Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for detecting and diagnosing flaviviral or alphaviral infections in subjects in need thereof. The systems and methods of the disclosure enable rapid testing of small volumes of biological sample with the ability to reliably distinguish between flavival and alphaviral infections and determine whether the viral infection is acute or chronic.

Abstract: Methods of detecting ZNT8 antibodies in serum are described. The methods include proteoliposomes comprising a transmembrane domain (TMD) and a cytosolic domain (CTD) of ZnT8 proteins exposed on the exterior of the proteoliposome; serum comprising antibodies targeting the ZnT8 proteins; and labelled captured autoantibodies that bind to ZnT8 antibodies.

Abstract: A cathode for water splitting production includes: (1) a porous substrate; and (2) an electrocatalyst affixed to the porous substrate. The electrocatalyst includes heterostructures of a first material and a second material that partially covers the first material.

Abstract: Disclosed is a small molecule dye for use in imaging in the near-infrared window, namely between 1000 nm-1700 nm wavelength. The present dyes are also useful for photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy. The dyes have a structure of a D-A-D (donor-acceptor-donor) fluorescent compound core and side chains rendering the compounds water soluble and easily conjugated to hydrophilic polymers and/or targeting ligands. Further disclosed is compound, CH1055 that can be PEGylated, conjugated to a targeting ligand, or conjugated to taurine. Key steps utilized to assemble the core structure of the target included a cross-Suzuki coupling reaction, iron reduction and N-thionylaniline induced ring closure. Four carboxylic acid groups were introduced into the donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) type fluorescent compound to impart a certain aqueous solubility and to allow facile conjugation to targeting ligands.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for imaging lumen-forming structures such as blood vessels using near-infrared fluorescence in the NIR-II region of 1000-1700 nm. The fluorescence is created by excitation of solubilized nano-structures that are delivered to the structures, such as carbon nanotubes, quantum dots or organic molecular fluorophores attached to hydrophilic polymers. These nanostructures fluoresce in the NIR-II region when illuminated through the skin and tissues. Fine anatomical vessel resolution down to ?30 ?m and high temporal resolution up to 5-10 frames per second is obtained for small-vessel imaging with up to 1 cm penetration depth in mouse hind limb, which compares favorably to tomographic imaging modalities such as CT and MRI with much higher spatial and temporal resolution, and compares favorably to scanning microscopic imaging techniques with much deeper penetration.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and devices for confocal microscopy in the near-infrared. wavelength. The device uses a near-infrared (NIR) light producing source such as laser; optical components designed to reflect and transmit NIR from a sample; and an NIR detector coupled to a computer for constructing a focal plane image from a raster scan. The detector may be a photodiode or photo-multiplier tube for detecting fluorescence signals in the NIR (800-1700 nm) wavelength range using a variety of NIR-I (800-1000 nm) and NIR-II (1000-1700 nm) dyes and nanomaterials. An imaging method is described using the NIR-confocal microscope for slice by slice 3D imaging of biological tissues throughout a thickness up to, for example, 5 mm in the NIR-II window. The reduced scattering in NIR-II allows for tissue penetration up to about 5-10 mm, superior to ˜0.2 mm afforded by conventional imaging.

Abstract: A metal-ion battery includes: 1) an anode including a metal; 2) a cathode; and 3) an ionic liquid electrolyte disposed between the anode and the cathode, wherein the ionic liquid electrolyte corresponds to a mixture of a metal halide and an organic compound.

Abstract: Disclosed is a small molecule dye for use in imaging in the near-infrared window, namely between 1000 nm-1700 nm wavelength. The present dyes are also useful for photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy. The dyes have a structure of a D-A-D (donor-acceptor-donor) fluorescent compound core and side chains rendering the compounds water soluble and easily conjugated to hydrophilic polymers and/or targeting ligands. Further disclosed is compound, CH1055 that can be PEGylated, conjugated to a targeting ligand, or conjugated to taurine. Key steps utilized to assemble the core structure of the target included a cross-Suzuki coupling reaction, iron reduction and N-thionylaniline induced ring closure. Four carboxylic acid groups were introduced into the donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) type fluorescent compound to impart a certain aqueous solubility and to allow facile conjugation to targeting ligands.

Abstract: Disclosed are nanostructured gold films which may be produced by solution-phase depositions of gold ions onto a variety of surfaces. The resulting plasmonic gold films are used for enhanced spectroscopic-based immunoassays in multiplexed microarray format with detection mechanisms based on either surface-enhanced Raman scattering or near-infrared fluorescence enhancement. The preparation of the films and subsequent modifications of the gold film surfaces afford increased sensitivity for various microarrays. The films are discontinuous, forming gold “islands.” Sensitivity, size, shape, and density of the nanoscopic gold islands comprising the discontinuous nanostructured gold film are controlled to enhance the intensity of Raman scattering and fluorescence in the near-infrared, allowing for improved measurements in clinical diagnostic or biomedical research applications.

