Blog – Page 2 – Dr Rajeshwar Singh

World Health Organization Issues Reverse Osmosis Water Warning

Just about everyone knows that Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems excel at removing water impurities, but few are aware that they also remove the beneficial minerals. In fact, the reverse osmosis process removes 92-99% of beneficial calcium and magnesium. What’s the big deal?

After analyzing hundreds of scientific studies concerning demineralized or reverse osmosis water, the World Health Organization released a report stating that such water “has a definite adverse influence on the animal and human organism.”

Consumers have been so concerned with removing as many things from water as possible that they have forgotten to ask if the resulting water actually improves health or causes health problems. It’s assumed that no toxins equals better health, but there is simply more to healthful water than a lack of toxins, as the World Health Organization clearly points out.

What is alarming is that consuming reverse osmosis water for even just a few months can create serious side effects. “The effects of most chemicals commonly found in drinking water manifest themselves after long exposure.” However “only a few months exposure may be sufficient ‘consumption time effects’ from water that is low in magnesium and/or calcium. Illustrative of such short-term exposures are cases in the Czech and Slovak populations who began using reverse osmosis-based systems for final treatment of drinking water at their home taps in 2000-2002. Within several weeks or months various health complaints suggestive of acute magnesium (and possibly calcium) deficiency were reported. Among these complaints were cardiovascular disorders, tiredness, weakness or muscular cramps.” Again, serious side effects within just several weeks or months.

But it gets even worse. Because reverse osmosis water doesn’t have enough minerals, when it is consumed, it also leaches minerals from the body. This means that the minerals being consumed in food and vitamins are being urinated away. Less minerals consumed plus more minerals being excreted equals serious negative side effects and big health problems. In a scientific study performed to see if minerals consumed in food can make up for the lack of minerals in reverse osmosis water, scientists concluded that “reduced mineral intake from water was not compensated by their diets…low-mineral water was responsible for an increased elimination of minerals from the body.”

“It has been adequately demonstrated that consuming water of low mineral content has a negative effect on homeostasis mechanisms, compromising the mineral and water metabolism in the body.” Consumption of reverse osmosis water “leads to the dilution of the electrolytes dissolved in the body water. Inadequate body water redistribution between compartments may compromise the function of vital organs. Side effects at the very beginning of this condition include tiredness, weakness and headache; more severe symptoms are muscular cramps and impaired heart rate.”

I can’t begin to tell you how much pleasure it gives me to write this article. I will never forget being severly chastized a few years ago by a senior executive of a company that sells thousands of RO systems per year for “not knowing what I’m talking about” and that my challenge to him and the industry about RO water being unhealthy was “preposterous”. At the time of the meeting I was not equipped to fend off his accusations because I hadn’t put in the research that I have now.

Despite being torn to shreds by the marketing executive at the meeting, I never believed the RO industry claim that it didn’t matter if their systems removed everything from the source water because the human body couldn’t absorb inorganic molecules anyway. After all, most of the supplements that are available on the market are inorganic, which means that either the RO industry was protecting its “ass-ets” or the entire supplement industry was a scam.

The RO industry has been disseminating inaccurate (that’s about as politically correct as I can get) information for years. Doctors and other health care professionals have unwittingly been endorsing the “RO water is the best drinking water” message for years which makes the myth worse because we trust these people with our health.

Proof that RO water is unhealthy

I could write about the dozens of interviews I have conducted with water industry experts and biochemists, or about the hundreds of scientific articles I have reviewed but nobody would take the time to read it. In order to keep things brief, I offer two sources of evidence that unequivically reveal the fact that the water produced by RO systems is bad for your health if you drink the water over the long term.

I spent several long days poring over numerous studies related to the ability of the human body to absorb inorganic elements such as Calcium and Magnesium. I managed to find 14 scientific studies on the site that provide irrefutable evidence that the human body can and does absorb inorganic matter such as Calcium and Magnesium.

The bottom line of what I learned from reviewing the studies is that your body will absorb anywhere fro 6% to 30% of its daily requirement of essential elements from tap water. In a world where our soil is virtually devoid of nutriets from too many crops and not enough recovery time, and where diets are anything but healthy, it is very important to your long term health that you ingest calcium and magnesium from drinking water.

Here are some of the highlights from the article:

The final report, published as an internal working document (WHO 1980), concluded that “not only does completely demineralised water (distillate) have unsatisfactory organoleptic properities, but it also has a definite adverse influence on the animal and human organism.”

The potential for adverse health effects from long term consumption of demineralised water is of interest not only in countries lacking adequate fresh water but also in countries where some types of home water treatment systems
are widely used or where some types of bottled water are consumed

The WHO provided recommendations in 2004 as to what they believe should be included in drinking water and in what concentrations:

* For magnesium, a minimum of 10 mg/l (Novikov et al. 1983; Rubenowitz et al. 2000) and an optimum of about 20-30 mg/l (Durlach et al. 1989; Kozisek 1992);

* For calcium, a minimum of 20 mg/l (Novikov et al. 1983) and an optimum of about 50 (40-80) mg/l (Rakhmanin et al. 1990; Kozisek 1992);

* For total water hardness, the sum of calcium and magnesium should be 2 to 4 mmol/l (Plitman et al. 1989; Lutai 1992; Muzalevskaya et al. 1993; Golubev and Zimin 1994).

At these concentrations, minimum or no adverse health effects were observed. The maximum protective or beneficial health effects of drinking water appeared to occur at the estimated desirable or optimum concentrations. The recommended magnesium levels were based on cardiovascular system effects, while changes in calcium metabolism and ossification were used as a basis for the recommended calcium levels

Summary of the research:

Scientific testing and the best “unbiased” brains in the world have repeatedly demonstrated that long term consumption of demineralized (RO) water is bad for your health.

What should you do if you are drinking demineralized “RO” water?

You don’t need to disconnect your RO system and throw it away (unless it is operating ineffectively which often happens if the system is not properly maintained). RO systems do a great job of removing impurities/contaminants from the water and that is a good thing. The problem with RO systems is that they don’t discriminate between good stuff and bad stuff as they remove everything. What you need to do is remineralize the water once it has passed through the RO membrane. Adding back Magnesium and Caclium in the proper concentrations fixes the problem.

The RO industry is just waking up to the reality that long term consumption of demineralized water is bad for your health. The sellers of RO equipment are now racing around trying to find a solution to making their water healthy. From what I can see from the initial offerings, the industry has not done its homework because they are offering Corosex and Calcite solutions. While Corosex and Calcite will remineralize water, they were never designed to work with the aggressive acidic water produced by RO systems. As a result, Calcite and Corosex filters can dump more minerals into the water than your kidneys can digest and result in the formation of kidney stones. Calcite and Corosex filters are obviously not the right solution for remineralizing aggressive acidic water produced by RO machines.

What is the solution?

My focus for the past couple of years has been on natural remineralizing filters which can be used on their own as basic ionizing filters, or in conjunction with RO systems. Intuitively, one would think that the media of the various remineralization filters on the market would be very similar, and to some degree they are. However, I have found that even the smallest changes in the media, or the amounts of media used, and even the way that the media is layered inside the filter can make a big difference in the performance and life expectancy of the filter.

Clean drinking water filtration has remained almost in the exclusive domain of RO systems for the past 45 years. Today, Nano filtration and Ultra filtration have been gaining market share as the filters are cost effective, are much smaller, and allow for much higher water flow rates.

The best filter for your needs will depend upon your source water. If you are drinking water supplied by a municipality, you don’t really need a RO system unless the municipality adds fluoride to the drinking water.

The popularity of reverse osmosis water (R.O. water) has steadily grown since it was first introduced as a home water purification system in the 1970s.

In addition, the type of treated water most often used by bottled water companies is reverse osmosis water.

The R.O. water purification method involves forcing water through a semi-permeable membrane, which filters out a select number of water contaminants, depending on the size of the contaminants.

In general, if the contaminants are larger in size than water molecules, those contaminants will be filtered out. If the contaminants are smaller in size, they will remain in the drinking water.

Key Health Advantage

Many years ago I drank reverse osmosis water almost exclusively, believing that it was the best drinking water. However, since then I have discovered (through personal experience and research) that the health disadvantages outweigh the advantages.

The main health advantage R.O. water has over tap water is that an R.O. system removes many unhealthy contaminants.

A good R.O. system can remove contaminants such as arsenic, nitrates, sodium, copper and lead, some organic chemicals, and the municipal additive fluoride.

A Few Disadvantages

You might be interested to know that reverse osmosis was actually developed as a water treatment method over 40 years ago. The process was used primarily to de-salinate water.

The following are three of the main disadvantages of drinking R.O. water:

1. The water is demineralized.

Since most mineral particles (including sodium, calcium, magnesium, magnesium, and iron) are larger than water molecules, they are removed by the semi-permeable membrane of the R.O. system.

Even though you may find some contradictory information online about the health benefits of reverse osmosis water, I am convinced that drinking de-mineralized water is not healthy.

The World Health Organization conducted a study that revealed some of the health risks associated with drinking demineralized water.

Just a few of the risks include gastrointestinal problems, bone density issues, joint conditions, and cardiovascular disease. (See reference below to review the WHO study online.)

Removing the naturally occurring minerals also leaves the water tasteless. Many people thus have to add liquid minerals to their R.O. water to improve the taste.

2. The water is usually acidic.

One of the primary reasons R.O. water is unhealthy is because removing the minerals makes the water acidic (often well below 7.0 pH). Drinking acidic water will not help maintain a healthy pH balance in the blood, which should be slightly alkaline.

Depending on the source water and the specific R.O. system used, the pH of R.O. water can be anywhere from about 3.0 pH (very acidic) to 7.0 pH (neutral). Most of the R.O. water I have tested has been in the range of 5.0 to 6.0 pH. The only time I have ever seen R.O. water testing at 7.0 is when the R.O. system had the added remineralization element.

In the natural health and medical communities, acidosis in the body is considered an underlying cause of most degenerative diseases.

In fact, in 1931, Dr. Otto Warburg won the Nobel Prize for discovering the cause of cancer. In essence, he said it was caused by a lack of cellular oxygenation due to acidosis in the body.

Medical research has also determined that drinking acidic water (as well as other acidic beverages) will often cause a mineral imbalance in the body.

According to the WHO study, low mineral water increased diuresis (the production of urine by the kidneys) 20% on average and markedly increased the elimination of sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium and magnesium ions from the body.

3. Some critical contaminants are not removed.

While reverse osmosis is effective for removing a variety of contaminants in water, the reverse osmosis membrane alone does NOT remove volatile organic chemical (VOCs), chlorine and chloramines, pharmaceuticals, and a host of other synthetic chemicals found in municipal water.

However, some R.O. systems now have multi-stage filtration media (in addition to the R.O. membrane), such as Activated Carbon, which does remove chlorine and certain pesticides.

What to Do If You Currently Have a Reverse Osmosis System

If you currently have a reverse osmosis system and are not ready to give it up, I recommend getting a remineralization cartridge or add-on to your R.O. system.

If that is not possible or too costly, you could add liquid ionic minerals, such as Trace Minerals Ionic Tonic, to your R.O. drinking water.

However, doing so will not be as beneficial as drinking water that contains minerals naturally, but it will help somewhat with the acid-alkaline balance in the body.

References

WHO Study: Health risks from drinking demineralised water

University of Nebraska; Drinking Water Treatment: Reverse Osmosis; 2014. This is a peer reviewed guide by Bruce I. Dvorak, Environmental Engineering Specialist, and Sharon O. Skipton, Water Quality Educator, which has a few good tables that show the types of contaminants that are and are not removed by reverse osmosis.

Further reading

Drinking Demineralized Water – The Health Risks (a brief summary of the WHO study)

