Abstract: A piezoelectric plate sensor comprising a piezoelectric layer; two electrodes; and an insulation layer. The insulation layer is produced by soaking the piezoelectric layer and two electrodes in a mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane solution with an amount of water from 0.1 v/v. % to about 1 v/v % and at pH from about 8 to about 150 for a period from about 8 to about 15 hours, and the mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane solution has a concentration of mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane from about 0.01 v/v % to about 0.5 v/v %. A method of detecting a biomolecule in a sample using the piezoelectric plate sensor in particular, that of detecting a genetic marker with PCR sensitivity and specificity without the need of DNA isolation or amplification is also provided. The piezoelectric plate sensor may be used to diagnose various diseases including breast cancer, myocardial infarction, diarrhea, Clostridium difficile infection, and hepatitis B infection.

Abstract: A piezoelectric plate sensor comprising a piezoelectric layer; two electrodes; and an insulation layer. The insulation layer is produced by soaking the piezoelectric layer and two electrodes in a mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane solution with an amount of water from 0.1 v/v. % to about 1 v/v % and at pH from about 8 to about 150 for a period from about 8 to about 15 hours, and the mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane solution has a concentration of mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane from about 0.01 v/v % to about 0.5 v/v %. A method of detecting a biomolecule in a sample using the piezoelectric plate sensor in particular, that of detecting a genetic marker with PCR sensitivity and specificity without the need of DNA isolation or amplification is also provided. The piezoelectric plate sensor may be used to diagnose various diseases including breast cancer, myocardial infarction, diarrhea, Clostridium difficile infection, and hepatitis B infection.

Abstract: A system for and method of antimicrobial susceptibility testing includes detecting a resonance peak of a sensor provided with live microbes on a surface thereof; applying a substance to the live microbes; detecting a resonance peak of said sensor after application of said substance; determining a width of a top of each of said resonance peaks before and after application of the substance from one of: (1) a phase angle versus frequency plot where the phase angle is the phase angle of the electrical impedance of said sensor. (2) a real part of a plot of an electrical impedance versus frequency of said sensor.

Abstract: One or more aqueous, near infrared emitting, high yield, highly photoluminescent, stable quantum dots conjugated to one or more biomarkers specific moieties. The conjugated quantum dots have an enhanced detection sensitivity and selectivity and may be formed using a novel and efficient method for conjugating one or more biomarker specific moieties to the quantum dots. The invention is further directed to a method for using the conjugated quantum dots for cancer detection in the margin of excised tissue.

Abstract: One or more aqueous, near infrared emitting, high yield, highly photoluminescent, stable quantum dots conjugated to one or more biomarkers specific moieties. The conjugated quantum dots have an enhanced detection sensitivity and selectivity and may be formed using a novel and efficient method for conjugating one or more biomarker specific moieties to the quantum dots. The invention is further directed to a method for using the conjugated quantum dots for cancer detection in the margin of excised tissue.

Abstract: An aqueous approach to synthesize capped SnS quantum dots (QDs) followed by optional capping molecule extension by attaching one or more extending molecules to the capping molecule via peptide bond formation at elevated temperature. The capped SnS QDs may have a capping molecule:Sn:S molar ratio of 16:3:1 to 16:12:1. A suspension of SnS QDs was heat-treated at 200° C. for 0.5-4 hrs. The obtained SnS QDs showed an NIR emission peak at 820-835 nm with an excitation wavelength at 690 nm. The as synthesized SnS QDs were found to have high positive zeta potential of ˜30 mV and thus were toxic to cells. By neutralizing the SnS QDs the cytotoxicity was reduced to an accepted level. The heat-treatment step can be obviated by adding a glycerol solution containing S2? anions and capping molecule to a glycerol solution of Sn2+ ions.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining the depth of an object below a surface or the thickness of the dermis. The apparatus and method use a plurality of piezoelectric fingers having probes with differently sized contact areas. A plurality of measurements is taken using each of the probes with differently sized contact areas in order to determine the depth of an object below a surface or the thickness of the dermis.

Abstract: A piezoelectric plate sensor comprising a piezoelectric layer; two electrodes; and an insulation layer. The insulation layer is produced by soaking the piezoelectric layer and two electrodes in a mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane solution with an amount of water from 0.1 v/v. % to about 1 v/v % and at pH from about 8 to about 150 for a period from about 8 to about 15 hours, and the mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane solution has a concentration of mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane from about 0.01 v/v % to about 0.5 v/v %. A method of detecting a biomolecule in a sample using the piezoelectric plate sensor in particular, that of detecting a genetic marker with PCR sensitivity and specificity without the need of DNA isolation or amplification is also provided. The piezoelectric plate sensor may be used to diagnose various diseases including breast cancer, myocardial infarction, diarrhea, Clostridium difficile infection, and hepatitis B infection.

Abstract: A piezoelectric plate sensor comprising a piezoelectric layer; two electrodes; and an insulation layer. The insulation layer is produced by soaking the piezoelectric layer and two electrodes in a mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane solution with an amount of water from 0.1 v/v. % to about 1 v/v % and at pH from about 8 to about 150 for a period from about 8 to about 15 hours, and the mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane solution has a concentration of mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane from about 0.01 v/v % to about 0.5 v/v %. A method of detecting a biomolecule in a sample using the piezoelectric plate sensor in particular, that of detecting a genetic marker with PCR sensitivity and specificity without the need of DNA isolation or amplification is also provided. The piezoelectric plate sensor may be used to diagnose various diseases including breast cancer, myocardial infarction, diarrhea, Clostridium difficile infection, and hepatitis B infection.

Abstract: A system for and method of antimicrobial susceptibility testing includes detecting a resonance peak of a sensor provided with live microbes on a surface thereof; applying a substance to the live microbes; detecting a resonance peak of said sensor after application of said substance; determining a width of a top of each of said resonance peaks before and after application of the substance from one of: (1) a phase angle versus frequency plot where the phase angle is the phase angle of the electrical impedance of said sensor, (2) a real part of a plot of an electrical impedance versus frequency of said sensor, (3) a plot of a magnitude of electrical impedance versus frequency of said sensor, and (4) a phase angle versus frequency plot where the phase angle is the phase angle between an output voltage and an input voltage of said sensor, and comparing the determined widths of tops of said resonance peaks or standard deviations of the frequency of said resonance peaks to determine antimicrobial susceptibility incl

Abstract: A sensor system for measuring an elastic modulus and a shear modulus and a method for evaluating a tissue. The invention pertains to a method for determining the presence of and/or characterizing abnormal growths, using a piezoelectric finger sensor (PEFS) system. The PEFS system may be particularly useful for screening for tumors and various forms of cancer. Additionally, the PEFS system may be useful for various dermatological applications.

Abstract: An aqueous approach to synthesize capped SnS quantum dots (QDs) followed by optional capping molecule extension by attaching one or more extending molecules to the capping molecule via peptide bond formation at elevated temperature. The capped SnS QDs may have a capping molecule:Sn:S molar ratio of 16:3:1 to 16:12:1. A suspension of SnS QDs was heat-treated at 200° C. for 0.5-4 hrs. The obtained SnS QDs showed an NIR emission peak at 820-835 nm with an excitation wavelength at 690 nm. The as synthesized SnS QDs were found to have high positive zeta potential of ˜30 mV and thus were toxic to cells. By neutralizing the SnS QDs the cytotoxicity was reduced to an accepted level. The heat-treatment step can be obviated by adding a glycerol solution containing S2? anions and capping molecule to a glycerol solution of Sn2+ ions.

Abstract: A PEFS (Piezoelectric Finger Sensor) acts as an “electronic finger” capable of accurately and non-destructively measuring both the Young's compression modulus and shear modulus of tissues with gentle touches to the surface. The PEFS measures both the Young's compression modulus and shear modulus variations in tissue generating a less than one-millimeter spatial resolution up to a depth of several centimeters. This offers great potential for in-vivo early detection of diseases. The PEFS may be incorporated into a portable hand-held device. The PEFS offers superior sensitivity.

Abstract: An aqueous approach to synthesize capped SnS quantum dots (QDs) followed by optional capping molecule extension by attaching one or more extending molecules to the capping molecule via peptide bond formation at elevated temperature. The capped SnS QDs may have a capping molecule:Sn:S molar ratio of 16:3:1 to 16:12:1. A suspension of SnS QDs was heat-treated at 200° C. for 0.5-4 hrs. The obtained SnS QDs showed an NIR emission peak at 820-835 nm with an excitation wavelength at 690 nm. The as synthesized SnS QDs were found to have high positive zeta potential of ˜30 mV and thus were toxic to cells. By neutralizing the SnS QDs the cytotoxicity was reduced to an accepted level. The heat-treatment step can be obviated by adding a glycerol solution containing S2? anions and capping molecule to a glycerol solution of Sn2+ ions.

Abstract: A novel quantum dot capable of near infrared emissions at wavelengths of 750-1100 is made by forming solid solutions of metal sulfide, metal selenide or metal sulfide selenide by incorporating a suitable amount of an additional metallic element or elements to provide an emission wavelength in the range of 750 nm to 1100 nm. The quantum dots may be enabled for bioconjugation and may be used in a method for tissue imaging and analyte detection.

Abstract: One or more aqueous, near infrared emitting, high yield, highly photoluminescent, stable quantum dots conjugated to one or more biomarkers specific moieties. The conjugated quantum dots have an enhanced detection sensitivity and selectivity and may be formed using a novel and efficient method for conjugating one or more biomarker specific moieties to the quantum dots. The invention is further directed to a method for using the conjugated quantum dots for cancer detection in the margin of excised tissue.

Abstract: A PEFS (Piezoelectric Finger Sensor) acts as an “electronic finger” capable of accurately and non-destructively measuring both the Young's compression modulus and shear modulus of tissues with gentle touches to the surface. The PEFS measures both the Young's compression modulus and shear modulus variations in tissue generating a less than one-millimeter spatial resolution up to a depth of several centimeters. This offers great potential for in-vivo early detection of diseases. A portable hand-held device is also disclosed. The PEF offers superior sensitivity.

Abstract: A PEFS (Piezoelectric Finger Sensor) acts as an “electronic finger” capable of accurately and non-destructively measuring both the Young's compression modulus and shear modulus of tissues with gentle touches to the surface. The PEFS measures both the Young's compression modulus and shear modulus variations in tissue generating a less than one-millimeter spatial resolution up to a depth of several centimeters. This offers great potential for in-vivo early detection of diseases. A portable hand-held device is also disclosed. The PEF offers superior sensitivity.

Abstract: A label-free biochemical assay, in which label-free interrogation of a target-receptor layer is performed while the target-receptor layer is subjected to a relatively strong flow of an analyte-containing fluid. The volumetric flow rate for the assay is selected based on calibration data corresponding to the target substance, which advantageously results in fewer and/or smaller false-positive signals corresponding to non-target substances compared to those produced with the fluid being stationary. In various embodiments, the label-free interrogation method can be electro-mechanical and/or optical.

Abstract: An economic, direct synthetic method for producing water soluble ZnS QDs that are ready for bioconjugation is provided. The method can produce aqueous ZnS QDs with emission wavelengths varying from 400 nm to 700 nm. Highly luminescent metal sulfide (MS) QDs are produced via an aqueous synthesis route. MS QDs are capped with thiol-containing charged molecules in a single step. The resultant MS QDs exhibit the distinctive excitonic photoluminescence desired of QDs and can be fabricated to avoid undesirable broadband emissions at higher wavelengths. The aqueous ZnS QDs are stable in biological fluids over a long period of time. In addition, non-toxic ZnS QDs have been produced with good photoluminescence properties.