Scientific Papers

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THE GARDEN OF PHYSICS SCIENCE

Alternative Synthetic Pathways for Metal Oxide Nanomaterials

Goodbye to organics: Toxic and volatile solvents are avoided

Dr.M.A.Shah

Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences

King Abdul Aziz University

Nanosciences is regarded and acknowledged as a triumph of human ingenuity and the development of man is always marked by technological breakthroughs. Technologies rather than the modes of life give their names to the successive epochs. The emerging field of nanotechnology is leading to a technological revolution in the world. It is the next industrial revolution and almost all industries will be radically transformed by it in a few years and this technology would directly benefit a common man when it comes to commercial use. It has already established a beachhead in the economy.

Nanoscience has reached within the last decade the status of a leading science with fundamental and applied research prospects in all basic cognitive sciences such as physical, life and earth sciences: from physics and chemistry, biology and medicines, to astronomy and geology. New paradigms are shrinking our world. Innovations at the intersection of medicine, biotechnology, engineering, physical sciences and information technology are spurring new directions in R&D, commercialization and technology transfer. The future of nanotechnology is likely to continue in this interdisciplinary manner.

From this garden, ”The Garden of the physical sciences“ researchers from across academic disciplines could harvest solutions for the major crises facing the world in terms of energy, water shortages, hunger, an ailing environment, inefficient education, terrorism, poverty, fatal viruses and a lack of leisure time.

The requirements of simple and reliable protocols for the preparation of nanomaterials with controlled morphology continue to be a major challenge in nanosciences. Chemical synthesis of nanomaterials has been reviewed by many authors and improvements and better methods have been reported continually in the last few years. An overview of those methods, however, shows that they involve multistep process and frequent use of amines and other structure directing reagents. Hence, the synthesis is usually tedious and requires careful removal of catalysts and reagents. In addition, the path ways suggested involve

environmentally harmful chemicals which are toxic and not easily degraded in the environment. Organic solvents are also problematic because many are harmful to health and environment. Other techniques (physical) are technically complex, requires high temperature, harsh growth conditions, expensive experimental set up and complicated control process. A simple approach that can avoid organics or amines for large scale production and controlled growth of versatile nanomaterials is, therefore, highly desired [1].

Last but by no means the least, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were not the only materials to raise red flags. Nanostructures including particles, rods, wires, belts, cages, walls, flowers and rings have been reported to be harmful. Their unique physical characteristics raise concerns that tiny clamps of metals, ceramics and organics could prove uniquely toxic as well. Nanomaterials made from the urea, polyethylene glycol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polytertrafluoethylene or PTFE, showed even more dramatic effects. Toxicologist, Gunter reported that when his lab exposed rats to air containing nanoparticles for 15 minutes, most of the animals died within 4 hours. Gunter in his report suggested that the technique for making smaller particles could have altered them chemically [2].

In response to the above concerns, Shah Ashraf have discovered and explored a new bio-safe and bio-compatible route for the synthesis of oxide nanomaterials using water as solvent as well as source of oxygen. The use of water as a reagent is particularly attractive because it is safe, inexpensive, environmentally benign and bestowed with many virtues especially under supercritical conditions. The simple and straightforward route is based on simple reaction of water and metal powder at relatively low temperature. Since water is

regarded as a benign solvent and non toxic, the product (nanostructures) could be used safely for biomedical and other applications.

In addition, the method is simple, straightforward, fast, economical, environmentally benign, involves green chemistry, which can make it suitable for scale large production. The prospects of the process are bright and promising. The approach described above is expected to show marvelous results.The name of the novel technique is yet to be given???

References

[1] M.A.Shah, A. Towkeer, Principles of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology,

Narosa Publishing House, New Dehli, 2010. www.narosa.com

[2] Nanotechnology grows up: Science, 304, 1732-1734 (2004)

Dr.M.A.Shah

Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences

King Abdul Aziz University, Jeddah 21954, P.O. Box 80203, Saudi Arabia

Phone: 00966-6902286/6902287Fax. 00966-6901106

Mobile: 00966-560291742

E.mail: shah11nit@yaoo.com

:sashraf@kau.edu.sa

Editorial: Sustainability research and sustainable research

J. Nanophoton., Vol. 4, 049901 (2010)

Open Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/1.3430111

Can a Solid-State Nuclear Fusion Reactor Be the Ultimate Green Energy Solution?

Jamal S. Amar Shrair*

1.Introduction

We all know that palladium (Pd) is an ideal material to study hydrogen storage kinetics because its bulk hydride properties are well characterized. Pd absorbs hydrogen gas up to 900 times its volume. Furthermore, recent investigations have shown that the rate of hydrogen trapping inside Pd is even higher in the case of Pd nanoparticles. Hydrogen atoms are strongly trapped and stabilized in the lattice of Pd nanoparticles, compared to bulk Pd. The benefit of studying and modifying the surface of nanoparticle Pd and other large surface area nanoparticles can lead to better understanding of nuclear transmutation reactions in solids heavily loaded with H, D or both. The phenomenon is known as Low Energy Nuclear Reactions (LENR).

Since 1989 and particularly in the last two years, differentresearch groups around the world have reported undisputable evidence on the presence of nuclear reactions in the Pd/D lattice. It was unfortunate that Fleischmann and Pons, who were the first to observe LENR in 1989, made mistakes and added wild extrapolations; nevertheless, they were not wrong with regard to their finding of excess heat, which has now been validated by so many research groups worldwide,like the valuable results that have been achieved by U.S.Navy researchers, Yasuhiro Iwamura of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and especially the results of Yoshiaki Arata and Yue Chang Zhang. However, by comparing the results and methods of these experiments, it seems that there is a better experimental approach to increase the reaction rates of this process and obtain clear and sound results. LENR is a surface-dependent phenomena. Thus, in order to increase the reaction rate and have a suitable process from a practical point of view, one has to focus on the surface area and try to create the right environment. Better results can be obtained by comparing the surface reactivity of different materials anddifferent size nanoparticles in a new experimental configuration called ”laser-driven solid-state nuclear reactor.“ In addition to the above, better experimental results can lead to formulating a theoretical model for nuclear transmutation reactions in solids. I believe there are certain conditions that can be created which might bring the ions of H/D isotopes at distances of a few Fermi so the spontaneous fusion rate would increase considerably.

Download PDF file of paper

Commentary: Polymer/carbon-nanotube nanocomposites: from innovation to commercialization

J. Nanophoton., Vol. 3, 030307 (2009); doi:10.1117/1.3248365

Arun K. Kota

University of Michigan, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, 1111 Maiden Lane Ct, Ann Arbor, MI 48109

http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/1.3248365

Commentary: Layer-by-layer deposition of nanoscale structures

J. Nanophoton., Vol. 3, 030306 (2009)

Abhishek Kumar and Jayant Kumar

University of Massachusetts Lowell

http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/1.3241043 (OPEN ACCESS)

Commentary: Spectrally selective coatings on glass: solar-control and low-emissivity coatings

J. Nanophoton., Vol. 3, 030305 (2009); doi:10.1117/1.3240868

http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/1.3240868

Raul J. Martin-Palma

Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Departamento de Física Aplicada, C-12,

Cantoblanco, Madrid 28049 Spain

Commentary: Nanobiophotonics: example of scientific convergence

Anderson S. L. Gomes

Department of Physics, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco,

Av Prof. Luis Freire s/n, Recife, Pernambuco 50670-910 Brazil

http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/1.3138769 (Free to all)

Terrence S. McGrath, Elemetric,LLC

APS Annual Conference 2009

Denver, Colorado May 2-5, 2009

Presentations

Six Not-so-Hidden FIELD Dimensions

ABSTRACT - talk

[0001]We propose a new approach to the fundamental description of fields. By expanding Bohm’s spherical potential well to include six separate but related wave generators to represent nuclear matter, a new model for the mechanism underlying the generation of fields is introduced. In so doing a radically new organization to particle fields is revealed. The proposed model relates atomic to nuclear physics, providing a new starting point for the full description of atoms. Treating the nucleus as a spherical potential well produces a real wave-based spherical metric structure containing useful subtleties in discussing symmetry, coherence, organization, segregation, and locality. The spherical potential also provides a wave-based description for infinite fields and lattice regularization limits while identifying the central starting point for local field generation within the atom. Because six radiative electromagnetic components are used to replace the six-plus hidden dimensions of string theory we are enabled to describe fields in terms of Cartesian coordinates, time and six-plus wave components.

Calculating particle-MASS Hierarchy

ABSTRACT - poster

We describe a new approach to our fundamental understanding of particle mass. Starting with a spherical potential well (Bohm) as the description for a nucleus we show that six independent sets of electromagnetic waves interacting with the field generate fundamental symmetries that can be related to the organization of mass structure. Resonances between the nucleus and whole integer four-wave node intersections within the field surrounding the well generates closed paths of energy transfer whose scale can be defined using high-density lattice circle solutions using recursive geometric techniques. These energy loops are shown to provide real world solutions for calculating the relative masses of electrons, protons, neutrons and quarks, each to five places accuracy. The proposed loop structure and mechanics of energy transfer also provide a conceptual foundation for the particle mechanics for charge, the electric and magnetic fields, and quark confinement. Interestingly these quantum loops also provide the missing confinement component of Wilson Loops introduced in 1974.

Paper will be available upon request.

Contact: Judith.LightFeather@TNTG.org

Silicon nanophotonic devices for integrated sensing

J. Nanophoton., Vol. 3, 031001 (2009); DOI:10.1117/1.3122986

Published 1 April 2009

ABSTRACT REFERENCES (40)Babak Momeni, Siva Yegnanarayanan, Mohammad Soltani, Ali A. Eftekhar, Ehsan Shah Hosseini, and Ali Adibi

School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 777 Atlantic Dr. NW, Atlanta, GA 30332-0250

The potentials of a nanophotonic platform, including compactness, low power consumption, integrability with other functionalities, and high sensitivity make them a suitable candidate for sensing applications. Strong light-matter interaction in such a platform enables a variety of sensing mechanisms, including refractive index change, fluorescence emission, and Raman scattering. Recent advances in nanophotonic devices include the demonstration of silicon and silicon-nitride microdisk resonators with high intrinsic Q values (0.5-2×106) for strong field enhancement and the realization of compact photonic crystal spectrometers (high spectral resolution at 100-µm length scales) for on-chip spectral analysis. These two basic building blocks, when combined with integrated fluidic channels for sample delivery, provide an efficient platform to implement different sensing mechanisms and architectures.

History: Received 25 November 2008; revised 27 March 2009; accepted 27 March 2009; published 1 April 2009

DOI Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/1.3122986

Editorial: Is the editor my peer?

J. Nanophoton., Vol. 3, 039901 (2009); DOI:10.1117/1.3110901

Published 11 March 2009 ABSTRACTAkhlesh Lakhtakia

Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, Pennsylvania State Univ., Nanoengineered Metamaterials Group, University Park, PA 16802-6812

Abstract not available.

History: Received 8 March 2009; accepted 9 March 2009; published 11 March 2009

DOI Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/1.3110901

James G. Grote has been awarded the 2009 Technology Development Award

by SPIE for his development of Biotronics.

Please read his Commentary on this topic published in the Journal of Nanophotonics in 2008:

http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/1.2949248 (Open Access)

COMMENTARY

Natural nanophotonics

James G. Grote

US Air Force Research Laboratory,

Materials and Manufacturing Directorate,

AFRL/RXPS, 3005 Hobson Way,

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH 45433-7707

1 INTRODUCTION

The US Air Force Research Laboratory, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate (AFRL/RX) is heading up an international team of government, industrial and university researchers investigating biologically based (natural) materials and devices for electronic and photonic applications. This opens up an exciting new field for bioengineering demonstrating that biotechnology can benefit many areas, in addition to genomic sequencing and clinical diagnosis and treatment alone.

STABLE THANKS TO DYNAMICS - DNA COMPONENT RESISTS UV RADIATION

Complex computer simulations have, for the first time, allowed scientists to examine in detail the processes that help to ensure the stability of DNA when exposed to UV light. The findings, achieved primarily in relation to DNA component 9H-adenine, have been published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS). Moreover, in recognition of the high quality of the work, they have also been posted in the publication's newly established

online section JACS Select. The results of the project, which was supported by the Austrian Science Fund FWF, show that an ultrafast, two-step process forms one basis for the photostability of DNA.

