New knowledge about 'flawed' diamonds could speed the development of diamond-based quantum computers

ScienceDaily (Oct. 12, 2011) — A University at Buffalo-led research team has established the presence of a dynamic Jahn-Teller effect in defective diamonds, a finding that will help advance the development of diamond-based systems in applications such as quantum information processing.

"We normally want things to be perfect, but defects are actually very important in terms of electronic applications," said Peihong Zhang, the UB associate professor of physics who led the study. "There are many proposals for the application of defective diamonds, ranging from quantum computing to biological imaging, and our research is one step toward a better understanding of these defect systems."

The research was published online Sept. 30 in Physical Review Letters.

The findings deal with diamonds whose crystal structure contains a particular defect: a nitrogen atom that sits alongside a vacant space in an otherwise perfect lattice made only of carbon.

At the point of the imperfection -- the so-called "nitrogen-vacancy center" -- a single electron can jump between different energy states. (The electron rises to a higher, "excited" energy state when it absorbs a photon and falls back to a lower energy state when it emits a photon).

Understanding how the diamond system behaves when the electron rises to an excited state called a "3E" state is critical to the success of such proposed applications as quantum computing.

The problem is that at the nitrogen-vacancy center, the 3E state has two orbital components with exactly the same energy -- a configuration that is inherently unstable.

In response, the lattice "stabilizes" by rearranging itself. Atoms near the nitrogen-vacancy center move slightly, resulting in a new geometry that has a lower energy and is more stable.

This morphing is known as the Jahn-Teller effect, and until recently, the effect's precise parameters in defective diamonds remained unknown.

Zhang and colleagues from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., are the first to crack that mystery. Using UB's supercomputing facility, the Center for Computational Research, the team conducted calculations that reveal how, exactly, the diamond lattice distorts.

Their findings align with experimental results from other research studies, and shed light on important topics such as how long an excited electron at the nitrogen-vacancy center will stay coherently at a higher energy state.

The UB-Rensselaer study was funded by the Department of Energy.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by University at Buffalo.

Journal Reference:

Tesfaye Abtew, Y. Sun, Bi-Ching Shih, Pratibha Dev, S. Zhang, Peihong Zhang. Dynamic Jahn-Teller Effect in the NV- Center in Diamond. Physical Review Letters, 2011; 107 (14) DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.146403

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

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China's International High Speed Rail Network Begins to Take Shape in Asia

China's International High Speed Rail Network Begins to Take Shape in Asia | Popular Science@import "/files/css/6edcefdeec368e2924b9d287beacf12b.css";@import "/files/css/33f6b7ecb4513ed2fe6c670880a27187.css"; home Login/Register Newsletter Subscribe RSS GadgetsComputersCamerasSmartphonesSmart TVsVideo GamesMore From Our Partner: CEAGCarsConceptsHybridsElectric CarsAuto DIYMore From Our Partner: DriversideScienceFuture of the EnvironmentEnergyHealthPopSci Eco TourTechnologyMilitaryAviationSpaceRobotsDIYProjectsHacksToolsAuto DIYMore From Our Partner: Toolmonger GalleriesVideosColumnsThe GrouseSex FilesGreen Dream How It WorksAuto DIYFeatures Facebook Digg Stumbleupon Reddit Print Email China's International High Speed Rail Network Begins to Take Shape in Asia First stop: Laos By Clay Dillow Posted 06.15.2011 at 5:39 pm 16 Comments
Chinese Bullet Train In Shanghai Khalidshou/Wikipedia

Last year, China laid out a plan to extend its high speed rail network all the way to Germany and London to the West and down to Singapore to the south by 2020. And naturally the Internet chorus called it politically untenable and economically unfeasible, a pie-in-the-sky project from an overly ambitious regime. China has a long way to go to prove those naysayers wrong, but the first steps are underway. China has hammered out a deal to extend its rail network into northern Laos, the first leg of a line that will--China hopes--ultimately terminate in Singapore.

The eventual plan is to extend the line through Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, and Malaysia on its way to the bottom of the Malay Peninsula. To do so, China will have to negotiate with a host of different governments--some of whom are opposed to one another--in order to economically link Southeast Asia. And it seems China is starting with the path of least resistance.

Related ArticlesIn 2020, Take a High-Speed Train from Beijing to LondonChina Hopes New Shanghai Bullet Train Will Rev Up Interest in High-Speed TravelStill Waiting: Will America's Next-Gen Bullet Trains Ever Leave the Station?TagsTechnology, Clay Dillow, china, energy, future of transporation, high speed rail, transportationLaos is one of Asia’s poorest nations, currently maintaining just two miles of railroad. Landlocked and without many natural resources to barter, Laos hopes the railway will increase tourism, revitalize the country’s gambling industry, and otherwise bring outside wealth across the border. Next to Thailand or Vietnam, which may want more control or other political concessions out of the deal, Laos is an easy stretch of track to build and could serve as a demonstration that China is making good on its vision of a connected continent.

As for China, if it can extend its track beyond Laos and into Thailand and/or Burma, it gets an extra layer of economic security via access to the Indian Ocean (and, via oil tanker, Middle Eastern crude) as well as to its Asian neighbors. From a more macro perspective, it’s the first step in integrating a geographic region known historically for sharp political disagreements among neighbors and isolationist regimes (Myanmar, for instance, and formerly Cambodia and China itself). And it’s a first step toward a true trans-Asian network that cold eventually reach west to Russia and beyond. Laos certainly isn’t London, but it’s a start.

[WNYC]

Previous Article: Batcopter Flies Along With Bat Swarms, Helping Researchers Study Bat Behavior Up CloseNext Article: Today in Pretty Space Pics: A Glowing Close-Up of a Cosmic Collision's Aftermath 16 Comments Link to this comment GMarsack 06/15/11 at 11:35 pm

China is smart to do this. Imagine the advantage this would give them and it just makes sense. What's shocking is the fact that this isn’t already a reality. China has a challenge ahead of them and I hope it they can reach their goal. It's going to benefit many more lives than China alone.

Link to this comment inaka_rob 06/16/11 at 2:25 am

I love American. Don7t get me wrong. But China now has what made America so wonderful and now completely lacks. Ambition!

Link to this comment ekisom 06/16/11 at 3:25 am

wow good and exciting stuff... but on the flip side, the chinese have a warship parked off the coast of our territory claiming it theirs, giving our fishermen glancing "warning" shots and of course we have nothing to answer back with...

looks like we're screwed. time to move to canada

Link to this comment matsci1 06/16/11 at 6:21 am

I agree with you 100% inaka rob. America has the resources and infrastructure to extend the limits in a lot of fields. But, as you put it, ambition is lacking. That is one of the things that disappoints me the most. The lead that America was given by our parents and grandparents generation is being squandered by visionless and corrupt politicians and a society that is focusing on the “Here, Me and Now” and not the welfare and stability of the next generation.

Link to this comment gizmowiz 06/16/11 at 10:26 am

Oh imagine USA running a rail line to the tip of South America. Imagine too the number of illegals riding shotgun....

Link to this comment B.V. 06/16/11 at 1:42 pm

Is anyone concerned at all about providing a fast/easy way for China to deliver infantry across Asia/Russia/Europe/Middle East?

Seems like having this railroad network is just begging for China to load up a couple million soldiers on the trains and send them to conquer half the planet...

Certainly wouldn't be the first time something like that has occurred: http://www.feldgrau.com/dreichsbahn.html

Link to this comment drchuck1 06/16/11 at 2:58 pm

@ekisom...what planet do you live on?

Link to this comment drchuck1 06/16/11 at 3:00 pm

hmmm? a rail line moving troops to attack, one cruise missle, rail line gone, a bit old school, don't you think?

Link to this comment B.V. 06/16/11 at 4:34 pm

It is old school... but effective if they have electronically compromised our missile defense systems...

Link to this comment DerivePi 06/16/11 at 5:17 pm

The biggest question is why? The article suggests that China wants to spend its own money to prop up Laos's economy and other southeast asian nations in order to provide more "Economic Security" by having access to the Indian Ocean and, consequently, oil from the mideast. High speed rail works for passenger traffic and time sensitive deliveries only. Not for oil.

With all the gaming hours spent by Americans, the least we can do is learn from them (Railroad Tycoon).

With Laos being a poor nation, I am more inclined to think of Tibet as an example of what China has in mind.

What also comes to mind is a recent news item regarding Viet Nam asking the US to intercede for them regarding their rights to the South China Sea over claims being made by China.

As with a couple other commenters, I too want the US to step up to the innovative plate. But, unlike a communist gov, our political system has created a morass for the entrepreneur (Civilizations).

Link to this comment old-scratch 06/16/11 at 8:45 pm

MERICUHH F*** YEAH! I'm so glad we're the new 3rd world.

Link to this comment drchuck1 06/17/11 at 1:51 am

@B.V., a dumb bomb can take out a train, our defense network is probably more secure than people give it credit for

Link to this comment B.V. 06/17/11 at 11:07 am

A dumb bomb COULD take out a train...

But our counter-measures really depend on several things:

1) detection

If they have physically crashed our satellites, or have hacked into the feeds, they might temporarily postpone detection--perhaps even long enough to get a significant foothold into other countries along the train tracks.

They could even go with a lower-tech approach (like Germany did) and use civilian trains in disguise to move troops around... so the satellite photos might not look like much is going on, even though all of the trains are filled with Chinese troops.

2) response

If/When we DO detect that they are mobilizing, what are going to be our response capabilities?

I think that will largely depend on whether or not we have already been compromised electronically. If we have, the U.S. response will be significantly delayed, giving China even more opportunity to establish forward operating bases in the countries it's invading.

3) superiority

Eventually though, sure, we will notice, and probably mount a response.

For that response to be effective at beating back the invasion, we have to have superior capabilities than the Chinese.

We have to have a more powerful air force, navy, army, "digital army", etc.

Certainly this is true today--if China went crazy and lashed out TODAY, we could probably beat them back.

However, the Chinese are also working hard at catching up to our level of military technology. It's not too crazy to imagine a few decades in the future where China and US have equally powerful air force, or navy, or military technology in general.

The Chinese have something today, that even we don't have: numbers.

They have over a billion people... we have like 300 million.

"All other things being equal" the largest army usually will win.

Link to this comment drchuck1 06/17/11 at 2:34 pm

china is a real threat, good thing there is a wide ocean between us, the rail lines would already be known to us, no need for satelites, our U2 planes can be tasked quicker than a satelite can be tasked (this is why we still have them and yes, they are vulnerable, but the pilots know the risk), we definately need to keep the best military or else, unfortunately this is very expensive but still vital

Link to this comment B.V. 06/17/11 at 2:42 pm

When I was talking about satellites I was trying to communicate the idea of knowing what is traveling on the track in "real-time" as opposed to general knowledge of the track.

For instance, we know that highways between the US and Canada exist, but that's different from seeing a convoy of tanks traveling down the highways towards the U.S./Canada border via real-time streaming through a satellite.

Of course I'm not trying to say that China def. plans to take over the world and these rail lines are part of the master plan... I'm just saying that the faster/easier it is to move goods/people around, the faster/easier it is to move weapons/soldiers around.

Hopefully that consideration is in the minds of the policy makers who approve/reject the final proposals and easements.

Link to this comment drchuck1 06/18/11 at 2:20 am

of course real time is better than pics from planes, soon uav's will loiter over head indefinately, better than satelites, i do agree with most of what you say, it would seem china's air assets would do it better, at least in the beginning of an attack

Link to this comment cjeam 06/18/11 at 10:55 pm

@BV

Errm, well yes but:

You should bear in mind that if China sends troops westwards they have to deal with the EU. An area that is more economically powerful than China (or the US), has a total military budget that exceeds China's (but doesn't exceed the US's!?). They have 2.2M active troops, we have 1.5M, they have 0.8M reserve, we have 4.5M. We generally match or exceed the hardware they have, and have significantly more combat experienced troops, who would be operating on home soil.

Swings and roundabouts, but I think we just might win without needing the US's help at all.

Also, the likelihood of China attempting to do this is slim to none. You've seen the worst case scenario and are focusing on it, consider the less severe but more plausible risks. (whatever they are)

Link to this comment drchuck1 06/19/11 at 1:40 am

in the current world economy they would have too much too lose, but if the world economy calapses for good i think they may have a change of heart

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Toward faster transistors: Physicists discover physical phenomenon that could boost computers' clock speed

ScienceDaily (May 15, 2011) — In the 1980s and '90s, competition in the computer industry was all about "clock speed" -- how many megahertz, and ultimately gigahertz, a chip could boast. But clock speeds stalled out almost 10 years ago: Chips that run faster also run hotter, and with existing technology, there seems to be no way to increase clock speed without causing chips to overheat.

In this week's issue of the journal Science, MIT researchers and their colleagues at the University of Augsburg in Germany report the discovery of a new physical phenomenon that could yield transistors with greatly enhanced capacitance -- a measure of the voltage required to move a charge. And that, in turn, could lead to the revival of clock speed as the measure of a computer's power.

In today's computer chips, transistors are made from semiconductors, such as silicon. Each transistor includes an electrode called the gate; applying a voltage to the gate causes electrons to accumulate underneath it. The electrons constitute a channel through which an electrical current can pass, turning the semiconductor into a conductor.

