The present invention relates to compositions and methods using protein reporters as imaging agents in .sup.129Xe NMR and MRI applications. It is described that bla and MBP are genetically-encoded proteins that induce a detectable chemical shift during .sup.129Xe NMR, allowing for use as protein reporters in research and clinical applications.

The disclosure provide hollow nanospheres and methods of making and using the same. The methods and compositions of the disclosure are useful for drug delivery and gene transfer.

An electromagnetic device, such as an actuator for electrovalves or injectors, particularly for endothermal engines includes a coil winding of an electric wire covered with an insulating layer made of overmoulded plastic material. In order to prevent the electric wire from breaking at the ends thereof connected to the electric terminals, a protective insert is applied prior to the plastic moulding step. The insert is also made of thermoplastic material, so that it can melt locally together with the cover material, thereby ensuring a stable and effective union during the moulding process. The invention also relates to a process for manufacturing the device.

The present invention relates to silica hollow nanoparticles having inside their cavity a metal core consisting of inorganic nanostructures coated by a protective agent and agglomerated with a polymeric aggregating agent, useful in particular in medicine in the bio-imaging techniques and/or in the radio-therapeutic or chemo-therapeutic techniques; the invention moreover refers to a process for the preparation of such nanoparticles.

A ferrite nano-composites with synergistic enhancement of liver specificity and preparation method and application thereof, wherein the ferrite nano-composites have both manganese ions and ethoxybenzyl group, and the molar percentage of ethoxybenzyl group to manganese ions is 25-60%. The molar percentages of manganese and ferric ions in the ferrite nanoparticles are 40-80%, and the ferrite nano-composites with manganese ions and ethoxybenzyl groups on the surface are in the particle size range of 0.2-5 nm, with preferred particle size range of 2-4 nm. With the preparation method and the application for magnetic resonance T1 imaging, the ferrite nano-composites enhance hepatocyte specificity due to the synergistic effect of manganese ions and ethoxybenzyl groups, thus achieving enhanced T1 imaging of the liver with high specificity in magnetic resonance imaging.

Provided is a nanoparticulate composite with two layers. One of the layers comprises one or more metals, which are a paramagnetic metal, a ferromagnetic metal, or a superparamagnetic metal. This layer also contains one or more suitable dopants. The other layer comprises one or more metals of gadolinium, manganese (II), and iron (III), in the form of an oxide or a fluoride. This layer may contain one or more lanthanide dopants. The nanoparticulate composite may be used as a contrast agent, in particular in magnetic resonance imaging.

A method (100) for synthesising multi-core magnetic metal oxide nanoparticles is disclosed. The method comprises providing a first precursor mixture (102) comprising a first metal-containing precursor, a first solvent, and a first nanoparticle clustering agent, and heating the first precursor mixture to thermally decompose the first metal-containing precursor to produce a nanoparticle mixture (104) comprising multi-core magnetic metal oxide nanoparticles. The method further comprises performing at least one seeded growth step (106), each comprising a feeding step in which a further precursor mixture (108) is added to the nanoparticle mixture, the further precursor mixture comprising a further metal-containing precursor and a further solvent, and a heating step in which the nanoparticle mixture is heated to thermally decompose the second metal-containing precursor to achieve growth of the multi-core magnetic metal oxide nanoparticles.

A submicron structure includes a silica body defining a plurality of pores that are suitable to receive molecules therein, the silica body further defining an outer surface between pore openings of said plurality of pores; and a plurality of anionic molecules attached to the outer surface of the silica body. The anionic molecules provide hydrophilicity to the submicron structure and are suitable to provide repulsion between other similar submicron structures, and the submicron structure has a maximum dimension less than one micron.

A magnetic nanoparticle includes a magnetic core and a superparamagnetic outer shell, in which the outer shell enhances magnetic properties of the nanoparticle. The enhanced magnetic properties of the magnetic nanoparticle allow for highly sensitive detection as well as diminished non-specific aggregation of nanoparticles.

Disclosed herein are iron oxide nanoparticles having an iron (II) content in a metastable state that is intermediate the iron (II) content of wstite and magnetite. The disclosed iron oxide nanoparticles exhibit unexpectedly beneficial magnetic properties (e.g., saturation magnetization) resulting from both the size of the nanoparticles and the iron (II) content. Accordingly, the iron oxide nanoparticles are attractive for magnetic imaging applications, such as magnetic particle imaging. Methods of forming the iron oxide nanoparticles are also provided, such methods including a controlled oxidation step wherein a small amount (e.g., 1%) of gaseous oxygen is exposed to wstite nanoparticles for a defined period of time sufficient to partially oxidize the wstite but prevent conversion entirely to magnetite. Finally, methods of using the iron oxide nanoparticles are also provided. Representative methods include magnetic particle imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, and hyperthermia.