Abstract: Methods, apparatus and systems for measuring pressure and/or for quantitative or qualitative measurement of analytes within the eye or elsewhere in the body. Optical pressure sensors and/or optical analyte sensors are implanted in the body and light is cast from an extracorporeal light source, though the cornea, conjunctiva or dermis, and onto a reflective element located within each pressure sensor or analyte sensor. The position or configuration of each sensor's reflective element varies with pressure or analyte concentration. Thus, the reflectance spectra of light reflected by the sensors' reflective elements will vary with changes in pressure or changes in analyte concentration. A spectrometer or other suitable instrument is used to process and analyze the reflectance spectra of the reflected light, thereby obtaining an indication of pressure or analyte concentration adjacent to the sensor(s).

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and systems for measuring pressure and/or for quantitative or qualitative measurement of analytes within the eye or elsewhere in the body. Optical pressure sensors and/or optical analyte sensors are implanted in the body and light is cast from an extracorporeal light source, though the cornea, conjunctiva or dermis, and onto a reflective element located within each pressure sensor or analyte sensor. The position or configuration of each sensor's reflective element varies with pressure or analyte concentration. Thus, the reflectance spectra of light reflected by the sensors' reflective elements will vary with changes in pressure or changes in analyte concentration. A spectrometer or other suitable instrument is used to process and analyze the reflectance spectra of the reflected light, thereby obtaining an indication of pressure or analyte concentration adjacent to the sensor(s).

Abstract: Methods and devices for delivering therapeutic or diagnostic energy (e.g., light, ultrasound, ionizing radiation (e.g., x-ray), vibration, heat energy, etc.) into the eye. An energy emitting device is positioned on the eye and used to deliver energy into the eye. The device may be constructed to allow the subject's eyelids to open and close while the device is positioned on the eye. The device is useable for various energy based or energy-mediated therapies, including crosslinking of corneal collagen, light therapy, photodynamic therapy, photo-activation of drugs, etc.

Abstract: Methods and devices for delivering therapeutic or diagnostic energy (e.g., light, ultrasound, ionizing radiation (e.g., x-ray), vibration, heat energy, etc.) into the eye. An energy emitting device is positioned on the eye and used to deliver energy into the eye. The device may be constructed to allow the subject's eyelids to open and close while the device is positioned on the eye. The device is useable for various energy based or energy-mediated therapies, including crosslinking of corneal collagen, light therapy, photodynamic therapy, photo-activation of drugs, etc.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and systems for measuring pressure and/or for quantitative or qualitative measurement of analytes within the eye or elsewhere in the body. Optical pressure sensors and/or optical analyte sensors are implanted in the body and light is cast from an extracorporeal light source, though the cornea, conjunctiva or dermis, and onto a reflective element located within each pressure sensor or analyte sensor. The position or configuration of each sensor's reflective element varies with pressure or analyte concentration. Thus, the reflectance spectra of light reflected by the sensors' reflective elements will vary with changes in pressure or changes in analyte concentration. A spectrometer or other suitable instrument is used to process and analyze the reflectance spectra of the reflected light, thereby obtaining an indication of pressure or analyte concentration adjacent to the sensor(s).

Abstract: Methods and systems for a) identifying and isolating stem cells, b) assessing mitochondrial distribution and structure in living cells and c) performing fluorescence microscopy on living cells while the cells remain within a condition-controlled cell culture chamber.

Abstract: Methods and systems for a) identifying and isolating stem cells, b) assessing mitochondrial distribution and structure in living cells and c) performing fluorescence microscopy on living cells while the cells remain within a condition-controlled cell culture chamber.

Abstract: Methods and systems for a) identifying and isolating stem cells, b) assessing mitochondrial distribution and structure in living cells and c) performing fluorescence microscopy on living cells while the cells remain within a condition-controlled cell culture chamber.

