A method for evaluating kidney function utilizing a nanoparticle that can be eliminated from the body by the kidneys as an exogenous marker. The method includes administering the nanoparticles to a subject, followed by collecting a blood or urine sample after a period of time, characterizing the nanoparticles in the blood or urine sample, and finally comparing a characteristic parameter of the nanoparticles in the blood or urine sample between the tested subject and a control group having normal kidney function.

The present disclosure discloses a gold/quantum dot nanoprobe for detecting active ricin in a complex matrix and application thereof. The gold/quantum dot nanoprobe is a nanoprobe formed by utilizing gold nanoparticles and quantum dots, which are modified by single strand oligodeoxynucleotides (ssODN), to form double strand oligodeoxynucleotides in a base pairing hybridizing mode and assembling the gold nanoparticles and the quantum dots into a core-satellite structure. According to the present disclosure, the gold/quantum dot nanoprobe is used for detecting the active ricin, has a limit of detection of 7.46 ng/mL, is high in accuracy and good in reliability, and does not require large-scale equipment and complex operations. In order to further eliminate the false positive result, the present disclosure further provides a method for enriching ricin in a complex sample by utilizing magnetic beads. In a case that specific active ricin concentration does not need to be known, the gold/quantum dot nanoprobe provided by the present disclosure can implement naked eye visual detection by the quenched and switch-on operations of fluorescence.

This invention resides in using metal complex-activated particles to bind molecules, polymers and other particles to each other, so as to produce multifunctional conjugates having controlled ratios of two or more different molecules.

A probe element for separation and sensing of analytes of interest controlled by temperature is provided. The probe element includes at least one magnetic crystal and one or more types of capping agents. The capping agent can have stabilizing and or anchoring functions. The magnetic crystal produces a stable magnetic field at the temperature of interest for sensing or separation. The stable magnetic field can be controlled by temperature and the probe can be integrated in a sensing and or separation device and process.

Disclosed is a diagnostic kit for quickly diagnosing a target material with high sensitivity using nanoparticles that absorb infrared light and emit infrared light, in which the nanoparticles are maintained in particle size and have enhanced emission intensity.

Two or more upconverting particles are attached to each unit of one or more units of a chemical component in a sample, to form, for each unit of the chemical component, a multi-particle complex including the unit of the chemical component and two or more corresponding upconverting particles. The sample is illuminated by input light having a first wavelength. Light is received at an imaging sensor, the received light including output light generated by at least a portion of the upconverting particles attached to the units of the chemical component, the output light having a second wavelength that is shorter than the first wavelength. One or more images of the sample are captured from the received light. Based on the captured one or more images, a presence or a level of the chemical component in the sample is determined.

The invention generally relates to methods, reagents, and substrates for detecting target analytes.

Methods, systems, compositions include biocompatible polymer coated nanoceria that function as aqueous redox catalyst with enhanced activity at an acidic to moderately alkaline pH value between 1 and 8. The compositions are used as oxidizing agents for decomposition, decontamination or inactivation of organic contaminants, such as, pesticides and chemical warfare agents. Another use includes nanoceria as targetable nanocatalyst prepared by conjugating various targeting ligands to the nanoparticle coating to form a colorimetric or fluorescent probe in immunoassays and other molecule binding assays that involve the use of a molecule in solution that changes the color of the solution or emits a fluorescent signal, where localization of nanoceria to organs or tissue is assessed by treatment with an oxidation sensitive dye or other detection devices. Versatility and uses of the nanoceria compositions are controlled by pH value, choice of dye substrate and thickness of the polymer coating on the ceria nanoparticles.

The disclosure relates to antigen detection reagents and related methods, systems, and kits. The reagents comprise an antigen-binding molecule conjugated to an inorganic component. In some embodiments, the inorganic component possesses catalytic functionality to provide a detectable signal. In some embodiments, the catalytic inorganic component is or comprises a bimetallic nanoparticle. In other embodiments, the inorganic component is a nanoflowers that provides a physical scaffold onto which the antigen-binding component and a reporter component can be loaded, resulting in augmented antigen-binding and reporting capabilities.

The present invention discloses a SERS-nanotag comprising gold nanoparticle, an encapsulating agent, a Raman reporter and an antibody. The present invention also discloses a diagnostic kit consisting of SERS-nanotags for identification of breast cancer biomarker selected from the group consisting of Estrogen Receptor (ER), Progesterone Receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and Ki67, simultaneously in abreast cancer tissue sample using a surface enhanced Raman scattering signature peaks. The multiplexing Raman peak pattern provides the presence of multiple biomarkers at a time in heterogeneous paraffin embedded breast cancer tissue samples with a concentration level of the SERS-nanotags by applying single laser (532 nm/633 nm/785 nm) revealing simultaneous Raman peaks for the respective biomarkers.