Showing Spotlights 809 - 816 of 2785 in category All (newest first):
A look at the emerging roles of nanotechnology in the rapidly evolving domain of modern/future radiation therapy. In an effort to devise novel and more effective anticancer regimes, a rapidly growing community of researchers is applying the unique properties of nanomaterials to combat the unmet challenges posed by classical radiation therapy - which has become one of the most effective and frequently applied cancer therapies. However, despite a plethora of preclinical studies, nanoparticle mediated combination RT/phototherapy has not yet been translated in the clinic.
Jun 22nd, 2017
Dendrimers have emerged as a powerful class of nanomaterials in nanomedicine due to their unique structural features: globular, well-defined, highly branched and controllable nanostructures where the presence of several terminal groups can be functionalized with different ligands simulating the multivalency present in different biological systems. A recent review article identifies the currently existing dendritic systems and discusses their strengths and caveats in the context of attaining efficient therapeutic strategies for the treatment of neurological disorders.
Jun 21st, 2017
Sometimes nanoscale diamonds contain a specific type of impurity: a single nitrogen atom where a carbon atom should be, with an empty space right next to it, resulting from a second missing carbon atom. This nitrogen-vacancy (NV) impurity gives each nanodiamond special optical and electromagnetic properties. Nitrogen vacancy centers in nanodiamonds require a method to manipulate their electron spin orientations physically. Recent work demonstrates a general active NV system: Nanodiamond swimmers that self-propel.
Jun 20th, 2017
In spite of the numerous research efforts regarding the development of miniaturized, low-cost, and highly sensitive sensors based on different organic and semiconducting materials, carbon nanotubes still remain the most promising ones. An international team of researchers has now developed a simple way for fabrication and operation of carbon nanotube-based chemical sensors. The sensor consists of carboxylated single-walled carbon nanotubes, which were spin-coated over the polymer substrate between sputtered metal electrodes.
Jun 19th, 2017
Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are well-ordered, lattice-like crystals. The nodes of the lattices are metals, which are connected by organic molecules. The most impressive features of MOFs are their extremely high surface area, high porosity, and tunable pore sizes, which are remarkable advantages over other porous materials (e.g., zeolites and carbons). With their special structure and large surface area, MOFs open up new opportunities for alternative systems for gas and energy storage (e.g. carbon dioxide and hydrogen storage), in catalysis, chemical sensing, as nanoreactors, and in drug delivery, making them hugely interesting for both university research and industry.
Jun 15th, 2017
Since the early days of molecular electronics, tremendous progress has been achieved both theoretically and experimentally by scientists and engineers who were fascinated by intriguing physical, chemical phenomena, and potential device applications of molecular junctions. In a recent paper, scientists review recent experimental efforts for pursuing high-yield functional molecular devices, in which a bundle of molecules (the contacted molecules number more than 1000) is contained in a junction.
Jun 14th, 2017
Nanotechnology is becoming a crucial driving force behind innovation in medicine and healthcare, with a range of advances including nanoscale therapeutics, biosensors, implantable devices, drug delivery systems, and imaging technologies. This article provides a comprehensive overview of healthcare advances that may be possible through nanotechnology, ranging from fitness monitoring, prevention, diagnosis to therapy, and everything in between.
Jun 13th, 2017
The robustness, accuracy, and validity of an atomistic simulations hinge on the appropriate choice of force fields. Force fields are key for modeling the interaction between atoms of a matter under study, and the challenge is to have an accurate force field working for any specific material at any desired temperature. To serve this objective and make a benchmark as well as a shortcut for users to find their best force fields, scientists have examined a number of force fields for materials that are popular in micro- and nanotechnologies.
Jun 12th, 2017
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