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	<title>AGY Consulting &#187; From the Meridian Institute&#8217;s Nanotech Dev News</title>
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	<description>Nanotech and Biotech Consulting</description>
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		<title>Harnessing Nature’s Solar Cells</title>
		<link>http://www.merid.org/en/Content/News_Services/Nanotechnology_and_Development_News/Articles/2012/Feb/03/MIT_work.aspx</link>
		<comments>http://www.merid.org/en/Content/News_Services/Nanotechnology_and_Development_News/Articles/2012/Feb/03/MIT_work.aspx#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:54:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Syndicated</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[From the Meridian Institute's Nanotech Dev News]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[According to Andreas Mershin, a research scientist in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Center for Bits and Atoms, United States, people living in remote villages in the developing world may soon be able to make their own solar panels, inexpensively, using worthless agricultural waste as their raw material.  Mershin has extended upon a project begun by Shuguang Zhang, a principal research scientist at MIT, who was able to enlist a complex of molecules known as photosystem-1 (PS-1) – the tiny structures within plant cells that carry out photosynthesis – to produce an electric current when exposed to light. The initial system had some drawbacks and very low efficiency, but Mershin says the process has now been simplified to the point that virtually any lab could replicate it, and the new efficiency is 10,000 times greater than in previous versions.  Still, it only converts 0.1 percent of sunlight’s energy into electricity, so an improvement of another tenfold is needed in order for the system to become useful.  The huge improvement in efficiency resulted from Mershin’s creation of an “electric nanoforest” comprised of zinc oxide nanowires and titanium dioxide nanostructure coated with a light-collecting material derived from bacteria.  The new device exposes much more of the PS-1 complex per surface area of the device to the sun.  Mershin says that for the raw material,  “You can use anything green, even grass clippings,” and no special laboratory conditions would be needed.  “It can be very dirty and it still works, because of the way nature has designed it. Nature works in dirty environments — it’s the result of billions of experiments over billions of years,” he said.  Eventually, Mershin said, within a few years a villager in a remote, off-grid location could “take that bag, mix it with anything green and paint it on the roof” and begin producing power adequate to charge cell phones or lanterns.  It will be, he hopes, a “way of getting low-tech electricity to people who have never been thought of as consumers or producers of solar-power technology.”  Mershin’s work appears in the journal Scientific Reports.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[According to Andreas Mershin, a research scientist in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Center for Bits and Atoms, United States, people living in remote villages in the developing world may soon be able to make their own solar panels, inexpensively, using worthless agricultural waste as their raw material.  Mershin has extended upon a project begun by Shuguang Zhang, a principal research scientist at MIT, who was able to enlist a complex of molecules known as photosystem-1 (PS-1) – the tiny structures within plant cells that carry out photosynthesis – to produce an electric current when exposed to light. The initial system had some drawbacks and very low efficiency, but Mershin says the process has now been simplified to the point that virtually any lab could replicate it, and the new efficiency is 10,000 times greater than in previous versions.  Still, it only converts 0.1 percent of sunlight’s energy into electricity, so an improvement of another tenfold is needed in order for the system to become useful.  The huge improvement in efficiency resulted from Mershin’s creation of an “electric nanoforest” comprised of zinc oxide nanowires and titanium dioxide nanostructure coated with a light-collecting material derived from bacteria.  The new device exposes much more of the PS-1 complex per surface area of the device to the sun.  Mershin says that for the raw material,  “You can use anything green, even grass clippings,” and no special laboratory conditions would be needed.  “It can be very dirty and it still works, because of the way nature has designed it. Nature works in dirty environments — it’s the result of billions of experiments over billions of years,” he said.  Eventually, Mershin said, within a few years a villager in a remote, off-grid location could “take that bag, mix it with anything green and paint it on the roof” and begin producing power adequate to charge cell phones or lanterns.  It will be, he hopes, a “way of getting low-tech electricity to people who have never been thought of as consumers or producers of solar-power technology.”  Mershin’s work appears in the journal Scientific Reports.]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Solar Researchers Aiming to Light up Africa</title>
		<link>http://www.merid.org/en/Content/News_Services/Nanotechnology_and_Development_News/Articles/2012/Feb/03/network.aspx</link>
		<comments>http://www.merid.org/en/Content/News_Services/Nanotechnology_and_Development_News/Articles/2012/Feb/03/network.aspx#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:51:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Syndicated</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[From the Meridian Institute's Nanotech Dev News]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[The African Network for Solar Energy (ANSOLE), launched officially a year ago, has an ambitious dream of harnessing the abundant sunshine in an energy-deprived continent.  But solar energy researchers in Africa face many challenges: loss of talent due to brain drain; lack of funding; little connection between like-minded scientists; and, few opportunities to entice scientists into the solar energy field.  ANSOLE’s mission is to strengthen the links between solar researchers not just within Africa but also between African countries and the rest of the world.  Getachew Adam, a PhD student at the University of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and ANSOLE member, said, "We want the coming generation not to worry about where to study, who to work with.  We want to make African scientists come together [to solve the] African energy problem."  Daniel Egbe, a Cameroonian scientist who serves as the coordinator of ANSOLE, says, "Our approach is to build capacity, especially when it comes to research. Through our network many African researchers, especially physicists and chemists, are now directing their research in solar and renewable energy."  Connecting researchers is critical, and ANSOLE provides a mix of online and real-world networking.  ANSOLE will hold a meeting this February in Cameroon that will bring African researchers and international collaborators face to face.  "To expect Africans to compete internationally in the already very advanced area of silicon-based photovoltaics is not realistic," says Egbe. "But members of ANSOLE are saying that we can do internationally competitive research in organic and hybrid organic–silicon photovoltaics…With a little bit of money you can build your research labs and carry out your research. On this level we can compete with Europeans and Americans.  When it comes to silicon-based research, you need a lot of money and a clean room, which costs a lot."  Another field, says Egbe, where African researchers can push science forward is solar thermal energy.  ANSOLE also organized a webinar through nanotechnology project ICPC Nanonet as part of its online networking efforts.  The long-term vision for the network is to create an African research center for renewable energy.  A lack of funding is the limiting factor to the network’s ambition.   "Our plans need funding," says Egbe. "I hope that the UN can support such endeavours, since the UN has declared 2012 the year of renewable energies, and renewable energies are important for the protection of our environment."]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[The African Network for Solar Energy (ANSOLE), launched officially a year ago, has an ambitious dream of harnessing the abundant sunshine in an energy-deprived continent.  But solar energy researchers in Africa face many challenges: loss of talent due to brain drain; lack of funding; little connection between like-minded scientists; and, few opportunities to entice scientists into the solar energy field.  ANSOLE’s mission is to strengthen the links between solar researchers not just within Africa but also between African countries and the rest of the world.  Getachew Adam, a PhD student at the University of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and ANSOLE member, said, "We want the coming generation not to worry about where to study, who to work with.  We want to make African scientists come together [to solve the] African energy problem."  Daniel Egbe, a Cameroonian scientist who serves as the coordinator of ANSOLE, says, "Our approach is to build capacity, especially when it comes to research. Through our network many African researchers, especially physicists and chemists, are now directing their research in solar and renewable energy."  Connecting researchers is critical, and ANSOLE provides a mix of online and real-world networking.  ANSOLE will hold a meeting this February in Cameroon that will bring African researchers and international collaborators face to face.  "To expect Africans to compete internationally in the already very advanced area of silicon-based photovoltaics is not realistic," says Egbe. "But members of ANSOLE are saying that we can do internationally competitive research in organic and hybrid organic–silicon photovoltaics…With a little bit of money you can build your research labs and carry out your research. On this level we can compete with Europeans and Americans.  When it comes to silicon-based research, you need a lot of money and a clean room, which costs a lot."  Another field, says Egbe, where African researchers can push science forward is solar thermal energy.  ANSOLE also organized a webinar through nanotechnology project ICPC Nanonet as part of its online networking efforts.  The long-term vision for the network is to create an African research center for renewable energy.  A lack of funding is the limiting factor to the network’s ambition.   "Our plans need funding," says Egbe. "I hope that the UN can support such endeavours, since the UN has declared 2012 the year of renewable energies, and renewable energies are important for the protection of our environment."]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>SENN2012 &#8211; International Congress on Safety of Engineered Nanoparticles and Nanotechnologies</title>
		<link>http://www.merid.org/en/Content/News_Services/Nanotechnology_and_Development_News/Articles/2012/Feb/03/safety_conference.aspx</link>
		<comments>http://www.merid.org/en/Content/News_Services/Nanotechnology_and_Development_News/Articles/2012/Feb/03/safety_conference.aspx#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Syndicated</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[From the Meridian Institute's Nanotech Dev News]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[The International Congress on Safety of Engineered Nanoparticles and Nanotechnologies (SENN2012) will be held from October 28 to 31, 2012, in Helsinki, Finland.  The goal of the Congress is to summarize and share the latest knowledge on the safety of engineered nanomaterials and nano-related technologies, with an emphasis on producing solutions to safety challenges.  It will provide a forum for reporting and demonstrating findings, methods, tools, and approaches to safety and health at workplaces that use nanoparticles and nanotechnologies.  The full program and registration information can be viewed on the conference website.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[The International Congress on Safety of Engineered Nanoparticles and Nanotechnologies (SENN2012) will be held from October 28 to 31, 2012, in Helsinki, Finland.  The goal of the Congress is to summarize and share the latest knowledge on the safety of engineered nanomaterials and nano-related technologies, with an emphasis on producing solutions to safety challenges.  It will provide a forum for reporting and demonstrating findings, methods, tools, and approaches to safety and health at workplaces that use nanoparticles and nanotechnologies.  The full program and registration information can be viewed on the conference website.]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.merid.org/en/Content/News_Services/Nanotechnology_and_Development_News/Articles/2012/Feb/03/safety_conference.aspx/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>New Zeolite Material May Solve Diesel Shortage</title>
		<link>http://www.merid.org/en/Content/News_Services/Nanotechnology_and_Development_News/Articles/2012/Feb/02/zeolite.aspx</link>
		<comments>http://www.merid.org/en/Content/News_Services/Nanotechnology_and_Development_News/Articles/2012/Feb/02/zeolite.aspx#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Syndicated</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[From the Meridian Institute's Nanotech Dev News]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[A team of researchers from Stockholm University, Sweden, and Polytechnic University, Spain, has presented a new porous material that could be used to convert gasoline directly into diesel.  The new material is an aluminosilicate that belongs to the zeolite class.  Zeolites are natural and synthetic minerals with an open crystal structure that contain masses of nanometer-sized pores and channels.  Due to the immense number of pores and intersecting channels, they have a huge internal surface area, and can be used as catalytic converters, ion-exchangers and adsorbents.  The team’s material, ITQ-39, is the most complex zeolite ever discovered, and has a chaotic order.  It has proven to be an excellent catalytic converter for turning gasoline into diesel.  This process is an ever more important one as world fuel consumption is shifting more and more to diesel at the expense of gasoline.  The team’s material was presented in the journal Nature Chemistry.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[A team of researchers from Stockholm University, Sweden, and Polytechnic University, Spain, has presented a new porous material that could be used to convert gasoline directly into diesel.  The new material is an aluminosilicate that belongs to the zeolite class.  Zeolites are natural and synthetic minerals with an open crystal structure that contain masses of nanometer-sized pores and channels.  Due to the immense number of pores and intersecting channels, they have a huge internal surface area, and can be used as catalytic converters, ion-exchangers and adsorbents.  The team’s material, ITQ-39, is the most complex zeolite ever discovered, and has a chaotic order.  It has proven to be an excellent catalytic converter for turning gasoline into diesel.  This process is an ever more important one as world fuel consumption is shifting more and more to diesel at the expense of gasoline.  The team’s material was presented in the journal Nature Chemistry.]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.merid.org/en/Content/News_Services/Nanotechnology_and_Development_News/Articles/2012/Feb/02/zeolite.aspx/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Limits of Nanotechnology</title>
		<link>http://www.merid.org/en/Content/News_Services/Nanotechnology_and_Development_News/Articles/2012/Feb/02/food_2.aspx</link>
