A method and system are used to enhance a marker material to include a plurality of air bubbles. The method of manufacturing a marker includes enhancing a marker material to include a plurality of air bubbles using at least a first EFD and a second EFD. The method may include cycling repeatedly through a transfer process between a first container and a second container. A system for enhancing a marker material includes a transfer apparatus configured to receive a marker material and a selected amount of air. The system comprises a first EFD coupled to a first end of the transfer apparatus and a second EFD coupled to a second end of the transfer apparatus.

Certain embodiments herein relate to a method for staining membranes of an eye. In certain embodiments, the method includes mixing a first dye and a second dye to obtain a combination dye, wherein the first dye comprises a first color for staining a first membrane in the eye and the second dye comprises a second color for staining a second membrane in the eye. The method further includes delivering the combination dye to the eye to stain the first membrane with the first color and a second membrane with the second color.

Heptamethine cyanines for use as fluorescent markers of the biliary system are disclosed. Certain heptamethine cyanines exhibit biliary system specificity and methods for in vivo visualization of a biliary system of a subject are provided. The methods may be for diagnostic purposes and/or for visualization of biliary systems during surgery.

An orthopedic device for implanting between adjacent vertebrae comprising: an arcuate balloon and a hardenable material within said balloon. In some embodiments, the balloon has a footprint that substantially corresponds to a perimeter of a vertebral endplate. An inflatable device is inserted through a cannula into an intervertebral space and oriented so that, upon expansion, a natural angle between vertebrae will be at least partially restored. At least one component selected from the group consisting of a load-bearing component and an osteobiologic component is directed into the inflatable device through a fluid communication means.

Genetically-modified zebrafish lacking one or more immune-related genes, and the use thereof, e.g., in cell or tissue transplantation methods or in stem cell biology. Tumors, tissues, and cells originating from zebrafish, other fish species, frogs, mouse, human, or other mammals can be readily engrafted into zebrafish that lack specific immune system regulatory genes. Here, described are zebrafish in which the entire genomic regions comprising the coding sequences of genes required for the development of T, B, and NK cells (including NK-lysin expressing cells) are deleted.

Blockchain environments may mix-and-match different encryption, difficulty, and/or proof-of-work schemes when mining blockchain transactions. Each encryption, difficulty, and/or proof-of-work scheme may be separate, stand-alone programs, files, or third-party services. Blockchain miners may be agnostic to a particular coin's or network's encryption, difficulty, and/or proof-of-work schemes, thus allowing any blockchain miner to process or mine data in multiple blockchains. GPUs, ASICs, and other specialized processing hardware components may be deterred by forcing cache misses, cache latencies, and processor stalls. Hashing, difficulty, and/or proof-of-work schemes require less programming code, consume less storage space/usage in bytes, and execute faster. Blockchain mining schemes may further randomize byte or memory block access, further improve cryptographic security.

The present invention relates to a kit and a probe for detecting porous dental hydroxyapatite that includes a protein capable of binding porous dental hydroxyapatite or a detector thereof. The invention also relates to a method for detecting a condition involving porous dental hydroxyapatite that includes detecting in or on a tooth or a sample of the tooth of a subject a protein bound to porous dental hydroxyapatite. The invention also relates to methods for detecting a hypomineralisation developmental dental defect or detecting intact and/or broken MIH enamel, and to a kit and method for removing a protein bound to porous dental hydroxyapatite.

Methods for detecting the presence of atherosclerotic structures in order to diagnose or prevent atherosclerosis are provided herein. In particular, it has been found that methylene blue injected intravenously acts as an excellent indicator because the compound targets high-risk plaque, atheroma, macrophages, and other atherosclerotic structures formed within the endothelial walls of a vessel of a subject. Because the compound provides a unique binding profile with uptake only in plaque or atheroma, and not the normal or healthy vascular interstitial tissue, methylene blue maintains a good plaque-to-background ratio for imaging purposes. This enables healthcare providers to determine the status of atherosclerosis development in vivo within a patient with higher certainty and at lower costs. The disclosed methods allow for high-resolution mapping of plaque build-up, plaque pathobiology, and other atherosclerotic structures within a vessel of a subject by using methylene blue as an imaging agent.

Voltage sensitive dyes comprising boron and related compositions and methods are provided. In some embodiments, a voltage sensitive dye comprises an electron acceptor comprising boron. The electron acceptor may be attached (e.g., covalently) to at least one electron donating group and at least one polar group. For instance, the electron acceptor may comprise optionally substituted boron dipyrromethene (e.g., optionally substituted 4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene). The point of attachment and chemical nature of the electron donating group(s) and polar group(s) may be selected to impart beneficial properties to the voltage sensitive dye. For instance, the voltage sensitive dye may have an extended difference in the dipole moment between the ground and electronic states due at least in part to the position of the electron donating group(s). The voltage sensitive dyes, described herein, may have high specificity, high signal to noise ratio, fast responsivity, high voltage sensitivity, high photostability, and/or high brightness.

Provided is a method for detecting a lesion characterized by administering to an organ a cell staining agent that enables observation of biological tissue by laser irradiation, and then irradiating the organ with multiphoton laser or confocal laser to image the inside of lesion in the organ, and determining the interface between normal site and lesion site.