UV rays don't just tan our skin - they can also "rob" atoms of their electrons, thereby destroying organic compounds. In order to counteract these destructive effects, the DNA component adenine uses an ultrafast

process that lasts for less than one trillionth of a second (a picosecond). UV light causes excitation of the electrons in adenine, which in turn causes the electrons initially to reach a higher energy state. They then return to their original state - this happens at breathtaking speed in the case of adenine. During this process, potentially damaging excitation energy is converted into harmless vibrational energy within the molecular skeleton.

This protects the DNA against damage. While scientists were previously aware of this process, they had not been able to simulate it due to the extreme complexity involved and had therefore been unable to study it in detail -

until now.

SIMULATING A TRANSITION

The innovative use of a computational method aimed at simulating the dynamics of quantum states enabled the Vienna-based team to make accurate statements about the mechanisms on which the photostability of adenine is

based. Prof. Hans Lischka, who together with Prof. Mario Barbatti is leading the team at the Institute of Theoretical Chemistry of the University of Vienna explains: "Due to the size of the molecule, the relatively long

simulation times, and the complexity of the electronic spectra, this project was a formidable challenge. And taking on this challenge has paid off".

Lischka's team calculated in detail the transition between the individual energy states of the electrons coupled with the movement of the atomic nuclei. Initial data show that this transition is not uniform, but rather a

process made up of two steps. The first of these is "ultrashort" and lasts for only 22 femtoseconds (22 quadrillionths of a second). During this first step, the electrons drop from a high energy state (S3) to a lower state

(S1). The second step lasts around 20 times longer than the first one, or half a picosecond. After this step, the adenine electrons will have returned to their original low-energy state (S0) - at unimaginable speed.

MOTION OF ELECTRONS AND ATOMIC NUCLEI

Commenting on the results, the highly regarded American Chemical Society highlighted a number of points in the project, including the number of nuclear paths calculated by Lischka and his team. During their work, the team simulated not just one or two, but 60 of these paths, which are also referred to as trajectories. Simulating this many trajectories, enabled the team to compile a statistics for each process responsible for the photostability of adenine. Lischka and Barbatti on their approach: "By using a multitude of trajectories, we were able to draw statistical conclusions.

For example, we found that in 98 percent or practically all of the trajectories we calculated, the S1 state was reached 60 femtoseconds after exposure to UV light". The computer simulation method used by Lischka and

Barbatti in this specific context holds a great deal of potential for further research on ultrafast photochemical processes in polyatomic molecules. During the current project, the potential of this exceptionally time-intensive method was utilized in full, thanks to the support that Lischka's work received from the Austrian Science Fund FWF. The resulting insights and the inclusion of Lischka and Barbatti's publication in the JACS Select online collection of innovative developments clearly demonstrate that Lischka has mastered his "formidable challenge".

Image and text will be available online from Monday, 23th February 2009,

09.00 a.m. CET onwards:

http://www.fwf.ac.at/en/public_relations/press/pv200902-en.html

Original publication: "Nonadiabatic Deactivation of 9H-Adenine: A

Comprehensive Picture Based on Mixed Quantum-Classical Dynamics"

M. Barbatti & H. Lischka. J. Am. Chem. So., 2008, 130 (21), 6831-6839,

DOI:10.1021/ja800589p

http://pubs.acs.org/stoken/beta/select/abs/10.1021/ja800589p

Femtosecond-laser nanolithography for photonic applications

J. Nanophoton., Vol. 3, 030301 (2009); DOI:10.1117/1.3097264

Published 19 February 2009

Hiroaki Nishiyama

Graduate School of Engineering, Division of Materials and Manufacturing Science, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 Japan

Abstract not available.

http://spiedl.aip.org/getabs/servlet/GetabsServlet?prog=normal&id=JNOACQ000003000001030301000001&idtype=cvips&gifs=Yes

Global

Knowledge Production in Nanomaterials: An Application of Spatial Filtering to Regional Systems of Innovation

Christoph Grimpe

Center for European Economic Research (ZEW); Catholic University of Leuven (KUL) - Faculty of Business and Economics (FBE); University of Zurich - Institute of Strategy and Business Economics (ISU)

Roberto Patuelli

VU University Amsterdam - Department of Spatial Economics

2008

ZEW - Centre for European Economic Research Discussion Paper No. 08-064

Abstract:

Nanomaterials are seen as a key technology for the 21st Century, and much is expected of them in terms of innovation and economic growth. They could open the way to many radically new applications, which would form the basis of innovative products. In this context, it seems all the more important for regions to put their own innovation systems in place, and to ensure that they offer a suitable location for such activities in order to benefit from the expected growth. Many regions have already done so by establishing 'science parks' and 'nanoclusters'. As nanomaterials are still in their infancy, both public research institutes and private businesses could play a vital role in the process. This paper investigates what conditions and configurations allow a regional innovation system to be competitive in a cutting-edge technology like nanomaterials. We analyse European Patent Office data at the German district level (NUTS-3) on applications for nanomaterial patents, in order to chart the effects of localised research and development (R&D) in the public and private sector. We estimate two negative binomial models in a knowledge production function framework and include a spatial filtering approach to adjust for spatial effects. Our results indicate that there is a significant positive effect of both public and private R&D on the production of nanomaterial patents. Moreover, we find a positive interaction between them which hints at the importance of their co-location for realising the full potential of an emerging technology like nanomaterials.

download paper at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1266092

Nanoethics Papers:

Lin, P.

December 2008

The following paper is published in the Springer journal NanoEthics: Ethics for Technologies that Converge at the Nanoscale, December 2008, Vol. 2, Number 3: 251-264. DOI: 10.1007/s11569-008-0046-7

Untangling the Debate: The Ethics of Human Enhancement

1. Introduction

Homo sapiens has been such a prolific species, simply because we are very good at relentlessly adapting to our environment. At the most basic level, we have won control over fire and tools to forge a new world around us, we build shelter and weave clothes to repel the brutal elements, and we raise animals and crops for predictability in our meals. With our intellect and resourcefulness, we are thereby better able to survive this world.

However, it is not just the world around us that we desire to change. Since the beginning of history, we also have wanted to become more than human, to become Homo superior. From the godlike command of Gilgamesh, to the lofty ambitions of Icarus, to the preternatural strength of Beowulf, to the mythical skills of Shaolin monks, and to various shamans and shapeshifters throughout the world’s cultural history, we have dreamt—and still dream—of transforming ourselves to overcome our all-too-human limitations.

In practice, this means that we improve our minds through education, disciplined thinking, and meditation; we improve our bodies with a sound diet and physical exercise; and we train with weapons and techniques to defend ourselves from those who would conspire to kill. But today, something seems to be different. With ongoing work to unravel the mysteries of our minds and bodies, coupled with the art and science of emerging technologies, we are near the start of the Human Enhancement (or Engineering) Revolution.

Now we are not limited to ”natural“ methods to enhance ourselves or to merely wield tools such as a hammer or binoculars or a calculator. We are beginning to incorporate technology within our very bodies, which may hold moral significance that we need to consider. These technologies promise great benefits for humanity—such as increased productivity and creativity, longer lives, more serenity, stronger bodies and minds, and more—though, as we will discuss later, there is a question whether these things translate into happier lives, which many see as the point of it all (President’s Council on Bioethics, 2003; Persaud, 2006).

As examples of emerging technologies, in early 2008, a couple imaginative inventions in particular, among many, are closing the gap even more between science fiction and the real world. Scientists have conceptualized an electronic-packed contact lens that may provide the wearer with telescopic and night vision or act as an omnipresent digital monitor to receive and relay information (Parviz, et al., 2008). Another innovation is a touch display designed to be implanted just under the skin that would activate special tattoo ink on one’s arm to form images, such as telephone-number keys to punch or even a video to watch (Mielke, 2008). Together with ever-shrinking computing devices, we appear to be moving closer to cybernetic organisms (or ”cyborgs“), that is, where machines are integrated with our bodies or at least with our clothing in the nearer-term. Forget about Pocket PCs, mobile phones, GPS devices, and other portable gadgets; we might soon be able to communicate and access those capabilities without having to carry any external device, thus raising our productivity, efficiency, response time, and other desirable measures—in short, enabling us to even better survive our world.

Technology is clearly a game-changing field. The inventions of such things as the printing press, gunpowder, automobiles, computers, vaccines, and so on, have profoundly changed the world, for the better we hope. But at the same time, they have also led to unforeseen consequences, or perhaps consequences that might have been foreseen and addressed had we bothered to investigate them. Least of all, they have disrupted the status quo, which is not necessarily a terrible thing in and of itself; but unnecessary and dramatic disruptions, such as mass displacements of workers or industries, have real human costs to them. As we will discuss, such may be the case as well with human enhancement technologies, enabled by advances in nanotechnology, micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), genetic engineering, robotics, cognitive science, information technology, pharmacology, and other fields (Roco and Bainbridge, 2003).[1]

In this special issue of NanoEthics: Ethics for Technologies that Converge on the Nanoscale, we present several papers that examine many ethical and social issues surrounding human enhancement technologies, especially driven by nanotechnology. For instance, on the issue of whether such technologies ought to be regulated or otherwise restricted, one position is that (more than minimal) regulation would hinder personal freedom or autonomy, infringing on some natural or political right to improve our own bodies, minds, and lives as we see fit (Naam, 2005; Bailey, 2005; Harris, 2007; Allhoff et al., forthcoming). Others, however, advocate strong regulation—and even a research moratorium—to protect against unintended effects on society, such as the presumably-undesirable creation of a new class of enhanced persons who could outwit, outplay, and outlast ”normal“ or unenhanced persons for jobs, in schools, at sporting contests, and so on, among other reasons (Fukuyama, 2002, 2006; Friends of the Earth, 2006). Still others seek a sensible middle path between stringent regulation and individual liberty (Hughes, 2004; Greely, 2005).

No matter where one is aligned on this issue, it is clear that the human enhancement debate is a deeply passionate and personal one, striking at the heart of what it means to be human. Some see it as a way to fulfill or even transcend our potential; others see it as a darker path towards becoming Frankenstein’s monster. But before more fully presenting those issues, it would be helpful to lay out some background and context to better frame the discussion, as follows.

Read paper at:

http://www.nanoethics.org/paper_enhance.html

Commentary: Optical properties of magnetoelectric multiferroics

Gavin Lawes

Department of Physics and Astronomy,

Wayne State University, 666 W. Hancock Ave., Detroit, MI 48201

J. Nanophoton., Vol. 2, 020304 (2008)

http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/1.3046676 (Open access)

Systems and scenarios for a philosophy of engineering

DARRYL FARBER, MARTIN T. PIETRUCHA AND AKHLESH

LAKHTAKIA

Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA

Nano-, bio-, and information based engineered systems as well as large-scale sociotechnological systems, such as the electric grid and the regional surface transportation network, are complex systems for which the temporal evolution and outcomes states may not be predictable because emergent phenomena are ubiquitous. Given that engineers may not be capable of predicting the outcome of an engineered system, the issue arises as to how engineers ensure system performance and engineer ethically. A pragmatic philosophy of engineering with both instrumental and reflective aspects is essential. This philosophy will incorporate both systems analysis and scenario planning as tools to learn about how a system may perform over time, and engineers may thereby gain insight to how they ought design and manage complex systems even though they may not fully understand them. The creation of feedback mechanisms by using such tools as the semantic World Wide Web may be one way that a reflective dialogue about engineering systems emerges and influences the evolution of these complex systems.

Download paper

Harnessing biological motors to engineer systems for nanoscale transport and assembly

Anita Goel 1,2 and Viola Vogel 3

1Nanobiosym Labs, 200 Boston Avenue, Suite 4700, Medford, Massachusetts 02155 USA;

2Department of Physics, Harvard University, Massachusetts 02138, USA;

3Department of Materials, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang Pauli Strasse 10. HCI F443, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland

Abstract:

Living systems use biological nanomotors to build life’s essential molecules—such as DNA and proteins—as well as to transport cargo inside cells with both spatial and temporal precision. Each motor is highly specialized and carries out a distinct function within the cell. Some have even evolved sophisticated mechanisms to ensure quality control during nanomanufacturing processes, whether to correct errors in biosynthesis or to detect and permit the repair of damaged transport highways. In general, these nanomotors consume chemical energy in order to undergo a series of shape changes that let them interact sequentially with other molecules. Here we review some of the many tasks that biomotors perform and analyse their underlying design principles from an engineering perspective. We also discuss experiments and strategies to integrate biomotors into synthetic environments for applications such as sensing, transport and assembly.

e-mail: agoel@nanobiosym.com; viola.vogel@mat.ethz.ch

Download PDF file of paper (11 pages)

Commentary: Extraordinary optical transmission for surface-plasmon-resonance-based sensing

J. Nanophoton., Vol. 2, 020305 (2008)

Reuven Gordon

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of

Victoria, P.O. Box 3055 STN CSC, Victoria, BC V8W 3P6 Canada

http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/1.3013629 (Open Access)

Energy harvesting: a review of the interplay between structure and mechanism

J. Nanophoton., Vol. 2, 022502 (2008); DOI:10.1117/1.2976172

Published 6 August 2008 ABSTRACTREFERENCES (104)David L. Andrews

School of Chemical Sciences, University of East Anglia, Nanostructures and Photomolecular Systems, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7TJ United Kingdom

The science of energy harvesting has recently undergone radical change, with the advent of new materials exploiting mechanisms fundamentally different from those of traditional solar cells. Utilizing principles that are in many cases acquired from breakthroughs in molecular photobiology, the introduction of a range of new synthetic polymers, multichromophore arrays and nanoparticle-based materials heralds a marked resurgence of interest, a shift of focus and heightened expectations in the science of light-harvesting. The interplay between structure and mechanism significantly impinges upon issues extending from fundamental theory to the principles of energy-harvesting materials design. Understanding and exploiting the principles allows materials to be engineered that can harness absorbed energy with heightened efficiency. Two of the key areas of application are dendrimers and rare-earth doped solids.

History: Received 2 June 2008; revised 25 July 2008; accepted 29 July 2008; published 6 August 2008

DOI Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/1.2976172

Thermoelectric and solar-energy materials

J. Nanophoton., Vol. 2, 020303 (2008); DOI:10.1117/1.2972202

Published 29 July 2008 ABSTRACTREFERENCES (10)Chris Gould and Noel Shammas

Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Technology, Staffordshire University, Beacon Building, Stafford, Staffordshire ST18 0AD United Kingdom

Thermoelectric and solar-energy technologies are the focus of significant research, and can make a major contribution to the need to find alternative methods of power generation, heating and cooling. Solar-energy, or photovoltaic technology, is established as an alternative energy source, and in common with wind, biomass, wave and geothermal, is considered a renewable energy source. Thermoelectric technology is often overlooked, but can be used in applications where other technologies could not be used, or in combination with other renewable technologies. Contemporary problems surrounding climate change will act as a stimulus for the development of thermoelectrics, and the technology is successful in cooling, refrigeration and space-craft power, with potential for growth in power generation applications.

History: Received 20 July 2008; accepted 22 July 2008; published 29 July 2008

DOI Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/1.2972202

2008 Annual Meeting Nano2Life Presentation Videos are available online

List:

Closing Address

Industrial Presentation: Liposomally encapsulated tumor targeted drugs: from inception to phase Ill

Industrial Presentation: Knowledge Discovery using literature mining

Industrial Presentation: Diabetes Care Technologies

Sensors and Microsystems for Bioanalytical Applications: Research activities at NCSR Demokritos

Protein-Polymer bioconjugates - Novel synthetic approaches and applications

Acoustic Biosensors: a Powerful Tool for Bioanalytical and Biophysical Studies

Microfluidics and microarrays on smart,plasma processed, polymeric substrates

Material Nano-structuring with Ultrafast Lasers

Multicolor fluorescence molecular tomography

N2L Mobility Stories: NIL-assisted contact printing applications: micro-patterning of nanoparticles and proteins

Using Stress-responsive Genetically Engineered Bioreporter Bacteria to Assay the Toxicity of Luminescent Lanthanide-based Nanocrystals

DNA, Nanoslits & Electrical Fields

Bioluminescent whole-cell biosensor for on-line water toxicity detection

On going projects Session: Bioengineered Nanomaterials for Research and Applications

On going projects Session: Integrated Technologies for In-vivo Molecular Imaging

On going projects Session: Cellular Interaction and Toxicology with Engineered Nanparticles

Welcome Address

A Primer to Top-down Micro and Nano Patterning of Materials for Lab on a Chip applications

Novel Optical Tools in Biology

http://n2lvip.tau.ac.il/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=46:annual-meeting-crete&Itemid=56

Nano Medicine:

The Mayo Clinic College of Medicine study nanoparticles (NP formerly called nanobacteria)

Human-derived nanoparticles and vascular response to injury in rabbit carotid arteries:Proof of principle

Maria A K Schwartz

John C Lieske

Vivek Kumar

Gerard Farell-Baril

Virginia M Miller

Departments of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering

Internal Medicine; Division of Nephrology, and Surgery

Mayo Clinic College of Medicine

Rochester, MN, USA

Abstract: Self-calcifying, self-replicating nanoparticles have been isolated from calcifi ed human tissues. However, it is unclear if these nanoparticles participate in disease processes. Therefore, this study was designed to preliminarily test the hypothesis that human-derived nanoparticles are causal to arterial disease processes. One carotid artery of 3 kg male rabbits was denuded of endothelium; the contralateral artery remained unoperated as a control. Each rabbit was injected intravenously with either saline, calcified, or decalcified nanoparticles cultured from calcified human arteries or kidney stones. After 35 days, both injured and control arteries were removed for histological examination. Injured arteries from rabbits injected with saline showed minimal, eccentric intimal hyperplasia. Injured arteries from rabbits injected with calcified kidney stone- and arterial-derived nanoparticles occluded, sometimes with canalization. The calcified kidney stone-derived nanoparticles caused calcifications within the occlusion. Responses to injury in rabbits injected with decalcifi ed kidney stone-derived nanoparticles were similar to those observed in saline-injected animals. However, decalcified arterial-derived nanoparticles

produced intimal hyperplasia that varied from moderate to occlusion with canalization and calcification. This study offers the fi rst evidence that there may be a causal relationship between human-derived nanoparticles and response to injury including calcifi cation in arteries with damaged endothelium.

Keywords: arterial calcifi cation, endothelial injury, intimal hyperplasia

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New Paper Published

Nassim Haramein, Michael Hyson, PhD & Elizabeth Rauscher, PhD.

Introducing Nassim Haramein's groundbreaking physics paper "Scale Unification-A Universal Scaling Law for Organized Matter," co-authored with Michael Hyson, PhD & Elizabeth Rauscher, PhD. This paper contains a remarkable description of the parallels between the subatomic world and cosmological black hole

structures:

http://theresonanceproject.org/pdf/scalinglaw_paper.pdf

Here is the layman's abstract:

http://theresonanceproject.org/scale_unification.html

Grand Unification Theory:

Haramein-Rauscher Solution

"The Origin of Spin: A Consideration of Torque and Coriolis Forces in Einstein's Field Equations and Grand Unification Theory" (PDF), by Nassim Haramein and E.A. Rauscher.

This paper constitutes a foundational description of the source of angular momentum/spin at all scales (from macro systems to micro subatomic particle structures) rendering a unified view of gravitation to the other forces such as electromagnetism, strong and weak force. It does so by using the dual torus U4 bubble spacetime manifold resulting from the inclusion of torque and Coriolis forces in Einstein’s gravitational equations. The theory then relates the dual torus spacetime manifold to the subatomic group theoretical geometry of the cubeoctahedron (i.e. vector equilibrium), completing the picture at the quantum level.

Layman's Article on the Origin of Spin

What is the Origin of Spin? (PDF)

Collective Coherent Oscillation Plasma Modes In Surrounding Media of Black Holes and Vacuum Structure - Quantum Processes with Considerations of Spacetime Torque and Coriolis Forces (PDF), by Nassim Haramein and E.A. Rauscher.

This paper details the dynamics of coherent bodies such as stars, black holes, and galaxies and provides in depth information about the nature of plasma and the vacuum at the quantum level.

More research papers at http://www.theresonanceproject.org/research.html

Crossing the Event Horizon DVD - set of 4 discs

Nassim Haramein's lifelong journey into the geometry of space-time has lead to a coherent understanding of the fundamental structure of the universe. In this 4 DVD presentation, Nassim will take you on a journey through humanity's evolution, exposing the changes necessary to produce an all-encompassing Unified Physics; a unification of not only the four forces of nature, but also evolution and the occurrence of consciousness.

Preview the Power of Spin Video

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