Nanotechnology

  2010 MAR 8 - (VerticalNews.com) -- According to recent research published in the New Journal of Chemistry, "A systematic cytotoxic and genotoxic evaluation of glycolipid-conjugated silver and gold nanoparticles is carried out. These glycolipid nanoparticle conjugates are obtained by exploiting the reductive capability of a class of glycolipids called sophorolipids that play the role of capping agent as well."

  "Further, when tested for their cytotoxicity and genotoxicity on HepG2 cells, these nanoparticles are found to be cytocompatible up to 100 mc M metal concentrations. Of the two metallic systems investigated, gold nanoparticles are found to be more cytocompatible than the same concentrations of silver nanoparticles," wrote S. Singh and colleagues ...read more

  2010 MAR 8 - (VerticalNews.com) -- According to a study from Tianjin, People's Republic of China, "This paper reports a systematical study on the electrochemical properties of MnO2-based nanostructures as low-cost catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline media. The results show that the catalytic activities of MnO2 depend strongly on the crystallographic structures, following an order of (alpha- > beta- > gamma-MnO2. ...read more

  2010 MAR 8 - (VerticalNews.com) -- "Fluorescent single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were prepared by mixing Cut SWCNTs with acridine orange (AO). The optical absorbance and fluorescence characteristics of AO-SWCNT conjugates display interesting pH-dependent properties," scientists in Shanghai, People's Republic of China report.

  "Fluorescence microscopy in combination with transmission electron microscopy proves that AO-SWCNTs can enter HeLa cells and are located inside lysosomes. The endocytosis-inhibiting tests show that the clathrin-mediated endocytosis is a key step in the internalization process. The internalized AO-SWCNTs remain inside lysosomes for more than a week and have little effect on cell proliferation," wrote X.K. Zhang and colleagues, Shanghai Jiao Tong University ...read more