जन्मते जायते शूद्र:,संस्कारात द्विज उच्यते

🕉🌞🕉

🌞👉 वेदों के विषय में कहा जाता है कि वेदों का अधिकार शूद्रों को नहीं है! वैश्य ,क्षत्रिय एवं ब्राह्मण को है. हां सत्य है यह, वेद विद्या( गायत्री मंत्र एवं योग) का अधिकार शुद्र को नहीं है, किंतु शूद्र है कौन? वेदों ने जन्म से सभी को शूद्र माना है.” जन्मते जायते शूद्र:, संस्कारात द्विज उच्यते अर्थात जन्म से मनुष्य मात्र शूद्र होता है (अर्थात उसमें आलस्य, प्रमाद व दुर्व्यसनों के प्रति आसक्ति होती है.) वह संस्कारों को धारण करके दूसरा जन्म ग्रहण करता है. वेद कहीं पर भी यह नहीं कहते कि जन्म से कोई वेश्य , क्षत्रिय, ब्राह्मण होता है. वेद सिर्फ इतना कहते हैं की जन्म से मनुष्य मात्र सिर्फ शूद्र होता है. वह चाहे किसी भी जाति ,कुल या गोत्र में जन्मा हो. वह शूद्र ही है जब तक की वह संस्कारों को धारण नहीं कर लेता.
🌞👉 वैश्य वह है– जो आलस्य प्रमाद व दुर्व्यसन आदि से तो ग्रस्त नहीं है किंतु लालची है ,लोभी है. धन के अलावा कुछ नहीं सूझता उसे, सिर्फ धन के पीछे पड़ा रहता है. ऐसे व्यक्ति के लिए वेद कहते हैं कि कोई बात नहीं. ऐसा व्यक्ति गायत्री महामंत्र व योग साधना से , इन दुर्गुणों से मुक्त हो जाएगा. इसे अधिकार है वेद विद्या का.
🌞👉 क्षत्रिय वह है जो आलस्य, प्रमाद ,दुर्व्यसनों के प्रति आसक्ति तो नहीं रखता किंतु क्रोध एवं अहंकार से भरा हुआ है. चाहे कुछ भी हो जाए, मर जाए ,मिट जाए किंतु मूंछ नीचे नहीं करूंगा. ऐसे व्यक्ति को भी वेद अधिकार देते हैं कि गायत्री मंत्र व योग साधना से यह भी अपने दुर्गुणों से मुक्त हो जाएगा.
🌞👉 ब्राह्मण वह है– जिसका आलस्य ,प्रमाद से दूर–दूर तक नाता नहीं है . मांस–मदिरा व अन्य व्यसनोंके साथ काम, क्रोध, लोभ ,दम्भ, दुर्भाव आदि से रहित है . अहंकार से नाता नहीं है जिसका. ऐसा व्यक्ति जिस किसी जाति, कुल, गोत्र या वंश में पैदा हुआ हो. वह जन्म से ही ब्राह्मणत्व के गुण ले कर आया है, जो उसके पूर्व जन्मों के संस्कारों की वजह से संभव हुआ है. ऐसा व्यक्ति वेद विद्या अर्थात गायत्री महामंत्र व योग विद्या का सर्वोत्तम अधिकारी है.
👉 अब आप जहां भी हो, जैसे भी हो, जिस कुल में भी जन्म लिया है आपने. अपने आप का मूल्यांकन कर लीजिए. आप उसी वर्ण के हो.
👉 यदि वेद विद्या के रहस्य का आप व्यक्तिगत रूप से प्रेक्टिकल करना चाहते हैं तो करके देख लीजिए.
👉एक ऐसे व्यक्ति को चुनिए जो जन्म से ब्राह्मण कहलाने वाले कुल में जन्मा हो और आलसी, प्रमादी, मांस ,मदिरा का सेवन करता हो अन्य बुराइयां भी भरी हो जिसमें .
👉उसको दुर्व्यसनों को छुड़वाए बिना गायत्री मंत्र जप व योग विद्या में लगा दीजिए और फिर उसके जीवन में क्या–क्या होता है? यह देखिए या आप स्वयं मांस मदिरा का सेवन करते हुए बुराइयों को बिना छोड़े, गायत्री महामंत्र वओंकार का जप करने लग जाइए फिर आप चमत्कार देखिए.
👉 दूसरा आप एक ऐसा व्यक्ति चुनिए जो किसी अछूत कुल में जन्मा हो किंतु जो आलस्य, प्रमाद से दूर हो ,मांस मदिरा का सेवन नहीं करता हो अन्य दुर्व्यसन भी नहीं हो उसमें. उस व्यक्ति को भी गायत्री मंत्र व योग विद्या की साधना में लगा दीजिए.
👉 अब आप दोनों व्यक्तियों के जीवन में आने वाले बदलावों को ध्यान से नोट करते जाइए.
👉 पहला व्यक्ति जो ब्राह्मण कुल का है. उसका जीवन दिनोंदिन कष्टों से घिरता चला जाएगा. आगे जाकर वह विक्षिप्त अवस्था को प्राप्त कर. पागल होकर दर–दर की ठोकरें खाएगा.
👉 जबकि दूसरा व्यक्ति जो अछूत कुल से था. वह दिनों दिन हर क्षेत्र में उन्नति करता चला जाएगा. उसका शारीरिक, मानसिक एवं आध्यात्मिक विकास तीव्र गति से होगा एवं अंत में वह ब्रह्मत्व को प्राप्त कर लेगा.
🌞👉 हिंदुत्व की विडंबना यह रही कि ऋषियों ने जो वर्ण गुणों के आधार पर निर्धारित किए थे. उनको पाखंडियों ने जन्म आधारित कर दिया. निम्न कुल में जन्म लेने वाले शुद्ध सात्विक व्यक्ति को भी वेद विद्या के अयोग्य घोषित कर दिया. इसी विसंगति ने सनातन हिंदू धर्म को पतन के गर्त में धकेल दिया.
🌞👉 आप चाहे किसी भी कुल ,गोत्र या जाति में जन्मे हो. अपने आपको गायत्री मंत्र व योग विद्या का अधिकारी तभी मान सकते हो, जब आप अपनी शुद्रताओं का त्याग करोगे. इन को त्यागे बिना आप वेद विद्या के अधिकारी नहीं हैं. बस इनको त्याग दीजिए फिर आप के लिए गायत्री महामंत्र व योग विद्या कामधेनु व कल्पवृक्ष का काम करेगी, किंतु जो अपने आपको इस योग्य नहीं बना सकते.वे चाहे किसी भी कुल गोत्र या जाति के हो, शूद्र ही हैं.
🌞👉 जिन व्यक्तियों में एक साथ आलस्य, प्रमाद, दुर्व्यसन लोभ ,लालच ,काम ,क्रोध अहंकार आदि भरे हुए हैं.वे शूद्र ही नहीं महा शूद्र हैं.

12 rich, powerful people share their surprising definitions of success

When we talk about a “successful” person, we’re typically talking about someone who’s got billions in their bank account, someone who’s authored multiple bestsellers, or maybe someone who’s in charge of an entire nation.

Billionaire Richard Branson believes success is about happiness.

Though Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, is worth some $5 billion, the Virgin founder equates success with personal fulfillment.

“Too many people measure how successful they are by how much money they make or the people that they associate with,” he wrote on LinkedIn. “In my opinion, true success should be measured by how happy you are.”

Huffington Post co-founder Arianna Huffington says that money and power aren’t enough.

Huffington says that while we tend to think of success along two metrics — money and power — we need to add a third.

“To live the lives we truly want and deserve, and not just the lives we settle for, we need a Third Metric,” she told Forbes’ Dan Schawbel, “a third measure of success that goes beyond the two metrics of money and power, and consists of four pillars: well-being, wisdom, wonder, and giving.”

Together, those factors help you to take care of your psychological life and truly be successful, or as the title of her 2014 book, “Thrive,” suggests.

Billionaire investor Mark Cuban says you don’t need money to be successful.

“Shark Tank” regular Cuban offers a surprisingly simple take on success.

In an interview with Steiner Sports, he said:

“To me, the definition of success is waking up in the morning with a smile on your face, knowing it’s going to be a great day. I was happy and felt like I was successful when I was poor, living six guys in a three-bedroom apartment, sleeping on the floor.”

Legendary basketball coach John Wooden said it’s a matter of satisfaction.

With 620 victories and 10 national titles, Wooden is the winningest coach in college basketball history.

But his definition of success was more about competing with yourself than the other guy:

“Peace of mind attained only through self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do the best of which you’re capable,” he said in a 2001 TED Talk.

Legendary investor Warren Buffett values relationships above all else.

With a net worth of $77.4 billion, Buffett is just about the wealthiest person in the world, second only to Bill Gates. And yet his definition of success has nothing to do with money or fame.