Abstract: Disclosed are dispersed graphene sheets, ribbons, graphene molecules and the like which are pristine in the plane, i.e., free of significant defects and chemical modifications such as oxidation. The materials could be functionalized at the edges. These materials are dispersed in solutions rather than in aggregated or insoluble forms as their parent starting materials. Also disclosed is a method comprising the steps of intercalating an insoluble graphitic material. The method may comprise exfoliating graphite and re-intercalating the resultant material with an acid composition, such as oleum, and a strong organic base such as tetrabutylammonium hydroxide in a solvent solution to form a homogenous suspension, which is then agitated to form dispersed graphene materials. The materials may be solubilized with a hydrophilic polymer and can be further manipulated by transfer into different solvents, formation of films, application to optical and electronic devices, and other applications.

Abstract: A metal-ion battery includes: (1) an anode including aluminum; (2) a cathode including a layered, active material; and (3) an electrolyte disposed between the anode and the cathode to support reversible deposition and dissolution of aluminum at the anode and reversible intercalation and de-intercalation of anions at the cathode.

Abstract: Disclosed are nanostructured gold films which may be produced by solution-phase depositions of gold ions onto a variety of surfaces. The resulting plasmonic gold films are used for enhanced spectroscopic-based immunoassays in multiplexed microarray format with detection mechanisms based on either surface-enhanced Raman scattering or near-infrared fluorescence enhancement. The preparation of the films and subsequent modifications of the gold film surfaces afford increased sensitivity for various microarrays. The films are discontinuous, forming gold “islands.” Sensitivity, size, shape, and density of the nanoscopic gold islands comprising the discontinuous nanostructured gold film are controlled to enhance the intensity of Raman scattering and fluorescence in the near-infrared, allowing for improved measurements in clinical diagnostic or biomedical research applications.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for compositions including organic, water-soluble NIR-II fluorescent agent that emit radiation at about 1.0 to 1.7 ?m, methods of making the composition, methods of imaging a disease and related biological events, methods of imaging, monitoring and/or assessing a disease and related biological events, and the like.

Abstract: Disclosed is a small molecule dye for use in imaging in the near-infrared window, namely between 1000 nm-1700 nm wavelength. The present dyes are also useful for photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy. The dyes have a structure of a D-A-D (donor-acceptor-donor) fluorescent compound core and side chains rendering the compounds water soluble and easily conjugated to hydrophilic polymers and/or targeting ligands. Further disclosed is compound, CH1055 that can be PEGylated, conjugated to a targeting ligand, or conjugated to taurine. Key steps utilized to assemble the core structure of the target included a cross-Suzuki coupling reaction, iron reduction and N-thionylaniline induced ring closure. Four carboxylic acid groups were introduced into the donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) type fluorescent compound to impart a certain aqueous solubility and to allow facile conjugation to targeting ligands.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and assays for detection of low concentration analytes such as proteins in a sample, using beads. Specially coated beads allow for femtomolar sensitivity through strong near-infrared fluorescence enhancement on plasmonic beads having gold nanostructures in a coating. By selecting different bead sizes and labeling with different fluorophores of plasmonic beads for immobilization of different capture antibodies, multiplexed plasmonic beads can be used for simultaneous quantification of various markers down to 0.01 pg/mL sensitivity. Exemplified are human cytokine IL-6, IFN-gamma, IL-1 beta, VEGF and ovarian cancer biomarker CA-125. Using flow cytometry, a detection limit below that of glass bead based immunoassays by 2-3 orders of magnitude was achieved.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to electrodes and implementations such as batteries. As may be implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments, an apparatus includes a nanocarbon substrate having at least one of graphene and carbon nanotubes, and a hybrid electrode including a cobalt oxide/carbon nanotube (CoO/CNT) catalyst and a Ni—Fe-layered double hydride (LDH) catalyst. The catalysts and substrate facilitate transfer of charge carriers. Various aspects are directed to a battery type device having an anode and a single or split cathode with the respective catalysts on the cathode to facilitate oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution reactions for discharging and charging the battery type device.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are compositions and systems that can be used for enhanced fluorescence-based imaging techniques and assays. The compositions and systems of the present disclosure can afford increased fluorescence for fluorescent molecules with excitation and emission in the visible and near-infrared, e.g. spanning from about 400 nm to about 2100 nm. Also provided herein are fluorescence detection based methods by utilizing the compositions and systems of the present disclosure.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and materials providing fluorescence detection of autoantibodies present in individuals who have developed or are at risk for type 1 diabetes. Provided is a plasmonic chip capable of fluorescence-enhancement of >100-fold. The fluorescent signal is generated by an anti-human antibody antibody, such as an anti-IgG antibody that is coupled to a fluorophore selected to emit at a wavelength enhanced by the plasmonic chip, for example in the NIR.

Abstract: A cathode for water splitting production includes: (1) a porous substrate; and (2) an electrocatalyst affixed to the porous substrate. The electrocatalyst includes heterostructures of a first material and a second material that partially covers the first material.

Abstract: Graphene based materials are provided in connection with various devices and methods of manufacturing. As consistent with one or more embodiments, an apparatus includes a graphene sheet and a single-crystal structure grown on the graphene sheet, with the graphene sheet and single-crystalline structure functioning as an electrode terminal. In various embodiments, the single-crystalline structure is grown on a graphene sheet, such as by using precursor particles to form nanoparticles at the distributed locations, and diffusing and recrystallizing the nanoparticles to form the single-crystal structure.