The invention described herein relates to colloidal particles useful for photoacoustic imaging. The particles comprise a photoacoustic imaging agent with an absorbance maximum or plateau in the range of wavelengths 700-1100 nm. The imaging agent also displays low optical absorbance at some wavelength in the range 700-1100 nm. This combination of high and low optical absorbance enables background subtraction in photoacoustic imaging applications. The imaging agent is an organic compound having low aqueous solubility so that it is stably encapsulated in the hydrophobic core of the particle. The particle is stabilized by a polymeric surface coating, and the polymeric stabilizing layer on the surface of the particle may contain targeting ligands for targeted diagnostics or therapeutic delivery. The particle core may also contain therapeutic agents or other imaging agents.

The present invention provides a core-shell microparticle comprising a biodegradable polymer with at least two or more surface cavities for use in the treatment of vascular disease, wherein the shell further comprises one or more drugs. The present invention further provides a core-shell microparticle which can be used for such treatments, the microparticle comprising a biodegradable polymer with at least two or more surface cavities, wherein the shell further comprises one or more drugs, wherein the one or more drugs are selected from anti-inflammatory drugs, immunosuppressants, anti-proliferative drugs, anti-coagulants and combinations thereof.

A method for generating vapour bubbles in an object comprises introducing a composition into the object, the composition comprising carbon-based nano- or microparticles that can couple with a photon wave of electromagnetic radiation. The method also comprises irradiating said object using electromagnetic radiation. The irradiation thereby is adapted for using a set of carbon-based nano- or microparticles for subsequently forming first vapour bubbles and at least second vapour bubbles using the same carbon-based nano- or microparticles.

Biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles may include: a biocompatible polymer and/or functional metal nanostructures. The biocompatible polymer may be a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA). The functional metal nanostructures may include at least one noble metal, at least one magnetic metal oxide, or mixtures thereof. The biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles may have an average size less than or equal to 200 nanometers (nm).

The present invention relates to contrast agent enhanced medical ultrasound imaging. In particular, the contrast agents provided are useful for cell imaging and cell therapy, as well as in vivo targeting, drug delivery and perfusion or vascular imaging applications. More specifically, it provides a particle comprising a fluorinated organic compound and a metal. Such particles may be advantageously employed in qualitative or quantitative imaging such as acoustic imaging including photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging, MRI imaging, such as 19F imaging, 1H imaging including T1 and T2 weighted imaging, SPECT, PET, scintigraphy, fluorescence imaging and optical coherence imaging and tomographic applications. This may then be employed in cell labeling, microscopy, histology or for imaging vasculature or perfusion in vivo and in vitro.

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to internal combustion engines, combustion systems that include such internal combustion engines, and controls for controlling operation of the combustion engine. The internal combustion engine may include one or more mechanisms for injecting fuel, air, fuel-air mixture, or combinations thereof directly into one or more cylinders, and controls may operate or direct operation of such mechanisms.

Abstract: The present invention provides a core-shell micro-particle comprising a biodegradable polymer with at least two or more surface cavities. The present invention also provides use of the core-shell micro-particle in drug delivery, contrast enhancement, subharmonic imaging enhancement, theranostics, and/or any combination of the aforementioned applications.

Disclosed are nanoparticle-based ultrasound contrast agents that comprise a sub-100 nanometer nanoparticle core, a hydrophobic layer, and a stabilization layer, and methods of producing such ultrasound contrast agents. The stabilization layer comprises molecules that are spaced apart on the stabilization layer to provide bubble nucleation sites that initiate cavitation of the bubbles in response to acoustic intensity delivered by ultrasound equipment.

Disclosed are a film-forming agent composition for contrast agent, a film-forming lipid solution including the film-forming agent composition, a contrast agent including the film-forming lipid solution, and a preparation method thereof. The film-forming agent composition for contrast agent includes a lipid, an emulsifier and a surface charge modifier; relative to 100 parts by weight of the lipid, the content of the emulsifier is 20-50 parts by weight, and the content of the surface charge modifier is 10-35 parts by weight; and the lipid is a carboxylated phospholipid, and the surface charge modifier is a polyelectrolyte. Based on the composition, the nanodroplets of the resulting contrast agent have more uniform particle size, higher stability and better controllability, as well as a lower threshold value for ultrasonic gasification.

Stable perfluorocarbon nanodroplet compositions with properties such as low-boiling points and small particle diameters are provided for improved performance in ultrasound imaging and therapeutic applications. Methods of producing stabilized nanodroplet compositions and methods of using the compositions are further provided to allow for improved performance in ultrasound imaging techniques and/or therapeutic applications.