Search Results (4)

Atherosclerosis is a major cardiovascular disease worldwide, that could benefit from innovative nanomedicine imaging tools and treatments. In this perspective, we here studied, by fluorescence imaging in ApoE^-/- mice, the biodistribution of non-functionalized and RXP470.1-targeted nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) loaded with DiD dye. RXP470.1 specifically binds to MMP12, a metalloprotease that is over-expressed by macrophages residing in atherosclerotic plaques. Physico-chemical characterizations showed that RXP-NLC (about 105 RXP470.1 moieties/particle) displayed similar features as non-functionalized NLC in terms of particle diameter (about 60-65 nm), surface charge (about −5 — −10 mV), and colloidal stability. In vitro inhibition assays demonstrated that RXP-NLC conserved a selectivity and affinity profile, which favored MMP-12. In vivo data indicated that NLC and RXP-NLC presented prolonged blood circulation and accumulation in atherosclerotic lesions in a few hours. Twenty-four hours after injection, particle uptake in atherosclerotic plaques of the brachiocephalic artery was similar for both nanoparticles, as assessed by ex vivo imaging. This suggests that the RXP470.1 coating did not significantly induce an active targeting of the nanoparticles within the plaques. Overall, NLCs appeared to be very promising nanovectors to efficiently and specifically deliver imaging agents or drugs in atherosclerotic lesions, opening avenues for new nanomedicine strategies for cardiovascular diseases. Full article

Photospheres, or 360° photos, offer valuable opportunities for perceiving space, especially when viewed through head-mounted displays designed for virtual reality. Here, we propose to take advantage of this potential for archaeology and cultural heritage, and to extend it by augmenting the images with existing documentation, such as 2D maps or 3D models, resulting from research studies. Photospheres are generally produced in the form of distorted equirectangular projections, neither georeferenced nor oriented, so that any registration of external documentation is far from straightforward. The present paper seeks to fill this gap by providing simple practical solutions, based on rigid and non-rigid transformations. Immersive virtual environments augmented by research materials can be very useful to contextualize archaeological discoveries, and to test research hypotheses, especially when the team is back at the laboratory. Colleagues and the general public can also be transported to the site, almost physically, generating an authentic sense of presence, which greatly facilitates the contextualization of the archaeological information gathered. This is especially true with head-mounted displays, but the resulting images can also be inspected using applications designed for the web, or viewers for smartphones, tablets and computers. Full article

Deterministic lateral displacement (DLD) is a passive and label-free microfluidic separation technique with a strong potential for biological sample preparation purposes. Numerical and experimental models have been proposed so far to predict the particle behavior in DLD channels. However, they do not take into account the influence of the pillar anisotropy that induces a secondary pressure gradient in the direction perpendicular to the main flow. The influence of the pillar geometry on the anisotropy magnitude is presented. We show that anisotropy impacts the trajectory of particles in DLD devices and should be included in predictive models for the critical diameter. Full article

With the fast development, in the last ten years, of a large choice of set-ups dedicated to routine in vivo measurements in rodents, fluorescence imaging techniques are becoming essential tools in preclinical studies. Human clinical uses for diagnostic and image-guided surgery are also emerging. In comparison to low-molecular weight organic dyes, the use of fluorescent nanoprobes can improve both the signal sensitivity (better in vivo optical properties) and the fluorescence biodistribution (passive “nano” uptake in tumours for instance). A wide range of fluorescent nanoprobes have been designed and tested in preclinical studies for the last few years. They will be reviewed and discussed considering the obstacles that need to be overcome for their potential everyday use in clinics. The conjugation of fluorescence imaging with the benefits of nanotechnology should open the way to new medical applications in the near future. Full article