Australian Scientists have developed a new method for delivering chemotherapy to breast cancer patients via a patch composed of diamonds.
Traditional chemotherapy has always been delivered by drip and has carried some horrific side effects like nausea and hair loss because of the high dose of treatment required with each chemo session. Sometimes the side effects of these cures have been more problematic than the cancer disease to a patient.
Because of the side effects like vomiting and hair loss caused by traditional chemotherapy treatment it has left the patient fighting on too many fronts and slowed down the body's progress towards a cure.
Another side effect of traditional chemotherapy has always been the damage done to the healthy cells in a person's body. In other warfare it would be called 'collateral damage'.
With the use of Nano technology, they have combined the use of small diamond particles with the cancer drug and this is now able to deliver the cancer killing drugs at a slower and more continual basis rather than the heavy hit normally used with chemotherapy drug drip delivery.
By releasing the drug at a slower rate over a period of months, the scientists have found that they need approx. 20% less chemicals to kill the cancer cells while leaving the healthy cells unharmed. This eliminates some side effects like vomiting and hair loss while damaging fewer healthy cells in a person's body allowing for a faster recovery rate overall.
The diamond particles are apparently the ideal transport for the chemical molecules because they are acceptable into the human body without causing damage anywhere and they lend themselves to 'stick ability' for the chemical molecules to cling to.
The diamond patch can be placed anywhere on the body and once again it is proving the fact that diamonds really are a girls best friend!
Showing posts with label diamonds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label diamonds. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
Diamonds Aid Nano Technology
Australian Scientists have developed a new method for delivering chemotherapy to breast cancer patients via a patch composed of diamonds.
Traditional chemotherapy has always been delivered by drip and has carried some horrific side effects like nausea and hair loss because of the high dose of treatment required with each chemo session. Sometimes the side effects of these cures have been more problematic than the cancer disease to a patient.
Because of the side effects like vomiting and hair loss caused by traditional chemotherapy treatment it has left the patient fighting on too many fronts and slowed down the body's progress towards a cure.
Another side effect of traditional chemotherapy has always been the damage done to the healthy cells in a person's body. In other warfare it would be called 'collateral damage'.
With the use of Nano technology, they have combined the use of small diamond particles with the cancer drug and this is now able to deliver the cancer killing drugs at a slower and more continual basis rather than the heavy hit normally used with chemotherapy drug drip delivery.
By releasing the drug at a slower rate over a period of months, the scientists have found that they need approx. 20% less chemicals to kill the cancer cells while leaving the healthy cells unharmed. This eliminates some side effects like vomiting and hair loss while damaging fewer healthy cells in a person's body allowing for a faster recovery rate overall.
The diamond particles are apparently the ideal transport for the chemical molecules because they are acceptable into the human body without causing damage anywhere and they lend themselves to 'stick ability' for the chemical molecules to cling to.
The diamond patch can be placed anywhere on the body and once again it is proving the fact that diamonds really are a girls best friend!
Traditional chemotherapy has always been delivered by drip and has carried some horrific side effects like nausea and hair loss because of the high dose of treatment required with each chemo session. Sometimes the side effects of these cures have been more problematic than the cancer disease to a patient.
Because of the side effects like vomiting and hair loss caused by traditional chemotherapy treatment it has left the patient fighting on too many fronts and slowed down the body's progress towards a cure.
Another side effect of traditional chemotherapy has always been the damage done to the healthy cells in a person's body. In other warfare it would be called 'collateral damage'.
With the use of Nano technology, they have combined the use of small diamond particles with the cancer drug and this is now able to deliver the cancer killing drugs at a slower and more continual basis rather than the heavy hit normally used with chemotherapy drug drip delivery.
By releasing the drug at a slower rate over a period of months, the scientists have found that they need approx. 20% less chemicals to kill the cancer cells while leaving the healthy cells unharmed. This eliminates some side effects like vomiting and hair loss while damaging fewer healthy cells in a person's body allowing for a faster recovery rate overall.
The diamond particles are apparently the ideal transport for the chemical molecules because they are acceptable into the human body without causing damage anywhere and they lend themselves to 'stick ability' for the chemical molecules to cling to.
The diamond patch can be placed anywhere on the body and once again it is proving the fact that diamonds really are a girls best friend!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Facts about Diamonds
Natural Diamonds are formed deep in the ground under extreme pressure. They are the second purest form of carbon coming only after Graphite as the second hardest substance known to man.
Diamonds are formed from compressed carbon molecules at up to 200km under the earth’s surface where previously existing rock gets melted by the magma and new carbon molecules are formed. These carbon molecules are then compressed at extreme pressures for billions of years until they are forced to the earth’s surface by a volcanic eruption or from some other catastrophic event.
If a Diamond is brought to the earth’s surface through a volcanic eruption, the diamonds come up through volcanic pipes or sometimes they are called Kimberlite pipes.
These volcanic pipes are currents of magma that has flowed through the volcano’s melted wall or been physically ejected through the volcanic eruption and virtually spewed from deep within the earth to the surface. Usually though they flow up in volcanic pipes at a more sedate pace.
Just because they have been ejected from deep within the earth doesn’t mean they will lie around on the ground waiting to be picked up by any passer-by.
To read more click here:
Diamonds are formed from compressed carbon molecules at up to 200km under the earth’s surface where previously existing rock gets melted by the magma and new carbon molecules are formed. These carbon molecules are then compressed at extreme pressures for billions of years until they are forced to the earth’s surface by a volcanic eruption or from some other catastrophic event.
If a Diamond is brought to the earth’s surface through a volcanic eruption, the diamonds come up through volcanic pipes or sometimes they are called Kimberlite pipes.
These volcanic pipes are currents of magma that has flowed through the volcano’s melted wall or been physically ejected through the volcanic eruption and virtually spewed from deep within the earth to the surface. Usually though they flow up in volcanic pipes at a more sedate pace.
Just because they have been ejected from deep within the earth doesn’t mean they will lie around on the ground waiting to be picked up by any passer-by.
To read more click here:
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Australian Diamond Mines
Diamonds are rare and usually located in remote areas around the world. In Australia, two of the Diamond mines are located in the far north of Australia.
Merlin mine before being sold off from Rio Tinto to Xstrata and closing in 2003, was located 80 kilometres south-west of Borroloola in the Northern Territory. It was here that Australia’s biggest diamond was ever found, weighing in at a respectable 104.73 carats and has been valued at over US$500,000.
Merlin was an unusual Diamond mine in that it produced a very large percentage of quality gem stones. Around 65% of the production was of gem quality where the norm is in the vicinity of 20% of a mines production. The remaining 35% of the diamonds found are called industrial grade and are used in a very large variety of products, including the computer that you are reading this on.
Argyle mine is located in the Kimberley region in the far north of Western Australia.
This is a very remote region of Northern Australia and the heat, flies and distances are formidable. The landscape is extremely old but very, very beautiful. It is a beauty that won’t appeal to everyone though because it is very stark and an unkind environment to anyone who is careless.
It is a rocky, arid and ‘scrubby’ type landscape; but the short stunted trees whose leaves turn sideways to the hot sun during the heat of the day, give off a blueness against the old blood red soil that cause the hills in the distance to turn a purplish colour.
Owned by Rio Tinto, this mine is the world’s largest single producer by volume of diamonds. However, due to the low proportion of gem quality diamonds, it is not the world’s most financially rewarding diamond mine. It does produce 90-95% of the world’s supply of pink diamonds and it also produces a large quantity of champagne diamonds.
Diamonds are never found in convenient locations except at the end of their journey when they rest in a display case in a jewellers shop.
Merlin mine before being sold off from Rio Tinto to Xstrata and closing in 2003, was located 80 kilometres south-west of Borroloola in the Northern Territory. It was here that Australia’s biggest diamond was ever found, weighing in at a respectable 104.73 carats and has been valued at over US$500,000.
Merlin was an unusual Diamond mine in that it produced a very large percentage of quality gem stones. Around 65% of the production was of gem quality where the norm is in the vicinity of 20% of a mines production. The remaining 35% of the diamonds found are called industrial grade and are used in a very large variety of products, including the computer that you are reading this on.
Argyle mine is located in the Kimberley region in the far north of Western Australia.
This is a very remote region of Northern Australia and the heat, flies and distances are formidable. The landscape is extremely old but very, very beautiful. It is a beauty that won’t appeal to everyone though because it is very stark and an unkind environment to anyone who is careless.
It is a rocky, arid and ‘scrubby’ type landscape; but the short stunted trees whose leaves turn sideways to the hot sun during the heat of the day, give off a blueness against the old blood red soil that cause the hills in the distance to turn a purplish colour.
Owned by Rio Tinto, this mine is the world’s largest single producer by volume of diamonds. However, due to the low proportion of gem quality diamonds, it is not the world’s most financially rewarding diamond mine. It does produce 90-95% of the world’s supply of pink diamonds and it also produces a large quantity of champagne diamonds.
Diamonds are never found in convenient locations except at the end of their journey when they rest in a display case in a jewellers shop.
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