Provided herein are synthetic scaffolds engineered to function as a pre-metastatic niche to detect metastasis. In particular, synthetic scaffolds described herein provide detection of the earliest events in metastasis, thereby enabling treatment of metastasis before the disease burden increases.

Compositions and methods are provided that are useful for the delivery, including transdermal delivery, of biologically active agents, such as non-protein non-nucleotide therapeutics and protein-based therapeutics excluding insulin, botulinum toxins, antibody fragments, and VEGF. The compositions and methods are particularly useful for topical delivery of antifungal agents and antigenic agents suitable for immunization. Alternatively, the composition can be prepared with components useful for targeting the delivery of the compositions as well as imaging components.

Polymorphs of Formula I, which is 2-((E)-2-((E)-3-(2-((E)-3,3-dimethyl-5-sulfonato-1-(4-sulfonatobutyl)indolin-2-ylidene)ethylidene)-2-phenoxycyclohex-1-en-1-yl)vinyl)-3,3-dimethyl-1-(4-sulfonatobutyl)-3H-indol-1-ium-5-sulfonate and methods of making are provided.

A method for organ imaging, comprising administering to a subject, a diagnostic effective amount of a composition comprising a polymorph of Formula I are also provided. In one embodiment, the organ includes one or more of kidney, bladder, ureter, urethra, bile ducts, liver, and gall bladder.

The invention relates to Cathepsin-binding compounds bound to a carrier comprising a diagnostic moiety, for use in the diagnosis of inflammatory diseases, and/or for use in the diagnosis of neoplastic diseases, wherein the Cathepsin-binding compound binds to inflammatory cells of the tumour stroma. The invention also relates to Cathepsin B-targeting compounds and Cathepsin B-binding and liposome-binding compounds.

Provided herein are synthetic scaffolds engineered to function as a pre-metastatic niche to detect metastasis. In particular, synthetic scaffolds described herein provide detection of the earliest events in metastasis, thereby enabling treatment of metastasis before the disease burden increases.

A lens wearable in an eye of a user can indicate intraocular pressure of the eye. The wearable lens includes a substrate containing anthocyanins. The substrate is formed by polymerization of a hydrophilic monomer and a hydrated polymer under the effects of a photoinitiator and a cross-linking agent. The anthocyanins in the substrate change color according to the pH of the eye, and the pH of the eye is determined according to the intraocular pressure of the eye.

A bifunctional linker of Formula 1 ##STR00001##
wherein in Formula I, at least one of R.sup.1 to R.sup.4 is COOR.sup.5 and R.sup.5 is C.sub.0-C.sub.10alkyl(C.sub.2-C.sub.10alkynyl) or C.sub.0-C.sub.10alkyl-C.sub.2-C.sub.10alkenyl(C.sub.2-C.sub.10alkynyl), preferably a terminal alkynyl. The bifunctional linker is used in a cycloaddition to tether two entities, for example a protein or antibody, and an active agent, to form a bisconjugate. The bifunctional linker also be used to form a conjugate, followed by cycloaddition in the presence of a comonomer composition to form a bisconjugate including a protein or antibody linked to an adhesive polymer network. Catalysis can be provided by a copper-containing paint on a surface to adhere the bisconjugate to the surface. Methods of synthesis and use of the bisconjugates imaging, diagnostic, and therapeutic applications are also described.