Pharmaceutical compositions and methods are presented for creating a ternary structure involving a fluorescent molecule, an intermediate carrier molecule, and a larger protein or polymer with a binding site receptive to the intermediate molecule or fluorescent/intermediate complex. The resulting ternary system improves the binding stability of the fluorescent dye to the protein, both in-vivo and in-vitro. This improved stability results in a longer half-life in medical use, enabling improved qualitative and quantitative use of the dye.

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The present disclosure relates to methods of collecting and testing bacteria containing samples from within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of a subject. The methods may include disposing an ingestible device in the GI tract, collecting a bacteria-containing sample from the GI tract, selectively lysing eukaryotic cells in the sample by combining the sample with a dried reagent, exposing bacteria in the sample to resazurin in the ingestible device to produce resorufin, emitting light from the ingestible device, the emitted light being filtered through an optical filter to control for scatter so that the light interacts with the resorufin to produce fluorescence, and measuring a total fluorescence from the resorufin; or a rate of change of fluorescence from the resorufin as a function of time within the GI tract of the subject; and correlating the measured parameter to a number of viable bacterial cells in the sample.

[Problem] To provide a novel fluorescent nanoparticle imaging probe having a switching function (a function to quench a fluorescent dye in a blood component and emit fluorescence in a tumor or an inflamed site to be imaged). [Solution] A fluorescent nanoparticle probe comprising: a molecular assembly composed of an amphiphilic block polymer having a hydrophilic block chain and a hydrophobic block chain; and a fluorescent dye encapsulated in the assembly, wherein (a) the hydrophilic block chain comprises, as an essential hydrophilic structural unit, a unit selected from a sarcosine unit and an alkylene oxide unit, (b) the hydrophobic block chain comprises, as an essential hydrophobic structural unit, a unit selected from the group consisting of an amino acid unit and a hydroxylic acid unit, and (c) the fluorescent dye is a polylactic acid-bound cyanine compound comprising: a fluorescent group represented by the formula (I): ##STR00001##
and a polylactic acid group having 5 to 50 lactic acid units, and two or more molecules of the fluorescent dye are encapsulated in the single molecular assembly.

Described herein are self-assembling protein molecules for delivering a payload, for example, a toxic anti-cancer agent, a cancer immunotherapy, a toxic anti-cancer agent and a cancer immunotherapy, or an imaging agent, to specific tissues. Examples of self-assembled proteins include clathrin and derivatives of clathrin.

Disclosed are compositions that contain a plurality of biocompatible self-assembling molecules that transform from isolated molecules or spherical micelles while in blood serum into cylindrical nanofibers in the acidic extracellular environment of tumors, which can be used to achieve a higher relative concentration of imaging drug delivery, or radiotherapeutic agents at the tumor site compared to non-tumor tissues. This transition is rapid and reversible, indicating the system is in thermodynamic equilibrium.

The invention relates to a functional wound dressing being able to detect and indicate the state of the wound, in particular with regard to an infection which is reported to be frequently associated with poorly healing wounds, such as chronic wounds. The present wound dressing can be used in moist wound healing and contains a substance being able to absorb wound exudate from the wound and to provide moisture to the wound.

Disclosed are devices for detection of bleeding during surgical procedures and uses thereof. Also disclosed are methods of localizing a bleeding site during surgical procedures, and methods for evaluating an intensity of bleeding during the surgical procedures. The detection of bleeding is based, inter alia, on the presence of thrombin activity in a bleeding site.

A method and system to prevent sore throat infections in humans includes the administration of an active ingredient to a site on the mucus membranes of the throat of a human that inhibits adherence and promotes desorption of S. pyogenes to soft tissue surfaces, such as the pharyngeal and oral mucosa of a human. A mucoadhesive strip having a surface topography that resists bioadhesion of undesired bacteria that are typically present in a human's mouth is preferably employed and that has one or more encapsulated agents selected from the group consisting of an antibiotic; lactic acid bacteria; S. pyogenes modified by a CRISPR-Cas system to reduce one or more virulence factors; and a breath mint solution.

A zwitterionic compound has a structure of following formula (1), formula (2), formula (3), or formula (4):

##STR00001## R.sub.1 is —O.sup.−, —(CH.sub.2).sub.aSO.sub.3.sup.−, or —(CH.sub.2).sub.bCO.sub.2.sup.−, a is 1 to 10, and b is 1 to 10. R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are each independently an alkyl group or a phenyl group. x, z, and v are each independently 1 to 20. y and t are each independently 0 to 10.

A biosensing composition having sensing glucose content is provided, including a substrate, glucose oxidase, an antioxidant, heme-protein, and a molecular chromogenic chromophore. In addition, a contact lens having sensing glucose content and a method of preparation thereof are provided, so as to achieve the effect of maintaining a low discoloration in normal blood sugar and obvious discoloration in high blood sugar.