Capacitance measures how much charge accumulates below the gate for a given voltage. The power that a chip consumes, and the heat it gives off, are roughly proportional to the square of the gate's operating voltage. So lowering the voltage could drastically reduce the heat, creating new room to crank up the clock.

MIT Professor of Physics Raymond Ashoori and Lu Li, a postdoc and Pappalardo Fellow in his lab -- together with Christoph Richter, Stefan Paetel, Thilo Kopp and Jochen Mannhart of the University of Augsburg -- investigated the unusual physical system that results when lanthanum aluminate is grown on top of strontium titanate. Lanthanum aluminate consists of alternating layers of lanthanum oxide and aluminum oxide. The lanthanum-based layers have a slight positive charge; the aluminum-based layers, a slight negative charge. The result is a series of electric fields that all add up in the same direction, creating an electric potential between the top and bottom of the material.

Ordinarily, both lanthanum aluminate and strontium titanate are excellent insulators, meaning that they don't conduct electrical current. But physicists had speculated that if the lanthanum aluminate gets thick enough, its electrical potential would increase to the point that some electrons would have to move from the top of the material to the bottom, to prevent what's called a "polarization catastrophe." The result is a conductive channel at the juncture with the strontium titanate -- much like the one that forms when a transistor is switched on. So Ashoori and his collaborators decided to measure the capacitance between that channel and a gate electrode on top of the lanthanum aluminate.

They were amazed by what they found: Although their results were somewhat limited by their experimental apparatus, it may be that an infinitesimal change in voltage will cause a large amount of charge to enter the channel between the two materials. "The channel may suck in charge -- shoomp! Like a vacuum," Ashoori says. "And it operates at room temperature, which is the thing that really stunned us."

Indeed, the material's capacitance is so high that the researchers don't believe it can be explained by existing physics. "We've seen the same kind of thing in semiconductors," Ashoori says, "but that was a very pure sample, and the effect was very small. This is a super-dirty sample and a super-big effect." It's still not clear, Ashoori says, just why the effect is so big: "It could be a new quantum-mechanical effect or some unknown physics of the material."

There is one drawback to the system that the researchers investigated: While a lot of charge will move into the channel between materials with a slight change in voltage, it moves slowly -- much too slowly for the type of high-frequency switching that takes place in computer chips. That could be because the samples of the material are, as Ashoori says, "super dirty"; purer samples might exhibit less electrical resistance. But it's also possible that, if researchers can understand the physical phenomena underlying the material's remarkable capacitance, they may be able to reproduce them in more practical materials.

Triscone cautions that wholesale changes to the way computer chips are manufactured will inevitably face resistance. "So much money has been injected into the semiconductor industry for decades that to do something new, you need a really disruptive technology," he says.

"It's not going to revolutionize electronics tomorrow," Ashoori agrees. "But this mechanism exists, and once we know it exists, if we can understand what it is, we can try to engineer it."

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The original article was written by Larry Hardesty, MIT News Office.

Journal Reference:

L. Li, C. Richter, S. Paetel, T. Kopp, J. Mannhart, R. C. Ashoori. Very Large Capacitance Enhancement in a Two-Dimensional Electron System. Science, 2011; 332 (6031): 825 DOI: 10.1126/science.1204168

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

View the original article here

Toward faster transistors: Physicists discover physical phenomenon that could boost computers' clock speed

ScienceDaily (May 15, 2011) — In the 1980s and '90s, competition in the computer industry was all about "clock speed" -- how many megahertz, and ultimately gigahertz, a chip could boast. But clock speeds stalled out almost 10 years ago: Chips that run faster also run hotter, and with existing technology, there seems to be no way to increase clock speed without causing chips to overheat.

In this week's issue of the journal Science, MIT researchers and their colleagues at the University of Augsburg in Germany report the discovery of a new physical phenomenon that could yield transistors with greatly enhanced capacitance -- a measure of the voltage required to move a charge. And that, in turn, could lead to the revival of clock speed as the measure of a computer's power.

In today's computer chips, transistors are made from semiconductors, such as silicon. Each transistor includes an electrode called the gate; applying a voltage to the gate causes electrons to accumulate underneath it. The electrons constitute a channel through which an electrical current can pass, turning the semiconductor into a conductor.

Capacitance measures how much charge accumulates below the gate for a given voltage. The power that a chip consumes, and the heat it gives off, are roughly proportional to the square of the gate's operating voltage. So lowering the voltage could drastically reduce the heat, creating new room to crank up the clock.

MIT Professor of Physics Raymond Ashoori and Lu Li, a postdoc and Pappalardo Fellow in his lab -- together with Christoph Richter, Stefan Paetel, Thilo Kopp and Jochen Mannhart of the University of Augsburg -- investigated the unusual physical system that results when lanthanum aluminate is grown on top of strontium titanate. Lanthanum aluminate consists of alternating layers of lanthanum oxide and aluminum oxide. The lanthanum-based layers have a slight positive charge; the aluminum-based layers, a slight negative charge. The result is a series of electric fields that all add up in the same direction, creating an electric potential between the top and bottom of the material.

Ordinarily, both lanthanum aluminate and strontium titanate are excellent insulators, meaning that they don't conduct electrical current. But physicists had speculated that if the lanthanum aluminate gets thick enough, its electrical potential would increase to the point that some electrons would have to move from the top of the material to the bottom, to prevent what's called a "polarization catastrophe." The result is a conductive channel at the juncture with the strontium titanate -- much like the one that forms when a transistor is switched on. So Ashoori and his collaborators decided to measure the capacitance between that channel and a gate electrode on top of the lanthanum aluminate.

They were amazed by what they found: Although their results were somewhat limited by their experimental apparatus, it may be that an infinitesimal change in voltage will cause a large amount of charge to enter the channel between the two materials. "The channel may suck in charge -- shoomp! Like a vacuum," Ashoori says. "And it operates at room temperature, which is the thing that really stunned us."

Indeed, the material's capacitance is so high that the researchers don't believe it can be explained by existing physics. "We've seen the same kind of thing in semiconductors," Ashoori says, "but that was a very pure sample, and the effect was very small. This is a super-dirty sample and a super-big effect." It's still not clear, Ashoori says, just why the effect is so big: "It could be a new quantum-mechanical effect or some unknown physics of the material."

There is one drawback to the system that the researchers investigated: While a lot of charge will move into the channel between materials with a slight change in voltage, it moves slowly -- much too slowly for the type of high-frequency switching that takes place in computer chips. That could be because the samples of the material are, as Ashoori says, "super dirty"; purer samples might exhibit less electrical resistance. But it's also possible that, if researchers can understand the physical phenomena underlying the material's remarkable capacitance, they may be able to reproduce them in more practical materials.

Triscone cautions that wholesale changes to the way computer chips are manufactured will inevitably face resistance. "So much money has been injected into the semiconductor industry for decades that to do something new, you need a really disruptive technology," he says.

"It's not going to revolutionize electronics tomorrow," Ashoori agrees. "But this mechanism exists, and once we know it exists, if we can understand what it is, we can try to engineer it."

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The original article was written by Larry Hardesty, MIT News Office.

Journal Reference:

L. Li, C. Richter, S. Paetel, T. Kopp, J. Mannhart, R. C. Ashoori. Very Large Capacitance Enhancement in a Two-Dimensional Electron System. Science, 2011; 332 (6031): 825 DOI: 10.1126/science.1204168

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

View the original article here

Revolution in wound care? Cotton candy-like glass fibers appear to speed healing in initial venous stasis wound trial

ScienceDaily (May 3, 2011) — Imagine a battlefield medic or emergency medical technician providing first aid with a special wad of cottony glass fibers that simultaneously slows bleeding, fights bacteria (and other sources of infection), stimulates the body's natural healing mechanisms, resists scarring, and-because it is quickly absorbed by surrounding tissue -- may never have to be removed in follow-up care.

Or, imagine diabetics with hard-to-heal wounds finding a source of relief from the battle against infections and limb amputation.

Those scenarios are the hope of the developers of a revolutionary borate glass nanofiber material, which appears have sped and helped the final of healing long-term wounds in eight out of 12 venous stasis wound sufferers in a recent clinical trial held at a medical center in Rolla, Mo.

Details about the trials and the glass fiber material were published in the May issue of the American Ceramic Society's Bulletin magazine.

The story reports on the discovery of the fibers and on an empirical study that began late in the fall of 2010 supervised by the internal review board of the Phelps County Regional Medical Center. The trial groups originally had 13 volunteer members, but one dropped out during the early stages.

According to Peggy Taylor, the PCRMC registered nurse who administered the treatments, all of the volunteers in the trial are enthusiastic about the use of the glass fiber product, which she says "looks like cotton candy."

