A pharmaceutical composition includes a plurality of metal nanoparticles and at least one therapeutic agent. Each of the metal nanoparticles includes a core and a stabilizing agent coated on a surface of the core. The at least one therapeutic agent is attached to the stabilizing agent of the metal nanoparticles. Each of the therapeutic agent is an amphiphilic compound and has at least one hydrophobic chain interacting with the stabilizing agent. The pharmaceutical composition may further include a polymer shell encapsulating the metal nanoparticles and the therapeutic agent for enabling controlled release of the therapeutic agent. The pharmaceutical compositions are bifunctional and may be used for diagnosing and treating cancer. Methods for using the pharmaceutical compositions in conjunction with radiation therapy to diagnose and treat cancer are also provided.

The present invention relates to a process for the polyol-type synthesis of nanoparticulate magnetite starting from mixtures of Fe.sup.0 and Fe.sup.III in the presence of a mineral acid. The magnetite particles obtainable from the process have uniform size characteristics and have even presented higher SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) values than those of magnetosomes.

The present invention provides a method for preparing a reconstituted apolipoprotein B lipoparticle and the method comprises steps of (a) dissolving an apolipoprotein B and a lipid in a first buffer containing 2 M to 8 M urea and 1 wt % to 15 wt % amphiphilic compounds to form a mixture; and (b) dialyzing the mixture against a second buffer containing 0 M to 2M urea and 0 wt % to 0.5 wt % amphiphilic compounds for 1 to several times for lowering concentrations of the urea and the amphiphilic compounds in the mixture. The present invention further provides an apolipoprotein B lipoparticle and a use for the production of an apolipoprotein B lipoparticle used for delivering a hydrophobic substance.

Provided is a fluoride nanophosphor using, as cores, luminescent nanoparticles expressed by Chemical Formula 1.

LiEr.sub.1-x-yL.sub.yF.sub.4:Tm.sup.3+.sub.x[Chemical Formula 1]

(In Chemical Formula 1, x is a real number satisfying 0x0.3, y is a real number satisfying 0y0.8 and is selected within a range satisfying 0x+y0.9, and L is any one selected from the group consisting of yttrium (Y), lanthanum (La), cerium (Ce), praseodymium (Pr), neodymium (Nd), promethium (Pm), samarium (Sm), europium (Eu), gadolinium (Gd), terbium (Tb), dysprosium (Dy), holmium (Ho), ytterbium (Yb), lutetium (Lu), and a combination thereof.)

The present invention relates to an aqueous formulation for use in diagnostic detection wherein the aqueous formulation is administered prior to the administration of a fluorinated contrast agent or composition comprising a fluorinated contrast agent as well as to a method of administration. The invention further relates to the use of said aqueous formulation for the diagnostic detection of inflammatory pathological conditions using MR imaging. In addition the invention relates to a kit as well as a diagnostic kit suitable for use in diagnostic detection.

Provided herein are compositions Gd(III)-dithiolane gold nanoparticle conjugates and methods of use thereof. In particular, compositions and method find use in in vivo imaging (e.g., magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)), for example, of pancreatic tissue.

The present invention relates to compositions and methods for imaging and treating various diseases and disorders, including cancers. The composition of the invention can include a plurality of biodegradable micro-beads, each embedding a plurality of nano-beads, further including a polymer, a radionuclide, a radionuclide chelator, a radioligand, a chemotherapeutic agent, and a cell-penetrating peptide. Upon injection into a blood vessel supplying a cancer tumor, the micro-beads lodge into the tumor and degrade, releasing the nano-beads with a therapeutic or diagnostic agent. The compositions and methods of the invention provide a more homogeneous and deeper distribution of radiation or chemotherapeutic agents throughout the target tumor. The micro-beads provide a local, sustained, and controlled delivery nano-beads including therapeutic or diagnostic agents.

The present invention relates to the field of nanovectors for the delivery of active substances in the body, in particular for the treatment of tumours. In particular, the use of these nanovectors makes it possible to improve the pharmacokinetics of the active substances with a more selective delivery, for example in the tumour tissues.

The invention relates to amphiphilic dye-coated inorganic nanoparticle clusters and uses thereof. Specifically, the invention relates to cyanine and/or cyclic tetrapyrrole dye-coated metallic nanoparticle clusters for use in medical imaging and treatments.

A nanotherapeutic supported by a hierarchical silica composite with dual imaging capability (e.g. fluorescence and magnetic resonance imaging), a method of preparing the nanotherapeutic, and a method of treating cancer. Also disclosed is a method of oxidatively dehydrogenating ethane using a catalytic system supported by a hierarchical silica composite.