/TS 27687 will help defining nanotechnologies

3-Dimensional Nanotube Solar Cell for Visible and UV Light

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 17:00:00 GMT

In his project, âHigh Efficient 3-Dimensional Nanotube Solar Cell for Visible and UV Light,â William Yuan (12-year-old) invented a novel solar panel that enables light absorption from visible to ultraviolet light. He designed carbon nanotubes to overcome the barriers of electron movement, doubling the light-electricity conversion efficiency. William also developed a model for solar towers and a computer program to simulate and optimize the tower parameters. His optimized design provides 500 times more light absorption than commercially-available solar cells and nine times more than the cutting-edge, three-dimensional solar cell.

Since 2005, William has been involved in the First Lego League (FLL), which led him to research renewable energy and nanotechnology. During his research and community outreach, William realized the importance of renewable energy for future generations and began to focus his research on solar cells.

Source: 2008 Davidson Fellow Laureates. "Davidson Fellows scholarships recognize young people under the age of 18 for completing a significant piece of work that has the potential to make a positive contribution to society in one of the following areas: science, technology, mathematics, music, literature, philosophy, or any other graduate-level work considered outside the box. The Davidson Institute mission is to recognize, nurture and support profoundly intelligent young people and to provide opportunities for them to develop their talents to make a positive difference."

Creating Energy from Sunlight

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:56:00 GMT

Talk "Nanoscience at Work: Creating Energy from Sunlight" by Paul Alivisatos, co-leader of Berkeley Lab's Helios Project. Helios Project will use nanotechnology in the efficient capture of sunlight and its conversion to electricity to drive economical fuel production processes. Alivisatos is an authority on artificial nanostructure synthesis and collaborated with Louis E. Brus in the invention of the quantum dot technology.

Scientists form alliance to develop nanotoxicology protocols

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 17:40:00 GMT

A team of materials scientists and toxicologists announced the formation of a new international research alliance to establish protocols for reproducible toxicological testing of nanomaterials in both cultured cells and animals. The International Alliance for NanoEHS Harmonization (IANH) was unveiled at Nanotox 2008, one of the world's largest biennial nanotoxicological research meetings.

"When this team of scientists from Europe, the U.S., and Japan are able to get the same results for interactions of nanomaterials with biological organisms, then science and society can have higher confidence in the safety of these materials," said Kenneth Dawson, of University College Dublin and current chair of the IANH team.

Nanotechnology provides the opportunity for enabling new products that could meet a wide range of societal needs, but concerns over potential environmental, health and safety impacts of these materials may limit their adoption. Multiple organizations including the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the International Nanotechnology Conference for Communication and Cooperation (INC) have highlighted the importance of international collaboration to accelerate understanding of nanotechnology implications for society. This alliance, IANH, was established by leading materials and toxicological researchers to address this need.

Previous studies have identified key gaps in scientific knowledge regarding the biological interactions with nanoparticles and subsequent toxicological responses. Progress in resolving these issues is limited by the lack of testing protocols that enable reproducible assessment of the biological interactions of nanoparticles with cells and animals, and the lack of correlations between interactions observed in cells and in animals. IANH is being formed to establish testing protocols that enable reproducible toxicological testing of nanomaterials at the cell and animal levels and to start developing correlations between these two systems.

This effort was encouraged by the United States National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (FP7), and the Japanese National Institute for Materials Science.

Source: Scientists form alliance to develop nanotoxicology protocols