Provided herein are compounds that are able to bind metal ions (e.g., free metal ions or metal ions bound to low affinity ligands) in a sample or subject. Also provided herein are methods of using the compounds for chelating metal ions and for the treatment of diseases associated with abnormal levels of metal ions. Methods of preparing the compounds and pharmaceutical compositions are also provided.

A positive-working lithographic printing plate precursor includes a coating optimized for producing a minimum extent of ablation when exposed to heat and/or light. The coating includes an infrared absorbing agent which contains a structural element according to Formula I:

##STR00001##

wherein A represents SR.sup.1 wherein R.sup.1 represents an optionally substituted alkyl, aralkyl, alkaryl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, or heteroaryl group, and/or combinations thereof; and Q=CHRCHR, CRCR or CHRCHRCHR and R, R and R independently represent hydrogen, an alkyl, cycloalkyl, aralkyl, alkaryl, aryl or heteroaryl group, or R and R or R and R form together a cyclic structure.

Compositions and methods of synthesizing near IR, closed chain, sulfo-cyanine dyes are provided.

This invention relates to new carbocyanine dye compositions, pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compositions, methods of detecting via near infrared fluorescent imaging incipient cancer cells and selective destruction of cancer cells identified by administration of such pharmaceutical compositions. A method of detecting and destroying cancer cells includes introducing a gold dye into an organism suspected of having a cancer cell. The gold dye is a carbocyanine dye covalently attached to a gold nanoparticle. A near infrared light is shined on a region suspected of having the cancer cell. Fluorescence from the gold dye is detected. A beam of radio frequency energy is directed at the region to induce hyperthermia in the cancer cell. The carbocyanine dye has the most basic structure of MHI-148 and structures 6 and 22 with a Au.sub.n[CH.sub.2(CH.sub.2).sub.9CH.sub.2(OCH.sub.2CH.sub.2).sub.4O]COCH.sub.2CH.sub.2-phenyl-O group on a cyclohexene ring that imparts activity to the cancer cell binding and destruction processes.

Glucose-sensing luminescent dyes, polymers, and sensors are provided. Additionally, systems including the sensors and methods of using these sensors and systems are provided.

Compounds used as labels with properties comparable to known fluorescent compounds. The compounds can be conjugated to proteins and nucleic acids for biological imaging and analysis. Synthesis of the compounds, formation and use of the conjugated compounds, and specific non-limiting examples of each are provided.

Provided are dyes and compositions which are useful in a number of applications, such as the detection and monitoring protein aggregation, kinetic studies of protein aggregation, neurofibrillary plaques analysis, evaluation of protein formulation stability, and analysis of molecular chaperone activity.

Provided are dyes and compositions which are useful in a number of applications, such as the detection and monitoring protein aggregation, kinetic studies of protein aggregation, neurofibrillary plaques analysis, evaluation of protein formulation stability, protein thermal stability shift assay and analysis of molecular chaperone activity. These dyes and compositions are also useful as probes in nucleic acid and protein detection.

The application provides fluorescent dyes, which are cyanine dyes that incorporate additional aza moieties in the indolenium heterocycles and/or in the methine chains connecting them. Symmetrical and unsymmetrical chemically reactive azacyanine dyes are described for conjugation, as well as their bioconjugates for in-vitro and in-vivo assays and fluorescence imaging.

The invention provides a novel class of cyanine dyes that are functionalized with a linker moiety that facilitates their conjugation to other species and substituent groups which increase the water-solubility, and optimize the optical properties of the dyes. Also provided are conjugates of the dyes, methods of using the dyes and their conjugates and kits including the dyes and their conjugates.