Dual Nanoparticle Conjugates for Highly Sensitive and Versatile Sensing Using F Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Fluorine magnetic resonance imaging ( F MRI) has emerged as an attractive alternative to conventional H MRI due to enhanced specificity deriving from negligible background signal in this modality. We report a dual nanoparticle conjugate (DNC) platform as an aptamer-based sensor for use in F MRI. DNC consists of core-shell nanoparticles with a liquid perfluorocarbon core and a mesoporous silica shell ( F-MSNs), which give a robust F MR signal, and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) as magnetic quenchers.

Risk Factors for Foster Care Placement in Patients with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.

Objective: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a major cause of morbidity in neonates and can be associated with long hospitalization and high health care utilization. This extremely stressful situation can be difficult for many families and caregivers. The high-risk situation combined with increased medical complexity can result in involvement of Department of Child Services (DCS) and even foster care placement.

Anisotropic lanthanide-based nano-clusters for imaging applications.

We have developed a new class of lanthanide nano-clusters that self-assemble using flexible Schiff base ligands. Cd-Ln and Ni-Ln clusters, [LnCd(L)(OAc)Cl(OH)] (Ln = Nd, Eu), [EuCd(L)(OAc)], [LnCd(L)(OAc)] (Ln = Nd, Yb, Sm) and [NdNi(L)(acac)(NO)(OH)], were constructed using different types of flexible Schiff base ligands. These molecular nano-clusters exhibit anisotropic architectures that differ considerably depending upon the presence of Cd (nano-drum) or Ni (square-like nano-cluster).

Self-assembly of high-nuclearity lanthanide-based nanoclusters for potential bioimaging applications.

Two series of Cd-Ln and Ni-Ln clusters [Ln8Cd24L12(OAc)44(48)Cl4(0)] and [Ln8Ni6L6(OAc)24(EtOH)6(H2O)2] were constructed using a flexible ligand. The Cd-Ln clusters exhibit interesting nano-drum-like structures which allows direct visualization by TEM. Luminex MicroPlex Microspheres loaded with the Cd-Sm cluster were visualized using epifluorescence microscopy.

Exploiting Copper Redox for (19)F Magnetic Resonance-Based Detection of Cellular Hypoxia.

We report a pair of fluorinated, redox-active copper complexes for potential use as (19)F MRI contrast agents for detecting cellular hypoxia. Trifluorinated Cu(II) ATSM-F3 displays the appropriate redox potential for selective accumulation in hypoxic cells and a completely quenched (19)F NMR signal that is "turned on" following reduction to Cu(I). Incubation of cancer cells with CuATSM-F3 resulted in a selective detection of (19)F signal in cells grown under hypoxic conditions.