Ex Vivo and in Vivo Evaluation of Dodecaborate-Based Clusters Encapsulated in Ferumoxytol Nanoparticles

Host-guest interactions represent a growing research area with recent work demonstrating an ability to chemically manipulate both host molecules as well as guest molecules to vary the type and strength of bonding. Much less is known about the interactions of guest molecules and hybrid materials containing similar chemical features to typical macrocyclic hosts. This work uses in vitro and in vivo kinetic analyses to investigate the interaction of closo-dodecahydrododecaborate derivatives with ferumoxytol, an iron oxide nanoparticle with a carboxylated dextran coating. We find that several boron cluster derivatives can become encapsulated into ferumoxytol and the lack of pH dependence in these interactions suggests that ion pairing, hydrophobic/hydrophilic, or hydrogen bonding are not the driving force for encapsulation in this system. Biodistribution experiments in BALB/c mice show that this system is nontoxic at the reported dosage and demonstrate that encapsulation of dodecaborate-based clusters in ferumoxytol can alter the biodistribution of guest molecules

Winter vomiting disease in Florida students

On 14 November 1967 an investigation was begun at the University of South Florida to determine the cause of an increased number of gastrointestinal illnesses on campus. An estimated 300 students suddenly became ill with nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhoea. While at first food poisoning was suspected, no common food, water, or toxic exposure could be found. The data collected were most consistent with Winter Vomiting Disease. This entity is characterized by acute gastrointestinal illnesses which may occur in epidemic form in residential schools between September and March. Most investigators suspect that a viral agent is responsible for the illnesses, though attempts to isolate a virus have been unsuccessful. The incubation period in the University outbreak was estimated at 28 hr., and contact was the most likely mode of transmission. The outbreak illustrated that Winter Vomiting Disease in residential institutions may be an accentuation of the gastrointestinal illnesses occurring simultaneously in the community at large