Monday 5 May 2014

Physicists create new nanoparticle for cancer therapy

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This figure from the paper shows the X-ray destruction of human breast cancer cells using Cu-Cy particles. The images show the live cancer cells stained green and the dead cells stained red. Credit: Wei Chen/UT Arlington A University of Texas at Arlington physicist working to create a luminescent nanoparticle to use in security-related radiation detection may have instead happened upon an advance in photodynamic cancer therapy. Wei Chen, professor of physics and co-director of UT Arlington’s Center for Security Advances Via Applied Nanotechnology, was testing a copper-cysteamine complex created in his lab when he discovered unexplained decreases in its luminescence, or light emitting power, over a time-lapse exposure to X-rays. Looking further, he found that the nanoparticles, called Cu-Cy, were losing energy as they emitted singlet oxygen – a toxic byproduct that is used to damage cancer cells in photodynamic therapy. Because Chen also is leading federally funded cancer research, he knew he had found something unique. Testing revealed that the Cu-Cy nanoparticles, combined with X-ray exposure, significantly slowed tumor growth in lab studies. “This new idea is simpler and better than previous photodynamic therapy methods. You don’t need as many steps. This material alone can do the job,” Chen said. “It is

The post Physicists create new nanoparticle for cancer therapy has been published on Technology Org.

 
#materials 
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Out There: Cosmic Connections in the Deep Sea

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The sea is its own cosmos, and whatever meaning we can ascribe to the universe arose in its depths, the mysterious caldron of creativity and possibility, the restless sifting of chance, adaptation, survival and extinction.















via New York Times

"You Are Here" Milky Way Galaxy Poster

Here's a great poster featuring a beautiful image from deep space


tagged with: milky way, galaxy, astronomy, science, classroom poster, nasa, outer space, space, fun science

Poster shows gorgeous rendering of Milky Way Galaxy using latest telescope data (public domain image by NASA/Caltech), plus a "You Are Here" arrow pointing to the Earth's local neighborhood.

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Genetic approach helps design broadband metamaterial

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A specially formed material that can provide custom broadband absorption in the infrared can be identified and manufactured using "genetic algorithms," according to Penn State engineers, who say these metamaterials can shield objects from view by infrared sensors, protect instruments and be manufactured to cover a variety of wavelengths.



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Human skin grown in laboratory

Science Focus

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Skin grown in the laboratory could replace animals in drug and cosmetics testing, according to UK scientists. 
#science 
 » see original post http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-27129861#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
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Monogram - Cigar Galaxy - Messier 82 Round Sticker

Here's a great sheet of stickers featuring a beautiful image from deep space


tagged with: stars, galaxies, outer space, envelope sealers, monogram initials, agmet, galaxies and stars, hubble, chandra, messier 82, cigar galaxy, active galaxies

Galaxies, Stars and Nebulae series

Composite of images of the active galaxy Messier 82 from the three Great Observatories: Hubble Space Telescope, Chandra X-Ray Observatory, and Spitzer Space Telescope. X-ray data recorded by Chandra appears here in blue, infrared light recorded by Spitzer appears in red. Hubble's observation of hydrogen emission appears in orange. Hubble's bluest observation appears in yellow-green.

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Image code: agmet

Image credit: Hubble Space Telescope, Chandra X-Ray Observatory, Spitzer Space Telescope

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Galaxy Cluster Magnifies Distant Supernova

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Zazzle Space Gifts for young and old

Stellar Spire Room Decals

Here's a great wall decal featuring a beautiful image from deep space


tagged with: universe, space, science, astronomy, nebula, eagle nebula, stellar spire, spire

Photograph of Stellar Spire in the Eagle Nebula by NASA and ESA.

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LHC consolidations: 27,000 shunts now in place




An engineer uses a small mirror to inspect a shunt on an interconnection between superconducting magnets on the Large Hadron Collider (Image: CERN)




Since April last year, the Superconducting Magnets And Circuits Consolidation (SMACC) team has been strengthening the electrical connections of the superconducting circuits on the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Last week they installed the last of 27,000 electrical shunts to consolidate "splices" – connections between superconducting magnets – on the accelerator.


Each of the LHC's 10,000 splices carries a hefty 13,000 amps. A shunt is a low-resistance connection that provides an alternative path for a portion of the current in the event that a splice loses its superconducting state.


On 19 September 2008, during powering tests on the LHC, a fault occurred in one of the splices, resulting in mechanical damage and release of helium from the magnet cold mass into the tunnel. Proper safety procedures were in force, the safety systems performed as expected, and no-one was put at risk. But the fault did delay operation of the accelerator by six months. The new shunts make such a fault unlikely to happen again.


To install a shunt the SMACC team first has to open the area around the interconnection they want to work on. They slide the custom-built metallic bellows out of the way and remove the thermal shielding inside, revealing a series of metallic pipes linking the magnets to each other. One set of these pipes – the "M-lines" – must then be cut open to access the splices between the superconducting cables. The team opened up the last of the M lines in February and has been at work ever since adding the shunts.