"All of the participants had diabetes and several of them had wounds that had been unhealed for more than a year," says Taylor, a specialist in wound care. "One patient had the same wound for three years. After using the glass fiber product for a few months, we were able to repair the skin in eight of the patients. Remarkably, the other four have made a lot of progress and all of their wounds should be healed soon, too."

All of the patients suffered from problems associated with venous stasis, a condition where blood circulation in extremities is poor. As the blood pools, typically in lower legs, fluids accumulate causing unusual pressure on skin tissues. Sores and wounds can then develop when the fluid "weeps" from skin cracks, cuts or abrasions.

Because of an enzyme in the weeping fluid, the skin surrounding small venous stasis injuries can quickly erode and turn into large and deep wounds. Even small bruises can eventually develop into bone-deep openings.

The goal of the PCRMC trial was to provide an initial evaluation of the effects of the novel fibrous glass material produced by the Mo-Sci Corporation, a Rolla company already known for creating glass-based materials for medical applications.

"Bioglass" materials aren't particularly new to the medical field, but thus far all bioglass has been formed from a silica-based glass composition, and these primarily have been used in hard-tissue regeneration, such as bone repair.

Glass scientist Steve Jung, who helped develop the new material, says he and co-developer Delbert Day had wondered whether a different type of bioactive glass material could be used for soft-tissue regeneration. "We felt from our in-vitro studies that bioactive glasses containing boron would react to body fluids much faster than silicate glasses," says Jung, who obtained his Ph.D from Missouri University of Science and Technology, where he conducted his research with Day, a professor at the university. "We also knew that an in-vitro study of lithium borate glasses had showed it to have beneficial effects against bacteria, such as E. coli, salmonella and staphylococcus microbes."

Lastly, Jung and Day recall they were interested in a composition that was rich in calcium. "Previously, investigators have reported that calcium is important for wound healing. It appears to assist the migration of epidermal cells and help the body regulate the healing process of open wounds," says Jung.

Besides composition, Jung and Day thought the structure of the material may be important to consider, too, and suspected that providing a healing "scaffold" might be beneficial. "We thought it might be advantageous to have a material that could mimic the microstructure of fibrin that forms the basis of a blood clot. We reasoned that if the structure could imitate fibrin, it might trap blood platelets and allow the formation of a wound cover that could support the healing process."

Jung and Day finally settled on a particular borate glass composition -- called 13-93B3 glass -- one that Mo-Sci, a company founded by Day, already knew how to form into cottony glass fibers, 300 nanometers to 5 micrometers in diameter.

After animal tests showed no adverse effects, Mo-Sci obtained a license to the material from Missouri S&T, named the borate glass material "DermaFuse," and approached PCRMC about starting the small-scale human test.

PCRMC approved the trial in July 2010, and nurse Taylor saw her first patient one month later. Once the study was underway, the company provided Taylor with individual, foil-sealed packets containing pads made of the glass fibers. She says the material is easy to apply. "It gets kind of squished in the packs, but you can form it, pick it, make it into any kind of shape you need out of it. I used tweezers to pack the material up into all of the recesses before filling the rest of the wound. I didn't pack it hard, but enough to fill all the crevices. Once it was in place, I covered it with a secondary covering or compression wrap." One thing that surprised Taylor was that the glass fibers seem to disappear over time, a phenomenon that has been observed with other bioglasses. "Does it dissolve? Does it become part of the tissue? We don't quite know, but it is just such a neat thing to watch that process."

Taylor acknowledges that under her care, the wounds would have probably healed without the glass material, but they would have required expensive vacuum-assisted healing systems that must be carried by patient at all times.

Besides low cost and ease of use, Taylor says the glass fibers seem to offer another stunning benefit: low scarring. "All but one of the patients in the trial were elderly and had a lot of skin discoloration, but we healed wounds that show nothing or negligible scarring," she says.

Jung, who now works as a senior researcher for Mo-Sci, says that the next step is expanded human trials, which will be conducted in partnership with the Center for Wound Healing and Tissue Regeneration at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He says the center has agreed to begin testing the material this summer. In the meantime, Jung says he and Day are optimistic about a new era in wound treatment. "We are really hoping the properties of these fibers can help with more extensive wounds, such as burns, and we easily foresee the day when soldiers or EMT workers carry packets of these glass fibers to provide healing protective covers that don't have to be removed."

The story, "Cotton candy that heals? Borate glass fibers look promising", is available online at http://americanceramicsociety.org/bulletin/2011_pdf_files/may_11/#/27/

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The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by The American Ceramic Society.

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