Abstract: A system for the imaging and analysis of human lesions having an illumination component, an imaging sensor, a tunable liquid imaging lens, and driver controlling different focal length settings of the electrically tunable liquid imaging lens. An enclosure houses the tunable liquid imaging lens, the illumination component, and the imaging sensor. The tunable liquid imaging lens has either a bendable lens membrane allowing the focal length to be controlled by fluid pressure, or the tunable liquid imaging lens includes two transparent liquids that are placed between two electrodes to control the focal length. An imaging sensor captures lesion images within a fraction of a second from each other across a range of focus settings to produce a single, sharp, all-focus image.

Abstract: Disclosed are nanoparticle-based ultrasound contrast agents that comprise a sub-100 nanometer nanoparticle core, a hydrophobic layer, and a stabilization layer, and methods of producing such ultrasound contrast agents. The stabilization layer comprises molecules that are spaced apart on the stabilization layer to provide bubble nucleation sites that initiate cavitation of the bubbles in response to acoustic intensity delivered by ultrasound equipment.

Abstract: A system, device, and accompanying software for the remote, three-dimensional, and high-throughput imaging and analysis of human lesions, across a range of wavelengths, lens radii and imaging sensors. This system, device, and software generates and analyses of tumor images at infrared wavelengths through the use of miniaturized, liquid lenses. It has a number of clinical, diagnostic, research, and other imaging applications, including the remote, three-dimensional, and high-throughput imaging and analysis of human cancer tumors.

Abstract: Disclosed are miniaturized electronic systems, devices and methods for biomarker analysis, which can be incorporated into blood collection tubes and other containers that enable the immediate isolation, concentration, analysis and storage of disease related biomarkers upon blood draw. In some aspects, a miniaturized electronic system includes a high-surface area folded or sandwiched electrokinetic microelectrode array chip device that allows both AC dielectrophoretic (DEP) and DC electrophoretic based separation and isolation and other processes to be used for the concentration and biomarkers.

Abstract: Disclosed is a delivery device for delivering a payload, including a biological, chemical or biochemical substance, to a subject. The delivery device has a nanoparticle loaded with the payload, and porous coating structure over the loaded nanoparticle to prevent the payload from escaping the delivery device, while also preserving the activity of the payload and increasing effective utilization of the payload. Also disclosed is a delivery device for delivering a payload, including a natural virus, recombinant virus, or engineered virus. Also disclosed is a delivery device that has a liposome loaded with the payload and a biocompatible surface coating over the loaded liposome. Also disclosed are methods of fabricating the delivery devices and methods of using the delivery devices in treating health conditions, such as cancer, or in diagnostic applications.

Abstract: A system, device, and accompanying software for the remote, three-dimensional, and high-throughput imaging and analysis of human lesions, across a range of wavelengths, lens radii and imaging sensors. This system, device, and software generates and analyses of tumor images at infrared wavelengths through the use of miniaturized, liquid lenses. It has a number of clinical, diagnostic, research, and other imaging applications, including the remote, three-dimensional, and high-throughput imaging and analysis of human cancer tumors.

Abstract: Disclosed is a delivery device for delivering a payload, including a biological, chemical or biochemical substance, to a subject. The delivery device has a nanoparticle loaded with the payload, and porous coating structure over the loaded nanoparticle to prevent the payload from escaping the delivery device, while also preserving the activity of the payload and increasing effective utilization of the payload. Also disclosed is a delivery device for delivering a payload, including a natural virus, recombinant virus, or engineered virus. Also disclosed is a delivery device that has a liposome loaded with the payload and a biocompatible surface coating over the loaded liposome. Also disclosed are methods of fabricating the delivery devices and methods of using the delivery devices in treating health conditions, such as cancer, or in diagnostic applications.

