Synchronous ultrasonic Doppler imaging of magnetic microparticles in biological tissues

We considered applicability of acoustic imaging technology for the detection of magnetic microparticles and nanoparticles inside soft biological tissues. Such particles are widely used for magnetically targeted drug delivery and magnetic hyperthermia. We developed a new method of ultrasonic synchronous tissue Doppler imaging with magnetic modulation for in vitro and in vivo detection and visualization of magnetic ultradisperse objects in soft tissues. Prototype hardware with appropriate software was produced and the method was successfully tested on magnetic microparticles injected into an excised pig liver.     

Wave-like excitations in the system of a charged long filament interacting with the microparticles in the linear Paul trap

In this paper, we experimentally and numerically studied the wave-like excitations in the system comprised by a charged nylon filament (macroobject) and charged microparticles levitating in a linear quadrupole electrodynamic trap. It has been found out that a filament with sufficient sag forms a rotating standing-like wave, while the particles due to the Coulomb repulsion are localized in its antinodes. Numerical simulation shows that this dynamic collective motion can be excited at high enough voltages on the electrodes, when the energy losses due to air viscosity can be compensated by the energy contribution of the altering electric fields of the trap.     

Development of an optical trap for microparticle clouds in dilute gases

Long-duration experiments with clouds of microparticles are planned for the ICAPS facility on board the International Space Station ISS. The scientific objectives of such experiments are widespread and are ranging from the simulation of aerosol behaviour in Earths atmosphere to the formation of planets in the early solar system. It is, however, even under microgravity conditions, impossible to sustain a cloud of free-floating, microscopic particles for an extended period of time, due to thermal diffusion and due to unavoidable external accelerations. Therefore, a trap for dust clouds is required which prevents the diffusion of the particles, which provides a source of relative velocities between the dust grains and which can also concentrate the dust to higher number densities that are otherwise not achievable. We are planning to use the photophoretic effect for such a particle trap. First short-duration microgravity experiments on the photophoretic motion of microscopic particles show that such an optical particle-cloud trap is feasible. First tests of a two-dimensional trap were performed in the Bremen drop tower.     

Development of a magnetic system for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infections

We report a study to develop a magnetic system for local delivery of amoxicillin. Magnetite microparticles produced by coprecipitation were coated with a solution of amoxicillin and Eudragit^®S100 by spray drying. Scanning electron microscopy, optical microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction and vibrating sample magnetometry revealed that the particles were superparamagnetic, with an average diameter of 17.2 μm, and an initial susceptibility controllable by the magnetite content in the suspension feeding the sprayer. Our results suggest a possible way to treat Helicobacter pylori infections, using an oral drug delivery system, and open prospects to coat magnetic microparticles by spray drying for biomedical applications.     

Paramagnetic particles in an optical trap

A setup based on an optical trap combined with homogeneous magnetic fields is presented. The system allows one to accurately control the alignment of multiple particles within the trap by controlling the external magnetic field. I study how two and three paramagnetic particles interact in the trap, and show that the experimental results can be explained in terms of dipolar interactions. It is also demonstrated that the system can be used to measure the magnetic moment of paramagnetic particles with a resolution of 10⁻¹⁵ Am².     

Switchable magnetic bottles and field gradients for particle traps

Versatile methods for the manipulation of individual quantum systems, such as confined particles, have become central elements in current developments in precision spectroscopy, frequency standards, quantum information processing, quantum simulation, and alike. For atomic and some subatomic particles, both neutral and charged, a precise control of magnetic fields is essential. In this paper, we discuss possibilities for the creation of specific magnetic field configurations which find application in these areas. In particular, we pursue the idea of a magnetic bottle which can be switched on and off by transition between the normal and the superconducting phase of a suitable material in cryogenic environments, for example, in trap experiments in moderate magnetic fields. Methods for a fine-tuning of the magnetic field and its linear and quadratic components in a trap are presented together with possible applications.     

A Method of Separation of Polydisperse Particles in the Plasma of Radio‐Frequency Discharge

A method of separation of polydisperse dust particles in the plasma of radio‐frequency (RF) capacitive discharge is considered. Investigations of plasma equipotential field enabled us to determine conditions for separation of polydisperse dust particles. The simplicity of the technology made it possible to obtain small dispersed particles of different materials. Samples of small dispersed microparticles of silica and alumina were obtained. The size and chemical composition of samples were examined using a Quanta 3D 200i scanning electron microscope (SEM, FEI, USA). The average size of separated silica nanoparticles was 600 nm, that of silica and alumina microparticles was 5 μm. Two separation methods were developed: the first one used a special trap and shape of the bottom electrode of RF discharge (for separation of microparticles) and the second used an electrical trap (for separation of nanoparticles). The graphs of particle size distribution were constructed using graphical and mathematical calculations. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A model for predicting magnetic targeting of multifunctional particles in the microvasculature

A mathematical model is presented for predicting magnetic targeting of multifunctional carrier particles that are designed to deliver therapeutic agents to malignant tissue in vivo. These particles consist of a nonmagnetic core material that contains embedded magnetic nanoparticles and therapeutic agents such as photodynamic sensitizers. For in vivo therapy, the particles are injected into the vascular system upstream from malignant tissue, and captured at the tumor using an applied magnetic field. The applied field couples to the magnetic nanoparticles inside the carrier particle and produces a force that attracts the particle to the tumor. In noninvasive therapy, the applied field is produced by a permanent magnet positioned outside the body. In this paper, a mathematical model is developed for predicting noninvasive magnetic targeting of therapeutic carrier particles in the microvasculature. The model takes into account the dominant magnetic and fluidic forces on the particles and leads to an analytical expression for predicting their trajectory. An analytical expression is also derived for predicting the volume fraction of embedded magnetic nanoparticles required to ensure capture of the carrier particle at the tumor. The model enables rapid parametric analysis of magnetic targeting as a function of key variables including the size of the carrier particle, the properties and volume fraction of the embedded magnetic nanoparticles, the properties of the magnet, the microvessel, the hematocrit of the blood and its flow rate.     

Detection of electrons in a combined trap by phase modulation of the confining microwave field

The unique capability to confine particles with opposite charge and very different mass simultaneously in the same spatial region makes the combined trap a promising device for future synthesis of antihydrogen. For recombination experiments it is desirable to detect particles in the combined trap non-destructively. A detection scheme is proposed for that purpose which is based upon the interaction between stored electrons (or positrons) and the field in the microwave trap resonator. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Temperature dependence electron spin resonance spectra of a magnetic fluid

ESR spectra of a laboratory synthesized kerosene base magnetic fluid containing ultrafine magnetic particles (average diameter of 100A) of Zn_0.1 Fe_0.9Fe₂O₄ are recorded at different temperatures. A narrow signal was observed above the melting point of the carrier liquid (200 K) which can be attributed to a very small volume fraction of superparamagnetic particles in the system. The peak-to-peak line width for both low and high field cooled configurations show an increase with decreasing temperature. This observed behaviour has been explained by considering various energy terms which contribute to the line width.     

High-gradient magnetic separation of microparticles on membrane separation unit

A simple design of a magnetic separator based on a membrane made of a laser-perforated ferromagnetic foil has been proposed. The separator is primarily intended for analytical and research purposes. The developed magnetic separator of the proposed design has been tested in the separation of a composite aqueous suspension of magnetite nanoparticles adsorbed on hydroxyapatite microparticles. Separation efficiency has been determined via measuring the magnetic moment by the ferromagnetic resonance method; the suspension particle size has been found by dynamic light scattering before and after the separation process. It has been shown that all the particles with a diameter of more than 500 nm are retained during separation; the magnetization of the fraction decreases twofold after passing through the membrane.     

A Novel Penning‐Trap Design for the High‐Precision Measurement of the 3He2 + Nuclear Magnetic Moment

A new experiment is constructed aiming at the first direct high‐precision measurement of the helium‐3 nuclear magnetic moment with a relative precision of parts‐per‐billion or better. Methods similar to those used in proton and antiproton magnetic moment measurements are applied. As those techniques rely on the challenging detection of single spin‐flips, a novel Penning trap design optimized for nuclear spin‐flip detection is developed.     

激光聚变靶丸磁悬浮系统设计

 为实现均匀辐照,ICF靶的无接触支撑是关键，ICF磁靶悬浮是实现无接触支撑的理想途径之一。对ICF靶的磁悬浮系统进行了初步设计，利用超前相位补偿器作为内回路改善系统的稳定性。仿真试验时，系统在初始阶段（0～10 ms）小球出现轻微振荡，之后逐渐趋于稳定，最终到达设定的目标位。悬浮系统控制曲线平滑，调节时间短,这说明ICF靶磁悬浮是可行的。     

Multiparametric magnetic immunoassays utilizing non-linear signatures of magnetic labels

A powerful route to utilizing magnetic nanoparticles as labels in magnetic immunoassays is to exploit their non-linear response when they are exposed to a multi-frequency alternating magnetic field. We have upgraded this non-linear method allowing for the detection, discrimination and quantification of particles of two kinds when mixed together, with no need for spatial resolution. Each kind of particle is characterized by a specific magnetic signature based on d²B(H)/dH². Appropriate data processing of the signature measured on a mixture of both particles allows for obtaining the amount of each particle. This will enable utilizing magnetic labels for multiparametric magnetic immunoassays.     

Metallic contaminant detection system using multi-channel high Tc SQUIDs

We have developed the magnetic metallic contaminant detectors using multiple high Tc SQUID gradiometers for industrial products. Finding ultra-small metallic contaminants is a big issue for manufacturers producing commercial products. The quality of industrial products such as lithium ion batteries can deteriorate by the inclusion of tiny metallic contaminants. When the contamination does occur, the manufacturer of the product suffers a great loss to recall the tainted products. Metallic particles with outer dimension less than 50 μm cannot be detected by a conventional X-ray imaging. Therefore a high sensitive detection system for small foreign matters is required. However, in most of the cases, the matrix of an active material coated sheet electrode is magnetized and the magnetic signal from the matrix is large enough to mask the signal from contaminants. Thus we have developed a detection system based on a SQUID gradiometer and a horizontal magnetization to date. For practical use, we should increase the detection width of the system by employing multiple sensors. We successfully realized an eight-channel high-Tc SQUID gradiometer system for inspection of sheet electrodes of a lithium ion battery with width of at least 60 to 70 mm. Eight planar SQUID gradiometers were mounted with a separation of 9.0 mm. As a result, small iron particles of less than 50 μm were successfully measured. This result suggests that the system is a promising tool for the detection of contaminants in a lithium ion battery.     

Monte Carlo simulation of magnetic multi-core nanoparticles

In this paper, a Monte Carlo simulation is carried out to evaluate the equilibrium magnetization of magnetic multi-core nanoparticles in a liquid and subjected to a static magnetic field. The particles contain a magnetic multi-core consisting of a cluster of magnetic single-domains of magnetite. We show that the magnetization of multi-core nanoparticles cannot be fully described by a Langevin model. Inter-domain dipolar interactions and domain magnetic anisotropy contribute to decrease the magnetization of the particles, whereas the single-domain size distribution yields an increase in magnetization. Also, we show that the interactions affect the effective magnetic moment of the multi-core nanoparticles.     

旋转磁场作用下磁流变液颗粒运动及结构演化的模拟

通过对旋转磁场作用下磁流变液一定数目颗粒运动的数值模拟,在旋转平面内得到盘状聚集结构,在垂直于旋转平面的平面内得到层状结构,得出旋转磁场作用下磁流变液的结构特点。在模拟过程中颗粒受到磁场作用力简化为磁偶极子间相互作用。     

Manipulation of microparticles using phase-controllable ultrasonic standing waves

A method of manipulating microparticles in a liquid using ultrasound is proposed and demonstrated. An ultrasonic standing wave with nodal planes whose positions are controllable by varying the relative phase of two applied sinusoidal signals is generated using a pair of acoustically matched piezoelectric transducers. The resulting acoustic radiation force is used to trap micron scale particles at a series of arbitrary positions (determined by the relative phase) and then move them in a controlled manner. This method is demonstrated experimentally and 5 μm polystyrene particles are trapped and moved in one dimension through 140 μm.     

Phase diagram of a two-dimensional square lattice of magnetic particles with perpendicular anisotropy

The ground state of an array of small single-domain magnetic particles having perpendicular anisotropy and forming a square two-dimensional lattice is studied in the presence of a magnetic field. The stability of some basic states with respect to nonuniform perturbations is analyzed in a linear approximation, and analytical model calculations and numerical simulation are used for an analysis. The entire set of states at various anisotropy constants and magnetic fields is considered when a field is normal to the array plane. Two main classes of states are possible for an infinite system, namely, collinear and noncollinear states. For collinear states, the magnetic moments of all particles are normal to the array plane. At a sufficiently high anisotropy, a wide class of collinear states exists. At low fields, a staggered antiferromagnetic order of magnetic moments takes place. An increase in the magnetic field causes an unsaturated state, and this state transforms into a saturated (ferromagnetic) state with a parallel orientation of the magnetic moments of all particles at a sufficiently high field. At a lower anisotropy, the ground state of the system is represented by noncollinear states, which include a complex four-sublattice structure for the components of the magnetic moments in the array plane and a nonzero projection of the magnetic moments of the particles onto the field direction. A phase diagram is plotted for the states of an array of anisotropic magnetic particles in the anisotropy constant-magnetic field coordinates. For a finite array of particles, sample boundaries are shown to play a significant role, which is particularly important for noncollinear states. As a result of the effect of the boundaries at a moderate field or anisotropy, substantially heterogeneous noncollinear states with a heterogeneity size comparable with the sample size can appear in the system.     

Magnetic and in vitro heating properties of implants formed in situ from injectable formulations and containing superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) embedded in silica microparticles for magnetically induced local hyperthermia

The biological and therapeutic responses to hyperthermia, when it is envisaged as an anti-tumor treatment modality, are complex and variable. Heat delivery plays a critical role and is counteracted by more or less efficient body cooling, which is largely mediated by blood flow. In the case of magnetically mediated modality, the delivery of the magnetic particles, most often superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs), is also critically involved. We focus here on the magnetic characterization of two injectable formulations able to gel in situ and entrap silica microparticles embedding SPIONs. These formulations have previously shown suitable syringeability and intratumoral distribution in vivo. The first formulation is based on alginate, and the second on a poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) (EVAL). Here we investigated the magnetic properties and heating capacities in an alternating magnetic field (141 kHz, 12 mT) for implants with increasing concentrations of magnetic microparticles. We found that the magnetic properties of the magnetic microparticles were preserved using the formulation and in the wet implant at 37 °C, as in vivo. Using two orthogonal methods, a common SLP (20 W g⁻¹) was found after weighting by magnetic microparticle fraction, suggesting that both formulations are able to properly carry the magnetic microparticles in situ while preserving their magnetic properties and heating capacities.