R. Bustamante

Joining Time-Resolved Thermometry and Magnetic-Induced Heating in a Single Nanoparticle Unveils Intriguing Thermal Properties

Whereas efficient and sensitive nanoheaters and nanothermometers are demanding tools in modern bio- and nanomedicine, joining both features in a single nanoparticle still remains a real challenge, despite the recent progress achieved, most of it within the last year. Here we demonstrate a successful realization of this challenge. The heating is magnetically induced, the temperature readout is optical, and the ratiometric thermometric probes are dual-emissive Eu(3+)/Tb(3+) lanthanide complexes. The low thermometer heat capacitance (0.021·K(-1)) and heater/thermometer resistance (1 K·W(-1)), the high temperature sensitivity (5.8%·K(-1) at 296 K) and uncertainty (0.5 K), the physiological working temperature range (295-315 K), the readout reproducibility (>99.5%), and the fast time response (0.250 s) make the heater/thermometer nanoplatform proposed here unique. Cells were incubated with the nanoparticles, and fluorescence microscopy permits the mapping of the intracellular local temperature using the pixel-by-pixel ratio of the Eu(3+)/Tb(3+) intensities. Time-resolved thermometry under an ac magnetic field evidences the failure of using macroscopic thermal parameters to describe heat diffusion at the nanoscale.

Magnetic and relaxation properties of multifunctional polymer-based nanostructured bioferrofluids as MRI contrast agents

A series of maghemite/polymer composite ferrofluids with variable magnetic core size, which show a good efficiency as MRI contrast agents, are presented. These ferrofluids are biocompatible and can be proposed as possible platforms for multifunctional biomedical applications, as they contain anchoring groups for biofunctionalization, can incorporate fluorescent dyes, and have shown low cellular toxicity. The magnetic properties of the ferrofluids have been determined by means of magnetization and ac susceptibility measurements as a function of temperature and frequency. The NMR dispersion profiles show that the low frequency behavior of the longitudinal relaxivity r1 is well described by the heuristic model of 1H nuclear relaxation induced by superparamagnetic nanoparticles proposed by Roch and co‐workers. The contrast efficiency parameter, i.e., the nuclear transverse relaxivity r2, for samples with d > 10 nm assumes values comparable with or better than the ones of commercial samples, the best results obtained in particles with the biggest magnetic core, d = 15 nm. The contrast efficiency results are confirmed by in vitro MRI experiments at ν = 8.5 MHz, thus allowing us to propose a set of optimal microstructural parameters for multifunctional ferrofluids to be used in MRI medical diagnosis. Magn Reson Med, 2011.

Shifted loops and coercivity from field-imprinted high-energy barriers in ferritin and ferrihydrite nanoparticles

We show that the coercive field in ferritin and ferrihydrite depends on the maximum magnetic field in a hysteresis loop and that coercivity and loop shifts depend both on the maximum and cooling fields. In the case of ferritin we show that the time dependence of the magnetization also depends on the maximum and previous cooling fields. This behavior is associated to changes in the intra-particle energy barriers imprinted by these fields. Accordingly, the dependence of the coercive and loop shift fields with the maximum field in ferritin and ferrihydrite can be described within the frame of a uniform-rotation model considering a dependence of the energy barrier with the maximum and the cooling fields.

Magnetically responsive dry fluids

Ferrofluids and dry magnetic particles are two separate classes of magnetic materials with specific niche applications, mainly due to their distinct viscosity and interparticle distances. For practical applications, the stability of these two properties is highly desirable but hard to achieve. Conceptually, a possible solution to this problem would be encapsulating the magnetic particles but keeping them free to rotate inside a capsule with constant interparticle distances and thus shielded from changes in the viscosity of the surrounding media. Here we present an example of such materials by the encapsulation of magnetic ferrofluids into highly hydrophobic silica, leading to the formation of dry ferrofluids, i.e., a material behaving macroscopically as a dry powder but locally as a ferrofluid where magnetic nanoparticles are free to rotate in the liquid.

Multifunctional nanoplatform for biomedical applications

E of the human epidermal growth factor receptor subunit 2 (HER2) characterizes HER2+ tumors. HER2 elevation amplifies tumor growth signaling, facilitating recalcitrance to standard therapies. Whereas HER2 inhibitors, trastuzumab and lapatinib, target HER2+ tumors by blocking HER2 signaling, up to 70% of cases resist or acquire resistance to these targeted therapies. Recent studies indicate that elevation of the HER2 dimerization partner, HER3, facilitates this resistance. We have developed HerGa and HerDox: nanobiological particles capable of targeting resistant tumors by binding HER3 and inducing rapid entry of toxic molecules into tumor cells by receptor-mediated endocytosis and membrane penetration. These particles circumvent the need to modulate signaling. HerGa and HerDox are both comprised of the recombinant protein, HerPBK10, delivering a different toxic molecule: either a gallium corrole or doxorubicin, respectively. HerPBK10 is a fusion of the receptor binding domain of the HER ligand, heregulin, appended to a membrane penetration domain derived from the adenovirus capsid penton base protein. HerPBK10 binds HER3 and triggers rapid receptor-mediated endocytosis into endocytic vesicles via the heregulin domain. Vesicle escape and passage into the cytosol (necessary for cytotoxicity) is facilitated by the penton base domain. HerPBK10 also contains a positively-charged domain for binding anionic compounds. HerPBK10 can noncovalently self-assemble with either drug, forming 10-20 nm diameter round particles that are stable under different storage conditions and in blood. While HerGa and HerDox can target HER2+ tumors because HER2 elevation enhances HER3 affinity for heregulin, preference for drug resistant tumors is even higher due to HER3 elevation. Lali K. Medina-Kauwe, J Nanomed Nanotechnol 2013, 4:6 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7439.S1.013Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires have found many potential applications, ranging from sensors to optoelectronics, due to its unique chemical, electrical, optical and piezoelectric properties. Furthermore, the biocompatibility and high isoelectric point of ZnO nanowire means that the nanomaterial is an excellent candidate for biosensing application. Here we discuss the development of glucose biosensor chip based on ZnO nanowires. The device can be used in the continuous monitoring of blood glucose that is of paramount importance in managing chronic disease, such as diabetes. In this talk, the use of flexographic printing technique and hydrothermal growth of nanowires that enable high-volume low-cost production of these devices will be presented. Such fabrication technique would significantly reduce the production cost of these devices and hence rendering them commercially viable.Tailored magnetic particles might be promising agents for purification and recovery applications. Such particles may act as scavengers when added to a fluid (such as water) that contains dissolved substances which shall be removed or recovered. After having adsorbed the targets, the particles can be extracted magnetically from the fluid together with their load. Chemical regeneration allows recovery of substances and a reuse of the particles. Although magnetic separation has been known for a long time, nanotechnology introduced a new aspect to the technique: if particles are nano sized, they may behave superparamagnetically, i.e., these particles may serve as switchable magnets. They can be extracted in the gradient of a magnetic field, but without an external magnetic field, they can be easily dispersed in a fluid without any remanent magnetic agglomeration. Although it is very often published that “nanoparticles” are used for separation of target substances, there are doubts if it is really possible to easily magnetically extract individual nanoparticles as the counteracting Brownian forces are strong for such small particles [1]. It is therefore a better strategy to incorporate many super paramagnetic nanoparticles into a matrix to form larger, micron sized particles, i.e., to transfer the nano property super paramagnetism to the micron scale [2]. Such micron sized switchable magnetic particles can be modified in all kind of ways for (selective) recovery of substances from fluids [2, 3].Using an Anti-Reflecting layer as supporting plate for imaging an ultrathin film in reflected light with better contrast is a powerful trick. This contrast is defined as the ratio of the difference and the sum of the object and background intensities. Thus, in principles, its value is one when the background reflectance is turned off. For homogeneous, isotropic and purely dielectric materials, single AR layers are defined by the two famous conditions n1 2 = n0n2 and e1=/4n1 ruling respectively the refractive index and the thickness of the layer. Among other applications, such AR-layers may be used in order to probe ligand binding on surface grafted receptors. Then, the AR layer must be positioned between the solid support and the ligand solution, which refractive index is close to that of water. With a glass support for instance, the index condition imposes that the layer index is about 1.27. It does not correspond to any homogeneous material. It is therefore difficult to realize. Here we will present a new family of anti-reflecting layers which are particularly suited for biophotonic applications. They were obtained by a theoretical approach that we will expose. Their number is infinite. We will discuss their performances, their practical use for real time high contrast imaging in ligand-receptor experiments, and their manufacturing. At least, we hope that we will be able to present first experimental results.Inspired from biological systems, nanotechnology is beginning to revolutionize (and in many cases already has) revolutionized medicine including improved prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of numerous diseases. This talk will summarize efforts over the past decade that have synthesized novel nanoparticles, nanotubes, and other nanomaterials to improve medicine. Efforts focused on the use of nanomaterials to minimize immune cell interactions, inhibit infection, and increase tissue growth will be especially emphasized. Tissue systems covered will include the nervous system, orthopedics, bladder, cardiovascular, vascular, and the bladder. Due to complications translating in vitro to in vivo results, only in vivo studies will be emphasized here. Materials to be covered will include ceramics, metals, polymers, and composites thereof. Self-assembled nano-chemistries will also be emphasized. As the FDA has now approved several nanomaterials for medical applications, recent results from FDA trials will also be discussed. Importantly, this talk will also discuss what further advances we can make in medicine by using picotechnology compared to nanotechnology. In summary, this talk will provide the latest information concerning the design and use of numerous nanomaterials in regenerative medicine while highlighting what is necessary for this field to continue to grow through the exploration of picotechnology.H structures with three-dimensional repeated features of two or more distinct length scales at the micro-meter and submicrometer scales are becoming increasingly important as a means to offer high-value functionality to material surfaces. The unique surface properties of hierarchical nanostructures are well documented in nature. The lotus leaf, water striders legs, butterfly wings, feet of geckos, and shark’s skin each carry hierarchical structures that impart their respective surface properties of controllable wettability, structural color, reversible (chemical free) adhesion and drag reduction. Nanoimprinting is a cheap, scalable means to achieve high throughput production of functional nanostructures out of a wide variety of materials. Our group has focused on the scaling up of nanoimprint technology to create roll-to-roll imprinted functional anti-reflective and superhydrophobic films with high throughputs of 10 m/min. Through developments that improve our nanoimprint capabilities from various angles: roll-to-roll machinery development, nickel mold fabrication techniques, and development of soft mold nanoimprint processes, our group has been able to create functional films with high yield and fidelity, over areas of to 100 mm x 65 mm with less than 0.2% defects. Further, we have also demonstrated the ability to create a range of hierarchical threedimensional structures out of a wide variety of nanoimprint compatible thermoplastic and cross-linked materials. Tan Wui Siew, J Nanomed Nanotechnol 2013, 4:6 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7439.S1.013S quantum dot (QD) is promising for various future optoelectronic devices. One important application is the quantum information device. It is necessary to set QDs at the desired position for the fabrication of the quantum circuit. The methods to form the epitaxial QDs on the processed surface of the substrate have been proposed, but the generation of the nonradiative defects is unavoidable at the surface. QD is also attractive to the solar cell application. If the QDs are packed densely with long periodicity, the intermediate band will be created due to the overlap of the electron wave function among QDs. This artificial energy band will expand the light absorption wavelength, and will raise the photoelectric conversion efficiency up to 70%. Such epitaxial growth of QDs is, however, not easy. In this paper, we propose the usage of the colloidal QDs (C-QDs) in these applications. The emission wavelength of the C-QDs covers from visible to infrared. The positioning of the PbS C-QD was achieved using nano-scale holes processed by the scanning probe microscope (SPM) lithography of Si substrate. The SPM oxidation lines were used as a negative etching mask to form the holes of the depth same as the C-QD diameter. We also report that the three-dimensional long-periodic ordering of the C-QDs is attainable by depositing C-QDs into the pyramidal holes processed by the anisotropic etching of Si substrate. Microscope observations and optical evaluations suggested the creation of the intermediate band after the slow sedimentation of C-QDs into the holes. Kohki Mukai, J Nanomed Nanotechnol 2013, 4:6 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7439.S1.013N such as fumed silica, zirconium dioxide, carbon nanotube, silver oxide etc. are the emerging materials that have significant effect in tailoring the lacking properties in polymer electrolyte membranes. This material is an attractive candidate owing to its small particle size which has high penetration ability into the matrix with less restriction towards its free flow mobility. The embedment of nanomaterials into the polymer matrix is found to improve the conducting nature along with its mechanical strength. The conducting nature is improved with the presence of polar functional group in the nanomaterial that acts as a transit site for the hopping of charge carriers. As for the mechanical strength, the small sized nanomaterial improves this property by filling up the spaces of the pores and forming a network with the atoms at the outer most surface of the pores, eventually closing the pores. The beneficial functionality of nanomaterial is being applied in the matrix formed from an acrylate based copolymer and this formulation is found to possess added advantages such as behaving as an adhesive and being mechanically elastic. The formulation of a thin film membrane with the combination of adhesion and elastic property creates a platform for utilization in the electrochemical device applications. This dry-natured thin film polymer electrolyte is found to be a good replacement for the commercially available liquid type and subsequently improves the safety of the applications with the most concern focusing on portable type applications. Ramesh T. Subramaniam, J Nanomed Nanotechnol 2013, 4:6 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7439.S1.013A magnetic domain patterns can be fabricated in exchange biased bilayers and some other magnetic multilayer systems by light-ion bombardment induced magnetic patterning (keV He+ ion bombardment in combination with resist masks and an applied magnetic field during the bombardment). This technique enables a local modification of, e.g., the exchange bias field in magnitude and in direction. Remanently stable magnetic patterns (artificial domains) may be created without large changes in surface topography. These patterns allow also a tailoring of the associated magnetic strayfield landscapes due to tailored magnetic charges at domain walls. The fundamentals for fabricating such artificial domain patterns will be discussed. The corresponding stray fields may be dynamically changed by overlaid external macroscopic magnetic fields or by a controlled domain wall motion. The use of the associated static and dynamic magnetic field landscapes for positioning of molecules and for the controlled movement of superparamagnetic particles by moving domain walls will be shown and their possible application in a lab on a chip device will be discussed. Besides the application point of view experiments on fundamental aspects of particle transport on or close to surfaces will be presented. Arno Ehresmann, J Nanomed Nanotechnol 2013, 4:6 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7439.S1.013In Japan, the major concern on the radioactive cesium( 134 Csand 137 Cs) deposition and its contamination due to the emission from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant showed up after a massive quake on March 11, 2011. By the end of March 2012, ash containing 100,000 to 140,000 becquerels per kilogram (Bq kg −1 ) of ( 134 Csand 137 Cs) was recorded. High levels of 134 Csand 137 Cs are also present in incineration ash from normal garbage. The volume of radioactive cesium contaminated ash in the northern part of Japan is growing at 360 t/d. During and after the 30 years it takes for 137 Cs to decay by half, each time it rains, 134 Csand 137 Cs deposited will be washed down to where people live. For the entire ecosystem, 134 Csand 137 Cs are being accumulated in the environment. Temporary disposal sites for incinerated ash containing 134 Csand 137 Cs are rapidly filling up. No alternative landfills are available. Therefore, the 134 Csand 137 Cs removal and immobilization in contaminated fly ash are recognized as important problems to be solved using suitable technologies. Recently the impacts of nanotechnology are increasingly evident in the field of environmental studies and treatment. Treatment and remediation has seemingly experienced the most growth in recent years. In terms of site remediation, the development and deployment of nanotechnology for contaminant destruction has already taken place. Present study, first time we conducted to determine the capability of nanometallicCa/CaO methanol suspension to extract and immobilize 134 Csand 137 Csin contaminated fly ash. Simultaneous high cesium extraction and immobilization were achieved using methanol/nanometallicCa/CaO methanol suspension in a synthetically prepared stable cesium ( 133 Cs) contaminated fly ash sample. For actual radioactive cesium contaminated fly ash samples obtained for Fukushima, Japan, after with nanometallicCa/CaO methanol suspension extraction, total 134 Csand 137 Cs concentrations in fly ash was much lower, 3,583 Bq kg −1 than the Japanese Ministry of the Environment regulatory limit of 8,000 Bq kg −1 , which allows the ash to be buried in landfills. Scanning electron microscopy with electron dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) revealed that the mass percent of 133 Cs detectable on the fly ash surface was decreased 100% after nanometallicCa/CaO methanol suspension extraction, perhaps because of its agglomeration with the Ca/CaO hydration product matrix. The most probable mechanisms for enhanced cesium removal and immobilization capacity with nanometallic Ca/CaO methanol suspension extraction are portrayed. These results highlight the potential of nanometallic Ca/CaO methanol suspension as a unique amendment for remediation of 134 Csand 137 Csin contaminated fly ash.T presentation shows the recent development of self-assembled photonic crystals (PCs) of organic and polymer materials, such as chiral liquid crystals (CLCs) and colloidal crystals (CCs), for laser applications. Both CLCs and CCs have intrinsic capabilities to spontaneously assemble 1D-PC and 3D-PC structures, respectively. When a periodic length in the PC structures of CLCs and CCs corresponds to several hundred nanometers in the light wavelength, the photonic band-gaps (PBGs) can be visualized as Bragg reflection colors. When fluorescence dyes are embedded in the CLCs and CCs, the stimulated laser action at PBG band edge(s) or within the PBG wavelength can be generated by optical excitation. Moreover, the optically-excited laser action is controllable by external stimuli due to the self-organization of CLCs and CCs. This presentation highlights not only the research backgrounds of CLC and CC structures as PCs, but also the experimental results of their soft and tunable laser applications. We believe that a wide variety of CLC and CC structures will play leading roles in the next-generation of optoelectronic devices of organic and polymer materials. Seiichi Furumi, J Nanomed Nanotechnol 2013, 4:6 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7439.S1.013To get homogeneous nanoparticles (NPs), protein (apoferritin) cavity has been utilized as a reaction chamber. Protein shells served as a template to restrain particle growth and as a coating to prevent coagulation between NPs. Apoferritin is an iron storage protein found in many biological species, known to mineralize several metal ions in vitro. It is a hollow, spherical protein composed of 24 subunits, with outer and inner diameters of 13 nm and 7.4 nm, respectively. Here I report synthesis of rare earth NPs (yttrium (Y), europium (Eu) and terbium (Tb) NPs, and Eu or Tb doped Y NPs) in the cavity of apoferritin. The diameter of each NP is around 7 nm and discrepancy of the size is within 1 nm. Eu and Eu doped Y (Y:Eu) nanoparticles exhibit red photoluminescence (emission peaks: 590 and 614 nm), while Tb and Tb doped Y (Y:Tb) nanoparticles exhibit green photoluminescence (emission peaks: 488, 544, 582 and 618 nm). High-resolution electron microscopy observations reveal that about 5% of the nanoparticles have a lattice structure, while the remaining nanoparticles are amorphous. Electron diffraction of the Y nanoparticles gives lattice spacing’s corresponding to the cubic structure of yttrium oxide (Y2O3). Photoluminescence intensity increases by increasing dopant concentration up to 60% of the host in Y:Eu and 40% in Y:Tb. Because nano-meter scale particles are homogeneously dispersed in the solution, concentration quenching typically observed in bulk sample would be suppressed.I this ageing population, the use of implants for repair of fractured bone tissues has been increasing rapidly. Traditionally, implant materials such as stainless steel and titanium alloys are used for temporary mini-implant applications in orthopaedics and dental maxillofacial fixation. Due to the risk of toxic metallic ion release through corrosion and/or wear, these implants are removed surgically after the tissues have healed completely. However, it is well known that any surgical process poses risk to the patient. Biomaterials that support tissue regeneration and healing by material degradation and simultaneous implant replacement by the surrounding tissues can resolve these problems. Magnesium is a suitable material for biodegradable implant applications if its degradation rate is controlled. In fact, the biocompatibility and mechanical properties of magnesium are very attractive for such applications. A considerable amount of work, especially on conventional methods such as alloying and coating, has been done to control the high degradation rate of magnesium in body fluid. However, nanotechnology has proven to enhance the performance of magnesium-based alloys significantly. In this talk, the advancement made on magnesium-based biomaterials using nanotechnology for potential temporary mini-implant applications will be discussed. Bobby Kannan Mathan, J Nanomed Nanotechnol 2013, 4:6 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7439.S1.013M a three-dimensional porous material having a continuous interconnected nanoscale pore structure in a single piece, has received much attention as functional materials such as chromatographic separation media, ion exchange resins, and catalyst supports due to its large air and liquid permeability, fast mass transfer performance, high stability and easy chemical modification. This study deals with fabrication of polymeric monoliths with nanoscale porous (mesoporous) structure by thermally induced phase separation (TIPS). Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) was insoluble in water but soluble in a mixture of water and DMSO at heating. A mesoporous monolith of PAN was fabricated by dissolution of the polymer in the mixture of solvents by heating, followed by phase separation on cooling. The formation of monolith depended on two factors: the concentration of the polymer and ratio of water/DMSO. A highly mesoporous N-doped activated carbon monolith was fabricated by carbonization and physical activation of the mesoporous PAN monolith in the presence of CO2. The obtained monolith had high BET surface areas (>2500 m2/g) and exhibited exceptionally high CO2 uptake; 5.14 mmol/g at ambient pressure and temperature and 11.5 mmol/g at ambient pressure and 273 K. Furthermore, functional monoliths were prepared from reactive acrylic resins. A poly(methyl methacrylate-co-glycidiyl methacrylate) monolith was crosslinked by poly(ethylenimine) to the amine-containing monolith. Endotoxin, which must be removed from drug product containers as even small amounts, could be efficiently and selectively removed by this monolith from an aqueous solution containing endotoxin and globulin under the conditions of the fast elution. Hiroshi Uyama, J Nanomed Nanotechnol 2013, 4:6 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7439.S1.013R are here presented about the analysis of an improved version of an innovative kind of self-assembling protein microarray, the SNAP-NAPPA (Nucleic Acid Programmable Protein Array). For the first time NAPPA arrays have been expressed with a SNAP tag and expressed in an E. coli coupled cell-free expression system. The goal of our research is to develop a standardized nanotechnological procedure for clinical and basic applications able to analyze the protein-protein interactions occurred on SNAP-NAPPA array in a label free manner. For this aim we analyzed SNAP NAPPAs by two Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time-of-Flight (MALDI TOF), namely a Voyager and an Ultraflex Bruker, and Liquid ChromatographyElectrospray Ionization (LC-ESI-MS) Mass Spectrometry and the results have been analyzed with the aid of a complex package of in house made software. A fluorescence analysis of SNAP NAPPA has been contemporarily performed, to fully characterize this new SNAP-NAPPA array. Claudio Nicolini et al., J Nanomed Nanotechnol 2013, 4:6 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7439.S1.013I this talk our quest for functional magnetic logic elements will be revised. Ever since the laser-induced ultrafast demagnetization of ferromagnetic materials was discovered, spintronics has become a main research field in the area of magnetism and optical control. Starting from one-magnetic-center over to twoand three-magnetic-center molecules, the necessary elementary mechanisms (spin flip and spin transfer) will be discussed to finally arrive at more complex functionalities such as actually constructing and preparing magnetic logic gates. With the help of high-level ab initio quantum chemistry the possible spin manipulation scenarios will be elucidated, followed by a discussion pertinent to the design of magnetic structures whose purpose is the coherent magneto-optical control. Emphasis will be given on the structural aspects of the most successful nanostructures as well as their electronic-level scheme. Along the way some derived rules-of-thumb and important physical aspects, like the conservation of total angular momentum, the spin and charge dynamics decoupling as well as the role of phonons and symmetry breaking will also be addressed. Georg Lefkidis, J Nanomed Nanotechnol 2013, 4:6 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7439.S1.013I order to gain insights into how cells respond the external nanoscale environment, we used unmodified and modified surfaces of anodized TiO2 nanostructures (ATNs) to investigate the effect of those modified groups on cell morphological change and cell growth. X-ray diffraction showed the nanotubes consisted of TiO2. Those ATN were around 60.374 nm in diameter in the analyses of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The ATNs were then modified by two varied small chemicals of 3-aminoproplytrime thexysilane (APTMS) and 3-mercaptopropyl trimethoxysilane (MPTMS). Electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) was used to characterize the chemical components of original Ti web, unmodified, APTMS and MPTMS modified ATNs. ESCA showed the successful surface modifications with the specific amine (-NH2 was at 399.8 eV) and mercaptal (-SH was at 162.5 eV) functional groups on the surface of APTMS and MPTMS modified ATN, respectively. In order to investigate the effect of ATN on cell growth, 3T3 fibroblasts were independently cultured on the original Ti web, unmodified and modified ATNs. SEM and fluorescent images displayed the cells thrived on unmodified and modified ATNs. In addition, quantitative analyses of cell numbers exhibited APTMS modified ATN effectively facilitated the cell proliferation with an increasingly cellular growth. We found APTMS modified ATN improved the overall capability of cell growth up to 35.6 % in our in-vitro observation owing to better and fully cell-membrane contact to positive charge of protonated amino groups (-NH3+). Our study showed that cells can respond sub-nano chemical environments and further altered their growth on the substrates. Shu-Ping Lin, J Nanomed Nanotechnol 2013, 4:6 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7439.S1.013M blowing has been known to produce nonwoven webs with fiber diameters in the range of a few microns. With recent advances in technology, it has been possible to produce nonwoven webs with diameters in the range of few nanometers. There has been continuing interest in nanofibers for filtration and related applications. Several techniques have been researched over the years. Although many have been successful in the laboratory scale, for several reasons, they have not seen commercial success. The meltblown approach allows the production of nanofiber webs from thermoplastic polymers with relatively higher production rate, and is the most promising one for large-scale production. Special dies made from two different designs have been retrofitted in the traditional melt blowing line at the university of Tennessee nonwovens research laboratory (UTNRL) pilot lines to produce nanofiber webs from thermoplastic polymers. It has been demonstrated that melt blown webs with average diameters less than half a micron have been consistently produced from several polymers including polypropylene, polyesters and polylactic acid. Results from this ongoing research work will be discussed. Gajanan Bhat, J Nanomed Nanotechnol 2013, 4:6 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7439.S1.013The alloying concept has been long known to allow for fine tuning of material properties, not only in-between the borders set by the boundary systems, but sometimes also reaching beyond the performance limits of the individual constituents. The recent trend in materials science is to effectively combine theoretical modeling with experimental work in order to gain deeper understanding of processes which are e.g., difficult to approach experimentally, but also to guide the experiments. In this paper we explore the capabilities of standard Density Functional Theory calculations to reliably predict structural, mechanical and electronic properties of alloys. To model the disordered alloys, we employ special quasi-random structures.Q information devices have been well studied because they are expected to have functionalities beyond existing information devices. A single electron spin in Si quantum dots (QDs) is one of the most promising candidates for implementing a quantum bit (qubit) as a unit of information in quantum computers. Long coherence time of electron spins is expected in Si QDs, because hyperfine coupling between electron spins and nuclear spins is small in Si. We develop a novel device structure of lithographically-defined Si QDs toward qubits. The Si QDs are fabricated using electron beam lithography, reactive ion etching, and oxidation, in a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) structure on silicon-oninsulator (SOI) substrates. The advantage of our device is that well-defined confinement potential and small QDs (~20 nm in diameter) can be obtained. We studied both single QD and double QD devices. Charge detection of change in number of electron in QDs, one by one, has been successfully demonstrated in both devices. Few-electron regimes in QDs are also realized in both devices. Using the double QD devices, we succeed in observing spin-related tunneling phenomena. These achievements are the important steps for realizing qubits. Tetsuo Kodera, J Nanomed Nanotechnol 2013, 4:6 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7439.S1.013Phenol derivatives use for the synthesis of many industrial chemical products, e.g., p-cresol for an antiseptic substance, bisphenol A for polycarbonate, and 2-naphthol for azo dyes. Among them, nonylphenol and bisphenol A are a well known endocrine disruptor, and the concentration in environmental water should be restricted below 0.1 M. Thus, a sunlightdriven process for completely removing phenol derivatives, particularly nonylphenol and bisphenol A, from the wastewater is of great importance for environmental conservation. On the other hand, gold nanoparticles (NPs) show the strong visible light absorption due to localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). The LSPRdriven photocatalyst called as “plasmon photo catalyst” has recently attracted much attention as a new type of visible-light photocatalyst. In this talk, we show that visible light irradiation of gold nanoparticle (NP)-loaded rutile TiO2 (Au/rutile TiO2) Plasmon photo catalyst leads to rapid and complete removal and degradation of nonylphenol from its dilute aqueous solution. Au/rutile TiO2 exhibits much higher activity than Au/anatase TiO2 and BiVO4. Based on the results of the action spectrum analysis, the adsorption and Fouriertransformed infrared spectroscopic measurements, we show a unique reaction scheme consisting of a series of events, 1) the large adsorption and concentration of nonylphenol on the Au NP surface, 2) the successive efficient oxidation induced by the LSPR-driven interfacial electron transfer from Au NP to rutile TiO2, and 3) the regeneration of the adsorption sites by the surface transport of the intermediates from Au to TiO2.F nanodiamond offers a promising platform for many biological applications including imaging probes, drug delivery, and biosensing. This is due, in part, to the potential to incorporate photostable luminescent defect centers into nanoscale diamond crystals which are biologically compatible and easy to functionalize. We present the first demonstration of spatially controlled nanodiamonds with nitrogen-enhanced photoluminescence from silicon-vacancy (Si-V) defect centers incorporated during microwave-plasma chemical vapor deposition. The potential for further enhancement of Si-V emission from these nanodiamonds is demonstrated through controlled