As James Altucher writes, the chairman of Berkshire Hathaway once told shareholders at an annual meeting: “I measure success by how many people love me.”

Acclaimed author Maya Angelou believed success is about enjoying your work.

The late, great poet laureate, who passed away at 86 in 2014, left behind stacks of books and oodles of aphorisms.

Her take on success is among the best: “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.”

Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates believes it’s about making an impact on society.

Gates is the wealthiest person in the world, with a net worth of $86 billion, But to him, success is about relationships and leaving behind a legacy.

In a Reddit AMA, Gates took a tip from Warren Buffett when asked about his definition of success:

“Warren Buffett has always said the measure [of success] is whether the people close to you are happy and love you.”

He added: “It is also nice to feel like you made a difference — inventing something or raising kids or helping people in need.”

Spiritual teacher Deepak Chopra believes success is a matter of constant growth.

The physician and author says it’s a matter of continual growth.

“Success in life could be defined as the continued expansion of happiness and the progressive realization of worthy goals,” Chopra writes in “The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success.”

President Barack Obama aims to change people’s lives.

Obama once held the highest office in the land — but he doesn’t equate power with success.

At the 2012 Democratic National Convention, First Lady Michelle Obama told the audience that her husband “started his career by turning down high-paying jobs and instead working in struggling neighborhoods where a steel plant had shut down.”

She went on:

“For Barack, success isn’t about how much money you make. It’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.”

Inventor Thomas Edison recognized that success is a grind.

Edison — holder of over 1,000 patents— had an insane work ethic. He was reported to work 60 consecutive hours on occasion.

So naturally, his definition of success is equally ambitious: “Success is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration.”

Popular author Stephen Covey said that the definition of success is deeply individual.

The late Covey became a massive success — and a part of popular culture — with his 1989 book, “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,” which has sold over 25 million copies.

Yet for Covey, success was categorically individual.

“If you carefully consider what you want to be said of you in the funeral experience,” he writes in the book, “you will find your definition of success.”

Billionaire John Paul DeJoria sees success as working hard — all the time.

DeJoria co-founded Paul Mitchell hair products and Patron tequila. In an interview with Business Insider, he reflected on the lessons he learned while working at a dry cleaner’s as a young man.

Apparently, the head of the store was impressed by how spic and span DeJoria kept the floors, even though no one was watching him clean.

That’s why he now believes:

“Success isn’t how much money you have. Success is not what your position is. Success is how well you do what you do when nobody else is looking.”

Nanoparticle-Based Drug Delivery

Nanoparticles used for drug delivery to a particular part of the body are often broken down prematurely bythe liver. Jeroen Bussmann, the chemical biologist at Leiden University, has reported a new approach for preventing this from happening in the ACS Nano journal.

In nanotherapy, micro-nanometer-sized particles are used to transport drugs to specific locations in the body; for instance, to kill tumor cells. They have far fewer side-effects compared to conventional chemotherapy. However, a recurrent issue in developing nanotherapy is that nanoparticles are often broken down prematurely in the liver. As a result, the chance for the nanoparticles to reach their intended locations is rare. Until now, scientists believed that this process was the work of Kupffer cells, the so-called clean-up cells in the liver.

Cells from Blood Vessel Walls

In collaborative research work conducted with the Hubrecht Institute and the University of Basle, Jeroen Bussmann reported that cells in the liver’s blood vessel walls (endothelial cells) usually play a key role in this process. The nanoparticles are recognized and eliminated by the proteins on the surface of these cells. If these proteins are blocked, then the nanoparticles will no longer be broken down by the endothelial cells and therefore, they can remain in the blood for a longer period. This is an important step for delivering drugs to their intended destinations in the body.

Tracking Nanoparticles

In this study, zebrafish larvae were used by Bussmann. “The advantage of using these larvae is that they are transparent, so we can follow the nanoparticles as they move through the blood vessels using a microscope,” explains Bussmann. He blocked the endothelial cells by providing the zebrafish larvae a special polymer – which was a long, interlinked molecule. “When this polymer binds to the proteins on the endothelial cells, they no longer recognize the nanoparticles,” he explains.

In the liver, the other clean-up cells (Kupffer cells) predominantly identify particles with a size of more than 100 nm. The idea was that by using the combination of smaller nanoparticles and the special polymer, no more cells would be present in the liver to eliminate the nanoparticles. This approach worked: Nanoparticles administered in this manner are not broken down and remain unaffected in the bloodstream.

Blood Vessel Cells Swallow Nanoparticles

The moment Bussmann could be confident the nanoparticles had been actually ingested by the endothelial cells, was when the fish larvae were administered with nanoparticles containing a toxic substance, which acts only inside the cells but not outside of them. Hence, when only the endothelial cells were killed, Bussmann concluded that their cause of death was due to the ingestion of nanoparticles.

With the zebrafish larvae, Bussmann was also able to find exactly which protein in the endothelial cells attaches to the nanoparticles – namely Stabilin-2. Moreover, the removal of the gene for Stabilin-2 led to the much lower breakdown of the nanoparticles. At present, Bussmann is planning to create a molecule that attaches specifically to the Stabilin-2 protein. As a result, the breakdown function of the cells can be inhibited highly specifically, while at the same time, the liver does not lose part of its natural function.

Delivering Medicines to Cells

Furthermore, Bussmann wants to investigate how precisely the protein attaches to the nanoparticles and the subsequent ingestion of the nanoparticles by the endothelial cells.“We want to understand every step in the process so that we can ultimately produce nanoparticles that can deliver medicines not only to the liver but to every type of cell in the body.”

Generating New Size-Specific Nanoparticles

Nanoparticle generation is notorious for being a clumsy, awkward process that can take months to perfect. This means that research which involves multiple different types of nanoparticles is often held back by the creation of the nanoparticles themselves. To address this problem, VSPARTICLE have developed a new instrument that uses spark ablation to produce particular nanoparticles, of a set size distribution, all in one afternoon.

What are the conventional problems associated with the creation of nanoparticles? How does the VSP-G1 nanoparticle generator avoid these?

The problems faced in nanoparticle production are threefold. The process is time-consuming and it is not interchangeable for different materials, meaning a new method must be used to generate different nanoparticles and, in addition to this, reproducibility is also a big issue.

Because of this, researchers spend years of their Ph.D. on the synthesis of nanoparticles, instead of on the actual application of them. Conventional methods rely on carefully tweaked chemistries, which makes it difficult to tune the size, composition or scale of a synthesis.

Another problem is post-processing – conventional methods provide a powder or suspension as an end product. This is problematic as powders need to be re-dispersed before use, whilst suspensions require the surfactants and solvents to be removed. Both are costly procedures and often involve the risk of worker exposure.

VSPARTICLE aims to provide a complete solution from nanoparticle synthesis to the immobilization of nanoparticles on or into your product. The VSP-G1’s settings can be adjusted without effort, making changes in nanoparticle size and composition trivial and helping in scaling up.

The method used in the VSP-G1 (spark ablation) is easy, fast and reproducible. Because spark ablation is a purely physical process, the fabrication of particles and the integration of them into your device always works in exactly the same way, enabling you to start working on your product without the hassle that comes with conventional production.

A pie chart demonstrating the wide range of application areas of nanoparticles. An interactive copy can be found here.

What materials can the VSP-G1 nanoparticle generator create nanoparticles from?

The VSP-G1 can create nanoparticles from any (semi-)conducting material, allowing researchers to create nanoparticles from 90% of the elements in the periodic table. Furthermore, materials that are normally immiscible on the macroscale can be alloyed on the nanoscale using spark ablation technology. An example of this are Au-Cu particles, created using sparks between an Au and a Cu electrode.

The particles are created in a continuous flow of gas, typically argon or nitrogen. The gas can easily be delivered through post-processing stages, which facilitates size-selection, or modifications such as oxidations.

As particles become larger, they nucleate and form solid particles. The morphology and primary size that is favored during nucleation can easily be tweaked using the VSP-G1. Depending on your substrate, VSPARTICLE can also provide different solutions to immobilize the produced particles.

How precise is the nanoparticle creation process?

In terms of stability, the standard deviation of the particle size output can be reduced to less than two percent. Particles produced by the spark have a primary particle size, which can be tuned by altering the annealing temperature. Particle size distributions typically have a geometric standard deviation of 1.3-1.4 nm. For specific applications, size distributions of +/- 0.2 nm or better can be achieved.

The VSP-G1 is most precise in the 0-20 nm range. However, with additional equipment, particles can be selected on their size, accurately down to 0.1 nm.

In which fields do you see the VSP-G1 nanoparticle generator making the biggest impact?

There are four fields in which we see a great future for the VSP-G1: microelectronics, catalysis, energy and healthcare.

Compared to printing electronics with conductive inks, using beams of pure nanoparticles to print conductive lines allows for sintering at lower temperatures. The outcome of this is the creation of conducting lines which possess a higher conductivity.

‘Printing’ with a nanoparticle spray can also be achieved for the coating of an entire surface, to produce a porous later that could be used for sending – the porosity of laters produced by the VSP-G1 makes it possible to detect even the lowest amount of gas or biomolecules.

The use of nanoparticles in catalysis is already established, but a reliable method of creating nanoparticle catalysts for size and composition comparisons is not. Differing metal and metal-oxide nanoparticles of various shapes can be easily compared against one another using the VSP-G1 allowing the optimal nanoparticle properties for a particulr catalytic process to be determined. Using the new VSPARTICLE accessory particles can be directly deposited onto an in-situ TEM grid for analysis.

Because nanoparticles have strong applications in the fields of electronics and catalysis it is inevitable that they will influence the production and storage of energy as well. Nanoparticles are currently being used to improve solar cells absorption of sunlight. A higher absorption of solar enables a higher energy production, during sunny days, nanoparticles enable nano-structured super capacitors to store more energy.

In the healthcare field, scientists working on nanoparticle therapies, such as iron oxide nanoparticles for hyperthermia and enhanced MRI, antibacterial nanosilver or gold nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery are struggling to get FDA approval. This is mostly due to the presence of chemical contaminants in their nanoparticle formulations. By using spark ablation, researchers can produce nanoparticles which are contaminant free, speeding up the approval process and working faster to nanomedicine end-user applications.

Shutterstock | Andrey VP

What advantages do your nanoparticles provide for the Semiconductor and other patterning industries?

The extremely small size of nanoparticles makes them very sensitive to external stimuli. This sensitivity can be used to develop novel sensors or used as a way to create metallic interconnects using low-temperature processes.

Nanoparticle generators make it possible for a semiconductor manufacturer to have full control over their entire production chain – from nanoparticle generation to the integration of the nanoparticles in the devices they create.

What inspired the team at VSPARTICLE to develop the VSP-G1? Why did you choose to use Spark Ablation?

While we were at the Delft University of Technology, we noticed many people had difficulties in adapting nanoparticle recipes for their need. These were researchers in a multidisciplinary environment, with expertise in fields such as materials for energy conversion and storage, photovoltaics, healthcare and catalysis. We saw researchers spend months to obtain the nanoparticles they required before they could carry on with their research.

In contrast, students in our lab would receive 2-hours of training, and would have nanoparticles of the composition and size they wanted by the end of the day. This is largely due to the flexibility of spark ablation: if we can make the bulk electrode, we can make the nanoparticles. We want to give other people the same possibilities.

Can VSPARTICLE help their customers develop their own nanoparticle production processes tailored to their application?

Using VSPARTICLE spark generators, the need to change the particle production process is taken away. VSPARTICLE means researchers don’t have to worry about particle production and lets them focus on their true application from day one.

By considering the whole process, from nanoparticle production to application and bringing solutions in deposition/integration, VSPARTICLE can speed up research and facilitate industrialization.

NATURAL REMEDY FOR COUGH

1. Turmeric

The herb turmeric has a therapeutic effect on coughs, particularly a dry cough.

Heat half a cup of water in a boiling pot. Add one teaspoon turmeric powder, and one teaspoon black pepper. You may also add cinnamon sticks. Boil this for about two to three minutes. Add one tablespoon of honey. Drink this daily until the condition improves.
Alternatively, make an herbal tea by adding one teaspoon of turmeric powder and one teaspoon of carom seeds to a cup of water, and boil it until water reduces to one-half cup. Add some honey and drink this herbal solution two to three times a day.
Another way to use turmeric is to roast turmeric root and grind it into a smooth powder. Mix it with water and honey, and drink it twice a day.

2. Ginger

Ginger is one of the most popular natural cures for a cough.

Cut fresh ginger into small slices and crush them slightly. Put them in a cup of water and bring to a boil. Drink this herbal solution three to four times a day for relief from sore throat, non-stop coughing and even congestion. You can also some lemon juice and honey to it.
Another option is to chew fresh raw ginger on and off throughout the day to reduce your cough.

3. Lemon

Lemons can be used in a variety of ways for curing coughs. Lemons have properties that reduce inflammation and also provide a dose of infection-fighting vitamin C.

A simple cough syrup can be made by combining two tablespoons of lemon juice and one tablespoon of honey. Drink this healthy syrup several times a day.
Another way to use lemons is to blend lemon juice with a little honey and a pinch of cayenne pepper and then drink it.

4. Garlic

Garlic has both antibacterial and antimicrobial components that help treat coughs.

Boil two to three cloves of garlic in a cup of water and add a teaspoon of oregano. Allow it to cool to room temperature, add some honey and drink it. This will help your breathing and alleviate other cough symptoms.
Eat a clove of crushed garlic mixed with a few drops of clove oil and some honey for sore throat relief. You can also use garlic in your cooking.

5. Onion

One of the simplest home remedies for a cough is to cut onions. Breathing in the strong vapors can help stop coughing.

You can also make a cough syrup from baked onion juice, comfrey tea and honey. Drink it daily to get relief from a dry cough.
Another option is to combine one-half teaspoon of onion juice with one teaspoon of pure honey. Swallow this solution at least twice a day to alleviate a cough and soothe your throat.

6. Hot Milk with Honey

Hot milk with honey can relieve a dry cough and reduce chest pain you may be experiencing from continuous coughing. For best results, drink it before going to sleep. For added benefits from the analgesic properties of honey, swallow a teaspoon of plain honey on empty stomach. This will help clear the mucus and soothe your throat.

Remedies for Scar

When skin is injured, fibrous tissue, known as scar tissue, forms over the wound to repair and protect it. This leads to the formation of scar.

You can get a scar on your skin due to accidents, insect bites, scrapes, acne, burns, chickenpox, piercings, surgical cuts and vaccinations.

Scars come in all shapes and sizes, and can affect your appearance and make you self-conscious.

The human body is capable of taking care of scars and they tend to get lighter with time. To speed up healing, you can try some home remedies. The focus of scar removal remedies is to support effective cell growth, minimize scar tissue and create healthy skin.

Here are the remedies for scar removal.

Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is a natural scar removal remedy due to its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.

It works as a natural emollient to help repair damaged skin and promote growth of healthy skin. In addition, it will improve your skin texture.

Peel the outer green cover off an aloe vera leaf and scoop out the gel-like substance.
Apply the gel on your scar and massage in circular motions.
Leave it on for about 30 minutes, then wash it off.
Apply aloe vera gel twice daily.

Note: Do not apply aloe vera gel on open wounds.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is another excellent ingredient that can help fade scars. The vitamin E, an antioxidant, in coconut oil accelerates the healing time and prevents new scars from forming. In addition, the lauric, caprylic and capric acids found in coconut oil stimulate collagen production, promote healing of damaged skin and reverse free-radical damage.

Heat some extra-virgin coconut oil to liquefy it.
Put the warm oil on your palm and massage it onto the affected area for 5 to 10 minutes.
Leave it on for at least 1 hour so that the skin absorbs the oil.
For best results, repeat 2 to 4 times a day.

Vitamin E Oil

Vitamin E oil is an effective antioxidant that can help fade scars. Its moisturizing property hydrates the skin and helps repair damaged tissue and improve the appearance of scars.

Open some vitamin E capsules to get the oil.
Smear the oil onto the scar and massage gently for 10 minutes.
Leave it on for about 15 to 20 minutes, then wash it off with warm water.
Do this several times a day.

Note: Test this on a small patch of skin first, as vitamin E oil may cause an allergic reaction in some people.

Olive Oil

Olive oil is another effective natural scar removal treatment. It is rich in vitamin E and helps keep the skin soft and moisturized. This in turn promotes the healing of damaged skin. For best results, use extra-virgin olive oil.

Apply some warm extra-virgin olive oil to the affected area and massage using small, circular motions. Wait 30 minutes, then wipe off the oil with a clean cloth. You can also leave the oil on your skin overnight.
Another option is to mix a little lavender oil in some extra-virgin olive oil, apply it on the affected area and massage gently for a few minutes. Leave it on for 20 to 30 minutes, then rinse it off with lukewarm water.

Repeat either of these remedies several times a day until you get the desired result.

Lemon

Lemon contains alpha hydroxy acids, which have healing properties that can help treat scars of all types. Lemon can remove dead skin cells, promote the growth of new skin cells and improve skin elasticity. The vitamin C in lemon also helps regenerate and repair damaged skin. In addition, the bleaching property of lemon helps lighten scars.

Apply some lemon juice on the affected area. Those who have sensitive skin can dilute the lemon juice with equal amounts of rose water or vitamin E oil and then apply it on the scar.
Wait 10 minutes, then rinse it off with warm water.
Repeat once daily until the scar fades.

Note: As lemon can make your skin photosensitive, avoid going out in the sun immediately after use and be sure to use sunscreen when you go outside.

Honey

Honey is a natural moisturizer, making it an effective scar removal treatment. It prevents accumulation of dead skin cells and stimulates skin tissue regeneration.

Apply some honey on the scar, cover it with a bandage and leave it on overnight. The next morning, wash it off with warm water. Repeat daily before going to bed.
Another option is to make a scrub with equal amounts of honey and crystallized sugar. Apply it on the affected area and scrub gently for a few minutes. Rinse it off with warm water, pat dry and apply a moisturizer. Use this treatment once or twice a week.

Remedies for Scars

Lemon Juice: Take a fresh lemon and cut it into half. Rub the juicy part on the scar. Lemon works as a natural bleach and thus, reduces the blemishes and scars. Drink lemon juice (without mixing sugar in it) twice a day for 15 days.
Rosehip Seed Oil: Rosehip seed oil is used most commonly in cosmetics, especially in the scar removal creams. Take a few drops of rosehip seed oil on your fingers and gently massage it on the scars. Do this twice a day. It can be applied directly on the skin.
Ice Cubes: Ice cube is a very easy and simple home remedy for fading the scars. Take an ice cube and rub it gently on the scars.

Aloe Vera: Take an aloe vera leaf and cut it into half. Squeeze out the gel and apply it on the scar.
Tea Tree Oil: Tea tree oil is a very effective natural remedyfor removing scars. It works like a charm on scars. Make sure, you use the diluted tea tree oil.
Honey: Apply honey on the scar. It works great in removing scars.
Sandalwood Powder: Sandalwood powder is a very good home remedy for removing scars from face. Take sandalwood powder and mix it with rosewater or milk. Rub it on the scars, gently. Leave it on for an hour and wash it off with cold water.
Almonds: Take 2-3 almonds and soak them in water. Leave them overnight. In the morning, peel off the skin from the almondsand mash them. Add a few drops of rosewater and apply on the scars.
Potato: Take a raw potato. Extract its juice and apply it on the scars. This will let the scars fade away. You can also rub a slice of potato on the scars, directly.

Coconut Oil: Whenever you get a scar, apply coconut oilon it. This will reduce the scar, ultimately making it invisible.
Lavender Oil: Take a few drops of lavender oil and apply it on the scars.
Fenugreek : Fenugreek can be used in many ways in reducing the scars. You can take fenugreek leaves and make a fine paste and apply it on the scars. Take fenugreek seeds and boil them. Make a paste and store it in a cool place. Apply it on the scars.
Olive Oil: Olive oil is said to be really effective when it comes to scar removal. Take a few drops of olive oil and apply it on the scars on the daily basis. Olive oil will also moisturise the skin.
Cucumber: Place a slice of raw cucumber or apply its juice on the scar.
Tomato: Apply a slice of tomato on the scar or massage with tomato juice. Like lemon, tomato also works as natural bleach.
Yogurt Mix: If you have a burned scar, then, this home remedy will help you out. Take barley, yogurt and turmeric in equal proportions and make a paste. Apply it on the scar.
Vitamin E Cream : Apply vitamin E cream on the scars.
Cocoa Butter: Apply cocoa butteron the scars. It will not only help the scars to fade away, but also moisturise the skin, making it smooth and soft.
Baking Soda: Take 5 tablespoons of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of water. Mix it until you make a fine paste. Apply this paste on the scars and let it dry. Wash it off, later on. Repeat this natural remedy thrice a week.
Apple Cider Vinegar : Dab a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar and apply it on the scars. This will fade the scars. Wash it off after 10 minutes. Else, take 1 part of apple cider vinegarand 2 parts of water. Wash your face with this solution after cleaning the face and before going to bed. Apply skin moisturiser afterwards. This will also help in fading the scars from face.
Salt Scrub: Use a salt scrub which contains papaya. Papaya will provide a new shine to your skin while salt scrub will exfoliate and remove the dead skin, making the scars almost invisible.
Camomile Tea: Wash your scars with camomile tea. It will help the scars to fade away.
Cod Liver Oil: Apply cod liver oil on the scars for making the scars invisible.
Aspirin: Take 2 aspirins and crush them. Add a few drops of water to prepare a paste. Apply it on the scar.
Azadirachta Indica (Neem): Take few Azadirachta indica leaves (neem leaves) and make a paste. Apply it on the scars. It can also be used as a face pack. This will not only fade the scars, but also solve the skin problems, like acne, etc. It contains anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, which works great if applied on the skin.
Fuller’s Earth: Take 1 tablespoon of fuller’s earth and 1 tablespoon of rosewater, along with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Mix them all together to form a fine paste. Apply it on the scar and rub it gently. Then, apply 1 more layer on it and leave it for 15 minutes to dry. Wash it off afterwards.
Garlic Oil: Take a few drops of garlicoil on your fingers and apply on the scars. Let the oil stay for 15 minutes. Garlic contains antibiotic properties and is a natural remedy for scars.
Gotu Kola: Take leaves of Gotu kola and make a paste. Apply it on the scars. It will not only reduce the scars, but also speed up the healing process. Also, it will improve the blood circulation.
Salicylic Acid: Salicylic acid is available in various forms, like creams and lotions. It’s a good remedy for severe scars.

Graphene-Based Tattoo Functions as Wearable Electronic Device

Researchers have designed a graphene-based tattoo that can be directly laminated onto the skin with water, similar to a temporary tattoo. But instead of featuring artistic or colorful designs, the new tattoo is nearly transparent.

The graphene tattoos retain their full function for about two days, but can be peeled off by a piece of adhesive tape if desired. (Credit: Shideh Kabiri Ameri et al. 2017 American Chemical Society)

Its main attraction is that graphene’s unique electronic properties enable the tattoo to function as a wearable electronic device, with potential applications including biometric uses (such as measuring the electrical activity of the heart, brain, and muscles), as well as human-machine interactions.

The researchers, led by Deji Akinwande and Nanshu Lu at the University of Texas at Austin, have published a paper on the new graphene electronic tattoo in a recent issue of ACS Nano.

In some ways, the graphene electronic tattoo is similar to commercially available electronic devices for health and fitness tracking: both kinds of devices are capable of heart rate monitoring and bioimpedence (a measure of the body’s response to an electric current). But because the ultrathin graphene tattoos can fully conform to the skin, they offer medical-grade data quality, in contrast with the lower performance of the rigid electrode sensors mounted on bands and strapped to the wrist or chest. Due to the high-quality sensing, the researchers expect that the graphene tattoos may offer promising replacements for existing medical sensors, which are typically taped to the skin and require gel or paste to enable the electrodes to function.

“The graphene tattoo is a dry physiological sensor which, because of its thinness, forms an ultra-conformal contact to skin, resulting in increased signal fidelity,” coauthor Shideh Kabiri Ameri at the University of Texas at Austin told Phys.org. “Conformability results in less susceptibility to motion artifacts, which is one the biggest drawbacks of conventional dry sensors and electrodes for physiological measurements.”

The new tattoos are made of graphene that is coated with an ultrathin backing layer of transparent polymer poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). During fabrication, the graphene/PMMA bilayer is transferred to a piece of ordinary tattoo paper, and the bilayer is then carved into different patterns of serpentine ribbons to make different types of sensors. The finished tattoo is then transferred to any part of the body by bringing the graphene side in contact with the skin and applying water to the back of the tattoo paper to release the tattoo. The tattoos retain their full function for around two days or more, but can be peeled off by a piece of adhesive tape if desired.

Since the researchers previously showed that, theoretically, a graphene tattoo must be less than 510 nm thick to fully conform to human skin and exhibit optimal performance, the tattoo they fabricated here is just 460 nm thick. Combined with graphene/PMMA bilayer optical transparency of approximately 85%, and the fact that the tattoos are more stretchable than human skin, the resulting graphene tattoos are barely perceptible, both mechanically and optically.

Tests showed that the graphene electronic tattoos can be successfully used to measure a variety of electrophysiological signals, including skin temperature and skin hydration, and can function as an electrocardiogram (ECG), electromyogram (EMG), and electroencephalogram (EEG) for measuring the electrical activity of the heart, muscles, and brain, respectively.

“Graphene electronic tattoos are most promising for potential applications in mobile health care, assisted technologies, and human machine interfaces,” Kabiri Ameri said. “In the area of human machine interfaces, electrophysiological signals recorded from the brain and muscles can be classified and assigned for specific action in a machine. This area of research can have applications for the internet of things, smart houses and cities, human computer interaction, smart wheelchairs, speech assistance technology, monitoring of distracted driving, and human-robot control. Recently we have demonstrated the application of graphene tattoos for sensing human signals to wirelessly control flying objects. That demonstration will be reported in the near future.”

Graphene Nanocomposite to Improve Desalination Processes

The use of reverse osmosis desalination technology has gathered more and more usage and interest over the last few years. It is responsible for producing a large amount of fresh water for the growing populations around the world.

Despite their widespread usage, there are still fundamental issues that need to be addressed, and in an effort to expand this technology to more desalination plants worldwide, a team of Researchers from Australia and Egypt have created a new thin film nano-composite (TFNC) membrane to address the issues surrounding water flux, salt rejection and biofouling in these processes.

Currently, reverse osmosis (RO) desalination technology is used in more than 50% of the world’s desalination plants for the production of fresh water. Within these technologies, thin-film composite (TFC) membranes are the most common material utilized for nanofiltration processes.

However, even though this technology is used across most of our drinking water purification processes, they are still privy to some drawbacks, namely a trade-off between both water flux and salt rejection, chlorine degradation and biofouling- all of which lead to the loss of membrane flux and salt rejection performance.

Biofouling is currently the biggest challenge facing desalination plants. Biofouling in these desalination processes has been linked to microorganisms that attach themselves to the filter membrane, where the membrane(ligand)-organism(receptor) interactions cause the formation of extracellular polymeric substances which increase the adherence of bacteria to the membrane.

To combat this, the Researchers required a material with a large (and smooth) surface area for filtering processes, which also possessed biocidal properties.

Naturally, a derivative of graphene is the obvious choice and the Researchers decided upon graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets that help improve the flux, selectivity and antibacterial properties of TFNC membranes.

The Researchers created the composite by incorporating the graphene oxide nanosheets into a thin polyamide (PA) active layer, in the form of poly tannic acid-functionalized graphene oxide nanosheets (pTA-f-GO).

The layers were produced through interfacial polymerization. The graphene oxide was first functionalized with tannic acid (TA) followed by polyethyleneimine (PEI). The tannic acid groups were found to bind tightly to the graphene oxide surface whilst the PEI groups provided free amine groups which helped to facilitate crosslinking to both the tannic acid groups and the polyamide active layer.

The crosslinking chains were found to interact very strongly with the graphene oxide sheets and tightly integrate them into the nanocomposite matrix.

The Researchers characterized the new TNFC using Transmission electron microscopy (TEM, FEI Tecnai G2 Spirit), atomic force microscopy (AFM, NT-MDT NTEGRA SPM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, Nicolet Nexus 8700 FTIR Spectrophotometer, Thermo Electron Corporation) with a smart orbit attenuated total reflectance probe, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS, Kratos Axis-Ultra DLD, Kratos Analytical) with CasaXPS software (Neal Fairly), electrokinetic analysis methods (Anton Paar) and captive bubble techniques.

By incorporating the pTA-f-GO layer into the TFNC membranes, the Researchers achieved a filtration material with a thinner PA layer, lower surface roughness and a higher hydrophobicity. The presence of such properties increased both the membrane water flux by up to 40% and the salt rejection by 8%.

In addition, the biocidal properties of the graphene sheet within the active layer improved the antibacterial properties of the membrane by 80% compared to standard non-composite membranes.

The process of fabrication was also found to be practical, scalable, versatile, of lower energy consumption, have an improved performance and possess an increased cost-efficiency against current methods. Such production benefits lend the nanocomposite membranes to be implemented across a wide range of applications.

Couple this with the TFNC’s excellent separation and anti-biofouling properties, and the material is one that could easily see itself become a commercially used membrane in the near future, and will perhaps help to increase the number of desalination plants around the world which use of reverse osmosis desalination methods.

Human pheromones

The existence of human pheromones remains controversial. It’s clear that many plants and animals species use hormonal secretions to communicate information relating to reproduction. For example, in 1959 researchers discovered that female silkworms secreted a powerful aphrodisiac, called bombykol, that can attract male silkworms from miles away. To date, however, ironclad evidence that human behavior is governed by pheromones remains elusive.

Nevertheless, there are a number of intriguing studies, which suggest the surprising ways that scents, secretions and body odors containing pheromones may influence human behavior unconsciously.

Unconscious communicationAccording to Bettina Pause, a psychologist, “We’ve just started to understand that there is communication below the level of consciousness. My guess is that a lot of our communication is influenced by chemosignals.”

Scientists explain that pheromones in animals are released in sweat, urine and saliva. These chemical messengers appear to have both an emotional and physical effect on other members of their species.

In mammals, for instance, pheromones are detected by a structure in the nose called the vomeronasal organ, which relays signals to the hypothalamus a region of the brain that controls emotional states, hormonal regulation and sexual arousal.

Some of the most important evidence for the existence of human pheromones comes from a 1998 study by Dr. Martha McClintock, who found that women who live in close proximity (the same dorm, for example) tend to have synchronized menstrual cycles. Scientists believe that chemical messages in sweat are responsible for this harmonization of periods.

Pheromones and brain imagingResearchers have found that certain smells activate the part of the brain related to sexuality.

One powerful form of evidence that pheromones exist comes from PET scanning technology, which can examine the effect of chemical odors on male and female brains. In one study, researchers found that certain hormone-like smells activated specific areas in the hypothalamus related to sexuality, which are not triggered by other odors.

In the words of Dr. David Berliner, “These findings corroborate that human pheromones do exist, and that women can communicate chemically with men and vice versa. This is a very important finding because it shows specific areas of the brain that are activated by these chemicals.”

As you might expect, the brains of heterosexual men and women respond very differently to specific chemical messengers. For example, the brain regions in the female hypothalamus are highly active when women are exposed to testosterone-like chemicals (while exposure to estrogen-like messengers has no effect). Conversely, the brain areas in the male hypothalami light up like a Christmas tree when men are exposed to estrogen-like hormones.

Scientists believe this gender-specific response to chemical secretions shapes the way men and women to perceive each other on an unconscious level.

Can pheromones make you more attractive?

If pheromones govern sexual arousal, then can they be harnessed to make people more attractive? More specifically, could pheromones be added to perfumes, which could be used to lure desired mates?

One study from the University of Chicago found that pheromone-type chemical can heighten the heart rate, increase body temperature and change mood. As of yet, however, scientists have been unable to isolate the specific chemicals that trigger attraction and sexual desire.

Of course, many perfume manufacturers claim that their fragrances can spark desire. In fact, most of these products contain pheromones from animals. However, most scientists insist that pheromones are species specific. In other words, until researchers can isolate specific human pheromones or develop synthetic analogs, then a true love potion of love will remain elusive.

Nevertheless, scientists are continuing to investigate pheromones for their scientific, commercial and therapeutic potential. For example, a company called Pherin Pharmaceuticals is looking into ways to use pheromones messengers to alleviate stress, anxiety and menstrual cramps.

How pheromones may influence human behavior

The odors breastfeeding women emit from their nipples attracts infants and primes women without children to be more sexually aroused.
A compound derived from testosterone (called androstadienone) has been shown to make women feel more relaxed.
Scientists are investigating something called the histocompatibility complex. This refers to a genetically-based “odor print,” which involves scents that reflect certain characteristics found in the genes and the immune system.
According to the olfactory neuroscientist Charles Wysocki, “With the exception of identical twins, no two individuals are likely to have the same odor print.”

Research by Wysocki and others indicates that women prefer the musky scent of men who happen to have gene characteristics that match up well with their own DNA. In other words, the nose knows. That is, odor prints may be a huge driver of attractiveness in so far as they help people pick mates with DNA that complements their own. This unconscious form of selection benefits offspring.

Love is in the air

Scientists are still a long way off from unraveling the mysteries of attraction and the role that pheromones may play in influencing sexual behavior. For centuries, people have used expressions like “love is in the air” and “love is a matter of chemistry.” The emerging science of pheromones suggests that these proverbial adages may be far truer than anyone imagined.