Robotic dental implant placement workflow for edentulous jaws.

Yakebot, the first autonomous robotic dental implant system, provides a 1-stop solution for implant design, robot operation, real-time navigation, and precision analysis. This report describes the composition, principles, and implant operation procedures of the Yakebot dental implant robotic system in a patient for whom the robotic workflow procedure was used to place implants in the edentulous maxilla. The results showed that this workflow was more precise and predictable than traditional methods.

The acute effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on laminar diffusion anisotropy of neocortical gray matter.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is increasingly used to treat neuropsychiatric disorders. Inhibitory and excitatory regimens have been both adopted but the exact mechanism of action remains unclear, and investigating their differential effects on laminar diffusion profiles of neocortex may add important evidence. Twenty healthy participants were randomly assigned to receive a low-frequency/inhibitory or high-frequency/excitatory rTMS targeting the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). With the brand-new submillimeter diffusion tensor imaging of whole brain and specialized surface-based laminar analysis, fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusion (MD) profiles of cortical layers at different cortical depths were characterized before/after rTMS. Inhibitory and excitatory rTMS both showed impacts on diffusion metrics of somatosensory, limbic, and sensory regions, but different patterns of changes were observed-increased FA with inhibitory rTMS, whereas decreased FA with excitatory rTMS. More importantly, laminar analysis indicated laminar specificity of changes in somatosensory regions during different rTMS patterns-inhibitory rTMS affected the superficial layers contralateral to the DLPFC, while excitatory rTMS led to changes in the intermediate/deep layers bilateral to the DLPFC. These findings provide novel insights into acute neurobiological effects on diffusion profiles of rTMS that may add critical evidence relevant to different protocols of rTMS on neocortex.

Preparation of Surface-Active Hyperbranched-Polymer-Encapsulated Nanometal as a Highly Efficient Cracking Catalyst for In Situ Combustion of Heavy Oil.

In situ combustion of heavy oil is currently the most suitable thermal method that meets energy consumption and carbon dioxide emission requirements for heavy oil recovery. The combustion catalyst needs to perform multiple roles for application; it should be capable of catalyzing heavy oil combustion at high temperatures, as well as be able to migrate in the geological formation for injection. In this work, a hyperbranched polymer composite nanometal fluid was used as the injection vector for a heavy oil in situ combustion catalyst, which enabled the catalyst to rapidly migrate to the surface of the oil phase in porous media and promoted heavy oil cracking deposition at high temperatures. Platinum (Pt) nanoparticles encapsulated with cetyl-hyperbranched poly(amide-amine) (CPAMAM), with high interfacial activity, were synthesized by a facile phase-transfer method; the resulting material is called Pt@CPAMAM. Pt@CPAMAM has good dispersion, and as an aqueous solution, it can reduce the interfacial tension between heavy oil and water. As a catalyst, it can improve the conversion rate during the pyrolysis of heavy oil in a nitrogen atmosphere. The catalyst structure designed in this study is closer to that exhibited in practical geological formation applications, making it a potential method for preparing catalysts for use in heavy oil in situ combustion to resolve the problem of catalyst migration in the geological formation.

Morphological and Compositional Analysis on Thermal Deposition of Supercritical Aviation Kerosene in Micro Channels.

The integration of active cooling systems in super or hypersonic aircraft using endothermic hydrocarbon fuels is considered an effective way to relieve the thermal management issues caused by overheating. When the temperature of aviation kerosene exceeds 150 °C, the oxidation reaction of fuel is accelerated, forming insoluble deposits that could cause safety hazards. This work investigates the deposition characteristic as well as the morphology of the deposits formed by thermal-stressed Chinese RP-3 aviation kerosene. A microchannel heat transfer simulation device is used to simulate the heat transfer process of aviation kerosene under various conditions. The temperature distribution of the reaction tube was monitored by an infrared thermal camera. The properties and morphology of the deposition were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The mass of the deposits was measured using the temperature-programmed oxidation method. It is observed that the deposition of RP-3 is highly related to dissolved oxygen content (DOC) and temperature. When the outlet temperature increased to 527 °C, the fuel underwent violent cracking reactions, and the structure and morphology of deposition were significantly different from those caused by oxidation. Specifically, this study reveals that the structure of the deposits caused by short-to-medium term oxidation are dense, which is different from long-term oxidative deposits.

Magneto-mechanical therapeutic effects and associated cell death pathways of magnetic nanocomposites with distinct geometries.

