The present invention provides refillable drug delivery systems, as well as methods of refilling the systems, and methods of using them to treat diseases.

Poly(amidoamine) [PAMAM] dendrimers for use as PSMA-targeted contrast agents for optical and photoacoustic imaging (PA) and theranostic agents for treating prostate cancer are disclosed.

The present invention relates to a technique for effective intranasal delivery to the brain. More specifically, the present invention is used for diagnosing, preventing or treating central nervous system encephalopathy, neurodegenerative diseases or brain tumor by effectively delivering to the brain a pH-responsive and bioreducible PPA polymer, which can be used as a drug carrier, by means of nasal administration.

The present invention is intended to provide a peptide that selectively binds to a metal surface. Specifically, the present invention relates to a peptide consisting of an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 4, SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 6, SEQ ID NO: 7, or SEQ ID NO: 8, or a peptide substantially identical to the aforementioned peptide, and a method for detecting a metal surface of a medical device, using these peptides.

Provided herein are methods and compositions for determining whether a patient suffers from a neurological disease or disorder is provided, comprising detecting the presence of a phosphorylated tau protein in a tissue of the patient, wherein the detecting comprises contacting the phosphorylated tau protein with a compound described herein.

A compound includes a first linker having a first end connected to the carrier, a second linker having a first end connected to the carrier, a third linker having a first end connected to the carrier, a first fluorescent entity connected to a second end of the first linker, a second fluorescent entity different from the first fluorescent entity connected to a second end of the second linker, and a biomolecule connected to a second end of the third linker. The biomolecule is configured to connect to a biomarker. A method of detecting biomarkers is also disclosed.

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for determining the renal glomerular filtration rate or assessing the renal function in a patient in need thereof. The method includes administering a pyrazine compound of Formula I to a patient and monitoring the rate in which the kidneys of the patient eliminate the pyrazine from the systemic circulation of the patient. The pyrazine compound fluoresces when exposed to electromagnetic radiation which is detected using one or more sensors. The rate in which the fluorescence decreases in the patient is used to calculate the renal glomerular filtration rate in the patient.

Described herein are fluid complex coacervates that produce solid adhesives in situ. Oppositely charged polyelectrolytes were designed to form fluid adhesive complex coacervates at ionic strengths higher than the ionic strength of the application site, but an insoluble adhesive solid or gel at the application site. When the fluid, high ionic strength adhesive complex coacervates are introduced into the lower ionic strength application site, the fluid complex coacervate is converted to a an adhesive solid or gel as the salt concentration in the complex coacervate equilibrates to the application site salt concentration. In one embodiment, the fluid complex coacervates are designed to solidify in situ at physiological ionic strength and have numerous medical applications. In other aspects, the fluid complex coacervates can be used in aqueous environment for non-medical applications.

The present invention relates to an aptamer or a functional fragment thereof, capable of specifically binding to PD-L1 or capable of inhibiting interaction between PD-1 and PD-L1 by specifically binding to PD-L1, which includes a nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO. 1, 2, 10 or 18.

A composition for imaging a tumorous disease region includes a fluorescence- or radioactive isotope-labeled ERBB2 aptamer, wherein the ERBB2 aptamer labeled with a radioactive isotope or a fluorescent dye is used to image the tumorous disease region in vivo. The composition may include a labeled hybridized aptamer comprising an aptamer represented as formula 1 hybridized with a labeled-ODN represented as formula 2.