The present invention relates to a rapid, sensitive, simple, and cost-effective spectrophotometric method of detecting and quantifying mycolic acid in a mycolic acid-fuschin dye complex with absorbance maxima ranging between 490-500 nm in the presence of various test compounds, for screening mycolic acid biosynthesis inhibitors useful as anti-microbial agents and a diagnostic kit thereof comprising basic fuschin dye in the concentration ranging between 0.1-1.0 gm/100 ml, phenol and 95% ethanol in the ratio ranging between 1:4 to 2:1 (v/v), and phenol and distilled water in the ratio ranging between 1:14 to 1:25.

Thermoplastic composition and articles containing UV absorbers that protect the articles contents from harmful UV radiation are disclosed as well as methods for making the thermoplastic articles and methods for using the articles to contain and protect materials sensitive to UV radiation. The UV absorbers contain oxazolone and/or azine functional groups that absorb UV radiation and prevent its transmission into the article. Many of the compounds are novel compositions of matter. The generally clear thermoplastic articles of this disclosure are particularly useful for containing a variety of UV sensitive consumer products that would otherwise have to be packaged in opaque containers.

A universal linker structure is provided, in which a functional group and activating leaving group are placed on a tether, allowing the placement of an electrophile at the end of any nucleic acid sequence. The electrophile on the tether can react with a second nucleic acid carrying a nucleophile when the two nucleic acids are hybridized near one another, resulting in release of the leaving group, and creation of a functional change. The linker can be designed to destabilize the ligation product without slowing the rate of reaction. This lowers product inhibition, and the target DNA or RNA can become a catalyst for isothermally generating multiple signals for detection. This enhanced signal is demonstrated in solution experiments and in solid supported assays. The universal linkers of the present invention are simple and inexpensive to prepare, and can be appended to any polynucleotide in automated steps on a standard DNA synthesizer.

The present invention provides a switching element that has a stable bistable characteristic and a high transition voltage and demonstrates excellent cyclic performance. The switching element has two stable resistance values with respect to the voltage applied between electrodes, wherein a first electrode layer, an organic bistable material layer, and a second electrode layer are successively formed as thin films on a substrate and the organic bistable material constituting the organic bistable material layer is a quinomethane-based compound or a monoquinomethane-based compound. A metal constituting the second electrode layer is diffused into the organic bistable material layer. It is preferred that the second electrode layer be formed by vapor deposition and the temperature of the substrate during the vapor deposition be 30-150° C.

There is provided a novel, useful dehydroxyfluorination agent containing sulfuryl fluoride (SO2F2) and an organic base that is free from a free hydroxyl group in the molecule. According to the present dehydroxyfluorination agent, it is not necessary to use perfluoroalkanesulfonyl fluoride, which is not preferable in large-scale use, and it is possible to advantageously produce optically-active fluoro derivatives, which are important intermediates of medicines, agricultural chemicals and optical materials, for example, 4-fluoroproline derivatives, 2'-deoxy-2'-fluorouridine derivatives, optically-active α-fluorocarboxylate derivatives, and monofluoromethyl derivatives, even in large scale.

An azaindenofluorenedione derivative shown by the following formula (I), (IIa) or (IIb):

Esters of 4,5-disubstituted-oxy-2-methyl-3,6-dioxo-cyclohexa-1,4-dienyl alkyl acids were prepared chemically and/or enzymatically. Depending upon the ester, improved melanocyte cytotoxicity was achieved. Improved cytotoxicity characteristics are consistent with ester analogs being more physiologically compatible and less irritating to skin than their corresponding acids.

Provided is a catalyst material comprising aggregates of nanoneedles of mainly R-type manganese dioxide and having a mesoporous structure. With this, water can be oxidatively decomposed under visible light at room temperature to produce oxygen gas, proton and electron. Also provided is a catalyst material comprising aggregates of nanoparticles of mainly hydrogenated manganese dioxide. With this, acetic acid or an inorganic substance can be synthesized from carbon dioxide gas.

A ligand design allows compact nanoparticle materials, such as quantum dots (QDs), with excellent colloidal stability over a wide range of pH and under high salt concentrations. Self-assembled biomolecular conjugates with QDs can be obtained which are stable in biological environments. Energy transfer with these ligands is maximized by minimizing distances between QDs/nanoparticles and donors/acceptors directly attached to the ligands or assembled on their surfaces.

The present invention discloses metal (III) complex of a biuret-amide based macrocyclic ligand as green catalysts that exhibit both excellent reactivity for the activation of H2O2 and high stability at low pH and high ionic strength. The invention also provides macrocyclic biuret amide based ligand for designing of functional peroxidase mimics. Further, the present invention discloses synthesis of said metal (III) complex of a biuret-amide based macrocyclic ligand.

An in-liquid plasma electrode according to the present invention is an in-liquid plasma electrode for generating plasma in a liquid and has an electrically conductive member having an electric discharge end surface in contact with the liquid, and an electrically insulating member covering an outer periphery of the conductive member at least except the electric discharge end surface. Preferably, d and x satisfy −2d≦x≦2d, where d is a length of a minor axis of the cross section when a conductive end portion of the electrically conductive member having the electric discharge end surface has an approximately circular cross section, or d is a length of a short side of the cross section when the conductive end portion has an approximately rectangular cross section, and x is a distance from a reference plane to a plane containing the electric discharge end surface when the reference plane is an end surface of the electrically insulating member that is approximately parallel with the electric discharge end surface. Owing to this construction, it is possible to provide an in-liquid plasma electrode which can simply generate plasma in a wide variety of liquids including a conductive liquid such as water and alcohol, and furthermore an in-liquid plasma generating apparatus having this electrode, and an in-liquid plasma generating method using this electrode.

A sensor system for monitoring and controlling the performance of the bottom electrode and the deflection of an electric arc in an electric steel making furnace includes an organized matrix of anode pins interspersed with refractory material and extending toward an electrically conductive plate secured to distal ends of the anode pins. A sensing device includes two temperature sensors at spaced apart locations along each of a distributed select group of anode pins for providing corresponding electrical signals and a current sensor responsive to electrical current flowing through the anode pins of the distributed select group of anode pins for providing a corresponding electrical signal. A controller responsive to the electrical signals derived at the anode pins of the select group operates the power supply and a display for monitoring the electrical performance of the elongated anode pins for heating by the electric arc in the furnace.

Metallurgical reactors having cooling capability and electrode feed capability are disclosed. The reactors may include a shell having a sidewall and a bottom, where the shell is adapted to contain a molten material. The reactors may include at least one consumable electrode protruding through an opening of the shell and into the molten material. The reactors may include a current contact clamp configured to conduct operating current to the electrode, where the current clamp is in contact with the electrode, and where the current clamp comprises at least one internal channel, wherein the internal channel is configured to circulate a cooling medium. The reactors may include an electric isolation ring disposed between the electrode and the opening of the shell, wherein the electric isolation ring is configured to sealingly engage the electrode and the opening so as to restrict flow of the molten material out of the shell.

Apparatus and method are provided for electric induction heating and/or stirring of a molten electrically conductive composition in a containment vessel with the apparatus being removably insertable in the molten composition. An induction coil embedded in refractory or a coating is submerged in the composition and used to heat and/or stir the molten composition either externally or internally to the refractory or coating.

The invention relates to a dental firing or press furnace (10) that enables the production of at least one dental restoration part (62). The dental firing or press furnace is provided with a firing space (12) that is heatable with the aid of a heating device (22), preferably, a resistance heating device. A heat-conducting element (50) having a specific thermal conductivity of at least 100 W/mK is arranged on the floor of the firing space (12).

A movable device for injecting oxygen and other technical materials into an electric arc furnace includes a housing situated above a portion of a step of a crucible and equipped with a cooling coil, an injection lance of oxygen and other technical materials, a supporting and moving system of the lance between minimum and maximum range points of the liquid bath level contained therein, positioned in the housing, an opening situated in the housing and facing the inside of the crucible in which the lance is transferably guided, and a scraping member disposed between the opening and the lance.

A support arm for a water-cooled, current-conducting electrode includes wall elements, wherein each wall element is a flat conductive metal with a hollowed out recess on its outer surface extending over its length. The support arm further includes a cover extending over each recess to define a closed cooling channel within each wall element when the cover is welded to the wall element. The cover includes with an inlet port and an outlet port for cooling water.

A power supply arrangement for supplying a square-wave current (I2) to a load connected to an output of the power supply arrangement, in particular a power supply arrangement in an arc furnace for generating an arc, including a transformer (TU) with at least two primary-site taps (1U1, 1U2) which form an input of the power supply arrangement, and with several secondary-side taps (2U1, 2U2, 2U3, 2UN), a bridge circuit (BU) with several first half bridges (11, 12, 13) which include converter valves (V11, V12, V13, V14, V15, V16) and which each have a first terminal (A11, A12, A13) of the bridge circuit, with a bridge section with a choke (L1), and with a second half bridge (20) which has converter valves (V17, V18) and a second terminal (A20) of the bridge circuit (BU), wherein each first terminal (A11, A12, A13) is connected to one of the secondary-side taps (2U1, 2U2, 2U3) of the transformer (TU), wherein the second terminal (A20) is connected to the output.

A device is described for generating a control signal for controlling a passenger protection arrangement of a motor vehicle, having a first acceleration sensor for generating a first acceleration signal, having a second acceleration sensor for generating a second acceleration signal, having a first structure-borne noise sensor for generating a first structure-borne noise signal, having a second structure-borne noise sensor for generating a second structure-borne noise signal, and having an evaluation circuit, the evaluation circuit (being configured for generating a combination signal from the first structure-borne noise signal and the second structure-borne noise signal, the evaluation circuit being configured for generating the control signal as a function of the first acceleration signal, the second acceleration signal and the combination signal.

A vacuum oven or vacuum furnace is disclosed having a heat distribution sleeve that conforms to the shape of an interior heating chamber. The heat distribution sleeve may be of generally annular shape, like a ring, and located in a substantially regularly spaced and offset relationship from a heating element located within walls adjacent the interior heating chamber. The heat distribution sleeve includes a thermal conductive material which absorbs and re-radiates heat emitted from the heating element, thereby providing more consistent and regular radiation fields for heating treating a work piece that is loaded on a work holding tray and, upon the vacuum oven being in an operational position, the work piece is located within the furnace chamber.

In one aspect, the invention is directed to a decoupler assembly for between an endless drive element and a shaft. The endless drive element may be, for example, an accessory drive belt from a vehicular engine. The shaft may be, for example, the input shaft of a belt-driven accessory, such as an alternator or a compressor. The decoupler assembly includes a hub that mounts to the shaft, a pulley that is rotatable with respect to the hub, a dampening spring and a clutch member. A part of the pulley is supported on a pulley support surface on the hub. There is a gap between the pulley and the pulley support surface. The gap has lubricant therein to facilitate sliding between the pulley and the pulley support surface. By eliminating the use of a polymeric bushing between pulley and the hub, there are several advantages that are provided.

A starting device of a spark-ignition multi-cylinder engine is provided. The device includes a multi-cylinder engine body having cylinders, fuel injection valves, ignition plugs, an intake valve drive mechanism for opening and closing intake valves, a hydraulic variable valve phase mechanism for changing a close timing of each intake valve, an engine-driven hydraulic pressure supply source for supplying a hydraulic pressure, and a start controller for controlling the fuel injection valves, the ignition plugs, and the variable valve phase mechanism. When the supplied hydraulic pressure is below a predetermined pressure, the variable valve phase mechanism locks the close timing. When an engine temperature in an engine-start is high, the start controller retards a fuel injection timing of the cylinder on intake stroke at an engine stopped timing and retards an ignition timing thereof. The start controller does not retard the close timing of the intake valve until the engine-start completes.

A torque limiting device, particularly for power transmission elements, is provided. The torque limiting device includes a first connecting member and a second connecting member, which is connected rotatably to a driven element. The first connecting member includes a motor driving disk and the second connecting member includes a sliding disk, and further includes a pin supporting body which comprises a drum that is assembled on the second connecting member and includes a plurality of radial holes, each one of which accommodates a pin that is pressed, toward the center of the drum, by elastic means, and abuts, with at least one of its faces which is inclined with respect to the central rotation axis of the second connecting member, against at least one corresponding abutment face.

A driveshaft containment system and a method of its use. In preferred embodiments, the invention takes the form of a two component system including a first component mounted to a device such as a differential housing, coupled to driveshaft, and a second component comprising a tubular driveshaft containment housing. A driveshaft containment ring is preferably mounted to the forward end of the tubular housing which in turn is provided with a mechanism at its rearward end for rotationally engaging and disengaging the first component. The first and second components are also provided with a mechanism for preventing relative rotational movement of the first and second components while engaged with one another.

A variable valve actuating apparatus includes: a first rotary member which includes a rotor fixed to one of the inner cam shaft and the outer cam shaft, and a receiving chamber formed within the first rotary member, and which is arranged to be rotated in an advance angle direction or in a retard angle direction relative to the drive rotary member by a hydraulic pressure selectively supplied to or drained from the advance angle operation chamber and the retard angle operation chamber; and a second rotary member fixed to the other of the inner cam shaft and the outer cam shaft, rotatably received within the receiving chamber of the first rotary member, and arranged to be rotated relative to the first rotary member and the drive rotary member within a predetermined angle range.

A variable valve actuating apparatus includes: a first lock recessed portion; a first lock member; a second lock recessed portion formed in the second rotary member's side; a second lock member; a first lock passage arranged to supply the hydraulic fluid, and thereby to move the first lock member out of the first lock recessed portion; and a second lock passage arranged to supply the hydraulic fluid, and thereby to move the second lock member out of the second lock recessed portion, at least a part of the first lock recessed portion and at least a part of the second lock recessed portion being disposed at a position to be projected in an axial direction when the first lock member and the second lock member are in the lock state.

A joint in the form of a counter track joint is disclosed that comprises a joint outer part with first outer ball tracks and second outer ball tracks; a joint inner part with first inner ball tracks and second inner ball tracks; wherein first aperture angles are respectively formed between tangents to contact points of a ball with the first outer ball track and with the first inner ball track, and second aperture angles are respectively formed between tangents to contact points between a ball with the second outer ball track and with the second inner ball track. The first aperture angles of the first track pairs open towards a first side of the joint, and the second aperture angles of the second track pairs open towards a second side of the joint. Outer axial play is provided between the joint outer part and the ball cage. Inner axial play is provided between the ball cage and the joint inner part. Axial play permits relative axial displacement of the joint inner part with respect to the joint outer part.

A device for generating limit torque with a function of yielding a torque change in real time includes a spring, a rotating portion having a cam surface formed therein, a transmitting portion transmitting an elastic force of the spring to the cam surface, a fixed portion with respect to which the relative rotation of the rotating portion is generated, and a limit-torque control portion provided to the fixed portion so as to control limit torque of the rotating portion by adjusting the elastic force of the spring. In the device, the limit-torque control portion controls the limit torque of the spring by changing the elastic force of the spring in real time.

A valve timing control device includes: a vane rotor having a plurality of vanes; a housing having the vane rotor inside so that an advance chamber is formed on one side of each vane and a retard chamber is formed on the other side; a lock pin inserted in a cylinder provided in the vane and moves to a lock position and to an unlock position; and a feeding passage for feeding oil into the cylinder from the retard chamber adjacent to the vane provided with the cylinder to make the lock pin move to the unlock position, and controls an oil supplying unit to supply oil to each retard chamber, wherein a flow passage cross sectional area of the branch passage connected with the retard chamber linking with the cylinder is larger than a flow passage cross sectional area of the branch passage connected with the other retard chamber.

A pusher assembly for a stent delivery device includes a distal end of an elongate member and a stent-engaging member having proximal and distal ends. The proximal end of the stent-engaging member is mechanically coupled to the distal end of the inner member by a connector, or the proximal end of the stent-engaging member is at least partially inside the distal end of the elongate inner member. The stent-engaging member includes a portion that radially outwardly extends towards the distal end of the stent-engaging member, or the stent-engaging member includes a portion that radially outwardly extends towards the distal end of the stent-engaging member. The stent-engaging member is configured to move a stent when distally advanced and configured to not move a stent when proximally retracted. A stent delivery device includes an elongate outer member, an elongate inner member coaxially positioned within the outer member, and the pusher assembly.

In an electrically-driven valve timing control apparatus employing a housing and a cover member axially opposed to each other, a cylindrical-hollow motor output shaft is installed in the housing, and configured to rotate relative to the housing by electricity-feeding to the electric motor, and also configured such that lubricating oil is supplied into the motor output shaft. A plug is fitted to the inner periphery of an axial opening end of the motor output shaft for suppressing a leakage of lubricating oil from the motor output shaft to the outside. One of two opposing faces of the cover member and the plug is formed with a protruding portion configured to prevent the plug's slipping out of the axial opening end. A part of the inside face of the cover member, opposed to the plug, is formed integral with the protruding portion partially disposed within the axial opening end.

A phase varying apparatus capable of smoothly varying the phase angle of a camshaft relative to a drive rotor by comprising: a drive rotor supported by a camshaft and driven by a crankshaft; a first control rotor integral with the camshaft; a first torquing mechanism for providing the first drive rotor with a torque in one direction, and a reverse rotation mechanism for proving the first control rotor with a torque in the opposite direction, wherein the reverse rotation mechanism comprises a first radius-decreasing guide groove formed in the control rotor, a crank member adapted to rotate about a position offset from the rotational axis of the drive rotor, and a first pin mechanism mounted on the crank member and movable in the radius-decreasing guide groove, and a second operative mechanism for rotating the first control rotor in the opposite rotational direction relative to the drive rotor.

A ball-detent torque-limiting assembly has breakout means for maintaining an axial separation distance between opposing pocketed surfaces of the assembly once the primary balls of the assembly have rolled out of their pockets, wherein the axial separation distance maintained by the breakout means is at least as great as the diameter of the balls. The breakout means may include a plurality of secondary balls deployed in a breakout event. The breakout means assumes the axially directed spring load that urges the opposing pocketed surfaces together, thereby preventing the primary balls from entering and exiting the pockets in quick and violent succession following breakout and avoiding damage to the torque-limiting assembly. The torque-limiting assembly is resettable by counter-rotation following a breakout event.

An arrangement transmits a torque between a shaft and a hub. The hub has at least approximately the interior geometry of an equilateral n-sided polygon, the side surfaces of which at least approximately bear against a clutch portion, which is of circular overall cross section, of the shaft, and wherein the shaft has at least one driver portion which is rotationally conjoint with respect to the clutch portion and which extends in the direction of a corner of the n-sided polygon.

A torsional vibration damping device is configured to have hysteresis torques in the positive and negative sides varied by a simple construction, thereby improving the efficiency of production work and preventing an increase in production cost. Friction materials are respectively provided on surfaces of a hub member and the disc plates, the surfaces facing each other in the radial direction when the hub member is twisted in the positive side with respect to the disc plates. The friction materials are to be brought into friction contact with each other when the hub member is twisted by a specific angle with respect to the disc plates.

A system and methods are provided for controlling a motor of a rod pumping system using previous RPMs of the motor and predicting an RPM of the motor; correcting a power factor of a motor of a rod pumping system; allocating energy consumption and allocating energy generation for a set of wells connected to an electricity meter using an amount of energy generated by each well; and generating an alert if a set of data is beyond a threshold for the set of data.

Systems and methods are provided for generating a constraint-based, time-optimal motion profile for controlling the trajectory of a point-to-point move in a motion control system. A profile generator can calculate an ST-curve motion profile that includes a jerk reference that varies continuously over time for at least one of the motion profile segments, thereby producing a smooth, time-optimal trajectory. The profile generator can create the motion profile to conform to a set of motion constraints provided by the user. The profile generator also supports calculation of time-optimal motion profiles having segments that align to the sample time of the motion control system. In some embodiments, the profile generator can efficiently generate the motion profile by performing reference calculations only for those segments that will be used in the final motion profile for a given point-to-point move.

A sensor system configured for use with an article of apparel includes one or a plurality of sensors formed of a polymeric material having a conductive particulate material dispersed therein and conductive leads connecting the sensors to a port. The leads may also be formed of a polymeric material having a conductive particulate material dispersed therein. The conductive material is dispersed in the sensor(s) at a first dispersion density and the conductive material is dispersed in the leads at a second dispersion density that is higher than the first dispersion density. Each of the sensors is configured to increase in resistance when deformed under pressure, which is detected by a module connected to the port. The second dispersion density is such that each of the leads has sufficient conductivity that the leads are configured to conduct an electronic signal between each sensor and the port in any state of deformation.

A method models a defect management routine. Both the modeling and a handling are executed within a manufacturing execution system. During an engineering phase: modeling the production process and creating a library of possible defect types which may occur; assigning the defect types to at least one defect group; creating a library of defect specifications; creating a library of defect type specification details; creating at least one runtime defect criteria that is used to link the defect type to a certain production volume; and creating a runtime defect measurement routine that monitors a corrective measure. During a runtime production phase evaluating the product produced; identifying the respective defect type out of the library of defect types; and using the identified defect type to determine a corrective measure, a runtime defect criteria identifying the resource causing the defect type, a production volume, and to run the respective runtime defect management routine.

Apparatus, and an associated method, for generating a trouble ticket related to an IT incident. When an IT incident occurs, a worklog is formed by a reporter that enters information associated with the incident. Successive inputs, made by appropriate personnel, are made to update the status of the incident. A table-of-contents is formed, associated with the collection of entries of information. And, each entry of information is categorized, to identify the entry by an associated category.

Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with swarm management are described. One example system comprises a communication component configured to establish a communication link with at least one element, where the at least one element is part of a swarm. The example system also comprises a management component configured to manage performance of a task list by the swarm through the communication link.

A vision correction method for establishing the position of a tool center point (TCP) for a robot manipulator includes the steps of: defining a preset position of the TCP; defining a preset coordinate system TG with the preset position of the TCP as its origin; capturing a two-dimensional picture of the preset coordinate system TG to establish a visual coordinate system TV; calculating a scaling ratio λ of the vision coordinate system TV relative to the preset coordinate system TG; rotating the TCP relative to axes of the preset coordinate system TG; capturing pictures of the TCP prior to and after rotation; calculating the deviation ΔP between the preset position and actual position of the TCP; correcting the preset position and corresponding coordinate system TG using ΔP, and repeating the rotation through correction steps until ΔP is less than or equal to a maximum allowable deviation of the robot manipulator.

A method of controlling an operation of a robotically-controlled surgical instrument can include receiving a first input signal at a controller indicative of a user's readiness to actuate the surgical instrument to perform a surgical procedure, outputting an output signal from the controller to provide feedback to the user in response to the received first input signal, receiving a second input signal at the controller confirming the user's readiness to actuate the surgical instrument, outputting an actuation signal from the controller in response to receiving the second input signal, and actuating the surgical instrument to perform the surgical procedure based on the actuation signal.

An energy-reducing method and apparatus for retrofitting a single zone, constant volume HVAC system, with or without an economizer, that provides heating, cooling, and ventilation to occupants within a building space. The present invention includes the introduction of a programmable logic controller and variable frequency drive (VFD) that takes control of the existing fan, heating, cooling, and optional economizer operation. The reduction of the fan speed in the ventilation mode when the 100% operation is not needed saves significant energy of the existing constant volume HVAC system where the fan motor is designed to run 100% of the time.

A work hanging apparatus includes a hanger line continuously conveying hangers each having a hook, a robot that has a hand with which a work having a hole is held and transfers the held work to a hanging location set in the hanger line, a controller controlling a movement of the hand to catch the hook of one of the hangers with the hole of the held work at the hanging location, a hole deviation detector that detects a positional deviation of the hole of the work, an attitude deviation detector that detects an attitudinal deviation of the hanger, and a corrector that corrects the movement of the hand according to the positional and attitudinal deviations.

The invention relates to compounds and methods for targeting radionuclide-based imaging agents to cells having receptors for a vitamin, or vitamin receptor binding derivative or analog thereof, by using such a vitamin as the targeting ligand for the imaging agent. The vitamin-based compounds can be used to target radionuclides to cells, such as a variety of tumor cell types, for use in diagnostic imaging of the targeted cells.

Complexes of heterocyclic radionuclides are prepared based upon ligands having substituted pyridyl and imidazolyl groups. The ligands are bifunctional, having amino acid residues that may act as a linker to a bioactive molecu le, and a tridentate chelator that may complex the radionuclide. The bioactive molecule may be a peptide or somatostatin.

The present invention relates to lithium salt-containing rare earth halide solutions in aprotic solvents, processes for production thereof and also use thereof.

Substrates for detecting microorganisms are provided, wherein the substrate comprises a set of molecular markers linked, optionally with linker molecules or moieties, to a di-, or tripeptide consisting of amino acids X1 and X2, or X1, X2 and X3, in which one of them, for example, X1, is a D-amino acid and the others, for example, X2 and X3, may be any D- or L-amino acid. The substrate preferably is used for the detection of Bacillus anthracis. Also provided are substrates for detecting Pseudomonas aeruginosa, wherein the substrate comprises a set of molecular markers linked, optionally with linker molecules or moieties to a tri-, tetra-, or pentapeptide consisting of glycine amino acids. The invention further comprises methods for detecting microorganisms, specifically B. anthracis and P. aeruginosa, with the substrates of the invention and use of the substrate(s) in such a method.

A cycloalkyl triamine pentacarboxylate compound coordinating to a metal ion to form a high stability metal complex in serum is provided. The metal complex of the present invention can be used as a contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).