Recent years have witnessed important developments in the emerging field of magneto-mechanical therapies. While such approaches have been demonstrated as a highly efficient route to augment, complement, or entirely replace other therapeutic strategies, important aspects are still poorly understood. Among these, the dependence between the cell death pathway and the geometry of magnetic nanocomposites enabling magneto-mechanical therapies under a low-frequency rotating magnetic field (RMF) is yet to be deciphered. To provide insights into this important problem, we evaluate the cell death pathway for two magnetic nanocomposites with highly distinct geometries: Zn0.2Fe2.8O4-PLGA magnetic nanospheres (MNSs) and Zn0.2Fe2.8O4-PLGA magnetic nanochains (MNCs). We show that under exposure to an RMF, the MNSs and the MNCs exhibit a corkscrewed circular propulsion mode and a steering propulsion mode, respectively. This distinct behavior, with important implications for the associated magneto-mechanical forces exerted by these nanomaterials on surrounding structures (e.g., the cellular membrane), depends on their specific geometries. Next, using numerical simulations and cell viability experiments, we demonstrate that the field strength of the RMF and the rotating speed of the MNSs or MNCs have strong implications for their magneto-mechanical therapeutic performance. Last, we reveal that the magneto-mechanical effects of MNSs are more prone to induce cell apoptosis, whereas those of the MNCs favor instead cell necrosis. Overall, this work enhances the current understanding of the dependences existing between the magneto-mechanical therapeutic effects of magnetic nanocomposites with different geometries and associated cell death pathways, paving the way for novel functionalization routes which could enable significantly enhanced cures and biomedical tools. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE.

Hippocampal subfield alterations in schizophrenia and major depressive disorder: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of anatomic MRI studies.

BACKGROUND: Hippocampal disturbances are important in the pathophysiology of both schizophrenia and major depressive disorder (MDD). Imaging studies have shown selective volume deficits across hippocampal subfields in both disorders. We aimed to investigate whether these volumetric alterations in hippocampal subfields are shared or divergent across disorders. METHODS: We searched PubMed and Embase from database inception to May 8, 2021. We identified MRI studies in patients with schizophrenia, MDD or both, in which hippocampal subfield volumes were measured. We excluded nonoriginal, animal or postmortem studies, and studies that used other imaging modalities or overlapping data. We conducted a network meta-analysis to estimate and contrast alterations in subfield volumes in the 2 disorders. RESULTS: We identified 45 studies that met the initial criteria for systematic review, of which 15 were eligible for network metaanalysis. Compared to healthy controls, patients with schizophrenia had reduced volumes in the bilateral cornu ammonis (CA) 1, granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus, subiculum, parasubiculum, molecular layer, hippocampal tail and hippocampus-amygdala transition area (HATA); in the left CA4 and presubiculum; and in the right fimbria. Patients with MDD had decreased volumes in the left CA3 and CA4 and increased volumes in the right HATA compared to healthy controls. The bilateral parasubiculum and right HATA were smaller in patients with schizophrenia than in patients with MDD. LIMITATIONS: We did not investigate medication effects because of limited information. Study heterogeneity was noteworthy in direct comparisons between patients with MDD and healthy controls. CONCLUSION: The volumes of multiple hippocampal subfields are selectively altered in patients with schizophrenia and MDD, with overlap and differentiation in subfield alterations across disorders. Rigorous head-to-head studies are needed to validate our findings.

Guarding food safety with conventional and up-conversion near-infrared fluorescent sensors.

BACKGROUND: Acknowledged by the World Health Organisation (WHO), over 200 diseases ranging from mild to fatal are linked to the consumption of food products subjected to physical, chemical, or biological contamination. Nevertheless, conventional methods commonly used for the identification of health hazards in foodstuffs have problems coping with the sensitivity requirements imposed by latest-hour regulations in the field. Additionally, their use and availability is wildly limited by aspects such as instrument dimension, prohibitive costs, detection complexity and required operational knowledge. AIM OF REVIEW: This review provides an overview of recent efforts that have focused on the assesment of food contamination based on near infrared (NIR) photoluminescent sensors. Important endeavors that have targeted the precise detection of various inorganic and organic contaminants, including hydrogen sulfide, cyanide anions, mycotoxins, antibiotic residues, etc., are presented and relevant challenges that lie en route as stumbling blocks for such sensors to reach the next level of maturity and to become more available, are systematically discussed and enunciated. KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF REVIEW: Ingenious food contamination sensors that rely on conventional or up-conversion photoluminescence in the NIR region represent an emerging topic. To date, such sensors have been demonstrated as promising detection candidates, possessing important advantages such as: high efficiency, facile implementation, and convenient flexibility, thereby promising significant contributions to expand the current state of the art in food security.

"Double-punch" strategy against triple-negative breast cancer via a synergistic therapy of magneto-mechanical force enhancing NIR-II hypothermal ablation.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a form of breast cancer that is more aggressive and harder to treat than others, with a higher probability of relapse. Its nefarious capabilities for migrating and invading other parts of the body together with the current lack of clinically established effective therapies account for a low survival rate. In this work, we demonstrate the in-tandem use of two complementary therapeutic routes to effectively combat TNBC. A versatile magnetic-photothermal converter (MPC) consisting of zinc-doped ferrite nanoparticles and polyethene glycol, is shown to display excellent therapeutic efficiency, being capable to fight TNBC via two distinct routes: magneto-mechanical force (MMF) and near-infrared-II (NIR-II) hypothermal ablation. The combined use of these two complementary and synergistic therapies, which are less aggressive to the human body compared to conventional chemotherapeutic approaches, results in the splendid suppression of TNBC migration and invasion. Remotely controlling the MPCs by an external magnetic field, results in cellular MMF effects that cause direct mechanical destruction to the cancer cell membrane, leading to its necrosis. Furthermore, the MMF disrupts intracellular lysosomes, thereby triggering the release of large amounts of protein hydrolases, which induce intracellular oxidative stress, and accelerate the induction of apoptosis. Complementing the therapeutic approach based on MMF, the excellent photothermal performance of the MPC in the NIR-II region (1064 nm) is exploited to enable effective hypothermal ablation of the tumours, which can be achieved in deep tissue layers. The proposed multifunctional nanocomposites, together with the demonstrated "double-punch" therapeutic approach, hold significant potential to pave the way for future cutting-edge weapons against the dreadful TNBC.

Multifunctional Modulation of High-Performance Znx Fe3-x O4 Nanoparticles by Precisely Tuning the Zinc Doping Content.

The possibility to precisely control important properties of nanoparticles (NPs) such as their size, morphology, surface charge, or doping content is crucial for enhancing the performance of existing solutions beyond the state-of-the-art and for enabling novel applications. In this work, custom-tailored Znx Fe3- x O4 NPs are synthesized at different Zn doping concentrations to augment and expand their usefulness for high-performance applications in nanomedicine. By precisely increasing the Zn2+ content in the range of 0 ≤ x ≤ 2.0, the discussed NPs can sequentially acquire valuable properties enabling magnetic resonance imaging, near-infrared (NIR) photothermal effects, NIR photocatalytic and photoelectric effects, depending on the variation of substitution position of the Zn2+ in the magnetite structure and the emergence of a ZnO/ZnFe2 O4 heterostructure at high doping concentrations. The presented work demonstrates and explainsa facile route for the synthesis and modulation of multifunctional nanomaterials with manifold roles in disease diagnostics and therapy, and provides helpful guidance in designing divalent transition metal ion-doped nanomaterials.

Living Sample Viability Measurement Methods from Traditional Assays to Nanomotion.

Living sample viability measurement is an extremely common process in medical, pharmaceutical, and biological fields, especially drug pharmacology and toxicology detection. Nowadays, there are a number of chemical, optical, and mechanical methods that have been developed in response to the growing demand for simple, rapid, accurate, and reliable real-time living sample viability assessment. In parallel, the development trend of viability measurement methods (VMMs) has increasingly shifted from traditional assays towards the innovative atomic force microscope (AFM) oscillating sensor method (referred to as nanomotion), which takes advantage of the adhesion of living samples to an oscillating surface. Herein, we provide a comprehensive review of the common VMMs, laying emphasis on their benefits and drawbacks, as well as evaluating the potential utility of VMMs. In addition, we discuss the nanomotion technique, focusing on its applications, sample attachment protocols, and result display methods. Furthermore, the challenges and future perspectives on nanomotion are commented on, mainly emphasizing scientific restrictions and development orientations.

Magnetomechanical force: an emerging paradigm for therapeutic applications.

Mechanical forces, which play a profound role in cell fate regulation, have prompted the rapid development and popularization of mechanobiology. More recently, magnetic fields in combination with intelligent materials featuring magnetic responsiveness have been identified as a spatially and time-controlled transducing paradigm to generate magnetomechanical forces and induce a therapeutic effect. Herein, recent magnetic materials and magnetic regulation systems are summarized, which offer opportunities for magnetomechanical force manipulation in a precise manner. Additionally, promising applications based on magnetomechanical force including drug controlled release, cancer therapy, and regenerative medicine are highlighted, with respect to both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, perspectives on the further development of magnetomechanical force are commented on, mainly emphasizing scientific restrictions and exploitation directions.

Black TiO2 nanoprobe-mediated mild phototherapy reduces intracellular lipid levels in atherosclerotic foam cells via cholesterol regulation pathways instead of apoptosis.

Given that apoptosis increases the risk of plaque rupture, strategies that reduce intracellular lipid levels without killing foam cells are warranted for safe and effective treatment of atherosclerosis. In this study, a mild phototherapy strategy is carried out to achieve the hypothesis. Foam cell-targeted nanoprobes that allow photothermal therapy (PTT) and/or photodynamic therapy (PDT) were prepared by loading hyaluronan and porphine onto black TiO2 nanoparticles. The results showed that when temperatures below 45 °C, PTT alone and PTT + PDT significantly reduced the intracellular lipid burden without inducing evidently apoptosis or necrosis. In contrast, the use of PDT alone resulted in only a slight reduction in lipid levels and induced massive apoptosis or necrosis. The protective effect against apoptosis or necrosis after mild-temperature PTT and PTT + PDT was correlated with the upregulation of heat shock protein 27. Further, mild-temperature PTT and PTT + PDT attenuated intracellular cholesterol biosynthesis and excess cholesterol uptake via the SREBP2/LDLR pathway, and also triggered ABCA1-mediated cholesterol efflux, ultimately inhibiting lipid accumulation in foam cells. Our results offer new insights into the mechanism of lipid regulation in foam cells and indicate that the black TiO2 nanoprobes could allow safer and more effective phototherapy of atherosclerosis.

Transition metal ion-doped ferrites nanoparticles for bioimaging and cancer therapy.

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have been extensively researched and implemented in biomedicine for more than half a century due to their non-invasive nature, ease of temporal and spatial manipulation, and considerable biocompatibility. However, the complex magnetic behaviour of MNPs is influenced by several parameters (e.g., particle size, shape, composition, core-shell structure, etc.), among which the amount of transition metal doping plays an important factor. For this reason, the doping of ferrite with transition metals has been used as an effective strategy to precisely tailor MNPs to achieve satisfactory performance in biomedical applications. In this review, we first introduced the main properties of coordinated MNPs (including magnetic moment and saturated magnetisation) and provide a comprehensive overview of the mechanistic studies related to the doping of transition metal ions into ferrite to precisely modulate its magnetic properties. We also highlighted the potential mechanisms and recent advances in transition metal ion-doped MNPs (TMNPs) for bioimaging (magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic particle imaging) and tumour therapy (e.g., magneto-mechanical killing, magnetothermal therapy, and drug delivery). Finally, we summarised the current challenges and future trends of TMNPs in the biomedical field based on the latest advances by researchers.

A Multimodal Fusion Analysis of Pretreatment Anatomical and Functional Cortical Abnormalities in Responsive and Non-responsive Schizophrenia.

Background: Antipsychotic medications provide limited long-term benefit to ~30% of schizophrenia patients. Multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data have been used to investigate brain features between responders and nonresponders to antipsychotic treatment; however, these analytical techniques are unable to weigh the interrelationships between modalities. Here, we used multiset canonical correlation and joint independent component analysis (mCCA + jICA) to fuse MRI data to examine the shared and specific multimodal features between the patients and healthy controls (HCs) and between the responders and non-responders. Method: Resting-state functional and structural MRI data were collected from 55 patients with drug-naïve first-episode schizophrenia (FES) and demographically matched HCs. Based on the decrease in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale scores from baseline to the 1-year follow-up, FES patients were divided into a responder group (RG) and a non-responder group (NRG). Gray matter volume (GMV), fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF), and regional homogeneity (ReHo) maps were used as features in mCCA + jICA. Results: Between FES patients and HCs, there were three modality-specific discriminative independent components (ICs) showing the difference in mixing coefficients (GMV-IC7, GMV-IC8, and fALFF-IC5). The fusion analysis indicated one modality-shared IC (GMV-IC2 and ReHo-IC2) and three modality-specific ICs (GMV-IC1, GMV-IC3, and GMV-IC6) between the RG and NRG. The right postcentral gyrus showed a significant difference in GMV features between FES patients and HCs and modality-shared features (GMV and ReHo) between responders and nonresponders. The modality-shared component findings were highlighted by GMV, mainly in the bilateral temporal gyrus and the right cerebellum associated with ReHo in the right postcentral gyrus. Conclusions: This study suggests that joint anatomical and functional features of the cortices may reflect an early pathophysiological mechanism that is related to a 1-year treatment response.

Boosting Chemodynamic Therapy via a Synergy of Hypothermal Ablation and Oxidation Resistance Reduction.

Chemodynamic therapy (CDT), deemed as a cutting-edge antineoplastic therapeutic tactics, efficaciously suppresses tumors via catalytically yielding hydroxyl radicals (•OH) in tumor regions. Nevertheless, its biomedical applications are often restricted by the limited hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) level and upregulated antioxidant defense. Herein, a versatile nanoreactor is elaborately designed via integrating Cu2-xS and MnO2 for T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging-guided CDT, synergistically enhanced through hypothermal ablation and oxidation resistance reduction, thereby displaying splendid antitumor efficiency as well as suppression on pulmonary metastasis. The as-synthesized Cu2-xS@MnO2 nanoreactors afford acid-dependent Cu-based and glutathione (GSH)-activated Mn-based catalytic properties for bimodal CDT. Owing to excellent absorbance at the second near-infrared (NIR-II) window, the Cu2-xS furnishes hypo-photo-thermal therapy (PTT) against tumor growth and ameliorates the catalytic performance for thermal-enhanced CDT. Additionally, MnO2 significantly downregulates GSH and glutathione peroxidase 4, which synergistically boosts CDT via promoting oxidative stress, simultaneously generating Mn2+ for MR contrast improvement and activatable tumor imaging. Therefore, this study proffers a new attempt centered on the collaborative strategy integrating NIR-II hypothermal PTT and synergistically enhanced CDT for tumor eradication.

An intelligent tumor microenvironment responsive nanotheranostic agent for T1/T2 dual-modal magnetic resonance imaging-guided and self-augmented photothermal therapy.

Photothermal therapy (PTT), as a promising antineoplastic therapeutic strategy, has been harnessed to restrain tumor growth through near-infrared (NIR) irradiation mediated thermal ablation. Nevertheless, its biological applications are hampered by thermal diffusion and up-regulated heat shock proteins (HSPs). Herein, a versatile nanotheranostic agent is developed via integrating Zn0.2Fe2.8O4 nanoparticles (NPs), polydopamine (PDA), and MnO2 NPs for T1/T2 dual-modal magnetic resonance (MR) imaging-guided and self-augmented PTT. The as-designed Zn0.2Fe2.8O4@PDA@MnO2 NPs adequately serve as a PTT agent to realize effective photothermal conversion and obtain local hyperthermia. Additionally, the Zn0.2Fe2.8O4@PDA@MnO2 NPs can significantly consume overexpressed glutathione (GSH) and generate Mn2+ in the tumor microenvironment (TME), thus destroying redox homeostasis and catalytically generating hydroxyl radicals (˙OH) for HSP suppression and PTT enhancement. Meanwhile, Mn2+ and Zn0.2Fe2.8O4 NPs significantly strengthen T1- and T2-weighted MR contrast for tumor imaging and PTT guidance. Hence, this study offers proof of concept for self-augmented PTT and T1/T2 dual-modal MR imaging for tumor elimination.

Arsenene Nanodots with Selective Killing Effects and their Low-Dose Combination with ß-Elemene for Cancer Therapy.

Arsenical drugs have achieved hallmark success in treating patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia, but expanding their clinical utility to solid tumors has proven difficult with the contradiction between the therapeutic efficacy and the systemic toxicity. Here, leveraging efforts from materials science, biocompatible PEGylated arsenene nanodots (AsNDs@PEG) with high monoelemental arsenic purity that can selectively and effectively treat solid tumors are synthesized. The intrinsic selective killing effect of AsNDs@PEG is closely related to high oxidative stress in tumor cells, which leads to an activated valence-change of arsenic (from less toxic As0 to severely toxic oxidation states), followed by decreased superoxide dismutase activity and massive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. These effects occur selectively within cancer cells, causing mitochondrial damage, cell-cycle arrest, and DNA damage. Moreover, AsNDs@PEG when applied in a multi-drug combination strategy with ß-elemene, a plant-derived anticancer drug, achieves synergistic antitumor outcomes, and its newly discovered on-demand photothermal properties facilitate the elimination of the tumors without recurrence, potentially further expanding its clinical utility. In line of the practicability for a large-scale fabrication and negligible systemic toxicity of AsNDs@PEG (even at high doses and with repetitive administration), a new-concept arsenical drug with high therapeutic efficacy for selective solid tumor therapy is provided.

Hsp90 inhibitor-loaded IR780 micelles for mitochondria-targeted mild-temperature photothermal therapy in xenograft models of human breast cancer.

Mitochondria-targeted mild-temperature photothermal therapy (MT-PTT) is a promising strategy that can maximize anticancer effects and reduce adverse reactions. Here, a novel photosensitizer with mitochondrial targeting based on IR780 iodide and heat shock protein 90 inhibitor (BIIB021), which can passively accumulate in MCF-7 cells and achieve effective MT-PTT effect is synthesized. The prepared PEG-IR780-BIIB021 nano-micelles possess considerable biocompatibility and biological stability, with an encapsulation efficiency of about 84% for BIIB021. They can selectively enrich in mitochondria, and release BIIB021 after NIR irradiation to reduce cell tolerance to heat, thereby reducing the mitochondrial membrane potential and rapidly affecting key intrinsic apoptotic factors (Cyt-C, Caspase-9, Bcl-2 and Bax) to achieve the effect of MT-PTT. It is believed that mitochondria-targeted MT-PTT generated by the PEG-IR780-BIIB021 nano-micelles is a promising therapeutic strategy in clinical practice.

Rational design of nanomedicine for photothermal-chemodynamic bimodal cancer therapy.

Given the diversity, complexity, and heterogeneity of persistent tumors, traditional nanoscale monotherapeutic systems suffer from dissatisfactory curative efficiency with incidence of metastasis or relapse. In parallel, the trend of clinical research on the basis of nanomedicines has increasingly shifted from monotherapy toward combinatorial therapy for admirable synergetic performances. In this regard, cutting-edge nanomedicines harnessing photothermal-chemodynamic bimodal therapy (PTT/CDT) have opened up a highly-efficient and relatively-safe cancer theranostic paradigm. Still, the integration of PTT/CDT functional units into one nanomedicine remains a herculean but meaningful task to achieve notable super-additive effects. This review aims to elucidate underlying synergistic interactions of PTT/CDT and highlight intriguing designs of nanomedicines for PTT/CDT including nanomaterial selection, performance optimization, multimodal therapy, visualization strategies, and targeting strategies. Furthermore, an outlook on further improvements of PTT/CDT is provided, emphasizing significant scientific issues that require remediation for clinical translation. This article is categorized under: Diagnostic Tools > in vivo Nanodiagnostics and Imaging Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease.

Facile synthesis of Au@Mn3O4 magneto-plasmonic nanoflowers for T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and photothermal therapy of cancer.

The integration of advanced diagnostic contrast agents with versatile therapeutic drugs is an effective method for cancer treatment. However, combining various biocompatible theranostic modalities into a single platform at the nanoscale is a challenging assignment. In this work, we report a simple chemical synthetic route for producing a homogeneous hybrid nanoflower shaped morphology based on Au@Mn3O4 magneto-plasmonic nanomaterials. The synthetic mechanism of the nanoflowers is well-matched with the heteroepitaxial growth phenomena by which the nano-petals of Mn3O4 generated on the surface of the Au core. The food and drug administration (FDA) in the USA approved the use of triblock polymer Pluronic F-127 to enhance the biocompatibility of Au@Mn3O4 hybrid nanoflowers. The prepared hybrid nanoflowers produce a significant photothermal heating effect with a thermal transduction efficiency of 38%, comparable to the nanorods and nanoparticles of gold (Au). The hybrid junction reveals promising optical and magnetic properties and the prepared Au@Mn3O4 nanoflowers not only exhibit strong near-infrared (NIR) absorption to produce excellent photothermal efficacy under irradiation with an 808 nm NIR laser, but also demonstrate a significant T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) image enhancement in vitro and in vivo. The histopathology assessments indicate only negligible toxicity of the nanoflowers to major organs. Therefore, the hybrid Au@Mn3O4 nanoflowers exhibit great potential in T1-weighted MR-imaging and photothermal therapy, opening up new possibilities for synthesizing novel bio-compatible, homogeneous, and shape controllable nanostructures with multifunctional applications.