Reflective Gold Nano-particles to Track Colon Cancer Cells

A team led by Sanjiv Gambhir of Stanford University is endeavoring to create molecular signals, or nano-particles that will help physicists view pre-cancerous polyps not visible to the naked eye. The team has been analyzing a nanoparticle used in anti-counterfeiting.

Stnford University says the use of gold nanoparticles during a colonoscopy could help doctors detect small, easily overlooked polyps.

Gold-silica nanoparticles are incorporated into security documents such as paper money to confirm their genuineness. The particles diffuse light in a particular manner, helping discern real currency from forged ones. The team added a surface layer to these nano-particles to enable them to bind to cancer cells.
Peptides and proteins were applied to the nano-particles to help identify cancer cells in the initial stages. The nano-particles bind easily to cancer cells.
A patient suffering from colon cancer would first drink a liquid having multitude of nano-particles. As they descend to the bowel, they bind to the tumor cells on the way. The procedure helps the physician to view the bright nano-particles attached to the cancer cells
Gambhir says that government approval for the technique could be received by end 2012. The research paper has recently appeared in the journal, Science Translational Medicine.
Source: http://www.stanford.edu

SiTime has recently declared the availability of its portfolio of MEMS oscillators to be used in Tablet PCs and E-Book Readers.

 The solutions, based on the company’s SiT8003 Low Power MEMS Oscillator platform, deliver clocking for every functional block in the Tablet PC and E-Book Reader. It offers resilience to shock and vibration, and enhances aesthetics and lifespan of the electronic devices it is being incorporated into.
Piyush Sevalia, vice president of marketing at SiTime said that tablet PCs and E-Book Readers are expected to be exported more than 200 million units over the next four years.
The low-power programmable oscillator can be used to develop multiple devices within a Tablet PC and E-Book Reader. It consumes 3.5mA in active mode and less than 5µA in standby mode, offering ±25PPM frequency stability over -20 to 70ºC and comes in a nano-sized, 2.5x2.0mm package. It offers configurable rise and fall times without needing further investment. The various clocks can be controlled to reduce system EMI and meet environmental compliance cost-effectively and without changing the design.
Source: http://www.sitime.com