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.

A tissue implantation device comprises a capsule; and a population of ultrasound-switchable fluorophores incorporated in the capsule. A method of imaging a tissue implantation device in a biological environment comprises disposing the tissue implantation device in a biological environment, the population of ultrasound-switchable fluorophores having a switching threshold in the biological environment; exposing the biological environment to an ultrasound beam to form an activation region within the biological environment; switching the ultrasound-switchable fluorophores in the activation region from an off state to an on state; exciting the ultrasound-switchable fluorophores in the activation region with a beam of electromagnetic radiation; and detecting light emitted by the ultrasound-switchable fluorophores.

The invention relates to lipid polymeric patchy particles formed by nanoprecipitation and emulsification processes, utilizing a polymer blend including the polymer, solvent and lipid-PEGylated functional groups. More particularly, the invention relates to synthesizing particles having different or pre-selected morphologies (internal and external) and physicochemical properties. It has been found that the shear stress experienced by the polymer blend during emulsification can impart certain external and internal morphology and physicochemical properties to the resulting particles. Further, the one or more patches of the particles can be functionalized, such as, with gold nanoparticles, for use of the particles, in particular, in photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging.

Disclosed are gas-generating nanoparticles comprising fine-grained calcium carbonate crystals and a biocompatible polymer, the fine-grained calcium carbonate crystals being encapsulated inside the biocompatible polymer, and the diagnosis and treatment of diseases can be effectively performed at the same time by using a composition of the present disclosure.

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.

A microsphere and method for forming the same are disclosed. The microsphere includes modified cellulose and at least one of a visualization agent, a magnetic material, or a radioactive material.

The present invention is generally directed to improvements in the treatment of cancer and diseases in the central nervous system. A new drug delivery system is provided, method for producing it and medical uses.

The present invention provides compositions relating to nanoparticles, such as nanocapsules, that selectively target cells associated with diseases or disorders (e.g., cancer cells). The present invention further relates to methods relating to the said nanoparticles for imaging, detection, and treatment of diseases or disorders in a subject. The present invention additionally provides kits that find use in the practice of the methods of the invention.

An ultrasound-induced drug delivery system is described, using a drug carrier containing a plurality of nanobubbles and a high concentration of a drug in one microcapsule, and a method for preparing the drug delivery system, by generating the nanobubbles in an oil into which the drug is dissolved using a nanobubble generator, and then microencapsulating them. The drug delivery system has an effect of maximizing a drug delivery efficiency as the nanobubbles collapse or aggregate when the ultrasound is applied to the drug delivery system. Since the drug delivery system contains a plurality of nanobubbles within the microcapsules, it can also be used as a contrast agent, or can be used to simultaneously perform in vivo diagnosis and treatment.

The invention relates to lipid polymeric patchy particles formed by nanoprecipitation and emulsification processes, utilizing a polymer blend including the polymer, solvent and lipid-PEGylated functional groups. More particularly, the invention relates to synthesizing particles having different or pre-selected morphologies (internal and external) and physicochemical properties. It has been found that the shear stress experienced by the polymer blend during emulsification can impart certain external and internal morphology and physicochemical properties to the resulting particles. Further, the one or more patches of the particles can be functionalized, such as, with gold nanoparticles, for use of the particles, in particular, in photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging.