Photoacoustic emission from fluorescent nanodiamonds enhanced with gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Zhang, Bailin; Fang, Chia-Yi; Chang, Cheng-Chun; Peterson, Ralph; Maswadi, Saher; Glickman, Randolph D; Chang, Huan-Cheng; Ye, Jing Yong

2012-07-01

Fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) have drawn much attention in recent years for biomedical imaging applications due to their desired physical properties including excellent photostability, high biocompatibility, extended far-red fluorescence emission, and ease of surface functionalization. Here we explore a new feature of FNDs, i.e. their photoacoustic emission capability, which may lead to potential applications of using FNDs as a dual imaging contrast agent for combined fluorescence and photoacoustic imaging modalities. We observed significant enhancement of photoacoustic emission from FNDs when they were conjugated with gold nanoparticles (GNPs).

Contrast-enhanced photoacoustic tomography of human joints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Chao; Keswani, Rahul K.; Gandikota, Girish; Rosania, Gus R.; Wang, Xueding

2016-03-01

Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) provides a unique tool to diagnose inflammatory arthritis. However, the specificity and sensitivity of PAT based on endogenous contrasts is limited. The development of contrast enhanced PAT imaging modalities in combination with small molecule contrast agents could lead to improvements in diagnosis and treatment of joint disease. Accordingly, we adapted and tested a PAT clinical imaging system for imaging the human joints, in combination with a novel PAT contrast agent derived from an FDA-approved small molecule drug. Imaging results based on a photoacoustic and ultrasound (PA/US) dual-modality system revealed that this contrast-enhanced PAT imaging system may offer additional information beyond single-modality PA or US imaging system, for the imaging, diagnosis and assessment of inflammatory arthritis.

Quartz-Enhanced Photoacoustic Spectroscopy: A Review

PubMed Central

Patimisco, Pietro; Scamarcio, Gaetano; Tittel, Frank K.; Spagnolo, Vincenzo

2014-01-01

A detailed review on the development of quartz-enhanced photoacoustic sensors (QEPAS) for the sensitive and selective quantification of molecular trace gas species with resolved spectroscopic features is reported. The basis of the QEPAS technique, the technology available to support this field in terms of key components, such as light sources and quartz-tuning forks and the recent developments in detection methods and performance limitations will be discussed. Furthermore, different experimental QEPAS methods such as: on-beam and off-beam QEPAS, quartz-enhanced evanescent wave photoacoustic detection, modulation-cancellation approach and mid-IR single mode fiber-coupled sensor systems will be reviewed and analysed. A QEPAS sensor operating in the THz range, employing a custom-made quartz-tuning fork and a THz quantum cascade laser will be also described. Finally, we evaluated data reported during the past decade and draw relevant and useful conclusions from this analysis. PMID:24686729

Characterization of bone microstructure using photoacoustic spectrum analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Ting; Kozloff, Kenneth M.; Xu, Guan; Du, Sidan; Yuan, Jie; Deng, Cheri X.; Wang, Xueding

2015-03-01

Osteoporosis is a progressive bone disease that is characterized by a decrease in bone mass and deterioration in microarchitecture. This study investigates the feasibility of characterizing bone microstructure by analyzing the frequency spectrum of the photoacoustic signals from the bone. Modeling and numerical simulation of photoacoustic signals and their frequency-domain analysis were performed on trabecular bones with different mineral densities. The resulting quasilinear photoacoustic spectra were fit by linear regression, from which spectral parameter slope can be quantified. The modeling demonstrates that, at an optical wavelength of 685 nm, bone specimens with lower mineral densities have higher slope. Preliminary experiment on osteoporosis rat tibia bones with different mineral contents has also been conducted. The finding from the experiment has a good agreement with the modeling, both demonstrating that the frequency-domain analysis of photoacoustic signals can provide objective assessment of bone microstructure and deterioration. Considering that photoacoustic measurement is non-ionizing, non-invasive, and has sufficient penetration in both calcified and noncalcified tissues, this new technology holds unique potential for clinical translation.

RGD-conjugated silica-coated gold nanorods on the surface of carbon nanotubes for targeted photoacoustic imaging of gastric cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Can; Bao, Chenchen; Liang, Shujing; Fu, Hualin; Wang, Kan; Deng, Min; Liao, Qiande; Cui, Daxiang

2014-05-01

Herein, we reported for the first time that RGD-conjugated silica-coated gold nanorods on the surface of multiwalled carbon nanotubes were successfully used for targeted photoacoustic imaging of in vivo gastric cancer cells. A simple strategy was used to attach covalently silica-coated gold nanorods (sGNRs) onto the surface of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) to fabricate a hybrid nanostructure. The cross-linked reaction occurred through the combination of carboxyl groups on the MWNTs and the amino group on the surface of sGNRs modified with a silane coupling agent. RGD peptides were conjugated with the sGNR/MWNT nanostructure; resultant RGD-conjugated sGNR/MWNT probes were investigated for their influences on viability of MGC803 and GES-1 cells. The nude mice models loaded with gastric cancer cells were prepared, the RGD-conjugated sGNR/MWNT probes were injected into gastric cancer-bearing nude mice models via the tail vein, and the nude mice were observed by an optoacoustic imaging system. Results showed that RGD-conjugated sGNR/MWNT probes showed good water solubility and low cellular toxicity, could target in vivo gastric cancer cells, and obtained strong photoacoustic imaging in the nude model. RGD-conjugated sGNR/MWNT probes will own great potential in applications such as targeted photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy in the near future.

Non-invasive, Multimodal Functional Imaging of the Intestine with Frozen Micellar Naphthalocyanines

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yumiao; Jeon, Mansik; Rich, Laurie J.; Hong, Hao; Geng, Jumin; Zhang, Yin; Shi, Sixiang; Barnhart, Todd E.; Alexandridis, Paschalis; Huizinga, Jan D.; Seshadri, Mukund; Cai, Weibo; Kim, Chulhong; Lovell, Jonathan F.

2014-01-01

Overview There is a need for safer and improved methods for non-invasive imaging of the gastrointestinal tract. Modalities based on X-ray radiation, magnetic resonance and ultrasound suffer from limitations with respect to safety, accessibility or lack of adequate contrast. Functional intestinal imaging of dynamic gut processes has not been practical using existing approaches. Here, we report the development of a family of nanoparticles that can withstand the harsh conditions of the stomach and intestine, avoid systemic absorption, and give rise to good optical contrast for photoacoustic imaging. The hydrophobicity of naphthalocyanine dyes was exploited to generate purified ~20 nm frozen micelles, which we call nanonaps, with tunable and large near-infrared absorption values (>1000). Unlike conventional chromophores, nanonaps exhibited non-shifting spectra at ultrahigh optical densities and, following oral administration in mice, passed safely through the gastrointestinal tract. Non-invasive, non-ionizing photoacoustic techniques were used to visualize nanonap intestinal distribution with low background and remarkable resolution with 0.5 cm depth, and enabled real-time intestinal functional imaging with ultrasound co-registration. Positron emission tomography following seamless nanonap radiolabelling allowed complementary whole body imaging. PMID:24997526

Differential photoacoustic spectroscopy with continuous wave lasers for non-invasive blood glucose monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, Y.; Tajima, T.; Seyama, M.

2018-02-01

We propose a differential photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS), wherein two wavelengths of light with the same absorbance are selected, and differential signal is linearized by one of the two signals for a non-invasive blood glucose monitoring. PAS has the possibility to overcome the strong optical scattering in tissue, but there are still remaining issues: the water background and instability due to the variation in acoustic resonance conditions. A change in sample solution temperature is one of the causes of the variation in acoustic resonance conditions. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the sensitivity against glucose concentration under the condition where the temperature of the sample water solution ranges 30 to 40 °C. The glucose concentration change is simulated by shifting the wavelength of irradiated laser light, which can effectively change optical absorption. The temperature also affects optical absorption and the acoustic resonance condition (acoustic velocity). A distributed-feedback (DFB) laser, tunable wavelength laser (TWL) and an acoustic sensor were used to obtain the differential PAS signal. The wavelength of the DFB laser was 1.382 μm, and that of TWL was switched from 1.600 to 1.610 μm to simulate the glucose concentration change. Optical absorption by glucose occurs at around 1.600 μm. The sensitivities against temperature are almost the same: 1.9 and 1.8 %/°C for 1.600 and 1.610 μm. That is, the glucose dependence across the whole temperature range remains constant. This implies that temperature correction is available.

Graphene-based ultrasonic detector for photoacoustic imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Fan; Song, Wei; Zhang, Chonglei; Fang, Hui; Min, Changjun; Yuan, Xiaocong

2018-03-01

Taking advantage of optical absorption imaging contrast, photoacoustic imaging technology is able to map the volumetric distribution of the optical absorption properties within biological tissues. Unfortunately, traditional piezoceramics-based transducers used in most photoacoustic imaging setups have inadequate frequency response, resulting in both poor depth resolution and inaccurate quantification of the optical absorption information. Instead of the piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer, we develop a graphene-based optical sensor for detecting photoacoustic pressure. The refractive index in the coupling medium is modulated due to photoacoustic pressure perturbation, which creates the variation of the polarization-sensitive optical absorption property of the graphene. As a result, the photoacoustic detection is realized through recording the reflectance intensity difference of polarization light. The graphene-based detector process an estimated noise-equivalentpressure (NEP) sensitivity of 550 Pa over 20-MHz bandwidth with a nearby linear pressure response from 11.0 kPa to 53.0 kPa. Further, a graphene-based photoacoustic microscopy is built, and non-invasively reveals the microvascular anatomy in mouse ears label-freely.

[Quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy trace gas detection system based on the Fabry-Perot demodulation].

PubMed

Lin, Cheng; Zhu, Yong; Wei, Wei; Zhang, Jie; Tian, Li; Xu, Zu-Wen

2013-05-01

An all-optical quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy system, based on the F-P demodulation, for trace gas detection in the open environment was proposed. In quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS), an optical fiber Fabry-Perot method was used to replace the conventional electronic demodulation method. The photoacoustic signal was obtained by demodulating the variation of the Fabry-Perot cavity between the quartz tuning fork side and the fiber face. An experimental system was setup. The experiment for detection of water vapour in the open environment was carried on. A normalized noise equivalent absorption coefficient of 2.80 x 10(-7) cm(-1) x W x Hz(-1/2) was achieved. The result demonstrated that the sensitivity of the all-optical quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy system is about 2.6 times higher than that of the conventional QEPAS system. The all-optical quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy system is immune to electromagnetic interference, safe in flammable and explosive gas detection, suitable for high temperature and high humidity environments and realizable for long distance, multi-point and network sensing.

Towards non-contact photo-acoustic endoscopy using speckle pattern analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lengenfelder, Benjamin; Mehari, Fanuel; Tang, Yuqi; Klämpfl, Florian; Zalevsky, Zeev; Schmidt, Michael

2017-03-01

Photoacoustic Tomography combines the advantages of optical and acoustic imaging as it makes use of the high optical contrast of tissue and the high resolution of ultrasound. Furthermore, high penetration depths in tissue in the order of several centimeters can be achieved by the combination of these modalities. Extensive research is being done in the field of miniaturization of photoacoustic devices, as photoacoustic imaging could be of significant benefits for the physician during endoscopic interventions. All the existing miniature systems are based on contact transducers for signal detection that are placed at the distal end of an endoscopic device. This makes the manufacturing process difficult and impedance matching to the inspected surface a requirement. The requirement for contact limits the view of the physician during the intervention. Consequently, a fiber based non-contact optical sensing technique would be highly beneficial for the development of miniaturized photoacoustic endoscopic devices. This work demonstrates the feasibility of surface displacement detection using remote speckle-sensing using a high speed camera and an imaging fiber bundle that is used in commercially available video endoscopes. The feasibility of displacement sensing is demonstrated by analysis of phantom vibrations which are induced by loudspeaker membrane oscillations. Since the usability of the remote speckle-sensing for photo-acoustic signal detection was already demonstrated, the fiber bundle approach demonstrates the potential for non-contact photoacoustic detections during endoscopy.

Carbon Nanoparticle Enhance Photoacoustic Imaging and Therapy for Bone Tissue Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Talukdar, Yahfi

Healing critical sized bone defects has been a challenge that led to innovations in tissue engineering scaffolds and biomechanical stimulations that enhance tissue regeneration. Carbon nanocomposite scaffolds have gained interest due to their enhanced mechanical properties. However, these scaffolds are only osteoconductive and not osteoinductive. Stimulating regeneration of bone tissue, osteoinductivity, has therefore been a subject of intense research. We propose the use of carbon nanoparticle enhanced photoacoustic (PA) stimulation to promote and enhance tissue regeneration in bone tissue-engineering scaffolds. In this study we test the feasibility of using carbon nanoparticles and PA for in vivo tissue engineering applications. To this end, we investigate 1) the effect of carbon nanoparticles, such as graphene oxide nanoplatelets (GONP), graphene oxide nano ribbons (GONR) and graphene nano onions (GNO), in vitro on mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), which are crucial for bone regeneration; 2) the use of PA imaging to detect and monitor tissue engineering scaffolds in vivo; and 3) we demonstrate the potential of carbon nanoparticle enhanced PA stimulation to promote tissue regeneration and healing in an in vivo rat fracture model. The results from these studies demonstrate that carbon nanoparticles such as GNOP, GONR and GNO do not affect viability or differentiation of MSCs and could potentially be used in vivo for tissue engineering applications. Furthermore, PA imaging can be used to detect and longitudinally monitor subcutaneously implanted carbon nanotubes incorporated polymeric nanocomposites in vivo. Oxygen saturation data from PA imaging could also be used as an indicator for tissue regeneration within the scaffolds. Lastly, we demonstrate that daily stimulation with carbon nanoparticle enhanced PA increases bone fracture healing. Rats stimulated for 10 minutes daily for two weeks showed 3 times higher new cortical bone BV/TV and 1.8 times bone mineral density

All-Optical Cantilever-Enhanced Photoacoustic Spectroscopy in the Open Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Wei; Zhu, Yong; Lin, Cheng; Tian, Li; Xu, Zhuwen; Nong, Jinpeng

2015-06-01

A novel all-optical cantilever-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy technique for trace gas detection in the open environment is proposed. A cantilever is set off-beam to "listen to" the photoacoustic signal, and an improved quadrature-point stabilization Fabry-Perot demodulation unit is used to pick up the vibration signal of the acoustic transducer instead of a complicated Michelson interferometer. The structure parameters of the cantilever are optimized to make the sensing system work more stably and reliably using a finite element method, which is then fabricated by surface micro-machining technology. Finally, related experiments are carried out to detect the absorption of water vapor at one atmosphere in the open environment. It was found that the normalized noise-equivalent absorption coefficient obtained by a traditional Fabry-Perot demodulation unit is , while that by a quadrature- point stabilization Fabry-Perot demodulation unit is , which indicates that the sensitivity is increased by a factor of 3.1 using improved cantilever-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy.

Metronomic Doses of Temozolomide Enhance the Efficacy of Carbon Nanotube CpG Immunotherapy in an Invasive Glioma Model.

PubMed

Ouyang, Mao; White, Ethan E; Ren, Hui; Guo, Qin; Zhang, Ian; Gao, Hang; Yanyan, Song; Chen, Xuebo; Weng, Yiming; Da Fonseca, Anna; Shah, Sunny; Manuel, Edwin R; Zhang, Leying; Vonderfecht, Steven L; Alizadeh, Darya; Berlin, Jacob M; Badie, Behnam

2016-01-01

Even when treated with aggressive current therapies, most patients with glioblastoma survive less than two years. Rapid tumor growth, an invasive nature, and the blood-brain barrier, which limits the penetration of large molecules into the brain, all contribute to the poor tumor response associated with conventional therapies. Immunotherapy has emerged as a therapeutic approach that may overcome these challenges. We recently reported that single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) can be used to dramatically increase the immunotherapeutic efficacy of CpG oligonucleotides in a mouse model of glioma. Following implantation in the mouse brain, the tumor cell line used in these previous studies (GL261) tends to form a spherical tumor with limited invasion into healthy brain. In order to evaluate SWCNT/CpG therapy under more clinically-relevant conditions, here we report the treatment of a more invasive mouse glioma model (K-Luc) that better recapitulates human disease. In addition, a CpG sequence previously tested in humans was used to formulate the SWCNT/CpG which was combined with temozolomide, the standard of care chemotherapy for glioblastoma patients. We found that, following two intracranial administrations, SWCNT/CpG is well-tolerated and improves the survival of mice bearing invasive gliomas. Interestingly, the efficacy of SWCNT/CpG was enhanced when combined with temozolomide. This enhanced anti-tumor efficacy was correlated to an increase of tumor-specific cytotoxic activity in splenocytes. These results reinforce the emerging understanding that immunotherapy can be enhanced by combining it with chemotherapy and support the continued development of SWCNT/CpG.

Moral Enhancement Using Non-invasive Brain Stimulation

PubMed Central

Darby, R. Ryan; Pascual-Leone, Alvaro

2017-01-01

Biomedical enhancement refers to the use of biomedical interventions to improve capacities beyond normal, rather than to treat deficiencies due to diseases. Enhancement can target physical or cognitive capacities, but also complex human behaviors such as morality. However, the complexity of normal moral behavior makes it unlikely that morality is a single capacity that can be deficient or enhanced. Instead, our central hypothesis will be that moral behavior results from multiple, interacting cognitive-affective networks in the brain. First, we will test this hypothesis by reviewing evidence for modulation of moral behavior using non-invasive brain stimulation. Next, we will discuss how this evidence affects ethical issues related to the use of moral enhancement. We end with the conclusion that while brain stimulation has the potential to alter moral behavior, such alteration is unlikely to improve moral behavior in all situations, and may even lead to less morally desirable behavior in some instances. PMID:28275345

Three-dimensional photoacoustic imaging of vascular anatomy in small animals using an optical detection system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Edward Z.; Laufer, Jan; Beard, Paul

2007-02-01

A 3D photoacoustic imaging instrument for characterising small animal models of human disease processes has been developed. The system comprises an OPO excitation source and a backward-mode planar ultrasound imaging head based upon a Fabry Perot polymer film sensing interferometer (FPI). The mirrors of the latter are transparent between 590 - 1200nm but highly reflective between 1500-1600nm. This enables nanosecond excitation laser pulses in the former wavelength range, where biological tissues are relatively transparent, to be transmitted through the sensor head into the tissue. The resulting photoacoustic signals arrive at the sensor where they modulate the optical thickness of the FPI and therefore its reflectivity. By scanning a CW focused interrogating laser beam at 1550nm across the surface of the sensor, the spatial-temporal distribution of the photoacoustic signals can therefore be mapped in 2D enabling a 3D photoacoustic image to be reconstructed. To demonstrate the application of the system to imaging small animals such as mice, 3D images of the vascular anatomy of the mouse brain and the microvasculature in the skin around the abdomen were obtained non invasively. It is considered that this system provides a practical alternative to photoacoustic scanners based upon piezoelectric detectors for high resolution non invasive small animal imaging.

Biological tissue component evaluation by measuring photoacoustic spectrum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Namita, Takeshi; Murata, Yuya; Tokuyama, Junji; Kondo, Kengo; Yamakawa, Makoto; Shiina, Tsuyoshi

2017-03-01

Photoacoustic imaging has garnered constant attention as a non-invasive modality for visualizing details of the neovascularization structure of tumors, or the distribution of oxygen saturation, which is related to the tumor grade. However, photoacoustic imaging is applicable not only for vascular imaging but also for diagnosing properties of various tissues such as skin or muscle diseases, fat related to arteriosclerosis or fatty liver, cartilage related to arthritis, and fibrous tissues related to hepatitis. The photoacoustic signal intensity is wavelength-dependent and proportional to the absorption coefficient and thermal acoustic conversion efficiency (i.e. Grüneisen parameter) of the target biological tissue. To ascertain the appropriate wavelength range for biological tissue imaging and to evaluate tissue properties, photoacoustic spectra of various tissues (e.g., skin, muscle, and adipose tissue) were measured using a hydrophone (9 mm diameter) at 680-1600 nm wavelengths. Results confirmed that respective tissues have unique photoacoustic spectra. However, almost all samples have peaks around 1200 nm and 1400-1500 nm for wavelengths where the light absorbance of lipid or water is high. The main components of biological tissues are water, protein, and lipid. Results confirmed that photoacoustic spectra reflect the tissue components well. To evaluate the feasibility of the tissue characterization using photoacoustic methods, the photoacoustic signal intensity ratio between two wavelength regions was calculated as described above. Signal intensity ratios agreed well with the composition ratio between water and lipid in samples. These analyses verified the feasibility of evaluating tissue properties using photoacoustic methods.

Effect of flow velocity on the photoacoustic detection for glucose aqueous solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Zhong; Liu, Guodong; Ding, Yu; Yao, Qingkai

2018-01-01

The blood glucose non-invasive detection has become the research hot-spot. The photoacoustic spectroscopy is a well-promising, high-efficient and noninvasive detection method because it combines the advantages of the pure optic and pure ultrasonic. In practice, the photoacoustic detection of blood glucose is impacted by many factors because the human body is a complicated bio-system. To study the effect of flow velocity in the blood vessel on the photoacoustic detection of blood glucose, a photoacoustic detection system based on optical parameter oscillator (OPO) pulsed laser induced ultrasonic was established. In this system, a 532nm pumped Nd: YAG OPO pulsed laser was used as the excitation source, and the photoacoustic signals of glucose were captured by ultrasonic transducer. Moreover, a set of blood circulation system was built to simulate the real blood flow situation in the human body. The experiments of the photoacoustic detection of glucose aqueous solutions with different concentrations at different flow velocities were experimentally investigated. Experimental results show that the photoacoustic peak-to-peak value linearly increases with the glucose concentration, but it decreases with the increase of the flow velocity although the profiles of photoacoustic signals don't change.

In vivo photoacoustic imaging of mouse embryos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laufer, Jan; Norris, Francesca; Cleary, Jon; Zhang, Edward; Treeby, Bradley; Cox, Ben; Johnson, Peter; Scambler, Pete; Lythgoe, Mark; Beard, Paul

2012-06-01

The ability to noninvasively image embryonic vascular anatomy in mouse models is an important requirement for characterizing the development of the normal cardiovascular system and malformations in the heart and vascular supply. Photoacoustic imaging, which can provide high resolution non invasive images of the vasculature based upon optical absorption by endogenous hemoglobin, is well suited to this application. In this study, photoacoustic images of mouse embryos were obtained ex vivo and in vivo. The images show intricate details of the embryonic vascular system to depths of up to 10 mm, which allowed whole embryos to be imaged in situ. To achieve this, an all-optical photoacoustic scanner and a novel time reversal image reconstruction algorithm, which provide deep tissue imaging capability while maintaining high spatial resolution and contrast were employed. This technology may find application as an imaging tool for preclinical embryo studies in developmental biology as well as more generally in preclinical and clinical medicine for studying pathologies characterized by changes in the vasculature.

Titania carbon nanotube composites for enhanced photocatalysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pyrgiotakis, Georgios

Photocatalytic composites have been used for the past few decades in a wide range of applications. The most common application is the purification of air and water by removing toxic compounds. There is limited use however towards biocidal applications. Despite their high efficiency, photocatalytic materials are not comparable to the effectiveness of conventional biocidal compounds such as chlorine and alcoholic disinfectants. On the other hand, nearly a decade ago with the discovery of the carbon nanotubes a new vibrant scientific field emerged. Nanotubes are unique structures of carbon that posse amazing electrical, mechanical and thermal properties. In this research carbon nanotubes are used as photocatalytic enhancers. They were coated with anatase titania to form a composite material. Two different types of nanotubes (metallic versus non-metallic) were used and the photocatalytic activity was measured. The metallic tubes demonstrated exceptional photocatalytic properties, while non-metallic tubes had low photocatalytic efficiency. The reason for that difference was investigated and was the major focus of this research. The research concluded that the reasons for the high efficiency of the carbon nanotubes were (i) the metallic nature of the tubes and (ii) the possible bond between the titania coating and the underlying graphite layers (C-O-Ti). Since both composites had the same indications regarding the C-O-Ti bond, the metallic nature of the carbon nanotubes is believed to be the most dominant factor contributing to the enhancement of the photocatalysis. The composite material may have other potential applications such as for sensing and photovoltaic uses.

Non-contact biomedical photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rousseau, Guy; Gauthier, Bruno; Blouin, Alain; Monchalin, Jean-Pierre

2012-06-01

The detection of ultrasound in photoacoustic tomography (PAT) usually relies on ultrasonic transducers in contact with the biological tissue through a coupling medium. This is a major drawback for important potential applications such as surgery. Here we report the use of a remote optical method, derived from industrial laser-ultrasonics, to detect ultrasound in tissues. This approach enables non-contact PAT (NCPAT) without exceeding laser exposure safety limits. The sensitivity of the method is based on the use of suitably shaped detection laser pulses and a confocal Fabry-Perot interferometer in differential configuration. Reliable image reconstruction is obtained by measuring remotely the surface profile of the tissue with an optical coherence tomography system. The proposed method also allows non-contact ultrasound imaging (US) by applying a second reconstruction algorithm to the data acquired for NCPAT. Endogenous and exogenous inclusions exhibiting optical and acoustic contrasts were detected ex vivo in chicken breast and calf brain specimens. Inclusions down to 0.3 mm in size were detected at depths exceeding 1 cm. The method could expand the scope of photoacoustic and US to in-vivo biomedical applications where contact is impractical.

Full-field speckle interferometry for non-contact photoacoustic tomography.

PubMed

Horstmann, Jens; Spahr, Hendrik; Buj, Christian; Münter, Michael; Brinkmann, Ralf

2015-05-21

A full-field speckle interferometry method for non-contact and prospectively high speed Photoacoustic Tomography is introduced and evaluated as proof of concept. Thermoelastic pressure induced changes of the objects topography are acquired in a repetitive mode without any physical contact to the object. In order to obtain high acquisition speed, the object surface is illuminated by laser pulses and imaged onto a high speed camera chip. In a repetitive triple pulse mode, surface displacements can be acquired with nanometre sensitivity and an adjustable sampling rate of e.g. 20 MHz with a total acquisition time far below one second using kHz repetition rate lasers. Due to recurring interferometric referencing, the method is insensitive to thermal drift of the object due to previous pulses or other motion. The size of the investigated area and the spatial and temporal resolution of the detection are scalable. In this study, the approach is validated by measuring a silicone phantom and a porcine skin phantom with embedded silicone absorbers. The reconstruction of the absorbers is presented in 2D and 3D. The sensitivity of the measurement with respect to the photoacoustic detection is discussed. Potentially, Photoacoustic Imaging can be brought a step closer towards non-anaesthetized in vivo imaging and new medical applications not allowing acoustic contact, such as neurosurgical monitoring or burnt skin investigation.

Evaluation of blood glucose concentration measurement using photoacoustic spectroscopy in near-infrared region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Namita, Takeshi; Sato, Mitsuki; Kondo, Kengo; Yamakawa, Makoto; Shiina, Tsuyoshi

2017-03-01

Diabetes, a typical lifestyle-related disease, is an important disease presenting risks of various complications such as retinopathy, kidney failure, and nervous neuropathy. To treat diabetes, regular and continual self-measurement of blood glucose concentrations is necessary to maintain blood glucose levels and to prevent complications. Usually, daily measurements are taken using invasive methods such as finger-prick blood sampling. Some non-invasive optical techniques have been proposed to reduce pain and infection risk, however, few practical techniques exist today. To realize highly accurate and practical measurement of blood glucose concentrations, the feasibility of a photoacoustic method using near-infrared light was evaluated. A photoacoustic signal from a solution of glucose in water (+0-5 g/dl) or equine blood (+0-400 mg/dl) was measured using a hydrophone (9 mm diameter) at 800-1800 nm wavelengths. We investigated the relation between the glucose solution concentration and the photoacoustic signal intensity or peak position of the received photoacoustic signal (i.e. speed of sound in solutions). Results show that the signal intensity and sound speed of the glucose solution increase with increased glucose concentration for wavelengths at which light absorbance of glucose is high. For quantitative estimation of the glucose solution concentration, the photoacoustic signal intensity ratio between two wavelengths, at which dependence of the signal intensity on glucose concentration is high and low, was calculated. Results confirmed that the signal intensity ratios increase linearly with the glucose concentration. These analyses verified the feasibility of glucose level estimation using photoacoustic measurement in the near-infrared region.

Hands-on resonance-enhanced photoacoustic detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Euler, Manfred

2001-10-01

The design of an improved photoacoustic converter cell using kitchen equipment is described. It operates by changing manually the Helmholtz resonance frequency of bottles by adjusting the distance between the bottleneck and the outer ear. The experiment helps to gain insights in ear performance, in photoacoustic detection methods, in resonance phenomena and their role for detecting small periodic signals in the presence of noise.

Photoacoustic imaging for assessing ischemic kidney damage in vivo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berndl, Elizabeth S. L.; He, Xiaolin; Yuen, Darren A.; Kolios, Michael C.

2018-02-01

Ischemic reperfusion injuries (IRIs) occur after blood returns to a tissue or organ after a period without oxygen or nutrients, which causes an inflammatory response leading to heterogeneous scarring of the nearby tissue and vasculature. This is associated with long-term decreases blood flow, and necrosis. Although most commonly associated with heart attacks and strokes, IRIs are also a side effect of organ transplants, when the organ is reperfused in the recipient's body after being transported from the donor to the transplant hospital. Currently, the optimal method of monitoring for IRI is limited to biopsies, which are invasive and poorly monitor the spatial heterogeneity of the damage. To non-invasively identify changes in kidneys, the left renal artery in mice (n=3) was clamped for 45 minutes to create an IRI event. Both kidneys of each animal were monitored using photoacoustics (PA) with the VevoLAZR system (Fujifilm-VisualSonics, Toronto) three, four and eight weeks after surgery. IRI-treated kidneys show increased picosirius red staining, indicative of collagen (0.601 vs 0.042, p < 0.0001), decreased size as assessed by cross-sectional area (7.8 mm2 vs 35.9 mm2 , p < 0.0001), and decreased oxygen saturation (sO2; 62% vs 77%, p = 0.02). Analysis of the photoacoustic data shows that a two-point metric, the 715:930 nm ratio of the whole kidney (1.05 vs 0.57, p = 0.049) and the optical spectral slope (OSS) (0.8 * 10-3 vs 3.0 * 10-3, p = 0.013) are both able to differentiate between IRI-treated and healthy kidneys. These data suggest that photoacoustics can be used as a non-invasive method to observe in vivo changes in the kidney due to IRI.

Analysis of the potential for non-invasive imaging of oxygenation at heart depth, using ultrasound optical tomography (UOT) or photo-acoustic tomography (PAT).

PubMed

Walther, Andreas; Rippe, Lars; Wang, Lihong V; Andersson-Engels, Stefan; Kröll, Stefan

2017-10-01

Despite the important medical implications, it is currently an open task to find optical non-invasive techniques that can image deep organs in humans. Addressing this, photo-acoustic tomography (PAT) has received a great deal of attention in the past decade, owing to favorable properties like high contrast and high spatial resolution. However, even with optimal components PAT cannot penetrate beyond a few centimeters, which still presents an important limitation of the technique. Here, we calculate the absorption contrast levels for PAT and for ultrasound optical tomography (UOT) and compare them to their relevant noise sources as a function of imaging depth. The results indicate that a new development in optical filters, based on rare-earth-ion crystals, can push the UOT technique significantly ahead of PAT. Such filters allow the contrast-to-noise ratio for UOT to be up to three orders of magnitude better than for PAT at depths of a few cm into the tissue. It also translates into a significant increase of the image depth of UOT compared to PAT, enabling deep organs to be imaged in humans in real time. Furthermore, such spectral holeburning filters are not sensitive to speckle decorrelation from the tissue and can operate at nearly any angle of incident light, allowing good light collection. We theoretically demonstrate the improved performance in the medically important case of non-invasive optical imaging of the oxygenation level of the frontal part of the human myocardial tissue. Our results indicate that further studies on UOT are of interest and that the technique may have large impact on future directions of biomedical optics.

Photoacoustic determination of glucose concentration in whole blood by a near-infrared laser diode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Zuomin; Myllylae, Risto A.

2001-06-01

The near-infrared photoacoustic technique is recognized as a potential method for the non-invasive determination of human glucose, because near-infrared light can incident a few millimeters into human tissue, where it produces an acoustic wave capable of carrying information about the composition of the tissue. This paper demonstrates a photoacoustic glucose measurement in a blood sample as a step toward a non-invasive measurement. The experimental apparatus consists of a near-infrared laser diode operating with 4 micro joules pulse energy at 905 nm, a roller pump connected to a silicon plastic tube and a cuvette for circulating the blood sample. In addition, the apparatus comprises a PZT piezoelectric transducer integrated with a battery-powered preamplifier to receive the photoacoustic signal. During the experiment, a glucose solution is mixed into a human blood sample to change its concentration. Although the absorption coefficient of glucose is much smaller than that of blood in the near-infrared region, the osmotic and hydrophilic properties of glucose decrease the reduced scattering coefficient of blood caused by the dissolved glucose surrounding the blood cells. This changes the distribution of the absorbed optical energy in blood, which, in turn, produces a change in the photoacoustic signal. Our experiment demonstrates that signal amplitudes in fresh and stored blood samples in crease about 7% and 10%, respectively, when the glucose concentration reaches the upper limit of the physiological region (500 mg/dl).

Photoacoustic Determination of Non-radiative Relaxation Time of Absorbing Centers in Maize Seeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Domínguez-Pacheco, A.; Hernández-Aguilar, C.; Cruz-Orea, A.

2017-07-01

Using non-destructive photothermal techniques, it is possible to characterize non-homogenous materials to obtain its optical and thermal properties through photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS). In photoacoustic (PA) phenomena, there are transient states of thermal excitation, when samples absorb the incident light; these states manifest an excitation process that generates the PA signal, being in direct relation with the non-radiative relaxation times with the sample absorbent centers. The objective of this study was to determine the non-radiative relaxation times associated with different absorbent centers of corn seeds ( Zea mays L.), by using PAS. A frequency scan was done at different wavelengths (350 nm, 470 nm and 650 nm) in order to obtain the non-radiative relaxation times with different types of maize seeds.

Non-contact photoacoustic tomography with a laser Doppler vibrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Guan; Wang, Cheng; Feng, Ting; Oliver, David E.; Wang, Xueding

2014-03-01

Most concurrent photoacoustic tomography systems are based on traditional ultrasound measurement regime, which requires the contact or acoustic coupling material between the biological tissue and the ultrasound transducer. This study investigates the feasibility of non-contact measurement of photacoustic signals generated inside biomedical tissues by observing the vibrations at the surface of the tissues with a commercial laser Doppler vibrometer. The vibrometer with 0- 2MHz measurement bandwidth and 5 MHz sampling frequency was integrated to a conventional rotational PAT data acquisition system. The data acquisition of the vibrometer was synchronized to the laser illumination from an Nd:YAG laser with output at 532nm. The laser energy was tuned to 17.5mJ per square centimeter. The PA signals were acquired at 120 angular locations uniformly distributed around the scanned objects. The frequency response of the measurement system was first calibrated. 2-inch-diamater cylindrical phantoms containing small rubber plates and biological tissues were afterwards imaged. The phantoms were made from 5% intralipid solution in 10% porcine gelatin to simulate the light scattering in biological tissue and to backscatter the measurement laser from the vibrometer. Time-domain backprojection method was used for the image reconstruction. Experiments with real-tissue phantoms show that with laser illumination of 17.5 mJ/cm2 at 532 nm, the non-contact photoacoustic (PA) imaging system with 15dB detection bandwidth of 2.5 MHz can resolve spherical optical inclusions with dimension of 500μm and multi-layered structure with optical contrast in strongly scattering medium. The experiment results prompt the potential implementation of the non-contact PAT to achieve "photoacoustic camera".

The immunological response created by interstitial and non-invasive laser immunotherapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahavar, Cody F.; Zhou, Feifan; Hasanjee, Aamr M.; West, Connor L.; Nordquist, Robert E.; Hode, Tomas; Liu, Hong; Chen, Wei R.

2015-03-01

Laser immunotherapy (LIT) is an innovative cancer modality that uses laser irradiation and immunological stimulation to treat late-stage, metastatic cancers. LIT can be performed through either interstitial or non-invasive laser irradiation. Although LIT is still in development, recent clinical trials have shown that it can be used to successfully treat patients with late-stage breast cancer and melanoma. The development of LIT has been focused on creating an optimal immune response created by irradiating the tumor. One important factor that could enhance the immune response is the duration of laser irradiation. Irradiating the tumor for a shorter or longer amount of time could weaken the immune response created by LIT. Another factor that could weaken this immune response is the proliferation of regulatory T cells (TRegs) in response to the laser irradiation. However, low dose cyclophosphamide (CY) can help suppress the proliferation of TRegs and help create a more optimal immune response. An additional factor that could weaken the effectiveness of LIT is the selectivity of the laser. If LIT is performed non-invasively, then deeply embedded tumors and highly pigmented skin could cause an uneven temperature distribution inside the tumor. To solve this problem, an immunologically modified carbon nanotube system was created by using an immunoadjuvant known as glycated chitosan (GC) as a surfactant for single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) to immunologically modify SWNTs. SWNT-GC retains the optical properties of SWNTs and the immunological functions of GC to help increase the selectivity of the laser and create a more optimal immune response. In this preliminary study, tumor-bearing rats were treated with LIT either interstitially by an 805-nm laser with GC and low-dose CY, or non-invasively by a 980-nm laser with SWNT-GC. The goal was to observe the effects of CY on the immune response induced by LIT and to also determine the effect of irradiation duration for

Aortic atherosclerotic plaque detection using a multiwavelength handheld photoacoustic imaging system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirano, Susumu; Namita, Takeshi; Kondo, Kengo; Yamakawa, Makoto; Shiina, Tsuyoshi

2016-03-01

Patients affected by diseases caused by arteriosclerosis are increasing. Atherosclerosis, which is becoming an especially difficult health problem, forms plaques from lipids such as cholesterol located in walls of the aorta, cerebral artery, and coronary artery. Because lipid-rich plaques are vulnerable and because arterial rupture causes acute vascular occlusion, early detection is crucially important to prevent plaque growth and rupture. Ultrasound systems can detect plaques but cannot discriminate between vulnerable and equable plaques. To evaluate plaques non-invasively and easily, we developed a handheld photoacoustic imaging device. Its usefulness was verified in phantom experiments with a bovine aorta in which mimic plaque had been embedded. Photoacoustic images taken at wavelengths that produce high light absorbance by lipids show strong photoacoustic signals from the boundary of the mimic plaque. Results confirmed that our system can evaluate plaque properties by analysis with the photoacoustic spectrum. The effects of surrounding tissues and tissue components on plaque evaluation were investigated using a layered phantom. The mimic plaque located under a 6 mm blood layer was also evaluated. Results of these analyses demonstrate the system's usefulness.

Photoacoustic imaging in both soft and hard biological tissue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, T.; Dewhurst, R. J.

2010-03-01

To date, most Photoacoustic (PA) imaging results have been from soft biotissues. In this study, a PA imaging system with a near-infrared pulsed laser source has been applied to obtain 2-D and 3-D images from both soft tissue and post-mortem dental samples. Imaging results showed that the PA technique has the potential to image human oral disease, such as early-stage teeth decay. For non-invasive photoacoustic imaging, the induced temperature and pressure rises within biotissues should not cause physical damage to the tissue. Several simulations based on the thermoelastic effect have been applied to predict initial temperature and pressure fields within a tooth sample. Predicted initial temperature and pressure rises are below corresponding safety limits.

Characterization of novel molecular photoacoustic contrast agents for in vivo photoacoustic tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laoui, Samir

Photoacoustic tomography is a hybrid imaging modality that takes advantage of the high contrast of pure optical imaging and the high intrinsic resolution of ultrasound without the necessity of ionizing radiation. Photoacoustic imaging (PM) is neither purely optical nor purely acoustical in nature, but a combination of the two. It is fundamentally based on light excitation and ultrasonic detection. Photoacoustic imaging has been successful without the introduction of exogenous contrast agents; however, to image deeper regions of biological tissue, a contrast agent is necessary. Several types of photoacoustic contrast agents have been made available for diagnostic purposes; however, the majority of literature has focused on gold nanoparticle systems for which the surface-plasmon resonance effect is important. The only option currently available for molecular PM contrast agents is to choose an existing near infrared absorbing fluorescent probes with the hope that they may generate a substantial photoacoustic (PA) response. However, these dyes have been designed with an optimized fluorescence emission response and are not anticipated to generate an adequate photoacoustic response. This dissertation addresses this lack of precedence in the literature for understanding the mechanism of a photoacoustic signal generation from strongly absorbing dye molecules including BODIPY, cyanine and curcumin systems. This work represents preliminary efforts in bringing novel molecular photoacoustic contrast agents (MPACs) into the photoacoustic imaging arena. To this end, photoacoustic and optical Z-scan experiments, and quenching studies were employed to demonstrate correlation of photoacoustic emission enhancement with excited state absorption mechanisms. To investigate further the photoacoustic emission in a practical imaging setting, MPACs were imaged using a recently developed photoacoustic imaging tomography system which was constructed exclusively for the purpose of this study.

Gold nanoparticles as a contrast agent for in vivo tumor imaging with photoacoustic tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Q.; Iwakuma, N.; Sharma, P.; Moudgil, B. M.; Wu, C.; McNeill, J.; Jiang, H.; Grobmyer, S. R.

2009-09-01

Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) is a rapidly emerging non-invasive imaging technology that integrates the merits of high optical contrast with high ultrasound resolution. The ability to quantitatively and non-invasively image nanoparticles has important implications for the development of nanoparticles as in vivo cancer diagnostic and therapeutic agents. In this study, the ability of systemically administered poly(ethylene glycol)-coated (PEGylated) gold nanoparticles as a contrast agent for in vivo tumor imaging with PAT has been evaluated. We demonstrate that gold nanoparticles (20 and 50 nm) have high photoacoustic contrast as compared to mouse tissue ex vivo. Gold nanoparticles can be visualized in mice in vivo following subcutaneous administration using PAT. Following intravenous administration of PEGylated gold nanoparticles to tumor-bearing mice, accumulation of gold nanoparticles in tumors can be effectively imaged with PAT. With gold nanoparticles as a contrast agent, PAT has important potential applications in the image guided therapy of superficial tumors such as breast cancer, melanoma and Merkel cell carcinoma.

Photoacoustic Spectroscopy with Quantum Cascade Lasers for Trace Gas Detection

PubMed Central

Elia, Angela; Di Franco, Cinzia; Lugarà, Pietro Mario; Scamarcio, Gaetano

2006-01-01

Various applications, such as pollution monitoring, toxic-gas detection, non invasive medical diagnostics and industrial process control, require sensitive and selective detection of gas traces with concentrations in the parts in 109 (ppb) and sub-ppb range. The recent development of quantum-cascade lasers (QCLs) has given a new aspect to infrared laser-based trace gas sensors. In particular, single mode distributed feedback QCLs are attractive spectroscopic sources because of their excellent properties in terms of narrow linewidth, average power and room temperature operation. In combination with these laser sources, photoacoustic spectroscopy offers the advantage of high sensitivity and selectivity, compact sensor platform, fast time-response and user friendly operation. This paper reports recent developments on quantum cascade laser-based photoacoustic spectroscopy for trace gas detection. In particular, different applications of a photoacoustic trace gas sensor employing a longitudinal resonant cell with a detection limit on the order of hundred ppb of ozone and ammonia are discussed. We also report two QC laser-based photoacoustic sensors for the detection of nitric oxide, for environmental pollution monitoring and medical diagnostics, and hexamethyldisilazane, for applications in semiconductor manufacturing process.

Multicontrast photoacoustic in vivo imaging using near-infrared fluorescent proteins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krumholz, Arie; Shcherbakova, Daria M.; Xia, Jun; Wang, Lihong V.; Verkhusha, Vladislav V.

2014-02-01

Non-invasive imaging of biological processes in vivo is invaluable in advancing biology. Photoacoustic tomography is a scalable imaging technique that provides higher resolution at greater depths in tissue than achievable by purely optical methods. Here we report the application of two spectrally distinct near-infrared fluorescent proteins, iRFP670 and iRFP720, engineered from bacterial phytochromes, as photoacoustic contrast agents. iRFPs provide tissue-specific contrast without the need for delivery of any additional substances. Compared to conventional GFP-like red-shifted fluorescent proteins, iRFP670 and iRFP720 demonstrate stronger photoacoustic signals at longer wavelengths, and can be spectrally resolved from each other and hemoglobin. We simultaneously visualized two differently labeled tumors, one with iRFP670 and the other with iRFP720, as well as blood vessels. We acquired images of a mouse as 2D sections of a whole animal, and as localized 3D volumetric images with high contrast and sub-millimeter resolution at depths up to 8 mm. Our results suggest iRFPs are genetically-encoded probes of choice for simultaneous photoacoustic imaging of several tissues or processes in vivo.

Mapping tissue oxygen in vivo by photoacoustic lifetime imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, Qi; Morgounova, Ekaterina; Choi, Jeung-Hwan; Jiang, Chunlan; Bischof, John; Ashkenazi, Shai

2013-03-01

Oxygen plays a key role in the energy metabolism of living organisms. Any imbalance in the oxygen levels will affect the metabolic homeostasis and lead to pathophysiological diseases. Hypoxia, a status of low tissue oxygen, is a key factor in tumor biology as it is highly prominent in tumor tissues. However, clinical tools for assessing tissue oxygenation are limited. The gold standard is polarographic needle electrode which is invasive and not capable of mapping (imaging) the oxygen content in tissue. We applied the method of photoacoustic lifetime imaging (PALI) of oxygen-sensitive dye to small animal tissue hypoxia research. PALI is new technology for direct, non-invasive imaging of oxygen. The technique is based on mapping the oxygen-dependent transient optical absorption of Methylene Blue (MB) by pump-probe photoacoustic imaging. Our studies show the feasibility of imaging of dissolved oxygen distribution in phantoms. In vivo experiments demonstrate that the hypoxia region is consistent with the site of subcutaneously xenografted prostate tumor in mice with adequate spatial resolution and penetration depth.

Tuning fork enhanced interferometric photoacoustic spectroscopy: a new method for trace gas analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Köhring, M.; Pohlkötter, A.; Willer, U.; Angelmahr, M.; Schade, W.

2011-01-01

A photoacoustic trace gas sensor based on an optical read-out method of a quartz tuning fork is shown. Instead of conventional piezoelectric signal read-out, as applied in well-known quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS), an interferometric read-out method for measurement of the tuning fork's oscillation is presented. To demonstrate the potential of the optical read-out of tuning forks in photoacoustics, a comparison between the performances of a sensor with interferometric read-out and conventional QEPAS with piezoelectric read-out is reported. The two sensors show similar characteristics. The detection limit (L) for the optical read-out is determined to be L opt=(2598±84) ppm (1 σ) compared to L elec=(2579±78) ppm (1 σ) for piezoelectric read-out. In both cases the detection limit is defined by the thermal noise of the tuning fork.

Toward in-vivo photoacoustic imaging of human ovarian tissue for cancer detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aguirre, Andres; Kumavor, Patrick; Ardeshirpour, Yasaman; Sanders, Mary M.; Brewer, Molly; Zhu, Quing

2011-03-01

Currently, most of the cancers in the ovary are detected when they have already metastasized to other parts of the body. As a result, ovarian cancer has the highest mortality of all gynecological cancers with a 5-year survival rate of 30% or less [1]. The reason is the lack of reliable symptoms as well as the lack of efficacious screening techniques [2,3]. Thus, there is an urgent need to improve the current diagnostic techniques. We have investigated the potential role of co-registered photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging in ovarian cancer detection. In an effort to bring this technique closer to clinical application, we have developed a co-registered ultrasound and photoacoustic transvaginal probe. A fiber coupling assembly has been developed to deliver the light from around the transducer for reflection geometry imaging. Co-registered ultrasound and photoacoustic images of swine ovaries through vagina wall muscle and human ovaries using the aforementioned probe, demonstrate the potential of photoacoustic imaging to non-invasively detect ovarian cancer in vivo.

Photoacoustic measurement of refractive index of dye solutions and myoglobin for biosensing applications

PubMed Central

Goldschmidt, Benjamin S.; Mehta, Smit; Mosley, Jeff; Walter, Chris; Whiteside, Paul J. D.; Hunt, Heather K.; Viator, John A.

2013-01-01

Current methods of determining the refractive index of chemicals and materials, such as ellipsometry and reflectometry, are limited by their inability to analyze highly absorbing or highly transparent materials, as well as the required prior knowledge of the sample thickness and estimated refractive index. Here, we present a method of determining the refractive index of solutions using the photoacoustic effect. We show that a photoacoustic refractometer can analyze highly absorbing dye samples to within 0.006 refractive index units of a handheld optical refractometer. Further, we use myoglobin, an early non-invasive biomarker for malignant hyperthermia, as a proof of concept that this technique is applicable for use as a medical diagnostic. Comparison of the speed, cost, simplicity, and accuracy of the techniques shows that this photoacoustic method is well-suited for optically complex systems. PMID:24298407

A photoacoustic technique to measure the properties of single cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strohm, Eric M.; Berndl, Elizabeth S. L.; Kolios, Michael C.

2013-03-01

We demonstrate a new technique to non-invasively determine the diameter and sound speed of single cells using a combined ultrasonic and photoacoustic technique. Two cell lines, B16-F1 melanoma cells and MCF7 breast cancer cells were examined using this technique. Using a 200 MHz transducer, the ultrasound backscatter from a single cell in suspension was recorded. Immediately following, the cell was irradiated with a 532 nm laser and the resulting photoacoustic wave recorded by the same transducer. The melanoma cells contain optically absorbing melanin particles, which facilitated photoacoustic wave generation. MCF7 cells have negligible optical absorption at 532 nm; the cells were permeabilized and stained with trypan blue prior to measurements. The measured ultrasound and photoacoustic power spectra were compared to theoretical equations with the cell diameter and sound speed as variables (Anderson scattering model for ultrasound, and a thermoelastic expansion model for photoacoustics). The diameter and sound speed were extracted from the models where the spectral shape matched the measured signals. However the photoacoustic spectrum for the melanoma cell did not match theory, which is likely because melanin particles are located around the cytoplasm, and not within the nucleus. Therefore a photoacoustic finite element model of a cell was developed where the central region was not used to generate a photoacoustic wave. The resulting power spectrum was in better agreement with the measured signal than the thermoelastic expansion model. The MCF7 cell diameter obtained using the spectral matching method was 17.5 μm, similar to the optical measurement of 16 μm, while the melanoma cell diameter obtained was 22 μm, similar to the optical measurement of 21 μm. The sound speed measured from the MCF7 and melanoma cell was 1573 and 1560 m/s, respectively, which is within acceptable values that have been published in literature.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering on single-wall carbon nanotubes.

PubMed

Kneipp, Katrin; Kneipp, Harald; Dresselhaus, Mildred S; Lefrant, Serge

2004-11-15

Exploiting the effect of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), the Raman signal of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) can be enhanced by up to 14 orders of magnitude when the tubes are in contact with silver or gold nanostructures and Raman scattering takes place predominantly in the enhanced local optical fields of the nanostructures. Such a level of enhancement offers exciting opportunities for ultrasensitive Raman studies on SWNTs and allows resonant and non-resonant Raman experiments to be done on single SWNTs at relatively high signal levels. Since the optical fields are highly localized within so-called "hot spots" on fractal silver colloidal clusters, lateral confinement of the Raman scattering can be as small as 5 nm, allowing spectroscopic selection of a single nanotube from a larger population. Moreover, since SWNTs are very stable "artificial molecules" with a high aspect ratio and a strong electron-phonon coupling, they are unique "test molecules" for investigating the SERS effect itself and for probing the "electromagnetic field contribution" and "charge transfer contribution" to the effect. SERS is also a powerful tool for monitoring the "chemical" interaction between the nanotube and the metal nanostructure.

Quartz-Enhanced Photoacoustic Spectroscopy with Right-Angle Prism.

PubMed

Liu, Yongning; Chang, Jun; Lian, Jie; Liu, Zhaojun; Wang, Qiang; Qin, Zengguang

2016-02-06

A right-angle prism was used to enhance the acoustic signal of a quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS) system. The incident laser beam was parallelly inverted by the right-angle prism and passed through the gap between two tuning fork prongs again to produce another acoustic excitation. Correspondingly, two pairs of rigid metal tubes were used as acoustic resonators with resonance enhancement factors of 16 and 12, respectively. The QEPAS signal was enhanced by a factor of 22.4 compared with the original signal, which was acquired without resonators or a prism. In addition, the system noise was reduced a little with double resonators due to the Q factor decrease. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was greatly improved. Additionally, a normalized noise equivalent absorption coefficient (NNEA) of 5.8 × 10(-8) W·cm(-1)·Hz(-1/2) was achieved for water vapor detection in the atmosphere.

Detection of Hepatic Fibrosis in Ex Vivo Liver Samples Using an Open-Photoacoustic-Cell Method: Feasibility Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stolik, S.; Fabila, D. A.; de la Rosa, J. M.; Escobedo, G.; Suárez-Álvarez, K.; Tomás, S. A.

2015-09-01

Design of non-invasive and accurate novel methods for liver fibrosis diagnosis has gained growing interest. Different stages of liver fibrosis were induced in Wistar rats by intraperitoneally administering different doses of carbon tetrachloride. The liver fibrosis degree was conventionally determined by means of histological examination. An open-photoacoustic-cell (OPC) technique for the assessment of liver fibrosis was developed and is reported here. The OPC technique is based on the fact that the thermal diffusivity can be accurately measured by photoacoustics taking into consideration the photoacoustic signal amplitude versus the modulation frequency. This technique measures directly the heat generated in a sample, due to non-radiative de-excitation processes, following the absorption of light. The thermal diffusivity was measured with a home-made open-photoacoustic-cell system that was specially designed to perform the measurement from ex vivo liver samples. The human liver tissue showed a significant increase in the thermal diffusivity depending on the fibrosis stage. Specifically, liver samples from rats exhibiting hepatic fibrosis showed a significantly higher value of the thermal diffusivity than for control animals.

Thermal Characterization of Carbon Nanotubes by Photothermal Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leahu, G.; Li Voti, R.; Larciprete, M. C.; Sibilia, C.; Bertolotti, M.; Nefedov, I.; Anoshkin, I. V.

2015-06-01

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are multifunctional materials commonly used in a large number of applications in electronics, sensors, nanocomposites, thermal management, actuators, energy storage and conversion, and drug delivery. Despite recent important advances in the development of CNT purity assessment tools and atomic resolution imaging of individual nanotubes by scanning tunnelling microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, the macroscale assessment of the overall surface qualities of commercial CNT materials remains a great challenge. The lack of quantitative measurement technology to characterize and compare the surface qualities of bulk manufactured and engineered CNT materials has negative impacts on the reliable and consistent nanomanufacturing of CNT products. In this paper it is shown how photoacoustic spectroscopy and photothermal radiometry represent useful non-destructive tools to study the optothermal properties of carbon nanotube thin films.

Research on fiber-optic cantilever-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy for trace gas detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Ke; Zhou, Xinlei; Gong, Zhenfeng; Yu, Shaochen; Qu, Chao; Guo, Min; Yu, Qingxu

2018-01-01

We demonstrate a new scheme of cantilever-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy, combining a sensitivity-improved fiber-optic cantilever acoustic sensor with a tunable high-power fiber laser, for trace gas detection. The Fabry-Perot interferometer based cantilever acoustic sensor has advantages such as high sensitivity, small size, easy to install and immune to electromagnetic. Tunable erbium-doped fiber ring laser with an erbium-doped fiber amplifier is used as the light source for acoustic excitation. In order to improve the sensitivity for photoacoustic signal detection, a first-order longitudinal resonant photoacoustic cell with the resonant frequency of 1624 Hz and a large size cantilever with the first resonant frequency of 1687 Hz are designed. The size of the cantilever is 2.1 mm×1 mm, and the thickness is 10 μm. With the wavelength modulation spectrum and second-harmonic detection methods, trace ammonia (NH3) has been measured. The gas detection limits (signal-to-noise ratio = 1) near the wavelength of 1522.5 nm is achieved to be 3 ppb.

Amplified photoacoustic performance and enhanced photothermal stability of reduced graphene oxide coated gold nanorods for sensitive photoacoustic imaging.

PubMed

Moon, Hyungwon; Kumar, Dinesh; Kim, Haemin; Sim, Changbeom; Chang, Jin-Ho; Kim, Jung-Mu; Kim, Hyuncheol; Lim, Dong-Kwon

2015-03-24

We report a strongly amplified photoacoustic (PA) performance of the new functional hybrid material composed of reduced graphene oxide and gold nanorods. Due to the excellent NIR light absorption properties of the reduced graphene oxide coated gold nanorods (r-GO-AuNRs) and highly efficient heat transfer process through the reduced graphene oxide layer, r-GO-AuNRs exhibit excellent photothermal stability and significantly higher photoacoustic amplitudes than those of bare-AuNRs, nonreduced graphene oxide coated AuNRs (GO-AuNRs), or silica-coated AuNR, as demonstrated in both in vitro and in vivo systems. The linear response of PA amplitude from reduced state controlled GO on AuNR indicates the critical role of GO for a strong photothermal effect of r-GO-AuNRs. Theoretical studies with finite-element-method lab-based simulation reveal that a 4 times higher magnitude of the enhanced electromagnetic field around r-GO-AuNRs can be generated compared with bare AuNRs or GO-AuNRs. Furthermore, the r-GO-AuNRs are expected to be a promising deep-tissue imaging probe because of extraordinarily high PA amplitudes in the 4-11 MHz operating frequency of an ultrasound transducer. Therefore, the r-GO-AuNRs can be a useful imaging probe for highly sensitive photoacoustic images and NIR sensitive therapeutics based on a strong photothermal effect.

Linear-array based full-view high-resolution photoacoustic computed tomography of whole mouse brain functions in vivo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Lei; Zhang, Pengfei; Wang, Lihong V.

2018-02-01

Photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) is a non-invasive imaging technique offering high contrast, high resolution, and deep penetration in biological tissues. We report a photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) system equipped with a high frequency linear array for anatomical and functional imaging of the mouse whole brain. The linear array was rotationally scanned in the coronal plane to achieve the full-view coverage. We investigated spontaneous neural activities in the deep brain by monitoring the hemodynamics and observed strong interhemispherical correlations between contralateral regions, both in the cortical layer and in the deep regions.

Characterizing phantom arteries with multi-channel laser ultrasonics and photo-acoustics.

PubMed

Johnson, Jami L; van Wijk, Kasper; Sabick, Michelle

2014-03-01

Multi-channel photo-acoustic and laser ultrasonic waves are used to sense the characteristics of proxies for healthy and diseased vessels. The acquisition system is non-contacting and non-invasive with a pulsed laser source and a laser vibrometer detector. As the wave signatures of our targets are typically low in amplitude, we exploit multi-channel acquisition and processing techniques. These are commonly used in seismology to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of data. We identify vessel proxies with a diameter on the order of 1 mm, at a depth of 18 mm. Variations in scattered and photo-acoustic signatures are related to differences in vessel wall properties and content. The methods described have the potential to improve imaging and better inform interventions for atherosclerotic vessels, such as the carotid artery. Copyright © 2014 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Molecular application of spectral photoacoustic imaging in pancreatic cancer pathology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lakshman, Minalini; Hupple, Clinton; Lohse, Ines; Hedley, David; Needles, Andrew; Theodoropoulos, Catherine

2012-12-01

Spectral imaging is an advanced photo-acoustic (PA) mode that can discern optical absorption of contrast agent(s) in the tissue micro-environment. This advancement is made possible by precise control of optical wavelength using a tunable pulsed laser, ranging from 680-970 nm. Differential optical absorption of blood oxygenation states makes spectral imaging of hemoglobin ideal to investigate remodeling of the tumor microenvironment- a molecular change that renders resistance to standard cancer treatment. Approach: Photo-acoustic imaging was performed on the Vevo® LAZR system (VisualSonics) at 5-20 Hz. Deep abdominal imaging was accomplished with a LZ250D probe at a center frequency of 21MHz and an axial resolution of 75 μm. The tumor model was generated in an immune compromised mouse by surgical implantation of primary patient derived tumors, in the pancreas. Results: Spectral imaging for oxygen saturation at 750 nm and 850 nm characterized this tumor with a poorly oxygenated core surrounded by a well oxygenated periphery. Multispectral imaging identified a sub region in the core with a four-fold signal exclusively at 750 and 800 nm. A co-registered 2D image of this region was shown to be echogenic and calcification was suspected. Perfusion imaging with contrast enhanced ultrasound using microbubbles (Vevo MicroMarker® contrast agents, VisualSonics) identified functional vessels towards this sub region. Histology confirmed calcification and vascularization in the tumor core. Taken together, non-invasive characterization of the tumor microenvironment using photo-acoustics rendered spectral imaging a sensitive tool to monitor molecular changes representative of progression of pancreatic cancer that kills within 6 months of diagnosis.

In vivo photoacoustic and ultrasonic mapping of rat sentinel lymph nodes with a modified commercial ultrasound imaging system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erpelding, Todd N.; Kim, Chulhong; Pramanik, Manojit; Guo, Zijian; Dean, John; Jankovic, Ladislav; Maslov, Konstantin; Wang, Lihong V.

2010-02-01

Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has become the standard method for axillary staging in breast cancer patients, relying on invasive identification of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) following injection of blue dye and radioactive tracers. While SLNB achieves a low false negative rate (5-10%), it is an invasive procedure requiring ionizing radiation. As an alternative to SLNB, ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy has been tested clinically. However, ultrasound alone is unable to accurately identify which lymph nodes are sentinel. Therefore, a non-ionizing and noninvasive detection method for accurate SLN mapping is needed. In this study, we successfully imaged methylene blue dye accumulation in vivo in rat axillary lymph nodes using a Phillips iU22 ultrasound imaging system adapted for photoacoustic imaging with an Nd:YAG pumped, tunable dye laser. Photoacoustic images of rat SLNs clearly identify methylene blue dye accumulation within minutes following intradermal dye injection and co-registered photoacoustic/ultrasound images illustrate lymph node position relative to surrounding anatomy. To investigate clinical translation, the imaging depth was extended up to 2.5 cm by adding chicken breast tissue on top of the rat skin surface. These results raise confidence that photoacoustic imaging can be used clinically for accurate, noninvasive SLN mapping.

Quartz-enhanced photo-acoustic spectroscopy for breath analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petersen, Jan C.; Lamard, Laurent; Feng, Yuyang; Focant, Jeff-F.; Peremans, Andre; Lassen, Mikael

2017-03-01

An innovative and novel quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS) sensor for highly sensitive and selective breath gas analysis is introduced. The QEPAS sensor consists of two acoustically coupled micro- resonators (mR) with an off-axis 20 kHz quartz tuning fork (QTF). The complete acoustically coupled mR system is optimized based on finite element simulations and experimentally verified. Due to the very low fabrication costs the QEPAS sensor presents a clear breakthrough in the field of photoacoustic spectroscopy by introducing novel disposable gas chambers in order to avoid cleaning after each test. The QEPAS sensor is pumped resonantly by a nanosecond pulsed single-mode mid-infrared optical parametric oscillator (MIR OPO). Spectroscopic measurements of methane and methanol in the 3.1 μm to 3.7 μm wavelength region is conducted. Demonstrating a resolution bandwidth of 1 cm-1. An Allan deviation analysis shows that the detection limit at optimum integration time for the QEPAS sensor is 32 ppbv@190s for methane and that the background noise is solely due to the thermal noise of the QTF. Spectra of both individual molecules as well as mixtures of molecules were measured and analyzed. The molecules are representative of exhaled breath gasses that are bio-markers for medical diagnostics.

Deep neural network-based bandwidth enhancement of photoacoustic data.

PubMed

Gutta, Sreedevi; Kadimesetty, Venkata Suryanarayana; Kalva, Sandeep Kumar; Pramanik, Manojit; Ganapathy, Sriram; Yalavarthy, Phaneendra K

2017-11-01

Photoacoustic (PA) signals collected at the boundary of tissue are always band-limited. A deep neural network was proposed to enhance the bandwidth (BW) of the detected PA signal, thereby improving the quantitative accuracy of the reconstructed PA images. A least square-based deconvolution method that utilizes the Tikhonov regularization framework was used for comparison with the proposed network. The proposed method was evaluated using both numerical and experimental data. The results indicate that the proposed method was capable of enhancing the BW of the detected PA signal, which inturn improves the contrast recovery and quality of reconstructed PA images without adding any significant computational burden. (2017) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).

Ingestible roasted barley for contrast-enhanced photoacoustic imaging in animal and human subjects.

PubMed

Wang, Depeng; Lee, Dong Hyeun; Huang, Haoyuan; Vu, Tri; Lim, Rachel Su Ann; Nyayapathi, Nikhila; Chitgupi, Upendra; Liu, Maggie; Geng, Jumin; Xia, Jun; Lovell, Jonathan F

2018-08-01

Photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) is an emerging imaging modality. While many contrast agents have been developed for PACT, these typically cannot immediately be used in humans due to the lengthy regulatory process. We screened two hundred types of ingestible foodstuff samples for photoacoustic contrast with 1064 nm pulse laser excitation, and identified roasted barley as a promising candidate. Twenty brands of roasted barley were further screened to identify the one with the strongest contrast, presumably based on complex chemical modifications incurred during the roasting process. Individual roasted barley particles could be detected through 3.5 cm of chicken-breast tissue and through the whole hand of healthy human volunteers. With PACT, but not ultrasound imaging, a single grain of roasted barley was detected in a field of hundreds of non-roasted particles. Upon oral administration, roasted barley enabled imaging of the gut and peristalsis in mice. Prepared roasted barley tea could be detected through 2.5 cm chicken breast tissue. When barley tea was administered to humans, photoacoustic imaging visualized swallowing dynamics in healthy volunteers. Thus, roasted barley represents an edible foodstuff that should be considered for photoacoustic contrast imaging of swallowing and gut processes, with immediate potential for clinical translation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Carbon Nanotubes in Biology and Medicine: In vitro and in vivo Detection, Imaging and Drug Delivery

PubMed Central

Liu, Zhuang; Tabakman, Scott; Welsher, Kevin; Dai, Hongjie

2010-01-01

Carbon nanotubes exhibit many unique intrinsic physical and chemical properties and have been intensively explored for biological and biomedical applications in the past few years. In this comprehensive review, we summarize the main results from our and other groups in this field and clarify that surface functionalization is critical to the behavior of carbon nanotubes in biological systems. Ultrasensitive detection of biological species with carbon nanotubes can be realized after surface passivation to inhibit the non-specific binding of biomolecules on the hydrophobic nanotube surface. Electrical nanosensors based on nanotubes provide a label-free approach to biological detection. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy of carbon nanotubes opens up a method of protein microarray with detection sensitivity down to 1 fmol/L. In vitro and in vivo toxicity studies reveal that highly water soluble and serum stable nanotubes are biocompatible, nontoxic, and potentially useful for biomedical applications. In vivo biodistributions vary with the functionalization and possibly also size of nanotubes, with a tendency to accumulate in the reticuloendothelial system (RES), including the liver and spleen, after intravenous administration. If well functionalized, nanotubes may be excreted mainly through the biliary pathway in feces. Carbon nanotube-based drug delivery has shown promise in various In vitro and in vivo experiments including delivery of small interfering RNA (siRNA), paclitaxel and doxorubicin. Moreover, single-walled carbon nanotubes with various interesting intrinsic optical properties have been used as novel photoluminescence, Raman, and photoacoustic contrast agents for imaging of cells and animals. Further multidisciplinary explorations in this field may bring new opportunities in the realm of biomedicine. PMID:20174481

Non-invasive optical detection of HBV based on serum surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Zuci; Wang, Qiwen; Weng, Cuncheng; Lin, Xueliang; Lin, Yao; Feng, Shangyuan

2016-10-01

An optical method of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) was developed for non-invasive detection of hepatitis B surface virus (HBV). Hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) is an established serological marker that is routinely used for the diagnosis of acute or chronic hepatitis B virus(HBV) infection. Utilizing SERS to analyze blood serum for detecting HBV has not been reported in previous literature. SERS measurements were performed on two groups of serum samples: one group for 50 HBV patients and the other group for 50 healthy volunteers. Blood serum samples are collected from healthy control subjects and patients diagnosed with HBV. Furthermore, principal components analysis (PCA) combined with linear discriminant analysis (LDA) were employed to differentiate HBV patients from healthy volunteer and achieved sensitivity of 80.0% and specificity of 74.0%. This exploratory work demonstrates that SERS serum analysis combined with PCA-LDA has tremendous potential for the non-invasive detection of HBV.

Photoacoustic and ultrasound characterization of bone composition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lashkari, Bahman; Yang, Lifeng; Liu, Lixian; Tan, Joel W. Y.; Mandelis, Andreas

2015-02-01

This study examines the sensitivity and specificity of backscattered ultrasound (US) and backscattering photoacoustic (PA) signals for bone composition variation assessment. The conventional approach in the evaluation of bone health relies on measurement of bone mineral density (BMD). Although, a crucial and probably the most important parameter, BMD is not the only factor defining the bone health. New trends in osteoporosis research, also pursue the changes in collagen content and cross-links with bone diseases and aging. Therefore, any non-invasive method that can assess any of these parameters can improve the diagnostic tools and also can help with the biomedical studies on the diseases themselves. Our previous studies show that both US and PA are responsive to changes in the BMD, PA is, in addition, sensitive to changes in the collagen content of the bone. Measurements were performed on bone samples before and after mild demineralization and decollagenization at the exact same points. Results show that combining both modalities can enhance the sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic tool.

Organosilicon phantom for photoacoustic imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avigo, Cinzia; Di Lascio, Nicole; Armanetti, Paolo; Kusmic, Claudia; Cavigli, Lucia; Ratto, Fulvio; Meucci, Sandro; Masciullo, Cecilia; Cecchini, Marco; Pini, Roberto; Faita, Francesco; Menichetti, Luca

2015-04-01

Photoacoustic imaging is an emerging technique. Although commercially available photoacoustic imaging systems currently exist, the technology is still in its infancy. Therefore, the design of stable phantoms is essential to achieve semiquantitative evaluation of the performance of a photoacoustic system and can help optimize the properties of contrast agents. We designed and developed a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) phantom with exceptionally fine geometry; the phantom was tested using photoacoustic experiments loaded with the standard indocyanine green dye and compared to an agar phantom pattern through polyethylene glycol-gold nanorods. The linearity of the photoacoustic signal with the nanoparticle number was assessed. The signal-to-noise ratio and contrast were employed as image quality parameters, and enhancements of up to 50 and up to 300%, respectively, were measured with the PDMS phantom with respect to the agar one. A tissue-mimicking (TM)-PDMS was prepared by adding TiO2 and India ink; photoacoustic tests were performed in order to compare the signal generated by the TM-PDMS and the biological tissue. The PDMS phantom can become a particularly promising tool in the field of photoacoustics for the evaluation of the performance of a PA system and as a model of the structure of vascularized soft tissues.

Feasibility evaluation of 3D photoacoustic imaging of blood vessel structure using multiple wavelengths with a handheld probe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uchimoto, Yo; Namita, Takeshi; Kondo, Kengo; Yamakawa, Makoto; Shiina, Tsuyoshi

2018-02-01

Photoacoustic imaging is anticipated for use in portraying blood vessel structures (e.g. neovascularization in inflamed regions). To reduce invasiveness and enhance ease handling, we developed a handheld photoacoustic imaging system using multiple wavelengths. The usefulness of the proposed system was investigated in phantom experiments and in vivo measurements. A silicon tube was embedded into chicken breast meat to simulate the blood vessel. The tube was filled with ovine blood. Then laser light was guided to the phantom surface by an optical fiber bundle close to the linear ultrasound probe. Photoacoustic images were obtained at 750-950 nm wavelengths. Strong photoacoustic signals from the boundary between blood and silicon tube are observed in these images. The shape of photoacoustic spectrum at the boundary resembles that of the HbO2 absorption spectrum at 750-920 nm. In photoacoustic images, similarity between photoacoustic spectrum and HbO2 absorption spectrum was evaluated by calculating the normalized correlation coefficient. Results show high correlation in regions of strong photoacoustic signals in photoacoustic images. These analyses demonstrate the feasibility of portraying blood vessel structures under practical conditions. To evaluate the feasibility of three-dimensional vascular imaging, in vivo experiments were conducted using three wavelengths. A right hand and ultrasound probe were set in degassed water. By scanning a probe, cross-sectional ultrasound and photoacoustic images were obtained at each location. Then, all ultrasound or photoacoustic images were piled up respectively. Then three-dimensional images were constructed. Resultant images portrayed blood vessel-like structures three-dimensionally. Furthermore, to distinguish blood vessels from other tissues (e.g. skin), distinguishing images of them were constructed by comparing photoacoustic signal intensity among three wavelengths. The resultant image portrayed blood vessels as

Human placental vasculature imaging using an LED-based photoacoustic/ultrasound imaging system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maneas, Efthymios; Xia, Wenfeng; Kuniyil Ajith Singh, Mithun; Sato, Naoto; Agano, Toshitaka; Ourselin, Sebastien; West, Simeon J.; David, Anna L.; Vercauteren, Tom; Desjardins, Adrien E.

2018-02-01

Minimally invasive fetal interventions, such as those used for therapy of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), require accurate image guidance to optimise patient outcomes. Currently, TTTS can be treated fetoscopically by identifying anastomosing vessels on the chorionic (fetal) placental surface, and then performing photocoagulation. Incomplete photocoagulation increases the risk of procedure failure. Photoacoustic imaging can provide contrast for both haemoglobin concentration and oxygenation, and in this study, it was hypothesised that it can resolve chorionic placental vessels. We imaged a term human placenta that was collected after caesarean section delivery using a photoacoustic/ultrasound system (AcousticX) that included light emitting diode (LED) arrays for excitation light and a linear-array ultrasound imaging probe. Two-dimensional (2D) co-registered photoacoustic and B-mode pulse-echo ultrasound images were acquired and displayed in real-time. Translation of the imaging probe enabled 3D imaging. This feasibility study demonstrated that photoacoustic imaging can be used to visualise chorionic placental vasculature, and that it has strong potential to guide minimally invasive fetal interventions.

Non-invasive neural stimulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tyler, William J.; Sanguinetti, Joseph L.; Fini, Maria; Hool, Nicholas

2017-05-01

Neurotechnologies for non-invasively interfacing with neural circuits have been evolving from those capable of sensing neural activity to those capable of restoring and enhancing human brain function. Generally referred to as non-invasive neural stimulation (NINS) methods, these neuromodulation approaches rely on electrical, magnetic, photonic, and acoustic or ultrasonic energy to influence nervous system activity, brain function, and behavior. Evidence that has been surmounting for decades shows that advanced neural engineering of NINS technologies will indeed transform the way humans treat diseases, interact with information, communicate, and learn. The physics underlying the ability of various NINS methods to modulate nervous system activity can be quite different from one another depending on the energy modality used as we briefly discuss. For members of commercial and defense industry sectors that have not traditionally engaged in neuroscience research and development, the science, engineering and technology required to advance NINS methods beyond the state-of-the-art presents tremendous opportunities. Within the past few years alone there have been large increases in global investments made by federal agencies, foundations, private investors and multinational corporations to develop advanced applications of NINS technologies. Driven by these efforts NINS methods and devices have recently been introduced to mass markets via the consumer electronics industry. Further, NINS continues to be explored in a growing number of defense applications focused on enhancing human dimensions. The present paper provides a brief introduction to the field of non-invasive neural stimulation by highlighting some of the more common methods in use or under current development today.

Bone assessment via thermal photoacoustic measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Ting; Kozloff, Kenneth M.; Hsiao, Yi-Sing; Tian, Chao; Perosky, Joseph; Du, Sidan; Yuan, Jie; Deng, Cheri X.; Wang, Xueding

2015-03-01

The feasibility of an innovative biomedical diagnostic technique, thermal photoacoustic (TPA) measurement, for nonionizing and non-invasive assessment of bone health is investigated. Unlike conventional photoacoustic PA methods which are mostly focused on the measurement of absolute signal intensity, TPA targets the change in PA signal intensity as a function of the sample temperature, i.e. the temperature dependent Grueneisen parameter which is closely relevant to the chemical and molecular properties in the sample. Based on the differentiation measurement, the results from TPA technique is less susceptible to the variations associated with sample and system, and could be quantified with improved accurately. Due to the fact that the PA signal intensity from organic components such as blood changes faster than that from non-organic mineral under the same modulation of temperature, TPA measurement is able to objectively evaluate bone mineral density (BMD) and its loss as a result of osteoporosis. In an experiment on well established rat models of bone loss and preservation, PA measurements of rat tibia bones were conducted over a temperature range from 370 C to 440 C. The slope of PA signal intensity verses temperature was quantified for each specimen. The comparison among three groups of specimens with different BMD shows that bones with lower BMD have higher slopes, demonstrating the potential of the proposed TPA technique in future clinical management of osteoporosis.

Integrated Photoacoustic Ophthalmoscopy and Spectral-domain Optical Coherence Tomography

PubMed Central

Jiao, Shuliang; Zhang, Hao F.

2013-01-01

Both the clinical diagnosis and fundamental investigation of major ocular diseases greatly benefit from various non-invasive ophthalmic imaging technologies. Existing retinal imaging modalities, such as fundus photography1, confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (cSLO)2, and optical coherence tomography (OCT)3, have significant contributions in monitoring disease onsets and progressions, and developing new therapeutic strategies. However, they predominantly rely on the back-reflected photons from the retina. As a consequence, the optical absorption properties of the retina, which are usually strongly associated with retinal pathophysiology status, are inaccessible by the traditional imaging technologies. Photoacoustic ophthalmoscopy (PAOM) is an emerging retinal imaging modality that permits the detection of the optical absorption contrasts in the eye with a high sensitivity4-7 . In PAOM nanosecond laser pulses are delivered through the pupil and scanned across the posterior eye to induce photoacoustic (PA) signals, which are detected by an unfocused ultrasonic transducer attached to the eyelid. Because of the strong optical absorption of hemoglobin and melanin, PAOM is capable of non-invasively imaging the retinal and choroidal vasculatures, and the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) melanin at high contrasts 6,7. More importantly, based on the well-developed spectroscopic photoacoustic imaging5,8 , PAOM has the potential to map the hemoglobin oxygen saturation in retinal vessels, which can be critical in studying the physiology and pathology of several blinding diseases 9 such as diabetic retinopathy and neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Moreover, being the only existing optical-absorption-based ophthalmic imaging modality, PAOM can be integrated with well-established clinical ophthalmic imaging techniques to achieve more comprehensive anatomic and functional evaluations of the eye based on multiple optical contrasts6,10 . In this work, we integrate

Imaging hypoxia using 3D photoacoustic spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stantz, Keith M.

2010-02-01

Purpose: The objective is to develop a multivariate in vivo hemodynamic model of tissue oxygenation (MiHMO2) based on 3D photoacoustic spectroscopy. Introduction: Low oxygen levels, or hypoxia, deprives cancer cells of oxygen and confers resistance to irradiation, some chemotherapeutic drugs, and oxygen-dependent therapies (phototherapy) leading to treatment failure and poor disease-free and overall survival. For example, clinical studies of patients with breast carcinomas, cervical cancer, and head and neck carcinomas (HNC) are more likely to suffer local reoccurrence and metastasis if their tumors are hypoxic. A novel method to non invasively measure tumor hypoxia, identify its type, and monitor its heterogeneity is devised by measuring tumor hemodynamics, MiHMO2. Material and Methods: Simulations are performed to compare tumor pO2 levels and hypoxia based on physiology - perfusion, fractional plasma volume, fractional cellular volume - and its hemoglobin status - oxygen saturation and hemoglobin concentration - based on in vivo measurements of breast, prostate, and ovarian tumors. Simulations of MiHMO2 are performed to assess the influence of scanner resolutions and different mathematic models of oxygen delivery. Results: Sensitivity of pO2 and hypoxic fraction to photoacoustic scanner resolution and dependencies on model complexity will be presented using hemodynamic parameters for different tumors. Conclusions: Photoacoustic CT spectroscopy provides a unique ability to monitor hemodynamic and cellular physiology in tissue, which can be used to longitudinally monitor tumor oxygenation and its response to anti-angiogenic therapies.

Gold-nanorod contrast-enhanced photoacoustic micro-imaging of focused-ultrasound induced blood-brain-barrier opening in a rat model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Po-Hsun; Liu, Hao-Li; Hsu, Po-Hung; Lin, Chia-Yu; Chris Wang, Churng-Ren; Chen, Pin-Yuan; Wei, Kuo-Chen; Yen, Tzu-Chen; Li, Meng-Lin

2012-06-01

In this study, we develop a novel photoacoustic imaging technique based on gold nanorods (AuNRs) for quantitatively monitoring focused-ultrasound (FUS) induced blood-brain barrier (BBB) opening in a rat model in vivo. This study takes advantage of the strong near-infrared absorption (peak at ~800 nm) of AuNRs and the extravasation tendency from BBB opening foci due to their nano-scale size to passively label the BBB disruption area. Experimental results show that AuNR contrast-enhanced photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) successfully reveals the spatial distribution and temporal response of BBB disruption area in the rat brains. The quantitative measurement of contrast enhancement has potential to estimate the local concentration of AuNRs and even the dosage of therapeutic molecules when AuNRs are further used as nano-carrier for drug delivery or photothermal therapy. The photoacoustic results also provide complementary information to MRI, being helpful to discover more details about FUS induced BBB opening in small animal models.

Potential of non-invasive esophagus cancer detection based on urine surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Shaohua; Wang, Lan; Chen, Weisheng; Feng, Shangyuan; Lin, Juqiang; Huang, Zufang; Chen, Guannan; Li, Buhong; Chen, Rong

2014-11-01

Non-invasive esophagus cancer detection based on urine surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) analysis was presented. Urine SERS spectra were measured on esophagus cancer patients (n = 56) and healthy volunteers (n = 36) for control analysis. Tentative assignments of the urine SERS spectra indicated some interesting esophagus cancer-specific biomolecular changes, including a decrease in the relative content of urea and an increase in the percentage of uric acid in the urine of esophagus cancer patients compared to that of healthy subjects. Principal component analysis (PCA) combined with linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was employed to analyze and differentiate the SERS spectra between normal and esophagus cancer urine. The diagnostic algorithms utilizing a multivariate analysis method achieved a diagnostic sensitivity of 89.3% and specificity of 83.3% for separating esophagus cancer samples from normal urine samples. These results from the explorative work suggested that silver nano particle-based urine SERS analysis coupled with PCA-LDA multivariate analysis has potential for non-invasive detection of esophagus cancer.

Programmable Real-time Clinical Photoacoustic and Ultrasound Imaging System

PubMed Central

Kim, Jeesu; Park, Sara; Jung, Yuhan; Chang, Sunyeob; Park, Jinyong; Zhang, Yumiao; Lovell, Jonathan F.; Kim, Chulhong

2016-01-01

Photoacoustic imaging has attracted interest for its capacity to capture functional spectral information with high spatial and temporal resolution in biological tissues. Several photoacoustic imaging systems have been commercialized recently, but they are variously limited by non-clinically relevant designs, immobility, single anatomical utility (e.g., breast only), or non-programmable interfaces. Here, we present a real-time clinical photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging system which consists of an FDA-approved clinical ultrasound system integrated with a portable laser. The system is completely programmable, has an intuitive user interface, and can be adapted for different applications by switching handheld imaging probes with various transducer types. The customizable photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging system is intended to meet the diverse needs of medical researchers performing both clinical and preclinical photoacoustic studies. PMID:27731357

Programmable Real-time Clinical Photoacoustic and Ultrasound Imaging System.

PubMed

Kim, Jeesu; Park, Sara; Jung, Yuhan; Chang, Sunyeob; Park, Jinyong; Zhang, Yumiao; Lovell, Jonathan F; Kim, Chulhong

2016-10-12

Photoacoustic imaging has attracted interest for its capacity to capture functional spectral information with high spatial and temporal resolution in biological tissues. Several photoacoustic imaging systems have been commercialized recently, but they are variously limited by non-clinically relevant designs, immobility, single anatomical utility (e.g., breast only), or non-programmable interfaces. Here, we present a real-time clinical photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging system which consists of an FDA-approved clinical ultrasound system integrated with a portable laser. The system is completely programmable, has an intuitive user interface, and can be adapted for different applications by switching handheld imaging probes with various transducer types. The customizable photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging system is intended to meet the diverse needs of medical researchers performing both clinical and preclinical photoacoustic studies.

Effect of small and large animal skull bone on photoacoustic signal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Qiuyun; Volinski, Bridget; Hariri, Ali; Fatima, Afreen; Nasiriavanaki, Mohammadreza

2017-03-01

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) has proved to be a promising non-invasive technique for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment monitoring of neurological disorders in small and large animals. Skull bone effects both light illumination and ultrasound propagation. Hence, the PA signal is largely affected. This study aims to quantify and compare the attenuation of PA signal due to the skull obstacle in the light illumination path, in the ultrasound propagation path, or in both. The effect of mouse, rat, and mesocephalic dog skull bones, ex-vivo, is quantitatively studied.

Purely wavelength- and amplitude-modulated quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy.

PubMed

Patimisco, Pietro; Sampaolo, Angelo; Bidaux, Yves; Bismuto, Alfredo; Scott, Marshall; Jiang, James; Muller, Antoine; Faist, Jerome; Tittel, Frank K; Spagnolo, Vincenzo

2016-11-14

We report here on a quartz-enhanced photoacoustic (QEPAS) sensor employing a quantum cascade laser (QCL) structure capable of operating in a pure amplitude or wavelength modulation configuration. The QCL structure is composed of three electrically independent sections: Gain, Phase (PS) and Master Oscillator (MO). Selective current pumping of these three sections allows obtaining laser wavelength tuning without changes in the optical power, and power modulation without emission wavelength shifts. A pure QEPAS amplitude modulation condition is obtained by modulating the PS current, while pure wavelength modulation is achieved by modulating simultaneously the MO and PS QCL sections and slowly scanning the DC current level injected in the PS section.

Photoacoustic Tomography of Human Hepatic Malignancies Using Intraoperative Indocyanine Green Fluorescence Imaging

PubMed Central

Miyata, Akinori; Ishizawa, Takeaki; Kamiya, Mako; Shimizu, Atsushi; Kaneko, Junichi; Ijichi, Hideaki; Shibahara, Junji; Fukayama, Masashi; Midorikawa, Yutaka; Urano, Yasuteru; Kokudo, Norihiro

2014-01-01

Recently, fluorescence imaging following the preoperative intravenous injection of indocyanine green has been used in clinical settings to identify hepatic malignancies during surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of photoacoustic tomography using indocyanine green as a contrast agent to produce representative fluorescence images of hepatic tumors by visualizing the spatial distribution of indocyanine green on ultrasonographic images. Indocyanine green (0.5 mg/kg, intravenous) was preoperatively administered to 9 patients undergoing hepatectomy. Intraoperatively, photoacoustic tomography was performed on the surface of the resected hepatic specimens (n = 10) under excitation with an 800 nm pulse laser. In 4 hepatocellular carcinoma nodules, photoacoustic imaging identified indocyanine green accumulation in the cancerous tissue. In contrast, in one hepatocellular carcinoma nodule and five adenocarcinoma foci (one intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and 4 colorectal liver metastases), photoacoustic imaging delineated indocyanine green accumulation not in the cancerous tissue but rather in the peri-cancerous hepatic parenchyma. Although photoacoustic tomography enabled to visualize spatial distribution of ICG on ultrasonographic images, which was consistent with fluorescence images on cut surfaces of the resected specimens, photoacoustic signals of ICG-containing tissues decreased approximately by 40% even at 4 mm depth from liver surfaces. Photoacoustic tomography using indocyanine green also failed to identify any hepatocellular carcinoma nodules from the body surface of model mice with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. In conclusion, photoacoustic tomography has a potential to enhance cancer detectability and differential diagnosis by ultrasonographic examinations and intraoperative fluorescence imaging through visualization of stasis of bile-excreting imaging agents in and/or around hepatic tumors. However, further technical advances are needed

Photoacoustic tomography of human hepatic malignancies using intraoperative indocyanine green fluorescence imaging.

PubMed

Miyata, Akinori; Ishizawa, Takeaki; Kamiya, Mako; Shimizu, Atsushi; Kaneko, Junichi; Ijichi, Hideaki; Shibahara, Junji; Fukayama, Masashi; Midorikawa, Yutaka; Urano, Yasuteru; Kokudo, Norihiro

2014-01-01

Recently, fluorescence imaging following the preoperative intravenous injection of indocyanine green has been used in clinical settings to identify hepatic malignancies during surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of photoacoustic tomography using indocyanine green as a contrast agent to produce representative fluorescence images of hepatic tumors by visualizing the spatial distribution of indocyanine green on ultrasonographic images. Indocyanine green (0.5 mg/kg, intravenous) was preoperatively administered to 9 patients undergoing hepatectomy. Intraoperatively, photoacoustic tomography was performed on the surface of the resected hepatic specimens (n = 10) under excitation with an 800 nm pulse laser. In 4 hepatocellular carcinoma nodules, photoacoustic imaging identified indocyanine green accumulation in the cancerous tissue. In contrast, in one hepatocellular carcinoma nodule and five adenocarcinoma foci (one intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and 4 colorectal liver metastases), photoacoustic imaging delineated indocyanine green accumulation not in the cancerous tissue but rather in the peri-cancerous hepatic parenchyma. Although photoacoustic tomography enabled to visualize spatial distribution of ICG on ultrasonographic images, which was consistent with fluorescence images on cut surfaces of the resected specimens, photoacoustic signals of ICG-containing tissues decreased approximately by 40% even at 4 mm depth from liver surfaces. Photoacoustic tomography using indocyanine green also failed to identify any hepatocellular carcinoma nodules from the body surface of model mice with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. In conclusion, photoacoustic tomography has a potential to enhance cancer detectability and differential diagnosis by ultrasonographic examinations and intraoperative fluorescence imaging through visualization of stasis of bile-excreting imaging agents in and/or around hepatic tumors. However, further technical advances are needed

Investigation of diseases through red blood cells' shape using photoacoustic response technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biswas, Deblina; Gorey, Abhijeet; Chen, Goerge C. K.; Sharma, Norman; Vasudevan, Srivathsan

2015-03-01

Photoacoustic (PA) imaging is a non-invasive real-time technique, widely applied to many biomedical imaging studies in the recent years. While most of these studies have been focussed on obtaining an image after reconstruction, various features of time domain signal (e.g. amplitude, width, rise and relaxation time) would provide very high sensitivity in detecting morphological changes in cells during a biological study. Different haematological disorders (e.g., sickle cell anaemia, thalassemia) exhibit significant morphological cellular changes. In this context, this study explores the possibility of utilizing the developed photoacoustic response technique to apply onto blood samples. Results of our preliminary study demonstrate that there is a significant change in signal amplitude due to change in concentration of the blood. Thus it shows the sensitivity of the developed photoacoustic technique towards red blood cell count (related to haematological disease like anaemia). Subsequently, morphological changes in RBC (i.e. swollen and shrunk compared to normal RBC) induced by hypotonic and hypertonic solutions respectively were also experimented. The result shows a distinct change in PA signal amplitude. This would serve as a diagnostic signature for many future studies on cellular morphological disorders.

Windowless ultrasound photoacoustic cell for in vivo mid-IR spectroscopy of human epidermis: Low interference by changes of air pressure, temperature, and humidity caused by skin contact opens the possibility for a non-invasive monitoring of glucose in the interstitial fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pleitez, Miguel A.; Lieblein, Tobias; Bauer, Alexander; Hertzberg, Otto; von Lilienfeld-Toal, Hermann; Mäntele, Werner

2013-08-01

The application of a novel open, windowless cell for the photoacoustic infrared spectroscopy of human skin is described. This windowless cavity is tuned for optimum performance in the ultrasound range between 50 and 60 kHz. In combination with an external cavity tunable quantum cascade laser emitting in the range from ˜1000 cm-1 to 1245 cm-1, this approach leads to high signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) for mid-infrared spectra of human skin. This opens the possibility to measure in situ the absorption spectrum of human epidermis in the mid-infrared region at high SNR in a few (˜5) seconds. Rapid measurement of skin spectra greatly reduces artifacts arising from movements. As compared to closed resonance cells, the windowless cell exhibits the advantage that the influence of air pressure variations, temperature changes, and air humidity buildup that are caused by the contact of the cell to the skin surface can be minimized. We demonstrate here that this approach can be used for continuous and non-invasive monitoring of the glucose level in human epidermis, and thus may form the basis for a non-invasive monitoring of the glucose level for diabetes patients.

[Interest of non invasive navigation in total knee arthroplasty].

PubMed

Zorman, D; Leclercq, G; Cabanas, J Juanos; Jennart, H

2015-01-01

During surgery of total knee arthroplasty, we use a computerized non invasive navigation (Brainlab Victor Vision CT-free) to assess the accuracy of the bone cuts (navigation expresse). The purpose of this study is to evaluate non invasive navigation when a total knee arthroplasty is achieved by conventional instrumentation. The study is based on forty total knee arthroplasties. The accuracy of the tibial and distal femoral bone cuts, checked by non invasive navigation, is evaluated prospectively. In our clinical series, we have obtained, with the conventional instrumentation, a correction of the mechanical axis only in 90 % of cases (N = 36). With non invasive navigation, we improved the positioning of implants and obtained in all cases the desired axiometry in the frontal plane. Although operative time is increased by about 15 minutes, the non invasive navigation does not induce intraoperative or immediate postoperative complications. Despite the cost of this technology, we believe that the reliability of the procedure is enhanced by a simple and reproducible technique.

Field Enhancement Properties of Nanotubes in a Field Emission Set-Up

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adessi, Ch.; Devel, M.

2001-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the mechanisms of emission of nanotubes. The field enhancement properties of carbon nanotubes, involved in the emission of electrons, is investigated theoretically for various single-wall (SWNT) and multi-wall nanotubes (MWNT). The presentation points out big differences between (n,0) and (n,n) nanotubes, and propose phenomenological laws for the variations of the enhancement factor with length and diameter

Recent advances in quartz enhanced photoacoustic sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patimisco, Pietro; Sampaolo, Angelo; Dong, Lei; Tittel, Frank K.; Spagnolo, Vincenzo

2018-03-01

This review aims to discuss the latest advancements in quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS) based trace-gas sensing. Starting from the QEPAS basic physical principles, the most used QEPAS configurations will be described. This is followed by a detailed theoretical analysis and experimental study regarding the influence of quartz tuning forks (QTFs) geometry on their optoacoustic transducer performance. Furthermore, an overview of the latest developments in QEPAS trace-gas sensor technology employing custom QTFs will be reported. Results obtained by exploiting novel micro-resonator configurations, capable of increasing the QEPAS signal-to-noise ratio by more than two orders of magnitude and the utilization of QTF overtone flexural modes for QEPAS based sensing will be presented. A comparison of the QEPAS performance of different spectrophone configurations is reported based upon signal-to-noise ratio. Finally, a novel QEPAS approach allowing simultaneous dual-gas detection will be described.

Human CIK Cells Loaded with Au Nanorods as a Theranostic Platform for Targeted Photoacoustic Imaging and Enhanced Immunotherapy and Photothermal Therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yao; Zhang, Jingjing; Xia, Fangfang; Zhang, Chunlei; Qian, Qirong; Zhi, Xiao; Yue, Caixia; Sun, Rongjin; Cheng, Shangli; Fang, Shan; Jin, Weilin; Yang, Yuming; Cui, Daxiang

2016-06-01

How to realize targeted photoacoustic imaging, enhanced immunotherapy, and photothermal therapy of gastric cancer has become a great challenge. Herein, we reported for the first time that human cytokine-induced killer cells (CIK) loaded with gold nanorods were used for targeted photoacoustic imaging, enhanced immunotherapy, and photothermal therapy of gastric cancer. Silica-modified gold nanorods were prepared; then incubated with human cytokine-induced killer cells (CIK), resultant human CIK cells loaded with Au nanorods were evaluated for their cytotoxicity, targeted ability of gastric cancer in vitro and in vivo, immunotherapy, and photothermal therapy efficacy. In vitro cell experiment shows that human CIK cells labeled with gold nanorods actively target gastric cancer MGC803 cells, inhibit growth of MGC803 cells by inducing cell apoptosis, and kill MGC803 cells under low power density near-infrared (NIR) laser treatment (808-nm continuous wave laser, 1.5 W/cm2, 3 min). In vivo experiment results showed that human CIK cells labeled with gold nanorods could target actively and image subcutaneous gastric cancer vessels via photoacoustic imaging at 4 h post-injection, could enhance immunotherapy efficacy by up-regulating cytokines such as IL-1, IL-12, IL-2, IL-4, IL-17, and IFN-γ, and kill gastric cancer tissues by photothermal therapy via direct injection into tumor site under near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation. High-performance human CIK cells labeled with Au nanorods are a good novel theranostic platform to exhibit great potential in applications such as tumor-targeted photoacoustic imaging, enhanced immunotherapy, and photothermal therapy in the near future.

Multifunctional microbubbles and nanobubbles for photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging

PubMed Central

Kim, Chulhong; Qin, Ruogu; Xu, Jeff S.; Wang, Lihong V.; Xu, Ronald

2010-01-01

We develop a novel dual-modal contrast agent—encapsulated-ink poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microbubbles and nanobubbles—for photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging. Soft gelatin phantoms with embedded tumor simulators of encapsulated-ink PLGA microbubbles and nanobubbles in various concentrations are clearly shown in both photoacoustic and ultrasound images. In addition, using photoacoustic imaging, we successfully image the samples positioned below 1.8-cm-thick chicken breast tissues. Potentially, simultaneous photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging enhanced by encapsulated-dye PLGA microbubbles or nanobubbles can be a valuable tool for intraoperative assessment of tumor boundaries and therapeutic margins. PMID:20210423

Thermally enhanced signal strength and SNR improvement of photoacoustic radar module

PubMed Central

Wang, Wei; Mandelis, Andreas

2014-01-01

A thermally enhanced method for improving photoacoustic imaging depth and signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio is presented in this paper. Experimental results showed that the maximum imaging depth increased by 20% through raising the temperature of absorbing biotissues (ex-vivo beef muscle) uniformly from 37 to 43°C, and the SNR was increased by 8%. The parameters making up the Gruneisen constant were investigated experimentally and theoretically. The studies showed that the Gruneisen constant of biotissues increases with temperature, and the results were found to be consistent with the photoacousitc radar theory. PMID:25136501

PHOTOACOUSTIC NON-DESTRUCTIVE EVALUATION AND IMAGING OF CARIES IN DENTAL SAMPLES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, T.; Dewhurst, R. J.

Dental caries is a disease wherein bacterial processes damage hard tooth structure. Traditional dental radiography has its limitations for detecting early stage caries. In this study, a photoacoustic (PA) imaging system with the near-infrared light source has been applied to postmortem dental samples to obtain 2-D and 3-D images. Imaging results showed that the PA technique can be used to image human teeth caries. For non-destructive photoacoustic evaluation and imaging, the induced temperature and pressure rises within biotissues should not cause physical damage to the tissue. For example, temperature rises above 5 deg. C within live human teeth will causemore » pulpal necrosis. Therefore, several simulations based on the thermoelastic effect have been applied to predict temperature and pressure fields within samples. Predicted temperature levels are below corresponding safety limits, but care is required to avoid nonlinear absorption phenomena. Furthermore, PA imaging results from the phantom provide evidence for high sensitivity, which shows the imaging potential of the PA technique for detecting early stage disease.« less

Photoacoustic Non-Destructive Evaluation and Imaging of Caries in Dental Samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, T.; Dewhurst, R. J.

2010-02-01

Dental caries is a disease wherein bacterial processes damage hard tooth structure. Traditional dental radiography has its limitations for detecting early stage caries. In this study, a photoacoustic (PA) imaging system with the near-infrared light source has been applied to postmortem dental samples to obtain 2-D and 3-D images. Imaging results showed that the PA technique can be used to image human teeth caries. For non-destructive photoacoustic evaluation and imaging, the induced temperature and pressure rises within biotissues should not cause physical damage to the tissue. For example, temperature rises above 5 °C within live human teeth will cause pulpal necrosis. Therefore, several simulations based on the thermoelastic effect have been applied to predict temperature and pressure fields within samples. Predicted temperature levels are below corresponding safety limits, but care is required to avoid nonlinear absorption phenomena. Furthermore, PA imaging results from the phantom provide evidence for high sensitivity, which shows the imaging potential of the PA technique for detecting early stage disease.

The complexity underlying invasiveness precludes the identification of invasive traits: A comparative study of invasive and non-invasive heterocarpic Atriplex congeners

PubMed Central

Doudová, Jana; Douda, Jan; Mandák, Bohumil

2017-01-01

Heterocarpy enables species to effectively spread under unfavourable conditions by producing two or more types of fruit differing in ecological characteristics. Although it is frequent in annuals occupying disturbed habitats that are vulnerable to invasion, there is still a lack of congeneric studies addressing the importance of heterocarpy for species invasion success. We compared two pairs of heterocarpic Atriplex species, each of them comprising one invasive and one non-invasive non-native congener. In two common garden experiments, we (i) simulated the influence of different levels of nutrients and population density on plants grown from different types of fruits and examined several traits that are generally positively associated with invasion success, and (ii) grew plants in a replacement series experiment to evaluate resource partitioning between them and to compare their competitive ability. We found that specific functional traits or competitiveness of species cannot explain the invasiveness of Atriplex species, indicating that species invasiveness involves more complex interactions of traits that are important only in certain ecological contexts, i.e. in specific environmental conditions and only some habitats. Interestingly, species trait differences related to invasion success were found between plants growing from the ecologically most contrasting fruit types. We suggest that fruit types differing in ecological behaviour may be essential in the process of invasion or in the general spreading of heterocarpic species, as they either the maximize population growth (type C fruit) or enhance the chance of survival of new populations (type A fruit). Congeners offer the best available methodical framework for comparing traits among phylogenetically closely related invasive and non-invasive species. However, as indicated by our results, this approach is unlikely to reveal invasive traits because of the complexity underlying invasiveness. PMID:28445514

Infrared spectroscopic analysis of human interstitial fluid in vitro and in vivo using FT-IR spectroscopy and pulsed quantum cascade lasers (QCL): Establishing a new approach to non invasive glucose measurement.

PubMed

Pleitez, Miguel; von Lilienfeld-Toal, Hermann; Mäntele, Werner

2012-01-01

Interstitial fluid, i.e. the liquid present in the outermost layer of living cells of the skin between the Stratum corneum and the Stratum spinosum, was analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and by infrared spectroscopy using pulsed quantum cascade infrared lasers with photoacoustic detection. IR spectra of simulated interstitial fluid samples and of real samples from volunteers in the 850-1800cm(-1) range revealed that the major components of interstitial fluid are albumin and glucose within the physiological range, with only traces of sodium lactate if at all. The IR absorbance of glucose in interstitial fluid in vivo was probed in healthy volunteers using a setup with quantum cascade lasers and photoacoustic detection previously described. A variation of blood glucose between approx. 80mg/dl and 250mg/dl in the volunteers was obtained using the standard oral glucose tolerance test (OGT). At two IR wavelengths, 1054cm(-1) and 1084cm(-1), a reasonable correlation between the photoacoustic signal from the skin and the blood glucose value as determined by conventional glucose test sticks using blood from the finger tip was obtained. The infrared photoacoustic glucose signal (PAGS) may serve as the key for a non-invasive glucose measurement, since the glucose content in interstitial fluid closely follows blood glucose in the time course and in the level (a delay of some minutes and a level of approx. 80-90% of the glucose level in blood). Interstitial fluid is present in skin layers at a depth of only 15-50μm and is thus within the reach of mid-IR energy in an absorbance measurement. A non-invasive glucose measurement for diabetes patients based on mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers and photoacoustic detection could replace the conventional measurement using enzymatic test stripes and a drop of blood from the finger tip, thus reducing pain and being a cost-efficient alternative for millions of diabetes patients. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All

Infrared spectroscopic analysis of human interstitial fluid in vitro and in vivo using FT-IR spectroscopy and pulsed quantum cascade lasers (QCL): Establishing a new approach to non invasive glucose measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pleitez, Miguel; von Lilienfeld-Toal, Hermann; Mäntele, Werner

2012-01-01

Interstitial fluid, i.e. the liquid present in the outermost layer of living cells of the skin between the Stratum corneum and the Stratum spinosum, was analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and by infrared spectroscopy using pulsed quantum cascade infrared lasers with photoacoustic detection. IR spectra of simulated interstitial fluid samples and of real samples from volunteers in the 850-1800 cm -1 range revealed that the major components of interstitial fluid are albumin and glucose within the physiological range, with only traces of sodium lactate if at all. The IR absorbance of glucose in interstitial fluid in vivo was probed in healthy volunteers using a setup with quantum cascade lasers and photoacoustic detection previously described [11]. A variation of blood glucose between approx. 80 mg/dl and 250 mg/dl in the volunteers was obtained using the standard oral glucose tolerance test (OGT). At two IR wavelengths, 1054 cm -1 and 1084 cm -1, a reasonable correlation between the photoacoustic signal from the skin and the blood glucose value as determined by conventional glucose test sticks using blood from the finger tip was obtained. The infrared photoacoustic glucose signal (PAGS) may serve as the key for a non-invasive glucose measurement, since the glucose content in interstitial fluid closely follows blood glucose in the time course and in the level (a delay of some minutes and a level of approx. 80-90% of the glucose level in blood). Interstitial fluid is present in skin layers at a depth of only 15-50 μm and is thus within the reach of mid-IR energy in an absorbance measurement. A non-invasive glucose measurement for diabetes patients based on mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers and photoacoustic detection could replace the conventional measurement using enzymatic test stripes and a drop of blood from the finger tip, thus reducing pain and being a cost-efficient alternative for millions of diabetes patients.

Non-Invasive Pneumothorax Detector

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-04-01

AD_________________ Award Number: W81XWH-09-2-0092 TITLE: Non-Invasive Pneumothorax Detector...REPORT TYPE Final 3. DATES COVERED 27 July 2009 – 31 August 2011 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Non-Invasive Pneumothorax ...that form the scope of work support the development and clinical testing of a non-invasive pneumothorax detector. Goal and objectives are reflected in

Self-Assembly of Semiconducting-Plasmonic Gold Nanoparticles with Enhanced Optical Property for Photoacoustic Imaging and Photothermal Therapy

PubMed Central

Yang, Zhen; Song, Jibin; Dai, Yunlu; Chen, Jingyi; Wang, Feng; Lin, Lisen; Liu, Yijing; Zhang, Fuwu; Yu, Guocan; Zhou, Zijian; Fan, Wenpei; Huang, Wei; Fan, Quli; Chen, Xiaoyuan

2017-01-01

Although various noble metal and semiconducting molecules have been developed as photoacoustic (PA) agents, the use of semiconducting polymer-metal nanoparticle hybrid materials to enhance PA signal has not been explored. A novel semiconducting-plasmonic nanovesicle was fabricated by self-assembly of semiconducting poly(perylene diimide) (PPDI) and poly(ethylene glycol (PEG) tethered gold nanoparticles (Au@PPDI/PEG). A highly localized and strongly enhanced electromagnetic (EM) field is distributed between adjacent gold nanoparticles in the vesicular shell, where the absorbing collapsed PPDI is present. Significantly, the EM field in turn enhances the light absorption efficiency of PPDI, leading to a much greater photothermal effect and a stronger photoacoustic signal compared to PDI nanoparticle or gold nanovesicle alone. The optical property of the hybrid vesicle can be further tailored by controlling the ratio of PPDI and gold nanoparticle as well as the adjustable interparticle distance of gold nanoparticles localized in the vesicular shell. In vivo imaging and therapeutic evaluation demonstrated that the hybrid vesicle is an excellent probe for cancer theranostics. PMID:28740543

Self-Assembly of Semiconducting-Plasmonic Gold Nanoparticles with Enhanced Optical Property for Photoacoustic Imaging and Photothermal Therapy.

PubMed

Yang, Zhen; Song, Jibin; Dai, Yunlu; Chen, Jingyi; Wang, Feng; Lin, Lisen; Liu, Yijing; Zhang, Fuwu; Yu, Guocan; Zhou, Zijian; Fan, Wenpei; Huang, Wei; Fan, Quli; Chen, Xiaoyuan

2017-01-01

Although various noble metal and semiconducting molecules have been developed as photoacoustic (PA) agents, the use of semiconducting polymer-metal nanoparticle hybrid materials to enhance PA signal has not been explored. A novel semiconducting-plasmonic nanovesicle was fabricated by self-assembly of semiconducting poly(perylene diimide) (PPDI) and poly(ethylene glycol (PEG) tethered gold nanoparticles (Au@PPDI/PEG). A highly localized and strongly enhanced electromagnetic (EM) field is distributed between adjacent gold nanoparticles in the vesicular shell, where the absorbing collapsed PPDI is present. Significantly, the EM field in turn enhances the light absorption efficiency of PPDI, leading to a much greater photothermal effect and a stronger photoacoustic signal compared to PDI nanoparticle or gold nanovesicle alone. The optical property of the hybrid vesicle can be further tailored by controlling the ratio of PPDI and gold nanoparticle as well as the adjustable interparticle distance of gold nanoparticles localized in the vesicular shell. In vivo imaging and therapeutic evaluation demonstrated that the hybrid vesicle is an excellent probe for cancer theranostics.

In-vivo continuous monitoring of mixed venous oxygen saturation by photoacoustic transesophageal echocardiography (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Li; Subramaniam, Balachundhar; Aguirre, Aaron D.; Andrawes, Michael N.; Tearney, Guillermo J.

2016-02-01

Mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO2), measured from pulmonary arteries, is a gold-standard measure of the dynamic balance between the oxygen supply and demand in the body. In critical care, continuous monitoring of SvO2 plays a vital role in early detection of circulatory shock and guiding goal-oriented resuscitation. In current clinical practice, SvO2 is measured by invasive pulmonary artery catheters (PAC), which are associated with a 10% risk of severe complications. To address the unmet clinical need for a non-invasive SvO2 monitor, we are developing a new technology termed photoacoustic transesophageal echocardiography (PA-TEE). PA-TEE integrates transesophageal echocardiography with photoacoustic oximetry, and enables continuous assessment of SvO2 through an esophageal probe that can be inserted into the body in a minimally invasive manner. We have constructed a clinically translatable PA-TEE prototype, which features a mobile OPO laser, a modified ultrasonography console and a dual-modality esophageal probe. Comprised of a rotatable acoustic array detector, a flexible optical fiber bundle and a light-integrating acoustic lens, the oximetric probe has an outer diameter smaller than 15 mm and will be tolerable for most patients. Through custom-made C++/Qt software, our device acquires and displays ultrasonic and photoacoustic images in real time to guide the deployment of the probe. SvO2 is calculated on-line and updated every second. PA-TEE has now been used to evaluate SvO2 in living swine. Our findings show that changing the fraction of oxygen in the inspired gas modulates SvO2 measured by PA-TEE. Statistic comparison between SvO2 measurements from PA-TEE in vivo the gold-standard laboratorial analysis on blood samples drawn from PACs will be presented.

Indocyanine Green Loaded Reduced Graphene Oxide for In Vivo Photoacoustic/Fluorescence Dual-Modality Tumor Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jingqin; Liu, Chengbo; Zeng, Guang; You, Yujia; Wang, Huina; Gong, Xiaojing; Zheng, Rongqin; Kim, Jeesu; Kim, Chulhong; Song, Liang

2016-02-01

Multimodality imaging based on multifunctional nanocomposites holds great promise to fundamentally augment the capability of biomedical imaging. Specifically, photoacoustic and fluorescence dual-modality imaging is gaining much interest because of their non-invasiveness and the complementary nature of the two modalities in terms of imaging resolution, depth, sensitivity, and speed. Herein, using a green and facile method, we synthesize indocyanine green (ICG) loaded, polyethylene glycol (PEG)ylated, reduced nano-graphene oxide nanocomposite (rNGO-PEG/ICG) as a new type of fluorescence and photoacoustic dual-modality imaging contrast. The nanocomposite is shown to have minimal toxicity and excellent photoacoustic/fluorescence signals both in vitro and in vivo. Compared with free ICG, the nanocomposite is demonstrated to possess greater stability, longer blood circulation time, and superior passive tumor targeting capability. In vivo study shows that the circulation time of rNGO-PEG/ICG in the mouse body can sustain up to 6 h upon intravenous injection; while after 1 day, no obvious accumulation of rNGO-PEG/ICG is found in any major organs except the tumor regions. The demonstrated high fluorescence/photoacoustic dual contrasts, together with its low toxicity and excellent circulation life time, suggest that the synthesized rNGO-PEG/ICG can be a promising candidate for further translational studies on both the early diagnosis and image-guided therapy/surgery of cancer.

Photoacoustic Techniques for Trace Gas Sensing Based on Semiconductor Laser Sources

PubMed Central

Elia, Angela; Lugarà, Pietro Mario; Di Franco, Cinzia; Spagnolo, Vincenzo

2009-01-01

The paper provides an overview on the use of photoacoustic sensors based on semiconductor laser sources for the detection of trace gases. We review the results obtained using standard, differential and quartz enhanced photoacoustic techniques. PMID:22303143

Application of acoustic micro-resonators in quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy for trace gas analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Huadan; Dong, Lei; Wu, Hongpeng; Yin, Xukun; Xiao, Liantuan; Jia, Suotang; Curl, Robert F.; Tittel, Frank K.

2018-01-01

During the past 15 years since the first report of quartz enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS), QEPAS has become one of the leading optical techniques for trace chemical gas sensing. This paper is a review of the current state-of-the art of QEPAS. QEPAS based spectrophones with different acoustic micro-resonators (AmR) configurations employing both standard quartz tuning forks (QTFs) and custom-made QTFs are summarized and discussed in detail.

Multi-modality analysis of glucose aqueous solution using photoacoustic and dielectric spectroscopy for non-invasive glucose monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tajima, Takuro; Tanaka, Yujiro; Nakamura, Masahito; Seyama, Michiko

2017-03-01

Quantitative analysis of glucose using conventional optical spectroscopy suffers from a lack of repeatability due to high optical scattering in skin tissue. Here we present a multi-modality analysis of glucose aqueous solution using photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) and broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BDS). These techniques involve the direct detection of the acoustic and electromagnetic waves propagating through or reflecting from tissue without their being scattered. They therefore have potential for better tolerance to the variation of scattering. For PAS, to differentiate signals induced by water absorption, we select another laser wavelength (1.38 μm) that exhibits the same absorbance for water at 1.61 μm. Furthermore, one of the two photoacoustic signals is used to normalize the variations of acoustic properties in differential signal. Measured results for glucose solutions (0-2 g/dL) showed that the differential signal has a sensitivity of 1.61%/g·dL-1 and a detection limit of 120 mg/dL. We also tested glucose detection with BDS (500 MHz to 50 GHz) by detecting glucose hydration bonding at around 10-20 GHz. Using a partial least square analysis and first derivation on broadband spectra, we obtained an RMS error 19 mg/dL and a detection limit of 59 mg/dL. Using both the low-scattering ultrasonic and microwave detection techniques, we successfully captured the glucose footprint in the physiological range.

The Enhancement of Composite Scarf Joint Interface Strength Through Carbon Nanotube Reinforcement

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-06-01

includes single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes ( MWCNT ) with varying length, purity, and concentration levels along the...OF PAGES 106 14. SUBJECT TERMS Carbon Nanotubes, CNT, SWCNT, MWCNT , Bamboo, Polymer Composite, Joint Strength Enhancement, Reinforcement 16...variables concerning the carbon nanotube application. The testing includes single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes ( MWCNT

Acoustic fingerprints of photoacoustic contrast agents for molecular imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDonald, Michael A.; Jankovic, Ladislav; Shahzad, Khalid; Burcher, Michael; Li, King C. P.

2007-02-01

Protein nanospheres capable of frequency controlled oscillation in response to laser stimulation are presented as contrast agents for photoacoustic imaging. Incident laser energy absorbed by dye-labeled protein nanospheres causes thermoelastically generated sound production. Plotted A-line graphs reveal a distinctive morphology and greater than 2 orders of magnitude increase in signal amplitude subsequent to converting labeled proteins into nanospheres. Evidence of nonlinearity and enhancement of ultrasound backscatter indicate a potential use in contrast-enhanced harmonic imaging. Photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging of protein nanospheres in phantom vessels show enhanced contrast at low concentration and clear delineation of the phantom vessel wall.

Visualization of microcalcifications using photoacoustic imaging: feasibility study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsiao, Tsai-Chu; Wang, Po-Hsun; Fan, Chih-Tai; Cheng, Yao-You; Li, Meng-Lin

2011-03-01

Recently, photoacoustic imaging has been intensively studied for blood vessel imaging, and shown its capability of revealing vascular features suggestive of malignancy of breast cancer. In this study, we explore the feasibility of visualization of micro-calcifications using photoacoustic imaging. Breast micro-calcification is also known as one of the most important indicators for early breast cancer detection. The non-ionizing radiation and speckle free nature of photoacoustic imaging overcomes the drawbacks of current diagnostic tools - X-ray mammography and ultrasound imaging, respectively. We employed a 10-MHz photoacoustic imaging system to verify our idea. A sliced chicken breast phantom with granulated calcium hydroxyapatite (HA) - major chemical composition of the breast calcification associated with malignant breast cancers - embedded was imaged. With the near infared (NIR) laser excitation, it is shown that the distribution of ~500 μm HAs can be clearly imaged. In addition, photoacoustic signals from HAs rivals those of blood given an optimal NIR wavelength. In summary, photoacoustic imaging shows its promise for breast micro-calcification detection. Moreover, fusion of the photoacoustic and ultrasound images can reveal the location and distribution of micro-calcifications within anatomical landmarks of the breast tissue, which is clinically useful for biopsy and diagnosis of breast cancer staging.

Photoacoustic Tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Lihong V.

Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) refers to imaging that is based on the photoacoustic effect. Although the photoacoustic effect as a physical phenomenon was first reported on by Alexander Graham Bell in 1880 [1], PAT as an imaging technology was developed only after the advent of ultrasonic transducers, computers, and lasers [2-31]. A review on biomedical photoacoustics is available [32]. The motivation for PAT is to combine optical-absorption contrast with ultrasonic spatial resolution for deep imaging in the optical quasi-diffusive or diffusive regime. In PAT, the tissue is irradiated by usually a short-pulsed laser beam to achieve a thermal and acoustic impulse response (Fig. 19.1). Locally absorbed light is converted into heat, which is further converted to a pressure rise via thermo-elastic expansion. The initial pressure rise - determined by the local optical absorption coefficient (μ â ), fluence (ψ) and other thermal and mechanical properties - propagates as an ultrasonic wave, which is referred to as a photoacoustic wave.

Non-contact photoacoustic tomography and ultrasonography for brain imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rousseau, Guy; Blouin, Alain; Monchalin, Jean-Pierre

2012-02-01

Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) and ultrasonography (US) of biological tissues usually rely on transducer arrays for the detection of ultrasound. Obtaining the best sensitivity requires a physical contact with the tissue using an intermediate coupling fluid (water or gel). This type of contact is a major drawback for several applications such as neurosurgery. Laser-ultrasonics is an established optical technique for the non-contact generation and detection of ultrasound in industrial materials. In this paper, the non-contact detection scheme used in laser-ultrasonics is adapted to allow probing of ultrasound in biological tissues while remaining below laser exposure safety limits. Both non-contact PAT (NCPAT) and non-contact US (NCUS) are demonstrated experimentally using a single-frequency detection laser emitting suitably shaped pulses and a confocal Fabry-Perot interferometer. It is shown that an acceptable sensitivity is obtained while remaining below the maximum permissible exposure (MPE) of biological tissues. Results obtained ex vivo with a calf brain specimen show that sub-mm endogenous and exogenous inclusions can be detected at depths exceeding 1 cm. When fully developed, the technique could be a unique diagnostic tool in neurosurgery providing deep imaging of blood vessels, blood clots and blood oxygenation.

In vivo high-resolution 3D photoacoustic imaging of superficial vascular anatomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, E. Z.; Laufer, J. G.; Pedley, R. B.; Beard, P. C.

2009-02-01

The application of a photoacoustic imaging instrument based upon a Fabry-Perot polymer film ultrasound sensor to imaging the superficial vasculature is described. This approach provides a backward mode-sensing configuration that has the potential to overcome the limitations of current piezoelectric based detection systems used in superficial photoacoustic imaging. The system has been evaluated by obtaining non-invasive images of the vasculature in human and mouse skin as well as mouse models of human colorectal tumours. These studies showed that the system can provide high-resolution 3D images of vascular structures to depths of up to 5 mm. It is considered that this type of instrument may find a role in the clinical assessment of conditions characterized by changes in the vasculature such as skin tumours and superficial soft tissue damage due to burns, wounds or ulceration. It may also find application in the characterization of small animal cancer models where it is important to follow the tumour vasculature over time in order to study its development and/or response to therapy.

Spatially Fourier-encoded photoacoustic microscopy using a digital micromirror device

PubMed Central

Liang, Jinyang; Gao, Liang; Li, Chiye; Wang, Lihong V.

2014-01-01

We have developed spatially Fourier-encoded photoacoustic microscopy using a digital micromirror device. The spatial intensity distribution of laser pulses is Fourier-encoded, and a series of such encoded photoacoustic measurements allows one to decode the spatial distribution of optical absorption. The throughput and Fellgett advantages were demonstrated by imaging a chromium target. By using 63 spatial elements, the signal-to-noise ratio in the recovered photoacoustic signal was enhanced by ~4×. The system was used to image two biological targets, a monolayer of red blood cells and melanoma cells. PMID:24487832

Transurethral light delivery for prostate photoacoustic imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lediju Bell, Muyinatu A.; Guo, Xiaoyu; Song, Danny Y.; Boctor, Emad M.

2015-03-01

Photoacoustic imaging has broad clinical potential to enhance prostate cancer detection and treatment, yet it is challenged by the lack of minimally invasive, deeply penetrating light delivery methods that provide sufficient visualization of targets (e.g., tumors, contrast agents, brachytherapy seeds). We constructed a side-firing fiber prototype for transurethral photoacoustic imaging of prostates with a dual-array (linear and curvilinear) transrectal ultrasound probe. A method to calculate the surface area and, thereby, estimate the laser fluence at this fiber tip was derived, validated, applied to various design parameters, and used as an input to three-dimensional Monte Carlo simulations. Brachytherapy seeds implanted in phantom, ex vivo, and in vivo canine prostates at radial distances of 5 to 30 mm from the urethra were imaged with the fiber prototype transmitting 1064 nm wavelength light with 2 to 8 mJ pulse energy. Prebeamformed images were displayed in real time at a rate of 3 to 5 frames per second to guide fiber placement and beamformed offline. A conventional delay-and-sum beamformer provided decreasing seed contrast (23 to 9 dB) with increasing urethra-to-target distance, while the short-lag spatial coherence beamformer provided improved and relatively constant seed contrast (28 to 32 dB) regardless of distance, thus improving multitarget visualization in single and combined curvilinear images acquired with the fiber rotating and the probe fixed. The proposed light delivery and beamforming methods promise to improve key prostate cancer detection and treatment strategies.

Enhanced thermal stability of silica-coated gold nanorods for photoacoustic imaging and image-guided therapy.

PubMed

Chen, Yun-Sheng; Frey, Wolfgang; Kim, Seungsoo; Homan, Kimberly; Kruizinga, Pieter; Sokolov, Konstantin; Emelianov, Stanislav

2010-04-26

Photothermal stability and, therefore, consistency of both optical absorption and photoacoustic response of the plasmonic nanoabsorbers is critical for successful photoacoustic image-guided photothermal therapy. In this study, silica-coated gold nanorods were developed as a multifunctional molecular imaging and therapeutic agent suitable for image-guided photothermal therapy. The optical properties and photothermal stability of silica-coated gold nanorods under intense irradiation with nanosecond laser pulses were investigated by UV-Vis spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Silica-coated gold nanorods showed increased photothermal stability and retained their superior optical properties under much higher fluences. The changes in photoacoustic response of PEGylated and silica-coated nanorods under laser pulses of various fluences were compared. The silica-coated gold nanorods provide a stable photoacoustic signal, which implies better imaging capabilities and make silica-coated gold nanorods a promising imaging and therapeutic nano-agent for photoacoustic imaging and image-guided photothermal therapy.

Enhanced thermal stability of silica-coated gold nanorods for photoacoustic imaging and image-guided therapy

PubMed Central

Chen, Yun-Sheng; Frey, Wolfgang; Kim, Seungsoo; Homan, Kimberly; Kruizinga, Pieter; Sokolov, Konstantin; Emelianov, Stanislav

2010-01-01

Photothermal stability and, therefore, consistency of both optical absorption and photoacoustic response of the plasmonic nanoabsorbers is critical for successful photoacoustic image-guided photothermal therapy. In this study, silica-coated gold nanorods were developed as a multifunctional molecular imaging and therapeutic agent suitable for image-guided photothermal therapy. The optical properties and photothermal stability of silica-coated gold nanorods under intense irradiation with nanosecond laser pulses were investigated by UV-Vis spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Silica-coated gold nanorods showed increased photothermal stability and retained their superior optical properties under much higher fluences. The changes in photoacoustic response of PEGylated and silica-coated nanorods under laser pulses of various fluences were compared. The silica-coated gold nanorods provide a stable photoacoustic signal, which implies better imaging capabilities and make silica-coated gold nanorods a promising imaging and therapeutic nano-agent for photoacoustic imaging and image-guided photothermal therapy. PMID:20588732

3-D photoacoustic and pulse echo imaging of prostate tumor progression in the mouse window chamber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauer, Daniel R.; Olafsson, Ragnar; Montilla, Leonardo G.; Witte, Russell S.

2011-02-01

Understanding the tumor microenvironment is critical to characterizing how cancers operate and predicting their response to treatment. We describe a novel, high-resolution coregistered photoacoustic (PA) and pulse echo (PE) ultrasound system used to image the tumor microenvironment. Compared to traditional optical systems, the platform provides complementary contrast and important depth information. Three mice are implanted with a dorsal skin flap window chamber and injected with PC-3 prostate tumor cells transfected with green fluorescent protein. The ensuing tumor invasion is mapped during three weeks or more using simultaneous PA and PE imaging at 25 MHz, combined with optical and fluorescent techniques. Pulse echo imaging provides details of tumor structure and the surrounding environment with 100-μm3 resolution. Tumor size increases dramatically with an average volumetric growth rate of 5.35 mm3/day, correlating well with 2-D fluorescent imaging (R = 0.97, p < 0.01). Photoacoustic imaging is able to track the underlying vascular network and identify hemorrhaging, while PA spectroscopy helps classify blood vessels according to their optical absorption spectrum, suggesting variation in blood oxygen saturation. Photoacoustic and PE imaging are safe, translational modalities that provide enhanced depth resolution and complementary contrast to track the tumor microenvironment, evaluate new cancer therapies, and develop molecular contrast agents in vivo.

Compact photoacoustic tomography system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalva, Sandeep Kumar; Pramanik, Manojit

2017-03-01

Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) is a non-ionizing biomedical imaging modality which finds applications in brain imaging, tumor angiogenesis, monitoring of vascularization, breast cancer imaging, monitoring of oxygen saturation levels etc. Typical PAT systems uses Q-switched Nd:YAG laser light illumination, single element large ultrasound transducer (UST) as detector. By holding the UST in horizontal plane and moving it in a circular motion around the sample in full 2π radians photoacoustic data is collected and images are reconstructed. The horizontal positioning of the UST make the scanning radius large, leading to larger water tank and also increases the load on the motor that rotates the UST. To overcome this limitation, we present a compact photoacoustic tomographic (ComPAT) system. In this ComPAT system, instead of holding the UST in horizontal plane, it is held in vertical plane and the photoacoustic waves generated at the sample are detected by the UST after it is reflected at 45° by an acoustic reflector attached to the transducer body. With this we can reduce the water tank size and load on the motor, thus overall PAT system size can be reduced. Here we show that with the ComPAT system nearly similar PA images (phantom and in vivo data) can be obtained as that of the existing PAT systems using both flat and cylindrically focused transducers.

Reproductive effort in invasive and non-invasive Rubus.

PubMed

McDowell, Susan C; Turner, David P

2002-10-01

We quantified the physiological costs and the total amount of resources allocated to reproduction in two closely related species of Rubus, one of which is invasive. These two species share several morphological and life-history characteristics and grow together in the Pacific Northwestern United States. Reproductive effort was manipulated in canes of both species by removing flower buds. The non-invasive species, R. ursinus, exhibited significantly greater water stress in the reproductive canes, as indicated by lower leaf water potential (Ψ) and reduced stomatal conductance (g s ). This species also showed a reduction in leaf nitrogen concentration ([N]) associated with reproduction. Combined, these factors led to reduced photosynthesis (A) on a diurnal basis, lower water-use efficiency as inferred from δ 13 C, and reduced photosynthetic capacity. All of these effects were more pronounced during the fruiting stage than in the flowering stage. The invasive species, R. discolor, showed no changes in water stress, [N], δ 13 C, or A associated with reproduction. A model was used to estimate total gross photosynthesis (A gross ) for reproductive and non-reproductive canes of both species over cane lifetime. Reproduction was associated with a greater decline in A gross for the non-invasive R. ursinus than for the invasive R. discolor. Although R. discolor allocated more resources directly to flowers and fruit than R. ursinus, the invasive species had significantly lower reproductive effort, or total amount of resources diverted from vegetative activity to reproduction, than the non-invasive species. By minimizing the reduction of photosynthesis associated with reproduction, this invasive species may be able to minimize the trade-offs commonly associated with reproduction.

Cavity-enhanced Raman microscopy of individual carbon nanotubes

PubMed Central

Hümmer, Thomas; Noe, Jonathan; Hofmann, Matthias S.; Hänsch, Theodor W.; Högele, Alexander; Hunger, David

2016-01-01

Raman spectroscopy reveals chemically specific information and provides label-free insight into the molecular world. However, the signals are intrinsically weak and call for enhancement techniques. Here, we demonstrate Purcell enhancement of Raman scattering in a tunable high-finesse microcavity, and utilize it for molecular diagnostics by combined Raman and absorption imaging. Studying individual single-wall carbon nanotubes, we identify crucial structural parameters such as nanotube radius, electronic structure and extinction cross-section. We observe a 320-times enhanced Raman scattering spectral density and an effective Purcell factor of 6.2, together with a collection efficiency of 60%. Potential for significantly higher enhancement, quantitative signals, inherent spectral filtering and absence of intrinsic background in cavity-vacuum stimulated Raman scattering render the technique a promising tool for molecular imaging. Furthermore, cavity-enhanced Raman transitions involving localized excitons could potentially be used for gaining quantum control over nanomechanical motion and open a route for molecular cavity optomechanics. PMID:27402165

Carbon Nanotube-Enhanced Carbon-Phenenolic Ablator Material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kikolaev, P.; Stackpoole, M.; Fan, W.; Cruden, B. A.; Waid, M.; Moloney, P.; Arepalli, S.; Arnold, J.; Partridge, H.; Yowell, L.

2006-01-01

This viewgraph presentation reviews the use of PICA (phenolic impregnated carbon ablator) as the selected material for heat shielding for future earth return vehicles. It briefly reviews the manufacturing of PICA and the advantages for the use of heat shielding, and then explains the reason for using Carbon Nanotubes to improve strength of phenolic resin that binds carbon fibers together. It reviews the work being done to create a carbon nanotube enhanced PICA. Also shown are various micrographic images of the various PICA materials.

Radio frequency energy for non-invasive and minimally invasive skin tightening.

PubMed

Mulholland, R Stephen

2011-07-01

This article reviews the non-invasive and minimally invasive options for skin tightening, focusing on peer-reviewed articles and presentations and those technologies with the most proven or promising RF non-excisional skin-tightening results for excisional surgeons. RF has been the mainstay of non-invasive skin tightening and has emerged as the "cutting edge" technology in the minimally invasive skin-tightening field. Because these RF skin-tightening technologies are capital equipment purchases with a significant cost associated, this article also discusses some business issues and models that have proven to work in the plastic surgeon's office for non-invasive and minimally invasive skin-tightening technologies. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Plasmon enhanced Raman scattering effect for an atom near a carbon nanotube

DOE PAGES

Bondarev, I. V.

2015-01-01

Quantum electrodynamics theory of the resonance Raman scattering is developed for an atom in a close proximity to a carbon nanotube. The theory predicts a dramatic enhancement of the Raman intensity in the strong atomic coupling regime to nanotube plasmon near-fields. This resonance scattering is a manifestation of the general electromagnetic surface enhanced Raman scattering effect, and can be used in designing efficient nanotube based optical sensing substrates for single atom detection, precision spontaneous emission control, and manipulation.

The characterization of an economic and portable LED-based photoacoustic imaging system to facilitate molecular imaging.

PubMed

Hariri, Ali; Lemaster, Jeanne; Wang, Junxin; Jeevarathinam, AnanthaKrishnan S; Chao, Daniel L; Jokerst, Jesse V

2018-03-01

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) is a non-invasive, high-resolution hybrid imaging modality that combines optical excitation and ultrasound detection. PAI can image endogenous chromophores (melanin, hemoglobin, etc.) and exogenous contrast agents in different medical applications. However, most current equipment uses sophisticated and complicated OPO lasers with tuning and stability features inconsistent with broad clinical deployment. As the number of applications of PAI in medicine increases, there is an urgent need to make the imaging equipment more compact, portable, and affordable. Here, portable light emitting diode - based photoacoustic imaging (PLED-PAI) was introduced and characterized in terms of system specifications, light source characterizations, photoacoustic spatial/temporal resolution, and penetration. The system uses two LED arrays attached to the sides of a conventional ultrasound transducer. The LED pulse repetition rate is tunable between 1 K Hz, 2 K Hz, 3 K Hz, and 4 K Hz. The axial resolution was 0.268 mm, and the lateral resolution was between 0.55 and 0.59 mm. The system could detect optical absorber (pencil lead) at a depth of 3.2 cm and the detection limits of indocyanine green (ICG) and methylene blue (MB) were 9 μM and 0.78 mM. In vivo imaging of labeled human mesenchymal stem cells was achieved to confirm compatibility with small animal imaging. The characterization we report here may have value to other groups evaluating commercially available photoacoustic imaging equipment.

New developments in photoacoustics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rosencwaig, A.

1981-07-01

There have been several important new developments in the fields of photoacoustics and photoacoustic spectroscopy. Photoactoustic techniques are now being used in ferromagnetic and electron spin resonance experiments, and there have been rapid advances in Fourier-transform infrared photoacoustic spectroscopy. In addition, the calorimetric aspects of photoacoustics are now being extensively exploited for phase transition studies, and to perform thermal-wave imaging and microscopy.

Beat frequency quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy for fast and calibration-free continuous trace-gas monitoring

PubMed Central

Wu, Hongpeng; Dong, Lei; Zheng, Huadan; Yu, Yajun; Ma, Weiguang; Zhang, Lei; Yin, Wangbao; Xiao, Liantuan; Jia, Suotang; Tittel, Frank K.

2017-01-01

Quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS) is a sensitive gas detection technique which requires frequent calibration and has a long response time. Here we report beat frequency (BF) QEPAS that can be used for ultra-sensitive calibration-free trace-gas detection and fast spectral scan applications. The resonance frequency and Q-factor of the quartz tuning fork (QTF) as well as the trace-gas concentration can be obtained simultaneously by detecting the beat frequency signal generated when the transient response signal of the QTF is demodulated at its non-resonance frequency. Hence, BF-QEPAS avoids a calibration process and permits continuous monitoring of a targeted trace gas. Three semiconductor lasers were selected as the excitation source to verify the performance of the BF-QEPAS technique. The BF-QEPAS method is capable of measuring lower trace-gas concentration levels with shorter averaging times as compared to conventional PAS and QEPAS techniques and determines the electrical QTF parameters precisely. PMID:28561065

Enhanced absorption in a reverse saturable absorbing dye blended with carbon nanotubes.

PubMed

Webster, Scott; Reyes-Reyes, Marisol; Williams, Richard; Carroll, David L

2008-12-01

Using nonlinear absorption at 532 nm in the nanosecond temporal regime, we have measured the low fluence nonlinear transmittance properties of the reverse saturable absorbing carbocyanine dye, 1,1',3,3,3',3'-hexamethylindotricarbocyanine iodide (HITCI), blended with well dispersed carbon nanotubes. The nonlinear optical properties of the blends are strongly dependent on the ratio of dye to nanotubes in solution. In the case where the nanotubes per dye molecule ratio is large, we see a distinctive enhancement in optical fluence limiting properties of the system, suggesting enhanced absorption of the excited states. However, when the nanotube to dye ratio decreases, the system's response is dominated by the behavior of the dye. We suggest that this can be understood as a two component system in which sensitized dye molecules associated with the nanotubes have an effectively different optical cross-section from the dye molecules far from the nanotubes. From classical antennae considerations, this is expected.

High-speed photoacoustic imaging using an LED-based photoacoustic imaging system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, Naoto; Kuniyil Ajith Singh, Mithun; Shigeta, Yusuke; Hanaoka, Takamitsu; Agano, Toshitaka

2018-02-01

Recently we developed a multispectral LED-based photoacoustic/ultrasound imaging system (AcousticX) and have been continuously working on its technical/functional improvements. AcousticX is a linear array ultrasound transducer (128 elements, 10 MHz)-based system in which LED arrays (selectable wavelengths, pulse repetition frequency: 4 kHz, pulse width: tunable from 40 - 100 ns) are fixed on both sides of the transducer to illuminate the tissue for photoacoustic imaging. The ultrasound/photoacoustic data from all 128 elements can be simultaneously acquired, processed and displayed. We already demonstrated our system's capability to perform photoacoustic/ultrasound imaging for dynamic imaging of the tissue at a frame rate of 10 Hz (for example to visualize the pulsation of arteries in vivo in human subjects). In this work, we present the development of a new high-speed imaging mode in AcousticX. In this mode, instead of toggling between ultrasound and photoacoustic measurements, it is possible to continuously acquire only photoacoustic data for 1.5 seconds with a time interval of 1 ms. With this improvement, we can record photoacoustic signals from the whole aperture (38 mm) at fast rate and can be reviewed later at different speeds for analyzing dynamic changes in the photoacoustic signals. We believe that AcousticX with this new high-speed mode opens up a feasible technical path for multiple dynamic studies, for example one which focus on imaging the response of voltage sensitive dyes. We envisage to improve the acquisition speed further in future for exploring ultra-high-speed applications.

Comparison study on the feasibility of photoacoustic power spectrum analysis in osteoporosis detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Weizhen; Zhu, Yunhao; Feng, Ting; Wang, Huaideng; Yuan, Jie; Xu, Guan; Wang, Xueding; Carson, Paul

2017-03-01

Osteoporosis is a progressive bone disease which is characterized by a decrease in the bone mass and deterioration in bone micro-architecture. In theory, photoacoustic (PA) imaging analysis has potential to obtain the characteristics of the bone effectively. Previous study demonstrated that photoacoustic spectral analysis (PASA) method with the qualified parameter slope could provide an objective assessment of bone microstructure and deterioration. In this study, we tried to compare PASA method with the traditional quantitative ultrasound (QUS) method in osteoporosis assessment. Numerical simulations of both PA and ultrasound (US) signal are performed on computerized tomographic (CT) images of trabecular bone with different bone mineral densities (BMDs). Ex vivo experiments were conducted on porcine femur bone model of different BMDs. We compared the quantified parameter slope and the broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) coefficient from the PASA and QUS among different bone models, respectively. Both the simulation and ex vivo experiment results show that bone with low BMD has a higher slope value and lower BUA value. Our result demonstrated that the PASA method has the same efficacy with QUS in bone assessment, considering PA is a non-ionizing, non-invasive technique, PASA method holds potential for clinical diagnosis in osteoporosis and other bone diseases.

Quantitative phase-filtered wavelength-modulated differential photoacoustic radar tumor hypoxia imaging toward early cancer detection.

PubMed

Dovlo, Edem; Lashkari, Bahman; Soo Sean Choi, Sung; Mandelis, Andreas; Shi, Wei; Liu, Fei-Fei

2017-09-01

Overcoming the limitations of conventional linear spectroscopy used in multispectral photoacoustic imaging, wherein a linear relationship is assumed between the absorbed optical energy and the absorption spectra of the chromophore at a specific location, is crucial for obtaining accurate spatially-resolved quantitative functional information by exploiting known chromophore-specific spectral characteristics. This study introduces a non-invasive phase-filtered differential photoacoustic technique, wavelength-modulated differential photoacoustic radar (WM-DPAR) imaging that addresses this issue by eliminating the effect of the unknown wavelength-dependent fluence. It employs two laser wavelengths modulated out-of-phase to significantly suppress background absorption while amplifying the difference between the two photoacoustic signals. This facilitates pre-malignant tumor identification and hypoxia monitoring, as minute changes in total hemoglobin concentration and hemoglobin oxygenation are detectable. The system can be tuned for specific applications such as cancer screening and SO 2 quantification by regulating the amplitude ratio and phase shift of the signal. The WM-DPAR imaging of a head and neck carcinoma tumor grown in the thigh of a nude rat demonstrates the functional PA imaging of small animals in vivo. The PA appearance of the tumor in relation to tumor vascularity is investigated by immunohistochemistry. Phase-filtered WM-DPAR imaging is also illustrated, maximizing quantitative SO 2 imaging fidelity of tissues. Oxygenation levels within a tumor grown in the thigh of a nude rat using the two-wavelength phase-filtered differential PAR method. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Allan Deviation Plot as a Tool for Quartz-Enhanced Photoacoustic Sensors Noise Analysis.

PubMed

Giglio, Marilena; Patimisco, Pietro; Sampaolo, Angelo; Scamarcio, Gaetano; Tittel, Frank K; Spagnolo, Vincenzo

2016-04-01

We report here on the use of the Allan deviation plot to analyze the long-term stability of a quartz-enhanced photoacoustic (QEPAS) gas sensor. The Allan plot provides information about the optimum averaging time for the QEPAS signal and allows the prediction of its ultimate detection limit. The Allan deviation can also be used to determine the main sources of noise coming from the individual components of the sensor. Quartz tuning fork thermal noise dominates for integration times up to 275 s, whereas at longer averaging times, the main contribution to the sensor noise originates from laser power instabilities.

Non-interferometric deep optical resolution photoacoustic remote sensing microscopy (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

HajiReza, Parsin H.; Bell, Kevan L.; Shi, Wei; Zemp, Roger J.

2017-03-01

A novel all-optical non-contact photoacoustic microscopy system is introduced. The confocal configuration is used to ensure detection of initial pressure shock wave-induced intensity reflections at the subsurface origin where pressures are largest. Phantom studies confirm signal dependence on optical absorption, index-contrast, and excitation fluence. Taking advantage of a focused1310 nm interrogation beam, the penetration depth of the system is improved to 2mm for an optical resolution system. High signal-to-noise ratios (>60dB) with 2.5 cm working distance from the objective lens to the sample is achieved. Real-time in-vivo imaging of microvasculature and melanoma tumors are demonstrated.

Miniaturized photoacoustic spectrometer

DOEpatents

Okandan, Murat; Robinson, Alex; Nielson, Gregory N.; Resnick, Paul J.

2016-08-09

A low-power miniaturized photoacoustic sensor uses an optical microphone made by semiconductor fabrication techniques, and optionally allows for all-optical communication to and from the sensor. This allows integration of the photoacoustic sensor into systems with special requirements, such as those that would be reactive in an electrical discharge condition. The photoacoustic sensor can also be operated in various other modes with wide application flexibility.

Characterizing intestinal strictures with acoustic resolution photoacoustic microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lei, Hao; Xu, Guan; Liu, Shengchun; Johnson, Laura A.; Moons, David S.; Higgins, Peter D. R.; Rice, Michael D.; Ni, Jun; Wang, Xueding

2016-03-01

Crohn's disease (CD) is an autoimmune disease, which may cause obstructing intestinal strictures due to inflammation, fibrosis (deposition of collagen), or a combination of both. Identifying the different stages of the disease progression is still challenging. In this work, we indicated the feasibility of non-invasively characterizing intestinal strictures using photoacoustic imaging (PAI), utilizing the uniquely optical absorption of hemoglobin and collagen. Surgically removed human intestinal stricture specimens were investigated with a prototype PAI system. 2D PA images with acoustic resolution at wavelength 532, 1210 and 1310 nm were formulated, and furthermore, the PA histochemical components images which show the microscopic distributions of histochemical components were solved. Imaging experiments on surgically removed human intestinal specimens has demonstrated the solved PA images were significantly different associated with the presence of fibrosis, which could be applied to characterize the intestinal strictures for given specimens.

Evans blue dye-enhanced capillary-resolution photoacoustic microscopy in vivo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Junjie; Maslov, Konstantin; Hu, Song; Wang, Lihong V.

2009-09-01

Complete and continuous imaging of microvascular networks is crucial for a wide variety of biomedical applications. Photoacoustic tomography can provide high resolution microvascular imaging using hemoglobin within red blood cells (RBCs) as an endogenic contrast agent. However, intermittent RBC flow in capillaries results in discontinuous and fragmentary capillary images. To overcome this problem, we use Evans blue (EB) dye as a contrast agent for in vivo photoacoustic imaging. EB has strong optical absorption and distributes uniformly in the blood stream by chemically binding to albumin. With the help of EB, complete and continuous microvascular networks--especially capillaries--are imaged. The diffusion dynamics of EB leaving the blood stream and the clearance dynamics of the EB-albumin complex are also quantitatively investigated.

Non-invasive hemoglobin monitoring.

PubMed

Joseph, Bellal; Haider, Ansab; Rhee, Peter

2016-09-01

Technology has transformed the practice of medicine and surgery in particular over the last several decades. This change in practice has allowed diagnostic and therapeutic tests to be performed less invasively. Hemoglobin monitoring remains one of the most commonly performed diagnostic tests in the United States. Recently, non-invasive hemoglobin monitoring technology has gained popularity. The aim of this article is to review the principles of how this technology works, pros and cons, and the implications of non-invasive hemoglobin technology particularly in trauma surgery. Copyright © 2015 IJS Publishing Group Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High Electromagnetic Field Enhancement of TiO2 Nanotube Electrodes.

PubMed

Öner, Ibrahim Halil; Querebillo, Christine Joy; David, Christin; Gernert, Ulrich; Walter, Carsten; Driess, Matthias; Leimkühler, Silke; Ly, Khoa Hoang; Weidinger, Inez M

2018-06-11

We present the fabrication of TiO 2 nanotube electrodes with high biocompatibility and extraordinary spectroscopic properties. Intense surface-enhanced resonance Raman signals of the heme unit of the redox enzyme Cytochrome b 5 were observed upon covalent immobilization of the protein matrix on the TiO 2 surface, revealing overall preserved structural integrity and redox behavior. The enhancement factor could be rationally controlled by varying the electrode annealing temperature, reaching a record maximum value of over 70 at 475 °C. For the first time, such high values are reported for non-directly surface-interacting probes, for which the involvement of charge-transfer processes in signal amplification can be excluded. The origin of the surface enhancement is exclusively attributed to enhanced localized electric fields resulting from the specific optical properties of the nanotubular geometry of the electrode. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Photoacoustic sensor for medical diagnostics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolff, Marcus; Groninga, Hinrich G.; Harde, Hermann

2004-03-01

The development of new optical sensor technologies has a major impact on the progress of diagnostic methods. Of the permanently increasing number of non-invasive breath tests, the 13C-Urea Breath Test (UBT) for the detection of Helicobacter pylori is the most prominent. However, many recent developments, like the detection of cancer by breath test, go beyond gastroenterological applications. We present a new detection scheme for breath analysis that employs an especially compact and simple set-up. Photoacoustic Spectroscopy (PAS) represents an offset-free technique that allows for short absorption paths and small sample cells. Using a single-frequency diode laser and taking advantage of acoustical resonances of the sample cell, we performed extremely sensitive and selective measurements. The smart data processing method contributes to the extraordinary sensitivity and selectivity as well. Also, the reasonable acquisition cost and low operational cost make this detection scheme attractive for many biomedical applications. The experimental set-up and data processing method, together with exemplary isotope-selective measurements on carbon dioxide, are presented.

Frequency-domain photoacoustic and fluorescence microscopy: application on labeled and unlabeled cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langer, Gregor; Buchegger, Bianca; Jacak, Jaroslaw; Pfeffer, Karoline; Wohlfarth, Sven; Hannesschläger, Günther; Klar, Thomas A.; Berer, Thomas

2018-02-01

In this paper, multimodal optical-resolution frequency-domain photoacoustic and fluorescence scanning microscopy is presented on labeled and unlabeled cells. In many molecules, excited electrons relax radiatively and non-radiatively, leading to fluorescence and photoacoustic signals, respectively. Both signals can then be detected simultaneously. There also exist molecules, e.g. hemoglobin, which do not exhibit fluorescence, but provide photoacoustic signals solely. Other molecules, especially fluorescent dyes, preferentially exhibit fluorescence. The fluorescence quantum yield of a molecule and with it the strength of photoacoustic and fluorescence signals depends on the local environment, e.g. on the pH. Therefore, the local distribution of the simultaneously recorded photoacoustic and fluorescence signals may be used in order to obtain information about the local chemistry.

Photothermal and photoacoustic Raman cytometry in vitro and in vivo

PubMed Central

Shashkov, Evgeny V.; Galanzha, Ekaterina I.; Zharov, Vladimir P.

2010-01-01

An integrated Raman-based cytometry was developed with photothermal (PT) and photoacoustic (PA) detection of Raman-induced thermal and acoustic signals in biological samples with Raman-active vibrational modes. The two-frequency, spatially and temporally overlapping pump–Stokes excitation in counterpropagating geometry was provided by a nanosecond tunable (420–2300 nm) optical parametric oscillator and a Raman shifter (639 nm) pumped by a double-pulsed Q-switched Nd:YAG laser using microscopic and fiberoptic delivery of laser radiation. The PA and PT Raman detection and imaging technique was tested in vitro with benzene, acetone, olive oil, carbon nanotubes, chylomicron phantom, and cancer cells, and in vivo in single adipocytes in mouse mesentery model. The integration of linear and nonlinear PA and PT Raman scanning and flow cytometry has the potential to enhance its chemical specificity and sensitivity including nanobubble-based amplification (up to 10- fold) for detection of absorbing and nonabsorbing targets that are important for both basic and clinically relevant studies of lymph and blood biochemistry, cancer, and fat distribution at the single-cell level. PMID:20389713

Double polymer sheathed carbon nanotube supercapacitors show enhanced cycling stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Wenqi; Wang, Shanshan; Wang, Chunhui; Wu, Shiting; Xu, Wenjing; Zou, Mingchu; Ouyang, An; Cao, Anyuan; Li, Yibin

2015-12-01

Pseudo-materials are effective in boosting the specific capacitance of supercapacitors, but during service their degradation may also be very strong, causing reduced cycling stability. Here, we show that a carbon nanotube sponge grafted by two conventional pseudo-polymer layers in sequence can serve as a porous supercapacitor electrode with significantly enhanced cycling stability compared with single polymer grafting. Creating conformal polymer coatings on the nanotube surface and the resulting double-sheath configuration are important structural factors leading to the enhanced performance. Combining different polymers as double sheaths as reported here might be a potential route to circumvent the dilemma of pseudo-materials, and to simultaneously improve the capacitance and stability for various energy storage devices.Pseudo-materials are effective in boosting the specific capacitance of supercapacitors, but during service their degradation may also be very strong, causing reduced cycling stability. Here, we show that a carbon nanotube sponge grafted by two conventional pseudo-polymer layers in sequence can serve as a porous supercapacitor electrode with significantly enhanced cycling stability compared with single polymer grafting. Creating conformal polymer coatings on the nanotube surface and the resulting double-sheath configuration are important structural factors leading to the enhanced performance. Combining different polymers as double sheaths as reported here might be a potential route to circumvent the dilemma of pseudo-materials, and to simultaneously improve the capacitance and stability for various energy storage devices. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr05978j

Optical and photoacoustic dual-modality imaging guided synergistic photodynamic/photothermal therapies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Xuefeng; Hu, Hao; Lin, Jing; Jin, Albert J.; Niu, Gang; Zhang, Shaoliang; Huang, Peng; Shen, Baozhong; Chen, Xiaoyuan

2015-01-01

Phototherapies such as photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT), due to their specific spatiotemporal selectivity and minimal invasiveness, have been widely investigated as alternative treatments of malignant diseases. Graphene and its derivatives not only have been used as carriers to deliver photosensitizers for PDT, but also as photothermal conversion agents (PTCAs) for PTT. Herein, we strategically designed and produced a novel photo-theranostic platform based on sinoporphyrin sodium (DVDMS) photosensitizer-loaded PEGylated graphene oxide (GO-PEG-DVDMS) for enhanced fluorescence/photoacoustic (PA) dual-modal imaging and combined PDT and PTT. The GO-PEG carrier drastically improves the fluorescence of loaded DVDMS via intramolecular charge transfer. Concurrently, DVDMS significantly enhances the near-infrared (NIR) absorption of GO for improved PA imaging and PTT. The cancer theranostic capability of the as-prepared GO-PEG-DVDMS was carefully investigated both in vitro and in vivo. This novel theranostics is well suited for fluorescence/PA dual-modal imaging and synergistic PDT/PTT.

Whole-body and multispectral photoacoustic imaging of adult zebrafish

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Na; Xi, Lei

2016-10-01

Zebrafish is a top vertebrate model to study developmental biology and genetics, and it is becoming increasingly popular for studying human diseases due to its high genome similarity to that of humans and the optical transparency in embryonic stages. However, it becomes difficult for pure optical imaging techniques to volumetric visualize the internal organs and structures of wild-type zebrafish in juvenile and adult stages with excellent resolution and penetration depth. Even with the establishment of mutant lines which remain transparent over the life cycle, it is still a challenge for pure optical imaging modalities to image the whole body of adult zebrafish with micro-scale resolution. However, the method called photoacoustic imaging that combines all the advantages of the optical imaging and ultrasonic imaging provides a new way to image the whole body of the zebrafish. In this work, we developed a non-invasive photoacoustic imaging system with optimized near-infrared illumination and cylindrical scanning to image the zebrafish. The lateral and axial resolution yield to 80 μm and 600 μm, respectively. Multispectral strategy with wavelengths from 690 nm to 930 nm was employed to image various organs inside the zebrafish. From the reconstructed images, most major organs and structures inside the body can be precisely imaged. Quantitative and statistical analysis of absorption for organs under illumination with different wavelengths were carried out.

Iridium Oxide Nanotube Electrodes for Highly Sensitive and Prolonged Intracellular Measurement of Action Potentials

PubMed Central

Lin, Ziliang Carter; Xie, Chong; Osakada, Yasuko; Cui, Yi; Cui, Bianxiao

2014-01-01

Intracellular recording of action potentials is important to understand electrically-excitable cells. Recently, vertical nanoelectrodes have been developed to achieve highly sensitive, minimally invasive, and large scale intracellular recording. It has been demonstrated that the vertical geometry is crucial for the enhanced signal detection. Here we develop nanoelectrodes made up of nanotubes of iridium oxide. When cardiomyocytes are cultured upon those nanotubes, the cell membrane not only wraps around the vertical tubes but also protrudes deep into the hollow center. We show that this geometry enhances cell-electrode coupling and results in measuring much larger intracellular action potentials. The nanotube electrodes afford much longer intracellular access and are minimally invasive, making it possible to achieve stable recording up to an hour in a single session and more than 8 days of consecutive daily recording. This study suggests that the electrode performance can be significantly improved by optimizing the electrode geometry. PMID:24487777

Quantitative spatially resolved measurement of tissue chromophore concentrations using photoacoustic spectroscopy: application to the measurement of blood oxygenation and haemoglobin concentration.

PubMed

Laufer, Jan; Delpy, Dave; Elwell, Clare; Beard, Paul

2007-01-07

A new approach based on pulsed photoacoustic spectroscopy for non-invasively quantifying tissue chromophore concentrations with high spatial resolution has been developed. The technique is applicable to the quantification of tissue chromophores such as oxyhaemoglobin (HbO(2)) and deoxyhaemoglobin (HHb) for the measurement of physiological parameters such as blood oxygen saturation (SO(2)) and total haemoglobin concentration. It can also be used to quantify the local accumulation of targeted contrast agents used in photoacoustic molecular imaging. The technique employs a model-based inversion scheme to recover the chromophore concentrations from photoacoustic measurements. This comprises a numerical forward model of the detected time-dependent photoacoustic signal that incorporates a multiwavelength diffusion-based finite element light propagation model to describe the light transport and a time-domain acoustic model to describe the generation, propagation and detection of the photoacoustic wave. The forward model is then inverted by iteratively fitting it to measurements of photoacoustic signals acquired at different wavelengths to recover the chromophore concentrations. To validate this approach, photoacoustic signals were generated in a tissue phantom using nanosecond laser pulses between 740 nm and 1040 nm. The tissue phantom comprised a suspension of intralipid, blood and a near-infrared dye in which three tubes were immersed. Blood at physiological haemoglobin concentrations and oxygen saturation levels ranging from 2% to 100% was circulated through the tubes. The signal amplitude from different temporal sections of the detected photoacoustic waveforms was plotted as a function of wavelength and the forward model fitted to these data to recover the concentrations of HbO(2) and HHb, total haemoglobin concentration and SO(2). The performance was found to compare favourably to that of a laboratory CO-oximeter with measurement resolutions of +/-3.8 g l(-1) (+/-58

Quantitative spatially resolved measurement of tissue chromophore concentrations using photoacoustic spectroscopy: application to the measurement of blood oxygenation and haemoglobin concentration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laufer, Jan; Delpy, Dave; Elwell, Clare; Beard, Paul

2007-01-01

A new approach based on pulsed photoacoustic spectroscopy for non-invasively quantifying tissue chromophore concentrations with high spatial resolution has been developed. The technique is applicable to the quantification of tissue chromophores such as oxyhaemoglobin (HbO2) and deoxyhaemoglobin (HHb) for the measurement of physiological parameters such as blood oxygen saturation (SO2) and total haemoglobin concentration. It can also be used to quantify the local accumulation of targeted contrast agents used in photoacoustic molecular imaging. The technique employs a model-based inversion scheme to recover the chromophore concentrations from photoacoustic measurements. This comprises a numerical forward model of the detected time-dependent photoacoustic signal that incorporates a multiwavelength diffusion-based finite element light propagation model to describe the light transport and a time-domain acoustic model to describe the generation, propagation and detection of the photoacoustic wave. The forward model is then inverted by iteratively fitting it to measurements of photoacoustic signals acquired at different wavelengths to recover the chromophore concentrations. To validate this approach, photoacoustic signals were generated in a tissue phantom using nanosecond laser pulses between 740 nm and 1040 nm. The tissue phantom comprised a suspension of intralipid, blood and a near-infrared dye in which three tubes were immersed. Blood at physiological haemoglobin concentrations and oxygen saturation levels ranging from 2% to 100% was circulated through the tubes. The signal amplitude from different temporal sections of the detected photoacoustic waveforms was plotted as a function of wavelength and the forward model fitted to these data to recover the concentrations of HbO2 and HHb, total haemoglobin concentration and SO2. The performance was found to compare favourably to that of a laboratory CO-oximeter with measurement resolutions of ±3.8 g l-1 (±58 µM) and ±4

Methylene blue microbubbles as a model dual-modality contrast agent for ultrasound and activatable photoacoustic imaging.

PubMed

Jeon, Mansik; Song, Wentao; Huynh, Elizabeth; Kim, Jungho; Kim, Jeesu; Helfield, Brandon L; Leung, Ben Y C; Goertz, David E; Zheng, Gang; Oh, Jungtaek; Lovell, Jonathan F; Kim, Chulhong

2014-01-01

Ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging are highly complementary modalities since both use ultrasonic detection for operation. Increasingly, photoacoustic and ultrasound have been integrated in terms of hardware instrumentation. To generate a broadly accessible dual-modality contrast agent, we generated microbubbles (a standard ultrasound contrast agent) in a solution of methylene blue (a standard photoacoustic dye). This MB2 solution was formed effectively and was optimized as a dual-modality contrast solution. As microbubble concentration increased (with methylene blue concentration constant), photoacoustic signal was attenuated in the MB2 solution. When methylene blue concentration increased (with microbubble concentration held constant), no ultrasonic interference was observed. Using an MB2 solution that strongly attenuated all photoacoustic signal, high powered ultrasound could be used to burst the microbubbles and dramatically enhance photoacoustic contrast (>800-fold increase), providing a new method for spatiotemporal control of photoacoustic signal generation.

Methylene blue microbubbles as a model dual-modality contrast agent for ultrasound and activatable photoacoustic imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeon, Mansik; Song, Wentao; Huynh, Elizabeth; Kim, Jungho; Kim, Jeesu; Helfield, Brandon L.; Leung, Ben Y. C.; Goertz, David E.; Zheng, Gang; Oh, Jungtaek; Lovell, Jonathan F.; Kim, Chulhong

2014-01-01

Ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging are highly complementary modalities since both use ultrasonic detection for operation. Increasingly, photoacoustic and ultrasound have been integrated in terms of hardware instrumentation. To generate a broadly accessible dual-modality contrast agent, we generated microbubbles (a standard ultrasound contrast agent) in a solution of methylene blue (a standard photoacoustic dye). This MB2 solution was formed effectively and was optimized as a dual-modality contrast solution. As microbubble concentration increased (with methylene blue concentration constant), photoacoustic signal was attenuated in the MB2 solution. When methylene blue concentration increased (with microbubble concentration held constant), no ultrasonic interference was observed. Using an MB2 solution that strongly attenuated all photoacoustic signal, high powered ultrasound could be used to burst the microbubbles and dramatically enhance photoacoustic contrast (>800-fold increase), providing a new method for spatiotemporal control of photoacoustic signal generation.

Non-contact photoacoustic tomography and ultrasonography for tissue imaging

PubMed Central

Rousseau, Guy; Blouin, Alain; Monchalin, Jean-Pierre

2011-01-01

The detection of ultrasound in photoacoustic tomography (PAT) and ultrasonography (US) usually relies on ultrasonic transducers in contact with the biological tissue. This is a major drawback for important potential applications such as surgery and small animal imaging. Here we report the use of remote optical detection, as used in industrial laser-ultrasonics, to detect ultrasound in biological tissues. This strategy enables non-contact implementation of PAT and US without exceeding laser exposure safety limits. The method uses suitably shaped laser pulses and a confocal Fabry-Perot interferometer in differential configuration to reach quantum-limited sensitivity. Endogenous and exogenous inclusions exhibiting optical and acoustic contrasts were detected ex vivo in chicken breast and calf brain specimens. Inclusions down to 0.5 mm in size were detected at depths well exceeding 1 cm. The method could significantly expand the scope of applications of PAT and US in biomedical imaging. PMID:22254164

Photoacoustic/ultrasound dual-modality contrast agent and its application to thermotherapy.

PubMed

Wang, Yu-Hsin; Liao, Ai-Ho; Chen, Jui-Hao; Wang, Churng-Ren Chris; Li, Pai-Chi

2012-04-01

This study investigates a photoacoustic/ultrasound dual-modality contrast agent, including extending its applications from image-contrast enhancement to combined diagnosis and therapy with site-specific targeting. The contrast agent comprises albumin-shelled microbubbles with encapsulated gold nanorods (AuMBs). The gas-filled microbubbles, whose diameters range from submicrometer to several micrometers, are not only echogenic but also can serve as drug-delivery vehicles. The gold nanorods are used to enhance the generation of both photoacoustic and photothermal signals. The optical absorption peak of the gold nanorods is tuned to 760 nm and is invariant after microbubble encapsulation. Dual-modality contrast enhancement is first described here, and the applications to cellular targeting and laser-induced thermotherapy in a phantom are demonstrated. Photoacoustic imaging can be used to monitor temperature increases during the treatment. The targeting capability of AuMBs was verified, and the temperature increased by 26°C for a laser power of 980 mW, demonstrating the potential of combined diagnosis and therapy with the dual-modality agent. Targeted photo- or acoustic-mediated delivery is also possible.

Application of non-invasive low strength pulsed electric field to EGCG treatment synergistically enhanced the inhibition effect on PANC-1 cells

PubMed Central

Hsieh, Chih-Hsiung; Lu, Chueh-Hsuan; Chen, Wei-Ting; Ma, Bo-Lun

2017-01-01

Traditional therapies for pancreatic cancer are usually expensive and likely to cause side effects, and most patients have the risk of recurrence and suffering pain. Here, we investigated combination treatment of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and non-invasive low strength pulsed electric field (PEF) on the human pancreatic cell line PANC-1. Cells were cultured in various concentrations of EGCG and exposed to trains of PEF. The results showed that the low strength PEF alone or single treatment with low concentration of EGCG did not obviously affect the cell proliferation and migration in PANC-1. However, the EGCG-induced inhibitions of cell viability and migration ability in PANC-1 were dramatically enhanced by the further exposure of low strength PEF (60 V/cm). In particular, the same combination treatment caused less inhibition of cell viability in non-malignant HEK293 cells. We also found the combination treatment significantly decreased the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax protein and increased caspase activity in PANC-1 cells, resulting in the promotion of apoptotic responses, evidenced by chromatin condensation. The findings of the present study reveal the synergistic reactions in the combination treatment may severely disturb mitochondria, enhance the intrinsic pathway transduction, and effectively induce apoptosis; moreover, the migration and invasion of PANC-1 cancer cells were also significantly suppressed. Since normal cells are less sensitive to this combination treatment, and the non-invasive PEF could be modified to focus on a specific location, this treatment may serve as a promising method for anti-cancer therapy. PMID:29186186

Application of non-invasive low strength pulsed electric field to EGCG treatment synergistically enhanced the inhibition effect on PANC-1 cells.

PubMed

Hsieh, Chih-Hsiung; Lu, Chueh-Hsuan; Chen, Wei-Ting; Ma, Bo-Lun; Chao, Chih-Yu

2017-01-01

Traditional therapies for pancreatic cancer are usually expensive and likely to cause side effects, and most patients have the risk of recurrence and suffering pain. Here, we investigated combination treatment of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and non-invasive low strength pulsed electric field (PEF) on the human pancreatic cell line PANC-1. Cells were cultured in various concentrations of EGCG and exposed to trains of PEF. The results showed that the low strength PEF alone or single treatment with low concentration of EGCG did not obviously affect the cell proliferation and migration in PANC-1. However, the EGCG-induced inhibitions of cell viability and migration ability in PANC-1 were dramatically enhanced by the further exposure of low strength PEF (60 V/cm). In particular, the same combination treatment caused less inhibition of cell viability in non-malignant HEK293 cells. We also found the combination treatment significantly decreased the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax protein and increased caspase activity in PANC-1 cells, resulting in the promotion of apoptotic responses, evidenced by chromatin condensation. The findings of the present study reveal the synergistic reactions in the combination treatment may severely disturb mitochondria, enhance the intrinsic pathway transduction, and effectively induce apoptosis; moreover, the migration and invasion of PANC-1 cancer cells were also significantly suppressed. Since normal cells are less sensitive to this combination treatment, and the non-invasive PEF could be modified to focus on a specific location, this treatment may serve as a promising method for anti-cancer therapy.

Acoustic fingerprints of dye-labeled protein submicrosphere photoacoustic contrast agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDonald, Michael A.; Jankovic, Ladislav; Shahzad, Khalid; Burcher, Michael; Li, King C. P.

2009-05-01

Dye-labeled protein microspheres, submicron in size and capable of producing thermoelastically generated ultrasound in response to laser stimulation, are presented as contrast agents for photoacoustic imaging. Incident laser energy absorbed by fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled elastin submicrospheres results in thermoelastically generated sound production. Plotted A-line graphs reveal a distinctive morphology and a greater than two orders of magnitude increase in signal amplitude subsequent to converting FITC elastin into submicrospheres (despite a four orders of magnitude decrease in concentration). Evidence of nonlinearity and enhancement of ultrasound backscatter indicate a potential use in contrast-enhanced harmonic imaging. Photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging of FITC-elastin submicrospheres in a water-filled phantom vessel shows enhanced contrast at low concentration and clear delineation of the phantom vessel wall.

Reflection-artifact-free photoacoustic imaging using PAFUSion (photoacoustic-guided focused ultrasound)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuniyil Ajith Singh, Mithun; Jaeger, Michael; Frenz, Martin; Steenbergen, Wiendelt

2016-03-01

Reflection artifacts caused by acoustic inhomogeneities are a main challenge to deep-tissue photoacoustic imaging. Photoacoustic transients generated by the skin surface and superficial vasculature will propagate into the tissue and reflect back from echogenic structures to generate reflection artifacts. These artifacts can cause problems in image interpretation and limit imaging depth. In its basic version, PAFUSion mimics the inward travelling wave-field from blood vessel-like PA sources by applying focused ultrasound pulses, and thus provides a way to identify reflection artifacts. In this work, we demonstrate reflection artifact correction in addition to identification, towards obtaining an artifact-free photoacoustic image. In view of clinical applications, we implemented an improved version of PAFUSion in which photoacoustic data is backpropagated to imitate the inward travelling wave-field and thus the reflection artifacts of a more arbitrary distribution of PA sources that also includes the skin melanin layer. The backpropagation is performed in a synthetic way based on the pulse-echo acquisitions after transmission on each single element of the transducer array. We present a phantom experiment and initial in vivo measurements on human volunteers where we demonstrate significant reflection artifact reduction using our technique. The results provide a direct confirmation that reflection artifacts are prominent in clinical epi-photoacoustic imaging, and that PAFUSion can reduce these artifacts significantly to improve the deep-tissue photoacoustic imaging.

Adaptive photoacoustic imaging quality optimization with EMD and reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Chengwen; Ding, Yao; Yuan, Jie; Xu, Guan; Wang, Xueding; Carson, Paul L.

2016-10-01

Biomedical photoacoustic (PA) signal is characterized with extremely low signal to noise ratio which will yield significant artifacts in photoacoustic tomography (PAT) images. Since PA signals acquired by ultrasound transducers are non-linear and non-stationary, traditional data analysis methods such as Fourier and wavelet method cannot give useful information for further research. In this paper, we introduce an adaptive method to improve the quality of PA imaging based on empirical mode decomposition (EMD) and reconstruction. Data acquired by ultrasound transducers are adaptively decomposed into several intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) after a sifting pre-process. Since noise is randomly distributed in different IMFs, depressing IMFs with more noise while enhancing IMFs with less noise can effectively enhance the quality of reconstructed PAT images. However, searching optimal parameters by means of brute force searching algorithms will cost too much time, which prevent this method from practical use. To find parameters within reasonable time, heuristic algorithms, which are designed for finding good solutions more efficiently when traditional methods are too slow, are adopted in our method. Two of the heuristic algorithms, Simulated Annealing Algorithm, a probabilistic method to approximate the global optimal solution, and Artificial Bee Colony Algorithm, an optimization method inspired by the foraging behavior of bee swarm, are selected to search optimal parameters of IMFs in this paper. The effectiveness of our proposed method is proved both on simulated data and PA signals from real biomedical tissue, which might bear the potential for future clinical PA imaging de-noising.

Elastography methods for the non-invasive assessment of portal hypertension.

PubMed

Roccarina, Davide; Rosselli, Matteo; Genesca, Joan; Tsochatzis, Emmanuel A

2018-02-01

The gold standard to assess the presence and severity of portal hypertension remains the hepatic vein pressure gradient, however the recent development of non-invasive assessment using elastography techniques offers valuable alternatives. In this review, we discuss the diagnostic accuracy and utility of such techniques in patients with portal hypertension due to cirrhosis. Areas covered: A literature search focused on liver and spleen stiffness measurement with different elastographic techniques for the assessment of the presence and severity of portal hypertension and oesophageal varices in people with chronic liver disease. The combination of elastography with parameters such as platelet count and spleen size is also discussed. Expert commentary: Non-invasive assessment of liver fibrosis and portal hypertension is a validated tool for the diagnosis and follow-up of patients. Baveno VI recommended the combination of transient elastography and platelet count for ruling out varices needing treatment in patients with compensated advanced chronic liver disease. Assessment of aetiology specific cut-offs for ruling in and ruling out clinically significant portal hypertension is an unmet clinical need. The incorporation of spleen stiffness measurements in non-invasive algorithms using validated software and improved measuring scales might enhance the non-invasive diagnosis of portal hypertension in the next 5 years.

Both Enhanced Biocompatibility and Antibacterial Activity in Ag-Decorated TiO2 Nanotubes

PubMed Central

Lan, Ming-Ying; Liu, Chia-Pei; Huang, Her-Hsiung; Lee, Sheng-Wei

2013-01-01

In this study, Ag is electron-beam evaporated to modify the topography of anodic TiO2 nanotubes of different diameters to obtain an implant with enhanced antibacterial activity and biocompatibility. We found that highly hydrophilic as-grown TiO2 nanotubes became poorly hydrophilic with Ag incorporation; however they could effectively recover their wettability to some extent under ultraviolet light irradiation. The results obtained from antibacterial tests suggested that the Ag-decorated TiO2 nanotubes could greatly inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus. In vitro biocompatibility evaluation indicated that fibroblast cells exhibited an obvious diameter-dependent behavior on both as-grown and Ag-decorated TiO2 nanotubes. Most importantly, of all samples, the smallest diameter (25-nm-diameter) Ag-decorated nanotubes exhibited the most obvious biological activity in promoting adhesion and proliferation of human fibroblasts, and this activity could be attributed to the highly irregular topography on a nanometric scale of the Ag-decorated nanotube surface. These experimental results demonstrate that by properly controlling the structural parameters of Ag-decorated TiO2 nanotubes, an implant surface can be produced that enhances biocompatibility and simultaneously boosts antibacterial activity. PMID:24124484

Photoacoustic spectroscopy sample array vessel and photoacoustic spectroscopy method for using the same

DOEpatents

Amonette, James E.; Autrey, S. Thomas; Foster-Mills, Nancy S.; Green, David

2005-03-29

Methods and apparatus for analysis of multiple samples by photoacoustic spectroscopy are disclosed. Particularly, a photoacoustic spectroscopy sample array vessel including a vessel body having multiple sample cells connected thereto is disclosed. At least one acoustic detector is acoustically coupled with the vessel body. Methods for analyzing the multiple samples in the sample array vessels using photoacoustic spectroscopy are provided.

Suspended Carbon Nanotubes for Humidity Sensing

PubMed Central

Arunachalam, Shivaram; Gupta, Anubha A.; Izquierdo, Ricardo

2018-01-01

A room temperature microfabrication technique using SU8, an epoxy-based highly functional photoresist as a sacrificial layer, is developed to obtain suspended aligned carbon nanotube beams. The humidity-sensing characteristics of aligned suspended single-walled carbon nanotube films are studied. A comparative study between suspended and non-suspended architectures is done by recording the resistance change in the nanotubes under humidity. For the tests, the humidity was varied from 15% to 98% RH. A comparative study between suspended and non-suspended devices shows that the response and recovery times of the suspended devices was found to be almost 3 times shorter than the non-suspended devices. The suspended devices also showed minimal hysteresis even after 10 humidity cycles, and also exhibit enhanced sensitivity. Repeatability tests were performed by subjecting the sensors to continuous humidification cycles. All tests reported here have been performed using pristine non-functionalized nanotubes. PMID:29786661

Suspended Carbon Nanotubes for Humidity Sensing.

PubMed

Arunachalam, Shivaram; Gupta, Anubha A; Izquierdo, Ricardo; Nabki, Frederic

2018-05-22

A room temperature microfabrication technique using SU8, an epoxy-based highly functional photoresist as a sacrificial layer, is developed to obtain suspended aligned carbon nanotube beams. The humidity-sensing characteristics of aligned suspended single-walled carbon nanotube films are studied. A comparative study between suspended and non-suspended architectures is done by recording the resistance change in the nanotubes under humidity. For the tests, the humidity was varied from 15% to 98% RH. A comparative study between suspended and non-suspended devices shows that the response and recovery times of the suspended devices was found to be almost 3 times shorter than the non-suspended devices. The suspended devices also showed minimal hysteresis even after 10 humidity cycles, and also exhibit enhanced sensitivity. Repeatability tests were performed by subjecting the sensors to continuous humidification cycles. All tests reported here have been performed using pristine non-functionalized nanotubes.

Simultaneous synthesis of single-walled carbon nanotubes and graphene in a magnetically-enhanced arc plasma.

PubMed

Li, Jian; Shashurin, Alexey; Kundrapu, Madhusudhan; Keidar, Michael

2012-02-02

Carbon nanostructures such as single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) and graphene attract a deluge of interest of scholars nowadays due to their very promising application for molecular sensors, field effect transistor and super thin and flexible electronic devices(1-4). Anodic arc discharge supported by the erosion of the anode material is one of the most practical and efficient methods, which can provide specific non-equilibrium processes and a high influx of carbon material to the developing structures at relatively higher temperature, and consequently the as-synthesized products have few structural defects and better crystallinity. To further improve the controllability and flexibility of the synthesis of carbon nanostructures in arc discharge, magnetic fields can be applied during the synthesis process according to the strong magnetic responses of arc plasmas. It was demonstrated that the magnetically-enhanced arc discharge can increase the average length of SWCNT (5), narrow the diameter distribution of metallic catalyst particles and carbon nanotubes (6), and change the ratio of metallic and semiconducting carbon nanotubes (7), as well as lead to graphene synthesis (8). Furthermore, it is worthwhile to remark that when we introduce a non-uniform magnetic field with the component normal to the current in arc, the Lorentz force along the J×B direction can generate the plasmas jet and make effective delivery of carbon ion particles and heat flux to samples. As a result, large-scale graphene flakes and high-purity single-walled carbon nanotubes were simultaneously generated by such new magnetically-enhanced anodic arc method. Arc imaging, scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy were employed to analyze the characterization of carbon nanostructures. These findings indicate a wide spectrum of opportunities to manipulate with the properties of nanostructures produced in plasmas by means of controlling the

Simultaneous Synthesis of Single-walled Carbon Nanotubes and Graphene in a Magnetically-enhanced Arc Plasma

PubMed Central

Li, Jian; Shashurin, Alexey; Kundrapu, Madhusudhan; Keidar, Michael

2012-01-01

Carbon nanostructures such as single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) and graphene attract a deluge of interest of scholars nowadays due to their very promising application for molecular sensors, field effect transistor and super thin and flexible electronic devices1-4. Anodic arc discharge supported by the erosion of the anode material is one of the most practical and efficient methods, which can provide specific non-equilibrium processes and a high influx of carbon material to the developing structures at relatively higher temperature, and consequently the as-synthesized products have few structural defects and better crystallinity. To further improve the controllability and flexibility of the synthesis of carbon nanostructures in arc discharge, magnetic fields can be applied during the synthesis process according to the strong magnetic responses of arc plasmas. It was demonstrated that the magnetically-enhanced arc discharge can increase the average length of SWCNT 5, narrow the diameter distribution of metallic catalyst particles and carbon nanotubes 6, and change the ratio of metallic and semiconducting carbon nanotubes 7, as well as lead to graphene synthesis 8. Furthermore, it is worthwhile to remark that when we introduce a non-uniform magnetic field with the component normal to the current in arc, the Lorentz force along the J×B direction can generate the plasmas jet and make effective delivery of carbon ion particles and heat flux to samples. As a result, large-scale graphene flakes and high-purity single-walled carbon nanotubes were simultaneously generated by such new magnetically-enhanced anodic arc method. Arc imaging, scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy were employed to analyze the characterization of carbon nanostructures. These findings indicate a wide spectrum of opportunities to manipulate with the properties of nanostructures produced in plasmas by means of controlling the arc

Nanotubes-Embedded Indocyanine Green-Hyaluronic Acid Nanoparticles for Photoacoustic-Imaging-Guided Phototherapy.

PubMed

Wang, Guohao; Zhang, Fan; Tian, Rui; Zhang, Liwen; Fu, Guifeng; Yang, Lily; Zhu, Lei

2016-03-02

Phototherapy is a light-triggered treatment for tumor ablation and growth inhibition via photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT). Despite extensive studies in this area, a major challenge is the lack of selective and effective phototherapy agents that can specifically accumulate in tumors to reach a therapeutic concentration. Although recent attempts have produced photosensitizers complexed with photothermal nanomaterials, the tedious preparation steps and poor tumor efficiency of therapy still hampers the broad utilization of these nanocarriers. Herein, we developed a CD44 targeted photoacoustic (PA) nanophototherapy agent by conjugating Indocyanine Green (ICG) to hyaluronic acid nanoparticles (HANPs) encapsulated with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), resulting in a theranostic nanocomplex of ICG-HANP/SWCNTs (IHANPT). We fully characterized its physical features as well as PA imaging and photothermal and photodynamic therapy properties in vitro and in vivo. Systemic delivery of IHANPT theranostic nanoparticles led to the accumulation of the targeted nanoparticles in tumors in a human cancer xenograft model in nude mice. PA imaging confirmed targeted delivery of the IHANPT nanoparticles into tumors (T/M ratio = 5.19 ± 0.3). The effect of phototherapy was demonstrated by low-power laser irradiation (808 nm, 0.8 W/cm(2)) to induce efficient photodynamic effect from ICG dye. The photothermal effect from the ICG and SWCNTs rapidly raised the tumor temperature to 55.4 ± 1.8 °C. As the result, significant tumor growth inhibition and marked induction of tumor cell death and necrosis were observed in the tumors in the tumors. There were no apparent systemic and local toxic effects found in the mice. The dynamic thermal stability of IHANPT was studied to ensure that PTT does not affect ICG-dependent PDT in phototherapy. Therefore, our results highlight imaging property and therapeutic effect of the novel IHANPT theranostic nanoparticle for CD44

Photoacoustic spectroscopy sample array vessels and photoacoustic spectroscopy methods for using the same

DOEpatents

Amonette, James E.; Autrey, S. Thomas; Foster-Mills, Nancy S.

2006-02-14

Methods and apparatus for simultaneous or sequential, rapid analysis of multiple samples by photoacoustic spectroscopy are disclosed. Particularly, a photoacoustic spectroscopy sample array vessel including a vessel body having multiple sample cells connected thereto is disclosed. At least one acoustic detector is acoustically positioned near the sample cells. Methods for analyzing the multiple samples in the sample array vessels using photoacoustic spectroscopy are provided.

Wavelength-modulated differential photoacoustic radar imager (WM-DPARI): accurate monitoring of absolute hemoglobin oxygen saturation

PubMed Central

Choi, Sung Soo Sean; Lashkari, Bahman; Dovlo, Edem; Mandelis, Andreas

2016-01-01

Accurate monitoring of blood oxy-saturation level (SO2) in human breast tissues is clinically important for predicting and evaluating possible tumor growth at the site. In this work, four different non-invasive frequency-domain photoacoustic (PA) imaging modalities were compared for their absolute SO2 characterization capability using an in-vitro sheep blood circulation system. Among different PA modes, a new WM-DPAR imaging modality could estimate the SO2 with great accuracy when compared to a commercial blood gas analyzer. The developed WM-DPARI theory was further validated by constructing SO2 tomographic images of a blood-containing plastisol phantom. PMID:27446691

Mid-Infrared Trace Gas Sensor Technology Based on Intracavity Quartz-Enhanced Photoacoustic Spectroscopy.

PubMed

Wojtas, Jacek; Gluszek, Aleksander; Hudzikowski, Arkadiusz; Tittel, Frank K

2017-03-04

The application of compact inexpensive trace gas sensor technology to a mid-infrared nitric oxide (NO) detectoion using intracavity quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (I-QEPAS) is reported. A minimum detection limit of 4.8 ppbv within a 30 ms integration time was demonstrated by using a room-temperature, continuous-wave, distributed-feedback quantum cascade laser (QCL) emitting at 5.263 µm (1900.08 cm -1 ) and a new compact design of a high-finesse bow-tie optical cavity with an integrated resonant quartz tuning fork (QTF). The optimum configuration of the bow-tie cavity was simulated using custom software. Measurements were performed with a wavelength modulation scheme (WM) using a 2f detection procedure.

Mid-Infrared Trace Gas Sensor Technology Based on Intracavity Quartz-Enhanced Photoacoustic Spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Wojtas, Jacek; Gluszek, Aleksander; Hudzikowski, Arkadiusz; Tittel, Frank K.

2017-01-01

The application of compact inexpensive trace gas sensor technology to a mid-infrared nitric oxide (NO) detectoion using intracavity quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (I-QEPAS) is reported. A minimum detection limit of 4.8 ppbv within a 30 ms integration time was demonstrated by using a room-temperature, continuous-wave, distributed-feedback quantum cascade laser (QCL) emitting at 5.263 µm (1900.08 cm−1) and a new compact design of a high-finesse bow-tie optical cavity with an integrated resonant quartz tuning fork (QTF). The optimum configuration of the bow-tie cavity was simulated using custom software. Measurements were performed with a wavelength modulation scheme (WM) using a 2f detection procedure. PMID:28273836

Real-time in vivo imaging of human lymphatic system using an LED-based photoacoustic/ultrasound imaging system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuniyil Ajith Singh, Mithun; Agano, Toshitaka; Sato, Naoto; Shigeta, Yusuke; Uemura, Tetsuji

2018-02-01

Non-invasive in vivo imaging of lymphatic system is of paramount importance for analyzing the functions of lymphatic vessels, and for investigating their contribution to metastasis. Recently, we introduced a multi-wavelength real-time LED-based photoacoustic/ultrasound system (AcousticX). In this work, for the first time, we demonstrate that AcousticX is capable of real-time imaging of human lymphatic system. Results demonstrate the capability of this system to image vascular and lymphatic vessels simultaneously. This could potentially provide detailed information regarding the interconnected roles of lymphatic and vascular systems in various diseases, therefore fostering the growth of therapeutic interventions.

Invasive and non-invasive measurement in medicine and biology: calibration issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rolfe, P.; Zhang, Yan; Sun, Jinwei; Scopesi, F.; Serra, G.; Yamakoshi, K.; Tanaka, S.; Yamakoshi, T.; Yamakoshi, Y.; Ogawa, M.

2010-08-01

Invasive and non-invasive measurement sensors and systems perform vital roles in medical care. Devices are based on various principles, including optics, photonics, and plasmonics, electro-analysis, magnetics, acoustics, bio-recognition, etc. Sensors are used for the direct insertion into the human body, for example to be in contact with blood, which constitutes Invasive Measurement. This approach is very challenging technically, as sensor performance (sensitivity, response time, linearity) can deteriorate due to interactions between the sensor materials and the biological environment, such as blood or interstitial fluid. Invasive techniques may also be potentially hazardous. Alternatively, sensors or devices may be positioned external to the body surface, for example to analyse respired breath, thereby allowing safer Non-Invasive Measurement. However, such methods, which are inherently less direct, often requiring more complex calibration algorithms, perhaps using chemometric principles. This paper considers and reviews the issue of calibration in both invasive and non-invasive biomedical measurement systems. Systems in current use usually rely upon periodic calibration checks being performed by clinical staff against a variety of laboratory instruments and QC samples. These procedures require careful planning and overall management if reliable data are to be assured.

Perylene-diimide-based nanoparticles as highly efficient photoacoustic agents for deep brain tumor imaging in living mice

DOE PAGES

Fan, Quli; Cheng, Kai; Yang, Zhen; ...

2014-11-06

In order to promote preclinical and clinical applications of photoacoustic imaging, novel photoacoustic contrast agents are highly desired for molecular imaging of diseases, especially for deep tumor imaging. In this paper, perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic diiimide-based near-infrared-absorptive organic nanoparticles are reported as an efficient agent for photoacoustic imaging of deep brain tumors in living mice with enhanced permeability and retention effect

Recording human cortical population spikes non-invasively--An EEG tutorial.

PubMed

Waterstraat, Gunnar; Fedele, Tommaso; Burghoff, Martin; Scheer, Hans-Jürgen; Curio, Gabriel

2015-07-30

Non-invasively recorded somatosensory high-frequency oscillations (sHFOs) evoked by electric nerve stimulation are markers of human cortical population spikes. Previously, their analysis was based on massive averaging of EEG responses. Advanced neurotechnology and optimized off-line analysis can enhance the signal-to-noise ratio of sHFOs, eventually enabling single-trial analysis. The rationale for developing dedicated low-noise EEG technology for sHFOs is unfolded. Detailed recording procedures and tailored analysis principles are explained step-by-step. Source codes in Matlab and Python are provided as supplementary material online. Combining synergistic hardware and analysis improvements, evoked sHFOs at around 600 Hz ('σ-bursts') can be studied in single-trials. Additionally, optimized spatial filters increase the signal-to-noise ratio of components at about 1 kHz ('κ-bursts') enabling their detection in non-invasive surface EEG. sHFOs offer a unique possibility to record evoked human cortical population spikes non-invasively. The experimental approaches and algorithms presented here enable also non-specialized EEG laboratories to combine measurements of conventional low-frequency EEG with the analysis of concomitant cortical population spike responses. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Portable multiwavelength laser diode source for handheld photoacoustic devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canal, Celine; Laugustin, Arnaud; Kohl, Andreas; Rabot, Olivier

2016-04-01

The ageing population faces today an increase of chronic diseases such as rheumatism/arthritis, cancer and cardio vascular diseases for which appropriate treatments based on a diagnosis at an early-stage of the disease are required. Some imaging techniques are already available in order to get structural information. Within the non-invasive group, ultrasound images are common in these fields of medicine. However, there is a need for a point-of-care device for imaging smaller structures such as blood vessels that cannot be observed with purely ultrasound based devices. Photoacoustics proved to be an attractive candidate. This novel imaging technique combines pulsed laser light for excitation of tissues and an ultrasound transducer as a receptor. Introduction of this technique into the clinic requires to drastically shrink the size and cost of the expensive and bulky nanosecond lasers generally used for light emission. In that context, demonstration of ultra-short pulse emission with highly efficient laser diodes in the near-infrared range has been performed by Quantel, France. A multi-wavelength laser source as small as a hand emitted more than 1 mJ per wavelength with four different wavelengths available in pulses of about 90 ns. Such a laser source can be integrated into high sensitivity photoacoustic handheld systems due to their outstanding electrical-to-optical efficiency of about 25 %. Further work continues to decrease the pulse length as low as 40 ns while increasing the pulse energy to 2 mJ.

Array-based photoacoustic spectroscopy

DOEpatents

Autrey, S. Thomas; Posakony, Gerald J.; Chen, Yu

2005-03-22

Methods and apparatus for simultaneous or sequential, rapid analysis of multiple samples by photoacoustic spectroscopy are disclosed. A photoacoustic spectroscopy sample array including a body having at least three recesses or affinity masses connected thereto is used in conjunction with a photoacoustic spectroscopy system. At least one acoustic detector is positioned near the recesses or affinity masses for detection of acoustic waves emitted from species of interest within the recesses or affinity masses.

Detection and characterization of red blood cell (RBC) aggregation with photoacoustics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hysi, Eno; Saha, Ratan K.; Rui, Min; Kolios, Michael C.

2012-02-01

Red blood cells (RBCs) aggregate in the presence of increased plasma fibrinogen and low shear forces during blood flow. RBC aggregation has been observed in deep vein thrombosis, sepsis and diabetes. We propose using photoacoustics (PA) as a non-invasive imaging modality to detect RBC aggregation. The theoretical and experimental feasibility of PA for detecting and characterizing aggregation was assessed. A simulation study was performed to generate PA signals from non-aggregated and aggregated RBCs using a frequency domain approach and to study the PA signals' dependence on hematocrit and aggregate size. The effect of the finite bandwidth nature of transducers on the PA power spectra was also investigated. Experimental confirmation of theoretical results was conducted using porcine RBC samples exposed to 1064 nm optical wavelength using the Imagio Small Animal PA imaging system (Seno Medical Instruments, Inc., San Antonio, TX). Aggregation was induced with Dextran-70 (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO) and the effect of hematocrit and aggregation level was investigated. The theoretical and experimental PA signal amplitude increased linearly with increasing hematocrit. The theoretical dominant frequency content of PA signals shifted towards lower frequencies (<30 MHz) and 9 dB enhancements in spectral power were observed as the size of aggregates increased compared to non-aggregating RBCs. Calibration of the PA spectra with the transducer response obtained from a 200 nm gold film was performed to remove system dependencies. Analysis of the spectral parameters from the calibrated spectra suggested that PA can assess the degree of aggregation at multiple hematocrit and aggregation levels.

Self-organized nitrogen and fluorine co-doped titanium oxide nanotube arrays with enhanced visible light photocatalytic performance.

PubMed

Li, Qi; Shang, Jian Ku

2009-12-01

Self-organized nitrogen and fluorine co-doped titanium oxide (TiONF) nanotube arrays were created by anodizing titanium foil in a fluoride and ammoniate-based electrolyte, followed by calcination of the amorphous nanotube arrays under a nitrogen protective atmosphere for crystallization. TiONF nanotube arrays were found to have enhanced visible light absorption capability and photodegradation efficiency on methylene blue under visible light illumination over the TiO(2) nanotube arrays. The enhancement was dependent on both the nanotube structural architecture and the nitrogen and fluorine co-doping effect. TiONF nanotube arrays promise a wide range of technical applications, especially for environmental applications and solar cell devices.

In vivo label-free photoacoustic microscopy of the anterior segment of the mouse eye

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rao, Bin; Hu, Song; Li, Li; Maslov, Konstantin; Wang, Lihong V.

2010-02-01

Both iris fluorescein angiography (IFA) and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) provide ophthalmologists imaging tools in studying the microvasculature structure and hemodynamics of the anterior segment of the eye in normal and diseased status. However, a non-invasive, endogenous imaging modality is preferable for the monitoring of hemodynamics of the iris microvasculature. We investigated the in vivo, label-free ocular anterior segment imaging with photo-acoustic microscopy (PAM) in mouse eyes. We demonstrated the unique advantage of endogenous contrast that is not available in both IFA and ICGA. The laser radiation was maintained within the ANSI laser safety limit. The in vivo, label-free nature of our imaging technology has the potential for ophthalmic applications.

Extremely High Thermal Conductivity of Aligned Carbon Nanotube-Polyethylene Composites.

PubMed

Liao, Quanwen; Liu, Zhichun; Liu, Wei; Deng, Chengcheng; Yang, Nuo

2015-11-10

The ultra-low thermal conductivity of bulk polymers may be enhanced by combining them with high thermal conductivity materials such as carbon nanotubes. Different from random doping, we find that the aligned carbon nanotube-polyethylene composites has a high thermal conductivity by non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations. The analyses indicate that the aligned composite not only take advantage of the high thermal conduction of carbon nanotubes, but enhance thermal conduction of polyethylene chains.

Calibration-free quantification of absolute oxygen saturation based on the dynamics of photoacoustic signals

PubMed Central

Xia, Jun; Danielli, Amos; Liu, Yan; Wang, Lidai; Maslov, Konstantin; Wang, Lihong V.

2014-01-01

Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) is a hybrid imaging technique that has broad preclinical and clinical applications. Based on the photoacoustic effect, PAT directly measures specific optical absorption, which is the product of the tissue-intrinsic optical absorption coefficient and the local optical fluence. Therefore, quantitative PAT, such as absolute oxygen saturation (sO2) quantification, requires knowledge of the local optical fluence, which can be estimated only through invasive measurements or sophisticated modeling of light transportation. In this work, we circumvent this requirement by taking advantage of the dynamics in sO2. The new method works when the sO2 transition can be simultaneously monitored with multiple wavelengths. For each wavelength, the ratio of photoacoustic amplitudes measured at different sO2 states is utilized. Using the ratio cancels the contribution from optical fluence and allows calibration-free quantification of absolute sO2. The new method was validated through both phantom and in vivo experiments. PMID:23903146

Differentiating fatty and non-fatty tissue using photoacoustic imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Leo; Rohling, Robert; Abolmaesumi, Purang; Salcudean, Septimiu; Tang, Shuo

2014-03-01

In this paper, we demonstrate a temporal-domain intensity-based photoacoustic imaging method that can differentiate between fatty and non-fatty tissues. PA pressure intensity is partly dependent on the tissue's speed of sound, which increases as temperature increases in non-fatty tissue and decreases in fatty tissue. Therefore, by introducing a temperature change in the tissue and subsequently monitoring the change of the PA intensity, it is possible to distinguish between the two types of tissue. A commercial ultrasound system with a 128-element 5-14 MHz linear array transducer and a tunable ND:YAG laser were used to produce PA images. Ex-vivo bovine fat and porcine liver tissues were precooled to below 10°C and then warmed to room-temperature over ~1 hour period. A thermocouple monitored the temperature rise while PA images were acquired at 0.5°C intervals. The averaged intensity of the illuminated tissue region at each temperature interval was plotted and linearly fitted. Liver samples showed a mean increase of 2.82 %/°C, whereas bovine fat had a mean decrease of 6.24 %/°C. These results demonstrate that this method has the potential to perform tissue differentiation in the temporal-domain.

Photoacoustic Spectroscopy of Chemically Modified Surfaces.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-08-01

Science.4 In that I 2 paper he told of the accidental discovery of the optoacoustic effect in solids. He observed that a rapidly modulated beam of...0L - -LJ Lii Lnf cobr 0D CDV 214 Figure 17. Photoacoustic spectrum of (I) Co 304 ground with y-alumina and (II) CoO-enhanced cobalt oxide ground with y

Recording membrane potential changes through photoacoustic voltage sensitive dye

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Haichong K.; Kang, Jeeun; Yan, Ping; Abou, Diane S.; Le, Hanh N. D.; Thorek, Daniel L. J.; Kang, Jin U.; Gjedde, Albert; Rahmim, Arman; Wong, Dean F.; Loew, Leslie M.; Boctor, Emad M.

2017-03-01

Monitoring of the membrane potential is possible using voltage sensitive dyes (VSD), where fluorescence intensity changes in response to neuronal electrical activity. However, fluorescence imaging is limited by depth of penetration and high scattering losses, which leads to low sensitivity in vivo systems for external detection. In contrast, photoacoustic (PA) imaging, an emerging modality, is capable of deep tissue, noninvasive imaging by combining near infrared light excitation and ultrasound detection. In this work, we develop the theoretical concept whereby the voltage-dependent quenching of dye fluorescence leads to a reciprocal enhancement of PA intensity. Based on this concept, we synthesized a novel near infrared photoacoustic VSD (PA-VSD) whose PA intensity change is sensitive to membrane potential. In the polarized state, this cyanine-based probe enhances PA intensity while decreasing fluorescence output in a lipid vesicle membrane model. With a 3-9 μM VSD concentration, we measured a PA signal increase in the range of 5.3 % to 18.1 %, and observed a corresponding signal reduction in fluorescence emission of 30.0 % to 48.7 %. A theoretical model successfully accounts for how the experimental PA intensity change depends on fluorescence and absorbance properties of the dye. These results not only demonstrate the voltage sensing capability of the dye, but also indicate the necessity of considering both fluorescence and absorbance spectral sensitivities in order to optimize the characteristics of improved photoacoustic probes. Together, our results demonstrate photoacoustic sensing as a potential new modality for sub-second recording and external imaging of electrophysiological and neurochemical events in the brain.

Long distance, distributed gas sensing based on micro-nano fiber evanescent wave quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Ying; Ma, Yufei; Tong, Yao; Yu, Xin; Peng, Zhenfang; Gao, Jing; Tittel, Frank K.

2017-12-01

A long distance, distributed gas sensing using the micro-nano fiber evanescent wave (FEW) quartz enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy technique was demonstrated. Such a sensor scheme has the advantages of higher detection sensitivity, distributed gas sensing ability, lower cost, and a simpler fabrication procedure compared to conventional FEW gas sensors using a photonic crystal fiber or a tapered fiber with chemical sputtering. A 3 km single mode fiber with multiple tapers and an erbium doped fiber amplifier with an output optical power of 700 mW were employed to perform long distance, distributed gas measurements.

Detecting inflammation and fibrosis in bowel wall with photoacoustic imaging in a Crohn's disease animal model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Guan; Johnson, Laura A.; Hu, Jack; Dillman, Jonathan R.; Higgins, Peter D. R.; Wang, Xueding

2015-03-01

Crohn's disease (CD) is an autoimmune disease affecting 700,000 people in the United States. This condition may cause obstructing intestinal narrowings (strictures) due to inflammation, fibrosis (deposition of collagen), or a combination of both. Utilizing the unique strong optical absorption of hemoglobin at 532 nm and collagen at 1370 nm, this study investigated the feasibility of non-invasively characterizing intestinal strictures using photoacoustic imaging (PAI). Three normal controls, ten pure inflammation and 9 inflammation plus fibrosis rat bowel wall samples were imaged. Statistical analysis of the PA measurements has shown the capability of discriminating the purely inflammatory from mixed inflammatory and fibrotic strictures.

Non-invasive detection of the early phase of kidney injury by photoacoustic/computed tomography imaging.

PubMed

Pan, Wanma; Peng, Wen; Ning, Fengling; Zhang, Yu; Zhang, Yunfei; Wang, Yinhang; Xie, Weiyi; Zhang, Jing; Xin, Hong; Li, Cong; Zhang, Xuemei

2018-06-29

The early diagnosis of kidney diseases, which can remarkably impair the quality of life and are costly, has encountered great difficulties. Therefore, the development of methods for early diagnosis has great clinical significance. In this study, we used an emerging technique of photoacoustic (PA) imaging, which has relatively high spatial resolution and good imaging depth. Two kinds of PA gold nanoparticle (GNP)-based bioprobes were developed based on their superior photo detectability, size controllability and biocompatibility. The kidney injury mouse model was developed by unilateral ureteral obstruction for 96 h and the release of obstruction model). Giving 3.5 and 5.5 nm bioprobes by tail vein injection, we found that the 5.5 nm probe could be detected in the bladder in the model group, but not in the control group. These results were confirmed by computed tomography imaging. Furthermore, the model group did not show changes in the blood biochemical indices (BUN and Scr) and histologic examination. The 5.5 nm GNPs were found to be the critical point for early diagnosis of kidney injury. This new method was faster and more sensitive and accurate for the detection of renal injury, compared with conventional methods, and can be used for the development of a PA GNP-based bioprobe for diagnosing renal injury.

Non-invasive detection of the early phase of kidney injury by photoacoustic/computed tomography imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Wanma; Peng, Wen; Ning, Fengling; Zhang, Yu; Zhang, Yunfei; Wang, Yinhang; Xie, Weiyi; Zhang, Jing; Xin, Hong; Li, Cong; Zhang, Xuemei

2018-06-01

The early diagnosis of kidney diseases, which can remarkably impair the quality of life and are costly, has encountered great difficulties. Therefore, the development of methods for early diagnosis has great clinical significance. In this study, we used an emerging technique of photoacoustic (PA) imaging, which has relatively high spatial resolution and good imaging depth. Two kinds of PA gold nanoparticle (GNP)-based bioprobes were developed based on their superior photo detectability, size controllability and biocompatibility. The kidney injury mouse model was developed by unilateral ureteral obstruction for 96 h and the release of obstruction model). Giving 3.5 and 5.5 nm bioprobes by tail vein injection, we found that the 5.5 nm probe could be detected in the bladder in the model group, but not in the control group. These results were confirmed by computed tomography imaging. Furthermore, the model group did not show changes in the blood biochemical indices (BUN and Scr) and histologic examination. The 5.5 nm GNPs were found to be the critical point for early diagnosis of kidney injury. This new method was faster and more sensitive and accurate for the detection of renal injury, compared with conventional methods, and can be used for the development of a PA GNP-based bioprobe for diagnosing renal injury.

Accuracy of a novel photoacoustic-based approach to surgical guidance performed with and without a da Vinci robot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gandhi, Neeraj; Kim, Sungmin; Kazanzides, Peter; Lediju Bell, Muyinatu A.

2017-03-01

Minimally invasive surgery carries the deadly risk of rupturing major blood vessels, such as the internal carotid arteries hidden by bone in endonasal transsphenoidal surgery. We propose a novel approach to surgical guidance that relies on photoacoustic-based vessel separation measurements to assess the extent of safety zones during these type of surgical procedures. This approach can be implemented with or without a robot or navigation system. To determine the accuracy of this approach, a custom phantom was designed and manufactured for modular placement of two 3.18-mm diameter vessel-mimicking targets separated by 10-20 mm. Photoacoustic images were acquired as the optical fiber was swept across the vessels in the absence and presence of teleoperation with a research da Vinci Surgical System. When the da Vinci was used, vessel positions were recorded based on the fiber position (calculated from the robot kinematics) that corresponded to an observed photoacoustic signal. In all cases, compounded photoacoustic data from a single sweep displayed the four vessel boundaries in one image. Amplitude- and coherence-based photoacoustic images were used to estimate vessel separations, resulting in 0.52-0.56 mm mean absolute errors, 0.66-0.71 mm root mean square errors, and 65-68% more accuracy compared to fiber position measurements obtained through the da Vinci robot kinematics. Results indicate that with further development, photoacoustic image-based measurements of anatomical landmarks could be a viable method for real-time path planning in multiple interventional photoacoustic applications.

Skeletonization algorithm-based blood vessel quantification using in vivo 3D photoacoustic imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meiburger, K. M.; Nam, S. Y.; Chung, E.; Suggs, L. J.; Emelianov, S. Y.; Molinari, F.

2016-11-01

Blood vessels are the only system to provide nutrients and oxygen to every part of the body. Many diseases can have significant effects on blood vessel formation, so that the vascular network can be a cue to assess malicious tumor and ischemic tissues. Various imaging techniques can visualize blood vessel structure, but their applications are often constrained by either expensive costs, contrast agents, ionizing radiations, or a combination of the above. Photoacoustic imaging combines the high-contrast and spectroscopic-based specificity of optical imaging with the high spatial resolution of ultrasound imaging, and image contrast depends on optical absorption. This enables the detection of light absorbing chromophores such as hemoglobin with a greater penetration depth compared to purely optical techniques. We present here a skeletonization algorithm for vessel architectural analysis using non-invasive photoacoustic 3D images acquired without the administration of any exogenous contrast agents. 3D photoacoustic images were acquired on rats (n  =  4) in two different time points: before and after a burn surgery. A skeletonization technique based on the application of a vesselness filter and medial axis extraction is proposed to extract the vessel structure from the image data and six vascular parameters (number of vascular trees (NT), vascular density (VD), number of branches (NB), 2D distance metric (DM), inflection count metric (ICM), and sum of angles metric (SOAM)) were calculated from the skeleton. The parameters were compared (1) in locations with and without the burn wound on the same day and (2) in the same anatomic location before (control) and after the burn surgery. Four out of the six descriptors were statistically different (VD, NB, DM, ICM, p  <  0.05) when comparing two anatomic locations on the same day and when considering the same anatomic location at two separate times (i.e. before and after burn surgery). The study demonstrates an

Non-invasive brain stimulation: an interventional tool for enhancing behavioral training after stroke.

PubMed

Wessel, Maximilian J; Zimerman, Máximo; Hummel, Friedhelm C

2015-01-01

Stroke is the leading cause of disability among adults. Motor deficit is the most common impairment after stroke. Especially, deficits in fine motor skills impair numerous activities of daily life. Re-acquisition of motor skills resulting in improved or more accurate motor performance is paramount to regain function, and is the basis of behavioral motor therapy after stroke. Within the past years, there has been a rapid technological and methodological development in neuroimaging leading to a significant progress in the understanding of the neural substrates that underlie motor skill acquisition and functional recovery in stroke patients. Based on this and the development of novel non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques, new adjuvant interventional approaches that augment the response to behavioral training have been proposed. Transcranial direct current, transcranial magnetic, and paired associative (PAS) stimulation are NIBS techniques that can modulate cortical excitability, neuronal plasticity and interact with learning and memory in both healthy individuals and stroke patients. These techniques can enhance the effect of practice and facilitate the retention of tasks that mimic daily life activities. The purpose of the present review is to provide a comprehensive overview of neuroplastic phenomena in the motor system during learning of a motor skill, recovery after brain injury, and of interventional strategies to enhance the beneficial effects of customarily used neurorehabilitation after stroke.

Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation: An Interventional Tool for Enhancing Behavioral Training after Stroke

PubMed Central

Wessel, Maximilian J.; Zimerman, Máximo; Hummel, Friedhelm C.

2015-01-01

Stroke is the leading cause of disability among adults. Motor deficit is the most common impairment after stroke. Especially, deficits in fine motor skills impair numerous activities of daily life. Re-acquisition of motor skills resulting in improved or more accurate motor performance is paramount to regain function, and is the basis of behavioral motor therapy after stroke. Within the past years, there has been a rapid technological and methodological development in neuroimaging leading to a significant progress in the understanding of the neural substrates that underlie motor skill acquisition and functional recovery in stroke patients. Based on this and the development of novel non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques, new adjuvant interventional approaches that augment the response to behavioral training have been proposed. Transcranial direct current, transcranial magnetic, and paired associative (PAS) stimulation are NIBS techniques that can modulate cortical excitability, neuronal plasticity and interact with learning and memory in both healthy individuals and stroke patients. These techniques can enhance the effect of practice and facilitate the retention of tasks that mimic daily life activities. The purpose of the present review is to provide a comprehensive overview of neuroplastic phenomena in the motor system during learning of a motor skill, recovery after brain injury, and of interventional strategies to enhance the beneficial effects of customarily used neurorehabilitation after stroke. PMID:26029083

Near-Infrared Squaraine Dye Encapsulated Micelles for in Vivo Fluorescence and Photoacoustic Bimodal Imaging.

PubMed

Sreejith, Sivaramapanicker; Joseph, James; Lin, Manjing; Menon, Nishanth Venugopal; Borah, Parijat; Ng, Hao Jun; Loong, Yun Xian; Kang, Yuejun; Yu, Sidney Wing-Kwong; Zhao, Yanli

2015-06-23

Combined near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence and photoacoustic imaging techniques present promising capabilities for noninvasive visualization of biological structures. Development of bimodal noninvasive optical imaging approaches by combining NIR fluorescence and photoacoustic tomography demands suitable NIR-active exogenous contrast agents. If the aggregation and photobleaching are prevented, squaraine dyes are ideal candidates for fluorescence and photoacoustic imaging. Herein, we report rational selection, preparation, and micelle encapsulation of an NIR-absorbing squaraine dye (D1) for in vivo fluorescence and photoacoustic bimodal imaging. D1 was encapsulated inside micelles constructed from a biocompatible nonionic surfactant (Pluoronic F-127) to obtain D1-encapsulated micelles (D1(micelle)) in aqueous conditions. The micelle encapsulation retains both the photophysical features and chemical stability of D1. D1(micelle) exhibits high photostability and low cytotoxicity in biological conditions. Unique properties of D1(micelle) in the NIR window of 800-900 nm enable the development of a squaraine-based exogenous contrast agent for fluorescence and photoacoustic bimodal imaging above 820 nm. In vivo imaging using D1(micelle), as demonstrated by fluorescence and photoacoustic tomography experiments in live mice, shows contrast-enhanced deep tissue imaging capability. The usage of D1(micelle) proven by preclinical experiments in rodents reveals its excellent applicability for NIR fluorescence and photoacoustic bimodal imaging.

Multispectral photoacoustic imaging of nerves with a clinical ultrasound system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mari, Jean Martial; West, Simeon; Beard, Paul C.; Desjardins, Adrien E.

2014-03-01

Accurate and efficient identification of nerves is of great importance during many ultrasound-guided clinical procedures, including nerve blocks and prostate biopsies. It can be challenging to visualise nerves with conventional ultrasound imaging, however. One of the challenges is that nerves can have very similar appearances to nearby structures such as tendons. Several recent studies have highlighted the potential of near-infrared optical spectroscopy for differentiating nerves and adjacent tissues, as this modality can be sensitive to optical absorption of lipids that are present in intra- and extra-neural adipose tissue and in the myelin sheaths. These studies were limited to point measurements, however. In this pilot study, a custom photoacoustic system with a clinical ultrasound imaging probe was used to acquire multi-spectral photoacoustic images of nerves and tendons from swine ex vivo, across the wavelength range of 1100 to 1300 nm. Photoacoustic images were processed and overlaid in colour onto co-registered conventional ultrasound images that were acquired with the same imaging probe. A pronounced optical absorption peak centred at 1210 nm was observed in the photoacoustic signals obtained from nerves, and it was absent in those obtained from tendons. This absorption peak, which is consistent with the presence of lipids, provides a novel image contrast mechanism to significantly enhance the visualization of nerves. In particular, image contrast for nerves was up to 5.5 times greater with photoacoustic imaging (0.82 +/- 0.15) than with conventional ultrasound imaging (0.148 +/- 0.002), with a maximum contrast of 0.95 +/- 0.02 obtained in photoacoustic mode. This pilot study demonstrates the potential of photoacoustic imaging to improve clinical outcomes in ultrasound-guided interventions in regional anaesthesia and interventional oncology.

Non-Invasive markers for hepatic fibrosis

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

With great advancements in the therapeutic modalities used for the treatment of chronic liver diseases, the accurate assessment of liver fibrosis is a vital need for successful individualized management of disease activity in patients. The lack of accurate, reproducible and easily applied methods for fibrosis assessment has been the major limitation in both the clinical management and for research in liver diseases. However, the problem of the development of biomarkers capable of non-invasive staging of fibrosis in the liver is difficult due to the fact that the process of fibrogenesis is a component of the normal healing response to injury, invasion by pathogens, and many other etiologic factors. Current non-invasive methods range from serum biomarker assays to advanced imaging techniques such as transient elastography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Among non-invasive methods that gain strongest clinical foothold are FibroScan elastometry and serum-based APRI and FibroTest. There are many other tests that are not yet widely validated, but are none the less, promising. The rate of adoption of non-invasive diagnostic tests for liver fibrosis differs from country to country, but remains limited. At the present time, use of non-invasive procedures could be recommended as pre-screening that may allow physicians to narrow down the patients' population before definitive testing of liver fibrosis by biopsy of the liver. This review provides a systematic overview of these techniques, as well as both direct and indirect biomarkers based approaches used to stage fibrosis and covers recent developments in this rapidly advancing area. PMID:21849046

Photoacoustic image patterns of breast carcinoma and comparisons with Magnetic Resonance Imaging and vascular stained histopathology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heijblom, M.; Piras, D.; Brinkhuis, M.; van Hespen, J. C. G.; van den Engh, F. M.; van der Schaaf, M.; Klaase, J. M.; van Leeuwen, T. G.; Steenbergen, W.; Manohar, S.

2015-07-01

Photoacoustic (optoacoustic) imaging can visualize vasculature deep in tissue using the high contrast of hemoglobin to light, with the high-resolution possible with ultrasound detection. Since angiogenesis, one of the hallmarks of cancer, leads to increased vascularity, photoacoustics holds promise in imaging breast cancer as shown in proof-of-principle studies. Here for the first time, we investigate if there are specific photoacoustic appearances of breast malignancies which can be related to the tumor vascularity, using an upgraded research imaging system, the Twente Photoacoustic Mammoscope. In addition to comparisons with x-ray and ultrasound images, in subsets of cases the photoacoustic images were compared with MR images, and with vascular staining in histopathology. We were able to identify lesions in suspect breasts at the expected locations in 28 of 29 cases. We discovered generally three types of photoacoustic appearances reminiscent of contrast enhancement types reported in MR imaging of breast malignancies, and first insights were gained into the relationship with tumor vascularity.

Calculation of Non-Bonded Forces Due to Sliding of Bundled Carbon Nanotubes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frankland, S. J. V.; Bandorawalla, T.; Gates, T. S.

2003-01-01

An important consideration for load transfer in bundles of single-walled carbon nanotubes is the nonbonded (van der Waals) forces between the nanotubes and their effect on axial sliding of the nanotubes relative to each other. In this research, the non-bonded forces in a bundle of seven hexagonally packed (10,10) single-walled carbon nanotubes are represented as an axial force applied to the central nanotube. A simple model, based on momentum balance, is developed to describe the velocity response of the central nanotube to the applied force. The model is verified by comparing its velocity predictions with molecular dynamics simulations that were performed on the bundle with different force histories applied to the central nanotube. The model was found to quantitatively predict the nanotube velocities obtained from the molecular dynamics simulations. Both the model and the simulations predict a threshold force at which the nanotube releases from the bundle. This force converts to a shear yield strength of 10.5-11.0 MPa for (10,10) nanotubes in a bundle.

Modeling photoacoustic spectral features of micron-sized particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strohm, Eric M.; Gorelikov, Ivan; Matsuura, Naomi; Kolios, Michael C.

2014-10-01

The photoacoustic signal generated from particles when irradiated by light is determined by attributes of the particle such as the size, speed of sound, morphology and the optical absorption coefficient. Unique features such as periodically varying minima and maxima are observed throughout the photoacoustic signal power spectrum, where the periodicity depends on these physical attributes. The frequency content of the photoacoustic signals can be used to obtain the physical attributes of unknown particles by comparison to analytical solutions of homogeneous symmetric geometric structures, such as spheres. However, analytical solutions do not exist for irregularly shaped particles, inhomogeneous particles or particles near structures. A finite element model (FEM) was used to simulate photoacoustic wave propagation from four different particle configurations: a homogeneous particle suspended in water, a homogeneous particle on a reflecting boundary, an inhomogeneous particle with an absorbing shell and non-absorbing core, and an irregularly shaped particle such as a red blood cell. Biocompatible perfluorocarbon droplets, 3-5 μm in diameter containing optically absorbing nanoparticles were used as the representative ideal particles, as they are spherical, homogeneous, optically translucent, and have known physical properties. The photoacoustic spectrum of micron-sized single droplets in suspension and on a reflecting boundary were measured over the frequency range of 100-500 MHz and compared directly to analytical models and the FEM. Good agreement between the analytical model, FEM and measured values were observed for a droplet in suspension, where the spectral minima agreed to within a 3.3 MHz standard deviation. For a droplet on a reflecting boundary, spectral features were correctly reproduced using the FEM but not the analytical model. The photoacoustic spectra from other common particle configurations such as particle with an absorbing shell and a

Open photoacoustic cell x-ray detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bento, A. C.; Aguiar, M. M. F.; Vargas, H.; da Silva, M. D.; Bandeira, I. N.; Miranda, L. C. M.

1989-03-01

A simple open-cell configuration photoacoustic x-ray detector is experimentally demonstrated. The front air chamber of a commercial electret microphone is used as the transducer medium of conventional photoacoustics. The observed signal is well described by the thermal diffusion model for the photoacoustic signal.

All-optical photoacoustic imaging and detection of early-stage dental caries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sampathkumar, Ashwin; Hughes, David A.; Longbottom, Chris; Kirk, Katherine J.

2015-02-01

Dental caries remain one of the most common oral diseases in the world. Current detection methods, such as dental explorer and X-ray radiography, suffer from poor sensitivity and specificity at the earliest (and reversible) stages of the disease because of the small size (< 100 microns) of early-stage lesions. We have developed a fine-resolution (480 nm), ultra-broadband (1 GHz), all-optical photoacoustic imaging (AOPAI) system to image and detect early stages of tooth decay. This AOPAI system provides a non-contact, non-invasive and non-ionizing means of detecting early-stage dental caries. Ex-vivo teeth exhibiting early-stage, white-spot lesions were imaged using AOPAI. Experimental scans targeted each early-stage lesion and a reference healthy enamel region. Photoacoustic (PA) signals were generated in the tooth using a 532-nm pulsed laser and the light-induced broadband ultrasound signal was detected at the surface of the tooth with an optical path-stabilized Michelson interferometer operating at 532 nm. The measured time-domain signal was spatially resolved and back-projected to form 2D and 3D maps of the lesion using k-wave reconstruction methods. Experimental data collected from areas of healthy and diseased enamel indicate that the lesion generated a larger PA response compared to healthy enamel. The PA-signal amplitude alone was able to detect a lesion on the surface of the tooth. However, time- reversal reconstructions of the PA scans also quantitatively depicted the depth of the lesion. 3D PA reconstruction of the diseased tooth indicated a sub-surface lesion at a depth of 0.6 mm, in addition to the surface lesion. These results suggest that our AOPAI system is well suited for rapid clinical assessment of early-stage dental caries. An overview of the AOPAI system, fine-resolution PA and histology results of diseased and healthy teeth will be presented.

Photoacoustic detection of CO2 based on LABVIEW at 10.303 μm.

PubMed

Zhao, Junjuan; Zhao, Zhan; Du, Lidong; Geng, Daoqu; Wu, Shaohua

2011-04-01

A detailed study on a photoacoustic carbon dioxide detection system, through sound card based on virtual instrument, is presented in this paper. In this system, the CO(2) concentration was measured with the non-resonant photoacoustic cell technique through measuring the photoacoustic signal caused by the CO(2). In order to obtain small photoacoustic signals buried in noise, a measurement software was designed with LABVIEW. It has functions of Lock-in Amplifier, digital filter, and signal generator; can also be used to achieve spectrum analysis and signal recovery; has been provided with powerful function for data processing and communication with other measuring instrument. The test results show that the entire system has an outstanding measuring performance with the sensitivity of 10 μv between 10-44 KHz. The non-resonance test of the trace gas analyte CO(2) conducted at 100 Hz demonstrated large signals (15.89 mV) for CO(2) concentrations at 600 ppm and high signal-to-noise values (∼85:1). © 2011 American Institute of Physics

Multispectral photoacoustic characterization of ICG and porcine blood using an LED-based photoacoustic imaging system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shigeta, Yusuke; Sato, Naoto; Kuniyil Ajith Singh, Mithun; Agano, Toshitaka

2018-02-01

Photoacoustic imaging is a hybrid biomedical imaging modality that has emerged over the last decade. In photoacoustic imaging, pulsed-light absorbed by the target emits ultrasound that can be detected using a conventional ultrasound array. This ultrasound data can be used to reconstruct the location and spatial details of the intrinsic/extrinsic light absorbers in the tissue. Recently we reported on the development of a multi-wavelength high frame-rate LED-based photoacoustic/ultrasound imaging system (AcousticX). In this work, we photoacoustically characterize the absorption spectrum of ICG and porcine blood using LED arrays with multiple wavelengths (405, 420, 470, 520, 620, 660, 690, 750, 810, 850, 925, 980 nm). Measurements were performed in a simple reflection mode configuration in which LED arrays where fixed on both sides of the linear array ultrasound probe. Phantom used consisted of micro-test tubes filled with ICG and porcine blood, which were placed in a tank filled with water. The photoacoustic spectrum obtained from our measurements matches well with the reference absorption spectrum. These results demonstrate the potential capability of our system in performing clinical/pre-clinical multispectral photoacoustic imaging.

Fleshy fruit removal and nutritional composition of winter-fruiting plants: a comparison of non-native invasive and native species

Treesearch

Cathryn H. Greenberg; Scott T. Walter

2010-01-01

Invasive, non-native plants threaten forest ecosystems by reducing native plant species richness and potentially altering ecosystem processes. Seed dispersal is critical for successful invasion and range expansion by non-native plants; dispersal is likely to be enhanced if they can successfully compete with native plants for disperser services. Fruit production by non-...

Evaluating dynamic contrast-enhanced and photoacoustic CT to assess intra-tumor heterogeneity in xenograft mouse models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stantz, Keith M.; Liu, Bo; Cao, Minsong; Reinecke, Dan; Dzemidzic, Mario; Liang, Yun; Kruger, Robert

2006-03-01

Purpose: To evaluate photoacoustic CT spectroscopy (PCT-S) and dynamic contrast-enhanced CT (DCE-CT) ability to measure parameters - oxygen saturation and vascular physiology - associated with the intra-tumor oxygenation status. Material and Methods: Breast (VEGF165 enhance MCF-7) and ovarian (SKOV3x) cancer cells were implanted into the fat pads and flanks of immune deficient mice and allowed to grow to a diameter of 8-15 mm. CT was used to determine physiological parameters by acquiring a sequence of scans over a 10 minute period after an i.v. injection of a radio-opaque contrast agent (Isovue). These time-dependent contrast-enhanced curves were fit to a two-compartmental model determining tumor perfusion, fractional plasma volume, permeability-surface area produce, and fractional interstitial volume on a voxel-by-voxel basis. After which, the tumors were imaged using photoacoustic CT (Optosonics, Inc., Indianapolis, IN 46202). The near infrared spectra (700-910 nm) within the vasculature was fit to linear combination of measured oxy- and deoxy-hemoglobin blood samples to obtain oxygen saturation levels (SaO II). Results: The PCT-S scanner was first calibrated using different samples of oxygenated blood, from which a statistical error ranging from 2.5-6.5% was measured and a plot of the hemoglobin dissociation curve was consistent with empirical formula. In vivo determination of tumor vasculature SaO II levels were measurably tracked, and spatially correlated to the periphery of the tumor. Tumor depend variations in SaO II - 0.32 (ovarian) and 0.60 (breast) - and in vascular physiology - perfusion, 1.03 and 0.063 mL/min/mL, and fractional plasma volume, 0.20 and 0.07 - were observed. Conclusion: Combined, PCT-S and CED-CT has the potential to measure intra-tumor levels of tumor oxygen saturation and vascular physiology, key parameters associated with hypoxia.

Internal Water Vapor Photoacoustic Calibration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pilgrim, Jeffrey S.

2009-01-01

Water vapor absorption is ubiquitous in the infrared wavelength range where photoacoustic trace gas detectors operate. This technique allows for discontinuous wavelength tuning by temperature-jumping a laser diode from one range to another within a time span suitable for photoacoustic calibration. The use of an internal calibration eliminates the need for external calibrated reference gases. Commercial applications include an improvement of photoacoustic spectrometers in all fields of use.

Carbon nanotubes enhanced the lead toxicity on the freshwater fish

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez, D. S. T.; Alves, O. L.; Barbieri, E.

2013-04-01

Carbon nanotubes are promising nanostructures for many applications in materials industry and biotechnology. However, it is mandatory to evaluate their toxicity and environmental implications. We evaluated nitric acid treated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (HNO3-MWCNT) toxicity in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and also the lead (Pb) toxicity modulation after the nanotube interaction. Industrial grade multiwalled carbon nanotubes [Ctube 100, CNT Co. Ltd] were treated with 9M HNO3 for 12h at 150°C to generate oxygenated groups on the nanotube surface, to improve water dispersion and heavy metal interaction. The HNO3-treated multiwalled carbon nanotubes were physico-chemically characterized by several techniques [e.g. TEM, FE-SEM, TGA, ζ-potential and Raman spectroscopy]. HNO3-MWCNT did not show toxicity on Nile tilapia when the concentration ranged from 0.1 to 3.0 mg/L, and the maximum exposure time was 96h. After 24, 48, 72 and 96h the LC50 values of Pb were 1.65, 1.32, 1.10 and 0.99 mg/L, respectively. To evaluate the Pb-nanotube interaction influence on the ecotoxicity, we submitted the Nile tilapia to different concentrations of Pb mixed with a non-toxic concentration of HNO3-MWCNT (1.0 mg/L). After 24, 48, 72, 96 h the LC50 values of Pb plus nanotubes were: 0.32, 0.25, 0.20, 0.18 mg/L, respectively. These values showed a synergistic effect after Pb-nanotube interaction since Pb toxicity increased over five times. X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) was used to confirm lead adsorption on the carbon nanotube oxidized surface. The exposure of Nile tilapia to Pb plus HNO3-MWCNT caused both oxygen consumption and ammonium excretion decrease, when compared to the control. Finally, our results show that carbon nanotubes interact with classical pollutants drawing attention to the environmental implications.

Non-invasive monitoring of spreading depression.

PubMed

Bastany, Zoya J R; Askari, Shahbaz; Dumont, Guy A; Speckmann, Erwin-Josef; Gorji, Ali

2016-10-01

Spreading depression (SD), a slow propagating depolarization wave, plays an important role in pathophysiology of different neurological disorders. Yet, research into SD-related disorders has been hampered by the lack of non-invasive recording techniques of SD. Here we compared the manifestations of SD in continuous non-invasive electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings to invasive electrocorticographic (ECoG) recordings in order to obtain further insights into generator structures and electrogenic mechanisms of surface recording of SD. SD was induced by KCl application and simultaneous SD recordings were performed by scalp EEG as well as ECoG electrodes of somatosensory neocortex of rats using a novel homemade EEG amplifier, AgCl recording electrodes, and high chloride conductive gel. Different methods were used to analyze the data; including the spectrogram, bi-spectrogram, pattern distribution, relative spectrum power, and multivariable Gaussian fit analysis. The negative direct current (DC) shifts recorded by scalp electrodes exhibited a high homogeneity to those recorded by ECoG electrodes. Furthermore, this novel method of recording and analysis was able to separate SD recorded by scalp electrodes from non-neuronal DC shifts induced by other potential generators, such as the skin, muscles, arteries, dura, etc. These data suggest a novel application for continuous non-invasive monitoring of DC potential changes, such as SD. Non-invasive monitoring of SD would allow early intervention and improve outcome in SD-related neurological disorders. Copyright © 2016 IBRO. All rights reserved.

Trends in Nanomaterial-Based Non-Invasive Diabetes Sensing Technologies

PubMed Central

Makaram, Prashanth; Owens, Dawn; Aceros, Juan

2014-01-01

Blood glucose monitoring is considered the gold standard for diabetes diagnostics and self-monitoring. However, the underlying process is invasive and highly uncomfortable for patients. Furthermore, the process must be completed several times a day to successfully manage the disease, which greatly contributes to the massive need for non-invasive monitoring options. Human serums, such as saliva, sweat, breath, urine and tears, contain traces of glucose and are easily accessible. Therefore, they allow minimal to non-invasive glucose monitoring, making them attractive alternatives to blood measurements. Numerous developments regarding noninvasive glucose detection techniques have taken place over the years, but recently, they have gained recognition as viable alternatives, due to the advent of nanotechnology-based sensors. Such sensors are optimal for testing the amount of glucose in serums other than blood thanks to their enhanced sensitivity and selectivity ranges, in addition to their size and compatibility with electronic circuitry. These nanotechnology approaches are rapidly evolving, and new techniques are constantly emerging. Hence, this manuscript aims to review current and future nanomaterial-based technologies utilizing saliva, sweat, breath and tears as a diagnostic medium for diabetes monitoring. PMID:26852676

Trends in Nanomaterial-Based Non-Invasive Diabetes Sensing Technologies.

PubMed

Makaram, Prashanth; Owens, Dawn; Aceros, Juan

2014-04-21

Blood glucose monitoring is considered the gold standard for diabetes diagnostics and self-monitoring. However, the underlying process is invasive and highly uncomfortable for patients. Furthermore, the process must be completed several times a day to successfully manage the disease, which greatly contributes to the massive need for non-invasive monitoring options. Human serums, such as saliva, sweat, breath, urine and tears, contain traces of glucose and are easily accessible. Therefore, they allow minimal to non-invasive glucose monitoring, making them attractive alternatives to blood measurements. Numerous developments regarding noninvasive glucose detection techniques have taken place over the years, but recently, they have gained recognition as viable alternatives, due to the advent of nanotechnology-based sensors. Such sensors are optimal for testing the amount of glucose in serums other than blood thanks to their enhanced sensitivity and selectivity ranges, in addition to their size and compatibility with electronic circuitry. These nanotechnology approaches are rapidly evolving, and new techniques are constantly emerging. Hence, this manuscript aims to review current and future nanomaterial-based technologies utilizing saliva, sweat, breath and tears as a diagnostic medium for diabetes monitoring.

Enhanced water vapor separation by temperature-controlled aligned-multiwalled carbon nanotube membranes.

PubMed

Jeon, Wonjae; Yun, Jongju; Khan, Fakhre Alam; Baik, Seunghyun

2015-09-14

Here we present a new strategy of selectively rejecting water vapor while allowing fast transport of dry gases using temperature-controlled aligned-multiwalled carbon nanotubes (aligned-MWNTs). The mechanism is based on the water vapor condensation at the entry region of nanotubes followed by removing aggregated water droplets at the tip of the superhydrophobic aligned-MWNTs. The first condensation step could be dramatically enhanced by decreasing the nanotube temperature. The permeate-side relative humidity was as low as ∼17% and the helium-water vapor separation factor was as high as 4.62 when a helium-water vapor mixture with a relative humidity of 100% was supplied to the aligned-MWNTs. The flow through the interstitial space of the aligned-MWNTs allowed the permeability of single dry gases an order of magnitude higher than the Knudsen prediction regardless of membrane temperature. The water vapor separation performance of hydrophobic polytetrafluoroethylene membranes could also be significantly enhanced at low temperatures. This work combines the membrane-based separation technology with temperature control to enhance water vapor separation performance.

Changing Brain Networks Through Non-invasive Neuromodulation

PubMed Central

To, Wing Ting; De Ridder, Dirk; Hart Jr., John; Vanneste, Sven

2018-01-01

Background/Objective: Non-invasive neuromodulation techniques, such as repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), have increasingly been investigated for their potential as treatments for neurological and psychiatric disorders. Despite widespread dissemination of these techniques, the underlying therapeutic mechanisms and the ideal stimulation site for a given disorder remain unknown. Increasing evidence support the possibility of non-invasive neuromodulation affecting a brain network rather than just the local stimulation target. In this article, we present evidence in a clinical setting to support the idea that non-invasive neuromodulation changes brain networks. Method: This article addresses the idea that non-invasive neuromodulation modulates brain networks, rather than just the local stimulation target, using neuromodulation studies in tinnitus and major depression as examples. We present studies that support this hypothesis from different perspectives. Main Results/Conclusion: Studies stimulating the same brain region, such as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), have shown to be effective for several disorders and studies using different stimulation sites for the same disorder have shown similar results. These findings, as well as results from studies investigating brain network connectivity on both macro and micro levels, suggest that non-invasive neuromodulation affects a brain network rather than just the local stimulation site targeted. We propose that non-invasive neuromodulation should be approached from a network perspective and emphasize the therapeutic potential of this approach through the modulation of targeted brain networks. PMID:29706876

Changing Brain Networks Through Non-invasive Neuromodulation.

PubMed

To, Wing Ting; De Ridder, Dirk; Hart, John; Vanneste, Sven

2018-01-01

Background/Objective : Non-invasive neuromodulation techniques, such as repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), have increasingly been investigated for their potential as treatments for neurological and psychiatric disorders. Despite widespread dissemination of these techniques, the underlying therapeutic mechanisms and the ideal stimulation site for a given disorder remain unknown. Increasing evidence support the possibility of non-invasive neuromodulation affecting a brain network rather than just the local stimulation target. In this article, we present evidence in a clinical setting to support the idea that non-invasive neuromodulation changes brain networks. Method : This article addresses the idea that non-invasive neuromodulation modulates brain networks, rather than just the local stimulation target, using neuromodulation studies in tinnitus and major depression as examples. We present studies that support this hypothesis from different perspectives. Main Results/Conclusion : Studies stimulating the same brain region, such as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), have shown to be effective for several disorders and studies using different stimulation sites for the same disorder have shown similar results. These findings, as well as results from studies investigating brain network connectivity on both macro and micro levels, suggest that non-invasive neuromodulation affects a brain network rather than just the local stimulation site targeted. We propose that non-invasive neuromodulation should be approached from a network perspective and emphasize the therapeutic potential of this approach through the modulation of targeted brain networks.

Diagnostic value of Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MR cholangiography in non-invasive detection of postoperative bile leakage.

PubMed

Kul, Melahat; Erden, Ayşe; Düşünceli Atman, Ebru

2017-04-01

To assess the diagnostic value of dynamic T 1 weighted (T1w) gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine penta-acetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced MR cholangiography (MRC) for the detection of active bile leaks. A total of 28 patients with suspected biliary leakage who underwent routine T 2 weighted (T2w) MRC and T1w GD-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRC at our institution from February 2013 to June 2016 were included in this study. The image sets were retrospectively analyzed in consensus by three radiologists. T1w Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRC findings were correlated with clinical data, follow-up examinations and findings of invasive/surgical procedures. Patients with positive bile leak findings in Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRC were divided into hepatobiliary phase (HBP) (20-30 min) and delayed phase (DP) (60-390 min) group according to elapsed time between Gd-EOB-DTPA injection and initial bile leak findings in MRC images. These groups were compared in terms of laboratory test results (total bilirubin, liver enzymes) and the presence of bile duct dilatation in T2w MRC images. In each patient, visualization of bile ducts was sufficient in the HBP. The accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of dynamic Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced T1w MRC in the detection of biliary leaks were 92.9%, 90.5% and 100%, respectively (p < 0.001). 19 of 28 patients had bile leak findings in T1w Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRC [HBP group: N = 7 (36.8%), DP group: N = 12 (63.2%)]. There was no statistically significant difference in terms of laboratory test results and the presence of bile duct dilatation between HBP and DP group (p > 0.05). Three patients, each of them in DP group, showed normal laboratory test results and bile duct diameters. Dynamic T1w Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRC is a useful non-invasive diagnostic tool to detect bile leak. Advances in knowledge: Prolonged DP imaging may be required for bile leak detection even if visualization of biliary tree is sufficient in HBP and liver function tests

Photoacoustic sensor for VOCs: first step towards a lung cancer breath test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolff, Marcus; Groninga, Hinrich G.; Dressler, Matthias; Harde, Hermann

2005-08-01

Development of new optical sensor technologies has a major impact on the progression of diagnostic methods. Specifically, the optical analysis of breath is an extraordinarily promising technique. Spectroscopic sensors for the non-invasive 13C-breath tests (the Urea Breath Test for detection of Helicobacter pylori is most prominent) are meanwhile well established. However, recent research and development go beyond gastroenterological applications. Sensitive and selective detection of certain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in a patient's breath, could enable the diagnosis of diseases that are very difficult to diagnose with contemporary techniques. For instance, an appropriate VOC biomarker for early-stage bronchial carcinoma (lung cancer) is n-butane (C4H10). We present a new optical detection scheme for VOCs that employs an especially compact and simple set-up based on photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS). This method makes use of the transformation of absorbed modulated radiation into a sound wave. Employing a wavelength-modulated distributed feedback (DFB) diode laser and taking advantage of acoustical resonances of the sample cell, we performed very sensitive and selective measurements on butane. A detection limit for butane in air in the ppb range was achieved. In subsequent research the sensitivity will be successively improved to match the requirements of the medical application. Upon optimization, our photoacoustic sensor has the potential to enable future breath tests for early-stage lung cancer diagnostics.

Improving label-free detection of circulating melanoma cells by photoacoustic flow cytometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Huan; Wang, Qiyan; Pang, Kai; Zhou, Quanyu; Yang, Ping; He, Hao; Wei, Xunbin

2018-02-01

Melanoma is a kind of a malignant tumor of melanocytes with the properties of high mortality and high metastasis rate. The circulating melanoma cells with the high content of melanin can be detected by light absorption to diagnose and treat cancer at an early stage. Compared with conventional detection methods such as in vivo flow cytometry (IVFC) based on fluorescence, the in vivo photoacoustic flow cytometry (PAFC) utilizes melanin cells as biomarkers to collect the photoacoustic (PA) signals without toxic fluorescent dyes labeling in a non-invasive way. The information of target tumor cells is helpful for data analysis and cell counting. However, the raw signals in PAFC system contain numerous noises such as environmental noise, device noise and in vivo motion noise. Conventional denoising algorithms such as wavelet denoising (WD) method and means filter (MF) method are based on the local information to extract the data of clinical interest, which remove the subtle feature and leave many noises. To address the above questions, the nonlocal means (NLM) method based on nonlocal data has been proposed to suppress the noise in PA signals. Extensive experiments on in vivo PA signals from the mice with the injection of B16F10 cells in caudal vein have been conducted. All the results indicate that the NLM method has superior noise reduction performance and subtle information reservation.

Non-invasive detection of vulnerable coronary plaque

PubMed Central

Sharif, Faisal; Lohan, Derek G; Wijns, William

2011-01-01

Critical coronary stenoses have been shown to contribute to only a minority of acute coronary syndromes and sudden cardiac death. Autopsy studies have identified a subgroup of high-risk patients with disrupted vulnerable plaque and modest stenosis. Consequently, a clinical need exists to develop methods to identify these plaques prospectively before disruption and clinical expression of disease. Recent advances in invasive and non-invasive imaging techniques have shown the potential to identify these high-risk plaques. Non-invasive imaging with magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography and positron emission tomography holds the potential to differentiate between low- and high-risk plaques. There have been significant technological advances in non-invasive imaging modalities, and the aim is to achieve a diagnostic sensitivity for these technologies similar to that of the invasive modalities. Molecular imaging with the use of novel targeted nanoparticles may help in detecting high-risk plaques that will ultimately cause acute myocardial infarction. Moreover, nanoparticle-based imaging may even provide non-invasive treatments for these plaques. However, at present none of these imaging modalities are able to detect vulnerable plaque nor have they been shown to definitively predict outcome. Further trials are needed to provide more information regarding the natural history of high-risk but non-flow-limiting plaque to establish patient specific targeted therapy and to refine plaque stabilizing strategies in the future. PMID:21860703

Dry coupling for whole-body small-animal photoacoustic computed tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeh, Chenghung; Li, Lei; Zhu, Liren; Xia, Jun; Li, Chiye; Chen, Wanyi; Garcia-Uribe, Alejandro; Maslov, Konstantin I.; Wang, Lihong V.

2017-04-01

We have enhanced photoacoustic computed tomography with dry acoustic coupling that eliminates water immersion anxiety and wrinkling of the animal and facilitates incorporating complementary modalities and procedures. The dry acoustic coupler is made of a tubular elastic membrane enclosed by a closed transparent water tank. The tubular membrane ensures water-free contact with the animal, and the closed water tank allows pressurization for animal stabilization. The dry coupler was tested using a whole-body small-animal ring-shaped photoacoustic computed tomography system. Dry coupling was found to provide image quality comparable to that of conventional water coupling.

Noninvasive measurement of internal jugular venous oxygen saturation by photoacoustic imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia-Uribe, Alejandro; Erpelding, Todd N.; Ke, Haixin; Reddy, Kavya; Sharma, Anshuman; Wang, Lihong V.

2014-03-01

The metabolic rate and oxygen consumption of the brain is reflected in jugular venous oxygen saturation. In many clinical conditions, such as head trauma, stroke, and low cardiac output states, the brain is at risk for hypoxic-ischemic injury. The current gold standard for monitoring brain oxygenation is invasive and requires jugular vein catheterization under fluoroscopic guidance; and therefore it is rarely used. Photo-acoustic tomography in combination with ultrasound can be used to estimate oxygen saturation of the internal jugular vein in real-time. This noninvasive method will enable earlier detection and prevention of impending hypoxic brain injury. A wavelength-tunable dye laser pumped by a Nd:YAG laser delivers light through an optical fiber bundle, and a modified commercial ultrasound imaging system (Philips iU22) detects both the pulse-echo ultrasound (US) and photoacoustic (PA) signals. A custom-built multichannel data acquisition system renders co-registered ultrasound and photoacoustic images at 5 frames per second. After the jugular vein was localized in healthy volunteers, dualwavelength PA images were used to calculate the blood hemoglobin oxygen saturation from the internal jugular vein in vivo. The preliminary results raise confidence that this emerging technology can be used clinically as an accurate, noninvasive indicator of cerebral oxygenation.

Non-invasive prediction of forthcoming cirrhosis-related complications

PubMed Central

Kang, Wonseok; Kim, Seung Up; Ahn, Sang Hoon

2014-01-01

In patients with chronic liver diseases, identification of significant liver fibrosis and cirrhosis is essential for determining treatment strategies, assessing therapeutic response, and stratifying long-term prognosis. Although liver biopsy remains the reference standard for evaluating the extent of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic liver diseases, several non-invasive methods have been developed as alternatives to liver biopsies. Some of these non-invasive methods have demonstrated clinical accuracy for diagnosing significant fibrosis or cirrhosis in many cross-sectional studies with the histological fibrosis stage as a reference standard. However, non-invasive methods cannot be fully validated through cross-sectional studies since liver biopsy is not a perfect surrogate endpoint marker. Accordingly, recent studies have focused on assessing the performance of non-invasive methods through long-term, longitudinal, follow-up studies with solid clinical endpoints related to advanced stages of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. As a result, current view is that these alternative methods can independently predict future cirrhosis-related complications, such as hepatic decompensation, liver failure, hepatocellular carcinoma, or liver-related death. The clinical role of non-invasive models seems to be shifting from a simple tool for predicting the extent of fibrosis to a surveillance tool for predicting future liver-related events. In this article, we will summarize recent longitudinal studies of non-invasive methods for predicting forthcoming complications related to liver cirrhosis and discuss the clinical value of currently available non-invasive methods based on evidence from the literature. PMID:24627597

Nonlinear photoacoustic spectroscopy of hemoglobin.

PubMed

Danielli, Amos; Maslov, Konstantin; Favazza, Christopher P; Xia, Jun; Wang, Lihong V

2015-05-18

As light intensity increases in photoacoustic imaging, the saturation of optical absorption and the temperature dependence of the thermal expansion coefficient result in a measurable nonlinear dependence of the photoacoustic (PA) signal on the excitation pulse fluence. Here, under controlled conditions, we investigate the intensity-dependent photoacoustic signals from oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin at varied optical wavelengths and molecular concentrations. The wavelength and concentration dependencies of the nonlinear PA spectrum are found to be significantly greater in oxygenated hemoglobin than in deoxygenated hemoglobin. These effects are further influenced by the hemoglobin concentration. These nonlinear phenomena provide insights into applications of photoacoustics, such as measurements of average inter-molecular distances on a nm scale or with a tuned selection of wavelengths, a more accurate quantitative PA tomography.

Photoacoustic Spectroscopy as a Non-destructive Tool for Quantification of Pesticide Residue in Apple Cuticle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Lixian; Wang, Yafei; Gao, Chunming; Huan, Huiting; Zhao, Binxing; Yan, Laijun

2015-06-01

Photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS), the non-destructive method to detect residue of dimethyl-dichloro-vinyl-phosphate (DDVP) pesticide in a cuticle of apple, is described. After constructing the PA experimental setup and identifying three characteristic peaks of DDVP in the near ultraviolet region, the PA spectra of an apple cuticle contaminated with DDVP were collected. The artificial neural network method was then applied to analyze data quantitatively. The results show a correlation coefficient exceeding 0.99 and a detection limit of 0.2 ppm, which is within the national food safety standard for maximum residue limits for pesticides in food (GB 2763-2012). This fact and the non-destructive character of PAS make the approach promising for detection of pesticide residue in fruits.

Improved functionality of graphene and carbon nanotube hybrid foam architecture by UV-ozone treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wei; Ruiz, Isaac; Lee, Ilkeun; Zaera, Francisco; Ozkan, Mihrimah; Ozkan, Cengiz S.

2015-04-01

Optimization of the electrode/electrolyte double-layer interface is a key factor for improving electrode performance of aqueous electrolyte based supercapacitors (SCs). Here, we report the improved functionality of carbon materials via a non-invasive, high-throughput, and inexpensive UV generated ozone (UV-ozone) treatment. This process allows precise tuning of the graphene and carbon nanotube hybrid foam (GM) transitionally from ultrahydrophobic to hydrophilic within 60 s. The continuous tuning of surface energy can be controlled by simply varying the UV-ozone exposure time, while the ozone-oxidized carbon nanostructure maintains its integrity. Symmetric SCs based on the UV-ozone treated GM foam demonstrated enhanced rate performance. This technique can be readily applied to other CVD-grown carbonaceous materials by taking advantage of its ease of processing, low cost, scalability, and controllability.Optimization of the electrode/electrolyte double-layer interface is a key factor for improving electrode performance of aqueous electrolyte based supercapacitors (SCs). Here, we report the improved functionality of carbon materials via a non-invasive, high-throughput, and inexpensive UV generated ozone (UV-ozone) treatment. This process allows precise tuning of the graphene and carbon nanotube hybrid foam (GM) transitionally from ultrahydrophobic to hydrophilic within 60 s. The continuous tuning of surface energy can be controlled by simply varying the UV-ozone exposure time, while the ozone-oxidized carbon nanostructure maintains its integrity. Symmetric SCs based on the UV-ozone treated GM foam demonstrated enhanced rate performance. This technique can be readily applied to other CVD-grown carbonaceous materials by taking advantage of its ease of processing, low cost, scalability, and controllability. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr06795a

Non-invasive subcutaneous fat reduction: a review.

PubMed

Kennedy, J; Verne, S; Griffith, R; Falto-Aizpurua, L; Nouri, K

2015-09-01

The risks, financial costs and lengthy downtime associated with surgical procedures for fat reduction have led to the development of a number of non-invasive techniques. Non-invasive body contouring now represents the fastest growing area of aesthetic medicine. There are currently four leading non-invasive techniques for reducing localized subcutaneous adipose tissue: low-level laser therapy (LLLT), cryolipolysis, radio frequency (RF) and high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). To review and compare leading techniques and clinical outcomes of non-invasive subcutaneous fat reduction. The terms 'non-invasive', 'low-level laser', 'cryolipolysis', 'ultrasound' and 'radio frequency' were combined with 'lipolysis', 'fat reduction' or 'body contour' during separate searches in the PubMed database. We identified 31 studies (27 prospective clinical studies and four retrospective chart reviews) with a total of 2937 patients that had been treated with LLLT (n = 1114), cryolipolysis (n = 706), HIFU (n = 843) or RF (n = 116) or other techniques (n = 158) for fat reduction or body contouring. A majority of these patients experienced significant and satisfying results without any serious adverse effects. The studies investigating these devices have all varied in treatment regimen, body locations, follow-up times or outcome operationalization. Each technique differs in offered advantages and severity of adverse effects. However, multiple non-invasive devices are safe and effective for circumferential reduction in local fat tissue by 2 cm or more across the abdomen, hips and thighs. Results are consistent and reproducible for each device and none are associated with any serious or permanent adverse effects. © 2015 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Carbon nanotube-based coatings to induce flow enhancement in hydrophilic nanopores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagemann, Enrique; Walther, J. H.; Zambrano, Harvey A.

2016-11-01

With the emergence of the field of nanofluidics, the transport of water in hydrophilic nanopores has attracted intensive research due to its many promising applications. Experiments and simulations have found that flow resistance in hydrophilic nanochannels is much higher than those in macrochannels. Indeed, this might be attributed to significant fluid adsorption on the channel walls and to the effect of the increased surface to volume ratio inherent to the nanoconfinement. Therefore, it is desirable to explore strategies for drag reduction in nanopores. Recently, studies have found that carbon nanotubes (CNTs) feature ultrafast water flow rates which result in flow enhancements of 1 to 5 orders of magnitude compared to Hagen-Poiseuille predictions. In the present study, CNT-based coatings are considered to induce water flow enhancement in silica nanopores with different radius. We conduct atomistic simulations of pressurized water flow inside tubular silica nanopores with and without inner coaxial carbon nanotubes. In particular, we compute water density and velocity profiles, flow enhancement and slip lengths to understand the drag reduction capabilities of single- and multi-walled carbon nanotubes implemented as coating material in silica nanopores. We wish to thank partial funding from CRHIAM and FONDECYT project 11130559, computational support from DTU and NLHPC (Chile).

Non-invasive spectroscopic techniques in the diagnosis of non-melanoma skin cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drakaki, E.; Sianoudis, IA; Zois, EN; Makropoulou, M.; Serafetinides, AA; Dessinioti, C.; Stefanaki, E.; Stratigos, AJ; Antoniou, C.; Katsambas, A.; Christofidou, E.

2017-11-01

The number of non-melanoma skin cancers is increasing worldwide and has become an important health and economic issue. Early detection and treatment of skin cancer can significantly improve patient outcome. Therefore there is an increase in the demand for proper management and effective non-invasive diagnostic modalities in order to avoid relapses or unnecessary treatments. Although the gold standard of diagnosis for non-melanoma skin cancers is biopsy followed by histopathology evaluation, optical non-invasive diagnostic tools have obtained increased attention. Emerging non-invasive or minimal invasive techniques with possible application in the diagnosis of non-melanoma skin cancers include high-definition optical coherence tomography, fluorescence spectroscopy, oblique incidence diffuse reflectance spectrometry among others spectroscopic techniques. Our findings establish how those spectrometric techniques can be used to more rapidly and easily diagnose skin cancer in an accurate and automated manner in the clinic.

Patterns of malignant non-mass enhancement on 3-T breast MRI help predict invasiveness: using the BI-RADS lexicon fifth edition.

PubMed

Lee, Seung Min; Nam, Kyung Jin; Choo, Ki Seok; Kim, Jin You; Jeong, Dong Wook; Kim, Hyun Yul; Kim, Jee Yeon

2018-01-01

Background Non-mass enhancements (NME) with invasive components account for 10-42% of total malignant NMEs. The factors associated with invasiveness on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could be useful for clinical assessment and treatment. Purpose To evaluate the clinical significances of the distributions and internal enhancement patterns (IEP) of malignant NMEs on 3-T breast MRI. Material and Methods A total of 448 consecutive women with newly diagnosed breast cancer that had undergone preoperative MRI and surgery between February 2013 and March 2016 were identified. After exclusions, 72 malignant NMEs without a mass in 72 women (mean age = 51.5 years) were included. Two readers independently assessed distributions and IEPs of NME, according to the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System lexicon fifth edition. Collected data included the presence of invasion and histopathologic factors. Results A clustered ring IEP was significantly associated with invasive cancer (75.0%, P = 0.001, Reader1; 72.9%, P < 0.001, Reader 2), absence of necrosis (79.0%, P < 0.001; 72.1%, P < 0.001, respectively), and high Ki-67 expression (74.2%, P = 0.048; 74.2%, P = 0.003, respectively). A clumped IEP was related to ductal carcinoma in situ (33.3%, P = 0.025; 50.0%, P = 0.001, respectively), absence of lymph node metastasis (24.1%, P = 0.029; 31.5%, P = 0.030, respectively), and presence of necrosis (34.5%, P = 0.003; 44.8%, P = 0.001, respectively). Conclusion The presence of a clustered ring IEP in patients with breast cancer was found to be significantly associated with invasive breast cancer and high Ki-67 expression.

Photoacoustic imaging of an inflammatory lesion model in the neonatal rat brain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guevara, Edgar; Berti, Romain; Londono, Irène; Xie, Ningshi; Bellec, Pierre; Lesage, Frédéric; Lodygensky, G. A.

2014-09-01

Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) is a condition that may cause significant neurodevelopmental handicap in premature newborns. It is characterized by white matter injury, associated with inflammation. This work aimed to assess the impact of inflammation on cerebral oxygen saturation (sO2) using depth-sensitive photoacoustic tomography (PAT). The aspects of PVL were reproduced in a rodent model by injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into the corpus callosum. The results of this exploratory work reveal lower sO2 values in LPS group, as compared to sham controls; showing decreased values in the corpus callosum and in the left cortex, ipsilateral to the injection site. Interhemispherical connectivity was not affected by LPS injection, as shown by functional connectivity analysis. This study supports the use of PAT as a non-invasive tool to assess oxygenation values in vivo in the newborn brain.

Photoacoustic imaging at 1064nm wavelength with exogenous contrast agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Upputuri, Paul Kumar; Jiang, Yuyan; Pu, Kanyi; Pramanik, Manojit

2018-02-01

Photoacoustic (PA) imaging is a promising imaging modality for both preclinical research and clinical practices. Laser wavelengths in the first near infrared window (NIR-I, 650-950 nm) have been widely used for photoacoustic imaging. As compared with NIR-I window, scattering of photons by biological tissues is largely reduced in the second NIR (NIR-II) window, leading to enhanced imaging fidelity. However, the lack of biocompatible NIR-II absorbing exogenous agents prevented the use of this window for in vivo imaging. In recent years, few studies have been reported on photoacoustic imaging in NIR-II window using exogenous contrast agents. In this work, we discuss the recent work on PA imaging using 1064 nm wavelength, the fundamental of Nd:YAG laser, as an excitation wavelength. The PA imaging at 1064 nm is advantageous because of the low and homogeneous signal from tissue background, enabling high contrast in PA imaging when NIR-II absorbing contrast agents are employed.

Nonlinear photoacoustic spectroscopy of hemoglobin

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Danielli, Amos; Maslov, Konstantin; Favazza, Christopher P.

2015-05-18

As light intensity increases in photoacoustic imaging, the saturation of optical absorption and the temperature dependence of the thermal expansion coefficient result in a measurable nonlinear dependence of the photoacoustic (PA) signal on the excitation pulse fluence. Here, under controlled conditions, we investigate the intensity-dependent photoacoustic signals from oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin at varied optical wavelengths and molecular concentrations. The wavelength and concentration dependencies of the nonlinear PA spectrum are found to be significantly greater in oxygenated hemoglobin than in deoxygenated hemoglobin. These effects are further influenced by the hemoglobin concentration. These nonlinear phenomena provide insights into applications of photoacoustics,more » such as measurements of average inter-molecular distances on a nm scale or with a tuned selection of wavelengths, a more accurate quantitative PA tomography.« less

Nonlinear photoacoustic spectroscopy of hemoglobin

PubMed Central

Danielli, Amos; Maslov, Konstantin; Favazza, Christopher P.; Xia, Jun; Wang, Lihong V.

2015-01-01

As light intensity increases in photoacoustic imaging, the saturation of optical absorption and the temperature dependence of the thermal expansion coefficient result in a measurable nonlinear dependence of the photoacoustic (PA) signal on the excitation pulse fluence. Here, under controlled conditions, we investigate the intensity-dependent photoacoustic signals from oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin at varied optical wavelengths and molecular concentrations. The wavelength and concentration dependencies of the nonlinear PA spectrum are found to be significantly greater in oxygenated hemoglobin than in deoxygenated hemoglobin. These effects are further influenced by the hemoglobin concentration. These nonlinear phenomena provide insights into applications of photoacoustics, such as measurements of average inter-molecular distances on a nm scale or with a tuned selection of wavelengths, a more accurate quantitative PA tomography. PMID:26045627

Non-invasive hyperthermia apparatus including coaxial applicator having a non-invasive radiometric receiving antenna incorporated therein and method of use thereof

DOEpatents

Ross, Michael P.

1996-01-01

A coaxial hyperthermia applicator for applying non-invasively electromagnetic energy to a body against which it is placed. The coaxial applicator antenna has formed integrally within it a non-invasive radiometric antenna for receiving thermoelectromagnetic emissions. The coaxial-configured applicator produces a bell-shaped radiation pattern symmetric about the axis of symmetry of the coaxial applicator. Integrating the radiometric antenna within the coaxial applicator produces a single device that performs dual functions. The first function is to transmit non-invasively energy for heating a subcutaneous tumor. The second function is to receive non-invasively thermal electromagnetic radiation from the tumor by which temperature is sensed and fed back to control the output of the coaxial applicator.

In vivo multi-modality photoacoustic and pulse echo tracking of prostate tumor growth using a window chamber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauer, Daniel R.; Olafsson, Ragnar; Montilla, Leonardo G.; Witte, Russell S.

2010-02-01

Understanding the tumor microenvironment is critical to characterizing how cancers operate and predicting how they will eventually respond to treatment. The mouse window chamber model is an excellent tool for cancer research, because it enables high resolution tumor imaging and cross-validation using multiple modalities. We describe a novel multimodality imaging system that incorporates three dimensional (3D) photoacoustics with pulse echo ultrasound for imaging the tumor microenvironment and tracking tissue growth in mice. Three mice were implanted with a dorsal skin flap window chamber. PC-3 prostate tumor cells, expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP), were injected into the skin. The ensuing tumor invasion was mapped using photoacoustic and pulse echo imaging, as well as optical and fluorescent imaging for comparison and cross validation. The photoacoustic imaging and spectroscopy system, consisting of a tunable (680-1000nm) pulsed laser and 25 MHz ultrasound transducer, revealed near infrared absorbing regions, primarily blood vessels. Pulse echo images, obtained simultaneously, provided details of the tumor microstructure and growth with 100-μm3 resolution. The tumor size in all three mice increased between three and five fold during 3+ weeks of imaging. Results were consistent with the optical and fluorescent images. Photoacoustic imaging revealed detailed maps of the tumor vasculature, whereas photoacoustic spectroscopy identified regions of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood vessels. The 3D photoacoustic and pulse echo imaging system provided complementary information to track the tumor microenvironment, evaluate new cancer therapies, and develop molecular imaging agents in vivo. Finally, these safe and noninvasive techniques are potentially applicable for human cancer imaging.

A novel fiber laser development for photoacoustic microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yavas, Seydi; Aytac-Kipergil, Esra; Arabul, Mustafa U.; Erkol, Hakan; Akcaalan, Onder; Eldeniz, Y. Burak; Ilday, F. Omer; Unlu, Mehmet B.

2013-03-01

Photoacoustic microscopy, as an imaging modality, has shown promising results in imaging angiogenesis and cutaneous malignancies like melanoma, revealing systemic diseases including diabetes, hypertension, tracing drug efficiency and assessment of therapy, monitoring healing processes such as wound cicatrization, brain imaging and mapping. Clinically, photoacoustic microscopy is emerging as a capable diagnostic tool. Parameters of lasers used in photoacoustic microscopy, particularly, pulse duration, energy, pulse repetition frequency, and pulse-to-pulse stability affect signal amplitude and quality, data acquisition speed and indirectly, spatial resolution. Lasers used in photoacoustic microscopy are typically Q-switched lasers, low-power laser diodes, and recently, fiber lasers. Significantly, the key parameters cannot be adjusted independently of each other, whereas microvasculature and cellular imaging, e.g., have different requirements. Here, we report an integrated fiber laser system producing nanosecond pulses, covering the spectrum from 600 nm to 1100 nm, developed specifically for photoacoustic excitation. The system comprises of Yb-doped fiber oscillator and amplifier, an acousto-optic modulator and a photonic-crystal fiber to generate supercontinuum. Complete control over the pulse train, including generation of non-uniform pulse trains, is achieved via the AOM through custom-developed field-programmable gate-array electronics. The system is unique in that all the important parameters are adjustable: pulse duration in the range of 1-3 ns, pulse energy up to 10 μJ, repetition rate from 50 kHz to 3 MHz. Different photocoustic imaging probes can be excited with the ultrabroad spectrum. The entire system is fiber-integrated; guided-beam-propagation rendersit misalignment free and largely immune to mechanical perturbations. The laser is robust, low-cost and built using readily available components.

Non-invasive imaging of atherosclerosis regression with magnetic resonance to guide drug development.

PubMed

Raggi, Paolo; Baldassarre, Damiano; Day, Simon; de Groot, Eric; Fayad, Z A

2016-08-01

Slowing of progression and inducing the regression of atherosclerosis with medical therapy have been shown to be associated with an extensive reduction in risk of cardiovascular events. This proof of concept was obtained with invasive angiographic studies but these are, for obvious reasons, impractical for sequential investigations. Non-invasive imaging has henceforth replaced the more cumbersome invasive studies and has proven extremely valuable in numerous occasions. Because of excellent reproducibility and no radiation exposure, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become the non-invasive method of choice to assess the efficacy of anti-atherosclerotic drugs. The high accuracy of this technology is particularly helpful in rare diseases where the small number of affected patients makes the conduct of outcome-trials in large cohorts impractical. With MRI it is possible to assess the extent, as well as the composition, of atherosclerotic plaques and this further enhances the utility of this technology. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Two dimensional photoacoustic imaging using microfiber interferometric acoustic transducers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xiu Xin; Li, Zhang Yong; Tian, Yin; Wang, Wei; Pang, Yu; Tam, Kin Yip

2018-07-01

Photoacoustic imaging transducer with a pair of wavelength-matched Bragg gratings (forming a Fabry-Perot cavity) inscribed on a short section of microfiber has been developed. A tunable laser with wavelength that matched to one of selected fringe slopes was used to transmit the acoustic induced wavelength. Interferometric fringes with high finesse in transmission significantly enhanced the sensitivity of the transducer even under very small acoustic perturbations. The performance of this novel transducer was evaluated through the imaging studies of human hairs (∼98 μm in diameter). The spatial resolution is 300 μm. We have demonstrated that the novel transducer developed in this study is a versatile tool for photoacoustic imaging study.

Quartz enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy based trace gas sensors using different quartz tuning forks.

PubMed

Ma, Yufei; Yu, Guang; Zhang, Jingbo; Yu, Xin; Sun, Rui; Tittel, Frank K

2015-03-27

A sensitive trace gas sensor platform based on quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS) is reported. A 1.395 μm continuous wave (CW), distributed feedback pigtailed diode laser was used as the excitation source and H2O was selected as the target analyte. Two kinds of quartz tuning forks (QTFs) with a resonant frequency (f0) of 30.72 kHz and 38 kHz were employed for the first time as an acoustic wave transducer, respectively for QEPAS instead of a standard QTF with a f0 of 32.768 kHz. The QEPAS sensor performance using the three different QTFs was experimentally investigated and theoretically analyzed. A minimum detection limit of 5.9 ppmv and 4.3 ppmv was achieved for f0 of 32.768 kHz and 30.72 kHz, respectively.

Non-invasive hyperthermia apparatus including coaxial applicator having a non-invasive radiometric receiving antenna incorporated therein and method of use thereof

DOEpatents

Ross, M.P.

1996-08-27

A coaxial hyperthermia applicator is disclosed for applying non-invasively electromagnetic energy to a body against which it is placed. The coaxial applicator antenna has formed integrally within it a non-invasive radiometric antenna for receiving thermoelectromagnetic emissions. The coaxial-configured applicator produces a bell-shaped radiation pattern symmetric about the axis of symmetry of the coaxial applicator. Integrating the radiometric antenna within the coaxial applicator produces a single device that performs dual functions. The first function is to transmit non-invasively energy for heating a subcutaneous tumor. The second function is to receive non-invasively thermal electromagnetic radiation from the tumor by which temperature is sensed and fed back to control the output of the coaxial applicator. 11 figs.

Fluid challenge: tracking changes in cardiac output with blood pressure monitoring (invasive or non-invasive).

PubMed

Lakhal, Karim; Ehrmann, Stephan; Perrotin, Dominique; Wolff, Michel; Boulain, Thierry

2013-11-01

To assess whether invasive and non-invasive blood pressure (BP) monitoring allows the identification of patients who have responded to a fluid challenge, i.e., who have increased their cardiac output (CO). Patients with signs of circulatory failure were prospectively included. Before and after a fluid challenge, CO and the mean of four intra-arterial and oscillometric brachial cuff BP measurements were collected. Fluid responsiveness was defined by an increase in CO ≥10 or ≥15% in case of regular rhythm or arrhythmia, respectively. In 130 patients, the correlation between a fluid-induced increase in pulse pressure (Δ500mlPP) and fluid-induced increase in CO was weak and was similar for invasive and non-invasive measurements of BP: r² = 0.31 and r² = 0.29, respectively (both p < 0.001). For the identification of responders, invasive Δ500mlPP was associated with an area under the receiver-operating curve (AUC) of 0.82 (0.74-0.88), similar (p = 0.80) to that of non-invasive Δ500mlPP [AUC of 0.81 (0.73-0.87)]. Outside large gray zones of inconclusive values (5-23% for invasive Δ500mlPP and 4-35% for non-invasive Δ500mlPP, involving 35 and 48% of patients, respectively), the detection of responsiveness or unresponsiveness to fluid was reliable. Cardiac arrhythmia did not impair the performance of invasive or non-invasive Δ500mlPP. Other BP-derived indices did not outperform Δ500mlPP. As evidenced by large gray zones, BP-derived indices poorly reflected fluid responsiveness. However, in our deeply sedated population, a high increase in invasive pulse pressure (>23%) or even in non-invasive pulse pressure (>35%) reliably detected a response to fluid. In the absence of a marked increase in pulse pressure (<4-5%), a response to fluid was unlikely.

Plasma Enhanced Growth of Carbon Nanotubes For Ultrasensitive Biosensors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cassell, Alan M.; Meyyappan, M.

2004-01-01

The multitude of considerations facing nanostructure growth and integration lends itself to combinatorial optimization approaches. Rapid optimization becomes even more important with wafer-scale growth and integration processes. Here we discuss methodology for developing plasma enhanced CVD growth techniques for achieving individual, vertically aligned carbon nanostructures that show excellent properties as ultrasensitive electrodes for nucleic acid detection. We utilize high throughput strategies for optimizing the upstream and downstream processing and integration of carbon nanotube electrodes as functional elements in various device types. An overview of ultrasensitive carbon nanotube based sensor arrays for electrochemical bio-sensing applications and the high throughput methodology utilized to combine novel electrode technology with conventional MEMS processing will be presented.

Plasma Enhanced Growth of Carbon Nanotubes For Ultrasensitive Biosensors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cassell, Alan M.; Li, J.; Ye, Q.; Koehne, J.; Chen, H.; Meyyappan, M.

2004-01-01

The multitude of considerations facing nanostructure growth and integration lends itself to combinatorial optimization approaches. Rapid optimization becomes even more important with wafer-scale growth and integration processes. Here we discuss methodology for developing plasma enhanced CVD growth techniques for achieving individual, vertically aligned carbon nanostructures that show excellent properties as ultrasensitive electrodes for nucleic acid detection. We utilize high throughput strategies for optimizing the upstream and downstream processing and integration of carbon nanotube electrodes as functional elements in various device types. An overview of ultrasensitive carbon nanotube based sensor arrays for electrochemical biosensing applications and the high throughput methodology utilized to combine novel electrode technology with conventional MEMS processing will be presented.

Integrated photoacoustic/ultrasound/HFU system based on a clinical ultrasound imaging platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jeesu; Choi, Wonseok; Park, Eun-Yeong; Kim, Chulhong

2018-02-01

Non-invasive treatment of tumor is beneficial for the favorable prognosis of the patients. High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) is an emerging non-invasive treatment tool that ablates tumor lesions by increasing local temperature without damaging surrounding tissues. In HIFU therapy, accurate focusing of the HIFU energy into the target lesion and real-time assessment of thermal distribution are critical for successful and safe treatment. Photoacoustic (PA) imaging is a novel biomedical imaging technique that can visualize functional information of biological tissues based on optical absorption and thermoelastic expansion. One unique feature of PA imaging is that the amplitude of the PA signal reflects the local temperature. Here, we demonstrate a real-time temperature monitoring system that can evaluate thermal distribution during HIFU therapy. We have integrated a HIFU treatment system, a clinical ultrasound (US) machine, and a tunable laser system and have acquired real-time PA/US images of in vitro phantoms and in vivo animals during HIFU therapy without interference from the therapeutic US waves. We have also evaluated the temperature monitoring capability of the system by comparing the amplitude of PA signals with the measured temperature in melanoma tumor bearing mice. Although much more updates are required for clinical applications, the results show the promising potential of the system to ensure accurate and safe HIFU therapy by monitoring the thermal distribution of the treatment area.

Resonant Absorption in GaAs-Based Nanowires by Means of Photo-Acoustic Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petronijevic, E.; Leahu, G.; Belardini, A.; Centini, M.; Li Voti, R.; Hakkarainen, T.; Koivusalo, E.; Guina, M.; Sibilia, C.

2018-03-01

Semiconductor nanowires made of high refractive index materials can couple the incoming light to specific waveguide modes that offer resonant absorption enhancement under the bandgap wavelength, essential for light harvesting, lasing and detection applications. Moreover, the non-trivial ellipticity of such modes can offer near field interactions with chiral molecules, governed by near chiral field. These modes are therefore very important to detect. Here, we present the photo-acoustic spectroscopy as a low-cost, reliable, sensitive and scattering-free tool to measure the spectral position and absorption efficiency of these modes. The investigated samples are hexagonal nanowires with GaAs core; the fabrication by means of lithography-free molecular beam epitaxy provides controllable and uniform dimensions that allow for the excitation of the fundamental resonant mode around 800 nm. We show that the modulation frequency increase leads to the discrimination of the resonant mode absorption from the overall absorption of the substrate. As the experimental data are in great agreement with numerical simulations, the design can be optimized and followed by photo-acoustic characterization for a specific application.

Dispersing surface-modified imogolite nanotubes in polar and non-polar solvents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Ming; Brant, Jonathan A.

2018-02-01

Furthering the development of nanocomposite structures, namely membranes for water treatment applications, requires that methods be developed to ensure nanoparticle dispersion in polar and non-polar solvents, as both are widely used in associated synthesis techniques. Here, we report on a two-step method to graft polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and a one-step method for octadecylphosphonic acid (OPA), onto the outer surfaces of imogolite nanotubes. The goal of these approaches was to improve and maintain nanotube dispersion in polymer compatible polar and non-polar solvents. The PVP coating modified the imogolite surface charge from positive to weakly negative at pH ≤ 9; the OPA made it weakly positive at acidic pH values to negative at pH ≥ 7. The PVP surface coating stabilized the nanotubes through steric hindrance in polar protic, dipolar aprotic, and chloroform. In difference to the PVP, the OPA surface coating allowed the nanotubes to be dispersed in n-hexane and chloroform, but not in the polar solvents. The lack of miscibility in the polar solvents, as well as the better dispersion in n-hexane, was attributed to the stronger hydrophobicity of the OPA polymer relative to the PVP. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Direct Estimation of Optical Parameters From Photoacoustic Time Series in Quantitative Photoacoustic Tomography.

PubMed

Pulkkinen, Aki; Cox, Ben T; Arridge, Simon R; Goh, Hwan; Kaipio, Jari P; Tarvainen, Tanja

2016-11-01

Estimation of optical absorption and scattering of a target is an inverse problem associated with quantitative photoacoustic tomography. Conventionally, the problem is expressed as two folded. First, images of initial pressure distribution created by absorption of a light pulse are formed based on acoustic boundary measurements. Then, the optical properties are determined based on these photoacoustic images. The optical stage of the inverse problem can thus suffer from, for example, artefacts caused by the acoustic stage. These could be caused by imperfections in the acoustic measurement setting, of which an example is a limited view acoustic measurement geometry. In this work, the forward model of quantitative photoacoustic tomography is treated as a coupled acoustic and optical model and the inverse problem is solved by using a Bayesian approach. Spatial distribution of the optical properties of the imaged target are estimated directly from the photoacoustic time series in varying acoustic detection and optical illumination configurations. It is numerically demonstrated, that estimation of optical properties of the imaged target is feasible in limited view acoustic detection setting.

Carbon nanotubes as in vivo bacterial probes.

PubMed

Bardhan, Neelkanth M; Ghosh, Debadyuti; Belcher, Angela M

2014-09-17

With the rise in antibiotic-resistant infections, non-invasive sensing of infectious diseases is increasingly important. Optical imaging, although safer and simpler, is less developed than other modalities such as radioimaging, due to low availability of target-specific molecular probes. Here we report carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) as bacterial probes for fluorescence imaging of pathogenic infections. We demonstrate that SWNTs functionalized using M13 bacteriophage (M13-SWNT) can distinguish between F'-positive and F'-negative bacterial strains. Moreover, through one-step modification, we attach an anti-bacterial antibody on M13-SWNT, making it easily tunable for sensing specific F'-negative bacteria. We illustrate detection of Staphylococcus aureus intramuscular infections, with ~3.4 × enhancement in fluorescence intensity over background. SWNT imaging presents lower signal spread ~0.08 × and higher signal amplification ~1.4 × , compared with conventional dyes. We show the probe offers greater ~5.7 × enhancement in imaging of S. aureus infective endocarditis. These biologically functionalized, aqueous-dispersed, actively targeted, modularly tunable SWNT probes offer new avenues for exploration of deeply buried infections.

Carbon nanotubes as in vivo bacterial probes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bardhan, Neelkanth M.; Ghosh, Debadyuti; Belcher, Angela M.

2014-09-01

With the rise in antibiotic-resistant infections, non-invasive sensing of infectious diseases is increasingly important. Optical imaging, although safer and simpler, is less developed than other modalities such as radioimaging, due to low availability of target-specific molecular probes. Here we report carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) as bacterial probes for fluorescence imaging of pathogenic infections. We demonstrate that SWNTs functionalized using M13 bacteriophage (M13-SWNT) can distinguish between F‧-positive and F‧-negative bacterial strains. Moreover, through one-step modification, we attach an anti-bacterial antibody on M13-SWNT, making it easily tunable for sensing specific F‧-negative bacteria. We illustrate detection of Staphylococcus aureus intramuscular infections, with ~3.4 × enhancement in fluorescence intensity over background. SWNT imaging presents lower signal spread ~0.08 × and higher signal amplification ~1.4 × , compared with conventional dyes. We show the probe offers greater ~5.7 × enhancement in imaging of S. aureus infective endocarditis. These biologically functionalized, aqueous-dispersed, actively targeted, modularly tunable SWNT probes offer new avenues for exploration of deeply buried infections.

From mini-invasive to non-invasive treatment using monopolar radiofrequency: the next orthopaedic frontier.

PubMed

Whipple, Terry L

2009-10-01

Tendinopathy arises from a failed tendon healing process. Current non-invasive therapeutic alternatives are anti-inflammatory in nature, and outcomes are unpredictable. The benefit of invasive alternatives resides in the induction of the healing response. A new technology that uses non-invasive monopolar capacitive coupled radiofrequency has demonstrated the ability to raise temperatures in tendons and ligaments above 50 degrees C, the threshold for collagen modulation, tissue shrinkage and recruitment of macrophages, fibroblasts, and heat shock protein factors, without damaging the overlying structures, resulting in activation of the wound healing response. Monopolar capacitive-coupled radiofrequency offers a new non-invasive choice for tendinopathies and sprained ligaments. It does not interfere with subsequent surgical procedures should they become necessary.

Kondo effect and enhanced magnetic properties in gadolinium functionalized carbon nanotube supramolecular complex.

PubMed

Ncube, S; Coleman, C; Strydom, A; Flahaut, E; de Sousa, A; Bhattacharyya, S

2018-05-23

We report on the enhancement of magnetic properties of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) functionalized with a gadolinium based supramolecular complex. By employing a newly developed synthesis technique we find that the functionalization method of the nanocomposite enhances the strength of magnetic interaction leading to a large effective moment of 15.79 µ B and non-superparamagnetic behaviour unlike what has been previously reported. Saturating resistance at low temperatures is fitted with the numerical renormalization group formula verifying the Kondo effect for magnetic impurities on a metallic electron system. Magnetoresistance shows devices fabricated from aligned gadolinium functionalized MWNTs (Gd-Fctn-MWNTs) exhibit spin-valve switching behaviour of up to 8%. This study highlights the possibility of enhancing magnetic interactions in carbon systems through chemical modification, moreover we demonstrate the rich physics that might be useful for developing spin based quantum computing elements based on one-dimensional (1D) channels.

[Non-invasive assessment of fatty liver].

PubMed

Egresi, Anna; Lengyel, Gabriella; Hagymási, Krisztina

2015-04-05

As the result of various harmful effects (infectious agents, metabolic diseases, unhealthy diet, obesity, toxic agents, autoimmune processes) hepatic damage may develop, which can progress towards liver steatosis, and fibrosis as well. The most common etiological factors of liver damages are hepatitis B and C infection, alcohol consumption and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Liver biopsy is considered as the gold standard for the diagnosis of chronic liver diseases. Due to the dangers and complications of liver biopsy, studies are focused on non-invasive markers and radiological imaging for liver steatosis, progression of fatty liver, activity of the necroinflammation and the severity of the fibrosis. Authors review the possibilities of non-invasive assessment of liver steatosis. The statistical features of the probes (positive, negative predictive values, sensitivity, specificity) are reviewed. The role of radiological imaging is also discussed. Although the non-invasive methods discussed in this article are useful to assess liver steatosis, further studies are needed to validate to follow progression of the diseases and to control therapeutic response.

Self-propelled carbon nanotube based microrockets for rapid capture and isolation of circulating tumor cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banerjee, Shashwat S.; Jalota-Badhwar, Archana; Zope, Khushbu R.; Todkar, Kiran J.; Mascarenhas, Russel R.; Chate, Govind P.; Khutale, Ganesh V.; Bharde, Atul; Calderon, Marcelo; Khandare, Jayant J.

2015-05-01

Here, we report a non-invasive strategy for isolating cancer cells by autonomously propelled carbon nanotube (CNT) microrockets. H2O2-driven oxygen (O2) bubble-propelled microrockets were synthesized using CNT and Fe3O4 nanoparticles in the inner surface and covalently conjugating transferrin on the outer surface. Results show that self-propellant microrockets can specifically capture cancer cells.Here, we report a non-invasive strategy for isolating cancer cells by autonomously propelled carbon nanotube (CNT) microrockets. H2O2-driven oxygen (O2) bubble-propelled microrockets were synthesized using CNT and Fe3O4 nanoparticles in the inner surface and covalently conjugating transferrin on the outer surface. Results show that self-propellant microrockets can specifically capture cancer cells. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr01797a

Performance characteristics of an interventional multispectral photoacoustic imaging system for guiding minimally invasive procedures

PubMed Central

Mari, Jean Martial; West, Simeon J.; Pratt, Rosalind; David, Anna L.; Ourselin, Sebastien; Beard, Paul C.; Desjardins, Adrien E.

2016-01-01

Precise device guidance is important for interventional procedures in many different clinical fields including fetal medicine, regional anesthesia, interventional pain management, and interventional oncology. While ultrasound is widely used in clinical practice for real-time guidance, the image contrast that it provides can be insufficient for visualizing tissue structures such as blood vessels, nerves, and tumors. This study was centered on the development of a photoacoustic imaging system for interventional procedures that delivered excitation light in the ranges of 750 to 900 nm and 1150 to 1300 nm, with an optical fiber positioned in a needle cannula. Coregistered B-mode ultrasound images were obtained. The system, which was based on a commercial ultrasound imaging scanner, has an axial resolution in the vicinity of 100 μm and a submillimeter, depth-dependent lateral resolution. Using a tissue phantom and 800 nm excitation light, a simulated blood vessel could be visualized at a maximum distance of 15 mm from the needle tip. Spectroscopic contrast for hemoglobin and lipids was observed with ex vivo tissue samples, with photoacoustic signal maxima consistent with the respective optical absorption spectra. The potential for further optimization of the system is discussed. PMID:26263417

Photo-induced ultrasound microscopy for photo-acoustic imaging of non-absorbing specimens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tcarenkova, Elena; Koho, Sami V.; Hänninen, Pekka E.

2017-08-01

Photo-Acoustic Microscopy (PAM) has raised high interest in in-vivo imaging due to its ability to preserve the near-diffraction limited spatial resolution of optical microscopes, whilst extending the penetration depth to the mm-range. Another advantage of PAM is that it is a label-free technique - any substance that absorbs PAM excitation laser light can be viewed. However, not all sample structures desired to be observed absorb sufficiently to provide contrast for imaging. This work describes a novel imaging method that makes it possible to visualize optically transparent samples that lack intrinsic photo-acoustic contrast, without the addition of contrast agents. A thin, strongly light absorbing layer next to sample is used to generate a strong ultrasonic signal. This signal, when recorded from opposite side, contains ultrasonic transmission information of the sample and thus the method can be used to obtain an ultrasound transmission image on any PAM.

Characterization of photoacoustic sources in tissue using time domain measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viator, John Andrew

Photoacoustic phenomenon in tissue and tissue phantoms is investigated with the particular goal of discrimination of diseased and healthy tissue. Propagation of broadband photoacoustic sources in tissue phantoms is studied with emphasis on attenuation, dispersion, and diffraction. Attenuation of photoacoustic waves induced by a circular laser spot on an absorber/air interface is modeled by the on-axis approximation of the acoustic field of a baffled piston source. Dispersion is studied in a diffraction free situation, where the disk of irradiation was created by a 5 mm laser spot on a 200 cm -1 solution. The genesis of diffraction in an absorbing solution was displayed by showing the merging of a boundary wave with a plane wave from a circular laser spot on an absorbing solution. Depth profiling of absorbing tissue phantoms and stained tissue was shown using a photoacoustic method. Acrylamide gels with layers of different optical absorption and stained elastin biomaterials were irradiated with stress confined laser pulses. The resulting acoustic waves were detected with a lithium niobate wideband acoustic transducer and processed in an algorithm to determine absorption coefficient as a function of depth. Spherical photoacoustic sources were generated in optically clear and turbid tissue phantoms. Propagation time and acoustic pulse duration were used to determine location and size, respectively. The photoacoustic sources were imaged using a multiplicative backprojection scheme. Image sources from acoustic boundaries were detected and dipole sources were detected and imaged. Finally an endoscopic photoacoustic probe was designed, built, and tested for use in determining treatment depth after palliative photodynamic therapy of esophageal cancer. The probe was less than 2.5 mm in diameter and consisted of a side firing 600 mum optical fiber to deliver laser energy and a 890 mum diameter, side viewing piezoelectric detector. The sensitivity of the probe was determined

Intracranial Pressure Monitoring: Invasive versus Non-Invasive Methods—A Review

PubMed Central

Raboel, P. H.; Bartek, J.; Andresen, M.; Bellander, B. M.; Romner, B.

2012-01-01

Monitoring of intracranial pressure (ICP) has been used for decades in the fields of neurosurgery and neurology. There are multiple techniques: invasive as well as noninvasive. This paper aims to provide an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of the most common and well-known methods as well as assess whether noninvasive techniques (transcranial Doppler, tympanic membrane displacement, optic nerve sheath diameter, CT scan/MRI and fundoscopy) can be used as reliable alternatives to the invasive techniques (ventriculostomy and microtransducers). Ventriculostomy is considered the gold standard in terms of accurate measurement of pressure, although microtransducers generally are just as accurate. Both invasive techniques are associated with a minor risk of complications such as hemorrhage and infection. Furthermore, zero drift is a problem with selected microtransducers. The non-invasive techniques are without the invasive methods' risk of complication, but fail to measure ICP accurately enough to be used as routine alternatives to invasive measurement. We conclude that invasive measurement is currently the only option for accurate measurement of ICP. PMID:22720148

Remote photoacoustic detection of liquid contamination of a surface.

PubMed

Perrett, Brian; Harris, Michael; Pearson, Guy N; Willetts, David V; Pitter, Mark C

2003-08-20

A method for the remote detection and identification of liquid chemicals at ranges of tens of meters is presented. The technique uses pulsed indirect photoacoustic spectroscopy in the 10-microm wavelength region. Enhanced sensitivity is brought about by three main system developments: (1) increased laser-pulse energy (150 microJ/pulse), leading to increased strength of the generated photoacoustic signal; (2) increased microphone sensitivity and improved directionality by the use of a 60-cm-diameter parabolic dish; and (3) signal processing that allows improved discrimination of the signal from noise levels through prior knowledge of the pulse shape and pulse-repetition frequency. The practical aspects of applying the technique in a field environment are briefly examined, and possible applications of this technique are discussed.

Photoacoustic phasoscopy super-contrast imaging

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gao, Fei; Feng, Xiaohua; Zheng, Yuanjin, E-mail: yjzheng@ntu.edu.sg

2014-05-26

Phasoscopy is a recently proposed concept correlating electromagnetic (EM) absorption and scattering properties based on energy conservation. Phase information can be extracted from EM absorption induced acoustic wave and scattered EM wave for biological tissue characterization. In this paper, an imaging modality, termed photoacoustic phasoscopy imaging (PAPS), is proposed and verified experimentally based on phasoscopy concept with laser illumination. Both endogenous photoacoustic wave and scattered photons are collected simultaneously to extract the phase information. The PAPS images are then reconstructed on vessel-mimicking phantom and ex vivo porcine tissues to show significantly improved contrast than conventional photoacoustic imaging.

Advances in Clinical and Biomedical Applications of Photoacoustic Imaging

PubMed Central

Su, Jimmy L.; Wang, Bo; Wilson, Katheryne E.; Bayer, Carolyn L.; Chen, Yun-Sheng; Kim, Seungsoo; Homan, Kimberly A.; Emelianov, Stanislav Y.

2010-01-01

Importance of the field Photoacoustic imaging is an imaging modality that derives image contrast from the optical absorption coefficient of the tissue being imaged. The imaging technique is able to differentiate between healthy and diseased tissue with either deeper penetration or higher resolution than other functional imaging modalities currently available. From a clinical standpoint, photoacoustic imaging has demonstrated safety and effectiveness in diagnosing diseased tissue regions using either endogenous tissue contrast or exogenous contrast agents. Furthermore, the potential of photoacoustic imaging has been demonstrated in various therapeutic interventions ranging from drug delivery and release to image-guided therapy and monitoring. Areas covered in this review This article reviews the current state of photoacoustic imaging in biomedicine from a technological perspective, highlights various biomedical and clinical applications of photoacoustic imaging, and gives insights on future directions. What the reader will gain Readers will learn about the various applications of photoacoustic imaging, as well as the various contrast agents that can be used to assist photoacoustic imaging. This review will highlight both pre-clinical and clinical uses for photoacoustic imaging, as well as discuss some of the challenges that must be addressed to move photoacoustic imaging into the clinical realm. Take home message Photoacoustic imaging offers unique advantages over existing imaging modalities. The imaging field is broad with many exciting applications for detecting and diagnosing diseased tissue or processes. Photoacoustics is also used in therapeutic applications to identify and characterize the pathology and then to monitor the treatment. Although the technology is still in its infancy, much work has been done in the pre-clinical arena, and photoacoustic imaging is fast approaching the clinical setting. PMID:21344060

Invasive versus Non Invasive Methods Applied to Mummy Research: Will This Controversy Ever Be Solved?

PubMed Central

Day, Jasmine; Bianucci, Raffaella

2015-01-01

Advances in the application of non invasive techniques to mummified remains have shed new light on past diseases. The virtual inspection of a corpse, which has almost completely replaced classical autopsy, has proven to be important especially when dealing with valuable museum specimens. In spite of some very rewarding results, there are still many open questions. Non invasive techniques provide information on hard and soft tissue pathologies and allow information to be gleaned concerning mummification practices (e.g., ancient Egyptian artificial mummification). Nevertheless, there are other fields of mummy studies in which the results provided by non invasive techniques are not always self-explanatory. Reliance exclusively upon virtual diagnoses can sometimes lead to inconclusive and misleading interpretations. On the other hand, several types of investigation (e.g., histology, paleomicrobiology, and biochemistry), although minimally invasive, require direct contact with the bodies and, for this reason, are often avoided, particularly by museum curators. Here we present an overview of the non invasive and invasive techniques currently used in mummy studies and propose an approach that might solve these conflicts. PMID:26345295

In vitro and ex vivo evaluation of silica-coated super paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) as biomedical photoacoustic contrast agent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alwi, Rudolf; Telenkov, Sergey A.; Mandelis, Andreas; Leshuk, Timothy; Gu, Frank; Oladepo, Sulayman; Michaelian, Kirk; Dickie, Kristopher

2013-03-01

The employment of contrast agents in photoacoustic imaging has gained significant attention within the past few years for their biomedical applications. In this study, the use of silica-coated superparamagnetic iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles (SPION) was investigated as a contrast agent in biomedical photoacoustic imaging. SPIONs have been widely used as Food-and-Drug-Administration (FDA)-approved contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and are known to have an excellent safety profile. Using our frequency-domain photoacoustic correlation technique ("the photoacoustic radar") with modulated laser excitation, we examined the effects of nanoparticle size, concentration and biological medium (e.g. serum, sheep blood) on its photoacoustic response in turbid media (intralipid solution). Maximum detection depth and minimum measurable SPION concentration were determined experimentally. The detection was performed using a single element transducer. The nanoparticle-induced optical contrast ex vivo in dense muscular tissues (avian pectus) was evaluated using a phased array photoacoustic probe and the strong potential of silicacoated SPION as a possible photoacoustic contrast agent was demonstrated. This study opens the way for future clinical applications of nanoparticle-enhanced photoacoustic imaging in cancer therapy.

Comparison of Non-Culture-Based Methods for Detection of Systemic Fungal Infections, with an Emphasis on Invasive Candida Infections

PubMed Central

White, P. Lewis; Archer, Alice E.; Barnes, Rosemary A.

2005-01-01

The accepted limitations associated with classic culture techniques for the diagnosis of invasive fungal infections have lead to the emergence of many non-culture-based methods. With superior sensitivities and quicker turnaround times, non-culture-based methods may aid the diagnosis of invasive fungal infections. In this review of the diagnostic service, we assessed the performances of two antigen detection techniques (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA] and latex agglutination) with a molecular method for the detection of invasive Candida infection and invasive aspergillosis. The specificities for all three assays were high (≥97%), although the Candida PCR method had enhanced sensitivity over both ELISA and latex agglutination with values of 95%, 75%, and 25%, respectively. However, calculating significant sensitivity values for the Aspergillus detection methods was not feasible due to a low number of proven/probable cases. Despite enhanced sensitivity, the PCR method failed to detect nucleic acid in a probable case of invasive Candida infection that was detected by ELISA. In conclusion, both PCR and ELISA techniques should be used in unison to aid the detection of invasive fungal infections. PMID:15872239

Quantitative photoacoustic characterization of blood clot in blood: A mechanobiological assessment through spectral information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biswas, Deblina; Vasudevan, Srivathsan; Chen, George C. K.; Sharma, Norman

2017-02-01

Formation of blood clots, called thrombus, can happen due to hyper-coagulation of blood. Thrombi, while moving through blood vessels can impede blood flow, an important criterion for many critical diseases like deep vein thrombosis and heart attacks. Understanding mechanical properties of clot formation is vital for assessment of severity of thrombosis and proper treatment. However, biomechanics of thrombus is less known to clinicians and not very well investigated. Photoacoustic (PA) spectral response, a non-invasive technique, is proposed to investigate the mechanism of formation of blood clots through elasticity and also differentiate clots from blood. Distinct shift (increase in frequency) of the PA response dominant frequency during clot formation is reported. In addition, quantitative differentiation of blood clots from blood has been achieved through parameters like dominant frequency and spectral energy of PA spectral response. Nearly twofold increases in dominant frequency in blood clots compared to blood were found in the PA spectral response. Significant changes in energy also help in quantitatively differentiating clots from blood, in the blood. Our results reveal that increase in density during clot formation is reflected in the PA spectral response, a significant step towards understanding the mechanobiology of thrombus formation. Hence, the proposed tool, in addition to detecting thrombus formation, could reveal mechanical properties of the sample through quantitative photoacoustic spectral parameters.

Detection, mapping, and quantification of single walled carbon nanotubes in histological specimens with photoacoustic microscopy.

PubMed

Avti, Pramod K; Hu, Song; Favazza, Christopher; Mikos, Antonios G; Jansen, John A; Shroyer, Kenneth R; Wang, Lihong V; Sitharaman, Balaji

2012-01-01

In the present study, the efficacy of multi-scale photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) was investigated to detect, map, and quantify trace amounts [nanograms (ng) to micrograms (µg)] of SWCNTs in a variety of histological tissue specimens consisting of cancer and benign tissue biopsies (histological specimens from implanted tissue engineering scaffolds). Optical-resolution (OR) and acoustic-resolution (AR)--Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) was employed to detect, map and quantify the SWCNTs in a variety of tissue histological specimens and compared with other optical techniques (bright-field optical microscopy, Raman microscopy, near infrared (NIR) fluorescence microscopy). Both optical-resolution and acoustic-resolution PAM, allow the detection and quantification of SWCNTs in histological specimens with scalable spatial resolution and depth penetration. The noise-equivalent detection sensitivity to SWCNTs in the specimens was calculated to be as low as ∼7 pg. Image processing analysis further allowed the mapping, distribution, and quantification of the SWCNTs in the histological sections. The results demonstrate the potential of PAM as a promising imaging technique to detect, map, and quantify SWCNTs in histological specimens, and could complement the capabilities of current optical and electron microscopy techniques in the analysis of histological specimens containing SWCNTs.

Acoustic resonance phase locked photoacoustic spectrometer

DOEpatents

Pilgrim, Jeffrey S.; Bomse, David S.; Silver, Joel A.

2003-08-19

A photoacoustic spectroscopy method and apparatus for maintaining an acoustic source frequency on a sample cell resonance frequency comprising: providing an acoustic source to the sample cell to generate a photoacoustic signal, the acoustic source having a source frequency; continuously measuring detection phase of the photoacoustic signal with respect to source frequency or a harmonic thereof; and employing the measured detection phase to provide magnitude and direction for correcting the source frequency to the resonance frequency.

Neuro-ophthalmological presentation of non-invasive Aspergillus sinus disease in the non-immunocompromised host.

PubMed Central

Brown, P; Demaerel, P; McNaught, A; Revesz, T; Graham, E; Kendall, B E; Plant, G

1994-01-01

Two cases of non-invasive aspergillosis of the nose and paranasal sinuses are described. The first presented with left proptosis and ophthalmoplegia. Imaging and histology showed a maxillary sinus aspergilloma. The second case presented as a compressive optic neuropathy and histology showed allergic aspergillus sinusitis. The pathological distinction between invasive and non-invasive forms of aspergillus sinusitis is important as in invasive aspergillosis surgical treatment is most effectively combined with systemic antifungal treatment, whereas in aspergilloma of the paranasal sinuses surgical drainage of the sinuses alone is usually sufficient, and in allergic aspergillus sinusitis surgery is best combined with systemic or topical steroids. The distinction between invasive and non-invasive forms is particularly important as both may present with cranial neuropathies. Images PMID:8126516

Tunneling nanotubes promote intercellular mitochondria transfer followed by increased invasiveness in bladder cancer cells

PubMed Central

Lu, Jinjin; Zheng, Xiufen; Li, Fan; Yu, Yang; Chen, Zhong; Liu, Zheng; Wang, Zhihua; Xu, Hua; Yang, Weimin

2017-01-01

Intercellular transfer of organelles via tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) is a novel means of cell-to-cell communication. Here we demonstrate the existence of TNTs between co-cultured RT4 and T24 bladder cancer cells using light microscopy, fluorescence imaging, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Spontaneous unidirectional transfer of mitochondria from T24 to RT4 cells was detected using fluorescence imaging and flow cytometry. The distribution of mitochondria migrated from T24 cells was in good agreement with the original mitochondria in RT4 cells, which may imply mitochondrial fusion. We detected cytoskeleton reconstruction in RT4-Mito-T24 cells by observing F-actin redistribution. Akt, mTOR, and their downstream mediators were activated and increased. The resultant increase in the invasiveness of bladder cancer cells was detected in vitro and in vivo. These data indicate that TNTs promote intercellular mitochondrial transfer between heterogeneous cells, followed by an increase in the invasiveness of bladder cancer cells. PMID:28107184

Chronic Exposure to Carbon Nanotubes Induces Invasion of Human Mesothelial Cells through Matrix Metalloproteinase-2

PubMed Central

Lohcharoenkal, Warangkana; Wang, Liying; Stueckle, Todd A.; Dinu, Cerasela Zoica; Castranova, Vincent; Liu, Yuxin; Rojanasakul, Yon

2013-01-01

Malignant mesothelioma is one of the most aggressive forms of cancer known. Recent studies have shown that carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are biopersistent and induce mesothelioma in animals, but the underlying mechanisms are not known. Here, we investigate the effect of long-term exposure to high aspect ratio CNTs on the aggressive behaviors of human pleural mesothelial cells, the primary cellular target of human lung mesothelioma. We show that chronic exposure (4 months) to single- and multi-walled CNTs induced proliferation, migration and invasion of the cells similar to that observed in asbestos-exposed cells. An upregulation of several key genes known to be important in cell invasion, notably matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), was observed in the exposed mesothelial cells as determined by real-time PCR. Western blot and enzyme activity assays confirmed the increased expression and activity of MMP-2. Whole genome microarray analysis further indicated the importance of MMP-2 in the invasion gene signaling network of the exposed cells. Knockdown of MMP-2 in CNT and asbestos-exposed cells by shRNA-mediated gene silencing effectively inhibited the aggressive phenotypes. This study demonstrates CNT-induced cell invasion and indicates the role of MMP-2 in the process. PMID:23924264

Laryngeal closure impedes non-invasive ventilation at birth

PubMed Central

Crawshaw, Jessica R; Kitchen, Marcus J; Binder-Heschl, Corinna; Thio, Marta; Wallace, Megan J; Kerr, Lauren T; Roehr, Charles C; Lee, Katie L; Buckley, Genevieve A; Davis, Peter G; Flemmer, Andreas; te Pas, Arjan B; Hooper, Stuart B

2018-01-01

Background Non-invasive ventilation is sometimes unable to provide the respiratory needs of very premature infants in the delivery room. While airway obstruction is thought to be the main problem, the site of obstruction is unknown. We investigated whether closure of the larynx and epiglottis is a major site of airway obstruction. Methods We used phase contrast X-ray imaging to visualise laryngeal function in spontaneously breathing premature rabbits immediately after birth and at approximately 1 hour after birth. Non-invasive respiratory support was applied via a facemask and images were analysed to determine the percentage of the time the glottis and the epiglottis were open. Hypothesis Immediately after birth, the larynx is predominantly closed, only opening briefly during a breath, making non-invasive intermittent positive pressure ventilation (iPPV) ineffective, whereas after lung aeration, the larynx is predominantly open allowing non-invasive iPPV to ventilate the lung. Results The larynx and epiglottis were predominantly closed (open 25.5%±1.1% and 17.1%±1.6% of the time, respectively) in pups with unaerated lungs and unstable breathing patterns immediately after birth. In contrast, the larynx and the epiglottis were mostly open (90.5%±1.9% and 72.3%±2.3% of the time, respectively) in pups with aerated lungs and stable breathing patterns irrespective of time after birth. Conclusion Laryngeal closure impedes non-invasive iPPV at birth and may reduce the effectiveness of non-invasive respiratory support in premature infants immediately after birth. PMID:29054974

Invasive clonal plant species have a greater root-foraging plasticity than non-invasive ones.

PubMed

Keser, Lidewij H; Dawson, Wayne; Song, Yao-Bin; Yu, Fei-Hai; Fischer, Markus; Dong, Ming; van Kleunen, Mark

2014-03-01

Clonality is frequently positively correlated with plant invasiveness, but which aspects of clonality make some clonal species more invasive than others is not known. Due to their spreading growth form, clonal plants are likely to experience spatial heterogeneity in nutrient availability. Plasticity in allocation of biomass to clonal growth organs and roots may allow these plants to forage for high-nutrient patches. We investigated whether this foraging response is stronger in species that have become invasive than in species that have not. We used six confamilial pairs of native European clonal plant species differing in invasion success in the USA. We grew all species in large pots under homogeneous or heterogeneous nutrient conditions in a greenhouse, and compared their nutrient-foraging response and performance. Neither invasive nor non-invasive species showed significant foraging responses to heterogeneity in clonal growth organ biomass or in aboveground biomass of clonal offspring. Invasive species had, however, a greater positive foraging response in terms of root and belowground biomass than non-invasive species. Invasive species also produced more total biomass. Our results suggest that the ability for strong root foraging is among the characteristics promoting invasiveness in clonal plants.

Photoacoustic imaging of inflammatory arthritis in human joints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jo, Janggun; Xu, Guan; Marquardt, April; Francis, Sheeja; Yuan, Jie; Girish, Dhanuj; Girish, Gandikota; Wang, Xueding

2016-02-01

The ducal imaging with photoacoustic imaging (PAI) that is an emerging technology and clinical ultrasound imaging that is an established modality is developed for the imaging of early inflammatory arthritis. PAI is sensitive to blood volume, not limited by flow like ultrasound, holding great promise for the earliest detection of increase in blood volume and angiogenesis - a key early finding inflammation PAI has the capability of assessing inflammation in superficial human soft tissues, offering potential benefits in diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of inflammatory arthritis. PAI combined with ultrasonography (US), is a real time dual-modality system developed and tested to identify active synovitis in metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints of 10 arthritis patients and 10 normal volunteers. Photoacoustic images of the joints were acquired at 580-nm laser wavelength, which provided the desired balance between the optical contrast of hemoglobin over bone cortex and the imaging depth. Confirmed by US Doppler imaging, the results from ten patients and ten normal volunteers demonstrated satisfactory sensitivity of PAI in assessing enhanced blood flow due to active synovitis. This preliminary study suggests that photoacoustic imaging, by identifying early increase in blood volume, related to increased vascularity, a hallmark of joint inflammation, could be a valuable supplement to musculoskeletal US.

Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity of La3+-Doped TiO2 Nanotubes with Full Wave-Band Absorption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Minghao; Huang, Lingling; Zhang, Yubo; Wang, Yongqian

2018-06-01

TiO2 nanotubes doped with La3+ were synthesized by anodic oxidation method and the photocatalytic activity was detected by photodegrading methylene blue. As-prepared samples improved the absorption of both ultraviolet light and visible light and have a great enhancement on the photocatalytic activity while contrasting with the pristine TiO2 nanotubes. A tentative mechanism for the enhancement of photocatalytic activity with full wave-band absorption is proposed.

Handheld optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Li; Zhang, Pengfei; Xu, Song; Shi, Junhui; Li, Lei; Yao, Junjie; Wang, Lidai; Zou, Jun; Wang, Lihong V.

2017-04-01

Optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM) offers label-free in vivo imaging with high spatial resolution by acoustically detecting optical absorption contrasts via the photoacoustic effect. We developed a compact handheld OR-PAM probe for fast photoacoustic imaging. Different from benchtop microscopes, the handheld probe provides flexibility in imaging various anatomical sites. Resembling a cup in size, the probe uses a two-axis water-immersible microelectromechanical system mirror to scan both the illuminating optical beam and resultant acoustic beam. The system performance was tested in vivo by imaging the capillary bed in a mouse ear and both the capillary bed and a mole on a human volunteer.

Amorphous and crystalline TiO2 nanotube arrays for enhanced Li-ion intercalation properties.

PubMed

Guan, Dongsheng; Cai, Chuan; Wang, Ying

2011-04-01

We have employed a simple process of anodizing Ti foils to prepare TiO2 nanotube arrays which show enhanced electrochemical properties for applications as Li-ion battery electrode materials. The lengths and pore diameters of TiO2 nanotubes can be finely tuned by varying voltage, electrolyte composition, or anodization time. The as-prepared nanotubes are amorphous and can be converted into anatase nanotubes with heat treatment at 480 degrees C. Rutile crystallites emerge in the anatase nanotube when the annealing temperature is increased to 580 degrees C, resulting in TiO2 nanotubes of mixed phases. The morphological features of nanotubes remain unchanged after annealing. Li-ion insertion performance has been studied for amorphous and crystalline TiO2 nanotube arrays. Amorphous nanotubes with a length of 3.0 microm and an outer diameter of 125 nm deliver a capacity of 91.2 microA h cm(-2) at a current density of 400 microA cm(-2), while those with a length of 25 microm and an outer diameter of 158 nm display a capacity of 533 microA h cm-2. When the 3-microm long nanotubes become crystalline, they deliver lower capacities: the anatase nanotubes and nanotubes of mixed phases show capacities of 53.8 microA h cm-2 and 63.1 microA h cm(-2), respectively at the same current density. The amorphous nanotubes show excellent capacity retention ability over 50 cycles. The cycled nanotubes show little change in morphology compared to the nanotubes before electrochemical cycling. All the TiO2 nanotubes demonstrate higher capacities than amorphous TiO2 compact layer reported in literature. The amorphous TiO2 nanotubes with a length of 1.9 microm exhibit a capacity five times higher than that of TiO2 compact layer even when the nanotube array is cycled at a current density 80 times higher than that for the compact layer. These results suggest that anodic TiO2 nanotube arrays are promising electrode materials for rechargeable Li-ion batteries.

Noninvasive detection of intimal xanthoma using combined ultrasound, strain rate and photoacoustic imaging.

PubMed

Graf, Iulia M; Kim, Seungsoo; Wang, Bo; Smalling, Richard; Emelianov, Stanislav

2012-03-01

The structure, composition and mechanics of carotid artery are good indicators of early progressive atherosclerotic lesions. The combination of three imaging modalities (ultrasound, strain rate and photoacoustic imaging) which could provide corroborative information about the named arterial properties could enhance the characterization of intimal xanthoma. The experiments were performed using a New Zealand white rabbit model of atherosclerosis. The aorta excised from an atherosclerotic rabbit was scanned ex vivo using the three imaging techniques: (1) ultrasound imaging of the longitudinal section: standard ultrasound B-mode (74Hz frame rate); (2) strain rate imaging: the artery was flushed with blood and a 1.5Hz physiologic pulsation was induced, while the ultrasound data were recorded at higher frame rate (296Hz); (3) photoacoustic imaging: the artery was irradiated with nanosecond pulsed laser light of low fluence in the 1210-1230nm wavelength range and the photoacoustic data was recorded at 10Hz frame rate. Post processing algorithms based on cross-correlation and optical absorption variation were implemented to derive strain rate and spectroscopic photoacoustic images, respectively. Based on the spatio-temporal variation in displacement of different regions within the arterial wall, strain rate imaging reveals differences in tissue mechanical properties. Additionally, spectroscopic photoacoustic imaging can spatially resolve the optical absorption properties of arterial tissue and identify the location of lipid pools. The study demonstrates that ultrasound, strain rate and photoacoustic imaging can be used to simultaneously evaluate the structure, the mechanics and the composition of atherosclerotic lesions to improve the assessment of plaque vulnerability. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Photoacoustic Imaging of Animals with an Annular Transducer Array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Di-Wu; Zhou, Zhi-Bin; Zeng, Lv-Ming; Zhou, Xin; Chen, Xing-Hui

2014-07-01

A photoacoustic system with an annular transducer array is presented for rapid, high-resolution photoacoustic tomography of animals. An eight-channel data acquisition system is applied to capture the photoacoustic signals by using multiplexing and the total time of data acquisition and transferring is within 3 s. A limited-view filtered back projection algorithm is used to reconstruct the photoacoustic images. Experiments are performed on a mouse head and a rabbit head and clear photoacoustic images are obtained. The experimental results demonstrate that this imaging system holds the potential for imaging the human brain.

Clean carbon nanotubes coupled to superconducting impedance-matching circuits.

PubMed

Ranjan, V; Puebla-Hellmann, G; Jung, M; Hasler, T; Nunnenkamp, A; Muoth, M; Hierold, C; Wallraff, A; Schönenberger, C

2015-05-15

Coupling carbon nanotube devices to microwave circuits offers a significant increase in bandwidth (BW) and signal-to-noise ratio. These facilitate fast non-invasive readouts important for quantum information processing, shot noise and correlation measurements. However, creation of a device that unites a low-disorder nanotube with a low-loss microwave resonator has so far remained a challenge, due to fabrication incompatibility of one with the other. Employing a mechanical transfer method, we successfully couple a nanotube to a gigahertz superconducting matching circuit and thereby retain pristine transport characteristics such as the control over formation of, and coupling strengths between, the quantum dots. Resonance response to changes in conductance and susceptance further enables quantitative parameter extraction. The achieved near matching is a step forward promising high-BW noise correlation measurements on high impedance devices such as quantum dot circuits.

The role of invasive and non-invasive procedures in diagnosing fever of unknown origin.

PubMed

Mete, Bilgul; Vanli, Ersin; Yemisen, Mucahit; Balkan, Ilker Inanc; Dagtekin, Hilal; Ozaras, Resat; Saltoglu, Nese; Mert, Ali; Ozturk, Recep; Tabak, Fehmi

2012-01-01

The etiology of fever of unknown origin has changed because of the recent advances in and widespread use of invasive and non-invasive diagnostic tools. However, undiagnosed patients still constitute a significant number. To determine the etiological distribution and role of non-invasive and invasive diagnostic tools in the diagnosis of fever of unknown origin. One hundred patients who were hospitalized between June 2001 and 2009 with a fever of unknown origin were included in this study. Clinical and laboratory data were collected from the patients' medical records retrospectively. Fifty three percent of the patients were male, with a mean age of 45 years. The etiology of fever was determined to be infectious diseases in 26, collagen vascular diseases in 38, neoplastic diseases in 14, miscellaneous in 2 and undiagnosed in 20 patients. When the etiologic distribution was analyzed over time, it was noted that the rate of infectious diseases decreased, whereas the rate of rheumatological and undiagnosed diseases relatively increased because of the advances in imaging and microbiological studies. Seventy patients had a definitive diagnosis, whereas 10 patients had a possible diagnosis. The diagnoses were established based on clinical features and non-invasive tests for 61% of the patients and diagnostic benefit was obtained for 49% of the patients undergoing invasive tests. Biopsy procedures contributed a rate of 42% to diagnoses in patients who received biopsies. Clinical features (such as detailed medical history-taking and physical examination) may contribute to diagnoses, particularly in cases of collagen vascular diseases. Imaging studies exhibit certain pathologies that guide invasive studies. Biopsy procedures contribute greatly to diagnoses, particularly for malignancies and infectious diseases that are not diagnosed by non-invasive procedures.

Converting sunlight into audible sound by means of the photoacoustic effect: The Heliophone.

PubMed

Roozen, N B; Glorieux, C; Liu, L; Rychtáriková, M; Van der Donck, T; Jacobs, A

2016-09-01

One hundred and thirty-five years after Alexander Graham Bell and his assistant Charles Sumner Tainter explored the photoacoustic effect, and about 40 years after Rosencwaig and Gersho modeled the effect in a photoacoustic cell configuration, the phenomenon is revisited in a "Heliophone" device that converts sunlight into sound. The light is focused on a carbon blackened copper coated Kapton foil in an acoustic cell by means of a compound parabolic collimator, and its intensity is modulated by a mechanical chopper. A horn is employed to make the sound audible without electronic amplification. The description of the photoacoustic effect that was introduced by Rosencwaig and Gersho is extended to a cell-horn configuration, in which the periodically heated air above the foil acts as an oscillating piston, driving acoustic waves in the horn. The pressure in the cavity-horn assembly is calculated by considering the air layer piston as an equivalent volume velocity source. The importance of the carbon black (soot) layer to enhance light absorption, but above all to enhance the photothermal excitation efficiency, is elucidated by means of an experimentally supported physical model.

A Non-Invasive Deep Tissue PH Monitor.

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-08-11

disturbances in acid-base regulation may have serious effects on metabolic activity, circulation, and the central nervous system. Currently, acid-base...to tissue ischemia than is arterial pH. Consequently, a non-invasive deep tissue pH monitor has enormous value as a mechanism for rapid and effective ...achieved, and improve our understanding of what physical effects are important to successful non-invasive deep tissue pH monitoring. This last statement

Laryngeal closure impedes non-invasive ventilation at birth.

PubMed

Crawshaw, Jessica R; Kitchen, Marcus J; Binder-Heschl, Corinna; Thio, Marta; Wallace, Megan J; Kerr, Lauren T; Roehr, Charles C; Lee, Katie L; Buckley, Genevieve A; Davis, Peter G; Flemmer, Andreas; Te Pas, Arjan B; Hooper, Stuart B

2018-03-01

Non-invasive ventilation is sometimes unable to provide the respiratory needs of very premature infants in the delivery room. While airway obstruction is thought to be the main problem, the site of obstruction is unknown. We investigated whether closure of the larynx and epiglottis is a major site of airway obstruction. We used phase contrast X-ray imaging to visualise laryngeal function in spontaneously breathing premature rabbits immediately after birth and at approximately 1 hour after birth. Non-invasive respiratory support was applied via a facemask and images were analysed to determine the percentage of the time the glottis and the epiglottis were open. Immediately after birth, the larynx is predominantly closed, only opening briefly during a breath, making non-invasive intermittent positive pressure ventilation (iPPV) ineffective, whereas after lung aeration, the larynx is predominantly open allowing non-invasive iPPV to ventilate the lung. The larynx and epiglottis were predominantly closed (open 25.5%±1.1% and 17.1%±1.6% of the time, respectively) in pups with unaerated lungs and unstable breathing patterns immediately after birth. In contrast, the larynx and the epiglottis were mostly open (90.5%±1.9% and 72.3%±2.3% of the time, respectively) in pups with aerated lungs and stable breathing patterns irrespective of time after birth. Laryngeal closure impedes non-invasive iPPV at birth and may reduce the effectiveness of non-invasive respiratory support in premature infants immediately after birth. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Hydrogenated TiO2 nanotube photonic crystals for enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meng, Ming; Zhou, Sihua; Yang, Lun; Gan, Zhixing; Liu, Kuili; Tian, Fengshou; Zhu, Yu; Li, ChunYang; Liu, Weifeng; Yuan, Honglei; Zhang, Yan

2018-04-01

We report the design, fabrication and characterization of novel TiO2 nanotube photonic crystals with a crystalline core/disordered shell structure as well as substantial oxygen vacancies for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. The novel TiO2 nanotube photonic crystals are fabricated by annealing of anodized TiO2 nanotube photonic crystals in hydrogen atmosphere at various temperatures. The optimized novel TiO2 nanotube photonic crystals produce a maximal photocurrent density of 2.2 mA cm-2 at 0.22 V versus Ag/AgCl, which is two times higher that of the TiO2 nanotube photonic crystals annealed in air. Such significant PEC performance improvement can be ascribed to synergistic effects of the disordered surface layer and oxygen vacancies. The reduced band gap owing to the disordered surface layer and localized states induced by oxygen vacancies can enhance the efficient utilization of visible light. In addition, the disordered surface layer and substantial oxygen vacancies can promote the efficiency for separation and transport of the photogenerated carriers. This work may open up new opportunities for the design and construction of the high efficient and low-cost PEC water splitting system.

Hydrogenated TiO2 nanotube photonic crystals for enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting.

PubMed

Meng, Ming; Zhou, Sihua; Yang, Lun; Gan, Zhixing; Liu, Kuili; Tian, Fengshou; Zhu, Yu; Li, ChunYang; Liu, Weifeng; Yuan, Honglei; Zhang, Yan

2018-04-02

We report the design, fabrication and characterization of novel TiO 2 nanotube photonic crystals with a crystalline core/disordered shell structure as well as substantial oxygen vacancies for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. The novel TiO 2 nanotube photonic crystals are fabricated by annealing of anodized TiO 2 nanotube photonic crystals in hydrogen atmosphere at various temperatures. The optimized novel TiO 2 nanotube photonic crystals produce a maximal photocurrent density of 2.2 mA cm -2 at 0.22 V versus Ag/AgCl, which is two times higher that of the TiO 2 nanotube photonic crystals annealed in air. Such significant PEC performance improvement can be ascribed to synergistic effects of the disordered surface layer and oxygen vacancies. The reduced band gap owing to the disordered surface layer and localized states induced by oxygen vacancies can enhance the efficient utilization of visible light. In addition, the disordered surface layer and substantial oxygen vacancies can promote the efficiency for separation and transport of the photogenerated carriers. This work may open up new opportunities for the design and construction of the high efficient and low-cost PEC water splitting system.

Photoacoustic imaging of real-time oxygen changes in chronic leg ulcers after topical application of a haemoglobin spray: a pilot study.

PubMed

Petri, M; Stoffels, I; Jose, J; Leyh, J; Schulz, A; Dissemond, J; Schadendorf, D; Klode, J

2016-02-01

To use a non-invasive measurement of oxygen saturation in chronic leg ulcers after the application of a topical haemoglobin spray to investigate if photoacoustic tomography is able to measure the oxygen saturation and if the stimulated oxygen increase can be demonstrated. We measured the oxygen saturation of the ulcer tissue in five patients with chronic leg ulcers before application and 5 and 20 minutes after application of the haemoglobin spray, using photoacoustic tomography as a new method to assess oxygenation in real-time. The average oxygen saturation showed a significant increase from 56.4% before to 69% (p=0.042) after 5 minutes and 78.8% (p=0.043) 20 minutes after the topical haemoglobin application. The oxygenation status of chronic, hard-to-heal wounds is gaining increasing interest in modern wound therapy. Topical haemoglobin spray is a new and effective method to increase the oxygenation in the ulcer tissue, but until now the link between clinical results and the mode of action was unclear. We were able to show for the first time that the use of a topical haemoglobin spray leads to an increase in oxygen saturation in vivo using photoacoustic tomography. Joachim Dissemond received financial support from the company SastoMed for several scientific projects as well as for lectures and as an advisor. The haemoglobin spray was provided by SastoMed GmbH (Georgsmarienhütte, Germany).

Stimulated Raman photoacoustic imaging

PubMed Central

Yakovlev, Vladislav V.; Zhang, Hao F.; Noojin, Gary D.; Denton, Michael L.; Thomas, Robert J.; Scully, Marlan O.

2010-01-01

Achieving label-free, molecular-specific imaging with high spatial resolution in deep tissue is often considered the grand challenge of optical imaging. To accomplish this goal, significant optical scattering in tissues has to be overcome while achieving molecular specificity without resorting to extrinsic labeling. We demonstrate the feasibility of developing such an optical imaging modality by combining the molecularly specific stimulated Raman excitation with the photoacoustic detection. By employing two ultrashort excitation laser pulses, separated in frequency by the vibrational frequency of a targeted molecule, only the specific vibrational level of the target molecules in the illuminated tissue volume is excited. This targeted optical absorption generates ultrasonic waves (referred to as stimulated Raman photoacoustic waves) which are detected using a traditional ultrasonic transducer to form an image following the design of the established photoacoustic microscopy. PMID:21059930

Boron nitride nanotubes enhance properties of chitosan-based scaffolds.

PubMed

Emanet, Melis; Kazanç, Emine; Çobandede, Zehra; Çulha, Mustafa

2016-10-20

With their low toxicity, high mechanical strength and chemical stability, boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) are good candidates to enhance the properties of polymers, composites and scaffolds. Chitosan-based scaffolds are exhaustively investigated in tissue engineering because of their biocompatibility and antimicrobial activity. However, their spontaneous degradation prevents their use in a range of tissue engineering applications. In this study, hydroxylated BNNTs (BNNT-OH) were included into a chitosan scaffold and tested for their mechanical strength, swelling behavior and biodegradability. The results show that inclusion of BNNTs-OH into the chitosan scaffold increases the mechanical strength and pore size at values optimal for high cellular proliferation and adhesion. The chitosan/BNNT-OH scaffold was also found to be non-toxic to Human Dermal Fibroblast (HDF) cells due to its slow degradation rate. HDF cell proliferation and adhesion were increased as compared to the chitosan-only scaffold as observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and fluorescent microscopy images. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The porous TiO2 nanotubes/Ag3PO4 heterojunction for enhancing sunlight photocatalytic activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chi, Chunyan; Pan, Jiaqi; You, Mingzhu; Dong, Zongjun; Zhao, Weijie; Song, Changsheng; Zheng, Yingying; Li, Chaorong

2018-03-01

The porous TiO2 nanotubes/Ag3PO4 heterojunction are synthesized via simple electrospining and chemical co-deposition method. The results of SEM, XRD, TEM and XPS imply that the Ag3PO4 nanoparticles have been introduced on to the surface of TiO2 nanotubes successfully. Compared with the unmodified samples, the photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared porous TiO2 nanotubes/Ag3PO4 heterojunction exhibit a remarkable enhancement by the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under the sunlight. Further, the Z-Scheme structure of the samples and the porous-tubular structure of the TiO2 are considered as the main reasons for the enhancement.

Anomalously enhanced hydration of aqueous electrolyte solution in hydrophobic carbon nanotubes to maintain stability.

PubMed

Ohba, Tomonori

2014-02-24

An understanding of the structure and behavior of electrolyte solutions in nanoenvironements is crucial not only for a wide variety of applications, but also for the development of physical, chemical, and biological processes. We demonstrate the structure and stability of electrolyte in carbon nanotubes using hybrid reverse Monte Carlo simulations of X-ray diffraction patterns. Hydrogen bonds between water are adequately formed in carbon nanotubes, although some hydrogen bonds are restricted by the interfaces of carbon nanotubes. The hydrogen bonding network of water in electrolyte in the carbon nanotubes is further weakened. On the other hand, formation of the ion hydration shell is significantly enhanced in the electrolyte in the carbon nanotubes in comparison to ion hydration in bulk electrolyte. The significant hydrogen bond and hydration shell formation are a result of gaining stability in the hydrophobic nanoenvironment. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Photoacoustic Spectroscopy Analysis of Traditional Chinese Medicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Lu; Zhao, Bin-xing; Xiao, Hong-tao; Tong, Rong-sheng; Gao, Chun-ming

2013-09-01

Chinese medicine is a historic cultural legacy of China. It has made a significant contribution to medicine and healthcare for generations. The development of Chinese herbal medicine analysis is emphasized by the Chinese pharmaceutical industry. This study has carried out the experimental analysis of ten kinds of Chinese herbal powder including Fritillaria powder, etc., based on the photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) method. First, a photoacoustic spectroscopy system was designed and constructed, especially a highly sensitive solid photoacoustic cell was established. Second, the experimental setup was verified through the characteristic emission spectrum of the light source, obtained by using carbon as a sample in the photoacoustic cell. Finally, as the photoacoustic spectroscopy analysis of Fritillaria, etc., was completed, the specificity of the Chinese herb medicine analysis was verified. This study shows that the PAS can provide a valid, highly sensitive analytical method for the specificity of Chinese herb medicine without preparing and damaging samples.

Photoacoustic imaging of lymphatic pumping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forbrich, Alex; Heinmiller, Andrew; Zemp, Roger J.

2017-10-01

The lymphatic system is responsible for fluid homeostasis and immune cell trafficking and has been implicated in several diseases, including obesity, diabetes, and cancer metastasis. Despite its importance, the lack of suitable in vivo imaging techniques has hampered our understanding of the lymphatic system. This is, in part, due to the limited contrast of lymphatic fluids and structures. Photoacoustic imaging, in combination with optically absorbing dyes or nanoparticles, has great potential for noninvasively visualizing the lymphatic vessels deep in tissues. Multispectral photoacoustic imaging is capable of separating the components; however, the slow wavelength switching speed of most laser systems is inadequate for imaging lymphatic pumping without motion artifacts being introduced into the processed images. We investigate two approaches for visualizing lymphatic processes in vivo. First, single-wavelength differential photoacoustic imaging is used to visualize lymphatic pumping in the hindlimb of a mouse in real time. Second, a fast-switching multiwavelength photoacoustic imaging system was used to assess the propulsion profile of dyes through the lymphatics in real time. These approaches may have profound impacts in noninvasively characterizing and investigating the lymphatic system.

Protein-assisted fabrication of nano-reduced graphene oxide for combined in vivo photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy.

PubMed

Sheng, Zonghai; Song, Liang; Zheng, Jiaxiang; Hu, Dehong; He, Meng; Zheng, Mingbin; Gao, Guanhui; Gong, Ping; Zhang, Pengfei; Ma, Yifan; Cai, Lintao

2013-07-01

Theranostic agents are attracting a great deal of attention in personalized medicine. Here, we developed a protein-based, facile method for fabrication of nanosized, reduced graphene oxide (nano-rGO) with high stability and low cytotoxicity. We constructed highly integrated photoacoustic/ultrasonic dual-modality imaging and photothermal therapy platforms, and further demonstrated that the prepared nano-rGO can be used as ready-to-use theranostic agents for both photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy without further surface modification. Intravenous administration of nano-rGO in tumor-bearing mice showed rapid and significant photoacoustic signal enhancement in the tumor region, indicating its excellence for passive targeting and photoacoustic imaging. Meanwhile, using a continuous-wave near-infrared laser, cancer cells in vivo were efficiently ablated, due to the photothermal effect of nano-rGO. The results suggest that the nano-rGO with protein-assisted fabrication was well suited for photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy of tumor, which is promising for theranostic nanomedicine. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quartz-enhanced photoacoustic detection of ethylene using a 10.5 μm quantum cascade laser.

PubMed

Wang, Zhen; Li, Zhili; Ren, Wei

2016-02-22

A quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS) sensor has been developed for the sensitive detection of ethylene (C2H4) at 10.5 µm using a continuous-wave distributed-feedback quantum cascade laser. At this long-wavelength infrared, the key acoustic elements of quartz tuning fork and micro-resonators were optimized to improve the detection signal-to-noise ratio by a factor of >4. The sensor calibration demonstrated an excellent linear response (R2>0.999) to C2H4 concentration at the selected operating pressure of 500 and 760 Torr. With a minimum detection limit of 50 parts per billion (ppb) achieved at an averaging time of 70 s, the sensor has been deployed for measuring the C2H4 efflux during the respiration of biological samples in an agronomic environment.

Detection, Mapping, and Quantification of Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes in Histological Specimens with Photoacoustic Microscopy

PubMed Central

Mikos, Antonios G.; Jansen, John A.; Shroyer, Kenneth R.; Wang, Lihong V.; Sitharaman, Balaji

2012-01-01

Aims In the present study, the efficacy of multi-scale photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) was investigated to detect, map, and quantify trace amounts [nanograms (ng) to micrograms (µg)] of SWCNTs in a variety of histological tissue specimens consisting of cancer and benign tissue biopsies (histological specimens from implanted tissue engineering scaffolds). Materials and Methods Optical-resolution (OR) and acoustic-resolution (AR) - Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) was employed to detect, map and quantify the SWCNTs in a variety of tissue histological specimens and compared with other optical techniques (bright-field optical microscopy, Raman microscopy, near infrared (NIR) fluorescence microscopy). Results Both optical-resolution and acoustic-resolution PAM, allow the detection and quantification of SWCNTs in histological specimens with scalable spatial resolution and depth penetration. The noise-equivalent detection sensitivity to SWCNTs in the specimens was calculated to be as low as ∼7 pg. Image processing analysis further allowed the mapping, distribution, and quantification of the SWCNTs in the histological sections. Conclusions The results demonstrate the potential of PAM as a promising imaging technique to detect, map, and quantify SWCNTs in histological specimens, and could complement the capabilities of current optical and electron microscopy techniques in the analysis of histological specimens containing SWCNTs. PMID:22496892

Herbivory enhances the resistance of mangrove forest to cordgrass invasion.

PubMed

Zhang, Yihui; Meng, Hanyu; Wang, Yi; He, Qiang

2018-06-01

The biotic resistance hypothesis proposes that biotic interactions, such as competition and herbivory, resist the establishment and spread of non-native species. The relative and interactive role of competition and herbivory in resisting plant invasions, however, remains poorly understood. We investigated the interactive role of competition and herbivory (by the native rodent Rattus losea) in resisting Spartina alterniflora (cordgrass) invasions into mangrove forests. In southern China, although exotic cordgrass numerically dominates intertidal mudflats and open gaps in mangrove forests, intact forests appear to be highly resistant to cordgrass invasion. A field transplant and rodent exclusion experiment showed that while the impact of rodent grazing on cordgrass was weak on mangrove forest edges and open mudflats, rodent grazing strongly suppressed cordgrass in mangrove understory habitats. A greenhouse experiment confirmed a synergistic interaction between grazing and light availability (a proxy for mangrove shading and light competition) in suppressing cordgrass establishment, with the strongest impacts of grazing in low light conditions that likely weakened cordgrass to survive and resprout. When both were present, as in mangrove understory habitats, grazing and low light acted in concert to eliminate cordgrass establishment, resulting in resistance of mangrove forests to cordgrass invasion. Our results reveal that grazing by native herbivores can enhance the resistance of mangrove forests to cordgrass invasion in southern China, and suggest that investigating multifactor interactions may be critical to understanding community resistance to exotic invasions. © 2018 by the Ecological Society of America.

Thermodynamic Approach to Enhanced Dispersion and Physical Properties in a Carbon Nanotube/Polypeptide Nanocomposite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lovell, Conrad S.; Wise, Kristopher E.; Kim, Jae-Woo; Lillehei, Peter T.; Harrison, Joycelyn S.; Park, Cheol

2009-01-01

A high molecular weight synthetic polypeptide has been designed which exhibits favorable interactions with single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). The enthalpic and entropic penalties of mixing between these two molecules are reduced due to the polypeptide's aromatic sidechains and helical secondary structure, respectively. These enhanced interactions result in a well dispersed SWCNT/Poly (L-Leucine-ran-L-Phenylalanine) nanocomposite with enhanced mechanical and electrical properties using only shear mixing and sonication. At 0.5 wt% loading of SWCNT filler, the nanocomposite exhibits simultaneous increases in the Young's modulus, failure strain, and toughness of 8%, 120%, and 144%, respectively. At one kHz, the same nanotube loading level also enhances the dielectric constant from 2.95 to 22.81, while increasing the conductivity by four orders of magnitude.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma response to chemotherapy enhanced with non-invasive radio frequency evaluated via an integrated experimental/computational approach.

PubMed

Ware, Matthew J; Curtis, Louis T; Wu, Min; Ho, Jason C; Corr, Stuart J; Curley, Steven A; Godin, Biana; Frieboes, Hermann B

2017-06-13

Although chemotherapy combined with radiofrequency exposure has shown promise in cancer treatment by coupling drug cytotoxicity with thermal ablation or thermally-induced cytotoxicity, limited access of the drug to tumor loci in hypo-vascularized lesions has hampered clinical application. We recently showed that high-intensity short-wave capacitively coupled radiofrequency (RF) electric-fields may reach inaccessible targets in vivo. This non-invasive RF combined with gemcitabine (Gem) chemotherapy enhanced drug uptake and effect in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC), notorious for having poor response and limited therapeutic options, but without inducing thermal injury. We hypothesize that the enhanced cytotoxicity derives from RF-facilitated drug transport in the tumor microenvironment. We propose an integrated experimental/computational approach to evaluate chemotherapeutic response combined with RF-induced phenotypic changes in tissue with impaired transport. Results show that RF facilitates diffusive transport in 3D cell cultures representing hypo-vascularized lesions, enhancing drug uptake and effect. Computational modeling evaluates drug vascular extravasation and diffusive transport as key RF-modulated parameters, with transport being dominant. Assessment of hypothetical schedules following current clinical protocol for Stage-IV PDAC suggests that unresponsive lesions may be growth-restrained when exposed to Gem plus RF. Comparison of these projections to experiments in vivo indicates that synergy may result from RF-induced cell phenotypic changes enhancing drug transport and cytotoxicity, thus providing a potential baseline for clinically-focused evaluation.

Measurement of nitrous acid (HONO) by external-cavity quantum cascade laser based quartz-enhanced photoacoustic absorption spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yi, Hongming; Maamary, Rabih; Gao, Xiaoming; Sigrist, Markus W.; Fertein, Eric; Chen, Weidong

2016-04-01

Spectroscopic detection of short-lived gaseous nitrous acid (HONO) at 1254.85 cm-1 was realized by off-beam coupled quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS) in conjunction with an external cavity quantum cascade lasers (EC-QCL). High sensitivity monitoring of HONO was performed within a very small gas-sample volume (of ~40 mm3) allowing a significant reduction (of about 4 orders of magnitude) of air sampling residence time which is highly desired for accurate quantification of chemically reactive short-lived species. Calibration of the developed QEPAS-based HONO sensor was carried out by means of lab-generated HONO samples whose concentrations were determined by simultaneous measurements of direct HONO absorption spectra in a 109.5 m multipass cell using a distributed feedback (DBF) QCL. A minimum detection limit (MDL @ SNR=1) of 66 ppbv HONO was achieved at 70 mbar using a laser output power of 50 mW and 1 s integration time, which corresponded to a normalized noise equivalent absorption coefficient of 3.6×10-8 cm-1.W/Hz1/2. This MDL was down to 7 ppbv at the optimal integration time of 150 s. The corresponding minimum detected absorption coefficient (SNR=1) is ~1.1×10-7 cm-1 (MDL: ~3 ppbv) in 1 s and ~1.1×10-8 cm-1 (MDL~330 pptv) in 150 s, respectively, with 1 W laser power. Acknowledgements The authors acknowledge financial supports from the CaPPA project (ANR-10-LABX-005) and the CPER CLIMIBIO program. References H. Yi, R. Maamary, X. Gao, M. W. Sigrist, E. Fertein, W. Chen, "Short-lived species detection of nitrous acid by external-cavity quantum cascade laser based quartz-enhanced photoacoustic absorption spectroscopy", Appl. Phys. Lett. 106 (2015) 101109

Acoustic and photoacoustic characterization of micron-sized perfluorocarbon emulsions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strohm, Eric M.; Gorelikov, Ivan; Matsuura, Naomi; Kolios, Michael C.

2012-09-01

Perfluorocarbon droplets containing nanoparticles (NPs) have recently been investigated as theranostic and dual-mode contrast agents. These droplets can be vaporized via laser irradiation or used as photoacoustic contrast agents below the vaporization threshold. This study investigates the photoacoustic mechanism of NP-loaded droplets using photoacoustic frequencies between 100 and 1000 MHz, where distinct spectral features are observed that are related to the droplet composition. The measured photoacoustic spectrum from NP-loaded perfluorocarbon droplets was compared to a theoretical model that assumes a homogenous liquid. Good agreement in the location of the spectral features was observed, which suggests the NPs act primarily as optical absorbers to induce thermal expansion of the droplet as a single homogenous object. The NP size and composition do not affect the photoacoustic spectrum; therefore, the photoacoustic signal can be maximized by optimizing the NP optical absorbing properties. To confirm the theoretical parameters in the model, photoacoustic, ultrasonic, and optical methods were used to estimate the droplet diameter. Photoacoustic and ultrasonic methods agreed to within 1.4%, while the optical measurement was 8.5% higher; this difference decreased with increasing droplet size. The small discrepancy may be attributed to the difficulty in observing the small droplets through the partially translucent phantom.

Acoustic and photoacoustic characterization of micron-sized perfluorocarbon emulsions.

PubMed

Strohm, Eric M; Gorelikov, Ivan; Matsuura, Naomi; Kolios, Michael C

2012-09-01

Perfluorocarbon droplets containing nanoparticles (NPs) have recently been investigated as theranostic and dual-mode contrast agents. These droplets can be vaporized via laser irradiation or used as photoacoustic contrast agents below the vaporization threshold. This study investigates the photoacoustic mechanism of NP-loaded droplets using photoacoustic frequencies between 100 and 1000 MHz, where distinct spectral features are observed that are related to the droplet composition. The measured photoacoustic spectrum from NP-loaded perfluorocarbon droplets was compared to a theoretical model that assumes a homogenous liquid. Good agreement in the location of the spectral features was observed, which suggests the NPs act primarily as optical absorbers to induce thermal expansion of the droplet as a single homogenous object. The NP size and composition do not affect the photoacoustic spectrum; therefore, the photoacoustic signal can be maximized by optimizing the NP optical absorbing properties. To confirm the theoretical parameters in the model, photoacoustic, ultrasonic, and optical methods were used to estimate the droplet diameter. Photoacoustic and ultrasonic methods agreed to within 1.4%, while the optical measurement was 8.5% higher; this difference decreased with increasing droplet size. The small discrepancy may be attributed to the difficulty in observing the small droplets through the partially translucent phantom.

N- and C-Modified TiO2 Nanotube Arrays: Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Properties and Effect of Nanotubes Length on Photoconversion Efficiency

PubMed Central

Mohamed, Ahmed El Ruby; Barghi, Shahzad

2018-01-01

In this investigation, a new, facile, low cost and environmental-friendly method was introduced to fabricate N- and C-modified TiO2 nanotube arrays by immersing the as-anodized TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNTAs) in a urea aqueous solution with mechanical agitation for a short time and keeping the TNTAs immersed in the solution for 6 h at room temperature. Then, the TNTAs were annealed at different temperatures. The produced N-, C-modified TNTAs were characterized using FESEM, EDX, XRD, XPS, UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra. Modified optical properties with narrow band gap energy, Eg, of 2.65 eV was obtained after annealing the modified TNTAs at 550 °C. Modified TNTAs showed enhanced photoelectochemical performance. Photoconversion efficiency (PCE) was increased from 4.35% for pristine (unmodified) TNTAs to 5.18% for modified TNTAs, an increase of 19%. Effect of nanotubes length of modified TNTAs on photoelectrochemical performance was also studied. Photocurrent density and PCE were increased by increasing nanotube length with a maximum PCE of 6.38% for nanotube length of 55 µm. This high PCE value was attributed to: band gap reduction due to C- and N-modification of TNTAs surface, increased surface area of long TNTAs compared with short TNTAs, investigated in previous studies. PMID:29597248

Clinical role of non-invasive assessment of portal hypertension.

PubMed

Bolognesi, Massimo; Di Pascoli, Marco; Sacerdoti, David

2017-01-07

Measurement of portal pressure is pivotal in the evaluation of patients with liver cirrhosis. The measurement of the hepatic venous pressure gradient represents the reference method by which portal pressure is estimated. However, it is an invasive procedure that requires significant hospital resources, including experienced staff, and is associated with considerable cost. Non-invasive methods that can be reliably used to estimate the presence and the degree of portal hypertension are urgently needed in clinical practice. Biochemical and morphological parameters have been proposed for this purpose, but have shown disappointing results overall. Splanchnic Doppler ultrasonography and the analysis of microbubble contrast agent kinetics with contrast-enhanced ultrasonography have shown better accuracy for the evaluation of patients with portal hypertension. A key advancement in the non-invasive evaluation of portal hypertension has been the introduction in clinical practice of methods able to measure stiffness in the liver, as well as stiffness/congestion in the spleen. According to the data published to date, it appears to be possible to rule out clinically significant portal hypertension in patients with cirrhosis ( i.e ., hepatic venous pressure gradient ≥ 10 mmHg) with a level of clinically-acceptable accuracy by combining measurements of liver stiffness and spleen stiffness along with Doppler ultrasound evaluation. It is probable that the combination of these methods may also allow for the identification of patients with the most serious degree of portal hypertension, and ongoing research is helping to ensure progress in this field.

Clinical role of non-invasive assessment of portal hypertension

PubMed Central

Bolognesi, Massimo; Di Pascoli, Marco; Sacerdoti, David

2017-01-01

Measurement of portal pressure is pivotal in the evaluation of patients with liver cirrhosis. The measurement of the hepatic venous pressure gradient represents the reference method by which portal pressure is estimated. However, it is an invasive procedure that requires significant hospital resources, including experienced staff, and is associated with considerable cost. Non-invasive methods that can be reliably used to estimate the presence and the degree of portal hypertension are urgently needed in clinical practice. Biochemical and morphological parameters have been proposed for this purpose, but have shown disappointing results overall. Splanchnic Doppler ultrasonography and the analysis of microbubble contrast agent kinetics with contrast-enhanced ultrasonography have shown better accuracy for the evaluation of patients with portal hypertension. A key advancement in the non-invasive evaluation of portal hypertension has been the introduction in clinical practice of methods able to measure stiffness in the liver, as well as stiffness/congestion in the spleen. According to the data published to date, it appears to be possible to rule out clinically significant portal hypertension in patients with cirrhosis (i.e., hepatic venous pressure gradient ≥ 10 mmHg) with a level of clinically-acceptable accuracy by combining measurements of liver stiffness and spleen stiffness along with Doppler ultrasound evaluation. It is probable that the combination of these methods may also allow for the identification of patients with the most serious degree of portal hypertension, and ongoing research is helping to ensure progress in this field. PMID:28104976

Non-invasive, non-radiological quantification of anteroposterior knee joint ligamentous laxity

PubMed Central

Russell, D. F.; Deakin, A. H.; Fogg, Q. A.; Picard, F.

2013-01-01

Objectives We performed in vitro validation of a non-invasive skin-mounted system that could allow quantification of anteroposterior (AP) laxity in the outpatient setting. Methods A total of 12 cadaveric lower limbs were tested with a commercial image-free navigation system using trackers secured by bone screws. We then tested a non-invasive fabric-strap system. The lower limb was secured at 10° intervals from 0° to 60° of knee flexion and 100 N of force was applied perpendicular to the tibia. Acceptable coefficient of repeatability (CR) and limits of agreement (LOA) of 3 mm were set based on diagnostic criteria for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) insufficiency. Results Reliability and precision within the individual invasive and non-invasive systems was acceptable throughout the range of flexion tested (intra-class correlation coefficient 0.88, CR 1.6 mm). Agreement between the two systems was acceptable measuring AP laxity between full extension and 40° knee flexion (LOA 2.9 mm). Beyond 40° of flexion, agreement between the systems was unacceptable (LOA > 3 mm). Conclusions These results indicate that from full knee extension to 40° flexion, non-invasive navigation-based quantification of AP tibial translation is as accurate as the standard validated commercial system, particularly in the clinically and functionally important range of 20° to 30° knee flexion. This could be useful in diagnosis and post-operative evaluation of ACL pathology. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2013;2:233–7. PMID:24184443

Photoacoustic thermal flowmetry with a single light source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Wei; Lan, Bangxin; Hu, Leo; Chen, Ruimin; Zhou, Qifa; Yao, Junjie

2017-09-01

We report a photoacoustic thermal flowmetry based on optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM) using a single laser source for both thermal tagging and photoacoustic excitation. When an optically absorbing medium is flowing across the optical focal zone of OR-PAM, a small volume of the medium within the optical focus is repeatedly illuminated and heated by a train of laser pulses with a high repetition rate. The average temperature of the heated volume at each laser pulse is indicated by the photoacoustic signal excited by the same laser pulse due to the well-established linear relationship between the Grueneisen coefficient and the local temperature. The thermal dynamics of the heated medium volume, which are closely related to the flow speed, can therefore be measured from the time course of the detected photoacoustic signals. Here, we have developed a lumped mathematical model to describe the time course of the photoacoustic signals as a function of the medium's flow speed. We conclude that the rising time constant of the photoacoustic signals is linearly dependent on the flow speed. Thus, the flow speed can be quantified by fitting the measured photoacoustic signals using the derived mathematical model. We first performed proof-of-concept experiments using defibrinated bovine blood flowing in a plastic tube. The experiment results have demonstrated that the proposed method has high accuracy (˜±6%) and a wide range of measurable flow speeds. We further validated the method by measuring the blood flow speeds of the microvasculature in a mouse ear in vivo.

Non-invasive Markers of Liver Fibrosis: Adjuncts or Alternatives to Liver Biopsy?

PubMed Central

Chin, Jun L.; Pavlides, Michael; Moolla, Ahmad; Ryan, John D.

2016-01-01

Liver fibrosis reflects sustained liver injury often from multiple, simultaneous factors. Whilst the presence of mild fibrosis on biopsy can be a reassuring finding, the identification of advanced fibrosis is critical to the management of patients with chronic liver disease. This necessity has lead to a reliance on liver biopsy which itself is an imperfect test and poorly accepted by patients. The development of robust tools to non-invasively assess liver fibrosis has dramatically enhanced clinical decision making in patients with chronic liver disease, allowing a rapid and informed judgment of disease stage and prognosis. Should a liver biopsy be required, the appropriateness is clearer and the diagnostic yield is greater with the use of these adjuncts. While a number of non-invasive liver fibrosis markers are now used in routine practice, a steady stream of innovative approaches exists. With improvement in the reliability, reproducibility and feasibility of these markers, their potential role in disease management is increasing. Moreover, their adoption into clinical trials as outcome measures reflects their validity and dynamic nature. This review will summarize and appraise the current and novel non-invasive markers of liver fibrosis, both blood and imaging based, and look at their prospective application in everyday clinical care. PMID:27378924

Photoacoustic-guided ultrasound therapy with a dual-mode ultrasound array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prost, Amaury; Funke, Arik; Tanter, Mickaël; Aubry, Jean-François; Bossy, Emmanuel

2012-06-01

Photoacoustics has recently been proposed as a potential method to guide and/or monitor therapy based on high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). We experimentally demonstrate the creation of a HIFU lesion at the location of an optical absorber, by use of photoacoustic signals emitted by the absorber detected on a dual mode transducer array. To do so, a dedicated ultrasound array intended to both detect photoacoustic waves and emit HIFU with the same elements was used. Such a dual-mode array provides automatically coregistered reference frames for photoacoustic detection and HIFU emission, a highly desired feature for methods involving guidance or monitoring of HIFU by use of photoacoustics. The prototype is first characterized in terms of both photoacoustic and HIFU performances. The probe is then used to perform an idealized scenario of photoacoustic-guided therapy, where photoacoustic signals generated by an absorbing thread embedded in a piece of chicken breast are used to automatically refocus a HIFU beam with a time-reversal mirror and necrose the tissue at the location of the absorber.

Photoacoustic Imaging for Cancer Detection and Staging

PubMed Central

Mehrmohammadi, Mohammad; Yoon, Soon Joon; Yeager, Douglas; Emelianov, Stanislav Y.

2013-01-01

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world. Diagnosing a cancer at its early stages of development can decrease the mortality rate significantly and reduce healthcare costs. Over the past two decades, photoacoustic imaging has seen steady growth and has demonstrated notable capabilities to detect cancerous cells and stage cancer. Furthermore, photoacoustic imaging combined with ultrasound imaging and augmented with molecular targeted contrast agents is capable of imaging cancer at the cellular and molecular level, thus opening diverse opportunities to improve diagnosis of tumors, detect circulating tumor cells and identify metastatic lymph nodes. In this paper we introduce the principles of photoacoustic imaging, and review recent developments in photoacoustic imagingas an emerging imaging modality for cancer diagnosis and staging. PMID:24032095

Quantification and Reconstruction in Photoacoustic Tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Zijian

Optical absorption is closely associated with many physiological important parameters, such as the concentration and oxygen saturation of hemoglobin. Conventionally, accurate quantification in PAT requires knowledge of the optical fluence attenuation, acoustic pressure attenuation, and detection bandwidth. We circumvent this requirement by quantifying the optical absorption coefficients from the acoustic spectra of PA signals acquired at multiple optical wavelengths. We demonstrate the method using the optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM) and the acoustical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (AR-PAM) in the optical ballistic regime and in the optical diffusive regime, respectively. The data acquisition speed in photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) is limited by the laser repetition rate and the number of parallel ultrasound detecting channels. Reconstructing an image with fewer measurements can effectively accelerate the data acquisition and reduce the system cost. We adapted Compressed Sensing (CS) for the reconstruction in PACT. CS-based PACT was implemented as a non-linear conjugate gradient descent algorithm and tested with both phantom and in vivo experiments. Speckles have been considered ubiquitous in all scattering-based coherent imaging technologies. As a coherent imaging modality based on optical absorption, photoacoustic (PA) tomography (PAT) is generally devoid of speckles. PAT suppresses speckles by building up prominent boundary signals, via a mechanism similar to that of specular reflection. When imaging smooth boundary absorbing targets, the speckle visibility in PAT, which is defined as the ratio of the square root of the average power of speckles to that of boundaries, is inversely proportional to the square root of the absorber density. If the surfaces of the absorbing targets have uncorrelated height fluctuations, however, the boundary features may become fully developed speckles. The findings were validated by simulations

Single-wavelength functional photoacoustic microscopy in biological tissue.

PubMed

Danielli, Amos; Favazza, Christopher P; Maslov, Konstantin; Wang, Lihong V

2011-03-01

Recently, we developed a reflection-mode relaxation photoacoustic microscope, based on saturation intensity, to measure picosecond relaxation times using a nanosecond laser. Here, using the different relaxation times of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin molecules, both possessing extremely low fluorescence quantum yields, the oxygen saturation was quantified in vivo with single-wavelength photoacoustic microscopy. All previous functional photoacoustic microscopy measurements required imaging with multiple-laser-wavelength measurements to quantify oxygen saturation. Eliminating the need for multiwavelength measurements removes the influence of spectral properties on oxygenation calculations and improves the portability and cost-effectiveness of functional or molecular photoacoustic microscopy.

Single-wavelength functional photoacoustic microscopy in biological tissue

PubMed Central

Danielli, Amos; Favazza, Christopher P.; Maslov, Konstantin; Wang, Lihong V.

2011-01-01

Recently, we developed a reflection-mode relaxation photoacoustic microscope, based on saturation intensity, to measure picosecond relaxation times using a nanosecond laser. Here, using the different relaxation times of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin molecules, both possessing extremely low fluorescence quantum yields, the oxygen saturation was quantified in vivo with single-wavelength photoacoustic microscopy. All previous functional photoacoustic microscopy measurements required imaging with multiple laser-wavelength measurements to quantify oxygen saturation. Eliminating the need for multi-wavelength measurements removes the influence of spectral properties on oxygenation calculations and improves the portability and cost-effectiveness of functional or molecular photoacoustic microscopy. PMID:21368977

Selective uptake of single-walled carbon nanotubes by circulating monocytes for enhanced tumour delivery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Bryan Ronain; Ghosn, Eliver Eid Bou; Rallapalli, Harikrishna; Prescher, Jennifer A.; Larson, Timothy; Herzenberg, Leonore A.; Gambhir, Sanjiv Sam

2014-06-01

In cancer imaging, nanoparticle biodistribution is typically visualized in living subjects using `bulk' imaging modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging, computerized tomography and whole-body fluorescence. Accordingly, nanoparticle influx is observed only macroscopically, and the mechanisms by which they target cancer remain elusive. Nanoparticles are assumed to accumulate via several targeting mechanisms, particularly extravasation (leakage into tumour). Here, we show that, in addition to conventional nanoparticle-uptake mechanisms, single-walled carbon nanotubes are almost exclusively taken up by a single immune cell subset, Ly-6Chi monocytes (almost 100% uptake in Ly-6Chi monocytes, below 3% in all other circulating cells), and delivered to the tumour in mice. We also demonstrate that a targeting ligand (RGD) conjugated to nanotubes significantly enhances the number of single-walled carbon nanotube-loaded monocytes reaching the tumour (P < 0.001, day 7 post-injection). The remarkable selectivity of this tumour-targeting mechanism demonstrates an advanced immune-based delivery strategy for enhancing specific tumour delivery with substantial penetration.

Quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy sensor for ethylene detection with a 3.32 μm distributed feedback laser diode

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nguyen Ba, T.; Triki, M.; Vicet, A., E-mail: a.vicet@univ-montp2.fr

2015-02-15

An antimonide distributed feedback quantum wells diode laser operating at 3.32 μm at near room temperature in the continuous wave regime has been used to perform ethylene detection based on quartz enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy. An absorption line centered at 3007.52 cm{sup −1} was investigated and a normalized noise equivalent absorption coefficient (1σ) of 3.09 10{sup −7} cm{sup −1} W Hz{sup −1/2} was obtained. The linearity and the stability of the detection have been evaluated. Biological samples’ respiration has been measured to validate the feasibility of the detection setup in an agronomic environment, especially on ripening apples.

Theranostic probe for simultaneous in vivo photoacoustic imaging and confined photothermolysis by pulsed laser at 1064 nm in 4T1 breast cancer model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Min; Ku, Geng; Pageon, Laura; Li, Chun

2014-11-01

Here, we report that polyethylene glycol (PEG)-coated copper(ii) sulfide nanoparticles (PEG-CuS NPs) with their peak absorption tuned to 1064 nm could be used both as a contrast agent for photoacoustic tomographic imaging of mouse tumor vasculature and as a mediator for confined photothermolysis of tumor cells in an orthotopic syngeneic 4T1 breast tumor model. PEG-CuS NPs showed stronger photoacoustic signal than hollow gold nanospheres and single-wall carbon nanotubes at 1064 nm. MicroPET imaging of 4T1 tumor-bearing mice showed a gradual accumulation of the NPs in the tumor over time. About 6.5% of injected dose were taken up in each gram of tumor tissue at 24 h after intravenous injection of 64Cu-labeled PEG-CuS NPs. For both photoacoustic imaging and therapeutic studies, nanosecond (ns)-pulsed laser was delivered with Q-switched Nd:YAG at a wavelength of 1064 nm. Unlike conventional photothermal ablation therapy mediated by continuous wave laser with which heat could spread to the surrounding normal tissue, interaction of CuS NPs with short pulsed laser deliver heat rapidly to the treatment volume keeping the thermal damage confined to the target tissues. Our data demonstrated that it is possible to use a single-compartment nanoplatform to achieve both photoacoustic tomography and highly selective tumor destruction at 1064 nm in small animals.Here, we report that polyethylene glycol (PEG)-coated copper(ii) sulfide nanoparticles (PEG-CuS NPs) with their peak absorption tuned to 1064 nm could be used both as a contrast agent for photoacoustic tomographic imaging of mouse tumor vasculature and as a mediator for confined photothermolysis of tumor cells in an orthotopic syngeneic 4T1 breast tumor model. PEG-CuS NPs showed stronger photoacoustic signal than hollow gold nanospheres and single-wall carbon nanotubes at 1064 nm. MicroPET imaging of 4T1 tumor-bearing mice showed a gradual accumulation of the NPs in the tumor over time. About 6.5% of injected dose were

Accelerated high-resolution photoacoustic tomography via compressed sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arridge, Simon; Beard, Paul; Betcke, Marta; Cox, Ben; Huynh, Nam; Lucka, Felix; Ogunlade, Olumide; Zhang, Edward

2016-12-01

Current 3D photoacoustic tomography (PAT) systems offer either high image quality or high frame rates but are not able to deliver high spatial and temporal resolution simultaneously, which limits their ability to image dynamic processes in living tissue (4D PAT). A particular example is the planar Fabry-Pérot (FP) photoacoustic scanner, which yields high-resolution 3D images but takes several minutes to sequentially map the incident photoacoustic field on the 2D sensor plane, point-by-point. However, as the spatio-temporal complexity of many absorbing tissue structures is rather low, the data recorded in such a conventional, regularly sampled fashion is often highly redundant. We demonstrate that combining model-based, variational image reconstruction methods using spatial sparsity constraints with the development of novel PAT acquisition systems capable of sub-sampling the acoustic wave field can dramatically increase the acquisition speed while maintaining a good spatial resolution: first, we describe and model two general spatial sub-sampling schemes. Then, we discuss how to implement them using the FP interferometer and demonstrate the potential of these novel compressed sensing PAT devices through simulated data from a realistic numerical phantom and through measured data from a dynamic experimental phantom as well as from in vivo experiments. Our results show that images with good spatial resolution and contrast can be obtained from highly sub-sampled PAT data if variational image reconstruction techniques that describe the tissues structures with suitable sparsity-constraints are used. In particular, we examine the use of total variation (TV) regularization enhanced by Bregman iterations. These novel reconstruction strategies offer new opportunities to dramatically increase the acquisition speed of photoacoustic scanners that employ point-by-point sequential scanning as well as reducing the channel count of parallelized schemes that use detector arrays.

Determination of optical absorption coefficient with focusing photoacoustic imaging.

PubMed

Li, Zhifang; Li, Hui; Zeng, Zhiping; Xie, Wenming; Chen, Wei R

2012-06-01

Absorption coefficient of biological tissue is an important factor for photothermal therapy and photoacoustic imaging. However, its determination remains a challenge. In this paper, we propose a method using focusing photoacoustic imaging technique to quantify the target optical absorption coefficient. It utilizes the ratio of the amplitude of the peak signal from the top boundary of the target to that from the bottom boundary based on wavelet transform. This method is self-calibrating. Factors, such as absolute optical fluence, ultrasound parameters, and Grüneisen parameter, can be canceled by dividing the amplitudes of the two peaks. To demonstrate this method, we quantified the optical absorption coefficient of a target with various concentrations of an absorbing dye. This method is particularly useful to provide accurate absorption coefficient for predicting the outcomes of photothermal interaction for cancer treatment with absorption enhancement.

Titania nanotubes with adjustable dimensions for drug reservoir sites and enhanced cell adhesion.

PubMed

Çalışkan, Nazlı; Bayram, Cem; Erdal, Ebru; Karahaliloğlu, Zeynep; Denkbaş, Emir Baki

2014-02-01

This study aims to generate a bactericidal agent releasing surface via nanotube layer on titanium metal and to investigate how aspect ratio of nanotubes affects drug elution time and cell proliferation. Titania nanotube layers were generated on metal surfaces by anodic oxidation at various voltage and time parameters. Gentamicin loading was carried out via simple pipetting and the samples were tested against S. aureus for the efficacy of the applied modification. Drug releasing time and cell proliferation were also tested in vitro. Titania nanotube layers with varying diameters and lengths were prepared after anodization and anodizing duration was found as the most effective parameter for amount of loaded drug and drug releasing time. Drug elution lasted up to 4 days after anodizing for 80 min of the samples, whereas release completed in 24 h when the samples were anodized for 20 min. All processed samples had bactericidal properties against S. aureus organism except unmodified titanium, which was also subjected to drug incorporation step. The anodization also enhanced water wettability and cell adhesion results. Anodic oxidation is an effective surface modification to enhance tissue-implant interactions and also resultant titania layer can act as a drug reservoir for the release of bactericidal agents. The use of implants as local drug eluting devices is promising but further in vivo testing is required. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Monitoring of HIFU thermal damage using integrated photoacoustic imaging and high intensity focused ultrasound technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Huizhong; Yang, Xinmai

2011-03-01

In this study, we applied an integrated photoacoustic imaging (PAI) and high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) system to noninvasively monitor the thermal damage due to HIFU ablation in vivo. A single-element, spherically focused ultrasonic transducer, with a central frequency of 5MHz, was used to generate a HIFU area in soft tissue. Photoacoustic signals were detected by the same ultrasonic transducer before and after HIFU treatments using different wavelengths. The feasibility of combined contrast imaging and treatment of solid tumor in vivo by the integrated PAI and HIFU system was also studied. Gold nanorods were used to enhance PAI during the imaging of a CT26 tumor, which was subcutaneously inoculated on the hip of a BALB/c mouse. Subsequently, the CT26 tumor was ablated by HIFU with the guidance of photoacoustic images. Our results suggested that the tumor was clearly visible on photoacoustic images after the injection of gold nanorods and was ablated by HIFU. In conclusion, PAI may potentially be used for monitoring HIFU thermal lesions with possible diagnosis and treatment of solid tumors.

Spectroscopic photoacoustics for assessing ischemic kidney damage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berndl, Elizabeth S. L.; He, Xiaolin; Yuen, Darren A.; Kolios, Michael C.

2018-02-01

Ischemic reperfusion injuries (IRIs) are caused by return of blood to a tissue or organ after a period without oxygen or nutrients. Damage in the microvasculature causes an inflammatory response and heterogeneous scarring, which is associated with an increase in collagen in the extracellular matrix. Although most often associated with heart attacks and strokes, IRI also occurs when blood reperfuses a transplanted organ. Currently, monitoring for IRI is limited to biopsies, which are invasive and sample a limited area. In this work, we explored photoacoustic (PA) biomarkers of scarring. IRI events were induced in mice (n=2) by clamping the left renal artery, then re-establishing flow. At 53 days post-surgery, kidneys were saline perfused and cut in half laterally. One half was immediately imaged with a VevoX system (Fujifilm-VisualSonics, Toronto) in two near infrared ranges - 680 to 970 nm (NIR), and 1200 to 1350 nm (NIR II). The other half was decellularized and then imaged at NIR and NIR II. Regions of interest were manually identified and analyzed for each kidney. For both cellularized and decellularized samples, the PA signal ratio based on irradiation wavelengths of 715:930 nm was higher in damaged kidneys than for undamaged kidneys (p < 0.0001 for both). Damaged kidneys had ROIs with spectra indicating the presence of collagen in the NIR II range, while healthy kidneys did not. Collagen rich spectra were more apparent in decellularized kidneys, suggesting that in the cellularized samples, other components may be contributing to the signal. PA imaging using spectral ratios associated with collagen signatures may provide a non-invasive tool to determine areas of tissue damage due to IRIs.

Piezoelectric effect in non-uniform strained carbon nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilina, M. V.; Blinov, Yu F.; Ilin, O. I.; Rudyk, N. N.; Ageev, O. A.

2017-10-01

The piezoelectric effect in non-uniform strained carbon nanotubes (CNTs) has been studied. It is shown that the magnitude of strained CNTs surface potential depends on a strain value. It is established that the resistance of CNT also depends on the strain and internal electric field, which leads to the hysteresis in the current-voltage characteristics. Analysis of experimental studies of the non-uniform strained CNT with a diameter of 92 nm and a height of 2.1 μm allowed us to estimate the piezoelectric coefficient 0.107 ± 0.032 C/m2.

Real-time sono-photoacoustic imaging of gold nanoemulsions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnal, Bastien; Wei, Chen-Wei; Perez, Camilo; Lombardo, Michael; Pelivanov, Ivan M.; Pozzo, Danilo; O'Donnell, Matthew

2015-03-01

Phase transition contrast agents were first introduced in ultrasound (US) in the form of perfluorocarbon droplets. When their size is reduced to the nanoscale, surface tension dominates their stability and high pressure is required to vaporize them using long US emissions at high frequencies. Our group recently showed that nanoemulsion beads (100-300 nm) coated with gold nanopsheres could be used as non-linear contrast agents. Beads can be vaporized with light only, inducing stronger photoacoustic signals by increasing thermal expansion. A photoacoustic cavitation threshold study (US: 1.2 MHz, Laser 750 nm and 10-ns pulse) shows that the vaporization thresholds of NEB-GNS can be greatly reduced using simultaneous light and US excitations. The resulting signal is driven only by the pressure amplitude for a fluence higher than 2.4 mJ/cm2. At diagnostic exposures, it is possible to capture very high signals from the vaporized beads at concentrations reduced to 10 pM with optical absorption smaller than 0.01 cm-1. A real-time imaging mode selectively isolating vaporization signals was implemented on a Verasonics system. A linear US probe (L74, 3 MHz) launched short US bursts before light was emitted from the laser. Vaporization of NEB-GNS resulted in a persistent 30-dB signal enhancement compared to a dye with the same absorption. Specific vaporization signals were retrieved in phantom experiments with US scatterers. This technique, called sonophotoacoustics, has great potential for targeted molecular imaging and therapy using compact nanoprobes with potentially high-penetrability into tissue.

Super-resolution photoacoustic microscopy using joint sparsity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burgholzer, P.; Haltmeier, M.; Berer, T.; Leiss-Holzinger, E.; Murray, T. W.

2017-07-01

We present an imaging method that uses the random optical speckle patterns that naturally emerge as light propagates through strongly scattering media as a structured illumination source for photoacoustic imaging. Our approach, termed blind structured illumination photoacoustic microscopy (BSIPAM), was inspired by recent work in fluorescence microscopy where super-resolution imaging was demonstrated using multiple unknown speckle illumination patterns. We extend this concept to the multiple scattering domain using photoacoustics (PA), with the speckle pattern serving to generate ultrasound. The optical speckle pattern that emerges as light propagates through diffuse media provides structured illumination to an object placed behind a scattering wall. The photoacoustic signal produced by such illumination is detected using a focused ultrasound transducer. We demonstrate through both simulation and experiment, that by acquiring multiple photoacoustic images, each produced by a different random and unknown speckle pattern, an image of an absorbing object can be reconstructed with a spatial resolution far exceeding that of the ultrasound transducer. We experimentally and numerically demonstrate a gain in resolution of more than a factor of two by using multiple speckle illuminations. The variations in the photoacoustic signals generated with random speckle patterns are utilized in BSIPAM using a novel reconstruction algorithm. Exploiting joint sparsity, this algorithm is capable of reconstructing the absorbing structure from measured PA signals with a resolution close to the speckle size. Another way to excite random excitation for photoacoustic imaging are small absorbing particles, including contrast agents, which flow through small vessels. For such a set-up, the joint-sparsity is generated by the fact that all the particles move in the same vessels. Structured illumination in that case is not necessary.

Enhancing thermal conductivity of fluids with graphite nanoparticles and carbon nanotube

DOEpatents

Zhang, Zhiqiang [Lexington, KY; Lockwood, Frances E [Georgetown, KY

2008-03-25

A fluid media such as oil or water, and a selected effective amount of carbon nanomaterials necessary to enhance the thermal conductivity of the fluid. One of the preferred carbon nanomaterials is a high thermal conductivity graphite, exceeding that of the neat fluid to be dispersed therein in thermal conductivity, and ground, milled, or naturally prepared with mean particle size less than 500 nm, and preferably less than 200 nm, and most preferably less than 100 nm. The graphite is dispersed in the fluid by one or more of various methods, including ultrasonication, milling, and chemical dispersion. Carbon nanotubes with graphitic structure is another preferred source of carbon nanomaterial, although other carbon nanomaterials are acceptable. To confer long term stability, the use of one or more chemical dispersants is preferred. The thermal conductivity enhancement, compared to the fluid without carbon nanomaterial, is proportional to the amount of carbon nanomaterials (carbon nanotubes and/or graphite) added.

Vertically aligned carbon nanotubes as cytocompatible material for enhanced adhesion and proliferation of osteoblast-like cells.

PubMed

Giannona, Suna; Firkowska, Izabela; Rojas-Chapana, José; Giersig, Michael

2007-01-01

In this study, we describe the spatial organization of CAL-72 osteoblast-like cells on arrays of vertically aligned multi-walled carbon nanotubes (VACNTs). It was observed that, unlike cell growth on non-patterned surfaces, the cell attachment and spreading process on VACNTs was significantly enhanced. Additionally, since carbon nanotubes are known to possess resilient mechanical properties and are chemically stable, the effect of periodic arrays of VACNTs on CAL-72 osteoblast-like cells was also studied. The periodicity and alignment of VACNTs considerably influenced growth, shape and orientation of the cells by steering toward the nanopattern. This situation is of great interest for the potential application of VACNTs in bone bioenginnering. This data provides evidence that CAL-72 osteoblast-like cells can sense physical features at the nanoscale. These results give a fascinating insight into the ways in which cell growth can be influenced by man-made nanostructures and could provide a framework for achieving controlled cell guidance with controlled organization and special physical properties.

Non-invasive optical detection of esophagus cancer based on urine surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Shaohua; Wang, Lan; Chen, Weiwei; Lin, Duo; Huang, Lingling; Wu, Shanshan; Feng, Shangyuan; Chen, Rong

2014-09-01

A surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) approach was utilized for urine biochemical analysis with the aim to develop a label-free and non-invasive optical diagnostic method for esophagus cancer detection. SERS spectrums were acquired from 31 normal urine samples and 47 malignant esophagus cancer (EC) urine samples. Tentative assignments of urine SERS bands demonstrated esophagus cancer specific changes, including an increase in the relative amounts of urea and a decrease in the percentage of uric acid in the urine of normal compared with EC. The empirical algorithm integrated with linear discriminant analysis (LDA) were employed to identify some important urine SERS bands for differentiation between healthy subjects and EC urine. The empirical diagnostic approach based on the ratio of the SERS peak intensity at 527 to 1002 cm-1 and 725 to 1002 cm-1 coupled with LDA yielded a diagnostic sensitivity of 72.3% and specificity of 96.8%, respectively. The area under the receive operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.954, which further evaluate the performance of the diagnostic algorithm based on the ratio of the SERS peak intensity combined with LDA analysis. This work demonstrated that the urine SERS spectra associated with empirical algorithm has potential for noninvasive diagnosis of esophagus cancer.

Combustion characteristics of north-eastern USA vegetation tested in the cone calorimeter: invasive versus non-invasive plants

Treesearch

Alison C. Dibble; Robert H. White; Patricia K. Lebow

2007-01-01

In the north-eastern United States, invasive plants alter forest fuels, but their combustion characteristics are largely unknown. We assessed unground samples of foliage and twigs in the cone calorimeter for 21 non-invasive, native species, paired with 21 invasive species (18 non-native). Variables included sustained ignition, peak heat release rate, total heat release...

Co-registered photoacoustic, thermoacoustic, and ultrasound mouse imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reinecke, Daniel R.; Kruger, Robert A.; Lam, Richard B.; DelRio, Stephen P.

2010-02-01

We have constructed and tested a prototype test bed that allows us to form 3D photoacoustic CT images using near-infrared (NIR) irradiation (700 - 900 nm), 3D thermoacoustic CT images using microwave irradiation (434 MHz), and 3D ultrasound images from a commercial ultrasound scanner. The device utilizes a vertically oriented, curved array to capture the photoacoustic and thermoacoustic data. In addition, an 8-MHz linear array fixed in a horizontal position provides the ultrasound data. The photoacoustic and thermoacoustic data sets are co-registered exactly because they use the same detector. The ultrasound data set requires only simple corrections to co-register its images. The photoacoustic, thermoacoustic, and ultrasound images of mouse anatomy reveal complementary anatomic information as they exploit different contrast mechanisms. The thermoacoustic images differentiate between muscle, fat and bone. The photoacoustic images reveal the hemoglobin distribution, which is localized predominantly in the vascular space. The ultrasound images provide detailed information about the bony structures. Superposition of all three images onto a co-registered hybrid image shows the potential of a trimodal photoacoustic-thermoacoustic-ultrasound small-animal imaging system.

Antibiofouling polymer coated gold nanoparticles as a dual modal contrast agent for X-ray and photoacoustic imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Guojia; Yuan, Yi; Xing, Da

2011-01-01

X-ray is one of the most useful diagnostic tools in hospitals in terms of frequency of use and cost, while photoacoustic (PA) imaging is a rapidly emerging non-invasive imaging technology that integrates the merits of high optical contrast with high ultrasound resolution. In this study, for the first time, we used gold nanoparticles (GNPs) as a dual modal contrast agent for X-ray and PA imaging. Soft gelatin phantoms with embedded tumor simulators of GNPs in various concentrations are clearly shown in both X-ray and PA imaging. With GNPs as a dual modal contrast agent, X-ray can fast detect the position of tumor and provide morphological information, whereas PA imaging has important potential applications in the image guided therapy of superficial tumors such as breast cancer, melanoma and Merkel cell carcinoma.

Plasma-induced synthesis of Pt nanoparticles supported on TiO2 nanotubes for enhanced methanol electro-oxidation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Nan; Hu, Xiulan; Zhang, Jianbo; Huang, Huihong; Cheng, Jiexu; Yu, Jinchen; Ge, Chao

2017-03-01

A Pt/C/TiO2 nanotube composite catalyst was successfully prepared for enhanced methanol electro-oxidation. Pt nanoparticles with a particle size of 2 nm were synthesized by plasma sputtering in water, and anatase TiO2 nanotubes with an inner diameter of approximately 100 nm were prepared by a simple two-step anodization method and annealing process. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy images indicated that the different morphologies of TiO2 synthesized on the surface of Ti foils were dependent on the different anodization parameters. The electrochemical performance of Pt/C/TiO2 catalysts for methanol oxidation showed that TiO2 nanotubes were more suitable for use as Pt nanoparticle support materials than irregular TiO2 short nanorods due to their tubular morphology and better electronic conductivity. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy characterization showed that the binding energies of the Pt 4f of the Pt/C/TiO2 nanotubes exhibited a slightly positive shift caused by the relatively strong interaction between Pt and the TiO2 nanotubes, which could mitigate the poisoning of the Pt catalyst by COads, and further enhance the electrocatalytic performance. Thus, the as-obtained Pt/C/TiO2 nanotubes composites may become a promising catalyst for methanol electro-oxidation.

Degradation-by-design: Surface modification with functional substrates that enhance the enzymatic degradation of carbon nanotubes.

PubMed

Sureshbabu, Adukamparai Rajukrishnan; Kurapati, Rajendra; Russier, Julie; Ménard-Moyon, Cécilia; Bartolini, Isacco; Meneghetti, Moreno; Kostarelos, Kostas; Bianco, Alberto

2015-12-01

Biodegradation of carbon-based nanomaterials has been pursued intensively in the last few years, as one of the most crucial issues for the design of safe, clinically relevant conjugates for biomedical applications. In this paper it is demonstrated that specific functional molecules can enhance the catalytic activity of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and xanthine oxidase (XO) for the degradation of carbon nanotubes. Two different azido coumarins and one cathecol derivative are linked to multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). These molecules are good reducing substrates and strong redox mediators to enhance the catalytic activity of HRP. XO, known to metabolize various molecules mainly in the mammalian liver, including human, was instead used to test the biodegradability of MWCNTs modified with an azido purine. The products of the biodegradation process are characterized by transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The results indicate that coumarin and catechol moieties have enhanced the biodegradation of MWCNTs compared to oxidized nanotubes, likely due to the capacity of these substrates to better interact with and activate HRP. Although azido purine-MWCNTs are degraded less effectively by XO than oxidized nanotubes, the data uncover the importance of XO in the biodegradation of carbon-nanomaterials leading to their better surface engineering for biomedical applications. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Single-cell photoacoustic thermometry

PubMed Central

Gao, Liang; Wang, Lidai; Li, Chiye; Liu, Yan; Ke, Haixin; Zhang, Chi

2013-01-01

Abstract. A novel photoacoustic thermometric method is presented for simultaneously imaging cells and sensing their temperature. With three-seconds-per-frame imaging speed, a temperature resolution of 0.2°C was achieved in a photo-thermal cell heating experiment. Compared to other approaches, the photoacoustic thermometric method has the advantage of not requiring custom-developed temperature-sensitive biosensors. This feature should facilitate the conversion of single-cell thermometry into a routine lab tool and make it accessible to a much broader biological research community. PMID:23377004

Intrauterine photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging probe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miranda, Christopher; Barkley, Joel; Smith, Barbara S.

2018-04-01

Intrauterine photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging are probe-based imaging modalities with translational potential for use in detecting endometrial diseases. This deep-tissue imaging probe design allows for the retrofitting of commercially available endometrial sampling curettes. The imaging probe presented here has a 2.92-mm diameter and approximate length of 26 cm, which allows for entry into the human endometrial cavity, making it possible to use photoacoustic imaging and high-resolution ultrasound to characterize the uterus. We demonstrate the imaging probes' ability to provide structural information of an excised pig uterus using ultrasound imaging and detect photoacoustic signals at a radial depth of 1 cm.

Diversity and distribution of genetic variation in gammarids: Comparing patterns between invasive and non-invasive species.

PubMed

Baltazar-Soares, Miguel; Paiva, Filipa; Chen, Yiyong; Zhan, Aibin; Briski, Elizabeta

2017-10-01

Biological invasions are worldwide phenomena that have reached alarming levels among aquatic species. There are key challenges to understand the factors behind invasion propensity of non-native populations in invasion biology. Interestingly, interpretations cannot be expanded to higher taxonomic levels due to the fact that in the same genus, there are species that are notorious invaders and those that never spread outside their native range. Such variation in invasion propensity offers the possibility to explore, at fine-scale taxonomic level, the existence of specific characteristics that might predict the variability in invasion success. In this work, we explored this possibility from a molecular perspective. The objective was to provide a better understanding of the genetic diversity distribution in the native range of species that exhibit contrasting invasive propensities. For this purpose, we used a total of 784 sequences of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA-COI) collected from seven Gammaroidea, a superfamily of Amphipoda that includes species that are both successful invaders ( Gammarus tigrinus , Pontogammarus maeoticus, and Obesogammarus crassus ) and strictly restricted to their native regions ( Gammarus locusta , Gammarus salinus , Gammarus zaddachi, and Gammarus oceanicus ). Despite that genetic diversity did not differ between invasive and non-invasive species, we observed that populations of non-invasive species showed a higher degree of genetic differentiation. Furthermore, we found that both geographic and evolutionary distances might explain genetic differentiation in both non-native and native ranges. This suggests that the lack of population genetic structure may facilitate the distribution of mutations that despite arising in the native range may be beneficial in invasive ranges. The fact that evolutionary distances explained genetic differentiation more often than geographic distances points toward that deep lineage

Real-time assessment of tissue hypoxia in vivo with combined photoacoustics and high-frequency ultrasound.

PubMed

Gerling, Marco; Zhao, Ying; Nania, Salvatore; Norberg, K Jessica; Verbeke, Caroline S; Englert, Benjamin; Kuiper, Raoul V; Bergström, Asa; Hassan, Moustapha; Neesse, Albrecht; Löhr, J Matthias; Heuchel, Rainer L

2014-01-01

In preclinical cancer studies, non-invasive functional imaging has become an important tool to assess tumor development and therapeutic effects. Tumor hypoxia is closely associated with tumor aggressiveness and is therefore a key parameter to be monitored. Recently, photoacoustic (PA) imaging with inherently co-registered high-frequency ultrasound (US) has reached preclinical applicability, allowing parallel collection of anatomical and functional information. Dual-wavelength PA imaging can be used to quantify tissue oxygen saturation based on the absorbance spectrum differences between hemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin. A new bi-modal PA/US system for small animal imaging was employed to test feasibility and reliability of dual-wavelength PA for measuring relative tissue oxygenation. Murine models of pancreatic and colon cancer were imaged, and differences in tissue oxygenation were compared to immunohistochemistry for hypoxia in the corresponding tissue regions. Functional studies proved feasibility and reliability of oxygenation detection in murine tissue in vivo. Tumor models exhibited different levels of hypoxia in localized regions, which positively correlated with immunohistochemical staining for hypoxia. Contrast-enhanced imaging yielded complementary information on tissue perfusion using the same system. Bimodal PA/US imaging can be utilized to reliably detect hypoxic tumor regions in murine tumor models, thus providing the possibility to collect anatomical and functional information on tumor growth and treatment response live in longitudinal preclinical studies.

HematoPorphyrin Monomethyl Ether polymer contrast agent for ultrasound/photoacoustic dual-modality imaging-guided synergistic high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Sijing; Lu, Min; Ding, Xiaoya; Chen, Fei; He, Xuemei; Xu, Chunyan; Zhou, Hang; Wang, Qi; Hao, Lan; Zou, Jianzhong

2016-08-01

This study is to prepare a hematoporphyrin monomethyl ether (HMME)-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microcapsules (HMME/PLGA), which could not only function as efficient contrast agent for ultrasound (US)/photoacoustic (PA) imaging, but also as a synergistic agent for high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation. Sonosensitizer HMME nanoparticles were integrated into PLGA microcapsules with the double emulsion evaporation method. After characterization, the cell-killing and cell proliferation-inhibiting effects of HMME/PLGA microcapsules on ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells were assessed. The US/PA imaging-enhancing effects and synergistic effects on HIFU were evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. HMME/PLGA microcapsules were highly dispersed with well-defined spherical morphology (357 ± 0.72 nm in diameter, PDI = 0.932). Encapsulation efficiency and drug-loading efficiency were 58.33 ± 0.95% and 4.73 ± 0.15%, respectively. The HMME/PLGA microcapsules remarkably killed the SKOV3 cells and inhibited the cell proliferation, significantly enhanced the US/PA imaging results and greatly enhanced the HIFU ablation effects on ovarian cancer in nude mice by the HMME-mediated sono-dynamic chemistry therapy (SDT). HMME/PLGA microcapsules represent a potential multifunctional contrast agent for HIFU diagnosis and treatment, which might provide a novel strategy for the highly efficient imaging-guided non-invasive HIFU synergistic therapy for cancers by SDT in clinic.

HematoPorphyrin Monomethyl Ether polymer contrast agent for ultrasound/photoacoustic dual-modality imaging-guided synergistic high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapy

PubMed Central

Yan, Sijing; LU, Min; Ding, Xiaoya; Chen, Fei; He, Xuemei; Xu, Chunyan; Zhou, Hang; Wang, Qi; Hao, Lan; Zou, Jianzhong

2016-01-01

This study is to prepare a hematoporphyrin monomethyl ether (HMME)-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microcapsules (HMME/PLGA), which could not only function as efficient contrast agent for ultrasound (US)/photoacoustic (PA) imaging, but also as a synergistic agent for high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation. Sonosensitizer HMME nanoparticles were integrated into PLGA microcapsules with the double emulsion evaporation method. After characterization, the cell-killing and cell proliferation-inhibiting effects of HMME/PLGA microcapsules on ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells were assessed. The US/PA imaging-enhancing effects and synergistic effects on HIFU were evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. HMME/PLGA microcapsules were highly dispersed with well-defined spherical morphology (357 ± 0.72 nm in diameter, PDI = 0.932). Encapsulation efficiency and drug-loading efficiency were 58.33 ± 0.95% and 4.73 ± 0.15%, respectively. The HMME/PLGA microcapsules remarkably killed the SKOV3 cells and inhibited the cell proliferation, significantly enhanced the US/PA imaging results and greatly enhanced the HIFU ablation effects on ovarian cancer in nude mice by the HMME-mediated sono-dynamic chemistry therapy (SDT). HMME/PLGA microcapsules represent a potential multifunctional contrast agent for HIFU diagnosis and treatment, which might provide a novel strategy for the highly efficient imaging-guided non-invasive HIFU synergistic therapy for cancers by SDT in clinic. PMID:27535093

HematoPorphyrin Monomethyl Ether polymer contrast agent for ultrasound/photoacoustic dual-modality imaging-guided synergistic high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapy.

PubMed

Yan, Sijing; Lu, Min; Ding, Xiaoya; Chen, Fei; He, Xuemei; Xu, Chunyan; Zhou, Hang; Wang, Qi; Hao, Lan; Zou, Jianzhong

2016-08-18

This study is to prepare a hematoporphyrin monomethyl ether (HMME)-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microcapsules (HMME/PLGA), which could not only function as efficient contrast agent for ultrasound (US)/photoacoustic (PA) imaging, but also as a synergistic agent for high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation. Sonosensitizer HMME nanoparticles were integrated into PLGA microcapsules with the double emulsion evaporation method. After characterization, the cell-killing and cell proliferation-inhibiting effects of HMME/PLGA microcapsules on ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells were assessed. The US/PA imaging-enhancing effects and synergistic effects on HIFU were evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. HMME/PLGA microcapsules were highly dispersed with well-defined spherical morphology (357 ± 0.72 nm in diameter, PDI = 0.932). Encapsulation efficiency and drug-loading efficiency were 58.33 ± 0.95% and 4.73 ± 0.15%, respectively. The HMME/PLGA microcapsules remarkably killed the SKOV3 cells and inhibited the cell proliferation, significantly enhanced the US/PA imaging results and greatly enhanced the HIFU ablation effects on ovarian cancer in nude mice by the HMME-mediated sono-dynamic chemistry therapy (SDT). HMME/PLGA microcapsules represent a potential multifunctional contrast agent for HIFU diagnosis and treatment, which might provide a novel strategy for the highly efficient imaging-guided non-invasive HIFU synergistic therapy for cancers by SDT in clinic.

Fibrogenic Lung Injury Induces Non-Cell-Autonomous Fibroblast Invasion.

PubMed

Ahluwalia, Neil; Grasberger, Paula E; Mugo, Brian M; Feghali-Bostwick, Carol; Pardo, Annie; Selman, Moisés; Lagares, David; Tager, Andrew M

2016-06-01

Pathologic accumulation of fibroblasts in pulmonary fibrosis appears to depend on their invasion through basement membranes and extracellular matrices. Fibroblasts from the fibrotic lungs of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) have been demonstrated to acquire a phenotype characterized by increased cell-autonomous invasion. Here, we investigated whether fibroblast invasion is further stimulated by soluble mediators induced by lung injury. We found that bronchoalveolar lavage fluids from bleomycin-challenged mice or patients with IPF contain mediators that dramatically increase the matrix invasion of primary lung fibroblasts. Further characterization of this non-cell-autonomous fibroblast invasion suggested that the mediators driving this process are produced locally after lung injury and are preferentially produced by fibrogenic (e.g., bleomycin-induced) rather than nonfibrogenic (e.g., LPS-induced) lung injury. Comparison of invasion and migration induced by a series of fibroblast-active mediators indicated that these two forms of fibroblast movement are directed by distinct sets of stimuli. Finally, knockdown of multiple different membrane receptors, including platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β, lysophosphatidic acid 1, epidermal growth factor receptor, and fibroblast growth factor receptor 2, mitigated the non-cell-autonomous fibroblast invasion induced by bronchoalveolar lavage from bleomycin-injured mice, suggesting that multiple different mediators drive fibroblast invasion in pulmonary fibrosis. The magnitude of this mediator-driven fibroblast invasion suggests that its inhibition could be a novel therapeutic strategy for pulmonary fibrosis. Further elaboration of the molecular mechanisms that drive non-cell-autonomous fibroblast invasion consequently may provide a rich set of novel drug targets for the treatment of IPF and other fibrotic lung diseases.

Platinum and Palladium Overlayers Dramatically Enhance the Activity of Ruthenium Nanotubes for Alkaline Hydrogen Oxidation

DOE PAGES

St. John, Samuel; Atkinson, Robert W.; Unocic, Kinga A.; ...

2015-10-18

Templated vapor synthesis and thermal annealing were used to synthesize unsupported metallic Ru nanotubes with Pt or Pd overlayers. By controlling the elemental composition and thickness of these overlayers, we obtain nanostructures with very high alkaline hydrogen oxidation activity. For nanotubes with a nominal atomic composition of Ru 0.90Pt 0.10 display a surface-specific activity (2.4 mA/cm 2) that is 35 times greater than that of pure Ru nanotubes at a 50 mV overpotential and 2.5 times greater than that of pure Pt nanotubes (0.98 mA/cm 2). The surface-segregated structure also confers dramatically increased Pt utilization efficiency. We find a platinum-mass-specificmore » activity of 1240 A/gPt for the optimized nanotube versus 280 A/gPt for carbon-supported Pt nanoparticles and 109 A/gPt for monometallic Pt nanotubes. Here, we attribute the enhancement of both area- and platinum-mass-specific activity to the atomic-scale homeomorphism of the nanotube form factor with adlayer-modified polycrystals. Subsurface ligand and bifunctional effects previously observed on segregated, adlayer-modified polycrystals are translated to nanoscale catalysts.« less

Non-invasive prediction of oesophageal varices in cirrhosis

PubMed Central

Sen, Sambit; Griffiths, William JH

2008-01-01

Non-invasive predictors of varices in cirrhosis would reduce the need for screening endoscopies. Platelet count and spleen size have been shown to be useful parameters, in mixed groups of cirrhotics with different aetiologies. We evaluated this in two homogeneous groups with cirrhosis due to hepatitis C and alcohol. Non-invasive predictors appear promising in the former group, but less so in the latter group. PMID:18416480

Listening to membrane potential: photoacoustic voltage-sensitive dye recording.

PubMed

Zhang, Haichong K; Yan, Ping; Kang, Jeeun; Abou, Diane S; Le, Hanh N D; Jha, Abhinav K; Thorek, Daniel L J; Kang, Jin U; Rahmim, Arman; Wong, Dean F; Boctor, Emad M; Loew, Leslie M

2017-04-01

Voltage-sensitive dyes (VSDs) are designed to monitor membrane potential by detecting fluorescence changes in response to neuronal or muscle electrical activity. However, fluorescence imaging is limited by depth of penetration and high scattering losses, which leads to low sensitivity in vivo systems for external detection. By contrast, photoacoustic (PA) imaging, an emerging modality, is capable of deep tissue, noninvasive imaging by combining near-infrared light excitation and ultrasound detection. Here, we show that voltage-dependent quenching of dye fluorescence leads to a reciprocal enhancement of PA intensity. We synthesized a near-infrared photoacoustic VSD (PA-VSD), whose PA intensity change is sensitive to membrane potential. In the polarized state, this cyanine-based probe enhances PA intensity while decreasing fluorescence output in a lipid vesicle membrane model. A theoretical model accounts for how the experimental PA intensity change depends on fluorescence and absorbance properties of the dye. These results not only demonstrate PA voltage sensing but also emphasize the interplay of both fluorescence and absorbance properties in the design of optimized PA probes. Together, our results demonstrate PA sensing as a potential new modality for recording and external imaging of electrophysiological and neurochemical events in the brain.

Listening to membrane potential: photoacoustic voltage-sensitive dye recording

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Haichong K.; Yan, Ping; Kang, Jeeun; Abou, Diane S.; Le, Hanh N. D.; Jha, Abhinav K.; Thorek, Daniel L. J.; Kang, Jin U.; Rahmim, Arman; Wong, Dean F.; Boctor, Emad M.; Loew, Leslie M.

2017-04-01

Voltage-sensitive dyes (VSDs) are designed to monitor membrane potential by detecting fluorescence changes in response to neuronal or muscle electrical activity. However, fluorescence imaging is limited by depth of penetration and high scattering losses, which leads to low sensitivity in vivo systems for external detection. By contrast, photoacoustic (PA) imaging, an emerging modality, is capable of deep tissue, noninvasive imaging by combining near-infrared light excitation and ultrasound detection. Here, we show that voltage-dependent quenching of dye fluorescence leads to a reciprocal enhancement of PA intensity. We synthesized a near-infrared photoacoustic VSD (PA-VSD), whose PA intensity change is sensitive to membrane potential. In the polarized state, this cyanine-based probe enhances PA intensity while decreasing fluorescence output in a lipid vesicle membrane model. A theoretical model accounts for how the experimental PA intensity change depends on fluorescence and absorbance properties of the dye. These results not only demonstrate PA voltage sensing but also emphasize the interplay of both fluorescence and absorbance properties in the design of optimized PA probes. Together, our results demonstrate PA sensing as a potential new modality for recording and external imaging of electrophysiological and neurochemical events in the brain.

Photoacoustic characterization of optical laser components for 10.6 {mu}m

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Franke, J.; Meja, P.; Reisse, G.

1995-12-31

The paper deals with the study of characteristics of damage and damage onset of mirrors and substrates at 10.6 {mu}m wavelength of by means of photoacoustics using laser pulse irradiation with up to 10 pulses per on site. One group of the mirrors which have been investigated are commercially available polished uncoated Mo - and Cu - mirrors. A second set of mirrors consists of copper mirrors coated with NiCu - or Au - layer systems for enhanced reflectivity. NaCl - and ZnSe - substrates were selected as IR - transparent materials. For measuring the photoacoustic waves generated by lasermore » pulse irradiation a piezoceramic detector is used. The simplified signal of the detector is sampled by a digital oscilloscope.« less

Preserving π-conjugation in covalently functionalized carbon nanotubes for optoelectronic applications.

PubMed

Setaro, Antonio; Adeli, Mohsen; Glaeske, Mareen; Przyrembel, Daniel; Bisswanger, Timo; Gordeev, Georgy; Maschietto, Federica; Faghani, Abbas; Paulus, Beate; Weinelt, Martin; Arenal, Raul; Haag, Rainer; Reich, Stephanie

2017-01-30

Covalent functionalization tailors carbon nanotubes for a wide range of applications in varying environments. Its strength and stability of attachment come at the price of degrading the carbon nanotubes sp 2 network and destroying the tubes electronic and optoelectronic features. Here we present a non-destructive, covalent, gram-scale functionalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes by a new [2+1] cycloaddition. The reaction rebuilds the extended π-network, thereby retaining the outstanding quantum optoelectronic properties of carbon nanotubes, including bright light emission at high degree of functionalization (1 group per 25 carbon atoms). The conjugation method described here opens the way for advanced tailoring nanotubes as demonstrated for light-triggered reversible doping through photochromic molecular switches and nanoplasmonic gold-nanotube hybrids with enhanced infrared light emission.

Optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy of ischemic stroke

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Song; Gonzales, Ernie; Soetikno, Brian; Gong, Enhao; Yan, Ping; Maslov, Konstantin; Lee, Jin-Moo; Wang, Lihong V.

2011-03-01

A major obstacle in understanding the mechanism of ischemic stroke is the lack of a tool to noninvasively or minimally invasively monitor cerebral hemodynamics longitudinally. Here, we applied optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM) to longitudinally study ischemic stroke induced brain injury in a mouse model with transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). OR-PAM showed that, during MCAO, the average hemoglobin oxygen saturation (sO2) values of feeder arteries and draining veins within the stroke core region dropped ~10% and ~34%, respectively. After reperfusion, arterial sO2 recovered back to the baseline; however, the venous sO2 increased above the baseline value by ~7%. Thereafter, venous sO2 values were close to the arterial sO2 values, suggesting eventual brain tissue infarction.

Functional pitch of a liver: fatty liver disease diagnosis with photoacoustic spectrum analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Guan; Meng, Zhuoxian; Lin, Jiandie; Carson, Paul; Wang, Xueding

2014-03-01

To provide more information for classification and assessment of biological tissues, photoacoustic spectrum analysis (PASA) moves beyond the quantification of the intensities of the photoacoustic (PA) signals by the use of the frequency-domain power distribution, namely power spectrum, of broadband PA signals. The method of PASA quantifies the linear-fit to the power spectrum of the PA signals from a biological tissue with 3 parameters, including intercept, midband-fit and slope. Intercept and midband-fit reflect the total optical absorption of the tissues whereas slope reflects the heterogeneity of the tissue structure. Taking advantage of the optical absorption contrasts contributed by lipid and blood at 1200 and 532 nm, respectively and the heterogeneous tissue microstructure in fatty liver due to the lipid infiltration, we investigate the capability of PASA in identifying histological changes of fatty livers in mouse model. 6 and 9 pairs of normal and fatty liver tissues from rat models were examined by ex vivo experiment with a conventional rotational PA measurement system. One pair of rat models with normal and fatty livers was examined non-invasively and in situ with our recently developed ultrasound and PA parallel imaging system. The results support our hypotheses that the spectrum analysis of PA signals can provide quantitative measures of the differences between the normal and fatty liver tissues and that part of the PA power spectrum can suffice for characterization of microstructures in biological tissues. Experimental results also indicate that the vibrational absorption peak of lipid at 1200nm could facilitate fatty liver diagnosis.

Description of the Pathogenic Features of Streptococcus pyogenes Isolates from Invasive and Non-Invasive Diseases in Aichi, Japan.

PubMed

Matsumoto, Masakado; Yamada, Kazuhiro; Suzuki, Masahiro; Adachi, Hirokazu; Kobayashi, Shinichi; Yamashita, Teruo; Minagawa, Hiroko; Tatsuno, Ichiro; Hasegawa, Tadao

2016-07-22

We identified hypervirulent Streptococcus pyogenes in 27 and 420 isolates from patients with invasive and non-invasive diseases, respectively, in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, between 2003 and 2012, in an attempt to understand why the prevalence of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) suddenly increased in this location during 2011. Hypervirulent strains belong to the emm1 genotype, with a mutation in the covR/S genes that regulate many other genes, encoding virulence determinants and resulting in the absence of the proteinase streptococcal exotoxin B and the production of virulence factors such as the superantigen streptococcal exotoxin A, the nuclease streptococcal DNase, the cytotoxin NAD-glycohydrolase, and the hemolysin streptolysin O. We found 1 strain from invasive disease and 1 from non-invasive disease with traits similar to those of hypervirulent strains, except that the sda1 gene was absent. We also found 1 non-emm1 strain with phenotypic and genetic traits identical to those of the emm1 hypervirulent strains except that it did not belong to emm1 genotype, from non-invasive diseases cases in 2011. These findings suggested that hypervirulent and hypervirulent-like strains from invasive and non-invasive disease cases could have at least partially contributed to the sudden increase in the number of patients with STSS in Aichi during 2011.

 Invasibility of three major non-native invasive shrubs and associated factors in Upper Midwest U.S. forest lands

Treesearch

W. Keith Moser; Zhaofei Fan; Mark H. Hansen; Michael K. Crosby; Shirley X. Fan

2016-01-01

We used non-native invasive plant data from the US Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program, spatial statistical methods, and the space (cover class)-for-time approach to quantify the invasion potential and success ("invasibility") of three major invasive shrubs (multiflora rose, non-native bush honeysuckles, and common buckthorn...

Enhanced performance of core-shell structured polyaniline at helical carbon nanotube hybrids for ammonia gas sensor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tian, Xin; Wang, Qiang; Chen, Xiangnan

2014-11-17

A core-shell structured hybrid of polyaniline at helical carbon nanotubes was synthesized using in situ polymerization, which the helical carbon nanotubes were uniformly surrounded by a layer of polyaniline nanorods array. More interestingly, repeatable responses were experimentally observed that the sensitivity to ammonia gas of the as-prepared helical shaped core-shell hybrid displays an enhancement of more than two times compared to those of only polyaniline or helical carbon nanotubes sensors because of the peculiar structures with high surface area. This kind of hybrid comprising nanorod arrays of conductive polymers covering carbon nanotubes and related structures provide a potential in sensorsmore » of trace gas detection for environmental monitoring and safety forecasting.« less

Enhanced photoelectrocatalytic performance of heterostructured TiO2-based nanoparticles decorated nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Liangpeng; Yang, Xu; Huang, Yanqin; Li, Xinjun

2017-06-01

Titanium oxide nanotubes were prepared by hydrothermal treatment of TiO2 powder in NaOH aqueous solution and subsequently calcined. Titanium oxide nanotubes were further decorated by TiO2 nanoparticles through in situ hydrolysis of titanium isopropoxide containing alcohol and ammonia in an aqueous medium to form the composite catalyst (TNP/TiO2NTs). The morphology and structure of TNP/TiO2NTs were characterized by scanning and transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, UV-Vis, and Raman spectra. The separation efficiency of photo-excited carriers was investigated by photoluminescence technique and photoelectrochemical behavior. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange. Due to the synergy effect caused by the interaction of titanium oxide nanotubes and TiO2 nanoparticles, the TNP/TiO2NTs composite shows efficient photogenerated carriers' separation and the increased light absorption. The photocatalytic activity was enhanced.

A Brief Account of Nanoparticle Contrast Agents for Photoacoustic Imaging

PubMed Central

Pan, Dipanjan; Kim, Benjamin; Wang, Lihong V.; Lanza, Gregory M

2014-01-01

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) is a hybrid, nonionizing modality offering excellent spatial resolution, deep penetration, and high soft tissue contrast. In PAI, signal is generated based on the absorption of laser-generated optical energy by endogenous tissues or exogenous contrast agents leading to acoustic emissions detected by an ultrasound transducer. Research in this area over the years has shown that PAI has the ability to provide both physiological and molecular imaging, which can be viewed alone or used in a hybrid modality fashion to extend the anatomic and hemodynamic sensitivities of clinical ultrasound. PAI may be performed using inherent contrast afforded by light absorbing molecules such as hemoglobin, myoglobin, and melanin or exogenous small molecule contrast agent such as near infrared dyes and porphyrins. However, this review summarizes the potential of exogenous nanoparticle-based agents for PAI applications including contrast based on gold particles, carbon nanotubes, and encapsulated copper compounds. PMID:23983210

Photoacoustic characterization of human ovarian tissue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aguirre, Andres; Ardeshirpour, Yasaman; Sanders, Mary M.; Brewer, Molly; Zhu, Quing

2010-02-01

Ovarian cancer has a five-year survival rate of only 30%, which represents the highest mortality of all gynecologic cancers. The reason for that is that the current imaging techniques are not capable of detecting ovarian cancer early. Therefore, new imaging techniques, like photoacoustic imaging, that can provide functional and molecular contrasts are needed for improving the specificity of ovarian cancer detection and characterization. Using a coregistered photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging system we have studied thirty-one human ovaries ex vivo, including normal and diseased. In order to compare the photoacoustic imaging results from all the ovaries, a new parameter using the RF data has been derived. The preliminary results show higher optical absorption for abnormal and malignant ovaries than for normal postmenopausal ones. To estimate the quantitative optical absorption properties of the ovaries, additional ultrasound-guided diffuse optical tomography images have been acquired. Good agreement between the two techniques has been observed. These results demonstrate the potential of a co-registered photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging system for the diagnosis of ovarian cancer.

Photoacoustic tomography: applications for atherosclerosis imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sangha, Gurneet S.; Goergen, Craig J.

2016-08-01

Atherosclerosis is a debilitating condition that increases a patient’s risk for intermittent claudication, limb amputation, myocardial infarction, and stroke, thereby causing approximately 50% of deaths in the western world. Current diagnostic imaging techniques, such as ultrasound, digital subtraction angiography, computed tomography angiography, magnetic resonance angiography, and optical imaging remain suboptimal for detecting development of early stage plaques. This is largely due to the lack of compositional information, penetration depth, and/or clinical efficiency of these traditional imaging techniques. Photoacoustic imaging has emerged as a promising modality that could address some of these limitations to improve the diagnosis and characterization of atherosclerosis-related diseases. Photoacoustic imaging uses near-infrared light to induce acoustic waves, which can be used to recreate compositional images of tissue. Recent developments in photoacoustic techniques show its potential in noninvasively characterizing atherosclerotic plaques deeper than traditional optical imaging approaches. In this review, we discuss the significance and development of atherosclerosis, current and novel clinical diagnostic methods, and recent works that highlight the potential of photoacoustic imaging for both experimental and clinical studies of atherosclerosis.

Ecotoxicological effects of carbofuran and oxidised multiwalled carbon nanotubes on the freshwater fish Nile tilapia: nanotubes enhance pesticide ecotoxicity.

PubMed

Campos-Garcia, Janaína; Martinez, Diego Stéfani T; Alves, Oswaldo L; Leonardo, Antônio Fernando Gervásio; Barbieri, Edison

2015-01-01

The interactions of carbon nanotubes with pesticides, such as carbofuran, classical contaminants (e.g., pesticides, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and dyes) and emerging contaminants, including endocrine disruptors, are critical components of the environmental risks of this important class of carbon-based nanomaterials. In this work, we studied the modulation of acute carbofuran toxicity to the freshwater fish Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) by nitric acid treated multiwalled carbon nanotubes, termed HNO3-MWCNT. Nitric acid oxidation is a common chemical method employed for the purification, functionalisation and aqueous dispersion of carbon nanotubes. HNO3-MWCNT were not toxic to Nile tilapia at concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 3.0 mg/L for exposure times of up to 96 h. After 24, 48, 72 and 96 h, the LC50 values of carbofuran were 4.0, 3.2, 3.0 and 2.4 mg/mL, respectively. To evaluate the influence of carbofuran-nanotube interactions on ecotoxicity, we exposed the Nile tilapia to different concentrations of carbofuran mixed together with a non-toxic concentration of HNO3-MWCNT (1.0 mg/L). After 24, 48, 72, and 96 h of exposure, the LC50 values of carbofuran plus nanotubes were 3.7, 1.6, 0.7 and 0.5 mg/L, respectively. These results demonstrate that HNO3-MWCNT potentiate the acute toxicity of carbofuran, leading to a more than five-fold increase in the LC50 values. Furthermore, the exposure of Nile tilapia to carbofuran plus nanotubes led to decreases in both oxygen consumption and swimming capacity compared to the control. These findings indicate that carbon nanotubes could act as pesticide carriers affecting fish survival, metabolism and behaviour. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Non-invasive Diagnosis of Fibrosis in Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

PubMed Central

Arora, Anil; Sharma, Praveen

2012-01-01

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease in developed as well as in developing countries. Its prevalence continues to rise currently affecting approximately 20-30% of adults and 10% of children in the United States. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease represents a wide spectrum of conditions ranging from fatty liver, which in general follows a benign non-progressive clinical course, to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a more serious form of NAFLD that may progress to cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease. Liver biopsy remains the gold standard for evaluating the degree of hepatic necroinflammation and fibrosis; however, several non-invasive investigations, such as serum biomarkers, have been developed to establish the diagnosis and also to evaluate treatment response. There has been a substantial development of non-invasive risk scores, biomarker panels, and radiological modalities to identify at risk patients with NAFLD without recourse to liver biopsy on a routine basis. Examples include combination of serum markers like NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS), BARD score, fibrometer, FIB4, and non-invasive tools like fibroscan which assess fibrosis in patients with NAFLD. Other markers of fibrosis that have been evaluated include high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, plasma pentraxin 3, interleukin-6, and cytokeratin-18. This review focuses on the methods currently available in daily clinical practice in hepatology and touches briefly on the potential future markers under investigation. PMID:25755423

Photoacoustic projection imaging using an all-optical detector array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauer-Marschallinger, J.; Felbermayer, K.; Berer, T.

2018-02-01

We present a prototype for all-optical photoacoustic projection imaging. By generating projection images, photoacoustic information of large volumes can be retrieved with less effort compared to common photoacoustic computed tomography where many detectors and/or multiple measurements are required. In our approach, an array of 60 integrating line detectors is used to acquire photoacoustic waves. The line detector array consists of fiber-optic MachZehnder interferometers, distributed on a cylindrical surface. From the measured variation of the optical path lengths of the interferometers, induced by photoacoustic waves, a photoacoustic projection image can be reconstructed. The resulting images represent the projection of the three-dimensional spatial light absorbance within the imaged object onto a two-dimensional plane, perpendicular to the line detector array. The fiber-optic detectors achieve a noise-equivalent pressure of 24 Pascal at a 10 MHz bandwidth. We present the operational principle, the structure of the array, and resulting images. The system can acquire high-resolution projection images of large volumes within a short period of time. Imaging large volumes at high frame rates facilitates monitoring of dynamic processes.

Do native parasitic plants cause more damage to exotic invasive hosts than native non-invasive hosts? An implication for biocontrol.

PubMed

Li, Junmin; Jin, Zexin; Song, Wenjing

2012-01-01

Field studies have shown that native, parasitic plants grow vigorously on invasive plants and can cause more damage to invasive plants than native plants. However, no empirical test has been conducted and the mechanism is still unknown. We conducted a completely randomized greenhouse experiment using 3 congeneric pairs of exotic, invasive and native, non-invasive herbaceous plant species to quantify the damage caused by parasitic plants to hosts and its correlation with the hosts' growth rate and resource use efficiency. The biomass of the parasitic plants on exotic, invasive hosts was significantly higher than on congeneric native, non-invasive hosts. Parasites caused more damage to exotic, invasive hosts than to congeneric, native, non-invasive hosts. The damage caused by parasites to hosts was significantly positively correlated with the biomass of parasitic plants. The damage of parasites to hosts was significantly positively correlated with the relative growth rate and the resource use efficiency of its host plants. It may be the mechanism by which parasitic plants grow more vigorously on invasive hosts and cause more damage to exotic, invasive hosts than to native, non-invasive hosts. These results suggest a potential biological control effect of native, parasitic plants on invasive species by reducing the dominance of invasive species in the invaded community.

Do Native Parasitic Plants Cause More Damage to Exotic Invasive Hosts Than Native Non-Invasive Hosts? An Implication for Biocontrol

PubMed Central

Li, Junmin; Jin, Zexin; Song, Wenjing

2012-01-01

Field studies have shown that native, parasitic plants grow vigorously on invasive plants and can cause more damage to invasive plants than native plants. However, no empirical test has been conducted and the mechanism is still unknown. We conducted a completely randomized greenhouse experiment using 3 congeneric pairs of exotic, invasive and native, non-invasive herbaceous plant species to quantify the damage caused by parasitic plants to hosts and its correlation with the hosts' growth rate and resource use efficiency. The biomass of the parasitic plants on exotic, invasive hosts was significantly higher than on congeneric native, non-invasive hosts. Parasites caused more damage to exotic, invasive hosts than to congeneric, native, non-invasive hosts. The damage caused by parasites to hosts was significantly positively correlated with the biomass of parasitic plants. The damage of parasites to hosts was significantly positively correlated with the relative growth rate and the resource use efficiency of its host plants. It may be the mechanism by which parasitic plants grow more vigorously on invasive hosts and cause more damage to exotic, invasive hosts than to native, non-invasive hosts. These results suggest a potential biological control effect of native, parasitic plants on invasive species by reducing the dominance of invasive species in the invaded community. PMID:22493703

Measurement of Environmental NO2 by Photoacoustic Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Gaoxuan; Yi, Hongming; Fertein, Eric; Sigrist, Markus W.; Chen, Weidong

2016-04-01

The most widely used technique for the measurements of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is the chemiluminescence technique. However this indirect NO2 measurement method is affected by positive or negative interferences due to the use of non selective catalyzer molybdenum or photolytic converter [1]. Photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) offers the capability of interference-free direct NO2 measurement without any sample preparation or/and chemical conversion [2,3]. In this paper, we report on the development and applications of a photoacoustic spectroscopy-based NO2 sensor for continuous measurement of NO2 in air with a sensitivity of about 0.5 ppb (SNR=1) and 1 min time resolution. Time series measurements of environmental NO2 concentrations were carried out and compared with side-by-side measurements by a NOx analyzer (AC-31 M). Good agreement has been observed. Experimental detail and preliminary results will be presented. Acknowledgements The authors acknowledge financial supports from the CaPPA project (ANR-10-LABX-005) and the CPER CLIMIBIO program. G. W. thanks the "Pôle Métropolitain de la Côte d'Opale" (PMCO) and the Région Nord Pas de Calais for the PhD fellowship support. References [1] G. Villena, I. Bejan, R. Kurtenbach, P. Wiesen, J. Kleffmann, "Interferences of Commercial NO2 instruments in the urban atmosphere and in a smog chamber", Atmos. Meas. Tech. 5 (2012) 149. [2] M. Lassen, D. B. Clsusen, A. Brusch, J. C. Petersen, "A versatil integrating sphere based photoacoustic sensor for trace gas monitoring", Opt. Express 22 (2014) 11660. [3] C. Haisch, R. Niessner, "Photoacoustic analyzer for the artifact-free parallel detection of soot and NO2 in engin exhaut", Anal. Chem. 84 (2012) 7292.

A review on the non-invasive evaluation of skeletal muscle oxygenation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halim, A. A. A.; Laili, M. H.; Aziz, N. A.; Laili, A. R.; Salikin, M. S.; Rusop, M.

2016-07-01

The aim of this review is to conduct a feasibility study of non-invasive evaluation in skeletal muscle oxygenation. This non-invasive evaluation could extract many information using a safe non-invasive method regarding to the oxygenation and microcirculation status in human blood muscle. This brief review highlights the progress of the application of NIRS to evaluate skeletal muscle oxygenation in various activity of human nature from the historical point of view to the present advancement. Since the discovery of non-invasive optical method during 1992, there are many non-invasive techniques uses optical properties on human subject such as near infrared spectroscopy NIRS, optical topography, functional near infrared spectroscopy fNIRS and imaging fNIRI. Furthermore, in this paper we discuss the light absorption potential (LAP) towards chromophores content inside human muscle. Modified beer lambert law was studied in order to build a better understanding toward LAP between chromophores under tissue multilayers in human muscle. This paper will describe the NIRS principle and the basis for its proposed used in skeletal muscle oxygenation. This will cover the advantages and limitation of such application. Thus, these non-invasive techniques could open other possibilities to study muscle performance diagnosis.

Tunneling Nanotubes Provide a Unique Conduit for Intercellular Transfer of Cellular Contents in Human Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

PubMed Central

Lou, Emil; Fujisawa, Sho; Morozov, Alexei; Barlas, Afsar; Romin, Yevgeniy; Dogan, Yildirim; Gholami, Sepideh; Moreira, André L.; Manova-Todorova, Katia; Moore, Malcolm A. S.

2012-01-01

Tunneling nanotubes are long, non-adherent F-actin-based cytoplasmic extensions which connect proximal or distant cells and facilitate intercellular transfer. The identification of nanotubes has been limited to cell lines, and their role in cancer remains unclear. We detected tunneling nanotubes in mesothelioma cell lines and primary human mesothelioma cells. Using a low serum, hyperglycemic, acidic growth medium, we stimulated nanotube formation and bidirectional transfer of vesicles, proteins, and mitochondria between cells. Notably, nanotubes developed between malignant cells or between normal mesothelial cells, but not between malignant and normal cells. Immunofluorescent staining revealed their actin-based assembly and structure. Metformin and an mTor inhibitor, Everolimus, effectively suppressed nanotube formation. Confocal microscopy with 3-dimensional reconstructions of sectioned surgical specimens demonstrated for the first time the presence of nanotubes in human mesothelioma and lung adenocarcinoma tumor specimens. We provide the first evidence of tunneling nanotubes in human primary tumors and cancer cells and propose that these structures play an important role in cancer cell pathogenesis and invasion. PMID:22427958

Methods Reduce Cost, Enhance Quality of Nanotubes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2009-01-01

For all the challenges posed by the microgravity conditions of space, weight is actually one of the more significant problems NASA faces in the development of the next generation of U.S. space vehicles. For the Agency s Constellation Program, engineers at NASA centers are designing and testing new vessels as safe, practical, and cost-effective means of space travel following the eventual retirement of the space shuttle. Program components like the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle, intended to carry astronauts to the International Space Station and the Moon, must be designed to specific weight requirements to manage fuel consumption and match launch rocket capabilities; Orion s gross liftoff weight target is about 63,789 pounds. Future space vehicles will require even greater attention to lightweight construction to help conserve fuel for long-range missions to Mars and beyond. In order to reduce spacecraft weight without sacrificing structural integrity, NASA is pursuing the development of materials that promise to revolutionize not only spacecraft construction, but also a host of potential applications on Earth. Single-walled carbon nanotubes are one material of particular interest. These tubular, single-layer carbon molecules - 100,000 of them braided together would be no thicker than a human hair - display a range of remarkable characteristics. Possessing greater tensile strength than steel at a fraction of the weight, the nanotubes are efficient heat conductors with metallic or semiconductor electrical properties depending on their diameter and chirality (the pattern of each nanotube s hexagonal lattice structure). All of these properties make the nanotubes an appealing material for spacecraft construction, with the potential for nanotube composites to reduce spacecraft weight by 50 percent or more. The nanotubes may also feature in a number of other space exploration applications, including life support, energy storage, and sensor technologies. NASA s various

Photoacoustic microscopy of single cells employing an intensity-modulated diode laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langer, Gregor; Buchegger, Bianca; Jacak, Jaroslaw; Dasa, Manoj Kumar; Klar, Thomas A.; Berer, Thomas

2018-02-01

In this work, we employ frequency-domain photoacoustic microscopy to obtain photoacoustic images of labeled and unlabeled cells. The photoacoustic microscope is based on an intensity-modulated diode laser in combination with a focused piezo-composite transducer and allows imaging of labeled cells without severe photo-bleaching. We demonstrate that frequency-domain photoacoustic microscopy realized with a diode laser is capable of recording photoacoustic images of single cells with sub-µm resolution. As examples, we present images of undyed human red blood cells, stained human epithelial cells, and stained yeast cells.

Application of the Pulsed Photoacoustic Spectroscopy in Biomedicine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gutierrez-Juarez, G.; Sims, M. J.; Gupta, S. K.

2008-08-11

The use of optical spectroscopy as a diagnostic tool in biomedical applications and research has grown considerably in the last two decades. One of them is the pulsed photoacoustic or optoacoustic, which promises to be one of the most important tools for disease diagnostic studies, because while most spectroscopies exploit the optical nature of the light-tissue interaction, this field of photoacoustics uses optical energy to generate an acoustic wave which propagates in the tissue environment. The acoustic wave propagation is fundamentally related to various tissue properties and an analysis of the wave dynamics can provide insights into these properties. Thismore » work presents a review on pulsed photoacoustic spectroscopy of several photoacoustic methods to derive information about tissue and tissue phantoms.« less

Gold nanotube encapsulation enhanced magnetic properties of transition metal monoatomic chains: An ab initio study.

PubMed

Zhu, Liyan; Wang, Jinlan; Ding, Feng

2009-02-14

The magnetic properties of gold nanotubes encapsulated transition metal (TM, TM=Co and Mn) and monoatomic chains (TM@Au) are studied using first-principles density functional calculations. The TM chains are significantly stabilized by the gold nanotube coating. TM-TM distance-dependent ferromagnetic-antiferromagnetic phase transition in TM@Au is observed and can be understood by Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) model. The magnetocrystalline anisotropy energies of the TM@Au tubes are dramatically enhanced by one order of magnitude compared to those of free TM chains. Furthermore, the stronger interaction between Mn chain and gold nanotube even switches the easy magnetization axis along the tube.

Gold nanotube encapsulation enhanced magnetic properties of transition metal monoatomic chains: An ab initio study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Liyan; Wang, Jinlan; Ding, Feng

2009-02-01

The magnetic properties of gold nanotubes encapsulated transition metal (TM, TM=Co and Mn) and monoatomic chains (TM@Au) are studied using first-principles density functional calculations. The TM chains are significantly stabilized by the gold nanotube coating. TM-TM distance-dependent ferromagnetic-antiferromagnetic phase transition in TM@Au is observed and can be understood by Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) model. The magnetocrystalline anisotropy energies of the TM@Au tubes are dramatically enhanced by one order of magnitude compared to those of free TM chains. Furthermore, the stronger interaction between Mn chain and gold nanotube even switches the easy magnetization axis along the tube.

Nondestructive evaluation of structural ceramics by photoacoustic microscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khandelwal, Pramod K.

1987-01-01

A photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) digital imaging system was developed and utilized to characterize silicon nitride material at the various stages of the ceramic fabrication process. Correlation studies revealed that photoacoustic microscopy detected failure initiating defects in substantially more specimens than microradiography and ultrasonic techniques. Photoacoustic microscopy detected 10 to 100 micron size surface and subsurface pores and inclusions, respectively, up to 80 microns below the interrogating surface in machined sintered silicon nitride. Microradiography detected 50 micron diameter fracture controlling pores and inclusions. Subsurface holes were detected up to a depth of 570 microns and 1.00 mm in sintered silicon nitride and silicon carbide, respectively. Seeded voids of 20 to 30 micron diameters at the surface and 50 microns below the interrogating surface were detected by photoacoustic microscopy and microradiography with 1 percent X-ray thickness sensitivity. Tight surface cracks of 96 micron length x 48 micron depth were detected by photoacoustic microscopy. PAM volatilized and removed material in the green state which resulted in linear shallow microcracks after sintering. This significantly limits the use of PAM as an in-process NDE technique.

Three-Dimensional Photoacoustic Endoscopic Imaging of the Rabbit Esophagus

PubMed Central

Yao, Junjie; Chen, Ruimin; Zhou, Qifa; Shung, K. Kirk; Wang, Lihong V.

2015-01-01

We report photoacoustic and ultrasonic endoscopic images of two intact rabbit esophagi. To investigate the esophageal lumen structure and microvasculature, we performed in vivo and ex vivo imaging studies using a 3.8-mm diameter photoacoustic endoscope and correlated the images with histology. Several interesting anatomic structures were newly found in both the in vivo and ex vivo images, which demonstrates the potential clinical utility of this endoscopic imaging modality. In the ex vivo imaging experiment, we acquired high-resolution motion-artifact-free three-dimensional photoacoustic images of the vasculatures distributed in the walls of the esophagi and extending to the neighboring mediastinal regions. Blood vessels with apparent diameters as small as 190 μm were resolved. Moreover, by taking advantage of the dual-mode high-resolution photoacoustic and ultrasound endoscopy, we could better identify and characterize the anatomic structures of the esophageal lumen, such as the mucosal and submucosal layers in the esophageal wall, and an esophageal branch of the thoracic aorta. In this paper, we present the first photoacoustic images showing the vasculature of a vertebrate esophagus and discuss the potential clinical applications and future development of photoacoustic endoscopy. PMID:25874640

Three-dimensional photoacoustic endoscopic imaging of the rabbit esophagus.

PubMed

Yang, Joon Mo; Favazza, Christopher; Yao, Junjie; Chen, Ruimin; Zhou, Qifa; Shung, K Kirk; Wang, Lihong V

2015-01-01

We report photoacoustic and ultrasonic endoscopic images of two intact rabbit esophagi. To investigate the esophageal lumen structure and microvasculature, we performed in vivo and ex vivo imaging studies using a 3.8-mm diameter photoacoustic endoscope and correlated the images with histology. Several interesting anatomic structures were newly found in both the in vivo and ex vivo images, which demonstrates the potential clinical utility of this endoscopic imaging modality. In the ex vivo imaging experiment, we acquired high-resolution motion-artifact-free three-dimensional photoacoustic images of the vasculatures distributed in the walls of the esophagi and extending to the neighboring mediastinal regions. Blood vessels with apparent diameters as small as 190 μm were resolved. Moreover, by taking advantage of the dual-mode high-resolution photoacoustic and ultrasound endoscopy, we could better identify and characterize the anatomic structures of the esophageal lumen, such as the mucosal and submucosal layers in the esophageal wall, and an esophageal branch of the thoracic aorta. In this paper, we present the first photoacoustic images showing the vasculature of a vertebrate esophagus and discuss the potential clinical applications and future development of photoacoustic endoscopy.

Dual-wavelengths photoacoustic temperature measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liao, Yu; Jian, Xiaohua; Dong, Fenglin; Cui, Yaoyao

2017-02-01

Thermal therapy is an approach applied in cancer treatment by heating local tissue to kill the tumor cells, which requires a high sensitivity of temperature monitoring during therapy. Current clinical methods like fMRI near infrared or ultrasound for temperature measurement still have limitations on penetration depth or sensitivity. Photoacoustic temperature sensing is a newly developed temperature sensing method that has a potential to be applied in thermal therapy, which usually employs a single wavelength laser for signal generating and temperature detecting. Because of the system disturbances including laser intensity, ambient temperature and complexity of target, the accidental errors of measurement is unavoidable. For solving these problems, we proposed a new method of photoacoustic temperature sensing by using two wavelengths to reduce random error and increase the measurement accuracy in this paper. Firstly a brief theoretical analysis was deduced. Then in the experiment, a temperature measurement resolution of about 1° in the range of 23-48° in ex vivo pig blood was achieved, and an obvious decrease of absolute error was observed with averagely 1.7° in single wavelength pattern while nearly 1° in dual-wavelengths pattern. The obtained results indicates that dual-wavelengths photoacoustic sensing of temperature is able to reduce random error and improve accuracy of measuring, which could be a more efficient method for photoacoustic temperature sensing in thermal therapy of tumor.

Melt dispersion and electrospinning of non-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes in thermoplastic polyurethane.

PubMed

Hunley, Matthew T; Pötschke, Petra; Long, Timothy E

2009-12-16

Nanoscale fibers with embedded, aligned, and percolated non-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were fabricated through electrospinning dispersions based on melt-compounded thermoplastic polyurethane/MWCNT nanocomposite, with up to 10 wt.-% MWCNTs. Transmission electron microscopy indicated that the nanotubes were highly oriented and percolated throughout the fibers, even at high MWCNT concentrations. The coupling of efficient melt compounding with electrospinning eliminated the need for intensive surface functionalization or sonication of the MWCNTs, and the high aspect ratio as well as the electrical and mechanical properties of the nanotubes were retained. This method provides a more efficient technique to generate one-dimensional nanofibers with aligned MWCNTs. Copyright © 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

State-of-the-Art Sensor Technology in Spain: Invasive and Non-Invasive Techniques for Monitoring Respiratory Variables

PubMed Central

Domingo, Christian; Blanch, Lluis; Murias, Gaston; Luján, Manel

2010-01-01

The interest in measuring physiological parameters (especially arterial blood gases) has grown progressively in parallel to the development of new technologies. Physiological parameters were first measured invasively and at discrete time points; however, it was clearly desirable to measure them continuously and non-invasively. The development of intensive care units promoted the use of ventilators via oral intubation ventilators via oral intubation and mechanical respiratory variables were progressively studied. Later, the knowledge gained in the hospital was applied to out-of-hospital management. In the present paper we review the invasive and non-invasive techniques for monitoring respiratory variables. PMID:22399898

State-of-the-art sensor technology in Spain: invasive and non-invasive techniques for monitoring respiratory variables.

PubMed

Domingo, Christian; Blanch, Lluis; Murias, Gaston; Luján, Manel

2010-01-01

The interest in measuring physiological parameters (especially arterial blood gases) has grown progressively in parallel to the development of new technologies. Physiological parameters were first measured invasively and at discrete time points; however, it was clearly desirable to measure them continuously and non-invasively. The development of intensive care units promoted the use of ventilators via oral intubation ventilators via oral intubation and mechanical respiratory variables were progressively studied. Later, the knowledge gained in the hospital was applied to out-of-hospital management. In the present paper we review the invasive and non-invasive techniques for monitoring respiratory variables.

Thermoviscous analysis of open photoacoustic cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mannoor, Madhusoodanan; Kang, Sangmo

2017-11-01

Open photoacoustic cells, apart from the conventional spectroscopic applications, are increasingly useful in bio medical applications such as in vivo blood sugar measurement. Maximising the acoustic pressure amplitude and the quality factor are major design considerations associated with open cells.Conventionaly, resonant photoacoustic cells are analyzed by either transmission line analogy or Eigen mode expansion method. In this study, we conducted a more comprehensive thermo viscous analysis of open photoacoustic cells. A Helmholtz cell and a T-shaped cell, which are acoustically different, are considered for analysis. Effect of geometrical dimensions on the acoustic pressure, quality factor and the intrusion of noise are analyzed and compared between these cells. Specific attention is given to the sizing of the opening and fixtures on it to minimize the radiational losses and the intrusion of noise. Our results are useful for proper selection of the type of open photoacoustic cells for in vivo blood sugar measurement and the optimization of geometric variables of such cells. This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT and future planning (2017R1A2B4005006).

SNR enhancement for catheter based intravascular photoacoustic/ultrasound imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Seonghee; Choi, Changhoon; Ahn, Joongho; Kim, Taehoon; Park, Sungjo; Park, Hyoeun; Kim, Jinmoo; Lee, Seunghoon; Kang, Yeonsu; Chang, Kiyuk; Kim, Yongmin; Kim, Chulhong

2017-03-01

Atherosclerosis, the most common cause of death, kills suddenly by arterial occlusion by thrombosis, which is caused by plaque rupture. Because a growing necrotic core is highly related to plaque rupture in atherosclerosis, distinguishing between fibrous plaque and lipid-rich plaque in real time is important, but has been challenging. Real-time photoacoustic imaging requires a pulse laser with high repetition rate, which tends to sacrifice pulse energy. Furthermore, a high repetition rate is hard to achieve at lipid-sensitive wavelengths, such as 1210 nm and 1720 nm. To address the unmet need, we have developed the algorithm for PA imaging. We successfully acquired ex vivo PA images from the lipid cores of arterial plaques in rabbit arteries, using a low-power 1064-nm laser. PA images were acquired with a custom-made catheter employing a single-element 40-MHz ultrasound transducer and a compact 1064-nm laser with the pulse energy of 5 μJ and the repetition rate of 24 kHz. Acquired raw data were processed in the time and frequency domains. In the time domain, a delay-and-sum algorithm was used for image enhancement. In the frequency domain, signals exceeding the MTF were removed. As a result, SNR was increased by about 10 dB without degrading spatial resolution. We were able to achieve high-speed and high-SNR lipid target imaging in animals in spite of the low lipid sensitivity of a 1064nm laser. These results show good promise for detecting lipid-rich plaques with a compact high-speed laser, which can be easily adapted for target clinical applications.

Orbital invasion routes of non-melanoma skin cancers and survival outcomes.

PubMed

Dundar, Yusuf; Cannon, Richard; Wiggins, Richard; Monroe, Marcus M; Buchmann, Luke O; Hunt, Jason P

2018-02-21

Overall non-melanoma head and neck skin cancer has a good prognosis; however, rarely patients have an aggressive variant which results in orbital invasion via perineural spread or direct extension. Despite these consequences, there are limited published studies defining this clinical entity. The main objectives of the current study are to describe orbital invasion patterns of non-melanoma head and neck skin cancers and their impact on survival. Retrospective case series from a tertiary-care, academic institution performed between 2004 and 2014. Demographic and tumour characteristics are reported as well as patterns of orbital invasion, types of treatments received, and survival outcomes. There were 17 consecutive patients with non-melanoma skin cancer and orbital invasion who met inclusion criteria. Average age at orbital invasion diagnosis was 70.8 years old. 76% were male. Mean follow-up time was 28.5 months. Of these patients, 71% had squamous cell carcinoma and 29% had basal cell carcinoma. Brow (41%) was the most common primary sub-site followed by cheek (23%) and temple (12%). 76% of patients had a history of prior treatment. The lateral orbital wall (41%) was the most common site of invasion, followed by the medial orbital wall (29%) and antero-superior invasion (23%). Age, histology, and location of orbital invasion were associated with disease-specific and overall survival. Orbital invasion for non-melanoma head and neck skin cancers creates a treatment dilemma and the patterns of invasion are described. In addition, the location of orbital invasion is associated with survival outcomes.

A Carbon Nanotube Reporter of miRNA Hybridization Events In Vivo

PubMed Central

Harvey, Jackson D.; Jena, Prakrit V.; Baker, Hanan A.; Zerze, Gül H.; Williams, Ryan M.; Galassi, Thomas V.; Roxbury, Daniel; Mittal, Jeetain

2017-01-01

MicroRNAs and other small oligonucleotides in biofluids are promising disease biomarkers, yet conventional assays require complex processing steps that are unsuitable for point-of-care testing or for implantable or wearable sensors. Single-walled carbon nanotubes are an ideal material for implantable sensors, owing to their emission in the near-infrared spectral region, photostability and exquisite sensitivity. Here, we report an engineered carbon-nanotube-based sensor capable of real-time optical quantification of hybridization events of microRNA and other oligonucleotides. The mechanism of the sensor arises from competitive effects between displacement of both oligonucleotide charge groups and water from the nanotube surface, which result in a solvatochromism-like response. The sensor, which allows for detection via single-molecule sensor elements and for multiplexing by using multiple nanotube chiralities, can monitor toehold-based strand-displacement events, which reverse the sensor response and regenerate the sensor complex. We also show that the sensor functions in whole urine and serum, and can non-invasively measure DNA and microRNA after implantation in live mice. PMID:28845337

A Carbon Nanotube Reporter of miRNA Hybridization Events In Vivo.

PubMed

Harvey, Jackson D; Jena, Prakrit V; Baker, Hanan A; Zerze, Gül H; Williams, Ryan M; Galassi, Thomas V; Roxbury, Daniel; Mittal, Jeetain; Heller, Daniel A

2017-01-01

MicroRNAs and other small oligonucleotides in biofluids are promising disease biomarkers, yet conventional assays require complex processing steps that are unsuitable for point-of-care testing or for implantable or wearable sensors. Single-walled carbon nanotubes are an ideal material for implantable sensors, owing to their emission in the near-infrared spectral region, photostability and exquisite sensitivity. Here, we report an engineered carbon-nanotube-based sensor capable of real-time optical quantification of hybridization events of microRNA and other oligonucleotides. The mechanism of the sensor arises from competitive effects between displacement of both oligonucleotide charge groups and water from the nanotube surface, which result in a solvatochromism-like response. The sensor, which allows for detection via single-molecule sensor elements and for multiplexing by using multiple nanotube chiralities, can monitor toehold-based strand-displacement events, which reverse the sensor response and regenerate the sensor complex. We also show that the sensor functions in whole urine and serum, and can non-invasively measure DNA and microRNA after implantation in live mice.

Photoacoustic analysis of thyroid cancer in vivo: a pilot study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jeesu; Kim, Min-Hee; Jo, Kwanhoon; Ha, Jeonghoon; Kim, Yongmin; Lim, Dong-Jun; Kim, Chulhong

2017-03-01

Thyroid cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers. About 3-8% of the people in the United States have thyroid nodules, and 5-15% of these nodules are malignant. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) is a standard procedure to diagnose malignity of nodules. However, about 10-20% of FNABs produce indeterminable results, which leads to repeat biopsies and unnecessary surgical operations. We have explored photoacoustic (PA) imaging as a new method to identify cancerous nodules. In a pilot study to test its feasibility, we recruited patients with thyroid nodules (currently 36 cases with 21 malignant and 15 benign nodules), acquired in vivo PA and ultrasound (US) images of the nodules in real time using a recently-developed clinical PA/US imaging system, and analyzed the acquired data offline. The preliminary results show that malignant and benign nodules could be differentiated by utilizing their PA amplitudes at different excitation wavelengths. This is the first in vivo PA analysis of thyroid nodules. Although a larger-scale study is needed for statistical significance, the preliminary results show the good potential of PA imaging as a non-invasive tool for triaging thyroid cancer.

Carbon nanotube composite materials

DOEpatents

O'Bryan, Gregory; Skinner, Jack L; Vance, Andrew; Yang, Elaine Lai; Zifer, Thomas

2015-03-24

A material consisting essentially of a vinyl thermoplastic polymer, un-functionalized carbon nanotubes and hydroxylated carbon nanotubes dissolved in a solvent. Un-functionalized carbon nanotube concentrations up to 30 wt % and hydroxylated carbon nanotube concentrations up to 40 wt % can be used with even small concentrations of each (less than 2 wt %) useful in producing enhanced conductivity properties of formed thin films.

Improvement of depth resolution on photoacoustic imaging using multiphoton absorption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaoka, Yoshihisa; Fujiwara, Katsuji; Takamatsu, Tetsuro

2007-07-01

Commercial imaging systems, such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, are frequently used powerful tools for observing structures deep within the human body. However, they cannot precisely visualized several-tens micrometer-sized structures for lack of spatial resolution. In this presentation, we propose photoacoustic imaging using multiphoton absorption technique to generate ultrasonic waves as a means of improving depth resolution. Since the multiphoton absorption occurs at only the focus point and the employed infrared pulses deeply penetrate living tissues, it enables us to extract characteristic features of structures embedded in the living tissue. When nanosecond pulses from a 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser were focused on Rhodamine B/chloroform solution (absorption peak: 540 nm), the peak intensity of the generated photoacoustic signal was proportional to the square of the input pulse energy. This result shows that the photoacoustic signals can be induced by the two-photon absorption of infrared nanosecond pulse laser and also can be detected by a commercial low-frequency MHz transducer. Furthermore, in order to evaluate the depth resolution of multiphoton-photoacoustic imaging, we investigated the dependence of photoacoustic signal on depth position using a 1-mm-thick phantom in a water bath. We found that the depth resolution of two-photon photoacoustic imaging (1064 nm) is greater than that of one-photon photoacoustic imaging (532 nm). We conclude that evolving multiphoton-photoacoustic imaging technology renders feasible the investigation of biomedical phenomena at the deep layer in living tissue.

Mark-recapture with multiple, non-invasive marks.

PubMed

Bonner, Simon J; Holmberg, Jason

2013-09-01

Non-invasive marks, including pigmentation patterns, acquired scars, and genetic markers, are often used to identify individuals in mark-recapture experiments. If animals in a population can be identified from multiple, non-invasive marks then some individuals may be counted twice in the observed data. Analyzing the observed histories without accounting for these errors will provide incorrect inference about the population dynamics. Previous approaches to this problem include modeling data from only one mark and combining estimators obtained from each mark separately assuming that they are independent. Motivated by the analysis of data from the ECOCEAN online whale shark (Rhincodon typus) catalog, we describe a Bayesian method to analyze data from multiple, non-invasive marks that is based on the latent-multinomial model of Link et al. (2010, Biometrics 66, 178-185). Further to this, we describe a simplification of the Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm of Link et al. (2010, Biometrics 66, 178-185) that leads to more efficient computation. We present results from the analysis of the ECOCEAN whale shark data and from simulation studies comparing our method with the previous approaches. © 2013, The International Biometric Society.

Biosafety of Non-Surface Modified Carbon Nanocapsules as a Potential Alternative to Carbon Nanotubes for Drug Delivery Purposes

PubMed Central

Tang, Alan C. L.; Hwang, Gan-Lin; Chang, Min-Yao; Tang, Zack C. W.; Tsai, Meng-Da; Luo, Chwan-Yao; Hoffman, Allan S.; Hsieh, Patrick C. H.

2012-01-01

Background Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have found wide success in circuitry, photovoltaics, and other applications. In contrast, several hurdles exist in using CNTs towards applications in drug delivery. Raw, non-modified CNTs are widely known for their toxicity. As such, many have attempted to reduce CNT toxicity for intravenous drug delivery purposes by post-process surface modification. Alternatively, a novel sphere-like carbon nanocapsule (CNC) developed by the arc-discharge method holds similar electric and thermal conductivities, as well as high strength. This study investigated the systemic toxicity and biocompatibility of different non-surface modified carbon nanomaterials in mice, including multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), carbon nanocapsules (CNCs), and C60 fullerene (C60). The retention of the nanomaterials and systemic effects after intravenous injections were studied. Methodology and Principal Findings MWCNTs, SWCNTs, CNCs, and C60 were injected intravenously into FVB mice and then sacrificed for tissue section examination. Inflammatory cytokine levels were evaluated with ELISA. Mice receiving injection of MWCNTs or SWCNTs at 50 µg/g b.w. died while C60 injected group survived at a 50% rate. Surprisingly, mortality rate of mice injected with CNCs was only at 10%. Tissue sections revealed that most carbon nanomaterials retained in the lung. Furthermore, serum and lung-tissue cytokine levels did not reveal any inflammatory response compared to those in mice receiving normal saline injection. Conclusion Carbon nanocapsules are more biocompatible than other carbon nanomaterials and are more suitable for intravenous drug delivery. These results indicate potential biomedical use of non-surface modified carbon allotrope. Additionally, functionalization of the carbon nanocapsules could further enhance dispersion and biocompatibility for intravenous injection. PMID:22457723

Photoacoustic spectroscopy for chemical detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holthoff, Ellen L.; Pellegrino, Paul M.

2012-06-01

The Global War on Terror has made rapid detection and identification of chemical and biological agents a priority for Military and Homeland Defense applications. Reliable real-time detection of these threats is complicated by our enemy's use of a diverse range of materials. Therefore, an adaptable platform is necessary. Photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) is a useful monitoring technique that is well suited for trace detection of gaseous media. This method routinely exhibits detection limits at the parts-per-billion (ppb) or sub-ppb range. The versatility of PAS also allows for the investigation of solid and liquid analytes. Current research utilizes quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) in combination with an air-coupled solid-phase photoacoustic cell design for the detection of condensed phase material films deposited on a surface. Furthermore, variation of the QCL pulse repetition rate allows for identification and molecular discrimination of analytes based solely on photoacoustic spectra collected at different film depths.

Photoacoustic resonance spectroscopy for biological tissue characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Fei; Feng, Xiaohua; Zheng, Yuanjin; Ohl, Claus-Dieter

2014-06-01

By "listening to photons," photoacoustics allows the probing of chromosomes in depth beyond the optical diffusion limit. Here we report the photoacoustic resonance effect induced by multiburst modulated laser illumination, which is theoretically modeled as a damped mass-string oscillator and a resistor-inductor-capacitor (RLC) circuit. Through sweeping the frequency of multiburst modulated laser, the photoacoustic resonance effect is observed experimentally on phantoms and porcine tissues. Experimental results demonstrate different spectra for each phantom and tissue sample to show significant potential for spectroscopic analysis, fusing optical absorption and mechanical vibration properties. Unique RLC circuit parameters are extracted to quantitatively characterize phantom and biological tissues.

Advanced devices for photoacoustic imaging to improve cancer and cerebrovascular medicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montilla Marien, Leonardo Gabriel

Recent clinical studies have demonstrated that photoacoustic imaging (PAI) provides important diagnostic information for breast cancer staging. Despite these promising studies, PAI remains an unfeasible option for clinics due to the cost to implement, the required large modification in user conduct and the inflexibility of the hardware to accommodate other applications for the incremental enhancement in diagnostic information. The research described in this dissertation addresses these issues by designing attachments to clinical ultrasound probes and incorporating custom detectors into commercial ultrasound scanners. The ultimate benefit of these handheld devices is to expand the capability of current ultrasound systems and facilitate the translation of PAI to enhance cancer diagnostics and neurosurgical outcomes. Photoacoustic enabling devices (PEDs) were designed as attachments to two clinical ultrasound probes optimized for breast cancer diagnostics. PAI uses pulsed laser excitation to create transient heating (<1°C) and thermoelastic expansion that is detected as an ultrasonic emission. These ultrasonic emissions are remotely sensed to construct noninvasive images with optical contrast at depths much greater than other optical modalities. The PEDs are feasible in terms of cost, user familiarity and flexibility for various applications. Another possible application for PAI is in assisting neurosurgeons treating aneurysms. Aneurysms are often treated by placing a clip to prevent blood flow into the aneurysm. However, this procedure has risks associated with damaging nearby vessels. One of the developed PEDs demonstrated the feasibility to three-dimensionally image tiny microvasculature (<0.3mm) beyond large blood occlusions (>2.4mm) in a phantom model. The capability to use this during surgery would suggest decreasing the risks associated with these treatments. However, clinical ultrasound arrays are not clinically feasible for microsurgical applications due to

Frontal Non-Invasive Neurostimulation Modulates Antisaccade Preparation in Non-Human Primates

PubMed Central

Valero-Cabre, Antoni; Wattiez, Nicolas; Monfort, Morgane; François, Chantal; Rivaud-Péchoux, Sophie; Gaymard, Bertrand; Pouget, Pierre

2012-01-01

A combination of oculometric measurements, invasive electrophysiological recordings and microstimulation have proven instrumental to study the role of the Frontal Eye Field (FEF) in saccadic activity. We hereby gauged the ability of a non-invasive neurostimulation technology, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), to causally interfere with frontal activity in two macaque rhesus monkeys trained to perform a saccadic antisaccade task. We show that online single pulse TMS significantly modulated antisaccade latencies. Such effects proved dependent on TMS site (effects on FEF but not on an actively stimulated control site), TMS modality (present under active but not sham TMS on the FEF area), TMS intensity (intensities of at least 40% of the TMS machine maximal output required), TMS timing (more robust for pulses delivered at 150 ms than at 100 post target onset) and visual hemifield (relative latency decreases mainly for ipsilateral AS). Our results demonstrate the feasibility of using TMS to causally modulate antisaccade-associated computations in the non-human primate brain and support the use of this approach in monkeys to study brain function and its non-invasive neuromodulation for exploratory and therapeutic purposes. PMID:22701691

Single non-invasive model to diagnose non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

PubMed

Otgonsuren, Munkhzul; Estep, Michael J; Hossain, Nayeem; Younossi, Elena; Frost, Spencer; Henry, Linda; Hunt, Sharon; Fang, Yun; Goodman, Zachary; Younossi, Zobair M

2014-12-01

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is the progressive form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). A liver biopsy is considered the "gold standard" for diagnosing/staging NASH. Identification of NAFLD/NASH using non-invasive tools is important for intervention. The study aims were to: develop/validate the predictive performance of a non-invasive model (index of NASH [ION]); assess the performance of a recognized non-invasive model (fatty liver index [FLI]) compared with ION for NAFLD diagnosis; determine which non-invasive model (FLI, ION, or NAFLD fibrosis score [NFS]) performed best in predicting age-adjusted mortality. From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III database, anthropometric, clinical, ultrasound, laboratory, and mortality data were obtained (n = 4458; n = 861 [19.3%] NAFLD by ultrasound) and used to develop the ION model, and then to compare the ION and FLI models for NAFLD diagnosis. For validation and diagnosis of NASH, liver biopsy data were used (n = 152). Age-adjusted Cox proportional hazard modeling estimated the association among the three non-invasive tests (FLI, ION, and NFS) and mortality. FLI's threshold score > 60 and ION's threshold score > 22 had similar specificity (FLI = 80% vs ION = 82%) for NAFLD diagnosis; FLI < 30 (80% sensitivity) and ION < 11 (81% sensitivity) excluded NAFLD. An ION score > 50 predicted histological NASH (92% specificity); the FLI model did not predict NASH or mortality. The ION model was best in predicting cardiovascular/diabetes-related mortality; NFS predicted overall or diabetes-related mortality. The ION model was superior in predicting NASH and mortality compared with the FLI model. Studies are needed to validate ION. © 2014 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Optimizing light delivery for a photoacoustic surgical system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eddins, Blackberrie; Lediju Bell, Muyinatu A.

2017-03-01

This work explores light delivery optimization for a photoacoustic surgical system previously proposed to provide real-time, intraoperative visualization of the internal carotid arteries hidden by bone during minimally invasive neurosurgeries. Monte Carlo simulations were employed to study 3D light propagation in tissue. For a 2.4 mm diameter drill shaft and 2.9 mm spherical drill tip, the optimal fiber distance from the drill shaft was 2 mm, determined from the maximum normalized fluence seen by the artery. A single fiber was insufficient to deliver light to arteries separated by a minimum of 8 mm. Using similar drill geometry and the optimal 2 mm fiber-to-drill shaft distance, Zemax ray tracing simulations were employed to propagate a 950 nm wavelength Gaussian beam through one or more 600 μm core diameter optical fibers, and the resulting optical beam profile was detected on the representative bone surface. For equally spaced fibers, a single merged optical profile formed with 7 or more fibers, determined by thresholding the resulting light profile images at 1/e times the maximum intensity. The corresponding spot size was larger than that of a single fiber transmitting the same input energy, thus reducing the fluence delivered to the sphenoid bone and enabling higher energies within safety limits. A prototype was designed and built based on these optimization parameters. The methodology we used to optimize our light delivery system to surround surgical tools is generalizable to multiple interventional photoacoustic applications.

Carbon nanotube mode lockers with enhanced nonlinearity via evanescent field interaction in D-shaped fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Yong-Won; Yamashita, Shinji; Goh, Chee S.; Set, Sze Y.

2007-01-01

We demonstrate a novel passive mode-locking scheme for pulsed lasers enhanced by the interaction of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with the evanescent field of propagating light in a D-shaped optical fiber. The scheme features all-fiber operation as well as a long lateral interaction length, which guarantees a strong nonlinear effect from the nanotubes. Mode locking is achieved with less than 30% of the CNTs compared with the amount of nanotubes used for conventional schemes. Our method also ensures the preservation of the original morphology of the individual CNTs. The demonstrated pulsed laser with our CNT mode locker has a repetition rate of 5.88 MHz and a temporal pulse width of 470 fs.

Carbon nanotube mode lockers with enhanced nonlinearity via evanescent field interaction in D-shaped fibers.

PubMed

Song, Yong-Won; Yamashita, Shinji; Goh, Chee S; Set, Sze Y

2007-01-15

We demonstrate a novel passive mode-locking scheme for pulsed lasers enhanced by the interaction of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with the evanescent field of propagating light in a D-shaped optical fiber. The scheme features all-fiber operation as well as a long lateral interaction length, which guarantees a strong nonlinear effect from the nanotubes. Mode locking is achieved with less than 30% of the CNTs compared with the amount of nanotubes used for conventional schemes. Our method also ensures the preservation of the original morphology of the individual CNTs. The demonstrated pulsed laser with our CNT mode locker has a repetition rate of 5.88 MHz and a temporal pulse width of 470 fs.

Soil pore-gas sampling by photoacoustic radiometry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sollid, J.E.

1994-11-01

Concentrations of volatile organics in a soil pore-gas plume were measured using a commercially available multigas monitor. The monitor is a photoacoustic radiometer (PAR) controlled by an on-board, programmable microprocessor. The measurements determine the extent and location of the vapor plume in the subsurface. At least twelve wells surrounding the sources are measured quarterly. The sources are located in former liquid chemical waste disposal pits and shafts at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The primary constituents of the plume are 1,1,1 trichloroethane (TCA), trichloroethene (TCE), and tetrachloroethene or perchloroethene or perchloroethene (PCE). Four quarters of data are presented for TCA. Allmore » were used primarily as solvents and degreasers. Previously the composition of the vapor plume was determined by Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometer GCMS methods. Photoacoustic radiometry and gas chromatography are discussed giving the advantages and disadvantages of each method, although in this program they are basically complementary. Gas chromatography is a more qualitative method to determine which analytes are present and the approximate concentration. Photoacoustic radiometry, to function well, requires foreknowledge of constituents and serves best to determine how much is present. Measurements are quicker and more direct with photoacoustic methods. Once the constituents to be measured are known, the cost to monitor is much less using photoacoustics, and the results are available more quickly.« less

Noninvasive photoacoustic detecting intraocular foreign bodies with an annular transducer array.

PubMed

Yang, Diwu; Zeng, Lvming; Pan, Changning; Zhao, Xuehui; Ji, Xuanrong

2013-01-14

We present a fast photoacoustic imaging system based on an annular transducer array for detection of intraocular foreign bodies. An eight-channel data acquisition system is applied to capture the photoacoustic signals using multiplexing and the total time of data acquisition and transferring is within 3 s. A limited-view filtered back projection algorithm is used to reconstruct the photoacoustic images. Experimental models of intraocular metal and glass foreign bodies were constructed on ex vivo pig's eyes and clear photoacoustic images of intraocular foreign bodies were obtained. Experimental results demonstrate the photoacoustic imaging system holds the potential for in clinic detecting the intraocular foreign bodies.

Drug delivery monitoring by photoacoustic tomography with an ICG encapsulated double emulsion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajian, Justin Rajesh; Fabiilli, Mario L.; Fowlkes, J. Brian; Carson, Paul L.; Wang, Xueding

2011-07-01

The absorption spectrum of indocyanine green (ICG), a nontoxic dye used for medical diagnostics, depends upon its concentration as well as the nature of its environment, i.e., the solvent medium into which it is dissolved. In blood, ICG binds with plasma proteins, thus causing changes in its photoacoustic spectrum. We successfully encapsulated ICG in an ultrasound-triggerable perfluorocarbon double emulsion that prevents ICG from binding with plasma proteins. Photoacoustic spectral measurements on point target as well as 2-D photoacoustic images of blood vessels revealed that the photoacoustic spectrum changes significantly in blood when the ICG-loaded emulsion undergoes acoustic droplet vaporization (ADV), which is the conversion of liquid droplets into gas bubbles using ultrasound. We propose that these changes in the photoacoustic spectrum of the ICG emulsion in blood, coupled with photoacoustic tomography, could be used to spatially and quantitatively monitor ultrasound initiated drug delivery. In addition, we suggest that the photoacoustic spectral change induced by ultrasound exposure could also be used as contrast in photoacoustic imaging to obtain a background free image.

Catheter tracking in an interventional photoacoustic surgical system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Alexis; Itsarachaiyot, Yuttana; Kim, Younsu; Zhang, Haichong K.; Taylor, Russell H.; Boctor, Emad M.

2017-03-01

In laparoscopic medical procedures, accurate tracking of interventional tools such as catheters are necessary. Current practice for tracking catheters often involve using fluoroscopy, which is best avoided to minimize radiation dose to the patient and the surgical team. Photoacoustic imaging is an emerging imaging modality that can be used for this purpose and does not currently have a general tool tracking solution. Photoacoustic-based catheter tracking would increase its attractiveness, by providing both an imaging and tracking solution. We present a catheter tracking method based on the photoacoustic effect. Photoacoustic markers are simultaneously observed by a stereo camera as well as a piezoelectric element attached to the tip of a catheter. The signals received by the piezoelectric element can be used to compute its position relative to the photoacoustic markers using multilateration. This combined information can be processed to localize the position of the piezoelectric element with respect to the stereo camera system. We presented the methods to enable this work and demonstrated precisions of 1-3mm and a relative accuracy of less than 4% in four independent locations, which are comparable to conventional systems. In addition, we also showed in another experiment a reconstruction precision up to 0.4mm and an estimated accuracy up to 0.5mm. Future work will include simulations to better evaluate this method and its challenges and the development of concurrent photoacoustic marker projection and its associated methods.

Pulsed photoacoustic flow imaging with a handheld system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van den Berg, Pim J.; Daoudi, Khalid; Steenbergen, Wiendelt

2016-02-01

Flow imaging is an important technique in a range of disease areas, but estimating low flow speeds, especially near the walls of blood vessels, remains challenging. Pulsed photoacoustic flow imaging can be an alternative since there is little signal contamination from background tissue with photoacoustic imaging. We propose flow imaging using a clinical photoacoustic system that is both handheld and portable. The system integrates a linear array with 7.5 MHz central frequency in combination with a high-repetition-rate diode laser to allow high-speed photoacoustic imaging-ideal for this application. This work shows the flow imaging performance of the system in vitro using microparticles. Both two-dimensional (2-D) flow images and quantitative flow velocities from 12 to 75 mm/s were obtained. In a transparent bulk medium, flow estimation showed standard errors of ˜7% the estimated speed; in the presence of tissue-realistic optical scattering, the error increased to 40% due to limited signal-to-noise ratio. In the future, photoacoustic flow imaging can potentially be performed in vivo using fluorophore-filled vesicles or with an improved setup on whole blood.

Photoacoustic characterization of the left atrium wall: healthy and ablated tissue (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iskander-Rizk, Sophinese; Kruizinga, Pieter; van der Steen, Antonius F. W.; van Soest, Gijs

2017-03-01

Radio-frequency ablation (RFA) creates a thermal lesion in the atrial wall, with clearly recognizable optical and structural changes to the tissue. This can be detected by photoacoustic (PA) imaging, and used for monitoring of lesion depth, lesion functionality, and limiting excessive ablation. Porcine left atrium tissue can be split into three visually distinguishable regions, a thick white endocardium, pinkish myocardium and a thin gelatinous epicardium. In this study, we characterize the layered left atrium tissue in terms of the relevant photoacoustic parameters (wavelength, frequency content, imaging depth, lesion contrast). Previous studies in the literature targeted the photoacoustic characterization of fresh and ablated ventricular myocardium in the range of 650nm to 900nm. In this study we target the characterization of fresh and ablated left atrial tissue from 410nm to 1000nm, including the endocardium and epicardium. We generate the photoacoustic signals using a tunable pulsed laser source, and record those signals using either a broadband 1 mm hydrophone or a L12-3v transducer connected to the Verasonics machine for more realistic conditions. Initial experiments on fresh porcine tissue show that the presence of the endocardium and epicardium layers do affect the photoacoustic signal received. The signal recorded is representative of the difference in optical and mechanical properties between the layers. Ablated and non-ablated tissue also present differences in spectra. The determined optical contrast could be used in the PA monitoring of RFA lesion to monitor the extension of the lesion to the edge of the myocardium-epicardium border avoiding complications related to over ablation.

Photoacoustic absorption spectroscopy of single optically trapped aerosol droplets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Covert, Paul A.; Cremer, Johannes W.; Signorell, Ruth

2017-08-01

Photoacoustics have been widely used for the study of aerosol optical properties. To date, these studies have been performed on particle ensembles, with minimal ability to control for particle size. Here, we present our singleparticle photoacoustic spectrometer. The sensitivity and stability of the instrument is discussed, along with results from two experiments that illustrate the unique capabilities of this instrument. In the first experiment, we present a measurement of the particle size-dependence of the photoacoustic response. Our results confirm previous models of aerosol photoacoustics that had yet to be experimentally tested. The second set of results reveals a size-dependence of photochemical processes within aerosols that results from the nanofocusing of light within individual droplets.

Mechanistic investigation in ultrasound induced enhancement of enzymatic hydrolysis of invasive biomass species.

PubMed

Borah, Arup Jyoti; Agarwal, Mayank; Poudyal, Manisha; Goyal, Arun; Moholkar, Vijayanand S

2016-08-01

This study has assessed four invasive weeds, viz. Saccharum spontaneum (SS), Mikania micrantha (MM), Lantana camara (LC) and Eichhornia crassipes (EC) for enzymatic hydrolysis prior to bioalcohol fermentation. Enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated biomasses of weeds has been conducted with mechanical agitation and sonication under constant (non-optimum) conditions. Profiles of total reducible sugar release have been fitted to HCH-1 model of enzymatic hydrolysis using Genetic Algorithm. Trends in parameters of this model reveal physical mechanism of ultrasound-induced enhancement of enzymatic hydrolysis. Sonication accelerates hydrolysis kinetics by ∼10-fold. This effect is contributed by several causes, attributed to intense micro-convection generated during sonication: (1) increase in reaction velocity, (2) increase in enzyme-substrate affinity, (3) reduction in product inhibition, and (4) enhancement of enzyme activity due to conformational changes in its secondary structure. Enhancement effect of sonication is revealed to be independent of conditions of enzymatic hydrolysis - whether optimum or non-optimum. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhanced near-infrared photoacoustic imaging of silica-coated rare-earth doped nanoparticles.

PubMed

Sheng, Yang; Liao, Lun-De; Bandla, Aishwarya; Liu, Yu-Hang; Yuan, Jun; Thakor, Nitish; Tan, Mei Chee

2017-01-01

Near-infrared photoacoustic (PA) imaging is an emerging diagnostic technology that utilizes the tissue transparent window to achieve improved contrast and spatial resolution for deep tissue imaging. In this study, we investigated the enhancement effect of the SiO 2 shell on the PA property of our core/shell rare-earth nanoparticles (REs) consisting of an active rare-earth doped core of NaYF 4 :Yb,Er (REDNPs) and an undoped NaYF 4 shell. We observed that the PA signal amplitude increased with SiO 2 shell thickness. Although the SiO 2 shell caused an observed decrease in the integrated fluorescence intensity due to the dilution effect, fluorescence quenching of the rare earth emitting ions within the REDNPs cores was successfully prevented by the undoped NaYF 4 shell. Therefore, our multilayer structure consisting of an active core with successive functional layers was demonstrated to be an effective design for dual-modal fluorescence and PA imaging probes with improved PA property. The result from this work addresses a critical need for the development of dual-modal contrast agent that advances deep tissue imaging with high resolution and signal-to-noise ratio. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Photoacoustic diagnosis of burns in rats: two-dimensional photo-acoustic imaging of burned tissue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamazaki, Mutsuo; Sato, Shunichi; Saito, Daizo; Okada, Yoshiaki; Kurita, Akira; Kikuchi, Makoto; Ashida, Hiroshi; Obara, Minoru

2003-06-01

We previously reported that for rat burn models, deep dermal burns and deep burns can be well differentiated by measuring the propagation time of the photoacoustic signals originated from the blood in the healthy skin tissue under the damaged tissue layer. However, the diagnosis was based on point measurement in the wound, and therefore site-dependent information on the injuries was not obtained; such information is very important for diagnosis of extended burns. In the present study, we scanned a photoacoustic detector on the wound and constructed two-dimensional (2-D) images of the blood-originated photoacoustic signals for superficial dermal burns (SDB), deep dermal burns (DDB), deep burns (DB), and healthy skins (control) in rats. For each burn model, site-dependent variation of the signal was observed; the variation probably reflects the distribution of blood vessels in the skin tissue. In spite of the variation, clear differentiation was obtained between SDB, DDB, and DB from the 2D images. The images were constructed as a function of post burn time. Temporal signal variation will be also presented.

Non-invasive molecular imaging for preclinical cancer therapeutic development

PubMed Central

O'Farrell, AC; Shnyder, SD; Marston, G; Coletta, PL; Gill, JH

2013-01-01

Molecular and non-invasive imaging are rapidly emerging fields in preclinical cancer drug discovery. This is driven by the need to develop more efficacious and safer treatments, the advent of molecular-targeted therapeutics, and the requirements to reduce and refine current preclinical in vivo models. Such bioimaging strategies include MRI, PET, single positron emission computed tomography, ultrasound, and optical approaches such as bioluminescence and fluorescence imaging. These molecular imaging modalities have several advantages over traditional screening methods, not least the ability to quantitatively monitor pharmacodynamic changes at the cellular and molecular level in living animals non-invasively in real time. This review aims to provide an overview of non-invasive molecular imaging techniques, highlighting the strengths, limitations and versatility of these approaches in preclinical cancer drug discovery and development. PMID:23488622

Facile fabrication of organic/inorganic nanotube heterojunction arrays for enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yingzhi; Li, Aoxiang; Yue, Xiaoqi; Wang, Lu-Ning; Huang, Zheng-Hong; Kang, Feiyu; Volinsky, Alex A.

2016-07-01

Organic/inorganic heterojunction photoanodes are appealing for making concurrent use of the highly photoactive organic semiconductors, and the efficient dielectric screening provided by their inorganic counterparts. In the present work, organic/inorganic nanotube heterojunction arrays composed of TiO2 nanotube arrays and a semiconducting N,N-(dicyclohexyl) perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic diimide (PDi) layer were fabricated for photoelectrochemical water splitting. In this arrayed architecture, a PDi layer with a tunable thickness was coated on anodic TiO2 nanotube arrays by physical vapor deposition, which is advantageous for the formation of a uniform layer and an adequate interface contact between PDi and TiO2. The obtained PDi/TiO2 junction exhibited broadened visible light absorption, and an effective interface for enhanced photogenerated electron-hole separation, which is supported by the reduced charge transfer resistance and prolonged excitation lifetime via impedance spectroscopy analysis and fluorescence emission decay investigations. Consequently, such a heterojunction photoanode was photoresponsive to a wide visible light region of 400-600 nm, and thus demonstrated a highly enhanced photocurrent density at 1.23 V vs. a reversible hydrogen electrode. Additionally, the durability of such a photoanode can be guaranteed after long-time illumination because of the geometrical restraint imposed by the PDi aggregates. These results pave the way to discover new organic/inorganic assemblies for high-performance photoelectric applications and device integration.Organic/inorganic heterojunction photoanodes are appealing for making concurrent use of the highly photoactive organic semiconductors, and the efficient dielectric screening provided by their inorganic counterparts. In the present work, organic/inorganic nanotube heterojunction arrays composed of TiO2 nanotube arrays and a semiconducting N,N-(dicyclohexyl) perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic diimide (PDi

Enhancement of the water flow velocity through carbon nanotubes resulting from the radius dependence of the friction due to electron excitations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sokoloff, J. B.

2018-03-01

Secchi et al. [Nature (London) 537, 210 (2016), 10.1038/nature19315] observed a large enhancement of the permeability and slip length in carbon nanotubes when the tube radius is of the order of 15 nm, but not in boron nitride nanotubes. It will be pointed out that none of the parameters that appear in the usual molecular dynamics treatments of water flow in carbon nanotubes have a length scale comparable to 15 nm, which could account for the observed flow velocity enhancement. It will be demonstrated here, however, that if the friction force between the water and the tube walls in carbon nanotubes is dominated by friction due to electron excitations in the tube walls, the enhanced flow can be accounted for by a reduction in the contribution to the friction due to electron excitations in the wall, resulting from the dependence of the electron energy band gap on the tube radius.

Low loading of carbon nanotubes to enhance acoustical properties of poly(ether)urethane foams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basirjafari, Sedigheh; Malekfar, Rasoul; Esmaielzadeh Khadem, Siamak

2012-11-01

The aim of this paper is to fabricate a sound absorber flexible semi-open cell polymeric foam based on polyether urethane (PEU) with carboxylic functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (COOH-MWCNTs) as an energy decaying filler at low loadings up to 0.20 wt. %. This paper provides the relationship between the mentioned foam microstructure via field emission scanning electron microscopy and different acoustical and non-acoustical properties of PEU/COOH-MWCNT composites. Addition of just 0.05 wt. % COOH-MWCNTs enhanced the sound absorption coefficient of the mentioned nanocomposite foam over the entire frequency range. Raman spectra revealed the better dispersion of COOH-MWCNTs in the PEU matrix leading to more stress transfer between them to cause a significant dissipation of energy.

Drug delivery monitoring by photoacoustic tomography with an ICG encapsulated double emulsion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xueding; Rajian, Justin R.; Fabiilli, Mario L.; Fowlkes, J. Brian; Carson, Paul L.

2012-02-01

We successfully encapsulated ICG in an ultrasound-triggerable perfluorocarbon double emulsion that prevents ICG from binding with plasma proteins. Photoacoustic spectral measurements on point target as well as 2-D photoacoustic images of blood vessels revealed that the photoacoustic spectrum changes significantly in blood when the ICG-loaded emulsion undergoes acoustic droplet vaporization (ADV), which is the conversion of liquid droplets into gas bubbles using ultrasound. Other than providing a new photoacoustic contrast agent, the ICG encapsulated double emulsion, when imaged with photoacoustic tomography, could facilitate spatial and quantitative monitoring of ultrasound initiated drug delivery.

An Alternative to Annealing TiO2 Nanotubes for Morphology Preservation: Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet Treatment.

PubMed

Seo, Sang-Hee; Uhm, Soo-Hyuk; Kwon, Jae-Sung; Choi, Eun Ha; Kim, Kwang-Mahn; Kim, Kyoung-Nam

2015-03-01

Titanium oxide nanotube layer formed by plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) is known to be excellent in biomaterial applications. However, the annealing process which is commonly performed on the TiO2 nanotubes cause defects in the nanotubular structure. The purpose of this work was to apply a non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma jet on diameter-controlled TiO2 nanotubes to mimic the effects of annealing while maintaining the tubular structure for use as biomaterial. Diameter-controlled nanotube samples fabricated by plasma electrolytic oxidation were dried and prepared under three different conditions: untreated, annealed at 450 °C for 1 h in air with a heating rate of 10 °C/min, and treated with an air-based non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma jet for 5 minutes. The contact angle measurement was investigated to confirm the enhanced hydrophilicity of the TiO2 nanotubes. The chemical composition of the surface was studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and the morphology of TiO2 nanotubes was examined by field emission scanning electron microscopy. For the viability of the cell, the attachment of the osteoblastic cell line MC3T3-E1 was determined using the water-soluble tetrazolium salt assay. We found that there are no morphological changes in the TiO2 nanotubular structure after the plasma treatment. Also, we investigated a change in the chemical composition and enhanced hydrophilicity which result in improved cell behavior. The results of this study indicated that the non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma jet results in osteoblast functionality that is comparable to annealed samples while maintaining the tubular structure of the TiO2 nanotubes. Therefore, this study concluded that the use of a non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma jet on nanotube surfaces may replace the annealing process following plasma electrolytic oxidation.

Enhanced shoot investment makes invasive plants exhibit growth advantages in high nitrogen conditions.

PubMed

Liu, X A; Peng, Y; Li, J J; Peng, P H

2018-03-12

Resource amendments commonly promote plant invasions, raising concerns over the potential consequences of nitrogen (N) deposition; however, it is unclear whether invaders will benefit from N deposition more than natives. Growth is among the most fundamental inherent traits of plants and thus good invaders may have superior growth advantages in response to resource amendments. We compared the growth and allocation between invasive and native plants in different N regimes including controls (ambient N concentrations). We found that invasive plants always grew much larger than native plants in varying N conditions, regardless of growth- or phylogeny-based analyses, and that the former allocated more biomass to shoots than the latter. Although N addition enhanced the growth of invasive plants, this enhancement did not increase with increasing N addition. Across invasive and native species, changes in shoot biomass allocation were positively correlated with changes in whole-plant biomass; and the slope of this relationship was greater in invasive plants than native plants. These findings suggest that enhanced shoot investment makes invasive plants retain a growth advantage in high N conditions relative to natives, and also highlight that future N deposition may increase the risks of plant invasions.

Video-rate functional photoacoustic microscopy at depths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Lidai; Maslov, Konstantin; Xing, Wenxin; Garcia-Uribe, Alejandro; Wang, Lihong V.

2012-10-01

We report the development of functional photoacoustic microscopy capable of video-rate high-resolution in vivo imaging in deep tissue. A lightweight photoacoustic probe is made of a single-element broadband ultrasound transducer, a compact photoacoustic beam combiner, and a bright-field light delivery system. Focused broadband ultrasound detection provides a 44-μm lateral resolution and a 28-μm axial resolution based on the envelope (a 15-μm axial resolution based on the raw RF signal). Due to the efficient bright-field light delivery, the system can image as deep as 4.8 mm in vivo using low excitation pulse energy (28 μJ per pulse, 0.35 mJ/cm2 on the skin surface). The photoacoustic probe is mounted on a fast-scanning voice-coil scanner to acquire 40 two-dimensional (2-D) B-scan images per second over a 9-mm range. High-resolution anatomical imaging is demonstrated in the mouse ear and brain. Via fast dual-wavelength switching, oxygen dynamics of mouse cardio-vasculature is imaged in realtime as well.

Photoacoustic spectral characterization of perfluorocarbon droplets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strohm, Eric; Gorelikov, Ivan; Matsuura, Naomi; Kolios, Michael

2012-02-01

Perfluorocarbon droplets containing optical absorbing nanoparticles have been developed for use as theranostic agents (for both imaging and therapy) and as dual-mode contrast agents. Droplets can be used as photoacoustic contrast agents, vaporized via optical irradiation, then the resulting bubbles can be used as ultrasound imaging and therapeutic agents. The photoacoustic signals from micron-sized droplets containing silica coated gold nanospheres were measured using ultra-high frequencies (100-1000 MHz). The spectra of droplets embedded in a gelatin phantom were compared to a theoretical model which calculates the pressure wave from a spherical homogenous liquid undergoing thermoelastic expansion resulting from laser absorption. The location of the spectral features of the theoretical model and experimental spectra were in agreement after accounting for increases in the droplet sound speed with frequency. The agreement between experiment and model indicate that droplets (which have negligible optical absorption in the visible and infrared spectra by themselves) emitted pressure waves related to the droplet composition and size, and was independent of the physical characteristics of the optical absorbing nanoparticles. The diameter of individual droplets was calculated using three independent methods: the time domain photoacoustic signal, the time domain pulse echo ultrasound signal, and a fit to the photoacoustic model, then compared to the diameter as measured by optical microscopy. It was found the photoacoustic and ultrasound methods calculated diameters an average of 2.6% of each other, and 8.8% lower than that measured using optical microscopy. The discrepancy between the calculated diameters and the optical measurements may be due to the difficulty in resolving the droplet edges after being embedded in the translucent gelatin medium.

Melanin-originated carbonaceous dots for triple negative breast cancer diagnosis by fluorescence and photoacoustic dual-mode imaging.

PubMed

Xiao, Wei; Li, Yuan; Hu, Chuan; Huang, Yuan; He, Qin; Gao, Huile

2017-07-01

Carbonaceous dots exhibit increasing applications in diagnosis and drug delivery due to excellent photostability and biocompatibility properties. However, relative short excitation and emission of melanin carbonaceous dots (MCDs) limit the applicability in fluorescence bioimaging. Furthermore, the generally poor spatial resolution of fluorescence imaging limits potential in vivo applications. Due to a variety of beneficial properties, in this study, MCDs were prepared exhibiting great potential in fluorescence and photoacoustic dual-mode bioimaging. The MCDs exhibited a long excitation peak at 615nm and emission peak at 650nm, further highlighting the applicability in fluorescence imaging, while the absorbance peak at 633nm renders MCDs suitable for photoacoustic imaging. In vivo, the photoacoustic signal of MCDs was linearly correlated with the concentration of MCDs. Moreover, the MCDs were shown to be taken up into triple negative breast cancer cell line 4T1 in both a time- and concentration-dependent manner. In vivo fluorescence and photoacoustic imaging of subcutaneous 4T1 tumor demonstrated that MCDs could passively target triple negative breast cancer tissue by enhanced permeability and retention effects and may therefore be used for tumor dual-mode imaging. Furthermore, fluorescence distribution in tissue slices suggested that MCDs may distribute in 4T1 tumor with high efficacy. In conclusion, the MCDs studied offer potential application in fluorescence and photoacoustic dual-mode imaging. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Highly enhanced electrochemical activity of Ni foam electrodes decorated with nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes for non-aqueous redox flow batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jungkuk; Park, Min-Sik; Kim, Ki Jae

2017-02-01

Nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (NCNTs) are directly grown on the surface of a three-dimensional (3D) Ni foam substrate by floating catalytic chemical vapor deposition (FCCVD). The electrochemical properties of the 3D NCNT-Ni foam are thoroughly examined as a potential electrode for non-aqueous redox flow batteries (RFBs). During synthesis, nitrogen atoms can be successfully doped onto the carbon nanotube (CNT) lattices by forming an abundance of nitrogen-based functional groups. The 3D NCNT-Ni foam electrode exhibits excellent electrochemical activities toward the redox reactions of [Fe (bpy)3]2+/3+ (in anolyte) and [Co(bpy)3]+/2+ (in catholyte), which are mainly attributed to the hierarchical 3D structure of the NCNT-Ni foam electrode and the catalytic effect of nitrogen atoms doped onto the CNTs; this leads to faster mass transfer and charge transfer during operation. As a result, the RFB cell assembled with 3D NCNT-Ni foam electrodes exhibits a high energy efficiency of 80.4% in the first cycle; this performance is maintained up to the 50th cycle without efficiency loss.

Functional materials based on carbon nanotubes: Carbon nanotube actuators and noncovalent carbon nanotube modification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fifield, Leonard S.

Carbon nanotubes have attractive inherent properties that encourage the development of new functional materials and devices based on them. The use of single wall carbon nanotubes as electromechanical actuators takes advantage of the high mechanical strength, surface area and electrical conductivity intrinsic to these molecules. The work presented here investigates the mechanisms that have been discovered for actuation of carbon nanotube paper: electrostatic, quantum chemical charge injection, pneumatic and viscoelastic. A home-built apparatus for the measurement of actuation strain is developed and utilized in the investigation. An optical fiber switch, the first demonstrated macro-scale device based on the actuation of carbon nanotubes, is described and its performance evaluated. Also presented here is a new general process designed to modify the surface of carbon nanotubes in a non-covalent, non-destructive way. This method can be used to impart new functionalities to carbon nanotube samples for a variety of applications including sensing, solar energy conversion and chemical separation. The process described involves the achievement of large degrees of graphitic surface coverage with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons through the use of supercritical fluids. These molecules are bifunctional agents that anchor a desired chemical group to the aromatic surface of the carbon nanotubes without adversely disrupting the conjugated backbone that gives rise the attractive electronic and physical properties of the nanotubes. Both the nanotube functionalization work and the actuator work presented here emphasize how an understanding and control of nanoscale structure and phenomena can be of vital importance in achieving desired performance for active materials. Opportunities for new devices with improved function over current state-of-the-art can be envisioned and anticipated based on this understanding and control.

Photoacoustic Studies on Iodine.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhan, Avtar N.

A photoacoustic cavity was constructed which employs a temperature-controlled cylindrical cavity with optical windows at either end. It was operated in the lowest longitudinal mode using a small electret microphone for detecting the acoustic signal and a photomultiplier tube for detecting the optical signal. Molecular Iodine was used as the specimen gas and argon as the buffer gas. The photoacoustic characteristics of the system were studied. Iodine molecules, excited periodically by intensity modulated optical radiation (xenon discharge), de-excited by non-radiative processes which result in pressure waves having the same modulation frequency as that of the light. These pressure waves are detected as acoustical pulses by the microphone situated in the wall of the cavity. Studies were conducted for different pressures of buffer gas (100 torr to 800 torr) at several different Iodine pressures in the range between 0.3 and 1 torr. The longitudinal mode of excitation provides an opportunity to compare the response of the cavity under acoustical excitation with that under optical excitation. The relevant parameters in the investigation were: Q, the quality factor of the cavity; the resonant frequency, partial pressures of argon and Iodine; temperature; and the signal amplitude. It was found that the Q of the cavity was well -behaved following the theoretically predicted dependence on SQRT.(P and on T('- 3/4). The absorption coefficient of Iodine determined photometrically, increased with increasing argon pressure up to a limiting value of pressure that depended on Iodine concentration. The photoacoustic signal showed a similar increase with increasing argon pressure. This signal reached a limiting value at a pressure which corresponded closely with that found optically. This is taken to indicate that the extinction coefficient of Iodine in argon, at the level of dilution used in these studies, depends on the argon pressure. A method was developed for measuring the

Fabrication of doped TiO2 nanotube array films with enhanced photo-catalytic activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peighambardoust, Naeimeh-Sadat; Khameneh-asl, Shahin; Khademi, Adib

2018-01-01

In the present work, we investigate the N and Fe-doped TiO2 nanotube array film prepared by treating TiO2 nanotube array film with ammonia solution and anodizing in Fe(NO3)3 solution respectively. This method avoided the use of hazardous ammonia gas, or laborious ion implantation process. N and Fe-doped TiO2 nanotube arrays (TiO2 NTs) were prepared by electrochemical anodization process in 0.5 wt % HF aqueous solution. The anodization was performed at the conditions of 20 V and 20 min, Followed by a wet immersion in NH3.H2O (1M) for N-doping for 2 hr and annealing post-treatment at 450 °C. The morphology and structure of the nanotube films were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and EDX. UV-vis. illumination test were done to observe photo-enhanced catalysis. The effect of different annealing temperature on the structure and photo-absorption property of the TiO2-TNTs was investigated. The results showed that N-TNTs nanotubes exhibited higher photocatalytic activity compared whit the Fe-doped and pure TNTs, because doping N promoted the separation of the photogenerated electrons and holes.

Photoacoustic and luminescence spectroscopy of benzil crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonno, B.; Laporte, J. L.; Rousset, Y.

1991-06-01

In the present work, both photoacoustic and luminescence techniques were employed to study molecular crystals. This paper presents an extension of the standard Rosencwaig-Gersho photoacoustic model to molecular crystals, which includes finite-deexcitation-time effects and excited-state populations. In the temperature range 100-300 K, the phosphorescence quantum yield and thermal diffusivity of benzil crystals were determined.

Novel CuS-based nanoprobes for photoacoustic molecular imaging in the second near-infrared region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Zhen; Gao, Duyang

2018-02-01

In this work, protein-modified hydrophilic copper sufide (CuS) nanotriangles with tunable absorption in the second near-infrared (NIR-II) region are developed, which can be served as contrast agents for enhanced in vivo photoacoustic imaging. In vitro and in vivo toxicity analysis are also performed, which show that the nanoprobes are biocompatible for most of the test cases. As a result, the nanoprones is able to pave a new avenue for improving the photoacoustic imaigng contrast and penetration depth in cancer detection. It should be pointed out that other functional blocks may also be linked on it, which makes it a general method to design multifunctional nanoprobes.

Efficient silver modification of TiO2 nanotubes with enhanced photocatalytic activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Jing; Ding, Lei; Xi, Yaoning; Shi, Liang; Su, Ge; Gao, Rongjie; Wang, Wei; Dong, Bohua; Cao, Lixin

2018-06-01

In this paper, Ag(CH3NH2)2+, Ag(NH3)2+ and Ag+ with different radii have been used as silver sources to find out the distribution of Ag ions on the H-TNT surface, which is critical to the final performance. The influence of this distribution on visible photocatalytic activity is further studied. The results indicate that, when Ag+ used as silver source with low concentration, these small sized silver ions mainly distribute on interlayer spacing of H-TNT. After heat-treatment and photo-reduction, the generated silver nanoparticles uniformly embed in the anatase TiO2 nanotube walls, and bring large interfacial area between Ag particles and TiO2 nanotubes. The separation effect of photogenerated electron-hole pair in TiO2 is enhanced by Ag particles, and achieves the best at 0.15 g/L, much higher than P25, TiO2/0, Ag-N@TiO2 and Ag-C-N@TiO2. This paper provides new ideas for the modification of TiO2 nanotubes.

A diagnostic system for articular cartilage using non-destructive pulsed laser irradiation.

PubMed

Sato, Masato; Ishihara, Miya; Kikuchi, Makoto; Mochida, Joji

2011-07-01

Osteoarthritis involves dysfunction caused by cartilage degeneration, but objective evaluation methodologies based on the original function of the articular cartilage remain unavailable. Evaluations for osteoarthritis are mostly based simply on patient symptoms or the degree of joint space narrowing on X-ray images. Accurate measurement and quantitative evaluation of the mechanical characteristics of the cartilage is important, and the tissue properties of the original articular cartilage must be clarified to understand the pathological condition in detail and to correctly judge the efficacy of treatment. We have developed new methods to measure some essential properties of cartilage: a photoacoustic measurement method; and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. A nanosecond-pulsed laser, which is completely non-destructive, is focused onto the target cartilage and induces a photoacoustic wave that will propagate with attenuation and is affected by the viscoelasticity of the surrounding cartilage. We also investigated whether pulsed laser irradiation and the measurement of excited autofluorescence allow real-time, non-invasive evaluation of tissue characteristics. The decay time, during which the amplitude of the photoacoustic wave is reduced by a factor of 1/e, represents the key numerical value used to characterize and evaluate the viscoelasticity and rheological behavior of the cartilage. Our findings show that time-resolved laser-induced autofluorescence spectroscopy (TR-LIFS) is useful for evaluating tissue-engineered cartilage. Photoacoustic measurement and TR-LIFS, predicated on the interactions between optics and living organs, is a suitable methodology for diagnosis during arthroscopy, allowing quantitative and multidirectional evaluation of the original function of the cartilage based on a variety of parameters. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Cellular phone enabled non-invasive tissue classifier.

PubMed

Laufer, Shlomi; Rubinsky, Boris

2009-01-01

Cellular phone technology is emerging as an important tool in the effort to provide advanced medical care to the majority of the world population currently without access to such care. In this study, we show that non-invasive electrical measurements and the use of classifier software can be combined with cellular phone technology to produce inexpensive tissue characterization. This concept was demonstrated by the use of a Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier to distinguish through the cellular phone between heart and kidney tissue via the non-invasive multi-frequency electrical measurements acquired around the tissues. After the measurements were performed at a remote site, the raw data were transmitted through the cellular phone to a central computational site and the classifier was applied to the raw data. The results of the tissue analysis were returned to the remote data measurement site. The classifiers correctly determined the tissue type with a specificity of over 90%. When used for the detection of malignant tumors, classifiers can be designed to produce false positives in order to ensure that no tumors will be missed. This mode of operation has applications in remote non-invasive tissue diagnostics in situ in the body, in combination with medical imaging, as well as in remote diagnostics of biopsy samples in vitro.

Cellular Phone Enabled Non-Invasive Tissue Classifier

PubMed Central

Laufer, Shlomi; Rubinsky, Boris

2009-01-01

Cellular phone technology is emerging as an important tool in the effort to provide advanced medical care to the majority of the world population currently without access to such care. In this study, we show that non-invasive electrical measurements and the use of classifier software can be combined with cellular phone technology to produce inexpensive tissue characterization. This concept was demonstrated by the use of a Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier to distinguish through the cellular phone between heart and kidney tissue via the non-invasive multi-frequency electrical measurements acquired around the tissues. After the measurements were performed at a remote site, the raw data were transmitted through the cellular phone to a central computational site and the classifier was applied to the raw data. The results of the tissue analysis were returned to the remote data measurement site. The classifiers correctly determined the tissue type with a specificity of over 90%. When used for the detection of malignant tumors, classifiers can be designed to produce false positives in order to ensure that no tumors will be missed. This mode of operation has applications in remote non-invasive tissue diagnostics in situ in the body, in combination with medical imaging, as well as in remote diagnostics of biopsy samples in vitro. PMID:19365554

Non-invasive reproductive and stress endocrinology in amphibian conservation physiology

PubMed Central

Narayan, E. J.

2013-01-01

Non-invasive endocrinology utilizes non-invasive biological samples (such as faeces, urine, hair, aquatic media, and saliva) for the quantification of hormones in wildlife. Urinary-based enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and radio-immunoassay have enabled the rapid quantification of reproductive and stress hormones in amphibians (Anura: Amphibia). With minimal disturbance, these methods can be used to assess the ovarian and testicular endocrine functions as well as physiological stress in captive and free-living populations. Non-invasive endocrine monitoring has therefore greatly advanced our knowledge of the functioning of the stress endocrine system (the hypothalamo–pituitary–interrenal axis) and the reproductive endocrine system (the hypothalamo–pituitary–gonadal axis) in the amphibian physiological stress response, reproductive ecology, health and welfare, and survival. Biological (physiological) validation is necessary for obtaining the excretory lag time of hormone metabolites. Urinary-based EIA for the major reproductive hormones, estradiol and progesterone in females and testosterone in males, can be used to track the reproductive hormone profiles in relationship to reproductive behaviour and environmental data in free-living anurans. Urinary-based corticosterone metabolite EIA can be used to assess the sublethal impacts of biological stressors (such as invasive species and pathogenic diseases) as well as anthropogenic induced environmental stressors (e.g. extreme temperatures) on free-living populations. Non-invasive endocrine methods can also assist in the diagnosis of success or failure of captive breeding programmes by measuring the longitudinal patterns of changes in reproductive hormones and corticosterone within captive anurans and comparing the endocrine profiles with health records and reproductive behaviour. This review paper focuses on the reproductive and the stress endocrinology of anurans and demonstrates the uses of non-invasive endocrinology

Review of invasive urodynamics and progress towards non-invasive measurements in the assessment of bladder outlet obstruction

PubMed Central

Griffiths, C. J.; Pickard, R. S.

2009-01-01

Objective: This article defines the need for objective measurements to help diagnose the cause of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). It describes the conventional techniques available, mainly invasive, and then summarizes the emerging range of non-invasive measurement techniques. Methods: This is a narrative review derived form the clinical and scientific knowledge of the authors together with consideration of selected literature. Results: Consideration of measured bladder pressure urinary flow rate during voiding in an invasive pressure flow study is considered the gold standard for categorization of bladder outlet obstruction (BOO). The diagnosis is currently made by plotting the detrusor pressure at maximum flow (pdetQmax) and maximum flow rate (Qmax) on the nomogram approved by the International Continence Society. This plot will categorize the void as obstructed, equivocal or unobstructed. The invasive and relatively complex nature of this investigation has led to a number of inventive techniques to categorize BOO either by measuring bladder pressure non-invasively or by providing a proxy measure such as bladder weight. Conclusion: Non-invasive methods of diagnosing BOO show great promise and a few have reached the stage of being commercially available. Further studies are however needed to validate the measurement technique and assess their worth in the assessment of men with LUTS. PMID:19468436

Multiple speckle illumination for optical-resolution photoacoustic imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poisson, Florian; Stasio, Nicolino; Moser, Christophe; Psaltis, Demetri; Bossy, Emmanuel

2017-03-01

Optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy offers exquisite and specific contrast to optical absorption. Conventional approaches generally involves raster scanning a focused spot over the sample. Here, we demonstrate that a full-field illumination approach with multiple speckle illumination can also provide diffraction-limited optical-resolution photoacoustic images. Two different proof-of-concepts are demonstrated with micro-structured test samples. The first approach follows the principle of correlation/ghost imaging,1, 2 and is based on cross-correlating photoacoustic signals under multiple speckle illumination with known speckle patterns measured during a calibration step. The second approach is a speckle scanning microscopy technique, which adapts the technique proposed in fluorescence microscopy by Bertolotti and al.:3 in our work, spatially unresolved photoacoustic measurements are performed for various translations of unknown speckle patterns. A phase-retrieval algorithm is used to reconstruct the object from the knowledge of the modulus of its Fourier Transform yielded by the measurements. Because speckle patterns naturally appear in many various situations, including propagation through biological tissue or multi-mode fibers (for which focusing light is either very demanding if not impossible), speckle-illumination-based photoacoustic microscopy provides a powerful framework for the development of novel reconstruction approaches, well-suited to compressed sensing approaches.2

Transport of polar and non-polar solvents through a carbon nanotube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chopra, Manish; Phatak, Rohan; Choudhury, N.

2013-02-01

Transport of water through narrow pores is important in chemistry, biology and material science. In this work, we employ atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to carry out a comparative study of the transport of a polar and a non-polar solvent through a carbon nanotube (CNT). The flow of water as well as methane through the nanotube is estimated in terms of number of translocation events and is compared. Transport events occurred in bursts of unidirectional translocation pulses in both the cases. Probability density and cumulative probability distribution functions are obtained for the translocated particles and particles coming out from same side with respect to the time they spent in the nano channel.

In situ photoacoustic characterization for porous silicon growing: Detection principles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramirez-Gutierrez, C. F.; Castaño-Yepes, J. D.; Rodriguez-García, M. E.

2016-05-01

There are a few methodologies for monitoring the in-situ formation of Porous Silicon (PS). One of the methodologies is photoacoustic. Previous works that reported the use of photoacoustic to study the PS formation do not provide the physical explanation of the origin of the signal. In this paper, a physical explanation of the origin of the photoacoustic signal during the PS etching is provided. The incident modulated radiation and changes in the reflectance are taken as thermal sources. In this paper, a useful methodology is proposed to determine the etching rate, porosity, and refractive index of a PS film by the determination of the sample thickness, using scanning electron microscopy images. This method was developed by carrying out two different experiments using the same anodization conditions. The first experiment consisted of growth of the samples with different etching times to prove the periodicity of the photoacoustic signal, while the second one considered the growth samples using three different wavelengths that are correlated with the period of the photoacoustic signal. The last experiment showed that the period of the photoacoustic signal is proportional to the laser wavelength.

In situ photoacoustic characterization for porous silicon growing: Detection principles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ramirez-Gutierrez, C. F.; Licenciatura en Ingeniería Física, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, C. P. 76010 Querétaro, Qro.; Castaño-Yepes, J. D.

There are a few methodologies for monitoring the in-situ formation of Porous Silicon (PS). One of the methodologies is photoacoustic. Previous works that reported the use of photoacoustic to study the PS formation do not provide the physical explanation of the origin of the signal. In this paper, a physical explanation of the origin of the photoacoustic signal during the PS etching is provided. The incident modulated radiation and changes in the reflectance are taken as thermal sources. In this paper, a useful methodology is proposed to determine the etching rate, porosity, and refractive index of a PS film bymore » the determination of the sample thickness, using scanning electron microscopy images. This method was developed by carrying out two different experiments using the same anodization conditions. The first experiment consisted of growth of the samples with different etching times to prove the periodicity of the photoacoustic signal, while the second one considered the growth samples using three different wavelengths that are correlated with the period of the photoacoustic signal. The last experiment showed that the period of the photoacoustic signal is proportional to the laser wavelength.« less

A strategy to measure electrophysiological changes with photoacoustic imaging (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sepela, Rebecka J.; Sherlock, Benjamin E.; Tian, Lin; Marcu, Laura; Sack, Jon

2017-03-01

Photoacoustic imaging is an emerging technology capable of both functional and structural biological imaging. Absorption and scattering in tissue limit the penetration depth of conventional microscopy techniques to <1mm. Photoacoustic imaging however, can offer high-resolution and contrast at depths of several centimeters. Though functional imaging of endogenous contrast agents, such as hemoglobin, is widely implemented, currently photoacoustic imaging is unable to functionally report electrophysiological changes within cells. We aim to develop photoacoustic contrast agents to fulfill this need. Cells throughout the brain and body create electrical signals using ion channel proteins. These proteins undergo structural changes to regulate the flux of salt ions into the cell. We have recently developed ion channel activity tracers that dissociate from ion channels after the protein changes structure. By conjugating the tracer to dyes that are sensitive to changes in their chemical environment, we can detect tracer dissociation and therefore ion channel activity. We are exploring whether a similar mechanism can create photoacoustic signal intensity changes. To test if the environmental sensitivity of the dye is photoacoustically distinguishable, we imaged the dye in different solvent backgrounds. We report that manipulation of the chemical environment of the contrast dye results in robust changes in photoacoustic properties. We are working to capture photoacoustic signal changes that occur when ion channel proteins activate using live cell imaging. This technology could permit photoacoustic imaging of electrophysiological dynamics in deep tissue, such as the brain. Further optimization of this technology could lead to concurrent imaging of neural activity and hemodynamic responses, a crucial step towards understanding neurovascular coupling in the brain.

Photoacoustically-guided photothermal killing of mosquitoes targeted by nanoparticles.

PubMed

Foster, Stephen R; Galanzha, Ekaterina I; Totten, Daniel C; Beneš, Helen; Shmookler Reis, Robert J; Zharov, Vladimir P

2014-07-01

In biomedical applications, nanoparticles have demonstrated the potential to eradicate abnormal cells in small localized pathological zones associated with cancer or infections. Here, we introduce a method for nanotechnology-based photothermal (PT) killing of whole organisms considered harmful to humans or the environment. We demonstrate that laser-induced thermal, and accompanying nano- and microbubble phenomena, can injure or kill C. elegans and mosquitoes fed carbon nanotubes, gold nanospheres, gold nanoshells, or magnetic nanoparticles at laser energies that are safe for humans. In addition, a photoacoustic (PA) effect was used to control nanoparticle delivery. Through the integration of this technique with molecular targeting, nanoparticle clustering, magnetic capturing and spectral sharpening of PA and PT plasmonic resonances, our laser-based PA-PT nano-theranostic platform can be applied to detection and the physical destruction of small organisms and carriers of pathogens, such as malaria vectors, spiders, bed bugs, fleas, ants, locusts, grasshoppers, phytophagous mites, or other arthropod pests, irrespective of their resistance to conventional treatments. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

MicroRNA and protein profiles in invasive versus non-invasive oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma cells in vitro

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Korvala, Johanna, E-mail: johanna.korvala@oulu.fi; Jee, Kowan; Department of Pathology, Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki, Helsinki

Complex molecular pathways regulate cancer invasion. This study overviewed proteins and microRNAs (miRNAs) involved in oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) invasion. The human highly aggressive OTSCC cell line HSC-3 was examined in a 3D organotypic human leiomyoma model. Non-invasive and invasive cells were laser-captured and protein expression was analyzed using mass spectrometry-based proteomics and miRNA expression by microarray. In functional studies the 3D invasion assay was replicated after silencing candidate miRNAs, miR-498 and miR-940, in invasive OTSCC cell lines (HSC-3 and SCC-15). Cell migration, proliferation and viability were also studied in the silenced cells. In HSC-3 cells, 67 proteinsmore » and 53 miRNAs showed significant fold-changes between non-invasive vs. invasive cells. Pathway enrichment analyses allocated “Focal adhesion” and “ECM-receptor interaction” as most important for invasion. Significantly, in HSC-3 cells, miR-498 silencing decreased the invasion area and miR-940 silencing reduced invasion area and depth. Viability, proliferation and migration weren’t significantly affected. In SCC-15 cells, down-regulation of miR-498 significantly reduced invasion and migration. This study shows HSC-3 specific miRNA and protein expression in invasion, and suggests that miR-498 and miR-940 affect invasion in vitro, the process being more influenced by mir-940 silencing in aggressive HSC-3 cells than in the less invasive SCC-15.« less

Enhanced Single-Photon Emission from Carbon-Nanotube Dopant States Coupled to Silicon Microcavities.

PubMed

Ishii, Akihiro; He, Xiaowei; Hartmann, Nicolai F; Machiya, Hidenori; Htoon, Han; Doorn, Stephen K; Kato, Yuichiro K

2018-06-13

Single-walled carbon nanotubes are a promising material as quantum light sources at room temperature and as nanoscale light sources for integrated photonic circuits on silicon. Here, we show that the integration of dopant states in carbon nanotubes and silicon microcavities can provide bright and high-purity single-photon emitters on a silicon photonics platform at room temperature. We perform photoluminescence spectroscopy and observe the enhancement of emission from the dopant states by a factor of ∼50, and cavity-enhanced radiative decay is confirmed using time-resolved measurements, in which a ∼30% decrease of emission lifetime is observed. The statistics of photons emitted from the cavity-coupled dopant states are investigated by photon-correlation measurements, and high-purity single photon generation is observed. The excitation power dependence of photon emission statistics shows that the degree of photon antibunching can be kept high even when the excitation power increases, while the single-photon emission rate can be increased to ∼1.7 × 10 7 Hz.

Detecting occlusion inside a ventricular catheter using photoacoustic imaging through skull

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tavakoli, Behnoosh; Guo, Xiaoyu; Taylor, Russell H.; Kang, Jin U.; Boctor, Emad M.

2014-03-01

Ventricular catheters are used to treat hydrocephalus by diverting the excess of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to the reabsorption site so as to regulate the intracranial pressure. The failure rate of these shunts is extremely high due to the ingrown tissue that blocks the CSF flow. We have studied a method to image the occlusion inside the shunt through the skull. In this approach the pulsed laser light coupled to the optical fiber illuminate the occluding tissue inside the catheter and an external ultrasound transducer is applied to detect the generated photoacoustic signal. The feasibility of this method is investigated using a phantom made of ovis aries brain tissue and adult human skull. We were able to image the target inside the shunt located 20mm deep inside the brain through about 4mm thick skull bone. This study could lead to the development of a simple, safe and non-invasive device for percutaneous restoration of patency to occluded shunts. This will eliminate the need of the surgical replacement of the occluded catheters which expose the patients to risks including hemorrhage and brain injury.

Photoacoustic sample vessel and method of elevated pressure operation

DOEpatents

Autrey, Tom; Yonker, Clement R.

2004-05-04

An improved photoacoustic vessel and method of photoacoustic analysis. The photoacoustic sample vessel comprises an acoustic detector, an acoustic couplant, and an acoustic coupler having a chamber for holding the acoustic couplant and a sample. The acoustic couplant is selected from the group consisting of liquid, solid, and combinations thereof. Passing electromagnetic energy through the sample generates an acoustic signal within the sample, whereby the acoustic signal propagates through the sample to and through the acoustic couplant to the acoustic detector.

Sentinel lymph nodes and lymphatic vessels: noninvasive dual-modality in vivo mapping by using indocyanine green in rats--volumetric spectroscopic photoacoustic imaging and planar fluorescence imaging.

PubMed

Kim, Chulhong; Song, Kwang Hyun; Gao, Feng; Wang, Lihong V

2010-05-01

To noninvasively map sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) and lymphatic vessels in rats in vivo by using dual-modality nonionizing imaging-volumetric spectroscopic photoacoustic imaging, which measures optical absorption, and planar fluorescence imaging, which measures fluorescent emission-of indocyanine green (ICG). Institutional animal care and use committee approval was obtained. Healthy Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 250-420 g (age range, 60-120 days) were imaged by using volumetric photoacoustic imaging (n = 5) and planar fluorescence imaging (n = 3) before and after injection of 1 mmol/L ICG. Student paired t tests based on a logarithmic scale were performed to evaluate the change in photoacoustic signal enhancement of SLNs and lymphatic vessels before and after ICG injection. The spatial resolutions of both imaging systems were compared at various imaging depths (2-8 mm) by layering additional biologic tissues on top of the rats in vivo. Spectroscopic photoacoustic imaging was applied to identify ICG-dyed SLNs. In all five rats examined with photoacoustic imaging, SLNs were clearly visible, with a mean signal enhancement of 5.9 arbitrary units (AU) + or - 1.8 (standard error of the mean) (P < .002) at 0.2 hour after injection, while lymphatic vessels were seen in four of the five rats, with a signal enhancement of 4.3 AU + or - 0.6 (P = .001). In all three rats examined with fluorescence imaging, SLNs and lymphatic vessels were seen. The average full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the SLNs in the photoacoustic images at three imaging depths (2, 6, and 8 mm) was 2.0 mm + or - 0.2 (standard deviation), comparable to the size of a dissected lymph node as measured with a caliper. However, the FWHM of the SLNs in fluorescence images widened from 8 to 22 mm as the imaging depth increased, owing to strong light scattering. SLNs were identified spectroscopically in photoacoustic images. These two modalities, when used together with ICG, have the potential to help map SLNs in

Photoacoustic lifetime contrast between methylene blue monomers and self-quenched dimers as a model for dual-labeled activatable probes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morgounova, Ekaterina; Shao, Qi; Hackel, Benjamin J.; Thomas, David D.; Ashkenazi, Shai

2013-05-01

Activatable photoacoustic probes efficiently combine the high spatial resolution and penetration depth of ultrasound with the high optical contrast and versatility of molecular imaging agents. Our approach is based on photoacoustic probing of the excited-state lifetime of methylene blue (MB), a fluorophore widely used in clinical therapeutic and diagnostic applications. Upon aggregation, static quenching between the bound molecules dramatically shortens their lifetime by three orders of magnitude. We present preliminary results demonstrating the ability of photoacoustic imaging to probe the lifetime contrast between monomers and dimers with high sensitivity in cylindrical phantoms. Gradual dimerization enhancement, driven by the addition of increasing concentrations of sodium sulfate to a MB solution, showed that lifetime-based photoacoustic probing decreases linearly with monomer concentration. Similarly, the addition of 4 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate, a concentration that amplifies MB aggregation and reduces the monomer concentration by more than 20-fold, led to a signal decrease of more than 20 dB compared to a solution free of surfactant. These results suggest that photoacoustic imaging can be used to selectively detect the presence of monomers. We conclude by discussing the implementation of the monomer-dimer contrast mechanism for the development of an enzyme-specific activatable probe.

A review of invasive and non-invasive sensory feedback in upper limb prostheses.

PubMed

Svensson, Pamela; Wijk, Ulrika; Björkman, Anders; Antfolk, Christian

2017-06-01

The constant challenge to restore sensory feedback in prosthetic hands has provided several research solutions, but virtually none has reached clinical fruition. A prosthetic hand with sensory feedback that closely imitates an intact hand and provides a natural feeling may induce the prosthetic hand to be included in the body image and also reinforces the control of the prosthesis. Areas covered: This review presents non-invasive sensory feedback systems such as mechanotactile, vibrotactile, electrotactile and combinational systems which combine the modalities; multi-haptic feedback. Invasive sensory feedback has been tried less, because of the inherent risk, but it has successfully shown to restore some afferent channels. In this review, invasive methods are also discussed, both extraneural and intraneural electrodes, such as cuff electrodes and transverse intrafascicular multichannel electrodes. The focus of the review is on non-invasive methods of providing sensory feedback to upper-limb amputees. Expert commentary: Invoking embodiment has shown to be of importance for the control of prosthesis and acceptance by the prosthetic wearers. It is a challenge to provide conscious feedback to cover the lost sensibility of a hand, not be overwhelming and confusing for the user, and to integrate technology within the constraint of a wearable prosthesis.

Non-invasive diagnosis of advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis

PubMed Central

Sharma, Suraj; Khalili, Korosh; Nguyen, Geoffrey Christopher

2014-01-01

Liver cirrhosis is a common and growing public health problem globally. The diagnosis of cirrhosis portends an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Liver biopsy is considered the gold standard for diagnosis of cirrhosis and staging of fibrosis. However, despite its universal use, liver biopsy is an invasive and inaccurate gold standard with numerous drawbacks. In order to overcome the limitations of liver biopsy, a number of non-invasive techniques have been investigated for the assessment of cirrhosis. This review will focus on currently available non-invasive markers of cirrhosis. The evidence behind the use of these markers will be highlighted, along with an assessment of diagnostic accuracy and performance characteristics of each test. Non-invasive markers of cirrhosis can be radiologic or serum-based. Radiologic techniques based on ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging and elastography have been used to assess liver fibrosis. Serum-based biomarkers of cirrhosis have also been developed. These are broadly classified into indirect and direct markers. Indirect biomarkers reflect liver function, which may decline with the onset of cirrhosis. Direct biomarkers, reflect extracellular matrix turnover, and include molecules involved in hepatic fibrogenesis. On the whole, radiologic and serum markers of fibrosis correlate well with biopsy scores, especially when excluding cirrhosis or excluding fibrosis. This feature is certainly clinically useful, and avoids liver biopsy in many cases. PMID:25492996

Ultrasound to video registration using a bi-plane transrectal probe with photoacoustic markers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Alexis; Kang, Hyun Jae; Zhang, Haichong K.; Taylor, Russell H.; Boctor, Emad M.

2016-03-01

Modern surgical scenarios typically provide surgeons with additional information through fusion of video and other imaging modalities. To provide this information, the tools and devices used in surgery must be registered together with interventional guidance equipment and surgical navigation systems. In this work, we focus explicitly on registering ultrasound with a stereo camera system using photoacoustic markers. Previous work has shown that photoacoustic markers can be used in this registration task to achieve target registration errors lower than the current available systems. Photoacoustic markers are defined as a set of non-collinear laser spots projected onto some surface. They can be simultaneously visualized by a stereo camera system and an ultrasound transducer because of the photoacoustic effect. In more recent work, the three-dimensional ultrasound volume was replaced by images from a single ultrasound image pose from a convex array transducer. The feasibility of this approach was demonstrated, but the accuracy was lacking due to the physical limitations of the convex array transducer. In this work, we propose the use of a bi-plane transrectal ultrasound transducer. The main advantage of using this type of transducer is that the ultrasound elements are no longer restricted to a single plane. While this development would be limited to prostate applications, liver and kidney applications are also feasible if a suitable transducer is built. This work is demonstrated in two experiments, one without photoacoustic sources and one with. The resulting target registration error for these experiments were 1.07mm±0.35mm and 1.27mm+/-0.47mm respectively, both of which are better than current available navigation systems.

Fiber-Laser-Based Ultrasound Sensor for Photoacoustic Imaging

PubMed Central

Liang, Yizhi; Jin, Long; Wang, Lidai; Bai, Xue; Cheng, Linghao; Guan, Bai-Ou

2017-01-01

Photoacoustic imaging, especially for intravascular and endoscopic applications, requires ultrasound probes with miniature size and high sensitivity. In this paper, we present a new photoacoustic sensor based on a small-sized fiber laser. Incident ultrasound waves exert pressures on the optical fiber laser and induce harmonic vibrations of the fiber, which is detected by the frequency shift of the beating signal between the two orthogonal polarization modes in the fiber laser. This ultrasound sensor presents a noise-equivalent pressure of 40 Pa over a 50-MHz bandwidth. We demonstrate this new ultrasound sensor on an optical-resolution photoacoustic microscope. The axial and lateral resolutions are 48 μm and 3.3 μm. The field of view is up to 1.57 mm2. The sensor exhibits strong resistance to environmental perturbations, such as temperature changes, due to common-mode cancellation between the two orthogonal modes. The present fiber laser ultrasound sensor offers a new tool for all-optical photoacoustic imaging. PMID:28098201

Photoacoustic characterization of ovarian tissue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aguirre, Andres; Gamelin, John; Guo, Puyun; Yan, Shikui; Sanders, Mary; Brewer, Molly; Zhu, Quing

2009-02-01

Ovarian cancer has the highest mortality of all gynecologic cancers with a five-year survival rate of only 30%. Because current imaging techniques (ultrasound, CT, MRI, PET) are not capable of detecting ovarian cancer early, most diagnoses occur in later stages (III/IV). Thus many women are not correctly diagnosed until the cancer becomes widely metastatic. On the other hand, while the majority of women with a detectable ultrasound abnormality do not harbor a cancer, they all undergo unnecessary oophorectomy. Hence, new imaging techniques that can provide functional and molecular contrasts are needed for improving the specificity of ovarian cancer detection and characterization. One such technique is photoacoustic imaging, which has great potential to reveal early tumor angiogenesis through intrinsic optical absorption contrast from hemoglobin or extrinsic contrast from conjugated agents binding to appropriate molecular receptors. To better understand the cancer disease process of ovarian tissue using photoacoustic imaging, it is necessary to first characterize the properties of normal ovarian tissue. We have imaged ex-vivo ovarian tissue using a 3D co-registered ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging system. The system is capable of volumetric imaging by means of electronic focusing. Detecting and visualizing small features from multiple viewing angles is possible without the need for any mechanical movement. The results show strong optical absorption from vasculature, especially highly vascularized corpora lutea, and low absorption from follicles. We will present correlation of photoacoustic images from animals with histology. Potential application of this technology would be the noninvasive imaging of the ovaries for screening or diagnostic purposes.

The challenges for quantitative photoacoustic imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cox, B. T.; Laufer, J. G.; Beard, P. C.

2009-02-01

In recent years, some of the promised potential of biomedical photoacoustic imaging has begun to be realised. It has been used to produce good, three-dimensional, images of blood vasculature in mice and other small animals, and in human skin in vivo, to depths of several mm, while maintaining a spatial resolution of <100 μm. Furthermore, photoacoustic imaging depends for contrast on the optical absorption distribution of the tissue under study, so, in the same way that the measurement of optical spectra has traditionally provided a means of determining the molecular constituents of an object, there is hope that multiwavelength photoacoustic imaging will provide a way to distinguish and quantify the component molecules of optically-scattering biological tissue (which may include exogeneous, targeted, chromophores). In simple situations with only a few significant absorbers and some prior knowledge of the geometry of the arrangement, this has been shown to be possible, but significant hurdles remain before the general problem can be solved. The general problem may be stated as follows: is it possible, in general, to take a set of photoacoustic images obtained at multiple optical wavelengths, and process them in a way that results in a set of quantitatively accurate images of the concentration distributions of the constituent chromophores of the imaged tissue? If such an 'inversion' procedure - not specific to any particular situation and free of restrictive suppositions - were designed, then photoacoustic imaging would offer the possibility of high resolution 'molecular' imaging of optically scattering tissue: a very powerful technique that would find uses in many areas of the life sciences and in clinical practice. This paper describes the principal challenges that must be overcome for such a general procedure to be successful.

WE-EF-210-07: Development of a Minimally Invasive Photo Acoustic Imaging System for Early Prostate Cancer Detection

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sano, M; Yousefi, S; Xing, L

Purpose: The objective of this work is to design, implement and characterize a catheter-based ultrasound/photoacoustic imaging probe for early-diagnosis of prostate cancer and to aid in image-guided radiation therapy. Methods: The need to image across 6–10cm of tissue to image the whole prostate gland limits the resolution achievable with a transrectal ultrasound approach. In contrast, the urethra bisects the prostate gland, providing a minimally invasive pathway for deploying a high resolution ultrasound transducer. Utilizing a high-frequency (20MHz) ultrasound/photoacoustic probe, high-resolution structural and molecular imaging of the prostate tissue is possible. A custom 3D printed probe containing a high-frequency single-element ultrasoundmore » transducer is utilized. The diameter of the probe is designed to fit inside a Foley catheter and the probe is rotated around the central axis to achieve a circular B-scan. A custom ultrasound amplifier and receiver was set up to trigger the ultrasound pulse transmission and record the reflected signal. The reconstructed images were compared to images generated by traditional 5 MHz ultrasound transducers. Results: The preliminary results using the high-frequency ultrasound probe show that it is possible to resolve finely detailed information in a prostate tissue phantom that was not achievable with previous low-frequency ultrasound systems. Preliminary ultrasound imaging was performed on tissue mimicking phantom and sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio of the catheter was measured. Conclusion: In order to achieve non-invasive, high-resolution, structural and molecular imaging for early-diagnosis and image-guided radiation therapy of the prostate tissue, a transurethral catheter was designed. Structural/molecular imaging using ultrasound/photoacoustic of the prostate tissue will allow for localization of hyper vascularized areas for early-stage prostate cancer diagnosis.« less

Molecular Detection of Invasive Species in Heterogeneous Mixtures Using a Microfluidic Carbon Nanotube Platform

PubMed Central

Mahon, Andrew R.; Barnes, Matthew A.; Senapati, Satyajyoti; Feder, Jeffrey L.; Darling, John A.; Chang, Hsueh-Chia; Lodge, David M.

2011-01-01

Screening methods to prevent introductions of invasive species are critical for the protection of environmental and economic benefits provided by native species and uninvaded ecosystems. Coastal ecosystems worldwide remain vulnerable to damage from aquatic species introductions, particularly via ballast water discharge from ships. Because current ballast management practices are not completely effective, rapid and sensitive screening methods are needed for on-site testing of ships in transit. Here, we describe a detection technology based on a microfluidic chip containing DNA oligonucleotide functionalized carbon nanotubes. We demonstrate the efficacy of the chip using three ballast-transported species either established (Dreissena bugensis) or of potential threat (Eriocheir sinensis and Limnoperna fortuneii) to the Laurentian Great Lakes. With further refinement for on-board application, the technology could lead to real-time ballast water screening to improve ship-specific management and control decisions. PMID:21364993

[Meta-analyses on measurement precision of non-invasive hemodynamic monitoring technologies in adults].

PubMed

Pestel, G; Fukui, K; Higashi, M; Schmidtmann, I; Werner, C

2018-06-01

An ideal non-invasive monitoring system should provide accurate and reproducible measurements of clinically relevant variables that enables clinicians to guide therapy accordingly. The monitor should be rapid, easy to use, readily available at the bedside, operator-independent, cost-effective and should have a minimal risk and side effect profile for patients. An example is the introduction of pulse oximetry, which has become established for non-invasive monitoring of oxygenation worldwide. A corresponding non-invasive monitoring of hemodynamics and perfusion could optimize the anesthesiological treatment to the needs in individual cases. In recent years several non-invasive technologies to monitor hemodynamics in the perioperative setting have been introduced: suprasternal Doppler ultrasound, modified windkessel function, pulse wave transit time, radial artery tonometry, thoracic bioimpedance, endotracheal bioimpedance, bioreactance, and partial CO 2 rebreathing have been tested for monitoring cardiac output or stroke volume. The photoelectric finger blood volume clamp technique and respiratory variation of the plethysmography curve have been assessed for monitoring fluid responsiveness. In this manuscript meta-analyses of non-invasive monitoring technologies were performed when non-invasive monitoring technology and reference technology were comparable. The primary evaluation criterion for all studies screened was a Bland-Altman analysis. Experimental and pediatric studies were excluded, as were all studies without a non-invasive monitoring technique or studies without evaluation of cardiac output/stroke volume or fluid responsiveness. Most studies found an acceptable bias with wide limits of agreement. Thus, most non-invasive hemodynamic monitoring technologies cannot be considered to be equivalent to the respective reference method. Studies testing the impact of non-invasive hemodynamic monitoring technologies as a trend evaluation on outcome, as well as

Minimally invasive esthetic ridge preservation with growth-factor enhanced bone matrix.

PubMed

Nevins, Marc L; Said, Sherif

2017-12-28

Extraction socket preservation procedures are critical to successful esthetic implant therapy. Conventional surgical approaches are technique sensitive and often result in alteration of the soft tissue architecture, which then requires additional corrective surgical procedures. This case series report presents the ability of flapless surgical techniques combined with a growth factor-enhanced bone matrix to provide esthetic ridge preservation at the time of extraction for compromised sockets. When considering esthetic dental implant therapy, preservation, or further enhancement of the available tissue support at the time of tooth extraction may provide an improved esthetic outcome with reduced postoperative sequelae and decreased treatment duration. Advances in minimally invasive surgical techniques combined with recombinant growth factor technology offer an alternative for bone reconstruction while maintaining the gingival architecture for enhanced esthetic outcome. The combination of freeze-dried bone allograft (FDBA) and rhPDGF-BB (platelet-derived growth factor-BB) provides a growth-factor enhanced matrix to induce bone and soft tissue healing. The use of a growth-factor enhanced matrix is an option for minimally invasive ridge preservation procedures for sites with advanced bone loss. Further studies including randomized clinical trials are needed to better understand the extent and limits of these procedures. The use of minimally invasive techniques with growth factors for esthetic ridge preservation reduces patient morbidity associated with more invasive approaches and increases the predictability for enhanced patient outcomes. By reducing the need for autogenous bone grafts the use of this technology is favorable for patient acceptance and ease of treatment process for esthetic dental implant therapy. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Combined multi-modal photoacoustic tomography, optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography system with an articulated probe for in vivo human skin structure and vasculature imaging

PubMed Central

Liu, Mengyang; Chen, Zhe; Zabihian, Behrooz; Sinz, Christoph; Zhang, Edward; Beard, Paul C.; Ginner, Laurin; Hoover, Erich; Minneman, Micheal P.; Leitgeb, Rainer A.; Kittler, Harald; Drexler, Wolfgang

2016-01-01

Cutaneous blood flow accounts for approximately 5% of cardiac output in human and plays a key role in a number of a physiological and pathological processes. We show for the first time a multi-modal photoacoustic tomography (PAT), optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography system with an articulated probe to extract human cutaneous vasculature in vivo in various skin regions. OCT angiography supplements the microvasculature which PAT alone is unable to provide. Co-registered volumes for vessel network is further embedded in the morphologic image provided by OCT. This multi-modal system is therefore demonstrated as a valuable tool for comprehensive non-invasive human skin vasculature and morphology imaging in vivo. PMID:27699106

Photoacoustic detection of blood in dental pulp by using short-time Fourier transform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamada, Azusa; Kakino, Satoko; Matsuura, Yuji

2016-03-01

A method based on photoacoustic analysis is proposed to diagnose dental pulp vitality. Photoacoustic analysis enables to get signal from deeper tissues than other optical analyses and therefore, signal detection from root canal of thick dental tissues such as molar teeth is expected. As a light source for excitation of photoacoustic waves, a microchip Q-switched YAG laser with a wavelength of 1064 nm was used and owing to large penetration depth of the near infrared laser, photoacoustic signals from dental root were successfully obtained. It was found that the photoacoustic signals from the teeth containing hemoglobin solution in the pulp cavity provide vibration in high frequency region. It was also shown that the intensities of the high frequency component have correlation with the hemoglobin concentration of solution. We applied short-time Fourier transform for evaluation of photoacoustic signals and this analysis clearly showed photoacoustic signals from dental root.

Enhancement in photo-electrochemical efficiency by reducing recombination rate in branched TiO2 nanotube array on functionalizing with ZnO micro crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boda, Muzaffar Ahmad; Ashraf Shah, Mohammad

2018-06-01

In this study, branched TiO2 nanotube array were fabricated through electrochemical anodization process at constant voltage using third generation electrolyte. On account of morphological advantage, these nanotubes shows significant enhancement in photo-electrochemical property than compact or conventional titania nanotube array. However, their photo-electrochemical efficiency intensifies on coating with ZnO micro-crystals. ZnO coated branched TiO2 nanotube array shows a photocurrent density of 27.8 mA cm‑2 which is 1.55 times the photocurrent density (17.2 mA cm‑2) shown by bare branched titania nanotubes. The significant enhancement in photocurrent density shown by the resulting ZnO/TiO2 hybrid structure is attributed to suppression in electron–hole recombination phenomenon by offering smooth pathway to photo generated excitons on account of staggered band edge positions in individual semiconductors.

Blood pulse wave velocity measured by photoacoustic microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeh, Chenghung; Hu, Song; Maslov, Konstantin; Wang, Lihong V.

2013-03-01

Blood pulse wave velocity (PWV) is an important indicator for vascular stiffness. In this letter, we present electrocardiogram-synchronized photoacoustic microscopy for in vivo noninvasive quantification of the PWV in the peripheral vessels of mice. Interestingly, strong correlation between blood flow speed and ECG were clearly observed in arteries but not in veins. PWV is measured by the pulse travel time and the distance between two spot of a chose vessel, where simultaneously recorded electrocardiograms served as references. Statistical analysis shows a linear correlation between the PWV and the vessel diameter, which agrees with known physiology. Keywords: photoacoustic microscopy, photoacoustic spectroscopy, bilirubin, scattering medium.

Comparison of non-invasive tear film stability measurement techniques.

PubMed

Wang, Michael Tm; Murphy, Paul J; Blades, Kenneth J; Craig, Jennifer P

2018-01-01

Measurement of tear film stability is commonly used to give an indication of tear film quality but a number of non-invasive techniques exists within the clinical setting. This study sought to compare three non-invasive tear film stability measurement techniques: instrument-mounted wide-field white light clinical interferometry, instrument-mounted keratoscopy and hand-held keratoscopy. Twenty-two subjects were recruited in a prospective, randomised, masked, cross-over study. Tear film break-up or thinning time was measured non-invasively by independent experienced examiners, with each of the three devices, in a randomised order, within an hour. Significant correlation was observed between instrument-mounted interferometric and keratoscopic measurements (p < 0.001) but not between the hand-held device and the instrument-mounted techniques (all p > 0.05). Tear film stability values obtained from the hand-held device were significantly shorter and demonstrated narrower spread than the other two instruments (all p < 0.05), while no significant differences were observed between the two instrument-mounted devices (all p > 0.05). Good clinical agreement exists between the instrument-mounted interferometric and keratoscopic measurements but not between the hand-held device and either of the instrument-mounted techniques. The results highlight the importance of specifying the instrument employed to record non-invasive tear film stability. © 2017 Optometry Australia.

[Detection of single-walled carbon nanotube bundles by tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy].

PubMed

Wu, Xiao-Bin; Wang, Jia; Wang, Rui; Xu, Ji-Ying; Tian, Qian; Yu, Jian-Yuan

2009-10-01

Raman spectroscopy is a powerful technique in the characterization of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). However, this spectral method is subject to two obstacles. One is spatial resolution, namely the diffraction limits of light, and the other is its inherent small Raman cross section and weak signal. To resolve these problems, a new approach has been developed, denoted tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS). TERS has been demonstrated to be a powerful spectroscopic and microscopic technique to characterize nanomaterial or nanostructures. Excited by a focused laser beam, an enhanced electric field is generated in the vicinity of a metallic tip because of the surface plasmon polariton (SPP) and lightening rod effect. Consequently, Raman signal from the sample area illuminated by the enhanced field nearby the tip is enhanced. At the same time, the topography is obtained in the nanometer scale. The exact corresponding relationship between the localized Raman and the topography makes the Raman identification at the nanometer scale to be feasible. In the present paper, based on an inverted microscope and a metallic AFM tip, a tip-enhanced Raman system was set up. The radius of the Au-coated metallic tip is about 30 nm. The 532 nm laser passes through a high numerical objective (NA0.95) from the bottom to illuminate the tip to excite the enhanced electric field. Corresponding with the AFM image, the tip-enhanced near-field Raman of a 100 nm diameter single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) bundles was obtained. The SWNTs were prepared by arc method. Furthermore, the near-field Raman of about 3 SWNTs of the bundles was received with the spatial resolution beyond the diffraction limit. Compared with the far-field Raman, the enhancement factor of the tip-enhanced Raman is more than 230. With the super-diffraction spatial resolution and the tip-enhanced Raman ability, tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy will play an important role in the nano-material and nano-structure characterization.

Evanescent Field Based Photoacoustics: Optical Property Evaluation at Surfaces

PubMed Central

Goldschmidt, Benjamin S.; Rudy, Anna M.; Nowak, Charissa A.; Tsay, Yowting; Whiteside, Paul J. D.; Hunt, Heather K.

2016-01-01