Magneto-Responsive Textiles for Non-Invasive Heating.

Magneto-responsive textiles have emerged lately as an important carrier in various fields, including biomedical engineering. To date, most research has been performed on single magnetic fibers and focused mainly on the physical characterization of magnetic textiles. Herein, from simple woven and non-woven textiles we engineered materials with magnetic properties that can become potential candidates for a smart magnetic platform for heating treatments. Experiments were performed on tissue-mimicking materials to test the textiles' heating efficiency in the site of interest. When the heat was induced with magneto-responsive textiles, the temperature increase in tissue-mimicking phantoms depended on several factors, such as the type of basic textile material, the concentration of magnetic nanoparticles deposited on the textile's surface, and the number of layers covering the phantom. The values of temperature elevation, achieved with the use of magnetic textiles, are sufficient for potential application in magnetic hyperthermia therapies and as heating patches or bandages.

Biocompatible Hydrogel-Based Liquid Marbles with Magnetosomes.

Liquid marbles are widely known for their potential biomedical applications, especially due to their versatility and ease of preparation. In the present work, we prepared liquid marbles with various cores composed of water, agar-based hydrogels, magnetic fluids, or non-aqueous substances. As a coating material, we used biocompatible particles of plant origin, such as turmeric grains and Lycopodium pollen. Additionally, we provided marbles with magnetic properties by incorporating either magnetosomes or iron oxide nanoparticles as a powder or by injecting another magnetic fluid. Structures obtained in this way were stable and susceptible to manipulation by an external magnetic field. The properties of the magnetic components of our marbles were verified using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). Our approach to encapsulation of active substances such as antibiotics within a protective hydrogel core opens up new perspectives for the delivery of hydrophobic payloads to the inherently hydrophilic biological environment. Additionally, hydrogel marbles enriched with magnetic materials showed promise as biocompatible heating agents under alternating magnetic fields. A significant innovation of our research was also the fabrication of composite structures in which the gel-like core was surrounded without mixing by a magnetic fluid covered on the outside by the particle shell. Our liquid marbles, especially those with a hydrogel core and magnetic content, due to the ease of preparation and favorable properties, have great potential for biomedical use. The fact that we were able to simultaneously produce, functionalize (by filling with predefined cargo), and manipulate (by means of an external magnetic field) several marbles also seems to be important from an application point of view.

Ultrasound Study of Magnetic and Non-Magnetic Nanoparticle Agglomeration in High Viscous Media.

Ultrasound attenuation spectroscopy has found wide application in the study of colloidal dispersions such as emulsions or suspensions. The main advantage of this technique is that it can be applied to relatively high concentration systems without sample preparation. In particular, the use of Epstein-Carhart-Allegra-Hawley's (ECAH) ultrasound scattering theory, along with experimental data of ultrasound velocity or attenuation, provide the method of estimation for the particle or droplet size from nanometers to millimeters. In this study, suspensions of magnetite and silica nanoparticles in high viscous media (i.e., castor oil) were characterized by ultrasound spectroscopy. Both theoretical and experimental results showed a significant difference in ultrasound attenuation coefficients between the suspensions of magnetite and silica nanoparticles. The fitting of theoretical model to experimental ultrasound spectra was used to determine the real size of objects suspended in a high viscous medium that differed from the size distributions provided by electron microscopy imaging. The ultrasound spectroscopy technique demonstrated a greater tendency of magnetic particles toward agglomeration when compared with silica particles whose sizes were obtained from the combination of experimental and theoretical ultrasonic data and were more consistent with the electron microscopy images.

Magnetic mediators for ultrasound theranostics.

The theranostics paradigm is based on the concept of combining therapeutic and diagnostic modalities into one platform to improve the effectiveness of treatment. Combinations of multiple modalities provide numerous medical advantages and are enabled by nano- and micron-sized mediators. Here we review recent advancements in the field of ultrasound theranostics and the use of magnetic materials as mediators. Several subdisciplines are described in detail, including controlled drug delivery and release, ultrasound hyperthermia, magneto-ultrasonic heating, sonodynamic therapy, magnetoacoustic imaging, ultrasonic wave generation by magnetic fields, and ultrasound tomography. The continuous progress and improvement in theranostic materials, methods, and physical computing models have created undeniable possibilities for the development of new approaches. We discuss the prospects of ultrasound theranostics and possible expansions of other studies to the theranostic context.

Hyperthermia treatment of cancer cells by the application of targeted silk/iron oxide composite spheres.

Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) are one of the most extensively studied materials for theranostic applications. IONPs can be used for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), delivery of therapeutics, and hyperthermia treatment. Silk is a biocompatible material and can be used for biomedical applications. Previously, we produced spheres made of H2.1MS1 bioengineered silk that specifically carried a drug to the Her2-overexpressing cancer cells. To confer biocompatibility and targeting properties to IONPs, we blended these particles with bioengineered spider silks. Three bioengineered silks (MS1Fe1, MS1Fe2, and MS1Fe1Fe2) functionalized with the adhesion peptides F1 and F2, were constructed and investigated to form the composite spheres with IONPs carrying a positive or negative charge. Due to its highest IONP content, MS1Fe1 silk was used to produce spheres from the H2.1MS1:MS1Fe silk blend to obtain a carrier with cell-targeting properties. Composite H2.1MS1:MS1Fe1/IONP spheres made of silks blended at different ratios were obtained. Although the increased content of MS1Fe1 silk in particles resulted in an increased affinity of the spheres to IONPs, it decreased the binding of the composite particles to cancer cells. The H2.1MS1:MS1Fe1 particles prepared at a ratio of 8:2 and loaded with IONPs exhibited the ability to bind to the targeted cancer cells similar to the control spheres without IONPs. Moreover, when exposed to the alternating magnetic field, these particles generated 2.5 times higher heat. They caused an almost three times higher percentage of apoptosis in cancer cells than the control particles. The blending of silks enabled the generation of cancer-targeting spheres with a high affinity for iron oxide nanoparticles, which can be used for anti-cancer hyperthermia therapy.

The Effect of Particle Shell on Cooling Rates in Oil-in-Oil Magnetic Pickering Emulsions.

Pickering emulsions (particle-stabilized emulsions) are usually considered because of their unique properties compared to surfactant-stabilized emulsions including better stability against emulsion aging. However, the interesting feature of particle-stabilized emulsions could be revealed during their magnetic heating. When magnetic particles constitute a shell around droplets and the sample is placed in an alternating magnetic field, a temperature increase appears due to energy dissipation from magnetic relaxation and hysteresis within magnetic particles. We hypothesize that the solidity of the magnetic particle shell around droplets can influence the process of heat transfer from inside the droplet to the surrounding medium. In this way, particle-stabilized emulsions can be considered as materials with changeable heat transfer. We investigated macroscopically heating and cooling of oil-in-oil magnetic Pickering emulsions with merely packed particle layers and these with a stable particle shell. The change in stability of the shell was obtained here by using the coalescence of droplets under the electric field. The results from calorimetric measurements show that the presence of a stable particle shell caused a slower temperature decrease in samples, especially for lower intensities of the magnetic field. The retarded heat transfer from magnetic Pickering droplets can be utilized in further potential applications where delayed heat transfer is desirable.

The potential of magnetic heating for fabricating Pickering-emulsion-based capsules.

Pickering emulsions (particle-stabilized emulsions) have been widely explored due to their potential applications, one of which is using them as precursors for the formation of colloidal capsules that could be utilized in, among others, the pharmacy and food industries. Here, we present a novel approach to fabricating such colloidal capsules by using heating in the alternating magnetic field. When exposed to the alternating magnetic field, magnetic particles, owing to the hysteresis and/or relaxation losses, become sources of nano- and micro-heating that can significantly increase the temperature of the colloidal system. This temperature rise was evaluated in oil-in-oil Pickering emulsions stabilized by both magnetite and polystyrene particles. When a sample reached high enough temperature, particle fusion caused by glass transition of polystyrene was observed on surfaces of colloidal droplets. Oil droplets covered with shells of fused polystyrene particles were proved to be less susceptible to external stress, which can be evidence of the successful formation of capsules from Pickering emulsion droplets as templates.

Direction-Specific Release from Capsules with Homogeneous or Janus Shells Using an Ultrasound Approach.

A variety of approaches have been developed to release contents from capsules, including techniques that use electric or magnetic fields, light, or ultrasound as a stimulus. However, in the majority of the known approaches, capsules are disintegrated in violent way and the liberation of the encapsulated material is often in a random direction. Thus, the controllable and direction-specific release from microcapsules in a simple and effective way is still a great challenge. This greatly limits the use of microcapsules in applications where targeted and directional release is desirable. Here, we present a convenient ultrasonic method for controllable and unidirectional release of an encapsulated substance. The release is achieved by using MHz-frequency ultrasound that enables the inner liquid stretching, which imposes mechanical stress on the capsule's shell. This leads to the puncturing of the shell and enables smooth liberation of the liquid payload in one direction. We demonstrate that 1-4.3 MHz acoustic waves with the intensity of a few W/cm2 are capable of puncturing of particle capsules with diameters ranging from around 300 µm to 5 mm and the release of the encapsulated liquid in a controlled manner. Various aspects of our route, including the role of the capsule size, ultrasound wavelength, and intensity in the performance of the method, are studied in detail. We also show that the additional control of the release can be achieved by using capsules having patchy shells. The presented method can be used to facilitate chemical reactions in micro- and nanolitre droplets and various small-scale laboratory operations carried in bulk liquids in microenvironment. Our results may also serve as an entry point for testing other uses of the method and formulation of theoretical modeling of the presented ultrasound mechanism.

The Effect of Tissue-Mimicking Phantom Compressibility on Magnetic Hyperthermia.