		<comments>http://www.merid.org/en/Content/News_Services/Nanotechnology_and_Development_News/Articles/2012/Feb/02/food_2.aspx#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:07:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Syndicated</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[From the Meridian Institute's Nanotech Dev News]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[The United States-based organization Food &#38; Water Watch, in this opinion piece, notes that the U.S. National Research Council (NRC) last week released a report identifying major gaps in environmental, health and safety research of nanomaterials.  The report underlines the need for more and better science on how to monitor and test the safety of these materials.  What is also needed, according to Food &#38; Water Watch, are rules and regulations to protect consumers from these risks.  The regulations, they say, that do exist for chemicals are not being rigorously applied to nanomaterials, and, moreover, they are largely ill equipped to do so.  New rules are needed to address these new risks, they say.  The organization focuses on one gap in particular – that of missing research on the effects of ingested nanomaterials on human health.  The scope, they say, of nanomaterials in our food system is unknown.  Food processors are using nanomaterials to tinker with color and nutritional content of food, as well as preserving and packaging it.  They write, “Corporations have blithely embraced nanomaterials as the next big thing, embedding them in everything from cutting boards to cosmetics to food itself. Unregulated, unmonitored and unlabeled, these nanomaterials may be lurking in your own home.”  In the absence of information about the risks these particles pose to human health and the environment, the government cannot give industry a free pass to do as it pleases, the organization argues.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[The United States-based organization Food & Water Watch, in this opinion piece, notes that the U.S. National Research Council (NRC) last week released a report identifying major gaps in environmental, health and safety research of nanomaterials.  The report underlines the need for more and better science on how to monitor and test the safety of these materials.  What is also needed, according to Food & Water Watch, are rules and regulations to protect consumers from these risks.  The regulations, they say, that do exist for chemicals are not being rigorously applied to nanomaterials, and, moreover, they are largely ill equipped to do so.  New rules are needed to address these new risks, they say.  The organization focuses on one gap in particular – that of missing research on the effects of ingested nanomaterials on human health.  The scope, they say, of nanomaterials in our food system is unknown.  Food processors are using nanomaterials to tinker with color and nutritional content of food, as well as preserving and packaging it.  They write, “Corporations have blithely embraced nanomaterials as the next big thing, embedding them in everything from cutting boards to cosmetics to food itself. Unregulated, unmonitored and unlabeled, these nanomaterials may be lurking in your own home.”  In the absence of information about the risks these particles pose to human health and the environment, the government cannot give industry a free pass to do as it pleases, the organization argues.]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.merid.org/en/Content/News_Services/Nanotechnology_and_Development_News/Articles/2012/Feb/02/food_2.aspx/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>What&#8217;s Happening with Nanofoods?</title>
		<link>http://www.merid.org/en/Content/News_Services/Nanotechnology_and_Development_News/Articles/2012/Feb/02/food.aspx</link>
		<comments>http://www.merid.org/en/Content/News_Services/Nanotechnology_and_Development_News/Articles/2012/Feb/02/food.aspx#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:04:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Syndicated</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[From the Meridian Institute's Nanotech Dev News]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">{A0AFFAFE-B723-4948-87AA-DFADE27243F1}</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This article gives an overview of what nanotechnology applications are currently being researched, tested, and, in some cases, already applied, in food technology.  The article notes that while food nanotechnology seemed to be a hot topic in the early 2000s, with large industrial food companies eager to explore the emerging technology, critical voices from nongovernmental organizations and regulators caused industry to go into a silent mode.  It didn’t mean, however, that food nanotechnologies weren’t being researched and developed around the world.  The article details some of the latest nanotechnology-related developments in agriculture, food processing, food packaging and supplements, as well as a summary of the kind of applications industry and universities are working on.  Overall, the article states that we are still a ways away from seeing “Frankenfoods” on supermarket shelves.  A recent commentary by Timothy Duncan of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in Nature Nanotechnology, said the introduction of nanofoods is being held back by the hesitation of the food industry, as they fear a public backlash.  Duncan wrote, “Mishandling of previous food technology debates has put nanofoods at a disadvantage by conditioning the public to distrust the food industry and the oversight system responsible for regulating it.  On the other hand, the history of agricultural biotechnology has taught some lessons about the value of clear communication and respecting public opinion, which many organizations are heeding."  Duncan notes that it is an open question how media coverage will influence the debate.  The food industry also has a major role to play when it comes to interacting with the public regarding nanofoods and, it has, so far, remained relatively uninvolved.  He recommends the food industry act in order to prevent the public’s concerns over nanofoods from becoming a source of dread, distrust, and, ultimately, rejection.  "That said,” Duncan wrote, “it is important for all stakeholders to take a long-term view of their public outreach activities, and to not abandon trust-building or engagement efforts if they do not yield immediate public support for marketable nanotechnologies. Rather, public engagement should be treated as an investment in the future; building dividends takes time, patience and persistence."]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[This article gives an overview of what nanotechnology applications are currently being researched, tested, and, in some cases, already applied, in food technology.  The article notes that while food nanotechnology seemed to be a hot topic in the early 2000s, with large industrial food companies eager to explore the emerging technology, critical voices from nongovernmental organizations and regulators caused industry to go into a silent mode.  It didn’t mean, however, that food nanotechnologies weren’t being researched and developed around the world.  The article details some of the latest nanotechnology-related developments in agriculture, food processing, food packaging and supplements, as well as a summary of the kind of applications industry and universities are working on.  Overall, the article states that we are still a ways away from seeing “Frankenfoods” on supermarket shelves.  A recent commentary by Timothy Duncan of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in Nature Nanotechnology, said the introduction of nanofoods is being held back by the hesitation of the food industry, as they fear a public backlash.  Duncan wrote, “Mishandling of previous food technology debates has put nanofoods at a disadvantage by conditioning the public to distrust the food industry and the oversight system responsible for regulating it.  On the other hand, the history of agricultural biotechnology has taught some lessons about the value of clear communication and respecting public opinion, which many organizations are heeding."  Duncan notes that it is an open question how media coverage will influence the debate.  The food industry also has a major role to play when it comes to interacting with the public regarding nanofoods and, it has, so far, remained relatively uninvolved.  He recommends the food industry act in order to prevent the public’s concerns over nanofoods from becoming a source of dread, distrust, and, ultimately, rejection.  "That said,” Duncan wrote, “it is important for all stakeholders to take a long-term view of their public outreach activities, and to not abandon trust-building or engagement efforts if they do not yield immediate public support for marketable nanotechnologies. Rather, public engagement should be treated as an investment in the future; building dividends takes time, patience and persistence."]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Portable Device Will Quickly Detect Pathogens in Developing Countries</title>
		<link>http://www.merid.org/en/Content/News_Services/Nanotechnology_and_Development_News/Articles/2012/Feb/01/developing_countries.aspx</link>
		<comments>http://www.merid.org/en/Content/News_Services/Nanotechnology_and_Development_News/Articles/2012/Feb/01/developing_countries.aspx#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:33:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Syndicated</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[From the Meridian Institute's Nanotech Dev News]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Researchers at Cornell University, United States, have combined their inventions to develop a handheld pathogen detector that would give health care workers in the developing world quick diagnoses of tuberculosis, Chlamydia, gonorrhea and HIV.  The device would be usable under harsh conditions, giving results in about 30 minutes, as opposed to current protocol, which involves transporting samples to a laboratory and waiting days for the results.  The device combines the work of Dan Luo, a professor of biological and environmental engineering, and his work using synthetic DNA to “amplify” very small samples of pathogen DNA, RNA, or proteins, and the work of Edwin Kan, a professor of electrical and computer engineering, who has designed a computer chip that quickly responds to the amplified samples targeted by Luo’s method.  According to the researchers, all this can be combined with nanofluidics to make a robust battery-operated testing kit.  The team plans to further develop the device and conduct tests simulating field conditions in the developing world.  The device, said Luo, has to survive hot or cold weather, and "It has to work in dirty water."  Their work is supported by the Bill &#38; Melinda Gates Foundation as part of its Grand Challenge program to develop “point-of-care diagnostics” for developing countries.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Researchers at Cornell University, United States, have combined their inventions to develop a handheld pathogen detector that would give health care workers in the developing world quick diagnoses of tuberculosis, Chlamydia, gonorrhea and HIV.  The device would be usable under harsh conditions, giving results in about 30 minutes, as opposed to current protocol, which involves transporting samples to a laboratory and waiting days for the results.  The device combines the work of Dan Luo, a professor of biological and environmental engineering, and his work using synthetic DNA to “amplify” very small samples of pathogen DNA, RNA, or proteins, and the work of Edwin Kan, a professor of electrical and computer engineering, who has designed a computer chip that quickly responds to the amplified samples targeted by Luo’s method.  According to the researchers, all this can be combined with nanofluidics to make a robust battery-operated testing kit.  The team plans to further develop the device and conduct tests simulating field conditions in the developing world.  The device, said Luo, has to survive hot or cold weather, and "It has to work in dirty water."  Their work is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as part of its Grand Challenge program to develop “point-of-care diagnostics” for developing countries.]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Rare Earth Metal Refinery Nears Approval</title>
		<link>http://www.merid.org/en/Content/News_Services/Nanotechnology_and_Development_News/Articles/2012/Feb/01/Malaysia.aspx</link>
		<comments>http://www.merid.org/en/Content/News_Services/Nanotechnology_and_Development_News/Articles/2012/Feb/01/Malaysia.aspx#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:28:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Syndicated</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[From the Meridian Institute's Nanotech Dev News]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[The world’s largest refinery for rare earth metals, located in Malaysia, could meet a fifth of the world’s demand.  It is expected to receive permission to operate from the Malaysian government in the near future.  The refinery is being built by Lynas, an Australian company, and its opening could help break China’s near monopoly on rare earths, but could also contribute to the emerging glut of some of these strategic metals.  The plant’s potential opening has been met with street demonstrations and protests over radiation worries, regulatory challenges, and a permanent disposal site for the low-level radioactive waste that will be produced.  Raja Dato Abdul Aziz bin Raja Adnan, the director general of the Malaysian Atomic Energy Licensing Board, said the board had discussed granting an initial operating license to the refinery, and said an announcement would be made “sooner rather than later,” adding “We still have the right to stop them and suspend and terminate,” if the refinery is not running safely.  Fuziah Salleh, an opposition-party lawmaker from Kuantan, said opponents of the project plan to file a lawsuit in the coming weeks in an effort to stop the plant.  The International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna recommended last June that a long-term waste disposal plan be approved prior to opening the plant, as well as recommending greater public disclosure and communication.  Raja Adnan said the board would require Lynas to meet all the Agency’s recommendations, but declined to say if the company’s waste disposal plan complied.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[The world’s largest refinery for rare earth metals, located in Malaysia, could meet a fifth of the world’s demand.  It is expected to receive permission to operate from the Malaysian government in the near future.  The refinery is being built by Lynas, an Australian company, and its opening could help break China’s near monopoly on rare earths, but could also contribute to the emerging glut of some of these strategic metals.  The plant’s potential opening has been met with street demonstrations and protests over radiation worries, regulatory challenges, and a permanent disposal site for the low-level radioactive waste that will be produced.  Raja Dato Abdul Aziz bin Raja Adnan, the director general of the Malaysian Atomic Energy Licensing Board, said the board had discussed granting an initial operating license to the refinery, and said an announcement would be made “sooner rather than later,” adding “We still have the right to stop them and suspend and terminate,” if the refinery is not running safely.  Fuziah Salleh, an opposition-party lawmaker from Kuantan, said opponents of the project plan to file a lawsuit in the coming weeks in an effort to stop the plant.  The International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna recommended last June that a long-term waste disposal plan be approved prior to opening the plant, as well as recommending greater public disclosure and communication.  Raja Adnan said the board would require Lynas to meet all the Agency’s recommendations, but declined to say if the company’s waste disposal plan complied.]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Tehran University to Host 1st Conference on Application of Nanotechnology in Agriculture, Natural Resources</title>
		<link>http://www.merid.org/en/Content/News_Services/Nanotechnology_and_Development_News/Articles/2012/Feb/01/Tehran_confernece.aspx</link>
