The intrinsic limits of conventional cancer therapies prompted the development and application of various nanotechnologies for more effective and safer cancer treatment, herein referred to as cancer nanomedicine. Considerable technological success has been achieved in this field, but the main obstacles to nanomedicine becoming a new paradigm in cancer therapy stem from the complexities and heterogeneity of tumour biology, an incomplete understanding of nano-bio interactions and the challenges regarding chemistry, manufacturing and controls required for clinical translation and commercialization. This Review highlights the progress, challenges and opportunities in cancer nanomedicine and discusses novel engineering approaches that capitalize on our growing understanding of tumour biology and nano-bio interactions to develop more effective nanotherapeutics for cancer patients.

/pdf/cancer-nanomedicine-progress-challenges-and-opportunities-3dukbks14n.pdf

Cancer nanomedicine: progress, challenges and opportunities.

Overview of membrane science and technology membrane transport theory membrane and modules concentration polarization reverse osmosis ultrafiltration microfiltration gas separation pervaporation ion exchange membrane processes - electrodialysis carrier facilitated transport medical applications of membranes other membranes processed.

Membrane Technology and Applications

Engineered nanoparticles have the potential to revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of many diseases; for example, by allowing the targeted delivery of a drug to particular subsets of cells. However, so far, such nanoparticles have not proved capable of surmounting all of the biological barriers required to achieve this goal. Nevertheless, advances in nanoparticle engineering, as well as advances in understanding the importance of nanoparticle characteristics such as size, shape and surface properties for biological interactions, are creating new opportunities for the development of nanoparticles for therapeutic applications. This Review focuses on recent progress important for the rational design of such nanoparticles and discusses the challenges to realizing the potential of nanoparticles.

Strategies in the design of nanoparticles for therapeutic applications

The genomes of various tumour cells contain mutant oncogenes that act dominantly, in that their effects can be observed when they are introduced into non-malignant cells. There is evidence for another class of oncogenes, in which tumour-predisposing mutations are recessive to wild-type alleles. Retinoblastoma is a prototype biological model for the study of such recessive oncogenes. This malignant tumour, which arises in the eyes of children, can be explained as the result of two distinct genetic changes, each causing loss of function of one of the two homologous copies at a single genetic locus, Rb, assigned to the q14 band of human chromosome 13. Mutations affecting this locus may be inherited from a parent, may arise during gametogenesis or may occur somatically. Those who inherit a mutant allele at this locus have a high incidence of non-ocular, second tumours, almost half of which are osteosarcomas believed to be caused by the same mutation. Here we describe the isolation of a complementary DNA segment that detects a chromosomal segment having the properties of the gene at this locus. The gene is expressed in many tumour types, but no RNA transcript has been found in retinoblastomas and osteosarcomas. The cDNA fragment detects a locus spanning at least 70 kilobases (kb) in human chromosome band 13q14, all or part of which is frequently deleted in retinoblastomas and osteosarcomas.

/pdf/a-human-dna-segment-with-properties-of-the-gene-that-kc0q4f65ya.pdf

A human DNA segment with properties of the gene that predisposes to retinoblastoma and osteosarcoma

Conventional forms of drug administration generally rely on pills, eye drops, ointments, and intravenous solutions. Recently, a number of novel drug delivery approaches have been developed. These approaches include drug modification by chemical means, drug entrapment in small vesicles that are injected into the bloodstream, and drug entrapment within pumps or polymeric materials that are placed in desired bodily compartments (for example, the eye or beneath the skin). These techniques have already led to delivery systems that improve human health, and continued research may revolutionize the way many drugs are delivered.

http://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/249/4976/1527.full.pdf

New methods of drug delivery.

An overview of perfluoroctylbromide--application as a synthetic oxygen carrier and imaging agent for X-ray, ultrasound and nuclear magnetic resonance.

Perfluoroctylbromide (PFOB) in emulsion form was tested as a blood pool imaging agent for computed tomography (CT) in five animals (three dogs and two pigs). Computed tomography of the kidneys, liver, spleen, and mediastinum was performed in the control state and at various time intervals after the end of PFOB infusion. The attenuation coefficient of the vascular space increased by 117 Hounsfield units (HU) (range 105-128 HU), the liver by 54 HU (range 43-70 HU), and the spleen by 77 HU (range 69-86 HU) 30 to 50 min after the end of PFOB infusion, 5 ml/kg. The vascular space enhanced by 25 HU for every g of PFOB/100 ml of blood and remained at almost a constant level for hours after the end of infusion. In conclusion, PFOB emulsion, in addition to hepatosplenic enhancement, produces prolonged and substantial opacification of the vascular space, allowing CT imaging of the heart and vascular structures minutes to hours after the end of infusion.

Perfluoroctylbromide as a blood pool contrast agent for liver, spleen, and vascular imaging in computed tomography.

The present invention relates to a composition for increasing the vascular dwell-time of a particulate therapeutic or diagnostic agent in a mammal through the adjunct administration of an effective amount of the particulate therapeutic or diagnostic agent and an effective amount of a vascular dwell-time enhancing agent. Suitable therapeutic and diagnostic agents include those whose efficacy within the body is predicated on their ability to remain within or to be carried within the vascular compartment. Accordingly this method can be readily adapted for treating several diseases and disorders, including hypoxia, hypoxemia, anemia and cancer and for imaging selected regions of a mammal by various imaging techniques, including ultrasound imaging, X-ray imaging and MRI imaging.

Method for extending the vascular dwell-time of particulate therapeutic and particulate diagnostic agents.

We describe a partial filament eruption on 11 December 2011 which demonstrates that the inclusion of mass is an important next step for understanding solar eruptions. Observations from the \textit{Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory Behind} (STEREO-B) and the \textit{Solar Dynamics Observatory} (SDO) spacecraft were used to remove line-of-sight projection effects in filament motion and correlate the effect of plasma dynamics with the evolution of the filament height. Flux cancellation and nearby flux emergence are shown to have played a role in increasing the height of the filament prior to eruption. The two viewpoints allow the quantitative estimation of a large mass-unloading, the subsequent radial expansion, and the eruption of the filament to be investigated. A 1.8 to 4.1 lower-limit ratio between gravitational and magnetic tension forces was found. We therefore conclude that following the loss-of-equilibrium of the flux rope, the radial expansion of the flux rope was restrained by the filamentary material until 70\% of the mass had evacuated the structure through mass-unloading.

/pdf/understanding-the-role-of-mass-unloading-in-filament-1eo5rukzbx.pdf

Understanding the Role of Mass-Unloading in Filament Eruptions

On 27 June 2011 a tsunami struck the Yealm
Estuary, near Plymouth, and anomalous
tides were experienced from Portugal to the
Straits of Dover. These events were caused
by a meteotsunami driven by convective
cells extending from the Bay of Biscay into
the English Channel. This paper explains
meteotsunamis, their causes, previous
occurrences and, finally, what happened on
this day.

/pdf/the-english-channel-tsunami-of-27-june-2011-a-probable-4p7cmx4u3a.pdf

David Long

Papers

An overview of perfluoroctylbromide--application as a synthetic oxygen carrier and imaging agent for X-ray, ultrasound and nuclear magnetic resonance.

Perfluoroctylbromide as a blood pool contrast agent for liver, spleen, and vascular imaging in computed tomography.

Method for extending the vascular dwell-time of particulate therapeutic and particulate diagnostic agents.

Understanding the Role of Mass-Unloading in Filament Eruptions

The English Channel ‘tsunami’ of 27 June 2011 : a probable meteorological source