Check out some more of the main LHC consolidations





via CERN: Updates for the general public

http://home.web.cern.ch/about/updates/2014/05/lhc-consolidations-27000-shunts-now-place

Saturn’s rainbow rings

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Space Science Image of the Week: A section of Saturn’s icy rings masquerades as this colourful cosmic rainbow

via ESA Space Science

http://www.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/2014/05/Saturn_s_rainbow_rings

Mechanobiology: Enzyme micropump autonomously delivers insulin in response to glucose levels

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At catalase enzyme is immobilized on a gold platform. The enzyme pumps out fluid (which contains tracer particles to allow for observation) at a rate that is dependent on the concentration of glucose oxidase and glucose in the surrounding solution. Credit: Sengupta, et al. ©2014 Nature For next-generation smart devices, autonomy is key. These devices will be able to power themselves, independently respond to stimuli, and perform different kinds of work, all without human intervention. With these abilities, smart devices could potentially have very wide-reaching implications.   In a recent study published in Nature Chemistry, Samudra Sengupta, et al., from The Pennsylvania State University, the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez, have designed and demonstrated a self-powered enzyme micropump that autonomously delivers small molecules and proteins in response to specific chemical stimuli. “We demonstrate that surface-anchored enzymes can act as pumps in the presence of their respective substrates, pumping fluid and particles in a directional manner,” coauthor Ayusman Sen, Professor of Chemistry at Penn State, told Phys.org. “This discovery enables the design of non-mechanical, self-powered nano/microscale pumps that precisely control flow rate and turn on in response to specific stimuli. One example described in the paper is

The post Mechanobiology: Enzyme micropump autonomously delivers insulin in response to glucose levels has been published on Technology Org.

 
#materials 
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Graphenea gets new corporate image, celebrates fourth anniversary

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After four years of existence, Graphenea has revamped its corporate image and website this month.



On our company website, one can still find the high quality graphene oxide and graphene films, as well as other graphene products. Alongside, the Graphenea website boasts a list of publications, addressing in depth various graphene topics, such as our popular “graphene price” article, an article on applications and uses of graphene, and other informative articles on aspects related to graphene commercialization.


Our blog posts are among the most regularly updated in the graphene community, regularly discussing the most recent scientific advancements, as well as the company's networking activities. In addition, the website now makes it easier to reach our team through social networks.


Celebrating its fourth anniversary, Graphenea is not a start up anymore. In four short years, the hard work of the entire team has resulted in the placement of Graphenea as a leading manufacturer of graphene in powder and film format. Graphenea is recognized the world over as a steadily-growing business which constantly improves the quality of its product.


Advised by three distinguished science and engineering professors and led by CEO Jesus de la Fuente and Scientific Director Amaia Zurutuza, Graphenea was reinforced by Business Development Director Iñigo Charola in September 2013. Our distribution network was significantly enhanced by last year's arrangement with Sigma-Aldrich, a global supplier of chemicals, although we already have local distributors in the USA, Japan, Korea, India, Taiwan, Singapore, and the Middle East (Turkey), with global headquarters in San Sebastian, Spain.


Graphenea has also succeeded in becoming the largest graphene supplier in the billion-euro project “Graphene Flagship”, and hopping onto the Advisory Board of the Graphene Stakeholders Association, a global network co-ordinating the commercialization of graphene. The strong strategic position of Graphenea and our dedication to important global issues such as energy generation and storage is being reinforced by the recent million-euro investment by Repsol Energy Ventures.


Graphenea is located at and partially sponsored by CIC nanoGUNE, a nanotechnology research center in the Spanish region of Basque country, where 8 scientific research groups pursue the knowledge of nanoscience and nanotechnology.


We are looking forward to an ongoing and developing interaction with our customers as well as potential scientific and industrial collaboration. Feel free to browse the revamped website and provide us with feedback!




via Graphenea

Pale Blue Dot Clean Posters

Here's a great poster featuring a beautiful image from deep space


tagged with: pale, blue, dot, space, astronomy, earth

The pixelation from the hubble scope are cleaned up in this one to look a little more wall art friendly.

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Carina Nebula in Argo Navis constellation Square Sticker

Here's a great sheet of stickers featuring a beautiful image from deep space


tagged with: stars, galaxies, astronomy, envelope sealers, carina nebula, argos navis constellation, carina the keel, star formation, gas clouds, carnebngcttst, ngc 3372

Galaxies, Stars and Nebulae series Hubble's view of the Carina Nebula shows star birth in a new level of detail. The fantasy-like landscape of the nebula is sculpted by the action of outflowing winds and scorching ultraviolet radiation from the monster stars that inhabit this inferno. In the process, these stars are shredding the surrounding material that is the last vestige of the giant cloud from which the stars were born. The immense nebula is an estimated 7,500 light-years away in the southern constellation Carina the Keel (of the old southern constellation Argo Navis, the ship of Jason and the Argonauts, from Greek mythology).
The original image is a mosaic of the Carina Nebula assembled from 48 frames taken with Hubble Space Telescope's Advanced Camera for Surveys. The Hubble images were taken in the light of ionized hydrogen. Colour information was added with data taken at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. Red corresponds to sulfur, green to hydrogen, and blue to oxygen emission.

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image code: carnebngcttst

Image credit: Hubble Space Telescope; colour data from the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, Chile

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Star birth in Carina Nebula from Hubble's WFC3 det Wall Skins

Here's a great wall decal featuring a beautiful image from deep space


tagged with: argo navis, astronomy, carina, celestial bodies, exploration, milky way, natural sciences, natural world, nebula, ngc 3372, nobody, outer space, physical science, sciences, space exploration and research, stars

ImageID: 42-23286264 / STScI / NASA/Corbis / Star birth in Carina Nebula from Hubble's WFC3 detector

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The Crab Nebula iPad Air Covers

Here's a great iPad case from Zazzle featuring a Hubble-related design. Maybe you'd like to see your name on it? Click to personalize and see what it's like!


tagged with: crab, nebula, supernova, remnant, aqua, pretty, space, picture, image

Lovely space image of the Crab Nebula thanks to NASA Hubble: A Giant Hubble Mosaic of the Crab Nebula.

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