		<comments>http://www.merid.org/en/Content/News_Services/Nanotechnology_and_Development_News/Articles/2012/Feb/01/Tehran_confernece.aspx#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:01:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Syndicated</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[From the Meridian Institute's Nanotech Dev News]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources of the University of Tehran, Iran, will hold the First National Conference on Application of Nanotechnology in Agriculture and Natural Resources, in association with the Nanotechnology Committee of the Ministry of Agriculture Jihad, on May 15-16, 2012.  The intent of the conference is to create an appropriate environment to exchange ideas and persuade researchers to carry out applicable projects in the field of the application of nanotechnology to agriculture.  The latest scientific achievements in this sector will be presented.  The following topics will be discussed: nanotechnology and herbal products; nanotechnology and animal products; nanotechnology application in agriculture and food industry machinery; nanotechnology in water and soil; nanotechnology in natural resources and environment; nanobiotechnology; and, ethics, risk taking and standardization.  More information is available on the conference website.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources of the University of Tehran, Iran, will hold the First National Conference on Application of Nanotechnology in Agriculture and Natural Resources, in association with the Nanotechnology Committee of the Ministry of Agriculture Jihad, on May 15-16, 2012.  The intent of the conference is to create an appropriate environment to exchange ideas and persuade researchers to carry out applicable projects in the field of the application of nanotechnology to agriculture.  The latest scientific achievements in this sector will be presented.  The following topics will be discussed: nanotechnology and herbal products; nanotechnology and animal products; nanotechnology application in agriculture and food industry machinery; nanotechnology in water and soil; nanotechnology in natural resources and environment; nanobiotechnology; and, ethics, risk taking and standardization.  More information is available on the conference website.]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Smart Paint Could Revolutionise Structural Safety</title>
		<link>http://www.merid.org/en/Content/News_Services/Nanotechnology_and_Development_News/Articles/2012/Jan/31/awesome_paint.aspx</link>
		<comments>http://www.merid.org/en/Content/News_Services/Nanotechnology_and_Development_News/Articles/2012/Jan/31/awesome_paint.aspx#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:50:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Syndicated</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[From the Meridian Institute's Nanotech Dev News]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Researchers at the University of Strathclyde, Scotland, are developing a low-cost smart paint that can detect microscopic faults in wind turbines, mines and bridges before structural damage occurs.  The paint uses nanotechnology to detect movement in large structures, and can be sprayed onto any surface.  Dr. Mohamed Saafi, in the Department of Civil Engineering, said, “The development of this smart paint technology could have far-reaching implications for the way we monitor the safety of large structures all over the world.  There are no limitations as to where it could be used and the low-cost nature gives it a significant advantage over the current options available in the industry. The process of producing and applying the paint also gives it an advantage as no expertise is required and monitoring itself is straightforward.”  Traditional methods of monitoring and assessing large structures are complex, time consuming and expensive.  The paint is comprised of a recycled waste product known as fly ash and highly aligned carbon nanotubes.  “The process of monitoring involves in effect a wireless sensor network. The paint is interfaced with wireless communication nodes with power harvesting and warning capability to remotely detect any unseen damage such as micro-cracks in a wind turbine concrete foundation,” Dr. Saafi explained.  “Current technology is restricted to looking at specific areas of a structure at any given time, however, smart paint covers the whole structure which is particularly useful to maximise the opportunity of preventing significant damage.”]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Researchers at the University of Strathclyde, Scotland, are developing a low-cost smart paint that can detect microscopic faults in wind turbines, mines and bridges before structural damage occurs.  The paint uses nanotechnology to detect movement in large structures, and can be sprayed onto any surface.  Dr. Mohamed Saafi, in the Department of Civil Engineering, said, “The development of this smart paint technology could have far-reaching implications for the way we monitor the safety of large structures all over the world.  There are no limitations as to where it could be used and the low-cost nature gives it a significant advantage over the current options available in the industry. The process of producing and applying the paint also gives it an advantage as no expertise is required and monitoring itself is straightforward.”  Traditional methods of monitoring and assessing large structures are complex, time consuming and expensive.  The paint is comprised of a recycled waste product known as fly ash and highly aligned carbon nanotubes.  “The process of monitoring involves in effect a wireless sensor network. The paint is interfaced with wireless communication nodes with power harvesting and warning capability to remotely detect any unseen damage such as micro-cracks in a wind turbine concrete foundation,” Dr. Saafi explained.  “Current technology is restricted to looking at specific areas of a structure at any given time, however, smart paint covers the whole structure which is particularly useful to maximise the opportunity of preventing significant damage.”]]></content:encoded>
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