The instant invention provides near-infrared fluorescent nerve contrast agents and methods of using them.

The present invention provides an epidermal penetration type ink composition comprising: a fluorescent colorant containing at least one selected from the group consisting of indocyanine green (ICG), cyanine, phthalocyanine, oxazine, rhodamine, and a mixture thereof; a binder resin containing at least one of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and polyvinylbutyral (PVB); and a solvent containing at least one of ethanol and isopropanol.

Provided herein are novel Nile Red derivatives with varied electron donating and withdrawing groups to try to influence tissue-specific accumulation and generate a truly adipose specific fluorophore of Formula (I).

##STR00001##

Provided herein is a compound of formula I:

##STR00001##

and the use thereof for detecting the presence of hydrogen sulfide in cells or tissues in vitro or in vivo. The detecting may be useful, for example, in diagnosing cancer or other diseases related to imbalanced hydrogen sulfide (H.sub.2S) production such as neurodegenerative diseases.

Disclosed herein are high Tm RNA nanostructures that can be composed of one or more modules or motifs to build RNA nanostructures with or without layers. The RNA nanostructures can have a core domain and three or more double-stranded arms and formulations thereof to conjugate high copy numbers of therapeutics, pH responsive or enzyme cleavable drug cargo. Also described herein is a design strategy for generation of synthetic RNA oligonucleotides that can self assemble into highly thermostable RNA structures. Also described herein are uses of the RNA nanostructures described herein.

Disclosed herein are photoactivable fluorophores comprising one or more thiocarbonyl groups as well as conjugates and compositions thereof. The present disclosure also provides methods of preparing photoactivatable fluorophores as well as methods of imaging using the photoactivatable fluorophores, conjugates, and compositions of the present disclosure.

The present disclosure relates to gastrointestinal (GI) tract detection methods, devices and systems.

Disclosed herein, inter alia, are compositions and methods of modulating macrophage activity. Provided is a method of treating a disease (e.g., a macrophage-associated disease, autoimmune disease, inflammatory disease, or a cancer of an organ in the intraperitoneal cavity), the method including intraperitoneally administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a nanoparticle composition or pharmaceutical composition. Provided is a silica nanoparticle non-covalently bound to a plurality of nucleic acids, wherein the silica nanoparticle has a net positive charge in the absence of the plurality of nucleic acids. Provided is a pharmaceutical composition including a nanoparticle composition as described herein, and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.

The present invention relates to a fucoidan-based theragnostic composition, and more particularly, to preparation and use of a theragnostic composition which uses a conjugate of a fluorescent dye or a photosensitizer and fucoidan, thereby not only allowing for fluorescence imaging diagnosis of lesions for cancer or vascular diseases but also allowing a therapeutic effect thereon to be obtained at the same time. The conjugate obtained by covalent bonding of a fluorescent dye or a photosensitizer and fucoidan, according to the present invention, is not only useful for fluorescence imaging diagnosis of tumor tissues and ophthalmic vascular diseases, but also may exhibit a therapeutic effect on cancer cells and coronary artery smooth muscle cells, and a neovascularization inhibitory effect in ophthalmic diseases. In addition, in a case where photodynamic therapy is further implemented on the conjugate according to the present invention, cancer and vascular diseases may be effectively treated with low adverse effects.

Provided herein is a compound of formula I: ##STR00001##
and the use thereof for detecting the presence of hydrogen sulfide in cells or tissues in vitro or in vivo. The detecting may be useful, for example, in diagnosing cancer or other diseases related to imbalanced hydrogen sulfide (H.sub.2S) production such as neurodegenerative diseases.