The present disclosure relates to compounds that are useful as near-infrared fluorescence probes, wherein the compounds include i) a ligand that binds to the active site of carbonic anhydrase, ii) a dye molecule, and iii) a linker molecule that comprises an amino acid, amide, ureido, or polyethylene glycol derivative thereof. The disclosure further describes methods and compositions for making and using the compounds, methods incorporating the compounds, and kits incorporating the compounds.

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 composition includes two or more near infrared absorbing compounds having an absorption maximum in a wavelength range of 650 to 1000 nm and having a solubility of 0.1 mass % or lower in water at 23° C., in which the two or more near infrared absorbing compounds include a first near infrared absorbing compound having an absorption maximum in a wavelength range of 650 to 1000 nm, and a second near infrared absorbing compound having an absorption maximum in a wavelength range of 650 to 1000 nm which is shorter than the absorption maximum of the first near infrared absorbing compound, and a difference between the absorption maximum of the first near infrared absorbing compound and the absorption maximum of the second near infrared absorbing compound is 1 to 150 nm.

The invention describes the preparation and use of fluorescent stains for nucleic acids derived from unsymmetrical cyanine dyes. The dyes of the invention possess superior fluorescent properties when complexed with nucleic acids, and have utility in any application which requires detection of nucleic acids, such as detection of nucleic acids in solution, in gels, in blots, in microarrays, and in bacteria and cells, and for use in analysis of cell structure, membrane integrity, and function. The dyes of the invention have the formula ##STR00001##
where X is O, S, or C(CH.sub.3).sub.2; Each of R.sup.1 and R.sup.6 is independently hydrogen, carboxy, sulfo, sulfonamide, halogen, CN, or alkoxy; Each of t and s is an integer from 0 to 4; R.sup.2 is an alkyl, or alkyl group substituted by a carboxy, or a sulfo; R.sup.3 is H, C.sub.6H.sub.4CO.sub.2R.sup.7, or C.sub.6H.sub.4CH.sub.2N(R.sup.7).sub.2, where R.sup.7 is an alkyl; R.sup.4 is H, alkyl, aryl, halogen, alkoxy, alkylamino, or alkylthio; R.sup.5 is an alkyl, aryl, alkyl group substituted by a carboxy, or a sulfo, or —(CH.sub.2).sub.a—[O—(CH.sub.2).sub.b].sub.m—O—Z, where Z is H, alkyl, or carboxy; each of a and b is an integer from 1 to 4; m is an integer selected from 0 to 4.

An object of the present invention is to provide a cancer cell inhibitory drug, particularly a cancer stem-cell inhibitory drug, or a cancer stem-cell detection probe. The present invention provides a cancer cell inhibitory drug comprising at least one compound represented by general formula (1) as an active ingredient

##STR00001##

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.

The present disclosure relates to compounds that are useful as near-infrared fluorescence probes, wherein the compounds include i) a ligand that binds to the active site of carbonic anhydrase, ii) a dye molecule, and iii) a linker molecule that comprises an amino acid, amide, ureido, or polyethylene glycol derivative thereof. The disclosure further describes methods and compositions for making and using the compounds, methods incorporating the compounds, and kits incorporating the compounds.

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.

The invention provides a novel class of materials that possess triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion, compositions and methods of preparation and use thereof. The invention also relates to use of such materials and nanoparticles, for example, in stimulus-responsive, in situ delivery of biologically active agents.

The invention provides agents that target carbonic anhydrase, which can be used as imaging agents or therapeutic agents. The agents can be used to image tumor hypoxia as well as other physiological processes in a subject.