Abstract: Methods and systems for determination of one or more substances within a material are described. A flow of fluorescence-exciting/ablative energy (e.g., laser pulse(s), preferably in the ultraviolet region (e.g. 193-nm)), is directed onto the material to ablate a thin layer of the material using photochemical decomposition. Simultaneously, the laser energy induces fluorescence of the substance(s) within the ablated layer of the material. The fluorescence emitted by the substance(s) is then received by a device, which measures the spectrum of the received fluorescence. The fluorescence spectra are then transmitted to a spectral processing device adapted to determine, on the basis of the fluorescence spectra, whether the substance(s) of interest is/are present in the material and/or the concentration at which the substance(s) of interest is/are present in the material.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and systems for measuring pressure and/or for quantitative or qualitative measurement of analytes within the eye or elsewhere in the body. Optical pressure sensors and/or optical analyte sensors are implanted in the body and light is cast from an extracorporeal light source, though the cornea, conjunctiva or dermis, and onto a reflective element located within each pressure sensor or analyte sensor. The position or configuration of each sensor's reflective element varies with pressure or analyte concentration. Thus, the reflectance spectra of light reflected by the sensors' reflective elements will vary with changes in pressure or changes in analyte concentration. A spectrometer or other suitable instrument is used to process and analyze the reflectance spectra of the reflected light, thereby obtaining an indication of pressure or analyte concentration adjacent to the sensor(s).

Abstract: Methods and systems for the quantitative and qualitative determination of one or more exogenous substances within a material are described. A flow of fluorescence-exciting/ablative energy (e.g., laser pulse(s), preferably in the ultraviolet region (e.g. 193-nm)), is directed onto the material to ablate a thin layer (e.g. ≈0.3-&mgr;m) of the material using photochemical decomposition. Simultaneously, the laser energy induces the fluorescence of the substance(s) of interest within the ablated layer of the material. The fluorescence emitted by the substance(s) of interest is then received by a device (e.g., a spectrometer), which measures the spectrum (i.e. intensity versus wavelength) of the received fluorescence. The fluorescence spectra are then transmitted to a spectral processing device (e.g.

Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for harvesting from the eye of a mammilian (e.g., cadaveric) donor a disc-shaped graft or lenticle consisting of corneal tissue and a quantity of scleral or pericorneal tissue wherein limbal stem cells are located. This graft or lenticle is then transplanted onto the eye of a human or veterinary patient to treat a disorder caused by the absence or deficiency of limbal stem cells in the patient's eye. The system of the present invention comprises a) an eye-contacting ring and cutter guide apparatus and b) a cutter apparatus. The eye-contacting ring and cutter guide apparatus is initially placed in contact with the donor eye such that a portion of the cornea and adjacent scleral or pericorneal tissue containing limbal stem cells protrudes upwardly through the center of the ring. The cutter is then engaged with guide member(s) formed on the ring and the cutter is advanced, severing the protruding cornea and stem-cell-containing pericorneal tissue.

Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for harvesting from the eye of a mammilian (e.g., cadaveric) donor a disc-shaped graft or lenticle consisting of corneal tissue and a quantity of scleral or pericorneal tissue wherein limbal stem cells are located. This graft or lenticle is then transplanted onto the eye of a human or veterinary patient to treat a disorder caused by the absence or deficiency of limbal stem cells in the patient's eye. The system of the present invention comprises a) an eye-contacting ring and cutter guide apparatus and b) a cutter apparatus. The eye-contacting ring and cutter guide apparatus is initially placed in contact with the donor eye such that a portion of the cornea and adjacent scleral or pericorneal tissue containing limbal stem cells protrudes upwardly through the center of the ring. The cutter is then engaged with guide member(s) formed on the ring and the cutter is advanced, severing the protruding cornea and stem-cell-containing pericorneal tissue.

Abstract: The invention relates to bis-protein-DNA conjugates. A protein having a specific ligand binding activity is covalently linked to each end of a derivatized DNA molecule. These bis-protein-DNA conjugates can be used for immunoassays, PCR assays and measuring distances between proteins at up to 3.4 A resolution. The invention also relates to methods of synthesizing these bis-protein-DNA conjugates. Synthesis of the conjugates entails derivatizing the 5' or 3' end of a DNA oligonucleotide and covalently linking that DNA to a protein. The DNA can be conjugated to the proteins, including antibodies or Fab' fragments, using disulfide bond linkage.

Abstract: The invention relates to bis-protein-DNA conjugates. A protein having an antigen specific binding activity is covalently linked to each end of a derivatized DNA molecule. The bis-protein-DNA conjugates can be used for immunoassays and measuring distances between proteins at up to 3.4 .ANG. resolution. The invention also relates to methods of synthesizing these bis-protein-DNA conjugates. Synthesis of the conjugates entails derivatizing the 5' or 3' end of a DNA oligonucleotide and covalently linking that DNA to a protein. The DNA can be indirectly conjugated to an antibody or Fab' fragment, using a avidin/streptavidin-biotin linkage. The conjugates of the invention can be used in immunoassays and PCR assays.