ScienceDaily (Oct. 23, 2008) — Environmental gains derived from the use
of nanomaterials may be offset in part by the process used to
manufacture them, according to research published in a special issue of
the Journal of Industrial Ecology.
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Posts Tagged ‘Health’
Nanomaterials May Have Large Environmental Footprint
In nano, Nanoscale on November 3, 2008 at 3:17 amNanotechnology Boosts War On Superbugs
In Health, Microbe, nano, Nanoscale on October 13, 2008 at 8:04 pmCanadian academies report on Nanotechnology
In Governance, Health, Law, nano, Nanoscale on July 10, 2008 at 3:52 pmThe Council of Canadian Academies has been asked by the federal Minister of Health: “What is the state of knowledge with respect to existing nanomaterial properties and their health and environmental risks, which could underpin regulatory perspectives on needs for research, risk assessment and surveillance?”
An Expert Panel on Nanotechnology has been appointed by the Council of Canadian Academies to address this question. Scientific knowledge, or evidence, is broadly interpreted to include natural sciences and engineering, as well as social sciences.
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Salamander-inspired therapy may aid injured vets
In Health, Regenerative Medicine on May 31, 2008 at 11:48 pmSAN ANTONIO, Texas (CNN) — Last week in an operating room in Texas, a wounded American soldier underwent a history-making procedure that could help him regrow the finger that was lost to a bomb attack in Baghdad, Iraq, last year.
Army Sgt. Shiloh Harris’ doctors applied specially formulated powder to what’s left of the finger in an effort to do for wounded soldiers what salamanders can do naturally: replace missing body parts.Technorati Tags: regenerative medicine, health
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Virtual biopsy can tell whether colon polyp is benign without removal
In e-health, Health, Medicine, Sensor on May 26, 2008 at 2:29 pmA probe so sensitive that it can tell whether or not a cell living within the human body is veering towards cancer development may revolutionize how future colonoscopies are done, say researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla.
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“Wireless Healthcare 2008”
In e-health, Health, Information Technology, Telehealth on May 24, 2008 at 4:34 ammore here
Technorati Tags: Telehealth, ehealth, health, wireless
The Ultimate Cure
In Ableism, Bionic, Cogno, Disabled People, Enhancement, Health, nano, Nanoscale, NBICS, Neuro on May 24, 2008 at 2:01 amRemote Microscopy
In e-health, Health, Telehealth on May 23, 2008 at 3:25 pmHat tip to Sheila Moorcroft, Research Director, Shaping Tomorrow
Technorati Tags: Health, Telehealth, e-health, Microscopy
World health statistics 2008
In Books, Disabled People, Health on May 23, 2008 at 1:18 pmTen highlights in health statistics 7-34
Progress towards MDG 5: maternal mortality 8
Coverage gap and inequity in maternal, neonatal and child health interventions 10
HIV/AIDS estimates are revised downwards 13
Progress in the fight against malaria 15
Reducing deaths from tobacco 18
Breast cancer: mortality and screening 21
Divergent trends in mortality slow down improvements in life expectancy in Europe 24
Monitoring disease outbreaks: meningococcal meningitis in Africa 27
Future trends in global mortality: major shifts in cause of death patterns 29
Reducing impoverishment caused by catastrophic health care spending 32
References
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Technorati Tags: WHO, World Health Organisation, Health, Global,
Scheme to Let Robot Take Over Brain-Computer Interface
In Bionic, Cogno, Disabled People, Enhancement, Governance, Health, Information Technology, nano, Nanoscale, NBICS, Neuro, Robotics on May 23, 2008 at 2:26 am20 May 2008—A group of mechanical engineers at Caltech have come up with a way to guide miniature robots in the task of inserting and positioning electrode arrays in brain tissue. What they propose would be the first robotic approach to establishing an interface between computers and the brain by positioning electrodes in neural tissue.
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Technorati Tags: Health, brain machine interface, neuro, cognition, disabled people, enhancement
A Brief History of Asbestos Use and Associated Health Risks
In Governance, Health, Paralympics on May 22, 2008 at 4:48 pmCarbon nanotubes introduced into the abdominal cavity of mice show asbestos-like pathogenicity in a pilot study
In Health, nano, Nanoscale on May 22, 2008 at 4:01 ammore here
Nature Nanotechnology
Published online: 20 May 2008 | doi:10.1038/nnano.2008.111
Carbon nanotubes introduced into the abdominal cavity of mice show asbestos-like pathogenicity in a pilot study
Craig A. Poland1, Rodger Duffin1, Ian Kinloch2, Andrew Maynard3, William A. H. Wallace1, Anthony Seaton4, Vicki Stone5, Simon Brown1, William MacNee1 & Ken Donaldson1
Abstract
Carbon nanotubes1 have distinctive characteristics2, but their needle-like fibre shape has been compared to asbestos3, raising concerns that widespread use of carbon nanotubes may lead to mesothelioma, cancer of the lining of the lungs caused by exposure to asbestos4. Here we show that exposing the mesothelial lining of the body cavity of mice, as a surrogate for the mesothelial lining of the chest cavity, to long multiwalled carbon nanotubes results in asbestos-like, length-dependent, pathogenic behaviour. This includes inflammation and the formation of lesions known as granulomas. This is of considerable importance, because research and business communities continue to invest heavily in carbon nanotubes for a wide range of products5 under the assumption that they are no more hazardous than graphite. Our results suggest the need for further research and great caution before introducing such products into the market if long-term harm is to be avoided.
1. MRC/University of Edinburgh, Centre for Inflammation Research, Queen’s Medical Research Institute, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
2. School of Materials, University of Manchester, Grosvenor Street, Manchester M1 7HS, UK
3. Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington DC 20004-3027, USA
4. Institute of Occupational Medicine, Research Avenue North, Riccarton, Edinburgh EH14 4AP, UK
5. School of Life Sciences, Napier University, Colinton Road, Edinburgh EH10 5DT, UK
Correspondence to: Ken Donaldson1 e-mail: ken.donaldson@ed.ac.uk
Technorati Tags: Health, Nanotechnology, Nanotubes, Safety,
Gregor Wolbring and the WolbPack 