We are all now on a Fantastic Voyage Do you do not forget and lsquo;Fantastic Voyage and rsquo; - the sci-fi film in which scientists shrank a submarine and crew, injected them into a dying man, and saved him from sure death prior to being resized for more adventures? Scripted by Harry Kleiner in 1966 and novelized for Bantam paperbacks seven months later by Isaac Asimov, it spawned an animated TV series as well like a Salvador Dali painting. and nbsp; Now, some 40 years later, it is seeing practical application in space and cancer medicine, as well as arguably more prosaic regions like fabrics science. and nbsp; and nbsp; Currently it is called and lsquo;Nanotechnology and rsquo; and in this series of brief articles we and rsquo;ll be exploring how it is beginning to influence the universe around us. and nbsp; It begins by linking medicinal and building science. Nanontechnology in a Nutshell The science of Nanotechnology deals with very, very mini structures, usually fewer than 100 nanometers in diameter.
and nbsp; With two nanometer being two billionth of a meter, you and rsquo;ll get some system of how mini this is by imagining the earth as possessing a diameter of two meter with two billion apple pips seeds inside it. and nbsp; Or, looked at another way, the dimension ratio between a meter and a nanometer is similar as between earth and an apple. and nbsp; For the mathematical purists between you 1nm = 10 -09 m, i. two or 1,000,000,000 Einstein may have imagined this by building a train wagon in his mind, giving this a length, width and height of 1nm and then fitting this inside a little hundreds of hydrogen molecules. For scientists and technologists this has special interest due to the fact that at this volume fabrics reveal unique properties when compared not only with ordinary bulk sized materials, but also their molecules.
In essence they take advantages of properties that neither lone molecules nor molecular structures exhibit. For example, if we should look it a gold nanoparticle deposited on a surface should appear purple, rather than shiny and and lsquo;golden and rsquo; that we presently recognize. Again, whether you can imagine a molecule as possessing a very mini atom at it and rsquo;s core with many electrons spinning around this, all held together by the power of attraction, then you and rsquo;ll get some system regarding the scale of things they can be working with. Another example of critical interest to scientists and technologists currently working, or considering working and nbsp; in this region is that of Titanium Dioxide titania. and nbsp; This is used in paints to release that extremely white, opaque finish.
and nbsp; But nanonised titania is completely transparent. and nbsp; and nbsp; and nbsp; Nanomedicine. Drug discovery, drug delivery and continuing miniaturization are 3 regions in which medicine has joined our Fantastic Voyage. Long-term, in-vivo diagnostics and more targeted therapy without side effects are on the horizon. Being can look for drug targets on a cellular rather than multi-cellular, or tissue basis should be many more precise.
Biosensors and molecule probes let cellular processes to be examined and drug development aimed at molecular targets. Final treatment techniques already let a drug to be place inside a nanoparticle, like a carbon or silicon nanotube. and nbsp; This may also hold antibodies to bind the drug, enabling smaller doses to be delivered direct to targeted tissue. Different nanoparticle drug formulations are already being investigated in pet models and early stage clinical studies in humans. Treating Cancer and amp; Diabetes Creating use of such nanobots, i.
vehicles for carrying treatments, radioactive generators are already being injected. and nbsp; Going direct to infected tissue these release mini radiation doses to treat the cancer without all the unpleasant side effects of radiation therapy. and nbsp; and nbsp; By encapsulating pancreatic cells inside nanoparticles they should be kept alive to secrete insulin without being attacked by antibodies. and nbsp; It and rsquo;s not a cure for diabetes, but does stay away from unpleasant injections, delivering the insulin in an organic way. Brain Tumors and Space Medicine Neuroscientists are developing nanoparticles to cross the brain-blood barrier and should be treating brain tumors within a couple of years.
and nbsp; Meanwhile NASA is pursuing remote diagnostics and treatments for space travelers, like radiation damaged cells. and nbsp; As Cecilia Haberzettl, founder and president of TechnoMed Strategic Partners, recently wrote in Nanotechnology and ldquo;When a cell is damaged by radiation it expresses different proteins on its surface. The nanobot should detect those proteins and then repair the cell, neither by giving it antioxidants or by enhancing the natural mechanisms of DNA repair by some technique yet to be defined. Or, if the damage is severe, the nanobot should trigger the cell to die. All of that should happen while the astronauts are up in space, while avoiding communication delays due to distance from the Earth.
and rdquo; Next Time From treating humans to treating the buildings in which they live, how nanotechnology is being used in fabrics science and how a Greek entrepreneurial scientist has developed products that protect surfaces from stains, moulds, and fungus. and nbsp; Personally recognised by Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, for the innovative nature of their work, they can be undoubtedly delivering cutting edge nanotech inventions and technical excellence to improve and sum price to a large section of everyday products. Look out for the next story to learn how this little business is experiencing burgeoning worldwide growth by delivering massive advances and technical excellence in surface protections.
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