Most deaths from cancer come after the primary tumor has been treated—usually with some combination of surgery and chemo or radiation—when stray cancer cells from the tumor escape and spread to other parts of the body (metastasis). Since not all cells from cancer tumors behave the same way or have the same DNA, researchers have … Continue reading Nanoparticles: Magnetized in the fight to stop cancer from spreading
The substance nitric oxide (NO), one of my favorite topics, is now known to be break-downable into components, one of which has one less electron. It’s known as NO(-) or HNO or nitroxyl, and researchers are finding some exciting new applications for it. One novel use for nitroxyl is as part of a nanoparticle coating … Continue reading New nitric oxide component (HNO) promises new CV help
Nanotech is performing miracles on a lot of fronts. Now they’re using it to develop new ways to treat diabetes and even to monitor blood sugar without the painful blood-letting currently required. This scholarly paper discussing new fronts in nanotechnology gives you an idea of the scope of the investigations. A quick rundown of the … Continue reading Nanotech may deliver bloodless diabetes monitoring – and lots more
I’m excited to report news involving three of my favorite topics: nanotechnology, stem cells, and fixing hearts. Past efforts using stem cells to treat heart attacks and heart failure haven’t been very successful. And the worst part is, they don’t know why. Apparently they inject the stem cells into a patient but then don’t know … Continue reading Nano help for stem cell rebuilding hearts
Nanotechnology has been around for thousands of years, says Nanofilm CEO Scott Rickert in an article for Virtual Strategy Magazine. He wonders how it got tagged as something new and unknown – and therefore, impliedly, worth being careful with. Stating, as Mr. Rickert does, that nanoparticles have been around for four thousand years, and that … Continue reading Nanotechnology’s been around forever. And…?
Ho, ho, ho, nano. Santa Claus dropped off news of a study in India that shows the needles from your Christmas tree may be useful to sterilize nano medical devices. Scientists used extract of Douglas fir needles to create nanoparticles that were then used to create an “antimicrobial, self-sterilizing composite material…essentially a silver/chitosan bionanocomposite” [that’s … Continue reading Christmas tree needles can deliver nanocoatings that sterilize medical implants
Leave it to Seattle, the hotbed of software programming geniuses. Its local North Seattle Community College has invented a new certificate program and a new 2-year degree called AAS-T, Associate of Applied Science in Nanotechnology. They’re collaborating with the University of Washington, which has comprehensive nanotech facilities, to prepare bunches of young people to become … Continue reading Know what you’re getting into – new programs to prep nanotech technicians
When a 61-year-old woman died recently after having received an accepted targeted treatment—known as stereotactic body-radiation therapy—doctors had to start re-thinking both the radiation dose and the treatment itself. Months after she’d received the treatment for early-stage adenocarcinoma, a type of non-small cell lung cancer, the woman came back suffering. Doctors found not only that … Continue reading Even accepted targeted lung cancer therapies can miss the point
The trouble with some of the miracles of science is that we discover some wonderful substance and start manipulating it in the belief we know what we’re doing, only to find out at some later date that the substance in question—in this case, nitric oxide—does not, in fact, perform its magic all by itself. A … Continue reading Surprise partners: Nitric oxide and H2S…What else don’t we know?
As baby boomers age, people are also living longer. Naturally they hope to also have improved quality of life—without paying their entire retirement savings for it. What if we could affordably regenerate blood vessels, bones, cartilage, and even organs? Stem cell research is doggedly pursuing these magical goals, and now nanotechnology is promising to team … Continue reading Talk about magic–nanotechnology guiding stem cells