Abstract: Devices and techniques are described that involve a combination of multidimensional electrokinetic, dielectrophoretic, electrophoretic and fluidic forces and effects for separating cells, nanovesicles, nanoparticulates and biomarkers (DNA, RNA, antibodies, proteins) in high conductance (ionic) strength biological samples and buffers. In disclosed embodiments, a combination of continuous and/or pulsed dielectrophoretic (DEP) forces, continuous and/or pulsed field DC electrophoretic forces, microelectrophoresis and controlled fluidics are utilized with arrays of electrodes. In particular, the use of chambered DEP devices and of a properly scaled relatively larger electrode array devices that combines fluid, electrophoretic and DEP forces enables both larger and/or clinically relevant volumes of blood, serum, plasma or other samples to be more directly, rapidly and efficiently analyzed. The invention enables the creation of “seamless” sample-to-answer diagnostic systems and devices.

Abstract: A host matrix—normally a binder such as cellulose acetate propionate in a solvent such as acetone—contains a radiation-polymerizable photopolymer—normally a monomer like dipentaerythritol pentaacrylate in combination with a crosslinker like 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidinone, an initiator like N-phenyl glycine, and/or a photosensitizer like camphor quinine—that is initially uniformly doped with a stable dye—typically Rhodamine B and/or Bodipy Red—that photoinitiates photopolymerization. Upon selective exposure of certain regions of the matrix by radiation, most normally laser light radiation, the dye will initially migrate and redistribute itself to radiatively-exposed regions until, dye migration being substantially complete, photopolymerization will occur, locking the migrated dye in place at a relatively higher concentration at the selectively exposed regions. The dye therein stably located can be optically detected by, preferably, light-radiation-stimulated fluorescence.

Abstract: A host matrix—normally a binder such as cellulose acetate propionate in a solvent such as acetone—contains a radiation-polymerizable photopolymer—normally a monomer like dipentaerythritol pentaacrylate in combination with a crosslinker like 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidinone, an initiator like N-phenyl glycine, and/or a photosensitizer like camphor quinine—that is initially uniformly doped with a stable dye—typically Rhodamine B and/or Bodipy Red—that photoinitiates photopolymerization. Upon selective exposure of certain regions of the matrix by radiation, most normally laser light radiation, the dye will initially migrate and redistribute itself to radiatively-exposed regions until, dye migration being substantially complete, photopolymerization will occur, locking the migrated dye in place at a relatively higher concentration at the selectively exposed regions. The dye therein stably located can be optically detected by, preferably, light-radiation-stimulated fluorescence.

Abstract: Optical data storage devices and techniques that use digital optical detection to obtain digital signals from light returned from optical storage media without analog processing and analog to digital conversion.

Abstract: A host matrix—normally a binder such as cellulose acetate propionate in a solvent such as acetone—contains a radiation-polymerizable photopolymer—normally a monomer like dipentaerythritol pentaacrylate in combination with a crosslinker like 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidinone, an initiator like N-phenyl glycine, and/or a photosensitizer like camphor quinone—that is initially uniformly doped with a stable dye—typically Rhodamine B and/or Bodipy Red—that photoinitiates photopolymerization. Upon selective exposure of certain regions of the matrix by radiation, most normally laser light radiation, the dye will initially migrate and redistribute itself to radiatively-exposed regions until, dye migration being substantially complete, photopolymerization will occur, locking the migrated dye in place at a relatively higher concentration at the selectively exposed regions. The dye therein stably located can be optically detected by, preferably, light-radiation-stimulated fluorescence.

Abstract: One or more microbeams derived from a corresponding number of Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VCSELs) are used to manipulate and to transport inorganic and organic objects. The optical tweezing apparatus and method is compact size, and suitable to manipulate multiple objects in an array concurrently, and in parallel.

Abstract: An electrochemical apparatus 1 permits electric-field-assisted fluidic assembly of objects 2 on a patterned silicon substrate 11 by means of electrical addressing. Charged objects 2 such as beads and live cells are moved electrokinetically, like as in electrophoresis, through a solution, typically water 3, towards a micro-patterned charged semiconductor electrode, such as a silicon electrode 11 patterned with silicon dioxide, silicon nitride or agarose gel. The charged objects 2 are thus localized to and assembled, most typically into arrays of multiple or single particles, in accordance with the patterning of the electrode 11. Correlating with theoretical predictions, negatively charged polystyrene beads of 20 ?m diameter, or live mammalian cells of 20-30 ?m diameter, can be assembled and disassembled on 100 ?m feature size micro-patterned substrates by means of electrical addressing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to nanoscale transduction systems that produce reversible signals to facilitate detection. In one respect, the invention relates to the analysis of molecular binding events using higher order signaling nanoscale constructs, or “nanomachines”, that allow nanostructures to be individually detectable, even in the midst of high background noise. Such systems are particularly useful for improving the performance of rare target detection methods, as well as being generally useful in any field in which sensitivity, discrimination and confidence in detection are important.

Abstract: Small particles, for example 5 ?m diameter microspheres or cells, within, and moving with, a fluid, normally water, that is flowing within microfluidic channels within a radiation-transparent substrate, typically molded PDMS clear plastic, are selectively manipulated, normally by being pushed with optical pressure forces, with laser light, preferably as arises from VCSELs operating in Laguerre-Gaussian mode, at branching junctions in the microfluidic channels so as to enter into selected downstream branches, thereby realizing particle switching and sorting, including in parallel. Transport of the small particles thus transpires by microfluidics while manipulation in the manner of optical tweezers arises either from pushing due to optical scattering force, or from pulling due to an attractive optical gradient force. Whether pushed or pulled, the particles within the flowing fluid may be optically sensed, and highly-parallel.

Abstract: One or more microbeams derived from a corresponding number of Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VCSELs) are used to manipulate and to transport inorganic and organic objects. The optical tweezing apparatus and method is compact size, and suitable to manipulate multiple objects in an array concurrently, and in parallel.

Abstract: Any of inorganic and bio-organic substances and molecules, and beads, pucks and like small things, that are both (i) electrically charged to a first polarity, and (ii) immersed in a fluid transport medium within (iii) an electrochemical cell, are assembled and patterned by action of moving these inorganic and bio-organic substances and molecules, etc. to a patterned electrode having an opposite, second, polarity under force of an applied electric field. The electrode patterned with conductive areas may be further, separately, patterned with chemicals, for example agarose gel, that chemically accept or reject the substances and molecules, etc., especially as are biological in origin. Living cells of plant, bacterial and animal types may be assembled. A semiconductor electrode may be patterned by masked laser light passed through the other electrode, which is transparent.

Abstract: An improved linear light modulator array is formed with opposing electrodes which extend away from the optic surfaces of optoelectronic material used to form the array. A uniform electric field is created across a modulator volume, generally perpendicular to light propagation within the modulator volume. The modulator volume of an element in the array is a function of electrode length, width and separation. Additional elements are defined by additional pairs of electrodes. Trenches in the electrooptical material separate adjacent electrodes of separate modulator elements. A preferred depth of trench penetrates the electrooptical material about 10-15% of the distance between opposing electrodes. The geometry is obtained by cutting optoelectronic material into strips. Cut sides of the strips are metallized, one at a time, with the opposite side temporarily affixed to a carrier.

Abstract: A master hologram is generated in a first optical medium by use of a plurality m of different reference beams, each beam bearing information suitably recorded in one or more of a plurality n layers of the second optical medium that are distinct from layers in which information in all other beams is suitably recorded. The generated master hologram is then used to optically holographically stamp, or record, multi-layer bit-oriented optical media by writing all n layers of the volume of the blank optical medium with m recording beams produced by simultaneously illuminating the master hologram with all m different reference beams, each illuminating reference beam being at a different reference angle and from a coherent light source which is incoherent with respect to every other illuminating reference beam.