Disclosed herein is the use of Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens for use in in vivo determination of the presence of Mtb infection in immunocompromised persons or persons co-infected with HIV and the for preparing a diagnostic reagent for skin testing (a skin test reagent) for robust assessment of the presence of Mtb infection infection in an individual wherein the individual is an immunocompromised person or a person co-infected with HIV.

The present disclosure provides polymerizable luminescent dyes useful for incorporation into polymers. The dyes and the polymers can be used in sensing and imaging applications, for example, to provide accurate and optionally long term measurements of glucose in vivo. The present disclosure also provides sensors including the polymers described herein. The sensors can be implanted into a tissue of a subject and used for long-term or short-term continuous and semi-continuous collection of data of various biochemical analytes, optionally without the use of implantable hardware of any type and/or enzymatic and electrochemical detection methods.

Multi-step cosmetic regimens are provided to improve the appearance of aging skin. A target portion of skin that exhibits a sign of skin aging is identified. A first formulation is topically applied, comprising at least one active possessing an ability to transcriptionally up-regulate an eigengene derived from a genetic co-expression module for one or more biological themes associated with skin cleansing and/or skin detoxification, and/or skin hydration to the target portion of skin. A second formulation is also topically applied, comprising at least one active possessing an ability to transcriptionally up-regulate an eigengene derived from a co-expression module for one or more biological themes associated with skin repair and/or rebuilding to the target portion of skin.

The present disclosure provides a method of treating allergies and autoimmune diseases using microsystem acupuncture. Methods provided herein for treating allergies and autoimmune diseases using microsystem acupuncture involving a novel allergy zone. In embodiments, the method includes identifying an allergy zone (AZ) (Soliman Allergy Zone (SAZ)) (FIG. 1 A) in an acupuncture microsystem of a subject in need of treatment and treating the zone to treat the allergy or autoimmune disease. In embodiments, treating the zone includes introducing an acupuncture needle in the zone. In particular embodiments, the method includes identifying one or more active points in the liver projection site of the AZ and treating the active point or points.

A method for administering tests using a regional antigen testing kit is provided. The method comprises providing the regional antigen testing kit, extracting a predetermined amount of concentrated antigen from one of a plurality of concentrated antigens, dispensing the predetermined amount of concentrated antigen into a corresponding one of a plurality of wells, as indicated by visual indicia, repeating the extracting and dispensing steps until a desired number of the plurality of wells contain concentrated antigen, providing a prick tester having a plurality of needles extending thereon, aligning the plurality of needles of the prick tester with the plurality of wells, inserting each of the plurality of needles of the prick tester into one of the plurality of wells, and applying the plurality of needles of the prick tester to the skin of a patient to elicit a potential response.

Methods and compositions are provided for the analysis of skin surfaces to determine the presence of neoplastic tissue. In the methods of the invention, a composition comprising a florescent probe that binds to a specific neoplasia associated marker is applied topically to the area of interest. After topical administration, the probe preferentially binds to markers associated in neoplastic lesions in situ, which binding is detected with a compact illumination unit that provides illumination at a wavelength appropriate for image acquisition. The illumination unit comprises a light source and fiber optic bundle to direct the light towards the area of examination. A detection unit is used to capture and record an image of the area of investigation. The detection unit may be a digital camera, film camera, etc. A mapping module may also be provided to catalogue the site of examination.

Disclosed herein are urushiol-containing epicutaneous patches comprising a support material and a urushiol-containing film on a surface of the support material. A surface of the support material is coated with the urushiol-containing film. Also described herein are test panels comprising urushiol-containing epicutaneous patches of varying urushiol content. The test panels can be employed in methods to assess subject sensitivity to urushiol, to determine a dose-response relationship to varying doses of urushiol, and to assess efficacy of treatments to prevent or inhibit urushiol-induced contact dermatitis in a subject.

A method for quantitatively assessing muscle contraction of a facial muscle in a person and determining the ability of a treatment material to reduce contraction of the facial muscle is disclosed. The method can include applying an external electrical stimulus to facial skin sufficient to contract a facial muscle, measuring the contractile activity of the contracted facial muscle by measuring the compound motor action potential (CMAP) of the contracted facial muscle to obtain a first average measurement of contractile activity of the contracted facial muscle, administering the treatment material by topically applying the treatment material to the facial skin, and repeating steps (a) and (b) to obtain a second average measurement of contractile activity of the contracted facial muscle.

The present invention relates to polymer particles and uses thereof. In particular the present invention relates to functionalized polymer particles, processes of production and uses thereof in the diagnosis, treatment or prevention of tuberculosis.

The present disclosure provides polymerizable luminescent dyes useful for incorporation into polymers. The dyes and the polymers can be used in sensing and imaging applications, for example, to provide accurate and optionally long term measurements of glucose in vivo. The present disclosure also provides sensors including the polymers described herein. The sensors can be implanted into a tissue of a subject and used for long-term or short-term continuous and semi-continuous collection of data of various biochemical analytes, optionally without the use of implantable hardware of any type and/or enzymatic and electrochemical detection methods.