Preparation of the narrow size distribution USPIO in mesoporous silica for magnetic field guided drug delivery and release

Ultra-small superparamagnetic iron oxides (USPIO) with an average diameter of 2 nm were synthesized in mesoporous silica using the method of co-precipitation of Fe2+ and Fe3+ ions in aqueous solution directly in the silica nanopores. Two types of the silica material, hexagonal phase MCM-41 and mesoporous silica spheres (MSS), were used. The resulting magnetically modified silica samples show high-quality superparamagnetic properties which persist also at low temperatures near 2 K. Their magnetization saturation in an applied external magnetic field exceeds 15 emu/g. The magnetically modified silica samples were studied with the help of the ferromagnetic resonance (FMR), SQUID-magnetometry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and TEM/EDX microscopy. The studies were complemented by confirming the possibility of drug release by the modified silica samples where the standard fluorescent dye was used as an example. The prepared material is suggested to be considered for magnetic field guided drug delivery and release. © 2014 Elsevier B.V

FMR study of the porous silicate glasses with Fe 3O 4 magnetic nanoparticles fillers

The results of research on new magnetic materials for biomedical applications are discussed. These materials are porous silicate glasses with magnetic fillers. To ensure the smallest number of components for subsequent removal from the body, the magnetic fillers are bare magnetite nanoparticles (Fe 3O 4). The magnetic properties of these materials have been investigated using the ferromagnetic resonance method (FMR). The FMR analysis has been complemented by scanning electron microscope (SEM) measurements. In order to examine the effect of time degradation on filling the porous glass with bare magnetite nanoparticles the FMR measurement was repeated five months later. For the samples with high degree of pore filling, in contrast to the samples with low degree of pore filling, the FMR signal was still strong. The influence of different pH values of magnetite nanoparticles aqueous suspension on the degree of filling the pores of glasses is also discussed. The experimental results are supported by computer simulations of FMR experiment for a cluster of N magnetic nanoparticles locked in a porous medium based on a stochastic version of the Landau-Lifshitz equation for nanoparticle magnetization. © 2012 B. Zapotoczny et al

Particle physics at the European Spallation Source

Presently under construction in Lund, Sweden, the European Spallation Source (ESS) will be the world\u27s brightest neutron source. As such, it has the potential for a particle physics program with a unique reach and which is complementary to that available at other facilities. This paper describes proposed particle physics activities for the ESS. These encompass the exploitation of both the neutrons and neutrinos produced at the ESS for high precision (sensitivity) measurements (searches)

Introducing the CTA concept

The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) is a new observatory for very high-energy (VHE) gamma rays. CTA has ambitions science goals, for which it is necessary to achieve full-sky coverage, to improve the sensitivity by about an order of magnitude, to span about four decades of energy, from a few tens of GeV to above 100 TeV with enhanced angular and energy resolutions over existing VHE gamma-ray observatories. An international collaboration has formed with more than 1000 members from 27 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and North and South America. In 2010 the CTA Consortium completed a Design Study and started a three-year Preparatory Phase which leads to production readiness of CTA in 2014. In this paper we introduce the science goals and the concept of CTA, and provide an overview of the project. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved