There is provided a system for evaluating an ultraviolet-protection product to be applied to skin, including a light source generating an output beam and a spacer mountable to the light source for maintaining a fixed distance between the light source and the skin. The spacer includes a mounting bracket engageable with the light source and a frame mechanically connected to the mounting bracket and extending longitudinally outwardly from the mounting bracket, the frame comprising an outer periphery, an inner periphery and a skin-contacting portion, the inner periphery defining a hollow region therein, such that when the skin-contacting portion is engaged with the skin, the beam passes through the hollow region and interacts with the skin at an illumination plane to define an illuminated area confined within the hollow region, the ultraviolet-protection product remaining substantially unaffected in the illuminated area upon relative movement of the skin with respect to the frame.

Multi-layer contact patches, as well as related apparatus, kits, systems, and methods, enable improved allergen testing and diagnosis. Multi-layer contact patches include a shield layer releasably coupled to an adhesive layer. The adhesive layer at least partially defines and is fixably coupled to an allergen complex layer. The allergen complex layer defines a plurality of allergen complex cavities. At least a subset of the allergen complex cavities include an allergen complex positioned therein, each allergen complex comprising an absorbent matrix and an allergen.

The specificity of CD4+ TH responses of German cockroach (Bla g) antigens, and whether differences exist in magnitude or functionality as a function of disease severity, is disclosed. Also disclosed are novel German cockroach allergens and epitopes.

The present invention provides for a kit and methods that detect certain analytes of interest potentially present in blood and bodily fluids of a living mammal. The methods and kit encompass a bioassay performed in vivo. Contact of the bioassay reagent with the analyte, if present, renders a response that can be clinically assessed visually or by reading instrumentation or by biosensor. In one embodiment, the invention may be used to detect the presence, absence, or amount of suspected analyte present in a patient test subject. The invention is particularly suited for point-of-care (POC) use, self-testing, large-scale implementation and for use with patients where limited sample volumes are available or accessible.

A method of immunological evaluation includes cleaning a skin surface area of a patient. A controlled amount of heat is then applied to the skin surface area. The controlled amount of heat is removed after the skin surface area reaches a predetermined temperature. An amount of antigen is deposited onto the skin surface area and incubated for a predetermined amount of time on the skin surface area. The antigen is removed from the skin surface area and an immunological response at the skin surface area is evaluated. Apparatus for administering heat and memorializing the evaluation are also disclosed.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a nanoparticle based platform, and nanoallergens for identifying, evaluating and studying allergen mimotopes as multiple copies of a single mimotope or various combinations on the same particle. The nanoparticle is extremely versatile and allows multivalent binding to IgEs specific to a variety of mimotopes, simulating allergen proteins. Nanoparticles can include various molecular ratios of components. For example, the nanoallergens can include about 0.1-40% mimotope-lipid conjugate and about 60-99.9% lipid. The mimotope-lipid conjugate includes a mimotope, a first linker, and lipid molecule. Nanoallergens can be used in in vitro and in vivo applications to identify a specific patient's sensitivity to a set of epitopes and predict a symptomatic clinical response, identify allergen epitopes through blind screening peptide sequences from allergen protein, and in a clinical application similar to a scratch test.

The present invention refers to a pharmaceutical formulation for injection comprising fluorescent nanoparticles as in vivo diagnostics. The present invention relates to an injectable pharmaceutical formulation for human medicine and/or veterinary use, comprising 17% to 20% per weight of poloxamer 407 and 3%-15% per weight of poloxamer 188, 0.10 nM to 10.0 μM fluorescent nanoparticles and water or an aqueous buffer, wherein the pharmaceutical formulation is liquid at 4° C.-32° C. and forms a gel at about 37° C., their use as an in vivo marker and methods of their preparation. The inventive formulation is useful for local control and prevention of spreading/diffusion of nanoparticles, and thus allows full utilization of their quantum physics properties for example as a tool to enable surgical precision of tumor removal; even without tumor specific epitope binding antibodies.

Provided are an artificial multi-antigen fusion protein and a preparation method thereof. The fusion protein can effectively stimulate CD8+T and CD4+ T cell immunities, and can be applied to immunodiagnostics or serve as a prophylactic or therapeutic vaccine.

Disclosed herein are urushiol-containing epicutaneous patches comprising a support material and a urushiol-containing film on a surface of the support material. A surface of the support material is coated with the urushiol-containing film. Also described herein are test panels comprising urushiol-containing epicutaneous patches of varying urushiol content. The test panels can be employed in methods to assess subject sensitivity to urushiol, to determine a dose-response relationship to varying doses of urushiol, and to assess efficacy of treatments to prevent or inhibit urushiol-induced contact dermatitis in a subject.

The present disclosure provides a method of treating allergies and autoimmune diseases using microsystem acupuncture. Methods provided herein for treating allergies and autoimmune diseases using microsystem acupuncture involving a novel allergy zone. In embodiments, the method includes identifying an allergy zone (AZ) (Soliman Allergy Zone (SAZ)) (FIG. 1A) in an acupuncture microsystem of a subject in need of treatment and treating the zone to treat the allergy or autoimmune disease. In embodiments, treating the zone includes introducing an acupuncture needle in the zone. In particular embodiments, the method includes identifying one or more active points in the liver projection site of the AZ and treating the active point or points.