Methods and apparatus for the study of gastrointestinal transit in a human or animal subject. The method being for the study of a subject which has previously ingested a container containing first and second fluids that are detectable and distinguishable by MRI, which method comprises the steps of forming a first magnetic resonance image of at least a portion of the subject's GI tract in which the container is located, wherein the magnetizations of the first and second fluids are in-phase; forming a second magnetic resonance image, coincident with the first image, wherein the magnetizations of the first and second fluids are out-of-phase; and subtracting the second image from the first image, or vice versa, to form a composite image.

Methods and apparatus for the study of gastrointestinal transit in a human or animal subject. The method being for the study of a subject which has previously ingested a container containing first and second fluids that are detectable and distinguishable by MRI, which method comprises the steps of forming a first magnetic resonance image of at least a portion of the subject's GI tract in which the container is located, wherein the magnetizations of the first and second fluids are in-phase; forming a second magnetic resonance image, coincident with the first image, wherein the magnetizations of the first and second fluids are out-of-phase; and subtracting the second image from the first image, or vice versa, to form a composite image.

Gd-encapsulated carbonaceous dots (Gd@C-dots) hold great potential in clinical translation as Ti contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging. However, current synthetic techniques yield particles with poor size control; hence, time-consuming size selection is often needed to obtain particles of desired sizes. Disclosed is a process whereby mesoporous silica nanoparticles are used as templates for size-controlled synthesis of Gd@C-dots. The disclosed methods involve calcining a mixture comprising a mesoporous silica nanoparticle, a gadolinium-containing compound, and a chelator, thereby forming the nanoparticles of gadolinium within the mesoporous silica nanoparticle; and removing the mesoporous silica nanoparticle from the nanoparticles of gadolinium.

A polymer-free synthesis method is provided for preparation of monodisperse nanostars. The nanostars can be used for treating and imaging cells in in vivo or ex vivo. The modes of treatment include use of a nanostar modified with a photo-activatable drug, which drug is activated by the photo-response of the nanostar to electromagnetic stimulation; use of a nanostar modified with a thermally-activatable drug, which drug is activated by a thermal response of the nanostar to electromagnetic stimulation; and the thermal response of the nanostar itself to electromagnetic stimulation, which can directly or indirectly cause the death of an undesirable cell.

A nanomaterial composition for magnetic field-induced electrical stimulation of cells includes a piezoelectric nanoparticle and a magnetic nanodisc. The piezoelectric nanoparticle is conjugated to a first molecule of a specific binding molecule pair and is coated with a cell-binding molecule. The magnetic nanodisc is conjugated to a second molecule of the specific binding molecule pair and is attached to the piezoelectric nanoparticle through bonding of the second molecule and the first molecule. The magnetic nanodisc converts a magnetic energy into a mechanical energy in the presence of an external magnetic field, and the mechanical energy is then applied to the piezoelectric nanoparticle that is in contact with the cells via the cell-binding molecule, such that the piezoelectric nanoparticle converts the mechanical energy into an electrical energy, so as to electrically stimulate the cells. A method for magnetic field-induced electrical stimulation of cells in a subject is also provided.

A system for aerating a marker material. The system includes a first container, a second container, and an aeration connector. The aeration connector includes a body and a screen disk disposed within the body. The first container is in communication with the second container via the aeration connector. The screen disk of the aeration connector is configured to aerate a marker material as the marker material is repeatedly passed between the first container and the second container.

The present invention provides compositions and methods for targeting cells for therapeutic and/or diagnostic purposes, e.g., delivery of therapeutic and/or diagnostic agents to a cell. Nanoparticles and polymers functionalized with capture molecules, reporter molecules, and/or therapeutic agents are provided for the treatment or prevention of disease, including neurological diseases associated with neuroinflammation, and cancer.

Magnetic nanoparticles and synthesis of synthesis are described.

The invention relates to an antitumor composition based on hydrophobized hyaluronan and inorganic nanoparticles stabilized by oleic acid. The hydrophobized hyaluronan in the form of an acylated hyaluronan serves in the composition as a carrier of inorganic nanoparticles. Out of the group of inorganic nanoparticles, the composition may comprise superparamagnetic nanoparticles, nanoparticles of ZnO and moreover, upconversion nanoparticles. Said composition is selectively cytotoxic with respect to both suspension and adherent tumor cell lines, especially with respect to tumor cell lines of colorectum carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, lung carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma and breast adenocarcinoma. The highest cytotoxic effects were observed in case of the composition based on an oleyl derivative of hyaluronan with SPIONs. The composition of acylated hyaluronan with SPIONs may also be advantageously used for an in vivo detection of accumulation of the composition in the body, preferably in a tumor or in liver. Said composition is sterilizable in the final package.

To solve the problem of differentiating veins from lymphatics in MRI images, among other uses, the disclosed embodiments relate to compositions, kits, systems, and methods that include an MRI contrast agent and an MRI suppression agent that is also a blood pool agent. Using appropriate MRI techniques, the MRI suppression agent will suppress signal in its location, while signal enhanced by the MRI contrast agent in other locations will not be suppressed. The result is a clarified MRI image with only non-vascular regions enhanced.