Generation of bubbles is disclosed to occur within a flow of an aqueous fluid. The bubbles may be formed within a tube of a selected diameter and the bubbles are controlled to exit the tube at a selected diameter. Generally, bubbles are formed to include a diameter of less than 1 millimeter, including less than about 20 microns.

The invention provides, inter alia, improved lipid formulations used to generate lipid-encapsulated gas microspheres, and methods of their use.

The invention discloses a recombinant protein (P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 and Neural Retina-specific Leucine Zipper) PSGL-1-NRL chimeric protein comprising a Selectin Binding domain and a non-covalent dimerization domain, which is a leucine zipper and is more preferably the leucine zipper domain of the human or mouse Neural Retina-specific Leucine Zipper. The chimeric protein further comprises a covalent dimerization domain with at least one cysteine suitable to form a disulfide bridge with another chimeric protein to form a homodimer.

In the chimeric protein, the PSGL-1 domain corresponds to the extracellular region of Human PSGL-1 and is more preferably the selectin binding region of the mature protein.

The chimeric protein is correctly post-translationally modified and is efficiently expressed in a mammalian system. It is sulfated, O-linked glycosylated and sialylated and binds P, E and L selectin, allowing in vivo and in vitro targeting for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes.

Provided herein are improved methods for preparing phospholipid formulations including phospholipid UCA formulations.

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.

A compound comprising an oligomer formed from a biocompatible multifunctional carboxylic acid comprising a hydroxyl group and at least one carboxylic acid, an polyol (e.g., an aliphatic diol), and a linker. One or more conductive oligomers (e.g., polyanilines) are covalently bonded to the oligomer. The compounds can have various forms (e.g., articles of manufacture, films, scaffolds, and the like). The compounds have various uses. For example, the compounds are used in photoacoustic imaging methods.

A method of non-invasively detecting and purging bacterial cells using a modified photoacoustic in vivo flow cytometer device is described herein. In particular, a method of detecting bacterial cells by analyzing photoacoustic pulses emitted in response to laser pulses from a pulsed laser source and/or selectively destroying the detected bacterial cells using a non-linear photothermal response induced by a high-energy laser pulse is described herein.

Ultrasound imaging is a non-invasive, non-radioactive, and low cost technology for diagnosis and identification of implantable medical devices in real time. Developing new ultrasound activated coatings is important to broaden the utility of in vivo marking by ultrasound imaging. Ultrasound responsive macro-phase segregated micro-composite thin films were developed to be coated on medical devices composed of multiple materials and with multiple shapes and varying surface area. The macro-phase segregated in films having silica micro-shells in polycyanoacrylate produces strong color Doppler signals with the use of a standard clinical ultrasound transducer. Electron microscopy showed a macro-phase separation during slow curing of the cyanoacrylate adhesive, as air-filled silica micro-shells were driven to the surface of the film. The air sealed in the hollow space of the silica shells acted as an ultrasound contrast agent and echo decorrelation of air exposed to ultrasound waves produces color Doppler signals.

Disclosed are nanoparticle-based ultrasound contrast agents that comprise a sub-100 nanometer nanoparticle core, a hydrophobic layer, and a stabilization layer, and methods of producing such ultrasound contrast agents. The stabilization layer comprises molecules that are spaced apart on the stabilization layer to provide bubble nucleation sites that initiate cavitation of the bubbles in response to acoustic intensity delivered by ultrasound equipment.

The present disclosure includes system, methods, and kits relating to creating a second structure with a plurality of first structures at a target site inside or adjacent to a host object. The methods include the step of generating a field that non-invasively penetrates into the host object. The methods further include the step of positioning a first portion of the plurality of first structures at the target site using a force corresponding to the field. Additionally, the methods include the step of linking the first portion of the plurality of first structures with one another and/or the host object at the target site to form the second structure.