The present disclosure relates to methods of collecting and testing bacteria containing samples from within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of a subject. The methods may include disposing an ingestible device in the GI tract, collecting a bacteria-containing sample from the GI tract, selectively lysing eukaryotic cells in the sample by combining the sample with a dried reagent, exposing bacteria in the sample to resazurin in the ingestible device to produce resorufin, emitting light from the ingestible device, the emitted light being filtered through an optical filter to control for scatter so that the light interacts with the resorufin to produce fluorescence, and measuring a total fluorescence from the resorufin; or a rate of change of fluorescence from the resorufin as a function of time within the GI tract of the subject; and correlating the measured parameter to a number of viable bacterial cells in the sample.

The current invention relates to the use of a neural network to improve the quality of images obtained from light scattered by an intermediate object that scatters light, such as tissue or a frosted screen. The invention relates to a method of imaging a human or animal bode using a nanocrystal array capable of fluorescing upon excitation from light from a near-infrared light source. This invention also relates to detection means and apparatus used in said methods, as well as to quantum dots useful in said use.

This disclosure provides a family of compounds that absorb and fluoresce in the short wave infrared region (SWIR, optionally 1000 nm to 1300 nm), including hydrophilic compounds that exhibit absorption and emission spectral profiles in aqueous solutions substantially similar to those observed in organic solvents such as methanol or DMSO. The compounds can be chemically linked to biomolecules including proteins, nucleic acids, and therapeutic small molecules. The compounds are useful for imaging in a variety of medical, biological and diagnostic applications, including SWIR in vivo imaging of regions of interest within a mammal.

The present specification discloses a urate oxidase-albumin conjugate, a preparation method thereof, a urate oxidase variant contained in the urate oxidase-albumin conjugate, and a preparation method thereof. The urate oxidase-albumin conjugate is characterized in that three or more albumins are conjugated to the urate oxidase variant through a linker, thereby improving half-life and reducing immunogenicity. In addition, the urate oxidase-albumin conjugate can be used to prevent or treat various diseases, disorders and/or indications caused by uric acid.

The present disclosure relates to an interface material for virtual reality interaction and a preparation method therefor. The interface material is composed of an ionic conductive self-adhesive hydrogel and an organic solvent. The preparation method includes: (1) preparing a prepolymer solution; (2) preparing a bioelectrical sensing pregel by ultraviolet (UV) curing; and (3) preparing an interface material for virtual reality interaction by solvent extraction. The preparation method of the present disclosure is simple and cost-effective, and can be used for large-scale production. The obtained gel interface material has excellent properties such as high stability, high sensitivity, non-invasiveness, and reusability, can be used for detection of bioelectrical signals such as electromyography (EMG) signals and electroencephalography (EEG) signals, and has important application value in the field of virtual reality interaction.

The present disclosure relates to an interface material for virtual reality interaction and a preparation method therefor. The interface material is composed of an ionic conductive self-adhesive hydrogel and an organic solvent. The preparation method includes: (1) preparing a prepolymer solution; (2) preparing a bioelectrical sensing pregel by ultraviolet (UV) curing; and (3) preparing an interface material for virtual reality interaction by solvent extraction. The preparation method of the present disclosure is simple and cost-effective, and can be used for large-scale production. The obtained gel interface material has excellent properties such as high stability, high sensitivity, non-invasiveness, and reusability, can be used for detection of bioelectrical signals such as electromyography (EMG) signals and electroencephalography (EEG) signals, and has important application value in the field of virtual reality interaction.

Peptides that home, target, migrate to, are directed to, are retained by, or accumulate in and/or bind to the cartilage or kidney of a subject are disclosed. Pharmaceutical compositions and uses for peptides or peptide-active agent complexes comprising such peptides are also disclosed. Such compositions can be formulated for targeted delivery of an active agent to a target region, tissue, structure or cell in the cartilage. Targeted compositions of the disclosure can deliver peptide or peptide-active agent complexes to target regions, tissues, structures, or cells targeted by the peptide.

The present disclosure provides nanoparticles including laminarin and a near-infrared responsive photosensitizer covalently bonded thereto, and a composition for preventing, diagnosing, or treating arteriosclerosis comprising the same as an active ingredient. According to the present disclosure, not only the atherosclerotic plaque targeting and plaque-penetrating properties can be enhanced as compared to conventional photodynamic therapy, thus capable of being usefully used for in vivo imaging of atherosclerotic plaques, but also the size of atherosclerotic plaques is reduced by inducing apoptosis of macrophages in atherosclerotic plaques, thus capable of stabilizing atherosclerotic plaques. Therefore, the composition comprising the nanoparticles of the present disclosure as an active ingredient is expected to be usefully used for the prevention, diagnosis and/or treatment of arteriosclerosis, in that photodynamic therapy and image diagnostic of arteriosclerosis can be performed simultaneously or sequentially.

Compounds (such as peptides or peptide mimetics) that bind to HIV RRE RNA are provided. In some examples, the compounds inhibit (for example, decrease) binding of Rev to the RRE RNA. In some embodiments, the compounds include two moieties, each of which bind to one of the Rev binding sites in the RRE. In some examples, the moieties include peptides or small molecules. In some examples, the peptides include an arginine-rich motif. The RRE binding compounds may be further linked to a detectable label or cargo moiety. Also provided are methods of treating or inhibiting HIV including administering one or more of the RRE binding compounds to a subject.

A method for obtaining a betalain pigment composition from red beet plants comprising pre-harvest foliar spraying of an ethylene-generating compound and the use of the obtained betalain pigment composition for coloring of an edible product.