During hyperthermia, magnetite nanoparticles placed in an AC magnetic field become a source of heat. It has been shown that in fluid suspensions, magnetic particles move freely and generate heat easily. However, in tissues of different mechanical properties, nanoparticle movement is limited and leads to a small temperature rise in tissue. Therefore, it is crucial to conduct magnetic hyperthermia experiments in similar conditions to the human body. The effect of tissue-mimicking phantom compressibility on the effectiveness of magnetic hyperthermia was investigated on agar phantoms. Single and cluster nanoparticles were synthesized and used as magnetic materials. The prepared magnetic materials were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and zeta potential measurements. Results show that tissue-mimicking phantom compressibility decreases with the concentration of agar. Moreover, the lower the compressibility, the lower the thermal effect of magnetic hyperthermia. Specific absorption rate (SAR) values also proved our assumption that tissue-mimicking phantom compressibility affects magnetic losses in the alternating magnetic field (AMF).

Influence of Magnetic Nanoparticles on the Focused Ultrasound Hyperthermia.

Ultrasound hyperthermia is a medical treatment used to increase temperature of tissues. It can be used independently or as a supportive method for an anticancer treatment. The therapeutic efficacy of focused ultrasound hyperthermia can be improved using sonosensitizers, nanoparticles enhancing the attenuation and dissipation of acoustic energy. As sonosensitizers, we propose magnetic nanoparticles owing to their biodegradability, biocompatibility, and simple positioning in tissues using a magnetic field. Focused ultrasound hyperthermia studies were performed using tissue-mimicking phantoms. Temperature changes were measured at various ultrasound powers and distances from the center of the ultrasound focus. Specific absorption rate (SAR) values, describing the power deposition in the tissues during the hyperthermia treatment, were evaluated for the center of the focus point and for various distances from it. The results show that the addition of nanoparticles increases the SAR almost two times compared to that for the pure phantom. The highest SAR is obtained in the ultrasound focus; it decreases with the increase of the distance from the focus.

Heating Induced by Therapeutic Ultrasound in the Presence of Magnetic Nanoparticles.

The efficiency of ultrasound hyperthermia for anti-cancer treatments such as radiotherapy or chemotherapy can be improved by using sonosensitizers, which are materials that enhance the attenuation and dissipation of acoustic energy. We propose the use of magnetic nanoparticles as sonosensitizers because of their biocompatibility, nontoxicity, and common use in several medical applications. A magnetic material was synthetized and then incorporated in the form of a magnetic fluid in agar tissue-mimicking phantoms. Ultrasound hyperthermia studies were conducted at various ultrasound frequencies and concentrations of magnetic nanoparticles in the phantoms. The theoretical modeling based on a heat transfer equation and the experimental results show good agreement and confirm that the temperature rise during ultrasound heating in tissue-mimicking phantoms doped with sonosensitizers is greater than that in a pure agar phantom. Furthermore, on the basis of Pennes' bio-heat equation, which takes into consideration the blood perfusion and metabolic heat, the thermal dose and lesion shapes after sonication were determined for a hypothetical tissue.

Formation of printable granular and colloidal chains through capillary effects and dielectrophoresis.

One-dimensional conductive particle assembly holds promise for a variety of practical applications, in particular for a new generation of electronic devices. However, synthesis of such chains with programmable shapes outside a liquid environment has proven difficult. Here we report a route to simply 'pull' flexible granular and colloidal chains out of a dispersion by combining field-directed assembly and capillary effects. These chains are automatically stabilized by liquid bridges formed between adjacent particles, without the need for continuous energy input or special particle functionalization. They can further be deposited onto any surface and form desired conductive patterns, potentially applicable to the manufacturing of simple electronic circuits. Various aspects of our route, including the role of particle size and the voltages needed, are studied in detail. Looking towards practical applications, we also present the possibility of two-dimensional writing, rapid solidification of chains and methods to scale up chain production.

Ultrasonic determination of the particle size distribution in water-based magnetic liquid.

Magnetic liquids are stable colloidal suspensions of nano-sized magnetic particles in a carrier liquid medium. In the present paper the determination of the particle size distribution function using ultrasonic spectroscopy is described. The ultrasonic spectra of water-based magnetic fluid measured in the 3.5-50 MHz frequency range are analyzed using formulas for the velocity and absorption of sound in dispersion media obtained by Vinogradov. The results of the ultrasonic studies are compared with the particles size distribution function evaluated from the processing of the magnetic susceptibility data.

Field-induced aggregates in a bilayer ferrofluid characterized by ultrasound spectroscopy.

This paper presents dynamic changes in ferrofluid properties during a magnetic field sweep. The study reported was performed on a ferrofluid with a double layer of surfactant used to prevent aggregation of particles. The ferrofluid parameters (the radius and volume of the cluster, the elastic force constant) were studied by the ultrasound wave absorption method as a function of the dynamically changing magnetic field. During the application of the magnetic field from 0 to 100 kA m(-1) the structure in the ferrofluid evolves and become anisotropic. The magnetic field was found to stimulate formation of micrometre clusters and exponential increase in the elastic force constant.