Synthesis of Er:YAG Nanocrystals and Comparative Spectroscopic Analysis with Bulk Counterparts.

Single-crystal Er:YAG has long been used as a laser material, and recent work has shown polycrystalline ceramic Er:YAG to be a suitable laser material, with benefits of lower cost and easier production. However, relatively little work has been done with the synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of Er:YAG nanocrystals. In this work, we present the synthesis of nanocrystalline Er:YAG and the results of comparative spectroscopic characterization with single-crystal and polycrystalline ceramic counterparts.

PMAO coated Na(GdLu)F:Nd nanocrystals as multifunctional contrast agent with NIR optical, X-ray and magnetic imaging properties.

Nanomaterials with multiple imaging functionalities are nowadays getting tremendous attention due to their several superior features compared to existing contrast agents. By developing a nanomaterial that exhibit multiple functionalities, the possibility to increase the amount of imaging information obtained in a short amount of time is becoming more and more a reality. In this work, we developed a multifunctional nanocrystals (NCs), Na(GdLu)F:Nd, that combines multiple rare-earth features as an all-in-one imaging agent comprised of optical imaging, magnetic imaging, and X-ray imaging by utilizing the superparamagnetic features of Gd, the high X-ray absorption cross section of Lu, and the NIR fluorescence of Nd.

Synthesis and characterization of Na(GdLu)F: Nd,a core-shell free multifunctional contrast agent.

Compared to conventional core-shell structures, core-shell free nanoparticles with multiple functionalities offer several advantages such as minimal synthetic complexity and low production cost. In this paper, we present the synthesis and characterization of Nd doped Na(GdLu)F as a core-shell free nanoparticle system with three functionalities. Nanocrystals with 20 nm diameter, high crystallinity and a narrow particle size distributions were synthesized by the solvothermal method and characterized by various analytical techniques to understand their phase and morphology.

Drug Resistance of Endocardial Endothelial Cells is Related to Higher Endogenous ABCG2.

Endocardial endothelial cells (EECs), when compared with endothelial cells of arteries and veins, possess higher resistance to apoptosis-inducing anticancer agents. The mechanism of this resistance property is unknown. We have investigated the molecular mechanism, which contributes to increased cell survival capacity in EECs.

Bimodal Imaging Using Neodymium Doped Gadolinium Fluoride Nanocrystals with Near-Infrared to Near-Infrared Downconversion Luminescence and Magnetic Resonance Properties.

Here we report the synthesis, characterization and application of a multifunctional surface functionalized GdF:Nd nanophosphor that exhibits efficient near infrared (NIR) fluorescence as well as magnetic properties, which can be utilized for bimodal imaging in medical applications. The nanoparticles are small with an average size of 5 nm and form stable colloids that last for several weeks without settling, enabling the use for several biomedical and photonic applications. Their excellent NIR properties, such as nearly 11 % quantum yield of the 1064 nm emission, make them ideal contrast agents and biomarkers for and NIR optical bioimaging.