nitrogen doping by adding varying amounts of N2 in a H2+CH4 feedgas mixture. At low levels, isolated substitutional nitrogen in {100} growth sectors is believed to act as a donor to increase the population of optically active (Si-V)at the expense of optically inactive Si-V defects, thus increasing the observed luminescence from this center. The direct placement and manipulation of nanodiamonds is done by scanning probe lithography (SPL) using “inked” cantilevers. We explore suitable nanodiamond inks, the mechanism of ink transport, and parameters such as humidity and dwell time that affect the SPL process. The precise control in spatial arrangement of these highly photostable particles and their strong emission in the far-red (c.a. 738 nm) lends them well for applications in targeted drug delivery, biosensing and imaging devices as well as single cell in vitro studies for very specific therapeutic dosing or release kinetics. Shane A. Catledge, J Nanomed Nanotechnol 2013, 4:6 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7439.S1.013As the future nanotechnology, atomic-level manufacturing is vital in various research fields including the next generation electronics and energy-related devices. Simultaneously, we need to consider our sustainable development: the limitation of elemental resources, impacts on the environment, material safety, and stability. Herein, we functionalize oxides based on a concept of artificial atom through atomic-level control of the structure because oxygen is the most abundant element existing as oxides on the earth. Additionally, artificial atom has attracted much attention to create artificial materials unlimited by the atomic properties and to develop single-electron electronics based on Coulomb blockade. To obtain an ideal artificial atom at room temperature (RT), the tiny dots need to be less than 2 nm in size so that the charging energy of each single electron exceeds the thermal energy at RT. Besides, reorganization of the surroundings dominates electron transfer in molecular scale as described by Marcus theory, which is totally different with electron tunneling adopted in nano scale. Therefore, we first established a method to deposit molecular-scale oxide dots on substrates based on the number of metal ions contained in super-molecular assembling precursor; oxide is beneficial to obtain atomic-level precise structures due to the strong binding energy of ionic covalent bond. Next, we seamlessly covered the surroundings with atomic layer deposition oxides. In the molecular technologies, the chemical design of precursors and chemoselective multistep processes like multistep total synthesis in organic chemistry make it possible to oxide-based complex structures with atomic-level precision.O group has been studying the binding, stabilization and delivery of designed therapeutic RNA molecules together with engineered nanomaterials and composites. Given the huge effort in the synthesis of nanomaterials from virtually every element in the periodic chart, the effect that these have on protein and nucleic acid structure-function is perhaps one of the most important questions in modern molecular cell biology. Initially we focused on nanomaterial derived of bio-elements such as zinc and manganese most well-known to mediate protein:nucleic acid interaction in cells and tissues, and have since expanded to composite nanomaterials derived of these and other important bio-elements. It was first necessary to develop synthetic methods in order to control the size and morphology of these nanomaterials which we did and have now found that both this and the nanomaterials’ chemical composition greatly impacts their interaction with biomolecules. To study biomolecular nanoconjugate formation, we have employed a variety of characterization techniques including; light scatter, UV, fluorescence and CD spectroscopy, nanosight, electron and atomic force microscopy. Functional effect of the nanomaterials on the biochemical activity of 3 model enzymes (luciferase, beta-galactosidease, reverse transcriptase) has been studied revealing exquisite and specific activation, stabilization, and inhibition. Nanoconjugate bio-activity was examined in several human cell lines for the delivery of siRNA, poly I:C, splice switching oligomer (SSO) and chimeric RNA-DNA aptamer in combination with various nanomaterial and composites revealing potent and specific effects on gene expression and cancer-killing. Finally we are beginning to progress several promising composite nanoconjugates into pre-clinical animal models. Robert K. De Long, J Nanomed Nanotechnol 2013, 4:6 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7439.S1.013Due to their large potential for a variety of applications, metallic nanomagnets have attracted considerable attention in the last decades. Among those, nanoparticles with very high magnetic anisotropies are particularly interesting as active materials for future ultra-high density magnetic data storage applications. Here, intermetallic alloys of the chemically ordered L10 phase such as L10-FePt are considered as one of the most promising materials candidates, as they combine magnetic hardness with a high resistivity against oxidation. In this talk,some of our recent work on the correlation between the atomically resolved structure of such FePt nanoparticlesand their magnetic properties will be presented. The investigated materials range from particles that are prepared by inert gas condensation and subsequent in-flight rapid thermal annealing to sputtered thin particulate FePt-X films for future heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR, films provided by HGST – A Western Digital Company). The gas-phase prepared L10-FePt nanomagnets are found to exhibit relatively low coercive fields and switching field distributions (SFD’s) that are limited to the range 0 T <M0Hsw<2 T. Remanence analyses reveal that the magnetic anisotropy of these particles is size dependent, which is due to a (partial) segregation of Pt towards the particle surface as evidenced from aberration-corrected HRTEM and MD simulations. In contrast, the SFD of the particulate FePt-X films peaks at fields as high as 0Hsw 6 Tand the L10-ordered FePt particles are highly textured due to their growth on a MgO seed layer at elevated temperatures [1]. The influence of (i) a certain discrepancy between a remaining misorientation of the crystallographic [001] axes of the FePtnanomagnets and the magnetic texture width as determined from the hard axis remanence of the particulate film and (ii) the presence of thermally instable particles on the overall magnetic performance will be discussed.T dream to incorporate functionality into textiles has inspired tremendous efforts to produce smart textiles, which may find their applications in sportswear, foldable display, portable power, healthcare, military and work wear, etc. Owing to their unique properties, carbon nanotubes have recently been used to functionalize conventional textiles and endow textiles with new function. By a dipping-drying procedure, in this work, nylon and cotton were functionalized with organic dye dispersed carbon nanotubes through the operation of Van der Waal’s forces, hydrogen bindings and ionic bondings. The attachment of carbon nanotubes onto fabrics were suggested by Raman microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. These functionalized fabrics can be curved and knotted randomly, demonstrating good flexibility of the fabrics. When the functionalized fabrics were treated with solvents, heat, or a combination of both, no obvious nanotube dissociation and precipitation was observed, reflecting the robust interactions between nanotubes and fabrics. The obtained nylon was used to make a capacitor structure, which possesses the merits of light weight, little hysteresis, and low power dissipation. The resultant cotton was used to make chemiresistors, which shows reasonable response to ammonia gas. All the structures can be easily integrated into clothing to make wearable electronics and intelligent textiles. Wei Zhang, J Nanomed Nanotechnol 2013, 4:6 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7439.S1.013C amounts of pollutants are generated by more than one billion registered vehicles worldwide. While the emissions related to exhaust gasses and tire wear were addressed extensively, the released brake wear debris and its impact were studied to a considerably lesser extent. Our previous work indicated that the released wear debris can have negative impact on environment. A characteristic automotive brake pad is a multicomponent composite typically formulated of more than 10 constituents. Manufacturers of brake pads worldwide use several thousand different raw materials, e.g. various metals and their compounds, carbon-based components and many others. This contribution addresses the character of wear debris released from a model friction material, used in a typical brake in Europe, USA and Asia. Brake samples were subjected to the standardized brake dynamometer test simulations and collected particles were further studied using a high resolution transmission electron microscopy with the EDX microanalysis. Our experiments demonstrated that airborne wear particles with sizes between 10 nm and 20 μm can be released into the air. Phase analysis revealed numerous compounds which were not present in the original brake material. Nano-sized Cu, Fe, and Sn oxides and carbon particles were confirmed in the released coarse, fine and ultrafine wear debris fractions. Moreover, nano-sized wear particles were observed to be released after a contact with water from the non-airborne wear particles which settle on road surfaces. These findings proved contribution of braking of automobiles to nanoparticulate air pollution which may potentially pose health risks in areas with heavy traffic. Kukutschova Jana, J Nanomed Nanotechnol 2013, 4:6 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7439.S1.013The purpose of this paper is to articulate the effects of sample dilution in particle size measurement using DLS technology, and how these effects may be minimized by using Photon Cross Correlation Spectroscopy (PCCS). Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) is a non-invasive, fast and well established technique for characterizing submicron particle size and distribution. Generally, it requires significant sample dilution in order to achieve a correct result by avoiding multiple scattering phenomena. Sample dilution may change the chemical environment of the suspended particles in the sample. As a result, the measured size and distribution may deviate from its original value. PCCS is a subset of DLS, extending the range of sample concentrations that can be measured with DLS up to 10 6 .A set of measurements for a series diluted NIST traceable monodispered polystyrene latex nanoparticles gives comparative results for using PCCS vs PCS. It enables the clarification and verification of concentration dependency in particle size measurements and eliminates many of the assumptions in DLS measurements which are inherent with sample dilutions that may lead to skewed conclusions in a real application.Dermal delivery after topical application of actives has gained increased interest and development due to the lower risk of systemic side effects. In particular, for antioxidants skin delivery, the search for a new delivery system that, simultaneously, preserves the antioxidant stability and enhances its deposition on the skin, opened a new chapter in drug delivery design. Since epidermal lipids are predominantly found within the penetration skin barrier (stratum corneum), topically applied lipid nanocarriers, allowing lipid interaction between the skin outermost layer and the carrier, appear promising. Nanocarriers, such as liposomes and cyclodextrins, have successfully enhanced the clinical efficiency of several drugs. More recently, specially designed carriers have claimed the ability to cross the skin intact and deliver the loaded drugs into the systemic circulation, being at the same time responsible for the percutaneous absorption of the drug within the skin. These carriers were firstly introduced as transfersomes®, and this denomination as well as deformable vesicles, were used to differentiate them from the conventional liposomes. The highly flexible membranes are the result of combining into a single structure phospholipids and an edge-active component in order to give to transfersomes the necessary deformability to move spontaneously into the skin, delivering the associated drugs dermal or systemically. Cyclodextrins are cyclic water-soluble, non-reducing and macrocycle carbohydrate polymers. Some derivatives, such as methylated-β-cyclodextrins are usually used for topical formulations.C CdSe/CdS quantum rods (Qrods) are a versatile nanomaterial. By growing a CdS rod-like shell around a spherical CdSe core, surface defect formation can be efficiently suppressed, yielding a high photoluminescence quantum efficiency routinely larger than 50%. Furthermore, the small valence band offset between CdSe and CdS allows further control over their optical properties due to electron delocalization into the shell, which modifies the electron-hole wave function overlap and hence the luminescence spectrum and decay rate. The stimulated emission (SE) of these nanocrystals can also be controlled in great detail. SE can be obtained from CdS bandedge states, CdSe core states, or even both simultaneously, by control the carrier dynamics with the core diameter and the rod length. Moreover, temperature-dependent measurements from 325 K down to 5 K have revealed that the discrete nature of the electronic states leads to a nearly constant SE threshold, paving the way for temperature-insensitive quantum dot lasers. A large CdS rod encompassing the CdSe core is also beneficial for enhancing the two-photon absorption (2PA). Investigating the 2PA spectrum in CdSe/CdS Qrods, we observed a strong blue shift of the 2PA transitions compared to the linear absorption (1PA) spectrum. Results are quantitatively explained by k.p calculations, which attribute the blue shift to different optical selection rules applying to 1PA and 2PA. Combining these data with the Qrod SE results, we could demonstrate low-threshold gain by pumping under the appropriate two-photon conditions. Iwan Moreels, J Nanomed Nanotechnol 2013, 4:6 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7439.S1.013Self-assembly is a promising technology for creating reliable functional films on substrate and nanomaterials. Selfassembled monolayers (SAMs) play an important role in modifying the substrate or nanomaterials interfaces which is applicable to stabilize metallic nanoparticle for CNTs synthesis, fabrication for hybrid materials and device application. Carbon nanomaterials, especially carbon nanotubes and graphene, have attracted intense interest in recent years due to their remarkable physicochemical properties. The arrangement of the advantages of both SAMs and carbon nanomaterials has been opening up a flourishingresearch field. The unique role of SAMs acting as active layers in carbon nanomaterials, controlling the carrier type and even installing new functionalities could be incorporate diverse molecular functionalities into nanocircuits that might be useful to fabricate devices in future.Serious global energy and environmental issues urge us to develop environmental catalysts for decomposing pollutants in ambient water and air by utilizing solar energy named as “solar environmental catalysts”. In this lecture, I summarize recent studies on the solar environmental catalysts consisting of TiO2 and molecular scale 3d metal oxide clusters on the surface (MOs/TiO2). The electronic state of MOs/TiO2 presents a fascinating scientific problem, while the photocatalytic and thermocatalytic activities are also interesting from a viewpoint of application as environmental catalysts. In the first part following the introduction, the chemisorption-calcination cycle technique for forming extremely small oxide clusters of 3d metals on TiO2 (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2011, 50, 3501), the physicochemical properties and electronic structures of MOs/TiO2 are described. The second part deals with their thermocatalytic and photocatalytic activities for the degradation of organic pollutants, and the essential action mechanisms of the metal oxide clusters. Combination of experiments and first principles density functional simulations shows that some MOs/TiO2 can be an ideal solar environmental catalyst working under sunlight and in the dark.O solar cells show great potential as a cheap renewable energy technology. In the fabrication process of organic solar cells usually two photo-active components are dissolved in an organic solvent such as chloroform. This solution can be deposited using a variety of printing and coating techniques to obtain a thin film of photo-active material. Deposition processes using organic solvents, however, are undesirable as these pose health and environmental risks, especially in large-scale deposition approaches. In order to mitigate these risks, aqueous based organic semiconductor nanoparticles were prepared using a miniemulsion technique. The added advantage of using a nanoparticle based approach is the inherent control over domain size. The nano-structure of the photo-active materials is known to have a major impact on the photo-electron conversion efficiency and a domain size of the order of tens of nanometers is found to be optimal. In order to induce a favorable nano-structure, thermal treatments were employed. X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (XPS) depth profiling measurements were used to determine the chemical composition throughout the organic solar cell. The results provided insight into what drives molecular diffusion of the photo-active constituents and they elucidated the effect of the nano-structure on device performance. Finally, the XPS measurements were used to identify an approach to easily increase device performance while mitigating the health, safety and environmental risks associated with organic solvents. Krishna Feron, J Nanomed Nanotechnol 2013, 4:6 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7439.S1.013A of Si nanoelectronics is widely growing from ultra-large scale integrated circuits to various functional, microelectromechanical, and optoelectronic systems. Ge1-xSnx is one of the most attractive materials in order to develop future Si nanoelectronics. Ge1-xSnx is expected to be stressor for realizing biaxially tensile or uniaxially compressive strained Ge for higher mobility channel than conventional strained Si. Also, Ge1-xSnx with a high Sny content larger than 10% promises to be direct transition semiconductor with lowering the conduction band edge at the Γpoint. That leads to realizing optoelectronic applications and high mobility channel with a small effective mass of electron at the Γpoint. In addition, Ge1-x-ySixSny ternary alloy is expected to be electronic and optoelectronic materials because of its advantage that the energy band structure can be controlled independently on the lattice constant. Challenges of Sn-related group-IV materials are suppressing the Sn precipitation from the substitutional site, controlling crystalline defects and strains, and engineering the energy band structure and electronic properties. We have developed the epitaxial growth and/or crystallization of Ge1-xSnx and Ge1-x-ySixSny thin films on various substrates such as Si, Ge, InP, and insulators. We have also investigated the behavior of Sn, dopant atoms, and point defects in the Sn-related semiconductors. In this presentation, we demonstrate recent results of growth and properties of Sn-related group-IV materials for future Si nanoelectronics applications. Osamu Nakatsuka et al., J Nanomed Nanotechnol 2013, 4:6 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7439.S1.013A wide variety of natural and synthetic materials (and combinations) have been used to bioengineer bone tissue. Growth factors have been supplied to progenitor cells in various forms to trigger a series of metabolic pathways leading to cellular proliferation, differentiation and functionality. The challenge is to supply these proteins, in the range of nano or even picograms, and in a sustained fashion over a period of time. Such a delivery system has yet to be developed. Alginate hydrogels are widely used to as a drug delivery system. We used halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) as carriers for the delivery of BMPs 2, 4 and 6, singly and in combination. Growth factors were vacuum loaded into HNTs and doped HNTs added to osteoblast-seeded alginate hydrogels. Cell proliferation, functionality and mineralization were observed over a 21-day period. Controls had unloaded HNTs dispersed within the alginate hydrogel. Halloysite nanoparticles showed a sustained release of all BMPs over a 21-day period with the dosage in picograms per milliliter. Increased collagen deposition, bone protein expression and formation of a mineralized matrix were observed that increased over the 21-day period. There was an increase in hydrogel material properties. Osteoblast proliferation, bone protein expression and mineralization in control cultures were reduced in comparison to experimental cultures. The data supports the potential use of a hydrogel-growth-factor doped HNT system as part of a novel osteogenic system that can deliver growth factors to the injured site (fracture, bone loss) and assist in bone repair. David K. Mills et al., J Nanomed Nanotechnol 2013, 4:6 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7439.S1.013

Multifunctional coating platform for the biomedical applications of magnetic nanoparticles

not received. Please see program and Late Abstract Addendum. S4.2.4 Structural studies of connexin-26 gap junction channel T. Tsukihara, S. Maeda, S. Nakagawa and Y. Misumi Department of Life Science, University of Hyogo, Kamighori,