The fabrication and characterization of barium titanate/akermanite nano-bio-ceramic with a suitable piezoelectric coefficient for bone defect recovery.

In recent years, due to the controllable mechanical properties and degradation rate, calcium silicates such as akermanite (Ca2MgSi2O7) with Ca-Mg and Si- containing bio-ceramics have received much more attention. In addition, the piezoelectric effect plays an important role in bone growth, remodeling and defect healing. To achieve our objective, the porous bioactive nano-composite with a suitable piezoelectric coefficient was fabricated by the freeze-casting technique from the barium titanate and nano-akermanite (BT/nAK) suspension. The highest d33of 4pC/N was obtained for BT90/nAK10. The compressive strength and porosity were for BT75/nAK25 and BT60/nAK40 at the highest level, respectively. The average pore channel diameter was 41 for BT75/nAK25. Interestingly enough, the inter-connected pore channel was observed in the SEM images. There was no detectable transformation phase in the XRD pattern for the BT/nAK composites. The manipulation flexibility of this method indicated the potential for the customized needs in the application of bone substitutes. An ((3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide)) MTT assay indicated that the obtained scaffolds have no cytotoxic effects on the human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells.

Pegylated and amphiphilic Chitosan coated manganese ferrite nanoparticles for pH-sensitive delivery of methotrexate: Synthesis and characterization.

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are the major class of nanoparticles (NPs) with specific functional properties that make them good candidates for biomedical applications. Due to their response to the magnetic field, they can be used in targeted drug delivery systems. In current research, the MNPs were synthesized with the general formula of Fe1-xMnxFe2O4 by the co-precipitation technique. First, the effect of the Fe2+ ions in the system was investigated. Succinic anhydride was used as the first stabilizer to prepare surface for binding two types of polymer, including Polyethylene glycol (PEG) and palmitoylated Polyethylene glycol-grafted Chitosan (Cs-PEG-PA) were introduced as a polymeric shell. The composition, size, structure and magnetic properties of NPs were determined by the particle size analysis (PSA), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Determining the well-defined properties of MNPs, methotrexate (MTX), as a common anticancer drug, was encapsulated into the coated MNPs. The drug encapsulation efficiency was as high as 92.8% with the magnetization value of 19.7emu/g. The in-vitro release pattern was studied, showing only 6% of the drug release in pH=7.4 (as a model of the physiological environment) and 25% in pH=5.4 (as a model of the tumor tissue environment) after 72h. Based on these results, we may be able to introduce this specific system as a novel pH sensitive MNP system for MTX targeting to tumor tissues in cancer chemotherapy.

Contrast agents for MRI.

Contrast agents are divided into two categories. The first one is paramagnetic compounds, including lanthanides like gadolinium, which mainly reduce the longitudinal (T1) relaxation property and result in a brighter signal. The second class consists of super-paramagnetic magnetic nanoparticles (SPMNPs) such as iron oxides, which have a strong effect on the transversal (T2) relaxation properties. SPMNPs have the potential to be utilized as excellent probes for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). For instance, clinically benign iron oxide and engineered ferrite nanoparticles provide a good MRI probing capability for clinical applications. Furthermore, the limited magnetic property and inability to escape from the reticuloendothelial system (RES) of the used nanoparticles impede their further advancement. Therefore, it is necessary to develop the engineered magnetic nanoparticle probes for the next-generation molecular MRI. Considering the importance of MRI in diagnosing diseases, this paper presents an overview of recent scientific achievements in the development of new synthetic SPMNP probes whereby the sensitive and target-specific observation of biological events at the molecular and cellular levels is feasible.

Structure, synthetic methods, magnetic properties and biomedical applications of ferrofluids.

This paper is aimed at conducting a survey of the synthetic methods and magnetic properties of nanoparticles as ferrofluids used in biomedicine. As compared with other works in the field, the distinctive feature of the current work is the systematic study of recent advances in ferrofluids utilized in hyperthermia and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The most important feature for application of ferrofluids is super-paramagnetic behavior of magnetic cores with relatively high saturation magnetization. Although Fe3O4 nanoparticles have traditionally been used in medicine; the modified Mn-ferrite has recently received special attention due to its higher saturation magnetization and r2-relaxivity as a contrast agent in MRI. Co-ferrite nanoparticles are also good candidates for hyperthermia treatment because of their high coercivity and magnetocrystalline anisotropy. The thermal decomposition and hydrothermal methods are good candidates for obtaining appropriate super-paramagnetic particles.

Nano-magnetic particles used in biomedicine: core and coating materials.

Magnetic nanoparticles for medical applications have been developed by many researchers. Separation, immunoassay, drug delivery, magnetic resonance imaging and hyperthermia are enhanced by the use of suitable magnetic nanoparticles and coating materials in the form of ferrofluids. Due to their low biocompatibility and low dispersion in water solutions, nanoparticles that are used for biomedical applications require surface treatment. Various kinds of coating materials including organic materials (polymers), inorganic metals (gold, platinum) or metal oxides (aluminum oxide, cobalt oxide) have been attracted during the last few years. Based on the recent advances and the importance of nanomedicine in human life, this paper attempts to give a brief summary on the different ferrite nano-magnetic particles and coatings used in nanomedicine.

The role of cobalt ferrite magnetic nanoparticles in medical science.

The nanotechnology industry is rapidly growing and promises that the substantial changes that will have significant economic and scientific impacts be applicable to a wide range of areas, such as aerospace engineering, nano-electronics, environmental remediation and medical healthcare. In this area, cobalt ferrite nanoparticles have been regarded as one of the competitive candidates because of their suitable physical, chemical and magnetic properties like the high anisotropy constant, high coercivity and high Curie temperature, moderate saturation magnetization and ease of synthesis. This paper introduces the magnetic properties, synthesis methods and some medical applications, including the hyperthermia, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), magnetic separation and drug delivery of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles.